The Gift

The Gift is a special advantage for spellcasters. If you have it, you can perform a special task that allows you to absorb spell energy from the local mana. The character point value is based on how much mana you can absorb and how difficult the task is.

Gift Level	Energy	Value
One	1d	5 points
Two	1dx2	10 points
Three	1dx3	20 points
Four	1dx4	40 points
Five	1dx6	60 points
Six	1dx8	90 points
Seven	1dx10	120 points
Eight	1dx12	150 points
Nine	1dx15	200 points
Ten	1dx20	250 points

      Double the usable energy in High Mana areas. Cut it in half in Low Mana areas. The Gift does not work in No Mana areas.
      Normally, the energy must be used immediately after it is acquired. It can't be saved for a later casting. If the character waits more than a few seconds, he loses it all.
      There are two exceptions to the "saving" rule. First, if the task takes a while to perform, the GM can allow him to hold on to the energy for the same amount of time. If, for example, the task is "has to swim across a river" and the crossing takes five minutes, he can hold the energy for five minutes.
      The other exception is the "power-mad wizard" rule: the energy sits inside the character, eating away at him, if he holds it for too long. For every second he insists on holding it beyond his limit, roll against his Health score. For every failed roll, he permanently loses a point of HT. His body reflects the loss, withering and/or bleeding as he tries to contain the power. Yeeeeow!
      To absorb spell energy, the character has to do something. Like

stand on top of a pyramid
be at least one mile above the ground
stand in the sun
lay down (anywhere
lay down (somewhere special)
kill someone
kill someone special
kill someone in a special way
inflict pain
inflict pain on someone special
inflict pain in a special way
tell a lie
get naked
get naked at night
successfully use a particular skill
create something
toss a pouch of teeth into the water
strangle a poodle
toss a pouch of jewelry into a well
win a game of chess against another spellcaster
find someone
etc.

The possibilities are endless. Be creative. The character point value of the Gift is adjusted by the difficulty of the task:

      Extremely Difficult: -40%
      Very Difficult: -30%
      Moderately Difficult: -20%
      Almost Easy: -10%

Examples

      Brother Dennis is a monk in a fantasy world. He knows a few Food College spells. He has a third-level Gift. The task is a seven-day fast. We'll say the fast is moderately difficult. So, if he fasts for a week, he rolls one die, multiplies the result by three, and gains that many energy points to use for spellcasting.
      A third-level Gift is worth 20 points, reduced by -20% because fasting for seven days is a moderate limitation — it's tough to do but it requires no special tools, substances, or special environment. Brother Dennis' Gift is worth 16 points.
      Another example: Eve Alabaster

Variations

First, you can vary the amount of energy by the degree of success of the task. This is easier than it sounds. In fact, all Game Masters who use Gifts in the campaign will alter the energy amount rolled by the character. There are two reasons why.

      1) Sometimes the boost will allow a spell to be cast at such a high power level that it will upset the adventure. To avoid this, the GM can surprise the player of the Gifted character with information about how poorly the task was actually performed.
      "I know you're standing on top of the pyramid. But it's supposed to be four-sided. I'll give you a third of the amount you're supposed to get, but only because I'm being nice." Or . . .
      "Yes, you told a lie and that's supposed to give you a bonus. But you don't feel that boost of power. Guess what? It really isn't a lie! You accidentally told the truth!"

      2) The second reason to alter the amount is to account for the fact that each circumstance really is different. Suppose the Gifted character gets a bonus when he uses his Bard skill successfully — after telling a tale, he gets a few energy points to spend on his next spell.
      But how well did he do it? Did he make the roll by 1, or did he roll a critical success? Maybe he rolled well but he had an audience of three drunks who were barely listening. What if he rolled a critical success in front of an audience of a thousand people? Doesn't that give him a bigger boost?
      It should. But making up rules for every possible variation is pointless and takes too much creative power away from the Game Master. When the GM makes these adjustments on the spot, he'll be taking into account what spell the energy will be used for; that will play a major role in his decisions.

Other Gifts

But there's more . . .
There are a few special types of Gifts, Gifts that offer a spellcasting bonus in another form. For example, there are Gifts that offer a bonus to your effective spell skill roll instead of energy. There are Gifts that offer no extra energy, but let you heal lost energy more quickly. And there are Gifts that shorten the casting time.

Skill Roll Gifts

Gift Level	Spell Roll Bonus	Value
One	+1	5 points
Two	+2	10 points
Three	+3	20 points
Four	+4	40 points
Five	+6	60 points
Six	+8	90 points
Seven	+10	120 points
Eight	+12	150 points
Nine	+15	200 points
Ten	+20	250 points

Gifted Characters

      The GM might require that all characters who take a Gift also take an Unusual Background worth 10 points or more. For example, a particular Gifted character might be the seventh son of a seventh son, he could have demon blood in his veins, or he might be blessed.
      You could play a campaign in which every spellcaster has one unique Gift of some kind.
      For a real twist, make the Gift contradict a mental disadvantage. For example, a character with a Vow of celibacy might get an energy boost when he or she has sex. Or, the guy who stands on top of pyramids could have a fear of heights.