The world of Mythic Americas is awash with magic. Both the Everchanging and Everliving use magic as you and I would think of it today, and a variety of soul-based, ancient wisdom which in effect is also a type of magic, but which to us would seem more like mysticism. Both dark and light magic abounds, and the practitioners of the powerful incantations tossed around on battlefields throughout the Americas vary, they can be Shamans, Demons, Soul Walkers, Spider Sisters or even Medicine Men (who for the most part focus on healing magics, though they are no slouches at dark magic as well when pressed).
Magic in the Game
“Wizards“, in Mythic Americas is the term used to refer to all spell casters whatever their actual shape of form. They are distinguished from other units in the army lists in that they have a Magic Level in their profile. This level can range from 1-3, with level 3 wizards being particularly competent. Many spells have effects or ranges that differ dependent on the caster’s Magic Level.
Each wizard can choose one spell for free from the list of spells available to their faction. Each wizard can purchase additional spells at a cost of 10 points per spell, though may only cast one per turn.
Of course, dabbling in such powerful magics can be dangerous to the wizard, and a miscast can be disastrous, rolling a 10 when attempting to cast a spell can result in the wizard being turned into a large (and rather ineffectual on the battlefield) toad, or inadvertently “swallowing” the spell and permanently boosting their Magic level, or many other fates determined by the random roll of a D10.
Wizards will also need to contend with enemy casters, who can attempt to dispel their sorceries.
Tribal Nations Magic
The Medicine Man of the Tribal Nations has magical flexibility that other spellcasters do not. With a soul-bound connection to the earth, the Medicine Man has access to magic spells that blur the boundaries of The Way.
A key spell for the Tribal Nations is Regrowth of the Woods, which allows a Medicine Man to attempt to summon a wooded terrain piece on the tabletop, providing cover and protection for the warriors of the Warband. The range of this new piece of terrain can be up to 30″ if the Medicine Man is Magic Level 3. A Medicine Man who chooses The Way of Everliving Magic can make use of an exceptionally powerful spell that combos exceptionally well with Regrowth of the Woods; Shifting of the Woods allows a Tribal Nations unit to instantly move from one piece of wooded terrain to any other wooded terrain on the battlefield!
The Way of Everchanging Magic is more sinister. Vengeance of the Woods, for example, inflicts D3+1 hits on enemy units caught within a wood.
Aztecs Magic
The magic of the Aztecs is granted by Tlaloc and his deep affinity for life, death and sustenance. The statistic enhancement spells have greater value when used on undead units as multiple units can be affected by a single casting if the priest has a higher magic level. Any unit that contains any models with the Undead special rule is considered an eligible undead target unit for the purposes of these enhancement spells. Tlaloc has gifted the Aztecs with a bounty of magical effects, some that transcend the boundaries of The Way. A core spell for the Aztecs is Armor of the Gods, bolstering the durability of your undead units, particularly effective for keeping your melee units engaged and stuck into enemies who may need to commit additional resources to their destruction. Similarly, Power Siphon lends your units a temporary boost in strength, enabling them to strike deadlier blows.
A caster committed to the Way of Everliving Magic can use spells like the Curse of Servitude to resurrect models, returning friendly undead units to fighting strength, whilst those opting for the Way of Everchanging Magic can attempt to cast such spells as Unnatural Speed, giving friendly units Fast 8 allowing for more effective battlefield positioning for your slower units – the number of units affected by this powerful spell is equivalent to the user’s Magic Level – a superb reactionary tool or to seize superior positioning early in a game.
Incan Magic
The Inca empire has powerful Mage-Priests whose wizardry is perhaps the most powerful in Mythic Americas. With two able casters, one of which is MOD2, the Incas have the potential of casting up to three spells each round. What’s more, each caster can be surrounded by Sacrificial Virgins who can be used to increase the casting value after the casting die is rolled.
Sacrificial Virgin – An Inca priest may choose to sacrifice one Sacrificial Virgin to subtract one from the total casting value after the casting roll has been made.
Inca magic is aligned with two of their main deities. Inti, the Inca God of the sun, aligns with the Everliving. His gift to mankind is the sunlight which allows for life to exist on Mother Turtle. Moon magic pays homage to Mama Quilla \’kē-lə\, Inti’s wife, and goddess of the moon. Mama Quilla aligns with the Everchanging as she influences one of the most powerful forces on the planet – gravity.
Inca casters who follow the Way of Everliving and Inti have powerful spells which enhance the Inca Warband; such as Inti’s Guiding Hand which grants a friendly archer unit an additional ranged attack outside of the ordinary activation sequence (that also ignores LOS). Inca casters who follow the Way of Everchanging and Mama Quilla have powerful spells which unsettle the enemy; Quilla’s Shining Light imbues friendly archers with the Howling Horror Ammunition special rule – meaning that they inflict D3 additional pins upon their foes.
