Provender Mage O.C.C.

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taalismn
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Provender Mage O.C.C.

Unread post by taalismn »

Time to try out another new specialist mage, ideally for Rifts/Phaseworld, but with some tinkering, could be adapted to other settings:

(references made to Stone Gargoyle;s Baker Mage OCC)

Provender Mage O.C.C.
“You need to feed HOW many? Let me me see what I can do; though I hope everybody likes fish.”

Virtually unknown against the epic tapestry of magic use, overlooked and dismissed by most serious magic users, but very much appreciated where their presence and operations are known, Provender Mages are the unsung heroes of trade and supply for many isolated corners of the megaverse and backwaters of Rifts Earth. Though regarded as inconsequential by mainstream magic users, Provender Mages are as serious in their focus as any High Mage, and that focus is the manipulation of matter.
Part merchant, part handyman, part magic supply officer, and part alchemist-creator mage, Provender Mages are generally inoffensive, with few, if any, spells of an offensive, or even defensive, nature. Provender Mages are obsessed with making the most of the material world, by using magic to make the most of scant available resources, refurbish and repair materials, and even duplicate substances. It is said the school emerged from a time of privation(often said to be the Coming of the Rifts), when times were hard and resources scant, but magical energies were high, leading magic users to attempt to use their powers to harvest and salvage what little could be found. Being able to conjure food from nothing but Blue Line energy, salvage food and metals, and magically repair equipment would be a very useful ability set under such circumstances.
Perhaps the greatest ability of the Provender Mage is to be able to create materials of PERMANENCE from the energy of magic. While a Conjuror’s tools and weapons fade away, planks and boards created by a Provender Mage can last for years and years. The PM is able to tap into the universal PPE and use it to synthesize material objects, energy into mass, and perhaps most importantly, energy into temporary mass that can be assimilated and converted into (different forms of energy) again. In many ways, the Provender Mage combines many of the attributes of a Conjurer and an Old Believer(see Rifts Mystic Russia) in being able to create things seemingly from thin air.
Provender Mages are also skilled in a variety of basic fix-it and maintenance skills, and trading/bargaining, and are expert scavengers. They are one of the few professions that gets professional begging training, though a Provender Mage is more likely to pass on what they acquire in this manner to those less fortunate than themselves.
Provender Mages are most often found as traveling merchants, supply officers, and town resource officials. Provender Mages get along best with other like-minded magic users such as TechnoWizards and High Cooks, and with merchants and Operators. They have a love-hate relationship with Baker Mages, as the latter regard themselves as superior artisans producing works of art with every loaf, while Provender Mages (supposedly) dish up low-quality common-denominator ‘grub’ in mass quantity. The Black Market likes to recruit Provender Mages to help them acquire supplies and clean up salvage, and also because having them in the Black Market’s pocket keeps them from being competition to the BM’s manipulation of supply and demand.

Provender Mage O.C.C.

Prerequisites: M.E. of 10 or better, P.E. of 12 or better. A good M.A. and P.S. attribute are also desirable, but not mandatory.

Special Abilities:
*Creation/Recycling Magic---Provender Mages work on the school principles of Creation From Energy and Conservation of Material. The Provender Mage focuses on magic that creates substance from primordial energy(magic) and, at lower energy cost, recycles existing material.


Starting Spells:
-Cloud of Smoke(2)
-Levitation(5)
-Manipulate Objects(2+)
-Mystic Fulcrum(5)
-Float in Air(5)
-Shatter(5)
-Throwing Stones(5)

-Reduced/Half PPE Cost Spells: The Provender Mage is so adept at material manipulation that certain spells cost the ProvM HALF of what they normally cost other mages to cast(in the case of odd numbers, round up, so a spell normally costing 5 PPE will cost the PM 3 to cast):
The Provender Mage starts with the following:
- Cob Webs(Mysteries of Magic)(5)---Note: casting this spell at HALF normal PPE cost yields the temporary duration effect, while casting the spell at FULL cost, the Provender Mage can create PERMANENT webbing fibers)
-Create Bread & Milk(8 )
-Create Water(15)
-Preserve Food(Mystic Russia)(12)

-Additional Reduced/Half Cost Spells:
The Provender Mage can select FOUR of the following spells at Level One.

-Create Steel(68 )
-Create Wood(10/20)
-Ironwood(50+)
-Mend the Broken(normally 10+1 PPE/2 SDC, 30 PPE/1 MDC)
-Negate Poisons/Toxins(5)
-Negate Spoiling Magic(Mystic Russia)(10)
-Purification(20)
-Rags to Rope(Mysteries of Magic)(13)---Note: casting this spell at HALF normal PPE cost yields the temporary duration effect, while casting the spell at FULL cost, the Provender Mage can create PERMANENT rope)
-Seal(7)
- Spider Webs(Mysteries of Magic)(10)---Note: casting this spell at HALF normal PPE cost yields the temporary duration effect, while casting the spell at FULL cost, the Provender Mage can create PERMANENT webbing fibers)
-Spinning Blades(20)
-Stone to Flesh(30)
-Water to Wine(40)


Learning New Spells:
Provender Mages are drawn to learn spells that create or manipulate matter. They can acquire new magic spells in the usual way, and they can figure out ONE new spell on advancing a level equal to their level of experience.
Combat magic is possible, but costs them DOUBLE the regular PPE.
LIkewise, while Provender Mages can learn Bakery Magic spells, they too cost DOUBLE the regular PPE.
The following (on-line/fan-made) Spells can be learned and cast at HALF normal PPE cost:

-Conjure Futon (Invocation)( 18)
-Conjure Pillows (Invocation)(17)
-Flavor Change (Invocation)(7)
-Gather and Shape Plastic(Invocation/Ritual)( 30/ 100)
-Liquid Sunshine (Invocation)( 20)
-Liquify Coal(Invocation)( 8 )
-Liquify PPE(Invocation)(55 PPE baseline, +2 PPE per 1 PPE liquified under normal conditions. It costs 40 PPE baseline, and 1 PPE per 1 point liquified on a Ley Line, and costs only 30 PPE baseline, and 1 PPE per 1 point liquified at a nexus point.)
-Mystic Chrome(Invocation)(6)
-Polymerize Water(Invocation)(12)
-Revitalize Fuel(Invocation)( 8 )
-Smokeless Burn(Invocation)( 11)
-Sole Saver(Invocation)(18 )
-Unravel(Invocation)(3)
-Water to Coffee/Tea(Invocation)( 20)
-Water to Fuel (Invocation)( 15)
-Water to High-Grade Fuel (Invocation)( 15)
-Water to Juice(Invocation)( 22)
-Wood to Coal(Invocation)( 6)
-Wood to Ethanol(Invocation)( 6)

(Note: these are spells I’ve created myself, and do not cover all similar fan-made spells on the Palladium forums. GMs/PCs, use your discretion when allowing fanon spells. Remember, the Provender Mage focuses on Creation, Recycling, and Material Alteration magic)


P.P.E.: 2d6x10 +P.E. to start with, +2d6 per level of experience. Recovers 4 PPE per hour of rest/sleep, or 9 per hour of meditation.
The Provender Mage can draw upon supplemental sources of PPE, such as ley lines, PPE batteries, and donations, as normal.

O.C.C. Skills:
Language: Native Tongue ar 98%
Language: Two of choice(+20%)
Appraise Goods(+15%)
Barter(+15%)
Begging(+15%)
Recycling(+15%)
Gemology(+10%)
Lore: Magic(+10%)
Land Navigation(+10%)
Piloting (One of choice) or Horsemanship
W.P. Knife
Hand to Hand: Basic(can be upgraded to Expert for the cost of 1 skill selection, or Martial Arts for two)

Skills: Select 6 ‘other skills at Level One, plus two additional at levels 3, 6, 9 and 12. All new skills start at level one proficiency
Communications: Any(+5%), except Laser Communications, Surveillance Systems, and TV/Video
Domestic: Any(+10%)
Electrical: Basic Electronics only(+5%)
Espionage: None
Mechanical: Basic and Automotive Mechanics only(+5%)
Medical: First Aid(+5%) or Paramedic(2 skills)
Military: None
Physical: Any, except Acrobatics
Pilot: Any
Pilot Related: Any
Rogue: Any(+10% to Find Contraband)
Science: Any
Technical: Any(+10%)
Wilderness: Any(+10% to Skin & Prepare Animal Hides and Preserve Food)
Weapons Proficiencies(W.P.): Any, except W.P. Heavy Weapons

Secondary Skills: Select 5 Secondary Skills at Level One, plus one additional at levels 4, 8, and 13. All new secondary skills start at Level One proficiency and without any bonuses, except for possible high I.Q. bonuses.

Experience Tables: Use the TechnoWizard EXP tables.
Standard Equipment:
A backpack and several carry-sacks, robes with multiple pockets. Will frequently have a hand-drawn cart, civilian vehicle or beast of burden to help them carry all the stuff they lug around.
Starting Money:
3d6x100 credits, plus 3d4x1,000 credits’ worth in barter items.

Cybernetics/Bionics: None; and avoid them like the plague. Most Provender Mages avoid even dealing in scavenged cybertech, and they will only consider getting an artificial limb for medical reasons(will seek magical healing if possible, or do without)
Last edited by taalismn on Tue Feb 09, 2021 8:21 pm, edited 3 times in total.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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drewkitty ~..~
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Re: Provender Mage O.C.C.

Unread post by drewkitty ~..~ »

List of my posted spells that I think would fit the above...
(PPE listings are for the raw spell cost. Any listing like this: (XX/YY) is listing the cost for (temp/Perm) costs. the groupings are just to save space.)

Instant Bikini L5 (40/100)
Recycle Air (modified....errr...fixed) L3 (5 per person per day’s worth)
Brazilian Job L4 (14)
Snow Balls L2 (4)
Pudding L4 (10)
Transmute to Flowery Girlie Thing L5 (30)

Color Change L6 (35)
Create Gem L9 (50)
Make Paper L5 (10 wood pulp/ 20 rag pulp)
Make Metal Thread L5 (15)
Purify Metal L4 (8)
Alloy Metals L5 (20)

Meld Stone L5 (20)
Cure Hides L4 (20)
Create Milk and Cookies L7 (15)
Sodium Block L2 (10)
Joke Do-do L4 (12)
Make Wooden Wall L7 (40)

Fuse wood L5 (32)
Cut Wood L4 (36)
Bend wood (28)
Smooth wood L2 (6)
Shellac L4 (33)
Lacker L5 (38)

Wood Carving L5 (41)
Color Wood lesser L2 (10)
Color wood L5 (25)
Color Wood greater L11 (100)
Darn Socks L4 (19)
Give Form: Glass L5 (18)

Onegiri & Sake (greater) L7 (20)
Onegiri & Sake (Lesser) L5 (13)
Waffles & 'Tea or Coffee' L7 (20)
Butter & Syrup L5 (12)
Eggs and 'Bacon or Sausage' L6 (15)
Pizza and beer L7 (20, +3 per topping)

Instant X-Mass Present L6 (50)
Instant Scott L6 (65)
Transport Mining (ritual) L7 (100/lb.)
Spinning C'tubes (greater) L6 AM (27)
C'Tube Fabric L8 AM (45/65)
3D Woven C'Tube Armor L9 AM (90/100)

Shape and Join 3D Woven C'Tube Armor L8 AM (60)
Rage Against the Machine lesser L8 (60)
Rage Against the Machine L9 (80)
Rage To Fix the Machine L6 (42/100)
Magnetize L4 (10/34)
Instant Pool L5 (70)

Cosplay Clothes L7 (65)
Cup/Mug/Tankard L4 (3)
Water Sphere L6 (37)
Form Fitting Armor (lesser) L7 (46)
Form Fitting Armor (greater) L9 (78)
Form Fitting Armor (greatest) L12 (238)

Personalize lesser L5 (28/58)
Magical stuff can only be changed temporarily.
Personalize Greater L8 (48/78)
Personalize Greatest L9 (51/81)
Snowing Greater L9 (38)
Snowing Greatest L12 (58)

Liquid Sunlight L7 (50)
Create Wood (Greater) L6 (20)
Pajamas L5 (35)
May you be blessed with the ability to change course when you are off the mark.
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taalismn
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Re: Provender Mage O.C.C.

Unread post by taalismn »

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:List of my posted spells that I think would fit the above...
(PPE listings are for the raw spell cost. Any listing like this: (XX/YY) is listing the cost for (temp/Perm) costs. the groupings are just to save space.))


Thanks...This is MOST useful to the OCC. :D
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
Curbludgeon
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Re: Provender Mage O.C.C.

Unread post by Curbludgeon »

That's quite nice, taalismn, and fills a useful logistical niche to which the necessarily skirmish-based nature of many RPGs doesn't often pay enough attention.

There are a few spells from Chaos Earth: Rise of Magic that would be fitting. Most are listed as twice the below cost when away from a Blue Zone, which could interact with the P.M.'s lowered speciality cost.
Fast Food (15)
Magic Box (8)
Move Debris (6)
Renew (Revitalize Food) (15)
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taalismn
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Re: Provender Mage O.C.C.

Unread post by taalismn »

Curbludgeon wrote:That's quite nice, taalismn, and fills a useful logistical niche to which the necessarily skirmish-based nature of many RPGs doesn't often pay enough attention.

There are a few spells from Chaos Earth: Rise of Magic that would be fitting. Most are listed as twice the below cost when away from a Blue Zone, which could interact with the P.M.'s lowered speciality cost.
Fast Food (15)
Magic Box (8)
Move Debris (6)
Renew (Revitalize Food) (15)


Yah, I remember the little girl who could materialize candy... :-D
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
Shark_Force
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Re: Provender Mage O.C.C.

Unread post by Shark_Force »

there are a number of warlock spells that I would imagine these mages would have devoted a lot of effort to figuring out (or at least, an equivalent-but-higher-cost version). mostly earth (*especially* earth) and water (they have a lot of ways to make fog/mist/whatever else you want to call it), but air and even fire has some (smoke is actually a substance, after all, not to mention fire warlocks can iirc create coal).
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taalismn
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Re: Provender Mage O.C.C.

Unread post by taalismn »

Some of those take the school into meta-levels of molecular alteration/creation, though I imagine that a Provender Mage in space might just want to learn air creation/recycling spells.

Though some of the thoughts I may save for ideas for an Industrial Alchemist I'm kicking around.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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