The Chromatic Chord

Surging Magic

The Harmonic school of the Surging Deep, whose lesson is that life survives through movement. See The Schools of Magic.

Philosophy

Surging Magic takes its lesson from the Surging Deep: life survives through movement. Water that does not flow stagnates; blood that does not circulate kills; healing that does not rebalance becomes swelling, rot, or parasitic growth.

Its philosophy therefore emphasizes flow, adaptation, and measured generosity. A Surging mage learns that not every wound should be closed by force and not every poison should be fought head-on. Often the correct answer is to redirect, dilute, flush, or restore proper movement.

Example Places of Study

  • The Tidelore Hospice of Maris: A harbour hospice kept under the name of Maris of the Tides, famous for healing arts and maritime survival magic.
  • The River Seminary: A disciplined riverbank school built around flow control and communal healing.
  • The Hall of Circulating Mercy: A temple-hospital where healers learn how much of their own life they can spend, and when to stop.
  • The Salt Archive: A coastal house known for sea magic, salinity workings, and cleansing rites.
  • The Floodplain Houses: Informal river traditions that teach practical water and body magic.

Common Spells

Cupfill · Mist Veil · Current Pull · Water Needle · Foam Shield · River Step · Drown Whisper · Purge Poison · Cleanse Wound · Thread the Vein · Blood Quiet · Draw Thirst · Salt Ward · Brine Lash · Tide Pull · Undertow Grip · Siphon Fever · Flow Sense · Surge Mend · Floodgate · Breath of the Deep · Current Cage · Wash Memory · Mirror Pool · Scour Channel · Lifebalance · Red Tide · Aqua Reliquary · Tidal Burst · Mercy Drain · Wavetread · Shorebreaker

Typical Cost/Power Source (every spell): Usually fed by nearby water, bodily flow, moisture, and the caster's reserves; healing and cleansing magic often also spends or redirects lifeforce.

Cupfill

Purpose/How It Works
Cupfill draws clean nearby water into an empty vessel by guiding local moisture or adjacent liquid flow.
Notable Exceptions
It cannot conjure water where none exists and is poor with poison-saturated sources.
Example Use
A traveller fills flasks from mist and dew before a hard ascent.
Casting Methods
Vessel-touch draw, a few heartbeats. Stream-guiding gesture, a heartbeat.
Range/Duration
Moisture within a few steps. An instant.

Mist Veil

Purpose/How It Works
Mist Veil raises a screen of vapour to obscure sight, soften light, or cool a space.
Notable Exceptions
Strong wind tears it apart quickly.
Example Use
Raiders hide their river crossing from archers on the far bank.
Casting Methods
Open-hand vapour lift, a few heartbeats. Water-bowl focus, a few breaths.
Range/Duration
A small patch a few strides off. Lasts moments to a short while.

Current Pull

Purpose/How It Works
Current Pull drags a body or object along existing water flow or creates a short artificial draw towards the caster's chosen direction.
Notable Exceptions
Strong anchors and rough terrain resist it.
Example Use
A rescuer pulls a drowning child towards the boat without entering the river.
Casting Methods
Sweeping draw gesture, a few heartbeats. Rope-and-water focus, a few breaths.
Range/Duration
Across a stretch of water, out to a stone's throw. Lasts a few moments.

Water Needle

Purpose/How It Works
Water Needle fires a narrow high-pressure jet that cuts, stings, or punctures depending on force.
Notable Exceptions
Requires accessible water or prepared reservoir and loses force over distance.
Example Use
Dock wardens cut a rope line to keep a burning ship from spreading the fire.
Casting Methods
Finger-point jet, a heartbeat. Nozzle or wand focus, at once when charged.
Range/Duration
Across a dock or a narrow street. An instant.

Foam Shield

Purpose/How It Works
Foam Shield creates dense cushioning foam that absorbs impact, slows arrows, and softens falls.
Notable Exceptions
It collapses quickly under sustained heat or slicing pressure.
Example Use
Flood crews leap from a collapsing quay behind a wall of braking foam.
Casting Methods
Two-hand churn cast, a few heartbeats. Vessel release, a heartbeat if prepared.
Range/Duration
Right beside the caster. Lasts moments, and little longer.

River Step

Purpose/How It Works
River Step supports quick movement across shallow water or unstable surface flow by briefly stiffening the water's response underfoot.
Notable Exceptions
It fails on deep violent surf or under heavy armour.
Example Use
A messenger outruns the bandits by crossing a flooded ford they dare not ride.
Casting Methods
Stepping rhythm cast, a heartbeat. Reed or staff focus, a few heartbeats.
Range/Duration
Self. Lasts for several steps.

Drown Whisper

Purpose/How It Works
Drown Whisper muffles sound beneath a dampened liquid hush, swallowing voices and footsteps.
Notable Exceptions
Hard consonants and metal clang still carry somewhat.
Example Use
Assassins slip through a cistern hall unheard.
Casting Methods
Whispered hush cast, a few heartbeats. Water-skin focus, a few breaths.
Range/Duration
A small room or a lane. Lasts a short while.

Purge Poison

Purpose/How It Works
Purge Poison encourages toxins out through sweat, vomiting, bleeding, or forced filtration by restoring proper bodily flow.
Notable Exceptions
It is less effective on magical curses than on physical toxins.
Example Use
A field healer saves a bitten scout by forcing venom into discharge before it reaches the heart.
Casting Methods
Touch and pulse-guidance, a few breaths. Basin-assisted purge rite, a minute's chant.
Range/Duration
Touch. Works over a short while, sometimes an hour.

Cleanse Wound

Purpose/How It Works
Cleanse Wound washes dirt, rot, and contamination from injured flesh without needing direct scrubbing.
Notable Exceptions
It does not seal the wound or restore lost tissue.
Example Use
A surgeon clears mud and splinters from a spear wound before deeper treatment.
Casting Methods
Hand-over-wound flow cast, a few heartbeats. Water-cloth ritual wash, a short chant.
Range/Duration
Touch. Cleans in an instant.

Thread the Vein

Purpose/How It Works
Thread the Vein reopens blocked circulation and encourages proper blood passage through damaged or constricted pathways.
Notable Exceptions
Dangerous if used on uncontrolled internal bleeding.
Example Use
A healer restores blood flow to a crushed limb before tissue begins to die.
Casting Methods
Touch and pulse following, a few breaths. Fine needle or thread focus, a slow and careful working.
Range/Duration
Touch. Holds a short while, often long enough for fuller healing.

Blood Quiet

Purpose/How It Works
Blood Quiet slows dangerous bleeding by calming flow and tightening local vascular movement.
Notable Exceptions
It is not enough for completely severed major vessels without additional intervention.
Example Use
A sellsword company's healer keeps its wounded captain alive on the cart to the hospice.
Casting Methods
Pressure-point touch, a few heartbeats. Bandage focus, a few slow breaths.
Range/Duration
Touch. Holds from a short while to an hour.

Draw Thirst

Purpose/How It Works
Draw Thirst pulls moisture towards the caster or target area, easing dehydration or collecting ambient dampness.
Notable Exceptions
It is inefficient in dry cold air or true desert noon heat.
Example Use
Delvers lost in the caves under a ruin coax enough condensation from the air to moisten cracked lips.
Casting Methods
Open-bowl draw, a few breaths. Palm-to-air siphon, a few slow breaths.
Range/Duration
The air within a few steps. Gathers in an instant.

Salt Ward

Purpose/How It Works
Salt Ward keeps rot, vermin, and lesser corruption from food stores, bodies, and preserved material by establishing a cleansing saline boundary.
Notable Exceptions
Strong magical corruption can ignore ordinary salting.
Example Use
Ships' surgeons protect medicinal stores during a long humid voyage.
Casting Methods
Salt-circle blessing, a short chant. Storage rite, a short rite.
Range/Duration
Crate, chamber, or body. Lasts days to weeks.

Brine Lash

Purpose/How It Works
Brine Lash strikes with saline water that stings eyes, open wounds, and exposed tissue more viciously than fresh flow.
Notable Exceptions
Less useful against sealed armour or constructs.
Example Use
Harbour guards whip smugglers off a wet gangplank.
Casting Methods
Whip-like arm cast, a heartbeat or two. Bucket or sea-draw focus, a few heartbeats.
Range/Duration
A few strides. An instant.

Tide Pull

Purpose/How It Works
Tide Pull forces a moving target off balance by creating a directional drag like a sudden side current.
Notable Exceptions
Rooted or very heavy targets resist it well.
Example Use
A duellist yanks an attacker off their line just before the lunge lands.
Casting Methods
Side-draw gesture, a heartbeat. Water-thread focus, a few heartbeats.
Range/Duration
Across a room or a deck. An instant, or a moment's drag.

Undertow Grip

Purpose/How It Works
Undertow Grip drags feet, ankles, or lower limbs downward as if caught in a hidden current.
Notable Exceptions
Weak in rocky dry ground unless moisture or soft earth is present.
Example Use
Marsh-folk drag a raiding party knee-deep into the mire before the first blow is struck.
Casting Methods
Downward draw cast, a few heartbeats. Marked damp ground trigger, at once when prepared.
Range/Duration
A few strides off. Holds a few moments.

Siphon Fever

Purpose/How It Works
Siphon Fever bleeds excess heat from a body into nearby water, cooling a patient or overheated caster.
Notable Exceptions
Overcooling is possible, especially in children and the weak.
Example Use
A plague healer draws burning fever into bowls that steam beside the bed.
Casting Methods
Touch with water reservoir, a few breaths. Basin-cooling rite, a minute's chant.
Range/Duration
Touch. Works over moments to a short while.

Flow Sense

Purpose/How It Works
Flow Sense reads hidden currents in river, blood, pipework, drainage, or circulation by perceiving movement rather than shape alone.
Notable Exceptions
Still water and stagnant tissue produce weak results.
Example Use
The well-keepers of a besieged town find where the enemy has dammed the spring channel, without digging up the whole line.
Casting Methods
Hand over source, a few heartbeats. Rod or cup focus, a few slow breaths.
Range/Duration
Touch, or within sight along connected flow. Lasts while concentration is held.

Surge Mend

Purpose/How It Works
Surge Mend speeds early-stage tissue closure and knits shallow injury through restored vitality flow.
Notable Exceptions
It is not sufficient for shattered bone, missing flesh, or deep organ trauma.
Example Use
Frontline healers close cuts and punctures fast enough to keep soldiers on their feet.
Casting Methods
Touch and directed mend, a few breaths. Watercloth aid, a short chant.
Range/Duration
Touch. Healing occurs immediately with ongoing recovery after.

Floodgate

Purpose/How It Works
Floodgate releases a sudden stored burst of water from a vessel, warded cistern, or gathered reserve.
Notable Exceptions
Without preparation it has little to release.
Example Use
Defenders blast open a stairwell with a held surge from rooftop tanks.
Casting Methods
Trigger phrase or hand release, a heartbeat. Valve sigil activation, at once when prepared.
Range/Duration
A fixed store of water. One sudden surge.

Breath of the Deep

Purpose/How It Works
Breath of the Deep extends breath-holding or grants brief water-adapted respiration by easing panic and optimizing oxygen use.
Notable Exceptions
It is not permanent gill-making and fails if the caster is already drowning.
Example Use
Divers reach the lock of a drowned temple's treasure-vault without surfacing.
Casting Methods
Chest-touch cast, a few heartbeats. Shared breath rite, a short chant.
Range/Duration
Touch or self. Lasts the length of a long dive, sometimes a good while longer.

Current Cage

Purpose/How It Works
Current Cage binds a target inside rotating water bands or pressure loops that impede movement.
Notable Exceptions
It needs enough water mass or a strong ley-fed caster to hold shape.
Example Use
Guards restrain a fire-wielder until proper anti-burn shackles arrive.
Casting Methods
Encircling hand cast, a few heartbeats. Prepared basin or fountain linkage, a few slow breaths.
Range/Duration
A few strides off. Holds moments, up to a brief struggle.

Wash Memory

Purpose/How It Works
Wash Memory softens fresh emotional shock without erasing factual recall by letting the mind's immediate turmoil drain off.
Notable Exceptions
Repeated use can blunt necessary grief or the sharpness of what was seen.
Example Use
Healers calm a child who saw a massacre so they can breathe and speak.
Casting Methods
Brow and pulse touch, a few breaths. Bowl-reflection rite, a minute's chant.
Range/Duration
Touch. The easing lasts a short while, or through the day.

Mirror Pool

Purpose/How It Works
Mirror Pool uses still water to reveal an image of a nearby person, place, or linked scene through reflective correspondence.
Notable Exceptions
Turbulence, lying surfaces, and bad sympathetic links distort results.
Example Use
A temple watch uses its font to see whether the raiders have reached the riverside shrine downstream.
Casting Methods
Still-water gaze, a few slow breaths. Basin and token scrying, a minute's chant or longer.
Range/Duration
Nearby, or farther if linked. Lasts while the caster holds it.

Scour Channel

Purpose/How It Works
Scour Channel flushes a passage, wound, pipe, or conduit clear of blockage through directed high-flow cleansing.
Notable Exceptions
Fragile channels may tear if force is misjudged.
Example Use
A healer clears infected matter from a puncture before sealing it.
Casting Methods
Directed flush cast, a few heartbeats. Tube or basin pressure rite, a short chant.
Range/Duration
Touch, or a short way along connected channels. An instant, or a brief sustained flow.

Lifebalance

Purpose/How It Works
Lifebalance redistributes vitality across several wounded allies so one dying person does not collapse while others still hold excess reserve.
Notable Exceptions
It cannot create vitality and may dangerously weaken the healthiest participant.
Example Use
After an ambush, a healer keeps three wounded scouts alive by equalizing what remains among them.
Casting Methods
Multi-touch circle, a few slow breaths. Bowl-and-thread group rite, a short rite.
Range/Duration
A small group close together. Redistribution in an instant, with lingering fatigue.

Red Tide

Purpose/How It Works
Red Tide weaponizes blood-rich fluid, whether from battlefield runoff or empowered bodily sources, into brutal striking or fear effects.
Notable Exceptions
Often taboo, dangerous, and less useful where no blood source exists.
Example Use
A desperate war-mage turns a slaughtered ford into a terror weapon against advancing infantry.
Casting Methods
Blood-source draw, a few heartbeats. Sacrificial basin rite, a short rite.
Range/Duration
From a few strides to a whole battlefield lane. Moments, seldom much longer.

Aqua Reliquary

Purpose/How It Works
Aqua Reliquary stores measured healing charge or cleansing flow in blessed or prepared water for later use.
Notable Exceptions
Stored charge leaks over time and can spoil if the vessel is impure.
Example Use
Delvers pay a hospice's price for reliquary vials before going under the hill, where no healer will follow.
Casting Methods
Vial blessing and charge set, a minute's chant. Font storage rite, a long rite.
Range/Duration
Fixed vessel. Stored for days to weeks.

Tidal Burst

Purpose/How It Works
Tidal Burst strikes outward with a circular wave of water pressure, knocking or sweeping enemies away.
Notable Exceptions
Best with an available water source and dangerous on narrow ledges.
Example Use
A harbour mage clears boarders from a dock edge in one outward surge.
Casting Methods
Centred burst cast, a few heartbeats. Water-circle release, a few slow breaths.
Range/Duration
A ring a few strides wide around the caster. An instant.

Mercy Drain

Purpose/How It Works
Mercy Drain draws life from the caster to save another from death, directly paying the cost in personal reserves.
Notable Exceptions
Repeated use kills healers, and cross-species mismatch reduces efficiency sharply.
Example Use
A temple medic keeps a child alive through the night by giving away months of their own strength.
Casting Methods
Touch and direct transfer, a few breaths. Full bedside rite, a short rite.
Range/Duration
Touch. Immediate effect with lasting cost.

Wavetread

Purpose/How It Works
Wavetread spreads supporting flow beneath the target's feet so liquid behaves like a yielding but stable surface.
Notable Exceptions
Violent surf, whirlpools, and broken ice make it far less safe than the name suggests.
Example Use
A shrine guard runs across the harbour mouth to reach the burning ferry.
Casting Methods
Step blessing, a few breaths. Group river rite, a minute's chant.
Range/Duration
Self or small group. Lasts a short while, or through a long crossing.

Shorebreaker

Purpose/How It Works
Shorebreaker gathers and drives an overwhelming wall of water against a shoreline, fleet, or river settlement.
Notable Exceptions
It requires immense water mass, preparation, and moral indifference to collateral devastation.
Example Use
Sailors tell of a harbour kingdom, which no two tellings set on the same coast, erased when the temple it had besieged at last answered with the sea itself.
Casting Methods
Great tide cast, a minute's chant. Coastal rite, most of an hour's ritual.
Range/Duration
A stretch of shoreline or riverfront. One instant wave, then a long aftermath.

In the Writers’ Guide

See Also