In the Age of Darkness, magic worked very different, compared to its now codified current rules. The magic wielded in ancient Sosaria was far less versatile and mages were very busy with finding out were the limits of sorcery were, after magic had been outlawed in Sosaria for many generations because of a general distrust of magic. It was an interesting time, before the rules for magic were finally set in Britannia.
First Age of Darkness
At the time of Ultima I, Sosaria was just recovering magic, after it had been banned for a long time. Powerful magic users had yet to emerge. Wizards and Clerics practised magic. However, preperation of spell, or even casting from a spellbook, weren't discovered yet, so magic users had to resort to buying spell scrolls, which they then would use for their magic. Each scoll was only single-use.
Additionally, four objects were available, to strengthen the caster's magic powers. A staff, a wand, an amulet and a triangle. The last one was also usable as a weapon.
Ten spells were available:
- Blink - same as the later Blink spell, but only works underground
- Create - create a force field
- Destroy - same as Dispel Field
- Kill - destroy a single enemy
- Ladder Up - same as Upward Motion
- Ladder Down - same as Downward Motion
- Magic Missile - attack spell
- Open - safely unlock coffins
- Prayer - serious devine aid
- Unlock - safely unlock chests
Second Age of Darkness
On the time-warped Earth of Ultima II, the division between divine magic and arcane magic is bigger, with Wizards practising arcane magic and Clerics divine magic. Yet, the magic itself is much more limited. While scrolls still have to be bought, only three of the nine spells can be used by both classes. Three are pure divine, three pure arcane spells. The biggest disadvantage is, the the spell could only be cast in a dungeon, making magic users next to useless outside of a dungeon.
- Light - both - creates a lightsource
- Ladder Down- both - descent a level
- Ladder Up - both - ascent a level
- Passwall - divine - removes a dungeon wall
- Surface - divine - same as Xit to leave dungeon
- Prayer - divine - destroy a foe
- Magic Missile - arcane - normal attack spell
- Blink - arcane - teleport inside dungeon level
- Kill - arcane - destroy one enemy
Third Age of Darkness
In the time of Exodus in Ultima III, the division between arcane magic and divine magic in Sosaria was complete, with various classes practising either one or the other form of magic.. Scrolls no longer had to be bought. The caster would know the spell from memory and only the amount of mana available limited the number of times, magic could be used.
In these times, the Cult of Runes represented the arcane side of magic, while the Cult of Truth represented the divine side of magic. Both sides had their unique set of 16 spells, which were further divided into 10 basic and 6 advanced spells. Both cults tried to make the working of their spells a secret to outsiders, by giving all of them codenames.
The available spells:
Wizard Spell/Cost Cleric Respond A: 0 points Pontori Mittar B: 5 points Appar Unem Lorum C: 10 points Sanctu Dor Acron D: 15 points Luminae Sur Acron E: 20 points Rec Su Fulgar F: 25 points Rec Du Dag Acron G: 30 points Lib Rec Mentar H: 35 points Alcort Dag Lorum I: 40 points Sequitu Fal Divi J: 45 points Sominae Advanced Spells Noxum K: 50 points Sanctu Mani Decorp L: 55 points Vieda Altair M: 60 points Excuun Dag MentarN: 65points Surmandum Necorp O: 70 points Zxkuqyb ( ) P: 75 points Anju Sermani