Sorcery is based upon the one or more five operands of the cosmos. The operands are the forces that affect all things, everywhere. Sorcery has traditionally been called "The Black Arts." It has always been set apart from the word "Magic" conveying a darker, more sinister meaning. Sorcery is anathema to the human spirit. A sorcerer dabbles in the fundamental energies of existence and gradually pays the price: the sorcerer become less and less human.

Sorcery is the style of magic practiced most often in the game. Other types of magic exist and may be detailed later. But by and large Sorcery is the only magic practiced by black ops; primarily because it is the most academic magic (i.e. it can be taught) and it is most flexible. This paradigm is perhaps the most common, though there are others: the Egyptian, the Qabalah of the Jewish, the Tantric Hindu, Chinese Feng Shui geomancy, Shamanism, and Voodoo, to name a few. The paradigm detailed below is the Sanskrit paradigm which was passed down from Hermes according to legend.

Each of these refer to a thing in the abstract sense and gives a great amount of freedom to the caster.

Spells involve the traditional long involved magiks, usually found in grimoires and other spell books. They take a number of hours to cast equal to difficulty minus the power level of the caster. They cannot be cast without preparation. Spells are permanent unless the duration is shortened to lower the difficulty.

Incantations are short improvisational spells. They are cast from memory or made up on the spot. Though there is a penalty for on-the-spot creation. Overall these are spells of utility, cast when needed. Casting time is difficulty divided by ten, rounded down in seconds (but never less than one.) The duration of a spell is the amount the caster succeeds their roll to cast by in seconds or minutes (noted in spell description.)

Sorcery is a function of several things. The mages power level, skill level, and grounding ability. It is also a function of the locations mana. All of these factors contribute to the difficulty of the spell. The difficulty is what opposes the mages skill. The player rolls his skill and subtracts the difficulty. (This can produce negative skill rolls). Compare the roll to his skill level.

1. Player rolls a success = Spell success
2. The player fails his roll (but skill was not less than 3) = Partial success (half effects if feasible, otherwise failure) and take fatigue equal to difficulty.
3. The player has a negative skill roll. Make a skill roll to see if a 3,4, or 5 is rolled to avoid catastrophe. On 3-5 no spell effects, but no negative effects. If roll fails, caster suffers one Detrimental sorcerous effects. (see Detrimental Sorcerous effects.)

1. Ground: Grounding takes two seconds. If it is skipped, see Grounding Effects below.
2. Focus: Focusing takes three seconds regardless of the spell. It can only be skipped if the mage has the spell memorized.
3. Cast: Spell casting time is described above.

The GM should make the punishment fit the crime. The more ruthless and power-mongering, the worse effects should be.

Once the effect is determined above roll on the appropriate table below or creatively interpret the rules. These can just be examples. Disadvantages should be given out to fit these ideas, they should be difficult to buy off.

• The spell centers on the caster instead of the target.
• The sorcerer must roll a random critical hit to self from the lashing of the energies.
• The spell accidently summons a inhuman entity as well as fails.
• The spell functions but becomes and uncontrollable and permenant manifestation - a "spell elemental."
• The spell causes all flammables within 25 yards to spontaneously ignite.
• The sourcerer either becoes a 1D or 4D being for 1d6 months and suffers insanity as a result.

• The sorcerer must roll a mind-shattering stun roll or gain a few insanities.
• Gain a phobia of some sort.
• Lose all ability to speak in human languages.
• Lose one Mental advantage (or one level of a Mental advantage - GM choice.)
• The sorcerer develops a psychosis or neurosis.
• The sorcerer develops a obsession love/hate disorder.

• The eyes change color.
• Their ears grow pointed.
• Extra hair growth.
• They lose all body hair.
• Their eyes no longer blink.
• Their teeth grow sharp.
• Small knoby horns grow from their forhead.
• Their skin develops massive hives.

• Age 4d6 years.
• Grow 6d6 inches.
• Shrink 6d6 inches.
• They grow a hunchback.
• Lose an arm or a leg.
• The sorcerer becomes cadaverously thin.
• The sorcerer becomes grotesquely fat.
• Their limbs grow an extra joint.
• Skin texture changes (scales, glass smooth, leprosy, rashes/boils, etc.)

• Gain three fatigue.
• Gain Difficulty fatigue.
• Gain 4d6 fatigue.
• Roll against grounding again.
• Roll agaisnt grounding 3d6 times.

• The sorcerer is now repelled by crosses.
• The sorcerere becomes unable to enter holy ground.
• The sorcerer is plagued by constant bad luck.
• The sorcerer becomes an inhuman entity.
• The sorcerer ceases to exist.