Arcane Spellcasting on Scarn
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Arcane spellcasters of the Scarred Lands benefit and suffer due to a unique side-effect of casting their spells. The by-product of this is not just the spell but also heat energy. The heat is not enough toactually inflict damage, but it is enough to cause discomfort. On the plus side, it does protect the caster from the cold.
For this reason arcane spellcasters of the Scarred Lands (with the exception of Bards, who don't suffer from the heat side-effect) tend to be scantily clad. Some casters, particularly those introverted bookworm types, are embarrasssed by this behavior; others like the Sorceresses of Albadia have no cultural taboos on the amount of flesh revealed. Therefore, arcane casters usually wear their "casting cloths" underneath heavier outerwear. The caster can then quickly shuck this outer garment once they start casting spells. The casting cloths are usually little more then a loincloth or shortpants with a tunic or brassiere.
Why this is so is unknown although there are varying theories. Those of divine persuasion say that it is because arcane magic is a cruder kind of power, one born of the titans, whereas divine magic is more sophisticated granted by the gods. The more vocal of these clerics tell anyone who will listen to them that using arcane magic threatens to reform Mesos' shattered spirit. Of course when one mentions that when Miridum lived arcane magic had no heat side-effect those aforementioned people of "divine persuasion" are quick to change the subject. They also are unable to account for Bards, who are technically arcane spellcasters, but do not have the heat side-effect on their spells.
The by-product of this heat is thus on Scarn:
1 Wearing Armor causes the heat to become intolerable very quickly, so arcane spell failure chances are double that listed in Core Rulebook I. If the caster has some sort of protection against heat, then the failure chance remains as listed in the rules. If the spell lacks a somatic component (therefore doesn't require a spell-failure roll), the arcane caster must still roll if they are not protected against heat. However, they roll the listed percentage, not twice the value.
2 The caster is considered to have the benefits of the Endure Elements (cold) spell every round they cast. The level of protection being 1 hp per level of the spell they cast, it remains until their first action in the following round.
