Spell Dice & Totems
Spell Dice
Spell Dice (henceforth SD) are a resource gained by magicians representing their increased familiarity with & capability for handling spirits. Each represents a d6 die.
SD are used for spellcasting. Each represents a unit of spiritual power that can be used as a substitute for flesh & blood offerings — though not without its own costs.
Investment
When you cast a spell, you must choose to invest a number of SD into the casting. Spell Dice are used either to boost the spell’s power (in the case of Spellcasting) or to reduce the harm incurred to yourself (in the case of Soulcasting).
Spell Dice Exhaustion
When Spell Dice are invested into a spell & subsequently roll a 4, 5, or 6, the SD in question are marked exhausted & are removed from the caster’s pool of usable SD for the day. Your SD are refreshed (made unexhausted) if you spend at least 8 hours resting.
Totems
A Totem is a trinket made out of dead Wood or Flesh (the elements; such as bone or timber) that can hold a single spirit (spell or soul) for spellcasting or other purposes. They come in many shapes & sizes, can be heavily decorated, & may be comfortable or not to Spirits of various sorts.
Anyone with at least one Class Feature from a magician-like Class can make Totems. It takes 1 day of labor to make a Totem. You can use a spirited corpse’s bones as the components to a Totem made to hold the Spirit you’re capturing.
A Totem weighs a minimum of 1/4#.
Totems Among the Living
Most people are untrained in the usage of Totems & are prone to angering the spirits inside, & their benefit is of niche utility. As a result, most people view them with suspicion & fear; their usage is mostly restrained to magicians who spend time practicing with spirits.