Wielding magic is like doing some type of physical activity. High magic is like running or hard work and one can only do so much before one needs to rest, and over time as one does more of these things one can do more and for longer periods of time and yet still needs to rest at some point. Wielding Low Magic/Cantrips is like lying in bed throwing a sock up in the air, or sitting in a chair pressing buttons on the remote control.
How does one know that a spell or certain use of magic is beyond them? One way is that the spell/usage simply does not work. Another way is that the person will feel some type of pain or adverse effect such as headache, nausea, etc. Beginning practioners of the Gift are taught to listen to how their bodies respond to casting magic to know what is too far. Those that push themselves too much end up doing some amount of harm to themselves. Just about every beginner has tried to reach beyond their means and ended up “burnt out” for a week or two where they were sick in bed and unable to cast magic for those weeks and sometimes beyond. ‘Tis true, one must push themselves to some degree to grow with the Gift, and they must learn what is too much. Some practioners, even those that knew better, pushed themselves and ended up burnt out for months, some dead. In some instances a magic user, in their defense or defense of others (Jagora at the city of Elipo), or to take as many down with them before they fell (Solme’s Last Stand), pushed far beyond their limits and did the extraordinary.
How this might play out mechanically in you role playing game:
Attempt to cast an Extra Spell:
The more powerful the spell/usage of magic the greater the chance of failure and the more negative side effects. If the DM allows the spell to be cast then there should be 100% chance of negative side effects to the caster. These negative side effects may include the following:
Inability to cast any magic again, low or high magic, for a period of time that is, in the DM’s discretion, commensurate with the power level of the attempted spell/usage of magic;
Level of exhaustion/effect equal to some number of days sick per power level of attempted spell/usage of magic – migraine, nausea, fatigue, diarrhea, cramping, vomiting, fever, etc;
Loss of hit points per power level of attempted spell/usage of magic during this sick time.
Cannot use magic to heal/restore the individual that attempted to cast an extra spell. Must allow the healing to take place naturally.
Attempt to cast a spell that is a level beyond one’s current station:
Even greater chance of failure than trying to cast an extra spell. Negative side effects occur if fail or succeed in casting.
Take any to all negative side effects of trying to cast an extra spell and greatly increase them.
In short, trying to cast an extra spell or cast a spell of a level beyond what the individual is capable of are both possible, and come with significant and painful costs to said caster.
