Codex

Overview

Codex is magic that has been written down. Its cards run on language, sigils, recorded lore, and formulas, which makes it the pool for characters whose power came from study rather than from feeling. It is also the domain most likely to answer a question the party could not otherwise solve. It is shared by the Bard (with Grace) and the Wizard (with Splendor), and those two classes lead with different traits: Presence for the Bard, Knowledge for the Wizard. That gives Codex two distinct voices, one performing the words out loud and one having read them somewhere first.

How it works

Classes: Bard (paired with Grace) and Wizard (paired with Splendor). The Bard's primary trait is Presence and the Wizard's is Knowledge. Card Types: Lore and recall abilities, language and communication effects, prepared formulas, and utility magic that solves a problem instead of damaging it. Many are activated by spending your own Hope. Themes: Knowledge, language, and the written word.

Tips and playstyle

Best for: Wizards, whose Knowledge trait matches the domain directly, and Bards who want their performance backed by real information. Character concepts: Archivist, spell scribe, translator of dead tongues, court historian, a minstrel who collects stories as ammunition. Synergies: Knowledge is the obvious trait pairing, and Presence turns what you learned into something the party can act on. Codex with Splendor (the Wizard) is study plus radiance, while Codex with Grace (the Bard) is study plus movement and performance. An Experience such as studied ancient texts stacks on a Codex-driven roll when the GM agrees it applies.

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