Magic is evident, but very strange and misunderstood on the Lost Continent. Something about the land itself, the vegetation and rocks, even the soil, disturbs the logic of magic and distorts it. Because of this, spells cast by even the most veteran mage can be twisted into something unintended and dangerous. This, and the sad fact that power added to fallen human nature often results in even great evil, means the magic-user has earned suspicion and fear, even ostracization, sometimes before his first spell has finished being cast.
However, there are many who attempt to use the powers of magic nonetheless--for fame, riches, good, evil. Of them, there are two types, roughly:
Natural Mage: The Natural Mage is just that, a natural. He does not study magic, but finds himself able to control it. He is born with a knack for it. Because of this, he receives one extra spell per level, but always has a 10-25% chance that a given spell, when cast, will be twisted into a different outcome. Casting spells causes the Natural Mage to grow in experience of his magic, and allows for new spells to be learned. This happens at the rate of 1d3 new spells per experience level.
Learned Mage: The Learned Mage functions very differently from the Natural Mage, and much like the Labyrinth Lord rules spell out. He must learn new spells from other mages, or from a spell book. He must memorize them daily, using his spellbook. However, his chance of spell distortion is very low, being typically 5%, depending on environmental factors.
