(Below is a Codex Addendum that sits neatly next to the spell list and makes everyone feel included β warriors, rogues, scouts, tacticians, caretakers, engineers, and the gloriously practicalβ¦ same effects, zero glitter required.)
NON-MAGICAL FIELD MANUAL
For Those Who Do Not Cast β They Move
You do not need magic to step sideways. You just need timing. Each entry mirrors a spell, but reframed as a technique.
Same mechanics. Different skin.
Pocket of Stillness β Grounding Stance
Who uses it: Warriors, monks, anyone with a body-first build
How it works: You pause, plant your feet, slow your breath.
Effect: You shake off panic, confusion, or overwhelm. You act cleanly next turn.
Flavour: You have stood in worse storms than this.
Glamour of Small Joys β Morale Boost
Who uses it: Leaders, bards-without-lutes, caretakers
How it works: A joke. A nod. A shared moment. You lift the room without speeches.
Effect: Allies recover morale. Stress penalties ease.
Flavour: You remind people why they are still here.
Sideways Exit β Tactical Withdrawal
Who uses it: Rogues, scouts, survivors
How it works: You disengage before the situation turns bad.
Effect: You leave without penalty. No pursuit. No escalation.
Flavour: Living to fight another day is not cowardice. It is intelligence.
Borrowed Mask β Code Switch
Who uses it: Spies, diplomats, anyone socially agile
How it works: You adjust tone, posture, language.
Effect: You blend into unfamiliar environments. You gain advantage on social navigation.
Flavour: You are fluent in more than one version of yourself.
Driftwood Return β Decompression Ritual
Who uses it: Anyone who burns hot and crashes hard
How it works: You retreat briefly: silence, routine, familiar task.
Effect: You recover from emotional or sensory overload.
Flavour: You do not push through exhaustion. You respect it.
Unname the Curse β Reality Check
Who uses it: Strategists, analysts, grounded thinkers
How it works: You identify the story your fear or shame is telling β and discard it.
Effect: One lingering mental debuff is removed and cannot reattach the same way.
Flavour: Not every thought deserves your obedience.
Gentle Defiance β Boundary Hold
Who uses it: Tanks, protectors, anyone with integrity-first builds
How it works: You refuse without apology.
Effect: You resist manipulation, guilt, or coercion.
Flavour: βNoβ is a complete sentence.
Wondercraft β Meaning-Making
Who uses it: Craftspeople, healers, builders
How it works: You turn routine into purpose.
Effect: Restores focus, energy, or motivation.
Flavour: You keep the world from going dull.
Sense the Hedge β Situational Awareness
Who uses it: Rangers, tacticians, watchful types
How it works: You notice what is not being said.
Effect: Hidden motives or dangers become visible.
Flavour: You read terrain β emotional and physical.
Reclaim the Thread β Agency Reset
Who uses it: Anyone reclaiming themselves after loss
How it works: You stop playing a role that harms you.
Effect: You redefine your position going forward. Past damage does not dictate future action.
Flavour: You are done carrying what was never yours.
Laugh at the Right Moment β Pressure Release
Who uses it: Rogues, tricksters, social disruptors
How it works: You deflate false authority with timing.
Effect: Tension breaks. Power shifts.
Flavour: Nothing collapses faster than pretension.
The Return β Strategic Exit
Who uses it: Veterans, leaders, anyone who has outgrown a role
How it works: You leave a harmful path cleanly.
Effect: You keep your progress. You do not carry the damage forward.
Flavour: This is not quitting. It is evolution.
DM NOTE:
Magic-users call these spells. Practical types call them skills. The nervous system calls them survival intelligence refined into wisdom.
Same mechanics. Different mythology.
