The keystone of Imperial-Magician is its system of magic which either uses a computer keyboard configured for the natural position of the five fingers of one hand (pressing on a key starts a reaction on the screen : 0=flexed, 1=not flexed) or a virtual gauntlet. The spirit of the game is contained in the following few lines :

The binary combination of the flexed or not flexed phalanges of the five fingers of the left or right hand gives 32 positions (2 to the power of 5) which illustrate 32 magic spells in a precise manner

The 32 spells are divided to two categories :

• 16 defensive spells(thumb flexed)
• 16 offensive spells(thumb not flexed)

Each magician has :

• 32 points of life (red)
• 32 points of energy (yellow)
• 32 points of mana (blue)
• 32 points of armour (green)

Mana represents the internal power which allows the magician to cast his spells. This power progressively regenerates within 32 seconds. The eight circles of power define the quantity of mana necessary for the cast of each spells :

• 1 Circle : 02 or 04 points of mana
  
• 2 Circle : 04 or 08 points of mana
  
• 3 Circle : 06 or 12 points of mana
  
• 4 Circle : 08 or 16 points of mana
  
• 5 Circle : 10 or 20 points of mana
  
• 6 Circle : 12 or 24 points of mana
  
• 7 Circle : 14 or 28 points of mana
  
• 8 Circle : 16 or 32 points of mana
  

The caster can wear rings set with red, yellow, blue or green stones to display the remaining points of life, energy, mana and armour. The magic spells are cast with the left hand or with the both : in the latter case they act differently following their nature and consume twice as much mana.

Each spell gives a characteristic sound which identifies it. This is no problem for offensive spells, but may reveal the presence of the caster for defensive spells.

It is up to the caster to decide to use his mana spare for attack or for defence.

A fight can last less than a minute or several hours. All depends on the ability, strategy and luck of the opponents.

The following pages describe one example of a Spell Book for the fight of a magician clad in an Ivory cloak embodying the forces of Good and a magician clad in an Ebony cloak personifying the forces of Evil who both aspire to the supreme title of :

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