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Magic in Red Ash is just another type of skill. While this is true there are a few addition features to these skills. First there are currently 3 main branches to magic with each representing a distinct type of caster.

• Arcana is for the studious caster. One who has learn how to control magic through incantations and practice. This style of casting is vocal and involves hand gestures with arcane meaning. Arcane casters pass spell knowledge to one another freely within their own towers of study. In books and scrolls and written in an arcane script visible to those with a talent for this skill chain. The arcane caster is so knowledgeable on their castings that they can expand a spell round by round increasing the range, damage, save difficulty, and or any other aspect of the spell.
• Psyche is the innate caster. This is one that is born with a magic ability that usually manifest with maturity or other event. This can be a dangerous time for the unprepared. When properly trained a Psyche caster can show little to no indications they are the source of a many of their spells. Psyche Casters can cast and maintain many spells one after the last in what is called layering.
• Ritual casters are those that find their power through a connection with a powerful being or entity. These casters are trained in a faith and will attempt to expand the faithful through words and deeds. While not as active in their castings as an arcane they are just as vocal with their chants to produce many of their spells. They also have an ability to link their MAP pools to a higher level caster or the one that can channel the most MAP per turn. The higher level caster can draw from this larger pool of MAP than what they would normally have.

Illustration of Der Zauberlehrling.
Original Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tovenaarsleerling_S_Barth.png

A casting is where a caster selects a spell, sets the damage, range, or other variables to figure the MAP (and sometimes PAP) cost and begins the casting, committing the cost to it. When all the cost is paid in full the spell can be released, held or harmlessly discharged.

The number of rounds it takes to cast a spell depends on the skill level the caster has vested in it. With 1 level in a spell the caster can spend one MAP per round. So a spell that you will spend 10 MAP on will take 10 rounds to cast. With 2 skill levels in the same spell your casting time goes down to 5 rounds, and so on. Always round up with casting time, so 3 levels in the same spell will be ready to release in 4 rounds. Even an arcane must follow this rule at least for the base spell. They can then add to the casting as per there ability. Some spells have special rules on casting time. Most notably is undeath.

Once the full cost is paid a spell can be released. Releasing some spells requires a ranged attack on either a target or a space. You must roll to hit just like any ranged attacker would have too. Targets may also have a save to roll depending on the spell cast at them.

You can also hold your spell. This gives you an ability to release the spell as an interrupt action (see combat). While being held a spells control must be rolled if the spell has one.

You may also do a harmless release of the spell which will permit you to reclaim 1/4 the cost.

A Psyche caster also has the ability to pay a maintenance cost and begin casting a new spell. They can do this one at a time with an increased cost and control difficulty to all spell control rolls.