Laughless Saint: How to Cast Spells

Magic is gated behind an NPC, not a menu

The most common reason new players cannot cast anything is simple: you do not begin the game with the ability to use magic. There is no spell tab to unlock by levelling. You have to be taught.

The teacher is an apprentice jinn living in the starting town. In a walkthrough of the quest chain he is reached by going behind the shop, into the tavern, then turning right and heading toward the well — his house sits there. Players report walking past it repeatedly; one guide author only found him at level eight.

A naming note worth stating plainly: community walkthroughs use Theodorus, Theodoris and Seadorus/Siadoras for the wizard figures in this chain, and at least one video uses two of those names for what appears to be the same NPC. NerveLabs has not published a cast list, so we do not pick a spelling and present it as fact. Treat the name as unconfirmed; the location is what matters, and the location is consistent across sources.

Step one: The Lost Tome

He will not teach a stranger. His opening line explains why:

“Maybe if you do something for me, I’ll know I can trust you to not burn down Magdal’s Rest with a fireball. The last person I sold a tome to disappeared to God knows where. Last I know, he was out on the beach shouting about the saint. Get that tome back and I’ll teach you the basics.”

That starts The Lost Tome. The madman who took it is on the beach near your arrival point:

1. Return to the boat that brought you to the island — the game’s opening location.
2. From the boat, turn left and follow the beach.
3. Continue until a small tower or obelisk comes into view. The madman is usually near it.
4. He is aggressive, so have a weapon equipped before you get close.
5. Take the tome from his body. His resting place nearby holds extra items, including a hat.

Return and hand it over. He remarks that the tome has already been used, then teaches you:

“I suppose you’re here to learn magic. So, you did. Envision the world as thousands of little threads. I hope you got all that. Here’s a fresh tome, free of charge. Practice outside, will you?”

You now have a tome and can cast.

How casting works once you are taught

Magic in this game is built around three schools rather than one spell list. A first-look playthrough enumerated them as psionics, channeling and sorcery, with sorcery covering destruction-style spells and psionic spells growing stronger with each level.

Two practical points that follow from the game’s own design:

• Spells come from tomes and vendors. Merchants sell them; a patch note records that one vendor “now sells a healing spell,” which tells you the spell stock is something the developers adjust per update.
• Casting skill improves by casting. Like every other skill here, use is progression. See our skills page for how that system works.

Once you have the basics, the next step is building your own spells rather than buying them — that is covered on the spell crafting page.

Spells worth knowing early

Sources

• NerveLabs official Steam announcements for app 3849000 (RELEASED through Update 7, 17–21 Aug 2026) for spell additions and vendor changes.
• “The Lost Tome Quest (Theodorus Location)” walkthrough video, published 22 Aug 2026, for the quest steps and quoted dialogue.
• “First Look” gameplay playthrough for the three magic schools and the skill list.