Magical Reality and Society's Reactions...

[Jkeown]

Let's say you have a spell, that spell is affected by the local magic field. The field varies in strength day by day, and the "direction" the magic flows can affect the difficulty of various effects. (Not by much, mind you, just +/-2 on your RSR (Magic) Roll)

 

Travelling via magic (Flight, Teleport, Magical Bird Legs spells) is harder "Upstream" than "Downstream" with reference to the magical field. (END cost can double or be halved depending on direction)

 

Oh... and botched spells can create short-lived "rapids" and "turbulence" in the field, introducing all sorts of headaches. (Creating a rapidly flickering bonus/penalty situation for a brief period, and possible effects relating to the natural world, (rapid plant growth, spontaneous enchantment of a small area or the like))

 

Now, this is the magical "reality" of the world. Players shouldn't have to pay extra for potentially easier magic, nor a get points back for harder casting conditions. It's just how the world works... BUT!!!

 

If all power contructs are affected by this field, I shouldn't allow a limitation relating to it. However, if some power constructs (say... magic items) are not affected, what then? Limitation on spells or advantage on magic items?

 

Obviously, spells should be more common, and we want to encourage spell use, so I think a nice hefty (-1) limitation on spells is the better way to go. Call it "Affected by Flows of Magic (-1)"

 

Would you be tempted to create spells or magic items? Or would society, annoyed by the randomness of the ambient magical domain create more enchanters so as not to deal with the darn thing?

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Magical Reality and Society's Reactions...

 

First all, this is a wonderful idea, lots of possibilities here.

You see, it's really complicated (as I see it).

 

You have the mages who spellsurf.

 

You have the enchanters who disrupt the surf as a side effect of their enchantment (who cares, it doesn't affect our stuff). Or they are trying to divert tides to make semi-permenant enchanted areas, or maybe to keep the spellsurfers away.

 

You have the rude mages who disrupt the surf to try to get "bigger" waves or unusual effects. "Radical dude, I'm up to +5". "Oh yeah, look at the plant growth over there!"

 

You have the enchanters who use the surf to power the spells to recharge the items. Or mages who have items to help when got in "low tide". (You can have it both ways)

 

You have the normal folks who get "wet" or "dry" suddenly and really hate everyone.

[Ternaugh]

Re: Magical Reality and Society's Reactions...

 

I'm sketching out ideas like this for a future FH campaign. I would probably ask why enchanted items are not affected by the flows of magic.

 

If the item is self-powered, where did the power originally come from? Perhaps, an enchanter has to create a complicated and fragile mana trap, to concentrate the ambient magic into a more potent form. Enchanting requires a time-consuming way to gather magic.

 

Similarly, there may be natural sources of this concentrated mana. For example, a certain type of tree naturally gathers this mana and concentrates it within its trunk. Enchanters know that harvesting this wood allows the creation of items that utilize the stored magic. Of course, the area around a grove of these trees would probably have strong magical flows, yet spellcasters usually can't liberate enough of this magic to cast from within the grove.

 

Other items may derive their power from external sources. Perhaps, an enchanted sword must taste blood before its powers are fully realized. Or, a different enchanted item requires the mental energy of its user.

 

On the subject of game mechanics, I would not give a limitation or advantage for spellcasting or enchanting. I would just make it the way of the world. And unless you wanted to make enchantment more popular, I would require extra time or rare ingredients (as above). Spellcasting is a quicker, more easily learned process, with a greater chance for failure. Enchantment is a slow, steady, difficult process, that creates magic that usually works.

 

As a final note, dispels may work poorly on magic items if the dispel is declared as blocking the flow. So, it might be correct to allow magic items a level or two of Difficult to Dispel. But, by the same token, I would probably require most items to have an Endurance Reserve or Charges, to represent the internal power.

 

Of course, YMMV,

JoeG

[Jkeown]

Re: Magical Reality and Society's Reactions...

 

Ya know... I'd hit upon most of those ideas... but I hadn't thought about innocent bystanders... and oddly, hadn't yet considered the affects of dispelling magic. Of course, the flow would become a bit chaotic near the dispel... creating turbulence, but not as great as a botched spell.

 

So... the enchanters stay in business, the spellcasters just get weird! This is good... exactly the kind of logic I was hoping for!

 

I love you guys... HERO fans are the best.

[Stephen Mann]

Re: Magical Reality and Society's Reactions...

 

Speaking as one interested bystander, I'd like to see whatever the final version of this magic system/world looks like.

[Jkeown]

Re: Magical Reality and Society's Reactions...

 

Here's a character for this setting...

 

More details on what is meant by "fire style casting" in a moment...