Killer Shrike Posted September 25, 2004 Report Share Posted September 25, 2004 Re: Five magics Killer Shrike' date=' mind if I PM or email you with some questions about your magic systems sometime this weekend?[/quote'] Go for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyrath Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 Re: Five magics There are no divine magic clerics per se. Any religions that are developed may have mages in them that can do magic' date=' but it is not from a Divine source. (That just makes me picture a god in his realm, realizes that the divine magic generator is running low on power so he runs out and gets "EverDivine" or "Divinergizer" batteries, rushes home and replaces them)[/quote'] In many sources, including Bonewits' Authentic Thaumaturgy, the meme is that deities obtain their energy from their worshipers, indeed that is what worship is. The deity in question will then give back some energy to the worshipers during a religious rite as sort of compound interest, and the priest or priestess uses the energy to cast spells on behalf of the worshipers. The deity can afford to do this since the worshipers are giving it energy all week, as they offer up brief prayers and whatnot. This is why dieties with few worshipers have little power. For an interesting treatment of this, check out Terry Pratchett's Small Gods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markdoc Posted September 28, 2004 Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 Re: Five magics An earlier take on this idea was van Vogt's "the book of Ptah" where teh idae was completely explicit - anyone could be come a god if you could get enough people to worship you, which led to some interesting power politics. cheers, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RavensPath Posted September 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 Re: Five magics In many sources, including Bonewits' Authentic Thaumaturgy, the meme is that deities obtain their energy from their worshipers, indeed that is what worship is. The deity in question will then give back some energy to the worshipers during a religious rite as sort of compound interest, and the priest or priestess uses the energy to cast spells on behalf of the worshipers. The deity can afford to do this since the worshipers are giving it energy all week, as they offer up brief prayers and whatnot. This is why dieties with few worshipers have little power. For an interesting treatment of this, check out Terry Pratchett's Small Gods. Very true. And if the world had real gods that is most likely how I would run things. But in this land there may be religions, but no gods that grant powers or spell casting abilities. I have no doubt there will be some religions, but any spell casting will come from the magics that already exist. And Small Gods is an excelletn book, but then most of Pratchett's books are great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyrath Posted September 28, 2004 Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 Re: Five magics Very true. And if the world had real gods that is most likely how I would run things. But in this land there may be religions, but no gods that grant powers or spell casting abilities. I have no doubt there will be some religions, but any spell casting will come from the magics that already exist. And Small Gods is an excelletn book, but then most of Pratchett's books are great! Well, of course. It's your campaign. Pratchett's books are solid gold. His books are hysterical, but they also teach you without you noticing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RavensPath Posted September 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2004 Re: Five magics I have chosen 4 of the 5 magics, one for each realm. Here they are: 1) Runeforging (thanks Killer Shrike) 2) Naming (from FH) 3) Psionics (all mental based magics) 4) Piedragemas (again Killer Shrike) # 5 is still up in the air. And there is another twist that hadn't been mentioned yet. While each Realm/Plane only has one type of magic and the other 4 don't work on the plane there is one type of magic that works on all planes. Elemental magic. It is the thing that links the planes together. But there are very few Elemental mages 20-30 for the whole world. Once I figure out the final magic I will start posting in a new thread the design of the world for everyone's perusal. By all means don't stop talking about the ideas that have started here though. I still have one more to pick and I love the ideas and creativity of this thread! Keep posting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted September 29, 2004 Report Share Posted September 29, 2004 Re: Five magics I have chosen 4 of the 5 magics, one for each realm. Here they are: 1) Runeforging (thanks Killer Shrike) 2) Naming (from FH) 3) Psionics (all mental based magics) 4) Piedragemas (again Killer Shrike) # 5 is still up in the air. And there is another twist that hadn't been mentioned yet. While each Realm/Plane only has one type of magic and the other 4 don't work on the plane there is one type of magic that works on all planes. Elemental magic. It is the thing that links the planes together. But there are very few Elemental mages 20-30 for the whole world. Once I figure out the final magic I will start posting in a new thread the design of the world for everyone's perusal. By all means don't stop talking about the ideas that have started here though. I still have one more to pick and I love the ideas and creativity of this thread! Keep posting! Did you check out the Psionics System on my site Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RavensPath Posted September 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2004 Re: Five magics Did you check out the Psionics System on my site I didn't but I will now! How do you do it KS? You make really cool Hero stuff as well as work a real job I am sure. Or maybe you are really independently wealthy and spend all your time creating great things for the rest of us to use! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiwode Posted September 29, 2004 Report Share Posted September 29, 2004 Re: Five magics On the elements, why did you make number five 'Void?' In the real world, the fifth element is Spirit. Magically speaking, in Asia it was Wood, Metal, Fire, Water, Air. No Void. That was a sword-fighting guy. My choices: Necromancy (because I hate undead, but they love me). Sorcery (the raw power of light and dark mana, used for it's destructive and shielding power). Alchemy (Mmm. This philtre is bold, spicy but not piquant, and has a pleasing oaky after-taste) Mage-craft (The forging of light and dark mana into "effect." From conjuring out of thin air to creating illusions, glamours, scrying, etc. the largest conceptual school). Demonology (The art of summoning your own personal demon. The more you hate, the more powerful your demon is. A very dark art indeed!). -Some ideas stolen from Lace & Steel. Doug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted September 29, 2004 Report Share Posted September 29, 2004 Re: Five magics I didn't but I will now! How do you do it KS? You make really cool Hero stuff as well as work a real job I am sure. Or maybe you are really independently wealthy and spend all your time creating great things for the rest of us to use! Sadly I have a job as a Software Developer. Luckily I have trouble sleeping at night and keep myself busy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoorWandering 1 Posted September 29, 2004 Report Share Posted September 29, 2004 Re: Five magics Demonology (The art of summoning your own personal demon. The more you hate, the more powerful your demon is. A very dark art indeed!). -Some ideas stolen from Lace & Steel. Doug. I second this one. Lace and Steel was a good game and this was one of their best ideas. It l & s demons were summoned only for specific destructive tasks. No demon gaurdians or bodyguards here. They are uncontrolled barely restrained rage. The idea is that the more you hate the target the stronger the demon will be. I did it as a summonable follower whose real cost was related to the Psyc disads that the target of the attack activated. This leads to a nasty feedback loop in powerfull summoners. They are powerfull because they are crazy and crazy because they are powerfull. It would not be too difficult to create the inverse as well. Maybe some folks could summon their own angels for creative or protective purposes. Maybe the best wizards could do both. A world steeped in this magic would be very dark but surprisingly polite. Hmmm maybe an "everything else" system for the remaining world. Someplace where power levels are low but effects are not restricted. In case one of your players REALY wants to play a specific type of mage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paigeoliver Posted September 30, 2004 Report Share Posted September 30, 2004 Re: Five magics Cats, Candy, Love, Lightning, and Mud. Sure, nonstandard choices, but it would make for a unique world! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reneshat Posted September 30, 2004 Report Share Posted September 30, 2004 Re: Five magics The four elements and the fifth and greatest magic of all, Don. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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