Magic System Puzzle

[mayapuppies]

Hola folks,

 

Still working on and off with my game world and my players got tired of waiting. So I have to slap together some stuff for the next campaign by Memorial Day.

 

One of the things I need to decifer is a magic system that is the only form of non-faith magic that exists in the area they want to play in. It was created by a people who resemble the Fex (from Terran Empire) but had a "Lawful Neutral" Viking like Militocracy...before several rebellions turned the nation on its head.

 

The magic system I have noted is: Ambient, Stored, Elemental Control.

 

So, translated, this means that the magical energy is drawn from outside the casters body, stored into objects and must be built with Elemental Controls.

 

My brain is dead after E3 combined with crunchtime at work so I turn to you fellow HEROphiles who have been exceptionally helpful in the past.

 

How should I "develop" this magic system?

[mayapuppies]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

So I've had a chance to dwell on this a bit and I'm thinking of sticking with the Nordic theme and utilizing this as a form of Runic Magic. I'll utilize the Rune Magic in the FHG and attempt to fit it into various Elemental Controls.

 

Not exactly sure how I'm going to do that last part, though.

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

You could put magic for different uses in different elemental controls. Healing magic in one, direct-damage attacks in one, defenses in one, indirect attacks (entangles, drains, etc) in another.

[Erkenfresh]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

My friend is thinking of something similar. Basically a "wizard" wears a crystal on their wrist to channel their magic. They don't know it, but the crystal is a highly advanced technology.

 

Anyway, his idea is to have three basic elements to magic. Matter, energy, and spirit. To create a fireball, you need matter and energy. To heal someone, energy and spirit. By combining the elements together, you create a wide variety of spells.

 

So, it sounds similar in a way. Magic is external to the caster stored in crystals that represent the basic elements. How will he model this? My guess is you'd have a seperate VPP for each element. You can easily put OAF or OIF limitations on these. When you create a spell, you have to justify to the GM (you) what proportion of each element it requires. Casting the spell would take some points from every VPP that helps make it up. Just a thought, I don't have any details.

[Lethosos]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

Alternatively, you can define magic as Elemental, with Internal/External "forms." This is the direction I planned on doing Chi magic for Eight Sages myself, with each race having an innate connection to one Element and form.

[Dale A. Ward]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

It sounds to me like ritual magic where the power is stored in mundane items by enscribing runes on them. When the magic is released, the rune for that particular effect disappears from the item. It may be reenscribed at a later time, though.

 

Just an off-the-cuff notion, but I'd build it with the advantages of Charges (one for each rune enscribed), and Delayed Effect (the power is not actually released until the rune's name is spoken aloud). I'd also include the limitations Concentration, Gestures, Incantations, and Extra Time (for the meditation, enscribing and naming of the runes).

 

I'm not very good at power frameworks, so you'll have to figure out the Elemental Control yourself, I'm afraid.

[Ndreare]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

It sounds to me like ritual magic where the power is stored in mundane items by enscribing runes on them. When the magic is released, the rune for that particular effect disappears from the item. It may be reenscribed at a later time, though.

 

Just an off-the-cuff notion, but I'd build it with the advantages of Charges (one for each rune enscribed), and Delayed Effect (the power is not actually released until the rune's name is spoken aloud). I'd also include the limitations Concentration, Gestures, Incantations, and Extra Time (for the meditation, enscribing and naming of the runes).

 

I'm not very good at power frameworks, so you'll have to figure out the Elemental Control yourself, I'm afraid.

 

I think you are correct except I would use Trigger not Delayed effect.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

Could you rephrase the question? I know what the mechanics are, etc., that's fine, but I have no clue what you want to do. I need more flavor before I can build anything even vaguely functional.

[mayapuppies]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

Could you rephrase the question? I know what the mechanics are' date=' etc., that's fine, but I have no clue what you want to do. I need more flavor before I can build anything even vaguely functional.[/quote']

Ndreare has actually hit the nail on the head for the flavor I've started towards. The only difficult part that remains is the Elemental Control aspect. I know it's one of the most difficult to use power frameworks in a Heroic level campaign, but it's a non-negotiable aspect of this.

 

I'm thinking of moving towards Captain Obvious' solution, but I always hit a block with Healing magic in the HERO System.

[Ndreare]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

If you build them as several seperate Elemental Controls it would not be very pricy. Each spell would cost about 3-10 points based on how strong it is with a base cost to learn magic of around 3-5 points. I will give an example.

 

3: Runes of the Fire Lord: Elemental Control, 30-point powers, (15 Active Points); all slots Extra Time (1 Minute, -1 1/2), OAF (Object Runes are drawn on; -1), Incantations (Complex; -1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4)

 

3: 1) Fire Shield: FF (24 ED), 4 Continuing Charges lasting 5 Minutes each (+0), Trigger (Activating the Trigger requires a Zero Phase Action, Trigger requires a Turn or more to reset; +1/4) (30 Active Points)

 

 

Then build all the slots like this. I would not have RSR on it as the character is already paying points for each spell and that cost could be used to represent the time invested into mastering each rune. However I would have each EC be its own base and not allow a general "Rune Master" EC.

 

So a powerful wizard my Know

Ruins of Time

Ruins of The Fire Lord

Ruins of Diviniation

But he would have to pay the 3 Point base cost for each.

 

 

The benifit of this is it would allow the Mage to have a number of spells prepared but still have them drawing off of his runes that can be taken from him.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

I havent gotten around to finishing it yet, but I wrote up a system I called "Stoburu" a while back that is item based:

 

 

http://www.killershrike.com/FantasyHERO/HighFantasyHERO/MagicSystems/Stoburu.shtml

 

 

For Runic magic there is always my Runecrafting Magic System or one of its variants:

 

http://www.killershrike.com/FantasyHERO/HighFantasyHERO/MagicSystems/runecrafting.shtml

 

You could probably even use Metier as a model, making one or more styles with Focus as a required Limitation:

 

http://www.killershrike.com/FantasyHERO/HighFantasyHERO/MagicSystems/Metier.shtml

[mayapuppies]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

Thanks again everyone, this is a load of info. I'll write it up in the near future and post it here for review.

[mayapuppies]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

I havent gotten around to finishing it yet, but I wrote up a system I called "Stoburu" a while back that is item based:

 

 

http://www.killershrike.com/FantasyHERO/HighFantasyHERO/MagicSystems/Stoburu.shtml

 

 

For Runic magic there is always my Runecrafting Magic System or one of its variants:

 

http://www.killershrike.com/FantasyHERO/HighFantasyHERO/MagicSystems/runecrafting.shtml

Going over your Runecrafting stuff at work today. Looks like I'll be basing my system on yours.

[mayapuppies]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

Is the word "Rune" the actual nordic word for "Rune"?

 

Yeah, I know, stupid question. Was hoping to find a different word for it for flavor reasons. May have found one courtesy of dictionary.com:

 

Word History: Among early peoples writing was a serious thing, full of magical power. In its only reference to writing, the Iliad calls it “baneful signs.” The Germanic peoples used a runic alphabet as their form of writing, using it to identify combs or helmets, make calendars, encode secret messages, and mark funeral monuments. Runes were also employed in casting spells, as to gain a kiss from a sweetheart or to make an enemy's gut burst. In casting a spell the writing of the runes was accompanied by a mumbled or chanted prayer or curse, also called a rune, to make the magic work. These two meanings also appear in Old English rn, the ancestor of our word. The direct descendants of Old English rn are the archaic verb round, “whisper, talk in secret,” and the obsolete noun roun, “whispering, secret talk.” The use of the word to refer to inscribed runic characters apparently disappeared in the late 14th or early 15th century but was revived by Danish writers on Germanic antiquities, who adopted it from Old Norse toward the end of the 17th century. Appropriately enough, this sense of rune, which had faded away like a whisper, reappeared from the mists of the past.

[Dale A. Ward]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

Ndreare has actually hit the nail on the head for the flavor I've started towards. The only difficult part that remains is the Elemental Control aspect. I know it's one of the most difficult to use power frameworks in a Heroic level campaign' date=' but it's a non-negotiable aspect of this.[/quote']

 

No disrespect intended toward Ndreare, but he only made a slight change in what I suggested (which I agree with, btw). Don't I even get Honorable Mention?

 

[Ndreare]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

 

No disrespect intended toward Ndreare, but he only made a slight change in what I suggested (which I agree with, btw). Don't I even get Honorable Mention?

 

Well I can give you rep. Does that count?

 

BTW: I like getting credit one of these days I will no longer be the guy with the lowest post to rep ratio on the boards. (100/1)

[Dale A. Ward]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

Well I can give you rep. Does that count?

 

BTW: I like getting credit one of these days I will no longer be the guy with the lowest post to rep ratio on the boards.

 

Aww, shucks... now, I feel bad about complaining.

 

Tell ya what... we can rep each other!

 

[mayapuppies]

Re: Magic System Puzzle

 

 

No disrespect intended toward Ndreare, but he only made a slight change in what I suggested (which I agree with, btw). Don't I even get Honorable Mention?

Absolutely. Today is REP Day!