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Old 03-16-2018, 01:46 PM   #1
Drakyrias
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Default Path book magic: Hermetic themes

I’m introducing hermetic path book magic practitioners to my wipers game and am looking for inspiration on their paths


This is what I have so far:

Hermetic

Path of Health: this path governs the health of living beings, the more complex the being the more difficult it is to affect.

Path of the Elements: this path governs the four principal elements of the universe as ruled by the quintessence spirit “earth, air, fire, water”

Path of Knowledge: this path governs divinations and probes into minds. Rituals governing modern technology do not exist but could be developed.

Path of Alchemy: this path governs transforming something from one thing to another. While elements can control earth and health can heal or sicken a target, this path would allow a practitioner to transform lead to gold or shape change.



The world will have other types of path followers this is just the first type I’m introducing.
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Old 03-16-2018, 05:40 PM   #2
Apollonian
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Shoreline, WA (north of Seattle)
Default Re: Path book magic: Hermetic themes

Classic Hermetic magic (i.e., John Dee, Aleister Crowley, Greater Key of Solomon, etc.) should definitely include paths for contacting, summoning, binding, and banishing demons (geotia), angels (not sure), and the dead (necromancy). You might also want some Astrology and something for creating spirits (i.e., invoking a spirit from inside the caster or something).

However, I think if I were going for old school Hermetic path/book magic, I'd probably go the book route instead of defining paths. For me as the GM, that'd give me a lot more freedom to make up oddball magical traditions based on the Books that were available to various magicians. It's also an easy way to introduce the whole thing to an ongoing campaign: "You've found a weird old book that will teach you how to do magic."
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Old 03-16-2018, 10:16 PM   #3
Drakyrias
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Default Re: Path book magic: Hermetic themes

Quote:
Originally Posted by Apollonian View Post

However, I think if I were going for old school Hermetic path/book magic, I'd probably go the book route instead of defining paths. For me as the GM, that'd give me a lot more freedom to make up oddball magical traditions based on the Books that were available to various magicians. It's also an easy way to introduce the whole thing to an ongoing campaign: "You've found a weird old book that will teach you how to do magic."
I actually am a bit confused about the difference between "Path" and "Book"

Which is why I went Path since I like the system and there were samples.

I'm using the Path/book system to simulate more mundane practitioners (mortal magic users) to allow there to be a difference between ordinary magic users and magic users like Loki or Dr. Strange (since I'm running a Marvel/DC mashup) who use Sphere magic which is far more dynamic.
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Old 03-17-2018, 12:05 AM   #4
Refplace
 
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Location: Yukon, OK
Default Re: Path book magic: Hermetic themes

Quote:
Originally Posted by Drakyrias View Post
I actually am a bit confused about the difference between "Path" and "Book"

Which is why I went Path since I like the system and there were samples.

I'm using the Path/book system to simulate more mundane practitioners (mortal magic users) to allow there to be a difference between ordinary magic users and magic users like Loki or Dr. Strange (since I'm running a Marvel/DC mashup) who use Sphere magic which is far more dynamic.
Paths are like GURPS magic colleges and related in an intuitive way.
Books are created by a mage or tradition and the interrelation of the rituals included may be harder to figure out.

Dr. Strange I would do with Path (Vishanti, Watoomb, Cytoorak, Ikonn, etc) and pull stuff from Realm Magic.
Dr. Fate I would do more as a regular Super.
Most other mages would be Path/Book, mixed with some powers.
__________________
My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more!
My GURPS fan contribution and blog:
REFPLace GURPS Landing Page
My List of GURPS You Tube videos (plus a few other useful items)
My GURPS Wiki entries
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Old 03-17-2018, 08:40 AM   #5
Drakyrias
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Default Re: Path book magic: Hermetic themes

Quote:
Originally Posted by Refplace View Post
Paths are like GURPS magic colleges and related in an intuitive way.
Books are created by a mage or tradition and the interrelation of the rituals included may be harder to figure out.

Dr. Strange I would do with Path (Vishanti, Watoomb, Cytoorak, Ikonn, etc) and pull stuff from Realm Magic.
Dr. Fate I would do more as a regular Super.
Most other mages would be Path/Book, mixed with some powers.
Ok so technically books and paths could coexist? Reading the chapter again, though, a book practitioner would practice based on their knowledge purely on that book? So would this make them more of a sub set of Path magicians?

My basic premise for how I'm handling the supernatural side of my universe is that most 'mortal' practitioners, including Constantine, are relegated Paths that follow cultural or mystical traditions. Hence my question about Hermetic paths.

So the VouDoun, Druids, etc would learn and practice magic according to those paradigm traditions.


While greater practitioners, use Realms. So Dr. Strange, Scarlet Witch, Magick, and Loki all use realms. Dr Strange because he's the Sorcerer Supreme trained in one of the few mystic schools capable of imparting that level of training, Scarlet Witch and Magick though get their Realm magic from being magic based mutants.
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Old 03-17-2018, 10:49 AM   #6
Refplace
 
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Location: Yukon, OK
Default Re: Path book magic: Hermetic themes

Quote:
Originally Posted by Drakyrias View Post
Ok so technically books and paths could coexist? Reading the chapter again, though, a book practitioner would practice based on their knowledge purely on that book? So would this make them more of a sub set of Path magicians?
Yes they can coexist, in fact Books could be secret lore of a Path. Though mostly I see them as separate ways of learning.
Constantine is an excellent example of a hermetic mage.
Adding flavor to different Traditions can really add to the campaign feel.

For an example of a Path/Book system (I call it Affinity magic) mixed with Realm (I call Thaumertgy from the term Miracle Working) see my Lantern Guilds for a fantasy setting.
Most of the rules for it are not online as I am hoping to get it into Pyramid someday. But it might help inspire you.
And if you want I can blog workups for some of the comic mages (Could never publish that in Pyramid because of rights issues anyhow.
__________________
My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more!
My GURPS fan contribution and blog:
REFPLace GURPS Landing Page
My List of GURPS You Tube videos (plus a few other useful items)
My GURPS Wiki entries
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