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Old 03-24-2024, 02:52 AM   #1
Greg 1
 
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Default What spells does a TL3 government want as widely-known as possible?

What spells does a TL3 government want as widely-known as possible?

Spells from the Healing college look likely. What else?
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Old 03-24-2024, 04:06 AM   #2
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Default Re: What spells does a TL3 government want as widely-known as possible?

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What spells does a TL3 government want as widely-known as possible?

Spells from the Healing college look likely. What else?
Spells that increase agricultural output, or prevent diseases and droughts from cutting it down. Famines are one of the great recurrent troubles of pre-industrial economies.
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Old 03-24-2024, 04:32 AM   #3
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Default Re: What spells does a TL3 government want as widely-known as possible?

Assuming we're using the list from GURPS Magic: Some spells from the Making and Breaking college would probably be on the list (e.g. Find Weakness is really very useful, and doesn't have the high prerequisite cost or Magery requirement of Repair), but they'd be a lower priority than absolutely vital ones like Cure Disease or Remove Contagion. Some Earth or Plant spells might be on the list, and Test Food & Purify Food certainly should be.
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Old 03-24-2024, 05:15 AM   #4
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Default Re: What spells does a TL3 government want as widely-known as possible?

Shape Earth and Shape Stone would massively aide road building and canal building. These earth shaping spells would also aide agriculture. Whswhs is right about any spell increasing agricultural output. Any Food College spells that prevent food decay and spoilage would be important too.

Any spell that aided quick communication would be prized. Knowing what is happening in the kingdom is central to ruling it.
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Old 03-24-2024, 05:21 AM   #5
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Default Re: What spells does a TL3 government want as widely-known as possible?

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Any spell that aided quick communication would be prized. Knowing what is happening in the kingdom is central to ruling it.
Yes, but that's not something that needs to be widely known. It's enough if an elite body of royal advisors and messengers have it.

A spell that will make a huge difference, but that many kings won't be subtle enough to think of, is Continual Light. If you can ensure that the main streets in every town are well lit all night long, it will add significantly to public safety.
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Old 03-24-2024, 05:36 AM   #6
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Default Re: What spells does a TL3 government want as widely-known as possible?

My vote would be plant and healing spells, for the reasons described above.

I'd expect communications and earth-shaping spells could be restricted to the court magician; you don't want to give potentially disloyal peasants the ability to plot against you or have them give enemies an uncharted back door to the castle, after all.
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Old 03-24-2024, 05:46 AM   #7
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Given that most Medieval monarchs had laws to protect their forests so they could hunt them and get timber from them, spells controlling fire would be encouraged. Both for putting fires out quickly to preserve the kings property and more efficient heating and other uses to reduce the temptation for common folk to poach Royal property would be encouraged.
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Old 03-24-2024, 06:47 AM   #8
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Default Re: What spells does a TL3 government want as widely-known as possible?

I think I have the prerequisites right ...

Fire: Ignite Fire, Create Fire, Extinguish Fire, Fireproof.

Food: Test Food, Decay, Purify Food, Cook.

Healing: in general, but Final Rest is likely to be policy.

Knowledge: Measurement (to greatly reduce short weight and other fraud), Test Load.

Light & Darkness: Light, Continual Light.

Plant: Seek Plant, Identify Plant, Heal Plant, Bless Plants.

Protection & Warning: Detect Poison.

Water: Seek Water, Purify Water.
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Old 03-24-2024, 08:48 AM   #9
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I think I have the prerequisites right ...

Fire: Ignite Fire, Create Fire, Extinguish Fire, Fireproof.

Food: Test Food, Decay, Purify Food, Cook.

Healing: in general, but Final Rest is likely to be policy.

Knowledge: Measurement (to greatly reduce short weight and other fraud), Test Load.

Light & Darkness: Light, Continual Light.

Plant: Seek Plant, Identify Plant, Heal Plant, Bless Plants.

Protection & Warning: Detect Poison.

Water: Seek Water, Purify Water.
Add in some basic Earth spells for civil engineering, irrigation works and other farming issues put them all in a standard book. Let's call the book "THE EMERALD PRIMER. (I'm pulling on cultural history for that name. The Emerald Tablets of Hermes Trimagistos). I could see every University and Cathedral school being required to teach from that book and own copies.
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Old 03-24-2024, 08:51 AM   #10
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Default Re: What spells does a TL3 government want as widely-known as possible?

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Add in some basic Earth spells for civil engineering, irrigation works and other farming issues put them all in a standard book. Let's call the book "THE EMERALD PRIMER. (I'm pulling on cultural history for that name. The Emerald Tablets of Hermes Trimagistos). I could see every University and Cathedral school being required to teach from that book and own copies.
Do you really want widespread knowledge of Shape Stone which would permit them to bypass the castle walls?
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