New Communication College Spell

[Shostak]

While reviewing GURPS Magic recently, I was surprised to not find this spell and its variant. A few searches of these forums came up empty, so here it is, in case it is of any use.

College: Communication

GIBBERISH
Regular, Resisted by Will
This spell makes the subject speak in gibberish for the duration. Subjects will think they are speaking normally. Communication with sign language or Telepathy is not affected.
Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 2, 1 to maintain
Prerequisites: Gift of Tongues

and

MASS GIBBERISH
Area, Resisted by Will
As per Gibberish, but with an area effect.
Duration: 1 minute
Base cost: 2, Minimum radius 2 yards. 1/2 casting cost to maintain.
Time to cast: 1 per yard radius
Prerequisites: Gibberish

[hal]

The only comment on this that I can see is that for some odd reason, you're basing this off the ability to translate what seems to be gibberish, into something that makes sense. It would almost make more sense that Gift of Tongues requires THIS spell as a requisite rather than the other way around.

[Shostak]

I based it off the examples of needing to be able to create or do something before being able to negate it such as Destroy Air, which requires Create Air and Darkness, which requires Light. If you have recommendations for a better chain, please share.

[hal]

Originally Posted by Shostak

I based it off the examples of needing to be able to create or do something before being able to negate it such as Destroy Air, which requires Create Air and Darkness, which requires Light. If you have recommendations for a better chain, please share.

Sure - put me in a hard spot *teasing grin*. It is why I mentioned that to me, making sense out of gibberish is harder than making gibberish out of sense. One would almost think that the requisite chains should be reversed.

But since you asked an honest question, it deserves an honest answer...

First - what is the purpose of the Gibberish in your mind's eye? Is it a new language entirely, that none of the listeners have a chance of understanding? That would be a language function. Gift of Tongues on the other hand, has the following requisite chain:

Sense Emotion=> Truthsayer=> Mind-Reading=> Mind Sending=> Borrow Language

That's just the spell requisite chain involved. In addition, Gift of Tongues requires that the caster also know three languages.

So, how does one compel another to do/say something? Compel Truth shows one possible route. The person can't say anything that they want, they can only say what is true, otherwise the spell keeps them from talking. So, if it were to be that they can say anything they want, but it has to be gibberish. That's about on par with what Compel Truth does. If they decide to not say anything, they can remain silent.

Compel Truth requires a requisite chain of:
Sense Emotion=> Truthsayer

Alternatively, Spasm directed at the vocal cords (Muscles) should probably also do the trick. Thing is, Spasm only lasts a brief moment. To make it work, you'd need to make the duration last beyond a brief moment, thereby making it a variation of the actual Spasm spell. In addition, it is a Body Control college spell.

Spasm as a spell works on ANY muscle of the human body. It can be directed for example, at a bladder. It can be directed at a leg or an arm or a hand. One could for instance, target the eye muscles causing the eye control to be spasmodic in nature (but no one ever thinks to do that for some odd reason). Imagine not being able to focus your eyes properly for 60 seconds and what effect THAT would have!

So, the short answer is: Base it off of "Compel Truth" as it compels the speaker's ability to talk in a fashion other than what the speaker would like to do.

Sometimes I wonder whether or not I should open up a thread on "creative uses for spells". For instance, revisiting the Spasm spell reminded me of the question: "What happens if you cast Spasm on the eyes of a person?" It would revisit the mindset I adopted in the age when I wrote the Alaconius Lectures back in the day when all we had was GURPSNET as a forum for discussing GURPS 3e. Those lectures are still available at the GURPSNET archives.

At times like this, I can't help but wonder if I should set up a thread titled "Alaconius Tips" or some such title. I could ask up front that people make suggestions on the use of spells in a manner that is not the usual - so as to give newbies or even experienced players a new look at the old standby we call GURPS MAGIC. ;)

[hal]

By the by? Is this spell capable of having a magic item? If so, I'd suggest that it comes in two forms:

Form A: Wand that permits the spell caster to use the spell without knowing it or casting it from the inherent powerstone that can be embedded within or a self-powering aspect if possible.

Form B: Article to be worn inflicting the spell upon the wearer.

[Shostak]

Thanks, Hal.

The purpose is to give a spell accessible to a one-college-only Communication & Empathy mage something of an offensive spell. It could be useful to disrupt the activities of sentries, forward observers, air traffic controllers, diplomats, or someone at a party flirting with your sweetie.

I see your rationale for the Compel Truth and Spasm prerequisite tracks, but I prefer to think of it as more along the lines of borrowing languages and then lending them mixed up so that communication is impossible.

As for a magic item, Yes. But, it could be anything--a wand, a ring, a homburg. I like the idea of dentures which compel their wearer to speak gibberish.

Alaconius Tips -- sounds fun.

[Pomphis]

Originally Posted by hal

So, how does one compel another to do/say something? Compel Truth shows one possible route. The person can't say anything that they want, they can only say what is true, otherwise the spell keeps them from talking. So, if it were to be that they can say anything they want, but it has to be gibberish. That's about on par with what Compel Truth does. If they decide to not say anything, they can remain silent.

Compel Truth requires a requisite chain of:
Sense Emotion=> Truthsayer

Agreed, though I would not use Compel Truth as a prerequisite, but Truthsayer. Compel Truth requires Magery 2 which I consider excessive for the purpose. I would also argue that Compel Truth is more complicated as it requires something specific (Truth), whereas Gibberish requires something less specific, only that it is unintelligible. So I would treat Gibberish as an equivalent of Compel Truth, but without Magery 2.

[hal]

Originally Posted by Pomphis

Agreed, though I would not use Compel Truth as a prerequisite, but Truthsayer. Compel Truth requires Magery 2 which I consider excessive for the purpose. I would also argue that Compel Truth is more complicated as it requires something specific (Truth), whereas Gibberish requires something less specific, only that it is unintelligible. So I would treat Gibberish as an equivalent of Compel Truth, but without Magery 2.

I'd have to agree with that particular assessment in the sense that gibberish doesn't seem to be all too "uncommon" in many of the stories we read involving magic. That would place the magery requisite towards the lower end of the spectrum.

Frankly, the ability to compel a particular result - be it physical in nature, or be it mental in nature, seems to preclude it being in the realm of "communications and empathy" spells. Although, one could argue it is an "anti-communication" spell.

When I look at the spell "STRIKE DUMB" - that process renders the person incapable of speaking at all, which would definitely silence a sentry. Having the ability to semi-paralyze the vocal cords so as to render a person incapable of talking intelligibly would strike me as a variation of the STRIKE DUMB spell, possibly costing less energy, or perhaps lasting longer than normal. I note too that the requisite for STRIKE DUMB is SPASM.

Note too however, the original poster's reasoning for making it come across as gibberish was to insure that a one college spell caster could do that. Why it would be useful for silencing a sentry, who - merely by raising a shout could do his job - might be an issue of contention one way or another. Truth is - what ever a gm is willing to permit in their game world is legit as far as I'm concerned while in a "GM" mindset. When in a player mindset, if a GM nerfs a spell, then I have reservations - but that's a story for another day.

As it stands - with the original poster wanting to go the route that he has chosen, I'm fine with that. ;)

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by hal

Note too however, the original poster's reasoning for making it come across as gibberish was to insure that a one college spell caster could do that. Why it would be useful for silencing a sentry, who - merely by raising a shout could do his job - might be an issue of contention one way or another.

Actually, I said it could be used to disrupt the activities of sentries. It could in some situations be a whole lot more useful to have sentries and those with whom they are trying to communicate dismayed at all the gibberish than to have merely silent sentries.

[FenrisLoki]

It seems to me that Foolishness could somehow fit in here.