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Old 04-25-2017, 03:54 PM   #1
Phantasm
 
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Default Best way to represent Voodoo Magic when using Realm Magic for everything else?

I'm working on a character for my Marvel Reboot project that uses Voodoo magic - mostly in the reanimation of the dead as zombies, but possibly some other tricks as well (such as the classic voodoo doll and summoning/bargaining with the loa).

Normally, I'd go with Path/Book or RPM for this. However, I've also previously established that magic in the Marvel Universe works off the rules for Realm magic.

I've currently got six main Realms - Energy, Matter, Mind, Space, Spirit, and Time - alongside a few sub-Realms ("Fire" as a sub-Realm of Energy, for example). Also, the Realms operate on a six-tier power progression, with the top tier off-limits for everything but cosmic entities and Elder Gods. I can see Spirit as being a main Realm, but not sure if that would cover zombie reanimation.

Any suggestions for how to pull this off?
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Old 04-25-2017, 03:58 PM   #2
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Default Re: Best way to represent Voodoo Magic when using Realm Magic for everything else?

For Zombies I would go with Spirit + Matter if I were using your Realm system.
However you lose a lot of flavor if you just do their work based off Realm or RPM. I prefer an approach where they interact with the Loa or spirits so I came up with my own Shaman rules.
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Old 04-25-2017, 04:08 PM   #3
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Default Re: Best way to represent Voodoo Magic when using Realm Magic for everything else?

Achieving this is doable under your Realm Magic system. Mechanically, I would treat it as granting yourself a properly modified Ally or Ally Group Advantage. The Spirit realm would definitely be required. I would personally require the Energy or Matter Realm to animate the corpses. Including the Matter Realm to extend the zombie's shelf life would be prudent.
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Old 04-25-2017, 04:37 PM   #4
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Default Re: Best way to represent Voodoo Magic when using Realm Magic for everything else?

It's doable. Realm Magic was based off of the magic system from Mage: the Ascension, which had a group of mages who practice Voodoo. So take a hint from Mage: in that game, you get a given style of magic as much by how it's done as by what you can do. In effect, bring in the magical modifiers from Path Magic — Sacred Space, Ritual Time, and material components — and let them provide bonuses to the Voudoun practitioner when he works then into what he's doing.

As for what he can do, look at the Paths from the original Voodoo: the Shadow War and try to match them up with your Realms. IIRC, there were Dreams, Health, Luck, Protection, and Spirits. Spirits translates directly; Dreams is probably a subset of Mind. How do your other mages heal? Through a subset of Matter, I'm guessing? Luck and Protection are the tricky ones, as they tend to correspond more with what you do than what you're affecting: Luck is a sort of across-the-board “nudge it” effect, while Protection is a similarly across-the-board “protect it” effect.

Also, I'm guessing that you demand Space for “voodoo dolls”. I'd recommend that Voodoo use a subset of that which focuses exclusively on Sympathetic connections: you can't use it to warp space or teleport, but you can sense and manipulate the bonds between the subject and people, places, or things that are important to him.
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Old 04-26-2017, 12:20 PM   #5
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Default Re: Best way to represent Voodoo Magic when using Realm Magic for everything else?

I spent my lunch break thinking about how to map the various colleges in Magic to my Realms. I think I have something which would help. (Of course, certain individual spells may have other Realms mapped to it.)

Air --> Matter
-- Lightning --> Energy
-- Summon/Control/Create Elemental --> Spirit
Body Control --> Matter
Communication & Empathy --> Mind
Earth --> Matter
Fire --> Energy
Food --> Matter
Gate --> Space, Time, Spirit
Healing --> Matter, Spirit
Illusion & Creation --> Mind (Illusion), Matter (Creation)
Knowledge --> Matter, Space, Time
Light & Darkness --> Energy
Making & Breaking --> Matter
Metamagic --> ??
Mind Control --> Mind
Movement --> Space, some Matter
Necromancy --> Spirit
Protectiion & Warning --> Spirit, Space, Time
Sound --> Energy
Technology
-- Machine --> Matter, some Spirit
-- Metal/Plastic --> Matter
-- Fuel/Power --> Energy
-- Radiation --> Energy
Water --> Matter
-- Acid --> Matter, Energy
-- Cold --> Energy
-- Ice --> Matter

I was also thinking of tossing in a Body sub-realm for Matter. Sub-Realms are essentially applying a "Specialized, -50%" limitation on the Realm; I've already used a similar sub-Realm for Fire (sub-realm of Energy) on Ghost Rider and Hellstorm. Body would be the sub-realm for Body Control and Healing spells, which makes it more useful for Voodoo than Matter in general.

Thoughts?



(For the record, my 3e book collection lacks both Mage: the Ascension and Voodoo; the only setting books from 3e I have are China, Swashbucklers, Vikings, Traveller, and In Nomine, and other than China and Vikings, I'd have to go digging through the storage unit to find them.)
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"But mom, I don't wanna go back in the dungeon!"

The GURPS Marvel Universe Reboot Project A-G, H-R, and S-Z, and its not-a-wiki-really web adaptation.
Ranoc, a Muskets-and-Magery Renaissance Fantasy Setting
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Old 04-26-2017, 12:42 PM   #6
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Default Re: Best way to represent Voodoo Magic when using Realm Magic for everything else?

For the record, I only mentioned Mage: the Ascension by way of explanation. You don't actually need it; everything you need is in Thaumatology.

As for Voodoo: the Shadow War, all you really need to know it that it was where Path Magic originated, and that the Paths of Dreams, Health, Luck, Protection, and Spirits also originated in that book. Which is why I suggested them as a guide to what Voudoun ought to be able to do. And while they originated in Voodoo, they have been reproduced in Thaumatology.

Anyway, I'd also note that zombies are walking corpses — i.e., bodies. While I'm guessing that you envisioned Body as dealing with living bodies, it wouldn't be inappropriate to have it deal with dead (and undead) bodies, too.

In general, I would recommend a more liberal use of the sub-Realm concept.
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