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Old 01-19-2010, 01:55 PM   #1
sir_pudding
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Default [Desolation Road] Magic

As I said in the other thread: Posted for your perusal!
Magic


Alchemy
Elixirs
Due to mass production elixirs and other alchemical preparations are ½ the "common" magic cost.

Quintessence

The materials to make a dram of quintessence is a ounce of silver worth $500. A single point typically retails for $1000. The recipe is Alchemy-5.

Effects of Quintessence
  • +3 to Book Skill when used during a ritual working.
  • Negates 5 points of tally for a Realm working
  • Gives +3 to any reaction roll for interacting with spirits
  • Allows a work around for the Laws of Conservation
  • Gives 100 energy points for the the purposes of realm based enchantment.
  • Required for rituals that create permanent charms or talismans.



Divine Mathematics


The most potent tool left behind in creation was Mathematics. A truly insightful philosopher can utilize the secrets of math to work reality altering effects on the universe. A true master is able to wield a fundamental understanding of the basic principles of science to work improvisationally (using Realm-based Syntactic Magic) but all mages are able to work rituals from scientific and philosophical texts (Book magic).


Realms

The cosmos can be neatly divided into 7 known principles.

Matter

Governs physical matter. Including mass, density, and chemical reactions. Living things are Matter infused with spirit. Quintessence is Matter Infused with Math

Forces

Governs kinetic forces and motion. Including inertia, momentum, gravity, and acceleration.

Ether

Governs the luminferous ether and all forms of transmitted energy. Including light, heat, and etheric communication. Most insubstantial spirits are Ether infused with Spirits.

Dimensionality

Governs physical dimensions. Including distance and volume. Required for long distance effects.

Time

Governs time. Required for effects involving the past or future. Cannot alter the past or allow direct travel through time.

Spirit

Governs the animating life force (but not the immortal soul) of living things and insubstantial spirits.

Math


Governs purely mathematical concepts. Allows the influencing of events that appear to random chance, and the manipulation of workings. Required to enchant any items.

Some have theorized that there must be an 8th Realm: Soul, but that it is the exclusive realm of God, the Logos, and the Holy Spirit.

Laws of Divine Mathematics


Divine Mathematics is limited, however. There are 6 invoiable natural laws that govern it's working in our universe that mortal mathematicians cannot transcend (although sometimes they can be bent).



Law of Conservation of Matter

Matter cannot be created or destroyed. It can be transmuted into a different form of Matter, or converted from Etheric Vibrations, Forces of Motion or Quintessence ,



Law of Conservation of Etheric Vibrations

Etheric Vibrations cannot be created or destroyed. They can be transmuted into a different waveform, redirected to a new vector or converted from Matter, Forces of Motion or Quintessence,



Law of Conservation of Forces of Motion

Forces of Motion cannot be created or destroyed. They can be transmuted into a different force, redirected to a new vector or converted from Matter, Etheric Vibrations or Quintessence,



Law of Preservation of the Soul

The Soul is unaffected by mortal workings. Souls cannot be created, destroyed, or altered. (Spirit effects allow temporary manipulation of a being's mind but cannot directly make fundamental or permanent changes to one's psyche or morality).



Law of the Higher Realms

Mortal Workings cannot directly affect, communicate or travel beyond the physical created universe. They can be used to communicate with and influence spirits that can.



Law of Resistance and Elasticity

The universe naturally resists any changes imposed on the Divine Plan. If forced it will snap back with drastic consequences. However once a working is established and used the universe becomes adapted to it.



Sacred Architecture

The rules for Sacred Architecture (Thaumatology page 89) are in effect with Mathematics(Pure) replacing Thaumatology.

Last edited by sir_pudding; 03-20-2010 at 02:41 AM.
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Old 01-19-2010, 02:03 PM   #2
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Default Re: [Desolation Road] Magic

Character Traits




Magery


Magery represents intuitive insight into the mathematics of creation. It is a combination between natural talent and hard work. It can be improved during play but only as the result of study and meditation (see below) and only if the character has at least Magery 0 or the Insight perk. A character's Magery cannot exceed twice his levels of Mathematical Ability.

Magery 0 confers the ability to detect magic items (mana levels are irrelevant in the setting) and the ability to perform Book rituals (Thaumatology 123 Mandatory Magery), Each subsequent level up to 6 acts as a bonus for rituals ( Thaumatology 123 Magery Adds to Rituals) but only to modify effective skill for workings. Also no single Realm may be higher than the casters Magery (Thaumatology 184 Capping Syntactic Magic).



The fifth and sixth and levels of magery are very rare. Magery 5 requires a 25 point Unusual Background (Enlightened), and the sixth requires a second level of Enlightened (for a total of 50 points) and the Illuminated advantage.



Magery can be improved through study and meditation. For each 200 hrs a mage spends working on contemplative study of mathematical, scientific, or theological principles he gains an additional character point towards the next level of imagery (this is in addition to the points towards the appropriate skills). At least 25% of the points for the next level must come from this source, the rest may come from earned CP.



Book Adept

Philosophers with intuitive mastery of the Realms find it much easier to perform rote workings out of books. The first two levels of each Realm must be taken with Book Adept (One Realm Only -20%) [8]. The first level allows the mathematician to reduce the required time to 1d seconds, the second allows him to dispense with ritual space. It cannot be further modified.



Realms

There are 7 known realms; Matter, Ether, Forces, Dimensionality, Time, Spirit and Math each with 6 levels. Each the first two levels of each are 15 points per level (as they each include a level of Book Adept) and each subsequent level (up to 6) is 7 points per level.


These can be learned in play with the same restrictions as Magery.



Threshold Related Advantages (Thaumatology page 79)

The advantages Increased Threshold, Rapid Magical Recovery, and Safer Magical Excess are available but each are limited to the sum of Realms.



These can be learned in play with the same restrictions as Magery.



Skills

Mathematics (Pure) is the core skill for Book skills. It is also rolled for all syntactic workings.



The realm skills can't exceed certain related skills.


Matter cannot exceed Chemistry

Forces, Ether and Time cannot exceed Physics

Dimensionality cannot exceed Mathematics (Applied)

Spirit cannot exceed Occultism

Math cannot exceed Mathematics (Pure)


Symbol Drawing defaults to Mathematics(Pure)-4 and gives a bonus to both Book and Realm workings.



Book Workings

Philosophers can share effective workings in books. This uses the rules for Path/Book magic on Thaumatology page 121-163 using Books. Divine Mathematic rituals are Effect Shaping.


Realms

Each ritual should have a Realm assigned to it by the GM just as though it were a syntactic casting, this determines whether a practitioner gets benefits of ritual adept. If a ritual requires multiple realms the practitioner must have all of them at the appropriate level to reap the benefits.


Material Components


Primarily Philosophers need the ability to make calculations and require a surface to write on and something to write with. A Calculating Engine (or Lightning Calculator) gives a +2 and Intuitive Mathematician gives a +3 (a relic TL(4+3) or higher Analytical Engine adds its TL-5 instead).



A book of tables and constants is required and any ritual attempted without one is at -5 ( a Philosopher with Photographic Memory can ignore this requirement). A typical book costs $100 and weighs a pound. Hlrrm philosophers typically have one carved on their shells.

Matter, Forces and Ether rituals typically require scientific equipment, and exotic materials. Spirit rituals typically require mystically symbolic components.

Symbol Drawing

Having no symbols gives a -3 and the Symbol Drawing skill gives the standard bonus.



Collaboration

Each participant eliminates -1 in penalties (Thaumatology 132).


Options and Variations


The rules for Combined Ceremonies, Sensing Magical Rituals (for characters with Magery or Danger Sense) and Canceling and Dispelling effects are in use. Charms and Fetishes exist, but are often difficult to distinguish from similar items created by Alchemy.

Last edited by sir_pudding; 03-20-2010 at 01:53 AM.
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Old 01-19-2010, 02:09 PM   #3
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Default Re: [Desolation Road] Magic

Books


The following magical books are well known enough in the Nova Belzorade skerry to be available to PCs.



Principia Mathematica
(See Thaumatology page 164)

The seminal work by Isaac Newton has been in print for a millennium. It has been translated into a number of languages, but this tends to introduce errors. Any version that is not in Latin gives a an additional -1 to all rituals. Theology (Neo-Arian) defaults to Theology (Logism) or Theology (Mechanist) at -4.



Latin copies are $200 for all three volumes and typically weigh 30lbs. Translated copies are from $50-$150 and weigh between 5-40lbs, however cheaper copies are invariably heavier or more error-prone.



A Brief Treatise on Optics


This book by Leohard Euler despite it's understated title is the most important work on Etheric physics and underlies all later work. It costs $50 and weighs lb.

It requires German at Accented, Alchemy TL4-14 and Physics/TL4-14 to understand.

It teaches Conjure Flame at Skill-4 10 minutes to work and the following unique rituals:



Light

Skill-0; 10 minutes

Realm: Ether

This Ritual creates light over it's area of effect or on an object. With no penalty it is the brightness of a Candle flame. At -2 it's as bright as a torch, and at -4 it is as bright as daylight.



Camera

Skill-2; 1 hour

Realm: Ether, Matter

Turns a piece of paper and a shuttered box with a pinhole into a one-use photographic Camera. Once the shutter is opened the paper is exposed and the picture develops in 3 seconds. The ritual prepares the paper, and as long as the paper isn't exposed to light it can be loaded into a box. Any ordinary paper (and box) may be used.



Light Lance

Realm: Ether

Skill-6; 1 hour + 2 seconds (see below); does 1d tight-beam burning damage per margin of success.

Traps a beam of sunlight inside a covered prism, and releases it at the when uncovered. It takes 1 hour to trap the beam, and this ritual must be performed in natural sunlight. The beam can then be released, this takes two ready maneuvers (one if the prism is already in hand) and one to uncover the beam aperture. It has Acc 3 Range 200/700 Rof 10! Shots 10. The user attacks with Beam Weapons (Blast Rods). Larger prism's can do more damage therefore add or subtract ½ the SM of the prism to the margin of success for determining damage.



Cloak of True Invisibility


Realm: Ether

Skill-6; 1 hour

Turns any garment into a talisman that renders the subject completely invisible to the entire Etheric spectrum.



Etheric Shield

Realm: Ether

Skill-7; 1 hour; grants DR (Etheric Weapons) equal to margin of success

This ritual creates a barrier of Etheric vibrations that absorbs directed energy attacks. It creates an amulet that only works for the person it was made. It provides DR versus etheric weapons and attacks equal to the margin of success.


Phantom Masque


Realm: Ether

Skill-8; 20 minutes + 1d minutes for each 10minutes of scripted action

Creates an illusionary scene in the area effect, it will “loop” for the duration of effect. The illusion is entirely visual and doesn't effect any other sense. An Artist(Illusion) roll may be needed to create a convincing illusion.



Beyond the Lunar Path

This difficult 6th century text attempts to firmly establish mathematical models to explain the existence of the Betweeners. It proves the existence of the 'Tweeners and suggests that they are the Faerie of myth. It's fairly rare but not unavailable; and can be purchased for $100 it has negligible weight. It requires Imperial at Accented or better and Occultism-14. It includes Charm against Dark Beasts at skill-6; 1hour, Ward at skill-4; 1 hour, Astral Projection-4; 20 min and two unique rituals.



Weaken the Walls of the World


Skill-3; 1 hour

Realm: Math

This ritual weakens the hold of reality on the affected area. It makes it easier for spirits to manifest, portals to open and so on, allowing any of these effects to occur even if it would normally be impossible. Unfortunately these “soft” zones are very attractive to 'Tweeners, for every minute this ritual is in effect roll 3d; on a 9 or less some form of “Tweener will be drawn to it. If used on an area with Thicken the Walls of the World in effect (or vice versa) it will instantly dispel the opposing ritual and itself with no other effects.



Repel 'Tweener

Skill-2; 10 minutes

Realm: Spirit

The subject gains the effect of True Faith but only versus 'Tweeners.



Transmutations of The-One-Who-Dwells-Beneath-the-Falls

This 7 volume work is one the most popular text on Alchemy and Medicine available. It was written in the 14th century by a famed Bombaxi surgeon. It requires Imperial at Accented or better, Alchemy (TL 4+2)-14 and Physician (TL4+2)-14. It's common but extensive costs $250 and the entire set weighs 300lbs. It is also an alchemical formulary with the following elixirs: Alchemical Antidote, Awakening, Fertility, Healing, Health, Sleep, Universal Antidote, and Bombaxi Venom. It includes Dose at skill-0; 1 hour, Soothe at skill-0; 10 min, Succor at skill-4; 30 min, Tirelessness at skill-5; 30 min, Vitality at skill-3; 1 hour and two unique rituals.



Know Formula


Skill-2*; 10 minutes

Realm: Matter

*Further modified by the Alchemy penalty to make the elixir or charm

When used on any unknown alchemical elixir or charm that has already been analyzed by the practitioner it completely identifies the recipe.



Evoke the Philosopher's Stone

Skill-5; 1 hour; Margin of success determines a number of effects.

Realm: Spirit, Math

While the true philosopher's stone is either mythical or lost, this ritual creates a token that grants some of it's abilities temporarily. The bearer of this token gets the following benefits.
  • The Margin of Success bonus to all Alchemy rolls
  • ½ The Margin of Success bonus to all book rituals
  • All syntactic workings are considered “natural”


Imperial Dragoon Philosopher Manual


This book is used to train the philosophers of the 453rd Dragoons. It is typically only found in their training halls stored on their relic TL4+5 analytical engines, and is not available at any price to outsiders. It requires Peshang at Accented or Better, Engineer (Battle Constructs)/TL4+5 -12, Mechanic/TL4+5 (Battle Constructs), Armory/T4+5(Small Arms), Armory/TL4+5 (Battle Constructs) and Alchemy/TL4+5 -14. It includes Fix Glitch at skill-2; 10 minutes, Know Fault at Skill-1; 10 minutes, Locate Spares at skill-4; 10 minutes, Perfect Control at Skill-2; 20 minutes, Read the Manual at Skill-2; 10 minutes, Repair at Skill-5; 30 minutes, Unlimited Ammo at Skill-4; 10 minutes, Warrior's Blessing at Skill-6; 1 hour, Weapon Blessing at Skill-6; 1 hour, and two unique rituals.



Bless Construct


Skill-5; 1 hour

Realm: Matter

Any construct that is the subject of this spell gets the following benefits but only one is active at any time.
  • +1 to all active defenses
  • ST is increased by 50%
  • DR is increased by 25%
  • 1 level of Enhanced Move (Any)


Create Dart Motor

Skill-10; 1 hour

Realm: Ether, Spirit, Matter

This ritual when cast on a specially prepared copper rod summons and binds a Force Elemental. It requires the expenditure of a point of Quintessence. The resulting fetish is then sliced into thin disks to make the motors for Peshang Darts. Unmodified it creates 50 motors, each additional 50 created in the same ritual is at a -1 and requires an additional point of Quintessence. While normally used as dart motors, clever engineers often find uses for a tiny coin that can create hundreds of ft-lbs/second of force.



Black Book

The many states that have sprung up since the fall of the Imperium have all used Divine Mathematics for the purposes of espionage. Many of the “Black Book” manuals have since fallen into black market circulation. A typical Black Book costs $100 has negligible weight and is LC 2. They require Cryptography/TL4+2-14, and Intelligence Analysis-12. Most include Guise at Skill-1; 20 minutes, Hand of Glory at Skill-7; 1dx5 minutes, Liar's Charm at skill-0; 20 minutes, Obscurity at Skill-5; 10 minutes, Suggestion at Skill-6; 10 minutes, Read Thoughts at Skill-7; 10 minutes, Veil at Skill-4; 10 minutes, Chaperon at Skill-5; 1 hour and one unique ritual,



Encode/Decode

Skill-1; 10 minutes

Realm: Math

Copies a written document into a nearly unbreakable cypher on to blank paper and creates a charm (typically a ring) that will allow it's bearer to use this ritual to decode it at the other end. Any attempts to decode it through conventional means are at -10. When the duration of this ritual expires, the charm will no longer work but the document will still be in code. With a crytographic key this ritual can be used at an additonal -2 to recreate the document's decoder charm.

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Old 01-19-2010, 02:12 PM   #4
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Default Re: [Desolation Road] Magic

Realm Workings

Divine Mathematics uses the rules for Realms and Power on Thaumatology 188-195.



Realms


The seven realms listed above each have six levels. This uses the 6 level scheme on Thaumatology page 188-189. However no level allows one to violate the Laws of Divine Math, therefore instead of creation, levels 3-5 only allow creation with the expenditure of Quintessence, although with the appropriate Realms they do allow the transmutation from one Realm to another. For example, Matter/3 and Ether/3 would allow a philosopher to convert a pile of salt into a bright light.



Practices

In order to perform a working a philosopher must do some preliminary calculations. This requires a roll against Mathematics (Pure). This takes 1d minutes x the total Realm levels needed. On a failure the philosopher made some error and must start over, on a critical failure he is unaware of the error and will automatically critically fail any working attempted with these calculation. This roll is modified for time taken, calculating engines (and advantages) and tables and constants just as for book magic.



Attempting the working without symbols modifies the working roll by -3 and Symbol Drawing gives the usual bonus.



These calculations can be used at any time for a working, however the longer the philosopher waits, or the farther away he is the more likely he is to encounter unforeseen variables. Use the Long Distance modifiers twice, for time substitute days for miles. Attempts to predict events at the target time and location will negate this penalty depending on their accuracy and inclusiveness.



Performing a working based on another's calculations is possible but difficult. This gives a -3 to the working, and still requires a Mathematics (Pure) roll by the philosopher to understand the other's work.



Parameters

Parameters provide a skill penalty and the time to cast is (Highest Realm used +2) seconds.



Energy Costs


Realm workings use the rules for Threshold Magic, Thaumatology pages 76-82. The tally cost is modified for Working for or Against Reality as suggested on Thaumatology page 195 (the tally is halved for subtle workings, but multiplied by 1.5 to 2 for those that push natural law).



Threshold and Recovery


The default Threshold is 15. Philosophers must meditate for an hour and succeed at a Meditation roll to recover 2d-3 plus the margin of success on the Meditation roll (Rapid Recovery adds +2 per level). This can be attempted multiple times per day but this is dangerous. Each subsequent attempt is at a cumulative -2 for each successful recovery in the same day. Failure adds the margin of failure to the tally, critical failure doubles the tally.



Countermagic

If targeted with a Divine Mathematical effect (book or syntactic) that allows a resistance roll and the philosopher knows all relevant Realms he gets a bonus to his resistance equal to the highest relevant Realm.



Enchantment

All energy costs for Enchantment must come from Quintessence
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Old 01-19-2010, 09:33 PM   #5
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Default Re: [Desolation Road] Magic

Quote:
Originally Posted by sir_pudding View Post
Effects of Quintessence
  • +3 to Book Skill when used during a ritual working.
  • Negates 5 points of tally for a Realm working
  • Gives +3 to any reaction roll for interacting with spirits
  • Allows a work around for the Laws of Conservation
  • Gives 100 energy points for the the purposes of realm based enchantment.
  • Required for rituals that create permanent charms or talismans.
Pick one of, or all at once?

Quote:
Originally Posted by sir_pudding View Post
Books


The following magical books are well known enough in the Nova Belzorade skerry to be available to PCs.

Principia Mathematica (See Thaumatology page 164)

The seminal work by Isaac Newton has been in print for a millennium. It has been translated into a number of languages, but this tends to introduce errors.


A Brief Treatise on Optics


This book by Leohard Euler despite it's understated title is the most important work on Etheric physics and underlies all later work. It costs $50 and weighs lb.


Transmutations of The-One-Who-Dwells-Beneath-the-Falls

This 7 volume work is one the most popular text on Alchemy and Medicine available. It was written in the 14th century by a famed Bombaxi surgeon.


Imperial Dragoon Philosopher Manual


This book is used to train the philosophers of the 453rd Dragoons. It is typically only found in their training halls stored on their relic TL4+5 analytical engines, and is not available at any price to outsiders.

Black Book

The many states that have sprung up since the fall of the Imperium have all used Divine Mathematics for the purposes of espionage. Many of the “Black Book” manuals have since fallen into black market circulation.
Awesome. You're missing a weight on the treatise of optics though.
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Old 01-19-2010, 10:57 PM   #6
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Default Re: [Desolation Road] Magic

Quote:
Originally Posted by Crakkerjakk View Post
Pick one of, or all at once?.
They all apply to different magic systems so it would be hard to do them all at once (one of the suggestions for raw magic was to use it to link different magic systems).

Quote:
Awesome. You're missing a weight on the treatise of optics though.
Thanks!
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Old 03-06-2010, 02:49 PM   #7
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Default Re: [Desolation Road] Magic

One thing I've noticed in play is that philosophers with a number of Books end up with multiple different versions of Physics at different TLs. I've decided that higher TL skills can replace lower ones for the purposes of prerequisites for Book skills. Does anybody see any problems with that?
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Old 03-20-2010, 01:51 AM   #8
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Kepler's Somnium (The Dream)
This work by Johannes Kepler describes his travels to the moon. It requires Latin at Accented or better, Astronomy/TL4-12, Physics/TL4-12, Dreaming-13, and Occultism/TL4-14. It's a thin book weighing 1 lb and available for $50.
It includes Dreamwalk at skill-2, Astral Projection at Skill-5, Ward at Skill-4 and three unique rituals

Protection from the Void
Skill-8; 20 min.
Realm: Matter, Ether
Creates a charm that protects the wearer from the environmental effects of vacuum and hostile environments. For the duration of the effect the wearer has Doesn't Breathe, Radiation Tolerance 5, Temperature Tolerance 10 (5 in each direction), Sealed and Vacuum Support

If anybody actually is following this, I'd really appreciate feedback on this magic system in general. It's fiddly, complex and likely to be flawed. Thanks.

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Old 03-24-2010, 07:51 PM   #9
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Default Re: [Desolation Road] Magic

Ah, going back to the source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somnium_%28Kepler%29

It seems I actually only need the ritual to work during a solar eclipse. Although I do like the notion of a ritual that allows space flight (and it might be useful later)...

Bridge of Darkness
Skill-10; 1 hour
Realm: Dimensionality, Ether
The ritual must be performed so that it ends during an astronomical Syzygy (conjunction) in such a way that the philosopher is also in line with all involved celestial objects. The subject will be transported from the surface of one of the involved objects to the surface of one the others through the ether. This does not protect against the elements on the surface of the target. This ritual requires a successful Astronomy roll to pull off.

Celestial Movement (replaces Ascension of the Spheres)
Skill-2*; 10 min
*In addition to the penalty for delta-v.
Allows the subject to travel in body through the Ether. This doesn't protect the user from the elements. It grants Space Flight with Newtonian, and Space Flight Only. Move is equal to the ritual's effective skill. The caster must choose a Thrust Factor from 0 to 5 the ritual has twice this in additional penalties. Delta-V is equal to Movex2^(Thrust Factor). Duration penalties do not apply, the effect lasts as long as the subject still has delta-v.

EDIT:
Addendum for Bridge of Darkness:

This ritual works best when one object is a large (stellar) mass and is in the direction of travel. If there are no objects larger than a Gas Giant involved the ritual is at an additional -4. If there is a stellar mass in the conjunction but the direction of travel is away from it this ritual is at an additional -10. This ritual does not allow interstellar travel.

Last edited by sir_pudding; 03-28-2010 at 08:05 PM.
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Old 08-20-2010, 02:24 PM   #10
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Default Re: [Desolation Road] Magic

Quote:
Originally Posted by sir_pudding View Post
If anybody actually is following this, I'd really appreciate feedback on this magic system in general. It's fiddly, complex and likely to be flawed. Thanks.
I've tried something similar, myself: linking the Realms system to Path/Book Magic. I didn't bother with Path/Book Adept, and I assumed that each Realm cost 10 points per level (with six levels). I tied the Realms to the existing Paths and Books on a one-for-one basis, with each Realm's skill doubling as a Path or Book skill, and being subject to the same learning restrictions. The benefits of taking a Realm were that you'd use the Syntactic Magic casting rules instead of the Path/Book casting rules (e.g., casting times measured in 2 to 10 seconds instead of ten minutes to an hour and no need of ritual space or material components; but requiring the expenditure of Fatigue to power it and generally being range-limited as per Regular Spells). As well, each Ritual was given a Realm level prerequisite that would have to be met in order to spellcast it (i.e., Realm casting). Assigning Realm level prerequisites was a matter of comparing the nature of the Ritual to the sorts of things that each Realm level is supposed to permit.

The idea is that the Realm Advantages represent internalizing the magic, whereas Book/Path-style ritual casting involves external manipulation of mystical entities and/or forces. As such, Path/Book casting is subject to "mana levels" (which don't necessarily represent mana), while Realm casting isn't.
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