[OOC] Shattered Magic -- GURPS 4e High magic fantasy

[younglorax]

Not looking for players right now. That may change at some point.

The story so far:
It is mid february. In late August last year, strange and unfortunate things are happening with magic. Most significantly, healing magic and some healing herbs have stopped working well. The PCs were both independently seeking the cause of the problem with magic, and have met up in their travel to a powerfully magical city named Quanton. They have heard a variety of theories on the cause of the problem, though nothing conclusive. They are now investigating whether there is a connection between an ancient story of magic failing -- possibly due to sorcerors in the far East -- and the current problem

Current players:
OldSam: Arlen Siler, a wilderness guide and mage
Captain-Captain: Korbinian Poldi, a mage and herbalist with a recently disabled daughter
Totem: Corbaen Waeyear, a very charming man from a distant southern island

[younglorax]

Shattered Magic

GURPS 4e, TL3, high magic fantasy, Play-by-Post on the Steven Jackson Games forum

Background

The conflict:
Strange and unfortunate things are happening with magic. Most significantly, healing magic and some healing herbs have stopped working well. This has resulted in rather sudden events: outbreaks of plague, shifts in balance of power leading to wars, and a decrease in production of some agricultural goods (due to sick animals and workforce).

The PCs must determine what is causing these changes and decide what to do about it.

The Setting:
Geography:
The known world consists of four continents, but the story takes place on a continent called Verold. Verold is divided by a mountain range into the East and the West. The East is where the story begins. In the East, most political systems are deeply legalized, with monarchies, organized republics, or oligarchies, all with clear rules for ascension to power. Most of the magic from there uses Ordered Mana (see the Magic section in Game Mechanics). The West has fewer written rules of law, and most of its magic relies more on Wild Mana. Just to the East of the Dividing Range lies a powerfully magical city-state called Quanton, considered by many the magic capital of Verold.

The game begins in the East, in the foothills of the Dividing Range. Characters can come from East or West.

Magic:
The world is permeated with magic. Although powerful wizards are not exactly common, nearly every village will have at least one practitioner of magic, there to heal the sick and bless the crops. Material magic is especially in evidence -- wands for the same purposes passed down for generations are a well known fact of life, and Herb Lore is is known by most of the best healers and midwives.

Play time allocation (very rough estimate): REVISED 6th January 2010
Travel -- 10-30%
Interaction/Commerce -- 40-60%
Exploration -- 20-40%
Combat -- <15%

Relevant/useful characters:
Essentially any type of character could be helpful to the party. Unless at least one member of the party is major outdoorsman (and this could be an ally or hireling), having some wilderness survival skills will be pretty much necessary for all characters. The only type of characters that would not be relevant are characters that can't or won't travel.

Character must have a reason to be going on this trek, but this could be a broad range of motivations. Some examples:
-Sick relative, friend, etc. needs magical healing
-You've been hired by one of the other PCs
-You are a healing mage, and want your powers to work right again
-On a rite of passage type quest, or simply enjoy adventure
-A merchant who sees a bunch of muscley types heading off to visit many towns and thinks "Hey! Free bodyguards!"
-Your kingdom is at war, and healing magic would affect the outcome
-....etc.

Game Mechanics
This will be using GURPS 4e.

Point total: 160cp, but at least 35cp must be put into background skills and advantages.
Disad cap: -50cp or so, as a guideline. The only hard and fast rule is it must be playable, and not overly disruptive.
Base TL: 3

Books in use
You MUST have:
4e Basic Set: Characters or at least 4e GURPS Lite
The books I have and will be using:
4e Basic Set: Campaigns, GURPS: Magic, GURPS: Thaumatology, GURPS: Power-Ups 1: Imbuements, GURPS: Power-Ups 2: Perks.
You are allowed to use things from other books, but like anything on your character sheet, they're subject to my approval. Magic as powers will be allowed, so I understand Powers may be useful, but you'll have to tell me the details of what things do, since I don't own it.

Allowed and Disallowed Traits
-Races: Only humans exist in the gameworld.
-Psi is banned, but psi-like powers from magic may be allowed.
-Magery up to 3 is allowed (see Magic, below, for details)
-Magic Resistance up to 2 is allowed without any UB
-Mana Enhancer and Damper are specifically not allowed
-Basic Attributes above 13 need a good explanation
-Increased TL is not allowed
-Magic susceptibility is allowed
-Mundane Background is allowed with an appropriate backstory
-Reduced TL is allowed with an appropriate backstory

I also will allow some cinematic advantages if they fit your character. For all other Exotic and Supernatural traits, ask me.

House and Optional Rules
-Using Skills With Other Attributes (B172) will be used rather liberally... and if you can convince me that it makes sense, I may let you use a different attribute by choice sometimes
-I will generally not be using Familiarity penalties for using new weapons and items, but reserve the right to if using something very foreign to your character
-First Aid will function as 1 TL higher than actual TL (TL4, for most players)
-New rule for Magery 0 (see "Magic Senses" below)

Magic
My original motivation for running a high-magic game was to kick the tires of Thaumatology -- see how (and if) the various systems work together. As a result, there are a lot of possibilities for what game mechanices are used for magic.

Game mechanics specifically allowed:
-Standard magic rules, as given in the Basic Set and Magic
-Flexible/Syntactic Magic
-Advantage-based powers as magic
-Ritual/Path/Book magic

Additionally, creating your own spells will generally be allowed, and if you want to use a different magic system (especially one mentioned in Thaumatology that I forgot in populating this list), that may be allowed as well.

Clerical magic is not allowed. However, some magic may be a secret of a religious organization, and its practitioners may believe that it is holy; in this case, the same rules for spell availability apply.

NOTE: Due to the nature of this game, we may make some tweaks to balance magic during the course of play; however, these will not be unilateral decisions on my part, but instead motivated by how we as a group think balance it working.

Magery
Magery 0 is universal across magic forms. Regardless of what sort of magic is being used, someone with Magery 0 can detect it.

Magery 1+ is specific to a type of magic. A PC using syntactic magic would have to buy a completely different advantage to get a bonus to Standard magic. You are allowed to have multiple types of Magery, but it may not be cost effective.

Mana
Mana will be aspected in two dimensions:
by College or Theme - Certain mana works better or only for spells and abilities that fit a particular theme (fire, water, the four elements, nature, healing, etc.).

It is possible for certain magic to not work at all with mana that is improperly theme-aspected, although usually if there is one kind of mana around, there is at least a little bit of the other kinds.

Ordered vs. Wild - Mana comes in two general flavors. Ordered mana is used for certain kinds of magic -- especially magic that involves reciting the words of spells. Wild mana works better for other kinds of magic -- especially abilities that stem from innate talent, and are not triggered by memorized encantations.

It is never possible for certain magic to not work at all with mana that is of the opposite state of order. In areas with extremely ordered magic, wild magic abilities will work less strongly or strangely; likewise, in areas with completely wild magic, spells will work strangely or weakly. (Note: I am not using "Wild Mana" the way that GURPS: Thaumatology does).

The most common form of magic where the players begin is spell-based and ordered. The mana in the starting location is mostly ordered.

Magic Senses:
By buying Magery 0, you automatically have the ability to detect magic when in tactile contact with it. Additionally, you get one other sense as a feature of your Magery 0; you choose this when purchasing Magery 0. Having a second of the senses listed below is an advantage worth 5 points. You cannot have a third.

Magic Sight -- If anything in your line of sight is magical, you see it as having a faint aura. Except in extremely powerful cases, you can discern little more than that.

Magic Hearing -- If any object is magical, it produces a sound. You can sometimes discern what sort of magic it is from the sound, although you must be able to hear it quite well for this. You can also hear mana gathering for a spell even before it is cast.

Magic Smell -- When you are near enough to magic that if it were a very strong smelling object you could smell it, then you can smell that it is magical -- however, like the sense of smell, you cannot necessarily discern what it is that it creating the smell at a distance. Although limited in range, this ability lets you distinguish what theme the magic you can smell is. Moreover, the smell of magic remains for a little while after whatever effect it was wears off.

Magic Taste -- If you taste an object, you can determine very precisely waht sort of magic was put into it. If a spell was cast on an object (be it the ground, a weapon, of a person) if you taste the affected area, you can determine a great deal about it. Yes, using this ability will get you funny looks.

Expectations
I will be checking this game a minimum of four days a week (usually seven), unless I let you know ahead of time. I'll try to respond promptly to actions that need my response, and to questions posted in the OOC thread.

I expect players to post a minimum of twice a week, and hopefully quite a bit more than that. If the first few players to sign up all say they want to dedicate even more time to this game, then we can amend this Expectations section.

[BigPhut]

I'm definitely intressted in this, and i've cobbled together a chracter, let me know what you think;

Until less than a month ago Father Boadeus (pronounced Bo-day-us) was the priest of a small hamlet in the wooded valleys in the mountain range that seperates the east and west of the contitnent. He arrived there, in Cavenbrook, 12 years ago at which time the people where fighting a losing battle against marauding mountain tribes that came through the western passes and were raiding them. So far the local tavern had provided adequate protection and man-power in the form of mercs to hold them at bay. Boadeun Arrived as a traveler just days before the settlement would of been over run and found himself unable to leave before helping the people. He managed to organise a succesful defence due much to his own contribution during the fighting. He stayed acting as the priest and defender for the towns surviving populace. Treated with both respect and fear by the villagers, he kept his past secret and remained a mysterious figure. Recently he has undertaken a journey to Quanton, so that he can undertake a journey for his order to the east, in light of recent events that has left it and much of the world in trumoil, he hopes to find a party to travel with.

Name: Father Boadeus Age: 48 Ht: 6' 2'' Wgt: 230lbs

Attributes [90]

ST 13 [30]
IQ 10 [0]
DX 12 [20]
HT 12 [20]

HP 13 [0]
Per 12 [10]
Will 12 [10]
FP 12 [0]

Dmg 1d/2d-1
BS 6 [0]
BM 6 [0]
BL 34

Advantages [68]

Wealth (Comfortable) [10]
Religious Rank 1 [5]
Charisma 1 [5]
Claim to Hospitality (Chapter Houses) [5]
Clerical Investment [5]
Fearlessness 2 [4]
Hard to Kill 2 [4]
Hard to Subdue 2 [4]
High Pain Threshold [10]
True Faith [15]

Perk: Due to the effect of the rituals of his faith, bears are oddly friendly around him [1]

Disadvantages [-55]

Pacifism (can not harm innocents) [-10]
Caritable [-15]
Disciplines of Faith (ritualism) [-5]
Loner [-5]
One Eye [-15]

Quirk: Won't Speak About his Past [-1]
Quirk: Mild Bad Temper [-1]
Quirk 3 [-1]
Quirk 4 [-1]
Quirk 5 [-1]

Skills [76]

Brawling 13 (12) DX+1 [2]
Esoteric Medicine 13 Per+1 [8]
First Aid 12 IQ+2 [4]
Hiking 12 HT [2]
Law (eastern, religious) 12 IQ+2 [12]
Melee Weapon (axe/mace) 13 (12) DX [4]
Melee Weapon (two handed axe/mace) 15 (14) DX+3 [12]
Shield 14 (13) DX+2 [4]
Survival (woodlands) 13 Per+1 [4]
Theology (Cennanism ) 11 IQ+1 [8]
Leadership 11 IQ+1 [4]
Tactics 11 IQ+1 [8]

Equipment:

Fine Warhammer 2d+3 imp $300 7lbs
Small Mace 2d+1 cr $35 3lbs
Small Knife 2d-4 cut or 1d-1 imp $30 0.5lbs

Light Scale Armour DR3 (torso) $150 15lbs
Leather Gloves DR2 (hands) $30 neg.
Boots DR2 (feet) $80 3lbs

Priests Robes $50 5lbs

Medium Shield DB2 $60 15lbs

Backpack-Small $60 3lbs
Blanket $20 4lbs
Ceramic Bottle w/Water $3 3lbs
3x Tallow Candle $15 3lbs
3x Iron Spike (Piton) $3 1.5lbs
Lantern $20 2lbs
Ceramic Bottle w/Oil $7 3lbs
Personal Basics $5 1lbs
Pouch w/$992 $10 neg.
10 yards of rope 3/8" $5 1.5lbs
Tent 1-Man $50 5lbs
8x Traveler's Rations $16 4lbs
Bandages $10 2lbs
First Aid Kit $50 2lbs
Shovel $12 6lbs
Whetstone $5 1lbs

Eagles Symbol (Priceless Symbol of Faith) neg.

Totals $1008 48.5lbs w/o pack 80.5 w/p

[Wild Bill]

I am absolutely interested. I will work up a character tonight! This sounds like it is going to be a blast.

So... yes, I'm taking the second spot!

I'm thinking about playing a (somewhat) eccentric shaman/witch who is looking for the reason why the nature spirits have abandoned his workings. Furthermore, several people from the nearyby village have shown plauge-like symptons, and, although somewhat of a hermit, he feels deeply for the villagers, especially for his family (brother, sister-in-law, and nephew) - they don't know that he is actually a relative, rather they think he died when he was a boy. The newphew is one of the sick villagers.

I'll probably be using the Ritual Magic system, and I will go through Thaumatology again tonight to work it out a bit. Maybe something from Powers, but I doub't it. Also, can I use Martial Arts? I want him to have a bit of a monk/ascetic aspect, that is he is a shaman-scholar-warrior type, so a pacifist to a degree and only uses hand-to-hand combat when he has to.

Hope this works.


[Please excuse the horrible grammar. I am in a bit of rush at the moment :)]

Does this work?

[younglorax]

Wow.. looks like at least two members of the party are going to be loners. That should be interesting!

@Wild Bill

Sounds like a good concept, I'm excited to see more. As for MA, I'm not familiar with it so I'm not going to blindly allow it, but if there's nothing that looks cinematic (or abusive) then I'll OK it.

@BigPhut

The concept looks great! Only one problem I see: True Faith can't actually be god-powered. However, it is perfectly plausible that a ritual of your religion is magical (probably not coincidentally), and has this effect.

I haven't crunched the numbers on your sheet, and I'm not sure why you have Will + 2 at a cost of 6CP.

Religions:
Eastern religions tend to have actual entities of some sort (gods) rather than being animists. There are a few religions practiced in the region, and their practitioners are usually not hostile towards each other (unless they have any other reason to be). Also, given that nearly all the religions are polytheistic, it is possible to view gods from different religions as members of a single pan-pantheon, which aids in mutual acceptance.

One of the more common religions worships deities that are related to animals, and their temples will often have some of those animals around. (Bees are related with the god of the harvest, rat snakes with health, cows with fertility, and a fairly wide variety of other animals, with varying numbers of worshippers).

If that particular religion doesn't appeal to you, feel free to make one up. It will probably be fine, but run it by me before you put too much work into it, just to be sure.

ETA Most of the animals worshipped by that religion are not dangerous to humans (when not provoked), and/or provide a definite benefit. Also, the religion is Cennanism (pronounced with a "ch" sound for the "c").

[hari]

Younglorax,

I'm definately interested as well. I saw your post for help with your prospectus awhile back and came up with an idea for a character then. I'm at work now and don't have time to go into depth but I'll send you what I have tonight.

The idea is basically an orphaned street kid (I'm thinking of something like Aladdin from the beginning of the Disney movie) who, without ever having studied magic, can do it while dreaming. Basically path magic, especially the paths of knowledge and luck, with modified magery that can only be used while asleep and dreaming. And none of the paths can be higher than my score in the skill dreaming.

I also intended to make minimal use of MA for the purpose of doing something somewhat like parkour. I saw what you wrote to Wild Bill and will consider everything from MA as waiting for your word.

Hope you like the idea.

[Wild Bill]

Koban T.

ST: 10
DX: 12
IQ: 12
HT: 10

Will: 12
Per: 12
FP: 14 [Useable for Spellcasting Only, -10%, 11 points]
HP: 12

Basic Speed: 5.5
Basic Move: 5
Basic Lift: 16
Thr./Sw.: 1d-1/1d+1

Advantages
Ambidexterity [5]
Combat Reflexes [15]
Fit [5]
Ritual Magery 1 [15]
Style: Pak Hok [3]

Disadvantages
Discipline of Faith (Monasticism) [-10]
Loner (SCR 12) [-5]
Nightmares (SCR 12) [-5]
Pacifism: Cannot Harm Innocents [-10]
Sense of Duty: Small Group - Family [-5]
Wealth (Poor) [-15]

Skills
Ritual Magic (Shamanism)-14 [12]*
Philosophy-12 [4]
Hidden Lore (Spirit Lore)-12 [2]
First Aid (TL 3)-13 [2]
Esoteric Medicine-12 [2]
Poisons (TL 3)-12 [4]
Weather Sense-12 [2]
Naturalist (Earthlike, TL 3)-12 [4]
Herb Lore (TL 3)-12 [8]
Diagnosis-11 [2]
Karate-13 [8]
Kicking (Karate)-13 [4]
Feint (Karate)-14 [2]
Exotic Hand Strike (Karate)-13 [2]
Counterattack-12 [4]

College Skills*
Protection and Warning-14 [12]
Knowledge-12 [4]

Ritual Spells**
Pathfinder-12 [8]
Bladeturning-14 [4]
Missile Shield-12 [2]

*With +1 from Ritual Magery 1
** I have only listed the spells that I have spent points in, since, as a Ritual Caster, I can cast any spell from the Colleges I have trained at College-Prerequisite Number (I am using the Variant System, which is listed in the back of Magic because it make more sense and takes into consideration the different prerequisites).


Bio coming soon. I am writing in a Word Document, and I will edit it in tomorrow. In short though, Koban survived a bandit raid when he was a child and now acts as a protector of the village following the same lifestyle of the shaman who saved him. A young boy in the village has been the only real friend to Koban (a reminder of himself at that age), and the boy has begun to train under Koban. However, a strange sickness has infected the village, including the boy, and traditional healing/herbal techniques are not working. Koban is now on a mission to find a cure to save the village.

[younglorax]

I'm about to go to bed, so I'm not going to give full answers to everything.

@hari
The concept sounds really cool, go for it.

@Wild Bill
I didn't get a chance to look it over thuroughly yet, but I have a couple questions:

Does Style: Pak Hok [3] count as a UB type thing for Exotic Hand Strike (Karate)-13 [2], Counterattack-12 [4], and Striking ST 2 [10]? If it's in MA as such, then that should be fine.

Also, what are EHS and Counterattack, anyway?

[OldSam]

Hi all,
I'm going to play a nature-aspected Shapeshifter-type Mage...
Detailed character-specs follow briefly... ;-)

[hari]

*Looks at names of everyone else around*....

"Young, big, wild, old... Hmmm..... Maybe I should change my name to SillyHari or SuperHari or SacredHari or something like that..."

I'm almost off of work here but have plans that will keep me busy for a few hours. I'll post in detail as soon as I can.