Quote:
Originally Posted by CousinX
EDIT: Also of note is that, by default, Mana Level doesn't affect Path/Book magic. The original Decanic/Hermetic magic system in GURPS Cabal was based on normal spells-as-skills magic. You could easily institute something similar for Path/Book magic (all casting rolls get a -5 or -10, etc), or use the options under Path/Book Magery (Thaum p. 123) to make magic possible but hard for non-mages, etc.
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Mana levels affecting Path/Book magic is an option given in
Thaumatology and applies in my setting. Non-mages can use Path/Book magic at a basic -6.
In addition, using 'mundane' languages to conduct magical rituals is at a hefty penalty. This penalty is -5 for widespread languages used in daily life by millions and gradually lessens down to 0 for such 'standard' magical languages as Coptic, Latin, Koine Greek, Old Norse or Gaelic. Carribean creole is -2, for reference.
More esoteric languages grant bonuses of +1 (Attic Greek, Biblical Aramaic, Biblical Hebrew, Demotic Egyptian, Langage), +2 (Ancient Aramaic, Avestan, Classical Sanskrit, Middle Egyptian) and even +3 (Akkadian, Archaic Egyptian, Gathic, Sumerian, Vedic Sanskrit).
Of course, the language must fit the tradition being learnt and the adept may be limited to the language in which the rituals are inscribed. Using a language you know at less than Native level can be dangerous and requires an IQ or Linguistics check before you can perform the ritual, with a -1 for Accented and -3 for Broken level. Lack of Cultural Familiarity gives a further -3 to this check. Failure causes the spell to fail, with or without catastrophic results.
Of course, the fact that proper pronounciation of the most ancient languages is not often known and Cultural Familiarities with long-lost societies are not easily available means that the higher bonuses are rarely claimed. Few people known the Spoken form of dead languages at more than Broken and almost none at above Accented. On the other hand, the IQ or Linguistic roll can make use of supporting skills such as Anthropology, an appropriate History speciality, an appropriate Literature speciality or an appropriate Theology speciality.
Even more occult languages exist in the setting, theorised to have been the 'original' languages of magic or at least of each tradition. These appear to include a form of proto-Sumerian and probably others. These grant up to +5 to the ritual roll, but knowing them at Native level might require an Unusual Background. Failures using those languages are even more dangerous than regular failures.