[Icelander]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

It would probably either be a Path of Matter and Path of Mind (impacting both machines and people)

This is an area where the division into Paths doesn't really provide an exact fit to my metaphysical conception. Ideally, I'd want this to fit within the same Path as other effects that deal with knowledge, memory and psychic residue.

In GURPS Magic terms, I see this as being a Knowledge spell. In Path/Book terms, it's definitely both Path of Cunning and Path of Knowledge.

The problem with having it be Path of Matter is that I can see occultists who never perform any of the other rituals that might fall under Path of Matter who are good at this spell. Those who are good at this spell should be good at Path of Mind and Path of Magic, because that's mostly what I see them doing here, they are manipulating an innate property of magic in the setting and releasing it to destroy only parts of a technological device, specifically those parts which Path of Mind discovers as having come in contact with the psychic residue of the targets, i.e. having recorded the things that you want removed.

It's a metamagical trick to use a Path of Mind trick on something which can't directly be affected by Path of Mind.

Ideally, of course, this would fall under a hypothetical 'Path of Knowledge' , but I don't really want to rework the entire RPM system.

Edit: Ooh, I could use an Attribute Substitution Perk to allow the use of Path of Mind for affecting digital memory!

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

or a Path of Nonexistence (removing the impressions that the individuals made).

Yes, I know that would work.

However, given the potential disastrous effects of using the Path of Nonexistence, I was hoping there was a reasonable alternative using the ritual magic that various occultists with the cult may have known before they were initiated.

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

In the former case, it is likely a Greater Effect. In the latter case, it is likely a Lesser Effect, as they are removing current memory rather than retroactively removing past memory.

To maintain setting integrity, I would like to interpret the RPM rules so that effects that run in the face of a secular, scientific worldview are extremely difficult and expensive to create with magic, but effects that take advantage of the Facade and serve to conceal the supernatural are as easy as possible.

Basically, for unknown reasons, the universe (or at any rate some relevant part of it) seems to be reacting against magic that violates the worldview of the majority (theories differ on how that majority is figured, whether that's global or local, etc.). People who encounter evidence of the paranormal or even directly see supernatural things will often prefer any rationalization over believing their own eyes.

Also, technological complexity, artificial materials and artifacts made in any process where they are alienated from the personal craftsmanship of the maker (e.g. factory-manufactured goods) appear to interfere with magic and magic seems to cause malfunctions in complex technological devices.

Rituals that make use of these setting features should, if at all possible, be interpreted as Lesser Effects, while any magic that cannot be explained as coincidence, natural occurrence, psychosomatic or with another mundane explanation should require one or more Greater Effects.