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11-06-2020, 02:53 PM
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#1 |
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Snoopy's basement
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Re: Magic Defenses using GURPS MAGIC
I think some clarifications and recognition of assumptions would help the process along.
Here, in no particular order are some questions/suggestions: -what is the ratio of various Magery levels to total population? -are we dealing with a traditional medieval environment with a strong church organization or something less historical? -is it assumed that children born with magery will be left in their original birth social level, or will they be recruited into higher social levels? -are we going to assume a socio-economic environment that doesn't try to account for differences that would have happened during prior generations of magic use? |
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11-07-2020, 01:57 PM
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#2 | |
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Join Date: Aug 2004
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Re: Magic Defenses using GURPS MAGIC
Quote:
The purpose of this exercise will be try and figure out how mageborn are educated, where they might be in the highest need for society in general. For example, if you want to double your food yields, you will need to have some means of enchanting the fields. As the spells are Circular in nature, and fields are plowed in the old ways (ie long relatively straight furrows) where people are allocated land based upon their father's social status and such - it is largely going to be a sort of "Medieval world with magic tacked on" Rather than get into a discussion of "tech levels of spells" and such, I will be concentrating on giving whomever participates in this exercise - the background information they might require, any decisions based on "well, how should it REALLY be" and so forth. For example, in a world where literacy is not common - run by the church and so forth, we'd have to ask ourselves "who is writing the books, who is teaching the mageborn how to read, and ultimately, what kind of libraries will the mageborn have access to. Now for the "Church". If this is somewhere in the vicinity of 1100 AD, it will be such that the Conquest by William the Conqueror will be a recent history kind of thing. I largely suspect that while the church is powerful, it hasn't reached the nadir of its strength in England prior to the time of the Anglican founding some 400 years later. As for children being socially mobile in these times - the answer is largely no. However, it should be noted that in those days, a family who held any amount of land at all, was obligated to pay certain fees to their Lord, or owe him days of labor based upon the land they held. A serf with 30 acres (or more) owed his lord 3 days of labor per week on the Lord's lands, and 3 days labor was left to him for his own holding. Nothing says that the labor has to be strictly manual labor, and even "plowmen" were such that they provided plowing labor in lieu of other duties to their lord. If there is a Serf mageborn practicing magic - the question would be, what would he owe his lord? Labor to enchant the Lord's fields? Labor to provide fire for the Lord's hearth? That is what this exercise in imagination will hopefully provide for you. Now for the fun question - can a Strictly Christian faith permit unfettered use of Magic? If you want to have it that Christianity was disapproving of Magic, then it would appear that the Mageborn have to work covertly or at least, discretely. On the flip side, much of the disapproval of magic seems to stem from the idea that it is Satanic or superstition. In a GURPS universe where Magic does in fact work, it would not assume the mantle of "supersition", but actually - a pseudo-science at the very least. So, flip a coin - call it what you want and take it from there. Alternatively, we can go with the idea that Christianity in an alternate universe - fails to take as strong a hold as it did in this timeline. Gut call on this - for magic to be openly practiced, I'd suggest that Christianity's Church is not as all powerful as it became later in time. I suggest you look up Christian Views on Magic in Wikipedia (never really to be trusted as wholely pure in researched information perhaps, but at least a start!) Now your last question... *evil grin* Let's speculate for a moment. Let's presume that initially, say, in the Year 1, magic is just starting to become reliable. Where did the first spells come into being using the rules as written? Frankly, we have a chicken and the egg situation where researching spells is concerned. One needs a MAGICAL library in which to research spells. But if there is no magic, how does one have a magical library? Perhaps the first spells were simply shamanisic like spells - and a mageborn reverse engineered it from the shamans. Perhaps the Devil gave mankind the first spell books, and once mageborn spotted a demon assisted spell, they began to research spells that were not Demonically assisted. Net result however, is that it would take a Long LONG time for the full 800+ spells in GURPS MAGIC to be researched, written down, and disseminated throughout the land So, 6 of one, half a dozen of another. You can theorize that there was an EARLY era of spell casting being done, but then you'd have to start digging into the durations of how long it takes to research spells in general. Toss in the issue of Magery as a requisite for being able to cast certain spells, and there will be mageborn who lack the requisite magery - trying to research spells that is just beyond their reach. My suggestion? Take the easy out and simply assume that the bulk of spells being available from GURPS MAGIC for 4e took hundreds of years to accumulate, and that the full capabilities of enchantments, etc - did not come into being until perhaps the last 100 years. When you start actively "Spending" mageborn on certain tasks by finalizing their spell lists and skill levels - you will find that it will be VERY difficult to have mages who have both Enchantment at a given skill level as well as the spell to be enchanted at a given spell level - AND be highly capable of producing said magic item in large quantities. |
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11-17-2020, 06:15 AM
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#3 |
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Join Date: Aug 2004
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Re: Magic Defenses using GURPS MAGIC
It was always my intention to begin to detail the village by this hypothetical castle, so here it is:
Code:
Family Tenant HD Skill Serf Free Labor Rent Rent Notes
ID Occupation Size Acres Acres Days Kind Fees
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1 Priest 3 14 0 60 0 0 0 Owes Lord 1/2 Glebe Revenues
2 Yeoman(MF) 12 14 0 24 0 60 30 Owes Military Service
3 1/2 Villien 6 13 11 0 44 60 17
4 GM Choice 6 11 0 0 0 0 0 GM Choice
5 1/2 Virgate Farmer 2 10 0 14 0 144 20
6 1/2 Villien 2 13 16 0 64 60 22
7 1/2 Villien 12 12 13 0 52 60 19
8 1/2 Villien 6 14 11 0 44 60 17
9 1/2 Villien 6 12 12 0 48 60 18
10 Cottar 5 10 3 0 12 60 9
11 Villien 5 11 28 0 112 60 34
12 Yeoman(LB) 2 14 0 50 0 60 56 Owes Military Service
13 Villien 5 10 29 0 116 60 35
14 1/4 Villien 2 12 9 0 36 60 15
15 Small Farmer 3 10 0 2 0 72 8
16 1/2 Villien 6 13 12 0 48 60 18
17 1/2 Villien 3 9 18 0 72 60 24
18 Yeoman(MF) 5 11 0 24 0 60 30 Owes Military Service
19 Cottar 3 12 4 0 16 60 10
20 Cottar 7 10 4 0 16 60 10
21 Woodcrafter 8 10 0 25 0 60 31 Business fee = 120d
22 Cottar 1 11 3 0 12 60 9
23 Hideworker 2 10 0 5 0 60 11 Business fee = 144d
24 Villien 4 14 36 0 144 60 42
25 Cottar 6 12 3 0 0 60 9 Herder
26 1/4 Villien 3 12 8 0 32 60 14
27 Cottar 11 10 5 0 20 60 11
28 1/2 Villien 4 13 12 0 48 60 18
29 Cottar 2 14 5 0 20 60 11
30 1/2 Virgate Farmer 2 12 0 11 0 126 17
31 1/2 Villien 2 11 12 0 48 60 18
32 Cottar 3 11 5 0 20 60 11
33 1/4 Villien 3 14 9 0 36 60 15
34 Cottar 2 11 5 0 20 60 11
35 Metalsmith 3 11 0 10 0 60 16 Business fee = 144d
36 Cottar 1 10 2 0 8 60 8
37 1/2 Villien 11 11 14 0 56 60 20
38 Miller 2 11 0 25 0 60 31 Business fee = 240d
39 Salter 2 9 0 30 0 60 36 Business fee = 120d
40 Cottar 6 14 2 0 8 60 8
41 Cottar 2 9 5 0 20 60 11
42 Cottar 3 12 5 0 20 60 11
43 1/2 Villien 2 10 20 0 80 60 26
44 Yeoman(LF) 8 13 0 11 0 60 17 Owes Military Service
45 Cottar 3 13 3 0 12 60 9
46 Villien 7 13 26 0 104 60 32
47 Villien 6 10 28 0 112 60 34
48 Small Farmer 5 12 0 5 0 90 11
49 Cottar 11 11 1 0 4 60 7
50 Villien 7 9 38 0 152 60 44
51 1/2 Villien 2 9 17 0 0 60 23 Woodward
52 1/2 Villien 6 10 12 0 48 60 18
53 Timberwight 6 12 0 20 0 60 26 Business fee = 216d
54 1/2 Villien 4 11 13 0 52 60 19
55 Cottar 3 12 1 0 4 60 7
56 1/2 Villien 5 14 15 0 60 60 21
57 1/2 Villien 2 13 18 0 72 60 24
58 1/2 Villien 11 13 16 0 64 60 22
59 Cottar 4 11 4 0 16 60 10
60 Yeoman(LF) 5 10 0 17 0 60 23 Owes Military Service
61 1/2 Villien 3 14 14 0 56 60 20
62 1/2 Villien 5 14 16 0 64 60 22
63 Cottar 2 9 4 0 16 60 10
64 Yeoman(LF) 3 9 0 18 0 60 24 Owes Military Service
65 1/4 Virgate Farmer 4 9 0 7 0 102 13
66 Villien 7 11 22 0 88 60 28
67 Villien 3 14 35 0 140 60 41
68 Cottar 11 12 4 0 16 60 10
69 1/2 Villien 3 12 16 0 64 60 22
70 Cottar 11 10 4 0 16 60 10
71 1/2 Villien 4 13 12 0 48 60 18
72 Cottar 2 14 4 0 16 60 10
73 Virgate Farmer Plus 3 11 0 65 0 450 71
74 Small Farmer 6 14 0 1 0 66 7
75 1/4 Virgate Farmer 12 10 0 10 0 120 16
76 Charcoaler 4 10 0 25 0 60 31 Business fee = 180d
77 1/4 Villien 5 13 7 0 28 60 13
78 Innkeeper 3 13 0 15 0 60 21 Business fee = 216d
79 1/2 Virgate Farmer 2 10 0 17 0 162 23
80 1/2 Villien 6 13 20 0 80 60 26
81 Villien 5 11 30 0 120 60 36
82 1/2 Villien 2 10 12 0 48 60 18
83 Cottar 1 11 1 0 4 60 7
84 1/2 Villien 5 14 14 0 56 60 20
85 Yeoman(LF) 11 11 0 18 0 60 24 Owes Military Service
86 Villien 7 10 33 0 132 60 39
87 1/2 Villien 2 12 11 0 44 60 17
88 1/4 Villien 10 11 9 0 36 60 15
89 Cottar 2 10 4 0 16 60 10
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11-17-2020, 06:17 AM
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#4 |
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Join Date: Aug 2004
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Re: Magic Defenses using GURPS MAGIC
Code:
Family Tenant HD Skill Serf Free Labor Rent Rent Notes
ID Occupation Size Acres Acres Days Kind Fees
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90 1/2 Villien 4 11 18 0 72 60 24
91 Cottar 4 14 4 0 16 60 10
92 Cottar 1 12 2 0 8 60 8
93 Cottar 5 11 5 0 20 60 11
94 Villien 13 13 32 0 128 60 38
95 GM Choice 3 12 0 0 0 0 0 GM Choice
96 1/2 Villien 5 12 16 0 64 60 22
97 Villien 5 14 32 0 128 60 38
98 Villien 5 12 35 0 140 60 41
99 Cottar 5 13 1 0 4 60 7
100 Villien 4 13 39 0 156 60 45
101 Yeoman(LF) 11 14 0 19 0 60 25 Reeve
102 1/2 Villien 5 10 12 0 48 60 18
103 1/2 Villien 2 9 15 0 60 60 21
104 1/2 Villien 7 14 19 0 76 60 25
105 1/4 Villien 2 11 5 0 20 60 11
106 1/2 Virgate Farmer 4 12 0 14 0 144 20
107 Cottar 8 12 2 0 8 60 8
108 GM Choice 5 12 0 0 0 0 0 GM Choice
109 1/2 Virgate Farmer 3 12 0 19 0 174 25
110 Yeoman(LF) 2 14 0 12 0 60 18 Owes Military Service
111 1/4 Villien 9 13 5 0 20 60 11
112 GM Choice 2 9 0 0 0 0 0 GM Choice
113 1/2 Villien 2 10 17 0 68 60 23
114 Yeoman(LF) 2 10 0 11 0 60 17 Owes Military Service
115 1/2 Villien 3 14 12 0 48 60 18
116 1/2 Villien 3 14 17 0 68 60 23
117 Yeoman(LB) 6 11 0 50 0 60 56 Owes Military Service
118 Yeoman(LF) 2 13 0 14 0 60 20 Owes Military Service
119 Small Farmer 5 14 0 4 0 84 10
120 Cottar 2 13 4 0 16 60 10
121 Cottar 1 12 5 0 20 60 11
122 Cottar 2 14 3 0 12 60 9
123 Cottar 4 11 2 0 8 60 8
124 1/2 Villien 4 10 16 0 64 60 22
125 GM Choice 3 9 0 0 0 0 0 GM Choice
126 GM Choice 4 11 0 0 0 0 0 GM Choice
127 1/2 Villien 2 10 14 0 56 60 20
128 Cottar 4 14 4 0 16 60 10
129 1/2 Villien 5 9 20 0 80 60 26
130 1/2 Villien 6 10 16 0 64 60 22
131 1/4 Villien 3 13 6 0 24 60 12
132 Villien 7 12 29 0 116 60 35
133 GM Choice 5 12 0 0 0 0 0 GM Choice
134 Cottar 8 10 4 0 16 60 10
135 GM Choice 2 12 0 0 0 0 0 GM Choice
136 Cottar 2 10 1 0 4 60 7
137 1/2 Villien 5 9 12 0 48 60 18
138 Cottar 2 11 2 0 8 60 8
139 Yeoman(LH) 7 12 0 61 0 60 67 Owes Military Service
140 1/2 Villien 6 12 14 0 56 60 20
141 1/2 Villien 7 14 11 0 44 60 17
142 Villien 7 10 31 0 124 60 37
143 Cottar 7 14 5 0 20 60 11
144 Small Farmer 2 12 0 1 0 66 7
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11-17-2020, 06:30 AM
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#5 |
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Join Date: Aug 2004
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Re: Magic Defenses using GURPS MAGIC
So, what are my intentions thus far?
For all of the "NPC mages", I will be using 75 point builds for the most part (as they are not "Adventurers". Their "builds" will be added one at a time and anyone who wants to build 150 point characters to add into the mix, will be presumed to be "hirelings" of the Village Lord, or they will be "freemen" who are free to move to the location and enter into a contract for land in exchange for rents and/or services (like Yeoman). |
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11-17-2020, 02:25 PM
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#6 |
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Re: Magic Defenses using GURPS MAGIC
Assuming the power (and point cost of the mage with Metamagic) is available, Suspend Mana might be useful, cast around the outside of the walls of the castle. This allows the defenders to use magic, but makes it more difficult for magic to be used against them.
Magery 1 is all that's needed to learn and cast it, and in a normal mana zone it lasts for hours (shrinking a yard in radius each hour). Base cost is 5, so it's spendy. If there was some way to make no-mana zones switchable, that could be useful too, but I haven't delved into the details of how that might be possible yet. In this case, as with the above, setting it up outside and around the castle is probably better than doing it inside the walls.
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Warmest regards, StevenH My current worldbuilding project. You can find the Adventure Logs of the campaign here. I try to write them up as narrative prose, with illustrations. As such, they are "embellished" accounts of the play sessions. Link of the moment: Bestiary of Plants. In a world of mana, plants evolved to use it as an energy source. It is also the new home of the Alaconius Lectures, a series of essays about the various Colleges of Spells. |
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11-17-2020, 04:10 PM
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#7 |
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: Magic Defenses using GURPS MAGIC
In general a prolific use of pentagram spells discourages an awful lot of magical attacks, though the edges of the area can be vulnerable and it's vulnerable to attackers going above and below it unless you literally tile the area (which isn't that unreasonable an option, paving stones that form pentagram patterns are doable though you'll have gaps. Unless you're using pentagonal symmetry quasicrystals to have molecular scale pentagrams, which I admit did once happen in a Supers game but probably isn't standard for fantasy).
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| Tags |
| gurps magic, magic defenses |
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