Assumptions about Elves

[Alden Loveshade]

Originally Posted by Rupert

Characters has some rules for it. Box, B294.

Sometimes I miss the obvious. That's it, thanks very much!

[AlexanderHowl]

Luck would make more sense than having a universal prohibition against casting before skill 16. Elves generally feel that they are the favored of the gods in most settings, so universal Luck would help justify that attitude. It would also help outside of spell casting.

[rkbrown419]

Originally Posted by Andreas

An industry with such a high risk of causing an equally serious catastrophy as a demon summoning, is likely to be a large operation which involves many people, and will probably be treated as a fairly dangerous activity (though the benefits might be considered worth the risk).

Two other important points on the issue of accidental demon summoning. If Banish is part of the usual training for spell-casters with sufficient magery or casing is generally done with a cleric who can Banish a demon then accidental summoning falls from risk to nuisance. Likewise demon is a pretty broad category and doesn't necessarily mean a monster that will go on an immediate rampage until killed or banished. Having a tempter offer a Faustian bargain might not tempt elves at all, when you have a long lifespan a quick way to power probably doesn't look worth the price. An invisible immaterial tempter might even escape notice, or even be mistaken for mental illness. Then there are Succubi/Incubi, Imps and various Lovecraftian monsters. As I recall third edition Magic had a table for random demon types that might appear. Fourth edition leaves players at the mercy of the GM's imagination.

[rkbrown419]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

... not be an evil god, but by the Elven biomancers themselves, back in the old days when they were building their empire. Turned out to be a huge mistake, which is why in modern times (in the words of the famous elf Lieutenant Worfindel), "we do not discuss it with outsiders".

Which might also create a whole new reason for animosity between Orcs and Elves. Veterans and their descendants who feel misused after faithful service, or who are now considered an embarrassment to a less conquest minded population.

[Alden Loveshade]

Originally Posted by rkbrown419

Two other important points on the issue of accidental demon summoning. If Banish is part of the usual training for spell-casters with sufficient magery or casing is generally done with a cleric who can Banish a demon then accidental summoning falls from risk to nuisance. Likewise demon is a pretty broad category and doesn't necessarily mean a monster that will go on an immediate rampage until killed or banished. Having a tempter offer a Faustian bargain might not tempt elves at all, when you have a long lifespan a quick way to power probably doesn't look worth the price. An invisible immaterial tempter might even escape notice, or even be mistaken for mental illness. Then there are Succubi/Incubi, Imps and various Lovecraftian monsters. As I recall third edition Magic had a table for random demon types that might appear. Fourth edition leaves players at the mercy of the GM's imagination.

"Important announcement: we have a demon on the third floor, currently in room 312. Anyone with Banish in the area please head there immediately."

Having employees with Banish makes a lot of sense. I'd add Pentagrams to the building layout, protecting the most important areas.

These, of course, could apply whether or not our business is run by elves.

[Anders]

Can you put a Pentagram inside a Pentagram? Because preventing the demon from escaping and eating people may be a priority. It looks bad.

I wonder how SJG handles the demon they summon.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Anders

I wonder how SJG handles the demons they summon?

Most of them recognise the place, apologise for intruding and leave. Ones that are new to the Austin circuit generally realise the problem when they're told that these people employ Kromm. If that does not work, Andrew frowns at them.

[Anaraxes]

Originally Posted by Alden Loveshade

"Important announcement: we have a demon on the third floor, currently in room 312. Anyone with Banish in the area please head there immediately."

I think it's customary to avoid alarming customers by simply saying "Cleanup on Aisle 5".

[Andreas]

Originally Posted by rkbrown419

Two other important points on the issue of accidental demon summoning. If Banish is part of the usual training for spell-casters with sufficient magery or casing is generally done with a cleric who can Banish a demon then accidental summoning falls from risk to nuisance. Likewise demon is a pretty broad category and doesn't necessarily mean a monster that will go on an immediate rampage until killed or banished. Having a tempter offer a Faustian bargain might not tempt elves at all, when you have a long lifespan a quick way to power probably doesn't look worth the price. An invisible immaterial tempter might even escape notice, or even be mistaken for mental illness. Then there are Succubi/Incubi, Imps and various Lovecraftian monsters. As I recall third edition Magic had a table for random demon types that might appear. Fourth edition leaves players at the mercy of the GM's imagination.

Banish is expensive, slow to cast, and resisted by Will (with a large penalty if the caster doesn't happen to know the demon's plane of origin). That is not really a solution that trivialize the problem (and that is not even taking into account that "certain powerful creatures are resistant or even immune to
this spell"). There are probably better spells to use for defeating demons.

Magic page 155 gives a "convenient average" for a demon, which is pretty dangerous (though how dangerous of course depend on how powerful the elves are), and also notes that demons "vary widely".

[Alden Loveshade]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

I think it's customary to avoid alarming customers by simply saying "Cleanup on Aisle 5".

I was thinking in terms of a factory. But for a business open to the public, agreed.

I think large chains also have number or other codes that employees are trained to recognize. So it could be, "Code 3 on Aisle 5."