New Fantasy Setting Seeds.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by johndallman

Do you mean Techniques, in 4e?

Yes, you got it in one.

Sadly, "of either skill" is a bit ambiguous here. Do you mean N techniques for Ritual Magic and a separate N techniques for Thaumatology? Or N total techniques, distributed as the magician chooses between Ritual Magic and Thaumatology?

The first. IQ Technique limit is applied to each skill separately. So a non mage using either skill has the same limit to the number of techniques for both skills, IQ divided by three. A mage using the same skills has a limit to the number of techniques of IQ plus Magery, the limit applies to both skills independently.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

"Echoes fade and Memories Die..."

What was this?

Long ago those were even and strong, they were a road for large wagons. They had an "engine" up front. It changed heat into movement using steam. Some of these "engines" are still around.

So an "in-jan" pulled a cart on iron ribbons?

An "engine" pulled a hundred carts at a time fast as a horse could run for hours.

That was big magic!

They didn't use magic at all.

Now you're lying.

More later I must run.

A relatively small, but growing group uses the magic system described earlier. Most have a more limited system based on a skill called Esoteric Understanding (type) each Esoteric Understanding skill is a separate M-VH skill. The esoteric understanding in question is of a given skill. The Ritual Magic and Thamutology system allows things like summoning storms, molding granite like modeling clay, or flight. The Esoteric Understanding system allows things like taking a quart of flour and making thirty high quality loaves of bread in an hour. Kneading the dough, rising the dough, and baking included.

Esoteric Understanding (Herbalism) effectively functions as TL8 medicine in all nonsurgical areas.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

"Echoes fade and Memories Die..."

What was this?

Long ago those were even and strong, they were a road for large wagons. They had an "engine" up front. It changed heat into movement using steam. Some of these "engines" are still around.

So an "in-jan" pulled a cart on iron ribbons?

An "engine" pulled a hundred carts at a time fast as a horse could run for hours.

That was big magic!

They didn't use magic at all.

Now you're lying.

More later I must run.

Fertility is low. Mages have said that the plague is preventing the birth of people who don't have the traits that lead to Magery. In "Harry Potter" terms, the Muggles are facing genocide and none of the people with magic know how to stop it. Except of course the genocidal monsters that started the whole crime.

The multiple shocks delivered to the world system by the plagues and the low fertility preventing the restoration of the population has collapsed the world trade networks that the USA set up after WWII. Thus there has been generations of economic depression as well as a deep feeling of despair over the whole planet.

In those places were the lights stayed on, the tech level hasn't fallen much. In places like the USA, which made breakthroughs in geothermal ahead of the plagues there has even been marginal advances. In most of the world the tech level has collapsed brutally because of both a lack of energy resources and a lack of food.

Although the edge of Tech Level nine has been approached in a few places, widespread poverty prevents the adoption of improved technologies of most kinds.

It's assumed that as magic gets better there will be techno-magical devices and eventually magic might replace technology. However, other than some enhanced herbal medicines and some "alchemical potions" enchanted items haven't been created...yet.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

"Echoes fade and Memories Die..."

What was this?

Long ago those were even and strong, they were a road for large wagons. They had an "engine" up front. It changed heat into movement using steam. Some of these "engines" are still around.

So an "in-jan" pulled a cart on iron ribbons?

An "engine" pulled a hundred carts at a time fast as a horse could run for hours.

That was big magic!

They didn't use magic at all.

Now you're lying.

More later I must run.

Culture and society seems to be muted in this world. Art isn't vibrant or much fun. Although old operas and concert/classical music still get played, no new operas have been written since the plagues. Symphonic music is pretty much only written for film scores. Popular music is enjoyed and celebrated but nothing much new is around. The main genres known in the 2020s are pretty much blended into a general pop sound. Fiction is enjoyed, and thanks to the return of the midlist more authors make a living. Still, nothing particularly original or impressive is being produced. Films generally have two or three genres which make a few films and fade out. TV depends massively on reruns. New shows get made, advertising revenue and streaming fees are earned by old series for the most part. Theater is pretty much limited to a few large cities. New plays rarely get revived.

The further the tech level fell in an area the more likely the local governments would collapse. The same was true in reverse. Large numbers of desperate refugees are going towards the few stable areas. These refugees are traumatized and bitter. They desperately seek refuge, but refuse to assimilate into their new home's societies and cultures. This creates paranoia and bitterness on both sides.

[Astromancer]

The Castle of the Border

This is set in a world with a technology a lot like Transhuman Space but a different history. Assume economic and cultural chaos from 2030 to 2080. The technological level in THS in the year 2100 isn't reached in this world until 2160. The Terraformation of Mars is only happening in the 2160s.

Scientists studying the remains of Martian life are mainly at a series of small bases isolated away from most of the Martian settlements. Recently, a Wiccan circle has claimed that they are growing in power. More impressively, they are proving that they do have powers.

The discoveries are proven phenomena but not understood phenomena. Some people say that on Mars, at the edge of human settlement, the noise of civilization is quiet enough to hear the gods and spirits. Others say that so far away from Earth's biosphere, the psionic noise of life doesn't drown out an individual's psionic voice. What ever the reality is, here, on Mars, at humanity's farthest border, people are working wonders.

[Astromancer]

Refugee Crisis

This is a fairly simple one. In a world much like Middle Earth or Narnia the Dark Lord(patten pending) has won. However a Galadriel equivalent has come up with a portal spell. Large numbers of elves, dwarves, halflings, and humans are showing up on an Earth much like ours. Mainly in the nation that the players live in.

Whether or not magic existed before these refugees showed up is a moot point. Magic exists now and in the reality that

More later I must run.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Refugee Crisis

This is a fairly simple one. In a world much like Middle Earth or Narnia the Dark Lord(patten pending) has won. However a Galadriel equivalent has come up with a portal spell. Large numbers of elves, dwarves, halflings, and humans are showing up on an Earth much like ours. Mainly in the nation that the players live in.

Whether or not magic existed before these refugees showed up is a moot point. Magic exists now and in the reality that

More later I must run.

Magic exists now in the reality that the refugees have come to and more people of all species can learn it. Also, the soul staining corrupting qualities of magic, normal to the world the Refugees came from are absent in the reality they've come to.

Basically, this whole scenario is about fish out of water and adaption. It's important that both those who came as refugees and the people they have come among are facing changed circumstances.

Also, who is a hero or villain can change in these circumstances. Actions and ideals, laudable in their former world can be seen as criminal violence in their new reality. Imagine Connan the Barbarian trying to adapt to modern life? Connan would be shrewd enough to realize that HE would need to adapt. The peoples of Middle Earth or Narnia wouldn't have the same insights.

[Astromancer]

The Station

That man is the best cosplayer I've ever seen. He really looks like he has horns and pointed ears.

Look at the mirror on the otherside
of him.

That's not possible. It really looks like he's a goat from the waist down. And how can he show that off in public?

No one bothers about a satyr being nude in public.

Basically, this is a place were various parallel worlds touch. It always appears as a station (train, bus, subway, space, whatever) and generally has that function in the reality it's in. However, anyone with Magery or any form of Psi, or the ability to detect such forces, or is Illuminated, can see a way to cross into the "Main Station."

This is not so much a campaign as a trope to use. Perhaps the PCs live in a mundane world and regularly travel to more magical realms. Maybe they've just discovered the place.

Minor point. In a world were ghosts, magic, goblins, and the like aren't real, they can't effect you. Crossover to where they are real and what protection do you have?

[Astromancer]

Knightwatch

Hold it, I thought you used supertech!

Nah, it's all just faerie magic.

If it's all just faerie magic, why say you have Supertechnology?

Because no one believes in faeries anymore.

This is a golden age Supers setting. It's January 1941, FDR has a third term and Europe is at war. You are a group of fay and human allies who realize war is coming and want to help. The Faerie Queen has required that no subject of hers violate the appearance of neutrality. There are dark forces emminanting from the Nazis, it's a human evil but a diabolic one. So as long as Faerie itself isn't implicated, actual neutrality isn't required. Just don't get caught.

So valiant faerie knights and damsels disguised themselves in the past. You can disguise yourself as a superhero.

More soon...

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Knightwatch

Hold it, I thought you used supertech!

Nah, it's all just faerie magic.

If it's all just faerie magic, why say you have Supertechnology?

Because no one believes in faeries anymore.

This is a golden age Supers setting. It's January 1941, FDR has a third term and Europe is at war. You are a group of fay and human allies who realize war is coming and want to help. The Faerie Queen has required that no subject of hers violate the appearance of neutrality. There are dark forces emminanting from the Nazis, it's a human evil but a diabolic one. So as long as Faerie itself isn't implicated, actual neutrality isn't required. Just don't get caught.

So valiant faerie knights and damsels disguised themselves in the past. You can disguise yourself as a superhero.

More soon...

The comic book superheroes of the 1940s were far more fantasy than Sci Fi. Sure Superman was an Alien, the Human Torch was an android (he wasn't Johnny Storm), and Captain America used drugs. But Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel were empowered by the gods, Green Lanter's ring was magic, and Dr Fate, Zatarra, Sargon the Sorcerer, and Ibis the Incredible, were all wizards. The main issues facing a Faerie that's joined the Cape and Mask set is the limitations of Faerie Folk.

Cold Iron is more of an issue in a city. The supply of
church bells in an American city or town in the 1940s is impressive. Anyone with a library card can look up dozens of potential defenses against the fay. Keeping the secret of your identity becomes far more important.

One good ploy is to disguise magic as tech. Tell them your magic wand is a cosmic ray rod. Disguise your knightly armor as power armor. Tell them your magic potions are rare chemical formulas.

Look in GURPS Celtic Myth for the Feth Fiada. Have all of the fay in the Campaign able to cross the veil to the Other Side. The advantages of being invisible and able to see while unseen should be obvious and a pretty good superpower in and of itself.