Magic: Important Announcement, read or get kicked hard

Here's where to discuss world information. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Post them on this board. Many articles have a corresponding discussion thread, so if you want more information on a race or nation find the index stickied at the top of the board. Otherwise, feel free to post new topics for questions and such.
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  1. Keep in mind that this world may be published in one way or another. I encourage you not to integrate any concepts of a story or RPG world that you are creating and intend to publish independent of Aserra.
  2. Any ideas you use must be original, as if I publish this game, I would not like to get slapped with copyright infringement suit for a rip-off I didn't catch.
  3. Do not model any nations or cultures entirely after existing nations and cultures in the real world. You may use aspects of any existing cultures, though, and it would be best to mix things up too.
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  5. I must give approval for anything major created by other players, so until I tell you that I'm ok with that, don't automatically assume that it'll be canon.
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Re: Magic: Sorcery

Post by Rothene » Mon Nov 15, 2010 12:18 am

Depends on what kind of spell is the sorcerer trying to develop I suppose. Afterall there is Ibana, Muse of Spellcraft. She might be willing to help mortals make spells require less mana, hence less harmful to the environment. :D
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Re: Magic: Sorcery

Post by J. M. Vincent » Tue Nov 16, 2010 10:04 pm

Dra'nafod live for about 1000 years, but they typically don't practice sorcery. Usually it's the half and mixed bloods who would turn to sorcery, the majority of Dra'nafod in Emkal live apart from the humans, but lend their assistance and guidance.

I don't know if Syres is going to post again though... he kind of disappeared.
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Re: Magic: Sorcery

Post by Astrid Starwind » Fri Nov 19, 2010 4:52 am

Maybe the gods can help a sorcerer without him/her realising it!! to manipulate situations, at least to use them for something they deem sorcerers to be useful for but not because they actually like sorcerers!
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Re: Magic: Sorcery

Post by Syres » Sat Nov 20, 2010 11:40 am

I am thinking along the line that the spells that created by humans is inefficient compared to spells used by the gods. Its like comparing a 6 year old's English proficiency with someone who have a language degree. Spells that can be cast using a single word by the gods may require us a sentence. After all, its unknown how Arcanist language exist in the first place. It may be resulted from humans stole the language from dragons who possess sorcery and compile them from bits and pieces.
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Air Elementalism

Post by World of Aserra » Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:22 am

Air Elementalism
Used by the Zaedyn (avians), nearly all individuals use it from the lowest craftsman to the highest priest of Zelan. Half-Zaedyn can use Air Elementalism if they are born to a Zaedyn mother. They manipulate the air around them, controlling it to do their bidding. To control it, they do not speak spells, but use hand and body gestures.

Craftsmen—such as stonemasons who build cities and homes—manipulate the wind with hand gestures, while warriors use wind as an extension of their weapons. Skilled knights can slash several times with one stroke by creating several “blades” of wind along with their sword. This takes an amount of focus and they can often only manage it once in a battle. Creating lightning is also within the grasp of the Zaedyn, as it requires exciting particles in the air to creating electricity, though it is incredibly dangerous and rarely practiced but by the strongest elementalists.
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Water Elementalism

Post by World of Aserra » Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:22 am

Water Elementalism
Used by Mariel (merfolk) and Marfod, nearly all individuals use it from the lowest craftsman to the highest priest of Maris. Half-Mariels can sometimes use water elementalism if they are born to a Mariel mother. The Mariel use their element probably the most of all elemental races, as they are completely surrounded and supported by water. To control it, they do not speak spells, but use hand and body gestures.

Water elementalism can be used in construction much in the same way Zaedyn use the air; by eroding existing objects. The Mariel build their cities out of undersea mountains, dead coral skeletons, and large rock structures. By manipulating currents, Mariel can pull and push objects away from them, which can be used for such simple tasks as bringing an object to them without leaving their place. Water elementalism also spends the least energy, as the water can be quite easy to manipulate.

On land, the usage of water elementalism changes drastically, and becomes more costly as gravity becomes a far greater factor in manipulating water. However, the Mariel can also draw moisture from the air, soil, and living things, but lacking sufficient surface training, very few Mariel, short of the most ingenuous and skilled elementalists can use this.
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Earth Elementalism

Post by World of Aserra » Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:22 am

Earth Elementalism
Used by the Brech’mar (dwarves), nearly all individuals use it, from the lowest craftsman to the highest priest of Brecha. Half-Brechans can sometimes use earth elementalism if they are born to a Brech’mar mother. The Brech’mar manipulate the earth—the soil, dirt, rocks, and crystals from underground—as they need it. To control the element, they do not speak spells, but use hand and body gestures. The actions for earth elementalism are strong, solid, thrusting maneuvers, requiring a strong will and command to move such a heavy element. This form of elementalism requires the greatest mental effort, and is used sparingly.

The greatest application of earth elementalism is in construction of the Brech’mar’s underground cities and mining for ore, gems, and precious metals. Brechian blacksmiths use a combination of earth elementalism and forging to create metal weapons and armor, producing some of the strongest weapons known to the world. It can also be used in combat, but most warriors prefer to fight under their own power as it takes great concentration to manipulate the earth in battle, though they do have a few tactics which incorporate their magic.
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Fire Elementalism

Post by World of Aserra » Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:23 am

Fire Elementalism
Used by the Asath (naga), nearly all individuals use it, from the lowest craftsman to the highest priest of Alaezo. Fire elementalism is commanded most easily through existing flames, but by drawing upon their own spiritual power and providing a little friction (snap of the fingers), Asath can produce fire as well.

Fire serves the Asath little purpose in much of their construction and labor, though it is useful in the forging of metals, household tasks of cooking, and some other areas. For the most part, however, their fire is best used offensively in battle.
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Life Elementalism

Post by World of Aserra » Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:23 am

Life Elementalism
Used by the Nafod races (nymphs), nearly all individuals use it. Half-Nafod, born to a Nafod mother, can use it. Life elementalism is a less tangible concept than the other elements. It is the energy of all things living, quintessence. The Nafod manipulate and control this energy for skills such as healing and restoring life to things that have died, or that are dying, and even stealing life. Life elementalism is about redirecting energy, often from one individual to another. Basically, Life elementalism is the use of spirit energy to manipulate spirit energy.

Healing is the most common application, applied to wounds of all kinds. Mothers sooth the skinned knees of their their children with a simple touch, and even fatal wounds can be healed with a bit of focus.

They can restore life to those that are dying, or recently dead, or restore plants that have been blighted or cut down. They can also draw the life-force from living things, though this is a skill that is used with much deliberation. Occasionally, this is used in self-defense, but it is also applied to controlling their environment; for example, if an exotic plant or animal species is invading their forest, they will seek out every individual they can and suck the life out of it.

Self-healing is a rather complicated task, and one must focus on where to redirect the energy in their body to focus on repairing damage. If they do not have enough energy to heal, they can draw life-energy from plants, creatures, and people around them, but this often may go against the altruistic tendencies of Nafod for the life around them. One must weigh their morals against their will to survive in such a situation.

Life energy is not inexhaustible. Each individual has a set amount of energy, and to heal others, they must spend their own energy. However, with a good night’s sleep or meditation, energy can be recovered. There are times though, when one is willing to make a sacrifice to save another. A Nafod can give another being their entire life force, thus sacrificing their lives. There have been cases of forests devastated by natural disaster, or human incursion where entire Dra’nafod or Ochae’nafod clans have given their lives to restore the plant life and resurrect the animals.
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Light Elementalism

Post by World of Aserra » Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:23 am

Light Elementalism
Used by the Idayn (high elves), nearly all individuals use it. Though originally all races Idayn were able to use it, as they distanced themselves from their heritage and spread across the world, most of the sub-races lost the ability and discovered other magic in its place. The remaining Idayn race, or high elves, along with the few clans of Eain’Idayn that reside with them in the Eldir and Itray forests, are the only ones that use it, aside from a very limited handful of individuals amongst the other Idayn sub-races within whom the ability has been somehow preserved. Half-Idayn born to an Idayn mother can use it.

Light, while seemingly intangible, has its uses to the Idayn. For construction, Idraen provided the Idayn with a specially engineered bio-luminescent fungus that can be manipulated by the Idayn through their elementalism, using the light it produces. The fungus is a solid substance, velvet-like to the touch, a greyish shade of white which produces a soft glow. It grows on fertile soil on the floor of the forest, first appearing as bulbs in the ground which can grow up to three feet in height, unless manipulated and built. The Idayn nourish this fungus constantly with waste and compost, allowing it to remain strong and healthy year round. During the autumn months, the fungus spores, which is a beautiful sight as breezes carry about little bits of glowing dust about the forest.

As for combat, the Idayn can make weapons out of light, though this is a skill that requires much practice in forming the shape, and even more practice in learning how to maintain the weapon, especially during combat. However, once an Idayn masters the use of this ability to the satisfaction of their mentor, they are often granted a tool to assist in the real world application of this magic. While it looks like a piece of a weapon, often a hilt of a sword, is an object the Idayn call hon’em which acts as a focus and enhancement to the ability they have just mastered, and which will make the usage of their light weapons easier.

A hon’em comes in several forms, but commonly either a sword hilt or a small cylinder which would act as the center of a bow. They are adorned with quartz crystals, which carry a charge of spiritual power every time the Idayn uses their hon’em, thus making it easier for them to maintain the usage of their elementalism while the quartz augments their weapon. For a swordsman, the hon’em becomes the hilt of a sword of light. For an archer, the hon’em becomes the center of a bow made of energy that fires bolts of piercing light.

Light elementalism is also used in a number of other ways by the clerics of Idraen, including bursts of light to blind and disorient opponents, barriers, and even healing magic.
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Dark Elementalism

Post by World of Aserra » Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:24 am

Dark Elementalism
Used by the Danaij and Danaij’vai (dark elves), nearly all individuals use it. Half-Danaij can use it if born to a Danaij or Danaij’vai mother. Dark elementalism uses darkness and shadows to its advantage, and is an art of stealth and secrecy.

The element of Darkness is perhaps the most mysterious of all, and the Danaij are highly secretive with its applications, if nothing else but to uphold their position of arrogance and power over other races. One such application is the use of a shadowy substance, mined from the astral crevasses. It is a fiber that can be manipulated into any number of uses from acting as a fabric to becoming a solid for armor, it can be as soft as silk or as rough as sandpaper.

The astral shadow ore is mined by a connection between the prime material plane and the astral plane, opening a crevasse, then it can be mined like any other ore. It can be extremely dangerous to mine, so the Danaij most often employ human slaves and low class Danaij and Danaij’vai slaves to work the mines. When the shadow ore is removed from the astral plane and processed, it can be applied to any number of different needs, and manipulated by dark elementalists. Labor and craftsmen classes of the Danaij refine and shape the shadow ore to fit the demands of the Danaij people.

Combat-wise, dark elementalism can be used as a weapon in the same way the Idayn use light. The Danaij use a ny’tal, which is similar to a hon'em, to form shadows into a tangible weapon. However, their ny’tals come in far more shapes and forms than the hon’em, as the Danaij have more variety in their weapons. Some individuals prefer to use shadow ore forged weapons which require less energy to maintain, however. Shadow ore weapons and armor can be repaired by any dark elementalist who has the training.

There are many other abilities attributed to this form of elementalism as well, including being able to meld into shadows, and some illusion skills as well, though illusion in dark elementalism focuses on obscuring an object or person, rather than changing their form.
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Ice Elementalism

Post by World of Aserra » Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:24 am

Ice Elementalism
Used by the Aeul’Idayn (winter elves), nearly all individuals use it. Half-Aeul’Idayn can use it if born to an Aeul’Idayn mother. This eighth form of elementalism was added much later when the sub-race of Idayn that took to the cold, frozen regions of the world found a new deity to follow; Fria, the Goddess of Winter. Fria took the Aeul’Idayn into her care and bound their souls with Lycia, the ice elemental.

Ice elementalism is rather straightforward, and works best in cold environments, though much in the same way an Asath elementalist can create a flame, an Aeul’Idayn can create shards of ice and cold blasts. In combat, an Aeul’Idayn can create a sword of ice, though they often prefer to use steel, which they can transfer cold through, exacerbating wounds from the sword alone.

Most commonly, ice elementalism is used day to day by the Aeul'Idayn ice masons who build incredible cities high in the mountains, arctic, and antarctic regions of the world out of ice and snow. Day to day, these structures must be maintained by the inhabitants, which is daily routine for most homeowners.
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Re: Magic: Sorcery

Post by Astrid Starwind » Tue Jan 25, 2011 3:21 am

wooo..the history! okay here is a question for jess, if a character can 'seperate' the illusions and the magic (as in sorcery) cast by others...what ability does that belong to? or the ability to find a specific item(non magical msotly) or another person (if not protected by strong magic)
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Re: Magic: Sorcery

Post by J. M. Vincent » Tue Jan 25, 2011 3:33 pm

Astrid Starwind wrote:wooo..the history! okay here is a question for jess, if a character can 'seperate' the illusions and the magic (as in sorcery) cast by others...what ability does that belong to?
I'm not really sure what you're asking here...?
Astrid Starwind wrote: or the ability to find a specific item(non magical msotly) or another person (if not protected by strong magic)
That would be Divination, though we don't quite have that set up. Rory wants to add a fifth magic school to fit everything else into, I suppose. :P
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Re: Magic: Sorcery

Post by J. M. Vincent » Wed Jan 26, 2011 1:04 pm

Zuku Ari-Ari Kika wrote:
Astrid Starwind wrote:wooo..the history! okay here is a question for jess, if a character can 'seperate' the illusions and the magic (as in sorcery) cast by others...what ability does that belong to?
I'm not really sure what you're asking here...?
Alright, Rory apparently thought on this all night long, and he thinks what your asking is if a character can use a spell to break apart an illusion and determine who cast it, then that would be another form of divination.
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Re: Magic: Sorcery

Post by J. M. Vincent » Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:23 pm

World of Adun wrote: A relatively new school (one of about a couple hundred years) is the fourth School of Support Magics. Created by a particularly skilled sage, taking some elements of otherwise unknown principles of priestly magic, citing that “we don’t always need a priest to support us in simple endeavours.” This citation, as well as teaching her apprentices her “new art” started the creation of the Support school. The school is broken up into smaller, more precise sub-groups of spells, the most commonly used is Divination, the ability to suss out information and locate lost objects or people.
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Discussion for Soul Burning

Post by J. M. Vincent » Fri Jan 06, 2012 10:17 am

Any questions, comments, or corrections regarding the Soul Burning magic system should be posted here.
I want to make clear that soulburning doesn't slowly destroy a person's soul every time they use it to fuel magic. Other schools of magic use spiritual energy in the same way, but what makes soulburners different is their recklessness. They cast spells so powerful that it runs the risk of using every last bit of their soul in one go, and the spells are at least powerful enough to use a large percentage of the soul. The soul DOES regenerate though, after a few days, weeks, maybe even a month or so, the soul will be back to full strength.
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Re: Magic: Enchantment

Post by J. M. Vincent » Fri Jan 06, 2012 10:18 am

Generally, the elemental races don't craft in the same way humans do, so the enchantment ability with them is largely unexplored. Many races do a lot of crafting with the magic already, leaving little chance to work with it with their hands. If any member of an elemental race did create an enchanted item, their element would be inferred into it. Items can generally be used by anyone, unless specifically keyed to a group or individual by a master of the art.
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Re: Discussion for Fae Magic

Post by J. M. Vincent » Fri Jan 06, 2012 10:21 am

[bump]
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Discussion for Elementalism

Post by J. M. Vincent » Fri Jan 06, 2012 10:22 am

Alera Tai'var wrote:Question: While this magic is their natural given right, is it possible for others to learn some of these practices, even rudimentarily so? For example, shamanism was a strictly elven (centaur/grassrunner too) practice, but we still had a provision for a human who managed to become attuned to the spirit world and thus could interact. I kind of see this similarly. Do you?
Sudden realization here, but the closest a human can come to being an elementalist would be binding elemental spirits to one's soul, or through using the spirit channeling aspect of shamanism where one merges their soul with an elemental spirit. That is only temporary, however.
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Re: Magic: Sorcery

Post by Astrid Starwind » Fri Jan 06, 2012 10:24 am

thats good enough for me :-) it compliments her abilities fine.
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Re: Ability: Perceptionist

Post by J. M. Vincent » Wed Jan 25, 2012 4:11 pm

Astrid Starwind wrote:
World of Aserra wrote:
Mana Apparatus wrote:Preceptionists are those who can alter the perceptions of others via mass influencing hypnosis. This type of psychics usually demonstrate some ability with illusion, misdirection and "magic tricks". Though not all Illusionists are Perceptionists, the latter can "brainwash" people into seeing things differently. The effect is hardly permanent, however, if one is handing out copper coins claiming
that they are gold, then those who snatch up those "gold coins" are the ones who get saddled with the repercussions of pawning false coins. This trick is extremely effective when it comes to money changers. Handing in thirty rocks (seen as copper coins) to get 3 silver is an effective and simple way to make money for less scrupulous perceptionists. Changing one's appearance to make a tidy get
away is also within their power.
This ability, while usually hereditary can be learned, but only if the other person is wholly willing to teach such a dangerous art.
*scratches her head* ummm my character's specialty is to create illusion or dissect an illusion to mainly to help herself when she is in trouble but would she belong to this catergory as well?
There are other options for illusions.
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Re: Magic: Important Announcement, read or get kicked hard

Post by little knight » Sun Feb 12, 2012 12:37 pm

Nah, thats DnD 4th ed. Magic items previous to that were rare as hell, even the low grade ones were like "holy poop, its blessed!", the current incarnation is pretty well bastardized fantasy setting, opting to bring in younger audiances with shinier rewards than a few gold pieces. I know I play my shop keeps as not having magical items unless A. They're an Artificer (in which case they can make stuff of thier level, which I decide when the PC finds them), or B. They are a large organization branch, and have resources to dungeon delve or hire someone to make an item.

It goes with player race to, though. I've played a Goblin before, which are low level monster enemies, and the people in the town treated it just the same due to the DM wanted to do things by the encounters book, and no improv. I generally go with lazyness and bad DMing. Hell, last season we made an entire group of monster characters, who flat out refused to help out the townsfolk (who werent terrified by two goblins, a minotaur, an orc, and a kenku). DM just sat there, and said "so you guys are quitting or what?"; but that is 4th ed and current fantasy happenings. Look at any new series that uses fantasy setting, movies, or games. Gotta love it when creativity and drive to complete a challenge goes down the poop.
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Re: Magic: Important Announcement, read or get kicked hard

Post by Bloodshield » Fri Feb 17, 2012 8:21 pm

Look at the other spectum too. WarHammer 40k is a the theoritical opposite. Everyone knows of magic but are so terrified of it they slap religious dogmatism on it, cover their ears, and go "la-la-la". Still in accordance to everything you two stated. Magic is highly secrative, most people only know of it as 'mystic high-and-might mumbo-jumbo' or stories passed around a camp fire. Those that do know it sure as heck aren't going to flaunt it or share it.

For all intents and purposes, I kind of expect characters who've never seem magic befor to frip out the first time they see it. I sure as heck know I'd flip if I saw some one weilding magic. Then I'd likely pull a "stupid barbarian" moment and run the feck away. lol
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Re: Discussion for Fae Magic

Post by Alera Tai'var » Sun Apr 14, 2013 12:41 pm

Did any decisions on the nature of these illusions ever come? Or is that why this conversation got bumped?

It might be interesting to let fae magic carry both of these two views. Let one sit as glamers and the other more as lures. Right now, I think of glamers as shaping of light for all. So, invisibility cast on Rory, for example, affects the perception of all. If that is not the case, then the illusions and glamers he uses on his appearance to keep people from seeing his unshiftable tail are broken. And I need to know that because the university thread is moving along and I'd imagine he is entering it in the near future.

Lures I imagine to be more focused on the perception of the individual. The description defines it as focused on attracting people, but I suspect that any magic capable of altering desire to that extent would have to draw from the participant's mind images and emotions that fit the desire-- something that would most likely need to be specific to the mind of the target. Perhaps the caster doesn't even have real control over what those images might be, but it elicits the end result regardless. You cast a lure focused on drawing a man to you and perhaps he imagines you as a lost love, his image of the perfect woman, etc. But, without mind reading, the caster would probably never know what that looks like. So you let the target's mind invoke them.

Not exactly a jedi mind trick, but close. It seems to me lures should be able to create a wide range of motives of attraction, so I suppose one might be able to turn lures on their head to draw people away or perhaps to do things they would never want to do (hurt someone else, in the most potent cases, even try to commit suicide)...
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Re: Discussion for Soul Burning

Post by J. M. Vincent » Sun Apr 14, 2013 1:53 pm

My bad, I was wrong above. Rory's concept for soul burning actually does permanently damage the soul. Other forms of soul-energy based magic just channel spiritual power, but soul burning basically burns up parts of the soul itself, and "cauterizes" the wound so the soul can't regenerate.
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Re: Discussion for Fae Magic

Post by Mana Apparatus » Sun Apr 14, 2013 2:12 pm

Yeah, that's pretty much what's envisioned for Illusion. However, as a mechanic, if one character's willpower exceeds the illusionists, they have a hard time believing the illusion.
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Re: Discussion for Soul Burning

Post by Alera Tai'var » Sun Apr 14, 2013 9:15 pm

Really? When I was writing it in that direction, I merely meant it as Cael's perception, part of the stigma Idayn races would feel about it. I like it even better that it does damage the soul permanently.
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Re: Discussion for Soul Burning

Post by Alera Tai'var » Mon Apr 15, 2013 8:42 am

As a follow up sort of question, then, I've been wondering. If you are really permanently burning away the soul, are there symptoms that go along with that after prolonged use of it?

I also wonder then how much magic can be done this way before you burn out completely. Before, the assumption was that a soul burner couldn't kill themself until they casted a spell too big for their spiritual britches. And do different souls have different reaches (IE elemental souls versus mortal ones, ect)?
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Re: Discussion for Soul Burning

Post by Mana Apparatus » Mon Apr 15, 2013 11:36 am

The symptoms start off pretty minor- dizzy spells, nosebleeds, headaches. Further degradation of the soul causes fatigue, irritability, as well as the continuation of the previous symptoms. Mortals have a natural "safe limit" where the mind attempts to shut off the ability. When the safe limit has been breached, either by choice of the user, or some sort of soul sucking monster/demon/etc, the mortal in question will pass into a coma for an undetermined amount of time (usually a couple weeks to a month). If the soul dips way past the safe limit, the body begins to lose it's grip on the soul itself, allowing foreign souls to enter the body, and possibly even eject the current soul. This makes the person cease to be themselves any longer as the foreign entity has complete control.

As far as how much magic can be done this way until you burn it all up, without a quantifiable counter (such as a soul gauge), it's hard to put into words how much you could use. But, for now, until I can figure out a way to quantify Soul energy, let's put it this way. You start at 100% (across the board for both humans and elementals), as you begin your usage you subtract based off of contributing factors. As an example, an Idayn soul burner burns some soul to create some light magic, since his soul is already attuned to light magic the severity of the burn lessens. A human, with no elemental affinity would have a straight cost across the board. As a general rule, to figure out drain, quantify it by effect. A miraculous effect (destroying a mountain, creating an anti-magic field that stretches for miles, getting certain people to post regularly, etc) would cost about 10~15% of one's soul in one shot (mainly because these all have permanent effects on the world). Replicating a minor spell, causing a minor effect (lighting a cigarette, mimicking telekinesis to a minor degree, creating "Paul was here" graffiti on the bathroom stall, etc) would only knock you down from a minimum of 0.1% to a full 2%. Again, as this has no system behind it, it's hard to quantify, and allowing the players to choose the amount of soul to burn can obviously be abused.
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