Champions of Lemuria » Mana Gathering

The GIT! · 5/13/2014 5:02 am

Personally, with the idea of gathering mana to cast spells, I would prefer the magic to be more freeform - more in keeping with the sorcerer bending the power of magic to his will, but with inherent risks involved.

I've been toying with the idea of leveraging the types of magic used in ZeFRS...

alchemy
information
mind control
natural magic
necromancy
physical laws
summoning
transmutation

The actual descriptions can be found at http://www.midcoast.com/~ricekrwc/zefrs/talents.htm

The beauty of using this is that it is all openly available on the web. I''m not saying to use this specifically but I do think a more freeform style of magic should be used rather than the more traditional old school style.

I should state that I actually like the BoL magic system as written, but I do like working on optional systems as well. My ideas above were always intended to be used with the regular BoL system.

Last edited by The GIT! (10/21/2014 8:09 am)

Fermmoylle · 5/13/2014 7:11 am

Or... what about a "Runic" system? I always wanted to try something like that.

Some runes are verbs, other are nouns (and maybe others could be prepositions and modifiers).

You can do anything you want, limited by the runes you know.

Let's see what I can do using Futhark as an example:

Othila: Communication / Separation
Inguz: Healing / Fertility
Teiwaz: Knowledge / Naming
Hagalaz: Break / Weaken / Harm
Uruz: Strengthen / Repair
Ehwaz: Move / Travel
Algiz: Protect / Guard
Eihwaz: Warn
Sowilo: Create
Isa: Control / Bind
Turisaz: Transform / Gateway
Berkana: Earth
Wunjo: Air
Kenaz: Fire
Laguz: Water
Fehu: Animal / Property
Mannaz: Body / Man / Human
Gebo: Food / Offering
Dagaz: Light / Darkness
Naudiz: Mind
Ansuz: Sound / Signals
Raido: Necromancy / Soul
Jera: Plant
Pertho: Illusion / Mystery

So, Inguz + Mannaz could be a healing spell (Healing + Man), Algiz + Raido could be a ward against undead (Protect + Necromancy) and Sowilo + Hagalaz + Kenaz could be a fireball (Create Harming Fire).

Sidenote: I agree with you. BoL magic system as written is GREAT for Lemurian (and Lovecraftian) settings, but it's not one-size-fits-all magic system.

The GIT! · 5/13/2014 8:39 am

I actually like the idea of Runic magic, and it would seem to fit well with the use of mana. The question is how to implement it. You were trying to create a system in which it is very difficult for a srocerer to master all types of magic; how do you do this with runes?

Fermmoylle · 5/13/2014 8:45 am

The GIT! wrote:
You were trying to create a system in which it is very difficult for a srocerer to master all types of magic; how do you do this with runes?

Limit what they can learn.

A Sorcerer can learn 4 runes per each Rank in his Sorcerer Career. So, a Sorcerer 3 knows 12 runes and a Sorcerer 5 (a master of runic knowledge) knows 20. So not even a master knows everything there is to know.

But I'm not limited to Futhark (that was only an example) and I may create a complete set of runes from scratch...

The GIT! · 5/13/2014 9:01 am

I like this idea. It'll probably mean a lot more work for you to create but I'll be very interested to see what you can come up with.

Last edited by The GIT! (5/13/2014 9:01 am)

Fermmoylle · 5/13/2014 9:10 am

In fact, I don't foresee I'll have to work A LOT to have it done, since I'm travelling a path others already crossed.

Let's summarize what we have so far:

1. A mana gathering system.
Ok, it's working. Playtests did well.

2. A limit on what the spells can do
The 4 tiers of range, effect, area of effect and duration. It's done.

What we need now? A working runic system.

What's a runic system? It's a verb + noun system. Where we can find examples of those?
-Ars Magica
-Melanda: Land of Mystery
-Four-by-Five Magic System for FUDGE ( http://www.panix.com/~sos/rpg/4by5.html )

Once the nouns and verbs are chosen, it's just a matter of giving them "cool" names, a symbol, and it's done.

Have I considered everything? Is there something missing?

Fermmoylle · 5/13/2014 11:43 am

He's my 30 runes. I think I found a good way to encompass everything magic can do (no time travel or turn lead into gold here). Opinions?

Animate
Communicate
Conceal
Control
Create
Destroy
Enhance
Guard
Heal
Know
Manipulate
Move
Warn
Air
Animal
Death
Earth
Fertility
Fire
Food
Human
Illusion
Language
Life
Magic
Mind
Plant
Sound
Spirit
Water

Last edited by Fermmoylle (5/13/2014 11:44 am)

The GIT! · 5/13/2014 12:16 pm

Looks like a pretty complete list. I will be perusing my Ars Magica and Fudge magic books when I get home this evening. Unfortunately I never got to see Melanda: Land of Mystery.

Fermmoylle · 5/13/2014 12:19 pm

Now, if I can create a 20-letter fantasy alphabet, I think my work is done. 20 letters + 10 digits total all 30 runes. :-)

The GIT! · 7/18/2014 8:21 am

Fermmoylle wrote:
Now, if I can create a 20-letter fantasy alphabet, I think my work is done. 20 letters + 10 digits total all 30 runes. :-)

Sorry to bump this thread but did you get any further with your magic system?

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The GIT! wrote:

5/13/2014 9:01 am #25

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7/18/2014 8:21 am #30

Re: Mana Gathering

Fermmoylle wrote:

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