Bell Digest vol08p09-2.txt
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Subject: RuneQuest Digest Volume 8, no 9, part 2 of 2
Comments: Revision @(#)v8n09.2 1.1 93/03/14
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Contents:
Peter Maranci - The Runic Sorcery Magic system
Editorial:
Pete's proposed rules for an alternative magic system.
- part 2
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From: Peter Maranci
Subject: Runic sorcery for RuneQuest
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 93 20:40:29 EST
RUNIC SORCERY FOR RUNEQUEST
An alternate system of Sorcery for RuneQuest
by Pete Maranci
P A R T 2
Contents:
8) CASTINGS
9) SPELLS
10) METHODS
11) ENCHANTMENTS
12) SPELL EXAMPLES
8) CASTINGS
A runic sentence, or Casting, is created by a sorcerer using Runes
he or she knows. To determine the chance of success, take the lowest
Rune skill among all the Runes being used in the Casting, and subtract
10% for every other Rune used. Then add the magic bonus, and subtract
Encumbrance, if such is being used. The standard requirements apply: a
point of magic will create 1 cubic meter of an insubstantial Element,
or one kilogram of a substantial one. The time to cast is the caster's
DEX strike rank + 3 strike ranks if unprepared + 1 strike rank per
magic point used in the spell. There may be a very rare Condition Rune
which allows faster casting. There may also be certain methods of
casting which allow for faster results.
A Casting requires at least one Magic Point per Rune used. If
success is rolled, the desired magic takes place, modified by the GM's
assessment of the appropriate effect. All the magic points are
expended. If a failure is rolled, no effect takes place, but *all* the
magic points allotted to the effect are still expended. On a fumble,
roll on the Sorcery Fumble Table. The GM must adjudicate the results
of a Special or Critical success.
Remember, knowledge of Runes may not increase through experience.
[Note: I use a Fumble Table for RQ Sorcery, and may present a version
for consideration at some future time. Since Sorcery is a human skill
rather than a spiritual/Divine ability, it seems to me that it should
be liable to spectacular human error.]
[Note: Can't I find a better name than "Casting"?]
9) SPELLS
Spells are much like Castings. They are formed of the same Runes.
In fact, Spells may be created by studying a Casting until it becomes
'crystallized' in the sorcerer's mind. Spells may also be learned from
books or taught. It is impossible to learn a spell without previously
knowing all the Runes which make up that spell.
Spells have several advantages over Castings:
They are less expensive; to cast a Spell, one need only expend
Magic Points for the Elements and Condition Runes (Range, Duration,
etc.) used. As a result, Spells are faster to cast, too.
No Target Rune need be included -- the Spell will hold together of
itself, and strike the desired target.
Spells are less risky to cast -- failure to cast only costs a
single Magic Point.
And finally, Spells are skills, and may increase from experience.
However, once a Spell is learned it is effectively cut off from
the Rune-skills of the caster. In other words, any increase in a
sorcerer's knowledge of the Fire Rune, for example, will not increase
his ability with previously learned Spells incorporating the Fire
Rune. Once learned, changes in the Rune skills do not affect the spell
chance.
[Note: Should it be possible to create a Spell that uses an Element
Rune more than once? If so, what is the penalty?]
It takes 100 hours per Rune involved to formulate a Spell from a
Casting via research and meditation. It takes 50 hours per Rune if
learning from a book, or 25 if taught by someone who knows the Spell.
All Runes in the Spell must be known by the caster. Once the Spell is
learned, the caster gains a skill equal to 1D6 - the number of Runes
in the Spell + his Magic Bonus. Spells are usually Hard, though in
some cases a GM may rules that a Spell is Very Hard -- particularly
when many Runes are involved. Likewise, some Spells are easier.
Though Spells are less flexible than Castings, a spell with an
Element Rune in it may still be manipulated by the sorcerer's
appropriate Element Rune skill. If the Duration or Range Runes are
part of the Spell, these may also be manipulated. In other words, a
Fire bolt Spell consisting of:
Fire + Bolt + Range
can be cast with whatever amount of Intensity and Range the sorcerer
wishes and is capable of using. In addition, the Bolt can be whatever
size the caster desires.
10) METHODS
The Runes may be manipulated in any number of ways; different
schools use different methods. Each method has advantages and
disadvantages. Among the tools used to evoke the Runes are:
Speech (in various languages)
Song (ditto, with and without a musical instrument)
Writing (on specially prepared parchment, in the dirt, in the air
with enchanted wands, with smoke, etc.)
Gesture
Dance
Pictograms
Manipulation of Rune-marked blocks
Touching different Runes inscribed on an enchanted staff (or
ceremonial robe, silver dagger, etc.) -- as the sorcerer learns new
Runes, they are added to the item.
...or any other means of expression. Combinations are not
unlikely, either. There is said to be a school of magic which allows
casting simply by thinking of the necessary Runes, but this would be
very difficult indeed, and require great powers of concentration. The
GM must determine the advantages and drawbacks of whatever means of
casting is being used. For example, it might be possible for a
Sorcerer from a school which casts magic by writing Runes to inscribe
the Runes *over* one another, rather than in a row; forming a single,
complex Rune. This might be much quicker to cast, but more difficult
as well; and of course it would be impossible without the appropriate
writing materials. Such an 'overlaying' skill would require many years
of additional study.
Knowledge of one type of sorcerous magic does not enable a
sorcerer to understand a different method.
11) ENCHANTMENTS
These are generally treated in the same manner as standard
RuneQuest sorcery (whatever version you prefer), except that obviously
the greater range of enchantment Spells possible will have to be
individually interpreted by the GM.
[Note: It might be a good idea to posit an Enchantment Rune in the
Condition branch.]
12) SPELL EXAMPLES
Wall of Fire: Fire + Wall + Duration
This would allow the caster to create a wall of fire next to him.
He could then walk away from the wall. If he wished to create the wall
at a distance from himself, he would have to cast: Fire + Range + Wall
+ Duration (+ Target, if this were a Casting rather than a Spell).
Moveable Wall of Fire: Fire + Wall + Duration + Movement
Magic Bolt: Magic + Disorder OR Death + Bolt + Range
Heal: Magic + Fertility OR Harmony + Species
Earth Armor: Earth + Self + Movement + Duration
Skin of Life: Air + Movement + Duration
Telekinesis: Air OR Magic + Movement + Duration + Range
Shapechange Man to Wolf (by touch):
Magic + Man + Movement + Beast OR Wolf Name Rune + Duration
Control Distant Fire: Magic + Range + Fire + Movement + Duration
(This last may require explanation. A point of Magic is
summoned to act a a carrier for the Spell's effects. Range allows
the Spell to reach the distant fire to be controlled. Fire allows
the Sorcerer to affect the fire (note that 2 Intensities of Fire
could be controlled per Magic Point, as the Fire is already
present). Movement enables the Sorcerer to move the fire at whim,
and the use of Duration is self-evident. This Spell would be an
active one, as no Shape has been included for the fire. The
addition of a Sphere Rune in the Spell or Casting would cause the
Fire to take a Spherical form when affected by the magic, and make
the magic passive rather than active. A second Movement Rune could
be included to allow the Sorcerer to change the Shape of the Fire
for the duration of the magic. If a Sphere Rune were also
included, the Sorcerer could change the shape of the fire while
concentrating; it would relapse into a spherical shape when
concentration ends. So, for a passive Spell that would allow the
caster to control the shape and movement of fire from a Distance,
the formula would be:
Magic + Range + Fire + Movement (shape) + Movement (locomotion) +
Sphere + Duration
Obviously there are many ways to cause similar effects, and there
can be many different possible results for any Runic sentence. Careful
GM supervision is necessary. Given that Castings are unlikely to be
used often due to their low chance of success and high cost, and that
Spells have standard effects upon being formulated, it is unlikely
that a GM will have to spend a great deal of time adjudicating magic.
And this system should give the player of a sorcerer character a much
greater feeling of involvement with and control of his magic.
There is no formal grammar of Runic magic. However, the rule of
logic always applies. It is generally necessary to call up an Element
before modifying it. On a successful result, the reasonable intentions
of the caster are generally fulfilled.
[More Questions:
What Sorcery Spells cannot be duplicated by this system?
How may Spells affect characteristics? How would one duplicate
Enhance Strength, for example? One possibility: Magic + Fertility +
Man OR whatever species is being affected) + Duration. This would then
work for any characteristic; the sorcerer's will would determine the
effect of the spell. Another possibility would be to link the seven
Elements to the seven characteristics, combined with the species Rune:
Fire = STR
Earth = CON
Dark = SIZ
Water = INT
Magic = POW
Air = DEX
Light = APP
In which case Enhance Strength would be:
Magic + Man + Fire + Harmony OR Fertility + Duration
My intention is that it should be very difficult to learn many
sorcerous Runes. This would lead to sorcerers with narrower but more
interesting abilities, and would involve player intelligence in the
crafting of magic -- something that I found very enjoyable when
designing sorcerer characters for Chivalry & Sorcery. Of course, given
the open-ended nature of this runic system there is certainly
potential for abuse.]
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Copyright Peter Maranci February 1993. This version may be distributed
freely on a non-profit basis, as long as this message is included.
May Zzabur bless this work.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter Maranci
trystro!rune@think.com or rune@trystro.uucp
"Hey! Your Tien fell in my Atyar!" "Your Atyar got in my Tien!"
Thanatar -- two great Chaos Gods that go great together!