dime-a-dozen spells, IO

From: Carlson, Pam <carlsonp_at_wdni.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Mar 96 10:25:00 PST


Leaping into the interesting Hoplite-Humakti debate - about the uniqueness of spells:

> Does their Protection only work if they are wearing
Hoplite armour? Do their missile enhancing spells only work on standard issue weapons? No, of course. Then why should they have magics that only work on appropriately formationed Hoplites?

'Cause they're hoplites! They learned their (Standfast, Endurance, Heal)spells as hoplites. Sure, they can use them in other circumstances too, but their formost use is to support hoplites. (Just like you can use an assault rifle to kill commies _or_ hunt deer!)

> Does Berserk say 'only to be cast on a Storm Bull berserk charging
towards the enemy', or a Humakti bladesharp spell work only on the swords that are in the hand of a Humakti soldier? No, and I should hope not.

But there _is_ no spell called "Beserk". The spells are called "The Rage of the Bull", or the "Final Charge of Zorak Zoran", or the "Death Dance of Shargash", or the "Babeester's Revenge". Only an unspeakable Godlearner would call them the same spell. And only a fool would want that spell unless he had committed himself to one of the above deities - and so it should only be cast on Storm Bulls charging toward the enemy, etc.

More ubiquitous spells, like bladesharp, are also likely known as powers of a deity. Surely a Humakti "Sharpsword" is not the same as Bab's "BitingAxe", though both may be cast more freely on non-initiates. This brings the specialized hoplite spells more in line with the specialized Orlanthi "Shield of Air" (protection) type of spell.


BTW - I liked Robert's Invis Orlanth origin story. Sounds quite plausible to me.

Pam


Powered by hypermail