Re: Magic Theory

From: Loren Miller <loren_at_wharton.upenn.edu>
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 12:45:58 +0000


Andrew Mellinger writes:
> - -What is range? Why is a spell effect by distance to someone? Is it
> because he beleives it to be limited in range? Why does a Battle Magic
> user have range? Do magic spells degrade as they travel through air?
>
> This kind of questions leads me to ask "What is a spell?"

Obviously this is the important question. Some theories I've heard are:

  1. Spells are spell spirits. In order to create a magical effect the magic-user calls on a spirit. Frex, the fireblade spell calls on a spirit which inhabits the target of the spell and causes it to flame on. Spells, then, are a sort of ability to instantly summon and invoke a particular spirit. This theory might change your rules for spells, since it seems unlikely that the same spirit could be in two places at the same time.
  2. Spells are simply the action of natural laws (aka Runes) on the world. They are powered by mystic energy (POW or MPs in game terms), usually from the spell caster but it could be from another source. They work exactly as described in the rules, and may or may not follow the traditional laws of magic such as Sympathy, Contagion, True Names, and so on.
+++++++++++++++++++++++23

Loren Miller <loren_at_wharton.upenn.edu> A priest, a rabbi, a Penn student, and an elephant walk into a bar. The bartender says, "what is this, some kind of joke?"

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