Learning new magic (Was Re: Desperately Seeking Sedenya

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_sierratel.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2003 10:47:45 -0700

> >And at the end of the Hero Wars we have a new world - just like after the
> >GLs were Wiped Out :-). "Dangerous times require dangerous measures", and
> >the HW are about as dangerous as people have seen for a while, what I'm
> >trying to point out is that not all capital-H Hero (including
non-capital-h
> >Player heroes) actions will benefit The World - quite the opposite in
fact.
>
> Perhaps you should tell that to the player in my game who's seriously
> considering initiating into the Black Sun cult, because hey, they're pro
> Lunar!

Nah, it's more fun to let him find out for himself ;-).

> >I'm sure that somewhere, someone *will* try a GL-ish Goddess Swap because
> it
> >is the [only/best/a good way] out of their current troubles/a really neat
> >experiment/because we can.
>
> I don't think what's happening here is quite as extreme as this.

Not yet, at least. But I can easily see a power player making the leap from feat to affinity to entire powers (heck, *I* did!). The slope of GL experimentation is slippery and steep. "They called me mad, but I'll show them! Bwahahaha!"

>New magics
> or even cults can be integrated into existign religions. HonEel did this
> with
> her Corn rites (an apt example, actualy). Orlanth did this when he stole
the
> Sandals of Darkness. What we're talkign about here is heroquesting and
> whether the player/character in my game realises it or not, that's what
> he's getting himself into.

Integrating new magics/heroes/subcults is generally big-time ju-ju. Hon-Eel was a genuine capital-H Hero (born and bred to be one if I remember, or was that just Jar-Eel?). Orlanth was a capital-G God when he stole the sandals.

I suppose it comes down to how *you*, Simon-The-Narrator, feel about feat trading.

Is this something new that the priestess has just figured out is possible? If so, she should definitely face a higher resistance than 10 to her effort, simply because: if the process is that easy, why wasn't it done before? If she is discovering New Stuff, then let her make the discoveries and face the pitfalls. Make her travel back to Orogeria and beg/bargain for the feat she wants. Later she (or others) can refine the process and get it down to a 10 resistance, but the first time shouldn't be easy.

On the other hand, if this is old hat to the priestesses of the Moon, then a 10 resistance still seems low (to me) but fair, especially if they have had centuries to perfect the technique. Maybe it is a little-s secret of the Lunar religions?

RR
It is by my order and for the good of the state that the bearer of this has done what he has done.
- Richelieu

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