Where Does One Get the *Good* Common Magic?

From: drpachyderm <dunlaing_at_...>
Date: Wed, 01 Oct 2003 16:05:56 -0000

I had a neat little Landscape Deity in a recent adventure and told the players the mechanics for gaining magic from it. That's when I realized that getting magic from things in the mundane world is a lot worse than the standard Common Magic. Which begs the question of how one gets the standard Common Magic if not by worshipping things in the mundane world.

The landscape deity (a Cliff) had Enjoy Yourself Peacefully 10W4 and Rest Safely 10W3 (and Tall 10W2, but it's not like it actively used its Tall). There was an inn in the shadow of the deity and everyone in the inn who tried to do anything aggressive was hit with the Enjoy Yourself Peacefully ability and anyone who rested was hit with the Rest Safely ability.

So if Hrr'Chee (the local theist type) wanted a cool feat, he could worship the Cliff and get Rest Safely 13 and only be able to use it in the vicinity of the Cliff. On the other hand, he could conceivably also just pick up a Common Magic feat Rest Safely 17 and be able to use it anywhere.

Likewise if Clatu (the sorcerer) wanted a cool spell, he could misapply veneration to the cliff and get a spellstick with Enjoy Yourself Peacefully 13 which he would have to bring back to the cliff to recharge. Or he could pick up a Common Magic spell Enjoy Yourself Peacefully 17 which he could use over and over again without ever returning to the cliff.

And of course Jango (the practitioner) could misapply ecstatic worship and pick up a charm with Tall 13 which he'd have to return to the cliff to put the "spirit" back in. Or just pick up a Common Magic charm Tall 17 which he could use anywhere.

1. Am I misreading the rules?
2. If not, what are some ways to make worshipping cool things in the campaign more appealing than just picking up Common Magic? Should I just ignore the limitations on the local deities/essences/spirits?