RE: Questions about Lunar concentration

From: Peter Metcalfe <metcalph_at_...>
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 19:16:44 +1200

At 10:35 PM 5/24/04 -0700, you wrote:

> > No. A Lunar can concentrate on one otherworld or he can
> > concentrate on Lunar Magic.

>This may be a semantic confusion. I shouldn't have said the hero picks
>"one otherworld"; rather, he picks one kind of "specialized magic".
>Well, lemme quote: [p. 113]

Hmm. The Heroquest rules. There's also the ILH which says it slightly differently and from which I was working from. I'll answer your questions according to the Heroquest rules.

> ...The hero must give up all non-Lunar magic of any source;
> he then has two choices. If he worships a Lunar deity,
> spirit, saint, or founder he can concentrate his specialized
> magic but still retain any common magic he
> knows. Alternately[*], he can concentrate his Lunar common
> magic (with the same effect as the "Selfrock teaching" on
> page 108) but still retain any specialized magic he knows. In
> either case, the specified magic (either a specialized
> religion *or* common magic) gains the benefit of
> concentration but the "retained" magic does not.
>
>[*] I hope they mean "alternatively". But, then, the Moon is cyclical...
>
>So I guess the question is, what does this text mean when it says
>"specialized magic"?

Specialized magic is magic from a specialized religions such as the cult of Yanafal Tarnils. What it's saying that for a Yanafali, there are two choices to specialization instead of the normal one.

1. Specialize in theism. You get the benefits of concentrated theistic magic (affinities, feats and secret) plus you retain your lunar common magic which is still non-concentrated (i.e. you have to pay double cost to improve and it confers augments only).
2. Specialize in the Lunar Way. You remain an ordinary initiate of Yanafal (affinities at double cost) but your lunar common magic is now better (concentrated cost and it can be used actively).

>Take this example. Gronk is a spiritist in Five Spirit Moons, and an
>initiate in Natha, and has some Lunar common charms, spells, and feats
>that he got from Seven Mothers.

>He decides to concentrate his Lunar "specialized magic". What does that
>mean?

Three options.

1. Specializing in the Lunar Way. He still retains the ability to use charms and improve them at double cost. He could become a practitioner and learn how to make fetishes at double cost although he cannot gain a spirit ally nor can he learn a practice or tradition secret (HQ p140). Similarly he retains the ability to use nathic affinities and improve them at double cost. He cannot become a devotee nor can he learn nathic feats. He could improvise a feat at -10 (HQ p118) but cannot cement them.

His lunar common magic will now be improvable at normal cost and he can use them as an active ability (i.e. if he had a Deezola Heal Hurt feat, he can now cast it directly without having to use it to augment a mundane healing ability). He can join any lunar cult provided he can pay the time costs.

2) Concentrating in Natha (theism). He gives up his Five Spirit Moon Spiritist ability and attendant charms. His affinities are now normal cost and he has the ability to become a devotee. He still retains his Lunar common magic which is improvable at double cost and cannot be used actively. He may join another theistic cult provided he can pay the time costs.

3) Concentrating in Five Spirit Moons (animism). He gives up his Natha affinities. His charms are now normal cost and if he becomes a practitioner, he can acquire a Spirit Ally and also learn the practice or tradition secret. He still retains his Lunar common magic which is improvable at double cost and cannot be used actively. He may join another practice provided he can pay the time costs.

> > IMO if the Talent can be described as Lunar Magic then it's
> > acceptable. if it isn't (i.e. obviously storm related) then he
> > has to give it up.

>But... but... the Red Moon is Queen of the Middle Air!
>
>Seriously--the moon proclaims herself "the pinnacle of the Mortal
>World". So what inner-world power *couldn't* be somehow construed as
>Lunar?

The Orlanthi dregs.

--Peter Metcalfe