Re: Back from the dead, and ready to party.

From: Light Castle <light_castle_at_...>
Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2004 20:55:09 -0400


Hi Stephen.

On 24 Jun 2004 at 12:38, Stephen Tempest wrote:

> Sounds exactly like Brithos, with Zzabur in the role of the ruling
> wizards. However, it might be easier for you to simply invent your
> own island so you needn't worry too much about existing canon. Just
> assume the rulers are lying about causing the Closing, or at least
> that they cast their own spell at the same time Zzabur cast his, so
> they honestly believe that they were responsible...

Oh, absolutely. I saw the Brithos connection immediately. (To be honest, as he's bounced ideas out, I've seen him touch on elements of Gbaji and the Pharoah. It's funny.) I don't want it to be Brithos, though, as having the Big Zz go after him isn't my cup of tea. Now, given that it seems to me not everyone thinks the Closing was caused by Zzabur, I can keep it vague. My personal opinion is that they just took advantage of it and justified it to make themselves look good. Maybe they've learned enough to keep their island one of the last to be Opened, though.  

> Do these Sorcerors believe in God? If they do, then they can either
> take the Borist view (Chaos is evil, but it's our holy duty to control
> it so it doesn't harm innocents) or a more Lunar-orientated Manichean
> view (God created everything, including Chaos, and we should accept
> all of His creation). Alternatively, they can be Brithini-style
> atheist sorcerors who see magic as merely manipulating energy. In
> this case, they might regard Chaos as simply an extremely powerful and
> easy-to-use source of magic... wilfully ignoring (or rejoicing in) its
> corrupting and destructive capability.

I'm thinking he's leaning towards the latter version right now.  

> IMG, I'd present Chaos sorcery as similar to the normal kind, but with
> narrative differences - it feels wrong and unnatural, the air becomes
> greasy as you cast the spells, you hear a shrill, wordless chittering
> sound just at the edge of perception (tekeli-li! tekeli-li!) - that
> sort of thing. Perhaps allow greater flexibility than conventional
> wizardry, but occasional random effects replace what you actually
> wanted to do. Harmful magic might hit innocents, too. Helpful magic
> might have unwanted side-effects ("you regrow the limb, but it's now
> got a faint whitish pattern of scales all over it")

That's an interesting approach. I kind of like that.  

> Of course, bear in mind that most Gloranthans would regard a Chaos
> sorceror in much the same way we'd regard a drug-dealing,
> widow-robbing child molestor. Does your player fully appreciate this?

I hope so. I've tried to convey it.

> It's not like D&D where you can call yourself "Chaotic" and the only
> side effect is that you can't be a Paladin. :) Unless he's extremely
> powerful (or has powerful friends) he'll need to keep his Chaos links
> really well hidden. And hope he never meets any Uroxi with their
> Sense Chaos feats... Alternatively, you could rule that most magic
> taught on the Isle is non-Chaotic, except they have a Grimoire of
> Chaos spells. As long as your player never actually uses those
> spells, he's safe from Sense Chaos...

See, that's far more the way he seems to be taking it. It was only when he was initiated into the "secrets" that he got to see the REAL chaos magic. Except he has also specified that his one particularly powerful magic item is chaos-based. But he absolutely understands the idea that EVERY time he dabbles with chaos-based magic, he opens himself up to danger from all sides. :)

Thanks for all the advice, it will help greatly.

LC

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