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Knight
 
Group: Basic Members
Last Login: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 3:08 AM
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I apologise to those of you who saw this on pagga but i thought i'd get some fresh view points from the new people on here 
Ok i wanted a system of magic that allowed people to creat spells "on the fly" as it where, instead of having pages and pages of spell lists.
It can be regulated quite simply by controlling how quickly the players get hold of Soul Power/mana/essence whatever. Or how much it cost to buy each thread and threshold. It can be made more or less powerfull by altering the relevant numbers and finally it can be made to fit in any genre simply by altering the names of the sephir/thread/orbs/bajingas.
I wanted to encourage my players to write there own spellbooks. They would then cast the spells they've put together by reading them out of the spellbook and, eventually, they would be able to cast the spells from memory (having cast them enough to know them off by heart)
Plus it would also mean that if they came across a situation which they didnt have a spell for it would be possible for them to create one!
Well here it is constructive comments please!
The Sephirot (sing. Sephir) are the means by which immortals manipulate the fabric of the universe and create effects best discribed as "Magic"
They are like threads of cotton, in that seperatly they are nothing compared to when they are woven together.
The first Sephir, the one that needs to be woven before all others, is Soul. It is this Sephir that allows Soul Power to flow to the other Sephir woven to it. Then there are 6 other Sephirot:
Energy: This Sephir governs the destructive powers latent in His work, be it the energy in a landslide or a storm. It also allows one to imbue motion into and suck motion out of objects. Therefore allowing one to perform acts of telekinesis or stop an arrow mid-flight.
Void: This Sephir governs the space behind His work. It is used most commonly as a means of transport. Be it instantaneous or otherwise. It also allows one to enchant objects to bypass barriers of any kind. Or allows the Immortal to appear in, or perceive more than one place at a time.
Creation: This Sephir governs all things with a presence that can be seen and handled. Also the object has to have never been alive or is now dead. Such as water, wood (but not trees), metal, rocks, etc. It allows the moulding or, with correct application of the Soul Sephir, creation of these things.
Life: Governs the manipulation of living beings. From people to plants any thing that is “alive” can be healed or harmed by this Sephir.
Faith: This Sephir seems to govern the indefinable regions of existence. The ethereal plane is the plaything of a master of this Sephir. Ghosts and spirits bow to their whim. Even a mortal soul might be manipulatable by the use of this Sephir, although to my knowledge no one has as yet experimented in this area, for obvious reasons.
Thought: The mind of any sentient being is open to viewing from any Immortal invoking this Sephir. Even manipulation is possible if one has the knowledge.
Then there are, inherent in each Sephir, different thresholds of power. The level of threshold attained determines the type of effect that can be created. At a very basic level the thresholds work like this:
The first threshold enables an Immortal to sense the magic governed by the Sephir he is using
The second allows minor uncomplicated effects, such as the creating of a flame or the speeding of ones travel.
The third allows more complicated and flashy effects, creating a cold flame or teleportation
The fourth allows great feats of conjuration and manipulation, setting an entire palace aflame, appearing in more than one place at once.
Knowledge of the fifth threshold in any Sephir is granted by His will only.
Obviously the Sephirot are never used where a mortal might se the effects as this could lead to revelation of the imortal energy at work.
The Basics
1) Decide the effect you want to create
2) Figure out the thresholds you will need
3) Combine the Sephirot needed
4) Pay the Soul Power cost
5) Say your vocals
6) Create effect
Deciding the effect.
Anything you want that your Sephirot/thresholds allow. That's pretty much it.
If you can teleport sulphurous flames into an opponent's stomach feel free. It'll cost you though!
Figure out the thresholds you will need.
All Immortals know all Sephirot to Threshold 4.
Threshold 1
Sense. You can sense things but not affect them. You'll need to do this for before most effects so you know how much Soul Power your going to need to affect something. In pure game mechanic terms unless a ref says otherwise you have to use [Soul1]+[(what ever) 1] to sense the surrounding area. The info you get back is up to you, just make sure it's sensible. (see rule 7).
You can sense minds but not read them.
Threshold 2
You can summon up very basic objects. A wooden stake, an iron bar, a boulder, stuff like that. IF you have a phys rep handy. You're summoning it you phys rep it.
Balls of fire are possible at this point using the energy Sephir but unless your combing them with the Void Sephir's 3rd threshold you're going to have to phys rep it with a red ball of some description and throw it your self.
You can only affect yourself directly at this point. So you can only teleport, heal, harden, strengthen or whatever yourself .
You can render your mind blank so you are resistant to other Immortals created Thought effects
Threshold 3
You can summon up more complex objects without moving parts, a sword, an axe, and a wall. Phys repping things get a bit harder at this point but try your best. We're not going to ask you to actually build a wall, but having a strip of material to put down to represent where the wall actually is will be expected.
You can change types of energy for each other at this point. Kinetic for heat, so a charging Orc suddenly sets on fire. Change its properties to make a fire burn cold. Drain energy from something to make an arrow stop mid flight, if you have time to. Phys repping this is pretty easy. Tell the Orc he's on fire, act like the fire is cold, simply take no damage if the arrow hits you.
You can now affect others with your magic. To heal/harm as you see fit.
You can read minds but not control them.
Threshold 4
You can summon up complex machinery like cars and guns. Anything you can reasonably Phys rep you can create. You can also change the properties of whatever material you are working with. Making full plate armour light as a feather or making a sword blade go through steel like it would water.
You can defy physics and create energy from nowhere. Imbuing it into things to perform telekinesis or even flight. The rule of phys rep (see below )becomes untenable with this kind of thing so we ask that once you have attained this lvl you be descriptive with your effects. Mos effects at this lvl will require a Ref.
Now you can control minds for periods of time. This needs your total focus so if your disturbed the effect ends.
Threshold 5
The only way you can use this level is to be awarded it by us. If you achive this lvl then you will be informed of the things you can do.
You always need use Soul equal to the highest other Sephir threshold
Combine the Sephirot needed.
Soul. You need to weave this Sephir regardless of the effect you are creating. Its is the channle for your Immortal will.
Energy: For game purposes, heat and cold are two separate energies but light and darkness are not. Should you choose to bend light around yourself to make yourself invisible, you also go blind and will have to find some other way to “see”
Void: Anything involving range and distance. So teleportation is the major one. Also seeing long distances.
Creation: If it's inanimate and not energy it is governed by this Sephir.
Life: Healing or direct harming. Improving eyesight or strengthening bones and muscles. With out the Void Sephir you always have to touch your subject. And it has to be alive. If it's dead you want Creation or Faith.
Faith: The spirit realm. Communing with the dead. Affecting the Immortal soul.
Thought: Mind reading/control. You can render yourself immune to emotions or affect anothers. All affects involving this Sephir take a lot of concentration.
Pay the Soul Power cost.*
You choose the Sephirot you need. Choose the threshold required for each one. Work out the cost of the effect. Add them all up and thatis your Soul Power cost.
Threshold Level
Soul Power Cost
Threshold 1- 2
Threshold 2- 4
Threshold 3- 8
Threshold 4- 16
Damage whether causing or healing costs 4 Soul Power points per point of damage and is cumulative.
Anything to do with distance/mass/length/height costs 2 motes per foot/pound
The exception being effects created using only the Void Sephir in which case it's 4 for 1mile .
Thought "control" spells last as long as you concentrate on them but it costs you 2 motes per 30 seconds and 2 motes per command you want to issue
Improving or worsening things, whether making someone stronger or something easier to break costs 4 motes per level (see Creation and/or Life)
All effects with a duration last 5 minutes plus 4 motes per extra minute you want it to last.
Vocals
When casting an effect you must state all the Sepirot you are using and there respective thersholds followed by the effect . This is to be preceeded by "In Nomine" for angels or "In Dominatus" for demons
E.g.
In Nomine Soul 3, Life3, Void 3, Your covered in Bees! 3points of damage to each location!
The Rule of Phys Rep
We are using phys reps as away to limit people abusing this system.
If you can not phys rep something in some way your character can ' t figure out how to combine the Sephirot in a way to create the effect. If you find away to phys -rep it then your character finds a way to combine the Sephirot.
Examples of Effects
Say you want to cast a big exploding fireball.
That's Energy and Soul.
You need Energy 2 at least so therefore you're at Soul 2 (remember you need Soul equal to the highest other threshold your using)
So we're at 8 points so far.
You want it to do3 points of damage that's another 12 points
And a 6' blast is another 12 points.
That's a total 32 points for big booming death.
That's if you're lobbing it yourself. If you want to use the Void Sephir to ensure your hit then it's cost you even more.
Or you wish to heal a companion but he's a down a 8' pit and you have no rope.
You can either summon 8'of rope [Soul 2+Creation 2] for 24 points
Or heal him from 8'away and let the lazy sod get out by him self
That's [Life 3 + Soul 3 + Void 2] + him being 8' away we're on 40 points before you even start healing him
I do try and spell things right...
Dark Millenium: Unofficial Larp based on Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000.
"MADE OF SOLID MING"
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Prodigal
Group: System Moderators
Last Login: Today @ 1:48 PM
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Spells generally have a hard time being heard over the general melee. This might affect the likelihood of people hearing and understanding the full free-text sentance describing effects like "You're covered in bees!" over the IC cries of "Your mother was a gerbil!" and "You smell of elderberries!" (never mind the other OOC cries of "Single! Double!" etc). It might be worth strongly limiting the range on complicated effects, or ensuring that they require 'concentration' that can't be gained while everyone is shouting, or setting up the metaphysics such that if the other character doesn't hear the spell vocal in character because of other noise and stuff (but not because of deliberate deafness on their part), they don't take the spell effect either (like Ars Magica's 'voice' range).
If you're planning to make mages carry extensive physreps for their spells, which don't exist until the mage casts the spell, consider having a convention by which they can have an OOC bag to carry things around in which isn't there in character (i.e. if the bag has a certain colour thing attached, it's actually an OOC thing to carry spell physreps in) and/or by which they can mark things as 'not there' until needed.
When CUTT was revising its magic system recently, we considered a freeform magic system (which would have the players buy individual effect calls from our shiny new effect call system, and be able to combine them for extra mana) but didn't have the energy to work out the various balance issues with it and eventually went for a more conventional spell-list system (relegating the freeform magic rules to the spell research system).
Maelstrom: Jessily the Wemic, previously Tourmaline of Weaver
CUTT: Kerriville the Ninth, previously Ref 07/08
EOS: Study the Venin
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Knight
Group: Basic Members
Last Login: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 3:08 AM
Posts: 64,
Visits: 144
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Spells generally have a hard time being heard over the general melee. This might affect the likelihood of people hearing and understanding the full free-text sentance describing effects like "You're covered in bees!" over the IC cries of "Your mother was a gerbil!" and "You smell of elderberries!" (never mind the other OOC cries of "Single! Double!" etc). It might be worth strongly limiting the range on complicated effects, or ensuring that they require 'concentration' that can't be gained while everyone is shouting, or setting up the metaphysics such that if the other character doesn't hear the spell vocal in character because of other noise and stuff (but not because of deliberate deafness on their part), they don't take the spell effect either (like Ars Magica's 'voice' range).
Isn't the shouting thing a problem with most magic systems? I personaly think thats where refs should step in and inform any monsters of the effects that just got thrown at them (no ref discussions please). That kind of "if you didnt hear it" system is open to majour abuse.
I make no pretense about it, this system relies on refs doign there job properly and watching for spells not being acted on. (i make my refs work for their supper )
If you're planning to make mages carry extensive physreps for their spells, which don't exist until the mage casts the spell, consider having a convention by which they can have an OOC bag to carry things around in which isn't there in character (i.e. if the bag has a certain colour thing attached, it's actually an OOC thing to carry spell physreps in) and/or by which they can mark things as 'not there' until needed.
I dont want eleberatly crafted props! I was thinkng a few red tennis balls and bits of string really. If someone is creating a wall of force somthing as simple as a piece of blue material on the floor marking where the wall is would do. Or rope can be physrepped by string, its magic remember it doesnt have to be thick
As for bags things can be put in "spell component pouches"
I do try and spell things right...
Dark Millenium: Unofficial Larp based on Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000.
"MADE OF SOLID MING"
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Knight
Group: Basic Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 1:04 PM
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First question: Why do all the costs go up in even numbers? It looks like you could halve the cost of everything without losing anything. What you would gain is huge benefits to the math impaired who struggle when addition or subtraction gets above single figures (there are more of these people than you imagine).
Second question: What is the intended game size and style? I can see quite a few problems with this sort of system at a fest sized event or where most of the action is PvP. On the other hand it might be workable at typical linear scales and/or where most of the action is PvM. The limiting factor is likely to the ref to player ratio.
The big problem with this system under PvP would be that the target would pretty much always want to check your calculations of what you think are the correct thresholds. At best, you'll get a couple of seconds hesitation while they go over it in their heads. This will then probably lead to a bunch of spells becoming "standard issue" because everybody knows what they do and that the numbers work. Which basically gives you the spell lists you were trying to avoid.
I may be at the same event as you, but that does not mean I am playing the same game.
LT: Aries (Vipers)
PD: Dorian Bowchard (Sacuza)
I am hereby placing all original, unquoted text in the above post in the public domain.
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Knight
Group: Basic Members
Last Login: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 3:08 AM
Posts: 64,
Visits: 144
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Niggle (7/19/2006)
First question: Why do all the costs go up in even numbers? It looks like you could halve the cost of everything without losing anything. What you would gain is huge benefits to the math impaired who struggle when addition or subtraction gets above single figures (there are more of these people than you imagine).
Mainly because i thought the 2 times table was quite easy, but your quite right never the less. Like i said in the introduction, the numbers are not set in stone they can be adjusted for whatever the system requires. So if you have people who do have difficulty with maths adjust it to what you want. 1 2 4 8 would work fine. All you would have to do then is give your players less mana/essence/metabollockschlorians to make sure they wherent casting to powerfull spells to early on.
Second question: What is the intended game size and style?
Yeah this was never intended for a fest event, sorry i should have put that in the intro bit. Its intended for (not nesseceraly linear) PvM clubs. PvP is possible if people arnt gonna be prats about it. If the organisers really think people are gonna stand there and work out the spell before they take the hit then i'd suggest either using a simpler system or finding a different player base.
I do try and spell things right...
Dark Millenium: Unofficial Larp based on Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000.
"MADE OF SOLID MING"
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