(TFT) Re: Hedge Wizard Spell Ideas

[Stan <srydzews@ix.netcom.com>]

Mark Tapley wrote:

[comments on the industrial potential of the hedge wizard spells]

First, thanks for the comments.  Definitely some points I
hadn't considered.

As far as the Repair and Reconstitute goes, I bow to the original,
which I quite forgot about.  Sorry about that.

> > Burnish (IQ 8, 1 fST) 
> Lots quicker than sharpening swords, either at forging or after a 
> battle. Wizard (and not a great wizard) can do one of these every 15 
> minutes. It'd take *way* longer for an armorer to polish and hone a new 
> sword.

True, otherwise what's the point?  Do you see this as a problem?

> If an item repeatedly rusts and gets "Burnished", does it get 
> thinner? (i.e., does the spell get rid of the oxygen or the oxidized 
> metal?)

It's probably best if it removes the oxidized material.

>  Will become de rigeur for ceremonial guards.

Yes.  Frees up more of their time for drill in the hot, hot sun.

> Can this make axles, gears, siege engines, etc more efficient by 
> truing and smoothing their bearing surfaces?

No more so than a person could.  It can't produce a perfect sphere
(for instance) or an atomic-keen edge.  Any deflections from 'true'
in the original forging will be retained.  That could be specifically
stated in the description.

> > Charm Vermin (IQ 9, 1 fST) 
>
> could become a very cheap "Cleansing" spell (cure any disease 
> caused by invading bacteria, viruses, etc.).

Not really.  The affected vermin follow the caster under their own
power (such was my intent, sorry if it wasn't evident from the
description).  So even if you were aware of the bacteria and targeted
them, they'd 'follow' you at their microscopic movement rate, getting
essentially nowhere in 15 minutes.  It could be used to purge someone
of tapeworms or other large parasites though.

> > Separate (IQ 10, 2 fST) 

Well I will say that as the description precludes affecting living
creatures, bacteria and the like can not be affected.  Likewise I
would consider a living body a 'container' that you couldn't draw
things out of and the 'barrier' prohibition would keep gold dust
sealed inside its ore.  So some of the the more extravagent uses
proposed wouldn't have worked.  That being said, the number of
limitations that DO need to be added is probably so high that the
whole thing is best scrapped.  Pity, I like the idea.

> > Heat/Cool (IQ 8, 1+ ST) 

Throw in a max of 100 degrees from ambient in either direction.
("ambient" so you can't stack 'em or pre-heat something normally
and then use this as a 'kicker').

Yes you can make structural ice, at the rate of 3 ST per 10 cubic
feet, or 30 ST per day for a 10x10x1 wall.  Of course, you'll have
to raise the wall yourself.

> What use is a fire that doesn't use oxygen? Plenty, I'll bet.

If you heat something so much that it combusts, it combusts normally.
The ashes will remain hot for the day, though.

>  Is this thrown? If so, can kill almost anything
> biological up to 20 lbs.

Nah, it already has a prohibition against affecting living creatures.
It could be rather annoying used on people's equipment though.  A
gradual onset of 5 degrees per minute would limit that, but leave
sneaking into the armory and pre-heating the enemy's weapons 20
minutes before you attack as a possibility.

> > Remove Blemish (IQ 11, 4 fST)
>
> > Remove Defect (IQ 14, 6 fST)
>
> These seem hard to abuse too much.

Whew.

> > Proof (IQ 9, 1 or 2 fST) 
>
>     Makes He/H2 airships/balloons *much* easier to build (unless the 
> "Air" version does not include other gases).

Air is air and hydrogen isn't, so no.  If that seems too fussy a
distinction strike the air-proofing part entirely.  Waterproofing
would still be good.

> > Rotproof (IQ 10, 3 fST)  
>
> Wow. This would be *incredibly* valuable for a campaign or an ocean 
> voyage. 100 lbs. of rations for just 3 fST? 

Oh alright.  Make it 1 ST/5 lbs and it only lasts a week.

> Fresh eggs, fruit, etc for a  whole month? 

Nice, I know.  Potentially profitable, but that was the idea.  As far
as survival rations the usual stuff is going to be either a lot more
compact or rugged than rotproof fruit or eggs.

> Are there abuses involved with stopping stuff that *wants* 
> to rot? ("Why isn't my cheese/beer/compost/whatever working?")

Sure it's possible.  It is an ongoing enchantment, and could be
removed through the normal means of doing so.  Is this really a
problem?  Pissing off the local hedge wizard is probably a bad
idea in any case.

I know the IQ and ST costs I quoted tended to be low, I suppose I
had the part-time 'hedge' picture strongly in mind.  Perhaps
too much so.

In general, though, were these the sort of things you were looking for?
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