Re: (TFT) Jay ain't the shinest luer...

["maou_tsaou1@netzero.net" <maou_tsaou1@netzero.net>]

Components.

Various materials can be used for their magical effects.
These materials are thought to contribute to the formation of the multi-dimensional matrix, or spell, that produces these extra-physical effects in "reality".




Magic is taught in various "schools" that reflect cultural or societal differences in the instruction and its focus.

An example would be a tribal Witch Doctor as opposed to a character like Shmendrek the Magician from Begals "The Last Unicorn", who seemed to have a kind of Theatrical style but was aware of "true" magic.
Shmendrek probably had some bard-like skills, while a Witch Doctor probably wouldn't need Literacy.
A "Guild" of one school wouldn't necessarily control any other schools of magic.
Different schools of magic may have different "material, verbal or symantec" requirements one from the other.
Then there are the Alchemist's and the Chemist's.
There is Economic issues involved, and Agricultural issues as well.

The hex information is the Section Township Range hex thing, 16 square miles in area.
This is also constructed in this fashion for "computerized GM" stuff.
That's a WAY's down the line, but I've got it on the periphery of my vision.

Okay.
I suggest that Magic be strongly generalized, then focused by the GM through "schools" and through the Jobs Table.
By generalized, I think that instead of simply a list of "Spells" better a list of Effects.

Using TFT as a basic start, I pull the following.

Range (Thrown is short range, Missile is longer range)
Time (the Timeline)
Manipulate (fine control like fingers)
Image (mental)
Light (visual)
Detect (information)
Control (will vs. will)
Element (earth, wind, fire, water, ? life/death? Polarized?)

So, I suggest that "Spells" are a combination of these "effects" in various levels of  power.

Effects determine a Spells IQ, and the power, like damage or weight moved etc, is represented via ST.
I'm thinking that each point of IQ placed on an effect gives that effect an increase in the scale of the effect.
For example, I'm thinking that the Image effect allows me to project an image from one mind directly into another. (Vegetable component, probably a psychedelic with pharmacological equivalents as minerals, etc.)
A 1 IQ image would some thing like a simple shape, or a colour, IQ 10 might be a photo quality picture, IQ 20 might be a simple virtual reality and IQ 30 might be a simulation VR.
I use a M$ Word spreadsheet of the Civilization Tech Tree to lay out how "I" think the effects ought to expand per point of IQ.
Similarly, fST should have "rules of thumb" for assigning it such as 1pt per 1d3 damage perhaps?
I have thoughts on this but would rather you had a chance to mull this over and see if you like it at all.
Remember, when all is said and done, the GM can simply just hand the players a list of Spells.
They don't have too be TOLD how magic works on deeper levels.

fST represents "force of will" and literally pulls it's power from the casters life-force.
Or someone else's life-force.
The Creation Spells are involved in using fST to open multi-dimensional links to power sources outside the Figures home Universe, thus freeing the caster from the need to supply fST.

I propose that any given Effect have a number of material components that are associated with the effect itself.
Different "schools" may limit themselves to less than the total number of components available for a given Effect.

A component may consist of animal, vegetable or mineral material.

Animal components are tied to Monsters.
Each given animal that supplies a component will have a population, and a given range.
For example wolf packs have territories ranging up to 7 STR hexes.
I have a LOT of information on various extinction's caused by human activity beginning with the Romans hunting out wild animals for gladiatorial games.
Humanoid species as components are a PARTICULAR point, and I use NOMIC as a legal model.

Vegetable components are tied to Farming.
I use Farming for killing multiple conceptual birds.
Farming consumes the vast majority of a pre-industrial society's population.
Farming production drives a populations growth.
Available Arable land dictates the building of towns and cities and ultimately the growth of a culture.
Growth leads to war.  
Vegetable components use the same rules as Farming for their growth, season, freshness and production levels.
If this sounds acceptable then I have a list of 176 plants currently that I use for the Herbalist Talent.
I have them cross-listed and use a lot of them for healing but in there is stuff for industry (tanning, etc.) and my ideas on herbal components for the TFT Spells.

Mineral components are involved in Mining.
The Primary production of Mines is an economic issue.
Assigning a mineral component is also an economic issue.
Upon the discovery of gunpowder in the west, many bronze statues were melted down and recast as cannon.
We do the same with steal today.
The U.S. used up her richest ores in WW I & II.
It is my impression that a material component is "burnt up" in the casting attempt.
This means that assigning rare minerals like gold as a component will slowly create supply issues over time as there is no recycle factor.
In other words, if gold is used as a material component then the worlds gold supply will diminish over time.
The rate at which this occurs is a function of world population.

In assigning material components I try to bear a few concepts in mind.
Sympathy is one of the oldest ideas in magic.
Early Shaman often physically manifested that which they desired to affect with a symbolic representation.
Ergo, a Shaman calling for rain might pour water upon the ground as part of his ceremony, or the like.

Of course there is always actual chemistry, i.e. black powder is saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal at about 75,15,10%
This is by far the most effective.

The principal of agreement suggests that Potassium Nitrate might be volatile in other combinations.
It is.
"Common" ingredients should be strong examples of agreement.


I suggest the following for casting requirements.

Casting a Spell equal to the Figures IQ is a 5 die attempt and requires Verbal, Symantec and Material components.
+1 or 2 IQ is a 4 die attempt requiring V,S,M components.
+3 or 4 IQ is a 3 die attempt requiring V,S,M components.
+5 or 6 IQ no longer requires a Verbal components.
+7 or 8 IQ no longer requires a Symantec component.
X2 IQ no longer requires any component.
X3 IQ is a 2 die attempt.
X4 IQ is a 1 die attempt.
X5 IQ is automatic.

When reading, a Wizard must have an IQ of 7 or greater than the spell he is reading to be able to hold the book or scroll himself.
At one page per point of IQ and about 500 words per page, I set spoken text at 3 words per second.
A Wizard may try to rush this at a DX check of 3 dice for 4 words a second, and +1 die per word.
A failed check must start over.

Of course DX and IQ equal reaction times.
A Wizard with a lower DX has a slower reaction time.
A faster Wizard gets a +1 per hundredth of a second advantage.

Strength Batteries are DIRECTALLY related to Heinlein's Shipstones.
This allows a "ruler" to pursue a Tech like Artificial ST battery.
It's hard not to think that ST batteries wouldn't wind up as important mineral components.
See gold above.
What should we make ST batteries outta?
TFT suggests gems of a certain value, but TFT's economics is completely broken.
I THINK what he meant was a type of jewel of a certain minimum size.
I'm thinking better would be to say something like 1 ST point stored per carat?
Do they have to be cut?
My rules on calorie requirements for exercise apply to how much fST an apprentice (what kind of shape are they in?) can generate per day for things like magic items or re-charges.

I think a lot of component information will be covered by Talents.
Naturalist has animal info, Prospecting for mineral info and Herbalist for vegetable stuff maybe.
If a player gets an expert Talent that they don't know in real life, I hand then a little pamphlet that has that same info that I use to make GM judgements.
If the player knows more than me in real life then I have them help me refine my pamphlets.
For experience bonuses of course.

I have some ideas on what should be considered has the Common Ingredients, or basic components, but if you don't like my "effects" ideas then I'm not sure how to present the stuff too you.
I would like the acquisition of more powerful spell components to involve "ready made" adventures so to speak.
I've found that setting certain "global variables" that run in a "downtime" system help to achieve this.

Along what lines should I proceed, if at all?
Does any of this appeal?
It's VERY hard to talk about all the interconnections, but consider that the final product is not nearly so complex in presentation.

Gunpowder got more powerful over time, why not magic componets?


____________________________________________________________
Click here to find the perfect picture with our powerful photo search features.
http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2241/fc/BLSrjpYR2bqIg15dIyWbOY842XeSxYXC92SW4vgHvUttwK3zXZcKQSdlHzi/
=====
Post to the entire list by writing to tft@brainiac.com.
Unsubscribe by mailing to majordomo@brainiac.com with the message body
"unsubscribe tft"