From: jhk6@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (John H Kim)
Subject: Re: Magic Systems
Reply-To: jhk6@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (John H Kim)
Organization: Columbia University
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1992 21:26:32 GMT

	Once again, I am continuing to post on my Oneiros game's magic 
system. This is a posting of the basic skills of Magecraft. These are 
written as a mild variant of Ars Magica - where there is a 'start cost' of 
experience points associated with certain skills. After this start cost, 
it costs as much to go up one level as the level number (i.e. one point 
to get to Skill 1; two points to go from Skill 1 to Skill 2, etc.). 
	A skill roll is defined as (Char + 2*Skill + 1d10). If the roll 
exceeds the difficulty, it succeeds. 'Char' here is the average of the 
Characteristics which the skill is based on. (Characteristics in Ars 
Magica vary from -5 to +5 for humans, with 0 being average.)

	Magecraft is based around the accessing of mnemonics, which are 
also called 'truenames', and incorporating them in a symbolic representation 
called the 'binding'. Finding these 'truenames' requires knowledge of the 
specific target. There are basic skills for accessing mnemonics, for 
formulating various effects, and for creating the symbols. However, the 
primary limitation and goal of magecraft is to learn about his targets 
enough to affect them. As such, the primary skills of magecraft are 
*knowledge* skills and *investigation* skills. A mage dealing with plants 
must have a botany-like skill; a mage dealing with people must have 
knowledge of medicine and human behavior; etc. 
	Another limitation, however, is that mages cannot affect them-
selves. If any mage summons his own truename, then he becomes 'self-bound'. 
He becomes fixed in his current state: unable to age, learn, or grow. He 
can no longer access mnemonics, and it is not clear whether he is truly 
concious anymore. 
	As a result, mages tend to be a studious, secretive lot, concerned 
with manipulating and learning about others while themselves staying hidden. 
This is not to say that all magi are paranoid hermits (far from it), but 
that they are moreso on average than the common man. 

	Their skills quantified, then, include: 

Skill:			Start Cost:			Base Char(s): 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mnemonics			5		Intelligence, Perception

Formulations: 
  Command 			1		Intelligence, Presence
  Charm				2		Intelligence, Presence
  Hex				4		  "
  Transcience			3		  "
  Transform			7		  "
  Shifting			5		  "

Bindings: 
  Gesture			-		Intelligence, Dexterity
  Words				-		Intelligence, Communication
  Runes				-		Intelligence, Dexterity


Descriptions:
	Mnemonics is the basic skill of invoking someone's truename 
from limited knowledge about it. The difficulty is based on how well 
you know the target. It is made more difficult by distractions and 
how long you have to maintain the mnemonic. 

	Formulations are the basic skills of the different effects one 
can apply to your target. You formulate on the effect which you want to 
apply it, and then incorporate that effect into your symbol of the 
truename. 
	The simplest effect is the basic Command. This limits/controls 
the *actions* of the target. It does not permit the target to do 
anything which it would not normally be able to do, nor does it effect 
the target's concious processes. If the target is sentient, it will be 
aware of what is happening, and can act to discover the limits within 
which it can act. The difficulty of a command is the range of actions 
which it covers. A command to not run away (on the target's legs) is 
easier than a command which influences the entire body. 
	(Note, however, that the *complexity* of the command is 
different. A command which makes the target's legs to tap-dance has the 
same range of influence as the command to immobilize, although it is 
more complex. Greater complexity does not impair the formulation - it 
will make the binding more difficult, since a longer command is harder 
to incorporate in the symbol.) 
	A Charm is an effect on a target's conciousness. It can effect 
beliefs, memories, opinions, etc. Perceptions and emotions are very 
difficult to effect, however. The difficulty of a charm is how deeply 
it influences the target. 
	A Hex is a command on how a target interacts with its environment. 
It cannot change any innate properties of the target - just certain 
properties of interaction. Examples would include making the object weigh 
more or less, making it harder to touch (Repulsion) or hard to let go of 
(Adhesion). 
	Transcience is an effect which changes the physical state of the 
target, while remaining within the bounds of its identity. Healing and 
wounding, aging and rejuvenating, and so on are within the bounds of 
identity. The difficulty is the degree of change. 
	Transformations are different than other effects, in that they 
invoke two or more truenames. The shape name encircles the target's name 
in the binding, partially transforming the target into the invoked 
shape. The difficulty of the Transformation roll is the sophistication 
of the transform. A basic transform affects the appearance and form of 
the target, followed by the physical abilities, followed by the mind of 
the target. More sophisticated transforms will only affect parts of the 
target. A more complete transformation has a higher complexity, which makes 
the Binding roll more difficult (see below). 
	Shiftings are Transformations of Place. By transforming the 
environment which he is in, a mage can transport things (including himself) 
to a new place by using the truenames of the starting locale and the 
destination. They are a cross between Hexes and Transformations, in a way, 
in that they deal with the interaction of object and environment. 

	Bindings are the basic skills of symbolizing a truename and an 
incorporated effect within some medium. The difficulty of forming this 
symbol is based on its complexity. 
	Gestures are the easiest binding, but the effect disappears as 
soon as the mage stops maintaining it. A gesture binding takes only a 
half-turn to complete, and requires at least the arms and hands of the 
caster to be free. 
	Words are slightly more complex, and the effects last for several 
minutes. It takes one turn to complete. 
	Runes are very powerful in that the effects last as long as they 
remain legibly written. They can be scribed in any detailed medium. Drawing 
with one's finger in dust is very rough, and is much more difficult than the 
standard brush and ink, or stylus and tablet. 

	That's all for now. Soon I will send out guidelines on the difficulty 
of the magecraft rolls. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Kim                    | "You don't need a weatherman to know which way 
jhk6@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu | the wind blows."
Columbia University         |                             - Bob Dylan
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.frp.marketplace,rec.games.frp.dnd,rec.games.frp.advocacy,rec.games.frp