MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 1714 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) [Fwd: experience] by "Morga FreedomsRose" 2) Need and RP'ing minor rant by "Kethryvis" 3) [Fwd: combat] by "Morga FreedomsRose" 4) [Fwd: mind magic and true magic] by "Morga FreedomsRose" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 09 Sep 1998 15:17:47 PDT From: "Morga FreedomsRose" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: [Fwd: experience] Message-ID: <19980909221747.22911.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com> > >experience > Experience awards give players an opportunity to improve their >characters beyond the >skills and talents they started with, as well as the chance to buy off >disadvantages that their >characters have grown out of through play. Almost all of the things that >can be purchased >at character creation can be bought later, almost invariably at a higher >price. > > > Any Advantage Not Specifically Listed in This Section- double the >cost listed in >character creation. > > Mage Ranks, Healer Ranks, or Bardic Ranks- The same as the cost at >character >creation > > Herald Kit- The same as the cost at character creation > > Energy Levels or Health Levels- 10 pts. plus the number of levels >the character >currently has. > > Any New Skill- 6 pts. for a starting skill level of 1 > > To Raise an Existing Skill- Skill level plus 4 pts. > > To Raise Magery or an Obscure Lore Skill- Skill level plus 8 pts. > > > >--------------2B3327ED861AB7918070A97E-- > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1998 15:23:47 -0700 From: "Kethryvis" To: Subject: Need and RP'ing minor rant Message-ID: <19980909223057459.AAA254-+AT+-Shipping-1.it.inreach.com> Urm.... From: Kris Frye > >Why in the name of > >didn't Kethry give Need to Tarma when they and Jadrek > >were challenged by the Adept on the way back to > >Rethwellan from Valdemar? Tarma doesn't need (no pun > >intended) skill as a fighter; she could've taken that mage > > out with no problems whatsoever since Need would've > > protected her from his magic. > I think it has something to do with Need being "asleep." She was bonded > with Kethry and not Tarma, therefore could only protect Kethry. Later, > when Elsbeth wakens her, she can consciously put others under her > protection. This is pure conjecture, though. Not quite...there are SEVERAL instances where Tarma uses Need and Need's magical protections (battling Thalkarsh, during THIS particular battle, etc). There was a REALLY good reason why Keth went and challenged the mage...and I think part of it was the fact that Keth took off so quickly to issue her challenge that Tarma didn't get a chance to object. 'sides...it makes a good plot device. :) AND now its time for Kethry's Rant (tm) Y'know...I love Misty. I really do. Her stories are great...she created this really great world...granted her newer books aren't as good but hey I can overlook that....but this FanFic/RP'ing/MUSH/MUD thing has kinda ticked me off ever since I first heard about it a few years back. Okay, I can see where Misty could get ticked to no end if someone was SELLING a Valdemar RP/FanFic/etc., making big bucks without her permission and not getting a cut...but c'mon! Imitation is the HIGHEST form of flattery. Misty should be flattered that many of us want to build on what she's made for our **own enjoyment** I doubt any of us want to sell a Valdemar RP. I know that any FanFic I've written I would never DREAM of selling to any magazines because I have high respect for Misty and her characters and her world. The stuff I write is strictly for my enjoyment and my friends who read Misty's stuff. I *like* seeing what I can do with the worlds she's created, seeing what different situations I can create there, etc. Again this is **for my enjoyment** not for me to make money, notoriety, etc. I dunno. I can see where Misty is coming from if someone were trying to make money off of their Velgarth RP/FanFic/MUSH/MUD/etc. But if we wanna do it to have fun...I think she should lighten up a little. Heck, even the Star Trek folks are a little bit lighter about this kind of thing than Misty is. If I were a successful writer and I knew that fans of mine were making RPs, etc. based on my stuff and just playing them to have fun and not selling them, I'd be touched! It shows (to me) that the things that I wrote and the stories I created hit home with someone, they enjoyed it, and liked it SO much they wanted to keep the story going. BUT this is of course is IMHO. Flame away. :) -Kethryvis ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 09 Sep 1998 15:19:15 PDT From: "Morga FreedomsRose" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: [Fwd: combat] Message-ID: <19980909221918.17949.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com> >Combat > > Combat is an essential facet of life in the world of Velgarth, >whether it takes the form >of a small-scale skirmish or an all-out war. In cases of large conflicts >involving armies, the >GM will usually determine the outcome of everything that does not >directly involve player >characters, even if a player character happens to be in charge sizable >force him- or herself. > Physical damage is the biggest threat to players, as most of the >bandits, >mage-constructed creatures, and generally nasty denizens of the world >seldom if ever >posess Mind-Magic or True Magic. Therefore, most of this chapter will >deal with what >happens when characters swing, throw, shoot, or otherwise project objects >at one another >with the intention of causing pain. > Combat rounds > Most combat will be resolved the same way other skill tests are. >Initiative will be >rolled on 1d10 and the character’s Agility score will be added, rerolling >any tens and >ignoring any ones. Thus, it is possible for a character with a >relatively low Agility to take >his or her actions before more dextrous characters through a player’s >luck with dice. >After the order of action has been determined with the highest numbered >character getting >the first action and the lowest number moving last, the characters then >take their actions in >order. Each character gets three actions per combat round, plus or minus >Agility bonuses. >Each action can be used to either attack, dodge, block, move, aim a >ranged weapon or >prepare for a called shot in toe-to-toe combat (-1 to the difficulty >level of a ranged attack >if the attack comes right after the aiming action, the penalty for a >called shot is reduced by >one if part of the round before is spent preparing for it. This bonus is >not cumulative, so >multiple actions taken to aim an attack still only result in the -1 >difficulty modifier), >bandage a wound, drink something, or get something out of a pack or >container. Any use >of Mind Magic or True Magic takes a minumum of one full combat round, >regardless of >the character’s number of bonus actions. One action can be used to >attack, dodge, or >block an attack, but the use of any action in this way extends the >casting time by another >full round. Any round that a magic-user takes more than one action, the >attempted use of >either form of magic fails and must be started again from nothing. All >energy levels put >into the casting are lost as well. > Attack and Defense > To attack, a player rolls the character’s weapon skill plus Strength >score (Exception: skill >plus Agility score in the case of ranged weapons) on the Skill Rolls >Table and counts the >number of successes against an average difficulty. If enough successes >are made to hit, >the defender has the option of dodging or blocking the attack with a >shield. In order to do >this, the defender must roll a number of successes equal to the number of >successes the >attacker has. If the defender makes the roll, no damage is done to the >character. For the >optional shield blocking rules, see Shield blocking. If the attacker >makes 4 successes >or more above the number he needs to hit, the attack is a critical hit >that ignores all armor >and does all the damage rolled. If the attack gets through, the player >then rolls damage >according to the weapon’s damage dice and any Strength modifiers the >character has. The >defender’s armor rating is then subtracted from the total amount of >damage and the result >is applied to the defender. If a character is reduced to 0 hit points, >he or she falls >unconscious and loses one hit point every two rounds until he is >bandaged, Healed, or >killed. At -5 hit points, the character has one round to live and will >need weeks or months >of intensive Healing and rest if he is miraculously saved. Example: >Vanyel Ashkevron is >fighting a particularly nasty demon. Vanyel’s player rolls a 1 for >initiative and the >demon, played by the GM, rolls a 10 followed by a 5. Vanyel’s initiative >is only 10 (his >Agility score) while the demon has a 24 for initiative (the 15 he rolled >plus his 9 Agility). >The demon goes first, rolling three successes and missing as Vanyel’s >player rolls five >successes to dodge. Vanyel attacks and gets 8 successes, five more than >the demon rolled >to dodge. The demon’s natural armor of 4 is ignored in this case because >of the critical >hit, so all the damage Vanyel does is applied directly to the demon. >Vanyel’s player rolls >13 points of damage with his longsword, killing the already wounded >demon. >called shots > In order to make an attack to a specific location, a player must >first announce his >intention to do so. If the attack is being made without any preparation, >the difficulty of >the attack is increased by three, to a maximum of 10. The advantage to a >called shot is >that it allows for the potential of crippling damage to a specific part >of an opponent’s >body, like a sword arm. In order to effectively cripple or destroy the >target of a called >shot, damage must be done equal to 1/4 or more of the opponent’s total >hit points. In the >case of a weapon being the target of a called shot, 2/3 or more of the >weapon’s total >damage must be rolled. > Shield blocking > If a shield is used to block an attack, damage should still be rolled. >No damage is done to >the defending character any time a shield is successfully used to block, >but if the shield >takes a minimum of 1/3 of its total hit points in one attack, that damage >should be >recorded. When a shield’s hit points reach or go below zero, all that >remains is scrap >metal or firewood and the shield cannot be used to block attacks again. > Mental attacks and damage >In the case of mental attacks, the character’s number of energy levels >acts as armor and all >resistance rolls to any sort of mental or magical attack, not just those >designed to cause >mental damage, are made based on energy levels as well. If a character >is subject to a >mind- or magic-based assault, the player rolls 1d10 against his total >number of energy >levels. A roll of 10 is a failure regardless of the number of levels the >character has. If the >roll is successful, the attacker must have rolled a number of successes >equal to or greater >than 2/3 of the defender’s energy levels in order to do damage. >Otherwise, the defender >suffers no ill effects. Damage is usually based on the number of energy >levels expended by >the attacker. >energy levels expended damage >3 1d10 >4 1d10+1 >5 1d10+2 >6 2d10 >7 2d10+1 >8 2d10+2 >9 3d10 >10 3d10+1 >And so on. Even if enough damage is rolled to reduce a character’s >mental hit points >below zero, the hit points only drop to zero. After the character is at >zero, additional >damage may be inflicted through the use of nightmares or a more direct >attack. When a >character’s mental hit points are reduced to zero, he falls unconscious. >He does not >continue to lose hit points unless he is under some kind of continued >mental duress >(usually magical in nature) and will not suffer anything more than bad >dreams unless he is >somehow reduced to -1/3 of his original hit points. If this happens, the >character develops >phychological problems or hallucinations. If the character continues to >drop, he may gain >more mental disfigurements or lose a point of Intelligence or Wisdom at >the GM’s >discretion. If a character ever reaches -2 times his original number of >mental hit points, he >is dead for all intents and purposes. Example: Talia’s player rolls >three successes to >scare a bandit away with her empathic projection of pure fear. The >bandit resists, rolling >a 2 against his 6 total energy levels. Talia’s player gives up on the >subtle approach and >pumps 7 energy levels into a damaging attack that will do 2d10+2 points >of damage if it >succeeds. The bandit rolls a 7 on his next roll and gets blasted for 19 >points of damage, >one more point than he had. However, his total of 6 energy levels acts >as armor and >reduces the damage to 13. He now has a severe headache and can probably >not >withstand a second assault. >final strike > Final Strike is the most violent and destructive thing that a Mind >Magic or True Magic >user can do in any combat situation. It completely obliterates the >person who initiates it >and does incredible amounts of damage to anyone and anything in the >immediate vicinity. >Anyone unfortunate enough to be within a foot of someone doing a final >strike is >obliterated as well, regardless of any defense provided by energy levels >or immunity to >Mind Magic or True Magic. Anyone else in the area of effect takes 10 >points of damage >automatically regardless of physical armor or energy levels and then 10 >times the damage >they would take if the person invoking the Final Strike had expended all >of his levels at >once (including the extra level provided by expending all of his mental >hit points) in a >direct attack. If a Herald or a mage with a familiar is involved, the >Companion’s of >familiar’s levels are added to this total if they choose to join in the >Final Strike. Thus, if a >Herald with 5 energy levels and his Companion with 5 energy levels set >off a Final Strike, >expending all of their energy levels and mental hit points to effectively >use 6 levels a piece, >the resulting damage will be 10 automatic points plus 4d10 (using the >damage progression >from the chart in mental attacks and damage) times 10 additional points. >It >should be noted that all of the damage dealt by a Final Strike is >physical and will, more >likely than not, kill anyone witnessing it. Before performing a Final >Strike, a player should >remember that it should be used as nothing other than a last resort and >should probably >not be used in any situation that has the potential to create large >numbers of very unhappy >players. > >--------------B89CE2292B6FE68BA3F89644-- > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 09 Sep 1998 15:21:59 PDT From: "Morga FreedomsRose" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: [Fwd: mind magic and true magic] Message-ID: <19980909222204.13221.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com> > >mind magic and true magic >“I’ll show you magic that will turn your hair white...” -Starwind k’Teva, >Taleydras mage > Magic pervades the entire world of Velgarth and affects the lives of >all its inhabitants, >whether they know it or not. From the Mind Magic practiced by Valdemar’s >Heralds to >ensure the safety of monarch and country to the node-magic the >Hawkbrothers use to save >humanity from the aftereffects of the MageWars, magic of one kind or >another can be >found almost anywhere. Both kinds of magic require the same medium for >their use; >energy levels. These represent the mental strain it takes to do >something magically, either >with a Heraldic Gift or True Magic. While spending 1 energy level might >manifest itself as >a mild, fleeting headache in most characters, a 5 or 6 level expenditure >will almost >certainly make the user dizzy or at least ill-tempered for a bit. This >depends on the >individual as well- someone with 10 or more energy levels might not >notice the effects of >spending 1 or 2 levels at a time, but another character with 2, 3, or >even 4 total levels will >be seriously affected by the same effort. Whenever a character spends >more than 1/3 of >his energy levels (rounded up) in one action (either in one round or in a >spell or other >continuous action), roll 1d10 against the total number of energy levels >the character has to >make a stun check. If the player rolls higher than the character’s >levels, the character >cannot take any action and must rest for a number of rounds equal to the >difference >between the number of energy levels the character has and the number >rolled. Example: >Jaysen spends 5 energy levels at once in an effort to safely shield >himself from some >oncoming mage-lightning. Having spent more than 1/3 of his 9 levels, his >player rolls >1d10 and gets a 10. Jays is going to spend one round stunned and woozy >beneath his >shields before he has a chance to take any further action. Had his >player rolled a 9, >Jaysen would have suffered no ill effects and could retaliate the next >round. >Another important thing to remember about energy levels and any kind >magic is that a >character can never spend more energy levels than twice his skill. >Therefore, if a >Herald-Mage has his Magery skill at 3 and his FarSight skill at 3, he >cannot spend more >than 6 energy levels at once when using either power. The exception to >this is a case in >which a character is an Adept mage, Master Healer or Bard, or has a skill >level of 10 in >any of his other Gifts. If any of these conditions are met, the >character is no longer limited >by his skill rating. One final note about spending energy levels: in an >attempt to wrench >one more level’s worth of energy from himself, any character may spend >all of his current >mental hit points in order to generate one more energy level for his >magic. The drawback >to this is that after the magic is finished, he will collapse unconscious >and will most likely >have a very bad case of backlash, as explained in the section entitled >backlash. >true magic >“I’m not one to believe in magic/ but I sometimes have a second sight/ >I’m not one with a >sense of proportion/ when my heart still changes overnight...” -Rush > > True Magic is, according to some, the key to all of the power in the >Universe. It can >literally bring those who master it almost anything they desire. Thought >and deed are one >and the same when one is using magic, which is why all mages endure >rigorous training in >order to use their powers properly. Newly-awakened Mage Gifts, even >relatively weak >ones, can be sources of great destruction if left untrained too long. >There are some tasks >that are (usually) beyond the untrained, however, and the Mage Ranks are >ways of >measuring how far a mage has come in his learning and power. Note that >any mage can >reach a level 10 skill in Magery unless otherwise noted by a racial >limitation or such, but >not all mages with high Magery ratings go beyond apprentice status due to >lack of power. >mage ranks >rank minimum skill and energy levels > point cost >Apprentice skill 1, any >levels none >Journeyman skill 4, 4 >levels 5 >Master skill 6, 6 >levels 10 >Adept skill 8, 8 >levels 15 > >The point cost for each rank represents the experience with magic and the >conditioning of >the mind that is needed to allow a mage to work magic with increased >potence and ease. >Descriptions of the abilities of various ranks are found below. >Apprentice- A mage with this rank is the weakest of all mages. He cannot >use any spells >save the Levinbolt spell, must pull all of his energy from himself and >cannot recharge from >his surroundings (Apprentices recharge energy levels at the rate of 1 per >day unless they >meditate specifically for that purpose), and is unable to use >focus-stones or nodes. >Apprentices, however, are among the most difficult mages to detect >because all of the >power they use comes from within themselves. > >Journeyman- At Journeyman rank, a mage can use any spell that is not >specifically >disallowed to mages below Master or Adept rank, can draw a limited amount >of power >from his surroundings in order to recharge himself (no more than 1 energy >level can be >restored this way every three hours), and can use focus-stones. However, >any focus stone >a Journeyman uses, even his Prime Focus, will give him a bonus of no more >than one >energy level. At Journeyman rank, a mage is still unable to use any >energies outside of >himself for his magical work. > >Master- Master rank gives a mage the ability to use any spell not >restricted to Adepts, get >the full potential out of any focus-stone he uses including his Prime >Focus, and the abilities >to pull 3 energy levels from his surroundings for every magical action >and recharge 1 >energy level an hour. Masters can also tap and manipulate the ley-lines >running into a >node if they expend 2 energy levels to initiate the contact, but that >contact is difficult to >maintain and is potentially disasterous if the mage allows himself to be >drawn into the >node the stream flows into. A Master can pull a number of energy levels >from ley-lines >equal to the total number of energy levels he has at one time, or as many >energy levels as it >takes to drain the line, whichever is less. > >Adept- In addition to the powers that come with the previous ranks, >Adepts can use any >spells, tap ley-lines at no cost, and tap into nodes at a cost of one >energy level. Adepts >can fully recharge themselves through a few moments of concentration or >meditation, and >unconsciously recharge 1 energy level every two hours regardless of what >they are doing. >Adepts can draw up to 1/2 their energy levels from their surroundings in >one action >(provided the area has that much magic stored) and can pull an unlimited >number of levels >from a ley-line or a node until they are drained. Drawing energy levels >from ley-lines >causes the mage to feel the effects as if he had spent his own levels >equal to 1/4 of what he >drew from the ley lines. Drawing node-energy makes the mage feel as >though he had >spent a number of his own levels equal to 1/2 of what he took from the >node. The mage >will still have the same number of levels stored as he did when he >initiated the contact, but >will feel exhausted regardless. > working magic > While magic can accomplish fantastic things that, in some cases at >least, are impossible >through any other means, there are limits on things that can be done and >rules that govern >the flow of magic, just as the laws of physics dictate the actions of >electricity and water >streams. Below are some general guidelines on the expenditure of energy >levels and >possible effects or levels of force. > >1 energy level- light a candle or fuse, make a small object hop about a >foot, cast a simple >illusion, second-level Truth Spell, simple shield, mindspeech to the >Mage-Gifted in the >immediate vicinity, aura-checking > >2 levels- cast a complex illusion that can move or make simple sounds, >light a small fire, >make medium-sized objects hop about a foot or propel a small one like a >sling bullet, >Levinbolt > >3 levels- light a small fire from damp tinder, move larger obejcts a >short distance, or throw >medium sized ones at high speed, moving illusions that speak, simple >wards and warning >spells > >4 levels- light bonfires, throw large objects, tangible illusions > >5 levels- light bonfires with damp tinder, solid illusions, Gate Spell, >warding spells that >also shield the warded area > >6 levels- minor transmutation of limited duration and small amounts of >matter, wards that >shield and/ or strike out against invasion, fire out of nowhere > >7 levels- longer duration of transmutation or greater quantity of matter >transmuted, >alteration of weight or physical state, mage-lightning, diversion of >ley-lines > >8 levels- disentegration of some matter, construction of small to medium >objects out of >thin air, movement of small cottages and homes, traverse dimensional >barriers, put living >beings into stasis for up to 1 hour > >9 levels- major transmutation of up to 20 pounds of matter permanently, >rain of fire, minor >mage-storm, pure magic blast that will warp or anihilate a cottage or >cold drake sized >object > >10 levels- Node creation, minor permanent bespelling of objects, >temporary alteration of >the laws of nature within the immediate vicinity > In order to use magic in any given situation, a player must describe >what he plans to do >and what he is using to do it, such as a focus-stone or a spell, that >will affect the number >of energy levels he must spend. The GM then tells him how many levels to >spend and the >target number for success. Then player then rolls his Magery plus his >Intelligence and >reports the number of successes. If neccessary, the player will then >roll for damage or >a stun check. Whether the attempt was a success or a botch, the effects >of the magic are >then up to the GM. >ley-lines and nodes > In addition to the magical power that exists throughout the world in >the earth, rocks, >and trees, there are things called ley-lines and nodes that exist in >certain places that are >concentrations of the energy that mages use. They are both extremely >powerful and >extremely difficult to control. Both will bleach the hair and eyes of >any mage who works >with them to white and silver, but nodes bleach mages with far more >predictability and >rapidity than do ley-lines. The weakest ley-lines in existence hold as >few as 9 or 10 energy >levels, and the strongest known can hold around 50. Nodes are generally >50 or so levels >strong at their weakest and have never been found to hold more than 150, >but there are >many parts of the world that have not been mapped accurrately, let alone >surveyed >magically, and this is only an account of naturally occuring ley-lines >and nodes. Artificially >made varieties of either can be stronger or weaker than expected for >their size and >location, but are usually unstable and can interact strangely with their >surroundings. In >order to use either, a mage must establish a line between himself and the >power source. >This costs 2 levels for a Master to tap a ley-line, no levels for an >Adept to tap a ley-line, >and 1 level for an Adept to tap into a node. Without first establishing >this line, a mage is >drawing raw energy into himself and causing 1 point of mental damage for >every level he >uses. Nodes and ley-lines usually regain one quarter of their total >energy, rounded up, per >hour, but if drained to less than one tenth of their full strength they >can take up to a week >to refill. This is another general guideline, with actual recharging >rates depending on >particular nodes and ley-lines. > >shields > Shields are common magical constructs used when a mage does not want >to be seen, >heard, disturbed, touched, or harmed in some way by a physical or magical >attack. Shields >can take any form and protect those using them from virtually everything, >but the most >common sort of shield is a kind of half-sphere that surrounds the mage’s >entire body and >ends where it touches the ground. Normal shields cost 1 energy level and >have hit points >equal to 1/2 of the mage’s total hit points, but can only protect against >one sort of thing, >like physical, magical, or Mind Magic-based attacks. More protection >requires a greater >number of energy levels, though very specific protection, such as >protection against only >fire-based attacks, might make a shield twice or three times as strong as >a basic shield for >the cost of one energy level. Using pure Mind Magic or True Magic to >take down a shield >usually does 3 points of damage per energy level spent. > >mind magic > Mind magic works in much the same way that True Magic does, but is >both stronger >and more limited. While many of the Heraldic Gifts can be duplicated >through the use of >magic, it is less costly in terms of time and energy to use one of the >Gifts instead. For >example, in ideal conditions it costs nothing for a Mindspeaker to send >or recieve thoughts >to or from a friendly party in the immediate vicinity. The same feat >costs a minimum of 1 >energy level for a mage, and considerably more if the person being spoken >to is not >Mage-Gifted. Likewise, someone with the Gift of Fetching would have a >much easier >time diverting an oncoming boulder or other purely physical danger than a >mage would >because inherent Gifts are much easier to apply on the spur of the moment >than magic. >This is because the Gifts are meant for one sort of task, and magic is >more of an >all-purpose tool, making Mind Magic much easier to use instinctively. >The restrictions on >Mind Magic are much the same as those on True Magic, except that there >are no outside >sources of energy for those with Heraldic Gifts. Herald-Mages and the >like can tap into >magical energy to fuel their Mind Magic, but those with only Mind Magic >must recharge >through meditation and the natual replenishing of their energies. >Guidelines for energy >level expenditure for each of the gifts are outlined below. >Thought-sensing and Projecting- No energy levels are needed to speak mind >to mind >with another Mindspeaker in the immediate vicinity, 1 level is needed to >read the thoughts >of or project thoughts into the minds of those who are unGifted or >blocking, 2 levels are >needed to punch through active shields, and long-distance Mindspeech of >any sort usually >requires 2 energy levels for the first ten miles of distance and 1 level >for every ten miles >beyond that. >Fetching- Small objects at close range can be Fetched without any effort, >but anything >more than 5 yards away requires the expenditure of one energy level. >Anything within >visual range can be Fetched for 4 energy levels or less, with the >exception of living things >that are person sized or bigger, which cost a minimum of 5 to Fetch, and >immensely huge >things like carts and catapaults. Huge things generally cost at least 6 >to Fetch, though the >total cost is at the GM’s discretion. The cost of Fetching anything can >be reduced by 1 >energy level if the Fetcher is in contact with the object as he Fetches >it, and those with the >FarSight Gift in addition to Fetching may Fetch anything they can see >with FarSight at a >cost of twice the energy levels it would take to fetch the same object >normally, after >paying the cost to use FarSight to see the object. This cost may >increase for extreme >distances, like the distance across a continent. >FarSight- FarSeers can usually see about 10 miles away per energy level >spent, sometimes >more, depending on weather conditions and such. >ForeSight- ForeSeers, more often than not, have flashes of their Gift >during dreams or >brief moments of insight that they do not consciously control. At skill >levels of 5 and >above, though, ForeSight can be used to voluntarily look into the future >of an object, area, >or person. 1, 2, or 3 levels can be spent for a general, specific, or >extremely detailed >vision of the future, though some futures may be too blurry or uncertain >to get a clear >picture even if 3 levels are spent in this way. The length of time in >the future can be >controlled somewhat, as well. 1 level will show about a week in the >future, 2 levels a >month, 3 six months, 4 a year, 5 two years, 6 three years, 7 four years, >etc. For all of that >effort, however, ForeSeers almost invariably get better and more useful >information about >future events from the involuntary spurts their Gifts manifests in. >Empathy- This cost to use this Gift is much like the cost of using >Mindspeech, except >that in order to sense emotions through anything but active shielding >costs nothing and the >cost to project any sort of emotions is 2 energy levels. In order to >root an emotion in >someone’s mind and ensure that it remains for 1d10 hours, the cost is 4 >levels. For 1d10 >days, the cost is 5 levels, and 8 levels will permanently implant a >simple behavoir or >emotional response into someone’s mind if they fail their resistance >roll. Usually empaths >cannot sense emotions from those they cannot see except through a >lifebonding or other >such bond, but with effort they can pick up the emotions of those distant >at twice the cost >for distance that Mindspeakers have (4 levels for the first 10 miles, 2 >levels for every ten >miles after that). >Firestarting- This Gift requires no energy to produce a spark or to light >a candle, 1 level >to light anything as difficult as a campfire with damp tinder, 2 levels >for a bonfire, 3 for a >bonfire with damp tinder, 5 to immediately ignite a cart-sized object, >call flame out of the >air (to temporarily create a flaming weapon or settle on a suit of metal >armor for a few >rounds), or heat most kinds of rocks to the point of explosion, and 7 to >cause a person to >spontaneously combust. At 8, large expanses of ground can be made to >erupt in flame, >and 9 or 10 can create firey rains or fill the equivalent of one or two >fairly large cottages >with flame. The average damage for pure bolts of flame created by this >Gift are: 1- 1 pt. 2- >3 3- 1d10+2 4- 1d10+5 5- 2d10 6- 2d10+3 7- 2d10+5 8- 3d10 >9-3d10+3 10- >3d10+5 >Healing- This Gift can do little other than ease pain, stop bleeding, >heal burns, and >provide the body with extra energy for its own healing unless the Healer >is also trained in >Medicine. With that knowledge, a Healer can Heal all but the most >mutilated bodies or >exotic and deadly diseases. With the proper training, these things are >possible: 1 level can >fix a headache, fix a sprain, or stop minor bleeding. 2 levels can >relocate a bone or cure a >slight cold, 3 levels can mend a cleanly broken bone or cure the flu, 4 >levels can handle >multiple fractures, severe bleeding, or third-degree burns, 5 levels can >replace significant >amounts of lost tissue, 6 levels will mend shattered bones or cure the >most resilient of >common diseases, 7 levels will fix any problems with minor internal >organs, 8 levels can >take care of heart, kidney, or other comperable problems as well as begin >to regenerate >limbs, 9 levels can replace missing internal organs, fluids, or perform >the equivalent of >brain surgery, and if 10 levels can’t save a patient he probably can’t be >saved without >divine aid. With 9 or 10 levels and the help of magic, a Healing Adept >could concievably >alter life-forms or possibly create his own. As far as regenerating hit >points, roll the >Healer’s Healing skill plus his Intelligence score. The number of >successes on the roll is >the number of hit points regained for every energy level spent. >Bardic Gift- This gift is something like Empathy and Mindspeaking in that >it works best >at close range. In fact, there is no widely known way to extend the >range of the Bardic >Gift beyond hearing distance, although its effects can last for a long >time after it is >invoked. In the case of the Bardic Gift, the number of levels spent >usually depends on the >size of the audience, but levels can also be spent to influence the minds >of audience >members. 1 level can hold audiences of about a dozen people, 2 levels >can hold up to >thirty, 3 levels will hold fifty or so, 4 levels will hold up to eighty, >5 levels will hold about >a hundred. 6 levels will hold about 150, 7 levels close to 200, 8 levels >for up to 250, 9 >levels for 300, and 10 levels for up to 400. A roll must be made using >thr Bardic Gift skill >rating + Intelligence to determine how long the Gift will work without >additional levels >being spent. The number of successes on the roll represents the number >of hours the Gift >will work before more levels must be used. If the time is more than an >hour or two, a >musician or speaker must take measures to ensure that his instruments, >hands, and voice >are not damaged by continuous use or risk the possibility of permanent >damage and >possible penalties on further attempts to use his Gift. In order to >plant ideas or feelings in >the minds of the audience, one level is usually sufficient per every two >levels spent on >holding the audience. In order to plant definite thoughts, hold a >handful of people in >thrall, or coerce an individual into performing a certain task, a base of >3 levels must be >spent in addition to the levels needed to hold the audience. This cost >increases for poor >performing conditions or the strength of an individual’s will to resist >such coercion. > >bardic and healing ranks > Bards and Healers are ranked as well, but there are no Adepts in >their rankings. >Otherwise, the ranks are the same, with the exception of Master rank >taking a skill of 7 >and 7 energy levels to achieve instead of the 6 it takes in each for >mages. Other skills that >are relevant to Bard’s or Healer’s training must be brought up to the >same level that the >skill in the Gift is in order to advance in ranks, as well. This means >that a Healer needs a >rating in Medicine at least equal to his Healing Gift and a Bard’s >Singing or Instrument >skill must at least equal his skill in the Bardic Gift. A description of >the ranks as they >apply to Bards and Healers follows. >Apprentice- For Healers, only pain-blocking or Healing can be attempted >at any one >time. True Healing without pain-blocking makes the patient hurt ten >times more than the >original injury or illness does, and pain-blocking does nothing to help >the recovery >process. Anything worse than a broken bone cannot be cured by an >apprentice healer. >Bards cannot hold an audience of more than fifty, regardless of the >energy spent, and may >not use their Gift to do anything but entertain. >Journeyman- A Journeyman healer can do anything that a Master can do >with the >exception of the most intricate Healing processes, such as repairing >major organs or >restoring massive amounts of majorly damaged tissue. This process, >however, can >sometimes take hours and occasionally leaves the Healer feeling as though >he has suffered >the injury as well. Journeyman Bards can implant vague feelings into the >minds of their >audience and can hold audiences of up to 150, but cannot make any >impression lasting >more than an hour that is unrelated to their performance. >Master- Master Healers and Bards can perform to the utmost of the >abilities listed in the >descriptions of their Gifts. >backlash > Backlash occurs when a mage or Mind-Gifted character uses 2/3 or >more of his power >in one action or drains his mental hit points to zero in order to get >enough energy for his >magical work. Usually, if a player makes a successful resistance roll at >-1 when this >happens, the character suffers nothing but a round of inaction followed >by a full day of rest >beginning after he ceases to be active. If, however, the roll is failed >or the character has >spent all of his mental hit points in order to get an extra level’s worth >of energy, he >immediately falls unconscious and must spend 1 day plus 1d10 days resting >for every digit >the resistance roll was missed by. For instance, if a player needed to >roll a 6 to avoid >serious backlash and instead rolled a 9, the character would need to >spend 3d10+1 days >resting to recover. Each day, a roll must be made against the number of >health levels a >character has in order to determine whether his body suffers from any >additional health >problems due to the weakened state of his immune system. Proper care and >supervision >by Healers can give bonuses to or even eliminate the need for this roll >under the right >circumstances. This time can be reduced by proper care by Healers, some >types of herbal >remedies, and the occasional application of a Wild Talent or the suuport >and care of a >bondmate. >focus-stones > Focus-stones are used by mages to better attune the power they use >to themselves and >thus reduce the personal cost of magical activity. Mages can use almost >any kind of clear, >semi-precious stone as focus-stones, but each individual mage differs in >the benefit that >can be reaped from a particular variety of stone. The structure and type >of material a >focus-stone is made from are what give it the power to channel >mage-energy, and because >magical energy behaves somewhat like light waves, the bigger and clearer >the stone is the >better it generally channels that energy. Anyone playing a mage must >choose two types of >stone during character creation, one to be the character’s Prime Focus >and one to be his >Null Stone. A mage’s Prime Focus is the best sort of stone for the mage >to use because >its structure perfectly complements the mage’s personality and method of >using his energy. >Because of this, using a Prime Focus increases the bonus yielded by the >stone by 2 energy >levels. A Null Stone, however, is the variety of focus-stone that a mage >can never use >because its structure makes it more difficult for the mage to expend his >energies. >Focus-stones usually range from 1/2 a pound to 2 pounds and have varying >levels of >clarity, from almost opaque to perfection. Using a focus-stone can bring >a mage’s energy >expenditure for simple spells and actions down to 0, but for complex >spells the use of a >stone can never reduce the cost below 1. Focus-stones can reduce the >cost of an action by >as much as 6 energy levels for the largest and most perfectly clear >specimens, allowing for >a total bonus of up to 8 energy levels if a mage manages to find and use >a large, clear >stone that is his Prime Focus. >blood magic > Blood magic is the art of using the power contained in the essence >of living beings to >provide the energy needed to work magic. While there are some forms of >blood magic >that are widely accepted and do not require the energy released by death >to make them >work properly, it is usually practiced by the marginally Gifted and >power-hungry to >provide a power base for themselves. All but the most complex blood >magic rites require >only 1 energy level from the caster to set them off, relying on the power >provided by the >spilling of blood to supply the rest. Using any more than the most >insignificant of blood >rites or storing more than 1 energy level of power obtained in this way >will taint the user’s >aura for anyone with mage-sight to see and can sometimes consume the >weak-willed or >unwary user. >spells > Spells are the most common way of reducing the energy cost of >magical activity. >While not all spells require the Gift of using True Magic, many of the >more commonly >known and used spells in the mage community do. Below is a sampling of >the most >common spells, the kind that most Mage-Gifted individuals are likely to >come across at >some point in their careers. >Levinbolt- this is the most widely-used of all magical attacks, used to >shape magical >energy into a deadly projectile not entirely unlike a crossbow bolt. The >base cost is 2 >energy levels for a blast that does 1d10 pts. of damage, with an >additional 1d10 pts. being >added for each 2 levels spent after that. > >Truth Spell- popular with Valdemar’s Heralds, this spell has two levels, >one that simply >tells the caster when the subject is lying and one that more or less >forces the subject to >speak the truth. The first level costs nothing to cast and can be used >by anyone who is >marginally Gifted in anything. The second level costs 2 energy levels >and requires a >moderately strong Gift (skill rating of at least 5) to cast. >Summon Spirit- This spell opens a small portal into one of the other >Planes and calls a >particular entity to the portal so that the caster may converse with it. >The cost to open the >portal is only two energy levels, but if the caster wishes to coerce or >bind the spirit the >energy cost will increase substantially. This spell can also be used to >attempt to speak >with the spirits of the dead, but the requirements are a great deal >higher and this version of >the spell may only be attempted by an Adept. First, a part of the >deceased’s body or an >object that spent a great deal of time in the subject’s presence is >needed. Before casting >the spell, a mage should do some scrying to insure that the spirit can >still be reached. >Then, a minimum of one hour must be spent with the subject’s remains to >prepare them >magically before the spell is cast. The cost s 5 energy levels plus 1 >level for every decade >the subject has been dead. > >Gate- Used only by Adepts, this spell costs a minimum of 5 energy levels, >all of which >must come from the mage’s own personal reserves and is not reduced in any >way through >the use of focus-stones. A successfully cast Gate-spell opens a portal >between the mage’s >current location and the desired destination, transporting anything that >passes through it to >the destination. A basic Gate can usually reach across distances of up >to 60 miles, with >each additional 20 miles of distance costing 1 energy level. Additional >energy levels spent >can be reduced by the use of focus-stones. Magical interference, bad >weather, or certain >other unknown variables can also affect the cost of Gating. > >Pool of Imaging- This spell allows any number of people to speak with >each other as if >they were in the same room. All that is required is a shallow bowl made >of obsidean, >granite, or some other naturally occurring rock filled with water and 3 >energy levels to >invoke the spell. The spell requires an additional energy level every >half hour to keep it >going and sometimes takes more energy to keep it stable in bad weather or >instances of >magical interference, but while it is operating anyone who can see into >bowl can see those >on the other end of the spell and anyone within earshot can hear and be >heard in the >conversation. If those on the receiving end of the spell do not have a >bowl prepared for >the spell, the caster must center the spell on one person and can only >see and hear anyone >within range of him. > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 1714 **********************************