PDA

View Full Version : Draft 0.0 Ley Lines



ConjurerDragon
02-09-2003, 06:24 PM
p. 134 right column
"Ley Lines are a non-transferable domain asset. When a regent dies, her ley
network is destroyed."

I do not like that rule. Holdings or trade routes do not dissolve
automatically, but became inherited by the heir, by someone else (lands
choice) or uncontrolled in the old rules. Why should ley lines differ? In
addition the Havens of the Great Bay, p. 77 has an example of inheriting
leylines: "Young Lianna Rünjoral (FRj; W3; Re, major; 27; NG) maintains the
ley lines and sources she INHERITED withing Wolfgaard, but seldom makes her
presence felt within the realm." The passage "bequeathing ley lines" on p.
31 of the Book of Magecraft tells the same, only that the the ley link
action is necessary to do this.


p. 134 left column
"When a ley line is forged, all true mage source regents in the provinces
though [must be thRough] which it passes are aware of the change in the flow
of mebhaighl through their realms. These regents are aware of the direction
of the mebhaighl flow and are aware of whether the line begins, ends, or
simply passes through their province."

I do not like that rule either ;-)
In the Book of Regency a fine example "Roesonean distraction" is given in
which Rogr Aglondier created a ley line into Rhumannen, cast a spell and
disbands the ley line without someone noticing that he did it.

If the Sword Mage would automatically notice that someone, but not who,
establishes a ley line that ends in Rhumannen, then he would be alerted to
this action which in the example did not happen. I would like it more if
"the flow of Mebhaighl" is not so clear to source regents. Perhaps they
sense a change (=ley line created) and could bid RP against it - but to know
more as from where, to where, should not be automatic knowledge. Perhaps to
scions of Vorynn with Mebhaighl sense - Yes. But to others only if they at
least succeed a Scry check or something like this.


p. 134 "Once created a ley line costs nothing to maintain. However the use
of a ley line to perform any realm spell increases the regency point cost of
that spell by the number of provinces crossed by the ley network that
connects the province to the necessary source."

Mmmh. No maintenance, but higher price for realm spells.
As I played Torele Anviras in COG II take him as example.
He has his tower (and high source) in Freestead and his 2 official leylines
go from Seaport northeast to Dooms Peak and from Winters Deep to The Gorge
(as painted in the cardboard of the PS of Talinie)
Normally he has to pay 2 RP per domain turn to maintain his ley lines under
the old 2E rules.
Now none.

However if he would cast a realm spell in Seaport it would become expensive:
Freestead, Serimset, Lindholme, Greensward, Seaport = 3 provinces crossed,
or even 4 if also counting the end and 5 if counting all provinces. That´s
the normal maintenance of 3 to 5 (please tell me which amount would be
right) seasons.

While playing Torele Anviras I always though (selfish me) that Wizards had
little income: No GB, only RP. From these RP to pay ley lines, while
guilders had to pay none for their trade routes and even (theoretically)
could earn RP from them I found discriminating ;-)
A new rule for ley line cost should certainly be lower cost than 1 RP per line.
The old optional rules from the Book of Magecraft (p. 29 power up) was going
in that direction but had risks: Only pay RP at the beginning of a domain
turn for that lines you plan to use - but risk a 5% chance of losing
unmaintained lines (rolling a D20 and on a 1 the line dissipates).
Or not forging new leylines, but extending them (still one line to pay RP
for, but longer) - with the risk that the whole line can be destroyed by an
enemys spell.
The draft 0.0 rule however is not necessarily cheaper, only moves the
payment of the RP from seasonal 1 RP/line to phoneline (long-distance-call 1
RP per province crossed without risk.

A temple regent earns both RP and GB from his temples while the wizard earns
only RP. The temple regents realm spells can (without ley lines) often have
an effect in provinces without highlevel temple holdings (e.g. Bless Land).
Why then should the wizard pay RP to maintain his leylines? He already
expended resources when he created them, more if the leyline is longer, even
more if he was opposed.

If dropping Leyline maintenance completely, then please consider to
calculate the RP cost without starting and end province, thus making at
least leylines into adjacent provinces Maintenance free.
bye
Michael Romes

************************************************** **************************
The Birthright Homepage: http://www.birthright.net
Birthright-l Archives: http://oracle.wizards.com/archives/birthright-l.html
To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM
with UNSUB BIRTHRIGHT-L in the body of the message.