Magic of Cerilia

[Osprey]

While a revised Chapter 3 for the BRCS hasn't even been completed yet, I'm going ahead and putting up this thread so I (or anyone else) can post some ideas for revision while they're fresh in my mind, and as they come during playtesting. I also hope that discussing any revisions earlier rather than later might help make the writers' jobs a little easier by requiring less rewriting later on. Here's the first one...

Shadow Portal

In the BRCS, this spell is a 4th level spell available to Wizards, Sorcerers, Magicians, and Druids, and as a 5th level spell for most Clerics of Ruornil (as a Moon or Spell domain spell).

While I appreciate how this might reflect some campaign themes, I have a few issues with it. First, I would expect Clerics of Ruornil, especially those with the Moon domain, to be the dedicated specialists regarding the Shadow World. As such, I'd propose to make it a 3rd level spell for the Moon Domain instead of 5th.

Second, all clerics have special abilities regarding positive and negative energy and the undead, themes tied rather closely to the Shadow World as I understand it. Moreover, as the Shadow World is the spirit world, aren't most clerics particularly concerned with and connected to it through their divine connection?

As such, I would propose that Shadow Portal also be added as a 4th level cleric spell. One of the major effects of this would be that stronger clerics of any deity would have the ability to take the offensive against enemies rooted there, particularly the undead and malevolent spirits. So long as the priests of Ruornil remain better at this than the others, I think the existing campaign themes are preserved.

Besides, given the dangers of the Shadow World, it gives DM's yet another nefarious fate for the over-zealous crusaders who bite off more than they can chew by launching a bold (and foolish) expedition to cleanse some part of the Shadow World. Likewise, it opens up adventures in the Shadow World to many more adventurers in general.

On the flip side of all of this, why would magicians and true mages be able to cast Shadow Portal? As they are so closely tied to the mebhaighal (especially the true mages), which is rooted in the physical world, wouldn't they be weaker in trying to deal with problems from "the other side?" So it might not be out of line to either strike it from their spell lists, or make it a 5th level spell instead.

Osprey

[RaspK_FOG]

I have to disagree with you here: the novels and setting material made a strong impression that Clerics could not involve themselves with the Shadow World in the sense of traversing through it; it seems that priest take care of things after the fall in their jurisdiction in this case, meaning that they fend off attacks from the Shadow World, but do not enter it. A couple quotes that strike true in this sense are these, found in the Falcon and the Wolf:

• "Only the most skilled of sorcerers—and the halflings, who were somehow connected with the Shadow World—matched Bannier’s knowledge."
• "It was a mere step away from the world of sunlight, but no one save a wizard or a halfling could ever locate Bannier’s retreat."

[kgauck]

I have made the SW very much the province of priests, connecting the SW to

several aspects of spiritualism, from the journey of the dead, to turning of

undead, to the wildshape ability, to invisibility and other illusions. The

SW is a place that has an impact on my campaign, which would be mostly

impossible if I had to rely on halflings and wizards in the Taelshore.



Kenneth Gauck

kgauck@mchsi.com

[Birthright-L]

Kenneth Gauck said:

> I have made the SW very much the province of priests, connecting the SW to

> several aspects of spiritualism, from the journey of the dead, to turning

> of undead, to the wildshape ability, to invisibility and other illusions.



IMC its integral to Ruornil`s priesthood as it is a major concern for

their patron, and is also possibly the origin of Cerilia`s arcane energies



--

John Machin

(trithemius@kallisti.net.nz)

"Nothing is more beautiful than to know the All."

- Athanasius Kircher, `The Great Art of Knowledge`.

[Osprey]

IMC its integral to Ruornil`s priesthood as it is a major concern for
their patron, and is also possibly the origin of Cerilia`s arcane energies

The possible origin of Cerilia's arcane energies? Is this a personal theory, or one supported by published material? Either way, I'd love to hear an explanation...

Osprey

[geeman]

At 06:38 AM 3/18/2004 +0100, Osprey wrote:



>

IMC its integral to Ruornil`s priesthood as it is a major concern

>for their patron, and is also possibly the origin of Cerilia`s arcane energies

>

>

>The possible origin of Cerilia`s arcane energies? Is this a personal

>theory, or one supported by published material? Either way, I`d love to

>hear an explanation...



I posted some (personal theory) stuff related to this when it comes to the

way arcane and divine magics are derived through (or by circumventing) the

SW to reach the outer or inner planes. In that context, Ruornil`s role as

the god of magic, and his efforts to defend sources and connection to

mebhaighl has a relationship to his "bitter war against the encroachment of

the Shadow World" if those encroachments actually have an effect on the

power of sources. It`s not cant but it fits.



Gary

[Birthright-L]

Osprey said:

> The possible origin of Cerilia`s arcane energies? Is this a personal

> theory, or one supported by published material? Either way, I`d love to

> hear an explanation...



Rather briefly:



It might be supported by published material (or unpublished but released

material from the SW book...)?



The idea is that arcane energies became embedded into Aerbrynis at the

creation/seperation of the two worlds. The SW is decribed as a world of

mutability and I used the idea of "magic as change/dynamism" (good quote

re: this from the Doctor in The Authority) to explain my theory what the

sidhelien call mebhaighl is a kind of residual "dynamic" energy that

remains in Aerbrynis. This also explains the sidhelien`s peculiar

relationship with the SW and the possibility of them having a strange

"cousin" race that lives there(called the "Seelie" in the SW book, IIRC).



IIRC from the SW book it says that only Azrai is interested in the SW; in

my approach Vorynn must also be. Vorynn, however, is interested in the

interplay of the two worlds (i.e. arcane magic) whereas Azrai justs wants

gain power and disrupt the activities of his "siblings". This also

explains why Ruornil and his followers are interested in the SW and why

Ruornil is the pyschopoump of the pantheon - he guide the spirits of the

dead away from the horrible place that the SW has become.



--

John Machin

(trithemius@kallisti.net.nz)

"Nothing is more beautiful than to know the All."

- Athanasius Kircher, `The Great Art of Knowledge`.