Low magic and INT requirements

[prtr02@scorpion.nspco.co]

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>Daniel McSorley wrote:
>> The nobles, the warriors of the society, didn't even contribute
>anything useful in times of peace, they just trained to fight, and were
>supported by the people and ruled because of it.
>GAH! As a proud owner of a history degree I must speak up at this
>statement! I will not sit idly by while people _malign_ a *minority
>group*! :D This statement is simply not true!
>
>By St. George! By whom do people think the arts and humanities where
>practiced by?!? The LOWER classes?!? Where would
>we be without philosophy, the myriad of artistic endeavors people now
>pursue, the scholars who have advanced human understanding to its
>present lofty peaks?!?
>
>HERETIC!!! REBEL!!!! BURN THIS MAN ON THE STAKE!!!!
>

But why did they support the arts? Because, being warriors, and
therefore ruling, they had money. They also knew that there weren't wars
going on at all times, so they had to spend some of this money somehow.

>Cheers,
>The Grand Vizier aka That Unemployed Dude with a History Degree!
>
Oh, right, that's why my engineering teachers told me to stay away from
history classes...

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Hey, I would have loved to have gotten a history degree instead of one in EE.
Well, I wouldn't make as much money, but I would be happier- I think. :)

Randax

[prtr02@scorpion.nspco.co]

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> > I have pointed out innumerable times and will continue to do so until
the point is got:
> > EVERY piece of information in the "Atlas of Cerilia" is SUSPECT.
> Which post where you refering this statement to, Tim?

Several times throughout the last 1.5 years or so... If you mean what the
above is specifically referring to, it is referencing the belief that the
six and seven score mages in all of Cerilia statement is "canon".

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This statement, which I base much of my feel for the rarity (not power) of magic
in BR on, is in the Rulebook. I don't consider it optional at all. I did
break down (sobbing if you recall) and allow for more elven/halfelven wizards.
This brings the estimated total to around 190. I rounded up to 200. It's
easier to remember.

It storytelling terms, this means one or two (or no) true mages per kingdom.
Each elven stronghold would contain about five. Lest FRophiles find that too
few, read the BR novels. M Roele didn't have 2 or 3 wizards by his side, and
he was Emperor of Anuire! Grabentod and Muden don't have any sourceholders-
as per Havens and the Hag's contract. Even to the elves of the Seiliwode in
Greatheart (the best BR novel IMO) magic was rare. They depended on their
skills as warriors and woodsfolk to defend their land- not a contingent of
wizards.

Randax

[Tim Nutting]

> ----- Begin Included Message -----
> > > I have pointed out innumerable times and will continue to do so until
> the point is got:
> > > EVERY piece of information in the "Atlas of Cerilia" is SUSPECT. >
> > Which post where you refering this statement to, Tim?
>
> Several times throughout the last 1.5 years or so... If you mean what the
> above is specifically referring to, it is referencing the belief that the
> six and seven score mages in all of Cerilia statement is "canon".
>
> ----- End Included Message -----
>
> This statement, which I base much of my feel for the rarity (not power) of
magic
> in BR on, is in the Rulebook. I don't consider it optional at all. I did
> break down (sobbing if you recall) and allow for more elven/halfelven
wizards.
> This brings the estimated total to around 190. I rounded up to 200. It's
> easier to remember.
>
> It storytelling terms, this means one or two (or no) true mages per kingdom.
> Each elven stronghold would contain about five. Lest FRophiles find that too
> few, read the BR novels. M Roele didn't have 2 or 3 wizards by his side, and
> he was Emperor of Anuire! Grabentod and Muden don't have any sourceholders-
> as per Havens and the Hag's contract. Even to the elves of the Seiliwode in
> Greatheart (the best BR novel IMO) magic was rare. They depended on their
> skills as warriors and woodsfolk to defend their land- not a contingent of
> wizards.
>
> Randax

I myself really enjoy the low magic aspect of BR. I'm running a group of 5th
level characters about, and all the magic they have is a half-elven
multi-classed fighter/wizard who prefers his fighter side, and 2 longswords +1.

However, the elves should have more mages than humankind (percentage) for one
reason, an elf does not need to have a bloodline to cast true magic. Granted,
those individuals can't cast realm spells, but that isn't the be all and end
all of magecraft. Accurate or not, the map of Tuarhievel has at least 15
towers scattered across the realm that are referred to as "wizards' towers"

I do not support the concept that any elf over 1000 years cannot be a
dual-class character. Doesn't make logical sense (but then, neither does D&D,
so I counter myself)

Tim

[Gary V. Foss]

Randall W. Porter@6550 wrote:

> This statement, which I base much of my feel for the rarity (not power) of magic
> in BR on, is in the Rulebook. I don't consider it optional at all. I did
> break down (sobbing if you recall) and allow for more elven/halfelven wizards.
> This brings the estimated total to around 190. I rounded up to 200. It's
> easier to remember.

Actually, I don't recall reading this estimate.... What was it based on? How did
you come up with those numbers?

Gary

[prtr02@scorpion.nspco.co]

- ----- Begin Included Message -----
Randall W. Porter@6550 wrote:

> This statement, which I base much of my feel for the rarity (not power) of magic
> in BR on, is in the Rulebook. I don't consider it optional at all. I did
> break down (sobbing if you recall) and allow for more elven/halfelven wizards.
> This brings the estimated total to around 190. I rounded up to 200. It's
> easier to remember.

Actually, I don't recall reading this estimate.... What was it based on? How did
you come up with those numbers?

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I reposted some stuff on elves/mages/immortality. There's a lot more in June. 200
true mages would put you toward the higher end- in the "about 8 elven mages per
country because that's halfway between the Taur sourcebook's 14 towers on the map and
those that can be justified by reason" catagory. The number of human mages stands at
0-3 per country.

Randax

[Pieter A de Jong]

At 11:07 AM 9/3/98 -0500, Randax wrote:
>
>----- Begin Included Message -----
>Randall W. Porter@6550 wrote:
>
>> This statement, which I base much of my feel for the rarity (not power)
of magic
>> in BR on, is in the Rulebook. I don't consider it optional at all. I did
>> break down (sobbing if you recall) and allow for more elven/halfelven
wizards.
>> This brings the estimated total to around 190. I rounded up to 200. It's
>> easier to remember.
>
>Actually, I don't recall reading this estimate.... What was it based on?
How did
>you come up with those numbers?
>
>----- End Included Message -----
>
>I reposted some stuff on elves/mages/immortality. There's a lot more in
June. 200
>true mages would put you toward the higher end- in the "about 8 elven mages per
>country because that's halfway between the Taur sourcebook's 14 towers on
the map and
>those that can be justified by reason" catagory. The number of human mages
stands at
>0-3 per country.
>
>Randax

Yes Randax, we have had this argument before. I recognize a few of my own
words in your accumulated posts. What it basically comes down to is you
prefer to treat the 120-140 wizards total statement as dominant, and chuck
the elven immortality statement. I prefer to limit the 120 -140 wizards
total statement to apply to blooded wizards only, and keep the immortality
statement intact, cause it's cool.

Pieter A de Jong
Graduate Mechanical Engineering Student
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada

[Tim Nutting]

You guys know how many wizards there are in Birthright on the continent of
Cerilia?

How many the DM says there are.

hehehe

just MHO (which it really isn't all that stinking humble, is it?)
Tim Nutting

[Daniel McSorley]

From: Tim Nutting

>You guys know how many wizards there are in Birthright on the continent of
>Cerilia?
>
>How many the DM says there are.
>
>hehehe
>
Thank you, Tim :)
I try to stay out of this debate, since I'm more totalitarian than most.
As far as my players ever know, there are around 5 wizards in the world,
'cause they've met those, and the rest may be just rumors :)

Daniel McSorley- mcsorley.1@osu.edu