[✓] [Bardmancy Addition] Delayed Casting!

[PestyWarlock 173]

 

 A Bardmancer preparing a climactic conclusion!

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• ~ Delayed Casting ~ •

When Timing Is Everything.

Delayed Casting is a spell-storing method which allows a Bardmancer to hold their spell by adding additional emotes and denoting a "trigger" to release it later. The act of Delayed Casting is commonly used to properly time when a trick goes off, as with it the Bardmancer is able to determine the exact moment they wish a spell to be cast without having to connect to their mana mid-performance.

Learning and Teaching

Better Late Than Never…

Delayed Casting is automatically learned once a Bardmancer reaches Tier 5, whether tutored or self-taught.

Delayed Casting CAN also be learned at Tiers 2-4, but for that it is a tutored-only technique, much like many Housemagery Spells. Therefore, it cannot be learned early through self-teaching books. Only via a lesson by another Bardmancer who knows it. Any Bardmancer who has previously learned Delayed Casting may teach another Bardmancer the technique, regardless of Tier!

Teaching is freeform and may be done however way one wants, but it is mandatory for teachers to hold at least 1 lesson, and establish at least 1 Task for that student to complete before they can be considered to have properly learned the technique. This can, and should, however, take longer to encourage both organic character growth and fun RP interactions!

For some great examples on which Tasks a student could complete, checkout the “Development Tasks” section in the Bardmancy Guide, here!

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Storing the Spell

It's Only a Matter of Time.

Instead of casting a spell directly after its connection or channeling emote, a Bardmancer may opt to Delay its Casting instead.

Delayed Casting requires 2 Emotes of preparation, a Connection emote and a Storing emote:

• In their Connection emote, the Bardmancer Connects to their mana pool as normal. Their aura starts to take shape as per usual.

• In their Storing emote, the Bardmancer proceeds to Store their desired spell, describing the stored spell and the trigger by which the spell will be released.

After Storing their Spell, the Bardmancer may skip the Connection and Channeling Emotes of the stored spell to cast when the trigger is performed, and their outward aura will become faint yet constantly visible as the mana is stored within them. 

That Spell’s trigger must be defined in the initial Storing Emote, by either being described OOCly or in the Storing Emote itself. The trigger may be an action the Bardmancer performs (ex. a snap of a finger) or an event that the Bardmancer perceives (ex. an audience member clapping). 

Triggers cannot be set as an event happening outside of the caster’s perception. For instance, setting a trigger for ''when someone pulls out a quill'' doesn't cast the spell unless the Bardmancer sees that happening with their own eyes.

A trigger can also be a set amount of time passing, up to ten emotes. Though for that, the Bardmancer must pay close attention to how far along they are on their count, or risk miscasting their spell.

Example triggers:

Spoiler

Triggers must be something either the Bardmancer does or perceives. A list of triggers includes, but is not limited to:

• A snap of the finger.
• A tilt of the head.
• A tap of the foot.
• The sound of applause, if the Bardmancer hears it.
• Speaking and/or hearing a spoken word or phrase.
• The finishing of a painting, dance, song, speech, etc.
• The middle of a painting, dance, song, speech, etc.

 

A Bardmancer may only store as many Delayed Spells as their respective tier, and different Delayed Spells may have the same trigger. Triggering a spell right after casting another, or stacking Delayed Casts is very much possible, and a Bardmancer may have multiple spells being set off in the same emote this way!

If a Delayed spell is not cast within ten emotes after the Storing emote, either by its lack of triggering or the Bardmancer losing count, the spell Miscasts: It fades out harmlessly, and its caster instantly gains one stack of Frazzle for every Stored Spell that was Miscast.

Delayed Casting adds an extra layer of difficulty to your average performance and is incredibly tiresome. Holding multiple spells or trying to trigger more than one at the same time takes a lot of practice and is extremely exhausting, even for a Master.

 

Redlines

♫ Delayed Casting may only be performed out of Combat, and only works with Bardmancy Spells.

♫ Delayed Casting cannot store any Combat spells or be used for any combative purposes. No timed percussion grenades.

♫ The trigger must not be any physically combative action. Vicious mockery is fine.

♫ If CRP involving the caster begins during a Delayed Casting, the caster drops concentration on their Stored Spell(s), and will therefore miscast any Stored Spell(s) and gain the appropriate stacks of Frazzle.

♫ A Stored Spell MUST have its intended Trigger detailed in its initial Storing Emote.

♫ Unlike typical casting, the spell slot is taken during the Storing Emote of Delayed Casting.

♫ After a Spell is Stored, a Bardmancer must describe their aura being visible for as long as they hold on to that delayed cast.

♫ A spell may only be stored for up to ten emotes, otherwise the Bardmancer suffers one stack of Frazzle regardless of spell slots.

♫ Spells may be cast while another spell is currently stored, but not while attempting to store another spell. You cannot connect, channel, or cast a non-delayed spell and connect/store a spell in the same emote.

♫ Delayed Casting CAN be used to summon Emotion Wisps.

♫ You cannot Delayed Cast Mastery Spells, or a Bound Wisp’s Manipulate Art Casts, as they work separately from the normal Spell Slot system.

♫ Due to the intensive nature of storing mana, Storing multiple Spells can be heavily exhausting to the Bardmancer, experiencing a similar feeling as expending all their spell slots.

♫ While in a Bardmancer's Amphitheater, Delayed Casting cannot build up any Frazzle. The technique still uses up Spell Slots as normal, however, and the maximum amount of spells stored remains the same.

♫ Fun is, as always, strictly mandatory.

--==--

Purpose

((OOC))

This addition is meant to solve two problems myself and other Bardmancers in the community have noticed: the awkwardness of starting a spell in the middle of a performance, and the ability to cast multiple spells at once. 

This addition is meant to add a new way for Bardmancers to control the flow and tempo of their performances, allowing more options for build-up or flair in their spellcasting. Whether it's providing musicians with options for timed casting during key moments or ending a dance with a grandiose display of spells, Delayed Casting simply opens up avenues of creativity in performances.

Credits and Thanks

Tgrt, for proofreading, brainstorming, ideas, and art.

Leonie, for proofreading and giving the “Leonie Approved™” stamp.

ShinyBluePikachu, for emotional support.

Aliay, for finding exploits in previous drafts to give me ideas for over half of these redlines.

Unibearse, for looking at it.

Edits

1/13/2024 Added clarification to learning requirements for tutored/self-taught. Added examples of triggers.

[ShinyB 125]

I need this in my life.

I can't believe you made homework mandatory.

Edited December 15, 2023 by ShinyB

[UniBearse 731]

I made amazing contributions, but also let me do more bard fun!

[tgrt 746]

Another way to cast that seems very obviously needed, adding some great spell combo potential and raising the skill ceiling for big performances!

[ichigomaster98 642]

>Posts bardmagery addition
>Tells no one
>Leaves
I'm upvoting with the full certainty that I will find some way to break it somehow.

[ClassyDryad 1733]

The true strategy is to store up and use enough spells so that the moment a crp raid begins you can release a shower of sparks and pass out before having to deal with it.

[UniBearse 731]

16 hours ago, ClassyDryad said:

The true strategy is to store up and use enough spells so that the moment a crp raid begins you can release a shower of sparks and pass out before having to deal with it.

honestly based

[Islamadon 4449]

This Lore has been accepted. Moved to Implemented Lore, it will be sorted to it's appropriate category soon. Please note that if this is playable lore, such as a magic or CA, you will need to write a guide for this piece. You will be contacted regarding the guide (or implementation if it isn’t needed) shortly.