Magic Cannon Part I I:

[Blawharag 277]

Link to Magic Cannon Part I (and Magic Cannon Index)

Greetings again, Asulon, from the Magic Team! We are pleased to announce the next update in Magic Lore: Today, we have a definitive system for Rune Magic, as well as mass responses to magic suggestions! Please note, that some more recent magic suggestions may still be going under review, or have not been looked at yet, so if you didn't receive a response, please be patient. If you were accepted, congratulations! You had an awesome idea and it fit into our server magic lore! We look forward to seeing how it adds to server RP. If your concept was denied, please do not worry. We simply felt that, for one reason or another, your magic idea would not work well with the lore already put in place for the server. We are sorry, but don't let this discourage you from presenting future ideas!

Without further delay, read the spoiler for the cannon lore concerning Rune Magic:

When the Creator forged our world, he made various magics that could further shape and evolve that world long after he left. Energies and realms like the Void, or the Aspects, were made so they could shape and change the physical realm. While the creatures of the physical realm could draw from these energies, the Creator wanted them to have a way to use their own inner power and shape the world. This power had to be controlled though. Just as the power of the Void was restricted by thought, and the power of the Aspects restricted by the limits of nature, so to must the power of the physical creatures be restricted. So the creator gave unto Anguel and Daemon a language of physical Runes, to pass on to the physical creatures. This language would have the power to draw out the power of the physical creatures and use it to shape the physical realm similarly to other magics. Anguel and Daemon passed this language down to the first four, and for a time this was the only language spoken by the physical realm. As the first four taught magic though, they lost interest in the runes preferring, instead, to use other magics like the Void. As time went, each of the four strayed from the language, twisting it into languages of their own. The Runic language died and only its Glyphs remained, still able to shape the world by drawing on the energies of the creatures. In more recent times, certain people have relearned and rediscovered long forgotten Runes, and can use them once again.

Runes are magical letters which can conduct magic based on the letter. They draw energy from a living being, such as a Human or Dwarf, and shape that energy into new format based on the Rune used. Such a process requires a living being to come into contact with the object the Rune is inscribed upon. The Rune will then automatically draw energy from that being and activate. The Runes will only activate based on what they are. For example, the Rune of Light will only generate light, never anything else. There is no way to adjust how this energy is shaped, each Rune has one specific purpose and will only produce that one effect. Because the transfer is automatic, one only needs to know A)How to inscribe Runes and B)The correct Rune for the desired effect and they could create the Rune for any to use. This can also be used to set traps, a Rune of Fire could be placed on a tile. When someone comes in contact with the tile, the Rune will draw from their energies and ignite.

When a Rune draws energies,it will draw on their energy until the individual passes out, or ceases contact. For example, a Rune of Speed will increase movement to that of sprint pace, but it will sap away at your energies at the same rate as if you were sprinting. Experienced Rune users can adjust the flow of their energy, cutting off and "deactivating" a Rune by force (or, in cases of very advanced Rune users, forcing extra energy into the Rune for greater effect and a far greater cost). This, however, takes much experience using Runes to master, and it also requires that the individual be well acquainted with the Rune they wish to adjust energy flow to. For example, if there is a Rune of Fire trap ahead of a party, an experienced Rune user who is familiar with the Rune of Fire could walk over the Rune without activating it. However, if the experienced Rune user was not familiar with the Rune of Fire, he would be forced to activate it on contact.

In addition to traps and wards for the world around you, a select few Rune Masters have learned powerful runes that can be used to enchant weapons and other personal equipment. These Rune Masters are rare though, and will not give such power to just anyone. Nor will they waste their time applying it to just any random piece of equipment.

Well there's your cannon for Runes. Now I am sure you have questions about this, and more. So onto our Q&A session for this post:

What is the status of the Magic Application, how will it work, will it have a team, ect.?

There are a lot of questions surrounding the Magic Application. So, rather than target each individually, I will just share with you everything I can right here:

The Magic Application will be a requirement in order to Roleplay using magic. This also means an accepted application will be required to gain access to the Magic Plug-in once that is released. There will be a separate application for Teachers who wish to teach a brand of magic, though this has yet to undergo construction and I do not know yet how this will be formed. In order to get an accepted Magic Application, you will have to have spent X amount of time learning from one of these accepted teachers, in game. This time frame is currently planned to be measured in weeks and months, and you will have to provide evidence of that training as well as have the respective teacher vouch for you in the application. Likely the required evidence will be in the form of Screenshots, but this is still a work-in-progress. Understand this: We are talking about two exceptions to this system: #1 Current, approved, magic users may be grandfathered in and auto-accepted (They probably do not have screenshots of their training). If this is the case, we will make a list of such exceptions. #2 We are talking about making it possible to be "Self-Taught" i.e. you do not have someone teaching your character. However, a teacher will have to oversee this training on an OOC level to ensure you go through all the basic steps. You will also still be required to provide the same evidence as other, taught, applicants. The Self-Taught process will take approximately 50-100% longer than the taught process.

We also understand that some magics out there do not fit a "learn this" model, and are closer associated with curses ect. These magics are generally primarily aesthetic in effect and do not warrant a full work-through of the magic app process. As such, we are talking about separating these magics into a different catagory that is easier to get accepted under, requiring less (to no) training time and more lax restrictions on evidence to prove you have earned this magic in-game. Note: this system could be completely scrapped at any moment, as it is still just in it's baby suggestion stage. Also, any magic that falls into this catagory will be almost entirely aesthetic and not affect overall balance of the server.

We do plan to make a Magic App Team to help us sort through the inevitable fury of applications we will have to sort through. Odds are they will be selected from the pool of accepted teachers (teachers will not be allowed to make judgements on their own pupils) but this is uncertain as of yet.

Who gets what Runes right now?

At them moment, we haven't gone into too much detail as to what Runes can exist and what can't, as that is a discussion to be saved for balance later on. However, Rune magic will not likely be tied into the Plug-in magic (except maybe for certain body tattoos) due to its complexity and how difficult that would be to program, in addition to the fact that the very set up of the Rune can be easily RPed and set up in-game. We can tell you that if you can accomplish it in-game, odds are you can have that Rune. For example, Netherrack that turns on and off with fire? You can certainly RP that there is a Rune of Fire there. Just make sure it is RPed correctly (I.E. Only turns on when someone touched it, experienced Rune Magic User can opt not to turn it on when he touches it). Eventually, Rune Magic Users will be tied into the Magic App system with the rest of us (though keep in mind this is just for things like inscribing, opting not to channel energies, ect. As far as enchanting, such as weapon enchantments via the in game mechanics, that will be controlled by GMs at the moment. Later, we will devise a new system.

Combat Magic, is it ok?

There are many problems with using magic in Combat at the moment. Right now it is very easy to slip into powergaming by RPing magic use for combat purposes. For now, I would encourage that most people avoid using magic in combat until we can work out a balanced system. If you want to use magic in combat (even if it is just to escape combat) talk to the person ahead of time, explain what magic you know and might possibly use and make sure they are ok with it. Even still use common sense to avoid powergaming. Making every guard around you float a thousand feet into the air and drop on their heads is powergaming. Conjuring a fireball that homes in on a target and melts them in their armor is powergaming. You can and will be reported for actions that are more powerful than what magic really is. We do not have a guideline at the moment, but use common sense. Understand that you as a magic user are supposed to be creating fun and interesting roleplay, not flying around as Superman one shotting all the noobz that dare oppose your wrath.

I have been hearing things about Archtypes and Subtypes...

This is our approach to the Plug-in system. The Archtype/Subtype system is intended as a way to make it easier to balance spell assignment to prevent anyone from having too great an advantage mechanically speaking. The Archtypes (things like Shamans, Clerics, Druids, ect.) will have general spells associated with them. These will be mostly fun spells/utility spells that are easy to balance and fun (spells like making it rain, or leaving a path of flowers where you walk). Each Archtype will be further divided into functional Subtypes. The Subtypes will have spells which are more useful and are geared towards an intended purpose, representing the specialized studies a given magic user may be part of. An example would be a Druid Subtype that has a few Plug-in spells that help him farm ect. The farming Subtype would be balanced around being a farmer and given spells to help him accomplish this, where other Druid Subtypes might not. People can certainly cast spells that are not associated with the Plug-in (as long as they are not powergaming spells), you are not restricted to whatever we give you via Plug-in. The Plug-in spells will just be to help you bring that magic to life around you in-game and give more weight to the RP. At the moment, we are trying to just work on concepts, ideas for various Subtypes belonging to each Archtype. Once we get passed the Magic App phase, then we will tackle this more head-on and figure out which plug-in spells will should be given to which Subtypes.

It is possible there are some questions of yours I did not answer. Sadly it is hard to get all these questions in one place. To make it easier on me, if you have a question you would like to see answered in the next Q&A, PM it to me. If it requires an immediate response, Ill send one as soon as I can (there is a good chance some questions will need to be brought up with the M-Team as a whole before I can answer them) and still include said question in the next Q&A. That's all for now folks, next time we hope to have the Magic Application ready for you!

~~~

Link to Magic Cannon Part I

[Hiebe 2475]

Maybe someone uncovering the rune magic in ruins and in a rp book then practicing it.

[Blawharag 277]

Certainly sounds like an interesting idea, the Dwarves could find it and start translating it and such. Enchantment runes, as I mentioned, will be under strict control until we know how to deal with the enchantment system. Other than that though, warding Runes, traps runes ect. can be discovered certainly. It falls under the same rules as the rest of the magic: Make sure you have a legitimate source for the knowledge (like uncovered ruins) and that you are not powergaming with what you have (no atomic-nuke runes or runes that make walls unbreachable).

[Hiebe 2475]

I shall talk with someone to start this. I will make it flush don't worry ;) I will also run it by you mteam also.

[Blawharag 277]

Im interested to see the ruins you'll come up with. Should be really cool to see, can't wait.

[Guest Guest]

In the end, I suggest combining all the magic cannons together into one post. It would be cleaner and more organized. BTW great job on the second part ;).

[Blundermore 2733]

Yes, really this is kind of the dwarves' version of maic but also introducing enchanting in some way.

[Blawharag 277]

In the end, I suggest combining all the magic cannons together into one post. It would be cleaner and more organized. BTW great job on the second part ;).

Well I had started an index with links too all of the magic cannons in the part I post, so in theory this didn't need a sticky, but I guess it couldn't hurt.

[Salamandra 1133]

I enjoy everything I am hearing so far, please keep it up! :)

[xmrsmoothx 317]

That'd be canon*, right?

[Blawharag 277]

Nope, cannon. In our last thread someone pointed out that the ad thing was linking your spelling to nikon cameras. So he suggested we spell it as Cannon to prevent confusion. I took his suggestion to heart and deliberately spelled it this way as per his request.

[Gladuos 857]

Great. My character was self taught for about 50 years IC (Since December)... I have no screenshots of him learning any of this because I didn't think I had to.. He obviously had some teachers here and there, but most of the things my character learned was from talking to many people and reading real IG books. Uhm.. I do think that I am screwed.

[Sagwort 832]

That is true, you are most likely screwed, although we are trying to figure out a system for people that have “self-taught” themselves.

[Blawharag 277]

Hopefully we will also think of a way to grandfather in as many legitimate magic users as possible, but this is a tricky thing that we will have not gone into too much detail with yet.