From: Colin Watson (watson@computing-science.aberdeen.ac.uk)
Date: Sat 09 Oct 1993 - 20:10:58 EET
*Only* if the disembodied spirits become visible (by casting Visibility etc).
>therefore, all spirits must be visible from the spirit plane.
I disagree (for the above reason). Normal folk cannot be attacked by spirits from the spirit plane (otherwise it would be happening all the time as it does with shamans who are half on the spirit plane).
>We've
>also played that spirits bound into objects could view the spirit
>plane as well.
I'd say the spirits of corporeal entities cannot see the spirit plane (usually). Hence, neither can bound spirits (their binding effectively gives them corporeal form). Furthermore, bound spirits cannot attack disembodied spirits.
Seems like a short step between this and Yelm SunSpearing folk who he doesn't like. *That's* within his domain too. :-) But I guess the difference is sufficient enough to keep the gods in line.
[...stuff about combat between big spirits...]
>an entity of POW 1000
>will always (excluding statistical miracles) lose to a being of POW 1010 --
>even though there is only a 1% difference between them!!! This makes NO
>sense to me. It is a problem even at relatively low levels of POW (tho
>levels never attained by players.... say, 50 vs 60 POW).
[...etc..]
Fair point. There wouldn't be a problem if spirits were limited to species maximum POW through spirit combat. (There would be little motivation for big spirits to fight because there would be nothing to gain). Even as it stands, I don't think things are too bad: it means that spirits will generally only pick on things in their own "power-band". (I assume that spirits don't gain POW unless their victim had less than 10 points fewer than them. Again, no motivation to pick on weaklings.) I think squabbles between big spirits should be infrequent. They should be more concerned with rallying worshippers (however they do that).
>Any ideas for fixes that get at the proportional values of STATS? I have
>one, but it is a fairly radical departure from RQ, so I will post it only if
>interest is shown...
Aw, go on. I think we'd like to hear it. :-)
Sounds interesting. I think Tangibility should be a "big" spell to cast
(considering the cost of equivalent illusions). Say, stackable spirit magic
where each point gives 1 SIZ (2?) of tangible form; or divine magic where
each point gives 5 SIZ of tangible form (no concentration required).
Well worth adding some Extension to.
I like the principle though.
>>I think spirit alliances could make interesting politics on the SP. Why do
>>spirits have to be solitary? I think intelligent spirits would band together
>>for mutual security etc.
>
>Bands of feral sprits ambushing the unprepared? Or peaceful villages
>with the spirit of a thorn hedge around them?
The former seems a reasonable starting place, but I think communities of
intelligent spirits would police their "home" areas in order to prevent
such banditry. Much like human communities on the Mundane Plane.
I dunno about the thorn hedge idea. I think physical defences are somewhat
useless (or rather impossible) on the spirit plane: spirits can pass through
walls remember; even if the wall is another spirit. I can't think what
the best defence would be. Magic of some sort probably - MPs are the bricks
and mortar of the Spirit World.
I think the socio-political setup in the spirit plane would be radically
different from the Mundane world due to the lack of physical property &
real estate.
___
CW.
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