From: Curtis Shenton (curtiss@netcom.com)
Date: Tue 08 Jun 1993 - 18:39:37 EEST
>
> Having recently received the RQIV draft rules via a kind heart and
> the magic of e-mail, I have a few comments:
>
> a) The skills as a manipulation limit instead of free int: obviously
> the correct approach.
>
> b) I don't like the new duration/range rules: access to the better
> tables only if you spend a point of POW or spend as long to cast a spell
> as it lasts. I don't like the first as I have always seen POW creating
> some permanent effect (One-Use Divine Magic an exception), and the
> second seems pointless.
>
> c) Familiars are kept as a requirement for adepthood. I dislike the
> concept and execution of the RQIII familiar rules intensely. The
> reason for the first is Gloranthan: I can't see any of the Malkionists
> accepting that one needs a bound animal/spirit to show yourself to
> be a good priest. RQ already provides enough familiars with allied
> spirits and shaman's fetches. I believe that a Malkionist would
> prefer to rely on himself, his faith and his flock (see below) rather
> than an animal or some pagan spirit bound into a ring.
>
> As for the rules, I just don't like the way sorcerers have to give up
> characteristics permanently to form a familiar. The new way of just using
> POW to make the stats is better though.
Also I think sorcery rules are very heavily biased towards Malkion
sorcerers without much attention to the other users of sorcery such as
dwarves, trolls(only a few I know), Brithini(who don't worship the
invisible god), and a few other oddballs like the lunar sorcerers. But I
think familiars seem out of place for most if not all of these groups.
How about just placing the uses of familiars into items? For some reason
the Lord of the Rings idea of sorcerers(ok Sauron, Morgoth, and
Sauroman) placing bits of themselves into special items seems in line
with the western approach to magic.
>
>
> c) I still don't see any mechanisms to make good cultural play
> equivalent to good game play (like Pendragon's Glory system). There
> isn't any reason for a sorcerer to _want_ to be a pious priest.
Hmm, I'm not so sure these mechanics are a good thing. Most groups I
know seem to do all right without training wheels. ;) Besides we could
always add alignments if you want. j/k
>
> A suggestion to replace Create familiar and to help with priestly
> game play: allow a priest to have access to some of the magic points
> sacrificed to the Invisible God in the priest's church. This would
> take the form of a spirit that occupies the church, with a "POW"
> of (say) 1 per regular (weekly) worshipper. The sorcerer/wizard that
> conducts regular ceremonies can use this POW to cast and maintain
> spells. This would probably be the main exterior source of magic
> points to a Rokari or Hrestoli wizard. The Brithini need to Tap:
> independant sorcerers would use bound spirits or maybe familiars.
I like this idea alot as it would help differentiate between Invisible
god worshipping sorcerers and other kinds. (Although I don't have a
draft of RQ IV so I may be way off base on this, I'm just going by the
comments I see)
>
> How do you get to be the wizard of your local church, then?
> Easy, wait till the old one dies/retires, the Lord selects you
> as his replacement, and reconsecrate the church with "Make
> Church of the Invisible God", a n enchantment requireing 2 POW.
>
> What's that? Old priest Wexen is so pious that he's over 150 and
> still runs 5 leagues every morning before his "fire and brimstone"
> sermon? Well, you had better go out and convert some heathen, and
> create a new church of you own...
>
> I think this would get those PC wizards acting pious (and plotting to
> get the new curateship that Lord Owen has promised to create) in a
> jiffy!
>
> Opinions?
Sounds good.
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Graeme Lindsell Email: gal502@huxley.anu.edu.au
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
-- Curtis Shenton curtiss@netcom.com internet Too lazy to do a 4@3091 WWIVnet "real" .sig file Currently working on something, I'm not sure what, for WotC. If you're intrested email LISTSERV@wizards.com with SUBSCRIBE LOC-L <your name> 0,,
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