Post by Bucky on Mar 19, 2021 14:28:51 GMT -5
The following rules and guidelines are in place to regulate the use of magic in The Isles:
1. Trend toward lower magic.
Most characters in The Isles don’t have any command of magic. The Mists have a dampening effect of sorts on the magical and paranormal, and many who were previously able to command powerful magics prior to arriving on The Isles no longer have the ability to do so; most NPCs lost their ability completely.
Consider the following metaphor comparing magic to helicopters, stolen from this post on Reddit:
This is a good guideline for the sort of role we'd like magic to play in The Mistborne Isles.
2. Please be cordial and responsible with the amount of power you give your character.
If you have questions about what would be cool and what might not, you can ask in our Discord.
3. No Teleportation Magic
The Mist of The Isles interferes with spells that transport people or things around instantaneously. It’s not that they don’t work, they work, it’s just that they’re one-way — never to be seen again. This applies to teleportation spells, portals, blinks, and anything of that ilk.
4. Magic effects are compatible.
All mythological phenomena, magical effects and spells, and other paranormal effects and activities must be considered as part of the same overarching compatible system. Magic and magical abilities may come from different sources, take different forms, and what-have-you, but no one energy source or magical system is invulnerable to the effects of another.
5. Spells Must be Prepared in Conflict
6. No cross-thread magic
Generally, you may not normally cast spells that affect multiple threads at once or go from thread to thread. Exceptions might be made for magic that’s meant to affect another area, (scrying or telepathy), for when threads represent very small locations (like cabins on a ship), or for quests or large events at the discretion of the staff.
1. Trend toward lower magic.
Most characters in The Isles don’t have any command of magic. The Mists have a dampening effect of sorts on the magical and paranormal, and many who were previously able to command powerful magics prior to arriving on The Isles no longer have the ability to do so; most NPCs lost their ability completely.
Consider the following metaphor comparing magic to helicopters, stolen from this post on Reddit:
- Almost everyone knows what a helicopter is. If one flies overhead, people recognize it as a helicopter but don't know the make and model. / Almost everyone knows what magic is. If someone starts muttering and moving their hands, people recognize it as a spell but don't know the exact effect.
- Most people have seen a helicopter - either up-close or at a distance. / Most people have seen a spell being cast - either up-close or at a distance.
- A few people (physicists, engineers, nerds) know how a helicopter works, but they don't know how to fly one. They might be able to name a helicopter's make and model if one flies overhead. / A few people (nobles, guard captains, scholars) know how magic works, but they don't know how to cast spells. They might be able to identify a spell's effect if they see it being cast.
- Very few people have ridden in a helicopter. / Very few people have had a spell cast on them.
- A tiny portion of people can actually fly a helicopter. / A tiny portion of people can actually cast magic.
- A minuscule fraction of the people who can fly a helicopter are helicopter stunt pilots. / A minuscule fraction of the people who can cast magic are high-level casters.
This is a good guideline for the sort of role we'd like magic to play in The Mistborne Isles.
2. Please be cordial and responsible with the amount of power you give your character.
If you have questions about what would be cool and what might not, you can ask in our Discord.
3. No Teleportation Magic
The Mist of The Isles interferes with spells that transport people or things around instantaneously. It’s not that they don’t work, they work, it’s just that they’re one-way — never to be seen again. This applies to teleportation spells, portals, blinks, and anything of that ilk.
4. Magic effects are compatible.
All mythological phenomena, magical effects and spells, and other paranormal effects and activities must be considered as part of the same overarching compatible system. Magic and magical abilities may come from different sources, take different forms, and what-have-you, but no one energy source or magical system is invulnerable to the effects of another.
5. Spells Must be Prepared in Conflict
- In conflict, all paranormal effects and spells must have at least one turn spent casting the spell or preparing the effect. The number of turns spent casting or calling an effect lends power to the effect.
- This rule is opt-in, meaning that if neither party in a conflict would like to spend time preparing spells, neither has to.
- Note that this is a holdover rule to cover our bases. If you’re not in combat, don’t worry about it and it won’t worry about you.
6. No cross-thread magic
Generally, you may not normally cast spells that affect multiple threads at once or go from thread to thread. Exceptions might be made for magic that’s meant to affect another area, (scrying or telepathy), for when threads represent very small locations (like cabins on a ship), or for quests or large events at the discretion of the staff.