Monday, May 11, 2009
Summoning Servants for Sorcerers
One of the things that I think is missing from Athanor is the ability for magic-users to call on the services of otherworldly beings with real regularity. Sure there are summon elemental spells and the like, but there's nothing like Melnibonéan sorcerers summoning demons or Vancian archwizards having sandestins at their beck and call. However, I don't think that this works as a sort of spell-based ability. I'm wondering if gaining the services of a powerful entity works better as a sort of magic item, that magic-users must find rituals in a magical book/scroll/tapestry/etc. and bind a specific demon that serves as a powerful magic "item" they can use. Such servants can be destroyed, lost, stolen, bound, or otherwise affected like magic items, and would have unique powers and drawbacks. At this point, it's a loose idea rattling around in my head, but I think this could be fleshed out....
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I never thought of that, but it's
ReplyDeletes not a bad idea. So, if wanted to go real S&S with it, you could use the rules and costs fro creating magic items and call it researching and casting the ritual of summoning and binding. Maybe you can call on the Demon 3 times/day or doing so uses up "spiritual" charges. Maybe use the rules for intelligent swords and ego contests?
That's an interesting idea.
ReplyDeleteI wrote up some notes for a sorcerer class that would use summoning and call up ancient pacts like Elric (for S&W), but that's a much easier to implement solution.
That's just the kind of stuff I'm thinking about. I really like the Ego conflict idea, and was definitely planning on using that. I'm not sure I will use magic research rules, but might use rare tomes as the ways to learn to summon spirits, and treat those books as rare artifacts.
ReplyDeleteI'm still just thinking about options, though.
Another, simpler but less flavourful thing I had considered to implement al-Qadim sha'ir was to say that ALL spells are summonings and bindings. When the MU memorizes/prepares, he is actually performing the summoning and binding ritual, which allows him to utilizes the servcies of the demon once (or more, if he memorizes/prepares multiple times).
ReplyDeleteThat becomes pure colour, but might be kind of interesting nevertheless.
Worth thinking about, and it may help magic-users feel more "pulpy"....
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