Post by tetramorph on Jan 7, 2017 12:14:35 GMT -5
So baronies (and bigger domains, I would suppose) have a hedge against chaos. No big mechanic for this. Once the land is cleared and kept patrolled there may be an army at your front door but not a purple worm.
This makes sense, it is why human beings want to build civilizations and it is the benefit of conquering wildernesses.
But why isn't the whole world run by crazy ruthless wizards and patriarchs?
I thought of a "hedge against magic" rule. I needed it to be simple and piggy back on already existing mechanics. In my campaign I have a level for settlements, 1-10, roughly based upon population.
So here is the rule, let me know what you think:
Bonus to saves vs. magic equivalent to settlement level. Settlement's themselves save vs. any other kind of spell or magic item used within or against its own walls equivalent to its level.
I am tinkering with the notion that clerical magic might be more prevalent and useful within city walls, so, maybe half that of arcane magic?
This could work in other campaigns by giving a bonus by 1% population. So, a village with 200 people would have a +2 to any creature's save and it would have its own save vs. magic as a 2HD creature.
Thus magic is possible, but less likely. Less likely means more costly for the magic user and less predictable and therefore less attractive to potential clients.
I like this because it makes a lot of sense with respect to the literature we are trying to game and makes a more livable world for characters. I think about Anderson and the way in which the elves' power lessened as they got to or crossed the borders of fay into human lands.
It also gives some sense to why characters would want to build strongholds and develop baronies (well, at least fighting men!). Even though it decreases their own magic user's power, it also decreases that of their enemies -- spells of espionage being less likely to be helpful.
It gives some sense to why even the most powerful wizards are often found disguised as hermits in mud huts out in the wilderness!
It gives some sense to why powerful chaotic clerics still live out on mountain tops in their temples of desolation.
It gives some sense to why characters are relatively, or at least a bit more safe when they meet in the tavern -- rather than taverns becoming the local chaotic magic-user's favorite place to add to his charmed minions!
It gives some sense to why a major metropolis may have a thieves quarter, and even a powerful, if mitigated avenue of gods (and it explains why those clerics often must resort to chicanery), but the city is not ruled or oppressed by a Necromancer. The evil magic-users live in walking huts in the woods or down in crazy caverns and extend their reach as they can -- especially when adventurers leave the city walls. Here I am thinking of Lankhmar and Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser.
Wizards in lawful civilization are still valuable assets as they become "sages" in town. They know much about how the universe works and they can often discern whether some evil magic is afoot. They can also return to their reclusive towers far away to do some scrying or some spygerics. But they will have to return mounted or on foot, lest their dimension door fail and they get their foot caught in it!
Curious as to y'all's opinions.
(I posted this first over at ODD74 but got only one response. Hopefully this place is a better target for this discussion.)
This makes sense, it is why human beings want to build civilizations and it is the benefit of conquering wildernesses.
But why isn't the whole world run by crazy ruthless wizards and patriarchs?
I thought of a "hedge against magic" rule. I needed it to be simple and piggy back on already existing mechanics. In my campaign I have a level for settlements, 1-10, roughly based upon population.
So here is the rule, let me know what you think:
Bonus to saves vs. magic equivalent to settlement level. Settlement's themselves save vs. any other kind of spell or magic item used within or against its own walls equivalent to its level.
I am tinkering with the notion that clerical magic might be more prevalent and useful within city walls, so, maybe half that of arcane magic?
This could work in other campaigns by giving a bonus by 1% population. So, a village with 200 people would have a +2 to any creature's save and it would have its own save vs. magic as a 2HD creature.
Thus magic is possible, but less likely. Less likely means more costly for the magic user and less predictable and therefore less attractive to potential clients.
I like this because it makes a lot of sense with respect to the literature we are trying to game and makes a more livable world for characters. I think about Anderson and the way in which the elves' power lessened as they got to or crossed the borders of fay into human lands.
It also gives some sense to why characters would want to build strongholds and develop baronies (well, at least fighting men!). Even though it decreases their own magic user's power, it also decreases that of their enemies -- spells of espionage being less likely to be helpful.
It gives some sense to why even the most powerful wizards are often found disguised as hermits in mud huts out in the wilderness!
It gives some sense to why powerful chaotic clerics still live out on mountain tops in their temples of desolation.
It gives some sense to why characters are relatively, or at least a bit more safe when they meet in the tavern -- rather than taverns becoming the local chaotic magic-user's favorite place to add to his charmed minions!
It gives some sense to why a major metropolis may have a thieves quarter, and even a powerful, if mitigated avenue of gods (and it explains why those clerics often must resort to chicanery), but the city is not ruled or oppressed by a Necromancer. The evil magic-users live in walking huts in the woods or down in crazy caverns and extend their reach as they can -- especially when adventurers leave the city walls. Here I am thinking of Lankhmar and Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser.
Wizards in lawful civilization are still valuable assets as they become "sages" in town. They know much about how the universe works and they can often discern whether some evil magic is afoot. They can also return to their reclusive towers far away to do some scrying or some spygerics. But they will have to return mounted or on foot, lest their dimension door fail and they get their foot caught in it!
Curious as to y'all's opinions.
(I posted this first over at ODD74 but got only one response. Hopefully this place is a better target for this discussion.)
