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  1. - Top - End - #181
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    PirateCaptain

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    Default Re: The Minds of Almantha

    Quote Originally Posted by Landis963 View Post
    I haven't seen The Prestige, but I've always heard it's good.
    Without spoiling anything, Tesla has a mechanical machine that, though it is entirely mechanical and scientific, basically does something that could be said to be magic, or it might as well be. Seriously watch that movie (too many "must-watch" movies these days, huh? ).

    And that's basically correct, it's just that he needs to take control of the magic coming out of the Sun, not controlling the Sun itself. (His first act as God might be to freeze Therinos, the Moon, and Moxen in a line for dramatic effect, and to ensure Moxen is in the right place for as long as it takes. At any rate it'll be a nice final boss backdrop without falling into the "amazing technicolor pocket dimension" trap.
    His first act won't be rubbing it in his colleagues' faces? Not even:

    "Hey Obsid, stop hitting yourself. Stop hitting yourself. Stop hitting yourself!"
    [as a mountain hits him repeatedly] "But you're hitting me!"
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    Ninjadeadbeard just ninja'd my post. How apt.
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  2. - Top - End - #182
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    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: The Minds of Almantha

    Quote Originally Posted by Ninjadeadbeard View Post
    His first act won't be rubbing it in his colleagues' faces? Not even:

    "Hey Obsid, stop hitting yourself. Stop hitting yourself. Stop hitting yourself!"
    [as a mountain hits him repeatedly] "But you're hitting me!"
    The nexi of the four elemental cities are necessary elements of the ritual, because they are the few intact ones that Arrusif could find. The Minds inhabit their nexi for all intents and purposes (however, as mentioned, their influence is far greater and more extensive when plugged into one of the cities), so therefore, there's no reason to channel lots of power into their unprotected faces, no when that holds the risk of breaking them and ruining his efforts. He's basically filtering the raw magic of the sun through all of them, and then channeling it into himself. Besides, if all goes well, they won't be around, so why waste time gloating to a silent audience who's already gotten the point?
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    I want to create a world that is full of possibility, and one of the best ways to handle it is by creating a bunch of stories that haven't yet been finished.
    Quote Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c View Post
    At this point, however, I'm thinking way too hard about the practical problems of running a battle royale school for Russian assassins, so I think I'll leave it there.
    In my posts, smilies generally correspond to my expression at the time. As an example, means "huh?" and "Hmm..". Also, "Landis" is fine.

  3. - Top - End - #183
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    Default Re: The Minds of Almantha

    Quote Originally Posted by Landis963 View Post
    The nexi of the four elemental cities are necessary elements of the ritual, because they are the few intact ones that Arrusif could find. The Minds inhabit their nexi for all intents and purposes (however, as mentioned, their influence is far greater and more extensive when plugged into one of the cities), so therefore, there's no reason to channel lots of power into their unprotected faces, no when that holds the risk of breaking them and ruining his efforts. He's basically filtering the raw magic of the sun through all of them, and then channeling it into himself. Besides, if all goes well, they won't be around, so why waste time gloating to a silent audience who's already gotten the point?


    I just had the most horrible image of all the Minds being burnt to re-death as their Nexi become mini-suns.
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    Ninjadeadbeard just ninja'd my post. How apt.
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  4. - Top - End - #184
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    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: The Minds of Almantha

    Quote Originally Posted by Ninjadeadbeard View Post


    I just had the most horrible image of all the Minds being burnt to re-death as their Nexi become mini-suns.
    This is why Arrusif is the villain. This is a happy side-effect, to his mind, of the procedure.
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    I want to create a world that is full of possibility, and one of the best ways to handle it is by creating a bunch of stories that haven't yet been finished.
    Quote Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c View Post
    At this point, however, I'm thinking way too hard about the practical problems of running a battle royale school for Russian assassins, so I think I'll leave it there.
    In my posts, smilies generally correspond to my expression at the time. As an example, means "huh?" and "Hmm..". Also, "Landis" is fine.

  5. - Top - End - #185
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    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: The Minds of Almantha

    Kellus of the Homebrew Design forum has created a highly interesting thread on Magitek, specifically with regards to creating self-sustaining systems. You can find it here for your consideration. However, I'm not sure it fits into my world (although characters applying the scientific method to magic is one thing that should definitely go on in the background), if only because it has a huge emphasis on magic artifacts. Thoughts?
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    I want to create a world that is full of possibility, and one of the best ways to handle it is by creating a bunch of stories that haven't yet been finished.
    Quote Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c View Post
    At this point, however, I'm thinking way too hard about the practical problems of running a battle royale school for Russian assassins, so I think I'll leave it there.
    In my posts, smilies generally correspond to my expression at the time. As an example, means "huh?" and "Hmm..". Also, "Landis" is fine.

  6. - Top - End - #186
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    Default Re: The Minds of Almantha

    Quote Originally Posted by Landis963 View Post
    Kellus of the Homebrew Design forum has created a highly interesting thread on Magitek, specifically with regards to creating self-sustaining systems. You can find it here for your consideration. However, I'm not sure it fits into my world (although characters applying the scientific method to magic is one thing that should definitely go on in the background), if only because it has a huge emphasis on magic artifacts. Thoughts?
    It looks pretty cool (no time to fully look through it), but I wouldn't personally use it. I have my own magic system I prefer anyway.

    I agree it doesn't fit Almantha too well, if only because Almanthan magic seems to be more mystical in nature than a pure science. Although there could be some sort of "mad scientist" the Minds are aware of who goes to insane lengths to mathematically pin down how magic works. If they could, they'd probably get together on Saturdays and eat popcorn while watching him try to command lava with algebra.
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    Ninjadeadbeard just ninja'd my post. How apt.
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  7. - Top - End - #187
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    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: The Minds of Almantha

    Quote Originally Posted by Ninjadeadbeard View Post
    It looks pretty cool (no time to fully look through it), but I wouldn't personally use it. I have my own magic system I prefer anyway.

    I agree it doesn't fit Almantha too well, if only because Almanthan magic seems to be more mystical in nature than a pure science. Although there could be some sort of "mad scientist" the Minds are aware of who goes to insane lengths to mathematically pin down how magic works. If they could, they'd probably get together on Saturdays and eat popcorn while watching him try to command lava with algebra.
    Ehh... I wouldn't call it "mystical" per se, just very straightforward and not too open for experimentation. Caster wants something to happen, and all of his element that he can control leaps to his command. Not too much you can experiment on that beyond "what counts as each element." There probably are some kind of "mad scientists" that act that way, but even if they calculate their hardest, they will be unable to cast other elements than the one they start with.
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    I want to create a world that is full of possibility, and one of the best ways to handle it is by creating a bunch of stories that haven't yet been finished.
    Quote Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c View Post
    At this point, however, I'm thinking way too hard about the practical problems of running a battle royale school for Russian assassins, so I think I'll leave it there.
    In my posts, smilies generally correspond to my expression at the time. As an example, means "huh?" and "Hmm..". Also, "Landis" is fine.

  8. - Top - End - #188
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    Default Re: The Minds of Almantha

    Quote Originally Posted by Landis963 View Post
    Ehh... I wouldn't call it "mystical" per se, just very straightforward and not too open for experimentation. Caster wants something to happen, and all of his element that he can control leaps to his command. Not too much you can experiment on that beyond "what counts as each element." There probably are some kind of "mad scientists" that act that way, but even if they calculate their hardest, they will be unable to cast other elements than the one they start with.
    All "Proper" Mad Scientists would be Fire Mages. Better explosions that way.
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    Ninjadeadbeard just ninja'd my post. How apt.
    Ninjadeadbeard's Extended Homebrew

  9. - Top - End - #189
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    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: The Minds of Almantha

    *coughOminakIndustriescough*
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    I want to create a world that is full of possibility, and one of the best ways to handle it is by creating a bunch of stories that haven't yet been finished.
    Quote Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c View Post
    At this point, however, I'm thinking way too hard about the practical problems of running a battle royale school for Russian assassins, so I think I'll leave it there.
    In my posts, smilies generally correspond to my expression at the time. As an example, means "huh?" and "Hmm..". Also, "Landis" is fine.

  10. - Top - End - #190
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    Default Re: The Minds of Almantha

    Anyhoo. Almanthan magic seemed mystical to me in the sense that it doesn't seem like there are people breaking it down into parts like science. Magic is. The Water Mages seem like they'd be the closest to actually studying the underlying mechanics of magic due to Aqua's University.
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    Ninjadeadbeard just ninja'd my post. How apt.
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  11. - Top - End - #191
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    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: The Minds of Almantha

    Quote Originally Posted by Ninjadeadbeard View Post
    Anyhoo. Almanthan magic seemed mystical to me in the sense that it doesn't seem like there are people breaking it down into parts like science. Magic is. The Water Mages seem like they'd be the closest to actually studying the underlying mechanics of magic due to Aqua's University.
    I guess that makes sense. And technically, Aquacor University is just an institute of higher learning a la the Discworld Assassin's University. The Dekonio Practicum, by contrast, is closer to Ivy Tech or a vocational school than anything else.
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    I want to create a world that is full of possibility, and one of the best ways to handle it is by creating a bunch of stories that haven't yet been finished.
    Quote Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c View Post
    At this point, however, I'm thinking way too hard about the practical problems of running a battle royale school for Russian assassins, so I think I'll leave it there.
    In my posts, smilies generally correspond to my expression at the time. As an example, means "huh?" and "Hmm..". Also, "Landis" is fine.

  12. - Top - End - #192
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    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: The Minds of Almantha

    So, while trawling through TVtropes, I stumbled across my original inspiration on how to handle the magic system: The Codex Alera series. If you read that page (here's hoping you have free time), you can see a lot of similarities, especially in that the main character Tavi is your average PC right down to the min-maxing. Some of the powers are switched around, sure (Among others, inducing lust is a mind-altering, and thus water-aligned spell, rather than earth-aligned as in the series) but the basic feel is there, and I'd like to think it'd pass legal.
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    I want to create a world that is full of possibility, and one of the best ways to handle it is by creating a bunch of stories that haven't yet been finished.
    Quote Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c View Post
    At this point, however, I'm thinking way too hard about the practical problems of running a battle royale school for Russian assassins, so I think I'll leave it there.
    In my posts, smilies generally correspond to my expression at the time. As an example, means "huh?" and "Hmm..". Also, "Landis" is fine.

  13. - Top - End - #193
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    Default Re: The Minds of Almantha

    Quote Originally Posted by Landis963 View Post
    So, while trawling through TVtropes, I stumbled across my original inspiration on how to handle the magic system: The Codex Alera series. If you read that page (here's hoping you have free time), you can see a lot of similarities, especially in that the main character Tavi is your average PC right down to the min-maxing. Some of the powers are switched around, sure (Among others, inducing lust is a mind-altering, and thus water-aligned spell, rather than earth-aligned as in the series) but the basic feel is there, and I'd like to think it'd pass legal.
    So...when mages cast they might be placing a part of their minds into the element and manipulating that? Sorry if I missed something.

    Although that sort of casting means you could use another plot idea! A local mage has gone and tried to create some kind of permanent construct of magic (like a permanent fire wall or illusion that'll never fade). But when he tried it, all this did was create an Elemental who thinks it's the Mage since the original had to partition the part of his mind that cast the spell. A Freelancer group is needed to sort out the damages from their inevitable row.

    Bonus points to the player who convinces them to make up and move in together. The first Almanthan sitcom is born.
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    Ninjadeadbeard just ninja'd my post. How apt.
    Ninjadeadbeard's Extended Homebrew

  14. - Top - End - #194
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    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: The Minds of Almantha

    Quote Originally Posted by Ninjadeadbeard View Post
    So...when mages cast they might be placing a part of their minds into the element and manipulating that? Sorry if I missed something.
    ehhh.... Sort of. That might be the sort of metaphor used to teach channeling to young kids, but that's not really how it works. Channeling happens by locking your mental focus onto a system of ley lines ("system" used here as in a physics textbook) and then warping that system to achieve what you want. And even then, it's not perfect; remember that Chain Lightning can go for the KillSat instead of arcing out Darth-Sidious-style.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ninjadeadbeard View Post
    Although that sort of casting means you could use another plot idea! A local mage has gone and tried to create some kind of permanent construct of magic (like a permanent fire wall or illusion that'll never fade). But when he tried it, all this did was create an Elemental who thinks it's the Mage since the original had to partition the part of his mind that cast the spell. A Freelancer group is needed to sort out the damages from their inevitable row.

    Bonus points to the player who convinces them to make up and move in together. The first Almanthan sitcom is born.
    ... Man I wish that fit with how it worked. It could work a different way though: An Obsidian fire mage has been working on a "soul-copying" spell, to be placed in a flaming or illusory body to ostensibly serve as a confidant. However, he is instead working on immortality, by implanting his own copied soul into a well-preserved body (as in "blood still circulating" preserved, requiring the help of several water mages sworn to secrecy and paid quite a lot to remain so). This revenant took the place of the "confidant" once it was no longer needed, and when the fire-elemental confidant objected, the ensuing fight burned the house nearly to the ground. A group of low-level Freelancers was dispatched to the scene to subdue the fire-elemental copy and retrieve the procedure for the soul-copy spell (if there's an Imbue Intelligence spell, it would work this way) from the mage. Of course, the group has to figure out 1) which one the copy is (if the original's body is still recognizable, the revenant will of course claim that it (the body) is the copy, while the fire elemental will claim that the copy is the "living" body 2) where the procedure would be and how to read it, and 3) how to resolve everything to everyone's satisfaction without killing everybody.
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    I want to create a world that is full of possibility, and one of the best ways to handle it is by creating a bunch of stories that haven't yet been finished.
    Quote Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c View Post
    At this point, however, I'm thinking way too hard about the practical problems of running a battle royale school for Russian assassins, so I think I'll leave it there.
    In my posts, smilies generally correspond to my expression at the time. As an example, means "huh?" and "Hmm..". Also, "Landis" is fine.

  15. - Top - End - #195
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    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: The Minds of Almantha

    Bump to preserve. Don't reply - info within is being transferred to a Google doc, and a new thread will follow.
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    I want to create a world that is full of possibility, and one of the best ways to handle it is by creating a bunch of stories that haven't yet been finished.
    Quote Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c View Post
    At this point, however, I'm thinking way too hard about the practical problems of running a battle royale school for Russian assassins, so I think I'll leave it there.
    In my posts, smilies generally correspond to my expression at the time. As an example, means "huh?" and "Hmm..". Also, "Landis" is fine.

  16. - Top - End - #196
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    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: The Minds of Almantha

    Final bump. Don't expect new thread until Dec.
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    I want to create a world that is full of possibility, and one of the best ways to handle it is by creating a bunch of stories that haven't yet been finished.
    Quote Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c View Post
    At this point, however, I'm thinking way too hard about the practical problems of running a battle royale school for Russian assassins, so I think I'll leave it there.
    In my posts, smilies generally correspond to my expression at the time. As an example, means "huh?" and "Hmm..". Also, "Landis" is fine.

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