CHellsmith
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Magical Healing and Permanent Injuries

Sun 23 Sep 2018, 03:44

Howdy!

I've got two questions!

First, let's say a player gets a Crushed Elbow critical injury. It's listed as Permanent, so can it be healed by the Mend Wounds spell? It says it heals an injury, but it looks like a permanent injury cannot be healed.

Second, some injuries have a "Time Limit" entry, but I couldn't find anywhere what that means. Does anybody know?

Thanks for your help.
 
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Fenhorn
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Re: Magical Healing and Permanent Injuries

Sun 23 Sep 2018, 05:43

I would say that the Mend Wounds spell can heal any critical injuries. My reasoning for this is:
* It is a rank 2 spell and there is a Resurrection spell that is a rank 3. To cast a rank 2 spell can be dangerous, especially if the spell cost 2 WP.
* Elves can "renew" themselves due to their "elven ruby" magic thing so regeneration powers exists in the FbL world (in the form of a talent for the elves).
* It would be very boring for the players if those "permanent" wounds really was permanent.

Time Limit is how long time before the wounded dies. Page 108 DEATH reads "If your critical injury is listed as LETHAL, someone must make a successful HEALING roll to save you - otherwise, you die when the time indicated has passed". This could perhaps be more clear. Another thing that also could be more clear is that the -1 after LETHAL is a penalty to the HEALING roll.
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Re: Magical Healing and Permanent Injuries

Sun 23 Sep 2018, 08:06

I personally rule that permanent critical injuries cannot be healed, with the exception of the Elven talent. Negative effects are part of character development, it's not all about getting stronger. I believe it makes for more interesting characters. After all, innovation is born from inefficiency. There's also at least one NPC on the top of my head that has lost a body part and replaced it with a metal counterpart.

However, if someone is resurrected, I'd rule that they come back without physical scars or permanent injuries. A physically immaculate copy of themselves.
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Fenhorn
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Re: Magical Healing and Permanent Injuries

Sun 23 Sep 2018, 10:01

I personally rule that permanent critical injuries cannot be healed, with the exception of the Elven talent. Negative effects are part of character development, it's not all about getting stronger. I believe it makes for more interesting characters. After all, innovation is born from inefficiency. There's also at least one NPC on the top of my head that has lost a body part and replaced it with a metal counterpart.

However, if someone is resurrected, I'd rule that they come back without physical scars or permanent injuries. A physically immaculate copy of themselves.
Just because a spell exists doesn't mean that there are a whole bunch of druids that has 'bring back your arm-shops' in every corner and even if there is a druid that can cast the spell in a village, why would that druid spend WP and risk his life. It is dangerous to cast spells.
Also a little bit strange that you can with a spell bring someone back to life, but you can't bring back a body part. But that's just me.
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Re: Magical Healing and Permanent Injuries

Sun 23 Sep 2018, 10:25

Just because a spell exists doesn't mean that there are a whole bunch of druids that has 'bring back your arm-shops' in every corner and even if there is a druid that can cast the spell in a village, why would that druid spend WP and risk his life. It is dangerous to cast spells.
Also a little bit strange that you can with a spell bring someone back to life, but you can't bring back a body part. But that's just me.
Definitely. I get your point and I don't think there's anything wrong with ruling like that. There's a bit of leeway in interpreting these rules so I don't see any problem with my ruling, either.

In regards to resurrection, IIRC you don't need the body of the person being brought back, so in my mind the spell creates a new body in the old body's image. When I think of it, I imagine that there is a "blueprint" that a person's body is molded after. It is then exposed to the harsh world and stuff like scars and missing limbs come after its construction. When you bring someone back, you mold a new body after the original blueprint. Elves have been giving the power to alter and remold their own blueprints, which gives them the ability to regrow limbs. This is also why elves cannot be brought back by the resurrection spell in my ruling, and instead their rubies must be brought to the Stillmist where other rituals work, outside the rules and regulations of the other kins.

Note that this is all my interpretation of how it works, a mental model, if you want. In my mind it makes sense. There are a lot of blanks in the Forbidden lands books, and at the end of the day it's up to everyone to fill in the blanks the way they want. It's like when you have people who don't know how televisions work, but everyone still has some sort of model in their mind for them to rationalize and explain it the best way they understand. It could be a simple model or a very complex one. It's not necessarily the way it actually works, though. But I digress.
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Fenhorn
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Re: Magical Healing and Permanent Injuries

Sun 23 Sep 2018, 16:08

Another way to get a lost limb back could be to instead of the Mend Wound spell, use the Resurrection spell. The lost arm is technically dead. The Resurrection spell is hard to learn and come with a price to pay (Empathy loss) so it is not something that is cast hand over fist.
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Re: Magical Healing and Permanent Injuries

Sun 23 Sep 2018, 16:55

Another way to get a lost limb back could be to instead of the Mend Wound spell, use the Resurrection spell. The lost arm is technically dead. The Resurrection spell is hard to learn and come with a price to pay (Empathy loss) so it is not something that is cast hand over fist.
I think that sounds like a very reasonable way of handling it. If a player really wanted a limb back, I'd be more inclined to use this method. If I was a player I'd love to have my character's arm lopped off in some epic battle. It builds character.
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oneone78
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Re: Magical Healing and Permanent Injuries

Fri 04 Jan 2019, 19:36

I was curious about this same thing since one of my players got a crushed elbow during our recent session. After reading through this thread though it got me thinking, how many permanent injuries are there? And it turns out there are very few, and they are all on par with losing a body part (with the exception of white hair, which is totally fashionable). I think the way I plan to run this is that if it says permanent then it's permanent. Certain magics can fix it, but like the above stated, it comes with risk therefor it has a cost. I could see the elf talent fixing it though, but I would think it would require a visit to the elven lands to do so. need to take a dip in some magical pool or something. However with the Mend Wounds spell it does say it fixes broken bones, so I could see it fixing the crushed elbow/knee crit.
 
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Eldhierta
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Re: Magical Healing and Permanent Injuries

Sat 05 Jan 2019, 10:21

Another thing to keep in mind is that there are other ways to replace lost body parts, namely the Rust Brothers. Go pay homage to the priests and their gods and they may grant you new, even more powerful, replacements. Morphing tentacle/demon claw, anyone?
 
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andarp
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Re: Magical Healing and Permanent Injuries

Sat 05 Jan 2019, 11:59

Just adding my 2 coppers to the pile. I like permanent injuries, both as a player and a DM. I think my general rule will be based on the fact that for the rank 2 healing spell it says it can "heal broken bones and bleeding wounds" (translated from Swedish rules). It doesn't say anything about regenerating a body part.

- Permanent injury without dismemberment: can be healed with the rank 2 healing spell without issue.
- Permanent injury with dismemberment: can be healed with the rank 2 healing spell if you still have the body part! The healing spell has to be cast within the time limit and has to be performed on a fresh wound, with a decently fresh body part (not too rotten etc). So basically it's okay to bind the wound and get to a healer asap, but you can't perform lesser healing magic on it to stop the bleeding and then a week later go to a better healer and get the arm "glued back on".

Assuming a person survives a permanent dismemberment and down the line wants a new arm, the only way to do so is to essentially have their body "cycled" with a resurrection spell. They literally need someone to kill them and then be brought back with a new body, suffering the same consequences as a person who died naturally and was resurrected. Seeing how strange and scary this is, I think they would be forced to roleplay and roll heavily for this to even become an option. And if the healer fails in their attempt, they are just straight up dead :-)

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