WanaxOdysseus
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Posts: 98
Joined: Wed 15 Mar 2017, 00:09

Conducting experiments in magic

Fri 15 Jan 2021, 20:47

The GMs guide/Raven's Purge makes it quite clear that Zygofer/Zytera, Merigall and Zertorme are doing substantive experiments into magic. Zygofer/Zytera and Zertorme has created a bunch of creatures in their labs - Pyrotaurs, Harpies, etc, etc.

I'm pretty sure that my players sooner or later will want to indulge in this type of work, too - when they have a Stronghold. So:
1) What magic would be required to do this? Bind Spell? Like, equivalent to creating magical objects?
2) How long would it take? Like...how long to create a gryphon? Or a harpy?

I'm open to suggestions!
 
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Konungr
Posts: 543
Joined: Mon 10 Jun 2019, 09:39

Re: Conducting experiments in magic

Fri 15 Jan 2021, 22:27

I think more importantly they need access to Mog.

It's made fairly clear that all these hybrids and abominations are the result of using Mog to mutate and meld various creatures together. Zytera being the biggest experimenter and the creator of many monsters in the Forbidden Lands has the greatest access to Mog both living in a tower made of it and having a portal to Churnamog. The others all have access to some from other channels. Deals with demons, being themselves demons, access to Zyteras court, etc etc...

So before you get anywhere else. Where are your players finding Mog to experiment with and how are they handling it without corrupting and mutating themselves?
 
WanaxOdysseus
Topic Author
Posts: 98
Joined: Wed 15 Mar 2017, 00:09

Re: Conducting experiments in magic

Sat 16 Jan 2021, 02:52

Let's assume they have it, for argument's sake.

:)

Merigall....might provide some...for a price.
 
Mr Oldtimer
Posts: 388
Joined: Sun 14 Apr 2019, 12:01

Re: Conducting experiments in magic

Sat 16 Jan 2021, 10:30

I’d make some sort of adventure out of it. In order to research a new spell they’ll have to invest time, money and resources. Let’s say you need a study/library in your stronghold. At least. You might also need a laboratory. And If trying to raise new monsters, a breeding pen. As for time I’d say something like two months per spell level. Each month requires money (make it expensive. There’s a reason not every mage is doing this...) and ingredients. Ingredients require an adventure. Go raid a library of the Rust Brothers to get a tome of forbidden knowledge, raid a harpy nest and bring back (insert gross detail) fight this demon that terrorise the area to collect mog. Stuff like that. Then have them succeed with a Lore roll in the end to see if the experiments was a success or if they failed and need to start over. Push that roll, they want? Ok. So, a pushed roll is only allowed if there’s a stake, something at risk. One or two points of damage to an attribute while in their stronghold and not adventuring is no threat. I’d say, for each bane on a pushed roll something goes terribly wrong. The laboratory is destroyed by an explosion, the hireling working the breeding pen gets eaten and has to be replaced. Something like that. naturally the roll gets a minus modifier for each spell level above the first. There is also the possibility to get a bonus die if they spend more time on this. Let’s say doubling the time spent gives a plus one modifier. This is why it usually takes years to come up with new, powerful spells. Remember, each new month requires money and resources.
For researched animals or monsters I’d basically use the same rules but then add time for the creatures to grow. Which can be years for large beasts. And the cost of feeding a pack of hydras....
Now, if you run a campaign and don’t want them to take all this time because you have a campaign clock that’s ticking away but still want them to be able to do this you could, of course, alter the time needed. Or you could bring them on an adventure to find another dimension where time moves faster or let them travel there using the portal spell.
If my players want to do things like this, for which there are no rules, I usually come up with things like this and make adventure hooks for them. They also frequently suggest things like this to me. You want to research a potion of strength? Well, what could possibly be needed as a resource, I wonder...? Oh, you planned on travel to the mountains to find a minotaur lair because you think its horns would be needed? Actually, that’s just what you need!

Any ways, this is how I would run it. Hope it gives you some useful ideas. Best of luck. And please, feel free to tell us how it plays out.

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