| From: | Wafflemeisters <evamarie@**********.NET> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | ED blood magic ; the BIG QUESTION (was Re: Teleporation) |
| Date: | Fri, 22 May 1998 05:57:04 -0500 |
> Re: Teleporation (Erik Jameson , Thu 16:32)
>
> At 03:31 PM 5/21/98 -0400, you wrote:
>
> >>Define "pure." If I recall my ED, there are those (including
Lightbearers
> >>I'm pretty sure) that strongly believe that Life Magic is just a prettier
> >>name for Blood Magic.
> >
"life magic" is strain, IE, magics that cause a little damage to you
from internal use of energy. Some light bearer abilities CAUSE strain,
and MANY normal adept abilities do. Life magic is, as far as anybody
knows, just fine.
Blood magic is when you take permenant (for the magics duration) damage
from an EXTERNAL cause to gain / use power. Things such as cutting
yourself (and sometimes others), attaching blood charms, buying certain
permenant magic powers (unclear where the damage comes from- maybe a
cutting ritual). Blood magic is questionably acceptable- lightbearers
vow not to use it, but won't stop others from doing so for non-evil
purposes. Its use can be grusome and disturbing, but it is not "evil"
any more than nethermancy is. In fact, nethermancers study blood magic
as part of thier discipline.
Sacrifice magic is just that- the use of death to fuel magic. Death
curses, dying acts / vows, and evil rituals fall in this catagorie.
Again, the intention is more important than the technique, morality
wise.
> As I recall, Blood Magic first popped up before the Scourge. I can't
> recall if it was simply a way to boost your power of it was seen as a way
> to channel power without having to pump as much raw magic (which was
> increasingly tainted) through you. I think blood magic was invented before
> spell matrices were.
>
I think you timing is correct. Blood magic an also be adapted to power
almost any magic, and does not pose the risks of "raw" magic- hence,
many powerful anti-horror "desperation measures" were blood magic. I
haven't read any clear rules, though.
> >I don't think that "blood magic" should have negative connotations -
> >it's just drawing from life energy. What you do with your blood is
> >your business. The problem lies when somebody else decides that it's
> >time for you to make a donation...
>
>
> See, I do have a problem with it. I have this bad feeling that "what you
> do with your blood" is someone else's business and that Blood/Life Magic
> carries with it a certain taint.
That is one of the "Big Questions" of ED, and potentially of SR. Its
also one of those questions FASA flat out will NOT answer, and vows
employees to silence on.
>
> But as I said before, your opinions can and do vary. You, and others,
> don't seem to have a big problem with Life Magic. And I'm sure I'm not
> alone in my distrust and dislike of it.
Well, its clear that blood magic CAN lead to mana spikes (from SR, if
not ED), but other powerful magic can do the same thing- there is just
no magic quite that powerful, yet, in SR (actually, locuses do have that
effect).
IMO, the Lightbeares are against blood magic because they are "saving
themselves" for a huge, age-shaking blood ritual, similar to but much
bigger than the Dragonheart ritual. This is why they avoid blood magic
and all have ties to a "great pattern"- they need evey ounce of juice
for that big linked ritual that will start the end of the fourth age.
-Mongooes X
