Back to the main page

Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: David Buehrer <dbuehrer@******.CARL.ORG>
Subject: glass and magic
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 1998 18:45:08 -0700
For whatever reason glass has the same refractory properties on the
astral plan as it does on the physical plane (I'm assuming this
because mages can use binoculars and mirrors to cast spells).

Could glass lenses be used to magnify magic? Or to disperse magic?
What happens if you cast a spell through a prism?

I just want to see what theories the members of this list can come up
with.

-David
--
"Courage is grace under pressure."
- Earnest Hemingway
--
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/1068/homepage.htm
Message no. 2
From: Aaron Jones <aaronj@******.COM>
Subject: Re: glass and magic
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 00:03:10 -0500
>For whatever reason glass has the same refractory properties on the
>astral plan as it does on the physical plane (I'm assuming this
>because mages can use binoculars and mirrors to cast spells).
>
>Could glass lenses be used to magnify magic? Or to disperse magic?
>What happens if you cast a spell through a prism?

AFAIK, glass does nothing to magify magic, it magnifies LIGHT. The
mage has to be able to see the traget, and the binoculars simply let him see
farther. The only way I could see to use glass to nullify magic would be
polarized glass or that pebbly kind they use in doors (Interestinf
question...how "clear" does the visual image have to be to see the aura?),
simply because they block LOS.
Same thing for the prism...Can the mage see the target in the prism?
>
>I just want to see what theories the members of this list can come up
>with.
You've got mine, for all that it's worth :)
>
>-David
>--
>"Courage is grace under pressure."
> - Earnest Hemingway
>--
>http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/1068/homepage.htm
>
>

Aaron (Still looking for a SIG) Jones
aaronj@******.com
Message no. 3
From: "J. Keith Henry" <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: glass and magic
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 02:14:00 EST
In a message dated 98-01-31 20:44:43 EST, dbuehrer@******.CARL.ORG writes:

> For whatever reason glass has the same refractory properties on the
> astral plan as it does on the physical plane (I'm assuming this
> because mages can use binoculars and mirrors to cast spells).

Be careful, you are making a dangerous leap of assumptions here. I think the
ability to use binoculars and telescopes (hmm...pondering) in conjunction with
spellcasting has to do with the "LOS through Ambient Light" vs. through an
artificial light. Even if a light source is artificial in nature, it is
permeating a "natural/elemental" domain of some form (even if it is just
"air"). Remote Ops magic (like the Telekinetic stuff) probably has something
more involved. We're getting to that this week on the pages probably, but no
huge promises...

> Could glass lenses be used to magnify magic? Or to disperse magic?
> What happens if you cast a spell through a prism?

Oh Dave, sometimes you can come up with an idea that has absolutely no end to
the potential eschewments (word??? shrug). The concept of "Magnifying" magic
would be stunning, the most direct idea I can see would be the "Light Ray"
spell through a focusing agent (evil grin). On a broader scale, who knows and
I'm certain that many out there would scream and run away in abject horror...

As for seperating magic through a prism, or even "realigning" it, well, that
would be cool. Imagine a Prism-based lens where the "yellow" light has been
filtered out ... and the mage casts his favorite powerball through it. Or
better yet, the lens abstracts into the Ultraviolet ends of the spectrum
(purple zones) and goes looking for ways to interact with ambient Solar
Radiation (grinning more here).

Yep...lots of ideas...

-K


>
> I just want to see what theories the members of this list can come up
> with.
>
> -David
> --
Message no. 4
From: Mike Bobroff <AirWisp@***.COM>
Subject: Re: glass and magic
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 07:05:46 EST
In a message dated 98-02-01 02:15:01 EST, you write:

> Oh Dave, sometimes you can come up with an idea that has absolutely no end
to
> the potential eschewments (word??? shrug). The concept of "Magnifying"
> magic
> would be stunning, the most direct idea I can see would be the "Light Ray"
> spell through a focusing agent (evil grin). On a broader scale, who knows
> and
> I'm certain that many out there would scream and run away in abject
horror...

I agree, magnification would be something most people would be frightened of
... though it does happen on the damage side with area of effect manip spells
and backblast effects (Keith should remember the battle on the Sovereign well)
... and with the Light Ray spell, the caster would need to be able to continue
to sustain the spell while bouncing around inside the mirror area ... yes, I
do remember, Light Ray does not have "sustained" in it's description, but it
could be added and thus drag the drain up higher ...

> As for seperating magic through a prism, or even "realigning" it, well,
that
> would be cool. Imagine a Prism-based lens where the "yellow" light has
been
> filtered out ... and the mage casts his favorite powerball through it. Or
> better yet, the lens abstracts into the Ultraviolet ends of the spectrum
> (purple zones) and goes looking for ways to interact with ambient Solar
> Radiation (grinning more here).

I could see "Prisming" a spell so that it functions better in certain
situations ... like being a blue-green when functioning underwater ... connect
this to a Clairvoyance spell and the caster may have no problem seeing through
water at all ...

Mike
Message no. 5
From: "J. Keith Henry" <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: glass and magic
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 11:30:32 EST
In a message dated 98-02-01 07:06:02 EST, AirWisp@***.COM writes:

> > As for seperating magic through a prism, or even "realigning" it,
well,
> that
> > would be cool. Imagine a Prism-based lens where the "yellow" light
has
> been
> > filtered out ... and the mage casts his favorite powerball through it.
> Or
> > better yet, the lens abstracts into the Ultraviolet ends of the spectrum
> > (purple zones) and goes looking for ways to interact with ambient Solar
> > Radiation (grinning more here).
>
> I could see "Prisming" a spell so that it functions better in certain
> situations ... like being a blue-green when functioning underwater ...
> connect
> this to a Clairvoyance spell and the caster may have no problem seeing
> through
> water at all ...
>
Jumpin in on only this reply now...

Mike, I was kind of being sarcastic in my replies, and I do apologize for that
fact. "Blue-Green" functional light may work underwater for optical light
and laser-effects, but it shouldn't have a lot to do with water. Sight
penetrating distally through water is more a value of obstruction.

Most water is filled who-knows-what anymore. Light will simply "stop"
penetrating into the deeper depths of water (further distances in the case of
artifical sources) simply because of the way light works.

Prisming a spell would have niftier consequences for other means. A spell
could be specifically designed to work "only on objects with this light
source" or "only against things of this color.

I was theorizing...

-K
Message no. 6
From: Mon goose <landsquid@*******.COM>
Subject: Re: glass and magic
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 11:00:23 PST
>Prisming a spell would have niftier consequences for other means. A
spell could be specifically designed to work "only on objects with this
light source" or "only against things of this color.
>

That ought to be doable with some sort of "restricted target" modifier.
How useful, I don't know.

Trying to affect the spells target by altering your view (avoiding red
objects by wearing green sunglasses?) is the same as the "look through a
keyhole" effect, or the infamous LCD glasess and friend or foe ID combo.
It doesn't work because it runs counter to the spells design and
purpose.

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Message no. 7
From: Mike Bobroff <AirWisp@***.COM>
Subject: Re: glass and magic
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 09:00:53 EST
In a message dated 98-02-01 11:33:58 EST, you write:

> Prisming a spell would have niftier consequences for other means. A spell
> could be specifically designed to work "only on objects with this light
> source" or "only against things of this color.
>
> I was theorizing...
>
> -K

And I realize that too Keith, but it is also a very good idea ... now to apply
some of it in the game now (ewGMg, but not at the same level as Tinner's) ...

Mike

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about glass and magic, you may also be interested in:

Disclaimer

These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.

Thwap!