| From: | Brian W Allison <ballison@*******.WAM.UMD.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | (long) Metaplanar Travel as a Form of Rapid Movement |
| Date: | Thu, 5 Dec 1996 21:19:29 -0500 |
On Thu, 5 Dec 1996, Midn Daniel O Fredrikson wrote:
> hmm...I like it. About opening a doorway to the metaplanes, how does that
> work. Can someone transport their body into the metaplanes. If so, how
> is the result different from metaplanar quests. Does the metaplanar
> energy pose a threat to the body that is different than to a projection.
> If not, why aren't metaplanar gates more prevelant. I really like the
> idea, but what are the results?
Well, it can be done with a Free Spirit who has the Astral Gateway
power.
But for a mage to do it, alone... *shudder*
You can only use your Initiate's Astral Pool. Yes, this bites.
I find that having knowledge of the *specific* plane helps immensely,
but isn't required.
<in game terms>
=====================
For the purposes of Dice Pools, this is *one* complex action. Be
careful.
Base T#: ln(distance in meters) - that is, the natural logarithm of the
distance. Minimum T# is 10 though, seems the body resists being forced
through metaplanes more than the Aura does. (I *don't* know how Free
Spirits can manage it...)
Either location have a background count? Add twice the BC to the T#
Has the mage ever lost magic? Add twice the points lost to the T#
Does the mage have any currently bound spirits, elementals or Ally
spirit(s)? For spirits or elementals add 2x the sum of their Force. for an
Ally, add 4xForce. Yes, to the T#
Foci? Amusingly enough, Power Foci subtract from the T#. Locks are
broken by the attempt but add +1 to the T#, Weapon Foci add to the T#,
Spirit Foci add 2x to the T#, as do any Watcher Foci.
Fetishes are not affected and do not affect the T#. Merry Christmas.
Spell Purpose act funny. If you travel through a metaplane which is
neither affiliated *with* or diametrically *against* the Spell Purpose,
then it adds 1/2 its rating. If the metaplane is *for* the Spell Purpose,
then subtract the Rating from T#. if the metaplan is *against* Spell
Purpose then not only does it add 2xRating, but the Focus must roll its
Rating against the base T#. Each 2 successes preserves one Rating Point.
Magic Barrier enclosing either endpoint? Not only do you have to fight
your way out, but you add the Barrier Rating to your T#.
For some reason, traveling North-South has no effect on the T#, but
traveling E-W adds a +1 per 30 degrees of movement. I *don't* know why.
The single exception is if the movement is between to/from a Locus or
Druidic Circle.
Again, damned if I know why.
Other factors can affect the T# - if you're in an element or among
animals or spirits of the right (or wrong) type. GM's discretion.
The special skill MetaPlanar Geography is rolled against the Base T# of
ln(#meters), and if you get any successes, you can influence *which*
planes you use - which can throw you off course, but can also let that
Health Focus do you some good, eh?
For every 2 successes, add one to your T# but lower by one any mod by a
Focus or elemental/spirit/Ally of the appropriate type. Yes, you must use
all successes.
For instance if you target a visit through the plane of Fire and get 6
successes (Ya, Right! And monkeys might fly out of...) then your overall
T# goes up by 3. However, any mods to the T# due to Combat Focus, Fire
Elemental or Fireball Focus would go down by 3 *each*.
For things which do not have a specific plane (such as Power Foci), this
doesn't help/hurt their T# mods. Sorry.
Trying to bring others along? Add 2x(7-Essence) to the T# for each
individual. Yes, for Awakened creatures this can make it *easier*. (I know
this mage with a partnership with a Vampire... *shudder*) Spirits can help
you out in this one way, if they so choose. If they're under your control
they cannot *hurt* your chances by affecting the T#. (I think they may
actually not go via the same way you do... but I'm not sure.)
And if your companions have any of the above (spirits, foci, etc) you
add those in to the T# as if they were yours.
Imbued the place with some karma as a preparation? T# is reduced by the
karma put into it. Such karma must be put in all at once, and if you ever
imbue it with karma again then only the higher amount of karma applies.
Use the Initiate's Astral Pool as the skill. Roll the dice against the
modified T# (oh... did I forget to mention that it's FRAGGING HARD?)
Successes both increase accuracy and deal with Drain.
Base Drain is Deadly, it is *always* physical.
Any 'guests' take damage as you do.
If you've gotten this far, you're really interested in the method (or
you're a masochist for a long message), so I'll tell about Accuracy. It's
in terms of 'scatter', that is, a Radius and an angle. Scatter is reduced
by N% for every success; N depends on your familiarity with the area. N
is called the Scatter Factor. Direction is random - D6 x 36 + D6 * 6 + D6
degrees off Magnetic North. (Roll each successively. Mathematically there
is a radial shift, but no wrap-around in the possible directions.)
Scatter Distance is equal to the distance you're travelling.
If you've prepared it with a Ritual, taking X karma to imbue it with a
mark, then not only is your T# X lower, but the Scatter Facor is 100.
If you're Very Familiar with it (ever called it 'home'), then the
Scatter Factor is 75%
LOS on the place: 75%
If you've visited and Astrally Assensed the place for at least an hour,
then Scatter Factor is 50%
If you've visited and Assensed for less than an hour: 40%
If you've only visited and are familiar enough to mentally see it: 30%
If you've visited only a few times and don't have a terribly clear
image: 20%
If you've never visited physically or astrally, 10%
One nice thing. If you use magic to gain familiarity with the place (say
use Mindlink to learn about a place) then you use the better of your
'fake' familiarity and 'your' familiarity to determine Scatter Factor.
Beware - this is not the way 4th Worlders do it. Well, I hope.
And it's killed more than one low grade Initiate trying to use it.
==================
Brian W. Allison
Computer Scientist Vocalist Would-be Poet Bicycler Scuba Diver
Hacker(0xca) Nerd(79) GenX(21) #include <witticism.h>
http://www.wam.umd.edu/~ballison
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