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arry
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
317 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Aug 2013 : 19:35:10
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Would lightning conductors work in the Realms? If they did I can see them being devised by Gond worshipers and being sold by Gondian temples as a miracle of Gond. This would cause enmity between Talos and Gond.
I could imagine priests of Gond proclaiming “Don’t send prayers to Talos to spare your house, pray to Gond in thanks for his miracle that protects you!”
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36906 Posts |
Posted - 26 Aug 2013 : 19:53:39
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| Even if they did work, I should think that an irked deity of lightning could force lightning to hit elsewhere, and thus circumvent the protection. Or perhaps hit one with a powerful enough bolt to fry it. |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 26 Aug 2013 : 21:11:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Even if they did work, I should think that an irked deity of lightning could force lightning to hit elsewhere, and thus circumvent the protection. Or perhaps hit one with a powerful enough bolt to fry it.
Maybe Gond is plotting against Talos and the ever increasing numbers of "lightning rods" are taking more and more of Talos's focus away from other things |
A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka
"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -
John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 26 Aug 2013 : 23:58:58
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I would rule that such things could be effective vs random “natural“ lightning strikes and electrical surges, while they would require some sort of “spell level“ analogue vs deliberately directed lightnings. Can‘t disarm all those wizards and elementals, y‘know.
Good luck trying to redirect or safely absorb a blast of lightning deliberately hurled by Talos, or by any other entity of divine order. |
[/Ayrik] |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2013 : 04:31:26
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quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Even if they did work, I should think that an irked deity of lightning could force lightning to hit elsewhere, and thus circumvent the protection. Or perhaps hit one with a powerful enough bolt to fry it.
Maybe Gond is plotting against Talos and the ever increasing numbers of "lightning rods" are taking more and more of Talos's focus away from other things
I think it would be more likely that Talos would simply empower some of his mortal [c]hosen to hunt for, and then later disable or destroy, these lightning rods. This would then leave Talos the freedom to bring this grievance to Gond directly. |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4694 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2013 : 07:49:08
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In some ways the idea is interesting, however one thing should be pointed out. Realms science does not work the same way Earth science works. A full plated fighter on Earth would be grounded to the surface of soil and take little to no damage from a strike, a full plated fighter in the realms would take full or half damage even when grounded to the soil, (with a chance of damage to armor).
Thus it might follow that the lightning rods would take damage and not protect all that well, while doing so. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2013 : 13:48:36
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This gives me a cool, non-Realms related RPG idea though: They use 'Arcane Accumulators' in Iron Kingdoms, which power their techno-magical devices. Using them, they've been able to both 'capture' and harness lightening, which is one method of charging the accumulators (IIRC - I no longer own the books).
So if I decide to use some of the Iron Kingdoms stuff in my own (FR-based) campaigns, it could be that each time lightening is 'captured' by an accumulator, Talos loses a wee bit of power. It would be like you were siphoning off his energy. Over time, this could add up, and cause him problems.
Just a thought, is all.... |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 27 Aug 2013 13:50:02 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36906 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2013 : 14:28:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
This gives me a cool, non-Realms related RPG idea though: They use 'Arcane Accumulators' in Iron Kingdoms, which power their techno-magical devices. Using them, they've been able to both 'capture' and harness lightening, which is one method of charging the accumulators (IIRC - I no longer own the books).
So if I decide to use some of the Iron Kingdoms stuff in my own (FR-based) campaigns, it could be that each time lightening is 'captured' by an accumulator, Talos loses a wee bit of power. It would be like you were siphoning off his energy. Over time, this could add up, and cause him problems.
Just a thought, is all....
The arcane accumulators accumulate magic. It's when it's pushed thru runeplates that it the energy is translated into fire, or ice, or a +3 to hit, or whatever. Cygnar stuff uses voltaic chambers, for their lightning-based toys.
As I recall, though, energy has to be trickled into accumulators -- they don't act as rods of absorption. |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2013 : 14:34:19
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
This gives me a cool, non-Realms related RPG idea though: They use 'Arcane Accumulators' in Iron Kingdoms, which power their techno-magical devices. Using them, they've been able to both 'capture' and harness lightening, which is one method of charging the accumulators (IIRC - I no longer own the books).
So if I decide to use some of the Iron Kingdoms stuff in my own (FR-based) campaigns, it could be that each time lightening is 'captured' by an accumulator, Talos loses a wee bit of power. It would be like you were siphoning off his energy. Over time, this could add up, and cause him problems.
Just a thought, is all....
The arcane accumulators accumulate magic. It's when it's pushed thru runeplates that it the energy is translated into fire, or ice, or a +3 to hit, or whatever. Cygnar stuff uses voltaic chambers, for their lightning-based toys.
As I recall, though, energy has to be trickled into accumulators -- they don't act as rods of absorption.
well an arcane absorbtion accumulator should be totally doable then. |
A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka
"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -
John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12077 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2013 : 16:59:10
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| It was stated in earlier versions of D&D that natural and magic lightning work differently. One of the most common examples was that lightning used to reflect off of surfaces. Granted, the reflecting of lightning changed in 3E, but there was no indication that grounding of magic lightning worked. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36906 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2013 : 17:26:46
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
It was stated in earlier versions of D&D that natural and magic lightning work differently. One of the most common examples was that lightning used to reflect off of surfaces. Granted, the reflecting of lightning changed in 3E, but there was no indication that grounding of magic lightning worked.
I seem to recall that shocking grasp, in particular, would not travel thru metal objects to zap someone. |
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Barastir
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1602 Posts |
Posted - 28 Aug 2013 : 12:20:10
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| There's an "accumulator" in Elves of Evermeet, right? Would it work that way? There is a "lightning attractor" spell somewhere, too, IIRC. |
"Goodness is not a natural state, but must be
fought for to be attained and maintained.
Lead by example.
Let your deeds speak your intentions.
Goodness radiated from the heart."
The Paladin's Virtues, excerpt from the "Quentin's Monograph"
(by Ed Greenwood) |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36906 Posts |
Posted - 28 Aug 2013 : 17:17:43
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quote:
Originally posted by Barastir
There's an "accumulator" in Elves of Evermeet, right? Would it work that way? There is a "lightning attractor" spell somewhere, too, IIRC.
The elven accumulator draws in magical energy from the surroundings... I don't recall the Iron Kingdoms mechanika doing the same -- they're more like arcane batteries. |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2013 : 00:52:03
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| There is also an exotic fantastic metal in Volo‘s Guide to All Things Magical which emits massive electrical surges on contact. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Barastir
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1602 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2013 : 11:51:06
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
The elven accumulator draws in magical energy from the surroundings... I don't recall the Iron Kingdoms mechanika doing the same -- they're more like arcane batteries.
Somewhat like a ring of spell storing? As for Ayrik's comment, there are magic absorbing metals and lightning-charged metals in Dwarves Deep, IIRC. |
"Goodness is not a natural state, but must be
fought for to be attained and maintained.
Lead by example.
Let your deeds speak your intentions.
Goodness radiated from the heart."
The Paladin's Virtues, excerpt from the "Quentin's Monograph"
(by Ed Greenwood) |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36906 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2013 : 15:54:52
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quote:
Originally posted by Barastir
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
The elven accumulator draws in magical energy from the surroundings... I don't recall the Iron Kingdoms mechanika doing the same -- they're more like arcane batteries.
Somewhat like a ring of spell storing? As for Ayrik's comment, there are magic absorbing metals and lightning-charged metals in Dwarves Deep, IIRC.
Magical items in the Iron Kingdoms are a lot more difficult to make than in standard D&D... So rather than a generic sword +1, they would have to etch rune plates that would give the sword the +1, and integrate them into the assembly. But the rune plates themselves are inert -- they would need to be powered, and that power would come from the arcane accumulator. So it powers the rune plates, and the rune plates provide the enchantment. And having to do things that way is called mechanika.
Because it's harder to enchant magical stuff in the Iron Kingdoms, you'll find mechanikal stuff far more readily than regular enchanted stuff from the DMG. |
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Lightning Conductors?
