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Gellion
Learned Scribe
140 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Jul 2004 : 23:30:33
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Okay, I know there is always a lot of talk about Arcane magic, about Wizards doing all sorts of experiments and stuff like that. My question is, what about Divine magic? It does not seem to get much spotlight, well less tha its Arcane brother at least. Why arent there any Clerics delving into very old religious texts found in ruins and messing with them. Perhaps for some even trying to find a way to mix Divinne magic and alchemy or Divine magic with something else. Maybe even find a way to get access to it without having to have a god.
EDIT: I could see a powerful priest of Gond creating a non-sentinent soul of sorts to put in a machine to power it.
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"Paladine, you see the evil that surrounds me! You have been witness to the calamities that have been the scourge of Krynn... You must see now that this doctrine of balance will not work! I can sweep evil from this land. Destroy the ogre races. Bring the wayward humans into line! Find new homelands far away for the dwarves and the kender and the gnomes, those races not of your creation... I demand that you give me, too, the power to drive away the shadows of evil that darken the land!"- THE REIGN OF ISTAR, Tales IV |
Edited by - Gellion on 27 Jul 2004 23:36:46
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Sourcemaster2
Senior Scribe
USA
361 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jul 2004 : 23:43:40
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| Clerics and druids are downplayed in FR quite a bit. Their magic is rarely used, except for the extremely powerful priests (Quile, Cadderly, ect.) There's little info on what a cleric does beyond the obvious preaching/occasional healing (deity description info doesn't cover all that much). Experimentation with divine magic could only be done if the god wills it, so attempting to gain divine magic without a deity isn't likely, as the god wouldn't want that. Alchemical ventures and other experiments could happen. |
But what have all the passing years/Done, but breed new angers, fears?/Show me now an equal worth/To innocence I earned at birth. |
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Icewolf
Learned Scribe
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jul 2004 : 23:46:25
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My guess is that, while Aarcane magic is gained through knowledge and skill, Divine magic is a 'gift' from the caster's god. Clerics, Paladins, and Druids all get their spells from deities. Old religious texts and the like wouldn't do any good.
Note: I 'believe' this is detailed in the FRCS, but I don't have access to it at the moment, so if anyone else can verify this... |
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Sourcemaster2
Senior Scribe
USA
361 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jul 2004 : 23:58:10
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| It is possible for clerics to learn new spells from scrolls or other sources. It is assumed that any cleric has learned the standard spells (through training or some direct divine communion), but new prayer spells can be acquired. I believe it is possible for a cleric to gain a new spell from his or her god, but that's probally more rare, perhaps involving a quest. Details on alchemy, item creation, or spells could be found in old texts and used, even if they were written by clerics of a different deity. |
But what have all the passing years/Done, but breed new angers, fears?/Show me now an equal worth/To innocence I earned at birth. |
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Gellion
Learned Scribe
140 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2004 : 00:15:50
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| I like to view it as the ogds not knowing everything. Meaning that one of their followers could find out something that they could not. A Cleric experimenting in mixing divine magic with alchemy might make some kind of "Anti-undead goo" that is suffused with positive energy and if spread around a coffin would prevent the body from ever rising as an undead. Or if put on a house would prevent any undead from entering it. Stuff like that. |
"Paladine, you see the evil that surrounds me! You have been witness to the calamities that have been the scourge of Krynn... You must see now that this doctrine of balance will not work! I can sweep evil from this land. Destroy the ogre races. Bring the wayward humans into line! Find new homelands far away for the dwarves and the kender and the gnomes, those races not of your creation... I demand that you give me, too, the power to drive away the shadows of evil that darken the land!"- THE REIGN OF ISTAR, Tales IV |
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Capn Charlie
Senior Scribe
USA
418 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2004 : 12:17:48
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Well, I believe it is downplayed in the most part due to the uneasines many feel towards the subject. Many to whom I have talked to state that the "freaky gods and cults" is what turns them off of fantasy worlds like the realms.
Basically, a company can put a book in the store that is all about wizards, and the workings of arcane magics, and delve deeply into them. Peopel woudl see a book liek this, and say "m, a book written as if fro ma wzard's perspective", shrug, think about how into the game soem of the guys that play it get, then walk away thinking about merlin or gandalf.
If someone sees a book that delves in the same depth into the mysteries, rites, and practices of a religion, then things get dicey. Where the average parent will let a kid read a book about wizardry, they would not liek their kid learning all about false gods, and getting into such things.
Also, it would seem that some authors would feel uncomfortable doing a lot with religions that are not their own.
However, this is just my take on it.
Personally, I would like to see really indepth looks at religions, down to in character sections of holy texts, and the words and possibly music to go with prayers.
Not so much that I would use them in game, it is much more expedient to tell the players the priest says a prayer blessing the dead, rather than learn, rehearse, and recite it myself, but it would be a great read, illuminating much about the faith, and be a great aid in a character roleplaying a cleric of that faith, and handy to let curious players be able to be told that the aforementioned prayer is on page 87 if they are interested.
I would also like to see more texts written in character, as well. However, these are just the musings of an opinionated man who loves to hear himself talk. |
Shadows of War: Tales of a Mercenary
My first stab at realms fiction, here at candlekeep. Stop on by and tell me what you think. |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2004 : 14:52:39
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| What about Faiths & Avatars, Powers & Pantheons, Demihuman Deities, the expanded god-lore Ed's been posting, and Prayers from the Faithful? And the Priests novels? But the kind of intellectual experimentation and manipulation Gellion mentions is the kind of the thing mages do, and pretty foreign to the religious mentality, which is about submitting your will to the god, not exerting it. |
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Gellion
Learned Scribe
140 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2004 : 09:27:24
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Anyone have anything else to say. |
"Paladine, you see the evil that surrounds me! You have been witness to the calamities that have been the scourge of Krynn... You must see now that this doctrine of balance will not work! I can sweep evil from this land. Destroy the ogre races. Bring the wayward humans into line! Find new homelands far away for the dwarves and the kender and the gnomes, those races not of your creation... I demand that you give me, too, the power to drive away the shadows of evil that darken the land!"- THE REIGN OF ISTAR, Tales IV |
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Jerard Doonsay
Seeker
USA
65 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2004 : 14:58:17
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| I think they said it all really. Not much else that i can add. |
May history live forever in the writings and stories of those who wish to tell them.
Please come and enjoy my website http://ferien.aribytes.org |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2004 : 05:32:49
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quote:
Originally posted by Gellion
Okay, I know there is always a lot of talk about Arcane magic, about Wizards doing all sorts of experiments and stuff like that. My question is, what about Divine magic? It does not seem to get much spotlight, well less tha its Arcane brother at least. Why arent there any Clerics delving into very old religious texts found in ruins and messing with them. Perhaps for some even trying to find a way to mix Divinne magic and alchemy or Divine magic with something else. Maybe even find a way to get access to it without having to have a god.
EDIT: I could see a powerful priest of Gond creating a non-sentinent soul of sorts to put in a machine to power it.
Gellion, I have a few ideas about what you're proposing here. Unfortunately, my ideas contain much in the way of planar content. I think that to better handle this question, you should probably post this over at Worlds, in the PS section.
That will allow me to provide you with some of my ideas... and keep Alaundo happy...
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Divine magic in Faerun
