Topic: Mist Walking

[munchy]

I was wondering what made Mist Walking so much better than other means of teleportation. It basically is the Ley Line transportation of the elves, right? However, you need the starting and stopping points, just like the gates of those cyrads. Wouldn't it be nicer if this means of transportation could be used with any mist found anywhere. Clever casters would then also learn spells like creeping mist, obscuring mist or similar spells to call forth mist they can later use for teleportation.
And you could leave the mist wherever there is (would be quite limited to teleportation in the morning and evening) or there could be mist (which would rule out deserts but favour forests).
Can't wait to read more on the matter, especially as I might have a candidate for such old magic in my current party.

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

Well, for one thing, Mistwalking allows for the transportation of large groups. The entire elven contingent in Belynar came through Mistwalking.

Also, the description of Mistwalking describes the effect as seen by those traveling by this method (which does take time, it isn't instantaneous like teleportation). Not how outsiders view it.

To an outsider, the group would most likely just blink out or maybe dissolve. They would not see any mist.

Mistwalking isn't really ley line travel either, though it does follow those pathways of power. When Mistwalking, the group is traveling the edges of the ethereal plane (hence the "surrounded by mist" part of the description). The ley lines provide stability and help keeping them from getting lost within the ethereal plane (the lay lines are more than just physical plane manifestations, they extend into the astral and the ethereal as well). Remember, the ethereal touches all other planes.

[munchy]

Oh, did not really expect an answer on this one anymore and to be honest had completely forgotten this question.

Does mist walking really only work from one of the stone circles to another one - sort of like a portal? Did I read that right? Or is is just easier to walk from one of these place to another? ... I mean a good druid or whatever would be able to call up "normal" mist about anywhere.

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

Well, apparently I missed this one when first posted as well -- somebody sent me a PM pointing it out hehe

The name "Mistwalking" comes from them being surrounded by mist as they travel. This "mist" being the ethereal plane.

It has nothing to do with summoning a "mist" or fog or anything of that sort. Those are basically elemental effects, not dimensional travel effects like Mistwalking is. Please don't associate Mistwalking with such spells as "Obscuring Mist" and the like, they are NOT connected in any way.

One of the reasons for  having the Mistwalking work from the power places is because they ARE power places. The presence of those makes it much easier to open the pathways for Mistwalking. And as pointed out above, they follow the ley lines because it keeps them from getting lost.

Also, remember, Mistwalking is a ritual, not a spell. Nor should PCs ever be given access to it without a lot of GM consideration beforehand, and no starting characters should ever have access to it. Only high level Arali Weavers who belong to the organization that controls access to the ritual.

The Arali will never teach this ritual to a non-Arali, and they will not be disposed to ever teach it to an Arali who hangs around the lesser races.

[Fidoric]

And is it a possible way to go to other planes,as the ethereal touches all other planes ?

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

And is it a possible way to go to other planes,as the ethereal touches all other planes ?

The Arali have never tried it....

They have had groups who were Mistwalking in the past get lost in the mists and never return.

The only group to ever purposely travel to another plane/dimension are the Cyrads, and a very small contingent of Narsi who followed them. And that was through a specially built portal hidden deep beneath Belynar (which is even more heavily hidden now...)

[Fidoric]

I love the way you don't say 'no' Razyr. anyway, it should not be a concern for any PC group before a long time for me.

[munchy]

I love the way you don't say 'no' Razyr. anyway, it should not be a concern for any PC group before a long time for me.

Yeah, you have to love it. Probably a true gaming way of saying "no".

I was just wondering how to incorporate this into my game. Mist Walking reminded me a bit of one of my favourite spells from RM2: Curtain Wall from RMCIII which my Archmage in those days was very lucky to get knowledge of. He also could only use it as a ritual but it was worth every roll spent for it. THE ultimate travel spell including a safe place to hide.

[Fidoric]

Speaking of rituals, it is certainly a great way to identify magic to a given culture. Whereas spellcasting can be common (relatively speaking), rituals are certainly well-kept secrets, unique to each cultures. Mistwalking is clearly one of those. I think it could be nice to have some of those summarize somewhere, to get a feeling of each race specific magic (a new Gazeteer ?  )

To come back to mistwalking, Razyr's statement that some party went there never to return may lead to some interesting topics. Maybe they got lost, maybe they encountered very nasty beings... Is the Ethereal place inhabited ?

BTW, I remember reading something about the Ethereal plane in CoM, but not in Cyradon. Is it truly the Otherworld in disguise ? I was rather thinking of the Otherworld as a kind of astral plane (cf. CoM). It seems to me that it is the home of the deities and thier servants. Elemental spirits are also referred to in this chapter, but I think that elemental must be read as fundamental, not fire or water.

Furthermore, I read under 'the Void' that intelligence lurk there and that its effects can be felt in the Spirit World (which is the Otherworld)... Does that mean that Demons can occasionnaly reach into the Spiritworld and be the doom of an unwary traveling party ? It is also said that on two occasions, mortals have drawn forth some of the power of the Void. One may be the Narsi with their demonic infusions but what is the other occasion ?

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

I love the way you don't say 'no' Razyr. anyway, it should not be a concern for any PC group before a long time for me.

 

Well, I couldn't say no because, technically, it should be possible. However, none of the current races or groups, except for the Cyrads (and the sub-group of Narsi) have even contemplated it, so IF it is possible (and THAT is up to the individual GMs), nobody really knows that it is. Nor how to accomplish such travel.

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

Fidoric -- I am going to leave you hanging on those questions.... Nick is working on  "Something Wicked", and I am sure that he will cover some of those points, so I don't want to say anything that might invalidate what Nick is writing, or change the way he writes it.

[Fidoric]

Such a ritual could also have a great influence upon such things as warfare... Imagine that you can bring troops where you want without being spotted and in almost no time. Fighting Arali armies is certainly a nightmare for any other strategist ! Unless there's a way to post sentinels in the 'Mistwalking lanes' to spot advancing armies when they are mistwalking.
At the very least, Arali lords should have every power point guarded to counter any chance of surprise attack... Are those exits common things, say about 1 for every 100 sq kms, or are they rare ?
IMO, they should be rare lest the Arali lords must have huge standing armies used only to guard each and every one of them.

Sorry, I have read your last post after writing that one. The tactical issue is still a problem for me... but no more questions on this !

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

There are 2 Arali groups, the Desnians and the Janieal. And they have been at peace with each other for thousands of years (sometimes a strained peace, but still a peace).

No other race (currently known) knows how to do Mistwalking. Why should they guard those power points heavily? There is nobody else that can use them (as far as they know).

Remember, when the incident with the Narsi happened, they closed off the entire continent from the outside (The Viel). They never worried about the power points for Mistwalking as they do not consider them to be a weak point or a source of a potential threat.

And I only meant leaving you hanging regarding the various planes and the Void and demons and so forth.

Other questions, I will try to answer on an individual basis... hehe

[munchy]

I would also guess that no one else even knows about Mist Walking all together. Maybe it is known that Elves have been known to travel great distances at very short time but even the connection with the places of power is probably not seen by the other races, maybe not by those Elves who don't know how to do mistwalking.

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

It would be a good bet that not many know about their Mistwalking. The Cyradon races know most likely, but not anybody else (and not all of the Cyradon races, mainly just those friendly with the Arali).

Outside of Cyradon, the ability would be unknown by other races, unless they discovered it themselves as well (and none of the main Anias races have, not even the Sithi).

The Sithi -- they might have older tales regarding the Arali Mistwalking, but it has been several elven lifetimes since the Arali were in Anias, so they would only be tales to those now living.

Also, if you think about it, Mistwalking longer distances is going to be more draining than shorter distances. And even with shorter distances it will be difficult. Mistwalking will not ever be a common method of travel. It is used in emergencies and special circumstances.

The Mistwalking is likely not as draining as travel through the Portals (well, as the travel through the portals was for the refugees (the draining effect being a way of keeping new comers from being immediately hostile - a safeguard set up against the Orsai in case they figure out what is keeping them from entering in the first place)).

But it is likely to be tiring at the very least, especially for the Weavers who do the ritual. And since it is a ritual, that means that it also cannot be quickly used either, no using it for fast getaways...

[Fidoric]

I wasn't thinking about the other races. I was not sure however of the degree of confidence between the Desnian and Janieal Arali. If each country is sure not to be attacked by the other, then they won't take any measure for that.
However, IF Arali do make encounters while Mistwalking, considering the fact that they can come out of the Mistwalking at power points, wouldn't it be reasonable to think that others too may come into Cyradon from the 'Spirit World'.
What I'd like to know about the 'Mistwalking Lanes' is whether they are permanent part of a world or ephemeral manifestation of a powerful ritual existing only for so long as ther are used ?
If the travel last for several days, is it possible to stop and make camp ? Is a traveling party allowed to stop and rest in the Mistwalking or do they have to step out of it to set camp ?

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

Remember, the first group of Arali to travel to Belynar went by normal methods. When they discovered that the humans were there, they used a magical communication device and both Desnia and Janieal sent a COMBINED force to Belynar via Mistwalking. That was considered an emergency.

Canon-wise, the Arali would never use Mistwalking to make attacks upon one another, period. It is used ONLY for special circumstances.

Mistwalking is just too difficult to do as it is, it will never become a common method of travel. It is used for emergencies only.

When Mistwalking, you have to leave the mists to make camp. To stop traveling within the mists is to risk being lost forever.

Think of it as something along the lines of a bubble traveling through a flume or tunnel. You can get on and you can get off, but you cannot stop in the middle.

[Fidoric]

Just the answer I was after.
Yesterday evening, an afterthought came to me. Mistwalking is a secret closely held by Arali weavers and rightly so. What the of the 'fallen' Arali who have become the Ashari or worse, the Shivan Arali now known as the Shirae ?
A last question (for this morning) : does Mistwalking over water work ? In other words, did the Ley Lines run through deep water near the surface or are they always 'land bound', crossing the ocean floors (or Camal Sea floors) ?

[munchy]

Well, if the Cyrads managed to travel to another dimension although the didn't exactely use Mist Walking, my guess would that it definitely is possible to travel to other continents, islands and even dimensions. A lacking easy to find because it is a place of power exit point will make things REALLY difficult and probably not worth trying. As Tim said before, there have been Mist Walking parties gone missing in the past, lost in the twilight.

[Fidoric]

Guess I've missed the exit issue. That will be a problem to exit Mistwalking in any water environment. I hadn't thought about that. I must the disagree with using Witwalking to go to other continents. Razyr specifically pointed out that you have to exit Mistwalking to rest. As traveling between continents is certainly a many day trip, you would end up resting on ocean floor... Except if you go by small 'leap' from island to island as may be possible via the Shatterings.
That makes Mistwalking and Royal Roads definitively entirely different things. As for traveling to other dimensions, I quote Razyr :

The only group to ever purposely travel to another plane/dimension are the Cyrads, and a very small contingent of Narsi who followed them. And that was through a specially built portal hidden deep beneath Belynar (which is even more heavily hidden now...)