Topic: Sources (from Arcane Companion)

[Kristen Mork]

The Power Focus spell list includes the spells "Assess Source" and "Tap Source."  I naively assume that a source is the same for both spells.  Given that, what is a source?

At one extreme a source might only include "stores" created using Power Storage or Store spells (e.g., from Power's Master).  This prevents massive power taps, but makes Assess Source useless (and limits Tap Source's value).

Other possible sources of power might include:

• Deities (although how often are you able to Assess/Tap a deity?)
• Items (they have the equivalent of PPs that recharge over time)
• Spell-casters (this seems inappropriate given Power Merge spells)
• Earth nodes (but these already reduce PP costs, and open up the Power Mastery list)
• Ley lines (would tapping a ley line lead to corruption?)

Note that Tap Source is a U(tility) spell, so it can only be cast on a willing target.

Finally, assuming a fairly standard fantasy setting (Greyhawk in this case), what sort of information should Assess Source provide?  If cast on a person, do you get an idea of PPs?  Or, can you cast it on an item to get a sense of charges?

[Maelstrom]

IIRC the "source" for the source spells is the store that's created power storage spells, but I could be wrong.  Memory tells me the assess source is a first or second level spell which is pretty much going to mean it's fairly useless.

Obviously, you can define source however you like for your world.

[markc]

    On page 9 of the RMSS AC they talk about sources and how the GM should define them. IMHO it would define the magic in the way that that GM defined the magic system. From the example of air, earth, fire and water it would define the target of the spell in those terms. I would as a GM have the person or item described in what they believed or what the creator of the item believed. So the spell may or may not be useful depending on the GM's world and level of detail.
    In Grayhawk for example maybe the caster can tell an item is made my X people who are enemies of his nation. Or they could use it as a way to detect casters or people who believe Y vs the populace who believes  Z.


MDC