Author Topic: Crop Circles in Shadow World  (Read 2203 times)

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Offline ljpitcher13

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Crop Circles in Shadow World
« on: October 22, 2018, 09:21:38 AM »
Looking for the longer term effects of magic on the environment and cultures of Kulthea, I started thinking about the usefulness of the Symbolic Ways Channeling list and how Symbols could affect everyday gameplay.
There are a couple of intriguing possibilities, apart from the obvious "Wayshrines" which no doubt dot the roads and byways of Kulthea, offering daily Protection, Resistance to Elements, Frost/Burn Relief, weather prediction and basic Healing - all of these are Symbol I or II effects, and thousands of years of Channeling culture means that even low level priests will be called upon to do their part for pilgrims and their flock.
What about Plant Growth?
At Symbol II (level 7), V (level 11) and IX (level 19) we have Plant growth I, II and III effects available to Animists. This will utterly revolutionise farming.
Crops will be planted in 10' or 100' radius circles with a Symbol on a stone post in their centre. (Many types of stone are dense enough for a 6'x1'x2' post to mass around 2000lbs; i.e. granite is 170lbs per cubic foot - RMCI 6.42)
Symbols which affect other beings, heal or do damage work once per day, and these spells last for one day.
So, at level 7 we have 10' radius regions where all plants 'of one type' will grow 10x faster. NO weeds or unwanted plants, just that one crop. Growing seasons become 10x more productive.
At level 11, this gets out of hand - 100x growth in the same area; that is a full year crop in 2-3 days! At level 19 for Symbol IX, we can cover 100' Radius circles at 10x growth. BIG crop Circles.
Assuming the availability of ritual magic, then even the level 11 and 19 effects could be fairly easily achieved by a large congregation at an annual festival. Symbols might be damaged by the environment or enemies, and may need replacing or renewing, giving more reasons for regular ceremonies and attending priests/animists to wander the region.
A single level 7 Animist can cast at least one of these Symbol II effects and Plant Growth I DAILY, probably several more. I propose that farmland in Kulthea will be dotted with intersecting 10' and 100' circles of super-fast growth monoculture! Maize, Rye, Wheat, Grapes, Orchard fruits... Kelp...
Elven forests could spring up out of nothing in a just few years to full growth. Coppiced trees could have their growth directed and shaped for stronger hulls or wooden implements. Wildfire-blasted regions can be brought back to lushness in months instead of decades. Deserts might be seeded with hardy, resistant mature growth plants and turned into fertile zones (just add more weather magic)
What are your thoughts?
What other interesting things have you done with Permanent or regular spell effects?

Offline Spectre771

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Re: Crop Circles in Shadow World
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2018, 11:28:12 AM »
That is really fascinating!  What a great take on the spells and the uses.  I'm going to add this to my campaigns.  My larger cities with very little access to arable land, northern regions with a lot of snow cover and harsh temperatures would easily benefit from these uses.  Thank you!
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Offline ljpitcher13

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Re: Crop Circles in Shadow World
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2018, 02:28:11 PM »
You're welcome - I was just trying to find reasoned ways to make Symbol Lore useful outside the usual 'Temple Defences' and utilities.
I'll post some more ideas shortly. Glad you like 'em.

Offline jdale

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Re: Crop Circles in Shadow World
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2018, 04:40:36 PM »
The Sacred Land spell list in RMU Treasure Law potentially extends this further. In addition to symbols, you also have the Blessed Fertility spell (harvests will be 50% greater) which could cover much larger areas. The 15th level consecrate spell can cover "a mountain, a lake, a wood, a cavern complex, etc".
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Offline ljpitcher13

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Re: Crop Circles in Shadow World
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2018, 04:55:07 PM »
Cool - I haven't looked at RMU as yet, will have to check it out. No doubt there are lots of interesting combinations available.
Another thing I have worked on is low level apprentice/journeyman magic items - after all, Alchemists have guilds, and have to practice, right?
So, you 'should' get lots of level 1-3 Daily items and a load of single use imbedded items that the guilds sell off relatively cheaply - probably to other professional bodies. Otherwise all of the practice items made by level 1-3 Alchemists and the Journeyman quality items from levels up to around 6 or 7 would go to waste - or perhaps there is some gian warehouse full of them under every Alchemist's and Enchanter's Guild hall? Hmm... a plot hook.

Offline Dr Jim

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Re: Crop Circles in Shadow World
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2018, 08:33:43 AM »
This is a fascinating idea, using magic in a similar way to how we use science / modern fertilisers to boost crop production. What do you think the implications of this would be on  society? I suppose it would allow for a larger overall population and greater proportion of people to be employed outside of agriculture. Well to a certain degree anyway as you would still have to transport the produce to where its needed without it spoiling (magic could be of assistance here too I suppose).
Do you think relying on magic for sustenance would be a good idea though? I was thinking if some nefarious spellcaster starts tampering then there could be a big problem. What about essaence storms, they would be a problem anyway but if you are magically boosting your agriculture then the impact could be even worse.

James
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Offline Voriig Kye

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Re: Crop Circles in Shadow World
« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2018, 07:18:02 PM »
What do you think the implications of this would be on  society?

You might be interested in the series of articles on the social implications of magic, which were published some time ago in the Guild Companion.

Offline Dr Jim

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Re: Crop Circles in Shadow World
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2018, 11:59:32 AM »
Thanks Vorig, these are good articles.

James
The owls are not what they seem

Offline jdale

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Re: Crop Circles in Shadow World
« Reply #8 on: November 05, 2018, 09:09:17 AM »
Fantasy settings tend to have higher levels of danger in the wilderness than historical medieval settings. I would think you'd get denser population pockets with more of the population shifting into towns and cities, and the reduced farming areas would need greater military support.
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Offline Dr Jim

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Re: Crop Circles in Shadow World
« Reply #9 on: November 05, 2018, 04:24:51 PM »
A very good point. For a feudal society (I guess the type I'm most familiar with) I suppose this would mean the local lord would be more likely to have a reinforced / fortified manor house with the village fairly close by (so the villagers could quickly retreat to it in case of trouble). I imagine there would also be more yeomen (or other villagers familiar eith the use of arms). I would suspect that the levels of fortification and militarization would drop the further from the frontier and closer to the center you travelled.
In game terms this could lead to some interesting opportunities.
The duke isn't happy that his liege man is amassing military power. He sends his trusted men, the pc's, to investigate.
The pc's arrive in the area at a fortified village. The locals are suspicious of the new arrivals from the wilderness and become scapegoats for local ills.
The frontier barons men are heavy handed and the party encounter them roughing up an old gentlemen, accusing him of being in league with the monsters. The pc's may feel compelled to help, but what if the guards are right...

James
The owls are not what they seem