Magic of the Stars
Though cold winds assail me, I will
not flinch
The sun warms me
Though I wander the night, I am not
lost
The moon guides me
Though I am alone in the darkness, I will not
fear
The stars shine above me.
Above the Land, above the Lesser Air, stand the
spheres of the Greater Air, the abode of the gods. Similarly, the Spirits
of the Greater Air stand above other Spirits. No wizard or king can
command them. The most Men can do is call upon them and try to live as
they would wish in hopes of their blessings.
Prayers of the Faithful
Only a few have
the patience to learn the ways of spirits, but every man can call upon the gods
through prayer and supplication. Men mark the turnings of the year through
rituals, make sacrifices to atone for their sins, and pray for the favor of
their gods when they feel the need. Wiser men also pray to thank the gods
for their favors and make sacrifices to recognize their blessings. The
gods truly have little need for such gestures, but they appreciate
them.
Across the Land, there are many nations with many
gods, and, in a way, they are all real. Most Men tie their gods to one of
the Greater Lights, the Planets. They may have different names for these
gods, but the similarities will outweigh the differences in the end. Men
know also that the Stars are servants of the gods. The Spirits of the
Planets are, in truth, too far beyond mankind to answer directly. Prayers
are always heard by lesser Spirits within each god's Sphere. Various of
the Stars have taken an interest in different nations of Men, and lend their own
flavor to the religions that have grown up around them.
Prayers and sacrifices have a subtle effect in the
world. The Spirits of the Greater Air rarely send down hosts of angels or
part the seas. They gave Men the knowledge of magic for that sort of
thing. But they provide inspiration, vision, and intuition that guide Men
toward their will. They also grant minor boons. When the sea-swells
fail to swamp a ship, a god might have been stilling the waves. When a
soldier survives a battle, a god might have given him courage to fight and
strengthened his shield against enemy blades. Those who discount the power
of the Spirits of the Greater Air call such things nothing but fortune.
Wiser men know that "fortune" is the desires of the Spirits of the Greater Air
made manifest in the lives of men.
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Gamespeak: Divine
intervention is always tricky. Fortunately, if /everyone/ is calling on
the gods, it mostly evens out. Seeking divine favor is probably worth a
small bonus or a coincidental event every once in a while - when it will turn
the tide. Divine displeasure can work the same way. A king who
pisses off the gods might find his armies falling ill or his ships being
becalmed until he does something to atone.
Cinematic Unisystem Drama Points map to divine
favor pretty well. If a character has done something to earn divine favor,
he might have some different options for spending his DP. If he's earned
divine ire, he might end up sucking down a "When Bad Things Happen to Good
People." If I end up using a system with no dramatic editing
possibilities, then I'll probably add one in for divine
favor/disfavor.
-------------------------------------------
The Spirits of the Greater Air granted Man dominion
over the Land, so there is a special class of rituals concerning the powers of
Lords and Demesnes. In many lands, the Lords claim that their power
descends from divine mandate, and they are not wrong. However, more than a
few Lords have learned that the Mandate of Heaven can be withdrawn as easily as
it was given.
Lords who lose their Demesnes, or who sicken them
through weakness of character, must appeal to the Stars to regain the mandate of
their Lands. Often, this involves a difficult quest imposed by the Spirits
of the Greater Air, made more difficult because it is undertaken when the Lord
is at his weakest personally and politically, while his people languor in pain
and despair.
In the lands of the Val Aleen, there is
said to be a castle guarded only by women. The Lady of these women is so
beautiful that to behold her is to be blinded as by the sunrise. She holds
a drinking horn carved from one of the Great Beasts, and the mead of her hall,
when served from the Horn, is sovereign to all ills.
But the Lady and the castle are like unto clouds of
mist, first appearing, then disappearing. The Lady will only consent to
grant her horn to one pure of heart, unflinching of courage, and unwavering of
will, if that one can even find her.
Prophets and Oracles
When Dragada Iron Hand threw down the
Pillars of Flame and conquered the Land of Kaamar, he put to the sword all the
sons of King Elor, and took his daughters as slaves, except for one,
Shalamar. When her father was slain before her, Shalamar screamed and fell
into convulsions. When at last the tremors stopped, she looked up at
Dragada with sightless eyes and said "Despair thy throne, Iron hand, for only a
child of my father may stay the Desert's Wraith." Then she fell,
insensible.
Dragada was troubled, but he knew the Desert's
Wraith had not been seen for many years, and his fortunetellers had promised him
that he had the blessing of his gods to conquer Kaamar. Also, Dragada
carried a sword of starmetal that could slay any beast.
That year, the Desert's Wraith arose and buried
three camps beneath the sands. Dragada rode out to fight the Wraith, but
his sword, proof against anything that bled, was useless against a creature made
of sand and wind.
Dragada called on his wizards and sorcerers to
protect his lands, and their spells held the Wraith at bay. But blind
Shalamar said "Despair thy wizards, Iron Hand, for none shall stay the Wraith
until a child of my father inherits his throne. Half your realm, you will
never see again, and all will be lost to you."
For a fortnight, the wards of the wizards held the
Wraith, but then they cracked, and burning sands ravaged half the kingdom.
When the stinging grains finally stilled, an ancient temple stood revealed three
days' ride from the throne of Kaamar.
Dragada took his warriors and his wizards, and took
also Shalamar and a priest. Under the spires of the lost temple, Dragada
took Shalamar as his wife, and claimed her as his own before all
assembled. Even blind, she fought like hellcat, even scratching out one of
Dragada's eyes. But in the end, she was his, and filled with his
seed.
The wizards were able to limit the damage done by
the Wraith for three seasons, and then in the winter a son was born from
Shalamar. Dragada named the boy his heir, and ruled Kaamar as Regent for
many years, and the Wraith was quiet, beneath the sands.
Most priests are just men and women with a
particular dedication to the Spirits of the Greater Air, or a desire for the
prestige of the office. Some are also magicians who use their power over
lesser Spirits to serve the greater ones. But a few are truly touched by
the power of the Spirits of the Greater Air. They are regarded as greatly
blessed, but also accursed. No one the gods touch escapes
unmarked.
Oracles can hear the Celestial Chorus, the Music of
the Spheres. As such, they are attuned to the will of the Spirits.
And the Spirits hear the voices of the Oracles. Oracles speak words of
prophecy and can deliver the benedictions or warnings of the gods.
Oracles are very rare. One might not be found
in one hundred Lands. For some reason, most are women. Some say this
is because womankind has a closer connection to the Celestial than males.
Others claim it is because it is the lot of woman to be accursed and benighted
for Her sins. Whatever the case, Oracles are sought after and
cherished. Even so, the life of an Oracle is not one many would
envy. With senses enmeshed in the Celestial world, she is often only
barely in touch with the Land around her. She sees visions of past,
present, and future, and hears words no mortal mind should hear. As such,
an Oracle needs constant care. They almost always find themselves in the
care of priests, eventually, and it is hard to say how much of an Oracle's life
she knows.
Men speak in hushed whispers about Moria
Mane, she of the blood-red hair, who speaks the tongues of beasts and can see a
man's future in the way his shadow falls across a rose-bush. In fact, in
the Nine Hills, most men will try to avoid letting their shadow touch roses,
just in case she is watching.
Moira Mane wears cast-off clothing, but she is
always well-dressed. A harsh word from Moira Mane can wither crops or stay
the rain. A kind one can save a woman's son from wolves or cure a sick
child of the night-fever.
Moira Mane never lifts a weapon, and only carries a
copper knife. But a black hound shadows her every step, and he'll kill any
man or beast who crosses her.
Moria Mane has no husband, no brothers, no
sons. But she is always heard at the Lord's Court, because no lord in the
Nine Hills dares not hear what she has to say.
Moira Mane knows. She knows when the rains
will come and when the tribe in the next valley is ready for war. She
knows when the lambs will come, and who's bed you laid down in that was not your
wife. She knows if you'll have a son or a daughter, and she knows the day
you'll die.
Don't ask Moria Mane any question you don't want
answered, or your hair might be as white as hers is red.
Not all who are touched by the gods are quite so
blighted. Prophets and Sybils hear the music of the Spheres to a lesser
degree, and are often the focus of only a few voices. They have the same
gifts as Oracles, but are not so overwhelmed since their gifts of prophecy come
upon them only occasionally. Prophecy can still be as much a curse as a
blessing, since the gods always speak the truth, and not all men wish to hear
it. There are at least as many Sybils as male Prophets, and their gift of
Prophecy is often stronger. Male Prophets are perhaps a bit more likely to
master other mystical powers, and tend to be more active and nomadic than their
female counterparts, but then again, this is often the way between men and
women.
Unlike Oracles, Prophets often find themselves
outside established religious orders. The Truths they impart stir up
discord, and they are led on paths that do not fit the regimented life of a
priest. Most Prophets seek out some other kind of power, and have an easy
time finding it. The Spirits of the Greater Air gave Man all the secrets
he knows, save those of the Deeps, and those are not good things to
know.
--------------------------------
Gamespeak: Prophecy is a
power that has brought many a game designer low. I'm pretty sure the way
I'd handle it is to make it just a plot device, but if I was feeling frisky, I
might make it so that a Prophecy creates a collection of metagame
resources. When the PCs are trying to fulfill the prophecy, they have
advantages, and can take advantage of dramatic editing. When they're
fighting against fate, they're at a disadvantage, but will rack up Drama Points
(or whatever) to help them later. And if they can find a way to fulfill
the Prophecy and avoid the bad side, they get the best of both
worlds.
In any case, "Prophet" or "Oracle" are probably not
things you spend a lot of character-building resources on. They're
value-neutral at best, or a disadvantage at
worst.
------------------------------------
The Starborn
Kemp MacKoor all his life bore the curse
laid on his father's clan when they stole the Stone of Lyssee, but he was born
under Fortune's Star. No thatch would shelter him, no hearth fires would
burn for him, and he would never have two coins to rub together. But Kemp
MacKoor was always lucky.
Lucky, he was, to meet each of his Red Band, who
were peerless at the skills of war and guile and stealth and strategy.
Lucky, he was, to find the gnome caves that moved through the forest so that
each day they were in a different place, and lucky again to befriend the gnomes
so they taught him the secret of finding them. Lucky he was to slay the
dragon Kes in her den, and take her heart that burned as hot as fire.
Lucky he was to win the love of Lady Eleane, at least until she betrayed
him.
But that is another story.
Every person born is seen by a Star, and every Star
picks out a special person to watch and guide all his life. Prophets and
Oracles, they say, might have been chosen by too many Stars, or by no Stars at
all. But everyone else has a single Star watching over him. To
follow that Star is to follow your destiny.
Destiny is a frightening thing sometimes, and a
subtle one others. Most people go their whole life without ever hearing
their Star, but a few learn to listen, or chance to hear, and those few are
legends. Their Stars will guide them to greatness and imbue their deeds
with magic stronger than any wizard's spell. A child called by a Star of
War will be a peerless warrior, valorous and terrible. He could stand
against armies and slay dragons. A child called by a Star of Poetry may
never lift a sword, but the words he scribes could fell kings and change the
course of nations.
The gifts of the Starborn are not the magics of
Wizards. The Stars do not give Men the power to throw fire or fly on
invisible wings. Instead, the Starborn work magic through mundane
efforts. A Starborn hunter can track a grey hawk through a cloudy
sky. A Starborn swordsman can sharpen a blade enough to cut light, or
reverse it so it heals who it cuts. A Starborn singer can sing
souls.
There lived a woman in Dunnan Wood who
prayed to the gods with great fervor that her child would be blessed by the gods
of War. The barin would be all that was left of her husband, who died in
the King's war with the Kurnish. She prayed and sacrificed, and wore the
blood of her sacrifices on her growing belly. By day, she called for their
blessings, and by night she prayed for revenge against the warriors who slew her
man, and the king who led him to his death. She prayed that her child
would slay the Kurnish, unseat the weak and unsteady king, and take his daughter
to wife.
And the gods answered. And the child was
delivered... a girl. Even the gods of War have a sense of humor. A
Spirit spoke her name into the mother's ear: Bellatrix.
When other girls played with dolls, Bellatrix
wanted to play at swords with the boys, and she often gave better than she
got. By the time she began to bleed and her breasts grew, no boy in the
village could best her. When one boy who should have known better thought
he deserved her favors, she killed him with her bare hands, and was obliged to
flee for her life, since he was the Shire Reeve's son.
In distant lands, she learned the ways of sword and
spear and bow, and she came back with an army to grind the Kurnish into the
rocks, then to take the King's tower. And she did take his youngest
daughter to wife, because gods of War are often honorable, and they enjoy happy
endings.
----------------------------------
Gamespeak:
This could end up somewhat "Exalted-like" but probably on a slightly lower scale
and a bit looser. I like the idea of someone who really can talk her way
out of a sunburn, or sing birds down from trees. A warrior who can fight
an entire army is hell on game balance, but he's such a great literary
archetype.
My rough thoughts are that a Starborn will have one
special profession he was born to master. He'll pick it up as easily as he
learned to walk and talk, and then he'll get even better. He'll be able to
do flat-out magical things with his skill.
But there's a down-side to being Starborn.
The Star you're born under has plans for you, and to really reach your full
potential, you have to be willing to follow them, no matter what you'd really
want to do. It's entirely possible to be the Starborn of a war god, but
really want to be a florist. The gods don't really care. You're not
going to be a legendary florist, and you probably ARE going to end up in a lot
of fights where your only chance for survival is to master the ways of
war.
-------------------------------------
So that sums it up for Celestial magic. I put
in Oracles and Prophets and left out Fallen Stars. Perhaps I'll put them
back in at some point, but really they're just powerful non-human beings.
I've got Spirits of the Land for that, and Fallen Stars just complicate the
issue.
But I'm a big Neil Gaiman fan, and have a totally
inappropriate crush on Claire Danes, so don't hold me to that.
So anyway, next is Magic of the Deep, which I'm not
quite sure how I want to approach. I'd like to do something unexpected -
maybe take a riff from faerie-tale witches and wizards who are physically ugly
as well as morally repugnant. The idea about Magic of the Deep is that it
is WRONG. It's not necessarily "evil" because it could be beyond such
concepts, but someone who practices it is almost certainly going to be evil by
the time he's through, even if he started with the best of reasons.
After Magic of the Deep, the project I set out to
do is done. I might decide to write up one sample Land with a few Demesnes
in it, and I might decide to pursue it as either a fiction setting or a game
setting. The former is dependent upon me coming up with a character idea I
really like. The latter is dependent upon me hearing from a game company I
really like with a system that fits really well. Or just deciding it'd be
fun. That might also work.
For those who already really want to game this
setting, daHob on RPG.net has been working up a very loose Savage Worlds
treatment. He's not trying to get the magic to work the same way I
describe it her, just to come up with SW analogs for everything. I like
what I've seen of his work so far. It does the job well
enough.