Christian Magic

I'm currently producing a homebrew world that is set in the 13th century. Because it is an historical game (but historical in the sense that what people believed to be true then is true in the game), most magic will be Christian. Does anyone have any experience or ideas for how to make that work? I'm designing a prayer mechanic, a demonic possession mechanic and trying to come up with a way to deal with action by angels. Any and all ideas would be appreciated.

I'd look at Dark legacies.

The priest class has the sermon ability which is effectively prayers having a similar result as bardic music, and the Voice, which is direct supernatural holy power channelled by the word of God effectively, but in a suitably low-magic fashion.

Then there's rules for demonic possession, as well as rules for magic as a gritty, dangerous thing wielded by demon-worshippers.

Fantastic setting by its self, but the best bit is that it can be easily plundered for other similar styles of setting, especially medieval Europe as it draws extensively from that for inspiration.

I'd strongly recommend buy Green Ronin's Testament. It's superb, and while set in biblical times may be a big help.

Please be really careful in this thread, folks; any discussing of the pros and cons of religion will get it shut down in no time flat.

Well, keep in mind that priests can bless you before battles, and that will count. Saying a prayer to an appropriate saint will have effects. A true king can cure certain diseases by touch. There are many holy places - springs that heal the sick or infirm, for example.

Everyone is Roman Catholic, so the wine really, definitely, without question is turned into blood during the Eucharist.

The really important bits, though, are not observable during a character's life but after it - more important is a priest's ability to absolve, so that those who die in the upcoming battle do so with their souls free of sin.

Don't forget that the Christians thought that other faiths' magic worked too - it was just Eeeevil and came from the devil.

Anyway, I hope this was helpful in some regard.

Haven

You might want to check out the free pdf of ars magica 4th edition, magic and church miracles in fantasy medieval europe, although it is not d20 it is very good stuff.

Other resources

Pendragon game. Not d20 but has arthurian magic.

Green Ronin's Mythic Europe, has alternate classes and priest magic.

White Wolf's Arthurian Legends in their Relics and Rituals Line.

There is a pdf by a different company with Arthurian stuff, can't remember the name right now.

Well you probably already have thought of this, while a good deal of Europe was in the process of being converted to Christianity, most of the less well educated people kept up with a portion of the previous beliefs as well. A great example of this is the fear of the "wee folk" (faries, changelings, etc...). To further complicate matters, the Roman Catholic church also adapted the customs of different faiths to convert members of those faiths.

Are you using D&D as the system? I have a few ideas about what you could do, but don't want to cross any lines that ought not be crossed in a public forum, so you could e-mail me at timmundo@hotmail.com

Best of luck!

Hmmm, well "Christian" and "Magic" are two words that would not be used in conjunction in the 13th century, but I'll give it a shot. I loved studying this era in school.

First up, I'd say look through material written for Ars Magica; if you can find the old supplement Maleficium, you are pretty well set for ideas on what demons can do (I can't recommend Pax Dei, the Divine supplement, as it is probably the only pro-Divine, anti-Church-and-anything-even-vaguely-connected-with-it supplement in existence). Anyway, Maleficium shows up on eBay all the time.

As to what people thought prayers, miracles, demons, and angels could actually do...

I would suggest looking at some medieval Saints lives for ideas of what miracles and prayers were supposed to be able to do. Most of it is curative or calming, though there is also the ability to smite evil doers (essentially anyone non-Christian, including heretics). Another power commonly found was finding lost items or discovering who stole items. Food shows up a lot.

Of course there are other, odder miracles. Stigmata (...not of the eye...) commonly manifest as a way of showing holiness, as does the notion that, when you die, your corpse smells of flowers or of apples.

Angels are a bit tricky, too. Angels guide, give wisdom, comfort, smite, and all the rest, but they cannot be commanded. Instead they aid an individual at the behest of God (or Christ or Mary or an equivalent force).

Demons would have the ability to get you to do things you might otherwise not wish to, but also have you stand by your decision after the fact. A demon might convince that, since you are mad at your sister over something minor, you must strike her in church, or drive her out of her house. In other words, demons don't force you to do things utterly outside your desires, but cause you to overreact. After the act they will make you feel foolish and leave you in a position of feeling confused, angry, and yet determined to take credit for your action (maybe with some form of justification). And demons are terribly, terribly incremental in their actions. Since they don't worry about when you die, they are willing to go for incredibly long-range plans.

Magic, conversely, is EVIL. Well, mostly. Usually. Unless it is done for a really, really good cause and doesn't hurt anyone and the person can't be defined as a witch, which itself is a highly variable term, mumble, mumble, equivocate... Basically, you're not going to find anyone Lobbing Fireballs For God. Magic in the 13th century was a lot of calling up the dead to find buried treasure, having forests appear suddenly, losing someone on a path, and creating wondrous items such as cloaks covered in poison or that would burts into flame when worn. The essential definitions are, if you are calling up the dead or causing someone to die, your magic is evil. If it is anything else, see your priest first and, if he approves, Handle With Care, don't use more often than directed, and go to confession immediately afterwards.

Of course if you want to make the world more fantastical, it would probably be better to base your campaign on legends written at this time, such as the early Arthurian legends, or those of Charlemagne. In these the magic is a bit more common, there are fewer problems with it, sometimes Saints and Angels come down to aid a hero at the hero's request, and magical swords appear nearly as often as in D&D.

I'd imagine there has to be an Ars MAgica suppliment that would be great for this.

Hey guys, thanks for that incredible response so far.

The game I'm running is a BRP-D20 hybrid but all the skills and related mechanics are D20.

I am indeed doing an inventory of magical effects from medieval saints' lives and have read a number already.

So, keep the recommendations coming. I am an historian so you don't need to worry too much about accuracy/historicity debates as I'll be doing fact-checking on all your suggestions anyway. Also, please don't get too hung up on the usage of the term "magic" at the time -- I'm interested in what we, today, understand as magic, not what people called it at the time. So, all magic, sacramental, pagan and everything in between is of interest.