Excalibur d20

[tensen]

Ley lines are completely an early C20th invention of 'fringe archaeology', and have no more basis in reality than kooky reconstructions of druidic ritual or crop circles: see http://www.kmatthews.org.uk/cult_archaeology/ley_lines.html. The idea ruined Watkins' reputation as a serious (and respected) amateur archaeologist.

Actually a more accurate statement is that have no more basis in Tetsujin28's reality... then those other things. Since your reality choses to disbelieve the numerous books that state they are possibilities. Ley Lines haven't been disproven.. however, they haven't been positively proven to exist. This leaves either possibility still a reality.


However, whether or not it is a reality....If you want to make sure there is a possibility of magic in the setting.. you need to explore the variety of beliefs, instead of inventing a completely new belief out of thin air.

Aren't we talking about a roleplaying game here?

 

[Vigilance]

Double post

 

[Vigilance]

Tensen, you are right about that, although I would not claim Excalibur's magic system to be an exhaustive take on ley lines or henges

Basically, magic definitely exists in Arthurian tales, since we have magicians and dragons and giants (to name a few magical aspects of the setting).

I always found Merlin's connection to stonehenge fascinating, and had read a little about ley lines and henges being connected- so it grew from there.

Again, I really have no opinion on whether ley lines are real- but it doesnt matter for pursposes of the Excalibur game, since Arthurian tales basically take place in a never never land which was supposedly 5th century Britain but with a political structure really close to the 15th century Malory really lived in.

Chuck

 

[tetsujin28]

Well- please dont think because of my inclusion of them in this game I am taking a stand on whether or not ley lines are "real"!

Its an rpg set in Arthurian England- so I decided to include some other bits of British folklore that I found interesting.

Arthur is tied in with the stone circles, ley lines are related to stone circles- voila!

So my reason for using them that it was an interesting take on the mechanics, and gave all the spellcasters a home turf.

Chuck

Fair enough, then

 

[tetsujin28]

Actually a more accurate statement is that have no more basis in Tetsujin28's reality... then those other things. Since your reality choses to disbelieve the numerous books that state they are possibilities. Ley Lines haven't been disproven.. however, they haven't been positively proven to exist. This leaves either possibility still a reality.

You're right -- my 'reality chooses to disbelieve' all forms of pseudo-science. Why? Because it's not science, but
it claims to be, which is the difference between pseudo-science and theology/religion. Pseudo-science is phony-baloney hocus-pokus that misinforms the public about the important work that the sciences (in this case archaeology) really do.

 

[Vigilance]

Pseudo-science makes *perfect* fodder for roleplaying games, however, which is how we got on the topic of ley lines to begin with

There are a lot of things about arthurian legend, especially malory's telling of it, that make a perfect role playing environment.

Others, such as magic, needed a little work. While there is plenty of magic to be seen in Arthur it is usually of a plot device form.

Merlin is a GM persona, much as I feel Gandalf is in LOTR (he shows up very conveniently to get things started and bail the PCs out when the whole campaign is about to tank).

GM personas are cool- but I wouldnt want to play one.

So I tried to give priests and mages some extra *oomph* while keeping the flavor of the setting intact.

And this is possibly way more info than anyone wanted from me on that point

Chuck

 

[Vigilance]

You're right -- my 'reality chooses to disbelieve' all forms of pseudo-science. Why? Because it's not science, but
it claims to be, which is the difference between pseudo-science and theology/religion. Pseudo-science is phony-baloney hocus-pokus that misinforms the public about the important work that the sciences (in this case archaeology) really do.

Pseudo-science makes *perfect* fodder for roleplaying games, however, which is how we got on the topic of ley lines to begin with

There are a lot of things about arthurian legend, especially malory's telling of it, that make a perfect role playing environment.

Others, such as magic, needed a little work. While there is plenty of magic to be seen in Arthur it is usually of a plot device form.

Merlin is a GM persona, much as I feel Gandalf is in LOTR (he shows up very conveniently to get things started and bail the PCs out when the whole campaign is about to tank).

GM personas are cool- but I wouldnt want to play one.

So I tried to give priests and mages some extra *oomph* while keeping the flavor of the setting intact.

And this is possibly way more info than anyone wanted from me on that point

Chuck

 

[tetsujin28]

Well, that's certainly true -- my friend Bruce Baugh and I are addicted to the stuff And anyone with any sense of fun is addicted to Ken Hite's Suppressed Transmission columns.

 

[zenld]

And anyone with any sense of fun is addicted to Ken Hite's Suppressed Transmission columns.

Pardon my ignorance, but where does one find these columns? They sound quite interesting.

zen

 

[tetsujin28]

You have to be a Pyramid subscriber (www.sjgames.com/pyramid/), though Steve Jackson Games has put out two Suppressed Transmission collections. They should be near the GURPS books at your FLGS. You can get a free look at Ken's style here: www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.cgi?661