Folk magic in a D&D campaign?

[Kahuna Burger]

What would the implications be of introducing some folk magic into the background of a D&D camapign. For simplicities sake, lets define folk magic as low power, lots of ritual magic spells which can be "cast" by anyone who knows how to do it. (perhaps with a stat check of some sort). It would be accessable to any character who took ranks in say Knowlege:hedge magic, or profession: voodoo.

There's a good chance based on folklore that this sort of magic would be known mostly by women and perhaps linked to professions such as herbalism and midwifery. Since D&D is pretty gender neutral, exceptions would of course be rife in PCs.

What could folk magic do? Create or enhance a poison, perhaps. Gaurentee or prevent pregnancy, definitly. I'll have to find my folklore books and post a few specific ideas...

Kahuna Burger

 

[DreamChaser]

a favorite subject of mine.

Folk Magic should, IMNSHO, be able to do the following things:

1) minor divinations (detect poison, locate object)

2) minor abjurations (protection from et al, alarm)

3) minor healing (cure minor wounds, goodberry)

4) other very minor effects with no physical/visible manifestation

In situations with muliple people working on folk magic, the effect shouldn't increase but the targets and duration should. So a "coven" of cunning women could create charms against evil that lasted hours or days rather than mere minutes but the benefit would be no greater than any other pt from evil.

These effects should be generated using the herbalism or related skill and should requre something in the range of hours to produce provided the proper ingredients are handy.

When up against regular magic, folk magic would be nearly undetectable. A person would have to be trained in folk magic to indentify it. They could, if they chose, dispel it. I think a 3rd level dispel magic should cancel folk magic without even a level check but the caster would have to recognise that she faced magic before she would (probably).

Just my thoughts.
DC

 

[Robbert Raets]

I've considered using a Witch [Feat] and Wicca skill. Make a check, (i.e., perform a ritual) lose a few points in a certain ability score (either Con or Wis), and presto - low-level magic!

 

[Kahuna Burger]

I've considered using a Witch [Feat] and Wicca skill. Make a check, (i.e., perform a ritual) lose a few points in a certain ability score (either Con or Wis), and presto - low-level magic!

uh, could you elaborate on the losing a few ability points part? I can only hope you're talking temp damage.

Kahuna Burger

 

[Drawmack]

I look at it like this.

Folk magic does really affect anything except the person it is being cast upon.

It doesn't really protect the person from pregnancy or ensure it, it makes the person who believes in it so firmly convinced that what they believe happens. However, it will still not work in cases of clinical barrenness.

If doesn't protect one from monsters it just makes them feel safer.

Now using this in a fantasy camapaign it is safe to make it a bit more though.

I would say any low level spell with a will save should be able to be done as folk magic, though the casting time would change. Each round of casting increases to one minute.

I would make it a skills and feats system.

Feat: Folk Magic
Knowledge Nature = Druid Spells
Knowledge Arcana = Sor/Wiz Spells
Knowledge Religion = Clr Spells.

4 ranks = 0 lvl
6 ranks = 1 lvl
10 ranks = 2 lvl
18 ranks = 3 lvl


New Feat
Folk Magic
This person has studied the ways of the healer and the voodoo princesses.
Benefit: They can cast low level spells, as per the above knowledge skills, that offer a will save with the casting time changed to 1 round = 1 minute. The character must concentrate for the entire time of the ritual and cannot travel while casting a spell.
Prerequisits: Int 12+, Wis 12+, Dex 12+

 

[Robbert Raets]

uh, could you elaborate on the losing a few ability points part? I can only hope you're talking temp damage.

Well, duh.

...and I disagree that folk magic would use the 'proper' skills for other magic; it needs to be 'folk' or 'witch' magic, seperate and with it's own Wicca (Wis; Trained Only) skill.

Otherwise, it might be quite similar to the Epic Spellcasting rules (but scaled down, of course!)

 

[Kahuna Burger]

...and I disagree that folk magic would use the 'proper' skills for other magic; it needs to be 'folk' or 'witch' magic, seperate and with it's own Wicca (Wis; Trained Only) skill.

yeah, I'm not really looking for a way for non spellcasters to cast low level standard spells - that is both more and less than I would want to accomplish. Folk magic (to me) is a very different beast, far more subtle than standard magic, and of almost no use to a battle...

Kahuna Burger