How would you take over the modern world if you had magic?
- Thread starter RangerWickett
- Start date
Make yourself and your resources available to the President of the United States. Be so useful anybody who holds the office finds a need for you. Establish a network around the world with others like you and provide advice and assistance to various governments. Most important, delegate.
When dealing with do-gooder types use the following options in order:
*Recruit
*Coerce
*Sidetrack
*Ridicule
*Slay
If none of those work, give up and become their advisor. After all, it doesn't matter who appears to be in charge, what matters is who is in charge. Let the True King (patent pending) preside over all the functions, you've got work to do.
When dealing with do-gooder types use the following options in order:
*Recruit
*Coerce
*Sidetrack
*Ridicule
*Slay
If none of those work, give up and become their advisor. After all, it doesn't matter who appears to be in charge, what matters is who is in charge. Let the True King (patent pending) preside over all the functions, you've got work to do.
delericho
Legend
You know, ruling the world sounds a lot like work. Generally, I think I'd prefer to use my powers in the pursuit of laziness.
If I had to rule the world, I think I'd probably steal liberally from a certain Sith lord...
Manipulate your way into power in one land, rise a powerful magical enemy in another, let the MiB destroy themselves wiping that out, and then turn on them at just the right moment.
Only I wouldn't save my apprentice from the volcano. Really, who wants an apprentice who's more powerful than yourself?
If I had to rule the world, I think I'd probably steal liberally from a certain Sith lord...
Manipulate your way into power in one land, rise a powerful magical enemy in another, let the MiB destroy themselves wiping that out, and then turn on them at just the right moment.
Only I wouldn't save my apprentice from the volcano. Really, who wants an apprentice who's more powerful than yourself?
With magic, one can be pretty much immune to modern weapons (sans nukes). With that in mind, I would use weather control and plant growth- any dry nation to follow my banner suddenly has an everlasting bumper crop. I wouldn't even bother drying out other nations or destroying them with storms- a hint of disaster would get them into line.
Man in the Funny Hat
Hero
Well since we're talking about TAKING OVER the world I am clearly not limited to being moral or ethical about it. TAKING OVER means I don't have any qualms about violating rights (if I even acknowledge the existence of "rights") in order to gain control under MY thumb.
My first moves would be the exercise of rather unsubtle violence. I'm talking about political assassination of world leaders that I currently just don't like. In other words, I would make it as deadly an evironment as possible for ANY AND ALL despots, dictators, fascists, warlords, and the like. It is they who are most responsible for the worlds ills and since I don't have to be nice in ANY way, I won't be. I'll go into their bedrooms using Teleportation, scrying, invisibilty, silence and simply scrag them where they lie. One. By. One.
I'll leave messages behind to explain what the replacements will do rather than simply pick up where the previous dictator left off. If they fail to follow my "suggestions" I'll kill them too, and then leave another message. They'll figure it out eventually after the second or third dictator dies a violent, silent death.
As the real troublemakers start to fall in line then I'll simply start working my way up the chain using less and less violent methods. I'll leave messages that simply leave no doubt what it is I want and what it means to fail to cooperate with me. Want a little Urban Renewal? A few cloudkills spells in the slums at night will help clear things up. Want to provide a little more food somewhere as a "carrot" to go along with a stick? Plant Growth.
And of course I could use some assistance from others who are willing to "do what's necessary" to move the world in the direction I want.
Direct control of the entire world in a benevolent dictatorship with myself as Maximum Leader for Life is probably impossible with only 6th level spells - and especially if I have to face interference from an MIB organization with their pathetic excuses about Morality. But moving the world in a more positive direction that I approve of? Not a problem.
My first moves would be the exercise of rather unsubtle violence. I'm talking about political assassination of world leaders that I currently just don't like. In other words, I would make it as deadly an evironment as possible for ANY AND ALL despots, dictators, fascists, warlords, and the like. It is they who are most responsible for the worlds ills and since I don't have to be nice in ANY way, I won't be. I'll go into their bedrooms using Teleportation, scrying, invisibilty, silence and simply scrag them where they lie. One. By. One.
I'll leave messages behind to explain what the replacements will do rather than simply pick up where the previous dictator left off. If they fail to follow my "suggestions" I'll kill them too, and then leave another message. They'll figure it out eventually after the second or third dictator dies a violent, silent death.
As the real troublemakers start to fall in line then I'll simply start working my way up the chain using less and less violent methods. I'll leave messages that simply leave no doubt what it is I want and what it means to fail to cooperate with me. Want a little Urban Renewal? A few cloudkills spells in the slums at night will help clear things up. Want to provide a little more food somewhere as a "carrot" to go along with a stick? Plant Growth.
And of course I could use some assistance from others who are willing to "do what's necessary" to move the world in the direction I want.
Direct control of the entire world in a benevolent dictatorship with myself as Maximum Leader for Life is probably impossible with only 6th level spells - and especially if I have to face interference from an MIB organization with their pathetic excuses about Morality. But moving the world in a more positive direction that I approve of? Not a problem.
Steel_Wind
Legend
1. Use magic to accumulate wealth;
2. Use magic and wealth to foster contacts
3. Use magic, wealth and contacts to obtain access;
4. Use magic, wealth, contacts and access to develop relationships
5. Use magic, wealth, contacts, access and relationships to obtain influence
6. Use all of the above to forge alliances and achieve power;
7. Support the MiB against the *REAL* threat. If MiB exists - there are others like *you*. Find them: ally with them if you can, disassociate from them if you cannot - destroy them if you must.
8. Be benovelent and a positive force for change and assist MiB whenever you can. By the time MiB figures you out - your power will be too real to be challenged, too widespread to be undone - and too much a force for peace order and good government for them to choose to put you in the enemy column. This is not a zero sum game.
2. Use magic and wealth to foster contacts
3. Use magic, wealth and contacts to obtain access;
4. Use magic, wealth, contacts and access to develop relationships
5. Use magic, wealth, contacts, access and relationships to obtain influence
6. Use all of the above to forge alliances and achieve power;
7. Support the MiB against the *REAL* threat. If MiB exists - there are others like *you*. Find them: ally with them if you can, disassociate from them if you cannot - destroy them if you must.
8. Be benovelent and a positive force for change and assist MiB whenever you can. By the time MiB figures you out - your power will be too real to be challenged, too widespread to be undone - and too much a force for peace order and good government for them to choose to put you in the enemy column. This is not a zero sum game.
Yair
Community Supporter
To directly control the world requires a fundumental re-ordering of society, taking over the authority of established government. To do this I feel you must evoke powerful fantatical feelings amongst the masses, strong enough for them to abandon their previous lives. This requires the adoption and pursuit of a fantatic idealogy; without a compelling ideaology I believe resistance will be too great for you to gain substantial power.
Tapping the power of religion is, I feel, instrumental to developing masses of loyal subjects. Only a vibrant religious revolution will have the strength to topple established ways of life across many nations. You could appeal to other ideaologies (social, green, freedom, technological utopia) but ultimately I feel these lack the raw power and universal appeal of religious fervor.
Without a substantial opponent aware of or possesing supernatural powers, I'll start a religion. Perhaps claim to be the Messiah of Christianity or Islam, or perhaps just use magic to openly perform miracles and deliver divine wrath. Spells with obvious visual manifestations should quickly allow me to amass millions of believers and start a holy war to clense the world of infidels and bring on the days of final judgement. That is, assuming no god will smite me down and no MIB will use some wicked-fu on me.
With the MIB and other opposing supernatural forces in the world, this option is no longer viable. Instead, I'll institute a mystic cult of terrorists making heavy use of charisma-enhancement, enchantment, and divination spells. I'll spend several years growing the cult's networks and cultivating personal loyalty, secrecy, and fanatic apprentices. Dominate and charm person will be essential to garner financial support from rich buisnessmen worldwide.
Then I'll use it to instigate terrorist attacks against a chosen weak country, using cultists from within that country's oppressed majority. Its retaliatory measures will win me more advocates, and after a few years of pressure and some divine miracles (making heavy use of protection spells, divinations, and teleportation to avoid pursuit) I should be able to garner enough influence for it to be possible to overthrow the government in a massive "Day of Reckoning" and install a shadow government with sufficient political clout to maintain power. A few greater-teleportation spells, planar bindings/allies, and good timing should suffice to kill the parliment and government while announcing a new one. I'll try to arrange mystic elements, such as illusions manifesting in the news' room proclaiming the new divine reign, rain suddenly stopping as the parlament is overrun, and so on.
Then cultists and spies will be used to cleanse the land of dissidents, while money will be used to support my cult and terrorism supporting it across the border in far-away lands, restarting the cycle.
Concurrently, I will dominate-person key leaders and military/secret-agency staff in centralized countries. Using their clout, I will begin "cleansings" that will culminate in having those countries' leadership in my hands and later the conversion of its religions/doctrine to my cult.
Once enough countries are controlled by my Holy Host, I will build up a sizable army while encouraging cultists in the remaining world, and attempt to cripple the economy of the remaining nations. Ultimately, a military showdown will be invevitable (possibly several showdowns), in which divinations will be paramount.
Using planar binding to bring forth demons that fit my cosmology to smite down the "heathens" in front of cameras should serve well to bolster my cult in all lands, even if these attacks will fail.
Clairaudience or Scry/teleport teams to take out key installations/persons are also critical (it's better to leave a powerful bomb then to use attack spells). Geasing/dominating key enemy officials through scry/teleport may be even more useful.
A contingnet raise-dead can have a drastic effect, especially if it's orchestrated to mimic cult motiffs of resurrection. So would healing spells and raise dead in general, including remove disease.
Discern Lies and Detect Thoughts (etc.) can be used in interrogations and interviews, to ascertain loyalty of would be henchmen.
Nightmare may be useful towards making true conversions for those that have doubts.
Tongues will be used to great effect when making speeches - it's always better to speak to people in their own tongue, especially when you make clear you've never learned it and what you're saying is the divine speaking through you.
Multiple other spells can be used as well, if appropriate mythology is linked to them. For example countinual flame can become a holy icon of god's eternal brightness. (If the MIB/others have the ability to dispell these, however, you don't want to use a permanent spell.)
At all times dominate person spells will be used to control the key leaders of local groups of cultists/terrorists, and charisma-enhancement, nondetection and anti-divination measures, and divination spells will be in heavy use. Always have a contingency set up to save you. At least initially, use a terrorist-cells organization to isolate and hide yourself and your resources; that should protect you from the MIB until you become too powerful for them to take you directly except through magical means. (Cultivate fanatical apprentices to help you deal with that.)
Tapping the power of religion is, I feel, instrumental to developing masses of loyal subjects. Only a vibrant religious revolution will have the strength to topple established ways of life across many nations. You could appeal to other ideaologies (social, green, freedom, technological utopia) but ultimately I feel these lack the raw power and universal appeal of religious fervor.
Without a substantial opponent aware of or possesing supernatural powers, I'll start a religion. Perhaps claim to be the Messiah of Christianity or Islam, or perhaps just use magic to openly perform miracles and deliver divine wrath. Spells with obvious visual manifestations should quickly allow me to amass millions of believers and start a holy war to clense the world of infidels and bring on the days of final judgement. That is, assuming no god will smite me down and no MIB will use some wicked-fu on me.
With the MIB and other opposing supernatural forces in the world, this option is no longer viable. Instead, I'll institute a mystic cult of terrorists making heavy use of charisma-enhancement, enchantment, and divination spells. I'll spend several years growing the cult's networks and cultivating personal loyalty, secrecy, and fanatic apprentices. Dominate and charm person will be essential to garner financial support from rich buisnessmen worldwide.
Then I'll use it to instigate terrorist attacks against a chosen weak country, using cultists from within that country's oppressed majority. Its retaliatory measures will win me more advocates, and after a few years of pressure and some divine miracles (making heavy use of protection spells, divinations, and teleportation to avoid pursuit) I should be able to garner enough influence for it to be possible to overthrow the government in a massive "Day of Reckoning" and install a shadow government with sufficient political clout to maintain power. A few greater-teleportation spells, planar bindings/allies, and good timing should suffice to kill the parliment and government while announcing a new one. I'll try to arrange mystic elements, such as illusions manifesting in the news' room proclaiming the new divine reign, rain suddenly stopping as the parlament is overrun, and so on.
Then cultists and spies will be used to cleanse the land of dissidents, while money will be used to support my cult and terrorism supporting it across the border in far-away lands, restarting the cycle.
Concurrently, I will dominate-person key leaders and military/secret-agency staff in centralized countries. Using their clout, I will begin "cleansings" that will culminate in having those countries' leadership in my hands and later the conversion of its religions/doctrine to my cult.
Once enough countries are controlled by my Holy Host, I will build up a sizable army while encouraging cultists in the remaining world, and attempt to cripple the economy of the remaining nations. Ultimately, a military showdown will be invevitable (possibly several showdowns), in which divinations will be paramount.
Using planar binding to bring forth demons that fit my cosmology to smite down the "heathens" in front of cameras should serve well to bolster my cult in all lands, even if these attacks will fail.
Clairaudience or Scry/teleport teams to take out key installations/persons are also critical (it's better to leave a powerful bomb then to use attack spells). Geasing/dominating key enemy officials through scry/teleport may be even more useful.
A contingnet raise-dead can have a drastic effect, especially if it's orchestrated to mimic cult motiffs of resurrection. So would healing spells and raise dead in general, including remove disease.
Discern Lies and Detect Thoughts (etc.) can be used in interrogations and interviews, to ascertain loyalty of would be henchmen.
Nightmare may be useful towards making true conversions for those that have doubts.
Tongues will be used to great effect when making speeches - it's always better to speak to people in their own tongue, especially when you make clear you've never learned it and what you're saying is the divine speaking through you.
Multiple other spells can be used as well, if appropriate mythology is linked to them. For example countinual flame can become a holy icon of god's eternal brightness. (If the MIB/others have the ability to dispell these, however, you don't want to use a permanent spell.)
At all times dominate person spells will be used to control the key leaders of local groups of cultists/terrorists, and charisma-enhancement, nondetection and anti-divination measures, and divination spells will be in heavy use. Always have a contingency set up to save you. At least initially, use a terrorist-cells organization to isolate and hide yourself and your resources; that should protect you from the MIB until you become too powerful for them to take you directly except through magical means. (Cultivate fanatical apprentices to help you deal with that.)
