D&D General It's all Jack Vance's fault

[RealAlHazred]

I disagree with the first part but at this point it’d be a « it is not! / it is too! » kind of fight, leaving only one reasonable way to settle this argument: pie-eating contest!

Or pie-throwing*!

*Disclaimer: Management disavows any responsibility for injury, loss, or death stemming from pie-throwing. This is not meant as an endorsement, encouragement of, or interest in, pie-throwing.

 

[Laurefindel]

Or pie-throwing*!

*Disclaimer: Management disavows any responsibility for injury, loss, or death stemming from pie-throwing. This is not meant as an endorsement, encouragement of, or interest in, pie-throwing.

Ah, so you want to change the nature of the contest from saving throw to attack roll…

 

[fuindordm]

It really feels like the magic in Rhialto is a totally different thing than in Dying Earth, Overworld, and Cugel. Enough that I wonder when he decided magic involved sandestins, daihaks, and the like.

In any case Rhialto didn't come out until 1984 and so was too late to be an influence on early D&D.

As an aside, I also really recommend the "Songs of the Dying Earth" tribute anthology that has stories that fit the differing feels of each of the original books.

He refined his notions of magic again in the Lyonesse trilogy, where the magicians also use both sandestins and spells.

 

[RealAlHazred]

He refined his notions of magic again in the Lyonesse trilogy, where the magicians also use both sandestins and spells.

Actually, I don't think we actually see any magicians use sandestins, but it's definitely the same magic system, with several of the same spells.

 

[Cadence]

He refined his notions of magic again in the Lyonesse trilogy, where the magicians also use both sandestins and spells.

Another reason I need to read those! (They've come very highly recommended by a couple other users on here, and I just got sidetracked by some other projects).

 

[Staffan]

Well, to people attached to the D&D sphere. You'll occasionally see fire-and-forget spells as an option outside of it, but that's about it. Its not how GURPS magic, RQ magic or Savage Worlds magic works, just as three well known non-D&D examples.

It is how some Runequest magic works – specifically, divine magic (that's what it was called in 3rd edition, I think it was rune magic in other editions). It's been a while since I played, but as I recall divine magic consists of sacrificing permanent Power to a deity in exchange for a spell (which was usually significantly more powerful than the regular Spirit Magic (or Battle Magic)). For an initiate (most PCs), this was a single-use spell, but an ordained priest (or maybe a Rune Lord) would be able to regain it by spending time praying and working in a proper temple.

 

[RealAlHazred]

Another reason I need to read those! (They've come very highly recommended by a couple other users on here, and I just got sidetracked by some other projects).

Lyonesse is better than a lot of other fantasy series. I put it up there with The Lord of the Rings and the Earthsea Trilogy.

 

[fuindordm]

Actually, I don't think we actually see any magicians use sandestins, but it's definitely the same magic system, with several of the same spells.

If I remember right the magic mirror is a trapped sandestin, and Shimrod discusses them with Madouc. But Shimrod, Murgen, and the others frequently make use of weird extraplanar entities that like the sandestins of Rhialto are completely literal-minded and confused about the material world.

I remember a scene where one of these psuedo-sandestins (controlled by Shimrod) was chasing another disguised as a moth. The latter briefly joined a swarm of moths around a lamp and then went on its way, while the first stayed behind to watch the swarm. When Shimrod asked for an explanation, the being explained that since it couldn't distinguish the moths from each other, it thought that by staying to watch the swarm it had a higher probability of fulfilling its mission.

It's a great illustration of how even a magician controlling a supremely powerful entity can still be thwarted!

 

[Weiley31]

It's ALWAYS Vecna's fault.

 

[pemerton]

Just describe what you are doing and let the GM figure out if it works? Sounds like a massive headache for the DM and incredibly inconsistent.

From other threads, I thought this was your preferred approach to adjudicating everything non-combat in D&D!