Jack Vance Spell Naming contest
- Thread starter Drifter Bob
- Start date
Drifter Bob
First Post
Will said:I'm pretty sure I'm the sole entrant. Cool.
Well, not cool about the contest, but...
You may want to re-email that submission just to be sure. I'll ask Simon tonight and tomorrow morning to give me the lists of everyone who has submitted so far (all one of them at this point
) and I'll post them here so there is no confusion.You mean you would prefer the Primer of Practical Magic over the DERPG? We can arrange that, no problem.
DB
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I entered the contest by emailing it properly as well, so there's a problem somewhere if Pelgrane thinks it got only one submission.
I'm willing to believe there was a problem with their email, since I also emailed them twice about the fact that the competition was over and hadn't been judged, and those emails weren't responded to.
I actually emailed my contest entry twice, once with a submission and then with a revision to that submission when I realized that several of the spells I submitted already had Dying Earth equivalents. So mine is the entry that got amended, and it should be coming from mfinch2.
Sent on 5/25 at 12:29 (this was the second email - the first was sent on 5/25 at 11:54):
"Oops. I sent in several spells which already have equivalents. Since at least at this time the number of entries is fairly small, may I amend my submission?
I duplicated lightning bolt, light, shrink item, and black tentacles.
Thus, please amend and restate my submission as follows, to contain 8 entries:
Spell and name entries:
Tatterdemalion's Ambulatory Urge (Expeditious retreat): Dismal Failure: The spell decreases the caster's land speed by five feet. Illustrious Success: The spell increases the caster's land speed by 40 feet rather than 30.
Carcuin's Dependable Fastening (Arcane Lock): Dismal failure: The caster becomes temporarily attached to the portal he is attempting to lock. Breaking free requires a strength check at DC 13. The caster's attachment to the portal will dissipate after 1d4 minutes. Another person may pull the caster free by making the strength check on his behalf, but at cost to the caster's dignity. Illustrious success: The DC to break open a door or portal affected by the spell is increased by 15 rather than by 10.
Carcuin's Manufactory Masterpiece (Fabricate): Dismal Failure: The original materials shape themselves into a bizarre and visually unpleasant arrangement, utterly unuseful for the task at hand. Illustrious Success: The object crafted by the spell is beautiful and ornate commensurate with its nature, sporting rococo flourishes and fine details drawn from the caster's subconscious memories. It will generally function better than expected if it is put to a test, usually having 150% of such an object's normal hit points.
Tatterdemalion's Garment of Resiliency (Mage Armor): Dismal Failure: the caster is enveloped with a shimmering glow, slightly brighter than the surrounding light. The effect is striking and impressive to the eye, but permits the caster's enemies to attack him with a +1 circumstance bonus to their attack rolls. The glow lasts for the ordinary duration of the spell. Illustrious Success: The caster gains an additional +2 to his armor class over and beyond the normal +4.
Failure/ Success Entries:
Lighting bolt: Dismal failure: The caster is knocked prone by an unexpected recoil, and slides five feet backwards. Illustrious Success: The DC of the reflex saving throw against the spell is increased by 3.
Light: Dismal Failure: A flare of light blinds the caster for 1d6 rounds unless he makes a reflex save at the same DC as if he had cast a spell upon himself. Illustrious success: Bright light extends for thirty feet, and dim light for another thirty feet. If the caster desires, he may dim the light back to the normal radius, but may not lessen the radius beyond normal.
Black Tentacles: Dismal failure: A single and somewhat palsied tentacle forms in the five-foot square in which the caster is standing. It attempts to grapple the caster, but with a grapple check modifier of half the spell's normal chance. Illustrious Success:The grapple check modifier for the tentacles is increased by 3.
Shrink Item: Dismal Failure: The item targeted by the spell emits a warbling whistle, like a teakettle, and quivers violently. If the item is held in a person's hand, he must make a Dexterity check at DC 12 to maintain his hold upon the item or he will drop it. The item will otherwise topple over or may dance or vibrate in place, depending upon its size and shape. The whistling and quivering will persist for five rounds, then subside. The sound is not damaging, but may alert malefactors or guards to the caster's presence. Illustrious success: The spell's duration is increased by an additional day per level of the caster"
I'm willing to believe there was a problem with their email, since I also emailed them twice about the fact that the competition was over and hadn't been judged, and those emails weren't responded to.
I actually emailed my contest entry twice, once with a submission and then with a revision to that submission when I realized that several of the spells I submitted already had Dying Earth equivalents. So mine is the entry that got amended, and it should be coming from mfinch2.
Sent on 5/25 at 12:29 (this was the second email - the first was sent on 5/25 at 11:54):
"Oops. I sent in several spells which already have equivalents. Since at least at this time the number of entries is fairly small, may I amend my submission?
I duplicated lightning bolt, light, shrink item, and black tentacles.
Thus, please amend and restate my submission as follows, to contain 8 entries:
Spell and name entries:
Tatterdemalion's Ambulatory Urge (Expeditious retreat): Dismal Failure: The spell decreases the caster's land speed by five feet. Illustrious Success: The spell increases the caster's land speed by 40 feet rather than 30.
Carcuin's Dependable Fastening (Arcane Lock): Dismal failure: The caster becomes temporarily attached to the portal he is attempting to lock. Breaking free requires a strength check at DC 13. The caster's attachment to the portal will dissipate after 1d4 minutes. Another person may pull the caster free by making the strength check on his behalf, but at cost to the caster's dignity. Illustrious success: The DC to break open a door or portal affected by the spell is increased by 15 rather than by 10.
Carcuin's Manufactory Masterpiece (Fabricate): Dismal Failure: The original materials shape themselves into a bizarre and visually unpleasant arrangement, utterly unuseful for the task at hand. Illustrious Success: The object crafted by the spell is beautiful and ornate commensurate with its nature, sporting rococo flourishes and fine details drawn from the caster's subconscious memories. It will generally function better than expected if it is put to a test, usually having 150% of such an object's normal hit points.
Tatterdemalion's Garment of Resiliency (Mage Armor): Dismal Failure: the caster is enveloped with a shimmering glow, slightly brighter than the surrounding light. The effect is striking and impressive to the eye, but permits the caster's enemies to attack him with a +1 circumstance bonus to their attack rolls. The glow lasts for the ordinary duration of the spell. Illustrious Success: The caster gains an additional +2 to his armor class over and beyond the normal +4.
Failure/ Success Entries:
Lighting bolt: Dismal failure: The caster is knocked prone by an unexpected recoil, and slides five feet backwards. Illustrious Success: The DC of the reflex saving throw against the spell is increased by 3.
Light: Dismal Failure: A flare of light blinds the caster for 1d6 rounds unless he makes a reflex save at the same DC as if he had cast a spell upon himself. Illustrious success: Bright light extends for thirty feet, and dim light for another thirty feet. If the caster desires, he may dim the light back to the normal radius, but may not lessen the radius beyond normal.
Black Tentacles: Dismal failure: A single and somewhat palsied tentacle forms in the five-foot square in which the caster is standing. It attempts to grapple the caster, but with a grapple check modifier of half the spell's normal chance. Illustrious Success:The grapple check modifier for the tentacles is increased by 3.
Shrink Item: Dismal Failure: The item targeted by the spell emits a warbling whistle, like a teakettle, and quivers violently. If the item is held in a person's hand, he must make a Dexterity check at DC 12 to maintain his hold upon the item or he will drop it. The item will otherwise topple over or may dance or vibrate in place, depending upon its size and shape. The whistling and quivering will persist for five rounds, then subside. The sound is not damaging, but may alert malefactors or guards to the caster's presence. Illustrious success: The spell's duration is increased by an additional day per level of the caster"
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Joining in the fun...
Spinosa's Marvelous Tidying Up After Small Incidents Magic (d20: Mending)
Illustrious Success: Double the usual area is repaired.
Dismal Failure: An area twice the size of the original damaged area is itself undone. Not always apparent until the most embarrassing possible moment.
Birdseye's Chilling Light (d20: Ray of Frost)
Illustrious Sucess: Double the range or double the damage, caster's choice.
Dismal Failure: Caster's casting hand is flash frozen. In addition, the caster takes the indicated damage. Warning: Improper thawing of the frozen phalanges may cause additional damage.
Fiery Flash of Bedazzlement (d20: Flare)
Illustrious Success: Creature is not only dazzled, but entranced as well, and for twice the usual duration.
Dismal Failure: As above, only it's the caster who benefits from the dweomer.
Most Puissant Sigil of the Ars Magica (d20 Arcane Mark)
Illustrious Success: The sigil, mark, rune, engraving, intaglio, etc. is so well formed the possessor of the embossed item gains a +2 to reactions and any skill or ability with any connection to Charisma.
Dismal Failure: No matter what the mark actually says all who see it, even if they are otherwise illiterate or alexic (can't read, period), take it as obscene, and actionably personal. How immediate and violent the action is depending on the viewer.
Sigmund's Sorcerous Application for Sussing Out Suspect Potations (d20: Detect Poison)
Illustrious Success: Not only is the poison unveiled, but the caster gains knowledge of the type of poison, it's potency, and effects if untreated.
Dismal Failure: The caster is convinced that not only is the item safe to handle, ingest, etc. but that actually downing the substance will imbue the imbiber with supernatural capabilities. In addition, for the next 24 hours everything tastes like chicken.
Spinosa's Marvelous Tidying Up After Small Incidents Magic (d20: Mending)
Illustrious Success: Double the usual area is repaired.
Dismal Failure: An area twice the size of the original damaged area is itself undone. Not always apparent until the most embarrassing possible moment.
Birdseye's Chilling Light (d20: Ray of Frost)
Illustrious Sucess: Double the range or double the damage, caster's choice.
Dismal Failure: Caster's casting hand is flash frozen. In addition, the caster takes the indicated damage. Warning: Improper thawing of the frozen phalanges may cause additional damage.
Fiery Flash of Bedazzlement (d20: Flare)
Illustrious Success: Creature is not only dazzled, but entranced as well, and for twice the usual duration.
Dismal Failure: As above, only it's the caster who benefits from the dweomer.
Most Puissant Sigil of the Ars Magica (d20 Arcane Mark)
Illustrious Success: The sigil, mark, rune, engraving, intaglio, etc. is so well formed the possessor of the embossed item gains a +2 to reactions and any skill or ability with any connection to Charisma.
Dismal Failure: No matter what the mark actually says all who see it, even if they are otherwise illiterate or alexic (can't read, period), take it as obscene, and actionably personal. How immediate and violent the action is depending on the viewer.
Sigmund's Sorcerous Application for Sussing Out Suspect Potations (d20: Detect Poison)
Illustrious Success: Not only is the poison unveiled, but the caster gains knowledge of the type of poison, it's potency, and effects if untreated.
Dismal Failure: The caster is convinced that not only is the item safe to handle, ingest, etc. but that actually downing the substance will imbue the imbiber with supernatural capabilities. In addition, for the next 24 hours everything tastes like chicken.
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Drifter Bob
First Post
Simon Rogers at Pelgrane wasn't answering my email and is apparently on vacation, I'm trying to get someone else at Pelgrane to access the account and give me the entries which were actually submitted. As soon as I get that I'll be sending out the prize(s) myself, I'm not going to wait for them any longer.
DB
DB
That's honorable of you. I'm worried that they didn't receive all of the submissions that were actually mailed: Will and I both sent our submissions by email, but Pelgrane told you they only received one. If it's just between me and Will, I was in this for the Jack Vance autograph on the RPG. Not that I wouldn't like a copy of the Primer, but I'm a huge Vance fan and don't have his autograph. It would be fantastic to have it on something I actually won by mimicking his style.
That's why I've been so militant about this contest; not because I was in any way aggravated at you, Drifter Bob. It's because I want that autograph...
That's why I've been so militant about this contest; not because I was in any way aggravated at you, Drifter Bob. It's because I want that autograph...
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