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Message: <blockquote data-quote="SHARK" data-source="post: 932712" data-attributes="member: 1131">Greetings!Originally Posted By TiQuinn:____________________________________________________Quote:"Shark, Piratecat, and the others -Given what you said about the effect of magic on a society, and how it would life-altering it would be, give us an idea of what kind of challenges you would propose for such a society.I have a hard time imagining orcish hordes being much of a bother, and things such as disease and the undead would be lessened quite a bit.For me, this is the most challenging issue. I can become very creative when it comes to taking an idea such as how continual flame would have an impact on a city and watching the idea snowball, but when it comes time to craft serious challenges for a party of adventurers (why would anyone need adventurers in such a society?), I get stumped.Also, don't you risk creatures such as demons, devils, dragons, etc. becoming a bit more mundane in such a world? Do you try to counterbalance that (magic as a tool vs. magic as a mysterious/dangerous force)?BTW, this is one of the best threads I've read in quite a while! Thanks to everyone involved!" ____________________________________________________End Quote.Thanks TiQuinn!<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> I'm glad that you like the thread and find it interesting!In thinking about some of your questions, I think it is important to remember to keep "metagame" thinking separate from "In character" thinking. By this I mean this:(1) "Do you try to counterbalance that magic as a tool vs. magic as a mysterious/dangerous force?": I think it is appropriate to allow the *characters* in the game world--both player and npc--to assess for themselves whether they view magic as a "tool" or as some mysterious/dangerous force, as opposed to me, *the DM* imposing that they think such and such. For example, I have some forms of magic, like Chaos magic, that is very wild and unpredictable. Other forms of magic are more controllable, and thus predictable. In some special sites and regions of the world, I have magic operate differently, with unexpected results or side effects. However, with standard wizardry, in most areas, for example, the skills and disciplines used in working with arcane energy can generally be predicted and controlled, and at least "known" to some degree comfortable by professionals--like the wizards themselves. This reality, so to speak, may cause some wizards to view magic as a tool, while non-wizards would almost always view magic as mysterious and wondrous. However, that same kind of unknowing "awe" is, in my view, harder to maintain for an experienced 12th, 20th, or 40th level wizard. Because of that, I don't necessarily find it necessary that I, as the DM, *impose* some metaphysical attitude towards magic upon whatever particular character, if you see what I am saying. Some characters see it as a tool, while most would view it as something mysterious and dangerous.(2) "Do creatures such as demons, devils, undead, dragons, etc. become more mundane?" Well, TiQuinn, I would say that depending on how you run such creatures, they are never "mundane"<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />. Then again, as to what frequency such creatures are encountered, it needs to be asked "Mundane for Whom?" I don't think such encounters are mundane for anyone--certainly not the general population of the campaign meliue. For adventurers, who are always exploring and seeking out such dangers through epic quests and such, well, they may indeed encounter them more often--but that is something that is really relative after all. For example: I am fairly well-known here for running "High Magic" campaigns. In one campaign right now, the players are primarily 16th-20th level. They have encountered undead a few dozen times; they have encountered giants three or four times; they have encountered monsters like Chimera and Manticores and Hydras a few dozen times; they have encountered humans, humanoids, and monstrous humanoids frequently; they have rarely encountered Outsiders of any kind; they have never fought a demon or a devil, yet; they have never encountered a dragon; Do you see what I'm saying? When does encountering a monster become "mundane?" I think they have fought maybe six chimeras in their careers so far, and a half dozen Beholders, for example. Are chimeras and Beholders "mundane?" I don't think so, but maybe someone might. I think it is important that the frequency of such encounters are appropriate, and even more so, appropriately *located*. In such environments, they can be encountered as to whatever frequency as desired, though they are not necessarily mundane, if you see what I'm saying.In civilized areas, such monsters and creatures are decidedly rare. That is one, but only one, reason that adventurers are often on the frontier exploring and making raids, is to keep such creatures *rare* for the general populace. Otherwise, disaster would ensue!<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> The wild frontier, after all, is teeming with such monsters. It is in the wild frontier that I can open the door to all kinds of encounters! I have such a huge world, with such unimaginable landscape and wilderness, that it in itself represents something that is virtually unconquerable, so there is always plenty for the player characters to do, if they don't want to hang out in the cities or towns of civilization.Do you see what I'm saying?<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Semper Fidelis,SHARK</blockquote>

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