Realistic or Modern Those Cursed Stars

[thespacekid]

The World


An alternate Earth, one where magic pervades society to unimaginable lengths, from secretive exchanges in back alleys to the rise and fall of nations. In a world where magic can be learned, it is heavily cloaked in a web of lies and secrets, designed to keep as many people out of it's realm as possible. However, every once in a while, someone will come across it's secrets, and only those willing to let go of who they were, and their lives before that point and give themselves up completely to the craft are accepted into it's fold. The source of this magic is spirits, commonly called "demons" by magicians, though this term is considered highly offensive by spirits. Magicians can call upon spirits and bind their powers and draw upon them.


Summoning


The Other Place, a dimension running parallel to the magicians', where spirits roam and mingle freely, as a mass of colours and consciousness - essence, can be linked to ours. Magicians draw two pentacles, one for themselves, and one to summon the demon from. Here, names are of utmost value, and knowing someone's given name can give them immense power over them. Spirits are also controlled by knowing their true names, and thus disobeying magicians who know their true names and try to bind them will harm their essence. The magician calls out to the spirit, and the spirit must appear within 8 seconds, failing which it's essence will be damaged.


However, a spirit must be bound to this Earth in some way. Weaker spirits may be bound to objects, thus enchanting them and conferring power upon them. This manifests in the form of Talismans, Amulets, Scrying Orbs, Vigilance Spheres, and so on. More powerful spirits will break out of objects, and thus must be bound to stronger links, in almost every case, the body of the magician. This will allow the magician to tap into the powers of the spirits. Keep in mind, though, that spirits will always try and break free. In the case of objects, if an object is too heavily damaged, the spirit can break free. In the case of a spirit bound to the magician, as long as the magician is emotionally and mentally stable, the spirit will be under control. The moment this is disturbed, the spirits may be able to overcome the mind of the magician, and break free, causing additional harm on the way out. A spirit too powerful for the magician to control may instantly drive them crazy, or worse. Care is to be maintained.


The Cast


At the bottom of every society are those who feed off of it, latching onto it for one sole purpose - money. Also known as Bounty Hunters, this is a profession popular among quite a few, considering how the most popular magician occupation is crime. The characters start off as casual bounty hunters, by chance looking for jobs at the local tavern downtown, and one particular job catches your collective eye. The pay is good and the job sounds like a breeze, you decide to work together to complete this bounty. 


Hi, so this is the pitch for my RP. The world is heavily inspired by The Bartimaeus Sequence, written by Jonathan Stroud, but diverges in quite a few ways. If you have any questions or suggestions, please leave them below, I'll read them all!

 

[typhoon]

Sign me up

 

[Cosmosis]

Is it possible for some spirit to be in a physical form outside of taking a magicians body?


OH! Another idea/question. If the magician is dying, can said magician make the spirit take their body to keep it alive and then keep living while the magician is technically dead?


@thespacekid

 

[thespacekid]

Sign me up

Great! I'll wait for 4-5 people to show interest before I put the thread up. Any questions till then?

Is it possible for some spirit to be in a physical form outside of taking a magicians body?


OH! Another idea/question. If the magician is dying, can said magician make the spirit take their body to keep it alive and then keep living while the magician is technically dead?


@thespacekid

No, the spirits must be bound to either objects or the magician. Animals could be used, but their mental capacity is less than that of spirits, so they can be easily taken over.


Well, that could happen, but maybe only in very exceptional cases - say a really powerful and motivated spirit. Most spirits are concerned only about getting back to the Other Place. The spirits don't like being in the human world, it drains on their essence. So they wouldn't want to stay in a human body, something they despise.

 

[Cosmosis]

Great! I'll wait for 4-5 people to show interest before I put the thread up. Any questions till then?


No, the spirits must be bound to either objects or the magician. Animals could be used, but their mental capacity is less than that of spirits, so they can be easily taken over.


Well, that could happen, but maybe only in very exceptional cases - say a really powerful and motivated spirit. Most spirits are concerned only about getting back to the Other Place. The spirits don't like being in the human world, it drains on their essence. So they wouldn't want to stay in a human body, something they despise.

And if that spirit couldn't go back to The Other Place? I was thinking of having a teen try the ritual after his family was ripped apart in front of him and he was dying so he asked a spirit to take him over and live out his life before he erased the memories of said spirit/as the spirit took over it messed up and litrelly took the teen's mind and didn't know he was a spirit but he sensed them as he obviously was one.

 

[thespacekid]

And if that spirit couldn't go back to The Other Place? I was thinking of having a teen try the ritual after his family was ripped apart in front of him and he was dying so he asked a spirit to take him over and live out his life before he erased the memories of said spirit/as the spirit took over it messed up and litrelly took the teen's mind and didn't know he was a spirit but he sensed them as he obviously was one.

Well, it would require a really strong motivation for the spirit. As I said above, spirits don't like being in the human world since it hurts their essence. So then why would the spirit want to stay in the body? Also, when the person tries to summon another spirit, wouldn't the summoned spirit know that another spirit is already present in the body?


An interesting idea, no doubt, but it leaves too many holes open with regards to the laws of the universe. :S

 

[Cosmosis]

Well we can hammer it out right?

 

[Johannes]

I am really interested in this. Is this partially based off the Bartimaeus books by Jonathan Stroud?

 

[thespacekid]

Well we can hammer it out right?

Yes, if you're convinced with this, why not! We could figure out a way to work it out.

I am really interested in this. Is this partially based off the Bartimaeus books by Jonathan Stroud?

Good eye! I forgot to mention it here, but yes. It's heavily inspired by the world in the Bartimaeus Sequence, but there's quite a few alterations - just for a more RP friendly experience. 

 

[Tedronai]

I'd be up for this

 

[thespacekid]

@Tedronai Alright! I'll keep you in the loop!

 

[RatFlail]

I'm interested, but would like to stick to a minor role. There may be days when I cannot post.


Also @GoldenChari, perhaps the spirit is seeking to hide from a more powerful spirit? It responded to the summons because it was running away at the time, but it stole the boy's soul when he died to veil itself. This binding of the spirit and the soul has created a humanlike consciousness and inadvertently caused the amnesia. Meanwhile, the boy's consciousness is still out there, waiting to be found...


Still, beware of power creep. The spirit may have innate powers that a human wouldn't, but that should come as a trade-off for reaching more powerful spirits, which would be wise enough to recognize that whatever summonings he uses were attuned to humans, not a human/spirit hybrid.

 

[Cosmosis]

Yes, if you're convinced with this, why not! We could figure out a way to work it out.

I you've Watched the Anime Fairy Tail, *SPOILER* Loke/Leo the lion gets trapped outside of the celestial spirit world and is unable to return so I was thinking something like that happens to my character ya know what I mean?

 

[Cosmosis]

I'm interested, but would like to stick to a minor role. There may be days when I cannot post.


Also @GoldenChari, perhaps the spirit is seeking to hide from a more powerful spirit? It responded to the summons because it was running away at the time, but it stole the boy's soul when he died to veil itself. This binding of the spirit and the soul has created a humanlike consciousness and inadvertently caused the amnesia. Meanwhile, the boy's consciousness is still out there, waiting to be found...


Still, beware of power creep. The spirit may have innate powers that a human wouldn't, but that should come as a trade-off for reaching more powerful spirits, which would be wise enough to recognize that whatever summonings he uses were attuned to humans, not a human/spirit hybrid.

Oh that seems cool! I did have him possibly being way fast and able to be much stronger then most, though he trains like hell. The dead boy's consciousness I was thinking would vanish off/be there but unable to be used as he is kiiinda dead.

 

[typhoon]

Your character will be awesome xD


@GoldenChari

 

[RatFlail]

Oh that seems cool! I did have him possibly being way fast and able to be much stronger then most, though he trains like hell. The dead boy's consciousness I was thinking would vanish off/be there but unable to be used as he is kiiinda dead.

If a situation ever called for a ghost, this would be it.


It's @thespacekid's call, but gamewise it'd be easiest to treat it like the D&D sorcerer/wizard dichotomy. Your character might get more uses per day out of its abilities, but would find itself shut out of the variety of powers that other players have access to. So you'd have to pick your preferred play style carefully. Once you pick combat, skills, or support, there's no in-game way to go back. The character will be dependent on others in situations outside of that play style. The character will also need some painful artifact or ritual to sustain its existence. Otherwise, spirits would do this sort of thing all of the time. Perhaps this binding has tied the spirit to a mortal life span, which would turn away most from trying something like this.


We'll see if it fits the game's flavor, but flavor is a matter of aesthetics. It's the mechanics that have to be treated carefully. However, I think the above would give your character the different feel that you want, while keeping it on the same level as the other players.


Just be aware that you may miss out on some of the goodies, since the GM seems to want to focus on relationships between spirit and magician. You'll be the lone warrior in a pack of magicians, waiting around for your +1 sword while everyone else forges pacts with massive powers. Make sure that's how you want to play. Shoehorning a good character into a bad role isn't always the most effective way to create.


However, variety isn't bad, and I imagine that your innate power levels could grow to match everyone else's. 

 

[Tedronai]

@GoldenChari sorry to butt in, but I noticed @thespacekid said above that the spirits being in this world diminishes their essence, so presumably the longer its bound to the boy's corpse the weaker it would become. This could create an interesting dynamic if it has a conflict as to not wanting to return, but the price of staying constantly increasing.

 

[Cosmosis]

@GoldenChari sorry to butt in, but I noticed @thespacekid said above that the spirits being in this world diminishes their essence, so presumably the longer its bound to the boy's corpse the weaker it would become. This could create an interesting dynamic if it has a conflict as to not wanting to return, but the price of staying constantly increasing.

Mmmmhm.

If a situation ever called for a ghost, this would be it.


It's @thespacekid's call, but gamewise it'd be easiest to treat it like the D&D sorcerer/wizard dichotomy. Your character might get more uses per day out of its abilities, but would find itself shut out of the variety of powers that other players have access to. So you'd have to pick your preferred play style carefully. Once you pick combat, skills, or support, there's no in-game way to go back. The character will be dependent on others in situations outside of that play style. The character will also need some painful artifact or ritual to sustain its existence. Otherwise, spirits would do this sort of thing all of the time. Perhaps this binding has tied the spirit to a mortal life span, which would turn away most from trying something like this.


We'll see if it fits the game's flavor, but flavor is a matter of aesthetics. It's the mechanics that have to be treated carefully. However, I think the above would give your character the different feel that you want, while keeping it on the same level as the other players.


Just be aware that you may miss out on some of the goodies, since the GM seems to want to focus on relationships between spirit and magician. You'll be the lone warrior in a pack of magicians, waiting around for your +1 sword while everyone else forges pacts with massive powers. Make sure that's how you want to play. Shoehorning a good character into a bad role isn't always the most effective way to create.


However, variety isn't bad, and I imagine that your innate power levels could grow to match everyone else's.

Oh it's fine if he has a normal life span of a human and it's fine he's a lone warrior in a sense.

 

[thespacekid]

Hi guys! Wow, this is garnering quite a lot of discussion!


I'll put the RP up soon. I wanna try for a hosted project since it's so much more organised, but I'm not sure how that system works.


The way I've planned it is much like anime, or any TV series. There will be a few small "missions" which tie into the overarching plot. Hopefully your character back stories will allow space for sub-plots, and can even tie into the larger plot. It will be battle-based to some degree, and I'd like you guys to tell me what system of combat you'd like - a dice system, or cause and effect, or anything else you can recommend!


As a GM, I'll try to keep the RP on track, and make sure the rules of the world are followed, but at the end of the day this is a collaborative effort, and if you guys have suggestions or improvements, I'm all ears! I'm still trying to figure out some stuff like enemies, factions, and a little bit of worldbuilding but I was busy with a paper till yesterday so I hope to start today. You may notice that many things, especially about the world such as location, setting, are fairly ambiguous and those need to be detailed.


In the meantime if you have any ideas we could certainly try and incorporate it into the world.

 

[Cosmosis]

Hi guys! Wow, this is garnering quite a lot of discussion!


I'll put the RP up soon. I wanna try for a hosted project since it's so much more organised, but I'm not sure how that system works.


The way I've planned it is much like anime, or any TV series. There will be a few small "missions" which tie into the overarching plot. Hopefully your character back stories will allow space for sub-plots, and can even tie into the larger plot. It will be battle-based to some degree, and I'd like you guys to tell me what system of combat you'd like - a dice system, or cause and effect, or anything else you can recommend!


As a GM, I'll try to keep the RP on track, and make sure the rules of the world are followed, but at the end of the day this is a collaborative effort, and if you guys have suggestions or improvements, I'm all ears! I'm still trying to figure out some stuff like enemies, factions, and a little bit of worldbuilding but I was busy with a paper till yesterday so I hope to start today. You may notice that many things, especially about the world such as location, setting, are fairly ambiguous and those need to be detailed.


In the meantime if you have any ideas we could certainly try and incorporate it into the world.

Maybe there could be a faction that protests the wizards, calling them the devil's worshippers and Weaklings who steal other's powers etc etc.


Possible collage/school class that explains what it takes to be a wizard and all the dangers as well?

 

[RatFlail]

Maybe there could be a faction that protests the wizards, calling them the devil's worshippers and Weaklings who steal other's powers etc etc.


Possible collage/school class that explains what it takes to be a wizard and all the dangers as well?

I think the OP is leaning towards adult magicians. So a seminar or book, possibly, but not a class per se. This doesn't appear to be an academy scenario.


Given the limitations on the spirits themselves, any knowledge about them is likely to be guarded and shrouded in secrecy. Each magician has his own "set" of spirits that he doesn't want to share with other magicians, or he risks a summons failing because a spirit is elsewhere. Any notes will be in ciphers with knowledge passed down through a master and apprentice system. There may be more general knowledge in books, with protections and exorcisms being more widely passed around. However, true names and rituals will be tightly held, even among allies.


In this sort of setting, notebooks are priceless, since they contain powers that are found nowhere else. Even if they haven't been deciphered, magicians would hold onto them on the off chance that they can figure them out or summon a spirit to do so.


I'd think that a magician's lineage (aka his master & master's master, etc) would determine his power level and style. If your predecessors worked with fire spirits, you'd be far more competent commanding fire spirits than any other type, simply because you have notes from multiple lifetimes of work on how best to use them.


So everyone should probably anticipate picking a few specialties that they receive from their training.

 

[cadence]

Is there room for one more?  

 

[cadence]

Also, I adore Johnathon Stroud! My favorite series is the Lockwood & Co. Series!  

 

[Tedronai]

Interesting @RatFlail . I study martial arts and there is a theory that kata (forms) were written the way that they were (all stylised movements, and cryptic or flowery titles) to protect the clan/family's secrets and strategies. The written notes contain just enough knowledge to be an aide memoire but the actual learning is passed down by word of mouth (referred to as Kuden in Japanese martial arts).


That seems like a good way for this kind of magic to spread to, the books are just enough to jog the magicians memory, they could be written with important parts intentionally left out or even with intentional mistakes to sabotage anyone who steals them. Either way, without the secrets from the masters the tomes are worthless. The secret here could even just be the True names of the demons, the rest of the ritual, the complicated bit that people are more likely to forget or get wrong could be in the books.


As far as in game fighting, I've never done that in an RP setting so I'll go with the majority since it'll be a learning curve either way.

 

[RatFlail]

@TedronaiYeah, and most people don't realize that most professions through history have passed knowledge down this way. It's how organizations like guilds and Freemasons maintained power and their knowlege base. Part of an apprentice or journeyman's pay was the knowledge recieved during their work. This is why families tended to stay in similar professions, since they had someone nearby to learn from. Most modern-day professions like doctors and engineers use this type of knowledge transfer. The idea of a central school teaching you everything is a fantasy that has cropped up only recently. And people rarely realize the value of a good mentor or teacher.


What would be more likely for true names are rhymes or songs that serve as a reminder to the magicians. Poetry started because oral history requires a certain structure to help imperfect memories fill in the blanks. You could have a "song of ice" where every fifth word served as a syllable for the name.


On combat systems, I'm fine with whatever, as well. Simpler is better, but any player conflict almost always demands dice.