Soulthieves: spell catalogue updates.
A few quick updates.
First, on an elemental spell: I updated the conditions for Magma Swim, which is obviously a very high-level spell allowing you to briefly swim in magma. I explained that it only displaces the magma to prevent direct contact with your body; it doesn't offer any protection from the heat, so you (and your possessions) will still be severely burned. Item protection shouldn't be difficult to come by, at least, since the competent fire mage will probably have learned Pyropack by then anyway.
There are many more updates yet to be made to the elemental spell catalogue, since the removal of Toxomancy many months ago left holes in a number of spellbooks.
I finally changed the vague references to "your deity" in the clerical spell catalogue, since of course the supplying deities are very specific now. For example, Lash of Love's description now specifically refers to Athagor, while Divine Distillation specifically refers to Ilene. But this allows for a different kind of creativity as well.
I'm speaking specifically about two Necromancy invocations, Create Lich (level 35) and Create Mindwarp (level 40). A lich is among the more powerful types of intelligent undead, a sort of undead sorcerer, so while Martes is the goddess that supplies the animation, it doesn't seem unreasonable to include Tearest in the process as well to supply the magical ability, especially given the close relationship of the two goddesses. The most basic lich is entirely Martes' work, but piety to Tearest as well will allow creation of more powerful liches (greater liches and so forth). This mechanic allows me to expand the necromancer's capabilities without a lot of more arbitrary math and without adding new spells.
The mindwarp is a type of undead I devised on the pattern of floating skull enemies from many games. It's called a mindwarp because, in a manner of speaking, it warps mental space-time in its vicinity. That is to say, despite its rather unimpressive appearance, it viciously attacks all susceptible minds nearby. In editing this spell I decided that the floating skull's disruptive powers would be supplied entirely by Tearest at Martes' behest, whether or not you're close to Tearest. Being close to Tearest would obviously help, though.
These are interesting developments because Tearest doesn't directly supply any clerical magic discipline herself; it adds an interesting new dynamic for clerical mages to be cognizant of. This should suggest that I'll look at other spells across disciplines that I might be able to strengthen in this way, with these helper deities if you will. It could even open the door for a few additional spells, although that's something that should be limited. Another benefit would be for priests, who don't necessarily worship a deity that supplies a magic discipline; they may be able to use divine favour with their first deity to jump into magic more rapidly. For example, a priest who starts the game as a worshipper of Tearest might sooner be able to take up necromancy than netherplanar beckoning. This at least hearkens back to my original ideas about the pantheon system, where politics within a pantheon impact gameplay.
First, on an elemental spell: I updated the conditions for Magma Swim, which is obviously a very high-level spell allowing you to briefly swim in magma. I explained that it only displaces the magma to prevent direct contact with your body; it doesn't offer any protection from the heat, so you (and your possessions) will still be severely burned. Item protection shouldn't be difficult to come by, at least, since the competent fire mage will probably have learned Pyropack by then anyway.
There are many more updates yet to be made to the elemental spell catalogue, since the removal of Toxomancy many months ago left holes in a number of spellbooks.
I finally changed the vague references to "your deity" in the clerical spell catalogue, since of course the supplying deities are very specific now. For example, Lash of Love's description now specifically refers to Athagor, while Divine Distillation specifically refers to Ilene. But this allows for a different kind of creativity as well.
I'm speaking specifically about two Necromancy invocations, Create Lich (level 35) and Create Mindwarp (level 40). A lich is among the more powerful types of intelligent undead, a sort of undead sorcerer, so while Martes is the goddess that supplies the animation, it doesn't seem unreasonable to include Tearest in the process as well to supply the magical ability, especially given the close relationship of the two goddesses. The most basic lich is entirely Martes' work, but piety to Tearest as well will allow creation of more powerful liches (greater liches and so forth). This mechanic allows me to expand the necromancer's capabilities without a lot of more arbitrary math and without adding new spells.
The mindwarp is a type of undead I devised on the pattern of floating skull enemies from many games. It's called a mindwarp because, in a manner of speaking, it warps mental space-time in its vicinity. That is to say, despite its rather unimpressive appearance, it viciously attacks all susceptible minds nearby. In editing this spell I decided that the floating skull's disruptive powers would be supplied entirely by Tearest at Martes' behest, whether or not you're close to Tearest. Being close to Tearest would obviously help, though.
These are interesting developments because Tearest doesn't directly supply any clerical magic discipline herself; it adds an interesting new dynamic for clerical mages to be cognizant of. This should suggest that I'll look at other spells across disciplines that I might be able to strengthen in this way, with these helper deities if you will. It could even open the door for a few additional spells, although that's something that should be limited. Another benefit would be for priests, who don't necessarily worship a deity that supplies a magic discipline; they may be able to use divine favour with their first deity to jump into magic more rapidly. For example, a priest who starts the game as a worshipper of Tearest might sooner be able to take up necromancy than netherplanar beckoning. This at least hearkens back to my original ideas about the pantheon system, where politics within a pantheon impact gameplay.