Witches and witchcraft?

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Arwenth
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Witches and witchcraft?

#1 Post by Arwenth » Thu Mar 18, 2010 11:40 pm

I was just wondering what is there that can be oocly shared about witches and witchcraft in relation to the world of Geas. Things like is it possible to be a witch? I remember being told about an NPC witch at some point. Another idea I had was that witches could possibly be used to play out rogue/evil magic users...

EDIT:Pardon any incoherence in this post. I've been fraternizing with my good friend Jack Daniels.
“He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.”

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Delia
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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#2 Post by Delia » Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:26 am

Generally speaking, one could assume that magic using scribes(and later on, mages) are witches. It is not that far off. All the mages are quite different and know different things and use similar spells in differing ways. You'd be surprised ;)

I atleast try to attach an emote before a spell activation to impart that small bit of extra feeling into it. Hopefully the message customization idea sees daylight someday.

Also, given how the magic-system lives and changes, I would not be surprised to see more of witchy things. Should you have any good suggestions, head to the magic ideas and offer your input :)

But as for outside magic a solid knowledge of things thought of being beyond the pale of ordinary lives such as applications of herbalism and alchemy are the stock and trade stuff of witches. Heck, one could hold fluency in languages and knowing how to write seven languages magical and of suspect! A good brainstorming thread could be "Superstitions In Geas".
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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#3 Post by luminier » Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:06 am

I for one can't wait till this game goes "Dragon Age Origins" on us and the Crusader's go on witch hunts. I've always wanted to fight you again Delia.
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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#4 Post by Delia » Fri Mar 19, 2010 3:07 am

For obvious reasons, I have little to none inclination when it comes to fighting Luminier :P I'll have my little bag of dirty tricks ready when and if such an occasion rises though ;)

If everything else fails, she can always shrink Luminier's manhood. That'll teach him.
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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#5 Post by luminier » Fri Mar 19, 2010 4:19 am

That was a pain last time. But don't expect me to be such an easy target the next time around. Luminier learns from his shrinkings.
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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#6 Post by lanyara » Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:33 am

"Low level" witch magic might be cool to see.

Cursing someone, turning him into an animal (polymorph, or a frog), causing warts... a long nose... perhaps even turning fingernails into claws...
If everything else fails, she can always shrink Luminier's manhood.
I am almost sure crusaders train against these tactics in a deep dark cellar! And if nothing else works, why not cut weakness off...
But as for outside magic a solid knowledge of things thought of being beyond the pale of ordinary lives such as applications of herbalism and alchemy are the stock and trade stuff of witches.
I wonder if there ever will be "evil" alchemists. As in potions that quite clearly only are in use for "evil"...
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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#7 Post by krelji » Fri Mar 19, 2010 7:28 am

lanyara wrote:I wonder if there ever will be "evil" alchemists. As in potions that quite clearly only are in use for "evil"...
The chances for that are pretty low currently, and that's not due to the current
members of the alchemists guild, but due to certain chars who enjoyed attacking
members of the guild staff for some time.
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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#8 Post by Naga » Sat May 22, 2010 7:31 am

Naga "experimented" on animals and was expelled from the alchemists for that reason once and openly advocated experimentation with the parts harvested from humanoids, later declared "cannibalism" by Tanielites and expressly forbidden.

I have also adopted divination into my roleplaying, and selected Rafael as an apprentice based solely on the shape of his head, with the help of inspiration from a text on divination attributed to Aristotle (Secretum Secretorum- The Secret of Secrets), which I later borrowed from and adapted into my own wording as an in-game text.

I do not pretend to have extensive knowledge of folk magic or of divination, but what I do know, I have worked in, including Galenic humor theory and Paracelsus's teachings on "like curing like" with regard to herbs (e.g., lungwort cures lung ailments), as well as the Hermetic doctrine of "as above, so below" and man as a microcosm. Some of what I roleplayed, I imagine, is still being transmitted by Rafael.

My main question going in was "would a bona-fide magic user be more or less superstitious/low-magicky than the general population of adventurers, who seem so strangely modern?" Part of my answer was "well, nobody else is doing it."

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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#9 Post by lanyara » Sat May 22, 2010 11:25 am

Naga "experimented" on animals and was expelled from the alchemists for that reason once and openly advocated experimentation with the parts harvested from humanoids, later declared "cannibalism" by Tanielites and expressly forbidden.
Eww ... where are the fun things :(

How about a ..

"Naga's Special Alchemy Guild"

Or a Naga-Witch.
Some of what I roleplayed, I imagine, is still being transmitted by Rafael.
Naga is unique, only Naga can truly transmit Naga-lore. ;)

I am not sure where or how witches would fit in. They'd have it obviously very hard in lawful areas.
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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#10 Post by Minariel » Wed May 26, 2010 7:58 pm

Witchcraft in its modern form is closely related to nature worship and is closely linked with the phases of the moon.

I've noticed through questions asked in game and through the wiki pages that Gwen is also (generally) associated with the moon, and Gwennite clergy could potentially be called Witches as well. Especially since modern Wicca has Love as one of its core tenants. The Wiccan reed also contains the line "And it harm none, do what thou will," which just screams Gwen to me.

I actually studied Wicca/Witchcraft fairly extensively when I was trying to find my own religion.

Witches in Geas would likely be Alchemists, and their spells would be focused around healing and protection, with maybe a few curses thrown in... but then they also have the saying "Ever mind the rule of three, what you give out comes back to thee." So whatever spells they used on others would eventually affect them as well. Curses would be a double-edged sword.

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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#11 Post by isengoo » Wed May 26, 2010 8:05 pm

Crusaders should hunt all magic users and Gwennies.

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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#12 Post by lanyara » Thu May 27, 2010 5:29 am

Don't tempt them!
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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#13 Post by arxthas » Fri May 28, 2010 7:38 am

isengoo wrote:Crusaders should hunt all magic users and Gwennies.
One of the few things that I actually agree with you about..

(except for Gwennies-part)

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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#14 Post by lanyara » Fri May 28, 2010 12:10 pm

Witches in Geas would likely be Alchemists, and their spells would be focused around healing and protection, with maybe a few curses thrown in... but then they also have the saying "Ever mind the rule of three, what you give out comes back to thee." So whatever spells they used on others would eventually affect them as well. Curses would be a double-edged sword.
I wonder which Gwennie would use curses ... :)

How about this:

- a general "witch" branch, based on magic/spells. This way you could in theory be a "witch" completely without being forced to adopt a deity. (And then, what happens is TOTALLY up to the players involved, without the auto-route of "I worship an evil deity hence I am evil please kill me")

- one branch or an addition "reinforced" by some deities. These could then be i.e. Lilith or Gwen or Sathonys ... hmm don't really think if something fitting for all deities.

Witches could also get a unique feature:

- warts

(or, it could actually be a curse... cursing crusaders or others with warts... )

Also, when there would be evil witches ... where would they be able to play? Confined to Asador? Since if they are evil, and go out, they will enter PvP domain quickly. :>
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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#15 Post by Zehren » Fri May 28, 2010 12:55 pm

lanyara wrote:
I wonder which Gwennie would use curses ... :)

- a general "witch" branch, based on magic/spells. This way you could in theory be a "witch" completely without being forced to adopt a deity. (And then, what happens is TOTALLY up to the players involved, without the auto-route of "I worship an evil deity hence I am evil please kill me")

- one branch or an addition "reinforced" by some deities. These could then be i.e. Lilith or Gwen or Sathonys ... hmm don't really think if something fitting for all deities.
1. Agree
2. Agree. Wonders the nature of that magic, though, as the current magic is based on study to be able to use.
3. Lilith. I see witches with curses and everything most fitting to Lilith. Spreading chaos in curse-form, spreading chaos by fored love through love-potions, et cetera.

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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#16 Post by Naga » Fri May 28, 2010 2:17 pm

No Gwenite witches, please. As a fantasy MUD, if they are to exist, they should conform more closely to the medieval conception of the witch, and not something that the resourceful gentleman Gardner made up on the John. Think Witch of Endor, the Weird Sisters in Macbeth, not lovey-dovey gobbledygook daydreamed by a proto-feminist British civil servant.

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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#17 Post by isengoo » Fri May 28, 2010 6:43 pm

I would <3 Lilith witches. More subtle than Sathos, spreading chaos with curses and plagues and such.

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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#18 Post by Minariel » Sat May 29, 2010 3:20 pm

We definitely could use more things in this game of evil or dubious nature.

Also, Naga, you are correct. Witches in a fantasy game should conform more to the medieval idea of witches. Maybe they can even get familiars and such that they can peer through the eyes of or something as well.

As for curses, perhaps something like Seventh Sea Sorte witches. They use tarot spreads to affect the outcome of certain things, and they can tug on the threads of fate (physically pull, mind you) that they gain the gift to see. If they tug too hard, the threads can snap back to all sorts of interesting backlash effects. Bonuses and penalties to combat abilities, mental abilities, and even completely (temporarily) forgetting how to effectively use a language you know.

Of course, I always see the medieval witch over a cauldron. Brewing a potion... possibly using a live kitten as an ingredient.

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Re: Witches and witchcraft?

#19 Post by lanyara » Sat May 29, 2010 5:43 pm

Minariel should be a witch.

In case seduction fails ... -> nasty curse.

Though curses during combat might be nice as well.
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