Also, Tohil (randomgenericusername): how does your character experience prayer, anyway? Is it a peaceful experience? Do you feel warmth, what with it being sun-based? Do you hear the voice of your deity? (I suppose it's a different question whether it's really the voice of your deity or just a self-induced hallucination . . . but hey, you're the one thrown into exile for being in a cult!)
It would be a really intense experience. If the god tried to talk, it would scream. If there is light, it would be blinding. If there is warmth, it would be burning hot. It's not a peaceful or calmin experience since the god is in a constant state of fighting the night every cycle. It is reborn every morning and dies in glorious combat against the moon every night. The souls of warriors become one with the flames of Sol, fueling his burning rage so that one day he might kill the moon (Luna, the equivalent of the devil in the cult. Shadows, treachery and cunning. A goddess of thieves and liars.)
A succesful prayer would be "hot" and "blinding". Very intense, like a war cry, but without direct communication with it. He is a god of warriors and adventurers. If a prayer had any direct effect, it would increase morale and focus in a fight or even cause the worshipper to emit light in combat. The worshippers of Sol are young, since most of them die before reaching old age. They are very emotional, easily angered or amused. Sol is an agressive god. Burning, not warm. He represents the strenght of the sun.
Most worshippers are scared of the darkness because of this, and Tohil is not the exception.
But since we are underground and is currently evening, the god is very weakened. Even a succeful prayer would have minimal effects but still heat, light or combat related. It might just temporally make him less affaird of the dark, give a lamp extra light radius or just make him feel the heat of the sun. There could be livid hallucinations created by the god while in the trance of the prayed. If it was aboveground and in the day, it could start a fire or create a strong light.
Okay. And, as discussed, I didn't want to make any new players overpowered with awesome magical abilities, so I'm definitely going the "can't start a fire; not when you're underground" route.
I'm posting this outside of a spoiler because I find it interesting and others might too:
This description of mystical abilities sounds like words of prayer. As in, the worshippers tell themselves "if there is light, it is blinding" and that they can "feel the heat of the sun." Like how religions tell stories such as "yup, this ceremony is totally about being eaten by a snake," and this is what gives the experience
meaning, but everyone knows that there's no real snake involved. And when you speak of vivid hallucinations: well, people
cause themselves hallucinations in
plenty of ways, just as they'll "speak in tongues" and other stuff.
Now, I don't want to take your ideas away from you, but I kinda like the thought of all this being the religious experience
regardless of whether the god is real. What do you think?
If you think that's okay, then into the future I'll narrate using your sort of language for the whole experience. The idea is that the followers could imagine themselves into the right mental state for it (maybe even including hallucinations) no matter where they were, and it would be their own psychology that makes it "weaker" when underground.
If not, then I'll just focus on the parts you said would happen when stuck underground, where everything is shut down by being away from the sun god.
Either way, I
probably wouldn't have you generate magical light or fire, because I'm trying to keep firm control on magical powers.
Carve the drafted carving into the convinient corner pillar thing.
Always helpful with the diagrams.
And like I said, I'm gonna have your character stand there a-chislin' for however long it takes for you to choose a new action, simulating how such a thing really should take time. I'll roll for the awesomeness of the result on the turn that you walk away.
Now . . . that's everybody!
Author
Topic: Magical ASCII Mine-diving Adventure, Day 20 - At Rest (Read 237607 times)