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[IncompetentFortressMaker]

have one space character

[IncompetentFortressMaker]

have one space character (trying to make as empty as possible to not obstruct reading)

[IncompetentFortressMaker]

have one space character,

[IncompetentFortressMaker]

have one space character, here you are

[Scruiser]

If you have additional things to add but no one else has posted since your last post, I think it is preferred to modify your existing posts as opposed to adding more posts.  It makes the forums easier to read.  I am not sure if there is an option that automatically merges your post, otherwise you could just modify the oldest and use insert quote to get them all together into one post...

[IncompetentFortressMaker]

Ah. Sorry about that! I'll be right on it. However, I cannot delete posts; someone else will have to do that. For now, I'll just make them as empty as possible.

[towerator]

I decided to try my hand at fortresses. Since it's friendly with war, that is the offensive part, I decided to imagine it as a mostly defensive set. It would be easier to build a fortress is such an environement, but it's safe to say it's justified.

N.B. Intruders, in that case means "Anyone not from the biome, and uninvited".

"Invited" creatures include:
-Natives of the biome
-Strangers coming in to build a fortress
-Creatures with an affinity with fortresses
-Strangers invited by natives (i.e. caravans, migrants...)

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

    Magically build a wall: harder materials and perenniality needs higher magical skill (a novice would only be able to create a frail wooden wall that would crumble in a few hours while an archmage would create an indestructible wall of slade).
    Ward from attackers: influences ennemies of the fortress into being less likely to attack.
    Create room: While underground, immediately build a room of selectable dimention. Max size depends on caster's power.
    Bless stone-related workshop: Its reactions become more efficient (i.e. 1 stone => 6 blocks), faster, of higher quality...
    Call guardian: A creature made of stone appears, defending the fortress to death against any intruder. Stronger creatures are harder to conjure (a novice would call a dog, an archmage a dragon). It is bount to the fortress and disappears if carried more than 100 meters away.
    Enchant pickaxe: the target pickaxe will mine as if it was used by someone with more skill. Useable boulders are also dug up more often, up to 100% of the time.

Environmental effects:
    At LOW levels:
        Animals not from region spawn noticeably less often.
        Animals from the region stay in the map for longer.
    At MEDIUM levels:
        Artificial walls are a bit harder to deconstruct for intruders.
        Natural walls are softer to natives.
        Small room-like structures appear both underground and overground.
        Some animals patrol structures, attacking anything not belonging to them.
    At HIGH levels:
        Natural structures are larger, can span more than one z-level, and have more than one room.
        Instead of boulders, rocks sometimes drop blocks.
        Artificial walls are very difficult to break for intruders.
        Most animals patrol structures, becoming unnaturally tough in the process.
        Stone-related workshops from fortresses build in the biome are more efficient than they should.
        Intruder creature must have a high will to be able to enter the area
    At EXTREME levels:
        Structures are huge, spanning dozens of blocks in all directions, and looks like pre-build fortresses.
        Walls are completely indestructible to outsiders.
        The entire underground is seemingly only made of constructed blocks, even liquids.
        A nearby megabeast patrols the area, wrecking havoc on anything trying to destroy a fortress.
        Stone-related workshops more efficient than physically possible (i.e.: a 100 kg boulder giving 5 25 kg blocks)
        Biome flashes on embark screen to lure the player into building a fortress here
        Area is uneachable to intruders without magic

Creature effects:

    At ALL levels:
        Creature's stonecrafting and stoneworking skill increases, along with interest for these.
    At LOW levels:
        Creature is more wary of intruders
    At MEDIUM levels:
        Blows to creature do less damage than they should, although it becomes more vulnerable to pickaxes
        Creature is agressive to intruders and patrols structures
    At HIGH levels:
        Creature is only vulnerable to pickaxes, explosives (if they exist eventually) and building tools.
        Creature's appearance looks more blocky and grey
        Creature is highly agressive to intruders
    At EXTREME levels:
        Larger creatures become living buildings
        Creature may be deconstructed for various building materials
        Creature capable of grasping may try constructing buildings by itself

Plant Effects:

    At HIGH levels:
        Plant grows into a wide, hollow shape
    At EXTREME levels:
        Plant grows blocks as fruits, has a trunk made of disjointed logs, and leaves made of slate sheets.

Object effects:
     At ALL levels:
        Object progressively more resistent and unusable to attackers, and eventually start attacking them by themsef

[IncompetentFortressMaker]

Bless stone-related workshop: Its reactions become more efficient (i.e. 1 stone => 3 blocks), faster, of higher quality...

The reaction to make stone blocks makes four stone blocks at present. Just a heads-up.

Some things I thought of for Mountains.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Environmental effects:

• At MEDIUM levels:
• Terrain is somewhat hillier than usual.
• At HIGH levels:
• Terrain is very hilly.
• At EXTREME levels:
• Terrain is almost all hills, or at least sloped.
• Hills are larger and steeper than would be expected.

Creature effects:

• At MEDIUM-EXTREME levels:
• Creatures from mountains biomes (so has [BIOME:MOUNTAIN] or [BIOME:MOUNTAINS] in raws) have their populations increased, or these creatures begin appearing if not already present. Higher intensity, higher population. At EXTREME intensity, non-mountain creatures have their populations slightly reduced.

[Scruiser]

Given Toady's typical approach to things, it occurred to me that there are spells/interaction templates that might get used across multiple spheres, with key features that get swapped out with relevant sphere materials/effects.

For instance

Summon a Creature made of [SPHERE] material and a few SPHERE related abilities.   So for Jewels it is a gem golem, Salt it is a Salt golem, Rain/River/Oceans/Lakes a Water Elemental (made of different varieties of water), Storms/Lightening/Thunder an electricity elemental, Fire/Volcanoes a fire or magma Elemental, Earth/Mountains an earth golem/elemental, Plants/Trees a plant elemental, Wind is an air elemental, Disease/Blight/Deformity is a diseased blob of pus and flesh, Metal is a metal golem etc.

Blast of raw [SPHERE] energy/material.  Jewel a chunk of uncut gem, Salt it is a chunk of salt, Rain/River/Oceans/Lakes is a blast of water, Storms/Lightening/Thunder a lightening bolt, Fire/Volcanoes is fire or magma globs, Earth/Mountains a stone, Plants/Trees a bolt of wood, Light/Sun/Rainbows is a beam of light, Wind a blast of air, Disease/Blight/Deformity a blob of diseased flesh, Metal a bolt of metal, etc.

Inspire an emotion or change in personality related to [SPHERE], this could be used by priest to proselytize, Nature inspires awe of nature, Rain makes the target not mind the rain, Scholarship/Wisdom makes them more inclined to abstract thought, Creation/Art makes them more art inclined, War increases need for use of martial skill and excitement from combat, etc.

Boost skill related to [SPHERE] (either as a spell or environmental effect).  Creation boosts skills that create a goods from raw materials. Art/Beauty boost skills that engrave, encrust, decorate with.  Crafts boosts skill at making crafts.  Metals boosts the skill making objects crafted from metals.  War boosts the skill at making weapons and combat skills.  Dance boosts the effects of dances. Trickery boosts skill at lying.  Justice boost the skill of interrogators.  Agriculture increases farming skill.  Scholarship/Wisdom boost chance at research breakthroughs.  Etc.

[IncompetentFortressMaker]

Mentioning Thunder:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• A spell to conjure the sound of thunder at someone's location. At least in areas associated with Thunder, could be cast regardless of whether an actual thunderstorm is in progress. Elsewhere... someone else will have to figure that out.

Environmental effects:

• At LOW levels:
• Thunder can be heard at a mildly increased distance.
• At MEDIUM levels:
• Thunder can be heard noticeably farther away than usual.
• Thunder is slightly louder.
• At HIGH levels:
• Thunder can be heard with ease.
• Thunder is quite loud.
• At EXTREME levels:
• It is perpetually thundering for no apparent reason.
• Thunder is incredibly loud.
• The sheer intensity of thunder at this point will vibrate most objects, as though someone is shaking them at high speed.

For Thralldom:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Temporarily force a creature to do your bidding. (In DF, thralls seem to be more undead-like, but being enthralled by someone would mean being under their control.) Length of time and success chance would be dependent on skill (and willpower?) of caster and willpower of target (high willpower target + low skill caster = very low chance of success).
• When facing off against a DF thrall - the undeadlike monstrosities created by evil clouds - you could cast a spell to prevent the thrall from attacking you.

Plant effects:

• At MEDIUM levels:
• Plants are somewhat uncooperative (E.G. avoiding a hand trying to pick a berry), but won't attack you either.
• At HIGH levels:
• Plants are extremely uncooperative, and will attack you if you try to do anything to them too many times.
• Plants sometimes act in sync.
• At EXTREME levels:
• Plants will attack anything alive not enthralled by the area.
• Plants act like a hivemind, sharing information with enthralled creatures - get noticed by a fly, and you'll soon be attacked by all enthralled plants in the area.

Creature effects:

• At MEDIUM levels:
• Creatures are somewhat uncooperative (E.G. trying to break your grip if you try to lead them), but will not outright attack you.
• At HIGH levels:
• Creatures are very uncooperative, and will attack you if you try to do something to them too many times.
• At EXTREME levels:
• Creatures will attack anything living not enthralled by the biome. Treat them as berserk with regards to yourself.
• Creatures act like a hivemind, sharing information with enthralled plants - get noticed by a plant, and soon you'll be attacked by all creatures enthralled by the area.

Treachery is, well, treacherous:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Temporarily force a creature to abandon its master and serve you as its master instead. Skill of caster and willpower of target factor into this.
• Temporarily make an enemy an ally. Skill of caster and willpower of target factor into this. Possibly also such things as very strong emotions (loathing of caster's race, personal hatred of caster or hatred of caster's race, etc.) factoring into this.

Environmental effects:

• At MEDIUM levels:
• Terrain will occasionally deceive the viewer, appearing as something it is not. (Ex: Mountain appears as forest.)
• At HIGH levels:
• Terrain will sometimes deceive the viewer, appearing as something it is not. (Ex: Wetland appears as desert.)
• At EXTREME levels:
• Terrain will often deceive the viewer, appearing as something it is not.
• Fog banks will spring up for no apparent reason, directly in your way.
• Sensory hallucinations occur with frequency.

Plant effects:

• At MEDIUM levels:
• Plants will occasionally appear more dangerous than they really are (Ex: banana looking like it has thorns).
• Dangerous plants will occasionally appear less dangerous than they really are. (Ex: death cap looking like paddy straw mushroom. The former is deadly, the latter is edible - these two are similar IRL.)
• At HIGH levels:
• Plants sometimes appear more dangerous than they really are.
• Dangerous plants sometimes appear less dangerous than they really are.
• Plants will sometimes taste like something not themselves - you might eat a banana and taste blood.
• At EXTREME levels:
• Non-dangerous plants will frequently appear more dangerous than they really are.
• Dangerous plants will frequently appear less dangerous than they really are.
• Plants will frequently taste like something not themselves.

Creature effects:

• At MEDIUM levels:
• Creatures will occasionally appear to be something they are not.
• Creatures are slightly less inclined to do their masters' bidding.
• At HIGH levels:
• Creatures will sometimes appear to be something they are not.
• Creatures are noticeably less inclined to do their masters' bidding.
• If eaten, creatures will sometimes taste like some other creature, or plant.
• At EXTREME levels:
• Creatures will frequently appear to be something they are not.
• Creatures almost never do their masters' bidding, and may attack said masters for no apparent reason.
• If eaten, creatures will frequently taste like some other creature, or plant.

[towerator]

The reaction to make stone blocks makes four stone blocks at present. Just a heads-up.

Whoops, fixed.

Other than that, I didn't have many ideas for the 2 last categories, feel free to tell.

[TieflingHalfling]

This is my first ever post so sorry if my formatting is a little off 

Jealousy
Spell effects:
 * Create a facsimile of an object that you desire, probably just an artifact or named item, it most likely wouldn't have the powers of the item in question, just be a copy
* Change someone's relationships in relation to the caster, for example: Urist McJealous is Jealous of Urist McUrist's Friends, and uses the spell to make one of those people his friend?
* Take an object that the caster covets from another person, like, magically teleport Urist McUrist's gold ring because you like it
* Destroy the object of your Jealousy, or change it for the worse (If the caster is Jealous of Cog's husband, then said husband would become sickly, or less attractive?)
* Inspire feelings of Jealousy in another person, or in a lesser variant, heighten any Jealousy that's present
Environmental Effects:
at LOW levels:
* Creatures in the area are slightly more Jealous
* Feelings of Jealousy are slightly heightened
* Objects in the area have a slight chance to be "Oddly alluring" (These objects are simply more coveted or desirable, even if they aren't really special)
at MEDIUM levels:
* Creatures in the area are more likely to be Jealous
* Feelings of Jealousy are heightened in the area
* Objects in the area have a chance to be "Very alluring"
at HIGH levels:
* Creatures in the area are usually Jealous
* Feelings of Jealousy are very heightened in the area
* Objects have a chance to be "Almost Irresistible"
* Very Jealous creatures may kill or harm others to get the object they covet, or if they can't have it, destroy it
at EXTREME levels:
* Creatures in the area are always Jealous
* Feelings of Jealousy are almost unimaginable
* Objects are at least "Oddly Alluring" and at most "Highly Irresistible"
* Jealous creatures will always act on their feelings
Plant Effects:
at LOW levels:
* Fruits appear "Oddly alluring" but they are less nourishing than usual
at MEDIUM levels:
* Fruits appear "Very Alluring" but have almost no nourishing effect
at HIGH Levels:
* Fruits appear "Almost irresistible" and make anyone who eats them nauseous
at EXTREME Levels: 
* Fruits appear "Highly Irresistible" and eating them can prove fatal
Object Effects:
at LOW levels:
* The object becomes slightly less useful
* The object is slightly more desirable to those who have touched it
* The object is slightly more likely to be killed for/stolen/claimed by those who have touched it in the past
* The object may slightly exacerbate feelings of Jealousy in creatures which hold it
* Creatures who have not touched it but are Jealous are slightly more likely to congregate near it
at MEDIUM levels:
* The object becomes noticeably less useful
* The object is noticeably more desirable to those who have been near it
* The object is noticeably more likely to be killed for/stolen/claimed by creatures who have been near it
* The object noticeably exacerbates feelings of Jealousy in creatures which hold it
* Creatures who have not been near it but are Jealous are noticeably more likely to congregate near it
at HIGH levels:
* The object is very much less useful
* The object is very desirable to those who have seen it
* The object is very likely to be killed for/stolen/claimed by creatures who have seen it
* The object makes creatures which hold it very Jealous
* Creatures who have not seen it but are Jealous are very likely to congregate near it
at EXTREME levels:
* The object is useless
* The object is extremely desirable to those who even hear of it
* The object is extremely likely to be killed for/stolen/claimed by creatures who hear of it
* The object makes anyone who holds it extremely Jealous
* Creatures who have not heard of it but are Jealous are extremely likely to congregate near it
I hope Y'all like these! if you have any tweaks or recommendations I'd love to hear them!

[voliol]

Some more Jealousy:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Transform into another creature, either your whole body or just parts (such as just the face).
• Steal the appearance of another creature, making them shapeless or swapping your appearances. Applies to whole bodies or just parts.
• Copy the voice of another creature.
• Steal the voice of another creature, making them mute or swapping your voices.

Creature effects:

• Creature has the natural ability to copy/steal the voices of another's that it covets. These can be those of creatures it has previously encountered, or the creature it is currently talking to.
• Creature has the natural ability to copy/steal appearances or body parts, such as faces.
• Creature is created to be a copy of another, either a specific individual or a species. I.e. a jealous god creates a golem army resembling another god's creation, or a mortal it covets.
• In worlds with "great chains of being", creature resembles a being above its own rank.

Plant effects:

• Plant is created to be a copy of another, either a specific plant or a species.
• In worlds with "great chains of being", plant resembles a being above its own rank, possibly a creature.

Object effects:

• Artefact is a copy of another object the creator covets, but lacks some aspect/quality of the original.
• Weapon is stronger against those its wielder is envious of.

and Thunder:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Creature effects:

• Creature has a booming voice, that may deafen at higher levels.
• Creature can naturally cause thunder using its voice or another body part, which causes a shock wave.

Item effects:

• Striking with the item causes thunder.
• Item vibrates, causing a sound.
• An instruments sounds like thunder, or causes thunder/shock waves when played.
• When it thunders, another effect of the item is activated.

(without strengths are those are difficult/time-consuming to format)

[leastannoyingman]

Reposting my reply from Future of the Fortress here, because this thread is really cool and should definitely be a part of the future system.

It's made me think about another idea - customizably linking spheres to create new groupings. This would offer more control over primal forces and their respective deities, realms, worldly manifestations, creatures, schools of magic, religions, and their followers' motivations. Connecting these groupings to particular DF personality traits would also offer additional control.

Here's a Warcraft example overlaid on the DF spheres:


For example, If I want to group some spheres to match the Warcraft order of "Light", I'd connect Light, Fire, Healing, Justice, Valor, Courage, Duty, Discipline, Loyalty, Oaths, Charity, Generosity, etc. If I want a touch of zealotry, I could add Torture.
The opposing grouping of Shadow would include Darkness, Night, Nightmares, Trickery, Lies, Jealousy, Misery, Torture, Revenge, Theft, Lust, Depravity, Rumors, Thralldom, Caverns (and the Forgotten Beasts inside of them, presumably), etc. As the vast majority of spheres within the Light and Shadow groupings would oppose each other, so would the forces, deities, magics, and individual followers of the groupings. The individual followers would also oppose each other because their respective groupings' associated custom personality traits would also often clash.

It would make sense for these custom groupings/linkages to function on some additional level above the spheres, which would allow for overlap between different groupings - such as two custom groupings sharing the same sphere. Also, being able to select one or a few certain spheres as the absolute most important within the grouping - for example, with Light it could be: Light, Sacrifice, Justice, Valor. Same goes for one or a few key personality traits that followers would possess or aspire towards.

The followers of the Light grouping/deities would use fiery, light-based attacks and healing spells. They'd be associated with DF personality traits such as LAW, LOYALTY, FAIRNESS, SELF_CONTROL, SACRIFICE, PERSEVERANCE, HARMONY, TRUTH, Low CUNNING, and they'd worship and follow the spheres associated with Light.
The followers of the Shadow grouping/deities would use magical attacks based on darkness, madness, Forgotten Beasts, and abusing people's worst personality traits. They'd often have DF personality traits such as POWER, CUNNING, Low MERRIMENT, Low SACRIFICE, Low SELF_CONTROL, Low FAIRNESS, Low TRUTH, Low FAMILY, Low LOYALTY, Low FRIENDSHIP, and they'd worship and follow the spheres associated with Shadow.

What might potentially get confusing is if two opposing spheres are put under the same grouping. For example: a grouping that includes both Death and Healing, or both Revenge and Forgiveness. Would a user of both magics have them contradict each other, or would they complement and strengthen each other?

I could go on, but suffice it to say that such additional control would be incredible, and I think it would make a lot of sense for organizing sphere magic.

[chaotic skies]

Idea: Some domains have spells similar to those in their opposing domains. Life and Death is an easy example - Life can have healing spells, but you can just as easily fill something with life energy as take life energy out of something. Death and Life may both have spells about draining the life out of someone. The descriptions may be different, but they're ultimately manipulating extremely similar (if not the same) energies, if in different ways.

There are also other things that could do this - light and dark, law and chaos, etc. Just so long as they're directly opposed ends of the same spectrum