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[Time Blossom]

Mutually Assured Destruction on a global scale, aye.

I'm a little hesitant about magic being a pre-fall thing, but once you start getting into technology that can split the fundamental fabric of reality and punch holes in other dimensions, the line starts to get really blurry anyway.

On that note, I do think thaums are a bit silly, but that's a personal preference. I'm sure there are several schools of thought as to how magic actually works in any high fantasy setting. (You think scholarly feuds are harsh now? Oy...)

[Fniff]

It's a rock with ghosts in it. I may have gotten it mixed up. It's from Deadlands. It's post-nuclear, but the nukes were fueled by spirits, so I thought it was a little similar, considering that the spirit world in it is very eldritch.

I'm assuming that magic prior to the Cataclysm was fairly low key. Most of it was pretty subtle, it's just when the governments starting harvesting it and putting it in their nuclear bombs was when things started getting tricky. Due to magical fallout, it's like a giant elephant in a cupboard you are sitting in. You can use it, and it uses you too.

[micelus]

Thaums? Silly? My good sir thaums are completely accurate and accepted by the wizardist society, there is no discussion about this. But if you must be proven wrong then...*Goes into long long lecture about thaums*.


So if not thaums, what then? Fonts of magic? A special type of metal?

[scriver]

Mystery. You know, because magic.

[Time Blossom]

Mystery is more or less what I was thinking.

I don't necessarily object to there being a canonical explanation for how magic actually works--and, I suppose if it's based in real-world physics then thaums might basically be what it boils down to, more or less. Personally, though, I'd rather there be a dozen different in-universe theories based on all the different methods there are for getting the different flavors of magic to actually function, any or all of which may be correct.

I skip over certain parts of the Exalted core-book, is what I'm getting at.

[Fniff]

Okay, but I'd like to keep these base facts.

1: Magic mutates you.
2: Magic killed civilization.
3: Magic is not something you want to mess around with without severe repercussions.

[micelus]

4. Magic is common, but unusable by most people due to lack of skills and training.


Ok...now that we have magic somewhat hammered out, what next? Races(I think we can just make these up as we go along; there could be an unlimited number of races due to mutation), countries, factions, the world?

[Fniff]

Main humanoid races!

Humans: Humans who have relatively stable DNA, or just look human.
Beasts: Animals mutated to have sentience and a humanoid figure. Does not stop at mammals, there are wasp beasts and fish beasts.
Fae: Humans mutated completely beyond recognition. Usually represent one or more themes. Deeply magical, but unable to use it consciously. Very weird morals based around deals and contracts.
Pure: Humans who are completely fine genetically. Very very rare.

[micelus]

Also, the Pure are bastards to everyone else. This is justified.

Two other races.

Octopods: Sentient parasitic octopuses that due to magical mutation, can roam the land as easily as water.
Thagtg'in: Those organisms that were captured by the abominations and taken back to work as slaves or what ever. Very few, very strange, very powerful.

[Time Blossom]

Autonyms: bits of ancient metal and stone, brought to life by magical radiation. They all seem to come from one pre-fall metropolis.

Dryads: tree spirits made flesh.

Ghosts: because why not? (Actually, that's a pretty good question.)

[Fniff]

Magic would preserve spirits of the dead like amber...

Heaven and hell went out with a blast?

[adwarf]

I have a race idea.

Golems: Chunks of Pure stone brought to life with magic, and a Heart-stone. These beings were the assistants of the numerous magi that existed before the Fall, and some now wander the lands looking for a new master, but the majority of these creatures were wiped out when their energy was used to prevent the destruction of the entire plane. Golems are old creatures, and have been alive since the start of the fall, and all have gained some sliver of control over magic due to prolonged exposure to what potent magical power is left.

Corrupted: The corrupted are humans who were contaminated by the dark energies of the second plane at the Fall. Few retained their human form, and most that remain are twisted by the demonic energies of that realm making them part demon.

[Fniff]

I don't really like the Golems. I'm thinking that magic was quite subtle before the Fall, and it didn't get used when it was found apart from the nuking thing, since they didn't get a chance to do anything else. However, robots given sentience by magical fallout could work. The Corrupted seem pretty good, though.

[adwarf]

The Corrupted are my personal favorite, and they have a caste system.

Demon-Lord: They highest of the Corrupted, the Demon-Lords have learned to utilize the taint the gained from the second plane, and  have gained a great expanse of power from it. Though this method gives them power it further twists their form turning them their form into that of a Demon rather than a human, and those Corrupted who attained the rank of Demon-Lord remain out of sight to avoid those who wish them harm.

Nightspawn: The Nightspawn are the true warriors of the Corrupted, they are those who have accepted the piece of taint that has taken a hold of their body, and allowed it to take root, and grow. They are now a true Demon with the soul, and mind of a human trapped within them, but this trade gives them immense power granting great strength, speed, and endurance that surpasses anything a normal human could hope to reach.

(Those are the only two I have worked out at the moment)

[Fniff]

Hm.

Maybe the Corrupted could use a less fire and brimstone bent and more of a sort of Lovecraft thing going. More squelchy. Or possibly more diseased?