Verbal Components for wizard spells
Kyle Monson
The DM of my game has imposed a new suggestion to enhance role-playing among
the spell casters. He would like to see us use verbal components for our
spells. Any one else doing this? I have had only one idea along these
lines, using the incantations from Dr. Strange comic books. Unfortunately,
I am 1,000 miles away from my collection at the moment and would like to
work on this before my next trip home. Any other suggestions or help on the
Dr. Strange Idea? Any help would be appreciated, Thanks!
----
Kyle Monson
kmo...@pcisys.net
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J. Scott
One of my players who has a mage wants to write verse himself to
match the spells. He's a guy with a poet's bent outside the game as well,
though... Stile, the Blue Adept in Piers Anthony's Apprentice Adept
series, had to come up with a new spontaneous song/and or verse everytime
he wanted to cast magic, but that was a different magic concept where you
created desired effects as you wanted rather than memorizing spells.
Knight of Emita
Ian R Malcomson
In article <6hg5ce$dqq$1...@newman.pcisys.net>, Kyle Monson
<kmo...@pcisys.net> writes
>The DM of my game has imposed a new suggestion to enhance role-playing among
>the spell casters. He would like to see us use verbal components for our
>spells. Any one else doing this? I have had only one idea along these
>lines, using the incantations from Dr. Strange comic books. Unfortunately,
>I am 1,000 miles away from my collection at the moment and would like to
>work on this before my next trip home. Any other suggestions or help on the
>Dr. Strange Idea? Any help would be appreciated, Thanks!
When I need to role-play a wizard as a DM, I generally wave my arms
around mystically (?!), and read the opening paragraph from the spell's
description in Latin. A bit contrived, yes. But it works for us.
--
Ian R Malcomson
Dave Harper
>When I need to role-play a wizard as a DM, I generally wave my arms
>around mystically (?!), and read the opening paragraph from the spell's
>description in Latin. A bit contrived, yes. But it works for us.
<laugh> I try to do almost the same thing - I say what the
spell does...but my Latin is so rusty it's not funny, so I ended up
with a pidgin child-speak (which would translate into sentences like
'create fire! Move fire there! Make fire big!'). My players were
overawed. Cool, I said. I then introduced an alien being who didn't
speak their language. I'll do the same thing, I said.
Two minutes into the encounter, I was making up new words on
the spot...I realized just how poor my Latin really was...!
Dave
"Trying...to get through interview...as best I can!
Must use...old spaceship captain training!"
-Conan O'Brian, interviewing William Shatner 16/4/98
Dacileva
>>When I need to role-play a wizard as a DM, I generally wave my arms
>>around mystically (?!), and read the opening paragraph from the spell's
>>description in Latin. A bit contrived, yes. But it works for us.
>
> <laugh> I try to do almost the same thing - I say what the
>spell does...but my Latin is so rusty it's not funny, so I ended up
>with a pidgin child-speak (which would translate into sentences like
>'create fire! Move fire there! Make fire big!'). M
Well, geez. Gandalf did the same thing. His great fire spell was:
"Naur an edraith ammen! Naur dan i ngaurhoth!"
Which translates from Sindarin (elven) as:
"Fire ... (unknown)! Fire take the werewolves!"
And his opening spell on the Moria gates was:
"Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen!
Fennas Nogothrim, lasto beth lammen!"
Which translates from Sindarin as:
"Door of the elves, open!
Gateway of the Dwarf-folk, listen to the word of my voice!"
So, see, there is a long tradition of this exact thing! :)
--- Dacileva Inore Lalaith (Nikolas Izak Landauer) -daci...@aol.com ---
"Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him" -
Proverbs 26:4
"Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes" -
Proverbs 26:5
Threshold RPG
In article <6hg5ce$dqq$1...@newman.pcisys.net>, "Kyle Monson" <kmo...@pcisys.net> wrote:
>The DM of my game has imposed a new suggestion to enhance role-playing among
>the spell casters. He would like to see us use verbal components for our
>spells. Any one else doing this?
I have done this and sometimes it is cool and sometimes it gets annoying.
Good luck with it, let us know how it turns out.
-Aristotle@Threshold
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Donald Mac Phee Ii
In article <6hg5ce$dqq$1...@newman.pcisys.net>,
Kyle Monson <kmo...@pcisys.net> wrote:
>The DM of my game has imposed a new suggestion to enhance role-playing among
>the spell casters. He would like to see us use verbal components for our
>lines, using the incantations from Dr. Strange comic books. Unfortunately,
>I am 1,000 miles away from my collection at the moment and would like to
>work on this before my next trip home. Any other suggestions or help on the
>Dr. Strange Idea? Any help would be appreciated, Thanks!
I'm currently playing in a game where the magix system is divided between:
Hermitic (Old style Mages)
Gem casters (Points system)
Demon summoners (Sourcerers if you will. )
The Demon Summoners are distinguished by having no VSM requirements, and
most of the game world is afraid of them. (They have a tendency to
catastrophically screw up and gate in an uncontrolled demon.)
So most of them (like my playing companion) throw some dust into the air
and recite "Hoogity- Boogity- Boo" when casting.
And when he forgets.... we all chant "DEMON summoner!!!" and get run out
of town.
-Sigh...
--
Don Mac Phee mac...@ids.net | It's NOT my FAULT!
'Anything but late for supper.'| For a minute there I thought we were in
| trouble. -the immortal Han Solo
The one thing I hate about .sig files is that the silly requirement about 4 lines.
Donald Bachman
Kyle Monson (kmo...@pcisys.net) wrote:
: The DM of my game has imposed a new suggestion to enhance role-playing among
: the spell casters. He would like to see us use verbal components for our
: spells. Any one else doing this? I have had only one idea along these
: lines, using the incantations from Dr. Strange comic books. Unfortunately,
: I am 1,000 miles away from my collection at the moment and would like to
: work on this before my next trip home. Any other suggestions or help on the
: Dr. Strange Idea? Any help would be appreciated, Thanks!
I don't know about fancy phrases, but I know I surprised my last
group when my mage fist started casting spells because I'd picked
up the habit of making gestures while announcing what spells my
character was casting.
Enlarge - Upward clawed hand in lifting motion
Dispel Magic - Hands together as if clapping, brought apart quickly
Light - Hands shaped and moving as if holding an expanding balloon
You no doubt get the idea. As for verbal components, there was this
short-lived cartoon (vehicle for selling toys) called Visionaries
back in the 80s where each of the characters had to utter a saying
to invoke their powers. Some of my favorites (which you may be
able to see obvious connection for D&D spells) were:
The arrows turn, the swords repell,
let nothing pierce this mortal shell!
By nature's hand, by craft, by art,
what once was whole now fly apart!
Forgotten knowledge of a shattered age,
I implore you now, renew this sage.
Hmmm, stoneskin, disintegrate, and identify taken care of. :)
Donald
: ----
aaro...@ncnca.org
In article <6hi11g$lsd$1...@supernews.com>,
thre...@counseltech.com (Threshold RPG) wrote:
>
> In article <6hg5ce$dqq$1...@newman.pcisys.net>, "Kyle Monson"
> >The DM of my game has imposed a new suggestion to enhance role-playing
among
> >the spell casters. He would like to see us use verbal components for our
> >spells. Any one else doing this?
>
>
> Good luck with it, let us know how it turns out.
>
> -Aristotle@Threshold
Annoying? This is a KILLER thing to do!
My DM sort of fell into this by accident (this was years ago).
He was DMing next to his computer and some NPC was casting
some spell or other at us. For the fun of it he fired up a
speech program and pounded on the keyboard. 'kjhdfjksadfg'
then became the verbal component for that spell. He saved it,
and then everytime a spell with a verbal component was cast at
us he'd have that speech program go at it. From there
it sort of took on a life of its own.
Ultimately it gets to the point where you wind up doing silly
things like tracking down mages because they use a verbal component
which is new and/or different or even subtly different. Doing
research as to what spell 'hjfgskhgkhgg fsjhdgh fjgjskjghhvb' cast
by a rival might be etc etc etc.
It also leads into tracking what material components are being
used. All in all I thought it really added to the game.
Lata,
Phil
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Aardy R. DeVarque
Ian R Malcomson <i...@assistap.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>In article <6hg5ce$dqq$1...@newman.pcisys.net>, Kyle Monson
><kmo...@pcisys.net> writes
>>The DM of my game has imposed a new suggestion to enhance role-playing among
>>the spell casters. He would like to see us use verbal components for our
>>spells.
>When I need to role-play a wizard as a DM, I generally wave my arms
>around mystically (?!), and read the opening paragraph from the spell's
>description in Latin. A bit contrived, yes. But it works for us.
I was thinking about adding exactly this just the other day..
Another possibility along the Latin lines is to find a good dictionary of
quotations, one that either contains foreign quotes or has the foreign
originals of English quotes. And find a copy of the Bible in Latin while
you're at it. (This is made more fun in that you can then toss these Latin
phrases at a parent, friend, or teacher on mildly appropriate occasions and
dazzle them with your knowledge. };) )
Here's what I've come up with so far; matching them up with spells can be a
joy in and of itself...
"Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas." --Virgil, _Georgics_
(Blessed is he who has been able to win knowledge of the causes of things.)
"Experto credite." --Virgil, _Aeneid_
(Believe one who has experienced it.)
"Latet anguis in herba." --Virgil, _Eclogues_
(A snake lurks in the grass.)
"Una salus victis nullam sperare salutem." --Virgil, _Aeneid_
(Nothing can save the conquered but the knowledge that they cannot now be
saved.)
"Dis aliter visum." --Virgil, _Aeneid_
(The gods thought otherwise.)
"Audentis Fortuna iuvat!" --Virgil, _Aeneid_
(Fortune helps those who dare!/Forture helps the brave!)
"Omnia vincit amor --Virgil, _Ecologues_
(Love conqueres all.)
"Non omnia possumus omnes." --Virgil, _Ecologues_
(We cannot do everything.)
"Chaos, rudis indigestaque moles." --Ovid, _Metamorphoses_
(Chaos, a rough unordered mass.)
"Medio tutissimus ibis." --Ovid, _Metamorphoses_
(You will go most safely by the middle way.)
"Video meliora, proboque; Deteriora sequor." --Ovid, _Metamorphoses_
(I see better things, and approve; I follow the worse.)
"Tempus edax rerum." --Ovid, _Metamorphoses_
(Time the devourer of everything.)
"Cave canem!" --common inscription found in mosaics & inscriptions in
Pompeii and other Roman towns
(Beware of the dog!)
"Ave Imperator, moritori te salutant!" --Suetonius, _Claudius 21_ (from
traditional salute used by gladiators)
(Hail, Emperor, we who are about to die salute you!)
"Resta viator et lege! --_Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum III, 371_
(Stand still, traveller, and read!)
"Etiam parietes arcanorum soli conscii temebantur." --Ammianus Marcellinus
(Even the walls, the only sharers of secrets, were feared.)
[this led to the medieval expression "Parietes habent aures." (Even the
walls have ears.)]
"Fures fores, frugi intro!" --graffito found in Pompeii
(Thieves out, profit in!)
"Oderint, dum metuant." --Accius
(Let them hate, so long as they fear.)
"Qui jacet in terra non habe unde cadet." --Alan of Lille
(He who is lying on the ground has nowhere to fall.)
"Qui custodiet ipso custodium?" --Juvenal
(Who watches the watchmen?/Who guards the guardsmen?)
And, for joke value,
"Soc et tuem" --the title of several 20th C. Latin exams
(--it's gibberish in Latin, IIRC; but it sounds great if you say it aloud.)
This technique can also work for differentiating between priestly and
wizardly versions of the same spell:
Wizard, casting Light or Continual Light
"Fiat lux." --Genesis
(Let there be light.)
Priest, doing same:
"In luce tua videmus lucem." --Psalms
(In Thy light, we see light.)
Ah, the possibilities...
>>Any one else doing this? I have had only one idea along these
>>lines, using the incantations from Dr. Strange comic books.
>>Any other suggestions or help on the
>>Dr. Strange Idea?
As for the Dr. Strange idea, it's probably better (IMHO) to make a list of
some of the phrasings he uses, look for a pattern, and write up your own.
Aardy R. DeVarque
Feudalism: Serf & Turf
rgfd FAQ: http://sac.uky.edu/~mlmorr0/faq/rgfdfaq.html
Judges Guild Ratings: http://www.anet-chi.com/~aardy/rpg/
Kyle Monson
I agree it adds to the game when done properly, but for those of use who are
somewhat creatively-challenged, it poses a lot of pressure, I got the
suggestion for the use of Latin, but one of the clerics beat me to that one,
so it has been declared the de-facto standard for cleric spells, but since
wizards use a different system, for argument's sake, I must come up with
something different, so I might as well try to be original. Thanks for all
the input.
Kyle
----
Kyle Monson
kmo...@pcisys.net
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Dave Brohman
Kyle Monson (kmo...@pcisys.net) wrote:
> I agree it adds to the game when done properly, but for those of use who are
> somewhat creatively-challenged, it poses a lot of pressure, I got the
> suggestion for the use of Latin, but one of the clerics beat me to that one,
> so it has been declared the de-facto standard for cleric spells, but since
> wizards use a different system, for argument's sake, I must come up with
> something different, so I might as well try to be original. Thanks for all
> the input.
How about Pig Latin? "Ire-Fay All-Bay! Uck-Say Ire-Fay Orc-Ay Um-Scay!" :)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dave Brohman dbro...@chat.carleton.ca
HTTP://chat.carleton.ca/~dbrohman "Step away from the duck"
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