LeGuin-style naming magic

[Albert of Feh]

I recently re-read Ursula K. leGuin's Earthsea books, and realized that there's a lot I really like about the world's approach to magery. Rather than just people who can throw fireballs around, sorcerors were also general mystic handy-men, capable of earning their keep on the road in the mundanities of day-to-day life.

As currently written, the take on magic in BW is almost totally counter to this. It got me thinking of a good way to fit it into the BW system, preferrably in a fashion complementary to the existing rules. My current idea centers around the addition of a single skill:


Naming Magic -- root: perception

Naming magic represents the character's knowledge of the First Language with which the world was created. Everything in the world has a True Name in this language, and knowing those names and how they fit together grant the mage a very flexible power. Naming magic, like sorcery, is used in conjunction with Will. However, its application is significantly different.

Naming magic requires the Gifted trait.

Naming magic may be used in two ways:
1) The total of Naming magic and Will may be used to FoRK (or help in the use of) most skills. This represents the mage using his knowledge of the first language to cast charms and strengthen the bonds that hold the world together. FoRKing with NM requires maintaining a spell for the duration of the skill use. The NM FoRKed dice are open-ended

Exactly which skills may be FoRKed with NM is up to the GM, but basic examples include most craftsmen, social, peasant, seafaring, and artistic skills.

2) Naming magic + Will may be used in the place of most non-martial skill. Doing so incurs a double-obstacle penalty(1), but the roll is open-ended. Also, a 'spell' must be maintained for the duration of the skill use. This is obvious in using it for things like Stealthy or Disguise, but has more significant implications for craft skills. The result of the craft is only sustained as long as concentration is maintained. There is an instance where Ged builds a boat out of the merest planks, held together almost entirely by magery. However, he couldn't really sleep, lest his concentration falter and the boat disintegrate around him!

Using NM in this fashion requires a Tax test equal to the original obstacle of the task. Like sorcery, these tests are open-ended. Exactly which skills may be replaced with NM is up to the GM, but basic examples include most craftsmen, social, peasant, seafaring, and artistic skills.

notes:
(1) A well-trained mage will probably have a NM+Will of at least as high as double most skills he is not heavily trained in.

As a mage never needs to learn new NM spells, the only really effective way to increase your skill in NM is through study.

NM is a FoRK for sorcery, but not vice versa.

This is meant to supplement, not replace, standard BW magic. To get the really flashy stuff, you also need training in sorcery. In Earthsea context, a village witch or low-ranking sorceror would probably have a few dice in NM, and maybe one in sorcery. [edit] it's also probably worth noting that, in any setting that includes this style of magic, most teachers probably wouldn't teach sorcery to their students until the students had at least three dice in NM first.


So, what do people think? Looks interesting? Massively unbalanced in some fashion? Suggestions for revisions?

[Thor Olavsrud]

Hey Albert,

First, I think Luke would disagree with you about his magic system and Earthsea. I know he looked to Earthsea for inspiration.

Anyway, this seems like it would be massively overpowering. Remember that FoRKs in the current system provide just one die per skill FoRKed. You're talking about adding a multitude of dice to any skill roll (Will + NM!), all of which are open-ended. That's huge! Even if you open end the dice both ways (i.e., 1s and 6s), I think characters with NM would be incredibly more effective than any other characters AND they'll potentially have access to sorcery.

Here's my suggestions if you want to get closer to an Earthsea feel in your game:

First, download the beta Magic Burner chapters for Summoning and Abstractions from the BW Web site, if you haven't looked at them already. They'll go a long way toward getting the Earthsea feel (although they are dangerous as hell).

Second, consider your Sorcery and Summoning skills to represent your knowledge of Names. Actual Sorcery or Summoning is what you do with those names. It's not really a matter of coming up with a new skill, but more about thinking of the existing Sorcery and Summoning (and Enchanting, Alchemy, Automata, and Nigromancy) skills in a different way.

Finally, if you think that doesn't really suit, go ahead and use an actual Naming skill. I would suggest modeling it exactly on the Astrology skill, which can be FoRKed with ANY skill except physical and martial skills. So whenever you attempt anything, even Sorcery and Summoning, you could FoRK in one Naming die. Now here's the kicker, just as with Astrology, the FoRKed Naming die will be open-ended both ways (both 1s and 6s). So if you know precisely the right Name, you can get an incredible success. But if you flub the Name, you REALLY blow it!

How's that sound?

[Kaare Berg]

2) Naming magic + Will may be used in the place of most non-martial skill. Doing so incurs a double-obstacle penalty(1), but the roll is open-ended. Also, a 'spell' must be maintained for the duration of the skill use. This is obvious in using it for things like Stealthy or Disguise, but has more significant implications for craft skills. The result of the craft is only sustained as long as concentration is maintained. There is an instance where Ged builds a boat out of the merest planks, held together almost entirely by magery. However, he couldn't really sleep, lest his concentration falter and the boat disintegrate around him!

Using NM in this fashion requires a Tax test equal to the original obstacle of the task. Like sorcery, these tests are open-ended. Exactly which skills may be replaced with NM is up to the GM, but basic examples include most craftsmen, social, peasant, seafaring, and artistic skills.

I like this.
I would remove the double obstacle penalty, since the cost of failure is som much higher than just biffing a skill roll (in theory).

Root for the True Names should be Will, since it involves learning the true names of things and all other wises are Will based.

May I suggest that one makes the sickness last longer for failed Forte tests, to enhance the "earthy" feel of the magic. You mess with the true nature of things, it will mess more with you as opposed to just channeling magical power (which we all know will "just" burn you good if you biff.)

I would also make it a pre-requisit that the Player explains how he intends to make the True Names work, and not just say I use True Names and hide in shadows.

This would create a subtle and powerful magic system that would complement the excisting sorcery, abstraction and summoning rules (and hopefully whatever other goodies that are waiting in the Magic Burner.

[taepoong]

Root for the True Names should be Will, since it involves learning the true names of things and all other wises are Will based.

Quick note before I begin, all Wises are Perception based.

Knowing full well Luke's love of the Earthsea world, I think he'd be disappointed to hear your criticism. Although the spell list in the book barely touches upon the sorcerer-for-hire aspect of the Earthsea tradition, there are a few bits that reveal the passion. Spells like Patterner and Mending are certainly tools for such wizards.

However, I really think the Abstraction system makes playing such a wizard an easy reality. With a good knowledge of facets, one can achieve any job someone needs done. The only problem is that facets are not meant to be used by low-powered sorcerers.

So your idea does have merit. But what if the Naming skill was a sorcerous training? When forked into a craft skill, it open ends the skill, much like an Elf Song skill. Of course, only those with the Gifted Trait may select it and the skill must be taught by one who knows the training. You can't learn it on your own. Using this training would also require a Tax test equal to the Obstacle of the craft test.

[Kaare Berg]

There is no critisism implied.

Abstraction system makes playing such a wizard an easy reality

I just liked the easy fluid nature of Albert's suggestion (abstractions get a bit to crunchy for me at times).

My books are at home, so you plain have to forgive me for that slip up.

Although the spell list in the book barely touches upon the sorcerer-for-hire aspect of the Earthsea tradition, there are a few bits that reveal the passion

But it never mentions the True Names.

But what if the Naming skill was a sorcerous training? When forked into a craft skill, it open ends the skill, much like an Elf Song skill. Of course, only those with the Gifted Trait may select it and the skill must be taught by one who knows the training.

Good suggestion. But I still have a preference for Albert second option. Mainly because this option took a bit of the dwarven magic and lessened that by makng it less special.

But then I can't remember any dwarves in earthsea.