Reading the Advanced game tomes I am thinking about magic and spell casting in the traditional FRP game. At some point after playing for a while the game's mechanics will become quite familiar and start to fade into the background, and little thought is given to them. That is the point at which the play gets really interesting for me, as I view an RPG as an immersion tool - much like a good movie or novel, an RPG can be a way to suspend disbelief and for a few exciting moments experience an escape to some faraway adventure. The basic concepts of the World's First Role-Playing Game indeed became second nature for me at some point in the distant past, so much so that I can actually referee some semblance of the game (using an ample dose of rulings) without reference to any rule book.
My preference is to default to certain personal preferences when running most FRP games. I don't generally prefer to explain much about the world with regard to deities, how magic works, or what is true about certain faraway places, creatures and people. I prefer to engage in those Setting specific topics through actual role-play with NPCs - ask questions, dear players. Player characters may consult one sage about "the gods" and get that person's answer. If they ask the priest down the road, they will likely get a different answer - thus giving them a feel for "mysteries" and a reason to "find out for themselves". Also, as referee I enjoy hearing what the players think up as revealed through the responses as they role-play their character. In other words - "Tell me what YOU think, young grasshopper."
Magic is what sets "fantasy" apart from many another genre of fiction as I see it. Magic in the World's Most Popular Role-Playing Game comes in two distinct flavors, divine (cleric) and arcane (magic user). The fact that the game uses the same mechanics for both magics always seems a bit disappointing to me and one has to look to the explanation for how magic works to appreciate the subtle differences. In this post I will focus on the nature of arcane magic.
In the Advanced Dungeon Masters Guide author Gary Gygax makes a number of statements regarding why magic exists and how it works. This Gygaxian explanation has not been repeated in later editions and it has often been left up to the players figure it out for themselves - not a bad idea in my opinion. I find the "advice" Mr. Gygax gives regarding the nature of magic to be just the start of an expanding body of thought regarding magic in my own games.
On page 40 of his Advanced DMG, Mr. Gygax describes the magic user's source of power when he writes:
The triggering action draws power from some plane of the multiverse. Whether the spell is an abjuration, conjuration, alteration, enchantment, or whatever, there is a flow of energy — first from the spell caster, then from some plane to the area magicked or enspelled by the caster. The energy flow is not from the caster per se, it is from the utterance of the sounds, each of which is charged with energy which is loosed when the proper formula and/or ritual is completed with their utterance. This power then taps the desired plane (whether or not the spell user has any idea of what or where it is) to cause the spell to function.
The power to make magic happen comes from outside the caster, presumably by the arcane caster having a means to pierce whatever barrier exists between the material plane on which the caster lives and whatever plane the spell draws its energy from. Giving some thought to this concept, it seems likely that piercing the barrier, or veil that separates the planes, may occur as part of the memorization process - and therefore a function of spell preparation, or even comes as a result of the actual utterances of the verbal sounds, or the actions of the somatic movements, and/or as a property of the material components of the spell, or all three! The fact is that the energy is already tapped and stored during preparation because as Mr. Gygax's writes:
Release of word/sound-stored energy is not particularly debilitating to the spell caster, as he or she has gathered this energy over a course of time prior to the loosing of the power. It comes from outside the spell caster, not from his or her own vital essence. The power to activate even a first level spell would leave a spell caster weak and shaking if it were drawn from his or her personal energy, and a third level spell would most certainly totally drain the caster’s body of life!
Magic exists (and presumably originates) in another dimension, or on another plane of existance. The users of magic have learned to access the magic by tapping into the places where magic exists and bringing it into the world in the form of a "spell". This may require divine aid and be acquired through prayer, worship and ritual in the case of the cleric class, or through some other means among the users of arcane magic. Just how that "access" works may even vary from one school of magic to the next. I like to imagine that there is more than one way to cast magic.
as I think it through, it seems possible that some magic users have discovered ways to pierce the barrier separating the planes through certain sound combinations - vibrations, if you like. I believe this to be the source of elfin magic which I think of as involving song (and maybe dance). Humans would, I think, take a somewhat scientific approach to learning magic - hence their use of sympathetic material components. The actual process of achieving access to the source of magic could be assisted by the use of certain gestures or movements, or perhaps those body movements are simply performed as part of the remembering process (or contributing to the ritual of unlocking as it were). Material components may be consumables that help the caster to "break the barrier" or may be the repository of actual stored magical energy that is then released at the time of casting. I like to describe the "memorization" process of preparing spells as including attunement to any material components the spell requires as well as establishing the "portal" to the plane where the magic resides. Once the way or path is established it is held in the mind of the caster and can quickly be followed to cast the desired spell. Any spell failure is likely to occur during the preparation as that is when the link is established and the path or portal is created. Thus casting involves following an established path to open the barrier and release the energy that manifests on the caster's plane as a magic spell.
Ah, the possibilities abound!
Deep in her underground seclusium laboratory, the sorceress Morbidea works among her distillation apparatus. As she focuses her mind, concentrating, inhaling the poisonous mercury fumes and seeking extra-planar aid - their minds seem to touch, she almost could picture the squat, hairy toad-like form of her patron sitting motionless on some faraway starless planet. She called to "him" softly saying "Ssu-thok-wah", wondering if that were a greeting, or a name. The planar pathway opened - the bubbling liquid traveling up the beak of the alembic until a single silver droplet appeared at its lip. Morbidea smiles as she opens her eyes and delicately positions the tiny vial so as to catch the droplet as it falls. As the thick silver leaves the alembic and settles into the vial, she draws a deep breath and exhales slowly - satisfied that the material component for casting the spell that will bring forth a magical floating disc is amply impregnated with the required energies. Leaning back and closing the tome of spell formulas, she again closes her eyes and mentally focuses on the patterns and sounds that together with the drop of mercury will access the elemental plane of air and bring forth the invisible floating disc which she hopes will aid her in retrieving the lost tome of dark midnight hexenkraft from the tomb of the ancient Brotherhood of the Void inquisitors.
Preparing spells in a manner that involves use of an extensive apparatus, access to a variety of physical material components and frequent consultation of a weighty and expensive tome of secret formulae is not conducive to renewing one's magical repertoire each morning while out adventuring. The traditional "Vancian" spell slot schema seems more like the preparation of certain spells for "emergency" casting - and I think an argument can be made for this interpretation. More spells might be cast during such times way from the laboratory could conceivably involve magical scrolls or potions - and I like to think a selection of such plus select magic items carefully chosen would accompany any adventuring magic user above apprentice level.
Thinking creatively about magic, reading between the lines of the rule books and imagining how you would like magic to be in your game can add depth, and plausibility making the game more enjoyable - especially if that is the sort of detail you enjoy.
So the next time you play, why not take your magic beyond to the next level!
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