Zurnt

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Hahaha. Rex's thirst for knowledge is on par with Thomas, or even greater given what we've seen here. Frankly, in fiction, wizards working in tandem always had an exponential effect rather than a multiplicative one. Also, in response to Rex's atomic magic questions, imagine the difficulty of creating, memorizing, implementing, and activating a spell that is capable of 100% altering the structure of a substance that the characters have no concept of the atomic structure of? While on paper it seems plausible (which is the bane of every scholar of anything ever), the act itself is a tremendous undertaking. Now imagine trying to get multiple magic users to do this not only in sync, but with a 100% efficiency in their reproduction. You would not only be risking your own life, but that of every magician that attempted the spell, for only a minuscule chance at success. Well, that is if I'm understanding this correctly, which I will admit that I most likely am not. Regardless, this could explain while certain magical fire spells can harm people, but not light the surroundings on fire. They're missing the fundamental equations in their glyphs that would allow them to create a "perfect" fire. I think we should just stick with the "most magical glyphs originate from a more advanced society that had a greater understanding of the subject matter, and the current world is just trying its best to peice together the mysteries" approach.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

You could also apply Dark Sun style rules and have mages capable of drawing energy directly out of the living organisms around them. Grass and birds and insects die and flowers wilt and all of that good stuff. Kind of justifies having something like a group of magic regulating templars in certain corners of the world. Like in a country where they just don't have the realestate for that kind of wanton absorption.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

I love the idea of a bunch old wizards sitting up in their ivory towers, pigging out on a huge buffet because they'll die of starvation otherwise. Hmm, maybe that's why every other meal in the Harry Potter universe was a feast?

Something Wicked This Way Comes

It could be the diffefence between enlightenment and intent. The spell "intends" to do something, and takes the path of least resistance in order to bring about a result. Understanding the actual machinations of the spell could be an area of idle study for most, since they work anyways without delving too deep. That said, I imagine knowledge of the path a spell takes allows one to change the intent to be that much more specific, theoretically (and situationally) increasing the potency of the spell. It's the difference between casting Fireball and casting Delayed Quickened Empowered Fireball. Just speculation.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

I'm guessing healing magic works in much the same way then. It uses the patient's own stores of energy to heal the tissue at a faster rate. As a side effect, they get the brunt of the pain and intense (possibly lethal) exhaustion. You could possibly also use your own body (or any bystander's) as a source of energy as well, given that you have that level of control over it. Dark healing magic... Heal somebody so hard they develope cancerous tumors... You could even theoretically grow tissue to attatch itself to solid objects. Like armor... Extraneous mutations not withstanding.

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Or in Star Trek terms, it's like getting a runner's cramp in return every time she uses her powers. It would also imply that she would need to eat like pro football player In order to maintain use of her powers. I wonder if she can subconsciously boost her digestion rate with the magic too. You wouldn't see the glow if she was enchanting her internal organs.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Well, the power comes in bursts right? I think the major drawback would probably by the time limit then. It's a power that only works for a very short period of time. She can make her legs faster just long enough to get out of the way,or she can make her arms stronger just long enough to pull herself over a hurdle. Have it so that she can only augment select parts of her part with one select attribute at a time (I think this was already established) for a short duration, and has to recast the ability every time it wears off. Then it doesn't become a matter of conservation, but of precision and timing. It leaves room for her powers to grow, since she's still young, and it fits with her character's role as an acrobat and performer. While she manages to make it look easy, in actuality it takes an intense amount of concentration and effort. Naturally, anyone would become exhausted due to the strain if they were to keep it up for too long. That said, I can also totally see Hector and Juliette becoming BFFs. He cooks, she talks. 'Nough said. Edit: Looking at Rex's post, there's no reason the two can't work in conjunction.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

I have to admit the antici...

Hider

...pation

is one of the joys of play-by-post.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

And now the second round of waiting begins...

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Bwuh. That was my first post in a really long while.