Potion/spell/ blacksmith books

[cole45]

I would like to see these items have tags. I dislike their status as Ingame/out of game items. If you steal one, it is technicially out of game item, but it contains secet ingame information.

If they had tags, it would be easier. Now I'm not opposed to the user being able to re-create the book if it gets taken, but the tag represents a real, in game item that can be skilled.

for example, if I had a secret potion, and I coded it in my book, why would I ever tell anyone how to decode it? even if they stole it? It's not in game, and therefor they can't use a sage to break it.

This would go away if they just had a tag.

[Wyrmwrath]

I agree...totaly..fully!! But then again im of the mind if you use it as an item phys rep it needs a tag and is an ingame item, AKA can be stolen and used by others.

[WayneO42]

In order to cast a spell, the character must have the scroll or spell book, with the spell written upon it, out and available when casting. All spells must be written down and performed as written at the time of casting. For characters who cannot read, this may be role-played in a variety of ways, but the scroll still needs to be present and have all of the out of game spell information written on it.

This is something I think we really need to clarify for next season. I interpret the rule above as the scroll being in-game. How the in-game portion of it is written is up to the player. It could be anything from a detailed step by step to a symbol that needs to be sandpainted onto the ground.

I really think we need to have scrolls in-game AND each copy needs to be initialed by a GM to ensure that the copy of the spell is correct.

[Laura]

I think that having a tag system would be great! It just makes seense to me!

[Torakhan]

Likewise... if I mis-label my spells/potions/etc. And someone "copies" each one, they may in fact be brewing a poison instead of a cure.

What if we had orange tags (or something) that are OOG recepies/spells for the player to have and bring out when they are performing a spell/brewing/etc.

Any item that they use to store their spells IG (spell book, cook book, manual, tatoos) would have a tag to say "This item can be taken." When the item is taken, the tag is taken to NPC camp and you can acquire their spells. Any special information about the book or spells would be there. But this way a character who doesn't need to have their spells "written" could have OOG tags that aren't an IG spellbook ("You stole my spells? I don't even have them written down! That notebook was OOG!")

At NPC Camp, the GMs has a single sheet of paper for each character containing spells/potions/etc.. There is also a description of the item that contains those spells. That way the GM can say "It is written in code" or "Do you read Ancient Orc?", etc. Also, they could say "When you use this potion next, contact NPC camp. It's a special potion." or something?

This really can't fix the "mis-labled" or "just plain wrong" spells if they are written in the IG book (poisons are actually healing potions, fireballs instead of stone-to-flesh, etc.), so it won't be perfect either.

But then again, how do those who don't have to write their spells down IG become balanced with those that do? Slower casting-times if the performer (magic or potions, etc.) don't have a manual to read?

A lot of questions I don't have answers for. I don't want to keep things from being tagged... in fact I'm for it! I just want to bring up these thoughts to help the idea along. You guys may have a lot better answers for them.

[Dia Kuni]

Personally, I'd like to see that "you must present the items to GMs within 30 mins, or else..." rule enforced a little better..then we can worry about the tag issue. I'm not going to name names, but we all know certain PCs who have been guilty of taking stuff in-game and not presenting them to the GMs at all. Granted, they have been informed that that was technically "out of game stealing", and warned of future acts, but it's still an issue. I'd like to see that taken care of first, because what good is a tag if the items aren't presented to the GMs within 30 mins anyways?

[Wyrmwrath]

On the tail end of this issue is, what seems to me, to be a lack of phys reps for non-weapon/armor and spell book items in general. Rescources and specificly potions I have seen stuck in small flat "folders" simply because the tag is flat paper. I think if a PC has a few dozen potions on them, the potions should not be so easy to hide on the PC as a 3" x 3" portfolio of them is. The same goes for rescources. (I have yet to find a good phys rep for a food tag if anyone has suggestions...)

When IC I try to carry only the smaller and higher in value rescources, so I dont have to carry around 3 huge bundles of "supplies". If I have potions, I carry on tage per "vial" unless they are of similar type and strength. Then I MIGHT put 2 or 3 tags in the same vial.

[dier_cire]

food phys rep = those paper mache/ plastic fake food pieces you get at JoAnn's and such. Or a rubber T-Bone you get for a dog.

[Wyrmwrath]

Thanks Erick, not a terrible solution. However I always felt a food rescource whould be...bigger. I mean they are supposed to feed somone for a month or so....

My original idea whas a large bag of grain....

[dier_cire]

Well, yeah, I agree but those things are sometimes pretty cheap and definitely bigger than a tag. The bag would work too. The only issue I see it that might look like a pillow...

[Wyrmwrath]

hell yes it would be like a pillow, thats the upside...

[Atrum Draconus]

I think there is quite enough requirement for phys repping already. I think at some point you just have to roll with your imagination. We aren't a recreation society, we're a game. I know I've never, even in table top game books, even seen a picture of what a nearly encumbered character looks like. Those packs on their backs won't hold all that stuff you can list on an inventory list.

But I do think spells and potions should be IG things. You should have to write out the instructions to it but you shuoldn't have to label it exactly like the "official" version. For instance my poisons always said extend or eternal life.

[Kalphoenix]

I don't want to get too crazy here, but as well as books, I would like to see brewing potions phys-repped and tagged as well. As it currently exists, you can magically brew a potion without anyone knowing it (Or without having to represent it in any way). Brewing potions should be visible in some way.

[GM_Chris]

Ok ready for this idea it is th best

All arcanes can write in their book without having any known language. The book can be read ONLY by those with decipher script.

There It is ingame.

[Wyrmwrath]

so...once an arcane writes it in his book he cant read it unless he has descipher script?!?!