Author Topic: Crazy idea - portable magic circle  (Read 3621 times)

Offline MarkB

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Crazy idea - portable magic circle
« on: May 03, 2011, 08:10:46 PM »
Hi, I'm new to the boards. I've been playing a Dresden Files game for the past few weeks, and am still getting to grips with the ground-rules. Having had a wacky idea between sessions, I thought that, rather than spring it on the referee unexpectedly (hi, Dave), I'd try and get some feedback on it first.

In our current campaign we're dealing with a memory curse that causes other people to forget about the person who's been cursed. It manifests itself, to the Sight, as a malevolent presence in the victim's head, from which snake-like pseudopods lash out at those around him, biting out chunks of their memory.

My first thought was that a simple magic circle might be enough to contain that sort of spirit attack, but it's a bit of an extreme solution given that one of the PCs is currently affected, and I doubt he'd have much fun being alone in his room for a session.

There was an offhand remark at the end of last session, to the effect that he should try wearing a tinfoil hat, and that got me thinking along the lines of headgear, which gave me an idea.

What if the character were to wear a hat with a wide, circular brim (such as a traditional wizard's hat), and then empower the hat brim as a magic circle? Would that work as a portable magical barrier that would help rein in the curse?

On the general subject, I couldn't find any clear-cut rules in the RPG book on the creation and properties of a basic magic circle. I know from the novels that it's very basic magic, to the extent that even a Pure Mortal could create one, but I'm not sure what would be required to do it in-game, or how much protection it would offer.

Offline Set Abominae

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Re: Crazy idea - portable magic circle
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2011, 08:19:45 PM »
Might work until some freak like me came along and retasked the circle to be a portable hole.  ;D
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Offline Belial666

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Re: Crazy idea - portable magic circle
« Reply #2 on: May 03, 2011, 08:29:03 PM »
A magic circle is interrupted by any physical object crossing its dome-shaped barrier. So merely trying to wear one on your head would interrupt it; your body would be crossing it, not to mention anything above and below you moving in relation to the circle.

In addition, circles seem unable to block major spells and powers; a circle could not hide Morgan from the council's divinations (he needed special defenses for that), a circle could not block more than one major attack despite any preparations Dresden could make for his bolthole, a simple circle could not shut down the wards in Marcone's place or cut off the Archive from magic. Dresden did not think it could stop a heart-rending spell or a major entropy curse either (seeing as he did not hide behind a circle until the casting moment would pass).

In short, I'd say a circle is a block vs magic with (probably) Legendary strength. Alternatively, if you have ritual that gives access to such barriers, a circle can be used as a foundation for a Ward or Binding; the more complex the circle, the stronger the Ward you can build on it. So circles should be able to stop the vast majority of evocations and block constructs from crossing. But major magic would just ignore them, unless you build them up with great effort and power.

Offline Ala Alba

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Re: Crazy idea - portable magic circle
« Reply #3 on: May 03, 2011, 08:40:37 PM »
What if the character were to wear a hat with a wide, circular brim (such as a traditional wizard's hat), and then empower the hat brim as a magic circle? Would that work as a portable magical barrier that would help rein in the curse?

IMO, yes, if the brim was wide enough. However, portable doesn't mean mobile. You power up the circle, and it will only keep working while you remain stationary. Of course, that might mean that even a slight head movement could break the circle.

Offline sinker

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Re: Crazy idea - portable magic circle
« Reply #4 on: May 03, 2011, 09:31:27 PM »
On the general subject, I couldn't find any clear-cut rules in the RPG book on the creation and properties of a basic magic circle. I know from the novels that it's very basic magic, to the extent that even a Pure Mortal could create one, but I'm not sure what would be required to do it in-game, or how much protection it would offer.

I think others are doing a decent job with the rest so I thought I'd address this. Mechanically a circle is treated exactly as a threshold. To create one I would call it a thaumaturgic ritual with the shifts being equal to the strength of the threshold, and treat it exactly the same as any other ritual, though in this case I'd likely handwave the conviction/power per round thing and the fact that thaumatugy can't usually be cast at conflict speeds since neither of those seem to fit thematically. As for pure mortals doing it I would treat it the same, but it falls under the common ritual trapping of the Lore skill, so they don't need spellcasting abilities to do it.

I know others have come up with other ways to do it though, and there is a thread a while back that talks about all of the different options.

Edit: Found a couple but these aren't the ones I was thinking about...
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,19091.0.html
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,19410.0.html
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,21562.0.html
« Last Edit: May 03, 2011, 09:42:44 PM by sinker »

Offline evileeyore

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Re: Crazy idea - portable magic circle
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2011, 09:51:46 PM »
There really is no "mobile" circle...


The premise behind a circle (in magical theorycraft) is that it creates a Boundary, and that for magical purposes Boundaries are never mobile.

They can be very temporary, like Dawn, Dusk, etc.


Your best bet for dealing with sort of spiritual attack might be a ghost trap of some sort.  Wear it down with energy attacks, then kick the trap out and "pop", Bob's your uncle.

Offline MarkB

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Re: Crazy idea - portable magic circle
« Reply #6 on: May 03, 2011, 09:59:04 PM »
Thanks for the replies. Looks like the idea might have potential, but isn't really practical. I think I'll concentrate on other avenues to get us out of our predicament.

Offline Set Abominae

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Re: Crazy idea - portable magic circle
« Reply #7 on: May 03, 2011, 10:05:50 PM »
Thanks for the replies. Looks like the idea might have potential, but isn't really practical. I think I'll concentrate on other avenues to get us out of our predicament.

Sure you don't want to give a portable hole in the head a try?  :-\
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Offline MarkB

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Re: Crazy idea - portable magic circle
« Reply #8 on: May 03, 2011, 10:13:31 PM »
Sure you don't want to give a portable hole in the head a try?  :-\
I'll be sure to present the option to my fellow player, but I don't think he'll go for it. :D

He's already been Compelled to take the tinfoil-hat suggestion seriously and wear one next scene, as he was out of Fate Points at the end of the session.

Offline Set Abominae

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Re: Crazy idea - portable magic circle
« Reply #9 on: May 03, 2011, 10:55:56 PM »
There really is no "mobile" circle...


The premise behind a circle (in magical theorycraft) is that it creates a Boundary, and that for magical purposes Boundaries are never mobile.

They can be very temporary, like Dawn, Dusk, etc.


Your best bet for dealing with sort of spiritual attack might be a ghost trap of some sort.  Wear it down with energy attacks, then kick the trap out and "pop", Bob's your uncle.

Clearly you've never met this guy.

He's a mobile boundary that blocks magic pretty well (usually with his face).  :P
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Offline Smith

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Re: Crazy idea - portable magic circle
« Reply #10 on: May 04, 2011, 08:53:29 AM »
My Dresden Files character had something along these lines. It was a chain (tungsten/platinum allow that acted as his staff) with a clip at one end, when used in conjunction with Thaumaturgy it gave him +1 shifts for spell preparation (in the rules it had a +1 Thaumaturgic Control bonus, assigned as a focus item).

He couldn't keep an active circle while walking about of-course... but he always had the benefits of a well crafted summoning/magic circle on hand.

Also I wanted to note that Magic/Summoning Circles tend to create cylinders, not domes, as stated here...
Quote
A magic circle is interrupted by any physical object crossing its dome-shaped barrier. So merely trying to wear one on your head would interrupt it; your body would be crossing it, not to mention anything above and below you moving in relation to the circle.

Offline LepRecon

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Re: Crazy idea - portable magic circle
« Reply #11 on: May 04, 2011, 09:35:04 AM »
I think the Tin foil hat is a great idea!!!  Its magic and metal it has to have some effect.  Of course I am the GC of the game so maybe not.  I like the fact the PCs cant remember things it allows me to tell them they did something and they cant say they didn't. Cue laughter .......

Personally I like the Portalable hole on his head idea as well. ;)

OK maybe thgis post was not very helpful......

Offline @BCrosswood

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Re: Crazy idea - portable magic circle
« Reply #12 on: May 05, 2011, 05:30:30 AM »
The wonderful thing about magic in the Dresdenverse is that you are only limited by what you believe you can do. Traditionally magic 'circles' are envisioned as spheres. If your mage views the containment field of a magic circle as a cylinder then you're good. If not, Dresden has been known to shape his shield magic effects to improve their effect, a similar effect could encompass a person.

Movement is a much trickier thing to deal with. I'd say if the magic circle was powered by kinetic energy like Harry's rings then the circle could be empowered with every movement to provide a relatively constant effect.

If that doesn't work the players could resort to the same sort of tactics that Doctor Who used to fight The Silence in the season opener last week. For those of you not familiar with the show on BBC America www.doctorwho.bbcamerica.com
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Offline Wyrdrune

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Re: Crazy idea - portable magic circle
« Reply #13 on: May 05, 2011, 01:23:29 PM »
the tinfoil hat is indeed a great idea... i would not build it as a portable circle, but as some sort of protective item with a block against the curse.

Offline Delmorian

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Re: Crazy idea - portable magic circle
« Reply #14 on: May 05, 2011, 02:00:55 PM »
Rather than the hat... why not work up a Tattoo that acts as a Contingency, meaning, as long as the spell lasts, (sunrise to sunrise or longer, depending on the empowering you give it) it waits in abeyance till a particular action occurs or condition is met, much like an "if/then" gate in programing basic. For example, "If the memory erasure spell starts to eat my brain, Then Activate the magic circle inscribed in my belt/hat/collar what ever for the instant it would take to break the hold of the spell. As long as it is a spell, not an entity, you should be good with a momentary circle to break its link to the target.
Since the tattoo is a spell structure like the symbols in a pentagram, you need a circle to Create it, but should be able to have it hold its nature, as long as you avoid the purifying effects such as dousing with water, or burning with fire. You know, the things that break most magics any way.
So, we have the effect, the exception, and a duration. Sounds like its ready to game stat to me.
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