Author Topic: Making Oaths/Promises Over Water  (Read 2361 times)

Offline AgentSchneider

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Making Oaths/Promises Over Water
« on: March 23, 2016, 08:37:26 PM »
I know that running water is supposed to ground out magical forces, but what effect does it have on the making of magically-bound oaths and promises? Does making these oaths over running water ground them out, or are they still legitimate? I don't remember if the books had mentioned anything like this - it's been a while. The only instance I really remember is in Grave Peril when Harry keeps Lea and her minions out of the graveyard due to the flowing water.

Additionally, if oaths CAN'T be made over running water, what about over still or tamed water? Does being on a man-made lake decrease the effect of water on impairing magical forces? After reading The Paranet Papers I was inspired with the idea of a magical riverboat that travels the waterways, secretly entrapping mortals in unintended oaths as well as being a place where supernatural big-wigs could throw down some power.

Offline Haru

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Re: Making Oaths/Promises Over Water
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2016, 09:07:27 PM »
I don't think the water rule applies to oaths. Seems like the whole concept would run far deeper than a bit of magic. They are bound to yourself and more or less run on your own energy. And they don't need that much energy to begin with. I would definitely not let a character get out of an oath just by being over water.

I don't really remember the Grave Peril scene like that though. Lea isn't kept out of the graveyard, Harry is trying to get to the stream of water, because Kravos wouldn't have been able to cross it, so he and Charity would have been safe. Lea only came into the game when Harry called her for help, but she wasn't hindered in any way.

And despite the heavy rain, the bargain they struck was solid.
“Do you not know that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken?”
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Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Making Oaths/Promises Over Water
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2016, 05:50:13 AM »
I don't know anything about the magical physics of the Dresdenverse, but it'd be really lame if you could negate a sworn oath with running water.

"You gave me your word!"

"On a boat! It doesn't count!"

Offline AgentSchneider

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Re: Making Oaths/Promises Over Water
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2016, 01:36:11 AM »
I don't really remember the Grave Peril scene like that though. Lea isn't kept out of the graveyard, Harry is trying to get to the stream of water, because Kravos wouldn't have been able to cross it, so he and Charity would have been safe. Lea only came into the game when Harry called her for help, but she wasn't hindered in any way.
Yeah...like I said it has been quite a long time lol.

I don't know anything about the magical physics of the Dresdenverse, but it'd be really lame if you could negate a sworn oath with running water.

"You gave me your word!"

"On a boat! It doesn't count!"
"But Nicodemus you promised that you would give us all of the Denarian coins back!" - Harry Dresden, Dresden Files Book #20