Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Stryfe_Raven 02-16-07, 10:26 PM	How would be the best way to handle this use of the mythallars and what would be some of the implecations on the society that raised one or more. ?
MarkusTay63 02-17-07, 03:15 PM	I think Lord Karsus can better field this then me, he should be around later. After all, he's the one who caused all the 'ruckus'. ;) Anyhow, this is the jist I get - Anything created before Mystra's Ban can still function (hence why no one can make Artifacts anymore). Anything created after must top out at the 9th level of power. There is a funky 'grey area' called Epic-level or High-magic, that will allow Elves and others to produce some 10th level effects, such as Mythals, after the ban. So, you could NOT build a NEW Mythallar. You 'may' be able to repair an old one; that remains to be seen. However, in game, a DM may allow that PC's or NPC's figure out how to adapt the Elven ritual for creating Mythals to make something closely resembling a Mythallar. Unfortunately, besides the Elves themselves, I think only the Red Wizards and the Rashemi Witches would even have a shot at this, and the Witches just don't have that kind of power. This is because Elven High-magic rituals require circle magic, so any adaptation would still require multiple casters. Hope that helps.
lavekkia 02-17-07, 03:40 PM	crafting a new mythallar would certainly require epic magic. see here: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=548975 As to the implications.... well it would change things a lot. It depends how many do you want to create and their accessiblity: since you must develop an epic spell it would be easy to add some key component to quasi magical items
MarkusTay63 02-17-07, 06:22 PM	You know, there is something I've been thinking about for quite awhile, and since it's related let me just 'throw it out there' - The Spellcrux used by the Arcane Order in the College of Wizardry accessory seems to be related to Mythallar magic. In fact, its described as an artifact, which may mean it's a left-over from early Netherese experimentation. Now I know that source is 2e, but the 3e Guild Mage (from the UA) specifically references this earlier work, even though they only refer to the effect of the artifact, calling it a 'spell pool'. The Spellcrux allows a mage of the Arcane Order to tap into it's 'spell pool', and draw magical energy from it. Although this energy is used to cast spells rather then empower items, I find it reasonable to assume that it functions very similar to a Netherese Mythalar. So perhaps the mages of the Order are performing research on their own artifact, and can eventually figure a way for it to power magical devices as well? Just thought I'd toss that into the mix to see other people's take.
Stigger 02-17-07, 08:47 PM	Think I'd like it better if DaRoni and El got together to make a perpetual motion device that fueled magical items... something bizarre looking and filled with cogs, gears, and springs... every inch covered in engraved arcane runes and symbols, preferrably made with a copper (bronze in a pinch I suppose would be acceptable) plating that was slowly going that lovely shade of green.
MarkusTay63 02-18-07, 02:49 AM	You are a fellow Jules Vernian, my friend. ;) Maybe they could build themselves a Difference Engine while they're at it. :D Note to self: Must check on the Gnomes and see if they are done with my Nautilus yet.
Stigger 02-18-07, 02:55 AM	heh, didn't think that one would get caught. Don't see why not on the difference engine. Could be that El picked up the blueprints for one on his visits to Ed. :D
Stryfe_Raven 02-21-07, 09:33 AM	crafting a new mythallar would certainly require epic magic. see here: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=548975 As to the implications.... well it would change things a lot. It depends how many do you want to create and their accessibility: since you must develop an epic spell it would be easy to add some key component to quasi magical items I was thinking only one or two large Mythallars covering a area of roughly 4 miles a piece, at the moment I'm not sure if I want to drop them into some very isolated areas of the realms or make them demiplane cities with portal access to the prime. My basic idea is these cities made themselves lost and have been in hiding since ancient times but a threat found them by accident and now they either want to find help to defeat the threat or they defeated the threat at great cost and have decided to find out if hiding is still the best way to live (basically a stranger in a strange land idea). Basically I want the cities to feel very different but still similar to a normal fantasy, so I'm basically picturing a PL 6 or 7 major city with magical devices instead of technological. The problem from a rules and flint perspective is how and I figure a mythallar would work as the cities "power plant". Any items an Expedition outside the city would take would have to be hardened or reinforced with XP. It just seems to me from the Fluff in Lost empires this was what mythallars were designed for or am did I miss understand it ?
Karsus the Mad 02-21-07, 09:38 AM	How would be the best way to handle this use of the mythallars and what would be some of the implecations on the society that raised one or more. ? Very carefully...mythallars dig deep into the Weave themselves, and are themselves are physical manifestations of the strands of the Weave. The implecations? Just look at High Netheril's history. It doesn't end good;) You know, there is something I've been thinking about for quite awhile, and since it's related let me just 'throw it out there' - The Spellcrux used by the Arcane Order in the College of Wizardry accessory seems to be related to Mythallar magic. In fact, its described as an artifact, which may mean it's a left-over from early Netherese experimentation. Now I know that source is 2e, but the 3e Guild Mage (from the UA) specifically references this earlier work, even though they only refer to the effect of the artifact, calling it a 'spell pool'. The Spellcrux allows a mage of the Arcane Order to tap into it's 'spell pool', and draw magical energy from it. Although this energy is used to cast spells rather then empower items, I find it reasonable to assume that it functions very similar to a Netherese Mythalar. So perhaps the mages of the Order are performing research on their own artifact, and can eventually figure a way for it to power magical devices as well? Just thought I'd toss that into the mix to see other people's take. Interesting. I've actually done something similar for my pre-Fall Karsus. He includes a spellpool effect attached to one of his mythallars. The spellpool doesn't require spells to be placed into it, as the power is supplied by the mythallar. People with access to it can attempt to draw any spell from it, with failure meaning that the spell wasn't available, but that they simply failed to draw the required amount of energy. It was my way of simulating 2e Arcanists ability to cast any spell they know without having to prepare it.
lavekkia 02-23-07, 12:35 PM	I was thinking only one or two large Mythallars covering a area of roughly 4 miles a piece, at the moment I'm not sure if I want to drop them into some very isolated areas of the realms or make them demiplane cities with portal access to the prime. My basic idea is these cities made themselves lost and have been in hiding since ancient times but a threat found them by accident and now they either want to find help to defeat the threat or they defeated the threat at great cost and have decided to find out if hiding is still the best way to live (basically a stranger in a strange land idea). Basically I want the cities to feel very different but still similar to a normal fantasy, so I'm basically picturing a PL 6 or 7 major city with magical devices instead of technological. The problem from a rules and flint perspective is how and I figure a mythallar would work as the cities "power plant". Any items an Expedition outside the city would take would have to be hardened or reinforced with XP. It just seems to me from the Fluff in Lost empires this was what mythallars were designed for or am did I miss understand it ? I m not sure that i understood correctly what did you say but you can't convert a quasi magical item to a magical item. You need a cache of REAL magical items for Expeditions
MarkusTay63 02-23-07, 06:43 PM	Now there's another intriguing prospect - a portable power-source for quasi-magical items. Probably needs to be a least a minor artifact, though. Would make an interseting plothook for either a novel or an adventure. I was thinking only one or two large Mythallars covering a area of roughly 4 miles a piece, at the moment I'm not sure if I want to drop them into some very isolated areas of the realms or make them demiplane cities with portal access to the prime. My basic idea is these cities made themselves lost and have been in hiding since ancient times but a threat found them by accident and now they either want to find help to defeat the threat or they defeated the threat at great cost and have decided to find out if hiding is still the best way to live (basically a stranger in a strange land idea).Sounds like the plot FR has going for the Star Elves.
Karsus the Mad 02-25-07, 12:29 PM	Now there's another intriguing prospect - a portable power-source for quasi-magical items. Probably needs to be a least a minor artifact, though. Would make an interseting plothook for either a novel or an adventure. Well, there was a portable shadow weave mythallar on one of those short stories in Realms of Shadows. I think someone like Ioulaum would be able to create a weave version. I wouldn't make it an artifact tho'. I'd use the rod of excellent magic from the ELH as a basis, as it performs a similar function as a mythallar (provides XP).
ZolDarklock 03-03-07, 12:08 AM	Just seed the clouds with Heavy Magic and watch the whole damn world turn into a freakin faerie nightmare world...the effects would be along the lines of Physical Chaos effects caused during the ToT