Magickers in Allanak

[IssacF]

Magickers and normal people shouldn't be friendly. They shouldn't really even associate with each other except when they have to. If you're a commoner in Allanak and you have rogue magicker friends, your life is forfeit. You would feel like a monster and know that the templarate publicly murders "people" like you. If you have gemmer friends, you're going to be scrutinized too. There is a division between commoners and the gemmed. At the least you will be ostracized. Templars can and have tortured or executed people for breaking these social norms. At worst, you'll be experimented on or cursed by your magickal "friends".

From help magick

Magick is a mysterious and very rare power on Zalanthas, about which the
general public knows very little, and generally fears and hates a great
deal. While magickers are tolerated in some places, they are generally
feared and distrusted by the vast majority of the population of Zalanthas.
In many places, magickers are killed upon discovery, and even the rumor
that one is a magicker can lead to one's death.

Overall, the game world is very good about playing out this magickal mistrust. With a recent influx of new players we need to make sure that social norms stay normal and that exceptions remain rare and realistically shunned.

Magickers are very often isolated roles. Even the gemmed. That's a large part of the reason they require karma. A magicker player must be patient and dedicated enough to sometimes forgo interaction in favor of realism.

Sounds reasonable and my concept might certainly work then. So self loathing and depression on a magicker is common? What with the isolation, mistrust, being reviled, feared and hated... That's a recipe for some derangements...

[AmandaGreathouse]

Magickers and normal people shouldn't be friendly. They shouldn't really even associate with each other except when they have to. If you're a commoner in Allanak and you have rogue magicker friends, your life is forfeit. You would feel like a monster and know that the templarate publicly murders "people" like you. If you have gemmer friends, you're going to be scrutinized too. There is a division between commoners and the gemmed. At the least you will be ostracized. Templars can and have tortured or executed people for breaking these social norms. At worst, you'll be experimented on or cursed by your magickal "friends".

From help magick

Magick is a mysterious and very rare power on Zalanthas, about which the
general public knows very little, and generally fears and hates a great
deal. While magickers are tolerated in some places, they are generally
feared and distrusted by the vast majority of the population of Zalanthas.
In many places, magickers are killed upon discovery, and even the rumor
that one is a magicker can lead to one's death.

Overall, the game world is very good about playing out this magickal mistrust. With a recent influx of new players we need to make sure that social norms stay normal and that exceptions remain rare and realistically shunned.

Magickers are very often isolated roles. Even the gemmed. That's a large part of the reason they require karma. A magicker player must be patient and dedicated enough to sometimes forgo interaction in favor of realism.

Sounds reasonable and my concept might certainly work then. So self loathing and depression on a magicker is common? What with the isolation, mistrust, being reviled, feared and hated... That's a recipe for some derangements...

A magicker without derangements is like a human-looking breed that doesn't RP the mental handicap that is their flavor of weird psychosis.

[catchall]

A magicker without derangements is like a human-looking breed that doesn't RP the mental handicap that is their flavor of weird psychosis.

I don't think there's anything in the documentation to support this except for the "common sense" notion that "Oh, they're outcasts, therefore they must be CRRRAAZZY" (which is flimsy logic to say the least).  How individual magickers respond to their social environment will vary by individual and is not in any way analogous to inborn personality traits.

[ShaLeah]

A magicker without derangements is like a human-looking breed that doesn't RP the mental handicap that is their flavor of weird psychosis.

I don't think there's anything in the documentation to support this except for the "common sense" notion that "Oh, they're outcasts, therefore they must be CRRRAAZZY" (which is flimsy logic to say the least).  How individual magickers respond to their social environment will vary by individual and is not in any way analogous to inborn personality traits.

This.

The environment isn't the only thing that affects the human psyche.

[BleakOne]

With the exception of tribals who have a belief that their powers are in some way acceptable (like, for example, a blessing from the spirits or whatever), many magickers would have some pretty serious problems from being 'tainted'. Some believe themselves superior to 'mundane' folk, others hate themselves for suddenly becoming what they have always loathed, some try to hold it away and ignore it (with some possible fun for being 'overwhelmed' by magickal build up) and others desperately search for meaning in their new 'form'.

I don't know what all the Gem dislike is about, since I had a blast with my gemmed character. Even the meekest, most honest 'gicker can still get some fun RP out of the normies, with a little creativity. Being Gemmed is also very helpful to learn various difficult concepts with the way the magick system works, since you are more likely to find other people willing to teach you.

Personally I can't see myself enjoying a rogue 'gicker, since I'd be paranoid of being discovered by someone who didn't only want to shackle my power to turn to their own horrible will (i.e. His Templarate). Zorching PCs in the wild doesn't sound too fun either.

On the other hand, most of the Gemmed PCs and Rogue 'gicker PCs I've seen over my time have been quite well played. You'd be surprised how many things you can survive in Arm if you respond to someone scary by screaming like a child and falling on your ass.

[janeshephard]

I don't know what all the Gem dislike is about, since I had a blast with my gemmed character. Even the meekest, most honest 'gicker can still get some fun RP out of the normies, with a little creativity. Being Gemmed is also very helpful to learn various difficult concepts with the way the magick system works, since you are more likely to find other people willing to teach you.

We had very different experiences as gemmed. As gemmed I was treated like shit by everyone including other gemmed who didn't want to see me succeed in anyway. I guess it depends on the current gemmed eco-system on what your experience will be. If they all want to be happy x-men in arms or if they want to play the murder & betrayal angle more.

Personally I can't see myself enjoying a rogue 'gicker, since I'd be paranoid of being discovered by someone who didn't only want to shackle my power to turn to their own horrible will (i.e. His Templarate). Zorching PCs in the wild doesn't sound too fun either.

There are some profoundly interesting rogue magickers out there with interesting plots. At least that's what I found the two times I managed in having a functioning rogue 'gicker.

I don't think "zorching PCs in the wild" is what's typical of a rogue magicker -- although there are some exceptions where its played that way.

[BleakOne]

Hehehe, hearing 'happy x-men in arms' makes me chuckle.

But yeah, you're unlikely to find every other Gemmer friendly as a Gemmer, all you need is one or two to make it awesome though. I'm sorry you didn't get that from being Gemmed, but it's good you found a way to rock a rogue 'gicker instead.

[AmandaGreathouse]

A magicker without derangements is like a human-looking breed that doesn't RP the mental handicap that is their flavor of weird psychosis.

I don't think there's anything in the documentation to support this except for the "common sense" notion that "Oh, they're outcasts, therefore they must be CRRRAAZZY" (which is flimsy logic to say the least).  How individual magickers respond to their social environment will vary by individual and is not in any way analogous to inborn personality traits.

Nah, not so much that as... really, after you have a magicker get powerful...some of the stuff they can do... you'd have to be crazy -not- to at least feel some fundamental disconnect with the normal people around you. And probably both offput and relieved that others are like you. At least to my mind. If nothing else, you'd think that the constant emotional abuse would lead to a level of agoraphobia.

[IssacF]

With the exception of tribals who have a belief that their powers are in some way acceptable (like, for example, a blessing from the spirits or whatever), many magickers would have some pretty serious problems from being 'tainted'. Some believe themselves superior to 'mundane' folk, others hate themselves for suddenly becoming what they have always loathed, some try to hold it away and ignore it (with some possible fun for being 'overwhelmed' by magickal build up) and others desperately search for meaning in their new 'form'.

I don't know what all the Gem dislike is about, since I had a blast with my gemmed character. Even the meekest, most honest 'gicker can still get some fun RP out of the normies, with a little creativity. Being Gemmed is also very helpful to learn various difficult concepts with the way the magick system works, since you are more likely to find other people willing to teach you.

Personally I can't see myself enjoying a rogue 'gicker, since I'd be paranoid of being discovered by someone who didn't only want to shackle my power to turn to their own horrible will (i.e. His Templarate). Zorching PCs in the wild doesn't sound too fun either.

On the other hand, most of the Gemmed PCs and Rogue 'gicker PCs I've seen over my time have been quite well played. You'd be surprised how many things you can survive in Arm if you respond to someone scary by screaming like a child and falling on your ass.

That is possibly a solid description of how my concept goes. Self loathing, wishing to ignore it and desperate to find a meaning in his f***** life.

[Wug]

Unfortunately, conversations here tipped over that thin IC dividing line into speculation we would rather not see on the boards. Magick is an area of low tolerance on the GDB. If you're going to post about it then you have a responsibility to keep the information and speculation very, very general. If you have any specific commentary, take it to the request tool.

Some of you are jaded veterans who have seen some shit. You have a responsibility to keep any hint of that shit off of the boards.

Thanks.