Magickers and the Law

[JRB]

Would a PC from Tuluk, know the laws about Magickers after he arrives in Allanak?  Is it fairly common knowledge of long standing laws in Allanak through the known world?  In specific would my character know how to recognise a magicker who made no attempt to conceal that fact if I saw one in Allanak?

[Cale_Knight]

I think Tulukis would probably hear things like, "Yeah, them barbarians down there let witches walk around, and with gems on their neck to SHOW IT OFF."

And then they'd go have sex with trees, because that's what Tulukis do.

[LauraMars]

One of the reasons Tulukis hate Allanak is because their city was overrun and partially destroyed in the war by magickers.

So in addition to humping tree-roots, a good Tuluki citizen would know their history, and realize that Allanak is a city full of magickers who are under the control of the templarate.

[Anonymous]

The description of a 'dull black gem' is a very simple necklace with a very small gem.  It's been ages since I see one but I believe it's the size of a fingernail.  One of the ways I've had characters have some sort of roleplay when they are the only one in a room with a magicker they don't know is a magicker is to not have them treat the dull black gem necklace as a giant neon sign that says 'GICKER' and essentially have them not notice it for a bit.

Point being I doubt anyone who was just passing through Allanak would have made a correlation unless they happened to have been told about it or seen two people both wearing the same necklace identified as magickers.

[bloodfromstone]

And then they'd go have sex with trees, because that's what Tulukis do.

Hahahah. Ahem.

I think it would be something that would be talked about in Tuluk as propoganda. Then again, I was never aware of how tiny the dull black gems were.

[LauraMars]

I was never aware of how tiny the dull black gems were.

Holy shit, neither did I.  Here I was thinking they were this huge tacky DANGLING thing the size of your fist.  Well god damn, my one big reason not to play a gemmed magicker gone.  Sign me up for tasteful leashes and fear.

[Larrath]

The dull black gem is a pendant.  Its cord is pretty thick for a regular pendant, and it ends in a [probably blockish] obsidian circle.  The gem itself, which is completely black and swallows all light directed at it, is the size of a playing marble.  There is contrasts between the gem itself and the obsidian it's set in because obsidian is very light-catching and shiny.

Pendants and necklaces that are similar in design to the dull black gem pretty much don't exist because nobody wants to have a necklace that reminds them (and other people) of those scary, hideous magickers.  It would also never sell.

Tulukis, being full of art and bards and hatred of magickers, would most likely know what the dull black gems look it.


Most people would notice a dull black gem very quickly, especially Allanakis, because their eyes would be trained to watch for it.  It's like, uh, the Variety Golden Heart pin or the old 'Jude' shield of David from the Nazi era.

[Halaster]

Just so you have a staff answer:  Yes, it would be perfectly fine for a Tuluki citizen to have heard that mages are legal in Allanak and wear gems on their necks.  And it would be perfectly fine for an Allanaki citizen to have heard that all magick is illegal in Tuluk.

[EvilRoeSlade]

Most people would notice a dull black gem very quickly, especially Allanakis, because their eyes would be trained to watch for it.  It's like, uh, the Variety Golden Heart pin or the old 'Jude' shield of David from the Nazi era.

Heh, I don't buy it.  I would say that PCs magickers who sit around in the Barrel are the exception, and that magickers only very rarely enter the commoner's quarter.  Therefore the average citizen wouldn't be expecting to see a magicker and thus might not notice them immediately.

And besides, it is TINY.

[Cuusardo]

I would think that no matter what the size of the magicker's gem, people would notice it.  It is a very unusual and unique item that no one else wears.  Some people might not notice it at first, but in Allanak, people tend to look for that kind of thing.  After all, no self-respecting commoner wants to be bedfellows with a tainted witch.

[Nao]

And besides, it is TINY.

I wouldn't a pendant the size of a marble plus the surrounding obsidian tiny, I  figure it would be about an inch in diameter.

Does this have to be visible at all times by the way, or could your average magicker just slide it under his shirt once he leaves the magicker quarter?

[Marauder Moe]

I'd think that many Tulukis would have the same preconceptions that newer players tend to have: that the gem would be some large and extremely visible item.  I think it'd be pretty common for a northerner visiting Allanak to look at a gemmer and think "Is that a vile magicker?  I dunno, that necklace looks pretty small..."

[Ava]

Quoth Cuusardo: "After all, no self-respecting commoner wants to be bedfellows with a tainted witch."

Hijacking the thread just a little...what should the Average 'Nakker's feelings be about gemmers?  Fear and loathing doesn't seem quite right to me...we see a fair number of them around town, they fight alongside the templarate, they're respectably employed.

I guess I tend to think of the gemmers as fairly rich, dependable, well-connected, law-abiding commoners with gatling guns strapped to their backs.  I'd be real glad to see them on my side in a battle situation, but annoying them is unwise...partly because of their dangerous powers, but even more because they could get me in hot water(?!) with a powerful employer.

[Wykydtronn]

I think different characters should have different feelings.

Although only a fool in the masses eyes, would trust them.

I think some else put it pretty good when talking about half-elves/other races relationships.

You can be drinking buddies
you may even like them
But you'll never forget what they are.

Magicker is a negative word, nothing you would call anybody lightly.

"Hes a gemmer, creepy guy.  Seems nice enough though."

And even more complex question? What if a characters best bud (think tuluki here) turns out to be a magicker?  What if said magicker used powers to save your ass?  That in no doubt will change any zalathian's perception of their friend... if not magick all togather.  Would such an act be meet with fear? Hate? Love? Envy? Would said mundane character be thankful?  Even better, what if they felt all those things?  Needless to say, if you don't "always" meet a magicker character with blind hate... who knows what fun that could bring?

[Cuusardo]

I guess I tend to think of the gemmers as fairly rich, dependable, well-connected, law-abiding commoners with gatling guns strapped to their backs.  I'd be real glad to see them on my side in a battle situation, but annoying them is unwise...partly because of their dangerous powers, but even more because they could get me in hot water(?!) with a powerful employer.

They think of magickers the way that the rest of the world does.  They only grudgingly accept them because they are told to by the templarate.

[ale six]

I imagine most uninformed Allanakis would want as little to do with the gemmed as possible. Gemmers have MAGICK and MAGICK IS SCARY. You never know if that gemmer might get annoyed with your joke or not like the way you're looking at her and hex you. For all you know she could turn you into a newt with a blink, or go back to her temple, summon you there, and make you disappear into thin air...

So forget whatever you might know about magick codedly, have your PC assume any of this is possible, and that's a better way to act around gemmers, IMO.

As far as wearing the gems in Nao's question: gemmers must keep their gem visible at all times, and can never remove it. It'll always be there and visible if someone looks for it.

[Angela Christine]

As far as wearing the gems in Nao's question: gemmers must keep their gem visible at all times, and can never remove it. It'll always be there and visible if someone looks for it.

True.  However, they can make the gem more or less noticeable based on what else they wear.  In my opinion a color-coded elementalist with elementalist robes, elementally-themed jewelry, and magickally themed tattoos will be identified more quickly than someone wearing the gem and "normal" clothes.  Some of 'em are so tricked out with elementalist gear that you could identify them as mages from behind.


Angela Christine

[X-D]

The colored portion of the eye is MUCH smaller then a marble, yet my PC can see what color eyes most PC's have from up to three leagues away.

Taken in that light, that gem is a giant neon sign.

[Intrepid]

The colored portion of the eye is MUCH smaller then a marble, yet my PC can see what color eyes most PC's have from up to three leagues away.

Taken in that light, that gem is a giant neon sign.

Oh my god...I never saw it that way before...   :shock:

I am never using eye color in a short desc again.

[Marauder Moe]

Anyone who says "Hey Sarge, I see a guy three leagues to the south.  He's got green eyes." should be beaten with a diseased tregil.  Seriously, the sdesc is really an ooc primary key for identifying your character.

Anyway, back on topic, I think people forget that there's more to the gem than just identifying magickers.  If that was it's primary purpose, they could have been made to be huge and neon-yellow I'm sure.

[Anonymous]

Anyone who says "Hey Sarge, I see a guy three leagues to the south.  He's got green eyes." should be beaten with a diseased tregil.  Seriously, the sdesc is really an ooc primary key for identifying your character.

Not only that, but having your eyes in your sdescs makes mentioning them in your emotes a little redundant.

The tall, green-eyed man looks about with rage in his eyes.

Anyway, back on topic, I think people forget that there's more to the gem than just identifying magickers.  If that was it's primary purpose, they could have been made to be huge and neon-yellow I'm sure.

Yeah but the gems were only brought up in relation to a visitor to Allanak identifying magickers as such based on the gem.  In that case how noticeable the gem is has a bearing, in my opinion.

I think almost all Allanakis would know what the gem was and what it stood for.  I don't, however, think a player of a Tuluki PC should feel like they are making a huge mistake by roleplaying that they don't notice/aren't aware of what amounts to a small bit of decoration.

[John]

And even more complex question? What if a characters best bud (think tuluki here) turns out to be a magicker?  What if said magicker used powers to save your ass?  That in no doubt will change any zalathian's perception of their friend... if not magick all togather.

Here's a question:

What if a homophobe's (extreme homophobe here) best bud turns out to be gay? What if said homosexual saved your life?

While they can't use their "gay power" to save the homophobe's life I imagine that an extreme homophobe would still hate them even if they did.

[Wykydtronn]

Are you so sure?

I use to hate gay people.  Mainly do to the enviorment I was in, parents up raising and all that wonderful shit.

I found out in 11th grade one of my best friends since was gay.  It was very hard for him.
What did it do to me?  Well I was mad for a little while but then I grew the fuck up and realized that he was still my friend, a human living being like any one else.  Now? I makes me uncomfortable to be near homophobics, why? Because I've seen the shit gay people have to go through to be accepted and even comfortable in their own skin.

That was one of those "life changing" experiences.  Then maybe I'm a fucking saint? I highly doubt it.  I'm also no Zalanthian, so things may be different.

But if you think its so awesome to Role play every time, the same way, with the same reaction.  Sure have fun!  But I tend to think, situations can be a lot more fun when complications arise.

my characters always "fear" magick,  but Fear can lead to other emotions, other conflicts.  Something beyond "Oh noes! MAGICKS FOR THE LOSE!".

[Maybe42or54]

Homosexual people don't have the power to wipe you off the face of the earth with a stray look. I hear magickers can.

[Cale_Knight]

Homosexual people don't have the power to wipe you off the face of the earth with a stray look. I hear magickers can.

Exactly. It's a bad analogy.

A better one would be the way Jews were treated in medieval times.

Christians really did believe that Jews had satanic rituals. They really did believe that Jews killed christian babies and ground up their bones and blood for their matzoh. They really did believe that Jews had killed god.

That is the brand of fear and loathing that Zalanthans have for magickers, but double or triple it or more, because they've actually seen it happen. And worse, they don't get periodic government sanctioned pogroms to vent their anger and rage.