RogerDee Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 Okay so you see a lot of Lovecraft based fiction, and rpg's, and they mention magic, but never actually what it is or how it works. So how do you describe, or how does it work within your CoC games? Discuss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klecser Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 I personally like the idea that magic is just another term for transdimensional gateways that allow players to draw on energy from "another place or reality." It fits nicely in with the cosmic in cosmic horror. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmshade Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 I mostly go with Mythos magic being extra-dimensional or alien science. I treat magic like what we see in Robert E Howard's Hyborian Age and Thurian Age. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psullie Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 It is whatever the game calls for, there is no one source or form; be it mesmerism, voodoo or the supernatural - small magic can usually be explained away as tricks or coincidence and the big stuff just drive people insane. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ejlertson Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 As a rule of thumb, its something thats a bad idea to mess with. Its part science, part otherworldly power and part divine intervention. A lot depends on the scenario and setting, but in most cases if my players decide to start casting spells they better be prepared for some nasty things happening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerDee Posted January 29, 2021 Author Share Posted January 29, 2021 8 hours ago, klecser said: I personally like the idea that magic is just another term for transdimensional gateways that allow players to draw on energy from "another place or reality." It fits nicely in with the cosmic in cosmic horror. I believe this was how magic worked in Mongoose RQ I actually....plus Gumshoe Rough Magick did mention this as one option. 8 hours ago, Grimmshade said: I mostly go with Mythos magic being extra-dimensional or alien science. I treat magic like what we see in Robert E Howard's Hyborian Age and Thurian Age. But how do you envision the alien science working? How does casting a spell translate to effect? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrippyHippy Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 (edited) Mythos Magic is the underlying ‘science' of the universe that is beyond human comprehension. It is difficult to rationalize how it works, because it is expressly beyond our own comprehension - and doesn’t follow our own rationalized logic. Edited January 29, 2021 by TrippyHippy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmshade Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 3 hours ago, RogerDee said: But how do you envision the alien science working? How does casting a spell translate to effect? Not entirely sure what you mean, but basically I see it as the underlying code of the universe. magic symbols and words and actions just translate into "programming" the universe. Humans can't really understand it fully, so they see it as symbols, ingredients, and words. Some of it is definitely calling on concepts and extra-dimensional beings to warp "reality." In my games, it all just looks like magic, but with hints at energy transference and reality warping. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerDee Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 (edited) 10 hours ago, Grimmshade said: Not entirely sure what you mean, but basically I see it as the underlying code of the universe. magic symbols and words and actions just translate into "programming" the universe. Humans can't really understand it fully, so they see it as symbols, ingredients, and words. Some of it is definitely calling on concepts and extra-dimensional beings to warp "reality." In my games, it all just looks like magic, but with hints at energy transference and reality warping. That is actually quite interesting to be honest, and actually to some extent psychic powers from the Pliocene Saga, where they have psychic programs IIRC. Plus we have the below from Doctor Who- https://tardis.fandom.com/wiki/Magic https://tardis.fandom.com/wiki/Block_Transfer_Computation https://tardis.fandom.com/wiki/Quantum_mnemonics Not sure if that helps with any ideas or not? It is always interesting to see opinions on how CoC 'magic' works, and see what good ideas other people have. Edited January 30, 2021 by RogerDee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmshade Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 That Doctor Who stuff is pretty much spot on with how I run things. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerDee Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 28 minutes ago, Grimmshade said: That Doctor Who stuff is pretty much spot on with how I run things. I did contemplate at one point of making CoC magic the force, just to make crossovers with Star wars easier. Could be kind of fun..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDLeary Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 55 minutes ago, RogerDee said: I did contemplate at one point of making CoC magic the force, just to make crossovers with Star wars easier. Could be kind of fun..... So Jedi are all quite insane then! I like it! SDLeary 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1d8+DB Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 I pretty much like the idea used in Delta Green/The Laundry Files that 'magic' is just math, or 'hyper-geometry'. Cannonically HPL kinda hints at this in 'The Dreams in the Witch-House'. Ritual and incantation are just a kind of debased equation that manipulates space and time in some fundamental fashion. Outside of CoC I suppose we could see a parallel with 'sorcery' in Elric/Stormbringer and RQ. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerDee Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, SDLeary said: So Jedi are all quite insane then! I like it! SDLeary It was more to use some of the EU stuff, albeit it was touched on in the Clone Wars CGI stuff. You have Light & Dark, but also other aspects of the Force. So to use a Doctor Who idea (7th Doc - McCoy), the Light was shattered and not one sole power, while the others: Dark, Cosmic, Living, Physical etc are embodied by one outer god. Edited January 30, 2021 by RogerDee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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