Living Vortexes

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

the_people_dup

Jun 01, 2004 21:31:33
What exactly is a living vortex? how do you get one? I'm under the impression that only Advanced Beings get them, But how? and at what point in the process? do I even have the right name for them?
#2

xlorepdarkhelm_dup

Jun 01, 2004 22:18:31
Originally posted by The People
What exactly is a living vortex? how do you get one? I'm under the impression that only Advanced Beings get them, But how? and at what point in the process? do I even have the right name for them?

Actually, they are basically a contrieved, but effective method to ensure that the Sorcerer-Kings, and only the Sorcerer-Kings have the ability to grant spells to templars. They were some sort of entities in the elemental planes that were attracted to the process that Borys used with the Dark Lens to make his fellot revolutionary Champions of Rajaat into Sorcerer-Kings and start them along as Dragons. The vortices kinda got into the mix, and attached themselves to the Sorcerer-Kings, unfortunately the vortices died in the process. The end result was that they are the reason the Sorcerer-Kings can grant spells to their templars, but also cannot use the magic themselves. According to the source material for 2e, the living vortices all are now extinct, and thus, nobody else can duplicate the process and be able to grantspells to their own set of templars, hense, the more "contrieved" part of the situation - it basically guarentees that nobody other than the Sorcerer-Kings can do this.

Not everyone likes the idea of the Living Vortices, with good reason. Some people like to have it be possible to attract a new living vortex, others like the idea that the templar magic was something that Rajaat gave his Champions when he made them, rather than thousands of years later, Borys does it to them after the revolt against their master Rajaat. Some even like the idea that any and all Advanced Beings (Dragons, Avangions, Elementals or Spirits of the Land) can do this. Heck, Paizo's write-up basically implies that method for explaining Altzetuk (sp?) becoming a Sorcerer-King with templars. It's one of the divisions between the Dark Sun fans out there.
#3

Sysane

Jun 02, 2004 8:03:28
The vortices kinda got into the mix, and attached themselves to the Sorcerer-Kings, unfortunately the vortices died in the process. The end result was that they are the reason the Sorcerer-Kings can grant spells to their templars, but also cannot use the magic themselves. According to the source material for 2e, the living vortices all are now extinct

Did the vortices that attached to the SK's die in the process? I was under the impression that they were still alive and all the other vortices died centuries later.


--Sysane, The Terror of Urik
#4

zombiegleemax

Jun 02, 2004 8:05:55
The only thing I can add is that, according to Dragon Kings (2e), the living vortices did not die. Over the centuries all the others have (which is why no other advanced being can grant clerical spells) but those who attached themselves to the Sorcerer-Kings all those centuries ago are still living. In fact, from what Dragon Kings says, you get the impression that if the living vortex were to die the Sorcerer-King would lose his ability to grant spells.

Of course this was all written pre-revised DS (again, 2e) so even if you run things 100% by the book you still have to decide what happened to the living voritces that were attached to the now dead Sorcerer-Kings. As I like the idea that no new advanced beings (PC or NPC) can grant clerical powers I assume that the process which bound the vortex and Sorcerer-King also linked their lives. So if the Sorcerer-King dies, so does the vortex. But, that, like everything else is up to you.

Edit: I posted this at the same time as the post above, but I hope it answers the question. ;)
#5

Sysane

Jun 02, 2004 8:13:38
Yeah it did.

I always thought it was better for them to be alive. That way upstarts could try and steal the SK's vortices (bold move, if not suicidal).

In my campaign I had Dregoth strip the others SK's of their vortices (as well as gather the dead SK's) as part of his attempted ritual to become Athas' first god.


--Sysane, The Terror of Urik
#6

the_people_dup

Jun 03, 2004 2:09:42
Yay! I understand now!:D :D
#7

zombiegleemax

Jun 03, 2004 20:18:42
IDHMBIFOM but I am fairly sure that the living voticies as a race became extinct over the millenia since the first SK became capable of granting power. The LVs that became attached to the SKs though I think just died out naturally but were alive for a while after the intial linking to the SKs
#8

zombiegleemax

Jun 04, 2004 2:24:04
Acording to Dragon Kings that's not the case. The others are dead (long ago in fact) but those that are still attached to the Sorcerer-Kings are still living and allowing them to access the elemental planes to grant spells. If there is another source that even mentions them (2e that is) I haven't seen it.
But, of coruse, I could have missed it. And all of that isn't to say that they can't be dead, alive, etc in your own campaign.
#9

dawnstealer

Jun 04, 2004 11:45:22
I think they died in the process of being linked up to the Sorcerer Kings and the ability to grant spells was simply imparted in the process.

Here's a question, do you think vorteces would be excessible on the Gray or elemental planes? Could someone (with enough power, of course) disrupt that flow? That would make for an interesting adventure.

One other thing:

IDHMBIFOM

Eh? I Don't Hate Marmosets But I Farted On Mom?
#10

flip

Jun 04, 2004 13:40:54
Originally posted by Dawnstealer
Eh? I Don't Hate Marmosets But I Farted On Mom?

I Don't Have The Book In Front of Me.

Here's where I'd point you to the abbreviations section of my FAQ, which lists out a whole lot of these (date back to the times of the DSML's high activity) ... but, I was an idiot, and managed to delete the entire site while trying to work on something only tangentially related.

Sometimes, I type too fast for my own good.
#11

flip

Jun 04, 2004 13:48:11
DK claims that the living vorticies are all extinct.

To me, extinct mens that all members of the species are dead.

Including the ones attached to the SKs. Yes, the connections are still there, and still active -- but the creature itself is dead. Otherwise, 1) they wouldn't be extinct and 2) It'd miss the meta-game purpose for making them extinct, which is, of course, to prevent any new spell-granting characters from cropping up.
#12

dawnstealer

Jun 04, 2004 13:54:39
Including the ones attached to the SKs. Yes, the connections are still there, and still active -- but the creature itself is dead.

That's the way I took it, too. Between the two of us, there's no possible way we could be wrong.
#13

zombiegleemax

Jun 04, 2004 14:13:02
Potential to find some remains, like digging up dinosaurus bones or someting on the planes and then resurrecting it?

Obviously not what was intended, but it could make a cool plotline as well.
#14

zombiegleemax

Jun 04, 2004 16:22:14
Dragon Kings says the following, "With spidery fingers firmly anchored in all the elemental planes and the prime material plane, the living vortex is a continuous conduit of magical energy. The sorcerer-kings are, until their deaths, a source of elemental magical power funelled directly to them by living vortex, a creature they don't even realize exists."

It does also go on to say that these creatures became extinct but they are talking about the rest of the creatures, not those mentioned above. It says pretty clearly in the above quote that they are "continuous" and that those creatures still exist. It's also pretty clear that the Sorcerer-Kings could not still be granting clerical spells if the vortices were dead.

Again, I'm not saying someone couldn't change this if they wanted to for whatever reason. But DK is saying that only those few are left and, after reading it again, they are pretty clear that the remaining vortices will die with the sorcerer-kings as well.
#15

xlorepdarkhelm_dup

Jun 04, 2004 16:50:13
The word "Extinct" is pretty final on it. Extinct means everything's dead, none of them survived. The power/connection that the Living Vortices provided could still be a part of the Sorcerer-Kings, but the actual thing itself is dead. Basically, it becomes a metaphysical extension to the SK.
#16

zombiegleemax

Jun 05, 2004 1:53:06
And I would tend to agree with you if it were not one word vs. several other statements that seem to say otherwise. And knowing how some of the things were written in the TSR days that one word just doesn't prove enough for me.
But, anyway, it's all in how you look at it and it makes very little difference. I say, currently, six of them still exist and all others have been wiped out one way or another. Others don't like that and say they are all dead and come up with reasons why the sorcerer-kings can still grant spells. Either works so long as it fits your game. The end result is still the same after all.
#17

the_people_dup

Jun 05, 2004 2:27:02
So, I take it that the vortices are invisble/part of the SK's /inside the SK's.

Personally, I think that if the vortices do exist within the SK's, they should still exist on the elemental planes, albiet extreemly rare and elusive.
#18

zombiegleemax

Jun 05, 2004 5:13:15
Dead or alive they seem to be invisible and, what's more, beyond the reach or even detection of very powerful wizard/psionicists.

Xlorepdarkhelm's original point was quite correct in that the vortices were nothing more than a way to explain to your players why they could become dragons/avangions but could not grant clerical spells. So, with that in mind, I'm sure the original idea was for them not to affect the game in any way beyond that which they already do. That doesn't mean you can't go beyond that and come up with some way to use this against the Sorcerer-Kings. Even if your players are not powerful enough to do something like this it could lead to very interesting adventures indeed.
#19

zombiegleemax

Jun 05, 2004 5:29:38
I never really looked at the idea of the vortices as being tangible entities. They are as ephemereal as one can get. You cannot find, fight, touch, or see one at all. It exists differently and independantly of the more phyiscal beings of both Athas and the Elemental Planes.

Course, I also take the stance that they are all dead to the last so as to avoid the whole 'I'm going to steal Hamanu's Vortic so my PC can become an uber spellgranting god!'

Regardless if the books state otherwise.
#20

zombiegleemax

Jun 05, 2004 6:47:34
I think that's probably why most people choose to go through direction. I myself like the idea that they can be stollen. I doubt it would ever happen in the scope of one of my campaigns but it's nice to know that it's possible.
#21

dawnstealer

Jun 05, 2004 10:12:12
I'd say that, rather than actual living beings (former or otherwise) they were an effect of using the Dark Lens. Seems a bit more logical. So dragons created using the "Borys Process" along with the Dark Lens, get access to an elemental vortex. Otherwise, you're pretty much screwed.
#22

xlorepdarkhelm_dup

Jun 05, 2004 13:08:13
Originally posted by vader42xx
I think that's probably why most people choose to go through direction. I myself like the idea that they can be stollen. I doubt it would ever happen in the scope of one of my campaigns but it's nice to know that it's possible.

I'd say maybe. But first - the character would need to know they exist. As the Sorcerer-Kings don't know they exist (as is alluded to and/or pointed out specifically in the texts), my bets would be that the characters don't. Second, the character would most likely, as Dawnstealer mentioned, need to duplicate the Borys method of initiating the Dragon metamorphosis, using the Dark Lens, and attract another vortex. Once again, another unlikely event unless the DM really wants to see Players have this kind of power in their games.
#23

zombiegleemax

Jun 05, 2004 15:50:29
I wasn't actually talking about the PCs getting into any situation like that. More like getting into other situations dealing with such an event. Such as the Dregoth stealing the vortices idea mentioned above.
I just like the option of the Sorcerer-Kings being able to lose that power and what epic adventures it might bring to the PCs (not epic power, but epic adventures). Like I said, I doubt I'd ever go that way but it would make for an interesting game to have the Sorcerer-Kings come to the PCs needing help! ;)
#24

the_people_dup

Jun 06, 2004 5:05:19
Wht coulden't the vortices be in a simbiotic relationship with the SK's. They may be verry much alive, yet insperable and perhaps evan inestinguishable from the SK's. I do not picture the voritces as being powerfull within themselvs, they would probably be more like spidery whisps of element, somehow grafted or coaxed on to (or in to) the SK's by Borys during the transformaton process. This co-existance with such a powerfull being would surley be verry benificial for the vortices, and they act as a focus (I have trouble seeing them conciously or intentionally doing this) to chanel the elemental energys through.

Just a thaught;)
#25

zombiegleemax

Jun 06, 2004 5:55:02
That's exactly how I view it in fact...and there is nothing wrong with it. The only way I diverge from what you said is that I go by the DK wording and assume the joining was accidental and that nobody (Borys included) had any idea.
Like I said above, I think most people just don't like the idea of the vortices themselves or don't like that they could be "stolen" so they tend to just think of them as dead and be done with it (if they use them at all).
#26

the_people_dup

Jun 07, 2004 4:53:32
That's exactly how I view it in fact...and there is nothing wrong with it. The only way I diverge from what you said is that I go by the DK wording and assume the joining was accidental and that nobody (Borys included) had any idea.
Like I said above, I think most people just don't like the idea of the vortices themselves or don't like that they could be "stolen" so they tend to just think of them as dead and be done with it (if they use them at all).

I think i'll do mine as being alive, existant and i'm not sure about intentional. I personally see little harm in the vortices still being existant-both outside and inside the SK's. While the PC's could in theory get a vortice attached to them, it woulld be practically imposible. first, one must find out about them, then they must somehow find, catch and subdue one, then find a way to graft/coax it on.
#27

jon_oracle_of_athas

Jun 07, 2004 6:24:56
What exactly is a living vortex? how do you get one?

Just like everyone else - order it through E-bay. :D
#28

elonarc

Jun 07, 2004 10:30:10
[throws silly frogs at Jon]
#29

the_people_dup

Jun 09, 2004 1:11:05
[Grabs one of the silly frogs and eats it] (they taste like squelchyness)