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Image of spellcasters

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
rell
Feb 03, 2006 17:49:11 What's the difference, for the common man (or elf, or thri-kreen, and so and on), between the different kinds of spellcasters ?
Because from what I gather, every kind of spellcaster - and I'm including psionics - has a different image. Tell me if I'm wrong :
- Clerics and druids help people and feed the nature, so they are well-liked, even if they must keep a low profile in front of the templars. (of course, this is still Dark Sun : "well-liked" is very relative)
- The templars, well, no one likes them.
- Then, there are psionics, who look pretty neutral in my opinion. It looks like they are seen as useful, just like a warrior.
- And last, there are the arcane spellcasters, who are reviled because of the effects of defilers' spells on the wilderness.

My question is, how do people know the difference ? If a preserver can get lynched for casting a spell in the street, how come a psion or a cleric will have no problems with his powers ?
#2
zombiegleemax
Feb 03, 2006 18:34:46 Here is my current interpretation:
- Even though defilers do not feed on animal lifeforce, their energy gathering creates a sense of awkwardness around the people in the vicinity. That could cause attention, and hence a lynchmob.
- As for the druids: you don't see 'em in the cities. Not casting, anyway.
- Clerics? Usually identifyable by their patron element.
- Psions? EVERYONE has a little psionic talent here or there. And schooled minds can use it without other people noticing. They don't need to draw energy from outside sources, they fuel it with their own power of the mind.

Hope that helps.
#3
Pennarin
Feb 03, 2006 19:08:58 Ordinary folk, even trained and somewhat educated folk (like the captain of a house guard), do not know that wizards/clerics/druids are spellcasters, only that they hold power over life, the elements, or nature, respectively.

Most of them may not even know that druids are anything more than people who tend plants in the wilderness.
Those that have never participated in a religious ceremony at temple and involving an actual manifestation of an elemental cleric's power may not hold the elements (and thus clerics) any higher than household gods.

But everyone has seen the power of psions at one time or another in there lives: a templar freezing a criminal in his tracks without uttering the name of his king, cornacs calming and commanding unruly inixes and mekillots without physically effecting them, and slender bodyguards to the rich and powerful, walking unarmed and unarmored next to their employer.
More so, many an ordinary folk has felt such power within himself.
#4
ruhl-than_sage
Feb 03, 2006 19:37:29 In the case of psions I think it matters what discipline your talking about. I would tend to think that Telepaths would make most people very uneasy and possibly even be revieled by some. It matters what type of cleric your talking about too. Everyone loves water and earth clerics, but most people are probably a little wary of fire clerics, and not so sure what to think about air clerics (unless they come from a nomadic tribe or something that reveres the element). Magma & Silt clerics don't necessarily inspire much confidance in most people either. Druids aren't necessarily friendly, they certainly don't go out of their way to help people. So most people are probably not too keen on them, but since they protect the planet they don't have any reason to distrust them either.

I don't know It seems a little more complicated than simple class breakdowns to me ;)
#5
xlorepdarkhelm_dup
Feb 03, 2006 22:06:41 I usually operate with the idea that the common person does not recognize any difference between the magical disciplines. They know that magic destroyed the world, ruined it and left it in this utter state of desolation. They know that magic is evil, destructive, and those who use it should be lynched. Even psionic powers that appear to be spells, can be very quickly attributed to being "magic" by the superstitous (sp?). Magic users are either hiding from the common people within a city-state, attempting to teach people that it's not like that (or at least that different types of magic and magic-use exists). Templars are rightly feared by the common people, not only for their political power, but also because they wield the only magic sanctioned by the sorcerer-king.

Of course, Tyr has begin to develop a different view of magic, but it's still not 100% effective even there, and many people resent magic -- some even think that the magic-user in the government (Sadira) and her friends could prove worse than Kalak, and should never be trusted.
#6
monastyrski
Feb 04, 2006 20:41:27
What's the difference, for the common man (or elf, or thri-kreen, and so and on), between the different kinds of spellcasters ?
Because from what I gather, every kind of spellcaster - and I'm including psionics - has a different image. Tell me if I'm wrong :
- Clerics and druids help people and feed the nature, so they are well-liked, even if they must keep a low profile in front of the templars. (of course, this is still Dark Sun : "well-liked" is very relative)
- The templars, well, no one likes them.
- Then, there are psionics, who look pretty neutral in my opinion. It looks like they are seen as useful, just like a warrior.
- And last, there are the arcane spellcasters, who are reviled because of the effects of defilers' spells on the wilderness.

In my campaigns, druids help NOBODY, the divine spell feed the nature is yet undeveloped, the templars planting a new city garden are liked well enough, and local wizards are revered, not reviled, in small communities.
My question is, how do people know the difference ? If a preserver can get lynched for casting a spell in the street, how come a psion or a cleric will have no problems with his powers ?

First, people know psionics and see it often. Second, they know divine magic as well, even though they may have not enough money to use clerical healing. Third, they know their neighbour psions and clerics. So, either a local cleric casting something unusual, or an foreigh merchant taming his mekillot, arise no suspicion. The unusual alien is suspicious by default, so one must think twice before casting Fire Storm or manifesting Energy Wave in foreign city.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 rell Feb 03, 2006 17:49:11	What's the difference, for the common man (or elf, or thri-kreen, and so and on), between the different kinds of spellcasters ? Because from what I gather, every kind of spellcaster - and I'm including psionics - has a different image. Tell me if I'm wrong : - Clerics and druids help people and feed the nature, so they are well-liked, even if they must keep a low profile in front of the templars. (of course, this is still Dark Sun : "well-liked" is very relative) - The templars, well, no one likes them. - Then, there are psionics, who look pretty neutral in my opinion. It looks like they are seen as useful, just like a warrior. - And last, there are the arcane spellcasters, who are reviled because of the effects of defilers' spells on the wilderness. My question is, how do people know the difference ? If a preserver can get lynched for casting a spell in the street, how come a psion or a cleric will have no problems with his powers ?
#2 zombiegleemax Feb 03, 2006 18:34:46	Here is my current interpretation: - Even though defilers do not feed on animal lifeforce, their energy gathering creates a sense of awkwardness around the people in the vicinity. That could cause attention, and hence a lynchmob. - As for the druids: you don't see 'em in the cities. Not casting, anyway. - Clerics? Usually identifyable by their patron element. - Psions? EVERYONE has a little psionic talent here or there. And schooled minds can use it without other people noticing. They don't need to draw energy from outside sources, they fuel it with their own power of the mind. Hope that helps.
#3 Pennarin Feb 03, 2006 19:08:58	Ordinary folk, even trained and somewhat educated folk (like the captain of a house guard), do not know that wizards/clerics/druids are spellcasters, only that they hold power over life, the elements, or nature, respectively. Most of them may not even know that druids are anything more than people who tend plants in the wilderness. Those that have never participated in a religious ceremony at temple and involving an actual manifestation of an elemental cleric's power may not hold the elements (and thus clerics) any higher than household gods. But everyone has seen the power of psions at one time or another in there lives: a templar freezing a criminal in his tracks without uttering the name of his king, cornacs calming and commanding unruly inixes and mekillots without physically effecting them, and slender bodyguards to the rich and powerful, walking unarmed and unarmored next to their employer. More so, many an ordinary folk has felt such power within himself.
#4 ruhl-than_sage Feb 03, 2006 19:37:29	In the case of psions I think it matters what discipline your talking about. I would tend to think that Telepaths would make most people very uneasy and possibly even be revieled by some. It matters what type of cleric your talking about too. Everyone loves water and earth clerics, but most people are probably a little wary of fire clerics, and not so sure what to think about air clerics (unless they come from a nomadic tribe or something that reveres the element). Magma & Silt clerics don't necessarily inspire much confidance in most people either. Druids aren't necessarily friendly, they certainly don't go out of their way to help people. So most people are probably not too keen on them, but since they protect the planet they don't have any reason to distrust them either. I don't know It seems a little more complicated than simple class breakdowns to me ;)
#5 xlorepdarkhelm_dup Feb 03, 2006 22:06:41	I usually operate with the idea that the common person does not recognize any difference between the magical disciplines. They know that magic destroyed the world, ruined it and left it in this utter state of desolation. They know that magic is evil, destructive, and those who use it should be lynched. Even psionic powers that appear to be spells, can be very quickly attributed to being "magic" by the superstitous (sp?). Magic users are either hiding from the common people within a city-state, attempting to teach people that it's not like that (or at least that different types of magic and magic-use exists). Templars are rightly feared by the common people, not only for their political power, but also because they wield the only magic sanctioned by the sorcerer-king. Of course, Tyr has begin to develop a different view of magic, but it's still not 100% effective even there, and many people resent magic -- some even think that the magic-user in the government (Sadira) and her friends could prove worse than Kalak, and should never be trusted.
#6 monastyrski Feb 04, 2006 20:41:27	What's the difference, for the common man (or elf, or thri-kreen, and so and on), between the different kinds of spellcasters ? Because from what I gather, every kind of spellcaster - and I'm including psionics - has a different image. Tell me if I'm wrong : - Clerics and druids help people and feed the nature, so they are well-liked, even if they must keep a low profile in front of the templars. (of course, this is still Dark Sun : "well-liked" is very relative) - The templars, well, no one likes them. - Then, there are psionics, who look pretty neutral in my opinion. It looks like they are seen as useful, just like a warrior. - And last, there are the arcane spellcasters, who are reviled because of the effects of defilers' spells on the wilderness. In my campaigns, druids help NOBODY, the divine spell feed the nature is yet undeveloped, the templars planting a new city garden are liked well enough, and local wizards are revered, not reviled, in small communities. My question is, how do people know the difference ? If a preserver can get lynched for casting a spell in the street, how come a psion or a cleric will have no problems with his powers ? First, people know psionics and see it often. Second, they know divine magic as well, even though they may have not enough money to use clerical healing. Third, they know their neighbour psions and clerics. So, either a local cleric casting something unusual, or an foreigh merchant taming his mekillot, arise no suspicion. The unusual alien is suspicious by default, so one must think twice before casting Fire Storm or manifesting Energy Wave in foreign city.