Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Aug 19, 2004 15:40:39	Is it at all likely that a child carried by an arcane spellcaster in Ravenloft would be born a caliban, given the constant exposure to magic while in the womb? Or does it require darker magic or hag magic specifically? If it is likely, are there any steps that could be taken to prevent it?
#2 Mortepierre Aug 19, 2004 15:50:58	IMHO, there would be a chance but not a big one. If the child was carried by a Sorceress, it would be a wee bit higher (because magic runs in her blood). Of course, it all depends on what she is doing during the pregnancy. If she runs around casting spells from the Necromancy and/or Transmutation schools, she would be increasing her chances of getting a Caliban child. Even then, I wouldn't rate it at above 5%. Now, if we were talking curse, hag magic, or spells cast upon the mother while she was pregnant (especially Transmutation magic), then yes, the odds would be in favor of a caliban. But that's just me... As for steps to avoid it, it's pretty much what you would advise any pregnant woman in our world. - Don't do anything that generates stress - Don't do anything that weakens you - Don't expose yourself to things dangerous to your unborn child - Don't go near dangerous stuff Pretty much common sense, I would think. Of course, if the woman is an adventurer and, say, her companions are in trouble, she might not have a choice, pregnant or not. Come to think of it, it's pretty much a "good" RL situation. Don't help your friends and you are selfish. Help them and you risk your child being a caliban. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Got to love the dark powers' sense of humor...
#3 zombiegleemax Aug 19, 2004 19:01:22	As a judge I don't think I'd use "spellcasting" as a possible catalyst for causing an unborn child to become a Caliban, though thats a great rumour to plant among the unwashed masses. Casting spells is as core a part of many classes, as much so as swinging a sword for fighters types (and it also goes that I wouldn't be more likely to spring a Caliban on a pregnant woman fought evil with a sword). One the other hand *HOW* you use stuff (spells/weapons) might have an impact. It might be desirable to keep track of powers checks. A failed check could result in the birth of calibans from then on. Or you could also roll the checks a second time against the unborn - a failed check would mean that speciffic child would be born a Caliban. In a harsher campaign world you might want to create a 1% check for any spell cast with the evil descriptor, or that ultilizes negative energy. This could even include a cleric who rebukes undead. Two other final factors beyond Hagish influence might include prolonged contact with sinkholes of evil and the curses of your enemies. In the first instance I think maybe you could roll % against the sinkholes rank for each day after the first that you're there. Maybe that's too much and should be done per week. The later would fall under the same rules as curses. -Eric Gorman
#4 zombiegleemax Aug 20, 2004 12:00:29	I'd say that the creation of calibans due to magic use would vary from land to land. Espically with these new magic rules in place (if you use them). A place would cause a caliban depending on the distortion effects on magic. A place which distorts magic a great deal would have a higher chance on creating a caliban. Also I'd say the chance might be affected depending on if the pregnant woman was in a sinkhole of evil (or even delivered the creature within one), in addition to the magic. Say if the mage cast a necromatic spell in a sinkhole of evil: the base percentage multiplied by the level of the sinkhole. It makes sense to me, the more evil an area, the larger the chance of a caliban.
#5 zombiegleemax Aug 31, 2004 19:21:43	I agree, it ought to depend more on the domain you're in than the amount or type of spellcasting. I'd say Falkovnia, which is rabidly anti-human, rabidly anti-magic, and suffering from the inflictions of a psuedo-natural being (a Cthulhu-esque dryad, if I remember correctly), would have a greater number of calibans, as opposed to lesser. The rarity of magic, combined with psuedo-natural influence and the psychic residue from years of anti-human prejudice, would all lead to lots of calibans. --and so on and so forth with the other domains NB
#6 zombiegleemax Sep 01, 2004 2:20:26	The rules on magic levels from the RL PHB, while an interesting idea, *really* don't do much for me as implimented. I don't use them, though at some future point I may consider the idea that each Island, cluster, or (the) Core have their own magic level. I think Nero's on the right track and strongly advocate a more story based approach based on (1) the lands the PCs are in, (2) what themes are you exporing in your campaign and (3) what (shameful) things have the people involved done that deserve to be reflected in their children? The theme of skeletons in the closet somehow coming back and "manifesting" in the present is one of the strongest themes to be found in classic "gothic" scarry tales. As such I tend to see Calibans as either a manifestation of the sins of the past or a result from some horrible malific external effect (hags, curses etc). -Eric Gorman