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A few in game questions


Adrian
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*mirabilis* *mirabilis*

 

 

Come on, where's your school spirit?

 

 

Legate;

 

You said that all graduates and advanced students of Ickanix were cloistered, but at the same time, you have also said that advanced mages were simply told to not practice their magic or train apprentices. As they were apparently too powerful to try and tell what to do. At what point was that cutoff?

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1. Can you say why Orsi was chosen as Legate?

 

2. Does the academy hold class reunions?

 

3. Will it be possible to outdrink professor Viada at some bar in Y2? ;)

 

4. Are there checkpoints for trade and caravans in Elumia?

 

5. How will dialects of languages be handled? will the checks reference the parent language?

 

6. You said that people from oursouk used to attend the Academagia. Is there something legally preventing this, or could one still try to apply from there? do kids apply from there?

 

7. When I was little kid, my granny once told me that The Bozo Show (look it up) was so popular that parents would apply for their kids to attend a show at their birth, because the waiting list was so long that by the time the kids got the tickets, they were old enough to enjoy it.

 

Obviously the Chards wouldn't need to worry about that with the Academagia, but what about other kids? how is that ordained? There's easily more demand then supply, so is that one way to counterbalance that?

 

8. In the pre-ban era, with Ickanix and Kazus both in operation, was the size of the student body (and faculty) noticeably larger than the current era?

 

9. In the Vernin adventure with diCossa, when the instructors escort you to see him, I have to ask... exactly what precautions did they take? I mean, a mere guest room, seriously?

 

10. Are newborn baby hatchling dragons deadly immediately?

 

11. If Mastery or Gates as a whole were unbanned, is it likely that some subset of them would still be off limits?

 

12. If a boy and a girl student got bodyswapped with a nasty curse that couldn't be immediately undone, how would the professors arrange sleeping quarters?

 

13. Will we have the option of carrying around several wands with different abilities on our persons for adventures? (If I'm carrying an unequipped revision wand, shouldn't I be able to use that in an adventure so long as it's not a time critical 'act fast' moment?

 

14. On that subject, shouldn't the player technically start out Y1 with a wand in inventory? maybe based on what college you signed up for? I realize this might be a bit of gameplay and story segregation but I'd like to see our characters need to have a wand to cast magic options. Maybe allow the player to sell it only if they realize that the difficulty check of wandless casting is... unforgiving.

 

15. Shouldn't Oriabel take an interest in Pamela? I should almost think she needs a separate adventure just for people who choose pam.... or at least make her more likely to show up during Pam's adventure...

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Free;

 

1. Can you say why Orsi was chosen as Legate?

The Regents preferred him.

2. Does the academy hold class reunions?

Sadly no. That should probably be changed, though. :)

3. Will it be possible to outdrink professor Viada at some bar in Y2? ;)

HAHAHA! We'll see.

4. Are there checkpoints for trade and caravans in Elumia?

Not beyond the local justice.

5. How will dialects of languages be handled? will the checks reference the parent language?

Good question- probably!

6. You said that people from oursouk used to attend the Academagia. Is there something legally preventing this, or could one still try to apply from there? do kids apply from there?

Nothing legally preventing this, although the Academagia hasn't received any applications in years from the parts of that region not controlled by Elumian lords.

7. When I was little kid, my granny once told me that The Bozo Show (look it up) was so popular that parents would apply for their kids to attend a show at their birth, because the waiting list was so long that by the time the kids got the tickets, they were old enough to enjoy it.

Obviously the Chards wouldn't need to worry about that with the Academagia, but what about other kids? how is that ordained? There's easily more demand then supply, so is that one way to counterbalance that?

I suppose, yes. :)

8. In the pre-ban era, with Ickanix and Kazus both in operation, was the size of the student body (and faculty) noticeably larger than the current era?

Yes.

9. In the Vernin adventure with diCossa, when the instructors escort you to see him, I have to ask... exactly what precautions did they take? I mean, a mere guest room, seriously?

Not 'mere'. :)

10. Are newborn baby hatchling dragons deadly immediately?

Unknown, but the stories say yes.

11. If Mastery or Gates as a whole were unbanned, is it likely that some subset of them would still be off limits?

Possibly.

12. If a boy and a girl student got bodyswapped with a nasty curse that couldn't be immediately undone, how would the professors arrange sleeping quarters?

They would likely be isolated.

13. Will we have the option of carrying around several wands with different abilities on our persons for adventures? (If I'm carrying an unequipped revision wand, shouldn't I be able to use that in an adventure so long as it's not a time critical 'act fast' moment?

Yes. You now have more access to inventory in Adventures, thankfully.

14. On that subject, shouldn't the player technically start out Y1 with a wand in inventory? maybe based on what college you signed up for? I realize this might be a bit of gameplay and story segregation but I'd like to see our characters need to have a wand to cast magic options. Maybe allow the player to sell it only if they realize that the difficulty check of wandless casting is... unforgiving.

Yeah, probably. :)

15. Shouldn't Oriabel take an interest in Pamela? I should almost think she needs a separate adventure just for people who choose pam.... or at least make her more likely to show up during Pam's adventure...

 

She should, yes. But Pamela is just too...common. And we're sticking with that story. :)

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1) I'm curious as to the true value of money in this setting, for a student small amounts of pims might seem a lot, and perhaps also for the common man, but Freespace makes 400 pims sound like a lot, which I suppose it is for a simple test, but it's still small change right?

 

2) I'm in the 5th month in my current game, I only have 55 parental approval but I've paid Contu's fee and I've got 2813 pims in cash and 11236 worth in items. Does that mean I'm very rich or just rich in the context of a teenage student?

 

3) Eating at Alice's Tavern costs 10 pims, is this a place the common man can afford or is it for the wealthy?

 

4) Basically what amount of pims would an average family need to get through the day with a normal living standard? Or perhaps what would an average non-magician/noble earn in a month?

 

5) For year 2 will merchants be more common? While I like catalogs in theory I hate how I both have to spend a time slot on it and still can't sell items there.

 

6) How many Regents does Academagia have at any given time? Just one per college?

 

8) Do dragons come from eggs or birth?

 

7) Is it known how dragons learned their magic? Do they have an inherent instinctual knowledge of magic from hatching or do they need to get taught by their kin?

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1. I expect a pim might be worth somewhere between a US dime and quarter, based on size and copper content.

 

Though given that medieval currencies usually had copper coins' value set in ratio to coins of higher value, (which was true until the central banks screwed this up in the 20th century) I would expect the pim to be actually worth around 50-75 cents in setting. That value actually seems a bit low since 1 pim is enough to mail a letter, but there seems to be a lot of competition in that area, so maybe prices are just a bit cheap.

 

Regardless, 400 pims would be a nice chunk of change. especially for a kid on a one day job. :)

 

2. I would say pretty darn well off for a kid. Just not filthy rich. Legate, What are the expected living expenses to live in Mineta for a month? We should need to know this for summer break...

 

3. Based on my value for a pim, that would be maybe ~$7-8 . low price for a restaurant, but still above the average price for cooking yourself.

 

4. LOL! I too would like to know this but I suspect that overall living expenses are less than we would expect, but this is because services that we are accustomed in our era to are not present. To 'Live like a king' may not be so cheap. :)

 

5. defer to Legate.

 

6. Yup. The regent is the leader of the college.

 

8. Eggs, most assuredly. :)

 

7. I expect this is [redacted] though it is known that dragons cast through their dragon speech...

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Thanks. Digging through game lore I just discovered that I am actually at the end of the first month, not the 5th as we apparently started in the 9th month.

 

A thought: 100 pims = 1 malin right? I think a malin is a gold coin, perhaps about the size of a florin or a british sovereign?

 

Those are actually pretty tiny (at least I thought so at the museum I saw them at), but they weigh about 7-8 grams, and according to the wiki a sovereign had 7.3g gold content. According to current gold prices that equals 293.52 US dollars. So by that standard a pim should be worth nearly 3 dollars.

 

That is, if gold on Choris is valued the same as in our world?

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Yeah, 100 pims is a malin, although historically a base 100 currency would have been extremely unlikely in real life that far back.

 

Gold is really undervalued today, for a lot of reasons I won't go into. But you need to remember that you can't get a perfect analogue for such things.

 

For one, If the setting's imperial government declared that gold made through imperial state-approved alchemists was acceptable to use in currency, that would alone be a huge difference, even if they limited it severely, it would change the value of gold downward.

 

And one needs to keep in mind the size of a malin also. I remember a pim is close to an old british pre decimal penny, but if a malin is 100 of those it would have less gold as an old sovereign, as those required 240 pennies. :)

 

edit, ah, yeah. remember that kids in real life don't start the school year in January. :)

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I thought the alchemists were only able to change stuff into gold temporarily. Sure if it lasts for several years that's all well and great but you'd have a problem when they run out.

 

Anyway if gold is undervalued today surely that would only mean it'd be worth even more in a non-modern setting. Your own comparison also alternates between modern and older currency.

 

Regardless I've got a feeling that a pim is worth much more than 50 cents if you were to compare it to modern currency. Has anything been stated on the size and content of pims? Because otherwise it's all pure speculation anyhow.

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Yeah. gold is undervalued, but it's complicated :P It's more in relation to modern currencies due to constant inflation over time.

 

 

I don't really feel like getting into a long tussle with this, I was merely trying to point out that there are plenty of ways for the analogue between real life and in setting to get skewered. And don't put it over governments to make such alchemized currency if they were unscrupulous and needed cash despite the temporary nature. It is in a way what all governments do today, just different in execution.

 

British coins in particular are NOTORIOUS for ever changing values and weights over periods of just a decade for that very reason, and they have centuries of having done that, which makes the comparison that much harder. In the end, just look at in broad strokes. It's easier on the blood pressure. :)

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Dream;

 

1) I'm curious as to the true value of money in this setting, for a student small amounts of pims might seem a lot, and perhaps also for the common man, but Freespace makes 400 pims sound like a lot, which I suppose it is for a simple test, but it's still small change right?

It's definitely a large sum of money in most of Elumia, although in Mineta (and the Upper City to boot), it might be somewhat normal.

2) I'm in the 5th month in my current game, I only have 55 parental approval but I've paid Contu's fee and I've got 2813 pims in cash and 11236 worth in items. Does that mean I'm very rich or just rich in the context of a teenage student?

Wealthy in most of Elumia, and probably well off in the context of a teenage student attending the Academagia. Living expenses will depend on the style you want, but you can probably eat and live with about ~500 pims a month, in the Upper City.

3) Eating at Alice's Tavern costs 10 pims, is this a place the common man can afford or is it for the wealthy?

Somewhat in the middle.

4) Basically what amount of pims would an average family need to get through the day with a normal living standard? Or perhaps what would an average non-magician/noble earn in a month?

For the vast majority in Elumia, they rarely use coinage and mostly barter. In the city, you could need as little as 2-3 pims a day, down in the Lower City, though. The exact amount you might earn in a month in a city, however, would depend on your occupation.

5) For year 2 will merchants be more common? While I like catalogs in theory I hate how I both have to spend a time slot on it and still can't sell items there.

I don't think they are more common, but you have an easier access to them.

6) How many Regents does Academagia have at any given time? Just one per college?

Oh no, there are a few hundred. But most of them have no duties at the Academagia, and only act as an oversight. The Regents you've interacted with aren't actually Regents in the sense of the governing body- they govern the Colleges. There may be some overlap, with specific Instructors, though- you can probably guess who.

8) Do dragons come from eggs or birth?

Eggs.

7) Is it known how dragons learned their magic? Do they have an inherent instinctual knowledge of magic from hatching or do they need to get taught by their kin?

There may be something in the Lores about that...;)

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1.Can you explain what a cloistered mage might look like? The color of the robes, etc.

 

2. If there was a life or death matter of one of the students, would someone like Orsi have the clout to arrange a short visit to such a cloistered mage (Possibly with the affected student) to verify a few facts? (specifically what an item might/should do) and if so, what are the requirements necessary to do so?

 

3. Can you tell us where such a place might be? (or perhaps if it were so secret would blindfolds be necessary?)

 

4. I realize just how unlikely it would be for Oursouk Gates mages to leave their territory, but if one did show up at the academy looking for a certain rock, and a couple of students got kidnapped by her in the process, would that be sufficient reason to retake exams. :P

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Free;

 

1.Can you explain what a cloistered mage might look like? The color of the robes, etc.

They do not leave their monasteries, usually, and are otherwise similar in the appearance to a monk or nun.

2. If there was a life or death matter of one of the students, would someone like Orsi have the clout to arrange a short visit to such a cloistered mage (Possibly with the affected student) to verify a few facts? (specifically what an item might/should do) and if so, what are the requirements necessary to do so?

Such a situation could never arise. :)

3. Can you tell us where such a place might be? (or perhaps if it were so secret would blindfolds be necessary?)

I can tell you yes. But will I? Muahahahaha!

4. I realize just how unlikely it would be for Oursouk Gates mages to leave their territory, but if one did show up at the academy looking for a certain rock, and a couple of students got kidnapped by her in the process, would that be sufficient reason to retake exams. :P

 

Hmmmm....*maybe*. :)

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On 2 and 3, seriously legate, I have some story ideas and was wondering for the story's sake. I can use the "blindfolded and don't know where it is" angle easily enough, but I kind of do need to know if the Legate of the Academagia could arrange that.

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Legate! Legate! Legate!

 

I just remembered something! Dreamweaver's name! Have you read any Chrestomanci books? There was this girl who could control her dreams and release it out into the world to be packaged and sold to people to dream about.

 

PLEAAASSSEEE say that this is entirely possible and expensive in Mineta (and all the other cities that we forgot about).

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I was thinking about something similar (if less voluntary) for a roots lore - a series of magical plants adapted from a type of carnivorous plant which made natural pits for prey to fall into, and be trapped by, the roots. The original version would simply imprison passers-by, release soporific gas, and slowly drain their victim's body of nutrients; the enhanced version would drain memories from their trapped victims, leaving both brain-numbed husks that could be easily directed by mastery, and fruits which would grant the harvested memories to those who ate them. I figured that the latter type would have been banned once mastery was deemed improper but a few specimens might have survived. Practical Botany, more than just 10 sessions of studying the fields :D

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