Just cant be evil

[Metis]

I think that Nhordum extorted you into it because he didn't want you to make a mistake you'll regret as a little kid. I mean, we all know what happens to people that practice illegal magic. As a kid, there isn't much the Praetextia can do (as far as I've seen) but your name is written down on a list of people who are known gates/mastery users. When you grow up to be an adult this information will essentially ruin your life. I think he was forceful because he wanted you to understand what would happen if you did not accept the Mark. I mean, his little speech gave me such a fright the first time I played the adventure that I immediately said yes without even thinking of saying no. Then I cheated-it-up and learned how to slip the master's mark and then I began my maniacal laughter and pretended I wasn't the least bit threatened of Nhordum.

That's another good point, actually. Nhordum knows a few things that Leene doesn't, and so he could reasonably guess what would come from the PC experimenting with Sync/Mastery. And that, rest assured, would be bad. It's honestly a surprise he'd even allow to let the PC go. Because there's a disaster in the making that simply cannot end well.

 

Of course then the blundering buffoon immediately botches his Enchant roll, but that's neither here nor there .

 

I'm still not sure what the shade familiar is. In its adventure you find out that there are different types of shades from all types of backgrounds, but it doesn't explain how they come to be. They just... Come alive. Which is absolutely disconcerting and incredibly creepy. Perhaps in Y2 there will be more information on each of the familiars just for giggles.

I suppose I shouldn't question living shadows so much in a setting where a magic school for mages has a Minotaur employed as the local master forger, IIRC, but still, the Shade (among others) is weird. I personally suspect it's something Gates related, if only in the "someone cast this spell millennia ago and since then we've got these things around here" sense.

 

On the family bit, I think that "joining House Kazus" will be a super emotional experience. As a person that is most likely not cared for in their household being embraced by Leene must've been way more traumatizing than the writing shows. They are struggling with a weird sensation created by magic, and then Leene is super nice and caring anyway making them feel like they belong more with her and the others than their own family. It would further the feeling if Leene keeps a correspondence with the PC after they return home for holiday

...Very good point, and I've even got a storyline planned where the PC can do exactly that - get (forcibly) separated from his/her parents and fall into the care of the Gressel crew instead. Well, "do". More like "inadvertently suffer". I highly doubt the team will accept my planned plotline in it's full (horrific) splendour, if at all, but still.

[Albert]

Still, if the laws can punish you for what's locked up in your head, then I think there is something seriously wrong with the laws and legal system.

 

I can certainly see the problem with people committing crimes or openly use these proscribed arts. But using methods to dig into peoples minds and prosecute/execute or lock them up for knowledge but no intent, is crazy and very wrong.

 

It's even more extreme than the justice system in the DDR and Sovietunion, or at least in the same league. Or witchhunts in the middle ages or the inquisition.

 

The laws seriously needs to be adjusted in that case. It wouldn't necessarily make it legal to use the proscribed magic, but people shouldn't be killed for knowledge where no ill intent or crime exists.

 

What if a mastery user, with decades or centuries of experience, managed to design a spell that taught everyone in Mineta one or two levels in the basic Mastery skill trees? Similar spells exists for class one students, this would just be on a greater scale, possibly using some advanced rituals and boosters and buffing to pull it off.

 

Would you have to slaughter the whole city?

 

Another point comes to mind... If they are so worried about that knowledge, havn't they got techniques to dig into the mind of those people and remove their knowledge? I seem to remember year 1 spells that could cause skill loss in your target. Wizards with vastly more experience could likely invade people minds even more effectively and ensure they conform to society's standards as nice little drones. DDR style, which would, possibly be slightly less barbaric than killing lots of people... Least it would be less messy and traumatic for other people in their social environment.

[Metis]

Still, if the laws can punish you for what's locked up in your head, then I think there is something seriously wrong with the laws and legal system.

 

I can certainly see the problem with people committing crimes or openly use these proscribed arts. But using methods to dig into peoples minds and prosecute/execute or luck them up for knowledge but no intent, is crazy and very wrong.

 

It's even more extreme than the justice system in the DDR and Sovietunion, or at least in the same league. Or witchhunts in the middle ages or the inquisition.

 

The laws seriously needs to be adjusted in that case. It wouldn't necessarily make it legal to use the proscribed magic, but people shouldn't be killed for knowledge where no ill intent or crime exists.

It's certainly extreme, and arguably not better for most if anyone in the end, but such is the law. At least Leene doesn't follow it over what she believes is right - you can have Mastery 11 and she still won't bring you immediately to the guards...if, indeed, you studied Mastery without real intent of harm. I think that legally speaking that'd be a capital crime on her part, which might be why Nhordum lets the PC go. I'm not sure.

 

What if a mastery user, with decades or centuries of experience, managed to design a spell that taught everyone in Mineta one or two levels in the basic Mastery skill trees? Similar spells exists for class one students, this would just be on a greater scale, possibly using some advanced rituals and boosters and buffing to pull it off.

 

Would you have to slaughter the who city?

The first few levels are considered "casual contact" and is generally punished by cloistering. But yes, laws as written you'd have to cloister whoever was hit by that spell, write out pardons or change the law completely.

 

Another point comes to mind... If they are so worried about that knowledge, havn't they got techniques to dig into the mind of those people and remove their knowledge? I seem to remember year 1 spells that could cause skill loss in your target. Wizards with vastly more experience could likely invade people minds even more effectively and ensure they conform to society's standards as nice little drones. DDR style, which would, possibly be slightly less barbaric than killing lots of people... Least it would be less messy and traumatic for other people in their social environment.

Leene and Nhordum do not, nor do Gregory or Viella. Removing memories can indeed be done, but only through proper Mastery. Sync can erode memoires, disconnect them from any attached feelings and other memories, but it absolutely cannot delete a memory completely. It can come pretty close, close enough that the common man wouldn't be able to notice or appreciate that last step, but only that.

[Albert]

Mineta, the Cloistered City. that almost has a ring to it.