|
The basic model of Piedragemas can be easily altered or
expanded upon for a number of uses with minimal effort. |
EXPANSION |
This Magic System could be greatly expanded upon by a GM
adding more Gemstone Power Sets (six examples of this are given in the
Gemstone Powers
document), expanding Gemstones to have more Powers, or
extending the "Power Tree" one or more levels out. However care should be taken
to remember that characters are paying 2 point for a 15 AP Basic Power, effectively
5 points for a 30 AP Advanced Power,
and effectively 10 points for 45 AP Signature Powers. |
NAME |
A GM could always change the name from Piedragemas to something else, or have several groups of Magic Users based on this
mechanic but with social or "flavor" differences and different names. |
Example: Bob the GM has determined that Piedragemas
as practiced by the mainstream is called Jcien
(JEH-see-ahn) and is
generally looked down upon in more civilized lands as a
primitive, weak sort of magic. Jcien
does not include the
extended
Gemstone sets. |
However, there is a subgroup in Bob's setting that has
extended mastery, having access to the extended Gemstone sets presented in the
Powers document.
As a campaign groundrule Bob declares that a practitioner must learn all the
abilities of two of the normal Gemstone sets before they can learn one of the
extended sets. Once a practitioner of Jcien
has learned all of the abilities of at least one of the
extended Gemstone sets they are called Dtreon
(DEH-tray-own). |
SUBSTITUTION |
The basic mechanic at play here could be switched out for
some other focus, replacing the Gemstones and Gemstone Powers with something else.
|
As a point of reference see the similar
Totemic Shamanism Magic System,
which is Animal Totem based, and
Troubadourus Magic System which is Musical Instrument based. |
Example: Bob the GM later decides he wants a kind of
minor magic for an organization of mystics and thinks the Familiarity model of
Piedragemas would work well for them. However, he wants their magic to be
associated with emotions instead of
Gemstones, so he makes up a new system which
he calls Yuena (YOU-eh-nah); practitioners of which are called
Yuen (YOU-en). The Gemstone Lore Skill is renamed
Emotic Lore but is used the same way.
|
Yuena is a form of Arcane Magic, and all
Yuen Powers require a evocative
foci symbolically representing a particular emotion. Each of the Gemstone Power
sets are simply relabeled with emotions instead; Ruby becomes Aggravation,
Diamond becomes Acerbic, Sapphire becomes Calm, and so forth. |
CONSTRICTION/REGIONALISM |
This Magic System could be made very pervasive but narrow in a given
setting simply by stating that all characters of a certain group or type must
have one (and only one) Gemstone affiliation. |
Piedragemas might also be used differently in different Regions.
This could range from different lists of Gemstones used in different areas,
to different focuses on Gemstone Powers among
similar cultures.
|
Example: In the World of San'Dora
Piedragemas is practiced by an older race of mankind called the Eldfolk.
Long ago many tribes of mankind betrayed their
Haelfinan creators to join the Var; those who remained loyal were the
ancestors of the Eld. When the Haelfinan were inexorably pushed to
the edges and wild lands of the world, the Eld were pushed along with
them.
|
Three subgroups of Eld exist in the modern day
along the western edge of Danoshorvas. In the days of their flight, the Kaer-Na crossed the
northern mountains and settled in the
then mostly vacant north lands, the Chur'An took refuge in the inhospitable fire lands, and the Gaer'An took to the sea and settled on an island cluster off the coast.
|
Eventually the Gaer'An became seafarers and over time a colony was
established on a more distant and particularly large island that
they named Aruthol. In time the once humble frontier colony grew to be the most powerful and
least primitive holdfast of the Eldfolk; however the Cataclysm
submerged most of the island nation, leaving it just a fraction of
its landmass and correspondingly national identity. Refugees took to the sea
again and survived to
settle three small colonies on the northeastern coast of the
southern continent, while others traveled to ports far distant. |
Prior to the Catalclysm a new form of Arcane Magic
involving the use of gemstones was developed in Aruthol and has
survived into the modern age.
Peidragemas is practiced in Aruthol, and its three colonies of Bor'dush, Villima, and Zishka. All of the
basic gemstones are represented in each place, but Villima tends to emphasize Ruby, while Bor'dush has a tradition of Opal mastery, Zishka favors Sapphire, and Aruthol practioners typically learn Amethyst first.
|
Additionally from the extended set Howlite is known and practiced
in Bor'dush, Spinel is known and practiced in Zishka, Azurite is
known and practiced in Aruthol, and Agate is known and practiced
in Villima.
|
A community of Arutholese descent survives on the island of
Worfinal and the practice of Piedragemasi has morphed a bit over
the centuries among them. Amber is basically lost to them but
they have developed Alabaster and Bloodstone. |
NEW PACKAGE DEALS |
Another method for altering the feel of this type
of Magic is to create custom Package Deals that are tied directly
into a setting. |