scrape_r_rational/data/cache/2lrgr3.md

[RT] [HF] Mother of Learning Chapter 29: The Hunters and the Hunted

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• u/None:

  This fic is an absolute delight.
  
  Is Red Robe hunting down the soul magicians? If so, why hasn't he gotten around to Silverlake yet? When he does, will he find Zorian? :E
  
  The wolf shifter tribe seems like it will be a very interesting plotline. I look forward to seeing that explored. And will it have any relation to the Silver Legend? That description almost begs "werewolf" …
  
  This world is just so rich; I can tell the author has spent a lot of time mapping it out. Kudos to them!
  

  • u/daydev:

    There's one case with clear MO of Red Robe (the man found with no apparent cause of death), but others are not so clear.
    For example, the very first man is missing for two month when it's not even the end of the loop.
    And there's no corpses in most cases, just missing people. Why would Red Robe go to extra trouble of hiding the bodies (every restart!)? 
    
    All this may imply that someone was snatching soul magic specialists *before* the loop. Maybe even to setup this very loop.
    

    • u/MoralRelativity:

      I like your reasoning.
      

  • u/Nepene:

    He probably is, or someone is. It would be interesting to teleport to the soul magicians early to see what happens to them.
    
    Yeah, every legend is true and all. I am looking forward to learning more. It is an amazing world.
    

    • u/Zephyr1011:

      Teleporting to them could be difficult, since Zorian won't know where they were at the start of the loop. Alternately, they could just have been killed before the time loop started, since Red Robe doesn't appear to like using Soul Kill that much, as he hasn't just used it on everyone who might oppose him
      

      • u/Nepene:

        He could find that out by asking around. They may have homes.
        
        If they were killed just before the loop started that would be interesting information and it would be worth researching who did it.
        

  • u/GeeJo:

    > If so, why hasn't he gotten around to Silverlake yet?
    
    We have some evidence that Silverlake is non-trivially hidden, and little to no evidence that that's the case for the others.
    

• u/clawclawbite:

  And now I'm thinking about all the ways to enchant a rifle.
  
  Strengthened barrel. Magically straightened barrel. If you linked a divination spell of where it would hit to a dancing light spell, you would have a magical laser sight. Build in a cleaning spell and a cooling spell to let you shot more rapidly. Alchemical hollow point ammo...
  

• u/aeschenkarnos:

  Have you written up this setting for D&D/Pathfinder at all?
  

  • u/nobody103:

    No. And I don't think I could, even if I wanted to - while the setting is heavily inspired by D&D, it really doesn't follow its rules. The mages use a CRPG-style mana bar instead of spell slots, there is no easy healing anywhere, there is no xp cost for making magic items (only time, mana and materials), everyone is basically a glass cannon (no levels and corresponding bonus HP), non-mages are fundamentally disadvantaged against spellcasters with nothing to balance it out, etc.
    
    I *will* write up the setting as the story goes on, and will probably post it upon the end of the story on some site or wiki - but it will be pure fluff. Nothing playable, I'm afraid.
    

    • u/Nepene:

      A sort of adaptation like yours isn't that uncommon.
      
      http://www.narutod20.com/downloads/
      
      There's a Naruto rpg. It deals with the sorts of issues you mention, as does the source material, d20 modern.
      
      1. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/spellPoints.htm spell points are a common variant of the magic system.
      
      2. Shields would replace HP and provide 'easy healing'. They're a durable protection that can regenerate fast.
      
      3. There is actually an 'xp' cost for spells as I note below.
      
      Not that you have to or should, but it wouldn't be that hard to adapt dnd rules to your setting.
      
      I'd probably replace levels with mentorship. You do killing monsters and jobs and such and get xp. This xp can be spent on spells and magical items. Each set of spells and magical items and stats unlocks a level with a particular mentor which grants various benefits like new resources, new books with reduced costs for certain things. If you're spending your time making magical items you're focusing your effort and experience on doing that and it's assumed that whatever advice and experience you get from your mentor will be focused around that magical item. Generally, as you move up the circles you'll gain access to increasing resources and prestige.
      
      Wouldn't be that hard to make one.
      

    • u/recursiveAI:

      Wonderfully gripping story and world. Great job !
      

  • u/Nepene:

    I have been trying to write it up for D&D and initially made a system in D&D and it sucked because in trying to get a vague match you needed loads of absurd mechanics. In compromising to make it truer to the story ethics and system it turned out very not D&D like.
    
    I'm doing a roleplay of it now though.
    

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