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Mogu-sama
Acolyte
USA
9 Posts |
 Posted - 17 May 2015 : 02:59:16
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Is it at all possible for a sorcerer to lose their powers? Has this occurred historically at all?
Can a sorcerer do this intentionally? Do they lose all connection to the weave? Could a sorcerer lose their powers and become a cleric? Would this affect other things?
-Thanks
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2015 : 05:05:42
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quote:
Originally posted by Mogu-sama
Is it at all possible for a sorcerer to lose their powers? Has this occurred historically at all?
Can a sorcerer do this intentionally? Do they lose all connection to the weave? Could a sorcerer lose their powers and become a cleric? Would this affect other things?
-Thanks
I've no knowledge of a sorcerer losing his power... But there's nothing stopping a sorcerer from also being a cleric. |
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Mogu-sama
Acolyte
USA
9 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2015 : 05:15:10
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| Both at the same time, of course, but the idea here is losing sorcerer power entirely and picking up clerical powers later |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2015 : 15:16:52
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Not sure of anything that can do that, save for maybe an artifact or some epic critter like the laraken, in the Counselors & Kings trilogy in Halruaa -- and even with the latter, those who lost their magic lost their lives, too.
What is the specific objective, here? Is this just musing or curiosity, or are you working a character concept that requires the loss of sorcerous powers? And if the latter, is the loss of the powers actually required, or would not being willing or able to utilize the magic work, as well? It'd be a lot easier to hit someone with a curse or make them swear off magic...
There is a spell called Laeral's Crowning Touch... It doesn't prevent spellcasting, but it does limit it for a year: casting spells winds up costing levels. At the end of the year, the victim loses the negative effects of the spell and can cast spells normally, again -- except any levels they lost remain lost, and must be regained.
The spell was written in 2E, before there was a sorcerer class. But I see no reason it can't be used against a sorcerer. There are a couple of caveats, though: the spell can only be cast by a Chosen of Mystra, and it's only used on those who use magic in such a way as to really piss off Mystra. So for this spell to hit someone, they've basically got to be some sort of tyrant who bans magic, or some villain who happily slays random people with magic, or something like that. |
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Mogu-sama
Acolyte
USA
9 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2015 : 15:22:53
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The essential objective is a character arc, the character hates being a sorcerer due to a history and wants to forcefully remove that. Although it seems like they'll die in the attempt
What if someone tried to use a Wish spell for this?
I think the character could accept half-measures somewhat, a complete draining of all magical energy in the person and then maybe some form of a seal? It'd hurt but... |
Edited by - Mogu-sama on 17 May 2015 15:27:31 |
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hashimashadoo
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1150 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2015 : 15:55:06
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| Use a nishruu. They have an apparently infinite capacity to absorb magic. If your sorcerer remains enveloped by one after his spell levels are all drained, it may be that his very blood becomes drained of its magic. |
When life turns it's back on you...sneak attack for extra damage.
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2015 : 16:56:08
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| I'd personally go with some sort of seal, myself... Leave the abilities there, but either block access to them or make them painful -- even damaging -- to access. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11701 Posts |
Posted - 19 May 2015 : 01:32:46
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| Personally, I'd go with some form of spell to "separate the bloodlines" or "purify the bloodline" of the character. There could be a form of "cleansing" ceremony in which the individual gifts his power back to a being of the line which gifted him with sorcery (for instance, if his sorcery comes from draconic blood, maybe he has to gift his power to a dragon egg). |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2388 Posts |
Posted - 19 May 2015 : 17:03:35
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
Personally, I'd go with some form of spell to "separate the bloodlines" or "purify the bloodline" of the character. There could be a form of "cleansing" ceremony in which the individual gifts his power back to a being of the line which gifted him with sorcery (for instance, if his sorcery comes from draconic blood, maybe he has to gift his power to a dragon egg).
My first reaction was that it's an utterly nonsensical idea.
However, after remembering Kyriani Agrivar, the conclusion is: far more stupid ideas come to various heads in-universe all the time. Having something like this actually succeed would be unreasonable, but an attempt - oh, yes, that's how lots of the awful, deliciously plot-driving mess is created.  |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
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Aldrick
Senior Scribe
909 Posts |
Posted - 21 May 2015 : 23:19:59
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Like everyone else, I am completely unaware of this happening in canon. However, I don't see why it isn't possible... with consequences.
I setup sorcerers differently than I do wizards. Their magic is in their blood, it is innate to their very nature. I only allow sorcerers to develop magical abilities that would make thematic sense for their bloodlines, even if I have to create entirely new spells. As the sorcerer grows in power they will physically and mentally evolve to be closer to the "true" nature in their blood.
A sorcerer's grasp on power is though force of will, both mental and emotional. They open themselves up, "reach out," and then "seize the power" to "direct or shape the power." It is completely and utterly different from playing a wizard.
A lot of sorcerers die young, because very few (almost none) have any real training in how to harness their power, and as a result they either kill themselves or kill other people by accident. If they kill other people, the penalty for that is, in most cases, death by execution.
Those sorcerers who do live, usually become rather powerful. ...and they are powerful in ways that a wizard cannot really match.
So this is how I usually have sorcerers played in my Realms. However, the thought of a sorcerer losing their powers... that is interesting.
The consequences of this are not going to be good. Basically, I see it going one of two ways.
The first way leads to death. This is the most common way. It could be possible to circumvent this little problem by embracing some form of undeath, though. Sorcerers power is linked heavily with the blood, having all of the blood AND magical ability drained from a sorcerers body would certainly kill them. However, in that final moment, before death takes them completely, they could move over into undeath... essentially mundane. Of course, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of the undead sorcerer having some consequences that relate to the ritual.
The second way is more interesting. However, this would be the result of a mistake, rather than direct intention. I would allow a ritual to remove the sorcerers magical ability to be successful. It would be horrible beyond imagination, it would be like having your very life essence and sense of self ripped from you. You would be left feeling hollow... empty... nothing. ...and in that moment, you may think that you are free. However, shortly thereafter will come the hunger.
Everything that made you what you were has been ripped away, and in its place is a magical void. A void that hungers for magic. It is like the worst physical hunger, the worst thirst, and the worst drug addiction that you can imagine combined. If you don't feed, there are consequences--bad consequences--potentially even ending in death. When you feed it, you feel alive again, whole... complete. You can't use your magic--that's all gone, but you may receive other benefits and bonuses. However, all of these are temporary. Oh, and the more you feed, the more you need to feed to sustain yourself. It is a horrible cycle.
You feed by draining magical energy from magic items. You can also drain magical energy from magical beings and creatures. In the beginning, your need to feed is very small. Over time, it gets worse and worse. Oh, and you'll have a particular taste for the magical essence found in other sorcerers. If you drain them, then they become like you. ...and of course, they'll hate you for it.
You can't drain energy from the Weave directly, as it would be like trying to drink the ocean. However, you can feed at magical nodes, eventually leading to their destruction. If you destroy a magical node, the area becomes a wild magic zone. In wild magic zones, because the Weave is damaged, you can begin to feed directly on the damaged Weave. If you do this, then the area starts to become a Dead Magic Zone. You can also feed in Dead Magic Zones, because you can feel around the "edges" of the zone where the Weave is damaged and frayed--feeding there. In this way, you grow the size of the DMZ, making you similar to a black hole devouring magic itself.
Of course, draining a node, or draining the Weave directly in this way will mean that you always need more and more magic... this is bad for you. However, it is also the ultimate end result for your fate. Eventually, you will be forced to feed on Nodes or the Weave itself, because normal things will no longer be able to end your hunger.
You can, of course, try to delay this fate by draining innately magical beings. However, you should be warned that doing so--especially if you are draining outsiders--can be risky. The more and more you feed on particular outsiders, the greater the chances of becoming more like them--both in terms of physical, psychological, and supernatural changes. You can never become like a good aligned outsider, as feeding on them is always considered an evil act. However, feeding on them can reverse changes done to you by feeding on evil outsiders.
Similarly, feeding on magical items that have alignments, sentience, are cursed, or blessed--all of this works similarly to feeding on outsiders.
Feeding on sorcerers is always the most desirable. No matter your hunger, feeding on a sorcerer will always satisfy you, and it will satisfy you for the longest. Of course, this is a horrific experience for them.
Sentient magical items, sorcerers, and innately magical beings such as outsiders can sense you as you approach them. You cannot mask your nature. They will sense what you are, as you approach, and know instinctively what you can do. It will feel to them as if there is a disturbance in the magical energies of the area, as if there is some type of magical whirl pool or black hole (centered on you) draining magical energy--their magical energy. As they get closer to you the feeling intensifies. When you start draining them, it's like they are being sucked in...
Visualize yourself as a black hole. The more a black hole feeds, the larger it gets, the more intense its gravitational pull, the greater the distortion of space and time around it. That is what you would feel like to them. ...so the more you feed, the "larger" you get--they will be able to sense your presence from further and further away. At the most extreme, they will be able to sense you from miles away, and in your presence they are all but immediately (and horrifically) consumed.
A magical item consumed in this way becomes mundane. An outsider consumed dies permanently. A sorcerer that is consumed becomes like you, and will need to feed as well.
There would be a cure for your condition: you must become a Chosen of Mystra. The Chosen Silver Fire will "equalize" your condition, though you could never use the Silver Fire itself, you would otherwise receive all the benefits of being Chosen--including immortality. You would otherwise be mundane. This would not return your sorcerer power to you, that was forever stripped from you. There are obviously two ways to become a Chosen of Mystra. The first involves Mystra herself granting this to you--this has a likelihood hovering around zero. Her preferred method of dealing with you would be through death. You are an abomination in her eyes. The second would be through draining one of the Chosen of their silver fire. Whether they give this willingly or you take it through force is not relevant. The end result is that the Chosen dies, permanently.
The good news is that by the time you start draining the Weave itself, you are likely to attract the attention of the Chosen of Mystra. (This will be bad... they will want to destroy you, because you are an abomination. )
Oh, and once you get a taste of Silver Fire, you will want more. Not even other sorcerers will be able to satisfy that hunger. The hunger and drive for Silver Fire won't end until you fully become a Chosen of Mystra.
...so yeah. That's how I handle this situation.  |
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Sorcerers & Lost Powers
