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- September 14, 2015 at 4:17 am #151996AnonymousInactive
Why do Ss’ressen use eldritch magic rather than elder magic?
Ssanu, Elorii, and other Elder Races control the Arcanum through Elder Magic; but Ss’ressen (female ss’ressen, anyway) can learn to cast Eldritch Magic. Why?
September 14, 2015 at 5:07 am #269704AnonymousInactiveThe conceit of Elder Magic seems to be that it takes a very disciplined mind to master it. The Elorii are functionally immortal, and the Ssanu are known to live for centuries, therefore they have the time to invest in mastering such complicated magicks. Additionally, the fact that they are so long-lived might give them a paradigm shift or possibly a biological means of holding more data in their head (after all, what use is immortality if you can only store 100 years of info in your brain?).
The Ss’ressen, on the other hand, are very mortal, with the oldest known one I can think of being no more than 200 years old. They seem to be about as long lived as humans (or Val), and probably have the same limitations. I think a better question would be if the Dwarves would be theoretically capable of Elder Magic if they didn’t have non-Theurgy or Sorcerer-Priest paths blocked to them.
September 14, 2015 at 3:10 pm #269710AnonymousInactiveCody’s theory on lifespan makes sense to me. I had presumed that which form of magic a species learned was a cultural difference of which form of magic one’s ancestor passed down, but it could easily be a matter of which form of magic one is able to learn based on learning time and lifespan.
As a follow-up question, then, did Ss’ressen know how to wield Eldritch Magic before the coming of Men to Onara? Or did the Back Talons and Ashen Hide Ss’ressen learn Eldritch Magic from Men? The broader question is whether Eldritch Sorcery originated on Onara, with Men, or both?
I suspect that the Celestial Giants use Elder Thaumaturgy. For a different giant race, we have an example of game stats where a cyclops “Elder Sorcerer” used Eldritch Sorcery. I don’t know whether Sorcery was an intentional story choice or just game stats selected to enable the GM to run the game.
September 14, 2015 at 4:06 pm #269712AnonymousInactiveWhen it comes to the Eldritch on Onara prior to man, remember those Cyclopses in Jappa were the Eladru who were wiped out by the Ssethrics in the 2nd War of Extinction. They predated even the Elorii, suggesting such ‘slapdash’ magical methods existed.
September 14, 2015 at 6:57 pm #269717frootsnaxParticipant“Humans” who try to learn Elder eventually go insane if they push hard enough. I don’t believe it’s a matter of just needing a few more decades to learn. I think it’s a structure of the brain thing. I believe Ssressen can no more learn elder than psionics for essentially the same reason. Their minds aren’t wired for it…
Elorii minds probably weren’t “meant” to learn elder either. But my understanding is no one tried to teach them magic. Salos’ achievement caught a lot of snake men by surprise!
September 14, 2015 at 7:16 pm #269718AnonymousInactiveSalos’ ability to learn the Elder Magic, I’ve read somewhere, is attributed by intervention by the Elorii Gods (Keleos?). That said, this could simply be a rationale. They had some 1,000 years to pick up the principles of Elder Magic, and while they can wield it I have not read anywhere that they have been able to surpass the Ssanu’s mastery of the art (in all fairness, they’ve had literal millennia to practice their craft before the elorii came along).
September 14, 2015 at 9:38 pm #269721frootsnaxParticipantWe don’t know what the “average” 8-9 foot tall elorii can do in heart of Seremas or the Vastwood. But the average Ssanu sorcerer is someone who the player base can take down. Perhaps the greatest Ssanu exceed this, but I think the elorii have an advantage in the rank and file. Most of the modern Ssanu lack access to the full discoveries of their history (which are locked away in the Towers of Gettalus).
When we start talking about the the really big guns the rules start to melt down. Whether or not Ss’koreth was capable of greater works than Telos and/or Gemmelus (or the Sorcerer King) is essentially a matter of resources and plot.
September 16, 2015 at 3:47 am #269726AnonymousInactiveCody & Eric, thanks for bringing up points in response and answer to my original question that I agree with and make me realize I was approaching the concept from what I (in retrospect) think was the wrong angle. You guys are great! The intellectualism of Arcanis and intelligence of its players are two big draws to me.
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