Faerie Range: Road

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

Working on a character with Faerie Magic, so I figure may as well have at least one spell that uses an unusual spell parameter.

So, I begin looking for examples of spells with Road as a target.

I see on the Spells Wiki:

Traveler's Awareness

InIm 4 Faerie
R Road, D Diameter, T individual
The caster can see as if they were standing at any point along the selected road. By succesivley moving his or her point of view to the furthest loation on the road that he or she can presently see, a caster can scan a road for many miles in a matter of seconds. The caster can not choose to view from a location on a road that he has not seen (either by passing by the spot or use of this or a similar spell).
(Base 1 ,+ 2 range, +1 duration)
Contributer: Tyrrell
Notes: This spell moves a sense that the caster already possesses rather than creates a new magical sense. As such the vision target is not appropriate for it.

and also...

Faerie Intuition of the Path

InIm 25 Faerie
R: Road, D: Diameter, T: Vision
Whilst the Maga concentrates she can see and hear anything upon the road she stands upon.
“I sensed your step, stranger. By what venture have you sought me out?”
By use of this spell, Valonia is able to enact many other enchantments.
(B: 2, R: Road +2, D: Diameter +1, T: Vision +4)
Contributer: Badger101, transcribed by Yair
Notes: This is just one interpretation of the rules. I figured that to be able to scan the road, which is quite a powerful ability, the spell should be reasonably medium level; but obviously I wanted to avoid the 'Boundary' target as I didn't think that this ability merited a ritual. This is a compromise really. The vision target lifts the level of the spell so that it is not a powerful affect at trivial level, and justifies the ability to scan a road without resorting to ritual 'overkill'. I can imagine all sorts of lower level versions of this spell though, perhaps allowing a person to see part of a road, or simply the nearest person or group along it, etc.

So, these spells seem very similar, but the difference in level is pretty extreme. I am a bit puzzled as to which approach is correct, or if there are aspects I am missing something in how to mentally envision these spells.

My gut feeling is Tyrell's spell is too low, but perhaps I am being to reactionary - the math seems to work, but does the conceptual machinery of the spell work? Admittedly, troupes have the final call, but I thought I'd ask it fols might be able to clue me in on anything I'm missing.

That said, any other Target: Road spells are of interest to me.

Thanks,
Vrylakos

Edit: Incorrect title. Road was not intended, mea culpa.

2

Hm, and now I've come across Follower's Bane and Traveller's Foresight in Magi of Hermes.

Follower's Bane
ReCo 10
Cause the legs of someone on the same road to spasm if you can see them with normal or magical senses.
B: 2, +2 Road, +2 Sun

Traveller's Foresight: InIm 5
Allows you to see and hear the closest person on the road to you.
B: 2, +2 Road, +1 Concentration.

3

I agree with you that Traveler's Awareness and traveler's foresight which uses the same calculation are too low of a level, but their level calculation is correct. Target vision is specifically for granting new perceptions to an existing sense, it doesn't apply to moving a sense at all. The problem is in the use of individual for a target. It makes the spells too easy despite being (now since Magi of Hermes officially ) legal. I think that the best solution is to use target special based on Room but allowing the caster to see as if he were actually in the item's location (+3). This is justified by the spells in the core book that use this guideline (prying eyes, The ear for distant voices, and summoning the distant image) all having a target of room rather than a target of individual.

4

Also, check out tread of fellow travelers on Magi of Hermes p.66 for a different way to deal with the issue (and an explanation of what the issue really is).

5

There is a difference between Range: road and Target: road; in some book (i don't remember which, maybe verditius) there is some inner or outer mystery that allows Target: road, while only Range: road is allowed for beginning Faerie Magic dabblers. Am I wrong?

6

Target road is in Mysteries revised as a neo mercurian mystery. But you are the first to bring it up in this discussion which has been about range road. My earlier post about targets is a discussion about how to make the intellego imaginem guidelines come up with something more sensible than they presently do.

7

The real solution is in Magi of Hermes page 101 "to see as through a plethron distant". This spell has the target that makes sense.

8

I'd say that neither Traveller's awareness, nor Faerie Intuition of the Path follow the corebook guidelines.

I'd say Traveller's awareness comes closest - in the sense that I agree you do not need a Vision target - but it's still not right. To make Traveller's awareness match the guidelines, for each casting it should allow you to only scan a single, specific, discrete thing on the road - for example the person closest to a specific spot you choose (note that in this case, you would simply see that person, not his surroundings, nor have an idea of where on the Road it is located, except by deduction). The current description not only allows you to keep changing your Target, it also allows for a Target that's potentially neither a discrete thing nor within the size limits (or example, a pair of cows).