Hi,
I struggle with the interpretation of the restriction flaw (ArM5 core). The effect on spell casting is find, but when «the restriction also applies to effects generated by any enchanted items you create», I find it ambiguous.
Is it the creator or the wielder who needs to satisfy the restriction? Presumably at the time the item is used.
Suppose it is the wielder. What if the item has an environmental trigger. Who is then the wielder? Would environmental triggers avoid the restriction?
The particular case I am interested in, the restriction is that the magus must have a beard. And the magus is a Verditius with strong fairy blood (dwarf) btw.
Any opinions or experience with this interpretation?
I think it's the creator, at the time the effect is wielded, as it's whether the creator's magic is working that determines if their items work. Yes, if you buy an item from a Verditius with a restriction you can't guarantee if it will work when you need it.
Consider what would happen if we told this as a fairy story - the Verditius is subjected to a curse "If you shave, your magic will fail!". He makes an item, and hands it to a bearded companion. If the companion then goes and shaves, and tries to use the item, what about the companion shaving has caused the magic to fail? If the Verditius shaves, well his magic should fail and so should his magic items.
OK. I forgot to ask, in this case, what is your interpretation when the creator is dead (or permanently twilit)? Will it work forever if he died bearded? Or never, because the beard rots?
Good point. Would the interpretation be the same if the restriction is something like «touching the ground» or being «outdoors»?
I think it's slightly different based upon if it's a curse or not and if it's Faerie or not. There are similar flaws that all do nearly the same thing.
So the example in Arm Ok uses the growing a beard example for year long spell. The example is with the restriction "can't grow a beard", the caster casts a year long ritua then grows a beard. The magic of the ritual is unaffected.
Now the Faerie version of things (don't have Book atm), which I think is for Faerie specific magic and Beings, it affects magic retroactively. If it's "can't cross a stream" then everything is dispelled if one does. The example they give is with Iron and a Magus using a heart stopping spell, if I remember correctly. In the example both the Magus and the Target can't touch Iron or the spell is undone. The dead person springs back to life once the body is prodded with Iron, even though the spell was a PeCo momentary. I think the example is in HoH: MC with Merinita...
To make it even more ambiguous , is the "While" Faerie condition. If it's a Faerie curse "While" is way easier to pull off than "Gaes". So said curse could be "Your magic will fail while you have no beard", and the moment your scruffy Movember mess is trimmed and styled into a proper dwarven beard, everything starts working again. In the above example it's like the Magus has a flaw that adds a condition to all his spells so that a PeCo turns into "your heart stops while not touching iron".
The other way (my favourite)... maybe your beard is a Charm (Story flaw ) Your Gift could be granted by a Charm, with the Major being the owner of the charm has the power of the virtue. If this were the case, if your beard ever were stolen, you would forget how to use the Gift until you retrieved it. Being a Faerie Tale curse you'd have to retrieve it, unable to grow a beard until you got it back! It has no impact on previously cast spells or active effects. However the one that stole your beard would have your gift, and I would rule be the one with an arcane connection to the Magic in items made with said Gift.
Since the Charm version is a Story flaw it's an obstacle in a story which your character could/should be able to overcome. Note, in the Charm example of the flaw, you have to steal back or destroy the original charm. So you're always able to get your Gift back.
I would suggest, that you discuss this issue once with your troupe, and during that discussion try to make it as simple as possible: wielding an item created by the magus with the Restriction requires the wielder to conform to it, and environmental or linked triggers either apply the Restriction to the item directly, or waive it completely if it just cannot apply to items (like e. g. a Restriction to never cast while sitting, or to never cast after you have told a lie that day, would).
Why? Because Restriction is only a Flaw, and you don't wish to have the troupe stop everything and execute a rigmarole each time it comes up.
Note also, that the Necessary Condition Flaw only applies to spell casting, and there the problems with enchanted items would occur more often.
Definitely looks like a case of YSMV.
I think there are two ways to interpret the magic items crafted by the Restriction-bearer (also, this discussion is kind of neat, I think). first, it could reference the magus; in which as long as the magus does not shave, his magic is propagating and successful. As a dwarf-verditius, that is quite amazing. He has no plans to shave, and magical spells in effect to keep himself bearded. As long as his enemies don't vendetta him with a pair of shears. Second option, it could refer to the wielder of the item; This is a strange twist of magic, and may not make sense from a bearded standpoint, but it you like it, go with it. As long as the wielder of the item is bearded, that magic flaming sword is fine. How about that constant-effect fountain that renews itself at sunup and sundown? Well, in that case you need a bearded grog to be touching the fountain twice a day, obviously! You could also go off the deep-end on those, if you wanted to have some Weird Magic going on - the magic is being cast by the sword, after all, so the sword needs to be bearded. The creator should bronze a braid of his beard into the handle.
That second (and third) option makes more sense with a situational Restriction (touching the earth, under the open sky) instead of an explicitly person-based restriction.
In regards to the question on death and twilight; What would happen if your dwarf-verditius was turned to stone for a few minutes? would spells cast in that time fail? What if he was sent to the deep-realms of Arcadia? I would envision twilight to be the same way. And if your saga decides that temporary petrification is fine, then you'd better believe that Verditius is going to look into a way to turn himself into a statue apon death, so that his crafts can last forever.
As One Shot said, these are flaws, which mean they're here to make the story more interesting. Decide what interpretation your troupe likes the most, and then make sure its consistant within the saga.
Yeah, I would do that for the Rego effects. Since the beard is also a personal vis source
Obviously, the question goes back to the troupe in end, but thinking about it, the restriction seems too be to hard to manage in the game, and too detrimental to the Verditius' main strength of enchantments. I shall probably use a deletrious circumstance instead.
Thanks for all the ideas, everyone. Much appreciateed.
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