The drinkless drunkard

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

Hi,

A bunch of spells that are always used around here are the ones that make magi and their dodgy companions inconspicuous. Loss of but a moment's memory, bless of childlike faith, call to slumber, ....

Reading a recent thread it just occurred to me that a nice alternative spell might be one to make people drunk like hell. Dunno if you have been really drunk, but in those circumstance you could see the queen of england dance a can can and you would find it pretty normal, or not pay attention at all to it.

the spell is fairly basic, but I am not sure if MuMe is adequate. What do you think? Would ReCo or MuCo be better? I think CrAq would be out of the question since I want to make someone drunk without drinking anything, but who knows...

Any suggestions?

2

ReMe makes someone drunk until he sobers
MuMe makes someone drunk until the spell ends?

scratches his head helplessly

3

Wouldn't it be ReMe for "until he sobers"? MuMe would be for something he cannot have naturally, but he can be drunk naturally...

The head scratching is my situation as well

4

Probably something like that.

5

Everybody behaves differently when drunk. With rego you may make people behave like they used to be when drunk.
With muto you may decide their behavior.

In both cases the spell lasts to their duration.

6

I guess Perdo Mentem could get you the same effect of a more careless demeanor and 'hard-to-impress' attitude.

7

This is what low level ReMe is for :slight_smile:

Making someone drunk has its place. Making someone hung over has its place too. Both of these can be achieved very simply - good old 'change mental state' base. Making someone instantly sober is likewise a valuable trick.

I'd probably name the hangover spell 'Drunkard's Lament'

The main thing that will raise its head is the question of duration. How long does a ReMe momentary 'make you drunk' effect actually result in the person being drunk/hung over for? Modern thinking tells us its to do with the amount of alcohol sloshing around in the bloodstream, and the recovery process is liver-related and hydration-related. Medieval thinking, however... I've no clue.

8

A few seconds.

9

Yup, as long as the spell lasts essentially. No alcohol created, only the effect simulated.

10

By the same reasoning, is not Call to Slumber as listed fairly useless, as it only puts a person to sleep for a few seconds?

11

Only if there´s something causing the target to wake up. You put them to sleep magically, that only lasts a moment, but being asleep isn´t a forced state but a natural one.
You could of course say that the target starts to wake up at the end of the spell as well.

I think its good enough that a person MUST sleep while under effect of the spell, but will continue to sleep afterwards as long as they´re at least a little tired and nothing wakes them.
If absolutely fresh and wellrested, they might very well start to wake up the instant the spell duration ends.