Superstitions and Spells

[Shaghayegh]

How do superstitions start? I propose that some superstitions in a setting in which magic is real and active are just the misinterpretations of the activities of wizards and other magic-users when witnessed by those who are uneducated. Picture a wizard casting a spell, say Mage Armour, as a peasant watches from a distance. The peasant cannot hear the incantation, but he can make out some gestures and see the components. Then he sees this scrawny greybeard shrug off a blow from an axe. He does not know what is really involved, but he does his best to imitate the spell, carrying what he thinks is a magic item (the spell component) and perform a rough imitation of a somatic gesture to protect himself. He teaches his family to do the same in the hopes that it will help them and a superstition is born--- wear a piece of cure leather for luck.

Now, think about a real life superstition you know about, like using a rabbit's foot for luck or not letting a black cat cross your path. How can you back-engineer the superstition to reveal the spell or magic effect that inspired it?

 

[emoplato]

Well, I think it needs to be more clear on what you are asking. Are you asking to think about in how real life superstitions came into being? Alternatively, are you asking on how you can introduce superstitions in your campaign?

 

[frankthedm]

Spell targeting: Created the concept of "The Evil Eye". Even Stilled, Silenced and Eschewed Component'ed, you still gotta do a standard action's worth of looking at your victim.

Also this is why merely looking directly at someone can lead to a violent altercation, especially when the person being looked at has had a few too many.

 

[emoplato]

Spell targeting: Created the concept of "The Evil Eye". Even Stilled, Silenced and Eschewed Component'ed, you still gotta do a standard action's worth of looking at your victim.

Also this is why merely looking directly at someone can lead to a violent altercation, especially when the person being looked at has had a few too many.

I think you posted in the wrong thread.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I played a campaign where a friendly PC Favored Soul cast a Light spell on a pebble and then gave it to an 8 year old child NPC with a wink as the adventurers were going into a well to rescue some villagers that had been kidnapped and taken underground.

A while later, I created a PC that was that 8 year old boy, who had been inspired to study Arcane magic because of that pebble that glowed briefly and then faded.

We've never come up with the details of the story of what happened between the pebble and his adulthood, but I'd imagine a good superstition story could develop out of it. Carrying pebbles for luck, expecting a light to signify a good or catastrophic event perhaps.

Do you mean something like this?

 

[frankthedm]

I think you posted in the wrong thread.

And just what makes you say that?

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

And just what makes you say that?

I think there was difficulty connecting your post with the OP topic.

 

[Dozen]

I have an idea. Imagine if there was a Cleric of cause who worships stories and fake folk tales, and can prepare a number of spells in his domain slots because he thinks he can. A sort of "Domain", only campaign dependent and malleable.
Or take it to another level, a whole new spellcaster class based solely on superstitions who casts Arcane Spells as Divine ones, aquires nerfed versions of other classes' signature ablities, even abilities that do what other class abilities look like they're doing! How awesome would that be? Well, up until the point he saw somebody cast an Illusion, or Wish/Miracle...

 

[Shaghayegh]

Well, I think it needs to be more clear on what you are asking. Are you asking to think about in how real life superstitions came into being? Alternatively, are you asking on how you can introduce superstitions in your campaign?

Well, yes, both...

 

[Shaghayegh]

Spell targeting: Created the concept of "The Evil Eye". Even Stilled, Silenced and Eschewed Component'ed, you still gotta do a standard action's worth of looking at your victim.

Also this is why merely looking directly at someone can lead to a violent altercation, especially when the person being looked at has had a few too many.

I like that. Someone seeing a spellcaster targeting a spell could have the creeping shudders when someone stares at her later...