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From: baldwin@cornell.UUCP (Michael S. Baldwin)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: limiting magic
Message-ID: <696@cornell.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 3-Apr-85 11:52:13 EST
Article-I.D.: cornell.696
Posted: Wed Apr  3 11:52:13 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 7-Apr-85 07:12:36 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept.
Lines: 24

yeah, well, whatever

I prefer the idea of expensive material components being required to create
lasting magic.  After all, what were all those spells written with? and on?
For instance, inscribing a rune for a fire spell, better have a little 
ground ruby and dragon blood, etc.  This solution make seem artificial,
but consider that a spell is a piece of power contained and focused by the
mage's will, if he continues to concentrate on the spell, no problem, but
if he ignores it entropy sets in and the spell decays until there's nothing
left.  The rationale for material components of this nature is to say that
they have sufficient power to hold the spell in statis until it is invoked,
which negates the need for continous concentration.  Another alternative 
along this line is to limit the total number of items on the rationale that
some part of your will must continue to concentrate on all magic that you
have created to maintain its existance, if you make too much, you forget
about that one wand, and POOF, gone.  The problem here, of course, is
death, what happens to all your magic if you die, and ergo cease to will
its continued existance, and what about enemy mages and their items?
Perhaps the loss of the mage causes only a slow decay that can be reversed
if caught in time.

hmm....