Quote:
Originally Posted by Paradus
Greetings to all
One thing I love about Tolkien's world (and other fantasy settings) are of powers of which could not be obtained in the real world. The reason is for when reading I enjoy falling within a world quite seperate from our own, where your imagination can run free...
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Lots of questions. I might take a stab a answering a few of them. For a really thorogh (if not difinitive) answer, you might try downloading a copy of the rules of
Ambarquenta. It is a very detailed set of rules for role playing specifically designed for Middle Earth. It includes specific games mechanics for 'powers outside our realism' which might be described as magic. These include...
If you speak the name of a Valar, servants of the Enemy won't like it and will be under a handicap for a bit.
Speaking the name of a Valar, or in our game singing songs dedicated to a Valar, might improve use of skills associated with that Valar.
All elves are given the edge 'artificer', meaning once they have nine skill levels at making something, the thing that they make might have additional virtues. Boats might ride rapids, cloaks might hide one in a woods, or swords might not break. Elves aren't the only race that can have the artificer edge, but according to the rules anyway, all elves (who spend the non-trivial effort to get 9 levels of a craft skill) can create.
While I have been playing Ambarquenta for three years now, just a few months back they finally published Chapter 11 on magic. There is a list of spells, most of which come out of TLotR or The Hobbit, along with limits on who might cast them and how often. If one buys into the game rules, all elves are pretty good at certain spells centered on thoughts, speech and perception. Thus, they can communicate with beasts, talk directly from mind to mind, and a few can look into another's eyes and learn of the other's motivations, dreams and flaws. (Galadriel can tell you about that one.)
Thoughts, speech and perception is just one 'realm' of magic. One might also study other fields such as fire (Gandalf) or beasts (Radagast).
While non elves might learn magic, doing so tends to corrupt them. It is easy, if one uses sorcery or necromancy, to fall under the influence of The Enemy.
While elves start out with a significant advantage in spells associated with thoughts, speech and perception, there are no battle spells in that realm of magic. Such spells can be used to gain knowledge and understanding, but are not suited towards acquiring power or domination.
All player characters have different amounts of Ambar, an attribute which allows one to fulfill one's fate, or to alter probability somewhat. In game mechanic terms, every once in a while one can add a bonus to or roll again very important dice rolls. This might reflect how certain individuals, blessed or cursed by the Valar, have roles to play in the tale of the world. The Valar are looking over their shoulders and giving them a little boost from time to time.
Now, this is a partial list, and any item on the list might be controversial. Did the author of Ambarquenta, devout Tolkien fan or not, get it right? It is certainly possible to quibble a lot of points. As this forum reflects, there is certainly lots of room for discussion and debate.
But if you
really want detailed answers to all of your questions...