During the scene with the old crone deck, MC mentions associating mages with nature as a common form of prejudice. Initially I interpreted this in the sense of a “corruption/perversion of nature,” but that seems less likely considering the general attitude towards wild magic, correct? I take it this society is more along the lines of “Nature is something to be mastered/eradicated” opinion? Even an MC who disapproves of the fear of wild magic is very utilitarian about it, decrying the wasted potential for use. Very British of everyone…and makes me very excited to meet Ianthe for a different perspective! :)
There are varying spins on the most common stance regarding magic, of course, and we will probably witness quite a few of them as the MC keeps journeying. In very general terms, the useful properties of plants are viewed as coming from a benevolent higher power, and the humans that were jealous of it, came up with a way to exploit it for their own purposes, learning magic. It is more of a "people tampered with something they shouldn't have" take on things. The sinister nature of that wild magic eruption that the Sisters went out to tame? Highly debated actually!
The consensus is that the powers of the magnitude that mages can possess at their peak should not lie with people, but with a higher power only.
So I guess it is closer to your initial interpretation? Hope it makes sense! And yes, even in this light, Ianthe offers quite a different perspective on...many things.
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Congratulations on the update!! Gale’s eyes glow when he uses magic, right? Does that also apply to other mages like ourselves? Thank you!
Thank you!
Yes, that applies to all mages, including the MC. Theirs is blue, which I personally imagine to be cobalt blue, but the exact shade won't matter so you can adjust to your preference.
Can I have funny Sister facts that play no actual role in the storyline? Did they actually behave like sisters? Like, which of them was the most likely to "borrow" the others stuff?
Since so many centuries have passed since they have been alive and active, all the stories about them have ascended to legends, and the history of the world ever since has altered these legends every which way. If one hails from the lands where mages are prolific, the Sisters are revered and the legends about them are more heroic, their images in them cunning and strong. If one hears the legends in the places affected by the ambitious nature of the Gray Regency (Daelan, for example), the Sisters would appear as power-hungry, even fearsome.
I really want to lean into it, because that's what happened often with our own legends in ancient times. The same figures observed through vastly different lenses.
That being said, here are a few bits on them (not all light and some have a lot to do with the story, sorry, they are just that involved!):
They are not actually sisters, just women from the same settlement. It is a title bestowed on them to honor their braveness and sacrifice, in which they were "connected".
There are plenty of disputes about their names. Some believe them to be completely lost to time, sans, of course, the Fourth, Frieda; others that the evolution of language prevents from tracing the mentions into the past reliably.
The order by which they are referred comes from the order in which they have "volunteered" to embark on the mission to investigate and subdue the outbreak of the scourge not far away from the settlement.
The specific forms that magic manifests in the world are the result of the Sisters being very different people with different personalities and wants ;)
The First wanted the Sisters to stick together the longest in life, but the Sixth saw perhaps the clearest that what they have brought back from their mission was about to change the world, and not necessarily only for the best.
Their influence is far from gone. The MC has their attention.
Is it possible for a mage to use more than one type of magic? Since it's been a long time since the Six Sisters/apprentices, it's plausible for some people to be descended from multiple bloodlines at this point right?
What happens in such cases is that one type of magic overtakes the other as the predominant response. However, that is not a no 👁
(You did this to yourself SQUATTERS RIGHTS and all that)
But I WOULD like to ask a lore question: what are the effects of bellona on a mage? Sounds like it’s not so much a magic suppressant and more personal protection for mage hunters. Obviously it’s uncomfortable to be around a mage hunter taking it, and makes mage hunters resistant to magic as per the codex, but how does Gale tolerate being around it frequently? And he could heal MC but is he not able to heal Arthur if that’s the case? Are there any side effects to taking it? Is the poison then particularly toxic to a mage, could it be used to coat tips of blades/arrows? Is it the only defense mage hunters have besides their training (which is making me think of more lore questions ahhh)
Am I totally off base with what I’m saying? I just know it’s probably going to continue to play a part in the story as a whole and in the Artiemance, so I’m 👀 at it.
Walked into it with eyes wide open too! 😃
>>what are the effects of bellona on a mage? Sounds like it’s not so much a magic suppressant and more personal protection for mage hunters.
It is a suppressant actually. If you try to use some of the First's magic in front of Arthur at the end of the current game state, he shuts it down. It can be an aura type of suppressant (the hunters' presence is one of the things that guards the Daelan palace, for instance), or it can have a strong directional effect. Now, a mage consuming the poison is a very different story, obviously, no one would try. Obviously.
>>but how does Gale tolerate being around it frequently?
A hunter learns to control and direct it, and as an experienced one, Arthur can suppress its effect on Gale.
>>And he could heal MC but is he not able to heal Arthur if that’s the case?
If you play your cards right a certain way, you will get a few clues about that very soon in the story!
>>Are there any side effects to taking it? Is the poison then particularly toxic to a mage, could it be used to coat tips of blades/arrows? Is it the only defense mage hunters have besides their training
(Y ghost-wrote this question btw) I'm gonna carefully sidestep the sensitive spoiler territory and say only the following. There are side effects for sure, and they are exploitable! The recipe itself (it's not just finding the flower and voila, you can become a hunter) is a tightly kept secret, so there just isn't much information in the wild on its creative uses. Yet.
>>Am I totally off base with what I’m saying?
Oh, you're most certainly not...
>>I just know it’s probably going to continue to play a part in the story as a whole and in the Artiemance, so I’m 👀 at it
👀
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I know we can see MC using their magic in the demo, but can you give us a bit more detail on how their magic works/what it is? No pressure if you can't because of spoilers or something!
A great question!
To boil it down to something descriptive, the MC can wield a power akin to telekinesis: they can manipulate objects at a distance as if they were physically in touch with them. What can vary and depend on a number of factors (including mage's prowess) are the applicable strength (how much can be "held", what can be "pushed"), duration, number of "points of contact" they can simultaneously focus on. While it can help to imagine physical manipulation at a distance (like grabbing a remote object with magic), more complex interactions are possible, although they require practice, concentration, tighter control on the power (recall, if you took that path, the MC weaving an invisible dome-like "shield" to protect themself from an attack).
I can’t wait to read more about the world and it’s lore! Is there anything more you can tell us beyond the intro description? About the war, mages, (non-mages too I guess 😅) the sisters, the Sunken Court, the cities mentioned like Rimehall and its conquest, Riante and the tower where Y now resides.
Also just like the previous anon, my MC is very loyal (and very mad and guilty that they failed them in this first mission) and serves them unquestionably for now 😁
Now, you didn't have to add that ~for now~ part, surely nothing will come to make you question them?
I'm glad you're excited to learn more! 💓 Below you can find out about a certain mystery to magic, the reason for the continuous conflict between the Gray Regency and Rimehall, Gale's parentage and the mage de-facto exile. This constitutes a chunk of history that is fairly well-known and MC would learn easily if they choose to pay attention. It will be presented via in-game codex and through scenes and conversations, so to anyone who wants to gradually discover it, just don't click the inviting link that says read more :)
The first generation of mages from the legends were capable of feats far greater than what can be seen today: force magic applied to wide areas with the strength of hundred men, healing magic that was capable of soothing a restless and a fragmented mind or making a hostile one amiable, visions of the dead re-enacted as if they had still been alive. As always, the legends are only the distorted shadows of the truth, however the passing of the the Six Sisters marked the clear beginning of a gradual decay in the strength of the mage powers, where it has converged to the state they are in now.
Despite that, throughout history the extent of magic has been known to fluctuate at times close to the heights of the past for reasons that are unknown to the wide public and are believed to be the secret passed only from one Gray Regent to their successor.
On its rise, the Gray Regency always sought to take over the lands of Daelan with its capital Rimehall. Historically this region was the seat of the Six Sisters, where their magic was felt the strongest and where the artefacts with the residual magical power of their time are found most often—forming the belief of these lands holding the heritage of mage influence. Another potentially significant detail is that the kingdom of Daelan lies on the crossroads of the continent, a trade network with the land favorable for infrastructure and farming.
The most recent of such conquests was done by the Gray Regent Gideon le Tellier, who has lead a successful assault on Rimehall and positioned himself on the Sunken Throne. To ensure the longevity of the mage rule and future normalization of mages within the royalty of Daelan he has arranged for his oldest daughter Manon to be wed to the surviving heir of the reigning Arnald lineage, prince Karon. As a result of this union Gale Arnald le Tellier was born. It is debated to which extent Gideon was aware of the brewing rebellion, concocted by prince Karon with the help of his close aide Duke van der Garde, but it succeeded on the back of precise usage of bellona poison [codex entry on bellona is available in the current game build]. The rebellion began in the capital city Rimehall and the swift victory resulted in execution of Gideon along with his wife (Y's mother), then his daughter was sent off to the countryside where she eventually passed away [redacted for content warning]. The rest of mages were driven away in a series of long-drawn battles across the kingdom.
Prolonged conflict had low support within the nobility, who sought quick reinstatement of disturbed trade. Official establishment of the mage hunter order as a long-term deterrent and observations of the decline in the magical power allowed the newly crowned King Karon (known amongst mages as the Viper King) to reach a consensus with the interim Gray Regent, one of Gideon's advisors as Y was still a child. The signed treaty sought to limit the activities of the mages to the city-province Riante. Their imports and exports were to be reported to Rimehall, position of the royal Spymaster prohibited, official delegations received and conducted only with permission of the Sunken Throne. By the time Y took over, the stringency of these measures has declined somewhat, but the unfavorable public perception lives on.
