Re: Mammoth -> Horseshoe Crab

V/R FC2 Riley, James R. 
cel: 228-249-2967
e-mail: jamesriley@???.net
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> Augmentation I,II,III; Extension I,II,III; and Expansion I,II,III for
ideas.

The joys of metamagic!

I assume some of those are from the "Tome of Magic", which I've
not read.
	Actually yes and no, they are from the tome and. 2e PHB. I also keep
forgetting that my players researched these spells under 1st ed. by the
names I've been using before 2e came out, but the correct names are:
Augmentation I,II,III ToM; Extension I,II,III 2e PHB; and Far Reaching ToM.
In the Skills & Powers version, they did away with those spells and I think
in the 3.0e they created a single high level spell that does the work of all
three metamagic spells from ToM, but I don't have 3.0 books so I don't
remember what it is called.

Do you need to add extra "control" enchantments?
	I am sorry, I completely forgot about the consoles. The consoles are
a separate magic item designed to allow non magic usurers to control magic
items and allow remote operation of deck mounted devices. They cost about
15,000 gp to make and take about 1 month to construct. They resemble the old
roll top desks with a cutout in the front for a display screen, and jewels
inset into the surface that act as control knobs. These consoles are crafted
for specific tasks, (e.g. comm., fire control, sensors, plus any other uses
you might think of.)and once built can only perform that type of task
thereafter. If a display screen breaks, a replacement screen can be inserted
into the socket of the console and after minor "tuning" by a low level mage
can thereafter be used again in the same capacity. The screens themselves
can (if you wish) include phantasmal force magic to replace visual imagery
with symbolic representations, but the consoles magic makes the scrying
magic visible to nonmage operators.  
	As far as what spells make up a crystal screen, it varies based on
what you're looking for. The quantity of spells you need will depend on how
far you want to detect whatever you are detecting for. (e.g. three
expansions of detect magic will multiply the area of effect of that spell by
8.) I can't remember all of the various spells, or exactly how many, that go
into making a military grade sensor, but it is one spell per varience
detected (invisibility, magic, undead, etc...)then one casting for each
augmentation on the ball (remember each casting of an metamagic spell
doubles the previous effect,2x,4x,8x,16x,32x,64x,128x,etc...). don't forget
the enchant item spell and the permanency (with a suitable sacrifice). The
quantity of spells in a military sensor, if I remember right, is around
35-40 spells plus some rare elements and mineral traces with some truly
complex rites by multiple mages. If you are planning to make stuff like this
for your game, then you would be the best judge of what will be required of
your wizards to make these items for game consistency and so as not to screw
up your campaigns laws of physics and magic.




Your economy must be pretty impressive to support this sort of
thing. 
	My players run a unified government that handles the budget for an
entire multiplanetary solar system with a free market economy and a mild
taxation policy. Almost 100% of the system trade is export, but there is no
overhead loss in a vast merchant fleet because independent merchies come to
us from outsystem. That's why it has been so long since I dusted off the old
blueprints for the HC supertanker design. FeOsphere never really invested in
too many merchant style hulls until now, and even those are going to be
internal to FeOshpere shipping, not for the export business.



So, every time you fire a missile a one-shot Helm is used-up, and
the equivalent of half-a-dozen one-shot magic items. Conventional
D&D would probably make each missile worth tens of thousands of
gold each, then.
	Most missiles cost about 35-55,000 gp depending on warhead, seeker
enhancements, whether it point detonates only or has a proximity fuse or a
timer(the most expensive).

What sort of comm is the 'standard'? Do you go in for protection
from interference/jamming? Distress beacons? Video comms? 
	Standard comm. is a basic crystal scrying device divided up among a
group or fleet by casting stoneshape many times to "shave" thin screens away
from the core device just before finalizing the crafting of the item and
fixing the magic on the group as a whole unit. It usually includes video and
sound and a pretty good range augmentation. Touch screen control is usually
built in for a little extra cost so speakers can select individuals from the
"net" to talk to. The only types of jamming have been from beholders
antimagic and the vodoni who have stolen this technology and broadcast
audible glamour over their comms to drown out all our comms. We still
haven't quite figured out how to fix that yet, but are working on a
solution. Yes we use distress beacons. Based them on a single shot version
of reverse of nondetection spell just like the IFF beacons.



So 'lookout' consists of someone on the sensor screen, and
someone using the Mark I Eyeball. 
	Yes, that sums it up nicely.

Presumably the low-level mage just does the installation and
initial testing of the system, probably pulling the whole module
to do repairs, and sending it off to the specialists to see what
can be salvaged. 
	You guessed it right off the bat. It makes more sense to have low
level mages get their experience out in the fleet (adventuring) until they
learn enough to get the really high paying jobs at the factory/labs,
shipyards, or as consultants. The fact that they are provided with "tech
manuals" (spell books) for the systems doesn't hurt either.

I would assume that your repair crew would be sort of magical
technicians, rather than full-blown enchanters. What sort of
skills and spells would you expect them to use?
	Most tech/wizards are provided with spell books "tech manuals" to
assist them in their work, they are free to copy spells and recipes from
these into their own private spell books as a partial compensation, along
with their low pay, for their shipboard work. It saves them enormous money
and time on spell research, and teaches them higher magic in the progress.
	Standard spacefaring skills for the work aboard ship are a
requirement, as well as a really good understanding of the identify spell
and analyze spell. An almost mandatory skill to have would be spellcraft
both for arcane and divine magic since both magics are used to make items
and trade goods here. Read Magic is a must have spell. Engineering(magical)
as a subclass of Engineering is a must have NWP. Lore is a truly useful
spell to have but not a prerequisite since it is provided in the tech
manuals for the ships systems.
 
Speaking historically unprepared captains don't seem to be that
uncommon! [grin]
	[amused wry chagrin]

I assume that in your campaign merit rather than buying a
commission is how you get officers!
	Yes, the ones that survive have merit and get promoted. Stupid
officers don't often survive because they do stupid stuff. If the bad guys
don't kill 'em, the crew will. It still costs a lot of money to get into the
officers academy, but heroism and medals go a long way towards offsetting
that expense. In my sphere, there are no real nobles just lifetime titles
and honors awarded for great deeds. Enlisted personnel have as good a chance
to get into the academy as a wealthy politicians son, but instead of money,
they pay in service or valor.


Interesting. Do you rely on the Magic Missile auto-hit, or is
there some way to confuse the targetting on this? From what you
say above I assume augmented missiles for better range.
	If a mage is at the gun console, then it is auto-hit for him. If a
non mage is at the gun console then the magic-missile hits are based on his
thaco with whatever dex bonuses and magical bonuses apply. And yes range
augmentation is an expensive must have function. 

I will admit a fondness for the pre-AD&D, Original DnD, Magic
Missile spells, which were conjured +1 arrows - they didn't
auto-hit (most DMs allowed the mage to count as a fighter for
targetting them, and apply their DEX missile bonus).
	I liked them too, but as the rules changed and the game got more
complex I had to upgrade or become obsolete as a GM. That's why I'm a little
annoyed that the 3e system is so vastly overhauled. I'm too old to be
completely starting from scratch and learning a whole new game system and
all new spells and skills. I already have all the old stuff from S&P back to
the original D&D memorized, and just can't learn any more.

> the long range missiles (where its detection range is actually reduced so
it
> will fire the warhead closer to the enemy vessel).

So the long range missiles don't work on ships crewed by undead
or mindless things. 
	Only if they are set to go off on proximity fuses. I still have
point det, and expensive mechanical timers.

Would an amulet of protection from ESP work, do you think? I'm
not sure about "minds so alien you can't tell anything about
them", which some people seem to claim for mind flayers.
	The minds so alien bit is a little cheesy, but I've used it to
describe the Alien creature and the Thri-kreen, especially when the PCs try
to read their minds. The reason most people do that with flayers is probably
due to the Lovecraft influence. I never used that excuse for them, but I was
willing to use it for their gods when the PCs bumped into Nyarlathotep on a
voyage once.


I assume that the PCs have something to do with the Council.
	The PCs(now)are the council. I play the Senate and the Commons, as
well as the political opposition. We'll be retiring those characters very
soon, and either making new ones or just retire from the whole game. After
all, we're all in our late thirties and forties now and have been playing
for about 20 years.  


This is one reason that explosives have never worked in my
campaign (that and I didn't want guns in DnD), though I suppose a
one-shot ground-zero Fireball item would be an (expensive)
alternative.
	Yes, I can understand your point, and even though muskets and cannon
are allowed in my game, I respect that it is not something for everyone. I
must point out however that there are multitudes of alternative bombs in
D&D. e.g. oil of fiery burning poured into beaker of plentiful potions set
on chlorine =boom; staff of magi, break it =boom; two noncompatable magic
potions, mix them=boom; two bags of holding, one inside the other=boom.
You get my point. Even the spell delayed blast fireball is a 3 second
grenade. It's just a matter of preference of form and setting. I prefer
something like the Napoleonic Wars for the SJ setting but all my players are
military and things advanced to a more "modern" type of SJ setting through
good roleplaying. I don't mind though.


 And worst of all...Politicians!
Messy!
As for politicians ... no lawyers? [grin]
	Politicians all start out as lawyers and just get more corrupt from
there.[smirks]


> Jim Riley "Sailorguns" FC2 USN.