[ArM5] The magic spoon thingy (was: intro & a couple ofquestions)

[Erik Dahl]

Matthew L. Seidl (>) wrote: 

> Assume no penetration for all of this.
>
> I can a spell at at X.  X can now either penetrate my
> parma (A) or can't (B).
>
> Magus Beta casts a spell at X.  X can now either
> penetrate my parma (C) or it can't (D).
>
> if (C) - X can now get through my parma for free. So
> I've opened a hole for others to exploit.  Be it via
> spells, mendane means, whatever.  There's now a hole.

That's correct, although only X can get through; if I cast another spell to
throw X at you, you can resist that spell, even if you can't resist X. This
is like the situation where the normal rock is thrown by magic; you can't
resist the rock, but you can resist the force. The rock drops at your feet,
and likewise X cannot hit you.

Look at it like this: for as long as your spell lasts (or perhaps only until
you perform your Parma ritual again), for the purposes of penetrating your
Parmae, X is not considered a magical object. If I picked X up and threw it
at you, or stuck you with it, or convinced it to attack you somehow, your
Parma would not resist it.

I think we'll explore the ramifications of this idea better if we use
specific examples. Here's a couple to get us started:

1. Two magi ("you" and "me") are fighting. I create a wild boar with CrAn,
and it attacks you. You resist it, because it's magical and you have a good
Parma. Then you magically control the boar with ReAn, throwing it at my
head. I resist that, because your spell creates magical force and that
magical force cannot automatically pass through my Parma, and the boar
slides off of me and lands, dazed. The next round, you cast a Sun ReAn spell
that makes the boar obey your instructions, and you tell it to attack me. I
take a heavy wound from its tusks, because it ignores my Parma. I'm very
good at Animal, though, and next round I give the boar an overriding command
to attack /you/ instead. This time the boar can ignore your Parma, because
it's still affected by your ReAn spell. My CrAn spell only lasted for a
diameter, and the boar vanishes, leaving us both badly wounded.

2. I magically sharpen my grog's sword with MuTe. Hiding nearby, you cast a
ReMe spell, convincing the grog to attack me with the sword, because my
Parma would not resist it, any more than it would resist a mundane sword.
However, I have a ReTe ward active. The sword is turned away, because all
metal is warded, magical or not. Angry, I turn the disloyal grog into a toad
and go away. You come out of hiding and cast a PeVi spell to change the grog
back, but must penetrate my MuCo(An) spell, because for you the toad is
magical. You do not succeed. An hour later I decide he has learned his
lesson and cast my own PeVi spell on him, which easily penetrates because
for me the toad is not magical.

Do you see any problems with these situations? Can you think of any other
circumstances that seem like they would lead to abuse of the Parma? I
appreciate you taking the time to discuss this with me. :)

Erik