Godiva! (Larkins Spell Book)

Burning Wheel Modifications, Hacks and Expansions
1

Godiva! Ob 4, 5 actions
(Fun for Parties)
This spell momentarily transform the casters enemies into air. When they reform they find their equipment, as well as their clothes scattered on the ground around them.
Weapon Length as Spear
Range as Pistol

Origin: Presence (2^, 2 actions)
AoE: Presence (2^, 3 actions)
Element: Anima (5^, 5 Actions)
Impetus: Transmute to Air (5^, 25 actions)
Duration: Instantaneous
Resource Points: 8

1st. Distillation:
Anima/Transmute
(10^, 30 actions) /2 = 5^, 15 actions

2nd. Distillation:
Instantaneous/Presence (AoE)
(2^, 4 actions)/2 = 1^, 2 actions

Final Distillation:
Anima Transmute to Air: 5^, 15 actions
Instant Presence AoE: 1^, 2 actions
Presence (Origin) 2^, 2 actions
(8^, 19 actions)/2 = 4^, 10 actions
Compression: 5^, 5 actions
Spell Cap: 4, 5 actions
Finalized Spell: Ob 4, 5actions

2

I think you’ve built the spell around the color, and not the effect. This spell disarms and disrobes an entire area. It’s not about transmutation. You should be looking at Call of Iron as a guideline.

3

Their bodies are the only thing holding their equipment (and clothes) up. When their (Anima) bodies dematerialize for an instant, everything drops.
To accomplish the same thing with the Control Impetus (used in Call of Iron) several unknown items would have to be able to be affected at the same time (Majoris Sigil or two) just for the ties, straps, buttons, buckles, and hooks. Then there’s the issue of whatever they happen to be carrying in their hands (tea service, serving platter, documents, weapons, torches, ect.). Each target would have to be subjected to a separate drop item (more Majoris, more Elements).
Control is fine when you’re going after a single item (Call of Iron) or a group of similar items (Binding), But this needed a solution that fit regardless of what was worn or carried as the spell doesn’t target the items, (they remain unchanged) it targets the bearers.

4

By the way, it was inspired by the “Teleportation Trap” in A D&D game I once played in (all living matter goes to one room, non living matter goes to another), as well as the “Stark Reality” spell given out by the Daedric Lord “Sanguine” in “Oblivion”.

5

I think you might be getting a little carried away with the “Science” of Abstractions. They’re not supposed to make literal sense. If they did, then the “Fire Breath” spell would have a really odd impetus, as it gives a living creature the ability to breath one burst of fire. “Scientifically” it’s about Enhancing an Anima with the ability to Create Fire.
Similarly, the Shards spell is about forcibly moving (Controlling) the Element it works on. Rainstorm probably Creates the Water which pours from the sky.

Forget all those technicalities. Abstracting is Art.

Spells which deal damage use Destroy, because they’re about dealing damage. Disarming people of things is about moving their things, it uses Control.

When designing the spell, if it has a stupidly good effect, it gets the Majoris sigil. Not if it’s more complex. A spell which disarms everyone nearby of their weapons is harder to cast than Call of Iron not because it’s more complex, but because it has a larger Area of Effect. A spell could be insanely complicated, but so long as its effect was equivalent to any other spell of its facets, it wouldn’t get a Majoris Sigil.

My vote? This spell is about removing a person from their things, so should use the Call of Iron rules, expanded to an AoE, dropped to personal Origin. The Majoris Sigil gets added, because it’s better than Call of Iron by far (no versus test, affects worn items). Compressed twice eyeballing: Four actions, Obstacle Five or Six.

6

So the artistry behind “Falcon Skin” is that it transforms the casters into a falcon, the fact that his clothes and gear do not make the transformation is secondary where as the way I have written “Godiva!” the transformation of enemies is more of the Task to solve the Intent of disarming, disrobing, and embarrassing them.

Instead it should be written to forcibly remove (Control) items and apparel (Earth) from those within the casters personal (Origin) Presence (Area of Effect) instantly (Duration), regardless of what it is, and without any normal defense against the spell (Majoris)?

That would make it
3rd. Distillation: Ob 4^, 8 actions
Minoris: Ob 6^, 80 actions
1st. Compression: Ob 5^, 40 actions
2nd. Compression: Ob 6^, 20 actions
3rd. Compression: Ob 7^, 10 actions
4th. Compression: Ob 8^, 5 actions
Spell Cap: Ob 7, 5 actions

Finalized Spell: Ob 7, 5 actions

(The original abstraction of this version of the spell was Ob 11^, 21 actions)

Capping and Finalising it after the 2nd. Compression wouldn’t be so bad as it still keeps it within a reasonable (RaC/DoW) time frame.

Godiva!! Ob 5, 20 Actions
This spell causes the casters enemies to be immediately stripped of all items, clothing, and gear which lay scattered on the ground around them.
Weapon Length: as Spear
Range: as Pistol

Origin: Personal
Area of Effect: Presence
Element: Earth
Impetus: Control
Duration: Instantaneous
Resource Points: 10

I still prefer the first version as the imagery of a group of people suddenly vanishing and reappearing completely naked with all of their stuff laying around them is better than everything just being yanked away.
Although, it probably needs a Majoris Sigil and origin changed to Personal perhaps with an added Minoris: No affect on Forte 6 or higher.

That would make it an Ob 5, 20 actions spell that instantly causes those affected to monetarily vanish, only to reappear completely naked with all their things scattered around about them.

This is a lot better (in my opinion) as it is a BIG magic effect that is bound to cause some Steel Tests with lots of funny reactions (brings a whole new outlook to “Stand and Drool”) and if anyone has the “Luis Wu” Dt., so much the better!

What do you think?

7

I like it. And I think the imagery can stay; as you put it, it’s the Intent of the spell that the Impetus and Element capture, so the look and feel, if it fits with your view of it, can be what you will.