D&D 5E [looking for ideas] Old folkloric magic and laws/principles of magic

[Laurefindel]

Hi all

I'm brainstorming for what could constitute basic laws or essential principles of magic. These principles often pop-up in folkloric magic for reasons that people may ignore but nevertheless observed and applied. Sometimes they can be better understood and explained by scholars, including by those who have been trying break those principles all their life.

One that I like is "A shape-shifted/polymorphed creature/item always conserves its essence". For example, if a bad witch permanently transforms Laurefindel as a cat (in form, intellect, memories, and all), it will nevertheless remains Laurefindel-transformed-as-a-cat no matter how long it lasts, or unbreakable the spell is. This means among other thing that "information is conserved" and that theoretically, Laurefindel could always be transformed back as himself given the right spell/magic.

I'm also looking for old folkloric magic that may or may not be efficient, like "wearing a token of your true love on your heart protects you against charms". Part of the intention is to give martials ritual-like abilities should they research them. Eventually, this is to be ported in a 5e D&D homebrew but I'm not stopping at potential incoherence with existing spells just yet; I'm just looking for ideas.

By the way, "D&D doesn't support this well; use another system" is not an idea, but I welcome "look into this system because it does X".

'findel

 

[CreamCloud0]

Um, not sure if these are quite what you’re looking for (or if im remembering them correctly but:
-Hagstones (a rock with a natural hole through it like a donut) repel magical entities and reveal secrets/magic when looked through
-having a part of a person, creature or object can be used to influence or control the main body
-magic used selflessly/for someone else is more powerful than using it for yourself
-every caster has a unique magic signature like a fingerprint
-something/one altered by magic with be forever marked by it even if all effects of the magic is later undone/removed
-things that are unique are important/powerful beyond mere rarity

 

[Voadam]

Sympathetic magic is a common one, linking like to like so it is easier to scry on someone the more you have a connection to them such as a personal object of theirs same with the classic voodoo doll cursing someone using their image and something of theirs incorporated into the doll. AD&D used a bunch of sympathetic magic principles in material components even down to using puns for symbolic connections like a copper piece for detect thoughts being connected to a penny for your thoughts.

 

[Voadam]

Ars Magica of various editions is worth checking out. It has laws of magic that provide limits for what the wizards of the game can do with magic such as not affect anything beyond the moon.

As a game it strives for a lot of European Middle Ages lore, although one guy I knew characterized it more as a Renaissance era popular mischaracterizing view of the Middle Ages as opposed to actual Middle Ages views on stuff.

 

[Laurefindel]

Ars Magica of various editions is worth checking out. It has laws of magic that provide limits for what the wizards of the game can do with magic such as not affect anything beyond the moon.

As a game it strives for a lot of European Middle Ages lore, although one guy I knew characterized it more as a Renaissance era popular mischaracterizing view of the Middle Ages as opposed to actual Middle Ages views on stuff.

Yes, Ars Magica is the inspiration behind this, mostly.

 

[Stormonu]

The 1E DMG had a section "reputed magical properties of gems" that might be a useful starting point.

For example, bloodstone is supposed to help staunch wounds from bleeding - in D&D terms, a properly created bloodstone amulet might give DR 3 against Slashing or Piercing weapons.

 

[Laurefindel]

The 1E DMG had a section "reputed magical properties of gems" that might be a useful starting point.

For example, bloodstone is supposed to help staunch wounds from bleeding - in D&D terms, a properly created bloodstone amulet might give DR 3 against Slashing or Piercing weapons.

Oh yeah, I had forgotten about that! Thanks

 

[Yaarel]

The answer is: weird and wonderful rituals.

The requirements of the ritual should be bizarre but dreamlike and make sense in a weird way, even better if ironic including poetic justice. The results of a ritual can be anything.

A DM should go nuts when designing a folklorish magical ritual.

Consider powerful magic having four steps. One is good, two is better. Three is dangerous and can destroy the character (in some way) unless four saves and stabilizes the powerful magic.

 

[Quickleaf]

"The state of being of the ritual caster can affect the ritual, for weal or woe."

A great example from D&D would be the way the Raven Queen is presented in MToF, having conducted a ritual to restore the divided elves, but then she was betrayed by her fellow mages, and the spark of her vengeful anger against them corrupted the very ritual she was performing, killing/transforming her and spawning the nagpa & the shadar-kai.

A more recent pop culture example would be the Marvel Spiderman: No Way Home movie, where Dr. Strange's magic ritual goes awry due to the frustrating changes Parker keeps making to the conditions upon the spell.

 

[Laurefindel]

Consider powerful magic having four steps. One is good, two is better. Three is dangerous and can destroy the character (in some way) unless four saves and stabilizes the powerful magic.

Hummm, intriguing. D&D is also divisible in four tiers. Even for spells cast by spellcasters, there could be a progression. Spells level 1-3 are the one you can cast on your own, 5-6 require access to a power source of sort, 7-8 a power source and an meteorological, tidal, or astrological event of sort. 9th level spells require a sacrifice of something valuable on top.