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Eldan
2014-08-04, 05:19 AM
So, I was more or less idly writing down some fluff and rules ideas for something in the alchemy and artifice direction, when I had an idea that needs some expanding.

Specifically, I want to connect metals and magic schools. The beginning was easy, there are various metals with magic attributed to them, the general concepts mostly stolen from the astrological/alchemical/Greek mythological idea of metals being connected to planets being connected to gods. But there I ran into an impasse: there's seven celestial bodies, classically, and therefore seven metals, but eight schools of magic. So, I'm looking for ideas and suggestions on how to expand this.

What I have so far:

The Sun - Gold - Abjuration. Not a mythological link as much, I must admit, but since the sunlight wards off various evil things, it seems to work.

The Moon - Silver - Illusion. Again, not the strongest link. But the moon is connected with various fae and shapeshifting creatures who certainly use illusions.

Mercury - Quicksilver - Transmutation. An obvious one, really. Not only is quicksilver just about the most favourite substance of alchemists (who concern themselves with transmutation) everywhere, it is also the only liquid metal and therefore the only one that can actually be seen to change shape.

Venus - Copper - Enchantment. The goddess of love and emotion in general. Fits well.

Mars - Iron - Evocation. The most direct school for the most direct god.

Jupiter - Tin - Conjuration. One I really wasn't sure about. In the end, it got what was left, but there is at least some link.

Saturn - Lead- Necromancy. A dead god, a heavy, poisonous metal... couldn't go anywhere else, really.


That leaves divination. And me out of ideas. Any suggestions?

Averis Vol
2014-08-04, 06:24 AM
Well, gold is the most conductive metal, which I think fits better with jupiter, seeing as the connection to the god is stronger. Aluminum and silver are the most reflective metals, so one of those would work well for the moon (which I don't really get, neither it nor the sun are really a major celestial body. One of the planets, I forget which has like 25 moons, they aren't that special, and the suns a close star. On the other hand, we do have 8 planets.)

Back on topic, for the sun, if it is going to be added, I think tungsten would be a good choice as it's one of the toughest metals on the elemental table. Nickel might be well suited for divination. Magnets are generally used as a way to gauge direction, and most magnets are made of nickel and iron. As for the planet, maybe neptune. God of the seas, currents and waves used to predict storms....the connections there, I'm just not making it correctly.

EDIT: A good alternative to Iron for evocation would be zinc. it's one of the three naturally occurring elements in group 12 (Volatile metals) and closest to being the most volatile.

Eldan
2014-08-04, 07:00 AM
Well, gold is the most conductive metal, which I think fits better with jupiter, seeing as the connection to the god is stronger. Aluminum and silver are the most reflective metals, so one of those would work well for the moon (which I don't really get, neither it nor the sun are really a major celestial body. One of the planets, I forget which has like 25 moons, they aren't that special, and the suns a close star. On the other hand, we do have 8 planets.)
.

Ah, I should have said. The planets and which metals they correspond to? That is a given thing. While we might argue it, I'd really like to stick to the established model. The alchemical and astrological models were established in times of geocentric models and five planets, hence also the sun and moon, which, back then, were also sometimes planets.

I do like Nickel for Divination, though.

The planets, by the way, are just added as a bit of explanation for the connection, they won't be in the fluff.

Averis Vol
2014-08-04, 07:14 AM
Ah, I should have said. The planets and which metals they correspond to? That is a given thing. While we might argue it, I'd really like to stick to the established model. The alchemical and astrological models were established in times of geocentric models and five planets, hence also the sun and moon, which, back then, were also sometimes planets.

I do like Nickel for Divination, though.

The planets, by the way, are just added as a bit of explanation for the connection, they won't be in the fluff.

Alright, didn't know that, figured I'd voice my much coveted 2 cp though :P

Storm_Of_Snow
2014-08-04, 07:26 AM
For Divination, what about the stars as a celestial body? Kind of playing off of astrology.

For a metal, what about Platinum? You don't already have it listed, it's shiny, like the stars, and it's available (at least by D&D conventions).

Radar
2014-08-04, 07:54 AM
I'd like to point a different choice for Divination: silicon.

You might say that its not exactly a metal and most importantly it was first obtained in pure form in the XIX century, so it shouldn't appear in pseudo-medieval world. Well, that's half the point actually. I started thinking about it due to how prominent crystal balls are a prominent theme for diviners. It would really weight on the general fluff of Divination specilists, but let's consider a few assumptions:
1. Being a caster is always partialy about gaining power (for one reason or another - sometimes for the sake of it).
2. Diviners are focusing on obtaining knowledge - often such that would be impossible to gain with mundane efforts.
3. Knowledge is power in itself.
Therefore: diviners might very well be also keen on keeping secrets - especialy about their craft. They might even exist multiple secret societies working on spreading false information about the workings of Divination or simply using their art to gain leverage against powerful people and institutions.

They might know that silicon is connected to their magic, but they do everything in order to obscure that fact and the existance of that element as well.

Jay R
2014-08-04, 02:58 PM
I didn't use the schools of magic when I did it.

The moon is associated with change, and with disappearing.

Mercury is associated with speed, and with healing.

Venus is associated with love.

The sun is associated with light and heat.

Mars is associated with war.

Jupiter is associated with lightning, and with rulership.

Saturn is associated with time.

MKV
2014-08-04, 08:08 PM
To me divination is the most mysterious and unreliable school (at least in my world prophecies are unreliable and changeable) so I might use a mythical metal such as mithral and pluto as both a god and celestial body as death is the ultimate prophecy and pluto is a mysterious and dead (dwarf)planet but seeing as its existence was not known by the ancient greeks this is easily deniable.

Cikomyr
2014-08-04, 08:52 PM
Pluto wasn't a planetes because he resided under the earth..

I'd say go for the Divination --> Stars. Like it's been said, funny thing about Astrology, but you can also add the fact that stars are omnipresent in the sky, seeing everything.. but never wandering..

...or something like that..

I'd go for "Diamond" in term of material, but if you NEED a metal, how about.. hmm..

sorry, got nothing..

Eldan
2014-08-05, 09:49 AM
Right. I think from the suggestions here, I'll go with Nickel and the Stars. Thanks, everyone!