Magical Pacts

[ScottyEnvy]

This was idea I came up to help rp, and to gain at least a little trust among mages.

First off, I will give a vague example of what this would be used for. Say my alt and someone else's alt are in a position where they need to trust each other to do something, or not do something. I.e. not harming each other either magically or physically. They need 100% assurance that this will -not- happen. They could undergo a magical pact. This pact would bind them, forever or until either one dies. This pact would make it impossible to cast harmful spells on each other or to attack each other, safe attack not included.

The details of magical pacts are still vague, but only because I am unsure of how it would be implemented or it's limits.

The consequences of breaking a magical pact would need to be -SEVERE-, but I think that the players should have choices to some extent. A few example that would work in my mind are 1) a giant demon appears and just utterly destroys them, 2) A specified person that the pact-maker is close to either dies or is -great- harmed, 3) is forever cursed with a terrible, painful, visible disease, 4) offers up something to be taken from them like eyes (sight), tongue (speech), an arm that caused the damage or whatever, or something bodily, or even up to their magical abilities.

I think that this would have to be an imm moderated thing at first, like posting it on the Request board; Derp and Derpina would like to make a magical pact. They promise not to do the dirty with anyone else, ever. If they do, Derp offers up appendage A, and Derpina offers up Appendage B to be removed from them, and they both agree to being inflicted with a flesh eating disease. (Think like a magical marriage!)

I think that is would string up lots of fun rp, and would be rather useful.

I would really like to see what everyone else thinks and what their ideas of this would be!
Please feel free to tell me straight or that this is stupid or if you love the idea!
Thanks!

Scotty :)

[Lei]

I kind of -really- like this.

[Kinaed]

It'd be pretty easy to add, I think...

Could use a POLCA to prepare a geas, then a spell to lay it on someone, a couple of commands to load it, msybe a spell or ritual to break them..

Others like or hate it?

Would a geas require consent of the victim?

I think they'd have to have staff review/approval if non-consensual.

[Temi]

I like the idea, though I'd imagine something consensual rather than non-consensual. My big hang-up would be that it would be hard to enforce unless there were specific preset options. If we could come up with a few code-enforceable options and maybe a just RP-described option if people want to do something else without actually being held to it by code, then it might be worthwhile. Otherwise, we could just add it as a thematic item that people can do on their own.

[Rabek]

I'm a little torn. Magical geas are kind of a classic thing in magical 'history,' but TI magic is not really like classical magic in most ways. It doesn't feel entirely fluffy to me.

I suppose I should say I like the concept, but I cannot think of any execution that isn't just bulky and poor for RP. The risk is a serious part of the theme, as well, and undermining it shouldn't be undertaken lightly.

And by bulky and poor for RP, I also mean it's incredibly hard to mediate. I'm generally not for ever having game mechanics refereed by staff. Having to wait for staff rulings is never, ever fun.

[Zeita]

Perhaps binding two people together through oaths is something that a demon could thematically do?

I'd certainly agree that it needs to be consensual, or at least done with heavy deception (ie, twisting the wording of an oath is always fun.)