Magic Schools in your Games

I was thinking a bit about Schools of Magic today.  Not the schools in the D&D sense, but more in the classical sense of a place to go and learn magic.

Have any of you detailed magic schools in your games?

There are plenty of examples in history, folklore and media.  I have used the Scholomance in my games for many years, but it is a small, elite school taking only 13 students at a time (and keeping one of them!).  On the other end of the equation I have also used the magic school from Glantri as a model.

For many of my witch characters or NPCs I have usually backgrounded something like a home school environment.  But I never have really built anything formal.

I like the idea of a game with younger heroes.  I already mentioned I'd love to do a Harry Potter game, or even a Charmed game (which also had a magic school).  You can have your normal high school drama complicated by everyone also having magic.

The problem with this is that D&D wizards (and all spell casters really) start out as really weak.  In most versions of D&D they only know one spell at first level.  So what did they learn in school?  
The old 2nd Edition Wizard's Handbook covers some of this, but copying your master's scrolls is not really fertile ground for role-playing.

There are cantrips that kind of get around this, but even knowing 6 cantrips is not much to do anything with.   But personally I have often thought that magic-users should be starting the game with more than one spell.

Maybe Magic School is something they do between adventures, not just something they start when young and then go out and adventure, but something they do and then adventure in between terms.
Then characters keep going back till something like 6th level.   I'll have to think about it.

What are your thoughts?

RPG a Day 2015, Day 10

Day 10: Favorite RPG Publisher

Do I have to choose?

In the past I always put all my support behind Eden Studios. Not only do the publish my favorite games, they gave me my start as a "real" RPG designer.  But they are also a good bunch of guys, even if now it is just George there.

I am also rather fond of Cubicle 7 and the Troll Lords.

RPG a Day 2015, Day 9

Day 9: Favorite Media You Wish Was an RPG

Oh. There is so many. I think I would have say Harry Potter.

Not only is it a natural fit with a ton of potential, but it would be a great thing for RPGs.

There is just so much that could be done with this world.  You have magic, you have high school drama, you have good vs. evil. Just tons and tons of stuff.

BUT...JKR is not likely to ever make my dreams come true and grant me the license.  So my next choice is a Charmed RPG.

I could totally rock out on this game.

Zatannurday: Happy Birthday Paul Dini

Continuing Paul Dini's Birthday.

Here are some interviews and other videos with Paul talking about our mutually favorite girl.


From 2010, here he is talking about the Zatanna series out then.




Here is a review of said comic.




Here is one from 2011.  Less about Zee, but still some good stuff.




And a review of "The" Zatanna episode written by Dini.  I don't agree with everything he is saying, but that's cool.




Of course here is the birthday boy himself, with his wife Misty Lee.

And Lee.

Yeah.  He is still a bigger fan than me. ;)

RPG a Day 2015, Day 8

Day 8: Favorite Appearance of RPGs in the Media

I have seen a few and I always find them amusing.  Supernatural usually does a nice job.  But my favorite still has to be from the X-files.

The first from "Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space'" Season 3, Episode 20

Jose Chung: Aren't you nervous telling me all this? Receiving all those death threats?
Blaine: Well, hey, I didn't spend all those years playing Dungeons and Dragons and not learn a little something about courage.

The next one comes from another one of my favorite episodes, "Unusual Suspects" Season 5, Episode 1.

Langly: Elron the Druid bets 50! Cash only, Elron... no cheques for the bank of Middle Earth! Come on Natural 20. Daddy needs a new Sword of Wounding. [Byers and Frohike enter] What's the big idea of bringing the Nark in here?
Frohike: Me and the Nark have a proposition for you.
Langly: What proposition?
Frohike: The coolest hack in the world.
Elron the Druid: Lord Manhammer?!
Langly: Say it. Say it!
Frohike: [reluctantly] Your Kung-Fu is the best...

When the Lone Gunmen "died" in the series I rose a toast in my next D&D game to Lord Manhammer.

Friday Night Videos: Happy Birthday Paul Dini and Larry Elmore!

Today is the birthday of writer and producer Paul Dini!

If you spend anytime here at the Other Side you know I am a fan of Paul's work going all the way back to his days on "Masters of the Universe".

This week also saw the birthday of TSR Uber-artist Larry Elmore.  The man has made a career on drawing dark haired witchy women. He even talks about it here; "I've sort of been plagued with the image of a dark-haired, woodsy kind of woman - a witchy woman. She's always been on my mind, starting when I was about 22 or something. That's why I do a lot of witchy looking women"

So to celebrate the birthdays of the only people I know who likes magic girls and witches more than me.

We learn in Power Girl #23 that Zatanna's ring tone is "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" by the Police.  Quite appropriate I think. Especially since the very first Zatanna I ever did was titled "Zatanna, Every Little Thing She Does is Magic".  This is one of my favorite songs from Ghost in the Machine.




Steve Miller's "Abracadbra" is one of those songs that remind me of witches in general, but Zee in particular. I can't help but think that this song plays when Paul is writing or Larry is painting.




Zatanna meet Santana.   No relation.  But I am sure "Black Magic Woman" is not directed at you.  Interesting note, this song was actually an early Fleetwood Mac song.  This song appears on Santana's album Abraxas; the demon of magic and where we get the word Abrabcadbra.




Speaking of Witchy Women, no one describes them better than The Eagles.  Raven hair, Ruby lips. Sparks fly from her finger tips?  Yeah. That's my girl. Or Paul's. Or Larry's.




America is like the least Goth band on the planet.  Maybe only the Beach Boys are less dark.
But I love "You Can Do Magic".  Yet another song about a witchy woman.




No one really remembers Classic IV, but I do and their "Spooky".  Love a spooky girl..




Paul Dinin is not just known for his magic girls. In fact his biggest contribution to DC comics might be Harley Quinn. I could go on about her, but here is a video featuring Arleen Sorkin, the voice of Harley and the genesis of Harley Quinn.




Happy Birthday gentlemen!!

Kickstart Your Weekend: Ernest Gary Gygax Jr.'s Marmoreal Tomb

This was one of the big ones I was reading about at Gen Con last week.

Ernest Gary Gygax Jr.'s Marmoreal Tomb Campaign Starter
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1709227718/ernest-gary-gygax-jrs-marmoreal-tomb-campaign-star

Though it doesn't really need my support at this point, it is full of Original Old School street cred and even newer OSR Old School cred.

Frankly I like the idea that it will have addons to work with D&D 5 and White Star.

Personally I am looking forward to the Modern Horror and Castles & Crusades conversions too.

In any case this looks like a lot of fun.