Waystone Location Card

By valvorik, in WFRP House Rules

I don't believe there is a "location card" for a Waystone.

Wood Elf Cairn does not seem to have the right feel to be a Waystone.

Has anyone done such a thing, not necessarily the card simply "what are the effects of being near one?"

There are several types (using Realms of Sorcery basis):

Original Slann (Old One) set ones and then Elf-Dwarf cooperation-created ones from the golden age of their cooperation.

These together are the Great Network that feeds Ulthuan's Vortex.

Then there are the stones and henges built by humans who copied the style to mark burial sites and other important locations, sometimes still on ley lines.

For Great Network stones, I think minimally channelling magic is "far easier" (quoting RoS) so how about 2 Fortune Dice and One Success modifier.

I also think that, much as I love-love-love-marry-me-please miscasts, the "very purpose" of a Waystone in "grounding" magic would make them less likely (say count chaos stars as one less for miscast purposes only).

Particular sites could vary of course.

Of course, if you're an "old one" or otherwise using Rank 6 magic etc. you might once have been able to transport yourself along these but those paths are now dangerous etc. Teclis doesn't pop around this way so I don't think many other folks would be.

Any other thoughts?

I think someone did a scenario for this:

http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/105338/false-pretenses

..but the scenario was completed with only sketchy information on wfrp3 prior to the official release. There was no location card included...

Yes a strange someone with great insight into this setting....

It's a neat scenario with the time effects.

Though I admit the aspect of it where using it for long distance teleporting doesn't appeal to me.

Weelllll..........

You could assume that when the old ones stabilied the Warhammer world the use of ley lines may have been extremely common for them, more like "stargates" with a wormhole like effect to protect them, but with the sundering of the north and south gates it's more like a trip through the naked warp, hence it is no longer a viable travel means. Some of the slann may have the ability to make a "reality bubble" to protect them and still travel in such a way.

As for in game effects, perhaps you could double equilibrium and increase power recharge from a base of 1 to 2 within a certain range of them along with your other effects.

An extra point of free recharge, yes in addition to easier channelling roll. I don't think I would change Equilibrium though perhaps if "in contact" with a waystone one could "draw on it" at some risk of "overloading and burning out".

Ohhh..............

Here is a thought.

Don't change Equilibrium, but give non wizards one power every round they are too close to such locations and treat them as wizards for equilibrium and have them randomly discharge, but allow wizards to use them as battery sources for their spells.

For non-wizards, I treat getting "power" as a very bad thing, cf the 2nd Edition Brutal Finish, Realm of Sorcery, adventure in which people who get ability to contain power but not the ability to use it effectively become "time bombs" for some sort of badness.

I wouldn't have someone without the "gift" able to channel, be able to get power and wouldn't have them ill-affected by Waystones. The most I would do, narratively, is that a child conceived near such a location might have more chance to develop the gift of channelling, magical sight etc. The Belthani who celebrated festivals around them would treat children born of such celebrations as seers etc.

Well, I think you have pretty good idea how they work / about bonuses they could produce.

Basicly Waystones & Leylines are just like electric power transmission (power grid), but for the magic. And Waystones are the electric poles what channel the power/Aethyr forward. So, they probably cause also some magical effects to those close by, but the idea is to transport the energy. And that would be the "good" energy, not Dhar .

  • I would divide also the stones to two categories: greater stones (done by Old Ones and Elves and Dwarfs) and then the lesser stones (done by humans...etc.). And give little different bonuses. Both channel the energy of the Leylines, but greater stones are just much better in this.
  • No ill-effects, just "boost" to those with ability to use magic. And only those that can channel.
  • Idea, that could powerful stone cause some permanent to anyone spending long time close by? I would say yes. For example if Powerful waystone is buried somehow underground and village is build atop of it. It could cause some effects in time. Remember that Winds of Magic do cause their own effects and marks based on the wind. Nothing bad, but maybe much larger number of children with the "gift" than usually...

I use Siedi-stones in my Norsca-project. Idea is that they are probably part of the Leylines. Some Waystones build by Elven, others human-built henges (after original ones have been broken by the worshippers of the Dark Gods). Originally build to channel the Winds of Magic, not the Dhar , but later corrupted (as is Norsca). In my rules they produce (these lesser stones) Feel of Power -condition (new card). Those with Magical Sight can feel the strong flow of Aethyr. Add expert die to all Channelling & Spellcraft checks. But some (many) are corrupted and those using Dhar may gain even more powerful bonus.

Edited by jackdays

Yup to all you say above with one caveat.

In agreement, per Realm of Sorcery, dhar users like finding waystones because if they corrupt them/stop up the flow then dhar results, in their true working form they are of no use to dhar users.

I would make a distinction Old One - Elf/Dwarf - Human, putting the Old Ones higher up. This might simply mean the Old One-made waystones are far, far harder to mess with, alter etc.

Using the electricity grid it's sort of reverse, the Vortex is the power station (receiving not sending), Old One stones are the "substations" - from them flows the "high power stuff to the Vortex", the Elf/Dwarf ones are the service stations that step up power going to the Old Ones' key stones, whereas any human or other less stones are extension cords collecting trickles.

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