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#21
Deryni Magic / Re: Shape Changing Magic
Last post by DoctorM - July 10, 2025, 06:41:28 PM
I keep thinking...does shape-shifting change the physical shape, or just what others see? What sort of shadow does one cast? Can dogs and horses be fooled by shape-shifters? What happens if, say, someone like Christian in my stories-- 5'9, with an archer's build --tries to shape-shift into Alaric Morgan, who's 6'1 and built on a very different frame? What would others see?


Quote from: Bynw on July 10, 2025, 02:35:06 PMFor another example. I don't recall the names as I type. But the Camberian Council takes a page or squire for I believe Rhys-Michael when he is King and replaces this squire with Camber's grandson. Of course initially his is Blocked and shape changed into the form of the kidnapped page/squire.

So the human boy is already known to the royal household and his own family. Are there dogs that already know and like the boy?

Then he is kidnapped and replaced by a Blocked Deryni under a shape change. How do those dogs react? The Blocked Deryni can't use his powers until later on when he's more established and is unblocked.

It's just a fascinating concept on what Shape Change really does or doesn't do ...
 
#22
Forgotten Shadows / Re: Forgotten Shadows
Last post by revanne - July 10, 2025, 03:16:23 PM
Edwin and Aidan continued together through the town, and as they approached the Abbey church Edwin was relieved to see that a fair number were making their way into the church for Prime. He was thinking that it was surely odd for so many to be holy enough to rise before dawn and make their way to church rather than being content to say their prayers at home when Aidan broke into his thoughts,

"Folk are afeared wi' all the rumours flying aboot and seek comfort where they can. 'Twill mek it easier fer the twae o'us ta slip in. I'll gang t'the night stairs and join with the brethen." Edwin was touched by the young lad's attempt to sound brave, and even more touched when his facade cracking he clutched at Edwin's sleeve,
"Dinna forget wha'ye promised maister and speak fer me t' the Canon."

Edwin tried hard to pray during the short service, the more so since he had realised that he had no idea how he would fulfil his promise. He was very relieved to see that as the other monks filed out, Aidan went instead to kneel humbly before the Canon who looked down at his errant assistant with an expression which suggested that Aidan's fears of severe punishment were all too well-founded. Edwin fumbled inside his cotte with a hand suddenly become hot and sticky with sweat, took out the Bishop's commission, and then walked forward. As he approached the step which elevated the monks' choir from the nave he paused to genuflect to the presence lamp at the side of the altar, then with what he hoped sounded like assured confidence rather than brazen impudence said loudly,

"I beg your pardon, father, but I would intreat a moment of your time." The sound of his own voice seemed to echo horribly in the vaulted spaces of the nave and he inwardly blenched at what now seemed arrant stupidity. He had probably just ensured that Aidan was even more severely punished and he was hardly surprised to imagine he heard his father's voice say in exasperated tones "Will ye niver learn ta keep oot o' other folk's affairs."

His sense that he had messed up again was only confirmed when the Canon turned his severe gaze away from the now quaking Aidan and said in a voice of cold chill, "I would ask, young man, what should never need to be asked, that you refrain from intruding upon the sacred confession of a sinner. And if there is any way at all that you have any involvement in his sin, I recommend you betake yourself at once to humble and contrite confession on your own behalf."

#23
Deryni Magic / Re: Shape Changing Magic
Last post by Bynw - July 10, 2025, 02:35:06 PM

For another example. I don't recall the names as I type. But the Camberian Council takes a page or squire for I believe Rhys-Michael when he is King and replaces this squire with Camber's grandson. Of course initially his is Blocked and shape changed into the form of the kidnapped page/squire.

So the human boy is already known to the royal household and his own family. Are there dogs that already know and like the boy?

Then he is kidnapped and replaced by a Blocked Deryni under a shape change. How do those dogs react? The Blocked Deryni can't use his powers until later on when he's more established and is unblocked.

It's just a fascinating concept on what Shape Change really does or doesn't do ...
 
#24
Deryni Magic / Re: Shape Changing Magic
Last post by Evie - July 10, 2025, 01:19:49 PM
I'm not sure that Stefan/Rhydon would be the best example to use in this case, since Stefan was Deryni (otherwise he could not have served on the Camberian Council), so he would easily be able to use his Deryni gifts to calm any canine animosity towards a stranger. And of course, once the dogs were used to the newcomer's smell, no matter what he looked like, he would no longer be a stranger to them, so they wouldn't feel any need to bark at him after the first encounter or two.

(Re: your dogs barking at strangers even if they can't smell them, it's possible that they can smell them, even when just seeing them through a window and from a distance. A dog's sense of smell is much keener than ours. Though I'm not sure if barking would be the best indicator of non-recognition anyway. Some of the dogs I grew up with would bark if someone arrived at the door even if that person was well known to them and had been for years. Sometimes a bark just means "Hi! I'm excited to see you! Hey, there's someone at the door! Maybe he has food!"  ;D )
#25
Deryni Magic / Shape Changing Magic
Last post by Bynw - July 10, 2025, 12:58:31 PM
A topic came up in our game chat and I think it deserves a wider range of community involvement and thought. So the question concerns Shape Changing.

Deryni Magic clearly tells us that Shape Changing is both a combination of illusion and physical changes.

The subject must be roughly the same height and build in order to change into someone known. You cannot shape change a tall man into a dwarf. And there is no canon reference of any Deryni using Shape Change to take the shape of an animal or object.

These are the known limitations in the use of this fantastic power.

We can deduce that it changes the voice of the user as well. Otherwise everyone would have noticed that Alister sounds exactly like Camber. Or that Brother John sounded exactly like Evaine.

The question was raised, what about dogs? Dogs and other animals recognize people as friend or foe based on smell. (Some like crows and some insects due use sight to recognize others so they could be fooled.) But could a dog be fooled?

We have nothing in canon that states one way or the other. On this question. Now was it left out because dogs too are fooled or was it left out because the author didn't want to bother with it.

"Historically," we know that the time period presented across the novels did have a lot of dogs in use. Humans and Deryni kept dogs for hunting and guarding their homes. My dogs bark like crazy when they encounter someone that is not known to them. Even if they can't smell them.

We know that a Deryni wouldn't have any problem dealing with an animal that smells them as their true-self even though they look like someone else. A little rapport and the dogs will be eating out of your hand.

But we know that there have been cases when a Deryni has placed a Shape Change over someone else. A human or a blocked Deryni. Neither of these would be able to easily convince the dog.

Let's take for example Stefan Coram. He chanced on the opportunity to take the memories and shape of Rhydon of Eastmarch. And lived as him for many years. But when he first took the man's shape. He would have to go "home" to Eastmarch.

Did the Eastmarch dogs react to him as they would to their master Rhydon? Or did the smell an unfamiliar person and reacted negatively to him? Likewise, the same question arises when Stefan/Rhydon goes to Torenth and Wencit. Wencit's dogs may know the scent of Rhydon but does Stefan smell like Stefan or does the magic make him smell like Rhydon or nothing at all?

These and similar questions popped up the other day in chat and are now presented to the full community to discuss.
#26
The Legends of Camber of Culdi / Re: memes?
Last post by Bynw - July 08, 2025, 07:43:10 PM
#27
The Legends of Camber of Culdi / Re: memes?
Last post by DoctorM - July 08, 2025, 07:29:08 PM
Yes-- I'd love to see a section of memes!
#28
The Legends of Camber of Culdi / Re: memes?
Last post by Marc_du_Temple - July 08, 2025, 03:31:58 PM
Memes are always a welcome addition! I throw a few in on the discord where I feel they might be useful. A dedicated part of the forum might be even better.
#29
The Legends of Camber of Culdi / Re: memes?
Last post by Ronan - July 02, 2025, 09:36:14 PM
Quote from: tmcd on July 02, 2025, 06:40:02 PMIs it possible to insert an image from your own hard drive, or do you have to upload it to a site like Tumblr and then use "Insert an image" (which appears to accept only a URL)?

i found that i had to host it elsewhere and use the url!
#30
The Legends of Camber of Culdi / Re: memes?
Last post by tmcd - July 02, 2025, 06:40:02 PM
Is it possible to insert an image from your own hard drive, or do you have to upload it to a site like Tumblr and then use "Insert an image" (which appears to accept only a URL)?