[Elric] - Question about learning Witch Sight

[Kamelion]

After reading the Elric of Melnibone main rulebook, I had assumed that Witch Sight could be learned by any sorcerer as part of his general magical training. After all, it's not listed as being taught by any cult in that book.

However, I'm currently reading Bright Shadows (cool book, btw!) and in this book it mentions that the Melnibonean cult of Arioch teach Witch Sight. No other cult mentions it.

Now I am wondering if Arioch's Melnibonean cult is the only one that teaches the Witch Sight skill. After all, page 44 of the main rulebook mentions that sorcery skills should be chosen from those listed under the character's cult. Is it the intention that only members of Arioch's Melnibonean cult can learn Witch Sight (surely not)? Or is it the idea that Arioch's Melnibonean cult allows its members to pay to be trained in that skill (as per the cult training rules on page 96 of the main rulebook? This latter makes more sense to me, as it allows any character to learn the skill, but gives members of Arioch's Melnibonean cult an edge in receiving paid training, should they so desire.

Any input appreciated .

 

[Vagabond]

In the Chaosium version of the game, Witch Sight was a skill only the
Melnibonean's possessed. I suspect the same holds true, and only
the Cult of Arioch on Melnibone teaches the skill to Melniboneans.

Of course, Loz and Charles can correct me if I'm wrong.

BTW, hi Mark - I'm also known as Ian at Multiverse

-V

 

[Kamelion]

In the Chaosium version of the game, Witch Sight was a skill only the
Melnibonean's possessed. I suspect the same holds true, and only
the Cult of Arioch on Melnibone teaches the skill to Melniboneans.

Of course, Loz and Charles can correct me if I'm wrong.

Cool, thanks for the info. That's a useful perspective from the older games - I never played those (although I did pick up a couple of supplements here and there.)

BTW, hi Mark - I'm also known as Ian at Multiverse

-V

Oh, hi Ian . I haven't been by multiverse.org in a while, except for the other day when I saw that there were about 3,000 new posts from the old Sporting Club Square Q&A archives! They'll make for some fun re-reading if I ever have a spare month or two, lol...

 

[Loz]

Wirch Sight needs to be bought as part of character creation if you're creating a sorcerer. It can be learnt as any new advanced skill when improving a character, if a teacher can be found, but it is a very rare skill that, as you point out, isn't taught by any of the standard YK cults in the main rules. Cults of the Young Kingdoms, which will be coming out next year, may expand on this.

In general Witch Sight isn't something found outside Melnibone. It only gains one mention in the Elric Saga and even Elric doesn't employ it to any great degree, which is why it doesn't figure highly in the cult write ups - save for the Imrryrian Arioch Cult.

 

[Kamelion]

Thanks Loz That all makes perfect sense now.

 

[havercake lad]

In general Witch Sight isn't something found outside Melnibone. It only gains one mention in the Elric Saga and even Elric doesn't employ it to any great degree, which is why it doesn't figure highly in the cult write ups - save for the Imrryrian Arioch Cult.

I agree that the sorcerors of the saga percieve supernatural forces etc often invisible to normal mortals.
As a rough house rule I assume cultists and scholars can use their lore skill to try to recognise the subtler manifestations of elementals etc
Re witch sight in the chronicals. I know of two specific examples where the talent is named ~
Elric senses the deamon Quaolnargh 'with the witch-sight of his forefathers before he saw it with his eyes' (The Stealer of Souls )
Also in 'The White Wolf's Son'
'Elric , summoning some of his old witch-sight, did his best to read the air around the giant [ferris] wheel. it was agitated, possibly populated. He thought he saw other shapes, perhaps even outlines of other cities. looking around he could tell that only the great wheel had an unusual quality'.

 

[havercake lad]

Whoops should read

As a rough house rule I assume cultists and scholars can use their lore skill if they hold a relevant pact to try to recognise the subtler manifestations of elementals etc .