Magical Protection for Households and Settlements

[sdavies2720]

The thread on Sorcerous Restraints at http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=46809&start=0 got me thinking about a concept I used for another campaign: Home Stones that provided protection to allies in their area.

What I'm thinking: a simple ritual that empowers the stone, which is then buried at the site. Everyone who pledges to protect the stone and its area, gets Protection.

Power of the stone depends on the number of pledges:
Homestead: 1 point of Protection
Hamlet: 2 points
Village: 3 points
Town: 4 points
City: 5 points

Has anyone tried something like this? How do you think the power levels would work -- would 5 points overall completely unbalance magic?

Certainly one effect would be to make magic in the city more difficult -- mages would have to put more power into penetration. The rule could be tuned by allowing this to stack or not with other spells, and maybe allow short-term pledges to protect for visitors. And certainly, one could reduce the protection, or just have it be 1 point no matter what.

Steve

 

[soltakss]

I like the idea of Home Stones - they could fit into virtually any culture quite easily.

In fact, they would also fit nicely with the idea of a Wyter, Clan Spirit or even a City God.

Presumably the Protection bonus gained could be virtually any spell or effect?

That way, the effect would apply to everyone within the range of the Home Stone who is part of the ritual/clan/city/whatever.