frgodfrey

I was not aware of the ability of playing solo at the time of my initial post, but now, through reading all the information offered by so many helpful people, I also think it will not be a problem. I can easily remember one or two abilities / spells per character, but more than that would bog me down. I just was afraid that a player would have to be skilled at magic-user multi-tasking to win, that's all. I am not a good multi-tasker.

Easily, weapon was made by man, magic is product of devil and thus evil. Still I would be interested how frgodfrey or his churche look on divine magic? (miracles or magic from god). How can someone decide if effect of magic is from God or from Satan? Please look at my post #61 where I have addressed the issue of good and bad "magic." I am sorry, I am still learning the mechanics of the forum and was not sure where to place it. As for Simon Magnus, if I remember correctly from my history, his goal was to make a material profit from the gospel and the miracles which the Apostles were performing, and so he was banished from their company with very harsh words. His name is where we get the term "Simony" which is the crime of buying positions in the church. The Early Church Fathers took a very dim view of him and considered him the origin of great evils. So he is not a good example for your position, baptized or not.

His abbey checks out. They're Premontrian Canons Regular. Canons are kind of like priests who live in a monastic order, so it's quite possible for a canon to refer to himself either as a priest or a monk in good faith. It's a slightly unusual arrangement though as in most orders it's one or the other, as I understand it anyway. The roles of a "monk" and priest are different in real life than in D&D. A monk is simply a person who took (at least) the 3 vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience and lives in community. That is their "vocation" in life and such people in modern times are simply referred to by the term "Religious." The priesthood is actually something of a lower order, it is the job (so to speak) that an ordained man fulfills. Both religious and secular people can be ordained priests: so you have religious (monk) priests (like Dominican, Franciscan, Benedictine, Norbertine and Carmelite priests) who are sometimes wearing a habit and are obedient to their religious superior, or you have secular priests (wearing black with the Roman collar) who do not take the vow of poverty and obey their local bishop. You are right, I am a Canon (a religious of a type who has the additional duty of singing the daily Breviary prayers in choir)

I am both. I am an ordained priest in a religious order. All the ancient orders also ordain their own priests.

I do not have a moral objection to using magic in games, but only an objection based on my personal efficiency in using spell-casters. I don’t think I will have a problem with “soul-generated powers” either, unless they are complicated to use. I used the phrase “real magic” for convenience sake, since the topic was “in-game spells” commonly referred to as magic. What is referred to as magic in games corresponds to preternatural activity in real life—that is, an activity whose cause is partially (with the addition of material substances) or fully outside the natural material order. Other common terms are “supernatural” or “miraculous.” Only a being that is not restricted by this material world’s natural laws is capable of producing preternatural activity. (Whether one believes in their existence or not is another matter, I am only giving the principles). As far as the Church can determine, the only such beings are God himself and the pure spiritual beings he created: angels (both good and those who fell from grace). Those are the only two sources—although the fallen angels (demons) try to convince their victims that they are some kind of “neutral” spirit or anything other than a demon (for obvious reasons). As a priest, I know of one exorcism personally where this is exactly what the victim was told and it was extremely difficult and time-consuming to convince the poor woman of the reality of her situation. After almost 2 years of counseling and a trip to the exorcist (who did not actually use the rite) she was finally freed. Because the good angels desire only what God desires, they do not act independently from him, and so their activity can be considered as an extension of God’s activity for the sake of simplicity. Therefore, such activity can never contradict God’s will in any way (unless one holds that God need not be perfect). By the process of elimination, if any preternatural activity can be shown to contradict God’s laws or revealed truths, the activity is demonic—including cases where some material good results (as in so-called “white magic”). Demons have a vast experience in how to spiritually ruin people, and they are not against making certain concessions to “the good” (especially a mere material good) for the sake of a greater spiritual gain for themselves later in the course of someone’s life.

Truly, I didn’t expect to have so many people respond, and even less the various tangents. They are all very interesting. Just to clarify my position, which I believe, is the position of the Church. It is not wrong or evil to use in-game magic (or in-game anything) except in very rare occasions where the player realizes that their using it would tempt them to indulge in what they believe is sinful behavior in real life. In other words, when they knowingly tempt themselves to do what they consider evil. Since this is largely subjective there really can be no general condemnation of a game’s content (except, perhaps, in extreme cases like pornography). That being said, I, personally, have no problem with in-game magic, and in fact, I plan to make full use of any magic items/weapons I find, because there is no detailed knowledge to remember for their use. From my considerable experience with very strict puritanical-types (and my superiors) I believe they have a problem with game-magic because they know almost nothing about games and identify game magic with the real thing. Their knowledge about games consists mostly of old shocking news stories where some violent act was linked to a game. That is far too incomplete a knowledge to base any judgments on. My superiors have no interest or time to learn about games, and since they are at least partially responsible for me (because I took the 3 traditional vows) their default attitude is one of suspicion—but given their responsibility, I can understand that. (I suppose it's not much different than a conscientious parent of a teenage girl). In reading the replies, it seems that I will be able to play and finish the game without employing a magic-user if I don’t feel up to that particular challenge. That was my main question/request and so I am at ease about the matter. Thank you all very much for taking the time to reply. Dare I say, “God bless you?”

Thank you all for your comments. I realize actions done in games are not the same as real life. However, consider that a person’s character (in real life) is a product of choices. Although in-game choices result only in fictional actions, nevertheless, I believe (since all choices exercise the will) they still contribute to our character, for good or for ill—although probably not enough to influence a person in reality, if they are psychologically stable. I consider myself psychologically stable and so feel no qualms about in-game killing bad guys. In any case, the question of employing magic (as far as my superiors are concerned) is not so much a matter of its actual influence in the game, or even on me, but rather, my superiors’ pre-existing attitude toward magic and playing games in general—as well as the mood they happen to be in at the moment (all of which tend to be negative). Under this aspect, killing game characters or belonging to an in-game cult probably wouldn’t sit well with them either, as Heresiarch and Leo rightly pointed out. (and they would probably be alarmed that I am agreeing with a “Heresiarch” ) However, I am under no obligation to inform my superiors about such details, and so I will simply avoid the issue by not talking about it around them. The more pressing reason for my request, to be honest, is that I wouldn’t be comfortable with a game where I needed to remember a lot of details about spell effects or have to constantly look them up. I don’t have much time to play games and would like to spend the time actually playing, rather than looking up limitations and deciding what to cast. I know that is enjoyable for many gamers, but not for me. If I can play the game and win without being slowed down by my poor memory, it would be more fun for me and I would finish it. Is there no one else out there who would like the ability to play the game using limited-magic if you wanted to?

I have never written in a forum before, so please pardon any mistakes I may make here. I am a monk (a real one) and have played some games in the past and enjoyed them. I saw this project Eternity and donated to its completion because it seems like the type of game I used to enjoy. I read your updates and see that you are at a stage in development where a request may still be taken into consideration. Could you make it possible to play and win the game without employing a magic-user? I am able to play games only occasionally and I find remembering spells and how to use them difficult from session to session (as opposed to simple slashing/stabbing weapons). Another reason for the request is that my superiors don't care much for computer games in general, but a computer game that forces one to use magic (which in real life, always has ties to the diabolic) they would simply not allow. I would get in trouble if they catch me, for sure. Thank you for reading my post and perhaps considering my request. PS: If you have a place in the game where Gregorian-style chant would be an appropriate addition, my abbey would probably let you record them during their prayers (we sing in both English and Latin). It is St Michael's Abbey, not far from your offices.