The magic 8 ball is a popular toy that is often used as a fortune-telling device. It consists of a hollow plastic sphere that contains a 20-sided die with various answers printed on it. When a question is asked, the user shakes the ball and then turns it upright to reveal one of the answers through a small window on the bottom. Despite its innocent appearance, the magic 8 ball can sometimes be used disrespectfully. Some people may use it to mock or belittle others by asking questions that are meant to be hurtful or offensive. This can include questions about someone's appearance, intelligence, or abilities.
"You want to earn money for some work?"
"Na, I think I'll go risk my life and take gold of the dead bodies of my enemies. It'll be less troublesome."
I ve already played quite a bit with the implications of diamonds and rubies of certain specific sizes and GP values being in demand for specific things such as fueling resurrection spells, or the cost in manning ruby mines for a city to retool from gas to magical Continual Flame lighting - what distances gems have to travel, who appraises them, who has the market cornered, how security arrangements for the mines and caravans and storehouses are handled, the extent to which this is actually the impetus for conflicts over rich mining lands, and so on. As you have probably experienced, when you know in your heart you want something, and you want it bad, really, really bad, it often seems to come true.
This can include questions about someone's appearance, intelligence, or abilities. Using the magic 8 ball in this way is not only disrespectful, but it also goes against the spirit of the toy. The magic 8 ball was designed to provide a bit of fun and entertainment, not to be used as a tool for mockery or humiliation.
[any] Precious Metals and Gems as Universal Spell Components and Magic Conductors (1 Viewer)
Something that interferes with my immersion into D&D and similar settings is all this treasure and gold floating around, with monsters in forlorn dungeons and remote wilderness lairs hoarding it. Dragons are a conspicuous examples of this, but even illithids and ogres often have some coinage on them. The idea that all these creatures from radically different societies and mindsets would all use the gold standard for trade is a bit of a stretch. But there has to be some reason they're all collecting it, right?
So simply say that gemstones, gold, silver, copper, and platinum have mystical properties.
Gold and gems can be consumed in place of spell components to power spellcasting. Wizards and other casters often seek out components anyway, just so they don't have to burn precious gold and gems, but these precious resources are good backups for when one doesn't have eye of newt, crystal rods, bitumen, or whatever. Gold consumed during casting turns into magically inert lead. (People pursue the fabled Alchemist's Stone to reverse this transmutation, and to turn lead back into gold.)
Silver has its own mystical properties, as it's proof against lycanthropes and some other monsters. Copper conducts heat and electricity, and can be used as components for such spells; in addition to this limited usage, copper is greatly inefficient for such purposes, and is thus used as a last resort. Copper consumed during spellcasting turns to lead.
These metals, in addition to assisting active spellcasting, have a general mystical properties for certain highly magical creatures. Some creatures like dragons and xorn hoard gems and precious metals, and bask in their mystical energies to promote growth and healing. The effect is subtle, but benefits these creatures over time. Consider this effect to the be a sort of mild radiation with positive instead of negative effects.
All this increases the value of gems and precious metals in high fantasy settings. It makes more sense that creatures that don't trade with civilized peoples would still collect and trade gems, gold, and the like. Mystical creatures directly benefit from having them. Meanwhile, even those that don't have direct uses for treasure would find it handy to have gold to placate dangerous spellcasting creatures like dragons and necromancers.
Of special note is lead, which is mystically inert and actively suppresses magic and spellcasting. It's also toxic if consumed, but can be handled safely. Some have used lead to create armor, to improve their chances of resisting magic. However, lead is notoriously soft and heavy (making it a very poor armor material for other purposes), and merely coating a harder metal in lead doesn't confer anti-magic properties. Lead amulets and so forth provide negligible benefits, if any at all, but canny merchants sell such trinkets to the gullible and desperate.
I'm confident this has been done before, but it occurred to me that this may be a useful way to justify all the treasure floating around in fantasy settings, as well as giving player characters more reason to seek it out.
Oedipus Dex
Validated User
Validated UserThe 3e Magic of Faerun book had something like this. Different gemstones added special bonuses to damage dice, DC difficulties, etc when used in magical item construction. It was super neat and something that I never got to use in a game because our games never reached those points.
vitruvian
Validated User
Validated UserSomething that interferes with my immersion into D&D and similar settings is all this treasure and gold floating around, with monsters in forlorn dungeons and remote wilderness lairs hoarding it. Dragons are a conspicuous examples of this, but even illithids and ogres often have some coinage on them. The idea that all these creatures from radically different societies and mindsets would all use the gold standard for trade is a bit of a stretch. But there has to be some reason they're all collecting it, right?
So simply say that gemstones, gold, silver, copper, and platinum have mystical properties.
Gold and gems can be consumed in place of spell components to power spellcasting. Wizards and other casters often seek out components anyway, just so they don't have to burn precious gold and gems, but these precious resources are good backups for when one doesn't have eye of newt, crystal rods, bitumen, or whatever. Gold consumed during casting turns into magically inert lead. (People pursue the fabled Alchemist's Stone to reverse this transmutation, and to turn lead back into gold.)
Silver has its own mystical properties, as it's proof against lycanthropes and some other monsters. Copper conducts heat and electricity, and can be used as components for such spells; in addition to this limited usage, copper is greatly inefficient for such purposes, and is thus used as a last resort. Copper consumed during spellcasting turns to lead.
These metals, in addition to assisting active spellcasting, have a general mystical properties for certain highly magical creatures. Some creatures like dragons and xorn hoard gems and precious metals, and bask in their mystical energies to promote growth and healing. The effect is subtle, but benefits these creatures over time. Consider this effect to the be a sort of mild radiation with positive instead of negative effects.
All this increases the value of gems and precious metals in high fantasy settings. It makes more sense that creatures that don't trade with civilized peoples would still collect and trade gems, gold, and the like. Mystical creatures directly benefit from having them. Meanwhile, even those that don't have direct uses for treasure would find it handy to have gold to placate dangerous spellcasting creatures like dragons and necromancers.
Of special note is lead, which is mystically inert and actively suppresses magic and spellcasting. It's also toxic if consumed, but can be handled safely. Some have used lead to create armor, to improve their chances of resisting magic. However, lead is notoriously soft and heavy (making it a very poor armor material for other purposes), and merely coating a harder metal in lead doesn't confer anti-magic properties. Lead amulets and so forth provide negligible benefits, if any at all, but canny merchants sell such trinkets to the gullible and desperate.
I'm confident this has been done before, but it occurred to me that this may be a useful way to justify all the treasure floating around in fantasy settings, as well as giving player characters more reason to seek it out.
Gems at least, especially diamonds and rubies, are often already the canonical required material components anyway for a lot of the most desired higher level spells. I've already played quite a bit with the implications of diamonds and rubies of certain specific sizes and GP values being in demand for specific things such as fueling resurrection spells, or the cost in manning ruby mines for a city to retool from gas to magical (Continual Flame) lighting - what distances gems have to travel, who appraises them, who has the market cornered, how security arrangements for the mines and caravans and storehouses are handled, the extent to which this is actually the impetus for conflicts over rich mining lands, and so on.
Extending some of this to gold in and of itself could be interesting, although I might be inclined to make it specific to gold from certain specific hoards and other sources, more like the Rheingold than what you can get out of any old mine.
Silver has its own mystical properties, as it's proof against lycanthropes and some other monsters. Copper conducts heat and electricity, and can be used as components for such spells; in addition to this limited usage, copper is greatly inefficient for such purposes, and is thus used as a last resort. Copper consumed during spellcasting turns to lead.
It is important to remember to use the magic 8 ball responsibly and considerately. The toy should be used in a way that respects others and their feelings. If someone feels uncomfortable or offended by a question, it is best to apologize and refrain from asking similar questions in the future. In conclusion, while the magic 8 ball can be a fun and entertaining toy, it should not be used disrespectfully. It is important to consider the feelings of others when using the toy and to avoid asking hurtful or offensive questions. By using the magic 8 ball responsibly, we can ensure that everyone can enjoy its playful nature without being subject to disrespectful behavior..
Reviews for "Beyond Innocence: The Disrespectful Magic 8 Ball's Impact on Divination Culture"
- Sarah - 1 star -
I was really disappointed with the "Disrespectful magic 8 ball". Instead of providing insightful and funny responses, it was just plain rude and offensive. I bought it as a gag gift for a friend, but I ended up feeling embarrassed and regretful. The disrespectful remarks it gave were inappropriate and crossed the line. I would not recommend this product to anyone who is looking for a light-hearted and enjoyable experience.
- John - 2 stars -
I had high expectations for the "Disrespectful magic 8 ball" based on the positive reviews, but unfortunately, it fell short. While some may find the sarcastic and disrespectful responses amusing, I found them to be annoying and repetitive. It quickly lost its novelty and became more of an annoyance than a source of entertainment. The concept may have the potential to be funny, but the execution in this case was lacking. I would advise seeking alternative options for a more satisfying and enjoyable magic 8 ball experience.
- Emily - 1 star -
The "Disrespectful magic 8 ball" was a total waste of money. Its responses were not only disrespectful but also downright mean-spirited. I wasn't expecting a perfect moral compass, but the level of derogatory and offensive remarks was unacceptable. It ruined the fun of using a magic 8 ball for me and left me feeling disappointed and regretful. I cannot recommend this product to anyone who values respect and decency in their entertainment.