Author:  Richard STAATS at LMI
Date:    9/22/94  2:10 PM
Priority: Normal
Subject: Re: Continued..
------------------------------- Message Contents -------------------------------
     Tewks,
     
        Balinor has had a chance to do some basic glossing of the Book of 
     Infinite Spells.  He can generally see categories of spells, but it 
     would take decades to really start to grasp the book in its fullness.  
     Remember that Nigilranthrib had the book for centuries, and he was an 
     arch-mage prior to obtaining the Book.  Even at that Nigilranthrib 
     enhanced his abilities, but he was not quite ready for demi-god 
     status.  
     
        Balinor has found that possession of the book seems to fill him 
     with a sense of POWER!  Balinor feels like he could cast spells all 
     day long.  
     
        Balinor sees a pattern to the spells one can cast too.  They are 
     related to structures.  The structures appear dimly connected to what 
     the party has referred to as Runes up till now.  There appears to be a 
     basic structure that the Runes interface with.  Oddly enough, none of 
     the Runic structures mentioned in the Book have Chaos, Void, Man, Law, 
     Dragon-Newt, etc. in them.  The reason this is odd is that Balinor 
     knows spells that allude to these constructs.  However, Balinor is 
     able to see how to use these Runic structures within the context of 
     some of the spells within the book.  For example, Balinor learned how 
     to substitute Plant for Disorder in a spell listed in the Book, and 
     Balinor believes that rather than causing a disruption spell, the 
     variant will make the effected portion of the body turn green for a 
     time.  Hmmmmm....  
     
        It would appear that a total mastery of the Runes of Magic, Mastery 
     and Infinity are enough to perform any type of magical feat.  The 
     other Runes provide a support structure for these, i.e. they focus the 
     spells for a particular manifestation.  
     
        Balinor flipped through the Book before reading each section in 
     detail, and the final sections deal with creation of new associations 
     (read that creation of Runes).  It also appears that in addition to 
     creating Runic constructs, spell casting involves identification of 
     one as being ``worthy'' of causing the desired effect.  Some spell 
     effects seem dependent on who you are. To some extent, rituals are a 
     process of creating the aura of one worthy to create the effect; this 
     allows the magic to be cast.  There are phrases or thought patterns 
     associated with Runes and combinations of Runes.  These patterns 
     appear to be tiered.  
     
        The functioning of the World Machine appears to be connected with 
     the possibility of performing certain types of spells.  Invocation of 
     the True Runes was not possible until the World Machine was assembled. 
     Greater or lesser feats were possible depending on to what extent the 
     World Machine was repaired and access to the True Runes was available. 
     Now, nearly anything appears to be possible.  When the great beings 
     cast spells, they invoke the True Runes so directly that their images 
     glisten in the air before the spell caster.
     
        Balinor shudders when he realizes that this is the second time that 
     Zhalindor has endured this.  Something in his ponderings on the 
     construction of the World Machine and the capability of performing 
     magical feats is registering in Balinor's mind . . . it is a little 
     hazy at the moment, but Balinor is starting to get an idea why someone 
     might have wanted to disassemble the World Machine to begin with.
     
        Hope this helps,
        
        In service,
     
        Rich
     
     PS You are free to share any of this you desire with the other PCs.