Introduction:
At the request of a good friend of mine, I present
this Guide to Fogging. It is as accurate as I am able to make it. If you
notice any errors or see that I have left out important details, please let
me know.
Update 4/14/98: General editing and addition of Pinefar
info.
What is "Fogging?"
"Fogging" is a colloquialism for a teleportation spell.
The term is derived from the in-game description of the Transference spell
(225): "A silvery fog dissipates to reveal [player]." The term fogging, however,
is currently applied to all forms of teleportation.
There are two main types of fogging, fogging "to"
a person and fogging "back" to a safe place.
To fog "to" someone means for one player to teleport
themself to another player's position. It is accomplished using the Transferrence
spell (225). You must specify a target (a player's name) when casting the
spell. Transferrence can only teleport one person at a time (the
caster).
To fog "back" means to fog "home" or to another (ideally)
safe location from the field. There are several ways to accomplish this.
One is the Spirit Guide spell (130); this spell fogs the caster and anyone
in his or her group to the North Gate, when in Wehnminers. Another method
of fogging "back" is the Voln Symbol of Return; this works essentially the
same wasy as Sprit Guide, but returns the group to the Voln Courtyard. The
"other" society has a fogging "back" sign as well, but it only works for
the person using the sign, it does not affect members of his or her group.
It returns the person alone to that place in town where they hang out.
There are three other types of fogging, the "node"
fogging, the "inn" fogging, and the Wizard "Gate."
"Node" fogging is accomplished using the Minor Elemental
spell (450) or the Song of Mana Streaming (1050). It works much like the
Spirit Guide spell except it teleports the caster and his or her group to
the nearest mana focus. Bards have a special version of "node" fogging in
the Song of Mana Streaming, where not only will it transport the Bard and
his or her group to the nearest mana focus, but subsequent casts will transfer
the group between mana foci! Kinda nifty if ya ask me!
"Inn" fogging is accompished by a Bard singing the
Traveller's Song (1020). It will transport the bard and his or her group
to the nearest Inn (Thraak, Wayside, etc.) and will occasionally bring them
to the Abandoned Inn (considered a spell failure). It may also occasionally
cause injury to the singer and/or members of his or her group.
The Wizards' Familiar Gate spell (930) is a spell
that creates a portal that players may step into ("go mist") and be teleported
to a location designated by the caster. The caster sends his or her familiar
to the location or person to which he or she wants to fog. The spell is cast,
and a portals open simultaneously at the location of the caster and of the
familiar. Whomever wishes to fog to the location of the familiar or caster
simply steps into the portal and is teleported. The portal closes once the
caster steps through it, so any guests must go through first. Due to the
risks involved with casting this spell (due to backfires) this spell is
affectionately known as "Death's Gate."
Caveats:
There are some places where fogging will not work
as well as others. "Magical dead zones," as they are called, interfere with
the fogging process and will in most cases prevent the fogging in to or out
of that area. Basically, fogging will work anywhere the "gold rings" work.
Some of these dead zones can be fogged "back" from, but cannot be fogged
out "to." See the list below for some examples.
Known abnormalitites of fogging spells and
symbols:
For all of the following locations, the Transferrence
spell will not work. What people do is typically go to a foggable location
just outside the dead zone and act as a target for the fogger. The fogging
"back" spells and symbols do work from these locations though.
Darkstone: usual target area is at the Pool
Reiver Settlement: usual target area is at the bottom
of the mountainside
Fire Cats, Fire Rats, and Striped Warcats: usual target
area is the Promontory
Any House, Guild, or Societial Hall: usual target
area is the courtyard for that particular building
Tables at any Inn: can only be fogged to if there
is only one person at the table and that person is dead.
Many shrines are also in this category.
Many locations in town are in this category too, including
the Bank, the Healer's Tent, and all shops.
Stonehold, Black Swan Castle, and the "trip" to Stonehold
are in this category.
It should be noted that once a person is inside the
dead zone, they in most cases can use Transferrence to another location inside
that dead zone sucessfully. The exception is Darkstone; you cannot use
Transferrence in or around Darkstone at all.
Deep under the Graveyard is it's own special case.
Once you get past Moaners and enter Pookas, you are in an isolated universe.
Transferance works normally when the target is also in the lower Graveyard
areas. Spirit Guide will still transport the caster and his or her group,
but will transport them to "the ledge" instead of back to town. Voln Symbol
of Return will only transport the user to the ledge, not the entire group.
I am not sure how other methods of teleportation behave under the GY.
The trip from Icemule to Wehnimers is another dead
zone. Once someone passes the chasm coming from the glacier or the tree when
coming from Icemule, they have entered the dead area. Like other dead zones,
once inside the area, one may use Transferrence normally. The Voln Symbol
of return takes the user, but not the group, to one of three locations within
the dead zone, depending on where the spell is cast from. Voln Symbol of
Return will only return the user to the same locations as 130 does.
In Pinefar, 130 transports the group to the Greatroom
in the Pinefar Trading Post. Voln Symbol of Return returns the group to the
Bar one west of the Greatroom. Transferrence works normally in Pinefar.
Other Comments:
Realize that the fogging spells are pretty high up
on the spell lists, and except for the two bard fogging songs, they are all
in different spell circles. What this means that players usually must be
in their 40's (at least) to be able to both fog "out" and "back." What clerics
and empaths (the only professions able to learn both 130 and 225) do is shoot
for one full-force, then learn the other full-force later. Clerics tend to
learn 225 first, while empaths tend to learn 130 first. (In my opinion of
course) Clerics and empaths who are in the Order of Voln use the Symbol of
Return to get both methods of fogging at an earlier age then they might
otherwise. They usually go for 225 to fog "out" to the ones in peril and
use the Symbol of Return to bring them to a safe place to heal and
raise.
The implementation of the Major Sanctuary (220) spell
will help considerably those clerics and empaths who know 225 but not 130.
By using 225 to get to the needy person and ushering that person into the
caster's group, the rescuer can cast 220 which will teleport the caster and
their group to an extra-dimensional "sanctuary." The sanctuary cannot be
entered once cast, so the people are safe despite low spirit or health.
Also realize that fogging both "out" and "back" (using
the spells) in the same rescue mission uses at least 55 mana, which is quite
a bit; so send mana to your rescuers if you are able, or tip them well in
addition to the tip you would normally give for their healing or raising
services. Those who fog you out using the Voln Symbol of Return are burning
hard-earned favor to evacuate you, so be appreciative of them too. They must
kill six undead of the same level as themselves (known as SLKs) to make up
for the favor lost from one Symbol of Return.
~ Ambriana