***

Fogging in Elanthia

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

   Jypsies Library

Simutronics® is a registered trademark and service mark of Simutronics Corporation. all rights reserved.The GemStone® III game is copyright©1987-2002 Simutronics Corp.All rightsreserved.GemStone® is a registered trademark of Simutronics Corp. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2002 - Jypsie's Library  All Rights Reserved
Librarian: Jypsie

^ back to top

Escroll Jypsie