How does Thief display themes of Magic?

Moon Hoplite on 10/3/2009 at 15:31

Well the only thing that I see which is close to magic is:

The special arrows (which are crystals, more scientific than pure magic).

The creatures, undead theme and monsters.

A few Eastern mages and priests, who throw a few spells.

The gods and deities i guess.

I think it is more about fairly tales and myths, rather than magic. What do you guys think? Is there anything which can support the presence of magic in thief?

JonesCrusher on 10/3/2009 at 15:44

Portals?

Poesta on 10/3/2009 at 16:10

- Fonts blessed by Hammerite priests
- Street lights with their own power supply
- Necromancer in LotP
- Seal on the haunted cathedral
- Fire elementals

That's all I can think of right now

Nielsen74 on 10/3/2009 at 18:31

Keeper Glyphs

Weasel on 10/3/2009 at 18:34

Some of the things that most closely align with "magic" specifically would be:

As you said already, there are people throwing spells

Potions

Constantine's ritual

Aside from that, are you trying to say that fairy tale and myth themes are entirely separate from magic? I don't think they are. And why could't it be a little bit of each anyway?

Zechs Zero on 10/3/2009 at 19:07

There's lots of magic architecture, like the statues which can kill you in the bonehoard if you stand in front of them. Also, the books hint at much more in the world than you can actually see in the game.

Herr_Garrett on 10/3/2009 at 19:30

Pagan, Hammerite, Mechanist and Keeper magics are wholly distinct.

Pagan magic harnesses the power of nature (to my mind, at least), and through nature's powers it strengthens nature (the greenses in Fort Ironwood, e.g.), and natural life (the Maw, with the creatures inside).

Hammerite magic - what we see of it - is either destructive or goes with blessings, if those could be called magic. Altough methinks that only a "select" few use magic within the Order of the Hammer.

Mechanist magic is apparently either necromancy or used to make their impossible creations - the Builder's Children - possible.

Keeper magic and Glyphs... The forum is full of discussion about that. :p

jtr7 on 10/3/2009 at 19:36

The Trickster.
Viktoria.
Gamall.
Shapeshifting.
High Priests. Builder's Chisel. Holy Symbol. Lunar Pool.
Blue Flames (not the gaslights).
Elementals. Fire Shadows.
Glyphs with a will of their own.
The Sentients/Artifatcs/Relics/Soul Stones (five Keepers sacrificed to make the blood pact with them): The Eye, The Chalice, The Heart, The Crown, The Jacknall's Paw.
Pools of water that defy gravity without effect on anything else.
The Trickster slashing a rift in the fabric of space.
Garrett's eye fusing and mineralising to The Eye.
The Trickster's Ritual.
The Horn of Quintus.
The Masked Servants.
The Elemental Talismans and Elemental Wards, which keep The Eye contained.
The word "magic" used by magic-wielders in private writings:
Trickster's Dark Project:[INDENT] "The world as I once knew it was a place of magic - full of mystery and inhabited by creatures of glamour and terror."[/INDENT]
M6RAKEL:[INDENT]"Rakel's Tome of Magic, Introduction

It is the erudite practitioner of magic who, in these days of pseudo-wizards carelessly wielding enchanted materials, retains the secrets of commanding the powerful sorcery found in the world of nature. For it was from listening to the hidden whispers of ancient oaks, of creeping vines, of desert sandstone pillars, that civilized people first learned the abstruse ways of magic."[/INDENT]
Archmage Tatyana's flowers: [INDENT]"Compendium of Natural Magic, Chapter 15
Tatyana's Flowers

These flowers grow primarily in the icy mountain caves of the Esse range. By way of defense, they have evolved a method of warming and swirling the magical energy of the sentient plants and rocks discussed in the last chapter, lulling them to sleep. The flowers are named after archemage Tatyana Yokobik who pioneered their use in the temporary negation of magical spells and systems."[/INDENT]
M11BCKGD:[INDENT]"Though these be perhaps the final moments of our beloved cathedral and mine mortal life, I shall faithfully chronicle to the end. A great evil magic hath befallen us, and we battle with demon-kind on all sides. Our own fallen brethren rise from death and turn on us, cold light aflame in their eyes. Our mighty doors availed us naught, for the assault was from within. Soon I shall be found and slain, like the others. May The Builder save our souls."[/INDENT]
OQburiedseedletter:[INDENT]"Brother Severence- 'Tis gone from bad to worse! We managed to bury the body - finally! But the graveyard hast become quite o'ergrown with plants of all types. No manner of ax nor blade can halt their unnatural growth. We fear 'tis Pagan magics. But we know not how they accomplished it! Do please advise us, if thou hast any idea how to proceed. Most vexedly,
Brother Archibald"[/INDENT]
OQzombieletter2:[INDENT]"Brother Archibald Thou didst right in contacting me. As for the woman and her departed sibling, 'tis unlikely they art as pious as presented. For, to be sure, thou art sorely besieged with Trickster magics.
There is no remedy, save checking the area for any Pagan Shamans. Beware, these cursed purveyors of the Trickster's enchantments art dangerous indeed. Only a Shaman wouldst have the power to have set upon thee the plague of undead thou hast suffered.
I will pray thee finds the offending Shaman soon, and bringest unto him most forcefully, the teachings of the Builder. Brother Severence"[/INDENT]
The events of the first St. Edgar's Eve.
The Pagan Cornerstones.
The Pagan Cocoon.
Noah Jerm's "magic" lenses.
Vine Arrows "Produced by Viktoria's magic (and brought to the city via the proper bribes)"
Magic missiles, those purple energy bolts, spat by a spider.
Objective: "Use Dyan's magic amulet to open the Pump House"
Dyan's staff and wand, Pagan Shamans wands and the Necromancer's Wand, the Pagan Sapling, the Trickster's flower sprouting from the Shaman's blood, the spontaneous growth during the first meeting with Constantine.
Builder's Blessing and Pagan Blessing.
Healing Fonts.
The Cradle, the Cradle's memories, the Cradle's past, the Puppets and Staff, Lauryl's fate.
The Abysmal Gale's successful return to port, and mysterious departure.

PAGhamstatue:[INDENT]"Woodbine- Bes you not touch the ruby Hammer Statuette you founded in them ruined factory wall. Bes it fullsy of Hammerhead magics and poison."[/INDENT]

Quote:

PagDyanLarkspur_001000: m03c0201: How bes it done?
PagDyanLarkspur_002000: m03c0202: First, Dyan, Priestess of Wood, givers enchantment, and beset them minds....
PagDyanLarkspur_003000: m03c0203: Yes?
PagDyanLarkspur_004000: m03c0204: Then the manfools, thinker they bes acting of them own free will, does whatever we wants...
PagDyanLarkspur_005000: m03c0205: Ha, stupid weaksy manfools. And then?
PagDyanLarkspur_006000: m03c0206: Then, after the magics wear off, the damage bes done, and if there bes a problem....
PagDyanLarkspur_007000: m03c0207: Larkspur seals them deal with more other...persuasions....
PagDyanLarkspur_008000: m03c0208: Yeah, or he bes just kills them.

Quote:

OQHammerClockReaction_003000: m14c0403: This act bears the mark of the Pagans....
OQHammerClockReaction_004000: m14c0404: Verily, but how? No herby magics have that power! And what didst they hope to accomplish?

THE GLYPHS (a fraction of what all the Glyphs are seen or heard to do):
The aging effect of interpreting glyph prophecies.
Terminus animus. Awake!

AULdaegarbook:[INDENT]"Chronicles of Daegar: Epilogue
Imagine our great excitement at finding the new glyph. Somersault was the first to discover its secrets. But it wasn't long before our excitement grew to concern, then fear. Fear for the future, fear that the glyph could fall into the hands of an unbalanced mind. For we Keepers are human, and humans have weaknesses. With no way to destroy it, we enshrined it, sealed it with all manner of glyphs, and have set down these words to speak to the future. Do not heed the call of the Glyph of Transmutation - the glyph that can be used to steal another's form. Do not seek to unlock the seals that hold it. Let it sit, forever unused. And most of all, may balance be with us, the four entrusted with this terrible knowledge, task, and burden. Signed,
Keepers Daegar, Somersault, Gamall, and Vandolyn"[/INDENT]
SM3doversjournal:[INDENT]"Keeper Dover - Journal Entry Number 2136
I should have known better than to bring it up in front of the entire council. Still, my words had some effect, at least now there is the resolution forbidding it. I believe that will cause many to think twice should the temptation arise. Meanwhile, we should all be on the watch for the telltale signs - the dead animals, their life forces drained. It is not a love of creatures that compels me to speak out. No, they are pitiable, but inconsequential. I can only speculate on how long a Keeper could extend a normal lifespan in this way...a hundred...two hundred years? Maybe longer. But it would take more than vermin to accomplish that. And I, now that I posses the knowledge, can I truly say I too am not tempted? This is why I cannot remain silent. That, and the glyph that Elder Beryl speculates must exist - though we have yet to find - one that enables shape-shifting. What a potent elixer of glyph magics that would be."[/INDENT]
T_auldaleLoadingQuote2:[INDENT]"...the skin hast been cleanly removed, as if by surgery or magics...’twas much suffering, methinks... - From the notebook of Hammerite Inspector Drept"[/INDENT]

Weasel on 10/3/2009 at 20:47

That's quite a list of supporting evidence!
How did you assemble that so quickly, jtr7?

Dan on 10/3/2009 at 20:57

I can answer that for Jason (jtr7): Not many people seem to have noticed the (http://thief.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page) Thief Wikipedia. If you're after any information check the resources pages.