The Background

In Dragonbane magic works. As most of us can't do magic in real life, one who wishes to posses magical abilities in the game world must devote some time for studies and training to learn the technologies and skills to "fake" magic.

The Magic of Dragonbane is divided to several areas, thus not every magician needs to learn how to throw fireballs or call a thunderstorm. However, the basics of all magic is the same - the physics of our world.

• Magic of Many Kinds (ways of staging magic)
• SFX (special effects) basics
• Safety
• More safety
• How the magic works? (the physics behind)
• How much time magic requires?
• Learning possible spells
• What if something goes wrong?
• Path to have Finnish/Scandinavian permissions

This is not an official pyrotechnics course - you won't get a Pyrotechnician's license - but it will allow participants to understand how the "magic" works and what sort of precautions does it take. One could call this course a necassary pre-information for the official course concentrating mostly on legal aspects - maybe tedious but mandatory - of the occupation.

The persons taking the SFX workshop have the priviledge to work in the Dragonbane SFX team if they so desire.

Magic in Dragonbane

In the Dragonbane game, all magic is born in the co-operation with the magic-wielding character and the SFX team 'behind the scenes'. The More powerfull effects a magincian wants to cast, more SFX persons are needed and more efforts are needed also from the players side.

The more powerful the character is, the more complex interaction is needed. Minor sleight-of-hand tricks can be done without even informing Game Masters, but all potentially hazardous or storyline-altering spells must be acknowledged by the SFX Controller. Not even the tiniest pyrotechnics will be used without authorization.

To became a mage, the player must take the special effects course. This enables the player to understand the restrictions, interactions and limitations of the technilogies used to produce the spell. Above all is safety.

After the course, advanced learning and training may be needed, depending on the characters abilities. To became an "Archmage of Fire" in Dragonbane one must forego both the workshop and an official course successfully and manage to get recommendation from one of the current SFX permit holders (or have SFX license already). Naturally to other Magician the limits are lower, but still the SFX workshop is simply a must.

It's also vital to understand that magincians of Dragonbane suffer a hefty penalties due the powers they possess. The game experience of magician is for sure different to villager due the constant knowledge of existing magic and how it's done. A magician can not never fully immerse to Valenor, due safety reasons. When a magic user interacts with Earth's reality, she is contact with the Safety Controller. At large, spellcasting is off-game time for the magician!

Practical things

The course is for Dragonbane personnel only. If you want to take take part, mail info@dragonbane.org.

The price of the course is 150e including textual and pyrotechnics materials, an insurance, basic meals (a breakfast and a lunch) and accommodation ("mattress places", take your sleeping bag). Travel costs to Helsinki are excluded.

The cource is hard work. The program starts at 09:00 and continues to 21:00, so the total duration of the course is 24 hours. On both days we will spend time outside, so warm winter clothes are needed.

The course is arranged in co-operation with a Finnish pyrotechnics company Acme Energetics. All pyrotechnics lectures and excercises are held by qualified pyrotechnicians.

• Why magic?
• Arrangements in Dragonbane
• Basic safety rules
• Basic chemistry
• Basic pyrotechnics
• Basic explosives
• Basic technology
• What can be done?
• Effect Dynamics (how to get the desired effect)
• Who can do?
• Demonstrating small effects
• Building small effects

• More complex spells
• Electric effects
• Sound Effects
• Stage magic and sleight-of-hand magic (by Peter)
• Co-operation with the SFX team
• Creating spells by yourself
• Major effects
• Safety in the field
• Field experiments
• What if something goes wrong
• Info about advanced training
  

Contact persons

If you have any questions, please contact

Timo Multamäki (practical arrangements), timo.multamaki@dragonbane.org or

Heiko Romu (course contents), hmr@dragonbane.org.