Lateral interpretations of magical devices and phenomena

[Tizzy]

Hmmm

Mikey’s theory would be consistent with what I know of the Demon Lord Trump. Pretty sure the reason he likes to ‘erect tall buildings’ as a compensation mechanism for something. Not quite sure what, but something.

One thing that I also notice is that Demon Lord Trump likes to ‘tag’ buildings with his name. Lesser demons go to jail for this.

Back to the topic, one huge advantage that less than gigantic forms have is that they can fit through doors. (see book 3)

On most planes there are biological limits to how big a being can get and be stable/functionary without magical support. Therefore there are maximum sizes that ‘people’ build buildings and doors. Same with caves/caverns, interestingly enough. So a critical point is that if you want to get in doors, being huge can be a real disadvantage.

Not sure if you noticed, but no one has ever found evidence for a brontosaurus house, so pretty sure they were stuck outside.

Of course, then there are dragons. They can be very big and live in big caves, but I do know the real estate market, at least in the Abyss, for such caves is rather scarce. However, they are surprisingly flexible and squishy and can fit down corridors much smaller than you would think they can, as long as there is room to spread their wings deep inside.

[Guest]

When you read the books, you can get to the conclusion that size is a good indicator of a demons power:

– Tom / Tommus: 12 ft. (Greater, greater demon(or as i call him, an Archdemon Lite))
– Exador : 25 ft. (The full Archdemon experience in one exclusive package (batteries not included !))
– Tiernon : 100 ft. (Please don´t smite me o Mighty One, i know you´re not a demon i just mention you to give credence to your magnificence and power)

Is this the reason so many demon princes run around in human sized bodies, to hide their real size and thus a glimpse of their possible power levels?:-({|= :-({|= :-({|=

[Mikey]

[Mikey]

I’d be interested in your thoughts and observations, especially as to why some canon I’ve overlooked disallows a particular interpretation of a magical phenomenon or device.

Let’s start from the Talarius’ magic mirror. What if it doesn’t so much show what energy beings are, but instead its function is to reveal how the people reflected from it self-identify.

Let’s say it originated as a political device in some court, used to check that each major political group was seated in a certain place.

Since court factions come and go fairly fluidly, the device just randomly picks a colour for each new faction the people reflected from it considers to be their most powerful peer group, or a mix of colours if other people in the picture perceive you differently.

Its batteries have wound down over millenia, and these days, you have to be a fairly powerful mana being to register anything visually on the mirror.

[Tizzy]

Hmm,

That is a very interesting interpretation.

There are things like that, that I have seen before. It could be, the only thing I know about it is from what Tom and Rupert have told me.

But that would certainly be consistent with what it’s doing.

I have to say, such a device, as originally constructed would be of great value in the courts.

I have had this discussion with several on this forum when trying to describe the mirror and power. And your interpretation of the original intent correlates quite well. Power is not purely reflected by innate mana levels, it also incorporates ability to channel mana from other sources, as well as knowing how to best apply that mana.

What’s the point of having lots and lots of mana if you waste half the mana with each spell? Highly skilled mana users often need less mana to achieve the same task than unskilled mana users. (this is an advantage wizards often have over animages) Thus someone who has less mana may actually be more “powerful” than someone with a lot of mana.

This, you see, is the very complexity of the demon ranking system and why there is a great deal of difference in power between demons of the same rank.

Why some greater demons can shape change and some can’t. And this is where the politics of the court comes into play.

Once one establishes that one is of a certain level, testing and finely determining that level becomes very dangerous, and is generally not worth the risk of losing. Of course, Lilith and Sammaal will play court members off each other, trying to make such a measurement, safely, for themselves.

You really don’t want to find out which one is more powerful, because it may not be who you think. And if you are one of the players in question, you probably don’t want to find out, and be wrong.

So therefore, appearances are often as important as reality. The bluff equivalent to reality, at least until proven to be a bluff.

For example, I think the obvious assumption is that in a hand to hand contest, Iron Man will beat the crap out of Captain America. But what if he doesn’t? That would probably be a big hit for the ego.

Similarly, Batman has no chance against Superman.

But maybe not, it depends on a lot of factors, who is more powerful in a given situation. That is why you really don’t want to try and measure this, if you are one of the two parties.

Of course, being fictional characters, the writers can envision all sorts of playing field levelers in those two cases. You know like numbing Captain America’s fists so he doesn’t feel pain when pounding Iron Man in the “iron” jaw.

However, in the Courts, demons don’t have the advantage of being fictional characters. We don’t have any writers to shift the playing field for us.

And in fact, if they could, I am sure authors would try to tilt the playing field against demons, and orcs and D’Orcs. Just because authors are known to side with the elves and their allies.

[Mikey]

[quote=Cronus;3440]When you read the books, you can get to the conclusion that size is a good indicator of a demons power:[/quote]

Have you considered the possibility that this relationship might be inverse?

That what humans try to express with ostentatious choices of clothing, automobile model or interior decoration style, demons tend to express by puffing themselves up?

[Author]

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