I love the Salem Mass Setting

I used it as the School in my table top HP rp

I also added a few twists to magic without changing it

Hanging spells and ring mechanics

Hanging spells were simple spells that needed preapproval before they could be hung; didn't want any patronus or fiendfrye hanging around.
The way a hanging spell worked was that they were spells which were precast into parchment tokens which can be then completed by saying the evocation phrase or by a preset condition such as a person passing close by or a type of spell being cast.

Ring mechanics were similar but they used artifacts to accomplish their spell effect (Kind of like Dumbldore's lighter and Rita's quill)
Naturally students who had an artifact were in their last year at school and they only had one which they had made in Artifact class; they also had to be artificers

Ooooooooo I love those ideas!! (also HP table top!? When was this and why wasnt i invited >.<)

Rumiko, you lead magics in the game if you want. I dont think I know enough about it to make proper calls. Alls I know is the magics in the movies were utterly disappointing except for whatever Dumbledor casts in the crystal cave. :O

I like this

I love this idea! Been starving for a good HP rp and I love using the universe but with origional players and storylines.

I like the idea of the school being set up in Salem. I did do an rp once where the school was set just off the shoreline of America, surrounded by ocean and the beach and cliffs, we called it Trebol and instead of houses they had them all seperated by age and major.

This is perfect!

Work_U_Dumb said
This is perfect!

You seem excited. :P

Its a good reason to be excited xD

Also LOVE the idea of a table top version of HP >.>

Personally, I wouldn't want the magic to be tampered with beyond adding a few more impressive spells and maybe a couple extra classes. I'd still like the original classes (potions, defence against the dark arts etc) but the reason the spells weren't impressive was because JK wanted a different kind of magic that was more practical than flashy.

Ya, but then she ended up with a bunch of useless spells. Theyre witches and wizards who can, what, fix broken eye glasses? Even then, they seem to just forget about most of the more useful ones! You can make ANYTHING float as you want! Why not do that ALL THE TIME? You can zoom around on a broom but you choose not to? I mean, maybe Ive missed a crucial plot point that prevented them from doing these things... but, yeah, thats why I was always disappointed with the magic in the show.

I dont mind keeping most of the magics the same, but I wouldnt mind having the freedom to add certain spells. Also, shouldnt there be some kind of drawback to casting? If Im capable of whipping around fire at will, can I do that until I dont care to do it anymore? Will I ever get tired from casting? Etc.

Also, something else that bothered me, at least during the movies, is the visuals of the spells. Eventually theyre just throwing around magic balls or beams. EDIT: Now that Im rereading your post, I guess the visuals dont bother me THAT much... practicality > flashy. I get it.

Idk, Im okay with keeping the original spells but this might just be some food for thought.

If it would help I do know that there is a whole list of spells that were used in the HP universe, whether they were mentioned or used there are quite a lot of them. Ranging from beginner to much more advanced.

I think that the reason for the drawback in the movies was to show the difference in the amount of magic someone with more experience could perform over that with less. In the books at least the wizarding families that were shown out of the school setting used magic for a good portion of their everyday lives. They didn't show much of that in the movies of course. And honestly we did wind up zesting up the magic a bit in all the rp's I've been in.

I was also a fan of the spell you couldn't see coming. The beams of lights, etc. I always imagined it was more like an invisible force coming at you. Unless of course you were creating something that had a visual representation, such as fire.

Serinaty said
If I may suggest some house names
House Foxglove: Color, royal purple and silver, Foxes for their symbol.(the Ravenclaws)
House Florifun = Soft brown and black, Otters for their mascot (The Hufflepuffs)
House Prydion = Bright red and white, Eagles for their mascot (The Gryfondors)
House Viserious = Dark grey and gold, Bears would be their Mascot (The Slytherin)

I have some thoughts on the houses and their mascots. Im just throwing some ideas out there and would love for anyone to give some more feedback.

• House Foxglove/Ravenclaw: People of this house value intelligence and wit, thus a fox is great. However, to make it more interesting, I was thinking of a multi-tailed fox? Purple and silver work for me.



• House Florifun/Hufflepuff: People of this house value patience, loyalty, and fairness. Does an otter represent this? I dont think so. Does a badger represent this? Probably as much as an otter. Just to throw some other ideas out there I also thought of a blooming flower, armadillo, porcupine, rabbit, rhino or an elephant... Idkkkkk. Anyways, soft brown and black work for me especially since this the house that represents Earth. Like I said before, I think the name might need some work?



• House Prydion/Griffindor: People of this house value bravery and chivalry and they are the sign of Fire. Eagle was Ravenclaw's mascot so we might want to avoid it. When I think of Griffindor I think of people who have a "fire" burning inside of them which makes them brave. My thoughts included a pheonix, tiger, or horse. Red and white work perfectly. Also, the name isnt bad but I think we can make something cooler.



• House Viserious/Slytherin: People of this house value cunning and resourcefulness. Theyre also the water sign (does that make sense at all?) The only reason Id rather something over bears is when I think of a bear I think of power and not cunning. I think Bear would fit Griffindor better. For Viserious, I think a dragon, salamander, or shark? This is also the only house whose colors Id change. Maybe a dark blue with a light grey? Idks

Just another thought but maybe we might want to add another house or two? its up to you guys. :)

Eveekitten said
If it would help I do know that there is a whole list of spells that were used in the HP universe, whether they were mentioned or used there are quite a lot of them. Ranging from beginner to much more advanced.

I think that the reason for the drawback in the movies was to show the difference in the amount of magic someone with more experience could perform over that with less. In the books at least the wizarding families that were shown out of the school setting used magic for a good portion of their everyday lives. They didn't show much of that in the movies of course. And honestly we did wind up zesting up the magic a bit in all the rp's I've been in.

A list of spells would be great, particularly their difficulty!

I get what you mean about difference in experience. But there was never a clear limiter. =S

Also, Idk, about visuals. I wouldnt mind a flash or a magic ball being tossed around. But when they all kinda become the same it can be really dull... I think we're better off keeping it the way it was though, for simplicity's sake. :/

IInflex said
I mean, maybe Ive missed a crucial plot point that prevented them from doing these things...

...You mean the part where they are trying to keep their existence a secret from the muggles, which were a majority of the world's population?

I think magic would've been more liberal in Hogwarts if they didn't have the rule of 'no magic in the corridors', but there's plenty of spellcasting in the common rooms.

Ravenclaw's mascot was a raven, not an Eagle.

I think we should keep to 4 houses, and therefore four mascots, but I agree that the names can be fixed up a bit. Keep foxglove, perhaps a herbal theme on the names?

Here's a few -
iris characterizes pure heart; courage; faith; inspiration - Griffyndor?
wisteria indicates steadfastness - Hufflepuff?

Here is the full list: http://www.growingandusingherbs.com/meaning-of-herbs-herbs-and-flowers-have-meaning/

Stitches said
...You mean the part where they are trying to keep their existence a secret from the muggles, which were a majority of the world's population?I think magic would've been more liberal in Hogwarts if they didn't have the rule of 'no magic in the corridors', but there's plenty of spellcasting in the common rooms.Ravenclaw's mascot was a raven, not an Eagle.

Actually, Ravenclaw's mascot was an eagle in the books. It was only a raven in the movies.

I don't think any of the mascots should be dragons or phoenixes while the others are flowers or salamanders, they just don't seem similar.

And the reason they didn't perform impressive magic all the time, like making objects float indefinitely is because each spell needed concentration. Floating a baseball with Wingardium Leviosa would be the same as holding it with your own arm for hours. For a while it's no problem but after that it becomes exhausting.

All in all, I think all the ideas are good so far. I played in an HP style game set in 1920 America that was awesome.

EDIT: Also that's not to say wizards and witches couldn't perform crazy feats of magic. Fiendfyre (used in the Horcrux Cave and the Room of Requirement) is more likely than not able to kill its caster. Strong or dark magic is very hard to master.

I don't know if it was mentioned, but I was thinking all the students could be in their seventh/final year, that way they're more skilled. Part of why the series might have seemed less magical could be that they were 11-15 through most of the books and movies and not very good at magic overall.

I was hoping to work on a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. I have a pretty good idea for a lesson on Voodoo.

Mhm, if possible I'd like to reserve Charms teacher. I feel it'll be refreshing to rp as a teacher for once.

I call Potions please. ^^ and i want a student >.>

@betelgeuse i see what you mean about being in 7th year...but then all the characters would have to know each other already, and you loose something magical about starting an rp fresh. we'd have to establish their relationships that they'd developed over 7 years together. I'd prefer if the main cast as it were start from first year.

@IInflex Alot of your complaints would be addressed by reading the books. *chuckles* alot of your questions are answered there too. Also we dont want a bunch of high powered wizards running around with giant fire cones blazeing up the world. thats just all the OP and more suited to a strict fantasy world.

@Stitches I <3 you.

I am loved, but to what reason? The fact I just stole Charms teacher? I'm so confused!