SPELL PATHS DOCUMENTATION

Long ago a number of archmages discovered patterns in the web that spells
weave in the aether. They found that some spells had structural similarities
to others and some of the mages took to studying particular groups of spells.
These mages found that by molding their thought patterns to match the patterns
of the spells they could better utilise all the spells of the group. Because
of their disciplined approach, the mages were described as following spell
Paths. As they attuned themselves to particular spell Paths they found that
they would become repelled from others, and in some cases found they were
denied any access to some paths. The legacy of these mages remains in some
of the magical items to be found around the world.

Technical details:
In the same way that players and objects can be protected, immune, and
vulnerable to the different types of attacks, they can now be attuned,
repelled, or denied access to the different spell Paths. An object that
is attuned to a Path cast spells from that Path at 80% of the spell point
cost and receives duration/damage bonuses as if the caster were five levels
higher. An object that is repelled from a Path casts spells from that Path
at 125% of the spell point cost and receives duration/damage bonuses as if 
the caster were five levels lower (minimum of first level). An object that
is denied access to a Path cannot cast any spells from it. The casting 
time is also modified by 80% and 125% respectively. These values are
defined in PATH_SP_MULT (from spells.h), PATH_TIME_MULT (from spells.h), and
path_level_mod (from spells.c)
 
The Paths themselves are the following:
  "Nothing",
  "Protection",
  "Fire",
  "Frost",
  "Electricity",
  "Missiles",
  "Self",
  "Summoning",
  "Abjuration",
  "Restoration",
  "Detonation",
  "Mind",
  "Creation",
  "Teleportation",
  "Information",
  "Transmutation",
  "Transferrence".

See define.h for the number values corresponding to the Path.

Some more will be added in the near future. Some spells do not currently 
belong to a Path, this is probably appropriate for some spells.
Paths are inherited just like protection/immunity/vulnerability, ie if a
ring contains "path_attuned 1", the wearer becomes attuned to the Path of
Protection.

Paths are quite powerful and shouldn't be given away cheaply. Ideally, most
objects with path_attuned attributes should have path_repelled and path_denied
attributes as well, to balance out (eg attuned to Fire, repelled from 
Protection, and denied from Restoration)


Rupert G. Goldie 21/4/94