Lore Inconsistencies

[Kellach Woods]

Well, I just found one but I'd just like to hear all a y'all opinion on this.

 

So, Fire IV is a spell only learned by the most topnotch of Black Mages, right? Well, apparently according to the description of the Lava Crab, the Thaumaturges' Guild has cast it enough to know what amount of heat it generates.

 

The quote in question :

 

"Only recently discovered, natural scholars are still at a loss as to how any creature, this crab included, can survive in scalding liquid rock. Tests conducted by the Thaumaturges' Guild have found that the hard carapace can withstand heat up to that generated by Fire IV."

 

Most likely it was just the fluff writer wanting to show how resistant it is without thinking, but yeah - could the Thaumaturges' Guild have some black mage dudes that don't deal through Lalai?

[Ninina Nina]

Strictly speaking, the difference between "thaumaturgy" and "black magic" is the scope. One can pump out the 'basic' Fire spell and go critical mass and blow themselves up if they pump enough aether into it. In reality, it seems that the tipping point between "thaumaturgy" and "black magic" is the border of when it becomes too dangerous to cast without external support like the Gem of Shattoto. It could very well be the Coco siblings in the Thaumaturgist's Guild arranging themselves in a Ley Line circle and collectively casting magic to shunt off the dangerous aetherflow in controlled situations that are very ill suited for combat.

 

Personally, I believe that anyone is capable of what the game and other players call "black magic". It's really just thaumaturgy. But hey...

 

The more you play with larger and larger amounts of aether, the more likely you're gonna get burned. 

 

As in your actual inner life-force igniting,

[Kellach Woods]

"I have gathered you here today brothers... to set FIRE to this CRAB."

 

I'm laughing right now.

[Ninina Nina]

"I have gathered you here today brothers... to set FIRE to this CRAB."

 

I'm laughing right now.

They're the Cocosiblings.

 

The youngest is an alchemist-turned-culinarian. 

 

YOU KNOW IT'S CANON.

[Dat Oni]

"I have gathered you here today brothers... to set FIRE to this CRAB."

 

"For too long they have ravaged our beaches, and invaded the cooches of our women. Today, we take revenge!"

 

 

"FOR GREAT JUSTICE!"

[Braise]

"I have gathered you here today brothers... to set FIRE to this CRAB."

 

"For too long they have ravaged our beaches, and invaded the cooches of our women. Today, we take revenge!"

 

 

"FOR GREAT JUSTICE!"

 

 

I fought mudcrabs tougher than you!

[FreelanceWizard]

Some Thaumaturge just wanted a nice crab boil is all. You've got to calibrate the magic accordingly to get the right flavor!

[Dat Oni]

"I have gathered you here today brothers... to set FIRE to this CRAB."

 

"For too long they have ravaged our beaches, and invaded the cooches of our women. Today, we take revenge!"

 

 

"FOR GREAT JUSTICE!"

 

 

I fought mudcrabs tougher than you!

 

That was legitimately the only picture I could find related to my search on google of "Crab on fire."

[Oli!]

The average layman probably wouldn't know Fire IV is Black Magic, and anyone in the Thaumaturges' Guild wouldn't dare go up against the brotherhood. I don't think there's much of an inconsistency; there's nothing that says THMs can't cast black magic, it's just that if you do it repeatedly without a focus, you blow up.

 

I'm more concerned as to why there's a spell called Virus, but apparently people still believe in the Humors theory of disease.

[LiadansWhisper]

The average layman probably wouldn't know Fire IV is Black Magic, and anyone in the Thaumaturges' Guild wouldn't dare go up against the brotherhood. I don't think there's much of an inconsistency; there's nothing that says THMs can't cast black magic, it's just that if you do it repeatedly without a focus, you blow up.

 

I'm more concerned as to why there's a spell called Virus, but apparently people still believe in the Humors theory of disease.

 

It's important to note that sometimes the name or function of a spell has nothing to do with lore (which, incidentally, is probably why sometimes the lore is inconsistent with regards to spells, or particularly thin), but with gameplay.

[Kellach Woods]

It's more that in this case it'd fly against what I find to be cool integration of Lore to Gameplay, where you can't cast the IV spells without Enochian up, which is something strictly learned through the Book of Nald.

 

Granted, with the fact that THM/BLM seems so tied to the cult of Nald'Thal chances are that they could cast it for reasons.

[James Rhymes]

 

"Only recently discovered, natural scholars are still at a loss as to how any creature, this crab included, can survive in scalding liquid rock. Tests conducted by the Thaumaturges' Guild have found that the hard carapace can withstand heat up to that generated by Fire IV."

 

 

by how it's worded, is it implied that Fire IV is hotter than lava omg

(also others in here have made some interesting points, overall it's been a good read! )