This week for Magic Mondays we bring you an array that shows something you can often forget: that there is more uses for arrays than just in combat.
This week’s array is the Hide and Seek array.
Notation: Create Light ten times the size of the runic array if a Human is present and Contain the creation of that light top the size of the runic array; then apply this affect to any Human in range of the array.
Description: Other than showing the uses of array out of combat, it also shows how the effects of an array can be applied to other loci inside a larger array. The key to the workings of this array is to understand that the loci (and their runes) inside the smaller array do not affect the loci outside that array. It isn’t the Create and Contain runes which are affecting the Human rune in the centrum of the larger array. Instead it is the effect of that smaller array (creating a large amount of light in small area) which affects the Human rune in the centrum of the larger array. This is a key difference to understand as it will allow you to increase the scope and variety of what you can do with the arrays.
So what happens when you apply the effect of creating a large amount of light in small area onto a human? Well that human will then emit light wherever it comes into the range of the array. This means that this array works light a remote control spotlight. Instead of shining light at a human, this array makes that human shine the light itself. You might think that is an unnecessary step, but it does have its uses. Imagine it’s night time, pitch black and you know that there are people close by, but if you were to shine a spotlight around, they would just go into hiding. So what do you do? You wave this array around and if there is human skin in front of it, that skin will start glowing. Now not only have you caught your opponent off guard, but you know exactly where he is. And if you are lucky, he will have shone a light on his companions nearby.
It is precisely for this purpose that the Hide and Seek array is often used by constable and criminal alike. When you are fighting at night, staying hidden from enemy sight will save your life. This array takes that away.