At 12:30 PM 1/27/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Ed,
>
>Too easy and too abitrary, how about:
>
> "Having lowered yourself out of your rope trick extradimensional
>space with that neat little fireball spell you memorized, you spot a
>likely target for it's application. You bring the spell forth in your
>mind, summoning up and releasing the energies necessary to power the big
>ball of flame to toast your hapless enemy. You feel the energy gather
>and surge, pulsing through your body, you love the feeling of power
>coursing into you. The energy grows and increases, you've never felt
>such power! But, it's not stopping! How much energy does a mere little
>fireball take?!? You can't move, you can hardly breathe, the energy
>fills you to overflowing! You feel like your going to explode! Your
>hands burst into flame, your losing control of the massive energies that
>you have summoned! How can this be, it all seemed so easy in that
>artificial extra-dimensional space. The flames are up to your elbows,
>frantically you try and shut down the spell, close off the energy surge
>flowing into you, but you can't think, can't focus your will, your mind
>is burning, the pressure is so intense! The flames cover your entire
>body, engulfing you in the mystical energies you sought to harness for
>you fireball, but were unable to control. Unable to control because
>your blood does not contain the essence of the old gods. The horrible
>monster looks at you in confusion as your ashes crumble to the ground."
>
>Matt Speer
>
>

You're right. This is a much more fair and equitable manner to handle the
rules' lawyer bast-- er, "player." I like it!

-- ->-- ->-- ->--@
Ed Stark
Game Designer, Wizards of the Coast/TSR Division
Asst. Brand Manager, BIRTHRIGHT/GREYHAWK/MARVEL Group
TSR Website: http://www.tsrinc.com
(soon to be http://www.tsr.com)