Why Invent These Effects?

The obvious reason for a magus to invent these effects is that he intends to declare Wizard's War on other characters. This reason might especially appeal to magi of House Tytalus and House Flambeau, and also to other magi who are heavily involved in political conflicts. Magi who wish to hunt down the enemies of the Order (such as infernalists and those sentenced by a Tribunal for high crimes) might also be interested in developing these effects to attack other magi.

The Intangible Tunnel based effects are also useful for dealing with supernatural creatures from the safety of the magus' laboratory. Mundane characters, such as princes, bandits, or even lowly peasants can also be attacked, helped, or manipulated via the use of *Intangible Tunnel-*style effects. Intangible Tunnel effects are particularly useful for attacking mundane rulers because (unless the court employs a magus as a court wizard) there is little evidence that can be pinned on the Order of Hermes, and the death of the mundane ruler may appear to be due to "natural" causes such as an accident or disease.

Intangible Tunnel effects are good for attacking characters who are located within urban Divine auras (such as mundane rulers, or magi who have sought sanctuary on church grounds). This is because an attacking magus can cast spells such as the Intangible Tunnel from the safely of his Laboratory, within a Magic aura. Thus, he does not suffer from the casting penalties (or risk the botch die) associated with the Divine aura surrounding the target. The target still receives a bonus (or penalty) to his Magic Resistance based upon the local aura, but this only matters if the character has a Magic Resistance score at all.

A magus might also invent these effects because he fears that others will declare Wizard's War on him. This could be because he has resources he suspects others desire, or because he is embroiled in political conflict within the tribunal. Alternatively, the magus could merely be paranoid.

If the magus is worried about others declaring Wizard's War on him, then he might choose to publicize some of these effects (by submitting the Lab Texts to the Great Library at Durenmar, for example). The reason for publication is that, by demonstrating his possible competence at Wizard's War, the magus might dissuade others from declaring Wizard's War on him. Another strategy he might adopt is to invent some of these effects, and then demonstrate his efficacy (without revealing too much of his methods) by declaring and prosecuting Wizard's War on another (politically unconnected) magus. Of course, this is quite a sociopathic strategy which may cause other magi in the tribunal to view the magus with suspicion and fear — although that is partly the intent.