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Magic Is a Monster Magnet: Difference between revisions
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A [[Sub-Trope]] of [[Power At a Price]] and [[Weirdness Magnet]] where magic ([[Magic by Any Other Name|or some other power or gift]]) attracts attention from things you would prefer to leave you alone, such as [[Eldritch Abomination|Eldritch Abominations]], [[The Heartless]] or [[Our Demons Are Different|Demons]]. Or perhaps the local [[Super-Persistent Predator]] thinks wizards are especially tasty (and have a [[Squishy Wizard|soft, chewy center]].)
Usually this is due to magic making you [[Supernaturally Delicious and Nutritious]], but not always -- the monsters may want to enslave you because [[The Force Is Strong with This One]], or simply be irritated that the [[Puny Earthling]] is meddling with [[Things Man Was Not Meant to Know]].
The ability to sense magic in the first place is [[Supernatural Sensitivity]]. Related to [[Magnetic Medium]]. See also [[Encounter Bait]], [[Magnetic Plot Device]]. Not to be confused with [[Monster Magnet (Music)|the neo-acidrocker band]].
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** Phaerimm in ''[[Forgotten Realms]]'' need ambient magic and are very magic-sensitive. Consequently, casting spells on infested territories is a good way to get the nearest spell-grub to either kill the caster or capture and [[Face Full of Alien Wingwong|turn into an incubator]]. The same goes for enchanted items, though at shorter range. Exclusions are elemental magic (it mostly blends into fluctuations of natural forces) and Shadow Weave magic (it doesn't use the same power source).
** [[Ravenloft]] setting. When in the Nightmare Lands, casting a spell can draw the attention of powerful dream monsters such as members of the Nightmare Court.
* ''[[Call of Cthulhu (tabletop game)]]'' supplement ''Cthulhu Companion'', adventure "The Mystery of Loch Feinn". While in the underground area of Castle MacLaireag, any spell casting doubles the chance of a lloigor detecting and attacking the investigators.
* ''[[GURPS]] Bestiary''. The Octofly can detect and is attracted by psionic activity.
* ''[[Earthdawn]]''. Casting spells using raw magic can draw the attention of a Horror and cause it to Horror Mark the caster.
* ''[[Shadowrun]]'' supplement ''Bug City''. After Chicago was overrun by insect spirits, a nuclear weapon detonation put the spirits into hibernation. Using any form of magic near them can cause them to wake up and attack you.
* In ''[[New World of Darkness]]'':
** ''[[Mage: The Awakening]]'' has Abyssal intruders, things from the anti-reality outside of our dimension. It's something of a multi-step process -- vulgar (or blatantly obvious magic) risks [[Weirdness Censor|Paradox]], and really, ''really'' bad Paradox risks Abyssal intruders.
** ''[[Promethean: The Created]]'' has Pandorans, the botched miscarriages that happen when the Promethean creation process goes horribly wrong. They're attracted to the Azoth that powers Prometheans, which means using powers when there's a slumbering Pandoran nearby is risking throwing up an "All You Can Eat" sign.
== Video Games ==
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* In the ''[[Warcraft]]'' universe it can attract demons, among other things.
* In the first ''[[Starcraft]]'' terran campaign, [[Magic by Any Other Name|psionic powers]] act this way towards the zerg. {{spoiler|It turns out that the zerg were really looking for a psionically powerful human, rather than simply being attracted to the power itself. Once such a person is captured, the zerg stop chasing psionics.}}
* The mages in ''[[Dragon Age]]: Origins'' constantly risk being possessed by the demons of the Fade, turning them into abominations. This is the main justification for the system that takes them from their families and locks them away in towers as soon as their talents manifest.
* In the ''[[Diablo]]'' universe, using magic attracts demons, but then so does going for a walk or having a quiet dinner at home...
* In ''[[Clive Barker's Undying]]'', it's mentioned in the backstory that excessive usage of the Gel'ziabar stone will cause the user to be hunted by the Hound of Gel'ziabar. This doesn't actually happen in gameplay, although the Hound does pop up during a couple pre-scripted events.
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