What counts as an insect

Okay its it is stated in the Wiki "Most Felaryan insects have a high resistance to magic, are aggressive, and some of them are huge. Fairies find themselves powerless against them"

Do Dridders, Chilotaurs, or Mantoids count as insects?

No, only fauna count as insects. The insect and arachnid-based hybrids do not have that anti-magic ability.

Save for gyspas, which do.

Come to think of it, Karbs really needs to define exactly what constitutes the bugs that bother fairies. So far we have tonorions, those fairy-eating minibugs and maybe spine beetles.

GREGOLE wrote:

Save for gyspas, which do.

"Gyspas are genetically similar to other Felaryan insects, and as such have considerable magic resistance, similar to tonorions of similar size."

I know I read that before, just forgot it. >>

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Come to think of it, Karbs really needs to define exactly what constitutes the bugs that bother fairies. So far we have tonorions, those fairy-eating minibugs and maybe spine beetles.

Agreed. Just what is resistant to fairy magic? Steam and silver scorpions? Archmantises? FOG BUTTERFLIES... Starkala bugs? @_@

Thanks for clearing that up. One of those vauge areas I neaded to clear up for a storys later.

Ehm, I'm not sure if Im supposed to be putting this here or somewhere else, but I think it's related if I bring the issue up again about what exactly counts as an insect as far as Felarya is concerned? Is it just literal insects, or do other kinds of creepy-crawlies, arachnids for example, have this kind of anti-magic resistance as well? I really need to know
(Sorry if I'm asking this in the wrong place or gravedigging or doing something wrong somehow. Please don't shoot me.)

GlobFish wrote:

Ehm, I'm not sure if Im supposed to be putting this here or somewhere else, but I think it's related if I bring the issue up again about what exactly counts as an insect as far as Felarya is concerned? Is it just literal insects, or do other kinds of creepy-crawlies, arachnids for example, have this kind of anti-magic resistance as well? I really need to know
(Sorry if I'm asking this in the wrong place or gravedigging or doing something wrong somehow. Please don't shoot me.)

I think you're putting it in the right place. Also, necroposting only counts if you're bumping a dead topic with nothing meaningful. This actually asks a legitimate question. You're doing fine ^^

Hmmm, I believe the rule only really applies to non-sentient insects, and insect-like creatures. For example, the Tonorion is technically not a true insect, but it has insectoid traits, and is stated to be resistant to magic. Dridders, Chilotaurs and other such creatures seem to lack this magical resistance...so there is some difference that draws a clear line between being a magically resistant insect, and having some insect traits, but not magical resistance.

The obvious one that comes to kind is an insect's exoskeleton, especially heavily armored exoskeletons like a Tonorion. We already know that Felarya emits a constant magical field that flows up through the ground and water, and through any living thing in contact with those. This is likely what fuels the healing factor, and probably what lets mages use magic in the first place. They just manipulate this field to produce effects on the world around them. Maybe the structure of an insect's exoskeleton interacts with that magical field differently than flesh and bone. The magic field could strengthen the exoskeleton, or maybe even be stored within it somehow, giving the creature a high magical resistance because it has a large buffer of magical energy within its exoskeleton. Lots of ways to go with that idea really.

While arthropod-based hybrids (insects, arachnids, crustaceans, etc), do have an exoskelton on their animal half, it is only a partial thing. A large chunk of their body is humanoid, which is what probably negates any magical resistance they may get from their animal half.

There are ways around an insect's resistance though, for the creative spellcaster. I would imagine the resistance only applies to direct attacks. Magic missiles, fireballs, lightning bolts, etc just would not work. In theory, more physically grounded attacks could work. With geomancy you can hurl boulders, or summon earthen spikes, with ice magic you could toss ice spears, a powerful enough shockwave from an explosion could do some damage as well. Only downside to using those more physically focused types of magic is that you would still need enough power to punch through the exoskeleton, which can be pretty tough on one of the bigger specimens. That is the real genius behind the magical resistance. It forces the mage to engage the insect with physical attacks, which its armored exoskeleton is designed to help defend against.

Thank you, that was very helpful^^ I like this exoskeleton idea thing you've got going - it means other non-insects which also possess tough exoskeletons (say scorpions or crabs) should also have a resistance to magic in that case? Whereas a creature lacking a tough exoskeleton, say bog standard house spider, will not have this kind of resistance?
That idea works for me, anyway:)

I gave both Jewel Dridders and Ichneumons a powerful magic resistance - to compensate they have no inherent/latent magical ability of their own. They have to rely on brains/physical prowess. Of course, both of my species are slightly different than the accepted physical norms for hybrids as their exoskeleton continues into their 'human' halves.

You should never underestimate physical and/or mental prowess.

GlobFish wrote:

Thank you, that was very helpful^^ I like this exoskeleton idea thing you've got going - it means other non-insects which also possess tough exoskeletons (say scorpions or crabs) should also have a resistance to magic in that case? Whereas a creature lacking a tough exoskeleton, say bog standard house spider, will not have this kind of resistance?
That idea works for me, anyway:)

Yeah, if we decide on the exoskeleton explanation, it would then apply to most arthropods. I mean, Tonorions aren't really insects, but they have a magical resistance. Of course, this resistance is likely based on scale too. You could still burn a house spider to ash with a fireball (why would you want to though? D: ) because it is so tiny compared to a fireball a human could make. If a Neera mage tried to kill it with fire though, then it would be a good deal tougher.

rcs619 wrote:

The obvious one that comes to kind is an insect's exoskeleton, especially heavily armored exoskeletons like a Tonorion. We already know that Felarya emits a constant magical field that flows up through the ground and water, and through any living thing in contact with those. This is likely what fuels the healing factor, and probably what lets mages use magic in the first place. They just manipulate this field to produce effects on the world around them. Maybe the structure of an insect's exoskeleton interacts with that magical field differently than flesh and bone. The magic field could strengthen the exoskeleton, or maybe even be stored within it somehow, giving the creature a high magical resistance because it has a large buffer of magical energy within its exoskeleton. Lots of ways to go with that idea really.

That's a cool explanation here ^^