Tranquillina Bonisagi, filia Maximianus

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: In the Ruins of Bibracte
21

Not particularly. Just having Tria be her master for a few years will create enough nexus...
Lion of the North only has one Bonisagus, he studies gruagach traditions. Probably, given her facility with Corpus would be Maximianus of Nigrasaxa.

So, I didn't remember Deleterious circumstances, but it's still a bit on the extreme side for a minor flaw, for some reason I was thinking it was more like Restriction, and I know better. Even still it's a pretty severe flaw,IMO, in excess of minor status and she's going to have issues anyway overcoming her Fear of vis.

I'll leave this for others to comment. I'm satisfied that you see that the flaw was in excess of the minor status.

22

I think the real issue needing clarification is this: suppose Fiona went to the ends of the earth and spent a season being taught Aura of Ennobled Presence Mastery by a Mutantes Mercere, and thereby was able to choose the Harnessed Magic special power for AoEP (whereas before that season, she had never heard of Harnessed Magic). Next year, in the comfort of her own covenant, Fiona practices Curse of Circe for the sake of Mastery (speaking of men being pigs...). Can she then choose the Harnessed Magic special power for CoC? Or would she need to learn that directly from a Mutantes Mercere again?

23

At the moment I'm leaning towards modifying the Deleterious Circumstances so that it activates only when Eskil is touching or bearing a rook or more of vis. If I were vomiting all the time, my Lab Totals and Casting Scores would probably be halved too! It rules out (for practical purposes) really big enchantments, making her own Longevity Rituals in the future, and super spell boosting, but still allows moderate versions of all the above - so it's not nearly as debilitating. Would that be acceptable (i.e., not too rare)?

24

Suggestion...don't vomit on Alexei's vis.

25

Can't promise anything, bro.

26

I feel like you said this already, but if Eskil wants to make an enchantment as part of her chargen, are those effect levels paid for by XP, or is it calculated as an individual season of lab work with an actual Lab Total?

27

IT's calculated as a lab total, and I suggest from an efficiency point of view that it happen the same year she gets an LR or conducts other lab activity.
If you have 8 seasons of Lab activity and complete it in full years you lose 60 xp. If you break it up and do a season here and there over the course of her advancement you lose 80 xp.

28

The techniques of mastery should be common enough to apply to any spell. If it weren't Flawless Magic would be worthless and spell mastery would be very difficult to manage and improve, one would have to find teachers or books who knew the spell and the specific mastery ability desired. This is RAW, and I'm not inclined to change it. Once you learn any mastery ability you can then improve other spells with the "new" mastery ability, just spend XP to increase the ability score and select the mastery ability.

29

The tricky part on LR for Eskil would be casting it. You can have someone else make the LR but I think the magus it is made for would have to cast it. Since the LR is described as very personal so that each one is different for each magi.

While having the vis allergy sounds cool I think it could have a really bad long term effect on any magus unless it is really minor effect. It would have to be a major flaw ( as Peregrine) has done. It would also hurt her for rituals and enchantments. That is why I was making the comments about tractati ( I think that is plural) earlier in the thread. The flaw would remove a way to increase arts past a certain point without tractati. She could become the ultimate generalist but you had better plan on that.

Bottom line, I would vote for Peregrine's Vis Allergy flaw as a hurtful but not crippling way to do it.

30

Plural of tractatus is tractatus.

31

True enough. Connecting this to the customized-spells-at-chargen discussion we had earlier:
Would you be okay with instilling an effect in a talisman that is exactly a core rulebook spell, except with Range reduced from Touch to Personal to take advantage of the talisman?
Would you be okay with a simple level-5 MuIm spell instilled in a cloak that made the cloak look like other outfits? (I might have some leftover Lab Total.)

32

Yeah, enchantments are fine.
Almost everyone takes a look at them and if I miss something they'll catch it just, list it out, guidelines and all.

33

I also vote for Vis Allergy as something that feels balanced in a manner that is reminiscent of Magic Addiction. I fact, I might suggest that concentration rolls (a la Magic Addiction) be added to the rules set for Vis Allergy.

So, I'm currently in that state of sick where everything I talk about ends up getting related back to being sick. With the tonsilitius, I can brush my teeth, despite the nausea and pain, so long as I concentrate very hard on the task at hand. I think that likewise, a combination of Vim prowess plus concentration skill would be the way to grit your teeth and bear through the Vis Allergy.

Tangent: Viscaria has Imbued with Spirit of Terram, effectively making her (Fatigue Levels) worth of vis. Now, either Eskil reacts to V the same way Eskil reacts to any other half a rook of Terram Vis, or maybe the reaction is unusual in a way that suggests a possible end-run around the vis issue (essentially, by using Magic Animal Might instead of vis, which I think there are Mysteries for).

34

Thanks for the ideas about Vis Allergy. I'm looking only for a Minor Flaw though, so I think I'll end up going a different direction (nerfing the Deleterious Circumstances situations to only when holding a rook or more of vis).

Interesting tangent about Viscaria. It's true that my inclination is to treat her like a creature of Magic Might for these purposes: sensable using Magic Sensitivity, and ... hmm, dunno about the vis. If Viscaria were killed, would there be vis left in the corpse? (only hypothetically mind you :mrgreen: )

The tonsillitis sucks, amul - hope your improvement is quick.

35

I have now updated Tranquillina's background and her starting character build. These are in final form, modulo any last comments that people have (might as well let me know now! - I welcome your suggestions for improvements or corrections).

While fleshing out her back story, an alluring idea came to me about a Hermetic name that her pater could have given her; that's why I'm now referring to her as Tranquillina instead of Eskil (her birth name); sorry for any confusion :blush:

The rest of this post should make it easier to verify that the starting character has been built correctly.

XP and spell levels to spend

Years 1-5: 75 (Native Language) + 45 = 120
Years 6-12: 7 years @ 15 = 105
Years 13-27: 240 xp + 120 spell levels = 360
Years 28-57: 28 years[sup]1[/sup] @ 30 = 840
Magic Sensitivity[sup]2[/sup]: 5

Total XP and spell levels to spend: 1430

[sup]1[/sup] Two years were spent in lab work.
[sup]2[/sup] The Virtue grants level 1 in the corresponding Ability.

XP and spell levels spent

Magic Theory[sup]3[/sup]: 70
Spell Mastery[sup]4[/sup]: 15
Other Abilities: 410
Corpus[sup]3[/sup]: 234
Other Arts: 336
Spell Levels: 365

Total XP and spell levels spent: 1430

[sup]3[/sup] These xp have been counted separately due to Tranquillina's Affinities.
[sup]4[/sup] Flawless Magic gives Mastery level 1 for all spells and doubles xp put into further Mastery. Three of Tranquillina's spells have been raised to Mastery level 2, costing her 5 xp each.

36

Tranquillina's talisman is a long cloak of dark grey wolfskin, its predominant decoration being a fibula (a Roman-style fastening brooch). The fibula is a square piece of human bone (from a scapula, actually, not a leg), with the two-key House Bonisagus insignia inlaid upon it in gold. The two circles in the keys' handles are set with amber and yellow topaz stones, while the third circle formed by the crossing of the keys is set with an opal. A nearby fold of wolfskin is available to cover the fibula if discretion is necessary.

Attunements: The cloak gives Tranquillina bonuses on spells that alter or suppress her image (+5), Corpus spells (+3), spells affecting eyes (+6), spells related to peace (+4), spells that transform her (+4), and spells related to travel (+4). Only the highest bonus applies to any one spell.
Capacity: There are 12 pawns' worth of effects already in the cloak; it currently does not have room for any more, although its capacity could easily be increased.

Instilled effects
Aura of Ennobled Presence (MuIm level 10, one use per day = level 10)
Doublet of Impenetrable Silk (MuAn 15, +4 for constant effect = level 19)
Gift of the Bear's Fortitude (MuCo 25, +5 for twenty-four uses per day = level 30)
Invisible Sling of Vilano (ReTe 10, +6 for fifty uses per day = level 16)
Outfit for Any Occasion (MuIm, changes the appearance and feel of the cloak - Base 2, Per, +2 Sun, Ind; +5 for twenty-four uses per day = level 10)
Shape of the Woodland Prowler (MuCo(An) 25, -5 for Personal instead of Touch, +2 for three uses per day = level 22)

Tranquillina's statistics when in wolf form

Characteristics: Int +3, Sta 0, Str -2, Dex +1, Qik +1, Com +3, Prs 0, Per +2
Size: -1

Additional Virtues and Flaws: Long-Winded (+3 on non-spell Fatigue rolls), Sharp Ears (+3 to hearing rolls); Compulsion (killing), Infamous
Qualities relevant to play: Keen Sense of Smell (+3 to smell rolls, +2 to Hunt rolls)
Additional Personality Traits: Brave +3, Cowardly +3

Combat
Soak: +1
Teeth: Initiative -1, Attack +2, Defense +0, Damage +0
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, 0, -1, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-4), -3 (5-8), -5 (9-12), Incapacitated (13-16)

Abilities
Athletics 5 (distance running)
Artes Liberales 1 (logic)
Awareness 3 (smell)
Brawl 5 (teeth)
Civil and Canon Law 1 (international law)
Code of Hermes 2 (apprentices)
Finesse 1 (Terram)
Gaelic 5 (expansive vocabulary)
Hunt 4 (track by smell)
Latin 4 (Hermetic usage)
Magic Theory 6+2 (Corpus)
Magic Sensitivity 3 (magical creatures)
Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Hermetic lineages)
Parma Magica 3 (Ignem)
Penetration 2 (Perdo)
Survival 5 (winter)

37

This post describes the two years of lab work from Tranquillina's past and contains the relevant Lab Total calculations (mostly for her talisman).

Age 37: Tranquillina spends all four seasons in the lab. I'm assuming that by this year, Tranquillina had already achieved her current scores of Magic Theory 6, Cr 6, Mu 8, and An 8, and also that she had arranged for the physical cloak and fibula to be crafted for her. It's not realistic for her Corpus score to have already been at its current score of 26; I used a score of 18, which is what she would have after investing half of the XP necessary to reach 26.

1203.1: Opens the wolfskin cloak for enchantment as a compound item, using the largest number of pawns of vis required for any single component. The cloak itself is a large leather item (4x2); all the parts of the fibula are tiny, and the semi-precious gems (1x12) have the most base points (bone is 1x3, gold is 1x10). Magic Theory score of 6 permits all these components. No Lab Total required (thankfully! but vomit all over the place this season).
1203.2: Attunes the cloak as her talisman. No Lab Total required. Attunes her talisman to provide a +3 bonus to Corpus spells (from amber).
1203.3: Instills Doublet of Impenetrable Silk into her talisman. Lab Total: Mu 8 + An 8 + Int 3 + Magic Theory 8 + aura 3 + talisman bonus 5 + material bonus ("strength" from topaz) 4 - Vis Allergy 1 = 38. Attunes her talisman to provide a +4 bonus to spells that transform her (from cloak).
1203.4: Makes a Longevity Ritual for herself. Lab Total: Cr 6 + Co 18 + Int 3 + Magic Theory 8 + aura 3 - Vis Allergy 3 = 35. Lots of dry heaving around the vis.

Age 55: Tranquillina spends all four seasons in the lab.

1221.1: Instills Aura of Ennobled Presence and Imaginary Wardrobe into her talisman. Lab Total: Mu 8 + Im 8 + Int 3 + Magic Theory 8 + aura 3 + talisman bonus 5 + existing Mu effect 1 + shape/material bonuses ("alter wearer's image" from cloak, "images" from opal; capped by Magic Theory score) 6 - Vis Allergy 1 = 41. Attunes her talisman to provide a +5 bonus to spells that alter or suppress the wearer's image (from cloak).
1221.2: Instills Gift of the Bear's Fortitude into her talisman. Lab Total: Mu 8 + Co 26 + Int 3 + Magic Theory (specialized in Corpus) 9 + aura 3 + talisman bonus 5 + existing Mu effects 3 + shape/material bonuses ("transform self" from jewelry/clothing, "strength" from topaz; capped by Magic Theory score) 7 - Vis Allergy 1 = 63. Attunes her talisman to provide a +6 bonus to spells affecting eyes (from opal).
1221.3: Instills Invisible Sling of Vilano into her talisman. Lab Total: Re 8 + Te 5 + Int 3 + Magic Theory 8 + aura 3 + talisman bonus 5 + material bonus ("controlling movement" from amber) 3 - Vis Allergy 1 = 34. Attunes her talisman to provide a +4 bonus to spells related to peace (from gold).
1221.4: Instills Shape of the Woodland Prowler into her talisman. Lab Total: Mu 8 + An 8 + Int 3 + Magic Theory 8 + aura 3 + talisman bonus 5 + existing Mu effects 4 + material bonus ("turn into wolf" from animal hide; capped by Magic Theory score) 6 - Vis Allergy 1 = 44. Attunes her talisman to provide a +4 bonus to spells related to travel (from opal).

More for my own convenience than anything else, I'm also recording here the various shape and material bonuses corresponding to the components of the cloak.

Amber: Corpus +3, controlling movement +3
Animal hide: turn into wolf +7
Cloak: flight +3, transform wearer +4, alter/suppress wearer's image +5
Gold: control people +2, health +2, prevent aging +3, induce greed +4, nobility +4, peace +4, bonus to affect wealth +4
Human bone: destroy human mind +3, destroy human body +4
Jewelry/clothing: move self +2, protect self +2, transform self +4
Opal: images +2, imagination +2, invisibility +2, memory +4, travel +4, eyes +6
Topaz: courage +4, leadership +4, pride +4, strength +4, controlling wild beasts +5

38

Hey Fixer, it looks like I was wrong about this. I did a really close reading of the CrCo guidelines and spells; apparently, spells that actually heal wounds can't cure diseases or vice versa, but spells that give you a bonus to your Recovery rolls apply to both wounds and diseases. Weird....

39

Do you have Heirs to Merlin, or do you need me to fill in some back story about Maximianus?

40

I would again question the vis allergy as is on the sheet. Deleterious Circumstances is uncommon situation. I'm not sure touching a rook of vis would ever come up in a game. Does that make it rare? Is it easily avoidable? Yes. Why is it a flaw then? How can you work in the lab is you fear your tools? sure you vomit all over the place but it did not seem to be a flaw. There was no bad effect from it other than cosmetic effects. You still work with vis. If you had a fear of heights and your lab was a overhanging balcony with glass floors, do you think you could craft an item for a year? Even go there? How do you concentrate on something when you fear it.

If JL says it is fine than I'll drop it. It just seems like it should be a crippling fear for a Magus and a easily avoidable flaw.