I actually came up with the Cruciatus Curse (PeCo 20) over on the main boards a couple months ago...three pages of discussion before we came up with the final version.
Does she have the -4 Pre in human form, or just as a spider? I was thinking just as a spider.
Since humans don't have any "base" characteristics, and given the characteristics of shapeshifters from the Bjornaer section of HoH:MC, it would still be -4 in human form IMO.
I was thinking that human base characteristics are 0, and (except for Int) would be +/- any variation from her spider base. (I'm just hoping Ulrich isn't trying to score with a "chick" with a -4 Pre...but when you have Lecherous, any port in a storm, I guess.)
Ulrich wants a port in a storm? Cold and wet would be better than warm and dry, methinks. Take the storm 
It's actually -6/+3 (when attempting to scare or intimidate), due to her Loathesome Appearance. Thera doesn't (yet?) have a "human form," she was enspelled by Fiona. So, I suspect her appearance is colored more by Fiona's magic than by anything internal.
Note that Thera has the flaw "Difficult Underlings (her spawn)" but according to Hermetic Projects, insects and spiders do not sexually reproduce, but grow out of carcasses and such things. So I'm thinking, in order to get those Difficult Underlings, she's going to have to mate with a human... ~giggle~
As luck would have it, she just happens to have a human who's trying to mate with her.
um...wait...that might not work out so well for him.
"You don't mind if I eat you after we've mated, do you?"
"Oh! i've always wanted to try that!"
"Really? Great!"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider_cannibalism
It pleases me to discover that modern scientists are just as confused as to why this happens as others. It's a relief (at, least for Ulrich) to discover that spiders, and tarantula in particular, do not ALWAYS eat their mates.
I've also just remembered that I've based Theraphosa's statistics on data about the Goliath Bird-Eating Tarantula, which despite still being weigh in at about Size -7, and can eat creatures up to Size -5. I really need to stat out the non-magical children.
Although, I think the Golden Silk Orb-Weavers are more mystical-seeming spiders, now that I've noticed them: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_silk_orb-weaver
Note the section on "Nephila in popular culture."
Presence of -4 doesn't mean ugly, automatically. I'm sure we're familiar with the empty-headed person of the opposite sex stereotype, or the one who is completely unable to divorce themselves from their work, or whatever.
Thera in human form could be beuatiful, say +1 Pre equivalent, but constantly speaking of her urges to consume her mate, which might be offputting[1].
[1] I realize the paradigm suggests that insects and spiders and vermin are spontaneously generated, but the more I play the less enamored of the paradigm I become. Species make my head hurt, physics is similarly difficult, and has been worked around with spells like Sling of Vilano. So, in this instance, I'm all for allowing for everyone to believe that vermin and insects are created spontaneously, while Thera knows better and has urges she must satisfy. Those urges would carry across her form, so she would likely want to consume anyone she mates with, and i'd probably make her roll against something to get her to stop. Of course, Ulrich probably doesn't care. Go get some!
Like Fran Drescher, back in the day. Good looking, would totally hit that if she would just keep that mouth shut!
He's trying...he's got urges, too...he just hasn't had a chance to figure out exactly what those urges are, though 
Spiders don't automatically eat the mates. Some scientists believe that the males choose this to increase the nutrition the young have. Others believe it's a choice the female makes based on how suitable the male was. Lots of debate, but the bottom line is that estimates suggest it only happens about 20% of the time, and even more rarely in captivity.
This saga seems to have decided that the Gift is also something you could inherit. So that raises some interesting questions.
At any rate, chances are against Ulrich sealing the deal before sunrise.
Yeah, I'm just wondering if anyone here can spont a version of The Beast Remade (MuAn 25), or if that's a power Thera might be interested in pursuing, or what.
Although sealing the deal just before sunrise could get very awkward.
Seems like a spell particularly well-suited for Fiona...
I'll be away this weekend with limited posting.
Gotta love a cat that has his priorities straight.
I never answered this directly. The Gift can be inherited, or it can develop in a myriad of ways. I kind of like the Harry Potter interpretation of magical families to some degree. I would imagine that there are a few in the Order where the Gift passes from parent to child, or skips a generation or two. Or there's some distant familial connection between magi.
Some reasons why magi don't beget more magi:
Distrustful nature of magi, especially their so-called sodales.
The lack of opportunity to engage in procreational sex, for any number of reasons, the first being the Gift being offputting to mundanes.
The relatively small window of opportunity to build a family between gauntlet and beginning the longevity ritual. How many magi actually contemplate trying to go out and find a spouse after they've been apprenticed? Remember, Ra'am was already married before his apprenticeship and I reasoned that the only reason he was able to maintain that relationship was his strong faith, and his teaching ability. In seasons where he wasn't assisting in the lab or being taught, he was busy teaching others, apprentices or otherwise, his Good Teacher offsetting the penalties of the Gift.
Desire to have to deal with a family
When children are born due to a roll in a hay in some faraway land, how would the magus ever find out he has a child? And could that child be discovered, or abandoned, or whatever?
In short, the Gift can be developed in lots of interesting ways, and it is possible that the Gift is there in everyone, but in certain individuals it is just easily developed and brought out. In others, they may never do much or they might actually be squibs.
OK, i'm just getting back into the threads and I made a post on the Fall of Night thread, and was going to check out 'Getting the Band..." and that's fast forwarded. Should I mainly direct my posting regarding likely actions there?
Yeah, I wanted to get things moving a bit. However, feel free to continue any conversation, or whatever, with Laetitia in 100 Pieces of Mons Electi...
Captain, the timelines are starting to buckle under the pressure! If we don't collapse some of these casualities streams soon, we're going to start generating paradox!
I won't do this again. Keeping track of the near time threads was a headache.
When everyone is separated by a season it is much simpler. It's a bit confusing, but not nearly as confusing as splitting a party and trying to get them back into the same time frame.