What did he do? We didn't play that one out as well as we should have. He did very well dueling in Inerelte's Certamen, a side contest with a few other Flambeau. I can explain more if you wanna do something with it. He did well enough in Certamen to qualify for Dimicatio, but didn't win. The counterspell he invented, PeViG(15) Thwarting the Thaumaturgical Threat. You have to double the oposing level with a sd+level of the counterspell. Works great on lower level spells. But pushing the 7th magnitude, diminishing returns make it almost impossible to counter Dimicatio faves like BoAF.
Normal tourney things. Hmmm...
They (his covenantmates at NM) dressed him up for joust. That's why he got to keep the magic rein. But he sucked it. I warned them he was an infantry soldier, not a cavalier. The "Knights" title is misleading, translated from "Caballero" which is also misleading as it is meant to imply psedo-nobility not horsemanship.
Look at Roberto's stats. He just ain't it when it comes to jousting. Try again? Maybe with a lot magical assistance. Requiring more than he is willing to invest on his own. Melee? Depends on how it is conducted. Need more info (or info repeated as I think this was discussed).
I would really like to do some Certamen. CrIg duels. Inirelte style using the Test of Flames and duking out Certamen in the circle of fire.
Roberto likes fire magic. It's his thing . His belief: Flambeau (Reculed) was descended of the Cult of Mercury, his pater Delendos being a Priest of Mars (and a Visigoth). War, Fire, etc. But Roberto is Mercurian in style, not philosophy or theology.
Where am I going with this...
Hmmm...
Roberto hopes to make allies and contacts at Tribunal. Mercurians are probably his best bet. Swap notes on spell mastery. Maybe set up some sort of spell mastery contest. Like the others are doing with their magical ball game. But how?
As for helping fix up the covenant to host tribunal, Roberto has a single suggestion and is willing to spend lab time to invent the appropriate spell. Magically conjure a bunch of cash and hire a hundred masons or more. We have vis, we have no money. Problem solved. If you guys are queesy on magical money, we can maybe sell some vis or bargain with the masons and offer some other payment (such as magical items or longevity).
Pretend I roleplayed presenting these ideas to the council
Since we have now 4 Flambeau at the Covenant and are hosting, we definitely, IMO, need to produce a decent showing at the Tribunal, both in official Tribunal events and then the unofficial, more Flambeau types, such as the Test of Flames, which Alexei is not as suited at. He'd do ok, but not against someone truly fire focused.
My intent would be to swing more support to Ariel and away from the others as well as Rotgers now that he's a member. Alexei will still joust, bu he'd like to make sure our Flambeau practice the various magical duels as well. We can do this I think by a good showing.
The Normandy Tribunal Tournament is not like a Flambeau tournament.
The Certamen event doesn't determine who goes to Dimicatio. The Melee is a grog or companion only event.
Maris of Le Maison has won the Certamen event for as long as she's been in Normandy, the last 3 tournaments. Alexei won the last joust, previously had been won by Rutabaga of MontVerte. Hastidium is a bit more evenly divided, but Cunfin does well most years. The last Dimicatio was Marcus, who was considered a cenobite.
For Roberto, I will take 5xp in Intrigue (since there's-a-doins-transpiring), and 5xp for Mons Electi Area Lore or some such (he will put any spare time he can into getting the lay of the land. For his lab, I can duplicate his old set up in a size +1. But I may need to reconsider some of the +0 Virtues depending on what is present and available here. What is the maximum Upkeep score I am allowed?
Carlos will take 5xp in Intrigue, Pedro and Junior will each take 5xp in Animal Handling. Allen got a taste for the sea on the trip, and will take 5xp in Profession-Seaman. Alberto takes patrol duty seriously, and 5xp in Area Lore for Mons Electi.
For Tribunal competitions, my best bet is Dimicatio. But we will need to discuss as a troupe issues related to Fast Casting. I like Certamen too. Roberto thinks it is proper tradition.
Inirelte's Certamen is something I invented and put into a Sub Rosa article. They let me use it in NM, it is up to you guys if you want to allow it here. Basically it is a CrIg dual conducted within the Test of Flames. This is mainly just show, but if both dualists have the spell mastered they can fight using the Scool of Inirelte. Like a fighting school from True Lineages. You can add your mastery score to attack or defense and switch it up between rounds. Mastery abilities that have direct Certamen applications include Penetration, Resistance, Quick Casting and Imperbable Casting.
For Grog melee, I am willing to wager vis on Junior in a boxing match. So maybe we can do something for him. He needs experience. The others are too old (and valueable) for such tom foolery.
If we have a good jouster I am willing to lend my magical rein and offer service as a squire magus (casting supplemental spells on his behalf).
I am also interested in Flambeau Cult of Mercury. Not the mystery or the culture even (the title "flamen" seems sacreligeous to Roberto). Rather, the style of magic. Build a reputation as a spell master. Lab Aesthetics will help. Is their time available for me to write a Tractatus on Mastery for PoF and have multiple copies made? I can use these to win friends and influence people.
I hope to get some other sorts Flambeau side contests going as well.
By all means discuss away. You just need to get the rest of the troupe to join your viewpoint or not care enough to object. And whatever gets decided with regards to fast casting and is used in the Dimicatio has no net effect. Whatever you propose and would be implemented gets used by the NPCs.
IMO the sailor xp is a total waste. Seafaring isn't going to play a role in stories.
It may be a waste. You never know. But it is what he does. It adds a bit of flavor
For the next two seasons leading up to Tribunal, I will detail activities here and wait for other players to catch up and get ready for tribunal.
Grogs first, because they are easiest.
I would like Carlos to devote his time to Intrigue, but he is lazy and spends his time carousing with the grogs of Mons Electi instead. May I take 5xp Practice in each relevant ability? Carouse and Mons Electi Lore.
May I presume Pedro healed up in 1226.3? Two rolls, after a month and a week. He has medical assistance and magical aid. Then he will mill around the covenant for a season (Carouse) and then spend a season on patrol (Area Lore).
Allen gets a season of patrol and a season to Carouse. Alberto spens a season on Intrigue and a season on patrol.
May I presume 5xp per season for grogs?
For Roberto, you said he can move into a new lab as a handwave. With size +1, I can duplicate my old lab. I want to spend the next season Refining the lab and adding a new Minor Virtue. I also may want or need to change free Virtues to take advantage of or accomodate the setting and situation.
What is the maximum Upkeep score I am allowed?
My wishlist, for Size +1 & Refinement +1, is as follows...
+3 Greater Feature: Spell Circle (+2 Aesthetics, +3 Spells)
+1 Living Quarters (+1 GQ, -1 Safety, -2 Health, -2 Aesthetics)
+0 Defenses (+1 Aesthetics)
+0 Guard (+1 Aesthetics)
-3 Greater Focus: Spell Circle (-2 GQ, +4 Spells)
That mostly duplicates the old lab, with the exception of Superior Construction (I do not know the quality of these structures), and Superior Equipment (my venetian Glassware broke.
I would like to recoup those, and maybe add Superior Tools. Grand Entrance and Dedicated Building would be cool, but I am getting greedy :mrgreen:
Then, as for adding a new Minor Virtue, I am torn. Oppulent, Lesser Expansion, or Lesser Feature.
I need to know what is available to me and how much time it all requires.
Jonathan will be the final arbiter of this, but since I went through the same process recently, I can advance what I believe to be the answers.
Thanks to covenant specialists and resources, your lab automatically comes with the following buffs:
Superior Construction (Free Structure Virtue)
Superior Equipment (Free Outfittings Virtue)
Superior Tools (Free Outfittings Virtue)
Size +1, and Spacious (Minor Structure Virtue)
Anything else will need to be installed by you using seasons of work, unless it can be argued that it would have reasonably been there before (in which case it costs Build Points, which I believe you've allocated). Otherwise it would be two seasons for the Greater Feature (getting the Greater Focus along with it), another season for the Refinement, and another season to install Living Quarters. (Getting rid of Spacious for another Minor Virtue wouldn't take any time above the time needed to install that other Virtue.)
As for Upkeep: the arrival of Roberto and the five grogs is going to lead to a 40-pound-per-year silver shortfall, which we are going to have to find a way to deal with quickly (since our reserves will be on the order of 10-20 pounds most likely). Changing a lab from Upkeep 0 to Upkeep +1, +2, +3, +4 costs (assuming average lab usage) about 1/2, 2, 5, 9 pounds of silver per year, respectively. So if our solution to the 40-pound shortfall actually nets us 50 or 60 pounds, then you can go nuts as far as Tranquillina is concerned!
On a related note, but this one's for everyone: Viscaria had planned to enchant magical items called Lamp-Lighters and Hearth-Starters, which were intended to provide the Magical Lighting and Magical Heating Virtues to the Mons Electi laboratories (as well as its cool in-character effects). According to the magi planner, she was going to complete the Lamp-Lighters in 1225.3. Is this still happening?
Walk me through how 5 grogs and Roberto costs 40 pounds per year? I'm not seeing it...
And once Pedro gets up to speed (cough) he introduces a 50% cough savings to the weapons provision, right?
Like, maybe healing him more quickly would allow him to get another full season of work under his belt... Or something. I doubt Roberto would ask for this, so don't feel compelled to ask, Marko. However, someone might think of this, and suggest it... Or something.
From the table on Covenants page 63: a magus costs 10 points of inhabitants, and each grog costs 2 points. (I forgot Pedro was a blacksmith; he should probably cost 3 points instead of 2 then.) Each point of inhabitants costs about 1 pound of silver per year, so that's 21 pounds. Add another 1 pound for writing materials for a magus, and 1 pound of turn salary for each of the grogs - it's up to 27 pounds. (The grogs' weapons and armor adds between 1/2 and 1 pound per year.) But now the additional population requires 4 more servants and 3 more teamsters (page 64), adding 2 pounds per year each: that brings it up to 41 pounds. You're right that I forgot the cost savings for a skilled blacksmith, but that's only 4 pounds per year (page 66); so the net loss is 37 pounds per year. That's before Roberto's lab, too, which is 1 pound per year (at Upkeep 0).
Moral of the story: man, the costs add up when you live the Summer lifestyle
By the way, the numbers I've worked out don't include Marcus's residency at Mons Electi, so that's even more money that needs to be accounted for. (Does he have a lab at ME?)
Yes, but Marcus has independent means.
In fact, by this time, it's well understood that he pays the shepherds for the sheep they lose to Ingitio... He's harvesting a ridiculous amount of Intellego vis and then ransoming it to anyone in Normandy who wants it.
Well, scrap refinement for now then. Not enough time. The first season, when I settle in, I add Living Quarters to fill the +1 size. Then I spend two seasons installing the spell circle. Then time for Tribunal.
It takes an insignificant amount of time to add Free Virtues. I would like to add Defenses (have Pedro make an iron gate to go over the door). I can provide my own Guard.
So then, I calculate the following projected results...
Free Virtues: Defenses, Guard, Superior Construction, Superior Equipment, Superior Tools
Minor Virtue: Living Quarters
Major Virtue: Greater Feature (spell circle)
Major Flaw: Greater Focus (spell circle)
Note, the sanctum is not +1 size, the lab is +1 size. Magi can have a sanctum that is sufficiently large enough to house spacious living quarters and a +1 sized lab. Indeed, magi could have a suite of rooms and have grogs stationed therein (this might create morale problems, though). Just the default size for a lab, available to every magus is +1. Extra size for a lab is certainly available, but it has never come up before now.
Or 12 xp in French, if the French is less than Ability level of 4. Roberto could be directing laborers to setup his lab, and that's how he gets the French exposure.
Exposure is available in things that are reasonable to the activity. I can be persuaded a lot of things are reasonable for these kinds of off-stage experience point opportunities.
But French ain't gonna help me invent spells
I have been neglecting Magic Theory, as I have tended to place exposure xp into the related art or mastey of the spell. And what I had built up, I redistributed as I don't like entering a game with dangling xp. He needs Magic Theory. A score of only 4 is awfully low for his age (I recal starting at 4 out of gauntlet).
Change of plan for Roberto. The season he arrives, he moves into his new lab and sets up Living Quarters. Some may think he is strange, but that's just what he is used to. Forget the spell circle for now.
1226.4 & 1227.1 will be used for doing what needs to be done. Roberto will write a letter to Ariel at Val-Negra requesting an audience. He won't wait for a response, he will just go there.
His grogs are on patrol duty, so he will need a few shield grogs from the turb.
And he asks amongst the other Flambeau members for one of them to accompany him. Specifically, he asks Issen first.
I will role play that and write the letter if the SG thinks this is feasible and advisible.
So Roberto doean't do that. Still, he intends to make better use of his time than for personal desires.
Grog advancment stays the same, and Roberto spens only one season setting up his lab. The following are the stats I come up with...
Free Virtues: Defenses, Guard, Superior Construction, Superior Equipment, Superior Tools
Characteristics: Size +1, Refinement +0, General Quality +3, Upkeep +0, Safety +2, Warping +0, Health -2, Aesthetics +1 (Spell Master 2)
Specializations: Items +1
Now, we have an Aura of 5, right? Doubled for Rego?
Yes, it's Rego aligned, so doubled for Rego, and it depends on where you are what the strength of the aura is.
On the manor house side it's an Aura 3. Most of the mundanes live over here, barracks, etc.
On the castle side, it's an Aura 5. There is enough room to setup a lab wherever...
. His belief: Flambeau (Reculed) was descended of the Cult of Mercury, his pater Delendos being a Priest of Mars (and a Visigoth). War, Fire, etc. But Roberto is Mercurian in style, not philosophy or theology.
