The audience was almost all magi. Were you watching the contest or watch the audience? Is it possible that it was done? If so then the spell would have to be formulaic.
((Someone will have to add it up for me. CrTe base 3 size +2( guessing ) duration ?? Diameter +1 Requ Rego +1 Range voice +2 That is 25. Make it sun and it is 30. Moon is 35. Impressive for a spont but a long way from 100. The EFFECT might be a 20th mag. If it is not Creo then it is Muto which is still base 3 and we would know it because actual ground would have to have been changed.))
((It's working out the unknown from the knowns. You have two out of three. Total power and can calculate the effect level with some degree of certainty...whatever is left must be...))
[color=blue]"You might want to. I believe Praxiteles was teaching Valerian Finesse, but couldn't believe that he would use it for anything other than artistic purposes. She could explain it better than I."
((That would not push it up the magnitude would it? Unless I'm confused ( which I frequently am) a CrTe30 spell is 6th magnitude if you roll a 30 or a 300 on the dice. Sure it will penetrate better with the 300 but that does not change the magnitude.))
((We can figure out the effect level. We might be able to suss out what Valerian's casting total should be, based on what's known of his abilities in the combination of Rego and Terram. With those, we should be able to determine what the actual casting total was, based on the effect level and an estimation of Praxiteles's Terram resistance, and thus figure out how far beyond Valerian's capability that "botch" was.
There is the magnitude of the effect, and there is the magnitude of magical power brought to bear. Do traces include total power brought to bear? I think so. I can revise and we can retcon how this information is determined.
((If we have an effect of 100 - lvl 25 spell = 75. So if he had a high penetration ability say 10 plus an AC he could could get to 75 if he only exceeded the roll by 25. There is a good change he had a AC plus he might have a horoscope since they were lovers. That could add +1 or +2 to the multiplier and lower the cost he needs to go over. ))
(( He could have had all sorts of things from that relationship. Lock of hair as a love token? +3 AC. Signature on a love letter? Another +1. Sexy nickname? +1. Secret magical name? +1. Time and place of birth? Good for a +2 nativity horoscope like jebrick said. That's a total of x8 Penetration multiplier without even trying very hard... or without taking into account potential knowledge of things like Flawed Parma or Weak Magic Resistance. Even if his Penetration score is a low-for-a-Hoplite 6, that's a whopping 48 Penetration.))
((Maybe at this point I'd like to ask Jonathan to either reiterate or retcon what exactly Rataxes/Cavillor said to Tranquillina about the strength of the spell. I'd draw quite different conclusions depending on whether the power/magnitude of the spell includes only the spell level, or the whole Casting Total, or Casting Total + Penetration bonus.))
Let's presume that the traces of magic that determine how much power (casting total) can differentiate between the casting total and methods for augmenting penetration. If we had a Quaesitor in this saga, I might be less inclined to just throw that out there as a freebie... So, the Quaesitores determined it was 20 magnitudes of power, without any aids to penetration, and this was disclosed.
((Just an AC adds +4 to the multiplier. I figure V could have gotten a score of 40-50 on a roll without problem. lets say 45. that is 20 over. With a Penetration score of 10 that is 50+20+25 = 95. What we are guessing at is the Penetration score ))
A quick thing to add also, Alexei heard about Valerian on the Crusade that he was unconcerned about combat at all and got stabbed and hacked by swords without concern.
Now Alexei can pretty much pull off the same trick with a lot of work, a few spells plus his own Toughness virtue and he's practically unhurtable by mundanes unless they get a bunch of exploders. I don't think we ever saw Valerian wearing armor, that could mean his Terram is crazy-huge for the soak it would provide against metal weapons. Also he punched through Alexei's parma while in a Divine aura without any effort.
Alexei had been listening on the various theories presented regarding Valerian's actions and felt he needed to add his own input.
"I had chance to travel and meet with Valerian at the behest of the Bishop. His skill in Terram is monstrously strong. While in the Bishop's domain, strongly in the Dominion, he managed to cast a spell on my armor, much as I do; without gesture or word and affected me with utter ease. My parma and resistance was as nothing. Further, while we were both on crusade we were not together. Still I heard of his contempt for the attacks of men upon him. Stabbed and slashed and not the slightest blemish. I reinforce my armor and am usually much safer than even a knight, but he wears no armor. Could his skill at Terram be so strong he could utterly deny a sword stroke? If so, I think there is plenty of proof that he could do the deed...on purpose and not blame the magic for being out of control."
Roberto raises an eyebrow. Are you serious? Not only is the answer obvious, plenty of evidence has been laid out before us. All that remains is obtaining concrete evidence. I propose beating a confession out of him, but people tend to frown on that nowadays. But there are other means of coercion.
Alexei scoffs. "I highly doubt he had Infernal help. He was firmly inside the Dominion, talking with the Bishop. Valerian is many things but let us not cast him with the Infernal without far more proof than what was represented." he pauses. "I'm not sure that you meant that Roberto, so please take no offense."
))