1271.3e It's all relative (Fabricus)

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Stealing the Future
41

Fabricus stopped by the stable on his morning walking, eating a piece of fruit. His only response when he received Vasil's report was a large bite from the fuit before throwing the remnants into the pen with the pigs. He thanked Vasil for his honesty and hoped said that he hoped the willful apprentice was not too much of a bother.

Fabricus walked from there to the council chambers that the Magi shared and tried to organize his thoughts.

((I can't post in the other thread from my office, but that's OK, that discussion can come later))

42

"Not at all, the stables are cleaner than they've ever been."

43

Several weeks into class Fabricus awaits in his ornate chair as has become customary. The students are expected to file in orderly and take their seats. This day he informed them there would be a test, in three parts. One would be a written examination which they were given some advance notice:

The Elementa exist separately from each other, describe the effects (if any) when two elements combine based on observations of Intelligo and the Elementa Forms in question. You should describe the interactions with two examples, each example where one substance is present in greater quantities than the other. For example, describe when earth meets fire and there is more earth, and then when they meet and there is more fire.

For the oral examination, each will answer a question posed by Fabricus in regards to either the quantity of an Individual amount of a given element, or the base power in Magnitudes or fractions of Magnitudes of a given effect of an element.

Finally, they will demonstrate, under strictly controlled settings, their ability to create an individual of each element. They will also be tested on their ability to destroy an individual of an element.

There is an extra credit portion; if the student is able to transform an individual of an element into an indivual of another element, they will increase thier score and rise in Fabricus's esteem.

Fabricus merely stares dourly as the students cross the threshold to his room.

44

((This test is perhaps a bit ambitious. Creating an element is certainly possible, a gust of wind, a pebble that last a moment. Changing an element into another element is a 5th level spell with Muto, which they may or may not have already learned, unless Fabricus coordinates with Clement, and has requisites. The results will largely dependent upon luck. The testing environment will add botch dice, a total of 4 for any spontaneous magic worked.
How do you want to do the written/oral portions? Dice them out based on scores? How much of the class has been completed at this point, half? So 2 or 3 xp would be available to have opened other Arts?))

45

((I would hope this is at the end of the term. Several weeks in Clement has only gone deeply into Creo with the others just brushed on. Clement would let Fabricus know this if asked. I think people are putting the end of the term experience on their apprentices but it is still the beginning of the term.))

46

Hmmm, maybe I need to pull this back a bit. Regarding the Muto...well it is extra credit after all, so I'll drop that and mainly see if they can use Creo. For the written portion, if they were to roll maybe Int+ Magic Theory for the answer? And then Comm + Artes to actually write it out. For the oral part, we could actually stage that.

47

It's your show, so you decide. :smiley:

48

We'll have everyone roll Int+Magic Theory 6, if they get that wrong, no need to make the next roll. If they get the MT roll right then roll Comm+Artes Liberales 6. If they get that wrong, they'll pass with a C (equivalent). If they get both right, they got an A.

and for the oral I'll ask each student, for the spell, maybe (to avoid botching) they will demonstrate the gestures and words but not cast it (they can first show the one and then the other). Fabricus (with his own Flaw) is wary of magic cast without an item, so i can see him having 'magic-less' demos. Sound good?

49

Ambrose contemplates the question, and frames his answer.
Total of 6 means he answers it correctly, but only just.
For his oral portion, he explodes and rolls a 9 for a total of 18+1-1-2=16.
Ambrose gives Fabricus a steely gaze and says, "Professor Fabricus, I find your question to be a bit beyond the expectations of one would be capable at our level, but here's the answer anyway." He then proceeds to give a flawless recitation and defense of his answer.

Ambrose demonstrates the spell: Muto 0 +Auram 1 + Sta 3 +Aura 4 -Aging 2 + roll 9=15/2=8, which would be successful. ((I decided to do the roll, but not call it a botching roll, as he's demonstrating what he would do, and the spell doesn't actually get cast, but leaving the die roll in gave it a possibility of having some success or failure, but without the risks of a magical botch))

50

Julius has int +2 + MT 1 - 1 + test (1d10=4) = 6.
(I'm upgrading Julius to have the Grows Quickly virtue since he has giants blood so his stats are only -1)

He fails the 2nd roll with Com+1 + AL 1 -1 + test2 (1d10=3) = 4

Julius will attempt to demonstrate a CrIg Cr 1 + Ig 1 + Stam 2 + aura 4 -1 age + spell roll (1d10=6) 13/2 = 7 ( rounding up).

51

((Grows Quickly only applies to size. Did you have a Flaw picked out to balance it, too?

52

Fabricus reads Ambrose's written exam as others continue theirs and sets aside the vellum; it was adequate.

"When I want your opinion on my methods, rest assured, you will know. In the meanwhile cease the whining, I thought your Grandmother was a Tytalus? What would she say to hear this?" Fabricus adds with a sardonic grin; perhaps challenging him would get better results. He makes a simple gesture of acceptance at the spell casting display and points back to Ambrose's chair.

53

Ambrose snorts,smirks and rolls his eyes as he goes back to the chair, but doesn't say anything.

54

((He has more flaws than virtues at this point. Grows quickly treats him as one age level higher on the chart.))

55
56

Averell gets the written portion of the exam, and fails, but only just.. He throws a few mental daggers the way of Ambrose, upset with himself and unable to keep pace with...that boy.

Failing the written exam, he steps up and attempts to discuss the finer points of why water is wet, and why air is dry. And he can't even get that right. Comm -3 + die roll of 3 = grand result of 0.

But maybe he can make up for it. Maybe he can do the demonstration - demonstration only, not really casting anything - properly. He tries to put his fingers in the proper positions, and he tries to go through the proper motions, hoping that he can get things right and not totally fail the entire examination.

(OOC: -1 Int on the first roll due to age, otherwise would have succeeded. Bummer.

Following what everyone else is doing, the demo roll is CrAu; Creo 1 + Auram 1 - Stamina 2 + Aura 4 + Stress Die. Halved. Gives me a 5.5, rounded to nearest whole number is 6. Not sure what the number to succeed is here, so I'll just kind of wing it and let the professors decide if I get this right.)

57

((Actually he does, I may have miscommunicated. When I said MT 6 and the Comm 6, I was basically putting two rolls on one test)) go ahead and do the oral portion))

58

((For the knowledge: Int -1 + Magic Theory 1 + die roll of 2 = 2. For the expressing of her answer: Com -2 + Artes Liberales 1 + (die roll of 0, with a botch check of 0. Yep. That's a botch.))

Margerethe turns in her paper on Auram vs. Aquam, postulating that when Auram is greater than Aquam, you have steam, whereas when Aquam is greater than Auram you have carbonated water.

In perfect German.

((Not sure if you want to pose a question for each student, or have us just roll a MT check for it.))

Margerethe concentrates intently as she creates a light drizzle over the table. ((Target is base 1, to create a minor weather phenomenon, R: Voice +2, D: Concentration +1, T: Individual, for a final level of 4. Her CT is Sta -1 + Cr 1 + Au 2 + Aura 4 + die roll of 6 = 12, halved is 6.))

The tiny girl concentrates intently on the drizzle, slowly grinning with glee until she finally claps her hands happily, which breaks her concentration and ends the spell.

She then focuses on the air in the room to make it stuffy. ((Target is base 3, to "make air stuffy and poor for breathing"; R: Touch +1, D: Concentration +1, T: Individual, for a final level of 5. Her CT is Sta -1 + Pe 1 + Au 2 + Aura 4 + die roll of 5 = 11, halved is 6.))

And for the extra credit: she will try to turn the water that drizzled onto the table to dirt. ((Target is base 5, "change a liquid into a...solid (with Terram requisite)", R: Touch +1, D: Momentary, T: Individual, for a final level of 10. Probably won't happen, but it's extra credit, so: CT is Sta -1 + Mu 1 + Te 1 + Aura 4 + (die roll of 0, with a botch check of 1) 0 = 5, halved is 3. Not even close.

59

(OOC: Post edited. Not that it did much good as I failed anyhow.)

60

Imric gives the question a lot of thought and comes up with a very good answer to it.[sup]1[/sup] Unfortunately, prior to coming to the school, he'd never had to do any writing, so that's not one of his strong skills. As a result, while his reasoning is sound, the explanation is just shy of what Professor Fabricus was expecting.[sup]2[/sup]

Turning to the practical examination, Imric has mixed results. He describes a spell for making a pile of sand appear that seems quite practical.[sup]3[/sup] But when it comes to destroying something - in this case, the dirt that's gathered in the corner of the room - he seems to have a little more trouble. Clearly he has some kind of mental block with Perdo magic. His spell starts out sound, but quickly falls apart. Something about Perdo magic seems to be lost on Imric. [sup]4[/sup]

The young English boy does much better with the extra credit part of the test. He describes a spell that would transform a pile of sand into a piece of slate, and shows each aspect of it individually. It's a crude spell, but a functional one.[sup]3[/sup]

[hr][/hr]
[sup]1[/sup] Int + MT Roll: 1 (Int) + 1 (MT) + 1d10 = 1d10+2 = 1d10+2=9
He comes up with a solid answer.

[sup]2[/sup] Com + AL Roll" -2 (Com) + 1 (AL) + 1d10 = 1d10-1 = 1d10-1=5
Close, but not quite. His answer is solid, but he hasn't the practice in writing to phrase it properly. Darn that -2 to characteristics for age.

Are the only options A and C? No chance for a B? Imric had a cracking good answer and only missed the writing part by 1.

[sup]3[/sup] Spell to create sand: Base 1, Voice +2, Concentration +1 = 4
CrTe4 Roll: [1d10 + 1 (Mu) + 2 (Te) + 1 (Sta) + 4 (Aura)]/2 = 1d10+8=15/2 = 8
Successful spell.

[sup]4[/sup] Spell to destroy dirt: Base 3, Voice +2 = 5
PeTe5 Roll: [1d10 + 0 (Pe) + 2 (Te) + 1 (Sta) + 4 (Aura)]/4 = 1d10+7=15/4 = 3.75, rounded to 4
CT is halved because of Perdo deficiency.

[sup]5[/sup] MuTe5 Roll: [1 (Mu) + 2 (Te) + 1 (Sta) + 1d10]/2 = (1d10+4)/2 = 1d10+4=11/2 = 5.5 (rounded to 6)
The spell would have worked. (My understanding is that we were not actually casting the spells, since the chance of botching would have been extreme at our low skill level.

ETA: Forgot Aura for the extra credit. It would have been (1d10+8)/2 = 15/2 = 8