6a Beyond the Valley of Mists

Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Light of Andorra
141

Transformations

Okay, there is a wide range of things to do and ways you can study. Whatever it is, I am calling it Source Quality 10 (the standard setting for this saga). That brings you all up to 15 xp-vis. You have five choices…
• Keep all of the vis and change nothing
• Keep all of the vis and change one Virtue or Flaw into another of the same value.
• Use 5, gain a Minor Virtue & a Minor flaw, keep 10 pawns
• Use 10, gain a Minor Virtue, keep 5 pawns
• Use all 15 and gain a Major Virtue & a Major Flaw.

Your options to choose from are vast. Tell me what you are looking for and sell me on it.

The library of Val-Negra is in a state of near ruin, but it is a perfectly preserved ruin. They will never worsen and they resist improvement. If you try to take anything back with you, it will instantly crumble to dust. This library is vast, and it has many works on many subjects. It is conceivable that you could gain Puissant Art or Ability this way.

Exploring Val-Negra could be interesting, and that is what Alexandro and the grogs are doing. They are not watched as closely as you all are, and thus can go pretty much anywhere. You are more restricted because Abaddon is obsessive, and watches every move you make. But with many of the other magi now gone, there are vast areas that he doesn’t care about. You can explore the ruins up top (the crystal growths are a vis source, you can look but you cannot touch). You can investigate the labs of the wizards of days past. You can interact with the covenfolk (I posted statistics for them in the Bestiary thread).

Use these as ideas, tell a story. Describe what you do, anything interesting that happens as you do, and what results you obtain from it.

142

I take it only one of the options is available to so you can't say take say a minor virtue for 10 pawns, and for 5 pawns get a minor virtue and minor flaw?

143

No, you are only allowed one transformation in a given season, according to ROP:M.

144

I don't have ROP: M :slight_smile:

Thanks for the clarification.

145

Hold on,
Yes, you are only allowed one transformation per season. However, this is the second season you have been within the Magic Realm. Though it was a short encounter, it was an intense one. I allotted 5 vis-xp to everyone, and if you want to, you could have used them already if unknowingly. If you so desire, you can
• 0 Vis: Change a Virtue or Flaw into another Virtue or Flaw of the same value
• 5 Vis: Gain a Minor Virtue and a Minor Flaw
This will have to be justified by your acts and actions in Perdut.

Octavian, having a Brawl score saved your life. Puissant Brawl and a new Flaw? Or better yet, change Judged Unfairly to Pessimistic. Generally, Transformation should only involve Hermetic, Supernatural, or General Virtues & Flaws. But I will let it slide in this case because I think it fits so very well. You proved yourself to yourself in the encounter with Metron, and earned some respect. However, you think everyone is useless and that you are all doomed to failure. It was a personality changing experience, and the two personality traits are somewhat related (negative vibes man :laughing: ).

Inigo, your battle was spectacular. Metron’s tactics and fighting school defied you ever studied by the book, and managed to escape you though trickery and befuddlement. Perhaps next time you will be less of a Book Learner and more of a Clear Thinker? Or perhaps not. Maybe you gain Warped Magic and learn to be a Fast Caster (your Fast Casting was brilliant by the way).

Arwan, you did a lot of astrological analysis. Puissant Intellego or Vim? Ludo, you transversed the Twilight Void. Puissant Second Sight? Oh! That is a good idea for Octavian too, because he spotted Metron in the darkness. Or taking Premonitions and Visions as a pair sounds good, for you all shared the same strange prophetic ream.

I, however, recommend against it. Maybe changing Virtues or Flaws if you really want, but I don’t think you guys need to take on anymore new Flaws. Go for the simple Minor Virtue for 10 pawns of xp-vis, and save the other five pawns for the day you want to make a Talisman. Or save all 15. I am entertained by the idea of one of you taking on a new Major Virtue and Major Flaw. You guys decide what you want to do, do it, and then I can send you all home.

This may be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Choose wisely :wink:

146

I like judged unfairly and I put a lot of effort in trying to make it work. As for pessimistic; hardly and for multiple reasons that would kind of reveal most of his personality like a book :slight_smile: Secrecy would be a better substitute I think anyways.

I've considered these actually. Having keen eyesight already though makes puissant second sight a bit redundant. Only major "flaw" I can think of for Octavian is difficult underlings :stuck_out_tongue:

I think Ludo and Vares from their experience might be best for student of the magical realm or as a flaw twilight prone (ludo) from the experience of going through the twilight realm. Magic sensitivity would also be very good. Especially for Vares to indulge in his curiosity.

As for myself, I'm considering clear thinker and changing continence to temperate.

He was outmaneuvered so I don't think clear thinker would be good. He's been mostly accepting of whatever is presented to him and such and surprisingly things went better than possibly expected. Perhaps Intuition or luck? Even self-confident works. Cautious with ability perhaps seeing as he might have doubts after seeing Metron evade him and is extra careful to avoid making that same mistake? Or better yet, learn (ability) from mistakes. Lightning reflexes might also be good.

Optimistic strikes me as a potentially good flaw but then he lamented about the fate of Kesara as the object of the prophecy. Second season the "Protection" or blessing of Vanacastium also works. Or as a guardian angel.

147

For the most part, only Hermetic, Supernatural, or General Virtues & Flaws may be taken. I will allow some exceptions for Personality, but they must be firmly based upon your experiences.

Being outmanuvered is the reason I figure Clear Thinker (or Common Sense) may bbe a good choice. He learned from his failure and would be keener and more aware next time.

And we all know that the only reason things have worked out this well at all is because Inigo has Octavian at his side. Which has the better Leadership score? Things could have been much worse, bbut they could have been much etter as well.

148

I only bought RoP-Magic recently, so it may be that I'm not fully understanding. Just let me know if I'm off base and I'll modify.

Here's my thought for Inigo's transformation:
Wracked by the knowledge that his baby girl will grow into not just any adult, but one of tremendous importance, Inigo has several visions in the magic realm about it that bring him back into focus. When he leaves the Realm, he feels better about their fates, but cannot remember the visions except in snippets. They contained a great deal of information about his future and that of his daughter, and he knows this, but they remain mostly elusive. This manifests as the virtue Premonitions, with particularly important visions returning to him at times of immanent danger. Training in the ability would represent time spent meditating on his time there and perhaps using Mentem magics to recall what he learned.

So that would be this option:

Also, was the stuff above mention of doing more than one transformation? Since Inigo is turning to a leader of men and perhaps a trainer of apprentices (something that he's surprisingly never been before) I think it would be nice if he got rid of the Incomprehensible flaw. Could I do a second transformation to swap that out for something else (I was thinking Disfigured by some sort of Criamon-like mark or maybe a Deleterious Circumstances), or was I not understanding that?

Does that take care of advancement? Or did I see more of that mentioned in the Table Talk thread? Are we doing seasonal stuff back at Andorra as well?

Also, about Kesara:
So ladyphoenix and I have been corresponding (slowly, which is my fault) about my daughter's fate. Apparently Ameline had a vision that she would train Kesara, which Inigo might not take too kindly to now that he knows she's the Lumina. He's definitely not OK with Ameline just snapping her up while he's gone (although LP has pointed out that that's entirely legal, technically, if not polite or practical since she's surrounded by Flambeau friends of his who might object or would at least let her know what his reaction is likely to be). My thought is we should have some adventure together to hash it all out. In my perfect world, they set up some sort of co-training situation, contingent on them learning to trust each other, and ultimately Kesara turns into something entirely different that stymies the both of them and creates adventures. A saint? An eventual villain for the saga? Something else suitably surprising?

149

Yes, her actions are legal. Just as the action of declaring wizard war, killing her, and taking ack your daughter would be as well. Or having someone else perform the deed. Or successfully issuing a challenge of Certà men and winning her (as an apprentice, the code considers her as property, now House Tremere are firm proponents for there to be greater rights for apprentices...). Or a Bonisagus swooping in and taking her for him or herself.

150

Ameline hasn't taken Kesara as apprentice yet. That begins when the arts are opened. For summer, she is keeping an eye on Kesara (using her as lab assistant is a good excuse) to see if Inigo returns. Ameline's vision though was not her training Kesara but something else (you will have to role play with her to get teh details.) but such that until such time as someone else is keeping a very close protective watch on the girl, she will be doing so. (Apprenticeship is an option if she is forced to it in future seasons to keep her from Pagan masters)

151

Wrong, it begins when the formal declaration of intent/offer is made to the would be apprentice. See HoH: TL, Guernicus section. However, you're expected to open the arts ASAP after the fact (within the year of teaching you are obligated to the apprentice per year).

152

Mmm. I think prone to twilight makes sense, indeed, for Ludo. Even without crossing the void. More so now.

I'm not certain however what would make sense in this context for a major virtue. I've been pondering a minor, as puissant magic theory, but I'm not certain about that either at this point.

153

Well you were plunged through essentially the essence of magic.

If the magic realm is something fluid, and hermetic magic is simply a way to order or categorize magic to actually understand and codify it, then you might learn insights into flexible formulaic magic?

Perhaps something followed you back like a Ghostly Warder?

Could also opt to take "gentle gift" as the experience allows you to be able to reign in the Gift and ostensibly negate your blatant gift?

Marko could we say create a sort of hermetic or supernatural ability? Perhaps a stronger version of the Free Study virtue that increases study totals for learning from Vis? Perhaps we could create one for Ludo as he might find learning from books to be too "limiting" and learns far more from Vis.

Like say instead of +3, maybe +7 or something.

154

Falls, dropping Incomprehensible for another Flaw is totally legit. Go for it.
No newly invented Virtues. Save those for Mysteries.
As far as legalities, Vanacastium of Flambeau has declared whose apprenrice Kesara is already. It is just a matter of who her Hermetic "godparent" will be (the one who opens her Arts).
Otherwise you guys are on the right track :smiley:

155

OOC: I am not sure that the words of a ghost in the magic realm of a lost covenant has much weight in hermetic law. The declaration of apprenticeship to the apprentice and opening the arts are the elements in hermetic law that hold up. That said, Ameline is only having Kesara act as gifted lab assistant (to keep an eye on the girl closely) with no declaration of apprenticeship (and arts not opened) while she waits to see if the rescue mission manages to bring Inigo home.

156

Very true! What legal authority can be had by a ghost? If this was the Rhine Tribunal with their strange rules, maybe. But what Tribunal is this one? Andorra has no official Tribunal designation, and Val-Negra is in Provencal.

This could be very interesting :smiling_imp:

157

OOC Even in rhine, ghosts declarations don't have legal authority, the sigil of the ghost is even and it is vote in tribunal: that vote is the legal power (there are just a lot of ghosts so a lot of sigils that it adds up). That ghost didn't give his sigil to inigo and it isn't at tribunal yet.

158

Not to mention that Rhine is the exception rather than the rule and the Quaesitores are particularly vigilant in making sure that practice doesn't spread.

159

That is one of the interesting things about the Border Hook. What Tribunal would be appealed to? Provencal or Iberia? And who in their right mind would raise up offences against a nun? I mean, i don't want all kinds of inner covenant drama and rivalry, but if you guys want it and you all feel you can handle it, then I say go for it :wink:

160

Octavian in season "one" will take the virtue: Independant study (HoH: M p86) for his efforts in understanding the situation that is transpiring and acting usually in the best manner. However, he also earns the flaw Unbearable to Demons HoH: M p87) as his fight with Metron and his demon, as well as his past fights against the infernal have made it so Hell can no longer tolerate him. Cost 5 XP/vis; gain Independant Study (minor, general) & Unbearable to Demons (minor, general)

In Season 2: Parsing through Metron's journals and lab texts, the confusing testimony from Abaddon, and drawing the various other insights he has learned a great deal of the machinations that are taking place and seen through many of the deceptions. Cost 10 XP/vis; gain Clear Thinker (minor, general).

Also in season 2, Octavian by virtue of the Great Talisman virtue, gains the talisman attunement +10 vs demons from the red coral in his ring.