About those Magic Regiones

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

Hi,

There's one thing about Regiones in RoP: Magic that seems a bit strange to me. Let me start with an example:

An old wizard's tower lies within a Magic aura of 6, and in the top floor of the tower, a regio has appeared with three levels.

What are the strength of the aura in the different levels of the regio? From what I understand from reading the book, the top level of the regio, that is, the third level, cannot exceed the overall aura score, which is 6, based on the aura the tower stands in. Then the first and second level of the regio must be lower than 6? Wouldn't it be logical if all the levels inside the regio were of higher aura than the mundane level outside of the regio?

Or is the "overall aura" in this instance actually meant as the overall aura inside the regio? So in this example, the top level of the regio could be higher than 6?

Any thoughts?:slight_smile:

Eirik

2

IIRC, a regio generally forms by the aura increasing. So an aura of 7 will be created instead of the current 6, but only in a limited region. This will change the base aura score to 7, even though most of the region remains under aura 6.

If you want a three-level, rather than a single-level, regio to form - you need to increase the aura strength three times at least, so the levels could be, say, 7,8,10 with four increases - three created 7,8,9, and the last one increased the last level's aura strength only.

3

So the aura strength inside the regio must be higher than the aura in the mundane world? I think this is written somewhat confusingly, but then again, English is not my first language. :confused:

Edit: It seems what I'm asking about is if the aura in the mundane world has to have any connection to the aura inside the regio, or can it be higher or lower?

Eirik

4

While i dont recall RAW, we allow either. Regiones must have an aura of some kind at strength 1 or higher is the only limitation.
Regiones simply has no connection to the mundane surroundings beyond having an entrance/exit at on point.

5

So a Magic regio could exist in an are without a mundane magic aura? This makes sense, as there are Magic regiones in other types of auras, if I remember correctly.

I have another related question, but I'm putting up another topic on that. :slight_smile:

Eirik

6

Well, I've gotten my eyes on the RAW. Very weird.

Looking at the tables on p. 11, a botch will create a regio with a mundane level (aura 0) and a top level of the ovreall aura score - only two levels, per page 13, are created this weay. The entire area in which the aura is located becomes a regio; this isn't like in your scenario, where only a part of the aura becomes a regio.

The botch may also result in a new level within an existing regio, in which case the wording on page 13 implies to me that the regio levels need not be in order, but that the top-level must be the highest (the aura score) and there can be at most (aura score+1) levels, including the mundane level (aura 0).

Once a regio forms in this way, increases to the aura score will increase the top-level, so won't create a situation wherein the lowest level (aura 0) will acquire an aura. A botch may result in an additional regio level, but that too won't change the already-existing lower level.

So my conclusion is that the RAW says that the aura in the lowest level is always mundane - aura 0. The rules presented in RoPM do not result in the creation of a situation wherein the aura in the mundane world is anything other than zero; the aura strength inside the regio's first level can vary.

The only possible exception seems to be a a magical event or accident, which is not fully covered by the rules in RoPM. Botches are, though, and seem to be what is intended - and so won't be a way out, too.

All of this is very weird, as regiones are typically found within auras, not within mundane (aura 0) areas. I think it's best to just ignore that aspect of the rules. Let the regio form in a part of the aura, with the lowest level (the aura in the world) kept as-is and the new regio level initially at the same level. The top-level of the regio would then increase with aura increases, I suppose, a per the usual rules.

Since you'd be houseruling in that case, I suggest you might want to consider other options - so the aura inside might be lower than that outside, and so on.

While I like the idea of the aura change rules, I don't really like their execution. This is an example - magic regios arise instead of magical auras, not in addition to them. Another is that things botches always create regios - there surely should be other effects. Another is that I don't think impinging and competing auras are done too well. There is no option, for example, for a spirit to form all alliance with a Faerie power to maintain the aura, as per GotF. There is little way for a weak aura to grow within or from outside a strong one. There is little way for an aura to expand geographically - only by a few yard per year.

Another way to make regios is with a spirit power, of course (page 105), and this does create a regio within an aura, rather than replacing the aura.