Gold Rush.
A respected archmagi master of [Form] has read the signs and come to the tribunal with a happy prediction. A great event will occur in ten years time. [An eruption of Mt Edna for Ignam, a vast migration for Animal, a once in a millennium flowering for Herbem, etc]. Vis at the site will be trivial to collect and literally without limit. This vis will be normal in all respects but one: if not used it won’t last much beyond the end of the event. The event might last as little as one season or be as long as a year.
What sort of ritual spells will you be ready to cast or items ready to create when cost is no concern? How’s your Magic Theory?
A minor breakthrough in the nature of vis category, if completed in time, may allow a magus to transform and store the ‘temporary’ vis. An unlucky magus doesn’t finish in time. A careless magus is quickly cheated, robbed and/or killed. A lucky & careful magus becomes very very wealthy and the hermetic economy changes drastically.
A grand tribunal before the event will try to impose ‘order’ on the proceedings. What sort of resolution would your character support (if any)?
In passing the Master mentions that of all the interested parties in Europa the Order of Hermes is probably the last to learn of the event. All sorts of human users of magic along with great & small creatures of magic can be expected to attend. Devils and angels are a definite possibility. He insists there should be no conflict since there will be enough raw magic for everyone. No conflict? Silly old archmagus. On the other hand it might be a good place to look for a familiar...
The reader of this challenge chooses the form of magic and describes the event. On the day the event starts roll a die (suggest d4 or d6) for the number of seasons it will last. Also flip a coin. Heads: The archmagi’s prediction was spot on. Tails: He missed something.... (troupe choice by vote – other suggestions welcome)
– The amount is vast but definitely not unlimited (tough magi win).
– It’s not hard to collect but you need a bit of secret knowledge or special equipment (wise magi win).
– This much [Form] magic in one place changes reality in dangerous ways (flexible magi win).
– The vis already seems to have a serious owner (creative magi win).
– The crowd that shows up is far too large for the space available (social magi win).
– It turns out several forms and a couple of techniques of vis are available in smaller quantities (generalist magi win).
– He got the whole form wrong – the expected huge floating island (pumice: terrum) stuck just off shore turned out to be a vast mountain of ice (cold: ignum with some aquam) or the migration turned out to be spirit animals (vim), etc....
Also remember that in real life gold rushes most miners don’t do nearly as well as the folks who set up to provide goods, services, organization, etc. to the throng.
Sorry for the length of this post. Hope it’s useful.
Pax,
Ram