Agapitus (Draft)

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: The Prestige of Thebes
1

Born as the third child of five to his parents in Italy, Agapitus was one of two gifted children born into that set of siblings, the other being his youngest sister. His parents were completely overjoyed at their luck, though they were still attentive to all of their children. Agapitus’s father was a Redcap, and his mother was a member of the Milvi Antiquiti within house Mercere. Though his mother was originally planning on not training her own son, but the moment he showed any capability in Mutanum Magic, her mind changed quickly, and she began training him very early.

Given the boy’s age, his education was split up a bit to make things easier to digest. After a few years of training, the boy worked to aide his mother in her work to diffuse knowledge through books to all who requested it. He was mostly a librarian’s assistant when he was young and his mother’s apprentice. During this time, his mother also noticed the boy had a special affinity with animals. Agapitus seemed to naturally adore any sort of cat, dog, horse, and many other creatures, and they seemed unbothered by him. The only creatures the boy seemed to reject were snakes and lizards, which his mother felt was a fine trade off.

During his apprenticeship, Agapitus’s free time was filled with reading and stories mostly. His view of the world was somewhat limited, as this had basically been his life as long as he could remember. And as time went by, his view of the world became somewhat romanticized, having odd theories of love and adventure. He was not used to dealing with people outside of his own family besides business transactions, so Agapitus became tended to be shy around other people.

These tendencies frustrated his mother and other Mercere a bit. They were trying to encourage him to start having children to continue the line, but between his slight delusions and his introversion. Agapitus successfully completed his gauntlet, Agapitus was encouraged to leave home to live in the Thebes tribunal and set up shop for the Milvi Antiquiti there. Though this was partially true, it was more to get Agapitus out of his shell, so he would properly continue the Mercere line.

So Alair headed southeast to the Thebes Tribunal, and quickly began trying to find a place to work from and adapt to the area, unknowing of the actual reason he was there.

Details
Age: 24
Gauntleted: 1220
Warping: 0
Wizard's Sigil: Agapitus's spells creates a comfortable warmth around their targets.
Personality Traits: Kind +2, Hopeless Romantic +3, Observant -2
Characteristics
Int +3 Per -2
Str 0 Sta +1
Pre 0 Com +3
Dex 0 Qik -2
Virtues and Flaws
Free choices
Hermetic Magus, The Gift, Puissant Muto;
Virtues
• Major Magical Focus – Mammals
• Inoffensive to Animals
• Method Caster
• Animal Ken
• Affinity with Bargain
• Mutanum Magics
• Educated
• Well-Traveled

Flaws
• Restriction – Cannot target Reptiles or anyone/anything wearing or wielding anything made from reptile products, or transform anyone into one
• Compassionate (Major)
• Close Family Ties
• Deficient Technique (Perdo)

Abilities
• Charm 3 – Being Clever – 15 Young. 15 later life
• Folk Ken 2 – Body Language – 15 Young
• Guile 2 – Elaborate Lies – 15 Young
• Italian 5 – Poetry – Native
• Artes Liberales 3 (Geometry) - 5 Later Life, 25 Educated
• Latin 5 (Hermetic Use) - 50 App, 25 Educated
• Magic Theory 3 (Animal) – 30 app
• Parma Magica 1 (Vim) – 5 app
• Animal Ken 3 (Dogs) – Score of 1 for free, 25 later life
• Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Vis Economy) – 5 app
• Bargain 3 (Books) – 30 Well Traveled (+15 exp w/ affinity) 45 final
• Milan Lore (History) - 15 later life
• (Around where the covenant will be) Lore (Markets) - 5 Well Traveled
• Classical Greek 3 (Hermetic Use) - 30 App
• Philosophiae 1 (Natural Philosophy) – 5 App

Arts
Creo 7 Intellego 5 Muto 5 +3 Perdo 0 Rego 5
Animal 6 Aquam 5 Auram 0 Corpus 0 Herbam 0
Ignem 0 Imaginem 0 Mentem 0 Terram 0 Vim 3

Spells Known
• Soothe the Pains of the Beast – CrAn - lvl 20 – Touch, Mom, Ind – Ritual – pg 117
• Image of the Beast – InAn - lvl 5 – Arc, Mom, Ind – pg 117
• Beast of Outlandish Size – MuAn - lvl 15 – Touch, Sun, Ind – pg 118
• Doublet of Impenetrable Silk – MuAn - lvl 15 – Touch, Sun,Ind – pg 118
• Mighty Torrent of Water – CrAq - lvl 20 – Voice, Mom, Ind – pg 121
• Incantation of Putrid Wine – MuAq - lvl 15 – Touch, Sun, Room – pg 122
• Push of the Gentle Wave – ReAq - lvl 15 – Voice, Conc, Ind – pg 124
• Wizard’s Communion – MuVi – lvl 15 – Voice, Mom, Group – pg 160

I made some conversions from an old character I had, but I may have done my math wrong, let me know if I did.

2

I definitely like the character, from what I see in your post!

  • The specialisation (women) for Folk Ken is a bit odd, though, since it doesn't sound like he's ever had much hands-on experience with any that weren't family. Folk Ken is usually "practical psychology", or "reading body language" if you wish.
  • Have you considered Area Lore? Well-Travelled without any Area Lores is atypical. The opposite could work, if your character's books and stories were travelogues, mind.
  • It would make sense for someone essentially raised among mages to have at least a rank of Order of Hermes Lore, but it's hardly a mandatory thing, of course.
  • Given his high Communication, and declared shyness, I take it that he's an enthusiastic letter writer? That could be an interesting tie-in with my character, if you so wish.
3

Thank you

True, that's a holdover from version one, and that's a good point, I should change it.

True...I think I dropped it all into bargain...probably shouldn't need 5 bargain at the get go anyway. Some area lores for Milan and...some area in Greece (Perhaps around where our covenant is) may be a good idea.

True, my character probably doesn't need much penetration either. I was thinking MAYBE some help healing magical animals, but it may not be necessary.

Yup, he's very well spoken...just has a very unimposing personality, and is relatively reserved.

4

I like what I see also.

My one comment is about the Restriction flaw. Would targeting reptiles be considered uncommon? I would rather have thought it was fairly rare. If you were to add that he also cannot cast spells when touching by a reptile or a product made from a reptile, that would broaden it just enough for my taste. But I'll leave it up to you and silveroak to decide whether that is necessary. :smiley:

[strike]EDIT: It also means that you have 2 Major Hermetic Flaws, which is not allowed (ArM5 p.37, third bullet point under Magi in the boxed insert).[/strike]

5

cannot target reptiles seems a bit narrow, I was planning to look up something on this later- now expanding it to not being able to target anyone wearing reptile skin would be interesting- it was not a common material at this point in time, but if someone learns of your limitation it would certainly be useful for them.

6

Sorry for the brain fart, the bullet is about Major Hermetic Virtues, not Flaws. :blush:

7

And fixed!

8

So, beyond a non finalized Area lore for where the covenant will be, I think this character will work. Any suggestions/comments/criticisms before I add it and get going on my companion?

9

You would be better served with Skilled Parens instead of Educated. It gives you 10 more xp as wel as 30 additonal spell levels. And at first glance you have enough pre apprenticeship abilities not to need access to Academic abilities before apprenticeship.

10

Sometimes it isn't about min-maxing. It is about background. :slight_smile:

11

Agreed, but in this case his background doesn't require him to be Educated before the start of apprenticeship. He started young enough (9) that having him learn his letters before that would, in fact, be a bit unusual.

Considering his background, I also kind of expected to see the Covenant Upbringing flaw. That would still have given him access to Latin and OoH Lore early in his life.

12

In terms of points spent on abilities and arts I'm showing you have 24 left to spend- has anyone else checked the math on this character?

13

I am missing something when I try to make it add up. So I am posting my analysis to see what I am missing.

In terms of available points it is 45 for early childhood, 60 for age, 100 for educated and well-traveled, and 240 for apprenticeship for a net of 445.

I note that the sheet lists 5 points for Italien, which I believe should be free.
I then see 325 points in skills (thank you for marking the costs. I had to stare at the Bargain until I realized that it was deliberate that the affinity did not give you anything at this point.)
And the arts add up to 158 (45 + 228 + 21 + 215 + 3 + 1 + 1)
Which nets 483 >> 445.
Color me confused.

14

Hmm I'll have to recalculate after I get home from work then.

15

I recalculated, and have come up with the following.

Charm (Being Clever) 3 - 15 Young. 15 later life
Folk Ken (Body Language) 2 - 15 Young
Guile (Elaborate Lies) 2 - 15 Young
Italian (Poetry) 5 - Native

Animal Ken (Dogs) 3 - 1st Level Free, 25 exp
Milan Lore (History) 2 - 15 Later Life

Latin 5 (Hermetic Use) - 50 App, 25 Educated
Artes Liberales (Geometry) 3 - 5 Later Life, 25 Educated
Parma Magica (Vim) 1 - 5 App
Order of Hermes Lore (Vis Economy) 1 - 5 App
Magic Theory (Animal) 3 - 30 app
Philosophiae (Natural Philosophy) 1 - 5 app
Classical Greek (Hermetic Use) 3 - 30 app

Bargain (Books) 3 - 30 WT (45 with Affinity)
(Around where the covenant will be) Lore (Markets) 1 - 5 WT
Romaic Greek (Merchant Slang) 2 - 15 WT

Arts

Creo 7 Intellego 5 Muto 7 +3 Perdo 0 Rego 5
Animal 7 Aquam 6 Auram 0 Corpus 1 Herbam 0
Ignem 0 Imaginem 0 Mentem 0 Terram 1 Vim 3

16

As I read it, there are 125 skill points in apprenticeship, which leaves 115 for arts.
But 328 (Cr, Mu, An) + 21 (Aq) + 215 (In, Re) + 6 (Vi) + 1 (Co) + 1 (Te) is 143.
Sorry to be pedantic.

17

I cannot math apparently.

Creo 7 Intellego 5 Muto 5 +3 Perdo 0 Rego 5
Animal 6 Aquam 5 Auram 0 Corpus 0 Herbam 0
Ignem 0 Imaginem 0 Mentem 0 Terram 0 Vim 3

That should add up.

18

That adds up.

19

okay, also found some issues in my spreadsheet, this character is ready to be posted in the magi thread.