Anulus Connectens: Hector of Tremere

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

Hector of Tremere

Characteristics: Int 3, Per 0, Pre 3, Com 0, Str 0, Sta 1, Dex 0, Qik 0
Size: 0
Age: 25, Height: 5'8'', Weight: 160 lbs, Gender: Male
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score:
Confidence: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: Hermetic Magus, The Gift , The Gentle Gift, Affinity(Rego), Animal Ken, Faerie Blood (Sidhe), Improved Characteristics, Minor magical focus (certamen), Puissant Leadership, Skilled Parens, Study Bonus; Ambitious (Major), Loose Magic, Supernatural Nuisance, Study Requirement
Personality Traits: Ambitious +6, Brave +2, Suspicious +1
Reputations: None to begin with
Combat:
Dodge: Init: 0, Attack --, Defense +3, Damage --
Dagger: Init: 0, Attack +4, Defense +2, Damage +3
Fist: Init: 0, Attack +2, Defense +2, Damage +0
Kick: Init: -1, Attack +2, Defense +1, Damage +3
Soak: 1
Fatigue levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious (usually ignores penalties due to Endurance)
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)
Abilities: Animal Ken 1 (fish), Artes Liberales 1 (ceremonial magic), Athletics 2 (climbing), Awareness 2 (at sea), Brawl 2 (Dodge), Charm 2 (first impressions), Code of Hermes 1 (loopholes), Concentration 1 (maintaining spells), Faerie lore 1 (aquatic fae), Finesse 1 (Herbam), Folk Ken 2 (sailors), Latin 4 (hermetic usage), Leadership 2+2 (sailors), Magic Theory 3 (rego) , Order of Hermes Lore 1 (mages), Parma Magica 1 (mentem), Penetration 1 (herbam), Profession:sailor 3 (cogs), South Slavonic 5 (croatian), Survival 2 (finding water), Swim 2 (underwater manoeuvering)
Arts: Cr 5, In 0, Mu 0, Pe 5, Re 12, An 0, Aq 4, Au 0, Co 4, He 8, Ig 0, Im 0, Me 0, Te 3, Vi 3
Twilight Scars:
Equipment: Robes with a pocket full of slingstones, a stout staff made of walnut, a couple of wooden darts.
Encumbrance: 0 (1)

Spells Known:
Footsteps of slippery oil, CrAq 5, +10
Cloak of the ducks feathers, ReAq 5, +18
Break the oncoming wave, ReAq 10, +18
Ward against the faeries of the waters, ReAq10, +18
Push of the gentle wave, ReAq 15, +18
Bind wound, CrCo 10, +10
Gift of the frog's legs, ReCo 15, +17
Lifting the dangling puppet, ReCo 15, +17
Piercing shaft of wood, Mu(Re)He 10, +9
Curse of the rotted wood, PeHe 5, +14
Wizard's sidestep, ReIm 10, +13
The call to slumber, ReMe 10, +13
The Unseen Porter, ReTe 10, +16
Wielding the Invisible Sling, ReTe 10, +16
Aegis of the Hearth, ReVi 20, +16

Hector is from the Transylvanian tribunal, and came from the Adriatic coast. His family show the noble bearing of those descended from noble faeries, but this comes at a price - minor aquatic fae enjoy challenging members of his family when they are at sea, which has forced him to learn a warding spell as a priority. As yet, he has not learnt any might-stripping spells as he does not wish to mortally offend aquatic fae. He is a natural leader, as befits one of such noble descent. Together with the Gentle Gift, House Tremere felt he would do well as a leader of troops.

Given his nautical background, and believing he will be harassed by minor fae whether on sea or land, he has been assigned to building the Tremere Navy. As the Tremere wish to expand their capability, the new covenant on the border of two tribunals is an ideal place to launch a trade and courier fleet in association with the Mercere, and use the funds to later build a modest fleet of warships. Taking the name of Hector from a trojan hero, he has set his heart upon becoming a great admiral and using the influence it gives him to rise the ranks of the Tremere. Sadly, he is not yet versed in the arts of Hermetic intrigue and is a long way off earning his sigil.

(so far, this is a playable character using purely spells from the main book. I will start developing more interesting effects as he rounds out his arts.)

2

I very much like the idea of a magus who builds and enchants a fleet. The hermetic shipyard material from Projects is only one way to do it. I'm eager to see something different

Are you looking at getting a great deal of rego Herbam craft magic as the next thing? With sufficient arts the Creo Herbam plant growing guidelines can provide literal tons of wood without any vis expenditure (IIRC there's some weirdness to them regarding spell duration and speed of growth with them that makes lots of options meaningless, so they've definitely got my vote for a closer look)

How do you intend to integrate study bonus with the quick advancement rules?

3

I will be referring to Christian Andersen's calculcations from https://forum.atlas-games.com/t/salt-mine-spell/9715/7
for base Aquam size. The +15 years update has been circulated to my collaborators and will be with you once figures have been checked.

By the way, does anyone have the size and might of the Remore of Virtue from RoP:M handy? I don't have a copy with me, and may want to use it when I get to having a familiar. (This is why I took Animal Ken - to justify communicating with and locating unlikely aquatic familiars without too much difficulty)

4

Hector +15 years
24 seasons of studying arts - applying study bonus, so 48 extra xp to spend (so yes, in the short term not as good as buying other xp increasing virtues)
Re to 15 (28 xp with affinity)
Mu 6 21xp
Cr to 10 40xp
In 5 15xp
Pe to 10 40xp
Im 5 15xp
Aq to 10 45xp
Vi to 5 9xp
Co to 6 11xp, add the 4 leftover xp to Co.

24 seasons xp into abilities - 180xp
Magic Theory to 4 20xp
Leadership to 3 15xp
Parma Magica to 4 45xp
Latin to 5 25xp
Philosophiae 1 (ceremonial magic) 5xp
Teaching 2 (apprentices) 15xp
Intrigue 2 (Tremere infighting) 15xp
Finesse to 2 (10xp)
Local Language 3 (nautical terms) 30xp

12 seasons in lab
2 seasons setting up lab with size +2(+1 occupied), refinement 0, general quality 0,upkeep 0, safety +1, warping 0, health 0, aesthetics +1. As being set up from scratch in a large building complex, I am adding the Spacious virtue at no extra cost in time.

1 season learning "Veil of Invisibility" (PeIm 20) from a lab text.
1 season creating "The Faerie's Bane" (PeVi 10) - PeVi lab total 25, creating a level 10 version in 1 season - like Demon's Eternal Oblivion, but for faeries. Hector has now been hassled by fae enough to want to escalate.

1 season doing a favour for an older Tremere with an apprentice.
1 season creating a longevity ritual. I have lab total Int 3 + MT 4 + aura 3 + Cr 10 + Co 6 =26. As I have a huge leadership, I can use several assistants - I am assuming using a Tremere with Int +3 and MT 5 and apprentice with Int 2 and MT 2 (for one in their early teens who still has an age modifier) for a total of +12, for final lab total 38 so I have a bonus of 8 on aging rolls. If I was allowed more assistance, I could no doubt get a lot higher.

1 season opening a wooden staff as a talisman for 8 pawns. I'm using a staff, of dead wood, and it will be walnut for the "+4 mind" bonus from the appendix at the end of HoH:MC.
1 season to attune a talisman
2 seasons creating effect "Curse of the rotted hull" - Like curse of rotted wood, but affects 1 pace across of wood that is part of a larger target. Base 4, +3 sight, +1part for a total of 20, +5 for 24 uses/day. PeHe lab total 28, with +5 for talisman and +4 for affecting thing at a distance staff shape bonus, +1 for similar spell - total 38, so can enchant level 25 in 2 seasons. In these 2 seasons, I attune the +4 control things at a distance bonus.

2 seasons creating "The magic vintner", CrAq ritual. This is a momentary ritual to fill containers with wine. Christian Andersen's calculations on the Ars forum reckon 1 base unit of Aquam is about 20,000kg. Processed liquids like wine are 1/100th of this, so 200kg. The standard container unit for shipping is the "tun", a barrel taking approx 1 imperial ton, or around 1016kg. So to fill a tun is base 2, +2 for voice range (as I plan to fill many containers) and +1 for size, or total 5. Minimum for a ritual is 20, so group +1 will bring this up to 20. Therefore, the minimum barrel-filling ritual is CrAq 20, fills 100 barrels with wine. NB you could choose olive oil as a processed liquid instead. According to City & Guilds, both sell for 10 mythic pounds a ton.

Aging: 35 to 40, 6 rolls at +4 for age, -1 for magi in a spring covenant, -8 for ritual, total modifier to roll is -5. Rolls 7 - no apparent aging, 3 - no apparent aging, 8 no apparent aging, 1 - oh crap, 1 double crap, 3 - total 12 minus 8 for end result 4 - apparent age increases 1 year, 6 no apparent aging, 8 no apparent aging.
End result actual age 40, apparent age 36

Overall

Hector of Tremere, +15 years

Characteristics: Int 3, Per 0, Pre 3, Com 0, Str 0, Sta 1, Dex 0, Qik 0
Size: 0
Age: 40 (36), Height: 5'8'', Weight: 160 lbs, Gender: Male
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score:
Confidence: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: Hermetic Magus, The Gift , The Gentle Gift, Affinity(Rego), Animal Ken, Faerie Blood (Sidhe), Improved Characteristics, Minor magical focus (certamen), Puissant Leadership, Skilled Parens, Study Bonus; Ambitious (Major), Loose Magic, Supernatural Nuisance, Study Requirement
Personality Traits: Ambitious +6, Brave +2, Suspicious +1
Reputations: None to begin with
Combat:
Dodge: Init: 0, Attack --, Defense +3, Damage --
Dagger: Init: 0, Attack +4, Defense +2, Damage +3
Fist: Init: 0, Attack +2, Defense +2, Damage +0
Kick: Init: -1, Attack +2, Defense +1, Damage +3
Soak: 1
Fatigue levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious (usually ignores penalties due to Endurance)
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)
Abilities: Animal Ken 1 (fish), Artes Liberales 1 (ceremonial magic), Athletics 2 (climbing), Awareness 2 (at sea), Brawl 2 (Dodge), Charm 2 (first impressions), Code of Hermes 1 (loopholes), Concentration 1 (maintaining spells), Faerie lore 1 (aquatic fae), Finesse 2 (Herbam), Folk Ken 2 (sailors), Intrigue 2 (tremere infighting), Latin 5 (hermetic usage), Leadership 3+2 (sailors), Local Language 3 (nautical terms), Magic Theory 4 (rego) , Order of Hermes Lore 1 (mages), Parma Magica 4 (mentem), Penetration 1 (herbam), Philosophiae 1 (ceremonial magic), Profession:sailor 3 (cogs), South Slavonic 5 (croatian), Survival 2 (finding water), Swim 2 (underwater manoeuvering), Teaching 2 (apprentices)
Arts: Cr 10, In 5, Mu 6, Pe 10, Re 15, An 0, Aq 10, Au 0, Co 6(4), He 8, Ig 0, Im 5, Me 0, Te 3, Vi 5
Twilight Scars:
Sigil: A smell of brine
Equipment: Robes with a pocket full of slingstones, a stout staff made of walnut, a couple of wooden darts.
Encumbrance: 0 (1)

Spells Known:
Footsteps of slippery oil, CrAq 5, +21
The Magic Vintner, CrAq 30, +25 including Artes lib and philosophiae for ritual
Cloak of the ducks feathers, ReAq 5, +26
Break the oncoming wave, ReAq 10, +26
Ward against the faeries of the waters, ReAq 26, +18
Push of the gentle wave, ReAq 26, +18
Bind wound, CrCo 10, +17
Gift of the frog's legs, ReCo 15, +24
Lifting the dangling puppet, ReCo 15, +24
Piercing shaft of wood, Mu(Re)He 10, +15
Curse of the rotted wood, PeHe 5, +19
Veil of invisibilty, PeIm20, +16
Wizard's sidestep, ReIm 10, +21
The call to slumber, ReMe 10, +16
The Unseen Porter, ReTe 10, +19
Wielding the Invisible Sling, ReTe 19, +16
The Faerie's Bane, PeVi 10, +16
Aegis of the Hearth, ReVi 20, +25 including artes lib and philosophiae as ritual

Talisman:
+4 control things at a distance
Effect "Curse of the rotted hull" PeHe 20 24 times/day, rots a 1 pace across area in a wooden target at sight range.

5

Just because I'm a little CDO about that sort of thing:
Could we have a standard (Base N, +3 Sight, +1 Part, +5 'uses/day') notation for this?

In particular because this appears to be base 4 (Destroy an amout of dead wood), and so I think you might be missing 5 levels?

6

Your spell "Nymph's Eternal Oblivion" was called Dreadful Bane of the Fae in Guardians of the Forrest it is called Fae's Bane in Tales of Mythic Europe. Please don't give it a third name unknowingly. If in character you think that it is a good idea to have Hector hold on to a different appellation for the spell for some reason that's fine.

7

I will edit the post. I was just keeping X's eternal oblivion to keep in line with Demon's eternal oblivion from the core rules, and in one of the supplements Griffin's eternal oblivion as a magic-realm might stripper.

8

In the working out part of Hector +15 years, I put:

2 seasons creating effect "Curse of the rotted hull" - Like curse of rotted wood, but affects 1 pace across of wood that is part of a larger target. Base 4, +3 sight, +1part for a total of 20, +5 for 24 uses/day. PeHe lab total 28, with +5 for talisman and +4 for affecting thing at a distance staff shape bonus, +1 for similar spell - total 38, so can enchant level 25 in 2 seasons.

So it's base 4, 3 magnitudes for sight steps it up 5-10-15, target part increases to 20, so the effect level is 20. The effect was enchanted with 24 uses/day for a total in the lab of 25. Is the notation in the talisman summary "name" <uses/day> particularly unclear? I'm keeping the spell level and uses/day separate to make it clearer what magnitude the spell is for purposes of countermagic and magical investigation after the effect goes off.

9

Shouldn't your Talisman have more active Attunements? One from the season of attuning it and two more for the seasons spent enchanting the rotting effect?

The Talisman seems rather plain. Perhaps a grip of sailcloth held in place by a pair of iron rings? Maybe a small sea or clam shell affixed to the top? A miniature anchor?

Is Hector a dedicated follower of a particular style of Certamen? Has he studied/dabbled in others?

10

From the core rules, p98
In addition to the basic powers of a talisman, you may also open your talisman to one kind of magic attunement, based on the shape and material of the talisman, every time you prepare it for enchantment or instill an effect. Use the Shape and Material Bonuses table to determine what attunements are possible. Your talisman may be able to accept more than one kind of attunement, and can hold more than one attunement, but you can only invest one new attunement per season.
and slightly further down the page:
There is no limit to the number of attunements a talisman can have at one time, though remember that you can only add one per season.

I read that as you get one attunement each time you instil an effect. After my collaborators pointed it out, you can only get one attunement per effect, with a limit of one per season so you can't instil two low-level effects in one season to get two attunements. As I spent two seasons enchanting one effect, one effect = one attunement.

Now, do you get an attunement in the season you prepare the item to be a talisman, or can you only do this after you have prepared it as your talisman? I am taking the latter reading, and can't see anything in the errata that makes it clear one way or the other.

The talisman is deliberately made to look like something a mundane naval captain or lord's officer would wield as a symbol of office, rather than looking expensive or magical.

11

Excellent. Can I persuade you to write that sort of thing for all effects? I try to remember to do the same.
But if the point is to make effects for critique, it makes sense to make it as obvious as possible :slight_smile:

12

It doesn't make sense to me that you could get an attunement before you attune the item as your talisman. You cold hypothesize sort of a dormant pre-attunement on every item that you open that is activated if you should ever make that item your talisman but I don't think it's justified. I agree with your judegement

13

Seconded,

14

No need for anything in the errata. When you first open it, it's not your talisman. Not until after you make it your talisman (at least the second season) is it your talisman. Since it has to be a talisman to get an attunement, that doesn't apply until it's actually your talisman. Plus, look at the options, the season of making it your talisman is neither preparing it for enchantment nor instilling an effect. So the latter reading is the valid one.

15

Following the example of the others, I will post the new spells for years 15-30 before posting the character advancement:
"Shiver the Timbers" ReHe 25 - base 3, +3 sight takes to level 10, +3 structure to level 25. While "dance of the staves" makes a piece of wood thrash around for a few seconds, this version makes a ship thrash around and attempt to capsize itself. Crew on deck or in the rigging need to make Dex + Athletics difficulty 9 check to avoid being thrown overboard, and the helmsman needs to make a Dex + Profession: Sailor difficulty 9 check or the ship will need to make a stress test (City & Guilds, page 77) as it turns on its side.

As vis gathering is a priority, I have enchanted three effects into my talisman - one to grant sight of vis, one to concentrate vis from a body of water, one to concentrate vis at sight range from a weather feature.

"Gather the watery vis" - ReVi(Aq) as per "essence of the beast" with added target of part so you can place the talisman into a body of water, and concentrate the vis from one base area (20 cubic metres) and concentrate the vis to a spot at the tip. By tying a ladle to the bottom of the staff, Hector can gather vis while at sea.
ReVi(Aq) 20 + 2 for 3 uses/day

"sight of vis" - In Vi base 1, +4 vision to level 5, +2 sun to level 15, target is personal as it will affect talisman and bearer. Allows Hector to use sight to look for vis. InVi 15 +1 2 uses/day for total 16.

"gather the cloudy vis" - ReVi(Au) as per "essence of the beast" with target of part and range sight, so you can target a particular cloud or weather feature you can see and concentrate the vis. ReVi(Au) Base 10 +3 sight +1 part total 30.

16

Why did he choose to put sight of vis in his talisman rather than learn it as a spell?

Gather essence of the beast works on the corpse of an animal. Is there some equivalency to killing a cloud or current that you'd need to perform (probably not unless you have a genus loci)? I'm thinking that these spells are for collecting widely distributed pawns of vis. You bring home a ladle rather than a swimming pool, a bottle rather than a fog bank. Is that what you had in mind for them as well?

17

I agree, gathering vis from the ocean and clouds need to be for when vis is actually found. Like in the corpse of a magical animal. Otherwise it sounds like Form specific vis extraction. I think there is some alchemy mystery for this, but it is still a lab activity?

18

Hermetic Alchemy, yes. And it is indeed a lab activity.
Dietmar would like to pick up that trick, btw.

As I recall, there's also an example (possibly more) in Covenants, of a Vis Source that effectively requires something like this.

19

He put sight of vis in his talisman, as his InVi lab total would be 26, so it would take 2 seasons to create a spell. With the talisman's +5 bonus, and +1 for another Vi effect in there, he can put 2 uses/day in the talisman. 2 uses/day for sun duration is all he expects to need. It's one of those edge cases where you can save a season by putting it in a talisman.

The point of the vis-gathering spells is to collect some of the more diffuse vis sources mentioned in canon.By using sight of vis, he can see which storm cloud is the magic-bearing first storm cloud to come off the Atlantic this spring, or if the wind blowing through the valley at the equinox has become charged with vis or not. He then uses the the correct spell to gather diffuse vis into a more portable form.

The base 10 of the spell is given in ArM5 p161 as "Move raw vis from one physical object to another, without needing a laboratory". These spells are to focus diffuse vis into a small,portable,durable form "in the field" rather than trying to capture a large quantity of something and take it back to the lab.

20

Hector +30
24 seasons of studying arts - applying study bonus, so 48 extra xp to spend
Re 19(2) 48 xp with affinity
Mu 10 34xp
An 5 15xp
Au 6 21xp
He 10 19xp
Ig 5 15xp
Me 7 28xp
Vi 10 40xp
rest into Co - 7(7)

24 seasons xp into abilities - 180xp
Magic Theory to 5 25xp
Parma Magica to 5 25xp
Ride 2 (forests) 15xp
Civil & canon law 2 (contracts) 15xp
Etiquette 2 (nobility) 15xp
Bargain 2 (large deals) 15xp
Artes Liberales to 2 10xp
Philosophiae to 2 10xp
Teaching to 3 15xp
Animal Ken to 2 10xp
Finesse to 4 (35xp)

12 seasons in lab
I am taking from my post in Janus' thread that the sum of enchantments will apply lab specialisations of +6 Rego, +7 Auram, +2 health, and I will apply further bonuses from my own improvements.
1 season increasing refinement to +1
2 seasons adding major virtue:Major feature - Mechanism (water wheel). This imposing mechanism emphasises human control over water, and will help me study Reqo and Aquam to decent levels (otherwise with study requirement I'd be having difficulty studying Rego). +2 Rego, +1 Aquam.
1 season learning "Lungs of the Fish" MuAq(Au) level 20 from a text
1 season learning "Day of Communion" ReVi level 30 from a text
1 season learning "Aura of rightful authority" ReVi level 25 from a text
1 season creating a spell - "Shiver the Timbers" ReHe 25 - base 3, +3 sight takes to level 10, +3 structure to level 25. While "dance of the staves" makes a piece of wood thrash around for a few seconds, this version makes a ship thrash around and attempt to capsize itself. Crew on deck or in the rigging need to make Dex + Athletics difficulty 9 check to avoid being thrown overboard, and the helmsman needs to make a Dex + Profession: Sailor difficulty 9 check or the ship will need to make a stress test (City & Guilds, page 77) as it turns on its side.
1 season enchanting "Gather the watery vis" - ReVi(Aq) as per "essence of the beast" with added target of part so you can place the talisman into a body of water, and concentrate the vis from one base area (20 cubic metres) and concentrate the vis to a spot at the tip. By tying a ladle to the bottom of the staff, Hector can gather vis while at sea.ReVi(Aq) 20 + 2 for 3 uses/day ReViAq lab total Re 27 + lower of Vi or Aq 10 + Int 3 + MT 6 (specialisation) + aura 3 +5 talisman = 55.
1 season enchanting into my talisman "sight of vis" - In Vi base 1, +4 vision to level 5, +2 sun to level 15, target is personal as it will affect talisman and bearer. Allows Hector to use sight to look for vis. InVi 15 +1 2 uses/day for total 16. InVi lab total In 5 + Vi 10 + Int 3 + MT 5 + Aura 3 + 5 for enchanting talisman +1 for existing Vi effect = 32, can do in 1 season.
This has now used all 8 spaces in the talisman.
1 season opening 19 "ward against heat and flames" so it can protect the talisman and Hector. ReIg 25 +1 for 2 uses/day, total 26. ReIg total Re 27 +Ig 5 + Int 3 + MT 6 (specialisation) + aura 3 + talisman 5 +2 shape "repel things" +1 rego effect in talisman = 52.
1 season enchanting "gathery the cloudy vis" - ReVi(Au) as per "essence of the beast" with target of part and range sight, so you can target a particular cloud or weather feature you can see and concentrate the vis. ReVi(Au) Base 10 +3 sight +1 part total 30. ReVi(Au) total - Re 27 + lower of Vi or Au 10 (due to lab bonuses) +Int 3 + MT 6 (specialisation) + aura 3 + talisman 5 + shape bonus "control things at a distance" 4 + 3 existing Vi effects in talisman = 60.
For the 4 seasons working on the talisman, I enchant the +4 mind for walnut wood, +4 affect dead wood, +3 affect living wood, +4 destroy things at a distance.

For clarity Hector's certamen school is Hoplomachus, to reflect his defensive thinking.

Aging - 10 rolls with +5 for age, -2 for living conditions including lab health bonus, -8 for ritual, total -5. 5 rolls with +6 for age, so total at -4.
First 10 - 3 2 3 9 2 9 5 4 3 7 - apparent age increases twice.
Next 5 - 8 6 8 3 5 - apparent age increases twice. Final Age 55 (40). At 2 points/year warping, warping is now 4 (10).