ArM5: Triamore [seeking around 4-6 players]

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41

Andreas (my shied Grog)

After being kidnapped by court type faery to play the Heir role when he was still a baby, he was somehow "saved" from his abductor by a covenant expedition, although he wasn't really feeling captive, when he was around 10 year old. Because he was the same age as Hildegarde, He hit It off with her despite the gift because he was somehow reassured by her faery appearance. The time spent with faery creatures has made his thinking unorthodox and unnecessarily convoluted, based on false assumption that work only in fairy environment which made him a poor student. He was in good Heath so the covenant trained him as a warrior. He was paired with Hildegarde as a protector for a few years now mostly because She's one of the few in the covenant that has the minimum level of understanding of his logic to actually command him and because he has second sight which is a huge asset for a shied grog.

Age 25

Brave +2 ; Loyal +3; Curious +1

int -1(fuzzy logic)
per 0
Sta 3 (rock solid)
Str 2 (trained warrior)
Pre 0
Com -2 (incomprehensible)
Dex 1(graceful)
Qik 1 (on his guard)

Covenfolk

Flaws :
Faery upbringing
Ability block (logic)
Poor student

Virtues :
Second sight (aligned with faery aura seems logical)
Warrior
Tough

childhood :
French 5 (norman) (0xp)
Second sight 1 (illusion)(0xp)
Awareness 2 (bodyguarding) (15xp)
Guile 2 (lying to authority) (15 xp)
Brawl 2 (grappling) (15xp)

Later life : 5 to 25 : 300xp +50xp warrior
single weapon 5 (long sword)(75)
second sight 1-->4 (illusion) (45)
Faery lore 2 (taboo) (15)
Athletics 3 (running) (30)
Swim (endurance) 1 (5)
Stealth (urban) 1 (5)
Folk ken (Faery) 3 (30)
Charm (innocence) 3 (30)
Survival (forest) 2 (15)
Carouse (Power drinking) 1 (5)
Area Lore (Rhine tribunal) 3 (30)
Low German (Saxon) 4 (50)
Etiquette (Faery) 2 (15)

[edit : forgot specialty on some skill]

42
  • I can see the zmey background. Good!
  • do you want me to choose the latent magical ability or is it something zmey related you have in mind?
  • I dislike potent magic because it's a needlessly complicated version of puissant art.
  • numbers seem to add up
43

Andreas is a fine grog!

44

I'm glad you like both my characters 8) .

45

I'm not set on what the Latent Magical Ability might be. Since he is not from Transylvania, I figured his blood is tainted by a different (but similar) creature. I'll have to do some additional research into the legends of the area before I'm decided.

I've never tried Potent Magic, so I figured I'd see how it plays out. It seems a bit more powerful, but narrower, then Puissant Art. It is also more colorful, IMHO. I think that thematically it is much more interesting for this character than a bland Puissant Art. Are you willing to give it a try?

Initially, none of his spells would be Potent Spells, so it translates into a simple +3 bonus to lab and casting totals for wind-related spells and enchanted effects. It is only if/when he decides to create Potent Spells that this will become interesting...

A few questions regarding post-Gauntlet seasons.

Since we are supposed to use the Extremely Complex Charater Generation rules (as per the insert on ArM5 p.33), what kind of access to libraries, laboratories and trainers/teachers would we have?

My assumptions, based partially on your directives, would be:

  • A standard laboratory would be available
  • No raw vis available, unless it is from a previous adventure
  • Teachers for academic abilities (Artes Liberales, Philosophiae, etc.) would be freely available for one-to-one teaching, with a Com + Teacher total of 1d10 (simple die), so Source Quality would be in the 10-19 range
  • Trainers for martial abilities (including Brawl) and Craft/Profession abilities would be freely available, with an Ability score of (4 + 1d5), so Source Quality would be in the 8-12 range
  • Other mundane abilities would have either teachers or trainers, as make sense for each, with the same spread of SQ as above
  • Teachers/trainers for Arcane abilities might be available to my magus as part of the Tremere support structure
  • Library access would be available, but not high-Level summae (above L15); Quality of Arts summae would be (20 + 1d10 - Level, max 21); Quality of Abilities summae would be (12 + 1d5 - Level); tractatus are unlikely to be used at this time IMHO
  • Lab texts of spells in the core book would be freely available
  • When travelling, either Practice or Exposure xp would be received

Does all of the pre-saga seasons have to be in the Rhine tribunal? For example, Gallus may still reside at a covenant in another Tribunal until he is directed to travel to Triamore by his House. Or he might be starting from Fengheld, which has a strong Tremere presence. If starting in Fengheld, I will use their Magic aura of 5 for lab activities.

Based on the above, the plans for Gallus would be:

  1. Study a summa on Parma Magica (SQ=??)
  2. Receive training in Bargain (SQ=??)
  3. Receive teaching in Intrigue (SQ=??)
  4. Study a summa on Organization Lore: Order of Hermes (L3, Q??)
  5. Study a summa on Imaginem (L8, Q??)
  6. Study a summa on Perdo (L6, Q??)
  7. Learn Veil of Invisibility (PeIm 20) if lab total is high enough (2 xp of exposure TBD), otherwise spend one more season studying the same Imaginem summa before learning the spell
  8. Receive training in Single Weapon (SQ=??)
  9. Receive teaching in High German (SQ=??)
  10. Receive training in Profession: Merchant while travelling to Triamore (SQ=??)
46

Forgot to mention that, no matter the number of seasons, the 10th season will happen. It is the in-between seasons which would disappear.

If I need to make adjustements after rolling, I'll make them.

Rolling the dice.

Number of seasons: 1d10=3
Season 1: Quality of the summa (using L3 summa) --> 1d5=1, so Parma Magica summa is L3Q10; Gallus gets 10 xp
Season 2: Ability score of the Bargain trainer --> 1d5=2; Gallus receives 6 (Ability score of the trainer) + 3 + 5 (Apt Student) = 14 xp
Season 3: Ability score of Profession: Merchant trainer --> 1d5=5; Gallus receives 9 (Ability score of the trainer) + 3 + 5 (Apt Student) = 17 xp

47

While we're at season, adventure quality is 5+1d5 ?
1d5=4 so that would be 9xp --> 5xp in Herbam (turning into 8 with affinity) and 4 xp in survival (forest) seems to make sense.
If I understand right I get 4 pawns of virtus with my roll of 5 during adventure. Let It be 4 pawn of virtus Vim

48

As I said, I do not want to use potent magic.

Advancement:
Your numbers are more realistic, but since we're going to use this method for the first 1d10 seasons only (Triamore has all the things you ask for), we'll keep it simple. Once we're at Triamore, we can drink deeply from the character advancement system. Promised!

You've got 30xp per year-10xp per season not spent learning.
So just assume it's normally 8xp/season, or a flat 10xp because of your apt student virtue.
You can learn the spell (assume that your house helps you by providing a high level aura to invent it in and/or an assistant if the numbers don't add up)

EDIT: The 10th season thing seemed odd at first, but it makes perfect sense! So if you roll a 5 you get seasons 1,2,3,4, and 10.

49

So 0 xp and 4 pawn of virtus vim, let's do it.

50

So where does that put me with my first season? >.>

51

Here is a first draft of my maga(/magus).

Menatia of Tytalus a.k.a Atheus of Tytalus

Background: As daughter to a baron in Picardy she was brought up with privileged standards. She was a beautiful girl and her parents had plans to marry her off to a family that would improve their noble status. However before that happened a local conflict in the region broke out and the girl was kidnapped by her soon-to-be master in the turmoil. He had noticed her Gift while passing by the barony. The apprenticeship was hell, or the girl actually thought hell would have been a relief to the things she was put through by her master. Used and abused in all possible ways.
He did teach her to open her Arts though and she also found out about her Persona ability after some years. With that she created a male alter ego and towards the end of her apprenticeship she managed to flee without her master noticing. She fled to Montverte in Normandy where she met Eduardo of Tytalus and he helped her set up a meeting with Buliste at Fudarus where she got a challenge appropriate for her Gauntlet. Her master didn't approve of this and he is also a strong Calliclean and Decimus (supporter of Primi Harpax) so their conflict is based on all levels.
Only Eduardo at Montverte and Buliste knows of Menatia's persona Atheus and she/he is part of Buliste's spy network.

Concept: Beautiful and very socially adept woman of noble birth. Gentle-gifted with a strong affinity with Mentem magic which she very early managed to handle without much method (Deft Mentem). During the later years of her apprenticeship she developed her Persona ability in an attempt to flee from her Tormenting master who never found out about it. Her primary persona is a magus named Atheus who is the person she now personifies most often in public. It is as him she will be invited to Triamore. Only two persons know about her true identity (This is why I don't know if Dark Secret or Tormenting Master suits best as major Story Flaw.) Further, recently she has developed a second persona named Pierre who says he is a bastard son of a baron or lord in Picardy (not the same as Menatia's father), only about 17 years old and very handsome he has recently arrived at Triamore to take job there. He says he can fight with a sword decently at least and he sounds very convincing. When Menatia (as Atheus) got the invitation to Triamore she went there as this persona to check it out from a mundane perspective before presenting herself as Atheus.
Menatia has always had a hard time with Creo magic but it's starting to work better, only Creo/Aquam and Creo/Ignem never works for her.
Menatia is sexually attractive in all her personas (Venus Blessing) but she refuses to have sex with most anyone (Continence). She was abused by her master during the first years of her apprenticeship and that harm is lingering. She has no problem playing on other people's desires for her though. Her Restriction (Target is a a naked human) also derives from the abuse. (By the way is this a valid Restriction? One of the examples in the rules is Birds as targets which seems just as narrow as this.)

Age: 25
Size: 0
Gender: Female
Confidence: 2 (5)
Characteristics (10 points): Int +1, Per 0, Str 0, Sta +1, Pre +2, Com +2, Dex +1, Qik +1
Virtues: The Gift, Hermetic Magus, Self-Confident (Free), Gentle Gift, Affinity with Mentem, Deft Mentem, Improved Characteristics, Persona, Privileged Upbringing, Puissant Intrigue, Venus' Blessing
Flaws: Restriction (when target is a naked human), Dark Secret/Tormenting Master (see above), Continence, Incompatible Arts (Creo/Aquam, Creo/Ignem), Loose Magic, Proud

Abilities (310 xp + native language): Area Lore: Picardy 1, Artes Liberales 2, Awareness 1, Charm 3, Etiquette 2, Finesse 1, Folk Ken 2, Guile 3, Intrigue 3+2, Language: French 5, Language: Low German 2, Language: Latin 4, Magic Theory 3, Parma Magica 1, Penetration 2, Persona 2, Philosophiae 1, Single Weapon 3, Tytalus Lore 1

Magical Arts (100 xp): Cr 1, In 6, Mu 2, Pe 2, Re 6, He 3, Im 5, Me 9

Wizard's Sigil:

Spells:
Sight of the Transparent Motive (InMe 10)
Posing the Silent Question (InMe 20)
Loss of But a Moment's Memory (PeMe 15)
Trust of Childlike Faith (PeMe 10)
Confusion of the Numbed Will (ReMe 15)
Aura of Rightful Authority (ReMe 20)
Aura of Ennobled Presence (MuIm 10)
Aura of Beguiling Presence (MuIm 10)
Clothe the Naked Form (CrHe 10) -- Creates a linen garment. [Base 3, +2 Sun, +1 Touch] This spell is from Magi of Hermes but if transferring between Persona forms works like using the Heartbeast ability the character ends up naked after the transition, and Menatia would hate that and go a long way to learn how to get dressed quickly if there are no mundane clothes available.

Personality Traits

As herself: Proud +3, Scheming +2, Hates to lose +1, Asexual +2
As Atheus: Charming +3, Proud +2, Manipulative +2
As Pierre: Trash-talking +3, Proud +2, Rumourmongering +2

52

Well, what you actually had written was that you didn't like it, not that you didn't want us to use it. This sounded like it could be negociated. :wink:

As I mentioned, I found that Potent Magic would have been thematically appropriate for this character. I'm trying to find something that is limited in scope to something weather-related, without it being a Focus. There's not that many virtues like that.

I'm looking at something to replace it, but I'll ask the following question. Not to try and change your mind, but to understand the basis for your dislike of the virtue. What part of Potent Magic is it that bothers you? Half of it is a flat +3 bonus (to lab and casting totals) that applies to the scope of the virtue. The other half is the ability to develop spells that require a focus to cast, granting an addiitonal bonus to casting. That is essentially the same as the minor virtue Spell Foci (HoH:S p.132). Am I to assume that you would not allow Spell Foci either?

Ok, moving on. One possibility that I see would be Life Boost. This would give him a way to occasionally power his spells to punch through magic resistance -- something that is usually made possible by way of a Focus. This might counter-balance his generally weaker magic. Unfortunately, that means he won't be as good at developping new spells. Meh, I'll have to think about it some more. I may need to change other virtues. :frowning:

A question regarding the universe. You mentioned that you didn't mind Tremere having an additional focus. Does that mean other Tremere magi in the saga will have an additional Focus? Am I needlessly complicating/crippling my magus by not selecting one to complete that concept?

Well, you wrote Extremely Detailed in the initial announcement of the saga. The 30 xp/year is the standard advancement. I would have planned my seasons differently, had that been clear, putting more priority on improving Arts (through study) rather than Abilities (through training/teaching).

As I'm reviewing the make-up of the character's virtues and flaws, I think that trying to apply those previous plans to the new package doesn't make much sense. What should I do? Will I reroll for the number of seasons once the character has solidified again and new plans have been drawn for seasonal advancement? I'm a bit uncomfortable with that, as it looks like I'm trying to reroll a fairly poor result of 3 seasons...

53

Potent magic = lots of book-keeping

I don't plan to use a 2nd Tremere focus for NPCs (I'm kind of a purist)

Generation:
Well, sorry if my post was misleading. I'm absolutely fine with you redesigning your character. Just stop at gauntlet the next time. And yes, if your character is different, he'll need different development pg (and a reroll of the number of seasons - maybe you'll get a 1 like the others...).

54

Actually, since some of the virtues don't apply during pre-play advancement, the character is actually better off with a low roll than a high one, from my perspective.

For example, if my magus has Apt Student, it is more than probable that 2 seasons a year will be spent training or being taught. As my previous numbers have shown, that means an average of about 15 xp gained for each of those seasons. Complete this with another 1 season of studying from books (which is what must junior magi do), usually from primer summae Quality of about 15, and 1 season spent on covenant services and/or stories (average 5 xp). You end up with about 50 xp per year -- almost double what the standard advancement rules give out. Learning spells in the lab is just as bad, as I don't know any magus worth his salt who would invest a season to learn only 10 levels of spells.

Add to that that House Tremere would assumably task Gallus to improve his capabilities before assigning him any important mission, and probably provide him with some support to improve himself, and... well, that's what play is all about! :smiley:

55

The sole purpose of the exercise is to show me what your characters want, so I can hand out rewards that make players happy!

56

Also, considering that Bearlord will be making a Tytalus with the Gentle Gift, I may decide to drop that virtue. I'll see what percolates stats-wise, but I don't think that his background will change much.

57

Oh I want a pony, and a pony and a fire pony and a flying fire pony :wink:

58

Looks like the saga now has its sub-forum. :smiley:

59

I realize my concept has some overlap with yours Arthur and if you think it's too close I should change mine before you do as you presented your first. However i still think there are a lot that differ between them and since Triamore is a covenant that is rather close to the mundane society it wouldn't be strange with more than one Gentle gifted magi.

60

Please start using the subforum. Create a thread for your character named "Character creation: John ex Misc". Use the first post of said thread to post your character sheet.