Ars Magica 5th Edition: The Black Sheep [3-6 players] (FULL)

[Koschei]

@Arthur

I must admit that I often less than enthusiastic when it comes to companions, so the idea of playing a character created by someone else isn't adding much appeal to it. I'd rather work for another player at building a companion that works well with for his magus, but I am willing to give it a shot if you insist on it. 8)

Worked on a short background for my magus:

Rainaut was born in a village near the town of Turenne in Aquitaine. His father was the village’s carpenter, but Rainaut inherited the golden skin and lustrous dark hair of his Spanish mother Elvira, whom his father had met during a pilgrimage to Santiago in his youth. He had two younger brothers and a sister.

Rainaut’s childhood came to a crashing end when he was still only eleven. That winter, sickness came to him, sending him into a delirious fever. Soon after, others in the village became sick, including his parents and siblings. When the lord of Turenne’s men came to investigate two weeks later, they found everyone dead but Rainaut. They looked at him with suspicion, thinking that perhaps the boy had been touched by the devil.

Word of the tragedy and its lone survivor came to a magus of the Order, who soon established that the boy had the Gift. Thus did he become the apprentice of Traianus of House Flambeau in Provence. In addition to being in the school of Apromor, Traianus was a believer in leadership, loyalty and discipline, instilling those precepts to the young Rainaut.

Unfortunately, those teachings could not prepare the forthright Rainaut for treachery. Shortly before Rainaut’s Gauntlet, the young man was implicated in a plot that proved to be the downfall of his master. The plot resulted in the death of a Mercere magus by Rainaut’s hand, but since he was still an apprentice it was Traianus who suffered the consequences and was Marched. Seeing this result coming, the Flambeau master gave his apprentice to a fellow member before being brought before the Tribunal.

After succeeding at his Gauntlet, Rainaut took the name Hadrianus. However, the stain of his involvement in the death of two magi still follows him.

I like it!

I might even write up the case briefly.

PS: On the subject of companions, generate one as usual. I'll leave the switching as an option, I thought it was a nifty idea but if players find that annoying I don't want to force it on them.

[Trogdor]

Here's a slightly more verbose background for my magus.

Thoman was born in Trier to a woodworker and his wife. His youth was fairly normal until he turned ten years old. Then strange things started to happen around him. Inexplicable things. And it soon became clear, to those who knew of magic at least, that the young lad was Gifted.

He was eventually discovered and taken as an apprentice by Ludovicus of Bonisagus, a friendly and personable magus from Triamore. Ludovicus was a Mentem master, and widely expected to become an archmagus within the next decade. He was a magus who had everything wealth, power, respect. But despite all of this, he still felt that he deserved more.

Slowly, as these things go, Ludovicus was corrupted into diabolism. At first it was with minor sins and minor benefits. Later, it escalated to deeper sins and commensurate gifts. Generally it played upon the magus' pride and greed. At the time Thoman was taken in as an apprentice, Ludovicus was still redeemable, tempted by sin, but not truly corrupted. But as time progressed, he slid deeper and deeper toward the infernal until a decade later he was a true diabolist.

One byproduct of his moral decline was how he treated his apprentice. Though to all outside appearances he remained an excellent parens, in fact, he soon began grooming Thoman as a tool for his own needs and desires. Worse, he began using his Mentem magics to keep the boy in line and prevent him from complaining to anyone.

The years of Thoman's apprenticeship were good ones for Ludovicus, if not for Thoman. The magus' star continued to rise until, in the ninth year of Thoman's apprenticeship, Ludovicus won the right to be named an archmagus. What no one knew, of course, was that this feat was achieved through the use of infernal gifts given to him by his demonic allies.

Ludovicus' decline into diabolism reached its peak as Thoman neared the end of his apprenticeship. Knowing that this would spell the end of his control over his apprentice, Ludovicus agreed to perform a diabolic ritual that would turn Thoman into his mental slave, and in doing so, ensure that Ludovicus' soul was would be ultimately consigned to the Hell.

Thankfully for Thoman, the quaesitors in the Rhine were doing their job. They had uncovered Ludovicus' perfidy and had come to confront him. As it happened, their confrontation coincided with the infernal ritual he was conducting, and they interrupted him in the middle of it. Thankfully, the ritual was disrupted before it could be complete, though it left Thoman vulnerable to Mentem magic to this very day. Ludovicus, badly injured by the quaesitors, but not killed, was taken to Durenamr for trial, as was Thoman.

The trial came soon thereafter. It was quick and perfunctory, as there was a wealth of evidence against Ludovicus. The magus was quickly convicted of diabolism and sentenced to death. Thoman was luckier. He was acquitted of wrongdoing, though not unanimously. While it was clear he was the victim of his master's excesses, some of the quaesitor judges thought it was safer to kill both master and apprentice to make certain the taint of diabolism was eradicated.

One of the few magi who looked kindly upon Thoman and his situation was Occultes of Durenmar. The master agreed to finish the last few seasons of Thoman's apprenticeship. And when Thoman was gauntleted, taking the name Arion, Occulentes insisted that the new magus be inducted into the Lindengild and provided extra training to make up for what he had been put through during his apprenticeship.

But not everyone was as understanding as Occultes. The taint of his master's diabolism dogged Arion wherever he went. Now the new magus has few options, as no covenant would risk letting in someone with a suspected diabolic taint. Even the Lindengild considers him a largely unwanted member.

[Arthur]

@Koschei

I like it!

I might even write up the case briefly.

Thanks, I tried to keep it simple so that it would be easy to adapt to the saga. Having a write up of the case would certainly help with the details.

Here's a premilinary rundown of his stats:

Hadrianus Flambonis scholae Apromor, filius Traianus
Age: 27
Characteristics: Int +2, Per -1, Str +1, Sta +1, Pre +2, Com +1, Dex -1, Qik +2

Virtues: The Gift, Hermetic Magus, Puissant Perdo (House Virtue), Flexible Formulaic Magic (Major), Affinity with Perdo, Fast Caster, Mastered Spells, Improved Characteristics, Inspirational, Puissant Leadership
Flaws: Deficient Muto (Major), Ambitious (Major), Driven, Hermetic Infamy, Unimaginative Learner

Abilities: Artes Liberales (arithmetics) 1, Athletics (running) 1, Awareness (searching) 2, Brawl (punches) 4, Carouse (staying sober) 1, Concentration (spells) 2, Craft: Carpenter (framing) 2, Finesse (speed) 1, Folk Ken (townsfolk) 1, Hunt (traps) 2, Leadership (intimidation) 2+2, Language: Occitan (Limousin, native) 5, Language: Latin (Hermetic usage) 4, Language: Italian (Tuscan) 2, Magic Theory (inventing spells) 3, Organization Lore: Order of Hermes (House Flambeau) 1, Parma Magica (Ignem), Penetration (Perdo) 1, Philosophiae (moral philosophy) 1, Survival (forest) 1

Magical Arts: Cr 4, In 0, Mu 0, Pe 14+3, Re 0, An 4, Aq 4, Au 0, Co 4, He 0, Ig 4, Im 0, Me 0, Te 0, Vi 0
Spells:
Image of the Beast (InAn 5) +5
Parching Wind (PeAq 20, casting requisite) +24 -- Mastery 2 (Multiple Casting, Magic Resistance)
Bind Wound (CrCo 10) +9
Grip of the Choking Hand (PeCo 25) +24 -- Mastery 2 (Imperturbable Casting, Penetration)
Curse of the Rotted Wood (PeHe 5) +19 -- Mastery 1 (Fast Casting)
Blade of the Virulent Flame (CrIg 15) +10 -- Mastery 1 (Magic Resistance)
Veil of Invisibility (PeIm 20) +19 -- Mastery 1 (Quiet Casting)
Rusted Decay of Ten-Score Years (PeTe 10) +19 -- Mastery 1 (Fast Casting)
Unravelling the Fabric of Imaginem (PeVi 10) +18

[Trogdor]

Where do you stand on starting spells? One of my magus options relies on modified versions of spells from the core book (e.g., personal versions of normally touch spells) and some spells from other books. Can we start with original spells, modified spells, or spells from other canonical books than the core book?

[Koschei]

Trogdor good write up, thanks!
And yes I'll be flexible on custom spells and spells from other books.

Arthur looking good, are you a point over on virtues? The Hermetic Infamy is free, so you won't get a point for that. Unless your driven flaw is the major version.

[Arthur]

Well, in the write up of the saga you indicated:

@Koschei

you all have the homebrew flaw Hermetic Infamy, an inversion of the Hermetic Prestige Virtue, for which you do not get a corresponding virtue). This reputation may be the result of your poor conduct a foolish parens, or false accusations.

If Hermetic Infamy is an inversion of Hermetic Prestige, shouldn't that be a minor hermetic/story flaw? That's what I assumed it was. After all, it will make it more difficult for us to deal with other hermetic magi.

[Koschei]

@Arthur

Well, in the write up of the saga you indicated:

@Koschei

you all have the homebrew flaw Hermetic Infamy, an inversion of the Hermetic Prestige Virtue, for which you do not get a corresponding virtue). This reputation may be the result of your poor conduct a foolish parens, or false accusations.

If Hermetic Infamy is an inversion of Hermetic Prestige, shouldn't that be a minor hermetic/story flaw? That's what I assumed it was. After all, it will make it more difficult for us to deal with other hermetic magi.

It is and it would be, but that is essentially the premise of the campaign.
Am I being harsh in not compensating you all for that?

[Arthur]

@Koschei

It is and it would be, but that is essentially the premise of the campaign.
Am I being harsh in not compensating you all for that?

I don't think of it as being harsh, just unexpected. You are basically telling us that all of our characters have 1 more point of flaws than virtues. That's just a bit unusual. And those same premises of the saga makes it difficult to pick many of the usual Story flaws.

But perhaps I was the only one who misunderstood. Don't worry about it. 8)

EDIT: I'll add a classic for a Perdo specialist -- Warped Magic (plant matter shrivels and wilts).

[Trogdor]

@Arthur

I don't think of it as being harsh, just unexpected. You are basically telling us that all of our characters have 1 more point of flaws than virtues. That's just a bit unusual.

Agreed

@Arthur

And those same premises of the saga makes it difficult to pick many of the usual Story flaws.

Wait don't we only get one Story Flaw?

@Arthur

But perhaps I was the only one who misunderstood. Don't worry about it. 8)

I didn't misunderstand. But I agree with your argument, Arthur

[JonathanD]

@Koschei

We are still open, welcome to the game.

Terrific. Preliminary thoughts.

First off, I'm not married to anything, so please feel free to veto stuff you don't like or nudge me here or there. Second off, I have a bad tendency to want to jam too much stuff into characters. I'll try to keep it reined in, just a warning.

So, I have a few ideas. One is a Bjornaer lab rat type. I haven't got much there as yet, but I like them and haven't gotten the chance to play one, and playing against type can be fun. Assuming we're not using the Mystery Cult book, I would like a better idea of what you're planning for the mystery cult houses if I go that way, but it's not crucial. I was thinking of maybe taking beserk, and having ended up killing some people, getting my master fined for Interference with the Mundanes. It wasn't enough of a crime to get me Marched, but people don't trust my judgement.

Another is a Verditius . Probably someone with martial skills and smithing as his specialties (which is maybe too stereotyped, so I may find something better). I don't have a lot here, but I really don't like the Hubris system from Mystery Cults so the opportunity to play a Verditius without having to contend with it really appeals.

Lastly is my best developed idea. The boy who should have been Bonisagian. Joshua was born in Hungary and came to the attention of the local wizardry in the usual way. He was adopted into House Tremere and trained as a Tremere warrior-magus. He was good at his tasks, but also had a way with words. Rumors came to the ears of Archimedes bani Bonisagus, who wished to meet the lad. Any good potential author is always of interest, after all. But somehow, for five years, Joshua was always elsewhere whenever Archimedes sought to interview him. Complaints were lodged, quaesitors spoken to, but in Transylvania, while everyone agree that of course he was within his rights, the obstruction was never overcome and Joshua was gauntleted a Tremere, taking the name Gideon.

In all of this, young Joshua knew what was happening. Moreover, a faithful Jew, the atheism and anti-theism of the Tremere put him off. An escape was tantalizing. Shortly after gauntlet and freedom he sought out Archimedes and asked to defect. Alas, it was too late for the young man to be taught the Bonisagian focus on magical theory. Meanwhile, threats were made. Taking pity on the boy who was now a warrior but didn't want to be a soldier, Archimedes, his wished-for mentor, arranged his escape by portal to a faraway tribunal, where an Ex Miscellanea archmage agreed to induct him into the house, putting him through a bizarre ritual he couldn't follow and leaving him with whatever Ex Misc Merit and Flaw I pick.

But word of how he arrived has spread around the tribunal. Young Gideon isn't trusted, as he might be a spy, and will certainly not be taken deeper into house secrets. Moreover, he is seen as a freeloader who has presumed upon the hospitality of Ex Miscellanea, and has endangered a Bonisagian of standing in his home tribunal. He's also seen as someone who, if he's not a spy, is likely to have Tremere enforcers following him. In general, someone who's better off somewhere else.

Of the three it's obvious which one of them has caught my imagination, but I'd be happy doing any of those or coming up with something new.

[Arthur]

@Trogdor

@Arthur

And those same premises of the saga makes it difficult to pick many of the usual Story flaws.

Wait don't we only get one Story Flaw?

We only get one. But the premises of the saga eliminate many of those choices.

It is unclear whether Hermetic Infamy counts as a story flaw. I would assume not, but my last assumption was proven false, so it and $5 will get you a coffee somewhere.

[ironboundtome]

I thought Hermetic Infamy was a flaw we have to take to represent the saga, but did not count against our totals, so a character can have a normal story flaw which counts as well.

[Koschei]

Hermetic Infamy would technically be a Hermetic Flaw, but irrespective of what category it was in, that is to say even if it was a story flaw, it would be grossly unfair if it counted towards the limit.

As it stands, you simply have it without recompense or any effect on character creation.

But I'll always be open to player opinion.

[Koschei]

@JonathanD

@Koschei

We are still open, welcome to the game.

Terrific. Preliminary thoughts.

First off, I'm not married to anything, so please feel free to veto stuff you don't like or nudge me here or there. Second off, I have a bad tendency to want to jam too much stuff into characters. I'll try to keep it reined in, just a warning.

So, I have a few ideas. One is a Bjornaer lab rat type. I haven't got much there as yet, but I like them and haven't gotten the chance to play one, and playing against type can be fun. Assuming we're not using the Mystery Cult book, I would like a better idea of what you're planning for the mystery cult houses if I go that way, but it's not crucial. I was thinking of maybe taking beserk, and having ended up killing some people, getting my master fined for Interference with the Mundanes. It wasn't enough of a crime to get me Marched, but people don't trust my judgement.

Another is a Verditius . Probably someone with martial skills and smithing as his specialties (which is maybe too stereotyped, so I may find something better). I don't have a lot here, but I really don't like the Hubris system from Mystery Cults so the opportunity to play a Verditius without having to contend with it really appeals.

Lastly is my best developed idea. The boy who should have been Bonisagian. Joshua was born in Hungary and came to the attention of the local wizardry in the usual way. He was adopted into House Tremere and trained as a Tremere warrior-magus. He was good at his tasks, but also had a way with words. Rumors came to the ears of Archimedes bani Bonisagus, who wished to meet the lad. Any good potential author is always of interest, after all. But somehow, for five years, Joshua was always elsewhere whenever Archimedes sought to interview him. Complaints were lodged, quaesitors spoken to, but in Transylvania, while everyone agree that of course he was within his rights, the obstruction was never overcome and Joshua was gauntleted a Tremere, taking the name Gideon.

In all of this, young Joshua knew what was happening. Moreover, a faithful Jew, the atheism and anti-theism of the Tremere put him off. An escape was tantalizing. Shortly after gauntlet and freedom he sought out Archimedes and asked to defect. Alas, it was too late for the young man to be taught the Bonisagian focus on magical theory. Meanwhile, threats were made. Taking pity on the boy who was now a warrior but didn't want to be a soldier, Archimedes, his wished-for mentor, arranged his escape by portal to a faraway tribunal, where an Ex Miscellanea archmage agreed to induct him into the house, putting him through a bizarre ritual he couldn't follow and leaving him with whatever Ex Misc Merit and Flaw I pick.

But word of how he arrived has spread around the tribunal. Young Gideon isn't trusted, as he might be a spy, and will certainly not be taken deeper into house secrets. Moreover, he is seen as a freeloader who has presumed upon the hospitality of Ex Miscellanea, and has endangered a Bonisagian of standing in his home tribunal. He's also seen as someone who, if he's not a spy, is likely to have Tremere enforcers following him. In general, someone who's better off somewhere else.

Of the three it's obvious which one of them has caught my imagination, but I'd be happy doing any of those or coming up with something new.

I am not actually using the mystery cult book, it is not actually a book I've even looked at to be fair. All the suggestions seem cool, even the second one, stereotypes are perfectly fine. The third option is particularly interesting. Having an entire house enraged at you seems quite harsh however!

[Koschei]

Shortly after gauntlet and freedom he sought out Archimedes and asked to defect.

Hmm... just thought, the Tremere would still hold your voting sigil right?
I am thinking that is given to you when you pass your gauntlet, not if or when you join a new house.

This would justify an additional flaw, but then that would justify an increased likelihood of Tremere challenging you to wizard wars, unless of course you keep a low profile.

[JonathanD]

@Koschei

All the suggestions seem cool, even the second one, stereotypes are perfectly fine. The third option is particularly interesting. Having an entire house enraged at you seems quite harsh however!

Well, enraged is probably overstating it. I figure as long as we're not in Transylvania it won't much matter. My pater is furious, and Tremere back their own, but haring off halfway around the known world would be ridiculous. We could leave it hanging over my head with me never realizing that I'm a small fish and no one really cares where I am.

Alternatively I could take my pater as an Enemy and he could show up in the tribunal and f*ck with me while trying to draw me back into the fold. Or, for that matter, if there's a covenant locally that's Tremere or has some of them around. Depends on whether you'd like to add that to the mix.

[Koschei]

@JonathanD

@Koschei

All the suggestions seem cool, even the second one, stereotypes are perfectly fine. The third option is particularly interesting. Having an entire house enraged at you seems quite harsh however!

Well, enraged is probably overstating it. I figure as long as we're not in Transylvania it won't much matter. My pater is furious, and Tremere back their own, but haring off halfway around the known world would be ridiculous. We could leave it hanging over my head with me never realizing that I'm a small fish and no one really cares where I am.

Alternatively I could take my pater as an Enemy and he could show up in the tribunal and f*ck with me while trying to draw me back into the fold. Or, for that matter, if there's a covenant locally that's Tremere or has some of them around. Depends on whether you'd like to add that to the mix.

Yes you are right, the entire house won't actually care enough to harm you. Only those who feel directly involved due to sigil politics. I think taking your pater as an enemy is a good idea. If you do so this will be the situation.
a) The Tremere will NOT be hunting you on mass, you are your paters mistake and he/she has been ordered to resolve the situation. Though presumably any Tremere you enounter may, or may not, inform on you.
b) Your pater actually needs to find you, he does not know where you are at the start of the saga (you don't know where you are at the start of the saga) and any arcane links he held have been destroyed by the ex misc magus who adopted you.
c) Everyone knows about the dispute, which means your pater must use stealth, or diplomacy, or at least be seen to act within Hermetic Law. So either a tricky assassination which might be hard, or a legally sanctioned wizards war (which gives you advanced warning).

Edit: But of course however enraged he is, killing you represents the waste of 15 years of investment, causes the loss of a voting sigil, and makes him look like an even bigger fool.

[Arthur]

I figure the Tremere would simply treat you like a failure and actively ignore you. You are a traitor, sure, but you don't know anything important about them. They'd stomp on you if you get in their way, but not go out of their way to do it. You would probably have gotten your sigil back when you left the House, otherwise that would count as depriving you of your rights as a magus.

[Koschei]

@Arthur

I figure the Tremere would simply treat you like a failure and actively ignore you. You are a traitor, sure, but you don't know anything important about them. They'd stomp on you if you get in their way, but not go out of their way to do it. You would probably have gotten your sigil back when you left the House, otherwise that would count as depriving you of your rights as a magus.

Yea, I think it more realistic than only the Pater would be actively hunting him. (If he takes the enemy flaw anyway).
I think the issue of the sigil would still be a unresolved legal issue, which could get very messy...

Otherwise he would just a lot of sneers from the Tremere.

[JonathanD]

I think I'm going to work up Gideon, and try to build him as a generalist (he can't have a magical focus anyway). Anyone else trying that?

I may also put together a Verditius warrior, if inspiration finds me.