*** THIS IS A RELATIVELY LOW RESOURCES SAGA ***
Campaign Title: The Price of Knowledge
System: Ars Magica 5th Edition
# of Players: 3-4 players.
Deadline: Aiming to start play in early March
Starting Level: Shortly after Gauntlet. Characters should be built using only materials from the ArM5
Character Creation: Starting characters must be built using only the 5th Edition core book. That includes spells selection, although a few (1-2) spells may come from other sourcebooks, or custom-designed based on guidelines from the core book, may be allowed at the storyguide's discretion. The material presented in the Houses of Hermes trio of books (True Lineages, Societates and Mystery Cults) can be used as an inspiration for background, but the more mechanical aspects (virtues, flaws, spells, etc.) will not be used unless specifically allowed.
Advancement Rules: Standard apprenticeship. Advancement during play may be slowed down by the scarcity of resources.
Combat Rules: Mostly narrative, but combat will not be commonplace.
Dice-Rolling Rules: The storyguide will make all rolls.
Special Rules: A small number of House Rules will be in effect (see separate post). More could be added as needed and agreed upon by the troupe.
Posting Rate: Minimum twice a week. although I would like players to be able to post once or twice a day most times during the week. I seldom have time to post on weekends.
Absences: Players who disappear for more than 2 weeks before prior notification may see their characters be evicted from the covenant (or meet an untimely end).
Writing Expectations: I don't expect professional writing skills, but text should be written clearly with a minimum of abbreviations.
Text Formatting: Colored text for in-character speech, italics for thoughts. Out of character questions, comments or instructions should be clearly marked (such as "((OOC: This is out of character.))"
Plot- or Character-Driven: Mostly character-driven, although there will be some underlying plots. I will try to integrate historical elements into the saga as much as possible.
Focus: Personal growth and Hermetic politics.
Character Types: No companion-level characters at this time.
Campaign Description: A relatively low resource saga. A small groups of newly-Gauntleted magi join an existing covenant and most conform to its rules.
The Order of Hermes is made up of magi suspicious of each other and jealous of their power. They keep their secrets close, for knowledge is power. So they don't share books easily. Good books will be rarely copied (deals are usually made to gain access to them instead). Sources of raw vis are slowly disappearing throughout Mythic Europe, so they are guarded jealously and smaller sources are more valuable than in the early history of the Order. This forces magi to seek out places where vis can be found, even when such locations are less than ideal, so that they can secure them.
In this context, young magi looking for knowledge must accept many conditions in order to join well-established covenants and gain access to the accumulated knowledge and other resources. Covenants require obedience and service in exchange for access to their libraries. Sometimes, young magi try to establish a new covenants, pooling their resources. But the established covenants frown upon this and make their lives difficult, denying them accept to their libraries and contesting their sources of vis through political maneuvers.
Your magus is one of those willing to accept the rules of an established covenant to gain access to its resources. You just completed your apprenticeship and want to pursue your own research and goals. The covenant where you were apprenticed has only limited prospects for you, and you wish to explore other avenues. Your pater (or mater) informs you of a call for new magi from a large covenant, but you know that many others will try to secure a spot.
(This is a sister saga to The Price of Freedom, where young magi try to establish a new covenant in the same environment.)
Starting Resources: This is a relatively low resource saga. The covenant already exists and has a considerable library, but access to its contents is strictly controlled by senior magi. The covenant also has a fairly large number of vis sources, but it is in great demand so only a small amount of vis trickles down to junior magi. Forget about the build points system from Covenants.
Can your young magus make his mark and rise amongst the ranks? Is he or she ready to pay the price of knowledge?
