Since we are about to undergo a wild romp through Ancient Magic scenarioes with newfangled or remade characters, I chose to remake a previous character idea of mine. He has cleared the character under a general overview, but he asked me to redo it as a younger version (35-40) vs. the original 60-65 y.o. (sadly, this has made necessary to remove the vast majority of the Mystery stuff, which didn't fit in the standard V/F allottment and the much-curtailed post-apprenticeship). However, since I happen to be much more proficient with the details of ArM 5th ed. than the GM, he is lending me an over-abundant dose of trust in coming up right with the details of character build. Therefore I think that a review by forumite sages wiser than both of us might be rather useful.
Please review the character and tell if build makes sense in terms of the concept.
Rule variants and interpretations we have already cleared and agreed upon:
a) Every character in the chronicle may have 8 exposure x.p. every year of post-apprenticeship in addition to standard 30.
b) Every year post-apprenticeship, every mage gains 2 warping points total, either under a longevity ritual or not.
c) My character is allowed to have a second Hermetic-Supernatural Major Virtue as its extra Major Supernatural Ex Misc Virtue.
d) My character is allowed to have a second Story Flaw, since it is treated as the second personality Flaw, and the first Story Flaw is mandated by the concept.
Name: Julian of Merinita (former Ex Miscellanea)
Characteristics: Int +2, Per +2, Str -2, Sta +2, Prs +2, Com +2, Dex -2, Qik -2
Size: 0
Age: 38 (21)
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 2 (1)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Chthonic Magic (free); Diedne Magic; Faerie Magic; Harnessed magic (free); Hermetic Theurgy; Skilled Parens; Strong Faerie Blood (satyr); Unaging; Cabal Legacy; Covenant Upbringing; Pagan; Unpredictable Magic; Restriction (touching Divine objects); Rigid Magic (free); Weak Enchanter
Personality Traits: Ambitious +3; Brave +3; Lecherous +3; Optimistic +3; Proud +3
Reputations: None
Combat:
Dodging: Init 0, Attack n/a, Defence 0, Damage n/a
Soak: +2
Fatigue levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Abilities: Athletics (running) 1, Artes Liberales (astronomy) 2, Awareness (alertness) 1, Brawl (dodging) 1, Charm (smooth talker) 1, Chirurgy (self) 2, Chthonic Magic (infernal vis) 1, Code of Hermes (hospitality rights) 1, Concentration (spells) 2, Dominion Lore (Names) 2, Faerie Lore (Names) 2, Faerie Magic (faerie vis) 1, Finesse (precision) 2, French 1, German 5, Guile (fast talk) 1, House Merinita Lore (script experimentation) 1, Infernal Lore (Names) 2, Latin (hermetic use) 5, Magic Lore (Names) 2, Magic Theory (inventing spells) 5, Order of Hermes Lore (mysteries) 2, Parma Magica (Corpus) 2, Penetration (Perdo) 2, Philosophers of Rome Lore (script experimentation) 1, Philosophiae (ceremonial magic) 1, Second Sight (regions) 1, Stealth (sneak) 1, Survival (bad weather) 1, Swim (rough water) 1
Arts: Cr 11, In 3, Mu 6, Pe 11, Re 11, An 6, Aq 6, Au 6, Co 6, He 6, Ig 6, Im 5, Me 6, Te 6, Vi 6
Equipment: None
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells Known:
Appearance:
Our magus was born and raised in an isolated covenant where the veneration of the Old Gods was still the rule, hailing from a tryst between an Hermetic maga and a satyr faerie of the woods, which has bestowed him a link with the eternal power of nature and myth, and a liability to the traditional banes of fae and sorcerer alike. Growing up he showed a strong, primal Gift which allowed him to instinctively perform feats of magic like it were a second nature. The child caught the eye of an Ex Miscellanea maga who descended from a hidden lineage of Diedne druids with chthonic leanings, and practiced a primal, dark, and ecstatic style of magic. She hastened to apprentice him and mold his unruly Gift. Her capable tutelage managed to improve the instinctual command the boy had on magical energies but also revealed that his magic was difficult to fully control and his Gift did not bent well to mastering the most refined intricacies of Hermetic theory and lab work. His childhood environment has molded him into a proud, outspoken pagan with little patience for setbacks and fools in general, but especially for the sniveling minions of the Nailed God, who have caused the glorious gods of nature and legend to retreat to the corners of the world. He extends similar dislike to the coward ants of House Tremere and their Latin bootlickers, that destroyed the glorious House Diedne in their shortsighted prejudice, but so far he has managed to cover up the true source of his antipathy. And in all honesty, the Order of Hermes also houses so many likable fellows that understand how to enjoy both magic and life to the fullest, so he restricts his hatred to Tremere and the worst Latin purists. It also awakened him to a strong curiosity about the world and wanderlust who has lead him to adopt a peregrinator lifestyle among various covenants of the Rhine Tribunal, and some travels to other Tribunals steeped in mystical pagan secrets (Loch Legh, Hibernia, Roma, Stonehenge, Thebes, Transylvania, and Novgorod), seeking up all the secrets of both the magic and the faerie realms which he feels called by his dual nature to equally master, and enjoying the pleasures of the flesh along the way. Among his bouts of wandering, he likes to rest and reflect to translate his experiences into greater insights of the Hermetic Arts (with the help of some vis he picked along the way) in one or the other of the covenants where he has managed to secure hospitality rights for various services. For all his other character faults, he has his likable side, being a bold, cheerful, and fair-minded fellow who is true to friends. Exploring the faerie side of his heritage led him to seek and obtain initiation in the mysteries of House Merinita. Along his journeys he has also discovered and joined a Mystery Cult of sensual Gnostic mystic-scholars, the Philosophers of Rome, which focuses on mastering the secrets of the ancient magical spirits as a path to godhood. Actually, when he reflects on the scattered pieces of his magical lore, and the dual nature of his heritage, he can almost feel the stirrings of his true destiny, as if combining the deeper insights of the magical and the faerie realms may lead him to a synthesis surpassing the present development of Hermetic magic. Or maybe, in his darker moments, he feels that his destiny may instead lay into somehow leading a swift and decisive strike for the preservation and restoration of magic, the true lifeblood of the world, from the encroachments of the despised Dominion. The knot of dark power that he senses at the edges of his Gift and empowers him when he calls to it and uses sacrifices and blasphemy for magic often whispers to him how easy it would be to let honor and restraint go, and sweep out the enemies of magic and nature in a glorious flood of blood, storm, and fire. But for now, these are but half-formed dreams: his faerie blood burns in his veins and keeps him young in mind and body, and there is so much yet to see, do, learn, explore, and experience!
Note: formulaic spells have still to be selected. I expect several if not most of them to be Theurgic Form spirit spells, though.