Artist Seeking Patron

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Ad Astera per Aspera
1

Looks like the majority of lab construction is done, so Paphos will be turning to his passion - high quality artwork that inspires and nourishes the soul as well as the mind. He will solicit inquiries focusing on object d' arte designed to evoke arcane resonance suitable for lab features.

Lesser Feature
Paphos can create a feature with an effective Aesthetic Quality of about 30, thereby giving a +6 bonus to the feature specializion (+7 total, +1 from the feature, +6 from the art). Input from Paphos, the patron, and Silveroak will be needed to determine exact form, style and bonus provided. As this is artwork, the physical form should not be focused on practicality, but rather on inspiration as a source of it's magical resonance. The feature will have the added benefit of being an object of Study Quality 15 for Craft: Mason, able to be studied a single time per student.

In addition to the artistic quality of the feature, Paphos can also enchant the feature with a single spell under the following limits: 6th magnitude or lower, any Technique, but form must be Terram, Effect is constant and only effects the feature itself. As this is generally a non-practical effect, it should add to the feature specialization bonus, but as always Silveroak will be the deciding factor.

Note that this could potentially produce a lesser lab feature providing up to a +10 in a single appropriate specialization.

Delivery in Fall or Winter.

Math:
Aesthetic Quality 30
Dex +5, Craft 7+1+2, IOQ Glove +4, IOQ Chisel +2, Terram Form bonus (Incl lab) +3, 1/5 aura +2, 1/3 Artes Liberales +1, Magic Theory +3 = 30

Time spent: 2 seasons, plus 1 week.
Base time: Season
AQ 30 = x3 time spent
Leadership 7+1 = 83.5=28 days saved per season
91 days3 seasons = 273 days total, minus (28*3=84 days) = 189 days, or 2 seasons plus 1 week.

Enchanting using Hermetic Inclination in (Terram) L32
Dex 5, Craft 7+1+2, Terram 7, Lab GQ-2, Lab Terram specialization 9, IOQ Glove 4, IOQ Chisel 2, Inventive Genius 3, Aura 10=48
Because he is working for two seasons he can make any enchantment of L32 or lower, accumulating 16 or more points per season.

2

Talus would love a statue of the ancient genius Daedalus for his laboratory as an inspiration to pursue greater works. He claims (and it may even be true) that he is a direct descendant of Daedalus. The exact form of the statue would be left up to Paphos as Talus would trust his artistic talent. Pallas would give advice as to what Daedalus actually looked like. Again, believe or don't believe when Pallas says that he knew the ancient genius.

As to what would be a good enchantment, I'm open to suggestions.

Talus is, of course, willing to wait his turn to get such a fine work of art.

3

if you look at p. 7 of house rules it can be studied a number of times equal to it's SQ, so in this case it can be studied 15 times for 15xp/time. Total 225 xp, which could help to train masons who can maintain these high quality buildings.

4

What specialization is Talus seeking? Statues typically give one chosen from Re, An, Co or Te, but if the statue is of a human I think we could eliminate the An.

Daedalus was first famous for introducing dynamic poses to his statues, evoking movement. Paphos could make the statues arms and head jointed, and then use ReTe to have the statue slowly move through a series of poses originally used in Daedalus' work. He is also usually depicted with wings, which could be moved in the same manner. This could provide either a Rego or Terram inspiration. Likewise Paphos could use MuTe to morph between a series of static poses to provide a Muto inspiration. I'm sure I could come up with something for Creo or Perdo, but I'm kind of at a loss on what I might do for an Intellego inspiration.

Daedalus is also famous constructing the Labrynth and thus a Minotaur could be an appropriate subject if you did want to go the Animal route.

Daedalus in Flight
ReTe29
Base 2: Move earth in a slightly unnatural fashion
R: Personal
D: Sun (+2 magnitudes)
T: Group (+1 magnitude)
Environ trigger +3 levels, affect metal (+2 mag), +2 magnitudes complexity for multiple poses and programmed sequence
Use/Day: 2 (+1 level)
This statue is made from the golden limestone Malta is famous for, giving the skin a healthy, almost human appearance tinged with noble gold color. Daedalus appears as a man of indeterminate age, wearing a sculpted loincloth in Greek tradition to show his heroic physique. He has his god given wings on his back and slowly cycles through a series of poses though the day including "Preparing for Flight", "Lament of Icarus", "Athena gives him Wings", and "Envy of Perdix". The statue includes sculpted iron reinforcements at key points to enhance strength and durability.

5

note this will cost a total of 2 pounds to commission (1 pound per season)
fortunately Paphos does not yet have the reputation he deserves, presumedly due to the amount of travel and practical work he has undertaken instead of artistic work.

6

Re, Co, or Te would all be good. Probably Re is best.

I like the idea of a moving statue. But while magic is at work, why not go whole hog and make the statue an automaton that can be made to move to help in the lab (e.g., holding things steady for long periods of time, picking up heavy things, doing monotonous tasks)?

Daedalus in Flight
ReTe29
Base 3: Move earth in a very unusual fashion
R: Personal
D: Sun (+2 magnitudes)
T: Group (+1 magnitude)
Environ trigger +3 levels, affect stone (+1 mag), +2 magnitudes for general complexity
Use/Day: 2 (+1 level)
This statue is made from the golden limestone Malta is famous for, giving the skin a healthy, almost human appearance tinged with noble gold color. Daedalus appears as a man of indeterminate age, wearing a sculpted loincloth in Greek tradition to show his heroic physique. He has his god given wings on his back and can be instructed to perform simple tasks around the lab, such as holding things, lifting things, stirring things. It has no real intelligence, and so no initiative, but it's good for when a magus needs a couple of extra hands.

There's no reason it has to be jointed, etc. This is magic we're talking about. The stone can just move.

7

technical point: Daedalu's wings were mechanical, he built them himself.

if the statue is also functional you may wind up choosing between an enchanted item bonus (and it will require vis to make) and artistic bonus. Given Paphos' ability the artistic bonus is probably more valuable.
For Daedaus I would give options of Co, Te, Re, Me, or Au.

8

I think you're right, the artistic bonus is probably more valuable.

9

His first prototype was found to have an unacceptable rate of failure. His second model was given by Athena and were more reliable.

10

I find that version on Wikipedia but nowhere else... I believe this is a modern contrivance which comes from derivative work as it really does not fit within the character of Daedalus presented in Greek Mythology- wh gave up his wings as a sacrifice to the gods following his son's death.

11

Paphos will happily work with Talus on any desired details in presentation. Are we agreed then that all bonuses will be in Rego? If so here is the breakdown:

1 Lesser Feature per Covenants
6 Artistic inspiration per Silveroaks houserule
3 Magical resonance due to 6th magnitude spell

Total Rego bonus of +10