No, he has a lot of spells that he can cast without items. Canonically, he's not much below Dr Strange in magical power and he’s a brilliant technologist and he has his own country.
I think I’d put him in Tytalus. He definitely has that “my will is paramount” attitude.
Doom has a weird beloved rival relationship with Reed, although Reed is not interested.
He also lacks the necessary humility to be a powerful sorcerer, according to Strange.
Doom: “WHAT? NO ONE IS HUMBLER THAN DOOM!”
I hadn't encountered that, but it's good, particularly given Strange’s own path to magic.
I kind of want to put Strange in Guernicus.
While we’re on the topic of example magi, what fillable character sheet do people think is best? I’m just thinking how to prettily present characters to newcomers, whether at a convention or if I ever produce a beginner scenario for drivethru. How do I present the complexities of an Ars character in as straightforward a manner as I can?
I use the googlesheet that a former SG made.
There are several options on the Project: Redcap page Character sheets - Project: Redcap
I like the “New Character Sheet” from Germanitas Rhenus.
A Tytalus healer.
Characteristics: Int +3, Per +2, Pre -2 Com +2, Str -1, Sta +0, Dex -1, Qik +0
Size: 0
Age: 25
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 2 (5)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Flawless Magic; Clear Thinker, Good Teacher, Intuition, Puissant Corpus, Minor Magical Focus (Healing), Self-Confident*, Difficult Underlings, Meddler; Creative Block, Overconfident
Personality Traits: Meddler +6, Overconfident +3, Analytical +1
Reputations: None
Combat:
Dodging: Init +0, Atk n/a, Dfn +2, Dam n/a
Soak: +0
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Abilities: Artes Liberales 1 (ritual magic), Athletics 1 (running), Awareness 3 (things out of place), Brawl 1 (dodging), Charm 1 (magi), Code of Hermes 1 (tribunal procedures), Concentration 2 (spells), Folk Ken 2 (magi), Guile 1 (magi), Intrigue 3 (magi), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Leadership 1 (magi), Magic Theory 3 (Corpus), Native Language 5 (bon mots), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (covenants), Parma Magica 1 (Corpus), Penetration 2 (Corpus), Philosophiae 1 (ritual magic), Stealth 1 (hiding), Swim 1 (diving)
Arts: Cr 9, In 2, Mu 0, Pe 3, Re 3, An 0, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 10+3, He 0, Ig 0, Im 0, Me 0, Te 0, Vi 0
Twilight scars: None
Equipment: Wizardly robes
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells known:
Bind Wound (CrCo 10) +32 (F) Mastery 1 (Penetration)
Purification of the Festering Wound +32 (F) (CrCo 20) Mastery 1 (Penetration)
Incantation of the Body Made Whole +36 (F) (CrCo 40) Mastery 1 (Multiple Casting)
Revealed Flaws of Mortal Flesh +16 (InCo 10) Mastery 1 (Quiet Casting)
Invocation of Weariness +17 (PeCo 20) Mastery 1 (Multiple Casting)
Wizard’s Sidestep +4 (ReIm 10) Mastery 1 (Fast Casting)
Scales of the Magical Weight +2 (InVi 5) Mastery 1 (Quiet Casting)
Sense the Nature of Vis +2 (InVi 5) Mastery 1 (Quiet Casting)
Character Notes
That conflict breeds growth is one of the key tenets of House Tytalus. This character doesn’t disagree with this; however, they do consider that the link isn’t automatic. The Schism War spelt the destruction of House Diedne, not its growth, and many a war has left its participants merely exhausted and vulnerable to another power.
The key is to ensure that you learn from conflict, and this can be done from others’ conflicts as well as your own. To this end, this character studies both the history of the Order and its contemporary events, analysing them to see what lessons can be learned, with the intention of publishing them to the Order. They have trained as a healer, and one of their conditions for a healing is that the subject subsequently sits down with them and works through the events that led to their injury, analysing them to see what lessons can be learned. Their grogs do not always appreciate this.
Customisation Notes
The character can take another two points of Flaws and an equivalent number of points of Virtues. You may wish to swap in Mercurian Magic as a replacement for Flawless Magic to make their healing rituals cheaper, although this will remove some of the flavour of the character’s dedication to excellence in their actions. If you do make the swap, consider reassigning 5 xp so the character still has a level of mastery in Incantation of the Body Made Whole.
This Ex-Misc tradition isn’t really optimised, as there’s a fair amount of redundancy between their Major Non-Hermetic Virtue and minor Hermetic Virtue, and Deficient Rego is a painful flaw. They felt like they fit the tradition, though.
Characteristics: Int +2, Per +1, Pre +1, Com -1, Str +0, Sta +2, Dex +0, Qik +0
Size: 0
Age: 25
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Elemental Magic, Shapeshifter*; Affinity with Muto, Minor Magical Focus (self-transformation)*, Puissant Muto, Quiet Magic x 2, Skilled Parens, Special Circumstances (whilst shapechanged), Subtle Magic; Dark Secret, Deficient Rego*, Lycanthrope, Short-Ranged Magic; Gender Non-conforming
Personality Traits: Respects Conventions -3, Changable +2, Enjoys wordplay +1
Reputations: None
Combat:
Dodging: Init +0, Atk n/a, Dfn +2, Dam n/a
Soak: +2
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Abilities: Area Lore 1 (animals), Artes Liberales 1 (ceremonial magic), Athletics 1 (running), Awareness 2 (alertness), Brawl 1 (dodging), Charm 1 (magi), Code of Hermes 1 (scrying), Concentration 1 (spells), Folk Ken 1 (magi), Guile 2 (not getting caught), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Magic Theory 3 (Muto), Native Language 5 (words with multiple meanings), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (own tradition), Parma Magica 1 (Animal), Penetration 1 (Muto), Shapeshifter 4 (changing to bear), Stealth 1 (rural environments), Survival 1 (forests), Swim 1 (rivers)
Arts: Cr 0, In 0, Mu 12+3, Pe 0, Re 0, An 3, Aq 11 (4), Au 11 (4), Co 9, He 0, Ig 9 (3), Im 0, Me 0, Te 9 (3), Vi 0
Twilight scars: None
Equipment: Wizardly robes
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells known:
Shiver of the Lycanthrope (InAn 10) +5
Beast of Outlandish Size (MuAn 15) +20 (on others) / +23 (F) (on self)
Doublet of Impenetrable Silk (MuAn 15) +20
Lungs of the Fish (MuAq(Au) 20) +28
Comfort of the Drenched Traveller (PeAq 5) +13
Transform to Water (MuCo(Aq) 40) +35 (F)
Cloak of Mist (MuCo(Au) 40) +35 (F)
Unseen Arm (ReTe 5) +5 (SRM)
Stats in Bear Form
Characteristics: Int +2, Per +1, Pre +1, Com -5, Str +6, Sta +4, Dex +2, Qik +0
Size: +2
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Elemental Magic, Shapeshifter*; Affinity with Muto, Improved Characteristics x2, Minor Magical Focus (self-transformation)*, Puissant Muto, Quiet Magic x 2, Skilled Parens, Special Circumstances (whilst shapechanged), Subtle Magic, Tough; Dark Secret, Deficient Rego*, Lycanthrope, Short-Ranged Magic; Gender Non-conforming, Greedy, Reclusive
Combat:
Claws: Init +0, Atk +13, Dfn +9, Dam +10
Teeth: Init +0, Atk +11, Dfn +7, Dam +7
Grapple: Init +0, Atk +7, Dfn +5, Dam n/a
Soak: +10
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0/0, -1/-1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-7), -3 (8-14), -5 (15-21), Incapacitated (22-28)
Abilities: Area Lore 1 (animals), Artes Liberales 1 (ceremonial magic), Athletics 3 (sprinting), Awareness 3 (prey), Brawl 5 (claws), Code of Hermes 1 (scrying), Hunt 4 (deer), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Magic Theory 3 (Muto), Native Language 5 (words with multiple meanings), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (own tradition), Parma Magica 1 (Animal), Penetration 1 (Muto), Shapeshifter 4 (changing to bear), Survival 5 (foraging), Swim 3 (against the current)
Other: +3 to rolls involving running
Stats in Gyrfalcon Form
Characteristics: Int +2, Per +3, Pre +0, Com -1, Str -6, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik +6
Size: -3
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Elemental Magic, Shapeshifter*; Affinity with Muto, Keen Vision, Minor Magical Focus (self-transformation)*, Puissant Muto, Quiet Magic x 2, Skilled Parens, Special Circumstances (whilst shapechanged), Subtle Magic; Dark Secret, Deficient Rego*, Lycanthrope, Short-Ranged Magic; Fragile Constitution, Gender Non-conforming
Combat:
Talons: Init +5, Atk +6, Dfn +12, Dam -4
Beak: Init +6, Atk +6, Dfn +9, Dam -5
Soak: -2
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0/0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-2), -3 (3-4), -5 (5-6), Incapacitated (7-8)
Abilities: Area Lore 1 (animals), Artes Liberales 1 (ceremonial magic), Athletics 5 (swift flight), Awareness 4 (spotting prey), Brawl 2 (talons), Code of Hermes 1 (scrying), Hunt 4 (game brids), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Magic Theory 3 (Muto), Native Language 5 (words with multiple meanings), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (own tradition), Parma Magica 1 (Animal), Penetration 1 (Muto), Shapeshifter 4 (changing to bear), Survival 3 (cold climates)
Other: +3 to rolls involving speed in flight
Stats in Hound Form
Characteristics: Int +2, Per +2, Pre -3, Com -1, Str +0, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik +2
Size: 0
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Elemental Magic, Shapeshifter*; Affinity with Muto, Improved Characteristics, Long-Winded, Minor Magical Focus (self-transformation)*, Puissant Muto, Quiet Magic x 2, Sharp Ears, Skilled Parens, Special Circumstances (whilst shapechanged), Subtle Magic; Dark Secret, Deficient Rego*, Lycanthrope, Short-Ranged Magic; Gender Non-conforming, Reckless
Combat:
Bite: Init +2, Atk +8, Dfn +7, Dam +1
Soak: +2
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0/0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Abilities: Area Lore 1 (animals), Artes Liberales 1 (ceremonial magic), Athletics 3 (distance running), Awareness 3 (keeping watch), Brawl 3 (bite), Code of Hermes 1 (scrying), Hunt 4 (track by scent), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Magic Theory 3 (Muto), Native Language 5 (words with multiple meanings), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (own tradition), Parma Magica 1 (Animal), Penetration 1 (Muto), Shapeshifter 4 (changing to bear)
Other: +3 to rolls related to sense of smell, +3 to endurance rolls
Stats in Octopus Form
Characteristics: Int +2, Per -1, Pre -4, Com -6, Str -8, Sta +3, Dex +0, Qik +4
Size: -4
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Elemental Magic, Shapeshifter*; Affinity with Muto, Minor Magical Focus (self-transformation)*, Puissant Brawl, Puissant Muto, Quiet Magic x 2, Skilled Parens, Special Circumstances (whilst shapechanged), Subtle Magic; Dark Secret, Deficient Rego*, Lycanthrope, Short-Ranged Magic; Gender Non-conforming
Combat:
Dodging: Init +4, Atk n/a, Dfn +9, Dam n/a
Bite: Init +4, Atk +4, Dfn +9, Dam -7
Grapple: Init +4, Atk +4, Dfn +8, Dam n/a
Soak: +3
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1), -3 (2), -5 (3), Incapacitated (4)
Abilities: Area Lore 1 (animals), Artes Liberales 1 (ceremonial magic), Awareness 2 (food), Brawl 2+2 (dodging), Code of Hermes 1 (scrying), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Magic Theory 3 (Muto), Native Language 5 (words with multiple meanings), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (own tradition), Parma Magica 1 (Animal), Penetration 1 (Muto), Shapeshifter 4 (changing to bear), Survival 3 (sea), Swim 5 (sea)
Other: +9 bonus to defence against grapple attacks due to its slippery skin
Character Notes
The Formless are a cult of Shapeshifters within House Ex-Miscellanea who revel in their many forms. Less well known is that every member is also a Lycanthrope - the cult draws upon their inherent mutability to provide the foundation for first the Shapeshifter Virtue (the initial shape learnt is always that of their were form) and then their wider transformative abilities.
Unfortunately the Lycanthrope flaw is also the foundation to an inherent lack of control of their abilities, giving them Deficient Rego. This makes many of the control measures (such as warding circles) other Hermetic Lycanthropes take harder to implement, and forces them to fall back on other measures. One member of this cult famously enchanted an item to transform them into a tortoise. This character has a particular problem in that their wereshape is a bear rather than the more common wolf, meaning spells often need size magnitudes to affect them. The need to come up with a solution is great, though - during one unfortunately incident during their apprenticeship their were-form killed several covenfolk and an apprentice of a rival covenant. The covenant has not realised this character was responsible, but if they did they are likely to seek revenge.
Somewhat unusually in the cult, this character also has an innate affinity for the Elemental Forms. They have channelled this into the start of a collection of elemental shapes, and are likely to seek to expand and improve upon them in future. In the meantime they have very little interest in such boring things as keeping to a single shape, size or even sex.
Customisation Notes
The character has used up all of its points of Flaws. However, their Gender Non-conforming Flaw and Special Circumstances Virtue could easily be swapped out for other ones. Short Ranged Magic could be removed if you wanted to character to perform more general elemental transformations rather than ones centred around their own form.
A character who can do L40 spells at gauntlet probably doesn't need to be completely optimised…
But if this is for new players, a few notes on how they manage their lycanthropy could be useful.
…okay, you may have a point. Especially when they have two such spells with requisites with different Arts. My thought had been more that they can replicate a fair amount of what Shapeshifter does with their Minor Magical Focus (although Shapeshifter does have the advantage of being a momentary effect rather than an ongoing spell, meaning it’s not in and of itself magically resisted or warping).
I have added a bit on the Lycanthropy control, and also their Dark Secret.
This Tremere’s role is probably closest to an Architect, but it doesn’t quite fit as they specialise in Auram rather than Terram.
Characteristics: Int +3, Per +1, Pre +1 Com +1, Str -1, Sta +1, Dex +0, Qik +1
Size: 0
Age: 25
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Flawless Magic; Adept Laboratory Student, Affinity with Auram, Educated, Improved Characteristics, Minor Magical Focus (certamen)*, Puissant Auram, Puissant Creo, Skilled Parens; Ambitious, Blatant Gift, Fury; Wrathful
Personality Traits: Ambitious +6, Short Tempered +3, Aware of their shortcomings +1
Reputations: None
Combat:
Dodging: Init +1, Atk n/a, Dfn +3, Dam n/a
Soak: +1
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Abilities: [Area] Lore 1 (weather), Artes Liberales 3 (ritual magic), Athletics 1 (hiking), Awareness 1 (weather), Brawl 1 (dodging), Charm 1 (first impressions), Code of Hermes 1 (deprivation of magical power), Concentration 2 (spells), Folk Ken 2 (magi), Guile 1 (magi), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Magic Theory 3 (Auram), Native Language 5 (speeches), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Tremere), Parma Magica 1 (Auram), Penetration 3 (Auram), Philosophiae 3 (ritual magic), Stealth 1 (in cloud and fog), Survival 1 (finding shelter)
Arts: Cr 10+3, In 0, Mu 0, Pe 10, Re 5, An 0, Aq 5, Au 14+3, Co 0, He 0, Ig 0, Im 0, Me 0, Te 0, Vi 0
Twilight scars: None
Equipment: Wizardly robes
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells known:
Cloak of the Duck’s Feathers (ReAq 5) +12 Mastery 1 (Still Casting)
Charge of the Angry Winds (CrAu 15) +32 Mastery 1 (Fast Casting)
Circling Winds of Protection (Cr(Re)Au 20) +24 Mastery 1 (Fast Casting)
The Incantation of Lightning (CrAu 35) +33 Mastery 2 (Multiple Casting, Penetration)
Breath of the Open Sky (CrAu 40) +40 Mastery 1 (Penetration)
Sailor’s Foretaste of Tomorrow (InAu 15) +19 Mastery 1 (Still Casting)
Quiet the Raging Winds (PeAu 20) +29 Mastery 1 (Still Casting)
Character Notes
It’s rare, but every now and again it’s useful to be able to create or destroy storms, so House Tremere likes to keep someone with that ability on hand. This character has been trained with that in mind, and also to take advantage of the combat potential of Auram magic. At gauntlet they can only create relatively small storms and calm winds in the immediate area, so they will be interested in acquiring labtexts for more powerful spells.
The character is fiercely ambitious, and would love to make a name for themselves with a critically placed ritual or adept combat mission. Unfortunately for them, they also have a temper which their superiors see as a liability - with, they have to acknowledge, some justification. If they cannot learn to better control it, they are unlikely to ever achieve the senior position they crave.
Customisation Notes
The character has used up all of their available Virtues and Flaws. At a pinch Adept Laboratory Student or Improved Characteristics could be swapped out, although their Int must remain at +3 in order to be able to learn their spells. Their Blatant Gift could easily be switched for a different flaw without changing the concept - as it is, the combination of the Blatant Gift and their temper is likely to mean that they are very unpopular with their grogs.
This is probably veering away from Ezzelino’s original request that magi by “typical” of their House, but it does fulfil a useful role (plus I’ve already got some more typical ones) - the Quaesitor that gets sent in to deal with the fallout of mundane interference.
Characteristics: Int +2, Per +2, Pre +1 Com +2, Str -1, Sta +1, Dex -2, Qik +0
Size: 0
Age: 25
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Gentle Gift; Hermetic Prestige*, Premonitions, Puissant Guile, Quiet Magic x2, Subtle Magic, Well-travelled; Black Sheep, Restriction (target in a state of grace); Dutybound, Small Frame, Susceptibility to Infernal Power
Personality Traits: Naturally honest -2, Bound to the Quaesitorial Code +3, Knows which side their bread’s buttered on +1
Reputations: Quaesitor in Good Standing 4 (Hermetic Magi), “Good standing” rather dubious 2 (magi who pay attention to the Quaesitors)
Combat:
Dodging: Init +0, Atk n/a, Dfn +2, Dam n/a
Soak: +1
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Abilities: [Area] Lore 1 (gossips), Artes Liberales 1 (rhetoric), Athletics 1 (running), Awareness 2 (things out of place), Brawl 1 (dodging), Carouse 1 (staying sober), Charm 2 (first impressions), Code of Hermes 3 (mundane interference), Concentration 1 (spells), Finesse 2 (Mentem), Folk Ken 3 (townsfolk), Guile 4+2 (coming up with alternative explanations), Intrigue 2 (what people want), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Magic Theory 3 (Mentem), Native Language 5 (slang), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Guernicus), Parma Magica 1 (Mentem), Premonitions 3 (fallout from magi’s actions), Stealth 1 (urban areas)
Arts: Cr 0, In 5, Mu 5, Pe 3, Re 3, An 0, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 2, He 0, Ig 0, Im 0, Me 9, Te 0, Vi 0
Twilight scars: None
Equipment: Wizardly robes
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells known:
Disguise of the New Visage (MuCo 15) +8
Perception of the Conflicting Motives (InMe 15) +15
Frosty Breath of the Spoken Lie (InMe 20) +15
Posing the Silent Question (InMe 20) +15
Trust of Childlike Faith (PeMe 10) +13
Calm the Motion of the Heart (PeMe 15) +13
Loss of But a Moment’s Memory (PeMe 15) +13
The Call to Slumber (ReMe 10) +13
Character Notes
Guernicus apprentices taking their gauntlet are given a chance to cheat. If they take it, they are told they failed for an unrelated reason, but are given another chance later. Repeated cheating ends up with them being denied Quaesitorial status. This character cheated, but only the first time. Their parens suspects, not without foundation, that their return to proper behaviour at the second attempt had less to do with any innate morality and more to do with them having realised the cheating opportunity was a trap. Still, they did pass, and they are a Quaesitor - but one not trusted by their House.
Due to the cloud they are under, the character rarely gets given standard Quaesitorial missions where trust in their integrity is important. Instead, they get sent on “clean-ups”. Every now and again (fairly frequently, in fact), some Hermetic magus causes a mess with mundanes that needs to be discreetly cleaned up before it brings any further ruin. This character is sent in to use their natural talents for misdirection and flat out lying to smooth out the issue - hopefully without accidentally making matters worse in the process. Perhaps if they do their job well enough for long enough they’ll earn back some trust from their House - or perhaps they’ll just cement their reputation for deviousness.
Customisation Notes
The character has one remaining flaw point, and can take an equivalent number of virtues. Intuition might be suitable for them; alternatively Skilled Parens would help them boost their Arts (which right now are relatively low). Life Boost or Cautious Sorceror would be useful for casting in divine auras where they are likely to spend quite a bit of their time. If more Virtue points are needed, Quiet and Subtle Magic could be swapped for Deft Mentem, although this would make their non-Mentem based spells more obvious.
I love the third Personality Trait and the second Reputation.
Thanks! They had to have the Hermetic Prestige Virtue from being a Guernicus, but it felt like it made sense for their Black Sheep bad reputation to temper it a bit.
Of course, some magi will only have heard of one of the reputations.
This character is a great concept (I've liked most of the ones you've posted, really).
But, you should consider doing one more edit to work in the Animal Ken virtue and the InMe25 spell Thoughts Within Babble. Then, just as your summary claims, he really WILL be able to talk to everything.
Thanks!
This is the Talky Guernicus, I assume? I think Animal Ken is actually a bit redundant for this character - with their focus, they’d be better off in most circumstances creating a custom spell based off the base 10 InAn guideline to speak with an Animal. I’ve been trying to stick with the corebook for the “at gauntlet” character, but it’s an obvious direction of early development - pick up some Animal and some more Intellego (which you want anyway) and you should be able to be in a position to invent it in a couple of seasons within a few years. Alternatively if you did want to be able to speak to animals at Gauntlet, you’d need to drop a virtue (probably Intuition) for Animal Ken and then find 45 xp - probably by dropping Charm and Folk Ken from 4 to 3 and then dropping Stealth from 1 to 0.
They also want Words of the Flickering Flame to speak with fires.
A Bonisagus, with the potential for a second Bonisagus. This one goes down the route of “Original Research via hoping you roll for a Side / Modified Effect on the experimentation table, which has the disadvantage of being very SG / troupe fiat based - if you have the original research rules available that would be a better way of doing it.
Characteristics: Int +3, Per +1, Pre +0, Com +2, Str -1, Sta +0, Dex -1, Qik -1
Size: 0
Age: 25
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Mythic Blood (Notatus); Affinity with Rego, Good Teacher, Inventive Genius, Minor Magical Focus** (Wards), Puissant Magic Theory*, Puissant Rego; Blatant Gift, Driven; Ambitious**, True Love
*House Virtue
**Free from Mythic Blood
Personality Traits: Determined to create their own school for apprentices +6, Ambious +3, Loyal to spouse +3
Reputations: None
Combat:
Dodging: Init -1, Atk n/a, Dfn +1, Dam n/a
Soak: +0
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Abilities: [Area] Lore 1 (people), Artes Liberales 1 (ritual magic), Athletics 1 (running), Awareness 2 (students), Brawl 1 (dodging), Charm 2 (magi), Code of Hermes 1 (Bonisagus Code provisions), Concentration 2 (spells), Folk Ken 2 (students), Guile 1 (keeping things hidden), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Leadership 1 (in the lab), Magic Theory 3+2 (Rego), [Native Language] 5 (long words), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Notatus), Parma Magica 1 (Vim), Philosophaie 1 (ritual magic), Penetration 1 (Rego), Professions: Scribe 1 (copying), Stealth 1 (covenants), Teaching 3 (apprentices)
Arts: Cr 0, In 0, Mu 0, Pe 0, Re 12+3, An 0, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 0, He 0, Ig 0, Im 1, Me 7, Te 2, Vi 8
Twilight scars: None
Equipment: Wizardly robes
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Power from Mythic Blood: Wind of Mundane Silence (PeVi 30)
Spells known:
Wizard’s Sidestep (ReIm 10) +16
The Call to Slumber (ReMe 10) +22
Aura of Rightful Authority (ReMe 20) +22
Wielding the Invisible Sling (ReTe 10) +17
Wizard’s Vigil (ReVi 30) +23
Aegis of the Hearth (ReVi 40) +36 (F) Mastery 1 (Penetration)
Character Notes
This character is a blood descendant of the legendary Notatus, developer of the Aegis of the Hearth and first primus of House Bonisagus following the death of Bonisagus himself. As such they have an innate facility with wards (including the Aegis) and the spell-like ability to dispel many spells at will. They also have a fierce ambition, and a desire to create their own lasting magical legacy. In their case they intend to create their own viable Hermetic school, and then in later years use that as a springboard to become Primus of House Bonisagus.
There are two main obstacles which have prevented previous Hermetic schools from being a success. The first is the effects of the Gift making students hate each other (and mundane teachers). The second is that the Arts can only be taught one on one. This character is intending to try to overcome the first problem by inventing a variant on the Aegis than suppresses the social effects of the Gift in a similar way to the way the Parma provides both magic resistance and protection against incoming effects from the Gift. This is not guaranteed to be possible, but if it is, might be achieved via a Modified Effect on the experimentation table (or using the Original Research rules in Houses of Hermes: True Lineages).
For the second effect, in the absence of another magus coming up with a way to teach the Arts to multiple students at once the character intends to adapt a strategy used by their own master, who had two apprentices at once and used the elder to spend some of their time teaching the younger. Whilst the Arts cannot be taught to multiple students at once, there are other useful abilities which can be, which will fulfil the requirement under the Code for magi to spend a season a year teaching their apprentice. After the initial set-up period, therefore, a small pool of magi will teach large classes Abilities such as Magic Theory, Teaching, Penetration and Finesse, whilst the older students teach the younger ones the Arts.
Customisation Notes
The character has three remaining flaw points, and can take an equivalent number of virtues. At the moment they are a good teacher and author, but not a truly exceptional one. This could be changed by improving their Communication or giving them Affinity with / Puissant Teaching.
Character’s Spouse
Characteristics: Int +2, Per +0 Pre +1 Com +3, Str -1, Sta -1, Dex +0, Qik -1
Size: 0
Age: 25
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: Custos; Educated, Good Teacher, Gossip, Inspirational, Protection, Puissant Intrigue, True Love; Driven, Favours; Busybody, Offensive to Animals
Personality Traits: Determined to make a role for themselves in Hermetic society, Busybody +3, Loyal to spouse +3
Reputations: Gossip +1
Combat:
Dodging: Init -1, Atk n/a, Dfn +1, Dam n/a
Soak: -1
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Abilities: [Area] Lore 1 (magi), Artes Liberales 2 (rhetoric), Athletics 1 (running), Awareness 2 (seaching), Brawl 1 (dodging), Charm 4 (magi), Code of Hermes 2 (political intrigue), Concentration 1 (reading), Etiquette 2 (magi), Folk Ken 3 (magi), Guile 2 (magi), Intrigue 4+2 (magi), Latin 5 (Hermetic terms), Leadership 1 (covenfolk), Magic Theory 3 (understanding what magi are talking about), [Native Language] 5 (storytelling), Order of Hermes Lore 3 (Hermetic politicians), Philosophaie 2 (metaphysics), Teaching 2 (Magic Theory)
Equipment: Not-quite-wizardly robes
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Character Notes
The magus is aided in their project by their True Love, the ungifted child of a Trianoman Bonisagus who was a member of the same covenant as their master. This True Love has inherited many of the diplomatic abilities of their parent, and has their protection, but no actual supernatual abilities of their own.
Despite not being born with the Gift, this character is still determined to make a place for themselves in Hermetic society. They have used their parent to make various introductions to other magi with whom they are corresponding, and are trying to link themselves in as a key part of the Hermetic gossip network. As part of their efforts here they have ended up owing a number of favours to various magi for bits of information gained.
As well as information of their own, the main way utility they have to magi is as a teacher. Few full magi will act as a teacher to anyone other than their own apprentice; however, they know enough Magic Theory to teach apprentices whose masters would rather focus on other things, and are a sufficiently good teacher that even with a -3 penalty from the student’s Gift they will still be a better teacher than many magi. In the longer term they may also want to develop skills in other arcane abilities or improve their Magic Theory further to act as a teacher to full grown magi.
Customisation Notes
The character can take an additional 2 points of flaws and an equivalent number of Virtues. Note that the character concept does not actually require the True Love virtue / flaw - the characters have sufficiently compatible desires and goals that this could be a marriage of convenience or mere affection rather than true love.If you did go this way, you would need to remove True Love from both characters, as it is never one-sided.
The character could also be adapted to be a full Trianoman Bonisagus rather than merely the child of one.
Ooh, the alchemical marriage of Bonisagus and Trianoma! Nice. They will definitely want a good library of low-level Arts Summae to make this work.
Picky point: the character appears to have +8 characteristics, not +7. Unless my maths is wrong.
Your maths is not wrong - Presence should be +0 rather than +1. Thanks for spotting that - I’ll edit it.
Puissant Intrigue but no score is a weird combo.