Rarrgh. Thanks. This was clearly not my best write-up - I usually check the that the sum of the ability scores matches my spreadsheet but clearly I forgot this time. As well as Intrigue 4+2, they should also have Etiquette 2. Added now.
I think the Bonisagus' Abilities are okay.
I realised I was a bit short on Aquam specialists, so have a Mercere sea-farer.
Characteristics: Int +1, Per +0, Pre +1, Com +0, Str +1, Sta +2, Dex +1, 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; Affinity with Aquam, Affinity with Auram, Enduring Constitution, Puissant Aquam, Puissant Creo*, Well-Travelled; Curse of Venus, Weak Magic Resistance (inland); Optimistic, Weakness (attractive members of the opposite sex)
Personality Traits: Optimistic +3, Unable to Resist a Pretty Face +3, Loves the Sea +3
Reputations: None
Combat:
Dodging: Init +0, Atk n/a, Dfn +2, Dam n/a
Soak: +2
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0, 0, -2, -4, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20) (Total penalty reduced by 1 point)
Abilities: [Area 1] Lore 2 (ports), [Area 2] Lore 1 (ports), Artes Liberales 1 (ritual magic), Athletics 2 (climbing), Awareness 1 (at sea), Bargain 2 (sailors), Brawl 1 (dodging), Carouse 1 (drinking games), Charm 1 (sailors), Code of Hermes 1 (mundane interference), Concentration 1 (spells), Folk Ken 1 (sailors), Guile 1 (sailors), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Leadership 2 (sailors), [Living Language] 2 (directions), Magic Theory 3 (Aquam), Native Language 5 (story-telling), Order of Hermes Lore 2 (naval and coastal covenants), Parma Magica 1 (Aquam), Profession: Sailor 4 (merchant ships), Swim 1 (sea)
Arts: Cr 5+3, In 5, Mu 0, Pe 0, Re 3, An 0, Aq 11+3, Au 11, Co 0, He 3, Ig 0, Im 0, Me 0, Te 0, Vi 0
Twilight scars: None
Equipment: Wizardly robes, a small merchant ship
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells known:
Mighty Torrent of Water (CrAq 20) +24
Lungs of the Fish (MuAq(Au) 20) +16
Break the Oncoming Wave (ReAq 10) +16
Push of the Gentle Wave (ReAq 15) +16
Charge of the Angry Winds (CrAu 15) +21
Sailor's Foretaste of Tomorrow (InAu 15) +18
Lamp Without Flame (CrIg 10) +10
Shriek of the Impending Shafts (InHe 15) +10
Character Notes
This Mercere is happiest when they are at sea. They have their own ship, and probably spend time at the covenant only for the use of its labs and library. Ideally they'd like their lab on the ship itself - but so far the lack of stability and reliable magic auras on a moving vessal have prevented them from making this a reality.
The characters' journeys to distant ports have a problem - their tendancy to fall head over heels for a beautiful local. Sadly these love affairs tend to end disastrously, whether due to ulterior motives by the target of their affections, enemy action or just the competing demands of the sea and the land. The list of ports at which the character would be best advised to avoid has already grown to an unwieldy length - but they're sure they can slip in and out without notice if necessary.
For the Mercere, whilst they take the occasional message to coastal, naval and underwater covenants, their primary focus is on the House's naval operations. House Mercere already has a small fleet of its own, and they would like to expand and improve on it.
Customisation Notes
The character has two remaining Flaw points and can take an equivalent number of Virtues. Their Weakness could be swapped to Lecherous if you want an earthier character, and this is likely to change the flavour of the Curst of Venus. If using books beyond the Core, "Fish Out of Water (the Sea)" or "Craving for Travel" minor General flaws (Grogs) or Wanderlust Major Story Flaw (Realms of Power: Magic) may be particularly suitable for them.
A Jerbiton patron of the Arts.
Characteristics: Int +2, Per +2, Pre -2, Com +1, Str +0, Sta +0, 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; Social Contacts, Inspirational*, Personal Vis Source, Gossip, Minor Magical Focus (artists' tools); Plagued by Supernatural Entity; Clumsy Magic, Disfigured, Lesser Malediction (nothing they produce has any artistic merit), Weakness (beautiful art)
Personality Traits: Loves Art +3, Hates faeries +2, Tries to make the best of bad situations +2
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: [Area 1] Lore 1 (artists), Artes Liberales 1 (music), Athletics 1 (grace), Awareness 1 (art), Bargain 2 (artists), Brawl 1 (dodging), Charm 4 (artists), Code of Hermes 1 (molesting the fae), Concentration 1 (spells), Faerie Lore 1 (bargains), Folk Ken 2 (artists), Guile 1 (magi), Intrigue 1 (artists), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Leadership 1 (artists), Magic Theory 4 (magic items), Native Language 5 (artistic terms), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (artists), Parma Magica 1 (Mentem),
Arts: Cr 1, In 6, Mu 9, Pe 0, Re 0, An 2, Aq 5, Au 0, Co 0, He 0, Ig 0, Im 5, Me 0, Te 5, Vi 0
Twilight scars: None
Equipment: Wizardly robes
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells known:
Subtle Taste of Poison and Purity (InAq 5) +11
Discern the Images of Truth and Falsehood (InIm 20) +11
Aura of Enobled Presence (MuIm 10) +14
Notes of a Delightful Sound (MuIm 10) +14
Disguise of the Transformed Image (MuIm 15) +14
Wizard's Sidestep (ReIm 10) +5
Perception of the Conflicting Motives (InMe 15) +6
Supple Iron and Rigid Rope (MuTe 10) +14
Rock of Viscid Clay (MuTe 15) +14
Wielding the Invisible Sling (ReTe 10) +14
Character Notes
When they were young, this Jerbiton desperately wanted to create great art; so great, that they made a deal with a faerie. The faerie would give them great skill, beauty and finesse, and all they had to do was adhere to three little conditions. If they failed to meet the conditions, then the faerie would take back threefold what had been given to them.
Needless to say, the conditions proved impossible to keep. The character spend some time on bitterness and self-recrimation before deciding that if they could not create their own art, then they would promote that of others, and act as a grant patron of the Arts, comissioning artworks and working to create magical items which would allow artists to produce hitherto unseen effects. Unfortunately the faerie has taken offence at this attempt to sidestep the effects of their curse, and has started to come to the artists, offering them aid to meet the desires of their patron if they just make a deal...
Customisation Notes
The character has three remaining Flaw points and can take an equivalent number of Virtues. If taking more than one additional flaw point then you will need to take it as a major flaw to avoid the limitation of characters having no more than 5 minor flaws. Clumsy Magic could be swapped for Clumsy if preferred, but if you do this you will need to give the character another Hermetic Flaw, as it is a requirement for magi to have at least one.
As written the supernatural creature the Jerbiton made the deal with is a faerie; however, a demon would also fit if you want a darker story. Note that dealing with demons is a serious Hermetic crime, especially if the character knew they were a demon at the time.
Another entry in the "really not original" character concepts series - a Criamon Blind Seer. This iteration of it is probably heading for the Path of Strife.
Characteristics: Int +2, Per +2, Pre -2, Com +0, Str +0, Sta +0, Dex +2, Qik +1
Size: 0
Age: 25
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Affinity with Intellego, Dowsing, Enigmatic Wisdom*, Free Study, Personal Vis Source, Premonitions, Puissant Premonition, Sharp Ears, Skilled Parens, Warrior; Blind, Short Ranged Magic; Driven (avert catastrophe), Incomprehensible, Visions
Personality Traits: Determined to avert catastrophe +3, Inclined to Half Measures -3, Self-controlled +2
Reputations: None
Combat:
Dodging: Init +1, Atk n/a, Dfn +2, Dam n/a
Knife: Init +1, Atk +5, Dfn +3, Dam +2
Long Spear: Init +4, Atk +11, Dfn +8, Dam +7
Staff: Init +3, Atk +10, Dfn +9, Dam +2
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 1] Lore 1 (geography), Artes Liberales 1 (ceremonial magic), Athletics 1 (grace), Awareness 1 (alertness), Brawl 1 (knife), Charm 1 (warriors), Code of Hermes 1 (scrying), Concentration 1 (meditation), Dowsing 3 (vis), Enigmatic Wisdom 2 (interpreting signs), Folk Ken 2 (magi), Great Weapon 5 (long spear), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Magic Theory 3 (spells), Native Language 5 (sounding ominous), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Criamon), Parma Magica 1 (Ignem), Premonitions 4+2 (catastrophes), Stealth 1 (moving quietly)
Arts: Cr 5, In 9, Mu 0, Pe 8, Re 5, An 0, Aq 0, Au 7, Co 0, He 0, Ig 8, Im 0, Me 0, Te 0, Vi 2
Twilight scars: None
Equipment: Wizardly robes
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells known:
Air's Ghostly Form (CrAu 5) +12
Circling Winds of Protection (Cr(Re)Au 20) +12
Eyes of the Bat (InAu 25) +16
Quiet the Raging Wind (PeAu 20) +15
Whispers Through the Black Gate (InCo(Me) 15) +9
Pass the Unyielding Portal (MuHe 5) +0
Blade of the Virulent Flame (CrIg 15) +13
Well Without Light (PeIg 25) +16
The Invisible Eye Revealed (InVi 20) +11
Character Notes
As a child, this character had visions that led them to seek out the magus who would become their master, and insist that they trained them. As they grew older, their visions continued but became increasingly fragmentary and apocalyptic, showing glimpses of a terrible future. Frustrated that they could see enough to tell that something terrible was coming, but not how to prevent it, they went to their master again, and asked what they must do to see more clearly. So it was that their master guided them through a terrible ritual in which they sacrificed their sight of the present to clarify their vision of the future.
Most magi of House Criamon are pacifists, but this character will not limit their tools so. Of course, being blind does severely limit you in combat - a typical penalty would be -9 to melee attack and defense rolls. Eyes of the Bat reduces this penalty to -3, and the character tries to further even the battlefield by taking away their opponents' sight using spells such as Air's Ghostly Form (outside) or Well Without Light (inside).
Customisation Notes
The character has one remaining Flaw point and can take an equivalent number of Virtues. Dowsing could easily be dropped, which would free up an addition 25 xp pre-apprenticeship. You will need to define the vis source and the Art it yields. One possibility is that it is a legacy of the blinding, collecting in their eye sockets on its anniversary. In this case appropriate Arts might be Intellego, Perdo or Corpus.
I love the âsounding ominousâ language specialisation and the -3 âInclined to Half Measuresâ trait.
For a new player, I think it would be good to give the Art of the Personal Vis Source, and maybe how it works? Not to bind peopleâs choices, but just to offer a default.
After I decided they were responsible for their own blinding, I felt I needed a personality trait to back it up.
I've added in a suggestion for the vis source to the Customisation Notes.
Excellent
Gross, I love it.
I'm not sure if this has already been posted somewhere, but how do you think wizards from each house would be like if they strictly followed the original traditions of their respective houses?
It would really stifle creative character design.Thereâs nothing wrong with the stereotypes (except Tytalus, though thatâs another thread), but to lock in 12 character builds only? No thanks.
For example. I think I posted a magi here who was a Criamon who wants to be the most inconspicuous magi possible, and thinks the house is mostly full of weirdo tattooed freaks.
If you're talking original traditions, Merinita looks very different as the fae stuff falls away.
Had a concept for an Example Bonisagus. Perhaps not purely archetypal, but a solid foundation and easily modified for different characterization.
Characteristics: Int +3, Per +1, Pre +1 Com +2, Str -2, Sta +1, Dex +1, Qik -2
Size: 0
Age: 25
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Affinity with Muto, Book Learner, Gossip, Puissant Magic Theory, Secondary Insight, Shapeshifter, Subtle Magic; Arthritis, Busybody, Crippled, Difficult Longevity Ritual, Optimistic, Weak Enchanter
Personality Traits: Organized +3, Mischievous +2, Good Company +1
Reputations: None
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] 5, Artes Liberales (Rhetoric) 2, Athletics (Capering) 1, Awareness (Emotions) 1, Charm (Your secretâs safe with me) 4, Concentration (Multicasting) 2, Finesse (Grace) 2, Folk Ken (Craftsmen) 2, Guile (Talking You Into It) 1, Latin (Hermetic Usage) 4, Magic Theory (Researchers) 3+2, [Native Language] 5, Order of Hermes Lore (Scuttlebutt) 2, Parma Magica (Traps) 1, Profession: Scribe (Thoroughness) 3, Shapeshifter (Cat) 3
Arts: Cr 3, Pe 1, Re 5, Mu 5, In 4, An 2, Au 2, Aq 2, Co 6, He 2, Ig 2, Im 2, Me 4, Te 4, Vi 4
Twilight Scars: None
Equipment: Wizardly Robes, Crutches
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells known:
Unseen Porter (ReTe 10) +10
The Gift of Vigor (ReCo 20) +12
Rise of the Feathery Body (ReCo 10) +12
Words of the Unbroken Silence (CrMe 10) +8
The Call to Slumber (ReMe 10) +10
Piercing the Magic Veil (InMe 20) +9
Daylong Demanding Spell (ReVi 20) +10 (as Maintain the Demanding Spell, but Sun Duration)
Lamp without Flame (CrIg 10) +6
Revealed Flaws of Mortal Flesh (InCo 10) +11
Character Notes
This characterâs legs began to fail them early in their apprenticeship, as their fatherâs and grandmotherâs before them. Luckily, this does not pass on to their forms when shapeshifted, something they discovered very early on when their Gift manifested. Now, they are in the habit of transforming into a cat when they need to get around the covenant, and they are practiced at turning back in such a way that they are sitting not only comfortably, but with an elegant poise. Though they can compensate somewhat through the Unseen Porter and Rise of the Feathery Body, their general lack of mobility makes lab work difficult (represented by the Weak Enchanter flaw) and they focus on book learning and scribal work, at which they excel. Even before they passed their gauntlet, many covenants in need of a good secretary or librarian began making solicitations.
If their father and grandmother are anything to go off of, they will lose their hands as well later in life, so they made a point to learn to cast without them, a talent they intentionally keep on the downlow. At a certain point in their youth, they realized the utility of their shapeshifting skills for getting up to tomfoolery, and developed their talents without advertising having done so. While most people know they can turn into a cat to get around, and find this a pleasant quirk, fewer people know that they have a number of other forms as well, (a common wren, a distinctly different cat than their usual proper witchy black). When they grow antsy from endless days in the study, they will slip into one of these for snooping, meddling, and embroiling other people in largely harmless mischief. However, they have also begun using it to find magical secrets their fellow mages might not be keen on sharing.
Customisation Notes
This character is ideally suited for a slower-paced story in or near a population center, featuring intrigue, social adventures, and enough space to make good use of their abilities, and may need tweaking for a game more intent on exploration or swashbuckling.
This character has several flaws (Crippled, Arthritis, and Difficult Longevity Ritual) to simulate their disability. Some of these could be swapped out to reduce the impact this has on the character, in order to add story flaws such as Enemies or Dark Secret, or Heir, which pull them into their intrigue. Similarly, several of their virtues and flaws, Shapeshifter specialty, and spells relate to the aspect of their character that involves their mischievous, meddling - these could be modified for a character more interested in exploring (more bird or travel forms), or reduced to skinchanger, freeing up virtue space.
A few xp could also be tossed into different Arts, however, if the character spends a year or two studying, as they are built to do, they will be able to toss xp at their weaker Arts and bump them up quickly.
Thats it, I couldnât express my idea well. Some archetipals I already see in the books (the one I remember more is the guernicus terrae mage and the flambeu CrIg exp). Here I believe that the tytalus spirit mage is closer to the original tradition of the house as a corporeal necromancer to tremere, but I donât know for others houses.
I think archetypical characters could be useful, maybe more so for the storyteller in a hurry than a player. Maybe âstereotypeâ is better than âarchetypeâ?
The House books offer a few standard character types for each house, but some are easier to describe than others. Iâm not sure going back to the founder is the best way to get these, though. Neither Tremere nor Tytalus offer good stereotypes: House Tremere trains people to be useful through diversity, and House Tytalus is full of maverick individualists. But âCrIg or warriorâ probably covers 90% of Flambeau, and Guernicus will usually have Intellego, but their backups will vary a lot. Most of the other houses are somewhere in between.
I think it's a virtue of the game that it's hard to pin down the houses that closely.
Interesting character: not archetypical, I would say, but fits into the House. Quibble: their Characteristics seem to add to +11, not +7? Even if âDex 1â is a typo for -1, the numbers still don't seem to add up.
Ah ha! Quickness should be -2. It was in my notes but didnât make it to the doc I was pulling from. Iâll edit that.
I have to say I'm a bit puzzled here, for two reasons.
I don't see what the character is particularly good at. His highest art is Co at 6 and his highest ability is Charm at 4, but his social interactions are limited by the Gift. He has Affinity with Muto, but Mu only at 5 and no Mu spells? His spells are mostly low-level, with no clear theme. What is the solid foundation here?
The combination of Crippled, Shapeshifter and Subtle Magic means that by using the spell the Voice of the Bjornaer Magus, he can cast spells in animal form. I would consider this a way to circumvent the limitations of the Flaw. In addition, the Core rulebook says that "any disability purchased as a Flaw at character creation is part of the characterâs essential nature", so it is at least debatable whether the animal form is also crippled. I don't think it's a good combination for an example character.
I'd agree that physical flaws usually affect the animal you shapeshift into (save for the occasional exception like the Bjonaer Mystery of the Epitome) - the sidebar on the statistics of shapeshifters in House of Hermes: Mystery Cults (pg 23) is explicit that
Apply all the Virtues and Flaws of the animal form while shapechanged, as well as all Virtues and Flaws of the human form, if applicable. For example, a Lame character is still Lame as an animal.
I'd also agree that the character isn't quite gelling for me. Their stats look more suitable for a Trianoman than a Bonisagus, and there's nothing in their write-up which says they're a research magus, or even actively rebelling against it, but they've got Puissant Magic Theory rather than Puissant Intrigue which suggests they're of Bonisagus' line.
Piercing the Magical Veil should be InVi rather than InMe, and I think they've only got a labtotal of 19 for it, so couldn't have learnt it?
Secondary Insight has been errated to be a minor, so that will free up a couple of Virtue points.
If you did want to keep the basic concept of a Bonisagus whose body is gradually failing them, maybe give them a Lesser Malediction that says they'll pick up an additional physical flaw every time they pass a transition of maturity / gain a point of Decrepitude? And then give them a research interest in permanently healing essential disabilities?
Yâall make some good points - I started with the âslowly advancing disabilityâ concept but it got a bit away from me - eg, looking at it without the interia of where the character started youâre right that theyâre probably more Trianoman than Bonisagus.
Ardens ex Merinita, a pyromancer
Characteristics: Int +3, Per 0, Pre +2, Com 0, Str 0, Sta 0, Dex 0, Qik 0
Size: 0
Age: 25
Decrepitude: 0**
Warping Score:** 0(0)
Confidence: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift ; Hermetic Magus; Major Magical Focus (flames); Cautious Sorcerer, Deft Form(ignem), Faerie magic(free), Faerie Blood(sidhe), Puissant Creo, Puissant Ignem, Skilled Parens; Dutybound, Faerie Friend, Twilight Prone, Weird Magic, Wrathful (major)
Personality Traits: Wrathful +6, Dutybound +3, Brave +2
Reputations: None
Combat:
Dodge: Init: 0, Attack --, Defense +3, Damage --
Dagger: Init: 0, Attack +4, Defense +2, Damage +3
Fist: Init: 0, Attack +2, Defense +2, Damage +0
Kick: Init: -1, Attack +2, Defense +1, Damage +3
Soak: 0
Fatigue levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious (usually ignores penalties due to Endurance)
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)
Abilities: Artes Liberales 1 (ceremonial magic), Athletics 2 (climbing), Awareness 2 (alertness), Brawl 2 (Dodge), Charm 2(first impressions), Code of Hermes 1, Concentration 2 (Ignem), Faerie Lore 2(noble faeries), Finesse 3 (Ignem), Folk Ken 2(detecting lies), Latin 4(hermetic use), Magic Theory 3 (ignem), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (covenants) , Parma Magica 1 (mentem), Penetration 1 (ignem), stealth 2(moving quietly), survival 2 (forests)
Arts: Cr 10+3, In 3, Mu 3, Pe 3, Re 4, An 0, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 3, He 0, Ig 10+3, Im 0, Me 0, Te 0, Vi 3
Twilight Scars: None yet
Equipment: Robes, an eating knife, a tinderbox and a supply of candles.
Encumbrance: 0
Spells Known:
Bind Wounds CrCo 10 +16
Lamp Without Flame CrIg 10 +39(F)
Arc of Fiery Ribbons CrIg 25 +39(F)
Ball of Abysmal Flame CrIg 35 +39(F)
Vision of Heat's Light InIg 20 +16
Show of the Flames and Smoke MuIg 10 +19(F)
Prison of Flames ReIg 20 +21(F)
Wizard's Sidestep ReIm 10 +4
Scales of the magical weight InVi 5 +6
Sense the nature of vis InVi 5 +6
Ardens chose his name as he has a burning inner passion - in this case his wrathful nature, but he could have an ambition or a higher purpose that drive him on. His trace of noble faerie blood means he has a noble bearing and feels a strong sense of noblesse oblige. He intends to explore the Merinita magics, beginning with fire duration and then stretching to Road range and bargain Duration.