Chapter 12 - Light of Burning Bronze

Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Light of Andorra
141

OOC: Errr....

I'm not sure that the concept of a "vacuum" is known to the Order. Philosophers of the day--to say nothing of theologians--challenged the idea as "impossible", because it would mean a place where God wasn't. On the other hand, some insisted that is how the world came into being: because God removed His overwhelming presence from a part of existence to make room for other things. That goes against the doctrine of omnipresence, mind you. Democritus, of course, posited the existence of the void or vacuum some seventeen hundred years earlier, but his work was deemed heretical even then. Personally, I'd say that the Order SHOULD know about the existence of vacuum through its use of Auram, and, indeed, the search for an "hermetic" seal. I'm just not sure that it does.

I'll have to work on the concept of a "trap".

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:smiley:
Okay, I keep trying to tell you that the elemental theory you are working on does not apply here. Water is not a weakness for these efreet. You might extinguish fires, yess, and it can cause a huge distraction. But it isn't going to weaken or drown anyone. Since they are immune to depravation, they don't need air to begin with. And perhaps one of the altered rules of ths portion of the magic realm is that water is flamable and ice can burn you. Hey, its magic!
Then again, it might serve as just the sort of distraction we need. Water spraying all over the place, we grab what we came for and go.
Here is a similar idea. What if you changed a number of giant rocks and boulders into tiny gold coins. Same trigger, spell expires or is cancelled, and we have an instant avelanche.

There are also ways we can boost penetration against Khyron. We have his name, it may or may not be his full true name, but that still provides a bonus. You can also do a horoscope for the day of his "rebirth" (the day Antonio botched and recosntituted him accidentally).

As for the initial Arcane Connection, this may be a longshot but I think we may have something.
By now it is no secret that Khyron has become bound to the Phoenix Sword, which was the one item taken from the Vault of Valdarius. If the sword is his Locus, then any thing that is an Arcane Connection to the Phoenix Sword is also an Arcane Connection to the efreet. We have two potential items. First is the old original scabbard of the sword (worn out and battered, it was replaced with a new one twenty years ago). We also have the actual original Hammer of Valdarius. Or is it the Anvil? I forget. Fixer should know. But the hammer and anvil in his lab, one is an enchanted item installed later, the other was one of the original tools of Valdarius. Whichever one it is, it might possibly serve as something of a connection, since it was used to make the sword. But maybe too many years have passed. I will look it up.

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@arawn: If a magus casts a peAu spell at a bottle, what remains in the bottle according to your paradigma? They won't call it Vacuum because of the Aristotelian horror vacui, but I think magi must come to that conclusin when they have PeAu spells.

@marko: I was only trying to present a prototyp trap, that was what the spell was for. would suggest not using metal coins, because metal makes casting trickier. A problem of any avalanche/flood is that Khyron can quite possibly discorporate.

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Antonio: [color=red]Yes Marie, you are correct. What about some sort of Vim effect? Something to suck efreet in when you open the treasure chest? What else can we try? Auram. When they change etween corporeal and spirit form, thek take a transitionary form as vapor. Mind you, we don't need to take them all down at once. If we take just the big guy out, the rest will crumble. Likewise, if we sweep away all of his minions, Khyrom will be more willing to negotiate.

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The old scholar smiles a serpentine grin. I will no fight your battles for you, but I will get you to where you need to go

Inigo smiles as he presents a second coin to Sigmundo, for he has learned something of the nature of his kind. We had misunderstood you concerning the use of the tokens. My partner, Dimir Taar, he is busy preparing the equipment for our expedition. He sent his coin with me to ask for his favor on his behalf.

The old scholar looks at the coin. Inigo holds it out closer, Sigmund stoops down to inspect it. He sniffs it. He can smell the gold.
Sigmundo thinks to himself: "Bah! What is it, just one measly little coin. I chose a coin on purpose, to show my will is strnger than gold. It means nothing to me. Rules are rules, and I have a thousand-thousand more just like it. Hmmm.... He seems to be telling the truth. Why would they lie? They certainly seem to be in trouble, no doubt about that. It is gold. I wouldn't mind having it back. And if that's what they thought the rules were, then they are following them correctly."

He thought all of this silently to himself, stroking his chin as he occasionally sniffed at the coin. Then he suddenly stands up straight. You drive a hard bargain Inigo! I shall honor the proxy favor, but Carmen must claim her own coin. I still will not fight any battles for you, but ask anything else within my power and uit shall be granted.

Inigo's expression is grim and serious
Then protect us

146

Vares reminds Marie, "Any trap designed in that fashion would have to be negated by a countermagic. In the Magic Realm there is no Duration between Momentary and the Season; even a Diameter will last a Season, which can be used to advantage, making lower-magnitude spells more enduring."

OOC: PeAu might yield a low-pressure zone of "consumed air"--i.e. carbon dioxide or the like. Personally, I'd prefer it if it resulted in an actual vacuum, which is more "logical". After all, if PeIg can reduce temperatures, when it should be an Auram spell...

IC: "I've been thinking about the creation of 'counterfeit' Vis. If we had enough time, I could design a spell that could do it. I believe that a Creo Vim spell of third magnitude would be needed to simulate Vis itself."

He looks at Antonio, "Could you generate it? I could make the attempt, but it would take too long."

OOC: I'm basing this on the fact that sensing Vis is equivalent to detecting a third-magnitude spell. A CrVi 25 effect should therefore be able to simulate Vis (15 base, +1 magnitude for Touch, +1 for Diameter Duration).

I only just now got a look at Antonio's Arts (I try to avoid looking at other people's character sheets). Ye...gah. Some of his Art scores are staggering.

Why are we here except as a supporting cast?

Seriously, I can think of a number of tricks that might work, but most of them need higher Art scores to pull them off, or at least time to get the spells ready. Vis is next to useless with Spont. spells in Fifth Edition (I reiterate for the n-th time: I HATE FIFTH ED'S REVISIONS TO CANON!!!!! Arcane Connections are the single biggest exception), making that alternative not exactly viable.

A very, very important question: does Might act like Parma Magica in the stupid "pink dot" effect? This is essential if we're going to be battling creatures with Might.

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I have plenty of other games that I play by my self :slight_smile:
And a little something that isn't recorded on the Atlas Games Antonio, but I have included in the expanded version on the wiki...
Antonio can no longer cast Spontaneous spells.
If you look at Rodrigo, you will realize what a poor magus he is all around. Because of his late start, he is not much more advanced than any of you. And he is riddles with crippling Flaws.

You are just a scardy cat. In fifth edition I played a character named Jonathan of Flambeau. The covenant was being attacked by some fiery spirit that burned half the place down. I made my way into the fire, found the vis vault, and grapped all the Perdo I could lay my hands on. I threw more than 20 pawns into the biggest might stripper spell I could manage.
Then I rolled a zero.
Out of all the dice I rolled, not one single botch. Not a one. So I had my die roll of 0, my Art scores, the aura, and almost +50 from the vis (counting only +2 per pawn). I wasted the thing in a single shot.
That's the Flambeau way 8)

I do not permit the Pink Dot loophole in my game.
Might is nothing like Parma, safvefor thyat they both are forms of Magic Resistance. Parma is a vastly superior form of resistance.

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"It occurs to me that once we are in the realm. A visit by a dragon of your esteem could easily distract our foe. The discussions and debates would be incredible that Carmen might be rescued and brought home all while all the formal visit protocols are being fulfilled. I would even be interested in attending such an encounter while the others do the rescue. I am sure you can get me back here afterwards." Ameline has no desire to destroy the Effreet and she is not called upon to be a killer. Such is not her lot in life.

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Formal visit protocols? Listen, you are very flattering in your attempts at persuasion. But neither dragons nor genies have any "former protocol's I am aware of. No, wait, scrapthat. Ther is a proper ettiquete between dragon kind, and I am sure genies have something similar. But I have no idea what these may be. Dragon ettiquette is, well, for dragons. I am not human, I just used to pretend to be sometimes. Right now, I am merely imitating human etiquette and customs. If I didn't know you people, if I didn't have favors to keep or a treaty to maintain, I probably would have just eaten you before I go to bed at sunrise. I sleep during the day, old habbit. What does the etiquette of genies entail? Would they know I am a dragon? Would they care? In reverse, if some genie showed up here uninvited wanting to chat, and he was accompanied by my enemies, I would probably just incinerate all of them to be on the safe side.

As far as getting back home goes, that is up to you. I have agreed to fufill one favor by getting you there, and for the second favor I can give each of you a blessing to help protect you. But that is it. A third task requires the third favor be called in.

But there is something I will do for you, out of personal generosity and not out of obligation.
Over in the valley (the "Neutral Zone), there are three miscreant drakes. I keep hoping that they will get culled through hunting, but they have managed to do quite well for themselves. They are smarter than I gave them credit for. I keep judging them bu their idiot brother Simon. He has sentient intelligence, but he is still a complete moron. The other two are Venkath and Maurice. Venkath is their leader (and I can't stand him), but Maurice is the actual brains of the trio. Two years ago, they managed to kill a giant and some ogres and drive away some ogress witch.
The ogres lived in a stone cottage, the ruins of which are now inhabited by the drakes. Go find them. Tell them I said they are commanded to help you. They will of course refuse, and when they do tell them that I will let them live on this side of the valley in the treaty protected area.

150

Ameline gets a very thoughtful look at that. She doesn't know dragons well but she isn't sure that this is a very good persuasion considering that the three are already protected by peace agreement between them and the covenant. They made their own peace with the covenant that offer to move somewhere else may or may not sway them. "and if that is not an incentive to move and aid? They may not feel at any danger in their current abode."

151

I'll eat them then :smiley:
No, seriously, they will understand that it is an increase in status. There cooperative efforts intrigue me. Perhaps it is a side effect of their intelligence. It annoys me to call Simon intelligent, but he has more brains than a mere beast. Brains of a child maybe, but brains enough that his brothers can make use of him.
Recently I elevated one son in status. El Diablo Rojo Fumador, as the mortals call him. The one Inigo spared on my request. I have set him up with his own lair in Africa. For the three rogues, though it is highly unusual for dragons to socialize with one another, it does occur. Maybe I can fuse them together, turn them into a three headed drake that combines their power. I can set them up in a lair for the three of them, perhaps England. They need more dragons in England.

Just tell them that I am making them an offer they can't refuse.

152

OOC - Take the offer of the help of the drakes. Ken K (Ovarwa) has agreed to reprise his role(s) and play the drakes for this adventure. Go for it! You guys need all the help you can get, and Ken is a verrrry crafty Ars player :wink:

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Hi,

...with Craft Sex Toys 3.

I invite you to remain fully IC. If your characters don't want the drakes around... I'm well and fine with that.

Anyway,

Ken

154

When Antonio admits quietly that he cannot cast spontaneous spells any longer, Vares experiences a moment of profound sympathy. Twilight, he conjectures; he is not about to ask the senior Magus more.

If Rodrigo were here, Vares would ask him to make the attempt. Of those present, however, he is the only one with enough emphasis in Creo and Vim, but suspects that he will fall short.

Concentrating on what he is about to attempt, Vares decides to work first from the lowest form of "counterfeiting" which might suffice. He pulls together enough magic flowing through the world to alter an object for a Moment, causing it to register as magical. His study of Hermetic Alchemy inspires him to attempt it with a small gold coin, choosing it for its connection to the Sun, to warmth, and--as his own Experimental Script posits--to a material manifestation of Magic itself.

OOC: Creo 11 + 3 for Puissant Creo, Vim 6, doubled due to his Major Magical Focus of Libra (under "outwitting others"; the intent is trickery) to 12, giving him a base of 26 +1 for stamina. If Terram is treated as a Requisite then it is 25 (5x2=10). Roll of 5
invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2401061/

Spont total is 32/2 for spending a Fatigue level, giving him 16 (or 15 if Terram is a Requisite). That is just enough to "taint" the coin with Magic (Base 3, +1 for Requisite of Terram, +1 Range of Touch, +1 Duration of Sun).

No idea if his Hermetic Alchemy would represent any kind of bonus in this instance.

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He doesn't quietly admit anything at all. That was me as SG explaining to you the player the reason the Archmage cannot solve everything on his own. And Twilight was not the cause of the loss :wink:

Rodrigo is here. Been here the whole time. He also cannot cast spontaneously (which, in this case, is because of Twilight)

Terram would not be a requisite. If I understand correctly, you are creating a “False Magical Signal” using Creo Vim, the subject of the spell is irrelevant for this I would think. You could target (little “t”) a coin, a stick, a dog, or etceteras.

Problem is that, if you intend to spont this 1,000 times in the next two days, the law of averages states that you will botch at least 10 times. If you could squeeze some more levels out of it, T: Group and +1 for Size, you could mark every coin in a chest with a “false vis signature” in a single casting. If you use Ceremonial Casting and some vis to boost your CT (Antonio will supply it, better a few pawns on a deception than forfeiting a thousand real pawns).

156

Confidence awards!!!!
1 point for anyone who posted anything in this thread
1 point for the three characters that have done the most roleplaying (Ameline, Arawn, and Marie)
1 point for Marie for extinguishing the fire
1 point for Ameline for being bold enough to meet with the Dragon and for convincing him to lend assistance in the form of the Drakes Trio.
1 point to Arawn for successfully coming up with the clever “False Vis” trick.

157

Ameline speaks softly. "So the drakes status offer is how you protect us, how will you get us there and back? I would know the details so that I can gather all that will be helping for the trip."

158

OOC: I'd already thought of the problem with casting the spell over and over to create the 'false' Vis. The role was for the test run. Vares was going to attempt to create something that 'feels' like Vis, then check whether it actually registers as Vis or not using "Scales of the Magical Weight" (someone should have it, otherwise he'll have to Spont that Level 15 spell, too). His initial assumption was that a small amount of magic wouldn't suffice as a true magical 'counterfeit'. It would only pass very crude inspection.

What he was thinking was that it would be better, once the magnitude of spell needed was determined, to create it once in the Magic Realm, taking advantage of the fact that, there, Diameter Duration is effectively Season Duration, allowing him to use only a +1 Duration magnitude modifier for the spell. The main worry is that getting a sufficiently potent Group spell could be beyond his own normal means, even using Ceremonial Casting and spending Confidence, with exaggerated Gestures and Words (giving him around a +15 or +16 to his total, halved for +8 to final total). It would also allow him to use the Magic Realm +10 Aura bonus, so his expected, pre-roll total from all bonuses would be 14+12 (6x2) +1 +10 +16, or 53. Enough for a Level 25 effect. If he was willing to risk--and the Covenant was willing to spend--Vis, he could maybe boost that up to Level 40 (14 pawns at +2 per pawn {ERUGH!} brings the total up to 81, divided by two yields 40, not counting any roll bonus). Extremely risky, but he could do it all in one Spont spell

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My assigning the drakes to assist you is an extra, simply because I have begun to like you. The protection that I will grant is something different. I can temporarily grant an Immunity to Heat and Flames to the members of your expedition. As far as getting you there goes, I will need a day to do some research in my library. My basic plan is to assume my true form and give you guys a ride to Ferdinadia. Somewhere in the boiling seas there is some sort of a gateway I believe. I am not sure how to open it. I think it has something to do with triggering a volcano, something I can easily accomplish.

160

I am thinking that it may be wiser to have the false vis prepared and ready to go before we enter int the magic realm. You have no idea what will happen once you cross the threshold. You might have a few moments to prep up, or it may be "game on" the moment you cross over. Looking at your calculations, I think you have a good shot at pulling it off here and now.
Do not roll a "0"!
Where is Viola when we need her? She is supposed to be an expert at spontaneous magic.