[It's the difference between whether something can be drawn directly from the realm of forms or not - a lightning bolt's an entirely natural object, even if it is in an odd place, so doesn't need a finesse roll, whereas a sword or chain mail armour, for example, require finesse rolls. I think the reason there aren't examples in the core book are that there aren't many spells which create crafted objects - Bridge of Living Wood is definitely made out of plants rather than crafted in a conventional way. Conjuring the Mystic Tower probably should have one, mind.]
I can appreciate that approach, but have not seen it in RAW.
Apparently I'm not getting notifications, again. Given what you read, iron, make a Finesse roll, and unless it's a botch, the stairs are fit for use--no one cares how pretty they are.
What's your opinion on the MR issue?
Scott
I'm not sure if the issue is that you can't see the Rules that say that, or you can't see examples - I think the latter?
The latter is confused by the fact that the only Creo spell I think should require a finesse roll in the main book is Conjuring the Mystic Tower, which doesn't (but I have seen other people question why it doesn't before now - the response tends to be some combination of "legacy spell"/"replaced by complexity magnitudes"/"experimentation"). For examples of spells which do have the finesse roll in their write-up, see Sword from the Unseen Scabbard and Silvery Scales of the Knight on page 37 of HoH:S.
yup cool, I've made the Finesse roll and it passed, t'was a post a bit further up.
That is trickier. For the history of the stories already told lets just handwave what happened (spells on the cats from the barrows thread, even stuff up to now, etc).
- A non-sentient creature should not be able to alter it's MR.
- I'm in favour of Fae being able to raise or lower their MR, as I think that needs to happen so that they can effect each other, which I think is appropriate to the setting. Same goes for infernal creatures; they're generally not going to but I can't see how their society works if they can't.
- A sentient creature such as a Dragon or Salutor's companion might be able to do this, but I also acknowledge the general flavor of the game which states tat Parma Magica is so powerful because it offers this choice (good point Salutor).
- If added the power needs some limitations, otherwise it is probably too handy.
- All that said, I'm not at all fussed if the choice is made to say creatures cannot alter their MR. I don't think it will alter the game to keep MR static.
- Option: the virtue at creature creation which allows for sentience (cannot recall what it is called atm) also allows for flexible use of it's MR. This gives a significant boost in flexibility to creatures with Int, but leaves "monsters" with Cunning unaffected.
- Option: add a new minor Quality: Flexible Resistance which can be selected by creatures when generated. Add it to Alcimus as a freebee if Salutor desires Alcimus to have it.
It's certainly inconsistently applied, The Magic Flute, MoH, p 139 - no roll to conjure a flute. Meh. We've a way forward so I think we're good.
So safe to assume that everyone is back at the top of the ledge, one way or another?
Gregorius will start moving carefully along a ledge to the next cavern - right by preference (but if that way isn't an option left's fine).
Yes, you can move to the right. The magi enter the next cavern: it's not nearly as big as the one at the entrance, but two tunnels lead off of it. Otherwise, it's unremarkable, and at first glance, there's no sign of human (or animal....or any other) activity.
Scott
Follow the right fork.
[Sorry for the delay--I've been preoccupied, and, the last couple of days, recovering from minor flooding in our basement.]
The entrance to the right leads to a winding passage, much like the ones the magi followed earlier, but without a stream. After walking for a diameter or so, Alcimus is pretty sure he's heard something from up ahead...though, given the way things can echo in here, it's hard to tell how far away it is.
Scott
[Yuck - hope you can get it fixed.]
Alcimus will tell the magi what he's heard, quietly.
Gregorius briefly considers more complicated options, but then suggests they just keep going quietly. Assuming Fray agrees, he'll stop every now and again to see if Alcimus (or anyone else) can hear any more details of the sounds.
[Gregorius' stealth is Stealth 2 + Dex -1 + die = 1 + die, and his Awareness Aw 3 + Per 3 + die = 6+die.
Alcimus' stealth is Stea 0 + Dex 2 + die = 2 + die (3 extra botch dice). His awareness is Aware 3 + Per 2 + die + bonuses = 5 +die + bonuses. Relevant bonuses are Keen sense of Smell (+ 3 to rolls using sense of smell) and Keen Hearing (+3 to rolls involving hearing).]
With a quick nod Fray agrees walk on with the others, trying to be quiet as he can. [Stealth 0 + Dex 1]
[The flooding really receded pretty quickly, due to sump pumps, but we're still cleaning up.]
The party walks on a couple more minutes, eventually coming to a small cave from which two more passages branch. Alcimus hasn't heard the sound again.
Scott
Speaking softly, "We're still within the regio, so it is very large. I wonder what it's anchor points are."
Follow right fork again (in the best traditions of mazes, keep following the right hand wall).
Is the floor solid stone? Are they leaving any tracks? Presumably Alcimus can pick up their scent to get them back out again if necessary.
The floor is mostly stone, though it's dusty in places. Alcimus has seen a few things that could be tracks, but nothing very clear. It does though look like someone or something moves through these passages from time to time.
Scott
Following the right fork.
Alcimus hears it again, but there are no other signs before the magi reach another cavern--this one considerably larger, and with three other passages branching off it.
Scott
[strike]Is the cavern the same style - what does it look like? A massive lake with a small island, or?
Fray will take a few moments to see what he can see from the entryway, and then say, "I'll scout again to see what is here too".
If there are no objections, then he'll change to the crow and start to recon the cavern.[/strike]
Oops, no, I meant larger than the last chamber--it's much smaller than the central cavern, with the lake.
Scott