I can drop to Grog level, as this is roughly Mariana's pet. I haven't even spent most the points anyway.
Rebooting after 13 months...
Mariana of Mercere
Mariana grew up in a well-to-do merchant family in Constantinople. She was always a small girl, especially gangly and uncoordinated as a young child. But she had a sharp mind from relatively early on. As she grew and it was clear she would have no talent at embroidery nor similar and she was able to help her father think through dealings well despite still being a child, her father decided he should let her take advantage of her intelligence. So he sent her to Palermo to be educated.
Mariana thrived at Palermo. Her tiny size, lack of coordination, and late onset of puberty were all irrelevant. There her intellect thrived. Things were going so well... until puberty hit. She grew some and became prettier, though she was still small, weak, and clumsy. The big problem came with the emergence of her Gift, between its affect on others around her and the turbulences it brought. Fortunately, the Redcap Constantius of Mercere soon heard rumors stemming from Mariana's turbulences and sought her out. After confirming her Gift he promised her an even better life of education elsewhere. As she really couldn't remain at Palermo and her other options were looking bleaker, Mariana went with Constantius.
Constantius led her to Harco, having sent ahead information about her family. By the time they reached Harco, House Mercere had confirmed Mariana was descended from Mercere through Triceres and Mutantus on her mother's side. There not being many Gifted Mercere, she was given to the one most available, Liberius of Mercere, the ReTe expert from the Mercurian side of the house and present at Harco. He intended to train her to follow his footsteps to make sure someone could always construct the portals. While she took to Mercurian Magic well enough and was quite interested, she proved to be far more talented with Creo and Longevity Rituals, so Liberius decided he should let her focus on that more even if his own capabilities were on the Rego end.
Training at Harco was eye-opening, and not just that Mariana was learning magic. That she was from a merchant family made adjustment easier, but she had to adapt to the culture anyway. Soon she found herself at home there. And when she was 16 she found herself pregnant from the first boy she'd ever slept with, a Redcap apprentice named Chrysanthos. Had he not been a Mercere, Liberius might have minded, but passing on the Mercere line is important to apprenticeship continued as normal through her pregnancy. What was more surprising was that Mariana was pregnant again by Chrysanthos within a month of having given birth to Beatrice. When Chara was born, Liberius brought in nurses to make sure Mariana was free enough to keep up on her apprenticeship, and he sought to limit her exposure to the Redcaps when she was not already pregnant. But the Cult of Heroes had other ideas, as both her magical talents and her body would serve them well. Despite Liberius's efforts Mariana gave birth to six more children before the end of her apprenticeship: Daria, Elena, Flavia, Gianna, Helen, and Iris - interestingly only girls. By the time of her gauntlet, which was to make a tenth-magnitude Longevity Ritual for a Redcap, her secret nickname of "The Red Mother," both befitting her red hair and the number of children she had borne to Redcaps, had spread beyond the Cult of Heroes to much of the rest of both the house and the Cult of Mercury.
For her own part, family is a blessing and she delights in her daughters. Even better that she can continue the line of Mercere. Meanwhile, being involved with House Mercere, the Cult of Mercury, and the Cult of Heroes has given her her own pursuits. With her talent for Creo and her understanding of Mercurian Magic she intends to give rise to a whole new age within the Order of Hermes and cement her name among the greatest archmagi.
Proposed at-gauntlet character. I think I've got things matching her background pretty well...
Age 30
Int +3, Per +2, Str -3, Sta +1, Pre +2, Com +2, Dex -2, Qui -3
Personality Traits: Ambitious +5, Hedonistic +3, Compassionate +2
Affinity with Creo
Affinity with Magic Theory
Baccalaureus
Lesser Benediction: Unusually Fecund
Mercurian Magic
Minor Magical Focus: Aging
Mutantum Magic
Puissant Creo
Puissant Magic Theory
Ambitious (Major)
Fettered Magic
Many Marriageable Daughters (or Dependent(s) or a mix between them, however it's best labeled)
Small Frame
Unimaginative Learner
Weakness: Hedonist
Area Lore: Europe 1 (Trade Routes)
Area Lore: Roman Tribunal 1 (Hermetic Sites)
Area Lore: Theban Tribunal 1 (Trade Routes)
Artes Liberales 2 (Ceremonial Casting; Scripts: Greek, Latin)
Athletics 1 (Dance)
Awareness 1 (Alertness)
Bargain 2 (Magic)
Brawl 1 (Dodging)
Carouse 2 (Games)
Charm 1 (Debate)
Chirurgy 2 (Childbirth)
Concentration 2 (Spells)
Etiquette 1 (Hermetic)
Finesse 1 (Certamen)
Folk Ken 1 (Debate)
Guile 1 (Debate)
Intrigue 1 (Debate)
Language: Byzantine Greek (Common)
Language: Latin 5 (Hermetic)
Leadership 2 (Debate)
Magic Theory 6+2 (Spells)
Medicine 2 (Pregnancy)
Organization Lore: Cult of Mercury 1 (Cult of Heroes)
Organization Lore: Order of Hermes 1 (House Mercere)
Parma Magica 1 (Certamen)
Penetration 1 (Creo)
Philosophiae 1 (Ceremonial Casting)
Profession: Scribe 1 (Latin)
Profession: Trader 2 (Coordination)
Stealth 1 (Indoors)
Swim 1 (Underwater)
Teaching 2 (Women)
Creo 15+3
Intellego 1
Perdo 1
Rego 5
Corpus 7
Vim 5
Casting Sigil: Exaggeration
Certamen Style: Hoplomachus
The Magical Midwife
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Individual
This spell provides a woman in labor with +6 to childbirth rolls.
(Base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Mercury's Flight (ReCo 25)
(Mercuryâs Winged Sandals @ Sun, Harnessed)
Wrappings of Metaphysical Coral (ReVi 25), Mastery 1: Adaptive Casting
(Wrappings of Metaphysical Iron v. Infernal)
Wrappings of Metaphysical Iron (ReVi 25)
Wrappings of Metaphysical Silence (ReVi 25)
(Wrappings of Metaphysical Iron v. Magic)
(I'll edit in actual years later, when I figure out what a reasonable date is. Just have to look back through sage timeline stuff. But I'd rather not delay here.)
Year 1
Season 1
The first season after her gauntlet Mariana spent making a Longevity Ritual for another Redcap. While it was nothing really new, it was the first time she was able to bargain for herself and make decisions on her own. She had a nice lab to use at Harco, balancing out the lack of Aura here. She took note that she would have to set up her own lab in a stronger Aura in the future. She also took on two older servant women to help her look after and tutor her family. Except for Beatrice, who had just been taken to be trained as a Redcap, to the excitement of both her parents. Meanwhile she was able to hang out with all the Redcaps as their equal rather than just an apprentice, which was much more enjoyable. Perhaps she enjoyed herself with her client a little too much, though...
Exposure: Magic Theory +2, Creo +2
New scores: Magic Theory 6+2(2), Creo 15+3(2)
Vis changes: 4 Co, 4 Vi (income, with Redcap discount), -1 Vi (for silver for a year of family expense)
Vis total: 4 Co, 3 Vi
Season 2
Another child on the way. It started to dawn on Mariana that getting pregnant this often could really get in the way of her goals, but she couldn't really help herself either. Fortunately, already being pregnant, she wouldn't get more so; this was one of her freest seasons among the visiting Redcaps. Meanwhile Harco had a library and could borrow from some other chapter houses with ease, so there was a lot she could do over the next two seasons while looking after her family and eventually becoming significantly less mobile. This season she spent reading from a primer on Ignem.
Reading: Ignem +19
New scores: Ignem 5(4)
Vis changes: -
Vis total: 4 Co, 3 Vi
Season 3
The third trimester was always the most difficult for mobility, especially for her petite body. But Mariana was also plenty experienced with giving birth, so she knew how to handle it. Her daughters were getting excited about a new sibling; many of them were plenty experienced at this point, too. And being at Harco meant Mariana and her daughters still got to see Beatrice relatively frequently. This season she spent studying the secrets of magic from Decem Libri Historiarum.
Reading: Magic lore +12
New scores: Magic Lore 1(7) (Properties of Objects)
Vis changes: -
Vis total: 4 Co, 3 Vi
Season 4
Another daughter! The birth went smoothly, between her own spell and the assistance of a good midwife. The whole family was excited to welcome Juliet. Mariana came up with a solution to her problem. She could sleep around all she wanted without getting in the way of her own ambition if only she weren't always getting pregnant; but she was a longevity expert. Nursing her newborn gave her a good excuse to be reclusive, too. So secretly from the Cult of Heroes she brewed her own Longevity Ritual well before it was really needed. Besides, she'd already borne nine children to Redcaps, six of them to Cult of Heroes members, so how upset could they be.
Exposure: Magic Theory +2, Creo +2
New scores: Magic Theory 6+2(4), Creo 15+3(4)
Vis changes: -4 Co, -2 Vi (Longevity Ritual)
Vis total: 1 Vi
Year 2
Season 1
Feeling newly empowered Mariana decided she should study some combat magic to go with the defenses her parens had taught her. She worked from a few low to medium-magnitude CrIg lab texts for common spells to build our her repertoire. Meanwhile, with her ambition now freed from her cravings, she welcomed back those Cult of Heroes Redcaps she'd held at bay for a season. Spending so much time around her lab work with them, Mariana took a more active interest in the cult as well. Pregnant again! What?!?!?! She'd spent so much time studying Longevity Rituals; this just shouldn't be. Of course, the Cult of Heroes was happy enough about it, as were her daughters.
Exposure: Magic Theory +2, Creo +2
New scores: Magic Theory 6+2(6), Creo 15+3(6)
Lab Total: Int 3 + MT 9 + Lab 3 + Cr 18 + Ig 5 = 38
New Spells: Palm of Flame (CrIg 5), Lamp without Flame (CrIg 10), Pilum of Fire (CrIg 20)
Vis changes: -1 Vi (for silver for a year of family expense)
Vis total: -
Year 2
Season 2
Now more fully integrated into the Cult of Heroes than before, Mariana set to work on some of their spells. This training was of particular interest to the leaders of the cult because of the particular combination of her magical talents, giving her greater vis efficiency with ease. This season was also when Chrysanthos came to recruit Chara to be his apprentice, as he was a bit over a decade beyond his own gauntlet and knew another might soon recruit his second daughter if he didn't. Meanwhile Mariana had roughly designed her future Talisman and asked the Redcaps to keep an eye out for both the rare and more common ingredients she would need.
Exposure: Magic Theory +2, Creo +2
New scores: Magic Theory 6+2(8), Creo 15+3(8)
Lab Total: Int 3 + MT 9 + Lab 3 + Cr 18 + Cr 7 = 40
New Spells: Quickness of the Followers (CrCo 35), Wizard's Vigil (MuVi 35)
Vis changes: -
Vis total: -
Season 3
This third trimester was the most difficult by far, and it was evident why. Twins were on the way! Clearly her Longevity Ritual had done nothing to hinder her fertility. She liked being a mother, but she would never reach the heights for which she was destined if she spent most of her life pregnant. So while she studied one of the cult's books on Spell Mastery she also sought an alternative. She'd already taken many female Redcaps to bed over they years, but they were frequently traveling. So she asked them to look for intelligent young women who could help take care of girls or be maids in her lab, might be interested in her, and would be willing to accept the Parma Magica. It was a rare ask, but not so unlikely one at least might be found in a covenant somewhere who would join her, especially knowing Mariana would surely protect her own with Longevity Rituals.
Reading: Spell Mastery: Quickness of the Followers +11
New scores: Spell Mastery: Quickness of the Followers 1(6) (Boosted Casting)
Vis changes: -
Vis total: -
Season 4
Good thing for a good midwife and some CrCo magic! Mariana gave birth to Katherine and Lyna. The two of them kept Mariana busy enough she just couldn't sleep around so much. She spent more time with her family while practicing Spell mastery in the time she had available. Next season she knew she could also manage more easily as she had a female Redcap scheduled for a Longevity Ritual.
Practice: Spell Mastery: Quickness of the Followers +4, Spell Mastery: Wrappings of Metaphysical Coral +1
New scores: Spell Mastery: Quickness of the Followers 2 (Adaptive Casting, Boosted Casting), Spell Mastery: Wrappings of Metaphysical Coral 1(1) (Adaptive Casting)
Vis changes: -
Vis total: -
Year 3
Season 1
Mariana spent the season making a Longevity Ritual for another Redcap, this one not from the Cult of Heroes. In bit of free time she met with women brought to her by the female Redcaps, akin to how a royal might meet a potential match rather than what was more typical among House Mercere. Happily she actually met two women with whom she meshed well. She took them both on and got them a tutor in Latin and Artes Liberales.
Exposure: Magic Theory +2, Creo +2
New scores: Magic Theory 6+2(10), Creo 15+3(10)
Vis changes: 3 Co, 5 Vi (income, with Redcap discount), -2 Co (for silver for a year of family expense and tutoring)
Vis total: 1 Co, 5 Vi
Season 2
Not long ago rumor had come back about a suitable owl. And not being pregnant, this was an ideal time for Mariana to set out. Fortunately she could fly quickly, so transportation was easy. She also now had a repertoire of spells that she needed. She set out and took some pleasure in nature as she sought her quarry. Between her magical defenses and Pilum of Fire and flying silently, it was more of a waiting game than anything else. Eventually she returned with what might look like a cooked game bird someone had forgotten to pluck. Her family was happily reunited after their first time apart, and Mariana found warmth in bed without getting pregnant.
Adventure: Magic Lore +1, Parma Magica +5, Creo +2, Ignem +2, Spell Mastery: Wrappings of Metaphysical Coral +1
New scores: Magic Lore 1(8), Parma Magica 1(5), Creo 15+3(12), Ignem 6, Spell Mastery: Wrappings of Metaphysical Coral 1(2) (Adaptive Casting)
Vis changes: 3 Co, 5 Vi (income, with Redcap discount), -2 Co (for silver for a year of family expense and tutoring)
Vis total: 1 Co, 5 Vi
Just a thought to consider : Should the pregnancies and deliveries have a negative impact on some of Marianna's seasons?
Having a baby is hard physically and emotionally, even nowadays with modern medical knowledge (which is roughtly equivalent to magical knowledge of the Order), so it seems to me like an occasional season should be lost taking care of the newborns or recovering. Maintaining a full-time study/lab calendar seems a bit unrealistic to me.
Also remember that the narrative should also include some unproductive seasons to "pay" for being a member or guest of a covenant (in the form a stories, lab services, or just plain travelling). I haven't notices any such seasons so far.
Yes, you're right. I'll edit a bit. I was doing the LR's at a discount and with no annual vis income to cover some of the work, and she needs to deliver messages 1 season each 7 years.
Took a little while to edit things. It's filled out much further and has been adjusted to fit Wolfgang. I've got a whole bunch more seasons written, just have to fill in a few more details in a few spots.
1195
Ages
Mariana: 30
Beatrice: 13
Chara: 12
Daria: 10
Elena: 9
Flavia: 8
Gianna: 5
Helen: 4
Iris: 2
Spring
Mariana knew being introduced at the Grand Tribunal was a rare honor; even the Roman Tribunal would have been a great honor. But it was only this past winter that she had brewed a Longevity Ritual for a Redcap. The Grand Tribunal was amazing, as was Durenmar. Sheâd been to three Roman Tribunals, two regularly schedule plus last yearâs in preparation for the Grand Tribunal. As impressive as those were, they still paled in comparison. Not being a representative of the Roman Tribunal but being a Redcap, Mariana had no official business there but was more than welcome nonetheless. Mariana spent a great deal of time being social with other young magi, and got pregnant by one of them, though sheâs not sure which one. The Grand Tribunal is also where Mariana met Ophilio of Mercere for the first time, as well as Ophilioâs second in command Midius of Flambeau. To her Ophilio was the greatest of the Mercere, as a longevity specialist and the High Priest of Mercury. To him Mariana was a bright light in a new generation. They spent several hours discussing the missing Mercurian Rites, longevity, and the Cult of Heroes. Finally, Grand Tribunal was when Beatrice was formally taken as an apprentice Redcap.
After Grand Tribunal Mariana returned through a portal to Harco. Right away she had her first commission, making a Longevity Ritual for another Redcap. While it was nothing really new, it was the first time she was able to bargain for herself and make decisions on her own. She had a nice lab to use at Harco, balancing out the lack of Aura here. She took note that she would have to set up her own lab in a stronger Aura in the future. She also took on two older servant women to help her look after and tutor her family; except for Beatrice, who had just been taken to be trained as a Redcap, to the excitement of both her parents. Meanwhile she was able to hang out with all the Redcaps as their equal rather than just an apprentice, which was much more enjoyable.
Exposure: Magic Theory +2, Creo +2
New scores: Magic Theory 6+2(2), Creo 15+3(2)
Vis changes: 4 Co, 4 Vi (income, with Redcap discount), -1 Vi (for silver for a year of family expense)
Vis total: 4 Co, 3 Vi
Summer
Another child on the way, apparently from Grand Tribunal. It started to dawn on Mariana that getting pregnant this often could really get in the way of her goals, but she couldn't really help herself either. Fortunately, already being pregnant, she wouldn't get more so; this was one of her freest seasons among the visiting Redcaps. Meanwhile Harco had a library and could borrow from some other chapter houses with ease, so there was a lot she could do over the next two seasons while looking after her family and eventually becoming significantly less mobile. This season she spent reading from the Ignem root. Marian also began what would be come a lengthly correspondence with Ophilio.
Reading: Ignem +21
New scores: Ignem 6
Vis changes: -
Vis total: 4 Co, 3 Vi
Autumn
The third trimester was always the most difficult for mobility, especially for her petite body. But Mariana was also plenty experienced with giving birth, so she knew how to handle it. Her daughters were getting excited about a new sibling; many of them were plenty experienced at this point, too. And being at Harco meant Mariana and her daughters still got to see Beatrice relatively frequently. Mariana came up with a solution to her problem. She could sleep around all she wanted without getting in the way of her own ambition if only she weren't always getting pregnant; but she was a longevity expert. Being in her third trimester gave her a good excuse to be reclusive, too. So secretly from the Cult of Heroes she brewed her own Longevity Ritual well before it was really needed. Besides, she'd already borne eight children to Redcaps with a ninth on the way, six of them to Cult of Heroes members. How upset could they be?
Exposure + Correspondence: Magic Theory +3, Creo +2
New scores: Magic Theory 6+2(5), Creo 15+3(4)
Vis changes: -4 Co, -2 Vi (Longevity Ritual)
Vis total: 1 Vi
Winter
Another daughter! The birth went smoothly, between her own spell and the assistance of a good midwife. The whole family was excited to welcome Juliet. News might have been sent to the father, had his identity been known. Nursing her newborn took a lot of Marianaâs time. Meanwhile, with her ambition now freed from her cravings, she welcomed back those Cult of Heroes Redcaps she'd held at bay for a season, though only at limited times around her newborn. Mariana took a more active interest in the cult as well. Pregnant again! What?!?!?! She'd spent so much time studying Longevity Rituals; this just shouldn't be. Of course, the Cult of Heroes was happy enough about it, as were her daughters. Ophilio expressed skepticism at first within their correspondence.
Exposure: Profession: Mother +2
New scores: Profession: Mother 0 (2)
Vis changes: -
Vis total: 1 Vi
Warping: 0(1)
1196
Ages
Mariana: 31
Beatrice: 14 (Redcap apprentice for 1 year)
Chara: 13
Daria: 11
Elena: 10
Flavia: 9
Gianna: 6
Helen: 5
Iris: 3
Juliet: 0
Spring
Now more fully integrated into the Cult of Heroes than before, Mariana set to work on some of their spells. This training was of particular interest to the leaders of the cult because of the particular combination of her magical talents, giving her greater vis efficiency with ease. She discussed this potential vis efficiency with Ophilio at length among other things in their correspondence. This season was also when Chrysanthos came to recruit Chara to be his apprentice, as he was a bit over a decade beyond his own gauntlet and knew another might soon recruit his second daughter if he didn't. She'd already taken many female Redcaps to bed over the years, but they were frequently traveling. So she asked them to look for intelligent young women who could help take care of girls or be maids in her lab, might be interested in her, and would be willing to accept the Parma Magica. It was a rare ask, but not so unlikely one at least might be found in a covenant somewhere who would join her, especially knowing Mariana would surely protect her own with Longevity Rituals.
Exposure + Correspondence: Magic Theory +3, Creo +2
New scores: Magic Theory 6+2(8), Creo 15+3(6)
Lab Total: Int 3 + MT 9 + Lab 3 + Cr 18 + Cr 7 = 40
New Spells: Quickness of the Followers (CrCo 35), Wizard's Vigil (MuVi 35)
Vis changes: -1 Vi (for silver for a year of family expense)
Vis total: -
Summer
Mariana felt slower than usual for a second trimester. It was more a curiosity than anything else, but that curiosity paled compared to the questions about how she could be pregnant at all. She contemplated Longevity Rituals a fair amount this season as she was brewing one for another Redcap; and she discussed it in writing with Ophilio, who seemed to become more enthused that she could still procreate with Cult of Heroes members even after her longevity Ritual. Now with some vis on hand Mariana also requested of the Redcaps that they commission copies of some mundane books for her.
At the end of the summer Mariana traveled to the Flambeau tournament at Castra Solis. She met Wolfgang again there and secretly wondered if he might be Julietâs father. She would have to look into that later. Mariana did enter the Certamen tournament. Being unseeded it wasnât surprising when she drew Flammarcus of Flambeau as her opponent. He was only too happy to duel her in CrIg. It wasnât an impressive showing: she forfeited rather than getting knocked unconscious as a pregnant woman. But maybe she earned a little respect for lasting through one round in CrIg against a Flambeau by using her Creo in defense.
Exposure + Correspondence: Magic Theory +3, Creo +2
New scores: Magic Theory 6+2(11), Creo 15+3(8)
Vis changes: 3 Co, 5 Vi (income, with Redcap discount), -3 Co (commissions and fees)
Vis total: 5 Vi
Autumn
This third trimester was the most difficult by far, and it was evident why. Twins were on the way! Clearly her Longevity Ritual had done nothing to hinder her fertility. She liked being a mother, but she would never reach the heights for which she was destined if she spent most of her life pregnant. Hopefully the Redcaps would find someone for her. In the meantime, since she was so immobile, she read a tractates on Spell Mastery for the Cult of Heroes. At the end of the season she gave birth to both Katherine and Lyna; good thing for a good midwife and some CrCo magic! Ophilio wrote congratulations among their correspondence; he didnât bother hiding his appreciation for them being sired by a member of the Cult of Heroes.
Reading: Spell Mastery: Quickness of the Followers +12
New scores: Spell Mastery: Quickness of the Followers 1(7) (Boosted Casting)
Vis changes: -
Vis total: 5 Vi
Winter
Katherine and Lyna kept Mariana busy enough she just couldn't sleep around so much. In bits of free time she met with women brought to her by the female Redcaps, akin to how a royal might meet a potential match rather than what was more typical among House Mercere. Happily she actually met two women with whom she meshed well. She took them both as her concubines and assistants, and she got them a tutor in Latin and Artes Liberales. Mariana kept up her writing when she could find those few moments to think about magic instead of motherhood.
Exposure: Profession: Mother +2
New scores: Profession: Mother 0 (4)
Vis changes: -
Vis total: 5 Vi
Warping: 0(2)
1197
Ages
Mariana: 32
Beatrice: 15 (Redcap apprentice for 2 years)
Chara: 14 (Redcap apprentice for 1 year)
Daria: 12
Elena: 11
Flavia: 10
Gianna: 7
Helen: 6
Iris: 4
Juliet: 1
Katherine: 0
Lyna: 0
Spring
Her books finally arrived. She had now started her own library with copies of Ars grammatica - Ars minor, Decem Libri Historiarum, and Physics. Mariana took some time for herself to study Magic Lore from a fabulous root, seeing opportunities to advance herself in the future. This also afforded her some extra free time to spend with her family and to become close with her two new concubines. Being with them allowed her to explore her desires without becoming pregnant again, which had become such a rarity. Meanwhile she kept up their tutoring. While she had nothing new of note, she maintained her regular correspondence with Ophilio. Finally, at this point Mariana had roughly designed her future Talisman and asked the Redcaps to keep an eye out for both the rare and more common ingredients she would need.
Reading: Magic Lore +12
New scores: Magic Lore 1(7) (Qualities of Objects)
Vis changes: -2 Vi (for silver for a year of family expense and tutoring), -1 Vi (toward future rumors/fees)
Vis total: 2 Vi
Summer
With her ambition now freed from her cravings, Mariana felt empowered and decided she should study some combat magic to go with the defenses her parens had taught her. She worked from a few low to medium-magnitude CrIg lab texts for common spells to build our her repertoire. These could also be handy as it looked like she would be on the road soon on Cult business, and she would eventually spend seasons delivering messages as well has adventuring for her own pursuits. Her regular correspondence with Ophilio veered a little off the usual as she discussed Ignem more, but the overall focus was still on Creo magic and the Cults. Within these letters she also started expressing more enthusiasm for seeking the lost Mercurian Rites. Becoming interested in Pilum of Fire, Mariana also asked the Redcaps to seek a copy of Flambeauâs Legacy.
Exposure + Correspondence: Magic Theory +3, Creo +2
New scores: Magic Theory 6+2(14), Creo 15+3(10)
Lab Total: Int 3 + MT 9 + Lab 3 + Cr 18 + Ig 6 = 39
New Spells: Palm of Flame (CrIg 5), Lamp without Flame (CrIg 10), Pilum of Fire (CrIg 20)
Vis changes: -
Vis total: 2 Vi
Autumn
Mariana worked for the Cult of Heroes in many places. Her ability to fly along with access to portals made travel relatively simple. Even with her flight, she spent more time finding covenants and temples than actually at them. It was more like gentle exploration than heavy work, heading into woods, up mountains, and to other seclude spots as diversions along the way. The Cult appreciated the vis savings she provided by using her Ritual on more than one member at a time, and she included herself in a limited number of these Rituals as a reward. Spending only a day at any given location, Mariana managed to avoid getting pregnant, too. Travel made correspondence with Ophilio difficult, but she did speak to him in person when passing through Aedes Mercurii several times.
Adventure: Parma Magic +1, Creo +2, Spell Mastery: Quickness of the Followers +3
New scores: Quickness 0, Parma Magica 1(1), Creo 15+3(12), Spell Mastery: Quickness of the Followers 2 (Adaptive Casting, Boosted Casting)
Vis changes: -
Vis total: 2 Vi
Winter
Mariana was happy to be back at Harco. As interesting as the past season had been, she had things to accomplish of her own, too. With the success of the past season, her concept having been proven valid, the Cult would want her to study more of its spells, too, so she had to squeeze things in when she could. But first she had another Longevity Ritual to brew. She spent most of her spare time with her family and her concubines, happily avoiding getting pregnant again. Mariana picked up writing with Ophilio again with the text from both sides going through seeming jumps because of there several in-person conversations between the last letters.
Exposure + Correspondence: Magic Theory +3, Creo +2
New scores: Magic Theory 6+2(17), Creo 15+3(14)
Vis changes: 2 Co, 6 Vi (income, with Redcap discount)
Vis total: 2 Co, 8 Vi
Warping: 0(3)
1 Like
Neat. I appreciate having the childrenâs ages after each year. So many kids will grow up to be so many redcaps. Thatâll be cool to have family connections a traveling all across Mythic Europe. Maybe some of them will end up delivering mail to Tugurium, or building goodwill across one of our Tribunal neighbors during the saga?
One technical comment, and I might just be missing something. In Spring of 1196, I donât see how she can learn 70 levels of mixed form/technique spells in the same season with her CrCo lab total of 40. Unless thereâs a story or vis payment explaining why a powerful magus would spend a season teaching her instead of providing a lab text?
Another thought on the children. Juliet was born in 1196, and assuming she doesnât meet Wolfgang until the saga, she potentially doesnât meet her father until only a year or two before going off on a redcap apprenticeship. That will be an interesting meeting indeed.
That is because of her Mercurian Magic virtue. The Wizard's Sigil is automatic when learning a ritual spell of a level she hadn't achieved before.
1 Like
Not sure if you'd want to push things in that direction, but maybe the LR affects Mariana by changing her Lesser Benediction from "Unusually Fecund" to just "Fecund". You can still have kids, but you will only be as fertile as a common woman from now on (the twins were just luck, or bad luck, depends on how you see it). Just a possibility.
Humm... Is "Mother" a profession? I mean... Why not a combination of Charm, Leadership, Folk Ken, etc? Just wondering, found it unusual.
I could go that direction on Unusually Fecund. Whichever people would prefer, or really whichever people feel fits best.
Yes, I wasn't sure about Profession: Mother. I was thinking about things like feeding and taking care of babies, but I also didn't want to call it something like Profession: Nursemaid. If we want to drop this, I can certainly divert points into Folk Ken and the like.
Yes, but I also figure some may not want to be Redcaps. So she'll probably end up trying to marry some of them off well.
Yup, she'll be right around that age.
It's your call, I think. It would be an easy (easier?) way for Mariana to not be pregnant too often, if you want that. But if you think it would be nice to have the quest/struggle for "normality" as part of her story that's also fine by me.
Is a profession necessary to take care of babies? Idk... I find Prof:Mother weird when I try to think of other professions such as Brother, Uncle, etc. But I find it easy to imagine a stern mother with high Leadership, a kind and nurturing mother with Charm, an understanding mother with Folk Ken. Otherwise... at the moment I can only think of Prof: Wet Nurse or Prof: Caretaker more directly related to caring for people.
Did you roll a d10000 for each kid to see if they're gifted?