Character Creation: General Discussion

Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Isle of Wrath
21

Which one would fit better?

Medb ex Merinita

the lecherous bard version.

Spells would make use of Merinita Road Range, Bargain Duration, Performance magic and sensory Magic sound. And an anti-pregnancy spell, of course!

3Gentle gift
4 Performance Magic: poetry
5 Senior Bard
6 Venus Blessing
7 self conf
8 cautious with poetry
9 satyr blood
10 sensory magic

3 Personality: Major Lecherous
6 Weak Magic Resistance: Having spent last (or last three?) nights without sex
7 Personality: Minor meddler
8 story: Fairie Friend
9 Small frame
10 Slow caster

Brigid ex Misc

the learned bard version

Hermetic house: sensory magic
Major house: master bard

3 Gentle gift
4 Performance Magic
5 Venus Blessing
6 Subtle Magic
7 Free expression
8 self conf
9 cautious with poetry
10 Puissant Parma

FREE Restriction: Can't cast spells on bards
3 water of vis
6 Meddler, major
7 lecherous, minor
8 small frame
9 Close ties to the Ui Dalaigh Bardic School (works like close family ties)
10 Slow caster

22

There's a lot to unpack either way. If you think you want to run with the bard concept and want to start exploring it further, why doesn't @Vortigern get a character creation thread up and running for ya and we can start talking specifics there?

23

Both seem aimed at the Irish Bard kind of theme, and that seems solid enough I think.

Which name is preferred?

24

Oh, I could definitely see at least CrCo/Me investigation. CrMe can give Personality Traits already, but making an Essential Trait would be a big step, but at least there is already a good starting point.

I'm making strides on recreating Aoibheann bani Flambeau, focusing more on the wood/tree aspect and getting rid of the Queen Medb part.

25

That depends on the character. Pick either one. If it turns out to be the other one - it can always be editied, can't it?

26

Knowing Aoibheann bani Flambeau was OK before, can I get a thread to recreate roughly what she was?

27

Alrighty! I think I'm going to move forward with Ronan an t-Eigse Measceal.

Yeah, say that one five times fast. Gotta love Gaelic?

Anyhow, Undine-blooded Aquam specialist. Aquam is one of the least used arts in my experience, so I wanted to challenge myself to do something interesting with it. Plus, we're on a bloody island. So it feels fitting?

28

I think I like the idea of blending in the Gaelic Duidsan as his core tradition but with some Norse syncretism and influences/runes etc.

So using that as a variant Ex Misc Tradition, I've put together the following.

Eadric

V: The Gift (F), Hermetic Magus (F), Hex (H), Leadworker (H), Affinity: Hex (1), Cautious: Hex (1), Major Magical Focus: Human Health (3), Potent Sorcery: Human Health (3), Puissant: Hex (1), Skilled Parens (1)

F: Necessary Condition: Runes/Glyphs (H), Blatant Gift (3), Hatred: Mundane Society (1), Hermetic Patron: Ordo Hiberniae/Hibernian Faction (1), Infamous: Mundane/Vindictive Curser (1), Uncertain Faith (1), Wrathful (3)

29

Oy, it's off to a character thread with all that there mechanical mumbo jumbo!

30

Indeed. And of course much more fluff-wise to follow when I have more time.

31

I think I'll leave the Bonisagus aside for now (I don't have a clear picture of what to do with him besides "investigating the rock"... and trying to integrate creation of essential traits into hermetic theory would break one of the greater limits... wouldn't it?).

So, for other ideas:

Cri (provisory name) is an English Criamon trying to fight his Wratfull personality trait. Cri came to know about Ireland first through the works of Gerald of Wales, and deciding to visit the country he learned that much of Gerald's works was biased by prejudice. He believes the English invasion is a consequence of misplaced anger of the englishmen, and that if he himself can control his anger (the cessation of strife within) while on Hibernia, than the conflicts in Hibernia will also subside (the cessation of strife without).

Cri is a pacifist (well, he is trying), and while he has no significant Mentem expertise as of now, it's possible that he will develop in that direction someday. At the moment he believes that using Mentem to control his anger is not proper. His current focus is Auram.

I'd think of giving him some ties with the church, nothing too big, but I'm not settled on that yet. May just end up him being friends with the monks on the north of the island.

Note: Stories for him would focus on non-violent conflict resolution, using Auram (and eventually other Forms) to protect allies and stop enemies, but generally aiming for diplomacy first.

Tyt (provisory name) is a Tytalus apprenticed in Circulus Rubber, descendant of one of the two Tytali who founded CR. His patter believes that Inchmore's resistence will fail unless there's a Tytalus involved... But Tyt couldn't care less, to be honest. This is just his patter trying to push an agenda on him. He is still going to help Inchmore, because he wants to piss off the English.
I'd think of gearing Tyt to be a master of intrigue and developing a network of agents to strangle the mundane resources of the English magi.

As for Arts, I'm toying with ideas. While Mentem would be useful for the master of an agency, I'd like him to be someone who grows into the role he decided to take, so he'd probably begin with a focus on something else. Tyt would eventually develop towards a more generalist approach, using magic to solve the problems that can't be dealt with easily in another way.

So, these are my two current ideas. Both seem fun to me, so I think the issue here is the opinion of the troupe in regards to what seems easier to manage/integrate.

32

I'm Team Tytalus. But then again, I'm almost always Team Tytalus?

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33

I am for the character that uses less mentem, since I am building a Magus whose strongest art is very likely mentem. If there isn't much of a mentem difference, I like the Criamon better because Tytali are nothing new.

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34

So in my "head canon" part of the purpose of Inchmore is to be a replacement of Praesis, culturally, in the Tribunal. A Covenant on the border of Connacht where the Hibernians can meet in peace with the Coill, and ideally with each other. A refounding of the traditional peace-maker if you will. This is part of the intended theme and also the connotations of having a Trophy like "The Oath Stone" for a setting piece. (By the way, do we have a volunteer to learn to shrink and/or move the thing, so we can present it at Tribunal? I'm just saying...)

So part of me is pleased at the idea of having a more diplomatic concept that might, say, actually put that stone to use for plot purposes. :wink:

That said ... Hibernia is only technically at peace, and tomorrow's forecast isn't looking great. Praesis could just be the first and tensions are high on both sides. The very founding of Inchmore by a large coalition of Covenants is what drove the occupiers out of Praesis itself, and they aren't happy about it.

So from that perspective ... a pacifist might have troubles maintaining their inner calm as it were. And I always love a Tytalus.

So perhaps a very diplomatic Tytalus?

Thoughts?

35

Just so you're aware, I'm likely to start seeming Mentem-focused because I expect to grab a few good Rego spells from a parens who is focused on what my character is terrible at (Ignem parens, Incompatible Arts apprentice). But I'm really heading into ReHe, just figuring I'll have to develop the entire repertoire myself, which also suits starting up my own Flambeau school.

36

Possibly. How long do we have before Tribunal? Is it within a Base Individual of Terram?

37

By my math, I think it's +1 Size (a stone up to 10 cubic paces). The dimensions are 9ft x 6ft x... I don't remember if it was specified? I approximated it as 3m x 2m x 1m in my head.

38

Ars is very flexible but ultimately there are only so many options Art-wise. And ... many intelligent people find the same areas of the system appealing for similar if not the exact same reasons.

To me the answer here is more often to not worry about it and focus on each Mage being the protagonist of their own set of related but distinct stories.

The stone is 6 feet on each side around the sides, and nine feet tall.

39

Then, around 9 cubic paces. Still a +1 for size.

Do you also want an unicorn while you are at that? XD

To Pralix, neither of my concepts is likely to rely extensively on Mentem. The Criamon might eventually want to explore a bit on the field of emotions, but it's not likely to become too proficient at that.

40

Don't forget to plait the mane and tail. I'm picky.