Character Creation: Lucius of Flambeau

[Trogdor]

@Arthur

First effect is to make the boat itself basically weightless. HoH:S p.37 has "Base 5: Destroy one aspect of dirt, such as its weight or its cohesiveness." Can I use this guideline for any solid object, using an Herbam requisite? Or an equivalent PeHe guideline? I will assume for now that a Base 5 works. To affect a good-sized skiff he will need to add 1 magnitude for size, perhaps even 2.

PeTe(He) should work. You might also be able to do it with just PeHe since the boat would be predominantly wood.

[Arthur]

@Trogdor

I think you have the numbers wrong with this one. Structure is +3 not +1. So your final cost should be:

Indeed, I just made the correction. If things are really tight, he can save 1 or 2 levels by reducing the number of uses per day.

I also adjusted his current lab total for the fact that he knows a similar spell, namely Veil of Invisibility.

@Trogdor

Then there's the question of whether you could enchant the boat itself, or whether you'd have to enchant a device to make the boat invisible. If the former, you're probably okay making the effect Personal. But if the latter, then you'd have to make the device Touch, which would up it to level 39. Yea, it's expensive to make a boat invisible.

I would enchant the boat itself.

@Trogdor

PeTe(He) should work. You might also be able to do it with just PeHe since the boat would be predominantly wood.

Using PeTe(He) instead of just PeHe means that, should he learn Hauberk of Sublime Lightness (HoH:S p.38) then he will gain a useful spell as well as a +6 bonus for similar spell. With a lab text and a decent aura, he can learn that spell right out of Gauntlet.

[Trogdor]

@Arthur

I would enchant the boat itself.

My question wasn't would you like to enchant the boat. My question was whether you could enchant it. As I understand things, to enchant the boat, you'd need to have it in your lab. And most labs are not large enough to accommodate an entire boat.

Or do I have things wrong?

[Arthur]

@Trogdor

Whether you could enchant the boat itself depends on whether you could realistically fit it into your lab (and get it in and out again). I'd be interested in hearing what the rest of the troupe has to say about that. Could Lucius enchant the boat itself? How big do you envision it being?

Forgot to answer to that part. He would be looking at a reasonably small boat, not a ship. Something like a 12- to 18-foot skiff. Enough to carry half a dozen people with their gear, not a trading vessel.

As such, I believe that a Size +1 or +2 lab could be used to enchant it.

[Trogdor]

@Arthur

Gso I could add another magnitude to affect all the sense other than touch.

IS that a legit use of a magnitude? I would imagine that +1 magnitude would only effect either hearing or smell/taste. Wouldn't you need two magnitudes to get all three?

[Trogdor]

@Arthur

Forgot to answer to that part. He would be looking at a reasonably small boat, not a ship. Something like a 12- to 18-foot skiff. Enough to carry half a dozen people with their gear, not a trading vessel.

As such, I believe that a Size +1 or +2 lab could be used to enchant it.

That seems perfectly reasonable.

[Arthur]

@Trogdor

@Arthur

Gso I could add another magnitude to affect all the sense other than touch.

IS that a legit use of a magnitude? I would imagine that +1 magnitude would only effect either hearing or smell/taste. Wouldn't you need two magnitudes to get all three?

Actually, it is simply a different Base. Affecting sight is Base 4, while affecting any four senses if Base 5 (see ArM5 p.146).

[Trogdor]

@Arthur

Actually, it is simply a different Base. Affecting sight is Base 4, while affecting any four senses if Base 5 (see ArM5 p.146).

I stand corrected.

[Arthur]

Goal 4. Finding a familiar

Finding a suitable familiar requires a season. I'm fine with a Might 15 creature. As mentioned previously, a polecat seems quite appropriate for Lucius, who himself is fairly agile and spent time in mining tunnels during his youth.

Lucius' lab total to bind a familiar, right out of Gauntlet, would be Int 2 + MT(Perdo) 4 + Perdo 15 + Terram 5 = 26. With a reasonable aura that should be rounded out to 30 or so. This mean he could bind a familiar with a Size up to -2. By default, a polecat has a Size of -5 according to HoH:MC, so I could even go with a large or even a giant version of the polecat.

This means that Lucius can find and bind a familiar right after Gauntlet if he wants to.

Going again with HoH:MC to build the mundane animal. The weasel is described in page 41 and will be used as a basis for the polecat:

• A polecat is a clawed beast and a small predator, so its characteristics would be Cun 0, Per 0, Str -7, Sta 0, Pre -2, Com -5, Dex +2, Qik +5 and Size -5.
• Virtues and Flaws are Greater Purifying Touch (poinson) and Shor Attention Span.
• Basic Abilities for a clawed beast are Brawl 3 (bite or claw), Survival 3 (home terrain), Awareness 3 (food), Athletics 3 (running).
• Qualities are Agressive (+1 Cun, Brawl 5), Fast Runner, Pursuit Predator, Skilled Climber (+3 on climbing rolls).

I will be using this template to build the polecat as a magical animal.

[Arthur]

Goal 3. Joining the Legion of Mithras

This needs several seasons invested into it, as discussed previously:

• Season 1: Adventure - Meet a friend to add a correspondent (although that correspondent could be his pater)
• Season 2: Adventure - Mystagogue to tranform the correspondent into a mystagogue
• Season 3: Adventure - Quest to fulfill the requirement of the initiation
• Season 4: Adventure - Initiate for the actual initiation

There is no other requirement, although this would probably lead to further adventures as Lucius is then called to perform services for the cult.

Upon initiation into the Legion, Lucius would gain the minor virtue Strong-Willed and the minor flaw Dutybound. Am I correct in thinking that the added personality flaw can have the result that the character now has 3 personality flaws?

Since one of the duties of first rank initiates of the Legion is to carry messages and act as eyes and ears of the Legion, this would tie up nicely with the need for transportation and give him an additionate incentive to build his boat.

Advancement within the ranks of the Legion would probably occur after additional adventures, probably one or two for attaining the second rank (Bride) and the same number to reach the third rank (Soldier). Joining the Atlantis initiative might very well be part of his initition ritual for the fourth rank (Lion). This might perhaps even lead Lucius to founding a covenant of Legionaires on Atlantis.

[Trogdor]

@Arthur

Goal 3. Joining the Legion of Mithras

This needs several seasons invested into it, as discussed previously:

• Season 1: Adventure - Meet a friend to add a correspondent (although that correspondent could be his pater)
• Season 2: Adventure - Mystagogue to tranform the correspondent into a mystagogue
• Season 3: Adventure - Quest to fulfill the requirement of the initiation
• Season 4: Adventure - Initiate for the actual initiation

There is no other requirement, although this would probably lead to further adventures as Lucius is then called to perform services for the cult.

No doubt some of his later adventures are the result of services performed for the Legion.

@Arthur

Upon initiation into the Legion, Lucius would gain the minor virtue Strong-Willed and the minor flaw Dutybound. Am I correct in thinking that the added personality flaw can have the result that the character now has 3 personality flaws?

That is correct.

@Arthur

Advancement within the ranks of the Legion would probably occur after additional adventures, probably one or two for attaining the second rank (Bride) and the same number to reach the third rank (Soldier). Joining the Atlantis initiative might very well be part of his initition ritual for the fourth rank (Lion). This might perhaps even lead Lucius to founding a covenant of Legionaires on Atlantis.

We're looking to found some more covenants ...

The details of who knew what when about Atlantis being raised is a bit squishy, and has mutated over time. More than likely you knew that some big project was in the works to make a safe home for magi, but your superiors were vague with you on the details (because they were vague themselves on the details.) Once the island was raised, you were told everything and were selected as one of the first new magi to come colonize the new island.

[Arthur]

If one has not established his own lab yet and wants to pay for the use of a standard guest lab at a covenant he is visiting, would deducting 1 pawn of vis as payment be reasonable?

[Trogdor]

That never came up in character creation, but it seems reasonable to me.

[Arthur]

I'm almost done with first cycle for Lucius. I only need to stat out his familiar and advance it after it is bound.

[Arthur]

Narrative for the first cycle.

Now a full magus of the Order, Lucius was eager to develop his abilities and make a name for himself. In fact, this almost provided him with too much freedom,and his first few weeks led him to question himself about his future. In his personal journal, he wrote:

I am now a full member of the Order, free to pursue my own goals and direct my life as I wish. How will I use this freedom? It would be easy to let myself be carried by the season-to-season needs of a covenant, performing whatever service needs doing. But then, how would I be certain that my name will be remembered once I have passed away? Before making up my mind, I would seek out the wisdom of those that preceded me before settling down in a single place.

Thus it was that Lucius decided to seek out his brothers under Severus, Procorus and Iustus whom he he had met during his apprenticeship, to seek their advice. He spent a few seasons visiting with each of them at their covenant in Normandy and Iberia, deepening their relationship now that they were equals under the Code. Each time he was granted visitor’s rights by his brother’s covenant, being allowed to study from the library and borrow a laboratory to study in. In exchange, he performed covenant services and dealt with minor needs of these covenants, collecting some raw vis and silver for himself in the process. When he departed, both of his brothers promised to exchange correspondence with him, to keep each abreast of their studies, adventures and thoughts.

During his various ventures, he kept an eye open for creatures that could become his familiar. After a season of following a particular trail, he discovered and befriended a magical polecat which he promptly bound as his familiar.

After leaving his brothers behind, Lucius decided to continue his travels to meet more magi and learn more about the reality of the Order of Hermes. Eventually, his travels took him back to Germania, the land of his youth. There he settled in Fengheld, a covenant of growing power which was at the time seeking new blood to swell its ranks and develop new chapter houses. Such endeavours often entailed dealing with some magical threat, a role to which Lucius was well-suited. In return, this gave the young Flambeau access to a large library from which to advance his knowledge. He was able to begin more serious studies into his main interests.

At the end of the cycle, Iustus hinted that Lucius should come and visit him again in Normandy.

[Arthur]

Note that affinities are not applied to the xp indicated in the table.

[tableborder][tr][th][left]Cycle[/left][/th][th][left]Year[/left][/th][th][left]Season[/left][/th][th][left]Activity Description[/left][/th][th]SQ[/th][th][left]SQ Modifiers[/left][/th][th][left]Result[/left][/th][th]Raw Vis[/th][th]MP[/th][/tr]
[tr][td]1[/td][td]1[/td][td]Spring[/td][td]Adventure - Meet friend (Procorus of Flambeau, correspondent in Magic Theory)[/td][td]7[/td][td]+3 Ind.Study[/td][td]5 xp to Org.Lore: Order of Hermes
5 xp to Language: Latin[/td][td][/td][td][/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]1[/td][td]Summer[/td][td]Study Herbam (L6Q21 summa)[/td][td]21[/td][td][/td][td]21 xp to Herbam[/td][td][/td][td][/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]1[/td][td]Fall[/td][td]Study Imaginem (L6Q21 summa)[/td][td]21[/td][td][/td][td]21 xp to Imaginem[/td][td][/td][td][/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]1[/td][td]Winter[/td][td]Study Creo (L10Q19)[/td][td]19[/td][td][/td][td]19 xp to Creo
4 pawns gained (1 Te, 3 Vi)
3 MP gained[/td][td]1 Te
3 Vi[/td][td]3[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]2[/td][td]Spring[/td][td]Adventure - Vis find[/td][td]7[/td][td]+3 Ind.Study[/td][td]4 xp to Parma Magica
6 xp to Mastery: Stone to Falling Dust
5 pawns gained (Te)[/td][td]6 Te
3 Vi[/td][td]3[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]2[/td][td]Summer[/td][td]Adventure - Familiar (Terebrus the polecat)[/td][td]7[/td][td]+3 Ind.Study[/td][td]5 xp to Animal
5 xp to Magic Lore[/td][td]6 Te
3 Vi[/td][td]3[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]2[/td][td]Fall[/td][td]Lab - Bind familiar[/td][td]2[/td][td]+1 corresp.[/td][td]3 xp to Perdo
1 pawn spent for lab (Vi)
6 pawns spent for familiar (Te)[/td][td]2 Vi[/td][td]3[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]2[/td][td]Winter[/td][td]Study Magic Theory (L5Q20)[/td][td]20[/td][td]+1 corresp.[/td][td]21 xp to Magic Theory
4 pawns gained (Vi)
3 MP gained[/td][td]6 Vi[/td][td]6[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]3[/td][td]Spring[/td][td]Adventure - Meet friend (Iustus of Flambeau, correspondent in Parma Magica)[/td][td]7[/td][td]+3 Ind.Study[/td][td]5 xp to Organization Lore: Order of Hermes
5 xp to Language: Latin[/td][td]6 vi[/td][td]6[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]3[/td][td]Summer[/td][td]Study Auram (L6Q21 summa)[/td][td]21[/td][td][/td][td]21 xp to Auram[/td][td]6 vi[/td][td]6[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]3[/td][td]Fall[/td][td]Study Vim (L6Q21 summa)[/td][td]21[/td][td][/td][td]21 xp to Vim[/td][td]6 Vi[/td][td]6[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]3[/td][td]Winter[/td][td]Train in Great Weapons[/td][td]15[/td][td][/td][td]15 xp to Great Weapons
2 MP spent for a better trainer
4 pawns gained (Vi)
3 MP gained[/td][td]10 Vi[/td][td]7[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]Spring[/td][td]Study Leadership (L5Q20 summa)[/td][td]20[/td][td][/td][td]20 xp to Leadership[/td][td]10 Vi[/td][td]7[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]Summer[/td][td]Study Rego (L6Q21 summa)[/td][td]21[/td][td][/td][td]20 xp to Rego
(max score reached for summa)[/td][td]10 Vi[/td][td]7[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]Fall[/td][td]Study Intellego (L6Q21 summa)[/td][td]21[/td][td][/td][td]21 xp to Intellego[/td][td]10 Vi[/td][td]7[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]Winter[/td][td]Study Magic Theory (L5Q20)[/td][td]20[/td][td]+1 corresp.[/td][td]21 xp to Magic Theory
4 pawns gained (Vi)
3 MP gained[/td][td]14 Vi[/td][td]10[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]5[/td][td]Spring[/td][td]Being taught Order of Hermes Lore[/td][td]14[/td][td][/td][td]14 xp to Org.Lore: Order of Hermes[/td][td]14 Vi[/td][td]10[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]5[/td][td]Summer[/td][td]Set up personal lab (1st season)[/td][td]2[/td][td]+1 corresp.[/td][td]3 xp to Magic Theory[/td][td]14 Vi[/td][td]10[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]5[/td][td]Fall[/td][td]Set up personal lab (2nd season)[/td][td]2[/td][td]+1 corresp.[/td][td]3 xp to Magic Theory[/td][td]14 Vi[/td][td]10[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]5[/td][td]Winter[/td][td]Covenant services[/td][td]2[/td][td][/td][td]2 xp to Language: Latin
7 pawns gained (Vi)
5 MP gained[/td][td]21 Vi[/td][td]15[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]6[/td][td]Spring[/td][td]Study Parma Magica (L5Q20 summa)[/td][td]20[/td][td]+1 corresp.[/td][td]21 xp to Parma Magica[/td][td]21 Vi[/td][td]15[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]6[/td][td]Summer[/td][td]Study Parma Magica (L5Q20 summa)[/td][td]20[/td][td]+1 corresp.[/td][td]21 xp to Parma Magica[/td][td]21 Vi[/td][td]15[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]6[/td][td]Fall[/td][td]Study Parma Magica (L5Q20 summa)[/td][td]20[/td][td]+1 corresp.[/td][td]21 xp to Parma Magica[/td][td]21 Vi[/td][td]15[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]6[/td][td]Winter[/td][td]Study Perdo (L16Q15 summa)[/td][td]11[/td][td]+1 corresp.[/td][td]16 xp to Perdo
4 pawns gained (Vi)
3 MP gained[/td][td]25 Vi[/td][td]18[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]7[/td][td]Spring[/td][td]Study Perdo (L16Q15 summa)[/td][td]11[/td][td]+1 corresp.[/td][td]16 xp to Perdo[/td][td]25 Vi[/td][td]18[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]7[/td][td]Summer[/td][td]Adventure - Learn something (Tribunal meeting)[/td][td]12[/td][td]+3 Ind.Study[/td][td]5 xp to Org.Lore: Order of Hermes
5 xp to Org.Lore: Legion of Mithras
5 xp to Finesse[/td][td]25 Vi[/td][td]18[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]7[/td][td]Fall[/td][td]Purchase normal longevity ritual[/td][td]2[/td][td]+1 corresp.[/td][td]3 xp to Magic Theory
24 pawns spent (Vi)
Longevity Ritual (+12)[/td][td]25 Vi[/td][td]18[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td][td]7[/td][td]Winter[/td][td]Study Perdo (L24Q11 summa)[/td][td]11[/td][td]+1 corresp.[/td][td]12 xp to Perdo
4 pawns gained (Vi)
3 MP silver gained[/td][td]5 Vi[/td][td]21[/td][/tr][/tableborder]
Library used so far:

• Arts: L24Q11 (Pe) L16Q15 (Pe) L10Q19 (Cr) L6Q21 (In Re Au He Im Vi)
• Abilities: L5Q20 (Magic Theory, Leadership, Parma Magica)

[Arthur]

To which activities does Correspondence give a bonus xp? Covenants p.90 says that it "must be on a theme that is associated with the magus’s research or reading." Does that exclude seasons where story or exposure xp are gained on that subject? For that matter, could a "theme" cover more than a single Art or ability?

I may make a few adjustments to the cycle 1 which I posted last night. If you spot any mistake, just let me know and I'll fix them. I'd rather make sure everything is good and valid before pushing forward to the next cycle.

EDIT: Made the adjustments, which basically only impacted the 7th year of the cycle.

[Trogdor]

I suppose I should explain how I slightly modified correspondences. Although the rules say you can make a correspondence on something that you practiced that season, the way I changed it was to say that you could have correspondents on specific subjects. For example, you might have a correspondence with your pater on Magic Theory, and a correspondence with a filius about Rego. You can accumulate correspondents over time, but can only correspond in a subject you have a correspondent for. So basically you have running correspondences that go in parallel with your regular research. The incentive to get more correspondents is the ability to write about different subjects.

Does that make sense?

[Arthur]

Building the stats for Lucius' polecat familiar. I use the previously posted mundane animal stats as an inspiration, but will be deviating slightly in some cases since the character creation rules from RoP:M are quite different from those for mundane animals presented in HoH:MC.

This is a [strike]first draft[/strike] work in progress. As I have not often used RoP:M rules for character creation, comments and help are much appreciated.

Size: I will go for a slightly larger polecat than the equivalent mundane animal, so Size -4 instead of Size -5.

Characteristics:
Purchased: Int +2, Per +1, Str +2, Sta +1, Pre +1, Com -2, Dex +1, Qik +2
Adjusted for Size: Int +2, Per +1, Str -6, Sta +1, Pre +1, Com -2, Dex +2, Qik +6
Virtues:

Magic Animal 0
Greater Purifying Touch (poison) +3
Improved Characteristics +1
Lesser Immunity (poison) +1
Mute 0
No Hands 0
Reserves of Strength +1
Unaffected by the Gift +1

Flaws:
Ambitious (major) -3
Offensive to Animals -1
Poor Concentration -1 (RoP:M p.50) - The character has a –3 penalty to Concentration rolls.
Proud (minor) -1
Social Handicap (smell) -1
Abilities (300 xp):

Athletics (running) 4 -- 50 xp
Awareness (food) 3 -- 30 xp
Brawl (bite) 6 -- 105 xp
Hunt (tracking) 3 -- 30 xp
Stealth (sneak) 4 -- 50 xp
Survival (forest) 3 -- 30 xp
Swim (river) 1 - 5 xp

Personality Traits:
Brave +1
Disciplined -2
Polecat* +3
Proud +2

Magic Qualities:
Lesser Power: Stink of the Polecat +1
Improved Power: Stink of the Polecat +1
Focus Power: Destructive Streak +3
Improved Power: Destructive Streak +1
Lesser Power: The Invisible Polecat +1
Ritual Power: Mark of the Angry Polecat +3
Animal Resistance +1
Minor Virtue: Unaffected by the Gift +1
No Fatigue +3

Magic Inferiorities:
None
Powers:
Stink of the Polecat (0 points, Init +9, Auram): Makes the surrounding air stink horribly of polecat liquid. All those within fifty paces of the target point must make Stamina stress rolls of 6+ or act with a –3 penalty on all rolls. Anyone who botches the roll vomits and is incapacitated for (10 – Stamina) rounds. The smell lingers in the area affected for days, although not potently enough to have debilitating effects. (CrAu 10, R: Voice, D: Diam, T: Ind, 10 levels to reduce cost by 2, 5 levels and 5 mastery points to increased Init by 6) -- Based on Stench of the Twenty Corpses.

Destructive Streak (magnitude -3 points, Init +1, Terram): Terebrus can generate spontaneous effects of up to level 25, to destroy non-living objects. He often uses it to tunnel into the ground to enter a prey's warren. (Focus Power, PeTe 25, 2 mastery points to increase max level, 3 mastery points to reduce cost)

The Invisible Polecat (1 point, Init +1, Imaginem): Terebrus can become invisible. He can cancel this effect at any time. (PeIm 20, R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind, 5 levels to reduce cost by 1) -- Based on Veil of Invisibility (range reduced to Per, but can cancel at will).

Mark of the Angry Polecat (5 points, Init -4, Vim): Terebrus can impose the flaw Social Handicap on his target, who acquires an unpleasant body odor that cannot be washed off. (No Hermetic equivalent: Ritual Power; R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual)

[Trogdor]

Oops. Sorry. I had read this but forgot that I hadn't responded. I was away at the beach part of the weekend and was working the rest.

The character looks good. Correspondences are done properly per the books, but not for the modified way that I run them. See my comment above. Lucius should pick a subject that he gets xp with when he corresponds with his parens. This is the only subject he can correspond on (and he can do it every season) unless and until he gains a new correspondent. Basically it amounts to a free xp on that subject each season based on correspondence.

Basically, you maintain a correspondence quite apart from your regular work. It's sort of like your hobby. Let's say you had a Rego correspondence with your pater. That means that you and he trade letters on the intricacies of Rego. So, even if you were working on inventing a MuCo spell this season, you could still correspond with your parens on Rego. It's what you two do. Let's say that later on you develop a correspondence with one of your filii on Finesse. You two just love to pass along your thoughts on Finesse. Now, every season you can choose to correspond on either Rego (sending a letter to your pater) or Finesse (sending a letter to your filius), gaining 1 xp in that Art or Ability. More options open up as you enter into more correspondences.

The polecat looks good. I particularly like Mark of the Angry Polecat. I assume that's temporary, though, unless the polecat permanently spends the Might cost. The target would be unable to get rid of it. But as soon as the polecat recovered the Might spent on the ability, the stench would go away on its own. (Same as with virtues granted.)

WRT the invisibility, I'm not sure you can just say that you can cancel it at will. It has a duration. Can you really just ignore that duration and say it has a duration of whenever?

Also, why did his Int drop by 1?