The shared powers is a special function related to bound faeries, and it is only benefits which come from the faerie nature which suddenly take effect when the magus becomes faerie. Also the shared powers implies it is already both ways, except that developed spells are knowledge, not powers, so they would not be shared via the link. Any actual powers (virtues, qualities, etc) which the magus had may well be.
How is everyone else doing on their characters. Anyone have any objections to the Death Prophecy? Especially if I combo it with unaging?
Character Concept for Magus:
Ouragan ex Flambeau
Concept: I keep picturing Errol Flynn in movies like "Robin Hood" -- a swashbuckling glory seeker, with martial skills in addition to traditional Flambeau flamboyance.
Born: 1068
Apprenticed: 1080 to Calidaria ex Flambeau
Gauntleted: 1095
Virtues:
The Gift
Hermetic Magus
Puissant Ignem
Major Magical Focus: Combat or Flexible Formulaic Magic
Free Expression
Inspirational
Intuition
Mastered Spells
Rapid Convalescence
Venus’ Blessing
Flaws:
Blatant Gift or Waster of Vis
Dependent (sister)
Cyclic Magic (Winter and Spring)
Ambitious (seeking glory)
Fear (of spiders)
I'm pretty much settled, though I am still debating between the nicer versus the more insidious version of this character. I'm not so far off of what I'd written above:
Parens: A masterful healer and good longevity ritual maker among the Neo-Mercurians. While brought up in the Line of Quendalon, he did not focus as much on those Mysteries as he might have. He learned them, he was just more focused on the faeries as gods (Roman ones specifically) in the Neo-Mercurian tradition. While he has handled aging (only used the first of the three Becoming rituals due to their difficulty), he sees Twilight in the not-so-distant future and wants to train an apprentice to pick up where he'll leave off. While talented himself, he knows he can train someone even more capable than he is, and that will help him leave an even greater legacy. The other piece of his legacy will hopefully be writing a new authority in at least Creo, maybe Corpus as well.
Character: The character is a Creo and Magic Theory expert gifted at personal transformation (MMF, using Creo to improve Quickness, Stamina, etc. and having Muto as a secondary Technique) following somewhat in the parens footsteps but has very different interests, being far more ambitious and feeling more attuned to Faerie. The plan is to build an army and to become a faerie via Becoming. This is where I'm debating the versions. The nicer, gentler thought is the character is Creo Corpus focused, creating an army of humanoid faeries (and maybe faerie horses that coven folk might also be able to ride) and excelling at healing. The insidious thought is the character is Creo Mentem focused, creating an army of eidolons and bending those and others to his will (using extensive CrMe rituals to make people and beings loyal to him). Essentially the difference comes down to that in Machiavelli's The Prince. Do I want to have an army through fear and force of will or out of genuine loyalty?
Does this apply to all spells that deal damage, all defensive spells for combat, and all spells cast in combat?
Sounds fine to me. I'm totally good with powerful, interesting combinations. I just don't want to truly break things (like what I mentioned with Divine Form or Faerie Sympathy).
Assuming Anna's stats are not age adjusted I only have 5 points spent out of 7. Otherwise she looks good.
The parens concept looks good- I would think the major magical focus would apply to spells affecting combat- details aren't overly significant since this character won't see any actual play, only solo advancement play, unless the parens plans to pass the virtue down to the student, in which case we can get a more precise definition at that time.
I'd be slightly wary of Major Focus:Combat, as it sounds wider than Major Focus:Damage, which is already one of the wider foci examples from the main book. As you say, for a parens it doesn't matter too much as the solo advancement play doesn't require massive penetration totals, just whether you can cast spells of sufficient level or make ability rolls high enough to beat the challenge.
For a few seconds, I wondered if creating a Bonisagus parens would be a good idea or a bad one if the player who gets it suddenly decides to take an apprentice...but let's assume we're all being co-operative here.
Quite possibly a cat - what House is your parens going to be from? Just curious.
I'm currently looking at HoH:Mystery Cults to see what house mysteries would be fun for a parens-and-apprentice to use but differ in.
Ex misc. Using that custom Praxologists idea. The idea is basically what people suspect of the legacy of Pralix. Absorb other traditions both eliminating the other traditions and adding the barbarian magic to the order. Obviously Praxologists approve of this goal. It would also fit with some other houses, but this adds flavor.
Hmm... So I was thinking about the CrXx guidelines for boosting Characteristics. What if a magus wants to boost his familiar's Dexterity, for example. If the familiar is based on a regular animal, it's fairly easy. However, what if we're looking at Magical, Faerie, or Infernal beings that don't have a cap. Unlike humans, for example, where the cap is +5 and so beyond that goes outside of CrXx, these don't have a cap. So CrXx should work for +6 or +7, right? Yes, the rituals get really, really high level and expensive, but theoretically it works, right?
Actually if you are looking at magical, faerie, etc other animals there are different rituals and methods to build up stats than with mundane animals. For example a faerie animal can be built up with artistic offerings...
also keep in mind that everyone is supposed to create their own parens, but will play someone elses. If someone wants to be bonisnatched they would need to create two parens, the bonisagus would be at the covenant and I would play the other one- likely an abusive parens.
It depends on what you count their "Essential nature" as. It may not be limited to +5, but the further you push away from the Ideal of what a magical/faerie etc. creature should be, the harder the magic should be.
With reference to RoP:Magic - once you get 5 points above baseline, you can't use minor virtues to increase a Characteristic - you have to use the Greater (Characteristic) virtue, which is a major one. Therefore there is precedent for making it more difficult to get more than 5 points above base for a magic creature.
Yes, I agree it should get harder, and it does by the bases in the core book. But what is the baseline for a dragon familiar vs a drake familiar vs a spirit familiar vs others? Animals could use the natural animals' baselines, and they're roughly established for elementals (if you manage those). And, of course, if the familiar started with Cunning, then the baseline can be considered -3.
Theoretically a great idea but extremely problematic. The issue is that that Greater Characteristic may well be needed to get to even below a baseline, while above a baseline may be worth points of Flaws. You would get situations that are nonsensical when compared to mundane animals.
They aren't age adjusted, but I think I have seven points spent. 7 (Starting) -6 (Com) -3 (Int) -3 (Pre) -1 (Per) -3 (Sta) +6(Str) +3 (Dex) = 0 points left over
Not sure, and will need some guidance with this one. A combat-orientation felt right for the concept, but I think this focus needs clarification. I was thinking about spells used during combat -- you know, toss off that PoF toward an oncoming foe while beating down another with your sword, all with a fierce smile and cutting quip. Perhaps a different virtue would be better. Maybe Flawless Magic, allowing for spell-mastery abilities right away ...
I found my mistake, Anna is fine.
As to Greater Focus:combat this could either refer to spells which do damage or refer to spells which influence mundane combat.
I have a Bjornaer parens character ready, but I'm struggling to get the apprentice right. Should be ready for your examination in the next few days.
Do we still need to do extra parens (and possibly apprentices) so we can create spares for people to play in case of drop-out?
If someone drops out that character(s) will be kept for new people to take over. The reason for extras was that I didn't think 2-3 magi were enough. 4 should be sufficient, but if anyone wants to make extras we could have a covenant of 6. Or if someone wants to make a parens for themselves to keep that can teach anyone who joins mid-prequel (or possibly early game if they are non-adventuring at that point) then that could work as well... but it would be purely optional.
I think I've created a page on the wiki for Taurus, a Bjornaer with a bull heartbeast. He's aged 50 years past gauntlet so he could leave the Normandy Tribunal at gauntlet and help found the covenant. He's learnt enough Magic Lore, Bjornaer Lore to learn the inner Heartbeast and a decent Heartbeast score, and enough teaching to do well at teaching his apprentice without needing Good Teacher or to have an Apt Student.
praesidiumorae.wikidot.com/wiki:taurus
Any thoughts on my playing a nicer (CrCo and healing, leading an army by adoration) vs insidious (CrMe and mind control, leading an army through magical coercion) version of the character I mentioned? I can favor a role that fits the covenant and the other characters better.