Character Development: Angus (Player: Rafael)

Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Isle of Wrath
1

Tell me what you want to name it and it shall be done.

2

Thanks! Let's go just with Angus for now. Surname will wait until I'm sure if I'll get Firbolg blood or not.

3

Tradition

Mechanics

I'm aiming for something druidic pretty close to Folk Witches, but with added weather control. After some discussion we have reached a consensus of replacing Cursing and Shapeshifter of the Folk Witches with Storm Calling, Storm Riding, Storm Fighting, and Whistle Up the Wind.

As all Folk Witch virtues need a casting method (fetish, incantation or potion) I'll suggest that for Whistle Up the Wind this should be incantation or potion, and for Storm Stuff this should be fetish or potion (incantation doesn't really work for Storm Stuff because the target must be able to hear the incantation).

Potion is standard for all Folk Witch abilities.

All abilities provide a Magical Defense. For WUtW I think Magical Fortitude (Auram effects) make sense. No idea (yet) for Storm Stuff.

Lore

I haven't gone far on defining the tradition. My ideas so far revolve around the following:

  • their goal is, in simple terms, peace. As I first envisioned they were small guys who benefited from Praesis existence, and now that Praesis is gone they have begun to feel the trouble
  • Angus role in approaching Inchmore is to test the waters and reestablish connections

"Peace" is a bit... I rolled on a random table for faction goals. But "Peace" can be contextualized within any circumstances we want. Perhaps they want a specific conflict to end, and to that end they need Inchmore's help? I'll work on that.

Cruinniú

I haven't decided where these druids meet, but they meet periodically for a Cruinniú (the same as the Sabbath from the FW). I was toying with the idea of an old ruined covenant (there are dozens of those in Hibernia), somewhere under the protection of fog and mist. WUtW, Storm Stuff or other means to dispel, dissipate or move the fog must be used to reach the actual place, which confers them a degree of secrecy and security.

4

I have been delaying additional work on this guy for some time now. So...

Virtues and Flaws

I'm designing him as if he were a Grog level character that underwent initiation.

His original virtues would be Personal Vis Source (+1), Latent Magical Power (+1). His personal vis source was used to pave the way for his initiation in the folk tradition. Upon undergoing initiation, Latent Magical Power was converted into Lesser Craft Magic (+1).

His flaws are Visions (-1) (responsible for him finding the Personal Vis Source in the first place) and Pessimistic (-1).

Initiation

He was initiated as a Storm Folk, learning Animal Ken (+1), Second Sight (+1) and Whistle Up the Wind (+3).

From each initiation he got a corresponding flaw. Incomprehensible (-1) from Animal Ken, Missing Eye (-1) from Second Sight (following the stated on HM).

For Whistle Up the Wind I was wondering about Restriction (Underground), which seems thematic... but that would stop me from entering the caves under the covenant.

I could also go with Necessary Condition (tools), making his tradition closer to the Tempestaria from HoH:S.

I'm not finished on his Virtues and Flaws yet, I just wanted to put some ideas out of my head to get things flowing.

5

Vorsutus also had Deleterious Circumstances: Underground, and therefore really doesn't want to go into the caves either. Also ... as ASG, I don't want to be the one dungeon delving my own dungeon, so ... I think that fits?

6

Ok, after long, I'm back to this guy.

I am still thinking about the tradition as a whole, and I'm considering that Wilderness Sense, replacing Dowsing, might be better for them.

It is somewhat poorly defined, which might lead to some discussion about specifics down the line, but I think it's a solid choice overall.

Before going forward, I wanted to double check the interaction of Folk Witch methods and Storm Stuff work. My thinking here is:

Storm Calling, Riding and Fighting can use fetishes or potions. The fetish might be the same item, but must be enchanted in the lab for each Ability (each requiring one season and one pawn of Auram). Potions would be as described below:

Storm Calling:

  • it is possible to brew a "storm in the bottle" potion that, once opened, creates a storm. Vis cost is as regular for potions (vis for the effect + 1 pawn for dose).
  • it's possible to brew a potion that allows you to control storms, with a Storm Calling score of Brew Potency/5, duration equal to a single storm (or a number of days equal brew potency, if the storm lasts longer than the brew potency)
  • a "storm in the bottle" carries both effects above

Storm Riding:

  • gives Storm Riding at Brew Potency/5 during a single storm (or a number of days equal to brew potency)

Storm Fighting

  • gives Storm Fighting at Brew Potency/5 during a single storm (or a number of days equal to brew potency)

Makes sense?

7

I wasn't sure if you had settled on another concept? You are still welcome to make adjustments to the Storm Folk (and other Hedge Traditions writeups) as well. You have made solid input so far.

Looking over Folk Witches really quickly to review this:

This seems fine?

Also seems fine to me.