Good. I'll finish things up soon. Any idea what the missing magi's ages are?
OK.
Chris
Sorry, meant to get to this. I think we have all the founder magi statted up, don't we? The only visitor is Flavius, and I seem to recall his being something like 8 years out of gauntlet.
Scott
OK, I'm about to post a revised version of the Viola/Constantine character sheet and advancement log, with Constantine's advancement corrected and Viola's correspondences added. The addition of XP's from correspondences allowed me to alter a handful of Viola's seasons (seasons where she got XP's she no longer needed immediately, after getting them in the same Abilities or Arts through Correspondence), and to bolster her Magic Theory and Muto (the latter being particularly desirable after I nixed her Pussiant Muto in converting her for this saga).
Here's what I included on her correspondents. Is this enough detail?
Theoros of Bonisagus: Theoros was gauntleted at the same time (spring of 1204) as Viola in the Stonehenge Tribunal. They met when swearing the Oath, and struck up a friendship. Theoros evidently finds it amusing to discuss Magic Theory with a nearly incomprehensible Meritinita, and that topic has been the subject of most of their correspondence, though the two have also discussed a smattering of Arts.
Salignus of Merinita: Salignus is Viola’s pater, a Merinita, Muto expert, and member of the Bright Ones. They were estranged for some time, until Viola initiated herself into the Bright Ones at the beginning of 1213, using a book sent her by Salignus. Since then, they’ve discussed Merinita Lore, Muto, Faerie Lore, and Faerie Magic.
Theodolphus of Merinita: Theodolphus was taken as an apprentice by a Hermetic diabolist, and ended up lost (to the Order) in the aftermath of a March against his master. He became a priest, and one day turned up at a pilgrimage site located at Viola’s old covenant, Haunted Springs, in the summer of 1207. In order to prevent his death as the result of am overzealous pursuit of the “Join or Die” directive by covenantmate Morte, Viola claimed Theodolphus as an apprentice—with his Arts already opened, she had no trouble training him to gauntlet, though she did quickly improve her Arts to the apprentice-training requisite anyway. Since being gauntleted in the Autumn of 1220, Theodolphus has wandered Thebes Tribunal as a preacher to Hermetic magi, and corresponded with Viola on Magic Theory and Faerie Magic.
Calliope of Merinita: Calliope is a relatively young maga of the Thebes Tribunal. After leaving Andorra, Viola stayed at Calliope’s covenant and studied Parma Magica in the library while Calliope initiated herself into the Bright Ones, and eventually inititated her into Potent Spontaneous Magic (like Viola, Calliope was born with Innate Spontaneous Magic. Viola will begin her correspondence with Calliope in spring of 1226.
Scott
Finally got round to posting initial draft stats for Winfreda (my failed lab assistant companion). I'm struggling slightly for flaws to take.
Winfreda
Characteristics: Int: +3 (1), Per: +1, Pres: +1, Comm: +3, Str: -2, Sta: +1, Dex: -1, Qik: -1
Size: 0
Age: 36
Decreptitude: 0 (1)
Virtues
Failed Apprentice (mSS)
Linguist (mG) (From HoH: TL pg 25 - increases all language study totals and xp at chargen by 25%)
Improved Characteristics (mG)
Puissant Intrigue (mG)
Affinity with Intrigue (mG)
Flaws
Plagued by Supernatural Entity (MSt)
Hatred: Parens (mP)
Small Frame (mG)
Abilities:
Native Language: High German (extensive vocablary): 5 75
Low German (extensive vocablary): 4 40 -> 50
Latin (Hermetic Terms): 5 60 -> 75
Greek (extensive vocablary): 4 40 -> 50
Atheletics (hiking) 1 5
Awareness (People): 2 15
Folk Ken (magi): 2 15
Bargain (magi): 2 15
Charm (magi): 2 15
Guile (elaborate lies): 2 15
Etiquette (magi): 3 30
Intrigue (gossip): 5 50->75
Area Lore: Rhine Tribunal (magi): 2 15
Code of Hermes (Rhine Peripheral code): 1 5
Order of Hermes Lore: 3 30
Brawl (dodging): 1 5
Magic Theory (lab assistant): 5 75
Profession: Scribe (copying): 4 50
Ride (distances): 1 5
Artes Liberales: 2 15
Stealth (urban areas): 1 5
Survival (surroundings of Fengheld): 1 5
She looks good to me. What about Personality Flaws? They might help flesh out her character?
Scott
I'm not really sure where we're going with this character, but she ought to be interesting. Any comments?
The Kitten
The Cat’s most precocious kitten was born in the Andorra covenant in 1224. Smaller and less outgoing than her mother, she tends to keep to the shadows, but at the age of 9 months, shortly after she’d learned (unbeknowngst to her mother) to shapeshift into human form, she ventured into the village below the covenant, not only creating an incident among the peasants, but prompting her mother to take the actions that brought her into conflict with one of the covenant’s magi.
In her natural form, the “Kitten” (by this point, she’s an adult cat) is of average size for a member of her species, but otherwise looks similar to her mother, with a glossy coat of midnight black, save for a silver key at her throat.
In her human form, the Kitten is an alluring beauty, with a pale, angular face much like her mother’s, yet more perfect, her eyes a soft green, and often averted, her hair long and a silky black, save for a narrow streak of silver arising from the point of her widow's peak. Her frame is lithe, and her movements graceful, if often sudden.
Species: Cat
Age: 1 year (appears adolescent)
Season: Spring
Decrepitude: N/A (Immortal)
Size: -3
Magic Might: 10 (Animal)
Confidence: 0
Intelligence: +4 Perception: +3
Communication: -3 Presence: +1
Strength: -7 Stamina: 0
Dexterity: +3 Quickness: +4
Stats in Human Form
Intelligence: +4 Perception: +2
Communication: +1 Presence: +3
Strength: 0 Stamina: 0
Dexterity: 0 Quickness: +1
Virtues: Magic Animal; Arcane Lore, Great Intelligence, Improved Characteristics, Latent Magic Ability (x2), Perfect Balance (+6 to avoid tripping or falling), Puissant Awareness (+2 to Awareness), Sharp Ears (+3 to hearing), Personal Vis Source (hairballs, Animal), Second Sight
Flaws: Covenant Upbringing, Curse of Venus, Extra Sleep, Magical Friend, Nocturnal (-1 to all rolls from dawn to noon), Low Self-esteem
Qualities: Ambush Predator, Crafty, Good Jumper (+3 to jumping), Skilled Climber (+3 to climbing), Thick Fur
Magic Qualities: Gifted, Improved Abilities (x3), Lesser Power (x4), Major Virtue: Gentle Gift, Major Virtue: Shapeshifter, Minor Virtue: Improved Characteristics
Magic Inferiorities: Reduced Might (x3), Susceptible to Deprivation
Magic Inferiorities: Minor Flaw: Restricted Power (Clothes Make the Woman), Minor Flaw: Restricted Power (Feigned Innocence), Minor Flaw: Restricted Power (Solace), Susceptible to Deprivation
Personality Traits: Cat +3*, Curious +4, Timid +3, Self-conscious +3
Ability Specialty Score XP Notes
Covenant of Andorra Lore animals 1 5
Athletics jumping 3 30
Awareness at night 4+2 50
Brawl claws 2 15
Concentration shapeshifting 1 5
Hunt mice 4 50
Catalan Andorran 3 30
Order of Hermes Lore personalities 1 5
Stealth hiding 4 50
Latin Hermetic 1 5
Finesse precision 1 5
Magic Lore creatures 1 5
Penetration Animal 1 5
Second Sight invisibility 1 5
Shapeshifter goshawk 2 15 goshawk, human
Powers
Moving Objects with the Mind (Lesser), 1 point, Init. 0 (ReTe10, R: Sight, D: Conc., T: Ind.; moves an inanimate object, with maximum size depending on type of material; -1 Might; total 15)
Oops (Lesser), 0 points, Init. +3 (ReCo[An]10, R: Sight, D: Mom, T: Ind; the target loses control of both feet, causing him to fall over; -2 Might, +3 Init.; Total 35)
Shadow (Personal), 1 point, Init. +1 (MuAn[Ig]35, R: Per., D: Sun [ended at will], T: Ind.; transforms the Cat into a shadow, in which form she can move along any surface; -3 Might; total 50)
Weapon Init. Atk. Dfn. Dam. Str. Load
Claws -1 +4 +5 +2 n/a n/a
Teeth 0 +5 +3 +1 n/a n/a
Dodge +4 n/a +9 n/a n/a n/a
Soak: +1
Fatigue Levels: Fresh / Winded / Weary (-1) / Tired (-3 ) / Dazed (-5) / Unconscious
Wounds: 2 points per increment
*New Flaw
Extra Sleep
Major, General
The character requires twice the normal amount of sleep. This may restrict her activities, such as travel, and reduces her number of free seasons a year by one.
I know you said you didn't really know where you were going with the character, but I'd like some idea of what she's meant to be in the saga. Is she an NPC? Another companion character for you (that's got a link to Viola)? As built, she's not a grog. That'll help me think through my responses.
[/quote]
She's another companion character--I had her in mind when the Cat (her mother) was created in the Andorra saga, and wanted to do her as a grog, but the rules won't let you take anything major for a grog. She could be used as an NPC, though.
I agree (and it's what I did with her mother), but that's a typo--I pasted in her mother's stats so that I was working from a template, and forgot to delete her mother's Inferiorities at the end.
Good catch. Actually, only one of them, Shadow--the other two affect objects and other individuals. That does though mean she needs only one point of Qualities for Shadow, which leaves her with an extra point.
Actually, looks like I screwed that up on the Cat, too, except that in her case I just flat forgot it (she has Improved Powers x 6, with 150 points of Lesser Powers and 50 points in a Personal Power, so she's got one point of Qualities too much).
I'm still trying to figure it out--that is, I'm not entirely sure what the average vis per magus is in the saga, but I'm thinking 5 or 6 pawns a year.
I don't really have anything planned, no. As you say, it'll be difficult to open her Gift. The lab total is InVi50, actually--for magic characters with Gifted, the total is 30 + 2*Might. After having a discussion of it in the ArM forum a couple of months ago, I think that magic characters keep all their Virtues and Qualities when opened, which makes them easier to open than a normal Gifted character with equivalent abilities, but on the other hand, as you say, they're really hard to teach, unless you want to feed them massive amounts of vis, and for the same reason they make poor magi once gauntleted (and the same, really, would apply to any other Gifted tradition).
I can see a vain Bonisagus claiming and training her just to prove he could do it. Another possibility is a magus trying to take her as a familiar: that probably can't work, at least not easily, else a lot of magi would take favored apprentices as familiars.
This is her 1225 character sheet. I'll have her learn at least a little Latin as I advance her to 1226, since she's been traveling with Viola, and spent a few seasons at another covenant. She can use her vis source to overcome the learning penalty for at least one season.
Scott
OK, here's a new version with those problems corrected. I also realized I'd give her a number of Quality points equal to her Might modified by Size, rather than base Might. I dropped the Latent Magic Ability (x2) and shifted some stuff around to fix it.
The Kitten
The Cat’s most precocious kitten was born in the Andorra covenant in 1224. Smaller and less outgoing than her mother, she tends to keep to the shadows, but at the age of 9 months, shortly after she’d learned (unbeknowngst to her mother) to shapeshift into human form, she ventured into the village below the covenant, not only creating an incident among the peasants, but prompting her mother to take the actions that brought her into conflict with one of the covenant’s magi.
In her natural form, the “Kitten” (by this point, she’s an adult cat) is of average size for a member of her species, but otherwise looks similar to her mother, with a glossy coat of midnight black, save for a silver key at her throat.
In her human form, the Kitten is an alluring beauty, with a pale, angular face much like her mother’s, yet more perfect, her eyes a soft green, and often averted, her hair long and a silky black, save for a narrow streak of silver arising from the point of her widow's peak. Her frame is lithe, and her movements graceful, if often sudden.
Species: Cat
Age: 1 year (appears adolescent)
Season: Spring
Decrepitude: N/A (Immortal)
Size: -3
Magic Might: 10 (Animal)
Confidence: 0
Intelligence: +4 Perception: +3
Communication: -3 Presence: +1
Strength: -7 Stamina: 0
Dexterity: +3 Quickness: +4
Stats in Human Form
Intelligence: +4 Perception: +2
Communication: +1 Presence: +3
Strength: 0 Stamina: 0
Dexterity: 0 Quickness: +1
Virtues: Magic Animal; Arcane Lore, Great Intelligence, Perfect Balance (+6 to avoid tripping or falling), Puissant Awareness (+2 to Awareness), Sharp Ears (+3 to hearing), Personal Vis Source (hairballs, Animal), Second Sight, Shapeshifter
Flaws: Covenant Upbringing, Curse of Venus, Extra Sleep, Magical Friend, Nocturnal (-1 to all rolls from dawn to noon), Low Self-esteem
Qualities: Ambush Predator, Crafty, Good Jumper (+3 to jumping), Skilled Climber (+3 to climbing), Thick Fur
Magic Qualities: Gifted, Improved Abilities (x3), Lesser Power (x2), Major Virtue: Gentle Gift, Minor Virtue: Improved Characteristics (x2), Personal Power
Magic Inferiorities: Reduced Might (x3), Susceptible to Deprivation
Personality Traits: Cat +3*, Curious +4, Timid +3, Self-conscious +3
Ability Specialty Score XP Notes
Covenant of Andorra Lore animals 1 5
Athletics jumping 3 30
Awareness at night 4+2 50
Brawl claws 2 15
Concentration shapeshifting 1 5
Hunt mice 4 50
Catalan Andorran 3 30
Order of Hermes Lore personalities 1 5
Stealth hiding 4 50
Latin Hermetic 1 5
Finesse precision 1 5
Magic Lore creatures 1 5
Penetration Animal 1 5
Second Sight invisibility 1 5
Shapeshifter goshawk 2 15 goshawk, human
Powers
Moving Objects with the Mind (Lesser), 1 point, Init. 0 (ReTe10, R: Sight, D: Conc., T: Ind.; moves an inanimate object, with maximum size depending on type of material; -1 Might; total 15)
Oops (Lesser), 0 points, Init. +3 (ReCo[An]10, R: Sight, D: Mom, T: Ind; the target loses control of both feet, causing him to fall over; -2 Might, +3 Init.; Total 35)
Shadow (Personal), 1 point, Init. +1 (MuAn[Ig]35, R: Per., D: Sun [ended at will], T: Ind.; transforms the Cat into a shadow, in which form she can move along any surface; -3 Might; total 50)
Weapon Init. Atk. Dfn. Dam. Str. Load
Claws -1 +4 +5 +2 n/a n/a
Teeth 0 +5 +3 +1 n/a n/a
Dodge +4 n/a +9 n/a n/a n/a
Soak: +1
Fatigue Levels: Fresh / Winded / Weary (-1) / Tired (-3 ) / Dazed (-5) / Unconscious
Wounds: 2 points per increment
*New Flaw
Extra Sleep
Major, General
The character requires twice the normal amount of sleep. This may restrict her activities, such as travel, and reduces her number of free seasons a year by one.
Personal Powers only give 25 levels of power (it says it's designed like a Greater Power in the first sentence, but presumably that only means in terms of might cost and initiative, as after the bullet points it then goes on to say you get 25 levels).
That seems like a lot - by RAW, a personal vis source only gives 1/10th of the covenant's total vis income at the start of the saga. The covenant's total income is 10 pawns per year. Depending on quite how quickly you plan for us to find any sources in hidden resources, and their size, it might be a bit higher, but 5 pawns seems too much.
(Also, I just noticed that the vis build point cost doesn't add up - can I assign the extra 5 points to the library?)
Curse of Venus, Extra Sleep and Low Self-Esteem are all major flaws, so you've got 12 points of flaws here.
At range sight and duration concentration, this implies a base level of 2, which will only affect dirt. That said, I've just noticed that the same appears to apply to Unseen Arm, so I'm now a little puzzled. What am I missing?
By analogy with the Muto Corpus guidelines, I think this needs a base of 30 rather than 25 to turn the cat into an insubstantial object.
It's (30 + Might Score) x 2 - the whole sum is doubled, not just the Might Score. I'm not sure why they didn't just write 60, but I can't see an errata.
It occurs to me that with an intelligence of +4, one thing she would be useful for is a lab assistant. Especially with the low self-esteem flaw. Although the extra sleep might hinder it a bit. Have to teach her a bit of magic theory first, of course.
Ah right - I hadn't realised she still had some advancement to go. If you do drop the vis source level, though, this probably won't work.
Random idea I had for a companion. Much more interested in playing a companion now that I know the role of women in Kipchak society was so incredibly progressive compared with the rest of the 13th century world 
(I hate playing male characters-- and I hate playing useless characters who sit around and embroider all day, too.) Question-- Google says the Cuman-Kipchak nomads were usually cavalry, and that their archers used composite bows. As far as ArM is concerned, would that be a shortbow or a longbow? And did they shoot from horseback?
Sevil Erdan
Int 0
Per +1 (thoughtful)
Str +2 (wiry)
Sta +1 (healthy)
Pre +1 (cute)
Com -2 (introverted)
Dex +4 (fluid movement)
Qik +1 (lithe)
Sevil is a Cuman warrior who joined the local Kipchak tribe when she married a young hunter, Enver. The two were desperately besotted with each other, and lived happily together for a few years. Shortly after bringing down a great hind, however, Enver disappeared-- further inspiring the rumours of the great cat who hunts the hunter. After losing the love of her life, Sevil spiralled into deep despair, and took to wandering the mountains and plains for weeks at a time, searching for her lost love. She would likely have taken her own life had she not discovered that, wherever he had gone, Enver had left part of him behind. The twins, Ceren and Erol, were born in the village, but Sevil took her son and daughter into the wilderness with her as soon as she'd recovered from childbirth.
Sevil and the twins changed a great deal during their years in the wilderness, perhaps as a result of spending time in magical auras. The lonely nomadic lifestyle no longer suits Ceren, and thus Sevil now seeks a more stable home environment for her family. The widow has become less and less welcome in Enver's tribe, and will likely take the first opportunity to pursue a new life somewhere that everything does not remind her of her lost love, where people do not whisper rumours of witchcraft wherever she passes.
Warrior, Great Dexterity, Affinity/Puissant Bows, Improved Characteristics, Inoffensive to Animals, Shapeshifter, Well-Traveled
Driven (discover Enver's fate), Lost Love, Dependents, Magical Air
Shapes known: Lion, eagle, otter
Age 22
(No decrepitude)
Speak Cuman-Kipchak 5
Athletics (distance running) 3 (30)
Swim (endurance) 2 (15)
Single Weapon (longsword and shield) 4 (50)
Black Sea area lore 4 (50)
Shapeshifting (lion) 3 (25)
Bows (composite bow) 7 (80/120) +2
Awareness (alertness) 3 (30)
Ride (battle) 3 (30)
Survival 3 (30)
Hunt 3 (30)
Stealth 2 (15)
Craft: Bowyer 2 (15)
That would be neither. Do you have LoM? Take a look in the back. If not, I can look it up and post the stats for you.
I'm not sure how much they shot from horseback, but they do share similarities to the Mongols, so it wouldn't surprise me if they did regularly.
Chris
I do not have LoM. If you could post the stats for me I would appreciate it!
That'll teach me not to check the rulebook. OK, I'll fix her and repost.
As is noted in the covenant build section, there's more vis to be found: you are, after all, in Hermetically virgin territory. (This is not what the Hidden Resources refers to, by the way.)
Sure--after all, adding everything else together and then seeing what was left was how I got the library total in the first place. 
I was thinking Extra Sleep was Minor. Is there anything objectionable about just keeping them all? It's not like I'm balancing the other two points with Virtues. Also, I suspect she'll grow out of Low Self-esteem, which merely represents her teenage angst (were she ever trained in a magical tradition, this Flaw would probably be replaced by a relevant Minor Flaw related to that tradition).
The guideline for moving dirt in a natural fashion is level 1, and then there's an extra magnitude for stone or glass, making it level 2. Technically, it's level 3 for metal or gemstones, though, given the way many of the example Te spells play fast and loose with the exact nature of materials, I think this effect would as long as the object in question wasn't predominantly metal or gemstones.
Yes, but the Muto Animal guidelines are different from the Muto Corpus guidelines, and so a straightforward equation isn't possible (they read like they were written by two different people, with the editor not cross-checking the two). A major change to appearance or size is level 3 in MuCo, but level 4 in MuAn (though, actually, the MuCo guideline is "appearance or size" [emphasis added], meaning it might require level 4 for both, while the MuAn guideline specifically allows both at once). Turning an animal into a different animal is level 5, and into a human, level 10, which matches the MuCo guideline for human to animal, also level 10; however, human into bird or fish is level 20, while the inverse change is still level 10. Animal to plant is level 10, while human to plant is level 25. Animal to inanimate object is level 15, while human to inanimate object is level 25.
I'm not really sure what to make of all that. It could be that changing an animal to a plant or inanimate object is easier than turning a human into the same thing because of the animal is already closer to those objects than a human in, and presumably that same logic applies to an insubstantial object (unless you want to argue that the human soul gives humans a natural affinity with insubstantiality, but that seems a stretch). In fact, I did originally have the base at 20, I think--that's one magnitude above the animal to inanimate object guideline (15), just as human to insubstantial object (30) is one magnitude above the human to inanimate object guideline (25). On the other hand, a radical, unnatural change to an animal (or granting a magical ability) is level 25 (there's no MuCo equivalent), and arguably it should be harder to turn an animal into an insubstantial object than to make a radical unnatural change, which would argue for level 30. Given good arguments for both 20 and 30, I settled on 25 (which is at least no lower than the radical unnatural change guideline). The Black Dog of the Moor (RoP: Magic, pg. 57) lists the base of a similar power as MuAn 30, but the example characters and powers in that book are chock full of errors, only some of which have been errata'ed.
In any case, changing the base to 30 would simply mean a Might cost of 2 rather than 1, so not a huge deal.
You're right, on literal reading, now that I look at it again, but I can't imagine anyone would write it that way on purpose. I should ask about it in the ArM forum. It's not something that will come up immediately, anyway, and there are magi capable of mustering an InVi Lab Total of 80. (Also, I may have to drop her Might to compensate for the error with the Personal Power.)
That would be a waste of her Gift, and also, since she won't pick up Exposure XP's for lab work, maybe not as useful as it looks at first sight, but it could be a reason for a magus to take her as an apprentice.
As for the sleep, yeah, she's gonna be useless the equivalent of one season a year, but most magi aren't in the lab every season anyway. That does however raise the question of whether, with lab work, we should be thinking of virtual seasons (which is what the Flaw assumes) or literal seasons; that is, she would actually be available for lab work every season, but not for a full working day--perhaps a penalty should be applied to her lab work; perhaps the inverse of Overtime (-3) or even Double Overtime (-6) lab routine (Covenants, pp. 108-109) would be appropriate, and if she worked on a normal magus's schedule, rather than her own natural one, she and her work should probably suffer from the -1 Living Conditions modifier that a normal magus would suffer from a Nocturnal routine (though lab work wouldn't gain the positive effect, since it's based on lack of distraction--that does that imply that, working on her own, with her natural Noctural routine, she could gain the bonus without any downside). The considerations make her much less attractive as an assistant. By the way, I could arguably have made Extra Sleep 2 seasons less a year, but I was thinking more in terms of grogs and companions, who get only 2 seasons a year for non-Exposure advancement.
Oh, even with less vis, she could learn at least one season a year, albeit at a penalty.
Scott
They're composite (but not compound) short bows, and yes, they shoot from horseback--as Chris says, as Turkic steppe nomads, they share a lot of similarities with the Mongols, and the Mongols fired composite short bows from horseback (the advantage of a composite bow vs. a self bow for use on horseback, at least, according to Wikipedia, is that a composite recurve bow can achieve the same argue as a much longer self bow, making it easier for a rider to carry). In fact, horse archers with composite bows go all the way back to the Scythians, and one was even found in King Tut's tomb (1324 B.C.)--so any short bow in ArM is probably going to be a composite bow. Self bows (the norm in Northern Europe, as well as other parts of the world) have to be long bows--otherwise you don't get enough draw). Given the technological advantage of the composite bow, arguably it should have the same stats as a long bow. However, the English/Welsh longbow is a composite bow, and probably what the stats in ArM refer to.
Scott
OK, this is hopefully the final version. I reduced Might by two points and used that to pay for the extra Personal Power, as well as (after shifting things around between Qualities and Virtues) Great Perception; this also makes her easier to teach. I also knocked a couple of points off the Cat's Might--I still need to advance both of them to 1226.
The Kitten
The Cat’s most precocious kitten was born in the Andorra covenant in 1224. Smaller and less outgoing than her mother, she tends to keep to the shadows, but at the age of 9 months, shortly after she’d learned (unbeknowngst to her mother) to shapeshift into human form, she ventured into the village below the covenant, not only creating an incident among the peasants, but prompting her mother to take the actions that brought her into conflict with one of the covenant’s magi.
In her natural form, the “Kitten” (by this point, she’s an adult cat) is of average size for a member of her species, but otherwise looks similar to her mother, with a glossy coat of midnight black, save for a silver key at her throat.
In her human form, the Kitten is an alluring beauty, with a pale, angular face much like her mother’s, yet more perfect, her eyes a soft green, and often averted, her hair long and a silky black, save for a narrow streak of silver arising from the point of her widow's peak. Her frame is lithe, and her movements graceful, if often sudden.
Species: Cat
Age: 1 year (appears adolescent)
Season: Spring
Decrepitude: N/A (Immortal)
Size: -3
Magic Might: 8 (Animal)
Confidence: 0
Intelligence: +4 Perception: +4
Communication: -3 Presence: +1
Strength: -7 Stamina: 0
Dexterity: +3 Quickness: +4
Stats in Human Form
Intelligence: +4 Perception: +3
Communication: +1 Presence: +3
Strength: 0 Stamina: 0
Dexterity: 0 Quickness: +1
Virtues: Magic Animal; Arcane Lore, Great Intelligence, Great Perception, Improved Characteristics (x2), Perfect Balance (+6 to avoid tripping or falling), Puissant Awareness (+2 to Awareness), Sharp Ears (+3 to hearing), Personal Vis Source (hairballs, Animal), Second Sight
Flaws: Covenant Upbringing, Curse of Venus, Extra Sleep, Magical Friend, Nocturnal (-1 to all rolls from dawn to noon), Low Self-esteem
Qualities: Ambush Predator, Crafty, Good Jumper (+3 to jumping), Skilled Climber (+3 to climbing), Thick Fur
Magic Qualities: Gifted, Improved Abilities (x3), Lesser Power (x2), Major Virtue: Gentle Gift, Major Virtue: Shapeshifter, Personal Power (x2)
Magic Inferiorities: Reduced Might (x5), Susceptible to Deprivation
Personality Traits: Cat +3*, Curious +4, Timid +3, Self-conscious +3
Ability Specialty Score XP Notes
Covenant of Andorra Lore animals 1 5
Athletics jumping 3 30
Awareness at night 4+2 50
Brawl claws 2 15
Concentration shapeshifting 1 5
Hunt mice 4 50
Catalan Andorran 3 30
Order of Hermes Lore personalities 1 5
Stealth hiding 4 50
Latin Hermetic 1 5
Finesse precision 1 5
Magic Lore creatures 1 5
Penetration Animal 1 5
Second Sight invisibility 1 5
Shapeshifter goshawk 2 15 goshawk, human
Powers
Moving Objects with the Mind (Lesser), 1 point, Init. 0 (ReTe10, R: Sight, D: Conc., T: Ind.; moves an inanimate object, with maximum size depending on type of material; -1 Might; total 15)
Oops (Lesser), 0 points, Init. +3 (ReCo[An]10, R: Sight, D: Mom, T: Ind; the target loses control of both feet, causing him to fall over; -2 Might, +3 Init.; Total 35)
Shadow (Personal), 1 point, Init. +1 (MuAn[Ig]35, R: Per., D: Sun [ended at will], T: Ind.; transforms the Cat into a shadow, in which form she can move along any surface; -3 Might; total 50)
Weapon Init. Atk. Dfn. Dam. Str. Load
Claws -1 +4 +5 +2 n/a n/a
Teeth 0 +5 +3 +1 n/a n/a
Dodge +4 n/a +9 n/a n/a n/a
Soak: +1
Fatigue Levels: Fresh / Winded / Weary (-1) / Tired (-3 ) / Dazed (-5) / Unconscious
Wounds: 2 points per increment
*New Flaw
Extra Sleep
Major, General
The character requires twice the normal amount of sleep. This may restrict her activities, such as travel, and reduces her number of free seasons a year by one.
You're the one who knows best what the amount is going to be. I'd say take the amount you expect the covenant to have in total income by the end of the first year, and divide by 10.
I don't see any reason not to take the extra flaw points if you want to.
I think I'll just stop poking this and say it's fine.
I see what you're saying here (I think), although I'm more inclined to say that changing a horse into smoke is a step above giving it wings. Ultimately, as you say though, it's a difference of 1 might point in activation cost.
Oh, I fully agree it would be a waste of her gift. And I suppose that keeping a gifted child purely as a lab assistant is noted somewhere (probably HoH:TL, but I can't remember off the top of my head) as being usually considered a low crime, which makes it less likely to happen anyway.
Covenants suggests just subtracting off the percentage fewer hours the magus works from the Study/Advancement totals if they work less than 10 hours a day. I'd be inclined to suggest doing it in play as a reduction to lab totals, and simplifying pre-play advancement to losing 1 season a year, but that's possibly unnecessarily inconsistent. Technically the percentage reduction is harsher than the losing a season even ignoring her might, because it means you're not getting maximum efficiency out of tractatus and teachers.
I didn't realize it was divided by 10. In that case, we're probably looking at 4 pawns/year, maybe 5 (the former would imply 6 pawns/year per magus for the permanent members).
Oh, I get it now: you're saying the movement should be "unnatural" movement; what the heck do "natural" and "unnatural" mean in this context, anyway?
I'll have a look at that--and pre-play advancement isn't really an issue, since she doesn't have to vis to advance but one season in any case.
Scott
Since I forgot to say this earlier, I'll say now that I think she looks great.
Scott
Same as per magus, surely? We've got 5 permanent members, and are taking half of the covenant's vis as salary.
Ummmm? Dunno? In an attempt at a more useful/serious answer:
Unseen Arm has a base level of 2 (slightly unnatural), and can only move objects slowly and has no ability to oppose intentional resistance. Unseen Porter has a base of 3 (very unnatural), and has roughly the ability to move things of a +5 man. Things like creating earth waves, earthquakes and chasms are also base 3. Extrapolating from that, it looks as though it's basically just how fast and forceful the movement is - it's not natural for the object to be moving at all, so the more it's moving the more unnatural it is. For the base 1 guideline...get it to do something it was going to do anyway, but faster/slower/with a slightly specified nature to "random" movement? Maybe?
Unless you've got 10 magi 1/10 of the covenant's total works out to less than the vis per magus.
Maybe, but I thought the level 2 in the Unseen Arm guideline meant natural movement, else it's hard to justify its affecting most objects, as opposed to mere dirt.
Scott