Ha, I have Philippa finished.
At first I thought she'd need 5 or so years out of gauntlet to build herself a cool bow Talisman, but she doesn't really. In fact, not starting with everything might be more fun.
So, here she is, freshly gauntleted, eager to test her bow against the amazons.
As mentioned I have no problem to complete remove this year as it is actual -15 exp (or more because of the houserules)! Sadly the the creation system says to a player make your apprenticeship right after the 5 years childhood or you losing points! Because for each year past this 5 years you lose 15 exp per year compared to someone who take this year after the apprenticeship. So the creation rules with all their limits pre apprentice time only work if you make a character right at the end of the apprentice time but break apart if you allow an unspecific time after apprenticeship as in this game. And if you saying you disapprove such things that would fit with how the tribunal would handle things I see no reason to lose exp.
So you say I need a reason why it have to specific this covenant?! Then I have to say there won't be any that not fit at last some other covenant because only personal relationships can really single out one covenant. For me your arguments here sound more like you look for every straw that I can't join this group!
Can you give me the book and page where the Cabal Legacy flaw is because I don't have its specific rules in mind and my Virtue & Flaw list don't show up anything when I serach for it! But from my Memory It simply don't fit with the how Dream Magic is initated. (They initate it short before the end of the apprentice time to suitable candidate in their dream so that they can kill the apprentice without to much problems if it turn out wrong. The initiate never learn who their Mystragoge is as all they see from him/her is a figure in their dream)
I'll admit - I preferred the Flambeau version (possibly with some tweaks, like adding Tethered Magic and maybe changing the Mongols to the Cumans, as there are some of those in the Order's orbit) to the magical Mercere - the basic concept of the dedicated archer with exotic arrows seems to fit better there. Leaving that aside, though...
Starting with a Superior quality bow sounds reasonable, but I'd suggest leaving anything better than that for in-play.
On a more personal note - I'm a little wary of the lecherous flaw. Whilst it definitely fits in with being a Mercere, please can you avoid playing it up too much?
Sorry, it didn't manage to pull it off.
Hurrah!
Ah, that's because I wanted to scrap it and replace it with improved characteristics (2nd)
I'll redo the math. I may have forgotten to correct the draft version in a few points. Sorry!
Yes, it is. Sun duration. I'll add it in
I thought the item takes control of the spell like in Hunter's Lethal Arrow (HoH:TL 102). I can replace that spell or have her personally end it if it doesn't work that way.
I needed a second personaily flaw, and I thought it went well with Venus blessing and her interest in amazon. If it disturbs you, I'll change it to continence, which also works in the amazon context.
The new sheet will be up in a few minutes.
[size=150]Philippa filia Maximus Mutantus, at gauntlet [/size]
reviewed by Salutor, suggested changes added
open questions: Does the Arrow - Boom spell terminate on impact or not (For now, I've editited it out since I'll keep it no matter what the final decision on the impact question will be).
Characteristics: Int +2, Per 0, Pre 1, Com -1, Str +2, Sta +2, Dex +2 Qik +1
Size: -1
Age: 22
Decreptitude: 0
Warping Score: 0
Confidence: 1(3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Affinity with Muto, Cautious bows, Improved characteristics (2x), Inventive genius, Mutantum Magic, Puissant bows, *Puissant Muto (House Virtue), Skilled parens, Subtle magic, Venus blessing; Rigid Magic, Short-Ranged Magic; Driven (minor): Become a Bowmaid of Legendary Repute, Continence, Mentor (Maximus Mutantus), Small Frame
Reputations:
Personality Traits: brave+2, competitive (bows) +2, Loyal +2
Combat:
Brawl (dagger): Init +1, Attack +8, Defense +3, Damage +5
Horse Bow: Init -1, Attack +15, Defense +7, Damage +9, Range: 15
Soak: +2
Fatigue Levels (human shape): 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties (human shape): -1 (1-4), -3 (5-8), -5 (9-12), Incapacitated (13-16), Dead (17+)
Abilities: Area Lore Western Anatolia (Geography) 1, Artes Liberales (alphabets) 1, Athletics (running) 1, Awareness (alertness) 1, Bargain (magi) 1, Bows (Horse Bow) 3+2, Brawl (dagger) 1, Charm (magi) 1, Code of Hermes (Theban tribunal) 1, Concentration (spells) 1, Craft: Bowmaking (Fletching) 1, Etiquette (magi) 1, Folk Ken (Magi) 1, Guile (magic) 1, Latin (Hermetic) 4, Magic Theory (Muto) 3, Order if Hermes Lore (Theban Tribunal) 2, Romaic Greek (reading) 5, Parma Magica (Animal) 1, Ride (ponies) 2, Scribe (diligent) 1, Survival (Plains) 1, Swim (river) 1
Arts: Cr 0, In 0, Mu 15+3, Pe 0, Re 0, An 5, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 5, He 5, Ig 4, Im 0, Me 0, Te 5, Vi 0
Twilight Scars: none yet
Equipment: Superior Horse Bow, quiver with arrows, dagger, wizardly robes
Encumbrance: 0
Spells known: explained below
Pony from dust MuTe(An)25/+25 H
Doublet of Impenetrable Silk MuAn15/+25
Personal Aura of Ennobled Presence MuIm10/+20
Disguise of the Transformed Image MuIm15/+20 H
Every girl wants to be a Swan MuCo(An,He,Te)35/+25 HT
The Voice of the Bjornaer Magus MuAn15/+20
Arrow – Boom MuIg(An,He,Te)30/+24 HT
Scales of the Magical Weight InVi5/+2
Vis: currently none
Appearance: Philippa is small and doesn’t look exceptional with her brown hair and brown eyes. But there is a bounce to her step and an innocent sway to her hip that men like and women don’t.
Voting sigil: An arrow with a bodkin tip. A closer examination reveals that the stuff on the tip is dragon-blood.
Spell sigil: elegance
Early Childhood (years 1-5)
Philippa’s mother was a redcap (vis banker) stationed at Alexandria, near Smyrna. Her grandfather is a mutantum mage in Rohrschach ()Alps). She grew up around magi and redcaps and was lucky to have her Gift discovered when she was still a baby.
45xp+language: Area Lore Western Anatolia (Geography) 1, Athletics 1, Awareness 1, Brawl 1, Charm 1, Folk Ken 1, Guile 1, Survival 1, Swim 1, Romaic Greek 5
Childhood (years 6+7):
As she got older, she got a pony immune to the Gift from her grandfather, which gave her childish ideas of becoming an amazon. Since she wasn’t allowed to learn how to shoot a bow yet, she instead slunk around the bowmaker’s workshop. Although she disliked it, she was also made to sit in on her mother’s deals with mages.
30xp: Bargain 1, Etiquette 1, Ride 2, Craft: Bowmaking 1
Apprenticeship (years 8 to 22)
Her grandfather Maximus Mutantus took her to Rohrschach (Alps) as soon as she turned 7 to apprentice her. A warm-hearted, friendly man, he took a very personal interest in her growth. Maybe, he was even too kind, because an accident in her second year made it difficult for her to use vis and to use magic at a distance.
150xp: Artes Liberales 1, Bows 3+2, Code of Hermes 1, Concentration 1, Latin 4, MT 3, OOHL 2, Parma 1, Scribe 1
150xp: Arts: Mu 15+3, Co 5 An 5, He 5, Te 5, Ig 4
150 lvls of spells (T=Tethered, H=Harnessed):
Pony from dust MuTe(An)25/+25 H
Maximus Mutantus invented this spell for his granddaughter to learn when her old pony died. Since her sigil is elegance, it is a very good-looking pony indeed. Like all spell-created horses, it is immune to the Gift. Since they are both mutants, he used a harnessed spell, so the pony can be dissolved at an appropriate time. (Base 5, +1 Touch, +3 Moon)
Doublet of Impenetrable Silk MuAn15/+25
Personal Aura of Ennobled Presence MuIm10/+20
Disguise of the Transformed Image MuIm15/+20 H
Every girl wants to be a Swan MuCo(An,He,Te)35/+25 HT (see HoH:TL, p. 102, Shape of the Ancient Kite - Sun duration)
The Voice of the Bjornaer Magus MuAn15/+20 (from HoH:MC, p. 36)
Arrow –Boom MuIg(An,He,Te)30/+24 HT
Turns a Fire touched into an arrow (before it can burn the caster). The arrow ends the spell on impact. This spell has three uses: It can quickly extinguish fires. It can be given to someone to start an instant fire (e.g. a traveling redcap). It can also be shot at a target with magic resistance: Redcaps are advised to safely dispose of the arrow before the duration ends naturally… (Base 10; +3 Moon, +1 Touch)
Scales of the Magical Weight InVi5/+2
Yes, you can. I use wood for heating the house, so I know.
I think Hunter's Lethal Arrow uses the other property of Tethered Magic - it's casting a spell when it comes into contact with an appropriate target (in this case, a Perdo Animal spell on touching an Animal), not cancelling a spell.
Thank-you, that's appreciated. (I think you missed the accompanying personality trait, though?)
Hmm. There's the old "pass your hand quickly through a candle flame" trick as well, I suppose, and Palm of Flame. And there's a line in Magi of Hermes (pg 111) which says "Note it may be difficult or even damaging to touch a particulary hot fire". So maybe just a cap on the intensity of the flame you can touch without being burned (and that said, the spell is only going to work on fires up to +5 damage anyway).
Fray's advancement,
Summer 1228 - Learn: Wizard's Comunion (MuVi25 vs LT43), from Cov Library. Purchase of Roots of the Order for x2 Vis.
Autumn 1228 - advance Corpus from book, 11(68), Level 14, Qual 14. +14 exp,
+3 Confidence points
Seasonal correspondence +2 xp MT
Personal Vis 3x Corpus Vis
Winter 1229 - Open cloak as complex device (later as Talisman) - Materials: a Lion's pelt (+7 lion transform) leather cloak (many), Mercury (muto + many) and Magnetite (animal) in clasp. (+1xp MT)
Spring 1229 - Invent spell: Profound Magnification of the Beasts (MuAn20) and Hand for the Clumsy Beast (MuAn/Co10) vs LT 61 (+1xp MT)
Summer 1229 - advance Corpus from book, 12(82), Level 14, Qual 14. +14 exp,
Autumn 1229 - Learn: Leap of Homecoming (ReCo35), from Cov Library
Seasonal correspondence +4 xp MT
Personal Vis 3x Corpus Vis
Winter 1230 - Book Study, from covenant Vim book (from L15/Q12), +12 xp Vim
Spring 1230 - Book Study, from Roots on Aquam (tba, 5/15), +15xp Aquam
Summer 1230 - invent - Submerge the Irritating Hovel (MuTe20 / Aq) vs LT 44 (+1xp MT)
Autumn 1230 - invent - Variant of OtIT using R:Sight, Evil Eye (ReVi15) (from HP, p80) vs LT 30. (+1xp MT)
Seasonal correspondence +4 xp MT
Personal Vis 3x Corpus Vis
The unusual spells are:
...
...
Would this need a mag or so for complexity & shape, and/or a finesse check? or Rego to animate the dirt?
Changing an animal into a human requires none of this, and according to Aristotle women and animals are (almost) the same. The animal is not magically controlled, so I think a carrot can replace Rego easily. Finesse is for Rego, I think - it's always exactly the same pony.
Corpus requisite needed, unless you make it a monkey hand.
Thanks. Fixed.
Great. You can easily feed a normal fire without throwing wood around, but touching something like molten iron or the hot stones of the oven hurts.
Can I now elaborate her backstory a bit - nothing mechanical or game-changing, just a study in personality to help me play her?
Cool tweaked.
And T: Ind not T: Part? Could always spontaneously create some dust I suppose
Hello folks, your host suggested that I drop by here with a possible character for the chronicle.
I'm trying to catch up with the roster and story so far; my rough concepts at the moment include:
Please let me know which you think might be a good fit and I will pitch a more detailed character!
We’ve got an active Tremere and Bonisagus and we’ve had a few other Boni come through (which is kind of ok considering the concepts) but it’s starting to become a thing.
So depending on what else your characters wish to do or are motivated by - all are ok - perhaps take a look at Viola, Fray, and Gregorius and just check for overlap?
Plus the magi being drafted too
I thought I saw a Merinita as well, is that character gone now?
Anyway, working up the Criamon!
Philippa's childhood (pre-apprenticeship)
“No, my dear, you're not almost there yet -- in fact, we haven't even left Smyrna!” Beatrix the Redcap tried and failed to keep her voice free from annoyance. It was not that she was a cold mother, but nobody had told her ahead how hard it would be to serve as a Redcap while being the mother of a curious young girl. On the contrary: Everyone at the covenant had encouraged her forays into sexuality with as many partners as possible, telling her that the Mutantes blood was potent in her veins. It was not that she needed the encouragement, anyway, since the nights on the road were lonely and the winters in Greece could be cold and she was not adverse to a good tumble.
But now she was stuck with a child that she knew she wouldn’t be allowed to keep, because it had that weirdness she knew so well, what the Order euphemistically called the Gift. The baby had been healthy, almost 10 pounds, and had shown signs of intelligence early on. Even now she felt the girl’s creepily knowing eyes looking up at her from the saddle. The news had travelled fast, and Beatrix' father, the mighty Master of Muto Maximus Mutantus, had deigned to write from the Alps only a moon after the baby was born. Here was the recognition she had craved all her life, although she was just the vessel, his true interest lay in the toddler in the saddle before her.
It wasn’t long now, just three more years, she thought, ashamed of herself. Perversely, she would have to buy her own child at Tribunal only to give her up and send her away to that land of craggy mountains to the north-west, to bask in a father's love she had never known: And so she toiled and toiled, earning another token the spring before, a token to be spent on the separation from her child.
It was too much for anyone. Few were surprised when she was killed in a skirmish with fairies just three months after doing her duty at Delos in 1214. Grogs who had seen it said, she had fought bravely, recklessly even.
It is said that the life and death of a mother form the character of a child. We can see Beatrixen's bravery in her daughter, and her loyalty to the Order. There is some of the flirtatious, lusty mother in the daughter's step and in her sway of the hip, but she is openly skeptical about procreation and motherhood, much to the dismay of her parens who would like to see the lineage continue. Some say that while she is willing to serve the House, she doesn't want to be reduced to the state of a breeder. Or is she just waiting for the One?
Muto – Queen of the Arts
homework by the Apprentice Philippa ex Mercere (aged 11), filia Maximus Mutantus
[i]I think Muto is the best art ever. Now I will prove this to you:
The hermetic arts are 10 forms and 5 techniques. Some magi specialize in a form, but I think that is not a good idea because you are only good at one thing like fire, or animals, or humans, or water.
The techniques are better. I don’t like Perdo, because it is very evil to destroy things all the time. I have once met Darius, and he was a bad and scary man. I don’t want to become like him.
I think God has created a world full of things and there are so many of them that we don’t need more of them. And they are not real things if you don’t use vis. But I’m afraid of vis and cannot use it right ever since the explosion in the lab when I made the healing potion for my pony.
Intellego doesn’t do anything. And every time I want to use it, you say that it is scrying and forbidden.
Rego is nice because you can use it to fly, but it doesn’t really change things, just pushes them around. I think too much Rego can make you a bully.
The best art is Muto because mages are in this world to change things. You can change anything you want, and if you don’t like it, you can just change it back. Some magi can’t change it back right away, but I can because I have mutant blood. And the best thing is: It is like really easy to learn.[/i]
I've no objection to another Tremere, and the necropolis makes sense as something that would interest the House's necromancers (although the House has very much turned its back on Pluto these days). The Bonisagus I don't think is an obvious fit - there aren't any features which would make it a good place to do that (in particular, it doesn't have any relevant specialists), and it's neither particularly safe nor particularly comfortable.