I've been absent from Ars Magica's fmore active sides for some time - and to get back into the spirit of things, I want to create a few characters and a covenant - just some paperwork to get back into the game mechanics.
I was pondering character concept, when the idea of a child magus hit me forcefully. I am not sure yet of how to fill the concept. I've never cared for firepower, so the flaws can be crippling if it helps along the atmosphere.
The idea is that the character often poses as a child, and children are not influenced by his/her gift. The Magus likes children better than adults and uses them as allies. The magus finds it hard to be respected by grown-ups.
That is what I figured out for myself:
Flaws: Major Supernatural (Greater Malediction: Dwarf - like the general flaw), a social flaw (but which?)
virtues: Intellego (children are perceptive) and/or Perdo (children are cruel) boosters, Affinity children (strong/weak)?
social boni children
My first thought was fairie curse and strong fairie blood, but I don't like initiations - and every second character has got strong fairie blood. Going Tytalus for the challenge is an idea that I explored already with another physically challenged character (some of you may know Marie).
Are there good internet sources on childhood in medieval Germany/France (England)?
Virtue: Unaging (he does not grow up)
Virtue: Inoffensive to Children (a variation of inoffensive to Animals)
Flaw: Dwarf (as said).
Flaw: Judged Unfairly or Offensive to Adults (a variant of Offensive to Animals). Coupled with the Gift this will make interactions with adults fairly problematic: it is like having a children's blatant gift. NOt necessary, since the Gift already affects them heavily.
I would take a focus in children as being Minor, but that is me.
If you want child "activities" for your magus, Touch spells to throw / break stuff would be useful. Corpus spells to recover rapidly and do things that seem impossible (I once jumped a wall while a kid that I am completely incapable of jumping now that I am an adult...), and a fair dose of athletics are bound to be important if you want to play childish. Thrown weapon (stones) will also work well.
One of my characters was a child-maga. She was the vulgar child of her parens, who, upon discovering she had The Gift, "gifted" her with a powerful longevity potion at the tender age of 10 or so. She hasn't aged since, physically too. So, you might wish to consider a strong longevity potion (with a magic-item virtue, I forgot the source/name for that...)
The Prima of House Criamon is a child magus, and yes, her background kind of matches Xavi's. Her master gave her an LP at a very young age.
Childhood is in a sense a modern construction. Medieval children, after the age of ten or so, are treated like adults. Children before this age are often treated as mentally deficient adults.
I would rather say, treated with the expectations of them as of adults(but not expecting instant success).
Depending on where, treated as adults somewhere from 13 to 17 and onwards.
