Christophoros the Schoolmaster

[size=150]Christophoros the Schoolmaster[/size]
Age: 42 (apparent 41)
Decrepitude: 0 (1)

Characteristics: Int +2, Per 0, Str -1, Sta 0, Pre +2, Com +2, Dex 0 Qik -1

Virtues: Failed Apprentice, Magister in Artibus, Wealthy, Good Teacher, Social Contacts (academics), Unaging
Flaws: Proud (Major), Dark Secret (stole his wealth from Xilinites), Arthritis, Avaricious (Minor), Missing Hand (left arm at the elbow), Offensive to Animals

Personality Traits: Proud +3, Conflicted (about relationship with magi) +2, Brave (physical violence) -1, Headstrong +2

Abilities:
Area Lore: Corinth (slums) 2
Area Lore: Constantinople (legends) 3
Artes Liberales (astronomy) 6
Awareness (alertness) 2
Bargain (services) 3
Brawl (fist) 1
Civil & Canon Law (Constantinople) 2
Code of Hermes (mundane relations) 2
Concentration (reading) 1
Dominion Lore (saints) 2
Etiquette (nobility) 3
Faerie Lore (water faeries) 3
Folk Ken (nobles) 2
Guile (his past) 4
Infernal Lore (demons) 2
Language: Romaic Greek (slang) 5
Language: Classical Greek 6 (academic usage)
Language: Latin 5 (academic usage)
Language: Oghuz (Ottoman Turkish) 3
Leadership (apprentices) 3
Magic Lore (genii loci) 4
Magic Theory (Mentem) 4
Order of Hermes Lore (covenants) 4
Philosophiae (metaphysics) 5
Profession: Schoolmaster (logistics) 5
Profession: Scribe (elegant script) 2
Teaching (Artes Liberales) 5
Theology (history) 1
Background: Born in Corinth, had the Gentle Gift and became the apprentice of a Jerbiton magus of Thermakopolis (in Constantinople). A lab accident -- due to risky experimentation -- almost destroyed his Gift. His master was given a shard because of this, but was otherwise unpunished. The boy was still kept on and trained as a scribe and occasional lab assistant. Although he was resentful at being considered a "resource" by the covenant, for without the fool-hardiness of his master he could have become a magus himself. At one point he was "given" to the covenant of Xilinites, where he received additional training as a teacher. When Constantinople fell in 1204, he was greviously wounded (losing his left arm at the elbow) and was abandoned when the last Jerbiton magi of Xilinites fled into exile. He knew, however, of a secret hiding place where the covenant hid a cache of gold and gems. He stole these and fled to Italy, where he used this wealth to become a student at the University of Arezzo, becoming a Magister. He came back to Thebes a few years ago, under a new name, to bargain his services to the Order in exchange for a longevity ritual. Unknown to him, the magical accident that damaged his Gift made him immune to the more damaging effects of aging, although his apparent age kept progressing normally.

Personality: Christophoros is quite status-conscious and proud. He uses his wealth (what he doesn't simply accumulate) to further the appearance that he is of noble background. He is still slightly resentful of the fact that he never became a magus, and for being abandoned by the Jerbiton of Xilinites. But he realizes that he has come a long way from the son of a prostitute (something he also keeps secret) -- something that fuels his pride.

A first draft for the schoolmaster. Stats may be incomplete and/or not fully balanced out, this is just to get a feeling of what he might look like.

Characteristics: Int +2, Per 0, Str -1, Sta 0, Pre +2, Com +2, Dex 0 Qik -1
Age: 42

Virtues: Failed Apprentice, Magister in Artibus, Wealthy, Good Teacher, Social Contacts (academics), Unaging
Flaws: Proud (Major), Dark Secret, Arthritis, Avaricious (Minor), Missing Hand, Offensive to Animals

Abilities: Area Lore: Corinth 2, Area Lore: Constantinople 3, Artes Liberales 6, Awareness 2, Bargain 2, Code of Hermes 2, Dominion Lore 2, Etiquette 3, Faerie Lore 3, Guile 4, Infernal Lore 2, Language: Classical Greek 6, Language: Romaic Greek 5, Language: Latin 5, Magic Lore 4, Magic Theory 4, Order of Hermes Lore 4, Parma Magica 2, Philosophiae 5, Profession: Schoolmaster 5, Teaching 5, Theology 2

Background: Born in Corinth, had the Gentle Gift and became the apprentice of a Jerbiton magus of Thermakopolis (in Constantinople). A lab accident -- due to risky experimentation -- almost destroyed his Gift. His master was given a shard because of this, but was otherwise unpunished. The boy was still kept on and trained as a scribe and occasional lab assistant. Although he was resentful at being considered a "resource" by the covenant, for without the fool-hardiness of his master he could have become a magus himself. At one point he was "given" to the covenant of Xilinites, where he received additional training as a teacher. When Constantinople fell in 1204, he was greviously wounded (losing his left arm at the elbow) and was abandoned when the last Jerbiton magi of Xilinites fled into exile. He knew, however, of a secret hiding place where the covenant hid a cache of gold and gems. He stole these and fled to Italy, where he used this wealth to become a student at the University of Arezzo, becoming a Magister. Came back to Thebes a few years ago, under a new name, to bargain his services to the Order in exchange for a longevity ritual. The only magus who would accept to spend time and vis for a mundane helper insisted on experimenting as part of his researches. As a result, Christophoros gained the Unaging flaw.

Personality: Christophoros is quite status-conscious and proud. He uses his wealth (what he doesn't simply accumulate) to further the appearance that he is of noble background. He is still slightly resentful of the fact that he never became a magus, and for being abandoned by the Jerbiton of Xilinites. But he realizes that he has come a long way from the son of a prostitute (something he also keeps secret) -- something that fuels his pride.

Design Notes: Can a Failed Apprentice use Parma Magica, if his Gift has not been completely destroyed? Would that constitute a Dark Secret? Otherwise, the fact that he established his wealth by stealing from the magi of Xilinites might suffice. Also, does it make sense that he might have been able to bargain for a longevity ritual? Finally, I contemplated giving him some additional Supernatural virtue(s) or flaw(s), and I still might swap a few things, but this initial version isn't too bad.

Thoughts and comments?

A failed apprentice cannot have parma magica- by definition they do not have the gift and PM is literally the last thing taught. Also I am coming up with 910 points in abilities leading to an age of 36.25, not 42. (calculation is (ability points-45(youth)-240 (magister)/20(wealth))+5 (for years in youth)
removing parma magica would bring him down to 35.5, aging rolls begin at 35, so it is possible he is returning to covenant life in order to obtain a longevity ritual...

Yep, I know, the Abilities are not complete yet (I still have 105 xp to allocate). This is just a rough draft, after all. Just wanted everyone to get a feel of what the character would look like before I spend more time polishing him.

Suspected as much regarding Parma. On the other hand, as a Failed Apprentice this might have been the only piece of magic that he can still do. But if you say that it takes a full Gift to make use of it, then so be it. Note that having the Ability (which he could have leanred secretly from a book) does not automatically imply that he can use it. He might only be able to teach it -- a security risk for the Order, hence a reason why he has Dark Secret. But it's a minor feature of the character, so I am fine with removing it.

See my design notes and background regarding the longevity ritual. He came back to Thebes for this, so I'm wondering whether he would have had access to the longevity ritual before the saga starts (around age 37 perhaps). Taking on the position as schoolmaster and arranging for the social networking require to establish it might be the services he paid to have a LR done for him. It doesn't even need to be a powerful one, I just think that it is a good way to introduce the Unaging virtue at a later age, so that his apparent age is consistent with his position as a magister. I'll do aging rolls as needed, based on that.

No, I am keeping it consistent that companions and grogs cannot have LR before game play begins.

Ok then, no problem. I'll find another way to introduce the Unaging virtue at some point in the character's life. 8)

Perhaps Unaging was there all along ever since his Gift was destroyed, and it is only his apparent age that kept increasing. His apparent age might just stabilize as soon as he gets a LR done, or naturally around 40.

Could getting a LR be part of the bargain he made with the covenant for setting up and running the school? That way, it would be an obligation for one of the magi to do it within, say, 3 years of the saga's start?

Orien would certainly have agreed to that if it got a top notch schoolmaster to the covenant.

He'll agree to do it himself, and even pay for it if the covenant is unwilling to take on the cost.

Second draft, much more complete. I'll do the aging rolls later -- with the Unaging virtue, they don't have any effect on play, unless they give him Decrepitude or kill him outright.

Characteristics: Int +2, Per 0, Str -1, Sta 0, Pre +2, Com +2, Dex 0 Qik -1
Age: 42

Virtues: Failed Apprentice, Magister in Artibus, Wealthy, Good Teacher, Social Contacts (academics), Unaging
Flaws: Proud (Major), Dark Secret (stole his wealth from Xilinites), Arthritis, Avaricious (Minor), Missing Hand (left arm at the elbow), Offensive to Animals

Abilities:
Area Lore: Corinth (slums) 2
Area Lore: Constantinople (legends) 3
Artes Liberales (astronomy) 6
Awareness (alertness) 2
Bargain (services) 3
Brawl (fist) 1
Civil & Canon Law (Constantinople) 2
Code of Hermes (mundane relations) 2
Concentration (reading) 1
Dominion Lore (saints) 2
Etiquette (nobility) 3
Faerie Lore (water faeries) 3
Folk Ken (nobles) 2
Guile (his past) 4
Infernal Lore (demons) 2
Language: Romaic Greek (slang) 5
Language: Classical Greek 6 (academic usage)
Language: Latin 5 (academic usage)
Language: Oghuz (Ottoman Turkish) 3
Leadership (apprentices) 3
Magic Lore (genii loci) 4
Magic Theory (Mentem) 4
Order of Hermes Lore (covenants) 4
Philosophiae (metaphysics) 5
Profession: Schoolmaster (logistics) 5
Profession: Scribe (elegant script) 2
Teaching (Artes Liberales) 5
Theology (history) 1
Background: Born in Corinth, had the Gentle Gift and became the apprentice of a Jerbiton magus of Thermakopolis (in Constantinople). A lab accident -- due to risky experimentation -- almost destroyed his Gift. His master was given a shard because of this, but was otherwise unpunished. The boy was still kept on and trained as a scribe and occasional lab assistant. Although he was resentful at being considered a "resource" by the covenant, for without the fool-hardiness of his master he could have become a magus himself. At one point he was "given" to the covenant of Xilinites, where he received additional training as a teacher. When Constantinople fell in 1204, he was greviously wounded (losing his left arm at the elbow) and was abandoned when the last Jerbiton magi of Xilinites fled into exile. He knew, however, of a secret hiding place where the covenant hid a cache of gold and gems. He stole these and fled to Italy, where he used this wealth to become a student at the University of Arezzo, becoming a Magister. He came back to Thebes a few years ago, under a new name, to bargain his services to the Order in exchange for a longevity ritual. Unknown to him, the magical accident that damaged his Gift made him immune to the more damaging effects of aging, although his apparent age kept progressing normally.

Personality: Christophoros is quite status-conscious and proud. He uses his wealth (what he doesn't simply accumulate) to further the appearance that he is of noble background. He is still slightly resentful of the fact that he never became a magus, and for being abandoned by the Jerbiton of Xilinites. But he realizes that he has come a long way from the son of a prostitute (something he also keeps secret) -- something that fuels his pride.

I can see the proud schoolmaster almost demanding a longevity ritual as part of his pay, as if it was something he deserved years ago. :slight_smile:

Wait till he asks for a vote on the covenant's council, with equal rights to those of the magi.

He is, after all, their equal. :laughing:

If We do it, the Covenant should provide the Vis. I think we should agree to it. Makes sense to me.

Aging rolls before saga start. I am assuming +1 Living Conditions modifier but nothing else. Christophoros has Sta 0. His Unaging virtue means that the only things that would actually affect him are Aging Points adding up as xp for Decrepitude, and a Crisis. I am letting his apparent age increase for now -- but once the saga starts I will ignore half of the apparent age increases.

  • Age 36: roll 9 + 4 for Age - 1 for Living Conditions = 12, 1 Aging Point accruing for Decrepitude but otherwise no effect because of Unaging
  • Age 37: roll 3 + 4 for Age - 1 for Living Conditions = 6, apparent increases by one year
  • Age 38: roll 4 + 4 for Age - 1 for Living Conditions = 7, apparent increases by one year
  • Age 39: roll 4 + 4 for Age - 1 for Living Conditions = 7, apparent increases by one year
  • Age 40: roll 2 + 4 for Age - 1 for Living Conditions = 5, apparent increases by one year
  • Age 41: roll 2 + 5 for Age - 1 for Living Conditions = 6, apparent increases by one year
  • Age 42: roll 5 + 5 for Age - 1 for Living Conditions = 9, apparent increases by one year

So his apparent age is 41. Decrepitude is 0 (1).

I think I'm done.

I agree, go ahead and post him in companions.

Repeating the following information from the General discussion thread so that I can do an analysis of how many teachers Christophoros would try to hire and how he would organize the school.

Let's run with the assumption that the school needs to cater to the needs of 45 students. Considering that the school year would be from September to June, but with numerous breaks into the routine for Christmas and Easter. So the total time is about right for the equivalent of 2 seasons per year, IMHO. That jives well with the fact that a normal teacher would work 2 seasons per year.

That means he needs enough teachers for 45 students. A beginner teacher would probably have a Teaching score 3, so would be able to handle 15 students at a time, working 2 seasons per year. Christophoros himself would probably teach some of the more advanced students for now, as well as tutoring the teachers to improve their skills. So at least 3 additional teachers would required, although that could vary a bit depending on how skilled they are.


Ideally, the school will also need a decent mundane library so that the teachers can study on their own for the last season of the year, if they want to (I'm assuming that they would).

Subjects should include (but would not be limited to): Artes Liberales, Civil and Canon Law, Classical Greek, Latin, Medicine, Philosophiae, Theology, and a variety of Area Lore, historical texts, romance and poems (which TSE p.44 describe as being tractatus in Magic Lore).

How expensive would mundane book be?


Finances. The school would earn about 9 pounds per year for 45 students. Accomodations would be paid by the students as a supplement to the cost of teaching, assumably, so this would be revenue-neutral. But the teachers needs to be paid out of that 9 pounds. Of course, they are fed and housed as part of their employment, so we can probably assume a net pay of 2 pounds per year. Christophoros himself would also expect to be paid. Leaving very little money to purchase other stuff like books.

Presuming that those numbers are correct, Christophoros would approach the magi for additional funds to acquire mundane books. These would benefit both the school and the covenant, as copies can easily be made.

What do people think?

Covenants asserts that generally a book on a truly mundane subject would cost about 1 pound, though in some cases the price may vary depending on quality and how quickly you need it. A low quality second hand book might cost less, or a rare book needed quickly might cost more.
For books an 'advance' on this years income (normally assessed in winter) would be allowed as income from the scriptorium could certainly be paid in books...

It seems perfectly reasonable that our schoolmaster would receive a regular wage in silver. What's the going rate for a magister in artibus?

I agree that we should devote additional funds to building up our mundane library. But as silveroak points out, we're have a bit of a cash flow issue this first year. We have very little in the way of cash reserves, and won't get our income until winter. But after that, I say that we allocate some of our surplus to buying books. How much will that surplus be?

Would Christophoros himself have anything in the way of resources that he could lend the school to start off? Considering that he is a Magister in Artobus, I don't think it would be unreasonable for him to have a few personal books, either brought back from Italy or obtained in Greece before leaving or after his return.

Alternatively, he might be able to advance some of his personal wealth to make sure the school starts with a reasonable number of books, and expect the covenant to reimburse him for the cost. He could even go to a moneylender if need be.

A cost of 1 pound per book, I assume, is for summae? Tractatus should probably cost less than that perhaps 3 for a pound? (Selling books by the pound! Buy my books! Three for a pound!) :laughing:

I'll build a list of priorities for acquiring books for the school. Later today, got work to do.

EDIT: Christophoros would still approach the magi for an advance of 20 pounds to acquire books for the school. This would probably happen before play begun, so this can be discussed in the meeting of the board thread.

Keep in mind that the scriptorium produces 100 pounds per year of income, and they would need to acquire books to copy as well as part of their operating expenses, which is why I say you can acquire books out of their budget- you will simply have to leave the book in the care of the scriptorium after acquiring it and get the covenant copy a season later, and each book counts as 1 pound of income from the scriptorium. You could effectively collect about 10% of the covenant income this way (more if you want multiple copies of the same book)

Thanks for the reminder. That certainly makes future acquisition of books for the school relatively easy.

Still, the first year is a bit weak. Oh well, he's still building the scholl so that's fine.

Here's a list of priorities of books to be obtained for the school. I have added a suggestion for the name and stats, basically taking stuff from the downloadable list of books by abilities from the Atlas site.

Most urgent:

  • A beginner's book on Artes Liberales, in Greek -- Elementa by Euclid (L4Q9 summa) or Almagest (aka Megale Syntaxis) by Ptolemy (L5Q8 summa)
  • A book on Philosophiae, in Greek -- Nicomachean Ethics and/or Physics by Aristotle (both are L6Q12 summae)
  • A book on Theology, in Greek -- Periphyseon (About Nature) by John Scotius Eriugena (L4Q8 summa)

High desirability:

  • Herbal by Crateus, in Greek (L5Q14 summa in Medicine, L5Q14 summa on Profession: Apothecary, L10Q9 summa in Mythic Herbalism)
  • A good beginner's book on Artes Liberales, in Latin -- Ars grammatica - Ars minor Donatus (L4Q15 summa)

There would be many tractatus and other books that would be nice to have, particularly for the more advanced teachers and students. The school will also need some additional books in Latin. But these would be a good start.