Collegium Architectos Futurum

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Stealing the Future
1

A few weeks into the first term, Fiona will spontaneously create a piece of papyrus-like paper[sup]1[/sup] for each student and ink[sup]2[/sup]to fill an empty inkwell.

On each piece of paper, she writes, [i](student's name), you have the honour of having been chosen as the first member of the Collegium Architectos Futurum. This society will teach you, should you accept this accolade, that there is much, much more to being a Magus(Maga) of the Order of Hermes than mere knowledge of the magical arts. There is also the subtle art of social interaction, of politicking, of using getting to know the right people and know people in the right places.

If you wish to become a part of the more human and influential side of the Order, be at (an unused room in the school) one hour after Sundown next Tuesday.[/i]

She then slips the note into each student's textbook in such a way that they can't help but find it.
[hr][/hr][sup]1[/sup] Creo Herbam, base 2 to create a processed plant product, R: Touch +1, D: Sun +2, T: Group +2, for a final Spell Level of 15. Her CT is Sta 3 + Cr 7 + He 12 + Aura 4 + die roll of 7 = 33, halved is
[tab][/tab]17, beat her target by two. Dangit. Um...she was going for seven pieces of paper about the size of an index card (one for each student, I think?). So, instead, she gets seven full-sized sheets
[tab][/tab]of paper?

[sup]2[/sup] Creo Aquam (Terram requisite, I think), base 2 to fill a container with a natural liquid. R: Touch +1, D: Sun +2, T: Individual, for a final Spell Level of 5. Her CT is Sta 3 + Cr 7 + Aq 8 + Aura 4
[tab][/tab]+ die roll of 3 = 25, halved is 12. Well over what she needs, but without the die roll it's not quite enough for her to do it without fatigue and dividing by 5 (which would have been 22 ÷ 5 = 4.4,
[tab][/tab]or 4.)

2

As sundown on Tuesday arrives, Imric makes his way to the room indicated on the note. He knows he isn't the most social of people, so he figures he can use all the help he can get in working with people. IT was certainly worth seeing what the Collegium Architectos Futurum had to offer.

3

Averell sees the note tucked into his books, and he takes the time to read it carefully when he has the chance.

Social skills? Guess it can't hurt to at least attend once, right?

At the appointed time, on the appointed day, Averell makes his way to the stated room and takes a seat near the back, hoping to blend into the wall.

4

Ambrose arrives, giving the apprentices already present a nod of acknowledgement.

5

Babette is intrigued and frightened, plus naturally shy. She can't decide yet so she brings the page to Margarethe.

"What do you think? Will you be going?"

6

[color=purple]"Can't hurt to take a look, can it? I mean, who wants to spend their whole lives cooped up in a cramped, stuffy laboratory?"

7

Shortly before the designated time, Fiona asks Albus to go the the room and find a good spot to watch the students come in without being noticed himself, then let her know when it looks like they've quit coming.

Albus does so, making his way to the top of a cabinet where he curls up and observes the students arriving. [color=dodgerblue]I think they're all here, Fiona, he thinks at her before he decides he needs to give himself a quick bath.

The half-giantess checks her clothes in the mirror one last time; she is going for muggle clothing, the closest things she has to fancy garb: a long skirt and layered blouse made of a patterned wool fabric that she wove herself, with soft leather boots.

She casts The Giant Leap of Homecoming with normal words and gestures, with a -6 due to casting requisites (her Animal, due to the wool and leather, is 10, whereas her Corpus is 16) giving her a CT of 32 – 6 + Aura 4 + die roll of 5 = 35, vs. a Spell Level of 40. Success, with a loss of a Fatigue Level.

She appears near Albus's cabinet and takes a moment to look around with a friendly smile on her face.

[color=blue]"A very good turnout. I'm glad to see that. Now, first thing I want to point out is that this is not an official class, not part of your curriculum. Thus, in the confines of the Collegium, I am Maga Fiona, not Professor Fiona. That does not mean that you can treat me with disrespect; I am still a Maga of the Order of Hermes, after all. It does, however, mean that this will be a little less structured than your classes are.

"We will working with each of your personalities, to bring out your social strengths and overcoming your weaknesses, while coaching you in how to successfully deal with your sodales in a wide variety of situations."

She looks at each of them in turn. [color=blue]"Any questions so far?"

8

Julius shows up a little late. He is dirty, slightly sweaty and smelling like smoke ( not strong but there).

Sorry Professor Fiona.

9

Imric shakes his head, content to listen more before he speaks up.

10

"Tools of statecraft. Intrigue, Leadership, lessons on rhetoric, Maga Fiona?" Ambrose inquires.

11

Averell sits in the back, listening to what Maga Fiona has to say.

12

Babette sneaks in quietly and takes her seat.

13

[color=blue]"I'm glad you could make it, Julius. Is everything all right? You look like you had a bit of an adventure," Fiona says with an easy smile.

[color=blue]"Among other things. Not so much Rhetoric, that will be covered in your classes on the Artes Liberales. What will be covered is how to get people to like you. People tend to be more willing to help people they like, give aid to their friends, than they are for people they think are bloody gits. So we will be working on ways to increase your charm, make you seem more likable to your sodales. I've known people, known them well, that were just insufferable. But he know how to make a good impression on people, charm them to where they would be almost like putty in his hands until they got to know him better." She pauses as she remembers the nights she spent being...charmed by him, repeatedly and with great enthusiasm, and wonders briefly whatever became of him.

Margerethe enters with Babette, trying (and succeeding) in being inconspicuous.

14

No ma'am. I was helping Master Deiter at the forges and lost track of the time.

15

A well-built young girl with a freckled nose and long blond hair in the back of the room sticks up her arm.

"Miss Fiona? Will your class also handle how to deal with other traditions? I know you're a Jotun, for instance!"

She speaks in accented Latin, noticeably a little behind in her classes, even if she expresses herself well otherwise, and with clear enthusiasm for the topic at hand.

16

Before Professor Fiona can answer Ambrose rolls his eyes interjects, "We've covered this in History of the Order already. Other traditions, if they might be powerful enough or a threat are given the choice to Join or Die. If they Join, they go to ex Misc, or if they are truly worthy to House Tytalus. Only the weak go to House Flambeau."

17

"Wow!" Vanadís quips at the interruption, "Miss Fiona is suddenly short and ugly!"

She looks expectantly at her teacher.

18

Imric can't help but smirk at Vanadis's comment.

19

Fiona smiles. [color=blue]"There are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who would disagree with you, Vanadis."

She then turns to Ambrose with a more serious expression on her face. [color=blue]"But that's not quite true, Ambrose. While magi of other traditions are given Join-or-Die, new magi aren't necessarily ex Miscellanea. While most do, often because members of the other Houses made them feel unwelcome for some reason, quite possibly related to the whole 'or die' thing, many do join the smaller Houses. Some join Tytalus, mainly because they feel that it needs to be put in its place. Some join Flambeau, because they feel a certain camaraderie with Flambeau's martial orientation. Some even join Bonisagus, or Jerbiton, or even Mercere.

"While there's nothing wrong with being proud of your House – I, for one, couldn't see myself as being anything but ex Miscellanea – you don't do anyone any favours by belittling the other Houses, let alone yourself. We do all know what happened the last time Houses turned on each other, do we not?"

[color=blue]"Now, if everyone would grab a chair and let's sit in a circle." Fiona, however, does not grab a chair, but will sit rather unlady-like, tailor-style on the floor, with her robes tucked beneath her.

[color=blue]"The first thing I want you all to learn is how not to speak. That may be more difficult for some than for others," she says with a quick glance at Ambrose, [color=blue]"but if the other person knows what's on your mind at all times, then you have no way to gain any kind of advantage against him. It is best to let him know what you want him to know...no more, no less."

20

Vanadís listens closely to the discourse on, well, discourse, nodding occasionally. She chews her lower lip a little at the "don't tell others what you don't want them to know" bit, though. After a moment, she looks anxious to ask something, but frowns and looks at the other students first.