Wouldn't that cause some issues with House Ex Miscellanea, though? If Hedge Mages that are brought in cannot learn the Parma Magica, it kind of defeats the purpose?
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I don’t really get how this breakthrough changes it in the least? Does it create a whole new ability where the books aren’t compatible with how the Parma has worked since Bonisagus? Are you proposing this is how Bonisagus initially invented the Parma?
Here is a question: let's say a magus has been researching people with the Unaging Virtue and has come up with an "Eternal Youth Ritual" Hermetic Virtue(better name pending), which causes people under a Hermetic Longevity Ritual created by them to also enjoy the benefits of Unaging.
Would this be a Major or Hermetic Breakthrough? My gut says Major, because I don't think you are actually breaking the limit of aging, but I'm not sure.
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I agree with you that it wouldn't break the limit of aging. I'm not sure whether studying the unaging virtue would be useful at all in such a research. A supernatural virtue that isn't an ability cannot be simply taught, for example, and there is no active effect to study. Maybe original research could work rather than integration, but that sounds like a lot of experimental longevity rituals, and perhaps intellego corpus effects to understand the effects of aging. Not the easiest project to launch.
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I would say it is a Major, since it is dealing with a Virtue. You are converting Unaging from a Supernatural to Hermetic Virtue, with the way to gain it being tied to a LR. Of course if was an OR and the researcher wrote a text describing it, anyone who studied the text would be able to grant the Virtue with a LR as well (the inventor could also teach it).
A stipulation requiring some portion of the effects generated towards a discovery require that they be cast on someone with the Unaging Virtue. They would not have to be in your lab full time but would have to be available so the spells/items could be used on them at least a few times while trying to stabilize the discovery.
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Maybe something like, create and stabilize an experimental InCo(Vi) effect (the Vim is to analyze magical aging shenanigans as well). You don't get points for for it until you have used it to observe at least four(?) from the following list:
-An ordinary person (Easy, any mundane will do)
-A person under a Hermetic Longevity Ritual (Check yourself, avoids the scrying issue)
-A person with Unaging
-A person who ages more slowly than usual (Faerie Blood, Strong Faerie Blood, etc.)
-A person with Difficult Longevity Ritual (Always good to know what not to do)
-A person with Age Quickly
There are probably more. At least some amount of your break through points has to come from this sort of thing.
EDIT: If the troupe wants added difficulty, make it T:Group. You have to get a side-by-side comparison on the individuals.
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Good list but four per stabilization might be a bit much. Better to assign a points limit to each one, such as 10 points. Some portion of the total points must come from this type of activity. I would say an amount about the point limit per type less than the total.
So if the total required was set at 45 and the max per type was set at 10, then at least 35 points would have to come from this type of research. The other 10 could come from it or something else entirely.
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Looking for opinions, what level of breakthrough would each of these be?
-Corpus Form Bonus adds to Aging Rolls
-Longevity Ritual adds to recovery rolls
-Longevity Ritual adds to disease rolls
-Medicine Score adds to Corpus totals (the idea is meant to be similar to the "New Aristotle" adding to casting totals)
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If I were the ST, I'd prefer the Corpus Form Bonus added to recovery and disease rolls, probably each as a Minor Breakthrough.
...Corpus already adds to disease resistance.
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From rules-as-written, see Rival Magic p141
Their limited knowledge in this field is inferior to that of the Corpus specialists of the Order, but the inclusion of their knowledge, as a Major Breakthrough, adds an extra modifier to the longevity ritual total, equal to (the Corpus score of the ritual’s recipient /10).
So a major breakthrough as an integration project exists - so maybe high end of major to add Corpus Form bonus to aging rolls?
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A breakthrough I managed to finish in a Saga I am in with my Archmage.
Natural Transformations; Major Breakthrough (46 Points)
Sources of Insight: Traditions that cause Shapeshifting, Shapeshifting that ignores MR, Muto Corpus/Muto Animal Spells, Magical Creatures
Relevant Spells: Spells that transform the caster or the target, so long as they are either in corpus or animal form, into either enhanced versions of themselves, transform wholly or partly into one another, or into non-living & insubstantial forms
Stipulations: At least half or more of the breakthrough points must be from sources of insight, as Hermetic Magic alone has difficulty in bypassing magic resistance with its transformations.
Effect: The following Major Virtue becomes available:
Natural Transformations
Major, Hermetic
The Virtue allows you to ignore magic resistance when interacting with things due to being Transformed by your own Muto Corpus or Animal magic. This also applies to anyone who has been Transformed by your Muto Corpus or Animal Magic, including in either spellcasting or through enchantments.
The Virtue ensures that your transformation's detectable magic only lasts the moment of transformation, therefore any supernatural attempt to identify you or others transformed by your magic after you transform shows you as not under the effect of a spell and that you are of the transformed creature.
Following the above, you or others transformed by your magic no longer gain warping points for being transformed as a result of Muto Corpus or Animal effects for an extended period of time.
Note that ignoring Magic Resistance does not apply to effects that would still require penetration from the original animal or power emulated by Muto Corpus or Animal, such as fire breathing.
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So basically it removes the bounce effect that someone shapeshifted would have when trying to interact with things that have Magic Resistance by effectively making the transformation a Momentary effect no matter what its actual Duration is? The effect not being detectable by magic and not warping over time would be side effects of this.
Simple, useful, and not overpowered. I like it.
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Pretty much! My main goal on the character is to break the limit of essential nature, and as a Transformation Specialist with a Dragon form, this was one of my first go to breakthroughs. Not that I knew what the result would be, my Storyteller was awesome and we worked together when the research was complete to fully flesh it out beyond avoiding the MR bounce.
I like your SG already and I haven't even met them.
Yeah, he's pretty great. His name is Nornin, and he's been running ars for far longer than I have played personally.
This also wasn't the only breakthrough I achieved in the saga so far, let me see if I can dig up the other one.
Mercury's True Blessing Hermetic Breakthrough (118 Points)
Sources of Insight: The Original Mercury's Blessing Ritual, Some Mercurian Rituals, The Watchers spawned by the Ritual
Relevant Spells: Spells to detect the Watchers spawned from the ritual, spells that give warping points
Stipulations: Due to the nature of this breakthrough, most of the breakthrough points obtained must be specific to the Mercurian Ritual, similar spells to it, and spells that affect it or deal with whatever may be created by it.
Effect: The following Mecurian Ritual becomes available to Hermetic Magi:
MERCURY’S TRUE BLESSING (CrVi 50, Ritual)
R: Touch, D: Year, T: Group
This ritual imbues a couple with the attention of a powerful Magical Spirit known as Mercury, which guarantees that children conceived and born during its duration will have The Gift. In order for the Ritual to work, the couple need to verbally ask Mercury for his blessing. Some Christians might be hesitant to make such a plea of what seems to be a old Pagan god.
(Mercurian Ritual)
What's funny about this breakthrough is that as soon as I managed to complete it and reveal the results with fellow researchers to the Order, the entirety of House Jerbiton tried to have it banned at the Grand Tribunal. Fortunately, I was on good terms with Murion (who is still Praeco of the Rhine and Prima of House Bonisagus around the 1260s), so the Jerbiton move was rejected.
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This is a write-up for bringing Sacred Architecture from 4th to 5th edition. One of the Magi in our Saga is currently researching it. While based on the Virtue in 4th edition there are several changes to the math. It is a Hermetic Integration, rather than Original Research, and based on bringing the effects found in awesome buildings to the Order.
Sacred Architecture (HI Major Breakthrough 50)
Sources of Insight: Studying, ether directly or through architectural text, structures which generate an effect on the local Aura or people who are within it. Not every edifice is sufficient, the SG must agree it is exceptional in some way. Most are truly awe inspiring in scope and scale. If modern references often include "Great" in the name and/or classify it as an ancient monument then it is most likely appropriate.
Examples include but are not limited to: Ancient coliseums which saw much use (Coliseum of Rome), important cathedrals and centers of learning/knowledge (Vatican, Palace of Toledo, Dome of the Rock, Library of Cordoba, Library of Alexandria), ancient great lighthouses, fortifications with inspirational effects (Stirling Castle in Scotland, varies Castles of the Hospitallers, Hadrian's Wall), some truly massive worksites (Roman Sulphur Mines), larger ancient temples (Parthenon, Temple of Aphrodite in Constantinople), ancient monoliths (Stonehenge, Great Pyramid of Giza).
Relevant Spells: Spells must affect a large area, through a Target of 3+ Mags (Structure or Boundary) or with enough Mags of Size to be 4+ (Individual + Size 4, Part + Size 3, Group or Room + Size 2). The effect must be inline with that of the structure, such as inspiring certain strong emotions. Some structures might align with causing physical effects (the Coliseum of Rome causing an Endurance of the Berserkers like effect) or granting the equivalent of a Virtue.
Stipulations: While structures can be studied for more than one inspiration, no more than the researchers Magic Theory points may come from a single structure. Architectural text about a structure can only be studied once, points generated count against the maximum for that structure, and effects generated from them have a maximum level equal to the quality of the text.
Effect: Gives the Major Virtue Sacred Architecture.
Sacred Architecture Virtue
Description as per The Mysteries, 4th edition.
Sacred Architecture is the 4th edition forerunner from which Hermetic Architecture is derived. There is even an error where it is called Sacred Architecture rather than Hermetic Architecture in The Mysteries Revised. The one capability it had that did not make the jump from 4th to 5th edition is the ability to instill Aura Aspects, which is what this Virtue is designed to grant.
The 5th edition effects are:
- Grants access to the Supernatural Ability 'Sacred Architecture' and a score of 1.
- Grants a Magical Focus in Architecture. Magi who already possess a Magical Focus can treat losing it as an Ordeal.
- The ability to create Sacred Architecture Projects.
A Sacred Architecture Project requires Design, Construction, Implementation, and Maintenance. The effects of Sacred Architecture require no Vis and last as long as the structure remains intact. As soon as the first point of an Aspect comes into effect, it suppresses any Aura Alignment (RoP:M, p. 15) that might be present until no Aura Aspect is in effect.
A Sacred Architecture Project can be constructed in Magic and possibly Faerie Auras (including Regios). To be able to construct one in a Faerie Aura, the Magus must possesses Faerie Magic or a Supernatural Virtue associated with the Faerie Realm. Projects in the mundane realm do not affect Regios and projects on a level of a Regio only affect that level. If you wish to affect every level of a Regio with multiple levels, a project must be designed and constructed on each level.
Design: This requires a season of research, where the Magus must equal or exceed a difficulty calculated from the desired effect with their total of Int + Magic Theory + Muto + Vim + Sacred Architecture. This season must be spent on site, with the Magus able to study the "lay of the land" and design the structure. Depending on the size of the aura this could involve quite a bit of walking.
The Design has a 'Final Cost' equal to the 'Aspect Cost' x 'Aspect Level' and a difficulty equal to the 'Final Cost' x 5. The 'Aspect Cost' is 3 for Emotions, 4 for Arts, and 5 for Other Effects. [Other Effects include things in the Other Aligned Auras category like 'Healing', 'Luck', and 'Distracting'] The 'Aspect Levels' of a project may not exceed the level of the Aura. It is possible to reduce the 'Final Cost' by creating a Symmetrical or Isolated Design.
A Symmetrical design can only be created for Aspects of Arts. It creates an equal negative Aspect for another Art, which must match the type (both Forms or both Techniques). Examples include Muto opposed by Rego. A symmetrical design halves the 'Final Cost' (and thus the 'Difficulty').
An Isolated Design limits the Aspect to only affecting a single structure within the Aura. The structure can be no larger than half the size of the Aura in each direction. An Isolated Design reduces the 'Final Cost' by 2. On designs which are both Symmetrical and Isolated, the cost is reduced by 2 after halving it.
Examples: An Aspect for 'Muto +3' would have a Final Cost of 12 and a Difficulty of 60. If it was done as a Symmetrical design with 'Rego -3' it would have a Final Cost of 6 and a Difficulty of 30. If done as an Isolated design on a single structure it would have a Final Cost of 10 and a Difficulty of 50. If it was done as both a Symmetrical design with 'Rego -3' and Isolated design to a single structure the Final Cost would be 4 and the Difficulty 20.
The effects of Aura Aspects are identical to the effects of Aura Alignments (RoP:M) except that the modifier is equal to the Aspects level rather than derived from Aura level. Some Other Effects will require SG judgement. Distracting for example could require Concentration rolls more frequently and increase the Ease Factor of them by [Aspect Level -1] x3.
Construction: The construction takes however long the desired structure would take to be built with the livable means (see C&G to get an idea), though it always takes at least one season. This one season minimum applies even if it is created with Craft Magic. The Magus must be on site and oversee the construction, with each season providing Exposure Experience in Sacred Architecture. A Construction Total for the Project equal to Per + Sacred Architecture + Aura Level of the Magus is recorded at the end of construction. This total determines both how long a Project last between Maintenance and how rapidly it Implements its effect.
Implementation: At the end of each season after construction is complete, the Project generates a number of points equal to its Construction Total. Once the total points equals or exceeds (Aura Level + total levels of any current aspects) x (Final Cost of the Project), the Aura gains +1 level in the Aspect and the points total is reset to 0. Once the total level of the Aspect rises to the level chosen when it was designed the Implementation is complete.
Maintenance: Projects require roughly one season of maintenance every Construction Total years. Someone with Sacred Architecture and the plans must check over the maintenance, though this only takes roughly a week of the season. A project may bank maintenance seasons up to its Construction Total, which can be used to apply a lot of work at one point that might last decades. A Project with a Construction Total of 8 which receives 4 seasons of maintenance will keep intact for 32 years before requiring further maintenance to keep from falling into disrepair. Once a Project enters disrepair the Aspect provided by it will decrease by 1 level per year. Maintenance can stop the loss but the Aspect must follow the Implementation rules to determine how long it takes to recover any lost levels.
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Stabilized Circle Magic
Stabilized Circle Magic Major Breakthrough (50 points)
Relevant Spells: Circle target or Ring duration spells that are designed in such a way that the target is very likely to break the circle by exiting or entering the circle, such as Creo Animal spells that create (but not control) animals, or Muto Aquam spells that cause the rapid expansion of water beyond the constraints of a container.
Sources of Insight: Hermetic Geometry or other magics that focus heavily on circles or geometric shapes, a particularly elaborate spontaneous circle or ring spell that benefits heavily from ceremonial props or paraphernalia.
Stipulations: At least five points of this breakthrough must come from a source of insight, or an invented spell of the 7th magnitude or higher.
Effect: This breakthrough provides the following breakthrough Virtue:
Circle Magic Adept
Major Breakthrough Virtue
This virtue allows the magi to reinforce and contain the magical energy within a circle or ring spell or ritual, to allow it to resist and adapt better to intrusions. When designing a spell with the Circle target or Ring duration, the magi may increase the magnitude of the spell by one in order to include stabilizing elements to the spell. If the spell is both Ring and Circle, they need only increase the magnitude of the spell once to have both spell parameters benefit from this effect.
They may choose to either include a reinforcing triangle, square or both, for the same increase in magnitude.
A reinforcing triangle fortifies the circle or ring spells against things that exit the circle. They allow things to leave the circle without breaking it, so long as the lines of the circle (and any reinforcing shapes) are left physically unmarred.
A reinforcing square fortifies the circle against things that enter the circle. They allow things to enter the circle area without breaking it, so long as the lines of the circle (and any reinforcing shapes) are not damaged in the process.
For Circle and Ring spells, this causes the exiting object to cease to be subject to the spell, or causes the entering object to become part of the spell’s target.
However, casting a spell with a reinforcing shape is more time consuming and arduous than a normal circle spell. It requires both a minimum of one minute per magnitude of the spell and a successful Artes Liberales (Geometry) check of (3 + spell magnitude). This time and effort allows the drawing of the additional shapes at the appropriate angles for the desired effect. Additionally, all reinforcing shapes have physical props that help anchor the effect. The exact shape of these is unimportant, save that they must fit within the reinforcing shape. If these anchoring objects are moved or destroyed, the circle is broken.
Stabilized Circle Magic Integration Major Integration Breakthrough (50 points)
Relevant Spells: Spells that are designed to use the reinforcing shapes of the Circle Magic Adept virtue (above).
Sources of Insight: None
Stipulations: If at least 20 of the breakthrough points come from a Magi with the Mercurian Magic major virtue, this breakthrough gains an additional benefit, described below.
Effect:
Hermetic spells or rituals that make use of the Circle or Ring spell parameters are permanently enhanced with the following options, which can be applied to any Circle or Ring spell or ritual when it is cast. All hermetic spells that use those parameters are considered to include the following options automatically.
Making use of either (or both) of these options imposes a -5 penalty to the Magi’s casting total.
The magi may add a reinforcing triangle or square to their spell or ritual while casting it. They do not have to design spells to account for this. These reinforcing shapes have the same effects as those provided by the Circle Magic Adept virtue, save with the following distinctions:
The physical objects included as anchors within the spell must collectively contain an amount of Vis (of the appropriate type) equal to half of the magnitude of the spell (round down). If both shapes are used, this rises to the spell’s magnitude.
This Vis is not consumed by the spell, but must be divided equally between all anchoring objects. If the amount of Vis cannot be divided equally, additional vis must be added until the appropriate and equal division is met. If these objects (or the Vis within them) is disturbed in any way (including removing or consuming the Vis), the spell is immediately ended as if the circle itself was broken.
If this breakthrough’s stipulations are met, then the inclusion of one shape requires no Vis and the inclusion of two requires one half (round down) of the spell or ritual’s magnitude.
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One thing that seems to hamper most of ex Miscellanea is that most of the supernatural abilities do not, in any way, help the Hermetic side of one's magic (Summoning and the other Ars Goetia and, to a lesser extent, Comprehend Magic being the exceptions that I can think of off the top of my head) and eventually the Hermetic will outpace what one can do with the ability if the ex Misc focuses on the related arts making that aspect of the character feel like just an xp sink. In light of that and to somewhat offset that I propose:
(Name suggestions welcome) Major OR Breakthrough (~50 points)
Relevant Spells: Spells to study the interactions between hermetic magic and particular Supernatural abilities which might include Vim spells of any technique (general Pe or Re Vi or spells affecting only Hermetic Magic would not be acceptable), Spells duplicating the effects or or creating similar effects to those produced by the ability invented by someone with the ability or using someone with the ability as a lab assistant (this might include an experimental Piercing the (Realm) Veil to learn from Second Sight or a ReAu weather control effect to learn from someone who has Whistle Up the Wind)
Sources of Insight: None
Stipulations: At least one effect using each of the 5 techniques must be invented. At least half of the breakthrough points must come from spells and effects each similar to or duplicating a different supernatural ability and invented by or with the help of someone with that ability (more than one spell related to a single ability may grant breakthrough points towards the total 50 needed but only one per Supernatural ability may grant points towards the 25)
Effect: Grants a minor Hermetic Virtue (name pending) that allows one to add their supernatural abilty score in place of a Similar Spell Bonus (and limited to Magic Theory just as normal Similar Spell Bonuses are) to inventing Hermetic effects that are related to the effects of the Supernatural Ability. It also allows access to a New Mastery Special Ability that allows the magus to add their score in the related Supernatural Ability to their casting total for that spell. The Goetic Arts do not gain access to this new ability as they already have access to Goetic Mastery which is both more powerful and contains certain weaknesses relevant to the Infernal Nature. Faerie Magic, Cthonic Magic, and Holy Magic also can not be used with this virtue or used as sources of research as they are already a fusing of Hermetic and non-Magic realm power.
Dunno, this came out of me wishing there was a Mastery Special Ability like Goetic Mastery for Wards or for purely Magic-aligned Summoning such as that practiced by the Terrae cult.
7 Likes
Maybe call it Supernatural Harmony?
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