Cynara the Pharmacopoeian (Development)

Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Light of Andorra
1

Background: Born and raised in the Bavarian Forest, her mother was a witch of the local coven with some renown who got blessed with twins. Only one of the two girls came after the mother though... Adelie was beautiful child not unlike her mother while her sister Annamaria was stunted and ugly. Adelie resented her mothers equal distribution of love and care from her mother though, certain that she deserved more then her ugly sister.
The wise witch was worried by Adelies development and when it was time to choose a successor it was Annamaria who was thought the arts by her mother and not Adelie, who was sent to a distant aunt, a Pharmacopoeian, in the hope it would improve her character.

The Maga that became her parens was Sister Bonassias Chevrolet, an old, stern and very strict teacher of herbal lore and healing.
"The old goat" as Adelie prefered to refer to her (behind her back) was living in the...

Story of Magdalena (Grog #1)
The first of Cynaras so called "Dornenmädchen" (Thorn-girl) who she hired to help her collecting plants and herbs. Magdalena is not only, as the name suggests, responsible to cut herbs in places where one might scratch his skin but also there for protection. She is in her mid twenties and her former life as a butchers wife gave her enough strength to look rather imposing.

Story of Cecile Pinot (Grog #2)
Cecile is the daughter of a well traveled French wine merchant who had to take care of herself for a few years after her father life was ended by a falling keg. She is not as imposing as Magdalena but much quicker and quite talented with the dagger.

The Gauntlet:

Characteristics:

Magus Name: Cynara (Latin for Artichoke...)
Birth Name: Adelie (Some variation of the german word meaning "noble")
Race/Nationality: Bavarian
Place of Origin: Bavarian Forest
Religion:Pagan
Current Year:
Year Born:
Age:22
Gender:Female
Hair:Blonde
Eyes:Ice-Grey
Handedness:Right
House: Ex Miscellanea
Covenant:
Parens:
Covenant of Apprenticeship: The Hirschberg Coven of the White Stag
Magic Sigil: Small plant parts (roots, flower stems, leaves) somewhere near her twist slightly.
Twilight Scars & Effects: none
Symbolic Sigil:
Familiar:
Size: -1
Age: 22 (22)
Decrepitude: 0
Warping: 0
Confidence: 1 (3)

Int +4
Per -2
Com +2
Pre +2
Str -2
Sta +1
Dex -1
Quik +1

Combat Stats (Knife):
Initiative: 1+0-0=1
AttackTotal: -1+0+2 =1
Defense Total: 1+0+0 =1
Damage Total: -2+3=1
Soak Total: 1+0=1

Virtues:

The Gift (special)*
Hermetic Magus (free social status)*
+3 Mythic Herbalism (major supernatural) *House bonus
Root-Cutter (minor hermetic) *House bonus
+1 Minor Magical Focus (Healing)

+1 Cyclic Magic (positive,seasonal: Spring & Summer)
+3 Gentle Gift (major Hermetic)
+1 Great Intelligence (minor general)1
+1 Affinity Mythical Herbalism (Minor General) 1

Flaws:
-3 Deficient Technique Perdo (major Hermetic)*House flaw
-3 Driven: Eternal Youth (major Personal)
-1 Small Frame(minor general)
-1 Sacred Vow (Sacred Life)
-1 Weird Magic (minor hermetical)
-1 Magical Animal Companion: Crow (minor Story)

Personality Traits:
Narcissistic: +2
Outgoing: +2
Helpful: +2

Abilities:
German 5 (Bavarian, slang),
Bavarian Area Lore 2 (The Bavarian Wood);

Artes Liberales 1 (literacy), 5
Awareness 1 (searching), 5
Catalan 3 (chit-chat), 30
Charm (first impressions) 2 (15)
Code of Hermes 1 (procedure), 5
Concentration 2 (spells), 15
Folk Ken (Peasants) 2 (15)
Intrigue (ploting) 2 (15)
Latin 4 (technical vocabulary for plants), 50
Magic Lore 1 (mythic beasts), 5
Magic Theory 3 (Creo), 30
Medicine (anatomy) 2, 15
Mythical Herbalism (Healing) 5, 50
Normandy Tribunal Lore 1 (covenants), 5
Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Pharmacopoeians),5
Parma Magica 1 (Corpus), 5
Philosophiae 1 (ceremonial casting), 5
Profession-Scribe 1 (copy), 5
Profession-Apothecary (finding ingredience) 2, 15
Survival (Woods) 2 (15)
Swim (long distance) 1 (5)
250.

Arts:
Creo 9, 45
Intéllego
Muto 1,1
Perdo
Rego
Animal
Aquam
Auram
Corpus 7, 28
Herbam 5,15
Ignem
Imaginem
Mentem
Terram
Vim 6,21
110

Spells Known 180 (Max = Technique+Form +Int + Magic Theory +3):
Severed Limb Made Whole (CrCo) 25
Charm against Putrefication (CrCo) 10
Revealed flaws of Mortal flesh (InCo) 10
Whispers Through the Black Gate (InCo) 15
Trap of the Entwining Vines (CrHe) 15
75
Probe Natures Hidden Lore (InHe) 4
Hunt for the Wild Herb (InHe) 5
Intuition of the Forest (InHe) 10
Shriek of Impending Shafts (InHe) 15
109
Piercing Shaft of Wood (MuHe) 10
Ward agains Faries of the Wood (ReHe) 15
Dance of the Staves (ReHe) 5
Strike of the Angered Branch (ReHe) 15
154
Wizards Boost (MuVi) 15
Wizards Communion (MuVi) 10

Vis Stock:

2

Only comment I have is that IIRC you cannot have an ability above level 6 if you are under 30 years of age. Besides that, it looks fine :slight_smile:

3

The maximum is acutally even 5 but the Affinity with (Ability) virtue raises this limit and decreses the costs as well.

4

If I'm understanding your math, you've put 70 xp in Mythic Herbalism. With the Affinity that's a total of 105 xp, which is level 6. Affinity increases your xp in the Ability by 50%, not 100%.

5

Correct, I will fix that.

6

I wonder: Is it really woth it to fiddle with the Stats to get some defense with a staff?

Besides that I think my Magus is complete on the technical side (Still have to write some background)
Next thing would be to make some grogs yes?

7

I'd say no. As long as you travel with grogs you're unlikely to find yourself in melee combat, and anything that gets past your grogs is something you don't want to fight in melee anyway. There are also several low level spells that would do a much better job of protecting you. Looking at your Arts, ReCo and ReHe are probably the best places to look for self-defense.

8

Yup.

I often tend to make magi who have some combat ability (even Arachné, a frail old woman, has Brawl (dagger) at 2!), just in case they find themselves grog-less, but that's me :laughing:
Shield grogs are here for that, and this is only emphazised by the Protection rules. Unless you want to create a maga who goes toe-to-toe with her ennemies (and these exist!), you can skip combat abilities

9

How should I proceed now?
I wanted to add some more info on her parens, the gauntlet and her grogs but then? Anything missing? Can I start in the Christmas Topic?

10

you can add as many details as you want :smiley:
Gimme a chanced to inspect the character, and in the meanwhile you can start playing in the Christmas thread. You are in Barcelona, but why? Give me some random McGuffin that I can work with to tie you in (A McGuffin is the term we use around here to refer to a plot device or motivator that in and of itself is not that important other than the cause to start off a story)

11

I was pondering that for quite a while... :frowning:

12

Who are the other characters in Barcelona?

13

How about a treasure map as a McGuffin? Maybe her Gauntlet was to serve in a sick-house and on his deathbed some mercenary told her his last secret...

14

Allow me to paint more scenery in the Barcelona thread and you can make your decision. I like the treasure idea, it is an idea out of left field, and may or may not turn out to be meaningless. But it is enough to make a starting spark.

15

How does the aura of the Dominion influence magi? It weakens mythical powers, I understand that, but how does it feel? Is it uncomfortable for a mage to enter a cathedral or work at a place with many worshipers? The Core book only says they "feel a powerful presence" but that sounds pretty neutral to me.

16

You are overwhelmed by a sense of wonder and joy, because the divine is holy and good and what is right. The dampening of magic power, it is what is good for you. It reminds you to be humble in the presence of the almighty.

17

Does this also apply to pagans? :stuck_out_tongue:

18

There's a description somewhere of strong (5+) Dominion auras making a magus feel as if his Gift is a candle flickering in the breeze.

19

Yes but its still not clear if that is good or bad...
Or does it mean it feels like if the gift will be "blown out"? Guess that would be pretty bad...

20

Yes but its still not clear if that is good or bad...
Or does it mean it feels like if the gift will be "blown out"? Guess that would be pretty bad...