Describe an House apprenticeship in one sentence

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

Hey all,

I'm developing a Life Path sort of character gen for my next saga (my usual group struggles to get into Ars Magica, so trying something different). Unsurprisingly one major chunk of a magus' life is their apprenticeship, so looking for creative one liners of house apprenticeships to inspire :slight_smile:

i.e.

Flambeau: Rarely spent time at any one covenant, we were always on the road, my master was a hoplite, working with one Quaesitor or another, hunting down those whom broke their oaths to the order.

(I know, not massively original, but sterotypes exist for a reason...)

Any and all input welcome :slight_smile:
Cheers
Kal

3

Tytalus: Please stop hurting me...

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Bonisagus: I was supposed to be a Tytalus, but my master kidnapped me. I have to read all these books when I could be having the fun and all the delicious cake my former master promised me.

Mercere: ¡Cool! I am learning all this magic theory while visiting other covenants with my master, I can't wait to pass the gauntlet and invent and cast some great spells! :smiley:

Tytalus: The cake is a lie. The cake is a lie. The cake is a lie. The cake is...

Tremere: Doing the hard work will make me better than those other house apprentices... I want to see their faces when they realise they have been working for ridiculous powers while I'm a true master of Certamen! Also their masters didn't promise them to use their voting sigils in their favor. Losers.

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...sorry they're more than a few lines each.

Bonisagus: She's not letting me out until I pass these exams and I think my masters obsession with additive tephromancy is starting to make sense! At least the lab is warm and cozy.

Bonisagus: For once I'd like to sleep in a bed that doesn't disappear at sunrise, we see so many ruins, and dead strange people. If only they spoke more Latin or Greek.

Criamon: My imperfect life isn't really any better or worse than my masters, and I study to know nothing. Now yesterday feels like tomorrow and I dread what yesterday will teach me about the future. Our past is something to look forward too.

Flambeau: Trials by fire, lessons by river, sparing by sword, and struggling with my morals while fighting for the Order. My Master is pleased but we are never prepared enough; we must purge the unworthy.

Tremere: Each years tests are more difficult and I know I will be ready soon. I will earn my place and prove my worth. The training shows me my purpose, and through diligence and preparation we will prosper. Will rule.

Tytalus: I'm sad - The beatings didn't stop until I enjoyed them, and Master has opened to a new chapter of the book. I win some of the games now, but I think he's cheating.

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Ex Miscellanea: I am in a Order ? Which House did you say I belong to ? Did I read Boni Argus treaty of magical theory ? Is she a great witch ? because I am getting quite good a Cursing people, so maybe I can visit her and she can show me some tricks. My mistress said, soon I will be making the flying poultice for my broom and I will become the Witch of the Grey Hills, then I can visit her, 'cos I am not so good at reading stuff. But I learn quickly. I cannot talk to you any longer, I need to take care of the wild herb garden and then collect some black-cap mushrooms, then I have to rush to Ol' Sean's farm, to help him deliver a calf.

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My Flambeau's parens at apprenticeship: "I don't care if the kid is Jewish, he's brilliant and immune to fire. I'm taking him!"

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Bjornaer: I am Bjornaer, hear me >>ROAR<<

Bonisagus: Oh, yeah. Oooh, ahhh, that’s how it always starts. Then later there’s running and screaming.

Criamon: People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff.

Ex Misc: Now the only question that remains is: Will I be a good wizard or a bad wizard?

Flambeau: Who by fire?

Guernicus: Where law ends, tyranny begins.

Jerbiton: Give me one man from among ten thousand if he is the best.

Mercere: Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

Merinita: It is good to be a cynic — it is better to be a contented cat — and it is best not to exist at all.

Tremere: The future has several names. For the weak, it is impossible. For the fainthearted, it is unknown. For the thoughtful and valiant, it is ideal.

Tytalus: These gentle emotions, what good are they? Love, compassion, amity; what purpose do they serve? To my mind they are socially invalid, obstacles to emotional efficiency. There is no more constructive emotion than hatred.

Verditius: You have to think anyway, so why not think big?

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Bjorner - I learned to understand the nature of the beasts around me and in doing so found the creature in my heart
Bonisagus - I studied books, I learned from teachers - I began to understand that we must learn all we can and this must be taught as widely as possible to elevate us all, and empower the order
Criamon - I delved into the mysteries of the mind, I meditated on the riddles my master posed to me until I began to see the underlying labyrinth we all walk, and understood that it is a prison we must escape
Ex Miscilania - The traditions of my forbears are just as worthy as any of these Hermetic founders, but because my magic is not from the same lineage as them many look down on me - I will show them one day, for good or ill
Flambeau - I sat by the fire and looked deep into the crackling heat and I understood it, I embraced it, and soon I would use it against those who would stand against the order
Guernicus - I stood by my master and heard the excuses, the lies, the justifications and I learned that the Code is all that stands between the Order and Damnation
Jerbiton - My time was spent in contemplation of the beauty around us, natural and man made, and I began to realize that my duty to god was to bring more beauty into the world any way I could
Mercer : I was special, I was one of the few with the aptitude to cast spells among my house and so I was trained to carry the heaviest load, to keep the order connected and as one was my lot
Merenita : My life became more like a children's story as I walked with sprites flitting on gossamer wings, spoke with the fairest fairy lords and placated the darkest nightmares that I might come to understand them all
Tremere : I studied the strategy of war, of politics, of games - I learned that the battle is won before the first blow is struck, and that unity is our greatest strength
Tytalus : I began as a weak and spoiled child, I emerged as a strong and disciplined member of my house - what happened in between the two matters not, save to prove that from conflict we find our true strength
Verditus: I served at the forge, by the loom, in the workshop - my parens taught me to turn even the simplest of items into a wonder few could imagine

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A couple of life path quotes inspired by my Bjornaer maga.

  • Then there was that year we spent as wolves. (Because studying books is for losers and the Heartbeast skill ain't gonna train itself.)

  • I am Meinaerona Wilkjis ex Bjornaer filia Conchar Flannagan filius Orn Razorwing filius Ulv the Gluttonous filius Kjellfrid Cornucopia filia Fuchs Fuerst the Fox King filius Scelova Sinister filius Bela of the Winter filia Ludmilla Shieldwall filia Hrodulf Packleader filius Stanislav the Unpassable filius Wilkis. (Because names are important and it's the start of each maga's House Bjornaer Lore skill.)

  • The Owl stretched out it's wings so far they blocked out all the forest behind it, and then my Master said we should start running. (Because who else can say they met their great-great-great-great grandparens? Why study Magical Lore from a book when you can learn it from a [strike]friendly[/strike] magical creature?)

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Awesome folks :slight_smile: sorry I haven't replied earlier, work getting in the way as usual

February's task will be to compile all this and more :neutral_face:

o/

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One thing I've found very helpful developing my own Lifepath system for Ars are the "Magus Training Packages" described in Sub Rosa. These take the idea of Training Packages first described in the GROGS supplement, and tune them to magi. Apprenticeship is detailed, as are all the traditional magus occupations.

Check it out. You won't be sorry.

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In which issue can It be found ?

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Issue 11!

Reviewed here: https://forum.atlas-games.com/t/sub-rosa-11-review/7296/1

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Cool, thanks for the resource, dropped a pm to ben & mark for issue 11.

o/