Eve ex Verditius

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Oppidum of Héviz
1

Eve was trained to be a Verdi lab rat. Selected for her training in metal working. Her apprenticeship focused on lab work, a solid grounding in philosophae. After her parens pushed her through some of the initiations of the Verditius cult. But that... wasn't really what she wanted. She bumped into a gnostic preacher who thought she would make an excellent addition. And she took to it very well. It fed her pride and hubris, telling her that she could be a god. She spent a lot of time studying that. Her study of magic has been pretty well distorted into accomplishing the rite.

Personality-wise she is proud. She's been banned from the Great Library for vandalizing the books. She claims she was improving them, pointing out mistakes the writers made. The fact that she did improve the books didn't help her case. She thinks that she will be the first member of her cult to ascend and that she'll then be able to bring the rest of the Order with her.

Rules question: How should I handle pre-game initiations? Can I take the seasons to run them? Can I invent my own scripts to self-initiate? Do want me to do extremely complex character generation? And if I do what should I assume about availability of study sources?

Stats and progression:
Immediately Post Gauntlet
Age 25 Confidence 0, Warping: 0
Traits: Optimistic+6, Obsessive+2
Characteristics: Pre+5 Int+3 Str-2 Com+5 Sta+1 Per+0 Dx-3 (klutz) Qu+0
Virtues: Puissant Philosophers of Rome Lore, Affinity Philosophers of Rome Lore, Great Presence2, Book Learner, Unaging, Good Teacher, Verditius Magic, Improved Characteristics, Great Communication2
Flaws: Weak Spontaneous Magic, Driven (acquire godhood, major), Small Frame, Optimism (minor), Warped magic, Incompatible Arts (Perdo Mentum/Terram)
Notes: Her warped magic creates ink on her skin, in various designs. Higher level spells spread it to her clothing and later even the surroundings. Most of it vanishes a little while after casting, but sometimes real ink drips off (Eve still hasn't managed to collect this for actual usage) or ink stains remain. If she is careful she can keep it from wrecking books, or interfering with lab work overmuch. (Despite her best efforts she pretty much always gets rid of spotless virtues.) More notable is what people think about tattoos and ease in tracking her, only the most novice tracker could fail to follow her even when she flies through the sky.
Abilities and Arts:
Living Language: English 5, Charm 3, Brawl 2, Craft: Metalworking 5 (tools), Latin 4 (Hermetic), Philosophae 3 (runes), Artes Liberales 1, Parma 1, Code or Hermes 1, Order of Hermes Lore 1, Magic Theory 3 (creo) Rego 8 (40 xp spent), Finesse 2, Penetration 2, Creo 5, Vim 5, Terram 3, Mentum 2, Corpus 1,
Spells: 120 levels ???

Next Five years:
Season 1-3: Gain 30 xp in House Verditius Lore
Seasons 4-5: Initiate Item of Quality: One seasons to forge an item, and one season to initiate the virtue. Uses the script on page 125 of HoH: MC
Seasons: 6-10: Initiate Elder Runes: One season to open greater item. Two seasons to enchant a greater item. One season to travel, and one season to initiate the Virtue. Uses script on page 128 of HoH: MC.
Seasons: 11-15: Gain 50->75 xp in Philosophers of Rome Lore.
Seasons 16-18: Initiate True Naming (1 season for a quest, one for sacrifice of time, 1 for initiation.)
Seasons: 19-20 Gain 20 experience in Philo
Changes: Philo is now level 4, Gain House Verditius Lore 3, Gain Philosophers of Rome Lore 5+2 (self initiations), Gain Hubris 5, Gain Virtue: Items of Quality, Gain Virtue: Elder Runes, Age: 30 Warping Points 0, Gain True Naming

Next Five Years:
Seasons 1-4 40xp in Vim (Vim is 10 now, 41xp)
Seasons 5-8 40xp in creo (Creo is 10 now,)
Seasons 9-10: 20xp in M.T. (Magic theory is four now.)
Seasons 11-12: 20->30 xp in Philosophers of Rome.
Seasons 13-20: Study Rego 80xp
Season 20: Buy a 20 vis longevity ritual for a -11 (7 base, 13 for magnitudes) bonus to aging
Changes: Creo 10, Vim 10, M.T. 4, Philo of Rome 6, Rego 15
Aging: Eve has a -11 longevity ritual, and probably a -1 from her covenant or more. With her age, she'll be suffering +4 for the first five. +5 for the next 10, and a +6 for the last 5. Long story short unless she gets an exploding die it doesn't matter. Her apparent age is overwritten by unaging.
Rolls all 20: Invisible castle love me. Not a single one, so no explosions.

Next 5 years:
Seasons 1-3: study terram 30xp = (36 xp total, level 8)
Seasons 4-8: Study Philo of Rome 50->75xp gained. Total=180x, Philo of Rome Lore=8+2
Seasons 9-10: Initiate Hermetic Theurgy, sacrifice of Time 1 season, Initiation 1 season)
Seasons 11: Study M.T. (10xp, total 60.)
Seasons 12: Bind Jane, the familiar 6 pawns of vis spent, level 2 golden cord, level 2 bronze cord. The technique and form is rego terram.
Seasons 13-14: Initiate Hermetic Sythemata. 2 seasons
Seasons 15-20: Study MT 5xp (M.T. 6.), study Teaching 5xp (teaching 1 (one-on-one).
Changes: Gain, Hermetic Sythemata, Gain Hermetic Theurgy, Gain Terram 8 (36 xp) Gain Philosopher of Rome Lore 8+2, Gain a kick ass familiar (15 xp in magic theory), 1xp in artes liberals (writing systems) Jane knows Latin writing. Eve gains M.T. 6 (110 xp)

Next 5 Years:
Seasons 1-9: Study Terram 90 xp (Terram 15, 126 xp)
Season 8: Jane has magic theory 3, she modifies lab to have spacious and diminutive. Jane also adds superior tools due to her excellent crafting skills.
Seasons 10-11: Invent Mystery Script Personal Vis Source (Vim) Roll 7 The validity check automatically works (9+2+3+1d10>11). Eve Gains Personal Vis Source
Seasons 12-13: Invent Mystery Script Inventive Genius: 1 That's an explosion. 8 Roll twice more? Aww hell. This never ends well. 9, special or story, going downhill. 4 Okay nothing too bad. I just got a special event.
Season 14: Study spells 10xp
Season 15: Refinement of lab. 18 to get highly organized, Roll for spotless with Obsessive 11. Gain Highly Organized and Spotless
Seasons 16-17: Study spells 20xp
Season 18-20: Study Creo (30xp) Jane will add extensive stores. (Note Jane now has a MT of 4)
Changes: Creo 85xp, 2*Mystery Scripts and gain inventive Genius and Personal Vis Source, Terram 15 (126 xp), Jane has 55xp in M.T. Laboratory Features: Spotless, Highly Organized, Extensive Stores, Spacious
Refinement 1, Safety 8 (includes golden cord), 1 health, 1 general quality, 2 aesthetics, 1 items, 1 creo

Next Five Years Eve:
Seasons 1-4: Write a Tractus on each of M.T., Creo, Vim, and Rego all Q14.
Season 5: Study Parma (Parma 2)
Season 6-9: Study Spells 40xp On season 6 Jane finishes the last copy of the books Eve wrote. These copies are posted to the Great Library
Seasons 10-19: Study Creo and Vim 100xp total. Both end at 15.
Season 20: 10xp in spells
Next Five Years Jane:
Season 1: ???
Season 2-6: Copy the book Eve wrote last season.
Seasons 7-19: ???
Season 20: Assist Eve
Changes: 15 Creo, 15 Vim, a level 25 spell, Parma 2, Jane has 95 xp in M.T.
Tracti: Magic Theory Q14, Creo Q14, Vim, Q14, Rego Q14, Copies sent to the Great Library.
Laboratory Features: Spotless, Highly Organized, Extensive Stores, Spacious,
Laboratory Stats: Refinement 1, Safety 10 (includes golden cord), health 1, general quality 1, aesthetics 4, items 1, creo 1, Spells 0

Next Five Years Eve:

Seasons 1-6: 60xp in spells and spell mastery
Season 7: Study Parma 10xp
Season 8: Study Latin 5xp, Study Parma 5xp
Seasons 9-10: Study Spells 20xp
Seasons 11-12: Study Mentum: Mentum 6 (23xp)
Seasons 13-14: Study Teaching 20x (total 25)
Seasons 15-16: Study Corpus: Corpus 6
Seasons 17: Study Teaching 5xp= Teaching 3, Study magic lore 5xp (magic lore 1)
Seasons 18: Teach Jane Teaching Q23
Seasons 19-20: Study Latin. Free: Cast both invoke the spirit of (form) spells with 17 pawns of vis each to boost the penetration.

Jane:
Seasons 1-5: 10xp in M.T. by season 5 M.T. is at 6. Start
Seasons 6-9: Teaching xp (8 xp total)
Seasons 10-12: Write tractus on Flight of the Humming Bird Q9. Copy Tractus. Start learning Philo of Rome Lore at 2xp a season. 6xp
Seasons 13-17: Philo of Rome Lore at 2xp a season. (10 xp, 16 total). Also refine the lab twice and install two lesser features.
Seasons 18: Get teaching lesson. (Teaching ends at 3)
Season 19-20: Continue learning teaching. Write Tractus on Philo of Rome Q9, Copy Tractus
Changes:
Jane has M.T. Six and Teaching three, and philo of Rome 2 (20 xp).
Library: Add a tractus on Flight of the Humming Bird Q9, and Philo of Rpme Q9. Also note they both have copies. (The flight of the Humming Bird is of course only useful to magical creatures.)
Eve gains spells (???), Eve gains Teaching 3, and Magic Lore 1. Eve gains Mentum 6 (23xp) and Corpus 6, Eve gains enchanted items (???), Eve gains Latin 5, Parma 3

Note: Jane only working 20 of the 30 seasons she gets every five years is NOT an oversight. Jane didn't get a magi so she would have to work 24/7.

Eve Final:
Age 55 (20ish) Confidence 0, Warping: 2 (20 points)
Personality Traits: Driven+6, Obsessive+3, Hubris+2, Optimism+3
Characteristics: Pre+5 Int+3 Str-2 Com+0 Sta+1 Per+0 Dx-2 (klutz) Qu+0
Virtues: Puissant Philosophers of Rome Lore, Affinity Philosophers of Rome Lore, Great Presence*2, Book Learner, Unaging, Good Teacher, Verditius Magic, Essential Trait: Major Bookish+6 (com/int),
Mystery Virtues: Items of Quality, Elder Runes, True Naming, Hermetic Sythemata, Hermetic Theurgy, Personal Vis Source (vim), Inventive Genius
Flaws: Weak Spontaneous Magic, Driven (acquire godhood, major), Small Frame, Optimism (minor), Warped magic, Incompatible Arts (Perdo Mentum/Terram)
Notes: Her warped magic creates ink on her skin, in various designs. Higher level spells spread it to her clothing and later even the surroundings. Most of it vanishes a little while after casting, but sometimes real ink drips off (Eve still hasn't managed to collect this for actual usage) or ink stains remain. If she is careful she can keep it from wrecking books, or interfering with lab work overmuch. (Despite her best efforts she pretty much always gets rid of spotless virtues.) More notable is what people think about tattoos and ease in tracking her, only the most novice tracker could fail to follow her even when she flies through the sky.
Abilities and Arts:
Living Language: English 5, Charm 3, Brawl 2, Craft: Metalworking 5 (tools), Latin 5 (Hermetic) [75xp], Philosophae 4 (runes), Artes Liberales 1 (writing systems), Parma 3, Code or Hermes 1, Order of Hermes Lore 1, Magic Theory 6 (creo) [110xp], House Verditius Lore 3, Philosophers of Rome Lore 8+2 (self initiations), Finesse 2 (terram), Penetration 2 (terram)
Arts: Rego 15, , Creo 15, Vim 15, Terram 15 (126 xp), Mentum 6 (23xp), Corpus 6,
Spells: 120 levels from apprenticeship+140 spells post apprenticeship

Casting Tools: Eve's casting tools are NOT imitations of some mundane tool as is typical in her House. The main tool she has is a reenforced with steel threads, and gilded with brass to prevent it from burning. This functions as the casting tool for an spell not otherwise called out here. She possesses a ankle bracelet for Flight of the Magi, and two more bracelets upon her arms, one for [i]Thomas's Crystal Rain/i], and one for Rend the Earth, finally she has three metal "feathers", made from bronze braided into her hair. One for each of three of her invoke spells. Finally, she wears a crucifix for Cleansing, and Angelic Gaze. Crystal Ballista uses a chain she has around her neck. If anyone asks she claims the staff is the only casting tool she bothers with, saying she was able to combine the tools in one easy storage device.

Sigil: Light and Burning

Laboratory:
Laboratory Features:, Highly Organized, Extensive Stores, Spacious, Feature: Hermetic Clockwork Calculator*2, Diminutive
Laboratory Stats: Refinement 3, Safety 10 (includes golden cord), health 0, general quality 1, aesthetics 3, size 0 Specs: items 1, Spells 2

Library: Magic Theory Tractus Q14, Creo Tractus Q14, Vim Tractus Q14, Rego Tractus Q14. Each of these books had a copy sent to the Great Library.
Books written by Jane :A guide to Flight: Tractus on Magical Quality: Personal Power: Flight of the Humming Bird Q9, Basics on Gnosticism, Philosopher of Rome Lore Q9. These two books have a copy.
Mystery Scripts: True Naming, Hermetic Sythemata, Hermetic Theurgy, Personal Vis Source (vim), Inventive Genius

Spells, Build Points, What Eve thinks about the Hermetic Houses

2

Present the scripts here for the Troupe to look at. Many of them take multiple seasons like the White Swan level. It is at least 7 seasons of work plus 1 initiation.

3

The Virtue mentioned in the white swan level, Vulgar Alchemy, is given before the work to find the 7 shape and material bonuses. You need to do that to progress onto the next level. Also you need Vulgar Alchemy to discover those forum bonuses anyway. This was going to be where Eve was going off the "rails" so to speak. She doesn't need the unaging virtue initiated (was going to build her with that naturally) and she has enough skill to make scripts on her own. She is essentially trying to skip levels by using her own scripts. Likely to the annoyance of the cult leaders if they found out. (Her current claim is she is working through the shape and forum bonuses on the white swan level.

Anyway I was planning on two "standard" initiations for her first couple initiations.
Script of Planetary Magic
Total Bonus:+6 Target: 18
Quest: Find a lost alchemical text +3
Travel to your birth place on your birthday +3
Virtue Initiated: Planetary Magic

Script of Basic Alchemy
Total Bonus+4 Target: 18
Spend a season writing a text on alchemy (Magic theory, magic lore etc.) +1
Travel to the lab of the first alchemist to complete the Great Work, on the day it was complete +3
Virtue Granted: Vulgar Alchemy

You may note these are both self initiations.

Then as Eve's skills Improved I would likely have her invent her own scripts. I was going to have her first experiment be:
Discovery of Internal Alchemy
Total Bonus: +1 Target: 18
The Mystagouge scribes a book on alchemy +1
Virtue Gained: Personal Vis Source

Oh and are ability limits as a function of age in play for magi? I know those are sort of bare bones scripts, but there it is. Also this is a good concept: Person taking the cults knowledge and progressing outside the bounds of the cult?

4

One thing you might consider doing is using one of the regular scripts for another virtue you need and get initiated in on your own, it has to have an ordeal though. Once you've done that then the difficulties for like the next 3 initiations are reduced by a decent amount, which can make a big difference in self-initiations. Consdiering she's a Verditius, you could likely say that you've been through an ordeal by initiating into their Outer Mystery, the question is whether it would apply to non House Mysteries.

Do you have a huge bonus from Presence and the required Ability? You'd need one if those are the scripts you're using. Not that they aren't appropriate, it just seems there's a lot you'd have to make up for.

5

Max presence, and an affinity and puissance for Green Cockerel Cult Lore. Toss a spec on for self-initiations and we have 9 at level 1.

6

That'd probably do it. Still some of the self-initiations can have crazy high difficulties. Putting an ordeal for one of these easier ones could help for the big ones you're going for later on maybe.

With a Presence and affinity and lore like that (plus the Proud personailty trait), you should consider taking over the cult or making a competing one, or is that a goal already?

7

Flaws that are part of the initial allotment of Virtues and Flaws cannot count as ordeals for later initiations, so the initiation into the Outer Mystery of House Verditius (Verditius Magic virtue), while it is certainly an ordeal, cannot be used for a discount on later initiations, whether they concern House Verditius or not.

Lamech, I do like the scripts you present, they bonus are very well tied to the virtue. And I like the concept.

8

That's pretty much the idea. Why shouldn't I be the leader of my very own cult and handing out power like its candy?

She isn't quite to the big ones yet. Buy yeah, the ordeals are essential for later initiations if you are doing selfies.

9

Alright then, we have the first 10 years of Eve's progress, and all her pre-gauntlet junk. Can I use invisible Castle for aging rolls and experimentation rolls?

10

I got a result of 9 or special/story event for the invention of the mystery script. So how do you want to handle that in pre-game stages?

11

I would strongly disagree that she could get Green cockerel Lore higher than 3. No one would teach more advanced Lore until she passed the second level.

If you go off track and do not complete the White Swan level, I do not see a Mystery Cult teaching you lore beyond +1 of what was needed for the level. It is not like this stuff is in books at the library.

12

Hmm... this is going to require some character reworking.

13

If you want to try to make your own cult have at it. I'm just saying it does not make sense to learn the Green cockerel lore as it is taught by a master who would cut you off after a bit when you did not play ball with them.

I would also say that the Green Cockerel is not the only path to the Lesser and Greater Elixirs. It might be the only one you know now. If you are a seeker you could try to research Fortunata of Jerbiton who has done what you want to do. Problem with that is it would not necessarily be local.

14

Actually one thing I noticed while making the character was "Hey, I have proud and hubris five. Somehow I don't think living forever as a mere unchanging immortal is really gonna cut it. That apotheosis is starting to look really nice." But that would have required looking up a whole new cult, and major reworks anyway, so... I was feeling lazy.

Long story short, I'll probably end up with a new cult, and it will fit the character better anyway.

15

So your going trough experimental self initations?
Personal I would ask for this that you write a initationscript that the char then follow.
After a decision from jebrik what works you then have to do the roll even trough char generation.

16

There is a difference between "make your own cult" in which you are just a a member and it does what you want, and "make your own kult :mrgreen: " as in your character is making a cult to do what you want. The former needs troupe approval and the latter is better done via RP.

17

I think I'm going to go for the Philosophers of Rome. They seem to fit the major proud+5 hubris quite well. Plus they fit studying ancient manuscripts for learning better and apperently tend to have reasonably high cult lore.

Time to become a god!

18

The Tremere love that attitude! :wink:

19

Personally, I wouldn't be so gung ho focused on a Mystery Cult during development. They actually slow you down development wise. Note how you bent the virtue points and characteristic points to get to a score of 5 for Presence.
The development model used her also has a tendecy to hold back advancement, spending experience points for spells is costly to overall development, and additional seasons taken to pursue a Mystery Cult just makes it worse.
You want a character that can do and be really good at something by the time that you're done with development. It appears you might be the Longevity Ritual expert of the group, too. I know Ophelia (formerly Anemone) will need such a person soon after arriving at Héviz

20

First off, if I'm going for apotheosis, I don't actually want high TeFo since it raises the strength of the people I need to enlist. Plus with a good score, you do hilarious things like grab 7 virtues. My role shall be virtue monkey. More to the point, after the game starts with book learner I should be able to get better than 10xp a season. I'll be able to do several things well, most notably mystagoguing, and writing books. Plus the whole character needs a rebuild anyway.

Also question: Can we use our 75 build points worth of stuff before the game start? Study out of books? Get help from an assistant?