Let me also add, that this game, more than most, is going to be strongly troupe oriented. I have certain biases, which I try and make clear upfront. If a consensus agree on something that I haven't otherwise stated is (such as spell mastery and the relaxed casting and the vis issues) then I'll roll with it. I still have things I want to put out there, but some of those things I wanted to wait to see how the characters were shaping up...
That being said. How do you guys feel about an SG PC? I don't have one in mind, yet, but it gives me some agency to get PCs to move in a certain direction, a bit more than I do as an SG...
I'm trying a different tack with these spells. I'm trying to build devices that have effects without vis. So, assemblies of gears that drive drills, or scoop water, and move it to a field. Now, a spell can certainly be crafted that does a precise task much better than any mechanical device, but it takes more time, and has a specific effect. So, we build devices that just need power, and then we use Turn the Wheel to do so. We use gear ratios to trade strength for speed.
I'm proposing a new Ability: Engineering. This Academic skill allows a character to design a set of plans to solve a particular problem. The mechanic for this is additive: devices are rated by a complexity factor. Each roll (done once a week) provides design points. When the number of design points exceeds the the complexity factor, you've finished the design, and you have a document, similar to a lab text. Failing the roll gives no progress toward the completed design, while a botch introduces a catastrophic failure that will not be noticed until the device is completed. If this idea is acceptable, we can work out the rules in more detail. I'm envisioning progress such that full season is enough to design all but the most complicated of machines.
Ultimately, I'd want to build a manufacturing plant. I understand that the campaign is about survival in Scandinavia, after a plague strikes, and that all of us are going to have to make adjustments in the new reality.
If you think this character focus is completely disjoint from where you want to take this campaign, let me know. I'll think of something else and go forward.
JL - I'm a supporter of SG PCs, all I'd ask is that we all work together to define how you want the other stories run and their boundaries in terms of wider world impact. As Beta SGs we will need those edges so we can assist but not overrun the main themes.
As a concept yep awesome! As to the mechanics of the Engineering ability no idea. Introducing a week as a build or work unit duration is going to add a lot of book keeping.
What level of technological sophistication is reasonable in a mythical setting? Catapults and trebuchet are around, tunnelling and complex building Falsework for sure. That's a long way from a manufacturing factory in terms of complexity (I think)?
Do you mean something like "tree goes in, treated planks come out."?
The factory I envision will turn out a large number of metal items, nails, screws, bolts, knives, buckets, even bars of iron that can be sold to other places.
I think that getting to the equivalent of early 19th century is possible. Rather than a steam engine producing power, we can have powered wheels. For now, I'm imagining iron changed so it's as malleable as fine clay (MuTe), and then stamped into forms, then cancel the MuTe spell, and I've got a sword blank. Then that goes on a mechanical grinder, and I can make a no-frills, serviceable sword in minutes. Think of what you can do with ceramics, but use metal as the material.
I'm going to have to pick up the Craft: sculpture skill, or hire someone to mold things for me. Unfortunately, Calpurnia is the absolute last person who should be dealing with mundanes.
The big one is large-scale steel production. The process of making iron is quite labor intensive, and it's not until the 1300's that the process, known to the Arab empire, gets re-introduced to Europe. But purification, allowed through Rego, will allow us to make high-quality iron in great abundance.
Here's a reason I'd go to Scandavia, historically, it's the source of a lot of metals - there's a number of elements that are all named after one town in Sweden! I'd be looking for a rich iron mine, to find raw materials.
I would like to pick a minor magical affinity for spells which target spells, or spells aimed at modifying spells.
Is that narrow enough, or should I make it narrower ?
I'm also pondering on making figurine magic a way my character tries to break down magic in subsets, or effecting magic. The idea is that, rather than using the wax puppet in order to target a specific character, I use the puppet to track and alter the magic emanating from that person. Is it possible ? Would this constitute some kind of breakthrough ?
An example would be, that I create a wax puppet of a fellow covenant magus, and imbuing Wizard's reach, in order to boost their spell range. Is it possible ?
Sheesh, that feels broad but might not be on second thought. I guess Vim has uses many beyond just altering spells, like hurting creatures and hunting vis, but a large part of it is altering spells (mu/re vi). What about specifying its just Hermetic spells? As that might be a factor in the setting where we are going to be. And assume its just spells linked to the Magic realm, not other realms or creature powers? Do you see it being able to affect spells from magical devices? I would, but thats just me.
I have no idea . I hadn't thought it could apply (or that mages could usually use) non-hermetic spells, to be honest.
I feel this focus can go a long way, as Hilbert's field of studies is about modifying spells (i.e. splitting spells in smaller parts which can then be combined). But then, I don't have enough experience with Vim to know whether meta-magic is a large part of it.
Indeed. That's almost the same focus as mine (I restricted it to : "spells modifying my own spell" to make it a valid minor focus (so only MuVi when targeting my own spell).
In my opinion spells that target spells is major (that's all MuVI guideline +ReVi like sustaining the demanding spell) the other is still too broad for a minor because that's ALL MuVi guidelines and that's suppose to be smaller that a TeFo combination.
Would limiting it to the magic realm/hermetic spells make it fit, as IBT suggested ? My goal is to have a focus on combining/splitting spells, but mostly as far as it applies to Hilbert's field of study. Alternatively,
Also, about Hilbert's flaws, are these acceptable ?
Social handicap (babbler)
Delusion (believes you can create any Form by mutating Vim form)
(so far, these are my virtues and flaws)
Virtues :
The Gift, Hermetic Magus, Puissant Magic Theory*
Flawless Magic, Cautious sorcerer, Inventive Genius, Figurine magic, Minor magical focus (meta), Affinity with Vim, Puissant Vim, Affinity with magic theory
Flaws :
Indiscreet, Optimistic, Social handicap (babbler), Obese, Magic addiction, Delusion (believes you can create any Form by mutating Vim magic)
Is Indiscreet and Babbler very close on jntheme and impact, and how many personality flaws is that?
And is the delusion broad enough? I also thought that MuVi could change one spell into another but I'm potentially delusional too. there is a base in Vim for changing the Form to another Form, which implies a huge change if Creo or Perdo is added.
Virtues :
The Gift, Hermetic Magus, Puissant Magic Theory*
Flawless Magic, Affinity with Vim, Cautious sorcerer, Inventive Genius, Minor magical focus (spliting/merging spells), Puissant Vim, Figurine magic, Affinity with magic theory
Flaws :
Indiscreet, Optimistic, Social handicap (babbler), Obese, Magic addiction, Delusion (believes you can create any Form by mutating Vim magic)
Well, the idea of doing everything from Vim is a little bit larger than just transforming elements in specific circumstances, and one of the effects is that Hilbert would never seriously invest time in learning forms besides Vim.
I took Indiscreet (major) and babbler(minor) because they compliment well together ; I believe the difference is that indiscreet makes Hilbert unable to keep a secret, while babbler makes him pester you even after there is no more secret to tell. I almost picked Busybody, but that would have been to much to bear for his fellow sodales, I guess
Here's the interim character. I'm not too sure how to handle the years between 5 and apprenticeship, as the other character sheets seem not to have used the exp they got from it (?).
Stats :
Int 3 Pre -2 Str 0 Dex 2
Per 0 Com 0 Sta 1 Qui 0
Childhood :
German 5 (Lübeck)
English 1
French 1
Swim 1
Baltic Lore 2 (Hanseatic cities)
Folk ken 2 (merchants)
Aprenticeship :
Latin 4 (hermetic) 50
Magic theory 5+2 (Vim) 50(+25)
Parma Magica 1 (Parma Absorbea) 5
Penetration 1 (Vim) 5
Craft: Sculpture 2 (wax puppets) 15
Artes Liberales 3 (Rituals) 30
Scribe 1 (Lab texts) 5
Concentration 1 (spell concentration) 5
Finesse 1 (Vim) 5
Order lore 2 (Colentes Arcanorum) 15
-------------------------------------------
185
Arts :
Cr 3 An 0 Ig 1
In 3 Aq 0 Im 0
Mu 3 Au 0 Me 0
Pe 3 Co 0 Te 0
Re 3 He 0 Vi 9+3
30 25
Between age 5 and start of apprenticeship is 15xp per year (I think it's 15), spent on the same abilities as early life unless a virtue opens up more options. It's on p.29 of Ars buts it's not overly clear.
Working on spells that I think a Tremere architect would have.
CrTe 35 Conjuring the Fortress wall (ritual)
Makes one thousand feet of wall that is 30' high with 20' below ground and 20' thick at the base. It can come with guard and storage rooms, battlements and Barbican
Base 3 +1 touch, +5 size, +2 elaborate design.
PeTe30 Carve the Underground Hall
Used to carve underground complexes from solid rock. Arches are carved into the rock for extra support as well as touch sconces, stairs ( if needed). More elaborate decorations may require fitness rolls.
Base 4 +1 Part +3 size , +2 complex
. I hadn't thought it could apply (or that mages could usually use) non-hermetic spells, to be honest.
