Library Discussion

Right, so we've got 683 build points to spend on the library. So far, I've posted 1,160 build points worth of stuff, broken down as follows:

Individual magi's personal contributions: 158bp.
Lab texts (including texts for enchanted devices): 136bp
Arts summae: 0bp
Arts tractatus: 412bp
Ability summae: 178bp
Ability tractatus: 276bp.

So I'm going to have to nearly halve the total library. Any preference for where I concentrate the cuts? Anything I've forgotten? At the moment we've got no arts summae at all apart from the Animal summus that Aetos is bringing with him.

My personal vote is to cut back on all those Ability books. I'm all for a few texts on Magic Theory, but we should have a lot more on Arts than on Abilities.

Scott

Since we've got 683bp for the library, why not allocate 171/170 for each founding member to spend? Seems easiest and that way no one can get mad at Salutor when, inevitably, not everyone gets what they want out of it :stuck_out_tongue:

First off, instead of writing two Magic Theory tractatus, Portia will have written one Magic Theory tractatus Q12 (named "Priscum Fundamentum" - feel free to correct my Latin there if necessary), and a Creo summa named Principia Fabricata, L9 Q15 (I can write that in a single season! WOO!).

If we go this direction, here's how I'd like to spend Portia's... err, portion:
Intellego summa, L12 Q12 (24bp)
Rego summa, L15 Q14 (29bp)
Corpus summa, L14 Q12 (26bp)
Vim summa, L18 Q13 (31bp)
2x Magic Theory tractatus L10 (20bp)
Lab text for Leap of the Homecoming (7bp) (I can spend these points elsewhere if Tasia could provide a translated lab text)
Lab text for Conjuring the Mystic Tower (7bp)
Lab text for L25 Wizard's Communion (5bp)
Lab text for Shrouded Glen (8bp)
Lab text for The Wizard's Mount (7bp)
Casting Tablet for The Covenant's Well (Lv15 CrAq, base 5 +1 Touch +1 complexity; ritual that creates a freshwater spring whose water tastes really really good; 6bp)

So that's 170bp for me, so if divvying works for everyone else, then the other founders would all get 171.

Mastery texts and casting tablets. That's what I forgot. (Although I'm still a little uncertain of the value of mastery texts for rituals - did we decide that practicing a ritual got you 4 or 5xp a season in the end?)

Mmm, I like the Creo summa as a replacement for the MT text.

I'm less sure about dividing up the points - it strikes me as a good way for things to fall through the cracks - but I'll wait and see what other people think. These things would be chosen by the player, rather than the magus, correct?

I picked my list in character. For one, I figured that Portia would turn her nose up at any text that's lesser quality than she herself could produce-- she doesn't think of herself as a writer, so anything worse than what she'd write is subpar. She would fight tooth and nail to oppose any purchases of texts below Q10. For the lab texts and the casting tablet, I tried to choose utilitarian spells/effects that would be useful for starting a covenant, rather than what Portia would personally prefer, but the idea there was that whatever purchases she's making are on behalf of the covenant rather than herself.

I don't remember the discussion. What rule are you referencing?

Scott

Let's not waste the work you've already done--I'm behind in statting up Theodoric and the kitten already, not to mention maintenance work around the house and writing an article--but if Arya wants to add some things she thinks necessary, that's fine, and she might have a point about Qualiity scores.

Scott

On quality scores, I think things are skewed by the fact that a lot of what I've written up is tractatus, which have a maximum quality (for initial build point expenditure) of 11bp (which does imply a Comm of +5, or +2 and Good teacher, so is still going to be quite rare). I can have a look at raising the ability summae qualities, but I don't think the tractatus qualities should change much if at all.

Is the average Tractatus Quality close to 10? Since that's what I told people to assume in character generation, that would seem fair.

Scott

Slightly over 8 for ability tractatus, about 8.6 for Arts tractatus.

There were a number of posts on it on page 10 of the Covenant Development thread.

Remember that with the Covenants rules, there are things you can do to push those scores up a bit.

I think 4 points seems fair, given that you can't actually cast the spell without burning loads of vis.

Scott

I'll try and get rid of lower quality texts, then, when pruning the lists. I'd note though, that I'm not entirely convinced that the Covenants rules would raise the average quality, or at least not significantly - yes, the top-end of the range is increased, but past a +1 bonus you have to put a lot of work into the book - materials gained from stories/opening the book as an invested device, which I'm not convinced we'd have donated to us. At the same time, the minimum quality has also decreased - to get the same quality as the standard rules, you have to have a skilled scribe, binder, and illuminator.

Can I suggest you choose some books that Portia will be bringing with her, to make sure Portia does have at least some of what she'd want? I don't think you've picked anything so far. Say approximately 50bp worth?

JeanMichelle - would you mind pruning your list of books a bit? At the moment you've got twice what the next mage has.

Scott, thinking about it, could I swap out Gregorius' minor virtue, and replace it with +1 size? It'll be 10 bp extra, but I haven't taken any personal library build points, so hopefully that roughly balances out?

I didn't even realize that cost Build Points, but sure--the five Virtues was just a rough guess.

Scott

Why don't you just pick something off my list?

I can do that if you'd prefer. Less guarantee I'll pick what you'd prioritise, though.

OK, whatever.

Rego summa, L16 Q14 (30bp)
Lab text for Conjuring the Mystic Tower (7bp)
Lab text for L25 Wizard's Communion (5bp)
Lab text for Shrouded Glen (8bp)

Interesting choices. :slight_smile:

Scott

Second draft of the library. I've probably successfully got it to the point where it doesn't have enough of what anybody wants. Ability summae have suffered the most.

I've tried to mark the items contributed by individual magi by asterisks, although since I only started doing this half-way through, I may well have missed a few.

Art Summae - 53bp
*Principia Fabricata by Portia Verditii. Creo summa, level 9 quality 15. 0bp
*Rego summa, level 16 quality 14. 30bp
*Winged Creatures by unknown. Animal summa, level 15 quality 8. 23bp.

Art Tractatus - 316bp
The Creation of Unnatural Objects in the Absence of an Ideal Form, by Plinius Bonisagi. Creo Tractatus, Quality 11. 11bp.
Aging to Maturity, by Venetia Jerbitonis. Creo Tractatus, Quality 9. 9bp.
Viewing the Threads of Magic, by Erastus Guernici. Intellego Tractatus, Quality 10. 10bp.
Magical Senses, by Arista Guernici. Intellego Tractatus, Quality 9. 9bp.
*Insights into Insight. Intellego tractatus, quality 12. 12bp
Taking on the Shapes of the Skies, by Claricia Mercandi. Muto Tractatus, Quality 9. 9bp.
Taking on the Shapes of the Forests, by Claricia Mercandi. Muto Tractatus, Quality 9. 9bp.
The Permanence of Destruction, by Polycarpus Criamonis. Perdo Tractatus, Quality 9. 6bp.
Aging Past Maturity, by Venetia Jerbitonis. Perdo Tractatus, Quality 9. 9bp.
Binding Spirits with the Art of Rego, by Perome Tytali. Rego Tractatus, Quality 11. 11bp.
Some Methods of Warding Against Common Assaults, by Eleftherois Guernici. Rego Tractatus, Quality 8. 8bp.
*Domination of the Magi . Rego tractatus, quality 10. 10bp
The Brotherhood of Wolves, by Ambrosius Tremendi. Animal Tractatus, Quality 10. 10bp.
The Rapacity of Wolves, by Kronetis Tytali. Animal Tractatus, Quality 10. 10bp.
*Sanguine Beasts, by Aquila Bjornaeris. Animal tractatus, quality 11. 11bp
*Choleric Beasts, by Aquila Bjornaeris. Animal tractatus, quality 11. 11bp
*Phlegmatic Beasts, by Aquila Bjornaeris. Animal tractatus, quality 11. 11bp
Coastal Winds, by Greywing Bjornaeris. Auram Tracatus, Quality 11. 11bp.
The Following Breeze, by Greywing Bjornaeris. Auram Tractatus, Quality 11. 11bp.
The Baltic Sea, by Greywing Bjornaeris. Aquam Tractatus, Quality 11. 11bp.
A Study on the Apple Tree, by Abelia Bonisagi. Herbam Tractatus, Quality 9. 9bp.
Healing Herbs for Wounds, by Alexandra ex Miscellanea. Herbam Tractatus, Quality 8. 8bp.
*Herbal remedies, by Hildegard Jerbitonis. Tractatus on Herbam, quality 13. 13bp.
Cold and Chill: The School of Boreas, by Fulvius Flambonis. Ignem, Quality 8. 8bp.
The Species of Sight, by Clunia Jerbitonis. Imaginem Tractatus, Quality 10. 10bp.
The Species of Sound, by Clunia Jerbitonis. Imaginem Tractatus, Quality 10. 10bp.
Manipulating the Estimation, by Clunia Jerbitonis. Mentem Tractatus, Quality 10. 10bp.
Manipulating the Common Sense, by Clunia Jerbitonis. Mentem Tractatus, Quality 10. 10bp.
The Magical Properties of Emeralds, by Bertrando Verditii. Terram Tractatus, Quality 8. 8bp.
Vallation, by Adrastia Tremendi. Terram Tractatus, Quality 10. 10bp.
Analysing Vis, by Patricius Bonisagi. Vim Tractatus, Quality 9. 9bp.
Fluid and Spun Vis, by Patricius Bonisagi. Vim Tractatus, Quality 9. 9bp.

Ability Summae - 53bp
*Magic Animals by Gyrgos the Familiar. Summa on Magic Lore, level 6, quality 8. Animal specialty is automatically acquired by the reader. 26bp.
The Shield of the Order, by Octavian Tremendi. Parma Magica Summa, Level 5, Quality 12. 27bp.

Ability Tractatus - 118bp
Books on the Miracles of St Martin, Divine Lore Tractatus, Quality 8. 8bp.
Recognising the Machinations of the Infernal, by Petronius Guernici. Infernal Lore Tractatus, Quality 10. 10bp.
The Blindness of Gordiana, unknown author. Faerie Lore Tractatus Quality 9. Magic Lore Tractatus Quality 9. 18bp.
Priscum Fundamentum, by Portia Verditii. Magic Theory Tractatus, Quality 12. 0bp.
Forging the Bronze Cord, by Antonio Merinitae. Magic Theory Tractatus, Quality 10. 10bp.
Forging the Golden Cord, by Antonio Merinitae. Magic Theory Tractatus, Quality 10. 10bp.
Material and Shape Affinities for Transformation, by Halycon Bjornaeris. Magic Theory Tractatus, Quality 7. 7bp.
Consolations of Philosophy, by Boethius. Philosophae Tractatus, Quality 9. 9bp.
De Accessione et Recessione Maris ("Tides and Tidal Movements", by Robert Grosseteste. Philosophae Tractatus, Quality 10. 10bp.
Using Vilano's Sling, by Maria Flambonis. Finesse Tractatus, Quality 8. 8bp.
Overcoming the Might of Magical Creatures, by Arluin Flambonis. Penetration Tractatus, Quality 9. 9bp.
The Complexities of Concentration Upon Multiple Spells, by Metis Tytali. Concentration Tractatus, Quality 10. 10bp.
*Covenants of the Tribunal of Thebes by Poseidon of Guernicus. Tractatus on Order of Hermes Lore, quality 8. 8bp.
*The Travels of Igor Igorowich. Tractatus on Area Lore: Ukraine, quality 10. 10bp.

Spell Lab Texts - 76bp
The Wizard's Mount CrAn 35 7
Doublet of Impenetrable Silk (MuAn 15) 3
Bind Wound (CrCo 10) 2
The Chirugeon's Healing Touch (CrCo 20) 4
Purification of the Festering Wound (CrCo 20) 4
Disguise of the New Visage (MuCo 15) 2
*Seven-League Stride (ReCo 30) 6
*Leap of Homecoming (ReCo 35) 7
Cloak of Black Feathers (MuCo(An) 30) 6
Pilum of Fire (CrIg 20) 4
Aura of Enobled Presence (MuIm 10) 2
Veil of Invisibility (PeIm 20) 4
Wizard's Sidestep (ReIm 10) 2
Memory of the Distant Dream (CrMe 20) 4
Thoughts within Babble (InMe 25) 5
Trust of Childlike Faith (PeMe 10) 2
The Shrouded Glen (ReMe 40) 8bp
*Conjuring the Mystic Tower (CrTe 35) 7
*Wizard's Communion (MuVi 25) 5
Demon's Eternal Oblivion (PeVi 10) 2
Aegis of the Hearth (ReVi 20) 4
Maintaining the Demanding Spell (ReVi 20) 4
*Maintaining the Demanding Spell (ReVi 50) 10

Spell Mastery Texts - 27bp
The Well-Shrouded Glen, by Gauvain Merinitae. Mastery tractatus on the Shrounded Glen, quality 8. 8bp.
The Tower of Bonisagus, by Onesiphorus Bonisagi. Mastery tractatus on Conjuring the Mystic Tower, quality 8. 8bp.
Research Notes on the Aegis of the Hearth, by Notatus and others. Mastery tractatus on Aegis of the Hearth, quality 11. 11bp.

Enchanted Item Lab texts - 6 bp
Bed of Rapid Convalescence - CrCo 29 lesser enchanted device. Anyone resting in this bed receives a +15 bonus to recovery rolls, as long as they remain in the bed for the whole of the recovery period (but note no penetration). (MoH pg 23). (Base 10 +1 touch +2 sun +1 level 2 uses per day, +3 levels environmental trigger.) 6bp.

Enchanted Devices - 12bp
The Scribe's Work Anulled - 12bp
This simple elm wand was provided with the Parma Magica summa, for use in emergencies to prevent the great secret of the Order from falling into the hands of rival magicians. A second device, together with an arcane connection to the Parma book is held by quaesitor [name] in the Thebes tribunal.

To activate the item, one touches the point of the wand to an arcane connection to the book one wishes to destroy, and speaks the trigger "In ruina, salus". The book will be completely obliterated.

PeAn(He) 30 (Base: 4; Range: AC; Target: Group)

Casting Tablets - 12bp
Aegis of the Hearth (ReVi 30). Designed to be cast with 6 pawns of vim vis. 12bp.