Magus: Thadeus Ex Miscellanea (Arthur)

Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica: Wake of the Schism
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Please reserve the first few posts for character/lab/familiar sheets, and keep discussion further down.

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Thadeus Ex Miscellanea, Pralician

(Current stats at the beginning of Winter 1014 / start of Chapter 16)

Age: 29 (5 years past Gauntlet)
Confidence Score: 1
Confidence Points: 13
Warping: 1 (6)

Characteristics: Int +1, Per +4, Str 0, Sta +1, Pre -1, Com 0, Dex 0, Qik +2

Virtues: The Gift, Hermetic Magus, Comprehend Magic (HoH:S p.128)1, Gentle Gift, Minor Magical Focus (Exotic Magic)1, Cautious with Comprehend Magic, Deft Form (Vim), Fast Caster, Great Characteristic (Perception), Improved Characteristics, Skilled Parens, Well-Travelled

Flaws: Weak Magic Resistance (any spellcaster not analyzed using Comprehend Magic)1, Deficient Technique (Creo), Ambitious (major), Hedge Wizard, Hatred: Diedne (minor), Lesser Malediction (arriving late), Supernatural nuisance (minor; airy spirits like him)

1 House virtues and flaw

Personality Traits: Ambitious +5, Hatred of Diedne +3
Reputations: Hedge Wizard (Order of Hermes) 3

Abilities:
Animal Handling (oxen) 1
Area Lore: England (East Anglia) 2
Area Lore: Rhine (Pomenaria) 1
Artes Liberales (astronomy) 1
Athletics (jumping) 1
Awareness (alertness) 2
Bargain (joining the Order) 2
Brawl (dodging) 2
Charm (first impressions) 1
Code of Hermes (apprentices) 1
Comprehend Magic (Supernatural Virtues) 4+5 xp
Concentration (spell) 1
Etiquette (nobility) 1
Faerie Lore (faerie forests) 1
Folk Ken (peasants) 2
Guile 0+3 xp
Language/native: English (East Anglian) 5
Language: Latin (Hermetic usage) 4
Language: Brythonic (Welsh) 3
Language: Low German (Pomenarian) 2
Leadership (inspiration) 1 +3 xp
Magic Lore (magical traditions) 2+2 xp
Magic Theory (Perdo) 4+6 xp
Organisation Lore: Order of Hermes (House Ex Miscellanea) 1
Parma Magica (Corpus) 3
Profession: Merchant (peddler) 2
Ride (long distances) 0+2 xp
Stealth (sneak) 1

Hermetic Arts: Cr 0, In 0, Mu 4, Pe 10, Re 6, An 0, Aq 3, Au 0, Co 3, He 3, Ig 0, Im 4, Me 0, Te 0, Vi 8
Wizard's Sigil: Slow-fast. There is often a barely perceptible delay in the magic, before it seems to happen quickly, as if trying to compensate for the delay

Spells:

  • Veil of Invisibility (PeIm 20) +19 [Touch/Sun/Ind] ArM5 p.146
  • The Heathen Witch Reborn (PeVi gen/20) +27 -- Includes Minor Magical Focus [Voice/Mom/Ind] HoH:S p.129
  • Wind of Mundane Silence (PeVi gen/25) +20 -- Mastery 1 (Unravelling) [Voice/Mom/Room] ArM5 p.161
  • Parching Wind (PeAq 20) +14 -- Casting requisites [Voice/Mom/Ind] ArM5 p.123
  • Unravelling the Fabric of Corpus (PeVi gen/15) +20 -- Mastery 1 (Fast Casting) [Voice/Mom/Ind] ArM5 p.161
  • Unravelling the Fabric of Imaginem (PeVi gen/15) +19 [Voice/Mom/Ind] ArM5 p.161
  • Unravelling the Fabric of Terram (PeVi gen/15) +20 -- Mastery 1 (Fast Casting) [Voice/Mom/Ind] ArM5 p.161
  • Pit of the Gaping Earth (PeTe 15) +12 -- Mastery 1 (Fast Casting) [Voice/Mom/Part] ArM5 p.155
  • Lifting the Dangling Puppet (ReCo 15) +10 [Voice/Conc/Ind] ArM5 p.134
  • Fist of Shattering (PeTe 10) +11 [Voice/Mom/Ind] ArM5 p.155
  • Intuition of the Forest (InHe 10) +4 [Touch/Sun/Group] ArM5 p.136
  • Cloak of the Duck's Feathers (ReAq 5) +10 [Touch/Sun/Ind] ArM5 p.124
  • Circle of Beast Warding (ReAn 5) +7 [Touch/Ring/Circle] ArM5 p.120
  • Touch of the Goose Feather (PeCo 5) +15 -- Mastery 1 (Fast Casting) [Voice/Mom/Ind] ArM5 p.132
  • *Wizard's Vigil (MuVi gen/20) +13 [Voice/Sun/Group]

Equipment and Wealth:
Travel clothes, knife, basic supplies
Staff of the Eye (Talisman)
Personal lab texts
Covenant dowry

Appearance
A fit man of average height (about 5'7"), with straight dark brown hair and brown eyes.

Thadeus
Thadeus1022×1022 66.4 KB

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Background

Tom was saved because he was late. He’d been out playing at a nearby creek when the wizards struck, attacking the family’s small house in the woods near Kent. He only saw the end of the attack, when their chanting brought the collapse of his home, as he stood hidden by the trees.

After they left, he tried to find his dad and mother, but couldn’t dig deep enough into the rubble to free their body. When night came, he crawled into the ruins for protection against the cold, the rain, and the wolves.

That is where the old man found him the next morning. Caspar had been following stories about an itinerant merchant who sometimes sold magical charms, to see if this was in fact a practitioner of hedge tradition. But he’d arrived a day behind the attackers, too late to offer the protection of the Order. But not too late to rescue Tom from an uncertain future.

Caspar moved for a time to Cad Gadu, so that his new apprentice could begin to learn about the Order of Hermes and House Ex Miscellanea. He also taught his new apprentice the traditions of the Lineage of Pralix. Tom had a Gentle Gift, but it seemed bent towards destruction and ill-suited to magical creation. After a few years at Cad Gadu, Caspar moved to Roma Nova for further teaching, while also preparing for an extended exploration of the north-eastern part of the Rhine Tribunal.

The remaining years of Tom’s apprenticeship was filled with travel as his master through the forests and swamps of Pomerania, visiting a village after another, seeking out hedge traditions that could be brought into the Order. They often achieved this peacefully, but they occasionally had to defend themselves from attacks from coteries of werewolves and other shapeshifters. Winters were spent within the safety of neighbouring covenant in the Rhine, during which Caspar continued to teach his apprentice.

It was after one such winter that Caspar finally deemed Tom ready to become a full magus and had him take the Oath of Hermes, taking the name Thadeus.

By that time, the war with House Diedne was entering its late stages. Although young Thadeus would have liked to join the fight against them, Caspar was able to convinve him that it would be suicidal to do so right away. So Thadeus remained a few years studying on his own, before travelling back to England. By that time, the war had moved north, so he arranged for a ship to drop him off on the west coast, near the convenant of Ungulus.

Design notes:

  • The Lesser Malediction flaw manifests in various events that cause Thadeus to often arrive late. These are sometimes subtle, often coincidental, and occasionally so blatantly improbable as to stand out. Tom is not doomed to always being late -- though he often is. With determination and a lot of work, he can usually overcome those events.

  • Thadeus is partways between Ambitious and Driven. He wants to be recognized as making a major contribution to the Order of Hermes, much like Pralix herself did.

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Historical Stats

Stats at Gauntlet

Age: 24 (at Gauntlet)
Warping: 0 (0)
Characteristics: Int +1, Per +4, Str 0, Sta +1, Pre -1, Com 0, Dex 0, Qik +2

Virtues: The Gift, Hermetic Magus, Comprehend Magic (HoH:S p.128)1, Gentle Gift, Minor Magical Focus (Exotic Magic)1, Deft Form (Vim), Fast Caster, Great Characteristic (Perception), Improved Characteristics, Magical Memory, Skilled Parens, Well-Travelled

Flaws: Weak Magic Resistance (any spellcaster not analyzed using Comprehend Magic)1, Deficient Technique (Creo), Ambitious (major), Hedge Wizard, Hatred: Diedne (minor), Lesser Malediction (arriving late), Supernatural nuisance (minor; airy spirits like him)

1 House virtues and flaw

Personality Traits: Ambitious +5, Hatred of Diedne +3
Reputations: Hedge Wizard (Order of Hermes) 3

Abilities: (total 330 xp)
Animal Handling (oxen) 1 (5 xp)
Area Lore: England (East Anglia) 2 (15 xp)
Area Lore: Rhine (Pomenaria) 1 (5 xp)
Artes Liberales (astronomy) 1 (5 xp)
Athletics (jumping) 1 (5 xp)
Awareness (alertness) 2 (15 xp)
Bargain (joining the Order) 2 (15 xp)
Brawl (dodging) 2 (15 xp)
Charm (first impressions) 1 (5 xp)
Code of Hermes (apprentices) 1 (5 xp)
Comprehend Magic (Supernatural Virtues) 4 (45 xp)
Concentration (spell) 1 (5 xp)
Finesse (speed) 1 (5 xp)
Folk Ken (peasants) 2 (15 xp)
Language/native: English (East Anglian) 5 (0 xp)
Language: Latin (Hermetic usage) 4 (50 xp)
Language: Brythonic (Welsh) 3 (30 xp)
Language: Low German (Pomenarian) 2 (15 xp)
Magic Lore (magical traditions) 1 (5 xp)
Magic Theory (Perdo) 3 (30 xp)
Organisation Lore: Order of Hermes (House Ex Miscellanea) 1 (5 xp)
Parma Magica (Corpus) 1 (5 xp)
Profession: Merchant (peddler) 2 (15 xp)
Stealth (sneak) 1 (5 xp)
Spell masteries (10 xp)

Hermetic Arts: Cr 0, In 0, Mu 0, Pe 10, Re 3, An 0, Aq 3, Au 0, Co 3, He 3, Ig 0, Im 4, Me 0, Te 0, Vi 8 (total 125 xp)
Wizard's Sigil: A barely perceptible delay in the magic, before it seems to happen quickly, as if trying to compensate tfor the delay

Spells: (total 150 levels)
Veil of Invisibility (PeIm 20) +19
The Witch Reborn (PeVi gen/20) +27 -- see HoH:S p.129, includes bonus for Minor Magical Focus
Wind of Mundane Silence (PeVi gen/25) +20 -- Mastery 1 (Unravelling)
Parching Wind (PeAq 20) +13 -- casting requisites
Unravelling the Fabric of Imaginem (PeVi gen/15) +19
Pit of the Gaping Earth (PeTe 15) +11
Fist of Shattering (PeTe 10) +11
Intuition of the Forest (InHe 10) +4
Cloak of the Duck's Feathers (ReAq 5) +7
Circle of Beast Warding (ReAn 5) +4
Touch of the Goose Feather (PeCo 5) +15 -- Mastery 1 (Fast Casting)

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Advancement Log

Before the saga
  • Year 1: Rego +15 xp, Magic Lore +10 xp, Faerie Lore +5 xp, Warping +2 points
  • Year 2: Magic Theory +20 xp, Parma Magic +10 xp, Warping +2 points
  • Year 3: 4 seasons of lab activities, Warping +2 points
    • Season 1: Prepare item for enchantment (hornbeam staff with an inset silver ring holding a piece of clear glass and a crescent of basalt) for a capacity of 8 pawns
    • Season 2: Attune staff as a talisman (attunement: +3 Perdo)
    • Season 3: Learn PeVi spells from lab texts (Unravelling the Fabric of Corpus lvl 15 and Unravelling the Fabric of Terram lvl 15) lab total Pe 10 + Vi 8 + Int 1 + MT 5 + Aura 3 + similar spell 3
    • Season 4: Learn ReCo spells from lab texts (Lifting the Dangling Puppet lvl 15), lab total Re 6 + Co 3 + Int 1 + MT 4 + Aura 3 = 17
  • Year 4: Parma Magica +15 xp, Mastery of Unravelling the Fabric of Terram +5 xp, Mastery of Unravelling the Fabric of Corpus +5 xp, Mastery Pit of the Gaping Earth +5 xp, Warping +2 points
1013 A.D.
  • Autumn 1013:
    • Participating in the story Chapter 5 (Autumn 1013): Into Galloway
    • Gain 8 Confidence points (+1 for convergent push, +1 for spotting raven spy, -1 to comprehend the magic in the beans given to Jack, +1 for freeing Chronos from the magical chain, +1 for argument with Cath'rinne on respecting the ghosts of death sodales, +2 for completion of Chapter 5, +1 for exploring the island of the Council of Eight, +1 for his role in settling the fate of Ungulus)
    • Gain 2 Warping Points (1 spell botch, 1 for using the raven cloak)
    • Made an adjustment to the virtues (replacing Magical Memory for Cautious with Comprehend Magic)
    • Experience gained: Total 14 (5 xp Leadership, 5 xp Comprehend Magic, 2 xp Ride, 2 xp Magic Lore)
  • Winter 1013:
    • Reading Muto Summa On Fluidity (L18Q10)
    • Experience gained: 10 xp Muto
1014 A.D.
  • Spring 1014:
  • Summer 1014:
  • Fall 1014:
    • Learn Wizard's Vigil from a lab text
    • Harvest the Auram vis source near the covenant (secure)
    • Experience gained: 2 xp in Magic Theory
  • Winter 1014:
    • Hold the winter council meeting (see Chapter 16)
    • Bind Adhya the Salamander as a familiar
    • Lab total: Perdo 10 + Vim 8 + Intelligence 1 + Magic Theory 5 (including specialty) + aura 6 + lab bonus 5 (-2 General Quality, +7 Perdo) = 35
    • Gain the True Friend (Adhya) virtue
    • Experience gained: 2 xp in Magic Theory
1015 A.D.
  • Spring 1015:
    • Teach Adhya Artes Liberales
    • Experience gained: 2 xp in Teaching
  • Summer 1015:
    • Study Muto
  • Fall 1015:
    • Study Corpus
  • Winter 1015:
    • Learn Mercury's Sandals
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Custom Spells

None so far

Enchanted Items

Staff of the Eye (Talisman)

Description: The staff is made of hornbeam, with the top of the staff flattening and pierced by a two-inch round hole, within which a piece of thick clear glass was securely mounted using a ring of silver, and a crescent piece of basalt mounted over the ring (looking like an eyebrow). One can look through the glass, but images tend to be slightly distorted.
Enchantment Capacity: 8 pawns (0 used)
Attunements: +3 Perdo (basalt)
Instilled Effects: None so far

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A post was merged into an existing topic: Covenant in spe

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Familiar

Not yet!

Bond Strength

PeVi 0
Gold Cord +0
Silver Cord +0
Bronze Cord +0

Bond Powers

None

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Laboratory

Thadeus' lab is located on the fourth floor of the new tower at Ungulus (irt occupies the whole floor), with his living quarters on the third floor (occupying half that floor). There is a dedicated set of stairs between the living quarters and the lab, and doors bearing his sanctum marker on both floors.

At the end of Summer 1013, the built-in fireplace serving as a major focus for the lab will come into play. The lab should have the following stats:

  • Characteristics: Size +1, Occupied Size +1, Refinement 0, General Quality -2, Upkeep 0, Safety +2, Warping 0, Health 0, Aesthetics +5
  • Specializations: Perdo +7, Auram +1
  • Virtues and Flaws:
    • Superior Construction (Structure, Free Virtue): The lab is located inside a tower raised by magic.+1 Safety, +1 Aesthetics
    • Elevated (Structure, Free Virtue): Since it is on the fourth floor, it affords a commanding view of the surroundings. +1 Aesthetics; +1 Au
    • Greater Feature - Fireplace (Structure, Major Virtue): On the north side of the lab, a very large and massive fireplace is built into the tower itself.+2 Aesthetics, +3 Perdo
    • Greater Focus - Fireplace (Structure, Major Flaw): The fireplace occupies a central place in the lab. -2 General Quality; +4 Perdo
    • Spacious (Structure, Minor Virtue): For now, the extra space in the lab is used to spread out the outfittings and equipment. +2 Safety, +1 Aesthetics

Plans for the future

Here I takes notes about future lab improvements Thadeus would like to make to his lab.

  • Increase Refinement to maximum possible.
  • Add the Lesser Expansion virtue (+1 General Quality, +2 Upkeep; 1 point on any Specialization)
  • Add a summoning circle as a Lesser Feature (+1 Aesthetics, 1 point amongst the following Specializations: Experimentation, Spells, Cr, Re, An, Vi)
  • Add an astrological device as a Lesser Feature (+1 Aesthetics, 1 point amongst the following Specializations: In, Vi)

The first minor virtue added would replace Spacious, which essentially uses the available Size of the lab.

The minor flaw Missing Equipment could be accepted (-1 Upkeep) at some point, precluding the activities Longevity Rituals and Vis Extraction, since those are activities that Thadeus is unlikely to perform in his lab, due to poor capabilities with Creo magic.

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Ideas for new spells

Silence the Braying Donkey (PeIm 15)
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Makes one being or object incapable of producing sound. Magi who cannot utter their magic words suffer the normal penalties to their spellcasting rolls. (Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 changing image)

Notes: When Thadeus used this spell spontaneously on donkeys to approach Wicker Hill discretely on the Spring of 1014, he botched the fourth casting with spectacular and memorable results. Hence the name. It is essentially a shorter-range version of Silence of the Smothered Sound (ArM5 p.146).