Pythos Char Gen

Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Light of Andorra
1

AT GAUNTLET
Voting Sigil - a mirror-smooth disc of silver
Casting Sigil - dreamy coloration

Virtues
The Gift, Magus, Enigmatic Wisdom(free)
MMF - Scrying (Major, Hermetic)
Premonitions (Minor, Supernatural)
Affinity with Intellego (minor hermetic)
Inventive Genius (minor Hermetic)
Privileged Upbringing (Minor, General)
Pussiant Intellego (Minor Hermetic)
Pussiant Penetration
Book Learner

Flaws
Obese - mGen
Greater Maledict - (MGen) Virgin Father - will have 7 sons, whether he beds a woman or not
Covenant Upbringing (m Per)
Obsessed with Scrying (minor Personality)
Visions (m, Story, Supernatural)
Blatant Gift - MHermetic

Characteristics: Self-Centered +3, Serious -2 , Hungry +1
Int +2
Per +2 +3 sight, Age: 20 Real: (born: )
Pre -3
Com +3 Size: 0
Str -1
Sta +1 Confidence: 1 /3
Dex +1
Qik 0 Warping:

Abilities
N:Greek (songs) 5
Latin (Hermetic) 5

ALore: Thebes (Criamon) 1
Awareness (sight) 1+3
Athletics (running) 2
Artes Liberales (ritual) 2
Craft: With Ink (portraits) 1
Guile (poker face) 2
Prof:Scribe (lab texts) 2
Stealth (nocturnal) 2

Code of Hermes (scrying) 2
Criamon Lore (members) 2
Enig Wisdom (Twilight) 2
Magic Theory (spells) 3
Order of Hermes Lore(authors) 1
Parma Magica (Mentem) 1
Penetration (Intellego) 2+2
Premonitions (Apollo’s scions) 2+3

Arts
Creo 4
Intellego* 11+3
Muto
Perdo
Rego 5

Animal 5
Aquam 5
Auram
Corpus
Herbam
Ignem
Imaginem 4
Mentem
Terram 5
Vim 1

Spells (CT +Aura+die)
*Hunter’s Sense InAn 30 25 Per, Sun, Hearing
*Enchantment of the Scrying Pool InAq(Im) 30 25 Touch, Year, Ind, Ritual
Air’s Ghostly Form CrAu 5 5 Touch, Diam, Ind
*Summoning the Distant Image InIm 25 23 Arc, Conc, Room
Sight of the Transparent Motive InMe10 14 Eye, Mom, Ind
Frosty Breath of the Spoken Lie InMe20 14 Eye, Conc, Ind
*Sense the Feet that Tread the Earth InTe 30 25 Touch, Conc, Part

2

Looking good :slight_smile:
I will go over it in more detail when I get the chance. Busy weekend. I also finished char gen for Carmen, which I hope to post Monday. I will follow your example and start a chargen thread.
Everyone else, follow this example. Meaning post your own chargen thread with your magus design. We can comment, adjustments can be made, and when all is said & done, we will post sheets as a sticky.
Should we do one for each oe all on one thread?

3

One for each character. It's easier on all fronts.

4

Then that is what we shall do.
Amul, when you have made all final adjustmentr (if any) to Pythos, let me know. Once approved by myself and one other player (to save time), you are ready to go.
I will then ask you to post the polished character in a new thread. I will make it a sticky just for you. Then this thread will remain a record, and can be used to discuss further development and lab projects.
As the character changes and grows, edit the main character sheet. Periodically copy/paste it to this thread to keep a record. But the main sheet should be updated/edited to reflect what Pythos is like in that moment.

The same for everyone else :smiley:

5

Birth and Apprenticeship
Born to some kind of Greek aristrocrat. I know nothing about the Theban Tribunal or medieval Greek culture, so will need some help there. His birth was prophesized by Aristaeus of Criamon....incorrectly. Due to the horribly inaccurate nature of prophecy, Aristaeus actually showed up several years early. He did manage to find a Gifted child, just not the one he was looking for[1]. Aristaeus, a loner (peregrinator?), traded the girl to a non-Criamon friend, in exchange for promised access to his friend's covenant resources, should he ever manage to find his prophecized apprentice.

Pythos (birth name: Periander) was born a year or two later. Aristaeus swept him up as soon as he was able, and he was raised in a covenant as an honored guest, destined to become a powerful magi. As a result Periander grew up to be a spoiled brat -- he had but one peer growing up, the other apprentice. Frustrated with this behavior, Aristaeus took him from the covenant after the first 1/3rd of his training.

Aristaeus is a very old and powerful magus who spent most of his life trying to turn a particular forest into a second Cave of Twisting Shadows, and he understood very little about children. His home, the Forest of Winding Paths, is pretty Enigmatic, but not popular among the other Criamon. Here the boy Periander took to his lessons well (as long as they were focused on Intellego), but in this isolation his sense of self-importance grew. Thus, Aristaeus decided to spend the boys last 5 years training him at the Cave of Twisting Shadows.

There, the boy learned of his House Culture, and learned to walk the walk (if not think the thoughts) that his master hoped. He was deemed most suitable for the Path of Seeming, those who stand between House Criamon and the rest of the Order, helping his brethren with their works.

Born: 1182
Apprenticeship:1187 - 1202
(Because Aristaeus prophecized his birth, twice, he scooped the kid up and started his apprenticeship at a VERY young age)

1st Cycle 1202-1209: Age 20 - 27, Gauntlet+7
During this period, Pythos focuses almost entirely on Intellego. As this cycle ends, he has an experience which teaches him two hard lessons: First, that the world does not actually revolve around him. And second, that while he may be good at learning information, he has not developed any skill at doing anything about it, that he is in fact, quite defenseless. Humbled, he is fit to walk the Avenue of Gruel, Water and Starlight and arrive at the First Station.

Cycle 1 Mechanics:
Intellego x 2 seasons/year * 7 years = 14 seasons = 140xp + 70xp (Affinity)
Roughly 1 season in 7 skills, 10xp each: Criamon Lore, Craft:With Ink, Guile, Penetration, Premonitions,
(EDIT: 5 to Concentration, 14 to Vim, 1 to Ignem cuz I can’t read my own sheet))
Book Learner Bonus (30 xp): 5xp Criamon Lore, 25 in Penetration

Loses 1 season to overhead.

1 Season Initiation: Path of Seeming, Station 1. Book published, no XP cost?
Gains: Clear Thinker, Puissant Awareness, Keen Vision (counts as 1 major virtue, per HoH:MC), Disfigured from Tattoos

Lab: 5 (?) seasons left
1st season: Open/Attune Talisman (MT 3x2 = 6vis)
2nd season: Enchant “Invisible Eye Revealed”
InVi LT: Int 2+ Magic Theory 3 + Aura 3 + Inventive Genius 3 + In 23 + Puissant 3 +Vi 5 + Focus 5 + into Talisman 5 = 52/2 = 26
+5lvls item maintains +1 2 uses/day = InVi 20 version, cost: 3vis

Talisman (3/6)

  • Attunements: scrying +3
  • Invisible Eye Revealed, InVi 26 ( InVi 20, Per, Conc, Touch, Item Concentrates, 2 uses/day, (detects up to lvl 40 Intellego spells)

3rd Season:
Int 2+ Magic Theory 3 + specialty: spell 1 + Aura 3 + Inventive Genius 3 + In 23 + Puissant 3 +Vi 5 + Focus 5 +Nocturnal 2 = 50
Sight of the Active Magics, InVi 40
Sense the Nature of Vis InVi 5
Scales of Magical Weight: InVi5

4th Season:
Int 2+ Magic Theory 3 + specialty: spell 1 + Aura 3 + Inventive Genius 3 + In 23 + Puissant 3 + Te 5 + Focus 5 + Experiment 3+die 8 = 59
Stone Tell of the Mind that Sits InTe 30
The Miner's Keen Eye InTe 20
An Objectively Affirmative Spell InTe 10 - Voice/Mom/Ind This botched spell was an attempt to learn The Eye of Eons. Instead, the spell tells the caster that whether or not the target of the spell actually exists. ((Or maybe it just always returns "yes."))

Explanation of the dice rolls:
8 - added to lab total
1, 10 = 20, "roll twice more" : 8 - complete failure AND 2 - no effect
Thus, we get a spell that is very Criamon.

5th Season
Int 2+ Magic Theory 3 + specialty: spell 1 + Aura 3 + Inventive Genius 3 + In 23 + Puissant 3 +An 5 + Focus 5 +Experiment 3+1+ die 3= 55
Opening the Tome of the Animal's Mind - InAn25
Shiver of the Lycanthrope InAn 10
Image of the Beast InAn 5
A simple Test for the Completeness of Books - InAn 15 (Cov pg 100)
Due to experimentation, has a major side benefit. Given the sigil and history-to-date of the character, perhaps it heals the book? Makes the marginalia easier to read? Maybe it just cleans off all the dirt and stains.

Warping: 1 point, + 2 more for having the gall to experiment on spells during char gen.
21 vis earned - 9 spent = 12 Vis

Questions:

  • Am I doing the Virtue Gaining correctly?
  • Does "Invisible Eye Revealed" need penetration? According to HProj, spells themselves do not have magical resistance and therefore you do not need to penetrate to detect them.
  • Are the experimental spell effects acceptable? I just needed to boost my Lab Total enough to round up to the nearest multiple of 5.

(pause to compare to others, to see if I can find answers to these questions)

6

2nd Cycle, 1209-1216: Age 28-34, Gauntlet+14
Having learned humility and the wisdom of duty, he turns to Rego and Imaginem and focuses on his duties as a member of Path of Seeming to help his fellow Criamons interact with the rest of the Order. In his diligence, he unwittingly begins to walk the Avenue That Assaults The Modesty of The Universe, and arrives at The Station of True Sight. He loses the ability to distinguish real from imaginary, and wanders the world in the madness of the initiation. However, he has made many friends in his diligence, and he is guided back across the precipice into sanity.

Cycle 2 Mechanics:
Rego x 1 seasons/year * 7 years = 7 seasons = 70xp
Imaginem x 1 seasons/year * 7 years = 7 seasons = 70xp
Roughly 1 season in 7 skills, 10xp each: Awareness, Criamon Lore, Artes Liberales, Philosophia, Enigmatic Wisdom(15), Premonitions(5), Parma Magica
Book Learner Bonus (30 xp): 6 Rego, 8 Imaginem, AL 5, Criamon Lore 10, Mentem 1

Loses 1 season to overhead.

1 season: Initiation: Minor Flaw: Vow, Quest of Insane Wandering
Use Enigmatic Wisdom as if it were Magic Sensitivity and Second Sight

1 season spent earning a Longevity Potion from someone.

Lab 4 seasons:

Lab 1 CrIm: Int 2+ Magic Theory 3 + specialty 1 + Aura 3 + Inventive Genius 3 = 12 +Cr 4 + 12 + Nocturnal 2= 30
Phantasm of the Talking Head CrIm10
Illusory Communication Aid CrIm 20
Base 2, +1 Touch, +1 Diam, +1 intricate +2 move at my command, +1 intelligible speech. A useful spell for re-enacting experiences or communicating plans. ((Assumes a lab text.))

Lab 2 ReIm: Int 2+ Magic Theory 3 + specialty 1 + Aura 3 + Inventive Genius 3 = 12 + Re 13 + Im 12 = 37 + Experiment 3 + die 7 = 47 ((note: totally cheating here with the extra +3 for simplicity))

Companion's Sidestep ReIm 15
As Wizard's Sidestep, only target: Touch so you can do it on your friends, too. Assumes a lab text.
Image From the Wizard Torn Re(In)Im 30

Lab 3: ReVi Int 2+ Magic Theory 3 + specialty 1 + Aura 3 + Inventive Genius 3 = 12 + Re 13 + Vi 5 = 30
Aegis of the Hearth, ReVi 30

Lab 4: InHe Int 2+ Magic Theory 3 + specialty 1 + Aura 3 + Inventive Genius 3 = 12 + In 23 + Affinity 3 + He 0 = 38
Converse with Plant and Tree, InHe 25
Intuition of the Forest, InHe 10

21 vis + 12 previous = New Total: 31.

Warping Points: Previous 3 + 1+ 4 (years under LR) = 8, or Score: 1.3
As a Criamon, he wouldn't try to avoid it.
Int 2 + Enig 3 + Specialty: Twilight* 1 = 6 + die 6 = 12 vs (1 + die 4= ) 5. Twilight Comprehended.

Time (12-4 = ) 8 vs 5 (mere moments). Additional Warping Points gained: 6 = 14 total.

Hrm. Is it just the 6 points that I gained during twilight, or including the points that got me here. How many got me here? 1? 5?

I think I'll take Intangible Tunnel at ReVi 15, which is somewhere between 6 and 11 points, but fits very neatly into my character concept. Especially if the initiation happens at the very end of this cycle and causes the Twilight Episode during his Quest of Insane Ramblings. Oh, and if you want to suggest that I take Intangible Tunnel at 20 instead of 15, I won't object.

Edit: Looking back, I realize that I gain WP in magnitudes of spells, not 2*WP in spell points, which makes this somewhat cooler. I will grab a second Tunnel-like spell at an impractically high level for combat, totalling out to an effective 8 points of warping effect.
The Master's Message, ReVi 25
(HProj 81) Touch/Moon version of Intangible Tunnel, allows up to level 30 effects through, assuming I can penetrate on this spell in the first place. To use on my Lucas and other agents, so I can keep an eye on them.

Twilight Scar: Reflective surfaces near Pythos contain mildly prophetic reflections. For example, the face reflected might more accurately portray that person's character.

  • This always struck me as lame, until I read HoH:MC and saw all the other things you can do with Enigmatic Wisdom.
7

3rd Cycle, 1216-1223: Age 35-42, Gauntlet+21
Ironically, though his initiation reaffirms his dedication to the Criamon religion[2], his Twilight experience rekindles his self-centeredness by palpably demonstrating his connection to the rest of the world. He longs to do something worthwhile, and so he focuses on Vim while working with the Quaesitors to ferret out infernalism inside the Order. Though his elders protest that he is not ready, he applies political pressure to permit him to walk the Avenue of the Unexpected Pages -- for his Quaesitor contact knows of the utility of such Criamon in his investigations. Pythos proves unready, and he spends a very long time in the induced coma state before finally arriving at the Station of Vivid Memories from Objects.

During this initiation, the supplicant undergoes a pyschodrama where he plays a stranger and must successfully deliver a particular item to "himself." When he fails, he takes on a different role and must deliver a different item. During the course of this initiation, he experiences some kind of connection with Andorra.

It's worth noting that he's not very popular among the Criamon at this point. While fighting Infernalism is definitely Apt, association with violence is not. Add to that the political pressure and his obesity (no matter how hard he protests that he does not indulge in gluttony), and a lot of the holy brethren wonder just how holy Pythos is being.

Cycle 3 Mechanics:
14 Seasons of Arts Study, Divided Sensibly, with heavy focus on Vim: 140xp
Creo 5, Muto 15, Perdo 15, Auram 15, Corpus 15, Herbam 5, Ignem 14, Mentem 14, Vim 42

7 seasons, 70xp, learning skills while fighting Diabolists:
ALore: Iberia (Shadow hideouts)30, OoHLore 25, Infernal Lore 15

Book Learner Bonus (30 xp): 9 Vim, 11 CoH, Guile 5, Philo 5

1 Season, Initiation: Major Flaw Pious replaces Minor Flaw Vow
Gains Psychometry ability:
Perception + Enigmatic Wisdom (+3 for vivid, object's-life-altering stories, including Sins, crimes, or charitable acts) + die
EF 6 for details the item encountered daily,
9 for details/every week,
15/events that happened occasionally in the item’s presence, and
18 for unique events

1 Season lost to overhead. 5 Lab Seasons Remaining. 21 Vis Gained + 31 Previous = 52

Lab 1: Open Talisman Further (In 23 + Im 12 > 14. new spaces 3/20). 14 Vis Used
Attunement: vs demons +10
Red Coral is, scientifically speaking, arguably an Animal Bone, but may have been thought of in the middle ages as a precious gemstone, considering how difficult it was to obtain back then. If a precious gemstone, then he would not have been able to include it in a compound device back when he was freshly gauntleted. That he would have included a substance known only for its demon fighting properties we might safely explain with his Premonitions and Visions, though it would certainly add a certain nervousness to his backstory :slight_smile:

Lab 2: InVi into Talisman (5 pawns used)
Attunement: display images +6
Int 2+ Magic Theory 3 + Aura 3 + Inventive Genius 3 + In 23 + Puissant 3 + Vim 11 + Focus 11 + into Talisman 5 +Similar Spell (Sight of Active Magics) 9 = 73
"Hearing the Tearing" InVi 49 (HProj 82)
Base 5, +2 Sun, +3 Hearing, +3 detailed info, +4 constant effect. Imbues the Talisman/magus with a magical hearing-like sense that listens for Intangible Tunnel Like effects. This effect will expire sometime between 1286 and 1293.

Lab 3: InCo spells
Int 2+ Magic Theory 3 + specialty:spells 1 + Aura 3 + Inventive Genius 3 + In 23 + Puissant 3 + Corpus 5 + Focus 5 = 48
Inexorable, Efficient Search, InCo(CrIm) 25.
Arc, Conc, Ind. As the spell, plus the variation suggested on Cov, pg 100. The Imaginem requisite shows a mark on the map (in Pythos's case, it is marked with a crown of bay leaves). With the optional Creo requisite, the magus can projection an image of the target's location onto a mirror or other reflective surface.
Convergence of Birth, InCo 10, HProj 91
Base 5, +1 Touch, Mom, Ind. This spell, which can use an astrolabe or other astronomy devices, provides sufficient information to calculate the nativity horoscope of the target. Calculating the horoscope still takes a day.
Convergence of Place, InCo 4, HProj 4
Base 3, +1 Touch, Mom, Ind. This spell, which can use an astrolabe (etc), determines the current celestial location of the target, sufficient to calculate a daily horoscope. Calculating the horoscope still takes an hour.
Image of the Human, InCo 5
Arc, Mom, Ind. As Image of the Beat, only it gives you a hazy mental image of the person that the Arcane Connection is connected to.

Lab 4: MuVi spells
Int 2+ Magic Theory 3 + specialty:spells 1 + Aura 3 + Inventive Genius 3 + Muto 5 + Vim 11 + Nocturnal 2 = 30
Wizard's Communion, MuVi 30,
+2 Sun duration, to work on Rituals, make this effectively a 20

Lab 5: ReVi spells
Int 2+ Magic Theory 3 + specialty:spells 1 + Aura 3 + Inventive Genius 3 + Rego 13 + Vim 11 = 36
Circular Ward Against Demons, ReVi 10 (Touch, Circle, Ring)
Room Ward against Demons, ReVi 25 (Touch, Sun, +2 Room)
Circle and Sun are equivalent. So, this spell wards a Room against Infernal Might 15 for Sun)

Vis left: 52 - 14 - 5 = 33.

Warping : Was 14. + 1 + 7 for LR + 2(?) while fighting diabolists.
New Warping Points: 23
Twilight Episode! As a Criamon, he wouldn't try to avoid it.
Int 2 + Enig 3 + Specialty: Twilight* 1 = 6 + die (1,2=4) = 10 vs (2 + die 4= ) 6. Twilight Comprehended.

Time: 6 vs 6. That's 2 hours in Twilight, gaining 3 more Warping for a new total of 26.

Add the original 1-9 that caused this, call it 2, that's 5 points of warping. I'll go for this nasty little spell:

Break the Shield, PeVi 10 (HProj 85)
Touch, Mom, Ind. Dispels the target's Parma Magica, provided it is less than (25+stress die)/5. Must Penetrate (obviously). Spell mechanics derived from Wind of Mundane Silence.

Twilight Scar: when casting spells, Pythos's stigmata shift and pulse in Enigmatic ways in response to the power. This does not help anyone attempting to comprehend his spellcasting in order to counter it (it may, at SG discretion, hinder their attempts). As a beneficial scar, this does not cause him problems, and when he needs to be discreet, his stigmata are more discreet.

Edit: Again, I gain WP in magnitudes of spells, not 2*WP in spell points. Adding this spell to round it out:
Fading Star of Evening, CrVi 15, Touch, Mom Ind
(HProj 86) As The Enigma's Gift, only a 2 pt Warping attack by touch instead.

8

4th Cycle, 1223 - 1230: Age 42-49, Gauntlet+28
Returning to his duties as a Demon Hunting Oracle, he is by now a master of Intellego, Rego, Imaginem and Vim. His work is satisfying and he has found a balance between his duties to Criamon and the Order. Yet he cannot stop thinking of Andorra. His interest encounters unexpected resistance and he ends up in a Wizard's War. He shocks the Order by blasting his opponent into Twilight with Creo Vim spells. In his quest for more information about Andorra, he ends up picking up some Virtue(s) that have nothing to do with his Path of Seeming.

When the campaign starts, his Wizard's War adversary still has not returned from Twilight.

Cycle 4 Mechanics:

8 Seasons Learning skills + Book Bonus! 110xp
Awareness 15, Stealth 15, Code of Hermes 5, Concentration 10, Infernal Lore 15, Parma Magica 35, Enigmatic Wisdom 20

13 seasons honing his arts, 130xp
In 24, Re 29, Im 27, Me 20, Vi 25

1 season lost to overhead
1 season lost to Initiation! New Virtue: A Hermetic Virtue that somehow relates to Andorra.
Tentatively thinking about picking up Great Characteristic x2 (Com), and Good Teacher, balanced by Enemies (representing the guy I blasted into Twilight and his cronies). Although, Flexible Formulaic Magic is mighty tempting too. Those are just mechanical preferences though. I want to pick up a Virtue that is indicative of Andorra's past, or my calling to it.

5 Seasons left!

Season 1: Perdo Vim Lab!
Int 2+ Magic Theory 3 + specialty:spells 1 + Aura 3 + Inventive Genius 3 + Perdo 5 + Vim 13 = 30

DEO PeVi10
FEO PeVi10 (Faerie version of DEO)
MEOPeVi10 (Magic Version)

Season 2
Okay, it's getting pretty late. So, here's a pile of spells that I'd like to have someone teach me, since they don't organize well into a neat pile. There's 85 spell levels there. Can we say that I got somebody to teach them to me in a single season in exchange for a seasons worth of service?

Determine Location of Absent Volume InAn 25 (CrIm) Arc, Conc, Ind (Cov, pg 100)
Breath of the Sleeper, InMe 5 Touch, Mom, Ind
(Determines if subject is asleep)
Fingers for Eyes(Hproj 84) InIm 5 Touch, Diam, Ind (See room around target)
Yesterday's Lecture CrMe 15 (Base 5 +1 Touch +1 Dia)
(Implants a whole memory. Surprisingly versatile.)

Edit:I moved about 40levels of spells into Twilight Experiences after realizing my math error. Wanting my "fair season's worth," but not particularly concerned with what else I learn, I decide that the above spells were taught to me by a particularly curmudgeonly librarian-maga at Magvillus, who is very sensitive about her height, named Libella. She also taught me these spells:

Employer's Vigilant Gaze, CrMe 5 (Base3, +1 Touch, +1 Diam)
Allows you to speak directly to the mind of your target. And remind them that you have an Intangible Tunnel pointed at them.

Reorder the Contents of the Amarius ReAn(InMe)15, Touch, Mom, Room
Cov 100. Reorganizes the library without having to reach the high shelves

A Simple Charm for the Recovery of Misfiled Books, ReAn10, Arc, Conc, Ind
Cov 100. Makes a book fly to you or wherever you direct

Revised Eternal Repetition in a Bottomless Pool, CrIm20, Touch, Sun, Ind
based on spell, Cov 100. This version is Touch instead of Arcane, requiring you to Tunnel to the book, but preventing Warping. Allows you to read a book's contents in a mirror or pool of water, without having to actually get up and get it.

Season 3: Presumably, the season of service done in exchange for Libellia teaching

Season 4: Preparing for Wizard War, 15xp on Craft:With Ink

Season 5: Wizard War, and it's Consequences. 5xp Intrigue.

Warping: was 26. +1 + 7 for LR = 34
Another Twilight Episode! [strike]I will math it out later.[/strike]

Twilight Episode! As a Criamon, he wouldn't try to avoid it.
Int 2 + Enig 4 + Specialty: Twilight 1 = 7 + die 4 = 11 vs (3 + die 9 =) 12. FAILS TO COMPREHEND Twilight!!!

Time: Sun.
Additional Points: +4
New Warping Score: 38.

Twilight Scar: Liquids smell horrible, but taste fine.
Twilight Effect: Lose 6*2 =12 xp in Imaginem.

Vis 33 prev + 21 new = 54 - H.Age 28 = 26 * 4 = 104 points for stuff

9

Pythos Criamoniis, at SAGA

Voting Sigil - a mirror-smooth disc of silver engraved with a crown of bay leaves
Casting Sigil - dreamy coloration

Virtues
The Gift, Magus, Enigmatic Wisdom(free)
MMF - Scrying (Major, Hermetic)
Premonitions (Minor, Supernatural)
Affinity with Intellego (minor hermetic)
Inventive Genius (minor Hermetic)
Privileged Upbringing (Minor, General)
Pussiant Intellego (Minor Hermetic)
Pussiant Penetration
Book Learner
Clear Thinker / Pussiant Awareness / Keen Vision
Enigmatic Wisdom as Magic Sensitivity/Second Sight
Enigmatic Wisdom as Psychometry

Flaws
Obese - mGen
Greater Maledict - (MGen) Virgin Father - will have 7 sons, whether he beds a woman or not
Covenant Upbringing (m Per)
Obsessed with Scrying (minor Personality)
Visions (m, Story, Supernatural)
Blatant Gift - MHermetic
Disfigurement -3 treated well
Pious, Major - Criamon Ways

Characteristics: Self-Centered +3, Serious -2 , Hungry +1
Int +2
Per +2 Age: 31 Real: 48 (born: 1182 )
Pre -3
Com +3 Size: 0
Str -1
Sta +1 Confidence: 1 /3
Dex +1
Qik 0 Warping: 3.4

Abilities
N:Greek (songs) 5
Latin (Hermetic) 5

AL: Thebes (Criamon) 1
AL: Ibera(Shadow hideouts) 3
Athletics (running) 2
Awareness (sight) 3+2+3sight
Concentration (spells) 2
Craft: With Ink (portraits) 3
Guile (poker face) 3
Intrigue (Hermetic) 1
Prof:Scribe (lab texts) 2
Stealth (nocturnal) 3
Artes Liberales (ritual) 3
Philosophiae (ritual) 2

Code of Hermes (scrying) 3
Criamon Lore (Path of Seeming) 4
Order of Hermes Lore(members) 3
Infernal Lore (diabolists) 2
Magic Theory (spells) 3
Parma Magica (Mentem) 4
Penetration (Intellego) 4+2

Enig Wisdom (Twilight) 4
Premonitions (Apollo’s scions) 3+3clear thinker

Arts
Creo 5
Intellego* 24+3
Muto 5
Perdo 5
Rego 15

Animal 5
Aquam 5
Auram 5
Corpus 5
Herbam 5
Ignem 5
Imaginem 13
Mentem 8
Terram 5
Vim 13

Spells (CT +Aura+die)
*Hunter’s Sense InAn 30 Per, Sun, Hearing
Opening the Tome o.t Animal's Mind InAn25 Touch, Conc, Ind
Shiver of the Lycanthrope InAn 10 Per, Conc, Touch
Image of the Beast InAn 5 Arc, Mom, Ind
Simple Test for t Completeness of Books - InAn 15 Touch, Mom, Ind(Cov pg 100)
Major side benefit. Maybe it just cleans off all the dirt and stains.
*Enchantment of the Scrying Pool InAq(Im) 30 Touch, Year, Ind, Ritual
Air’s Ghostly Form CrAu 5 Touch, Diam, Ind
Inexorable, Efficient Search, InCo(CrIm) 25 Arc, Conc, Ind.
Convergence of Birth, InCo 10, Touch, Mom, Ind HProj 91
Convergence of Place InCo 4 Touch, Mom, Ind HProj 4
Image of the Human, InCo 5 Arc, Mom, Ind.
Converse with Plant and Tree, InHe 25 Touch, Conc, Ind
Intuition of the Forest, InHe 10 Touch, Sun, Group
Phantasm of the Talking Head CrIm10 Voice, Dia, Ind
Illusory Communication Aid CrIm 20 Touch, Dia, Ind
Base 2, +1 Touch, +1 Diam, +1 intricate +2 move at my command, +1 intelligible speech. A useful spell for re-enacting experiences or communicating plans.
*Summoning the Distant Image InIm 25 Arc, Conc, Room
Companion's Sidestep ReIm 15 Touch, Sun, Ind
Image From the Wizard Torn Re(In)Im 30 Per, Conc, Ind
Sight of the Transparent Motive InMe10 Eye, Mom, Ind
Frosty Breath of the Spoken Lie InMe20 Eye, Conc, Ind
*Stone Tell of the Mind that Sits InTe 30 Touch, Conc, Ind
*The Miner's Keen Eye InTe 20 Per, Conc, Vision
*An Objectively Affirmative Spell InTe 10 Voice/Mom/Ind
(maybe it just always returns "yes.")
*Sense the Feet that Tread the Earth InTe 30 Touch, Conc, Part
Fading Star of Evening CrVi 15 Touch, Mom Ind (HProj 86)(2pt Warping attack)
*Sight of the Active Magics, InVi 40 Per, Conc, Vision
Scales of Magical Weight InVi 5 Touch, Mom, Ind
Know the Magic Aura's Strength: InVi3 Touch, Mom, Ind
Wizard's Communion, MuVi 30, +2 Sun duration
Break the Shield, PeVi 10 Touch, Mom, Ind (HProj 85)
Dispels target's Parma, provided it is less than (25+stress die)/5. Must Penetrate (obviously).
DEO 10
FEO 10
MEO10
Intangible Tunnel for a Diameter ReVi 15 Arc, Diam, Ind
The Master's Message ReVi 25 (HProj 81)
Touch/Moon version of Intangible Tunnel, does up to level 30
Aegis of the Hearth, ReVi 30
Circular Ward Against Demons, ReVi 10 Touch, Circle, Ring
Room Ward against Demons ReVi 25 Touch, Sun, +2 Room Might 15

Determine Location of Absent Volume InAn 25 (CrIm) Arc, Conc, Ind,
Breath of the Sleeper, InMe 5 Touch, Mom, Ind (Determines if subject is asleep)
Fingers for Eyes(Hproj 84) InIm 5 Touch, Diam, Ind(See room around target)
Yesterday's Lecture CrMe 15 (Base 5 +1 Touch +1 Dia)(Implants a whole memory. Surprisingly versatile.)
Employer's Vigilant Gaze, CrMe 5 Touch, Diam, Ind
Allows you to speak directly to the mind of your target.
Reorder the Contents of the Amarius ReAn(InMe)15, Touch, Mom, Room
A Simple Charm for the Recovery of Misfiled Books, ReAn10, Arc, Conc, Ind
Revised Eternal Repetition in a Bottomless Pool, CrIm20, Touch, Sun, Ind

Talisman: Electrum and Silver, Mirror-smooth vambrace with red coral inlay (8/20)
scrying +3, versus demons 10, display images +6,

  • Invisible Eye Revealed InVi 20 + 6mods (Intellego 40 spells targeting me)
  • Hearing the Tearing" InVi 49 (HProj 82). Listens for Intangible Tunnels. Will expire between 1286 and 1293.

Simulacrum of the Spheres InIm24, ReTe37 (7/12)
(HProj 92) Invested Item, astrolabe made of rock crystal in a complex mesh of wheels
Used as an Astrolabe, provides +3 bonus to horoscope work.
In the Lab, provides : +1 Aesthetics, +3 In, +2 Vi (extrapolated from Cov rules, not part of the inherent description)
(61 points)

Longevity Ritual (Lvl 30) - 28pts

15pts left, I'd like to spend that on some kind of Magic device that provides a bonus to my Craft:With Ink skill. How about a supernaturally good Ink-maker? He could also be my gardener and cook (ie, Fritz from the Nero Wolfe series). (From City&guild, he could craft Excellent Quality inks, providing a (Craft/3) bonus)

10

Lots of crunchy details!
I will comb over it when I get a chance.
Two detais: a few seasons you are unsure what to do with yourself, so you claim vis. I suggest you designate that time as adventure/advancement. The WW is an adventure, your conemplation season counts as, um, practice? You gained 15xp for one and 5 for the other; average 10.

Also, if you have an enemy that could pop out of Twilight any day, perhaps you gained the Enemies Flaw that cycle.
All the bits of a V&F formula do not necesarilly occur at once, these effects could be scattered accross the cycle. The formula is only one a season, and is an abstract.

11

I like this idea!

12

Updated the cycles and final sheet. Corrected my Twilight experiences, added the 20xp Marko suggested for the Wizard's War, and expanded the list of spells that I learned from the mage/tutor (who I developed a personality for). Also spent almost all of my Mustering Out points -- see the bottom of the most recent sheet for details.

Still need to pick a final non-path Virtue gain to go with the Enemies. Something Andorra flavored.

13

Maybe a Major Essential Virtue? Something associated with Stamina when in the mountains?

14

I am not familiar with the term "Essential Virtue" in this context. Reference page?

15

RoP:M page 43 and 54.

16

Thanks! The number of times I've flipped through that book, you'd think I'd have remembered that one.

My first impression is that this is a much better virtue for the Path of Seeming's 1st Station. The minor Essential Virtue "Clear Sighted" would cover what they end up trying to cover in 3. I'll have to let that roll around in my head a bit.

I'm hungry to see background details on Lucas, btw.

This took me a bit by surprise, seeing as how it means my character goes off to fight all the Shadow Flambeau AFTER they've been defeated. But then I realized what's actually happened, and it is sort of amusing.

Pythos joins the fight against diabolists, and with his psychometry and Intellego powers, is sent to investigate all the hideouts and battle sites that the Order of Hermes had found, and check to make sure that we got them all!

So instead of joining in vainglorious combat against infernal foes, he spends nearly 14 years reading goblets in abandoned caves and whatnot to make sure there were no surprise guests for dinner.

17

Hum... What about giving her an idea of the book's content? Although I'm not sure that's possible under hermetic magic... :frowning:

Maybe she gains a temporary AC to the book? Based on RoP: tI p121, CrVi base 4 (create a temporary AC to a demon)?

Are you sure you want to invest an effect with item expiry into your talisman? Not that there's a chance this'll happen in play, now that I think of it, but, overall, this means "wasting" 10 spaces, so this is not something I see magi doing with their talisman
Wouldn't have it been more sensible to do this as a lesser enchanted item instead?

Good idea!

18

This is Cycle 1, before he's developed his obsession with AC-based magics. At this point, he's just a pretentious Intellgo nerd. Plus, the spell is momentary, so the AC she gained would be too.

We could go really screwy and tie it in with his Visions/Premonitions and say that he knows who was the last person to read the book, or he gets to roll Premonitions to see if he can catch a glimpse of an alternate future where he sees himself having just read the book, thereby giving him an idea of what its quality was (satisfactory, excellent, vain, etc)

The logic for this choice took me some time to think out, and actually helped shape his backstory quite a bit for me, answering questions about how he practices his Criamon Faith, etc. Thanks for asking for details :slight_smile:

  1. His pater, Aristaeus, like many Criamon, has Inscription on The Soul, and uses his own body for his talisman. It is a common practice among those who have this virtue to put in this effect expiry, which causes the spell to last only so long as the body does. Again, as a member of the Path of Seeming, this becomes a spiritual practice. Being a self-indulgent snob, Pythos naturally assumes that naturally someday he will be taught that virtue. (Hrm, by this logic, I should probably amp up his other enchantment with the same effect expiry). It doesn't occur to him that he won't get it. It's like college -- he thinks everybody goes. So this talisman he's working on now is just the "temporary one."
  2. As a Criamon, he does not believe in becoming attached to material possessions, so as a general rule he only ever considers enchanting effects into his talisman -- his magic astrolabe and future lab items will be notable exceptions.
  3. More Criamon/Path of Seeming mysticism: PoS aren't immortal like other Pathers. They don't get Repose. So he is fatalistic and accepts that he will disappear into the Hypostasis someday, sooner than most magi. (Which is one reason why he grabs his Longevity Ritual a few years early, because he may HAVE to Transmigrate Into The Hypostasis, but he still wants to look good when he does).
19

I posted my first draft. Hopefully it suits you?

20

How about Baron Luška in Zeta? I think that's modern-day Montenegro, if you catch my drift...