Ranulf from MoH now 150 years post apprentice!!!!

[Erik_Tyrrell]

Stealing inspiration from the Rego Corpus guidelines Ranulf spends a season inventing this spell, to allow him to move his fires quickly

Flames that Leap Leagues
ReIg 40
R: Touch, D: Mom., T: Part
A fire or portion of a fire targeted by this spell is transported to a location up to seven leagues distant that the caster can either see or has an arcane connection to. Fuel that is being burnt by the fire can be transported with the fire by use of an appropriate casting requisite (typically herbam). if there is no fuel for the fire to burn at its destination or if the fire's destination is not amenable to a fire (such as a snow drift or a lake) the fire will be extinguished almost immediately. Ranulf uses this spell to split a fire into multiple fires at distant locations that are arcane connections to one another. Ranulf typically casts the spell with an herbam requisite to include some fuel for the fire at its new location but when it is important thatthe fire not be extinguished he also been known to both spontaneously cast a MuIg spell to allow the fire to burn without fuel and cast Enduring Flame on the original fire. Ranulf is hindered in his use of this spell by his poor eyesight and would very much like to acquire an item that would cast eyes of the eagle on him but he has not yet done this. Ranulf can use this spell in conjunction with not only unified flame and discourse of glowing tongues but also with transformation of fire or Transformation of Fiery Steel to send objects far away. Ranulf can also use this spell on Artisano when he is under the affects of Assumption of the fiery mantle.
(Base 30, +1 Touch, +1 Part)

He spends two seasons on the next spell because not being able to target metal with transformation of fire is a big drawback.

Transformation of Fiery Steel
Mu Te (He,Ig) Level 45
R: Voice, D: Diam, T: Part
This spell transmutes an object of stone, wood, soil, metal, or plant derived cloth or part of some such object into a fire. The fire is still essentially the original object and will not be extinguished for lack of fuel but it can be doused or extinguished in other ways. The transmuted fire is no larger than 2 paces in size and it is hot enough to do +5 damage. Objects smaller than 2 paces in size will turn into fires of their own size when they are subjected to this spell.
(Base 5, + 2 Voice, +1 Diameter, +1 Part, +2 to affect stone metal and gems, +1 herbam requisite)

Ranulf then cooperates with a fellow Milites magus and together they create two of the following item. Certainly the quick advancement rules make no allowance for cooperating with other magi and the flavor text says that it is rare for social reasons. Yet Ranulf can't make this item on his own and I'd wager that school of Flambeau magi with level 20 vim are rare as hen's teeth. Furthermore this isn't the sort of device that either Ranulf or the magus who cooperates with him would want any others to know about, it's incredibly useful to school of Flambeau magi and the trust garnered by decades of fellowship in the societies Milites has got to be worth something.

Ranulf spends five seasons: two seasons opening the rings for enchantment, two seasons instilling unraveling the fabric of ignem in the first ring, and one instilling Unraveling the Fabric of Ignem in the second ring from laboratory notes. The cooperating magus spends four seasons: two instilling Anticipation of Incineration into each of the rings and two seasons acting as Ranulf's laboratory assistant during the enchantment of Unraveling the Fabric of Ignem into the first ring.

I've gone beyond the printed rules with a timing trick here. Tell me if you think that it's justified.

School of The Founder's Advocate
This invested device takes the form of a silver ring inlaid with a ring of polished hornbeam. It was opened with seven pawns of vis and the enchantment capacity of the item has been filled by the two effects Anticipation of Incineration and Unraveling the Fabric of Ignem.
This device was created by a Ranulf and a fellow school of the Founder flambeau socitates Milites. Because it was well known that both of magi favored ignem magic, they worried that anyone who had advance warning of them might very well protect themselves with rego ignem wards against fire spells.
As is usually the case with such devices, the wearer must suppress their parma magica as they place the ring on their finger in order to allow the Anticipation of Incineration to target them. The ring functions only while the wearer keeps it on his or her finger. Anticipation of incineration only functions once per day, so if the wearer takes the ring off, it will not work again until the next sunrise or sunset.

Anticipation of Incineration
InMe Level 30
R: Touch, D: Concentration, T: Ind
This effect reads the mind of the target (the wearer) and determines when they are starting to cast a creo ignem attack spell on a target. Anticipation of Incineration then triggers unraveling the fabric of ignem. Anticipation of incineration was specifically designed so as not to warp Ranulf as a powerful effect (the item can still cause warping to him as a long term effect if he were the sort of fellow who wore it most of the time, which he isn't).
(Base 15, +1 touch, +1 concentration modifications: +5 levels item maintains concentration)

Unraveling the Fabric of Ignem
PeVi Level 40
Pen 40, 3 uses per day
R: Voice, D: Momentary, T: Ind
This effect has a linked trigger. It is set off when the anticipation of incineration enchantment detects that the wearer is about to attack a target with a creo ignem spell.
This effect is intended to remove ignem wards such as Ward Against Heat and Flames (ArM5 p. 143) that might otherwise protect the target from the deleterious results of getting hit with multicast pillum of fire spells. The effect functions as Unraveling the Fabric of [Form] (ArM5 p. 161), dispelling all hermetic ignem effects of level 25 + stress die (no botch) and lower. It functions three times per day and it has a penetration of 40.
A caster who spends a few days practicing with the School of the Founder's Advocate can learn to cast their spells sufficiently slowly to allow unraveling the fabric of ignem to take effect before their attack spell. When the caster does this, their initiative is reduced by two for the rest of the combat.
(Base 5, +2 Voice, modifications +2 levels 3x per day, +3 levels linked trigger, +20 levels 40 penetration)

[DIREWOLF75]

The big issue I see is that spells as a rule need to at least either penetrate or be targeted. Now if you're talking about a hole 15 paces in radius it's pretty clear that neither targeting nor magic resistance should really apply. I think that your suggested spell would work but it's a sort of game mechanic scab that I don't wish to pick at in this thread.

Hehe, well i was thinking you might simply give a bonus to targeting due to size. Ie. you make the hole just big enough to give a bonus that offsets Ranulf´s penalties.

Stealing inspiration from the Rego Corpus guidelines Ranulf spends a season inventing this spell, to allow him to move his fires quickly

That is a neat spell. Nice potential.

I've gone beyond the printed rules with a timing trick here. Tell me if you think that it's justified.

On the edge but ok is what i say.

[Erik_Tyrrell]

@DIREWOLF75

Stealing inspiration from the Rego Corpus guidelines Ranulf spends a season inventing this spell, to allow him to move his fires quickly

That is a neat spell. Nice potential.

I had originally seen it as a way to send objects back and forth or set up a communication network via unified flame and discourse of glowing tounges (and as a method of transportation as you'll see in the next section). It now occurs to me that he could use it to send a properly augmented conflagrative servant to do a simple task for him without even risking Artisano. His intellego deficiency bites him hard here because the level 35 eyes of the flame spell would be perfect to use with this but he doesn't have the lab total to learn it even from lab notes.

I've gone beyond the printed rules with a timing trick here. Tell me if you think that it's justified.

On the edge but ok is what i say.

Enchanted devices take the same time to use as casting spells, so if Ranulf just takes a deep breath between the time he decides to fry something and starting his creo ignem it seems to me that he should be golden.

[Ravenscroft]

@Erik Tyrrell

Enchanted devices take the same time to use as casting spells,

Are you using Enchanted Devices at an Initiative point equal to Qik + Stress Die (page 100)?

[Erik_Tyrrell]

@Ravenscroft

Are you using Enchanted Devices at an Initiative point equal to Qik + Stress Die (page 100)?

That's for when you're triggering a device, this is using a linked trigger from an intellego spell. It might serve as a guide telling us that items don't get a finesse bonus so they're as a whole slower. But if we try and pull more out of it then that we get the question of what quickness to use for an inanimate object that's self triggering. I'm still OK with my -3 modifier based on gut instinct.

[Erik_Tyrrell]

That's four years since he finished his study break and eleven years past the Ranulf +60 version in Magi of Hermes.
Next he spends three more years in study for 90 xp.

muto to level 12 to 13 for 13 xp

corpus from level 5 to 13 for 76

leaving 1 xp for magic lore to get it to 0(1) because he should really know something about magic lore by this point of his life.

Inspired by his familiar and the prospect of finally obtaining a practical manner of travel by use of ignem Ranulf spends two seasons inventing Assuming the Fiery Mantle

Assuming the Fiery Mantle
MuCo(Ig) Level 35
R: Personal, D: Diam, T: Ind
The caster (and his possessions if he uses casting requisites) is transmuted into a human shaped mass of fire. The caster is hot enough to do +10 damage to any being that touches him. While this effect is active the caster may neither speak nor manipulate objects that were not transformed with him. While in this form he is typically not damaged when hit with objects unless the object is somewhat larger than he is. He can take damage from an amount of water of greater than his size (typically +5 or +10 damage). See page 139 of Realms of Power magic for further details.
Ranulf created this spell so he could use Flames that Leap Leagues upon himself and travel by creating a chain of fires that are arcane connections to one another. He has also noted that assuming the fiery mantle provides him absolute safety from the effects of self immolation at the cost of removing his ability to speak.
(Base 30, +1 Diameter)

Ranulf then gets down to the business of dealing with opponents who have a soak to high for his wizard's boosted pillum of fire.
he spends one season inventing the following spell

Skin of Wax
MuCo Level 10
R: Voice, D: Diam, T: Ind (+1 size )
The target of this spell becomes very flammable. For the duration of Skin of Wax any soak totals the target generate against damage from heat receive a -10 modifier. Furthermore a creature that is damaged by heat while under the effects of this spell will be set aflame and take +5 damage every round, ignoring armor until they are extinguished or the spell expires. This spell can affect targets of up to size +4
(Base 2, +2 voice +1 Diameter, +1 size adjustment)

Ranulf now needs a way to get Skin of Wax on his targets without spending a round of combat casting it.

Crossbow with an Incantation Trigger
ReVi Gen
Range: personal, Duration: Sun, Target: Individual
Crossbow with the Incantation Trigger stores another spell or spells in the caster's body until that spell is triggered or until the next sunrise or sunset. The stored spell is triggered when conditions specified at the time of casting Crossbow with the Incantation Trigger come to pass. These conditions must include the casting of yet one more spell. When the triggering spell is cast all of the spells stored in the Crossbow with the Incantation Trigger are cast at the target of the triggering spell (if the stored spells do not have sufficient range or if the target of the triggering spell is an inappropriate target for the stored spells, the stored spells are cast with no effect).
Only one Crossbow with the Incantation Trigger can be placed or the caster. Any number of spells can be stored within the Crossbow with the Incantation Trigger providing that their total level does not exceed the level of the Crossbow with the Incantation Trigger + 15. If someone tries to dispel the Crossbow with the Incantation Trigger but fails the stored spell is cast upon them. At the end of the Crossbow with the Incantation Trigger's duration the stored spells are dispelled. The Crossbow with the Incantation Trigger is also dispelled when it releases its spells.
Ranulf typically uses Crossbow with the Incantation Trigger to store a copy of skin of wax that was cast in a beneficial aura and set it to cast on the same target as his next Pillum of Fire. (He would love to learn ceremonial casting specialization for Skin of Wax from a cult of Mercury colleague within his house but he isn't yet sufficiently well informed to know of this technique)
(Base general +2 sun)

This is more or less a duration sun target personal version of watching ward (p.162). I had debated having the unused stored spells discharge on the caster at the end of the duration, but seeing as that would be sunrise/sunset when the caster has no parma I decided that it was too big a drawback. I probably made the spell more restrictive than it had to be in regards to the conditions for releasing the stored spells but I'm fond of the restrictive conditions. It's twinky enough as it is-there's no need to add more minmaxing at the cost of coolness. I could have gone the route of watching ward with the triggering conditions completely but then I had a difficult time justifying the stored spell hitting the correct target.

Upon reflection the above spell is certainly not going to release its payload prior he target getting hit with the PoF's, but Ranulf only needs the spell at level 3 (technically he needs it at level -5, but I'll ignore the weirdness regarding low magnitudes and guidelines that reference levels rather than magnitudes) he can cast that as a non-fatiguing spont. In fact he can cast the next as a non fatiguing spont as well.

Diurnal Watching Ward
ReVi Gen
Range: Touch, Duration: Sun, Target: Individual

This spell functions as watching ward (p 162) with the exceptions that it can hold a spell equal to the level of the watching ward +10, it is not a ritual spell, and he watching ward is dispelled sunrise and sunset. Ranulf employs this spell to store a well cast Skin of Wax with Artisano or on a tiny wand that Artisano can hold. He then sets the triggering action to be a specific set of words and gestures that Artisano can perform that specify the target of the spell. Artisano is quite quick (finesse 7 quickness 5) and it isn't unlikely that he could get his spell cast before Ranulf in any given combat.
(Base general, +1 touch, +2 sun)

That's 14 years and three seasons, leaving me one more season. During this one season Ranulf would like to learn:

• Wizard's Endurance (ignem) (as Wizard's reach or Wizards expansion but affecting duration),
• Unraveling the fabric of ignem,
• Flames of Stone as a spell, (he can only cast it three times per day from his talisman, I see that as a serious inconvenience for him),
• A version of Flames that leap leagues at range Arcane connection,
• Wizard's communion
• Veil of invisibility, and
• a target individual version of wind of mundane silence.

Sadly for Ranulf he can't do all of those things in a season .

He's going to choose flames of stone and he'd probably pick up most of the rest of that list in the next year and a half or so if you'd want to think about Ranulf +77 instead of Ranulf+75. Looking long term he'll want to get a high level version of Diurnal Watching Ward, a version of transformation of flame that can handle animal products and critters, and perhaps a version of skin of wax for animal. If he can get four more points in his intellego Ignem lab total he could learn vision of heat's light from lab notes which would be very helpful for him. He also hopes to be able to purchase a device to cast eyes of the eagle so as to mitigate his poor vision.

Flames of Stone
MuIg(Te) 30
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind (+1 size)
This spell changes the flames of the target fire to be as hard and stable as stone. The flames still have no weight and the target fire still produces both heat and smoke. Ranulf often uses this Effect in combination with the topiary of flames Effect to create temporary structures. The target fire can be no larger than a small house or large hut (ten times the size of a standard ignem individual).
(Effect: Base 10 +2 voice, +1 concentration, +1 size)

[DIREWOLF75]

Skin of Wax
MuCo Level 10
R: Voice, D: Diam, T: Ind (+1 size )
The target of this spell becomes very flammable. For the duration of Skin of Wax any soak totals the target generate against damage from heat receive a -10 modifier. Furthermore a creature that is damaged by heat while under the effects of this spell will be set aflame and take +5 damage every round, ignoring armor until they are extinguished or the spell expires. This spell can affect targets of up to size +4
(Base 2, +2 voice +1 Diameter, +1 size adjustment)

Base 2??? While there isnt really a Guideline that is comparable, a minor ability i would not call it.
After some looking the closest i can find is the MuAn 15 for changeing an animal in a major unnatural way.

Or?

[Erik_Tyrrell]

It seems that night vision wouldn't be any easier than increased flammability, the ability to burn better is what I saw as a minor ability. But it does seem to be a low level. Base 3 is utterly change the appearance which seems like a bigger change. +2 soak seems comparable to me and that 's base 10 the same level as turning a person into a land animal. Turning a target into a land animal is in no way comparable to increased flammability the way that I see it. At base 10 it comes out as level 30 the same as Curse of Circe, I just don't think it should be that high.

Arm of the infant seems to be a comparable effect, that's base 3. Using base 3 would move the spell up to level 15, that level feels a bit better as far as game balance.

I'm open to an argument for a different level if you'd like to post one for consideration.

[Richard_Love]

@Erik Tyrrell

I'm open to an argument for a different level if you'd like to post one for consideration.

I think that I could live with Base 2. "Flammablity" seems like a Minor "Ability" to me.

However the actual mechanics of the effect seem to be a bit too powerful.

There are basically two effects here. One gives a Soak Penalty, the other means that the character ignites if he takes damage from a heat source. I can see that it makes logical sense to have these effects go together (especially if magic was "technology"), but I am inclined to split them out as separate spell effects. One spell for the "ignition effect", another spell for the "penalty to soak" effect.

[DIREWOLF75]

I'm open to an argument for a different level if you'd like to post one for consideration.

Well, "minor ability" then you´re generally just changing either a small part or the change itself is minimal and generally somewhat natural or at least not far from it.

"utterly change the appearance or size of a person" with the conditional that they must remain human in "form"...
You´re not changing appearance(ie "skindeep" if very simplified) but rather something far more radical, changing the whole body completely, all through. Size makes there be much more or less of a body but the change of the body isnt very radical in itself.

So, i think it would need to be greater than either of those, this however is when it gets problematic, because on the one hand i can argue that this is a very strange effect, close in type to the Level 25 and 30 Base Guidelines, BUT there´s also a fairly good argument for placing it in the level 4-10 as you can argue that what you´re doing is the opposite of adding soak, but basically the same thing and that since you´re only making it more susceptible in ONE narrow aspect the Base level should stay fairly low...

Thats when i started looking through all the Muto guidelines(in the AM5 main book only that is so i dont know if there´s any better or more comparable ones around) and had a hard time finding something comparable.
The closest i could find was the MuAn ones. And there the Level 5 was enough to change the colouring of an animal, certainly on the right track but not enough, and potentially more inline with the MuCo Level 2 or slightly higher, adding confusion, but the Level 15 MuAn seemed rather fitting, "Change in a major unnatural way" and gives "scaly armored skin" as an example, essentially coming closest so far to a guideline that resembles what your spell does.
As the MuAn guidelines seem a bit higher overall than the MuCo ones i end up looking at a rough Base of at the very lowest 4 and at the very highest 15.

So i would say 4 or 5 as Base as Base 10 seems to be able to do more radical changes still, even if it can still be argued if its more radical to change a person into an animal, still "flesh and blood" just in a different form or completely change how that "flesh and blood" actually behaves. As i said, it gets problematic.

+2 soak seems comparable to me and that 's base 10 the same level as turning a person into a land animal. Turning a target into a land animal is in no way comparable to increased flammability the way that I see it. At base 10 it comes out as level 30 the same as Curse of Circe, I just don't think it should be that high.

Agreed. But i also dont think it should be much lower. Especially not since then its too easy to exploit or use as precedent for similar reductions in Soak.
Im sure i could come up with a version of the spell but affecting Soak vs metal, or even Soak vs anything solid.
Like say, make someone as brittle as if they were made out of the thinnest of glass.
At a Base 2, that just gets insanely good. Its actually quite perfect as part of a One-Two spell combination for the "army killer spells" thread.

MuCo(Te) Base 2, Group +2, Size +3, Sight +3; Level 30
Up to 10000 people are made brittle as thin glass. (one can argue that this change is greater than yours, but at the same time you can argue that it is essentially the same)
After that, make a Size +4, Sight +3 version of Crest of the Earth Wave at ReTe 35 and an army there will be no more. Instead of +10 damage, they will take +20, and even those who manage to jump out of the way will take damage due to their extremely brittle nature, and they will take it at the -10 to Soak penalty.

And Level 35 is about the limit for what you can let beginning magi start with, so this combination is still perfectly possible right out of Apprenticeship. Ouch.

No, the more i look at it the more it feels too low.

[Richard_Love]

@DIREWOLF75

I'm open to an argument for a different level if you'd like to post one for consideration.

Well, "minor ability" then you´re generally just changing either a small part or the change itself is minimal and generally somewhat natural or at least not far from it.

For me, it is hard to see how making somebody "flammable" is not a minor Ability, much like "seeing in the dark" is a minor Ability. The opposite, making somebody unsually "resilient to flame" would be a perfect example of a minor Ability, IMO.

The problem is really in what "flammable" actually means in terms of game mechanics. That's where the existing version is a bit "good", IMO.

[DIREWOLF75]

For me, it is hard to see how making somebody "flammable" is not a minor Ability, much like "seeing in the dark" is a minor Ability. The opposite, making somebody unsually "resilient to flame" would be a perfect example of a minor Ability, IMO.

Seeing in the dark is only a tiny change to a small part of the body. Its also a totally natural change.
The spell is more akin to making a living person about as flammable as a mummy who spent the last century or so drying up.
And stopping fire from burning a person is Base 4 ReIg. Exactly in line with what i suggested. And yes i know stopping isnt the same as resilient, but with Ignem you would be affecting the fire directly not by trying to make yourself harder to affect by the fire, as i would consider that a good bit harder, as then we´re basically back at the equivalent of the MuAn Level 15. And to make a body totally inflammable, ie equal to the total protection from Base 4 ReIg, you probably need MuCo Base 25. Giving a +1 to Soak against flames i could agree with at MuCo Base 4, ie 1 lower than an overall +1 Soak. Base 3 for +1 against Fire isnt out of the question either, but spell effect we´re looking at is -10 to Soak, dramatically more powerful.

The problem is really in what "flammable" actually means in terms of game mechanics. That's where the existing version is a bit "good", IMO.

Thats what makes it so dastardly hard to place indeed. The only thing im sure of is that Base 2 is too low and that Base 3 is almost certainly too low. At Base 4 i can at least start justifying it even if it still feels potentially low.

[Ravenscroft]

Why not look at Flammability using the Perdo Corpus Guidelines (page 133) for inflicting Wounds.
05: Light Wound , 10: Medium , 15: Heavy , 20: Incapacitating , 30: Kill a person.

Penalties to Soak would require a Perdo requisite , perhaps.

[Richard_Love]

@DIREWOLF75

Seeing in the dark is only a tiny change to a small part of the body. Its also a totally natural change.

So is drying out.

@DIREWOLF75

And stopping fire from burning a person is Base 4 ReIg.

Sure, using ReIg magic it is. That doesn't necessarily mean that it can't be easier (or harder) using MuCo to get a "similar" effect.

I would personally be happy with a Base MuCo 2 spell that gave somebody the ability to be "flammable" if that was translated into just giving a -5 penalty to Soak from heat based damage. You can then add a magnitudes for a "more powerful effect" to get a bigger penalty.

[The_Fixer]

@Erik Tyrrell

A caster who spends a few days practicing with the School of the Founder's Advocate can learn to cast their spells sufficiently slowly to allow unraveling the fabric of ignem to take effect before their attack spell. When the caster does this, their initiative is reduced by two for the rest of the combat.

This seems fine to me, the reverse of fast casting. Hell, you could even have a mental trigger such as "dispell", wait 2 second, and cast your pilum.

@DIREWOLF75

Thats what makes it so dastardly hard to place indeed. The only thing im sure of is that Base 2 is too low and that Base 3 is almost certainly too low. At Base 4 i can at least start justifying it even if it still feels potentially low.

Agreed.

Maybe start at base 4 for a small penalty to soak, with added magnitudes making the target more flamable? (And the question becomes: How much more can you get flamable?)
Like base 4 (final lvl 20) being -5 to soak, and an added magnitude (lvl 25) making it -10?
Argh, same idea as richard love, different magnitude.
Thing is, I can very well see the basic flambeau having a voice range, diameter duration version of this spell at only lvl 20, giving -10 to soak to people. With base 2, it gets to lvl 10. Too easy IMO

[Erik_Tyrrell]

Here's a rewrite then, It's the game balance arguments that I found to be most convincing

Skin of Wax
MuCo Level 20
R: Voice, D: Diam, T: Ind (+1 size )
The target of this spell becomes very flammable. For the duration of Skin of Wax any soak totals the target generate against damage from heat receive a -10 modifier.
(Base 4, +2 voice +1 Diameter, +1 magnitude increased soak penalty)

This, tangentially brings up two questions about vim.

If Ranulf wants to throw a wizard's expansion on skin of wax and give it a +1 size modifier he certainly has the Muto vim required to cast one spontaneously. But, could he do so in the same round as he casts skin of wax? If it were a formulaic spell he could do it with a concentration roll and the text in the box on page 159 doesn't restrict itself to formulaic spells. The text about timing on page 174 seems to indicate that you can't (depending upon how one parses the famously ambiguous phrase "one normal spell or a fast cast spell and a normal spell ") but this would preclude the formulaic muto vim spells as well.

Also, if Ranulf or anyone wizard's boosts a spell does the wizard's boost have to penetrate? Wizard's boost is duration momentary so one could argue that it only affects the casting and then it's done. On the other hand one could also argue that t causes a continuing change to the targeted spell so it should be resisted.

[Erik_Tyrrell]

Ranulf +75 years

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

Size: 0

Age: 99 (46)

Decrepitude: 0

Warping Score: 6 (20)

Confidence Score: 2 (6)

Virtues and Flaws: The Gift ; Major Magical Focus (Unnatural Fires); Affinity (Ignem), Mastered spells, Method Caster, Puissant Ignem*, Puissant Magic Theory, Puissant Penetration, True Friend (Artisano); Deficient Technique (intellego); Deleterious Circumstances (spells of range sight or range eye), Poor Eyesight, Miles (Houses of Hermes: Societates p 31),
*House Virtue

Personality Traits: Loyal (Artisano) +3, Inquisitive +2, Brave +2, Loquacious –1

Reputations: Hoplite +2 (Order), Deficient in Intellego (Flambeau) +1

Combat:
Fist: Init +1, Attack +4, Defense +4, Damage +1
Dodge: Init +1, Attack n/a, Defense +5, Damage n/a
Soak: +2
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1-5), –3 (6-10), –5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)

Abilities: Artes Liberales 2 (Ceremonial Casting), Athletics 2 (running), Awareness 1 (searching), Brawl 3 (dodge), Carouse 1 (staying sober), Guile 1 (lying to strangers), Code of Hermes 2 (Wizard’s marches), Concentration 5 (spells), Dead Language – Latin 5 (hermetic usage), Finesse 3 (ignem), Leadership 2 (grogs), Living Language (Castillian) 5, Magic Lore (giants) 0 (1), Magic Theory 8 +2 (inventing spells), Organization Lore – Order of Hermes 1 (personalities), Parma Magica 6 (corpus), Penetration 5 +2 (5) (ignem), Philosophae 2 (ritual magic), Profession – Candle Maker 2 (speed), Stealth 2 (hide), Teaching 2 (apprentices)

Arts: Cr 14, In 10, Mu 13, Pe 10, Re 13; An 5, Aq 5, Au 5, Co 13, He 10, Ig 28+3 (3), Im 5, Me 5, Te 8, Vi 20

Twilight Scars: Fires in the near vicinity of Ranulf move directly away from him as if a slight breeze were coming from him. Smoke is not affected by this. In a cold environment Ranulf's breath turns to wood smoke rather than mist.

Equipment: Chest of the Ember Seed, Ribbon of Arcane Preservation, School of the Founder's Advocate, Talisman of Ranulf

Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Skin of Wax (MuCo 20/+28)
Assumption of the Fiery Mantle (MuCo(Ig) 35/+47 F A)
Coat of Prometheus (CrIg 5/+47)
Flash of the Scarlet Flames (CrIg 15/+47)
Mien of Helios (CrIg 15/+47)
Fasting Hearth (CrIg 20/+67 F A)
Pillum of Fire (CrIg 20/+71 F M A) Mastery 4 (Fast Casting, Defense, Multi Casting, Penetration)
Self Immolation (CrIg 30/+67 F A)
Stockade of Infernos (CrIg 40/+67 FA)
Conflagrative Servant (Cr (Mu,Re) Ig 40/+65 F A)
Tales of the Ashes (InIg 5/+25 D A)
Enduring Flame (MuIg 10/+65 F A)
Boreal Flames (Mu(Pe)Ig 15/+58 F A)
Flames of Stone (MuIg 30/+65 F A)
Petite Phoenix (Mu(Re) Ig 30/+65 F A)
Discriminating Flames (Re Ig 25/+65 F A)
Ward against Heat and flames (ReIg 25/+52 A)
Parade Ground of Conflagrations (ReIg 30/+65F A)
Ward Against Immolation (ReIg 35/+52 A)
Unified Flame (ReIg 35/+65 F A)
Flames that Leap Leagues (ReIg 40/+65F A)
Transformation of Fire (MuTe(IgHe) 40/+37 F A)
Transformation of Fiery Steel (MuTe(IgHe) 40/+37 F A)
Scales of the Magical Weight (InVi 5/+17 D A)
Sense the Nature of Vis (InVi 5/+17 D A)
Wizard’s Expansion Ignem (MuVi 25/+35)
Group Wizard’s Boost Ignem (MuVi 30/+35)
Wizard’s Boost Ignem (MuVi 30/+35)
Wizard’s Communion (MuVi 30/+35)
Wizard’s Reach Ignem (MuVi 30/+35)
Wizard’s Boost (Vim) (MuVi 35/+35)
Unraveling the Fabric of Terram (PeVi 40/+36 A)
Wind of Mundane Silence (PeVi 40/+36 A)
The Patient Spell (ReVi 20/+35)
Maintain the Demanding Spell (ReVi 30/+35)
Opening the Intangible Tunnel (ReVi 40/+35)
F includes Magical Focus
M includes Spell Mastery
D includes deficient technique
A includes attunement of talisman
note that casting totals do not include the +3 bonus from method caster

Vis: eight pawns vim transferred into a ring warn on right hand, eight pawns ignem as ashes carried in a pouch on belt, the ashes become hot to the touch at sunset every day, four pawns muto as snakeskins.I realized when later books came out that the vis entry was about how much vis you could pull out of the corpse of a magical/faerie/etc creature, it wasn't about how much vis a character carried around with them. Whoops.

Appearance: Ranulf’s eyes are held in a near perpetual squint as he closely examines the world with his inadequate sight. Ranulf’s face is reddened and the short hair around his face is bleached from long exposure to hot fires at close range. Ranulf is of ordinary stature and build , he prefers to wear several layers of wool and leather clothing to insulate himself from the often extreme temperatures of his environment. Ranulf is almost never separated from his Talisman − a walking stick sized staff quite unsuitable for use as a weapon.

[Erik_Tyrrell]

One thing that I notice now about the quick advancement system. If you don't assign exposure xp for seasons in the laboratory (and we didn't for magi of Hermes) it becomes harder to justify advancement in magic theory past six or seven. To raise Ranulf's magic theory at present would require a year and a half, taking small bites out of this with exposure experience makes it much more palatable than having to devote 45 xp at once. Certainly the fast advancement gives different results from normal play in several ways, this is one of them that isn't obvious.

[Xavi]

From the description I take that his clothes would count as some kind of light/medium armour. It is not reflected in his stats, though.

Xavi

[Ravenscroft]

I have to say the whole "Grant a Minor Ability equals -10 Soak" seems thematically wrong.

Perdo cause wounds at Level: 05/10/15/20/30
Creo heals wounds at Level: 15/20/25/30/35
Muto gives a Soak bonus at Level: 05/10/15/20/25
MuAn Level 04 allows a +03 Soak bonus (Doublet of Impenetrable Silk , page 118)

RAW does not give negative Soak , so far as i can see , atm.
Spells cause damage that is soaked , causes wounds that are not soaked or gives a bonus to Soak.
Size can be reduced so a target is more easily damaged.

Even taking the option that it is easier to damage than heal and reduce the Muto soak bonus guidelines by 2 magnitudes ,
-03 soak at level 05 , -04 soak at level 10 and -05 soak at level 15 using Muto Corpus.