Sanctum & Lab Created in play (please Comment, Review, and offer Suggestions)

Games Discussion Ars Magica
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I decided I would write up a post describing my current Magus' lab. Hopefully it can be used as inspiration for others, as well as getting me some input from the community on how to further it. I tried to make a note where a house rule effects the design, though I might have miss one or two.

The Sanctum & Labs of Magus Orthon ex Bonisagus

Sanctum Description:
Orthon's Sanctum is a stone building at the outer western edge of the 3rd level of a Magic Regio (Aura 5). The building itself is made primarily from a mixture of marble, granite, and clear quartz, worked by enchanted tools so that it seems to be made from one individual piece of stone. The quartz (further clarified by magic) is used as large windows and sunroofs. The sanctum itself is split into two wings, with the center and north (right) being the living quarters, while the south (left) the lab.

Before and wrapping around the sides of the sanctum is his enchanted rose garden (roughly 25 x 40 paces), with a meditation pool in the middle. There are many varieties of exotic roses, in unusual colors or with "glass" flowers. All of them have been permanently awakened by his magic (minor breakthrough). A path of marble flagstones runs from the sanctum, around the pool, and to the entrance of the rose garden. The only other buildings located nearby are the quarters of his servants and the tool/supply shed for the garden, built off to the sides and screened from view by taller rose bushes.

The main building is entered through a grand entrance, where guest can be met and discussions held outside the sanctum proper. It has a small table with comfortable seating off to one side, while the other has a painting of a fae woman (his mother). The door into the sanctum proper (with Sanctum Marker) is located at the back of the grand entrance. A pull rope just outside the doors into the grand entrance rings a bell in the sanctum, which will alert any servant on duty at the time that a guest has arrived.

The living quarters are two floors each about 1,000 square feet and a basement of about 500 square feet. The ground floor houses the grand entrance, a fancy dining & sitting room facing the garden (with large quartz windows), the kitchen with pantry, privy, and lab access room. The lab access links the living quarters to the lab, as well as containing a wash area and small wardrobe for storing robes for wear in the lab. There is also a bedroom for use by his current apprentice (when he has one).

The second floor has his bedroom, a walk-in wardrobe, his personal office & library, a teaching room (see later), a storage room, and another privy. The office is used for personal purposes, containing no text on magic. It contains his planning and personal notes (mostly related to his Busybody personality trait). While he is not the type of use blackmail, there is a great deal here that would be useful to someone who is, all carefully cataloged and sorted. There is also a balcony overlooking the rose garden.

The basement is two rooms, a large storage space and a smaller (10' x 10') cold room that is always below freezing due to an enchanted item. The larger area is split between household goods and food storage.

Main Lab Description:
The lab is about 800 square feet, with the roof domed and sloped. This gives it a height of 20' where it meets the living quarters slopping down to 12' on the southern edge. Clear quartz is used on part of the upper strip allowing you to look into the lab from the office, as well as large sections of the roof and fore wall to allow looking at the sky and rose gardens.

Just past the entry door is a large silver mural on the wall. It bears the symbols of each art circled around Orthon's sigil and the symbol of House Bonisagus, with the symbols for In, Mu, Re, Me, and Te slightly more stylized than the others. [Primary focus for whole lab enchantment]

The middle of the lab has an elevated slab of granite, the top of which is covered in circles and mystic symbols. The outer circle is a wide band of brass, with woven concentric circles just inside it. A rack beside it bears several masterfully designed ceremonial casting tools. Cleared space is maintained around the circle and the roof domes to its highest point directly over it. [Lesser Feature/Lesser Focus]

There is a large crafting area centered around a wheel, capable of turning under its own power. There are many devices around it designed to connect to the axle of the wheel, able to use its spinning as motive power to work bellows, crafters wheels, a whetstone, and many other things not so easily discernible. [Greater Feature]

Another object that seems to draw attention is a sphere of quartz set on a stone podium. The sphere contains many concentrically smaller spheres, each made of a mixture of quartz and semi-precious gemstones (opal the most common) that all seem to move about independently. [Greater Feature]

In its own alcove thrusting out towards the garden is a large and ornate writing desk, with shelves holding his personal lab text, magic related correspondence, and a few books. It is positioned to gain the light and allow someone seated at it to look out over the garden. [planned Feature]

Two items that are floating somewhere in the lab are a book stand and a pair of intricately crafted wooden hands with silver joint pins and finger nails. The hands are normally tidying up the lab when they are not needed elsewhere. [enchantments described later]

Several large stone cabinets, used for storing spare tools, equipment, and supplies, occupy most of the wall adjacent to the living quarters. There is a hidden stair (accessed by ReTe spell) leading down to a heavily reinforced basement (about 10' x 20'). Dangerous and unknown items, as well as his personal Vis, are stored here. There is also a drain with an enchanted grate in the back corner.

Build & Cost:
The lab has over 104 years of play time and 1 year of glossed over setup time invested in it. There is 7 seasons of Refinement. Between them the enchanted items in the lab and sanctum have used 145 pawns of vis. There was also vis used in ritually awakening the rose bushes.
(HR Note: Refinement seasons can also be used to add Lab virtues/flaws)

Annual Operating Cost is 0~1 season: 1.5 lbs, 2 seasons: 3 lbs, 3+ seasons: 4.5 lbs, moth balled (a HR): 0.25 lbs.

Stats:
Size 2 (used 2), Refinement 7, General Quality 8, Upkeep 2 (5 without Covenant Craftsmen), Safety 18 (20-2), Warping 0, Health 6, Aesthetic 16

Specialties :
Creo +5, Rego +5, Mentem +5, Imaginem +4, Items +9, Texts +7

Virtues :
Dedicated Building, Grand Entrance, Idyllic Surrounding, Superior Construction, Extensive Stores, Spacious, Well Insulated, Highly Organized, Spotless, Servant (Int +3), Lesser Expansion, Superior Equipment (Covenant), Superior Tools (Covenant), Magical Lighting (Superior), Magical Heating (Superior), Lessor Horde (Tools), Greater Feature (Orb), Greater Feature (Wheel), Lesser Feature (Circle), Casting Props (Small, +2, Excellent +2)
[HR Note: Casting props take up space as a Virtue based on size, from free (small or less), minor (medium), or major (large). You can not have huge ones in your lab. Also quality for superior/excellent casting tools modifies rolls]

Flaws :
Lesser Focus (Circle), Missing Equipment (Teaching, Vis Extraction)
[Note: Our Covenant does not allow Vis Extraction within its Aura. Teaching was chosen as the second because Orthon did not plan on taking an apprentice for a while at start. This resulted in the building of the Teaching Room.]

Enchanted Lab :
The Lab is enchanted as a compound Invested Device, the large silver mural its most expensive part. It was opened with 24 pawns of Vis and currently contains 5 enchantments.

  • Verbal Manipulation of the Lab
    In(Mu, Re)Me(Te), Level 30, P/S/I, Base 5, RDT 2, Complex 2, ET +3, 3/day +2
    This effect allows the same understanding of spoken commands as found in effects like The Tireless Servant and Bookstand of Hespera, without any actual automation. InMe was chosen since it has the highest base (without automation) and allows more precise handling of spoken commands. The MuTe requisite forms something of a memory, in the same way as dozens of levers and pages of paper would. The "levers" serve as the triggers for other effects. The Re requirement is for flipping these "levers" and writing on the "pages". A cosmetic effect is that if the lab is interacted with by InTe spells, the effect appears as reading a book detailing all the "levers", what they do, and how they are currently positioned along with any notes on the "pages" rather than having a long slow conversation with a rock. In effect, this is the labs "Operating Manual". [GQ +1, Re +1]

  • Tools Ever at Hand
    Re(In)Te(Me), Level 38, T/C/R, Base 3, RDT 4, Complex 1, MC +5, LT +3, U/day +10
    This effect allows Control and Movement of all Lab Tools & Equipment. It is basically an Unseen Porter on crack, able to move every tool in the lab at once with fine control based on the instructions of the Magus. The InMe requisite is actually a InTe(Me) requisite which allows it to more finely integrate with the Verbal Manipulation of the Lab. This combined with the Complex allows it to continue simple actions such as stirring a potion while doing other things. [Lessor Horde (Tools)]

  • Seasonal Breezes of the Lab
    Cr(Pe)Au(Ig), Level 20, T/C/I, Base 1, RDT 3, Unnatural 1, Req 1, MC +5, LT +3, 3/day +2
    Creates and allows control of fresh breeze blowing through the lab, that can be warmed or cooled as desired. It also helps control humidity, making books and delicate materials in the lab resistant to mold and mildew. [Health +1]

  • Light & Warmth of the Lab
    Cr(Pe)Ig, Level 35, T/C/R, Base 4, RDT 4, also Heat 1, MC +5, LT +3, 3/day +2
    Allows the creation and control of light (from none up to cloudy day) and temperature (from cool to warm) within the lab. Being able to cool is important since the Covenant is located on the Med (Magical AC!). [Magical Heating, Magical Lighting]
    [HR Note: Cr spells to fill up a room/structure with something like light or heat can use Target Room or Structure. It is the same spell level as taking Individual and 2 or 3 points of Size required to affect the same number of base individuals. The difference to us comes from ease of writing and the default understanding that it fills the room/structure evenly. Light for example cast no shadows. If your group does not like this, use Target: Individual and add Size +2]

  • Purge the Flame
    Pe(In)Ig, Level 27, T/M/R, Base 4, RDT 3, ET +3, LT +3, 50/day +6
    This effect can be turned Off or On (the Linked Trigger and In Requisite). While it is on, it automatically extinguishes all fires (up to +5) in room. [Safety +1]
    [HR Note: The ability to activate the Environmental Trigger is based on published enchanted devices and our group deciding that an Environmental Trigger can be activated by something that matches a Form it contains within its Range/Target.]

Invested Enchanted Items:
The Wheel of Crafting
This is a wooden wheel (similar in size to a wagon wheel), with brass fittings and axle hub. There are several gear cogs affixed to its axle. It was opened for enchantment with 10 pawns and currently has 1 effect. It is a Greater Feature.

  • Empower the Wheel
    ReHe, Level 30, exactly like 'The Wheel' HP, p 61
    This allows the wheel to spin at the desired speed for as long as desired. The speed can be adjusted and the spinning stopped. [Items +2, Re +1]

The Circle of Magical Threads
This is enchanted into a large brass circle. It was opened for enchantment with 20 pawns and currently has 1 effect (Though many more based on Sub Rosa #22 are planned). It is a Lesser Feature and Lesser Focus. Note that there are several woven concentric circles just inside it to use as a base for casting Ring/Circle spells and there are Ceremonial Casting tools stored next to it.

  • Display the Weaves of Magic
    In(Cr)Vi(Im), Level 30, P/C/C, Base 5, RTD 1, Requisite 1, MC +5, U/Day +10
    Modified version of 'Sight of Active Magics' & 'Brushstrokes Revealed' HoH:S, p 65
    This effect is a twist on 'Sight of Active Magics' enhanced with 'Brushstrokes Revealed'. It makes the threads of "Vim" used in casting spells and powering enchantments visible and vivid. The threads remain visible after the spell ends, lasting until dismissed and allowing them to be studied at leisure. [GQ +1, Cr +1]

The Sphere of Woven Thoughts
This is a smooth sphere of quartz, containing other spheres and varies semi-precious gemstones (opal the most common). It was opened for enchantment with 15 pawns and currently has 3 effects. It is a Greater Feature.

  • Find the Thoughts to Weave
    InMe, Level 32, T/C/I, Base 15, RDT 2, MC +5, 3/Day +2
    This effect reads the surface thoughts of the user, allowing for finer control of its effects without the user actually having to concentrate. [GQ +1, Me +1]
  • Weave Light and Sound
    CrIm, Level 20, T/C/R, Base 2, RDT 4, LT +3, MC +5, 3/Day +2
    This effect creates Images with Sounds that can be used for a variety of purposes. Star maps on the ceiling (or a table), targets for spells, relaxing sounds, playing with your cat familiar, and so forth. [Im +2]
  • Craft the Prototype
    CrIm, Level 40, T/C/R, Base 1, RDT 4, C Move 2, Complex 3, LT +3, MC +5, 3/Day +2
    This effect creates extremely complex (1,000x more detail) Images that move precisely as directed. It specifically creates a visual prototype of items the Magus is designing, allowing them full visual interactivity with it. It can be expanded, separated, modified, and animated as desired. [Items +4]

Desk of Bonisagus
This is a large and well appointed wooden desk, made from a blending of wood from several species of trees. It has a slanted reading lectern built into the left side of its top and a writing area on its right side. There is also a small stone hand-rest embedded in its left front corner, curved to be a comfortable with a brass marker where you might place the tip of your pointer finger. It was opened for enchantment with 8 pawns of vis and currently has 2 effects. It is planned to make it into a Feature.

  • Illuminate the Book
    InIm, Level 20, T/C/I, Base 3, RTD 2, MC +5, U/Day +10
    See 'Brushstrokes Revealed' HoH:S, p 65
    This effect enhances the species for a book placed on the desk, making them especially vivid. This makes them easier to read, as well as make errors easier to spot while writing. [Text +2]
  • The Dancing of the Brass Quill
    ReTe, Level 20, T/C/I, Base 1, RTD 2, Metal 2, MC +5, 24/Day +5
    See 'Autodictation' Cov, p 96
    This effect animates a brass quill that writes down everything the Magus says while his hand is resting on the stone and touching the brass marker. If the finger is lifted, the pen returns to its inkpot. It only uses its ink pot (normally filled with black ink) and a very fine brass chain links the quill to the pot (on the desk, so range Touch). It is used to draft the initial body of a text going over it to highlight with other colors, take notes while reading, and such. [Text +2]

A Second Set of Hands
Google "Artist Hand Model". They look like that, with silver joint pins and finger nails. Now imagine them animated like "Thing" from the Addams Family and flying about. They were opened for enchantment with 10 pawns of vis and currently has 2 effects.
[Note: Them being two individual hands rather than a full wooden automation was discussed and agreed upon with the SG. While there is no physical body between then, they at all times act as if there was. So they stay within arms reach of each other and even their flying is as if they were the only part visible of an unseen wooden automation. They have an effective Str +5]

  • Stir the Slumbering Hands
    MuHe(Me), Level 20, P/S/I, Base 4, RTD 2, Processed 1, ET +3, 3/Day +2
    See 'Stir the Slumbering Tree'
    This effect has awakened the hands into a state of consciousness resembling that of a human. They can see and hear what is going on around them, and at a normal human level of perception. They share their creators Tidy personality trait and expressive (high Com) nature. They can also move/rearrange themselves slowly even without the second effect. Includes +1 magnitude for their processed nature. [GQ +1]
  • Animate the Second Hands
    ReHe, Level 40, P/C/I, Base 10, RTD 1, Complex 2, MC +5, U/Day +10
    See 'Tireless Servant' Cov, p 121 (ReCo Base 10 and ReHe Base 10 are identical)
    This makes the hands into an automaton of sorts, animated and quite precisely controlled with verbal commands or by the consciousness. They can be instructed to hold or fetch objects, and perform operations independently. Unlike the Tireless Servant, the hands actually have an awakened consciousness (with Cunning +3, as well as Tidy 3 and Driven: Lab Work 3 personality traits) which means their independent actions are more than simple. Unless needed elsewhere, they normally spend their time tidying up the lab and prepping future experiments. [GQ +1, Safety +1]

Lesser Enchanted Items:
The Drain Cover
ReAq, Level 20, exactly like 'The Soak' HP, p 61
This enchanted drain cover draws all loose (not in containers, even if they are open topped) liquids in the lab slowly to it so that they flow into the drain. This keeps the lab dry despite any spills that might happen. [Health +1]

Bookstand of Hespera
ReHe, Level 20, exactly like 'Bookstand of Hespera' Cov, p 121
This is Orthons personal version of the enchantment. The bookstand is the smaller type that would be found on a desk, rather than the freestanding version. [Text +2]

Alchemist Precise Heat
Cr(Re)Ig, Level 20, P/C/I, Base 5, RTD 1, Requisite 0, MC +5, 24/Day +5
This item is a brass plate, surrounded by fire brick. When activated it heats its surface to the desired temperature, up to red hot, and maintains that temperature. A Finesse Roll to get the exact heat desired might be required (in normal use it is not). [This not have an assigned bonus yet. I am leaning towards Cr or Re]

Non-Lab Enchanted Items & Effects
Shuttered Lanterns (x7)
CrIg, Level 9, P/S/I, Base 3 light, RTD 2, ET +3, 2/day +1
These shuttered lanterns produce light as bright as a torch when fully opened. They are used when mobile light (rather than produced by R/C spells) is needed. Each of his three personal servants (Lab Servant, Housekeeper, and Gardener) will normally have one while the others are found in the living quarters of his sanctum. The lanterns are a mix of bought, extras made during Covenant Duty, and one of two produced by his apprentice during a season.

Disk of Frosted Marble
PeIg, Level 29, T/S/R, Base 4 cold, RTD 5, ET +3, 2/day +1
Another item not actually in the lab, this keeps the temperture in the basement cold room below freezing. Always has ice, chilled beverages, and helps store foodstuffs.

Awakened Rose Bushes
All the rosebushes in the rose garden have been awakened by a Ritual Cr(Mu)He(Me) version of "Stir the Slumbering Tree" Orthon crated as a Lesser Breakthrough. Because of inherited personallity traits, they all organize themselves into beautiful tidy shapes and "carefully listen" (busybody) on anyone in the rose garden. They go out of their way to help lovers for example, presenting a perfect bloom to give as a gift or hidden spot to meet.

Overhead Lights
Other than the two bedrooms, all of the rooms throughout the living quarters have small circles of brass on their ceilings. These are all used as the base for spont R/C CrIg spells to produce light. Because of their position they are rarely if ever disrupted, though his servants let him know if it happens.

The Meditation Pool
Not an actual Ritual or Enchanted Item, the meditation pool has a perfectly round marble lip with three rings of varies colored quartz which makes it a quick base for Ring/Circle spells. Commonly Orthon leaves sponted ones which produces a small bubbling water fountain effect in the middle, faint dancing lights in the water, and a R/C ward versus leaves. This combined with the purposely jagged and uneven silver quartz bottom produces beautiful dancing reflections of light and the surroundings.

The Teaching Lab
Located in a 10' by 10' room just off of Orthon's private office/library. It is a small elementary lab that took 2 seasons to setup (1 Elementary Lab, 1 for Lesser Feature & Focus, other Virtues are innate). Orthon installed while his first apprentice was undergoing early schooling (Our Covenant has two teachers, one of which mostly teaches Latin and Artes Liberal to covenant children and grogs. The Magi use it as a pre-apprentaceship prep school). When in use, it cost about 0.15 lbs of silver per season (mostly for writing materials) and when mothballed it cost nothing.

Stats:
Size -3 (used -3), Refinement 0, General Quality -3, Upkeep -3, Safety 1, Warping 0, Health 2, Aesthetic 3, Specialty: Teaching +3

Virtues/Flaws:
Elementary (only Teaching), Lesser Feature (Pulpit "Throne"), Lesser Focus (Pulpit "Throne"), Idyllic Surrounding, Superior Construction

[Note that the is a larger Teaching Lab located in the Covenant Library. While its stats and virtues/flaws are slightly different, it also has Specialty: Teaching +3. It is commonly used by one of the teachers or when a Magus is teaching several apprentices from the varies Covenant Magi at once. The four Bonisagus in the Covenant commonly foster each others apprentices and even the non-Bonisagus Magi will take part in it to a lesser extent, since teaching here for more than just your apprentice counts as a season of Covenant service.]

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Since no one seems that interested in the Lab, I was wondering if anyone would rather a write up of the Covenant or our House Rules.

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It is not that I am uninterested, I simply have not had a lot to say about it.

Your post is a massive wall of text and I have no doubt that it is very useful, but I have had nothing to add. If I ever need it I will go back and read it in detail.

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I enjoyed the lab personally. Thanks for sharing!

Would you have any reference to those published items using the modified environmental trigger?

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The discussion took place two years ago originally. So the only one I remember clearly off the top of my head is one from Semita Errabunda (p. 4, Fire Guardian) because it came up on the forums a couple of months ago.

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It's really great, it's a bit overwhelming (to say the least) by being several order of magnitudes over what I'm accustomed,

I'd like to know what type of lab work requires a safety score of 18 to be safe...

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Research into Ignem-Nuclear and InterMysticEurope spells.

In all actuality the high safety rating is mostly an unintended side effect. The only non-virtue modifiers that contribute to it are Refinement and the effects Purge the Flame and the modified version of the Tireless Servant. Even without those two effects the Safety would still be 16 and with only the Virtues it is 9 (11 - Size).

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If we're being technical about it, every point in aura requires one point in safety to negate the botch die in experimentation. So you could need this score to experiment from within the magic realm, or from a high level aura with an art affinity (that is, if they double the botch die, which isn't clear).

Or maybe he's planning to annex the rest of the floor and add extra virtues from the extra space :stuck_out_tongue:

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Will you post the covenant write-up, Troy?

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The full covenant? That would be very big and a whole lot of work. It would need to be built as a file or website most likely, since it is not something I could easily post.

If you just want to know about some aspect of it, I could answer that.

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Because @temprobe asked for it, here is the descriptive covenant write-up. Trying to avoid the over 400 inhabitants and hundreds of books and enchanted items.

Covenant Description
A covenant located on the island of Levant, roughly 50 miles east of the city of Toulon, in the Provencal Tribunal. Built apart from a monastery on the south-western side of the island, the Landen Trading Consortium and Shipyard are its primary source of income and conceal its existence from the outside world. The covenant itself is located over three levels of a Regio, the shaping and manipulation of which is the focus of its founder’s research.

Landen Village
Landen is a large village of over 400 people located in a cove on the central northern side of Levant Island. It started life as the headquarters for a trading consortium with a few warehouses, but has since expanded to several times the original size and now includes a shipyard and large inn. The population is even more of an eccentric mix than is normally seen in a trade port, with a wide range of languages and cultures on display. Lingua Franca and Occitan are the most commonly heard languages, though a surprising amount of Latin, Arabic, and Greek are also heard.

Over the decades since its founding, four areas of focus have developed. The first and oldest is the Landen Trading Consortium which serves as the headquarters and storage for a fleet of ships that ply trade up and down the Mediterranean coast with the occasional trip as far as Egypt. Second is the Landen Shipyards, focused primarily on building trade vessels and fishing boats for local use with the occasional consignment. Third is the Landen Inn built to house visitors to the island and to let them sample the wares precured by the Consortium. In size and features it is closer to a resort, offering beautiful sights, as well as fine dining and quarters. Finally, there is the Walled Gardens which grows fresh herbs and vegetables for the inhabitants of Landen (and hides the Covenant entrance). Surrounding it are a swath of fruit orchards and a large pond seemingly exploding with luxurious food animals.

The bulk of the village is located south of the docks, with the village market centered with the gate between the village proper and the docks. The eastern edge of the village sweeps up and around the Trade Consortium compound with a road running all the way to the back entrance of the shipyard. While most of the village is made up of the houses of workers for the varies major local enterprises (Docks, Consortium, Shipyard, Garden & Inn), there are several local businesses such as a bath house, medicus, taverns, bakery, tailor, blacksmith, and butcher. There is also a church located on the southern edge of the market.

Most of the construction is in the roman style, with large family houses featuring high ceilinged rooms built around central courtyards. Smaller homes are building such that they form a central shared courtyard with their neighbors. The primary material is stone, often with brightly colored cloth canopies providing shade. All of the buildings are white washed, though the varies businesses tint theirs resulting in a range of light pastel shades which let those familiar with the color schemes identify what is on offer with but a glance. The streets are all smooth cobbled stone, built over sewer pipes that cut down on filth and prevent flooding from the frequent rain. All combined the village has an open, bright, and friendly feel to it.

Paved roads lead out of the village to the west (to the Inn and Monastery) and east (to the managed groves of trees used by the shipyard), with a smaller road leading south through the fruit orchards to the Walled Garden.

The Landen Inn
The Landen Inn is a massive edifice located a short distance west of Landen, on a spur of land that allows it to have scenic beaches on three sides. It was built primarily to house wealthier travelers on stopover, trade factors (who wish to sample the Consortiums goods), and people waiting on the completion of a ship they ordered. Several of the local nobility have found they enjoy a stay at the Inn.
The Inn is reached by a paved road running from the western side of Landen and the docks. The road forms a Y when it reaches the Inn, with the top fork running to the Inn itself and the bottom fork leading off to the monastery on the south-western tip of the island. Occasionally a monk from the monastery will be seen making the trip to the village to trade for things the monastery cannot easily produce themselves.

The inn itself is a four-story stone building 50 paces a side, with a large elevated sun deck on the northern face that serves as a roof for the open-air dining and tavern area. The ground floor is taken up by the tavern, kitchen and other working areas, while the upper three floors contain 48 smaller rooms (5x8 paces) and 15 larger suites (10x10 paces) built around a large central common area with stairs. Each of the top three floors also have available servants rooms, little more than a bed and some storage space, for housing any personal servants who travel with the wealthier guest.

The tavern is located on the northern side of the inn, with seating both inside (primarily for dining) and outside (under the sun deck). The outside area has an elevated stage, cloth sunshades and a spiral staircase up to the sun deck. The sun deck has a mixed collection of potted plants and benches, with the occasional table with sun shade, that provides a breath-taking view of the surroundings. Meals are made from local produce and catch (fish & shellfish from the Mediterranean, crayfish & snails from the pond in the Walled Garden), supplemented by delicacies imported by the Consortium. Most evenings feature some form of entertainment.

South of the Inn is a tree lined cobblestone plaza built around a large central fountain, bracketed by two buildings (the east for storage, the west housing inn staff) and with a view of the orchards surrounding the Walled Garden to the southeast. Varies festivals celebrated by the inhabitants of Landen are held here, but mostly it is empty and used to greet guest of the Inn. The buildings are similar in construction to the smaller Consortium warehouses, though internally broken down rather than being a single large area. The storage building is divided into spaces for the storage of food, spare furnishing, and other supplies needed for the inn. Someone is always coming or going here, fetching things needed at the inn. The housing building is primarily used by unmarried staff of the inn, with most of the married staff having houses in Landen.

North of the Inn is a marble plaza and white sand beach down to the water. Huge palm trees are evenly planted every 10 paces around this plaza’s parameter, providing shade and shelter. Benches, clumps of flowering bushes, flower beds and statues dot the area. Guests of the inn and local lovers will occasionally be found here, enjoying the view and privacy.

The permanent population is only about twenty people, with a transit population of up to a hundred found in residence much of the year. When in need of more staff, many in the village are willing and capable. Due to the nature of its business, this area is welcoming of visitors.

The Landen Trading Consortium & Docks
The Trading Consortium takes nearly half of Landen, with a seawall built to provide a sheltered port for ships. A long stone dock is located along the south, with seven stone jetties roughly 20 paces long thrusting north along its length. The top of the seawall is smooth and flat, with two large half circles on its southern side housing (enchanted) cranes for loading larger ships. The waters of the bay have been dredged to ten paces deep in its open north half and six paces deep in the south around the dock and jetties. The dock is ten paces wide allowing carts and cargo to flow easily in both directions.

The south edge of the dock is adjacent to three cargo handling areas and two open-air camps with half shelters. The camps have post for hanging hammocks, stone firepits, cut log seating, and access to fresh water. A trader with tavern is located at the western end of the docks that sells ships supplies and individual goods, as well as serving food and drink to crews. The southernmost area of the docks contains a scattering of houses, mostly fishermen. The docks are walled in, with exits to the east (into the Consortium), south (to Landen Market) and west (the path to the Inn) that are sealed at night.

The Consortium proper runs north and south between the seawall and dock, with two sides separated by a plaza. The sea (western) side is taken up by the dock master’s office and trading consortium headquarters on its north end where they have a clear view of the docks and three huge warehouses (each maximum Structure target size). The east side has a mixed collection of smaller warehouses, workshops and homes. These craftsmen produce a mix of ship supplies and parts.

On the southern edge of the plaza near the south gate, is a cartographer run by a retired Redcap. Its produces highly accurate maps and cartography, drawing all manner of travelers and captains through its door. It does brisk business in the collection of information on current travel conditions and rumors, all of which are very helpful to the Redcaps who service the coastal areas of the Mediterranean. The shop serves as a Mercere House, under control of House Mercere rather than the Covenant. In a secure basement room, safely outside the Covenant, is a Merceres Portal that links to Harco.

A four pace high stone wall wraps around the sides of the Consortium. There are five points of entry: Large gates to the seawall and docks, the south gate leading into the village of Landen, a small eastern gate and the northern gate beside the tower leading to the shipyards. The wall is intended to provide protection from thieves and pirates, not a military force. Finally, a watch tower is located on the northern most point next to the seawall. It serves as a light house and lookout point.

The Consortium area is by far the most dense and active area of Landen, with a permanent population of 100 people. However, the compound is closed to visitors at night.

Landen Shipyard
The shipyards were originally built due to one of the Magus interests in how magic could affect the construction of ships. There are an extensive number of enchanted devices used in the construction, rather than operation, of ships. While the ships are not as powerful as ones enchanted individually, the production rate and quality are far better than any competing shipyard for only a single outlay of Vis. It is build connected to the northern side of the Consortium, with access to the water north of the seawall.

Currently it is focused on the refitting and maintaining of the Consortiums fleet of ships, though it also produces the local fishing boats and the occasional commission. Two of its four production berths are dedicated to the Consortium, with the other two used as required (Consortium, fishing boats, commission). One of them is currently taken up producing a ship in the same style as the Gelkin (the Covenant's flagship).

A paved path leads east from the shipyard to an area featuring a grove of trees, used in the construction of its ships. The trees are grown with magic, helping to overcome the difficulty of obtaining enough quality lumber to keep the shipyard functioning. The positioning also ensures that the grove is mostly out of sight of the rest of Landen, helping to conceal any overt magic.

Walled Garden
To the south of Landen is the area called “The Garden”. It is made up of three distinct areas and is the source of the locally raised produce that an important part of the island inhabitants’ diets. The three main areas are the Walled Garden, the Orchard, and the Pond. Thanks to spillover from a yearly ritual in the Covenant, all the plants grow well and truffles can be found in abundance around the roots of all trees.

Directly south of Landen and thinly screened by fruit trees is the walled garden, surrounded by a three pace high stone wall with a large gate (with inbuilt door) on the north side. It consists of a large round central courtyard, with crosses thrusting out to the east and west. The crosses have three elevated plant beds running down their length, growing an array of garden vegetables (tomatoes, carrots, onions, chicory, leeks, cabbages, shallots, artichokes, garlic, asparagus). Two doorways on each side (4 total) lead into the homes and storage of the walled garden’s resident workers (which make up the outward portions of the crosses). The large center circle has two rings of flowering fruit bushes (mostly citrus) with the occasional fruit tree (persimmons, plums, peaches, apricots), while an elevated herb bed follows the inner wall. Around the walled garden, in the negative spaces produced by the crosses, are eight grow patches. Two (on the south side) are composting piles, while the remaining six contain berry patches (black, blue & rasp). A small doorway, with a trail leading off to the Inn and Consortium, is on the southern side.

A pathway runs from the gate to a gazebo supported by four fancy carved pillars in the garden’s center (the gateway into the Regio). Two smaller circles (10 paces across) are located just east and west of the gazebo, the east a black marble ring around a giant oak (grown with magic from an acorn gifted by the oldest awakened oak in the Regio) and the west a white marble ringed gazing pool (which is actually feed by a small spring). The oak tree is awakened and will great mystic visitors, thanks to an enchanted item allowing it speech. Latin text on the gazebo states “All who enter, know and accept the eye of Landen upon them”, warning of the magical viewing which lets grogs know a visitor has arrived. Observant visitors will notice wards, both around the outer round garden and the gazebo, guarding against demons and faeries respectfully. An enchantment causes all plants growing within the garden to be strong and healthy, greatly increasing its yield.

South of the walled garden is a dense mixed orchard of fruit (apples, pears) and nut (chestnut, hazelnut, walnut) trees butting against the paddocks on the west and arching south around the pond on its east. The orchards reach east past the pond before curving north all the way to the edge of Landen. The orchard run south all the way to the beginning of the hills that dominate the center of the island. New trees are grown as needed by magic, replacing any that die and allowing new varieties as desired. Scattered about are honey bee hives.

The pond was produced by dredging out an area beside a small stream flowing north towards the beach. A pair of deeply buried pipes allow water to flow in from this stream and maintain the level. The pond was seeded with frogs, crayfish, snails, river crabs, eels and other species which would thrive in its enclosed environment. Cattails, watercress, water chestnuts and other aquatic plants have also been introduced. All this combined makes the pond a key producer of local food. Improving it even more is an enchanted item with summons the varies items that the vermin species raised here spawn from, allowing it to produce as if it was several times larger than its actual size.

West of the Walled Garden are several barns and paddocks. These houses the livestock needed by the community (dairy cows, chickens, geese and a herd of goats). The outer parameter of the paddocks has a wall of shrubs with evenly spaced trees, while a few trees are also within each to provide shade for the stock. The fowl and goats are allowed to graze throughout the Orchard, greatly helping in the control of undergrowth and pest.

Pigs were originally kept and raised, but escaped and roam the island. They are now found wild and scattered about the island, though fairly aggressive hunting has kept their population under control.

Regio & Aura Notes
The Regio currently has five levels, with a Magic Aura of 8, 6, 5, 4, and 3. Originally there were only four levels with the deepest having a 6, but it has split and grown since the founding of the Covenant. The mundane level for most of the island has a Magic Aura of 2, though the Walled Garden could have a 3.

There are Divine Auras located around the village church, graveyard, and the monastery. The encroachment of the Divine Aura from the monastery is what triggered the original formation of the Regio, though that Aura has been weakened by sackings of the monastery and the growth of the Covenant.

There is one Faerie Aura located on the island, though it is currently in its own Regio with an Aura of 3. It is the remains of a remnant from the original Roman occupation of the island. It is on the western side of the island, accessed through a few old stones which are all that remains of a temple to the Roman gods. A small proportion of the village people are Hellenistic Pagan and make use of the site.

The Covenant Regio has three Natural Tethers and a whole host of Preternatural Tethers. The Natural Tethers are all located on the deepest level (currently the 5th), though they have echos on the lower ones. Overall they combine to provide a Healthy Features +3 for the Covenant.

The first Natural Tether is an ancient copse of trees, the oldest of them approaching a millennia in age. Many of them are awakened with Might, also providing a Preternatural Tether. They form the core of the Aura and the Covenant is extremely careful in any dealings with them.

The second Natural Tether is a spring of exceptionally crisp water located in the very center of the Regio. It's waters provide a key part of the healthy nature of the Covenant site, as well as causing light rain and mist to be common. Its echos on the first three tiers are disguised as fountains in the center of the gardens containing the portal gateways for traveling the Regio.

The third Natural Tether is formed by the wind and weather. There is a constant sea breeze, which never drops below lively in strength. Clouds of curious and attractive design are always drifting overhead, created by the breeze deflecting off of the surrounding peaks and hills. Despite the common rain and mist, the sun is always shining, causing the odd effect of being able to walk a few paces and travel from rain to clear sunshine. The breeze and sun contribute to the health nature.

The Preternatural Tethers include the awakened trees of virtue (3), the hermetic cats (1), the crows (1), the rune stones controlling the Regio (1), the school of fish (1), and the remnants of a whole bunch of greater rituals (the strongest a 2). There are a few more made by some of the animals on the deepest level. When combined with the Natural Tethers, this makes the base strength of the Regio Aura an 8.

The outer edges of each Regio level are made up of a tense thicket of the trees and bushes found on that level, with mist covered open water just beyond. Locals know how to use small paths through the thicket and down to the water to transverse between the levels, though travel into and out of the first level is sealed.

Regio (and Covenant), 1st Tier
Upon entering the Regio, visitors find themselves in a smaller round walled courtyard. The pillar portals from the walled garden are located on opposite walls east & west, with large gateways to the north & south. Three pairs of smaller pillars are located in each quadrant between the portal pillars and gates (twelve total, designed to serve as points for Hermes Portals). A bulwarked walkway (with stairs on the exterior side) atop the wall allows guards to safely engage any enemies that somehow manage to enter the Regio. A guard post, located against the wall near the north gateway, houses an enchanted item which lets the guards observe visitors arriving at the gazebo in the walled garden.

Once outside of the entry, visitors find themselves in the middle of a cobblestone plaza surrounded by small tiered gardens, groves of trees, and large buildings in each cardinal direction from the entry.

An ornate garden is located in the plaza between the entry and visitors inn. In the center of the garden is a fountain, built around a natural spring with exceptionally crisp water. It is the actual center of the Regio level, though the location of the entrance will hide this. It contains two groups of paired pillars, the portal gateways to the second and third level of the Regio.

The first of those large buildings, to the north, is the turb barracks and training field. A four floor monolith with basement, it has 8 large (5x3 paces) and 64 small (3x3 paces) private rooms along with three large barracks rooms. The ground floor is taken up by offices, armory, and smithy. It is far larger then needed, with many of the rooms used as storage.

The large building to the south is an inn that serves as quarters for visitors to the Covenant. It normally houses a surprising amount of non-resident Redcaps, taking advantage of the environment between trips (and keeping an eye on the Covenant). Any visiting Magi are also housed here. It has two simple guest labs which can be used by visitors.

On the western edge of the plaza is a large warehouse and granary, enchanted to protect and help keep fresh all the produce grown. On the eastern edge is a vintner and brewery, focused primarily on beverages for local consumption. It also has a small distillery, something almost unheard of at the time, which allows it to produce far stronger beverages.

The rest of the Regio first tier, roughly 25 acres, are taken up by terraced garden plots, small fields of grain and grapes, orchards of fruit & nut trees, and green houses. Scattered about, carefully designed to blend into the landscape, are the homes of the labors who work them. Clusters of domesticated honey bees are strategically placed to provide coverage. Dotted throughout the area in a complex geometric pattern are rune carved stones which serve as anchors for the magic that has expanded and sealed the Regio level.

This area is focused on producing food for the Covenant, with its excess passed through to the Walled Garden. This has the unintended consequence of making the Walled Garden seem far more fertile and productive then should be possible if someone bothers to check.

Regio, 2nd Tier
This tier is occupied by the Covenant craftsmen (workshops, warehouses, and homes) around the portal stones, focused primarily on the east and west. Outside of the Turb, this is the area most densely populated in the Covenant and a constant hive of activity. Wood, stone, and metal works abound interspersed with a bakery, butcher, and more exotic craftsmen.

The final key features of the 2nd tier are the baths and medicus. These are designed from the Roman model, built in roughly the same location as the barracks and inn on the 1st tier. Both make extensive use of magic and improve the health quality of the area even more.

An ornate garden, complete with fountain and two groups of paired pillars, is located in the very center of this tier. The pillars are the gateway stones for traveling to the first and third level of the Regio.

The more distant areas, covering over 20 acres, are lush pastures dotted with a mix of wood groves and orchards. While the outlands of the 1st tier is focused on food crops, the cultivated areas of the 2nd tier are for the animals required by the Covenant for food and raw materials. This is primarily a mix of pigs, goats, chickens and geese.

There are two stables, mews and kennels located here as well (LoM, p. 60; all Superior Quality with room to expand), though only the mews is currently used. These were built with future expansion in mind. One of the mews is occupied by a murder of Crows of Virtue, while the other houses varies raptors.

Regio, 3rd Tier
Serves as the housing area of the Magi of the Covenant and their most important servants, plus the location of the buildings the Magi consider most important. This includes the Great Library, Temple of Hermes, Council Hall and the Vault (for storing enchanted devices, vis, and dangerous items). The outer area houses a collection of beast and plants of virtue imported over the years, including two large fish pools. These serve as an important source of Vis, especially the fish pools.

An ornate garden, complete with fountain and two groups of paired pillars, is located in the very center of this tier. The pillars are the gateway stones for traveling to the first and second level of the Regio.

The Great Library is an L shaped building east of the portal stones, with the entrance at the point and the two wings each having separate focuses. At the entrance is the librarian’s desk and office, with magic items for retrieving and storing books. The north wing houses a solarium, several reading rooms, and two large classrooms (Elementary labs with Teaching +3). The south wing houses the workshops for the copying and production of books. All of the books are stored in the sealed basement, protected by enchantments. Currently there are two levels, with the mirror room also located on the first basement level. The entire building is lighted and climate controlled by magic, in addition to having protection from fire. A pair of hermetic cats, one in each wing, have taken up residence in the library.

The Temple of Hermes is located to the south of the portal stones and contains the sanctum of the Mercere Magus. Build on the same blueprint as ancient Cult of Hermes temples, it has a large ceremonial casting area and scrying pool. A large portion of the Covenant population is pagan and many of the yearly ceremonies are centered here.

The Council Hall is located west of the portal stones. It is a white marble structure that houses the high (magic) and low (mundane) council halls, offices for high positions, a small treasury, and a large map room. The map room contains enchanted maps for tracking groups from the Covenant and its trade ships.
The Vault is located to the north. It is a solid slab of black basalt, with a steel and stone entry. Within its armored depths are housed the majority of the Covenants vis and spare silver, as well as a large collection of enchanted items both understood and uninvestigated. There is also two library rooms housing text from the Landen Mystery Cult and those considered to dangerous to allow access to for any but the Magi. Any access to this building is tightly controlled, with only the most trusted grogs allowed access and guard duty.

Around the outer perimeter of the level are the varies sanctums of the Magi. There are twelve sites available, though only seven are inhabited. Two uninhabited buildings were the sanctums of the two founders, while the other three can be rapidly outfitted if additional Magi join the Covenant.

Regio, 4th (& deeper) Tiers
The deepest levels of the Regio was purposely uninhabited due to the unstable effects upon it of ritual magic and Regio manipulation, as well as protecting the Tethers that form the core of the aura. While there were four tiers when the Covenant was founded, there is one new level formed since due to the activity of the Covenant.

Since it's formation, the 4th level has served as the overflow for transplanting trees and plants of virtue which the Covenant harvest for Vis. This greatly reduced the pressure on usable space of the 3rd tier, allowing the Magi to not have to set aside as much space. This has caused the entire level to feel like a very strange orchard, since many of the trees are not ones you would traditionally find.

There is only one building, housing a lab focused on hermetic architecture, on the 5th level. The rest is completely wild and only visited by the Magi if they need to discuss something with the eldest trees. Mostly it is filled with awakened trees of virtue and animals of virtue which would rather be apart from the general population of the Covenant.

There is no gateway allowing easy access from this level to the lower levels, though the Magi and many residents know ways to travel here.

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I forgot to include the boundary description for the regio. The outer edges of each level are made up of a dense barrier of the trees and bushes found on that level, with open water covered by dense mist visible just beyond.

Because the 1st tier has been sealed, there is no visible entry from outside the regio is so dense that it is almost impossible to make your way through it. On the other levels taking narrow paths between the outer trees out to the water and back around trough another path between the trees can take you between levels. But only the 2nd tier or deeper, there is no usable path that travels to or from the 1st tier.

The water is fresh water, the same as the stream that runs near the walled garden which was the original entry point into the regio. The varies levels of the regio have pipes setup to allow irrigation and easy access to water from the west and north, with drain pipes for carrying waste running to the south and east.