Seasonal Activities and Advancement

I'm happy to not have the Superior Lighting virtue and was ok to craft an item later rather than spend build points where they were not needed. I'll accept it happily, as it's not an issue for me as a player. Likewise the Warping question for me comes back to the story impact and story seeds it might have. Having an arbitrary +1 or -1 isn't worth much to me compared to the "what and why"; so we can apply Lab Warping as strongly or passively as you like.

For Fray I'm thinking of this advancement:

Autumn 1227:

  • Arrive and refine the Lab. I read previously that a lab does not need to be claimed as such if it as no refinement in place (because refine 0 does not require seasons), so I can get started straight away. I'd like to roll the chance of adding the happenstance virtues for well organised and such too.

Cov p110; to do that is MaTh vs 4 (Refinement target: 1 +3), which Fray has. Then rolling a stress Int + MaTh vs 12 to get Highly Organized, and vs 15 to detect a hidden flaw. I don't have a "tiny" style personality trait for the roll to gain Tidy.

Roll: 1d10=1, then a 1d10=3; so I get MaTh 8, +3 Int, +6 from the roll = 17. This is enough for the Highly Organised, and also enough to discover if it has a hidden flaw.

  • Correspondence with Master on MaTh (1xp)

Winter 1228:

  • Invent a version of the MuTe/Ig effect to make a stone glow. Perhaps another effect it LT is high enough for another low effect.
  • "Somewhere, Under the Barrows" story - Fray will advance in Magical Lore (2 xp), MaTh (2xp), and Faerie Lore (3xp).
  • Correspondence with Master on MaTh (1xp)

Games-mechanics-wise, a sane magus probably doesn't want a Warping number over 1--odd Warping results (side effects) can be OK, even beneficial, but even ones (modified effects) tend to be something you'd want to avoid. Even Viola, who's a little crazy, doesn't like her Warping to be over 3.

Nonethless, if you don't want the Magical Lighting, maybe I can give you a Minor Virtue instead.

I'm going to say the lab had a positive Refinement (which I'll determine tomorrow, probably), but that doesn't change the foregoing. Do be aware though that having a lab assistant, familiar, or (possibly) apprentice will screw up Highly Organized, unless the assistant in question has Int as high as Fray's.

Oh yeah, and piece of advice: if you want to be lab rat, bind a familiar as soon as you can. :slight_smile:

OK.

Scott

BTW, is this a formulaic to cast in the lab? I'm afraid I don't understand: you should be able to spont something pretty easily.

Scott

I've added the Lab, the advancement, and updated in green on the Magi sheet. Just thought I'd post the spell effect here to get opinion/approval too.

Conjure the Orb of Sunshine ...
Glowing Rocks - a spell used to make portable glowing lights.

MuTe/Ig, as base 3 unnatural glowing which affect up to 10 cubic paces of dirt, mud, sand, or 1 cubic pace of stone or glass. glow very brightly +1, affect stone/glass +1, R:Touch +1, D: Sun +2, T: Ind +0. Target level 20.

LT 43 = Mu 21, Te/Ig 1, Int 3, Aura 5, Inventive 3, MaTh in Muto 9, lab Spec Mu Te/Ig 2. One season of work.

note: I know it's not quiet a permanent light spell, but as Fray has the Flexible Formulaic magic, I intend to make it extended to Moon when cast. That will be handy in the non-lab areas.

OK, that makes sense.

Scott

OK, let's distribute the vis for the first two years. The income for each year is 8 pawns, which means we have 8 to distribute--since there are three member magi, we can round off to 9 and distribute 3 each. Since 7 pawns of income are from Techniques, I suppose there's nothing wrong with taking two pawns each of those. How does this sound?

Gregorius: 2 Rego, 1 Imaginem
Viola: 1 Rego, 2 Animal
Tasia: 1 Rego, 2 Terram

Scott

Here are revised advancement logs for Viola and Constantine. I still need to do the cats and Theodoric, but they shouldn't be hard.

Viola

1226

Winter: Initiates Calliope into Potent Spontaneous Magic, then studies again from the Parma Magica summa (Study: +14=92 [5]).
Spring: Explores the faerie regio in the temple to Poseidon as a possible lab site. Spends the rest of the season investigating the regio, both to learn more about the curse and its effects, and to discover how to harvest the Perdo vis source in the upper level. Adv.: Faerie Lore, +5=56 (5).
Summer: Finishes setting up the lab, completing the work Constantine began in the Spring. Exp.: Magic Theory, +2=198 (8).
Autumn: Sits amidst the petrified men in her lab and studies Muto from Transformation (+20=80 [12]).

Correspondence with Calliope: Faerie Magic, +1=23 (2)
Corrrespondence with Salignus: Faerie Magic, +1=24 (2)
Corrrespondence with Theodolphus: Magic Theory, +1=199 (8)
Corrrespondence with Theoros: Magic Theory, +1=200 (8)

Vis Income: 1p Re from the covenant, 2p Mu from the faerie wine casks.

1227

Winter: Sits near various fountains within the covenant while studying Rego from Discipline and Restraint (+31=51 [9]). Tries repeatedly not to giggle at the title.
Spring: Has the covenfolk plant a garden under the open roof in her living quarters, and uses that location to study Creo from Portia’s Principia Fabricata (+20=39 [8]).
Summer: Refines her lab, raising its Refinement to +1. Exp.: Magic Theory, +2=202 (8)
Autumn: Journeys to Aegea covenant with Calliope, seeking information that would help her lift the curse in the regio. Adv.: Order of Hermes Lore, +5=10 (1); Faerie Lore, +2=58 (4).

Correspondence with Calliope: Faerie Lore, +1=59 (2)
Corrrespondence with Salignus: Faerie Lore, +1=60 (2)
Corrrespondence with Theodolphus: Magic Theory, +1=203 (8)
Corrrespondence with Theoros: Magic Theory, +1=204 (8)

Vis Income: 2p An from the covenant, 2p Mu from the faerie wine casks.

Constantine

1226

Winter: Flits about while Viola studies.
Spring: Accompanies Viola in exploring the temple regio, then begins setting up her lab there.
Summer: While Viola finishes setting up the lab, learns about magic from her (Train.: Magic Theory, +11=119 [6]).
Autumn: Flits about while Viola studies.

1227

Winter and Spring: Flits about while Viola studies.
Summer: While Viola refines the lab, learns about magic from her (Train.: Magic Theory, +11=130 [6]).
Autumn: Accompanies Viola on her trip to Aegea.

Scott

OK, I see Salutor has already done an advancement log for Theodoric, so I need merely to copy it over. However, it looks like he's got three seasons of learning in 1227, when, as a grog, he should have only two.

Also, apparently I missed this question two and a half years ago....

Sure. What does she need to do here?

Scott

Well, it's not that a grog can only learn 2 seasons/year, its' that they only have the yearly equivalent of "2 seasons free" to "undertake study" of something approp to their job that is more than Exposure or Practice, all things equal. (As per "Assigning Seasons", p 163. Let's face it, grogs don't have a "6 months on, 6 months off" contract, so it has to be "the equivalent".)

Looks like that didn't happen so much in '26

  • one season practicing something (presumably also while working for the covenant, hunting to feed them)
  • one season a'venturing (presumably for the covenant)
  • 2 seasons Teaching

= 1 free seasons "learning" anything, the Hunting practice (unless that's not counted, then it's zero seasons).

I'd say just call it a wash, rather than go back and try to rearrange it. Or, give him his 1-2 seasons from '26, and drop 1 from '27, and he'll be no worse (and possible better) than he is now.

(Unless I'm missing some Saga houserule or diff interpretation of that section?)

HEAL THEODORIC! Oh, gawds - not phthisis! the burning, the itching, the social stigma! ...arrrrrghggghghghhhh....

(Again, esp if Viola has some large +X Recovery spells, just handwave it - altho' he may gain Warping points. Better that than TB.)

For two seasons a year (abstracted or otherwise) he gets only Exposure--that's the rule on ArM pg. 163. Practice means devoting the entire season to nothing but practice, as opposed to doing useful work. I'll adjust it before posting the updated log, unless Salutor pipes up with a specific reason why we did it this way in the first place.

Scott

Hmmm - that's not how I read those 2 sentences. I see that section as explaining that those seasons 2 only generate Exposure UNLESS the character can "undertake study that he could do in and between his job" - so Practice could - if it paralleled his "job" that season - fall under that umbrella quite easily.

As for Practice itself, the specific example on p 164 "Third" clearly allows Practice while "being forced to help" at a job, altho' the source value for "Hunting by yourself" would be the default 4, not the 5 of the Third example, since there is no "feedback" as in that example.

Now, the obvious question is "So what then is the diff between default Exposure and Practice? Why wouldn't every tradesman "Practice" all season long, all year long?!" - the answer imo is found in the 2nd sentence under Practice, that "This is a full time activity". That is, rather than focusing on earning a living and maximizing production (however that is measured), the character is focusing on learning, so the end-product is both noticeably less and by definition insufficient to earn a living (but there is still "some").

As in the example of "someone forced to help on a ship", the work is not expected to be as much as a full-time crewman, but it is "help". So that "season of practicing hunting" would not produce the same as a "season of hunting" - but it could be good enough to slide, especially if no one were keeping close tabs. So it would be up to the Covenant IC, whether (according to the end-product/etc.) they felt Theo was "hunting" or "must be doing something else with his time out there" (i.e. practicing hunting, and whether they noticed this mid-season or not until season's end, and whether they cared to take any disciplinary action to abort the Practice.

But either way - they're grogs, so whatever works.

I have never encountered that interpretation, and I'm not even sure how you reached it, but we're going to play with the standard interpretation--which, I'm pretty sure, was the author's intent in any case.

Scott

You mean "your standard interpretation" - fine by me. I can see it either way.

But in answer to your question (which I thought I had covered above...)

...I'll quickly walk you through my thoughts, so you're more familiar with it next time you do encounter it.

First, it clearly is abstracted - the rules say as much.

"...A normal character must work for two seasons, and gets two seasons "free". However, he cannot leave his job for two seasons, as the free time is spread out over the year..." (emphasis added)
So the average Craftsman must spend the equiv of half their time ("2 seasons") at their job if they want to earn a living, but has the equiv of half to do "other stuff".

Now - are there any limits on that "other stuff?"... YES! This "Free time" is further limited in the very next sentence...

"Thus, he can only undertake study that he could do in and between his job." (emphasis added)
So, as a grog/grog-leader, Theo could spend his evenings studying from a text or practicing Singing, but he could not claim the entire season to go Tanas to be Trained by a Songmaker (other "jobs" might work differently, not his).

(* IC considerations could arise here to create extreme exceptions - we're not going to worry about those.)

The very next sentence after that is...

"The two seasons spent working generate Exposure experience..."
This is the default, but is not a further limiter. It is listed specifically to establish the baseline, but I don't see any "only" or "must" in that sentence (as is found in the previous sentence!), only that these seasons do, inarguably, generate Exposure (as do most any season), if that's what the character wants and if that's all they can get. Combined with the previous sentence, I don't see it as precluding other activities - the previous sentence does that. What this last sentence does is suggest what the default is for the typical character working the typical craft - which a grog is not.

A grog* is not doing "a craft", unlike most of the population of Mythic Europe. They do "stuff" - guard duty, odd jobs, loaf about if they can, avoid they magi as best they can, go on adventures, heal up - they're grogs, not peasants, that's why they have a different (free) Social Virtue. And unlike most peasants, they enjoy a salary - as long as they're on the payroll, they get paid.

(* Here, "grog" = warrior/grunt/redshirt, as opposed to some other "covenfolk" whose jobs are specifically based on one or more production-based "Crafts", such as The Cook or The Blacksmith, who more probably have a daily production quota which they must meet or they are obviously not "doing their job".)

Once a character is free from the "Must craft full time to earn money" treadmill, Practice can be very similar to "work" on its face (that is, to superiors who judge if a grog is "doing their job") - the difference (as I said above) is two-fold - 1) that it does not generate an equal end-product, and 2) it is insufficient to "earn a living" - but that may not be a problem for a grog in a Covenant situation. (In fact, any peasant who isn't in financial need could take a season of "practice" in their Craft and still contribute (less) to their finances.)

That, in a nutshell, is how I came to that standard interpretation of that section. (And I won't presume to project that interpretation on the author(s) - as I said, I can see it either way.)

No, I most definitely don't mean mine--I mean the.

I do not want an argument. I do not want to read your explanation. I am tired of lengthy arguments over trivial crap that's already well-settled.

Scott

Oh - can you point me to this clarification? thx. Always good to be aware when my interpretation is not canon.

And you're not getting one...

I was not aware that this had been hashed over before, sorry.

As to your reaction to my explanation (odd that you call it "an explanation first, and "an argument" later) - I thought you invited me to explain my interpretation...

It's not "an argument", it's a different point of view.

Without an exchange of different views, "we" (you, me, the other players here) won't find common ground nearly as easily or quickly.

As for "trivial" - I might normally agree, but you brought it up to the Troupe, and as a Troupe member I responded. That's how I do things.

If Troupe input, or just my input, is not welcome, then say so, so I'll know that this is less Troupe-run and more unilateral, and I'll know you expect us (or just me) to just shut up and accept every ruling you send down the pipe.

Because that's one reading of your last - just in the spirit of communication.

And - to be clear - that's fine too - just let me know and make it clear.

Otherwise, I'll reserve discussing rules for the main Forum, and ignore any future "trivial crap", no problem at all. Some people enjoy kicking around different ideas (even trivial ones), others don't. Now I know your preference.

In this particular case, the text is so blindingly clear that I am, honestly, astounded that you could read it any other way. I am pretty sure that there's no official clarification, because there's just no other way to read it.

That being said, no matter how loopy I think your interpretation is, I'd be willing to hear you out, all other things being equal. However, my patience at this point has been tried by your constantly wanting to have drawn-out debates. Even when I hint that I don't want a debate, for example by giving a curt answer that sidesteps the argument, I get another two-page post in response. I literally don't have time to read two-pages posts in which you elaborate in detail your position on something that was decided years ago. I don't have time to be writing this current post, either. I value your input, but I'd like to see you contribute in places where it truly makes a difference to our enjoyment of the game. If you've got a point that's truly important, make it--concisely--and if the rest of us don't agree, then drop it and move on.

In this particular case, you topped things off by telling me what I meant to say. No matter whether or not you agreed with what I said, it was pretty obvious that I meant it, and I don't appreciate being told I meant something other than what I actually meant, even out of some misguided attempt to be "polite" by presenting a clear disagreement as being something else.

In short, I want to play the fg game, not talk about or debate the fg game. There are times when we have to debate rules or the like, but I'd rather minimize the effort put into that. Can we please just do that?

Scott

Thoughts on Viola's advancement:

  • Is Constantine really going to be capable of setting up a lab? Whilst he's got the Magic Theory, he's also a butterfly with no powers to manipulate objects. I can see that he's got the "Feet to Hands" and the "Make him 10 times bigger" bond powers, but that's still only going to take him to size -9 and a strength of -19.
  • I think the Rego Summa should give +20 xp, rather than +31 - probably just a typo, especially as the total is then correct.
  • Where are Viola's living quarters at this point?
  • I think the xp Constantine is getting from training should be 8 rather than 11 (source quality is eleven, but there's an 8 (might) -5 (familiar HR) = 3 point penalty to what he can learn).
  • When is her current character sheet "as at"? She already seems to have 56xp in faerie lore, but not sure if that's because the advancement is wrong or because it's reiterating the arrival season of advancement which has already been applied.

I'm happy for one of the Practice Single Weapon seasons to go - I can't remember my thought processes at the time (although at a guess, that the time spent practicing teaching was specifically for the covenant's benefit, or that I just forgot about that rule).

Pick a base ease factor from the Creo Corpus guidelines, and cast it at Moon duration, Touch range. Recovery rolls are at month intervals, and he'll need 3 successful ones to be completely well, so ideally it would need casting at least 3 times (and possibly more, depending on how his recovery rolls go), although the ease factors for recovery get easier as he gets better.

It's actually Petrus, the herbalist, who's sick, rather than Theodoric (and yes, with Pithisis, i.e. Consumption/TB, not Phimosis). He breathed in some of the putrid breath from a patient, causing his own humours to go putrid.

I thought about that, but he can get mundane servants to help him move things into place, and then he can make the proper adjustments. I figure if he can't manage that, he wouldn't be a very useful lab assistant in the first place.

Yeah, that's just at typo--31 was the previous total.

In the main temple on the first level of the regio--there are evidently no fae there, so it should work fine for the purpose, except for the heating problem posed by the open room. That's something she needs to fix as soon as she can collect the necessary Creo vis to enchant the whole structure with magical heating.

Heh, you made this same comment the last time. :slight_smile: The extra +3 is from the quill (I originally had that at +2, but then I noticed that the appropriate section on lab magic items in Covenants suggest a specialization bonus of +1 per 10 levels of enchantment).

I hadn't realized I posted a sheet with those 5 XP's added, but yes, you appear to be right.

Scott