Seasonal Activities and Advancement

Well, that sounds good as far as it goes, but does any of us have any ideas for what the mastery abilities might be? :slight_smile:

Scott

List revised for Aison's Poor Learner flaw, Miklos teaching Latin (to Simon, Niketas and a Leper grog), aging rolls for Petrus and a few other minor amendments.

Theodoric
Winter 1226: Practice Hunt. 4xp -> 3 (4)
Spring 1226: Adventure. Tanais Covenant Lore 5xp -> 1 (10)
Summer 1226: Teaching Latin. 2xp Teaching -> 1 (2)
Autumn 1226: Teaching Latin. 2xp Teaching -> 1 (4)
Winter 1227: Practice Teaching 4xp -> 1 (8)
Spring 1227: Practice Single Weapon 4xp -> 5 (4)
Summer 1227: Teaching Don Delta Lore to Gregorius. Source quality 10. 2xp teaching -> 2 (0)
Autumn 1227: Practice Single Weapon 4xp -> 5 (8)

Petrus
Aging rolls: invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3275903/
1226: 8 -> 1 year's increase in apparent age.
1227: 6 -> 1 year's increase in apparent age

Stamina roll to resist Phthisis: Ease factor 9. Roll = 5, failed. (invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3275916/)
Contracts Phthisis. I'm assuming someone (Viola? is probably the most capable, with her LLSM - MTKnife, can you confirm if she will?) will cast something to give him a bonus to recovery rolls which should mean he recovers over the Spring season barring a botch.

Winter 1226: Practice Profession: Apothecary. 4xp -> 6 (4)
Spring 1226: Adventure Herbalism 5xp -> 8 (5)
Summer 1226: Teach Teaching to Sophia (source quality 13). Exposure in Teaching 2xp -> 4 (2)
Autumn 1226: Practice Don Delta Area Lore: 7xp -> 1 (2)
Winter 1227: Exposure in Herbalism 2xp -> 8 (7)
Spring 1227: Teach Teaching to Sophia (source quality 13). 2xp exposure in teaching -> 4 (4)
Summer 1227: Practice Don Delta Area Lore 7xp -> 1 (9)
Autumn 1227: Teach Latin to Bogdan, Godzimir, Damianos, Niketas. Source quality 7. 2xp -> 4 (6)

Sophia
Aging rolls:
1226: 15 -> 1 aging point in Sta, 1 point in decrepitude. Decreptitude -> 3 (1), Stamina unchanged due to Unaging.
1227: 6 -> fine.

Winter 1226: Practice Profession: Steward. 4 xp -> 5 (4)
Spring 1226: Adventure Tanais Covenant Lore 5xp -> 1 (0)
Summer 1226: Learn Teaching from Petrus. 13 xp -> 1 (8) (grogs)
Autumn 1226: Teach Latin to Aison. Source quality 12. 2xp exposure -> 2 (0)
Winter 1227: Teach Latin to Aison and Damianos. Source quality 10. 2xp exposure -> 2 (2).
Spring 1227: Learn Teaching from Petrus. 13 xp -> 3 (0)
Summer 1227: Teach Latin to Aison, Damianos, Bogdan and Godzimir. Source quality 8. 2xp exposure -> 3 (2) [Note, I'm assuming that Latin is not sufficiently well spoken in the covenant at this point for practicing it for 8xp to be feasible.]
Autumn 1227: Practice Profession Steward. 4xp -> 5 (8).

Aison
Winter 1226: Practice Single Weapon. 4xp -> 6 (4)
Spring 1226: Adventure. Nova Castra Lore 5xp -> 1 (0)
Summer 1226: Guard Duty. 2xp Exposure in Awareness -> 2 (2)
Autumn 1226: Learn Latin from Sophia 12-5 = 7 xp -> 1 (2) (covenant usage)
Winter 1227: Learn Latin from Sophia 10-5 =5 xp -> 1 (7)
Spring 1227: Guard Duty. 2xp Exposure in Awareness -> 2 (4)
Summer 1227: Learn Latin from Sophia 8-5 xp = 3xp -> 2 (0)
Autumn 1227: Guard Duty. 2xp Exposure in Awareness -> 2 (6)

Niketas
Winter 1226: Practice Dowsing. 4xp -> 5 (4)
Spring 1226: Adventure. Nova Castra Lore 5xp -> 1 (0)
Summer 1226: Learn Latin from Miklos. 6xp -> 1 (1)
Autumn 1226: Helping with Tree-felling. Training in Profession: Woodcutter (assuming woodcutter has skill 5) = 8xp -> 1 (3)
Winter 1227: Helping with Tree-felling. Training in Profession: Woodcutter 8xp -> 2 (1)
Spring 1227: Exposure in Errand-running. 2xp -> 3 (2)
Summer 1227: Learn Latin from Miklos. 6xp -> 1 (7)
Autumn 1227: Learn Latin from Petrus. 7xp -> 2 (4)

Bogdan
Winter 1226: Practice Single Weapon 4xp x 1.5 = 6xp -> 6 (6)
Spring 1226: Adventure. Nova Castra Lore 5xp -> 1 (0)
Summer 1226: Learning Latin from Theodoric. 8xp -> 1 (3)
Autumn 1226: Learning Latin from Theodoric. 8xp -> 2 (1)
Winter 1227: Sentry Duty. 2xp Awareness -> 3 (2)
Spring 1227: Sentry Duty. 2xp Awareness -> 3 (4)
Summer 1227: Learn Latin from Sophia 8xp -> 2 (9)
Autumn 1227: Learn Latin from Petrus. 7xp -> 3 (1)

Godzimir
Winter 1226: Practice Single Weapon 4xp -> 5 (4)
Spring 1226: Adventure. Nova Castra Lore 5xp -> 1 (0)
Summer 1226: Learning Latin from Theodoric. 8xp -> 1 (3)
Autumn 1226: Learning Latin from Theodoric. 8xp -> 2 (1)
Winter 1227: Sentry Duty. 2xp Awareness -> 3 (2)
Spring 1227: Sentry Duty. 2xp Awareness -> 3 (4)
Summer 1227: Learn Latin from Sophia 8xp -> 2 (9)
Autumn 1227: Learn Latin from Petrus. 7xp -> 2 (1)

Damianos
Winter 1226: Practice Animal Handling. 4xp -> 5 (4)
Spring 1226: Adventure. Nova Castra Lore 5xp -> 1 (0)
Summer 1226: Practice Turkic (Kipchak) 8xp -> 1 (3)
Autumn 1226: Hunting exposure. 2xp -> 3 (6)
Winter 1227: Learn Latin from Sophia 10 xp -> 1 (5)
Spring 1227: Hunting exposure. 2xp -> 3 (6)
Summer 1227: Learn Latin from Sophia 8xp -> 2 (3)
Autumn 1227: Learn Latin from Petrus. 7xp -> 2 (10)

Simon
Winter 1226: Practice Stealth. 4xp -> 4 (4)
Spring 1226: Adventure. Nova Castra Lore 5xp -> 1 (0)
Summer 1226: Learn Latin from Miklos. 6xp -> 1 (1)
Autumn 1226: Sentry Duty. 2xp Awareness -> 2 (2)
Winter 1227: Practice Awareness 4xp -> 2 (6)
Spring 1227: Sentry Duty. 2xp Awareness -> 2 (8)
Summer 1227: Learn Latin from Miklos. 6xp -> 1 (7)
Autumn 1227: Sentry Duty 2xp Awareness -> 2 (10)

The sea we're right next to is the Sea of Azov, which is an inlet of the Black Sea--the Aral Sea is way over in Central Asia, while the Caspian is some ways to the southeast.

Scott

I think the rules are hopelessly vague, especially since a literal reading would indicate that you can't benefit from correspondence in a season when you're not engaged in research or reading (and since I'm not even sure what "research" means in this case--for example, is enchanting an item "research"? What about setting up a lab?). I just PM'ed Timothy Ferguson, the author of the libraries chapter, with the following questions:

I don't think that spell texts involve Com, so that would work, if she's got any spells you think would be useful--but she doesn't know many formulaic spells. You might make better use of her, especially in the early years, contacting some of the local fae. For that matter, we might benefit more from having all the magi explore the surrounding area (including looking for vis sources), than from more conventional forms of service.

Scott

If it is from the inventor of the spell, I'd say that Adaptive Casting would make the most sense.

Please clarify something for me. Under the standard rules, if I have Crystal Dart mastered, and then create a more damaging version of the spell, does the mastery apply to the new spell as well? Because I thought it did, but with the existence of Adaptive Casting, I get confused.

Mastery is of a specific spell by default. Mastering a spell will not have any effect on another Similar spell. This is fairly definite in the Rules (unless I'm missing something).

Adaptive Casting makes things a little more complicated. It allows you to apply the mastery abilities and level you've learnt for one "General" spell to the same spell at a different level. What counts as a "General" spell I've seen debated (Adaptative casting):

  • Spells that are off a "General" base level such as most wards are clearly included.
  • It's less clear whether spells that give an increasing scale of damage, but are otherwise identical, are included. Technically, Pilum of Fire and Ball of Abysmal Flame are pretty much the same spell, just with a higher base. However, they're not off a "general" guideline. On the otherhand, there is a CrAq General guideline to do +level damage.

Viola can do 80 levels of spells (actually, if "Hermetic Usage counts as a relevant speciality for Latin, 100 levels). Of those, I can see at least 60 levels (The Counsel of Animals, Converse with Plants and Trees, Image Phantom) being of interest to Gregorius, albeit not immediately. Some of the others may be of interest to Tasia - piercing the Faerie Veil is only not to Gregorius due to his Second Sight (and actually, given the weakness of Second Sight with large aura differences, possibly even to him. There is the potency problem there, though - can any of the rest of the troupe use it?

Exploring the local area could certainly also be potentially useful (although I'm slightly surprised by Viola being all that keen on it; maybe I'm misreading her). Investigating vis sources could also be useful (although we need to be careful we don't start straying into Nature Lore's territory. Especially as that's often considered ridiculously broken even when requiring a virtue.

I think, given that some spells are clearly labeled "General", that those (and character-invented spells that are similar, like wards) are the only ones of that type.

Scott

Patrick at one point stumbles across the same herd of magical horses Viola discovered, and he at one point catches a brief glimpse of the hind the villagers have mentioned, but no other magical beasts.

As for vis, not yet, though he does find a few sites he has suspicions about.

It might be because I've been overwhelmed lately (latest newsflash: found out two days ago I'm not invited back to my job next school year, not that I wanted to stay anyway), but I missed that. It's going to require some though. By the way, how open is Patrick about the experiment he's conducting there? Do the other magi know about it?

I think it might be a good idea for a story during the coming year.

Scott

I didn't say she'd enjoy it, only that she'd do it if asked. :slight_smile: She would at the least be curious about the nature of the local faeries.

Scott

OK, you may or may not have seen the thread on Correspondences I started in the main forum, and I also put the question to Timothy Ferguson, who wrote the libraries chapter in Covenants. Timothy noted that David Chart originally wrote the rules, and he resisted giving a definitive interpretation, but for what it's worth, he said that his campaign uses no restrictions, and treats it as a reward for roleplaying (that is, creating relationships with NPC's). The consensus in the thread seems to be that the 1 XP should be available every season, even if the magus isn't doing reading or research that season, though the opinions about everything else are all over the board.

Taking this all into account, I'd like to suggest that requiring the magus to be reading or researching the subject in that particular season is too restrictive, but I'm willing to say it has to be related to his research within some defined time frame. Can we all live with that, and if so, what should that time frame be?

Scott

There does seem to be a reasonable emphasis on roleplay in the thread as well. Are we actually doing all that much roleplaying around the Correspondances? We mostly seem to be just stating that we're doing it rather than writing out letters (such as appears to being done in the Bibracte campaign). I suppose it does make us define NPCs to an extent.

It seems to be reasonable agreed upon (or at least not dissented against) that the seasons to make up a Correspondance don't have to be in a row, which makes sense to me. I don't think this is a core issue though, given how worthless most Correspondances will be for studying from.

I'm interpretting the thread as overall thinking you do have to be actually be doing something that is at least reasonably closely related to the subject you're corresponding on in order to get the xp.

I'd be inclined to say that the study has to be related to what you're corresponding on, even if you're not directly studying it (for example, callen's earlier example about corresponding on a subject you're teaching). Overall, though, it's not a major issue for me. Ultimately, you're the alpha storyguide and I can live with any reasonable call on it. If you want to use the timeframe method, maybe say a year?

I think a year works for me--even 6 months might, since most magi will spend at least two seasons in the lab a year.

As for roleplaying, you're absolutely right, and I think it would be a great idea to bring correspondents into stories, either directly or as a way of directing PC's onto particular paths.

Scott

Could you post the final decision on Correspondances up in the House Rules?

Revised advancement for Gregorius (only Correspondance and spells changed)

1226
Winter: Read Book on Magic Theory. 11xp -> 3 (11)
Spring: Adventure. 5xp to Don Delta Lore -> 1 (0)
Summer: Read book on Magic Theory. 11xp -> 4 (2)
Autumn: Read book on Parma Magica. 11xp, Parma -> 2 (1)

Correspondance with Slyvanus, 1xp MT -> 4 (3)
Correspondance with Carolus (ghosts), 1 xp Magic Lore -> 2 (1)
Correspondance with Slyvanus, 1xp MT. -> 4 (4)
Correspondance with Slyvanus, 1xp MT. -> 4 (5)

1227
Winter: Covenant service. Writes up 100 levels (speciality in Hermetic terms) of the spells he knows to add to the Covenant library: Ward Against Metal (ReTe 20), Frosty Breath of the Spoken Lie (InMe 20), Posing the Silent Question (InMe 20), Aura of Rightful Authority (ReMe 20), Comfort of the Weary Travellor (ReIg 10), Call to Slumber (ReMe 10). 2xp Latin -> 4 (2)
Spring: Read book on Magic Theory. 11 xp. -> 4 (16)
Autumn: Being taught Don Delta Lore by Theodoric. 10 xp -> 2 (0)
Winter: Reading Rego Summa. 15 xp -> 8 (7)

Correspondance with Slyvanus 1xp MT -> 4 (17)
Correspondance with Slyvanus 1xp MT -> 4 (18)
Correspondance with Boustaphan on the strategic implications of local features - Profession Soldier 1xp -> 1 (1)
Correspondance with Slyvanus 1xp MT -> 4 (19)

I've updated the character sheets for Gregorius, Petrus, Sophia, Aison, Niketas, Simon and Damianos. I haven't been able to update the sheet for Theodoric (as it's stored on MTKnife's webspace) or Bogdan and Godzimir (as they were originally posted by Arthur).

I haven't done any character advancement for Alcimus, as he's not going to be able to get any xp anyway. He'll have spent the time either exploring the local area with Gregorius, or trying to find and take over a local wolf pack.

I'll handle Theodoric. Can you copy the info on Bogdan and Godzimir and repost them, updated? Once you've done that, I'll delete the original posts.

Scott

Here are updated plans for Viola and Constantine (I'll deal with Theodoric as soon as I can):

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 Neptune as a possible lab site, in which Portia creates a lab. Adv.: Faerie Lore, +5=56 (5).
Summer: Investigates the potential Pe vis source in the pool in the regio labyrinth. Exp.: Magic Theory, +2=198 (8).
Autumn: Investigates the cursed statue of Poseidon on the second level of the regio, to see if it can be restored to working order, or possibly investigates the Perdo vis source in the labyrinth on the third level. Exp: Magic Theory, +2=200 (8).

Correspondence with Calliope: Faerie Magic, +1=23 (2)
Corrrespondence with Salignus: Faerie Magic, +1=24 (2)
Corrrespondence with Theodolphus: Magic Theory, +1=201 (8)
Corrrespondence with Theoros: Magic Theory, +1=202 (8)

1227

Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn: Refines and improves the lab. Exp.: Magic Theory, +8=210 (8).

Correspondence with Calliope: Faerie Magic, +1=25 (2)
Corrrespondence with Salignus: Faerie Magic, +1=26 (2)
Corrrespondence with Theodolphus: Magic Theory, +1=211 (8)
Corrrespondence with Theoros: Magic Theory, +1=212 (8)

For Constantine:

1226

Winter: Flits about while Viola studies.
Spring: Accompanies Viola in exploring the temple. Adv.: Faerie Lore, +2=7 (1).
Summer and Autumn: Assists Viola in her investigations. Possible Training XP's if Viola doesn't need his bonus as a lab assistant.

1227

Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn: While Viola refines the lab, learns about magic from her (Train.: Magic Theory, +36=143 [7]).

Done.

OK, Theodoric is updated. I just realized the Cat needs to be updated as well, at least in theory, though in practice I don't think she earned any XP's.

Scott

OK, I've updated the advancement log for the Cat, and added the Kitten to the same post in the "Companions" thread. That's everything that was needed from me, I think (and yes, there will be other vis sources, and soon--I promise).

Scott