Getting a bit deeper into my article:
a laboratory feature can be treated as artwork, and gives a bonus to the chosen specialization equal to the aesthetic quality/5, and if the artis is aware of what resonance is being invoked may add their magic theory and magic lore abilities to the effective Aesthetic quality score for invoking this resonance.
if the lab feature is a crafted rather than artistic item,
spacious is specifically exempted in the article, extensive stores I could see the argument being made either way: it is simply extra space you put things in, or it is dedicated space that serves an express purpose.
reviewing while listed under structural (because it require space?) the major focus seems to be on the supplies themselves so I would say it is effectively not an affected structural virtue....
Thus far I have been focusing on the building/room the lab will be housed in, so have only listed as options actual structural features (meaning part of the room the lab is built in), i.e anything affecting the size, shape, or "bones" of the room. Statuary and extensive stores would not count because they are things that go in the finished room.
Paphos could certainly make statuary or any other item to install as a feature or focus, but I would guess that would fall under Silveroak's rules for construction, then Covenant's rules for installation (2 seasons for a greater, 1 season for a lesser). Remember that higher end Aesthetic Quality dramatically increases the time spent making it (2-4 seasons or years), but if he uses Hermetic Inclination, he can churn out pretty good magic items at one or two per season. Tartessos can do even better (up to 16-17 magnitudes with lab text).
So the upshot is that Paphos might make high end stuff somewhere down the line, he is booked solid for quite some time, first to build our lab buildings, then for magic item lesser features.
A further advantage of magic items is that they do not take a season to install and unless they are large, they do not take up virtue space. Just be careful not to have their special effect cover the whole lab, else you'll incur warping.
Sorry If I ask a lot of clarification on this. For all intent and purposes, only above ground lab will get Paphos bonuses, the below-ground labs shape having already been designed a long time ago ?
That's my read as well, but there are other ways to trick out the temple labs, starting with The Tireless Servant (+1 GQ), an Attentive Chest (+3 Rego) and other magic items.
A further trick is that once we have Asha or another grog trained to level 3 in magic theory, they can improve your lab using things like features.
Lastly, your lab gets you to the magic realm where you get new virtues!
Haha, I am quite happy with my lab, but I might ask for Paphos help for the dome structure and gallery, as it is possible that Penko never actually designed a dome (which is a lost art in 1220).
Penkos' use of architecture has largely been in examining ruins or ancient structures, so his experience is probably atypical for a medieval architect. You have also been through the Levant on several occasions, where domes were used extensively.
The labs do not get you automatically into the magic realm, but the entire aura being at level 10 is a very short hop away so that is likely to be a common lab accident.
As to warping I am not a killer GM by any stretch of the imagination. A lab with high warping has personality. The more in line what you are trying to do fits with that personality, the less bane and more boon warping becomes.
Regarding everyone's general questions about rego-crafting - remember that in addition to your normal skill you can borrow an IOQ for another +4, and/or use a confidence for another +3.
Incident in the lab I considered as Fall.
IOQ does need to be used, but while there is discussion at the beginning regarding what qualifies as a tool and various professions the usage only states "must be used in an appropriate manner" to receive the bonus. A pair of IOQ work gloves that are used when handling raw materials being affected by finesse would be being used appropriately. Using a chisel with finesse would not work, since the finesse would avoid the appropriate use of the chisel, but gloves for materials you are handling will give their bonus.
An Artist can make a Lesser Feature using art rules for base time of season, and modifies the Lesser Feature stats from +1 Aesthetics and +1 in any specialization to +1 Aesthetics and ((AQ+MT+ML)/5+1). In other words, an artist, after spending two seasons to make an AQ 20 item, then adds his Magic Theory and Magic Lore (lets assume they total 5) for a final Effective AQ of 25. Therefore his Lesser Feature will then add +1 Aesthetic Quality and +6 specialization (25/5=5, and one more for being a Lesser Feature?
An Artist can make a Greater Feature using art rules for base time of Year, and modifies the Greater Feature stats from +2 Aesthetics and +3 in any specialization to +2 Aesthetics and ((AQ+MT+ML)/5+3). In other words, an artist, after spending two years to make an AQ 20 item, then adds his Magic Theory and Magic Lore (lets assume they total 5) for a final Effective AQ of 25. Therefore his Greater Feature will then add +2 Aesthetic Quality and +8 specialization (25/5=5, and 3 more for being a Greater Feature?
A crafter can make a Lesser Feature in a season if their Worshop Total (C&G rules) is 6+ and they spend a season. They produce a standard Lesser Feature if their lab total is 14 or under. If their lab total is 15 or greater (C&G "Excellent Quality rules), then the Excellent bonus is added to the specialty. For example, a crafter whose Workshop total was 21, could in a single season make a Lesser Feature that added +1 Aesthetics and +4 Specialization?
A crafter can make a Greater Feature in a season if their Worshop Total (C&G rules) is 12+ and they spend a season. They produce a standard Great Feature if their lab total is 14 or under. If their lab total is 15 or greater (C&G "Excellent Quality rules), then the (Excellent bonus times 3) is added to the specialty. For example, a crafter whose Workshop total was 21, could in a single season make a Greater Feature that added +1 Aesthetics and +12 Specialization?
A Rego crafter may follow the rules for 3) and 4) by replacing all references to "Workshop Total" with "Finesse die roll, modified for rego crafting -3, and seasonal work -6)" I.E. a Rego crafter must make a Finesse roll at -9 to make either Lesser of Greater Features, with a minimum 6 for Lesser and 12 for Greater?
Features made by any of these three methods must then be installed in the lab using a single season for Lesser Features, or two seasons for Greater Features before their bonus is applied.
Tartessos will enchant the doublet mentioned in the council meeting thread. Hopefully Antonius or Talus can handle the rego crafting, if not Tartessos has Int3/Per2 + Finesse 6 + IOQ Glove 4 + roll 7 = 19 or 20, good enough for Excellent +2. He will need Vulpus to assist in the lab. Because he is not crafting the item conventionally he does not get to use Verditius Runes (no add craft to lab total ) or the IOQ Glove/Chisel. While he's at it he will also enchant two sets of leather scale (also rego'd if we don't have some already) with the same enchantment.
Doublet of Impenetrable Silk
MuAn 14
Base 4: Change something made of animal products in a minor unnatural way
R: Personal
D: Sun (+2 mag)
T: Ind
Use/Day: 2 (+1 level), Environmental Trigger (+3 levels), Constant Effect, 70 year Expiry
As ArM5 spell of the same name, adjusted for an item
Lab total: Mu 8 + An 12 + Int 3 + Aura 10 + Magic Theory 12 + Inventive Genius 3 + Cyclic Magic 3 + IOQ Beech Folio 3 + Mobile Lab (Attentive Chest) +1 + Familiar 13=68
The three enchantments total 42 levels, and with the 70 yr expiry the difference in lab total and enchantment total is doubled to determine progress. Therefore 68-42=26, multiplied by two for expiry = 52, which is greater than 42, therefore Tartessos can do this in a single season.
Actually he can do up to 45 levels of work, but I can't think of any useful 3 level MuAn spell that I want to spend a vis on. Any creative ideas from the troupe?
He will take Exposure 2*1.5 = 3 xp in Magic Theory.
Paphos His activity will depend on the outcome of the council thread. He will either be continuing building labs or start making custom artwork.
Garcin will lead the turb with an emphasis on team building and common language. All grogs who are not fluent in Romany are encouraged to practice in it; all normal turb activities will be done in Romany to support this. Kawthar is welcome to train with Oderisi (Teaching or Training) in Brawling.
Garcin will take Exposure 2 in Leadership
Penko wants an apprentice but can barely speak to anyone on the island; he'll spend the season on language skills
Practice 8 xp in Arabic
Ismael will take an apprentice gamekeeper from our orphan pool, but his criteria is an inquisitive mind and some inclination towards academia. He will begin by teaching Philosiphae for a season (SQ Com 3 + 3 + Teaching(single student) 7 + single student bonus 6 + Good Teacher 5 = 24. Assuming his apprentice survives this season, he will then alternate between gameskeeper and academic training.
Exposure 2 in teaching
Sparks will continue to watch out for Soot. She will try to establish an interim lair in a nearby cave, hopefully one uninhabited and that does not have back doors leading further in. Sparks will only get XP this season through adventure, if any.
Tomas will be setting up Temple 3 as his lab for Winter and Spring. He will of course help with other activities as needed.
David expects to be helping negotiate with townsfolks, etc. If we want to take an offering to the Count, he will help with that. He will also be collecting lists of what people want him to look for at the fair, and how much we are willing to spend for books, etc.
Talus may see if a crafter (Paphos, perhaps) will train him this season. He gets a -3 for Rego crafting anything he doesn't have the skill for. So maybe getting stoneworking or weaving would be a good idea.
I think Talus is justified in waiting until he and his apprentice can actually speak the same language before opening her Arts.
Speaking of which, who could teach Soot some Latin in the Winter?
I know we have better teachers, but I don't know that they know latin. David could spend the winter teach Latin (latin 4, Teaching 1, Com +3, giving between 7 and 13 xp depending upon how many students) if that is what would help the covenant.
Vulpus is the obvious choice. He can get an SQ for teaching Latin that's between 16 and 23, depending on the number of students. Of course then he couldn't assist in the lab.
Pallas could manage an SQ of 13-16, depending on the class size.
) or the IOQ Glove/Chisel. While he's at it he will also enchant two sets of leather scale (also rego'd if we don't have some already) with the same enchantment.