Sphynx's far hand spell

Here's the spell from the Grimore thread

"FarHand 15
Rego Terram

R: Sight D: Concentration T: Individual

Base: 3 +1 Conc, +3 Sight

This spell works like Unseen Porter, but with a greater range. It can be taken with an Auram requisite to overcome the '6 feet above the ground' limitation that Unseen Porter has. Other than that it works exactly like Unseen Porter, providing a Strength +5 ability to move and lift things. Must be cast with appropriate requisites for certain objects."

So why does adding an auram requisite overcome the 6' off of the ground limitation?

Going purely by-the-book, the Auram probably wouldn't even be needed, since the Base already covers 'in a very un-natural fasion'. So, when the idea of the spell was brought up to the group, the question wasn't 'how to bypass the 6' limitation' but rather, why Unseen Porter had that limitation.

There were 2 suggested reasons for the limitation.

  1. Name of the spell. Quite often spells have limitations based on theme, which is based on the name of the spell. Like having to 'leap' to use Gift of the Leaping Frog spell.

  2. Terram. This explanation got complicated, but long term discussion decided that it was just residual old-school (this spell was in 1st edition) effect based on the idea that you needed requisites for nearly everything.

Other comments were suggested (How far could a Ward vs Stone keep Stone away, and maybe the spell was originally based on that premise, etc)

End result was just an agreement that if you took Auram as a requisite, the limitation could be moved (or rename the original spell to Unseen Flying Porterl)

Sphynx

Near as I can tell (After entering my sanctum, retrieving the ancient and well used tome of Ars Magica 2nd Edition) and carefully reading the terram guidelines there, and the original spell description.
The only reason for the height limitation was that the spell was designed to mimic a porter, and could only manage what a porter was capable of.
There does not seem to be an in game reason for the limitation other than enhancing the flavor of the setting, and making it seem as if there really was an invisible porter there.
I can find no reason not to construct a spell with exactly the same format and level, but leave off the height limitation.

Ed C