Spring 1220: Seeing is Believing

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: The Rise of Atlantis
41

Constantine responds addressing the group as well "I think several hours of scrying might be needed to explore the area. Perhaps I could combine it with an effect to show you what I am seeing? Extra sets of eyes may increase our knowledge, particularly Duncan's knowledge might prove helpful to establish what is important among the ruins. Sketching a rough map will help us too. "

"I'll recast the scry as needed."
[hr][/hr]
Rough guess: to CrIm an image of what Constantine is seeing might be Base 1, 1 touch, 1 diameter, 1 for detailed image. So CrIm4 and requiring a finesse check for quality; or can I use a InMe effect to query my own mind (base 15 I think) then add a mag for a simple CrIm spell?

42

Meliai will spontaneously cast Brew the Tincture of Gold with Re:12 He:15 Sta:3 and Aura:1=31/5=6 needs a 4. Finesse roll:9+4 (finesse)+Int(3)=16, needed 14

She then Invokes the Name of Power of Thoth (level 25, Mu:9, Vi:20, Sta:3, aura:1 simple die irrelevant), followed by the Name of Power of Hecetate (same numbers), followed by feeding the font of the covenant(+7) (level 60, Cr:24, Vim:20, Aura:1, Sta:3, name of Thoth:+5, Name of Hecetate:+5, using charm for forest +2- total:60: stress die:5 no botch)

effect(11): aura is increased by 1 for a season

"Hopefully that will give us some help when we actually raise Atlantis"

I'm assuming the rest of the investigations will be done in the 3 hours it takes to conduct the ritual.

43

Can you give me some more detail on that spell? I'm not familiar with a spell being used to brew a theriac. Is that a canonical use or not?

Likewise, while I see that you spent many seasons developing Feeding the Font of the Covenant, I don't see it actually written up anywhere (or am I missing it?). Can you give me the details of this spell/ritual?

44

Never mind. Found the spell.

So that's 12 Vim vis to cast it?

45

The matter is discussed a little bit and Constantine goes back to his scrying, but this time with some changes. One change is that he's copying what he sees into visual illusions so that the others can see as well. He's not all that skilled with illusions, however, so his results are a bit off in some ways. Transferring underwater images doesn't help. But in the end, it's enough to give people an idea of what he's seeing.

The other change is that Constatine has Duncan taking notes and drawing a rudimentary map. Magnus uses his Terram ability to craft another table and bench near the surf, and he quickly teleports back to his lab to pick up pen and parchment, returning a moment later. So now, in addition to the transitory images, the magi will have a written record of what they find.

Constantine returns to where he saw the temples before and tries to set the perimeter of the ruins. After a time he finds that the ruins aren't all that large, perhaps the size of a large market town, surrounded by some large rocky hills. The structures, by and large, all appear to be temples of some sort, some large, some smaller. Many appear to be temples to various sea gods, though not all. Up on a hill overlooking the rest of the ruins is the largest temple of all, which seems to be a temple to a sea god as well.

Throughout the ruins Constantine can find no evidence of a magical creature in residence. It's Artemis, however, who sheds some light on that mystery. While she can't tell for certain given the quality of the illusions and the interference of the water, it appears as if there are some claw marks on some of the ruins that would have come from a relatively large creature. She can't narrow it down beyond that, but she definitely feels that at some point, a large creature passed through these ruins.

[hr][/hr]
Rough map of the ruins:

[hr][/hr]
So Constantine is going to scout the whole area out from afar. Bummer. I was hoping for an expedition.

As far as transferring what he sees to a physical image, that would be either a CrIm 4 spell or an InMe ?? spell (I tend to lean toward the CrIm spell). You can spontaneously cast a CrIm spell as shown:
CS = [10 (Cr) + 7 (Im) + 2 (Sta) + 2 (Aura)]/5 = 21/5 = 4; successfully cast without fatigue.

So, as I see it, you'll cast a series of scrying spells, with an image after each scrying spell. For these purposes, I'm just going to assume a 5 on your Finesse check, leaving a result of:

Finesse Check = 2 (Per) + 1 (Finesse) + 5 (average roll) = 8

Some rolls will be worse and some will be better, but this is what we can expect on average. This is only a so-so value, so the illusions are not that great.

Magnus will create a table and bench at the sea side so that Duncan can take notes and generate a rough map.

CS/5 = 17 (lower of Re and Mu) + 24 (Te) + 3 (Sta) + stress die = Spontaneous Spellcasting: 1D10+44 = [10]+44 = 54 = 44/2 = 22
Botch Die: 1D10 = [4] = 4; no botch
Int + Finesse check: 1D10+14 = [4]+14 = 18; looks good
Spontaneous Spellcasting: 1D10+44 = [6]+44 = 50 = 50/2 = 25
Int + Finesse check: 1D10+14 = [6]+14 = 20; looks good

Artemis has a huge Magic Lore with a focus on creatures. She notices claw marks on some of the ruins.

By the end of this process, several hours have passed and Meliai's ritual is completed.

46

Arts and Academe p. 70 has "brew the healing tonic" this is the same thing with a different theriatric and a different name.. The guidelines (including the finesse requirement) are there as well.
Yes, she spent 12 vim vis. She was hoping for something more premenant, but she'll take what she got...

speaking of which, I forgot the addiction roll which unsurprisingly failed.

She casts a spontanous InAq (because given the circumstances why not?) target level:10, base:3 (get an image of water and it's immediate surroundings in range), duration instant, target vision (+3), range:personal (allows the caster to see through water as both a lens and mirror to get a visual impression out to the range of normal vision- assuming this translation of the rules is appropriate as the SG and troupe see it...)

She then drinks the Tincture of gold to recover her fatigue.

makes the control roll following her spontaneous spell.

47

Wow, that's incredibly useful. It's basically free spontaneous magic. (Provided you have the Finesse to handle the spell.) Sophia has that formula for that theriac herself, but she brews it the old fashioned way. If Magnus can simply brew one on the fly for no time, she'll have to share the formula with him. Now that he's seen what can be done on the fly, there's no reason not to.

48

Plato first mentioned it, it is a legendary metal, once found on Atlantis said to be goldish-white in color and reflecting red light. Plato mentions the mines were exhausted and I think a few other historical texts mention it. Modern scientists theorize it may have been an alloy similar either to bronze or brass, but others discredit that notion as both were known in the ancient world. ArM5 does not specifically mention it anywhere I am aware of, but as a crafter, Haestus would have heard the legend and been intrigued. What is it, exactly? Does it have any mystical properties?

In his mind, at least, it's been elevated to a high pedestal.

49

When we raise Atlantis what's gonna happen to the islands here? What do you say to eventually setting up an Aegis around the whole island?

P.S. Artemis has a huge magic theory, not magic lore. And neither have a specialty with magical creatures. I also think we should note the raw material costs are still there for those spells.

50

"I presume that these islands will go back to being hills or mountaintops." Magnus replies. "Just as the land fell, so will I make it rise. An Aegis around the island may not be necessary, depending upon when we want to raise Atlantis."

[hr][/hr]
Oops. Simon. It was Simon who noticed the claw marks.

51

If nothing turns up with a little more investigation it might be best to raise Atlantis in a few days. Get a early start on settling the place and making it livable.

52

Constantine will continue to scry the ruins for up to a few hours more. Looking for details like the height of doorways, presence of different style of tools and other small details.
Unless there is reason from the others to scry that area further (?) he will move to searching for other locations. Searching by looking for roadways, cleared flat areas, ruins, etc. ranging wide enough to cover many miles.
If Constantine is left he will spend at least the next day searching the surrounding area looking for other structures or a larger city.
Ps. If Constantine is getting absolutely no other signs he will start scrying much further about.

53

Constantine can see that some of the temples, especially the bigger ones, have large main doors, some fifteen feet high. Most are off their hinges and lying nearby the doorways they belong to. As for tools, the centuries have pretty much washed away that evidence. There is growth of barnacles and seaweed on much of the ground and walls. Something as small as a tool is certainly not easily in evidence. Perhaps manual investigation will reveal more. But simple scrying can't find any tools.

As the magus is starting to move farther afield, Magnus speaks up.

"How much are we going to depend on scrying for what we need to know?" he asks. "We are certainly capable of investigating the site personally. Perhaps that's what's needed to uncover the mysteries surrounding it. I"m certainly in favor of inspecting the temple city for ourselves. And while I think a few more days of investigation are warranted, I'm also eager to see the island raised and the land reclaimed."

54

Meliai interjects "I need to get back to opening my apprentice. I can stop back each morning to see who is ready to leave, but I my role here seems to be largely limited to transportation until we are ready to raise Atlantis."

55

Constantine looks puzzled. "By all means raise the land now if you wish, but I do ask for at least a few days to search more. And please investigate directly beneath the water now too - that makes a lot of sense. Scrying is just one option I take as it suits my skills."

"Just note too there was commentary from many about being cautious to understand what we do, and also respectful to any potential inhabitants; and yet we've been standing on this sunken mountaintop a very short time and perhaps forgotten that other discussion in light of the potential next step."

56

"I'm not saying we should raise the island today," Magnus replies. "But some of us have been waiting for decades to see the ruins of Atlantis with out own eyes, and we're understandably eager to do so. Caution is to be admired. But so is industry. We spoke of investigating the island before we raised it. Perhaps we need to identify precisely what that means. If you want to do a thorough survey of a hundred square miles of water, that's going to take weeks at least, maybe longer. In that case, we need to rethink waiting here with you. We could easily resupply you through regios or through teleportation. And we'd check in regularly. But in the end, we've waited this long, a few weeks more won't kill us." He looks over at Duncan wondering if that's actually true with his twin brother.

"I think the real question is whether we want to investigate the temple city now that you've surveyed it. I know we can do so if we want while you continue your scrying and Meliai opens her apprentice's arts. But I'd prefer to have a unified front. We have no idea if there's anything living there, so we want to handle this carefully."

"I'll be honest, I want to investigate the temple city. But if you want to spend some real time doing a survey - days, weeks, months, you set the time - I'm willing to wait. But like Meliai, I'll probably attend to some other business while you scry. I won't be of much use just sitting around waiting."

[hr][/hr]
One option, if that's what we want, is to have Constantine spend the season surveying Atlantis. That could give him exposure xp to AL: Atlantis, or 5 Mastery points for his scrying spell. It would also give us a whole lot of information about the sunken island. We could certainly accommodate that if Constantine is willing to do it, and everyone else is willing to wait.

57

Artemis can wait. Probably write a book or something.

58

I wasn't planning on Constantine spending a season scrying. I think story-wise it makes sense to try a day or so more. He'll do so if there will be good chance of darn useful outcomes. As a player I don't know how to rate this.

Also the benefits of scrying come with teamwork. Having others assist with mapping, viewing, and such. One person is not as beneficial as several if we desire the information to be shared. Maybe that additional help does not come from Magi, but it needs assistance to be effective.

Otherwise just cast the ritual and lets move on.

A season is a very long time to spend scrying, and Constantine could be using a season of advancement too.

So: If help can't be arranged for the next day then Constantine will spont cast a boosted True Sight of the Naiad to see without obscuring water with better duration (InAq15), (base 1, +4 vision, +2 sun), Constantine's got about 26 +roll at present. A few goes and then a rest and he'll be fine for the day.

I argue strongly that scrying spells should be able to cover a very large area of ocean. We're looking for signs of habitation and ruins, not small details. Even if the scrying spell is re-cast in steps, those steps can cover a very large distance quickly and can be done at Range: Sight hops. Without the ocean to obscure the view he could be moving perception around the old mountain darn quickly, then outward in a grid. Think of it like looking for a lake while up in a plane; you're going to see it from a long way.

If the other characters really do wish to wait for a season and think it will be effective then there are things they might be doing too.

  • what happened to all the underwater scouting? Each character isn't needed in every endeavour. We've had a Magus withdraw already.
  • Or other spells to find out special / interesting information. Is the claw mark old or new?
  • Or start creating items to assist the development of the land. The virtues to create small items are perfect for this.
  • start arranging how to transport more than a handful of covenfolk without going through the regio.
  • as a way of moving groups at a time in sequence we could place travellers into a sleep and move them through the network? Not very nice but might work.
  • build a comfortable base camp here. Tents are unlikely to be wrecked when the island rises. A mountain top dwelling might make a good watch point?
59

My thoughts are that you're looking in an area three times the size of Manhattan for ruins that are thousands of years old. It's not going to be easy to find something. You were lucky to find the temple city, which is better preserved for reasons that will become evident later. But you're right, it probably doesn't hurt to spend a day looking.

I was counting on the additional help in my assessment of your likelihood of finding something. Unfortunately, Constantine isn't that great with illusions, so his illusionary reproductions aren't that good. That makes it really hard to determine the difference between a rock outcropping and a three thousand year old ruined building.

I'd thought that by giving everyone 168 very generous seasons I'd slake the unending hunger for seasons of advancement. But I hadn't counted on the voracious appetite of the average magus. :wink:

Actually, Magnus can cast such a spell on Constantine. They probably would have noticed he could use it early on. Consider that he probably already has it cast.

They can cover large areas. No doubt about it. And you're right, trying to find a lake from a plane is trivially easy. But I'd argue that finding 3000 year old ruins is more akin to looking for a crashed plane from up in an airplane. And that's something I have experience with. I've done air-based search and rescue and it's hard, even when you have a small area to look in. The less regular something is, the harder it is to notice. And after 3000 years, even ruins start to look irregular.

You're totally right, though. If there's any current habitation, that would be very obvious. So you're right to look for that. And if there's a ruined city, that should be fairly obvious. But ruins of towns and such are going to be harder to find.

I thought that Constantine would want to participate in that, so I didn't want to leave without him.

That seems a perfect thing for the team that scouts the temple city.

That may well be what Magnus does with his day.

That's going to be an interesting conundrum. Of course, if we're willing to give each transportee a Warping Point, Magnus could use FFM to cast a Touch-based Leap of Homecoming to get them there...

That's a possibility, though still slow.

I was wondering if dropping a mystic tower here was worth it.

60

Meliai could bring back Aquarian tomorrow, he is a shapeshifter that can turn into a dolphin, shark, eel, or turtle...
plus has decree of the Atlantian, voice of the ocean, and murmer of the deep
That could speed up exploration...