Table Talk - Development

Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Light of Andorra
3335

Umm, nevermind. It looks like the errata takes care of this. Here's the way I understand what the errata says:

  1. I have a risk modifier of +1
  2. I roll on the Extraordinary Results Table as normal (ie. adding my risk modifier) getting an 11 (rolls of 1 and 5 +1 for the risk modifier), Modified Effect.
  3. In addition to this Modified Effect, I may add or subtract all or part of my risk modifier (+1) in order to ALSO get a Discovery roll. Because I rolled an 11, I can subtract all of my risk modifier (1), resulting in a 10 which is Discovery.
  4. For my second season I roll and get a 9 (rolls of 1 and 8 +1 for the risk modifier), Special or Story Event. I could actually add the +1 again to get another Discovery, but that's moot since I already got Discovery.

So, in this instance, I got a Discovery for purposes of Original Research, as well as a Modified Effect (which I now need to roll) and a Special or Story Event.

I'm still not clear what would happen if someone with at least a +2 risk modifier rolled a Complete Failure. Per the rules errata, they would have a Complete Failure, but could ALSO add their risk modifier to it and get a Discovery.

3336

I would imagine that, in the extreme example, "Discovery" and "Failure" results combined would mean that your project fails, but you understand why and gain some insight from the failure.

3337

The way it is written it says you add or subtract the risk modifier for original research, and do not have to use the whole result, and do not get to add the risk modifier to your actual lab total, but it does have to be applied the same way in every season...

3338

Yeah, sound logical.

3339

Has the Vis from Fleur's garden (faerie vis, 1 muto, 1 corpus per year) been incorporated into the covenant resources, does that need to be done, or should it go to Fleur instead?

3340

I have known nothing about that. Why is there vis in her garden? How did it get there?
And, AFAIK, there is no official record of resources. At least none that I have made. I made a preliminary draft of some revised covenant data, which has not yet been made official. Someone may have done a copy-paste of that over to the wiki. Which is fine for now. I do not foresee any major changes.
But when I get around to it, official covenant information will be posted here

3341

The faerie regio that was referenced in several stories produces 1 corpus and one muto vis per year, which the two faeries fought over as a proxy war for the regio before the beast was defeated in the third story. As to why the flowers grow from the two six foot long oblong mounds- that is something that has not been researched to date...

3342

I think those were stories you ran? Thus the disposition and record of them is on you.
The Resolutions have rules concerning vis finds. The one who found it keeps a portion of the first yield, the rest goes to the covenant ever after that. And I think it was Carlos & Lucia that initially discovered it. Not sure. You are equipped with a lot more information than I am :smiley:

3343

Carlos and Lucia first found it, but weren't able to bring any home. It was more Roberto, Acutus, and Fleur who found the source along with the beast's stockpile of his winnings. So from 1238 onwards the covenant would have a source of faerie vis, 1 pawn corpus and one pawn muto per year.

3344

According to our rules for Covenan Assets & Resources, the source now belongs to the covenant. The first fruits are given to those who discovered it. I (as an observer) still say Carlos & Lucia count. Doesn't matter if they brought any home or not. They found it. But they are not magi. So technically, according to our rules, they are not eligible. But I say we give them some cash anyways. Like 18£ each? But still, Rob And Acutus and Fleur are not the ones that discovered it. According to the rules, the covenant lays claim to all of the treasure as well. But in that case, I feel the covenant should kick them down a portion. A seventh divided between them.

3345

I was trying to figure out when Fleur could use the Corpus Hermeticum, and notice that I winter of 1237 the two copies are being used by Fleur and the scribes and Fredrika

3346

Magda (academic grog) has decided to try her hand at Vernacular literature (aka fictional poetry). According to the rules in Artes and Acadame this has a cost (usually requiring a sponsor) equal to 1 pound times the artists reputation (which begins at 0). What I am wondering is how much 'sponsorship' would reasonably be able to disappear into the library budget before anyone noticed (which will probably be a short story when it happens). Keeping in mind that the library is expanding with a current total of 5 scribes and 6 apprentices, which in a couple of years will expand into 11 scribes and 18 apprentices (unless someone decides we can't/shouldn't be affording that) along with the 4 academics who are generating new tractatus on magic theory. I also count 14 magi, a writing budget from covenants assumes 1 pound per person (magus, scribe, bookbinder, and illuminator), which would put us at a writing cost of 29 pounds a year, soon rising to 47 pounds a year. I would think Magda should be able to get away with a pound a year at the current levels easily, but with actual expenses at 47 pounds a year would we be looking at 2 pounds? 3? (technically her initial cost per A&A is 0 pounds (presumedly a fraction of a pound) as she has reputation 0.

3347

No time for this, which is sad, since it sounds interesting. 1 Mythic Pound is an important sum, after all.

Who takes care of the finances? This would be important, as this is the one who could notice.
How would she divert founds? Is this even possible? This would affect things.

Arachné would notice nothing at all, btw.

3348

Carmen handles the finances. As do I :slight_smile:
We can afford that amount, no problem. But she will still whine about it unless she sees that it is worth its value. I was fiddling with these numbers the other day (soon to be posted), and already we are spending over half our income. Granted, the remaining is a huge amount still. So no worries. However, that means that spending as much as two or three other normal sized covenants. Then again, we do have two to three times the membership of most covenants.

3349

It sounded to me like silveroak was talking about how much embezzlement could go on before someone noticed. So I think the whole point would not be for Carmen to see the value in the expenditure, but for her to not notice that a MP was being diverted to unknown purposes.

3350

I'm a little puzzled where the money goes. "Woe is me, the world is dark. I must compose poetry to salve my soul. But alas, I cannot do so until I have nicked a bit of cash". Even weirder, "Behold, my tales of woe are known to all and I have a steady income from sales of my compendia. And so now I need a small fortune every year to keep writing!" Do successful poets have to use top-quality ink and parchment, or something?

3351

More like making use of extra ink, parchment or vellum, etc as she goes through her creative writing. It wouldn't be embezzled, she would just be over-using the writing resources. At least at the low levels. I have to think if she gets up to reputation 5 or so it would be hard imagining spending all 5 pounds on just vellum and ink.

3352

Here are the estimated calculations I made last week. This presumes that Kesara has moved, Michaela has gauntleted, and Vocis has moved to Sa Dragonera (something I talked about a while ago, and it saves us at least 5£)

[size=125]Mundane Finances[/size]
Gross Income 1700£
Costs 970.4£
Net Income 729.6£

Income Sources
Salt Mines, Typical, 100£
Mercere Banking, Typical, 100£
Agriculture, Greater, 250£
Rents, Greater, 250£
Silver, Legendary, 1000£
Total: 1700£

Expenditure
Inhabitant Points: Combined Grand Total of 435 points
Arans
10 times six magi equals 60
5 times seven Companions equals 35
1 times four Familiars equals 4
3 times six Specialists equals 18
2 times fifteen Soldiers equals 30
2 times eleven Important Covenfolk equals 22
1 times six Important/Magical Animals equals 6
Subtotal: forty-three people & nine animals/familiars or 185 points
2 times seventy Staff equals 140 (37 Servants, 18 Teamsters, 15 Laborers/Employees)
Grand Total 325 points for one-hundred-nine people and nine familiars/animals

Sa Dragonera
5 times six magi equals 30
3 times two Companions equals 6
1 times four Familiars equals 4
2 times ten Specialists equals 20
1 times eighteen Soldiers equals 15
1 times eight Important Covenfolk equals 8
Subtotal: thirty-five people & four familiars 83
1 times thirty-five Staff equals 35 (17 Servants, 8 Teamsters, 10 Laborers/Employees)
Grand Total: 116 points for sixty-seven people and familiars

Annual Expenses: 970.4£
Base Total 983.4£
Savings 92£
Subtotal 881£
Additional Expenses 79£
Grand Total 970.4£

Buildings: 55.3£
Base 44.3£
Boons 11£

Consumables: 89£

Inflation: stable

Laboratories: 64.5£
Carmen 12.5£ (Upkeep +5, 2.5£owed)
Arachne 6£ (Upkeep +3)
Solomon 19£ (Upkeep +7, 9£ owed)
Vocis 1.5£ (Upkeep +1)
Vibria 1£ (Upkeep +0)
Fleur 1.5£ (Upkeep +1)
Roberto 10£ (Upkeep +4)
Lucas 3£ (Upkeep +2)
Acutus 3£ (Upkeep +7, 25£ owed)
Antoine 3£ (Upkeep +6, 18£ owed, subsidized)
Fredrika 1£ (Upkeep 0)
Guiverna 3£ (Upkeep +4, 7£ owed)
((Master/Pontifex: up to 10£ plus half over that))
((Journeyman: up to 3£))

Provisions: 221.5£

Wages: 528.6£
Double Base 438.6£
Double Soldiers 60£
30£ Pension Fund

[b]Armaments & Equipment: 10£
3200 points of Arms, Armor, and Equipment

Writing Materials: 24£
twelve magi, twelve scribes/clerks
Savings: -92£
-10£ twenty Laborers/Employees
-36£ twelve Common Specialists
-36£ four Rare Specialists

Additional Expenses
170£ Tithes, Tributes, Taxes, & Donations
9£ Miscellaneous

So any scribe or clerk using more than 1£ will get noticed, and if more than 2£ there will be an investigation.

3353

There are also 4 'academics' who will produce 1 new tractus each per year, and in a couple of years I am expecting to bring in 18 new apprentices. Not sure how much that will impact the detectability of excess material usage.

3354

Well, "12 scribes/clerks" was a rough estimate until I can get a more accurate count. The "4 academics" might fit in that category. The 18 new apprentices I have not accounted for. Carmen sees the value in that, and if you ask for a budget of 20£ it will likely slide no questions. Tap off that a little bit and we can see what else you can squeeze.