Talus's Laboratory

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Ad Astera per Aspera
1

Current Laboratory:

[tableborder][tr][th][size=150]Characteristic[/size][/th][th][size=150]Value[/size][/th][th][left][size=150]Notes[/size][/left][/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Size[/td] [td][center]5(4)[/center][/td][td]-1 Safety for 1 size not used[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Refinement[/td] [td][center]0[/center][/td][td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]General Quality[/td] [td][center]+11[/center][/td][td]Includes apprentice and familiar[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Upkeep[/td] [td][center]+1[/center][/td] [td]£1½/year[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Safety[/td] [td][center]+11[/center][/td] [td]Base +12, -1 for 1 unused Size[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Warping[/td] [td][center]0[/center][/td] [td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Health[/td] [td][center]0[/center][/td][td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Aesthetics[/td] [td][center]+14[/center][/td] [td]Gives Reputation +4(70)[/td][/tr][/tableborder]
[tableborder][tr][th][size=150]Specialization[/size][/th][th][size=150]Value[/size][/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Rego[/td] [td][center]+1[/center][/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Vim[/td] [td][center]+2[/center][/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Teaching[/td] [td][center]+2[/center][/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Items[/td] [td][center]+1[/center][/td][/tr]
[tr][td][strike]Vis Extraction[/strike][/td] [td][strike][center]+1[/center][/strike][/td][/tr][/tableborder]
[tableborder][tr][th][size=150]Structure Virtue[/size][/th] [th][left][size=150]Bonuses[/size][/left][/th] [th][size=150]Value[/size][/th] [th][left][size=150]Notes[/size][/left][/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Auspicious Shape[/td] [td]+2 Aesthetics, +2 Vi[/td] [td]minor[/td] [td]Hexagonal[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Dedicated Building[/td] [td]+1 Upkeep, +1 Aesthetics, +1 Re[/td] [td]free[/td] [td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Gallery[/td] [td]+1 Safety, +2 Aesthetics, +2 Teaching[/td] [td]minor[/td] [td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Spacious[/td] [td]+2 Safety, +1 Aesthetics[/td] [td]minor[/td] [td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Well Insulated[/td] [td]+2 Safety, +2 Aesthetics[/td] [td]minor[/td] [td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Grand Entrance[/td] [td]+4 Aesthetics[/td] [td]free[/td] [td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Superior Construction[/td] [td]+2 Safety, +2 Aesthetics[/td] [td]free[/td][td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][th][size=150]Outfitting Virtue[/size][/th] [th][left][size=150]Bonuses[/size][/left][/th] [th][size=150]Value[/size][/th] [th][left][size=150]Notes[/size][/left][/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Assistant (apprentice)[/td] [td]+0 General Quality until I open her Arts[/td] [td]free[/td] [td]Soot[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Superior Equipment*[/td] [td]+1 General Quality, +1 Safety, +1 Vis Extraction[/td] [td]free[/td] [td]Superior glassware[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Superior Tools*[/td] [td]+1 Safety, +1 Items[/td] [td]free[/td] [td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][th][size=150]Supernatural Virtue[/size][/th] [th][left][size=150]Bonuses[/size][/left][/th] [th][size=150]Value[/size][/th] [th][left][size=150]Notes[/size][/left][/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Familiar[/td] [td]+3 Safety, +10 General Quality[/td] [td]free[/td] [td]Pallas[/td][/tr][/tableborder]

    • These do not increase Upkeep because they are crafted by us.
2

So, I might as well jump in on the lab train.

As I see it, Talus has three options:

  1. Create his own lab with CrTe magic;
  2. Set up a lab in Temple 2 (1750 ft sq avail, up to +5 size, comes with Wall Decorations adding +3 Creo Corpus); or
  3. Wait his turn for a Paphos lab in the main building.

Assuming I have that right, my question is, will Talus be able to get the wonderful Paphos bonuses if he sets up shop in the temple? If not, it's probably worth waiting his turn for an uber Paphos lab.

The only restriction placed on him is that he needs to have access to a lab for one season each year to teach Soot. What are the options for borrowing a lab?

Also, what are the current policies on lab maintenance? How much lab maintenance will the covenant cover? I assume it's a pretty low number since we don't have much in the way of an income stream right now.

3

I believe our current skills can consistently (i.e without confidence) reach Excellent +2 (a x3 multiplier for structural virtues.)

Paphos can give Excellent +3 (x4 multiplier for structural virtues.). So, do you want structural virtues such as Gallery, Well Insulated, Grand Entrance or Studio? If so, is waiting worth the extra +1?

Borrowing labs - we currently have "mobile labs" that can be used, or installed permanently in a single season. Soon I hope to have several extra labs for dedicated purposes, such as teaching, scribing or vis extraction. We do not have a policy for upkeep yet, but it will become a critical issue within two years if not addressed.

4

So let me see if I understand my options properly. Let's assume I want a starting lab created that looks like this:

STRUCTURE VIRTUES
Auspicious Shape (+1 Aesthetics, +1 Vi)
Gallery (+1 Safety, +1 Aesthetics, +1 Teaching)
Spacious (+2 Safety, +1 Aesthetics)
Well Insulated (+1 Safety, +1 Aesthetics)
Grand Entrance (+2 Aesthetics)
Superior Construction (+1 Safety, +1 Aesthetics)

OUTFITTING VIRTUES
Assistant: apprentice (+3 General Quality)
Superior Equipment (+1 General Quality, +1 Safety, +1 Vis Extraction)*
Superior Tools (+1 Safety, +1 Items)*

SUPERNATURAL VIRTUES
Familiar (+3 Safety, +10 General Quality)

    • As I understand, these would not increase Upkeep because they would be crafted by us.

The Outfitting Virtues and the Supernatural Virtues don't change. But the Structure Virtues Change depend on how the lab is built.

If I make it with Creo magic, then it'll be just as stated above.

If I make it with Rego magic, I can get it to Excellent +2 and it will be as follows:

STRUCTURE VIRTUES
Auspicious Shape (+2 Aesthetics, +2 Vi)
Gallery (+2 Safety, +2 Aesthetics, +2 Teaching)
Spacious (+4 Safety, +2 Aesthetics)
Well Insulated (+2 Safety, +2 Aesthetics)
Grand Entrance (+4 Aesthetics)
Superior Construction (+2 Safety, +2 Aesthetics)

If I wait for Paphos, it will be

STRUCTURE VIRTUES
Auspicious Shape (+3 Aesthetics, +3 Vi)
Gallery (+3 Safety, +3 Aesthetics, +3 Teaching)
Spacious (+6 Safety, +3 Aesthetics)
Well Insulated (+3 Safety, +3 Aesthetics)
Grand Entrance (+6 Aesthetics)
Superior Construction (+3 Safety, +3 Aesthetics)

Creo or Rego magic can get it built this season, Paphos's work will have to wait several seasons until I get to the front of the queue.

Is that right?

Also, if I opt to place my lab in Temple 2, what of my desired Structure Virtues can I still get?

BTW, how long is the wait for a Paphos lab?

5

There is no multiplier for spacious,
otherwise you are correct.
If you place it in temple 2 ( a prebuilt structure) you will not get any of these multipliers, and can have the starting virtues listed for the temple, though the gallery and grand entrance may be added in future seasons.

6

How long will it take Rego crafting to get it built? I have to say that the instant nature of Creo magic making it appealing. Then I could create the lab/sanctum and outfit it in the Winter and Spring.

7

Hmmm, or I could spend those two seasons learning the spell The Ambulatory Laboratory. That might give more options in the future.

8

Re would take less than a day.

9

Okay then, I think I have a laboratory plan. If I can borrow one of the caravan labs, I'll do the following:

  • spend Winter 1220 and Spring 1221 inventing The Ambulatory Laboratory (I have the Finesse to make it work);
  • In the beginning of Summer 1221, have a lab created using Rego Craft magic;
  • teleport back to Durenmar (I'll have to keep my AC up-to-date) and move my lab from there to Malta using The Ambulatory Laboratory;
  • Open Soot's Arts in Summer 1221 (she should speak Latin by then) in my new/old lab.

Can anyone (particularly silveroak) see any problem with that plan?

Also, I want to confirm that no one already knows the spell, and that we don't have a lab text for it. I wouldn't want to duplicate effort.

10

No issues, I'm assuming an emotional attachment to your old lab (or you just want the years of experience in it to begin refinement immediately) since it is still a standard lab, the same as you would get installing one of the portable labs into your new building...

11

My thought was that if it's going to take two seasons to set up my lab, I might as well get a spell out of it.

Does it take less time to install one of the portable labs into a new building?

12

Yes, it takes about a week.

13

Ah, I did not know that.

In that case, I'll probably just take the portable lab. After all, two seasons is two seasons.

14

Is this going to be a free standing structure? If so it would also qualify for dedicated building... otherwise you should probably wait for the main interior building to be complete.

15

I would prefer a free-standing structure, if that's agreeable with everyone else. That would make the lab look like follows:

[tableborder][tr][th][size=150]Characteristic[/size][/th][th][size=150]Value[/size][/th][th][left][size=150]Notes[/size][/left][/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Size[/td] [td][center]5(4)[/center][/td][td]-1 Safety for 1 size not used[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Refinement[/td] [td][center]0[/center][/td][td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]General Quality[/td] [td][center]+11[/center][/td][td]Includes apprentice and familiar[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Upkeep[/td] [td][center]+1[/center][/td] [td]£1½/year[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Safety[/td] [td][center]+11[/center][/td] [td]Base +12, -1 for 1 unused Size[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Warping[/td] [td][center]0[/center][/td] [td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Health[/td] [td][center]0[/center][/td][td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Aesthetics[/td] [td][center]+14[/center][/td] [td]Gives Reputation +4(70)[/td][/tr][/tableborder]
[tableborder][tr][th][size=150]Specialization[/size][/th][th][size=150]Value[/size][/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Rego[/td] [td][center]+1[/center][/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Vim[/td] [td][center]+2[/center][/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Teaching[/td] [td][center]+2[/center][/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Items[/td] [td][center]+1[/center][/td][/tr]
[tr][td][strike]Vis Extraction[/strike][/td] [td][strike][center]+1[/center][/strike][/td][/tr][/tableborder]
[tableborder][tr][th][size=150]Structure Virtue[/size][/th] [th][left][size=150]Bonuses[/size][/left][/th] [th][size=150]Value[/size][/th] [th][left][size=150]Notes[/size][/left][/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Auspicious Shape[/td] [td]+2 Aesthetics, +2 Vi[/td] [td]minor[/td] [td]Hexagonal[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Dedicated Building[/td] [td]+1 Upkeep, +1 Aesthetics, +1 Re[/td] [td]free[/td] [td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Gallery[/td] [td]+1 Safety, +2 Aesthetics, +2 Teaching[/td] [td]minor[/td] [td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Spacious[/td] [td]+2 Safety, +1 Aesthetics[/td] [td]minor[/td] [td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Well Insulated[/td] [td]+2 Safety, +2 Aesthetics[/td] [td]minor[/td] [td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Grand Entrance[/td] [td]+4 Aesthetics[/td] [td]free[/td] [td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Superior Construction[/td] [td]+2 Safety, +2 Aesthetics[/td] [td]free[/td][td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][th][size=150]Outfitting Virtue[/size][/th] [th][left][size=150]Bonuses[/size][/left][/th] [th][size=150]Value[/size][/th] [th][left][size=150]Notes[/size][/left][/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Assistant (apprentice)[/td] [td]+0 General Quality until I open her Arts[/td] [td]free[/td] [td]Soot[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Superior Equipment*[/td] [td]+1 General Quality, +1 Safety, +1 Vis Extraction[/td] [td]free[/td] [td]Superior glassware[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Superior Tools*[/td] [td]+1 Safety, +1 Items[/td] [td]free[/td] [td]-[/td][/tr]
[tr][th][size=150]Supernatural Virtue[/size][/th] [th][left][size=150]Bonuses[/size][/left][/th] [th][size=150]Value[/size][/th] [th][left][size=150]Notes[/size][/left][/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Familiar[/td] [td]+3 Safety, +10 General Quality[/td] [td]free[/td] [td]Pallas[/td][/tr][/tableborder]

    • These do not increase Upkeep because they are crafted by us.
16

You have misread the text, safety is -1 per occupied size, not per unused size, so your total safety is 4, at least for purely structural virtues. If the remainder of your chary follows this would be +9 safety
Also due to initial empty space (I'm only showing size+4 occupied) you have an upkeep score of 2, for 3 lbs/yr, though requiring spell casting on an annual basis in lieu of financial costs on outfitting.
On the other hand assuming you are making the tools and equipment the same way you did the lab, these also double their bonuses for superior craftsmanship, which balances the previous errors.
Finally a lab can have 2 activity specialization, plus 4 arts, up to 2 of which can be techniques. You have 2 activities (items and teaching)and 2 arts with Re, s there is no reason to drop that bonus.

17

I was misremembering things. It's been a long day at work.

So, it's -4 Safety for +4 Size occupied and +1 Upkeep for +1 Size unoccupied.

Is the +1 Upkeep because of the Empty Flaw? If so, I thought that you got the Empty Flaw for every full two points by which the Size of the lab exceeds the occupied Size.

In any case, I should have:

Safety: +8 (+12 base, -4 because of occupied Size)
Upkeep: +2 (£3/year)

When I can add another feature, it'll change to:

Safety: +7 (+12 base, -5 because of occupied Size)
Upkeep: +1 (£1½/year)
(these numbers could, of course, change depending upon what feature is added)

Is that correct?

18

Empty is for every 2 full points unoccupied, you only have an actual 4 points in virtues which occupy the lab, and have 2 points unoccupied.
So yes, those are correct.

19

I'm sorry. I thought with a Size +5 I only got 5 points of virtues. I'm perfectly happy to see that I was off by one virtue. :slight_smile:

20

For some reason I keep trying to give you a size 6 lab... you have safety +7 upkeep +1