Terra ex Merinita

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

Current Sheet:

Name: Terra ex Merinita
Age: 40
Type: Maga
Gender: Female
Confidence 1 (3)
Warping, Faerie 3 (40)
Warping, Magic 0 (0)
House: Merinita
Personality Traits: Lecherous +3, Values Appearance+2 Eccentric+2
Faerie Sympathy Traits: Initiation+4, Stone+1, Oathbreakers-3
Characteristics: Int+3, Pre+4, Com+0 Per+0, Str+2, Qik+1, Sta+0, Dex-3
Virtues: Puissant (Organization Lore) Lore, Affinity for (Organization Lore) Lore, Strong Faerie Blood (Godkin, Rocks+1), Great Presence, Puissant Magic Theory, Faerie Sympathy (Initiations+1), Personal Vis Source (Creo), Improved Characteristics
Free: Second Sight, Faerie Magic
Flaws: Difficult Longevity Ritual, Lecherous (minor), Faerie Antipathy (Oathbreakers, Major), Pagan (All hail the almighty Goddess who birthed the world and gives it life!)

Abilities:
West Nordic: 5
Brawl 3
Athletics 1
Swim 1
Charm 1
Magic Theory 6+2 (Spells)
Latin 4 (Writing Lab Texts)
Artes Liberales 1 (Ritual Magic)
Parma Magic 3 (Vim)
Code of Hermes 1 (Sanctum Law)
Order of Hermes Lore 1+2 (2) ( Covenant locations)
Penetration 1 (Terram)
Finesse 3 (Aiming)
Concentration 1 (Meditation)
Faerie Magic 3 (15) (The Becoming)
Philosophiae 1 (Ritual Magic)
Second Sight 3 (Ghosts)
Faerie Sympathy: Stone
Faerie Sympathy: Initiation+4 (45 xp spent)
Faerie Antipathy: Oathbreakers-3
House Merinita Lore 9+2 (History)
Craft: Drawing 2 (5) (Forests)
Area Lore: Malta 1 (Caves)

Arts: 110xp
Creo: 15 Intellego: 5 Muto: 0 Perdo: 5 Rego: 5
Animal: 0, Au: 0, Aq: 0, Corpus: 0, He: 0, Ig: 5, Im: 0, Me: 0 Te: 9, Vim: 5

Formulaic Spells: Spells from books have their page numbers given. Otherwise see a couple posts down.
Conjuring the Empty Temple – CrTe 30
Flame Dart - CrIg 10
David Beats Goliath – ReTe 15
David Beats Goliath II – ReTe 20
Instant Red Brick – ReTe 5
Pit of Gaping Earth – PeTe 15, Pg 155 Core
Ghostly Torch – CrIg 10
Demon's Eternal Oblivion – PeVi 5
Cleaning of the Festering Wounds – Creo Corpus 15
Gather the Essence of the Beast – Rego Vim 15, Core Pg 162
Panic of the Trembling Heart – Creo Mentem 15 Core pg 148
Burial – Creo Te 20

2

At Gauntlet:
At Gauntlet:
Name: Terra ex Merinita
Age: 20
Type: Maga
Gender: Female
House: Merinita
Personality Traits: Lecherous +3, Values Appearance+2 Eccentric+2
Faerie Sympathy Traits: Initiation+1, Stone+1, Oathbreakers-3
Characteristics: Int+3, Pre+4, Com+0 Per+0, Str+2, Qik+1, Sta+0, Dex-3
Virtues: Puissant (Organization Lore) Lore, Affinity for (Organization Lore) Lore, Strong Faerie Blood (Godkin, Rocks+1), Great Presence, Puissant Magic Theory, Faerie Sympathy (Initiations+1), Personal Vis Source (Creo), Improved Characteristics
Free: Second Sight, Faerie Magic
Flaws: Difficult Longevity Ritual, Lecherous (minor), Faerie Antipathy (Oathbreakers, Major), Pagan (All hail the almighty Goddess who birthed the world and gives it life!)

Abilities: 250xp
West Nordic: 5
Brawl 3
Athletics 1
Swim 1
Charm 1
Magic Theory 3+2 (Spells)
Latin 4 (Writing Lab Texts)
Artes Liberales 1 (Ritual Magic)
Parma Magic 1 (Vim)
Code of Hermes 1 (Sanctum Law)
Order of Hermes Lore 1+2 (2) ( Covenant locations)
Penetration 1 (Terram)
Finesse 1 (Aiming)
Concentration 1 (Meditation)
Faerie Magic 2 (The Becoming)
Philosophiae 1 (Ritual Magic)
Second Sight 1 (Ghosts)
Faerie Sympathy: Stone
Faerie Sympathy: Initiation
Faerie Antipathy: Oathbreakers-3

Arts: 110xp
Creo: 9 Intellego: 4 Muto: 0 Perdo: 0 Rego: 4
Animal: 0, Au: 0, Aq: 0, Corpus: 0, He: 0, Ig: 0, Im: 0, Me: 0 Te: 9, Vim: 0

Starting Spells
Conjuring the Empty Temple – Creo Terram 30
R: Touch D: Mom T:Ind, Ritual
A massive yet, simple stone and glass building springs forth from the earth. A perfect sqare pyramid, 30 paces on a side and 15 paces high, again the slopes being perfect 45 degrees. Below the ground the foundation is an inverse of the above perfection.

The uppermost level of the building is a signle room, a little over 1000 square feet, completely empty except for a few supporting pillars, perfect for a huge lab. (Size+5)
Base 3+1 touch +5 size, +1 Elaborate

Flame Dart- Creo Ig 10
R: Voice D: Mom T:Ind
The caster flings a small dart of flame at the target inflicting +5 damage.
Base 4+2 voice

David Beats Golith - Rego Terram 15
R: Touch D: Mon T:Ind
The caster throws a stone with extreme force, inflicting +10 damage. This requires an aiming roll to hit, but magic resistance does not protect.
Base 10+1 touch.

Instant Red Brick – Rego Terram 5
R: Voice D: Mom T: Part
The caster forms a brick from clay and fires it, creating one fired clay brick. Its a brick. This requires a finesse roll of 3. You can use part of the clay.
Base 2 +2 voice +1 part

Pit of Gaping Earth - Pe Te 15
Pg 155 Core

Ghostly Torch – Cr Ig 10
R: Touch D: Sun T: Ind
This creates a hovering light, which casts light equivilant to a torch. The light is a pale green, and does not move nor flicker.
Base 3+ 2 Sun +1 Touch

Demon's Eternal Oblivion – Perdo Vim 5
Pg 160 Core

Cleaning of the Festering Wounds – Creo Corpus 15
R: Touch D: Moon T: Ind
The target gains a +6 bonus to recovery rolls from both injuries and diseases. The target must be under the effects for the whole recovery interval. The recovery interval is counted from when this spell is cast ignoring the time unaffected.

Gather the Essence of the Beast – Rego Vim 15
Pg 162 Core

3

At Game Start
Name: Terra ex Merinita
Age: 40
Type: Maga
Gender: Female
Confidence 1 (3)
Warping, Faerie 3 (40)
Warping, Magic 0 (0)
House: Merinita
Personality Traits: Lecherous +3, Values Appearance+2 Eccentric+2
Faerie Sympathy Traits: Initiation+4, Stone+1, Oathbreakers-3
Characteristics: Int+3, Pre+4, Com+0 Per+0, Str+2, Qik+1, Sta+0, Dex-3
Virtues: Puissant (Organization Lore) Lore, Affinity for (Organization Lore) Lore, Strong Faerie Blood (Godkin, Rocks+1), Great Presence, Puissant Magic Theory, Faerie Sympathy (Initiations+1), Personal Vis Source (Creo), Improved Characteristics
Free: Second Sight, Faerie Magic
Flaws: Difficult Longevity Ritual, Lecherous (minor), Faerie Antipathy (Oathbreakers, Major), Pagan (All hail the almighty Goddess who birthed the world and gives it life!)

Abilities:
West Nordic: 5
Brawl 3
Athletics 1
Swim 1
Charm 1
Magic Theory 6+2 (Spells)
Latin 4 (Writing Lab Texts)
Artes Liberales 1 (Ritual Magic)
Parma Magic 3 (Vim)
Code of Hermes 1 (Sanctum Law)
Order of Hermes Lore 1+2 (2) ( Covenant locations)
Penetration 1 (Terram)
Finesse 3 (Aiming)
Concentration 1 (Meditation)
Faerie Magic 3 (15) (The Becoming)
Philosophiae 1 (Ritual Magic)
Second Sight 3 (Ghosts)
Faerie Sympathy: Stone
Faerie Sympathy: Initiation+4 (45 xp spent)
Faerie Antipathy: Oathbreakers-3
House Merinita Lore 9+2 (History)
Craft: Drawing 2 (5) (Forests)

Arts: 110xp
Creo: 15 Intellego: 5 Muto: 0 Perdo: 5 Rego: 5
Animal: 0, Au: 0, Aq: 0, Corpus: 0, He: 0, Ig: 5, Im: 0, Me: 0 Te: 9, Vim: 5

Formulaic Spells: Spells from books have their page numbers given. Otherwise see a couple posts down.
Conjuring the Empty Temple – CrTe 30
Flame Dart - CrIg 10
David Beats Goliath – ReTe 15
David Beats Goliath II – ReTe 20
Instant Red Brick – ReTe 5
Pit of Gaping Earth – PeTe 15, Pg 155 Core
Ghostly Torch – CrIg 10
Demon's Eternal Oblivion – PeVi 5
Cleaning of the Festering Wounds – Creo Corpus 15
Gather the Essence of the Beast – Rego Vim 15, Core Pg 162
Panic of the Trembling Heart – Creo Mentem 15 Core pg 148
Burial – Creo Te 20

4

The only thing that would have a huge cost is the gold in electrum blend. Even the silver ring shouldn't cost much more than a few pennies+labour. The gold would have to be magicked up if her covenant didn't have a convenient hunk of gold lying around. Although if she had to go that far she'd probably just go straight to the alloy. Which would take a season to invent the gold/alloy making ritual. Alternatively it could be replaced with something boring. The wand could be excluded or moved to be in a position like a punching dagger.

Also some more fluffy stuff. Basic motivation for heading to the covenant. Needs more personality IMO, but its a start.

Fluffy Stuff: Terra had been having a very peaceful life as a maga. Conflict free more or less. Basically sitting in her covenant's library reading with occasional duties to the covenant, sabbaticals , and a few bursts of lab work. Worshiping the Goddess. A lot of reading into House Merinita. Its a pretty cool house!

But she couldn't do that forever. She had a vision. The world was changing. The Dominion was on the rise and someone had to protect the the Faerie and Magic in the world. House Merinita was strong in Europe but there were other places. She needed to go forth, find new initiates for the house.

That Sahir's to the south might work. But they might resist. She was to move to Malta, magi were building a covenant. There the work would begin. It was the edge of the European rule, Order rule, and thus the perfect place to make forrays into the beyond. It was time to put her academic knowledge to work.

5

Custom Spell I'm placing here, obviously they'll need approval

Ghostly Torch – Cr Ig 10
R: Touch D: Sun T: Ind
This creates a hovering light, which casts light equivalent to a torch. The light is a pale green, and does not move nor flicker.
Base 3+ 2 Sun +1 Touch

Instant Red Brick – Rego Terram 5
R: Voice D: Mom T: Part
The caster forms a brick from clay and fires it, creating one fired clay brick. Its a brick. This requires a finesse roll of 3. You can use part of the clay.
Base 2 +2 voice +1 part

Conjuring the Empty Temple – Creo Terram 30
R: Touch D: Mom T:Ind, Ritual
A massive yet, simple stone and glass building springs forth from the earth. A perfect sqare pyramid, 30 paces on a side and 15 paces high, again the slopes being perfect 45 degrees. Below the ground the foundation is an inverse of the above perfection.

The uppermost level of the building is a signle room, a little over 1000 square feet, completely empty except for a few supporting pillars, perfect for a huge lab. (Size+5)
Base 3+1 touch +5 size, +1 Elaborate

Flame Dart- Creo Ig 10
R: Voice D: Mom T:Ind
The caster flings a small dart of flame at the target inflicting +5 damage.
Base 4+2 voice

David Beats Goliath - Rego Terram 15
R: Touch D: Mon T:Ind
The caster throws a stone with extreme force, inflicting +10 damage. This requires an aiming roll to hit, but magic resistance does not protect.
Base 10+1 touch.

Cleaning of the Festering Wounds – Creo Corpus 15
R: Touch D: Moon T: Ind
The target gains a +6 bonus to recovery rolls from both injuries and diseases. The target must be under the effects for the whole recovery interval. The recovery interval is counted from when this spell is cast ignoring the time unaffected.

David Beats Goliath II - Rego Terram 20
R: Touch D: Mon T:Ind
The caster throws a stone with extreme force, inflicting +15 damage. This requires an aiming roll to hit, but magic resistance does not protect.
Base 15+1 touch.

Burial – Creo Terram – 20
R: Sight D: Sun T: Ind
This spell conjures a block of dirt ten paces on each edge, but not overly tightly packed. If dropped from any significant height the block will crumble into a huge pile. The main use of this spell is to bury someone under the dirt by conjuring it above them. To hit someone with the dirt make a per+finesse+12 roll against defense. If they lack magic resistance the dirt inflicts +5 damage and it takes several minutes at least to wriggle free. If they have magic resistance they do not take any damage, and can get free much quicker, a number of rounds equal to the attack advantage.

Base 1+3 sight +2 Sun +2 size

6

And custom enchantments. Right now just some empowered stuff for the familiar bond.

Familiar Bond - Creo Terram
Total 29, 10 gold, 10 silver, 9 bronze.
+1 Gold, +1 Silver, +1 Bronze
Enchantments for familiar bond.
Ward Against Dirt -24
R: Touch, D: Sun, Constant T: Ind
The maga is warded against dirt and the like. This does not prevent them from touching, hold or even outright damage from, dirt. What it does do is keep the maga perpetually clean. In effect this adds +1 Health to the maga's lab. When she travels she still gets +1 to recovery rolls and +1/2 to her living conditions.
Base 5 +1 Touch +2 Sun +4 levels constant

Talk without words (Maga to Familiar)-19
R: Touch D: Sun, Constant T: Ind
The maga can creates words, images, sounds, and the like in the mind of her familiar, effectively able to talk to it without needing to speak.
Base 4 +2 sun +1 touch +4 levels constant

Talk without words (Familiar to Maga)-19
R: Touch D: Sun, Constant T: Ind
The familiar can creates words, images, sounds, and the like in the mind of the maga, effectively able to talk to her without needing to speak.
Base 4 +2 sun +1 touch +4 levels constant

7

Misc stuff: But first some questions

Can I start with a familiar? And if I can who makes it and what does it qualify as in terms of power?

8

Oh and feel free to comment or whatever, I should have enough characters now.

9

You may start with a familiar, it takes 2 seasons to find and enchant (befriending is assumed to not take seasons), so it will cost 20 xp out of your post-gauntlet advancement. It can be a 'free' companion character if someone else wants to play it, or I can NPC the familiar. You would be able to pick the type of animal in either case, though if someone is volunteering you might want to work with them.

10

Can we still cluster lab work in a set of a full year and get 4 seasons for 30 xp?

11

yes

12

Added another handful of custom spells and enchantments.

13

I'd like more explanation of this greater malediction- if this character, for example, made a bargain to deliver a unique item on the 15th of May, and it was stolen from her on the 14, what would happen? How often is she in the habit of entering into bargains? I'm also wondering if a faerie antipathy towards oath breaking or dishonesty might not fit the character better...

14

also your puissant house merinita lore and affinity for the same will be switched to puissant and affinity for (organization) lore, which will apply more generally as per the description for crafts and professions under house rules. This will obviously impact your order of hermes lore.
Also you should have listed your faerie sympathies (rocks and initiations) as being level 1 for 0 xp as well. Each of these can be raised with xp to 4.

15

conjuring the empty temple will require a finesse roll (int+ finesse) of 15 or higher to have the level of benefits you describe.

David versus Goliath II is base 15, but our final result is accurate

burial- where do you get the +12 to finesse from? Also could you give an example of dirt that will not suffocate someone buried in it? this seems a highly unnatural property...

16

no
I see absolutely no basis for this benefit, and it is over reaching to the point of annoyance.

17

The dirt not suffocating was really just for balance, I am just peachy with murdering someone with it. It gets really deadly really quickly if you can't teleport out. The +12 Finesse is per the rules on aiming. "thus for every magnitude added to the spell, the aiming roll gets a +6 bonus. ", it is increased two size magnitudes.

Will delete the noted general quality bonus (and modify the enchantment a bit.)

18

Yeah, the oath-breaker antipathy would definitely work better. Switching it to that.

19

Okay, let's see if I can remember all the tweaks I made. Constant Flame now makes a cooking fire and doesn't help in lab. Burial has nothing about not suffocating. The Greater Malediction*, has been replaced by the much better fitting "oathbreakers" one. Side note: Should I have the major antipathy start at -6 or -3? Because at gauntlet she has no warping, but by character start she's looking at 30ish. The temple spell has been simplified. And... still need to change to the general org lore. Let me go fix that.

*This was basically stolen from what Jinn in TCTC have. But the antipathy will work better.

20

Oh and my idea of labwork basically comes from chemistry lab, and enchantments designed to aid in labwork are designed with a chem lab in mind.