The "100 Ars Magica Plot Seeds" Thread

Games Discussion Ars Magica
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I started this series with "Wizard's First Rule".
Alas for my reading preferences , he did a Robert Jordan on me.
(The Wheel of Time)
After getting through book 4 "Temple of the Winds" i gave up reading anymore books in this series.

Not to say that people will not enjoy reading these books ,
but i am so fed-up with never-ending trilogies.

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Here here. I stopped reading Song of Fire and Ice for the same reason.

43

If I may make a recommendation:

Steven Erikson's - Malazan Empire series
I think planned for 8 books total, 7 out so far, but excellent.

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This series i am thoroughly enjoying.
Has to be the best Epic Fantasy i have read for many years.

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He is still working this plot thread...five books later..

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  1. You are continually side tracked by "more important things" and can't seem to complete any lab work. As time passes the amount of time you spend on task steadily decreases untill you just wander in circles while thinking happy thoughts about all the stuff you'd like to do.
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  1. A charming magus arrives at the Covenant. He offers to buy some books for some vis, at a convenient price. When he leaves the covenant, the PCs have the impression they have struck an excellent bargain.

Then an angry quaestor and several hoplites arrive at the covenant following the trail of a renegade wizard who is dealing with stolen vis...

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  1. Your covenant finds its food supply for the winter has been ruined, either by means mundane or magical. As a terriable blizzard rages all around the covenant, do you dare put together a party to find more? Or spend valuable Vis to feed your hungry covenfolk.

  2. While traveling, a group of PCs encounter a insular cult who worship the Celtic God Lugh - Sun God, God of War, Mastery, Magic and Good Harvest. Some few of the cultists seem to possess a natural Magic Resistance! Oh, what a great Grog one or two of these would make. Will the PCs be able to ingratiate themselves to the cult?

  3. A PC eats the fruit of an odd tree in an unknown wood, and is transformed in some way (shrunk, put to sleep, transformed into a skunk, changed back into a child) which cannot be undone my Hermetic Magic. An old hermit nearby claims he can help the PCs undo the curse, but they must help him accomplish a dangerous task to gather the necessary ingredients. And why are the quest, curse, cure and personality of the transfromed PC all so very closely linked?

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This plot seed is much more serious with the Creo Food (non Vis) does not delay starvation option.

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#??. Suddenly, the Pope issues an edict on the moral nature of magic. He has declared that ANY use of magic is sinful. It is all lies and deception and since lies and deception are the realm of Satan, the use of magic is a grave sin. The religious members of your covenant leave. Local churchmen react...

#??+1. Suddenly, the Pope issues an edict on the moral nature of magic. He has declared that magic is not a sin. It is simply a tool, like a farmer's plow or a carpenter's saw, and such knowledge should be pursued. The church begins to sponsor magi. Local churchmen react...

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as hkdharmon said:

  1. Suddenly, the Pope issues an edict demanding that all magi must be registered by joining a new monastic order, so that they may be taught the correct way to use their magic for the glory of God. Any magician not joining said Order is to be considered a willing servant of evil and destroyed. All known covenants have large armies descend to ensure compliance. An immediate emergency Grand Tribunal is called to discuss this. The Flambeau bemoan the unfairness of this 'join or die' policy

Do the magi give up their covenants either to go into hiding or to go to their new home, an abbey, where numerous hedge wizards, witches, alchemists and others are being gathered. Which inherits all the magical texts of the new brethren.

52

Dude, that's funny.

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  1. The grogs suddenly acquire the unshakeable conviction they are important and powerful wizards. They refuse to serve the magi, and start ordering each other to do all the menial tasks in the covenant. Some may decide to perform rituals to cure the PCs of their delusions of grandeur.

  2. The magi enter an area where parma magica no longer suppresses the social effects of the Gift. (It still provides magic resistance as normal.)

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  1. One of your covenant-raised grogs pulls a sword from a stone, marking him as the rightful king of the land.
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  1. A powerful Arch Mage comes to your Covenant on important business, which you need to conclude. Unfortunatly, while casting a routine spell, he sends himself into a very long and very flashy Twilight. How will you inform the Order. What will you do about the very odd lawn decoration you've acquired? Perhaps some of the Order believe it's a bit "convenient" that he is posponed in sucha way. The Order will likely make some arrangements that he be looked after, perhaps erecting long term structures on your grounds, and having his staff and guard there awaiting their Master's return.
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  1. The covenant's hunter has met with an untimely end. This is quite unfortunant because the covenant needed the hunter to bring in large game for their consumsion. It just so happens that a weathered face man in rags is found at the door step of the covenant. After a meal and some louging, the man explains that he has some skill in hunting, and would love to join the covenant. Once he joins, the covenant finds that he is a better hunter than the previous one. The new hunter holds a dark secret though. This man is a werewolf, and hopes to find a cure for his disease.

98a. There are reports of attacks in the surrounding villages of the covenant; and whispers of a werewolf. If the covenant doesn't know about the condition of their new hunter, they soon find out, and suspision rises against the hunter. The hunter denies his part in the attack, but finds that he doesn't remember his activites during the night of the attacks. The covenant is soon joined by a mysterious woman, who happens to have a past with the hunter.

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  1. When a PC botches seriously during an adventure or Lab Work things start to go oddly. Something comes up relating to botch that requires investigation (e.g. if the PC was constructing a magical shovel or Perdo Terram spell, perhaps a very deep hole opens up in the center of the covenant.) After gathering a group to investigate and studying the "something" it becomes obvious that it is related to the botching PC in someway and that his sigil is very well represented. As the group continues to uncover more and more facts it is revealed that in fact that the PC is trapped in Twilight, and the other PCs are representing bits of the botcher's mind and Gift (Personality Traits, Flaws, Virtues), yet in the shape of known people. If the PC can uncover the secret at the center of the "something" they may escape Twilight with new knowledge! (No roll required).
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100.
The Founders Return!
All the Original Founders (including Diedne) reappear to judge the Order.
The Order is judged unworthy of continuing.
A New Order will be created instead.
Those wishing to be part of the new Order will be recruited to hunt down all those who choose not to comply.

59

Testing, testing

Hmm, seems ok to post to.

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