The Contest

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

When entering the Verditius' Contest, does one submit the item they made as their apprenticeship masterpiece even if it was years ago? Likely 14 years after Gauntlet since the next Contest is in 1234 and the core book starts at 1220. What is the participation rate? Is there a list of likely items up for grabs in the stores for success? Given the 18 year time-span, is it permissible for a single magus to submit an item for each of the three categories of apprenticeship, journeyman, and master?

Since it seems to be presumed that the parens keeps the item and lab text of their apprentice, I guess it's their responsibility to safeguard it for entry to the Contest? Would this be an opportunity for a Tormenting Master to interfere and 'lose' the creation for entry to the Contest? If they do so, can the filius submit either the lab text or even recreate their original masterpiece (helped if they have Magical Memory) and claim it's a duplicate of their creation as an apprentice?

2

The next contest is in 1224. there was one in 1018.
The first was in 802, there are near 49 past contest. A lot of items. It is not necesary to know de powers of the devices there are stored.

The magi can participate in one of the 3 contest in relation with her status: apprentices for anyone who didnt take the oath yet. Journeyman for magi and master for elders magi.

The masterpiece of the apprentices belongs to the parens. So he can destroy it or keep it, or sale it, or even give it to a friend. Keep in mind: an apprentices masterpiece is not a great piece and a journeyman has no chance to win in a contest with other magi of her status bringing it. A young magi or an apprentices can arrange with her parens to bring the masterpiece to the contest, by giving something to the parens in change, because the masterpiece belongs to the parens. A tormenting master maybe dont think the masterpiece is good enough so he want the filius to do a better one, so he can keep it working for him. With magical memory your apprentices can duplicate the creation without trouble.

I wrote another post but i lost it... this is the short version.

sorry about my horrible english.

3

The Contest is definitely in 1234, not 1224, and only 24 prior contests as opposed to 49.

So Contest category is solely dependent on the 'age' of the entrant at the time of the Contest and not their age at the time of the item's creation? A shame; that really restricts the number of participants in the apprenticeship category, very likely to only be one or two in any given Contest given the population of the House; and it does mean that the apprentice's masterpiece can NEVER be a proper submission, because it being completed means they are by definition a journeyman, competing with creations of more experienced journeymen.

4

yes, my calculator (or my brain) is broken xD.

1234 the next and 24 past contest. With very very HIGH participation rate. The first just 1 participant, the second all verditii, and then all able. Maybe more than 300 items to choice. No list, must do it by feeling and investigate it. Maybe the runes can help him to choice. Maybe there is a list for the last competition. Maybe the list is stolen, lost. Maybe some of the artifacts are very important and are recognized. Maybe there are cursed artifacts as well.

But, no matter if list or not: a magus participate in JUST 1 category related to her rank, can not choice. And if you resolve they can choice they will never put assaid her honor and go in a contest with apprentices, they are proud artificers.

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Tormenting master: No responsability to safeguard nothing: the fillii masterpiece belongs to him, but the autor is allways the apprentices. The filius can make some arrange with him to keep the masterpiece or make another with the lab text or magical memory. A criminal Tormenting master can bring the piece to a journeyman or master rank contest, according to her rank. In this case the filius may claim the autorship based on lab text and the sigil present in the powers of the item. The case i complicated if the master use the lab note to make another...
But this is a real shame, even for a tormenting master.

There are the other verditii are who vote for the winners, so a prize is times to times a matter of politics.

Maybe take the proof is more risky than accept the master winning and prepare a vendetta, or just start to earn power, vis and arcane conection for a wizard war. The Verditii dont want quaesitores in the contest. Maybe the filius can be bring the dispute to a tribunal... maybe if the master win the contest the filius can argue about deprivating of magical power: because winning the contest is winning artifact(s). Intellego Magic will said who is the creator of the artifact, or who is laying, and i can see at least one scenario in with can fail.
If the tormenting master has political power, so they will have enemies can help the filius, or use it and the claim in a vendetta.

I am sure as a tormenting master i never give the apprentices the rank of magus before the quaesitores put me over the edge, and i never will to stole the autorship of the masterpiece, but a specialy stupid tormenting master maybe can do it.

A lot to prepare for the contest: Verdi, Regio(s), the sourrounding, magi, custos, crafters, Cults. A lot of hooks, maybe vendetas, maybe a global plot, pollitical affairs... The contest is a serious thing.

5

Just as a quick reference, here are the dates of all past (and some future) Verditius Contests:

1 - 802
2 - 820
3 - 838
4 - 856
5 - 874
6 - 892
7 - 910
8 - 928
9 - 946
10 - 964
11 - 982
12 - 1000
13 - 1018 (Schism War)
14 - 1036
15 - 1054
16 - 1072
17 - 1090
18 - 1108
19 - 1126
20 - 1144
21 - 1162
22 - 1180
23 - 1198
24 - 1216 (last canon Contest)
25 - 1234 (next canon Contest, troublesome as Ingasia might replace Verdi as seat for the Contest)
26 - 1252
27 - 1270
28 - 1288
29 - 1306
30 - 1324