I wouldn't require an extra magnitude for flexibility, but I'd probably require a finesse roll to duplicate the smell you're aiming for sufficiently well (and you'd probably want to magically enhance your sense of smell before casting so you actually knew what you were aiming for). A single smell hardcoded into the spell wouldn't need a finesse roll.
Sigh, ok.
So, in order to smell, animals (we included) have several (hundreds of) receptors in their noses. Each has a differential activation when an specific chemical enter our noses. Perhaps one receptor has no reaction, other is midly activated, and other is extremely activated.
Each receptor does not recognice a single chemical. But it will react to some of them and i will have no reaction with others. So, if you have hundreds of those receptors, you will get a pattern of activation (specific receptors active, others midly active, others not active). That pattern is what we call a scent. Some animals have more receptors than us, allowing to identify subtle differences, and some animals have bigger regions of the brain dedicated to identify patterns and remembering them (it is thought that a dog can remember 10.000 patterns/smells).
In real world, though, chemicals don’t come to your nose one by one. They come in groups. The “scent of the forest” is a combination of chemicals that are normally present in a forest. So there is no specific chemical to identify one terrain. They are a group of them. Which will activate a broad spectrum of receptors.
Animals add their chemicals to that background. And a good smeller can tell the difference between the pattern of activation with and without that animal present. Perhaps even recognize the specific animal.
So, what about the scent of fresh soil? They are 2 chemicals (terpenes to be more precise) produced by Bacillus Subtilis, an ubiqutous bacteria present in soil. I am not sure about the desert (they love perhaps deep down in the more humid earth), but these tough little buddies are almost in any soil. So the pattern of activation of these two chemicals is added to almost any terrain. It is probably identified as part of the background by most animals because it provides little actionable information.
If you Muto your smell to produce those two chemicals instead of what you normally produce, you probably can blend in most situations, except perhaps in very dry climates.
Advanced to +15 Years,
Hi!
Wouldn't Initiation into Sensory Magic take at least 3 Seasons? 1 Season to craft and enchant the object, 1 Season to locate an ancestor site somewhat near the Covenant, + the Season of actual Initiation?
Admittedly, the 2nd of these seasons might not be necessary if you've already put on the work previously, or some other Bjornaer has sold/gifted you the location of just such a site. Or you are a master of ReCo transportation and can return to more Bjornaer-ful lands in an instant, say Crintera. (But in that case, don't think the Script would aid you, as it has to be fulfilled exactly, not merely "more or less").
Just curious, as have been pondering Bjornaer Magi the last 2 weeks, and am very interested in things I might have missed, or good workarounds to different problems (such as enchanting the crafted object to turn into a creature for the Sensory Magic Initiation).
On another matter, I thought Magi accumulated Warping in these exercises at 2/year +1/year with LRs. So Samual might have 30 Warping from regular Magi activities over 15 years + LR from age 35 on, so 38 Warping, 3(8), thereabouts?
If the consensus is it takes three seasons I’ll adjust. Just moves a few things to the next period, that’s ok.
Seems expensive in terms of effort to get a minor virtue - although I guess it does it without a flaw.
It is expensive, but I think it's a very strong minor virtue, it opens many possibilities!
In any case, noticed you put 15 xp into Area Lore(Levant), so this might already represent the season of effort in looking for the site?
The area lore was because I wanted the character to have a grounding of special places in the area. Good points raised so I’ll edit the advancement and clean up.
EDIT: I'll update the advancement plan, and add teh +30 and +45 draft soon. In those years Samual plans to take the Anima transformation House Mystery, and add powers, add more sensory magic abilities.
Updated the +15 version, so I think its ok. Included warping, added some extra lab time and seasons in activities which dropped xp a little. Doing the +30 now,
Hi! Enjoying these threads a lot, thank you for this!
Observations/nitpicking on Samual +15 :
•Virtues - Heartbeast is missing
Heartbeast (Spells) - This specialty is for taking advantage of Sensory Magic's Lab Totals?
This spell might need Target: Group, unless Samual casts this one by one, if I understand things correctly.
If Samual wants to use this, the spell might need to be bumped + 1 for Size, but not sure if that's the intent.
Really glad you like the project. 
And thank you for reviewing with feedback. Added Heartbeast, and will copy/paste from the spreadsheet I use soon.
Yes, 100%. It seemed to make sense that a magus who is inventing a lot of spells might focus their skills there, and a +1 lab bonus is important at present.
My understanding was that R:Personal affects on T: Individual can affect everything they are wearing. I take your point though - and found the Remake the Tailor's Craft (MuAn15, MoH p91) which backs up what you're saying. Bugger!
That adds Group to the spell mechanics. I have also made a mess of the base too - MuAn3 is to turn one animal product into another, or MuHe4 to transform a plant product, and MuTe5 to tun earth into an animal which does not cover metal or stone. Does the spell also need a +1 for stone or +2 for metals? Sheesh.
Might be wiser to drop the spell totally till Samual's arts are higher and use the seasons to fix the other spell bug you found.
It becomes: MuTe/An 30 (base 5, +1 conc, +2 metal, +2 group).
That was the intent, so yep, it needs a +1 to allow for larger creatures. not a bad thing anyway to add flexibility too.
About using the Sensory Magic Target parameter of Texture:
As Texture is described as a parameter, effects using it will affect "any appropriate target who touches the caster while the spell persists. The target must touch the caster's skin with his own, and be theoretically able to describe the texture of it"
Is the intent of this spell to have it running, and when someone grapples you - they 'freeze'?
I like the idea, but there are some practical issues. It does not specifically say the target needs to touch with hands, just bare skin. But anyone fully clothed and armoured can't be affected. And Texture specifically prohibits being used "to destroy all weapons touching the magus".
Regrettably, I'm not sure the spell is all that useful.
The animal version, however, seems more useful. If an animal bites or grapples you they fulfill the requirements of Texture IMHO.
You’re right and I’m ok with that so I’ll keep it as is. The first version of the grapple spell written before the (darn handy) suggestion to make it a sensory spell worked normally, so I’ll probably include that in another advancement period. That gives Samual many choices of what to use.
I found an example of a Muto spell using R: Personal and T:Individual and changing the equipment; using a +1 increase for equipment - it’s Assume the Stature of the Giants of El Cid, from MoH, p. 49.
By comparison I’m not sure why my spell to also change worn equipment wouldn’t be fine with a +1 mod instead of +2 Group.
Any thoughts?
Although it seems counter-intuitive, and because some of the spells in MoH sadly seem to designed with flaws, I think T:Ind is correct.
The definition of T:Personal is:
So a R:personal spell can never be T:Group. To cast a spell on a group you are a part of, you need R:Touch or higher
T:Ind affects a mass of up to a Size +1 human, so IMHO unless you are carrying enormous amounts of stuff, you don't need a size modifier. In fact, if you needed to affect this much mass I'd say you are over the category of wearing/carrying.
But as designed the spell changes earth, so you'd need +2 magnitudes to change to or from metal (or gemstone), rather than the "+1 complex items" - I wouldn't charge for that. I'm also fine with not adding a Herbam requisite, because Terram in some ways is often treated as a "generic solid stuff" Form, but rather enforcing a Herbam casting requisite if the bulk of items changed are plant-based rather than mineral.
Encumbering Adornments Transformed
Muto Terram / Animal 20, R: Personal, D: Concentration, T: Individual
The caster’s personal items and clothes are transformed into a leather strap upon their ankle. Additional requisites may be required when cast.
(Base 5 to turn earth into an animal, +1 Concentration, +2 metal or gemstone)
But I have a question about the D:Conc - is the spell designed to be extended via a 'Maintaining the Demanding Spell' effect? Otherwise it seems of little use since you risk losing Concentration.
Two Major Personality Flaws? I thought that was a no-no? And Second Sight is a Minor Virtue isn't it?
Shouldn't there also be a Personality Trait for Bear at +(1/2 Heartbeast)?
Yep ArM p37, insert box actually says "You can not have more then one Major Personality Flaw" this is actually a very clear definition, as opposed to some of the "should not" things. This may be because a Major personality Flaw is all consuming of all aspects of your life. So even if it wasn't specifically prohibited I'd advise against it.
As for the Heartbeast Personality Trait I was not aware that the value depended on the Heartbeast Ability score. But there it is HoH:MC p 38. I've never actually played a Bjornaer magus in a saga, so thanks for illuminating me.
Yes, the intent is to use the Maintaining spell to keep it up, or cancel it when needed - as Samual's bear shape needs more flexibility than making it D:Diameter for example.
I'm not sure what to do about the +2 vs +1 in the spell design. Second guessing every spell is troublesome, but I also am not sure. Assume the Stature of the Giants of El Cid seems plausible and not broken as presented in the MoH book and that gives me pause to consider following that example.
Heck, thank you. I’ll fix the other stuff but the issue with the Flaw is a problem. Taking a lead from the HoH:MC book which talks about Bjornaer flaws - I’d like something “bear-ish” as a trait however most of the personality based things are aspects that the character can (sometimes) choose to mitigate or its a character choice. Perhaps I’ll just have to cherry pick some flaws and rework but I’d like to go for character themes.
What about a Flaw which requires a form of hibernation? True hibernation would wipe out a season a year which is exceedingly harsh even by the standards of a major flaw. I’d like the character to still be able to do some activity, even at reduced capacity. In the wild I assume a bear can wake if it really needs to, but it’s not a great experience.
... Hibernation (Major Supernatural) the character requires additional significant rest during the winter months. During this period they are drowsy and lethargic. They suffer a penalty in the hours before midday, as -3 penalty on all action rolls and effective totals. Additionally any personality traits involving irritability, solitude, etc are increased.
Further a magus character is always considered to have taken a “distraction activity” from their lab activity, as their additional sleep reduces productive lab time. Any further interruptions will render the season of lab work wasted.