The Gift, The Parma, and the Social Debuff

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

Dearest Sodales,
A thought occurs, one that is so blindingly obvious to me that it demands cooler heads clip me around the back of the head and tell me that I'm an idiot.

The Gift emanates a sort of socially toxic miasma, to one of three degrees, and the only (formally published) response I've found is the Guernican spell to alter 'unnatural emotions', and the Parma Magica. The spell is very good, I've tried it myself. No addendums. However, I want to understand the metaphysics behind the Parma Magica.

When I first read the specifications, it seemed to imply that The Gift's Emanations, which I will henceforth refer to as 'The Stank' can't pass through even a trivially minor magical resistance. Hence a mage with low Parma still being able to extend it to an apprentice, and encompass both with the Stank barrier. I am led to infer this is because immunity to Magi Stank is just a matter of posessing [insert: in-universe pun for Magic Resistance 0, hold for applause]. If it were merely magical suppression after all, any visiting magus entering an Aegis would cease to Stank the covenfolk.

Two questions arise.
First; could a ReVi spell put up an intentional dampener on the caster, so that for the duration, any spell they cast must penetrate that in order to affect the outside world? Essentially, could giving the rest of creation a very, very low level of magical resistance, but for the caster alone, and especially for the caster's Stank, work as insulation? Is there a good reason to not bother trying?
Second; is the un-Stanking effect of the Parma purely a product of non-Hermetic magic, only tentatively understood through Hermetic Theory? That is, would the Stank bypass any magical barrier of any intensity, regardless, simply because Hermetic Theory is currently insufficient to interact with it beyond fixing a few of its consequences post-hoc? Is this supported anywhere in the Theory literature?

I'm sure there are other tangential questions related to these I have offered, and I'm utterly certain nothing I have asked is especially unique, though specific answers seem hard to locate in your archives.

Hermes be with you all, utinam multos libros laboratorii et discipulos tacitos habeas.
Neirinius dictus Lex Antiqua, Bani Guernicus, Journeyman Quaesitore, Keeper of the Records of Insula Grisea

(If I can't be cringe in an Ars Magica roleplay forum, where the hell can I?)

2

Alas, Sodales, your premise is flawed.

Creatures posessing Magic Resistane are affected by the "Social Stank", as you called it. The Divine do not care, yet their mundanes minions that enjoy Divine Magic Resistance do, and the Infernal demons at least behave as if they do not (again, their mundane minions are demonstrably affected) - but Faerie and Magical creatures in general are affected. Some, including many Magical animals, are Unaffected by The Gift, but many are.

The Parma's neutralization of the social affects of The Gift is a happy coincidence, one not understood by Hermetic Magic Theory. It is in particular not known how to neuter a magus' emanation of the Stank, thus making him Stankless.

Surely, a project for Original Research.

Absentmindius of Bonisagus, First of His Name

3

Absentmindius
Thank you for your prompt response.

Dash it all to Faerie. There goes my sincere, albeit naïve, hope that the social fix to all Hermetic issues the world over is a mere ReVi 18 spell away. As ever, the obvious answer is a misunderstanding on my part. In truth I'd assumed it was something errant in my understanding of Parma, rather than something missed in the last twenty-five years of active academic discussion.

I'm pleased to at least know the location of my error. I'll forward my overly enthusiastic preliminary notes to the local Bonisagan for further development, and return to my post of watching for midnight bread molesters among the covenfolk.

I have significant suspicions about a certain cow.

Yours, ever in gratitude,
Neirinius dictus et cætera

4

Dear Neirinius,

It has been suggested that the stank of the Gift is a creation of the master of stories, and by that, I mean God, to challenge Magi. The master of stories decided in his wisdom, magi being gifted with magic, there should be some negative effect, so the world was not dominated by magic.

Due to the stank, Magi need intermediaries to do work for them. While a reduction or negation of the stank may be possible, it may change the nature of the grand tapestry the master of stories is weaving. One needs to be very certain before deciding to challenge the dictats of the all mighty.

Your Sincerely,

Librator Ludus of Guernicus.

5

Librator Ludus,
Thank you for your response.

I felt similarly, which was why I was shocked that my original spell seemed so uncomfortably trivial. Still, I can imagine a few hedge cases where obfuscating one's magical essence behind a silk-thin veil might have some utility. Maybe not enough to justify even a season's worth of research, but it exists. Nevertheless, a potential research project for a new Parma fold, with all associated difficulties in initiating, teaching, and maintaining seems reasonable, God/Faerie/StoryMaester/Demiurge willing. Popular among certain circles certainly (one can only imagine the fawning one might receive from the more comely members of House Jerbiton), but hardly foundation-shaking itself.

For now, it seems we may be fundamentally stuck with the Stank. To my, and I'm sure many of my sodales', chagrin. Although a new avenue for imbuing the divine (gracefully!) into a covenfolk settlement certainly does suddenly hold at least theoretical interest.

Best wishes in your endeavours,
Neirinius dictus et cætera

6

Ave Sodalis,

Parma is what separates us from the barbaric magical traditions and elevates us closer to the divine. Without it, the Stank would reduce the Order of Hermes to ashes as it has occurred to so many others such as the Order of Mercury. The Shank ensures that these barbarians never rise to be an existential threat to mundanes. We are the chosen ones. We are the rightful heir to the Magical Realm.

William of Bonisagus

7

Ave Sodales,

I would like to commend you on your unintentional typographical error which cause a degree of merriment. Assuredly the barbarians use of the Shank when aggrieved is what means they will never rise to be a threat.

Your Sincerely,

Librator Ludus of Guernicus.

8

Reactions to the Gift are highly varied.

The Divine and Infernal are apparently unaffected.

Faeries are whimsical creatures; their reactions and reasons are suspect.

Magical creatures are often and perhaps usually unaffected.

Mundane creatures are sometimes offended, othertimes indifferent, and sometimes attracted to the Gifted. Domestic animals are sometimes violent, wild creatures may be friendly, and the list of liminal creatures who respond well to the Gifted is not short.