Not a dozen, but we built 3-4 Magic djinn and about the same amount of Faerie djinn. I can share them if you want.
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Yes please!
Even single Jinn would be lovely!
I know exactly what you mean. The only one from the books done in my saga was Fertility Magic, because the player could find inspiration in a couple of places and use the guidelines for spells to ease childbirth from Art&Academe to fill it out. The examples in Magi of Hermes are useful in showing worked out examples.
The one that really annoys me is trying to develop a Parma Magica fold - it's one of the examples in True Lineages, so you would hope it might be illustrated. It isn't, and you are left wondering how to create spells or items to experiment on a ritual performed by a Supernatural Ability rather than a spell guideline. Sure, you can create a PeVi spell to destroy a Parma Magica or a ReVi to suppress it - but are you just going to reinvent these spells at different levels over and over? At 30 breakthrough points per fold, that's a lot of going over similar ground.
I would attempt a MuVi as ArM5 p159 says "These spells can only be used on Hermetic magic, as they depend on a good understanding of the processes involved" - well, Parma Magica is taught to all hermetic magi, and as they cast it every day you could argue you should understand it really well, but then you enter into modifying your Parma from Sun to Moon duration, Wizard's Boost to give it 5 extra magic resistance, Wizard's Reach to give it to another at Touch range....I'm pretty sure this gets seriously game altering, so much so this would be ruled a Hermetic breakthrough in most games.
Anyway, enough of the diversion about Parma Magica - the point is the Parma folds sound interesting but difficult to come up with a decent range of spells to attempt making the breakthrough without getting really bored (and also metagaming, as you're deliberately doing the same thing over and over to get abstract points). More examples of worked out original research would be useful. Also, thanks to people who've contributed example Bonisagus Folios to fandom, it all helps adding to sagas.
Most OR does tend to be rather boring and result in a ton of spells that are only slight variations on each other. Since Parma Magica is its own thing rather than some change to spell guidelines, it gets even more difficult.
--
On a different note, how about Hermetic Cats? I have built or helped build a whole bunch of them thanks to having a pack at our Covenant. I actually thought about it as a post a day, though that might be too many for me.
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Al-Sh’elh al-Abdyh – الشعلة الأبدية – The Eternal Flame
Magic Might: 5 (Ignem)
Season: Spring
Characteristics: Int -1, Per +1, Pre +1, Com -2, Str +1, Sta +1, Dex +1, Qui +3
Size: 0
Confidence: 1 (3)
Type: Kaffir (non-believer)
Virtues and Flaws: Djinni (Free Special C&C 62), Magic Spirit (Free Special RoP:M 45), True Name (free special RoP:M 110); Gift of Tongues (Minor Supernatural RoP:M 47), Major Immunity: Fire (Major Supernatural 43), Unaffected by the Gift (Minor General RoP:M 47), Ways of the Desert (Major General 50), Second Sight (Minor Supernatural 48); Magical Air (Major General 56), Greater Malediction: Honor Deals (Major Supernatural 54), No Hands (Major General 56).
Magic Qualities and Inferiorities: No Fatigue (Major 40), Greater Power (Major 38), Minor Power x 2 (Minor 41), Improved Powers (Minor 41); Monstrous Appearance (Major 42), Limited Speak (Minor 42) .
Personality Traits: Pillar of Fire* +3, Violent +2, Changing +3, Passional +3
Combat:
Body of Fire: Ini +4, Atr +6*, Def +8*, Dmg (current Might) +1
*including specialization
Soak: +1
Wounds: -1 (1–5), -3 (6–10), -5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)
Abilities: Athletics (jumping from one flammable material to another) 1, Speak arabic (fire) 5, Brawl (body of fire) 3, Penetration (Fascination) 1, Theology: Islam (djinn) 1.
Powers:
Incorporeal , 0 points, Ini: Constant, Corpus
Al-Sh’elh al-Abdyh is naturally both intangible and invisible, and cannot be affected by the physical world. A wizard can only target him if he can percieve his existence. He does not have physical characteristics or combat values in this form. If he doesn't take corporeal form, Al-Sh’elh al-Abdyh's characteristics are only used to deal with other incorporeal creatures.
RoP:M 100
Free Power
Invest the Corporeal Veil , 0 points, Ini: +0, Ignem
R: Contact, D: Sun, T: Individual
Al-Sh’elh al-Abdyh can create and animate a corporeal body in the shape of a pillar of fire the size of a bonfire, that can only move over flammable material or over sand. Al-Sh’elh al-Abdyh can mantain this body indefinitely, recreating it every time duration expires. The body lasts until killed or dissolved by Al-Sh’elh al-Abdyh. If he is killed while in corporeal form, Al-Sh’elh al-Abdyh is also destroyed, and the body will leave 1 Ignem taqa behind. If Al-Sh’elh al-Abdyh's body is seriously injured, he will dissolve it to avoid death. The body thus formed has the intrinsic power Body of Fire , without additional cost.
RoP:M 102
Cr(Re)Ig 25 (base 5, +1 Contact, +2 Sun, +1 requisite): Minor Power (25 levels), Improved Power (-5 cost).
Body of Fire , 0 points, Ini: Constant, Ignem
R: Contact, D: Sun, T: Individual
Anybody touching or being touched by Al-Sh’elh al-Abdyh receives damage equal to a stress die plus the djinni's current Might Points. This is his usual physical attack, and has a +1 modifier to his initiative Any flammable object will burst into flame on contact; typically, burning clothesdo +10 damage per round to the wearer, until put down. Any metal in contact with the body of Al-Sh’elh al-Abdyh for more than a round will overheat, causing damage similar to the spell Heat of the Souring Forge (page 140). This does not include weapons trying to hit Al-Sh’elh al-Abdyh in combat.
RoP:M 139, ArMa 140
Cr(Re)Ig 30 (base 5, +1 Contact, +2 Sun, +1 requisite, +1 constant effect): Major Power (30 levels, -3 Cost, +1 Attack Initiative) free
Fascination , 2 points, Ini: -1, Mentem
R: Eye, D: Sun, T: Individual
The changing colors of Al-Sh’elh al-Abdyh's flames can hypnotyze anyone looking at him. Those failing an Intelligence roll against an Easy Factor of 9 will keep staring at Al-Sh’elh al-Abdyh in fascination, unable to act. This roll can be tried again every round.
RoP:M 139
ReMe 15 (base 4, +1 Eye, +2 Sun): Minor Power (15 levels, -1 Cost, +1 Ini)
Presence , 0 points, Ini: Constant, Imaginem
R: Arcane Connection, D: Sun, T: Individual
Al-Sh’elh al-Abdyh has knowledge of everything going on inside his domain. In essence, Al-Sh’elh al-Abdyh is colindant to his associated terrain feature, being present simultaneously in every place inside its bounds. This terrain feature is a bush area in the Arabian Desert, the size of a Room, in which he usually manifests as if the bushes were burning without being consumed. These bushes are a source of 1 Ignem taqa. Harvesting thistaqa does not erode Al-Sh’elh al-Abdyh's Might.
RoP:M 103
InIm 30 (base 2, +4 Arcane Connection, +2 Sun, +1 constant effect, +1 non-Hermetic effect): Major Power (30 levels, -3 Cost, +1 Ini for Fascination)
Taqa: 1 Ignem in the burning remains left after his body is consumed
Disclaimer: The above has been translated back from spanish, so I might have made some mistake, and some spells, Virutes, Flaws, etc might have their names wrong. I'll post more later on, since it takes some time to translate them
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Wahhabba
Faerie Might: 10 (Mentem)
Characteristics: Int 0, Per 0, Pre +3, Com +1, Str -2, Sta -1, Dex +3, Qui +2
Size: -1
Confidence: 0 (0)
Type: Pious
Virtues and Flaws: Djinni ( TCatC 62 ), True Name, Narrowly Cognizant in his role, Faerie Sight, Faerie Speech ( TCatC 79 ), Intangible Flesh ( RoP:F 51, TCatC 80 ), Sovereign Ward: Bismillah invocation ( TCatC 80 ), Small.
Personality Traits: Shy +3.
Combat: n/a
Soak: 0
Wounds: -1 (1–4), -3 (5–8), -5 (9–12), Incapacitated (13–16), Dead (17+)
Pretenses: Athletics (dancing) 5, Alertness (humans) 3, Charm (potential dancers) 3, Etiquette (djinn) 2, Carouse (parties) 3, Faerie Speech (conversation) 5, Music (kemençe) 6, Theology: Islam (djinn) 1.
Powers:
Enthralling Sound , 3 points, Init: -3, Mentem
Wahhabba can cause fascination in any group of people that can see her dancing or playing music, who will fall deeply in love with her. A stress roll with an appropriate Personality trait against an Ease Factor of 9 allows a victim to overcome this power’s effect.
RoP:F 58
Loosely Material , 1 point, Init: -5, Corpus
Wahhabba can create and animate a material body made of glamour and looking like a young lady of around 20 years, small and beautiful. This material body has the following characteristics: Str -2, Sta -1, Dex +3, Qui +2. The body can be maintained indefinitely. If she is killed while in material form, she will leave the corresponding taqa behind. Creating or destroying the body takes one round. She can’t recover the points spent on creating the body until she destroys it.
RoP:F 59
Allure , 1 point, Init: -1, Mentem
Wahhabba seems more attractive than she really is, and so gets a +3 bonus on all rolls that involve impressing or convincing others.
RoP:F 57
Taqa: 2 pawns of Mentem in her kemençe.
Appearance: Whenever she manifests physically, Wahhabba looks like a petite and beautiful young lady.
Base: Lesser Nymph from RoP:F 73 .
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Anees al-Galees
Faerie Might: 20 (Corpus)
Characteristics: Int 0, Per 0, Pre -2, Com -2, Str +3, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qui +1
Size: +1
Confidence: 0 (0)
Type: Pious
Virtues and Flaws : Djinni ( TCatC 62 ), True Name, Narrowly Cognizant ( RoP:F 52 ), Faerie Sight, Faerie Speech ( TCatC 79 ), Intangible Flesh ( RoP:F 51, TCatC 80 ), Sovereign Ward: Bismillah invocation ( TCatC 80 ), Huge, Sworn: chivarlic, Overconfident, Improved Damage: scimitar +5 ( RoP:F 51 ), Initiative ( RoP:F 51 ).
Personality Traits: Arrogant +3, Polite +3
Combat:
Brawl: Init +4, Att +11, Def +11, Dmg +5
Scimitar and round shield: Init +11, Att +18, Def +17, Dmg +9
Mace and round shield: Init +5, Att +17, Def +16, Dmg +16
Soak: +9
Wounds: -1 (1–6), -3 (7–12), -5 (13–18), Incapacitated (19–24), Dead (25+)
Pretenses : Alertness (enemies) 1, Single Weapon (scimitarr) 9, Ride (horses) 3, Hunting (humans) 2, Charm (ladies) 1, Etiquette (nobles) 3, Carouse (celebrations) 3, Faerie Speech (boasting) 5, Leadership (guards) 2, Brawl (singular combat) 8, Theology: Islam (djinn) 2.
Powers:
Damaging Effect , 1 point, Init: +4, Terram
Causes his weapon to look more dangerous for two minutes, increasing Damage by +5.
RoP:F 58
Loosely Material , 1 point, Init: -5, Corpus
Anees al-Galess can create and animate a material body made of glamour and looking like an arab warrior. This material body has the following characteristics: Str +3, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qui +1. The body can be maintained indefinitely. If he is killed while in material form, he will leave the corresponding taqa behind. Creating or destroying the body takes one round. He can’t recover the points spent on creating the body until he destroys it.
RoP:F 59
Torrent from the Lungs , 3 points, Init: -2, Aquam
The victim, who must be at Voice range, will vomit all water in their body, doing +15 damage, which armor does not protect against. The target must drink within a few minutes or it dies.
RoP:F 59, ArMa 123
Flight , 2 points, constant, Corpus
The body manifested by Aness al-Galees is capable of flying.
RoP:F 62
Improved Damage
Base: Faerie Knight (Minor) from RoP:F 78 .
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Al-Safer ‘Ebedh, the Travelling Servant
Faerie Might: 30 (Imaginem)
Characteristics: Int 0, Per +2, Pre +2, Com 0, Str +4, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qui +1
Size: +3
Confidence: 1 (3)
Type: Pious
Virtues and Flaws : Djinni ( TCatC 62 ), True Name, Mosntrous Appearance; Major External Vis: copper bottle in the shape of a pumpkin (gives confidence) ( RoP:F 50 ); Faerie Speech ( TCatC 79 ); Sovereign Ward: Bismillah invocation ( TCatC 80 ); Narrowly Cognizant ( RoP:F 52 ); Intangible Flesh ( RoP:F 51, TCatC 80 ).
Personality Traits: Proud +3, Subtle +3, Cruel +2
Reputations: Terrifyingly magical +3
Combat:
Body of Fire: Init +4, Att +5, Def +7, Dmg (current Might) +1
Soak: +1
Wounds: -1 (1–5), -3 (6–10), -5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)
Pretenses : Penetration (Tay al-Ard) 6, Theology: Islam (djinn) 3.
Powers:
Eidolon , 2 points, Init: -1, Imaginem
This power allows the djinni to manifest as an imposing pillar of smoke with humanoid shape, emerging from the copper bottle.
TCatC 66
Illusionary Home , 5 points, Init: -1, Imaginem
Creates a phantasmal and sumptuous palace for the owner of the copper bottle.
TCatC 66
Flight , 3 points, Init: constante, Auram, Touch
TCatC 66
Loosely Material , variable points, Init: -5, Corpus
Al-Safer ‘Ebedh can create a body made of glamour for the form created with Eidolon, that allows him to attack and carry weight. This material body has the following characteristics: Str +4, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qui +1. The body can be maintained indefinitely. If he is killed while in material form, he will leave the corresponding taqa behind. Creating or destroying the body takes one round. He can’t recover the points spent on creating the body until he destroys it.
RoP:F 58, TCatC 66
Tay al-Ard (Travel) , 4 points, Init: +1, Corpus
Instantly transports Al-Safer ‘Ebedh and whomever he carries to a place that the owner of the bottle has visited or to which he has an Arcane Connection. This is sometimes used as an attack, transporting his victim to a distant place and then leaving.
TCatC 66
Taqa: 6 pawns of Imaginem in the bottle.
Appearance: When Al-Safer ‘Ebedh comes out of his bottle, he looks like a huge humanoid torso with red skin and a monstrous face with horns. The body is actually an illusion, and Al-Safer ‘Ebedh is still an insubstantial spirit under this body. The copper bottle in the shape of a pumpkin where Al-Safer ‘Ebedh’s vis resides is part of his glamour, but is also not his body.
Base: ‘Abd Al-Qininna from TCatC 66 .
4 Likes
I haven't checked, but some, most or even all of these might be just re-skins of already existing critters. If so, then they won't be very useful (as you'll already have the original ones). But I can't recall, and I don't have my books with me at the moment to check.
They will be useful, don't worry. 
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Examples of Hermetic Research done by NPCs.
I find there to be a ton of flavor to circulate a small breakthrough or an experimental item or spell to be available to players. It would be really cool to have a big list of potential things available only through experimentation or original research to show the rest of Hermetic Europe is progressing.
2 Likes
Effects of warping on objects.
- What are some things that might happen to your favorite embroidered silk robes you cast Doublet of Impenetrable Silk on every day for a decade?
- What about that one big boulder you keep chalking targets on for spell practice? Practicing a spell for a season is Source Quality 5, after all. How many Incantations of Lightning is that, at a Warping Point apiece? What's the boulder going to look like by the end of things? What if instead you practiced MuTe on a section of your laboratory wall?
- Runes, both vitkir and Hermetic, are noted for causing a ton of Warping. What are some ways that might express itself, on a sword, on a torc, on a standing stone or monument?
- The raven-feathered cape you need for Cloak of Black Feathers...how long before it starts fluttering, or grows from a small cape to something more like Eileen the Crow's?
3 Likes
I would love more example of political questions and conflicts discuted at the Tribunal
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Awakened items! I'd said it before and I'll say it again, I love awakened items, and there are so few of them. So things under heavy warping, the robes, the big boulder, the sword with runes and the raven-feathered cape all would become Magic Things under my watch.
Which translates to: I'd like more examples of magic things, because even when I've done a ton of them, they require a lot of time and effort (you are creating a new character, after all), so having a repository with a lot of them at hand would be so handy.
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Daimons, please
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Yes please!
More creatures, please. Preferably with primary focus on creating/maintaining a consistent design dynamic, with only secondary focus on "trying to sound like a medieval bestiary/fit the Paradigm".
I feel the 4th ed. Medieval Bestiary focused so much on sounding medieval it was surprising even the font was consistent. Nothing else was, IMO, from a game mechanics perspective.
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Seconding more political questions and conflicts disputed at the Tribunal! The Case a Day thread is one of my favourites.
I'd love examples of Initiations to various cults, both to the House ones and to the Neo-Mecurians and others!
I'd also love Vis sources!
Wait, I don't understand how it can be anything other than Attack Total (using Perception + Finesse + Die) vs a Defence Total generated the usual way? Aiming even says to treat it as an attack total. To hit stuff you compare attack total to defence total.
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I have about 90 on my website.
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Thank you for the link! My troupe and I will certainly be plunder-ah, taking inspiration from your works:)
Not sure how I missed your site in the first place. I have tons of ArM bookmarks and if I'd ever gotten to the Welcome page yours would have been a mandatory keeper. I recognize your name from your writing credits on ArM books in 4th ed. as well as my first couple of rounds of membership on the Berklist.
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