"I'm wondering... did the Elemental(s) seem at all intelligent? If so, asking them where Aislinn is or when they last saw her might help us as well. Or at the least give us some useful information."
((How exactly does warding someone from an element work? Didn't find anything about soak in the ArM5 book... mayhaps my searchFu is weak.))
((I don't look in the books to figure those things out except as a storyguide. I'm figuring there are things that seem fiery and airy, and Rhodri felt cold. So Rhodri's going with heat, cold, electricity, and wind and figuring he's got his bases covered. At very least the wards will add to soak against those types of damage. Rhodri is going to count on his Parma Magica and his armor to handle the rest.))
"I heard something quiet that sounded like speech, but no speech I understood. So I'll guess they're intelligent."
((Let's keep it simple. Since Ward Against Heat and Flames is a lv 25 ReIg that gives +15 Soak to fire-related damage, I'd say a lv 25 ReAu will give +15 Soak against weather-related damage (wind and lightning), and a lv 25 ReIg (or should it be a CrIg?) will give a +15 Soak against cold/ice.))
((Sounds good. I would agree with ReIg for cold to keep the heat in (instead of out) - either is a directional control - since making cold is PeIg, or destroying heat. I'm expecting level 15 versions can be cast, giving +5 to Soak, excepting the known Ward Against Heat and Flames.))
((Yep, the spell description for Ward V Heat & Flame indicates as much pretty clearly.))
((Sorry, I wasn't clear. I meant "expecting" to be about the abilities of the Rego experts to spont spells. I think they'll be able to pull off level 15 OK, but I doubt they'll get much beyond that.))
((Oh! Heh. Yeah, that too >.<))
Elysante casts Ward Against Heat and Flames with no trouble ((she rolls a 3, sufficient in this aura to cast it without fatigue loss)). She then casts a low level ward against cold, fatiguing herself.
((I'll have her shoot for a lv15 effect to be on the safe side. Int 3 + Re 15 + Ig 5 + 5 aura + 5 for a similar known formulaic + a roll of 4 = 37, halved = 18, enough for the lv 15 effect. Rhodri is warded for +5 soak vs. cold damage, which should mitigate cold-related fatigue in addition to damage.
She would need a roll of 5 or better to pull off a lv15 ward against weather effects, whereas Attravere can only fail to cast a lv15 ward if he botches. I'm thinking Elysante would suggest he cast that one.))
Attravere volunteers his casting for a ward against the element of Air.
((Assuming accepted, casts))
((Be nice and calculate your casting totals for me please. I did it for Elysante because Bearlord said he's away for a couple days, but digging up your character sheets every time you're doing something and doing all your arithmetics, it is head-hurty!))
Oops! Apologies - Int 4, Rego 18, Aurum 4, Aura 5. CT: 31. (Aiming for level 15)
[i]((Attravere rolls a 6 for a total of 37, halved = 18. Rhodri is now warded against wind and lightning at +5 Soak.
Are there any more buffs you want to go for, or is Rhodri ready for action?))[/i]
((After two minutes to rest Elysante (and I assume Attravere?) cast the same spells again on Erro. Elysante doesn't botch either casting, and Attravere totally could have pulled off a level 20 effect with his roll but alas he only gets the warm fuzzy feeling from wasting a good roll when he didn't need it :lol Erro is now warded against fire-related effects at +15 Soak, cold-related damage at +5 Soak, and weather/lightning effects at +5 Soak.))
((I don't want to be all rules-lawyer-ish, but Rhodri could spont these spells himself otherwise. Elysante can handle Ward Against Heat and Flames. However, Elysante's spont total is (Int 3 (house-rule) + Re 15 + Ig 5 + Aura 5)/5=6. She doesn't have Faerie-Raised Magic nor can she use fatigue when sponting. Meanwhile, Attravere's spont total is (Int 4 (house-rule) + Re 18 + Auram 4 + Aura 5 + Artes Liberales 2 + Philosophiae 0 + roll)/2. And since you have to take your 15 min/magnitude anyway, you might as well use grand gestures and a loud voice for another +2 to get to (35+roll)/2; it's not like ceremonial casting isn't already obvious. I would recommend trying to cast two Range: Touch, Target: Circle spells, one for cold (2 points lower due to Ignem) and one for air effects. Since you won't need penetration you can just go for as big a Soak as possible. That can be done in two hours, probably producing two level 15-20 wards. Then we're good to go.))
((Attravere doesn't need to use ceremonial casting. Check house rule thread. I did forget about Weak Spont though, even though Bearlord mentioned it yesterday. Circle/Ring wouldn't work; either he draws a ring on the ground that does affect Rhodri, the spell stops as soon as Rhodri leaves, or he draws a circle around the tower, and the effect covers the ground level only. I don't have Circle effects extend up as a cylinder because it seems pretty silly to imagine a hawk flying five miles up in the air would hit a circle target Ward Vs. Beasts drawn on the ground. They're more like hemispheres.))
((Anyhow, for simplicity's sake, we'll say Attravere cast both the spontaneous wards, I rolled two non-botches so withiut digging back up his character sheet let's say that's sufficient to cast the Lv 15 wards on each Erro and Rhodri. He can either rest between each spont or he can grab a covenfolk and swap Fatigue with them.))
What do Rhodri and Erro do?
((I think I wasn't clear enough. Target: Circle, not Duration: Ring. Using Target: Circle and Duration: Sun, for example.))
((OK, cool.))
Rhodri proceeds up to the top again in the same method as before. He'll wait for Erro before proceeding.
Erro will ask for a boost up from Attavere. He'll ask one of the other magi to stand at the balcony and find some consumables to throw in, maybe taunt the elementals. Once up, he'll comment to Rhodri, "i recall the airy one said you stank of the deep places. I think it meant the metal on you. I don't know if it might prefer to target you because of that or not. I'm going to wear my other skin in hopes I can smell it better. I'll let you know if I smell it coming." Erro will then change into his wolfhound form, hoping that will make him faster and make his nose keener.
Figuring they're not surprising the residents, Rhodri says "Again, we come in peace," as he walks into the lab from the balcony.
"Hrm, I'd appreciate a bit of protection as well just in case the guardians do decide that we're a threat. If they're intelligent I do think we should try to reason with them as recently added members of the covenant. Perhaps they'd recognize our casting tokens as those of allies?" Attravere will cast the soak spells he is able to on himself and hope for a heat ward from Elysante before send Erro up and then go up to the balcony himself. Once there he will watch and prepare to get them out if things should prove dangerous.