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An online Ars Magica session


Adrian

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Well unless he becomes possessed again, he won't leave us as he is in the majority of ways our leader due to his seniority to us. I also believe it would be somewhat against his common actions to leave us. (This is basically the idea of Baruch I created in my mind.)

 

But~~~~ CJ may send him to twilight forcing us to either leave him or wait or etc.

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...You do realize that Baruch will probably not be in the same exact location as the party and the dragon in right after a break right? Especially if last session was anything to go by. :)

Now this might be happening when we set our camp for the next night bevor Baruch comes online, but I doubt he will leave us during the trip.

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Right, I apologise unreservedly for the fact I am often the person contributing least to the forum discussion. I spend any spare time i have often working on stuff to get all the admin done.

 

So far I have made good progress on the covenant, and I thought you might like to see the Lab Texts in the Library of the City of Ivory & Jade.

 

These spells can be learned in a season if your INT + MAGIC THEORY + AURA 4 + TECHNIQUE + FORM (modified by appropriate Virtues and Flaws of course) equals or exceeds the Spell Level. Bit of an odd selection, but what you have to work with. Anything else you will have to invent yourselves or trade for. You can of course copy your own spells and add them to the Library. There are 300 Build Points worth here. Once I have finished statting the Covenant I am going to try to leave 100 or so BP for you chaps to add things, so do suggest if you would like to see another spell in the library, etc, etc. :)

 

If anyone wants to edit the list to appear by Form of the spell, that might be really useful too.

 

 

 

The Lab Texts

 

 

Aegis of the Hearth ReVi25

Aura of Ennobled Presence MuIm10

Aura of Inconsequence ReMe25

Aura of Rightful Authority ReMe20

The Beast Remade MuAn25

Bind Wound CrCo10

Breath of the Open Sky CrAu40

Breath of Winter ReAq15

Bridge of Frost ReAq30

Bridge of Wood CrHe20

The Call to Slumber ReMe10

Chaos of the Angry Waves ReAq30

The Chirurgeon's Healing Touch CrCo20

Circle of Beast Warding ReAn5

The Cloudless Sky Returned PeAu45

Commanding the Harnessed Beast ReAn30

Conjuring the Mystic Tower CrTe35

Dance of the Staves ReHe5

Discern Own Illusions InIm15

Disguise of the New Visage MuCo15

Doublet of Impenetrable Silk MuAn15

Earth that Breaks No More MuTe20

Eyes of the Bat InAu25

Eyes of the Eagle InIm25

Flames of Sculpted Ice MuIg35

The Gentle Beast ReAn25

Gift of the Bear's Fortitude MuCo25

Gloom of Evening PeIg10

Growth of the Creeping Things MuAn15

Hunt for the Wild Herb InHe5

Hunter's Lethal Arrow PeAn40

Ice of Drowning ReAq35

Image from the Wizard Torn ReIm30

The Leap of Homecoming ReCo35

Loss of But a Moment's Memory PeMe15

Maintaining the Demanding Spell ReVi20

Mirror of Opposition (Auram) MuVi25

Opening the Tome of the Animal's Mind InAn25

Posing the Silent Question InMe20

Pull of the Skybound Winds CrAu30

Quiet the Raging Winds PeAu20

Rise of the Feathery Body ReCo10

Rope of Bronze MuHe15

Sailor's Foretaste of the Morrow InAu20

Scales of the Magical Weight InVi5

Sense of the Lingering Magic InVi30

Seven-League Stride ReCo30

Sight of the Active Magics InVi40

Soothe the Raging Flames PeIg20

Summoning the Distant Image InIm25

The Tireless Flight ReCo20

True Sight of the Air InAu15

The Unseen Porter ReTe10

Veil of Invisibility PeIm20

Wall of Thorns CrHe20

Ward Against Faeries of the Mountain ReTe15

Ward Against Heat and Flames ReIg25

Watching Ward ReVi25

Waves of Drowning and Smashing ReAq30

Weight of a Thousand Hells CrMe25

Wings of the Soaring Wind CrAu30

Wizard's Communion MuVi15

Wizard's Eclipse PeIg35

Wizard's Icy Grip PeIg30

The Wizard's Mount CrAn35

Wizard's Reach (Auram) MuVi30

Total: Build Points: 300

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I just found a question the main rulebook doesn't cover (it wasn't in the index), and that is the definition of a sanctuary and how does a place become a sanctuary.

 

 

A Sanctum? I think it's in the index. A Sanctum is your own place - you may have one Sanctum in the city once a member of the Order of Hermes, and usually it contains your living quarters and or lab. Any other magi entering your Sanctum waives all their rights under the Code of Hermes - you may kill them with impunity. Scrying (spying by magic) on what someone does is always illegal, but even mundane spying on someone's Sanctum is frowned upon and will get you in legal trouble. You put a Sanctum marker on your door, and that's it, you can't be bothered and even if you invite someone in for tea you can kill them perfectly legally (remember Lucidia and Calpurnia?)

 

cj x

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This is the Vis Stocks for the Covenant as of Winter 1214. Note this is the current levels, not the Vis Sources which are added every season (60 paws of various types). The 6 remaining senior magi on the Covenant consume 72 pawns a year, and 5 are spent on casting the Aegis of the Hearth, so these stocks depreciate at 17 pawns a year at the moment. You as junior magi will each be assigned some Vis each year to spend (4 pawns) reducing the stocks further and faster. Baruch will now receive 6 pawns of Vis a year, in honour of his promotion, assuming he gets you all back in one piece.

 

Vis: Creo 30

Vis: Intellego 35

Vis: Muto 40

Vis: Perdo 7

Vis: Rego 75

Vis: Animal 20

Vis: Aquam 55

Vis: Auram 125

Vis: Corpus 45

Vis: Herbam 40

Vis: Ignem 15

Vis: Imaginem 25

Vis: Mentem 60

Vis: Terram 3

Vis: Vim 35

 

Build Points: 122

 

Though might be of some interest to a few of you.

 

cj x

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Animal

The Beast Remade MuAn25 (ArM5 p.119)

Circle of Beast Warding ReAn5 (ArM5 p.120)

Commanding the Harnessed Beast ReAn30 (ArM5 p.120)

Doublet of Impenetrable Silk MuAn15 (ArM5 p.118)

The Gentle Beast ReAn25 (ArM5 p.120)

Growth of the Creeping Things MuAn15 (ArM5 p.118)

Hunter's Lethal Arrow PeAn40 (HoH:TL p.102 Tethered!)

Opening the Tome of the Animal's Mind InAn25 (ArM5 p.118)

The Wizard's Mount CrAn35 (ArM5 p.117)

 

Aquam

Breath of Winter ReAq15 (ArM5 p.124)

Bridge of Frost ReAq30 (ArM5 p.124)

Chaos of the Angry Waves ReAq30 (ArM5 p.124)

Ice of Drowning ReAq35 (ArM5 p.124)

Waves of Drowning and Smashing ReAq30 (ArM5 p. 124)

 

Auram

Breath of the Open Sky CrAu40 (ArM5 p.126)

The Cloudless Sky Returned PeAu45 (ArM5 p.128)

Eyes of the Bat InAu25 (ArM5 p.127)

Pull of the Skybound Winds CrAu30 (ArM5 p.126)

Quiet the Raging Winds PeAu20 (ArM5 p.128)

Sailor's Foretaste of the Morrow InAu20 (ArM5 p.127)

True Sight of the Air InAu15 (ArM5 p.127)

Wings of the Soaring Wind CrAu30 (ArM5 p.126)

 

Corpus

Bind Wound CrCo10 (ArM5 p.129)

The Chirurgeon's Healing Touch CrCo20 (ArM5 p.129)

Disguise of the New Visage MuCo15 (ArM5 p.131)

Gift of the Bear's Fortitude MuCo25 (ArM5 p.131)

The Leap of Homecoming ReCo35 (ArM5 p.135)

Rise of the Feathery Body ReCo10 (ArM5 p.134)

Seven-League Stride ReCo30 (ArM5 p.135)

The Tireless Flight ReCo20 (HoH:TL p.102 Mutantum!)

 

Herbam

Bridge of Wood CrHe20 (ArM5 p.135)

Dance of the Staves ReHe5 (ArM5 p.138)

Hunt for the Wild Herb InHe5 (ArM5 p.136)

Rope of Bronze MuHe15 (ArM5 p.137)

Wall of Thorns CrHe20 (ArM5 p.135)

 

Ignem

Flames of Sculpted Ice MuIg35 (ArM5 p.142)

Gloom of Evening PeIg10 (ArM5 p.142)

Soothe the Raging Flames PeIg20 (ArM5 p.142)

Ward Against Heat and Flames ReIg25 (ArM5 p.143)

Wizard's Eclipse PeIg35 (ArM5 p.142)

Wizard's Icy Grip PeIg30 (ArM5 p.142)

 

Imaginem

Aura of Ennobled Presence MuIm10 (ArM5 p.145)

Discern Own Illusions InIm15 (ArM5 p.145)

Eyes of the Eagle InIm25 (ArM5 p.145)

Image from the Wizard Torn ReIm30 ((ArM5 p.147)

Summoning the Distant Image InIm25 (ArM5 p.145)

Veil of Invisibility PeIm20 (ArM5 p.146)

 

Mentem

Aura of Inconsequence ReMe25 (HoH:TL p.73)

Aura of Rightful Authority ReMe20 (ArM5 p.151)

The Call to Slumber ReMe10 (ArM5 p.151)

Loss of But a Moment's Memory PeMe15 (ArM5 p.151)

Posing the Silent Question InMe20 (ArM5 p.149)

Weight of a Thousand Hells CrMe25 (ArM5 p.148)

 

Terram

Conjuring the Mystic Tower CrTe35 (ArM5 p.153)

Earth that Breaks No More MuTe20 (ArM5 p.154)

The Unseen Porter ReTe10 (ArM5 p.156)

Ward Against Faeries of the Mountain ReTe15 (ArM5 p.155)

 

Vis

Aegis of the Hearth ReVi25 (ArM5 p.161)

Maintaining the Demanding Spell ReVi20 (ArM5 p.162)

Mirror of Opposition (Auram) MuVi25 (ArM5 p.159)

Scales of the Magical Weight InVi5 (ArM5 p. 158)

Sense of the Lingering Magic InVi30 (ArM5 p. 158)

Sight of the Active Magics InVi40 (ArM5 p.159)

Watching Ward ReVi25 (ArM5 p.162)

Wizard's Communion MuVi15 (ArM5 p.160)

Wizard's Reach (Auram) MuVi30 (ArM5 p.160)

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Next year. You don't get it as apprentices. You will receive it in a lump sum on your return to last you for 1215. The covenant aura is 4 btw, I decided after much working on Boons and Hooks. They are

 

BOONS

 

Fantastic Environment Major

Magical Fortress Major

Aura +1 Minor

Vast Aura Minor

Hidden Resources Minor

Local Languages Minor

 

HOOKS

 

Constantly Mobile Major

City Major

Pagans Major

Crumbling Minor

 

Totals Boons: 10, Hooks: 10

 

The Hooks and Boons are taken from the Covenants Supplement, but I will happily explain any if people want. They are fairly self-explanatory I think though.

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Any other magi entering your Sanctum waives all their rights under the Code of Hermes - you may kill them with impunity.

Now I'm convinced 100% that there's some connection between Ars Magica and the World of Darkness.

 

Probably concurrent development or something

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Now I'm convinced 100% that there's some connection between Ars Magica and the World of Darkness.

 

Probably concurrent development or something

 

Far more than that. Ars Magica was created by Jonathan Tweet and Mark Rhein*Hagen, with the Nephews (who are now Atlas Games ) and the lady from Paizo Publishing. I'm not sure on the exact history, but I think in the 80's they all lived in the same house as postgrad students or after college. They formed a company Lion Rampart, who published Ars Magica, and then later an rpg magazine called White Wolf which I still have copies of. Later Rhein*Hagen creates Vampire, and the World of Darkness and they decide to publish it as a White Wolf Game. The other take Lion Rampart and keep producing Ars, but nominally they are set in the same universe, so stuff from Ars Magica forms the back history for the World of Darkness. (So Ars Magica was effectively the precursor to the WoD).

 

After the success of Vampire they bring out a Third Edition of Ars Magica published by White Wolf. It's more overtly Gothic elements and tie in with WoD are not as popular as hoped, and the two gaming communities remain separate - and Ars uses a different mechanic after all to the rest of the WoD in terms of dice. So White Wolf decide to concentrate on WoD, and John and Michelle Nephew take on Ars Magica as Atlas Games, and have produced two more editions over the last 20+ years, ironically it seems outlasting White Wolf, though I am not sure exactly what the deal is with WW now. This could be wrong, but it is the impression I get.

 

So Paizo, WoD and Ars Magica (and Magic The Gathering - see below) all go back to one group in the mid to late 1980's who have really changed gaming.

 

cj x

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Thinking of such things, as I recently mentioned my convention Grand Tribunal UK I really should mention there is a VERY professional and good looking Ars Magica fanzine, only available as a pdf download, but of first rate quality. A subscription or single issue deal is available, and i heartily recommend it -- Sub Rosa -- http://www.subrosamagazine.org/

 

Anyone subscribed yet? I am a fan :)

 

cj x

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Far more than that. Ars Magica was created by Jonathan Tweet and Mark Rhein*Hagen, with the Nephews (who are now Atlas Games ) and the lady from Paizo Publishing. I'm not sure on the exact history, but I think in the 80's they all lived in the same house as postgrad students or after college. They formed a company Lion Rampart, who published Ars Magica, and then later an rpg magazine called White Wolf which I still have copies of. Later Rhein*Hagen creates Vampire, and the World of Darkness and they decide to publish it as a White Wolf Game. The other take Lion Rampart and keep producing Ars, but nominally they are set in the same universe, so stuff from Ars Magica forms the back history for the World of Darkness. (So Ars Magica was effectively the precursor to the WoD).

 

After the success of Vampire they bring out a Third Edition of Ars Magica published by White Wolf. It's more overtly Gothic elements and tie in with WoD are not as popular as hoped, and the two gaming communities remain separate - and Ars uses a different mechanic after all to the rest of the WoD in terms of dice. So White Wolf decide to concentrate on WoD, and John and Michelle Nephew take on Ars Magica as Atlas Games, and have produced two more editions over the last 20+ years, ironically it seems outlasting White Wolf, though I am not sure exactly what the deal is with WW now. This could be wrong, but it is the impression I get.

 

So Paizo, WoD and Ars Magica (and Magic The Gathering - see below) all go back to one group in the mid to late 1980's who have really changed gaming.

 

cj x

 

/butting in, probably rudely

 

White Wolf's still doing fine, but has switched to online distributing. You generally get a book a month from them. They're still doing old/classic World of Darkness, new World of Darkness, Exalted (third edition is coming third edition is coming so excited ahhh!), and I believe they're working on a new edition for Scion. Mummy: the Curse should be out sometime next month.

 

Ars Magica is still considered to have been the backstory for classic World of Darkness's Mage the Ascension, though in general the fans didn't like that too much, so now it's sort of more a few cute tie-ins then anything else (just like Exalted being the backstory for classic World of Darkness also was rather disliked by fans).

 

An obvious connection between the two comes from Ars Magica's Houses of Hermes, House Tremere. Sounds sort of familiar to Vampire the Masquerade players and Mage the Ascension players, huh? In Ars Magica, though, the vampire uprising in House Tremere is crushed and the house survives, discredited but alive all the same. In the World of Darkness, House Tremere wipes itself out, Mage-wise, and becomes the hax0r Vampire Clan we all love to hate instead. A small difference with big consequences for both games.

 

In fifth edition Ars Magica, though, the whole vampire thing isn't even mentioned at all. They've tried to pull Ars Magica further away from the World of Darkness. I think it's sort of a pity, but I was one of those fans who liked the backstory.

 

Well, that's the word from the resident White Wolf fangirl. Keep playing, your logs are fun to read. :)

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Most of my WoD experience actually comes from the nearly critically bugged (but still awesome) Vampires: the Masquerade: Bloodlines. I believe that it's set in the classic WoD setting, so I don't have any knowledge of the other. To my knowledge, I believe the Tremere in WoD were the only ones to use anything that might be close to be magic. the rest were mostly limited to supernatural abilities.

 

Very fascinating!

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Thanks Mikka! I have taken part in the Mummy Kickstarter, but thought the name of the company had changed. :) I see Mark Rhein*Hagen is running a boardgames business I think these days. I should really have a look at Facebook see what he is up to now.

 

All you say is true, except 5th ed Ars Magica deliberately diverged. Now House Tremere never had a Vampire takeover - the new book on the Transylvania Tribunal Against the Dark for Ars Magica arrived yesterday. http://www.amazon.com/Against-Dark-Transylvanian-Tribunal-Magica/dp/1589781309 or http://www.atlas-games.com/product_tables/AG0302.php Interesting stuff if you play a Tremere or have a character from Transylvania. Only available as print edition at moment, but will be on pdf in a couple of years as normal.

 

Mikka, is there any truth to rumours of a Third edition WoD ruleset? I notice new Mummy still uses NWoD? And you are always welcome to join in and chat that's the point of forums, hell you could join the game if you wanted but that will have to be the limit for new players for the moment unless someone drops out, as it is confusing enough already!

 

cj x

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I dont understand the exact meaning of the Minor Hook Crumbling,

It mean the place lack maintenance or badly made (not likely), so there's enormous crack on the wall and will eventually fall to pieces. Nice for Gothic theme apparently.

 

Basically the wall defense sucks and we need to repair the place before house/tower/castle starts to fall apart.

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Yes, the buildings have started to collapse in places; many lie derelict, and vines and creepers grow over the streets, with some almost filled with underbrush. large cracks have appeared in the stonework, and even the disk itself the city flies upon has fissures that you can see as you fly below it...

 

cj x

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