Shatter the Bon Vivant’s Glass

Creo Imagonem 10, R: Voice, D: Momentary, T: Individual

The caster creates a short high pitched burst of sound next to a glass item, which is shattered by the sound. The caster must succeed a Finesse check vs base 6 to correctly target the sound. The sound created is very loud.

(Base 3 to break glass with Finesse check 6+, range to Voice +3)

This is a simple spell to shatter an item made from glass, without targeting the glass itself with magic. The Finesse should be modified by other conditions, however the base has been chosen as the area of effect of noise is large enough so that the spell should be easy to target in non-complicated situations.

The Harpies Screech

Creo Imagonem 20, R: Voice, D: Momentary, T: Individual

This effect creates a sound so loud and piercing that it causes disorientation and possibly panic to those who hear it. The caster is protected from the effect by the Rego requisite which protects them from the worst of the effect. Creatures must succeed a Stamina 12+ check are dazed and disorientated. Animals may also be panicked by the effect.

The effect can be heard by anyone who is within range, although a creature’s magic resistance must be overcome for the worst of the effects to apply. This is a debatable aspect of Imagonem magic, which should be discussed before the spell is taken (see Imagonem guidelines and the additional thoughts).

(Base 3, +3 Range to Voice, +1 Rego requsite, +1 for a very difficult stam check vs 12 or higher)

I could see this effect being used in a defensive item or spell, which required a Stamina check round by round as the caster either fights or escapes. Against mundanes it is potentially very useful. The discussion of Magic Resistance is an issue as sounds traditionally are not subject to MR/Parma. I think that makes Imagonem too powerful, so would allow MR to apply against the worst of the effects, but still prohibit normal speech in an area where this effect is present. Like trying to talk near a car alarm.

Gift of the Echoing Voice

Muto Imagonem 15, R: Touch, D: Concentration, T: Structure

The target’s natural speaking voice echos through the target area, sounding as if it is naturally occurring. The sound grows outward from the target, becoming slightly louder, but echoing from all surfaces through the structure.

(Base 1 for Sound, +1 for slightly unnatural behavior, +1 for Range to Touch as sound leaves the Magus, +1 Duration to Concentration, and +3 for Target to Structure)

This spell is not designed with the standard guidelines or the new suggestions, instead it is an attempt to demonstrate some other typical uses for Imagonem magic. The spell Target of Structure was chosen as it is of the same magnitude as Hearing, which seemed a suitable synergy for making a voice unnaturally echo in a place where it would not normally do so.

Deafen the Surly Turncoat

Creo Imagonem 10, R: Voice, D: Momentary, T: Individual

This effect creates a momentary explosion of sound which is powerful enough to potentially deafen those close to it. Creature successfully targeted by the caster’s Finesse check of 6+ must then pass a Stamina check vs 9+, or they are deafened for approximately two minutes.

The effect is perfect for ending conversations with belligerent subordinates.

(Base 3, +3 Range to Voice)

This last spell is handy to have around for grogs. I cannot imagine that a Magus would be so rude as to need to be punished with it, although at level 10 it is certainly plausible that it could be used and potentially penetrate Parma Magica.

The background of it works like this: the Criamon cosmology contains a couple of apocalyptic elements. Twilight is only possible because Criamon holds the way to Twilight open (in this sense he’s similar to certain types of Buddha) and his followers are seeking Wisdom because they are meant to find a better solution before his strength fails and he must pass into Twilight himself, which will close the way behind him. The genius locus of the Cave of Twisting Shadows has something to do with the plan, as does the prophesied return of the missing Primi. Some Criamon even believe they know which number is the final Primus (because Criamon designed their sepulchres and only left a certain number of spaces).

There’s also this idea that the parts of the psyches of magi who go into Twilight in an impure state fall back into the world, as magical aberrations. This hasn’t been picked up in any of the later books, and if the whole combined writing project for November  falls through I might do thirty of these. Basically there are a heap of these aberrant magical begins out there, and they can combine into new and worse forms. Criamon himself potentially left one of these things behind. He’s hinted at a couple of times: he’s an embodiment of all of Criamon’s spiritual failures. That  doesn’t make him powerful, because Criamon was a great guy, but it does make him dangerous, because he probably understand the apocalypse better than anyone else.

So, he’s the villain.

A time comes when the path to twilight, which is represented as the World Tree, which the Hermetics stole from Transylvania (which is from Hedge Magic, not the upcoming book) is about to fail. Various old magi don’t go into Twilight when they botch spells, they just die horrifically. The shadow of the tree leads to a piece of the magic realm where the leftover bits of Criamon’s psyche are about to poison the world, using centuries of Hermetic aberrations to do the damage. The Genius of the Cave knows it can’t send magi against the creature, because it can just pull fresh aberrations from the souls of magi, sending them into Twilight and bolstering its forces, so it calls champions from the Redcap tradition, reaching out through time and selecting those with non-Hermetic powers.

The player characters are:

Belin was active in the early years of the Order, and is the oldest. She has the skills to deal with mortals, and understands much of the structure of the Order in 1220. She knew Criamon, and may have some inkling of how the Enigma works. Belin is a throwback to the Bloodline of Heroes, which predates the Order.

Characters from after Belin remember her as the Perfect Redcap, and that she mysteriously disappeared.

Ricardo is in his forties, and comes from the Renaissance, from an Order which fought a shadowy war against the Ventetians and was given land and concessions in exchange for peace. The Knights of the Ibis, of which he is a ranked member, are the putative owners of this small territory, but they are just a face for the Order. Ricardo has the sort of military hardware you’d associate with the leader of a magical band of musketeers. He brings the firepower, and can at least understand much of the Order, because he knows the pre-war layout of Europe. He has some items of Strange Magic, a Realm which appeared after 1220, filled with clockwork spirits.

Characters from after Ricardo’s time remember him as the Order’s point man in the Blue Hummingbird War, against the Diedne Empire in South America. During the War he rose to the Generalship of the Knights, and subdued Feathered Serpent Territories, which were all-but ruled by the Order through the Knights.

Montpellier is in his late twenties, and is the descendant of a mid-African tribe of blacksmith wizards who joined the Order in the late 1600s, although he comes from 1890. Montpellier is an amputee, but it is hard to tell, because he wears a suit of thin, super-toughened, bronze that moves like a body would, giving him a full body prosthesis. He can’t project force, but he’s basically unkillable in the suit, and has heroic strength and stamina. The suit’s strangest device is its Baraka Engine, which allows him to swap vis, confidence points, and pips on rolled dice around. This is non-Hermetic magic, from the Sudanese tradition.

Janet remembers Montpellier as the first leader of both the Sudanese and Verditius traditions, merging them, and being the first Primus to move a Domus Magnus outside of Europe. He also invented methods of sending spells over telegraph wires, using old Roman Road magic.

Janet is a courier in a modern world, serving a secret cabal of wizards. Her magic items are all implants, although they are not detectable to casual observation. She has a familiar-spirit which was personally tailored for her, and force grown using something that the Soqotrans might vaguely recognise as tree spirit binding. It looks like a mobile  phone most of the time. It also works as a phone, and is filled with preloaded incantations. Once pulled into the past she can feed her phone with Magical Ambience or vis, but can’t get a signal to change her apps. She’s a bit of a history nerd, so she’s not absolutely lost, and she was swept from time while on a camping holiday so she has some excellent modern gear, but she’s the least experienced character.

There’ no-one here to tell Janet what she does that makes her an epitome of redcapness.

Today I presented Playing History, the research project on tabletop role-playing games and historical literacy that I did with the historian Kaitlin Heller. It was part of a Teachers College symposium on how game design decisions impact learning – including Seung-Oh Paek on touch versus mouse interfaces, Dan Hoffman on choice and feedback, and Aaron Hung on the material conditions of players’ lives.

I thought it was an unusually good panel. As our discussant put it, the papers challenged each other. For example, I looked deeply at players’ in-game activities, complementing Aaron’s focus on how games intersect with players’ day-to-day lives. It made me realize that as I continue to work on role-playing games, I need to think about how players deploy their real-world resources in order to play successfully, or even in order to be able to play at all. That insight alone was worth the trip!

Slides from the talk are here, though be aware: I’m a Powerpoint minimalist, so the slides don’t tell the whole story on their own.

If you check out the slides, you’ll notice I’ve got one slide hidden at the end, after the obvious closing slide. I wanted to be prepared to talk about how I’m connecting the work to two sets of standards: Jenkins’ 21st century skills and Seixas’s benchmarks of historical thinking. These are the two frameworks we’re using to analyze the data we collected. Our first paper was on Ars Magica and 21st century skills*, and I’m just starting to think about the second paper on evaluating the game through the lens of historical assessment.

I’ve been strategically choosing what sessions to attend with this new paper in mind. It turns out that it’s a really useful way to navigate a huge conference like this one. It pushes me to go to sessions given by people I don’t know, instead of staying in my comfortable games-and-technology world. But it also gives me an immediate, concrete, and specific context for applying the big ideas I’m encountering. I’m not left floundering in a sea of abstraction, because as soon as I hear people talk, I’m asking myself how I can use what they’re saying in my own work.

The moral of the story? I should have a cool new project at every AERA. That way I’ll keep having intellectual adventures!

* I keep wanting to make a joke about 21st century skills in the 13th century, but I can’t quite come up with a good punchline. Can you?

Some effects might not be perfectly in-line with the core spell guidelines, and often Ars Magica spells cause debate due to many interpretations or variations. YSMV.

Ignite the Incriminating Writ

Creo Ignem 5 / Herbam, R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Individual

This effect ignites a targeted item item quickly providing a fire which will likely destroying it and leaving only ash. The spell was invented for use on writs and other paper documents which could be either incriminating or hold Magi to agreements which they would prefer to avoid.

(Base 3 as ignite parchment, +2 Voice, +0 He Requisite)

A second version of the spell was invested which could be used at great range using an arcane connection, for those documents that the caster wishes to remove after signing them, and handing them to another.

Ignite the Promiscuous Memoir

Creo Ignem 25 / Requisite, R: Arc, D: Mom, T: Individual

This effect ignites an item connected via an arcane connection, thereby providing a fire which will likely destroying it. The item may be in almost any anything slightly flammable such leather, damp wool.

The spell was invented for use on writs and books, but can also be used to ignite almost any material.

(Base 5 as ignite something slightly flammable, +4 Arc)

Melt the Vanguard’s Arms

Creo Ignem 25 / Terram, R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Part

Up to ten metal items carried by or on the target are heated to melting point. Thus a soldiers sword, helm, and segments of armor will all instantly be burning hot, and melt. This has a side effect of inflicting +5 damage per round while metal items targeted are carried or worn.

(Base 10 heat an object to melting point, +2 Voice, +1 to increase number of parts targeted, +0 Te Requisite)

Conceal the Fire within the Arrow

Muto Ignem 25 / Herbam, R: Touch, D: Diameter, T: Individual

This spell changes a fire up to the size of a small campfire (+5 damage) into an arrow or bolt suitable for use by an archer. The size and form of the projectile is chosen by the caster. The arrow can be used and fired normally until the duration of the spell expires, when it will revert back into a fire.

(Base 10 to change into an unnatural element of another form, +1 Herbam requisite, +1 Touch, +1 Diameter)

Part of the Blogging A to Z initiative, is to create an A-Z list of some sort, and I’m posting what ever random thoughts pop into my head for each letter of the alphabet.

Companions are the boon and bane of Ars Magica games; mainly boon. They provided a needed and valuable anchor into the mundane world for the Magi, and can have stories as interesting and developed as Magi stories. Unfortunately they can be mild by comparison to the lethality of a mage, which places them within a difficult space when Magi and Companions are encountering a challenge. What challenges the wizard will often outright slay the companion, and likewise any grogs.

Superficially this is ok, as is it both by design, and also marks the strong division between the two story characters. A story where many combative magi blast their way across Mythic Europe will end badly for a magus eventually. There is a similar but smaller gulf between a Companion character and a Grog character, where again the threats need to be smaller, expected skills lower, and the overall challenge subdued.

All three character types are no less challenging in scenarios where mechanical resolution is sidetracked by role playing. So what is a GM to do? Well starting stories which cannot be brute forced closed with magic or a skill roll is the way to go. Let the character resolve the story within their own skill set, regardless of their core type: Magus, Companion, Grog.

Well then, what remains for Companions?

Well themselves as hooks via flaws and virtues for stories is a fair call. Make the companions the story, and let the players choice of virtues and flaws tell the story that the GM never intended.

In that spirit, here are some Companions to consider, sans mechanics.

Craic the Woodsman.

Craic is the third born child of a gentle and prosperous family. He started life just like all his siblings, but soon demonstrated an propensity for getting into trouble, and unfortunately no real skill in getting out again. Time and time again Craic was rescued from trouble by either his father or his eldest brother, and soon began to rely on the extended family to resolve his dilemmas.

Craic makes a modest living as a woodsman and guide for the lean forests that surround his district, and despite his well know reputation, he consistently finds his skills needed by travellers and the wider townsfolk. To his credit Craic is not afraid of a challenge and has found infrequent praise for rising above where other men would have given up or failed.

As the true black sheep, his knack for trouble follows him. His stories maybe previous bargains found to be hollow promises which impact his new employer. Or perhaps it is covenant land that Craic journeys into, finding and sharing secrets and rumours of the Magi with the common folk. In any case Craic will prove he has some worth, but still require assistance or generosity to escape unscathed from the story; which up till now he has been able to do.

Ashai the Regulator

Ashai was never bothered by her lack of the gift when compared with other Magi. As a member of House Mercere she understood her role intimately – to provide the networks and connections which facilitate the commerce of the order. From this and a keen interest in mathematics and commerce, she excelled as a Redcap. Brokering trades, advising Magi, conducting research, and many other activities over her tenure with the tribunal.

Over time the role became more specalised, to the present day where her daily activities concentrate on regulating and monitoring the transactions which occur through Harco. It is Ashai’s calculation which help form the baselines for fees and penalties as used by the Quaesitory, her protocols which protected each side of a transaction, and her hand which guides the ongoing commerce of the order.

Personally she is reserved, polite, and uncomfortable with direct confrontation. Preferring instead to communicate by letter and messenger. She is highly organised and structured in her life and her thinking.

Some seeds might be:

• Ashai finds that a previous transaction was greatly weighed against the covenant, and while she cannot undo the transaction; she introduces herself to barter on their behalf.
• Ashai seeks a companion to track down lost materials, where traditional redcaps cannot travel.

Part of the Blogging A to Z initiative, is to create an A-Z list of some sort, and I’m posting what ever random thoughts pop into my head for each letter of the alphabet.

Still so far behind.

Yes, Linda and I are expecting our first child soonish, and so I have not volunteered to run anything at AusCon in May.  If it turns out that fatherhood is substantially simpler than my research indicates, I’ll be along.  (joke!)

There won’t be any delay in my next book.  David, the Line Manager, keeps the Ars Magica pipeline stuffed with books. The team finished Transylvania (which is formally called Against the Dark) back in 2010, if recollection is accurate.  Actually, Transylvania’s not my next book, Grogs is, and I wrote the main parts of what I eventually contributed to that in 2007 and 2009. They didn’t fit in the projects I’d written them for, and so they sort of waited around on my hard drive until the perfect project came along.

There won’t be any delay in any of the books I’m contributing to after Transylvania. My slate’s clear on primary drafting: I didn’t pitch for a couple of books, so there will be a patch in 2013 somewhere where I’m not an author on anything, rather like the recent patch, which corresponded to a health scare I had in May 2010. Mark will overtake me as “Guy who has written the most Ars books” in the next little while.  8)  Well, other than David of course.

I am still working on some ideas. I can’t discuss them at this stage, but basically on a recent project I threw aside my more recent, quite tidy style of writing and went back to my old, more meandering style. As a result I have these two huge chunks of text and research which don’t fit anything and will eventually become chapters in books, or articles, or web page material. I also have three..I don’t know what to call them.  Guided saga arcs?  I haven’t even started writing them yet, but I have solid ideas.

So, basically, if you’ve asked why I mentioned it in AusCon circles but not in Ars circles, it’s not because its putting anything behind: I just didn’t think to mention it until after the baby actually arrives.

I think it is interesting to consider how else sound might be used in Ars magica so that it becomes a more versatile aspect of the magic system. The effects that would be hardy are sonic booms, very loud distractions, sound pitch that can shatter glass, and then sound so intense that it can cause harm.

The base Imaginem effect at level 1 allows a sound to be created and this is likely to be at a volume appropriate to a strong speaking voice (R: Voice in the ruleset). A basic sound has a point of creation, and the sound would travel normally from that point outward. This means that sound effects are essentially naturally occurring area of effect spells.

With that in mind modify I’m suggesting some optional additional baselines of:

• Base 1: A strong speaking voice.
• Base 2: A loud sound. A very intricate image is +1 mag, so a very loud noise would be +1 mag too. Any effects that are going to be special or complex should be considered at least +1 mag. This is akin to yelling.
• Base 3: Breaking Glass. Based upon a loud sound (above), I think it would need an extra step of +1 mag to break glass using a particular pitch, for the sake of complexity. And it seems reasonable to require a Finesse check to control the sound approx 6+ difficulty. This makes it an easy effect for a magus with reasonable Finesse, but not automatic for other casters.
• Base 3 Deafening. Based upon a loud sound (above), perhaps a +1 level of complexity could deafen people near the effect, but that sound would not break glass. A very accurate finesse roll to place the sound next to the target’s ear. And a Stam check of 9+ would be reasonable to resist, those who pass are not deafened.
• Base 4 Inflicting Damage. Damaging with sound (as in a momentary explosion of violent unnatural sound) is +4 on the base 1, making a +4 effect that inflicts a small amount of damage. This is calculated as a base 1, +1 for an unnatural sound, and +2 for very loud. A level 4 effect inflicts +0 damage. This base can then adjusted using normal R,D,T, and also +2 mags per +5 spell damage applied.
  • So Base 4 for +0 damage,
  • Base 10 for +5 damage,
  • and Base 20 for +10, etc.
• Damaging sound has an advantage in that it is an area of effect spell by default, and that it should create a range of decreasing damage the further the target is away form the point of creation. I suggest target which are not correctly targeted by the damage should still have some effect if they are close.
  • For each pace or few paces (akin to melee range) that a potential target is away they reduce any damage by -5. This means a +10 damaging effect could be targeted in a tight group of soldiers and inflict +5 to all of them.
  • If the potential target is a few paces away (Near) they should reduce the damage by -10. The same +10 damage spell would become a +0 spell.
• Creating sound in an unnatural shape is +1 mag harder too, which when applied to sound means sending shaped sound, akin to a cone effect.

So breaking glass is base 3, and deafening a person is also base 3, and using sound as a weapon as Level 10 to inflict +10 damage – all before range and other modifiers.

Range and targeting is also a factor for sound effects. A caster might be able to create a harmful thunderclap at Touch, but at that range it would also harm them as much as the target (just like a fire would) as the sound will project naturally.

The tricky side questions:

• Q1. Does sound created magically allow MR to apply?
• A1. In short yes, and it is a problem I can’t answer very well as yet. Images that are illusions are not automatically dispelled just because a magus views them and the magus has high magic resistance. So to a sound is created and emanates, affecting all those around it. But a damaging sound (designed to inflict ham) might actually just pass around the magic, then they hear the effect, but do not suffer an ill effects from it. The sound is muted or almost neutralised by their resistance.
  • This answer contradicts the Ars Magica cannon, which rules that species ignores MR. It is an open debate that really is influenced on the source of the sound. Magically creating a lightning bolt, which causes a natural thunderclap means the thunder is not resisted, but the lightning is. YSMV.
• Q2. Can the sound be controlled to a specific shape?
• A2. Akin to an visual illusion that can only be seen from some angles? I’s say yes here too, and would be looking to use an increase in spell level to represent the complexity, and also targeting rolls. Like some aquam effects, it is probably better to use it in its more natural form.
• Q3. What effects assist with soaking the damage for sound?
• A3. I think expecting sound to be one of those special damage types that might ignore armor is a stretch, although I can see why a really vicious sound might ignore the armor that a person is wearing. In my sagas armor would assist normally.

See forum thread for more, and the background discussion of how the levels are effects were worked out.

Within the Ars Magica spell guidelines are many powers that have not been expanded into complete spells. This post is an extrapolation of those guidelines specifically for creating liquid poisons. Many sagas might find the explanations obvious, but I hope that by demonstrating some variations there will be wider use of the more obscure guidelines.

The Assassin’s Lethal Draft is a non-subtle spell which conjures a dose of poison so harmful that it will kill everyone except the hardiest person. It is very high level, fast acting, and despite its potency, difficult to use.

The Assassin’s Lethal Draft

Creo Aquam 45, R: Touch, D: Diameter, T: Individual

This spell creates a single draft of lethal poison that inflicts a Fatal wound on the person who drinks it, unless they succeed a Stamina check of 9+.

The poison created is a dram (or teaspoon) of colorless odorless liquid, which may be added to drinks or conjured within a cup the caster is touches. The poison is harmless if it is not ingested.

(Base 25 for a fatal poison, +2 to increase the check to 9+, +1 Touch, +1 Diameter)

While the spell creates a very powerful poison, it’s application is not easy and it is not subtle, and it could be argued that other spells can achieve more flexibility with fewer levels. Despite that, it shows that Creo Aquam magic has powerful uses.

The spell could be modified to be lower level by compromising on the difficulty of the Stamina check, and on the damage inflicted. As example this spell inflicts a medium wound, and can be resisted a little easier. It would also be far easier for a Magus to learn or create, and has the same degree of social complexity in its use.

The Assassin’s Churning Draft

Creo Aquam 25, R: Touch, D: Diameter, T: Individual

This spell creates a single draft of poison that inflicts a Medium wound on the person who drinks it, unless they succeed a Stamina check of 6+.

The poison created is a dram (or teaspoon) of colorless odorless liquid, which may be added to drinks or conjured within a cup the caster is touches. The poison is harmless if it is not ingested.

(Base 10 for a medium poison, +1 to increase the check to 6+, +1 Touch, +1 Diameter)

An alternate and favorite poisoning technique from roleplaying games is apply a poison to a weapon’s blade, and use it within combat. A spell to create this effect will need to frequently refresh the poison, and also ensure that it is always applied to the blade.

When using the spell you might start to consider its use on blunt weapons, making the poison a contact poison, or what happens when the wielder botches a combat roll. All I can suggest is that poisons should be dangerous and treated with both fear and respect, with the particulars left to the GM to thrash out.

As an example spell:

Sheath of the Serpent’s Venom

Creo Aquam 30 / Rego, R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Individual

This spell coats the blade of a weapon in a constantly refreshing poison. When the weapon successfully inflicts damage to an opponent the victim must succeed a Stamina check vs 6+ or also receive an additional Light wound.

Weapons enhanced by this spell will noticeably drip the venom if inspected, and the poison can be carefully taken from the weapon and used in other ways. Use of poisons is highly disregarded in most regions.

(Base 5 to inflict a light wound, +1 Rego to control the liquid’s movement on the blade, +1 to raise the check difficulty to 6+, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)

Something worth noting in the poisons spell guidelines is the fact that it is a lot easier to change an existing liquid into a poison than to create it from nothing. The spells above use the Creo Aquam rules to create poisons, but Muto grants a far better base for poisons that are easier to conjure.

Taint the Drunkard’s Desire

Muto Aquam 15, R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Individual

The target liquid of this spell is altered to become a medium strength poison. An hour after it is ingested the poison inflicts a Medium wound on any drinker for each dose consumed.

The poison may be resisted by succeeding a Stamina check vs 6+. The spell may transform any single portion of of a beverage including water, wine, beer, or spirits up to one gallon.

(Base 3 to inflict an Medium wound, +1 to raise the check difficulty to 6+, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)

Or another version to inflict a Incapacitating wound.

Call for the Drunkard’s Demise

Muto Aquam 25, R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Individual

The target liquid of this spell is altered to become a powerful poison. An hour after it is ingested the poison inflicts a Incapacitating wound on any drinker for each dose consumed.

The poison may be resisted by succeeding a Stamina check vs 6+. The spell may transform any single portion of of a beverage including water, wine, beer, or spirits up to one gallon.

(Base 5 to inflict an Incapacitating wound, +1 to raise the check difficulty to 6+, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)

A key difference between the Creo poisons vs the Muto poisons is the onset time chosen in the spell descriptions, where the Muto poisons take effect later. This is an arbitrary choice I made when designing the spells, and it is fair to say that the onset time could be switched or altered to any duration within the bounds of the overall spell effect.

Both Muto and Creo poisons are excellent in terms of leaving no remains after the liquids return to normal, essentially an apothecary would not be able to distinguish what poison was used, only perhaps the subtle description of how it manifested – which again is up to the troupe to decide.

There are also far less subtle examples of poison use, where the presence of the toxin is irrefutable; such as changing all the air in a room to be a corrosive acid.

The Toxic Solar

Muto Auram 30, R: Touch, D: Diameter, T: Room

This spell changes the air within a room touched to a highly corrosive gas which inflicts +10 damage per round to everything within. This gas will also damage delicate items within the room, such as paper, food, fur and cloth.

(Base 10 for Level as damage, +1 Touch, +1 Diameter, +2 Room)

This is a moderately difficult spell, but it is very effective and difficult for normal people to survive within. Casting this spell on a few prisoners in a locked cell will all but assure their deaths without ever touching the targets.

Lastly I thought it appropriate to show how magic can be used to construct a natural poison. With this spell the material parts of a mundane poison are processed by magic to be highly effective and created very quickly. A poison produced in this manner is entirely non-magical, and so will affect a wizard and mundane in the same manner – which means Magi have a reason to be cautious about food, drinks, and weapons along with everybody else.

Extract the Essence of Serqet

Rego Herbam 20, Aquam Animal, R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Individual

This spell processes a poisoner’s raw ingredients into a near perfect extract.

The quality of the final result is determined by a Finesse roll vs 6, where results lower than this amount do not produce an effective poison, and rolls that far exceed it will increase potency.

All of the materials fro normal processing and steps must be provided for the spell to produce an effective product.

(Base 3 to perform the craft process within moments, +4 reduction of Finesse difficulty by 12, +1 Touch)

The rationale for the spell is interesting as it relies on the new-ish rules for crafting using rego. Typically a spell can perform any act which a artisan or craftsman can, but at +3 to the higher base difficulty. I’m comfortable saying that creating of a poison is very hard, so would have a base of 15+ on a Stat + Skill roll, which becomes 18+ when performed by magic. However just like the difficulty of saves and effects can be lowered by making the spell a higher level, the Finesse roll can also modified downward, at +1 for each -3 reduction.

Some newscaster has pointed out that our winter hasn’t been this light since 1932, which means that we have essentially skipped winter before and survived. The world didn’t end and regular, savagely heavy with snowfall and bitter temperature winters did, and will, return. It is a once in an eighty year event. Now if I lived in a mythic land, say the Mythic Finger Lakes, then there might be some other event that followed such a once-in-a-lifetime event. Maybe some rare and mystical creature arrives on the coattails of an early spring. And with that in mind as I walked into the library on my way to my office, I saw a poster notification heralding an upcoming horticultural lecture, emblazoned with this image,

,

and in idea formed.

Naturally, when I think about magical creatures I think about the Ars Magica role-playing game. Realizing that I hadn’t posted anything Ars in a while I thought I might stat up one of these dancing tubers for your edification and enjoyment. Early in the process my mind jogged back to former days spent exploring the Expedition to the Barrier Peaks, an D&D module that forever changed my connection to the game, both spoiling my original naivety and adding depths of wonder and imagination. That conversation is another post, however, but I encourage the reader to chide me if I have strayed too close to Mr. Gygax’s vegepygmy.

Der Tübermensch

Magic Might:  15 (Herbam)
Season: Spring
Characteristics: Int —2, Per +1, Pre —3, Com +2, Str +2, Sta +3, Dex +3, Qik —2
Size: 0
Virtues & Flaws: Magic Thing; Magical Monster; Entrancement, Essential Virtue (Lissome Dancer), Ways of the Fields; Unaffected by the Gift;  Bound to Magic, Hunger for Herbam Magic, Sensitive Sight
Magical Qualities & Inferiorities: No Fatigue (free), ; Greater Power, Ritual Power (x4); Gift of Speech, Improved Powers; Temporary Might,
Personality Traits: Lissome Dancer (Dexterity) +6*, Meddlesome +3, Persistant +3
Combat:
Fist: Init —2, Atk +8, Dfn +3, Dam +2
Soak: +3
Wound Penalties: —1 (1—5), —3 (6—10), —5 (11—15), Incapacitated (16— 20), Dead (21+)
Abilities: Athletics 3 (dancing), Brawl 4 (fist), Entrancement 5 (“Dance with me”), Garden Lore 3 (crop species), Leadership 5 (trained groups),
Powers:
Tanzen Sie der Knolletanz!, 5 points, Init —12, Corpus: This ritual power, “Dance the Tuber Dance!”, transforms a human dancer into a Tübermensch. The Mentem requisite changes the target’s mind into that of a Tübermensch’s, and the other requisites give the transformed Tübermensch its magical powers.
(Base 25, +1 Touch, +1 Herbam requisite, +1 Corpus requisite, +1 Mentem requisite, +1 Terram requisite).
The Dance of Nerthus, 10 points, Init —12, Herbam: By dancing around the perimeter of a planted field, this ritual power forces all seeds to mature into fully developed plants in a single day. Nerthus is a pagan Germanic fertility goddess.
(Base 15, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +4 Boundary)
Summon the Orchard Sentinel, 3 points, Init —5, Herbam: This power animates a tree and places it under the Tübermensch’s mental control. The tree may walk, slowly.
(Base 5, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +2 Size adjustment)
The Earth’s Carbuncle, 1 point, Init —3, Terram: As the spell, ArM5, page 156.
Vis: 3 pawns of Herbam in its “heart”
Appearance: A man-sized, bipedal, anthropomorphic dancing carrot or parsnip (or other tuber).

Tübermensch or Knollemensch (German for “the Tuber men”) are magic things that exist deep within the Magic Realm. Their sole delight is procreation, and every instinct propels them to make more of themselves. Asexual beings, a Tübermensch can only reproduce by transforming other people into Tübermensch, which they do through a magical, ritualistic dance.

A Tübermensch has a special form of the Entrancement Ability that it activates through dance. Instead of the usual Presence + Entrancement roll, the Tübermensch makes a Dexterity + Entrancement roll to entice a target to dance, which is a Questionable command (see ArM5, page 65). If successful, the target dances with the Tübermench, at which point the creature activates its ritual power, Tanzen Sie der Knolletanz. This process is not instantaneous; the dancer must dance with the Tübermensch for 2 hours before the transformation is complete.

A beneficial power of the Tübermensch is its ability to make a planted field grow into fully matured crops in a single day. Some farmers will try to entice the Tübermensch to their fields, making offerings and supplications to the Germanic goddess Nerthus in hopes that the Tübermensch will come. There is no connection between the pagan goddess and the magical tubers, but superstitious farmers don’t know that.

Tübermensch don’t often venture forth from their mystical garden home, tucked away in some verdant niche regio of the Magic Realm. But once every 80 or so years they venture forth, uncomprehendingly drawn to an especially early spring. Under such circumstances their  regio will develop a new exit, a portal that suddenly forms and connects to location in the mundane world. They will issue forth, first singularly but then in larger groups, looking for humans to dance with. If threatened the Tübermensch will form into a trained group for combat purposes (ArM5, page 173). They will also animate trees from a nearby orchard or forest to serve as guards.

Tübermensch aren’t particularly dangerous, especially since their transformation power takes so long to affect an individual. But they could seriously terrorize a spring covenant. I’d run the session like a Hammer Horror film. Spring comes early and the covenant grogs are ecstatic. Even the magi, sequestered in their laboratories and libraries, notice the good cheer. Most of the covenfolk head for the fields, reading the sod for an early planting.

Several days go by and the weather holds. The fields are plowed and planted. The activity spurs other springtime pursuits, and some of the younger covenfolk idle after work with the opposite sex, lingering in the fields to plant a kiss on a rosy cheek. One couple, Hans and Greta, stay too long, and after dark their parents notice that they haven’t returned home. A sleepless night for mother and father and in the morning there is no trace of the couple. Do they initially ask the magi for help? The covenant autocrat says the magi are too busy, but promises send a man to look for them. The search proves fruitless and in a few days someone else disappears.

The Tübermensch  can slip in and out of their regio at will. Since they are sensitive to bright light, they do most of their prowling at dawn, dusk, and at night. Eventually the autocrat posts guards in the fields, who discover and stalk a lone Tübermensch but cannot bring him down. The magi are roused, and as the freshly-gauntleted magi stand ready, eager to do battle with a single Tübermensch, a host appears, augmented with animated orchard trees and ready to turn the whole covenant into Root People. As silly as Tübermensch initially appear, played right they could seriously threatened the troupe.

Washington ”Legend of Sleepy Hollow” Irving:

Little Britain has likewise its sages and great men. One of the most important of the former is a tall, dry old gentleman, of the name of Skryme, who keeps a small apothecary’s shop. He has a cadaverous countenance, full of cavities and projections; with a brown circle round each eye, like a pair of horned spectacles. He is much thought of by the old women, who consider him a kind of conjurer, because he has two of three stuffed alligators hanging up in his shop, and several snakes in bottles.

Now, Irving is an American and calls them alligators, but I think that will do nicely. The fact that he’s apparently called Skyrim is just a bonus.

A short session summary of the Ascendency of the Warp Saga, for the Ars Magica game.

Session eight picked up where the characters left off – within the diabolist’s cave, just after having defeated the burning man. The team of Maximilian, Carrick, Luciano, and Callan continued to search the through the remaining caves.

The remainder of the caves appeared to be empty of both opponents and valuables, and the only strange event was the effect of the strange smoky water on Luciano when he attempted to walk through it’s corrosive layers.

Back at the covenant the remaining characters joined the large feast with the Bell clan’s soldiers. Many strength and stamina competitions were conducted, and the celebrations did not conclude until well into the morning of the next day. During the festivities Carrick had a suspicion that one of the Bell’s present might have been more notable than initially stated.

No sign has been heard of the footmen who left the Diabolists cave before the characters arrived. Perhaps the worst were killed in the caves.

Aside:

Letter to Covenant of Six Pillars and Horsingas by Maximilian, and the recall of the grogs.

Delays due to recent and very substantial attacks on the order across Europe (and from what we are hearing other areas as well). It is currently unknown when we will be able to attend as we deal with the ramification effects of these attacks. We wish to apologise for this unexpected and unavoidable delay and trust you understand that our delay in no way reflects on our good intentions to establish positive and mutually beneficial relationships with you. We hope that you have been informed of these events and that you were not too badly affected; either directly or indirectly. We hope that we will be able to meet with you when these matters are resolved.

We welcome any additional news you may have on these events and will send news of any updates should we receive them. When we are able we will send word, and if convenient for you will be pleased to meet.

Max

Per. Covenant of StormWatch.

The Covenfolk and Characters might have noted:

• There has been a change in mood in the covenant. The covenfolk are slightly less hostile and/or wary.
• The still is finished.
• Money and living conditions are still an issue for many, and the establishment of a few industries is still a key concern.
• Sym was successful in winning the stamina competition, and placed in many of the other challenges.

Out of character notes:

• Season Activity:
  • Please update characters for the end of the season, and start the haggle for the next season’s resources.
• XP rewards for some characters:
  • Only add xp where your character was played or involved. e.g. If your character was not in play, or did not participate in the diabolist’s cave story do not add the XP.
  • 5 xp for participants in diabolist’s cave story.
  • 5 xp to generally cover the spread of sessions so far, for all characters in play.
  • 2 xp for Summer, Autumn, and Winter seasons for any characters in play for those seasons.
• Wound Recovery Rules:
  • I am going to change the wound recovery time frames so that recovery is much faster. It is a disadvantage to the ongoing play to have characters out of action for so long.
  • We will move all recovery periods up to the next time period, with a minimum of days. ie: Season become Month, Month becomes Week, Week becomes Day.
  • However the characters must roll for every wound, not just one of the worst at their current level. This means that a character with 3 Light wounds must roll three times and track recovery for each wound. Confirm the season activities, and start the haggle of who gets what in the next seasons.

It sure is an exciting time at the House of Ryan; folks are sock-dancing on the newly buffed hardwood floors!

I think this is how they do it: a spell to clean-up, press, tweak, and generally make all their grooming habits and needs get done ultra-fast.

The Fastidious Wizard’s Repose

Rego Corpus 10, R: Personal, D: Momentary, T: Individual

This spell performs all of the caster’s standard grooming and laundry needs in a matter of seconds. The casters body, clothes, and equipment worn are cleaned, clothes pressed, body manicured, etc.

The quality of the effect is determined by a Finesse check, difficulty 3+ to obtain complete coverage and effect. The spell’s inventor traveled extensively without servants in difficult and remote areas, and this spell maintained a suitably dignified and hygienic appearance.

The additional magnitudes for requisite arts empowers the spell to use affect a wide range materials, and also temporarily create materials needed for cleaning.

(Base 2, +1 to enhance the Finesse check difficulty downward from 6 to 3, +1 to allow for cleaning of complex equipment carefully, +1 Creo, +1 Herbam Animal and Terram)

Silly? Somewhat, but I can think of a few times in RPG games when it would have been handy to get cleaned up. Designing the spell might also be looking in too much detail at an effect which the Magus could use a spont spell for, and it certainly feels more like a cantrip style effect than most others I’ve created.

A side consideration for the effect is what base effect level it should be. Cleaning an item is a really simple task and I think it should be the simplest of effects to groom a person or clean an item; all but trivial. I am almost tempted to make the starting base level 1 except that the cleaning is being performed on a range of materials, but I cannot find a reference to make it that easy.

The Finesse skill roll is needed to see how well the caster can control the effect while they concentrate, with an ease factor of 6, which is based upon an ease factor of 3 for a normal person to do it by hand which is then enhanced magically to lower it slightly. This means that the magical effect is designed specifically to clean in an orderly way, and that ease is built into the spell which in effect increases the magnitude of the spell.

Lastly the requisites have been added so that the spell can conjure materials to be used in the cleaning (Creo), and so the spell can effect a range of materials (Herbam, Animal, Terram). At the suggested +2 magnitudes it seems enough to justify the added Arts, without over spending.

Blessing of Eternal Joy

Rego Mentem 35, R: Arc, D: Ring, T: Individual

This spell connects the caster to ghost of a dead person for whom they possess the arcane connection (or body), and changes the ghost’s mental state to one of happiness and joy.

(Base 5 to control a natural emotion, +4 Arc, +2 Ring)

This happiness spell could also be used before opening discussion with a ghost to make them more receptive to questions and requests, and might be considered more moral than torturing a ghost for answers.

To really be effective for an extended time the effect should really be constructed into a coffin which holds the earthly remains of the target. This way it always has access to the arcane connection, and it is (hopefully) harder for somebody to tamper with it.

The effect to suspend the rot of the corpse could use the same ring as the main effect.

Circle Against Purification

Creo Corpus 5, R: Touch, D: Ring, T: Individual

Prevents the decay of a human corpse, or a severed body part, while the Ring is maintained and the target remains within it.

This spell is a simple re-working of Charm Against Purification (ArM p129) with the duration altered to Ring.

(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Ring)

A standard Ars Magica ward is a barrier across which the warded thing cannot cross. They are great to either trap something inside so it can’t get out, or to protect the person inside; but they also must have the targets present when activated. The essential part missing was the trigger mechanism, which would normally require a Watching Ward spell – and that is too expensive in terms of vis. So a ward will not do it.

A basic effect that works would be to make the ground in an area highly adhesive, so that creatures are bound to it. As a base spell it might look like:

Trap of Unearthly Stickiness

Muto Terram 20, R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Part

This spell enchants an area of ground or earth (equivalent to 10 cubic paces) to be ultra sticky, so that anything which touches the area is stuck to the earth. Stuck creatures can attempt a Strength + Size roll of 9+ to break free of the effect. The spell will effect creatures of size +1 or smaller.

(Base 4 to change earth to have a highly unnatural property, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Part)

This is a different route to a magical trigger – that is to craft a special spell designed to trap an animal using a consistent ground affect, rather than a trigger. This type of spell requires some intelligence in built in and that might be contentious for Ars Magica, as it really is a minor detection effect side-by-side with an effect, but I think the core effect is sound.

Trap of the Lazy Huntsman

Muto Terram 25 / Intellego Animal, R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Part

This spell enchants an area of ground or earth (equivalent to 10 cubic paces) to be ultra sticky, so that animals who walks across the area are stuck to the earth. The animals specified may be as wide as “any moderate sized creatures”, or “only boars and pigs”; but is limited to animals of size +1 or smaller.

Creatures that are not specified in the spell might notice the ground to be slightly tacky but are not impacted by the effect. Stuck creatures can attempt a Strength + Size roll of 9+ to break free of the effect.

(Base 4 to change earth to have a highly unnatural property, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Part, +0 Animal Req, +1 Intellego Req)

This version is used to hunt for animals, and like any magical effect will be resisted by MR, and for non-magical beasts this is fine. The effect does require a degree of intelligence to differentiate between animals, and a basic rule is the creature types should not be able to be specified beyond wide categories or types.

e.g. All dogs seems fine, all brown dogs is not. All fur covered animals is borderline, and certainly should not allow for detection of features of a target such as length of limb, special traits, markings, etc.

The spell effect could be reworked to effect humans by switching from an Animal to Corpus requisite, which then gives the Magus a handy tool for capturing interlopers. It would then follow though that the effect should also be able to be cast on wooden and stone surfaces, so that it can effect all the places that humans might travel. That will add requisites to the spell, and some extra magnitude due to the complexity. Changing the spell to affect stone will also greatly reduce the target area, back to 1 cubic pace, although that is plenty to protect the entrance to a corridor.

Trap the Curious Interloper

Muto Terram 30 / Intellego Animal Herbam, R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Part

This spell enchants an area of earth or stone (equivalent to 1 cubic pace) to be ultra sticky, so that humans who walks across the area are stuck to it. The ttpe of human may be specified but must be a broad category such as “any adults”, or “only men”; and is limited to humans of size +1 or smaller.

Creatures that are not specified in the spell might notice the ground to be slightly tacky but are not impacted by the effect. Stuck creatures can attempt a Strength + Size roll of 9+ to break free of the effect.

(Base 4 to change earth to have a highly unnatural property, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Part, +1 Intellego Req, +0 Animal Req, +0 Herbam Req, +1 to effect stone)

(Aside: I’ve not been too careful about the spells being perfectly formed in terms of Ars Magica guidelines in this post, as its meant to be more for the spectacle of villainy, rather than accuracy).

Invoke the Agony of Man

Perdo Corpus 15, R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Individual

Inflicts the target of the spell with wracking pain, almost completely disabling them. To make an action the target must succeed a Stam + Size stress of 9+.

(Base 4 to cause a person pain, +2 voice, +1 concentration)

Its a nasty spell. And yet it lacks something. It will be brutal and horrifying when used with a long monologue, but there are some risks that the villain will get distracted, or even that the heroes of the story might pass that physical resistance check. Or that there are too many good guys, and they might not all be able to be affected.

So instead, we use:

Invoke the Horrific Cacophony

Perdo Corpus 35, R: Voice, D: Diameter, T: Group

This spell inflicts the targeted group of up to 100 standard sized people with physical pain so severe that they can do nothing else except writhe in agony, and perhaps very slowly crawl away.

(Base 4 to cause a person pain, +1 to boost the effect to the same level as ReCo immobilizes the target, +2 Voice, +1 Diameter, +2 Group, +1 to affect up to 100 targets at once)

Now that is a spell worthy of a villain. It is high level and only usable in select circumstances, but when its used it will look fantastic. The duration has been altered so than it lasts 2 minutes, which is plenty of time to introduce yourself, give the elevator pitch, or take a rest between killing henchmen.

Villains sometimes also need a boost to inspire fear and loyalty (yes, through fear) in their minions. Everyone has off-days and no brutal dictator wants a mini-uprising just because they’re not feeling 100%. This spell ensures that the target perceive the caster as the cruel and evil juggernaut they need to be to get the job done.

Aura of Unstoppable Malevolence

Rego Mentem 35, R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Group

Targets of this spell are strongly inclined to obey you, as their sense of fear is heightened for the duration of the spell.

(Base 5, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +2 Group)

It’s a re-hash of Aura of Rightful Authority as the base effect, however this spell is worked to be far more suitable to the dictator as it focuses on fear as the base emotion being manipulated, and it uses R: Voice and T: Group in the spell effect. Having to control minions individually is a total waste of energy.

The intimidation that an evil overlord should bring to the story should be expressed to minions periodically. This next spell is specifically used to demonstrate that failure is not tolerated, and death is no escape from punishment.

Torture the Restless Dead

Perdo Mentem 35 / Creo Imagonem, R: Arc, D: Conc, T: Individual

This spell connects the caster to ghost of a dead person for whom they possess the arcane connection (or body), and inflicts pain upon the ghost.

The Creo Imagonem component of the spell make the auditory screams and pleas of the ghost audible to those around the caster.

(Base 4, +2 Creo Imagonem, +4 Arc, +1 Conc)

I’d see this spell being used when the body of a fallen henchman is returned to the evil villain. The henchman’s failure is noted, and the overlord questions and punishes the henchman as a lesson to others. Use of props such as ceremonial daggers, bubbling pools, and other theatrical effects can really  increase the impact this spell has when used; although by itself it should horrify moral people.

(Edit: Yairr’s comment is inspired – Making the effect D: Ring adds +1 mamagnitude but really enhances the aspect of torture, then combined with a Ring based Creo Corpus spell to prohibit the body’s decay, and the ghost is in agony for eternity)

The Ars Magica setting is almost a boilerplate medieval setting, with the magic system allowing wizards to completely disregard the limitations that mundane commoners live with in terms of travel. Within the magic system’s core rules are examples of transformation into birds, flight via wind, and a few variations on teleportation. That is all fine for the wizards, but it leaves the mundanes unchanged – and when a wizard needs mundane protection their companions being slow is an impact to them as well.

Here are some ideas for spells which will help transport and travel for both mundanes and magi. Some effects are purely designed for magi to get around, while others could be used on both magical and mundane targets.

Enhancing the pathways used for travel.

The basis for the first set of spells is changing the ground beneath the target so that traveling is smoother and easier.

The overall base effect mechanics start with a level 3 to turn sand, mud, or dirt to stone, with a base of one cubic pace which is enough to cover the ground beneath the target’s feet. A +1 magnitude adjustment would apply for the complexity of changing the ground as the target moves. Another +1 magnitude allows adding a Rego requisite which smooths and alters the ground so that it is a solid and study surface for walking.

Then the range, duration, and target are changed to R: Touch +1, D: Sun +2, T: Part +1, which totals an effect level of 25 for the default spell.

Ten Thousand Graceful Steps

Muto Terram 25 / Rego, R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Part

The earth beneath the target’s feet is changed so that they are always moving upon a stable and solid surface made of stone. The modified surface moves with the target for the duration of the spell. This facilitates excellent traveling conditions, akin to always traveling on well maintained paved roads.

This spell will affect most paths and road surfaces including any rocks or other Terram based materials. It will use the cubic pace allowed in the spell effect to smooth inclines, and improve broken pathways. The effect will not alter any wooden or metal components in the road surfaces, but may allow items to be covered completely by the artificial roadway. The spell does not remove the need for the traveler to pay attention to their footing.

(Base 3, +1 moving effect, +1 Rego to smooth the surface, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Part).

The version of a person traveling on foot is handy, but a the real delay in many journeys is when a horse or cart must travel rough terrain. Small rocks can cripple and harm horses, making paths dangerous, and a cart can be regularly bogged by mud, sand, or large obstacles. This version of the same spell is specifically for horseback travel, and horse and carts.

(As an aside the spell is very similar to a spell in the core rules called Earth that Breaks No More, ArM p 154, with the improvements to smooth the surface, and travel with the person. It does make me think that the basic design might need a Corpus requisite to allow for the target of the movement and also the ground, but I hope not.)

Drayman’s Gentle Journey

Muto Terram 30 / Rego, R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Part

As per “Ten Thousand Graceful Steps” (above), with an added magnitude for the increased amount of material needed to fit beneath a horse or beast of burden’s body, and include the cart of buggy it is pulling. This increase in spell affects changes the material affected up to 10 cubic paces of material; more than enough to provide a stable roadway beneath a cart and horse, a rider, or a sole traveler.

(Base 3, +1 moving effect, +1 Rego to smooth the surface, +1 volume of stone increased to ten cubic paces, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Part).

Decreasing the burden of gear.

Another factor in travel speed is the burden carried. There might be a temptation to craft floating discs, or levitate items, but while those spells might work they also attract attention. More subtle alternatives could be useful.

Allay the Buoyant Load

Rego Herbam 25, R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Part

The bags, containers, sacks or other carrying vessels carried by the target touched are made buoyant, which reduces their burden to the wearer to almost nothing.

The spell affects any items crafted from materials, and affects the equipment carried, not the target themselves so no warping will occur.

(Base 4 to affect a manufactured product, +1 plant product moves unnaturally, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Part)

Improved personal flight for Magi, without all the fuss.

While the flight spells in the core rules are excellent, there is an obvious gap – using Rego Corpus magic to move the Magus.

By Will Alone

Rego Corpus 25, R: Personal D: Sun, T: Individual

This spell grants the Magus the power to move their body through the air, controlled by thought at up to speeds of 40 miles per hour. Unlike the Creo Auram spells hovering in place with this spell is as simple as any other flight.

The Magus must concentrate to control when and how fast they fly, and may elect to halt their thought movement, even while the spell remain active (effectively the Magus elects to not move using the spell). Finesse rolls are required for complex maneuvers.

Note that the spell will continue in a manner last instructed, so the caster best be wary of distractions and mishap.

(Base: 15 effect, +2 Sun)

This spell could then be altered to allow the caster to target others, perhaps even larger groups although warping would occur in the mundanes it is cast upon.

Direct the Flight of Your Flock

Rego Corpus 35, R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Group

The target and his group of traveling companions are raised into the air and fly as one under the control of the caster up to speeds of 40 miles per hour (see “By Will Alone” above).

The members of the group must remain together, otherwise the member is removed from the spell’s effects; and pray that the Magi’s concentration is not disturbed.

(Base: 15 effect, +1 Touch, +1 Conc, +2 Group)

Finding food while traveling.

It can be difficult to provision a large group, and sometimes extra food is needed. This spell can be used in a pinch to extract food from a nearby river.

Summon the Fishermans Bounty

Rego Aquam 20, R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind

The Magus touches a section of river or stream, a small pond, or spring and enhances the power and flow of the river to cast fish and other material from the river onto the bank.

(Base 4 to control a fast current, +2 for highly unnatural movement, +1 Touch, +1 Concentration)

A more powerful version (with Target: Group for a full lake) could eventually pull all the material from a river. The version above should be plenty for a small group of travelers who wish a fresh meal.

The effect does not require an Animal or other requisite as it is the water which is throwing the material onto the shore, with the water returning to the source – in a manner similar to Wings of the Soaring Wind which allows a magus to fly by controlling wind in a highly unnatural way.

Issue 9 was released on Feb 3 and it is a great read for Ars Magica fans. I agree with the blurb from the mag’s website:

“Emerging from the Winter cold, Sub Rosa #9 is here with 68 pages of content, including bonus material for the recently released The Cradle and the Crescent.

We offer up beasts, jinn, sahir, companions, and all manner of juicy details to expand your stories in the Mythic Middle East, straight from the designers and playtester Jason Brennan.

We’ve also got articles on a pious Companion knight, over 30 mythic texts and Gerald Wylie’s Storyguide’s Handbook offers up great advice for simplifying covenant creation!…(cont)”

Overall: Sub Rosa is well worth the money, full of material that either has a direct application to Ars Magica games, or is fascinating reading / fluff which will expand your appreciation of the setting and scope.

I plan on buying every issue. Issue 9 is one of the best I’ve seen.

Quick Review: If you purchased the Cradle and Crescent sourcebook you should also purchase this issue. There is so much material in this issue which directly relates to that source book, and expands on that book that it is an absolute no-brainer. The mag authors have stated openly that much of the material is information that could not fit within the published book, and so its like getting a USD$5 expansion to the book.

The mag is always high quality, well presented, and has regular contributors who are the authors of the source material. So Sub Rosa is generally almost as good as the source material itself.

It is clearly a work of a passionate dedicated team, who take the quality of the material very seriously. I’ve read a few issues now and I find something in each issue to use in my Ars Magica games.

Longer Review: Yup, everything above stands, and here is why:

1. As a GM (ok, storyguide) who likes to read meta-game material, the article “Storyguide’s Handbook – Covenant Building” is mandatory reading. This article is worth a few dollars alone. One of my major issues with Ars Magica is that the covenant creation rules in the core rulebook do not go far enough, and this article helps to address that. A caveat is that you’ll also need to understand the material in the Covenant source book, which is fair given the readership.
2. The Pdf distribution means I can actually get this product without waiting one to two months. Australia might be a wonderful land, but we’re in the east of frigg’n nowhere when it comes to getting material shipped to us, and its frustrating. Sub Rosa does not make me wait. And if I spill my coffee on it I can just reprint it (happened to the last issue).
3. An introduction and summary from David Chart which always gives a perspective on the development of Ars Magica. As an Ars fan I’d want to read this, as silly as it might sound – knowing what is inside the mind of a dev lead on an RPG is information that I find fascinating. Sometimes the messages are straight on brand, other times David gives away a few tidbits that are not widely known.
4. I’ve not read The Cradle and the Crescent, but this looks like great additional rules, options, and fluff. The issue is heavily dedicated to material for that setting (over 20 pages I think) and as I wrote above – it is detailed and looks like a huge amount of energy went into the production.
5. The art is good, and suitable. The exterior art in this issue is great.
6. Presentation is as slick as you could desire in a pdf. I’ve thought about a way to get it printer in true magazine format from the pdf, but that might be getting a tad too obsessive.
7. The companion article, Off the Shelf, and summary of medieval books in ArM 5e are both material that I won’t directly use as presented, but are darn good. I especially like how the article about the Companion Knight goes into some background on the Pilgrimage, Church and the Holy Orders. This is material that could potentially trigger all sorts of story seeds and be useful.
8. Mappa Mundi article gives some nice alternate resources for stories and setting for Ars. Nice touch.

The stuff I don’t like:

1. The format is some strange non-A4 size (yes, I know what it is, and that it is an American standard, sheesh) which means it prints poorly. Trivial, but it irks me.
2. I was looking for some write ups on spells and/or effects/items. I suspect that the community is mature enough now that new spell and item details might be past their interest, but I have a table of new players who might find that material useful. It has been presented in other issues, so this this is a small gripe.
3. Some of the interior art is average, generally good but there are a few items that appear off to me.

Aside

My intent with the aside is to explain what I am looking for, and also to acknowledge that I will not always be the target audience.

In reviewing the mag I’ve realised that rpg material is often written for different styles of audience, and that it is useful to be aware of your own style when reading source books. I come from a very action orientated rpg style (gurps, dnd, rifts, warhammer), where enjoyment of the story is as important as a bit of combat and trickery. I’m not a large proponent of fluff heavy material unless it is very specific, or really pings a mental trigger of interest I have. And that is a selfish trait if ever I thought of one.

What I do like is sample spells, new items, and all the material that years of Dragon mag subscriptions have trained me to expect in a new issue (heck look at the content here, its all kaboom!). Getting a new pdf triggers the skinner box, and I go in search of food – I can’t help it.

What that means is that game material needs to be focused before it is readable to me, as that focus helps me put it in context. Sub Rosa is a targeted magazine, which means that issue by issue there will be material which has direct application, or is all but irrelevant to you as a player or storyguide. I accept it, and love it.

Some issues I struggle with the amount of fluff, but it is the fluff that keeps the wider community reading and playing, so it is critical that this material is still produced; and supported.

I plan on buying every issue.

Session Seven – Victory in the Lair

Session began with the magi taking stock of their wounds, the strange effects surrounding the crags, and quickly agreeing to return and deal with the suspected evil. A few hours after the main force of grogs had left the covenant toward the crags Callan’s crow told him that “a handful of man walked from the caves”.

Knowing this and suspecting a battle mid journey Maximilian and Callan left to join the grogs, but the characters walking to the crag did not encounter any of the cave dwellers on their journey to the crag. The group either returned to the caves or have journeyed elsewhere.

Upon arrival at the clearing the magi identified the “diabolic shrouds” as oily vicious emanations, which coalesced into creatures when a person walked into the aura. As they had been sighted, Callan was able to deal with the creatures. For even man who stepped foot upon the aura a creature needed to be dealt with.

With the shrouds destroyed Maximilian, Luciano, Carrick, and Callan entered the cave. The group moved with caution, and followed the main tunnel into the rear of the passages; where a stream of water cascaded from a chamber in the roof, and pooled on the ground. At the foot of the waterfall a small stone altar had been placed, formed from the rough stone of the surrounding crags. From around them the party could hear a slow moaning chant, echoing around the rough walls.

As the party moved through the altar chamber a ripple in the water alerted Maximilian to a presence, and as the party watched a mutated man appeared amid the water and moved to strike Maximilian. The party did not hesitate, and both fire and lightning spells and crushing force were needed to deal with the tainted man before he could hurt Maximilian. His body washed into the water again.

As the party recovered they realised the source of the chanting was from one of the small tunnels from this main chamber, and moved toward it. As the party cleared the entrance a  spear man attacked, flinging a shortspear at Carrick. As the spear bounced from Carrick’s armor a ball of abysmal flame killed the man instantly, immolating his body. Even as the group sensed victory a foreboding set upon them, as the chanting had ceased.

Carrick led the group into the end of the tunnel, where a flaming man raised himself from a bath of blood, chains and ropes melting from his ruined but powerful body, and an unnatural fire alighting in his eyes. Each hand was awash with a purple and orange flame, and as the melee began the figure caused flame to erupt around the room, and through the party. As the man rose up several people collapsed around the bath, either their lives or energy expended.

The battle with the flaming man was terrible and vicious, with even some spells being totally ineffective against the infernally imbued foe. Round upon round saw strikes at each member of the party, and all would have been lost had the magi not already prepared themselves with protection against flames, or been specially versed in Ignem. Carrick’s own survival may have attributed to a protective ward cast just minutes before.

The battle ended when the flaming man was eventually worn down, his magical powers and physical body eventually spent and all but destroyed. The session ended just as the emaciated flaming man died, and the four characters stood sorely tested, but victorious.

Notes:

• Next session will pick-up from the end of the battle, as there are a few loose ends to close up in the caves, and also perhaps at the covenant.
• Greg & Ben – Tregus and Demetrius were assumed to stay behind to guard the covenant with Accalon and Sym, while Maximilian, Luciano, and Callan returned to the crags with a contingent of grogs led by Carrick.
• Greg – We’ll resolve your healing checks when next session starts.
• Josh – We’ll need to re-do the healing checks, with a roll modifier as you’ve re-opened the wounds through exertion.

Hywel (pronounced “howl”) is my wizard character in Andrew’s Ars Magica campaign. On a recent foray, he and another wizard rescued a faerie trapped in a hill. The faerie offered a season’s worth of training to the other wizard, and the faerie’s wife offered a season’s worth of training to my wizard. I wanted Hywel to learn Faerie Lore, the ways of the faeries, and in a poor attempt to describe the events, I wrote the following:

“Greetings, dear Lady,” said the Welsh wizard Hywel, bowing so low that his collar near scrapped the glen’s grassy floor. “Mindful of your invitation I have arrived this equinox to spend the next ninety days in your company, to learn your ways, meet your vassals, and enjoy your feasts.” Raising back to his near-giant height, Hywel stood insouciant, waiting for the Good Lady’s reply.

The assembled faeries stopped their twittering chatter, their cutlery-rattling, and the rustling of feet clad in doe-skin slippers, and parted to give their liege a clear view of the grinning intruder. The Lady of the Wood, faerie queen of the ephemeral folk, mistress of the seasons, and wife of the Lord of the Wild Hunt, graciously stood from her polished rosewood chair and extended her thin-fingered hand in greeting and welcome.

“Fair Hywel, enchanter and friend and rescuer of my Wild Lord, greetings.” The Lady took a small step forward, to which the febrile Hywel strode across the glen in four great strides to come to his knee before her, grasping her delicate elven hand with his rude mitt and placing blistered lips against her dimpled knuckles. He remained at knee as the Lady continued. “Be welcome and merry, for glad am I that you have accepted my invitation to spend this spring season at court. To feet, beautiful youth, and meet my company.”

The faerie queen’s company tittered at the Lady’s platitude, for Hywel exhibited neither pulchritude nor magnificence. Stoop-backed and nearly seven feet tall, his boney, gangly form was mercifully hidden beneath his brat, a long wool cloak without hood or sleeves favored by his Irish cousins. His head dangled atop his neck like an overripe gourd, with bulbous cheeks and unshaven chin. Yet the Lady led him through the company as if he were a lithe knight clad in shimmering mail, and if she noticed his stumbling feet or shuffling gait she displayed no evidence of the observation.

“This are my nobles and ignobles,” she intoned, pointing out sprites in velvet hats, plumb pixies holding goblets of plum-colored wine, sentient birches, frowning boggarts, hi-jinxing goblins, hobgoblins, and nobgoblins, and a hedgehog wearing a jester’s cap. “Fair dames and damsels all, coupled with trim gentlemen and clean-limbed youths. The brightest of my court.”

“Come, fair beasts and kind faeries,” she spoke, “come meet young Hwyel.”

Time sped as Hywel frolicked with the court, wining and dining and dancing and winching at bad puns, retold riddles, and perpetual pranks. Minutes became hours became days, and as Aprils’ sweet showers quenched March’s thirst, and as the field’s young shoots reached energetically towards the sun, Hywel learned the ways of the Lady’s people. He rode salmon with the wooden-legged Sailor of the River Avon and at midnight, under a pale-gray moon, picked mistletoe from the oaks of Warleigh Wood. He sipped buttermilk left on the window sills of Bath Abbey by the deacon’s wife, and helped the Ghost-Walker of Fosse Way find his lost shoe. And at all times he was accompanied by the Lady, from the moment he closed his weary eye to the second it blinked open again, awake and bound with the sleepy-seeds of faerie dreams.

One day, sitting in a grassy meadow under a warm breeze, having just gathered morels and chestnuts for lunch, the Lady asked Hywel of his romantic attachments, past and present, which shocked the young wizard and provoked a blush and a gasp.

“Is there a fair maid to whom your affections drift,” said the Lady.

“But no, milady” replied young Hywel. “We wizards are too busy for such frivolity,” he preened. “Beset with decanters and potions, unguents and scripts, I have no time to explore that road.”

The perceptive Lady noticed Hywel’s discomfort and continued her questioning.

“So you have never been distracted from your studies? No fluttering laugh, no batted eye, no whisk of satin skirt has pulled you from dusty tome?”

Hywel shifted uncomfortably, unaccustomed to the press of the Lady’s verbal tilting.

“Is that to say that you have never known a woman’s touch? A lover’s touch?”

“Nay, good queen, such things are unknown to me.” Sweat dripped from Hywel’s brow.

“Is it your Christian baptism that keeps you pure, young Sir?”

“Again, nay, milady,” said Hywel. “I am not baptized, for I was bastard born and taken into a magician’s servitude as a babe.”

“An unbaptized virgin,” said the Lady, her voice rising almost to the point of exclamation. “Is it because your preference to runt lies up other lanes, and you would rather mount a stag than a doe?”

“Nay again, fair queen,” said red-faced Hywel, loosening the brat ever looped round his neck, his discomfort obvious. “Forsooth my queen, I am ignorant in all the ways of love.”

“Come young Hywel,” she rose and he followed, “for there is someone you must meet.”

The blades of grass barely bent under the Lady’s delicate soles, and almost screamed in protest under Hywel’s unwashed feet, as the two left the breezy meadow and entered the wood, cloaked in the soft hue of the afternoon’s sun. Past elm and hazel, over hills and under boughs, the Lady and her charge entered a clearing, pierced in two by a clear brook. In the shallows stood a maid, her saffron skirt hitch high above her slender, white ankles. Bending forward to splash water on her long neck, the maid rose when the pair entered the clearing, and curtsied after recognizing her lady liege.

“This is Deirdre,” said the Lady, “my washer woman and vassal, friend and confidant.” Deirdre stood and smoothed her skirt, which clung to her wet calves. “This is our secret place,” said the faerie queen, “where we can come unnoticed by prying eyes and piercing gaze, where secrets reign and inhibitions are freed and forgot.” Holding Hywel’s hand the queen pulled the gangly wizard forward a step, then two. Deirdre, as if previously commissioned in some predetermined escapade, crossed to the middle of the stream.

Hywel’s heart thumped loud in his throat, like a trebuchet’s boulder ricocheting off the redoubt of Carrickfergus. His eyes were affixed on Deirdre, her round hips and swell of breasts, her sleek forearms and dimpled cheeks. His hand left the queens as he continued on toward the brook and its mistress, unconsciously closing the gap between her and him. The maid came to the edge of the stream and stopped, leaning forward with puckering lips, red as a rose and flush with excitement.

“Kiss her, young Hywel.” The queens’ voice drifted to the wizard as if trapped in some far away dream. He did not need encouragement, locked as he was in the preparatory stages of his first kiss. He approached. He puckered.

Had he been experienced, had he not been locked in a wizard’s laboratory and excluded from the regular ebb and flow of life’s events, his first kiss might have been his last. As his face neared Deirdre’s, as he felt her soft breath on his cheek, he kept his eyes open instead of closing them as one used to love’s passions might. And in doing so he noticed the rapid change from female to fiend, from moist-lipped maiden to sharp-toothed monster. In an instant the girl was gone, replaced by a giant, angry-eyed pike, raised up high on tail fin, mouth agape to snatch and swallow the love-struck wizard. Hywel flinched, narrowly avoiding the gargantuan pike’s mouth as it snapped close.

Thwarted and defiant the pike snapped again at Hywel, who fell and landed on his ass with a thump. He kicked backward, propelling himself across the grass away from the snapping pike, who could not leave the stream. The pike voiced its disappointment with a loud shriek before diving underwater, disappearing in a stream that should not have been able to hold a creature of that size.

Wild eyed Hywel looked at the Lady, whose sangfroid stood unperturbed and unruffled.

“There is much to learn about the ways of faeries,” she remonstrated, “and not all is morels and maidens and croquette and courtly languor. I have enjoyed out spring together, young Hywel, but the solstice has arrived and you must depart.”

The Lady bowed, and as Hywel scrambled to his feet to return the courtesy she was gone, vanished like a candle blown out in the dark. The wood suddenly seemed gloomy, the creek sluggish, and Hywel wondered if he knew the way home. Bundling his brat about his shoulders, he trudged from the glen, looking back only once. Did he look for the pike, or the maiden?