Trianoma Politician (Template)
This template represents the Trianoma tradition of politicians within House Bonisagus. This magus strives to maintain peace in the Order, and maintain peace with mundane society.
Characteristics: Int +3, Per +2, Pre +2, Com +3, Str -3, Sta +1, Dex -2, Qik -2
Free Virtues: The Gift, Hermetic Magus, Puissant Intrigue
Major Virtues: Gentle Gift
Minor Virtues: Adept Laboratory Student, Deft Form (Mentem), Social Contacts (land-owning nobility), Inspirational, Well Traveled
Free Flaws: -
Major Flaws: Favors (Bishop), Waster of Vis
Minor Flaws: Creative Block, Higher Purpose (Peace within and for the Order)
Age: 25 (Apparent 25)
Decrepitude: 0 (0 Decrepitude Points)
Warping Score: 0 (0 Warping Points)
Warping Scars: None.
Reputation: None.
Personality Traits: Protective (OoH) +3, Manipulative +2, Meddler +1
Confidence: 1 (3 Confidence Points)
Encumbrance: 0
Equipment: Wizardly robes.
Abilities: Native Language 5, Latin 5 (eloquence), Artes Liberales 1 (ritual magic), Civil and Canon Law 2 (papal laws), Common Law 1 (Laws on witchcraft), Theology 1 (heresy), Code of Hermes 1 (mundane relations), Magic Theory 3 (Mentem), Parma Magica 1 (Mentem), Area Lore: Tribunal 2 (politics), Bargain 1 (magical products), Charm 3 (Men in authority), Etiquette 2 (nobility), Folk Ken 3 (magi), Guile 2 (lying to authority), Intrigue 3+2 (alliances), Leadership 1 (inspiration)
Wizard's Sigil:
Arts: Cr 0, In 5, Mu 5, Pe 5, Re 5, An 0, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 5, He 0, Ig 0, Im 5, Me 5, Te 0, Vi 5
Spells Known:
Aura of Ennobled Presence (MuIm 10) +11
Aura of Rightful Authority (ReMe 20) +11
Trust of Childlike Faith (PeMe 10) +11
Perception of the Conflicting Motives (InMe 15) +11
Confusion of the Numbed Will (ReMe 15) +11
Calm the Motion of the Heart (PeMe 15) +11
Invisibility of the Standing Wizard (PeIm 15) +11
Disguise of the Transformed Image (MuIm 15) +11
Prying Eyes (InIm 5) +11
Size: 0
Soak: +1
Magic Resistance: An 5, Aq 5, Au 5, Co 10, He 5, Ig 5, Im 5, Me 15, Te 5, Vi 5
Combat:
Dodge: Init: +0, Attack --, Defense +3, Damage --
Fist: Init: +0, Attack +4, Defense +3, Damage +0
Kick: Init: -1, Attack +5, Defense +3, Damage +3
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Note that you still need to choose the character's native language, wizard's sigil, background, and name.
Customization Notes
This character is built to function in both mundane and Hermetic politics, but with an emphasis on the mundane aspect. The Gentle Gift is pivotal for this role, as is the Deft Form. The other virtues are less essential, and can be changed for others. Note that Well Traveled increases her experience points, however, so changing it will require changing her Abilities.
The character has only 8 virtue points, so 2 more points can be added, if more flaws would be added. Suitable virtues include Affinity with Mentem, Hermetic Prestige (to reflect her repute as a peace-maker), a Minor Magical Focus (such as "peace and tranquility"), Puissant Art (Mentem), Affinity with Ability (Intrigue), Book Learner (to increase her benefit from the Order's smooth functioning), Clear Thinker, Famous (among nobles), and Great Communication. Mercurian Magic is also suitable to reflect the character's communal magic, but choosing it would require major changes to the character (dropping the Gentle Gift and acquiring one Ritual spell); this is a good option if you want to focus the character more on Hermetic politics.
Social Contacts was chosen as it greatly helps her in handling mundane politics. Inspirational allows her aids her inspire others in both the Hermetic and mundane domains. Adept Laboratory Student was chosen to emphasize her reliance on and affinity with Hermetic society: the character is better at building on the achievements of her sodales, rather than inventing things on her own. All of these virtues can be easily replaced by others.
The character's Flaws can all be replaced by others. Her Higher Purpose is at the core of the character, but the roleplaying and/or flaw can be changed. Creative Block was chosen to focus the character on benefiting from the Order. Favors are from past peace-making, and Waster of Vis will encourage her to gain more vis, which can emphasize Hermetic politics. Suitable Flaws for replacing these or to add to the character include Blackmail or Cruse of Venus instead of Favors; Compassionate, Meddler, Noncombatant, or Softhearted in addition to Higher Purpose (remember you can only have two Personality Flaws); Unimaginative Learner (to focus her on learning from books); or Ability Block (martial abilities).
The character's Characteristics include +3 Intelligence. This is the standard choice for magi, but you can consider lowering it as this character need not be particularly bright. This will free up points that you can use to increase your social Characteristics further, or to increase your abysmally low martial Characteristics.
Further Customization Notes
If your group is using the Houses of Hermes: True Lineages supplement, you could make use of the rules for Intrigue in that chapter, as well as benefit from reading the House's description. You may also wish to consider taking the Tenens Occultorum virtue, which would embroil you more deeply in your House's politics as well as in efforts to protect the Order's magic.
If using Houses of Hermes: Societates, you should examine the rules for Etiquette and urban magic in the Jerbiton chapter; the rules for Debate in the Tytalus chapter; and for Agents in the appendix. You may be interested in the Performance Magic (Music) virtue, which you can use in lieu of Deft Form to cast spells unnoticed.
Roleplaying and Gaming Notes
This character should participate in stories where she can use her subtle magic and great social skills to manipulate and intrigue. Her magic is especially effective against mundanes, while her social skills will also serve her well in the Hermetic domain. Her lack of martial capabilities means that she will be wise to travel with a martial entourage; although she will doubtlessly also add other characters that will serve in her designs for future subterfuge.
This character, although focused heavily in Mentem, is somewhat of a generalist and not particularly strong magically. You may want to further this line, adding mainly various utility and sneaky spells to her as she grows older. These should probably include some combat spells, to increase her versatility, as well as Vim effects for subterfuge and counter-subterfuge against Hermetic opponents. Alternatively, you may continue to increase her mastery over Mentem and Imaginem, adding spells to allow her to monitor and affect her agents and targets from a distance, magically control people, and so on.
A key part of this character design is her extensive social skills. The use of social skills is a very saga-dependent issue. If your saga uses these skills - perhaps following the rules in Houses of Hermes: True Lineages and Houses of Hermes: Societates - then you should continue to invest in these skills further. This means that your Arts and magic will be less developed. If social interactions are mostly role-played, however, or if you don't want to cut back on your magical development, then you should focus on magical subterfuge and influence and stop investing in such Abilities. In this case, you may also want to revisit the character and lower her social skills, perhaps replacing Well Traveled with some other Virtue.
As you would probably lack somewhat in raw magical power (both because of your efforts to increase your social skills and due to lacking a Magical Focus), a possible direction for magical growth would be initiation into a Mystery Cult. This will both allow you unique, non-Hermetic powers that cannot be simply gained by advancing in the Arts, and would grant you influence through your rank in the mystery cult. The character is well-suited to this role due to her high Presence score and Inspirational virtue. Given your interest in Mentem, a natural Mystery to seek out is Dream Magic (see The Mysteries Revised Edition). Idealistic cults, such as the Legion of Mithras (see there) are also possible.