Apprentices Chapter Four: Pueritia: Ages 8 to 14
See Also
- The Ars Magica Reference Document
- The Apprentices Open Content page
- The Apprentices product page on this wiki
Chapter Four: Pueritia: Ages 8 to 14
Childhood lasts from the ages of 8 to 14, universally regarded as the age when a child enters puberty. Transitioning from infancy, childhood is characterized by concentrated social learning and prolonged forays from the family hearth into the complicated world of adults. At this stage of life, a child is able to assist the same gender parent in daily chores, either in the household or in the field or workshop. This is the age when noble boys and girls are fostered, leaving their family home to live with another noble family. Boys destined for the clergy often spend the day learning to read from the local priest or parish clerk.
UnGifted child player characters are likely to be sons and daughters of covenfolk or nearby companion-level characters. Just like a son being incorporated into his father's vocation, so too can a child mimic his father's various adventures. At this stage in life, child characters can travel short distances by themselves, and can serve as useful messengers, servants, and errand boys. A daughter could be left unattended to weed a garden, ordered to fetch water, and stationed at home to watch younger children.
Covenants provided a kinder atmosphere for Gifted children. While each individual suffers the same pangs of social revulsion engendered by a child's Gift, overall the covenfolk know about these feelings, and many become used to the child over time. Again, proximity is the issue. A covenfolk who spends most of his life outside the immediate grounds — a wood cutter, charcoal burner, or shepherd — will never get over his feelings toward the child. This same man knows which side of his bread the covenant butters, however, and will not act against the child, even though he can't stand to be in its presence.
Growing Up
Most mundane characters learn to be adults by copying their samesex parent, both vocationally and socially. Like their parents, grog and companion characters work most of the year, following their elders through life in both work and play. Male children follow their fathers to work, where they are given simple tasks to perform before moving on to more complex tasks as they mature. Female children work at home and in the field with mother, copying simple chores and gradually accepting more and more responsibilities.
A parent trains his child to be his replacement. This is probably not a conscious act; most parents raise their children in the same manner as they were raised, never questioning whether it is correct or could be done better. Vocationally, a father teaches his son what he knows, and a mother does the same for her daughter. Schools are beyond the means of most parents, and many of those who could afford it would rather see a son sitting astride a destrier than hunched over a writing desk.
Schooling exists in some areas, often rudimentary lessons given by a parish priest who is under some small obligation to teach local children to read and write. This usually costs the parents something — a weekly meal, firewood, a hen — and also deprives the parents of the prospective student's labor. Life is hard, and many hands make a chore easy. Some parents are realizing the opportunities for an educated child, especially sons from wealthy merchant families and the lower orders of the nobility. Second and third sons are famous for entering the Church for a career, and parish or cathedral school learning often paves the way. Parish schools, cathedral schools, and universities are detailed in Art & Academe, chapters 6 and 7.
For those outside institutional learning, most of their learning is gained through copying an instructor, often a parent. Like their parents, grog and companion characters must work for two seasons and get two "free" seasons a year. A parent spends one of the free seasons training the child, who receives experience points based on the parent's Training Source Quality. Every Ability can be increased through training, as long as the requirements for both trainer and pupil are met (ArM5, page 164).
Growing up in a covenant is similar to growing up in a village, town, or other settlement, but differs in important ways. Typically, covenfolk have a better understanding of the various inhabitants of Mythic Europe, although this is not always so. A covenfolk mother will probably soothe a child who says that a faerie stole her shoes, while a village mother might beat the child for lying or offending the faerie. Supernatural Abilities are better accepted, and those with an aptitude may be asked by the magi to accept additional responsibilities. A child with Second Sight might be asked to look for new regiones in the nearby forest, and a child with Premonitions might be asked to accompany the covenfolk's products to the market. Naturally, the child's friends want to tag along.
Life outside the covenant is harder, especially for a Gifted child. Depending on circumstances, his parents may still love and protect him. On the other hand, they may have been driven out of town due to their peculiar child. Friends should be few for a Gifted child living outside a covenant, where playmates are at least more likely, if not guaranteed. Everything depends on the player and the troupe, and the type of tales the group wishes to tell. A Gifted child could be ostracized from society and sent to live with the local witch, who forces the child to undertake dangerous missions into the faerie forest to collect ingredients for her foul potions. A Gifted child could also live in town, avoiding the street's bullies and finding peace only in his father's house, his sole friend a boy of the same age whom he has known since birth.
Grog: Urchin
Characteristics: Int –1, Per –2, Pre +3, Com +3, Str –2, Sta 0, Dex +1, Qik +1 (Characteristic Modifier –2)
Size: –3
Age: 11 (11)
Virtues and Flaws: Daughter of Branded Criminal; Inconspicuous, Inspirational; Small Frame
Personality Traits: Mischievous +3, Determined +2, Loyal –1
Combat:
Dodge: Init –1, Attack n/a, Defense +1, Damage n/a
Soak: –2
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–2), –3 (3–4), –5 (5–6), Incapacitated (7–8), Dead (9+)
Abilities: Area Lore 2 (secondary streets), Athletics 1 (avoiding pursuit), Awareness 1 (city guards), Brawl 1 (dodge), Charm 1 (city guards), Folk Ken 1 (adults), Guile 2 (city guards), Leadership 3 (peers), Legerdemain 2 (picking pockets), Music 2 (singing), Native Language 5 (thieves' slang), Stealth 1 (following people), Survival 2 (finding fresh water)
Equipment: Ratty clothes, shabby cloak, and a hidden dagger
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Appearance: The urchin is a small, freckled-face, dirty girl, with quick fingers and ferretlike eyes.
The urchin is the daughter of a branded outlaw, who fled her abusive home and lives on the streets of a large city. She has made friends through her inventive songs, which usually poke fun at some local dignitary or market celebrity. Her immediate goal is to lead a gang of child thieves. The urchin started with the Exploring Childhood sample childhood. The character has room for another Minor Virtue and Flaw.
Story Seed: An Unlikely Ghost
While traveling through a village, a magus and his companions hear rumors of a nearby abandoned castle haunted by a ghost. The villagers avoid the site, but the rumors may induce the magus to investigate. Ghosts can be entertaining and, if it is a Magic spirit, might indicate a Magic aura. The castle is a battered shell, strewn with piles of rubble and overgrown by ivy and thorny bushes. As soon as the party begins exploring the area, the mundane members are plagued by minor magical effects. The ground shifts and causes slipping, cloaks tighten around throats, and eerie shrieks wail. But it is not a ghost causing the mishaps; a Gifted child of nine hides in the ruins, using his ability to force Turbulences to good effect. Can the magus discover the truth, and possibly take the child as his future apprentice?
Companion: Merchant's Son
Characteristics: Int +1, Per 0, Pre +1, Com +3, Str 0, Sta 0, Dex –1, Qik 0 (Characteristic Modifier –1)
Size: –1
Age: 13 (13)
Virtues and Flaws: Son of Merchant; Wealthy, Inherited True Faith; Luck, Relic; Dark Secret, Overconfident; Obsessed (with saint's lives), Short of Breath
Personality Traits: Bully +3, Brave +2, Loyal +1
Combat:
Dodge: Init –1, Attack n/a, Defense +1, Damage n/a
Dagger: Init +2, Attack +1, Defense +2, Damage +2
Soak: –1
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–4), –3 (5–8), –5 (9–12), Incapacitated (13–16), Dead (17+)
Abilities: Area Lore: Area A 1 (people), Area Lore: Area B 1 (history), Animal Handling 2 (pack mules), Bargain 2 (best price), Brawl 2 (dagger), Church Lore 3 (saints' days), Folk Ken 2 (merchants), Leadership 3 (teamsters), Living Language 3 (merchant terminology), Native Language 5 (merchant terminology), Profession: Merchant 2 (exchange rates), Ride 2 (long distances), Survival 2 (roads)
Equipment: Fine merchant clothes
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Appearance: The merchant's son is of average build and height, with features and color common to the area of his birth. Dressed in fine clothes, he looks uncomfortable, and continually shifts and picks at his clothing.
The merchant's son is a good example of a character designed to develop according to a predestined plan. The player ultimately wants the character to forsake his mercantile ways and become a preaching friar, much like St Francis of Assisi. Growing up, the merchant's son is fascinated with Saints' Lives, both in collecting the stories and visiting the saints' places of martyrdom. During one such excursion, he found a holy relic, and the player assumes that veneration of the relic and the associated saint will lead to the character gaining True Faith. Lucky since birth, the character has a measure of overconfidence that could lead to trouble.
At some point, the merchant's son discovered his father's illegal business practices, and he is fearful that public knowledge will lead to his family's ruin. While he is starting to detest business, he loves his family. The player hopes that the ensuing tension between keeping his family's secret and his repulsion of merchant life will trigger that life-changing event that leads to True Faith.
The merchant's son is based on the Traveling Childhood sample childhood. Because he is Wealthy he received 20 experience points for each year past five, 160 in total.
Hermetic Apprenticeship
Most apprentices begin their apprenticeship during childhood. Several other magical traditions, including many hedge and rival magicians, also select an apprentice while she is a child. Once found, the apprentice accompanies her new master to her new home, where she begins her training. While this is often exciting, it can also be frightening; the child is abandoning the known world — however painful it might be — for a new world. The journey toward a new life can be very daunting. A kind magus tells the child of the companionship, community, and power that lies ahead. An unkind magus uses the apprentice as he sees fit and cares not a whit about the child's feelings.
Story Seeds: Finding a Parens
Instead of an adventure in which an adult magus and his staff find an apprentice, a troupe could play the reverse: a Gifted child and his childhood friends leave town to find a wizard. The children know that their Gifted friend is "special" and think that aiding him will provide them with a new home, as well as foster the interest of a powerful magical benefactor in their future. There may be additional reasons why the children want to leave the village: an oppressive bully, uninterested parents, or an overbearing parish priest. After the children are discovered to be missing, the village reeve or bailiff or headman sends a search party to find them. Serfs can't just vacate the farm of their own volition! A prolonged chase ensues, with the player characters hunting through the mystical faerie woods looking for the rumored hidden wizards' tower, all the while hunted by the reeve and his hounds.
Finding an Apprentice
In most Tribunals, the Order of Hermes does not have a dedicated branch of servants looking for Gifted individuals to become apprentices. The Thebes Tribunal is an exception, as is detailed in The Sundered Eagle: The Theban Tribunal. In other Tribunals, each magus finds his own apprentice. The traditional model has the magus scouring the rustic villages and urban squalor of Mythic Europe, looking for a Gifted youth. House Bonisagus has a second, easier option because a Bonisagus magus can take another magus' apprentice from him. Even so, that House has rules for those members who exercise this option, so that the practice is not overused and burdensome (see Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 17).
The surest way of finding an apprentice is an adventure, one designed by the storyguide for the player's magus. However, this might not suit the other players or the troupe as a whole, who might be interested in other sorts of adventures. A player can instead declare that his magus is spending a season looking for an apprentice. The player makes a Perception + stress die roll against an Ease Factor of 12 to successfully find an apprentice (ArM5, page 106). Because success is difficult, a player has the option of seeking help from another player character or storyguide character who can spare the time to help the seeking magus. The assistant character makes a Characteristic + Ability check against an Ease Factor of 12. Success lowers the magus' Ease Factor by 3 if the assistant is a player character or by 1 if the assistant is a storyguide character. Multiple assistants are allowed. Both the magus and his assistants must spend the entire season looking for an apprentice. Assistants might include characters such as a female scholar companion making a Communication + Area Lore roll as she investigates neighboring nunneries, a knight using Presence + Etiquette to ask discreet questions at court, and a rogue using Intelligence + Folk Ken to glean information from villagers.
Ex Miscellanea magi of the lineage of Pralix are very good at detecting Gifted individuals, using the Comprehend Magic Virtue that is inherent within the line (Houses of Hermes: Societates, page 128). Such a magus concentrates on finding Gifted hedge wizards to bring into the Order, rather than Gifted children to apprentice, but an apprenticeseeking magus who knows such a Pralixian magus might ask for aid. Since most magi do not have this Supernatural Virtue, many have designed spells to facilitate searching for an apprentice. Unfortunately, such spells are not always accurate. Detecting The Gift is not as straightforward as detecting a magical aura or an enchanted item. Supernatural powers are more common than The Gift, and spells designed to detect The Gift will sometimes inaccurately indicate those possessing other supernatural traits.
Detecting the Gift
Intellego Vim spells can detect The Gift. The base level is 10: "detect the traces of powerful magic," which will detect both the Blatant Gift and the Gentle Gift, as well as the regularly Gifted. It cannot differentiate between The Gift and the False Gift, however, suffering the usual limitations Hermetic magic has against the Infernal. Any spell used to identify The Gift must bypass the Magic Resistance, if any, of the target. A magus should remember that using Intellego Vim spells on another magus counts as scrying, and is forbidden by the Code of Hermes.
Here are two common Hermetic spells for detecting The Gift.
THE NUMBNESS OF THE GIFT
InVi 20 R: Per, D: Conc, T: Touch
When the caster places his hand on another character who has The Gift, his hand feels numb. This spell was initially invented to detect Gifted hedge wizards, and was first described in Hedge Magic, page 6.
(Base 10, +1 Conc, +1 Touch)
SIGHT OF THE LAZY PARENS
InVi 40 R: Per, D: Sun, T: Vision
The caster's eyes become magically sensitive to Gifted individuals, who appear to be surrounded by a magenta aura. This spell does not cause a Warping point if it is used sparingly or personally designed (invented) by the caster. If used continually, or if cast by someone for whom the spell is not specifically designed, the caster receives a Warping point.
(Base 10, +2 Sun, +4 Vision)
Becoming an Apprentice
Most of the time, the process is overwhelmingly easy: it is a statement of intent followed by a season of action. Once the child is found the magus returns to the covenant with the child and states that the child is his new apprentice. To finalize and legalize the procedure, the magus opens the Arts of his new apprentice. Childhood is the most common stage of life to start an apprentice character, and eight is the average age that a character becomes an apprentice. If your child character is starting play before becoming an apprentice, you should give the character General Abilities that mirror her early life, skills that she would have learned during her infancy. All General Abilities are available for characters eight years of age and older. Restricted Abilities might also be available depending on the occupation of a child's parent (see Chapter 2). Supernatural Abilities are allowed if the character has the corresponding Supernatural Virtue.
During early apprenticeship, the promise of wielding mighty magical power seems distant. Instead of casting Pilums of Fire, she cleans her parens' laboratory, perhaps even his personal chambers, and studies laboriously. Since the apprentice lives with the magus, she is allowed access to his sanctum and undertakes the chores that the magus might have done alone. Hermetic pewter and glassware need to be cleaned, floors are scrubbed, shelves dusted, paraphernalia is organized, and the laboratory is maintained for optimal use.
Initially, an apprentice's assistance in the laboratory may be minimal. A proper laboratory assistant needs to be trained in Magic Theory, as well as to have The Gift. An apprentice needs other skills as well; he is not merely the magus' assistant, but his Hermetic offspring. The apprentice must learn to read and write Latin if she is to have any sort of standard Hermetic career. But even before being trained in Magic Theory, the child can assist in the lab as a servant. The character adds his Intelligence divided by 2 to a lab's Safety, +1 to Aesthetics, and +1 to a Mentem Specialty (Covenants, page 116). The Safety modifier is only beneficial for a magus if the child assistant's Intelligence is a positive number after being modified due to age. Otherwise, such assistance will actually be a hindrance.
Apprentice of House Bonisagus
Characteristics: Int +1, Per +1, Pre +1, Com –2, Str –1, Sta +3, Dex +1, Qik +1 (Characteristic Modifier –3)
Size: –2
Age: 8 (8)
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Apprentice; Apt Student; Soft-Hearted
Personality Traits: Obedient +3, Generous +2, Agreeable +1
Combat:
Dodge: Init –2, Attack n/a, Defense 0, Damage n/a
Soak: 0
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–3), –3 (4–6), –5 (7–9), Incapacitated (10–12), Dead (13+)
Abilities: Area Lore 1 (deer paths), Athletics 1 (jumping), Awareness 1 (alertness), Brawl 1 (dodge), Latin 2 (Hermetic usage), Native Language 5 (storytelling), Profession: Forester 1 (gathering wood), Stealth 2 (hiding), Survival 3 (forest), Swim 1 (underwater)
Arts: Cr 0**, In** 1**, Mu** 0**, Pe** 0**, Re** 0**; An** 2**, Aq** 0**, Au** 0**, Co** 0**, He** 0**, Ig** 0**, Im** 0**, Me** 0**, Te** 0**, Vi** 0
Equipment: Apprentice robes
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Appearance: A happy looking girl, with braided hair and a wide smile.
The character has just been accepted into House Bonisagus, starting play after her first year of apprenticeship. Prior to her discovery, she lived in the woods with her parents. The character started with the Wilderness sample childhood, received 30 experience points for the two years before being accepted as an apprentice, and 19 experience points for her first year with the Bonisagus magus.
The character does not begin play with any Hermetic Virtues and hopes to learn them from her parens. The Apt Student Virtue adds to the Teaching Source Quality when her parens teaches her.
Opening the Arts
Opening the Arts of the apprentice is the magical beginning of her career. Once her parens performs this season-long procedure, the apprentice can cast spells, although only the simplest spontaneous effects will be possible at first. Opening the Arts also legally binds the apprentice to the magus. Before this procedure, the Gifted child is simply a servant, assistant, or hanger-on. Afterward, the child is the magus' and is considered his legal property.
Every competent magus can Open the Arts of a Gifted student. A magus should have a score of 5 in all 15 Hermetic Techniques and Forms. If the magus has a score of less than 5 in an Art, his apprentice automatically gains the Hermetic Flaw Deficient Form or Technique, depending on the inadequate Art score. Purposefully including Deficiencies when Opening the Arts of an apprentice is a low crime, usually punishable by a fine. Including two Deficiencies during the Opening of the Arts is a more severe low crime and the magus may be punished with the loss of the apprentice, having her removed from him and given to a more competent magus. Including three or more Deficiencies is extremely irresponsible. Most Tribunals agree that such faulty Opening of the Arts produces inferior magi and threatens the healthy longevity of the Order. A magus responsible for this failure faces the loss of his apprentice and banishment from the Tribunal.
OPENING ARTS WITH SUPERNATURAL ABILITIES
For a competent magus, Opening the Arts is an automatic process unless the apprentice has one or more Supernatural Abilities. Many, though not all, Gifted children have an accompanying Supernatural Ability. In those situations, the parens' Intellego Vim Lab Total must equal or exceed 5 times the apprentice's score in any non-Hermetic Supernatural Ability. Also, the Lab Total must be at least 10 if the apprentice's Supernatural Ability is from a Minor Virtue and 30 if from a Major. If the apprentice's Supernatural Virtue does not have a corresponding Supernatural Ability, Greater Immunity for example, the matching the minimum Intellego Vim Lab Total will suffice (10 for Minor, 30 for Major).
Children with a single Supernatural Ability are usually easy to Open to the Arts. An Intellego Vim Lab Total of 10 is automatic unless the parens Opening the Arts has less than 5 in either Intellgo or Vim, and even then it is generally possible. A Lab Total of 30 is harder but not impossible. A child with more than one Supernatural Ability is more difficult. Supernatural Virtues and Abilities stack when calculating the necessary level of the parens' Intellego Vim Lab Total. For example, to Open the Arts of a Gifted child with Greater Immunity and a score of 3 in Dowsing, her parens needs an Intellego Vim Lab Total of 45: 30 for the Major Virtue without a corresponding Ability, plus 5 times the score in the Supernatural Ability.
Simply meeting or exceeding the required Lab Total Opens the Arts of the apprentice, but destroys the Supernatural Ability. To maintain exciting Supernatural Abilities, the Lab Total must double the necessary level. Supernatural Abilities can also be converted into Hermetic Virtues, if the parens' Lab Total is high enough. Maintain or converting is the parens' decision. Supernatural Abilities derived from a Minor Supernatural Virtue convert into Minor Hermetic Virtues, and a Supernatural Abilities derived from Major Supernatural Virtues change into Major Hermetic Virtues. If converted, Supernatural Abilities must normally change into Hermetic Virtues that the parens possesses. This is similar to teaching the apprentice Hermetic Virtues (see later); only Hermetic Virtues possessed by the magus can be passed on, either through teaching or converting. While the parens need not know how to perform the Supernatural Ability, he must know how to perform the Hermetic Virtue. Alternatively, the parens may convert a Supernatural Virtue into an Hermetic Virtue he does not know, if the two Virtues are very similar. For example, Skinchanger might convert into a Minor Magical Focus with self-transformation, or Magic Sensitivity into an Affinity with Intellego or Vim. In this case, the Supernatural Virtue was a feature of the child's Gift, and the parens merely turns that feature into a new, Hermetic channel. Neither the parens nor the child knows what this channel is, and the child is likely to believe that the ability has been simply lost. The troupe should decide whether two Virtues are sufficiently similar.
Story Seed: I'm Not Going Anywhere!
Magi like to think that returning to the covenant with a Gifted child in tow is easy. Storywise, it is only if you want it to be. Most likely, the child is meeting the magus for the first time and reacts negatively to his Gift. Escape, not accompaniment, is a likely first thought. An interesting initial adventure might be for the player characters to return to the covenant with a Gifted player character child. The child does everything possible to escape, while the other players act to contain the child without hurting her. This could be especially fun if the other player characters are grogs or companions, and do not have the necessary magical means to easily transport the child.
Hermetic Terminology
Hermetic magi have adopted titles to refer to specific positions within the Order. Masters and apprentices have Latin titles as well. Both titles parens ("parent") and filius or filia ("son"/"daughter") are used by magi after apprenticeship. During apprenticeship, characters also use the following terms:
Adolescentia: A time of service and preparation in an apprentice's life, the "adolescent" years when he knows enough to assist his master in the lab.
Discipulus: An apprentice during apprenticeship. A female apprentice is called a discipula. The male plural is discipuli and the female plural is discipulae.>
Dominus: "Master" or "lord," this term is used by an apprentice for his master. A female maga is a domina. The male plural is domini and the female plural is dominae.
Frater: "Brother," this word means a fellow male who was taught Hermetic magic by the apprentice's master. A female maga is a soror.
Infantia: The period of an apprentice's life before he was accepted by his master, "infancy."
Magister: A term for an apprentice's teacher or tutor, most commonly applied to mundane teachers. This word is also used in scholastic circles and universities.
Pater: "father," often used after apprenticeship in place of parens to indicate affection or respect, sometimes used during apprenticeship instead of dominus as a term of endearment. The female equivalent is mater.
Parens: "Parent", as mentioned. The plural of parens is parentes.
Pueritia: The early stages of an apprentice's education, generally associated with childhood.
Tiro: "Young soldier, recruit, or beginner", this word is used by apprentices to refer to each other. Older magi use it derisively to imply inexperience or dull-wittedness in their fellows.
AFTER THE ARTS ARE OPENED
Once the Arts are Opened, the apprentice character has a 0 in each of the five Techniques and ten Forms. She can immediately cast spontaneous spells. She can read any casting tablets the covenant may have, providing she has a score of 1 in Artes Liberales and 4 in Latin. Barring some logical limitations — the apprentice can't cast formulaic spells because she doesn't know any — an apprentice can undertake any magical activity a magus can. Simply use the applicable formula based on the current Arts scores of the apprentice for any magical activity she undertakes.
Delaying Opening the Arts
Not every magus Opens the Arts of his apprentice immediately. He might want the child trained in Academic or Arcane Abilities first, need to increase his own low Art score before Opening the Arts, or have other pressing matters on hand. He can declare the child his apprentice, but she isn't legally bound to him until he Opens her Arts. This is a gamble; until the child is officially his, she can be taken by other magi. His friends and sodales will probably honor his decision and not snatch up the child, but that isn't a guarantee, nor does it prevent other magi from taking the child. If a magus does snatch the child and quickly make her an apprentice, there are few options for the deprived magus. He could declare Wizard's War and hope to take the child back, but this is risky and he could lose the child as a casualty of the war. He could also offer to trade the magus something more valuable, and perhaps even go into debt to secure the apprentice's return.
There is also the chance that the magus never intended to Open the Arts of the Gifted child and is merely keeping her as a Gifted lab assistant. The Order frowns on this practice and most Tribunals declare that keeping a Gifted lab assistant is a low crime. While this is fine in legal theory, it is difficult to prosecute, because the defendant can always say that he was merely delaying Opening the child's Arts until the child was properly trained. Rather than a cumbersome and uncertain trial, magi prefer that an individual act decisively and simply take the lab assistant as an apprentice. If the timing is right, and the lab assistant is taken a day or two before a new season begins, the rescuer could immediately begin Opening her Arts. This automatically makes her an apprentice, and immediately grants both magus and apprentice the legal protection offered by the Code of Hermes. Specifically, the former magus cannot charge in and demand his lab assistant be returned.
Teaching Schedule
To ensure that a new apprentice learns everything necessary to become a magus, most new masters follow the following schedule, which is believed to come from letters Bonisagus wrote to Trianoma, and is more or less what the traditions of the Order dictate.
"The life of the Art requires a master and student. The student gives her magic to her master to shape, and to be worthy of this gift, he must first achieve a master's understanding of all of the Techniques and Forms."
If a magus does not have at least a score of 5 in every Technique and Form when he Opens the student to the Arts, the student's magic will be crippled. Doing this is generally considered an Hermetic crime (see Legal Issues, later). Apprenticeship is not considered to have begun until the master has Opened the student's Arts.
Many magi believe this passage is where the term "The Gift" for the ability to work magic originated.
"Each year, the student must spend one season studying the Art with her master, for safety. Let the master favor the Forms at first, for they will help protect her when she cannot share his Parma."
According to the Peripheral Code, a magus must teach his apprentice for one season every year. Many magi prefer to do this in spring, if for no other reason than because it resonates strongly with nature. While some magi follow Bonisagus' instructions exactly, and ensure that their students have some knowledge of every Form before they teach them the Techniques or spells, most prefer to focus on the Arts that they think will best serve the student.
The words "for safety" have puzzled many magi; some think this was an instruction to spend only one season each year teaching the Arts (perhaps in order to avoid the danger of excessive study), while others believe it meant that only the child's master should teach her magic, to keep her safe within her Parma.
"Before she has reached 15 years of age, it is best that she read and write, so that after she may herself study the Theory of Magic from the book."
An apprentice cannot effectively work magic until she knows enough Latin, and is more useful in the lab if she studies Magic Theory. Generally, apprentice magi gain scores of Latin 4, Artes Liberales 1 and Magic Theory 3 by the time they reach adolescence. Some masters teach their apprentices these Abilities themselves, but many hire educated tutors to teach them to read and write.
"Once the child has served fifteen years, the master must give her a test to be sure of her worth. Only then shall he teach her the secret of the Parma Magica, and release her from his service."
This test has come to be known as the Gauntlet, and every House has its own methods for determining whether their apprentices are ready to become magi. (See Chapter 5 for examples.)
Story Seed: Midnight Rescue
A magus discovers that a rival living in another covenant has been keeping a Gifted child as a laboratory assistant for two years and has yet to Open her Arts. The magus wants the child but doesn't want to risk using magical methods to take her. He is, however, willing to use mundane methods, and assembles a team of his covenant's grogs to undertake the mission. Can the grogs sneak into the rival covenant, find the Gifted girl, and escape with her?
Story Seed: A Temporary Reprieve
An overbearing and cruel parens mistakenly forgets to train his apprentice for a season during the year. Another magus notices this and, while the parens is distracted, abducts the apprentice and declares that he is the apprentice's new parens. Naturally, the first parens disagrees and demands the return of the apprentice, to which the second parens replies that it must be settled at Tribunal, five years hence. In the meantime, the apprentice must avoid the first parens, who will surely try to snatch him back, and learn as much as he can from his new parens. If the issue becomes too strained, one magus may declare Wizard's War against the other, and the apprentice's only hope is to survive the conflict. This can be particularly complicated if both magi live at the same covenant.
Legal Issues
The Code of Hermes contains several regulations concerning apprentices, which are easily summarized. A Gifted child is legally recognized as a magus' apprentice only when the magus opens the apprentice's Arts. This protection is immediate and begins on the first day of the season spent opening the apprentice's Arts. The parens must personally instruct the apprentice for one season during each year of apprenticeship, although the type of instruction is not specified. The parens must also "be the first to strike" if the apprentice, likely a magus at that point, turns against the Order.
The Code does not protect the apprentice from his master, who can treat the apprentice as he sees fit. The parens can train the apprentice in any fashion imaginable, and the apprentice must perform each and every task assigned. Failure to please the magus may have dire consequences, and a magus faces no legal repercussions if he destroys his unsatisfactory apprentice. There are many unsavory tasks for ungrateful apprentices; almost any Tytalus magus could write a tractatus on the ways to abusively instruct a failing apprentice.
The apprentice can be traded to another magus and has no say in the transaction. A magus does not need to explain why he gives an apprentice away. Perhaps the apprentice is at fault and the magus tires of a stupid, lazy, or senseless lad. Perhaps the magus is to blame, underestimating the time commitment involved in training an apprentice. Maybe he simply changes his mind. On the other hand, he might gain something more valuable than an apprentice in trade from another magus. It is entirely decided upon by the parens.
The Code of Hermes indirectly protects the apprentice from other magi because the apprentice is the magus' property, and receives the same legal protection as the magus' familiar, invested devices, vis sites, and other magical goods. Killing a magus' apprentice is depriving that magus of his magical power, and is covered by the Code's first provision. In cases of legally sanctioned violence where a magus' property is targetable, Wizards' Wars and Wizards' Marches, an apprentice is fair game. Like any other property of the defendant, an apprentice can be destroyed or taken. A magus could declare Wizard's War on another magus with the sole intent of taking his apprentice. If he succeeds, he might need to defend the apprentice from the former parens in future Wizards' Wars. Like other property, an apprentice can serve as compensation for crimes. A Tribunal could decide that an apprentice is forfeit, and should be given to someone else, or destroyed. The crime does not have to involve the apprentice for the Tribunal to decide on such a punishment.
If an apprentice commits an Hermetic crime, then his parens is held liable. Most Tribunals assume that the apprentice acted under the magus' orders. If a magus can prove that the apprentice acted of his own volition, which Hermetic magic can do, then the Tribunal has a choice. It can deal with the apprentice as the magus' property and punish the parens, or treat the apprentice as an interloper without any legal recognition within the group. If a hedge wizard committed the crime, how would the Order respond? Essentially the parens can remove any indirect protection that the Code might have offered from the apprentice. Often, this is a death sentence.
The Code of Hermes does not provide any means of appeal if the apprentice feels that his parens isn't abiding by the parens-apprentice bargain. An apprentice cannot petition for a new master, arrange better treatment from the current master, or attempt his Gauntlet early. As far as the apprentice is concerned, the Code guarantees that his parens can treat him poorly, and his only recourse is to suffer through it. If he wants a new master, he will have to be subtle. He needs to show his worth to a prospective new parens, while at the same time proving worthless to his current master. Just how far he can go depends on the temperament of his parens.
House Bonisagus has additional legal privileges, because magi from that House can take an apprentice away from another magus. The House has some self-governing guidelines that apply, but these are merely suggestions, not laws (Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 17). Some Bonisagus magi trade apprentices for short periods of time through fosterage, effectively breaking the rule that an apprentice must receive personal instruction. Other Houses and other magi also foster apprentices. This is a breach of the Code, and if brought to trial, each fostering magus could be accused of a low crime if they are not also providing each apprentice a season of personal instruction during the fostering period. Because fosterage is always agreed to by both participating magi, the likelihood that one would charge the other with a crime is slight. Nor could either apprentice bring the parentes up on charges. Others could, however, and magi outside the fostering agreement could accuse either of the fostering magi of a low crime. Since fostering is common, most magi would view the accuser negatively, even though he may be technically right.
Story Seed: A Convenient Suspect
A player character apprentice enters his parens' laboratory one morning and finds the magus dead, a knife sticking from his back. The magus was known to abuse the apprentice, who rightly suspects that if the crime is discovered, he will be blamed. The parens had a sworn enemy, another maga, and killing the parens and blaming it on the apprentice is surely within the maga's capabilities. Worse still, that maga is due to visit today, and the apprentice knows that she is scheduled to meet with the nowdead parens and the covenant's other magi at dinner. Can the apprentice avoid accusation and correctly identify the murderer? Can he claim credit for solving the mystery, or does he need a more likely detective, since few would believe a child?
Story Seed: The Inheritance
A magus acquires a Gifted child as his apprentice from a prosperous farmer, who is happy that the child has a place to go. A few years later, the father dies. With the child absent, the property defaults to the farmer's brother, who begins managing the estate. A nearby abbot learns of the property transfer, and knows that the child is not being cared for by the uncle. The abbot claims that the monastery should manage the estate until the child comes of age to inherit the farm. For the uncle to retain the property, he must raise the child. Humbly, even fearfully, the uncle approaches the magus and tells him the situation. According to the abbot, he can only retain the farm if the child is returned to him.
If the player character is the apprentice, perhaps with the Flaw: Heir or Close Family Ties (the uncle), he must somehow deal with his uncle. Most likely, his parens won't let him return with his uncle, even if he wants to. He can't legally sign off the rights to the farm, since children cannot make legal contracts. Perhaps he can convince the abbot that the property is best managed by his uncle, while his place is in the covenant.
If the player character is the parens, he has several options. He could ignore the situation entirely. He'll retain his apprentice, who mopes and pouts because of his uncle's misfortune. He might be able to magically affect the situation, although the monastery has a Divine aura of 4 and the abbot rarely leaves it. He could hire a lawyer to argue the case in the bishop's court, even though the abbot and the bishop are cousins. Perhaps he lays claim to the farm, saying that he is the boy's legal guardian, as he realizes the estate's financial worth to the covenant. All the while, he must make sure that his involvement with the mundanes does not breach the Code, a narrow path to tread.
Apprentice of House Verditius
Characteristics: Int +1, Per +1, Pre –1, Com 0, Str +1, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik +1 (Characteristic modifier –1)
Size: –1
Age: 12 (12)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Apprentice; Major Magical Focus (Metal); Affinity with Craft: Goldsmith, Cautious Sorcerer, Verditius Magic*; Weak Spontaneous Magic; Hunchback, Slow Caster
\* Free House Virtue
Personality Traits: Loyal +3, Jealous +2, Indecisive +1
Combat:
Dagger: Init 0, Attack +5, Defense +3, Damage +3
Dodge: Init 0, Attack n/a, Defense +2, Damage n/a
Soak: 0
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–4), –3 (5–8), –5 (9–12), Incapacitated (13–15), Dead (16+)
Abilities: Artes Liberales 1 (rhetoric), Brawl 2 (dagger), Craft: Goldsmith 3 (fine details), Guile 2 (women), Latin 2 (Hermetic usage), Magic Theory 2 (enchanting items), Native Language 5 (metalworking terminology), Stealth 2 (shadowing)
Arts: Cr 0**, In** 0**, Mu** 4**, Pe** 0**, Re** 4**; An** 0**, Aq** 0**, Au** 0**, Co** 0**, He** 0**, Ig** 0**, Im** 0**, Me** 0**, Te** 5**, Vi** 3
Equipment: Robe, heavy leather apron, and a pouch containing the casting tokens for his cantations
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells Known:
Probe for Pure Gold (InTe 4/ +6) A variant of Probe for Pure Silver. Shattering Touch (PeTe 5/ +6) The Crystal Dart (MuTe(Re) 10/ +10)
Appearance: Vile-looking and disheveled, the apprentice wears craftsman's clothes appropriate for the forge.
The Verditius apprentice has spent five years in apprenticeship. The character used the Mischievous Childhood as a starting point, received 30 experience points for the two years before apprenticeship, and received 95 experience points (19 x 5) for the five years spent as a Verditius apprentice. His parens has already initiated him into the Outer Mystery of the Cult (Verditius Magic Virtue).
Experience points have been spent on Abilities, Arts, and spells, deviating slightly from the standard model of apprenticeship. The character is not limited to cantations, and has bought a higher level spell.
Teaching Hermetic Virtues
Teaching an Hermetic Virtue combines aspects of learning a Supernatural Ability (ArM5, page 166) with learning a Mystery Cult Virtue (The Mysteries Revised Edition, page 13). The instructor, typically an apprentice's parens, generates a Teaching Source Quality total that is compared to a required target level. Both teacher and student must be Gifted individuals trained in Hermetic Magic Theory. A magus cannot teach a Gifted hedge wizard an Hermetic Virtue because the two men do not understand magic in the same way. At the end of a season's instruction, the parens generates a Teaching Source Quality just as if he were teaching an Ability or an Art.
TEACHING SOURCE QUALITY: Communication + Teaching + 3 + bonus
The bonuses for the Instruction Total are the same bonuses that apply for every teacher (ArM5, page 164). Like Arts, Hermetic Virtues can only be taught one-on-one, so every parens' Teaching Source Quality receives a +6 bonus. Virtues that affect teaching also apply.
An additional bonus can be included if the teacher includes an Hermetic Flaw along with the Hermetic Virtue. Mystery Cult initiations sometimes include Ordeals, which add a bonus to learning the Mystery Cult Virtue. In its roughest sense, an Ordeal is a Flaw. For whatever reason — magic being quixotic at its core — it is easier to teach an Hermetic Virtue if one includes an Hermetic Flaw. Including a Minor Hermetic Flaw adds a +3 bonus. Including a Major Hermetic Flaw adds a +9 bonus. A teacher can only include an Hermetic Flaw that he has.
Like Mystery Initiations and regular teaching, there is no die roll. The Hermetic Virtue is taught in a single season if the Teaching Source Quality meets or exceeds the Target Level.
THE TARGET LEVEL IS 15 TO LEARN A MINOR HERMETIC VIRTUE
THE TARGET LEVEL IS 21 TO LEARN A MAJOR HERMETIC VIRTUE
The more Hermetic Virtues a Gifted student has, the harder it is to teach him new Hermetic Virtues. Learning Supernatural Abilities is also hindered by knowledge possessed in other Supernatural Abilities (ArM5, page 166), and Hermetic theorists speculate that whatever nuance of The Gift so limits learning Supernatural Abilities also limits learning Hermetic Virtues through instruction. Each Minor Hermetic Virtue the character already possesses adds +3 to the Target Level, and each Major Hermetic Virtue adds +9.
A teacher can only teach an Hermetic Virtue that he has. If he decides to include an Hermetic Flaw in the instruction, to make the process easier, he can only include an Hermetic Flaw that he possesses. The student cannot instruct himself, another difference between learning Hermetic Virtues and Mystery Cult Virtues. Not every magus teaches Hermetic Virtues to his apprentice, although doing so does fulfill the annual requirement of one season of personal instruction due the apprentice. If a magus would rather teach Hermetic Virtues than of Arts or Abilities, the apprentice may end up with less knowledge (fewer experience points) than his peers. Like most of apprenticeship, it is the parens' decision. It isn't unusual for a parens to teach Arts, Abilities, and spells during the required seasons of instruction, and spend additional seasons teaching the apprentice an Hermetic Virtue or two.
ACQUIRING HOUSE VIRTUES
Every Hermetic House has one or more Hermetic Virtues associated with it, and every Hermetic magus receives a free Minor Hermetic Virtue based on his House. Players often refer to this Virtue as the "House Virtue," because it comes free with the character's Hermetic House. The House Virtue does not have to be specifically taught, although it can be. Often it is learned over time, assumed by the impressionable young apprentice as she learns magic during the prolonged teaching and laboratory interactions with her parens.
For over half of the Houses, it takes 10 seasons of one-on-one interactions with a parens for an apprentice to gain the free Minor House Virtue. Teaching Arts, Arcane Abilities, and spells and helping in the laboratory all count as seasons of one-on-one interactions. If an apprentice does not receive 10 seasons of one-on-one interactions, he does not receive the free House Virtue. In such a case, there would likely be other problems due to legal issues.
ACQUIRING THE MINOR HERMETIC HOUSE VIRTUE REQUIRES 10 SEASONS OF ONE-ON-ONE INTERACTION WITH PARENS
This rule pertains to seven of the twelve Houses, all four True Lineages, and three of the Societates. The fourth Societas, House Ex Miscellanea, is a special case because an apprentice of a House Ex Miscellanea magus receives a package of House Virtues and Flaws: one Minor Hermetic Virtue, one Major non-Hermetic Virtue, and one Major Hermetic Flaw. Because there are several types of Ex Miscellanea magi, the troupe should decide if an apprentice of a specific tradition learns the House Virtues and Flaws through one-on-one association or through a process similar to a mystery initiation like the Mystery Cult Houses.
An apprentice of a magus of a Mystery Cult gains the free House Virtue by undergoing an Initiation to learn the House's Outer Mystery (as described in Mystery Cults). House Verditius Initiates an apprentice immediately following the opening of an apprentice's Arts. House Bjornaer Initiates an apprentice's Heartbeast at some point during apprenticeship, at the Ritual of Twelve Years (see Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page 16). Houses Criamon and Merinita Initiate apprentices at various times, usually dependent on the master. Initiation into a House's Outer Mystery takes a season.
The apprentice must learn the same free House Virtue that his parens knows. In a House where there is a choice of House Virtues, the parens can decide which House Virtue is acquired, if he has both. House Flambeau, for example, has the choice of Puissant Perdo or Puissant Ignem. If the master has both Virtues, he can choose either as the apprentice's House Virtue.
GAINING HERMETIC FLAWS
Few apprentices purposefully gain Hermetic Flaws. A player can always select an Inherited Flaw at character generation, and while this will develop sometime during the child character's life, that is different from gaining an Hermetic Flaw after creating the character. Hermetic Flaws acquired after character generation affect a character as soon as they are gained, their effects manifesting immediately. Hermetic magi have not found a way to remove Hermetic Flaws, and once gained an Hermetic Flaw is permanent, barring a story.
The two most common ways characters gain Hermetic Flaws are through learning Hermetic Virtues, and as a consequence of game play. As mentioned previously, it is easier to learn an Hermetic Virtue from a teacher if that teacher includes an Hermetic Flaw in the process. Hermetic magi do not fully understand why this is so, but like Mystery Cult Initiations, tainting the learning process with an incurred liability makes instruction easier. The second way characters gain Hermetic Flaws is through play. Uncontrolled Temporary Twilight episodes are a frequent cause, bestowing Hermetic Flaws on an apprentice in the same way they grant Hermetic Flaws to a magus (ArM5, page 89). Gaining an Hermetic Deficiency Flaw during the opening of the Arts is another path to receiving a new Flaw during play. Some Supernatural creatures have the power to grant Minor and Major Flaws, and while these aren't always Hermetic, they can be. These Flaws are not necessarily permanent and many are temporary inconveniences. Realms of Power: Magic and Realms of Power: Faerie have details and example creatures.
Study
Educational instruction in the institutions of Mythic Europe begins around age seven. Future lawyers and clerics are taught the basics of the trivium, the first stage of medieval learning. An apprentice may also find himself behind a reading desk, as it is perfectly reasonable for a magus to send his apprentice to a mundane teacher. Rather than spend precious time teaching an apprentice Latin, Artes Liberales and Profession: Scribe, many magi use a tutor. Many covenants have such professionals on staff, scholastic instructors paid to teach Academic, Arcane, and other Abilities.
TEACHERS
Sending an apprentice to a mundane teacher is problematic because mundane teachers hate Gifted students. While the Parma Magica eliminates the inherent suspicions fostered by the Gift, those without its protection find Gifted students unpalatable. The Gifted child is perceived as lazy, shiftless, and dishonest at first, and then later, as they progress in their lessons, as devious, undeserving, and underhanded.
Mechanically, the Gift imposes a –3 penalty on all social interaction totals (ArM5, page 75). A Gifted teacher suffers this penalty when calculating a Teaching Source Quality (ArM5, page 106). A character with the Gentle Gift is not penalized, and a character with the Blatant Gift suffers a –6 penalty. A Gifted student suffers a – 3 penalty when learning from a teacher because teaching is a social activity. If a Gifted teacher teaches a Gifted student, the penalty is doubled, – 3 for each Gifted participant in the social exchange. The Parma Magica negates this penalty completely, allowing a parens to teach an apprentice without issue. Mundane teachers usually do not have a Parma Magica, and the penalty is imposed.
A magus could share his Parma Magica with both his apprentice and the mundane teacher, which would cancel The Gift's negative social effect. To do this, the magus must keep both teacher and apprentice in sight, which limits his solo work. He could have the pair working in his laboratory while he works on something else, but this often proves too distracting.
A Gifted student could find himself among non-Gifted students. An apprentice could be compelled to attend a teacher's class on his parens' orders. Since Gifted children are usually brighter than their peers, a Gifted character who is not an apprentice might be forced into a classroom. Perhaps the village priest took pity on a Gifted outcast, and welcomed the child into the local parish school. Students are normally taught in groups, and only the wealthiest children and Hermetic apprentices commonly receive individual tutelage. Classrooms are stressful, teachers are strict, and classmates are experts at picking out the oddballs and terrorizing them. Incurring a Turbulence would be a weekly, if not daily, occurrence.
BOOK LEARNING
Another good way to improve an apprentice's or scholar's Abilities is to allow him access to books. Both summae and tractatus can be invaluable instructional tools for a young student, who needs to be able to read (Artes Liberales 1) and must be fluent in the language used in the book (a score of 4 or higher in the written language) to gain any useful insight. Books, however, are precious things, and not every owner wishes his cherished volumes to undergo the vigorous and often damaging treatment received from a young student. Universities require students to make their own copies of texts, avoiding the lending of books from a teacher's library entirely. Most students can't afford to purchase an individual copy of a book, but those who can will find booksellers in the larger towns and cities of Mythic Europe. Cathedral and other religious schools put even more restrictions on the books they own, keeping the written treasures in safe hands.
The books in a covenant's library are slightly different, in that they are usually owned by the group of magi rather than the individual. Most covenants have stipulations on who has access to their written repository, and only in the most liberal covenant will an apprentice have free rein. Naturally, an apprentice's parens will probably want unlimited access to the covenant's library, which could easily create tension if he is the only magus with an apprentice. Why should his sodales have to wait a season to read the Corpus summa because it is in the hands of a mere boy? Other magi take a more proactive view, thinking that the easy and early dissemination of arcane books to an apprentice ultimately strengthens the Order of Hermes as a whole. House Bonisagus has sworn to spread its knowledge of magic to any requesting magus. Does this include apprentices?
TRAINING
A magus may train his apprentice, using the rules for Training (ArM5, page 164). Only Abilities can be trained, not Arts, but a trainer does not need an additional Ability (Teaching) to train, like a teacher does. A magus without a Teaching score might consider training his apprentice in Abilities. In almost all cases, a Training Source Quality will be lower than a Teaching Source Quality.
A magus would better serve his apprentice in the long run if he learned how to teach (i.e. if he gained a score in Teaching). While training might not be the best method of instruction, it does count as a season of one-on-one instruction.
Story Seed: The Unlicensed Loan
An apprentice character desires to read a tome written about a particular Art. However, the covenant has ruled that an apprentice may only study a book in the library once a year, and the apprentice has already been allowed this privilege. His parens suggests that the apprentice might have to take matters into his own hands, and promises to turn a blind eye to any strategies the youth might concoct, provided no one is hurt and nothing is destroyed. Maybe the apprentice could sneak into the library at night and replace the book with a lookalike, providing he can bypass the librarian's magical guardian night owl.
Tales of Wondrous Enchantments
Stories of King Arthur are popular in the 13th century. Arthur's mystical companion, Merlin, is a master of self-transformation spells and prophesies, and his tales capture the imagination of apprentices. Child apprentices love the drama of the tales and the legendary proportions Merlin assumes. Adolescent apprentices like debating whether the tales are true, arguing the pros and cons with their masters, their peers, and anyone who has an opinion.
Their favorite part of the story is when Merlin teaches magic to the young damsel Nimiane. In eight days, he tells her all his arcane secrets, including three great names used to power his most potent spells, which she records in a secret journal. Remembering this tale, adult magi have searched for this journal, called "The Book of Nimiane," scouring the Stonehenge and Normandy Tribunals as they look for the book and the secret glen where Merlin's instructions were recorded. The Seekers, a society of magi within the Order who often search out such artifacts, claim there is no evidence that such a book exists, but few trust these secretive explorers.
Whether these tales are true or not depends on your saga.
Cantations
When Hermetic magi speak of spells, they often use the Latin word incantamen, which can mean both formulaic and spontaneous spells. Over time various magi started using the Latin word cantamen to mean "little spell". When applied to the magical castings of a magus, the term can be insulting: Vide Darii cantamen perdere! ("Look at Darius' little spell of destruction!"). Using cantamen or "cantation" is very appropriate for a low-level spell cast by an apprentice, however, and magi often call a lowlevel formulaic spell a cantation, especially when the caster is an apprentice.
Not every apprentice knows formulaic spells. Many magi consider it a waste of time and resources to teach a young apprentice spells. But not all agree, and sometimes a parens will teach a child apprentice formulaic spells. Teaching formulaic spells is explained in ArM5, page 95. In a single season, an apprentice can learn a number of spells equal to her parens' highest applicable Lab Total, while the highest individual spell level she can learn is her Lab Total in the spell's Technique and Form. In most circumstances, an apprentice will be able to learn many cantations in a single season.
A cantation's main advantage is that it usually works, or at least is usually cast. Because a cantation is a formulaic spell, the spell casting total needs to fall short of the spell level by 10 or more to fail (ArM5, page 81). If the casting total is 10 or less below the spell level, the cantation is cast and the caster loses a Fatigue level. Spontaneous magic can have the same magical effect as any cantation, but a caster needs to meet or exceed the desired effect level using spontaneous magic, something not every apprentice will be able to manage. Knowing a cantation nearly guarantees the successful casting of the magical effect. Spontaneous magic does not offer that same promise, for an apprentice.
Below are some sample cantations that are especially popular with apprentices:
THE APPRENTICE'S DELIGHT
CrHe 3
R: Touch, D: Dia, T: Ind
This spell creates a ripe apple that lasts for two minutes, long enough to be gobbled down. The apple provides no nourishment; its pleasure is in the sweetness of eating it.
(Base 1, + 1 Touch, + 1 Diameter)
THE APPROPRIATE ATTIRE
MuAn 4 R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
This spell slightly changes the color and cut of a leather jerkin, wool tunic, or fur cloak. In social situations where clothing is important, the caster gains a +1 bonus to any Etiquette or Charm roll the player has to make.
(Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
THE CHAMELEON CAT
MuAn 5
R: Touch, D: Dia T: Ind
This spell changes the color of a beast of up to Size +1. The color change only lasts a couple minutes, but is not restricted to any natural color an animal might possess. Green cats are a favorite at Durenmar.
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +1 Diameter, +1 unnatural)
THE CLERIC'S PATE
PeCo 5
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Part
This spell causes the target to lose all the hair on his head.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +1 Part)
THE COOK'S REVENGE
PeHe(An) 5
Req: Animal
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
This spell spoils a plate of food.
(Base 3, + 1 Touch, +1 Requisite)
THE CURSE OF DIANA
PeAn 4
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
This spell causes an animal of Size +1 or smaller to lose all its fur. Several members of House Jerbiton find hairless cats beautiful, but their opinion is not shared by many.
(Base 3, +1 Touch)
CURSE OF THE BABY'S BLADDER
ReCo 4
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
By manipulating the target's stomach and groin muscles, this spell causes the target to release his water, resulting in a (usually) embarrassing situation. This spell does not target or create urine, so if the target has recently urinated, the spell has no effect. This cantation is unfortunately popular with many apprentices.
(Base 2, + 2 Voice)
CLOSING THE CAMPFIRE
PeIg 5
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
This spell extinguishes a fire. The caster must touch the flames. This spell is more popular with Flambeau apprentices, who often have enough Ignem Form Resistance to avoid being burned.
(Base 4, + 1 Touch)
THE DANCER'S DAME
ReHe 5
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
This spell animates a linen gown or dress to dance with the caster, who must maintain concentration while dancing (Ease Factor 9).
(Base 3, + 1 Touch, + 1 Conc)
EARS OF THE HARE
MuCo 4
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
Requisites: Animal
This spell gives the caster the auditory ability of a hare, granting her +1 on Perception rolls that involve hearing.
(Base 2, +2 Sun, requisite free)
AN EVENING'S ILLUMINATION
MuAq 5
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
This spells changes water into lamp oil. As earlier, a barrelful amount of water will produce a bucketful of oil.
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
HURLING THE DROPLET OF LYE
CrAq 3
R: Touch, D: Dia, T: Ind
This spell produces a drop of lye that can burn a coin-sized hole in leather cloth or in parchment. If hurled at a living target, the corrosive substance can cause +1 Damage.
(Base 1, +1 Touch, +1 Diameter)
HYPNOTIC GAZE
ReMe 5
R: Eye D: Mom, T: Ind
The target becomes sleepy and falls asleep within a few seconds.
(Base 4, +1 Eye)
THE JONGLEUR'S STEPS
ReAn 4
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
This spell animates a shoe, making it caper and jig under the caster's control. Cast on a shoe that someone is wearing, the spell causes the wearer to stumble.
(Base 1, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
JUPITER'S TEARS
CrAu 5
R: Sight, D: Conc, T: Ind
This spell makes a single cloud on an overcast day release its moisture, causing a light drizzle.
(Base 1, +1 Conc, +3 Sight)
THE LAUNDRESS' CLOTHESLINE
PeAq 4
R: Per, D: Mom, T: Ind
This spell immediately dries the caster's clothing, which he must be wearing when this spell is cast.
(Base 4)
MIMIC THE CHRIST'S MIRACLE
MuAq 5
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
This spell changes water into wine. Changing water into a processed liquid reduces its size, and it takes a barrelful of water to produce a cup-sized amount of wine.
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
A PESTILENCE OF FLEAS
MuIm 4
R: Voice, D: Dia, T: Ind
This sensory illusion makes target itchy. Tasks requiring Concentration or physical activity are penalized by –1.
(Base 1, +2 Voice, +1 Diameter)
PHYSICIAN'S SENSE
InCo 4
R: Per, D: Mom, T: Ind
Like The Physician's Eye, this spell determines the general health of the caster. It is useful in discovering if a common cold or recurring ache is actually something more severe.
(Base 4)
THE POOR PERFORMER'S REWARD
CrTe 4
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
This spell creates a handful of mud, useful for hurling at a target. Since this mud is magically created, it is resisted by Magic Resistance.
(Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
THE RACING ROT
PeAn 4
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
This spell causes leather goods to crack and wear, marring their appearance and bringing them closer to eventually breaking.
(Base 2, +2 Voice)
THE REWARD DELIVERED
ReTe 4
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
This spell is a counterpart to The Poor Performer's Reward. It hurls the ball of mud at a target.
(Base 3, +1 Touch)
SENSE THE SLEEPING HOUND
InAn 5
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
This spell indicates to the caster if an animal within range is asleep. Care must be taken that the vocalization of this spell doesn't wake the beast, which is good practice in determining how loudly a caster has to speak in specific spell-casting situations.
(Base 3, +2 Voice)
SHATTERING TOUCH
PeTe 5
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
An object of stone or weaker earthy material up to a pace across breaks apart.
(Base 4, +1 Touch)
SLAP OF AWAKENING
ReMe 5
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
This spell instantly awakens a target from sleep to alert consciousness. It does not work on someone unconscious from Fatigue-level loss or continuous magic. It will awaken someone who was magically put to sleep, as long as the magic that put the person to sleep has ended.
(Base 4, +1 Touch)
THE SMOKELESS CAMPFIRE
MuIg 5
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
This spell changes the nature of a fire so it does not produce smoke.
(Base 1, + 2 Voice, + 2 Sun)
THE STUDIOUS DOPPLEGANGER
CrIm 5
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
This spell creates a static copy of the caster, which sits on a stool and appears to be studying a book. The image is only visual.
(Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 intricacy)
THE UNRUFFLED TRAVELER
ReAu 4
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
This spell wards the caster from light breezes, redirecting them to blow around the caster and leave him untouched. It is ineffective against stronger winds.
(Base 2, +2 Sun)
WHISPERING FINGERS
CrMe 5
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
This spell lets the caster speak directly into the target's mind for as long as he maintains concentration.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +1 Conc)
Optional Rule: Learning Cantations in Play
Most magi don't take the time to teach cantations to apprentices. It is not the most effective use of time and a younger apprentice will be limited in what she can learn. An optional rule is to let the repeated casting of a low level spontaneous spell become a formulaic spell. At some point in the apprentice's mind, casting the same spontaneous spell over and over again eventually becomes "known," the definition of a formulaic spell.
Using this rule allows a player to spend adventure experience points on a spontaneous spell his character used in play to turn it into a formulaic. He must use the same spell repeatedly, at least as many times as the level of the spell. If this condition is met, the player can buy the spell with experience points earned from the adventure. The level of the spell determines its cost, at one experience point per level.
If you use this rule, it should also be available to adult magi. However, adult magi can invent many cantations in a single season, and thus are unlikely to want to take advantage of the rule very often.
The Dream Witches
Some mothers threaten their misbehaving children with tales of bogeymen, horrible night creatures that devour bad girls and boys. A fairly common practice, the exact monster invoked differs by region, and depending where the family lives the traditional bogeyman might be goblins, bugbears, elves, or vampires. Apprentices soon realize that these traditional bogeymen are either fairly benign or easily managed through magic, and this psychological tool loses much of its impact.
But there are worse creatures in the world than elves and bugbears. Instead of the traditional night creatures, a maga might frighten her misbehaving apprentice with the "dream witches," evil sorceresses in tattered cloaks who sweep into the apprentice's dreams and contort them into horrible nightmares. The threats vary; the dreamer is stripped of all intelligence, or his flesh is rent and torn, or perhaps the nightmare is so terrible that it bursts his heart.
Most apprentices forget these tales after childhood. Few remember the horrible stories of their parentes, or if they do they scoff them off as simple children's fancies. But as with many legends in Mythic Europe, the dream witches actually exist, hidden within an esoteric Mystery Cult of the Order of Hermes, with powers not unlike those reputed to them.
Attribution Based on the material for Ars Magica, ©1993-2024, licensed by Trident, Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games®, under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license 4.0 ("CC-BY-SA 4.0"). Ars Magica Open License Logo ©2024 Trident, Inc. The Ars Magica Open License Logo, Ars Magica, and Mythic Europe are trademarks of Trident, Inc., and are used with permission. Order of Hermes, Tremere, Doissetep, and Grimgroth are trademarks of Paradox Interactive AB and are used with permission.
Open License Markdown version by YR7 & OriginalMadman, https://github.com/OriginalMadman/Ars-Magica-Open-License