If that's part of your tight concept I think it would be part of the allowed virtues. For instance, Linguist is listed in the Bonisagus chapter and while I feel like an exception might be made for that virtue anyway I didn't feel the need to broach that question since it should be acceptable as part of my concept and I'm not taking any other virtues outside of the allowed books.

EDIT: Also it's easy to check where virtues are by using the free Virtue and Flaw finder pdf on Atlas' site.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:06, Wed 24 Feb 2021.

My Hunter companion could fit into that, although my magus could take it or leave it.

"Easy" to navigate a 27 page document. I generate characters with a spread sheet that just has all the virtues in it as a drop down. We didn't bother with citations. I think generally anyone who didn't get a bunch of options in their HoH:X chapter probably shares my frustration. Flambeau gave... Some mastery abilities and like 2 spell guidelines. But other magi not being able to use Vinny's Sling seems silly. It's not a secret, it's a natural consequence of existing guidelines given specific mechanics.

Guys, magi still suffocate under magical water, they can't drown but Parma doesn't generate air or force them to float right?

In reply to Player 4 (msg # 53):

Unless you got "Lungs of the Fish" or other such spell to allow breathing underwater, you'll definitely drown, even if it is magical water you're submerged in.

Suffocate, the water can't enter your lungs.

And yes, naturally you could have a spell or spont a spell to survive. Was thinking conceptually. Fog clouds are real easy to make, unbreathable fog clouds are a doable way to use a weather that bypasses MR, not that I should need it for Hedgies.

</quote>
"Easy" to navigate a 27 page document. [...]

Guys, magi still suffocate under magical water, they can't drown but Parma doesn't generate air or force them to float right?
</quote>
Yes, quite easy. It's a sorted list, the virtues are all in the first few pages and the flaws the following few, and then a repeat of both sorted alphabetically rather than by type.

Re: Air & Parma - I think that's true but the SG would know for this game.

In reply to Player 4 (msg # 53):

Or you could take Greater Immunity (Drowning), Or Faerie Blood (Selkie)

I saw what the Alpha SG said about not wanting gifted Mercere. Is there any reason for this, beyond how rare they are? I ask because I would like to play one. I think it would be interesting to have a character establish a Redcap base of operation in a new and foreign tribunal.  Plus, there is always the Roman roads and potential Mercurian interest in North Africa.

Lets not turn this into a game about defeating Parma before we even get started.

Not Parma. The infernal MR no doubt possessed by the magicians of Africa. Wink wink, but also maybe seriously...

If we’re sticking to the minimum 12 magi, 4 covenants, requirements for a new tribunal, should we go for 3 man covenants or break it up more. For day to day living in the laboratory it might not mean much, but a 5 magi covenant would be a real powerhouse in such a small tribunal and we might want to avoid that.

Or not.

In reply to Player 9 (msg # 61):

I'm assuming that Covenants for this purpose are always 2+ magi which makes a covenant of 5 within those requirements less likely. Probably best to shoot for covenants of 2-4 magi anyway for the power disparity you're talking about. Also, due to the starting vis allotment instead of BP for covenant creation (which seems to be the case, maybe I misunderstood) it makes that power disparity even greater. Also, with these being all new covenants a lot of time will be spent improving the covenants rather than in the lab so those extra vis to spend will make them even more extreme. But that said, some covenants might be very focused in their "mission," such as a covenant researching some ruin near them, and not care about a political power disparity so much.

In reply to Player 9 (msg # 61):

Looks like we have 12 players, that's 12 Magi, but there are likely to be 2-3 redcaps, who could as magi for the purpose of a Tribunal, and covenant, so that would mean we could have 4 covenants with about 3-4 'magi' each.

I think a lot of us pitched a Redcap because he mentioned "We should have at least 1 redcap" Not sure it is that many of our #1 choice for our only companion. If the Praelican starts swearing in Hedgies his covenant is going to quickly accumulate votes. While a Mercer house with just a Mercere and 3 Redcaps will have only 1 vote defending their interests (plus considerable political capital probably).

In reply to Player 4 (msg # 64):

Well to clarify, in my case at least Redcap isn't my first choice for a companion. Don't particularly want to play one, but I'd be fine with it if nobody else does. Turns out half the players got a redcap as one of the companion ideas.

In reply to Player 3 (msg # 65):

That's my point, I think we all said "ya, sure if we need one" like we were volunteering to be the cleric in a misguided D&D group.

In reply to Alpha SG (msg # 1):

I was looking at the Hermetic Costs relative to Starting Mages. I am mathematically challenged. (easiest way to explain it) Multiplying by a negative number in a fraction confuses me. If Level of a ability summa is 6 or 7, for example, and quality is 12-14, what would the costs be? If I understand better, I can plan better.

For two seasons. But there are two more seasons. That's why I was saying it could be managed by two Redcaps if they can travel quickly.


Yup, far east and west there will be questions from neighboring tribunals. And then there is the Roman Tribunal to the north of central northern Africa, getting pretty close to it. Part of the fun. I was waiting on the tribunal decision for a precise starting year in case there was something interesting historically, but I do want to make sure we have a second tribunal meeting before the upcoming grand tribunal. And this could certainly show up some there.


No, I want to stay closer to core than that. It is something you could work on if you'd like.


I can be flexible if people want it adjusted. I was trying to make a simple rule that would prevent cherry-picking and keep characters focused while still allowing many options. But if it's not a popular solution, it can change.


Nope. I started with players I knew were asking or had already been trying to play, and that has provided plenty.


Spells aren't restricted. I encourage custom spells, so anything you want for spells, so long as it's vetted. The Flambeau chapter also has lots of alternate Virtues, which are handy.


Mostly that they are very rare and it would be unlikely they'd want to have one head off to a tiny tribunal that doesn't even exist yet. But, unless I miswrote, I didn't 100% rule it out in case someone really wants to play one.


Don't forget that Redcaps count toward that 12. We'll have 14 + Redcaps magi, so 16-17 probably.


Yes, but that doesn't include vis sources, and I was planning to make those fairly balanced between locations. So two magi get a bigger share than four.

Ability summa level 6, quality 13:

(13+8*6-25)/2 = (13+48-25)/2 = 36/2 = 18 as a ballpark, precise at covenant/character creation.

That is a crazy-good book for an Ability, so the price gets crazy. That's near, maybe in, the territory of no one ever having been capable of writing it.

Say, I'm curious about one aspect of "Comprehend Magic" most often possessed by Pralixians. The very last sentence about it:

"At the option
of the storyguide, this Ability might also
give an insight into adapting non-Hermetic
magic into Magic Theory." - HoH:S Page 129.

What is your stance on this? Do you take this to mean an automatic Insight Text or Breakthrough Points? Or something more minor?

In reply to Player 3 (msg # 70):

Thanks for asking that because I was going to ask it myself and might swap around a virtue or two depending on the answer.

Was there another Quaesitor out there? We should probably have one and I'm trying to decide between my two concepts.

I see there's a lot of slaying-hedge-magi magi but are there any hedge magi that want build an hedge covenant?

I would like to play an hermetic sahir, is there anyone else?

Am probably gonna build a Criamon. They're not really a hedge magician, but they're equally baffling to most of the other houses... :-)

I'm trying to understand the next steps in getting the game started.

So far it looks like:

1. Select a location for new Tribunal
2. Choose the number of covenants
3. Submit detailed characters - get p.v.f based on experience of the magus.
4. Assign magi and companions into covenants.
5. Create Boons/Hooks for covenants.
6. Spend p.v.f
7. Begin play.

Is there something missing?  I think that's the order it has to be in, so the magi can work together on library acquisitions and avoid overlap.

My character is going to be one year past Gauntlet.

John (Player 7)