1229, Summer
After a season of adventure, we decide to settle into performing lab work at Druids’ Dale. There’s a lot of player discussion around what spells to share and learn, as well as planning around the creation of magical items.
For learning spells, the 5th edition rules state that multiple spells can be learned in a season, but they all have to be the same technique and form. I’ve not liked this rule, and after some discussion we decide on (what we think is) a better one. Spells can be learned from multiple techniques and forms, but you use the worst lab total that applies. So if a magus wants to learn a Muto Corpus spell, and an Intellego Mentem spell, then they use the lowest of their Muto and Intellego, plus the lowest of their Corpus and Mentem. Otherwise, if you have multiple level 5 or 10 spells, you may have to spend a whole season learning each one.
At one point during the session, we get a prophecy handed to us by the Storyguide. I can’t remember how we got onto the subject, but the topic of ChatGPT comes up. I decide to run the prophecy through Google’s Bard, asking it to provide a meaning for the prophecy. It actually doesn’t do too badly – in the sense that the response is coherent and consistent. It’s also probably no worse than any of the theories that we came up with.
Pisciculus ex Criamon – Spring, 1229
After returning from our adventures, I spend the rest of the season copying out some of my more useful spells for the rest of the covenant to learn. In exchange, Maedbh copies out some of her spells as well. We have a policy at Druids’ Dale of everyone having to do a season of work for the covenant each year. The nature of that work can vary greatly, but knowledge sharing helps all of us.
I copied out:
- Disguise of the Full Body, MuCo10
- The Inexorable Search, InCo20
- Panic of the Trembling Heart, CrMe15
- Lifting the Dangling Puppet, ReCo15
- Curse of the Unruly Tongue, ReCo5
- Whispers Through the Black Gate, InCo15
Jack – Summer, 1229
I spend time at the “Library”, the name we’ve given to the tavern in Dumbarton. There is still talk going on about the ‘goblins’ that were attacking caravans, but given that no goblins have been seen for several months, the talk is now about how the whole story was a made up joke. It seems that our intervention will prevent the authorities from deciding to investigate.
Pisciculus ex Criamon – Summer, 1229
We spend summer studying magic, with both Maedbh and myself learning some of the spells that we each copied out in the previous season. I learn Prying Eyes, Pass the Unyielding Portal and Words of Unbroken Silence.
Meanwhile, Euan, who has been studying the inscriptions in the covenant, has a vision and speaks a prophecy.
In the time of death and rebirth that which was separated may be rejoined. The Hermit hides from Death but an old Star may rise from the man hung by the magician’s deceit.
— Euan’s Prophecy
In between our studies, we discuss the possible meaning of this prophecy. It may refer to going through change (Death). Maybe the Hermit doesn’t want to embrace change? Maybe something that used to be great is returning? This may require further study.
Pisciculus ex Criamon – Autumn, 1229
We send out letters to several magic around the Tribunal to see if any of them have any books on Mentem which they would be willing to trade with us. Mentem is one Art that I wish to learn, but we have no books on the subject ourselves.
