1239, Spring
Another session of our Ars Magica saga, as we head into the year 1239. We need to do aging rolls, and nobody dies, though both my companion Jack (who is in his 40s) and our Grog Malcom (also in his 40s) both suffer the results of aging.
Something I’ve finally done is figure who what one of my flaws is. This was a Supernatural Nuisance, which is a major story flaw. I’d written it down on my character sheet originally, and then both me and the GM completely forgot about it.
One of the resources we commonly use is the Grand Grimoire of Spells, which is a PDF collection of all the spells in the Ars Magica 5th edition books. This is a really useful resource, which provides a whole set of nice ideas for spells.
Pisciculus ex Criamon – Spring, 1239
I spent the Winter learning a modified form of the Silent Shout, which I decided to improve so that it lasts as long as I concentrate. With it, I will be able to speak to anyone I can see. Given my affinity with modifying formulaic spells, it also allows me to change it to last for longer, or to speak with multiple people at once.
For the rest of the year, I am planning to boost my skills with Elemental magic. However, I’ve seen some writings on some really fun sounding spells for Creo Imagonem. Some of them are useful utility spells, others can take people out of a combat without causing long term harm.
An Enemy Awash in the Pure Sigil of the Magus, CrIm 15 – Overrides someone’s senses, blinding them for a short while. This would be useful against those who threaten us, without actually doing them long term harm.
Book of Images, CrIm 15 – Creates a moving image and sound which can be placed on a page. This may be useful for delivering messages to people.
One thing I have noticed over the last few seasons, is that my imagination is becoming more active. It’s as if there is a voice in my head, pushing me to do things I don’t want to do. I don’t know where this voice is coming from, or what it is, but it is becoming annoying. I have vague memories of hearing it as a child, and I thought it was gone. But whatever it is, it seems to have returned.
I spend the spring and summer studying our books on Auram and Ignem.
Jack – Autumn, 1239
On the morning following All Hallow’s Eve, I wake feeling in a bad mood. I think I must have drunk a lot last night, since my mind is also feeling somewhat foggy. The ‘students’ I’m trying to teach are completely useless. I’m trying to get them to break through a door, and they keep failing The house we are training on is a huge town house, probably belonging to a rich merchant. However, it is run down, covered in cobwebs and dark.
Finally, he smashes through the door, tumbling into the darkness of the house. As I’m about to admonish him for not staying upright, the door slams shut behind him. Idiot.
I knock on the door, and it opens. I step inside, into a dark corridor, and the door slams shut behind me. For some reason, there is no sign of either of my students.
I’m at the end of the passage, and I’m standing at a door. I open the door, and there is a large room on the far side. The room is more than one story tall. There are open windows near the top, and moonlight is streaming through them. It seems to be dark outside, which is odd, because I though it was morning. The moon also seems to be full, and I didn’t think that was the case.
Aodhan comes into the room, which now I pay attention looks to be lined with books. He is muttering something about a keystone, whereas I am looking for something valuable to take.
Then Greyson comes into the room. We are all surprised to see each other. There is a spiral staircase going up, so I head up, hoping to find a room with valuables in. However, there is just a walkway around the top of the room. There is a letter leading out onto the roof, so I open it and head out.
There is no moonlight, just thick cloud. The town doesn’t seem to be here, but there is a town some distance off. Off to what I think is the north, I think I see a large body body of people moving along the horizon. Above, there is a darker patch of something above the clouds.
There is the sound of a bell from inside. From through the clouds, what looks like a huge tree trunk, or maybe a leg, pounds into the ground. It reaches from the ground up into the clouds. It seems to have spikes on the leg. Some distance away, there is a second leg. The people on the horizon seem to be coming this way, possibly following whatever it is above the clouds.
I got back inside, and looking out the windows, there is moonlight shining in. Looking out the door, it is cloudy. I walk around to the outside of the window, and force it open. Looking in, I see the room and Aodhan down on the ground floor.
Aodhan comes up, and with him standing on the inside of the window, he sees a full moon. I am on the outside of the window, and there is just thick cloud. Going in through the door, there is the Moon again, and clambering out of the window and there is dark clouds.
This is odd, and therefore there is nothing I can do about it. So I decide to go and have a look at the giant legs, and see if they can be climbed.
Going to the edge of the roof, it is possible to clamber down the outside, so I do. One of the students is still standing at the door, so we head off towards the leg. Aodhan seems to have gone inside looking for Greysen.
The surface of the tree is not wood, but something else. There seem to be large spines that stick out at strange angles. I start to climb, and quickly leave the student behind. There is the occasional vibration coming the ‘trunk’ that I am climbing.
Eventually I reach the level of the cloud, and it is just dark mist. I just keep climbing for what seems ages. Eventually, I break through to moonlight. Above the clouds, is a vast shape. There seem to be eight legs, and its head is many hundreds of yards to the front. There’s still some way to go to get to the ‘knee’ of this leg, but then it’s just a walk across to its back. And I have a sword.
