Wings of the Soaring Wind

From Project: Redcap

Wings Of The Soaring Wind is a canonical CrAu level 30 spell introduced in ArM5.[1] Its Range, Duration, and Target are:

R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind

Opinion and Commentary

By virtue of being the only flying spell in the core book, this is by default the standard Hermetic means of flying. It seems quite uncomfortable, however, and as a Creo Rego Auram level 30 effect is also difficult to achieve. The need for concentration means that this effect is better invested in magical items, that would be able to reliably maintain concentration. Since the effect directs air currents rather than the magus directly, a variant may plausibly push a small sailing boat or a small group of people.

Potential Difficulties

Since the spell affects wind and not the caster, the wind might arguably need to penetrate the caster's own Magic Resistance. That would be problematic, since it would be very difficult under Fifth Edition rules to suppress one's Parma Magica[2] while maintaining concentration[3] on the spell. This may be an editorial oversight, as it would significantly weaken the spell. An easy way to work around that problem is through an ad hoc house rule that this particular spell doesn't need to penetrate.

An Alternative

Note that using the Fifth Edition spell guidelines, a Rego Corpus level 25 (or 20, at Personal range: Base 15[4], +1 for duration) spell would move the magus directly, allowing him to fly. This is both a lower-level and a two-arts spell (with no requisite), so it is plausibly a much better candidate for the Order's standard flying spell. As of Transforming Mythic Europe [5], such a spell moves a person as fast as a horse can run, which is written to be about 40mph, as fast as Wings of the Soaring Wind.

References

  1. Ars Magica Fifth Edition, p. 126, "Wings of the Soaring Wind"
  2. Ars Magica Fifth Edition, p. 66, "Parma Magica"
  3. Ars Magica Fifth Edition, p. 82, "Concentration Table" (inset)
  4. Ars Magica Fifth Edition, p. 134, Rego Corpus guidelines, errataed to allow even unsupported movement
  5. Transforming Mythic Europe, p. 111, "Mercury’s Winged Sandals"