Chapter 5: Creating & Maintaining Grogs

Character creation can be a tedious business, and the purpose of this chapter is to make it easier. When you are creating a magus or companion character, it is worth putting in the extra effort of Detailed Character Creation (ArM5, page 28), as you can expect to be playing this character for several years or decades of game time. Grogs, however, tend to have shorter life spans and even shorter life expectancies, but simply using the character templates in Ars Magica Fifth Edition results in grogs who are all too similar. This chapter aims to find a middle way between these two extremes.

The rules presented here also allow grogs to be easily maintained, so they are kept up to date and ready for action. Herein also are rules for allowing a character to expand beyond his original concept, and perhaps even transform into a companion character.

Virtues and Flaws

A freshly-created character has as many points of Virtues as she has points of Flaws, but characters are expected to change over time, and an individual need not remain that way forever. In addition to gaining Flaws through misadventure or foolish actions, a character can gain Virtues through exposure (deliberate or not) to powerful magic, and may also gain them as a result of stories.

Sometimes, after a character has been played for a while, it might become apparent that she has the wrong complement of Virtues and Flaws. Perhaps the player decides that Wrathful is an inappropriate choice for his sentry, and thinks that Reclusive might be more appropriate. In cases like this, with the approval of the troupe, these changes can simply be made. If the character is quite new to the saga, then even major changes can be applied with little effect, but changes in an established character should be restricted — a Minor Flaw can be exchanged for another Minor Flaw, and a Major Flaw for a Major Flaw, and the same applies to Virtues. Changes should not be made that affect the Characteristics or Abilities of a character, and one should certainly not discard a Virtue or Flaw that has been a major feature of a story in the past.

These changes are minor in comparison to a character who wants to develop in new ways, and expand himself beyond his original profession. Perhaps a grog aspires to become a priest, or rid himself of a Malediction. The rest of this section describes the process by which these changes can be made.

Gaining New Flaws

It is comparatively easy for characters to gain new Flaws. These are often the consequence of player actions, and need no special procedures or effort to allow them to happen — most characters will not go out of their way to make their life worse, but sometimes misfortune befalls them.

Changes in Social Status

Among all the alterations to Virtues and Flaws, the Social Status Virtues and Flaws are perhaps the most likely to occur. One of the covenfolk can be promoted to custos after years of service. A freeman can take Holy Orders and become a priest. A knight can be disgraced and take up life as an outlaw. If these changes occur, simply replace the old Social Status Virtue with the new one. Only in some circumstances do characters retain the old social status in addition to the new one, and these are clearly indicated in the Virtue or Flaw description.

An important distinction to make is that changing circumstances need not actually generate Flaws, even if there is a Flaw that describes the situation the character is now in. Only if the change in circumstance has an effect on the game, becomes a story seed, or alters how the character is roleplayed should this actually be treated as a Flaw. For example, a character who loses a hand to gangrene always gains the Missing Hand Flaw, because having only one hand always has a mechanical effect on the game. However, a character who gets married does not always gain the Dependents Flaw. Only if the player is interested in having adventures based on his character's wife and children should he acquire the Flaw. The storyguide should be careful not to allow a grog character to gain a Story Flaw, unless it is temporary in nature or the character is destined for transformation into a more central role in the saga (see Transformation, later).

Gaining Flaws Through Mishaps

The easiest way to gain a Flaw is through misfortune. Most often, General Flaws are gained through mishap, particularly those that affect the body. Occasionally, chirurgeons have to amputate limbs to save a patient's life (Art & Academe, page 62), and in the heat of battle, horrific injuries occur with startling regularity (Art & Academe, pages 43–44; Lords of Men, page 125). Furthermore, many of the diseases that abound in Mythic Europe can result in permanent injuries such as blindness, deafness, and palsy.

Gaining Flaws Through Actions

Character actions can easily lead to changes in social status (see insert earlier), with characters becoming branded criminals or outlaws. With the approval of the storyguide, a character can gain Story Flaws by starting a feud, becoming indebted to a powerful individual, or acquiring an animal companion, although grogs are usually prohibited from gaining Story Flaws during the game, much as they are off limits during character creation. Offending a faerie is a good way of gaining a Malediction or disfigurement.

Gaining Flaws Through Magic

There are some hedge wizard traditions that can impose Flaws on an individual in the form of curses: for example, the Malediction Power of infernalists (Realms of Power: The Infernal, page 109) or the Grant Power of faerie wizards (Realms of Power: Faerie, page 127). These are often used offensively against enemies, but are usually limited in duration.

More damaging are the permanent Flaws that can be imposed by certain supernatural creatures at a cost to their Might Score. These curses are a permanent alteration to the character, although it may be possible to eventually undo the curse (see Losing Flaws, later). Furthermore, Warping induces the acquisition of Flaws in those characters who are not aligned to a Supernatural Realm (ArM5, page 168).

Gaining New Virtues

Much like Flaws, a character need not settle for the Virtues chosen for him at character creation. There are three principal ways in which new Virtues can be gained: through magic, through initiation, and through actions. These methods are described later.

If a Virtue is gained that affects the way in which a character gains experience points, this does not affect any experience points gained thus far. So a character who gains an Affinity with an Ability does not immediately recalculate all the experience points applied to that Ability so far.

Gaining Virtues Through Magic

There are an assortment of supernatural methods through which a character can gain new Virtues, although many of these methods grant the Virtue on a temporary basis, such as a gruagach's spells (Hedge Magic Revised Edition, page 65), an Object of Virtue (Realms of Power: Magic, page 124), or faerie wizardry (Realms of Power: Faerie, page 127).

However, there are some ways that a Virtue can be granted permanently, through the agency of a supernatural being. The Goetic Arts (Realms of Power: The Infernal, page 114) can rip a power from a supernatural creature and give it to a human, and some magical creatures and faeries have the power to permanently grant Virtues at the cost of reducing their Might score. The acquisition of Virtues in this manner should never be frivolous, and either be guided by the needs of the story, or actively sought as the object of a story.

Finally, severe Warping can result in Virtue acquisition. Typically, the Virtues gained from Warping reflect the source of the supernatural power that caused it.

Gaining Virtues Through Initiation

Initiation is a mystical process through which a character acquires Virtues through the rituals of a mystery cult (see Chapter 2 of The Mysteries Revised Edition for more details) or traditions of hedge magic (Hedge Magic Revised Edition, page 12). The character must develop a score in the Organization Lore of the cult or tradition in question before even being considered for Initiation. The Initiation process itself is balanced internally, requiring the character to pay for her new virtue in ordeals, quests, sacrifices, and study. It is perhaps most common for grog characters to be Initiated into the Ceremony Ability (see any of the Realm of Power books for their specific variants) to enhance the supernatural powers of a companion or magus-equivalent character.

Initiation can occur "off-stage" for grogs, but it is unusual for non-magical individuals to partake in a mystery cult or secret society to the degree of achieving Initiation. Joining a hedge magic tradition is perhaps more likely, but also more difficult since they tend to be wary of those associated with the Order of Hermes.

Gaining Virtues Through Actions

Sometimes a character's actions through the course of a story results in him acquiring the effects of a Virtue. Typically, Virtues gained in this way reflect social interaction with storyguide characters. For example, a character can gain the effects of the Social Contacts Virtue by recruiting an agent, or the Protection Virtue by making a friend with influence, assuming that these are not just passing associations. The troupe should be cautious about a grog gaining a Major Virtue, unless the character is destined for transformation into a more important role (see later).

Losing Flaws

Most of the methods by which Virtues can be gained (see earlier) can also rid a character of Flaws, but not all methods are applicable to all Flaws. A character with a Missing Hand cannot grow it back through Initiation, but must instead resort to supernatural means. However, characters may be able to take part in stories that rid themselves of a curse, for example.

Character Transformation

A grog character need not remain a grog for life. The dividing line between grog and companion is a conceit of the game mechanics, separating the support characters from those on whom the stories are focused. However, sometimes grogs may grow to transcend their original roles, and become central characters around which stories pivot. The chief game difference between grogs and companions is the number and type of Virtues and Flaws, and while several methods are discussed earlier in this chapter by which a character can change or expand his choices in Virtues and Flaws, converting a grog character into a companion character through these methods would be slow indeed, taking years (if not decades) of game time.

This section presents some ideas as to how a character can be suddenly transformed from a grog character to a companion character. The essential first stage to this process is a reason to do so. The vast majority of grogs do not transform into companion characters, and so for this to happen implies something special has occurred. This is nearly always precipitated by a story. This story should go some way to explain how and why the character has just gained more Virtues and Flaws. The troupe should be careful to ensure that these Virtues and Flaws are appropriate to the type of transformation — it would be very unusual for a grog who has just become the leader of his own mercenary company to suddenly acquire the Large Virtue, for example, while this might be possible for a character who drunk a faerie potion. Remember that a companion character need not take all ten points of Flaws, and do not be tempted to add inappropriate Flaws just to gain more Virtue points.

Inauguration

Those events which result in the investiture of a character with temporal or spiritual authority are termed inaugurations. This variety of transformation is usually accompanied by a change in social status. Typical inaugurations result from attempts at social mobility: a craftsman becomes dean of his guild; a priest becomes bishop; or a scholar achieves his doctorate. However, an inauguration need not be planned by the character involved; it might result from a sudden windfall, or an unexpected turn of events.

Exempli gratia: A character finds a powerful artifact on adventure. It was intended for a companion character, but a grog got there first. To represent the central role of that artifact and its wielder in the saga, the troupe agrees that the character can become a companion.

Exempli gratia: The storyguide has planned a long series of adventures that will shape the saga to come for many years, but what it really needs is for the covenant to have a tame nobleman. However, the saga has been going for a few years now, and the players already have companion characters. The storyguide has a quiet word with Elaine, the creator of Sir Edwin, who is a grog character despite his noble birth. With Elaine's agreement, she designs a story where Sir Edwin is able to restore his family fortunes by proving the malfeasance of a neighboring baron. Sir Edwin is awarded the deposed baron's fief, and becomes a Landed Noble and a companion character. The new Flaws and Virtues he acquires are all related to the lands and feuds he has inherited.

Metamorphosis

The process of metamorphosis is a magical change which overcomes a character and permanently changes him into something else. This power can conceivably come from any of the realms of power, but is probably controlled by non-human inhabitants of that realm rather than by human artifice. Metamorphosis often results in the acquisition of Supernatural Virtues and Flaws from the appropriate realm. Metamorphosis can easily just happen to a character, rather than be specifically sought out or quested for. However, the goal of some secret societies is to effect a metamorphosis of their leader into a supernatural being.

Exempli gratia: The Queen of Winter was an antagonist that the storyguide had intended to be an ongoing foe for the characters, but through the lucky guesses of the player characters, they managed to pierce the faerie's disguise and slay her in the first encounter. One of the covenant's grogs delivered the killing blow, and the storyguide decides that the Queen lays on him her death-curse. Over the next few months, the grog undergoes some odd transformations, each of which forms the focus of a story. By the shortest day of the year, Winter has a new faerie King under the control of the storyguide. After the story arc is complete, she decides that the covenant can reverse the transformation of the grog, but the experience leaves him permanently altered, and he is better off re-envisioned as a faerietouched companion character.

Initiation

Initiation can simply add Virtues to a character, but initiation into a mystery cult can also be a means to transform a character. A grog can easily remain a grog character as a member of a cult — they can play a support role just as well inside a secret society as they can anywhere else — but seeking to join such a cult displays a level of dedication or self-importance that is more suited to a companion character. The cult can provide a means to upgrade the character's importance in a saga. Of all the methods presented here, initiation is perhaps the most likely to produce a Mythic Companion, which is a magus-equivalent character. Some Mystery Cults have as their ultimate goal some form of magical alteration of a character; this is more of a metamorphosis transformation than an Initiation as such.

Exempli gratia: A morbid grog who has been a grave-robber under a necromancer for years seeks initiation into the Disciples of the Worm, a Hermetic mystery cult. The standard initiatory path is designed for magi, but the storyguide has determined that the cult also accepts mundanes. As part of his initiation, the grog becomes bound to the ghost of an Old One (whatever that is), and discovers that he has a host of new abilities, many of them supernatural.

Pilgrimage

Pilgrimage can be a life-changing event. Characters embark on a pilgrimage for all sorts of reasons — not all of them matters of piety — but those who return are usually changed in some manner. Going on pilgrimage can be a good pretext for a planned change in character, whether the journey (physical and spiritual) is played out in stories or occurs behind the scenes. For more information on pilgrimage, see The Church, pages 15–19.

This type of transformation need not be taken literally. Any story or story arc that takes a character out of his normal routine and location, tests his character, and then transforms his life forever is a pilgrimage. This includes such stories as: going on Crusade; embarking on the Grail Quest; undertaking the "black pilgrimage" to the unholy city of Chorazin; or seeing the jinn-haunted streets of Irem of the Pillars. When the character returns from such a journey, he will never be the same again, a change that is particularly well-represented by transforming into a companion character.

Exempli gratia: Peter, a companion character, dies tragically, but the story arc planned for him was never even started. This involved Peter's lycanthropy, his wife and daughter, and a rather unpleasant and powerful non-Hermetic sorcerer from their distant homeland. His son, hitherto a grog character, decides to take up his father's quest, and in the process become a companion character for the player who used to play Peter.

Starting Characteristics

POSITIVE / NEGATIVE POINTS CHARACTERISTICS

(+14/–7) +2, +2, +2, +2, +1, +1, –1, –3

(+14/–7) +3, +2, +2, +1, +1, 0, –1, –3

(+14/–7) +3, +3, +1, +1, 0, –1, –2, –2

(+13/–6) +3, +2, +2, +1, –1, –1, –1, –2

(+13/–6) +2, +2, +2, +2, +1, 0, –2, –2

(+12/–5) +3, +3, 0, 0, 0, –1, –1, –2

(+10/–3) +2, +2, +2, +1, 0, 0, 0, –2

(+8/–1) +3, +1, +1, 0, 0, 0, 0, –1

Characteristics

Every character has 7 points to spend on buying positive Characteristics, and can take up to 7 negative points to gain an equal number of additional points for positive Characteristics (ArM5, page 30). Various Virtues and Flaws can alter the number of points gained, or affect the final Characteristics once the points have been spent. The nearby insert has several arrays of Characteristics bought with the standard number of points; simply pick one for your character.

Aging, the Easy Way

Characters who are 35 years old or older usually need to make aging rolls each year. When creating an old character, or updating a large number of grogs, making aging rolls can be time-consuming. The Aging Chart in the nearby insert presents the expected number of Aging Points gained for a decade of aging. Since the results of the aging roll are quite variable, results have been presented for mild, average, and harsh years. To use the table, decide whether the grog has experienced mild, average, or harsh aging for each decade, then cross-reference the row that corresponds to the character's Aging Score. The Aging Score is equal to the Aging Total excluding the stress die: age/10 (round up) – Living Conditions modifier – Longevity Ritual modifier. The character takes the indicated number of Aging Points. Apparent Age can be determined by rolling a simple die. If it is less than or equal to the indicated number of Aging Points, then Apparent Age advances 10 years for that decade, otherwise it advances a number of years equal to the die roll. If the character has spent part of a decade at one Aging Score and part at another, use the higher score for the whole decade. To deal with fractional decades, just take an appropriate proportion of the numbers indicated, rounding all fractions up.

Exempli gratia: Paul the Grog is designed as a 45 year old character. Rather than making 10 aging rolls, his player consults the Aging Chart. His Living Conditions Modifier is 0, so he has 6 years with an Aging Score of 4 (from 35 to 40 years old) and 4 years with an Aging Score of 5 (from 41 to 45 years old); but this is treated as 10 years at an Aging Score of 5. He therefore takes 5 Aging Points. Had the storyguide required him to use the harsh aging column, he would have had 6 Aging Points instead.

At character creation, harsh aging might represent a character who has adventured a lot prior to his introduction as a player character, and he might be permitted to start with Ability Scores 1 point higher than his age would normally permit (ArM5, page 31). Likewise, a character taking mild aging might be restricted to lower maximum Ability Scores. Characters with the Mild Aging Virtue or Poor Conditions Flaw (see Chapter 6: New Virtues and Flaws) would be required to suffer mild or harsh aging, respectively. After character creation, the storyguide might dictate that conditions around the covenant affect which type of aging characters suffer, due to mild winters, uncommonly good or bad conditions at the covenant, outbreaks of disease, and so forth.

Aging Chart

The numbers in the nearby table indicate the number of Aging Points and the number of crises expected to be gained by a character in a decade at different Aging Scores. For more details, see ArM5, pages 169–170. The Aging Points listed exclude those deriving from crises. Aging Scores of less than 4 are provided for those with good Living Conditions Modifiers.

AGING
SCORE MILD AGING AVERAGE AGING HARSH AGING

1 1 2 3

2 2 3 4

3 3 4 5

4 3 4 / 1 crisis 5 / 2 crises

5 4 / 1 crisis 5 / 1 crisis 6 / 2 crises

6 5 / 1 crisis 6 / 1 crisis 7 / 2 crises

7 6 / 1 crisis 7 / 1 crisis 8 / 2 crises

8 7 / 1 crisis 8 / 1 crisis 9 / 2 crises

9 7 / 1 crisis 9 / 1 crisis 10 / 2 crises

10 9 / 1 crisis 11 / 1 crisis 12 / 2 crises

Applying Crises

It is up to the storyguide as to whether the character suffers the crises listed on the table; in particular, she might be inclined to ignore crises for newly created characters, since Decrepitude can quickly cripple a character.

The Aging Points listed on the Aging Chart only apply if the character suffers no crises. If crises are applied, then the character gains a Decrepitude score equal to the number of crises suffered, and the appropriate number of Aging Points for that level of Decrepitude. He also gains a number of additional Aging Points: if he suffers one crisis, then he gets half of the Aging Points listed in the Aging Chart; if he suffers two crises, then he gets one-third; and so on. Round all fractions up.

Exempli gratia: If the storyguide requires Paul to account for crises, he experiences one for his decade of average aging. He therefore has a Decrepitude of 1, and 5 Aging Points, along with an additional 3 Aging Points (half of the 5 he would have gained without crises, rounded up), for a total of 8 Aging Points. Had he experienced harsh aging, then he would have suffered two crises, granting him a Decrepitude 2 and 15 Aging Points, plus an additional 2 (one-third of 6), for a total of 17.

Effects of Aging on Characteristics

All Aging Points must be applied to the Characteristics of the character in the usual fashion. The Aging Table (ArM5, page 170) is designed to affect certain Characteristics in favor of others. Just under half of all Aging Points gained (excluding those from crises) are applied to any Characteristic (that is, a roll of 10–12 on the Aging Table). Of the remaining Aging Points, approximately half are gained in Quickness or Stamina, 30 percent in Perception or Presence, 15 percent in Strength or Dexterity, and the remainder in Intelligence and Communication. Players should bear these distributions in mind when applying Aging Points to a character.

Childhood Training Packages

The five childhood packages from Ars Magica Fifth Edition (page 31) are presented here in the same format as the training packages for ease of reference; along with two new ones — Covenant-bred and Feral Childhoods. These packages can only be taken for the first five years of life.

Athletic Childhood

Five Years: +15 Athletics, +15 Brawl, +75 Native Language, +15 Swim

Covenant-Bred Childhood

This childhood is only available to characters with the Covenant Upbringing Personality Flaw.
Five Years: +5 Athletics, +15 Area Lore: Covenant, +5 Folk Ken, +15 Latin, +75 Native Language, +5 Organization Lore: Order of Hermes

Exploring Childhood

Five Years: +15 Area Lore, +5 Athletics, +5 Awareness, +75 Native Language, +5 Stealth, +15 Survival

Feral Childhood

This childhood is only available to characters with the Feral Upbringing Flaw.
Five Years: +5 Animal Handling, +15 Area Lore, +15 Athletics, +15 Awareness, +15 Brawl, +15 Hunt, +5 Stealth, +30 Survival, +5 Swim

Mischievous Childhood

Five Years: +15 Brawl, +15 Guile, +75 Native Language, +15 Stealth

Social Childhood

Five Years: +15 Charm, +15 Folk Ken, +15 Guile, +75 Native Language

Traveling Childhood

Five Years: +5 Area Lore: Area A, +5 Area Lore: Area B, +15 Folk Ken, +5 Living Language, +75 Native Language, +15 Survival

Abilities

Non-magus characters receive 15 experience points every year. This is an average value, based on two seasons of exposure (4 experience points), one season of practice (4 experience points), and one "vocational" season of teaching, training, adventuring, or reading books (7 experience points). For example, a soldier might spend one season being taught Single Weapon by the drill sergeant with the rest of the turb, practicing the Hunt Ability in the woods, and gaining exposure in Awareness and Athletics from his sentry duty.

Poor characters have to replace the vocational season with another season of exposure. Wealthy characters gain an extra vocational season instead of one of the seasons of exposure.

Updating Grogs

Applying yearly experience points to grogs need not be a chore. Those who are employed by the magi on a regular basis can be updated once a year, in the winter season. Each player should be responsible for updating an equal number of the regular grogs. The grog captain determines which Ability has been taught that year (probably Single Weapon), and all grogs gain 7 experience points in that Ability (you can use the Teaching Quality of the drill sergeant if you prefer). For non-soldiers, determine other sources of experience points for this vocational season, and apply either 7 experience points or the Source Quality, if it is known. The player then applies 4, 2, and 2 experience points to up to three different Abilities, representing the season of practice, and two seasons of exposure. Remember to update the age of the grog, and the current year on the character sheet, and determine aging if applicable.

If a grog has taken story experience points, these should be applied immediately when they are received, and a note made on the character sheet. During the winter update, the grog loses a season of regular experience points for each award of story experience points. It is recommended that seasons are exchanged in the following order: exposure, vocational, practice, exposure. So a character taking two seasons of story experience points loses one exposure season and his vocational season.

Grogs who are used infrequently can be updated every three or five years, simply by applying an appropriate training package (see later). Remember to make a note of the last time the character was updated on her character sheet. Use the table given earlier under Aging to determine any effects of the passage of years.

Training Packages

Calculating Ability scores can be one of the most time consuming parts of character creation. This section introduces a quick and easy way of building a character through training packages. These training packages work exactly the same way as the childhood packages, applying a number of experience points in certain Abilities. The process can be used for grogs, companions, and for the pre-apprenticeship years for magi.

A package adds a certain number of years to the character's age; some add three years, and others add either three or five years, depending on choice. Along with these years come experience points in various Abilities. Most characters will take the same package more than once, to give them a concentration in their core Abilities. Each of the training packages assumes that the character spends his vocational seasons training the key Ability of that package, and his practice seasons contribute either to the key Ability or to a secondary Ability. Some training packages require that the character can take Academic, Arcane, or Martial Abilities (this is indicated after the package name), and therefore the character needs a Virtue that permits this. A starting character should not be built with more than 15 years in a single package; few individuals are this single-minded.

Wealthy and Poor Characters

For characters with the Wealthy Virtue, use the Training Packages method as described, but reduce the character's post-childhood age by one quarter. So a character who takes 32 years' worth of training packages after childhood is only 29 years old, rather than 37.
For characters with the Poor Flaw, increase the post-childhood age by one half. That means a character with 13 years' worth of training is actually 25 years old rather than 18.

Remember that a starting character cannot have more than 75 experience points (a score of 5) in an Ability unless they are 30 or older (ArM5, page 31), or have an Affinity. If a particular build results in more than 75 experience points, then the excess should be redistributed among the character's other Abilities. If the character has an Affinity with an Ability, add up all the experience points he receives in that Ability from training packages, then add half as many experience points again.

To round the character off, you may need to add one or two more years of age, and distribute the resulting experience points to bring some Abilities up to the next score. If the character has any Supernatural Abilities, this method should be used to pay for those Abilities, but remember that the character starts with 5 free experience points in any Supernatural Ability.

Grog Backgrounds

Soldiers — particularly soldiers of fortune like grogs — are rarely born into a military family. Even grogs born to the covenant might have trained in other skills before taking up the sword. When building a grog with training packages, you are encouraged to give them a few years in labor, craft, or professional trades to represent what they did before they became a warrior. It is also a way of generating a simple but interesting back story: if a character spent the first eight years of his post-childhood life as a Farmer, and then five years as a Woodsman before taking five years as a Soldier, what circumstances led him to abandon his farm at the age of 13 and take up residence in the woods? Did he become a bandit? Perhaps he was a forester?

Career Training Packages

These packages represent trades or professions to which a character might belong. They provide the key skills of that trade.

Advocate (Academic or None)

An advocate has studied law, either at a university or through private tutors or a cathedral school. If the character has the Jurist Virtue (Art & Academe, page 91), then he need not have a Virtue permitting Academic Abilities, since this Virtue permits taking the key Abilities as a layman. If he has attended university, then he should take at least five years of Student and have a Virtue which grants extra experience in Academic Abilities. Characters in England need Common Law rather than Civil and Canon Law.

Five Years: +40 Civil and Canon Law, +5 Leadership, +15 Artes Liberales, +15 Latin

Three Years: +30 Civil and Canon Law, +5 Leadership, +5 Artes Liberales, +5 Latin

Animal Trainer

The five-year package is suitable for a professional animal handler, such as a master of hounds or an ostler, and the Profession can vary accordingly. The three-year package is for those who have regular contact with animals but not as their principal job.

Five Years: +30 Animal Handling, +30 Profession: Animal Trainer, +15 Ride

Three Years: +30 Animal Handling, +15 Ride

Apothecary

Five Years: +15 (Area) Lore, +20 Chirurgy, +40 Profession: Apothecary

Three Years: +5 (Area) Lore, +10 Chirurgy, +30 Profession: Apothecary

Archer (Martial)

Five Years: +20 Awareness, +40 Bows, +15 Concentration

Three Years: +15 Awareness, +30 Bows

Churchman (Academic)

Suitable for priests, friars, and nuns who have had some training within the church. Academic churchmen should also take the Theologian package. Parish priests probably have the Public Official or the Leader package, replacing some or all of the experience in Leadership with Profession: Preaching (see Art & Academe, page 13).

Five Years: +10 Artes Liberales, +30 Organization Lore: Church, +5 Latin, +30 Civil & Canon Law

Three Years: +5 Artes Liberales, +20 Organization Lore: Church, +20 Civil & Canon Law

Conman

Five Years: +15 Charm, +30 Guile, +30 Intrigue

Three Years: +15 Charm, +15 Guile, +15 Intrigue

Courtier

Five Years: +15 Charm, +30 Etiquette, +15 Folk Ken, +15 Intrigue

Three Years: +5 Charm, +30 Etiquette, +5 Folk Ken, +5 Intrigue

Craftsman

An apprenticeship in a craft typically takes eight years, at the end of which time the character should have a primary Craft Ability of 3 (see City & Guild, page 42). It is assumed that each craftsman learns more than a single Craft Ability during a typical apprenticeship, and picks up several related trades. Journeymen should take a Trader package to account for the other Abilities he will need, and Masters will need the Trainer package.

Five Years: +10 Bargain, +25 Craft: Type A, +15 Craft: Type B, +15 Organization Lore: Guild, +10 Folk Ken

Three Years: +10 Bargain, +15 Craft: Type A, +10 Craft: Type B, +5 Organization Lore: Guild, +5 Folk Ken

Cultist (Arcane)

A cultist has spent years worshiping an evil force in secret. If the character has the Ceremony Virtue, he can apply some of his experience points in Infernal Lore to that Ability instead. This package might also represent a pagan (in which case substitute Faerie Lore for Infernal Lore), or a devotee of a mystery cult (substitute Organization Lore: Cult and Magic Lore for Infernal Lore).

Five Years: +15 Guile, +50 Infernal Lore, +10 Stealth

Three Years: +15 Guile, +30 Infernal Lore

Cunning Man (Arcane)

Knows the local legends and the ways of the fae.

Three Years: +10 (Area) Lore, +5 Bargain, +30 Faerie Lore

Cutter

A cutter is trained in patching up the wounded and administering first aid; alternatively, he could be an empiricus, a traveling surgeon.

Three Years: +40 Chirurgy, +5 Folk Ken

Failed Apprentice

The character must have the Failed Apprentice Virtue to take this package, which permits her to take Arcane and Academic Abilities. She probably has several years of Student to account for her Academic Abilities. It is assumed that she has no Art scores; either she has not been Opened to the Arts, or else her ability to work Hermetic magic has been destroyed.

Five Years: +5 Artes Liberales, +5 Code of Hermes, +5 Concentration, +5 Finesse, +10 Latin, +25 Magic Theory, +15 Organization Lore: Order of Hermes, +5 Penetration

Three Years: +5 Concentration, +10 Latin, +20 Magic Theory, +5 Organization Lore: Order of Hermes, +5 Penetration

Farmer

Five Years: +15 Animal Handling, +15 Area Lore, +5 Folk Ken, +40 Profession: Farmer

Three Years: +10 Animal Handling, +5 Folk Ken, +30 Profession: Farmer

Fisherman

Five Years: +15 Area Lore, +30 Profession: Fisherman, +15 Survival, +15 Swim

Three Years: +5 Area Lore, +20 Profession: Fisherman, +5 Survival, +15 Swim

Footpad

Five Years: +15 Athletics, +15 Guile, +15 Legerdemain, +30 Stealth

Three Years: +5 Athletics, +5 Guile, +15 Legerdemain, +20 Stealth

Harlot

Carouse is most appropriate for an alehouse strumpet or street-corner working girl, whereas Etiquette is more suited to a courtesan or mistress. They typically gain an Organization Lore appropriate to their clientele. The Trader package (taking Profession: Prostitute) is also appropriate.

Five Years: +30 Charm, +30 Carouse or Etiquette, +15 Organization Lore

Three Years: +20 Charm, +20 Carouse or Etiquette, +5 Organization Lore

Herbwife

Five Years: +10 (Area) Lore, +30 Chirurgy, +5 Folk Ken, +30 Profession: Apothecary

Three Years: +5 (Area) Lore, +30 Chirurgy, +10 Profession: Apothecary

Javeliner (Martial)

This package can also be used for troops trained in the sling.

Five Years: +20 Athletics, +15 Awareness, +40 Thrown Weapon

Three Years: +10 Athletics, +5 Awareness, +30 Thrown Weapon

Laborer

Five Years: +20 Athletics, +15 Brawl, +40 Profession: Laborer

Three Years: +10 Athletics, +5 Brawl, +30 Profession: Laborer

Lay Brother

A lay brother works at a monastery, but has not taken Holy Orders. This package is also suitable for novices preparing for ordination. In the latter case, some years of Student are appropriate. The Profession Ability could be Scribe, Gardener, Brewer, or any other suitable trade.

Five Years: +50 Organization Lore: Church, +10 Folk Ken, +15 Profession (see earlier)

Three Years: +30 Organization Lore: Church, +15 Profession (see earlier)

Magician (Arcane)

Suitable for characters with Supernatural Abilities, although the scores in these Abilities are purchased with extra years, as detailed earlier. The wizard can also buy Enriched Objects of Virtue by sacrificing 5 experience points per object (see Realms of Power: Magic, page 124).

Five Years: +15 Concentration, +30 Magic Lore, +30 Penetration

Three Years: +15 Concentration, +15 Magic Lore, +15 Penetration

Minstrel

Five Years: +15 Carouse, +5 Charm, +5 Folk Ken, +50 Music

Three Years: +15 Carouse, +30 Music

Mystic (Arcane)

This hermit spends his days in contemplation of the Divine, but the same package could be used for a different Realm of Power.

Five Years: +20 Concentration, +5 Organization Lore: Church, +30 Dominion Lore, +20 Survival

Three Years: +10 Concentration, +20 Dominion Lore, +15 Survival

Natural Philosopher (Academic)

A natural philosopher seeks to uncover the wonders of the natural world through his studies. The focus of a natural philosopher could equally be Artes Liberales or Medicine. For rules on formulae, see Art & Academe, Chapter 5.

Five Years: +40 Philosophiae, 7 formulae

Three Years: +30 Philosophiae, 3 formulae

Pikeman (Martial)

Five Years: +20 Athletics, +15 Awareness, +40 Great Weapon

Three Years: +10 Athletics, +5 Awareness, +30 Great Weapon

Physician (Academic)

A physician is assumed to have attended school or university to study Medicine, and so such a character should take at least five years of Student and have a Virtue that grants extra experience in Academic Abilities. Many physicians never learn Chirurgy; for those who do, take the Cutter package.

Five Years: +15 Folk Ken, +40 Medicine, +20 Profession: Apothecary

Three Years: +5 Folk Ken, +30 Medicine, +10 Profession: Apothecary

Public Official

Suitable for reeves, mayors, and so forth, but also priests who take an active role in local politics, and members of a craft guild.

Five Years: +15 (Area) Lore, +15 Intrigue, +15 Leadership, +30 (Organization) Lore

Three Years: +10 (Area) Lore, +10 Intrigue, +10 Leadership, +15 (Organization) Lore

Sailor

Five Years: +15 Area Lore: Area A, +10 Area Lore: Area B, +30 Profession: Sailor, +5 Survival, +15 Swim

Three Years: +5 Area Lore, +20 Profession: Sailor, +5 Survival, +15 Swim

Scout

Five Years: +15 Area Lore, +30 Awareness, +30 Stealth

Three Years: +15 Area Lore, +15 Awareness, +15 Stealth

Scribe (Academic)

You may replace Latin with any Living or Dead Language that the scribe might be using.

Five Years: +20 Artes Liberales, +15 Latin, +40 Profession: Scribe

Three Years: +10 Artes Liberales, +10 Latin, +25 Profession: Scribe

Sentry (Martial)

Five Years: +30 Awareness, +15 Concentration, +30 Single Weapon

Three Years: +20 Awareness, +5 Concentration, +20 Single Weapon

Servant

Five Years: +15 Folk Ken, +20 (Organization) Lore, +40 Profession: Servant

Three Years: +10 Folk Ken, +5 (Organization) Lore, +30 Profession: Servant

Soldier (Martial)

Five Years: +15 Athletics, +20 Brawl, +40 Single Weapon

Three Years: +5 Athletics, +10 Brawl, +30 Single Weapon

Storyteller

Five Years: +15 Guile, +5 Carouse, +5 Folk Ken, +50 Profession: Storyteller

Three Years: +15 Guile, +30 Profession: Storyteller

Student (Academic)

This package assumes that the character has received academic teaching at a parish school, cathedral school, or monastic school, or from a private tutor. Characters who have attended a university receive additional experience points from their Social Status Virtues (see Art & Academe, pages 90–92). Characters attending a parish school can only take the three-year package, since these schools only teach Artes Liberales and Latin.

FIVE YEARS (CATHEDRAL SCHOOL): +15 Artes Liberales, +30 Latin, +15 Theology, +15 Civil and Canon Law OR Philosophiae

FIVE YEARS (MONASTIC SCHOOL): +15 Artes Liberales, +30 Latin, +15 Theology, +15 Medicine OR Philosophiae

FIVE YEARS (PRIVATE TUTOR OR UNIVERSITY): +15 Artes Liberales, +30 Latin, +30 any Academic Ability

THREE YEARS (PARISH SCHOOL): +15 Artes Liberales, +30 Latin

Teacher (Academic)

The Teacher package covers the academic life. The character receives experience points in whatever language he is speaking when he teaches, which is usually Latin.

Five Years: +15 Artes Liberales, +5 Folk Ken, +15 Language, +40 Teaching

Tinker

Five Years: +15 Area Lore: Area A, +15 Area Lore: Area B, +15 Bargain, +15 Craft, +15 Survival

Three Years: +15 Area Lore, +15 Craft, +15 Survival

Theologian (Academic)

Not necessarily a priest, a theologian is assumed to have attended school or university to study Theology, and so should take at least five years of Student or have a Virtue which grants extra experience in Academic Abilities.

Five Years: +15 Civil & Canon Law, +15 Organization Lore: Church, +5 Latin, +40 Theology

Three Years: +5 Civil & Canon Law, +5 Organization Lore: Church, +5 Latin, +30 Theology

Trader

This package can be used for any individual who makes a living from a profession rather than a craft, by changing the Profession Ability to something more appropriate.

Five Years: +30 Bargain, +15 Folk Ken, +30 Profession: Merchant

Three Years: +20 Bargain, +5 Folk Ken, +20 Profession: Merchant

Tumbler

Five Years: +50 Athletics, +10 Carouse, +15 Legerdemain

Three Years: +30 Athletics, +5 Carouse, +10 Legerdemain

Woodsman

Five Years: +15 Area Lore, +30 Hunt, +15 Stealth, +15 Survival

Three Years: +5 Area Lore, +20 Hunt, +5 Stealth, +15 Survival

Combat Statistics

It is often tedious to calculate combat statistics for a grog. The following table has pre-calculated combat statistics for common weapons, with the following assumptions: the character has a 5 in the appropriate Ability with a specialty in the weapon indicated; the character has a Dexterity and Quickness of 0, a Strength of 0 or equal to the minimum Strength required for the weapon (whichever is greater); and the character has zero encumbrance. It is a quick job to apply the appropriate Characteristics to the combat totals and subtract encumbrance from Initiative.

WEAPON ABILITY INITIATIVE ATTACK DEFENSE DAMAGE LOAD

Dagger Brawl 0 +8 +6 +3 0

Bludgeon Brawl 0 +8 +6 +2 1

Axe &
Buckler Shield Single +1 +10 +6 +6 2

Short Spear &
Buckler Shield Single +2 +8 +7 +5 2

Short Sword &
Round Shield Single +1 +9 +9 +5 3

Long Sword &
Heater Shield Single +2 +10 +10 +6 3

Mace &
Heater Shield Single +1 +9 +9 +8 4

Great Sword Great +2 +11 +8 +10 2

Staff Great +2 +9 +9 +2 2

Warhammer Great 0 +12 +6 +14 3

Pole Arm Great +3 +10 +7 +8 2

Sling &
Buckler Shield Thrown –3 +7 +7 +4 1

Javelin &
Round Shield Thrown 0 +8 +8 +5 3

Short Bow Bow –1 +9 +6 +6 2

Non-Career Training Packages

These packages represent suites of background skills acquired throughout a person's life rather than specifically learned for a trade. Characters usually take these packages only once or twice.

Athlete

Three Years: +30 Athletics, +5 Brawl, +5 Ride, +5 Swim

Brawler

This package is also good for a character taught the basics of self-defense.

Three Years: +15 Athletics, +30 Brawl

Charmer

Three Years: +30 Charm, +5 Folk Ken, +5 Guile, +5 Intrigue

Covenfolk

Characters who have not had exposure to Latin must redistribute the experience points in that language to the other Abilities of this package.

Three Years: +5 Area Lore, +20 Area Lore: Covenant, +15 Latin, +5 Organization Lore: Order of Hermes

Forager

Someone used to relying on the land to supplement his diet would employ this package.

Three Years: +15 Area Lore, +15 Hunt, +15 Survival

Leader

This is suitable for anyone in a position of authority.

Three Years: +10 Folk Ken, +5 Charm, +30 Leadership

Local

A villager or townsman who has good local knowledge of the area and its institutions can claim this package.

Three Years: +15 Area Lore, +15 Folk Ken, +15 Organization Lore

Rider

Three Years: +15 Animal Handling, +30 Ride

Trainer

This package is suitable for drill sergeants, master craftsmen, and so forth.

Three Years: +5 Folk Ken, +5 Language, +5 Leadership, +30 Teaching

Wastrel

Someone who has wasted years of his life in taverns gambling and drinking would acquire these skills.

Three Years: +5 Brawl, +30 Carouse, +5 Folk Ken, +5 Guile

The System in Action

Elaine wants to play a grog who is the younger son of a noble family that has fallen on hard times. Sir Edwin has nevertheless trained for knighthood. He has the Warrior Virtue, allowing Martial Abilities. Sir Edwin had a Social Childhood, and Elaine assumes that he has been a Courtier for three years, a Rider for six years, and a Soldier for eight years. Elaine ends up with a 22 year old character with the following experience points: +30 Animal Handling, +20 Athletics, +30 Brawl, +20 Charm, +30 Etiquette, +20 Folk Ken, +15 Guile, +5 Intrigue, +75 Native Language, +60 Ride, +70 Single Weapon. Since Sir Edwin will be principally using a lance, Elaine decides to change the score in Single Weapon to Great Weapon instead. This leaves the character with the following Abilities: Animal Handling 3, Athletics 2(5), Brawl 3, Charm 2(5), Etiquette 3, Folk Ken 2(5), Great Weapon 4(20), Guile 2, Intrigue 1, Native Language 5, Ride 4(10).
Since Sir Edwin has taken the Poor Flaw, he is actually 31 years old. She applies 35 of the experience points from the Warrior Virtue to the Great Weapon Ability, taking it to 6 (since Sir Edwin is older than 30), and puts the remaining 15 experience points into Single Weapon 2. She could make this a score of 3 with the left-over experience points in some of the other Abilities (5 from Folk Ken and 10 from Ride, for example) if she wanted.
Further examples include:
BANDIT: Athletic childhood; Fisherman, Woodsman, Scout, Soldier
BEGGAR: Exploring childhood; Tinker, Conman, Local
BURGLAR: Mischievous childhood; Local, Footpad, Tumbler
DRILL SERGEANT: Athletic childhood; Soldier, Trainer, Leader
MERCENARY: Exploring childhood; Soldier, Leader, Brawler, Forager
TOWNSMAN: Social childhood; Local, Trader, Public Official
SKIRMISHER: Athletic childhood; Rider, Soldier, Javeliner
WANDERING FRIAR: Exploring childhood; Lay Brother, Student, Churchman, Tinker
VILLAGER: Athletic childhood; Laborer, Farmer, Local, Forager

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 KelpTheShark, Tugdual & OriginalMadman, https://github.com/OriginalMadman/Ars-Magica-Open-License

See Also