Ars Magica” Third Editon Credits Development: Ken Cliffe Design: Ken Cliffe and Mark Reins Hagen Desigh Contribution: Andrew Greenberg, Wes Harris, Stewant Wieck Written by:\Shannon Appel, Sam Chupp, Ken Cliffe, Christopher Earley, Sarah Link, Dave P. Marti, Mark ReinsHagen, Carl Schnurr, John Snead, Travis Lamar Williams Edited by: Ken Cliffe, Rob Hatch Cover Art: David O. Miller Cover Design: Richard Thomas Interior Art: John’ Bridges, Jeff Echevarria, Eric Hotz, Chris McDonough, Darrell Midgette, David 0 Miller, William O'Connor, Richard Thomas, Josh Timbrook, Bryon Wackwitz, Ken Widing (Cartography: Eric Hotz Production: Sam Chupp, Leigh Ann Hildebrand- ‘Chupp; Chris McDonough, Josh Timbrook ‘ArsMagica” originallycesignedbyJonathan Tweet and Mark Rein¢Hagen Playtesters: Carl SchfiurSarah Link,JohnSnead, Shannon Appel, Robert G. Schroeder, Peter Hentges, Tim Carroll, Travis Lemar Williams, Craig Neumeier, Gene Alloway, lan Barkley, Brad Bloom, Piers Brown James Lynn, Mike Minnotte, Fred. Parham, Paul Sherliker, Christopher Earley, Dave P. Martin, John Porter, Phillippe Queinnec, Esther Reeves, Richard Tomasso, Chris Benson, Darryl Anderson, Shawn Pullam, Bert Dinger Sterling Coleman, CliffSmuctricks, Bobby Dinger, Kevin Spillman Ars Magica 3rd Eaton © 1992 by White WolE AI Rights Reserved. Reproduction without written permission ofthe pub- lisher is expressly denied, except for short excerpts for the purpose of reviews. Ars Magica, Mythic Europe, and Covenants are all rademarks and copyrights of White Wolf, Permission is sgiventoreproduce charactersheets including the mage grimoire _rsfor persona |use only Se +Table: of Contents CHAPTER ONE: nnasehts INTRODUCTION ( CHAPTER TW OF esssscrsserserneees COVENANTS 4 CHAPTER THREES essesssssssesseees CHARACTER CREATION 4» CHAPTER FOURS wsstasssoeneene PRAITS CHAPTER EFIVES -ssssesssssssssseeeeee COMBAT CHAPTER SIXS csssssscsssssesnneseeee LHE REALMS CHAPTER SEVENS sssnssnssene MEAGIC CHAPTER EIGHTS -sessosssssssseeees SPELLS CHAPTER NINES ....scsssesseeeeeee LABORATORY CHAPTER TENS .csssccecsesssrseeeeee MLYTHIC EUROPE ~/CHAPTER ELEVEN? sssssssseeeeees SAGA CHAPTER TWELVE: ...sssseeeeees STORY TELLINGRA OUBLE, DOUBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE; _. FIRE BURN AND CAULDRON BUBBLE. Tt was not Jeremy’s fault that he possessed the gift. He was cursed with it, the fault of a long-dead mother who had ventured too far into the faerie forest. Ever since childhood he heard the voices. -veryone in his village dismissed his ramblings as the noise of madness. No one would-believe that the spirits of the dead were calling to him,»~/~ But the voices in his head grew, and on All Hallow’ Eve, the callings became so overwhelming he felt he would burst without their telling. Thus it was that the villagers were horrified by Jeremy’ talk of things only long-dead loved ones could know, things only spirits could whisper, and fiery brands were taken up, Outcast and a beggar on the streets of Toulouse, Jeremy was at first frightened by the dark cloaked strangers who found him and offered him asylum. Their home was a looming tower carved from unnatural rock, a monument of cold stone, a corrupt rocky finger thrust from the earth, Thus it was that Jeremy was initiated into the mysterious arts of sorcery. i, But with time, there arose in Jeremy's mind one voice, a strangelyt compelling voice, that spokeJoudenthan all the rest. It goaded sat him to deeds forbidden by his masters, and its will he could not ° resist. The voice seemed to come from within, from his looking glass image, from something terrible, something terrifying. ~. And he could smell brimstone.War Jntroduction Inadark, dismal world where nobles wage their petty was, friars preach toforiom locks and rogues scrounge for ill gotten wealth, a mystical order of vwizards dwellson the otskins of medieval cilia: ‘ion, dedicated to arcane purstits, Assages of gat Joreand unrivalled poten, thesesorcerers face the perlsofa grim, desperate ord pes that peasants dare not even speak of, Gathered together a the enigmatic Order of Hermes, these wizard stagale agunst internal intrigue and persection front with- outy those who donot cae to understand thera. ‘Though magic pervades the work of Mythic Eu- rope, only these few gifted individuals, after grueling sofa the artof magic renticeship, have mastered arsmagica— In Ars Magica you assume the role of such a person; you area wizard. Far froma simple weaver ‘of charms, you arean educated and dedicated prac- titioner of the magical arts. ASa Magus you stand in stark contrast tothe rest of medieval society. While the mundanes are ignorant, largely illiterate, bound to a decadent hierarchy, and fearful of what lies beyond their villages, you. are, learned, free from social restraint,and willing to explore the mysteries. of the unknown Though you study incessantly, you occasion: ally venture forth from your ower togither magical ingredients forenchantments, obtain new knowl? edge, and to assist those who warrant youraid:“On these journeys you are accompanied by your com- panions and henchmen who advise and guard you from the perils ofthe wotld. These expeditions are thehear of Ars Magica, and enabling you totellthe stories ofthese journeysis the purpose ofthis book MAGIc Magic is the essence of Ars Magica. Magic is everywhere, and its existence affects every detail of life almostalwaysin the mostsubtle of ways. Magic is a mysterious and mercurial force, not a precise science, that cannot easilybe harnessed tothe whims Ars MAGICA of mortals, Magic is the supernatural force, the Se eee ee Itis, accdding the Order of Hermes, the very fabric of realityjself. Magic is a way of thinking about reality that modern people no longer find appropri- ateor useful. Magicisthe mediumyou commandin- ‘your pursuit of transcendence. none level you, asa Magus, explore thesubtle eo ‘connections of magic to exploit them and use, Ke power gained, jstasmodern man exploitsscietific laws to create new technology. Your exploitation of magic isa direct, albeit dangerous, means to inhu- rman potence. The best wizards, however, are driven bby anced completely different from the mere acqui- sition of power. They investigate magic to under- stand the universe, just as our best physicists search fora unified field theoryto understand ouruniverse. Indeed, Magi may be considered scientists ofa sort, ‘operating in a completely different paradigm from ‘ours, and with a completely different set of natural laws from ours, batusingthesame techniques vedo toclassyand understand the environment inwhich they live, They study realty, and use their know!- edge in order to manipulate it ‘As a Magus, power ad knowledge are the forces that motivate you. Which you pursue i left tw your will) You may begin your vocation by searching for better ways to put magic to practical use, Inso doingyou gain power, as your di give Ju an advantage over the surrounding world gener znd. However Mag gro ode, ‘more arcane and diverse matters attract their inter- est, and may likewise entice you, It is thus that curiosity often overwhelms ambition, luring you from the path of ambition to one of obscure obses- sion or greater benevolence. ‘Wh das pare of gis osaRes oat of power or enlightenment, there also inevitably emerges a lute from the safe boundaries of human society and understanding. Your magical pafsuits may lead you into encounters with enigmatic faeries~ im their deep, oppressive forests, with deceitful de- ‘mons forever seeking to, drag: your soul. down to perdition, with fierce gifinsIurkingin barren waste- Jands, with looming giants in their mountain caves,r and with mysterious magical pools which provide insight into the secrets of human existence. Once you devote yourself to magic and its rewards, you rustface those whoarealso attuned tomagic. They, like you, are travelers on the oad ofthe arcane, and in sharing that toad, all eventually converge Covenants ‘Some wizards, paranoid that rivals might steal theit hard-won lore, live alone and in secrecy. The vast majority, however, live together in small com- ‘munities bound by vows of friendship and coopera- tion, Without these vows, no matter how tenuous, Magi could not pursue their art and would surely perish to the xenophobic hordes of Mythic Europe. ‘The Covenant is the housing of the Magi. A Covenant is a self-sufficient collegium of magical learning where wizards gather for protection and to. shareresources, Itis usually located in some remote ee ‘magical f6E can be more casily controlled and gathered, and closed-minded mundanes distanced. While Covenants can be of any size; most have fewer than a dozen members, However, many others besides Magi call the Covenant home. And, in Ars Magica, thestories ofthese leser Covenantinhabitantsareas important as those oftheir mystical masters. The folk who reside in the Covenant and serve the Magi include mercenary guards, grizzled cooks, itinerant scholars, haughty servants, nervous seibes, stolidartisans, craftyspies,and assorted adventurers and hang-abouts. The Covenant supports and protects these individuals. In return they sérve the Covenant, Its the classic feudal arrangement: the servants and masters forma contract, and each must fulfil theirside ofthe agreement f they wish frit to prosper. Though not members ofthe three feudal classes — those who work, pray and war — most covenfolk relate to Magi in the same manner they would Tepe lord, and accord great loyalty to those te sm they give theirallegiance. Thusitis that Magi and their servants live together as a social group, ,, almost lke a family, and must work together for a INTRODUCTION mutually satisfying exstencdjpan otherwise fatalis- tie world. 7 The Order of Hermes Binding all Covenants and all Magi together is. she Order of Hermes. This mystical order of wizards ‘theone thing that rings otherwise disparate Magh togetler.,, Whereas most Magi care little for the activities of their foreign brethren, the Order of Hermes unites all who belong. it. And, belonging to the Order of Hermes, you gin the opportunity to learn from your peers without threat of harm, for such unlawful feuding would result in innmediate retribution from those who seek to preserve the peace. Yes, Magi areaniridividualistic lot, and spare linleloveforoneanother. But, they realize that their lives have the potential tobe hundreds of years long and that those who could most easly cut that life shortare other Magi. By living within the Orderand avoiding mortal combat with one another, Magi insure their livelihood. As Magus, you belong to the Orderof Hermes, and,asamember of that Order, ‘must obey its dictates under punishment of death, Central to the Order of Hermes is its Code, which regulates the activities of Magi, both among their peers and in sociBty at large. By obeying the Code othe leuér yosafe existences veritable fa The.Gade specifies what you may do and who you may associate ith, Justasitstatesthat you may not ‘actagainst other Mag), itrestrietsyourrelations with rmundanes, both common folk and those of the Church, By adhering to the Code’s demands, your safety is assured ~ no Magus can act against you without reprisal and no mortal force is made aware of your existence; the paranoia of mortals is not inflamed and does not burn you without the expo sure ofyourflesh. So functions the Code of Hermes. Unfortunately, few Magi follow the strictures so closely, fr greater magical potency can be garnered through actions against other Magi, and actions involving mundanes, Thus, many Magi risk their ‘own lives, and the stability of the Order itself for their own pursuits— te a ee! at ZR PARDARIAN HORDES \ Ces ‘ HU. ey ma WNGROUND SCALE F = i /CONFLICT Yes, the defiance of the Code by Hermetic Magi brings conflict with the common folk of the world. ‘The Order of Hermes i a threat to the hierarchy of mortal society since Magi bow to neither Baron nor Bishop; the nobility and clergy tesent any challenge 16 their tenuous power. True, the Drderis powerful enough to proiect its members frbyh most harass ‘ment, but thé knight’ courage ands the priest's prayers have supernatural powers of theit,gwn. Thuis, Magi rarely attack mundane’ foes inf6pen warfare, and those that do are often forsaken by their brethren, left co mortal whim to protect the Order from reprisal that cannot be countered. Given this relative balance of power, there has long been a shaky”peace between Hermetic and ‘mundane factions. Andyet,fanaticvoiceswithin the Orderand Church have long called for an end to the luneasy truce. Fortunately, cooler heads have pre vailed and the fragile order of Mythic Europe hasnot been tured om its ear by.a war that could rock the very foundation of reality. Whether this delicate calm willpersistisanother question, andasa Magus, you may help preserve or shatter the status quo The Medieval World 4 In the distant days of old, lmghefore the dawn of science, there existed a people of pride and pageantry, of glory and grace of sour suspicion anel dark savagery. They were our ancestors, either in blood or spirit, but they lived in a different world than ours. Where we see light they saw darkness, Where we see hope, they saw despair. Where we believe we understand the truenatute of things, they new only their own blindness ‘These were the people of the medieval world, people who lived in what we now know as the Middle Ages, the Dark Ages, and as the age of Chivalry. They spoke of themselves through song and poetry, and the beauty oftheir art remains with us sil art is the majesty of the cathedral We have all ead tales ofthe bravery of Sir Lanoflot, the Troy of Fore ings nd the forbodifg power that re love, destiny end black tagichad over people: Theagelsbetoes wef bal fay of iS lean att Geo wete GENS fiferent bez than Rambo add the Tena = but were heres al the same, revered as nights imbued with dine Messing. ‘And in hese “ape” times” people belived in the supeygsul We aor pcan et reel a ae (eniagesan peel pert Ce Tadic er fall believed in magi Ta Aap age otc ge Pere eset ce peat eet peal gibson at nome eee theland and that erie sprites unions, dragons, demons and wizard oam the word. Nay. rule the worl In Ars Magis the imagined real, andthe eal ieyeeete reece lls MyTHIc EUROPE Ars Magica is set in a mythical version of ‘Thirteenth Century Europe. Though the rules can easily be modified for any fantasy setting, they are designed fo bring out the flavor of the Middle Ages and age perhaps best used to that end. Thisdibg rs isnof imply historical: itismeantto evoke certain “Avor, a certain grandeur. The setting is Mythic Europe Mythic Europe, the world of Ars Magica, isthe world the way medieval folk believe it to be. Itisas ‘magical as they imagine it, and as ful of frightening possibilities, Itisamythic setting and poetic justice ispar of everyday life. As ven lowly peasants deal with the supernaturalby somemeans—hags curses hhaunt them, charms and saints'relics protect them from the evil eye, and simple prayers hold at bay the invisible demons that stalk the night — they 103” hhave apart in determining what is real, Some leave food on boulders to appease forest spirit then ‘goto church to pray fF forgiveness. Everyone with nightmares of what dwellsin the dark as achand in makingreal whatlurks there, Imaginations the key ”a to reality. The world is alive with mythic signift- The beliefs of medieval folk are actually the inspiration for their fears. The Church isthe pin- nacle of creation ard value, soall thatlies outside its dominion is considered dangerous, unpredictable and profane. The dangers we fear, suchas accidents, crime, arid war, may be threatening to us, but they are alsé natural and their causes easily discernable. A medieval peasant, on the other land, does pot fear such things. To her, the ravages of war and disease areeommonplace and accepted as facts of life. Itis the unknown that she fears. She fears that which is mythic made real. ‘The mediieval person's perception of the world hhas no basis in logic or scientific rigor. No, they see connections in reality that we do not believe exist. Intuitive, universal principles, rather than concepts of genes, germs, and gestation, are what guide world o the medieval mind. In short, the medieval paradigm is fundamentally diferent from our own, LN gg diferent realty. For instance, in Mythic pe an inclination towards evil is inheritable. and the sins of parents can cause their children to be crippled. Likewise, filth causes disease because disease, like filth, s corruption. These concepts are nnot merely beliefs; in this game they are world truths, A ROLEPLAYING SETTING Alinost every fantasy roleplaying game is based ‘on medieval Europe to one degree or another, some more successfully than others. Ofuimesthemixture INTRODUCTION thigh fanay end historical ytcrenss werd ht tear Halt eas geet ta a 3 feetre ss erie Se See Sorted oper Bef elo exist by any stretch of th Ars Magica overcomes this weakness by evok- ing the full richness of the medieval world. Ars Magica is set in Mythic Europe because that’s the ate a truly realistic medieval setting only way toc fora fantasy gan From the perspective of the common folk, Mythit Euppereally isthe way they thinkitis. They believe if magie, but for the most part they've never actually seen if performed. That doesn’t mean it doesn't exist, though. Thus, by creating a game setting where fact and imagination are combined, you havea game where history and imagination are united. The balance of the two is for you to weigh. You may putemphasis on historical fact over fancy, cor may invoke imagination over history. Admit- tedly, Mythic Europe as presented in this book is more historically flavored than it is historically accurate. That flavorisonlyastartingpoint, though, ‘point from which you may build a world to your own tastes. Accepting the medieval world view is easier to do than it may seem, Just think back to. your childhood (when you used to play make-believe with your friends) andgemember the mystical way yout looked at the worfil: You didn’ know all the rules, but you gouldSée connections berween things thatadultsignored. The world wasa more interest- ing and entertaining place when arcane mysteries lurked all around you (jes, even under the bed), back before you “figured everything out.” Mythic Europe isimbiied with the saine sort of mystery and= BLOODY, BOLD, AND RESOLUTE ‘Ey Lad, what’re ye doin’ there? StantL up straight! Yer on sentry duty, not leanin’ against some bar swillin’ ale. Keep yer eyes out aver that wall an’ keep ‘em wide. Ye may be young an’ think ye know all, but there’ much to the world yer bright eyes haven't ne’ér seen, an’ these tired ol’ eyes’a mine have seen too much of. Ye have some lessons ye'd better learn soon, or ye'll never see the leaves turn on yonder tree.’ | learned this the ‘ard way, an’ learned it meself. I didn’ have no one to watch o'er me. So listens good. If ye do ye too may fin’ yerself bein’ Sergeant one day. There’ a lov'a dangers out there, lad. Ye may not see ‘em from here, but there be beasties beyond those hills that'd age ye ta death with just a lok/T can't even begin ta describe some of ‘em, and choose na ta remember others. Right here they don’ seem real That's cause mosta the foul beasties know and fear our masters, but when we goes out into that world its different. There be monsters that can't tell a wizard from a farmer, and see both as bein’ just as tasty. That's when ye have to step in. Tis yer job to stop that thin’, and ye'd better do it well or ye'll be the first to fall - YN Yea, there be much more to the world than we see here, There’ all a what they call Europe out there. Tis full’ all kinds of folk and queer things. The masters may have powers, but there’ others out there wit powers of their own. They’s the ones we have to fear most, cause they’s not afraid of us the way some beasties is. They prepared to march on our gates and kill us all. Is not jus’ talkin’ bout some’a the more righteous churchmen. 1 talkin’ bout the servants the Evil Onevhisself, an the outsiders, the ones thavden’ belong to our masters’ Oden, —--«, Yea, there be death out there, een if we can't see it, it be theté. So keep alert an keep afraid an’ ye may have a chance against the world. If ye ask me, I'll admit it. Ts afraid.romance as childhood. You will find ita most vivid and engaging world in which to exist, for however brief a time, Some Basic Concepts youveplayed otheMantasytitles, Ars Magica ‘may seem closely related to them inrtheme, but it bears some major differences that you ahould be aware of, ArsMagicaisplayed differently fonfother ‘games, and makesanumber of unique assumptions. By understanding some of the game's conceptval foundations, you canlearn the rulesand understand the settnig much more easily The following an explanation of some of the assumptions that Ars Magica makes. You may be surprised by some of them, but keep in mind thats radical as things may seem, everything works + The Wizard: Ars Magica is hased on the pursuits of wizards (or Magi; they are the focus of the Saga (campaign). Every player has a Magus character. Magi are motivated not only to inerease their own power and prestige through inereasing mastery of the lore of magic, but-to build theit ‘Covenant into a lasting institution, + Character Types: There are three basic char- actertypes. They renotsomuch *characterclasses’ as they are fandamentally different ways to play sh game. By allowing wizards tobe as powerfatas they. are in legend, we reject the assumption that all characters should balanced in power. Magi are clearly the strongest characters, and are by far more Powerful than “magie-users” found in other games. The two other character types are the Grog and the Companion. Though they arent as powerful as wizards all play an equal role in thestory ‘The Companion is any sort of exceptional per son who is friendly or works with the Covenant, ‘Companions provide Magi withthe benefits oftheir superior abilities and knowledges, usually abilities and knowledges acquired in mundane areas where ‘Magi have no time or inclination to tread Ars Macica| The Gyog is a warrior and guard and is largely Bye as beach,» charac y he players. frogsare the characters you create to flesh cout the ihbabitants of the Covenant. They should not be underrated, though, for Grogsareinstrumen taltothe Magis defense at home and abroad. With- ‘out Grog defenders, Magi could not survive o work their magicks 3 + Storytelling: Ars Magicaisastorytelling gayse~ aswellasaroleplaying game. We allitastoryteling ‘game because the stories you tll ae as important as the power your character achieves. In fact itis the story which is paramount, and the story with which you should be concemed, not accomplishments, It 1s for this reason we call the game referee the Storyguide. + Troupe-Style Play: The game’srulesarebased on the concept of a Troupe, a group of friends who tell stories together and share responsibilities in order to have a good time. Though not vital to the way the rules work dffereni people can take the job of Storyguide for different tales. + Switching Roles: Players switch roles be- tween stories; a player may have both a Magus character and a Companion, playing whichever one best fits story, butnever playing both at once. The Grogs are commonly held by all the players and can be played by anyone, usually while playing another character. This switching helps make eaci#4Ony_—~: ‘nigh, as different combinations of characters re- -sAt in fresh possibilities for interaction. * Wealth: Inthe Middle Ages, wealth is tied to relatively inflexible factors suchas status, family and privilege rather than tobankaccounts which didn't ‘even exist), Magi value raw vis, the essence of magic trapped in physical form, far more than they value gd or hand. * Use of atin: Toadd tothearcaneflavor ofthe ‘we make frequent use of Latin asit relayes to theart ofmagic. The names of the 15 magical Ars, _ forexample,areinLatin, you cringeatthethought” oflearning a nuniber of foreign words, just use their English equivalents, * The Saga: Atypical Ars Magica Saga last for 4 great many game years because itis basedf‘on the lives of Magt who increase their powers through long periods of study and extend their natural livesRa OU, a OEE UN TRODUCTION | __ PLAY . ‘with magical potions. We assume that stories (ad- ventures) are the exciting, but infrequent, events thatpunctuate long months ofquieter pursuits. The Laboratory Chapter describes the various tasks Magi can pursue in their sanctums: inventingspells,train- ing apprentices, bonding Familiars, and enchanting magical items. THREE STYLES OF Theteare threebasicwaysin which youcan ran an Ars Magica Saga, cach of whichinvolvesdifferent techniques and styles, and requires various levels of interest from the players. We ourselves have tried cachof these three styles and, though we enjoy them all favor onein particular. However, each Troupe's differents fee! fre to develop whatever tye suis you best. r + Mythic Europe: Though this isthe fll-back S duper assumed throughout the ules, you fe elin elton o yoy avbinercodg (particularly if you dont like history). However there are some definite advantages to setting your Saga somewhere in Mythic Europe. First ofall, it ‘makes the world seem more real than a purely fictitious setting. Second, history isso rich with fact and legend thatthe setting provides all sorts of ideas for stories and exotic locals, Finally, itis familiar setting, which makes it easier for players to under- stand and visualize, just as their characters might. Besides, hiss the worldall our supplements will be based in. Since we've done a lot of hard work (historical research is tough), the Mythic Europe setting means less work for you. + Altemate World: You can use the medieval setting described in this game, but you don't have to setitin Mythic Europe. Rather, ou can usea world thatisa close approximation of Mythic Europe, but with some major (albeit subtle) cilferences. Thisis a,gdod Option for those who can't quite get them: _7devesto believe in an alternate history of Europe in 16 which magic plays a part. You should play the game as you normally ‘would, with Magi, Companions and Grogs living together in a Covenant. Only the ouside world changes. One of the earliest Sagas we ever played ¢ was set in Mythie America,Sgn alternate world in ae eee ‘New World and the Orde¢ of Hermes went along with them, “a + High Fantasy: Fasentially, you use the game rules to create a Saga of your own design, ina world ‘where magic plays an influential role in theaflans of the co This is « high fantasy world as classical or bizare as you like; the world is not snedieval by any stretch of the imagination. Your “world! should be as self-consistent as possible, and realisiedespite its fantasticroots,Youcan'trallydo that i your base ton historical precedent. You ean even set the Saga in your version of Arcadia, Faetieland which saboutas high fantasyasyoucan get Generally, every player has one character in a high fantasy seting, and there might be only one Storyguide — characters tend to be more powerful ina high fantasy world, and only one person often knows all the world’s secrets, You can allow Com- ppanions to have more Virtues and Flaws than usual (give them five free purchase points), thus making them more equal to Magl. Grogs in this world become simple henchmen, and purely an optional device. You can even abandon the concept of Covenants and use the tradiional, “adventuring party” motif o explain why the characters journey together. Magi in such a party do not have much time to study, and probably no laboratories, so raw vis and other mga treasures take ‘on greater significance/~At some point the characters might evenwanttosetupa “homebase,” Forsuchyoucan tse modified Covenant rules. ‘YYouR MYTHIC JOURNEY As you read this book, treat it as if you are a young Magus, Untilnow you have only known your ‘master's laboratory, and are now on a journey that introduces you to the vast and enigmatic worlds of ‘magicand medievalsociety.Itisnotaneasy journey, Dutis easily worth the effort, for what you learn now. stands you in good stead later on. Open the pages of this tome carefully, for you are about fo delve intoa ‘world of arcane mystery and unparalleled wonder.“Uou dare come to me now, petty noble! Seeking my services, after all your denouncements of my magical arts and power?” “Humbly mage, J do all that you say. The times have turned. The dark prophesies are Fulfilled. ‘Though J am King, Lord of all men, and alone chosen by God, J beseech the aid of your authority. Sire, ] beg the services of the ancient arts which you have mastered.” THE ART OF MAGIC7 EE ee: OS SS. Ge PRR TE, INTRODUCTION Ars Magica Sgstems Every game hasto have rules, even storytelling games. Rules are what help make a game a game. Some games have only a few rules while others have a great many. Regardless of the complexity of their rules, all games are defined by them. Ars Magica is no exception. The basic rule systems of Ars Magica are simple to use, and versatile enough to apply in nearly any situation. The same systems are used throughout the game, 50 you don't have to learn a new set of rules for every game mechanic, What follows is the basic structure of Ars Magica; the rest of the book contains only permutations of these rules. Make sure you thoroughly understand these basic rules, You needn't master them in one reading, In fact, i's suggested that you simply skim the rules on your initial reading. Precise details make more sense after you have aa wider understanding of how the game works, Though the basic rules may seem somewhat odd and exotic, especially in comparison to what you might be used to, you'll find that they really aren't that complicated. Just concentrate on learning these basics and everything else will come naturally Game Rounds Most bold actions in Ars Magica are performed in ‘units of time called Rounds. The exception to thisis when you merely need to make a single roll in the middle of aa