Vis Sources and Stores

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Ars Magica: Nova Semitae Saga
ArM5LogoColor.jpg
GM
Mark
Game Start
Anno Domini MCCXX, hiems
A.D. 1220, winter
5 Neanne 1, Hiems
Game Year
Anno Domini MCCXXXV, aestas
A.D. 1236, summer
7 Aulus 2, Aestas
Magi of Nova Semitae
Geoffroy de Dreux of Jerbiton
Joshua Levi of Verditius
Magni of Flambeau
Obscurus Ignis of Flambeau
NPC Magi
Aulus · Neanne · Fr. Thomas · Vitria
Apprentices
Ysabelo discipulus Aulus
Esyllt discipula Geoffrey
Sigrun discipula Magni
Hermetic Status
Companions
Lady Angharad ferch Madog, Princess of Powys Fadog
Ritter Sigmund, German ex-Crusader
Sir Daniele d'Audrieu, Norman merchant
Sir William Cornwell, English ex-Crusader
Other Characters
Covenfolk · Agents
The Redcaps · Notable NPCs
Chart of Languages Spoken
Notable Animals
Guests
Hortense of House Bonisagus
The Covenant
Hermetic
Covenant Charter · Membership Record
Record of Offices · Covenant Service
Council Voting Records · Hermetic Politics
Stonehenge Tribunal
Mundane
Mundane Geography · Mundane Politics
Village of Melverley · Melverley Castle
Village Laws · Village Rumors
Medieval Farming
Covenant Resources
Covenant Library · Varana's Tomb
Hospital · Hospital Library
Vis Sources and Stores
Covenant Magical Items · Mundane Wealth
Classes and Training · Covenant Experts
Covenant Mechanics
Other
Ars Magica House Rules
Ars Magica Expanded Notes
Campaign Log · Loose Ends
Ars Magica PC Reference
Player Resources (PDFs)
Experience Point Worksheet
Character Sheet (Variant 1)
Character Sheet (Variant 2)
Experience Point Chart

Charter Obligations

  • All vis collected from vis sources owned by the covenant go in general stores.
  • The covenant must maintain a base supply of 150 pawns of mixed types
  • At the end of the year (usually at the start of the Winter season), accounts are tallied and excess vis (anything over 150 pawns) is distributed to the magi per the Charter. All covenant obligations are first taken into account prior to vis payment. This includes:
    • Payment to magi for extra duties carried out for the covenant
    • Vis used for longevity rituals
    • Vis used for Aegis of the Hearth, or any other covenant-related Rituals that may be cast
    • Payment of any other debts incurred by the covenant

Vis Stores

Updated to Winter 1234 (except salaries, expenses)

Creo 21 Animál Ignem 17
Intéllego 6 Aquam 16 Imáginem 4
Muto 12 Auram 1(f) Mentem 19
Perdo 38 Corpus 15 Terram 10
Rego 19 Herbam Vim 6

TOTAL VIS STORES: 184 pawns

  • Vis Log: Used to maintain a history of all deposits and withdrawals of covenant vis supplies.

Vis Balance Sheet.png

Vis Sources

Vis Extraction

A magus may always spend a season in the laboratory extracting Vim vis from the covenant's Magic aura. This is a Creo Vim lab activity, that results in a number of pawns of Vim vis equal to (CrVi lab total / 10), rounded up

Uncontested Sources

  • The Boar Tide: On each solstice or equinox, a great wave, known as the Boar Tide, races along the course of the Severn. It is possible to take some water from the crest of the wave, most easily through Rego Aquam magic. The Boar Tide produces either 3 pawns of Rego vis or 1 pawn of Aquam vis, depending on the season.
  • Merlin's Well: Mid-Spring. The well is full year round, but none may draw from it unless they have the Gift. For most of the year, this water is mystical, but not vis; if drawn in a certain week in spring, then they draw up blood, which can be bottled and used as vis. Worth 5 pawns of Corpus vis.
  • The Spring: Spring. The spring that feeds the mikveh near Mount Zion Cemetery floods annually providing 4 pawns of Creo vis.
  • Maribus' Underwater Lab: Summer. Maribus had specialized equipment to distill vis without supervision. It accumulates 1 pawn per season. The lab requires water breathing ability or spells to reach. It also requires magic or a quick hand to put the Aq vis into vials without contaminating it with regular water. Worth 4 pawns Aquam.

Merlin's Midden

A regio in northern Wales is the site of several vis sources. It is heavily forested and feels ancient and primeval. The magi have discovered and registered the following vis sources, though they haven't necessarily harvested everything.

  • Celtic Warrior Barrow: A series of passageways and chambers (not fully explored) reveal extensive burial grounds for ancient celtic warriors. Burial chambers contain 15-25 'shelves' within the walls with the body and weapons of a celtic warrior. The weapons are made of bronze, some of which are worth 1 pawn of Terram each. However, disturbing the graves causes spirits of the dead to rise and defend their sleeping fellows. Several of the chambers have been previously looted. Worth as many Terram pawns of vis as the party wishes to fight.
  • The Wishing Log: Alongside a creek in the regio are several fallen logs with coins embedded in them. Many of these coins are ancient. Some of them contain Mentem vis, one pawn per coin so imbued. The magi have decided to leave 1-2 coins with vis in the logs so as not to deplete the source. Worth 4-6 pawns of Mentem.
  • Golden-Eyed Deer: A herd of deer lives in the forest, one or two deer with golden eyes. Records indicate these eyes are Animal vis and must be harvested by shooting the deer with an arrow. However, the magi encountered intelligent magical animals (see below) who used thrown spears which apparently worked. A giant bear is said to protect the deer. Worth 2-4 pawns of Animal vis, depending on successfully downing the relevant deer.
  • Merlin's Magical Animals: Records speak of 'beasts' that Merlin experimented on and then abandoned in the regio. The magi encountered them - three foot tall ferret-like creatures with the ability to speak an ancient form of latin and gaelic. They wield weaponry and build traps for the unwary who wander into the regio, as well as hunt creatures and harvest vis in the regio. The magi established neutral relations with a way to return and not get attacked. Worth an unknown amount of Animal vis.

TOTAL YIELD: 23+ pawns/year

Temporary Sources

  • House Bonisagus Stipend: As part of the payment to allow Hortense stay for a Tribunal period to conduct the duties as an Tenens Occultorum in the British Isles Tribunals. The covenant opted for an annual season of access to Durenmar as part of the payment, so the stipend was reduced to 5 pawns split between Intellego and Muto.

Contested Sources

  • Musician's Contest: Midsummer. A faerie music contest, can be entered by anyone with Enchanting Music. In times past, the covenant had a custos with the requisite musical talent to enter, and sometimes won. A magus may use a Rego Imaginem spell to collect the sound of the audience's sighs, tears, or laughter during the contest. These are pawns of Imaginem vis, up to 5 pawns.
  • The cave of snakes: Autumn. The cave of snakes on the second level of the faerie regio contains a pool of viscous black liquid. The pool is very shallow, and several small black spheres lie on the bottom. Local legends tell that these are the tears of an ancient Anglo god who weeps alone. The covenant's records tell of up to ten pawns of Perdo vis being harvested though this has not been the case for some time.

VARIABLE YIELD: 5-15 pawns/year

Lost Sources

  • Pact with the Faerie Lord: Winter. Every winter, a local Lord of the Winter in a faerie regio in Gwynedd allows the magi to bottle his breath if they bring him a suitable gift. Worth 3-5 pawns of Auram (faerie) vis. Lost in 1228 after a ploy by Phessalia to marry the faerie king resulted in the king banishing the magi from his kingdom.

Vis Exchange

The Redcaps of Stonehenge also serve as pawnbrokers, exchanging for types of vis. Originally, they offered Nova Semitae straight trades to help it establish itself. This arrangement is no longer in place with the exception of enough Herbam vis in order to cast The Bountiful Harvest and Vim vis for The Aegis of the Hearth rituals. — this is because the Mercer House also benefits from these two rituals. Otherwise the normal rates apply.

The standard vis received:vis paid ratios apply:

  • Technique:Technique vis exchanges at 1:2
  • Form:Form vis exchanges at 1:2
  • Technique:Form vis exchanges at 1:4
  • Form:Technique vis exchanges at 1:1

Additionally:

  • Corpus vis is treated as a Technique
  • Vim vis is worth 0.5 Form vis