Mechanica of Heron

Heron's disciples used this Virtue to create and animate magicalmechanical devices called mechanica. The character with this Virtue must have The Gift and possess a Virtue that allows access to Academic Abilities. He begins with a score of 1 in the Ability Mechanica of Heron. The Ability can be improved by study, practice, or teaching. Mechanica can simulate any Creo, Rego, Perdo, or Muto effect on Auram, Aquam, Ignem, Mentem, or Terram. Ordinary mechanica may not have more than one effect, but awakened mechanica (see below) may have several.

Creating a mechanica requires a season or more of work in a laboratory after which the Mechanician matches his Intelligence + Mechanica of Heron Ability against a Mechanica Creation Level of (3 x the number of magnitudes of effect in the device). Mechanicians may also add the lower of the Philosophiae or Artes Liberales abilities to the total. They may also receive benefits for Inventive Genius, and make use of Arcane Experimentation (see ArM5, pages 107–109). Frequency of use, Penetration, triggers, and conditions (see ArM5, pages 97–98) can be used to modify the imbued effect and also affect its final magnitude. Mechanica are normally human-sized or larger. Making one small enough to be easily carried increases the Mechanica Creation Level by 3, or by 6 if the item is small enough to hold in one hand. The Mechanica Creation Level decreases by 3 if the device is wagon or boat-sized. Mechanica effects that require additional time to employ reduce the Mechanica Creation Level by 3. (These take 15 minutes per magnitude of effect to employ as per the Ceremonial Casting rules on ArM5, page 83.) These reductions can never reduce the Creation Level below 3. If the total exceeds the Mechanica Creation Level, the character has successfully created the item. Failure (due to experimentation, for example) indicates that time and half the materials are lost. Auras affect mechanica and their construction as per magical devices (see ArM5, page 187).

Construct Mechanica of Heron Total: Intelligence + Mechanica of Heron Ability + (lower of Philosophiae or Artes Liberales) + aura

Mechanica Creation Level: (3 x Magnitude of Imbued Effect) + size factor – ease of use

Creating Mechanica Cost: 1 Mythic Pound per 3 points of Mechanica Creation Level

Mechanica Creation Level Modifiers:

Modifier	Effe ct
Wagon- or boat-sized	–3
Easily carried	+3
Hand-sized	+6
Additional time to employ	–3

Mechanica do not require vis to construct, and are not able to replicate spells that require vis or have a range greater than Voice. Mechanica cost one Mythic Pound per three Mechanica Creation Levels. A Mechanician can create exactly one mechanica in a season; if his total does not exceed the level required for a device, he cannot construct it at all.

One of the advantages of mechanica is their flexibility. With a week's study, a Mechanician can alter a mechanica's effect so long as it uses the same Form and Technique originally contained in the device. The new level of spell or effect cannot be higher than the existing one (including modifications for range, charges, or use). Changing the device's function costs the Mechanician one Mythic Pound to attempt and requires a successful Intelligence + Mechanica of Heron roll against an Ease Factor equal to the creation level of the new item. If the roll fails, the device is unaffected but the money and time are lost. A botch destroys the device.

Alter Mechanica: Intelligence + Mechanica of Heron Ability + (lower of Philosophiae or Artes Liberales) + aura + stress die vs. Ease Factor

Ease Factor: (3 x Magnitude of New Imbued Effect) + size factor – ease of use

Exquisitely sophisticated, intelligent devices are possible, such as Justinian's Nightingale or the Brass Mule of Saris. This requires awakening the inner nature, the anima, inherent in a mechanica. The item in question must be a simulacrum of a living creature; doing otherwise violates the Neo-Platonic ideals used by Mechanicians, producing a lifeless mechanica.

To construct a simulacrum of an animal, first choose a species, then consult the Size Example Table to continued on next page