Ars Magica Digital Codex

Experimentation

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Your magus could try to accomplish some of these projects using experimentation (see ArM5, pages 107–109). What follows are some example side effects and modified effects that could result from experimentation on these projects (if a side effect or modified effect is rolled on the Extraordinary Effects table; see ArM5, page 109).

These are only suggestions: your troupe should feel free to modify, or ignore these, or create your own, as necessary.

  • • The effect only works when the volcano is erupting.
  • • The effect only works when used within the crater of a particular volcano.
  • • Tears of lava momentarily flow from either the caster's or the target's eyes. This causes +10 heat damage, and blinds him for one diameter.
  • • The target (or caster) belches a powerful sulfurous stench. This causes no damage, but it is obnoxious and it draws attention to the character.
  • • The target (or caster) becomes very hot, and sweats profusely. He must make a Stamina check against an Ease Factor of 6 or immediately lose a Long-Term Fatigue level due to lack of water (the Fatigue level can only be regained by drinking).
  • • Any flammable items held or worn by the caster (or target) ignite. This usually includes clothing, straps holding armor together, etc.
  • • Metal objects held or worn by the caster (or target) melt. This causes no damage if he immediately drops the item, although usually it ruins the item. If the character holds onto the item, he takes +12 heat damage. If he is wearing full metal armor, he takes +48 damage; partial metal armor, +36 damage.
  • • The caster's (or target's) clothing turns to ash. This causes no damage except

to the clothing, but obviously it draws attention to the character. Metal armor and jewelry is slightly singed, but otherwise unaffected.

  • • Fires within Voice range of the target (or caster) briefly flare up to a brilliant, searing heat and then extinguish.

  • • Wherever the caster (or target) walks, her footprints burn into the surfaces she walks upon. This leaves a clear trail of scorched earth and ash. This side effect lasts for Sun duration.

  • • The room briefly fills with toxic volcanic fumes. An immediate Stamina check, against an Ease Factor of 6, must be made for each character within the room. If this is failed the character takes a Medium wound. If the room is normally ventilated, the poisonous fumes disperse within 1 round. However, if the room is sealed, the fumes persist and characters in the room need to take another Stamina check every Diameter. If the effect is cast outside, there is no damaging effect as

  • the fumes are too quickly dispersed, although characters within Voice range of the caster do smell the fumes before they disperse.

  • • The humors of the caster (or target) become temporarily unbalanced. Make a Stamina check for the target against an Ease Factor of 6. If this is failed, the character develops a disease due to an excess of hot, dry, yellow bile, which causes a Medium Wound.

  • • The humors of the caster (or target) become subtly, but permanently unbalanced. This causes no immediate effect, but the character's subsequent Aging checks are made with an additional –1 Living Condition Modifier. Note, that this side-effect only affects the character once, even if he is affected by the spell/item effect multiple times.

  • • The humors of the caster (or target) are buffered against extreme swings. This causes no immediate effect, but the character's subsequent Aging checks are made with an additional +1

  • Living Condition Modifier. Note, that this side effect only affects the character once, even if he is affected by the spell/item effect multiple times.

  • • The outer layers of the target's skin form a hard, black crust. This gives him a +3 bonus to Soak, which lasts for Sun duration. When this side-effect expires, the crust of skin peels off over a period of about one week. This has no game-mechanical effect, but it is visually unappealing: the peeling skin is broken, scabbed, and burnt.

  • • The caster (or target) is imbued with a warm internal glow. She does not suffer from exposure, hunger, or thirst until the glow subsides, which takes a simple die of Sun durations. This side effect appears to bypass the Limit of Energy, which could make the spell Lab Text an important source of insight for a magus attempting research in this area.