Personal Vis Sources by Tom Nowell
For only the second time, Games From Folktales welcomes a guest author. Tom Nowell is one of the presenters for the other Ars Magica podcast, Arcane Connection. This article has been purchased for the new Mythic Europe Magazine, which is still accepting submissions. Before reading you Tom’s piece I want to flag a couple of clever things he’s done here that go against the general run of submissions for people wavering about writing.
Tom’s article is very short – just above the minimum cap. For the reader, that means there’s a minimum of waffle: you go in, get his information and go. As the person laying out the magazine, his piece is perfect to work with. It fits around the 5 000 word pieces other people are sending in because it’s either under a single page of text, a single page of text with a small illustration, or a double page spread with a large illustration. The guideline being 500 to 5000 words doesn’t meant a desirable piece’s length lands either halfway between them or at the far end of the range. Write to the length of your material and if you can get your point across in a short piece, that’s fantastic.
His article is about what is, in my estimation, the most common magus Virtue other than the Gift itself. It’s not an elaboration on a rule you need to be three books deep to find. Many experienced players have had some of the thoughts Tom presents here. For new players its a quick primer into the unspoken consensus of character building that’s developed in the community. It’s great to write down the things which are easy for experienced players but occluded from the view of the new people bought in by the Definitive Edition.
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The core rules define a personal vis source as “you have exclusive access to a supply of raw vis.” How this takes form is up to the troupe, but here are some suggestions that you could use as inspiration.
Truly Personal Sources
Vis can arise from the magus’s own body, which makes sure they are the first to get it. This is particularly appropriate for Corpus vis. Someone could collect their tears as a source of Imaginem vis. As they cry the colour leaves their eyes, so they become extremely pale. You could gather up a magus’ bedding to extract the vis they have sweated out over a year. More unsavoury magi could collect the leavings of their chamberpot to extract vis from, or a maga could collect her menstrual blood. As a more abstract idea, vis could arise from a magus’ emotions, and the pillow they sleep on slowly fills with Mentem vis from their dreams.
Stories arise from unscrupulous wizards wanting to imprison hedge wizards and extract their vis, or claim potential apprentices who shows signs of having a personal vis source.
Secret Methods
A personal vis source could be collected by a method that only the magus knows. A Bjornaer might know how to nest upon a magic egg in their heartbeast such that it collects Animal Vis. A small box, passed down from a Merinita mentor, can only be opened once a year. If the holder uses the correct set of movements it opens to reveal vis. Secret sources can be passed on to other characters, which requires careful handling from the troupe to avoid excessive amounts of vis or resentment from players who didn’t inherit
These external items can be stolen or sold. Stories arise if someone attempts to learn their method of use. An enemy could interfere with the vis gathering out of spite. Organised groups, such as a Tremere Vexillation, may negotiate the purchase of secret vis sources.
Legal privileges
The Peripheral Code allows for vis sources to be registered to a particular covenant or magus – see the Public Vis Source Hook in Covenants p22. This can add to the covenant and tribunal background as you decide if this is a legacy passed down through Hermetic lineage or a gift arranged by a mentor. You own the source, but anyone wanting to cause trouble knows where to interfere, which creates stories. Enemies can pressure the Tribunal to transfer ownership of the source or reallocate its vis to another purpose.
The Method You Happen to Be Perfect For
Some vis sources could be only gathered by people who meet strict criteria, and your magus is a perfect match for one of these. There could be a vis source that can only be collected by the first person with the blood of the Merovingian kings who visits on All Saint’s Day. If you are the only person in your covenant with this ancestry you can collect it with no competition. A standing stone may give its vis to any red-headed man who speaks a phrase to it in the local dialect. The sheer number of dialects in Mythic Europe can rule out any other character in your troupe. Stories when other people who match the requirements turn up.
