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On the Shifted Shape

By Tom McKinnell and Niall Christie

This article concerns itself with aspects of roleplaying shapeshifters, with particular application to magi of House Bjornaer. The intention of the article is to look deeper into the nature of shapeshifters, emphasising the ways in which possessing an alternative form affects a character's psychology and behaviour, and making the form something more than a mere tool.

Heart-beasts, Lycanthropes and Skinchangers

A number of Ars Magica supplements examine the role of shapeshifters in Mythic Europe. Houses of Hermes examines House Bjornaer, and makes brief reference to the line of shapeshifters from which the house is descended. The Hidden Paths: Shamans examines shapeshifters in more detail, including the tradition that led to the birth of House Bjornaer. ArM4 uses the term "Lycanthrope" to describe those afflicted with a curse that turns both their bodies and minds into animal forms, and "Skinchanger" to refer to those who use a magical item to change their shape. The Medieval Bestiary describes shapechangers, and The Dragon and the Bear makes reference to non-magi who possess Heart-beasts. As a result of this number of different treatments of the subject, the terminology has become a little blurred. Therefore, it will be necessary to redefine the terms used.

Heart-beast

This term will be used to refer to the alternative form of a shapeshifter who, whilst fully (well, probably) in control of their bodies, is able to take an alternative form without recourse to any magical items or spells. This includes Bjornaer magi, and shapechangers as referred to in Shamans.

Lycanthrope

This term will be used to refer to the alternative form of someone afflicted with the -2 Flaw "Lycanthrope". The distinguishing factor here is that the individual is not in control of their shapeshifting ability, nor of their mind in beast form.

Skinchanger

This term will be used to refer to the alternative form of an individual who changes shape by using a magic item or spell. This includes possessors of the +2 Virtue "Skinchanger", magi who use spells to change shape, and other individuals who require deliberate use of an external magical force to achieve the change (Suzaria, ArM4 p. 252, is one example of the latter).

Any other terms are now redundant, at least as far as this article is concerned. Most of the rules presented below apply to characters with Heart-beasts and Skinchangers only, as Lycanthropes are not in control of their minds, which makes the rules redundant.

Developing Heart-beasts

In The Dragon and the Bear, it is suggested that it might be possible for characters with the +2 Virtue "Latent Magical Ability" to have a Heart-beast coaxed out of them by a helpful Bjornaer magus. As a note, we would suggest that if a character develops a Heart-beast, it takes the place of part or all of their "Latent Magical Ability" Virtue. If a character's newly-found Heart-beast is battle-worthy, the entire virtue is replaced, if not, then one point of virtue remains, which may represent a weaker latent ability, which will probably develop into a low-value Exceptional Ability. It should be noted that the player should specify at character creation if the latent magical ability is a slumbering Heart-beast, otherwise it will not be possible to develop the ability in this way without the permission of the Storyguide and Troupe. Bjornaer magi may also take the Latent Magical Ability Virtue, to represent a second, slumbering and unsuspected Heart-beast. Bjornaer magi with more than one Heart-beast are a rare phenomenon, though.

The Heart-beast and its Effect on the Mind

ArM4 notes that those with Heart-beasts possess a Personality Trait of (Heart-beast) rated at +1. The trait is intended to emphasise the animalistic nature of the individual resulting from their possession of the Heart-beast. However, it is our experience that players rarely roleplay this side of their character's nature. Here we present rules intended to emphasise how the Heart-beast influences a shapeshifter's behaviour.

Firstly, we would suggest that the value of +1 is regarded as a minumum, and players should be encouraged to increase this value, depending on how animalistic they wish their character to be. Some Bjornaer are more animalistic than others, after all.

Secondly, if a shapeshifter in Heart-beast form encounters a stimulus which is likely to appeal to the mind of the Heart-beast, the character should make a roll to determine how they react to it. Possible stimuli might include the opportunity for an otter shapeshifter to slide down a muddy bank into a river, or the opportunity for a magpie shapeshifter to steal something bright and shiny. The player should roll a stress die + Int - (Heart-beast) Personality Trait, against an ease factor set by the Storyguide (usually a minimum of 6, but the value should be increased depending on how appropriate the stimulus is to the Heart-beast). Suitable Virtues, Flaws and Personality Traits may affect this roll at Storyguide's discretion. If the roll fails, the character gives in to the more animalistic side of their nature, and reacts accordingly.

These rolls may be called for either by the player or the Storyguide. This provides an incentive for players to roleplay their Personality Trait more. After all, the player is likely to choose a less inconvenient time for the character to "go animal!" In fact, the more the player roleplays the Personality Trait, the less these rolls should become necessary, as the player begins to think more about the character's behaviour.

Skinchangers are not affected by these rules, but have limitations of their own. Their shape is not natural to them, and as such they lack the basic instincts necessary to use it to best effect, whether this be the heightened nasal awareness of the wolf, the swimming technique of the dolphin, the four-legged gallop of the horse or the flight of the raven. Consequently, a skinchanger must familiarise themselves with their shifted shape. Until they do so, a character's rolls to use traits specific to the shape will be made at a -3 penalty. This applies in particular to combat rolls. Familiariation may be achieved through any one of the following methods.

• The skinchanger spends an entire season devoted to practising with the new shape. No experience is gained, but by the end of the season, they are sufficiently practised to use the shape without difficulty.
• If the character is a magus, and they Master the shapechanging spell, they are considered to be familiar with the shape.
• The character has been using the shape regularly for a sufficiently long time that the Storyguide decides they are familiar with it.

Once the skinchanger has spent the time necessary to familiarise themselves with the shape, the -3 penalty is eliminated. At Storyguide's discretion, certain forms may be regarded as so similar as not to require a second familiarisation.

For example, "Cat" and "Wolf" are sufficiently different to require it, but "Wolf" and "Dog" are not. Players should keep a record of which shapes a character is familiar with. Characters who start the game with a way of changing shape (such as MuCo spells or the Skinchanger Virtue) are assumed to have already spent the time necessary to familiarise themselves with their alternative shapes.

Form of the Avenging Beast

The Muto Corpus spell Form of the Avenging Beast was developed by Hermetic magi to give them an edge over non-Hermetic shapeshifters. Possessed by many magi of House Bjornaer, it makes their Heart-beasts larger and stronger, ensuring that they are able to beat exotic shapeshifters in combat. It is also arguably the most unbalanced spell in any of the Ars Magica supplements, granting the effects of three spells at once in a spell of only level 20. Here three suggestions are made as to how the spell might be balanced out in a saga.

Suggestion 1

Since the effects of the spell are so great, the level of the spell should be considerably higher. Adding together the various effects can give a much higher level spell, which players may feel is more balanced. The levels may be calculated as follows:

Thus Form of the Avenging Beast becomes a Muto Corpus spell, with Rego and Animal requisites, at level 75 for those with battle-worthy forms, and level 55 for those with non battle-worthy forms.

This option is almost unworkable, as only the most senior members of the house would have the spell. This defeats the whole object of having a spell to strengthen the entire house. However, some may like the idea of apprentices creeping around a covenant saying in hushed voices "Be careful not to anger Master Urgen. He has the Form of the Avenging Beast."

Suggestion 2

Since the spell does several things at once, players may feel it is more appropriate to make the spell a Ritual. Taking the highest level of each effect, this would give a Muto Corpus (with optional Rego and Animal requisites, if the Storyguide feels it is appropriate) of level 35 for battleworthy forms and level 25 for non-battleworthy forms. This means that characters must choose very carefully when they cast the spell, as it uses up large quantities of vis. Wise characters will invent versions of the spell with higher Durations as soon as they can.

This option is slightly more workable, as it demands that characters only use the spell occasionally, when it is particularly important for them to have a big, ferocious heart-beast. It results in the House being vulnerable for much of the time, though, as its abilities are curtailed by the amount of vis which is available.

Suggestion 3

The third option is to leave the spell approximately as it is. It is assumed that the spell is somehow powered by the rituals enacted at the Gathering of Twelve Years, which reduce the amount of power needed to cast it in the intervening time. This lends itself to the suggestion that if a magus does not attend the Gathering of Twelve Years, they will be unable to cast the spell during the time until the next gathering. This suggests possible plot devices, such as having a Bjornaer's enemies attempt to reduce his or her power by preventing him or her from attending the gathering. This is the option favoured by the authors.

A side-effect of this suggestion is that non-Bjornaer magi who obtain a Heart-beast will have to petition for entry into House Bjornaer, or will have to accept that they will either have to manage without Form of the Avenging Beast, or will have to learn it either at the higher levels listed above (Suggestion 1), or as a Ritual (Suggestion 2).

Whichever suggestion is used, a further effect of this spell is that it makes the caster more powerful and aggressive. When a magus is under the effect of the spell (note that the spell is still running when the caster is in human form, having a Duration of Sun), a Personality Trait of Violent (Heart-beast) replaces the (Heart-beast) Personality Trait. This trait affects characters in both human and Heart-beast form, and has a value equal to the value of the original Personality Trait while the character is in human form, and the same value +1 when they are in Heart-beast form. This makes magi who are under the influence of the spell will be more likely to respond to problems with immediate and deadly violence, even when these may not be the best tools.

Bibliography/Inspirations

Carroll, Tim & Cliffe, Ken, The Medieval Bestiary. Stone Mtn., GA: White Wolf, 1991.
Link, Sarah & Snead, John, The Hidden Paths: Shamans. Stone Mtn., GA: White Wolf, 1993.
Shoul, Simeon, The Dragon and the Bear. Roseville, MN: Trident, Inc., 1999.
Tweet, Jonathan, Houses of Hermes. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1994.

Copyright © Tom McKinnell and Niall Christie 2003.

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