SHR Main Page | Opera Propria | Pax Hermetica Introduction
Many thanks to Angus MacDonald and Brian Watson for submitting these questions.
What Form is plastic?
Plastics and synthetic fabrics, as a derivative of oil, are Terram. However, a Storyguide may prefer to rule that plastics synthesised from plant or animal products are Herbam and Animal respectively. Truly synthetic plastics would continue to be Terram.
What about electricity?
Electricity is Auram (as per Incantation of Lightning), but obviously it would require fairly serious Finesse to do anything delicate with it.
Does this mean that a magus' Auram resistance would mess up computers and other complex electronic devices? Perhaps if he had the Blatant Gift?
Not generally, since Auram resistance does not normally stop lightning happening around you. However, the idea about the Blatant Gift is a good one; a cruel Storyguide might wish to rule that the Blatant Gift causes trouble with electronics...
How does magic affect machinery more generally?
Magic can be used to manipulate modern machinery, but in a fairly mechanical way, like using Rego Terram to move parts around, that sort of stuff. Coming back to Auram, as a crude application you could use Auram magic to short out electronics by feeding a jolt of electricity through them...
We never really fleshed out Technological Verditii; we might be tempted to do so if there is enough interest...
Can magi take Virtues and Flaws related to wealth?
According to ArM5, magi cannot take the Wealthy Virtue or Poor Flaw, as they are assumed to be supported by their covenant. However, Storyguides are always welcome to ignore rules that do not fit the saga, and in this case such a change might well be appropriate. That said, Storyguide's discretion definitely applies - it would be odd for a magus to be Poor while their covenant was pretty wealthy.
What has happened to the Order's "join or die" policy? Are ALL magi part of covenants in the modern world, or just most of them?
Well...it depends what you mean. Non-Hermetic magi need to either keep a very very low profile, or they need to join the Order. But it is also very geographically varied - you are in a lot more trouble as a non-Hermetic magus in Central London than, say, in rural Australia or the Amazon basin. Theoretically, the policy is "join or die" everywhere. In practice, it all depends on circumstances.
Text copyright © Tom McKinnell and Niall Christie 2006.