Ars Magica fans:
What do you think of this move?
All Guernicus magi have the following move:
Quaesitor
When you use your status in The Order to make a ruling on a matter related to The Code, roll+Mind. On a 10+ your ruling stands and all magi involved must comply or be in violation of The Code. On a 7-9 the GM chooses one.
– You left a loophole that a learned magi could use to ignore at least one aspect of your ruling.
– You made a small error in your ruling that could come back to haunt you someday.
– While your ruling was correct, it infuriated one or more of the magi involved and they won’t soon forget it.
On a miss, everyone present knows you’ve misinterpreted some part of The Code and your reputation as a Quaesitor will suffer for it.
I think if this represents making an interpretation then it should only be about the quality of the ruling on legal terms rather than the influence it might have on others (which would relate to rhetorical or oratorical ability instead). Probably solved by the list of “take your medicine” results for a 7-9 just bring about the ruling.
I am a little nervous about making this one roll simplifies a big source of drama and tension in Ars Magica.
Thanks for the reply, John. This is definitely what I had in mind when I designed the move – it revolves around interpretation of the code, not skill in oration.
A 10+ means the PC’s ruling was perfectly in line with the code. A 7-9 either means they missed something, misinterpreted something or chose to interpret a grey area in a way that angers the magi affected.
That’s what I meant when I wrote “must comply or be in violation”. They can still choose to defy the ruling, but they’ll do so with the knowledge that a Quaesitor ruled against them. It’s not about how beautifully the Quaesitor presented the case, it’s about whether her interpretation is correct.
I suppose this move could be too quick/simple for groups looking to fully explore the nuances of Order politics but I felt like a move that gave some mechanical punch to a Quaesitor character was appropriate to the part of Ars Magica I’m trying to capture with this hack.
I think I get that. It is more like being able to roll to establish a fact in game.
If successful then yes, it is (or isn’t) a crime.
What happens next is dealt with by other moves.
Yeah, exactly. And since we begin and end with the fiction, the move will only trigger if the Guernicus mage is ruling on something the GM agrees could be covered by the Code.
Why not: on a miss, all three?
Good catch. I’ve gone back and taken out the entry for a miss. I think you’re right – all three could be a great option, but I don’t want to block the GM in case she has something even better in mind.