Customer Reviews

The Mysteries: Mind of the Magus (Ars Magica Fantasy Roleplaying)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book was very difficult to get into, but once I did I really enjoyed it. It presents more of how the Order of Hermes *should* be, with the flavor of the middle ages steeped in its rituals and areas of study. It presents rules that magi may use to develop or join secret societies that teach special magic ("mystae magic"), and in doing so introduces a balanced method for magical characters to "develop" magical Virtues and Flaws long after the character creation process. The powers are very strong, definitely intended for experienced players. The book is very wordy and cerebral, but inspiring nonetheless. Like all Ars Magica books, the layout is concise and simple, and easy to read, but the topic is a bit esoteric and so requires multiple sessions to really "get" it. I would recommend it for any saga that has lasted more than eleven sessions, or for long-time players.

There is a truism in Ars Magica: the only thing about the game that doesn't feel medieval is the magic itself. This supplement goes a long way towards changing that and, I think, for the better.

There are a lot of "crunchy bits" in this supplement. New Virtues, new Flaws, new types of magic, construction rules, the not-quite-familiars pahedros, etc. Many players and storyguides will love it just for this, but do not stop there, please! There are dozens of mystical organizations in this book, groups that can add wonder and, well, mysteries to your saga.

For all this praise, why not 5 stars? Well, because this is not a supplement for beginners. For the most part I recommend this supplement for those who have been playing Ars Magica for quite some time and feel they want a change, a rather serious change. Equally there is NO WAY you can add all this material to a single saga. Not only would it become confusing from a bookkeeping/logistical point of view, but also it would ultimately lead to the question of just how many magi can be in each of these lineages? just how many breakdowns are there in the Order of Hermes? These are serious considerations in what is a very serious game.

Bearing these points in mind, I think anyone truly interested in Ars Magica will find a lot of useable bits in The Mysteries.