Atlas Games Ars Magica 5th Ed Ars Magica (5th Ed) New

Description

Ars Magica
is a
role-playing game
set in 'Mythic Europe' - a historically grounded version of
Europe
and the
Levant
around AD 1200, with the added
conceit
that conceptions of the world prevalent in folklore and institutions of the
High Middle Ages
are factual reality (a situation known informally as the 'medieval paradigm'). The players' involvement revolves around an organization of
magi
and their allies and foes both mundane
and supernatural. The game was originally developed by
Jonathan Tweet
and
Mark Rein-Hagen
, with its first edition published in
1987
.
The current edition (the game's fifth) was written by
David Chart
, and published in 2004 by
Atlas Games
, who continue to develop new material for it.
Ars Magica
was one of the first examples of a
Troupe system
. Early editions recommended that the players collaborate to create the campaign world and story with:
Each player having an opportunity to be
Story Guide
. (e.g. alternating by play session, 'chapter' of a story, or at the whim of the troupe)
This scheme has been de-emphasised in recent editions; in Fifth Edition it is relegated to an optional play style described at the back of the book. Alternatively a troupe may select one player as "alpha" story guide with responsibility for the overall plot, and one or more "beta" story guides to run peripheral sessions and/or stories.
Each player having more than one
character
; when the primary character lacks opportunity or reason to participate in a session (typically due to laboratory or library activity), a secondary character is played.
To enhance the 'authenticity' of the historical setting, the game uses
medieval Latin
for a number of key terms, particularly in the game's most prominent feature, a system of
Hermetic
Magic
.