Realms of Power: Magic Chapter Seven: Magic Spirits

Spirits make up an important part of the magical world, both as natives of the Magic Realm and as the unseen inhabitants of the earth. However, because spirits are by their nature insensible to most physical beings, and have a limited ability to interact with them anyway, they are largely ignored by the inhabitants of Mythic Europe, magi included. Of those few Hermetic magi whose interest lies with the spiritual world, many are descendants of Ancient Greek traditions, and so much of the common terminology of the spirits is derived from the Greek language. However, magi and wizards alike from all over Mythic Europe are aware of the Invisible World, and use their magic to placate, coerce, and exploit the spirits.

Taxonomy of the Invisible World The word spirit (from the Latin spiritus, meaning “breath”) is a general term used to describe a being with no material existence. However, the term confuses two quite distinct phenomena. There are the spirits that were created as such, and the spirits that were created as human but have since ceased to be material beings. To distinguish these two, the word genius (pronounced “GAIN-ee-oos” to distinguish this Latin word from the English word) is used for the former kind, and animus for the latter. In this book, when we refer to “spirits,” we include both genii and animi in this category; however, where a rule pertains to just one of these beings, we will use the appropriate term. The genii technically include all things that never had a physical existence; but angels and demons are usually considered separate from genii. Some genii exist in the sublunar regions (the demons and the genii proper), and some in the Heavens (the angels). The genii who dwell in the Magic Realm itself are powerful beings called Daimons, or Named Spirits; whereas those spirits on earth are of much lesser power and are called Airy Spirits.

Spirits as Characters

The body of a spirit is pure form, and involves no matter. Without the exercise of its supernatural powers, a spirit cannot affect matter in any way; and without magical assistance, a material being cannot sense or interact with a spirit either. Spirits ignore the restrictions of the physical world, such as sources of damage and deprivation, and are not constrained to walk upon the surface of the world, but can fly through the air or solid objects with equal ease. Further, they are truly immortal, and do not suffer the perils of aging or disease.

Lacking a physical existence, a spirit also lacks the features of informed matter, such as color, weight, and size, and therefore produces no sensory species. When magic is used to sense the presence of a spirit (this includes the Supernatural Ability of Second Sight), the viewer’s imagination supplies details for the incomprehensible species supplied by the magic, and so a spirit may be perceived by such characters in very different ways. As visual creatures, humans usually “see” spirits under the influence of such magic, but those with no capacity to see are not barred from sensing spirits, if they have the appropriate magic. For want of a better term, a spirit’s communication with physical beings is called Silent Speech, for such impulses are usually received as auditory species, but it could be interpreted as smells or feelings on the skin, and still be understood with no difficulty.

Inherited Virtue: Magic Spirit

Concept

Like other creatures, spirits have scores in the eight Characteristics, and these should be determined like other characters. A human-shaped spirit has the Characteristics of a human, an animal spirit has the Characteristics of an animal, and so forth. For plants and spirits of non-living objects, assume that all Characteristics begin at zero and apply 7 characteristic points in the usual fashion. Note that the physical Characteristics of spirits are only used when interacting with other incorporeal creatures; spirits must possess the Donning the Corporeal Veil Power to interact with material beings.

A spirit occupies no physical space and has no weight; therefore Size is meaningless. Those who are able to sense a spirit perceive it in its natural form, which may be of any apparent size (although those with a high Presence often appear bigger than those with a low score in this Characteristic). A spirit that adopts a physical form acquires a Size along with its Physical Characteristics (see the Donning the Corporeal Veil Power, below).

As noted in the Characters chapter, all spirits have the Magical Air Flaw. In their native form they can sense other spirits without needing the Second Sight Virtue.

Season and Abilities

Simple spirits of material things such as plants or elements are often Spring characters, as are ghosts who have not yet come to terms with their death. Spirits of more complex concepts and most of the self-aware ghosts are Summer characters. A Daimon is never a Spring character, and often of the Autumn or Winter season. The Theoi — those spirits who were worshiped as gods — are usually Winter characters.

Spirits have little need for Abilities pertaining to physical actions, and rarely have the option to learn Academic or Arcane Abilities, so they often have the Reduced Abilities Inferiority. Spirits that have the ability to take material form can use any Abilities they possess in that form.

Might and Qualities

The typical Might scores of different types of spirits are listed in the sections below. Most categories of spirits have a wide range of Might scores, and so can play potentially any role in a saga.

The incorporeal, immortal, and tireless form of a spirit does not need to be purchased as a Magical Quality. Spirits have no capacity to be seen by normal humans without buying a Power such as Eidolon, and they cannot influence the material world without Powers such as Ghost Touch or Donning the Corporeal Veil. Magical Qualities such as these are almost essential for player character spirits. It is not unusual for the majority of a spirit’s Qualities to be spent on Powers.

Spirits as a Source of Vis The intangible bodies of spirits contain raw vis, typically 1 pawn of an appropriate Form per magnitude of their Might, although spirits with a Might less than 5 do not have sufficient power to represent even a single pawn. If the spirit is slain while in immaterial form, the vis may be automatically distilled into a physical receptacle; this usually only occurs if the spirit has a strong tie to the material world, such as a ghost, a spirit of the elements, or a genius loci. Many spirits do not have such ties, however, and upon their death the vis remains in non-material form, and must be converted to physical form (using a variant of Gather the Essence of the Beast) for it to be used by a physical being. If an Aspect of a Daimon is destroyed, it can choose whether or not to recall the immaterial body; only if the body remains does the vis remain. Use of magic that destroys the Might of a spirit also reduces the amount of vis accordingly, so a spirit totally destroyed in this manner leaves no vis behind at all. The power Donning the Corporeal Veil (see below) creates a physical body, which if slain contains normal material vis. The Presence Power (see below) results in vis accumulating in the spirit’s habitual haunt, and harvesting this vis does not harm the spirit (although it might annoy it).

Daimons The Daimons, or Named Spirits, embody the elements of creation, from the mighty Protogoni and the Intelligences of the Planetary Bodies, right down to the spirits of sacred groves. Ascended Magi and Heroes of Old (see The Mysteries Revised Edition, pages 137–140) are also included within the Daimons. While they are known as the Named Spirits, this does not mean that other spirits do not have personal names, rather it is the complex series of syllables and ritual gestures that make up a True Name (see Spirits and Magic below) that is indicated. New Virtue: Daimon Free, Social Status (spirits only) This free Virtue is possessed by all Daimons. All Daimons have a Confidence Score of at least 1. A Daimon is a permanent resident of the Magic Realm and cannot enter the material world; instead, it creates an Aspect as its agent on Earth. An Aspect may be created or destroyed with a moment’s thought, and costs no Might points to create. Each Aspect is like an independent spirit, with some or all of the characteristics and powers of the original spirit, but its own Might score (usually a mere fraction of the parent Daimon), and its own pool of Might points. An Aspect cannot recover spent Might points, rather it is dispelled when exhausted and replaced (if necessary) with another Aspect. Defeating or destroying the Aspect has no impact on the originating Daimon, except perhaps on its disposition towards the perpetrators of these acts. No permanent changes can be made to any Aspect, as they never last. Only the Aspect is ever trapped or bound by magic, and the Daimon can escape by discarding the Aspect. An Aspect cannot appear within several miles of another Aspect of the same Daimon, and no Aspect can return to the same location (as defined by the storyguide) within a day of leaving it. Not all Aspects created by the same Daimon need be identical; designed for different functions, they might have different powers and Mights. An Aspect is a constant Arcane Connection of indefinite duration which is in constant mental contact with its Daimon. While an Aspect may be used to target spells of Arcane Range against its parent Daimon, few magi have sufficient power to make such spells penetrate the larger Might of the Daimon itself. A failed attempt to target a Daimon in this fashion can prove very dangerous for the impertinent magus!

Powers of the Spirits

Spirits typically have one to five supernatural powers, and this section details many of the most common ones. General guidelines for powers can be found in Chapter 4: Magic Characters. Some of these powers are similar to those available to the Forest Spirits in Guardians of the Forests: The Rhine Tribunal. The details given here revise and update those descriptions. These powers may also be used for creatures other than spirits. Naturally, any power that affects another being must penetrate its Magic Resistance. Powers that are similar to Ritual spells permanently reduce the spirit’s Might score as well as Might pool; Might Score can be restored according to the mechanism detailed in Chapter 4: Magic Characters.

Control Human
2 points, Init equal to Qik, Mentem
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind

If this power penetrates, the spirit exerts direct control over the target. It can issue commands that the target carries out to the best of his abilities; however, the target can attempt to break the control of the spirit every time he is asked to do something complex (something that would involve the use of an Ability, spell, or magical power), dangerous, or which goes contrary to the target’s nature. To break free, the target makes an Intelligence roll against an Ease Factor equal to 9 + magnitude of spirit’s Might. This Intelligence roll is modified by any appropriate Personality Trait of the target. For example, a character ordered to fight is penalized by his Aggressive Personality trait, but might be aided by his Cowardly Personality Trait. Where multiple traits might apply, use the one that gives the largest modifier, whether positive or negative. If the Intelligence roll fails, the target must obey the spirit but receives a +1 cumulative bonus to his next attempt to break the spirit’s control.

(ReMe 30 (base 20, +1 Touch, +1 Conc): Greater Power (30 levels, –1 Might cost, +3 Init))

Donning the Corporeal Veil
5 points, Init equal to Qik – 3, appropriate Form (Lesser Power) OR
0 points, Init equal to Qik – 1, appropriate Form (Greater Power)
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind

Produces and animates a body of flesh, wood, or elemental matter. A spirit with this power has a single corporeal form that it can adopt; although some spirits have this power more than once, and can therefore form more than one physical shape, such spirits can still only use one body at a time. The body created with this power has the same physical statistics as the spirit, but can have a maximum Size of +1. Creating a larger body requires an additional magnitude for every additional 3 points of Size, and thus requires that another Greater or Lesser Power Magical Quality is bought to account for the additional levels.

A spirit may maintain the body indefinitely, recreating it every time the duration expires, but it is subject to aging, disease, and deprivation (but not fatigue) just like a living being. The body lasts until slain or dissolved by the spirit. If slain in material form, the spirit (or Aspect) is also destroyed, and the body will contain pawns of vis equal to that within the spirit’s spiritual form. A spirit whose body is sorely injured usually dissolves it to prevent its own death. The body formed with this power may have intrinsic powers; a body formed of fire, for example, has the same features as the Body of Fire power of fire elementals.

(Cr(Re) Form 25 (base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 requisite): Lesser Power (25 levels)) OR
Cr(Re) Form 25 (base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 requisite): Greater Power (25 levels, –3 Might cost, +2 Init))

Eidolon
0 points, Init equal to Qik, Imaginem
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind

Creates an illusionary form that is visible and audible to material beings. The spirit can create a single form with each version of this power it possesses. The image can move and speak as directed by the spirit, and lasts until the spirit has no further use for it.

(CrIm 15 (base 2, +1 Touch, +1 Conc, +2 move at command, +1 intricacy): Greater Power (15 levels, +2 Init, –2 Might cost; 15 levels surplus))

Ghost Touch
Variable cost, Init equal to (Qik – Might points spent), Terram
R: varies, D: varies, T: varies

Moves objects that are not held by another or fastened down. For 1 Might point, a maximum of 5 pounds can be moved; every additional Might point doubles this weight limit. If the item is hurled with force, the spirit requires the Thrown Weapons Ability, and it inflicts +5 damage per Might point spent. If the spirit has a Martial Ability, it can enter combat with an object when using this power (most weapons weigh less than 10 pounds), and uses its Characteristics to calculate combat totals as normal. All physical attacks with this power need to penetrate Magic Resistance. The power lasts until the object is released by the spirit.

(ReTe 25: Focus Power)

Manifestation
4 or more points, Init equal to (Qik – Might points spent), Animal or Herbam
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind or Group

Manifests the spirit’s consciousness among animals or plant life it touches, temporarily granting them a Might score equal to the Might points spent, and controlling their actions. It is a Rego Herbam effect of Level 20 to control a plant that is a pace in diameter (costing 4 Might points), and a Rego Animal of Level 25 to control a single creature of Size +1 (costing 5 Might points). For an extra 2 Might points, a group of ten standard creatures or plants (or the equivalent mass) can be controlled. For each additional 2 Might points spent, the mass of creatures or plants controlled is multiplied by 10. The spirit cannot spend more Might points on this power than the magnitude of its Magic Might. Plants can be animated (see Chapter 8: Magic Things, Magic Plants) or made to grow with unnatural speed. For instance, a patch of weeds can spring up overnight, whereas a tree can grow from a seeding in a month. Humans and other sentient beings cannot be controlled by this power. This power is particularly suitable for genii loci, who are considered to be touching any plants or creatures within their domain.

(ReHe 20 or more (base 10, +1 Touch, +1 Conc) or ReAn 25 or more (base 15, +1 Touch, +1 Conc): Focus Power x 2)

Material Anchor
1, 2, 3, or 4 points, Init equal to (Qik – 2x Might cost), Vim
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual

This ritual-like power either forms an Arcane Connection to a particular person or place, or makes an object into an Arcane Connection to the spirit itself. If the connection is to last for hours or days, then it costs just 1 point; a connection that lasts for weeks or months costs 2 points; years or decades costs 3 points; and indefinite Arcane Connections cost 4 points. The spirit must be in the physical location of the object it is making into an Arcane Connection, and must penetrate Magic Resistance as usual.

(No Hermetic equivalent: Ritual Power)

Presence
0 points, constant, Imaginem
R: Arc, D: Sun, T: Ind

Grants awareness of everything that happens within the bounds of a specific domain chosen by the spirit. In essence, the spirit is coterminous with its associated landscape feature, so it is present simultaneously everywhere within its boundaries. Double the Might of a spirit with this power for the purposes of calculating Tether Strength (see Formation of Magic Auras). The spirit’s Might score determines the size of area possible: a Room (5–10 Might), a Structure (15–25 Might), or a standard Boundary (30+ Might). For Daimons, every 5 Might above 30 adds 1 size modifier to the base Boundary; an Airy Spirit or animus can only ever control a base Boundary, regardless of Might. The area controlled by the spirit can produce a yearly harvest of (Might/10) pawns of vis of an appropriate Form, which manifests as physical objects within the controlled region. Harvesting this vis does not erode the spirit’s Might. This power is possessed by all genii loci, and many ghosts.

(InIm 35 (base 2, +4 Arc, +2 Sun, +1 constant effect, +1 non-Hermetic effects): Greater Power (35 levels, –3 Might cost))

Regio
15 points, Init equal to (Qik – 30), Vim
R: Arc, D: Mom, T: Boundary, Ritual

This power is only suitable for spirits with the Presence power. Upon using the power, a Magic regio forms at a part of the landscape inhabited by the spirit. The regio has a single layer, which has a Magic aura 1 point higher than the Magic aura of the landscape from which it came (an aura of 1 forms if there is no supernatural aura or a Divine, Faerie, or Infernal aura). This power can be used more than once to create additional layers to the regio; each additional layer has an aura 2 points stronger than the previous layer, up to a maximum of 10. The contents of each layer are determined by the spirit, but are always strongly related to its nature. The spirit controls access to the different levels of the regio, and can make an effective trap or hiding place by retreating to the second or greater layer and sealing the first layer entirely. Might points spent on this Ritual Power are permanently removed from the spirit’s Might Score as well as its Might pool.

(No Hermetic equivalent: Ritual Power x 3)

Stasis
10 points, Init equal to (Qik – 20), Vim
R: Arc, D: Mom, T: Boundary, Ritual

The spirit can cause a defined area with a Magic aura, such as a cave, a glade, or a regio level to become so remote and closed off from the outside world that the passage of time itself is altered. A mortal resident here still makes Aging rolls as normal, using the Aura strength as a Living Conditions modifier. However, any aging points are applied to the character as Warping points instead. An aging result that results in either sufficient aging points to reach the next level of Decrepitude or a Crisis, instead inflicts sufficient Warping points to reach the next level of Warping Score. Magi must still check for Twilight if they suffer two or more Warping points as a result of aging in this manner. The character’s perception of the passing years and memories of his prior life gradually become hazy. Keep track of the total number of Warping points gained instead of aging (rather than from other sources); if 50 or more points are accumulated in this manner (equivalent to a Decrepitude of 4 or more), the character cannot leave a Magic aura without dying from the sudden accumulation of his missed years, but he can move from the protected area as long as he remains within a Magic aura. This might allow for legendary figures from centuries past to still endure, hidden deeply in a secret location and protected by a powerful spirit. Might points spent on this Ritual-like power are permanently removed from the spirit’s Might Score as well as its Might pool.

(No Hermetic equivalent: Ritual Power x 2)

Airy Spirits

The Airy Spirits are native to the material world, unlike the Daimons that reside in the Magic Realm. While they can be conceivably found anywhere, in a Magic aura the air swarms with these spirits (thus their name), but since they have little interest in the doings of material beings, their presence usually goes unnoticed. In a Magic aura or a regio, an Airy Spirit might be present in any or every object, much as angels are responsible for the minutiae of things in the Dominion (see Realms of Power: the Divine, page 21, Angelic Minutiae). They may be responsible for the effects that such places have on humans: the intensity of colors, the perfusion of a particular emotion, and the intensification of experience in general. The Airy Spirits are individually unable to cause these effects (many have a Might of less than 5), and often go unnoticed due to their inability to impinge on the material world without expending their power. Nevertheless, their presence can be felt in an undefinable way, and contribute to the sense of wonder engendered by the Realm of Magic.

Some scholars contend that the act of summoning an Airy Spirit is tantamount to the creation of that spirit, and that it did not exist before the summons. The contrary argument to this is that Airy Spirits are naturallyoccurring spiritual embodiments of material things. Naturally, it is impossible to demonstrate the truth of either position, for the very act of perceiving a spirit under the second view would create it under the first view.

Florae and Fauni

• Magic Might: 1 – 25 (Herbam or Animal)
• Typical Powers: Donning the Corporeal Veil; Guide; Manifestation; Master of (Form).

The Airy Spirits that attend living beings are called fauni (for creatures, singular faunus) or florae (for plants, singular flora). Fauni are occasionally called satyroi (which confuses them with a type of faerie), and most often appear to those with Second Sight as male animals or hybrids of animal and man. The florae are also called nymphae (again, a name also used for certain faeries), and appear in female form with clearly vegetative features. These shapes are just mirrors of the observer, so a male observer might see a flora as a feminine version of his own face, whereas a faunus would appear as an animalistic version of himself.

Each represents an individual living being; thus it might be the spirit of a singular tree in a forest, an individual stag, or even a specific pack of wolves. The purpose or functioning of these spirits — if indeed they exist prior to being detected by magic — is unknown. It is possible that every living creature has such a spirit within it, and some believe that these spirits fulfill the function of the animus within these beings. Most fauni and florae possess Cunning rather than Intelligence.

The Flora of Bulrush Magic Might: 5 (Herbam) Season: Spring Characteristics: Cun 0, Per +2, Pre +2, Com +2, Str –1, Sta –1, Dex +2, Qik 0 Virtues and Flaws: Magic Spirit; Puissant Swim, Gossip Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Focus Power (Master of Water); Improved Characteristics, Lesser Power (Eidolon) Personality Traits: Cheerful +3, Curious +2, Bulrush +3* Abilities: Charm 1 (swimmers), Local Area Lore 4 (river), Magic Lore 2 (water spirits), Swim 4+2 (close to shore) Powers: Eidolon, 2 points, Init 0, Imaginem: See Common Powers, above. Master of Water, 1 point, Init +3, Aquam: duplicates any non-Ritual Perdo or Muto Aquam of 5th level or below, at a cost of 1 Might point. PeAq or MuAq 5: Focus Power (5 levels, +4 Init) Vis: 1 pawn of Herbam, in the head of the bulrush it inhabited Appearance: To those who can see it, this spirit appears as a young naked girl paddling in a stream, her hair piled high on top of her head like the distinctive head of a bulrush. This spirit can be found near the river’s edge, close to the rushes that gave her birth. She is a playful creature, and uses her power to make minor changes to the flow of the river around her home.

Spirits of the Elements

• Magic Might: 1 – 25 (appropriate elemental Form)
• Typical Powers: Crafter of (Form), Donning the Corporeal Form, Ruler of (Form).

Often confused with elementals (see Chapter 8: Magic Things, Elementals), the spirits of the elements represent specific individual non-living objects. Thus the hearth fire of a great hall might have its own spirit, as might the flagstones, the water in the well, and so forth. A spirit of an element can be present in any matter that is still in its natural form: dressed stone will still possess a spirit, but metal that has been extracted from ore and formed into a ring will not. Further, a spirit of an element resides in a single individual object: a wall does not have a spirit, but each individual stone might. Spirits of the elements are therefore much more common than elementals, for they do not require the same purity of raw matter.

The Might of a spirit is closely tied to the size and importance of the object to which it is tied; a megalith from a stone circle, or the spirit of the sacred flame on a pagan altar will both have much higher Magic Might scores than a simple boulder or candle flame. A magus can use a spell that allows him to talk to a physical object (such as Stone Tell of the Mind That Sits) to communicate with the Airy Spirit of that object instead (if Penetration exceeds the spirit’s Might, of course). The conversations that the magus has with these spirits is very much colored by their unusual ways of looking at things.

Spirits tied to the Art of Terram make up the bulk of these spirits; they are usually interested in hardness, rigidity, and permanence. They easily ignore soft, impermanent things like humans, but will take careful notice of the exact composition and form of their arms and armor.

Spirits tied to the Art of Aquam are interested in the coagulation and mixing of individual elements to make a whole, and may fail to recognize individuals in a group while immediately grasping the bigger picture. A group of armed men is clearly an object of war to one of these spirits, but they may not recognize that it is made of different individuals.

Spirits tied to the Art of Auram are concerned with flexibility and malleability, and are fascinated with change. They recognize the impermanence of objects, and are keenly tied to perception of change and time. They might describe a dog as “the-thing-that-was-once-a-puppy-but-is-not-yet-worm-food.”

Spirits associated with the Art of Ignem are interested in separation and the maintenance of individual identity. They are good at recognizing specific individual objects that might appear identical to a person, and will often speak in terms of the components that make up an object, rather than considering it to be a whole. An animal is a collection of bones, organs, humors, and flesh, for example.

Imagines, the Spirits of Sensation

• Magic Might: 1 – 20 (Imaginem)
• Typical Powers: Crafter of Images, Mastery of (particular species), Ruler of Images

These unusual spirits (singular imago, meaning “semblance”) are the embodiments of the sensory species. Thus, the species of vision produce a spirit of the redness of an apple, a spirit of the shine of polished silver, and so forth. The species of hearing have imagines for each individual musical note, as well as spirits of more general sounds such as howling or crashing. The spirits of taste represent sweetness, saltiness, sourness, meatiness, and the like. There are spirits for each individual smell — primroses, the earth following rain, and the stench of rotting flesh, for example — and for textures such as knobbly, furry, and sharp. The weakest of these spirits represents a specific incidence of a species, whereas those of Might 10 or more represent more-general qualities. Depending upon one’s point of view, Airy Spirits may be created every time a sensory species comes into existence (and likewise destroyed when the species does), or they may be attracted to the presence of such species.

Spirits of sensation commonly have a Power that replicates a specific effect representing their particular sensory species: a spirit of the smell of rotting flesh might duplicate Stench of Twenty Corpses, for example.

Zwergenstimme Imago Magic Might: 15 (Imaginem) Season: Spring Characteristics: Int 0, Per 0, Pre –1, Com +4, Str 0, Sta –1, Dex 0, Qik +3 Virtues and Flaws: Magic Spirit; Great Communication, Improved Characteristics, Sharp Ears Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Greater Power (Presence), Focus Power (Ghost Touch), Focus Power (Master of Sound), Greater Power (Bring Down the Roof) Personality Traits: Mischievous +3, Echo +3* Reputations: Murderous 1 (Local) Combat: Thrown Rock: Init +3, Attack +4, Defense n/a, Damage +5 Abilities: Awareness 4 (sounds), Folk Ken 1 (fear), Guile 1 (mimicry), Music 2 (echoes), Thrown Weapon 4 (rocks) Powers: Master of Sound, variable points, Init +5 – Might cost, Imaginem: the spirit can duplicate any non-Ritual spell involving sound up to Level 15, at a cost of 1 Might Point per magnitude of effect. (Te)Im15: Focus Power (15 levels, +2 Init) Bring Down the Roof, 2 points, Init +3, Terram: the Zwergenstimme can cause the roof of a cave to collapse, crushing any within it. This causes +20 damage, and seals the exit from the cave. PeTe 20 (base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Room, +2 Size): Greater Power (20 levels, –2 Might cost, +4 Init) Presence, 0 points, constant, Imaginem: see above for the power description. The echo spirit can haunt a series of caves (constituting a Structure). See Common Powers for more details. Ghost Touch, variable cost, Init +3 – Might points spent, Terram: the spirit can hurl rocks at enemies. It uses the combat scores listed above, but each attack costs 1 Might point. See Common Powers of Spirits for more details. Vis: 3 pawns of Imaginem, as an immaterial echo Appearance: An echo. This spirit appears only as auditory species to those with Second Sight This spirit of an echo lurks in caves or ravines. Its name literally means “dwarf voice” in German, and these spirits have been known to mislead lost humans by “playing” with them. The spirit certainly has no intent to harm; it doesn’t even understand what harm is.

Eidolons, the Spirits of Emotions

• Magic Might: 5 – 30 (Mentem)
• Typical Powers: Possession, Mastery of (specific emotion)

Humans who come into contact with strong magic sometimes unconsciously create spirits that embody their emotions or memories. Some magi have discovered that a person who is experiencing a strong emotion, or else has a strong memory of emotional importance to them, can serve as an Arcane Connection to an eidolon of that emotion, which can be used to summon that spirit to the service of the magus (see Magic and Spirits, below). Further, a person who visits the Magic Realm, particularly the Sphere of Mentem, might leave behind these eidolons, and occasionally these spirits can return to earth.

A Major Personality Flaw can generate a spirit with a Magic Might of 30. Minor Personality Flaws attract a spirit of Might 20. Otherwise, the spirit has a Might equal to (5 x Personality Trait). Negative Personality Traits cannot be used to summon a spirit of that emotion, but can summon a spirit of the opposite emotion. Note that the spirit of wrath would be a very powerful Daimon indeed; more-common eidolons are the spirits of a person’s wrath, rather than the tutelary spirit of the emotion as a whole. Those who can see spirits report that eidolons appear in human form, a simulacrum of the spirit’s “owner,” but expressing a caricature of the emotion on its face.

The Spirit of Self-Importance Magic Might: 10 (Mentem) Season: Summer Characteristics: Int 0, Per +1, Pre +3, Com +2, Str +1, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik +1 Confidence Score: 2 (6 points) Virtues and Flaws: Magic Spirit; Self Confident; Meddler (Minor) Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Greater Power (Gift of Self Assurance), Greater Power (The Preening Peacock); Lesser Power (Donning the Corporeal Veil), Minor Virtue: Improved Characteristics x3 Personality Traits: Proud +3*, Envious +2 Abilities: Carouse 3 (inflating self importance), Charm 4 (enemies), Craft Stories 3 (about self), Etiquette 4 (making self look better), Folk Ken 4 (the character that originated it), Guile 4 (exaggeration), Intrigue 4 (setting allies against each other), Leadership 4 (those of lower social status), Penetration 3 (Mentem) Powers: Gift of Self Assurance, 1 point, Init +2, Mentem: the spirit donates a Confidence point from its own store to assist any single action of its target. This action, if it succeeds, must make the character seem more competent in the eyes of others; this power doesn’t work if the affected character is alone. CrMe 10 (base 4; +1 Touch, +1 Conc): Greater Power (10 levels, –1 Might cost, +3 Init, 10xp in Penetration) The Preening Peacock, 1 point, Init +0, Imaginem: the Presence of the touched target is temporarily raised to be one point higher than the highest Presence among the target’s companions. This power lasts until the target looks foolish in front of his peers, such as by failing in an important task. It can only be used once on any given being. MuIm 15 (base 3, +1 Touch, +1 Sun, +1 complexity): Greater Power (15 levels, –1 Might cost, +2 Init, 20xp in Penetration) Donning the Corporeal Veil, 5 points, Init – 2, Corpus: the spirit manifests with the physical Characteristics given above. See Common Powers for more details. Vis: 2 pawns of Mentem, as an immaterial corpse Appearance: This spiritual copy looks like the person’s idealized perception of himself; straighter, taller, more handsome, and in better clothing.

Spirits of Place, Genii Loci

• Magic Might: 15 – 45 (Herbam, Aquam, Terram; more rarely Auram). Those with a higher Might score tend to be Daimons.
• Typical Powers: Creator of Plants, Waters, or Earth; Guide, Manifestation; Presence; Ruler of Plants, Waters, or Earth. Further, all genii loci possess the Ways of the (Land) Virtue.

Genii loci are the spirits of natural features, and are among the most powerful of all Airy Spirits. Some achieve the status of Daimon by embodying a landscape feature that has particular individual resonance. One hill among many might have an attendant Airy Spirit, but if that hill stands out from all the others, because of its distinctive shape or location, then it could well be a Daimon. In Ancient Greece, genii loci received different names according to what type of landscape they inhabited: Okeanides and Potamoi inhabited the seas and the rivers, Oreades inhabited hills and mountains, Dryades inhabited forests, and Anemoi were the spirits of specific winds. In other lands they received different names; in Germany, genii loci are called Landwichten (Land-wights in English), whereas to the Norse they are Landvaettir.

At first glance, genii loci appear similar to the spirits of elements or plants, but there is an important difference. A genius loci is not the spirit of a particular object, but instead the place where that object rests, its locus. The spirit actually inhabits its locus using the Presence power. A flora might reside in a single tree, whereas a genius loci might be simultaneously present in all trees in a forest. A genius loci cannot stray from its locus anymore than a person can stray from his skin; the two are inextricably linked. A genius loci is fiercely protective of its locus, and the plants and creatures who dwell within it, and will use its powers to ensure that the locus is not harmed. Some, particularly Daimons, are also the protectors of the people who dwell within their locus, and may have the Grant (Virtue) power to empower their chosen humans. A genius loci, depending on its nature, may consider the spirits of the objects and living things within its locus to be its children or its subjects; or else it might drive them away or imprison them, leaving itself the sole spiritual occupant of the locus.

Jinn

• Magic, Faerie, or Infernal Might: 10 – 40 (Herbam, Aquam, or Terram)
• Typical Powers: Those of other genii loci, as well as Donning the Corporeal Veil (often more than once, for both human and animal forms)

The jinn (singular jinni) are a variety of genii loci native to the scorched lands of Persia, the Holy Land, North Africa, and Iberia. Each jinni is associated with a specific landscape feature, such as a sand dune, a pool of water, a grove of palm trees, and so forth. Jinn can be aligned to either the Magic, Faerie, or Infernal Realms, and it is the Faerie jinn who are most familiar to the Arab people. These spirits have accepted the faith of Islam, and uphold its tenets by offering succor to devoted Muslims in their desert paradises. Infernal jinn desire only the wrack and ruin of mankind, and are evil spirits that haunt the wild places of the earth. The magical jinn, referred to as “pagan” by humans, in actual fact express no interest in humans or their religions.

Every jinni, regardless of Realm affiliation, shares the same Greater Malediction — when it willingly enters a bargain, it is bound to the agreed terms unless its partner reneges first. A magical jinni enters a bargain such as this so that it may see the world; unique among genii loci, a jinni can transfer its locus temporarily to its partner in a bargain, and leave its landscape feature behind. As soon as the bargain lapses, however, it returns to its locus and must remain there until another bargain can be forged.

Lugra, Spirits of Hardship

• Magic Might: 5 – 20 (Vim)
• Typical Powers: Possession and Mastery of (a specific hardship)

The lugra (meaning “banes”), or kakodaimones, are the spirits of the hardships of life that inflict mankind. Often mistaken for demons, these spirits gain no satisfaction from their efforts, and do not target individuals for any particular reason. A lugra has a parasitic existence, inflicting its particular brand of misery on its randomly chosen host before moving on to another. Greek legend recalls how the kind and helpful counterparts to the lugra were summoned to Mount Olympus by the Gods, which is why such beings are more wise, beautiful, and long-lived than mankind. Some Christian magi believe that the lugra were created when God pronounced his curse on Adam and cast him from Eden. Regardless of their source, the lugra are the spirits of old age and disease, arguments and guile, hard work and futile effort.

The Jar of Pandora But abhorred Eris (Strife) bore painful Ponos (Toil), and Lethe (Forgetfulness), and Limos (Starvation), and the Algea (Pains), the Hysminai (Fightings) and the Makhai (Battles), the Phonoi (Murders) and the Androktasiai (Manslaughters), the Neikea (Quarrels), the Pseudologoi (Lies), the Amphilogiai (Disputes) and Dysnomia (Lawlessness) and Ate (Ruin), who share one another’s natures, and Horkos (Oath) who does more damage than any other to earthly men, when anyone, of his knowledge, swears to a false oath. — Hesiod, “Theogony” 226 The children of Eris were imprisoned in a jar to keep them from mankind, but the fatally curious Pandora opened the jar, releasing the lugra onto the earth. Only Elpis (“Hope”) remained in the jar, so humankind retained access to this being’s gifts. Many magi and sorcerers have sought out the infamous jar of Pandora, believing that it can bind the lugra to the will of its possessor; or, more altruistically, recapture the lugra and free mankind from their ills.

Spell Spirits Initiates into the Mystery of Hermetic Theurgy (The Mysteries Revised Edition, Chapter 9) can summon spirits with the sole power of duplicating the effects of a specific spell, or a particular Form. A spell spirit has a Might at least equal to the level of the spell, and the duration of the summoning spell determines how long the spirit attends the theurgist, ready to use its power on his command. It is a contested point as to whether these spirits form a class of their own, or whether they are variants of the other groups of Airy Spirits, but only Theurgists have any interest in such fine points of spiritual taxonomy.

Airy Spirits Story Seeds The Menagerie The Airy Spirits of creatures and plants are relatively weak, but what would happen if a multitude of them worked in concert? A magus decides to test this idea, and begins collecting florae and fauni from across the countryside. Soon, however, even the local villagers begin to notice a dampening of vibrance, as if an undefinable gloom hangs over the land. Meanwhile, how long can the captive spirits survive away from their natural places, and what effect does the magus hope to achieve with them? Trapped! An apprentice and one of the grogs are sent out to collect vis from a usually reliable source located in a system of caves nearby the covenant. Once they enter the caverns, they begin to hear strange pleading calls to them, crying out their names and weeping — little do they realize that the sounds are created by a bored zwergenstimme imago who wants only to “play” with them. They follow, but soon become lost as the echoing voice leads them further into the maze of tunnels. When they try to turn back, part of the ceiling collapses, trapping them in an isolated chamber with no escape. A Self-Important Spirit A particularly arrogant magus with the Mistaken Identity Flaw has unknowingly generated a spirit of emotion — that of his own sense of self-importance. The eidolon thinks that it is improving the lot of its “twin” by interfering in his affairs and raising his profile, but in actual fact it is merely antagonizing his allies with its arrogant manner. The Woes of the World Porphyrion of Tytalus claims to have found the jar of Pandora underneath the Senate in Rome. Was Rome’s power derived from control over the lugra? Presuming that the jar he owns is really what he claims, what does Porphyrion — last spotted in Paris — intend to do with the jar now?