Grogs Chapter Seven: Grog Templates

See Also

• The Ars Magica Reference Document
• The Grogs Open Content page
• The Grogs product page on this wiki

Chapter 7: Grog Templates

This chapter contains many suggested backgrounds for grogs, including suggested Virtues and Flaws and fully worked-out Abilities at three different ages, to help players create a wide range of grogs quickly and easily.

The Advisor

My lord, if I may, the magus Bellatorius is reputed to be a man not given to either forgiveness or forgetfulness. If you really must challenge someone to certamen, perhaps Benedic ex Miscellanea might make for a less resentful target.

This specialist within the covenant has found a niche for himself by learning all he can about his covenant, the Order of Hermes, and the supernatural realms with which his masters so frequently come into contact. This encyclopedic knowledge of the world in which his magi operate makes him an essential companion to the more cloistered magi.

General Background

He may have been a failed monk or student, or simply an educated man who fell upon the secrets of the mystical world by chance. With few practical skills, he is left to make a living from his mind. A brush with the Order of Hermes early in his life could have opened his eyes to a world beyond the mundane; perhaps he was the son of a notary who visited a covenant, or a student intrigued by the strange behavior of his tutor.

He researched everything he could about the Order of Hermes, learning things that others tend to ignore. And then he identified a covenant. He was probably able to identify several from the letters and journals he found, and chose the one that best suited his personality. From there, he worked his way into the covenfolk, becoming an uninvited fixture.

The Advisor is most likely the constant companion to one particular magus. Just as the more adventurous magus may have a favored shield grog, so the more political magus may take a weapon of another kind: knowledge. The Advisor specializes in some key Abilities of use to a magus, and in doing so he frees his magus from having to develop those skills himself.

But this has a cost. The position is high-profile, the Advisor never being far from his magus, and costly. The Advisor must be maintained in a manner as befits both him and the magus. This may include creating Longevity Rituals for the Advisor, or enchanted items, or simply ensuring that he is dressed in appropriate finery.

The Advisor most likely attends his master on all matters of business, including Tribunals and covenant councils. Others may object to this, unless the covenant or Tribunal develops a culture of allowing such attendants, and this may be a source of friction.

The Role of the Advisor as Grog

Given that the Advisor is everpresent, serving his master in matters political and supernatural, it is easy to assume that the character may take on a more important role within the game than his status as a grog might suggest. There are two ways to approach this. The first is to assume that, like other grogs, the Advisor is a tool to be used by the magus when going about his business. Most magi recognize their failings with things martial, and employ sentries and bodyguards to ensure their safety. Others have little time or aptitude for politics, and enjoy the protection afforded by a constant Advisor. In game terms, investing in an Advisor allows the magus character to ignore certain Abilities in the knowledge that a grog will serve that function.

The second way of approaching the Advisor as grog is to simply accept that the character may one day grow in importance and become a companion in its own right. Guidelines on advancing characters from the grog status to companion can be found in Chapter 5.

These advisors may be seen as the start of a courtier tradition within the Order of Hermes and magi may soon take to maintaining their own court of advisors, each with a given speciality.

Character Creation

The following notes provide help on creating an Advisor character.

Age and Characteristics

The Custos Virtue grants access to Arcane Abilities (see later), which means that the Advisor must have lived at a covenant long enough to have demonstrated his ability and worth. He is educated and so must be old enough to have learned at least Latin and Artes Liberales. In later years his master or masters are likely to develop a Longevity Ritual for him, so he can reach a considerable age, with Ability scores to match.

The Advisor is inclined to the mental Characteristics, not the physical ones. By assigning –1 to each of the four physical Characteristics, scores of +3, +2, +1, and +1 are available to assign to the mental Characteristics. Intelligence should be the highest Characteristic, and +2 could be applied to Perception for a more-watchful Advisor, or Communication for a messenger, herald, or ambassador.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

Virtues and Flaws for Advisors are: Custos; Educated, Puissant Order of Hermes Lore; Ability Block (Martial), Small Frame, Susceptible to Warping*

\* See Chapter 6: New Virtues and Flaws

Advisor to a magus is an honored and respected position, so Custos is the appropriate Social Status Virtue. This allows the grog access to the Arcane Abilities that he will find useful to complement his master's own knowledge. He is also Educated, as per the Virtue, which represents the classical tuition he received during his early years.

The last Virtue is Puissant Order of Hermes Lore. The character has a knack for retaining information learned about his master's House, Tribunal, allies, and enemies.

The Advisor is not physically inclined. He has no aptitude for martial pursuits and is more vulnerable than most, due to his Small Frame.

While the Virtues are almost essential to the Advisor, the Flaws are much more open and you should choose those that fit your own Advisor. He may be Tainted with Evil, explaining why he needs the security of the covenant. Or his many years of academic work may have given him Weak Characteristics.

Suggested Abilities

Lacking in martial prowess, the Advisor relies upon his fastidious memory to show his value to his masters. The main abilities of note are the Art of Memory Ability (as presented in The Mysteries Revised Edition, page 25), used to recall details that his master may find useful at a later date, and Order of Hermes Lore. This latter Ability allows the Advisor to advise his master as to the names of magi he is about to meet, remind him of dealings with other covenants that he is about to encounter at Tribunal, and to steer him the right way in protocol. This is supplemented by a growing knowledge of the Code of Hermes, likely gained through the experience of keeping his master out of trouble.

Training Packages

Appropriate training packages are: Charmer, Covenfolk, Courtier, Cunning Man, Failed Apprentice*

\* Experience points against Penetration can instead be invested in the various Realm Lore Abilities that the Advisor picks up over time.

Sample Ability Scores

The following abilities represent a typical Advisor at three points in his career:

ABILITIES AT AGE 20: Art of Memory 3 (scenes), Artes Liberales 3 (rhetoric), Charm 3 (first impressions), Covenant Lore 2 (personalities), Etiquette 3 (nobility), Faerie Lore 1 (faerie queens), Folk Ken 3 (nobles), Code of Hermes 1 (interaction with mundanes), Intrigue 3 (gossip), Latin 4 (Hermetic usage), Leadership 1 (covenfolk), Living Language 5 (poetry), Magic Lore 2 (magical traditions), Order of Hermes Lore 2 +2 (personalities), Philosophiae 3 (moral philosophy)

ABILITIES AT AGE 35: Area Lore 3 (politics), Art of Memory 5 (scenes), Artes Liberales 3 (rhetoric), Awareness 2 (alertness), Charm 3 (first impressions), Civil and Canon Law 2 (laws and customs of a specific area), Covenant Lore 3 (personalities), Etiquette 3 (nobility), Faerie Lore 2 (faerie queens), Folk Ken 3 (nobles), Code of Hermes 2 (interaction with mundanes), Intrigue 3 (gossip), Latin 4 (Hermetic usage), Leadership 2 (covenfolk), Living Language 5 (poetry), Magic Lore 2 (magical traditions), Order of Hermes Lore 5 +2 (personalities), Philosophiae 3 (moral philosophy), Theology 2 (local practices)

ABILITIES AT AGE 50: Area Lore 4 (politics), Art of Memory 5 (scenes), Artes Liberales 3 (rhetoric), Awareness 2 (alertness), Charm 4 (first impressions), Civil and Canon Law 2 (laws and customs of a specific area), Covenant Lore 4 (personalities), Etiquette 4 (nobility), Faerie Lore 3 (faerie queens), Folk Ken 4 (nobles), Greek 1 (prose), Code of Hermes 3 (interaction with mundanes), Intrigue 3 (gossip), Latin 5 (Hermetic usage), Leadership 2 (covenfolk), Living Language 5 (poetry), Magic Lore 4 (magical traditions), Order of Hermes Lore 6 +2 (personalities), Philosophiae 3 (moral philosophy), Theology 2 (local practices)

Advisor Story Seeds

The following story seeds use the Advisor as a hook into situations that the magi and their companions must resolve.

Poisoned

The Tribunal meets and the Advisor lies dying, poisoned by a non-Hermetic potion seemingly resistant to the simple healing spells. Some of the magi race to find a cure for the poison while keeping the Advisor's condition secret from their enemies. The others must conduct Tribunal business and discover the would-be assassin, all without the one man they have come to rely on.

An Unexpected Advisor

Nobody is entirely sure how long he has been at the covenant, who his parents were, or how he came to know so much, but the reserved and confident young man was right. Investigating the young man's reasoning and examining his information proves it: that trouble with the Church was stirred up by a Tytalus known to the covenant. How had this young man spotted what is now so obvious when all the magi of the covenant failed? What are they going to do with their unexpected benefactor? And what are they going to do about the Tytalus? Their new Advisor may have an idea …

Espionage

The Advisor has gone missing. He was not seen to leave, and both his chamber and office have been magically cleansed of any Arcane Connections to him.

A week later, a redcap inquires after him, and then reveals that she may have seen him, fleetingly, at another covenant. She got a sense that she'd seen something she shouldn't have. Did this other covenant steal him away? How and why?

The Ability scores earlier take into account the extra experience points granted by the Educated Virtue.

Personality Traits & Reputation

The ideal Advisor is Loyal above all else, and must be Dependable. His third trait is more open to choice: he could be Analytical, a Perfectionist, or be gifted with a Wry Humor.

Regardless, the Advisor is most likely a long-suffering companion tasked with providing the answer his master needs at just the right time, and the Personality Traits earlier help reinforce that outlook.

As he continues in service, he may gain his own reputation, separate from his master. This is especially true where he is tasked with looking after a young, inexperienced magus prone to mistakes.

Advisor as Companion

The Advisor archetype lends itself to the companion category quite easily. Given the increased capacity for Virtues and Flaws, the companion can gain additional starting experience points to increase his Ability scores, and take supernatural abilities such as Second Sight that further increase his involvement in stories. The companion can also take Story Flaws that draw him and his masters into ongoing trouble and can set up moments of crisis where his loyalty is tested.

The Almogavars

Desperta Ferras! (Awake the Iron!)

— Battle cry of the Almogavars

General Background

The Almogavars are a special type of mercenary unit from Iberia, employed in vast numbers in the Christian north. Renowned for their fearless ferocity, they are frontiersmen as well as soldiers, and are tied to neither land nor liege. They wander in search of adventure, selling their services as mercenaries or engaging in their own raids into Muslim territory. They are often employed by towns, nobles, clergy, and kings. In Mythic Iberia, magi of the Order of Hermes rely upon them as well. The peninsula is a dangerous place, and even the most peaceful of covenants have need of some sort of protection. It is also possible to hire Almogavars to work in locations other than Iberia, and this description can be used as a template for other mercenary units as well.

Almogavar comes from the Arabic al-mogàuar, meaning "raider" or "devastator." Though this is accurate, they are also known for charity and generosity. For example, after raiding a wealthy Muslim estate, they may give a portion of the spoils to the poor. Despite their coarse appearance, Almogavars live by a code of honor and military discipline. If treated well and given respect, they are both loyal and dutiful. But if abused or mistreated (or not paid), they are known to seek revenge or simply take what they are due.

Almogavars originated in the Aragonese Pyrenees as bands of shepherds resisting Moslem incursion. Prospering as raiders and paid militia, Almogavar culture rapidly spread throughout Iberia. Their ranks are open to all, including men from Aragon, Catalonia, Castile, and other regions. They even accept Basques, Mozarabs (Arabized Christians), and runaway slaves from Muslim lands. All they require is submission to their code. This freewheeling lifestyle may seem attractive to those ostracized by society, such as Jews, foreigners, desperadoes, and those with a Magical Air or The Gift. They still have to deal with a certain amount of suspicion at first, but in time they are able to earn trust and respect that is not possible in most social settings.

Almogavars are willing to work for unusual employers, such as magi. Covenants hire them to supplement their grogs, and some wizards have a small unit as a personal retinue. Magi employing Almogavars should be mindful how they treat them. Some magi are accustomed to pushing their underlings around, threatening them, and using magical punishment. Almogavars are prideful and independent, and don't take lightly to threats. Magical interference with their code of discipline is seen as a great offense.

A typical band of Almogavars consists of around a dozen men, guided by an Adalil (sergeant) and led by an Almogaten (captain). Leaders are chosen from the ranks according to merit, and this familiarity and personal loyalty creates a close-knit and cohesive unit. When large numbers are involved, command might be delegated to a knight (or magus), and they occasionally form alliances to gain a mantle of legitimacy.

Almogavars are a form of elite infantry, considered equal to or better than the light cavalry of the Moors, and are employed in both skirmishes and full assaults. They favor light armor, typically wearing sheepskins and heavy leather sandals with an openfaced helmet. Their primary weapon is the Azcona, a short, light lance that can be used as a spear or a javelin, and they carry a short sword for close-quarters combat. Almogavars prefer lightweight mobility and carry few supplies, provisioning themselves by foraging and raiding. This allows them to make incursions into enemy territory at greater speed and for a greater distance than cavalry. Leaders sometimes ride on horseback, but prefer fighting on foot.

The Vibria Company

Originally from Barcelona, the Vibria Company made their early fortunes in employment with the Jerbiton magi who dwell there, then later with other magi of the Order. In the Catalan tongue, a vibria is a type of dragon (a wyvern), and the name is meant to subtly advertise to their preferred clientele. Each member has the new Virtue of Hermetic Experience, and are all veterans at least 30 years old. They specialize in Hermetic clientele, and like the Monjoie Company, they accept payment in vis, which they use to barter for enchanted items and longevity. They are hired out as small teams of specialists, and they have multiple units deployed in different tribunals. For example, the Red Wyverns are located in the Stonehenge Tribunal, and the Draco Negra Division is in Rome. These remote groups take in local recruits, so regional units may carry variant armaments and have different customs, but they still adhere to the same code.

Almogavar Story Seeds

These story seeds can bring Almogavars into the saga.

Altering the Bargain

Embarking on a dangerous expedition, the magi decide to hire some extra protection. They meet an Almogaten named Jabier, who has experience dealing with magi and knows the area well. However, he has ulterior motives and desires wizardly assistance against his enemies. Hiring or bribing a magus isn't an option. He shudders to imagine what price a wizard would charge, and most of all, he doesn't want the magi to know what he's up to. Instead, he plans to manipulate the magi into accomplishing his goals and convince them that it was their idea all along, and expects to be paid for his assistance. The original objective of the magi will need to be tailored for your troupe, but it is no coincidence that it will cause them to cross paths with Jabier's enemies. He spreads rumors to attract the attention of magi (these may be true or false), concerning something the magi desire or desperately need. Also, since they are being manipulated by someone who is uninformed as to the finer points of the Code of Hermes, there is the risk they may wind up violating their Oath by interfering with mundanes.

In the end, Jabier might doublecross the magi, attempt a charming explanation, or convincingly lie and keep his secret. If Jabier and company continue in employment, the magi have gained an elite unit of professional soldiers that are brave and loyal. However, their first loyalty is to one another, and they continue to have their own secret intrigues and occasionally get the magi involved in their adventures.

The Strange Soldiers

The covenant employs a company of Almogavars that is an odd band of outcasts and outsiders. One is a Berber who deserted the Almohade army; their big bruiser is Jewish; and their stoic leader is secretly a woman. One veteran soldier named Carlos is stranger than the rest, for he unknowingly possesses The Gift. His fellows have known him many years, and don't think he is any stranger than they are. They just think he is just socially awkward with new people, and are amused by his difficulty with animals. But they recognize his ability to sense danger and perceive hidden threats, a trait for which they praise him, and attribute to wisdom and experience.

Carlos' Gift grants the Supernatural Virtue of Premonitions. He would make a fine apprentice for an adventurous magus, but an adult apprentice presents special challenges, and Carlos is stubborn and set in his ways. As a further complication, perhaps his Gift is first discovered by a visiting magus. Carlos refuses to separate from his fellows, and the covenant risks violence against their guest or possibly losing their elite grogs to a rival covenant.

In combat, Almogavars utilize innovative and unconventional tactics. Against cavalry, they throw their spears at the enemy's horses, and once unhorsed, the riders are easy prey for the expert infantry. On the rare occasion that an Almogavar fights on horseback, he braces his spear in his stirrup, aiming to strike the enemy's mount. They exploit the terrain to their best advantage, even preparing the battlefield by wetting the ground or scattering sharp stones. Stealth and surprise are also favored tactics, and they often attack at night and set up ambushes. Almogavars are also known to employ fear and awe to frighten an enemy and weaken their morale. Facing a foe before battle, they strike their weapons against rocks to create sparks as they howl a chant to "Awake the Iron."

Alongside magi, Almogavars quickly adapt to the use of magic in battle. Their irregular and inventive tactics blend well with the many unusual and unexpected applications of wizardry. If a magus has no combat experience, they may suggest ideas for him. Magic could be used to alter the terrain, set traps, or frighten and disorient the enemy. Even an experienced martial magus can benefit from their experience, and they can advise them as how to best target their spells. However, once they gain familiarity with the supernatural and learn the limits of magic, they might be able to devise strategies that can defeat a magus.

Recruiting Almogavars can be done through a companion or some agent, and some magi have contacts of their own. It is easy to find common rabble willing to sell their sword arms. The hard part is finding soldiers of skill and discipline willing to work with magi. The culture and code of the Almogavars make them an excellent fit. Though usually employed as a group, they can also be hired individually as specialists.

Character Creation

Almogavar characters must take the Social Status Virtue of Almogavar, and may select Virtues and Flaws as normal. Their regular outfit is as described, but players may equip their characters as they choose with Standard Armaments. The combination of sheepskin leather and the open-faced iron helmet grants a Protection of 1, with a Load of 1. They typically carry a short sword, and occasionally a small round shield. The azcona is used as a short spear on foot or while mounted, or is thrown as a javelin. Use combat scores for how the weapon is being used.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

Almogavars emphasize courage, fortitude, and cleverness. Suggested Virtues include Enduring Constitution, Reserves of Strength, Tough, Warrior, an Affinity with Single Weapon or Thrown Weapon, and Puissant Single Weapon or Thrown Weapon.

Several Personality Flaws can be used to reflect the life of an Almogavar. Dutybound could represent their code of honor and discipline, Proud a sense of individual dignity, or what others see as Reckless could be the bravery that comes from having stared death in the face. As mercenaries are often looked down upon, they might be Oversensitive to insults. Almogavars are also known for being Generous to the poor and Compassionate for the oppressed. General Flaws can represent injuries from past battles, such as Disfigured, Missing Ear, Missing Eye, Missing Hand, and Lingering Injury.

Suggested Abilities

For Martial Abilities, Almogavars focus on Single Weapon and Thrown Weapon. Hunting and Survival are important, and their basic socialization revolves around Carouse, Folk Ken, and Leadership.

They also acquire the Ability of Profession: Soldier, as do other mercenaries and members of a paid military. As with other Profession Abilities, this is a catch-all for knowing how to do one's job. For a soldier, this includes things such as packing gear, pacing a march, making camp, and performing the duties of their office.

Training Packages

Suggested Childhood Training Packages include Athletic, Mischievous, and Traveling Childhood. For Career Training Packages, suggestions include Javeliner, Soldier, Woodsman, and the Non-Career Training Package of Forager. It is wise to round the character out with other useful Abilities as well.

Sample Ability Scores

YOUNG RECRUIT (AGE 18): Area Lore 2 (ambush sites), Athletics 3 (hiking), Awareness 2 (ambushes), Brawl 4 (getting away), Carouse 1 (singing), Folk Ken 1 (warriors), Guile 1 (excuses), Hunt 1 (birds), Native Language 5 (cursing), Single Weapon 4 (azcona), Stealth 1 (camouflage), Survival 1 (semi-desert), Thrown Weapon 4 (azcona)

MATURE SOLDIER (AGE 30): Area Lore 3 (ambush sites), Athletics 3 (hiking), Awareness 3 (ambushes), Bargain 1 (wages), Brawl 4 (getting away), Carouse 2 (singing), Folk Ken 2 (warriors), Guile 2 (excuses), Hunt 2 (birds), Leadership 2 (in combat), Native Language 5 (cursing), Profession: Soldier 2 (avoiding duties), Ride 1 (fleeing), Single Weapon 5 (azcona), Stealth 2 (camouflage), Survival 2 (semi-desert), Thrown Weapon 5 (azcona)

EXPERIENCED VETERAN (AGE 42): Area Lore 4 (ambush sites), Animal Handling 1, Athletics 3 (hiking), Awareness 3 (ambushes), Bargain 2 (wages), Brawl 4 (getting away), Carouse 3 (singing), Charm 1, Folk Ken 2 (warriors), Guile 2 (excuses), Hunt 2 (birds), Leadership 4 (in combat), Native Language 5 (cursing), Profession: Soldier 3 (avoiding duties), Ride 1 (fleeing), Single Weapon 6 (azcona), Stealth 2 (camouflage), Survival 3 (semi-desert), Thrown Weapon 5 (azcona)

Sample Ability Scores do not take into account any Virtues or Flaws.

Almogavar as Companion

You can also play an Almogavar as a companion. The character could be the Almogaten leading the unit, or perhaps he is a specialist of some sort. Optionally, he might hire himself out individually as a specialist. He will lack the support and camaraderie of a unit, but his fortunes are his own and he may be Poor or Wealthy.

As a companion, the character may have Story Flaws, and these could apply to himself or his whole unit. Enemies is an obvious example. Close Family Ties could represent a tightly bonded unit, and maybe they are all related. Dependents may be unusual, but some bands of Almogavars include the women and children of the warriors in addition to the usual camp followers.

Animal Trainer

I'd stay clear of Blackeye, sir. He don't cower, he fights. You smell of strangeness to him, sir. He'd have your throat, he would.

General Background

Granted authority over his lord's kennels because of his exceptional skill with animals, William the Houndsman holds a peculiar place among his master's servants: while the lord's animals respond very well to him, all the folk treat him with deep suspicion and fear. His lord has recognized this sensation as similar to that he feels when meeting with those strange magi of that tower on the edge of his lands. He has sent William to their tower to manage his kennels there, away from the poor regard of his other castle folk. Fortunately for William, the wizards mostly keep themselves to themselves, because they scare him and his dogs. Unfortunately for him however, they also seem to employ even more soldiers than his lord, none of whom seem to like him very much.

Animals and magi rarely mix well; The Gift prevents most contact. As well as forcing them to walk everywhere, this is problematic for any magus who would live among the lords of men; going out hunting is practically impossible if you can approach neither horse nor hound. But some magi employ grogs skilled specifically in training animals to their purpose, and for some such grogs, magi may be the only masters who would have them.

An Animal Trainer will most likely be specialized in dealing with hounds, hawks, or horses. For one who would find employment at a covenant, his skill need not be quite so mundane: perhaps he has a particular talent for handling griffins!

Besides the obvious attraction to a covenant for a young man who trains griffins, mundane beasts are likely to be of interest as well. Many magi would desire to employ someone able to train horses to accept a Gifted rider, or a pack of war dogs to work with a Flambeau knight. However, this can take many years, by which time most beasts would be too old for any useful purpose.

As covered in Art & Academe, a trainer generates a number of training points in each season that she spends working with an animal (see the Formulae later). Once these training points equal the creature's Might, the animal is trained and will follow its master's commands. All training must be continuous and uninterrupted, for as many seasons as are required. Most mundane animals lack a Confidence Score, so this will typically require a total (Intelligence + Animal Handling + Animal Ken) of 2+ to train an animal within a single season. A more experienced trainer may tame additional animals in a season, potentially as many as her Animal Handling Ability.

Training Points Accumulated Each Season:
Intelligence + Animal Handling + Animal Ken – Creature's Might – Gift Penalty

Required Number of Points:
Creature's Might

Mundane Animal Might = 1 + (2 x Confidence Score)

Because of The Gift, a magus who seeks to train animals mundanely would need a much higher Animal Handling Ability (at least 3), which represents a significant expense of experience points.

Note that an animal can be trained to accept specific individuals with The Gift, but not The Gift itself; a pegasus trained to accept one Gifted rider must be retrained to accept another.

The advantages to a covenant for employing an Animal Trainer are clear, but it is less obvious why an Animal Trainer would want to work for a covenant. Spending more time with animals than with people might make his departure from common society more tolerable, but there should be more compelling reasons for a grog to isolate himself in this way.

For instance, Animal Ken is a very popular Supernatural Virtue for an Animal Trainer character, but whereas this will likely incur suspicion from commoners, it could be valued highly in a covenant. Such grogs, placing themselves outside of normal society, should take an appropriate Personality Flaw, or something relating to their background or nature, such as Bad Reputation.

Character Creation

The following suggestions cover the most important points to bear in mind when creating an Animal Trainer.

Suggested Abilities

Obviously, every Animal Trainer character should have a good Animal Handling score. Animal Ken is the exception rather than the rule — however, since you will likely want to play an exceptional character, this is not unexpected in an Animal Trainer grog.

Other useful Abilities include Ride, for a horseman; Leadership, for a master of kennels; Bargain, if the Animal Trainer is also involved in the buying and selling of beasts of burden; Survival, if he is spending his days up on the moors with his sheep; and Hunt, if he is a falconer. You should also select a Profession Ability related to his specific trade, such as Profession: Feuterer (master of hounds), and so forth. The obvious exception to this is if your Animal Trainer is entirely self-taught, such as the forest girl who talks with unicorns. Folk Ken should be considered for any grog dealing with other people, but many Animal Trainers lead quite a reclusive lifestyle. Craft Abilities can be useful in some situations: the farrier practices Craft Blacksmith (horseshoes), and the teamster probably has Craft Cartwright (repairing wheels).

Training Packages

Appropriate training packages are: Animal Trainer (obviously!), Farmer, Magician (if she deals with magical animals), Rider, Woodsman.

Sample Animal Trainer Characters

These various characters represent Animal Trainers at different ages, of different social strata, and who work with different animals.

Madoc, Age 15 Young Shepherd

Madoc despairs of his lonely existence up in the hills, but has cried wolf once too often and has been shunned by his village as a liar and a thief; the covenant offers comfort, security, and above all, other people. If only the farrier would believe him when he says he never set the best horse in the stables to bolt.

VIRTUES & FLAWS: Puissant Animal Handling, Strong Characteristics; Cursed Guile, Judged Unfairly

ABILITIES: Animal Handling 4+2 (sheep), Area Lore: Bangor 2 (animals), Area Lore: Gwynedd 2 (pastures), Athletics 2 (climbing), Awareness 2 (animals), Bargain 1 (food), Folk Ken 2 (employers), Guile 2 (excuses), Ride 1 (carefully), Stealth 2 (towns), Survival 3 (hills), Welsh 5 (wheedling)

Alyse, Age 25 Adult Gryphon Trainer

Raised by faeries, Alyse has lived and worked with gryphons since she was very young. She cannot understand why that ignorant wizard is so astonished by the creatures whenever he meets them.

VIRTUES & FLAWS: Animal Ken, Arcane Lore, Master of Animal Creatures; Delusion: everyone can talk to animals, Susceptible to Warping, Faerie Upbringing

ABILITIES: Animal Handling 5 (gryphons), Animal Ken 4 (gryphons), Area Lore: Black Forest 3 (gryphons), Athletics 2 (falling), Awareness 3 (above), Brawl 2 (grapple), Faerie Lore 3 (gryphons), Folk Ken 2 (magi), German 5 (animals), Magic Lore 4 (gryphons), Ride 4 (gryphons), Stealth 1 (forest), Survival 3 (forest), Swim 1 (strong currents)

William, Age 35 Veteran Kennel Master

Why do these wretched custodes expect him to drill alongside them at sword and shield when they clearly dislike and distrust him so? William's bones are starting to stiffen, and he agrees with his old dogs about learning new tricks.

VIRTUES & FLAWS: Inoffensive to Animals, Master of Kennels, Puissant Animal Handling; Magical Air

ABILITIES: Animal Handling 6+2 (hounds), Area Lore: Loire 3 (hunting grounds), Athletics 3 (running), Awareness 4 (hounds), Brawl 2 (grappling), Carouse 2 (drinking games), Etiquette 3 (servant), Folk Ken 2 (nobles), French 5 (polite), Hunt 5 (with hounds), Latin 2 (Hermetic usage), Leadership 3 (dogs), Profession: Feuterer 4 (feet), Ride 4 (in woodland), Stealth 3 (woodland), Survival 1 (woodland)

Animal Trainer as Companion

Any of the Animal Trainer characters earlier could be created as an interesting companion simply by adding a Story Flaw. One of Alyse's gryphons could actually be a Magical Animal Companion, if it were considered a close friend rather than a flying mount. Perhaps William's hounds are all actually a single magical animal, as a gestalt manifestation? As a companion character, Madoc might be desperately honest in all dealings — but afflicted by Beelzebub, who seeks to corrupt his pious soul; he may have the Cursed Guile and Plagued by Supernatural Entity Flaws.

Companion characters are generally expected to be significantly more capable than grogs; in most cases, this is very simple to do, by purchasing more of the required Abilities for their role — taking Leadership, Ride, and an extra weapon Ability or two covers the difference between a knight and a soldier. But there are really only one or two pertinent Abilities to choose from for an Animal Trainer, so your companion will likely be much more varied in her capabilities than your grog. If you're after "the best trainer in the region," then you will want Puissant Animal Handling, Affinity with Animal Handling, and very probably the Animal Ken Virtue.

A character may be an Animal Trainer out of necessity rather than in a professional capacity. A lady whose lover transforms into an owl every morning needs to train as a falconer simply to keep him with her through the day. Certain literary necessities demand that she be a shapeshifter as well; the owl and his lady both are companion characters, sharing the True Love and Lycanthrope Flaws.

Animal Trainer Story Seeds

As well as being a potentially valuable member of a turb, an Animal Trainer can be the catalyst for many interesting stories, especially if magical animals are involved.

The Eyes of a Hawk

A maga is departing the covenant and sees a haggard young man gazing intently at a bird of prey circling overhead, which in turn is gazing intently at her. What does each see in the other that holds their attention so firmly? Jack Faulkner served an important knight in the region — until one of his kites suddenly attacked the knight's daughter and blinded her. Accused of carelessness and assault, Jack was flogged and dismissed from the knight's service. Jack has wandered aimless and penniless since; he has recently strayed near the covenant. The kite he has spotted is a strikingly beautiful specimen of its species; it is a Hawk of Virtue, who recognizes the maga for her Gift. Did it have a reason to attack the girl? Could she be a changeling? Or could the bird have a secret, sinister purpose? Kites are well known as thieves and tricksters. In neither case could the proud knight admit Jack Faulkner back into his service, not after having punished him so publicly.

The Horse Whisperer

Lydie is a young girl who talks to horses. She prefers their company to humans, because folk are rude and cruel to her — even her own family, who deem her wicked and corrupt. This drew the attention of a magus who then bought her from her parents (they were only too glad to be rid of the witching child) to train as his apprentice. She has studied with him for three years now, but still resists all attempts to be Opened to the Arts. In his arrogance, he refuses to believe that Lydie may not possess The Gift — all the signs are true. Except, of course, that animals do not shun her as they do him. Unfortunately, she has Animal Ken, but no touch of The Gift at all.

A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

The covenant keeps a flock of sheep, for meat and cheese; its sheep share the hills with other villagers' flocks, and this has served everyone well enough for years. But something is wrong. The other shepherds are losing sheep to some night predator, while the covenant's flock is left untouched – and everyone is blaming young Madoc. Of course, the boy is innocent, but nobody believes him. The true culprit is one of his rams: a magical animal that turns into a wolf at night, and goes hunting. He does not kill and eat the sheep of his own flock, because they are family.

The Bodyguard Maidservant

Your wine, my lady.

Many important and vital jobs are done by insignificant mundanes, who go unnoticed before the eyes of magi, lords, and clergy alike. These unsung heroes rarely win a place in history. However, a conniving master can put this virtual invisibility to much use. This bland and demure maidservant can fill many roles.

General Background

This female grog has never felt at home in the rigid roles of gender and feudal hierarchy of mundane society. From an early age, she has yearned for danger, adventure, and most of all independence and freedom. But for a lowborn girl, all this is most often an impossible dream. Before she was mature enough for her family or village to seal her fate, and force her to marry and follow a peasant's life, she fled. She spent some time actively seeking out people different enough, and places sufficiently strange, to offer her the needed break from society. And in the end, Mythic Europe offers only one real place like this — an Hermetic covenant.

Swallowing her pride for a time, she had to suffer manual work and the indignities of being a common woman, but it was still a lot better than life in your average farming village. Eventually, she had found enough training and practiced enough for the magi to notice her special skills. To outside observers, she is still a mere maidservant, assistant, scribe, or other insignificant minion. But she really serves as a bodyguard in disguise for a magus, as well as a set of invisible eyes and ears. Among the mundanes, a maga can benefit greatly from being able to bring her protection into feminine circles, where male guards get left outside. A magus may find he has access to these female circles, using his maidservant as intermediary.

Lacking the brawn and toughness of most shield grogs, she really doesn't cut it for front line fights. Instead, she manages by being more clever, alert, and opportunistic than the rest, and by being inconspicuous to the very last instant. The secretive nature of her work means that some events blow her cover. This forces her to change position, apparent vocation, and appearance once in a while. But these challenges are what drives her, her skills developing in the independence granted her at the covenant.

Character Creation

Here are outlined suggestions, recommendations, and tips for creation of a Bodyguard Maidservant character.

Bodyguard Maidservant Story Seeds

The following story seeds could involve a Bodyguard Maidservant.

The Switch

During an extended journey, the magi and retainers come across a merchant with a caravan of substantial size, followed by the unavoidable pilgrims and beggars. Deciding to combine safety in numbers with a little comfort, the magi accept the invitation of the merchant. During the night, a young girl sneaks into the midst of the characters. She claims she is the daughter of a nobleman being held captive, but that she managed to sneak out for a short time. If they don't wish to help her escape the merchant, she slips away, or is a very quiet captive. If helped, she reveals that she is really a servant who changed places with her mistress, so she could escape.

But the mistress obviously failed to get safely away and obtain help, so now the servant is in trouble. As the mistress is the daughter of a robber baron, a rival to the caravan master, great rewards could be had. Meanwhile, the caravan master is going to pieces over losing his captive, because holding her as hostage was the only thing keeping local bandits from attacking, since they refer to the robber baron. Now the characters must keep the servant girl safe and unnoticed so she can help them find the baron's daughter, while at the same time being under attack by local bandits.

The Unknown Assassin

A magus cannot for any reason call off a meeting he has with an important nobleman or clergyman, not even when he knows one of his rivals has hired a highly qualified assassin. Nervous to the point of paranoia, he and his female bodyguard – who is disguised as a scribe – attend the meetings. Meanwhile, specialists and discreet magi from his covenant try to get to the bottom of the case. Who wants the magus dead? Who is the assassin, and how will he make the hit? The entire time, the magus and the bodyguard sit at the edges of their chairs, eyes darting around to each and every face or corner in the room, as discreetly as it can be done.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

The following Virtues may apply to a Bodyguard Maidservant character: Keen Vision, Sharp Ears, Lightning Reflexes, Puissant Awareness, Puissant Guile, Forgettable Face*

If the concept calls for a bodyguard or assassin with larger weaponry than daggers, you need a Virtue to be allowed to purchase Martial Abilities. Warrior is a good choice; Custos might make you too high-profile, which would defeat the purpose. Educated or Arcane Lore might fit a mature or older character, to represent the fact that the magi allow her to become literate and learn Latin and various mystical abilities.

The Bodyguard Maidservant may suffer from some of these Flaws: Small Frame, Oversensitive (chauvinism), Mistaken Identity, Weak Personality*, Compulsive Lying*, Uninspirational*

\* See Chapter 6, New Virtues and Flaws

Social Status

Covenfolk is recommended, and although the single magus you work for might hold you in high regard, appointing you to Custos is detrimental to you staying incognito. The same goes for most other Social Status Virtues.

Suggested Abilities

Appropriate Abilities are: Awareness, Athletics, Guile, Legerdemain, Brawl, Profession (various)

Training Packages

Training packages include: Social, Exploring, or Mischievous Childhood. Courtier, Conman, Harlot, Tumbler, or Servant. Charmer or Covenfolk, combined depending on the concept.

Sample Ability Scores

YOUNG BODYGUARD (AGE 15): Athletics 3 (dodging), Awareness 4 (alertness), Brawl 3 (dagger), Folk Ken 2 (magi), Guile 3 (10) (identity change), Native Language 5 (being subservient), Profession: Maidservant 3 (tidying up)

MATURE BODYGUARD (AGE 25): Athletics 3 (dodging), Awareness 5 (alertness), Brawl 3 (dagger), Etiquette 2 (hermetic), Folk Ken 3 (anticipating attack), Guile 5 (20) (identity change), Legerdemain 3 (holdout), Native Language 5 (being subservient), Profession: Maidservant 3 (tidying up)

Concept Variations

With the skills required to go for long periods of time with a changed identity, in disguise and playing a part, this character could easily pull off other jobs than bodyguarding. She could serve well as an assassin, by focusing more on a Martial Ability, Stealth, and perhaps Profession: Poisoner, Herbalism, or Alchemy for concocting poison. Or she could serve as a spy or saboteur with little change, although being literate can be a huge boon. Visitors usually pay little heed to an anonymous servant, so a person with sharp ears can pick up many useful things. She could even be sent to other covenants or castles, to spy or to gather arcane connections.

Bodyguard Maidservant as Companion

As a character in the companion slot, she has enough extra Virtues to become an expert in her field. Using Puissance and Affinities and perhaps

Learn (Ability) From Mistakes or Careful with (Ability), a highly skilled bodyguard or spy can be created. Improved or Great Characteristics may also stack the odds in her favor. Special skills can be added to the concept with a multitude of Supernatural Virtues or Abilities; Entrancement, Magic Sensitivity, Premonitions, Second Sight, Piercing Gaze, Skinchanger, or Shapeshifter are useful examples. An Educated character and one with Arcane Lore can be a great boon to the magi.

The role of such a companion can have a much larger scope than the grog. Being more than a simple servant, the maid most likely plays a larger part in decision-making and planning. The work and assignments can be more elaborate or long-term, and by adding a Story Flaw the whole affair can be woven into stories, integrating with personal issues. The maid and the magus could take advantage of Enemies, Mistaken Identity, Blackmail, or Close Family Ties as openings for plots or missions.

As a companion, this character could also easily run missions with a staff and accomplices, providing seeds for using other companions and grogs in the story, which would again create stories for the entire troupe.

The Bull

I was only looking at it!

Some grogs stand out because they perform unusual functions. Others stand out because they are a classic stereotype. Among the fighting grogs, the Bull is one such.

General Background

Every covenant turb has one. One guy, built like a brick outhouse, none too bright and probably a bit clumsy as well. But he has a heart of gold; he's brave and loyal, and the best kind of comrade in arms anyone could imagine. His comrades gladly share their food with him, as he would do the same for them. If they get hurt, he carries them on his back to safety.

Playful teasing is the order of the day; he takes it all in his stride, and tries to give back, but lacks sophistication. His role is, to some degree, to provide comic relief, but he is not a caricatured clown — more of a morale booster. Most days he is laughed with more than he is laughed at. Of course, a few bad apples, be they too clever or cruel, always spoil things by overdoing it, and that can really set him boiling.

The role in the turb is closely related to the Tough Guy. He doesn't have the potential to be a trusted Custos or personal shield grog of the magi, nor will he ever be a good leader of a trained group. But he is a good man for a vanguard or covering the flank during battle. He is definitely handy when the turb is in a tight spot, and they'll be glad they brought him along as backup. For the more delicate matters, he is best left home. Many social operations could suffer greatly from his "helpful" contributions. But if they need heavy lifting or serious bruising? He's the man.

Character Creation

Use the following notes for creating a Bull character.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

The Bull has his problems, but he may enjoy some of these Virtues: Large, Tough, Rapid Convalescence, Reserves of Strength, Enduring Constitution, Warrior, Turb Trained*

The following Flaws may prove applicable to a Bull character: Clumsy, Carefree, Covenant Upbringing, Gullible*, Uncontrollable Strength*, Offensive Fighter*, Magical Fascination*, Pack Mentality, (Realm) Stigmatic, Master of None, various Social Status Flaws (see later)

\* See Chapter 6, New Virtues and Flaws

Social Status

Covenfolk or Turb Trained seem appropriate, although Wanderer or Branded Criminal could do. Outcast or Outlaw could be an answer to why he has joined the covenant. He is unlikely to be in a position of authority, so Custos, Mercenary Captain, Outlaw Leader, or Knight are inappropriate choices.

Note that unless the Social Status chosen allows you to take Martial Abilities, you must take a Virtue for this (e.g., Warrior).

Suggested Abilities

Abilities include: Brawl, Single Weapon, Great Weapon, Athletics

Suggested Training Packages

Training packages include: Athletic, Covenant-bred, or Exploring Childhood. Footpad, Laborer, Sentry, or Soldier. Brawler, Covenfolk, or Local.

Sample Ability Scores

YOUNG MAN (AGE 20): Athletics 3 (climb), Brawl 4 (wrestling), Carouse 4 (merrymaking), Great Weapon 5 (poleaxe), Latin 4 (Hermetic), Native Language 5 (rhyming insults), Ride 2 (trotting)

MATURE MAN (AGE 25): Athletics 3 (climb), Brawl 5 (wrestling), Carouse 4 (merrymaking), Chirurgy 3 (cuts), Great Weapon 5 (poleaxe), Latin 4 (Hermetic), Magic Lore 1 (magical minerals), Native Language 5 (rhyming insults), Ride 3 (trotting)

Bull Story Seeds

The Bull is particularly prone to blundering into stories.

Such Bad Luck Almost Seems Unnatural

During a Tribunal, the Bull is unwittingly entrusted with a delicate and valuable object owned by a magus from another covenant. Naturally, it ends up damaged, which stirs up a lot of commotion. The offended magus not only demands restitution, but also severe punishment of the grog, and holds one of the magi responsible.

The speed with which this case starts to build does seem suspicious to the magi. Someone knowledgeable in the Order's affairs and recent history remembers a similar situation some years back, which also centered on the offended magus. Another clever companion starts to find scraps of evidence proving this, because naturally the whole thing is fabricated. But at the same time, the Bull is in trouble in more than one way. While most of his turb mates support his claim of bad luck, a few hold it personally against him.

Furthermore, the grog leader of the visiting magi demands satisfaction by combat, and his turb stoop to all-time lows concerning cheating and sabotage. Scuffles are bound to occur, but the duel ought to be stopped. Can the clever magi or their retinue solve the affair and stop it? The offended magus becomes angry and reckless once his plot starts to fall apart. He might resort to certamen right there, and in the end might also challenge the opposition to Wizard's War if he is humiliated or pushed sufficiently.

The New Recruit

A magus who recently joined the covenant brought along some of his own servants, among them the Bull. A few of the other magi along with their retinue currently have him out on a mission to a highly magical forest, which is part diplomatic outreach to the magical spirits of the place, and part vis hunt. At first, he seemed fine, a solid fighter, and quickly became popular among the turb, bringing laughter to the ranks. But just minutes into the delicate situation with the magical beings of the forest, temptation sets in everywhere he looks. He is bound to get too nosy at some point. The rest of the turb try to keep him from getting in trouble, but it becomes more difficult at every new encounter. Potential conflicts arise, which must be dealt with. Touchy-feely diplomacy seems to have gone out the window, however, and kicking the encounter up a notch is more to the liking of at least one of the magi. And power seems to be a language understood by the spirits. The next obstacles come once the Bull starts pilfering things to take home as souvenirs …

Whipping into Shape

A young man who until recently worked as a laborer at the covenant has been promoted to fighting grog. He has been in training for a short time, and shows great potential, or at least great strength and toughness. The grog leaders decide to bring him along on a mission to whip him into shape, since a routine matter of checking up on some loose threads from a previous event in a nearby village needs seeing to. But the grog not only lacks the discipline of most other grogs, he also has a knack of getting into, not trouble as such, but interesting situations. What could possibly go wrong here?

Perhaps he is socially inept and offends someone the leaders need to talk to. Perhaps he derails the trip by practically tripping over something magical. In the end, the trip encounters obstacles of a manageable kind — providing much-needed lessons for the grog — as well as some totally unexpected windfall, like a vis find. Or possibly it yields the opening for another story, like discovering an infernalist circle, or a contested vis source.

VETERAN (AGE 36): Athletics 5 (climb), Brawl 5 (wrestling), Carouse 4 (merrymaking), Chirurgy 4 (cuts), Organization Lore: Covenant 3 (fighting turb), Great Weapon 7 (poleaxe), Latin 4 (hermetic), Leadership 1 (group fighting), Magic Lore 1 (magical minerals), Native Language 5 (rhyming insults), Ride 3 (trotting)

Concept Variations

A concept related to the Bull is the bulwark. The bulwark is a much more defensive fighter, more focused on holding the line than breaking it. This grog could serve as a defensive vanguard, or might even be a shield grog for a magus. This is done by avoiding any Flaws which make him prone to aggression, impulsiveness, or distraction from duty; he should definitely not take the Berserk Virtue. Consider adding Dutybound or Vow, concerning the protection of his master. Long Winded or Lightning Reflexes might be valued Virtues. For combat abilities, replace Great Weapon with Single Weapon, and a shield is almost a must, as is heavy armor.

Keeping the idea of the Bull, an alternative idea is to tone down the martial concept and relate his mentality and style to a manual laborer. Being a fully trained craftsman probably isn't on the Bull's cards, but there's hard work that needs doing at every covenant. He could be the hulking porter or beefy well-digger making a fool of himself, or the person everyone teases playfully. But in the end he is a true buddy, loyal to his mates.

The Bull as Companion

When using this concept as a companion, do not change it radically. The intent is a slightly comical grog, wellliked and possessing high spirits, a person whom others lovingly tease in good fun, and who is unfortunate or unlucky in some areas. With a larger Virtue budget, he could be made into a very efficient fighter, and by using many of the suggested Flaws, he could keep this concept. But he is not a leader, and should not aspire to become one, nor should one invest in Social Status virtues giving him men of his own. Instead, view him as a proficient individual, and focus on making him tough, resilient, and able to recover from the injuries he will inevitably suffer. You could in fact give him all the suggested Virtues, perhaps swapping Large for Giant Blood.

Working further with the supernatural aspects, a character with good synergy — story-wise — with the Magical Fascination concept could be created by adding Faerie Friend, Plagued by Supernatural Entity, or something similar. Using Arcane Lore, he could actually be proficient in Magic or Faerie Lore, upping the stakes for his involvement in these sorts of stories.

The Confessor

This is not the first time we have discussed these matters, maga Umbra, and I fear it shall not be the last.

A magus' soul is imperiled just as much, if not more so, by temptation and obsession as any person's. The abstract allure of knowledge and power provide new opportunities for sin to take hold and guide the magus away from the righteous path. So it is important for the magus to make peace with his maker and be absolved of sin. This is where the Confessor comes in.

General Background

Every community has a need to find resolution for things that prey heavily upon the conscience. Christian tradition has the sacrament of penance and the practice of confession at its heart. In confessing his sins to a priest and undertaking the prescribed penance, a character's soul is cleansed, and the character is free to resume his life unencumbered by sin. This is one of the key roles played by the priest in his community.

Covenants are often similar to manorial holdings in that they rely on one or more villages not only for income, but also for their day-to-day activities. The covenant is also home to servants, cooks, guards, librarians, and all manner of other covenfolk. These communities, both inside and outside of the covenant, need spiritual guidance.

The Confessor is a priest or religious leader who provides confidential counsel and moral guidance to those in his parish. In the case of a Christian priest, the receiving of confession is a responsibility of his office and a duty to his parishioner's soul. Even if the Confessor doesn't live within the covenant, he lives nearby and receives the visits of magi, just as he would others in his parish.

The Confessor is also well-placed to act on behalf of the magi in matters concerning the Church, and may find himself drafted into service from time to time.

Character Creation

The following notes will help with the creation of a Confessor.

Age and Characteristics

The Confessor may be anyone from an inexperienced young priest, through a mature monk, to an elderly imam. But he tends to have high Intelligence, Communication, and Presence characteristics. There is an opportunity to build long relationships between a younger Confessor and the magi of the covenant, and see those relationships grow throughout the saga. The character can be used by the storyguide to confront characters with their actions, and help the players explore their consequences.

The Practice of Confession

In the Christian tradition, as described in Realms of Power: The Divine Revised Edition, page 75, the supplicant confesses his sins to a priest, is absolved of those sins, and receives a penance to perform. The priest sets the penance as befits the sin. The character gains a temporary Confidence point that can be used to help him complete his penance, and until the penance is completed, there exists a holy connection between the character and his confessor. Every Christian character is expected to confess her sins at least once every year. See the Diocese chapter in the The Church supplement for more detail.

As with Christianity, confession of one's sins is integral to both Judaism and Islam. But unlike Christianity, confession is made directly to God, with no human intermediary. Those who have sinned are urged to pray and undertake penance. The two traditions also differ from Christianity and from each other, in other ways.

The first ten days of the Jewish month of Tishri are spent seeking reconciliation with those whom Jews may have wronged. This is in preparation for the tenth day of Tishri, known as Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. This day is set aside to atone for the sins of the previous year. Jews must fast on this day, taking no food or drink; refrain from working; and engage in prayer and other cleansing rituals.

Followers of Islam may serve their penance by fasting for a period, but the act of seeking forgiveness from God or protection from sin is called Istighfar. This is founded on the idea that God alone knows the deeds and thoughts of the supplicant. Istighfar is always partnered with Tauba, or repentance, and no prayer for forgiveness or protection can be heartfelt without true repentance.

Secular Confession

The Confessor, as presented here, is a religious figure who steers the character away from a path of sin. But as neither Islam nor Judaism provide for anyone to intercede between the individual and their God, the Confessor role is instead a secular confidante or trusted advisor. The nature of the relationship may mean that a religious figure is still appropriate, but with no implied doctrine present.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

The following lists of Virtues and Flaws are appropriate for various religious leaders who might be cast in the role of Confessor.

CHRISTIAN CONFESSOR: Priest; Relic, Clear Thinker; Uncertain Faith*, Vow (Celibacy), Weakness (Drinking)

ISLAMIC CONFESSOR: 'Alim**; Educated (Islamic), Clear Thinker; Uncertain Faith*, Vow (Celibacy), Temperate

JEWISH CONFESSOR: Rabbi**; Educated (Hebrew)**, Clear Thinker; Outsider (Minor)**, Uncertain Faith*, Meddler (Minor)

\* See Chapter 6: New Virtues and Flaws

\** See Realms of Power: The Divine Revised Edition

Suggested Abilities

Aside from knowledge of Latin, the Artes Liberales, the Church, and Theology, the Confessor relies upon his Folk Ken for gaining an intuition of what troubles his flock, Leadership to maintain his position as a pillar of the community, and various Lores for his village, the covenant, and the local area to keep abreast of all the current events.

Confessor Story Seeds

The following story seeds start with the Confessor and his relationship to the magi and their covenant but provide challenges that the magi must face and resolve.

Strange Penance

An elderly Tytalus staying at the covenant suddenly falls into Twilight. Although he recovers, he has seen that his end is near, and calls for a confessor to hear his many and numerous sins. Uncertain what penance to give so old and so powerful a man, the inexperienced Confessor seeks the advice of the magi of the covenant, careful not to divulge the nature (or quantity) of the old man's sins.

A Source of Gossip

The new Confessor hears the confessions of the covenfolk, including the magi, in an antechamber off the main hall. But what's discussed soon turns to gossip. Who or what has been eavesdropping on these private moments, and what have they learned that the princeps doesn't want revealed?

False Confession

The covenant is involved in a conflict that leads to a death. Soon after, the Confessor receives a visit from the maga involved, looking for absolution. The Confessor hears her confession and instructs her to undertake a pilgrimage in penance for her sin. But it soon becomes apparent that the maga is making no preparations to leave. On challenging her, the maga denies any knowledge of the confession or the resulting penance. Has something affected her mind? Was it really her who sought confession? If not, what manner of creature could breach the Aegis? And perhaps more importantly, now that the Confessor has approached the maga, will she now confess her sin and see her soul cleansed of its taint?

Broken Confidences

The Confessor, after a lifetime of hearing the sins, squabbles, and sorrows of his parish, is abducted by demons, or faeries in the role of demons, each one intent on taking a sin from the Confessor's memory and seeing it played out a thousandfold. As the beasts sweep across the land, they take the Confessor with them to feed their plague of evil. Villages and towns descend into anarchy under the influence of the demons inspired by the Confessor. As the magi follow their friend and confidante, they come face-to-face with their own sins, and must now explain their actions, once thought forgiven.

The Manual of Confession

A popular and influential magus, rumored to wield holy magic, comes to the covenant looking for material to help him with a tractatus he is writing. The book is a penitentiary, or a manual of confession, designed to help penitent and confessor alike to correctly identify their sins and the appropriate penance to be undertaken. While mundane manuals of confession derive penances for an individual based on the four humors, the seven sins, and the seven virtues, the magus is attempting to add the fifteen Hermetic Arts. Are the magi happy to have this magus poking around their sins, penances, and studies? What happens if his notes fall into the wrong hands? Come to that, as the magus visited a rival covenant the previous season, how can the magi get a look at his notes themselves?

Training Packages

The following training packages help to describe a typical Christian priest: Student (parish school), Churchman; Covenfolk, Local, Leader, Public Official.

The Student training package is required to give the Confessor knowledge of Latin, key to his other Academic Abilities, but is generally not used more than once. The Covenfolk, Local, and Leader packages provide knowledge of and a connection to the Confessor's parish. The Churchman package is the core package and should be taken at least once out of every three packages taken for this character.

Sample Ability Scores

The following Ability scores have been generated based on the suggested training packages earlier after taking a Mischievous Childhood package to describe the Confessor's ill-spent younger years. The Abilities are appropriate for a Christian priest in the role of Confessor, but Islamic or Jewish characters will have a different focus, in addition to the extra 50 experience points they receive from their Educated Virtues.

ABILITIES AT AGE 25: Area Lore: Village 2 (personalities), Artes Liberales 2 (rhetoric), Brawl 2 (Fist), Charm 3 (first impressions), Civil and Canon Law 3 (local laws), Folk Ken 3 (magi), Guile 2 (keeping confessional secrets), Latin 4 (church ceremonies), Leadership 3 (inspiration), Living Language 5 (local dialect), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (practices), Organization Lore: Church 4 (own diocese), Organization Lore: Covenant 2 (personalities), Stealth 2 (hide), Theology 3 (biblical knowledge)

ABILITIES AT AGE 40: Area Lore: Village 3 (personalities), Artes Liberales 3 (rhetoric), Brawl 2 (Fist), Charm 4 (first impressions), Civil and Canon Law 4 (local laws), Folk Ken 4 (magi), Guile 3 (keeping confessional secrets), Latin 4 (church ceremonies), Leadership 4 (inspiration), Living Language 5 (local dialect), Order of Hermes Lore 2 (practices), Organization Lore: Church 4 (own diocese), Organization Lore: Covenant 3 (personalities), Stealth 2 (hide), Theology 6 (biblical knowledge)

ABILITIES AT AGE 55: Area Lore: Village 4 (personalities), Artes Liberales 3 (rhetoric), Brawl 2 (Fist), Charm 5 (first impressions), Civil and Canon Law 4 (local laws), Folk Ken 5 (magi), Guile 3 (keeping confessional secrets), Latin 5 (church ceremonies), Leadership 5 (inspiration), Living Language 5 (local dialect), Order of Hermes Lore 3 (practices), Organization Lore: Church 6 (own diocese), Organization Lore: Covenant 4 (personalities), Stealth 3 (hide), Theology 6 (biblical knowledge)

Personality Traits

If the Confessor has taken the new Uncertain Faith Flaw, he has a Personality Trait of the same name with a score of at least 1. As for other traits, he is likely to be a Good Listener, which helps further define his role in the saga. A third trait says more about the Confessor as a person, who may be Compassionate, Duty-Bound, or Strict.

The Corpse-Thief

Yes, my lord, guaranteed fresh. It was procured from the bishop only this morning...

A despicable character hated and feared by good Christian folk, the Corpse-Thief lurks around graveyards and gallows, seeking to steal ingredients to sell to witches and warlocks alike. He knows that the bodies of suicides, murderers, and unbaptized children fetch the highest prices among his clientele. Naturally, a Corpse-Thief plies a highly specialized trade, and both his customers and his raw material are usually spread far and wide, occasioning him to travel extensively.

A Corpse-Thief is likely to pick up a good knowledge of occult matters. Having the Penetration Ability gives him a working knowledge of arcane connections and sympathetic connections. Magic Lore or Infernal Lore, or more rarely Faerie or Divine Lore, tell him to what use each type of material can be put, and cover matters such as Shape and Material bonuses and Enrichment of Objects of Virtue (see Realms of Power: Magic, page 124). A Corpse-Thief with the appropriate (Realm) Lore also understands what vis is, for what uses it might be employed, and where it tends to be found. Should the character also have Magic Sensitivity, he can locate vis himself, even if he cannot use it.

New Arcane Ability: Craft Poppets

The character can make effigies of individuals out of wax, straw, and cloth that house an arcane connection and simultaneously act as a sympathetic connection to the people they represent. A simple effigy is good for one use, takes an hour to make, and requires a Dexterity + Craft Poppets roll against an Ease Factor of 9. A permanent poppet takes a week to make, and has an Ease Factor of 12. Permanent poppets can accept a new Arcane Connection once the previous one has expired; naturally, this must be to the same person. Unlike other symbolic representations, a poppet made with this Ability may be used by any person, not just the character who made it. Specialties: a particular type of target — women, magi, dragons, kings, etc.

Preserving Arcane Connections

As detailed on page 64 of Art & Academe, an apothecary can extend the lifespan of an Arcane Connection by preserving the material correctly. This can only be done for Arcane Connections of human, animal, or vegetable origin, and cannot be repeated to extend the duration further. Make a Dexterity + Profession: Apothecary roll, and consult the following table:

ORIGINAL EXPIRY	EASE FACTOR	NEW EXPIRY
Hours/Days	3	Weeks
Weeks	6	Months
Months	9	Seasons
Seasons	12	Years
Years	15	Decades
Decades	18	Indefinitely

In addition to collecting body parts of the dead, a Corpse-Thief usually also specializes in taking arcane connections from the living. A Corpse-Thief might steal to order, or else obtain material from prominent townsfolk, then offer them to the highest bidder among his usual contacts. Combining the skills of a burglar with his occult lore, he can creep into a house or workspace, and knows which objects and body exuviae tend to form the best arcane connections. Furthermore, he recognizes the importance of handwritten documents, names, and personal data, such as birth dates, to the exercise of magic.

Typically, he crafts an effigy of his victim called a "poppet" or "witch doll," which takes advantage of sympathetic bonuses. Embedded in the poppet is an arcane connection, and it is sold along with the name of the victim, an example of his handwriting, and possibly (if the Corpse-Thief is educated) a horoscope, all of which increase the efficacy of the poppet to his client (ArM5, page 84). If the character has the professional skills of an apothecary, he can even extend the life of the arcane connection; this is useful if he cannot find a seller immediately (see insert).

A Corpse-Thief may even be skilled in petty magical practices himself. He may have inherited some minor magical item, or have an intrinsic magical power from a Supernatural Ability. Due to the personality of a typical Corpse-Thief, such abilities are often malicious in nature, or at least used maliciously. For example, the thief's demon Valefar (Realms of Power: The Infernal, page 57) can teach a person how to make a Hand of Glory from the hand of a hanged murderer.

General Background

It takes a special sort of person to be a Corpse-Thief. Even the most inveterate, hard-bitten criminal generally shows respect for the dead. Furthermore, the knowledge of forbidden things hints at a dark past. A Corpse-Thief could have been the child of a witch or warlock, but showed no talent for sorcery at an early age, and so was put to work in a useful trade to support his parent. Alternatively, the Corpse-Thief could have been an initiate of a diabolic cult, who practiced his trade at the bidding of his infernally tainted masters. The indoctrination that accompanies either of these backgrounds sets a twisted sense of morality that allows the character to do the horrible things that he does.

The Viaticarus

Another path to such a questionable career is rooted in a superstition of the age: occasionally a person is given the Last Rites because he is near death, but then recovers. This is an exceptionally rare occurrence; indeed, the sacrament of Extreme Unction is supposed to guarantee death. Nevertheless, in Mythic Europe there are forces that can bring people back from the brink of death, not least of which is Hermetic magic. Far from being considered a second chance at life, such a circumstance is considered to generate a living corpse: neither truly alive nor properly dead. The viaticarus ("one prepared for the journey") is legally separated from society, and theologically separated from the Church. He is denied further sacraments; this is the point behind the Last Rites. He cannot attend church, get married, or enter Holy Orders.

Most significantly, he cannot perform penance for any sins he commits henceforth. Common superstition holds that nothing he does now can affect the placement of his soul in the afterlife, and he is free to sin without consequence. Church doctrine says otherwise, and suggests that the viaticarus should keep himself obsessively free from sin since it cannot be expiated. Legally, the bonds of marriage are dissolved, and the "widow" is free to marry again. Viaticari may not write wills, since dead men technically do not own property. By many local traditions they cannot eat meat, have sexual intercourse, or walk in bare feet.

It is perhaps no surprise if one of these "living corpses" takes on a morally repugnant role, if they consider themselves beyond morality and immune to the burden of sin. As literal outcasts from society, they struggle to find a means by which to earn a living, making them easy prey for unscrupulous warlocks and magi. Unlike some grogs, a viaticarus might willingly work for Gifted individuals without reservation, eager for any acceptance, even if it is for what they do rather than for who they are.

Character Creation

Players may use the following notes in the creation of corpse-thieves.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

A Corpse-Thief probably lurks on the fringes of society, so Social Status Virtues such as Wise One or Wanderer are appropriate, as is the Outcast Social Status Flaw. Essential to this character is an understanding of esoteric lore, and he needs a Virtue which grants the capacity to take Arcane Abilities at character creation, such as Arcane Lore. Magic Sensitivity proves very useful to a character such as this, and Social Contacts allows him to have a wide client base among the hedge witches of the region. He also benefits from Virtues that permit him to gain his raw ingredients more easily, such as Puissant Stealth and Light Touch. He may have the Minor Enchantments* Virtue to represent some of the magic he has acquired from his clients.

The Tainted with Evil Flaw is highly appropriate, as is the Viaticarus Flaw*. Thanks to his usual working hours, the Nocturnal Personality Flaw is suitable.

\* See Chapter 6, New Virtues and Flaws

Corpse-Thief Story Seeds

The following suggestions give some ideas for stories involving Corpse-Thieves.

The Cat's-Paw

A player maga involved in a feud with a non-Hermetic wizard becomes the target of the Corpse-Thief's attention when he is commissioned to make a poppet of the player character. Having studied his target for a while, he decides to infiltrate the covenant as a day laborer or new servant, but through diligence or sheer good luck, he is caught in the act of retrieving his arcane connection. The temptation to kill the Corpse-Thief immediately is likely to be great, but more could be learned if he is captured and questioned. With the right incentive, the Corpse-Thief will sell out his employer, and perhaps be able to supply a poppet of her that he made as insurance.

This story works equally well with a magus opponent who has declared, or is about to declare, Wizard's War against a player magus.

Poacher Turned Gamekeeper

A Corpse-Thief who works for the covenant has a good professional knowledge of the local hedge wizards, and perhaps knows some of them personally. He may even be aware of their powers and weaknesses. When the magi hear of a particularly troublesome non-Hermetic wizard, they come to the Corpse-Thief for information. He can give them a list of names who it might be, and where they each can be found. The magi may be surprised — dismayed, even! — by how many minor magical practitioners live in the region right under their noses. Why are there so many, what are they up to, and how did they remain unnoticed for so long?

Suggested Abilities

A Corpse-Thief needs the same Abilities that a regular thief benefits from: Stealth, Awareness, Athletics, and Legerdemain. Knowing what to steal is covered by Magic Lore and Penetration; the latter is also useful for any magical abilities the character possesses. In the preparation of material for sale, the Profession: Apothecary and the Craft: Poppets Abilities are also highly useful. Area Lore and Organization Lore are important Abilities in developing a client base from which to earn a living.

Training Packages

Training packages include: Footpad, Apothecary, Magician, Craftsman, Cultist, Local.

Sample Ability Scores

This character must be able to take Arcane Abilities at character creation.

ABILITIES AT AGE 24: Area Lore 3 (graveyards), Athletics 2 (running), Bargain 1 (corpses), Brawl 3 (getting away), Concentration 2 (at night), Chirurgy 2 (crushing injuries), Craft Poppets 2 (5) (wizards), Folk Ken 2 (customers), Guile 3 (feigning innocence), Legerdemain 2 (acquiring locks of hair), Magic Lore 3 (undead), Native Language 5 (obsequious), Organization Lore: Apothecary Guild 2 (corruption), Penetration 2 (poppets), Profession: Apothecary 3 (preserving arcane connections), Stealth 4 (at night)

ABILITIES AT AGE 35: Area Lore 3 (graveyards), Athletics 2 (running), Bargain 2 (corpses), Brawl 3 (getting away), Concentration 2 (at night), Chirurgy 2 (crushing injuries), Craft Poppets 3 (wizards), Folk Ken 2 (customers), Guile 4 (feigning innocence), Infernal Lore 3 (undead), Legerdemain 3 (acquiring locks of hair), Magic Lore 4 (undead), Native Language 5 (obsequious), Organization Lore: Apothecary Guild 2 (corruption), Penetration 3 (poppets), Profession: Apothecary 4 (preserving arcane connections), Stealth 5 (at night)

ABILITIES AT AGE 50: Area Lore 3 (graveyards), Athletics 2 (running), Bargain 2 (corpses), Brawl 3 (getting away), Concentration 3 (at night), Chirurgy 4 (crushing injuries), Craft Poppets 4 (wizards), Folk Ken 3 (customers), Guile 5 (feigning innocence), Infernal Lore 3 (undead), Legerdemain 4 (acquiring locks of hair), Magic Lore 5 (undead), Native Language 5 (obsequious), Organization Lore: Apothecary Guild 2 (corruption), Penetration 4 (poppets), Profession: Apothecary 5 (10) (preserving arcane connections), Stealth 5 (at night), Teaching 2 (Craft: Poppets)

Corpse-Thief as Companion

Were the Corpse-Thief to be conceived as a companion character, the most obvious change to make to this character is to give him some overt Supernatural Abilities of his own. Particularly appropriate are Entrancement (ArM5, page 65), Cursing (Hedge Magic Revised Edition, page 35) or Hex (Realms of Power: The Infernal, page 92). Combined with his ability to generate high Penetration totals from effigies and stolen arcane connections, these Abilities can even be useful against a magical opponent. The Diabolic Past Story Flaw is ideally suited for a Corpse-Thief companion character, as is the Enemy Story Flaw, representing former victims of his craft.

A grog character can be converted into a companion character through Initiation into a Folk Witch coven (Hedge Magic Revised Edition, page 33) or an infernal tradition (Realms of Power: The Infernal, page 126).

The Craftsman

Imagine the wonders that I could create in this place!

General Background

From the opulent coronation robes of a king to the simple milking stool used by the farmer's daughter, everything in Mythic Europe passes through the hands of a craftsman. They are the lifeblood of trade and commerce, but all too often they are of low status, forced to eke out a living by crafting the same items day after day, while others profit from their work.

Life in a covenant offers great opportunity. Covenants are often relatively wealthy, which is shared by all the covenfolk by way of a higher standard of living. Covenants also have access to strange and unusual materials, which provide challenges and interest to eager craftsmen. And the presence of magi means that craftsmen are able to work on items and devices with qualities far beyond those found in the mundane world.

More than perhaps any other grog, the role of the Craftsman is one that can evolve through the life of a saga. Assuming that the Craftsman isn't noteworthy enough to be given a longevity ritual, you can expect the son to take over from the father, or indeed the daughter from the mother, during the course of a saga. This may happen more than once over the period of a particularly long or fastmoving saga.

Craftsmen may be particularly important in covenants home to one or more Verditius magi. They have an immediate use as forge-companions, providing assistance in the laboratory that translates into more efficient work, providing a bonus to Lab Totals. And a range of skilled craftsmen can provide training to the generalist Verditius keen to explore more than one craft.

Character Creation

The following notes will help with the creation of a Craftsman.

Age and Characteristics

More than other types of grog, there's a reason to advance the Craftsman from his young apprenticeship years through to being a master craftsman in his own right, with apprentices of his own. The growth of the Craftsman mirrors the growth of the magi and the covenant, and the handing of the workshop from the master to the younger journeyman marks the passage of time in the saga. An apprentice should start around age 15 and progress to journeyman by age 30. In another 15 years, he is likely to be a master craftsman at the top of his game, and will hang up his tools by the age of 60.

Characteristics should suit his craft, so Strength for a blacksmith, and Dexterity for most other crafts. Craftsmen should have a bias toward the physical characteristics.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

A covenant blacksmith is likely to have a different set of Virtues and Flaws at the beginning of his career to those at the end.

APPRENTICE VIRTUES AND FLAWS: Guild Apprentice**; Improved Characteristics, Puissant Blacksmith; Independent Craftsman**, Necessary Magic Aura for Craft: Blacksmith*, Carefree

At some point in his career, he establishes himself as a craftsman in his own right. Given that the character may take only one Social Status Virtue, he may become a Craftsman, Journeyman**, or Custos. Taking Custos represents his increased status and connection with the magi, and represents the opportunity for additional training and practice in Finesse, the control of enchanted tools and devices, and in Latin. Once the character enters open play, however, the covenant may train him in whatever they see fit, regardless of his Virtues or Flaws.

JOURNEYMAN VIRTUES AND FLAWS: Custos; Improved Characteristics, Puissant Blacksmith; Independent Craftsman**, Necessary Magic Aura for Craft: Blacksmith*, Carefree

The life of a Craftsman can often be a grind, either confined to a workshop all day, or out on the road traveling between jobs. So an Animal Companion, as per the Flaw, is common. It might be the butcher's dog, the seamstress' cat, or even a succession of pet rats that have made the thatcher's wagon their home.

\* See Chapter 6, New Virtues and Flaws

\** See City & Guild, page 53

Suggested Abilities

A Craftsman learns his trade from his years as an apprentice through to his position and rank as a master. Those in the outside world, especially those who live in towns and cities, may find themselves becoming more involved with the respective guilds for their profession or craft, but those who live and work in a covenant are less likely to develop in this way. They are more likely to be one of a handful of craftsmen looking after the needs of the covenant, their fortunes tied to those of their masters.

One skill that a covenant-trained Craftsman may develop that others won't is Finesse. While an Arcane Ability, Finesse governs the use and control of enchanted items. These are specifically useful for Rego Craft Magic (Covenants, page 49).

Training Packages

The following packages support a covenant-based Craftsman: Covenfolk, Craftsman, Local, Trader, Trainer

It is also likely that the Craftsman will pick up some knowledge of supernatural creatures, such as faeries curious about his work. Experience points from the earlier packages can be used to improve (Realm) Lore Abilities.

Sample Ability Scores

The sample Abilities listed later include Finesse. Any character can learn Finesse in the normal run of play if he is given the chance. Characters may gain Finesse at character creation if they have an appropriate Virtue granting access to the Ability, such as Custos.

ABILITIES AT AGE 15: Awareness 2 (alertness), Bargain 1 (goods), Craft: Blacksmith 3 (fine work), Brawl 3 (Fist), Carouse 3 (stories), Charm 1 (first impressions), Chirurgy 1 (burns), Guile 1 (tall stories), Living Language 5, Organization Lore: Covenant 1 (names), Single Weapon 2 (Hammer), Stealth 1 (sneak), Survival 2 (camping out), Teaching 3 (blacksmith)

ABILITIES AT AGE 30: Awareness 2 (alertness), Bargain 3 (goods), Craft: Blacksmith 5 (fine work), Brawl 4 (Fist), Carouse 3 (stories), Charm 2 (first impressions), Chirurgy 3 (burns), Faerie Lore 1 (fire sprites), Finesse 3 (enchanted items), Guile 2 (tall stories), Leadership 2 (craftsmen), Living Language 5, Organization Lore: Covenant 3 (names), Single Weapon 3 (hammer), Stealth 1 (sneak), Survival 2 (camping out), Teaching 3 (blacksmith)

ABILITIES AT AGE 45: Awareness 3 (alertness), Bargain 4 (goods), Craft: Blacksmith 7 (fine work), Brawl 4 (Fist), Carouse 3 (stories), Charm 2 (first impressions), Chirurgy 3 (burns), Faerie Lore 2 (fire sprites), Finesse 3 (enchanted items), Guile 2 (tall stories), Latin 3 (hermetic usage), Leadership 4 (craftsmen), Living Language 5, Organization Lore: Covenant 4 (names), Single Weapon 4 (hammer), Stealth 2 (sneak), Survival 2 (camping out), Teaching 3 (blacksmith)

The Workshop

A Craftsman without a workshop cannot conduct his business. It is assumed that all Craftsmen have a basic workshop equipped with tools and supplied with materials sufficient to support his trade. What actually defines the workshop varies according to the craft. For instance, a blacksmith needs a forge to contain the intense heat he works with, a tinker needs a handcart on which to carry his simple tools and wares, while a thatcher has little more than his tools and a wagon on which to carry his raw materials. The City & Guild supplement provides additional rules for representing and advancing workshops (page 65 onwards).

Each workshop is described through two characteristics, Innovation and Raw Materials, and by increasing these characteristics the Craftsman can produce work of a higher quality. Workshop characteristics are improved through spending excess Labor Points (City & Guild, page 38) accumulated by the Craftsman.

Any advances in Innovation are retained by the workshop, able to pass to the next generation, but improved Raw Materials have an additional yearly Labor Point cost that the Craftsman must pay to maintain them, and the benefit is not passed on to the next generation. Increasing the Raw Materials characteristic decreases the number of excess Labor Points the Craftsman has available for other advancements.

Craftswomen

Although the Craftsman grog archetype describes a craftsman, the covenant may have even more to offer the craftswoman. Crafts, trades, and their guilds are dominated by men in an atmosphere that doesn't necessarily put women on an equal footing. Even those crafts typically associated with women rarely organized into guilds, which prevented the status of such trades from being raised. So what chance does the female silversmith have to practice her craft?

Thanks largely to the iconoclastic nature of the Order, where men and women are, nominally at least, afforded equal status without question, Craftswomen skilled in any craft may find employment as easily as any man.

As a rule of thumb, if you don't want to track grog Labor Points, you can assume the following workshop statistics:

Standard Workshop:
Innovation 0, Raw Materials 0

Journeyman Workshop (after 15 Years):
Innovation 1, Raw Materials 2

Master Workshop (after 30 Years):
Innovation 2, Raw Materials 2

Beyond adding to the Craftsman's Craft Ability for the purpose of producing quality goods, the workshop is something that can be handed on to the next generation and as such becomes a part of the covenant.

Assistants

A Craftsman may employ a number of assistants equal to his Leadership score, though he may always employ one apprentice regardless of his Leadership score. As well as helping in the workshop, these assistants may be the source of new grogs to replace the old over time, and may initiate stories of their own.

Each assistant adds half his Craft Ability score to the Craftsman's Workshop Total. If using multiple assistants, their Craft Scores should first be totalled and then divided by two.

Personality Traits & Reputation

A Craftsman supported by a covenant will doubtless be Hard-Working, but while some may be Kindly or Generous, others might be Strict or Miserly. The Craftsman should have one Personality Trait that determines his outlook on his work and another that shapes his relationship with his apprentices. A third trait can be selected to round out the character.

It is most likely that a Craftsman living at a covenant will remain an unsung hero, the fruits of his labor obscured by the magical enchantments the magi bestow upon them. A grog Craftsman rarely generates a Reputation concerning his work. Craftsmen designed as companion character, as discussed later, can acquire a strong reputation.

Craftsman as Companion

Craftsman companions are less likely to be tied to the covenant and may usually pursue their own goals, which means that progression into and through their craft guild is more likely. The City & Guild supplement provides a full treatment of playing through a guild career, for those with Craftsman characters.

Craftsman Story Seeds

The following story seeds have a Craftsman at their heart, but they present challenges that magi and companions may face.

The Apprentice

A Craftsman approaches the covenant with something to sell: an apprentice. He considers the boy to be useless to him, but a wise woman told him that there was a touch of the magical about him. He wants five pounds for the boy to cover his lost earnings and his trouble. The apprentice doesn't have The Gift, but it is quickly apparent to the magi that his talents are linked to the Magic Realm, and that the covenant is the only place in which he will reach his potential.

Neither Apprentice nor Master

A new blacksmith comes to the covenant looking for work. The examples he shows are of the highest quality and he works far faster than the covenant's current blacksmith. With the magi keen to craft ever-better items and expend less on the upkeep of their covenant, do they accept this new blacksmith? And if they do, how can the displaced grog prove that the newcomer's smithy skills aren't all they appear? (See Realms of Power: The Infernal, page 87 for specifics on the Corrupted Abilities Flaw.)

The Workshop

On venturing out to collect vis from a prime site on behalf of the magi, the grogs find that a blacksmith has built a small forge directly over the source of their Ignem vis. The forge is somewhat makeshift and hasn't been there for long. The blacksmith refuses to move on, claiming that this magical place is the only thing that helps him feed his family, and he is willing to defend himself if things get rough. Do the grogs deal with the issue and claim the vis or do they go back to their masters? Can the magi identify the blacksmith's supernatural Flaw, and do they offer him a solution that suits everybody?

A New Generation

An aging covenant Craftsman, ailments weighing him down with each passing year, regrets never having taken an apprentice. These feelings are mirrored by one of the covenant magi. While the Craftsman and a few friends venture outside the covenant to find a youngster with an aptitude for his craft, the magus sets out to find a Gifted child. After false hope given by faeries, does the Craftsman finally find his apprentice? And can the magus overcome Infernal deception to rescue the Gifted child? The stories of both the magus and the Craftsman are mirrored in their searches, but perhaps the resolution lies in the same place.

A Gifted Apprentice

The problem with covenants is that the strange often goes unnoticed. One of the magi searches the local area for signs of a Gifted child that he can take under his wing and train in the Hermetic Arts. He learns of a craftsman who suspects the abilities of his own apprentice, but this craftsman is worried that, should wizards hear tell of this, the youth will be taken away and subjected to unbearable hardship and unconscionable danger. The trail leads back to the covenant itself. Why has the craftsman really kept this from his masters? Does the magus take the Gifted apprentice? How do the craftsman and the other covenfolk react to this?

The Knowledgeable Thatcher

A humble thatcher approaches the magi with the aim of discussing and learning magic. The man is not Gifted and is not even educated, but he has been touched by magic. The thatcher explains that, while he is a simple craftsman, he is able to weave magic into the straw he uses. But he has ambitions greater than mere corn-dollies; he wants to enchant the thatch that is his daily trade, something that so far eludes him. Can the magi undertake research to help the man expand his power, or are there other Learned Magicians better suited? And where can they be found?

The Supernatural Craftsman

A companion Craftsman has access to the Touched by (Realm) Major Supernatural Virtue, which in turn allows him to craft Wondrous Items (as per the rules in City & Guild, page 70). These enchanted items are more limited in scope than Hermetic enchantments, but they allow the companion to develop his own career and reputation as a craftsman of note. And as the character is unGifted, he or she may be more easily accepted in society, opening up opportunities not available to magi.

Craftsman as Artist

Chapter 8 of the Art & Academe supplement provides rules for artists in Mythic Europe. Production Artists use their Craft Abilities, such as Craft: Stone Mason, Craft: Glazier, and Craft: Silversmith to produce works of art that have a value far beyond that of a mundane example of a craftsman's work.

This path opens up a whole new avenue for the Companion Craftsman, one which can take him into the richest and most volatile levels of society. It also opens up new rules for the creation of art and the acquisition of new benefits.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

Guild Craftsmen will want to look at the guild-related virtues and flaws in City & Guild, chapter 3. Those looking for a Supernatural Craftsmen should take the Touched by (Realm) Virtue presented in City & Guild, chapter 4. Production Artists are discussed in Art & Academe, chapter 8, and this includes new Virtues for the Maestro Mythic Companion character.

Ex-Prostitutes

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

— The Bible, Luke 15:7

Prostitution is common in the urban areas of Mythic Europe. Many prostitutes have other professions, and supplement their income on fair days, or by soliciting business from traveling merchants when the harvest is poor. In cities, however, there are some women who work solely as prostitutes, and the Church continually exhorts them to stop their sinning. Some do.

General Background

When a prostitute repents, she poses a problem for the Church. Her trade may have been sinful, but it provided an income. Lacking other skills, and not a likely prospect for marriage, an ex-prostitute often falls back into her old ways, begins begging, or becomes a petty criminal. Some sections of the Church have had success in resettling fallen women, using funds provided by noblewomen. There are two common schemes which may affect a covenant.

Some noblewomen found new nunneries with ex-prostitutes as the nuns. This sometimes works perfectly, sometimes fails due to recidivism, and in some scandalous cases, leads to well-disguised brothels. To improve the chance of the nunnery succeeding, it is often placed far from towns, in the wild places that attract spring covenants. The leader of a new nunnery for fallen women is usually a noblewoman retiring from the world. In time, ex-prostitutes may rise to senior roles in such nunneries, but rarely to governance.

A less expensive alternative is to give the fallen woman a little money, and passage to a town so distant from her previous home that she has no reputation. This is thought to allow her to find a husband, and so fade into society. This seldom works perfectly, because few medieval people move towns, so the women seem suspicious, and a woman failing to rapidly catch a husband still has few skills and needs an income. Resettlement is, however, the cheaper method, and does give women a fresh start away from old acquaintances.

Joining a young covenant is a good option for women who want to leave the sex trade. Many of the people who work for spring covenants are already socially marginalized. In many spring covenants, people do not discuss their pasts. If they do, many have done things worse than sex work.

Magi ruling spring covenants are often concerned by a lack of gender balance in their servants. This occurs because the initial turb of grogs, taken to found a covenant in the wilderness, is comprised of experienced soldiers, usually male. To move from a military camp to a community, wives are needed. Women who are penitent petty criminals, including ex-prostitutes, can often be convinced to leave mundane society for a guaranteed job and a fresh start.

Magi may also accept fallen women into their community to seek favor with the Church and local noblewomen. Several older covenants have populations descended from an initial group of fallen women, brought to the site while the covenant was still in spring. These places are more welcoming to women who have recently left the sex trade than mundane communities.

Covenants that allow prostitutes to retire to them can develop poor Reputations in surrounding communities, if the members are not careful. Many have formal structures to smooth social integration. In one covenant, for example, each new arrival is treated as the niece of a woman from the previous generation of adoptees, gaining a new extended family and place in the community.

Character Creation

The following notes will assist in the creation of characters who worked previously as prostitutes.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

Characters who have worked as prostitutes, and seek employment with covenants, usually come from the lower classes of Mythic European society. Women of higher social standing tend to act as mistresses to a single powerful lord, and are supported by his arrangements, or by their own families. Choose Social Status Virtues appropriately.

Many of the other Virtues and Flaws appropriate for characters working in the sex trade — Gossip, Protection, Social Contacts — are lost before play begins, when the character leaves her hometown. Players should only select Virtues and Flaws that the character will use in play.

Suggested Abilities

Most prostitutes are from the lower classes of urban areas, and have Abilities suiting this background. There are so many prostitutes, however, that characters from a wide variety of backgrounds, with a broad array of skills, are possible.

Training Packages

If an Ex-Prostitute joins a nunnery, she may be a Lay Sister. If she has traveled to a different town, she might pick up any career: Laborer, Craftswoman, and Servant are the most common, but many professions are open to a young woman with a clean start and good luck.

Ex-Prostitute Story Seeds

Ex-Prostitutes can stir up many kinds of stories.

A Troublesome Foundation

The magi learn from local farmers that a noblewoman has sent surveyors to a site near the covenant. Their companions investigate, and meet the architect. He has been commissioned to design a nunnery. Few covenants want religious establishments nearby, so they send a party to investigate the noblewoman, and see if she can be convinced to halt or move her foundation.

The noblewoman is elderly and wishes to retire from the world, leaving her lands in the hands of her son. She will accept a portion of her lands as abbess of a new foundation for fallen women. She is motivated by a desire for a contemplative life, a need of something useful to do in her retirement, and a spirit of charity.

The characters can alter her plans in several ways. The simplest is to offer her financial assistance in exchange for selecting a distant site. This would allow her to create a larger nunnery, and aid more fallen women. Player characters might, instead, recruit the noblewoman as an administrator, and her fallen women as covenfolk. If handled carefully, this could earn the covenant the gratitude of the nobleman, whose revenues would not be diminished by land grants, while still appearing as an act of charity, and so gaining the approval of the Church.

The Wrath of the Lusty

Recidivism in ex-prostitutes has many causes, but one is that there are demons of lust who prefer they resume their role as snares for the souls of men. A covenant full of contrite women may attract the attention of many Tempters (see Realms of Power: The Infernal, page 42). Rules for designing succubus and incubi, a type of demon that often hides among sex workers, are found on page 55, with an example on page 52. They may also attract the attention of a more powerful sexual demon, who seeks to harm the covenant by acting as mistress to a local nobleman and seeding hatred against the magi.

The magi may be able to protect their covenfolk, but the women have a second patron. Penitent prostitutes are guarded by Saint Mary Magdalene. Mary uses many of the tricks of medieval saints, like sending visions and nightmares, but is also particularly interventionist, and may cause shackles to fail, wounds to close, and faithful people to be mystically transported to safety.

A Consternation of Faeries

Fairies are attracted to people who are moving from one life stage to another, and this includes penitents. The possibility of repeated recidivism, where women cross and recross the boundary of what is socially acceptable, is attractive to some types of faeries. A community of penitent prostitutes may draw in sexual faeries like satyrs, who, unable to cross the Aegis, trouble nearby villages. Centaurs, representing the division between the bestial and cerebral natures of men, may be attracted to the community to redefine their roles into fully anthropomorphic shapes.

Sample Ability Scores

ABILITIES AT AGE 16: Area Lore 2 (seedy districts), Athletics 2 (running), Awareness 1 (when alone with someone), Bargain 3 (sexual services), Brawl 2 (grappling), Carouse 3 (intimacy), Charm 3 (licentious), Etiquette 1 (getting past guards), Folk Ken 3 (clients), Guile 2 (protesting innocence), Intrigue 1 (romantic), Native Language 5 (cursing), Profession: Prostitute 2 (collecting payment)

ABILITIES AT AGE 30: Area Lore 3 (seedy districts), Athletics 2 (running), Awareness 1 (when alone with someone), Bargain 4 (sexual services), Brawl 2 (grappling), Carouse 5 (intimacy), Charm 4 (licentious), Etiquette 1 (getting past guards), Folk Ken 4 (clients), Guile 3 (protesting innocence), Intrigue 1 (romantic), Legerdemain 2 (coins), Native Language 5 (cursing), Profession: Prostitute 5 (collecting payment)

Ex-Prostitute as Companion

Ex-Prostitutes who become companion characters differ from their sisters not so much in background or Ability, but in their fortune in their later career, and their influence in the troupe's stories. Characters who rise to a station that they could lose if their past were revealed may select the Dark Secret Flaw. Characters without this Flaw may instead have another Story Flaw, fleshing out the character's background further.

Saint Mary Magdalene: A Note for Players

Discussing religious figures is always awkward. Troupes are encouraged to discuss their level of comfort both with the portrayal of ex-prostitutes in their game, and their relationship with Saint Mary Magdalene.

Saint Mary Magdalene is interesting, in that she appears so differently to the two halves of medieval Christianity. In the Catholic west in 1220, she is believed to have been an ex-prostitute, the "sinful woman" in Luke who anoints the feet of Jesus, and, on a separate occasion, anoints Jesus' head. This is not the belief of the modern Catholic Church, who sees these three as separate women. In medieval literature, she is the patron of penitent sex workers and grants miracles to aid them. She is also the patron of contemplatives, apothecaries, perfumers, hairdressers, reformed sinners, and women in general. In addition, she is also credited with the invention of Easter eggs.

In Mythic Europe, a cult in her service is spreading through Burgundy, but her cult in Provence has not yet reached its historical heights. She is seen as the Apostle to the Apostles, and the first Christian to accept and announce the Resurrection.

In the Orthodox east, Mary is believed to have been a woman of such great piety that Satan misidentified her as the Mary who would bear Jesus, and sent seven demons to trouble her. She is seen as an equal to the apostles. She is a patron of women, but not of prostitutes in particular.

Her relics are found in Vézelay in Burgundy, and in Constantinople.

The Failed Apprentice

I could have been like them, you know. I should have been like them! But... that was a long time ago, and where else is there for me to go?

It is the hope of every magus that the apprentice he trains embraces the magical teachings of Bonisagus, swears the Oath, and follows his master's path into the Order of Hermes. But for some, those hopes are dashed, and the apprentice proves little more than a broken vessel to be discarded and replaced. Where should these young students go, with the truth of the supernatural world revealed to them, and no place in mundane society?

General Background

Robbed of his Gift, but with knowledge of the supernatural and Bonisagus' theories, the Failed Apprentice still has much to offer to a covenant. If taken from his parents at a very young age, life in a covenant is possibly the only life he has ever known. If he doesn't feel he can stay with his former master, he may seek out another covenant, either one that is friendly to his own, or one that he knows would offend the magus responsible for the loss of his Gift.

A Failed Apprentice may find himself busy in copying and preparing texts, assisting within the laboratory, or advising covenfolk both at home and on their journeys on supernatural matters.

Character Creation

The following notes will help with the creation of a Failed Apprentice.

Age and Characteristics

Apprentices can be taken at any age, though magi work hard to find them in their youth, when they can be molded into the image of a magus. A Failed Apprentice joining the covenant upon losing his Gift will probably be younger than 25, while one who has traveled before finding his place will be older.

The Failed Apprentice is normally intelligent, so as to take the mental rigors of a learned life, and hardy to withstand the toll of working magic, so Intelligence and Stamina should be his primary characteristics. Positive Perception or Dexterity will also benefit him, depending on what Supernatural Abilities remain.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

The Failed Apprentice has a number of Virtues and Flaws that reflect his magical past, and perhaps hint at a magical future.

Failed Apprentice; Latent Magical Ability, Magic Sensitivity; Broken Vessel*, Missing Eye, Offensive to Animals

\* See Chapter 6, New Virtues and Flaws

The Failed Apprentice Social Status Virtue is apt and gives the character access to both Academic and Arcane abilities. Latent Magical Ability and Magic Sensitivity are the remnants of the apprentice's Gift. The Flaws also represent these remnants, with the Missing Eye a lasting physical reminder, Offensive to Animals echoing the effect his Gift once had, and Broken Vessel a continuing threat of his magical powers slipping away from him. Alternatively, a Personality Flaw representing his continued bad feelings about the events that stripped his Gift from him would be entirely appropriate in place of a physical defect.

Suggested Abilities

A Failed Apprentice would have been tutored in academic and arcane knowledge until his Gift deserted him. Beyond that, he can take and improve any Abilities that his background suggests.

Training Packages

Training packages include: Covenfolk, Failed Apprentice, Magician, Natural Philosopher, Teacher

Sample Ability Scores

The Ability scores later do not take account of the Broken Vessel Flaw, nor do they account for any time spent learning the Arts from former masters. The scores have been arrived at using the standard grog creation guidelines.

ABILITIES AT AGE 15: Area Lore 1 (geography), Artes Liberales 1 (astronomy), Awareness 2 (determining effect), Brawl 1 (Fist), Charm 2 (first impressions), Etiquette 1 (faeries), Faerie Lore 2 (faerie mounds), Folk Ken 2 (magi), Infernal Lore 1 (curses), Latin 3 (Hermetic usage), Living Language 5 (storytelling), Magic Lore 2 (regiones), Magic Sensitivity 2 (auras), Magic Theory 2 (learning spells), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (history), Organization Lore: Covenant 1 (personalities), Philosophiae 2 (experimental philosophy), Profession: Scribe 2 (copying)

ABILITIES AT AGE 30: Area Lore 1 (geography), Artes Liberales 4 (astronomy), Awareness 2 (determining effect), Brawl 1 (Fist), Charm 2 (first impressions), Etiquette 3 (faeries), Faerie Lore 3 (faerie mounds), Folk Ken 2 (magi), Infernal Lore 3 (curses), Latin 3 (Hermetic usage), Living Language 5 (storytelling), Magic Lore 3 (regiones), Magic Sensitivity 4 (auras), Magic Theory 3 (learning spells), Order of Hermes Lore 2 (history), Organization Lore: Covenant 2 (personalities), Philosophiae 3 (experimental philosophy), Profession: Scribe 3 (copying)

Failed Apprentice Story Seeds

The following story seeds originate with the Failed Apprentice and he certainly appears as a prominent character, but they are designed with magus and companion characters in mind.

A Gift Returned Broken

A magus Bonisagi has fostered his apprentice out to another magus, just as House Bonisagus tradition dictates. But the apprentice suddenly returns to the covenant with a letter from the fostering magus. It seems a magical experiment has robbed the boy of his Gift. What does the magus do now? Can he force compensation for the loss? How can he replace the apprentice? And what becomes of the young student with so much stolen from him?

A New Tradition

A wizard from a hedge magic tradition searching for an apprentice of his own hears tell of a student damaged by his association with the Order. He offers to take the boy and teach him in his own way. But there's one problem: the wizard is under threat from an antagonistic Flambeau, and if the boy goes with the wizard, his life is at risk too.

A Second Chance

A faerie fortune teller accosts the failed apprentice while at market and offers a chance to wield magic again. But three tasks are laid out, which the apprentice must complete. The first is to rescue the "pining heart of the unforgotten woman." The second is to "capture the tears of the resolute man." And the third is to "reunite the distant lovers, in marriage, before three moons are done." If these three tasks can be accomplished, then the apprentice will know magic again. The fortune teller offers little advice, except that the woman will be found in a castle, in Acre, far across the sea. And one last thing: the fortune teller gives the apprentice a golden ring, with the assurance that "by this ring will she know you."

The Seed

An ancient magus, known to have visions and premonitions, tells the covenant that a powerful Gift may soon be born to the covenant. Deciphering his visions, the magi discern that the bookish Failed Apprentice is to be the father, and the mother is to be the somewhat robust cook, widow to the former turb captain. Can the magi bring these two together? Is love even within the power of the magi? Or will they need expert faerie assistance?

A Mundane Master

The old Failed Apprentice, finally tired of life at the covenant, leaves. Having taken minor orders and calling himself a clerk, he finds a position as an advisor on supernatural matters to a nearby noble. But then the old man sends word to his former covenant that the noble is a potential threat to them. How does the covenant investigate? And has the old man's disloyalty already been discovered?

ABILITIES AT AGE 45: Area Lore 1 (geography), Artes Liberales 4 (astronomy), Awareness 2 (determining effect), Brawl 1 (Fist), Charm 2 (first impressions), Concentration 3 (academic work), Dominion Lore 3 (divine creatures), Etiquette 3 (faeries), Faerie Lore 3 (faerie mounds), Folk Ken 2 (magi), Infernal Lore 3 (curses), Latin 3 (Hermetic usage), Living Language 5 (storytelling), Magic Lore 3 (regiones), Magic Sensitivity 5 (auras), Magic Theory 3 (learning spells), Order of Hermes Lore 2 (history), Organization Lore: Covenant 2 (personalities), Philosophiae 7 (experimental philosophy), Profession: Scribe 3 (copying)

At the age of 45, the Failed Apprentice has also researched five Formulae, as described in Art & Academe, and gained one Enriched object of virtue as described in Realms of Power: Magic.

Personality Traits

A Failed Apprentice may be Angry, Bitter, or Resentful over whatever took his Gift from him. The experience may have made him either Pessimistic or Resolute in the face of new challenges. But in either case, he may approach life with a new Worldly-Wise aspect.

Failed Apprentice as Companion

Grogs have a limited number of slots open for Virtues and Flaws and so have a limited range of Supernatural Abilities open to them. Companions and Mythic Companions may take more of these. They may also take Story Flaws relating to the events, perhaps Plagued by Supernatural Entity, or even Dark Secret, in addition to a Magical Air.

The Farrier

Some say an army marches on its stomach. But an army of horses marches very poorly indeed without proper hoof care, or if not professionally shod. An expert in this field is a prized asset in any army, caravan, or covenant. The Farrier is an important professional, needed wherever horses are in use. He is more craftsman than animal wrangler. While regular stable boys and groomsmen take care of the day-to-day tending and the hard labor of fetching water and mucking out the stables, the Farrier has more specialized skills. His primary area of expertise is caring for horses' hooves and fitting horseshoes, as well as general equine veterinary skills. The village blacksmith might have wrought the shoe, and could shoe the horse, if need be. But the Farrier can adapt, modify, and fit it optimally. Where many horses need care, a specialized Farrier is of great value. Some people even attribute to a good Farrier supernatural abilities; this may or may not be the case.

General Background

A wholly mundane Farrier could be the usual misfit or tragic figure, a person having lost everything or fallen to the bottom rung of society. Alternatively, he could be a person who has made enemies of nobles or been shunned by the craft guild. Such a character could easily be lured by a secure, free, and comfortable position at a well-off covenant.

A supernaturally aligned Farrier could either be shunned by society in general and by the Church in particular, or be harassed or sought after by magi, hedge wizards, or supernatural beings. And as such, only a covenant with a fair Aegis of the Hearth offers any real sanctuary. Depending on the supernatural abilities of the Farrier, covenants and magi could be anything from mildly to very interested. Small, mundane enhancements of quality, or even magical abilities, are great boons to the riders of a covenant turb. And this is nothing to the advantages a Mercer House could gain for their Redcaps.

Character Creation

The following notes provide guidance on creating a Farrier.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

Virtues might include: Animal Ken, Craft Guild Training*, Mythic Farrier*, Puissant (Craft: Farrier)

Flaws might include: Curse of Slander*, Imagined Folk Tradition Vulnerability*, Independent Craftsman, Necessary (Realm) for (Ability), Vulnerable to Folk Tradition

\* See Chapter 6, New Virtues and Flaws

Social Status

Craftsman seems the logical choice, although Wanderer or Outcast is appropriate for a newcomer or a troubled individual, or Covenfolk for a long-term employee.

Suggested Abilities

Suggested abilities are: Animal Handling, Craft: Farrier, Craft: Blacksmith, Bargain.

New Ability: Craft: Farrier (General)

This is the professional skill of hoof care and shoeing horses. It differs from Animal Handling by focusing on horses, and by expanding the knowledge of serious care of hooves, teeth and legs. It is also more craft-oriented, as it includes the skills needed to modify and adapt horseshoes made by a blacksmith. It may be used instead of Animal Handling or Medicine to cure equine disease; the farrier has a +1 bonus to resolve it, increasing to +3 if it concerns the feet, compared to somebody using Animal Handling. Many farriers also have Craft: Blacksmith, expanding their expertise to making horseshoes from raw iron as well as other ironworking skills.

Note that the rules from City & Guild for craft quality (page 67) allow for the farrier to make high quality horseshoes. A Craft Total of 12 makes Superior items, giving a +1 bonus for a single feature. This could cover only some of the typical Riding specialties: speed, sureness of foot, trample damage, jumping skill, etc. Horseshoes cannot by mundane means affect other specialties, like ease of control or endurance, but a Mythic Farrier could work magic into the shoes. A Craft total of 15 or more makes Excellent items, giving a bonus to all uses of a single Ability of +1 or more, limited to [Craft Ability]/3.

Training Packages

Training packages include: Athletic or Social Childhood. Craftsman, Farmer, or perhaps Animal Trainer. Covenfolk or Trainer for an experienced specialist.

The Craftsman package should use Craft: Farrier for Craft Type A, and Animal Handling or Craft: Blacksmith for Craft B.

Sample Ability Scores

These suggested Abilities can be used for any Farrier.

ABILITIES AT AGE 15 (APPRENTICE): Animal Handling 1 (horses), Area Lore 2 (local), Awareness 3 (animals), Bargain 3 (equine), Brawl 2 (grappling), Carouse 1 (stories), Craft: Farrier 4 (shoes), Native Language 5 (peasants), Organization Lore: Farriers' Guild 2 (regulations), Ride 3 (jumping).

ABILITIES AT AGE 25 (JOURNEYMAN): Animal Handling 3 (horses), Area Lore 2 (local), Awareness 3 (animals), Bargain 3 (equine), Brawl 2 (grappling), Carouse 3 (stories), Craft: Blacksmith 3 (15) (horseshoes), Craft: Farrier 5 (15) (shoes), Native Language 5 (peasants), Organization Lore: Farriers' Guild 2 (regulations), Ride 3 (jumping), Swim 2 (diving).

ABILITIES AT AGE 40 (MASTER): Animal Handling 5 (horses), Area Lore 4 (local), Awareness 4 (animals), Bargain 3 (equine), Brawl 3 (grappling), Carouse 3 (stories), Craft (Blacksmith) 5 (horseshoes), Craft: Farrier 6 (shoes), Guile 4 (fraud), Native Language 5 (peasants), Organization Lore: Farriers' Guild 3 (regulations), Ride 3 (jumping), Swim 2 (diving).

Farrier Story Seeds

These story seeds feature a Farrier as a central character.

Tipping the Scales

The covenant's scouts report that an ongoing, armed conflict is not only escalating, but the enemy is getting the upper hand. The turb is losing the battle due to the swiftness and responsiveness of the enemy's cavalry. Rumor has it that an excellent farrier moved to the neighboring village just last year, but strange things are said about him. Whether or not he is evil incarnate, he is said to possess almost supernatural abilities. The magi want to enlist his help, voluntarily or not. But he is not so easily coerced, and further study reveals that he is in fact in the employment of the enemy. Thus, his recruitment becomes doubly important; not only can he improve the covenant's cavalry, his services will also be denied to the enemy. But beware, as he is easily spooked and may bolt and all but disappear. Retracing his past steps shows that he moves yearly, and always ends up with a poor reputation. Do the magi really want such a troublemaker in their midst?

Playing the Part

In the course of an adventure, a group of magi and their retinue come across a somewhat strange noble court, in the middle of the wilderness. The archetypical courtiers and retainers found there, as well as the flawless castle, quickly reveal out the fay. But it is too late, the characters are already caught up in a faerie story of court intrigue, romance and tragic dueling. Regrettably, the court is inhabited by dark faeries, who are sore losers indeed. Some of the lower-ranking fay even stoop to cheating, a thing immediately punished by the lord, but the setbacks to the player characters' situation remain. Eventually, one of the court servants turns out to be a faerie-touched human, serving as stable master. He has been held prisoner, but tolerated it, while learning from the faerie smith. But now he is fed up, and wants to leave. He offers to help the characters to steal the fastest faerie horses, and hamper the lord's hunting party. However, the ensuing hunt is tricky, since the dark forest is still to a certain degree controlled by the faerie lord.

A Pawn Saved Is a Pawn Owned

A maga is tasked with setting up a Mercer house at her covenant, in order to secure the best possible mounts for the Redcaps. The orders are clear, the task is rushed along, but the resources are lagging. The covenant lacks a great deal of the resources due to other pressing matters or vis shortages. However, the covenant has a Mythic Farrier in its service, and the maga sees great opportunities. Significantly, a lot of what she thought she needed magic and vis for can be done by this simple craftsman. Can he be convinced to do with his skills what might have needed Hermetic magic?

Farrier as Companion

Using the Farrier concept as a companion gives even more reason to play with the supernatural side of it. The increased range of Virtues possible allows Mythic Farrier to be expanded with a second form, or even replaced by the Touched by [Realm] Major Virtue in order to avoid some of the restrictions of the Minor version (City & Guild, page 71). Furthermore, Puissant (Ability), Affinities, Increased, or Great Characteristic can boost the potential Craft Totals considerably. Various Social Status Virtues from City & Guild could improve the Farrier's place in society and his workshop, and possibly give him the benefits of assistants. But the main idea is making him a character worth playing and bringing along on adventures, instead of having him just hammer away in his shop. Investing in the Arcane Lore Virtue would make him a fine choice to bring along when investigating exotic locales for minerals — for him to use in his horseshoes — or for supernaturally aligned riding beasts.

The Jack-of-All-Trades

No problem at all. I was apprenticed to a mason before I went on campaign with Duke Tybol. Of course, that was after my brief stint in the circus. I'll soon have that bridge fixed, and we can be on our way.

Everybody knows someone like this character. He is the sort of person who has never managed to hold down a single job for too long. He has no idea what he wants to do with his life, and he drifts from place to place, never remaining long enough to learn anything that might earn him a living. He might have begun as a baker's apprentice, but then enrolled into university dreaming of becoming a famous academician. Once those dreams fade, he enlists in the army, until his unit is disbanded and he is turned out penniless onto the streets. This prompts him to engage in a larcenous career until he has stolen enough to invest in a trade...and so on and so forth. Over the course of a life like this, a character can accumulate a vast array of different skills, but he will never be good enough in any one Ability to make a career out of it: a true jack-of-all-trades, but master of none.

General Background

In Mythic Europe, only those from a moderately wealthy background have the option to choose a trade for themselves; most peasants take on their fathers' profession, or that of the master to whom they are apprenticed. For someone from a humble background to become a Jack-of-All-Trades, something else must have driven him from home and prevented him from settling down. This might be as simple as a wanderlust, a thirst to see the world and witness new experiences that drives him ever onwards. Alternatively, he might make others uncomfortable due to poor hygiene, odious personal habits, outspoken beliefs, or a general aura of wrongness. Finally, he may carry some sort of curse or bad luck that discourages anyone from wanting to become his friend, for fear of being caught up in the backlash. This could be a very lonely or pitiful character.

Jack-of-All-Trades Story Seeds

A Jack-of-All-Trades character can end up embroiled in just about any kind of story.

The Perils of Over-Reliance

A covenant has a contested vis source whose method of collection changes every year; for example, a magical sphinx poses a different challenge every year. The Jack-of-All-Trades can usually be relied upon to gather the vis, since he can meet most challenges. However, the grog fails to return from one of his regular trips from the covenant, and the covenant has a dilemma. If they go ahead with the yearly task, they have a higher probability of failure, and may well be too late to save their valuable grog from whatever peril he has found himself in. However, if they devote resources to his rescue, they might allow others to capitalize on their failure. And what predicament is the grog in anyway? Perhaps he has been imprisoned by the covenant's enemy in an attempt to weaken them or extract information. Or maybe it is simply an accident.

A Problem Shared Is a Problem Inherited

The player characters first come across a jinxed grog as he struggles with a wagon that has broken an axle and is blocking the road. The quickest way to get by is to assist the flustered individual to reload his cargo and help repair his employer's wagon. However, the spilled load has angered a local faerie — perhaps it was a consignment of iron horseshoes for the local town — and the faerie is incapable of distinguishing the responsible individual (the grog) from those who help him (the player characters). Throughout the course of their shared misfortune, the grog proves himself to be resourceful, and since he is probably going to be out of a job anyway (he's frightfully late with this cargo), he asks if there is perhaps a job for him with the player characters.

Despite mundane society having little use for a character who cannot manage to master a single trade, such a character can prove a boon to a covenant. Here, his very lack of focus can be a blessing to a turb, and he can find himself being paid purely because of his eclectic collection of knowledge and skills. When on expedition, a soldier who has the Abilities of Single Weapon, Craft: Cook, and Etiquette, in addition to being able to speak French and Ancient Greek and debate Philosophiae, can be of great value to a magus. He might not be the best warrior in the world, but his other Abilities more than make up the difference in the eyes of the covenant.

Character Creation

What follows are notes to help create Jack-of-All-Trades characters.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

First, decide why the character has been unable to stay in one place; this could be due to any of the following Flaws: Craving for Travel*, Jinxed*, Lesser Malediction, Unlucky*, Social Handicap, or Tainted with Evil. The character should have at least one, and possibly two Virtues, allowing him to take Academic, Arcane, or Martial Abilities, and is likely to have extra experience points from Virtues such as Privileged Upbringing or Well-Traveled. The character probably does not have Puissant (Ability), Affinity with (Ability), or any other Virtue that indicates a particular focus, but the Jack-of-All-Trades* Virtue is highly appropriate. A character like this could be totally Carefree about his lack of focus and direction, or he could be depressed and Pessimistic instead. The Master of None* and Careless with Ability* Flaws represent a character who is mediocre at a lot of things, but highly unspecialized.

\* See Chapter 6, New Virtues and Flaws.

Suggested Abilities

Just about any Ability suits this character concept, and he is likely possessed of a number of Abilities that are unusual ones for grogs to have, such as Etiquette or Artes Liberales. It is likely that he is a soldier at base, which would enhance his usefulness in a turb by being able to turn his hand to anything, in addition to being able to fight as part of the trained group.

Training Packages

The character is likely to have taken several three-year packages, representing flitting from job to job in the course of his career. Just about any package is possible. He probably has spent the most time in professions providing Martial Abilities.

Sample Ability Scores

This character must be able to take Martial Abilities at character creation.

ABILITIES AT AGE 22: Animal Handling 2 (oxen), Area Lore 3 (jobs), Athletics 3 (climbing), Awareness 1 (being watched), Brawl 3 (punches), Chirurgy 3 (cuts), Craft: Wrought Iron 1 (nails), Folk Ken 2 (employers), Guile 2 (qualifications), Native Language 5 (wide vocabulary), Profession: Farmer 3 (plowing), Profession: Storyteller 3 (bawdy tales), Single Weapon 3 (15) (axe), Stealth 1 (inside), Survival 2 (on the road)

ABILITIES AT AGE 34: Animal Handling 2 (oxen), Area Lore 4 (jobs), Athletics 3 (10) (climbing), Awareness 2 (5) (being watched), Brawl 3 (5) (punches), Carouse 3 (drinking capacity), Chirurgy 3 (cuts), Concentration 1 (on watch), Craft: Wrought Iron 1 (nails), Folk Ken 3 (employers), Guile 2 (5) (qualifications), Hunt 2 (deer), Native Language 5 (wide vocabulary), Profession: Farmer 3 (plowing), Profession: Storyteller 3 (bawdy tales), Single Weapon 4 (10) (axe), Stealth 1 (inside), Survival 3 (on the road), Thrown Weapon 3 (dagger)

ABILITIES AT AGE 46: Animal Handling 2 (oxen), Area Lore 4 (jobs), Athletics 4 (climbing), Awareness 3 (being watched), Bargain 2 (clothes), Brawl 4 (punches), Carouse 3 (drinking capacity), Charm 3 (women), Chirurgy 3 (cuts), Concentration 1 (on watch), Craft: Wrought Iron 1 (nails), Folk Ken 3 (employers), Guile 3 (qualifications), Hunt 2 (deer), Intrigue 1, Leadership 2 (10) (in combat), Native Language 5 (wide vocabulary), Profession: Farmer 3 (plowing), Profession: Merchant 2 (cloth), Profession: Sailor 2 (rivers), Profession: Storyteller 3 (bawdy tales), Single Weapon 5 (axe), Stealth 1 (inside), Survival 3 (on the road), Swim 2 (rivers), Thrown Weapon 3 (dagger)

Jack-of-All-Trades as Companion

A companion character might have a Story Flaw that prevents her from settling down, such as Enemies or Plagued by Supernatural Entity. With more Virtue points available, a companion character might be able to get a score in all possible Abilities, and can pick multiple Virtues that offer extra experience points to represent the wealth of experience that she has gathered over her years of wandering.

A grog Jack-of-All-Trades could easily blossom into a companion character by finally settling down into a trade — and discovering that she is remarkably good at it. This sort of Inauguration transformation might bring with it a number of Virtues which describe one's new-found excellence in a particular Ability, such as Puissant (Ability) and Cautious with (Ability).

Misguided Mystic

I'm getting a letter 'D'...it's an old man... does that have any meaning to you, dearie? He's holding his chest, as if it hurts...was he elf-shot perhaps? No? Not familiar?...maybe the spirits are saying 'B,' not 'D'...

Not everyone who claims mystical insight has actually been touched by a higher power. True prophecy is exceptionally rare, and most street-corner "prophets" are charlatans or mentally deranged. Religious zealots might undergo ordeals in order to gain a glimpse of the Divine Plan. Occasionally, however, individuals arise who did not seek out their visions, and are neither mad nor attempt to make a profit from their predictions. Such individuals often reject their unnatural insights, and keep them hidden from their families and friends for years. Alternatively they may have a single confidante, who unwittingly lets slip his friend's miraculous abilities, and she becomes a minor local celebrity. Of course, occasionally even con men and madmen can have real powers of prediction.

The form that these visions takes varies from individual to individual, and there are many types of "mystical" powers available in Mythic Europe. Seeing the unseen (Second Sight) is perhaps the most common ability, and the finding of lost things (Dowsing) and prescience of danger (Premonitions) are nearly as common.

Perhaps the most pitiful — and potentially dangerous — of characters is one who has a definite mystical power, but misunderstands it. A character might see the impressions from her Second Sight as hallucinations warning of danger. If she is sensitive to magical impressions, she can easily misinterpret these impressions as an ability to sniff out evil, particularly if she encounters Gifted characters. If she is known for her abilities among her neighbors, this could cause great troubles for a group of magi.

Eventually, the Misguided Mystic can get into trouble when others discover her powers, real or imagined. If they appear benign, she might be hounded by those seeking predictions and asked for things that she cannot provide. If her powers have had a more negative reception, she may be chased out of town as a witch. A covenant can offer refuge to one with these talents.

Character Creation

These are suggestions for the creation of Misguided Mystic characters.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

This character is likely to have the Wise One Social Status, unless she has kept her "powers" a secret. The Misguided Mystic could have actual oracular powers in the form of Supernatural Virtues, of which the following are particularly appropriate: Dowsing, Magic Sensitivity, Premonitions, Second Sight, and Sense Holiness & Unholiness. When taking one of these Virtues, the player should decide to which Realm of Power the Ability is aligned and describe why. Aligning to the Divine Realm is perhaps the most useful, but this would require the character to be pious, at least. Aligning to a Realm of Power could result in the (Realm) Stigmatic* Flaw. A character with more than one Supernatural Virtue need not align them all to the same realm.

Rather than any actual power, the grog might instead have a Latent Magic Ability, and her prophetic abilities might develop over time. Alternatively, she could be afflicted by the Hallucinations* Flaw, and her powers wholly delusory. A character who has made correct prophecies in the past that had some major impact on the local landscape might have the Famous Virtue, or else the Infamous Flaw, if things did not go so well.

A Misguided Mystic might be confused as to what her visions are telling her. She might have both Magic Sensitivity and Sense Holiness & Unholiness, but be unable to tell them apart, or have both the Visions and Hallucinations* Flaws. Characters afflicted with the Falling Evil* are commonly believed to be touched by a supernatural power when they have a fit, although this Flaw is not available to grog characters. A Misguided Mystic may have other Personality Flaws that hint at mental instability: Compulsion, Fear, Obsessed, or Weakness. All Virtues and Flaws marked with an asterisk are described in this book.

Suggested Abilities

This character can probably take Arcane Abilities at character creation, and usually has a decent score in a particular (Realm) Lore. Leadership is a useful Ability for expounding one's prophecies to the masses, as is Folk Ken. The character does not need Guile unless she is deliberately deceiving her audience. Apart from these Abilities, and any Supernatural Abilities she might have, the Misguided Mystic has Abilities appropriate to the career she followed before her visions started. It is wise to pick Abilities that make the character of sufficient use to the magi for her to be employed by them.

Training Packages

Training packages for Misguided Mystics include: Local, Cunning Man, Conman, Mystic, Storyteller.

Sample Ability Scores

This character must be able to take Arcane Abilities at character creation. No Supernatural Abilities have been included; increase her age to get sufficient experience points.

ABILITIES AT AGE 21: Area Lore 3 (personalities), Charm 3 (sincerity), Concentration 2 (visions), Dominion Lore 3 (visions), Folk Ken 4 (10) (cold reading), Guile 2 (hiding ignorance), Native Language 5 (religious language), Organization Lore: Church 1 (visionaries), Organization Lore: Town Council 4 (feuds), Profession: Servant 3 (5) (cooking), Survival 2 (hills)

ABILITIES AT AGE 30: Area Lore 3 (personalities), Bargain 1 ("gifts"), Charm 3 (15) (sincerity), Concentration 2 (visions), Dominion Lore 3 (10) (visions), Faerie Lore 2 (prophecy), Folk Ken 5 (cold reading), Guile 3 (hiding ignorance), Intrigue 2 (rumors), Native Language 5 (religious language), Organization Lore: Church 1 (visionaries), Organization Lore: Town Council 4 (feuds), Profession: Servant 4 (cooking), Profession: Storyteller 3 (plausible tales), Survival 2 (hills)

ABILITIES AT AGE 42: Area Lore 4 (personalities), Bargain 2 ("gifts"), Charm 4 (sincerity), Chirurgy 2 (bruises), Concentration 2 (visions), Dominion Lore 4 (visions), Faerie Lore 3 (15) (prophecy), Folk Ken 5 (cold reading), Guile 3 (hiding ignorance), Infernal Lore 2 (visions), Intrigue 3 (rumors), Native Language 5 (religious language), Organization Lore: Church 1 (visionaries), Organization Lore: Town Council 4 (15) (feuds), Profession: Servant 5 (cooking), Profession: Storyteller 4 (plausible tales), Survival 2 (hills)

Misguided Mystic as Companion

The Misguided Mystic can be made into a companion character by putting her in touch with a higher power. The Visions Story Flaw is an excellent way to achieve this; not only are the visions true, but they also drag the character into stories. True prophetic power only comes from the Divine (Realms of Power: The Divine, page 54), but there are non-Divine powers that could be useful to an oracle, such as Divination and Augury (The Mysteries Revised Edition, page 58) and the Dream Power (Realms of Power: Faerie, page 126). Even without overt powers of prediction, there are several Supernatural Abilities that fit very well with this character concept, and a companion character could take two or more of the Abilities listed earlier.

Misguided Mystic Story Seeds

A character who regularly misinterprets genuine signs of the supernatural is likely to complicate many stories, even when she doesn't cause them.

Let It Burn

The player characters are passing through a town one day, and they witness a woman being placed into the stocks. If they ask about her, they'll be told she has been spouting nonsense about the town burning down. If the characters need help in paying attention to this event, then she might shriek out a random piece of "prophecy" that strikes a particular chord with one of the magi. Sure enough, later that day the town starts to burn, and the characters might become involved in saving it. However, the fire was set by the woman's grown son, who has been secretly fulfilling her prophecies so that she does not seem to be a fool. He may have gone too far this time; the townsfolk who have lost their homes are clamoring for the woman to be tried as a witch. Should the characters step in to save her, then she will have no place in the town following her rescue, and her skills could prove useful at the covenant.

Cry Wolf

After a while, the magi grow used to the misguided mystic's frequent and inaccurate predictions of doom. However, she suddenly acquires an infallible sense of the future, correctly predicting that the cook will spoil the dinner, that the chambermaid's cat will be found in the chimney of the great hall, and that the seamstress is having an affair with the doorward. The magi might be interested in her new-found prophetic ability; could it be the stars, or the influence of faeries or worse, demons — or something else? While they are investigating, she predicts that the covenant will burn, and an unspecified magus will perish in the blaze. Can this prediction be thwarted by discovering the source of the oracular knowledge?

A grog character — particularly one with Latent Magic Ability — could transform into a companion character through some sort of mystic revelation, or exposure to a source of powerful magic.

The Murderer

I know they say what I done was wrong, but I'd do it again, I would. An' I'd look into 'is eyes while doin' it too.

The covenants established and managed by magi of the Order seem to suspend some of the normal rules of the world around them. Whether by negotiated charter or the power to impose their will, covenants manage their own affairs within their own walls. And this de facto sanctuary attracts those that the outside world might dispose of, those like thieves and murderers.

General Background

This grog is an unrepentant murderer. He sought sanctuary in the covenant having heard of a place where secrets stay secret, and where a man's worth is measured by what he does today, and not the crimes of yesterday. Whatever the reason for his past crimes, a crime of passion, an argument that turned to violence, or an act of vengeance, deep down he knows that he would do it again in the same situation. And this prevents his true repentance. He has had to flee those he once knew, unable to return for fear of being caught and punished for what he has done. The covenant is his only hope.

The Murderer works hard to make himself useful in the covenant, taking on every job and chore that he can, trying to secure a position for that fateful day when his secret is finally discovered.

Character Creation

These notes will help in creating a Murderer character.

Age and Characteristics

A man may be driven to murder at any age, and any man may be driven to it. Because of this, there is no particular age or set of characteristics that define him. However, a man looking to extend his sanctuary will find a way to make himself useful around the covenant, probably taking on any menial tasks that present themselves. So he'll probably have a high Dexterity so that he's good with his hands, and at least a positive Strength and Stamina, representing his determination to work hard.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

While the Murderer has found a place for himself within the covenant, he is still damned for the crimes that drove him there, and a reputation has followed him. The Virtues and Flaws that follow are appropriate for a Murderer working as a jack-of-all-trades at the covenant: Covenfolk, Good Teacher, Puissant Brawl, Tough; Manifest Sin*, Infamous, Master of None*

Murderer Story Seeds

A Murderer character is sure to cause trouble wherever he goes.

Sanctuary

A local knight comes to the covenant looking for a man fleeing justice for a murder. The man has been spotted and the knight demands that he is handed over. The Murderer, who by this time has become a useful and popular member of the covenfolk, pleads for sanctuary. The magi and their deputies must balance external politics against the opinion of their own people.

Vengeance

After all these long years, a sin thought forgotten is revisited upon the covenant. The victim's son comes looking for the man who did him such wrong. And he brings allies. The allies he rides with are rivals to the covenant, looking to use the situation to force a minor victory over the covenant. Do the magi turn the killer over to his accuser, or risk further political problems at the hands of their enemies?

The Mind of a Killer

A magus has reached a plateau in his study of the Art of Mentem, or the knowledge of Philosophiae. To push his work onwards, he has decided he needs to examine a damaged mind, and he has heard of a murderer given sanctuary in a nearby covenant. Can the magus gain access to the murderer? And how does the season of study affect both the magus and his subject?

Plausible Deniability

A guild master in the nearby town seems to know too much about the magical crafting of the covenant's magus of House Verditius and is bringing unwanted attention to the covenant. As fortune would have it, there is a man living in the covenant who has the dark streak necessary for the job. The magus' venditor has planned the hit, and the Murderer must carry it out. But have the magi really ordered this, or is there something else influencing the venditor?

Repentance

The Murderer contracts a disease that rapidly delivers him at death's door. With so little time left to him, the unrepentant killer must now find a way to cleanse his soul. With all the power at their disposal, will the magi help him? If all the ministrations of the Church cannot save the man, can they attract the attention of a higher power?

\* See Chapter 6, New Virtues and Flaws

This suggests a character with a dark crime in his past, not made for a martial life, but who nonetheless knows how to take care of himself.

Suggested Abilities

A killer on the run may come from any background, but a grog is most often of a lowly status. As such, he may have any Abilities his Virtues allow, but his reputation and confinement to the covenant may limit the Abilities he can advance. In later years, he makes a good teacher, passing on his numerous skills to a younger generation.

Training Packages

The following packages are appropriate for hard-working covenfolk with particular trade: Brawler, Covenfolk, Craftsman, Laborer, Local, Servant, Tinker.

However, the Murderer, with his Master-Of-None Flaw, must apply his experience points to a different Ability each season of the year. This means that the packages must be adjusted so that they each put experience into four different Abilities rather than the more usual three.

Sample Ability Scores

The Abilities listed later are appropriate for a menial jack-of-all-trades trying to prove his value to the covenant any way he can.

ABILITIES AT AGE 20: Animal Handling 2 (sheep), Athletics 2 (running), Awareness 2 (alertness), Bargain 1 (food), Brawl 2 (bludgeon), Carouse 1 (staying sober), Charm 2 (first impressions), Climb 2 (hills), Concentration 1, Craft: Cooperage 1 (oak barrels), Craft: Furniture Maker 1 (chairs), Craft: Masonry 1 (repairs), Craft: Woodworking 2 (treating wood), Fishing 1 (rivers), Folk Ken 2 (peasants), Guile 2 (concealing his past), Hunt 2 (rabbits), Intrigue 1 (people interested in him), Living Language 5, Organization Lore: Covenant 1 (jobs that need doing), Profession: Farmer 1 (harvest), Profession: Laborer 1 (digging), Profession: Tinker 2 (tin), Stealth 2 (hiding), Survival 2 (on the road), Swim 2 (rivers), Teaching 1 (Craft: Woodworking)

ABILITIES AT AGE 40: Animal Handling 2 (sheep), Athletics 2 (running), Awareness 2 (alertness), Bargain 3 (food), Brawl 5 (bludgeon), Carouse 3 (staying sober), Charm 2 (first impressions), Climb 2 (hills), Concentration 2, Craft: Cooperage 2 (oak barrels), Fishing 2 (rivers), Folk Ken 3 (peasants), Craft: Furniture Maker 2 (chairs), Guile 3 (concealing his past), Hunt 2 (rabbits), Intrigue 2 (people interested in him), Living Language 5, Organization Lore: Covenant 2 (jobs that need doing), Profession: Brewer 2 (saving materials), Profession: Laborer 3 (digging), Profession: Farmer 2 (harvest), Profession: Tinker 3 (tin), Craft: Masonry 2 (repairs), Stealth 2 (hiding), Survival 2 (on the road), Swim 2 (rivers), Teaching 2 (Carpentry), Craft: Woodworking 3 (treating wood)

ABILITIES AT AGE 60: Animal Handling 3 (sheep), Athletics 2 (running), Awareness 2 (alertness), Bargain 3 (food), Brawl 5 (bludgeon), Carouse 4 (staying sober), Charm 2 (first impressions), Climb 2 (hills), Concentration 2, Craft: Cooperage 3 (oak barrels), Craft: Furniture Maker 3 (chairs), Craft: Masonry 4 (repairs), Craft: Woodworking 3 (treating wood), Fishing 3 (rivers), Folk Ken 4 (peasants), Guile 4 (concealing his past), Hunt 2 (rabbits), Intrigue 2 (people interested in him), Living Language 5, Organization Lore: Covenant 2 (jobs that need doing), Profession: Brewer 4 (saving materials), Profession: Farmer 4 (harvest), Profession: Laborer 4 (digging), Profession: Tinker 4 (tin), Stealth 2 (hiding), Survival 2 (on the road), Swim 2 (rivers), Teaching 4 (Carpentry)

Personality Traits & Reputations

The Murderer may be conflicted, feeling Guilty and Unrepentant in equal measure, but a character fleeing his crime to the safety of a covenant is likely to have overcome his guilt and be more Self-Preserving. He may be Brave, but not to the extent that he will face up to his crimes.

He also has a Local Reputation as a murderer. If the Infamous Flaw has also been taken, this starts with a score of 4.

Murderer as Companion

A grog created using this archetype does not have access to the Dark Secret Story Flaw, so his crime(s) are known from the outset. A Companion character has the option to hide his crime and have the secret revealed over the course of play. There is also more scope for Companions to take other Flaws that represent the mundane and supernatural repercussions of his crimes, such as the Enemies Story Flaw.

The Parent of a Gifted Child

Where he goes, I go.

The potential for a child to be born with The Gift within the mundane populace is vastly higher than among the relatively small numbers of magi. Children with The Gift are rare, and they are born to parents who come from all walks of life, social backgrounds, and abilities. It is safe to say that most apprentices will come from the peasants, as they are more numerous than the other social classes.

Raising a child with The Gift is a difficult task. The Gifted child might be fully formed, and well-presented in all ways, but The Gift still has a negative effect on people and animals. While not immune to The Gift, loving parents may grow to be used to the Gifted child's strange air. People who are close to the family may accept the child with all his strangeness, but there are always strangers who feel repulsed in some way or another. There may even be rumors of witchcraft and demonic possession. This causes the parents of the child no end of discomfort. On the one hand, they love their child. On the other, their child is inadvertently causing trouble in the community. The parents may move around the country if they have the freedom to do so, but many do not due to their social status.

It then comes as a relief when a learned scholar comes by, and wants the child as an apprentice. The scholar, who also has The Gift, promises to keep their child safe as well as feed, clothe, and educate him. He even offers to buy the child. The parents, while happy with the idea of the apprenticeship, are still under the effects of The Gift, and don't fully trust the magus. So they choose to join the covenant.

The new apprentice's parents benefit most covenants. New covenants gain at least one new grog, and an older covenant has the benefit of an all-purpose grog to free a specialist grog from general duties. Within the covenant, the parents continue to care for their child outside his periods of study. It may well be that the care of the other apprentices will also fall to them. In addition, while having no combat skills at all, they make adequate guides from having traveled extensively throughout at least two regions, and may add some vital skills or even money-making abilities to the covenant. For example, an apiarist may add money, food, medicine, and possibly even unclaimed vis to the covenant.

Story Seeds for Parents of a Gifted Child

Parents of a Gifted Child are generally involved in stories surrounding their child.

Hide and Seek

Someone out in the populace is spreading the word about the evils of the Order of Hermes. The words "child sacrifice" and "murder" are used. He is building a following of torch-wielding peasants, and it is only a matter of time before he turns on the covenant. There is also a rumor that the peasants have captured a young mage. The magi and companions are too obvious to try a rescue. The magus' mundane parent and the other grogs must try their best.

The Bad Master

Characters hear the story of a pair of distraught parents. Their child had been stolen by what sounds like a fellow magus. Upon hearing the magus' name, however, the characters know that the magus is infamous for misusing his apprentices by teaching them little, and using them as virtual lab slaves. Rescue may be a relatively easy task, if there is a Bonisagus in the covenant. However, on hearing the intentions of the characters to keep the child after rescue, the parents insist on coming along to stay close to the child. Also, the characters have made a powerful enemy of the magus.

The Peddler's Gift

Working as a purchase agent for the covenant, the peddler-grog can deal in all sorts of interesting trinkets, and would be particularly interested in magical goods. With his own money, the peddler buys a gift for his child from a mysterious man, thinking the Gifted child would be happy with such a gift from the once-impoverished father. However, the gift is in fact a device from an enemy, designed to annoy, scry, or even put the covenant in danger. Instead of attacking a magus as intended, the poor apprentice suffers the magical device's effects. If the peddler does not have a Gifted child, then normal business transactions could land the device in the covenant's hands, although full magi may be a little more wary.

The Lost Parent

A character has just run his Gauntlet. While he undertook his challenge, his parent was sent with a group of grogs to a neighboring covenant, with a delivery of books to trade for vis. The grogs never returned, however. The magi of the covenant send the newly Gauntleted magi to investigate.

The main role of the parents is that of support. They do the jobs that specialist grogs are too busy to perform, such as mending pots or fixing roofs. In lean times, they have the skills to assist the covenant hunters by foraging. In a covenant with a limited number of staff, they may double as personal servants or housekeepers. These grogs would really shine as the covenant's main provider of food. Depending on space, and some general labor, they can raise crops, and animals for food or trade. They are also equipped to bargain for food from the local peasantry.

Character Creation

The following notes will assist in the creation of a Parent of a Gifted Child character.

Suggested Abilities

The parents of a child with The Gift can come from a wide variety of backgrounds. They are just as likely to be an annoyance to the covenant as a boon, but will most likely have skills and attributes that can be set up or packed up easily for a life of travel. As such, the Craft and Profession abilities have been left open for customization.

ABILITIES AT AGE 20: Animal Handling 2 (farm animals), Area Lore: Area A 1, Area Lore: Area B 1, Athletics 2 (chasing children), Awareness 2 (location of child), Bargain 2 (food), Carouse 2 (staying sober), Charm 2 (peasants), Concentration 2 (background noise), Craft A 2, Craft B 2, Craft C 2, Chirurgy 2 (childhood illnesses), Etiquette 2 (peasants), Folk Ken 2 (peasants), Guile 2 (lying for child), Hunt 2 (rabbits), Living Language 1 (trading), Native Language 5 (scolding), Profession 2, Survival 2 (near settlements)

ABILITIES AT AGE 35: Animal Handling 2 (farm animals), Area Lore: Area A 2, Area Lore: Area B 2, Athletics 2 (chasing children), Awareness 2 (location of child), Bargain 4 (food), Carouse 2 (staying sober), Charm 2 (peasants), Concentration 2 (background noise), Craft A 4, Craft B 3, Craft C 3, Chirurgy 3 (childhood illnesses), Etiquette 3 (peasants), Folk Ken 3 (peasants), Guile 2 (lying for child), Hunt 2 (rabbits), Living Language 3 (trading), Native Language 5 (scolding), Profession 2, Survival 4 (near settlements)

The Refugee Librarian

Listen to me, we're here now and there's no going back. Just be thankful we have a home again and serve these new masters as they deserve, for they have taken us in when no one else would.

When a magus or a covenant falls, the loss is not only one to the Order but is most keenly felt by the covenfolk. Suddenly, they find themselves without their masters, without protection, and without income. Those serving a fallen covenant face finding new mundane lords, or trekking out to join another covenant.

New Spell: The Librarian's Buckle

ReCo 25

Pen +0, 24/day

R: Touch, D: Concentration, T: Individual

This enchanted buckle allows the wearer to move with freedom in any direction, even unsupported into the air. It was designed for and awarded to the librarian of a nowdissolved covenant and became a symbol of the office, passed down through generations of librarians. That covenant had a library built in a tall narrow tower, with the most valuable books and scrolls stored in a chamber near the roof that was inaccessible without using the buckle.

(Base 5, +1 Touch, +1 Concentration; +5 for 24 uses per day; +5 levels to allow the device to maintain concentration)

General Background

Magi, covenants, and practitioners of hedge magic all have secrets, and their servants are likely to acquire some of the more peripheral knowledge over time. In particular, grogs who accompanied their magi to the secret sites of initiation, or to collect vis, or consult powerful supernatural spirits are immediately useful. And those tasked with less adventurous duties, such as librarians, scribes, stewards, and forge companions, may also have valuable information, such as cyphers to the personal codes used by their magi, records of meetings and agreements made by the covenant, and details of mundane entanglements that a new covenant could exploit. The fleeing covenfolk may also bring enchanted items with them; indeed, for some kinds of the dissolution, this is quite likely.

Accepting refugees from another covenant may cause friction with the existing covenfolk, and this may impact their loyalty. The first year after accepting refugees, the covenant suffers a Loyalty penalty of –3, as though suffering a Severe Hardship (see Covenants, Chapter 3, for more on governance in general and loyalty in particular). After that, each story that is told in which the two communities are brought closer together reduces this penalty by one. This means that tension within the covenfolk may impact loyalty for far longer than the initial year.

But the situation could worsen, which could see the covenant riven with jealousy and resentment. The Divided Loyalty Major Residents Hook (Covenants, page 19) is appropriate for troupes wanting to highlight these problems.

Character Creation

As a group of grogs now stripped of their covenant, any of the other archetypes can be applied, and all the reasons for wanting to live within the protection of a covenant still apply. The additional motivation is clear: to carry on living life in perhaps the only way they know.

Many understand the routines and needs of magi, others may have supernatural Virtues or Flaws that make them useful to magical scholars, and some may have mundane connections within other covenants, and be able to bring information with them.

Age and Characteristics

Refugees can clearly be of any age and have a range of characteristics. The example used here is for a Librarian already well-practiced in his profession.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

Virtues and Flaws might include: Custos (granting Academic Abilities), Magic Items*, Puissant Profession: Librarian; Stuck in his Ways*, Ability Block (Martial), Covenant Upbringing

\* See Chapter 6: New Virtues and Flaws

The example refugee whom we're following is a Librarian, a valued and trusted role, so the position of Custos is appropriate, as is Puissant Profession: Librarian. His service may also have awarded him an enchanted item, covered by the Magic Items Virtue. As for Flaws, coming to a new covenant may take some adjustment, so he has the new Stuck in his Ways Flaw. He is completed by a Martial Ability Block, due to years of doing little beyond his academia during his Covenant Upbringing.

Suggested Abilities

Grogs coming from another covenant are well trained and practiced in their given trades. The following abilities are typical of a specialist Librarian coming from a covenant background.

As his career progresses, he develops other skills related to the texts he manages and maintains, including Profession: Calligraphy to help draft documents at the covenant's behest, and Academic Abilities through years of studying the books that he cares for.

Importantly, as he spends longer at his new covenant, he learns more about the people, ways, and traditions of his new home.

Training Packages

Training packages include: Covenfolk, Craftsman*, Leader, Trainer

\* The experience points against the various Craft Abilities should be assigned to the Bookbinder, Librarian, and Scribe Professions.

Sample Ability Scores

ABILITIES AT AGE 30: Artes Liberales 4 (grammar), Profession: Bookbinder 2 (academic), Charm 2 (first impressions), Civil and Canon Law 2 (laws and customs of a specific area), Concentration 2 (reading), Etiquette 3 (Hermetic), Folk Ken 3 (magi), Intrigue 2 (rumormongering), Latin 5 (Hermetic usage), Leadership 1 (junior librarians), Living Language 5 (expansive vocabulary), Order of Hermes Lore 3 (personalities), Organization Lore: Former Covenant 3 (resources), Philosophiae 2 (natural philosophy), Profession: Librarian 4 (ensuring order), Profession: Scribe 3 (copying)

ABILITIES AT AGE 45: Artes Liberales 4 (grammar), Charm 2 (first impressions), Civil and Canon Law 3 (laws and customs of a specific area), Concentration 3 (reading), Etiquette 3 (Hermetic), Folk Ken 3 (magi), Greek 3 (academic usage), Intrigue 3 (rumormongering), Latin 5 (Hermetic usage), Leadership 3 (junior librarians), Living Language 5 (expansive vocabulary), Order of Hermes Lore 3 (personalities), Organization Lore: Former Covenant 3 (resources), Organization Lore: Current Covenant 3 (customs), Philosophiae 3 (natural philosophy), Profession: Bookbinder 4 (academic), Profession: Librarian 5 (ensuring order), Profession: Scribe 4 (copying)

ABILITIES AT AGE 60: Arabic 3 (academic usage), Artes Liberales 5 (grammar), Charm 3 (first impressions), Civil and Canon Law 3 (laws and customs of a specific area), Concentration 4 (reading), Etiquette 3 (Hermetic), Folk Ken 3 (magi), Greek 3 (academic usage), Hebrew 4 (mystic texts), Intrigue 3 (rumormongering), Latin 5 (Hermetic usage), Leadership 4 (junior librarians), Living Language 5 (expansive vocabulary), Order of Hermes Lore 3 (personalities), Organization Lore: Current Covenant 5 (customs), Organization Lore: Former Covenant 3 (resources), Philosophiae 4 (natural philosophy), Profession: Bookbinder 4 (academic), Profession: Librarian 5 (ensuring order), Profession: Scribe 4 (copying)

Refugee Librarian Story Seeds

This particular option has enormous potential for story. Covenfolk provide obvious witnesses to the events that befell a magus or a covenant, and their testimony could be troublesome to the guilty. The knowledge they bring with them also provides seeds into numerous treasure-hunting opportunities, as new vis sources, auras, and regiones are disclosed. And the prescient among the grogs may take such books and devices as they can before finally abandoning their home.

Influx

A handful of refugees arrives at the covenant offering service and asking to be taken in. They are the covenfolk of a nearby covenant, almost forgotten by the Order and home to an elderly magus and his loyal filia. The refugees tell how a magus arrived and killed their masters before claiming their tower, their village, and all within it. These covenfolk are the ones who ran. There are others still back at the covenant, forced to do their new master's bidding. Is this violent magus a threat to the covenant? Who is he and under what grounds has he taken this small covenant? More importantly from the refugees' point of view, can they stay or will they be turned out?

An Unnatural Divide

Ever since the refugees arrived at the covenant all those years ago, the community has been on the brink of division. Over the years, the covenfolk have split into those who live in the Upper Village and those who live in the Lower Village. And when a girl from the Upper Village is murdered, the magi must find the killer before revenge is taken against the Lower Villagers.

The Encroaching Winter

The dissolution of the covenant draws close. The signs are there; the covenant's enemies are circling, no apprentices have been taken in years, and vis sites have fallen to nobles as they build their estates. The magi seem not to have noticed the growing weight of troubles, but there are those who have lived through this before, many years ago. Only they can rouse the magi from their complacency and make them learn the mistakes of a former generation, and only they can save the covenant.

A Covenant with No Magus

When the last magus of a winter covenant dies, the covenfolk agree to continue operating the covenant as though nothing has changed. The covenant, after all, has mundane sources of income, enough land being farmed to feed the covenfolk, and more. The books in the library describe where the vis sites are and how the vis can be harvested, so a faux trade in vis is started with the visiting Redcaps, and secretaries to the old dead magus maintain his correspondences. And so the great deception begins. But what happens when the Order finds out?

Personality Traits

Refugees who have been forced to leave a failed or destroyed covenant may retain a Loyal to Former Covenant Personality Trait, which comes into play when dealing with connections to their former covenant, such as other covenfolk, magi, or apprentices. This loyalty may work against the character, as there may be a perception of bias which his new colleagues may resent.

Those who have been forced to leave through the actions of their former masters may instead have an Anger at Former Covenant Personality Trait. Again, this can be brought into play during stories concerning that covenant.

Other Personality Traits should be taken as appropriate for the individual. In the example here, the Librarian is Respectful and Keen to Impress, in addition to his Loyal to Former Covenant trait.

Refugee Librarian as Companion

Whatever cataclysm befell the former covenant, the same mindset applies to the former companions of those magi as to their grogs. Indeed, some of those companions may now be looked to for leadership. It may be one of those companions who leads the convoy of displaced grogs to their new covenant.

Companions, by their role in the saga, are those who are more likely to take important roles within the covenant, including leadership roles. Additional Virtues and Flaws may be taken to reflect this, including Difficult Underlings, representing the resentment and distrust of the new interloper, or the trouble he faces trying to keep his old covenfolk under control. Companions may also know more about the fall of a previous covenant, and may even have played a greater role in that fall than they would care to admit, and so may take the Dark Secret Story Flaw.

The Role-Bound Ferryman

There's only one way onto the island. And only the ferryman knows the way. But do not bother the ferryman lightly, for he sees what's in your heart and it may not be to the island that he takes ye.

General Background

There are no records of the ferryman's arrival, no records of his name, and nobody knows why he never leaves his ferry. He just silently stands. And silently waits. And silently does his job. The Role-bound Ferryman and grogs like him are characters who are not designed to grow over time. Instead, they are designed as mystic forces present in the covenant since before anyone can remember.

The definition of a role-bound grog is one who can serve no purpose other than the role he currently occupies. A role-bound watchman cannot leave his post to accompany a magus on a long journey. Nor can he take messages far from the covenant at the behest of his captain or the steward.

For this reason, grogs like this tend to play fleeting roles in stories, but they are open to all and may be played during stories closer to the covenant or involving their particular role.

Alternatives

These strange warped creatures, gone beyond human and now made something "other," can be found performing a number of roles, not just the role of ferryman.

While the characters suggested here do not have Magic Might, chapter 4 of Realms of Power: Magic provides full rules on designing and creating Magic Human characters. Characters bound to a device or to their role can be considered some kind of halfway point between mortal or human and faerie or magically transformed.

Such characters are always too limited to be played as companions and so take the grog role within the saga.

Character Creation

There are a number of special considerations in creating these characters.

Age and Characteristics

Role-bound characters can be of any age and there is story potential both in the younger and older age ranges. Younger characters may experience the event that binds them to their role during play, gaining the Flaw that defines them (see later) as a story event, while older characters may have been at the covenant for a long time with seemingly nobody now questioning their origin or purpose.

The Role-bound Ferryman discussed in this section has a poor Communication, probably through years of near solitude, but high Stamina from his long service out on the marsh in all weather. Others unfortunate enough to be bound to their role may have higher Dexterity, as befits a dedicated craftsman.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

The ferryman is bound to his role, unable to change beyond its confines. But though he is defined by his role, he has other gifts. His unearthly demeanor is represented by the Piercing Gaze Virtue, but his true gifts are the Premonitions of harm that threaten the covenant, and his Second Sight with which he scans the horizon looking for ghostly visitations. His chief Flaw is Bound to Ferryman Role and because few know of or understand this supernatural curse, he is also Judged Unfairly. Perhaps through the same effect, he has lost much of his ability to communicate, represented by the Poor Communication Flaw.

This gives the ferryman the following Virtues and Flaws: Covenfolk; Piercing Gaze, Premonitions, Second Sight; Bound to (Ferryman) Role*, Judged Unfairly, Poor Communication

\* See Chapter 6: New Virtues and Flaws

Suggested Abilities

The usual rules regarding limits on starting Ability scores and childhood experience apply to these characters, just as for other grogs. In addition, role-bound grogs must have a Profession or Craft Ability that defines them. Martial or other abilities may be substituted with the troupe's agreement.

Training Packages

The ferryman most likely has had an athletic childhood spent out on the marshes, so this package is used as the base. Abilities are then bought to suit the character. Once play starts, the Role-bound Ferryman uses the following Training Packages with alterations based on his situation and Abilities:

THREE YEARS (COVENFOLK): +5 (Area) Lore, +20 Covenant Lore, +15 Craft: Boatbuilder, +5 Order of Hermes Lore

THREE YEARS (LOCAL): +15 (Area) Lore, +15 Folk Ken, +15 (Organization) Lore

THREE YEARS (MAGICIAN): +15 Magic Lore, +15 Premonitions, +15 Second Sight

THREE YEARS (SAILOR): +5 (Area) Lore, +20 Profession: Ferryman, +5 Survival, +15 Swim

THREE YEARS (SCOUT): +15 (Area) Lore, +15 Awareness, +15 Stealth

Sample Ability Scores

ABILITIES AT AGE 35: Area Lore: The Marsh 5 (waterways), Athletics 3 (balance), Awareness 3 (searching), Brawl 3 (Dodge), Craft: Boatbuilder 3 (repairs), English 5 (regional dialect), Folk Ken 3 (peasants), Magic Lore 3 (creatures), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (personalities), Organization Lore: Covenant 3 (personalities), Organization Lore: Smugglers 3 (personalities), Premonitions 3 (threats to the covenant), Profession: Ferryman 4 (marsh ferries), Second Sight 3 (illusory disguises), Stealth 3 (sailing quietly), Survival 2 (marshland), Swim 3 (marshy water)

ABILITIES AT AGE 50: Area Lore: The Marsh 6 (waterways), Athletics 3 (balance), Awareness 4 (searching), Brawl 3 (Dodge), Craft: Boatbuilder 4 (repairs), English 5 (regional dialect), Folk Ken 4 (peasants), Magic Lore 4 (creatures), Order of Hermes Lore 2 (personalities), Organization Lore: Covenant 4 (personalities), Organization Lore: Smugglers 3 (personalities), Premonitions 4 (threats to the covenant), Profession: Ferryman 5 (local waterways), Second Sight 4 (illusory disguises), Stealth 3 (sailing quietly), Survival 2 (marshland), Swim 4 (marshy water)

ABILITIES AT AGE 65: Area Lore: The Marsh 7 (waterways), Athletics 3 (balance), Awareness 4 (searching), Brawl 3 (Dodge), Craft: Boatbuilder 4 (repairs), English 5 (regional dialect), Folk Ken 5 (peasants), Magic Lore 4 (creatures), Order of Hermes Lore 2 (personalities), Organization Lore: Covenant 5 (personalities), Organization Lore: Smugglers 4 (personalities), Premonitions 5 (threats to the covenant), Profession: Ferryman 6 (local waterways), Second Sight 5 (illusory disguises), Stealth 4 (sailing quietly), Survival 3 (marshland), Swim 4 (marshy water)

Excess experience points that do not reach a higher Ability score have been redistributed in the sample Abilities earlier to ensure that all have been spent with no remainders. In addition, the ferryman has acquired an enriched Item of Virtue by his 65th year, granted by virtue of the Magician training package.

Personality Traits

Unless affected by other effects, characters bound to their role possess and express Personality Traits just as other grogs, but years of being restricted to one role, often unable to live a normal natural life, may take its toll on their personality. They may be resentful or resigned, bitter or accepting, searching for release or loyal to their covenant.

The Role-bound Ferryman discussed earlier has the following Personality Traits: Loyal to the Covenant +3, Taciturn +2, Reliable +1

Role-Bound Ferryman Story Seeds

In many ways, the Role-Bound grog is a story seed.

A Danger to the Covenant

A man has gone missing. He was last seen trying to reach the covenant, asking the ferryman for passage, but he never arrived. The covenant has always taken the ferryman for granted, never asking who he is or why he does what he does. But what has the ferryman done with the man and why?

The Experiment

The covenant awakes one morning to find something unheard of in living memory: the ferryman is not at his post. Not only that, but his boat is gone too. A magus of House Verditius, who visited the covenant some seasons before, has stolen the ferryman away. He recognized that the ferryman is bound to his role, and bound to his boat. The magus has taken him in order to experiment upon him, to find the secret of binding devices to the living, or binding a living mind into a device. Can the covenant find their man before the Verditius experiments tear him from his boat?

What Sorrows Have Bound This Man?

Nobody has ever asked what binds the ferryman to his ferry, not really. Magi have wondered what magical force sustains him in all weathers, unchanging and unflinching. But nobody has ever wondered at the tragedy that turned him into the creature he is. Until now. An old text, written by a monk describing his journey through the region, has been found in a nearby church that tells of a man whose wife became lost and disappeared out on the marsh. The text describes how he waits for her to return. The text was written centuries ago, but the man it describes seems to be the ferryman. Do the magi search the text for clues? Do they find the ferryman's wife and set him free from his curse?

The Street Thug

See, them up there don't want to know what people like me do down here. But that don't mean they don't know where to find us when they want something done.

There are times when the educated and the wealthy must give way to the unsophisticated and down-at-heel. In those times, the covenant would do well to have contacts with the underclass found in every town and city.

General Background

Crime is an inescapable part of life, especially in the towns and cities of Mythic Europe. Several covenants across the Order, especially those in Tribunals where city life is fast becoming more common, have explicit connections with street gangs. In some cases, the connections run far deeper than the covenant would ever publicly admit to.

Street gangs have several things to offer a covenant keen to maintain a presence within a city. Firstly, the gang, through its extended network of social contacts, can be an effective intelligence network. Information on the movement of specific targets can be tracked and fed back to the covenant; the mood of the city can be felt in the markets, taverns, and docks; and violence can be bought as easily as bread. The deeper the covenant goes with one or more street gangs, the more these can be used. Ultimately, the activities of a criminal network can be used as a source of income as described in Covenants, page 59.

But covenants wanting to use a street gang will need a man on the inside. A contact. A Street Thug. The Street Thug is any member of the street gang with the sense to see the magi as an opportunity. He may be a lowly petty criminal, or someone with brains enough to be running the outfit. He will know the streets of his city and have social contacts all over. He's not a thief in the manner of a cutpurse, confidence trickster, or palmist. He's a thug. He'll demand protection money in exchange for not burning down your workshop. He'll work the girls along the waterfront. He'll stab you in the legs and rob you while you're bleeding. There's nothing dashing or benign about him and he'll probably hang one day.

He is best suited to stories set within the town or city and can be used as an effective bodyguard, lookout, thief, or agitator. If the magi need a diversion to be created in the city, he's the man to go to. And if they need someone roughed up a little, they need look no further.

The Street Thug probably doesn't live at the covenant, even if that covenant is based within the city walls. In fact, when the Street Thug does spend time at the covenant, he probably causes disruption and upset. But he's a frequent visitor, coming to the kitchens to eat at his paymasters' expense; badgering their steward for new boots, cloak, or unspecified expenses; or just to hide out while the heat is on.

Character Creation

The following notes provide some suggestions for creating Street Thugs.

Age and Characteristics

The Street Thug is really designed to either live fast and be hanged young, or to be a little more cagey and survive to run the joint. As well as making Aging Rolls for the Street Thug, storyguides may also want to decide whether the Street Thug has been caught in the act of committing a crime or targeted by his enemies, and whether there is a need for action from the magi to save him.

Regardless of this, life on the streets takes a heavy toll. The Poor Living Conditions Flaw (see Chapter 6, New Virtues and Flaws), on top of the base –2 Living Conditions Modifier for living in a town, means that the Street Thug can expect to have a Decrepitude Score of 2 and Characteristics totaling –5, rather than the starting 7, by the age of 50. An aging Crisis is only a few years away, most likely a Minor Illness as per the Crisis Table on ArM5, page 170.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

Grogs can't take the Outlaw Leader Minor Social Status Flaw, but as a petty criminal, the Branded Criminal Social Status Flaw is appropriate for the Street Thug character. It sets him out as recognizably unsavory, and gives him access to Martial Abilities from the outset. However, the Street Thug is a brawler used to bludgeoning his opponents with whatever comes to hand amid the filth of the alleyway. Years of violence have toughened him up, hence the Tough Virtue to provide that extra Soak bonus. The last Virtue is Social Contacts, representing the contacts he's made on both sides of law and order across the city.

The Street Thug has two Flaws left to take, and both of these are new to this supplement. The Fish Out of Water (Cities) Flaw shows how little of life outside the city the Street Thug has experienced, and how uncomfortable he feels without familiar surroundings. But despite being at home in the City, he has particularly Poor Living Conditions. This last Flaw comes mainly from the daily grind of petty violence that takes its toll on him.

The following Virtues and Flaws represent a typical Street Thug: Branded Criminal; Puissant Brawl, Social Contacts (street criminals), Tough; Fish Out of Water (Cities)*, Poor Living Conditions*

\* See Chapter 6, New Virtues and Flaws

Puissant Brawl and Tough can easily be exchanged for other Minor Virtues, such as Berserk for a more overtly dangerous fighter, and Large or Enduring Constitution.

Suggested Abilities

The Street Thug seeks experience in anything that helps him get through another day on the street. This is likely to be Brawl, Guile, Area Lore, and for intimidation, Leadership. Brawl is the Street Thug's combat Ability of choice as people in cities are rarely armed and even more rarely armored. He is also backed up by a gang and will almost always be in a trained combat group when with his own people. When not using his fists, a bludgeon, or a knife, he prefers a hatchet for its small size and brutal simplicity.

As the Street Thug grows older, he gains more authority over his gang, learning more about its activities and members, represented by his growing Leadership and Gang Lore Abilities.

Training Packages

Training packages for Street Thugs include: Brawler, Footpad*, Leader, Local, Soldier, Wastrel.

\* The experience points against Legerdemain in this package are more likely spent against Thrown Weapon

Sample Ability Scores

ABILITIES AT AGE 20: Area Lore 3 (geography), Athletics 2 (running), Awareness 3 (alertness), Brawl 4 (fist), Carouse 3 (power drinking), Charm 1 (being witty), Climb 1 (walls), Disguise 2 (townsfolk), Folk Ken 1 (townsfolk), Guile 1 (lying to authority), Leadership 1 (intimidation), Living Language 5 (slang), Single Weapon 3 (hatchet), Stealth 2 (streets), Thrown Weapon 3 (throwing knife)

ABILITIES AT AGE 35: Area Lore 3 (geography), Athletics 3 (running), Awareness 3 (alertness), Brawl 6 (fist), Carouse 3 (power drinking), Charm 1 (being witty), Climb 2 (walls), Disguise 3 (townsfolk), Folk Ken 2 (townsfolk), Guile 2 (lying to authority), Intrigue 1 (rumor-mongering), Leadership 3 (intimidation), Living Language 5 (slang), Single Weapon 3 (hatchet), Stealth 4 (streets), Thrown Weapon 5 (throwing knife)

ABILITIES AT AGE 50: Area Lore 5 (geography), Athletics 3 (running), Awareness 3 (alertness), Brawl 6 (fist), Carouse 3 (power drinking), Charm 2 (being witty), Climb 2 (walls), Disguise 3 (townsfolk), Folk Ken 4 (townsfolk), Guile 3 (lying to authority), Intrigue 4 (rumor-mongering), Leadership 5 (intimidation), Living Language 5 (slang), Organization Lore: Gang 3 (politics), Single Weapon 3 (hatchet), Stealth 4 (streets), Thrown Weapon 5 (throwing knife)

Street Thug Story Seeds

The story seeds that follow use the city streets as a backdrop, and the Street Thug himself either as part of the lead-in or as a tool to be used in the story resolution.

Blood on the Streets

The streets are running with blood, the city watch just look the other way, and someone at the top is getting very rich. They say that there's magic at work and that's why nobody can touch these people. Well, magic you have. Now all you need is someone who knows the streets and can find out where the money's going. Then it can start coming to you.

The Devil Makes Work for Idle Hands

The Street Thug has a price on his head and is forced to lie low while the tempers cool and memories fade. The trouble is, he's hiding out in the covenant. It doesn't take long for his presence to become disruptive. The magi need to find a job for him to do. It's either that or turn him into a tree for the next month. But as it happens, the magi have heard that a tax collector of ill repute is arriving in town in the next week, and the taxes he's collected will be stored in the sheriff's keep. There might be a way to keep the Street Thug occupied and make a little money after all.

The Takeover

The magi receive an interesting offer from the leader of a group of street thugs. He knows that the magi provide a little backup to his rival gang leader, but he can cut them in for bigger stakes if they'll support him over their current associates. But this new face is harboring an Infernal secret, and the offer is a temptation to betrayal. The wheels are already in motion. Can the magi root out the demons before they take hold in the city, and can they stop the violence before it spins out of control?

Personality Traits & Reputation

The Street Thug has three Personality Traits. Rather than having true bravery, the Street Thug is Aggressive, an important distinction. And he is also Ruthless, prepared to commit crime, to hurt and harm others, and to betray those in his way. He'll very rarely find himself as the vanguard in any combat group; while he's aggressive enough to start the fight, he's also ruthless enough to make sure other people get hurt first.

But ultimately, the Street Thug is Pragmatic. This pragmatism is what draws the Street Thug to the magi and their covenant, and it is this pragmatism that stands in place of loyalty; he can overlook their oddness if there's money to be made and protection to be gained.

An older Street Thug may have gained a reputation before being brought into the game, most likely among his underworld associates. This reputation might reflect a ruthless streak, or the strength with which he runs his gang or holds his turf. If creating an older character from scratch, you might want to swap out one of his flaws for Infamous, which would give a bad reputation with a score of 4.

Street Thug as Companion

The obvious Social Status for a companion made in this mold is the Outlaw Leader. This gives the companion a handful of loyal men to carry out jobs at his behest. As a result, a gang leader may well be Wealthy, as this represents the time he has available with his crew running operations on his behalf.

Street Thugs elevated to companion status have scope for Story Flaws, such as Enemies in the form of rival gangs (although Feud could easily be used for the same). For a different feel, the Difficult Underlings Story Flaw is also appropriate as running a gang of troublemakers is guaranteed to attract even more trouble.

There's also room to re-purpose the Minor General Temporal Influence Virtue. The intent of the Virtue is to give a character political influence through politically powerful connections. The same can be applied to the Outlaw Leader, though the nature of the connections is less socially acceptable.

There are a number of Story Flaws that are very useful to the Outlaw Leader character. Blackmail (as per the Story Flaw) is likely to be very common and will be used to great leverage. The flip side is that you may owe Favors to others for their help, either in gathering information, watching your back, or for releasing men they had every reason to hang.

While the Street Thug as grog is useful for his aggressive approach and knowledge of the streets, the Outlaw Leader, as leader of a criminal street gang, is able to draw upon more resources that the covenant could put to good use.

Time-Lost Witnesses

"…"

Many medieval tales speak of people whisked away by the faeries, who dance for a few hours, and return to find that each hour in Faerie was a year, or a century. Many of these misplaced people perish; they break a taboo placed upon them as they leave faerie, and they are crushed as a lifetime of aging pours over them in an instant. Some discover that they have died and faded to dust in Faerie, becoming faeries themselves without noticing. Some begin their mortal lives anew, centuries after all that they know has fallen into ruin.

General Background

Time-lost characters allow players to add anachronistic touches to their version of Mythic Europe. The time-lost characters described here are grogs, but companions are also easily accommodated in many sagas. Time-lost magi are more difficult to design. The Order of Hermes is a research-based institution, and there is no way to consistently model how its many breakthroughs have contributed to the Art and spell levels in the standard setting. This means there is no way to handicap magi accurately for failing to share those breakthroughs.

Faeries may steal characters from any location, and from any historical era. People who witness momentous events are more likely to be stolen away, then returned, than others. House Merinita suggests that this is because such events enter human folklore and resound down the centuries.

Time-lost characters face many initial difficulties. They often have poor language skills, which may prevent them seeking aid in mundane communities. Their Abilities may not suit the local economy, which may make it difficult to find work. They are unlikely to understand what has occurred, and may spend time on fruitless attempts to return home. Service to a covenant gives a time-lost character a chance to reorientate and learn local languages.

Magi interested in history desire time-lost people as covenfolk. Those who do not care for history know that many of their sodales do, and are willing to pay handsomely in vis and political favors for eyewitnesses to interesting historical events. Magi can read the memories of these events and, using the correct spells, feel everything that the eyewitness felt, which is as close as possible to being there. On a less aesthetic level, Seekers can sift the memories of witnesses for clues to the location of magical devices and sacred sites.

Character Creation

These notes will help you create a Time-lost Witness character.

Time-Lost Witnesses Story Seeds

The following story seeds use people from particular places and times, but can be easily adapted to refuges from other fallen civilizations or historical eras.

The Madwoman with the Papyrus

A churchman contacts a redcap whom he knows collects rare books. On being invested in his office, the churchman took a tour of the facilities in his care. One is a home for demoniacs — people afflicted in the mind by the forces of evil. Within this refuge, he found a woman who speaks only gibberish, but seems lucid. The curate for the facility told the churchman that the demoniac was found wandering the roads, and had in her possession a curious scroll, filled with strange pictures.

Characters who investigate the scroll discover that it is made of plant fiber, but is not paper. This is highly unusual. It contains a series of pictures, but by their repetition, these seem to form a code. Characters familiar with the works of Herodotus (Intelligence + Artes Liberales against an Ease Factor of 15) may recall that the ancient Egyptians wrote like this.

Characters who use magic to speak with the demoniac discover that her name is Sacmis, and she was a copyist at the Great Library of Alexandria. When part of it caught fire, as the Romans invaded the city, she was whisked away by a flying creature, and deposited on the roads in this chilly, savage country.

Sacmis is interesting to the player characters for several reasons. Magi engrossed by history would love to interview her. Seekers would like her aid to determine the locations of the great libraries of the ancient world, and as a translator for the text of the ancients. A handful of the spells held by House Bonisagus are from the period, but how the verbal components are incanted is not clear. Members of House Merinita value her scroll, because it contains the final copy of many ancient stories about magicians. One of these is the "Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor," which is the origin myth of the sorcerers of the island of Soqotra.

An Accidental Invasion

Alarming reports have reached the town of an army that has fortified a mountain pass slightly to the northwest. The invaders have made no demands, and beyond levying a toll on passing merchants, they appear to be doing little. Noblemen and magi skilled in military matters are likely to guess, correctly, that the invaders have formed a defensive position, and are sending scouts into the nearby territory. This force is acting like the beach-head for an invader, and so the region prepares for war.

Characters who question the merchants who have paid a toll to pass the encamped army can gather some intelligence. The tax is in goods, and is requested from the merchants by a priest who speaks the local language. The priest says he is a captive of the invaders. The invaders speak Latin among themselves. Their camp is a wooden stockade with ditches around it. It has been laid out geometrically, like something from an ancient strategy manual.

Magi may immediately assume this is a Hermetic plot. Only members of the Order have sufficient interest in the ancient empire to recreate a section of its military. The disruption this is causing is enough to make it a High Crime. The magi might instead assume this is an elaborate faerie game, since a significant occasion has recently passed. In truth, the significant day weakened the barriers between Faerie and the real world, allowing this group to escape.

The Roman commander, noticing a sudden change in landforms, has encamped his eighty men in a well-defended position where they can get water from a stream. They have some supplies, which are extended by foraging and taxing passing traders. He is sending out scouts to get the lay of the land. Following this, he is going to march toward the largest city, to re-establish his connection with the army's command structure. This will be met, by the confused locals, as if it were an invasion.

Player characters can most easily intervene in this scenario by capturing and then negotiating with one of the Roman scouts. The Roman commander, if convinced the empire is gone, may wish to use his force to conquer a significant town, to supply his army and act as the kernel of a new empire. He may seek out the Emperor of Nicaea, to offer the swords of his men to the leader of the modern Romans. He may accept the Order as the heir to the legacy of Rome, and enter service.

Confused Faeries

Faeries love games involving social roles. The return of a character central to a great tragedy can allow them to play interesting games. In 1120, William Adelin, the only legitimate son of Henry I of England, vanished during a shipwreck. He was considered dead and, after his death, the realm fell into anarchy as his cousin and sister fought for dominance. Following this turbulence, a line of sacramentally-crowned kings continued until the incumbent king.

Henry III has not been crowned king of England in the correct way. His father lost the Crown Jewels during his wars with the nobility. At his father's death, Henry was hastily crowned with a piece of his mother's jewelry, by the Bishop of Gloucester. The Archbishop of Canterbury, who has the right and duty to crown the king, was supporting Louis of France, who had invaded England and held London. Even the Pope says that Henry has not been crowned properly — there is no King of England, in a mystical sense.

This makes William Adelin the perfect pawn in a rags-to-riches story, but few faeries have the power to make kings anymore. What happens instead is that many faerie princes treat him as if he were King of England. They send him weird gifts, and they ask for strange treaties. The magi who control access to William have many opportunities for profit, but must act carefully: every gift must be matched with a gift of equal value, from the distorted perspective of the faerie that sent it, and every agreement made must be upheld, in some contorted way.

William's shipload of servants and warriors has difficulty interacting with the modern world. They speak a variant of French which is understandable, if accented. They are an older sort of Norman, ruthless Christianized Vikings, whose society is built around territorial expansion and plunder. Their society can't find victims in the rapidly urbanizing, heavily armed states of the 13th century.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

Time-lost characters can come from any era, and so can have a wide variety of Abilities, Virtues, and Flaws. As examples, this section uses Roman legionaries lost in a faerie wood, who re-emerge in 1220. These grogs require the Warrior Virtue, and must take the Worthless Abilities Flaw.

Suggested Abilities

Time-lost Witnesses may come from any background, and therefore may have any Ability. They are usually selected for abduction and return because their memories or skills will create interesting stories, so unusual skill sets are common among these characters.

Training Packages

Time-lost characters may come from any social group, and so their careers following their return may follow any path.

Sample Ability Scores

Using Roman legionaries as examples, this set of Abilities requires the Warrior Virtue:

ABILITIES AT AGE 21: Animal Handling 1 (pack animals), Athletics 3 (marching), Awareness 3 (in battle), Bargain 1 (drink), Brawl 3 (grappling), Carouse 2 (looking sober), Etiquette 1 (military), Latin 5 (cursing), Profession: Legionary 3 (not getting caught), Organization Lore: Roman Army 3* (own legion), Survival 2 (in a group), Swim 2 (in armor), Single Weapon 5 (gladius), Thrown Weapon 4 (pilum)

ABILITIES AT AGE 30: Animal Handling 1 (pack animals), Athletics 3 (marching), Awareness 3 (in battle), Bargain 1 (drink), Brawl 3 (grappling), Carouse 3 (looking sober), Etiquette 1 (military), Latin 5 (cursing), Profession: Legionary 5 (not getting caught), Organization Lore: Roman Army 3* (own legion), Survival 3 (in a group), Swim 2 (in armor), Single Weapon 6 (gladius), Teaching 3 (Single Weapon), Thrown Weapon 4 (pilum)

\* See the Worthless Ability Flaw, in Chapter 6.

Time-lost Witness as Companion

Time-lost characters have been personally selected by faeries to be removed from time, then released, at a particular moment and in a particular place, to cause interesting stories to be told. They have, therefore, an unusual range of Virtues, and these may suit the covenant's needs in a particular saga with an eerie exactness. Time-lost characters may suffer a Delusion that they can return to their own time.

Horses & Hounds

Woof.

Virtually every covenant has animal as well as human inhabitants, and sometimes these animals have a large enough impact on a saga to become grog characters. It is not suggested that every chicken, plow-ox, and farmyard rat should have a character sheet; however, some characters may have Animal Companions or exotic pets, and it might be interesting for these animals to become player characters run by the same player, or by a different one.

Horses and hounds are common examples of animals that are suitable as player characters, but any animal is theoretically possible. As a guideline, creatures between the Sizes of –3 and +2 (from cat-sized to horse-sized) probably make the best animal grogs, but these shouldn't be seen as hard limits. Lords of Men (Chapter 5) has details of a number of animals that are found in noble households, from pets to hounds, hawks, and horses. Medieval bestiaries divide animals up into clawed beasts, hoofed beasts, birds, fish, serpents (including lizards), and vermin (insects, spiders, mice, and so forth); only the latter are not suitable as animal grogs due to their small size. See Art & Academe, page 29, for a longer discussion on animals in Medieval Europe.

Disadvantages Inherent in Playing an Animal

There are several inherent problems with playing an animal grog that are not represented by Virtues and Flaws. This places the animal grog at a distinct disadvantage compared to human characters, which is only offset by the novelty of playing an animal rather than a human.

Physical Form

Most animals lack grasping hands, and even those that have them (such as monkeys and birds) lack the fine control and opposable thumbs of humans. This bars them from many simple tasks, and precludes the use of weapons or tools.

There are some advantages to having an animal's body. Most have a covering of fur, feathers, or scales, which grant an intrinsic Protection of at least 1. Further, animals usually possess at least one natural weapon such as claws, teeth, or horns. Some animals can fly or breathe water, and require no special Virtue to possess these abilities. For a list of the qualities that an animal's physical form can have, see the supplement Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page 40. If using the system of mundane Qualities to describe the intrinsic features of animal forms, do not apply any listed modifiers to Characteristics or Abilities; instead use the system described later in this section.

Horses & Hounds Story Seeds

Animals get involved in stories without realizing it, but can have a significant impact on events.

A Calm-Tempered Rouncey

A magus at the covenant is a great traveler, and he has heard of a distant covenant that breeds horses that are immune to the effects of The Gift. The player characters set out to acquire such a beast, and perhaps negotiate the purchase of more than one. Naturally, the breeder of these horses sets a high price for them — more than the characters were prepared for — but he suggests a way in which they could earn a discount. Every year, he must round up the magical stallion that is the sire of his foals; if they assist him with this difficult task, then he will reduce his normal price for one of his three-year-old mares.

The Animal Collector

A covenant that has an exotic animal among its grogs comes to the notice of one of the king's agents. He is collecting animals on the king's behalf for a menagerie, and seeks to acquire the creature owned by the characters. If the magi want to hang on to their grog, they must find some way to dissuade the king's man without directly interfering with mundane politics. Certainly, if the man does not return from his mission, the king will send further agents accompanied by armed men to discover what has happened.

Cunning Rather than Intelligence

Animals do not have Intelligence, and are therefore bereft of the ability to reason. They are incapable of logical thought, or of drawing conclusions from evidence. For example, a dog that sees a hare dash into a thicket either chases in after it, or waits at the point its quarry entered the bush. It does not think to go around to the other side of the bush to the point where the hare might leave.

The Cunning characteristic possessed by beasts means that they act largely through estimation (also called instinct), and are ruled by their Personality Traits. However, they still possess the other components of a mind — cognition, common sense, memory, and imagination. See Art & Academe, page 31, for more details on these inner wits. However, animals are severely limited by their comparative difficulty in learning new things; this is represented by the Restricted Learning Flaw (see Chapter 6, New Virtues and Flaws), which all animal grogs must take.

Lack of Language Abilities

Animal characters cannot speak, but they can understand any languages they know. However, unlike human characters, they do not receive an automatic Native Language Ability. When earning experience points in a human Language, an animal always has a Source Quality of (4 + Cunning), meaning that they tend to learn more slowly than humans. Furthermore, if an animal has a negative Cunning score, it must reduce any human Language Score by a similar amount, to a minimum of 0. Thus a creature with Cunning –1 that knows French 1 can only understand a handful of words at most. Creatures with a positive Cunning receive no bonus to understanding language.

In Mythic Europe, animals are naturally capable of communicating with members of their own kind, and with closely-related kinds, so dogs have a Language Ability called Dog, horses speak Horse, and so forth. This Language Ability allows an animal grog to communicate simple concepts only, as if they had a Language Score of 2 (ArM5, page 66). They can talk to related species as if their Language Ability was one point lower, so a wolf, for example, can understand a few words of Dog. This Language Ability cannot be increased with experience.

Animal Aging

ANIMAL	AVERAGE LIFESPAN	STARTING AGE	BEGINS AGING	MODIFIER TO AGING ROLL	AGING ROLLS
Human	50	5	35	+1 per 10 years	1 per year
Clawed Beasts	9	1	6	+1 per 2 years	5 per year
Hoofed Beasts	27	3	20	+1 per 5 years	2 per year
Birds	81	8	55	+1 per 15 years	1 per 2 years
Fish and Serpents	243	24	170	+1 per 50 years	1 per 5 years

Aging Rate

"...a hedge (lives for) three years, add dogs and horses and men, stags and ravens, eagles, enormous whales, the world: each one following triples the years of the one before."

— Inlay around the pavement in Westminster Abbey, 13th century

Animals age at different rates to humans; most clawed and hoofed beasts have a shorter lifespan than humans, whereas birds and fish in Mythic Europe live about the same time or longer than humans. There are three things to be considered: the age at which aging begins, the adjustment to the aging roll due to age, and the number of aging rolls per year. A human, with an average lifespan of 50 years (ignoring lifestyle modifiers), begins aging at 35, adds 1 to the aging roll for every 10 years, and makes 1 aging roll each year. The storyguide should decide upon the average lifespan of the creature and adjust these figures accordingly. Thus, a creature with an average lifespan of 10 years has a modifier of (50/10), or 5. It therefore begins aging at (35/5) 7 years old, adds one to the aging roll for every (10/5) 2 years of age, and makes (1 x 5) 5 aging rolls each year. If more than one aging roll is made each year, they should be spread evenly throughout the four seasons, with any excess occurring in Winter. Some example aging characteristics are given in the nearby table.

General Background

A grog character that is a domestic animal is easy to integrate into any saga — horses, dogs, hawks, and other animals that frequently associate with mankind can be purchased from breeders by any character or covenant that desires them. Integrating wild animals can be similarly easy, depending on the species involved; a bear could have been found as a cub and trained as an entertainer, or a character with the Animal Ken Virtue might befriend a raven and keep it as a pet. A trained animal is capable of performing certain tasks — even complex tasks — at the command of its master, and you should be clear what commands you know and can complete without the barrier of language between you and your master. Rules for training animals are given in Art & Academe (page 119), and summarized under the Animal Trainer, earlier.

Playing a character without an intellect can pose a significant challenge. As a starting point, pay careful attention to the human Language score of the grog (modified by Cunning, as mentioned earlier). If she lacks a Language score, or has a modified score of 0, then she can only understand direct commands in which she has been trained. Feel free to stare blankly at other players if they try to communicate with you beyond your understanding. As a creature ruled by instinct, an animal grog should act in accordance with her Personality Traits and Flaws as much as possible. They should dominate every judgment or decision the character makes; lacking free will, an animal feels neither restraint nor guilt over the actions it takes.

Character Creation

Character creation of an animal grog is different in several respects from that of human characters. The reader is directed to Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, pages 38–43, for more information on this.

Characteristics and Size

An animal grog has the Size of her animal form, which is normally a creature between Size –3 and Size +2. The Large Virtue or Small Frame Flaw can make the character an unusually large or small specimen of her kind, and adjusts the normal Size of the creature by one point in the applicable direction.

Animal characters receive the same number of points to spend on Characteristics as humans. However, when dealing with human characters, rather than characters of their own species, they take penalties to Presence and Communication according to the following table:

TYPE	PRESENCE	COMMUNICATION
Clawed Beast	–2	–5
Hoofed Beast	–4	–5
Bird	–1	–2
Fish	–5	–6

After Characteristic points have been decided, add twice the character's Size to her Strength, and subtract the character's Size from her Quickness.

Suggested Virtues and Flaws

Animal grogs suffer from the effects of the No Hands and Mute Flaws, but these are intrinsic to the character concept, and do not count toward the character's normal allotment of Flaws, nor do they provide points with which to buy Virtues.

Animal grogs are required to take the Restricted Learning* Flaw. They generally have the Domestic Animal, Wanderer, or Companion Animal Social Status Virtues or Flaws. Other suitable Virtues and Flaws include:

Virtues: Berserk, Domestic Animal*, Enduring Constitution, Ferocity*, Improved Characteristics, Lightning Reflexes, Long-Winded, Pack Leader*, Perfect Balance, Rapid Convalescence, Piercing Gaze, Reserves of Strength, Self-Confident, Tough, Wilderness Sense

Flaws: Clumsy, Companion Animal*, Fragile Constitution, Fear, Noncombatant, Nocturnal, Pack Mentality*, Poor Eyesight, Poor Hearing, Poor Living Conditions*, Reckless, Reclusive, Weakness; most Major Personality Flaws taken as Minor Flaws.

\* See Chapter 6, New Virtues and Flaws.

Animal grogs cannot take Virtues and Flaws that involve interaction with human society. An animal grog with the Animal Ken Virtue can use it to communicate with unrelated animal species, and, at the option of the troupe, with humans as well. This Supernatural Ability substitutes for a Language Ability, but can never be higher than the creature's native animal Language Ability.

Suggested Abilities

An animal grog receives 120 experience points for his pre-adult life; this leaves him at the starting age shown in the table earlier (under Aging). The character also receives a single Animal Language at a score of 2. This implies that some infant animals are particularly fast learners, which is true; by the time they reach adulthood, they have a fair complement of Abilities. Note that birds need no Ability to be able to fly, but could benefit from Athletics to perform unusual maneuvers. Likewise, all fish can swim, but may need to roll on their Swim Ability to escape predators or chase prey.

An animal grog subsequently gains the usual number of experience points per year (usually 15) beyond their starting age. However, an animal usually has to make Aging Rolls much earlier than a human, so players may wish to take care in applying too many additional years to an animal grog. The storyguide might want to restrict the maximum Ability scores of an animal grog based on his age, much like human characters are limited (ArM5, page 31).

Animal grogs typically possess the following Abilities: Area Lore, Athletics, Awareness, Brawl, Hunt, Leadership (for pack or herd leaders), Music (for songbirds), Stealth, Survival, Swim.

Training Packages

Training packages are inapplicable for animal grogs, because of their restricted Ability sets.

Sample Ability Scores

DOG, 1 YEAR OLD: Athletics 3 (chasing), Awareness 3 (scent), Brawl 3 (biting), Dog 2 (dominance), Hunt 3 (rabbits)

DOG, 4 YEARS OLD: Athletics 3 (chasing), Awareness 3 (scent), Brawl 4 (biting), Dog 2 (dominance), Hunt 4 (rabbits), Leadership 1 (dogs)

HORSE, 3 YEARS OLD: Area Lore 1 (5) (water), Athletics 4 (running), Awareness 3 (predators), Brawl 3 (kick), Horse 2 (food)

HORSE, 10 YEARS OLD: Area Lore 2 (water), Athletics 6 (running), Awareness 4 (predators), Brawl 4 (kick), Horse 2 (food), Living Language 1 (rider)

HAWK, 8 YEARS OLD: Athletics 4 (diving), Awareness 4 (prey), Brawl 2 (claws), Hawk 2 (mice), Survival 1 (mountains)

Animals as Companions

An animal grog could easily become a companion by being transformed by powerful supernatural effects. As a result of warping, the creature could become infused with powers of its own, or else become corrupted by some hellish power. The most extreme form of this sort of transformation entails gaining a Might Score. The four Realms of Power sourcebooks include details for creating creatures that are either aligned to or are members of a given supernatural Realm.

Brief Grog Concepts

Virtues and Flaws indicated with an asterisk are described in Chapter 6: New Virtues and Flaws.

The Accursed

Some live within a covenant as it offers a way of life that can't be found elsewhere. But others have little choice but to seek out magical aid.

The Accursed is afflicted with a Supernatural Flaw, such as Lesser Malediction or (Realm) Stigmatic*, and the covenant is the only place where The Accursed feels safe. Either protected by the Aegis of the Hearth or held in check by the magic of the scholars he serves, The Accursed enjoys relief from his curse, until his masters have need of it. Other than this, the Accursed could have any complement of Abilities, Virtues, or Flaws.

TRAINING PACKAGES: any

The Barbarian

Hermetic magi do travel a lot, and often they will visit remote areas in the farthest corners of Mythic Europe. Local guides or professionals may be hired on such journeys, and a bond may form or some beneficial agreement be made. These locals may choose to join the turb and accompany the magi home. Eastern or northern Europe should provide sufficient cultural differences from a saga set in Britain, France, or the Italian peninsula.

Once back at the covenant, these Barbarians often have a hard time adapting to the language, society, and even climate. They wear funny clothes, use odd weapons and tools, and in general do things differently — they might even be pagan.

Social Status like Outsider may apply, although it need not be a stigma. Foreign Upbringing* and Primitive Equipment* may be appropriate. His native language is one foreign to the local area of the setting, and he needs to learn a second language. Area Lore in his native area is a more likely Ability than the covenant's locale. Barbarians often have good scores in Survival and Ride, and probably have an Organization Lore that matches their home culture.

TRAINING PACKAGES: Archer, Brawler, Rider, Soldier, Woodsman

The Coastal Raider

A pirate, Berber, or Turk who takes to the sea to pillage and burn, this character is a sailor and warrior, nothing more, nothing less. For the right price, he'll paint his shield with whatever banner he's given — but he's not just out for himself; he knows the value of a good strong team. One man alone can't sail a ship, nor stand against a full town levy. Under the right captain, and for the right coin, he's as reliable as the most honorable soldier, though perhaps more savage.

Coastal Raiders usually perform the dual service of warriors and sailors, and thus must draw Abilities from both skill sets. Suitable Virtues and Flaws are similar to those of the Sailor, and also Berserk, Warrior, and Infamous.

TRAINING PACKAGES: Forager, Sailor, Soldier

The Coward

Every turb has one: the unashamed Coward who never knowingly puts himself at risk. He's a work-shy, easily intimidated weak link, and you can never be sure of trusting him. But he earns his place through exceptional puissance with a single Ability. The unwilling Coward can be coerced into stories, usually through threats, but provides an easy target for enemies to exploit. Alternatively, the Coward could be utterly loyal to the covenant, but unable to force himself to face his fear.

The Coward is defined through Personality Flaws to represent his cowardice, accompanied by a negative Brave Personality Trait. The defining Flaw of a Coward is Fear — probably of something major like "combat." These are balanced by both Affinity and Puissance in his key expertise, such as Legerdemain or Guile.

TRAINING PACKAGES: any

The Disenfranchised Knight

This is a nobleman, trained to the saddle, sword, and lance, but with no land nor privilege. He may be the bastard son of a Lord, who will never inherit because he has too many legitimate brothers; he may have a reputation as a coward, so no one will meet him on the field at tournament; or he may be a knight of worth whose father's lands have been confiscated by a usurping baron. There are noblewomen equivalents as well: for instance, an educated lady whose father cannot afford her dowry might prefer to join a covenant than be consigned to the nunnery.

A true knight is a courtier as well as a warrior, learning Etiquette and Intrigue alongside swordplay. Ride and Great Weapon are essential Abilities for those hoping to win honor and reputation on the tourney field. Suitable Virtues and Flaws include Gentleman, Warrior, and any Flaw representing his dishonor (such as Infamous or Fear).

TRAINING PACKAGES: Courtier, Leader, Pikeman, Public Official, Rider, Soldier

The Field Chirurgeon

The chirurgeon does his or her part to ensure the health and well-being of the covenfolk. A fighting force in particular has its life expectancy and efficiency increased by proper care. The chirurgeon may be a simple herbwife from the local village, or a formally trained nurse from a monastic hospital. Or he might be a combat veteran with a little training and a lot of practice. Any may work alone, or as the assistant to a doctor of medicine, depending on the covenant's size and funding.

Key Abilities include Chirurgy, Leadership if he manages a staff of helpers, Survival if he accompanies the turb into the field, and martial abilities if he is a combat medic. Folk Ken could be useful for putting his patients at ease. Suitable Virtues and Flaws include Puissant Chirurgy, Cautious with Chirurgy, Compassionate, and Surgical Empiricus (see Art & Academe, page 55).

TRAINING PACKAGES: Cunning Man, Cutter, Forager, Local

The Fool

Fools and jesters entertain the lofty and the lowly alike, including magi of the Order. But a Fool may say things that others might not dare, perhaps at the behest of his master seeking to spar with a rival.

The Fool entertains his audience with wit through Charm and feats of juggling through Profession: Jongleur. Profession: Performer represents his singing ability, while Legerdemain allows sleight of hand. Etiquette gives him knowledge of the acceptable boundaries while at court, all the better to break them. Appropriate Virtues and Flaws include Free Expression, Perfect Balance, Troupe Upbringing and Small Frame.

TRAINING PACKAGES: Conman, Minstrel, Storyteller, Tumbler, Wastrel

The Ghost

Covenants see much of death, but in the Magical aura common to so many covenants, death may not be a final end. Ghosts haunt many covenants, and while magi may leave them to their ghostly hauntings, bind them to eternal servitude, or treat them as legitimate covenfolk, Ghosts that are able to leave the confines of the covenant make for unusual travel companions.

Ghostly grogs do not have a high Might Score and so are vulnerable, but they may each have unique Powers and Abilities that mirror their roles in life.

For suitable Virtues and Flaws, see Realms of Power: Magic, Chapter 3. Most Ghosts who are grogs have the same Abilities as in life, even though some of those Abilities are no longer relevant. However, a good Awareness, Area Lore, and Organization Lore: Covenant can be useful to those who are sufficiently gifted to perceive the Ghost's presence.

The Hero

Preternaturally drawn to danger, the first to volunteer when faced with overwhelming odds, and almost certainly destined for an early grave, The Hero is the consummate adventurer, always prepared for anything. He has a broad spread of Abilities, ensuring that he can climb the steepest slopes, swim the widest lakes, and ride the fastest horses. He is likely to be reckless in his approach to life, and have a lust for adventure. Others might find him tiresome or intimidating because he expects others to be as brave and adventurous as he is himself. A covenant is an obvious home for such a one seeking glory and renown, as it offers challenges far beyond the mortal world.

The Hero usually has a good Athletics, Swim, Ride, and Survival Ability, representing his adventuring spirit. Appropriate Virtues and Flaws include: Affinity with Athletics, Warrior, Famous (or Infamous), and Reckless.

TRAINING PACKAGES: Athlete, Brawler, Leader, Soldier

The Laboratory Assistant

While older magi have apprentices, familiars, and perhaps even a clutch of enchanted automata to assist them in the laboratory, younger magi appreciate the help of mundane hands. The Laboratory Assistant grog is well-educated and versed in Magic Theory and Magic Lore. The Laboratory Assistant cannot provide direct help to her master since she does not have The Gift, but she is a skilled craftswoman, repairing damaged apparatus after accidents. If her master is particularly terrifying, she may be very good at Stealth; he may not even know she exists, but marvels that his sanctum remains tidy despite the occasional destructive rampage. Because she is privy to her master's secrets, she has a great deal of authority over the "lesser" servants.

Suitable Virtues and Flaws include Arcane Lore, Affinity with Craft (any relevant), and Humble. Some Flaws might represent being caught in laboratory accidents (such as Missing Eye, Fragile Constitution, and Poor Hearing).

TRAINING PACKAGES: Covenfolk, Craftsman, Magician, Servant

The Loyal Watchman

Always unnoticed and never catching the attention of the masters, the Loyal Watchman will never amount to much and he'd be surprised if the scholars even knew his name. He simply takes his pay, feeds his family, and raises the next generation of Loyal Watchmen.

The Loyal Watchman defends the covenant. He does not venture out with the magi and is nobody's custos. But he knows the covenant like the back of his hand; it is all he has known. Every covenant has these downtrodden nameless grogs, but once in a while they come into their own and show their worth. Awareness is the key Ability of the Watchman, and he may well have a good local Area Lore, thanks to long months of intense exploration. Having spent a long time at the covenant, he may have developed a good Organization Lore: Covenant. Appropriate Virtues and Flaws include Puissant Awareness and Nocturnal.

TRAINING PACKAGES: Covenfolk, Local, Sentry

The Officer

Every fighting turb needs a leader, and most have one. Depending on the size of the turb and the level of organization, the Officer may be anything from the most-senior fighter to a knight or formally trained officer.

Custos is a recommended Virtue, as is Warrior. He needs access to Martial Abilities, and a higher officer needs to know Latin and be literate, in addition to basic arithmetic. Good Teacher or Puissance in favored abilities would help, or Inspirational for a captain. Key Abilities include Folk Ken, Leadership, Martial Abilities, Riding, and Teaching. Etiquette and various Organization and Area Lores apply as well.

The Poisoner

The art of the apothecary is a subtle one, when the difference between harming or healing a client can be as simple as a minim's weight of a drug. It is not a career aimed at the clumsy or the careless, and yet sometimes individuals are expected to enter the family trade, no matter what their own wishes. However, the trade can also attract those individuals who enjoy the power over life and death that they hold in their hands, or whose morals around poisoning are up for negotiation, if there is financial gain in it.

Towns rarely tolerate an apothecary who poisons his patients, for whatever reason. After escaping from a lynch mob, the Poisoner can be of great use to bandits and other ne'erdo-wells who live apart from society. Life is harsh for such individuals, and an apothecary can double as a chirurgeon, as well as provide more effective ways of killing their marks. Similarly, a covenant can find a use for a disgraced apothecary incapable of setting up trade in town, but can they ever really trust his nostrums?

Naturally, Profession: Apothecary is an important Ability for the Poisoner, and some may know Medicine (or its folk equivalent) for making more potent poisons. Many have basic knowledge of Chirurgy. Legerdemain is suitable for slipping one's preparations unseen into another's food. Suitable Virtues and Flaws include Arcane Lore, Educated, Herbalism (Art & Academe, page 55), Puissant Profession: Apothecary, and Judged Unfairly.

TRAINING PACKAGES: Apothecary, Cutter, Forager, Local, Physician

The Robber

The roads of Mythic Europe are rarely safe, largely due to robbers who extract their own tolls and taxes from those who pass. As an outlaw, the Robber may look at the covenant as a place of sanctuary where his crimes might be ignored and his value recognized.

The Robber has exceptional knowledge of the local area and his activities ensure that he learns about all manner of goings on. But for all his value, the covenant must occasionally face the consequences of his actions while protecting their own secrecy and reputation.

In addition to Area Lore (and the Robber may have several different Area Lores), this character uses Stealth to lie in wait, and Leadership to intimidate his victims. Brawl is possibly more important than any Martial Abilities. Appropriate Virtues and Flaws include Warrior, Well-Traveled, and Branded Criminal.

TRAINING PACKAGES: Brawler, Footpad, Forager, Local, Soldier, Woodsman

The Sailor

Many covenants earn income from the sea, through fishing or trade, and each ship needs a crew. While crews for these vessels have little to do with the Order, magi who undertake sea voyages would do well to retain a turb of Sailors.

The chief Ability is Profession: Sailor, but Area Lore for coastal areas is important. And for covenants that have built or bought enchanted vessels, Finesse is useful as it helps the Sailor to control the ship's enchantments. But the Sailor's loyalties are to his captain first, his ship second, and then to the covenant. Appropriate Virtues and Flaws include Cautious with Profession: Sailor, Wilderness Sense, and Craving for Travel*.

TRAINING PACKAGES: Fisherman, Laborer, Sailor

The Survivor

When covenants die, what happens to their grogs? In some cases, the covenfolk remain in the ruins of the covenant long after the magi have left or been killed by some terrible disaster. Perhaps they are trapped in a regio, or have nowhere else to go. The grogs become warped over time by the aura, and after even a single generation are likely to be culturally different from their more mundane neighbors. For example, a simple desire that the magi will one day return and free them can be transmuted in later generations under the influence of Warping to a messianic cult that treats magi as demi-gods.

Characters rescued from the ruins of a covenant may share common Delusions, have unusual Prohibitions, and have extreme Personality Traits. They may also suffer inherited Flaws from Warping, such as Warped Senses or Environmental Sensitivity (both from Realms of Power: Magic, Chapter 4).

TRAINING PACKAGES: Covenfolk, Forager, Woodsman

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