Hedge Magic Revised Edition Chapter Three: Folk Witches
Folk witches are a widespread hedge tradition in Mythic Europe, and many small towns count one or two folk witches among their citizens. Other folk witches live in isolated country cabins, but the local folk know how to find these old women and men when they’re needed. And they know that witches use their fetishes, potions, and incantations to accomplish things beyond mortal ken. A witch might speak with the animals of the wild, curse one’s enemies, or dowse for much more than water. She might fly among the clouds, see with the second sight, or heal people and animals alike. Or she may even have the power to take the shape of an animal herself.
Almost all folk witches are unGifted, so common folk are unafraid to approach them for help when they are plagued by supernatural nuisances, including diseases, and these women thus form an important part of the community. On the other hand, a few folk witches are Gifted and thus suffer from the normal social penalties. These Gifted folk witches are treated with fear and suspicion, and are often regarded by common people as a source of supernatural hazard.
The Church frowns upon folk witches, whom it (largely inaccurately) views as remnants of primitive, pagan superstition, but by-and-large folk witches are ignored by the Church hierarchy at all levels. A few Church officials believe that folk witches draw their power from the Infernal, and do successfully mount prosecutions for executable crimes of heresy on this basis. Folk witches are not, in fact, connected to the Infernal at all — although some other hedge traditions of “witches” are. If your saga follows history, Church-inspired persecution of witches, of all types, and mass burnings of witches do not really occur until several centuries after the Ars Magica Fifth Edition period (1220 AD).
Unlike Hermetic magi, folk witches do not have an equivalent to the Order of Hermes, with its Houses, Tribunal politicking, and Latinate pretensions. Instead, folk witches quietly practice their magic in small localized groups called covens, which usually consist of an elder “mother” witch and a number of “daughters.” Like common folk, most folk witches never travel far from their place of birth, and consequently never meet a member of another coven except at the rare ill-fated sabbat. The insular lives of folk witches mean both that innovations stagnate in this hedge tradition, and also that the practices of covens can diverge wildly, depending on the nature and capabilities of individual coven members.
The Order of Hermes at large certainly knows that folk witches exist, but the witches are, generally, arrogantly viewed as poor practitioners of peasant magic that is of no particular importance or threat. It is less well known that some folk witches are Gifted, and little is really known about the specifics of folk witch magic.
Story Seed: SlavesThe magi of a covenant dominated by a Tytalus cabal discovered (at least some) folk witches can brew potions to restore Fatigue — a violation of the supposed Limit of Energy for Hermetic magic. Had this been discovered by Bonisagus magi it might have heralded a profitable new direction of research, but the Tytalus magi adopted a more direct approach. They tracked down, attacked, and captured a coven of folk witches, imprisoning them in a dungeon under their fortress-covenant. The magi use Rego Mentem magic to force them to brew potions. The Tytalus cabal has since won several certamen duels secretly using these potions, and they also enjoy the latitude to fatigue themselves while spellcasting without consequence. The players might become involved if they start to sell Fatigue potions, or if they create exuberant nuisances of themselves. Quaesitors may be sent to investigate, or Tremere certamen masters may suspect the Tytalus have a new strategy. Of course, the player characters could instead be members of the Tytalus cabal. |
Creating a Folk Witch Character
A folk witch can either be generated as either a Gifted or an unGifted character. An unGifted folk witch may be created as either a companion or a grog character. In all cases you must obey the normal rules for assigning Virtues and Flaws to a character. Regardless of whether the folk witch is Gifted or not, you must also assign at least one Flaw that impacts on the folk witch’s magical abilities. Finally, all folk witches must take the free Social Status Virtue: Folk Witch.
Assign the folk witch experience points as for a normal character — except that at some point, usually around age ten, the character is adopted by a folk witch, who initiates her charge into a folk witch coven. This is the folk witch equivalent to the Hermetic apprenticeship, and usually lasts for ten years. To represent the folk witch apprenticeship, you may spend 200 experience points for the character on any Abilities. This is less than a magus receives because a folk witch apprenticeship is shorter and folk witches do not have such a systematic and organized method of training. Following her apprenticeship, a folk witch is assigned the normal number of experience points for a character each year; that is, 15 XP each year, although this may be affected by the Wealthy Virtue or Poor Flaw.
If the folk witch is Gifted then part of her apprenticeship is the Opening of The Gift, which gives her seven favored Supernatural Abilities (normally Animal Ken, Cursing, Dowsing, Flight, Healing, Second Sight, and Shapeshifter). During and after her apprenticeship you may freely spend experience points on these Supernatural Abilities, even if she does not have the requisite Virtues.
On the other hand, if the folk witch is unGifted you may only assign her experience points to Supernatural Abilities to which she has the corresponding Virtues. Sometimes a character who is born with the required Virtues is found and then trained by a folk witch; alternatively, folk witch covens have access to initiation rites (see below) that can be used to develop these Supernatural Virtues in unGifted characters. However, not all covens have access to a complete set of seven initiation rites to teach their unGifted members. If your character developed Supernatural Virtues via initiation, you must also assign her the Flaws inflicted by the coven as ordeals. Obviously, an unGifted folk witch created as a grog character is likely to have fewer Supernatural Virtues (and be less powerful) than one created as a companion character.
After apprenticeship, if you wish to have a folk witch character work on laboratory activities (see later) during character generation, assume that she has access to a standard laboratory in a Magic aura of 3 (unless the troupe rules otherwise), and that she can expend up to four times her Folk Witch Magic Theory score in vis each year. Each season spent on laboratory activities reduce the number of experience points received for that year by 10, and a folk witch can only spend two seasons each year on laboratory activities — unless she is Wealthy or Poor. A wealthy character can spend three seasons each year on laboratory activities and a poor one can only spend one season each year on laboratory work.
Male WitcheMale folk witches are uncommon, and some versions of the folk witch initiations only work on female characters. Some covens are entirely made up of male folk witches, although this is rare. |
Minimum Ability Scores
After apprenticeship, a Gifted folk witch should have a minimum score of 1 in the following Abilities: Animal Ken, Cursing, Dowsing, Flight, Healing, Second Sight, Shapeshifter, and Folk Witch Magic Theory. An unGifted folk witch may lack some of the Supernatural Abilities, and she needs a corresponding Supernatural Virtue for each Supernatural Ability she does have. Obviously, if a Gifted folk witch has any Flawed Abilities she will not have a score in those Abilities. It is also a good idea for a folk witch to have a score in the Abilities Animal Handling, Concentration, Organization Lore: Folk Witch, and Penetration.
If you want the folk witch to be literate she must have a score of at least 4 in a Language (which does not need to be Latin), and a score of at least 1 in Artes Liberales. If she is a writer too she must have a score of 5 in that language. A literate folk witch might also find Profession (Scribe) useful, if she wants to copy texts.
New Virtues & Flaws
When creating a Gifted folk witch character you may assign her Hermetic Virtues and Flaws, if they are appropriate to her abilities. Supernatural Virtues and Flaws are accessible to all folk witch characters.
Folk Witch
Free Social Status Virtue
The character has been trained as a folk witch. She may perform folk witch laboratory activities such as brewing potions, she uses folk witch casting methods with her Supernatural Virtues and gains the associated magical defenses, and she is a member of a coven who attends sabbat meetings. As she is not supported by a covenant, like a magus is, she must spend two seasons each year supporting herself — normally by performing magical services for the local community. This Virtue is compatible with many other Social Status Virtues and Flaws, and with Wealthy and Poor.
Flawed Folk Witch Gift Opening
Minor Hermetic Flaw
The Opening of the folk witch’s Gift was flawed — she does not treat one of the seven folk witch Supernatural Abilities as favored, and she may not learn the Ability during character generation. This Flaw can be taken several times, each time for a different Supernatural Ability. She can still learn the Ability at a later date, but she suffers the usual penalties for learning a Supernatural Ability. In addition, even if she does eventually learn the Ability she suffers a –1 penalty on all totals generated with it. This Flaw is Hermetic as it can only be taken by Gifted folk witches; it is normally unavailable to Gifted characters who are not folk witches.
Cursing
Major Supernatural Virtue
The folk witch can cast curses on other characters. She has a score of 1 in the Supernatural Ability Cursing (see later).
Healing
Major Supernatural Virtue
The folk witch can heal characters and has a score of 1 in the Supernatural Ability Healing (see later).
Life-linked Folk Witch Magic
Major Supernatural Virtue
The folk witch may expend Fatigue levels to boost her Casting Total. Boost her Casting Total by 5 for each Fatigue level spent.
Animal Healer
Minor Supernatural Virtue
The folk witch can heal animals, and she has a Supernatural Ability Animal Healing with a Score of 1. This works exactly the same as the Healing Ability except that it works on animals instead of people (expending Animal vis instead of Corpus). A folk witch character can also make potions using this Ability. This is not normally a Favored Ability of folk witches, although it is for some variant covens. The character may also have the Healing Ability.
Concentrated Potions
Minor Supernatural Virtue
The folk witch can use up to four times her Folk Witch Magic Theory Ability score worth of vis in a season when she brews potions (see later). This is double the usual amount of vis that may be used.
Expert Potion Brewer
Minor Supernatural Virtue
The folk witch doubles the Supernatural Ability used to form her Lab Total when brewing potions (see later), which increases the Brew Potency.
Flight
Minor Supernatural Virtue
The folk witch character can fly. She has a score of 1 in the Supernatural Ability Flight (see later).
Painless Moon
Minor Supernatural Virtue
The folk witch does not suffer a Medium Wound during each month of her Witch’s Moon (see later).
Well-trained Folk Witch
Minor General Virtue
Due to the quality of her induction into the folk witch tradition, the character receives an extra 50 experience points to spend during apprenticeship. This Virtue can be taken several times.
Primitive Tradition
Major Supernatural Flaw
The folk witch is incapable of brewing potions (see later).
Rarefied Tradition
Major Supernatural Flaw
The folk witch may only use her Supernatural Abilities via potions. That is, she must brew and drink a suitable potion when she uses her Supernatural Abilities; she cannot use the other folk witch casting methods.
Harsh Moon
Minor Supernatural Flaw
The folk witch suffers a Heavy Wound (instead of a Medium Wound) during each month of her Witch’s Moon (see later).
Short-ranged Curses
Minor Supernatural Flaw
Curses cast by the folk witch are only effective if the curse fetish is within 100 yards of the target. The curse takes effect at the moment that the target moves within range of the completed fetish. Once a disease, aging, or miscarriage curse fetish has thus activated, removing the target from the vicinity of the fetish has no effect on the curse. On the other hand, if a target is removed from the range of an emotion, tongue, paralysis, reduction, or beast curse fetish the effect ceases, but resumes again if the target moves back into range (and the effect manages to Penetrate again) — this continues until either the Arcane Connection powering the fetish expires or the fetish is destroyed. This Flaw has no effect on curse potions brewed by the witch. This Flaw is only available if the character is a Gifted Folk Witch or has the Minor Supernatural Virtue Cursing. This Flaw is suitable for a Gifted character whose Opening of The Gift was flawed.
Silent Tradition
Minor Supernatural Flaw
The folk witch cannot use the incantation casting method. This Flaw cannot be taken if the folk witch has the Rarefied Tradition Major Flaw.
Unstable Magic
Minor Supernatural Flaw
Things that the folk witch creates in the laboratory (potions, fetishes, etc.) decay and cease to work after one year and one day. This Flaw is suitable for a Gifted character whose Opening of The Gift was flawed, although it may also be taken by unGifted characters.
Poorly Trained Folk Witch
Minor General Flaw
The folk witch was not well trained; she receives 50 fewer experience points to spend during her apprenticeship.
Existing Virtues & Flaws
The following existing Hermetic Virtues and Flaws from ArM5 are suitable for Gifted Folk Witches.
Major Hermetic Virtues: Gentle Gift
Minor Hermetic Virtues: Adept Laboratory Student, Cautious Sorcerer, Cyclic Magic (positive), Fast Caster, Free Study, Harnessed Magic, Inventive Genius, Magical Memory, Personal Vis Source, Quiet Magic, Side Effect, Special Circumstances, Subtle Magic.
Major Hermetic Flaws: Blatant Gift, Difficult Longevity Ritual, Necessary Condition, Painful Magic, Restriction, Rigid Magic, Waster of Vis.
Minor Hermetic Flaws: Careless Sorcerer, Creative Block, Cyclic Magic (negative), Deleterious Circumstances, Disorientating Magic, Susceptibility to Divine Power, Susceptibility to Faerie Power, Susceptibility to Infernal Power, Unimaginative Learner, Warped Magic, Weak Magic, Weird Magic.
Folk Witch Magic
As mentioned previously, Gifted folk witches have access to seven Supernatural Abilities: Animal Ken, Cursing, Dowsing, Flight, Healing, Second Sight, and Shapeshifter. Each of these is represented in the Ars Magica Fifth Edition game by a Supernatural Virtue, but for Gifted folk witches these are favored Abilities (see the Introduction). UnGifted folk witches need to have the corresponding Supernatural Virtues, and so may not have all seven Supernatural Abilities. In either case, folk witches use the standard Ability experience advancement table when improving these Abilities (see ArM5, page 31).
Folk witches do not use their Supernatural Abilities in the same manner as many other characters — even if those characters have the same Supernatural Abilities. Folk witches instead use one of three methods to access their powers. These are by brewing potions (which in some cases allows other characters temporary access to the folk witch’s Super natural Abilities), by reciting incantations, or by creating fetish objects that embody the folk witch’s powers (a witch’s broom is a fetish object for the Flight ability, for example).
Although folk witches do not have a general Magic Resistance, like many hedge traditions, they do have limited Magical Defenses.
Folk Witch Powers
When a folk witch uses her Supernatural Abilities, a Casting Total is generated and compared to the Ease Factor for the effect, to determine whether or not the effect is successful. A Gifted folk witch can also boost her Casting Score by expending the appropriate Form of vis. Note that unGifted folk witches cannot use vis to boost their Casting Score. Each Ability description specifies which Form is appropriate, and this is also the Form Bonus used by Hermetic magi when resisting that folk witch effect. Each description also specifies which Characteristic is used to generate the Casting Score.
| Folk Witch Casting Score | Characteristic + Ability + Aura Modifier |
| Magnitude of Effect | Ability |
| Equivalent Spell Level | (5 X Ability) |
| Folk Witch Casting Total | Casting Score + Stress Die |
| Ease Factor | Determined By Effect |
| Penetration Total | Casting Total + Penetration Bonus – Ease Factor |
| Vis Bonus To Casting Score | +1 Per Pawn (Only If Gifted) |
| Maximum Vis Expenditure | Ability + Effect Vis Cost |
Casting Methods
A folk witch uses casting methods that are alien to Hermetic magic, and the casting methods for each Supernatural Ability are given below. Note that these special casting methods only apply to the way that folk witches use these Supernatural Abilities; a character who has learned one of these Supernatural Abilities from some other source is not restricted in this way. Folk witches must use the appropriate casting method — they cannot vary their method like magi can. The folk witch casting methods are:
Potion: The Ability is used by brewing a potion (see later), which the target drinks.
Incantation: The folk witch recites a small rhyming poem in order to use her Ability. The target must be able to hear this incantation to be affected (see the Words and Gestures Table for the range of each level of voice loudness; ArM5, page 83). The folk witch cannot use the Ability if she cannot speak. If she loses her memory of the incantation (due to hostile magic, for example) make an Intelligence + Concentration roll against an Ease Factor of 6 for her every day after the memory-altering effect ceases. If this roll is successful, her memory of the incantation returns.
Fetish: The folk witch needs to hold a particular item (the fetish) to use the Ability. She cannot use the Ability if this item is missing, nor can she use an item prepared by another character. It takes a season of laboratory work to prepare a suitable item. A folk witch can have several fetish items for a single Ability, and she only requires one of them to use the Ability. This means that she can create and cache spare fetish items.
Botches
A botch on her Casting Total can be disastrous for a folk witch. Usually an effect still happens, but it is uncontrolled and not what the witch expected. She also gains 1 Warping Point for every 0 on the botch dice (see Warping, later in this chapter).
Mark
Each folk witch has a mark that reveals an effect as being cast by her. This is similar to a magus’ sigil. To check whether a character can recognize a folk witch mark, make a Perception + Organization Lore: Folk Witch roll against an Ease Factor of 9. A folk witch may not normally suppress her mark, nor does she have the capability to “fake” another folk witch’s mark. In addition, a successful Perception + Organization Lore: Folk Witch roll against an Ease Factor of 6 identifies an effect as one cast by a Folk Witch, but does not identify the particular witch.
Animal Ken
Characteristic: Communication
Form: Animal
Method: Incantation (the animal(s) must be able to hear the incantation), or Potion.
See ArM5, page 62. Note that an animal usually reacts badly to a Gifted folk witch — just as it would to a magus.
Cursing
Characteristic: Dexterity
Form: Depends on the curse (Corpus for disease, aging, paralysis, or reduction; Mentem for emotion or tongue; and Animal for beast).
Method: Fetish (each time the folk witch curses another character she must make a new fetish) or Potion.
The folk witch can curse another (human) character that she has an Arcane Connection to, by working the Arcane Connection into an object (the fetish) — usually this is a piece of fabric that is prepared on a loom. Preparing the curse is a laboratory activity that takes the folk witch an entire season (see later), and the curse needs to penetrate the Magic Resistance of the target throughout the preparation season in order to be effective. This is the only way that folk witches may normally curse a particular character — although she can brew cursed potions that affect any character who can be persuaded to drink them. If the target’s Magic Resistance varies throughout the season (for example, if the target moves in and out of an Aegis of the Hearth effect), then use the highest Magic Resistance the target has during the season. The Ease Factor depends on the nature of the curse.
Ease Factor: 9
Curse of Disease: The curse immediately inflicts a disease that causes a fever and inflicts a Medium Wound. The disease progresses normally (see ArM5, page 180) and the character does not count as being under a magical effect.
Ease Factor: 9
Curse of Miscarriage: The curse immediately causes difficulty for a pregnant woman that may force her to miscarry. The curse inflicts a Medium Wound and at the end of the month, the woman makes a Recovery roll as normal (see ArM5, page 179). If her Wound does not improve she miscarries, which kills the baby. If the woman gives birth, either naturally or through magical or medical intervention, before the end of the month then the curse has no effect on the baby — although the woman still suffers from the effects of a Medium Wound.
Ease Factor: 12
Curse of Aging: The curse causes the character to immediately undergo an Aging Crisis (see ArM5, page 170). This disrupts the effect of a Longevity Potion.
Ease Factor: 12
Curse of Emotion: The curse causes the target character to feel one strong emotion toward another specific character. Examples include love, hate, or pity. This curse requires an Arcane Connection to each character (which are both worked into the fabric), but the curse only needs to penetrate the Magic Resistance of the target character. It is only the target character who is directly affected by this curse; the feelings of the character who is the object of his emotion are unchanged. The effect lasts until either the curse item is destroyed or either Arcane Connection expires.
Ease Factor: 15
Curse of the Tongue: The curse causes the character to forget how to speak any languages until either the curse object is destroyed, the Arcane Connection expires, or another magical effect restores his speech. This does not prevent a magus from casting spells, but he takes a penalty for casting without words.
Ease Factor: 15
Curse of Paralysis: The curse causes the character to be unable to move his limbs until either the curse object is destroyed, the Arcane Connection expires, or another magical effect restores his mobility. The character may still speak and this curse does not prevent a magus from casting spells, but he takes a penalty for casting without gestures.
Ease Factor: 18
Curse of the Beast: The curse transforms the character into a small animal (a frog, newt, or rat for example). The character is still really human, and is thus affected by Corpus and Mentem effects, as well as Animal effects. However, such a cursed character can no longer think or act like a person. The character does retain his Magic Resistance (if any), but a cursed magus cannot perform his Parma Magica ritual. The character remains as an animal until either the curse object is destroyed, the Arcane Connection expires, or another magical effect returns him to his original form.
Ease Factor: 18
Curse of Reduction: The curse reduces the character in Size. Every month the character loses a Size level. This continues until either the curse object is destroyed, the Arcane Connection expires, or another magical effect returns the character to his original Size. When the effect ends, the character returns to his original Size at the rate of 1 Size level every hour. If the character reaches a Size of –18 he does not reduce further in Size, but he does not return to his original Size until the effect ends.
Dowsing
Characteristic: Perception
Form: Depends on the target (Animal for animals, Corpus for people, Vim for vis, etc.).
Method: Fetish or Potion.
See ArM5, page 64. This ability is important for folk witches as it allows them to find vis.
Flight
Characteristic: Stamina
Form: Auram
Method: Fetish or Potion.
The folk witch has the ability to fly. The Ease Factor to take to the air is 9. It costs her 1 Long Term Fatigue level to use this power (even if the roll is failed), if she uses the Fetish method; but it costs her no Fatigue if she uses the Potion method. In either case, if she botches she loses a number of additional Long Term Fatigue levels equal to the number of botches. Once airborne she can fly at about the same speed as a horse can gallop along the ground, and she can remain airborne for a number of hours equal to her Flight Ability score, but the flight ends if she touches the ground before this time.
When making rolls to determine whether the folk witch can successfully perform a complex maneuver, use the Athletics Ability. If a flying folk witch is involved in combat, her Flight Ability score is added to both her Attack and Defense Totals — but only if her opponent cannot fly.
Healing
Characteristic: Stamina
Form: Corpus
Method: Incantation or Potion.
The folk witch can heal herself, or another character. This is true healing, and the folk witch can also use this power to recover, or aid another’s recovery of, Fatigue Levels (Long or Short Term). Thus, this power breaks the Limit of Energy, but the folk witch must spend a number of pawns of Corpus vis depending on the wound type (indicated below). If vis is unavailable, then the power has no effect. The healing power must penetrate the Magic Resistance of the target. A target who is Dead cannot be healed, and a target who is Unconscious cannot have Fatigue Levels restored. The Ease Factor depends on the level of Wound/Fatigue, but how the wound was inflicted (trauma, disease, magic, etc) is irrelevant.
| Ease Factor | Wound (vis) | Fatigue (vis) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Light Wound (3 p) | Winded (1 p) |
| 9 | Medium Wound (4 p) | Weary (2 p) |
| 12 | Heavy Wound (5 p) | Tired (3 p) |
| 15 | Incapacitating (6 p) | Dazed (4 p) |
Second Sight
Characteristic: Perception
Form: Vim
Method: Incantation (the thing being sensed must be able to hear the incantation) or Potion.
See ArM5, page 67.
Shapeshifter
Characteristic: Stamina Form: Animal Method: Fetish or Potion.
See ArM5, page 67. The fetish is made from the skin of the animal form.
Magical Defenses
Each folk witch power grants her a Magic Defense against effects cast on her. Magic Defenses are detailed in the Introduction. An unGifted folk witch only has the Magic Defenses that correspond to the Supernatural Virtues that she has, of course. Note that these Supernatural Abilities do not normally grant a Magic Defense — this is a special consequence of the folk witch training.
Power: Animal Ken
Defense: Magical Fortitude. Defense against effects cast by casters in an Animal form (includes shapeshifted magi, magical animals, faerie animals, etc.).
Power: Cursing
Defense: Accelerated Expiry. Defense against effects that target her with an Arcane Connection.
Power: Dowsing
Defense: Confounding Magics. Defense against Mentem effects.
Power: Flight
Defense: Immovable Object. Defense against Corpus effects.
Power: Healing
Defense: Magical Fortitude. Defense against Corpus effects.
Power: Second Sight
Defense: Accelerated Expiry. Defense against effects that affect her senses.
Power: Shapeshifter
Defense: Strength of Form. Defense against Animal or Corpus effects.
Witch’s Kitchen
A folk witch uses a kitchen to study and perform other long-term activities, much like a magus uses a laboratory. In these rules the phrase “laboratory activity” is used to refer to the work that the folk witch does in her kitchen, even though she would not actually refer to it as a laboratory. Whenever a Lab Total is required this is calculated as:
| Lab Total | (supernatural Ability) + Intelligence + Folk Witch Magic Theory + Aura Modifier |
For some activities there is no Supernatural Ability added to a folk witch’s Lab Total. In these cases, her Lab Total will be very low in comparison to a Hermetic magus. In other circumstances, her Lab Total will still probably be lower than a magi’s Lab Total as it is only generated from a single Ability score rather than a pair of Arts.
An unGifted folk witch is capable of performing most laboratory tasks (she may brew potions, make fetishes, etc.), but only if she has the corresponding Virtues.
Building the Kitchen
A folk witch kitchen is similar in concept to a Hermetic laboratory, but it normally occupies a much smaller space (100 square feet).
Despite this similarity, a folk witch cannot actually use a magus’ laboratory, and vice versa, but they can each recognize the other’s workspace as being some sort of magical laboratory.
Part of the reason that folk witches and magi cannot use each others’ laboratories is that a folk witch kitchen does not contain the same physical apparatus as most magi’s laboratories. A folk witch kitchen is usually based around a cauldron (used for brewing potions), has little in the way of expensive glassware, and she uses local herbal ingredients rather than exotic materials.
| Setting Up a Kitchen | 2 Seasons and a Minimum Folk Witch Magic Theory Score of 3. |
| Converting an Hermetic Laboratory To a Folk Witch Kitchen (And Vice Versa) | 1 Season, and Both Folk Witch Magic Theory and Magic Theory of 3. |
If your troupe has access to Covenants, many of the rules in that book (page 106) for refining and modifying Hermetic Laboratories are also applicable to a folk witch kitchen. If you use these rules add 3 to the Laboratory Size Scale (Covenants, page 110), when evaluating the effective size of the kitchen; thus a 100-square-foot space is a Size 0 kitchen, a 500-square-foot space is a Size +3 kitchen, etc. This means that if, for example, a standard Hermetic Laboratory is converted to a folk witch kitchen, it will be a very large kitchen.
Folk Witch Magic TheoryThis Arcane Ability is analogous to the Magic Theory Ability of Hermetic magi. It covers the technical details of folk witch magic and is used in laboratory activities. Any character can be taught this Ability. Specialties: particular laboratory activities. |
Help in the Kitchen
A folk witch cannot normally be assisted in her work by other characters. There are two exceptions: a folk witch’s familiar can assist her, and folk witches may assist one another during a witch’s sabbat (see later in this chapter).
Experimenting
A folk witch may experiment with any laboratory activity that uses a Lab Total. This works exactly the same as Hermetic experimentation — she receives a bonus to her Lab Total and a roll must be made on the Extraordinary Results table (see ArM5, page 107-109). Many folk witches live in towns or villages with Divine Auras, and so often experiment to try to overcome the negative penalty of the aura to their Lab Totals.
| Experimental Bonus To Lab Total | Simple Die + Risk Modifier |
Lab Texts
Many folk witches are illiterate and are thus incapable of producing or using Lab Texts in their laboratory activities. This does not stop them performing laboratory activities, but it does make it difficult to share innovations with others. A few folk witches are literate, and those witches may utilize Lab Texts for some activities; these are detailed below.
Folk witch Lab Texts have a level, and a folk witch uses the same rules as a magus when copying or writing Lab Texts (although she need not write in Latin). Like a magus, each folk witch writes her Lab Text using idiosyncratic notation, so she must translate the Lab Texts of other folk witches (see ArM5, page 102-103). Folk witch Lab Texts are normally of no use to a magus, although he can recognize them as being Lab Texts, and he could study the Lab Texts as a source of Insight when trying to integrate folk witch practices with Hermetic theory. Hermetic Lab Texts are likewise normally of no use to a folk witch.
Vis
Folk witches may find vis using their Dowsing Ability.
Vis Extraction: A folk witch can, in a season, extract a number of pawns of Vim vis from the local aura equal to a tenth of her Lab Total (round up). No Supernatural Ability is added to this Lab Total, so it is likely that she will only be able to extract 1 or 2 pawns per season. Vis Transfer: A folk witch can easily move raw vis from one physical form to another in her kitchen. This takes one day and uses the same rules as for Hermetic magi. Vis Use: In a season, a folk witch can only use up to twice her Folk Witch Magic Theory Ability score in pawns of vis on laboratory projects.
Fixing Arcane Connections
In a season, a folk witch can improve the lifetime of one Arcane Connection by one step. That is, an Arcane Connection that naturally lasts for a number of weeks can be improved to last for months equal to her Lab Total, an Arcane Connection that lasts for months can be improved to last for a number of Years equal to her Lab Total, etc. Note there is no Supernatural Ability in this total. See ArM5, page 84, for the typical lifetimes of various sorts of Arcane Connections.
Improving the lifetime of Arcane Connections requires a kitchen and costs 1 pawn of Vim vis. The improved lifetime is measured from the end of the season spent improving the Arcane Connection, and although the connection must be active at the beginning of the laboratory season it need not naturally last until the end of the season — so, the process at least extends the lifetime of an Arcane Connection for a season.
Study
Although a folk witch does often study in her kitchen, she does not technically need to do so, and gains no bonus from having access to her kitchen. Note that learning Supernatural Abilities is difficult (ArM5, page 166) unless the character already has a score in the Ability, and is normally impossible for unGifted characters who do not already have a score in the Ability.
Curse Fetish Weaving
If she has the Cursing Ability, the folk witch may weave a curse. The curse is woven on a loom and the fabric details the curse. She must do this (or brew a potion) in order to curse a character. The effect of various curses are described earlier in this chapter, and creating a single fabric (which targets an Individual) both occupies the character for an entire season, and requires a kitchen. The witch must have an active Arcane Connection to the target at the beginning of the season to create such a fabric, but it need not be an Arcane Connection that lasts for the entire season.
Disease, miscarriage, and aging curses take effect immediately, once the fabric is complete, and this destroys the Arcane Connection. Love, tongue, paralysis, beast, and reduction curses normally last until either the fabric is destroyed, magic cancels the effect, or the Arcane Connection expires. The lifetime of the Arcane Connection is counted from the completion of the fabric.
Some folk witch traditions do not make curse fabrics, and instead make different objects (bowls, figurines, etc). These have the same effect as curse fabrics.
Dowsing Rod Binding
If she has the Dowsing Ability, a folk witch can enchant a rod in her kitchen, which is the fetish required to use her Dowsing Ability (see above). A dowsing rod is usually a forked stick, but some folk witches use a needle or a pair of scissors. Regardless of its form, enchanting a dowsing rod takes 1 season and consumes 1 pawn of Intellego vis. Once enchanted, a dowsing rod lasts indefinitely but it can be destroyed; it is still just a stick.
Flight Broom Preparation
If she has the Flight Ability, a folk witch can enchant a flying aid in her kitchen, which is the fetish required to use her Flight Ability (see earlier). A flying aid is usually a broom, but some folk witches use buckets, baths, or even balls of twine (which they throw and then fly after). Regardless of its form, enchanting a flying aid takes 1 season and consumes 1 pawn of Auram vis. Once enchanted, a flying aid lasts indefinitely but it can be destroyed; it is still just a broom, bucket, etc.
Skin Knitting
If she has the Shapeshifter Ability, the folk witch may enchant an animal skin in her kitchen. This is the fetish that she needs to use the Ability. Rather than a skin, some folk witches use another part of the animal, for example a foot, as a fetish. Regardless of the precise form, enchanting the fetish takes a season and consumes 1 pawn of Animal vis. Once enchanted, a Shapeshifter fetish lasts indefinitely but it can be destroyed; it is still just an animal skin. A folk witch may have fetishes for as many different types of animals as she has a score in the Shapeshifter Ability, and she can have any number of fetishes for each type. Duplicate fetishes for the same type of animal give her no advantage, except as a spare in case she loses one.
Potion Brewing
A folk witch may brew batches of potions in her kitchen. A potion allows her to temporarily grant some of her Supernatural Abilities to other characters. There is not normally much benefit to the folk witch herself from drinking a potion that she has brewed, unless her Ability score is very low. However, a folk witch may want to use a potion if she has lost the fetish required for a Supernatural Ability, she wants to activate an Ability without speaking an incantation, or she is unable to use Supernatural Abilities due to the Witch Moon (see later in this chapter).
When the witch brews a batch of potions, her Lab Total is calculated for the relevant Ability. This result is the Brew Potency. If a character drinks the potion, it is as if that character had cast the effect at that moment with a Casting Total equal to the Brew Potency + a stress die. The Penetration and success of the potion is determined by comparing this Casting Total to the Ease Factor for the effect, as normal, and all potions also need to Penetrate the Magic Resistance of the drinker to have any effect. There are no bonuses to the Penetration, due to the Penetration Ability of either the drinker or the brewer, and the local aura does not affect the Casting Total — although the aura present when the folk witch brewed the potion affects her Lab Total as normal. A Hermetic magus can voluntarily lower his Magic Resistance when he drinks a potion.
It takes a season for the folk witch to make a brew, which produces a number of doses equal to her Folk Witch Magic Theory Ability score, and all the doses have the same Brew Potency. The vis cost is one pawn per dose (of the Form appropriate for the Ability) plus any vis required for the effect itself. The effect only needs to be paid for once (regardless of the number of doses), so brewing potions is an efficient way of using Abilities that have a vis cost (like Healing). The folk witch can always choose to make fewer doses than she is technically able to (if she is short of vis, for example), but this does not reduce the time required to make the brew. Potions last indefinitely, until drunk, and normally each dose is bottled separately.
If the folk witch is literate she may write a potion Lab Text, which has a level equal to her Folk Witch Magic Theory Ability score. A literate folk witch may use a potion Lab Text when she brews a potion. If she does, she may brew an additional number of doses up to the Lab Text level. She needs to pay the vis cost for the extra doses, of course.
A few folk witch covens do not brew potions, but bake special breads instead. Use the same game mechanics for these items.
| Brew Potency | Supernatural Ability Lab Total |
| Potion Casting Total | Brew Potency + Stress Die |
| Doses Per Brew | Folk Witch Magic Theory (+ Lab Text Level) |
| Vis Cost | 1 Per Dose + Effect Cost |
| Potion Lab Text Level | Folk Witch Magic Theory |
For example: A folk witch with an Intelligence of +1, a Folk Witch Magic Theory Ability score of 4, and a Healing Ability score of 5 is attempting to brew a batch of potions to heal Light Wounds. Her kitchen is in a magic aura of 3.
Her Lab Total is 13 (1 + 4 + 5 + 3). This is the Brew Potency, which means that when the potions are consumed they will easily heal a Light Wound (as the effective Casting Total will be 13 + stress die and the Ease Factor to heal a Light Wound is 6). Her brew will produce 4 doses, and costs a total of 7 pawns of Corpus vis (1 per dose + effect cost). As she has a Folk Witch Magic Theory Ability score of 4, the folk witch may use 8 pawns of vis in a season of laboratory work, so she may do this. However if she only had 4 pawns of vis available, she would only be able to manufacture 1 dose.
If she was literate she would be able to produce a Lab Text for this brew (which would have a level of 4). This would mean that the next time she made this brew she could work from the Lab Text and be able to manufacture 8 doses (4 + 4). Unfortunately this would require 11 pawns of vis, which is too many for her to cope with in a season (unless she has the Minor Supernatural Ability Concentrated Potions). So, she will only be able to make 5 doses (for a cost of 8 vis).
Potion Effects
Some potions allow the drinker to temporarily act as if they have a Supernatural Ability. In this case the character (who could be a folk witch) does not need to recite an incantation or have a fetish item to use the Ability. It is also possible that the Ability score granted by such a potion may be greater than the folk witch’s score in Supernatural Ability (if she has a low Supernatural Ability, but high Folk Witch Magic Theory Ability score, for example).
Ability: Animal Ken
Effect: The character drinking this potion acts as if he had the Animal Ken Ability, with an Ability score equal to the Brew Potency / 5 (round up). This effect lasts for a number of days equal to the Brew Potency.
Ability: Cursing
Effect: The character drinking this potion is affected by the curse specified at the time the potion was brewed. Disease, miscarriage, and aging curses activate immediately when the potion is drunk, but are not ongoing magical effects. The other curse types activate when the potion is drunk and persist as ongoing magical effects until either their effect is reversed by magic, or a year and a day has passed since the potion was drunk.
Of course, no sensible character will knowingly drink such a potion, but sometimes common folk seek out folk witches to manufacture curse potions for them — love emotion curses are particularly popular. The folk witch does not require an Arcane Connection to the target at the time of brewing, as it affects the drinker of the potion. An exception is an emotion potion, which requires an Arcane Connection to the character who the drinker will feel the emotion toward. Only one Arcane Connection is required for the brew, and each dose induces the emotion in the drinker toward the same character.
All doses in a brew inflict the same type of curse. The type of curse is not limited by the Brew Potency; for example a folk witch with a Brew Potency of 10 could manufacture potions that inflict the beast curse. However, such a potion will only actually work if (at the time of consumption) the Brew Potency plus a stress die roll equal or exceeds an Ease Factor of 18 (and penetrates the drinker’s Magic Resistance).
Ability: Dowsing
Effect: The character drinking this potion acts as if he had the Dowsing Ability, with an Ability score equal to the Brew Potency / 5 (round up). This effect lasts for a single search for an item.
Ability: Flight
Effect: The character drinking this potion acts as if he had the Flight Ability, with a score equal to the Brew Potency / 5 (round up). This effect lasts for a single flight.
Ability: Healing
Effect: The character is healed of a Wound or Fatigue level when he drinks the potion. The target Ease Factor (that is, the type of Wound/Fatigue level) must be specified at the time of brewing, and the appropriate amount of vis is consumed (for each dose) during the brewing process. Potions that heal Wounds and Fatigue levels are different; this must also be specified at the time of brewing. All doses in a brew have the same effect.
The potion can heal one Wound of the specified type or one lesser Wound. For example, if a healing potion that is designed to heal a Heavy Wound is drunk by a character with only Light Wounds, then a single Light Wound will be healed. If a character has several Wounds, then the worst that the potion is capable of healing is healed.
Ability: Second Sight
Effect: The character drinking this potion acts as if he had the Second Sight Ability, with a score equal to Brew Potency / 5 (round up). This effect lasts for a number of days equal to the Brew Potency.
Ability: Shapeshifter
Effect: The character drinking this potion transforms into an animal specified at the time of brewing (which is the same animal for all doses in the brew), and a part of the animal must be included in the brew. The folk witch must also have a fetish for this animal type available when she is brewing the potion. This effect lasts for a number of days equal to the Brew Potency. At the end of the effect, the character transforms back to his natural form. The character can end the effect sooner, at will, but he cannot then transform back into the animal form.
Investigating a PotionA folk witch can inspect a potion to determine its effect, which is represented by a Folk Witch Magic Theory Ability roll. This takes her a few minutes, and reveals the Brew Potency and precise effect of the potion.
To a Hermetic magus, a potion appears to be a magical effect of Magnitude equal to the Brew Potency / 5, and thus can be detected via an appropriate Intellego Vim spell. Note that a standard detection spell will merely note that the potion is “a magi cal effect,” but an additional magnitude of effect will identify the potion as being “non-Hermetic,” and a second additional magnitude of effect will reveal the Form of the effect (see ArM5, page 158). To correctly identify the Form of the effect, the magus must be familiar with folk witch magic; a magus with a score in Folk Witch Magic Theory or Organization Lore: Folk Witches, or the Supernatural Ability granted by the potion, is sufficiently familiar. To precisely identify the effect of a potion, a magus may investigate it in his laboratory, and again can only do this if he is familiar with folk witch magic. Treat the potion as a single effect with a level equal to the Brew Potency (see ArM5, page 100). |
Enriching Things of Virtue
A folk witch may enrich Things of Virtue, using the rules printed in Realms of Power: Magic.
Longevity Ritual
A folk witch can create a Longevity Ritual for herself using the same rules used by a Hermetic magus (see ArM5, page 101). Usen her Healing Ability Lab Total for this activity, which means that a folk witch’s Longevity Ritual is likely to be considerably less potent than a magus’. Also remember that a folk witch can only generate a Lab Text if she is literate, so she may not be able to easily repeat the ritual when it fails. A folk witch cannot create a Longevity Ritual for another character.
Familiars
A folk witch can bind an animal to herself as a familiar. This is a laboratory activity and takes one season. In order to bind an animal, her Animal Ken Lab Total must exceed the Binding Total:
| Folk Witch Familiar Binding Total | 10 + Familiar’s Size + Familiar’s Magic Might |
It is quite easy for a folk witch to bind a small non-magical animal (like a cat, which has a negative Size) as her familiar, and many folk witches do. It is rather more difficult for folk witches with low Animal Ken Lab Totals to bind an animal with Magic Might, and so magical familiars are rare. The “Book of Mundane Beasts” appendix in Realms of Power: Magic and the Bjornaer chapter of Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults (page 38) contain statistics for mundane beasts that may make suitable familiars. Realms of Power: Magic also contains rules for creating magical animals.
A folk witch may only have one bound familiar, but she may bind another if the current one dies.
Benefits of a Familiar
If it did not previously have human Intelligence, the familiar gains it, with a score of –3. It also gains a score equal to the folk witch in any languages; any familiar can understand the languages understood by his mistress, and can speak them if it has the relevant vocal equipment. Familiars can learn Abilities in the same way as humans. They cannot, however, learn magic or Supernatural Abilities, although they can learn Folk Witch Magic Theory.
This leads to the main benefit of a familiar: it may serve as an assistant in the kitchen. The folk witch receives a bonus to her Lab Total equal to the familiar’s Intelligence + Folk Witch Magic Theory. Of course, this will be only worthwhile if the familiar isn’t too stupid.
| Familiar Bonus To Lab Total | Familiar’s Intelligence + Familiar’s Folk Witch Magic Theory |
The familiar binding gives both the folk witch and the familiar the Minor Virtue True Friend, relating to the other half of the partnership. Thus, they also each gain Personality Traits of Loyal (partner) +3.
The familiar won’t die of old age as long as the folk witch is alive, and it only suffers ill effects from aging when the folk witch does.
The folk witch and the familiar are magically linked. Each serves as an Arcane Connection to the other. Neither needs to overcome the other’s Magic Resistance in order to affect him or her with a magical effect.
The folk witch can use her Healing Ability on the familiar, but expends Animal vis instead of Corpus vis to power the effect.
The folk witch does not increase the Ease Factor due to distance or rarity when attempting to Dowse for the location of her familiar. That is, the Ease Factor is always 9.
The folk witch can use her Animal Ken Ability to enter a trance-like state that allows her to see (and hear, etc.) through the senses of her familiar. The Ease Factor for this effect is 6. While she is in the trance state, the folk witch is not really conscious of her own surroundings. But if something distracting happens to her (she is attacked, there is a loud noise, etc.) then she must make an immediate Stamina + Concentration roll against an Ease Factor of 9, or she breaks out of the trance.
Folk witches do not know how to form the bonds that a hermetic magus does to his familiar, nor can they invest additional powers in the familiar bond.
Warping
A folk witch gains Warping points via the usual methods, including exposure to strong (non-Magical) auras and powerful or constant mystical effects. She also gains Warping points when she botches using her Supernatural Abilities. Whenever she gains enough Warping points to increase her Warping Score by 1, she experiences a painful and disturbing event known as the Witch Moon. This occurs immediately after her Warping Score increases, so at her first Witch Moon the folk witch will have just acquired a Warping Score of 1 (unless she somehow acquires a large number of Warping points that increase her Warping Score to a higher level).
This is the folk witch equivalent of Wizard’s Twilight and replaces the normal effect of Warping on a folk witch character. All folk witches undergo the Witch Moon, both those with and without The Gift. Note that neither Gifted nor unGifted folk witches gain Warping points due to exposure to strong Magic auras (unGifted folk witches also have Supernatural Abilities aligned to the Magic realm; ArM5 page 176).
The Witch Moon
The Witch Moon lasts for at least one month, during which the character temporarily loses all her Supernatural Abilities. She also suffers a hot fever, which causes a Medium Wound — this wound is treated as a disease, and many folk witches keep a healing potion handy for dealing with it. The folk witch can still drink potions even though she can’t brew any.
At the end of the month, make a roll for the folk witch to see if the Witch Moon has passed. If this roll fails, then the folk witch gains another Warping Point and the Witch Moon lasts for another month, inflicting another Medium Wound on the witch due to fever. Roll again at the end of the second month and so forth, until she recovers. If the roll to end the Witch Moon is botched, the folk witch gains an additional number of Warping Points equal to the number of 0s of the botch die. Note that the penalties due to wounds do not affect this roll.
| To End Witch Moon | Stamina – Warping Score + Stress Die Vs Ease Factor 6 |
Effects of the Witch Moon
Assuming that the folk witch recovers from the Witch Moon, she gains some kind of mark from the experience. If the folk witch took more months to recover from the Witch Moon than her Warping score, then the experience is bad. Otherwise, her experience is good. So for example, if a folk witch with a Warping Score of 1 recovers at the end of the first month of the Witch Moon, then her experience is a good one. In either case, the story guide should select the effect from the following options:
Good Experiences
Increased Knowledge: The folk witch gains a number of experience points in a preexisting Supernatural Ability or in Folk Witch Magic Theory, equal to 5 × number of months spent in the Witch Moon.
New Mystical Virtue: The folk witch gains a Minor Virtue.
New Ability: The folk witch gains a new Supernatural Ability, with an Ability score of 1.
Bad Experiences
Lost Knowledge: She loses 2 experience points in a Supernatural Ability or in Folk Witch Magic Theory for every Warping Point gained during the Witch Moon. This cannot reduce the score below 0.
New Mystical Flaw: The folk witch gains a Minor Flaw.
Covens
A coven is a group of folk witches (usually three or four, perhaps up to a dozen) who form a community of hedge wizards. Each coven can be thought of as a mini-tradition of its own, and most folk witches seldom meet with witches from other covens.
A coven is also the equivalent of a Hermetic covenant, although the folk witches typically do not live together. Instead, the coven is spread like a web over a geographic locale, with each witch living at least a day’s travel from her sisters; each folk witch might live in a separate village, for example. The dispersed nature of the coven means both that the witches quickly notice most activity (supernatural or otherwise) in their locale, and also that they attract little attention; even supernatural agents sometimes find it difficult to ascertain the full extent of a coven. On the other hand, individual folk witches are very vulnerable, even to mundane persecution, as they can neither rely upon the aid of their compatriots nor the strength of shared rituals like the Aegis of the Hearth or the Wizard’s Communion.
Many folk witches are unGifted, and although such witches are usually less powerful than their Gifted sisters, they’re able to more easily interact with each other and the mundane world. A coven might have several unGifted members living in villages, bartering their supernatural prowess for food and wood, who support a Gifted sister living in a remote cave.
Organization Lore: Folk WitchesA character with this Ability (see the Introduction) knows the sorts of effects that folk witches are capable of, where coven members meet and live, and the names and reputations of some folk witches. The specialty for the Organization Lore: Folk Witches Ability must be a particular “home” coven. Whenever a roll is made to determine what the character knows about another coven, it is always a stress die; also, roll an additional botch die for every week’s travel this coven is from the character’s “home” coven. Specialities: a particular coven. |
Coven Initiations
Folk witches use these initiations:
Opening the Gift
Gifted folk witches have their Gift Opened in a special ceremony. The folk witch version obeys all the standard rules for this, as given in the Introduction. The effect of the Opening is to give the folk witch seven favored Supernatural Abilities. These are normally Animal Ken, Cursing, Dowsing, Flight, Healing, Second Sight, and Shapeshifter.
| Folk Witch Opening Total | Int + Folk Witch Magic Theory + Sabbat Bonus |
If the troupe desires, you may swap some of the standard powers for other Supernatural Abilities. Likely powers that a coven could use include Animal Healing, Entrancement, Enchanting Music, Nightwalking, Premonitions, and Wilderness Sense. You will need to decide what casting methods these Abilities use and devise potions for them and (if you want) initiation scripts to teach the relevant Supernatural Virtues to unGifted characters.
Initiations for Ungifted Folk Witches
UnGifted folk witches also initiate in the folk witch powers using the general rules given in the Introduction. Usually, a folk witch undergoes her first initiation during the first year or so of her apprenticeship. The first initiation usually culminates in a formal ceremony performed at a sabbat, when the new witch is introduced to the coven, but it is also possible for a witch to initiate a young girl secretly.
| Folk Witch Initiation Total | Mystagogue’s Presence + Mystagogue’s Folk Witch Magic Theory + Script Bonus + Sabbat Bonus |
Unlike some kinds of initiations, each folk witch may only initiate others in a Supernatural Ability that she knows herself, and some initiations can only be performed at certain times or places. Gifted folk witches can usually initiate other folk witches in any of these Supernatural Abilities. Some of these initiations are quite difficult and are thus almost always performed at a sabbat (see below).
Once a girl has undergone her first initiation, she is considered to be a witch by her peers. Of course, a typical girl has no significant skills immediately after her initiation and so normally remains with her sponsor, learning the craft, for a total of 10 years. Some covens swap newly initiated witches between the coven members, so a girl might be trained by a succession of witches throughout her apprenticeship. And as she nears the end of her apprenticeship, she may even be assigned to train younger witches herself.
If playing a variant folk witch tradition, the troupe may like to create different initiations for the witches’ different Supernatural Abilities.
Rhyme of the Beast
Initiation Ease Factor: 15
Script Bonus: +6 (+3 Minor Ordeal, +1 Time, +2 Sympathetic)
The initiate must live as an animal for a season. She cannot talk or eat with people during this season. The initiate gains the Minor General Flaw Incomprehensible, and the Minor Supernatural Virtue Animal Ken.
Venomous Darts Initiation
Ease Factor: 21
Script Bonus: +10 (+9 Major Ordeal, +1 Time)
This initiation may only be performed in winter — the initiate performs purification rituals every evening of the season. The initiate gains the Major General Flaw Magical Air, and the Major Supernatural Virtue Cursing.
Sense of Place Initiation
Ease Factor: 15
Script Bonus: +6 (+3 Minor Ordeal, +1 Time, +2 Sympathetic Bonus)
The initiate must spend the initiation season traveling up and down the same path, which is not more than one day’s walk in length. She may rest just off the path, but may not stray more than 100 feet from the path at any time. The initiate gains the Minor General Flaw Motion Sickness, and the Minor Supernatural Virtue Dowsing.
Unbound by Land
Initiation Ease Factor: 15
Script Bonus: +6 (+3 Minor Ordeal, +1 Time, +2 Sympathetic Bonus)
The initiate must spend the initiation season above the ground. She might live in a tree, for example. The initiate gains the Minor General Flaw Arthritis, and the Minor Supernatural Virtue Flight.
Hands of Life Initiation
Ease Factor: 21
Script Bonus: +10 (+9 Major Ordeal, +1 Time)
This initiation may only be performed in the spring — the initiate performs purification rituals every evening of the season. The initiate gains the Major General Flaw Enfeebled, and the Major Supernatural Virtue Healing.
The Devil’s Eye Initiation
Ease Factor: 15
Script Bonus: +7 (+3 Minor Ordeal, +3 Quest, +1 Sympathetic Bonus)
The initiate must find an Arcane Connection to an invisible creature. She gains the Minor General Flaw Missing Eye, and the Minor Supernatural Virtue Second Sight.
Second Life Initiation
Ease Factor: 21
Script Bonus: +13 (+9 Major Ordeal, +3 Quest, +1 Sympathetic Bonus)
The initiate must make a cloak from the hide of a Beast of Virtue. She gains the Major Supernatural Flaw Age Quickly, and the Major Supernatural Virtue Shapeshifter.
Precocious GirlsIt is not unusual for a coven to accidentally initiate a Gifted girl into the folk witch powers as if she was unGifted, particularly if none of the current witches in the coven have The Gift. Eventually this mistake may be noticed if the Gifted girl begins to learn the Supernatural Abilities of her mistress (via exposure) without completing the appropriate initiation rituals. At this point the coven has two choices: either a Gifted folk witch can be found to Open the girl’s Gift properly (although this will be more difficult as the girl has already learned some Supernatural Abilities); alternatively, the girl can be taught Supernatural Abilities by the unGifted witches (which will also be difficult — as her Gift is not Opened she has no favored Abilities). |
Sabbat
A sabbat is a meeting of the coven, and most covens meet at certain times throughout the year (see insert). The sabbat is an opportunity for the witches to trade vis, discuss common threats, and gossip. As folk witches do not normally live together, this is often the only opportunity for the coven members to meet. This is fortunate, since because a folk witch does not have Parma Magica she is not insulated from the social effects of her Gifted sisters. In fact, this has led many sabbats to end in acrimonious bickering, and consequently some covens only hold annual or biannual sabbats.
Usually a sabbat is held in neutral territory, away from the homes of individual members; but for most folk witches, attending a sabbat takes no more than a day or two, including travel. Thus, a sabbat does not count as an interruption to long-term tasks like study or laboratory work. Of course, this is not true if a witch lives a very long way from her colleagues, but such a situation is rare.
Sabbat Dates
The usual dates for sabbat are listed in the insert. These dates are typically those of pagan festivals, and although few folk witches are practicing pagans many are dimly aware of this fact. However, even though some covens are the vestigial remnants of pagan priesthoods, the witches have usually long lost any real knowledge of their pagan ancestors. The dates of the sabbats have no more religious significant to most folk witches than the traditional winter solstice casting of a covenant’s Aegis of Hearth has to most magi.
Throughout Mythic Europe Christian festivals are also held on, or about, these dates, so many covens hold their sabbat amid the Christian festivities, as the festivals are good excuses to travel to neighboring villages. Indeed, in some parts of Mythic Europe folk witches are so well integrated with their community that it is common knowledge that, for example, on St. Walpurgis’ Night the local witches meet.
Story Seed: The Grand SabbatSome magi claim to know of a grand sabbat held every 101 years, attended by folk witches from all over Mythic Europe. But given the disorganized nature of folk witches, such an event is likely to only occur in their imagination. However, in the Stonehenge Tribunal, a small number of folk witch covens do meet every All Hallow’s Eve for a festival they do indeed call a grand sabbat. In the Rhine, another group of covens meets together for a grand sabbat held on Walpurgis’ Night at the Witches’ Altar on Brocken Mountain (see Guardians of the Forests, page 80). Magi who stumble upon these events might be concerned at such organized activity, and even speculate that these “shadow Tribunals” are evidence of Schism War refugees, or their descendants, masquerading as folk witches. Sabbat TimesWinter Solstice
Imbolg/Brigid/Candlemas: 1 February Summer Solstice
Lammas/Lugnasad: 2 August |
Sabbat Politics
As covens are each very different, there are no standard procedures for a sabbat, but your troupe might like to consider one of the following options, or a combination of them.
Of course, the coven might also change over the course of a saga.
Easy: The witches meet, discuss, trade vis, and make some cooperative decisions without serious problems. This is quite plausible for a coven where the witches are unGifted, Gentle Gifted, or when the coven is facing a common, uniting threat like a nearby, aggressive Hermetic covenant. This is a good option when the troupe does not want to spend significant time telling stories about internal coven politics.
Bickering: Most of the witches meet for the sabbat but, despite their best intentions, they can agree on little. However, on specific issues a determined witch can probably cajole her sisters into action. This is the most likely option if there are several Gifted witches in the coven.
Dictatorial: One dominant witch (usually the eldest) makes any important decisions needed for the whole coven, and the others are sufficiently scared, or impressed, to follow her lead. This option could suit a troupe where folk witches are antagonists in stories.
Feuding: Most of the coven’s members don’t attend the sabbat, and those who do trade insults or even attack one another. This option may be difficult to run well if several player characters are witches in the coven; on the other hand, such a coven could also generate rewarding stories.
Sabbat Magic
Although the sabbat is a social event, it is also an auspicious time for folk witch magic, and the folk witches may cooperate to brew potions, to Open The Gift, or to perform initiations.
For cooperative potion brewing, a folk witch may bring along a partially prepared brew to a sabbat (that is, the brew that she is working on in her kitchen during that particular season). At the sabbat, other folk witches may increase the potency of the brew by casting incantations over the bubbling cauldron. Add 1 to the brew potency for each folk witch that assists. Each of the assisting folk witches must have a score in the Supernatural Ability that the potion is based on (note that the other components of the Lab Total for the brew are calculated based on the kitchen the the main caster works in throughout the rest of the season).
| Potency Bonus for Sabbat Brew | +1 Each Folk Witch Assisting Main Caster |
| Maximum Number of Assistants | Magic Aura At Sabbat Site |
For sabbat Openings of The Gift the apprentice is brought to the sabbat and other Gifted folk witches can recite incantations that increase the Opening Total. Only Gifted folk witches can assist in this way.
| Opening Total Bonus for Sabbat Opening | +1 Each Gifted Witch Helping Mystagogue |
| Maximum Number of Assistants | Magic Aura At Sabbat Site |
Sabbat initiations work similarly. An initiate is brought along and the other folk witches recite incantations that increase the Initiation Total. The folk witches assisting must each have a score in the Supernatural Ability that the initiation grants.
| Total Bonus for Sabbat Initiation | +1 Each Folk Witch Assisting Mystagogue |
| Maximum Number of Assistants | Magic Aura At Sabbat Site |
On each sabbat date there is only a limited window of opportunity during which these helpful incantations may be cast. Thus on each sabbat, each witch may only be involved in one activity, whether as a main caster or an assistant, or as a Mystagogue or an initiate. Also, each activity can only benefit from a single sabbat; for example, there is no point bringing the same potion brew along to several sabbat meetings.
Creating a Coven
Setting a saga in a folk witch coven, instead of a Hermetic covenant, is one option for a saga. The coven can be devised using the Customized Covenant Creation rules (ArM5, page 71; Covenants, page 5, 6-29), bearing a few guidelines in mind. Even if a coven does not form the focus of the saga, it may be a valuable exercise for the troupe to think about the resources available to an antagonist coven of folk witches. The examples below might give ideas, and can, of course, be modified to suit your saga.
Guidelines for a Coven
As folk witches don’t usually live together, some resources should be duplicated; you need to separately purchase the aura at each folk witch’s home, for example. Some other Hooks and Boons may also make more sense when assigned to individual folk witches, particularly those that describe the location of the coven.
By default, the coven has a single site with a level-3 aura — this can be improved — and the aura at other sites must be purchased separately. To raise the aura from 0 to 1, purchase the Minor Boon Aura for each additional site.
The Poverty Hook and Wealth Boon do not make sense for a coven — the folk witches support themselves individually and may take the Poor or Wealthy character Flaw/Virtue instead. As they must support themselves, folk witches usually live in considerably less luxury than magi.
Hooks and Boons only need to balance over the entire coven. This may mean that the home of an individual folk witch has more Hooks than Boons, or vice versa.
You should assign most vis sources to individual folk witches — the witches might trade, but they don’t usually share.
A coven rarely has a library, although individual literate witches may have a few books.
In addition to resources like Vis and books, the initiation scripts that the coven has access to much be purchased. Each initiation script costs a number of Build Points equal to the script bonus. The coven does not need to be literate to have initiation scripts; initiation scripts may be a set of procedures known to the coven rather than a written text. See earlier for examples of initiation scripts.
A coven is unlikely to have a turb, although some individual folk witches may have servants or even men-at-arms, especially if they are wealthy or noble.
The total number of Build Points available for a coven depends on the power level of the coven. Note that a coven of Medium power or greater is likely to be noticed by neighboring covenants as they compete for vis resources. Thus, only low-power covens may be able to proceed entirely unnoticed.
| Power Level | Build Points |
|---|---|
| Low | 0 – 149 |
| Medium | 150 – 299 |
| High | 300 – 599 |
| Legendary | 600+ |
The Witches of Reims
(143 build points)
The coven of Reims is based in and around the French town of Reims (see The Lion and the Lilly, page 99). In the late 12th century several of the witches were burned at the stake at the order of the archbishop William, who mistook them for heretics.
The coven was not entirely destroyed, however, and mistress Greta escaped the stake by flying out of the window of the archepiscopal court.
Initiation Scripts: Rhyme of the Beast (+6), Unbound by Land (+6), Hands of Life (+10), The Devil’s Eye (+7).
Forest Cave: Mistress Greta (a Gifted folk witch) fled from the stake to this remote forest cave (Magic aura 6), where she has since lived, usually alone. The cave is in fact inside a regio, that can only be entered by someone who knows the correct path (the other coven members know the correct path). Mistress Greta only occasionally attends the coven’s sabbat.
Hooks: none.
Boons: regio (major), aura (x 3) (minor).
Vis Sources: 5 pawns Herbam per year (mushrooms from a forest grove), 1 pawn Auram per year (from the first wind of autumn), 1 pawn Animal per year (from first rabbit of spring).
Library: Ars Grammatica, by Donatus (a very poor copy; Artes Liberales Ability Summa; Quality 5, Level 4), Scent of Water, anonymous (Dowsing Ability Summa; Quality 10, Level 5), The Piercing Tongue, by Luzabel (Penetration Ability Summa; Quality 10, Level 3).
Townhouse: This ramshackle townhouse is built inside the poor quarter of the town of Reims (Divine aura of 3), and it is haunted by the ghosts of the witches who were burned over twenty years ago. Eliza, an old unGifted folk witch, now lives in the townhouse and she is often called upon to help heal the poor of Reims. In return, Eliza is well looked after by the townsmen, who have kept her existence hidden from the episcopal authorities.
Hooks: missing aura (major), urban (major), haunted (minor).
Boons: loyal covenfolk (minor).
Vis Sources: 3 pawns Corpus per year (from paupers’ graveyard), 2 pawns Animal per year (from city tanneries).
Vineyard: Near Reims, on the banks of the river Marne is a vineyard (Magic aura 1) where the young Gifted folk witch Matilda lives. She is a daughter of a family of vintagers (grape harvesters) and finished training two years ago with mistress Greta in the forest cave. The workers at the vineyard know about Matilda’s Gift, but much of their suspiciousness was allayed when she healed a child who had been crushed by a cart. The absentee owners of the vineyard (a small monastery) do not know about Matilda.
Hooks: monastery (minor)
Boons: aura (minor).
Vis Sources: 2 pawns Mentem per year (from wine).
MatildaCharacteristics: Int +3, Per +1, Pre +2, Com 0, Str –1, Sta 0, Dex +1, Qik 0
Soak: 0 ElizaCharacteristics: Int +1, Per +2 (1), Pre +2 (1), Com –1, Str +1, Sta –1, Dex 0, Qik –2 (1) She is always willing to give advice to those who visit her, and indeed she has many visitors as she usually has a large cauldron of ale brewing in the kitchen. Eliza also often has several poor families, who have no other place to go, sheltering in one of the rooms of the house. Eliza is consequently well liked by the townsfolk, who also come to her for special brews when a family member is suffering from some disease or another, and she has many contacts and friends among the townsfolk. The townhouse is actually haunted by the ghosts of a number of folk witches who were burned at the stake, at the archbishop’s court, about twenty years ago. The ghosts often bicker with each other (they blame one another for the outcome of their disastrous trial), but they usually keep out of the way of Eliza’s visitors. A large, black-feathered rooster (who rules a harem of hens that Eliza keeps in one room of the townhouse) often accompanies Eliza, and some speculate (inaccurately) that the rooster is the source of her powers. The rooster is her familiar; it is otherwise a mundane animal. Mistress GretaCharacteristics: Int +2, Per 0, Pre 0, Com 0, Str –1, Sta –2 (2), Dex +1, Qik –3 (3)
Soak: –2 |
The Kilkenny Coven
(106 build points)
This coven of witches is fractured. There are two Gifted witches in the coven, one of whom lives in the Irish town of Kilkenny, while the other lives close to the town. Both witches (who are cousins, taught by their now-dead Gifted grandmother) are the wives of rival wealthy merchants, and the witches are likewise bitter rivals. In fact, the rivalry of the witches dates from their childhood and has directly led to the merchants’ feud. The feud originated in a dispute over a vis source, which the two witches discovered together in a bog, but it has now escalated well beyond that. The witches have each initiated a number of unGifted servants as folk witches, and hold competing sabbats. Although the unGifted servants fear their Gifted mistresses, and are grateful for the power that they have shared, they do secretly communicate with each other across the lines of the feud. If your saga follows history, this coven and its feud survives until the early 14th century when a bishop adjudicating a property dispute between the rival families stumbles upon the coven, mistakes them for infernalists, and executes several coven members.
Scripts: Unbound by land (+6), The Devil’s Eye (+7), Second Life (+13).
Janine’s House: Janine is the older of the two rival cousins. Her townhouse has a large secret basement of which half is used as an auxiliary warehouse by her husband, for particularly valuable goods. The other half is used by Janine as a kitchen. The basement has a Magic aura of 4, and a small spring rises in the center of the kitchen. The spring water is vis, but the amount of vis has declined over the last few years.
Hooks: urban (major), dwindling resource (minor).
Boons: aura (x4) (minor).
Vis Sources: 5 pawns Aquam per year (from spring), 1 pawn Corpus per year (from town graveyard), 1 pawn Mentem per year (from merchant’s account books).
Anne’s House: Anne has a manor a few miles out of town — her husband is the wealthier of the two merchants. Her laboratory is constructed in an outbuilding of the manor house, which has a Magic aura of 2. Unbeknownst to Anne, Janine has planted several spies on her staff. At the edge of the manor lands is a boggy ground out of which rises a number of large rocks. The large rocks pin a dying giant to the earth — which is damp as it is saturated with his blood.
Hooks: monster (dying giant) (minor), spies (minor)
Boons: aura (x2) (minor), manor house (free).
Vis Sources: 5 pawns Corpus per year (from giant’s blood), 1 pawn Auram per year (a warm breeze rising from a cave near the manor house).
Farmhouse: Several days distant from Kilkenny, this is the farm on which Janine’s and Anne’s grandmother taught them the folk witch craft. The farm buildings are built in a dell with a Faerie aura of 4. The family of an aunt now works on the farm, and Janine’s sister, Agnes, who is an unGifted folk witch, also lives there. Agnes has tried to remain neutral in the feud, and sends vis from the farm to both of the town factions of the coven.
Hooks: Faerie aura (minor).
Boons: aura (minor), peasants (free). Vis Sources: 2 pawns Animal per year (from last lamb of the year), 2 pawns Herbam per year (from crops harvested at midnight, Autumn equinox).
Janine KytelerCharacteristics: Int +2, Per 0, Pre +1, Com 0, Str +1, Sta +1, Dex +1, Qik 0
Soak: +1 Anne KorsCharacteristics: Int +1, Per +1, Pre +2, Com 0, Str –1, Sta +1, Dex +1, Qik +1
Soak: 0 |
The Orleans Witches
(110 Build points)
This coven of folk witches practices a variant tradition that replaces the Shapeshifter Supernatural Ability with the Premonitions Supernatural Ability; and, unusually, most of the members are men. The coven currently only has one Gifted member, Claude of Orleans) who is a man. Two other Gifted coven members died in mysterious circumstances several years ago, and it is rumored that Claude killed them with curses. There are a several unGifted coven members scattered throughout the Orleans area, and the coven has good relationships with the local judicial magistrates after several cases involving stolen property were resolved by Dowsing — although the magistrates only deal with unGifted members of the coven.
Scripts: Sense of Place (+6), Sense of Time (Script for Premonitions; +6).
Claude’s Shack: Claude lives alone in a shack, on the banks of a small stream, about one day’s travel north of Orleans. There is a Magic aura of level 3 in the area, and nearby is a ruined Roman villa with a large magic apple tree growing in what was once the courtyard.
Hooks: Roman ruin (minor).
Boons: seclusion (minor).
Vis Sources: 5 pawns Herbam per year (magic tree), 1 pawn Aquam per year (fish spawn).
Magistrate’s Court: A clerk called Jean the Wise, working in the Orleans magistrate’s court, is an unGifted member of the coven. He uses his Dowsing powers to help the magistrate determine the location of stolen property — which often quickly results in a confession. The magistrate has come to respect Jean’s opinion when making legal decisions.
Hooks: missing aura (major), urban (major).
Boons: powerful ally (major; magistrate).
Vis Sources: 2 pawns of Corpus per year (blood of first and last gallows victim each year).
Library: Reading the Perturbations of Place, by Goodwin (Dowsing Ability Summa; Quality 10, Level 3), Civitas Orleans, by Magistrate Bayne (Civil and Canon Law Tractatus; Quality 9).
Joseph’s House: Joseph lives just outside Orleans in a large house constructed in a regio, with a Magic aura of 3. He is an unGifted member of the coven, and uses his Dowsing Ability to find objects for people in the city. He maintains a townhouse in the city, where clients come to seek his services. By collecting a fee for finding objects, Joseph has become a wealthy man.
Hooks: city (major)
Boons: regio (major), aura (x3) (minor), manor house (free)
Vis Sources: 2 pawns of Animal per year (tannery), 2 pawns of Terram (blacksmith), 2 pawns of Vim (a spring in the regio).
Jean the WiseCharacteristics: Int +3, Per +1, Pre 0, Com 0, Str +1, Sta +1, Dex 0, Qik +1 |
Hermetic Integration
The following are some breakthroughs available through research projects to integrate the practices of folk witches with Hermetic magic. It may seem like a lot of breakthroughs, but they’re just examples. It’s up to the troupe to decide if any of them are actually possible in your saga. Or, you can use these as inspiration for your own integration projects.
Subtle Opening
Suggested Breakthrough Points: 30
By incorporating the Gifted folk witch Opening The Gift ritual into the Hermetic Opening of the Arts, a magus can invent an alternative form of Opening the Arts that removes the penalty due to Arts when learning new Supernatural Abilities. Other hedge traditions that have Opening The Gift rituals that grant the apprentice favored Abilities may also provide insights toward this breakthrough.
Unlike a normal integration result, the inventing character does not personally gain anything from this breakthrough, as he has already had his Arts opened. Instead, once the research is complete the character may open an apprentice’s Arts using a special technique (which still takes a season) and the apprentice gains the Minor Hermetic Virtue: Subtle Opening. The character may also write a level 30 Lab Text, detailing the special Art Opening technique, that can be followed by any other magus Opening the Arts of an apprentice.
Integration Effects
Vim effects are the most suitable lab projects produced from Insights to contribute to this breakthrough. In addition, the magus may instead use an Insight to vary his technique when Opening the Arts of an apprentice. A roll should be made on the Extraordinary Results table for Experimentation, as normal, and if a Discovery results, the apprentice’s Gift is Opened as normal and the magus earns 5 breakthrough points. Other results may damage the apprentice’s Gift, causing him to acquire Hermetic Flaws or even lose his Gift.
Consequences of Integration
This extension to Hermetic theory allows apprentices to easily learn exotic magics. In terms of game balance, apprentices who have their Gifts Opened via the new techniques are likely to become more powerful than mainstream hermetic magi. This is because the new apprentices will be able to easily supplement their Hermetic Arts with a set of exotic Supernatural Abilities. However, as this integration project does not directly affect magi who have already had their Arts Opened, many magi may be reluctant to invest the time and effort to develop a project that only benefits their apprentices, being too selfish or too fearful of powerful apprentices. On the other hand, magi who are involved in high-level House politics, or other long-term strategic alliances, may be very interested in cultivating a new generation of powerful magi.
New Virtue: Subtle OpeningMinor Hermetic Virtue The magus had his Arts Opened using a more-subtle and flexible technique than normal. Consequently, he does not suffer a penalty to the study Source Quality for his Arts scores when learning Supernatural Abilities (see ArM5, page 166). The magus is still penalized for scores in other Supernatural Abilities. Story Seeds for Subtle OpeningRuined ApprenticesAn unlucky Bonisagus magus, attempting to research this breakthrough, commandeers a number of promising “apprentices” and damages or destroys their Gifts via experimental methods of Opening the Arts. These are genuine mistakes — the Bonisagus magus is not being malicious — and as his “victims” had not yet had their Arts Opened they were not technically anyone’s apprentice. Nonetheless, the other magi of the Tribunal are appalled at this waste of Gifted talent, and try to stop the magi’s research. Long-lost PowerThe magi of the Lineage of Pralix (see Houses of Hermes: Societates, page 126) make this breakthrough and Open the Arts of a number of apprentices, using the Subtle Opening. The new apprentices are then given access to a secret library, which contains many books written over the centuries by hedge wizard converts to the Order of Hermes. By studying the store of books, the apprentices can learn exotic Supernatural Abilities that were thought lost to the Order of Hermes. Order of Odin InfiltratorsHedge wizards of the Order of Odin learn of this improvement to Hermetic theory and, along with a Bonisagus ally, use it as the basis of a new research project to allow an apprentice to learn both Rune Magic and Hermetic Magic without penalty. Once completed, this project allows the Order of Odin to begin to infiltrate the Order of Hermes, virtually undetected. A Subtle PriceA Tytalus magus invents the Subtle Opening, but refuses to share his method and instead asks a fee from other magi to perform it on their apprentices. His price is reasonable, but the Subtle Opening becomes so popular that the magus can’t keep up with demand, and this bottleneck causes a delay in the training of a large number of apprentices in the Tribunal. Some concerned magi try to pass a Tribunal ruling that forces the magus to share the Subtle Opening method. It’s possible that other magi may try to steal the method, or alternatively race to perform the research themselves (damaging The Gift of several unlucky apprentices during the experimentation). |
Energy Magic
Suggested Breakthrough Points: 55
Folk witches are not restricted by the Limit of Energy in the same way as a magus, so studying their practices and integrating them into Hermetic magic may allow a magus to break this limit as well. The result of this integration is additional Creo Corpus and Perdo Corpus guidelines.
Integration Effects
Corpus effects are the most suitable laboratory projects that may be produced from Insights to contribute to this breakthrough. Some example effects include:
- Pungent Potion of Ease CrCo Level 20 Pen +0, charged item R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Individual When this potion is drunk, a Short-Term Fatigue level is restored, but the character gains a Long-Term Fatigue level when the effect expires. The character must be conscious to drink this potion, and as it is very pungent he must make a Stamina roll against an Ease Factor of 3 to avoid gagging, which wastes the potion. (Effect: Base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Sun; Modifications: None)
- Traveller’s Respite CrCo Level 30 R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Group, Ritual This ritual spell restores one Long-Term Fatigue level to up to 10 individuals. Note that as this is a Ritual spell, the caster will lose at least one Long-Term Fatigue level himself, and possibly more if his Casting Total is low (see ArM5 page 81). (Base: 15, +1 Touch, +2 Group)
- Energy Sense InCo(Me) Level 20 R: Voice, D: Momentary, T: Individual The caster senses the Fatigue status of the target (winded, weary, tired, etc). (Base: 5, + 2 Voice, +1 Requisite)
- Circle of Lethargy PeCo Level 30 R: Touch, D: Ring, T: Circle Targets within the circle do not regain Fatigue levels by resting. This can keep a character unconscious indefinitely, unless he is moved from the circle or the circle is broken. (Base: 15, +1 Touch, +2 Ring)
Consequences of Integration
This integration effect changes the balance of power between Formulaic and Spontaneous magic, as being able to restore Fatigue allows a caster to more readily risk expending it on Fatiguing Spontaneous spells. Another effect is that casting Formulaic spells in marginal situations — which can result in Fatigue loss — becomes a more-sustainable proposition for magi. This means that magi are more willing and able to attack targets within hostile auras, strengthening the Order against the Divine and Infernal.
New Energy Magic Virtue & GuidelinesEnergy MagicMinor Hermetic Virtue The magus may access additional Creo Corpus and Perdo Corpus guidelines. New Perdo Corpus Guidelines
New Creo Corpus GuidelinesRitual spells formulated according to these guidelines with Momentary Duration truly restore Fatigue levels. Spells with other Durations only temporarily restore Fatigue levels, and at the end of the spell’s duration the Fatigue levels are lost again as Long-Term Fatigue levels, even if they were originally only Short-Term Fatigue levels.
Story Seeds for Energy MagicA Prestigious ProjectA coven has been selling Fatigue-restoring potions to a Hermetic covenant, which the resident magi secretly study. The magi have learned the secret of their manufacture (that is, they invent Energy Magic), and are anxious to disguise the origins of their Hermetic breakthrough — they wish to present the breakthrough to the Order as the fruit of a more prestigious, original research project. So the magi try to hunt down and eliminate the coven of folk witches. Balance of PowerA Tytalus magus secretly invents Energy Magic, and teaches it to a cabal of lowranking Tremere. These Tremere use their new ability to restore and destroy Fatigue to attack their superiors, both in certamen and Wizard’s War, and so rapidly claim their own sigils. This disrupts the balance of power among the Tremere, and temporarily fragments the Tremere voting block at many Tribunals. While the new Tremere masters consolidate their power, other Tribunal factions take the chance to pass a number of Tribunal rulings that have been vetoed for decades by the Tremere. A Diedne Resurgence?House Diedne’s magi were masters of Spontaneous magic. When several bands of Hoplites in the Roman Tribunal demonstrate a surprising proficiency with Spontaneous magic, the Tribunal’s senior Quaesitors suspect that the Hoplites have stumbled upon Diedne secrets. Investigators are sent to discover the source of this supposed “recovered” Diedne magic. The Bjornaer CrusadeEmboldened by the ability to restore Fatigue — and thus operate more easily in a Divine aura — a Bjornaer sept erupts from the forest. The bellowing beasts destroy a number of towns that fringe the wilderness, and the attacks claim several bishops. The outraged papacy calls a crusade and thousands of knights, included groups armed with saintly relics, arrive at the forest edge ready for war. The Bjornaer are relatively secure — they are hidden in a number of forest regios, from which they occasionally sally forth to harass the crusaders — but the frustrated crusaders may attack neighboring covenants. |
Sense of the Mystic
Suggested Breakthrough Points: 45
Folk witches have access to the Supernatural Virtue Second Sight, which is superior to Hermetic magic at detecting some types of invisible creatures, as it does not need to penetrate the Magic Resistance of the sensed creature (see ArM5, page 67). Studying Second Sight allows a Hermetic researcher to invent a new Hermetic Virtue that improves how he may use Intellego magics. Note that a magus does not need to study the powers of folk witches for this integration project; any character with the Supernatural Virtue Second Sight can provide insight. However, trained folk witches do have some theoretical understanding of how their magic works, and can also produce artifacts like Second Sight potions that may be studied for insight.
Integration Effects
Intellego effects are the most suitable laboratory projects that may be produced from Insights to contribute to this breakthrough. Some example effects include:
- Lens of Glimpsing Spirits InIm(Me) Level 34 Pen +0, constant effect device. R: Touch, D: Constant, T: Vision. This device is a crystal lens about the size of a fist, which is inset into a brass ring etched with Hermetic script. When a character looks through this lens, he can see spirits with Mentem Mights even if they are normally invisible. The character can target spirits seen in this way with spells, but must add 3 to any Concentration Ease Factors due to the awkwardness of using the lens. The character can also use the lens to engage in melee combat with an invisible spirit, with a penalty of 3 to his Attack Score, although obviously if the spirit is incorporeal the character requires a suitable magical weapon. The lens does not need to penetrate the Magic Resistance of the spirit. (Effect: Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +4 Vision; Modifications: +4 levels environmental trigger)
- Eyes for the Prince InVi Level 15 R: Personal, D: Concentration, T: Vision The caster can detect Faerie creatures with a Might of 40 or higher. The effect allows the caster to recognize the creature even if it is disguised or invisible, and does not need to penetrate the creature’s Magic Resistance. The effect does not allow the caster to see through intervening objects, however. (Base: 2, +1 Conc, +4 Vision)
Consequences of Integration
This integration effect considerably strengthens the powers of the Order of Hermes against magical and faerie foes.
New Virtue: Sense of the MysticMajor Hermetic Virtue Intellego effects cast or invented by this magus that grant magic senses (see ArM5, page 113) do not need to penetrate the Magic Resistance of the sensed creatures. The effect must still penetrate the Magic Resistance (if any) of the person who is granted the sense. Note that this only applies to effects that have a Sense Target. Story Seed: Waking the DragonThe magi learn this breakthrough, and when they return home they discover to their surprise that their covenant is home to a sleeping dragon (this could be an Unknown Monster Hook). The dragon is invisible while sleeping, and has not yet been disturbed by the activities of the magi. However, it is unclear how long the dragon has been sleeping. Maybe it arrived recently, or perhaps it predates the foundation of the covenant. Now that they know it exists, can the magi resist the temptation to wake the dragon? The dragon is within the Aegis of the Hearth. |
Ritual Items
Suggested Breakthrough Points: 45
Hermetic magi would understand some folk witch potions as being ritual effects incorporated into charged items, however creating such items is beyond the capacity of mainstream Hermetic magic. Integration of folk witch potion-brewing techniques could allow magi to create ritual items. This integration could be particularly powerful if Energy Magic is also invented.
Integration Effects
Suitable laboratory projects that may be produced from Insights towards this breakthrough include:
- Stout Potion CrCo Level 60 Pen +0, charged item. R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Individual, Ritual. The character who drinks this dark, bitter potion has his Stamina increased by 1 to a maximum of +5. (Effect: Base 55, +1 Touch)
- Oil of Prometheus CrIg Level 60 Pen +0, charged item. R: Touch, D: Diameter, T: Boundary, Ritual This oil is carefully poured onto the ground at a Boundary — a city wall, or the edge of a forest, for example — which erupts into flame. From the site of ignition, which is about a pace in diameter, the conflagration rapidly spreads through the Boundary doubling in diameter every round until it covers an area up to 60 miles in diameter. The fire burns incredibly fiercely (+20 damage) for the Duration of the effect — even stones burn and iron melts. When the effect expires the fire no longer spreads with supernatural speed or heat, but any fires begun continue to burn naturally. The potion must be poured on the edge of a defined Boundary to have an effect (see ArM5, page 113). (Effect: Base 15, +1 Touch, +1 Diameter, +4 Boundary, +3 Size)
- Dram of the Lion MuCo(An) 35 Pen +0, charged item. R: Touch, D: Year, T: Individual, Ritual Drinking this potion causes the character to change into a lion for a year. When the character returns to normal, he may temporarily retain some leonine aspect. (Effect: Base 10, +1 Touch, +4 Year)
Consequences of Integration
In some respects, this integration project has limited consequences; it does not really open up new powers to the magi. Its main effect is that it allows powerful magi to more effectively use subordinates, as rather than needing to accompany their subordinates to cast a ritual effect, the magus can send a ritual item.
Story Seeds for Ritual ItemsCovenfolk RebellionA remote covenant is found, by a Redcap, to have been devastated in a rain of fiery, molten metal; he presumes that all of the magi are dead. The Tribunal sends a group to investigate the ruin, and it becomes apparent that the devastation was caused by a powerful ritual cast from within the covenant itself. Some of the covenfolk are found hiding in the hills nearby. The investigators may eventually determine that the covenant was destroyed by a revolt of the covenfolk, whom the magi had foolishly armed with powerful ritual items. It is possible that the covenfolk were encouraged by enemies of the covenant. Towers of WarOn the Rhine Tribunal side of the Rhine/Novogorod border, a number of featureless towers are rapidly erected, each warded by powerful castings of Aegis of the Hearth. The towers are raised almost on top of known vis sources, and the Rhine magi soon find that their vis sources are warded against them. Early attempts to communicate with the inhabitants of the towers are unanswered, but a Quaesitor eventually recognizes in all the effects the sigil of a single powerful Novgorod archmagus. However, when questioned the archmagus in question claims no involvement — and he was provably well away from the area as the towers appeared. In fact, a small number of freshly Gauntleted magi, wielding a set of charged, ritual wands created by the archmagus, are behind the attack on the Rhine tribunal. The young magi may have stolen the wands, or they may be acting with the blessing of their Novogorod elders. In any case, the two Tribunals are now at the brink of war due to the reckless use of ritual magic. New Virtue: Ritual ItemsMinor Hermetic Virtue The magus may make charged items that incorporate ritual effects. Each charge requires the same number of pawns of vis that casting the effect normally would otherwise cost. For example, a wand that produced an effect similar to Curse of the Unportended Plague (PeCo 55; ArM5, page 133) would require 11 pawns of Perdo or Corpus vis per charge. The number of pawns of vis that the magus may use in a season is limited in the usual way, and the number of charges is also calculated in the normal manner. |
Attribution
Attribution Based on the material for Ars Magica, ©1993-2024, licensed by Trident, Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games®, under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license 4.0 ("CC-BY-SA 4.0"). Ars Magica Open License Logo ©2024 Trident, Inc. The Ars Magica Open License Logo, Ars Magica, and Mythic Europe are trademarks of Trident, Inc., and are used with permission. Order of Hermes, Tremere, Doissetep, and Grimgroth are trademarks of Paradox Interactive AB and are used with permission.