Chapter Ten: Potential Covenant Sites of the Nile Region

This book considers the lands of Egypt, Nubia, and Ethiopia to be devoid of Hermetic wizards in 1220, leaving the scene open for storyguides. Two ready options present themselves when considering a saga set in the Nile region. If the intention is to act as Hermetic explorers hunting for lost magics and wealth in the wilds of the Egyptian necropolises, then the saga can proceed for some time before the magi need to interact with their peers or the local powers. These magi seek to explore and investigate, to create a legacy of accomplishment and discovery. Other covenants might create competition for resources the players don't wish to explore, or come just to grab a share.

The second potential role for a covenant set in these lands is political; a covenant may seek to expand the boundaries of an existing Tribunal, or establish a new Tribunal and see it ratified by the Grand Tribunal. Either goal requires attendance and sponsorship at a Grand Tribunal, and neither is a short-term project. These goals require established, populated sites known and accessible to Redcaps, and demand political interaction to acquire support, driving player magi to seek out or attract neighbors.

The covenant sites described in this chapter do not, officially, contain covenants in 1220. No magi are described, but characters whom magi might recruit, and resources that they might find, are given in detail, to make it as easy as possible for storyguides to turn them into full covenants, or for troupes to found their own homes, if desired.

To Scour the Past

For troupes hoping to loot through tombs and seize the magic they believe simply waits to be claimed, it may be best to have no other covenants in the region. If, as the saga progresses, the troupe decides that they would like to introduce Hermetic politics, then magi can arrive to found covenants at one or more of the other sites described here.

To Break the Rules

The Fifth Crusade made landfall in Damietta in 1218, and is preparing for an attack on Cairo. An actively crusader covenant may decide to establish itself in the Nile region in order to dodge the Order's rules on interference with the mundanes, believing their presence in a land without Tribunal membership frees them from the potential charge of "endangering the Order through my actions," or "bringing ruin upon my sodales." Without Hermetic neighbors, without regional residents, they might believe there is no one to accuse them and no place to bring charges, and at first this might well be true. However, their actions may force other covenants in the Roman or Levant Tribunals to send magi to establish a presence in the area. Covenants may have other reasons for seeking the Hermetic frontier. To a covenant tired of political maneuvering or bitter about the limitations of established tradition in a Peripheral Code, the idea of establishing an unsupervised covenant may seem very attractive.

To Redraw the Map

A new covenant wishing to join and expand an existing Tribunal must be known to either local members of House Mercere, or members of the Tribunal the magi wish to join, and who must be able to contact the covenant in good time (Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 49). The covenant must also meet any specific requirements for membership dictated by the Tribunal's Peripheral Code.

Inter-tribunal disputes, such as border definitions, must be settled at Grand Tribunal (ArM5, page 14). However, as of 1220, no precedent has been established regarding contested tribunal boundaries. One obvious reason for contesting a Tribunal boundary is to increase access to vis sources. For more vis-starved Tribunals, the opportunity to claim a large region as part of the Tribunal means wider legal access to a desperately desired resource. For politically divided Tribunals, the addition of new covenants might upset the status quo, shifting the balance of power on voting matters.

To Build the Nile Tribunal

Perhaps the most politically ambitious goal is the creation of a Nile Tribunal. A Tribunal must have at least twelve magi from at least four covenants, and at least one Quaesitor to preside at Tribunal meetings.

This chapter includes three covenant sites, so if the troupe wants to get straight into the politics, they could put non-player covenants on all these sites, and found their own covenant elsewhere. Alternatively, they could found their own covenant as the first Hermetic presence along the Nile, and then sponsor further foundations.

In either case, the covenants need to meet as a Tribunal, and find a sponsor to present their case at a Grand Tribunal, either 1228 or 1261. There would inevitably be political opposition to the creation of a new Tribunal from some in the Order, but other magi could be convinced to offer their support. The player magi need to keep all the magi of the Nile committed to the plan, and defend all the covenants from enemies, as the scheme cannot succeed if there are not enough covenants in the region.

In such a saga, covenants would need to survive the Fifth Crusade, currently in Damietta, the rigors and machinations of any who might want to prevent a new Tribunal from being established, and, if your saga follows history, the Seventh Crusade, which attacks Egypt again from 1248 to 1254. Opponents might include local (and previously unknown) eremites and Moorish sahirs who wish to keep politics and the greater reach of the Order from North Africa and Egypt, treasure hunters intent on looting what they can find and bringing it back to covenants in Mythic Europe without interference, or magi of other tribunals hoping to prevent the creation of a new delegation capable of raising issues and voting on matters at Grand Tribunal.

Siwa Oasis

Well-suited for magi interested in exploring the mysteries of the deserts and Egypt, Siwa Oasis provides an isolated base of operations which is in Egypt, but sufficiently distant to be ignored by the politics of Cairo and the surrounding cities. It has a Magic aura of 3.

History

It was once the oracle of the Carthaginian and Garamantian god Ammon, and the site of a pilgrimage of Alexander the Great, and people have lived at Siwa Oasis for nearly two thousand years. However, as time progressed, even the great oracle slowly went into decline and eventually no priests maintained the temples, a process hastened by Justinian's decree in 532. The people there weathered the conquering wave of Bedouin tribesmen which washed over North Africa to establish the great caliphate in 708, and stood as an island within the sea of Islamic culture. They did not convert to Islam until late in the 12th century, and kept an insular culture, protecting their way of life and the oasis.

The number of people living at the oasis on a permanent basis dwindled, until roughly seven families numbering approximately 200 people remained in 1200. The forty adult men of the group decided they could not securely hold the village at the ancient oracle temple, and constructed a new fortified village at the current site. The members of this community still keep the date palm orchards and gardens they previously held, but have a safer home within Siwa's gates.

Establishing the Covenant

This section gives a series of story seeds showing how player magi could take over the buildings and establish the covenants, recruit grogs, discover the vis sources, and learn how to harvest the vis sources.

Boons & Hooks

The covenant site is described through the following Boons and Hooks, further details of which can be found in the Covenants supplement.

While not a proper castle in the European sense, Siwa is sufficiently enclosed and gated to act as a fortress against all but the most overwhelming forces and those bearing heavy siege engines. Its salt mud hardens into cement-like bricks, and the residents build upward, their homes creating a sort of casement wall and ringworks. In most places, this would qualify for the Castle and Ringworks Hooks, but in Siwa, the powers near enough to be threatened by it are the Bedouin tribes, who are nomadic and do not worry about the site. They may cause trouble from time to time, but not enough to merit a covenant Hook, unless the troupe decides to make conflict with the Bedouin a more important feature of the saga.

Poverty (Minor Resources Hook): The oasis community survives by trading dates and charging rest fees to caravans. This provides enough to sustain the population and maintain repairs, but it doesn't buy Venetian glassware for laboratories.

Multiple Sites (Minor Resources Hook): Laboratories may be established at three different sites and the village of Siwa proper.

Road (Minor Site Hook): Siwa Oasis is en route to Alexandria and Cairo for caravans traveling in and out of the Great Desert to the west on the Garamantian Road. These caravans regularly stop at the springs of the oasis to rest and recuperate. Some travelers pass through Siwa on their way to Mecca.

Tribunal Border (Major External Relations Hook): Siwa's location in Egypt puts it outside of normal Tribunal boundaries. Is it part of the Roman Tribunal? The Levant Tribunal? The Theban Tribunal? Or will it be a part of something completely different?

Unsafe (Minor External Relations Hook): Crusaders. Moors. Deserts for days in any direction. Raiding Berber tribesmen. Thirst. Starvation. Blazing sun. Need we go on? Only the most desperate or driven Redcap visits Siwa Oasis.

Difficult Access (Minor Site Boon): It requires eight days' travel through the desert, along the Sikkit al-Sultan caravan route to the east, to reach Alexandria. It is a twelve-day journey to the southeast to reach the inhabited oasis of Bahriyah. Seventy-five leagues to the west, along the Garamantian Road through the Great Sand Sea, is the oasis of Awdjila. Travel through the Great Sand Sea is hard, and many would prefer to go north, to the coast, travel by sea to the villages near the ruins of Cyrene, and then travel the 30 leagues south-southeast to Awdjila.

Edifices (Minor Fortification Boon): The Siwa Oasis village rises about two to three stories at this point. Its narrow streets allow for a single laden donkey to pass. It is impressive and imposing, rising out of the sands of the oasis.

Important Building (Minor Fortification Boon): Built from cut stone, the temple fort of the main Oracle of Ammon stands at the abandoned village of Aghurmi, atop a very large rock. It has a Magic aura of 3 and is surrounded by approximately a dozen smaller structures in various states of repair. A small brick watchtower is here, a partial brick wall, and Alexander's Stele. A deep well is cut into the rock at the bottom of a staircase within the Temple.

Important Building (Minor Fortification Boon): The lesser Temple of the Oracle of Ammon stands within the abandoned village of Abu Sharef, near the shores of the salt lake of Al-Zaytun. It is constructed from well-dressed stone, with walls over a meter thick in places. It has a Magic aura of 3, with sufficient chambers to act as both sanctum and laboratory.

Important Building (Minor Fortification Boon): Another lesser Temple of the Oracle of Ammon stands in Bilad al-Rum, at the base of a hill near the western edge of the oasis and the abandoned village of Khamisah. It is built with well-dressed stone, and has a large number of rock-cut tombs in the nearby hill, as well as several ancient quarries. This rectangular temple also enjoys a Magic aura of 3 and has three grand halls that could act as both sanctum and laboratory. There is a single brick outbuilding nearby, close to the cliffside.

Peasants (Free Residents Boon): The Siwan villagers are hardworking men and women. Capable with simple weapons, but not disciplined warriors, the men live on a rough frontier where raiding tribesmen are commonplace.

Strong Community (Minor Residents Boon): The survival of the Siwan villagers depends on their close-knit sense of community. They view most outsiders with distrust and do not allow any but the most honored guests to enter the gates of the Siwa Oasis village. In the village and among themselves, they speak the Tamazight language of the Berbers, but the elders, those who deal with caravans, or who venture out to trade also speak Arabic.

Ungoverned (Minor External Relations Boon): Although nominally ruled by the sultan in Cairo, no governor or official has ever tried to exercise authority here, and the wave of Islamic conquerors failed to breach the defenses. The inhabitants consider themselves independent.

With seven Boons and seven Hooks, there is room for Siwa to be customized by magi living there by adding a balance of Boons and Hooks. Those troupes looking for additional Hooks might consider Castle, as discussed earlier; the minor version of Natural Disaster, where locusts attack the date palm harvest; or the minor version of the Site Hook: Regio, where a version of the temples exists within a regio the magi have not fully explored or even discovered yet.

Potential Covenfolk

The inhabitants of the fortified village of Siwa could act as the covenfolk for Siwa Oasis covenant. Roughly 220 people live here in seven families, and the majority only recently converted to Islam. Many might still cling to pagan beliefs, or there might be an odd holdout. They keep the gardens and date palm orchards and collect rest fees from caravans that pass through. They have three primary divisions.

The sheikhs, seven to ten wealthy landowners and elders of the families who guide the community, act as a council, overseeing affairs.

The zaggalah (singular "zaggal") are the "club-wielders," the young men of ages twenty to forty who do not sleep inside the village walls, but enter in emergencies or during the day. They work the fields and deal with travelers, remaining a part of the village but outside it until they marry. The new family's home is then added atop the walls of the village.

The khadim are the special guard of the sheikhs. They are drawn from the zaggalah and not permitted to marry until they are released from service. Their employment is renewed each year and they also help enforce the laws of the village.

Other notable inhabitants include the old wise women who help maintain the homes and keep the village's stories or the firekeeper, an old man chosen to monitor not only the primary gate, but tend a small fire kept there for the whole of the village to light their household hearths.

Companions

Potential companions at Siwa Oasis include a Folk Witch or a Berber treasure hunter.

Aznag ag Tannan

A renowned and capable Berber treasure hunter, Aznag specializes in surviving the rigors of traveling in the desert, locating ruins amidst the sands and returning to civilization with the trinkets and objects men desire. He's a canny and slick operator who works hard to never reveal the secrets of his methods.

Story Seeds

Story Seed: Sometime Lords of Siwa

Bedouin raiders occasionally attack the oasis, raiding the fields in an attempt to capture women, livestock, goods, and supplies. Should the magi arrive while a particularly vicious attack is underway, the elders of Siwa might be willing to enter into an agreement with the wizards, in exchange for the recovery of their kinfolk and a promise of future protection. This desert tribe is different, however. The raiders entered into their own bargain with a sahir, or perhaps even a corrupting and bloodthirsty demon. Saving the people of Siwa means finding them before the tribesmen's patron claims them for its own appetites. The adventure's antagonist need not fight to the death, but instead might become a thorn in the side of the future covenant.

Story Seed: Locating Laboratories

Potential laboratory sites might require liberation before the magi can establish them for research. Old ghosts, desert spirits, or bound jinn could all linger in spaces once used by pagan hierophants or Gifted sahir. Unquiet entities, they require some service before they accept a new custodian, like the recovery of a lost idol or the restoration of an ancient rite. While some wizards could resort to force to destroy the spirits and claim the space, there could be many reasons why the sites are better with their magical occupants left unharmed, such as laboratory augmentations, potential guardians, or laboratory assistance.

Story Seed: A Turb From Without

If the magi wish to avoid dealing with the repercussions associated with the inevitable deaths of the zaggalah while serving as grogs, then the wizards may seek to recruit from the Zenata Berber tribesmen who range around the oasis. These rough men desire goods, wives, and excitement, and they are very familiar with the kind of grim and dangerous lifestyle which is associated with living by the sword. Securing the services of their host means keeping them paid, but also occupied. If left bored and underutilized, they are likely to take to raiding passing caravans or travelers, which could very quickly draw unwanted attention from the sultan in Cairo. Stories associated with turb are more probably associated with the consequences of their more reckless members getting into trouble due to inactivity.

Story Seed: Filling the Coffers

Fortunately, identifying and harvesting several of the Siwa Oasis vis sources only requires interacting with the town elders, to learn the folkloric traditions and legends of the different places associated with strange happenings. Unfortunately, magi tend to have problems interacting with people socially, and even those who enjoy the Gentle Gift must earn the stories from the town sheikhs through magical interrogation, social interaction, or good-natured bartering. This process might involve acquiring luxury goods from Cairo and Alexandria, proving the magi have truly accepted the Siwan customs and culture, or resorting to Mentem trickery. Alternatively, the wizards may choose to discover these sites on their own, spending seasons traveling from place to place and experimenting with each one, or interrogating local spirits and ghosts to uncover the methods associated with collecting the specific pawns of vis. This process has the added benefit of making the magi more familiar with the oasis, but doesn't have the same potential to strengthen their relationship with the Siwan elders.

Grogs

The grogs for Siwa Oasis can be drawn from two groups, either from the thirty young men who comprise the zaggalah within Siwa village, or the Berber tribesmen of the Zenata confederation who live in the local area. It's important to note that "Berber" is a term used by outsiders; they call themselves Imazighen, or singular Amazigh, which means "Free People" in their native language of Tamazight, using the Tarifit dialect.

Utilizing the zaggalah keeps the number of agreements maintained by the covenant to a minimum, but means weakening the defending force and reducing the number of available field hands when taking grogs on adventures. Additionally, these are the unmarried sons of Siwa village. Their deaths abroad will not be viewed favorably.

Striking a deal with the more martial and capable tribesmen gives the covenant a force of fifty-five warriors, each with two to three camels. They know the local region and make their living by raiding caravans, attacking pilgrims, and selling loot and slaves in the markets when they need something. They camp among the springs which feed into the large salt lake of Al-Zaytun. Any bargain with the Berbers requires an initial show of force, a promise of regular spoils, and delivery of that promise. A careless covenant might find themselves with a reputation as the kept wizards of a bloodthirsty tribe, rather than the allies of capable desert nomads.

New Hook: Multiple Sites

Multiple Sites (Major/Minor Resources Hook):
With important facilities established at several different sites, the covenant must decide whether they wish to allow certain areas to operate without the protections of the Aegis, enact the ritual either individually and exchange tokens, or perform the ritual several times on the same day. Leaving portions of the covenant outside an Aegis means they might be harassed by supernatural elements seeking to oppose the covenant. Multiple instances of the Aegis require more vis and mean either someone's sanctum remains unprotected longer while the other rituals are being performed, or there are a larger number of tokens in circulation, which increases the opportunities for theft.
For the major form of this Hook, there are five or more sites requiring protection.

Specialists and Other Covenfolk

Siwa Oasis operates as a sort of cross between a Manor and Farm, and a Grand Castle (see Covenants, pages 45–46), in that it maintains many date palm orchards throughout the oasis but the village itself is a fortified structure capable of withstanding serious onslaughts. However, the nature of the community means there are few craftsmen available, and its close-knit culture means outsiders remain generally unwelcome. When a need arises for hard goods the people cannot make themselves or barter for with passing caravans, they send a merchant to Cairo or Alexandria to acquire the item.

Specialists

While there are craftsmen in the village, the magi would need to recruit true specialists from elsewhere. The community's herdsmen maintain several flocks of 20 to 30 goats and modest stables of camels. Feel free to adjust these numbers as desired by the troupe.

Aznag ag Tannan

Characteristics: Int 0, Per +1, Pre 0, Com +1, Str +1, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik +1
Size: 0
Age: 32 (32)
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: Mercenary Captain; Clear Thinker, Improved Characteristics, Intuition, Luck, Tough, Warrior, Well-Traveled; Enemies (Rival Tribe), Greedy (Major); Infamous, Missing Ear.
Personality Traits: Greedy +6, Pragmatic +3, Stoic +2
Reputations: Merciless Warrior 4 (Deserts of Egypt and Libya), Finder of Lost Treasures 3 (Berber Tribes), Hard but Fair 3 (Siwa Oasis)
Combat:
Dodge: Init +1, Attack n/a, Defense +6, Damage n/a
Fist: Init +1, Attack +4, Defense +5, Damage +1
Kick: Init 0, Attack +4, Defense +4, Damage +4
Bludgeon: Init +1, Attack +6, Defense +5, Damage +3
Sling: Init –2, Attack +5, Defense +5, Damage +5
Long sword: Init +3, Attack +9, Defense +6, Damage +7
Soak: +6
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)
Abilities: Animal Handling 2 (camels), Arabic 3 (slang), Area Lore: Egypt 3 (ruins), Area Lore: North Africa 3 (ruins), Athletics 2 (running), Awareness 3 (spotting ambushes), Bargain 3 (hard sell), Brawl 4 (dodging), Carouse 2 (gambling), Charm 2 (guards), Folk Ken 2 (customers), Guile 2 (lying about where he has been), Leadership 3 (organizing attacks), Ride 4 (camels), Single Weapon 4 (long sword), Stealth 4 (in open desert), Survival 4 (finding water), Tamazight 5 (Tarifit dialect), Thrown Weapon 3 (sling)
Equipment: Dagger, desert clothes, quilted armor, long sword, sling and stones; three camels, digging implements, gear for camping and traveling in the desert
Encumbrance: 1 (3)
Appearance: Aznag wears the flowing clothes appropriate to a traveler of the deserts. He is never without his sword and dagger.
Aznag likes eating well, riding hard, and living well, and he's realized the best way to enjoy that lifestyle is to take it from others with the least amount of danger to himself. This usually means looting old ruins and graves, acting as a guide, or the occasional spot of banditry. He has a group of seven cousins who look to him as a leader, and he acts as a captain to their group.

Servants

The rest of the Siwan villagers maintain the fields and the daily operations of the village. Even children as young as seven help with gardens and date palm orchards.

The Zaggalah

The zaggalah commonly maintained same-sex partnerships among their number. This behavior did not prevent them from marrying wives and the Siwa community openly accepted their relationships as unremarkable. This greater level of intimacy adds complications when using the zaggalah as grogs. This is not simply because the wider world usually reacts poorly to such devotion between men, but because casualties gain significant poignancy, potentially driving a zaggal to despondent, self-destructive behavior; dangerous attempts to rescue or aid others in combat against impossible odds or in acts of great bravery; or simply result in horrible depression, as they grieve their fallen love.

Story Seed: The Turb From Within

The zaggalah are the most familiar with outsiders, often dealing with those who seek to trade with the oasis or purchase supplies from them. They understand prosperity and what it can bring. Additionally, these are adventurous young men, who might be persuaded by fantastic stories and the promise of excitement, and who might be easier to deal with, given the wizards have likely just made an arrangement with their town elders. Negotiating with them, offering to support them on an occasional retributive attack, or presenting the opportunity to see the wider region and return flush with wealth might be enough. However, such negotiation is certain to require a proof of not only the magical prowess of the magi, but a demonstration of the magi's sincere consideration for the zaggalah. In the harsh environment of the Great Desert, trust is nearly as important as water.

Life at the Oasis

Everything in this section is subject to change once the magi set up a covenant here.

Income and Supplies

Relatively poor, Siwa Oasis acquires manufactured supplies from the proceeds of seasonal palm date sales in Cairo and Alexandria. It lacks the manpower to render salt from the lakes, and salt often arrives via caravans, reducing the need for local salt production.

Life at Siwa Oasis

The insular culture of Siwa Oasis is fairly simple. The people grow dates, some olives and wheat, keep small herds of goats and camels, trade with passing caravans, and live their lives. They brew a drink from the heart of date palms, called lagbi, which is intoxicating when it ferments.

The men shave their heads and the women wear elaborate silver jewelry while keeping their hair in tiny braids. Both sexes wear flowing clothes fashioned from fabrics brought from Cairo or through trade. Occasionally a Bedouin or Berber tribesman or woman joins the community through marriage, but otherwise, interactions are very limited due to the unique dialect of Tamazight (Siwan) spoken here. (Scores in Living Language: Tamazight are considered one less unless Siwan is the specialty.)

The Site

Siwa Oasis has four potential sites for laboratories and infrastructure, and a functioning covenant requires at least two. These consist of Siwa Village, and any one of the following: the main oracle temple at Aghurmi, the lesser temple at Abu Sharef in the east, and the lesser temple at Bilad al-Rum in the west.

Environment

The oasis itself is a large depression, some 50 miles long, and about 5.5 miles across at its narrowest point in the west, 18.5 miles across at the widest point in the east. The plateau drops down almost 500 feet to the oasis floor. There are several small salt lakes. The largest salt lake, al-Zaytun, is three miles wide and stretches diagonally along the depression floor for 18 miles, fed by numerous freshwater springs. There are no fish in these bodies of water; the water is sterile. The oasis is a great patchwork of desert terrain and rich swaths of date palms, springs, and light foliage.

The fortified settlement of Siwa is near the oasis' center. Nearby is the conical hill of Jabal al-Mawta.

Main Structures

Built in 1203, the walled village of Siwa is called "Shali" by its inhabitants. The main oracle temple at Aghurmi is about 3 miles to the east of the main settlement. The lesser temple at Abu Sharef is 28 miles to the east, on the far shore of the Al-Zaytun salt lake, in an abandoned and crumbling village. Abu Sharef is generally considered the easternmost edge of the oasis community's territory. On the western edge of the depression, 13.5 miles from Shali, are the crypts, quarries, and the temple at Bilad al-Rum.

Outlying Buildings

There are numerous small structures scattered throughout the depression. These are usually mud brick houses consisting of one or two rooms in various states of disrepair.

External Relations

The remote oasis does not really have external relations before the magi arrive, but particular entanglements are particularly likely.

The Sultan Al-Kamil

The sultan of Egypt considers Siwa Oasis to be a part of his realm, but does not feel the resources necessary to exact taxes from it would be worth the time or manpower spent bringing the population into submission. The establishment of a covenant might change that assessment, but he currently has his hands full with the Fifth Crusade in Damietta. To the people of Siwa Oasis, he is just another distant ruler with no more authority than the sultan in Marrakesh.

Nomadic Tribesmen

Siwa Oasis occasionally deals with raids and harassment from Berber and Bedouin tribes looking for loot or supplies. This diminished with the construction of the walled village, and would probably stop completely should word spread about magi in residence. However, if Siwa becomes obviously prosperous and wealthy, its success would draw the attention of greedy opportunists.

Gwafa

Characteristics: Int 0, Per +1, Pre 0, Com –1, Str +2, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik 0
Size: 0
Age: 23 (23)
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Virtues and Flaws: Covenfolk; Tough, Warrior, Well-Traveled; Ability Block (Languages), Reckless, Social Handicap (Inconsiderate of language difficulties)
Personality Traits: Brave +3, Reckless +3, Loyal +2, Subtle –2
Combat:
Dodge: Init 0, Attack n/a, Defense +4, Damage n/a
Fist: Init 0, Attack +5, Defense +4, Damage +2
Kick: Init –1, Attack +6, Defense +4, Damage +5
Sling: Init –3, Attack +5, Defense +3, Damage +6
Long sword: Init +2, Attack +12, Defense +6, Damage +8
Soak: +3
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)
Abilities: Animal Handling 2 (camels), Area Lore: Egypt 3 (oases), Area Lore: North Africa 3 (trade routes), Athletics 2 (running), Awareness 3 (standing on guard), Brawl 4 (kicking), Carouse 2 (remaining sober), Ride 4 (camels), Single Weapon 4 (long sword), Stealth 4 (in open desert), Survival 4 (finding water), Tamazight 5 (Tarifit dialect), Thrown Weapon 3 (sling)
Equipment: Dagger, desert clothes, quilted armor, long sword, sling and stones; three camels, gear for camping and traveling in the desert
Encumbrance: 0 (3)
Appearance: Dressed in the flowing clothes appropriate to one familiar with journeys into the desert, he presents an imposing figure upon his camel. Up close and in a peaceable setting, Gwafa's youth and ready smile shows. Unable to pick up other languages, Gwafa's interactions with those unable to speak Tamazight are difficult. He thinks he's quite funny, however, and just because someone doesn't speak his language doesn't mean they won't appreciate his sense of humor. He still tells jokes when assisting as a guide, even if no one else understands them, and finds other people's frustration entertaining.

Resources

The following resources are available to a covenant on this site.

Income Sources

Siwa Oasis derives part of its income from the date palm harvest, which is then sold to caravans passing through the oasis or in market at Cairo or Alexandria. This provides 20 Mythic Pounds per year.

The other source of income comes from barter and rest fees gathered from passing caravans. This provides the equivalent of 20 Mythic Pounds per year in gold, hard goods, exotic goods, and miscellaneous materials.

Vis Sources

There are four vis sites immediately available to Siwa Oasis:

Alexander's Camp

4 Herbam per year 20 points

Alexander's Stele

6 Vim per year 30 points

Crypts of Jabal al-Mawta

5 Corpus per year 25 points

Spring of the Sun

Either 6 Aquam or 6 Ignem 30 points

Alexander's Camp

4 pawns of Herbam per year

This small, yet lush and verdant spring, is surrounded by tall, fruitful date palms. The vis from this site can be collected by cutting the first fronds to sway in the breeze on the Ides of February, the anniversary of Alexander's arrival at the campsite. A pair of crows is often seen at this location; legend says that they are the same crows which led the ancient emperor to Siwa across the desert. There is a Magic aura of 2 here.

This source costs 20 Build Points.

Story Seed: Getting Slaves

At first, recruiting grogs for Ikhmindi's covenant may seem like a very simple process of purchasing them from slavery. However, this has the result of making the covenant appear very rich. Such a site then seems ripe for plundering by raiders, extortion by bandits, or even worse, pressure from local lords for additional tax revenue. Magi might find conducting their own liberation raids to be more productive, though more dangerous, as they hunt and then strike out against groups of Nubian, Berber, or Bedouin slavers. Many slaves might simply use the opportunity of such raids to make their escape, while some might be willing to repay the covenant with a term of service. Should the magi make such attacks too frequently, then the slave expeditions are likely to send more heavily armed expeditions, possibly with supernatural support.

Alexander's Stele

6 pawns of Vim per year

Raised by Ptolemy as compensation for preventing Alexander's body from being interred at Siwa, this tall standing stone pierces the sky next to the main temple of Ammon, in the old village now called Aghurmi. The vis is collected by placing a prism, gemstone, or piece of glass atop the stele, to be hit with the light of the rising sun on the Ides of February. There is a Magic aura of 3 here.

This source costs 30 Build Points.

Crypts of Jabal al-Mawta

5 pawns of Corpus per year

Carved into the rocky hillside, "The Hill of the Dead" is a series of ancient tombs cut into the side of a tall, conical hill. The tombs consist of one or two chambers, dating back to the ancient dynasties of Egypt. On the winter solstice, the vis collects in a lone skull left in a tomb faced with two pillars with cobra-headed cornices. Should the tombs ever be emptied of mummies and human remains, this source ceases to exist. The Berber tribesmen like to look here for undiscovered tombs to loot. There is a Magic aura of 2 here.

This source costs 25 Build Points.

Story Seed: New Landlords

The eparch of Nobatia has obligations to the sultan of Egypt based on the terms of the Baqt. To help offset these needs, he might be willing to grant the magi rulership of Ikhmindi in exchange for regular payments of either gold or slaves. Such an arrangement requires negotiating with the eparch, the spiritual and temporal ruler of the area, considered the equivalent of a metropolitan bishop within the Coptic church. This position means the eparch is likely protected by strong Magic Resistance from either Commanding Presence (See Realms of Power: Divine Revised, page 42) or a relic, as well as Divine agents, and able to negotiate with the magi from a position of some strength.
The player magi could learn of this possibility if they arrive at Ikhmindi at the same time as the eparch's tax collectors, watching as the residents of the fortressvillage explain their current dire circumstances and inability to pay the required taxes. By accepting responsibility for this obligation, and delivering it personally to the eparch, they might convince him to invest them as governors of the town, and more or less turn a blind eye to what else occurs there. Depending on the arrangements, a visiting quaesitor who begins investigating the covenant's circumstances may be less forgiving, however.

Spring of the Sun

6 pawns of either Aquam or Ignem per year

This deep and clean spring lies very near the temple at Aghurmi. It is called the Spring of the Sun due to its curious behavior. The waters of this spring grow cooler and more pleasant as the day progresses, such that at the hottest point of the noon day sun, the pool is crisp and refreshing. Then, as the day ends, it grows more tepid and warmer, until it fairly boils at midnight. On the full moon between the end of October and the beginning of November (corresponding to the ancient festival of Thesmophoria), the vis of this site can be gathered by collecting the water in an amphora at either noon or midnight. Vis must be gathered at one time; vis gathered at noon is Aquam, while vis gathered at midnight is Ignem. There is a Magic aura of 2 here.

This source costs 30 Build Points.

New Hook: Fragile Vis Source

Fragile Vis Sources (Major/Minor Resources Hook):
One of the covenant's vis sources that creates four or more pawns of vis has an aspect which makes it vulnerable to degradation. Should something damage a specific feature of the site, the vandalism causes the vis source to stop generating. If the damage can be reversed, the site resumes production normally.
For the major form of this Hook, there are three or more vis sites which are fragile. If a site cannot be repaired once it is damaged, it counts as two sites.
This Hook might be unknown to the members of the covenant.

Story Themes

Siwa Oasis lends itself naturally to several kinds of story.

Covenant Themes

Siwa Oasis provides an excellent location to pursue stories of exploration, delving into the secrets of the deserts, the native traditions, and the lost ruins. Its remote location reduces its exposure to the mundane aspects of the region, allowing stories to easily focus on fantastic elements, or to provide a distant safe haven, where the magi can regroup and plan when political interaction with the caliphate and the crusaders interferes with their machinations. However, this remote location also allows for themes of scarcity and survival; what initially felt like comfortable solitude can quickly become dangerous isolation as human opportunists or supernatural predators decide the covenant looks like easy prey.

The Crusaders Come Calling

In your saga, the Fifth Crusade may not be willing to remain ensconced in Damietta until 1221. To open an additional front against Sultan Al-Kamil and to better reinforce their power base, they send a contingent to Siwa Oasis in order to gain another local source of supplies.

The size, strength, resourcefulness, and Divine protection of this contingent help determine if this is a simple story of routing a mundane army, and dealing with the consequences, or a greater arc as the magi struggle to defend the covenant and secure its future against a pious and dedicated force.

Story Seed: The Past of a Slave

Additionally, defeated armies were often sold en masse into slavery; the lot the magi recently purchased contains a general or tribal prince concealed among their ranks. This mundane leader could attempt a rebellion or coup from within, or offer a wide-ranging adventure for the magi, if they're willing to escort him home. In a similar vein, lords sold criminals into slavery as often as they executed them, and the magi may have bought cutthroats just waiting to open the gates to confederates after leaving a subtle signal.

Trade Routes

Siwa Oasis lies on the borders of two ancient regions likely to be rich in adventure potential. To the west stretches the Great Desert and the remnants of the Garamantians and the ruins of Libya. These sites are discussed in Between Sand and Sea. Additionally, caravans from the Great Desert pass through Siwa on their way to Cairo, bringing the slave and salt trade to the magi's very doorstep. In a sense, the adventure comes to the covenant on the backs of camels.

Ikhmindi

Ikhmindi is a frontier site where techniques and magics could be tested with little fear of interference or reprisal. Standing at the crossroads of trade routes going through Nobatia to the north, west and southeast, relatively easy access to the shore of the Nile means magi can travel back to civilization when they desire, but their position beyond the first cataract ensures that only the most intent visitors come calling. The site has an aura of 3.

History

Founded by Greek missionaries in the mid-sixth century, the straight lines and strong walls of Ikhmindi began as a fortification meant to foster conversion to Christianity in the area while providing protection to farmers who lived by cultivating the slopes and bartering with the caravans on the trade route through Nobatia. The structures sheltered locals on many occasions, but Ikhmindi was normally unoccupied, serving effectively as an unattended caravanserai until escaped slaves repopulated it ten years ago, joined by nearby families eager to create a community.

Establishing the Covenant

This section contains story seeds for the process of establishing a covenant at Ikhmindi.

Boons & Hooks

The covenant is described through the following Boons and Hooks, details of which can be found in the Covenants supplement.

Castle (Major Fortification Hook): Ikhmindi is by no means a European castle, but its walls and gates provide protection in a hard and dangerous region. While Ikhmindi is definitely a refuge against nomadic raiders, a large force with siege engines, or a flotilla of raiding fishing boats could overwhelm its defenses. It measures roughly 360 feet by 300 feet, with four defined quarters and a large church in the center. The eparch of Nobatia might grow concerned or hostile if the covenant becomes too important regionally.

Tapara

Characteristics: Int 0, Per +1, Pre +2, Com +1, Str +1, Sta +2, Dex 0, Qik +1
Size: 0
Age: 33 (33)
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: Mercenary Captain; Enduring Constitution, Gossip, Improved Characteristics, Premonitions, Tough, Warrior, Well-Traveled; Ambitious, Enemies (Local Raiding Tribe); Fear (hyenas), Infamous.
Personality Traits: Ambitious +6, Pragmatic +3, Stoic +2
Reputations: Slaver 4 (Nubian freeholds), Capable Merchant 3 (Great Desert and Nubia), Good Provider 3 (Ikhmindi)
Combat:
Dodge: Init +1, Attack n/a, Defense +6, Damage n/a
Fist: Init +1, Attack +4, Defense +5, Damage +1
Kick: Init –2, Attack +4, Defense +4, Damage +4
Bludgeon: Init +1, Attack +6, Defense +5, Damage +3
Long sword: Init +3, Attack +9, Defense +6, Damage +8
Shortbow: Init 0, Attack +6, Defense +4, Damage +7
Soak: +6
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)
Abilities: Animal Handling 2 (camels), Arabic 3 (slang), Area Lore: Egypt 3 (oases), Area Lore: Great Desert 2 (oases), Area Lore: Nubia 3 (oases), Athletics 2 (running), Awareness 2 (spotting ambushes), Bargain 3 (hard sell), Bows 3 (shortbow), Brawl 4 (dodging), Charm 2 (guards), Folk Ken 2 (customers), Guile 2 (lying about where he has been), Leadership 3 (organizing caravans), Nubian 5 (Mahasi Dialect), Premonitions 2 (sensing ambushes), Ride 4 (camels), Single Weapon 4 (long sword), Stealth 4 (in open desert), Survival 4 (finding water), Tamazight 2 (Siwan)
Equipment: Dagger, desert clothes, quilted armor, long sword, shortbow and 20 arrows; three camels, gear for camping and traveling in the desert
Encumbrance: 1 (3)
Appearance: Tapara wears the clothes appropriate to a nomadic tribesman of the deserts. He always carries a scimitar and dagger.

Fragile Vis Sources (Major Resources Hook): Ikhmindi has two vis sources vulnerable to sabotage or vandalism. One of these, the abandoned copper mine, cannot be repaired if damaged.

Poverty (Minor Resources Hook): Ikhmindi is remote; even if it can host caravans, these really only come in the early spring and late autumn. The revenue from such camel-trains provides revenue to supplement local agriculture and maintain repairs. However, it does not cover more expensive aspects of a covenant, like quality laboratory equipment.

Ringworks (Free Fortification Choice): There is no central keep within Ikhmindi, making the defensive walls and gates a sort of ringworks.

Road (Minor Site Hook): Ikhmindi is on the route for caravans coming out of the Great Desert to the west or from along a splinter of the Darb al-Arba'in coming from the Slavelands to the south, and headed to the Red Sea to the east and Egypt to the north. These caravans stop at the wells and walls of the settlement to rest and perhaps resupply a bit before continuing onward.

Petros

Characteristics: Int 0, Per +2, Pre –1, Com 0, Str +1, Sta +1, Dex +2, Qik 0
Size: 0
Age: 23 (23)
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Virtues and Flaws: Covenfolk; Puissant Bow, Tough; Pessimistic, Social Handicap (Pagan)
Personality Traits: Hard-working +2, Steadfast +2
Combat:
Dodge: Init +0, Attack n/a, Defense +3, Damage n/a
Fist: Init +0, Attack +4, Defense +2, Damage +1
Kick: Init –1, Attack +4, Defense +1 Damage +4
Bow: Init –1, Attack +13, Defense +8, Damage +7
Dagger: Init +0, Attack +6 Defense +2, Damage +7
Soak: +4
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)
Abilities: Arabic 3 (slang), Area Lore: Nubia 2 (springs), Athletics 2 (hiking), Awareness 2 (standing guard), Bargain 2 (bartering), Bow 5+2 (short bow), Brawl 2 (dodging), Carouse 2 (gambling), Folk Ken 2 (determining intent), Hunt 3 (small game), Nubian 5 (Mahasi Dialect), Profession: Farmer 3 (terrace farming), Stealth 2 (in the hills), Survival 3 (finding water)
Equipment: Dagger, peasant clothes, bow and 20 arrows; gear for camping and traveling in the hills
Encumbrance: 0 (2)
Appearance: Dressed in flowing, light trousers and a loose, smock-like cotton garment, Petros wears a half dozen copper bangles on each wrist and ankle. He prizes his necklace of cowrie shells and a diamond-shaped piece of green-brown glass. His horn bow is a family heirloom, his only real inheritance as he is the third of four boys.
Petros is always on the lookout for a potential wife. He thinks Ikhmindi is an excellent site to start a family and while he is very dedicated to its survival, he is convinced Egyptian slavers will destroy it. Unfortunately, he doesn't always consider the consequences of his actions, and his desire for a wife often leads him to poach or commit petty theft from visiting caravans.

Unsafe (Minor External Relations Hook): Residents of Ikhmindi must deal with raiding nomadic tribesmen from the desert, slavers, and bandits out of Egypt. This deep into the countryside, the law extends as far as your bowshot and endures as long as your sword arm.

Edifices (Minor Fortification Boon): Any structure along the outer wall is aligned with its entrance facing inward, and all are at least two stories. The outer-most street of the town is actually more of an alley covered by a barrel-vaulted ceiling, connecting to the next ring of houses. This creates a very impressive, casement-like structure with over 100 smaller, internal buildings.

Difficult Access (Minor Site Boon): It is a twelve day journey to the northwest across the desert to reach the inhabited oasis of Bahriyah. Seven leagues to the north, further if following along the winding path of the Nile river, is the first Cataract of the Nile and the religious settlements surrounding the island of Philae. Ikhmindi is built on a peninsular sort of hill bordered on the east and west by steep ravines, which limits easy access to a trail leading down from the pass through the hills to the north. However, this pass is the route used by caravans, which reconciles this Boon with the Road Hook. A very rough footpath leads down the south-east ravine wall to some fishing huts near the river shore.

Healthy Feature (Minor Site Boon): The well in the center of town always contains fresh, cool water, and seems to invigorate the townsfolk who drink from it. The aura of the site emanates from this well, and it provides all residents who drink from it for a majority of the year with a +1 bonus to Aging Rolls.

Missile Weapons (Minor Residents Boon): Nearly all the native, male members of Ikhmindi are either capable with a bow or possess the Puissant Bow Virtue. There's a reason Nubian archers are known as "Archers of the Eye."

Important Building (Minor Fortifications Boon): Fashioned from cut stone, unlike the other freestanding brick buildings of Ikhmindi, the central church has a high ceiling, four distinct chambers and a small catacombs, making it large enough to act as sanctum and laboratory for two magi. There is no Dominion aura here, as there has been no sustained worship for centuries. This has allowed the natural Magic aura of 3 to reemerge.

Important Building (Minor Fortifications Boon): The southern church of Ikhmindi is incorporated into the external wall, and is constructed from well-dressed stone. There is no Divine aura here either, as there has been no sustained worship for centuries. This has allowed the natural Magic aura of 3 to reemerge. There are enough chambers to act as both sanctum and laboratory, but no catacombs underneath.

Peasants (Free Residents Boon): The villagers of Ikhmindi are men and women who know what hardship means. Many are former slaves, others have lived this sort of subsistence lifestyle for generations. All men and women are proficient with simple weapons, but certainly are not disciplined warriors.

There are six Boons and eight Hooks selected for Ikhmindi, allowing for some customization by magi establishing a covenant. Troupes looking for additional Hooks might consider the Minor version of Contested Resources, where nomads or other settlements conflict with the covenfolk, or the Minor Surroundings Hook: Hermit, representing a Sufi or Gnostic mystic who lives nearby and disagrees with the covenant's use of the churches, or even the Major version of the External Relations Hook: Beholden, representing the greater demand regional inspectors have on the site to produce excess food and goods proportional to the population. A constantly raiding Bedouin tribe might be a Minor External Relations Hook: Rival.

Additional Boons might include the Minor Resources Boon, Hidden Resources, representing unknown materiel in the ruins of a lost Nubian tomb of antiquity such as gold or non-Hermetic items and texts, or from the ruins of the former walled community of Sabagura (which lies 5 leagues to the north), like tools, forgotten supply caches, possibly accidentally abandoned livestock, or even lost goods hidden inside the covenant. The Major External Relations Boon, Autocephalous, would be fitting for this covenant, and eliminate the need to deal with regional inspectors, but might indicate that the raiders are much worse in this area.

Potential Covenfolk

The inhabitants of Ikhmindi are an eclectic mix of people from all over Africa, the Slavelands, and even some poor souls from Europe.

Companions

Potential companions for Ikhmindi include nomadic tribal leaders, local folk witches, regional inspectors (the equivalent of minor nobility or senior bureaucrats), or even a caravan leader. Those seeking more fantastic companions might find a local Jinn, or Beast of Virtue. Such a creature might find living inside Ikhmindi difficult, however.

Tapara

Tapara is an enterprising Nobatian man who alternates between leading and guiding caravans, making a decent living for his family, which lives safely within Ikhmindi. He's avoided becoming a slaver directly, but has trafficked in slaves before. He runs caravan ventures that tend to keep him from Ikhmindi in spring and autumn, and often spends the hot summer planning and preparing. He relishes the cooler winter months, which he prefers to spend with his wife and children, doing as little preparation for the spring as possible.

Grogs

The potential grogs of Ikhmindi are much like the covenfolk, eclectic and diverse, as they are also drawn from some liberated slaves and many locals. However, they all share a common desire to keep Ikhmindi secure.

Specialists and Other Covenfolk

Few specialists and no teachers are available at Ikhmindi. A religious hermit might be convinced to act as an instructor for a group he found worthy. Specialists might also receive training at either Faras or Qasr Ibrim, about 50 miles downstream.

Specialists

Specialists useful at Ikhmindi might include a basketweaver, fishermen, herdsmen, potters, and a smith. There is nearby grazing sufficient to maintain a few small flocks of goats or camels. The huts near the riverbank provide space for several fishermen to operate.

Potters could assist with construction, ensuring strong fired-clay bricks are used to build and maintain the tightly packed structures.

Servants

The residents of Ikhmindi form the workforce responsible for feeding, maintaining, and operating the community. Within the walls, this population consists mainly of the women, children, and elderly. Young boys often assist the fishermen, either on their boats or with maintenance tasks at the riverside storage huts. Men who do not serve as grogs work the few sparse fields along tributary streams together, in order to be safer.

Available Resources

There are few resources available at Ikhmindi.

Income and Supplies

Modest farming, fishing, and livestock resources provide for Ikhmindi's subsistence, but a covenant would probably rely on Tapara's caravan operations or other visiting caravans to acquire more exotic or expensive materials. Limited manufactured goods are carefully maintained. There is a strong tradition of utilizing everything available, down to burning dried dung as a fuel source when necessary.

Life at Ikhmindi

The community is stoically pleasant, cognizant of their remote and simple existence but also aware they are living during increasingly dangerous times. They remain here because, while it is a challenging lifestyle, it is effectively free of outside governance.

Buildings

Ikhmindi is a self-contained community; nearly everything associated with the community lies within the walls of the primary structure. The walls are ten feet thick and there are two watch towers on each side, as well as one at each corner of the roughly square structure. There are two land gates, one overlooked by a watch tower on the northeastern wall, and the other the same on the southwestern wall. Inside, buildings are relatively small and tightly packed, with "streets" truthfully no more than alleyways five feet across. A full 15 feet of open space surrounds the central church building, and residents often gather there to meet or talk. Rooftop spaces are used as well, providing a cooler area to sleep. Livestock sleep inside the walls, in two stable buildings near the front gate.

Environment

While above the Nile riverbanks and nestled in the drier surrounding hillsides, Ikhmindi exists in that sliver of terrain where the climate transitions from verdant land to harsh desert. It is often hot and dry, but the moisture of the nearby Nile allows for some irrigation. On rare occasions in winter, the ravines and hillsides are swathed in fleeting cloaks of pre-dawn fog which quickly burn away with the rising sun.

Main Structures

Ikhmindi itself consists of a fortress 360 feet by 300 feet, with two gates. The main portal faces the trail from the southwest, leading to the caravan route. A smaller, northeastern entry is called the Fishermen's Gate, and leads to the narrow path down to the tributary ravine and the collection of fishing huts. A southwestern gate adjoins the courtyard of the second church. The eastern side of the community is built right up to the edge of the cliff, which drops 15 paces down to the sandy area along the river. When the Nile floods each year, these lower structures are submerged, and anyone living there moves up to join the rest of the community.

The largest structures inside Ikhmindi are the two churches. About a hundred buildings are packed inside the walls. Each building is big enough to hold a family, although only about half are occupied.

Laboratories

Up to three laboratories with attached living spaces may be established in the two well-built, cut-stone churches and the central church's small catacombs. If desired, this could be made into six laboratories, but these labs would lack any attached living space.

Outlying Buildings

The huts near the river's shore are part of the community, but other than the boats, nets, and simple tools, there is nothing of significant value here.

External Relations

The covenant of Ikhmindi exists in a tumultuous and harsh region. Its relationships are tenuous or hostile.

The Eparch of Nobatia

The eparch resides in the closest settlement of any significance, Premnis, called Qasr Ibrim by its former Egyptian occupiers, some 50 miles downstream. He escaped the occupation of the area by the Abbasid forces and returned to Premnis to resume his role when the garrison departed. He remains the main authority of the region, although embattled by the encroaching Bedouin tribes. The eparch's involvement in covenant operations might be pivotal in a saga focused on forging a Tribunal, but nonexistent in one where the magi seek out lost Egyptian and Nubian treasures.

Nomadic Tribesmen

The area is home to nomadic raiders, but Ikhmindi, while a possible target, is not an obvious one. Thus, the level of interference can be adjusted to suit the desires of the troupe.

Story Seeds

Story Seed: Any Port...

Following a terrible storm, the magi arrive in Adulis to find the potential covenant site devastated. Fishing boats are partially buried on the beach or submerged, the pier is demolished, homes are badly damaged. Only the lighthouse seems barely touched. Perhaps a greedy merchant or an overzealous missionary hopes to finish the destruction of the village to facilitate some new construction. In order to survive and perhaps have a chance to pay their taxes, the community elders are willing to negotiate an arrangement with the newly arrived Hermetic magi. In exchange for magical assistance and repair, the residents serve as their covenfolk. Their sailors act as grogs, and the lighthouse is ceded for sanctums. Rumors claim the structure is unstable, and the magi must decide if they will perpetuate the charade or find a legal way to secure their rights to the town from the governor of Adulis.

Story Seed: Free at Last

Both Adulis and the nearby sultanate of Dahlek host large slave markets, fed with slaves from the distant southwestern lands, the Great Desert, and even with prisoners taken in the Levant. A group of European crusaders captured in Egypt might find themselves for sale in these distant ports. Acquiring the group requires a bidding war with a wealthy merchant who wishes to teach the crusaders a lesson by forcing them to work on the mosques being built to the north, in Massawa. Should the magi publicly outspend the merchant, they draw the attention of the bishop of Adulis, who then wonders why the covenant doesn't donate more either in tithe or through charity. If they decide to surreptitiously rescue the crusaders from their construction service, the magi need to deal with the Divine aura surrounding the mosque construction, and possibly devout guards who monitor its progress. When freed, some or all of these crusaders gratefully offer to join the covenant.

Story Seed: Shipwreck of a Different Color

The dawn brings another vessel limping into the covenant's docks. This tattered hulk might carry crusaders from an unfortunate skirmish in Egypt, pursued to the Red Sea before they fled in a stolen fishing boat. However, their pursuers aren't far behind, and intend on settling accounts with blood. The ship may be crewed by willing faerie sailors, wishing to reenact stories of survival, rescue and service, for the right bargain. Or the passengers might possibly be the remnants of a Catholic or Orthodox expedition, seeking to reestablish communications between the abuna and the Mediterranean Christian communities. While the messenger or envoy might be dying, his message is undamaged and his retinue of hired guards now find themselves far from home and without an employer.

Story Seed: Vis from Beyond

Long ago, a devout Christian and member of the village saved it from a visitation of the faerie dragon Ceto, though it cost the martyr her life. Her bones now lie among the fire coral vis source, perfectly preserved and untouched by the sea, unlike other objects occasionally pulled from the waves. The woman is venerated as a local saint, though unrecognized by the Ethiopian church, and the bones possess a Faith point. So long as they lie in the coral, no vis may be gathered. Even if they are removed, the vis does not appear immediately and the individual who recovered the bones begins to experience dreams and visions. The woman's spirit promises to reveal the secret of the vis sites and the methods for harvesting them once her remains are delivered to the bishop in Adulis, but can the magi manage this task without drawing more attention to the covenant?

Resources

The following resources could be exploited by a covenant.

Income Sources

Ikhmindi has no real local sources of income other than fees and barter from acting as an occasional caravanserai. Since caravans only pass through the area during the spring and late autumn, there are limited opportunities for profit and many potential complications associated with a large group of armed men camping on the covenant's doorstep or accessing its well.

The covenant could try to supplement this with its own caravans.

Vis Sources

The vis sources around Ikhmindi are threatened by treasure hunters who might unwittingly damage a site's vis generation capability by looting a location or vandalizing the structure.

Abandoned Copper Mine

4 Rego vis per Year 20 points

3 Terram vis per Year 15 points

Black Sandbar of the Nile

8 Creo vis per Year 40 points

Temple Kiosk of Qertassi

7 Imaginem vis per Year 35 points

Abandoned Copper Mine

4 pawns of Rego per Year; 3 pawns of Terram per Year

This small warren of tunnels was carved from a hillside along the Wadi Allaqi caravan route, about 25 leagues to the east of Ikhmindi. A small but exquisite statue of Hathor watches just inside the entrance, but the hieroglyphic seal at its base has been defaced. The entire complex is no more than 300 linear feet of mine. The vis gathers in small nuggets of pure copper ore or any mining implements left leaning against the open seam of metal. The whole system enjoys a Magic aura of 3, but permanently ceases generating vis if anyone removes the statue.

This source costs 35 Build Points.

Black Sandbar of the Nile

4 pawns of Creo twice per Year

When the Nile floodwaters begin to surge in June, and when they begin to recede in October, Creo vis is deposited on this remote sandbar in the form of rich black silt, enough to fill two amphorae. The sandbar is two leagues to the north of the covenant's fishing camp, and exploiting it is a simple matter of discovering it. There is no Magic aura here.

This source costs 40 Build Points.

Temple Kiosk of Qertassi

7 pawns of Imaginem per Year

Twenty-five leagues to the north-east is a small, abandoned temple, kiosk structure, and quarries, all dedicated to Hathor. When the powerful haboob sandstorms blow through this area, the howling winds deposit Imaginem vis in the sands which gather around the base of the four internal columns topped with Hathor-faced capitals. The temple has been somewhat scavenged for dressed stone, leaving only walls, but the kiosk, with its sandstone slab roofing, four internal columns, and twelve external papyrus-sculpted columns, is mostly intact. This site has a Magic aura of 3, but does not generate vis if the Hathor capitals are removed or damaged. Repairing or replacing the capitals restores production.

This source costs 35 Build Points.

Story Themes

For the covenant established at Ikhmindi, a number of themes present themselves for incorporation into a usual Ars Magica saga. These themes include survival in a harsh environment, exploration of a strange land for treasure-filled tombs, discovery of lost ancient magics, triumph in the face of Bedouin adversity, and the hope of forging a great covenant legacy.

The Bedouin Storm

Two different and aggressive Bedouin tribes have decided to demand surrender and tribute from Ikhmindi. They know of the properties of the covenant's well, and want not only a cut of caravan camping fees, but information when weak caravans are in the area to plunder.

What might begin as a small demand for free water or a meal can escalate to tribute of actual wealth and information, perhaps even calls for wives or slaves in exchange for not attacking. Obviously, this threat must come from a sufficiently large tribe capable of overwhelming the covenant's defenses and harassing its population while remaining mobile enough that magi cannot eliminate them without significant effort.

A single tribe might be bought off or scared away without the ever increasing demands, but these two tribes are also competing for their own dominance of the local area, and so neither is willing to accept less than submission from Ikhmindi.

Lost Tombs and Treasures

Many temples, tombs, and ruins exist along the shores and hills bordering the Nile river. An entire saga could be devoted to unlocking the secrets and valuables lost to antiquity. In this type of saga, magi established at Ikhmindi worry less about the mundane requirements of daily survival, either through secured resources or magical assistance, and focus on uncovering, unsealing, and plundering the hidden caches of the pharaohs. Their primary foes will consist of tomb guardians, resident spirits, and the magical beasts bound as sentries. They may form rivalries with devout mundane groups or with other Hermetic magi living as eremites or participating in regular expeditions from Mythic Europe.

Other stories include escaping with treasures from tomb-regiones before the entrance closes while another group attempts the same feat, out-running another group also seeking shelter from an impending storm or holding the shelter from aggressive individuals trying to enter. The saga would be dominated by the acquisition of ancient magical treasures and the trade or deciphering of those treasures, possibly including regular visits to Mythic Europe in order to sell these prizes.

Zerezghi Senai

Characteristics: Int +2, Per +1, Pre +1, Com +2, Str +1, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik 0
Size: 0
Age: 35 (35)
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: Merchant; Ways of the Sea; Improved Characteristics x2, Inspirational, Warrior, Well-Traveled; Curse of Venus, Driven (Going beyond Bab-el-Mandeb); Delusion (Sailor's Superstitions), Missing Eye
Personality Traits: Outgoing +3, Superstitious +3, Brave +2
Reputations: Capable Captain 3 (Adulis), A handsome scoundrel 2 (Red Sea Ports)
Combat:
Dodge: Init +0, Attack n/a, Defense +4, Damage n/a
Fist: Init +0, Attack +4, Defense +3, Damage +1
Kick: Init –1, Attack +4, Defense +2, Damage +4
Bludgeon: Init +0, Attack +4, Defense +3, Damage +4
Axe: Init +1, Attack +10, Defense +5, Damage +7
Soak: +4
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)
Abilities: Amharic 5 (Tigray), Arabic 4 (Yemeni), Area Lore: Red Sea 2 (ports), Athletics 2 (Climbing), Awareness 3 (detecting ambushes), Bargain 3 (negotiating sales), Brawl 3 (dodge), Carouse 2 (gambling), Charm 3 (first impressions), Dead Language: Ge'ez 1 (liturgy), Folk Ken 3 (magi), Guile 3 (lying to authority), Leadership 4 (directing crews), Legerdemain 3 (tying knots), Music 2 (working songs), Profession: Navigator 4 (fishing vessels), Profession: Sailor 4 (fishing vessels), Organization Lore: Covenant of Adulis 1 (personalities), Single Weapon 4 (axe), Stealth 1 (at night), Survival 3 (finding drinking water), Swim 3 (underwater diving)
Equipment: Navigator's Tools, Pack; Leather Armor; Axe
Encumbrance: 1 (4)
Appearance: A wiry and hard Ethiopian man with a thin mustache, losing his left eye only seems to have enhanced his dour but strangely alluring appearance. He wears well-woven garments and carries a high-quality axe. His hands are callused and strong, and he never wears shoes on board his ship.
Zerezghi Senai is eager to take his vessel into the unknown and see the many sights of Arabia and India. He has tried the qat leaf on several visits to Yemen, and finds it invigorating. Although an incorrigible romantic, he is never any happier than when on-board his ship on the open seas, and tends to find more than the occasional pining lover or jealous husband awaiting with complications when he returns to a port. He comes from a long line of ship captains, and while none contest his skills, he is bound by a number of strange superstitions.

Adulis

In a village to the south of the town of Adulis, there is a site with a Magic aura of 3.

History

One of the communities destroyed in antiquity by the great, mythical dragon known as Ceto was later rebuilt, and the resulting site gained a magical aura and a regio in the deep harbor, just offshore. Where this regio leads is not known, but it is most likely associated with the myth of Perseus and Andromeda.

Establishing the Covenant

Magi arriving in Adulis must navigate the social environment of the town and the surrounding communities to identify the village as a potential covenant site.

Boons & Hooks

The covenant is described through the following Boons and Hooks, details of which can be found in the Covenants supplement and this text.

Dwindling Resources (Minor Resources Hook): The pearl beds on a nearby island are being poached by a gang of fishermen from Adulis, the Dahlek sultanate, or a particularly voracious jinn, who finds them delicious.

Linked Vis Sources (Minor Resources Hook): The fire coral beds and magical school of fish are linked. If the magical school of fish or the fire coral beds are overharvested, then both sites begin to suffer, reducing their vis production by half.

Poorly Defensible (Minor Site Hook): Situated on the shore south of the port, the site is open to access.

Regio (Minor Site Hook): The deep natural, but small, harbor at the edge of the site is Ceto's Well, the site where the great sea monster dove into the waves and destroyed the ancient village at this location.

This regio opens into the Magic Realm on the anniversary of the creature's attack and during powerful storms. It has three levels, and the innermost allows travel to a part of the Magic Realm very much like the eastern Mediterranean, in the Ionian Sea. It is outside a covenant's likely Aegis boundary.

Road (Minor Site Hook): Adulis is the end point for caravans coming out of Nubia to the west, or Egypt to the north, and from the Red Sea to the east. These caravans stop at Adulis to rest and resupply a bit before returning.

Tribunal Border (Major External Relations Hook): Adulis' location means it is outside any established Tribunal, but within the sphere of influence of the Levant Tribunal. Covenants there might take an interest in magi established so close to Mecca and Medina. Additionally, the Muslim rulers who control the Bab-el-Mandeb make traveling beyond the Red Sea a challenging story.

Urban (Minor Site Hook): Residents of Adulis must deal with the nearby town and its governor. While it might have been a very powerful trading port three hundred years ago, now it sees far fewer merchant vessels. If the covenant's ship returns regularly from beyond the Arab blockade with a rich cargo, chances are the local governor, nearby merchants, or pirates who prowl the Bab-el-Mandeb will become interested. Additionally, should any of the covenfolk become talkative about the research of the magi, it's possible the bishop in Adulis will investigate for witchcraft.

Healthy Feature (Minor Site Boon): The cool breezes that blow across the harbor and through the covenant invigorate the residents and help keep away disease. They provide all residents who live within the covenant for a majority of the year a +1 bonus to Aging Rolls.

Important Building (Minor Fortification Boon): The old lighthouse that overlooks the harbor is constructed from well-dressed stone. There is no Divine aura here, as it stands on the edge of the village and the residents attend the larger church within Adulis proper. There are sufficient chambers to provide four sanctums and laboratories, but this prevents it from being used as a mundane lighthouse.

Secondary Income (Minor Resources Boon): The people of the village discovered a hidden copse of myrrh trees in a secluded location and managed to keep the site to themselves. They know how to harvest the resin and keep it almost indefinitely. A covenant could sell this substance anywhere around the Red Sea.

Unwitting Defenders (Minor External Relations Boon): The governor of Adulis maintains a small, but capable force of some three hundred men and about fifty cavalry, as well as three small vessels. These troops keep the surrounding region clear of small-scale threats and attacks.

Sailors (Free Resident Boon): The villagers are men and women familiar with the sea, as well as living in an occasionally disputed area. All inhabitants are proficient with simple weapons, but lack any disciplined training.

There are four Boons and nine Hooks based on the site, allowing for some customization by magi establishing a covenant. Troupes looking for additional Hooks might consider the Minor Site Hook: Uncontrolled Portal, to allow Ceto's Well to have many entrances and exits to the mundane and Magic Realm, or the Major Site Hook: Monster, to allow the mighty Ceto the ability to burst up through the docks and damage the covenant itself from time to time, during vicious storms. Such attacks might also explain why the covenfolk serve the magi.

Ammanuel Alazar

Characteristics: Int 0, Per +1, Pre 0, Com 0, Str +1, Sta +1, Dex +2, Qik +1
Size: 0
Age: 22 (22)
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Virtues and Flaws: Covenfolk; Warrior, Well-Traveled; Delusion or Fear (Sailor's Superstitions), Temperate
Personality Traits: Loyal +2, Superstitious +2
Combat:
Dodge: Init +1, Attack n/a, Defense +5, Damage n/a
Fist: Init +1, Attack +5, Defense +4, Damage +1
Kick: Init +0, Attack +5, Defense +4, Damage +4
Axe: Init +2, Attack +11, Defense +6, Damage +7
Soak: +4
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)
Abilities: Amharic 5 (Tigray), Arabic 4 (Yemeni), Area Lore: Red Sea 2 (ports), Athletics 3 (climbing), Awareness 2 (on watch), Bargain 2 (negotiating pay), Brawl 3 (dodge), Carouse 1 (gambling), Charm 2 (young women), Legerdemain 3 (tying knots), Profession: Sailor 4 (fishing vessels), Folk Ken 2 (magi), Guile 2 (lying to fathers), Music 2 (working songs), Single Weapon 4 (axe), Stealth 2 (at night), Swim 3 (underwater diving), Survival 1 (at sea)
Equipment: Pack, Leather Armor, Axe
Encumbrance: 1 (4)
Appearance: A young Ethiopian man with light, linen clothing, a canvas pack, a leather breastplate and a heavy boarding axe. He keeps his hair under wraps and carries a smile far more often than his axe. He could just as easily blend in at a Yemeni port, but his dark skin would draw attention further north.
A member of one of the fishing boats, Ammanuel Alazar has traveled throughout the Red Sea area and knows quite a bit, despite his youth. While not a seasoned warrior, he's capable in a fight and loyal to the covenant and his fellow crewmates.

New Hooks and Boons

Linked Vis Site (Major/Minor Resources Hook):

Two or more vis sites that each produce four or more pawns of vis are linked together with a specific action and location separate from the actual production site. If the associated condition is not prevented or performed (depending on how the players choose to arrange the association), then the vis sites gradually stop producing vis. Their rates are halved in the first year, then quartered in the second, then stop altogether. A story is necessary to restart production, which recovers over another three years. Generally, an outside party or force has an interest in one or more of the vis sites, and a story is required to monitor and shepherd the sites through the vis production process.

For instance, the six pawns of Animal vis produced by magical bees in Iberia require the nearby field of magical wildflowers to bloom by the first day of summer and the bees to visit them. The flowers produce four pawns of Herbam vis. If the field doesn't bloom on time or the bees are prevented from visiting, perhaps because an early frost damaged either the field or the hive, only three pawns of animal and two pawns of Herbam vis are available in the autumn. If the field failed to bloom on time, or nearby villagers unknowingly harvested the pre-bloom buds for making ink, or the bees were kept away again by a Bear of Virtue raiding their hive, only two pawns of Animal and one pawn of Herbam would be produced. A third failure of either would result in the loss of the sites.

For the Major form of this Hook, four vis sites are linked by the same associated condition. If potential damage to a site is permanent, it counts as two sites. This Hook may be Unknown. The vis sites thus linked must be purchased separately during covenant creation.

Unwitting Defenders (Major/Minor Resources Boon):

The covenant's location is such that most mundane defensive duties are performed by an entity which is unaware of the covenant's existence. The covenant likely pays some small tax for this protection. There is no formal agreement, and the defensive force cannot withstand a serious invading or attacking force, but it does prevent bandits, pirates, or other opportunistic groups from harassing the covenant. The covenant cannot directly guide, lead, or otherwise influence this defending force without revealing its existence, at which time a story should determine if this Boon shifts to become a Local Ally (or Powerful Ally, in the case of the Major Boon) or a Rival/Unsafe Hook.

For the Major form of this Boon, the covenant is protected by a force that can weather a siege or oppose a serious attacking force and it certainly pays taxes for this protection, but this is factored into expenditures unless the Poverty Hook is chosen. This force may even possess some form of fortification, but the covenant has no control over or access to the fortification.

Potential Covenfolk

The village has an existing population, who form the obvious initial source for covenfolk.

Companions

Suitable companions for Adulis include caravan leaders, merchant captains, local equivalents of knights or minor nobles looking to advance their station, jinn, or other supernatural creatures who made the trip from Mythic Europe.

Zerezghi Senai

A native ship captain from a long line of captains, Zerezghi would love nothing more than to break past the Bab-el-Mandeb and see the sights his grandfather told him of in tales his father assured him were no lies. His sailing vessel is quick and well-kept, and he knows the ports of the Red Sea well.

Grogs

Grogs could be recruited from the rougher elements of the fishing crews, brought from Mythic Europe, or hired from the local area. Any force larger than twenty draws the attention of the local authorities.

Specialists and Other Covenfolk

Specialists and teachers can easily be found, due to the size of the town and the proximity of other communities within the Red Sea region.

Teachers

Instructors for Amharic, Arabic, and Ge'ez, as well as Artes Liberales, are easily located within Adulis. Other teachers might be easily brought from nearby ports.

Specialists

A covenant would have little trouble finding specialists. The autocrat might be a retired ship captain who had previously encountered Hermetic magi. Other useful specialists include a blacksmith, a carpenter, fishermen, herdsmen, potters, and a weaver. The area can support a couple small flocks of goats and camels. The docks here offer room for several fishermen with their own sloops. The potters might assist with construction, creating hard white bricks mixed with crushed coral.

Site

The potential covenant site is a village, and thus already has structures and inhabitants. Some of the structures are ripe for conversion into part of a covenant.

Environment

A dry but coastal environment, the site does not offer easy living, but it is certainly not an extreme hardship. Compared to other environments further north or across the Red Sea, it is pleasantly temperate, somewhat dry, but not dangerously so.

Laboratories

The lighthouse of the village could potentially house four laboratories and sanctums. It is built of rough stones mortared together. If all the laboratories are occupied, there is no mundane lighthouse in operation. When needed, magic could be used to provide the illumination, but any laboratory activity suffers a –5 penalty, unless the magus is Blind, due to the distraction. A story or project might be completed by the magi, allowing the lighthouse to still function, while maintaining comfortable brightness within the laboratory.

Associated Properties

The islands that support the pearl and myrrh resin resources are neither inhabited, nor claimed by anyone. A covenant could harvest them surreptitiously, but in the long term establishing formal ownership would be wise.

External Relations

If the magi stay hidden, they may avoid most external relations. However, being close to a town, discovery brings entanglements.

Sultanate of Dahlek

Should the covenant become known to the sultan of Dahlek, he seeks to control the magi, or blackmail them into an arrangement where they assist with an attempt to seize control of Adulis. He has long coveted the elephants that roam the shores south of the town, but cannot support the animals on his island. If the characters learn of this desire, they may be able to purchase regular safe passage through Bab-el-Mandeb with delivery of an animal and regular loads of fodder.

Governor of Adulis

The governor of Adulis is strongly influenced by the bishop who is based in the large Byzantine church located in the northern quarter of town. The bishop does not like the idea of wizards in his town, and may convince the governor to attack. If a way can be found to discredit the bishop or replace him with someone more tolerant of the magi, the governor could accept the presence of the magi in return for a promise to assist the town in times of dire need and regular donations as a sign of their generosity and pious natures. This might bring its own complications, should any other members of the Order of Hermes visit and learn of such an arrangement.

Resources

The following resources are available in the area.

Income Sources

There are two Typical Quality sources, each resulting in 100 Mythic Pounds of profit. The first is a grove of myrrh trees, hidden on the slopes of a nearby island. These trees are bled to produce the high-quality resin so valued in other lands. The second is a pearl fishery, hidden in a cove of a different island.

Vis Sources

There are three vis sites immediately available.

Fire Coral Beds

6 Vim per year 30 points

Magical School of Fish

6 Animal per year 30 points

Storm Flotsam

3 Perdo per Solstice 30 points

Fire Coral Beds

6 pawns of Vim per Year

Growing on the northeast rim of Ceto's Well, a ridge of ruby-red fire coral generates six pawns of vis, which may be safely harvested at a rate of either 1 pawn every two months, or 6 pawns each year. If it is harvested early more than once a year, then its growth is hindered and neither it, nor the magical school of fish that lives among these beds, generates more than 3 vis until the coral remains unharvested for a year to recover. Several fishermen in Adulis know of this site, and their crews consider harvesting raw coral for jewelry from it when times become difficult. See the Linked Vis Site Hook for more details.

This source costs 30 Build Points.

Magical School of Fish

6 pawns of Animal per Year

A large school of yellowtail tang fish live in and around the fire coral beds, eating the coral and any food dropped from passing vessels. They are fully twice the size of usual yellowtail tang, and each one is easily a meal. The school generates six pawns of vis, which may be safely harvested at a rate of either 1 pawn every two months, or 6 pawns each year. If it is harvested early more than once a year, then its growth is hindered and neither it, nor the fire coral beds where the school lives, generates more than 3 vis until the fish remain unharvested for a year to recover. Selling these fish at market generates extra wealth for the covenant, but it inspires fishermen from Adulis to attempt harvesting them after a storm. See the Linked Vis Site Hook for more details.

This source costs 30 Build Points.

Storm Flotsam

6 pawns of Perdo per Year

Twice a year, with the first spring storm and the first autumn storm, the flotsam and jetsam washed up under the docks contain three pawns of vis. This is usually contained in broken bits of ship hulls, torn netting, and lost floats, but occasionally more interesting pieces arrive.

This source costs 30 Build Points.

Story Themes

A covenant on this site would have themes of discovery and exploration. Survival is less of an issue, but Christian magi might experience some hardship due to the removed nature of the site, finding it difficult to acquire books. On the other hand, Muslim magi might better manage the distance from Mythic Europe by being able to easily access the Levant and Mythic Arabia. Adulis shines best when it serves a purpose specific to the magi living there.

Pushing the Frontiers

A covenant established in Adulis allows for the most flexibility of options for a saga wanting to explore a variety of regions, as there is easy access to Egypt, Ethiopia, the Levant Tribunal, and Mythic Arabia. Slightly more removed, but still nearby, are the southeastern Great Desert, and Nubia. For sagas truly wishing to push the frontier, there are merchants in Yemen, just beyond the Bab-el-Mandeb, who know the routes to the islands of Soqotra and the wonders of that realm. All this requires is a firm conviction, a steady resolve, and a ship to sail. With the promise of riches, there are plenty of vessels in Adulis willing to take the chance, especially if they have a secret weapon on board.

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See Also

Chapter Ten: Potential Covenant Sites of the Nile Region

To Scour the Past

To Break the Rules

To Redraw the Map

To Build the Nile Tribunal

Siwa Oasis

History

Establishing the Covenant

Boons & Hooks

Potential Covenfolk

Companions

Aznag ag Tannan

Story Seeds

Story Seed: Sometime Lords of Siwa

Story Seed: Locating Laboratories

Story Seed: A Turb From Without

Story Seed: Filling the Coffers

Grogs

New Hook: Multiple Sites

Specialists and Other Covenfolk

Specialists

Aznag ag Tannan

Servants

The Zaggalah

Story Seed: The Turb From Within

Life at the Oasis

Income and Supplies

Life at Siwa Oasis

The Site

Environment

Main Structures

Outlying Buildings

External Relations

The Sultan Al-Kamil

Nomadic Tribesmen

Gwafa

Resources

Income Sources

Vis Sources

Alexander's Camp

Story Seed: Getting Slaves

Alexander's Stele

Crypts of Jabal al-Mawta

Story Seed: New Landlords

Spring of the Sun

New Hook: Fragile Vis Source

Story Themes

Covenant Themes

The Crusaders Come Calling

Story Seed: The Past of a Slave

Trade Routes

Ikhmindi

History

Establishing the Covenant

Boons & Hooks

Tapara

Petros

Potential Covenfolk

Companions

Tapara

Grogs

Specialists and Other Covenfolk

Specialists

Servants

Available Resources

Income and Supplies

Life at Ikhmindi

Buildings

Environment

Main Structures

Laboratories

Outlying Buildings

External Relations

The Eparch of Nobatia

Nomadic Tribesmen

Story Seeds

Story Seed: Any Port...

Story Seed: Free at Last

Story Seed: Shipwreck of a Different Color