Legends of Hermes Chapter Five: The Sunken Laboratory of Hermanus

See Also

• The Ars Magica Reference Document
• The Legends of Hermes Open Content page.
• The Legends of Hermes product page on this wiki

Chapter Five: The Sunken Laboratory of Hermanus

Lifetime: c. 940 AD – 1098 AD (Final Twilight)

Overview: A master strategist and obsessive constructor of magical defenses charged with protecting Coeris, who disappeared along with part of the covenant itself.

Each of the domus magnae covenants of the Order of Hermes is exceedingly impressive in its own way. Many have extraordinary defenses: House Ex Miscellanea's Cad Gadu lies in a regio that cannot easily be accessed; House Tytalus' Fudarus is defended by three mighty spirits; House Flambeau's Castra Solis is protected by a legendary turb of grogs, a formidable collection of enchanted devices, and the Horn of Champions; and House Guernicus' Magvillus has a mighty Aegis of the Hearth and unparalleled physical defenses.

The covenant of Coeris was originally created in the time of Tremere as a place of refuge, where damaged warriors could take the waters of forgetfulness and be healed of their psychological injuries. However, over time House Tremere has made Coeris into something else. Coeris is the stronghold for the House, where much of its treasury, including vis and enchanted devices, rests in as secure a location as any place in Mythic Europe.

The magus most responsible for these defenses is Hermanus of Tremere. Hermanus acquired a legendary reputation not because of great discoveries or conquests but because, for more than eight decades, through persuasion, stubbornness, and canny use of his House's structure, he focused his resources and the resources that he gained through the structure of his House into fulfilling a single vision.

Legend

Nothing at all is recorded regarding the life Hermanus prior to his apprenticeship, and while no apprenticeship in the order of Hermes could be described as typical, there are no events that are particularly noteworthy in the story of Hermanus prior to the Schism War.

At the onset of the Schism War Hermanus was a magus thirty-nine years out of his apprenticeship. During the Schism War he was utilized by his House as a master of auxiliaries, a magus who trained and led mundane soldiers. Hermanus and his troops saw battle on two occasions. On an early campaign Hermanus' unit was attacked by a pair of Diedne magi who were accompanied by several magical beasts. Defensive spells that Hermanus had cast on his troops and on the building where they were staying previous to the attack allowed Hermanus to hold out against the superior attacking force until his allies arrived and the Diedne were obliged to flee.

Later, Hermanus tracked down and slew the maga Nuala of Diedne, a maga fifteen years his elder. He did this by successfully anticipating her actions and preparing countermeasures for them ahead of time.

The more senior members of House Tremere noted two specific facts regarding Hermanus' performance. First, in both actions his troops acted with discipline and loyalty despite the fact that Hermanus was not himself particularly persuasive and did not possess the Gentle Gift. Second, in both actions Hermanus had successfully anticipated how he was going to be attacked and had prepared countermeasures beforehand. Because the House saw skill in leadership and an aptitude for anticipating the attacks of his enemies, Hermanus was selected by the primus of House Tremere to lead the Adamant Rook Vexillation.

What the Order Remembers of Hermanus

Known by All

• Hermanus' Final Twilight removed an entire portion of the covenant of Coeris.
• Hermanus was a Schism War veteran who oversaw the creation of defenses to protect the resources of House Tremere.
• Hermanus is famous for his ability to marshal such a great proportion of the resources of House Tremere to support this goal for decades.
• Hermanus discovered evidence of a group of Diedne sympathizers within House Tremere, This cabal was responsible for his demise and the disappearance of his laboratory.*

Widely Known

• At the end of his life Hermanus enchanted his laboratory with the ability to move, thereby allowing him to explore the world without leaving the safety of his heavily-warded laboratory, and then he left Coeris and House Tremere behind forever.*
• Hermanus continued his efforts to bolster the defenses of Coeris for an additional twenty-eight years after the vexillation of the Adamant Rook was disbanded. During this time he clashed more and more often with the primus and other senior magi of the House. He endeavored to become primus in order to further his goals regarding the defense of Coeris.

Uncommon Knowledge

• A vexillation was formed by the Tremere to search for Hermanus and his laboratory. After four years this vexillation concluded that neither could be located by any method known to the Tremere.
• Hermanus became a great expert in Intellego by the end of his life, but the primary reason that he was selected to lead the push to protect the House's treasures was because of his leadership ability. Most of the greatest creations of the Adamant Rook Vexillation were created by groups of magi working together.
• As Hermanus aged he became more and more cautious and fearful. He saw ways for House Tremere to be attacked in every event and action. At the end of his life Hermanus took to sending out an enchanted human-sized doll to search for vis without exposing himself to the dangers that he felt lurked outside of his well-defended laboratory.
• Hermanus met his end trying to acquire vis from a town in the Provençal Tribunal that had been besieged by giant bats. All written records of this town aside have been destroyed by someone or something that wants to keep it secret.*

Lost Secrets

• Amarantha of Tremere was one of the magi who searched for evidence of Hermanus after his passing. She continued her investigation after the vexillation had submitted its conclusions and dissolved. Amarantha disappeared in 1110 and no trace of her was ever found.
• \* False information

The Adamant Rook Vexillation

At the conclusion of the Schism War, House Tremere hoped to transform Coeris into the ultimate stronghold for the House. The greatest fear of House Tremere was the theft of their storehouse of vis and enchanted devices by powerful magi or spirits, who would then employ the House's own resources against it. The Adamant Rook Vexillation took the responsibility of altering the covenant of Coeris to be the secure storehouse that House Tremere believed they needed.

House Tremere could not be assured that they could man the defenses of their domus magna with magi of superior caliber to the enemies they feared that they might face, nor could the House rely on magics unique and unknown to their enemies. Hermanus set about his task of crafting defenses using the greatest advantage that the Tremere had: the organizational cohesion of the House. Hermanus capably employed as great a proportion of House Tremere's magi and resources as he could obtain to assist in the creation of Coeris' defenses.

The strategy implemented by the vexillation was not only to make the Coeris stores themselves untouchable, but also to create a network of enchanted devices throughout the covenant that would detect and neutralize any entity that was acting against the Tremere. These devices were created to work in conjunction with the magi and other defenders of Coeris, but would not be useless without them.

Hermanus threw himself into his work with a determination and dedication that continued unabated for the rest of his life. Yet the longer he worked and the more formidable the covenant's defenses became, the less satisfied Hermanus was. Once he had set his mind to imagining ways that Coeris could be compromised he was unable to stop. Gradually, over the course of decades, Hermanus' mind twisted itself to see nothing but weakness and vulnerability.

For decades Hermanus was able to convey his concerns about the vulnerability of Coeris to his sodales in a sufficiently convincing way as to garner a wealth of support for his vexillation, but as years went by this task became more and more challenging for him. In 1070 the primus of House Tremere proclaimed that the preparations at Coeris were "embarrassingly fulsome". The Adamant Rook Vexillation was dissolved. Others within the House were, by this time, wondering aloud if the cost in vis and time of creating the defenses had been well spent. The exarch of the Roman Tribunal was heard to say that it would have been less costly to have allowed the stores to be looted than to have paid the cost of constructing the defenses. Hermanus disagreed with this judgment and attempts to alter the opinion of the primus or become primus himself in order to further fund expanded defenses continued intermittently for the final twenty-eight years of his life. Hermanus did not abandon his (by this time personal) mission to strengthen the defenses of Coeris and spent most of his time studying arts, researching spells and crafting items to make the domus magna more secure.

Hermanus' Passing and the Growth of his Legend

In the autumn of 1098 Hermanus had one final argument with the Tremere primus regarding the importance of additional defenses in Coeris. After the heated discussion, Hermanus returned to his laboratory. Three hours later, the top floor of the wing of Coeris that contained Hermanus' laboratory disappeared. The walls, ceiling, and floor of the building along with all of the contents of these rooms, including an impressive number of defensive enchanted devices vanished. No trace of Hermanus or his laboratory was ever seen again. The most commonly held theory is that Hermanus succumbed to Final Twilight, taking the wing of Coeris containing his laboratory with him.

The disappearance of Hermanus and his laboratory was of great concern to the House. In addition to a search by the Abyssal Bearer Vexillation (Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 122), a vexillation was convened specifically to recover Hermanus and the missing structure. This vexillation, the Unbarred Gateway Vexillation, searched for five years before concluding their investigation and dissolving in early 1104.

At the time when Hermanus disappeared he was well known within House Tremere, but not particularly renowned outside of it. News regarding the manner of his disappearance spread throughout the order and gave him a bit of a posthumous reputation. Hermanus became much better known in 1115 when the Archmage Velius of Tremere was challenged for the first time. When Hermanus disappeared, Velius, a magus who relocated to Coeris from the Rhine Tribunal, shouldered the responsibility for mitigating the danger that having an absent section of building and its accompanying enchanted devices represented to the covenant. After his work shoring up the defenses, Velius took responsibility for keeping the defenses of the covenant working and adjusted.

Velius became an archmage in 1104. Velius' first challenge came from his former apprentice in 1115. The challenge that Velius set for his former student was to retrieve for him a token that he had placed in a Coeris vault within one year. Velius' filia did not succeed in retrieving the token within the year allotted. After hearing about the nature of Velius' archmage challenge, the maga Elonora of Tytalus challenged Velius, believing that Velius would not be so brazen as to invite someone from outside his House to attempt to break into the vaults and thus Velius would secure his token in some less well-protected place. Velius was, however, so confident of the defenses at Coeris that he again placed his marker in the domus magna. Elonora made three failed attempts to breach the defenses of Coeris within the next year. She then passed on information regarding the nature of the defenses as she remembered them. She also spread stories about the weakness of Velius for relying on the work of Hermanus rather than his own accomplishments to create his archmage challenge. The primus of House Tremere was furious with Velius for his overconfidence and it is thought unlikely that Velius would have been able to use the challenge a third time without serious repercussions. Velius succumbed to Final Twilight in 1120 before he was challenged a third time.

The legend of Hermanus, builder of the unbreachable defenses of Coeris, has spread throughout the Order. From the stories of Elonora, magi tried to determine how much vis and how many seasons of effort went into creation of the defenses at Coeris. The circumstances of Hermanus' disappearance added to the speculation, as did additional stories spread by Tremere, which wanted to impress upon their sodales the futility of any attempt to loot the domus magna.

Trojan Clothes Horse

The characters discover an item that was once owned by a Tremere magus, perhaps a set of Tremere robes. House Tremere would like the character who discovered the item to travel to Coeris with it and give a complete description of the circumstances under which the item was discovered. The House is willing to make the trip (at least barely) worthwhile for the player characters.

Unknown to the characters, the discovered item is enchanted with a Waiting Spell, perhaps protected by Masking the Odor of Magic, that activates when the item is brought within the covenant of Coeris. When the waiting spell activates it summons a powerful spirit or creature of might whose goal is to do as much damage to the covenant of Coeris as possible. With the sudden appearance of the creature from the player characters' group it is likely that the player characters will not immediately be recognized as innocent bystanders. The stage is set for the player characters, the creature and the defenders of Coeris to rampage through the sentinels and justiciars of the covenant avoiding and getting affected by different effects as they chase one another in a three-way game of cat and mouse.

When running games within Coeris it should be clear that sentinels and justiciars, outside of the vaults which contain the House's valuables, are designed not only to delay and capture intruders but also (perhaps primarily) to sound the alarm and warn the defenders of Coeris of the intrusion. There are several items within Coeris that specifically detect and locate any triggering of sentinel items so that the Tremere can direct their defenses.

Legacy

Hermanus, his laboratory, and several rooms surrounding his laboratory disappeared over one hundred years ago when Hermanus experienced his Final Twilight. The laboratory and the surrounding section of building still exist within the Twilight Void and they are filled with a wealth of enchanted devices, vis, and laboratory notes, all of which can be secured by those who can bring them back to the mundane world and master their defenses.

Using the Creations of Hermanus in a Game

The enchanted devices present in the laboratory of Hermanus are many of the same devices that are used to defend Coeris. House Tremere used Laboratory Texts to create several sentinels and justiciars of every type available to them. These devices may see use in your saga in other ways.

While every book or movie about a bank heist ever made may seem to offer good inspiration for your players to break into the vaults of Coeris, the formidability of the defenses, the nearly limitless effort that House Tremere is willing to exert to protect their treasures, and the civil nature of the Order all work against the possibility of the characters having sufficient motive to risk the job. Here are a few story hooks to utilize the creations of Hermanus without getting your campaign's magi marched by the entire Transylvanian Tribunal.

The End of Hermanus

On the fall evening in 1098 when Hermanus' laboratory disappeared from Coeris, its disappearance was, despite rumors to the contrary, the result of Hermanus' Final Twilight. By 1091, Hermanus had realized that there was little hope he would ever get the support in vis and assistance that he desired to continue his life's work from his House. Hermanus had reached the conclusion that he would need to find large sources of vis himself in order to create the additional defenses that his plans required. While he was an exceedingly powerful magus at this point of his life, his practice of constantly dwelling on ways that he and his House could be attacked had developed within him a great fear of the world outside of Coeris and even many places within Coeris. The location where Hermanus felt closest to being secure was his own laboratory. Hermanus spent most of his time locked within his circular laboratory protected by no fewer than eight wards active upon rings that followed the lab's circumference, and several enchanted devices designed to protect him from aggressors and accidents.

Rather than go out into the possibly dangerous world unprotected or spend years developing protections that would allow him to travel in safety comparable to his laboratory, Hermanus enchanted one of the wooden mannequins which he and his sodales had created to defend Coeris to travel under his control and search out vis sources without Hermanus ever leaving his laboratory.

That fall evening in 1098, Hermanus' mannequin was on the sea floor off the south coast of Crete, looking through the debris where a great naval battle was fought between the forces of the Macedonian king Demetrios the Poliorketes and Ptolemy the first of Egypt in 306 BC. Hermanus attempted to transfer a quantity of vis from this location to his laboratory by means of a Rego spell that was inscribed on a casting tablet. The casting went horribly wrong. Hermanus, his familiar, his laboratory, and the surrounding building disappeared in a Twilight episode. Hermanus and his familiar were lost to Final Twilight but the laboratory and surrounding building still exist within the Terram province of the Twilight Void. They are tethered to the mannequin and the vis that were the subject of Hermanus' final spell. Anyone who finds these items on the sea floor off the coast of Crete and disturbs them, disrupting the connection, will bring the structure that houses Hermanus' laboratory back to the mundane world.

Unexpected Copies

A magus has discovered a Vestige of a structure that almost exactly resembles Coeris in the Magical Realm, and has recorded a rough description of how he traveled there. If the player characters can repeat the journey of the magus they can explore this Coeris-like place and see if it perhaps holds similar riches or similar inhabitants.

Dispatched

House Tremere may well choose to equip groups of its magi with some of the enchanted devices if they feel that the items are needed. Characters might possibly encounter these items wielded by magi outside the covenant of Coeris.

A Tremere maga, along with a number of mundane assistants and protectors, has undertaken an effort to explore and possibly procure vis from a regio that, while not close to the player characters' covenant, is less distant from the players' covenant than it is from any other covenant. In the process of exploration the maga has roused the ire of the regio's inhabitants (elemental spirits of fire, demons, giant intelligent spiders or whatever fits your game). While defending her companions the maga entered into a Twilight episode. The maga's familiar escaped from the regio and traveled to the players' covenant to ask for assistance in rescuing the party now trapped within the regio. The player characters who come to the aid of the trapped group must deal not only with the inhabitants of the regio but also with a maze of sentinels and justiciars erected by the group to protect themselves.

Adventure: Search for the Sunken Laboratory

The characters' search for Hermanus' laboratory will be a dangerous journey.

Précis

The adventure presented here has the following structure:

• The player characters come across the notes collected by Amarantha of Tremere detailing her search for the Laboratory of Hermanus.
• After perhaps pursuing some other possibilities for the structure's location, the characters travel to the sea floor off the coast of Crete where the mannequin is located.
• The players deal with the undersea environment, a genius loci who wishes to protect the area containing the mannequin, and the violent ghosts of sailors lost in an ancient battle.
• The characters then bring the laboratory structure back to the mundane world. The characters explore the laboratory structure and outwit the defenses to acquire the treasure within.
• Finally, the characters bargain with House Tremere for the return of the enchanted devices and the protection of the House's secrets.

Foreshadowing

As an introduction to the story of Hermanus, the story guide should have the characters encounter the remains of Amarantha of Tremere in a location that is both somewhat remote and could at least possibly be suspected to have a source of vis. Any regio, any wilderness location that might house a vis site, or any location that could have been believed to be the lair of a creature of might in the time of Hermanus would serve. With work this can be integrated into another adventure in the saga.

One item with the remains is conspicuous in that it shows no evidence of decay whatsoever. This item is a large leather satchel which Amarantha created as a lesser enchanted device to keep the notes and books that she carried on her travels safe from decay. The satchel is enchanted with Enchantment of Incorruptible Vellum.

Enchantment of Incorruptible Vellum

CrAn(He) 24
Constant effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Group
The satchel and all of its animal and plant-derived contents are protected from experiencing any natural decay, including rot, mildew, and desiccation.

(Effect: Base 2 as CrCo, +1 Touch, +2 sun, +2 group, +1 requisite; Modifications, +1 level 2 uses per day, +3 levels environmental trigger)

Within this satchel is a bit of magically preserved food (an apple, cheese, and some bread) and Amarantha's collected notes on the matter of Hermanus and his laboratory.

Constant exposure to the preserving magic of the satchel has, over time, warped both the satchel and its contents. The food can no longer be digested by any creature and will make anyone who tries to eat it somewhat nauseated. The satchel and the writings are slightly toxic to the touch and will cause a mild rash to anyone touching them with their bare skin.

The notes take approximately a day to read thoroughly. They contain the following information:

• Who Amarantha was and what she was doing (see next section).
• A summation of relevant information of Hermanus' life and behavior.
• The fact that Hermanus was, at the time of his disappearance, collecting vis by sending a wooden mannequin (to which he had a fixed arcane connection) throughout the world and controlling it with spells cast through Opening the Intangible Tunnel.
• The information that Hermanus' lab certainly contained a considerable quantity of vis.
• The information that House Tremere was very interested in the recovery of the texts and enchanted devices in the laboratory and surrounding structure because they contained information regarding the defenses of Coeris.
• A partially checked off list of sites where Amarantha believed that Hermanus' mannequin could be.

The list of remaining unexplored locations is large, but the intervening century of activity by the Order of Hermes has eliminated most of the locations that Amarantha had thought to be possibilities. The characters can check the lists of covenant locations and claimed vis sources maintained by House Mercere and reduce the possibilities for the location of the mannequin to a very short list, and, depending upon where the storyguide may wish for the characters to go, perhaps to only the actual location.

The Story of Amarantha of Tremere

In early 1104 the Unbarred Gateway Vexillation ceased searching for Hermanus and his laboratory and dissolved their association. The vexillation saw no way for the missing structure or the missing magus to be recovered either by House Tremere or by one of their enemies.

One member of the vexillation, Amarantha of Tremere, perhaps because of personal ego, perhaps because she was not fully convinced that the task was hopeless, continued with the search. She interviewed those who spoke with Hermanus or his familiar in the years prior to their disappearance, studied the texts Hermanus had read in his final years, and examined the written correspondence with other magi that Hermanus and his familiar engaged in near the end of their lives. By 1110 Amarantha had constructed a large list of locations to which Hermanus was likely to have sent his mannequin. She undertook the task of visiting all of these locations by herself in hopes of locating the mannequin and using it to recover the laboratory and surrounding building. Her notes contain some ideas about researching a spell to accomplish this but it is clear that she did not yet have a firm plan. Amarantha did not inform any of her sodales of her destinations or the purpose of her travels. She did not wish to be seen as unsure of her previous conclusions in the matter or as a fool on a quixotic quest; furthermore, the implication that the conclusions of the Unbarred Gate Vexillation could be suspect would reflect poorly on her fellow magi in the vexillation, some of whom were magi of influence in the House who would not approve of her actions. Late in 1110, Amarantha met her end far from any assistance and in a location unknown to the magi of the Abyssal Bearer Vexillation, the vexillation charged with the recovery of the bodies of all Tremere magi.

The Aquatic Valley and Mannequin

Hermanus' mannequin lies in a shallow sub-aquatic valley of barnacle-encrusted rocks and gently sloping sand amidst the broken wreckage of ancient ships sunk in the battle of 309 BC. Moving among the wreckages are dozens of ghosts of the ancient battle, each mindlessly continuing the battle over 1500 years after its conclusion. Apart from the specters pursuing violence without thought or comprehension, the sea floor in this area is an extraordinarily beautiful place. During the sunlight hours, shafts of illumination strike down from the surface and play along the sea floor. The submarine valley has a Magical aura of 2.

A genius loci inhabits the area (see later). The genius loci is constantly aware of the entire valley, and desires to have the natural beauty of the submerged valley lie undisturbed for eternity. The genius loci has, over the last fifteen centuries, absorbed the sunken ships as part of itself. It no longer sees these ships as something foreign that has entered the valley but as an integral part of the valley. In addition, the personality of this spirit has become altered by the unending struggle of the valley's ghosts. The genius loci does not hope for a better existence; it only struggles to endure with a desperate ferocity, despite the fact that the spirit is not in any danger. While the genius loci is largely indifferent to the presence of the mannequin, any attempt to disturb the ancient ships or to permanently destroy the warring ghosts will rouse the spirit and be treated as an attack upon the genius loci itself. The genius loci will try to negotiate with characters if it hears of plans to harm the valley or its contents, but it does so without significant hope of success. This may or may not make dealing with the genius loci especially challenging. The spirit's depression predisposes it interpret the characters' offers and motives in the most pessimistic way possible.

Setting the Story in a Different Location

The location of this story can be moved to accommodate the needs of a particular saga. Ancient naval battles that could serve as the setting for the adventure, more or less as written, are common throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Some other possible Mediterranean sites are the battle of Actium of 31 BC in the Ionian Sea, and the Battle of Alalia, off the coast of Corsica, in 540 BC. Moving the location out of the Mediterranean reduces the number of historical locations that provide a good match for the story as written. One possible northern location is Carlingford Loch on the northeastern coast of Ireland where, in 852, the Norse and Danes fought a naval battle that lasted three days.

The storyguide should not feel obligated to tie the adventure to the location of any historical battle at all. The ancient history of Mythic Europe certainly has enough unrecorded history that a battle could be inserted most anywhere if it were placed far enough back in time.

With some adjustment, the storyguide could skip the underwater aspect of this adventure entirely. The remains of the mannequin could be placed in any location where Hermanus could have reasonably been hunting for vis, such as a regio full of gargantuan ice caves, an oasis in the Sahara desert, or at the most important vis source belonging to the player characters' covenant, provided that the vis source was claimed at some time after 1098.

The Ghosts

The ghosts of the ancient sailors are pale reflections of their ancient selves. The ghosts mindlessly continue their struggle, reenacting their fatal battle every day as they have for 1500 years. The ghosts perceive all new phenomena in terms of their struggle. All creatures that they see are categorized by them as ally or enemy. Frequently this categorization changes unexpectedly, as living things fail to act in ways understandable to the single-minded spirits. A shout of agreement and a salute might mark a character as a friend; a failure to engage a specter's opponents or to respond to a question asked in an ancient language may be enough to incur the ghost's enmity.

Typical Ghost of an Ancient Sailor

This creature is a spirit, and both the spirit and its equipment are insubstantial. While combat statistics for the sailor have been computed, these numbers only apply if the ghost is made corporeal or when the ghost uses its strike power. In combat the ghosts can form trained groups of 4 individuals. These groups have a group bonus of +12.

Magic Might: 10 (Mentem)

Characteristics: Int 0, Per +1, Pre +1, Com -1, Str +1, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik +1

Size: 0

Age: Appears to be between 16 and 35 years old.

Decrepitude: n/a

Confidence: 0

Virtues and Flaws: Veteran, Delusion

Personality Traits: Obsessed with the Battle +3

Reputations: None

Combat:

Sword: Init +0, Attack +7, Defense +5, Damage +6

Javelin: Init –1, Attack +4, 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: Athletics 2 (climbing), Carouse 2 (drinking songs), Dead Language (ancient Greek or Egyptian) 5 (nautical terms), Leadership 3 (sailors), Profession Fisherman 4 (net repair), Profession Sailor 3 (warships), Single Weapon 3 (short sword), Thrown Weapon 3 (javelin)

Powers:

Eidolon, 0 points, Init –1, Imaginem: The spirit creates an illusory image of its former self. This image moves and speaks as directed by the spirit. The spirit does not have the awareness to refrain from creating this form. Rather the form is created anew every morning and exists until the spirit meets a temporary demise in battle with the other ghosts or until it is recreated the following morning. (See Realms of Power: Magic page 102 for more information.)

Ghost Touch, variable cost, Init –1 minus Might points spent, Terram: This power moves objects that are not held by another person or fastened down. For 1 Might point a maximum of five pounds can be moved. Every additional Might point doubles this weight limit. If the item is hurled with force, the sailor uses his Thrown Weapon Ability and inflicts +5 damage per Might point spent. The spirit can enter combat with an object when using this power and uses its characteristics to calculate combat totals as normal. The sailor does typically not use this power to attack, instead it uses the Strike power and it employs Ghost Touch only to manipulate objects. (See Realms of Power: Magic page 102 for more information.)

Strike, 1 point, Init –5, Terram: For one diameter the spirit makes attacks using its sword as if the sword were a material object. This attack is magical and must penetrate Magic Resistance. (Lesser Power, no direct Hermetic equivalent, but treated as level 15, 2 Mastery Points used to reduce cost)

Equipment: Leather scale armor, short sword, javelins, and other accoutrements of a sailor.

Encumbrance: 4 (2)

Vis: The spirit contains no vis in and of itself. However when it is destroyed — actually destroyed, as opposed to the phantasmal death the spirit experiences quite often — a single pawn of Mentem vis appears in the wreck of the spirit's former ship. When this happens the ship alters itself to more closely resemble the condition it was in before it was sunk. The wood becomes less rotted, barnacles fall off the ship, and the structure becomes more solid.

Appearance: The ghostly sailor appears as a pale, slightly transparent man dressed in 4th-century-BC armor. The sailor is consumed by desperation and fear as he struggles against his nearly identical opponents.

Genius Loci of the Aquatic Valley

Magic Might: 20 (Aquam)

Characteristics: Int +1, Per +1, Pre 0, Com +1, Str +1, Sta +1, Dex +1, Qik +1

Season: Summer

Confidence: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Magic Spirit, Ways of the Sea

Magical Qualities and Inferiorities:

Personality Traits: Grim+3, Sensitive to Insult +1, Hopeful –3

Abilities: Area Lore 5 (nearby undersea environs), Awareness 5 (submerged humans), Bargain 5 (sahirs), Folk Ken 3 (sailors) Guile 2 (pretending to be mightier than it is), Intrigue 2 (assessing threats), Living Language: Greek 5 (Cypriot)

Powers:

Crafter of Water, variable points, Init –4, Aquam: The genius can duplicate any non-ritual Creo or Rego Aquam spell at a cost of one Might point per magnitude of the effect. The level of the spell can not be greater than 20. Within the valley the genius is present everywhere, and this allows it to create most effects with a Range of Personal or Touch.

Emissary of Foam and Sand 3 points Init –3 Aquam and Terram, The spirit constructs within itself a human-shaped form of sand and water that can interact with people by use of speech and the clumsy and slow manipulation of objects. While the shape is made of inanimate material and can not be damaged in the same manner as a creature, it is not particularly stable and can be dispersed by a strong current or being hit with a large object. This form can leave the location of the spirit, but the spirit can not perceive and control the form more than a small distance from its borders. (Base 5 +1 Concentration, +1 Part, +1 Rego requisite, Terram requisite is free, Lesser Power, 1 Mastery Point spent to lower Might, cost: 20)

Master of Water, variable points, Init –4, Aquam: The genius can duplicate any non-ritual Muto or Perdo Aquam spell at a cost of one Might point per magnitude of the effect. The level of the spell can not be greater than 20. Within the valley the genius is present everywhere, and this allows it to create most effects with a Range of Personal or Touch.

Presence 0 points, Constant, Imaginem: The genius loci is aware of everything that goes on within the valley, and the genius is present at every location within the valley (see Realms of Power: Magic pages 103 and 106 for a more in-depth description).

Vis: 2 pawns of Aquam vis are manifested annually as stones buried within the grotto, if not harvested this vis will not accumulate.

Appearance: The genius loci occasionally manifests a human-shaped conglomeration of sand and water to communicate. This shape is only a marionette controlled by the spirit. The genius loci itself is the aquatic valley.

A genius loci is a spirit of a place. The spirit inhabits the entire area — in this case the underwater valley — as if the area were a body for the spirit. A genius loci can not move from its location.

The genius loci of the grotto has been, over centuries, altered by the ghosts of the warring sailors. The spirit has a grim, dutiful mindset. For the genius, existence is something to be endured stoically rather than enjoyed. The spirit protects its locus with determination but has no hope of making it a better place, only of persevering.

The Return of the Laboratory

Located near the center of the valley is the wreckage of one of the ancient ships. This wreckage is devoid of ghosts. Standing upon this wreckage and holding the mast is a human-sized and -shaped wooden mannequin. The mast itself is suspiciously well preserved; it is waterlogged enough to sink yet it is completely free of rot and decay. The mast contains 8 pawns of Mentem vis.

This is Hermanus' mannequin. It and the mast are held in their positions by the power of Hermanus' final, tragically miscast spell. Both the mannequin and the mast resist being moved by nearly any physical force. However, if either of the objects is targeted by a spell, such as a spell to move them, an Intellego spell to investigate them, or a Rego Vim spell to transfer the vis from the mast, the results of Hermanus' final spell are undone and the structure containing Hermanus' laboratory returns to the mundane world.

When the magic holding the mast and mannequin is broken, all of the water within thirteen paces of the broken spell is pushed out by the return of the warded laboratory structure, taking the much of the sand, debris and, presumably, characters with it. Swimming characters are pushed at least 20 paces if they take no steps to counter the rush of water. If the player characters are not submerged — such as characters protected by the ring of aquatic freedom, described later — the storyguide is encouraged to have the laboratory structure materialize in a way that will not crush the characters. The stirred-up sediment in the water blocks all vision for a few minutes until it settles. When the water clears the characters see the laboratory structure that has been in the Twilight Void since 1098.

A Less Conspicuously Convenient Return

As presented, once the player characters find the mannequin, the laboratory structure will, more or less directly, fall into their laps.

This may disappoint some players who may feel deprived of a challenge or feel that this course of events makes the characters acted upon rather than acting themselves. The alternative is to create a story in which the characters travel to the Twilight Void to recover the laboratory themselves. Arcane connections do not, however, work between the mundane realm and the Twilight Void, so even if the mannequin is treated as a permanent arcane connection to the laboratory, the characters must still find a way to enter the Magic Realm. Chapter Three of Realms of Power: Magic gives more information and ideas for such stories.

Journeying Underwater

Breathing, moving, and seeing underwater all present difficulties to characters attempting to acquire the laboratory of Hermanus. Characters who know how to swim will travel by swimming at half the speed that a typical person walks. Only weapons that attack by thrusting or with which speed is not an issue, function well underwater. Other weapons suffer severe penalties to attack, defense and damage, if they are functional at all. Groups that are trained to fight together on the surface do not function as trained groups underwater due to the three dimensional nature of movement Likewise, groups that are trained to fight together underwater do not function as trained groups when on land. Vision underwater is quite blurred, making detail difficult to pick out at any range and making anything other than very large objects indiscernible beyond 20 paces. Unless aided by magical means, no words and only subtle gestures may be used to cast spells while submerged, accruing normal casting penalties. Note that the sound has a difficult time leaving the water, and Voice range spells cast while submerged can only affect targets in, or touching, the surface of the water. The great weight of the ocean can crush unsuspecting magi. After each 10 paces of descent, a character loses one-tenth of his current depth minus soak (extra soak from armor does not apply), in fatigue levels. Hermanus' laboratory complex lies at a depth of 14 paces. Light may also be a problem for underwater characters. Light from the surface rapidly decreases with depth. The submarine grotto where Hermanus' laboratory lies is unnaturally well lit as a function of its magical aura.

Throughout the history of the Order of Hermes, magi have needed to travel underwater, and there are several spells and enchanted devices that have been developed to facilitate underwater activities, including Lungs of the Fish described in ArM5 on page 122, and many of the creations of Maris of Tytalus described in Magi of Hermes pages 70-78. Some additional spells and devices are detailed here. These devices or laboratory notes detailing their construction exist within the Order and a motivated magus might be able to make a deal to procure or borrow them for an appropriate price.

Cloak of Fins and Scales

MuCo(An) 35
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
The caster hangs a small cape of fish scales on the back of the target and the target transforms into a naturally occurring fish of the same approximate size as the original target. The target may choose to change back to human form at any time, but doing so ends the spell. Fish and other naturally aquatic creatures do not suffer any penalties due to pressure.

(Base 20 +1 Touch, +2 Sun, requisite free)

Form of the Aquatic Predator

MuCo(An) 35
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
The caster hangs a small cape of Shark scales on his back and transforms into a large shark of size +2 as described in the accompanying sidebar. The caster may choose to change back to human form at any time but doing so ends the spell. Fish and other naturally aquatic creatures do not suffer any penalties due to pressure.

(Base 20, +2 Sun, +1 size alteration, requisite free)

Shape of the Siren

MuCo(An) 40
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Part
The caster's body from the hips down is transformed into the tail of a large fish, keeping the same approximate size. The caster also develops gills on his throat allowing him to breathe water but inhibiting his ability to speak, imposing a –3 modifier on all rolls to communicate verbally and a –5 to spell casting totals, as if the character were speaking quietly.

While in this form, the caster can move at full speed underwater and does not suffer any penalties due to pressure.

(Base 20, +2 Sun, +1 Part, +1 complexity, requisite free)

Being a Fish

The included spells offer the possibility of transforming characters into fish. The mechanical descriptions of a human-sized fish and a large shark are provided for use with these spells.

A Large Fish

Characteristics: Cun –3, Per –2, Pre –5, Com –6, Str 0, Sta +4, Dex 0, Qik –2

Size: 0

Confidence: 0

Qualities: Aquatic, Hardy, Herd Animal, Slippery, Thick scales

Personality Traits: Phlegmatic +2

Combat:

Teeth: Init –2, Attack +5, Defense +1 (+4 vs. grapple), Damage +3

Dodge: Init –2, Attack n/a, Defense +2 (+5 vs. grapple), Damage n/a

Soak: +5

Fatigue Levels: OK, OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)

Abilities: Awareness 2 (food), Brawl 2 (dodge), Survival 3 (home territory), Swim 5 (home territory)

Encumbrance: 0

Appearance: These statistics are meant to describe a fish of approximately human size, between 80 and 250 pounds.

If a group of large fish is attacked, the members of the group receive the Ferocity Virtue. The Ferocity Virtue grants the large fish a Confidence Score of 1 and 3 Confidence Points to spend. Large fish attacked while alone do not gain this benefit.

A Large Shark

Characteristics: Cun –3, Per –2, Pre –5, Com –6, Str +4, Sta +4, Dex +1, Qik –3

Size: +2

Confidence: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Ferocity (attacking prey)*, Improved Characteristics, Greedy (major), Wrathful (major)

Qualities: Aggressive, Aquatic, Large teeth, Pursuit predator, Slippery, Tough hide

Personality Traits: Greedy +3, Wrathful +3, Phlegmatic +2

Combat:

Large Teeth: Init –3, Attack +11, Defense +8, Damage +7

Dodge: Init –3, Attack n/a, Defense +2, Damage n/a

Soak: +6

Fatigue Levels: OK, OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–7), –3 (8–14), –5 (15–21), Incapacitated (22–28), Dead (29+)

Abilities: Awareness 2 (food), Brawl 5 (teeth), Hunt 4(prey), Survival 3 (home territory), Swim 5 (home territory)

Appearance: This set of statistics is intended to describe a shark of +2 size.

\* Ferocity is a Virtue that allows the shark to use Confidence Points to alter its rolls, but only when the shark is attacking prey. The creature is not able to use Confidence in other circumstances (see Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults page 40).

Breeze from Within

CrAu 20
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
A very minor breeze is generated in the nose of the target, allowing him access to all of the air that he requires for breathing. While underwater, the target of this spell exhales a constant stream of bubbles that cannot be stopped by the target for more than a second by holding their mouth and nose closed. The breeze cannot be halted without the spell being dispelled or expiring. The breeze makes the manipulation of especially small and light objects by the target difficult.

(Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +4 magnitudes, wholly divorced from natural context)

Eyes of the Fish

MuCo 5
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
The target gains the eyes of a fish, which allow him or her to see clearly while underwater but only blurrily while out of the water.

(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, requisite free)

Ring of Aquatic Freedom

The Ring of Aquatic Freedom is a lesser enchanted device with the following power instilled in it:

Beyond Reach of the Sea

ReAq 34
Constant effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Part
Water is prevented from coming within 6 paces of the ring. This not only prevents the wearer from drowning; the wearer cannot drink water and his sweat is thrown from his body. On muddy ground, a circle of moisture is thrown up at 6 paces from the wearer.

(Effect: Base 10, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 part; Modifications, +1 level 2 uses per day, + 3 levels environmental trigger)

The Laboratory of Hermanus

Hermanus' laboratory complex is contained within a single-story structure ripped from the top floor of the covenant of Coeris by the botched spell that led to Hermanus' Final Twilight. Although this botch took place over 100 years ago the objects within the laboratory complex have been held in the Twilight Void, where nothing ages, for the entire duration.

From the outside the structure appears to be a disk-shaped building approximately 35 paces in diameter and three and a half paces tall. The structure has stone walls and a wooden roof. There are closed wooden shuttered windows on all sides of the building; a partially open door faces the characters. The structure is resting on the level sea floor. Surrounding the building is the scattered wreckage of the ship that the mannequin was standing on. There are also scattered remains of some sections of the floors beneath Hermanus' laboratory that were wrested from the world by Hermanus' spell along with the top floor that remains intact (these pieces do not contain anything of value). The ward against water that is inscribed on the walls of the three outer rooms of the structure—the hallway, scriptorium and storage room—creates a volume of space free of water not only within the laboratory complex but also as a sphere that extends above and below the laboratory.

The former section of covenant containing Hermanus' laboratory consists of seven rooms, each detailed here. Within each of the rooms Hermanus has placed enchanted devices to protect both him and the covenant. Many of these devices can be divided into two categories: sentinels, which detect intruders; and justiciars, which incapacitate the intruders that have been detected by the sentinel items.

Sentinels are devices enchanted with one or more Intellego spells and the Herald of Imperative enchantment, which activates all of the justiciar items in the room.

Herald of Imperative

ReVi 29
50/day
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Room
This effect simulates a single specific triggering action on all objects in the target room. Because this effect is designed to be triggered by a thoughtless enchanted device rather than a person, the specific triggering action must be selected at the time of enchantment. All of the justiciar-enchanted devices in Coeris use the same triggering action (described later).

(Effect: Base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Room; Modifications +6 levels 50 uses per day, +3 levels linked trigger)

In the plans of Hermanus, a sentinel item's Intellego spell would detect an intruder and the item would activate the Herald of Imperative enchantment. The Herald of Imperative enchantment would in turn activate one or more justiciar items in the room and trap the intruder. Because the sentinels and justiciars were designed to be used in the covenant itself, where people lived and worked, rather than to defend the vaults, they are mostly non-lethal and serve only to imprison their targets. Within Coeris there are several devices that detect the triggering of sentinel and justiciar devices, so even if a justiciar does not have sufficient Penetration to affect a target, it still serves a purpose by alerting the defenders of the covenant.

Rego Vim Guidelines

Level 5: Activate an enchanted device with a simple trigger (i.e., not a linked trigger or an environmental trigger, see ArM5 page 99). The caster must know the triggering action for the target device either because he invested the enchantment himself, because he investigated the enchantment in the laboratory or because he has learned it in some other manner such as being shown the action by someone else who already knows it. The target item is activated directly by the Rego Vim spell; the normal trigger is not reproduced.

Justiciar Triggering Action

All of the justiciar devices in the laboratory structure have a single triggering action. This uniformity allows the Herald of Imperative enchantment on any of the sentinels to activate any of the justiciars in the structure. This uniformity would also theoretically allow someone who knew the action to activate any of the justiciars in the without the aid of a sentinel. The triggering action of the justiciars is a long and complex process that involves delicate manipulation of the enchanted item and a long and precise intonation of words. Manually activating one of the justiciars would require three rounds, if it were ever to be done. Learning to perform the justiciar triggering action would take days of intense study. Training to perform the triggering action is not necessary to instill the triggering action in a device, as written descriptions of the triggering action exist in Laboratory Texts for Herald of Imperative. A written description can also be compiled from a successful laboratory investigation of either an item enchanted with Herald of Imperative or one of the justiciars. The triggering action for the justiciars in the laboratory structure is the same triggering action that is used for the devices defending Coeris.

While sentinels and justiciars were only one part of the defenses that the Vexillation constructed at Coeris, knowledge of the triggering action by someone outside of the House does constitute a significant weakening of the covenant's defenses. The action is kept secret by House Tremere—all of the Laboratory Texts that contain the triggering action are kept within the Coeris vaults, with the exception of the Lab Texts that are locked in Hermanus' laboratory.

Hermanus and the Adamant Rook argued among themselves about the wisdom of using one triggering action rather than many. While a single action was easier for enemies of the House to learn and left the covenant more vulnerable to a thief who knew the action, it also offered House Tremere the greatest flexibility in adjusting its defenses. Furthermore, the single triggering action could more easily be monitored with other devices within the covenant that raised an alarm when an item requiring the triggering action was activated. Intellego magics used by the House for vetting magi who constructed and maintained the defenses also provided some protection against betrayal.

Hallway

This hallway once was bedecked with documents and trophies extolling the accomplishments of the Adamant Rook Vexillation. After the vexillation dissolved, Hermanus and the other former members removed items that were of importance to them. The hallway is now nearly barren. A thin woven rug lies down the center of the hall and a chandelier, bearing many partially burnt candles, hangs from the wooden ceiling. A small table sits along the interior wall of the room opposite the door to the exterior, and sitting on this table is a locked wooden chest. There are four doors in this room. When the structure is under water—which could quite possibly be the entire time that the characters are investigating it—a few inches of sea water collect along intersections of the ceiling and the floor with the outer walls of the three outer rooms: the hallway, the scriptorium, and the store room. Along both the ceiling and the floor, there is space where the flat walls of the structure extend beyond the spherically-shaped protection provided by the ward against water.

Inscribed along the outer wall of this room and the two connecting rooms (the scriptorium and the storage room) are bands of steel that have had the following spells cast upon them:

Ward Against Water
Circular Ward Against Demons (level 40 cast with 37 Penetration)
Circular Ward Against Faerie Spirits (level 40 cast with 35 Penetration)

Ward Against Water

ReAq 20
R: Touch, D: Ring, T: Circle
No water may enter or leave the protected circle. Characters who are wearing wet clothing or perspiring are slowed when entering or leaving a protected area as the excess liquid is stripped from their bodies and possessions. Hermanus cast this ward using forceless casting (Houses of Hermes: True Lineages page 72), so the ward surrounding his laboratory complex has a Penetration of zero, allowing liquids carried by magi and creatures with Magic Resistance to pass through unimpeded.

(Base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Ring)

Circular Ward Against Demons

See ArM5 page 162 or the similar spell Circular Ward Against Faerie Spirits, later.

Circular Ward Against Faerie Spirits

ReVi Gen
R: Touch, D: Ring, T: Circle
All creatures with Faerie Might equal to or less than the level of the spell are unable to enter the circle or harm those within it. Note that, since the spell on the laboratory was cast with a Penetration of 35, only faeries with a Might of 34 or lower are actually stopped, even though it is level 40, as the ward fails to penetrate the Magic Resistance of more powerful fae.

(Base Spell)

The door on the north side of the hallway is just less than two paces tall, leaving room for the rings that are inscribed above it to be reached by a person of normal height. Providing that the structure has not been moved, this door leads out to the sea floor. If this door is opened characters see that water forms a wall and does not pass into the room from the exterior. A similarly-sized door lies on the inside wall of the hallway at the hall's southernmost extent. The remaining two doors are located at the ends of the hallway. These two doors are flush with the exterior wall and extend from floor to ceiling in order to allow a magus to trace the inscribed circles when casting a spell. The doors connecting the hallway to the other rooms within the complex are locked. Hanging on the north door is a Locksmith's Will sentinel. Sitting atop a locked chest upon a table in front of the door to the exterior is the Statue of Conjured Assistants, and within this chest is a silver ring into which 2 pawns of Vim vis have been transferred. If one of the locked doors or the locked chest is unlocked by some manner other than by use of a key that fits the lock, the spirits Ferox and Fidelius will be summoned to see to the defense of the laboratory.

Ferox and Fidelius: Summoned Elemental Spirits

Ferox and Fidelius are spirits of the element of Terram (see Realms of Power: Magic page 104), the spirits of a matching pair of statues that stand within Hermanus' sanctum. They are immaterial spirits who will use their abilities to manipulate items in the laboratory complex to drive out intruders but they will not (and in fact can not) physically manifest themselves.

Magic Might: 6 (Terram)

Characteristics: Int +3, Per +2, Pre –3, Com –3, Str +3, Sta +3, Dex –1, Qik –1

Size: –1

Confidence: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Educated, Arcane Lore

Personality Traits: Ferox: Stubborn +3, Surly +2; Fidelius: Loyal to House Tremere +3, Proud +2

Reputations: none

Combat:

Staff of the Wooden Soldier: Init +1, Attack +6, Defense +6, Damage +5

Abilities: Area Lore 3 (near Coeris), Awareness 3 (keeping watch), Brawl 2 (dodging), Code of Hermes 3 (Transylvanian Tribunal), Dead Language, Latin 5 (Hermetic use), Folk Ken 3 (magi), Great Weapon 3 (staff), Magic Lore 3 (near Coeris), Intrigue 3 (negotiation), Order of Hermes Lore 3 (House Tremere), Stealth 3 (shadowing)

Powers:

Ghostly Hands, 0 points, Init –1, Terram: This power moves objects that are not held by another person or fastened down. Ferox and Fidelius can use this power to manipulate objects. Specifically, they use this to employ the Staves of Wooden Soldiers.

Ghostly Tongues, 0 points, Init –1, Imaginem: This power allows the spirits to create sound as if they had a body with a voice.

Vis: 2 pawns of Terram vis in the statue located in the sanctum (room 6).

Appearance: As insubstantial spirits, Ferox and Fidelius are not visible to most characters. Characters who can perceive them, such as characters with Second Sight or characters using appropriate Intellego Vim magics, see the spirits as statues of small sturdily built men dressed in wizard's garb.

Ferox and Fidelius are obliged, because of their previous agreements with Hermanus, to defend the laboratory complex. They both know the defenses of the structure very well, including all of the enchanted devices within the complex. The spirits are also familiar with the use of the Staves of Wooden Soldiers.

Ferox and Fidelius first move to the receiving room to retrieve the Staves of Wooden Soldiers. They use the wooden soldiers to pick up and move justiciars and sentinels in order to thwart the player characters. The two spirits try to stay as far away from any magi as practical, perhaps temporarily escaping outside of the complex and acting only through animated mannequins. As a last ditch effort they may attempt to utilize the Helm of Unraveling once the laboratory itself has been entered and the ward against magical creatures has been disabled, but they are much more likely to instruct a character compromised by Beneficent Gift of Loyalty in the use of the helmet.

Ferox and Fidelius will not sacrifice themselves for the protection of the laboratory. If they can avoid destruction only by fleeing or surrendering they will do so. If it becomes clear that there are magi who mean to destroy them they leave the structure and head to Coeris, traveling cross-country in order to alert House Tremere. This takes them a season, including finding the covenant, attracting attention from outside the Aegis of the Hearth, and spending time convincing the inhabitants of their good will.

Animated Mannequin

Here are the combat statistics for a mannequin animated by either Ferox or Fidelius

Characteristics: Int +3, Per +2, Pre –3, Com –3, Str +3, Sta +3, Dex –1, Qik –1

Size: 0

Combat:

Pole Arm: Init +2, Attack +6, Defense +3, Damage +11

Crossbow: Init +4, Attack +4, Defense -1, Damage +7

Soak: n/a

Locksmith's Will

The Locksmith's Will is a lead horseshoe that has been opened with six pawns of vis. This item's capacity is filled with the two enchantments: Lock Improperly Opened and Herald of Imperative.

Herald of Imperative

See "The Laboratory of Hermanus and Surrounding Structures", earlier.

Lock Improperly Opened

InTe 29
Constant effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room
This enchantment triggers the Herald of Imperative when a lock in the target room is opened without the use of a matching key, such as if a lock is picked, opened with magic, or is opened by being smashed to bits. The walls and doors of the room itself are considered within the room for this effect.

(Effect: Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Room; Modifications, +1 level 2 uses per day, +3 levels environmental trigger)

Statue of Conjured Assistants

The Statue of Conjured Assistants is a small marble statue of a man. The statue is approximately the size of a person's hand. This statue closely resembles one of the two statues in the Sanctum.

Summon the Stony Servants

ReTe 52
Penetration 8, 6/day
R: Arc, D: Mom, T: Group This effect summons two specific spirits of the elements, Ferox and Fidelius (see Realms of Power: Magic page 104, and statistics provided later), to the location of the Statue of Conjured Assistants. Arcane connections to the spirits are incorporated into the item.

(Effect Base 15, +4 Arcane connection, +2 Group; Modifications, +4 levels 8 Penetration, +3 levels 6 uses per day)

Scriptorium

This room was used to create and copy documents for the vexillation and continued to be used for writing even after the vexillation was dissolved. There are writing desks, quills, parchment and other tools for scribes and illuminators along the inside wall of this room. The texts that the scribes were working on at the time of the lab's disappearance had all been removed for the evening at Hermanus' request, prior to his erecting of defenses and attempt to harvest vis from hundreds of miles away. On both ends of the scriptorium there are floor-to-ceiling doors. The metal rings which are embedded in the outer wall continue through this room as do the suspended pools of water along the ceiling and floor.

The handle on the door leading from the scriptorium to the store room is a Handle of Ill Will. Also, tied to the underside of one of the room's desks is the Net of Patient Thieves justiciar. If a character who wishes ill fortune to House Tremere touches the door handle, the device triggers the Net of Patient Thieves justiciar and all the people within the room are levitated just off the floor until the next dawn or dusk.

Handle of Ill Will

The Handle of Ill Will is a door handle opened with ten pawns of vis. It is enchanted with the two effects: Test of Motive and Herald of Imperative, filling nine pawns of the item's ten pawn capacity.

Test of Motive

InMe 60
Penetration +60
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind This enchantment is triggered whenever the handle is touched. Test of motive triggers the Herald of Imperative if the person touching the handle wishes House Tremere ill fortune. Specifically the item determines the answer to the question "Do you wish ill fortune to House Tremere?". If the answer from the target is "yes," then the item triggers the Herald of Imperative enchantment (see "The Laboratory of Hermanus and Surrounding Structures" earlier)

(Effect: Base 15, +1 Touch; Modifications, +10 levels unlimited uses per day, +30 levels +60 Penetration)

Net of Patient Thieves

The Net of Patient Thieves is a tiny bronze net that has been enchanted as a charged device. This item has 11 charges in it. Within Coeris, these items are typically hidden within a room so those affected by the enchantment are, hopefully, unable to find it.

Elevation of the Interloper

ReCo 65 Penetration +60 R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room All people in the target room are levitated a few inches away from all floors and walls and held aloft until the next dawn or dusk. This immobilizes any creature that has no means of forcefully moving itself without touching a surface.

(Effect: Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Room; Modifications, + 30 levels Penetration 60)

Store Room

The first thing that characters will notice when looking at this room is that the room is filled with smoke. The main contents of the room are great amounts of laboratory equipment, packed into shelves that line the interior wall of the room. Along the outside wall of the room, the metal bands are inset into the wall and volumes of seawater adhere along the outer edge of the floor and ceiling. Mixed in with the laboratory equipment there are two human-sized wooden mannequins. The mannequins are dressed in chain hauberks and are carrying polearms, crossbows and bolts. The mannequins have several features on their faces (eyes, nose, lips, eyebrows) that are actually separate pieces of wood, stuck into the head of the mannequins by the use of small dowels. In the case that the mannequins from the spare laboratory have been destroyed by the players and Ferox and Fidelius are still in possession of the Staves of Wooden Soldiers, the spirits are likely to grab arcane connections from these two mannequins and use them to further hinder the player characters. The polearms bear the symbol of House Tremere on their headpieces. Also on the shelves in this room are two enchanted devices: the Censer of the Unseen sentinel, and the Pebble of the Stone Prison justiciar.

Censer of the Unseen

The Censer of the Unseen is an incense censer crafted of rock crystal; this item was opened with eight pawns of vis. It is enchanted with Room of Pleasant Incense, Ascertaining the Absence of Images and Herald of Imperative. There is one pawn of free capacity in this item.

Room of Pleasant Incense

CrAu 9
Constant effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
A pleasant-smelling smoke constantly pours from the censer, filling the room. This smoke can be clearly seen but it can not be smelled by any creature with Magic Resistance. While clearly visible, the smoke does not significantly obscure vision. The smoke fills the target room but does not travel outside of it.

(Effect: Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 complexity; Modifications, +1 level 2 uses per day, +3 levels environmental trigger)

Ascertaining the Absence of Images

InIm 34
Constant effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room
The enchantment determines if there is an area within the room that is not filled with either the image of smoke (presumably from the Room of Pleasant Incense effect) or the image of some other object. This effect triggers the Herald of Imperative (see "The Laboratory of Hermanus and Surrounding Structures" earlier) if there is a volume of space within the room where there is no image, such as the location of an invisible creature or object. This effect also triggers the Herald of Imperative if all of the smoke is removed from the room.

(Effect: Base 4 as InAu, InCo, and InHe, +1 Touch, +2 Room, +2 Sun, +1 complexity; Modifications +1 level 2 uses per day, +3 levels environmental trigger)

Pebble of the Stone Prison

The Pebble of the Stone Prison is a highly polished river pebble created as a lesser enchanted device.

Box of Stone

CrTe 16
2/day
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
When this effect is triggered, the floor, walls, and ceiling of the room containing the enchanted device are covered by a foot of stone. This stone interposes itself between the contents of the room and the walls, floor, and ceiling. The Pebble of the Stone Prison is deployed resting against a wall or the floor of a room so the created stone walls interpose themselves between the device and the targets that the designers hoped to catch. Objects affixed to the outside of the rooms such as tapestries and rugs end up outside of the stone. Objects resting on the floor or walls, such as people, tables, or tapestries, are pushed a foot toward the center of the room by the stone. Creatures and objects with Magic Resistance are not pushed by the stone box; rather the box grows around them and is created with holes at the locations of the protected creatures or objects.

This stone box is self-supporting and will not collapse under its own staggering weight, but the environment must be able to support it. Therefore, this justiciar can only be safely employed in a few rooms on the foundation level of Coeris without triggering a collapse of the building. Hermanus's use of this device in his laboratory was unwise, but he was overwhelmed by paranoia by the time he set it up. Fortunately, it was not triggered before the laboratory was ripped into the Twilight Void, and the room is now resting on the seabed.

(Effect: Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 size; Modifications, +1 level 2 uses per day)

Receiving Room

This room contains chairs, tables, and cabinets. The door on the north side of the room is inscribed with the sanctum symbol. This room was once a meeting room for the Adamant Rook Vexillation. After the dissolution of the vexillation, Hermanus used the room as a private place to meet with other magi without having to allow them into his sanctum or his laboratory. On the inner wall of the room, there is a door-sized area of stonework constructed differently from the rest of the laboratory complex where the original door to the laboratory was located. Sitting on the table in the center of this room are two enchanted devices: the Ear of Truth and The Box of Vines. Leaning against the inner wall of the room are two Staves of Wooden Soldiers, and these two staves have been fitted with arcane connections to the two mannequins located in the spare laboratory (see later). It is likely that Ferox and Fidelius will have procured these devices before the party arrives in the room. If someone within the room tells a lie, the Chamber of Thorns effect activates, filling the room with created plant matter. If either of the spirits happens to be in the room at the same time as the player characters, Ferox or Fidelius is likely to purposely tell a lie themselves in order to set off the trap.

Ear of Truth

The Ear of Truth is a copper bowl opened with 10 pawns of vis as an invested device. The item's ten pawns of capacity have been filled with the two effects Alarm of Dissemblance and Herald of Imperative.

Alarm of Dissemblance

InMe 55
Penetration 34
R: Touch, D: Diam, T: Room
This effect triggers the Herald of Imperative enchantment (see "The Laboratory of Hermanus and Surrounding Structures" earlier) if any lies are told within the room. Naturally, the limit of the infernal prevents this from being effective against demons.

(Effect: Base 10, +1 Diameter, +2 Room; Modifications, +17 levels 34 Penetration, +10 levels unlimited uses per day, +3 environmental trigger)

A Note on Warping by Enchanted Devices

Modifications to the level of an effect—including Penetration, effect frequency, environmental trigger, linked trigger and effect use—are not used to determine whether or not an effect causes warping to its targets through the power of the magical effect. Thus enchantments such as Alarm of Dissemblance do not warp their targets despite having a total level of at least thirty.

Box of Vines

The Box of Vines is a carved wooden box the size of loaf of bread. It is a lesser enchanted device enchanted with the effect Chamber of Thorns.

Chamber of Thorns

CrHe 16
2/day
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Group
The room where this enchantment is triggered is filled with woody, thorny bushes that grow from the walls, floor, and ceiling to completely occupy all of the open space in the room within the flash of an eye. The vines grow around creatures and other objects that occupy the room, leaving only a fraction of an inch of free space between the thorns and any creatures and objects. These plants are unnaturally resilient, having +15 Soak. They can be cut by edged weapons only. Cutting through requires inflicting a Heavy wound for every pace of distance. Bodily forcing one's way through the plants requires a Strength stress roll against an Ease Factor of 9 for every pace moved and does +15 damage (soaked normally) whether the attempt succeeds or fails. If the roll botches, an additional 5 points of damage are suffered.

(Effect: Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Group, +1 unnatural; Modifications, +1 level 2 activations per day)

Staves of the Wooden Soldiers

Throughout Coeris there are many human-sized wooden mannequins. These mannequins are dressed in armor and carry weapons. Several of the wooden features on each mannequin, such as eyes and hair and fingernails, are detachable. At any given time, one detachable object from each mannequin is stored with the Staves of the Wooden Soldiers to function as an arcane connection to the mannequin. The particular feature of each mannequin held with the staves is switched regularly to keep the arcane connection from decaying. Note that, as the arcane connections loaded into the staves in this room have been in the Twilight Void, they have not decayed, as no time has passed for them.

The Staves of Wooden Soldiers are used to animate and control these mannequins to be used against threats to the covenant. Hermanus hoped that many of the weapons that the enemies of Coeris would employ would be ineffective when used against senseless wooden dolls that were immune to pain, rather than against human soldiers. It was also realized that chunks of human-shaped wood were far easier for the House to replace than trained soldiers. In fact, it was assumed that, when used, the mannequins would be destroyed frequently; as a result, there are large supplies of the mannequins at Coeris.

Each Staff of the Wooden Soldiers is an invested device, created from a thick hazel wood staff with an eye of crafted silver mounted on the top. On each staff there is a small chamber near the top where an arcane connection to one of the wooden dolls can be inserted. The two staves located in the receiving room contain arcane connections to the mannequins located in the spare laboratory. The staff located in Hermanus' lab contains a connection to the remains of the mannequin that Hermanus used to explore the sea floor. The staves were opened with 14 pawns of vis. Each is enchanted with four powers. These powers fill up all of the staves' 14-pawn capacity.

Pretense of Humanity

MuIm 19
12/day, item maintains concentration
R: Arc, D: Conc, T: Ind
The target mannequin changes in appearance to resemble a human the same size as the mannequin.

(Effect: Base 1, +4 Arcane connection, +1 Concentration; Modifications, +5 levels item maintains concentration, +4 levels 12 uses per day)

Animate Mannequin

ReHe 34
12/day, item maintains concentration
R: Arc, D: Conc, T: Ind
The target mannequin moves under the command of the staff's holder. The mannequin moves as if it were the holder, it uses the holder's Dexterity, Quickness, and Abilities. Mannequins have a Strength score of +3 and do not suffer damage in the same manner as living beings. However, it is possible to remove a limb from a mannequin (at least the ones used in Coeris and the laboratory complex) with any blow that has a damage value of 10 or more (19 or more on the armored mannequins in the complex). Weapons used in melee by the mannequins are resisted by Magic Resistance; mannequins are frequently armed with crossbows which are not hindered by Magic Resistance, because the bolts are not being driven by a magical force.

(Effect: Base 3, +4 Arcane connection, +1 Concentration, +1 complexity; Modifications, +5 levels item maintains concentration, +4 levels 12 uses per day)

View from the Mannequin

InIm 34
12/day, item maintains concentration
R: Arc, D: Conc, T: Special
Upon activation, the holder's sense of sight is transferred from his present location to the location of the object to which the staff carries an arcane connection. This effect allows the wearer to see his surroundings as though he were at the location of the targeted object (including being able to see creatures with Magic Resistance). The spell does not enhance the wielder's natural sight, it only transfers the location of it.

The target is based on Room but is more complex as it allows the staff's holder to see as if he were actually in the item's location (into adjacent rooms, out of windows and such).

(Effect: Base 1, +4 Arcane connection, +1 Concentration, +3 Special target based on Room, and one grade higher; Modifications, +5 levels item maintains concentration, + 4 levels 12 uses per day)

Ears of the Mannequin

InIm 34
12/day, item maintains concentration
R: Arc, D: Conc, T: Special
Upon activation, the holder's sense of hearing is transferred from his present location to the location of the object to which the staff carries an arcane connection. This effect allows the wearer to hear his surroundings as though he were at the location of the targeted object (including being able to hear creatures with Magic Resistance). The spell does not enhance the wielder's natural hearing, it only transfers the location of it.

The target is based on Room but is more complex as it allows the staff's holder to hear as if he were actually in the item's location, into adjacent rooms, out of windows and such.

(Effect: Base 1, +4 Arcane connection, +1 Concentration, +3 Special target based on Room +1; Modifications, +5 levels item maintains concentration, + 4 levels 12 uses per day)

Spare Laboratory

While the Adamant Rook Vexillation existed, this laboratory was the personal laboratory of Hermanus. After the vexillation's dissolution Hermanus abandoned this room and claimed the former vexillation laboratory for his own. Sitting on the table in the center of this room is an Hourglass of Airy Trespass, and a Prison of Insubstantial Spirits. If a Creature or spirit with might associated with realm of magic enters this room, the Insubstantial Prison effect activates, trapping creatures with a Magic Might of 30 or less within the room. In addition, there are two human-sized wooden mannequins. The mannequins are dressed in full chain and carrying polearms (the headpieces of the polearms are stamped with the symbol of House Tremere), crossbows, and bolts. The mannequins have several carved features on their faces (eyes, nose, lips, eyebrows) that are actually separate pieces of wood with small dowels on them that have been inserted into matching holes on the head of the mannequin. Both of the mannequins in this room are missing their right ear. The ears of the mannequins are located in the staves of wooden soldiers in the receiving room. It should be noted that Ferox and Fidelius would be trapped if they were to enter this room without first removing either the Hourglass of Airy Trespass or the Prison of Audacious Spirits.

Hourglass of Airy Trespass

The Hourglass of Airy Trespass is a carved rock crystal and limestone figure of an hourglass opened with eleven pawns of vis. This capacity is completely filled with the two enchantments: Sense the Airy Trespass and Herald of Imperative.

Sense the Airy Trespass

InVi 50
Penetration +32, constant effect
R: Touch D: Sun, T Room
This enchantment detects the presence of any entities that have a Magic Might of 31 or lower. Herald of Imperative (see "The Laboratory of Hermanus and Surrounding Structures" earlier) is triggered every round during which there is a magical being in the same room as the hourglass.

(Effect: Base 5 +1 Touch, +2 Room, +2 Sun; Modifications, +1 level 2 uses per day. +3 levels environmental trigger, +16 levels 32 Penetration)

Prison of Audacious Spirits

A silver candlestick holder enchanted as a charged device. The Prison of Audacious spirits in the spare laboratory has 7 charges in it.

Insubstantial Prison

ReVi 71
Penetration 30
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room
Creatures with Magic Might of 30 or less are unable to move into out of the target room until this effect expires or is dispelled. Powers used by the target creatures are likewise unable to effect targets that are on the other side of the boundary of the target room. Despite the name of the device, the effect is not limited to spirits.

(Effect: Base 30, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Room; Modifications, +16 levels 32 Penetration)

Sanctum

The door to this room opens to reveal a wall of wood that was flush with the door; in fact, an indentation in the wall can be seen where the handle to the door was sitting. The sanctum is completely filled with a single chunk of wood as a result of the Charm of the Herbam Padlock located within it.

If the room is cleared of wood, characters are able to explore Hermanus's sanctum. The rich furnishings of this room include skillfully crafted tapestries, a bed, a dresser, and a desk. There are also two granite statues of men, each approximately a foot and a half tall, the statues for which Ferox and Fidelius are the elemental spirits. The enchanted items in this room are the Carpet of Loyalty (sitting beneath the desk), a Ward Against Foreign Steel (behind a chest near the bed), a Turtle of Welcome Reflection (located in the northwest corner of the room), an Oracle-Countering Tapestry (hung on the wall to the right of the door to the receiving room), and the Charm of the Herbam Padlock (located on the floor immediately adjacent to the laboratory door, where it was left by Hermanus). In addition there are two human-sized wooden mannequins, for use with the Staves of the Wooden Soldiers. This third set of mannequins is only accessible to Ferox and Fidelius after the wooden block has been removed from the room, and even then the spirits still need to find a way to get the arcane connections from the mannequins to the staves.

This room has two sentinels and a justiciar in it. If anyone in the room either draws a metal weapon that does not bear the symbol of House Tremere, or touches the carpet while believing that House Tremere would not approve of their plans, the Turtle of Welcome Reflection will activate, and change the room's human occupants into turtles.

Ward against Foreign Steel

The Ward against Foreign Steel is a piece of black marble carved into the shape of an apple. This stone apple has been opened with eight pawns of vis. The entire eight pawns of the item's capacity have been filled by the two enchantments: React to Naked Blades and Herald of Imperative.

React to Naked Blades

InTe(Im) 45
Penetration 42, constant effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room
This effect triggers the Herald of Imperative enchantment (see "The Laboratory of Hermanus and Surrounding Structures" earlier) if any metal weapons that do not bear the symbol of House Tremere on them in some way are drawn within the target room. The grogs of Coeris are equipped with such weapons, but not all Tremere magi have been informed of the nature of this particular sentinel, and accidents have occurred when visiting Tremere magi have displayed their weapons in a protected room.

(Effect: Base 4, +2 Sun +2 Room, no adjustment for requisite, Modifications, +21 levels 42 Penetration, +1 level 2 uses per day,+ 3 levels environmental trigger)

Carpet of Loyalty

The Carpet of Loyalty is an embroidered square rug approximately 2 paces in length and width. The embroidery shows Tremere and Guernicus, and there are silver wires strung through the border of the rug. The carpet has been opened with nine pawns of vis, and its capacity has been filled with two effects: Interrogation of Interlopers (see later) and Herald of Imperative (see "The Laboratory of Hermanus and Surrounding Structures" earlier).

Interrogation of Interlopers

InMe 60
Penetration +60
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
The Interrogation of Interlopers is triggered whenever the carpet is touched by a creature. This enchantment determines if the creature who touched it believes that the members of House Tremere would disapprove of his plans. Specifically, the item determines the answer to the question "Would the members of House Tremere disapprove of your plans?". If the answer from any creature is "yes", then the item triggers the Herald of Imperative enchantment. Naturally, characters who have no clue about how the Tremere would feel about their plans do not trigger the Herald of Imperative enchantment. This was less of a problem in the original setting; anyone in Coeris could be expected to have an opinion as to what House Tremere thought of their actions.

(Effect: Base 15, +1 Touch; Modifications, +10 levels unlimited uses per day, +30 levels +60 Penetration)

Turtle of Welcome Reflection

The Turtle of Welcome Reflection is a jet figurine of a turtle that has been enchanted as a charged device. The Turtle of Welcome Reflection that is in the sanctum has 11 charges.

Armoring the Intruder

MuCo(An) 60
Penetration +50
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room
Humans and other creatures that are subject to Corpus spells within the target room are changed into turtles until the next sunrise or set.

(Effect: Base 10, +1 Touch, +2 Sun +2 Room; Modifications, +25 levels 50 Penetration)

Oracle-Countering Tapestry

The Oracle-Countering Tapestry was created to protect the sentinels and justiciars of Coeris. Several replicas of the original were created from laboratory notes. These are often placed in the same room as justiciars that immobilize victims to hide the trapping enchanted devices and thereby prevent their dismantling or destruction. The Oracle-Countering Tapestry is a lesser enchanted device enchanted with the following power:

Masking the Magical Chamber

PeVi 45
constant effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room
This effect prevents the detection of magic effects by Hermetic Intellego Vim magic unless the level of the Intellego Vim spell exceeds 52.

(Effect: Base 16 per Masking the Odor of Magic, ArM 5 page 160, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Room; Modifications, +1 level 2 activations per day, +3 levels environmental trigger)

Charm of the Herbam Padlock

This is an item originally created to protect the vaults of Coeris by making the actual vis, items, and other valuables difficult to access by intruders. Hermanus used the item on his sanctum prior to beginning his activities on the night of his final spell. The charm is a small silver ring opened with six pawns of vis and enchanted with the following two effects that completely fill the item's capacity.

Chamber of Heartwood

CrHe 29
Constant effect
R: Touch D: Sun T: Ind
The effect is triggered by touching the door of a room with the charm. A single block of wood completely fills the target room, fitting snugly around any objects that were in the room previously, but not moving them. This power is kept active upon all of the vaults in Coeris. Any person who opens a door to a vault will find a tremendous block of wood between himself and the rest of the room's contents.

(Effect: Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 size, +1 complexity; Modifications, +1 level 2 uses per day +3 levels environmental trigger)

Insubstantial Wooden Foundation

ReHe 24
Constant effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
This spell holds the block of wood created by Chamber of Heartwood in its location. Insubstantial Wooden Foundation prevents the block of wood created by Chamber of Heartwood from exerting any weight on the floor of the target room. This power is always active upon the block of wood that is created by Chamber of Heartwood.

(Effect: Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 size; Modifications, +1 level 2 uses per day +3 levels environmental trigger)

Laboratory

The first thing that characters see as they open the door to the laboratory is a tapestry hanging a few inches beyond the doorframe. Once this tapestry is moved, the characters see that the interior of the laboratory is dominated by a large workbench several feet deep with shelves stretching to the ceiling of the room. This workbench takes up fully half of the perimeter of the room, on the opposite side of the laboratory from the door, and the shelves are stocked with tools and supplies for carpentry and jewelry fabrication. There is a gap between the workbench and the wall, where the floor has eight rings of different composition (metal, stone and brick) laid into it that were used to hold protective wards.

Taking up the center of the room are several tables of more typical laboratory equipment, a desk, and a great number of tomes containing some of Hermanus' laboratory notes. The ceiling of the room is plaster and painted with a negative image of the night sky, with black dots representing stars against a white background. A number of brass wires stretch across the ceiling with small spheres, suspended upon them by hooks; each sphere bears its planetary symbol. Lying on a table in the center of the room is a Staff of the Wooden Soldiers and a small wooden doll. This doll is a fixed arcane connection to the sea floor mannequin.

The rings surrounding the laboratory have the following spells cast on them:

Circular Ward Against Demons (level 40 with 35 Penetration)

Ring of Warding Against Spirits (level 30 with 40 Penetration)

Circular Ward Against Magical Spirits (level 40 with 36 Penetration (described later))

Circular Ward Against Faerie Spirits (level 40 with 37 Penetration (see earlier))

Ward Against Faeries of the Water (level 25 with 30 Penetration)

Ward Against the Beasts of Legend (level 30 with 30 Penetration)

Circle of Beast Warding

Ward Against Water

With reference to the rules in Covenants Chapter Nine, the laboratory has +1 size, +6 refinement and the Virtues Greater Feature (workbench) Lesser Feature (Ceiling), Greater Expansion, Highly Organized and Superior Lighting (Orb of Obedient Sunlight). When the laboratory was functioning it had the following characteristics +3 general quality, +4 upkeep, +5 aesthetics, and the following four specializations: +6 item creation, +1 texts, +1 Intellego, and +1 Imaginem.

Staff of the Wooden Soldiers

See the entry for this item in the Receiving Room section, earlier.

Tapestry of Confident Possession

The Tapestry of Confident Possession is a sentinel item. It is a large tapestry bedecked with small silver ornaments that covers approximately one third of the laboratory's circular walls. The tapestry is hung in such a manner that anyone passing through the door into the room, or accessing many of the cabinets and books in the room will have to move it in order to do so. This item has been enchanted as an invested device, and opened with 16 pawns of vis. It has two effects invested in it: Assurance of Ownership and Herald of Imperative. These two effects fill 10 of the Tapestry's 16 pawns of capacity.

Assurance of Ownership

InMe 65
Penetration 50
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Room
Assurance of Ownership is triggered whenever the tapestry is moved. The effect determines if there are any minds in the room that do not contain the belief that the laboratory belongs to them. If there are any such minds, the Herald of Imperative enchantment is triggered. This item was specifically enchanted so as not to warp Hermanus.

(Effect: Base 15, +1 Touch, +2 Room; Modifications, +10 levels unlimited uses per day, +25 levels Penetration 50)

Cross of the Preempted Conflict

The Cross of the Preempted Conflict is a small metal cross which has been enchanted as a charged magical device. It is enchanted with 13 charges of the following effect:

Beneficent Gift of Loyalty

ReMe 65
Penetration +40
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room
People within the room are compelled to do their utmost to protect and care for the laboratory, the items within it, and, most importantly, the room's rightful owners. It was the hope of the Vexillation that intruders, realizing that this effect was only temporary, would turn themselves in to prevent their future selves stealing from the covenant. While this was originally intended to change thieves of Coeris into defenders, the present circumstances make the identity of the rightful owners of the laboratory somewhat questionable. Ferox and Fidelius will certainly inform any who care to hear that the laboratory complex belongs to House Tremere. But it is entirely possible that the player characters may disagree with one another regarding who the proper owners of the laboratory are. In any case, no character under the effects of this device will stand for any material to be removed from the laboratory complex.

(Effect: Base 20, +1 Touch, +2 Room, +2 Sun; Modifications, +20 levels 40 Penetration)

Butterfly's Gaze

The Butterfly's Gaze is a silver butterfly with ivory inlays. The figure is approximately six inches long and hangs upon a wall of the laboratory. The Butterfly's Gaze has been opened with 15 pawns of vis and is invested with the following two enchantments:

Gaze of Maker's Mark

InVi 49
Constant effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room
This enchantment detects if any magic in the room bears the sigil of Hermanus, the embattled lines. If it finds any magic that does not have Hermanus' sigil upon it, the item triggers Counter Intruding Magics upon the spell, power or effect.

(Effect: Base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Room +3 magnitudes determine sigil; Modifications, +1 level 2x day, + 3 levels environmental trigger)

Counter Intruding Magics

PeVi 63
Unlimited uses
R: Special D: Momentary T: Ind
Dispels a magical spell/power/effect if the level of the effect can be doubled on roll of stress die +55. This effect is triggered by the Gaze of Maker's Mark effect and activates whenever a targeted spell enters the room or is cast within the room. A Duration Momentary spell may take effect before the Counter Intruding Magics spell activates. Counter Intruding Magics only triggers one time per round; if there is more than one possible target, the storyguide should randomly determine which source is targeted.

(Effect: Base 35, +3 special range based on Voice +1 magnitude; Modifications, +10 levels unlimited uses day, +3 levels linked trigger)

Breaking into the Laboratory

The laboratory should be challenging for characters to break into but not impossible. The storyguide should pay some attention to what would be exceedingly simple or annoyingly frustrating for the players and try to steer a course between them.

If the players have little patience or less powerful characters, then Ferox and Fidelius may be less active or there may be clues to the nature of the defenses in Amarantha's notes. If the party is especially powerful then the storyguide may choose to include more than two elemental spirits and the spirits may have significantly greater Might.

Water is held outside of the laboratory complex by the circular ward on the outside ring of the complex. It should be apparent to most players, and characters, that disturbing the rings on the walls in the outer rooms could well flood the complex (at least the outer rooms).

If Ferox and Fidelius are able to enter the laboratory of Hermanus proper (room 7), they realize that both the Butterfly's Gaze and the Tapestry of Confident Possession can be triggered by them at will. The spirits make use of these devices to trigger any justiciar that they think will help in their defense of the laboratory complex. The spirits are also aware of how to use the Helm of Unraveling and will impart this information to any non-magus who they believe has come under the influence of the Cross of Preempted Conflict.

Wolf's Gaze

The Wolf's Gaze is a silver wolf's head pendant approximately six inches long, which hangs upon a wall of the laboratory. It is an invested device opened with six pawns of vis, and five of these six pawns have been filled with the following two enchantments:

Awareness of Fire

InIg 14
Constant effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room
This power detects any fires in the room. When a fire is detected, Protection of Cool and Dark is triggered.

(Effect: Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Room; Modifications, +1 level 2 activations per day, + 3 levels environmental trigger)

Protection of Cool and Dark

PeIg 28
Unlimited uses
R: Touch D: Momentary T: Room
Extinguishes all fires in the room that do +5 damage per exposure or less (see ArM5 page 181).

(Effect: Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Room; Modifications, +10 levels unlimited uses, +3 linked trigger)

Orb of Obedient Sunlight

The Orb of Obedient Sunlight is a gold-colored wooden sphere hung from a hook on the brass wires that crisscross the ceiling. The orb is a lesser enchanted device with the following power:

Obedient Sunlight

CrIg 20
Unlimited uses, item maintains concentration
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Ind
When commanded, the orb glows with bright light. This light is more than sufficient to illuminate the laboratory. Hermanus used this item as the source of illumination for his laboratory in order to eliminate the risk of fire, and the defensive risk that he saw in unprotected, open windows.

(Effect: Base 4, +1 Concentration; Modifications, +10 levels unlimited uses per day, +5 levels item maintains concentration)

Helm of Unravelling

The Helm of Unravelling is a steel helmet opened with 12 pawns of vis. The Helms, like other examples of the device at Coeris, were created in an attempt to provide tools that would allow Coeris' grogs to disrupt the magical abilities of opponents. Their existence causes some unease among magi who have not yet learned to trust House Tremere's auxiliaries.

These helms are not frequently worn by grogs because the enchantment Sight of Forming Spells is powerful enough to cause warping on the wearer. While seldom used, the helms are almost always carried by the grogs who are most trusted for their judgement; these are not necessarily the best leaders or most skilled warriors. The helms are enchanted with the following two powers:

Sight of Forming Spells

InVi 60
Penetration +32, constant effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Vision
The wearer of the helm sees spells, powers, and effects that are with his or her field of vision as a violet glow. Spells powers and effects that are being cast show up very strongly to the wearer, while active magics are harder to notice, and residues of old spells, powers, and effects cannot be detected at all. If this effect does not penetrate the resistance of a target, the wearer can not see any magic active upon that target, nor can the wearer determine if the target is casting a spell.

(Effect: Base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, + 4 Vision; Modifications, +1 level 2 uses per day, + 3 levels environmental trigger, +16 levels +32 Penetration)

Shout of Unravelling

PeVi 60
+32 Penetration, 12/day
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
The targeted spell, power or effect is dispelled if its level can be doubled on a roll of stress die + 50. If the wearer of the helm has a higher Initiative than some of their opponents and they choose to wait to act, they can use Shout of Unravelling to counter spells cast by characters acting later in the round. Shout of Unravelling is triggered by the wearer shouting while staring at a magical power or effect; the specific words shouted are of no importance in regards to their effectiveness as a trigger. If this effect does not penetrate the resistance of a target, the wearer can not counter any magic active upon that target, nor can the wearer counter a spell that the target is casting.

(Effect: Base 30, +2 Voice; Modifications, +4 levels twelve uses per day, +16 levels 32 Penetration)

Enchantments on the Laboratory Itself

Hermanus opened and enchanted the laboratory after the Vexillation of the Adamant Rook had been disbanded and he took the laboratory over for himself. The walls of the room, its highest capacity component, were opened by Hermanus using 20 pawns of vis. The laboratory's enchantments fill 15 pawns of the laboratory's 20 pawn capacity.

Foreboding of Stones

InTe 19
Constant use
R: Pers, D: Sun, T: Hearing
The laboratory room detects the approach of any solid object that is likely to hit the room with enough force to damage it. The laboratory then triggers Skin of the Sapphire Tortoise.

(Effect: Base 2, +2 Sun, +3 Hearing; Modifications, +1 level 2 uses per day +3 levels environmental trigger)

Skin of the Sapphire Tortoise

MuTe(He) 35
Unlimited uses
R: Pers, D: Diam, T: Room
The walls, floor, or ceiling of the laboratory room become as hard as the hardest gemstone and as resilient as iron.

(Effect: Base 5, +1 Diameter, +2 Room, +1 requisite; Modifications, +10 levels unlimited uses)

Protection of the Mason's Vision

ReTe(He) 28
Unlimited uses
R: Pers, D: Mom, T: Special
Any portion of the laboratory room's structure that is removed or misplaced is moved back into position. Bricks are replaced, broken pieces of the ceiling return to their original positions, and so on. Note that if the room is destroyed this enchantment ceases to function. The room can not reassemble itself from a pile of rubble. The special target covers just the structure of the room, not its contents, and allows the magic to affect parts of the structure that fall outside of the room but remain within 5 paces.

(Effect: Base 3, +3 special based on room +1, +1 Herbam requisite; Modifications, +10 levels unlimited uses, +3 levels environmental trigger)

Invisible Eye Uncovered

InVi(Im) 45
Constant effect
R: Pers, D: Sun, T: Room
Any magical means used to spy into this room is revealed as a flickering image within the room. For instance, if the room is looked upon with Enchantment of the Scrying Pool, the image of an eye that shimmers as if distorted by water might appear within the room. This enchantment detects Intellego spells of up to level 52.

(Effect: Base 16 per The Invisible Eye Revealed, ArM5 page 157, +2 Sun +2 Room, +1 requisite; Modifications, +1 level 2 activations per day, +3 levels environmental trigger)

Riches Contained in the Laboratory of Hermanus

In addition to the enchanted devices in the laboratory and the laboratory itself, there are 6 pawns of Rego vis, 18 pawns of Mentem vis, and 8 pawns of Vim vis. There is also a large collection of laboratory texts. The laboratory contains detailed texts for all of the enchantments on the laboratory itself, as well as all of the enchanted devices within it. There are also laboratory texts describing the creation of all of the sentinels and justiciars detailed in this chapter. Finally, there are laboratory texts for the Ring Duration Circle Target wards active in the laboratory. The spell Circular Ward Against Magical Spirits is included in this collection and is described here.

Circular Ward Against Magical Spirits

ReVi Gen
R: Touch, D: Ring, T: Circle
All creatures with Magical Might equal to or less than the level of the spell are unable to enter the circle or harm those within it.

(Base Spell)

Cargo of Angel's Wings

ReTe(He) 45
R: Arc, D: Mom, T: Ind
The caster transports the target object to the location of an arcane connection. Hermanus used this spell to obtain vis and arcane connections from the location of the Wooden Mannequin that he used to explore the world without leaving his laboratory. In order to use this spell from a distance, Hermanus employed a spell similar to Opening the Intangible Tunnel (ArM5 page 162) in conjunction with the casting tablet.

(Base 35, +1 requisite, +1 Touch)

Aftermath

If the laboratory complex is recovered by magi outside of House Tremere, the House has several ways of learning of it. They might be informed by Ferox or Fidelius. One of the Tremere magi knowledgeable about the Coeris defenses may spot or hear about a laboratory text, an enchanted item or other piece from the laboratory. The characters themselves may let it slip. In any of these cases, the House will do whatever is in its power to recover the resources from the player characters.

House Tremere sees the laboratory, laboratory texts and enchanted devices as possessions of the House because they were created by the House and for the House using the House's resources, rather than by Hermanus for his own purposes using his own resources. Only the vis in the laboratory is exempt from the House's claim. Recovery of the items, however, is not nearly as important to the House as maintaining the secrecy of their magic item designs and triggering actions.

It is clear to the House that information is much easier to distribute than to destroy. The House will open up negotiations with legal arguments regarding their rights to their materials, coupled with tempting offers of access to books and vis. They will not make threats of immediate Wizard's War, for fear that frightened magi might make the Tremere's secrets public.

House Tremere is willing to pay any reasonable price for the recovery of their secrets, and the assurance that the information will not be leaked in the future. Since the alternative is to significantly overhaul the defenses of Coeris, a "reasonable" price can be quite high. On the other hand, such an overhaul is necessary in any case; House Tremere is not so naive as to trust an agreement completely. Thus, they are willing to pay enough to buy time. Should the player characters not be willing to deal, House Tremere is willing to make life extremely hard for them until they do deal. If pressed, the Tremere should leave the nature of this difficulty vague, with the threat of Wizard's Wars implied only in the event that the characters do spread the secrets.

In the case of House Tremere, assurance that their secrets are safe includes assurance that specifics of the triggering action have been removed from the minds of people who, in the opinion of the Tremere, should not have the information. The Tremere suggest that the spell Scraping Razor of Memory can be cast by nearly any magus spontaneously and very possibly can be cast as a non-fatiguing spell, perhaps using Ceremonial Casting and props while in a powerful aura (see Houses of Hermes: Societates page 59), thereby avoiding the possibility of botching.

Scraping Razor of Memory

PeMe 4 R: Pers, D: Mom, T: Ind

The caster removes a single important detail from his or her own memory.

(Base 4)

Before delivering payment the Tremere will wish for the involved parties to provide testimony to a Tremere Mentem expert or a neutral Quaesitor skilled in magical investigation. Prior to releasing any payment to the player characters, the Tremere will insist that the testifying character submit himself to spells such as Frosty Breath of the Spoken Lie or Ear of Truth (see Houses of Hermes: True Lineages page 73) in addition to spells to detect any magical tampering to the mind of the testifying character, such as Sight of the Active Magics. The Tremere realize that, legally, this must be done voluntarily by the testifying character and will make any reasonable arrangements to prove the purity of their intent, such as using a properly vetted Quaesitor of the testifying character's choosing or submitting to a similar interrogation by a neutral Quaesitor regarding their intent in this particular matter.

The Tremere insist that the investigator ask the testifying characters not only if they know the information, but also questions such as, "Do you have any reason to believe that you've made plans that will allow you to recover the information?", "Do you know of anyone else who has the information?", and "If you had wished to fool the Tremere by secreting away the information somehow then erasing memory of the event from your mind, how do you think that you would have done it?" If all of these tests are passed, the Tremere believe that they have enough time to overhaul the defenses in a considered manner, and honor any agreement.

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