Realms of Power: Magic Chapter Seven: Magic Spirits

This page is part of the Realms of Power: Magic Open Content.

Magic Spirits

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

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

Spirits as Characters

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

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

Inherited Virtue: Magic Spirit

Concept

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

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

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

Season and Abilities

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

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

Might and Qualities

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

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

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

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

Powers of the Spirits

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(ReTe 25: Focus Power)

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

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

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

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

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

(No Hermetic equivalent: Ritual Power)

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

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

(InIm 30 (base 2, +4 Arc, +2 Sun, +1 constant effect, +1 non-Hermetic effects): Greater Power (30 levels, -3 Might; 5 levels surplus))

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

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

(No Hermetic equivalent: Ritual Power x 3)

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

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

(No Hermetic equivalent: Ritual Power x 2)

Airy Spirits

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

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

Florae and Fauni

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

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

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

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

Spirits of the Elements

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Imagines, the Spirits of Sensation

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

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

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

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

Eidolons, the Spirits of Emotions

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

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

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

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

Spirits of Place, Genii Loci

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

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

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

Jinn

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

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

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

Lugra, Spirits of Hardship

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

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

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

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

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

The Named Spirits

The Named Spirits are all those genii who possess the Daimon Virtue; they are considered to be of a different class than the Airy Spirits. Daimons draw power from their True Names (see below, Arcane Connections, True Names and Synthemata), and interact with the mundane world through Aspects. All the game statistics for spirits in this section represent Aspects rather than the Daimon itself, which usually has a much higher Might.

Daimons dwell within the Magic Realm, and only send Aspects of themselves to earth. Each Daimon is the spiritual reflection of an aspect of the mundane world, as it appears in the Magic Realm. For example, the Daimon of a specific river resides in the Magic Realm, mostly partaking in its Aquam aspect, but also involving elements of Animal (the animals that live within it), Herbam (the plants that grow in it), and Terram (the river banks and river bottom). As a whole, the Daimon is the most perfect reflection of the mundane collection of elements that is called a river. An Aspect of the Daimon may be manifest within the mundane river itself, to reinforce the connection.

Each Aspect of a Daimon should be created as if it were an independent spirit. It has its own Might score (which can be up to or equal to the Daimon’s Might score), and its own Virtues and Flaws, Magical Qualities and Inferiorities, and Abilities.

Theoi

• Magic Might: 30 – 50 (Vim)
• Typical Powers: Any

The Theoi (“gods” in Greek) is an informal title given to the most powerful of the Daimons. This group were rarely included in the most popular deities of a pantheon; instead they performed auxiliary roles as aspects of nature, dispensers of justice, and embodiments of cultural aspects. They were always distant from both the Faerie gods and humankind. Fundamentally, spirits of Magic do not care whether they have worshipers or not, and so they were rarely at the center of a pagan cult. For example, the myths of Ancient Greece are poorly remembered in Mythic Europe, but most scholars have basic familiarity with the major characters. However, it is minor characters such as Helios, Prometheus, and Pallas who fill the ranks of the Theoi; not Zeus or his siblings and children. Also among the Theoi are those spirits who have attracted a cult because they represent an ideal; some Flambeau magi consider Mithras, the warrior god of the Roman legions, to be a Theos representing honor and loyalty, the perfect soldier.

Genii, Gods, and Worship The majority of gods are Faerie powers, not Magical ones. Some faeries actively crave human adoration; their entire existence may well depend upon it. This intense fascination with the mortal world makes them far more likely to be at the center of a pagan cult, either past or present. Some theurgists claim that Magical spirits control the cosmos, ordering and running it according to Divine plan. It’s said that long ago some of these spirits — the first faeries — found that the worship of mankind could give them power beyond their allotted span, and they became the first gods. In a conflict called the Titanomachia (“War of the Titans”), the Faerie gods staged a coup and ousted the uncaring and aloof spirits of Magic from the thrones of the world. Zeus and his brothers bound the Titans in the underworld; Odin and his brothers formed the habitable world from the bodies of the slain Jotnar; and the Children of Danu drove the Fomoire to the underworld beyond the Ninth Wave. The governance of creation still flowed through the imprisoned spirits, but it was directed by the new gods who used it to the benefit of their worshipers. Despite the Titanomachia, some Daimons have had mortal cults or religions, and some of these even persist in Mythic Europe. Genii are indifferent to man; if a human discovers a spirit and offers it worship, the spirit will rarely care enough to refuse. Over time, it may even see the benefit of having a mortal cult and offer advantages to its most devoted followers, starting a religion. The major benefit of worshipers, at least for the lower classes of spirits, is that human devotion can provide them a name, elevating them to the status of a Daimon. The formation of a new cult to a Magical spirit is unusual these days, with the Dominion spread as it has over the face of the earth, but it is not unknown. Note that as well as Faerie and Magic pagan gods, there are also demons who pose as gods to corrupt their followers through idolatry.

Astra Planeta

• Magic Might: 40 (Vim)
• Typical Powers: Eidolon; Guide; Material Anchor; Sight Beyond Sight; multiple versions of Master of (Form).

Among the most powerful of the Named Spirits are the Astra Planeta, or the planetary spirits. The celestial spheres that bear the seven planets are linked to the Realm of Magic through these spirits, although everything beyond the sphere of fixed stars is purely Divine. These seven spirits rule not only the physical planets themselves and their motions, but also the effects that they have on the sublunar realm. The planetary spirits were known and studied by the Greeks, who learned the science of astrology from Ancient Babylon, but they are also well known to the wizards who dwell in Arab lands. The seven Astra Planeta are:

• Selene or Al-Qamar (the moon): Rules commoners, fertility, fruitfulness, rainfall, sailors, witchcraft, and feminine energy.
• Helios or Al-Shams (the sun): Rules over droughts, fathers, life-giving healing, masculine energy, heat, and royalty.
• Stilbon or ‘Utarid (Mercury): Rules over falsehoods, gardens, scribes, small animals, knowledge, travelers, and stories.
• Eosophoros or Al-Zuhara (Venus): Rules over amusement, chivalry, dances, jewels, poets, and romance.
• Pyroeis or Al-Mirrikh (Mars): Rules accidents, dangerous animals, monsters, swords and armor, hunting, fire, and war.
• Phaethon or Al-Mushtari (Jupiter): Rules clergy, monasteries, law, pilgrimage, science, and treasure.
• Phainon or Zuhal (Saturn): Rules darkness, death, enemies, loss, outlaws, secrecy, prisons, and sorrow.

For more correspondences for the planets, and the sort of powers they might grant mankind, see The Mysteries, Revised Edition, page 57.

Interplanetary Magic

It is rumored among theurgists that during particularly fortuitous celestial conjunctions when a given planet is in ascendance, then an Aspect of the corresponding spirit can perform feats of magic with power matched only by that of the Divine. They believe that the Astra Planeta form a bridge between the material world and the celestial bodies across the Limit of the Lunar Sphere. At such times, it is said, Helios could bring the dead back to life, or Pyroeis could rain down Parma-shredding fire. Tales are told that Islamic sorcerers have used such powers against Hermetic magi in the past, and the fear that they will do so again has left the Order suing for peace with these wizards.

The Leti

• Magic Might: 20 – 30
• Typical Powers: Mastery of Pain, Material Anchor, Ruler of Flesh, Sight Beyond Sight, Touch of Death (As Clenching Grasp of the Crushed Heart, but R: Touch, costs 6 Might)

A Letum is a spirit of death, and they come in a number of varieties, each with its eponymous leader. The Keres (lead by Ker) are the spirits of violent death, personifying death in battle or by accident. The Thanatoi (lead by Thanatos) represent a peaceful death, whose touch is gentle. The Akylides (lead by Akhlys) are the dismal green daughters of poison and disease, and the Moroi (lead by Moros) lead the doomed to their fated demise. To those who can see one, a Letum appears as a winged human entwined with serpents; the violent ones are blooded and hideous with the feet of raptors, whereas the Thanatoi and Moroi are usually pleasant in appearance but with mournful faces.

Perhaps the most famous among the Leti are the Erinnyes, chthonic spirits who avenge crimes against the natural and moral order with a vengeful death. These spirits use the Material Anchor power to mark their prey, then hound and torment them with their other powers before ensuring an unpleasant death.

Other Daimons

Teletarch, or “Master of Perfection” is a catch-all term used by theurgists to describe powerful embodiments of a concept or phenomenon, but they are not “gods.” Some Teletarchs were once Airy Spirits (or even humans) who earned a Name and became elevated to this lofty status within the Magic Realm. Others are dread concepts that man has always known about, but avoided so as not to attract their attention.

Some Daimons were once human. An animus may become a Daimon through a process called apotheosis; and many mystery cults have as their ultimate goal the elevation of a being to this state of near-godhood. For more information about such Daimons and their cultic practices, see The Mysteries, Revised Edition.

Ghosts are another example of spiritual beings who were once human. Strictly speaking, ghosts and other transformed humans are not Daimons unless they have undergone apotheosis, but neither are they Airy Spirits, for they bear unique identities. For more information on these beings, see Ghosts, later in this chapter.

Story Seed: A Faerie Apotheosis Ledea of House Merinita started a healing cult around the spring of an Airy Spirit, and has already gathered a number of devotees, mainly midwifes and expectant mothers. The spirit has since become a Daimon through this cult, and now enjoys the service that her followers offer her. However, the local clergy object to the rise of paganism among the women of the region; this too is at the instigation of Ledea. She hopes that if the Church starts to burn “witches,” the spirit might start to care enough about its devotees to intervene, which Ledea believes might precipitate a conversion of the Magical spirit into a Faerie being. Servants of the characters could become victims of Ledea’s machinations, or they might be left with clearing up the pieces when her plan comes to fruition.

Primal Spirits

• Magic Might: Kosmokrators 50 – 75 (usually Vim); Protogonoi 75 – 100 (Vim)
• Typical Powers: Any, perhaps all.

The Protogonoi are the most primeval of all spirits, governing immense concepts such as sky, the waters, love, the abyss, and earth. They are said to be echoes from the Words of Creation, pure spiritual reflections of the newly created world, stored in the timeless record of the Magic Realm and made manifest of spirit. These are the mightiest creatures of magic, and have the least interest or involvement in the lives of mortals. No sorcerer has ever succeeded in summoning or channeling any of these “First-Born.”

The Kosmokrators are the governors of the Magic Realm, the active counterparts to the passive Protogonoi; for example, the dominance of the Protogonos of Day passes to the Protogonos of Night under the auspices of a Kosmokrator of Time. While these entities may be considered spirits, their powers are so vast that they transcend categorization. In days past, it is rumored that the Kosmokrators walked the earth in immense material form, and were called Titans by the Greeks; Jotnar by the Norse; Fomoire by the Celts (see Chapter 5: Magic Humans, Giants). Theurgical legends state that the Kosmokrators were deposed by the Faerie gods and imprisoned (see Genii, Gods, and Worship, above), and now their power is channeled by the upstarts who suborned their thrones. There are some brave (and powerful) magicians who have managed to contact these spirits in whatever underworld they now inhabit, and have found them eager to escape their imprisonment and once more walk upon the earth. Some of these spirits claim to have made the world and all within it, although few place any credence in such tales.

Spirits and Magic

This section summarizes information from published sources about spirit magic. Hermetic spirit magic and theurgy is detailed in The Mysteries Revised Edition (particularly Chapters 4, 8, and 9); whereas nonHermetic summoning and controlling spirits can be found in Realms of Power: The Infernal (particularly Chapter 11).

Spirits and Hermetic Magic

All magi can summon and control Airy Spirits using the Art of Rego as part of standard Hermetic Theory. These spells require an Arcane Connection; but due to the nature of Airy Spirits, this is usually easy to come by. The spell to summon an Airy Spirit requires only Duration Momentary (see The Mysteries Revised Edition, page 29). Some magi have preserved secrets of spirit magic from their non-Hermetic roots; once Initiated into the Mystery of Hermetic Spirit Magic, a magus can use the Might of an Airy Spirit to maintain the duration of a spell indefinitely, or drain a spirit’s essence to empower ritual effects in enchanted devices (see The Mysteries Revised Edition, Chapter 8: Hermetic Spirit Magic).

Hermetic magic is not so proficient at summoning the Aspect of a Daimon. While all Hermetic magi are capable of inventing a ritual spell to summon a specific Daimon’s Aspect, they can only do so if they have a Laboratory Text or a teacher who already knows the spell. Further, the spell of the non-theurgist must have a base level equal to twice the Daimon’s Might. Non-theurgists generally need to use Wizard’s Communion to achieve sufficient Penetration for such a spell to work. Those who have been Initiated into the Mystery of Hermetic Theurgy can invent these spells without needing a Laboratory Text or a teacher. Further, a Hermetic Theurgist need not have such a powerful initial spell; instead they may repeatedly cast a ritual spell of lower level (and thus higher Penetration) and achieve success through persistence rather than raw power. Hermetic Theurgists may also research and use synthemata to improve Penetration totals (see The Mysteries Revised Edition, Chapter 9: Hermetic Theurgy for more details on the abilities of these magi).

Spirits and Non-Hermetic Magic

The Goetic Arts form the basis of nonHermetic magic used to summon and control spirits from any of the three earthly Realms. There are four Goetic Arts — namely Summoning, Ablating, Binding, and Commanding — all of which are Major Supernatural Virtues and are advanced as Arts. More information may be found in Realms of Power: The Infernal, Chapter 11: Ars Goetia.

The Goetic Art of Summoning may be aligned to the Magic, the Faerie, or the Infernal Realm, and is used to call spirits to the sorcerer’s location. The Arts of Ablating, Binding, and Commanding are all aligned to the Infernal realm. The practitioners of these magics need not be evil, but the nature of these Arts taints any work done with them. These Arts steal power from spirits, force them into objects or beings, or demand obedience from the spirit, respectively.

Other traditions of wizards who control spirits may be found in future sourcebooks for Ars Magica Fifth Edition.

Arcane Connections, True Names, and Synthemata At first glance, spirits would appear to not produce Arcane Connections, having no solid bodies with which to generate them. However, any worldly representation of an Airy Spirit acts as an Arcane Connection to that spirit. For example, a fire acts as an Arcane Connection to the Airy Spirit of that fire. A courting couple may be used as an Arcane Connection to the spirit born of their love, and so forth. The physical location of a genius loci is an Arcane Connection to that spirit, regardless of whether it is a Daimon or Airy Spirit. Spirits using the Material Anchor power may intentionally form Arcane Connections. The name of an Airy Spirit serves as an Arcane Connection of indefinite duration to that spirit; although the name of a Daimon does not (one must instead research its True Name, see below). In general, Daimons are more resistant to the formation of Arcane Connections, and they occur in only a few select circumstances, such as with use of the Material Anchor power. A True Name is a secret name that is an expression of the spiritual essence of an entity; a special formula of strange incantations and gestures that takes only a few moments to recite, but is difficult to learn. A True Name is an Arcane Connection of indefinite duration, and is often the only Arcane Connections possible to a Daimon. Only creatures with a Might score have a True Name, but not all creatures with a Might score do. All demons, angels, and Daimons have a True Name, as do other intelligent entities with a unique personality; the storyguide is the ultimate arbiter as to which creatures have a True Name and which do not. Each True Name is a spelllike ability recorded as “True Name of (Being)” on the character sheet, and costs 5 experience points to learn. These points can come from Practice, Exposure, or Adventure; or from an Advancement Total dedicated to the appropriate (Realm) Lore. You receive one free experience point in the (Realm) Lore whenever the character learns a True Name completely. Synthemata are signs, symbols, or passwords that link a magician to a supernatural creature; any being with a Might score has synthemata, regardless of whether they also have a True Name. Theurgic spells include these magical words in the formula of incantation; while granting no actual power, they are necessary for the correct operation of this magic, and remain a secret of the craft. Some magi and hedge wizards have the ability to work the correct synthemata into their magic as an intense and powerful channel to a spirit, so that they may command them through this channel. Virtues to work such magic are described in The Mysteries Revised Edition, pages 86–88. Knowing the True Name of a creature adds 5 to all lab totals to research synthemata for that same being.

New Spirit Spells and Spell Guidelines All spells to summon, perceive, or control a spirit must penetrate its Magic Might. The Aspect of a Daimon can be controlled, but Daimons will typically dissolve the Aspect if a magus attempts this. Intellego (Form) Note: No demons can be detected by these spells. Level 1 Sense a supernatural creature of Might 50 or above with a Might associated with the Form. Level 2 Sense a supernatural creature of Might 40 or above with a Might associated with the Form. Level 3 Sense a supernatural creature of Might 30 or above with a Might associated with the Form. Level 4 Sense a supernatural creature of Might 15 or above with a Might associated with the Form. Level 5 Sense any supernatural creature with a Might associated with the Form. Example spell Perceive the Firewalker InIg R: Per, D: Conc, T: Vision To the eyes of the caster, all creatures with a Might aligned to Ignem (and whose Might is lower than the caster’s Penetration Total) are cast in a red sheen. This spell allows the caster, for example, to distinguish a fire elemental from a normal fire, a Salamander of Virtue from an ordinary lizard, and see spirits of fire that are normally invisible, as well as creatures of other Realms who are associated with fire, other than demons. (Base 5, +1 Conc, +4 Vision) Rego (Form) Spells of a specific Form can command any spirit tied to that Form. For example, Ignem can command any fiery spirit. An Arcane Connection is always needed to summon a spirit. Level 5 Control an Airy Spirit of (Form). Level 15 Summon an Airy Spirit of (Form). Rego Vim General Summon an Aspect of a Daimon if (level + 4 magnitudes) equals or exceeds twice its Might. (Ritual) Level 5 Control an Airy Spirit of a specific Realm. Level 15 Summon an Airy Spirit of a specific Realm.

Example Spirits of Places

This section lists several example spirits of places (genii loci), together with suggestions for magically-touched characters that may inhabit them. Characters who have been exposed to such a magical spirit over an extended period may acquire magical powers in several different ways. A person may be born in an area infused with a genius loci, and thus have developed a mystical link to the spirit; in this case, the character can simply be generated with the appropriate Virtues and Flaws. A person may be granted beneficial or detrimental effects by the use of a spirit’s Grant (Virtue) or Grant (Flaw) powers. The person may have either pleased or angered the spirit, or else she may be possessed by it. Alternatively, she may have bargained with the spirit in exchange for power, perhaps offering servitude. Major bargains may constitute a pact (granting the Spiritual Pact Virtue), and they are often enforced by the use of a genius loci’s Oath-Swearing power. Magi might even be able to engage in a deep mystical communion with such a spirit, in order to initiate Mystery Virtues. Characters who have been under a spirit’s influence for a long time may have developed a Warping Score, and may thus have gained one or more Flaws as well as a mystical Virtue, as detailed in ArM5, page 168. Many, but not all, genii loci tend to have a general antipathy towards human intrusion into their domains.

Each of the genii loci listed is a specific place in Mythic Europe. However, they serve equally well as examples of types of geographical features that can appear elsewhere, and so you can easily adapt them to other locations, should you wish. For more details of the powers of the spirits given here, see the lists earlier in this chapter and in Chapter 4: Characters, Common Powers. The characters associated with each example may be used as story seeds.

Numerous examples of forest genii loci may also be found in Guardians of the Forests: The Rhine Tribunal. A powerful cave genius loci is located at the Cave of Twisting Shadows, the domus magna of House Criamon, in the Alps; see Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults for more details.

Mount Etna

A powerful and violent spirit of fire, Adranus, slumbers beneath a mountain on the Mediterranean island of Sicily. It has developed an antipathy towards the local peoples, since they long ago ceased worshipping it as a god. Nevertheless, it is satisfied when mortals stay away from its slopes and live in a state of respectful fear, but should they become too bold, disrespectful, or forgetful, the genius loci will become irritated and its sleep will be disturbed. Its wrath gradually builds up until the need to vent its fury is overwhelming, at which point the volcano erupts with spectacular and devastating force. Those few who venture onto the blasted and rocky slopes of the mountain have been known to go insane.

In ancient times, Adranus was worshiped by the primitive inhabitants of Sicily as a god of fire. When the Romans rose to prominence it was cast out by Vulcan, their god of fire and forge, but has since returned, and wreaks occasional and spectacular violent retribution on those who no longer either honor or fear it. A gateway to the Underworld was believed by the ancients to be situated beneath Etna. When using the Manifestation power, Adranus usually possesses one or more Sicilian eagles, the only creatures who will brave the mountain’s heights. The volcano last erupted in 1194, and, if your saga follows real history, will next erupt in 1222.

Adranus, the Spirit of Mount Etna Magic Might: 50 (Ignem) Season: Winter Characteristics: Int +3, Per +3, Pre +2, Com +2, Str +3, Sta +2, Dex –1, Qik –2 Confidence Score: 1 (3 points) Virtues and Flaws: Magic Spirit, Daimon; Ways of the Mountains; Improved Characteristics x5; Fury, Wrathful Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Focus Power x12, Greater Power, Ritual Power x9; Minor Virtue x2; Reduced Abilities x18 Personality Traits: Wrathful +6, Slumbering +3 Reputations: Bringer of Death and Destruction 5 (Local) Abilities: Sicily Lore 6 (mountains), Magic Lore 8 (underworld) Powers: Crafter of Fire, variable points, Init –2 – Might cost, Ignem: duplicates any non-Ritual Creo Ignem or Rego Ignem spell no greater than 50th level at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. (Focus Power x 2) Crafter of Earth, variable points, Init –2 – Might cost, Terram: duplicates any nonRitual Creo Terram or Rego Terram spell no greater than 50th level at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. (Focus Power x 2) Grant Visions, 5 points, Init –12, Vim: see Grant (Minor Flaw) for more details. (Ritual Power) Grant Simple-Minded, 5 points, Init –12, Vim: see Grant (Minor Flaw) for more details. (Ritual Power) Grant Wrathful, 5 points, Init –12, Vim: see Grant (Minor Flaw) for more details. (Ritual Power) Hibernation, 15 points, Init –32, Vim: the spirit remains completely inactive for a year (spending no other Might points); the 15 points spent on this power are saved and added to the Might Pool for the first year out of hibernation. In this fashion, the Might Pool may exceed the permanent Might score (50). Using this power, the volcano can save up Might points over many years in succession and have a great amount to spend in the single year in which it awakens. No Hermetic Equivalent: Ritual Power x 3 Manifestation, 4 or more points, Init –2 – Might cost, Animal (Focus Power x 2) Master of Earth, variable points, Init –2 – Might cost, Terram: duplicates any non-Ritual Muto Terram or Perdo Terram spell no greater than 50th level at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. (Focus Power x 2) Presence, 0 points, constant, Imaginem (Greater Power) Regio, 15 points, Init –32, Vim: by permanently spending Might, the spirit can add levels to the regio around the volcano’s crater. (Ritual Power x 3) Ruler of Lava, variable points, Init –2 – Might cost, Terram: duplicates any non-Ritual spell pertaining to lava no greater than 50th level, at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. (Focus Power x2) Ruler of Smoke, variable points, Init –2 – Might cost, Auram: duplicates any non-Ritual spell pertaining to smoke no greater than 50th level, at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. (Focus Power x2) Vis: 10 pawns of Ignem vis; 5 pawns per year can also be harvested from the crater at the volcano’s summit. Appearance: Mount Etna is a conical and blasted peak that rises ten thousand feet above the eastern end of the island of Sicily.

The Rhinefalls

Passage along the upper stretches of the Rhine, one of Europe’s great rivers, is blocked by a mighty waterfall that is the home of the river’s genius loci. Long ago the Rhine was tempestuous and unnavigable, until the ancient races of dwarfs and giants tamed it. At this spot, a group of giants hurled a mighty rock into the river, pinioning the spirit there. Thus the river was tamed, making it safe for boating. Ever since, the river spirit has only been able to exercise the full extent of its powers at the waterfalls, which only the most foolhardy of boatsmen attempt to pass. The river spirit can, however, sense along the whole of its length, and it resents those who presume to traffic up and down it, paying it no heed. It longs to be released from the falls so that it may be free to exert its full power over its whole domain. The spirit may be assuaged by sacrificing items of mundane wealth to the waters. It is rumored that a mighty treasure, the Rhinegold, lies somewhere at the bottom of the Rhine. For more details, see Guardians of the Forests: The Rhine Tribunal, page 41.

Rhenus, the Spirit of the Rhine Magic Might: 50 (Aquam) Season: Winter Characteristics: Int +5, Per +5, Pre +5, Com +4, Str +3, Sta +3, Dex +3, Qik +3 Confidence Score: 1 (3 points) Virtues and Flaws: Magic Spirit, Daimon; Ways of the Rivers; Great Communication, Great Intelligence x2, Great Presence x2, Great Perception x2, Improved Characteristics x14; Greater Malediction (Bound); Avaricious Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Focus Power x4, Greater Power x2, Ritual Power x6; Lesser Power; Minor Virtue x20; Reduced Abilities x7 Personality Traits: Desires Release +6, Lust for Wealth +2 Reputations: Ancient and Harmless Myth 2 (Local) Abilities: Bargain 8 (treasure), Magic Lore 10 (ancient legends), Rhine Lore 12 (upper Rhine) Powers: Control Human, 2 points, Init +3, Mentem (Greater Power) Crafter of Water, variable points, Init +3 – Might cost, Aquam: Duplicates any nonRitual Creo Aquam or Rego Aquam spell no greater than 50th level at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. (Focus Power x 2) Grant Greater Malediction, 10 points, Init –17, Vim: curses a person to suffer a great misfortune on their next trip along or across the Rhine; see Grant (Major Flaw) for more details. (Ritual Power x 2) Grant Puissance in Profession: Boating, 4 points, Init +0, Corpus: see Grant Puissance in (Ability) for more details. (Lesser Power) Oath-Swearing, 10 points, Init –7, Vim (Ritual Power) Presence, 0 points, constant, Imaginem (Greater Power) Regio, 15 points, Init –27, Vim: by permanently spending Might, the spirit can add levels to the regio around the top of the island in the center of the waterfall. (Ritual Power x 3) Master of Water, variable points, Init +3 – Might cost, Aquam: duplicates any nonRitual Muto Aquam or Perdo Aquam spell no greater than 50th level at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. (Focus Power x 2) Vis: 10 pawns of Aquam vis; 5 pawns per year can also be harvested by performing sacrifices of wealth to the spirit. Appearance: The river Rhine plunges down eighty feet in an almighty torrent over a set of cataracts at its upper stretches, south of the Black Forest. A rocky island is perched perilously at the center of the falls, and houses the spirit’s regio.

The Desert of al-Meraya

The spirit of a desert in the hot, dry lands of southern Iberia has an unbearable thirst for water, and sucks dry all the rains and waters that flow into it. It also has an urge to expand, encroaching on nearby lands and parching them dry. Any attempts by nearby inhabitants to tame or destroy it through irrigation will cause annoyance, although it will greedily suck up any water diverted into its domain. This uninhabited region is generally left well alone by the local Moors, except for occasional madmen and mystics who venture in, seldom to return. The citizens of al-Meraya are forced to make their living from trade, since the parching influence of the desert generally causes most agriculture on their lands to fail. The spirit may manifest itself as any desert creature.

Story Seeds for Spirits of Places Fire and Fury Maria, a young woman living in a village not far from Mount Etna, feels a strange empathy for fire, and she can predict the activity of the volcano through her dreams (she has the Visions Flaw). Her pregnant mother was the only survivor when the volcano destroyed the village during its last eruption a generation ago — only she heeded the warnings and made a miraculous escape. Maria, born with the same talent as her mother, makes dire predictions of an imminent eruption and begs the villagers to assuage the fire spirit to prevent it. They, however, scoff at her heathen mumblings, and so it looks as if the fire spirit will indeed return with a vengeance. Alone in the Wilderness An ancient hermit, Ismail, has lived out in the desert of al-Meraya for as long as anyone can remember. He doesn’t seem to mind the oppressive heat and parched landscape, and has the ability to commune with the spirit. He can find hidden water in the desert (due to his Dowsing Virtue, gained from Warping), and has an uncanny knack for predicting when the rains will come. If there is a local drought, he may be sought out for aid. He also allows the desert spirit to possess him, so that it may communicate with the outside world. The Torrent Unleashed Schwall, an elderly and reclusive magus with great proficiency in Aquam, has befriended the river spirit of the Rhine and established his hidden sanctum inside a regio at the waterfalls. He formerly belonged to the Rhine covenant of Rheinstein, but since its destruction he has not been heard from. Schwall fears the onset of his Final Twilight — powerful magical effects and the influence of the spirit have caused him to gain many Warping Points and Twilight Scars — and he seeks an immortality of sorts by mystically merging his own consciousness with that of the spirit, transforming himself into water. He also hopes to achieve the release of the spirit from the falls, which would likely cause trade and settlement along the river to be devastated, since the river spirit revels in great torrents and floods. The Favored Fisherman Wecelo is an expert fisherman able to navigate Lake Brienz better than anyone the villagers can remember. As a young man, he was among a group of boatsmen lost in a storm on the lake. Perhaps because he drew the fancy or the pity of the lake spirit, he was the only one saved from drowning. Ever since, he has felt a great longing to stay by the lake. Wecelo is likely to be sought out by anyone seeking passage across (or into) the lake, or who is interested in its denizens, fish or otherwise. Cavern of Wonders Ciaran, a feral boy, lives in Aillwee Cave and steals things from a nearby village on behalf of the spirit. In exchange, the cave provides him with shelter and nourishment. As a baby, the boy was abandoned in the cave, and was believed to have perished. However, the genius loci saw to it that he survived, and has adopted him. Ciaran may be found attempting to steal from travellers nearby, and their search for their missing belongings may lead them to the cave and its hidden riches.

Al-meraya

Magic Might: 40 (Terram) Season: Winter Characteristics: Int +2, Per +4, Pre +2, Com +1, Str 0, Sta +3, Dex –1, Qik +1 Confidence Score: 1 (3 points) Virtues and Flaws: Magic Spirit, Daimon; Ways of the Deserts; Great Perception x1, Improved Characteristics x4; Greedy Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Focus Power x10, Greater Power x4, Ritual Power x3; Lesser Power; Minor Virtue x5; Reduced Abilities x17 Personality Traits: Thirsty +5, Desire to Expand +2 Reputations: Uninhabitable Desert 3 (Local) Abilities: Iberia Lore 6 (deserts), Magic Lore 4 (Muslim lands), Survival 8 (Deserts) Powers: Control Human, 2 points, Init +1, Mentem (Greater Power) Eidolon, 1 point, Init +5, Imaginem: the spirit can create the illusion of an oasis. (Greater Power) Grant Dowsing, 5 points, Init –9, Vim: see Grant (Minor Virtue) for more details. (Ritual Power) Grant Puissance in Survival, 4 points, Init –2, Corpus: see Grant Puissance in (Ability) for more details. (Lesser Power) Guide, 3 points, Init +4, Mentem (Greater Power) Healing, 2 points, Init –9, Animal or Corpus (Ritual Power x 2) Manifestation, 4 or more points, Init +1 – Might cost, Animal (Focus Power x 2) Master of Earth, variable points, Init +1 – Might cost, Terram: duplicates any non-Ritual Muto Terram or Perdo Terram spell no greater than 40th level at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. (Focus Power x 2) Master of Plants, variable points, Init +1 – Might cost, Herbam: duplicates any non-Ritual Muto Herbam or Perdo Herbam spell no greater than 40th level at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. (Focus Power x 2) Master of Water, variable points, Init +1 – Might cost, Aquam: duplicates any nonRitual Muto Aquam or Perdo Aquam spell no greater than 40th level at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. (Focus Power x 2) Presence, 0 points, constant, Imaginem (Greater Power) Ruler of Sandstorms, variable points, Init +1 – Might cost, Auram: duplicates any nonRitual spell pertaining to sandstorms no greater than 40th level, at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. (Focus Power x 2) Vis: 8 pawns of Terram vis; 4 pawns per year can also be harvested from deep inside the desert. Appearance: This desert is located about a dozen miles to the north of the Moorish port city of al-Meraya (Almeria), in the southeast of Iberia. It is a forbidding landscape of sandy, rocky soil, thinly dotted with scrub plants and cacti. By day it is oppressively hot, by night, unpleasantly cold.

Lake Brienz

A secretive and enigmatic spirit is the embodiment of a steep-sided Alpine lake. It is deep, dark, and often wreathed in mist. Old as the mountains themselves, no one knows what ancient wisdom or mystery it may conceal in its depths. Currently, the spirit has a benevolent attitude to mankind, since it finds that the lake’s fish (some of which are magical) itch, and so it is more than happy for fishermen to fish it. Should the locals start a tannery on its shore, however, it will likely become angered.

Brienz Magic Might: 30 (Aquam) Season: Autumn Characteristics: Int +3, Per +3, Pre +3, Com +3, Str +2, Sta +3, Dex +1, Qik 0 Confidence Score: 1 (3 points) Virtues and Flaws: Magic Spirit, Daimon; Ways of the Lakes; Improved Characteristics x9; Supernatural Nuisance; Reclusive Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Focus Power x6, Greater Power x2; Lesser Power x3; Minor Virtue x9; Reduced Abilities x6 Personality Traits: Reclusive +4, Irritated by Fish +3 Reputations: Quiet and Mysterious 2 (Local) Abilities: Alps Lore 8 (lakes and rivers), Faerie Lore 4 (water faeries), Magic Lore 5 (water spirits) Powers: Crafter of Water, variable points, Init 0 – Might cost, Aquam: duplicates any non-Ritual Creo Aquam or Rego Aquam spell no greater than 30th level at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. (Focus Power x 2) Grant Puissance in Profession: Boating, 4 points, Init –3, Corpus: see Grant Puissance in (Ability) for more details. (Lesser Power) Grant Puissance in Profession: Fishing, 4 points, Init –3, Corpus: see Grant Puissance in (Ability) for more details. (Lesser Power) Grant Puissance in Swim, 4 points, Init –3, Corpus: see Grant Puissance in (Ability) for more details. (Lesser Power) Guide, 3 points, Init +1, Mentem (Greater Power) Master of Water, variable points, Init 0 – Might cost, Aquam: duplicates any non-Ritual Muto Aquam or Perdo Aquam spell no greater than 30th level at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. (Focus Power x 2) Presence, 0 points, constant, Imaginem (Greater Power) Ruler of Fog, variable points, Init 0 – Might cost, Auram: duplicates any non-Ritual spell pertaining to fog or mist less no greater than 30th level, at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect (Focus Power x 2) Vis: 6 pawns of Aquam vis; 3 pawns per year can also be harvested by diving deep into the lake. Appearance: Lake Brienz is located on the northern edge of the Alps, and is fed by the river Aare. It is nine miles long and a mile and a half wide. Its steep-sided slopes are very difficult to navigate by foot, and are thus sparsely settled.

Aillwee Cave

A subterranean spirit of emptiness takes the form of a twisting cave complex underground. It hungers for shiny, material things, and is opposed to those mortals who presume to steal its precious minerals and crystals. Using its powers to control the earth, the spirit has been known to change the arrangement of the network of chambers, closing off or diverting tunnels and thereby trapping people within.

Aillwee Magic Might: 20 (Terram) Season: Summer Characteristics: Int –1, Per +2, Pre +1, Com +1, Str +2, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik –2 Confidence Score: 1 (3 points) Virtues and Flaws: Magic Spirit; Ways of the Caves; Improved Characteristics; Compulsion, Human Ally (equal to Animal Companion), Simple-Minded Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Focus Power x2, Greater Power x3, Ritual Power x3; Lesser Power x1, Minor Virtue x1; Reduced Abilities x6 Personality Traits: Desire for Shiny Objects +3, Nuisance +2 Reputations: Place of No Return 1 (Local) Abilities: An Bhoireann Lore 3 (underground), Magic Lore 2 (subterranean creatures) Powers: Crafter of Earth, variable points, Init –2 – Might cost, Terram: duplicates any nonRitual Creo Terram or Rego Terram spell no greater than 20th level at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. (Focus Power) Eidolon, 0 points, Init +2, Imaginem: the spirit can create the illusions of rich mineral deposits, the seeming of fake tunnels, and the phantoms noises of footfalls and dripping water. (Greater Power) Grant No Sense of Direction, 5 points, Init -12, Vim: see Grant (Minor Flaw) for more details. (Ritual Power) Grant Puissance in Stealth, 4 points, Init -5, Corpus: see Grant Puissance in (Ability) for more details. (Lesser Power) Guide, 3 points, Init -1, Mentem (Greater Power) Healing, 2 points, Init -12, Animal or Corpus (Ritual Power x 2) Presence, 0 points, constant, Imaginem (Greater Power) Master of Earth, variable points, Init -2 Might cost, Terram: duplicates any non-Ritual Muto Terram or Perdo Terram spell no greater than 20th level at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. (Focus Power) Vis: 4 pawns of Terram vis; 2 pawns per year can also be harvested from the (real) crystal deposits deep inside the cave system. Appearance: Aillwee cave is actually a system of several caves beneath a rocky wilderness known as An Bhoireann (the Burren), in the west of Hibernia. It is dotted with many stalactites and stalagmites, and a small underground river flows tortuously through it.

Ghosts

As the day belongs to the living, so the night is given to the dead. — Theitmar of Merseburg, Bishop of Utrecht

Not all ghosts belong to the Magic realm; there are Infernal and Faerie ghosts as well. Magical ghosts remain tied to the world through some overwhelming emotion or personal need. If its connection is somehow resolved, the ghost passes from the world, never to return. Every ghost is unique. Some are rational and fully aware of their surroundings, while others are clearly mad or delusional. Because ghosts vary so much in their mental states, some magi suggest that there are several different kinds of ghosts, or that certain ghosts are really other sorts of spirits (such as Airy Spirits) that have been misidentified.

One common ghost in medieval stories claims to be a dead person who has returned from the afterlife. Magi call them apparitions. Some apparitions are Infernal ghosts (see Realms of Power: The Infernal, page 36); those that are Magical have some strong emotional tie to the living world, which they desperately want to resolve. Apparitions look and behave much as they did in life, with complete memories of their lives and normal awareness of their surroundings. Magical apparitions know that they are dead and seek the help of the living so they can pass on to the afterlife. They can explain what is binding them to the mortal world and how the living can help them. Usually, laying an apparition to rest requires performing some important service at the ghost’s behest. This can be anything from bringing the ghost’s murderer to justice, to taking care of a loved one who has been left behind, to making amends to some person the ghost grievously wronged in life.

It might seem that apparitions, who can appear calm and rational, would be among the safest ghosts to deal with. This appearance can be deceptive. Apparitions are completely obsessed with resolving their worldly ties. They may not be content to simply ask for help, instead resorting to trickery or force. Even a well-meaning apparition can fly into a dangerous rage if characters oppose its aims.

Apparitions usually possess all of the memories and Abilities they had in life. In order to resolve their mortal ties, they must be able to communicate with the living. The most common ways they do so are through powers such as Eidolon and Donning the Corporeal Veil (see Common Powers of Spirits, earlier in this chapter), or by appearing in dreams.

Most other kinds of ghost are less lucid than apparitions. Another broad category of ghosts, which magi call shades, resemble distorted reflections of once-living people. Like apparitions, shades are connected to the living world through some overwhelming emotional tie; but unlike apparitions, they are so influenced by that connection that it dominates their entire existence. They become a kind of mental caricature of their former selves, reshaped by their own passions and the trauma of death. While shades have a capacity for reason, they exist perpetually in a state of intense emotion, which clouds and dominates their thinking.

Shades’ memories are complete only in matters related to their worldly ties. All their other memories are confused and fragmentary. For example, the shade of a man who died in a plague, having also lost his beloved wife and children, will remember every detail of his family but will only dimly remember his neighbors and may have no memories at all of his own childhood.

Shades tend to have a distorted sense of time, often limited to reliving the few days or even hours before their own deaths. They are often delusional and may mistake new people and surroundings for ones that were familiar to them in life. They have trouble remembering living people they meet after their own deaths, which can make it difficult to establish any new relationship with them. Ghostly warders, like the example on page 193 of ArM5, are shades, with an emotional connection to watch over another character (someone they knew in life).

Another major category of ghost are spectres, spirits who doggedly continue the roles they had in life. Ghostly miners who died in a cave-in, ghostly sailors whose ship haunts the waters where it sank, or ghostly soldiers who appear on certain nights to reenact their final battle are all examples of spectres. They differ from apparitions and shades in that their ties to the world are less personal and more related to their occupation or role. Because their worldly ties are rather abstract, it can be difficult to lay them to rest by resolving those ties.

Spectres often seem like mere shadows of living beings, having forgotten what it was like to be alive. They retain only Abilities relevant to their particular roles. For example, the spectre of a hunter would remember Abilities such as Hunt, Ride, Survival, and weapon skills, but would forget others such as (Area) Lore, Carouse, and Folk Ken. Some within the Church think that spectres are souls being punished for impious behavior, but magi are more inclined to think they are a kind of shadow of a human mind created through a combination of traumatic death and an unknown mystical phenomenon. Some magi think they are not ghosts at all, but a kind of Airy Spirit. The ghostly soldiers of House Tremere’s army (see Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, pages 126127) are spectres.

The Restless Dead in Medieval Legend Medieval tales and illustrations of the restless dead portray them in a variety of ways. With the rules in this book, you can design your own restless dead to bring an authentic medieval feel to your ghost stories. In some medieval stories, ghosts are invisible. The Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV wrote of a haunting at his castle in Prague. Leaving a fire burning at night, he was awakened by the sound of footsteps, but his manservant was still lying in the next bed. All the doors and windows were locked. The Emperor ordered his servant to light some more candles and pour a cup of wine. Shortly after he set the cup down, it was picked up and thrown against the wall, as if by an invisible hand. Medieval stories generally describe ghosts as “spirits,” but seem to attribute a corporeal nature to them. In a tale from Yorkshire, in England, a young man was able to wrestle with a ghost and hold it against the door of a church. In another story from the same region, a tailor named Snowball was attacked and wounded by a ghost, which knocked him off his horse. The spirit power of Donning the Corporeal Veil is very appropriate for these kinds of medieval-style ghosts. In a few medieval stories, ghosts have the ability to change shape. The ghost that attacked Snowball was in the form of a crow when it wounded him; it also took the forms of a dog, a goat, and a man. When a ghost can take non-human forms, those forms may give symbolic clues about the ghost’s nature. For example, the form of a dog may indicate loyalty.

Ghosts as Characters

Ghosts in Ars Magica Fifth Edition are spirits with no true material form and must have the Magic Spirit special Virtue (see Chapter 4: Magic Characters, New Virtues and Flaws). While ghosts in medieval legends were often portrayed as material beings (see sidebar), the ability to materialize is treated as a supernatural power. Not all ghosts can do it.

Concept

The starting point for designing a ghost is to identify its connection to the world. A good source of ideas are the Flaws listed on pages 38-39 of ArM5. Most Major Personality Flaws and some Story Flaws provide a good basis for this worldly connection. Most ghosts should have one of these Flaws to define their mortal ties. The personalities of ghosts are as varied as those of living people. Some are tragic beings who seek only to make amends for the great mistakes of their lives, while others are hateful spirits who delight in terrorizing the living. Strive to make each ghost in your stories unique and memorable. Generate the Characteristics for a ghost as if it were a human character. The ghost’s physical Characteristics are used when it takes material form, or when it interacts with other ghosts or spirits. All ghosts should have the special Virtue, Magic Spirit (see Chapter 4: Magical Characters, New Virtues).

When a human becomes a ghost, his former Social Status Virtue or Flaw becomes meaningless. All ghosts should have one of the following Social Status Virtues or Flaws: Magical Champion, Magical Covenfolk, Magical Master, Magical Monster, or Magical Friend. If the player wishes, he can choose a second Social Status as well, representing the character’s status in life. Social Status Virtues bought in this way must be paid for with Flaws, but Social Status Flaws carried over from life grant no Virtue points to the ghost. (It is only necessary to choose a second Social Status Virtue or Flaw if it grants access to a restricted set of Abilities needed for the ghost’s concept.) Not all Virtues and Flaws apply to ghosts. For example, death releases a character from an Oath of Fealty and makes irrelevant such physical traits as Fragile Constitution. The player or storyguide should simply disregard any Virtues and Flaws that don’t make sense. Most ghosts should have either a Major Personality Flaw or a Story Flaw to represent their worldly ties.

Season and Abilities

Ghosts can be designed as any Season. Like living humans, they cannot choose Abilities from a restricted category (Academic, Martial, or Arcane) unless they have a Virtue or Flaw that allows them to. Apparitions, who have the clearest memories of their Abilities from life, should usually be designed as Autumn characters. Shades, who have lost some of their knowledge and Abilities, are most easily represented as Summer characters but could also work as Spring or Autumn. Spectres, who have lost most of their knowledge and Abilities, should be Spring (or occasionally Summer) characters.

Sir Giles, a Ghostly Knight Magic Might: 16 (Mentem) Characteristics: Int –1, Per –1, Pre +1, Com 0, Str +2, Sta +1, Dex +2, Qik +2 Size: 0 Season: Summer Confidence Score: 2 (6) Virtues and Flaws: Magic Spirit; Magical Monster, Knight; Puissant Single Weapon, Self-Confident; Proud (Major); Baneful Circumstances (during the day) Magic Qualities and Inferiorities: Greater Power (x2); Improved Abilities (x2), Improved Might (x4), Lesser Power; Minor Flaw (x 1) Personality Traits: Proud +6, Belligerent +2, Brave +2 Reputations: Proud 3 (local) Combat: Lance & Heater, mounted: Init +2, Attack +15, Defense +14, Damage +7 Lance, dismounted: Init +3, Attack +9, Defense +7, Damage +9 Long Sword & Heater, mounted: Init +2, Attack +15, Defense +15, Damage +8 Long Sword & Heater: Init +2, Attack +12, Defense +12, Damage +8 Long Sword only: Init +2, Attack +12, Defense +9, Damage +8 Soak: +10 Fatigue Levels: OK, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious Wound Penalties: –1(1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16+) Abilities: (Area) Lore 3 (nobles), Animal Handling 3 (horses), Athletics 2 (running), Awareness 3 (in battle), Brawl 2 (fist), Concentration 1 (remaining invisible), Charm 1 (ladies), Etiquette 3 (nobles), Great Weapon 3 (long spear), Hunt 2 (deer), Intrigue 1 (noble courts), Leadership 3 (soldiers), Ride 5 (in battle), Single Weapon 5 (heater shield) Powers: Donning the Corporeal Veil, 5 points, Init –1, Corpus: Sir Giles can assume material form. (Lesser Power) Riding the Phantom Steed, 2 points, Init 0, Animal R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind When Sir Giles takes physical form, he can also materialize his war horse for an additional Might cost. He can dissolve the horse at will due to the Rego requisite. Use the statistics for a destrier from the Book of Mundane Beasts appendix. Cr(Re)An 40 (Base 15, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Rego requisite, +1 Size): Greater Power (40 levels, –2 Might cost) Invisibility, 1 point, Init 0, Imaginem R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Group Even in material form, Sir Giles and his horse can become invisible when he wishes (though they can still be seen by Second Sight). PeIm 20 (Base 4, +1 Touch, +1 Conc, +2 Group): Greater Power (partial: 20 levels, –1 Might cost, 5 xp Concentration) Ride in Dreams, 1 point, Init 0, Mentem R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind When in spirit form, Sir Giles can enter the dreams of a sleeping person whose name he knows, tormenting him with nightmares of a furious, dark knight. The victim must make a Stamina roll against an Ease Factor of Sir Giles’ Presence + Leadership or lose a Long-Term Fatigue Level. CrMe 15 (Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun): Greater Power (partial: 15 levels, –1 Might cost) Equipment: Full chain mail, lance, heater, long sword, black destrier Encumbrance: 2 (4) Vis: 4 Mentem in lance Appearance: Sir Giles is a Magical apparition — a ghostly knight in black mail, riding a fearsome black destrier. His shield and surcoat are solid black without any heraldic device, and atop his helm is a crest shaped like a cockerel. If he removes his helm, he appears to be a rather handsome, well-groomed knight whose face shows an expression of fierce pride.

Where do Ghosts Come From? Some ghosts are of Infernal origin: twisted souls sent to plague or corrupt the living (see Realms of Power: The Infernal, page 36). There are also Faerie ghosts. Magical ghosts come from the Magic realm (this can be proved with Intellego Vim spells), but that simple fact does not fully explain a common form of haunting. In Mythic Europe, the Western Church accepts the concept of Purgatory — a kind of antechamber to Heaven where the souls of the dead suffer punishment to cleanse them of sins they committed in life. The ghosts of people who followed that faith (in life) frequently claim to be visiting the living world from Purgatory, and indeed can give lurid descriptions of the torment they suffer there. The Church teaches that specific religious observances — prayers, masses, and almsgiving in the deceased’s name — can speed a soul’s passage through Purgatory and into Heaven. Some ghosts (specifically, apparitions) request exactly these favors from the living. But for story purposes, it may be useful to have a ghost to request a more active form of assistance, such as completing a quest on the ghost’s behalf. Church scholars do not agree on where Purgatory is located in relation to the earth, Heaven, and Hell. One popular hypothesis is that the souls of the dead spend the day in Purgatory at the center of the earth, and return by night to visit the earthly places where they committed their sins. Some magi suggest that, for mysterious reasons, ghosts may arrive on earth by passing through the Magic Realm. The ghosts themselves do not always understand their own situation — indeed, some don’t even realize they’re dead. Death does not imbue a person’s spirit with any special knowledge or insight. Magical ghosts are left to draw their own conclusions about the strange and bewildering experience of becoming a restless spirit. Not surprisingly, they usually describe their new status in terms of their own religious beliefs. Thus, the ghost of a longdead Roman citizen may say he has been wandering the Underworld, while that of a Christian peasant would claim to be suffering in Purgatory. What is not clear is whether the ghosts’ conclusions are actually correct. While some of them certainly believe they experience the afterlife in a familiar form, this could be an elaborate delusion. Some magi say that the trauma of death could cause a person’s spirit to retreat into a kind of private dream world, made tangible (to the ghost) within the Magic Realm. Most other creeds, including Judaism, Islam, and the Eastern Church, do not accept the concept of Purgatory. Ghosts who (in life) belonged to those faiths never claim to come from Purgatory, though they may say they come from limbo or some other place. Magi are divided on what this means. Some (generally those from outside the Western Church) say it’s because Purgatory does not really exist. Others say that Purgatory exists, but only those of the “true” faith go there. Still others say that studying ghosts on earth can never be conclusive because there is no way to tell whether the ghosts are delusional. A more extreme view is that some, or even all, ghosts are actually demons in disguise, who invent lies so people will doubt their religion’s teachings. What is clear is that when a ghost asks for prayers or masses, providing these things usually enables the ghost to pass on to whatever its eternal fate may be. Whether this is because they actually work, or because the ghost only believes they will work, is of little practical importance. From the point of view of an Ars Magica Fifth Edition game, the powers, personality, and role of a ghost within the story are more important than its metaphysical status. Exactly what happens to a person’s spirit after death can be left mysterious. It should be pointed out that folk traditions regarding ghosts do not coincide precisely with theological doctrine. Who is to say whether the scholarly writings of bishops, or the tales of old village women, are closer to the truth?

Story Seed: Repentance The spirit of a local knight who died in battle some years ago still haunts his former lands, terrorizing the countryside in an attempt to force the living to lay him to rest and end what he thinks are the torments of Purgatory. Sir Giles believes his great sin was that he killed another knight in tournament. His eagerness to win glory was so great that he killed his opponent through excessive force. He thinks that if he can ensure his victim’s widow is well cared for, he’ll be able to go to Heaven. In fact, he is quite mistaken. His real sin is the pride that drove him to kill his opponent and even now prevents him from true repentance. Only when he comes to terms with how his pride stands in the way of his redemption, and how it caused suffering to others, will he truly pass on.

Editor's Note: This text includes Errata.

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