Realms of Power: The Infernal Chapter Thirteen: Infernal Traditions

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

Infernal Traditions

So when you recite the Qur’an, seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Shaitan, Surely he has no authority over those who believe and rely on their Lord. His authority is only over those who befriend him and those who associate others with Him. — Qur’an 16:98–100

Since antiquity, man has served and worshipped creatures from the pits of Hell, for a number of reasons. In some cases, the worshipers were ignorant of the provenance of their deities — at least at first — for gods can be harsh masters, and demand much of their followers. Alternatively, worship sometimes began in full knowledge of the nature of their god, but in the hope that it would satiate the deity’s anger and divert his wrath. Demons also sometimes formed cults directly, baldly recruiting evil people with promises of power. Not all humans need to be corrupted to evil — some are naturally of a wicked bent, and demons love nothing more than to place power in the hands of such miscreants. In the following sections, different varieties of diabolic cults are discussed, along with their story potential.

Very few infernalists practice their vile powers alone — most of them gather in groups, which they might call a coven, sabbat, or cult. For mechanical purposes, these groups are called traditions. By working together towards roughly similar purposes, they increase the amount of evil they are able to produce. They also may support each other, teaching one another the secrets of their tradition, spreading their occult knowledge. Infernalists are often associated with a demon that acts as tempter and tutor for the group. As its infernalists grow more powerful, the demon gains more status in Hell, and thus they both profit from the association.

Any companion characters or magi who have somehow been touched by evil can learn Supernatural Abilities associated with the Infernal realm — gaining a Warping Point from an Infernal source is sufficient, for example, as is making a deal with a demon. Any sort of Infernal Virtue or Flaw makes it possible to learn these Abilities. This study activity follows the same rules as for magi learning magical Supernatural Abilities (ArM5, page 166) — you must subtract the character’s scores in other Supernatural Abilities from the total experience gained in a season of study, and you must reach a score of 1 in that season to learn the Ability.

Infernal traditions usually have four Supernatural Abilities in which they specialize (these are called their Favored Abilities). Members of the tradition can learn these Supernatural Abilities without suffering a penalty to their study totals, and do not need to subtract their scores in these Abilities when learning other Infernal Supernatural Abilities. However, characters can only receive this benefit from joining one Infernal tradition in their lifetimes — if they learn a Favored Ability of one tradition, they cannot ever learn any of the Favored Abilities of others as Favored Abilities.

Infernal Supernatural Abilities are also described as Supernatural Virtues, and thus may be taken during character creation. Magi may also be able to initiate some of them through the corrupted rites of a Hermetic Mystery Cult (for rules that can be adapted to this purpose, see The Mysteries Revised Edition).

Infernal Traditions

Designing New Traditions The traditions in this book are not intended as an exhaustive list of every type of infernalist in Mythic Europe, but merely suggestions of what such a character might look like. You can easily create your own traditions if you wish, and the rules that follow are essentially tools with which you can outfit these characters to best represent their evil ways. It is also possible to create new traditions that are simply a variation on one of the traditions included here, that follow a different philosophy but essentially do the same sort of things. For Favored Abilities, most Infernal traditions have a Method, two Powers, and another Supernatural Ability. Some combine Supernatural Abilities with Infernal Arts, instead. When designing a tradition, you can draw from the Virtues in Chapter 9: Infernal Characters, or make up new Methods or Powers. New Powers must be associated with at least one Method, and a new Method must be associated with at least two Powers. This could mean that some of the Powers presented in this book might have additional effects when paired with other, more secret, Methods. These traditions are also intended to be “optional” groups in Mythic Europe, since there can only be a limited number of infernalists in the world, and so you should only use the ones that feel appropriate for your saga. They are mainly to inspire you to describe what a group of like-minded infernalists would look like. Do not allow yourself to feel constrained by them; just because this book suggests that a particular tradition practices infernalism in the same region as your saga does not mean that they must be there in your game.

Misguided Traditions

Demons have deluded mankind in the past, claiming that they are benevolent beings who can provide great supernatural and spiritual benefit if offered worship. This is a favored tactic of the Spirits of Deceit and the Deluders; a few simple tricks and men think you are divine. Such traditions are also fertile ground for the cults that form around False Gods, for they teach their followers to believe that it is not sinful to worship them, and so lead them down the path of corruption and infernalism until they have become so dependent upon their Powers that they are unwilling to live without them.

Infernalists who are new to a misguided tradition often do not believe they are practicing evil. What they do may not be sinful, and in fact they may genuinely and sincerely wish to do good, but because they use the power of the Infernal realm to do it, the results are always evil. Furthermore, the demons that deceive them into committing infernalism nurse their sinful traits like pride and wrath, leading them to the belief that the Divine is unfair or oppressive, and that their ends justify the means. Once they reach this point, mistaken infernalists rarely repent, as their evil ways have become a way of life, and their pride and wrath have developed into a full-blown vendetta.

Infernal Tradition: The Luciferans

Favored Abilities: Debauchery, Diablerie, Malediction, Sense Passions

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! [How] art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. — Isaiah 14:12–15

When the beings that would later become demons rebelled against Heaven, they were said to have been led by a powerful and inspiring figure called Lucifer (“the light-bringer”), named for his principality of the morning star. It is said that he was a demagogue without peer among the angels, and radiantly beautiful when wreathed with holy flames, as he often manifested. This great celestial fire fell from grace after the uprising was defeated, and as punishment he was condemned to Hell for all eternity.

Discontent with exile, Lucifer turned his attention to human affairs, doing his best to turn humanity against the God of the Old Testament, presenting himself as a sacrificial lamb led to slaughter in opposition to a vengeful and jealous tyrant. Many of his early followers perceived him as a prototypical messiah in the time before Christ. With the Infernal shadow of his former powers, he could appear to Jews and gentiles as a vision of a kinder, more benevolent God, and grant them many great gifts in return for their service to him.

The Devil’s most beguiling form has tempted away many pious people through the years, people who often seem to oth ers as loyal and passionate followers of their faith. In fact, many of them do not realize that they have become infernalists at all, for all they know is that God has visited them personally and spoken to them, and they blindly do what he asks of them, taking great satisfaction in their exalted status as his instruments. This is still sinful behavior, even if they do not know what they do, because they nourish their pride by believing they are special in God’s eyes; they practice infernalism by worshiping “God” in ways that stray from the instructions of the faith, believing themselves initiates into deeper mysteries of the Divine; and they pray for miracles that are inherently selfish, led on by “God’s” personal encouragement.

And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought [him] into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. — Acts 9:1–9

Unknowing Evil It is quite possible to play a Luciferan infernalist who mistakenly believes he is a holy character, virtuous and pious. To maintain the illusion and thus create a better experience for the player, the storyguide might change some of the character’s Powers slightly, labeling Debauchery, Diablerie, and Malediction as Purity, Adjuration, and Cursing. The player may not realize that his character has begun down the path to evil, but may use these Powers as Infernal versions of their Divine counterparts (found in Realms of Power: The Divine) until he learns the truth.

Bishops and their officials must labor with all their strength to uproot thoroughly from their parishes the pernicious art of sorcery and malefice invented by the devil, and if they find a man or woman follower of this wickedness to eject them foully disgraced from their parishes. ... Nevertheless, it should not be omitted that some wicked women, won over to Satan’s side and beguiled by deceits and illusions of demons, believe and profess that they ride out on beasts in the hours of night with Diana the goddess of the Heathen and a numberless multitude of women, and cover great distances in the silence of the dead of night, and on particular nights are summoned to this service. ... Wherefore priests must preach to the people ... with all urgency, that they may understand that this is altogether false and that such illusions are bred in faithless minds not by the Holy but by the Evil Spirit. ... When [Satan] gets possession of some worthless gossip’s wits ... [he] leads astray the mind he holds captive, deluding it in dreams; and this faithless mind supposes that things experienced only in the imagination happened to the body, not the spirit. ... Whoever therefore believes that anything can be made, or that any creature can be changed to better or to worse or be transformed into another species or similitude, except by the Creator himself who made everything and through whom all things were made, is beyond doubt an infidel. — The Canon Episcopi, (allegedly) from the Council of Ancyra, 314 A.D.

Others who learn of the Infernal nature of their vision of Lucifer come to accept him as their true savior and leader, and formally renounce the God of the Divine realm. They accept that the Devil and all of the other demons were cast out of paradise unjustly, and believe that they will reclaim their rightful place in the heavens after the Day of Reckoning, while the other angels and their God will be forced to take up the demons’ place on earth. By serving Lucifer, Luciferans believe they will be invited to accompany him when he takes possession of his celestial kingdom. In reference to this, they occasionally hail each other at their secret meetings with the ritual phrase “May the injured Lucifer greet you.”

Another common story perpetuated among these infernalists is that St. Paul was the first Luciferan to join the Christian Church. They maintain that the blinding vision he received as Saul on the road to Damascus was sent by the light-bringer himself, an experience that as described in scripture is very similar to the way they experienced their own epiphanies. St. Paul is regarded as something of a patron saint of their tradition, and his image and epistles often figure prominently in their iconography and ritual prayers. They believe that they follow his example, practicing the “true” faith while lying hidden within the “false” Church, corrupting the words of their enemy to lead others away from his worship.

Through their Infernal Powers, Luciferans learn to summon up different aspects of their god, communing with him for instruction and his blessings. They also learn to curse their enemies just as the followers of the Divine realm curse them. Because of the accepted reversal of roles for demons and angels, and evil and good, it is a commonly held belief within the higher echelons that actions which are sinful above ground are virtuous below it. Thus, Luciferans often practice their Infernal rites at night, in catacombs and caves beneath cities and towns, where they can indulge their passions for the glory of their god. It is said, for example, that a Luciferan may be a virgin above ground, but quite the opposite beneath.

In 1220, the Luciferans are strongest within the Christian Church, especially in Germany, Austria, and Bohemia. The city of Cologne has a thriving Luciferan community, as does the city of Krems, near Vienna. They are also attempting to infiltrate the Cathars in southern France — since many of the heretics there already consider themselves to be in rebellion against the Church, they reason that it is not so great a step for those made fearful by Crusades and burning of their friends and neighbors to accept a powerful and more personable spirit as the one true God.

Story Hook: The Coming Apocalypse A group of Luciferans from a city near the players’ covenant interprets the Book of Revelation as the triumph of the Infernal over God when the final days are at hand, with Lucifer himself appearing as the figure of light dressed in white with a sword in his mouth who holds “the keys of hell and death.” They maintain that St. John mistook their Infernal savior for Jesus Christ in his famous vision. They also believe that the mystic symbolism of the Great Beast, with its number 666, refers to the city of Rome and thus the Roman Church. The visions in the final chapter of the Bible, as they interpret it, describe how a Luciferan, depicted as a lamb with seven eyes and seven horns, will one day fulfill the dread prophesy and bring about the end of the world. These harbingers of the Apocalypse have found that they can temporarily break the seals that hold the great book of the heavens closed, using their maleficia to release the demons trapped within its pages. Each seal can be temporarily broken with a Level 50 (Debauchery/Diablerie, R: Arc, D: Moon) effect, so long as the seal of the page before it is also broken, which frees the demons described in the Bible from the confines of Hell for the duration. When called forth from the heavens, each of these demons falls to earth like a star and proceeds to act as described in the Bible (Rev. 6:17), doing its part to bring about the end of the world. If all seven seals are broken and the demons loosed, the Luciferans believe there will be no stopping the final days, and after the great battle their master will reclaim his place in Heaven. The Luciferans have begun to perform these rites, and the characters slowly become aware of them over the course of several days, as they encounter the first four demons that ride forth from the city, each one summoned through this Infernal ceremony. They should each have Infernal Might, the first with a score of 30, the next 35, and so on, with Powers appropriate to their description. If any of these demons is banished or destroyed before the ritual is complete, the Luciferans are unable to call the others and have to begin again. In the meantime, the characters may be able to determine where the beings are originating and put a stop to it. Seal Demon Description First white horseman And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. Second red horseman And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. Third black horseman And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. Fourth pale horseman And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. Fifth false saints I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? Sxith herald And I saw another angel ascending from the east, have the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. Seventh seven angels And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

Infernal Tradition: Strigae

Favored Abilities: Debauchery, Effusion, Phantasm, Ceremony

Since the earliest times, many demons have found it worthwhile to usurp preexisting cults that once worshipped a pagan deity. As many of these ancient gods gradually withdrew their power from the world, as the Dominion encroached upon the territory, some demons saw in this fading power a means to corrupt souls, and took the place of the god, refreshing the worship with overt displays of power to seduce its followers. Over time, the demon would subtly change the cult through gradual manipulation of key figures until it had a full-blown cult of devout worshipers. It is a scheme which requires a great deal of time and subtlety, and it is usual that at least some high-ranked members become aware of and complaisant with the true power of their tradition, because demons are not known for their patience or restraint (see Chapter 4: The Infernal Legions, Demons in the Saga).

Perhaps the most famous example of this phenomenon comes from Rome in the years following the birth of Christ, when it came to be widely believed within scholarly and arcane circles that Pan, the wild god of the satyrs and faerie revelry, had died. How or why this could have happened is unclear, but many took this as a sign that the magic of the ancient world was dwindling, and that the power of monotheism was manifest. This left a void in the supernatural landscape of Mythic Europe, as with Pan’s passing many of those who had worshiped him as a god of passion and the wilderness had no focus for their belief. Such an opportunity to be exploited by the wiles of the Devil! A few choice appearances of shaggy, horned demons at these secret rites earned Hell a handful of souls, and reinforced the idea that the forest was an evil place that the righteous should fear to visit.

As other gods faded into legend, demons quickly stole their fame and many of their followers as well. In this way, an Infernal tradition of women and men who worship demons as pagan gods came into being. They were often described as witches who rode through the night on fell beasts, through the air on unnatural winds, or through the dreams and nightmares of the virtuous, following a shaggy, masculine demon of the wild that easily fit the popular image of Satan, or a fearsome she-demon that the educated referred to as Herodias (an evil woman from the Bible) or Diana, after the Roman goddess of the hunt. These infernalists were able to lure many pagans away from their cults devoted to ancient deities, often by convincing them that they were simply worshipping a different aspect of the same god or goddess.

The Church condemned those who joined in this behavior, publishing a document called the Canon Episcopi (see sidebar). However, the document erroneously declared that these “night rides” were merely an illusion, a dream caused by lack of faith in God. In 1220, most of the participants have been lulled into a false security by these teachings; when they are awoken in the night and taken to the Infernal services, they may be easily convinced afterward that it was merely a dream; that they did not really do the things they remember, and that these were merely tricks of the Devil. There is no reason to confess these acts as sins, for to believe in them is to admit to a simple mind and unfaithful heart. Instead, they become an opportunity for them to explore the dark side of their psyches in safety, without apparent consequences in waking life. Yet they are deluded, because they do commit these sins, and they will suffer the consequences for them when they die.

Nearly every region of the world has a group of these night witches, usually called strigae or some variation thereupon. Each group is led by a senior infernalist of the tradition, who always has a special relationship with a demon, usually of the opposite sex. At its direction, the leader summons the other members of the coven to a meeting place by calling to them in dreams, drawing them to the evil ceremony that focuses their Infernal power. This might require a bloody hunt for an innocent victim, or an orgy where each person lies with the person next to them in the dark, or a ceremony where every participant must kiss the demon on the anus (considered a humiliating act of submission in the Middle Ages).

The Benandanti On some nights of the year in northeast Italy, certain villagers go to sleep in the knowledge they will be meeting each other in their dreams. Armed with swords made of fennel branches, the Benandanti (as they are known) stride across the dreamscape to do battle with the stregoni, evil witches who seek to spread mischief. If they are successful, the stregoni are unable to affect the village with their wicked spells, and must wait until the next inauspicious night and attempt once again to break through the Benandanti lines. But should the stregoni succeed, the villagers suffer terrible nightmares, children sicken and die, cows run dry of milk, and the crops fail. Like the Benandanti, the stregoni (singular strega) are secret members of the very villages they attack. By day they seem to be normal members of the community. At night each strega transforms into the shape of an owl and flies off to meet with her sisters. Each group of stregoni in a region is ruled by a single male witch (the strego) who is often a member of the gentry or a priest rather than a peasant. The strego leads the coven in the worship of the dark powers, usually accompanied by several Lilin and perhaps a member of the order of Furies (see Chapter 4: The Infernal Legions). The prime goal of the stregoni is to cause misfortune and chaos in the local population through sheer hatred of the prosperity of others. The strego usually has different motives, often owning the next largest granary, or monopolizing the beancrops in the region. The Benandanti perform their work in secret, for their Powers come from the same realm as those of the stregoni that they oppose. They also hold views that are contrary to Church doctrine, and being accused of membership in the sect results in social ostracism for the unfortunate involved. Nevertheless, the Benandanti nightwalkers still stride forth for their battles with the witches to fight for the livelihoods of peasants who would revile them if they knew the truth. In turn, most of the villagers are unaware of the sacred duty of the Benandanti. Not all of the villagers are nightwalkers; to be such, one must have been born with a caul, that is, with the amniotic sac still attached to the head. These characters later develop the Infernal Powers that allow them to meet and battle the stregoni when they appear in the night.

Story Hook: The Night Battles While unaware of it, one of the characters was born with a caul, and when staying in a village plagued by the stregoni near one of the covenant’s vis sources, he gets caught up in the rite of the Benandanti. He awakens in the middle of a rolling landscape, and other phantasmal nightwalkers appear around him and hand him a fennel stalk. Then the stregoni attack from the sky in the guise of women with the wings and claws of owls. Anyone killed in a night battle suffers paralysis, which should be treated as a Debilitation (ArM5, page 180) equivalent to a Medium Wound. If the nightwalkers win the battle, the crops are safe and the local vis source produces its yearly harvest. Should the stregoni win, the vis becomes corrupted into vis prava (see Chapter 1: The Infernal Realm, Infernal Vis) and is probably stolen by the witches.

The leaders of this tradition are known for using their maleficia to summon great shadowy animals on which to ride, to travel great distances through the air in the blink of an eye, and to call down terrible storms and fires from the sky. Besides helping their familiar demons with their evil plots, these infernalists use their Powers to punish and threaten others, usually those that they believe have somehow wronged them. Revenge is a popular impetus. Envy is also common; many strigae attack other villages, or sometimes even their own, seeking to “even the score” and settle old feuds. A few strigae work alone, but more often they gather in groups of three, and their night ceremonies are almost always comprised of 13 participants.

Infernal Tradition: The Witch-Hammers

Favored Abilities: Ablating, Incantation, Psychomachia, Summoning

Whoever fell into his hands had only the choice between a ready confession for the sake of saving his life and a denial, whereupon he was speedily burnt. Every false witness was accepted, but no just defense granted — not even to people of prominence. The person arraigned had to confess that he was a heretic, that he had touched a toad, that he had kissed a pale man, or some monster. Many Christians suffered themselves to be burnt innocently rather than confess to such vicious crimes, of which they knew they were not guilty. The weak ones, in order to save their lives, lied about themselves and other people, especially about such prominent ones whose names were suggested to them by Conrad. Thus brothers accused their brothers, wives their husbands, servants their masters. Many gave money to the clergy for good advice as to how to protect themselves and the greatest confusion originated. — letter to Pope Gregory IX from the Archbishop of Mainz, 1233 A.D.

This Infernal tradition is very unusual, in that it is an example of infernalists who primarily work against other infernalists. However, since much of the hierarchy of Hell is based on demons fighting other demons to achieve dominance over them, it stands to reason that some infernalists behave the same way. Few Infernal traditions work together; they are more likely to view each other as competition, and heinous acts committed against other people are still sinful, regardless of any evil the victims might have perpetrated.

In the early 5th century, a letter began to circulate among certain bishops in the isolated Christian communities remaining in the west. It was a long document, containing what purported to be advice for combating “the poisoners of the north,” the pagan menace that had brought about the destruction of the glorious Christian Empire and plunged the people and the lands into barbarism. It told how they practiced foul magic and enchantment, which allowed them to change their shape, curse their Christian enemies, and summon the might of devils. To counter their evil powers, the letter included instructions for prayers and rituals that would force them to confess their crimes against God, allowing Christ to save their souls and forever banishing the evil spirits that served them, freeing them from the temptation to sin again. It repeatedly quoted Exodus 22:18 (“Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live”).

The origins of the famous letter are unknown; some copies were signed by the Byzantine Emperor, but others were attributed to famous churchmen like St. Jerome and Pope Leo, and one version was impossibly attributed to the great theologian Origen. Over time the letter has changed, and in 1220 there are copies circulating that purport to have been signed and sent by Charlemagne or Pope Innocent III (made more credible by including references to the executive actions they took against heretics and witches).

The language of the letter has also changed with the years, naming different threats against the Church and Christian lands. In the first line, the letter originally referred metaphorically to itself as “the hammer of the north,” meaning that it was a tool with which devout men of God might drive back the barbarian invaders and restore the glory of Rome. Over time, this has metamorphosed into other wordings, such as “the hammer of the infidels,” “the hammer of the heretics,” and even “the hammer of the witches.” For this reason, it is sometimes called the malleus epistula, or hammer-letter, though never by members of the tradition. In fact, none of these infernalists know or recognize that they practice maleficia and sorcery, and they do not communicate with each other at all.

Fenicil and the Malleus Epistula According to Hermetic legend, the first Primus of House Guernicus, Fenicil, discovered a strange letter that resembled the malleus epistula while he was searching for ancient knowledge he could use to unite his House. It is said that he decided the letter was diabolical, and instead of incorporating it into his secret rituals, he burned it. Later, he described it to some of his followers as a dangerous idea that might be used against magi. He is remembered as saying that “when fools have a hammer, everything seems a nail to them; this evil letter is a witch-hammer, and so it will find witches everywhere.” In reference to this story, some Quaesitores refer to overzealous inquisitors as “witch-hammers,” and thus it is the closest thing to a name this tradition possesses. Some Quaesitors fear that Fenicil did not in fact burn the letter, however, or that others in the Order have copies of it. When the collection of documents known as the Duresca scrolls was unearthed in Iberia — documents that seemed to suggest that House Guernicus had a secret agenda to take over the Order — those Quaesitors familiar with the story of Fenicil’s letter noticed the frequent use of the term “hammer” in the language of the scrolls, especially at one point where it specifically describes the Peripheral Code as their malleus magorum, the hammer with which they would subdue and eventually destroy the other wizards of Europe. Of course, this might simply be a coincidence, but it does suggest that the author of the scrolls, whether they were forgeries or not, belonged to this Infernal tradition.

In the last paragraph, the letter instructs the recipient to make six copies, and to anonymously send them to fellow members of the Church. It warns that if this is not done, or if the recipient should lose or misplace the letter, or show it to anyone else, or speak of it to another, a terrible thing will happen. The specific effects of this curse vary: some copies predict the death of the recipient, or the triumph of the infidel over all of Europe, or even the collapse of the Christian faith and the utter destruction of the world.

The key message of the letter is that it is not sinful to torture or kill heretics and pagans, but that in fact it is the duty of all good Christians. Since God does not punish the innocent, it does no harm to put good people to death, and in fact this speeds their journey to paradise. If there is any suspicion that a person is unfaithful, torture is a reliable means of drawing him back to the faith, because by confessing he removes the stain of sin. If he is not guilty, he will feel no pain, since God will intervene to protect him.

The letter includes sections describing methods for manipulating a trial, specifically the suggestion that the inquisitor begin by asking if the defendant believes in the Devil. Use of ordeals to prove guilt, such as the “test of the cold water” (see Realms of Power: The Divine) is also mentioned. It also points out how women are much more likely to stray into heresy and witchcraft than men, because they are “weaker, frailer, more given to passion, less able to reason, and generally more stupid.” However, it advises that men and women should still be investigated and punished with the same methods.

The malleus epistula is essentially a summa (Quality 26, Level 1) on all four Favored Abilities of the tradition, and by studying the document for a season, characters may learn one of these powers, along with suggestions for putting it to use. These include forcing suspected heretics and witches to confess, usually through many different forms of torture, and then burning them to death; and banishing demons (and any sort of supernatural creature is usually considered a demon) by compelling them to manifest and enacting special exorcism rituals, usually involving a bell, book, and candle. Success supposedly fills the infernalist with the power of God, as a reward for punishing the wicked.

The Orléans Heretics

In 1022 in the town of Orléans, a heresy was uncovered which was startling in its extent. A nobleman of northern France called Aréfast had the matter brought to his attention by his chaplain, who had journeyed to Orléans and had encountered the corruption of the priesthood there firsthand. Two of the priests he met had reputations for great wisdom and holiness, but upon undergoing instruction from them, the chaplain realized their heresy. When Aréfast reported this to the king of France, he was asked to investigate the issue, so he traveled to Orléans himself, pretending to be an earnest seeker. He was not alone; the priests had already gained other upper-class disciples, and he was told that the absurd teachings he had received up to now would be driven from his heart, and he would receive the true teachings of the Holy Spirit.

These teachings included some of the same heresies that would later become associated with Catharism (see Realms of Power: The Divine): that the sacraments of baptism and holy communion were of no value, that Christ was not born of a virgin, and that he did not rise from the dead. Followers were told to believe only what they could see with their own eyes and to be guided by the Holy Spirit. However, their supposed wickedness was not restricted to false

doctrine. Aréfast claimed to have witnessed sexual orgies, the summoning of demons, and the ritual cremation of the babies born of their indiscriminate sexual intercourse. The ashes of these fires were preserved, and once consumed, allowed the infernalist to see the “true” power of the Holy Spirit. They experienced powerful visions and found that they could be transported in an instant from one place to another.

Whether or not the heretics of Orléans actually did what Aréfast ascribed to them cannot be determined, but in many ways his techniques match the inquisitorial methods described in the malleus epistula, especially his accusations and use of torture to obtain confessions. In all, ten priests attached to the Cathedral of Sainte Croix in Orléans were arrested, one of whom had been the confessor of the Queen of France. Along with this core group, many others were taken, including nuns and young noblemen. The clerics were burnt outside of the city walls (it was later recorded that they laughed with glee while the flames consumed them). However, even with the help of Aréfast, the Bishop of Orléans was concerned that not all of the heretics had been captured, and subsequently all those who had received teaching from them were suspect.

Story Hook: Legacy of Orléans True to the fears of the bishop, some of the Orléans heretics escaped, and fled to safe houses where they were able to hide from those seeking to punish them for their crimes, and continue teaching their dangerous ideas to their disciples. One of their descendants, a priest, is suspected of practicing this heresy and was captured by a witch-hammer, but somehow managed to escape before the inquisition began. He arrives at the covenant and asks for sanctuary. He is cagey about his past, but if his story is uncovered, he claims that the heretics of Orléans were unfairly persecuted. He does not deny their heretical beliefs, which promote a very skeptical view of God and the universe, but claims that the Church has manufactured the evidence of their devil-worship because it fears the truth of their message. Of course, if allowed to stay, he continues to preach his heresy to all those who will listen.

The Infernal Corrupt Traditions

Some people are just plain evil, and need no encouragement from demons to sin. Although it is generally seen as wasted effort for demons to concern themselves with such individuals — damned as they already are — some demons manipulate such folk to corrupt others. As this corruption spreads, the demon may use the structure of a religion to control their growing band of evil men and women. Such infernalists cannot be entirely ignorant of the sinful nature of their activities, but may genuinely subscribe to a philosophy that teaches them their evil actions will secure them freedom from the torments of Hell.

Other Infernal traditions are fully aware of the nature of the entities they serve, but do not do so for the love of evil. In ancient times, placatory cults were common, people who obeyed the dictates of a cruel god to appease it and avoid misfortune, or to convince it to go away and leave their people alone. Many of these deities may have been faeries or magical beings, but because their worship involved evil acts (such as human sacrifice, a common rite to ensure the fertility of the fields and avert the eyes of the neighboring tribes), such abhorrent forms of veneration became tainted with the power of the Infernal, and their adherents were unwittingly transformed into infernalists. In any case, appeasing a demon may solve the problem in the short term, but is a form of infernalism as it corrupts the soul — to avoid sin, a person must not give in to the Devil, no matter what the consequences.

Infernal Tradition: Dark Gnostics

Favored Abilities: Diablerie, Entrancement, Incantation, Phantasm

Of all the religious groups that were springing into existence during the first millennium, the Gnostics have been given the most credit for the spread of devilworship by the Church. There are (and have been) many different varieties of Gnosticism, but most have a few key facts in common — that the world is really Hell, that mankind was created by a rebel angel, and that the apparently savage and cruel God of the Old Testament was actually the Devil. Most Gnostic cults teach that Jesus Christ is the savior who will liberate human souls trapped in the world of evil and bring them to the world of the true God.

Some of the cults deriving from Gnostic teaching have become Divine religions, such as Catharism, as they continue to selflessly revere one God above all others, even though this God does not conform exactly to the God of the Christian Church. However, there are many other groups of Gnostics still active in Mythic Europe in the 13th century who are knowingly Infernal, with beliefs based on a selfish and sinful philosophy. The Dark Gnostic tradition is made of up those who preach that sinful acts have moral value. They may still worship one God, but because they encourage evil acts in his name, they are infernalists.

One example is the Ophites, a Gnostic sect that worships the serpent of paradise, honoring him as the symbol of God in all things. They see the events of the Garden of Eden as the beginning of the world designed for man by God, and revel in original sin, which they regard as the freedom to follow their natural impulses in the spirit of scholastic inquiry. The serpent of Eden liberated mankind from the shackles of their joyless prison, by encouraging them to taste the fruit of knowledge. They teach that mankind should seek paradise on earth by following his advice, pursuing all the pleasures the world has to offer.

Another Gnostic sect with Infernal ties is the Brethren of the Free Spirit, a name possibly taken from the writings of a medieval prophet named Joachim of Flora, though it embraces many different heresies with broadly similar philosophies. Essentially, those who belong to the tradi tion advocate giving way to their desires in all things, but doing so in the name of God. They are not simple hedonists, but men and women who conscientiously act out their most depraved fantasies as a form of religious devotion.

These philosophies derive from the theological tenet that God is everywhere, a commonly accepted fact in medieval beliefs. God is wholly part of his creation, and so according to the Bible, God was part of everything in the Garden of Eden. So, the Ophites say, God was part of the serpent, making the serpent a part of God. Thus God is the serpent, just as he is the trees and the animals and the man and woman made in his own image — God is the Devil; they are one and the same, and everything he does in his devilish aspect is for a holy purpose.

It also follows that if God is part of everything, everything is part of God. Thus, every person is God. From this, heretical medieval thinkers like the Brethren of the Free Spirit reason that each one of them being God, they need to obey no laws, for they can each per ceive the truth from within. God cannot do evil, so anything that they feel a desire to do cannot be evil. In fact, urges to lust, greed, or other sins should be fulfilled as soon as possible, since they must actually come from God. The only evil is to resist those feelings, since they are the voice of God himself.

These infernalist heretics tend to be drawn from the educated class of clerics, those who understand the teachings of the Church, but who secretly reject it. Many are monks or nuns. In a curious reversal of Catharist customs, they often practice strict asceticism as neophytes, but when fully initiated they are permitted all things, including fornication, homosexuality, and incest (even upon the high altar). Many of them use the serpent as a symbol of their beliefs, and some incorporate live snakes into their devotional rituals.

Those who follow the Dark Gnostic tradition often use their maleficia to learn more about the world around them, and are said to gain extraordinary insight through their meditative rites. Despite the vile and wicked acts in which they regularly engage, they are generally introverted and passionless, their desires tending more towards ambition, knowledge, and power. Those of them who extract Infernal blessings from the demons they command come the closest to achieving the perfect order envisioned by Joachim of Flora, but over time the results are truly frightening to behold.

Joachim of Flora

The writings and prophecies of the half-mythical Joachim of Flora can be found scattered throughout Mythic Europe, but are often given particular reverence by Gnostic infernalists. He seems to have been a worldly young nobleman of Calabria, who converted to the Christian faith in about 1175, when he began to experience strange and prophetic visions concerning the future and the past as described in the scriptures. He was ordained as a priest and took the vows of the Cistercian Order. Unwillingly, he was made abbot of the monastery of Curazzo, but fled from his charge in order to devote himself to the commission he had received from God.

His writings and the legends that grew up about him became a great mass of popular tradition. What Merlin was in the field of romance, Abbot Joachim became in the field of religion. He could explain all the mysterious meanings of the Bible and foretell the future, though these prophesies were often incoherent. He interpreted every episode of the Old Testament in terms of the New and both in terms of later history. Each Biblical character or event represented some person or occurrence or condition in the present, or anticipated some state of man or of the Church in the future. From this, he taught that there were three periods of the world: the period of the Law or of the Father; the period of the Gospel or of the Son; and the period of the Holy Spirit.

The second period, which as he taught began with the birth of Christ, is marred by avarice, lustfulness, and falsehood in the Church, and unhappiness among the people. But this period is approaching its end: he calculated that in the year 1260, a new age will begin; the present hierarchy will disappear, and a new order of monks will take over to guide mankind into a very different age. Joachim had figured this out by calculating that it was about forty-two generations from the birth of Christ. He arrived at this conclusion by citing the story of Judith, who the scriptures said had remained a widow for three and a half years, or forty-two months, which is 1260 days. The Bible says that with the Lord, a day is like a year, thus the year is 1260. This date is supported by other parts of scripture as well, including the Book of Daniel and the Revelation of St. John.

The fantastic analogies, predictions, and allegories of Abbot Joachim were perceived by many as a bitter condemnation of the Church, and critical of all forms of religion. In the coming era, he wrote, the ecclesiastical observances would be superfluous, and men would live in a continual ecstasy, no longer bound by rules, but free to do what they wished when the desire took them. These visions, it was said, obscured the teaching of the pious and lessened the authority of the Church in the minds of all those who embraced them, and Joachim’s essays were condemned as heretical by the Fourth Lateran Council, thirteen years after his death.

Infernal Tradition: The Dread Host

Favored Abilities: Binding, Effusion, Incantation, Summoning

Many peasant folk tales describe how the dead walk again among the living, in service to their Infernal masters or to commit greater sins than those they practiced in life. These tales might originate from the acts of this tradition, whose members believe that their status in Hell during life carries over to their status in Hell after death. That is, they imagine that they can become Infernal ghosts when they die, essentially becoming demons in the Infernal hierarchy, and they take steps to ensure this. Typically, this involves binding demons as their servants, occasionally even binding them to their own bodies.

Story Hook: Snake in the Grass The parish priest of a church near the covenant is replaced with a man clearly more educated and charismatic than the previous incumbent. The new priest is friendly and an inspiring teacher, and has a liberal attitude towards magic that might win him friends amongst the magi. The spiritual guidance he offers his flock is surprisingly libertine, subtly suggesting that whatever feels good is right, although he is never overt in his heresy, and in the main sticks to Church doctrine. The priest is actually a Dark Gnostic. He keeps snakes in a basket in the basement of his church, one of which is a Spirit of Deceit in disguise. This demon is gradually corrupting the parish with its Obsession, and the priest is reinforcing those beliefs with his teaching. The corruption is a slow process, but will pay off in the long term with a whole parish of corrupted worshipers.

In a sense, the Dread Host is a sort of Infernal cult of saints, where the living members venerate the dead, drawing them out from oblivion and binding them into Infernal relics. Because the beings bound into these objects can still use some of their powers, penalized though they are by the Dominion, these relics often appear to bring about credible miracles, and many infernalists have made their fortunes selling false relics to powerful nobility, monasteries, and churches hoping to profit from Christian pilgrimage.

The Dread Host also summons Infernal spirits to inhabit their servants and followers, ostensibly to watch over them to see that they do not falter, and to strengthen their resolve should they doubt. It is essentially slavery, however, as they are binding these unfortunate souls to their masters’ will as surely as the ghosts, so that they cannot flee their rule. It is also a form of payment for the spirits called by the Host, granting them a form of borrowed life in exchange for their assistance with the goals of the infernalists in the tradition.

Perhaps the most morbid practice of the Dread Host is the phenomenon that will eventually become known as the danse macabre. Possessed by Infernal spirits, forced to act by them against their will, troupes of people are often compelled to jump and dance across the land in a grisly demonstration of death’s hastening. Why the followers of the tradition make them do this is not clear, but the passing of the grim procession serves as a reminder to others that life is unpleasant and short, and encourages them to end their suffering on earth by taking their own lives. Many who see them are inspired to join their dance and soon die of exhaustion, and those who do not are left broken shells of their former selves, ripe for abuse and initiation into the tradition. Their ranks may also include ritual flagellators, who whip themselves into unconsciousness in a frenzy of corporeal passion, and mad peasants, who wander about in a daze, pillaging and burning and making wild demands of the nobility.

These Infernal processions are rare in the 13th century, though as of 1220 there have been two notable instances in recent memory, both times at large fairs held in central Germany. According to accounts, the disturbing show was seen by many as a form of pious asceticism, and onlookers admired the passionless fortitude possessed by these apparently fanatical figures. It may be that the unfortunates forced to perform the danse do manage to avoid despairing of their condition and somehow endure the torture of their possession without losing faith, so escaping eternal damnation by the grace of God. However, the Dread Host believes that most people subjected to such horrors instead come to accept them and even perpetuate them, or seize any opportunity to end their miserable lives, and so become either willing infernalists for the cause or ghostly grist for their unholy mill.

The Princes of Mecklenburg The lords and ladies of the noble family of Mecklenburg — named after their chief seat, situated between Rostock and Lübeck in Northern Germany — were once princes of their realm. Their Sorbian dynasty is now in decline, not least due to their worship of a being called Radegast. The ancestors of the Mecklenburgs worshiped Radegast before Christianity ever came to this region, but it is unclear whether Radegast was always a demon. He may have once been a faerie lord who switched allegiance to Hell, or one of their ancestors who gained great power after death, or else he was usurped by the demon now calling himself Radegast. Whatever the truth, the Princes of Mecklenburg continue to venerate him, hidden in their castle, safe from the sight of the rest of the world. The Count of Mecklenburg, Adolv, is the head of the family and is now very old, his life extended long beyond his body’s ability to bear it through the “blessings” of his god (which are actually spirits bound to his body, sustaining it). The real power in the castle is the Countess Mechthild and her eldest son Kaspar, from a previous marriage. Adolv and Mechthild have four other children who despise the power that their stepbrother has over the day-today running of the province, when he doesn’t even bear the blood. All five of the second generation of Mecklenburgs have families of their own, all worshipers of Radegast. Furthermore, there are several associates of the family who are also devotees of the demon. All serving-folk who dwell within the walls of the castle participate in the rites; many are descended from longserving families devoted to their masters, and inbreeding is a severe problem among nobles and commoners alike. The Mecklenburg family also has a stranglehold on their demesne, and while the peasants whisper of the dark deeds of their lieges, many serve them out of fear, though they are sure to bar their doors each night. It is said that most of the castle guards are already dead, but that their bodies continue to stand at their posts in service to the will of their terrifying masters, possessed by shadows of their former selves. The Mecklenburgs are all infernalists to some extent, members of the Dread Host. Mechthild is the most powerful — she is extremely accomplished at Summoning and Binding spirits and has a Hierarchy Score of 7 — but to her constant annoyance, her favorite son has learned very little of her knowledge and shows no enthusiasm for it. However, her eldest is by far the most physically powerful, and has been able to dominate his stepbrothers and stepsisters. While Kaspar is too dimwitted to realize it, Mechthild dreads the day that her stepchildren overcome their paranoia and distrust for each other and stand as one against Kaspar. The Princes of Mecklenburg would make an excellent foe for a covenant of magi. While they have lost much of their former power, they have sufficient political clout — and sufficient blackmail material — to prevent them from being easily destroyed by the characters, even by those who are aware of their nature. Their Infernal power is also to be feared, and it is fortunate for the region that the family is so caught up in the power plays between brother and sister that their influence does not extend far beyond the walls of their sprawling castle. Story Hook: The White Sheep Miklos is the illegitimate son of one of the Mecklenburgs; he is despised because he refuses to partake in the worship of Radegast and the rites of the Dread Host, but he will not leave the castle because his mother is being held hostage there. She has long since lost her mind, having witnessed too much in her many years as a servant. Miklos is now in his late teens, and prone to mak ing extended excursions from the castle. Miklos also has The Gift, and has the potential to make a great magus despite his tainted background. If a magus discovers Miklos, he might take him as an apprentice without realizing that he comes with a lot of baggage. Once the Mecklenburgs discover where their errant son has gone, they will certainly want him back.

Infernal Tradition: The Mulhidun

Favored Abilities: Ablating, Binding, Commanding, Summoning

To the north of the Persian city of Mosul, and in the lands occupied by the Seljuks to the east of the Byzantine Empire, there is a widespread group of devil-worshipers greatly feared by the followers of Islam. According to legend, they worship a shaitan (demon) who has deceived them into believing that he is the true ruler of the world. They do not deny that God made the world, however, they consider him to be merely a craftsman, just as a blacksmith who makes a sword cannot be considered a warrior.

The Mulhidun (singular Mulhid) revere Enais, the Peacock Angel, as the salvation of mankind. Enais extinguished the fires of Hell and freed mankind from its slavery. However, in this task he also released the demons of Hell, and it is the duty of the Mulhidun to exert control over these spirits, forcing them to labor as servants of man to prevent them from working evil. Through the power of the Peacock Angel and his seven subsidiary deities (one for each planet), the Mulhidun summon and control demons, and put them to work.

Unfortunately, a religion which promotes regular traffic with demons is by definition corrupt, and by following the blasphemy of Enais, the Mulhidun have been corrupted into an Infernal tradition. Instead of destroying demons for the good of all mankind, they use their power over them for selfish purposes. Instead of seeking salvation of the spirit, they seek comfort of the body. They benefit from their association with demons, and that makes them evil.

The Mulhidun are the bugbear of the Muslim tribes who dwell in the hills of Persia and Armenia. They are the source of many folk tales about evil sorcerers who torment God-fearing tribes out of sheer malice, and who steal virgins for their unholy rites. The majority of Mulhidun are cultists who venerate the Devil in the form of the Peacock Angel, and in his name they study and practice Infernal Powers that summon and control demons. Not all Mulhidun use demons for evil, of course, but most use them for selfish purposes. For example, a Mulhid tribe might have enslaved demons tilling their fields, weeding the crops, and performing tasks of manual labor such as fetching water and building houses.

The Real Mulhidun The Yezidi or Yazidi are Kurdish members of a small Middle-eastern religion that blends elements of Zoroastrianism, Manicheism, and Islam with local preIslamic beliefs and a smattering of other religions. They call themselves the Dasin; the name Yezidi is derived from the Pahlavi word yazd, meaning “angel.” Most Yezidis live in Iraq, but there are other communities in Syria, Turkey, Iran, Georgia, and Armenia. In all regions, the Yezidis have been oppressed as devil-worshipers, for they teach that Malak Ta’us, the Peacock Angel, rebelled against God and destroyed his Creation. However, they also believe that the Peacock Angel repented of his sins and recreated the world that he had destroyed. His tears were used to quench the fires of Hell. The Yezidis are exclusive, and do not intermarry, even with other Kurds; nor do they accept any converts to their religion. They forbid the wearing of dark blue, and the eating of lettuce and beans. Their sacred texts are the Book of Revelation and the Black Book, unique to their own religion. Wednesday is the holy day of the Yezidis, but Saturday is the day of rest. The strongest punishment leveled by Yezidi communities is expulsion, and this is also excommunication, for the transgressor is divorced from the soul of his people. In 1162, Sheikh Adii ibn Mustafa radically reformed the religion, and he is considered a saint to those of the faith. The Mulhidun represented here might have developed from a heretical sect from before the reform, but are not intended to depict the adherents of the Yezidi faith.

Story Hook: The Demon Scholar The Mulhidun are among the most knowledgeable of demonologists, and have vast information about the Infernal realm, including many grimoires full of demonic True Names. Magi who are desperate to uncover information about a specific demon might be driven to track down a Mulhid expert. However, distinguishing an honest Mulhid from a corrupted one may prove to be a difficult task.

The reason that Hell allows this servitude to continue is twofold. Firstly, by encouraging laziness amongst the Mulhid tribes, they are not prone to seek salvation, and the propensity for self-indulgent sin is increased. Furthermore, the temptation to use demons for acts of revenge becomes very great. Secondly, the Mulhidun prosper in these harsh lands due to demonic support; this only serves to increase the jealousy between the Mulhidun and the Muslims. The result of this jealousy is local instability and crimes of envy and violence. Every few years (often when things are particularly harsh, such as during a famine or drought), the Muslim community decides to rid itself of the Mulhidun menace. These jihads are driven more by greed and jealousy than they are by piety, and thus the Muslim tribe falls into the trap of Hell.

The Mulhidun are all considered to be infernalists, though in any given community there may only be a handful of actual sorcerers. Since they are capable of binding demons to unholy charms that at least appear to grant control over the demonic slaves, many outsiders mistakenly think they all have the power to command the demons that serve them.

Hermetic Traditions

The Order of Hermes is not immune to the Devil’s wiles, and in fact many examples of magi who practice diabolism and Infernally tainted magic have appeared in the organization throughout the years since the Founding. In general, demons love corrupting wizards, because magi already have enough magical power to make them powerful weapons in support of Hell’s goals, and are typically hun gry for still more power, so that it is easy to tempt them. Furthermore, magi generally avoid the Divine realm, making them unlikely to seek out repentance, and they are often susceptible to the sin of pride, making them less likely to decide they need to do so. All in all, magi are excellent targets for Infernal corruption.

When a group of magi with similar goals and backgrounds regularly gather to practice their Arts and teach each other magic, it is called a Hermetic societas, and the three societates that follow often attract magi and other characters associated with the Order of Hermes who are particularly susceptible to corruption by the Infernal realm. Most Tribunals would probably not consider it a Hermetic crime merely to belong to such a group — whether it is based on an Infernal lineage, an evil Mystery Cult, or an immoral philosophy — but these characters should expect to be treated with suspicion and watched carefully for signs of Infernal activity by their sodales and the Quaesitores if their affiliation becomes widely known.

Infernal Societas: The Damhadh-Duidsan

Favored Abilities: Consumption, Incantation, Malediction, Shapechanging

When Pralix led her crusade into the British Isles to crush Damhan-Allaidh the Spider, she was joined by a Gaelic hedge wizard named Damhadh-Duidas (DAHvee-doo-ID-as, roughly “malice-writer”), who came from somewhere in the British Isles and descended from the same magical tradition as Damhan-Allaidh. By carving strange runes into trees and stones, or writing these symbols on his face and arms with chalk or ashes, he could curse and steal the life from his enemies, healing himself and inflicting terrible wounds upon them in return.

Many think that Damhadh-Duidas joined the Ordo Miscellany intending to betray them as an agent of DamhanAllaidh. If that is the case, he never had the opportunity, perhaps because Pralix did not trust him and watched him carefully, forcing him to prove his loyalty when it counted. They won two battles decisively because of his efforts, but he did not participate in the final offensive against Damhan-Allaidh (many think this was because Pralix held him in reserve and he had no chance to do anything against her), so his treachery never came to pass.

Despite his questionable allegiance, Damhadh-Duidas’s actions gained him the respect of his allies, and he joined the Order of Hermes as part of the new House Ex Miscellanea. He swore the Oath with the others and returned to Britain. There he taught two apprentices, continuing his magical tradition as an esoteric lineage within the Order, teaching them his secrets without revealing their Infernal nature. He always harbored a deep grudge against Pralix, however, and many believe he was ultimately responsible for her death.

Ogam Writing Ogam (pronounced OH-yam) is a form of arcane writing practiced by the Damhadh-Duidsan and other wizards descended from Gaelic traditions, characterized by short strokes across a long vertical line, each letter represented by one to five strokes drawn very close to each other. Those who scribe with it often carve the runes into short sticks, or draw them upon the ground or their own bodies. Ogam writing has a mystical reputation, as the common people have usually seen it only on tombstones or curse-tablets, and its origins are unknown. Some think it is native to the British Isles, while others believe it is based on the Roman alphabet or some other form of writing from even further afield. All Damhadh-Duidsan learn to inscribe incantations using this system of writing, and no special Abilities are needed to represent this knowledge, apart from a Language score of at least 2 that may be used to sound out the letters. This is not very complicated writing, since the Damhadh-Duidsan usually just inscribe simple names and dates, thus the Ability score requirements are less strict than they would be for writing books.

Those few in the societas who still practice their ancestor’s diabolism do so in secret, as it is not generally known that Damhadh-Duidas was an infernalist. Characters who belong to the tradition are probably aware that they come from a tainted bloodline, but Ex Miscellanea magi often have a bad reputation anyway, and they may not know for sure which of their brothers and sisters are infernalists and which are not. Many of the magi who come from this lineage have no desire to associate with the diabolical members of their Hermetic family; they do not study the favored Abilities that are part of the maleficia and try very hard to put the trappings of their Infernal past behind them.

Giant Blood is very common in the tradition — both Damhan-Allaidh and Damhadh-Duidas were descended from the giants, according to legend, and although Damhadh-Duidas did not manifest this Virtue, many of his followers come from the same racial stock. There are also said to be other non-Hermetic wizards still living in the lands further north — in Scotland, Scandinavia, and Iceland — who descend from a similar magical tradition, and who also have the blood of giants.

To design a magus from the Damhadh-Duidsan tradition, use the Ex Miscellanea character template, taking Puissant Corpus, Necessary Condition (runes), and either Shapechanging, Giant Blood, or Incantation for your free Virtues and Flaws. For a character without The Gift who descends from the same race of people, you might design a companion with one or more of the tradition’s Favored Abilities, or even a Mythic Companion using the Diabolist template (see Chapter 10: The Maleficia).

Story Hook: The Spider’s Web A character who belongs to the line of Damhadh-Duidas begins to experience powerful visions of anger and contempt, along with the image of a great spider trapped within a block of ice. As he watches, the ice begins to melt, and soon the creature is freed, rising up on a great flood of water that crashes towards him. It speaks words directly into his mind: “I am the Spider, and you know me. You have two choices: to join me and atone for the betrayal committed by your ancestor, or to be among the first to fall when I rise from my prison and regain my power. I am coming for you, deceiver, of this you can be sure, for we are bound by bonds that are stronger than blood and tighter than death.” A series of images follow, including a black stone with what looks like an Ogam rune engraved on its face, and a great fanged serpent burrowing through the center of the earth. Investigation of these troubling visions leads only to the realization that every Damhadh-Duidsan has been experiencing them periodically. Other hedge wizards who originally come from the British Isles might also receive them, especially any magi Hermetically descended from original members of the Ordo Miscellany. The Spider is obviously Damhan-Allaidh, who — it appears — was not vanquished entirely, and to stop the visions the character must try to discover what became of him after the battle of 814. Perhaps the images of the stone and the serpent are clues leading to his last resting place?

Infernal Societas: The Ordo Vagorum

Favored Abilities: Consumption, Corruption, Debauchery, Psychomachia

The Church faces a major social and disciplinary problem in the 13th century caused by burgeoning intellectualism and the rise of universities. These institutions have produced a veritable army of tonsured clerks who have been spoiled for manual labor by too much education, but who, after being discharged from school and failing to find a benefice instead of returning to the peasant class take to the degrading life of strolling players and jongleurs while still claiming the alms and privileges of canon law that are due to the clergy.

Of course this is sinful behavior; it is pardonable, but still wrong, yet the vagantes (“vagabonds”) who do it rarely seek forgiveness. Criticized by the religious hierarchy for their un-Christian ways, many of these student-beggars have formed their own religious order, the Ordo Vagorum (“the Order of Vagrants”), with their own rules, councils, canons, and creed, everything in mockery of the regular clergy. Most of these vagantes are harmless buffoons, rascals, and satirists who delight in making fun of the organization that thinks so little of them, and publish songs and poems that lampoon the liturgy in burlesque to entertain the common folk. This sort of entry-level infernalist easily takes to hedonism and pleasures of the flesh, and answers to the term “Goliard,” a title whose origin is already muddled by myth, but is generally believed to refer to a tenth-century hedonist known as Bishop Golias.

Their secret society is structured similarly to the newly emerging mendicant orders, with a bishop or “archprimate” who oversees all the transient vagabonds within a large area, and who is responsible for what little organization their order requires. These senior infernalists are the ones who teach the maleficia to those initiated into their conventus. They use these Powers to improve themselves, to set a “good” example for others, and to make their ways seem more attractive. They also do their best to make the Church look foolish and dull, carrying the message that religion is restrictive, boring, and intolerant. They then demonstrate that infernalism is fun and friendly, and that all sorts of things that the priests say are wrong are actually quite good for you. Gambling, drinking, sex, and song are all delightful pastimes and should be enjoyed more often, they say. Relax, let down your hair, and let the Devil give you a show.

The Ordo Vagorum is extremely modern in Mythic Europe, having only become a recognizable organization in the last 50 years or so. In 1220, there are essentially three “chapters”: the central order in Paris, which has spread through most of northern France; a lesser group called the Vagi Scholares (“wandering scholars”) centered in Austria and the eastern marches of the Alps; and a clan of vagantes from northern Italy that is sometimes called the Eberhardini. However, all of these infernalists are extremely mobile, and often travel where whimsy takes them, singly or even as groups of traveling players. The vagabond order has very loose ties to the Order of Hermes, through the many Redcaps that have joined the Goliards as a Mercere societas (see Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 93, for more details), though neither group knowingly associates with the other. There are a few legends and hints floating among the rabble concerning a secret order of wizards who look after them, but both the Redcaps and the infernalist vagantes believe that these clues refer to themselves, and thus see little reason to investigate them further. Still, it is hard to believe that two groups with the same name and the same background could co-exist in the same part of the world without some association with each other, so perhaps there really is more to their relationship than meets the eye.

Both Redcap and non-Redcap vagantes should follow the requirements for joining the Goliards, as presented in Houses of Hermes: True Lineages. That is, they should take either Clerk or Educated, and have some sort of sinful Compulsion. They should also have a Virtue or Flaw that explains their Infernal background, such as Diabolic Past or Student of the Infernal, and may take any of the Favored Abilities listed above as Virtues during character creation. For a magus vaganti, the character should belong to either House Mercere or House Jerbiton, the latter designed with strong ties to the universities.

Story Hook: A House of Ill-Repute If it is true, as is often said among the Mercere, that Golias was a Redcap who lived with the infernalists at Fudarus, it may be too late to prevent the House from becoming corrupted. If these infernalist Redcaps are a localized phenomenon, the senior Redcaps might be willing to out them and see them Marched, but if they have spread throughout the Order it may be in the best interests of the House to keep them secret and deal with them internally, since their discovery by the other Houses would throw their organization into turmoil. They have seen how magi treat others accused of such crimes, such as the Tytalus diabolists and especially the Diedne, and they might believe that this scandal would lead to their disgrace, disbandment, and possibly even execution. They cannot allow this to happen, so instead they might begin to distance themselves from the Goliards, perhaps quietly suggesting that they be allowed to join House Jerbiton instead. Suppose that local members of House Mercere are aware of the problem and have already begun to deal with it, when the characters inadvertently stumble into the middle of everything. They somehow discover that a Redcap who visits their covenant is an infernalist — perhaps while he performs a bawdy song, a character who is sensitive to the Infernal feels the presence of evil powers. Assuming this realization leads to them telling someone in House Mercere’s organization, how will they react when the other Redcaps in the area approach them and beg them to ignore their wayward sibling’s crimes for the good of the Order?

Infernal Societas: The Witches of Thessaly

Favored Abilties: Chthonic Magic, Commanding, Hex, Summoning

When the first Hermetic magi began to search for exotic wizards to join their new Order of Hermes, their greatest resistance came from Thessaly, in what would become the Tribunal of Thebes.

The original Thessalians were reclusive worshipers of sinister gods of the underworld; they practiced sorcery, necromancy, and could cast potent curses at their enemies. The Hermetic wizards who sought them out could not defeat the spirits that guarded their tomb-like homes, and were eventually forced to abandon the campaign.

They never joined the Order, and a small number of these “wild” Thessalians still survive in the region today, called the “Daughters of Erictho” by magi who know of them. They dwell in the Cambunian Mountains on the northern border of Thessaly, where they can quickly and easily move between portals that lead to Faerie regiones and their cliffside caves. Their ways are pagan, but these rites are inherently selfish and full of dark mischief, and thus the line separating their practices from demon worship is very fine. Most of them have Infernal Powers, and are thus considered to be infernalists.

When representatives of Ex Miscellanea reached Greece almost a hundred years later, a few of these witches emerged from their caves and agreed to swear the Oath to become part of the newest House. The ravages of war and the march of the Dominion had been steadily eroding their power, and though they had refused to join the Order under the banner of one of the Founders, once they could do so without swearing allegiance to any particular magus, many were more willing to accept the terms.

Other traditions with practices very similar to the witches of Thessaly may also be found throughout Mythic Europe. In the pagan lands of the Novgorod Tribunal, for example, there is a group of primitive shamans known as the Volkhvy, and a few of them (the “Koldun”) have forsaken their pagan ways and taken up sorcery instead. Modern magi might speculate that the outcast wizards of House Diedne were similarly tainted, and that perhaps their legendary skill with spontaneous casting was because of the chthonic nature of their magic. Trianoma was from Thessaly, and her sister Veia stole some of Bonisagus’s secrets and fled, perhaps establishing her own magical lineage elsewhere. And, some Thessalians have sought to distance themselves from their Greek counterparts and spread to other Tribunals and Houses that will have them.

Some Thessalians remain in contact with their sisters who did not join the Order, which usually places them under great suspicion of diabolism. The Quaesitors and Hoplites who know of the Daughters perceive their necromantic history as demonic and evil, and consider them obvious enemies of the Order. Yet for some Thessalian magi, the rewards of maintaining relations with these witches far outweighs the risks, for as members of the same Infernal tradition they can learn their Supernatural Abilities without penalty. Of course, they adamantly maintain that they do not do this, that all their Powers are associated with either the Magical or Faerie realms, and that they practice no infernalism of any kind.

“Wild Erictho ... directed her corrupt craft toward new rites. For her it was a crime to put her deathly head under a roof of the city of the protection of household gods. She inhabited abandoned graves and took over tombs after driving out the shades. She was welcome to the gods of Erebus. Neither the gods nor her still-living state forbade her from hearing the assemblies of the silent dead or knowing the Stygian houses and the secrets of buried Dis. The impious woman’s visage exhibited a foul and wasted decay. Her horrible face was burdened by a Stygian pallor and uncombed locks. It was unknown to the bright sky. But if a rainstorm and black clouds remove the stars, then the Thessalian emerges from the bare graves and tries to capture the lightnings of the night. She burns up the seeds of a fertile cornfield by treading on them, and by breathing she destroys breezes that were not formerly death-bringing. She does not pray to the gods; she does not call on the aid of any power with a hymn of supplication; she has no knowledge of favorable entrails. She delights in laying funereal fires on altars, together with the incense she has stolen from the lighted pyre. The gods concede to her every criminal prayer at her first asking, and they dread to hear the second spell. She buries in the tomb souls that are still living and governing their limbs, while death comes, despite itself, upon those to whom the fates still owe years of life. She turns the cortege around and brings the funeral back from the tomb. The corpses escape death. She snatches from the middle of pyres the smoking ashes of the young, together with their burning bones. She collects the very torch that the parents held, the remains of the funereal bier, fluttering about in black smoke, the clothes as they dissolve into cinders, and the ashes that smell of burnt limbs. But when the corpses are preserved in stone coffins, through the action of which their innermost moisture is drained and the bodies dry out, the corruption of the marrow drawn off, then she greedily exercises her cruelty on all the limbs. She plunges her hands into the eyes and delights to have dug out the frozen balls. She gnaws at the pale nails of the dried-out hand. She breaks with her jaws the noose and its harmful knots. She plucks at the hanging corpse and scrapes off crosses. She tears at guts beaten upon by rainstorms and bone marrow roasted in the rays of the sun. She takes the iron nail that pierces the hands, the corrupt black matter that runs over the limbs, and the congealed slime. She hangs off muscles that are resistant to her bite. And, should a body be lying on exposed ground, she takes up her position beside it before the wild beasts and the carrion birds arrive. She has no wish to harvest the limbs with a knife or her own hands. Rather, she waits for the wolves to bite it so that she can snatch the pieces from their unmoistened jaws. Her hands do not hesitate to slaughter, if living blood is required, of the kind that is the first to burst forth when a throat is opened, and her funereal tables demand entrails still aquiver. Babies are dragged out from a slashed-open belly, not the way nature intended, to be laid upon hot altars. Whenever she needs cruel and brazen shades, she herself manufactures the ghosts. Every human death is of some use to her. She tears the blooming cheek from the body of a young man. She cuts the lock with her left hand from the dying adolescent. Often too, at the funeral of a relation the dreadful Thessalian presses herself upon his limbs, dear to her as they are, and, while fixing kisses upon them, hacks bits off his head. With her teeth she releases the mouth, frozen shut, and, biting the end of the tongue that sticks fast in the dry throat, pours mutterings between the chill lips and sends secret and criminal orders down to the Stygian ghosts. — Lucan’s Pharsalia 6:507, written in 65 A.D.

Drawing Down the Moon The Thessalians were well known in the ancient world for practicing a form of sorcery known as “drawing down the moon,” a kind of sexual magic practiced almost exclusively by the witches. This is typified in the literature by witches dancing naked in the dark and then literally capturing the moon and pulling it to earth, for the purposes of inspiring unnatural erotic attraction. This process turned the moon pale or blood-red, and could even remove it from the sky for a short time. Exactly what it was they were doing has been lost to the obscurity of the ages; some medieval writers suggest that the witches were predicting eclipses, while others believe that they caused them, and others maintain that they affected the moon in a more literal fashion, unbound by magic’s inability to penetrate the lunar sphere. With their Infernal sorcery today, the witches practice a very different version of the “Thessalian crime” (as drawing down the moon is typically known). Instead of manipulating the physical moon, their rite draws down Selene, a succubus named for the Greek goddess that all the Daughters know how to summon. Selene is commanded to use her powers to seduce the man who is the object of the summoning witch’s desire. Then, the witch either instructs the demon to change its shape into that of the man and copulate with her as it did with him, satiating her lust and possibly impregnating herself with his seed; or else she commands the demon to return to the sky, leaving behind a foamy substance called virus lunare (“moon-juice”) that may be gathered from the earth and plants beneath it. This liquid is treated as an Arcane Connection to the man she seduced, and lasts for one month. A common use for this unusual harvest is the fashioning of kolossoi, dolls or figurines used for vengeful hexes. These dolls are typically made from one of a wide range of materials: wax, wool, and dough are most common, though lead, bronze, and clay are more lasting. If the virus lunare is added to the mixture before crafting the doll, it becomes a fixed Arcane Connection, lasting as long as the figurine is intact and recognizable as the target. This process is Magical, not Infernal, though of course the doll can be used for Infernal purposes.

Thessalians Ex Miscellanea should begin with an Affinity with Vim, Summoning, and Painful Magic as their free Virtues and Flaws. They might also learn Chthonic Magic during apprenticeship, as should witches who belong to other Houses. The Daughters of Erictho, characters intended either as companions or Mythic Companions, should be designed like Spirit Masters, above, though they should also take Commanding and Hex during character creation.

Story Hook: The Bad Seed A baby is born to one of the Daughters of Erictho nine months after she participates in the rites of drawing down the moon, and it is found to have been blessed with The Gift. She leaves the child with one of her Thessalian sisters, a maga in the Order of Hermes, with the hope that it will be raised as a Hermetic wizard. However, the child’s Gift is False, a result of the diabolic machinations that led to the witch’s pregnancy, and the child will grow up with a form of unholy magic. The demons hope to manipulate the young apprentice into infernalism over time, and so gain an agent among the local wizards. This background might be combined with the rules for tainted characters (see Chapter 9: Infernal Characters) to create an interesting character concept for a starting magus.

Attribution

Attribution Based on the material for Ars Magica, ©1993-2024, licensed by Trident, Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games®, under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license 4.0 ("CC-BY-SA 4.0"). Ars Magica Open License Logo ©2024 Trident, Inc. The Ars Magica Open License Logo, Ars Magica, and Mythic Europe are trademarks of Trident, Inc., and are used with permission. Order of Hermes, Tremere, Doissetep, and Grimgroth are trademarks of Paradox Interactive AB and are used with permission.