The Mysteries: Revised Edition Appendix C: Daimons

This page is part of the The Mysteries Revised Edition Open Content

Daimons

Magi who pursue the study of the Mysteries often deal with strange and powerful magical beings. The section that follows provides examples of the kinds of Daimons, potent magical creatures that the mystae may call upon or encounter in the course of their rites.

Daimonic spirits are powerful and unique beings, and the storyguide should craft them to allow for the telling of interesting stories. The following examples may act as useful models for designing your own Daimonic entities.

Daimons and some spirits and ghosts usually manifest physically. If they are taken to wound level Banished, they are dismissed and it may be many years before they return to Earth; Daimons are never killed or incapacitated by physical combat.

A Daimon also does not respond in person — it sends an Aspect of its spirit. The Aspect behaves as an independent earthly spirit while it is active, but when its reason for existence ends, it is absorbed back into the Daimon, residing among the stars, so the Daimon knows what all its Aspects have done. However, binding or destroying an Aspect has no effect on the Daimon itself. The ability of Daimons to create multiple Aspects in different places permits more than one magus to enter into a pact with a single Daimon. Other spirits in general lack the ability to create multiple Aspects.

Hermetic Theurgists often enter into pacts with Daimons, conjuring them as described in Chapter 9: Hermetic Theurgy, and bargaining for a service by using the rite and making a gift of vis that is part of the Invoke the Pact of (Daimon). Daimons are usually happy to have an Aspect summoned, as this increases their power as described in Chapter 9: Hermetic Theurgy, Ascendancy to the Hall of Heroes, Learning and Improving as a Daimonic Spirit.

The service provided by the Aspect and sealed by the pact varies by the specific Daimon invoked. All Daimons have powers, which are the most commonly invoked service. For example, a maga who is suffering from a terrible non-Hermetic curse laid upon her, and is unable to find a way to remove it by magic, may invoke the pact of Hipta, one of whose powers is the removal of curses, and ask her to perform this service. A theurgist involved in a terrible magical conflict might call upon the ancient Albanian deity Gydrytykom, a giant who can swallow spells, and use this to protect himself from the ritual being cast against him.

Daimons can serve in many other ways. Chnoubis the Serpent is often invoked to spy on one’s enemies, while Lasa Vegoia is well-known for her capacity to teach theurgy by her powers.

Many Daimons have mundane abilities, and these can be used to provide answers to questions or to reveal ancient secrets, or the synthemata and secrets of other lesser Daimons. For example, the Welsh bard Aneirin, now an ascended Daimon, can be conjured to describe many of the ancient ways of the Stonehenge Tribunal with his excellent Area Lore skill. Magi will undoubtedly be creative in how they summon and use these mighty spirits to further their plans, and the storyguide should consider creating a number of new Daimons who can be summoned to provide odd services that reflect their traditional areas of knowledge and the secrets of whose pacts can be learned in moldering grimoires.

Sample Daimons

Here are game statistics for a few sample Daimons. Storyguides may design others using their knowledge of mythology and the needs of their sagas that may offer similarly useful powers or knowledge to those who wish to enter into pacts with them.

Chnoubis the Serpent

• Magic Might: 30 (Mentem)
• Characteristics: Int +3, Per +6, Pre 0, 'Com +2, Str 0, Sta +3, Dex +3, Qik +5
• Size: –1
• Personality Traits: Curious +4, Diplomatic +3, Proud +2, Noble +1
• Combat:
  • Bite: Init +5, Attack +8, Defense +8, Damage +5*

* On being bitten the victim must make a Fatigue roll against an Ease Factor of 9 or lose a Fatigue level each round until he has succeeded for three consecutive rounds or fallen unconscious. While suffering these effects, the victim is unable to tell a lie (penetration 25, Mentem), and is eager to talk to anyone present about anything on his mind, talking to himself if necessary. Once the victim falls unconscious no further Fatigue is lost, but he awakens with a terrible headache and must make a Stamina stress roll (plus Art of Memory if he has that Ability) at an Ease Factor of 6 to recall what transpired.

• Soak: +9
• Wound Penalties: -1 (1-4), -3 (5-8), -5 (9-12), Banished (13+)
• Powers:
  • Augury, varies, Init +5, Mentem: By using this power Chnoubis is able to perform auguries as the Virtue Divination and Augury, with each Might Point allowing 10 levels of success.
  • Aura of Rightful Authority, 4 points, Init +5, Mentem: Equivalent to the ReMe20 Hermetic spell.
  • Discorporation, varies, 1 point, Init +7, Mentem: Becomes a discorporate spirit that can move as fast as lightning and is only visible to Intellego Vim magics or Second Sight. He sneaks up on victims invisibly and bites them, then listens to their secrets as the toxin takes effect.
• Vis: On being banished his scales remain, containing three pawns of Intellego and two of Mentem vis.
• Appearance: Chnoubis is a lion-headed serpent called upon for his abilities to scry and ferret out secrets. He claims to be a native of the Nile, but theurgists across Europe can successfully summon him. True to his appearance, Chnoubis is a powerful fighter, but is much more interested in the power of words.

Gydryty-kom the Giant

• Magic Might: 40 (Auram)
• Characteristics: Int 0, Per +1, Pre 0, Com –2, Str +8, Sta +6, Dex +3, Qik +3
• Size: +3
• Personality Traits: Hates Being Interrupted +4, Determined +3, Protective +2
• Combat:
  • Brawl: Init +3, Attack +10, Defense +10, Damage +8
• Soak: +20
• Wound Penalties: –1 (1-8), –3 (9-16), –5 (17-24), Banished (25+)
• Powers:
  • Auram Magic, varies, Init +3, Auram: May perform effects equivalent to any Auram magic at a cost of 1 point per magnitude, or for spells involving hail, 1 point per three magnitudes. Can perform Auram Ritual spells as is they were Formulaic spells; no extra time or vis is required.
  • Swallow Spells, 5 points, Init +3, Vim: Can swallow any magical spell or effect with a level of 50 or less, completely dispelling it.
• Vis: When he is banished, his tongue remains. It contains eight pawns of Auram vis.
• Appearance: The master of hail, Gydrytykom is a giant who can stretch his mouth from the ground to the clouds. He swallows storms and lighting, but grows angry when summoned because it interrupts his eternal battle with a Daimonic snake of fog that threatens to swallow the world. Gydryty-kom was once highly regarded in the lands of the Albanians, but his power has faded thanks to Christianity.

Hipta the Nurse

• Magic Might: 15 (Animal)
• Characteristics: Int +3, Per +1, Pre +3, Com +2, Str varies, Sta varies, Dex varies, Qik varies
• Size: Varies from –5 to +2
• Personality Traits: Calm +4, Protective +2
• Combat: Varies with form
• Soak: Varies
• Wound Penalties: Varies by form. Substitute Banished for Incapacitated.
• Powers:
  • Shapechange, 1 point, Init +5, Animal: May change form into any natural or fantastic beast from Size –5 to +2. The change is instantaneous, and she can always speak in any form.
  • Dispel, varies, Init +5, Vim: May perform any Perdo Vim spell at will, at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude. Hipta counts as familiar with all styles of magic for this purpose, and has a Penetration Ability of 30, making invoking her a common way to end malevolent curses.
• Vis: Leaves three pawns of Animal vis, in the form of a white feather, when banished.
• Appearance: The nurse of Dionysus, Hipta is a powerful shapechanger who favors the form of a lovely dove. Her name and spells to summon her can be found in the several ancient texts. She is invoked for forgiveness from curses and magical harm.

Lasa Vegoia the Matron

• Magic Might: 30 (Aquam)
• Characteristics: Int +5, Per +3, Pre +5, Com +2, Str –1, Sta +2, Dex 0, Qik +3
• Size: 0
• Personality Traits: Secretive +4, Confident +3, Matronly +2
• Combat:
  • Brawl: Init +3, Attack 0, Defense +3, Damage –1
• Soak: +2
• Wound Penalties: –1 (1-5), –3 (6-10), –5 (11-20), Incapacitated (21-25)
• Abilities: Art of Memory 10, Augury 20, Magic Lore 10, Teaching 12
• Powers:
  • Primal Theurge, varies, Init +3, Vim: Can perform any spell from the tradition of Hermetic theurgy at the cost of 1 Might point per magnitude. Spells that involve the form Aquam cost only 1 point per 3 magnitudes.
  • Teach Theurgy, varies, Init +3, Mentem: Can teach any Hermetic theurgy spell at the cost of 1 Might point per magnitude; she teaches it then departs, but the student must spend the season committing it to memory.
  • Teach Augury and Divination, 5 points, Init –10, Mentem: the successful summoning and creating of a pact by the would-be Initiate of Divination and Augury as part of an Initiation Script grants a bonus of +5 for the purposes of that Script.
• Vis: Leaves six pawns of Intellego vis in her gown, which remains when she is banished.
• Appearance: A powerful nymph and great spirit of water, Lasa Vegoia taught the Etruscans secrets of theurgy and divination. She is a matron spirit of augury, and is usually invoked by those desiring to learn magical secrets related to divination or theurgy.

Portunes, Spirit of Safe Harbor

• Magic Might: 25 (Auram)
• Characteristics: Int +1, Per +3, Pre 0, Com +1, Str 0, Sta 0, Dex 0, Qik 0
• Size: n/a
• Personality Traits: Watchful +3
• Combat: None. Vanishes if attacked. Can only be harmed by Perdo Vim spells.
• Soak: n/a (never materializes)
• Wound Penalties: n/a
• Powers: Safe Harbor, 12 points, Init 0, Auram: Guarantees calm weather in the harbor of a port for an entire season, and resists with a Magic Resistance of 60 all spells that would disrupt this. Opening Enchanted Locks, 8 points, Init 0, Vim: Portunes can dispel any magical lock with a level of less then 40 with this power.
• Vis: None
• Appearance: A spirit charged with ports and harbors, the Greeks called him Palaemon and Melicertes. His purview also covers keys, locks, and domestic animals. In Rome he was worshipped as a god, with a temple located near the Forum Boarium. His feast, the Portunalia, is observed on August 17th. The rite to summon him involves throwing keys into a fire. When summoned, he appears either as a ghostly serpent or the shadowy vision of a bearded man in a leather apron, but he never takes on a solid physical form.

Honos

• Magic Might: 30 (Corpus)
• Characteristics: Int 0, Per +1, Pre +2, Com +1, Str +3, Sta +5, Dex +4, Qik +4
• Size: 0
• Personality Traits: Honorable +6, Authoritarian +3, Disciplined +3
• Combat:
  • Long Spear: Init +7, Attack +14, Defense +12, Damage +10
• Soak: +14 (silver cuirass)
• Wound Penalties: –1 (1-5), –3 (6-10), –5 (11-20), Incapacitated (21-25)
• Abilities: Athletics 4, Great Weapon (long spear) 6, Leadership 6, Teaching (leadership) 3
• Powers:
  • Instill Leadership, 5 points, Init +4, Mentem: With a touch of his long spear, Honos can teach 17XP in the ability Leadership, to a maximum of ability score 6. The Theurgist receives the insights immediately, but must then devote a season to study and reflecting upon them to gain the increase.
  • Centurions’ Feast, 30 points, Init +4, Corpus: Produces a magical feast sufficient to feed 100 people. All who partake of the feast who possess the Flaw Dutybound are instantly cured of any Light and Medium Wounds, and gain +10 on their next recovery checks. The food lasts for one hour, then dissipates, but the effects are permanent.
• Vis: Leaves six pawns of Corpus vis in his armor when banished.
• Appearance: Honos is a Roman Daimon of morality and military honor, with several temples built in his name. Honos appears as a young warrior in ancient armor, carrying a lance and a cornucopia (“horn of plenty”). Honos’s temples in Rome have been destroyed or blanketed by the Dominion, although the Legion of Mithras is rumored to know the location of one surviving shrine where he can be invoked.

Pukis, Dragon of the Hearth

• Magic Might: 10 (Ignem)
• Characteristics: Int –1, Per +3, Pre 0, Com 0, Str –1, Sta +4, Dex +3, Qik +6
• Size: –2
• Personality Traits: Loyal +3, Mischievous +3, Fickle +2
• Combat
  • Bite: Init +5, Attack +6, Defense +9, Damage +3*
  • Lashing Tail: Init +6, Attack +10, Defense +13, Damage +0*

* Although small, Pukis is long and thin. It can engage two opponents without penalty, attacking one with its jaws and the other with its quick tail. It is also burning hot, and can ignite easily flammable materials on touch.

• Soak: +8 (leathery hide)
• Wound Penalties: –1 (1-3), –3 (4-6), –5 (7-9), Banished (10+)
• Powers:
  • Invisibility, 3 points, Init +6, Imaginem: Pukis can turn itself completely invisible and inaudible, for as long as it chooses or until it touches a person or animal.
  • Mischievous Flame, 2 points, Init +6, Ignem: With a glance, Pukis can set anything slightly flammable aflame.
  • Sneak Thief, 5 points, Init +6, Terram: By touching any object weighing less than three pounds, Pukis can instantly teleport the object to the dragon’s home so that it appears at the edge of its master’s hearth.
  • Sacred Fire, 0 points, Init +6, Ignem: As long as Pukis lives in a particular hearth, and the fire is kept hot year round, the ashes from the fire can be collected for 1 pawn of Ignem per season.
• Vis: two pawns of Ignem vis, one of Rego
• Appearance: First summoned by Baltic wizards, this Daimon takes the form of a small dragon of fire that dwells in the hearth or a fireplace. It enjoys napping amongst burning logs and coals, coiling its long snake-like body beneath the flames to conceal its presence. It leaves gifts for the master of the household, possibly stolen from somewhere else, and attacks strangers if they act destructively. If it is treated poorly, it causes mischief before departing.

The magus Andrilikes, a theurgist of the Novgorod tribunal, wrote a Hermetic ritual for summoning this lesser Daimon to his sanctum. He has given copies of Daimonic Adjuration of Pukis to several of his friends.

Aneirin the Bard

• Magic Might: 15 (Corpus)
• Characteristics: Int +3, Per +3, Pre +2, Com +4, Str n/a, Sta n/a, Dex n/a, Qik n/a
• Size: n/a
• Personality Traits: Careful +3, Observant +2
• Combat: n/a
• Soak: n/a (never materializes)
• Wound Penalties: n/a
• Abilities: Magic Lore 8, Music 12, Stonehenge Tribunal Lore 10, Teaching 5
• Powers:
  • Discorporate, 0 points, Vim: Aneirin never physically manifests, save as a shadow and a melodic voice. He can only be harmed with magic.
  • Names of Power, 0 points: Aneirin knows many names of minor spirits and can teach them as a result of a pact.
• Vis: If his spirit is somehow bottled rather than banished, two pawns of Imaginem vis remain.

One of the five great Welsh poets believed by the Order to have left Daimons behind after their death (the other four being Taliesin, Talhaearn Tad Awen, Blwchbardd, and Cian). Famous for a single poem, Y Gododdin, Aneirin praises his fellows among the war band of Mynyddawg Mwynfawr (Mynyddawg the Wealthy) of Caereidyn (near Edinburgh), an army 300 strong sent on a doomed mission to recapture an old Roman stronghold from the Saxons. His tomb lies somewhere in the Cambrian Mountains. His spirit wanders across the entire mountain range, helping those who further his ideals and punishing those who go against them, but he is most powerful within his own tomb.

Dietrich von Bern

• Magic Might: 35 (Rego)
• Characteristics: Int +2, Per +3, Pre +5, Com +3, Str +5, Sta +5, Dex +5, Qik +3
• Size: +2
• Personality Traits: Proud +3, Barbarous +2, Crafty +2
• Combat:
  • Great Sword: Init +5, Attack +19, Defense +17, Damage +15*

* Dietrich’s sword has been dipped in dragon’s blood. No magical spell of a level 40 or lower can deflect, harm, or control it. After being hit, the dragon’s blood burns, causing an extra +5 damage per round (armor does not soak) unless an alchemist, herbalist, or healer can cure the wound. Soak: +22 (full chain mail drenched in dragon’s blood)

• Wound Penalties: –1 (1-7), –3 (8-14), –5 (15-21), Banished (22+)
• Abilities: Athletics 6, Great Weapon 10, Intrigue 6, Leadership 8
• Powers:
  • Sacred Kingship, 10 points, Init +3, Vim: By laying hands on another character, Dietrich can permanently increase the character’s Perception, Presence, or Communication by 1 point. He can only do this once per person, and only to a maximum of +3. Increasing Presence this way is a very useful aid to the aspiring Mystagogue.
• Vis: Seven pawns of Rego vis.

A hero in German poetry and song, Dietrich was the boy-king of Bern after the fall of Rome. During his reign, several great Nibelungen heroes (including Siegfried himself) were loyal members of his court. When his uncle Ermenrik, German ruler of Rome, conquered Bern, Dietrich fled to the court of Attila the Hun, where he went on many adventures and became one of the greatest warriors in history. He returned after his uncle died, retook Bern and captured Rome. He died in a quest for revenge against a friend who betrayed him, and was buried in an ornate tomb in the Lessini Mountains, where the Alps cross over into Italy. His tomb is a treasure trove of weapons and armor, enchanted by being dipped in the blood of a great dragon Dietrich slew.

When anyone enters the tomb, however, the Daimon of Dietrich animates his hulking corpse. If the intruder comes seeking wisdom and proves herself worthy, he will dispense kingly advice. If she comes seeking power, she faces one of the greatest warriors on Earth, even in death.

Another legend propagated by the Church says Dietrich, a heretic suspected of Arianism, was thrown into the volcanic Mount Etna.

The legend of Dietrich appears in Das Heldenbuch (“The Book of Heroes”) a collection of German romances published in the early 13th century, organizing the tales of the Ostrogoths and Franconians into two epic cycles.

Editor's Note: This text includes errata.

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