The Mysteries: Revised Edition Chapter Two: Entering the Mysteries
This page is part of the The Mysteries Revised Edition Open Content
Entering the Mysteries
Now let us enter within the ancient crypt, where the mysteries of the maggots await. You have come so far blindfolded, stripped of power, stripped of prestige, and stripped of dignity, clothed only in your shroud. Within await the Great Secrets, secrets even death could not hold! Yet I must ask you — are you worthy to behold them? — Diana of Ex Miscellanea, a Mystagogue of the Disciples of the Worm
This chapter describes how one is Initiated into a Mystery, how a Mystery Cult is born, what the benefits are to its members, and the bitter truth that power always has a price.
The price of power can take many forms. The time a magus spends pursuing the mystical rites of his cult, learning its secrets, and preparing for Ordeals, Sacrifices, and Quests is the most obvious price. An often overlooked but no less real cost of membership, however, are the adventures and stories required to progress in the paths of the Mysteries.
Secrecy and the Mysteries
The first and central concept for any Mystery Cult is that secrecy is power. Part of the appeal of the Esoteric Mysteries is that they do not openly discuss what they know; the veil of secrecy is drawn tight around them, fastened by oaths and powerful rituals designed to prevent any disclosure. While some simply believe that sacred secrets should not be spoken openly, others say that a secret shared loses its potency, either figuratively or literally.
Furthermore, a group whose extent and membership are unknown can claim power and give rise to fear in excess of its true capabilities. A magus who finds a still-living raven nailed to his sanctum door cawing a vile message, or who awakens to discover a whispering dagger on his pillow, knows in a dreadful instant that he has stumbled across a Mystery Cult.
Who can such a magus trust? Even his sodales in the covenant could be members — did not Lucius vanish for three days last solstice? What of Svetlana’s late-night journeys to Gallows Wood? She said she was harvesting vis, but who was the crooked old hag who walked under the oaks with her? Can such a magus sleep well knowing he has angered the mighty, yet not even knowing their names?
In addition to engendering fear of the unknown, secrecy also keeps the members of a Mystery Cult safe. If the members of a secret order advertise their status openly, their enemies can break up their meetings and hunt down their members by Wizard’s War. The unknown, however, are harder to target.
Even with the advantages of secrecy, however, some Mystery Cults are more secret than others. The Mystic Fraternity of Samos, for example, is a Mystery Cult that openly advertises its existence, attracting recruits by providing hints of its curriculum of learning and philosophical reflection, and even of the nature of the magics it can reveal. Indeed, in your saga the existence and general interests of the Mystery Cults could be open secrets, or matters of public discussion. Chapter 3: Storyguiding the Mysteries, discusses different ways Mystery Cults might fit into your saga to suit the atmosphere and themes of your game.
A Mystery Cult is more than a special interest group pursuing an obscure magical sideline; it is a spiritual and mystical exploration that changes the practitioner in ways that are not fully understood by even the leading magical theorists of the Order of Hermes. It is not merely that Initiates do not say what secrets have been revealed to them; in some sense, they cannot say. Such mystic understandings are beyond expression in language.
Even when general information about a cult is widely known, however, its secrets are still jealously guarded, and only an Initiate can fully understand and use its magics. Thus, while many Quaesitors have observed the rites of the Pythagoreans of the Samos Cult, and many magi of House Bonisagus have studied them in search of a magical breakthrough that will allow their incorporation in Hermetic magic theory, without the spiritual and mystical understanding that comes from Initiation, it is simply impossible to replicate the cult’s magical effects.
While it may be possible in some instances for a non-Initiate to learn a Mystery ability — and indeed this has happened in the past, as Chapter 4 demonstrates — it is an uncertain business, and without the mystical framework of understanding provided by knowledge of the cult’s Organization Lore, a hazardous one. The Children of Hermes, for example, introduced in Chapter 14, is a Mystery Cult that seeks to learn the secrets of other cults and introduce them into its own messianic religion.
Entering a Mystery Cult
If Mystery Cults wrap their very existence in secrecy, how does one even learn of them? Although most Mystery Cults do not seek broad membership, there are three main ways a magus may become embroiled in secret rites. One possibility is that a magus might learn of a particular Mystery and seek admission. Such a wizard’s motives come under great scrutiny by the cult, and the methods by which the magus sets about “applying” are of particular interest. Blatant or indiscreet attempts, which draw unwelcome attention to the Mystery, typically result in the supplicant being barred from admission forever (whether he ever becomes aware of this status or not). An aptitude for subtlety and intrigue is much more useful. Carefully ambiguous phrases spoken at Tribunal, or sealed epistles sent by bribed Redcap to certain magi are much more fruitful routes to finding a Mystery Cult.
However, a word of warning: Even inadvertently learning details about a Mystery can result in a very strongly worded offer, in the words of Flambeau, “Adjungite nobis an perete!” — Join us or die! Those who would sooner not join a particular cult had best not go looking.
Another way a magus may enter an Esoteric Mystery is via his parens. Although a few apprentices learn of a Mystery from an Initiated parens, it is far more common for a Gauntleted filius to be allowed to develop and show maturity before his parens considers drawing him further in, since it is well known that many young magi “fly the nest” after their Gauntlets, developing deeply ambiguous attitudes toward those who taught them magic. That said, if the relationship between a maga and her apprentice is very deep and trusting, or if the apprentice was born under peculiar omens of interest to the Mystery, it is not unheard of for a young magus to be taught the first level of a Mystery — the first threshold of the cult’s teachings — during apprenticeship.
Rules for creating these rare Initiated apprentices (that is, starting characters who begin play as members of a Mystery Cult), can be found later in this chapter under the heading “The Initiated Apprentice and Beyond.” Because of the story potential in the process of joining a Mystery Cult, however, and the complexity of the Mystery Virtues themselves, this is not recommended. It is less taxing for the player and more fun for the troupe when a character finds, joins, and is Initiated into a Mystery Cult in the course of play. This has the added benefit of allowing the player more time to learn how the Mystery Virtues conferred complement and add to her character’s existing abilities.
But Mystery Cults do not always increase their membership by waiting for potential Initiates to find them.
Perhaps the most common way to gain entrance to a Mystery Cult, is by invitation. And that is usually the result of the magus’s reputation: If a maga is particularly brilliant in some area, owns a powerful or ancient enchanted device of interest, or has shown noteworthy aptitude and interest in the field with which a Mystery concerns itself, that cult may decide to approach her.
How, then, do Mystery Cults approach prospective recruits? Again, nothing is said outright. It is often a matter of implication, circumlocution, and guarded phrases. Odd questions are asked, and the words of the would-be Initiate are noted. Powerful members of the Mystery may set up tests to see if the candidate is suitable. These are not mundane tests, like exams, nor tactical trials, where magical creatures must be bested. Rather, they take the form of odd occurrences, moral challenges, and situations that test one’s ability to hold one’s tongue. Such tests make excellent stories, and those already Initiated may from time to time be called upon to help devise and prepare them for those who may be under consideration.
Rhiannon’s RiteAlone in a dark and desolate place just after sundown, Rhiannon was terribly apprehensive. The first requirement of the rite was very simple: She was to arrive naked. Not physically naked — although she imagined other cults also required that. Rather, she was to wear no enchanted devices or talismans, to arrive without spells protecting her, to forgo even the benefit of her Parma Magica, which she had cast every nightfall since her Gauntlet many years ago. Feeling more vulnerable than mere physical nakedness could explain, completely unprotected, awaiting the Mystagogue, she had been warned not to use her magic in any way until sunrise. The Quest she had endured as an Ordeal to bring her to this moment seemed a small price compared to the fear she felt now, as she waited, essentially helpless, in a cruel test of endurance. Though strange noises, visions, and magic assail her, she knew she must remain resolute — hobgoblins and foul fiends ignored, she must await the Mystagogue whatever happened. A noise in the trees! Could it be some horror, stealthily approaching? Or was it a hidden Initiate watching over her, guarding her against the denizens of the wood? She shuddered as she thought of the tale of Hedvig of the Rhine, who turned up on the wrong night for her induction — or had the Mystagogue forgotten her, or the cult betrayed her? Accounts varied, but all of the legends agreed that she was set upon and consumed by werewolves as she waited, a classic piece of Order folklore about those foolish enough to submit to induction into a Mystery Cult. In the distance wolves howled, and she heard them approaching. She smiled, for she had heard that the howling of wolves drawing close was a common trick of the Mystagogues. Winifred of the Four Oaks had told her that the only reason she had passed her own acceptance into the Knights of the Green Stone was because she had been frozen in fear, too terrified to run. Finally, as fear left Rhiannon, a magnificent stag entered the clearing, and as the glade lit with light she knew she would pass the test, and soon become an Initiate of the Mystery. |
Once a candidate has been found worthy, a formal offer is made. The candidate may still not know the name of the cult, and the one who makes the offer may do so while in disguise or using magic, for example a talking rabbit or words appearing in gold upon a wall. This protects the identity of the one offering. Other formal offers may be more open — or appear to be. In any case, if the candidate accepts the offer he becomes a probationer, one preparing for Initiation in the full secrets of the Mystery Cult.
The candidate is instructed to proceed to some ritual site, telling no one of his plans. This may be a place sacred to the cult, or simply a lonely and frightening location meant to test the probationer’s resolve. It may be far away, or within the magus’s covenant. The journey may require symbolic and magical conduct significant to the cult. Whatever form the journey and destination, once the probationer arrives, he meets the one who will induct him into the cult, referred to as a Mystagogue. The journey to meet the Mystagogue may later count as a Quest if it required a story, and thus give a later bonus to the first Initiation.
The actual tone of the ritual experience varies markedly. Most reflect a symbolic transition from darkness to light, a death and rebirth experience designed to mark the psyche of the one seeking power. Each cult’s rites reflect the unique spiritual principles of that tradition.
Induction into membership of the cult, and subsequent Initiation into the cult’s magical secrets, is a profound moment in the life of a magus that is special and demands a story. It is an intense experience, and the tone of the session should be that of a life-changing occurrence, a rite of passage.
After the probationer’s journey, the arrival of the Mystagogue and his assistants marks the second phase of the ritual. The Mystagogue generally appears with some degree of splendor: brilliant light, music, and other Imaginem effects are not spared to make the moment as portentous as possible. Yet there is further mystery, for each of the Initiates present is traditionally costumed, and cloaked in Imaginem magics that conceal their true identities. Upon their arrival, they greet the probationer and ask a series of ritual questions that may be about his willingness to endure pain, torture, and horrific death, or may instead concern his spiritual progress, understanding, and commitment to the cult and its chosen path of magic. If the probationer decides to turn back, refusing the Mystery, a Perdo Mentem spell may be cast to remove his memory of what transpired, and a further Creo Mentem spell employed to confuse him with false memories of something quite prosaic. Those who fail the test are never approached again, although they are certainly watched, lest their curiosity lead them to betray the secrets they have failed to dare.
If the test is passed, the probationer may be given a new magical name known only to him and his Mystagogue. While it is a liability, it may be invoked for a sympathetic bonus to future Initiations.
The probationer must now commit a season to learning the secrets of the cult, attaining a score of 1 or more in the Ability (Mystery Cult) Lore. Some cults allow the probationer to study from books, or require the probationer to piece together a score of at least 1 on his own from ancient records, but most provide a season of one-on-one tuition from an experienced teacher in the cult. The knowledge of the rites, traditions, and secrets of the cult that is learned through this process is needed before the Initiation of the first Mystery Virtue can proceed.
During the formal test and acceptance into the Mystery Cult, one of the duties of the Mystagogue is to outline for the probationer the nature of the Mystery he is embarking upon and the require ments for his first Initiation, which follows once those requirements have been fulfilled. The requirements are laid out in a document called an Initiation Script, discussed later in this chapter.
Once a magus has been inducted into a Mystery Cult, and has learned some of its secrets (by gaining a (Mystery Cult) Lore score), he is ready to begin Initiation into the Mysteries of that cult.
Initiation, the process by which one progresses further into the Mystery, is represented in game terms by gaining new Virtues that are not balanced by Flaws, but rather by stories and by service to the cult. In game terms, Initiation is a seasonal activity that culminates in a special rite, often celebrated with a special ceremony in front of the gathered Initiates of the cult, but sometimes by something as simple as a symbolic gesture between the Mystagogue and the Initiate; cults vary in their practices.
The completion of the special Initiation rites changes the magus who is Initiated. It grants a Mystery Virtue, keyed to the Mystery Cult being joined, and also in some cases inflicts one or more new Flaws, which are called Ordeal Flaws. An Ordeal, Quest, or Sacrifice is a process one undergoes as either part of, or before, the Initiation.
The nature of the Initiation process makes the changes a true part of the magus, affecting the magus’s essential nature. Thus magic cannot undo Initiation effects. Even if a maga subsequently leaves a Mystery Cult, she does not lose the Virtues and Flaws she accrued.
Initiates often develop new Personality Traits that mark the effects of the Initiation on the maga and reflect her new perspective on the world. Typically such a trait begins at +1.
To undergo Initiation requires more, however, than a record of service to the cult and a requisite level of the relevant (Mystery Cult) Lore. It also requires that the candidate fulfill the initiatory requirements peculiar to that cult’s Initiation in the Mystery Virtue, by following a detailed set of instruction and rituals and undergoing peculiar magical rites. These rituals and necessary obligations are called Quests, Sacrifices, and Ordeals, and they are explained in the Initiation Script.
Revised Ability: (Mystery Cult) Lore(Mystery Cult) Lore is the (Organization) Lore of a particular cult. It provides knowledge of the legends, history, structure, operation, and goals of the Mystery Cult in question. It includes knowledge of the magics, rites, and secret passwords and symbolism of the cult, how to covertly signal membership, and how to assess another magus’s membership or non-membership in the cult. Two magi with this Ability for the same Mystery Cult may well be able to hold a seemingly innocuous conversation without outsiders realizing that a second, secret, conversation is hidden within the innocent phrases. In order to prevent outsiders from learning secrets of the Mystery, many Mystery Cults’ specialty books require a score in this Ability for a magus to decode their symbolism. (Mystery Cult) Lore also covers the ceremonies of the cult, frequently enacted when the cult members gather formally. It is a key knowledge for a Mystagogue’s performance of the Initiation rites, to guide the Initiate through Ordeals, ceremonies, and meditations to gain new Virtues. Knowledge of this Ability is passed from Mystagogue to Initiate, from mystae to mystae, in a chain of living secrets. Some cults also write down their secret lore, as this codifies the Mystery and lets others share the same view of the cult. Others prefer the secrecy of an oral tradition. Small cults may fade away from lack of members, especially if they are persecuted, but if they have committed some of their lore to writing, the cults may be restarted by those who discover and understand the texts. Some cults risk the loss of secrecy for this very reason: so that their secrets and magical rites may not be lost forever. Some magi search for lost texts, containing secret lore of the ancients, hoping to re-enact the rites and rituals that led them to power. In game terms, experience points in (Mystery Cult) Lore can be acquired like any other knowledge, including through teaching, books, practice, and exposure. Learning (Mystery Cult) Lore from another ensures that master and pupil share the same rites; learning in isolation may lead to variant (or even deviant) rites and rituals — from such discrepancies schisms sometimes arise, and cults may break up and fragment. A magus may build his (Mystery Cult) Lore from zero, even without instruction, but this means he has devised his own cult, and should treat his Lore as an entirely new (Mystery Cult) Lore. |
(Mystery Cult) Lore and Degrees of InitiationSome Mystery Cults are very hierarchically defined, while others are quite informal and irregular in structure, but there is a general pattern of (Mystery Cult) Lore requirements. A level or rank of Initiation into a Mystery Cult is called a degree, and the number of degrees a cult has — or whether there is a formal degree structure at all — varies from cult to cult. The first Initiation requires a single level of (Mystery Cult) Lore, which explains the significance of what is to be learned and how to participate in the rites of Initiation. Further Initiations are unlikely to be offered to characters with a score below 3, but this is sufficient for most members of a cult. A score of 6 is normally required for Initiation to the inner circle; this is not necessarily a requirement for Initiation to Major Virtues, but to those degrees that the cult considers its most private secrets, which are often synonymous with the Major Virtues. Finally, those wishing to become Mystagogues and Initiate others are also well advised to study (Mystery Cult) Lore, as it is an important factor in successful Initiations. See the section entitled The Mechanics of Initiation, below. |
Quests, Ordeals, and Sacrifices
Power has its price is another of the central maxims of all Mysteries. That price is paid in three distinct ways: through the Initiation Ordeal, the Initiation Quest, and the Initiation Sacrifice.
An Initiation Ordeal is a terrible process such as being ritually branded or scarred, made to walk through a raging bonfire without magic, or being pinned to a tree by a spear for nine days. Such rites permanently and magically scar the Initiate; the mundane wounds slowly heal, but the body or mind is forever marked. This is represented by a new Flaw, dictated by the nature of the Initiation Ordeal. These are generally Minor Flaws, although Major Flaws are sometimes inflicted. Flaws that arise from Ordeals cannot be lost in play or overcome by Hermetic magic. Some cults doubtless have their own unique Flaws, which mark those who have undergone their peculiar rites, but storyguides should feel free to use any Flaws they feel are appropriate in devising Initiation Scripts.
The Ordeal is a terrible price to pay, but has long-term benefits. If one undergoes an Ordeal as part of an Initiation, then, unlike Sacrifices and Quests, a further bonus is given to subsequent Initiations to learn later Virtues from the cult. This means that the most horrific Ordeals often come early in the cult’s Initiatory scheme, and later progress draws upon the price already paid. The mechanics for this are discussed later.
The Ordeal is usually performed at the time of and as part of Initiation and is part of that season’s activities.
Initiation Quests are perhaps the most common requirement of Initiation Scripts. They usually require a lengthy journey, great danger, and a series of challenges. Quests may take many forms: journeying to a sacred mountain and capturing a dragon’s egg, infiltrating a covenant and stealing an item; defeating a Tremere Archmagus at certamen; learn ing a lost secret; passing a Gauntlet-like test; delivering a message across Mythic Europe. A well-known Quest of the Philosophers of Rome requires the seduction without direct mind-altering magic of the mistresses of a prince of the realm, cardinal of the Church and a faerie lord, all in one season.
Such Quests are always stories; in some way they usually reflect the nature of the cult, or the type of Virtue being Initiated. Sometimes several Quests are required to gain the necessary degree of knowledge for Initiation.The magus may take his companions and fellow magi along on the story, but he must be the chief protagonist, and may well mislead them as to why he is attempting the feat, so as not to reveal the secret of his mystery.
All Initiation Quests take at least one season. If the Quest ends early, the maga must spend the rest of the season meditating on her experiences. No other study is possible, although Exposure experience in (Mystery Cult) Lore can be granted. Some Quests may, of course, require multiple seasons, or if initially failed, multiple attempts to complete. An Initiation Sacrifice is the least taxing of the requirements of most Initiation Scripts. This may be a Sacrifice of time, represented by seasons teaching new Initiates and probationers on behalf of, writing books for, inventing spells for or any other lab activity required by the cult, or it may be a Sacrifice of vast amounts of mundane wealth, or magical books, or of one’s talisman or even one’s apprentice or familiar. The Script specifies the exact Sacrifice required, and is usually worded so that no matter how rich or magically powerful the maga, is the Sacrifice reflects a real loss. Sacrifices generally make the smallest contribution to the Initiations success, and the number of sacrifices that can be called for in one Script is limited.
Quests, Ordeals, and Sacrifices vary greatly between Mystery Cults and according to the specific Initiation, and should reflect the magical and spiritual nature of the cult, as well as in some way the nature of the Initiation being conferred. They make the process of Initiation easier, as even the most powerful Mystagogue finds it hard or impossible to confer the magical Initiation on an unprepared candidate.
Specific Quests, Ordeals, and Sacrifices are called for by the Initiation Script for each different Mystery Virtue Initiated, although most cults have several Scripts for each Initiation, reflecting the different abilities of the Mystagogues who lead the Initiations. The more powerful and knowledgeable in (Mystery Cult) Lore the Mystagogue, the less difficult and strenuous the Initiation, and the easier the Script’s requirements are to achieve.
Time and Initiation
In addition to any time taken up by the Initiation Sacrifices and Quests, the Initiation (including associated Ordeals) itself requires an entire season. The time may be spent in preparations, such as meditation and fasting, before the Initiation Ceremony (appropriate for Virtues lacking an associated Ability), or in time spent studying with a tutor. When a magus gains a Virtue through Initiation, the Initiation and the required process of reflection, contemplation, preparation, etc. (and in the case of Abilities, studying with a teacher) count as the study for that season — no other activities can take place. The season spent being taught (Mystery Cult) Lore on first joining a cult as a probationer does not count as an Ordeal. A probationer needs a single level of (Mystery Cult) Lore, so as to understand the significance of what he is to perform, and the rites that will be needed. He may be taught this whenever the cult approves him, but before the first Initiation in any case. He may be subject to an Ordeal first, or simply swear an oath of secrecy. The cult may impose any other requirements it sees fit. Second and subsequent Initiations typically require a score of at least 3 in (Mystery Cult) Lore. Mystery Cults are often organized into degrees of Initiation, which correspond to ranks within the secret society — each degree teaches a distinct Mystery Virtue. Some cults offer a choice of path, or may even be so informal that there is a free choice made by the Mystagogue as to which Virtue is Initiated next.
Time and the MystagogueThe Mystagogue who performs the Initiation need not spend a significant amount of time, unless he teaches a Supernatural Ability through Initiation. However all Initiates require some supervision and testing, which generally amounts to a seven-day distraction for the Mystagogue. If the Mystagogue’s time is required, this is noted in the description of the Initiation. |
Distractions and the InitiateIf a season of Initiation is spent in study with the Mystagogue, the normal study distraction rules apply (see ArM5, page 165). In addition, for each month lost to distractions, reduce the Initiation Total by one-third of its original amount (rounding fractions up); this may make the Initiation fail so that no Virtue is gained (although Ordeal Flaws are still acquired), and the Initiation must be repeated. If the Initiate is distracted from reflection upon a successful Quest, this is less of a disaster: she can simply take more time to meditate and consider. |
The Mechanics of Initiation
Unlike character generation, where Virtues and Flaws are balanced against each other, progress in a Mystery Cult depicts an increase in power, with more gain than loss, and no fixed ratio. Indeed the greatest ‘currency’ transacted is the unit of the ‘story’ in which character activities reward the storyguide, and in turn the players’ characters. At the same time, we adopt the time-unit of the season, so that non-player characters may be assessed for progress using the same scale as player characters. We also extend the list of Flaws to include Hermetic Flaws, as the Sacrifice of Power is mythically very appropriate. The storyguide and troupe should work together with the player of the Initiate character, to make the Initiation process feel mystical and to make the process into a story.
The Mystagogue
“Mystagogue” is a technical term for one who teaches a Mystery. It is used of any maga who conducts an Initiation, and is a role rather than a title. A character who enters into a Mystery Cult may well be called upon to Initiate Mystery Virtues to suitable candidates once his knowledge is deep enough, and especially if the character is blessed with a high Presence. In a small cult, almost all Initiations may be conducted by the cult leader; in larger cults with many degrees, the Mystagogue may simply be a higherranking Initiate. Usually the Mystagogue and the Initiate are two different individuals, and the Mystagogue teaches a Mystery he already understands, but this need not be the case. If the Mystagogue is attempting to discover a new Mystery path, or to recover and reconstruct a lost path through recently discovered texts, he then may be attempting to Initiate himself. The key to the mystical rites of the cult is the (Mystery Cult) Lore Ability, which includes knowledge of these rites. Mystagogues are drawn from those with the best available (Mystery Cult) Lore and are of a higher degree, or rank of Initiation, than those they are Initiating. A high Presence makes leading Initiations easier; to get the same results, a Mystagogue with low Presence must rely on greater levels of (Mystery Cult) Lore, or more complex Initiation Scripts that are harder for the candidate to complete.
Virtues Initiated
It is possible to gain almost any Virtue through Initiation, although not those that depend on circumstance such as Landed Noble or Hermetic Prestige, or accident of birth such as Faerie Blood or Large, as common sense dictates. (Some Virtues, such as Temporal Influence, True Love, and Relic, are only Virtues if chosen during character generation; they may be gained through normal play without need of Initiation.) Hermetic Virtues are favorites for Initiation., along with Supernatural Abilities. (As described in ArM5 page 166, Supernatural Abilities can be taught to anyone with The Gift, but the Study Total is reduced by the sum total of all levels in other supernatural abilities, and the sum all Art scores; Mystery Cults can avoid the penalties described there through Initiation rituals and Ordeals, so that at the end of a season’s study with a teacher the Initiate reaches level 1 in the Ability.)
Initiation Rites
In order to be Initiated into a new Mystery Virtue, the Initiate needs at least (Mystery Cult) Lore 1; the Mystagogue must also know the same Lore, but generally needs a higher level if the Initiation is to succeed. To grant the Initiate a new Mystery Virtue, the Mystagogue generates an Initiation Total that determines the success or failure of the Initiation:
| Initiation Total | Presence + (Mystery Cult) Lore + Script Bonus |
There is no die roll; if the total is higher than the required target level the Initiation succeeds — all that is required is for the Mystagogue to be properly prepared, and skilled enough to succeed. Initiation Scripts and their bonuses are described in this chapter, Initiation Scripts. The Target Level depends on the kind of Virtue to be Initiated, Major or Minor:
To Initiate a Minor Virtue Known By the Mystagogue, the Target Level Is 15
To Initiate a Major Virtue Known By the Mystagogue, the Target Level Is 21
The Target Level is increased in the unlikely event that the Mystagogue does not know the Virtue to be Initiated. This is most often the case when a maga decides to Initiate herself in a Mystery Virtue, usually while creating a new Mystery Cult or reconstructing the lost rites of an ancient Mystery Cult that has died out.
To Initiate a New Minor Virtue, the Target Level Is 18
To Initiate a New Major Virtue, the Target Level Is 30
In addition, if the Initiate went through a previous Ordeal for a previous Initiation, the next three Initiations’ Target Levels are reduced Gaining a Major Flaw or losing a Major Virtue is a Major Ordeal. Increasing a Minor Flaw to a Major Flaw is a Medium Ordeal. Gaining a Minor Flaw or losing a Minor Virtue is a Minor Ordeal.
First Initiation After an Ordeal: –3 for a Minor Ordeal, –6 for a Medium Ordeal, –9 for a Major Ordeal
Second Initiation After an Ordeal: –2 for a Minor Ordeal, –4 for a Medium Ordeal, –6 for a Major Ordeal
Third Initiation After an Ordeal: –1 for a Minor Ordeal, –2 for a Medium Ordeal, –3 for a Major Ordeal
Only the past Ordeal providing the largest reduction to the Target Level of a new Initiation is counted. There is a minimum Target Level of 9 no matter how great a reduction is applied. If the Mystagogue’s Initiation Total is too low, he may be able to vary and extend the Script to make it more effective. If that is still insufficient (for example, no Script exists), then the Mystagogue can experiment to attempt to improve the Script.
The Initiation Script
Those who wish to be initiated have the custom, I believe, to turn first to the ‘Father’ of the sacred rites, to map out what preparations need to be made. — Tertullian
The Initiation Script is a written text (similar to a Lab Text) that describes a successful Initiation and the process followed: the chants and methods, the places and times, and any sacrifices made. If this Script is followed exactly, the Script grants its bonus to the Initiation Total.
Typical components of an Initiation Script, and their bonus contributions, include:
+3: The Initiate has to travel far to reach a special place at a special time (one bonus only).
+3: The Initiate has to complete a specified Quest. The Quest may be performed any time prior to Initiation. Multiple Quests are possible. If the Quest is unique and no similar Quester could repeat it, then the bonus is +6.
+9: The Initiate suffers a Major Ordeal inflicting a specific Major Flaw during the Initiation.
+6: The Initiate suffers a Medium Ordeal increasing a specific Minor Flaw to a closely related Major Flaw (e.g., Minor to Major Personality Flaw).
+3: The Initiate suffers a Minor Ordeal inflicting a specific Minor Flaw during the Initiation.
+3: The Initiate has a Minor Virtue that is required for, and being replaced by, a Major Virtue; for example, Major Potent Magic requires and replaces Minor Potent Magic. This is equivalent to an Ordeal whereby the Initiate loses the original Minor Virtue.
+1: The Initiate sacrifices material goods or wealth (one bonus only).
+1: The Initiate sacrifices time (typically a season) serving another in the cult (one bonus only).
+3 to +6: the Initiate sacrifices something of great and symbolic value (his talisman or familiar, or a powerful invested device).
+3: The Mystagogue sacrifices time, such as teaching the Initiate a Supernatural Ability. (Any price the Mystagogue requires for her time is separate from the Initiation itself.)
+0 to +3 (but can range from –5 to +5): Sympathetic bonus for appropriateness of the rite to the Virtue being Initiated. Sympathetic bonuses should be agreed upon with the storyguide or troupe.
If experimenting (see Experimental Scripts, below), the bonus is determined at the end of experimentation, once all flaws and benefits are known. Experimental Scripts may be flawed, and include some Ordeals with no bonus.
A bonus is granted only if the component genuinely costs the character something. If, for instance, he lives very close to the “special place” rather than having to travel far to reach it, then the travel takes no effort and is invalid. Worse still, if any component is invalid then the whole Script is invalidated. Temporary suffering does not provide a benefit — indeed in many rites it is just a normal part of the process.
Quests (such as “Slay a fearsome monster”) count toward a single Initiation only: a later Initiation that requires a similar Quest requires the slaying of a new monster. Unique Quests must be very specific; for example, bringing the head of the Minotaur. If your saga has a race of Minotaurs, this is no longer a Unique Quest.
Sacrificing items can be repeated but each significant item only counts once. If a magus previously sacrificed his talisman, and a new rite calls for a similar sacrifice, then he must make a new talisman in order to sacrifice it.
Example Initiation Script Designs
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An Initiation Script requires that the Mystagogue have a minimum Presence + (Mystery Cult) Lore, as specified in the Script. Such a Script can be applied to a nonplayer character by simply noting any time costs (counting a Quest as a season) and any Ordeals imposed.
Given the high totals needed, the Scripts for Major Virtues commonly fall short of providing the Initiation on their own. However, note that previous Ordeals provide a bonus to the Initiation Total, and this usually provides the extra needed to succeed.
Note that the process of Initiation relies upon the Mystagogue’s Presence + (Mystery Cult) Lore, not the Initiate’s.
However it is the Initiate’s Quests, Sacrifices, and Ordeals that lower the Target Level. As there is no die roll, either the candidate has fulfilled the obligations required to meet the total and the Initiation succeeds, or it will not be attempted; the Mystagogue will not waste a season.
Example: Darius Undergoes InitiationDarius filius Xerxes, follower of Flambeau, is a Hoplite from the covenant of Semita Errabunda. He has been introduced by a fellow Hoplite, Pepino, to the Legion of Mithras, and has already been accepted as a member at a robed conclave, after a night alone in an underground temple, where he faced various magical tests and distractions, but bravely endured. His moral character is outstanding, and he has long been a devoted servant of the Order, as his Personality Traits and Reputation clearly show. Following this test, he was formally admitted to the Legion and a great feast was held, with 25 other Legionnaires attending, wearing colorful robes symbolic of their rank and ornate masks. Immediately after the feast ended he was introduced to his new teacher, who would instruct him in the basic secrets of the cult. It happened to be his friend Pepino, and the two of them retired to Pepino’s sanctum, where they spent the rest of the season together, as Pepino taught Darius the secret rites and philosophies of Mithras. The storyguide has invented some secrets and ideals that are held by the cult; she now explains them, and a brief overview of the nature and purpose of the cult to Darius’ player. She looks forward to further developing her idea of the mystical and magical principles of the cult later, as Darius learns more. Darius’ player now notes the result of the season of teaching, and as Pepino is an accomplished teacher, Darius manages to gain an ability of Legion of Mithras Lore 1, with 6 experience points left over. Darius is also told that he will be expected to learn the Ability Teaching, so that he can serve the Legion in the same capacity later, but for now he must prepare for his first Initiation, to be held when he has found time to prepare adequately. He is now a probationer, awaiting his first Initiation. The Legion of Mithras is wellorganized in the Tribunal, and picks Sebastiano, Lion of Mithras, to be the presiding Mystagogue at Darius’ Initiation. Sebastiano has a Presence of +3, and a Mithras Lore of 7. His Initiation Total before the Script bonus is, therefore, a respectable 10. He himself was Initiated into the Virtue Strong Willed as a Raven; if he was to teach this to Darius he would require a total of 15, as he knows the Mystery Virtue he is Initiating. However, Darius is already Strong Willed, so that will not suffice. An alternative Initiation is required. After hunting around in the temple archives, Sebastiano discovers an old and little-used Initiation Script that teaches the Virtue Self-Confident. Sebastiano himself does not have this Virtue, but he can still Initiate it; the Target Level is, however, 18 not 15.Luckily the Script grants a +12 bonus which, with his Presence +3 and Legion of Mithras Lore 7, provides an Initiation Total of 22; more than the required Target Level of 18. The Initiation Script prescribes a rite that is much more arduous (Initiation Total 22) than technically necessary to exceed the modified Target Level of 15, but Sebastiano does not wish to try vary the Script to make it easier. The Target Level is reduced by 3 to 15, as it is Darius’s first Initiation after the previous Ordeal. Darius is certain to be successfully Initiated into the Self-Confident Virtue if he can fulfill all the requirements of the Script. The Script bonus is comprised of a Minor Ordeal +3, a Quest +3, the Sacrifice of a talisman +5, and a sympathetic appropriateness bonus +1. The details of the Script have been outlined to Darius as the path he must pursue for Initiation; he sets out to fulfill the requirements, painfully aware that he is giving up much to receive little in The Minor Ordeal is that Darius must take the Flaw Dutybound: Serve the Order of Hermes — this is little cost to a magus who has devoted his life to that cause. This and the Sacrifice of his long spear talisman will occur during the actual ceremony of Initiation. Neither will require any time beyond the season he must spend on the Initiation itself. This means that he must fulfill one Quest, and, as the sympathetic appropriateness bonus of +1 suggests, it is somehow related to the gaining of SelfConfidence, the Virtue to be Initiated. The Quest requires Darius to identify his nemesis, that enemy who is most contrary to what Darius personally stands for, and his goals and aspirations, and who has personally thwarted or deceived Darius at least three times, and defeat that nemesis. Darius is already committed to defeating a renounced magus, from whom he narrowly escaped (as detailed in his character history). After several seasons of lab work, and serving his covenant, Darius finally is ready to embark on his Quest. He decides to take along a fellow maga from the covenant , and several grogs and companions, but Darius must be the star of the story for it to count as his Quest; the others understand that this is a personal score. The storyguide runs the adventure, and after the story, the nemesis is (apparently) killed, having fallen into a chasm. While his death cannot be verified, Darius has defeated him, and after a few seasons more of study he sets off for his Initiation. He is loathe to lose his talisman, but the Script demands it, and he starts to plan its replacement. The Initiation ceremony takes a few hours at the temple in front of the gathered assembly, and subsequent study takes an entire season, but at the end of it, Darius is a proud and valued Raven of Mithras. His player writes the Virtue Self-Confident on his character sheet, reflecting Darius’s new-found confidence and mystically reinforced self-assurance. Darius now needs to learn more about his cult and achieve an Ability score of Legion of Mithras 3 before he can be Initiated into the second degree. After several years’ more dedicated duty and heroic adventure, he manages to learn the basics of the Ability Teaching, so that in the future he can instruct new Initiates. During that time, the cult also asked him to carry a message, which required a story, and Darius made a copy of some useful laboratory texts in his possession to give to the Legion, for which they were grateful. Most importantly, his studies of a tractatus he was lent and two seasons’ more teaching from Pepino (who received vis and a lesser enchanted device in return for his services) gave Darius a score of Legion of Mithras Lore 3. He is ready to undertake further Initiations, and the cult invites him to prepare for his second degree, Bride of Mithras. Sebastiano can use the normal Script this time, as Darius does not possess the Virtue Clear Thinker already. The Script calls for a Quest, to investigate a possible threat to the Order, and to show clear signs of good judgment +3, and there is a sympathetic appropriateness bonus of +1. This gives Sebastiano an Initiation Total of 14; less than the Target Level of 15 required for Initiation into a known Minor Virtue, but the Target Level is reduced to 12 as this is the first Initiation after the Ordeal of taking the Flaw Dutybound (it’s also the second Initiation after the Ordeal he underwent upon first entering the cult, but that would only reduce the Target Level to 13, so that Ordeal is ignored). Providing Darius completes the Quest set him, he is successfully Initiated into the Legion’s second degree. |
Modifying the Initiation Script
Any time a Mystagogue leads an Initiate (even himself) through an Initiation rite, following a Script, he may try to vary the Script. At the end of the Initiation, if successful, he may write down his precise actions as a Script for others to follow.
There are many reasons to vary the Script: the Script may not be valid for this Initiate, or the Script bonus may not guarantee success (particularly if this Mystagogue is less charismatic than his predecessor). Scripts have a tendency to become long and elaborate over time, as it is easiest to extend the original and quite hard to simplify it. To vary the Script, the Mystagogue makes a roll of
| Stress Die + Intelligence + (Mystery Cult) Lore Vs. Ease Factor |
The Ease Factor is 9 to extend the Script by adding a new component, such as an additional Quest. A magus with a low Presence or (Mystery Cult) Lore may try to extend a Script in this way.
The Ease Factor is 12 to make a change to a component, such as varying the place, the time, or the subject of a Quest. (Varying a Unique Quest should replace it with another Unique Quest.) It is not possible to change which Virtue the Script Initiates, or to modify a Script to Initiate a Minor Virtue into Initiating the Major Virtue.
The Ease Factor is 15 to remove a component from the Script, reducing the Script bonus.
The Mystagogue may only attempt one of the above changes in a given Initiation. If the attempt fails, the new Initiation Script is nonfunctional (and the Mystagogue knows this without attempting the Initiation), but the original Script works as normal. If the attempt is successful, the modified Script can be used to generate the Initiation Total. ordinary terms in return, at this time at least.
If a single change is not enough to make this Script work, then either a different Script is needed, or the Mystagogue must study more (Mystery Cult) Lore, or experiment.
Experimental Scripts
If the Mystagogue has no Initiation Script, or only has an inadequate one, then she may experiment to discover a new Script. This involves risk and uncertainty, with no guarantee of benefit at the end, but it is the only way to begin a new Initiation under such circumstances.
Determine the Initiation rite components (Quests, Ordeal, Sacrifices) that the Mystagogue proposes as a method for Initiation to this Virtue, and total the bonus this rite would have. The Mystagogue also determines how much risk she will take in experimenting: a Risk level from 0 to +3. The Initiate carries out the steps of the rite, including all Quests, Sacrifices and Ordeals, and then the rite is checked to determine success or failure.
First the Mystagogue checks whether the rite invoked the correct sympathy with the desired goal, whether it had the power to bring about change, and whether experimentation went well or badly: Roll a Stress Die + Risk Modifier on the Extraordinary Results chart on ArM5, page 109. Side effect and minor benefits or flaws results are usually (positive or negative) Personality Traits related to cult goals, affecting the Initiate, which become part of this Initiation Script. Major flaw results add an extra Ordeal Flaw (usually Minor), affecting the Initiate, which becomes part of this Initiation Script. A flawed rite offers no Script bonus for this additional Flaw. A fatal flaw result inflicts an Ordeal Flaw but fails to provide the Initiation Virtue. A major benefit is an increase or stacking of the Initiated Virtue if this is possible (for example, Minor/Major Magical Focus, or a double increase to a Characteristic) or a second Minor Virtue. The benefit becomes part of this Initiation Script. A discovery usually results in experience points in either (Mystery Cult) Lore or the Ability being Initiated, affecting the Mystagogue. Modified effect Initiates a different Virtue, related sympathetically to the cult’s goals. The extent of change should be reviewed with the storyguide in the light of the suggestions in the Modified Effect table. Disaster indicates that the Initiation fails completely, inflicting a Major Flaw on both the Mystagogue and the Initiate.
Second, the Mystagogue must check the validity of the rite. Roll a
| Simple Die + Risk Modifier + Intelligence + (Mystery Cult) Lore Vs. Ease Factor of (9 + Proposed Bonus) |
If experimenting on another Initiate rather than himself, the Ease Factor increases to (15 + desired bonus). If the validity roll fails, the rite fails too, with no Virtues, although Ordeal Flaws are still inflicted. Third, the storyguide reviews the rite and awards a sympathy bonus (or penalty) according to how well the rite matches the final Virtue. The sympathy bonus becomes part of the Script.
The Mystagogue now generates the Initiation Total (no die roll):
| Presence + (Mystery Cult) Lore + Revised Script Bonus + Risk Modifier |
If this equals or exceeds the Initiation Target Level, the rite has worked, benefits are gained, and a Script can be written down for others to follow, including experimental flaws, benefits, and modifications. (The experimental Risk bonus is not carried over into the Script.)
Inventing Your Own Cult
Ars Magica players being creative and imaginative sorts, the idea of the characters creating their own Mystery Cult, perhaps tied to a secret of their covenant, is bound to arise. Perhaps the magi have established themselves in the site of an ancient lost covenant, and discovered some old books that reveal much of the odd magics that were practiced there; or perhaps they have discovered a hedge magic tradition that, following much work, and maybe a Hermetic Breakthrough, seems adaptable to Hermetic theory. They now wish to establish their own Mystery Cult, based upon their researches, and Initiate others into appropriate Virtues and Flaws. The first steps are for the storyguide to create a new (Mystery Cult) Lore for the new cult, and to assign some experi ence to the characters based on their work. If the new explorers of the old ruined covenant of Natura Antiqua in the Fens of the Stonehenge Tribunal have found secrets that seem appropriate, then the Ability of Natura Antiqua Cult Lore 0 may be conferred upon them.
Further investigations and seasons of study, as they read moldy ancient books, learn the mystical secrets, and set about devising appropriate rites and magical philosophies to pursue will grant increases in this new Organization Lore, and eventually one of the magi will be ready to experiment and create the cult’s first Initiation Script, using the rules for Experimental Scripts and Self-Initiation above. Within a few decades, the Order of Hermes will possess a new Mystery Cult.
Creating a new Mystery Cult should be arduous, intriguing, and the basis for many sessions of exciting play, not least when curious Quaesitors learn of the strange goings on at the covenant. The storyguide can base many stories on the adventures of the magi as they experiment, research, and learn Mystery Virtues from both the curious common magics and the established Mystery Virtues, or any existing Virtue that is deemed appropriate to this new mystical path.
Example: Darius Undergoes Initiation, RevisitedIn Darius’s first Initiation, discussed in the previous example, the Initiation Total was 22, and the modified Target Level was 15. The Initiation Script could have been less arduous, poviding a bonus of up to 7 less and still have succeeded. If Sebastiano had felt that the sacrifice of the talisman was unnecessary and unlikely to be mystically useful in granting Darius improved confidence, he could have decided to try modify the Script by dropping the requirement Darius sacrifice his talisman. Sebastino has an Intelligence of +3 and Legion of Mithras Lore 7. He would, therefore, have a total of 10 plus a stress die to try to beat an Ease Factor of 15 to drop an element from the Script. If he succeeded, the Script bonus would be +7, and he could record it for use in future rites. If Darius had already possessed the Flaw Dutybound: Serve the Order of Hermes before joining the Legion of Mithras, Sebastiano could have tried substituting Higher Purpose in the Initiation Script, rolling against an Ease Factor of 12. |
The Initiated Apprentice And Beyond
If the troupe agrees, an apprentice whose parens is a member of a Mystery Cult may be Initiated while still an apprentice, and gain one (or very rarely more) of the Mystery Virtues of that cult. All starting members of House Criamon, House Merinita, House Verditius, and House Bjornaer have passed through this process, but are not required to follow these rules — it is part of the standard character generation process for Initiates of these Exoteric, or House, Mysteries.
For those who wish to play characters already initiated into an Esoteric Mystery Cult, membership in the parens’s cult is represented by a required Story Flaw Cabal Legacy, representing the fact that others suspect the master (and hence the apprentice) of participating in hidden and untoward activities, and therefore do not fully trust them.
Once past Gauntlet and character generation, the purchase of Virtues and Flaws by character points ends — for most magi their powers grow by study and practice, and they do not normally acquire additional Virtues. Initiation into Mysteries is almost always by story and roleplaying, but (again with troupe permission, or to create an experienced non-player magus), a magus who is being advanced some years beyond apprenticeship may use some of those seasons for Initiations. As this rules out interesting stories, it is not encouraged for player characters.
Experimenting To Discover a New Minor Virtue ScriptLucius of Flambeau has created a new cult, the Seventh Wave, a group dedicated to rediscovering the lost magics of a ruined covenant where he dwells. The first Initiation of the new cult is designed to teach the Virtue Affinity with Art (Aquam). Lucius acts as Mystagogue, and desires but lacks the intended Virtue, so his Target Level is 18. Lacking an Initiation Script, he sets out to devise a new Script that can be used in future rituals of his cult. Lucius has studied an ancient book on the magics practiced by his predecessors, and has also practiced on his own, devising new chants and rites that he has repeated with his circle of would-be Initiates, and has reached Seventh Wave Lore 9. He is charismatic for a magus, with Presence +2, Intelligence +3. He performs what he hopes will be a Quest (discovering a lost magical wand in ancient ruins guarded by ghosts, and presenting it to the cult), and travels to the bottom of the deepest river in the Fens to commune with the spirits on the spring equinox (a day he hopes will be auspicious, as the high tide will rush up river and create an odd natural phenomenon called a tidal bore). These will afford a Script bonus of +6 if they work out. He experiments on himself, adding a Risk Modifier of +1, and the Extraordinary Results chart roll is 6: Side Effect. A 3 on the Side Effect table is a minor flaw — he gains an undesirable Personality Trait related to the cult’s activities; for example, he may become over-dedicated, becoming a fanatic who protects the Fens from all threats, and who constantly serves and protects his new cult. Checking the viability of the proposed rite,Lucius’s player rolls a simple die, scoring 9, + Risk Modifier 1 + Intelligence +3 + Lore 9 for a total of 22 vs, an Ease Factor of 9 + 6 =15, and so it is valid. The storyguide rules that the Personality Trait brings the Initiate more into line with the cult, and awards a +1 sympathy bonus, making the final Script bonus +7. With Presence +2 + Lore 9 + Script +7 + Risk Modifier +1 vs. Ease Factor 18, he succeeds. If he had failed, he would have wasted his time and effort, and could count neither the quest nor the putative special place in future attempts. Succeeding, he gains the desired Virtue, and also writes down his actions and rituals. The next Initiate will benefit from his teaching, with an Initiation Script bonus of +7 (the Risk Modifier will not count for later Initiations). Since next time he will possess the Virtue, Lucius’s own Initiate pupils will have a Target Level of 15, not 18. His apprentice Mystagogue, once Initiated, wishes to teach her own small circle of Initiates, but her (Mystery Cult) Lore is only 6, and her Presence is 0. She tries to vary the Script, adding a second Quest to the rite. Her player rolls Intelligence +3 and Seventh Wave Lore 6 vs. an Ease Factor of 9 (to add a component). She succeeds if she avoids botching the roll. The apprentice Mystagogue’s modified Initiation rite requires more effort of her Initiates, but will work under her tutelage, and she writes down the Script for future Mystagogues to benefit from. |
Initiation with a Script is designed as a fixed process, much like other experience activities (although it is more complex than others), so that it can be applied as background experience if necessary. More details are provided in the rules for The Mechanics of Initiation, but a summary follows here.
An Initiation Script indicates how many Quests are required, and any Ordeal (Flaw) imposed. The whole process takes one full season per Quest, and one for the Initiation itself. In addition, the Initiation may require sacrifice of items of value to a magus — books, vis or even an invested device or similar — and you must allocate seasons of background experience to making such an item for sacrifice (the time expended is a major part of the cost). You may wish to account for the vis expenditure too. As with background seasons allocated to Laboratory work (ArM5, page 32), each season of Initiation or Questing means the character loses 10 experience points from the yearly 30; it is more cost-effective to group Initiation seasons into whole years of background, if possible.
If a detailed Initiation Script is not available, you can create a sketchedout Script using the Initiation Rites rules above. Note the Presence and (Mystery Cult) Lore of the parens, and add sufficient Script components to provide a Script bonus that lets the parens meet the Initiation Target Level. It is usually appropriate for a probationer’s first Initiation to include an Ordeal, as this also provides a bonus for subsequent Initiations.
Experimentation to discover new Mystery paths is not really a matter for background experience rules, and player characters should go through a full roleplaying process to achieve this. If you are designing an nonplayer character cult founder, then you should discuss the process and estimate the number of failed attempts, but assume eventual success — else they would not be founders of the path you are creating!
Cabal Legacy — Minor Hermetic Story FlawThis Flaw applies to magi beginning play as Initiates in a Mystery Cult; it is not required of those seeking Initiation later, by story actions, nor is it required for membership in one of the four Mystery Houses. It allows a magus character to be designed with cult Virtues as normal Virtues, part of the standard ten Virtues and Flaws — something not otherwise possible. These Virtues and Flaws are accounted for exactly as normal: in particular, Flaws acquired now do not later count as past Ordeals. Note that if a particular Virtue requires some other specific Virtue or Flaw, then this is still required during Cabal Legacy character generation. The magus’s master was an initiate of a Mystery cabal and taught him its secrets. As an apprentice, he was marked by the Mystery. Even if he renounces all the occult trappings of the society, most magi associate him with the Mystery, especially the mystae themselves. When a magus with Cabal Legacy speaks, magi often think he speaks for his entire cabal. When he acts, the mystae often assume he’s acting as their agent. From time to time (rarely more than once every few years) he is approached by a senior mystae and commanded to perform a laborious task or undertake a bizarre quest on behalf of the cabal, usually requiring a season’s worth of activity. Performing this task well increases his status with the mystae and deepens his perceived connections to them. Refusing or bungling the task earns their wrath. This Flaw is similar to a Minor version of the Major Story Flaw Favors. |
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.