The Evil Destiny Prologue

This is the next session for Ars Magica and will lead into two more sessions. This and the second will centre on Sa`id al-Muhibb. The third will combine Sa`id and Akros, hopefully one doesn't take a dislike to the other and murder him.

If you are not playing the PC have a look at the NPCs - including reading the character sheets! - look at their virtues, flaws and personality traits and have a think about who you would like to play.

Sa`id al-Muhibb

The PC of the story

Felix, one of the two senior Magi of the Covenant has requested that you lead a group east to meet Muhammad, an old man you have not met but seen at the Covenant and know of, and a man named Akros. You are to accompany them back to the Covenant. You are to assist Adolfo, a member of the Covenant you have only now met, in any way you can during this trip. Imam Salman is accompanying you because he has told you he wants some fresh warm air and would like to see the coast.

You have a number of weeks to reach the coast and those that you are meeting should be awaiting you in a guest house. Expect frequent stops in towns along the way as Adolfo goes about his business.

The NPCs:

Imam Salman abu Janeeta (Safe father of a Gift of God)

The Humourous but deeply Pious religious man.

Salman is deeply religious, adhering to the pillars of Islam. But he is neither dogmatic nor narrow in his view on religion. In the greatest traditions of Islam he views the Word of Allah as complex and open to discussion and argument amongst the Ummah. He will engage in debate, though always in a good natured fashion, to educate, not diminish, embarrass or provoke, he will joke and use his masterfully wry humour to put others at ease.

Salman’s role is to see to the welfare of those who live and work within the Covenant of Summa Tutela. He has been an associate of both Felix and Celestine, though not close to them, he sees his role as ensuring the safety and security of members of Islam as they fall under the rule of the invaders.

When not taking care of the people of the Covenant Salman has begun careful study of the Infernal, finding books in the library of the Covenant he has began what he terms: “preparatory preventative study”.

The Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam (Arabic: أركان الإسلام) is the term given to the five duties incumbent on every Muslim. These duties are Shahadah (profession of faith), Salah (ritual prayer), Zakah (alms tax), Sawm (fasting during Ramadan), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).

Your objectives:

Get to know Sa`id al-Muhibb, he has only just joined the Covenant, recruited by Celestine.

Fulfill your duty to look to the welfare of all those who belong to the Covenant, at the moment this means getting a better understanding of the Infernal, particularly Demons.

Adolfo Eloy

The political can do man of the Covenant

Adolfo was raised within the confines of a Covenant on the northern Spanish coast of the Mediterranean. You are devoted to the magi and to doing your best to building political alliances with all those you meet. Unfortunately all your experience so far has been within the sphere of the Order of Hermes, this will be your first chance to explore the wider world and build some connections for the Covenant on the path to the east coast. Especially in the port city where you are to find an old man known as Muhammad who will be accompanying a much younger Slavic man. You will then bring them back to the Covenant.

Your objectives:

Make contacts for the Covenant on the way to the East Coast.

Fulfill your duty to look to the welfare of all those who belong to the Covenant by finding Muhammad and the Slavic young man.

Teamster Miguel

The man with the horses and mules.

You are loyal to the animals of the Covenant, they are the only ones that you like, and the only ones that for some reason seem to like you. You are so good at your job that everyone else tolerates your morose temperament and you tolerate everyone else, so long as no one mistreats the animals! You cannot abide any form of animal cruelty.

Your objectives:

Keep the animals happy and comfortable on the trip to the east and back.

Seek calculated vengeance on anyone mistreating the animals of the Covenant.

A Mystery Cult

This is the concept for a Mystery for one of the players in our Ars Magica game. I had been working on a script based on the expansion book, I still plan on using the mechanics from this book but the in game acts have now all been developed in-game through the activities of the players. The Cult was to be rebuilt based on the understanding that the player could achieve through meeting one of the few surviving followers of the Magical being Dionysus who has been largely subsumed by the Fae after he was banned by the Romans. The Initiation rite appears so far to broadly involve suffering a medium wound, learning the appropriate Lore from a follower of Dionysus, sacrificing and consuming a Fae, suffering a minor flaw and taking a warping point. The minor virtue of potent magic is also granted, though the player does not know this yet.

The Cult of Dionysus, A Mystery Cult of the Magical Realm

Dionysus (Latin) or Dionysos (Greek), the Thracian god of wine, represents not only the intoxicating power of wine, but also its social and beneficial influences. He is viewed as the promoter of civilization, a lawgiver, and lover of peace — as well as the patron deity of agriculture and the theatre. He was also known as the Liberator, freeing one from one's normal self, by madness, ecstasy, or wine. The divine mission of Dionysus was to mingle the music of the flute and to bring an end to care and worry.

Imagery, Symbols and Creatures of Dionysus

The bull, the serpent, the ivy and wine are the signs of the characteristic Dionysian atmosphere, infused with the unquenchable life of the god. Their numinous presence signifies that the god is near. Dionysus is strongly associated with the satyrs, centaurs and sileni. He is often shown riding a leopard, wearing a leopard skin, or being pulled by a chariot drawn by panthers and has been called the god of cats and savagery. He always carries a thyrsus. Besides the grapevine and its wild barren alter-ego, the toxic ivy plant, both sacred to him, the fig was also his. The pine cone that tipped his thyrsus linked him to Cybele, and the pomegranate linked him to Demeter.

The Rites of Dionysus

The rites of Dionysus include fire walking accompanied by ecstatic dancing, drumming, and forays into the woods or mountains by participants "possessed by Dionysus", as well as the preliminary animal sacrifice and distribution of meat to the village population.

The Rites had largely been stamped out by the Romans by 1^st Century BC.

Epitaphs of Dionysus

Dionysus sometimes has the epithet Bromios, meaning "the thunderer" or "he of the loud shout". Another epithet is Dendrites; as Dionysus Dendrites ("he of the trees"), he is a powerful fertility god.

The Thyrsus

A thyrsus (thyrsos) was a sacred implement at religious rituals and festivals. It was made of a giant fennel staff covered with ivy vines and leaves and topped with a pine cone.

The thyrsus is a composite symbol of the forest (pine cone) and the farm (fennel). It has been suggested that this was specifically a fertility phallus, with the fennel representing the shaft of the penis and the pine cone representing the "seed" issuing forth. It was associated with Dionysus (or Bacchus) and his followers, the Satyrs and Maenads.

Sometimes the thyrsus was displayed in conjunction with a wine cup, another symbol of Dionysus, forming a male-and-female combination like that of the royal scepter and orb.

What I sent my fellow gamers

Suvs, Bela, Steve D and Steve X,

This is to fill Suvs in but all should read before the next game as it has a new NPC below. The next Ars session is this Thursday night. So far we have had three sessions.


Background

The first and second got Thierry Ex Jerbiton, his True Friend Louis, Roger the Norman, the Magi Folquet and a mishmash of survivors from Theirry's covenant and nearby village across the Pyrenees with a wonderful, for Theirry and the Faerie, dalliance with the Spring Fae of the pass. There was also the kidnapping of Louis' new Bride and the massacre and destruction of the nicest village and Covenant in all of Europe, watched by the frozen but magically protected Famous Poet Theirry ,while Folquet and Roger tried valiantly to protect everybody. Strange beasts came through portals to do this, Roger the Norman has declared them Beasts from Hell or some such and clearly from their clawed hands, lantern eyes and grotesque old women appearance and willingness to massacre and kidnap in a horribly bloody fashion - including wearing someone's skin - they aren't nice. This was followed by the seizure of one member of Thierry's Coveant - Gautier - by the Magi Batiste, to be his apprentice. Batiste is famous for incorporating magic from the Schools of Islam into Hermetic Magic and infamous for beating, torturing and killing apprentices that displease him. Theirry was well please d to be rid of the annoying Gautier and it was Batiste's right under Hermetic Law - as a member of House Bonisagus - to seize Gautier.

The Third session saw Viriathus, Mythic Hero and Redcap, arrive in a town on the coast of Iberia to escort three newly Gauntleted Magi to their new Covenant. Before this could occur the townsfolk rose up to drive these suspect individuals from their fair coastal town, the Magi and Viriathus left as quickly as they could after terrorising the town with a Demon Horse and sending the local Priest packing in fear after he attempted to drive the demon's from the town. The four indivdiuals are now trecking across the countryside with only meager supplies, chicken theft and nabbing the meager belongings of shepherds their main sustenance. They are apparently being stalked by a wolf while Viriathus guides them towards his own objective prior to depositing them at their new abode.


What has been going on

I have been organising the sessions so that their are two PCs played by players and at least one NPC played by a player. The NPC has some broad goals that I am keen for the player to pursue as well as some personality guidelines but otherwise people play them as they see fit. This allows rules to be learned by people playing lots of different kinds of characters as well as hopefully getting everyone engaged while spreading the PCs out so they are not a DnD party wandering the countryside. I have an NPC that I am hoping you will be keen to play for the next two sessions. The current program is to get everyone's characters to the Covenant. Each group of two to three sessions should be seen as running in parallel. While Thierry and Roger do battle and make their way across the Pyrenees the current group are moving west across Iberia.

Next session will commence at the border of the forest that Viriathus has been guiding people to. The central cast will be the Italian Ex Miscellanea Magus (Steve D.) who hunts beasts, a Merinita Magus (Steve X.) with an interest in drugs and the fae. With them are an Ex Miscellanea Carthaginian Maga who terrifies most normals she encounters and Viriathus the Numantine (Bela), Mythic Hero, Redcap in the service of House Mercer and the Order of Hermes and Bloodcap, born on the fields of the final massacre by Rome of the Numantians. In addition they will encounter young Jihad (Suvs) and his magical Magpie (NPC).


Young Jihad

Jihad ran away from his Master, Zaid, a landholder on the East Coast of Iberia, when he was eight – this occurred within hours of Zaid getting him home. Jihad has been on the run ever since gradually working himself westwards across Iberia in the hope of finding his home and parents. Zaid long-ago gave up looking for his run-away slave, he was cheap and a suspicious little Berber anyway, but he has reported him to the authorities and should he hear of the boy he will come looking.

Brave in the face of threats to animals, stoic about his life, Jihad has become adept at hiding and trapping animals to survive. He is particularly adept at finding locations to hide that no one seems able to find. He found that sometimes he gets a tingling sensation and he perceives entryways that apparently escape the notice of others, he slips into these entryways and easily escapes his pursuers. Though he does not know it, he is currently using a Magical Regio inside a forest as his base of operations. Whenever he feels at threat, he slips into this area. His powers are magical in origin.

It goes against his nature but Jihad keeps to himself, his fear of others finding him and returning him to slavery ensures Jihad continues to hide. However, of course a greater fear may push him towards people that he may perceive as similar outcasts.

Ameliorating his curiosity and desire to associate with people is his only friend a Magpie, which Jihad rescued from a particularly ferocious cat and brought to one of his hiding places to nurse. The animal and Jihad have grown close, it troubles the young boy not a bit that the Magpie and he chat endlessly about Iberia, scavenging and other topics of mutual interest.

Some things the players should know about Jihad to help along the story:

• Jihad shares some interesting abilities with the Mythic Hero Viriathus.
• Jihad has just been scared out of his wits by a huge group of what he first thought where merchants but on closer inspection appeared to be animals walking upright, bringing carts of goods and animals arriving in his hiding place.
• The Magpie quite likes Magi, though his first loyalty is to Jihad.

Jihad's character sheet looks long but that is only because I have cut and paste the information on each of his Virtues and Flaws into the sheet for ease of reference.

I finally got to use this young slave, developed from this joke character, in hopefully a fun form.

the Who and the Where

I have been happy with the progress of this game. I will post a write-up of the first two sessions when I have put all my notes together. I really enjoyed both sessions and hopefully the players did too. This is what I sent out as the prelude for the next two to three sessions. I have more information on the Mycthic Hero NPC for one player and would have liked a name for the other players Magus before sending this out but otherwise this is where we will be starting.

the Who and the Where

The next two to three sessions will focus on el Viajero de Merinita and Logical Steve’s Magi – Magus X until named - along with the Mythic Hero Viriathus the Numantian and the Maga, Tanit fillia Ashtart Ex Miscellanea. The three Magi find themselves in a coastal town between Valencia and Barcelona awaiting their escort to the Covenant that has invited them as new member. They are on the wrong side of the blurry but fought over border between the Order of Hermes and the different Schools of the Islamic Sorcerers. All the Magi are together in a hostel where their respective Covenants of apprenticeship had arranged a night’s room and board through the Redcaps. There is currently a truce between the Order and most of the Schools so the Magi should be safe, but maybe a little tense as they await the arrival of their guide.

The objective is to get the Magi to the Covenant overland. This is a war zone, conflict is everywhere, the Magi do not have to fight but that will depend on what they do along with their escort as they make their way to the Covenant.

The PCs:

El Viajero de Merinita awakens in the world from his gauntlet with a note clasped in his right hand that reads:

“My Filius, congratulations on the passing of your final gauntlet, you are now a Magus of Merinita and a member of the Order of Hermes. I do not know what visions you have had in your wanderings under the influence, nor could I discern meaning in your ramblings but you will find yourself in a fishing town. Wait here for the Viri, you will know him by his name, remember your Latin my Filius. He will guide you to your new Covenant, the Covenant of Summa Tutela (the Covenant of the Guarded Height). Do not hesitate to write me should you have questions, news or insight to impart on the ways of the Fae.

Your Parens”

In your left hand is clasped a small bag of Soma that if prepared by a skilled Herbalist or Apothecary can produce a drink that will affect the consumer an entire season. In your pocket are two small yellow berries of the Mandrake plant which when consumed provide an intense hallucinatory effect that lasts as long as a formulaic or Spontaneous spell casting and can be used prior to casting.

Magus X has gotten himself to the town through the use of one of the vessels of his family. They were more than happy to drop him off after his unwelcome return to them by his Parens at the conclusion of his Gauntlet. Magus X has three pawns of Vis given him by his Parens as a parting gift, one of Vim in a Griffin’s Talon, itself valuable, one of Animal in the dried heart of a Crow and one of Muto in a mosquito trapped in hardened tree sap. He too has a note:

“Filius, you have passed your gauntlet. Trivial spells already for you in the realm of animal.

May you find what you seek within the Order of Hermes. I offer only the advice that you be wary of hunting to much these beasts you have taken such a proprietry interest in. Some hunt back and while we may not be close I would prefer you not come to an unnecessarily untimely end.

Listen to Felix Achaemenus Scholae Bonisagus and do not anger Celeste, you can learn much from both. Finally make yourself useful if you can.

Parens”

The NPCs:

Viriathus is a Redcap messenger and problem solver for House Mercer and the Order of Hermes. He is a brutally terrifying descendent of the Numantians, who successfully fought the Carthaginians and for a time the Romans. He is a direct descendant of one of these Celtiberians greatest leaders, the original Viriathus, legend has it that the original Viriathus had been borne of the union of the Fae of the Celtiberians who ruled a region that existed in parallel to the mundane Iberia and a Magical Wolf who ruled Celtiberia during the War against the invading Romans and Mercurian Magi. This Viriathus may or may not be much like the original, but he was conceived on the battlefield of the final massacre of the Numantians by the Romans and brought forth with the death of his mother. He is consequently both a Hero of Mythic Origin and a terrifying Bloodcap.

Tanit fillia Ashtart Ex Miscellanea is a Carthaginian Maga, she has a reputation as a Hedge Wizard and most Magi would consider her little more than a witch and coming from a magical tradition that is believed to have conducted human sacrifice in it’s past – something possibly still done now in secret, though the PCs may not know this depending on rolls.

None of the four characters have met each other yet.

The Scene.

The Magi have been told to await their escort who will meet them in the town and escort them to the Covenant. All the characters are currently in Al Andalusia, neither the Reconquest nor the Order of Hermes having stretched this far. But there is a truce between the Order of Hermes and several of the Schools of Islamic Sorcery, though not between the Christians and Muslims.

The Magi are waiting in a Travelers rest house, used by those who are dropped here by ship, or those awaiting a ship to depart. El Viajero de Merinita doesn’t know how he got here, though he was guided by a watchful and helpful Redcap by the name of Walchelin. Magus X knows how he got here, on a family ship, a one time favour to get their least favourite son out of Italy. Tanit traveled here on foot by herself, avoiding contact with people as much as she could, though more often than not they fled and barred their doors at her approach.

Viriathus has arrived on the outskirts of the town and has made himself ready to enter the town, find the Magi in the Hostel – the location of which he knows – and depart hastily. Viriathus wears a helmet to disguise his terrifyingly horrifying monstrous visage and has steeled himself for the potential illness and disquiet he feels when passing through towns, villages and hamlets – he also plans on avoiding any churches or clergy, they particularly distress him; no doubt the Divine Aura that is stronger where they preach and reside.

Al-Andalusia and the Iberian Tribunal

The Covenant of Summa Tutela

Summa Tutela stands tall atop a hill overlooking the Tagus River. The Tagus flows from east to west dissecting Iberia and forming the border between the Christian re-conquests and Islam. This border closely reflects the extent of authority of the Order of Hermes in Iberia. The Covenant is situated close to the Roman Road known as the Via De La Plata, passing from the far-north of Iberia, crossing a nearby stone bridge, before heading south into Muslim Andalusia

Designed and built by the Muslim Sorcerer Abdul-Aleem in the late 9^th Century – to take advantage of the trade passing down the Tagus and the Via De La Plata – Abdul-Aleem used large well cut stones and founded the buildings of the Covenant on the ruin of a Roman Temple to Mercury. The Covenant is imposing in its height and strength of simple but confident fortifications. Nonetheless it is a bright and cheery place, especially when silhouetted by the sunny blue sky.

It has been made home by the two magi who took it, and the guards and household staff they brought with them. As you look the Covenant is busy with activity, armed men quietly patrol atop the fortifications and maids, servants and other members of the household busy themselves finishing up tasks before the midday meal.

Several buildings make up the covenant which stretches along the ridge of a hill. First, at the ridge’s western edge stands the Keep – housing the rooms and laboratories of the Magi – then, as you move east, comes the library, then the kitchen, workshop, stable and finally quarters for the guard, household and guests.

Inside the buildings the rooms have unusually high ceilings that are both light and airy throughout summer – although the temperature can probably drop in winter. Beautiful wooden furniture and the occasional Persian rug fit out the mostly wooden floored complex – presumably left behind by the last occupants. Adding the final touch is an outdoor heated bath.

As well as the Via De La Plata the Covenant is close to the road from Toledo to Merida – where a Chapter of Knights has recently been founded. The Covenant has the task of standing on the frontier between the growing Iberian Tribunal and the Islamic Sorcerers who contest this, while also managing interaction with the mundane world which frequently passes along the nearby roads and river.

Founded atop the ruin of a Roman Temple to Mercury, the Covenant lies within a powerful Magical Aura that extends across the entire hilltop. Fortified and guarded the inhabitants have all that is necessary for their purpose – though few luxuries.

Run by Celeste Otrera ex Tytalus and Felix Achaemenus Scholae Bonisagus the Covenant is also home to other Magi such as you, fresh from their gauntlets and newly recruited to hold and expand the frontier.

Iberia or Al-Andalusia 1210; the mundane and arcane political backdrop

Iberia has been reclaimed in part by Christian forces from the north. But the forces of Islam continue a staunch resistance. The Muslims have reportedly fragmented into a number of smaller Kingdoms which, while still managing to do battle, appear to be gradually falling.

The Order of Hermes has been taking advantage of this, some suspect provoking the violence, in order to expand the borders of the Order forcefully.

• Magi of House Flambeau are in the vanguard of bringing new members into the Order, or destroying them.
• House Tytalus is also taking advantage of the conflict to recruit, and rebuild their damaged name.
• Members of House Bonisagus appear to be attempting to learn what they can from the Witches, Sorcerers and Cabalists that can be found in the Peninsula, using a variety of means.
• House Ex Miscellanea is growing fast with new members not fitting into Tytalus of Flambeau finding a home here.
• House Merinita has taken an unusual interest in the Peninsula, many are unsure why, most don’t care.
• Jerbiton continues to work with the noble mundane, some think too closely, to retake the Christian lands of the Iberian Peninsula.
• The Tremere – as soldiers – are closely involved in the conflict on the border, though they are not as in touch with the political activities as they would like; their Covenant in the Pyrenees now far from the expanded border.

Within Andalusia is a rich and diverse heritage of magic, including Islamic, Jewish, Christian and Pagan Traditions. All but the Pagan flourished under the generally benign auspices of the Muslim Caliphs. These other traditions are pursuing a variety of responses to the growing influence of the Order of Hermes and it’s incursion into Andalusia: some are joining, even converting to Christianity, others are hiding or fleeing into North Africa, while others, interests intertwined with the Islamic Kingdoms, mount a staunch and complex defense of the Islamic world. To the north refugees from the Albigensian Crusade are also starting to cross the Pyrenees, currently only in small numbers but should the conflict worsen more could be expected.

The Magi will find themselves in a newly founded Covenant that is set to lead the incorporation of the rest of Andalusia into the Iberian Tribunal. They will be under the direction, and protection, of elders within the Covenant though still having plenty of seasons to pursue their objectives within this growing Tribunal.