Thirty Magic Characters for November

[size=150]Sloagh, Swamp Drake[/size]

Second dragon in the Isle of Man, and as Chenney-Mooar, small-sized for dragon standards, Sloagh is a huge serpent who lives in the swamp in the middle of the isle, predating on the travelers who cross the island and get away from the Kings' Path. If the three dragons of Man were Sergio Leone's characters, yesterday's Chenney-Mooar would be The Good, Sloagh would be The Ugly, and for The Bad I'm going to need two posts.

Sloagh is quite dangerous when on his usual area. Fortunately for travelers he is under a curse, so he cannot attack those who follow the Kings' Path through the swamp, and he is not clever enough to find many ways to lure his preys out of their ways, except by making small fires and wave them around them.

He is also quite coward, so unless extremely hungry he will probably avoid large parties with armed men. Also his treasure is known to consist mostly of bone remains of his former preys, so no one (except probably necromancers) is really interested in pursuing Sloagh (and he have a few tricks to hide away from those who dare). But he have the power to ask questions to these bones, which in return answer back to him, making Sloagh suddenly and for brief moments know strange and forgotten things.

Magic Might: 43 (Aninal)

Vis: 9 pawns, animal vis on his spine.

Characteristics: Int -2, Per +2, Pre -3, Com -3, Sta +3, Str +16, Dex +2, Qik -2

Size: +7

Season: Winter

Virtues & Flaws: Arcane Lore, Enduring Constitution, Improved Characteristics (x3) (Quality), Keen Smell, Lesser Immunity (acid & poison), Magic Animal, Premonitions (Quality), Puissant Brawl, Reserves of Strength, Tough, Ways of the Swamp; Baneful Circumstances (direct sunlight) (Inferiority), Enemies, Greedy (major), Infamous, Lesser Malediction (cursed to be away from the King's Road) (Inferiority), Magical Air (Inferiority), Magical Monster, Mute (Free), No Hands (Free), Restricted Power (Inferiority)

Magical Qualities & Inferiorities: Gift of Speech, Greater Power (x3), Improved Attack: Constriction (x3), Improved Attack: Large Fangs, Improved Damage: Large Fangs (x2), Improved Defense: Constriction (x4), Improved Defense: Large Fangs (x3), Improved Fatigue (x3), Improved Initiative: Constriction, Improved Initiative: Large Fangs, Improved Powers (x9), Improved Soak (x6), Lesser Power, Minor Virtue: Improved Characteristics (x3), Minor Virtue: Premonitions, Personal Power (x13); Major Flaw: Magical Air, Minor Flaw: Baneful Circumstances, Minor Flaw: Lesser Malediction, Minor Flaw: Restricted Power, Reduced Abilities (x4), Susceptible to Deprivation

Personality Traits: Greedy +6, Gluton +3, Coward +3

Reputations: Swamp moster [Isle of Man] 4

Combat:
Dodge: Init -2, Defense +5
Large Fangs: Init +1, Attack +15, Defense +12, Damage +25
Constriction: Init +1, Attack +19, Defense +14

Soak: +18

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0/0, 0/0, -2/-2, -4, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: 0 (1 - 12), -2 (13 - 24), -4 (25 - 36), Incapacitated (37 - 48), Dead (49+)

Abilities: Athletics (crawling) 4, Awareness (stalking) 6, Brawl (Constriction) 5 + 2, Concentration (maintaining powers) 5, English (begging) 1, Faerie Lore (swamp faeries) 2, Gaelic (begging) 3, Hunt (in swamps) 6, Infernal Lore (swamp demons) 1, Irish Sea Lore (coastline) 1, Isle of Man Lore (rivers & streams) 5, Magic Lore (dragons) 3, Norse (begging) 2, Premonitions (ambushes) 6, Stealth (swamps) 6, Survival (swamps) 5, Swamp Lore (ambush spots) 6, Swim (swamps) 5

Equipment: Quite small treasure for a dragon, mostly consisting in pieces of bones and remains of former victims.

Powers:
—Mine Ears Food Hear: 0 point, Init -6 Penetration 43, Aninal.
R: Per., D: Sun, T: Hearing
As the Hunter's Sense spell on the corebook (p.118), Sloag can sense the shapes and primary motivations of all animals above a certain size that he can hear, or could hear if they were making a noise, as long as they are bigger than size -3. The “noise” of an animal’s shape is louder the larger it is, while the “noise” of its motivations increases depending on how intense the motivation is. A child fleeing from a wolf would sound fearful, very loudly. The wolf’s motivation might be fairly quiet, especially if recent hunting had been good. (Base 4, +2 Sun, +3 Hearing, +1 for shape and primary motivation)
InAn 35: Personal Power (-4 Might cost, Constant)
—In Crackes and Holes Home Is: 3 points, Init -5 Penetration 28, Aninal.
R: Per., D: Conc., T: Ind.
Sloagh can shrink itself to size of -1. (Base 4, +2 Size up to +7, +2 Size ranks, +1 Concentration)
MuAn 25: Personal Power
—Mine Eyes Shining Are: 2 points, Init +1 Penetration 33, Aninal.
R: Eye, D: Conc., T: Ind.
Sloagh can hold any animal or human rigid as long as they make eye contact with it. (Base 5, +1 Eye, +1 Concentration, +1 Mentem requisite)
ReAn(Me) 20: Lesser Power (+11 Initiative, -2 Might cost)
—Mine Hug Foof Bones Soften and Break: 4 points, Init -7 Penetration 23, Corpus.
R: Touch, D: Mom., T: Ind.
When using this power, Sloagh constrict quite hard a human or animal victim up to size +4, which dies at once. (Restricted Power: must constric sucessfully first to use this power) (Base 30, +1 Touch, +1 Size, +1 Animal requisite)
PeCo(An) 45: Greater Power (-1 Might cost +5 Max Level)
—Mine Forest Bows to Me: 0 point, Init -6 Penetration 43, Herbam.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Group
Sloagh can crawl through herbs and tress unmolested by them, as they twist aside to left room for it. To all practical purposes when it's between plants, no matter how thick, it acts as in open space. (Base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, + 2 Group)
ReHe 35: Personal Power (-4 Might cost, Constant)
—Mine Skin Beautifully Colored Is: 0 point, Init -3 Penetration 43, Imaginem.
R: Per., D: Sun, T: Ind.
Sloagh's skin colour changes to match its surroundings, making it quite hard to spot. He get a +3 bonus to stealth attempts when moving or +6 if still. (Base 1, +2 Size, +2 Sun)
MuIm 10: Personal Power (-1 Might cost, Constant)
—Mine Skin Smooth Is: 0 point, Init -5 Penetration 43, Aquam.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind.
Sloagh exudates a poisnonous sweat that can inflict a medium wound to anyone or anything touching it. (Base 10, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
CrAq 30: Personal Power (-3 Might cost, Constant)
—Mine Breath Sweet Is: 3 points, Init 0 Penetration 28, Aquam.
R: Voice, D: Mom., T: Ind.
Sloagh can breathe a torrent of acid, which does +20 corrosion damage to anyone it hits; if the target have armor, double its soak bonus for that round, and right after that divide it by two, rounding down, as the armor gets ruined. Anyone hit by it must make a Strength + Size stress roll of 9+ or be sent flying back. (Base 20, +2 Voice)
CrAq 30: Greater Power (+5 Initiative)
—Mine Lungs Swamp Water Breathe Can: 0 point, Init -5 Penetration 43, Aquam.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Part
As the spell on page 122 of the Corebook, Sloagh can breath water as well as air.
MuAq 25: Personal Power (-3 Might cost, Constant)
—In Rocks and Stone Home Also Is: 4 points, Init -8 Penetration 23, Aninal.
R: Per., D: Sun, T: Ind.
Sloagh can move into and become part of a rock formation that’s at least twice its size. While in the stone, it can hear what’s going on around it, but he can’t use other senses. The power lasts until Sloagh comes out from the rock, and it must come out where it went in. Sloagh have no need for food or drink while in this state. Rolls to recover from Fatigue or wounds take twice as long to make while it is merged into the stone. (Base 25, +2 Sun, +2 Size, +1 for special effect)
MuAn(Te) 55: Personal Power (-2 Might cost +10 Max Level, Constant)
—Mine Food Answers Can Give: 0 point, Init -6 Penetration 43, Mentem.
R: Arc., D: Conc., T: Ind.
Sloagh can ask questions to the ghosts of these he had eaten as long as he can touch an arcane connection to them. As he uses to keep mementos of his previous meals in his lair and this power doesn't require any might spenditure, if confronted in his lair he can pretend to be quite wise and know a lot of things, just because he can ask to many ghosts about almost any subject (eaten monks about theology, eaten peasants about area lore, and so on). (Base 15, +4 Arcane, +1 Concentration)
InMe 40: Greater Power (-4 Might cost)
—Mine Skin Senses the Caress of Magic: 0 point, Init -3 Penetration 43, Vim.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind.
Sloagh always knows whether he is currently in a magic aura and its strength. (Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
InVi 10: Personal Power (-1 Might cost, Constant)
—Mine Nose Magical Paths Can Smell: 0 point, Init -4 Penetration 43, Vim.
R: Per., D: Sun, T: Smell
Sloagh can smell the boundaries of magical regiones, and therefore divine the path to the next level. (Base 3, +2 Sun, +2 Smell)
InVi 20: Personal Power (-2 Might cost, Constant)
—Mine Nose Magical Tricks Can Smell: 0 point, Init -6 Penetration 43, Vim.
R: Per., D: Sun, T: Smell
Sloagh can smell spells and magical powers around things and people. The specific smell of the aura indicates the Form of the spell or power working on a subjectTis power also detects the residues of some spells and powers. (Base 5, +2 Sun, +2 Smell, +1 Forms)
InVi 35: Personal Power (-4 Might cost, Constant)
—Home Smell Pleasant Is: 2 points, Init -7 Penetration 33, Aquam.
R: Touch, D: Moon, T: Group
As the Vile Water of Sterility spell on page 122 of the Corebook, Sloagh ruins any body of water he crosses up to the size of a small lake, making it unfit for natural habitation and consumption. The water becomes dark and murky, and noxious fumes emanate from it. Vegetation on the banks either dies or becomes corrupt. Nearby trees become gnarled and blackened, and land animals flee the area. The effect last for moon duration after he has left the area. (Base 4 (a very unnatural liquid), +1 Touch, +3 Moon, +2 Group, +2 size)
PeAq 45: Personal Power (-3 Might cost, Constant)

Appareance: Sloagh is a Magical Serpent, and thus lacks Wings or Limbs. His color changes to match these of the swamp.

You described Sloagh as much larger than Chenny-Mooar, yet they're both size +7, smaller than Stellatus in the core book. Was this intentional?

I'm still loving this thread. You put in so much work.

I must say the lack of magic things in the official books is disturbing.

My facorite one here is the magical mirror !

Ooops, my mistake. At first it was size +7. Then I thought that it should be not so small, so I switched it to size +8, and then was when I wrote that description. Then I reread the powers and realized that for the powers I was using the spell guidelines, adding size modifiers; they work on animals up to size +1, so to get them working on him, I had spent two extra magnitudes, which covered him with size +7, but to work with size +8 I needed another extra magnitude and a lot of reworking in powers (it gets a bit more messy because in our saga we have houseruled that Animal base target is size +2 instead of +1, so our Sloagh does have size +8, anyway).

I know: guidelines. I'm reading carefully that thread of you about them, but for these powers to be usable by anyone I think I should stick to them. And thanks! It's being fun, but I'm falling a bit behind schedule...

Well, RoP:M is quite crowded, so I guess they didn't get either the spotlight, the space or both. Also the rules can get strange results, like that tether bonus, that can get ridiculously high as soon as you put some might into the being.

And yeah, the mirror is cool, I'm glad you liked it. Magic things that can be put into labs are cool, and a nice source of stories that can hit magi where they feel safer, right at their sancta, or make the exploration of other magi's sanctae something memorable.

I still have two ghosts and Tharmanneagh, which will require two posts, to get rid of my fixation with the Isle of Man, the big bad dragon in there and the Schism War, but after that I'll go back into magic things, mirror style.

[size=150]Tharmaneagh, Hermetic Bane[/size]

Tharmaneagh is the third dragon in the Isle of Man and, by far, the most interesting and dangerous one: all attempts of hermetic settlement into the island had ended tragically; all covenants (except one) founded on the island were destroyed within 6 months; Rector Maris in 866, Rector Novus in 938, and Servus Maris in 1160 at first the Order of Odin was thought to be the reason, but Servus Maris left one survivor, who left the island with a message to the Order: "don't come back". The survivor's testimony confirmed that Tharmaneagh was the responsible of destroying not only Servus Maris, but all (except one) previous covenants founded in Man.

Tharmaneagh's hate to the Order comes from long ago; shortly after the Order's foundation one hermetic magus named Finn yn Droiadh settled on the island, and killed the dragon Snaefell, mate of Tharmaneagh. Tharmaneagh swore revenge, and not only against Finn but all of his kind. He was quite good spotting magic and it's origin, so he had since associated hermetic magic as that who killed Snaefell, and for centuries he killed every magi he saw on the island.

But let's go back to these "except one"-covenat of two paragraphs above: there was a covenant who lasted way longer than 6 months, and though it ended tragically as well, it wasn't destroyed by the dragon: the Caarjyn Arawn covenant. And guess what house what that covenant from? Diedne!, founded in 984, and destroyed by a party of Flambeau and Mercere magi in the early stages of the Schism War.

That's the official story, as long as it is presented in HtM and Treasures of the Sea, and it left me with two thoughts.

First of all, how did Caarjyn Arawn survived the dragon for two decades?

Second, how big must a creature be to be able to kept the Order of Hermes away for centuries. Tharmaneagh is wagging a centuries old war against the Order, and so far he is actually winning it. But that doesn't make many sense: the Order have quite decent specialists. A regular dragon is something that would be a menace up to the point of gaining the attention of a powerful specialist or experienced party of creature hunting magi. It can't be so hard to get an arcane connection, bring it back, and use it in a well planned attack. The rewards are just too big to be overlooked: on one side, the Partitio Moraviae would give anyone managing the right to choose which tribunal the island belongs to: Hibernia, Stonehenge or Loch Leglean (or even try to found a new one, which is where my saga is pointing to). The island is rich in magical treasures, unexplored and unclaimed. And Tharmaneagh is probably the widest known declared enemy of the order in 1220, and slaying him would put the name of its killer in the hall of fame next to Pralix.

So the question I spent some time thinking was: how comes this dragon is still alive?

I finally thought of an answer. But before going there we need Tharmaneagh's first draft, and two extra characters. A powerful dragon, able to identify magic, hating everything with the "hermetic" word on it (and Chenney-Mooar, by the way, as they had a long-standing fight over some hunting rights over one specific forests), and with a dangerous, though restricted, power against magi.

Magic Might: 50 (Aninal)

Vis: 4 pawns of Animal Vis in skull, 4 pawns of Ignem vis on its tongue, 2 pawns of Vim vis on his eyes.

Characteristics: Int +4, Per +3, Pre +4, Com -1, Sta +1, Str +17, Dex +3, Qik -3

Size: +8

Season: Winter

Virtues & Flaws: Affinity with Brawl, Arcane Lore, Berserk, Educated, Enduring Constitution, Greater Immunity (heat & fire) (Quality), Improved Characteristics (x8) (Quality), Magic Animal, Puissant Brawl, Tough, Warrior; Blatant Magical Air (Inferiority), Driven (major) (kill every hermetic magi who sets foot on Man) (Inferiority), Enemies (Order of Hermes), Infamous, Lost Love, Magical Air (Inferiority), Magical Monster (Inferiority), Mute (Inferiority) (Free), No Hands (Inferiority) (Free), Plagued by Supernatural Entity (Chenney-Mooar), Restricted Power (x3) (Inferiority), Slow Power (x1) (Inferiority)

Magical Qualities & Inferiorities: Animal Resistance, Gift of Speech, Greater Power (x3), Improved Attack: Large Fangs (x2), Improved Damage: Large Fangs (x2), Improved Defense: Large Fangs (x4), Improved Fatigue (x4), Improved Initiative: Large Fangs (x1), Improved Int, Pre, Qik (x2) (x4), Improved Might (x8), Improved Powers (x8), Improved Soak (x8), Major Virtue: Greater Immunity, Minor Virtue: Improved Characteristics (x8), Personal Power (x5), Ritual Power (x2), Vim Resistance; Major Flaw: Blatant Magical Air, Major Flaw: Driven (major), Major Flaw: Hatred (major), Major Flaw: Magical Air, Major Flaw: Magical Monster, Major Flaw: Mute, Major Flaw: No Hands, Minor Flaw: Restricted Power (x3), Minor Flaw: Slow Power (x1), Reduced Abilities (x8)

Personality Traits: Hateful +6, Violent +3, Proud +3, Curious +2, Patient -2

Reputations: Hermetic Bane [Order of Hermes] 4

Combat:
Dodge: Init -3, Defense +7
Large Fangs: Init +1, Attack +22, Defense +17, Damage +26
Large Claws: Init -3, Attack +18, Defense +10, Damage +21
Constriction: Init -3, Attack +16, Defense +7
Dagger (in human shape): Init -3, Attack +15, Defense +15, Damage +4
Long Sword (in human shape): Init -1, Attack +11, Defense +10, Damage +7
(When Berserk, +2 to Attack and -2 to Defense)

Soak: +20 / +22 when Berserk

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0/0, 0/0, -2/-2, -4/-4, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: 0 (1 - 13), -2 (14 - 26), -4 (27 - 39), Incapacitated (40 - 52), Dead (53+)

Abilities: Animal Resistance (hermetic spells) 4, Artes Liberales (rethoric) 1, Athletics (Flying) 3, Awareness (alertness) 3, Brawl (Large Fangs) 8 + 2, Carouse (courtly love) 4, Charm (potential victims) 4, Code of Hermes (Wizard War) 2, Dominion Lore (saints) 2, Etiquette (dragons) 4, Faerie Lore (faeric dragons) 3, Folk Ken (magi) 3, House Diedne Lore (who is who) 2, Hunt (humans) 5, Infernal Lore (Man's demons) 3, Isle of Man Lore (vis sources) 5, Latin (hermetic use) 4, Magic Lore (magical beasts) 4, Order of Hermes Lore (magi customs) 3, Profession: Scribe (letters) 2, Single Weapon (Long Sword) 3, Survival (coastline) 3, Vim Resistance (hermetic spells) 4

Powers:
—The Reaper's Stare: 5 points, Init +2 Penetration 25, Corpus.
R: Eye, D: Mom., T: Ind.
If this power penetrates, Tharmaneagh can kill a human if they make eye contact. (Base 30, +1 Eye)
PeCo 35: Greater Power (+8 Initiative, --1 Might cost)
—Human Shape: 2 points, Init -6 Penetration 40, Corpus.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind.
Tharmaneagh can transforms itself into the shape of a normal human being, allowing it to move through mundane society relatively unnoticed. He can only use this power when touching a human being. (Base 10, +2 Size, +2 Sun) Slow power, Restricted Power.
InCo(Me) 25: Personal Power (-1 Might cost, Constant)
—Fiery Breath: 2 points, Init +1 Penetration 40, Ignem.
R: Voice, D: Mom., T: Ind.
Tharmaneagh can belch forth a torrent of fire 50 paces long and 10 paces wide. Anyone caught in its path takes a stress die +45 damage from the flames; a character may attempt to dodge with a Qik + Athletics roll; if the roll succeeds against an Ease Factor of 12, the character is only singed for a stress die +15 damage. CrIg 50 (Base 40, +2 Voice)
CrIg 50: Greater Power (+10 Initiative, -3 Might cost +10 Max Level)
—Vision of Heat's Light: 0 point, Init -6 Penetration 50, Ignem.
R: Per., D: Sun, T: Vision
Tharmaneagh sees the heat of objects that are of human body temperature or hotter. (Base 2, +2 Sun, +4 Vision)
InIg 25: Personal Power (-3 Might cost, Constant)
—Peering Into the Mortal Mind: 0 point, Init -6 Penetration 50, Mentem.
R: Sight, D: Mom., T: Ind.
As the spell on page 149 of ArM5, but Tharmaneagh can read the mind of anyone he can see; the target does not need to make eye contact with him. InMe 40 (Base 25, +3 Sight)
InMe 30: Greater Power (-4 Might cost)
—Poison the Gift: 5 points, Init -23 Penetration 25, Vim.
R: Touch, D: Mom., T: Ind.
Imposes the Painful Magic Major Flaw upon a victim. Tharmaneagh can decide to bestow the Flaw permanently or temporarily. If permanent, the power is a ritual-like power and costs points from the creature’s Might score as well as Might pool (see Ritual Power, below). If temporary, the Might points spent on this power are only recovered when its effects are withdrawn. In order to activate this power, Tarmanneagh must be able to bite his victim (which actually makes this power quite less useful, as for the time he can use it, its victim will probably be dead). No Hermetic equivalent. Restricted Power.
CrVi 50: Ritual Power (-5 Might cost +10 Max Level)
—Sight of the Lingering Magic: 0 point, Init -8 Penetration 50, Vim.
R: Per., D: Sun, T: Sight
Tharmaneagh can see, as "auras" around things, the presence of many magical residues, even from weak spells as well as giving the presence and power of active spells. He also knows which magical tradition originated the effect. (Base 15, +2 Sun, +4 Sight)
InVi 50: Personal Power (-5 Might cost +5 Max Level, Constant)
—Poisonous Blood: 0 point, Init -6 Penetration 50, Aquam.
R: Touch, D: Mom., T: Ind.
Tharmaneagh's blood is highly corrosive. The chance of anyone wounding him of being splashed in blood are 10% for a light wound, 30% medium, 50% heavy, 80% incapacitating or lethal. These chances are halved for concusion weapons. Anyone hit by the blood takes +15 corrosion damage. Obviously he must be wounded to use this power. (Base 15 +1 Touch). Restricted Power.
MuAq 25: Personal Power (-3 Might cost, Constant)

Appareance: Tharmaneagh is the biggest dragon in Man. He is covered in shimmering green scales that are has hard as iron. His large wings were strong enough to lift his weight and allow flying. He lairs in a cave in Slieau Curn, and his treasure contains an unusual percentage of magical treasure buried between coins and mundane treasure (he had looted a few covenants, and killed some magi, after all). He also keeps the dragon eggs laid by his deceased mate, Snaefell.

Fun fact, I wrote the sentient cloak at the very last minute, because I realized there weren’t any other magic object-things in the book. I am sure I had to cut something else to fit it in, but I don’t remember what it was.

I really love the magic mirror. Great job!

For Tharmaneagh's Peering into the Mortal Mind ability you have the effect at range touch but the description says anyone who he can see. Which did you intend?

Well, thanks you. I already mentioned that that cloak was some kind of epiphany for me. If a cloak can be magic (not rings, not swords: a cloak) then anything can. I love that book (it should be quite obvious by now), and the first time I thought it was lacking of some characters I'd love to see more represented. But then again, the rules are there, they were a lot and consumed a lot of space, and the page limit is the page limit.

Anyway I particularly love magical things. Once I'm done with a few ghosts, I'll go back with them.

As for the mirror I'm starting to feel like a proud dad, you all like it. It was so fun to do (let's stop thinking on the dad comparison right now...). And after that, I had been thinking in ways in putting it into action. It could be even work as a portable lab, a mobile aura...

Ooops, my bad. It is R: Touch, it is designed as R: Touch, the numbers add up only for R: Touch... but it really should be R: Sight.

It's edited; Init improvement for claws dropped by 2 points (it's ok to be slow, he's huge after all), the free Q&I slot spent into Improved Powers, which free spell levels to raise that power to R: Sight, reduce the new cost back to 0, and I even had one extra point to rise his fiery breath init by +1.

[size=150]Ghost of Rubrus Ignem ex Flambeau[/size]

Let's leave Tharmaneagh back and tell a little ghost-war-love story in three characters.

The first was Rubrus Ignem, along a squad of Flambeau & Tremere magi --and a group of Flambeau beast hunters, who were there to take Tarmaneagh down--, raided a handful of Diedne covenants in the early years of the Schism War, and disappeared during the attack of the covenant of Caarjyn Arawn, while fighting a diedne maga (which will follow tomorrow).

Now he is an apparition, trapped in the regio where he pursued the last Diedne of Caarjyn Arawn. He thinks he is still alive, and that puzzles him a lot when he does something he obviously couldn't do when alive, like accidentally crossing a wall, though ghost have short memories and the puzzling fades quickly. He is unable to take corporeal form, so his sword skills work only against other incorporeal beings, though his fire is quite real, and he is as skilled with is a ghost as he was back when he was alive.

He have the Blackmail flaw, which means that, if someone investigates him with his cooperation, he may have some useful information. The range of that information may vary tremendously from saga to saga: it can be something regarding a magus died long ago nobody cares about anymore, or it could be some unknown or hidden fact regarding the Schism War itself.

While he still retains most of his arcane abilities some of them are useless for him already, specifically Parma Magica, which he cannot use, not having the Gift anymore. Anyway, as he thinks he is alive and is a bit paranoid, when dawn or dusk comes close he will recreate the ritual quite nervous: he is at war against magi, and he must be extremely careful not to be caught off guard.

The knowledge of Parma could be source of a different story: if any hedge wizard from Man knew about Rubrus, finding him, being very patient and coerced or persuaded, he could teach Parma Magica even to a hedgie (Pralix did exactly that, after all, for the greater good).

Magic Might: 30 (Mentem)

Vis: if destroyed, the ghost leaves behind the rusted, still smoking hot long sword covered in ash that was once his Talisman. The sword then colds naturally. it contains 3 pawns of Mentem vis, and the ashes 3 paws of Ignem vis, but they must be collected or transferred before the sword gets cold: if it does it crumbles down to ashes, and the vis is lost.

Characteristics: Int +2, Per 0, Pre -2, Com -3, Sta +3, Str +2, Dex +2, Qik +1

Size: N/A (0)

Season: Fall

Virtues & Flaws: Affinity with Penetration, Arcane Lore, Educated, Greater Immunity (fire & heat), Hermetic Magus, Magic Spirit, Natural Leader, Puissant Penetration, Tough, Warrior; Blackmail, Bound to Magic, Delusion (thinks he is still alive), Disfigured (deathly scars across his face and neck), Magical Air (Free), Magical Monster (Inferiority), Plagued by Supernatural Entity (his last Diedne rival ghost) (Inferiority), Wrathful (major)

Magical Qualities & Inferiorities: Focus Power (x3), Greater Power (x6), Improved Abilities (x1), Improved Attack: Long Sword (x2), Improved Powers (x4); Major Flaw: Magical Monster, Major Flaw: Plagued by Supernatural Entity

Personality Traits: Brave +3, Wrathful +3, Paranoid +2

Reputations: magus who took part in raids against Diedne covenants in the British Isles during the Schism War 1 (hermetic), Filius of Ramius (House Flambeau) 2

Combat:
Dodge: Init +1, Defense +3
Long Sword: Init +3, Attack +15, Defense +7, Damage +8

Soak: +12

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: -1 (N/A), -3 (N/A), -5 (N/A), Incapacitated (N/A), Dead (N/A+)

Abilities: Artes Liberales (logic) 2, Awareness (in combat) 2, Brawl (dagger) 2, Code of Hermes (tribunal mechanics) 2, Concentration (in combat) 3, Faerie Lore (taboos) 1, Finesse (Ignem) 2, French (insults) 5, Gaelic (insults) 2, Guile (lying to magi) 3, Home Tribunal Lore (covenants) 2, Infernal Lore (demons) 2, Intrigue (plotting) 1, Isle of Man Lore (Diedne covenants) 4, Latin (hermetic use) 4, Leadership (grogs) 3, Magic Lore (magical beasts) 2, Magic Theory (Ignem) 6, Order of Hermes Lore (Wizard's War) 3, Parma Magica (Ignem) 5, Penetration (Ignem) 8 + 2, Profession: Sribe (hermetic texts) 1, Single Weapon (Long Sword) 4, Spanish (insults) 2, Stealth (ambushing) 2, Stonehenge Lore (covenants) 1, Survival (forests) 2

Equipment: Chain Mail, Long Sword

Encumbrance: 0

Powers:
—Crafter of Ignem: 1-7 points, Init 0, Ignem.
R: Varies, D: Varies, T: Varies
Rubrus Ignem can duplicate any of a range of non-Ritual Creo or Rego Ignem spell up to 7th magnitude at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect.
CrIg / ReIg 35: Focus Power (+6 Initiative +50 Max Level)
—Master of Ignem: 1-5 points, Init 0, Ignem.
R: Varies, D: Varies, T: Varies
Rubrus Ignem can duplicate any of a range of non-Ritual Muto or Perdo Ignem spells up to 5th magnitude at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect.
MuIg / PeIg 25: Focus Power (+4 Initiative)
—Pilum of Fire: 1 point, Init +2 Penetration 36, Ignem.
R: Voice, D: Mom., T: Ind.
As the spell in the corebook.
CrIg 20: Greater Power (+3 Initiative, -1 Might cost)
—Ball of Abysmal Flame: 2 points, Init +2 Penetration 31, Ignem.
R: Voice, D: Mom., T: Ind.
As the spell in the corebook.
CrIg 35: Greater Power (+4 Initiative, -2 Might cost)
—Arc of Fiery Ribbons: 2 points, Init +2 Penetration 31, Ignem.
R: Voice, D: Mom., T: Group
As the spell in the corebook.
CrIg 25: Greater Power (+3 Initiative, -1 Might cost)
—Eidolon: 0 point, Init -1 Penetration 40, Imaginem.
R: Touch, D: Conc., T: Ind.
As the power in RoP: M p. 102, Rubrus Ignem can create a visible image of himself.
CrIm 15: Greater Power (-2 Might cost)
—Presence: 4 points, Init -3 Penetration 20, Imaginem.
R: Arc, D: Sun, T: Ind.
Grants awareness of everything that happens within the bounds of the structure of the covenant where the ghost lives. In essence, the spirit is coterminous with its associated landscape feature, so it is present simultaneously everywhere within its boundaries. This makes his Tether Strenght to be of +6. The area controlled by the ghost can produce a yearly harvest of 3 pawns of Mentem vis, which manifests as phantasmal ashes within the controlled region. Harvesting this vis does not erode the spirit’s Might. InIm 35 (base 2, +4 Arc, +2 Sun, +1 non-Hermetic effects)
InIm 35: Greater Power (Constant)
—Command the Grogs' Pack: 3 points, Init +2 Penetration 25, Mentem.
R: Voice, D: Conc., T: Group
As the Control Human power in RoP:M p. 101, but extended to R: Voice and T: Group
ReMe 45: Greater Power (+5 Initiative, -2 Might cost)
—Summon the Incorporeal Enemy: 2 points, Init -3 Penetration 30, Mentem.
R: Arc, D: Conc., T: Ind.
Rubrus Ignem can summon the spirit of anyone he have an Arcane Connection to. He uses this power to fight his archenemy over and over again, being both in the place they died, and serving that place as an arcane connection to his victim.
ReMe 40: Greater Power (-2 Might cost)

Appareance: Rubrus was filius of Ramius, quite skilled with the sword, and was armored. His ghost resembles more the translucent figure of a warrior more than a magus, which can be dangerous, as one can get caught under a rain of ghostly but burning Pilums of Fire before realizing what he really is.

[size=150]Ghost of Gwalltgwyn ex Diedne[/size]

Around two decades before the Schism War heat against House Diedne was already high. So some diedne mastermind had the idea of settling safe posts in sites out of the Order's reach. The Isle of Man was excellent for that task: near Hibernia, Loch Leglean and Stonehenge, hermetically deserted, free to occupy. There was that issue of a dragon burning and eating any magi who set foot on the island, of course, so they came up with the plan of sending there an ambassador of the House: Gwalltgwyn.

By the time she was a pretty unknown diedne maga. She was just quite beautiful, had a knack dealing with magical creatures, and wasn't so relevant in the House to miss her loss too much, so she sailed to Man and started looking for Tharmaneagh.

When she found it, the plan succeeded in a unexpected way: they fell in love.

She was able to convince the dragon that House Diedne had nothing to do with the rest of the Order, and so made possible the formation of Caarjyn Arawn. For twenty years, Diedne magi dwelled into the island, looking for unknown regios to serve as possible hideouts, anticipating the oncoming war. Meanwhile the maga and the dragon had their love story.

Such a romance was impossible to keep secret, obviously, and news reached Stonehenge, and there some of the magi who when war started begun raiding diedne covenants on the British Islands (one of them being Rubrus Ignem). When they finally landed in Man to attack Caarjyn Arawn, they enlisted a party of beast hunting specialists among them to deal with the dragon, while the rest of the party attacked the covenant itself. Gwalltgwyn run for her life, chased by Rubrus Ignem, and hide into one of the unknown regios, but Rubrus was able to follow her tracks, and there they fought until they both died. But the high aura and a couple of spectacular botches resulted in both magi death, and their ghosts left behind to keep fighting one each other for centuries, on an endless match.

She is not as skilled in combat as Rubrus is, but she actually knows she is an Apparition, and knows some Mentem magic to fight Rubrus back. Unfortunately her powers, and Rubrus higher might, doesn't let her banish Rubrus completely. Her best shot was her knowledge of a spell to break Parma Magica. She keeps that power now that she is a ghost, and that, mixed with her mentem & vim powers, can make her quite dangerous for hostile magi, specially if they look tremere-ish or flambeau-ish to her.

As a sidenote, she had a few Crafter of Art & Master of Art powers, to reflect what she can still pull from her skills in spontaneous magic. Including among these are Crafter of Vim and Master of Vim. But if in your saga Diedne were actually evil (or at least some of them), a nice touch to avoid turning Gwalltgwyn into a poor-mistress-in-distress plain character is to replace these two powers with two combinations of Method & Powers from The Maleficia in RoP:I. Then her Delusion flaw comes in full strength, as she doesn't realize the infernal nature of these powers, and her ghost becomes more complex, as a crossbreed between a magical being and an infernal one.

Magic Might: 30 (Mentem)

Vis: 6 Mentem pawns on translucent blood pool

Characteristics: Int +2, Per -1, Pre +2, Com +1, Sta +2, Str 0, Dex +1, Qik +2

Size: N/A (0)

Season: Fall

Virtues & Flaws: Alluring to Magical Beings, Arcane Lore, Hermetic Magus, Improved Characteristics (x2), Innofensive to Magical Beings, Magic Spirit, Magical Champion (Quality), Venus’ Blessing; Bound to Magic, Delusion (convinced of the goodness of House Diedne), Disfigured (open deadly wound across chest), Hallucinations (Inferiority), Magical Air (Free), Plagued by Supernatural Entity (Inferiority), Visions

Magical Qualities & Inferiorities: Focus Power (x7), Greater Power (x2), Improved Powers (x2), Lesser Power, Magical Meditation, Minor Virtue: Magical Champion; Major Flaw: Plagued by Supernatural Entity, Minor Flaw: Hallucinations

Personality Traits: Brave +3, Curious +2, Loyal +2

Reputations:

Combat:
Dodge: Init +0, Defense +3
Long Spear: Init +3, Attack +9, Defense +8, Damage +7
Dagger: Init +0, Attack +5, Defense +4, Damage +3

Soak: +4

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: -1 (N/A), -3 (N/A), -5 (N/A), Incapacitated (N/A), Dead (N/A+)

Abilities: Artes Liberales (ceremonial casting) 1, Awareness (alertness) 3, Brawl (dagger) 1, Charm (men) 2, Code of Hermes (tribunal mechanics) 1, Concentration (in combat) 2, Current Covenant Lore (auras) 1, English (insults) 4, Faerie Lore (Isle of Man faes) 2, Finesse (Auram) 3, Gaelic (insults) 3, Great Weapon (Long Spear) 4, Guile (lying to magi) 1, House Diedne Lore (initiations) 4, Infernal Lore (demons) 4, Isle of Man Lore (covenants) 4, Latin (hermetic use) 3, Magic Lore (Isle of Man auras) 4, Magic Theory (spells) 5, Magical Meditation (maintaining concentration) 2, Norse (insults) 1, Order of Hermes Lore (Wizard's War) 1, Parma Magica (Ignem) 4, Penetration (Auram) 4, Philosophiae (ceremonial casting) 2, Profession: Sribe (hermetic texts) 1, Stealth (hiding) 2, Stonehenge Tribunal Lore (covenants) 2, Survival (forests) 3

Equipment: Metal Reinforced Leather, Long Spear

Encumbrance: 2

Powers:
—Crafter of Auram: 1-7 points, Init -4, Auram.
R: Varies, D: Varies, T: Varies
Gwalltgwyn can duplicate any of a range of non-Ritual Creo or Rego Auram spell up to 7th magnitude at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. CrHe or ReHe 30
Cr(Re)Au 35: Focus Power (+1 Initiative +50 Max Level)
—Crafter of Herbam: 1-6 points, Init -4, Herbam.
R: Varies, D: Varies, T: Varies
Gwalltgwyn can duplicate any of a range of non-Ritual Creo or Rego Herbam spell up to 6th magnitude at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. CrHe or ReHe 30
Cr(Re)He 30: Focus Power ( +25 Max Level)
—Presence: 0 point, Init -2 Penetration 34, Imaginem.
R: Arc, D: Sun, T: Ind.
Grants awareness of everything that happens within the bounds of the structure of the covenant where the ghost lives. In essence, the spirit is coterminous with its associated landscape feature, so it is present simultaneously everywhere within its boundaries. This makes his Tether Strenght to be of +6. The area controlled by the ghost can produce a yearly harvest of 3 pawns of Mentem vis, which manifests as phantasmal ashes within the controlled region. Harvesting this vis does not erode the spirit’s Might. InIm 35 (base 2, +4 Arc, +2 Sun, +1 non-Hermetic effects)
InIm 35: Greater Power (-4 Might cost, Constant)
—Eidolon: 0 point, Init +1 Penetration 34, Imaginem.
R: Touch, D: Conc., T: Ind.
As the power in RoP: M p. 102, Gwalltgwyn can create a visible image of herself.
CrIm 15: Greater Power (-2 Might cost)
—Master of Mentem: 1-6 points, Init +1, Mentem.
R: Varies, D: Varies, T: Varies
Gwalltgwyn can duplicate any of a range of non-Ritual Muto or Perdo Mentem spell up to 6th magnitude at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. MuMe or PeMe 30
Mu(Pe)Me 30: Focus Power (+5 Initiative +25 Max Level)
—Crafter of Vim: 1-5 points, Init -1, Vim.
R: Varies, D: Varies, T: Varies
Gwalltgwyn can duplicate any of a range of non-Ritual Creo or Rego Vim spell up to 5th magnitude at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. CrVi or ReVi 25
Cr(Re)Vi 25: Focus Power (+2 Initiative)
—Master of Vim: 1-4 points, Init +3, Vim.
R: Varies, D: Varies, T: Varies
Gwalltgwyn can duplicate any of a range of non-Ritual Muto or Perdo Vim spell up to 4th magnitude at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect. MuVi or PeVi 20
Mu(Pe)Vi 20: Focus Power (+5 Initiative)
—Break the Shield: 1 point, Init +2 Penetration 29, Vim.
R: Touch, D: Mom., T: Ind.
This power dispels the Parma Magica of the target. The target’s Parma Magica Score must be less than (25 + stress die) divided by 5. The target can, of course, recast his Parma Magica in subsequent rounds, but the target may not notice that his Parma Magic has been dispelled until it is too late.
PeVi 10: Greater Power (+1 Initiative)
—Donning the Corporeal Veil: 4 points, Init -8 Penetration 14, Corpus.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind.
Produces and animates a body of flesh. Gwalltgwyn has a single corporeal form that it can adopt, her own. The body created with this power has the same physical statistics as the ghost form. A spirit may maintain the body indefinitely, recreating it every time the duration expires, but it is subject to aging, disease, and deprivation (but not fatigue) just like a living being. The body lasts until slain or dissolved by her. If slain in material form, Gwalltgwyn is also destroyed, and the body will contain pawns of vis equal to that within the ghost’s spiritual form. If sorely injured she dissolves it to prevent her final death. Cr(Re) Form 25 (base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 requisite)
Cr(Re)Co 25: Lesser Power (-1 Might cost)

Appareance: at the time of her death, Gwalltgwyn resembled a wood ranger geared for war, with a spear and a metal and leather light armor. After her death, she looks mostly the same, except for the wound that crosses her chest, and that keeps pouring blood al over her belly and legs, and forming a pool if she stands still for a while. The blood, anyway, is purely cosmetic and incorporeal, so it cannot be used as an arcane connection.

Tharmaneagh, Hermetic Bane's Ghost

On our first draft of Tharmaneagh, things didn't make much sense. Let's revisit the big question there:

Well: he isn't.

When Rubrus Ignem and his fellows attacked the Diedne magi on Man, the dragon hunter squad ambushed Tharmaneagh, and actually managed to slay the dragon. But something went terribly wrong: maybe a huge botch while sitting over a lot of vis, influenced by Tharmaneagh special alignment with magic, and the not to be dismissed weight of the dragon realizing, at the moment of his death, that Gwalltgwyn ex Diedne was bound to die that same day, if she hadn't been killed yet.

So the dragon, in death, got turn into a ghost (and a big --and bad tempered, magi-hater, warped, warper one--, as his might was retained), who then wipped out all attacking magi. No survivors managed to left the island this time. No one could return and inform that the dragon wasn't, well, a dragon anymore.

From that day, no one had been able to stand against Tharmaneagh mostly because they are expecting to find something that he is not anymore. Thinks are worsened because, on one hand, he is still able to create a physical body, who looks, acts and feels like a living dragon (despite his now ghostly, warping fire breath), and on the other ghosts are hard things to get rid off. Even if discovered as a dragon, dispelling him wouldn't work: the issue still attaching him to this world must be resolved, so Tharmaneagh can finally banish.

And what would that be? Probably helping him reach Gwalltgwyn. She is still trapped in a regio somewhere on Man, still fighting Rubrus Ignem.

Death is a life-changing experience, and since that day Tharmaneagh hadn't been the same. His goals had all switched to wander around Man, looking for dead Diedne he can question about his beloved one, and the ocasional patrol looking for hermetic magic signals. His quarrel with Chenney-Mooar for hunting rights, which had lasted for centuries, was suddenly dropped, as well as any other interests he had when alive. Cheeney-Mooar is a good candidate to check for information about Tharmaneagh: he may be aware of his old enemy current status, and if not he will anyway will have quite useful information.

His lair, now placed on the ruins of the former Diedne covenant, is a place of dark illusions where everything seems ominous and bleak. His Vim monstrosity makes him feel pain when he is not in a magical aura, so he keep his raids out of it brief and unfrequent, only possible when hate or his lack of patience are big enough to overcome that pain.

One final note before going to his stats: the Servus Maris survivor, and the warning letter, in 1160. Why would Tharmaneagh send such a message? Is he sick already of magi, wanting to focus only in finding Gwalltgwyn? Could the letter a forgery by Chenney-Mooar, maybe to avoid future trouble? Or by the Hedge Wizards in Man, seizing the catastrophe as a way to get the Order away from their lands?

Magic Might: 50 (Vim)

Vis: 10 Vim pawns on ghostly dragon blood, soaking from the weapon who ended his life. Touching this blood barehanded should probably inflict a couple of power points, however, so it should be handled with care (and magic).

Characteristics: Int +4, Per +3, Pre +4, Com -1, Sta +1, Str +17, Dex +3, Qik -3

Size: N/A (+8)

Season: Winter

Virtues & Flaws: Affinity with Brawl, Arcane Lore, Berserk, Educated, Enduring Constitution, Greater Immunity (heat & fire) (Quality), Improved Characteristics (x8) (Quality), Keen Vision, Magic Spirit, Puissant Brawl, Second Sight, Tough, Warrior; Baneful Circumstances (during the day), Blatant Magical Air (Inferiority), Dark Secret, Driven (major) (kill every hermetic magi who sets foot on Man) (Inferiority), Hatred (major) (Order of Hermes) (Inferiority), Infamous, Lost Love, Magical Air (Inferiority) (Free), Magical Monster, Mute (Inferiority), No Hands (Inferiority), Restricted Power (x7) (Inferiority), Slow Power (x5) (Inferiority), Vim Monstrosity

Magical Qualities & Inferiorities: Focus Power, Gift of Speech, Greater Power (x6), Improved Attack: Large Fangs (x2), Improved Damage: Large Fangs (x2), Improved Defense: Large Fangs (x4), Improved Fatigue (x4), Improved Initiative: Large Fangs (x2), Improved Int, Pre, Qik (x2) (x4), Improved Powers (x12), Improved Soak (x8), Major Virtue: Greater Immunity, Minor Virtue: Improved Characteristics (x8), Personal Power (x4), Ritual Power (x2), Vim Resistance; Major Flaw: Blatant Magical Air, Major Flaw: Driven (major), Major Flaw: Hatred (major), Major Flaw: Magical Air, Major Flaw: Mute, Major Flaw: No Hands, Minor Flaw: Restricted Power (x7), Minor Flaw: Slow Power (x5), Reduced Abilities (x10)

Personality Traits: Hateful +6, Violent +3, Proud +3, Curious +2, Patient -2

Reputations: Hermetic Bane [Order of Hermes] 4

Combat:
Dodge: Init -3, Defense +7
Large Fangs: Init +3, Attack +22, Defense +17, Damage +26
Large Claws: Init -3, Attack +18, Defense +10, Damage +21
Constriction: Init -3, Attack +16, Defense +7
(+2 to Attack, -2 to Defense when Berserk)

Soak: +20 / +22 when Berserk

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0/0, 0/0, -2/-2, -4/-4, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: 0 (1 - 13), -2 (14 - 26), -4 (27 - 39), Incapacitated (40 - 52), Dead (53+)

Abilities: Brawl (Large Fangs) 8 + 2, Dominion Lore (saints) 2, Magic Lore (magical beasts) 4, Athletics (Flying) 3, Single Weapon (Long Sword) 3, Isle of Man Lore (Diedne ruins) 5, Awareness (alertness) 3, Code of Hermes (Wizard War) 2, Order of Hermes Lore (Schism War) 3, House Diedne Lore (history) 4, Faerie Lore (faeric dragons) 3, Infernal Lore (Man's demons) 3, Latin (hermetic use) 4, Artes Liberales (rethoric) 1, Hunt (humans) 5, Profession: Scribe (letters) 2, Survival (coastline) 3, Second Sight (regio boundaries) 5, Vim Resistance (hermetic spells) 5

Equipment: He had quite a treasure back in the day, but after two centuries abandoned by now it will probably had been spoiled or ruined. Around his dying spot, however, some useful enchantments and items can be found (like, for example, the sword Gram stabbed into the dead dragon corpse).

Powers:
—The Reaper's Stare: 5 points, Init +1 Penetration 25, Corpus.
R: Eye, D: Mom., T: Ind.
If this power penetrates, Tharmaneagh can kill a human if they make eye contact. Restricted Power (Tharmaneagh can only use this power while in any of his visible forms, solid or not). (Base 30, +1 Eye)
PeCo 35: Greater Power (+7 Initiative, --1 Might cost)
—Whispers through the Black Gate: 0 point, Init -6 Penetration 50, Corpus.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind.
The dragon is able to speak with corpses that has not yet decayed into skeletons. Corpses cannot have been buried in Church burial, nor belong to spirits what went straight to Heaven. All those around him can hear the dead talking when he uses this power. Restricted Power (Tharmaneagh can only use this power while in any of his visible forms, solid or not), Slow Power. (Base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, requisite free)
InCo(Me) 25: Personal Power (-3 Might cost, Constant)
—Vision of Heat's Light: 0 point, Init -6 Penetration 50, Ignem.
R: Per., D: Sun, T: Vision
Tharmaneagh sees the heat of objects that are of human body temperature or hotter. Excellent for use in the dark, but it doesn’t give true vision. You can see well enough to use a weapon, even a missile weapon, without penalty, but recognizing people is very difficult. (Base 2, +2 Sun, +4 Vision)
InIg 25: Personal Power (-3 Might cost, Constant)
—Bleak Chambers: 0 point, Init -7 Penetration 50, Imaginem.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Structure
Tharmaneagh transforms the image of his surroundings (up to R:Structure). Around him everything looks ominous, bleak and sinister, imposing a -3 modifier to appropiate personality traits. Slow Power.
MuIm 35: Greater Power (-4 Might cost, Constant)
—Eidolon: 0 point, Init -6 Penetration 50, Imaginem.
R: Touch, D: Conc., T: Ind.
Creates the illusionary body Tarmaneagh had when alive. The image can move and speak as directed by the ghost, and lasts until the spirit has no further use for it. Slow Power. CrIm 25 (base 2, +1 Touch, +1 Conc, +2 move at command, +1 intricacy, +2 Size)
CrIm 25: Greater Power (-3 Might cost)
—Peering Into the Mortal Mind: 0 point, Init +2 Penetration 50, Mentem.
R: Touch, D: Mom., T: Ind.
As the spell on page 149 of ArM5, but Tharmaneagh can read the mind of anyone he can touch (while in corporeal or incorporeal form: which the Presence power below, this power can be used on anyone inside the boundary where his Presence power works); the target does not need to make eye contact with him. Restricted Power (Tharmaneagh can only use this power inside his Presence power boundary. InMe 30 (Base 25, +1 Touch)
InMe 30: Greater Power (+8 Initiative, -3 Might cost)
—Sight of the Lingering Magic: 0 point, Init -8 Penetration 50, Vim.
R: Per., D: Sun, T: Sight
Tharmaneagh can see, as ""auras"" around things, the presence of many magical residues, even from weak spells as well as giving the presence and power of active spells. He also knows which magical tradition originated the effect. (Base 15, +2 Sun, +4 Sight)
InVi 50: Personal Power (-5 Might cost, Constant)
—Warped Fire Breath: 2 points, Init +3 Penetration 40, Vim.
R: Voice, D: Mom., T: Ind.
When alive, Tharmaneagh was able to create fire delivering +45 damage. Now that he is dead, he still can belch forth a torrent of ghostly fire 50 paces long and 10 paces wide. Anyone caught in its path takes 8 warping points, anf if he is a magus he must check for Twilight; a character may attempt to dodge with a Qik + Athletics roll; if the roll succeeds against an Ease Factor of 9, the character only recibes 2 warping points (still enough to check for Twilight); if the rolls succeeds against an Ease Factor of 12, the character avoids warping. Restricted Power (Tharmaneagh can only use this power while in any of his visible forms, solid or not). CrIg 50 (Base 25, +2 Voice)
CrVi 50: Greater Power (+11 Initiative, -3 Might cost)
—Donning the Corporeal Veil: 2 points, Init -7 Penetration 40, Aninal.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind.
Tharmaneagh can recreate his former physical body. The body created with this power has the same physical statistics as his incorporeal form, and is of size +7. The ghost dragon may maintain the body indefinitely, recreating it every time the duration expires, but it is subject to aging, disease, and deprivation (but not fatigue) just like a living being. The body lasts until slain or dissolved by the spirit. If slain in material form, the spirit is also destroyed, and the body will contain pawns of vis equal to that within the spirit’s spiritual form. A spirit whose body is sorely injured usually dissolves it to prevent its own death. The body formed with this power retains all the intrinsic powers he had when alive, except the ability to breath fire, which was replaced with the Warped Fire Breath power. Restricted Power (he can only create inside the Caarjyn Arawn boundary, though he can later exit the ruined covenant if he wishes), Slow Power. (base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Size, +1 requisite)
Cr(Re)An 35: Greater Power (-2 Might cost)
—Presence: 0 point, Init -7 Penetration 50, Imaginem.
R: Arc., D: Sun, T: Ind.
Grants awareness of everything that happens within the bounds of the former Diedne covenant of Caarjyn Arawn. In essence, the ghost is coterminous with the covenant's place, so it is present simultaneously everywhere within its boundaries. The area controlled by the ghost can produce a yearly harvest of 5 pawns of Vim vis, which manifests as physical objects within the controlled region. Harvesting this vis does not erode the ghost’s Might. Slow Power. (Base 2, +4 Arc, +2 Sun, +1 non-Hermetic effects)
InIm 35: Greater Power (-4 Might cost, Constant)
—Master of Vim: 1-5 points, Init +3, Vim.
R: Varies, D: Varies, T: Varies
Duplicates any of a range of non-Ritual Muto or Perdo Vim spells up to level 25, at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect.
Pe(Mu)Vi 25: Focus Power (+11 Initiative)
—Poison the Gift: 5 points, Init -23 Penetration 25, Vim.
R: Touch, D: Mom., T: Ind.
Death just made this power worsen. Now instead of imposing the Painful Magic, it imposes Unstructured Caster. Tharmaneagh can decide to bestow the flaw permanently or temporarily. If permanent, the power is a ritual-like power and costs points from the creature’s Might score as well as Might pool (see Ritual Power, below). If temporary, the Might points spent on this power are only recovered when its effects are withdrawn. No Hermetic equivalent. Restricted Power (in order to activate this power, Tarmanneagh must be able to bite his victim, though he can do it incorporeal form by using his Eidolon using then his Bite Attack, and ignoring any defensive bonus granted by weapons or shields)
To make things even worse (and that is pretty much Tharmaneagh's ghost point), this power could work the other way; instead of Tharmangeah deciding first hand if this power is going to be permanent or temporary, it might be permanent until Tharmaneagh retrieves his might back, which would be terrible for magi having this power inflicted at the moment of Tharmaneagh's hypothetical death, as the flaw would then stick.
CrVi 50: Ritual Power (-5 Might cost)

Appareance: when taking visible or physical shape, Tharmaneagh looks mostly as he did when alive. Probably he will show more scars, a grimmer, darker look, and a closer exam could reveal deadly wounds below his broken scales, but nobody usually gets the time or the chance to do that.

Apparently I'm living in a regio of the kind where time runs slower, as I hadn't been able to keep the pace for days.

But that can also mean that my november my extend longer than usual! Anyway: this forum lacks kitties. So here is one:

[size=150]Rìgh Aon-Èilichte, King of Cats[/size]

Aon-Èilichte is an one eyed black cat that of the many which had been laying on the covenant yard since forever. However he is also king of covenant's cats, and at war with the covenant's rats kingdom. Until now, their war had been happening in dark corners in the middle of the day, but any day it may escalate into a full, covenant-wide war.

If your saga enters one of these quiet times where every magi is stuck into their lab working on a long-term project, this is something that can either add a break, pull up a short, covenant enhancing story, or if things go totally out of hands, a way to draw magi's noses away from their projects.

Also these powers can make grogs' life quite miserable: he can scare anything up to size +4 by snorting at it. He can turn a bunch of animals and humans into cats, and then command some of these maybe new shaped cats to fulfill his commands. These powers can make grogs and companions lives get involved into the cats war against rats; a companion might fall of his horse if he stumbles across the king chasing a rat. A room full of grogs can be turn into cats, with a couple of them being issued commands by the king, but the others free, but turned into cats until sunrise. These are mostly all his tricks, but he complement them with intrigue skill and long-term planning, so if you use the cat, make it worth his Intrigue score.

In the end he could end being targeted as a familiar, but if he were attracted to any of the magi of the covenant he probably would already had been noticed. His trustful -3 should also weight. But in the end his game is the war against rats, so if he become a magi Familiar, he will do so mostly to gain extra power against the rats. Also maybe a visiting magi from another covenant can spot the cat and realize what he actually is, though he would be hardly convinced to leave his kingdom, the covenant.

As a design note, as much as I love the rules to create magical beings, I actually hate the rules to create mundane beasts. Mundane qualities? Isn't that a fancy name for virtues given mostly just because? So I don't add mundane qualities to magical animals (dragons never had them, so why a cat should?).

Magic Might: 10 (Aninal)

Vis: 2 Animal vis pawns on his dead eye.

Characteristics: Int +2, Per +1, Pre +2, Com -3, Sta 0, Str -7, Dex +3, Qik +4

Size: -3

Season: Summer

Virtues & Flaws: Magic Animal, Magical Champion, Perfect Balance, Puissant Awareness, Puissant Brawl, Second Sight (Quality), Sharp Ears, Ways of the Covenant; Enemies (covenant rats), Hatred (major) (covenant rats), Missing Eye, Mute (Free), No Hands (Free), Nocturnal (Inferiority), Restricted Power (x4) (Inferiority), Slow Power (x1) (Inferiority), Weakness (playing with preys)

Magical Qualities & Inferiorities: Greater Power (x2), Improved Might (x2), Improved Powers (x1), Lesser Power, Minor Virtue: Second Sight; Minor Flaw: Nocturnal, Minor Flaw: Restricted Power (x4), Minor Flaw: Slow Power (x1), Susceptible to Deprivation

Personality Traits: Curious +4, Trustful -3

Reputations: The King [cats] 4, Lazy, old, one-eyed cat [grogs] 1

Combat:
Dodge: Init +4, Defense +9
Claws: Init +3, Atk +10, Def +13, Dam -5

Soak: 0

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: -1 (1 - 2), -3 (3 - 4), -5 (5 - 6), Incapacitated (7 - 8), Dead (9+)

Abilities: Athletics (jumping) 3, Awareness (at night) 4 + 2, Brawl (Claws) 3 + 2, Charm (cats) 2, Covenant Lore (food) 3, Etiquette (cats) 2, Folk Ken (grogs) 1, Guile (looking harmless) 1, Hunt (inside the covenant) 3, Intrigue (plotting) 3, Legerdemain (food) 1, Second Sight (regio borders) 5, Stealth (inside the covenant) 4

Powers:
—Command the Faithful Vassal: 2 points, Init 0 Penetration 0, Aninal.
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind.
This power allows to command an animal hearing the king's meowing to follow his orders and complete a complex task, as in the spell Commanding the Harnessed Beast. However, this power only works with animals shaped like cats, either because they actually are cats, or because they had been shaped like cats through the Raise the Army of the King power. This power also work on humans turn into cats. Restricted power x 2, Slow power (only for cats, the king required to mellow). (Base 15, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +1 Corpus requisite)
ReAn 40: Greater Power (-2 Might cost)
—Snort of the King: 2 points, Init -6 Penetration 0, Aninal.
R: Voice, D: Mom., T: Ind.
Aon-Èilichte's snort can instill panic into any animal or human up to size +4, causing it to try to escape unless they pass a Size stress roll of 9+. (Base 5, +2 Voice, +1 Size, +1 Corpus requisite)
ReAn(Co) 25: Lesser Power (-3 Might cost)
—Raise the Cat Army: 2 points, Init -1 Penetration 0, Corpus.
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Spec.
The King's meowing can turn all animals and humans (up to size +1) into cats until the next sunrise. Restricted power x 2: it only works after sunset, and the king have to actually meow. (Base 10, +1 transforms animals too, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +2 range equivalent to Room)
MuCo(An) 45: Greater Power (-3 Might cost)

Appareance: An ordinary, maybe somehow beautiful, cat, who the covenant inhabitants are used to see laying on the sunny spot of the covenant yard all day, and jumping over the roofs during the night.

Will we see the rat king tomorrow?

Well, queen, actually, but yes. There will be a Rat Queen tomorrow.

Sgòr Airgid, Rat Queen

Ah, Erik, you almost lose your rat! Mythic rats are more problematic that they seem at a first glance. Rats: they traveled aboard conquering ships, they inhabit our cities, we all have meet a few at some point, rats are everywhere, right?

Well, no: when browsing in search of some stats to see how this furry ugly queen should be like, I found this old thread where rats were debated, and their medieval / mythic nature were discussed:

Underline is mine. So rats were actually pretty uncommon, and maybe even non existing in the British Islands, where our saga, and many others, are set. And now that I realize that I actually remember having read somewhere that one saint once expelled all rats from an island (Hibernia or Man, not sure which one). Then I started thinking about alternative animals. Mice didn't serve: for once, we played decades ago (3rd edition, back then) a wonderfully fun adventure named "Of Mice and Men", with exploding mice flooding the covenant due to an angry Faerie Lord and since then we all love mice, but like to keep them out of explosion range just in case. For other, mice are cute and so underpowered against cats, and so they would turn cats into automatic foes (Tom & Jerry should probably be blamed for that). So my next option was crows, which actually was the first idea. But crows leave few room to surprise. Everyone have a rough idea of what mythic crows can do. And my players know that I actually love crows: probably I've tortured each one of them for hours and hours talking about how smart and brilliant crows are (did you know they are quite social birds among themselves? And talk to each other and cooperate? And that they have dialects? And that they can improvise and use tools? And that they have wonderful tricks to crack nuts, which involve understanding of crossing walks and traffic lights?... see?, that's what I meant). So if I put crows in my saga, they would instantly get a lot of weight, which is something to avoid here.

Rats were perfect. If only I could find a way to put them into were maybe they aren't supposed to be... And then it came to me: Land Regio Network! A lot of covenants have regios. Some others may form. So if my rat queen know how to travel between them, then I can put her anywhere, even in England or Ireland. Also, making rats inhabit the sewers of the magic realm looks like fun. There is the small problem of covenants having Aegis around them, but either they don't cover the regios, either the rat can't get into covenants where she wasn't at the moment of the Aegis' casting, which is ok (she actually only needs to be in her actual covenant, and anyway she can travel to other regios without Aegis protecting them, like these of abandoned covenants or undiscovered regios). Anyway I switched the first draft to make sure the Queen fits, at least, the metal gnawing issue from the link.

So finally, a rat. "Sgòr Airgid" means* "Silver Schewer", or so I hope. I don't speak gaelic, so I'm trusting google translator to do the job for me, and though the final name is good enough for me if it sounds atmospherically related I try to remember what names actually mean, partly because translating back uses to give funny mistakes, partly because the naming becomes part of the concept. Mice were believed (thus, mythically were) to chew iron. The Queen, actually, can only feed on metals due to her Warped Senses flaw, and particularly enjoys gnawing silver, which she probably had been doing without anyone noticing. Maybe someone should go and check the covenant finances, as maybe the stocks of silver are not what they are supposed to be. To make things ever worse for the one keeping the books, she also feeds on vis. So checking the vis stores should also be a good idea.

Also magi with talismans or items with silver parts may face unexpected problems if this little queen is placed in their covenant.

Finally I took some liberty with the Queen: I wanted her to be able to reshape spaces. When the war with the cats takes off, this will help causing some trouble to the covenant grogs. But the only way I'd seen to do that is Glamour, which is Faerie Magic. Merinita magi require a couple of virtues before even thinking of doing that. Though magical beings don't require to adhere to the rules of hermetic magic, I thought about making the queen partly a faerie being (having faerie blood, which rises her presence from -3 to -2), and buying the virtues Faerie Power (like Faerie Magic, adapted for powers) and Glamour. All that for just one power (I didn't have might for more), but it was part of the idea, so she pays gladly for all of that.

Magic Might: 10 (Animal)

Vis: 2 Animal Pawns in teeth

Characteristics: Int +3, Per +1, Pre -2, Com 0, Sta +2, Str -14, Dex +3, Qik +5

Size: -7

Season: Summer

Virtues & Flaws: Arcane Lore, Educated, Faerie Blood (Quality), Faerie Powers (Quality), Glamour (Quality), Keen Smell, Magic Animal, Magical Champion (Quality), Puissant Stealth, Puissant Survival, Second Sight (Quality), Tough, Underground Regio Network, Ways of the Underground; Compulsion (gnawing things) (Inferiority), Driven (major) (rats survival), Enemies (cats kingdom), Hunger for Vim Magic, Imaginem Monstrosity (Inferiority) (silver colored fur), Mute (Free), No Hands (Free), Nocturnal (Inferiority), Obese, Warped Senses (Inferiority) (sensitive taste: can only feed of metals), Weakness (silver) (Inferiority)

Magical Qualities & Inferiorities: Greater Power (x3), Improved Abilities (x2), Improved Powers, Improved Soak, Major Virtue: Glamour, Minor Virtue: Faerie Blood, Minor Virtue: Faerie Powers, Minor Virtue: Magical Champion, Minor Virtue: Second Sight, Personal Power (x3); Minor Flaw: Compulsion, Minor Flaw: Imaginem Monstrosity, Minor Flaw: Nocturnal, Minor Flaw: Warped Senses, Minor Flaw: Weakness, Reduced Might (x7), Susceptible to Deprivation

Personality Traits: Brave +3, Loyal +2, Direct -2

Reputations: sneaky cook's problem 2 (Covenant)

Combat:
Dodge: Init +4, Defense +7
Teeth: Init +4, Attack +9, Defense +9, Damage -13

Soak: +8 (I took the liberty of adding an extra +1 just because a fur armor does that)

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: Incapacitated (1), Dead (2+)

Abilities: Athletics (Climbing) 2, Awareness (cats) 3, Brawl (Teeth) 2, Concentration (powers) 3, Covenant Lore 3, Another covenant Lore 2, A ruined covenant Lore 2, Underground regio Lore 2, Etiquette (rats) 1, Faerie Lore (small faeries) 1, Finesse (imaginem) 2, Folk Ken (grogs) 1, Intrigue (against cats) 2, Leadership (rats) 4, Legerdemain* (drawers & lockers) 5, Magic Lore (regios) 2, Order of Hermes Lore (daily routines) 1, Second Sight (Regio borders) 4, Stealth (at night) 5 + 2, Survival (underground) 5 + 2, Local language (understanding grogs) 1, Latin (understanding magi) 1

• Use it mostly to reflect the Queen's way to sneak into close spaces and stores.

Powers:
—Nose of the Night Prowler: 0 points, Init +3 Penetration 10, Auram.
R: Per., D: Sun, T: Smell
A T: Smell version of Eyes of the Bat which allows the Queen to smell air boundaries around her, and to maneuver safely even in absolute darkness. (Base 4, +2 Sun, +2 Smell)
InAu 25: Personal Power (-3 Might cost, Constant)
—Image of the Queen's Torn: 0 points, Init +2 Penetration 10, Imaginem.
R: Per., D: Conc., T: Ind.
As the spell Image of the Wizard's Torn, the queen can deatach her image, sound and (unlike the hermetic spell, but conveniently to trick keen smelling predators) smell and sent them away, even through solid objects if she pass a Int + Conc stress roll, but to do so she have to sent an arcane connection with the image, usually one hair from her tail. She uses this power so oftenly (it's a good way to explore while remaining safe, and also to lead chasing cats away) that most of the times when she is seen she is actually using it, and thus somewhere else, which had gained her an elusive reputation whenever the cook had tried to get rid of her. The usual use of this power causes her to apparently shift from place to place, when she stops (or fails) concentrating. The cook may have probably noticed that and said something about it, probably getting a drunk reputation in the way. Also the queen can use the power in the opposite way, leaving her image standing somewhere while she physically moves. The image, then, reflects the actual light conditions were she is physically located: for example if the leaves her image in a sunny spot and then enters a shadow, her image will be shadowed. (Base 15, +1 Concentration, +2 two additional senses, +1 Intellego requisite).
Re(In)Im 35: Greater Power (-4 Might cost)
—Confusion of the Insane Vibrations: 4 points, Init +1 Penetration -10, Imaginem.
R: Voice, D: Conc., T: Group
As the spell Confusion of the Insane Vibrations, with R: Voice, T: Group. It last one simple die rounds (roll separately for each target). The Queen uses this power to defend her rats from attackers. She must squeak to activate it. It is her most might-consuming power and won't work with magical beings (like, let's say, magi and the Cat King above), so she usually uses this as a last resort against mundane cats (or grogs) to help rats escape ambushes. Restricted Power. (Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 duration similar to Diameter, +4 Vision, +1 Additional sense)
ReIm 45: Greater Power (-1 Might cost)
—Sniffing the Magical Veil: 0 point, Init +5 Penetration 10, Vim.
R: Per., D: Mom., T: Smell
The queen can sniff through the boundaries of magical and regiones, and therefore divine the path to the next level of them. This power have momentary duration and last only for the round she sniffs, so the navigation is less simple than with the spell Piercing the Faerie Veil. (Base 3, +2 Smell)
InVi 5: Personal Power (-1 Might cost)
—Sniffing the Magical Delights: 0 point, Init +4 Penetration 10, Vim.
R: Per., D: Mom., T: Smell
The queen can sniff magical vis, and discern its Art. (Base 4, +2 Smell)
InVi 10: Personal Power (-1 Might cost)
—Twisted Halls of the Rat Queen: 1 point, Init +1 Penetration 5, Terram.
R: Touch, D: Conc., T: Room
The queen can transform a room or a similar space and alter their shape and size while she concentrates. This power, which actually turns the room into a Glamour, is quite useful for loosing pursuing cats, driving them to dead ends or having them trapped in suddenly looped tunnels or spaces. (Base 10, +1 Touch, +1 Concentration, +2 Room, +2 Complexity)
MuTe 40: Greater Power (-3 Might cost)
—Sweet taste of Silver: 0 point, Init +4 Penetration 10, Terram.
R: Touch, D: Mom., T: Part
The queen can gnaw and eat metal. She particularly likes the taste of silver. Silver containing vis is obviously her favorite dish. (Base 3, +2 Metal, +1 Touch, +1 Part)
PeTe 15: Personal Power (-2 Might cost)

Appareance: Sgòr Airgid resembles an ordinary black rat, if only a bit fat due to the obese flaw and with more brilliant hair and slightly better looking, due to her Faerie Blood virtue. She have a small, iron crown she don't usually carry around, though she could once the hostilities with the cats escalate, but the weird effects of her Image of the Queen's Torn power will make her look odd if lightning conditions aren't very monotonous (she will reflect light from odd sides, be covered in shadow under sunlight, or the opposite, and so on).

For the magical animals you apparently haven't chosen to adjust the might of the creatures based on their size per RoP: Magic p 32. Is this a conscious decision not to deal with that particular fiddly rule?

Actually I included it. It's just that with the starting might being mostly improvised, the Improved Might quality and the Decreased Might inferiority, things get messy.

Doing some reverse engineering (I'm being too lazy to go to the cat spreadsheet right now), the cat have might 5, size -3 and Increased Might x 2, so I started him with Might 5, +3 from Size, +2 from Qualities, for a total of 10. And the Rat started with 10 and size -7 and Decreased Might x 7, so it ends also at 7, having a lot more powers, mostly wasted in that Glamour obsession of mine that I'm going to correct in the next post with another Rat Queen version.

At first I found it quite messy and chaotic but now I kind of enjoy it. To get a rat of final Might 7 you can go all the way from starting with Might 3 and just add 7 from its -7 size (but it would be quite a powerless rat! I want fancy powers for her) to... well, whatever, like starting Might 50 and picking 47 times the Descreased Might inferiority, which is kind of NPC-munchkinism I guess.

Maybe I missed the adjustment in Tharmaneagh, now that I think of it. As I worked it out from his Magic Spirit/Ghost version and turned it into a Magic Animal I'm not sure I adjusted the might according to size.

[size=150]Sgòr Airgid, Rat Queen, 2nd version (Glamour free)[/size]

After some rethinking I came to the conclusion that crossing into the glamour domains with Sgòr Airgid was not such a good idea: it required a lot of virtues & power dedication, just for one power, that could actually be approximately made either with Imaginen, by reshaping the image of her surroundings, or with Terram, actually reshaping her surroundings. And then I thought "or both!": reshaping a space and then altering its image can turn the battlefield against cats (this is, probably the players' covenant) into a surrealist landscape. Also I'd better use the Glamour trick in another magic being, where I think it can fit more to the concept.

Another issue is that for a Queen she didn't had much powers to defend her people and her kingdom. So with some more powers investment and trading more Restricted & Slow Powers flaws I got a few of them. She now can smell and hear through her kingdom, or the structure she's into. She can give other rats the ability to see through her illusions and protect them by transforming their appearance, and with a couple of powers turn a group of them into human-sized rats with pretty nasty killing fangs, with a combination of a growing power and a version of Steed of Vengeance. These two powers still have Penetration 0 so any magi will be safe no matter what, but the activation of such a rat force will probably draw their attention. Also the resulting rats may seem impressive, but aren't really a big threat: as rats are so small to start with, the huge, reinforced version of them wouldn't give much trouble to a pack of grogs.

As a small modification I just removed her capacity to discern the Art of vis. As she must feed of it, this makes her more prone to ingest wrong Arts' vis, and thus shrinking the covenant stocks a bit more.

Also she haves an Imaginem Mostrosity that makes her hair to be silver colored, but on her appearance I said she was black, and her Obese flaw wasn't included in her otherwise irrelevant combat stats (she won't fight by herself, unless she really sees her rats about to be defeated; in that case she will include herself in the suicide squad of giant, modified rats). My mistake.

As a final note, all rats she reigns have a positive loyal personality trait towards her. I'll include at the end some basic & modified stats for rats, to prevent anyone having to design them.

Magic Might: 10 (Aninal)

Vis: 2 Animal pawns on teeth

Characteristics: Int +3, Per +1, Pre -3, Com 0, Sta +2, Str -14, Dex +3, Qik +5

Size: -7

Season: Summer

Virtues & Flaws: Arcane Lore, Educated, Keen Smell, Magic Animal, Magical Champion (Quality), Puissant Stealth, Puissant Survival, Second Sight (Quality), Tough, Underground Regio Network, Ways of the Underground; Compulsion (gnawing things) (Inferiority), Driven (major) (rats survival), Enemies (cats kingdom), Hunger for Vim Magic, Mute (Free), No Hands (Free), Nocturnal (Inferiority), Obese, Restricted Power (x4) (Inferiority), Slow Power (x2) (Inferiority), Imaginem Monstrosity (Inferiority) (silver colored fur), Warped Senses (Inferiority) (sensitive taste: can only feed of metals), Weakness (silver) (Inferiority)

Magical Qualities & Inferiorities: Gift of Speech, Greater Power (x4), Improved Abilities (x2), Improved Powers (x6), Improved Soak, Minor Virtue: Faerie Blood, Minor Virtue: Magical Champion, Minor Virtue: Second Sight, Personal Power (x5); Minor Flaw: Compulsion, Minor Flaw: Nocturnal, Minor Flaw: Restricted Power, Minor Flaw: Restricted Power (x4), Minor Flaw: Slow Power (x2), Minor Flaw: Vim Monstrosity, Minor Flaw: Warped Senses, Minor Flaw: Weakness, Reduced Might (x7), Susceptible to Deprivation

Personality Traits: Brave +3, Loyal +2, Direct -2

Reputations: sneaky cook's problem 2 (Covenant)

Combat:
Dodge: Init +4, Defense +7
Teeth: Init +4, Attack +9, Defense +9, Damage -13

Soak: +8

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: Incapacitated (1), Dead (2+)

Abilities: Athletics (Climbing) 2, Awareness (cats) 3, Brawl (Teeth) 2, Concentration (powers) 3, Covenant Lore 3, Another covenant Lore 2, A ruined covenant Lore 2, Underground regio Lore 2, Etiquette (rats) 1, Faerie Lore (small faeries) 1, Finesse (imaginem) 2, Folk Ken (grogs) 1, Intrigue (against cats) 2, Leadership (rats) 4, Legerdemain (drawers & lockers) 5, Magic Lore (regios) 2, Order of Hermes Lore (daily routines) 1, Second Sight (Regio borders) 4, Stealth (at night) 5 + 2, Survival (underground) 5 + 2, Local language (understanding grogs) 1, Latin (understanding magi) 1

Powers:
—Nose of the Night Rat: 0 points, Init +3 Penetration 10, Auram.
R: Per., D: Sun, T: Smell
A T: Smell version of Eyes of the Bat which allows the Queen to smell air boundaries around her, and to maneuver safely even in absolute darkness. (Base 4, +2 Sun, +2 Smell)
InAu 25: Personal Power (-3 Might cost, Constant)
—Sniffing the Magical Food: 0 points, Init +5 Penetration 10, Vim.
R: Per., D: Mom., T: Smell
The queen can sniff magical vis, but not discern its Art. (Base 1, +2 Smell)
InVi 5: Personal Power (-1 Might cost)
—Sweet taste of Silver: 0 points, Init +4 Penetration 10, Terram.
R: Touch, D: Mom., T: Part
The queen can gnaw and eat metal. She particularly likes the taste of silver. This power also allows her to eat her way through dirt, earth, stone and metal, allowing her to dig tunnels faster than digging and through stronger materials. Slow Power. (Base 3, +2 Metal, +1 Touch, +1 Part)
PeTe 15: Personal Power (-2 Might cost)
—Sniffing the Magical Veil: 0 point, Init +5 Penetration 10, Vim.
R: Per., D: Mom., T: Smell
The queen can sniff through the boundaries of magical and regiones, and therefore divine the path to the next level of them. This power have momentary duration and last only for one sniff, so the navigation requires a lot more effor than with the spell Piercing the Faerie Veil, but is still possible. (Base 3, +2 Smell)
InVi 5: Personal Power (-1 Might cost)
—Kingdom, Smelly Kingdom: 0 points, Init +3 Penetration 10, Imaginem.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Struc.
The queen can smell and hear all inside the structure (be it a network of tunnels or a building) she's into. (Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +3 Structure)
InIm 25: Personal Power (-3 Might cost, Constant)
—Behold the Kingdom: 1 point, Init +2 Penetration 5, Imaginem.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Group
The queen can make her own illusions appear largely transparent to a group of rats by touching one of them. This helps them to maneuver inside areas targeted by her Phantom Halls of the Rat Queen power, or to discern her real position. Restricted Power (can target only rats). (Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 sun, +4 Vision)
InIm 30: Greater Power (-2 Might cost)
—Image of the Queen's Torn: 0 points, Init +4 Penetration 10, Imaginem.
R: Per., D: Conc., T: Ind.
As the spell Image of the Wizard's Torn, the queen can deatach her image, sound and smell and sent them away, even through solid objects if she pass a Int + Conc stress roll, but to do so she have to sent an arcane connection with the image, usually one hair from her tail. She uses this power so oftenly (it's a good way of exploring, and also to lead chasing cats away) that most of the times when she is seen she is actually using it. This causes her to apparently shift from place to place, when she stops (or fails) concentrating. Also by concentrating she can use the power in the opposite way, leaving her image standing somewhere while she physically moves. The image, then, reflects the actual light conditions were she is physically located: for example if the leaves her image in a sunny spot and then enters a shadow, her image will be shadowed. (Base 15, +1 Concentration, +2 two additional senses, +1 Intellego requisite).
Re(In)Im 35: Greater Power (+2 Initiative, -4 Might cost)
—Disguise of the Transformed Rat Army: 1 point, Init +3 Penetration 5, Imaginem.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Group
As with the spell Disguise of the Transformed Image, with T: Group; the Queen can alter the look, sound, feel and smell of a group of rats. Restricted Power (works only with rats). (Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Group)
MuIm 25: Greater Power (-2 Might cost)
—Phantom Halls of the Rat Queen: 1 point, Init +2 Penetration 5, Imaginem.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Struc.
The queen can transform at will the image of any space up to an Structure she is in while she concentrates, and everything it contains. The illusion don't give the illusion of solidity, and anyone could pass through created elements, like illusory walls, but most people (or animals) would feel inclined not do things as stumbling upon walls, and trying to do so could require a personality or Intelligence (or Cunning) check. This power is quite useful for loosing pursuing cats, driving them to dead ends or having them trapped in suddenly looped tunnels or spaces. (Base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +3 Structure)
MuIm 35: Greater Power (-3 Might cost)
—Reshape the Halls of the Rat Queen: 1 point, Init +1 Penetration 5, Terram.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Struc.
The queen can control the shape of any structure she's into (being it a building or a tunnel network) she is touching at will. This makes the rats tunnels a labyrinth she can reshape at will, and could be a nightmare to the inhabitants of any building she targets. She can open spaces, close them or alter shapes of elements, though the total size must remain constant and no elements can be neither created (though they can be split from existing elements) or destroyed (though they can be merged with other elements). (Base 3, +1 Stone, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +3 Structure)
ReTe 45: Personal Power (-4 Might cost, Constant)
—Raise the Kingdom Faithful Defenders: 2 points, Init +2 Penetration 0, Aninal.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Group
Overpowered version to the Beast of Outstanding Size spell (with T: Group), this power turns a group of rats into huge creatures; their Size is increased in +7, up to the size of humans. Strenght is increased by +14, and Quickness by -7. Restricted Power (works only with rats), Slow power (requires one extra round to take effect). (Base 15, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Group)
MuAn 35: Greater Power (-2 Might cost)
—Bless the Kingdom Faithful Defenders: 2 points, Init +1 Penetration 0, Aninal.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Group
Similar to the Steed of Vengeance spell (obviously not requiring the size modifier, and with T: Group), this power turns a group of rats into huge, ferocious magical warriors; their teeth become razor sharp, their eyes red fires, and they breathe black smoke. Their size is increased in 3 points up to -4, Attack and Damage rolls receive a +5 bonus. When the power wears off, each rat must pass a Stamina roll of 9+, or die from shock. The vision of such a group of rats can fuel nightmares for years. Restricted Powers (works only with rats), Slow Power (requires one extra round to take effect). (Base 15, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Group)
MuAn 40: Greater Power (-2 Might cost)

Appareance: A silver, fat rat.

[size=150]Ordinary rat[/size]

Characteristics: Cun 0, Per +1, Pre -3, Com 0, Sta +2, Str -14*, Dex +3, Qik +5**

• 0 if turned into a giant rat
  ** -2 if turned into a giant rat

Size: -7

Virtues & Flaws: Keen Smell, Magic Animal, Puissant Survival, Tough; Nocturnal, Weak Characteristics (x2)

Personality Traits: Loyal to the Rat Queen +3, Brave -1

Combat:
Dodge: Init +4, Defense +7*
Teeth: Init +4, Attack +9**, Defense +9*, Damage -13***

• Defense is modified by -7 if turned into a giant rat
• Attack can have a +5 if turned into a battle modified rat
  *** Damage is modified by +14 for giant rats and +5 for battle modified rats

Soak: +6

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: Incapacitated (1), Dead (2+)
Giant rats of size 0 have the wound penalties of an average human.

Abilities: Athletics (Climbing) 2, Awareness (cats) 2, Brawl (Teeth) 2, Covenant Lore 2, Legerdemain (drawers & lockers) 1, Stealth (at night) 3, Survival (underground) 4 + 2

Appareance: an obese, silver colored rat.

Invocation of Summoning the Dead

Some of these might make interesting familiars.
Not I feel like starting a "second spring"-style saga.