Freyja of the Linden, Ascended Flora (Might 10)
This daimon is an ascended flora, the spirit of a plant, who was venerated (to her chagrin but not displeasure) as an aspect of the goddess Freyja in pre-christian Germany. She is not actually connected to the “real” Freyja, and has no knowledge of Germanic myth beyond what she has overheard by those calling on her over the years.
She has powers in line with those of a linden-spirit and can influence the minds of mortals (for the linden tree is said to have power to root out the truth). However, unlike lesser linden-spirits she is intelligent and has, over time, absorbed a great deal of knowledge of jurisprudence and politics from the trials and meetings held under her branches so is valued more for her advice than for her power (which cannot penetrate most magic resistance anyway). She is easy enough to invoke that even non-theurgists can manage it.
She was originally tied to a specific, huge, Linden tree found in the Hessian forest and can still be most easily invoked there. Some of the Tanzlinden trees found in settlements in the region are grown from cuttings of her tree, and she can also be invoked at them. This would be very public and probably unwise, however. Similarly some of the Gerichtslinden trees, used for legal proceedings in some places in that region, are offshoots of her trees, but not all.
If the theurge desires more easy contact with the linden-spirit he must take a cutting of the original tree (a cutting of a tree grown from a cutting is not enough) and grow a new tree from it. When this tree has reached a height of 30 feet (this takes in the order of 15-30 years of growth) it will become possible to invoke the daimon at it.
It is said that these linden trees are more likely to become trees of virtue than most if grown in a magical aura, but this is unproven.
She manifests as a warping of the shape of the tree. It very slowly shifts, so slowly it is hard to notice for those not looking for it, until from the right angle it appears to almost have a face in the nooks and crannies of the bark. She can speak from this ‘mouth’ and move the tree at will.
Characteristics: Int +2, Per +1, Pre 0, Com +1, Str 0, Sta 0, Dex 0, Quik 0
Personality Traits: Good Listener +3, Just +2
Combat: Special*
*Her body is the tree itself. If someone can destroy it instantly, for example with a powerful fire spell, she is instantly banished. Otherwise she dissolves her aspect as soon as the tree is attacked.
Abilities: Awareness 6, Bargain 8, Charm 5, Folk Ken (Criminals) 11, Guile 4, Intrigue 7, Artes Liberales 2, Civil and Canon Law 9, Common Law 4, Germanic Law 13, Code of Hermes 12
Powers:
Mistress of Mentem, variable points (Init 0)
Freyja of the Linden can replicate any non-ritual Rego or Intellego Mentem effect at a cost of 1 might per magnitude.
Guide, 3 points (Init 1)
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Group
Subtly influences a group of beings toward a specific course of action. Each time this power is used, it can subtly influence the actions of a single person for a day. The storyguide should provide advice to the character in a similar way to the Common Sense Virtue, except that the advice serves Freyja’s agenda, not the character’s. There is no compulsion to follow this advice. When she is not called on to participate directly she will use this power to silently advise the theurge.