Bonus Bonus Feature: A Selection of Plot Hooks
Here are a few plot hooks involving the daimons created for this project. These are mostly not intended for theurgist characters, as they will have their own reasons for seeking out particular daimons, but rather as ways to use some of the daimons in a saga with no theurgist characters.
The false parma
A worrying report is spreading through the order of encounters with unknown hedge wizards in or near the tribunal the player covenant is located in who seem to possess magic resistance – has the secret of the parma magica been betrayed and if so, by whom? Unbeknownst to the order these are in fact a tiny and previously unknown tradition of non-hermetic theurgists who follow the teachings of Iamblichus and have been granted divine magic resistance by the daimon. Unless the player covenant intervenes the order is likely to take violent action against these supposed parma-theives and it is likely their patron may protect them leading to a possibly disastrous confrontation between hoplites and a powerful daimon.
Deidne resurgent?
An elderly magus known to the covenant confides in them something worrying about a magus who has recently moved to their tribunal. This new magus has great skill at flexible magic and the old magus recognises it as Deidne magic, but is too frail or close to final twilight to deal with a possible Deidne himself. However, if confronted the new magus will freely reveal how he learnt this power – by summoning a powerful daimon called the Cailleach who is known to the Gruagachan of Scotland. Can this story be trusted? Only the Gruagachan would know more…
Nemesis loosed
Two magi, one a theurgist, in the player covenant’s tribunal recently fought a wizard’s war which ended in the death of both magi. Little does the tribunal know that both were slain by an aspect of the daimon of retribution, Nemesis. This aspect is weakened but still extremely dangerous and will wreak havoc in the tribunal, seeking out magi, using her power to learn if they have evaded justice for any crimes, and inflicting punishments on those who have. Can the daimon be stopped, or will the tribunal simply have to endure these assaults until its might is depleted and the aspect is dissolved?
The Tribunal that never happened
The meeting of the player covenant’s tribunal has just concluded with fairly normal results – some controversy, some argument, but mostly business as usual. However, a mentem expert declares a few weeks later that his and his covenant’s memories of the tribunal have been altered, asking the quaesitores to investigate. To their shock, each quaesitor in the tribunal realises on close inspection that their own memory of the entire tribunal is falsified, though so perfectly it was almost unnoticeable except in the smallest details. This information ripples throughout the tribunal as it becomes more and more clear that the tribunal never happened – the entire proceedings are a false memory planted in the head of every magus who attended the tribunal. Fingers are pointed and investigations opened but no living magus could have managed such an intricate spell under the Aegis protecting the tribunal site – only a powerful spirit with control over memory, such as Mnemosyne could have done this. Who summoned the spirit? Will a new tribunal have to be called? How will the magi ensure this is not repeated?
The Quest-giver
A character has recently performed a remarkable deed; one night as he steps out for some air a red star blazes brightly in the sky – he has been visited by an aspect of the daimon Anagogos. The daimon has been impressed by their conduct and offers to improve a vital characteristic of the character, but only if they complete a heroic task given to them by the daimon. This can be used as a hook into almost any story.
Idolatry
A magus has made what seems to be an amazing breakthrough and claims to have found a way to reliably ensure that children are born with the Gift. Though he claims the research is not yet fully integrated he offers the service of ensuring a couple (usually covenfolk) conceive of a Gifted child in exchange for a hefty sum of vis. This all goes well for a few years with the tribunal enjoying a glut of new apprentices. However, one day the magus botches and enters twilight during the ritual, leaving it half finished. The mother-to-be escapes and reveals to the tribunal the truth of the ‘breakthrough’ – the magus has been invoking Anu, an ancient fertility goddess, in pagan rituals and asking her to bless the conception. To ensure the cooperation of the parents he has been using mentem magic to make them pliable and then afterwards to alter their memory of the ritual. Many magi and covenfolk are outraged at having been unwillingly party to what many view as a pagan bacchanal. Others defend the practice either wholly or in part, arguing that it is worth it for the sake of expanding the order. The question is now what will the tribunal do in response when the magus emerges from twilight?
The coronation stone
Rulers in a region near the covenant have always been crowned or confirmed in a ceremony involving a special stone of some kind. A great stir has been caused recently as it has been discovered that the stone is missing. In truth a group of magi have stolen the stone hoping to use it to invoke the daimon Liafáil and have him bless the leaders of their covenant, mystery cult, or tribunal. It is likely that eventually the mundane authorities may realise the stone was stolen with magic, which may bring their wrath down on magi nearby – including the player covenant. Will the characters seek to return the stone and risk conflict with these theurgists, or will they try and help conceal the crime instead?