Avernus
Certainly one of the most magical spots on the whole Italian peninsula. Avernus is the name of a lake and crater. located near the ancient city of Cumae, on the north most part of the Bay of Naples.
The Avernus crater has numerous caves along its ridge. Though these are often dangerous to explore, many are filled with scentless noxious fumes. Due to these fumes, no bird ever flies over the large lake in the craters centre. The Phlegraean Fields are a volcanic hotspot, and the terrain bears witness to this. It has an extremely high magical aura of 8. The entryway to the Underworld (Magical Realm) lies at the very bottom of this series of caves.
It was here that the mythic hero Aeneas performed his katabasis. Aeneas sought out the Cumaean Sibyl. The sibyl advised the hero that he must descend into Orcus to understand his destiny and receive guidance from his father. To gain entry into the underworld, Aeneas sought out a sacred tree of Diana, and recovered a golden bough from it. In the underworld Aeneas received knowledge and wisdom. Here he learned to understand the divine plan for Rome and his role in it.
Cumae was originally a Greek colony. One of the richest and largest, most likely a result of the Sibyl which had taken up residence close to it. Tarquinius, the last of the legendary Kings of Rome, lived out his life in exile here. The polis’ temple of Apollo was the original location for the revered Sibylline Books. But eventually Rome would conquer it as well.
A long subterranean tunnel connects Cumean and Avernus. Next to this long path is also the Sibyl’s Cave, marked by large oak trees. The Cumaean Sibyl prophesied by “singing the fates” and writing on oak leaves. These were arranged inside the entrance of her cave. Subterranean fumes or the wind sometimes stir these and scatter them all over her cave, the Sibyl refuses to reassemble the leaves to recreate the original prophecy whenever this happens. Create confusion about the sequence of events. To this day the Cumaean Sibyl Carmentis still sits upon her tripod here. For more information see TSE p. 120.
It was in the caves of Avernus that Guorna the Fetid had her stronghold. Her cult of necromancers seeking the path into the underworld and putting the site’s high magical aura to use. It was also here that Tytalus and Tremere slew Guorna in an ambush, as well as her followers. Tremere performed a Dacian over her corpse, prevent Guorna’s wrathful spirit from forming as a ghost and the site being used as an Arcane Connection. The traces of this pre-hermetic ritual can still be observed however. Tytalus and Tremere would both demand that their apprentices avoided the area.
The Augustan Brotherhood who are centred in Naples, are horrified by this site and avoid it at any cost. Throughout the Order’s history the Cumaean Sibyl has been sought out a few times - though she refuses to recreate the Sibylline Books or confirm if they were to persevere. House Tremere is following their founder’s dictate and have pushed politics limiting the site's exploration. Certamen bullying and Wizard Wars are their tools for this praxis. Seeker have speculated about relics of the Cult of Hades, Hyperborean magic and the necromantic tradition of Guorna.
Story Seed: A Bilious Court Wizard
Despite the Augustan Brotherhood dogma, a young and ambitious wizard of their rank seeks out Avernus’s caves. Here he finds a morbid artefact that enables him to control ghosts. He supposes the skull belonged to some ancient priest of Hades. It’s sole drawback being the pus filled growth he begins developing each time he touches it. With the skull the wizard is able to rise in the ranks of his tradition. Unlike many others, his stance is clearly against the Order. Something partly inspired by his frequent nightmares. The PC might hear rumours of this development, or even taste the first of the wizards' offensive politics.