Egeriae – Flora of Poplars Might 10-25 (Herbam) (Spring-Autumn)
The spirits of Poplar trees can become unusually potent for Flora, the poplar (both black and white) being strongly tied to divination and augury. Poplar spirits have an innate understanding of divination, omens, and the nature of magic itself. This innate understanding pales in comparison to the knowledge of modern magi, but Egeriae are still sometimes consulted by grogs, mundanes, or magi deficient in magic lore or intellego.
The Egeria is the Genius Loci of a particular Poplar grove near the Porta Capena in Rome, which now exists entirely within a magical regio. Her tutelage of the Roman King Numa Pompilius is foundational to many aspects of Roman religion, and some seekers consider Pompilius to be a precursor to later Roman magical traditions. He was said to have consulted directly with Jupiter and forced the god Faunus and his father Picus into delivering prophecies. This has led many to believe he practiced theurgy.
Like Numa before him, Bonisagus studied under Egeria for a short time as one of the sources of insight into what would eventually become his hermetic theory. To the disappointment of later neo-mercurian seekers Egeria was not involved with the early Cult of Mercury, whose magic has some more ancient origin.
Those wishing to win the favour of Egeriae should make libations to their trees, and if the request is great, vis should be offered as well. It is in the essential nature of Egariae to acquire knowledge – and for a spirit of not inconsiderable might that kind of improvement requires vis – but it is also in their nature to dispense this knowledge to those who respectfully ask for it.
Usually only one poplar will manifest an Egeria, if at all, even if there are many present in a strong aura. Other trees will manifest simpler unintelligent spirits, or sometimes no spirits at all. Some magi believe that Egeriae are able to extract vis from other poplar trees which begin to accrue it, ensuring only one powerful spirit can exist in any given area.
The example given below is a Spring Egeria, older and more developed spirits will have a much broader range of abilities but with a focus on their primary skills of Divination & Augury and Magic Lore.
Characteristics: Int +3, Per +0, Pre +1, Com +2, Str +0, Sta +0, Dex +0, Qik +0
Qualities and Inferiorities: Improved Characteristics, Essential Trait, Lesser Power, Divination and Augury, Greater Power, Improved Abilities
Personality Traits: Poplar Spirit +3*, Learned +3*, Tutelary +2
Abilities: Divination and Augury (Preferred Method) 5, Penetration (Against Other Egeriae) 4, Magic Lore (Local Area) 4
Description: Egeriae appear as attractive human women, their supernatural nature revealed only in their pigmentation – those of white poplars have unnaturally white skin and pure black hair, while those of black poplar have grey-black skin and hair of pure white (despite an otherwise youthful appearance).
Powers
Theft of Power (Pe(Re)Vi) 3 Might Init -4
R: Touch D: Momentary T: Individual
This power allows the spirit to steal a pawn of vis from another poplar spirit if this power penetrates their magic resistance (reducing their might score by 5 as per a PeVi effect) or extract it from in or near a poplar tree. This power is why only one Egeria ever exists in one place, and how they reclaim offerings of vis given to their tree. This power can only be used on other Egeriae and their trees, not on other spirits or beings with might scores.
(Base 10, +1 Touch, +1 Rego Requisite)
Donning the Corporeal Veil (Cr(Re)Co) 0 Might Init -1
R: Touch D: Sun T: Individual
This power allows the spirit to take on a physical form, usually that of a human woman. For more details see Donning the corporeal Veil in RoP:M pg. 102.