Meliai – Spirits of Mountain-Ash Might 15-25 (Herbam) (Summer)
The Mountain-Ash, also called Rowan or Quickbeam, is a fruit bearing tree found in northerly climates. For reasons unknown the flora of ash trees (Rowan included) are especially hardy and quick to adapt to magical environments. A small number of these trees when exposed to a powerful aura, rather than awakening as most trees do, instead produce a spirit of unusual intelligence for a flora. These spirits are called Meliai, after the dryades of ash trees in Greek myth.
The Meliai of Rowan trees have a protective instinct and use their innate powers to repel malevolent beings. A number of Rowan trees can be found in the valley of Valnastium, where the Meliai are on very good terms with the black cats of virtue which inhabit the Domus Magna. Horticulturally inclined Jerbiton sometimes give cuttings of Rowan trees which have produced Meliai as gifts to apprentices who are moving to a new covenant, or at the founding of a covenant.
Characteristics: Int +1, Per +1, Pre +2, Com +1, Str +0, Sta +1, Dex +0, Qik +0
Qualities and Inferiorities: Greater Power x2, Focus Power, Improved Powers x2, Anchored to the (Forest/Mountains)*, Natural Appearance**, Improved Soak x2
*Meliai can in theory move any distance away from their native tree, but will always yearn to return to the place of their roots.
**Meliai, were it not for the unusual hair and skin tones, could be mistaken for human women when in corporeal form and can bear children (magical humans called Men of Bronze). As spirits they still have a magical air even in corporeal form, however.
Personality Traits: Spirit of a Rowan +3*, Protective +3
Abilities: Penetration (Powers) 4, Charm (Men) 3, Leadership (War) 3, Folk Ken (Wards) 3, Brawl (Dodge) 3, Athletics (Running) 3, Single Weapon (Spear) 3, Awareness (Watching) 3, Concentration (Powers) 3, Hunt (Tracking) 3, Survival (Navigation) 3, Magic Lore (Spirits) 2
Soak: +5
Description: Meliai appear as mortal women, slightly larger than normal, who have thick skin the colour of ash bark and hair in shades of leafy green or red as the Rowan-berry.
Powers
Donning the Corporeal Veil (Co) 0 Might Init -1
The spirit can produce and animate a body of flesh. 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 the spirit. If slain in material form, the spirit (or Aspect) is also destroyed, and the body will contain pawns of vis equal to that within the spirit’s spiritual form.
It is not unknown for Meliai to walk among humans, and rarely one may even take a human husband and bear children. These offspring are called Men of Bronze and are magical humans.
Master of Warding (ReVi) Variable Might Init Quickness-Magnitude
Allows the spirit to replicate any Re or Pe Vim effect up to level 50 at a cost of 1 might per magnitude.
Communion of Spirits (MuVi) Variable Might Init Quickness-Magnitude
This allows Meliai to combine their powers to improve penetration on effects produced with Master of Warding as if using Wizard’s Communion. This divides the effective level of the effect by the number of participants (which may be up to the magnitude of the spell). All participants must spend the might as if using the Master of Warding power themselves as well as the might required to activate this power. This power costs 5 point of might less than the Master of Warding effect being altered, to a minimum of 0.