This is the character sheet for Eikona of House Jerbiton, played by Julia.
This topic should only contain the character's stats, background, spells, enchantments, etc. Any development discussions and notes will be posted in the topic Character Creation for Julia (OOC) .
Appearance: Eikona ex Jerbiton is a small woman of about thirty springs with long gorgeous golden hair that is braided and hidden under an ecquisite black lace veil. Her dress looks expensive and tells you that she is in mourning. With deep blue eyes and ruby lips, she is a true beauty. Her accent betrays her Burgundian origins.
Wizard's Sigil: Her hair becomes shinier when she casts spells, she sometimes uses flourishes when catching species to include these reflections of the light in her art
| Characteristics | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | +2 | |||||
| Perception | +1 | |||||
| Strength | -2 | |||||
| Stamina | +2 | |||||
| Presence | +3 | |||||
| Communication | +2 | |||||
| Dexterity | +1 | |||||
| Quickness | -2 |
Confidence Score: 1(3)
| Personality Traits: | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enthusiastic about the art of catching species | +2 | |||||
| Lecherous | +2 | |||||
| Oversensitive (Sack of Constantinople) | +3 |
| Reputations: | Group | Bonus | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artistic talent | magi | +2 | ||||||
| Constantinople refugee | magi | +1 |
Virtues: The Gentle Gift; Hermetic Maga; Cautious with Finesse, Free Expression (House Virtue), Improved Characteristics, Minor Fairie Blood (Sidhe), Personal Vis Source (hair: Imaginem), Puissant Finesse, Skilled Parens, Venus Blessing
Flaws: Dependents (Story: Guiscard, her father), Unnatural magic; Harmless Magic, Lecherous (minor), Oversensitive (Sack of Constantinople), Small Frame, True Friend (Renardine)
Age : 33(31), birthday in January
Combat: Dodging: Init -1, Attack n/a, Defense +1, Damage n/a
Soak: +2
Size: -1
Decreptitude: 0
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-4), -3 (5-8), -5 (9-12), Incapacitated (13-16)
Encumbrance: 0(0)
| Ability | Score | Specialty | Extra xp | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area Lore Constantinople | 1 | Hagia Sophia quarter | - | ||||
| Area Lore Swiss Jura | 1 | Geography | - | ||||
| Animal Handling | 1 | Horses | - | ||||
| Artes Liberales | 2 | Ceremonial casting | - | ||||
| Athletics | 1 | Dancing | - | ||||
| Awareness | 1 | Art | - | ||||
| Bargain | 1 | Silverware | - | ||||
| Brawl | 1 | Dodge | - | ||||
| Carouse | 1 | Knowing your limits | - | ||||
| Charm | 2 | Townspeople | - | ||||
| Classical Greek | 3 | Reading | - | ||||
| Code of Hermes | 1 | Intertribunal politics | - | ||||
| Concentration | 2 | Spells | - | ||||
| Etiquette | 2 | Magi | - | ||||
| Fairie Lore | 1 | Summer Fairies | - | ||||
| Finesse | 3+2 | Imaginem | - | ||||
| Folk Ken | 2 | Townspeople | - | ||||
| Guile | 1 | About herself | - | ||||
| Infernal Lore | 1 | Spotting | - | ||||
| Intrigue | 2 | Magi | - | ||||
| Latin | 4 | Hermetic Usage | - | ||||
| Leadership | 1 | Grogs | - | ||||
| Living Language: Burgundian | 5 | Rhymes | - | ||||
| Magic Lore | 1 | Creatures | - | ||||
| Magic Theory | 4 | Spells | - | ||||
| Music | 1 | Singing | - | ||||
| Order of Hermes Lore | 1 | Alps | - | ||||
| Parma Magica | 3 | Extending to others | - | ||||
| Philosophiae | 1 | Natural philosophy | - | ||||
| Profession: Scribe | 1 | Carefully | - | ||||
| Ride | 2 | Long time in the saddle | - | ||||
| Survival | 1 | Orientation | - | ||||
| Stealth | 1 | Invisible | - | ||||
| Swim | 1 | With clothes | - | ||||
| Teach | 1 | Single student | - |
| Art | Score | Extra xp | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creo | 5 | - | ||
| Intellego | 7 | - | ||
| Mu | 6 | - | ||
| Perdo | 5 | - | ||
| Rego | 5 | - | ||
| Animal | 6 | - | ||
| Auram | 6 | - | ||
| Aquam | 6 | - | ||
| Corpus | 6 | - | ||
| Herbam | 6 | - | ||
| Imaginem | 11 | - | ||
| Ignem | 6 | - | ||
| Mentem | 6 | - | ||
| Terram | 6 | - | ||
| Vim | 6 | - |
The Beauty and the Beast ReAn10 +13
Bind Wounds CrCo10 +13
The Succubus Trick MuCo5 +14
Torch without flame CrIg10 +13
The Eternal Mirror Image Cr(In)Im10 +18 +1 Mastery (quiet)
Don’t worry, father! CrIm25 +18
Summoning the Distant image InIm25 +20
Aura of Beguiling Appearance MuIm10 +19
Aura of Childlike Innocence, MuIm10 +19
Aura of Ennobled Presence, MuIm10 +19
PeIm20 Veil of Invisibility, PeIm20 +18
Disguise of the transformed Image ReIm15 +18
Posing the Silent Question InMe20 +15
The invisible Sling of Vilano ReTe10 +13
Crafting the silver mirror, ReTe15 +13
Scales of the magical weight InVi5 +15
Sense the nature of Vis InVi5 +15
Warping Score: 1(3)
Twilight scars: none
Possesions:
Season by season xp expenditure
1195, season 1: rash winter excursion, serving a swineherd 5xp leadership, 5xp animal handling
1195, season 2: Grand Tribunal 5xp Code Of Hermes, 5xp Intrigue
1195, season 3: Aimless wandering, sees a fox, lots of mirror magic, 5xp spell mastery in The Eternal Mirror Image
1195, season 4: Reading 21xp Animal
1196, season 1: Reading, 13xp Intellego
1196, season 2: Befriending a fox,* 5xp Magic Lore*
1196, season 3: familiar ceremony: 2xp Magic theory.
1196, season 4: Imaginem tractatus written/Service Profession: Scribe 2xp
1197, season 1: Imaginem tractatus copied Profession: Scribe: 2xp
1197, season 2: Adventure/Service: carouse 5xp, Infernal Lore 5xp
1197, season 3: Gastronomer's Dinner 1xp scribe, 5xp etiquette, reputation gained: artistic talent 1
1197, season 4: Muto primer read, 21 xp Mu
1198, season 1: almost twilight episode, Vim primer read, 21xp Vi, warped mirror gained
1198, season 2: teaching the giant's daughter, 5xp teaching
1198, season 3: learning Artes Liberales from Horst, 10xp
1198, season 4: learns Greek from fat teacher, 15xp
1199, season 1: reads an ignem primer 21xp
1199, season 2: travels to Valnastium 5xp concentration, 5 xp reputation artistic talent
1199, season 3: shipwrecked on the way to Constantinople 5xp swim
1199, season 4: arriving in the city 8xp practice
1200, season 1: Demosthenes asks for her hand, 7xp language
1200, season 2: boring Thebes tribunal, she becomes a member 5xp intrigue, 5xp concentration
1200, season 3: labwork, spell The beauty and the beast ReAn10, 2xp exposure magic theory
1200, season 4: baby lost, Corpus primer read 21xp
1201, season 1: depressed reading: 21xp Aquam primer
1201, season 2: preparing for the wedding: 5xp intrigue, 5xp etiquette
1201, season 3: finding the kidnapped apprentice, 5xp area lore, 5xp philosophiae
1201, season 4: spells research, Aura of Ennobled Presence, ura of Childlike Innocence, 2xp magic theory
1202, season 1: Purification of the festering wounds learned, 2xp Magic theory
1202, season 2: childbirth Guiscard: Call to slumber, 2xp Magic Theory
1202, season 3: reads Terram primer, 15xp
1202, season 4: reads Auram primer, 21xp
1203, season 1: reads Herbam primer, 21xp
1203, season 2: baby proofing lab, 4xp Magic Theory
1203, season 3: invents spell, Torch without flame, 2xp Magic theory
1203, season 3: invents spells: Scales of the Magic Weight, Sense the nature of Vis, 2xp magix theory
1204, season 1: preparing for the siege, 10xp parma
1204, season 2: the siege, Demosthenes dies, 5xp parma, 5xp stealth
1204, season 3: Valnastium 10xp parma
1204, season 4: spell, invisible sling of vilano, 2xp Magic theory
1205, Jan-March: collecting for Constantinople, repuation gain?
Ring of the True Image
To activate the ring, you need to point the finger wearing the ring at the Imaginem effect (level 25 + stress die (no botch) to be dispelled and tap the ring three times in a quick succession. When the Imaginem effect is dispelled, it gradually dissolves away much like sea foam washing away on a beach, as per Serene of Verditius' wizard sigil.
(Base 5+1 Touch, +10 unlimited uses)
The Beauty and the Beast ReAn10, invented by Eikona
This spell allows Eikona to move among mundane animals and to collect their species without disturbing them. It is a day length variety of Disguise of the Putrid Aroma (p. 120). Of course, this spell doesn’t cause any putrid aroma: She’s a Jerbiton, not a Bjornaer. The Sigil affects the caster's hair, which seems to reflect the sunlight. She sometimes uses a floursih to affect the target's hair instead.
Bind Wounds CrCo10, taught by Lyrus
The Succubus Trick MuCo5, invented by Eikona as an apprentice (took her two seasons)
Eikona wanted to experience about the intimate aspects of being male, so she secretly taught herself this spell as an apprentice. Now that she’s tried both, she prefers the female experience and mostly uses this spell to escape menstrual pains. She uses illusions to determine her apparent sex. Source: Houses of Hermes: Societates, page 97
Torch without flame CrIg10 +13, invented by Eikona
The spell works like lamp without flame, but torchlight and sun duration. Eikona's sigil works a bit oddly here: The torch looks somewhat brighter than it is.
The Eternal Mirror Image Cr(In)Im 10, invented by Eikona using a daughter of Echo labtext
This spell allows Eikona to make a mirror constantly display the moment when the spell was cast (a few seconds, like an animated gif used in a meme). She has to hold the mirror towards the motif she wants to record, so a Perception + Finesse roll of 9+ is needed to make sure the picture is okay (no heads cut off in the picture because a wrong angle was chosen). Higher finesse rolls mean that the result is more satisfying (open eyes, good light, smiles, perfect background, etc). Free expression can be applied to the roll.
(Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Ring, Circle, +1 moving image, +1 Intellego requisite)
Don’t worry, father! CrIm25, invented by from a labtext with the help of her parens
This spell is a farewell gift from her parens. It allows her to stay in contact with him and her father while traveling outside the Alps. It is an Arcane Connection distance version of Phantasm of the talking head. She often combines it with summoning the distant image to talk to her father at Valnastium. She uses it at least once a month to talk to either of them.
Summoning the Distant image InIm25, invented from a labtext
Originally invented to communicate with her father, Eikona has since discovered that it is an excellent spell for tracking and detective work. She knows she can't use this spell on magi (legally).
Aura of Beguiling Appearance MuIm10, invented from a labtext her parens gave her!
She loves that one, because she's lecherous. And the next two spells guarantee variety...
Aura of Childlike Innocence, MuIm10, invented by Eikona
Eikona loved toying around with these spells. Since her husband's death, she uses them less often.
Aura of Ennobled Presence, MuIm10, invented by Eikona using a lab text
Eikona invented it for princess roleplaying games in the bedroom, but it has other uses, too. Using it reminds her of her husband's death.
PeIm20 Veil of Invisibility, PeIm20
Eikona likes observing quietly and sometimes takes her pictures without being seen because she doesn’t like the way people posture when they are aware of having their portrait taken).
Disguise of the transformed Image ReIm15
Very useful spell in the class-ridden sexist world of the 12th century
Posing the Silent Question InMe20
Eikona often used to use this spell for seductive purposes, but it has many uses.
The invisible Sling of Vilano ReTe10
Invented after her husband's death. Eikona always has a few small, but pointy stones at hand
Crafting the silver mirror, ReTe15, invented by Eikona with the help of her parens
This spell allows Eikona to shape silver into the form of a mirror. She usually creates mirrors that have a round shape with a ring inscribed along the edge, so she can use them to capture species. Since this is Rego Craft Magic, it requires a Perception + Finesse roll of 12+ to create a mirror.
(Base 2, +2 metal, +1 Touch, +1 complexity)
Scales of the magical weight InVi5, invented by Eikona using a lab text
Sense the nature of Vis InVi5, inventing by Eikona using a lab text
Florence diary, first entry:
Easter Sunday 1181
Lyrus, my Master, has gifted me with a book. When I opened it the pages were blank. He told me that I was expected to write my life into it truthfully. He counseled me against those embellishments magi often add to their tales and said, if I ever became a Maga of importance, posteriority would want to learn about me and my thoughts. So let me start:I am Florence, mage apprentice to Lyrus the Bard of the House of Jerbiton. I live with my father in a hidden valley in the Alps that is called Valnastium. He's a silversmith. When I was seven years old, Master Lyrus found me. Before that I lived in the town of Pontarlier, on the border between Burgundy and Switzerland. I have a talent for magic that is called the Gift. I think this is because my mother was related to the summer fae, but I cannot be sure, because my father doesn't speak of her and I have never met her. I also have magic hair that reflects the first light of summer - it is because of my hair that my master found me.
I like the idea of becoming a mage. It means I am taught to read and write and that I can even cast a spell that allows me to catch an image in a mirror. I spend hours wandering through the valley to find the perfect image. I am allowed to keep the best images, and I already have a collection of 12 mirrors: My favorite one shows Master Andru cradling his cat. One day, I will travel the world in search of beauty and share that beauty with all those unfortunate mages who have no time because they spend all their time in their labs.
Winter, in the Alps
It was bitter cold as the two of them approached the hut that looked tiny beneath all the snow. They had no idea who it belonged to, nor did they care. They wouldn't get a second chance to get out of the cold. Ironically, they were just two day rides from Valnastium, but it had taken them a full week to get this far. Lucio, sweet Lucio, so young and funny, the young grog who had warmed her at night just a fortnite ago, was dead and cold somewhere in the snow behind them.
And Eikona knew it was her fault. Her father had made that very clear. He had warned her not to go, then he had begged her not to go, then, finally, had declared, he was going to come with her. She had been proud of having swayed him, a maga, a leader, old enough to take decisions. He had been mercilessly honest with her, but had cradled her when the tears had come, and had taught her what it meant to be responsible for others. She had sworn never to repeat her mistake.
Now he was delerious with fever, tied to Unicorn like a sack, screaming weakly at times. Eikona's heart lept with joy when someone opened the door after just two knocks. An old man, beareded and filthy, looked at the two of them, then wordlessly helped her take down her father and lay him in front of the fire. He didn't speak much, but a division of labour was quickly established: He was taking care of her father, brewing stinking soups and vile ointments, and she was to look after the pigs, the dog and her horse.
It took her over a week to get a message out to Valnastium using her communication magic, and yet another week for her (ex)parens to step out of thin air, a disappointed frown on his face. He cured her father with a few well-placed magic words, then left again, leaving them behind.
When he was gone again, the old man living in the hut told them, smiling toothlessly: "If you want to keep eating my food until spring, you will keep looking after my animals, and you can use this useless magic of yours to entertain me."
And so it happened that Eikona ex Jerbiton, freshly gauntleted maga, started her career serving a swineherd.
Spring, Grand Tribunal at Durenmar
It was early April when the weather finally improved enough for traveling safely, and even then, a few rivers, swollen with the melting snow, were hard to cross. She returned her father to Valnastium and, after recovering for a few days and stuffing her saddlebags with a dozen mirrors to record the events, accompanied a procession of Primus Andru and a number of other Jerbiton magi to Durenmar, a giddy debutante at the feast of the decade.
The mood at Durenmar was excited, and her head was swirling with all the invitations and gifts. The first person she sought out was Amhránaà ex Merinita, who had come all the way from far Hibernia to record the event. She petitioned the Gaelic maga for Membership in the Daughters of Echo, who promised to consider her application if she could present three elegantly filled mirrors on the closing day of events. Blushing with excitement, Eikona promised not to disappoint her.
Other Jerbiton leagues were also present, and she was invited to the Gastronomer's dinner, filling the seat of the chicken reserved for potential members. She managed to avoid making a fool of herself, and her gift of a mirror showing the opulent celebration was well received by the current host, the inadply named Paul le Recluse ex Jerbiton.
Demosthenes found her the second day, as earnest and gorgeous as she remembered him, urging her to speak to the Keepers of the Pearl of Great Price League as well, but although she admired his dedication to such a noble cause, her swineherd episode still lingered on her mind, and so she felt no desire to renew her acquaintance with squalor and poverty. He also told her the Theban tribunal was working with the Hibernian sodales to prevent a motion that favored Latin over other languages from getting passed, and she promised him her support. Together they went to see Primus Andru, and talked with Murion, right hand of Primus Avarret of Bonisagus himself, only to realize that their plea was not well received. When Mirabelle heard of their efforts, she laughed and said they were wasting their time.
Day after day, they sat side by side following the proceedings at the forum of Hermes, Demosthenes commenting under his breath with shiny eyes, Eikona enraptured by his voice. During the breaks, she strolled around the grounds, looking for species to catch in her mirrors.
When the Tribunal confirmed Latin's prominent role, Demosthenes was downcast, but her promise to visit him in Constantiople in a year or two visibly improved his mood.
When the tribunal came to a close, Eikona talked to Amhránaà ex Merinita again, who confirmed her membership in the daughters of Echo. That night, Demosthenes, Mirabelle and Eikona celebrated until dawn, with Eikona turning the sour German wine into exquisite Bordeaux, Demosthenes reciting ancient poetry and Mirabelle curing their hangovers. The photo Eikona had taken of that night's revels didn't fit her artistic standards, and yet she kept it, sensing that the happy memories of the Great Tribunal would make her smile in days to come.
Summer, traveling the Rhine Tribunal
Mirabelle's spell had healed Eikona's hangover at the end of Tribunal, but now her friends had packed and left, and the glorious event was over, she felt strangely planless and empty. She had been invited to the gastronomer's next dinner, but what would she do until then? She was tempted to follow Demosthenes to Theben, but was afraid this might be too much too soon.
And so she saddled Unicorn, and travelled through the Rhine tribunal, from covenant to covenant, even straying into the Tremere lands to the east, her mirrors always close to hand. She discovered that animals were hard to record and that they ran away even when she used an invisibility spell, scared off by her human smell and the words she had to speak to cast her magic. After a few weeks, she learned to weave her spell quietly, and was rewarded with a perfect shot of a stag drinking from a forest pond.
At some point, in Cologne, she met a witty young redhead who called herself Renardine. She knew how to party, and to flirt, and for about two weeks, they took the pubs of the city like a storm. Renardine also showed a keen interest in Eikona's mirrors. And then, suddenly, Renardine was gone, and so were two of Eikona's favorite motifs, an Alpine panorama and the picture of the stag.
Using Summoning the Distant Image and a lock of Renaldine's hair, Eikona was able to track the thief easily. Much to her surprise, she discovered that Renaldine wasn't just a woman, but also a fox. When she confronted the strange fox-woman, she learned that Renaldine was a magic fox, and that she had stolen the mirrors in hope they contained magic to help her stave off the magic degradation that was eating away at her substance. Taking pity on the wondrous creature, Eikona offered her a pawn of her Imaginem vis to heal. She also promised to return to Cologne after the cold season with a more permanent solution.
As summer came to an end, and the morning air got fresher, she decided that she needed a covenant to stay for the winters to come, a home away from Valnastium. So she took up an offer by Fengheld to join the covenant as a house guest and directed her horse to the Harz mountains as the days grew colder.
Autumn, at Fengheld
Eikona looked at her own picture. The black dress, cut simply yet made off epensive fabrics, was truly showing off her figure and her golden curls in a most advantageous way. She had added a touch of magic to look even better. The covenant had a number of suitable men to spend cold winter nights with, not only among the covenfolk, but also a charming young Verditius named Peter, and a Redcap, a fascinating fellow she had spent a few evenings with since her arrival. For a moment, she wondered what the elder magi would think of her outfit, then realized she didn't care since she wanted to bed none of them.
This was the first time since she had accepted a research stay at Fengheld that she was going to meet a sizable number of magi. That wasn't surprising: Fengheld had a great library, and even she had been unable to resist borrowing a book: An Applied Awakening to the Art of Animal for Amateurs by Flavius ex Tremere a book equally famous for its quality and its art, so many of them were busying themselves in their labs or were living in one of the many chapterhouses. She knew that Peter was researching the art of growing grapes and that Horst was a polymath. She herself of course knew that she would have to become more proficient in the Bestial Art before she had a chance to find a familiar.
She had been surprised how mild the conditions of her stay were: Unlike the Alpine covenants who would have allowed her to stay only if she had bought a seat with her hair, Stentorius and Eule hadn't even mentioned vis. They had offered her a free trial season, a finished lab, and library access. The only stipulation had been an annual season of service and a few promises, recorded by the charming young redcap, that she all found perfectly reasonable.
Winter, at Fengheld
The cold season seemed to last forever, and so Eikona borrowed a second book with just a promising title to read: The Mirror - Illusion and Distance by Fellgwyhic ex Merinita that turned out to be less instructive than she had hoped.
She kept dividing her attentions between the two magi, both open-minded enough not to mind an arrangement that knew only winners.
Spring, in Cologne
True to her word, Eikona returned to Cologne to seek out Renaldine. The solution she was going to propose had been Horst's idea: Binding Renaldine as a familiar would save her from losing herself to a world of waning magic. She wasn't sure, if the fox was going to accept, but she needn't have worried. She found Renaldine, pale and weak, in one of the poorer parts of town. The fox gladly took up her offer, and they returned to Fengheld quickly, for Renaldine to recuperate in a magic aura and to get to know each other better before joining their fates in a magic ritual.
Autumn, at Fengheld
The day had finally arrived. It was an auspicious day combining balance and beginning: In 1196, the fall equinox fell on the day of the New Moon.
Renardine and Eikona, after having spent 3 moons of preparations in close cooperation, spent this final nights apart, to contemplate their vows.
A dawn, they were blindfolded with a cloth of black silk by the witnesses: Renardine had chosen Horst as her witness and Peter had agreed to lead Eikona.
At sunrise, Eikona spoke the of praise, she had chosen for her familiar:
Renardine, trickster and reveller,
clever and lucky,
let me bind my fate to yours
from this day until the hour of death.
And Renardine, in human form, replied:
Florence Eikona ex Jerbiton, filia Lyrus, artist and celebrant,
lighthearted and adventuous,
to yours my fate is bound
from this day until the hour of death.
They took off the blindfolds and embraced.
Then, Peter and Horst stepped forward and wound the braid that Eikona and Renardine had woven from Eikona's hair around their hands. It was a strong braid, and Eikona was rightly proud of their work: It had two golden strands, and two silver strands.
Peter tied the knot and Horst checked it and declared it fast. Then the braid tightened and vanished in a rainbow glow as it inscribed itself on the essences of Eikona and Renardine.
Peter and Horst had prepared a celebration, and all of the Fengheld magi came out of their labs to join, except for Eule who excused herself and declared that her labwork needed her attention. Stetorius himself handed them a gift of 3 pawns of vis from the covenant stores, and the covenant celebrated a spectacular feast.
1196 year's end
Although Eikona and Renardine would have loved to celebrate their union, a curt note by Stentorius made it unmistakable that she was finally expected to make herself USEFUL. So rather petulantly, Eikona decided to write a tratctatus for the Fengheld library. So she put her knowledge on Finesse to good use and wrote a small tractatus called Light reflexted in Mirrors [Tractatus Finesse Q8].
Renardine, who was bored, would have liked to read as well, but the librarian was adamant that animals could not borrow books. It didn't help that he caught Renardine twice in what looked a lot like an attempt to sneak into the library and 'borrow' a sensitive text with adult content ( the Rod of Archmagus Potentus ) without asking. So instead, Renardine set out to sir up the covenfolk by testing the loyalty of young men to their sweethearts.
Stentorius, of course, was not amused, and so both Eikona and Renardine had to endure a public dressing down in front of the assembled council of Fengheld.
Eikona consulted Peter about the costs of buying a Verditius-made cloak of flight or teleportation, insisting that she wanted to use it to travel at high speeds. He promised to ask around.
Winter, at Fengheld
It had been agreed that both Fengheld and Eikona would have the right to copy her newly made tractatus, and so Eikona made a personal copy of the book. She had no illusions about its quality, but, nevetheless, felt a sense of pride in her first, and most likely only, contribution to the hermetic canon.
Renardine was not pleased about her spending another season watching her scribe, so went off to spend the season making wine with Peter.
That winter also brought news: Demosthenes was writing from Constantinople that he had joined a covenant in Constantinople and that Mirabelle was going there, too. Getting away from ill-tempered Stentorius sounded tempting to Eikona, but she knew she had to learn some Greek if she wanted to live in the East.
Spring, in Cologne
Renardine and Eikona set off to Cologne for another round of partying as soon as the snow melted and travel was safe. Between their charms, their wiles, and their silver, they turned the Goldene Ochse brewery into a place of madness and gladness.
A tracker working for the Cologne chapter house soon joined their feasts. He supplied the young and the wealthy who were at the Goldenen Ochse with mind-altering fungi that intensified the experiences there. But then, the scion of a trading house jumped off the roof and would surely have died at once if Eikona hadn't Bound his wounds. In the ends, they were unable to save him, but he was able to give his confession and save his soul before passing away.
He also had time to warn Eikona and Renardine that the tracker's mushrooms had made him hear voices that urged him to take his own life. This smacked of infernal machinations. Eikona quietly alerted a quaesitor. Until his arrival, Renardine feigned an interest in the corrupting mushrooms and Eikona secretly observed the tracker, managing to link him to a demon named The Whip of Addiciton .
When the Quaesitor arrived with a pair of hoplites, Eikona and Renardine could show that the tracker had corrupted several mundane members of the local Fengheld chapterhouse, a priest and the head of a Cologne trading family. The Quaesitor, who initially frowned on the activities at the Goldene Ochse and put a decicive end to the carousing there, not only exonorated Eikona and Renardine after a thorough examination of the situation, but also praised there swift action which had averted a spread of the corruption.
Summer, at Fengheld
Ludwig, a Redcap with beautiful freckles, brought great tidings to Fengheld: Eikona had been invited to the annual dinner of the Gastronomer's league that was going to take place at the end of summer in Brittany: The event was going to be Arthurian themed. Renardine and Eikona set to planning immediately, practicing varying illusions: In the end, they traveled in the guise of Glastonbury nuns riding Unicorn, who had been made to look like a real unicorn with a bit of Imaginem magic.
En route, they composed a faux poem that detailed Lancelot's exploits against the three witches of Bath, an elegant and highly amusing parody.
The evening was a complete success and their contribution won the prize, a silver sangreal.
Autumn, at Fengheld
This time, when Eikona and Renardine returned to Fengheld as the days grew shorter, Stentorius didn't yell at them, but spat and returned to the lab. Renardine was quick to point out that this was a clear sign of improvement. When Eikona announced she was going to use the winter half year for studying, the vixen busied herself organising a singing contest that found great acclaim among the covenfolk.
Eikona, in the meantime, buried her nose in Elemental Change .
Winter, near Fengheld
The botch came unexpected, in the Harz forest not far from Fengeheld. Eikona had been impatient with herself for producing a mirror image that was slightly unfocused, which could happen when her hands were trembling in the cold), so she had not been as cautious as usual when casting a warming spell on herself.
The magic rebounded from the mirror and started dragging her into the silver surface. She struggled vainly, as it sucked her right arm in up to the elbow. She gasped at the sensation of cold that chilled her arm to the bone. Flailing wildly, she managed to grasp a rock with her other hand. By then, the mirror had eaten up its way almost to her shoulder.
She closed her eyes and tried to remember what Lyrus had taught her about twilight avoidance: “It is never a physical fight, Florence, calm your heart, and calm your mind, and then take little steps. You can choose to go forward or backward.”
It hadn’t made any sense at the time, but now she closed her eyes and focused on her trapped arm, numb from the cold inside the mirror. Carefully, she relaxed her arm muscles and imagined the mirror gliding down her arm. Slowly, her elbow emerged, then her wrist.
When her fingers came free at last, the mirror dropped into the snow, its surface depicting a threatening version of the landscape surrounding her with pointed icicles and hungry wolves lurking beneath the trees. When she looked, she could see the wolves moving.
Eikona returned to her lab as fast as she could and checked out another book: Magic for Morons . She couldn’t afford to make this mistake again. For once, Renardine didn’t complain that she was reading.
Spring, in the Odenwald
This year, spring break wasn't the same. The Rhine Quaesitor had made very clear that he had only been willing to overlook some of their partying because they had been key to successfully averting a demonical plot.
So to escape their stuffy labs, they decided to accompany Horst on his Redcap round. The first few days were pleasant enough, but on mountain pass in the Odenwald, Ragnilde, the daughter of a mountain giant, kidnapped Horst "because he was such a funny little dollie", as she put it.
Her tracks were easy enough to follow, but by the time they reached her cave, Horst was unable to travel, since the stormy child had broken all his limbs, so hard had she cuddled her new toy. The giant father was not happy with his daughters behavior, but he was also desperate, because his wife had been killed by knights the year before, and Ragnilde had been wild and out of control since.
The giant father, who did not want to attract the order's wrath, suggested a deal: If they managed to teach his daughter some manners, he would take care of Horst's wounds.
It seemed easy enough, so they agreed. Only then did they realize that non of them had the slightest idea about teaching - none but Horst, who was unable to get up. Fortunately, they discovered that the giant girl liked watching Eikona's illusions and that she was hoping that one day a prince would come to marry her. So Renardine kept telling stories of princes, illustrated by Eikona's illusions, and Horst advised the two of them on how to teach Ragnilde. More than once, they had to take cover when she flew into one of her rages, but by the time of the summer solstice, the young giantess had become more equitable.
Her father, true to his word, concocted a magic brew that healed Horst's arms and legs, so they could travel on.
Summer, at Fengheld
Horst, grateful for being saved, offered Eikona and Renardine to support them in their efforts of learning Greek. When Renardine realized that learning Greek was all about learning how to write a new alphabet, she stormed out, exclaiming: "I am not a tooth-gapped child!"
For an unGifted redcap, Horst turned out to know a lot more about classical learning than the alphabet, including a lot of practical applications of hermetic geometry to ceremonial casting, and they probably would have spent the whole season learning if Peter and Renardine hadn't asked if they could help with that fall's vintage. It turned out that there was time for learning, for winemaking, and for winetasting even.
Autumn, at Fengheld
Renardine beamed: "He's a gift."
Eikona looked at the man directing his donkey cart up the hill dubiously. He was fat like a pig and had a flat nose that reinforced the porcine impression. Was Renardine making fun of her?
Renardine, sensing her disbelief, laughed: Oh that dirty mind of yours. Men have more uses than the one you are always thinking.
She changed her tone as Caius came into hearing distance. "May I present you the honorable Magister Caius, a paedagogus of the first rank, who has mastered the tongues of the Romans and the Greek!"
Caius slid of the wagon stolidly, grunted, and eyed Eikona with his pig eyes. "Do you speak Latin?", he asked in the ancient tongue of Rome.
"I do, magister, and I am looking forward to learning Greek from you."
When he realized she knew her Latin better than the average village priest, he grunted again and smiled porkily.
"Can you show Magister Caius his quarters, Renardine . He must be tired from the road."
She embraced the ginger woman next to her. "Thanks. What a great idea!", she beamed.
Renardine and Caius made their way to the guest quarters. Just then, she heard a voice behind her.
"Mistress Eikona, I've got a delivery for you from Serene of Verditius. Please sign here.
With a quick motion, Eikona shook the ring out of its bag. It was golden and had a black opal that shimmered green and red in the light. It looked fantastic. Quickly, she cast a Veil of Invisibility, which made the Redcap look around, panicked. She knocked the ring against her arm, and with gradual elegance, her features reappeard.
"Where do I sign?", she asked.
Winter, at Fengheld
Stentorius was angry again. This time it was about Caius, the teacher. He said he expected to be asked if stranger were invited into the walls.
Eikona retreated into her lab with an Ignem Primer: Fire Light by Morphea ex Flambeau . Still she was unhappy, and that unhapiness with Fengheld deepened when Demosthenes sent a letter from Thermakopolis, a Jerbiton covenant, and praised it's enlightened charter and his charming sodales. By the end of the season, she knew that she'd had enough of Fengheld.
Renardine, hearing that they'd set out for an urban covenant, was very excited about the idea and kept asking when they'd finally leave.
Spring, from Fengheld to Valnastium
Eikona and Renardine had finally packed. They were going to miss Peter and Horst, but not Eule's moody stares nor Stentorius grim eyebrows. The weather turned out quite suitable for traveling.
They were going to make a detour to Valnastium before continuing onwards to Constaninople: Eikona wanted to present Renardine to her father, and she hoped to see Lyrus, too.
Coming home felt strange. She had been among magi from other houses for quite some time, so she was surprised that Lyrus had organized a welcome feast. She met other friends as well, including Mirabelle, and between good music and good food, time flew. She also took up her hobby of chess, losng a game each day to her father - except in the last week, when she managed a draw.
Her father had added a room to his house, which he called his museum, and she gifted him her collection of mirrors, and the book on finesse.
Summer, From Valnastium to Constantinople
Mirabelle, Renardine and Eikona decided to travel to Venice and take a ship from there. On the sea, a storm wrecked the ship, and if it hadn't been for Mirabelle's Lungs of the Fish spell, Renardine and Eikona would surely have perished. After several hours of thrashing water, they crawled onto a beach. Eikona cried bitter tears: Unicorn had gone down with the ship.
After a short pause, they spotted the smoke of a fire, so they made their way inland. They came across a young man with fiery red hair who was holding his hands into the fire. He withdrew them, looking caught, when they crested the dune. Mirabelle translated for them: The young man had run away from home, because everyone claimed he was a devil's child, because the flames didn't hurt him. He himself claimed it was a Gift from God. Eikona surpressed her parma: This boy was Gifted! What a coincidence!
Later Renardine admitted to using her Gift of Luck while out in the storm: She had hoped it would increase their chances of survival.
The young man also told them where they were and offered to guide them to the next town. Eikona was unsure about what to do with a potential apprentice. She knew that she was several seasons away from knowing the necessary arts. So when Mirabelle suggested gifting the boy to the tribunal, she gladly agreed.
Autumn, in Constantinople
They were welcomed at Thermakopolis, and praised for finding an apprentice. Eikona was welcomed by Demosthenes, who announced she could have the empty lab at the covenant if she was going to stay. He didn't ask Mirabelle, knowing that their friend was not willing to settle down.
Usually, this was a season for reading, but, much to her dismay, Eikona discovered that there were no useful books in Latin. So she used her time to get to know the covenant, and the city. With a few mirros, practicing her art was all she needed.
Winter, in Constantinople
Looking back at that winter, her only memories are of mornings in bed with Demosthenes or of prowling the city in search of fun.
Well, there was one memory that was unforgettable: Demosthenes took her to the Hagia Sophia and asked her to marry him. She agreed and they set the date for the summer equinox of 1201.
That evening, they told their familiars, worried they might be jealous, but Demosthenes tortoise Testudino and Renardine were enthusiasthic. Demosthenes told Eikona that Testudino had asked him that evening if he could enchant the bond so the familar could take human form, too.
Spring, Tribunal on Delos
It made sense to hold the tribunal on an island. All these magi might easily upset the mundanes, and the last thing a tribunal needed was a visit by farmers with pitchforks and torches. Eikona was curious about the shrines and Renardine looked forward to what she called 'cleansing herself in a good aura'.
They were sorted into groups called Phyles. Constantinople was in the Propontian phyle. Demosthenes had written to someone, an archon or archai, who had been willing to sponsor her because she had found the apprentice. The explanation had been more detailed but she had found it all rather bureaucratic and confusing.
There was a dinner where almost everybody applied to become an archai although nobody really wanted. There was one surly Merinita witch who refused to consent, which made the assembled magi hiss and whisper. Demosthenes explained to Eikona that there was a punishment for refusing to volunteer, making the ritual a strange parody of volunteering.
She saw the boy again that she had given to the Tribunal, and he was disappointed when she said that she wasn't going to bid on him. But he had gotten two shards from a Flambeau magus, and was excited to learn about fire magic.
The forum was a bit like Durenmar, but more organized, and she had to wear a grey robe because she wasn't a citizen yet.
It started with a few rounds of bickering, of magi complaining about each other. There seemed to be no system that decided which cases were solved by debate, by inquest or by certamen. Still everyone seemed to respect the decisions taken.
The next bit was her speech. It was highly formal and she had practiced it with Demosthenes to get the grammar and the pronunciation right.
Then there was more accusations and magi begging for mercy, which was a sorry sight to behold. Just when she thought, it would never get better, the redcapshad a round of order news, which was fun.
On the second day, the apprentices were presented, and theyoung man she had found was happy to get a Flambeau master. Interestingly, apprentices were told that they had rights. She could see the disgusted look on the face of the Tytalus next to her, and she had to admit that she herself found the idea rather strange, too.
Then they took a vote on whom to ban from the tribunal: It turned out to be the stubborn Merinita from earlier on - so much for volunteering, Renardine commented.
Then there was more law stuff and Renardine had to gently nudge her so she kept awake. She was glad when they thanked the old officials and introduced the ones.
When she suggested an after tribunal party, Demosthenes shook his head and said that this wasn't done on Delos.
All in all, the tribunal turned out to be stuffy and formalized, but at least it was only once every seven years!
Summer, in Constantinople
Looking through her old lab notes, Eikona found an idea from her apprentice days: A spell to make her harmless to animals. She told Demosthenes, who seemed surprised, and she asked Renardine, if it was okay to spend more time in the lab, but the vixen just smiled and replied: "This is the city of the world's desire. I'm feeling like a fox in a henhouse".
And so, Eikona invented a spell: The Beauty and the Beast to help her collect animal species.
Autumn, in Constantinople
That morning, Eikona was sick. The covenant's cook looked her up and down and chuckled: "You are pregnant, mistress", clearly amused that she could read the signs and Eikona couldn't.
They celebrated with their familiars and Demosthenes told Eikona that alcohol was bad for babies. That showed her she had no clue how the human body worked, but luckily, she found a Corpus primer named: From toothless babe to toothless senex - an introduction to the human body , which she devoured. In the end, it didn't help: At the end of the third month, she was shaken by severe cramps, and lost the baby.
Winter, in Constantinople
Still depressed, Eikona didn't feel like making preparations for the wedding, and neither Demosthenes nor Renardine could coax her out of her lab, where she spent a season reading Water and Tears, an Aquam primer.
Spring, in and near Constantinople
Demosthenes and Renardine still tried to coax her out of her lab, and told her about their plans for the wedding. Demosthenes talked about inviting 77 fairies and Renardine about inviting 77 magic beings. They also raved about inviting all of House Jerbiton, showing her an invitation letter they said they had sent in her name. Eikona flew into a rage and threw her ring at Demosthenes: "Are you mad? You know that I wanted us to celebrate quietly with just a few guests!"
Only then did they tell her that they hadn't prepared anything yet, but if they didn't start right away, the wedding would be an affair of poor taste. That finally got her going. There wa so much to do:
Summer, in Constantinople
The honeymoon was cut short by a rumor that a pre-apprentice had vanished from a school that the order used to educate these talents. They asked Eikona, because she had found an apprentice before, and also, because she hadn't done much for the good of Thermakopolis since.
So Demosthenes and Testodino posed as teachers, and Eikona and Renardine posed as students. For a time that seemed endless they sat in classrooms learning about the laws of physics. Then they managed to befriend a student who said she had a lock of Alexander's hair.
This allowed Eikona to use her Distant Image spell, but the effects were less than optimal because of the strong divine interference. They showed a study from which you could see the Hagia Sophia in the distance. Armed with that knowledge, they started a series of invisible house searches, taking them around the city.
In the end, it turned out that the kidnapper was the child's father, Studiosus ex Miscellanea, from a lineage of natural philosophers, who had hidden his child from the Order until another magus had stolen his son to donate him to the Order.
They decided to look the other way, and were gifted with some vis by the father who fled the tribunal.
Autumn, in Constantinople
To keep things at night interesting, Eikona looked at magically creating different appearances. She came across a spell that seemed ideal for her purpose: Aura of Ennobled Presence, for all those erotic princess roleplaying fantasies. When Renardine heard of her plans, she volunteered to help, after getting Eikona's promise that she'd use the new spells on her.
Winter, in Constantinople
Pregnant again: Which spell had they used that night...?! This time, Eikona took no chances and immediately started to browse the library for a spell that might help. She cursed her inability to use Creo Rituals and therefore settled on a classic. Purification of the Festering wounds (CrCo20) , which she was able to learn from a lab text without even having to ask Renardine for help.
Spring, in Constantinople
In one of their long distance conversations, her father had advised her to use a sleeping spell on the baby. Although she wasn't supposed to do anything in the last trimester, she felt she had to research a sleeping spell before the baby came. So she asked Renardine to help her out, so she could be sure to make it before the birth: And she really managed to develop Call to Slumbe r on time, saying the last words as her water broke!
The birth wasn't an easy one, and strong magic was required to save her life, but she made it through. When she held baby Guiscard in her arms, even the wounds her small frame had sustained were momentarily forgotten.
Summer, in Constantinople
Julia decided the best thing to do was spending time in bed reading. Demosthenes and Reanrdine supported her, as she made her way through a terram primer: Properties of the Elements Volume 3: Terram .
More than once, she thanked her father for the advice with the sleep spell. Guiscard was a very well-behaved baby, who showed no sign of the Gift, but he was still a baby.
Eikona took several mirror images, including one portraying Demosthenes, Guiscard and herself (a selfie).
Autumn, in Constantinople
With a baby at home, going anywhere wasn't really an option, so Eikona decided to spend more time at Thermakopolis reading. She knew she was just two books away from closing what House Jerbiton called the lesser circle, a basic competence in all arts, so she dug into The Four Winds with relish. Like most babies, Guiscard was at his sweetest, looking at her from his carpet in the corner of the lab.
Renardine, in the meantime, using the new spells to improve appearance, had wormed her way into a circle of rich young people to party with. Rarely was there a breakfast without another tale of carousing.
Winter in Constantinople
She had used a sleeping spell on Guiscard for the celebration. She didn't do that often, but she wanted to enjoy the evening. All of Thermakopolis, plus selected guests, including Lyrus, had come for her lesser circle celebration, which had been organised by Demosthenes. Now she was sitting on the floor in the middle of the council hall, holding the Herbam primer Flower and Tree . The table and chairs had been removed for the evening.
One by one, the magi, dressed in an outfit befitting the art they were representing, stepped forward, linking their hands in a circle around her. When all fourteen guests had linked, she put the book on the floor and closed the circle by joining the others.
There was wine and talk and music after. Little did Eikona know that their carefree celebration would be the last for Thermakopolis to witness.
Spring, in Constantinople
The sound of glass breaking in her lab told Eikona that something was wrong. When she stormed in, she found Guiscard sitting on the floor, crying, surrounded by broken glassware. The cut in his hand was minor, and easily taken care of, but the basic question remained: How do you baby-proof a lab?
So she spent the whole season tinkering: making sure that glassware and the kniveswas out of reach, that the ingredient cabinet had a good lock, and that the fire was behind what she called a fence.
Summer, in Constantinople
In her quest for lab safety, Eikona decided to invent a spell to reduce the dangers from fire. She asked Renardine to help her, who was glad to spend some time with Eikona. baby Guiscard was handed of to Demosthenes, who promised to take good care of him.
In the meantime, Crusader had shown up at the city walls and there had been two changes of Emperor, but between her lab and her baby, Eikona had missed most of it.
Fall, in Constantinople
The new Emperor was unpopular because he wanted to raise money for the Crusade, which led to riots, so Eikona decided to stay indoors: While cleaning her lab, Eikona had noticed that keeping track of her vis supplies was difficult. Of course, she had transferred the vis from her hair into little wooden figurines, and the other vis as well, but somehow, it felt disorganized. When she asked Deosthenes, how he was doing it, and he pointed her to two Intellogo Vim spells: Scales of the Magical Weight and Sense the nature of Vis . Although he remarked on her paleness, she decided to spend one more season in the lab, telling him that they could go to the theatre in the evening a few times, which mollified him.
When she was finished with the spells, she spent a few hours gazing at the auras: She especially liked Imaginem's rainbow colors reflected off the item.
Winter, in Constantinople
"The city is burning!"
Eikona blinked, still half asleep. Demosthenes had had a nightmare, a vivid one, she realized. That evening, there was a council meeting at Thermakopolis.
Demostehenes explained that three of the magi had had visions of Constantinople burning, and that they thought this constituted a warning. Filigraine, the Redcap, added that a crusader army was advancing on the city. After some heated debate, the covenant decided to use the season to prepare. Some members grumbled, but in the end all agreed to participate, and Michael grimly volunteered to teach the Demosthenes and Eikona in exchange for their yearly vis allowance. Other members rode out to spy on the crusaders and use their mind magic to direct them elsewhere.
Day after day, Michael bombared them with spells, and in the evening, they fell into their bed exhausted. When the other magi returned, they reported failure. Something had interfered with their spells, most likely something infernal. It was time to defend the City!
Spring, the Sack of Constantinople
As the crusaders began to siege the city, Eikona hurried from church to church, documenting the art there and making plans where to hide those pieces that could easily be moved as a precaution. She hoped the attackers would never make it inside the walls. All the time, she felt rather useless. She had no idea of battle magic at all, and knew that she had little to contribute to the city's defense.
The other magi, in the meantime, discussed strategy, as outside the city, the fearsome siege engines gew into the sky. A Thermakopolis strike team managed to burn some of them using an invisibility spell provided by her, which filled her with fierce joy, but there where simply too many of them and the crusaders simply built new ones.
On April 9th, the Crusaders started an attack from Galata, across the Golden Horn. It was the day of Hopplomachus ex Jerbiton , who wielded the weather like a deadly weapon, sinking numerous Venetian ships and stranding enemy troups in the range of the city archers. Unfortunately, the enemy also had weather magi and on the 12th, the weather cleared, so the Crusader succeeded in creating a breach.
The magi of Thermakopolis decided to send Eikona out of the city into hiding with 100 pawns of vis in arts that were seen as useless in the defense of the city. As she embraced Demosthenes a final time, they both cried bitter tears. She promised him to take care of the child, as the man she loved, so beautiful and serious, turned to die beautifully.
Sneaking out of the city with Renardine, the baby and the vis turned out harder than expected. Plundering and rape had started, and so they assumed the forms of elderly men, and gave young Guiscard the appearance of death. Several times, her Parma had to defend her against magical effects, but in the end, their disguise worked and nobody stopped them.
The news from the city came in small bits, each piece worse than the last. The city had been burned, nuns had been raped, magi had been killed, some by citizens in fear that they were in league with the devil. She saw Demosthenes end using a Distant Mirror spell: Demosthenes and Petros were hiding some of the covenant's good at the old Mithraeum, when the crusaders appeared. Demosthenes orchestrated a distraction, allowing the apprentice to vanish, but was killed by an arrow through the eye.
After that she curled up in a fetal ball, and refused to speak for a moon. Only then did Renardine and the baby coax her back to a semblance of life.
When the plundering had abated, she returned the safeguarded vis to Michael's Tabula, the successor covenant of Thermakopolis. Petros begged her to stay, but the memory was just too painful. So, she slowly began to make her way to Valnastium.
Summer, at Valnastium
Eikona arrived in Valnastium unkempt and with thick rings under her eyes. She had taken to using the sleeping spell on herself and even then she had nightmares. She begged her parens to teach her more parma magica, especually how to protect others with her parma, and worried by her appearance, he gave in to her demands.
Slowly, Lyrus and her father, but also Renardine and Guiscard, helped her out of the deep black desperation she had fallen into.
Fall, at Valnastium
Eikona, much calmer now, talked to lyrus about self defense. He suggested that she learn a finesse-spell called invisible sling of Vilano and offered her his lab, which he didn't need for the season. It would all have worked out well if it hadn't been for a nosy Alpine Quaesitor visitor to Valnastium pointing out that foreign magi weren't allowed to reside in the Alps. When she told him he needn't worry because she was a vis source, his attitude immediately changed and he incouraged her to buy a seat. She paid 4p of her Imaginem vis to buy a temporary seat, but announced that she had no intention of permanently staying at a Tribunal that knew no hospitality.
Winter, traveling the Alp Tribunal
Eikona traveled through the Alps, visiting as many covenants as possible, showing the magi pictures of the City before and after the Sack of Constantinople, collecting donations for Michael's Tabula.
At one point, she got a letter inviting her to join a new covenant in the Jura mountains, and sensing that she needed a new start, she accepted.
Eikona ex Jerbiton (with all seasons that have been done)
Characteristics : Int +2, Per +1, Pre +3, Com +2, Str -2, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik -1
Size: -1
Age : 32(30)
Decreptitude: 0
Warping Score: 1(3)
Confidence Score: 1(3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gentle Gift; Hermetic Maga; Cautious with Finesse, *Free Expression, Improved Characteristics, Minor Fairie Blood (Sidhe), Personal Vis Source (hair: Imaginem), Puissant Finesse, Skilled Parens, Venus Blessing; Dependents (Story: Guiscard, her father), Unnatural magic; Harmless Magic, Lecherous (minor), Oversensitive (Sack of Constantinople), Small Frame
Personality Traits: Enthusiastic about the art of catching species +3, Lecherous +2, Carefree +1
**Reputations:*artistic talent: magi 1(5)
Combat: Dodging: Init -1, Attack n/a, Defense +1, Damage n/a
Soak: +2
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-4), -3 (5-8), -5 (9-12), Incapacitated (13-16)
Abilities : Area Lore Constantinople 1 (Hagia Sophia quarter), Area Lore Swiss Jura (geography) 1, Animal Handling 1 (horses), Artes Liberales 2 (ceremonial casting), Athletics 1 (dancing), Awareness 1 (art), Bargain 1 (silverware), Brawl 1 (dodge), Carouse 1 (knowing your limits), Charm 2 (townspeople), Classical Greek 3 (reading), Code of Hermes 1 (intertribunal politics), Concentration 2 (Spells), Etiquette 2 (magi), Fairie Lore 1 (Summer Fairies), Finesse 3+2 (Imaginem), Folk Ken 2 (townspeople), Guile 1 (about herself), Inferal Lore 1 (spotting), Intrigue 2 (magi), Latin 4 (Hermetic Usage), Leadership 1 (grogs), Living Language: Burgundian 5 (rhymes), Magic Lore 1 (creatures), Magic Theory 4 (spells), Music 1 (singing), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Alps), Parma Magica 1 (Corpus) , Philosophiae 1 (natural philosophy), Profession: Scribe 1 (carefully), Ride 2 (long time in the saddle), Survival 1 (orientation), Stealth 1 (invisible), Swim 1 (with clothes), Teach (single student) 1
Arts : Cr 5, In 7, Mu 6, Pe 5, Re 5, An 6, Au 6, Aq 6, Co 6, Herbam 6, Im 11, Ig 6, Me 6, Te 6, Vi 6
Twilight scars: none
Equipment: Wizardly robes, a silver pocket mirror, her horse "Kisser" with several more silver pocket mirrors in his saddle bags,
At Valnastium: about 40 Mirrors with Images, Light reflected in Mirrors [Tractatus Finesse Q8], a warped mirror [Tratatus Q13 Enigmatic Wisdom, worth 3p of vis]
Encumbrance: 0(0)
Wizard's Sigil: Her hair becomes shinier when she casts spells, she sometimes uses flourishes when catching species to include these reflections of the light in her art
Spells Known:
The Beauty and the Beast ReAn10 +13
This spell allows Eikona to move among mundane animals and to collect their species without disturbing them. It is a day length variety of Disguise of the Putrid Aroma (p. 120). Of course, this spell doesn’t cause any putrid aroma: She’s a Jerbiton, not a Bjornaer.
Bind Wounds CrCo10 +13
The Succubus Trick MuCo5 +14
Eikona wanted to experience about the intimate aspects of being male, so she secretly taught herself this spell as an apprentice. Now that she’s tried both, she prefers the female experience and mostly uses this spell to escape menstrual pains. She uses illusions to determine her apparent sex. Source: Houses of Hermes: Societates, page 97
Torch without flame CrIg10 +13
like lamp without flame, but torchlight and sun duration
The Eternal Mirror Image Cr(In)Im 10 +18 +1 Mastery (quiet)
This spell allows Eikona to make a mirror constantly display the moment when the spell was cast (a few seconds, like an animated gif used in a meme). She has to hold the mirror towards the motif she wants to record, so a Perception + Finesse roll of 9+ is needed to make sure the picture is okay (no heads cut off in the picture because a wrong angle was chosen). Higher finesse rolls mean that the result is more satisfying (open eyes, good light, smiles, perfect background, etc). Free expression can be applied to the roll. The spell was originally invented by the Daughters of Echo, a League she is eager to join.
(Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Ring, Circle, +1 moving image, +1 Intellego requisite)
Don’t worry, father! CrIm25 +18
This spell is a farewell gift from her parens. It allows her to stay in contact with him and her father while traveling outside the Alps. It is an Arcane Connection distance version of Phantasm of the talking head. She often combines it with summoning the distant image to talk to her father at Valnastium. She uses it at least once a month to talk to either of them.
Summoning the Distant image InIm25 +20
Aura of Beguiling Appearance MuIm10 +19
She loves that one, because she's lecherous. And the next two spells guarantee variety...
Aura of Childlike Innocence, MuIm10 +19
Aura of Ennobled Presence, MuIm10 +19
PeIm20 Veil of Invisibility, PeIm20 +18
Eikona likes observing quietly and sometimes takes her pictures without being seen because she doesn’t like the way people posture when they are aware of having their portrait taken)
Disguise of the transformed Image ReIm15 +18
Very useful spell in the class-ridden sexist world of the 12th century
Posing the Silent Question InMe20 +15
Eikona often uses this spell for seductive purposes
The invisible Sling of Vilano ReTe10 +13
Crafting the silver mirror, ReTe15 +13
This spell allows Eikona to shape silver into the form of a mirror. She usually creates mirrors that have a round shape with a ring inscribed along the edge, so she can use them to capture species. Since this is Rego Craft Magic, it requires a Perception + Finesse roll of 12+ to create a mirror.
(Base 2, +2 metal, +1 Touch, +1 complexity)
Scales of the magical weight InVi5 +15
Sense the nature of Vis InVi5 +15
Appearance: Eikona ex Jerbiton is a small woman of about thirty springs with long gorgeous golden hair that is braided and hidden under an ecquisite black lace veil. Her dress looks expensive and tells you that she is in mourning. With deep blue eyes and ruby lips, she is a true beauty. Her accent betrays her Burgundian origins.
Wizard's Sigil: Her hair becomes shinier when she casts spells, she sometimes uses flourishes when catching species to include these reflections of the light in her art
| Characteristics | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | +2 | |||||
| Perception | +1 | |||||
| Strength | -2 | |||||
| Stamina | +2 | |||||
| Presence | +3 | |||||
| Communication | +2 | |||||
| Dexterity | +1 | |||||
| Quickness | -2 |
Confidence Score: 1(3)
| Personality Traits: | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enthusiastic about the art of catching species | +2 | |||||
| Lecherous | +2 | |||||
| Oversensitive (Sack of Constantinople) | +3 |
| Reputations: | Group | Bonus | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artistic talent | magi | +2 | ||||||
| Constantinople refugee | magi | +1 |
Virtues: The Gentle Gift; Hermetic Maga; Cautious with Finesse, Free Expression (House Virtue), Improved Characteristics, Minor Fairie Blood (Sidhe), Personal Vis Source (hair: Imaginem), Puissant Finesse, Skilled Parens, Venus Blessing
Flaws: Dependents (Story: Guiscard, her father), Unnatural magic; Harmless Magic, Lecherous (minor), Oversensitive (Sack of Constantinople), Small Frame, True Friend (Renardine)
Age : 32(30)
Combat: Dodging: Init -1, Attack n/a, Defense +1, Damage n/a
Soak: +2
Size: -1
Decreptitude: 0
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-4), -3 (5-8), -5 (9-12), Incapacitated (13-16)
Encumbrance: 0(0)
| Ability | Score | Specialty | Extra xp | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area Lore Constantinople | 1 | Hagia Sophia quarter | - | ||||
| Area Lore Swiss Jura | 1 | Geography | - | ||||
| Animal Handling | 1 | Horses | - | ||||
| Artes Liberales | 2 | Ceremonial casting | - | ||||
| Athletics | 1 | Dancing | - | ||||
| Awareness | 1 | Art | - | ||||
| Bargain | 1 | Silverware | - | ||||
| Brawl | 1 | Dodge | - | ||||
| Carouse | 1 | Knowing your limits | - | ||||
| Charm | 2 | Townspeople | - | ||||
| Classical Greek | 3 | Reading | - | ||||
| Code of Hermes | 1 | Intertribunal politics | - | ||||
| Concentration | 2 | Spells | - | ||||
| Etiquette | 2 | Magi | - | ||||
| Fairie Lore | 1 | Summer Fairies | - | ||||
| Finesse | 3+2 | Imaginem | - | ||||
| Folk Ken | 2 | Townspeople | - | ||||
| Guile | 1 | About herself | - | ||||
| Infernal Lore | 1 | Spotting | - | ||||
| Intrigue | 2 | Magi | - | ||||
| Latin | 4 | Hermetic Usage | - | ||||
| Leadership | 1 | Grogs | - | ||||
| Living Language: Burgundian | 5 | Rhymes | - | ||||
| Magic Lore | 1 | Creatures | - | ||||
| Magic Theory | 4 | Spells | - | ||||
| Music | 1 | Singing | - | ||||
| Order of Hermes Lore | 1 | Alps | - | ||||
| Parma Magica | 3 | Extending to others | - | ||||
| Philosophiae | 1 | Natural philosophy | - | ||||
| Profession: Scribe | 1 | Carefully | - | ||||
| Ride | 2 | Long time in the saddle | - | ||||
| Survival | 1 | Orientation | - | ||||
| Stealth | 1 | Invisible | - | ||||
| Swim | 1 | With clothes | - | ||||
| Teach | 1 | Single student | - |
| Art | Score | Extra xp | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creo | 5 | - | ||
| Intellego | 7 | - | ||
| Mu | 6 | - | ||
| Perdo | 5 | - | ||
| Rego | 5 | - | ||
| Animal | 6 | - | ||
| Auram | 6 | - | ||
| Aquam | 6 | - | ||
| Corpus | 6 | - | ||
| Herbam | 6 | - | ||
| Imaginem | 11 | - | ||
| Ignem | 6 | - | ||
| Mentem | 6 | - | ||
| Terram | 6 | - | ||
| Vim | 6 | - |
The Beauty and the Beast ReAn10 +13
Bind Wounds CrCo10 +13
The Succubus Trick MuCo5 +14
Torch without flame CrIg10 +13
The Eternal Mirror Image Cr(In)Im10 +18 +1 Mastery (quiet)
Don’t worry, father! CrIm25 +18
Summoning the Distant image InIm25 +20
Aura of Beguiling Appearance MuIm10 +19
Aura of Childlike Innocence, MuIm10 +19
Aura of Ennobled Presence, MuIm10 +19
PeIm20 Veil of Invisibility, PeIm20 +18
Disguise of the transformed Image ReIm15 +18
Posing the Silent Question InMe20 +15
The invisible Sling of Vilano ReTe10 +13
Crafting the silver mirror, ReTe15 +13
Scales of the magical weight InVi5 +15
Sense the nature of Vis InVi5 +15
Warping Score: 1(3)
Twilight scars: none
Possesions:
| Year(s) | Event |
|---|---|
| 1172 - 1180 | Early childhood at Pontarlier (Burgundian/Swiss border) |
| 1180 - 1195 | Apprenticeship at Valnsatium |
| 1195 | She attends Grand Tribunal at Durenmar |
| 1195 - 1199 | Wild years at Fengheld: With various adventures in the Rhine, especially in Cologne |
| 1199 - 1204 | Mature years in Thermakopolis (Constantinople) |
| 1200 | Attends Tribunal on Delos, becomes Thebes citizen |
| 1201 | Marries Demosthenes |
| 1202 | Her Son Guiscard is born |
| 1204 | Widowed, mourning spent at Valnastium |
| 1205 | Tugurium |
Jehan, the silversmith: Eikona's father is a talented silversmith and a warm and loving father. Her is also an excellent chess player. For some reason he adamantly refuses to talk about Eikona's mother. He is over 50 years old now, and his new passion is looking after his grandson, Guiscard.
Guiscard: Eikona's son, now almost three years old. His father Demosthenes is dead. Guiscard shows no sign of the Gift (probably ungifted). Since he was mostly raised by Renardine, who he loves like a second mother, he is likely to be carefree, full of lies, greedy and prone to wanderlust.
Demosthenes: Eikona met him on the apprentice tour. He was serious and studious and good-looking. Born in England, he went directly to Thermakopolis after his apprenticeship, because he loved the city of Constantinople so much. He was good at Terram magic. Eikona's husband died in the Sack of Constantinople, and his tortoise familiar Testudino with him. He was given an Orthodox Christian burial.
Renardine: Eikona's vixen familiar (see. Magi of Hermes, p. 123 for stats). They met at Cologne and Eikona saved her from acclimation by binding her. Renardine is lucky, an excellent liar and can assume human form. She likes pranking people and wants Eikona to go to Basel so they can party.
Mirabelle ex Jerbiton: They met on the apprentice tour and became very good friends. Mirabelle is a bard and always traveling. Fun and chaos follow her wherever she goes.
Horst, the Redcap and Peter ex Verditius: Two magi she became friends (and more) with in Fengheld. They haven't seen each other in a while, but would certainly like to meet again.
Henricus, her grog: Latin crusading knight from Austria. They met after the Sack of 1204, both traumatized by the violence of the Crusade, and he has since become her bodyguard. For a man of war, he is incredibly peace-loving.
Unlike the hooks in the books, these are merely ideas that are not fully fleshed out. After all, I don't want to play stories I already know everything about. This is not a full list, but only an idea collection for those of you looking for a story hook involving her.