This post contains spoilers for the magi of Wittemeer. Please stop reading now.
The background:
Last wednesday, a mysterious package was delivered to the magi of Wittemeer. It contained a small wooden chest, which was locked. Acoompanying it was a small note, which said that Aristides would call upon them the third evening of the new moon: that night. Paranoid and curious as they are they decided they couldn't wait that long. Upon discovering there was something magical inside the chest, they smashed it against the table. Inside they found a candle. Alexandra, our fire-obsessed Bonisaga, lit it, whereupon the council room filled itself with happy anticipation. Apart from that, nothing happened.
That evening there arrived a huncback with a husky voice who announced himself as Aristides. He said he was sent by the Lord of Orisant, who wanted to express his gratitude to the magi through this gift. (A year earlier, two companion characters and a grog had lifted a curse that had been put on Orisant after its king had gotten his sister pregnant. The whole affair had 'infernal involvement' written all over it, in capitals. The magi had very little to do with all this. In fact, only our Jerbiton maga was aware the companions had even been there.)
Aristides tells the magi that whoever extinguishes the candle will see his greatest wish fulfilled. Before he is able to finish his sentence Davide, the friendly Verditius dwarf, snuffs the candle. (It stood on the table in real life, so his player used his own lightning reflexes to secure the wish)
Unphazed, Aristides continues: every time the candle is extinguished, someone dies. But, he assures them, it won't be someone any of you know. He tells them he'll be back later, to recollect the candle and to finish his other business, and after emphasizing once more that the candle's victim will be someone unknown to those gathered, he leaves the magi to their own devices.
They argue a bit about what to do, our Criamon maga flees to her sanctum to prevent herself from giving in to temptation, and, finally, Alexandra puts out the candle.
In due time, Aristides will return, grant her his wish, take his candle, and announce that a year from now, he'll give it to someone else. Someone who - he will make sure of it - doesn't know Alexandra.
Alexandra's player told me that she believes her greatest wish is that her brother will return, but that what she really wants is that vengeance will befall those that led him to his grave. So I'll decided she'll get them both. Sort of.
Which brings me to my questions.
First, would a ghostly warder suffer the effects of the Aegis? Alexandra herself took part in the Aegis ritual. The virtue doesn't mention it, but it does say that the ghost can only leave your presence for half an hour a day, which leads me to argue he's so strongly connected to his ward that he should be unaffected if she is.
Second, if the ghostly warder has infernal might instead of magical might, but is still her brother, would the above still hold?
Third, if the ghostly warder is an infernal imposter, but one with a strong, ghostly warder-like connection to Alexandra, could the above still hold?
Davide's player said that his greatest wish is that 'everything will be ok for everyone.' Since that's obviously beyond the candle's power and he didn't hear the whole deal before he put the candle out, I'm a bit hesitant to extend the deal (you get your wish but you'll likely die next year) to him. Mostly because I'd have to change his wish so much it would be almost unrecognizable. I have some options, but they lack elegance. If anyone has a nice idea about how to proceed they'd want to share, I'd be glad to hear it.