Changes:
Reduced Presence to reflect that he is not particularly charismatic, rather it is his communication that gets him by in social interactions. Increased Dexterity to balance.
Changed birth year.
Added Flaw (Mentor). Took Virtue (Cautions with Artes Liberales) to balance, and to mitigate botching the many AL roles an astrologer must make.
Reduced Shroud Magic spell to lvl 10 as 15 was more than he needed. Added Eyes of the Cat to balance.
Slightly changed effect of his sigil in his invisibility spell, to make it less fatally flawed.
Changed "become a hoplite" idea to become as Master of Auxiliaries (TL p. 133) as more keeping with idea of magical "knight" role and to fit within a role useful to the House.
Asteris ex Tremere
Birth name: Geoffry son of Sir John Testor
Religion: Catholic
Nationality/Race: English – Norman
Apparent Age: 15
Born January 7, 1151
Int +2 Per +2 Pre 0 Com +2
Str +1 Sta +1 Dex 0 Qui -1
Personality:
Proud +3
Reckless +3
Reputations:
Demon Touched changeling +2 (Friends of the Testor Family)
Age: 29 (15)
Warping: 0
Virtues 14p
The Gift
Hermetic Magus
Minor Magical Focus (Certamen)
Privileged Upbringing
Flexible Formulaic Magic
Improved Characteristics
Affinity with Artes Liberales
Celestial Magic
Good Teacher
Cyclic magic (night)
Unaging
Method Caster
Cautious with Artes Liberales
Flaws: 14 pts
Blatant Gift
Careless Sorcerer
Chaotic Magic
Proud, minor
Reckless
Nocturnal
Black Sheep
Mentor (Viraxis)
Norman French 5 (Courtesy)
English 3 (Giving orders)
Athletics 1 (Good endurance)
Awareness 1 (alertness)
Brawl 1 (Dagger)
Etiquette 3 (Nobility)
England Lore 3 (Nobility)
County Sussex Lore 2 (geography)
Church Lore 2 (bishops)
Intrigue 2 (plotting)
Survival 2 (England)
Swim 2 (holding his breath)
Artes Liberales 2(10xp total) (astronomy) – from Privileged Upbringing
Single Weapon 2 (arming sword) – from Privileged Upbringing
Latin 4 (Hermetic uses) – 3 from Privileged Upbringing, 1 from apprenticeship
Code of Hermes 2 (Mundane relations)
Order of Hermes Lore 1 (House Tremere)
Magic theory 4 (vis capacity)
Stonehenge Tribunal Lore 1 (Covenant relations)
Parma Magica 1 (Mentem)
Penetration 2 (Mentem)
Cr 6 In 6 Mu 6 Pe 0 Re 6
An 0 Au 0 Aq 0 Co 0 He 0
Ig 0 Im 6 Me 5 Te 0 Vi 0
Spells
Doublet of Impenetrable Silk
MuAn 15
R: Touch D: Sun T: Individual
ArM5 p 118
Items affect by Astris's version of this spell shed tiny star-motes when struck with violent force.
Charge of the Angry Winds
CrAu 15
R: Voice D: Concentration T: Individual
ArM 5 p 125
Astris's version of the spell has tiny star-motes streaking along with the wind.
Whispers Through the Black Gate
InCo(Me) 15
T: Touch D: Concentration T: Individual
ArM 5 p 130
Astris's version of this spell has the voice of the deceased fade in and out, like a star twinkling
Aura of Rightful Authority
ReMe 20
R: Eye D: Sun T: Individual
ArM5 p 151
When cast, Astris's version of this spell fills the pupils of the targets eyes with stars, so that someone looking closely at the eyes of the target would see specks of white in the target's pupils. The specks for a constellation that is relevant to the mood or intent of the spell when cast.
Shining Star of Illumination (As Lamp Without Flame)
CrIg 10
R: Touch D: Concentration T: Individual
ArM5 p 140
This spell takes the form of a bright point of starlight that fills the area with a cool glow.
Blade of the Virulent Flame
CrIg 15
R: Touch D: Diameter T: Individual
ArM5 p 140
When the flames engulf the blade, tiny star-motes fly from the tips of the flames.
Personal Veil of Invisibility
PeIm 15
R: Personal D: Sun T: Individual
ArM5 p 146, lower range
Faint stars are visible in the shadow left by this spell. If no visible shadow is cast (because not enough light falls on the wizard) then no stars are seen. Astris often uses Shroud Magic to hide this effect.
Shroud Magic
MuVi 10
R: Touch D: Momentary T: Individual
Arm5 p 139
When cast on a spell, Astris's eyes are briefly filled with tiny stars, visible to someone closely observing him.
Eyes of the Cat
MuCo(An) 5
R: Touch D: Sun T: Individual
ArM5 P 131
When under the effect of this spell, the target's eyes are not only catlike, but have tiny constellations of stars visible in the pupil.
Equipment:
Gentry dress*
Tremere robes
Arming sword and dagger
Leather armor* and kite shield (stored in his lab) (in game terms this is a partial load of leather scale, and a heater shield)
- Astris makes a habit of enchanting the leather armor and his usual clothing with a Moon duration version of Doublet of Impenetrable Silk every month. Cast at night, with no stress he cannot botch, and will always succeed (Mu 6+1 Sta +3 cyclic magic +3 method caster +aura + simple die) =at least 14 vs Spell level 20. After years, if they have not already been otherwise replaced, he gives these items away before Warping becomes apparent.
Appearance:
Astris is a thin, pale youth, with no facial hair. Rather than a full magus, he looks like a new apprentice. However, he carries himself with a sure step and a raised chin, looking even senior magi in the eye when he talks to them. There is something of a noble manner in his bearing. He wears usually wears fancy or stylish dress that would be fashionable at court. His long black hair is held back from his pale skin in a braid. He has a pronounced widow's peak, which looks odd on a person his age. Although he is thin and pale, he does not appear sickly or weak. Around his waist hangs an arming sword. The handle is worn from long hours of practice. Astris's eyes are a shocking shade of vibrant green. On formal Hermetic occasions, he wears the blue-black robe of a newly gauntleted Tremere. When worried or expecting trouble, he wears a hauberk of leather scales and carries a shield with his father's coat of arms, differenced by a large star upon it
Casting Sigil:
Astris's spells always involve a star or stars, or phenomena associated with stars, like twinkling.
Voting Sigil:
Astris's voting sigil is a small star ruby incised with the astrological symbols of Jupiter and Venus. Currently the sigil is held by his parens.
Geoffry was born the third son and fourth child of Sir John Testor, a minor landed knight with a manor in southern England. His mother was known to say to her maidservant that there was something “odd” about the pregnancy. But the parish priest and midwife reassured her that all was well. Geoffry arrived on an auspicious day: Venus occulted Jupiter the night Geoffry was born. After his birth, Geoffry was raised at home, largely by his older brothers, including the heir presumptive of the estate, James.
When Geoffry was seven years old, he was beginning to develop a certain oddness. He was fostered with another knight, Sir Roland, where he began to serve as a page. However, Roland's horse would not abide the boy's presence. Roland was angered and alarmed by the behavior of the charger, and soon banished Geoffry to the most difficult tasks that were (barely) befitting his station. As he aged, Geoffry began to disturb and alarm the servants, the hounds, even the cattle of the manor would refuse to be in his presence. Finally, Sir Roland and Sir John agreed that there was no point in continuing to train the boy, and he was sent to a monastery for training for the priesthood.
Astris's experience in the monastery was not a good one, but it was something of a refuge. He had to be up at dawn (tough on the boy who usually slept late). They did teach him Latin and the like, which he enjoyed, but the dull reading of the Bible, praying, chanting, day after day, was more than Astris could bear. Adding the growing effect of his Gift on the monks and lay visitors and the whole experience was very frustrating. On the other hand, Astris has a firm belief in God. The idea of a loving deity appeals to the need he has for acceptance and a stern God with a heart for justice appeals to his somewhat childish desire for revenge on the people who have made his life difficult. However, he is only indifferent to the clergy. He understands the way the Church works and though he agrees that the Church maintains the line of apostolic succession since Peter, he is able to see the problems in the Church; such as petty corruption and indulgence by the bishops. Astris would make a good early Protestant, if he somehow lived long enough to see the Reformation.
However, as discussed before, as his Gift grew and the monks treated him worse, he eventually made a run for it.
With the coming of puberty, the full effect of Geoffry's Gift became apparent. The monks could barely tolerate to strange boy. The monks struggled to teach Geoffry, but they simply had little effect on the boy. Geoffry, for his part was very aware of the discomfort and unease every monk felt in dealing with him. His effect on animals grew more pronounced, until Geoffry was attacked by a sheep of all things. By this point, Geoffry was an angry, and desperately lonely child. After that he fled the monastery heading across the landscape to reach his parent's manor. But he barely made it to the nearest village where he was set upon and nearly killed by peasants alarmed by his Gift. The village elder, a very pious man, stopped the mob and returned with Geoffry to the monastery. After this the Abbot knew they could not help the boy. He sent a letter to a magus he once knew and within a few days a large white wolf appeared to the monastery. The wolf approached Geoffry, and fearing for his life Geoffry drew his knife to protect himself. The astonished monks looked on as the wolf sat calmly on his haunches and looked for all the world to be laughing at the boy, tongue wagging in the sun. The boy, sat his knife down and began to approach the wolf. As he reached out to the large beast to pet it, the wolf seemed to melt into the shape of a tall severe looking man. The magus slapped the boy's hand away and told him to never lower his guard in such a manner. Viraxis had arrived.
Geoffry was taken as an apprentice that day and was taken to the covenant of his master for training.
Opening the Hermetic Arts was a traumatic process for Geoffry. Viraxis claimed he had a deep Gift, a vast well of potential. When that well was tapped it sprung forth like a shaken bottle of Champagne. Geoffry's Gift had developed slowly; antagonizing his family and friends as he grew up. But once the Arts were opened, the effect of his Gift magnified greatly, to the point where he is barely tolerated by even the most even-tempered mundane. An additional side effect is that raw power tends to leak around Geoffry's spells, making them go horribly wrong if not carefully controlled. An additional side effect of the opening was a strong linking of Geoffry's magical potential to the stars above. Finally, the powerful tapping of his gift has left Geoffry unaging. He has not aged a day since his Opening.
Over his apprenticeship, Geoffry was taught the planetary magic and eventually was able to master the details of celestial magic, as though he was born to it. Long nights of studying the stars have left Geoffry a nocturnal, pale man.
After he was taken as a hermetic apprentice, Geoffry was permitted to write to his family. At first, this was a great glowing closer for Geoffry. Over the course of a dozen letters back and forth, Geoffry began to feel like he was a member of the family. When he explained that no magus could swear the oath of a fealty, his father expressed pity and sympathy. The family remembered Geoffry as odd, but time and distance softened the memory. Finally, near the end of his apprenticeship, Viraxis encouraged Geoffry to visit his familial manor. “You need to learn many things, and your family is an important teacher for a lesson I cannot adequately give.”
When he visited, the servants nearly killed him before he even saw his father. His mother seemed distant, and always found a reason to be away from him. His brother James denounced him as a sorcerer unfit to bear the Testor name. His father seemed to keep his wits about him. He welcomed Geoffry, threw a feast in his honor (which ended in Geoffry being escorted from the feasthall for his own safety after some of the manor's men had a little too much wine in them). His father came to him that night. He explained how difficult things were at the time. The baron who was Sir John's liege-lord was claiming more than his duty of Sir John's crops. The fields were yielding less each year, and winters were harder than in the past. Sir John would really like his son to help him, to convince the baron to be easier on Sir John. Maybe some magic to assist the crops. It all seemed so fatherly. Geoffry felt like a real son, like apart of his noble family.
The next morning, Geoffry slept late, as was his habit. He eased his way through the house, looking for his father. He finally found him having a discussion with another man, the very Baron discussed the night before had ridden to the manor that morning to discuss something with Sir John. Full of pride from the late night meeting, Geoffry entered the room without considering the effect of his Gift on the unknown man.
The man saw Geoffry and demanded to know why he would intrude. Geoffry started to explain that he was his father's son, he was going to help them. The baron exploded, accusing Sir John of relying on “foul wizardry” “dark arts,” and consorting with the dark haired “changeling devil-child.” He cut off Geoffry's every sentence, before finally summoning guards and having Geoffry bound in a closet. John could only look on, for fear of further angering his liege. Geoffry saw his father speaking quick words to the Baron, while two of John's retainers drug the boy away. Once he was safely bound, they took turns beating him until he saw only blackness. He awoke to his father, kneeling over him, and shaking him to sense. His father spoke to him then:
“Do not come back here, boy. You are my son, and for that you'll live this night. If it were otherwise, de Blois would have spilled you're blood. He thinks me mad, or enchanted, to deal so with a changeling. But I know you are my son. I still see something of your mother in you. I am old, she is old. Our time is ending. But, your brothers will have nothing if we do not remain upright before men and God. I will not see my land, my life's work, and my children ruined by your magics. If you love this family, then do as I have asked. But do not return here bringing ruin in your wake. Now, get away from here before I change my mind and call for the hounds.”
Astris's relationship with his family is very one sided. After the event above, he assumes that they will never speak to him again. Shortly after his Gauntlet, he will sneak to the manor to watch his family and see if there is something he can do to help. When he is spotted by his youngest sister (who may have Second Sight?) he talks to her. Being a little “unusual” herself she is less hostile than the rest of the family. Through her, he gains a limited ability to communicate with his family. He offers to help them in any way he can. They make some requests that he can easily help with, others are hard or require Astris to skirt Hermetic Law. He is not ignorant of the fact that they are using him, he just knows that he can't bear to lose them. As long as they are alive he may eventually impress them enough to ignore the effect of his Gift. I do think, for example, that his family can “tolerate” Astris's presence, but they can't stand the effect he has on their social peers, servants, etc...
For his part, Astris will try to “earn” their love and respect by secretly helping out his family. He may, for example, rescue his father if he were captured in war. Or purchase his ransom with magically created silver. Or provide magical devices to aid his father or brother in war or peace. The worst instance to date may occur a few years after Astris becomes a full magus. But he gets word of his brother fighting in a tournement. Asris will sneak to the tourney, as use magic to ensure his brother wins high honors. Maybe a squire notices an odd shadow, or even hears some kind of magic chanting. They nobility may put two and two together, and think Astris's brother hired a wizard to help him. Hilarity may ensue.
Viraxis was a hard master, hard but fair. Astris remains close to Viraxis, and considers the elder magus to be a surrogate father. Astris's real family has turned against the “deviltouched changeling” known as Geoffry. Regardless of this attitude, Astris loves his family and goes out of his way to benefit them and make their life easier, skirting the line of interfering with Mundanes because of his father's social station.
Viraxis has an air of mystery about him, at least to Astris. He literally seems to know what Astris is thinking, before Astris can even complete the thought. His teaching style would be described as praise when excellent, disappointment with average performance, and a swift painful reminder of the importance of training when anything less than good results are achieved.
Viraxis was the first person since Astris was a small boy in his mother's arms to not treat him as something odd or unsusual. He was never friendly, but would let Astris babble on about knighthood, his family, the monastary etc. As Astris got older, Viraxis would allow him more freedom, and Astris greatly appreciated and respected it. When Astris returned home from his disastrous visit described above, Viraxis placed his arm around Astris's shoulder, and comforted the young apprentice. Viraxis has a deep, baratone voice that sounds strange coming from such a thin man. Viraxis measures his words like a goldsmith weighing his materials. Every word Viraxis says is careful, almost ponderous, and calculated to have the maximum effect. By copying Viraxis's style, Astris has become a better teacher and communicator. Viraxis's magic focused on transformation, he was an expert at Muto, but ensured his apprentice had a grounding in multiple techniques.
Astris is Viraxis's third apprentice and he has the reputation for being a good teacher. (Astris would have the virtue skilled parens, but Viraxis allows his students more freedom than many magi, so his excellent teaching averages out to a standard apprenticeship).
As a magus and person, Viraxis values self reliance and self determination. All three of his pupils have had the Blatant Gift. He himself does not have that curse, but he is skilled at dealing with young people who have labored under the effect of the Gift. He is patent, calm, but firm. He teaches by sending his apprentice off to do things, where inevitably, the apprentice must use his wits and knowledge to get by. Viraxis demands close obedience from his pupils. A single syllable from him can stop the worst rage that his pupil may experience.
Viraxis raises so many pupils to replace the son he lost. As a much younger magus, Viraxis married a peasant girl and delayed his longevity potion long enough to get her with a son. The boy had the spark of magic about him, but not the full Gift. Astris never learned how the boy died, as such was Viraxis's most painful memory. Judging from his behavior on the anniversary of the boy's death, Astris suspects that Viraxis had something to do with it.
Notes on his Background
Geoffry was treated terribly during his young life, and it had a deep and lasting effect on him. He withdrew, fell into himself. When he discovered that not only can he work magic, but that apparently his Gift is potent, he found an anchor to cling to in a harsh world. He is cocksure of himself, and he knows he is going to take the world by storm. At least, that's his outer persona. I think of his attitude being a little like Spider-man's from the time he got his powers, to the death of Uncle Ben. No matter how he appears on the surface, though, deeper inside, he is insecure, scared, and wants to belong. It is this deeper core that actually resonates with the philosophy of Tremere. He acts unlike a typical Tremere because he has the same fear of failure coupled with reckless pride that the Founder seemed to have.
But, in more concrete terms, Astris's courtly training and good communication skills help smooth over his oddly young appearance among magi. His pride takes the form of "I may not have the power that Archmagus has, yet. But when I'm his age, I'll be blowing him away." He admits superiors, but thinks that he is intrinsically better than they are- if only they have more knowledge and hence more power.
Astris's method casting reflects his training in controlling the overflow of magic that leads to his chaotic and careless sorcery flaws. He is very precise about his tone, wording, and gestures. One too many "errors" have made him careful. Stylistically, much of his magic has some kind of astrological connection, for example tracing out a relevant planetary symbol with his hands.
Tremere was terrified of being the youngest and weakest founder, and Astris is terrified of being a weak magus (or more to the point, he was so socially ostracized that he just assumes he doesn't live up to the “ideal”). In what amounts to a reaction-formation, he has responded (much as Tremere did) with a pride and drive to impose his will on the world. Internally, he still has his insecurities, but he would never let someone else see them. Maybe Viraxis gets a slightly closer view, but others are kept at arms length. (e.g. he has a high etiquette, but no charm; he knows how to talk to people, but not how to make them like him. He lacks a genuine interest in the other person, or so it seems.)
Astris will strive to place himself at the top of any organization, but is conflicted between being the open leader and being the power behind the throne. Part of his nature years for the romantic “knight in shining armor” while part looks at the world and wants to retreat to a dark sanctum where he can manipulate events from afar (like the stars in the heavens do with out lives).
Upon further reflection, Astris would not seek to be a hoplite, but will devote himself to raising as a Tremere. Having younger magi look up to, respect, and obey him is something he (unconsciously) craves. If asked to explain he would simply say that he has the blood of a leader, was born under Jupiter (the star of Kings) and Venus (the ancestor of Caesar), and schooled by the Tremere's best teacher. His rightful place is at the head of that House.
If he never fails, Astris would likely rise to be Primus of Tremere, would unite the House and probably try and succeed where Tremere failed- to unite the Order under one banner; his.
[quote]
My sense of Astris so far is that he remains an adolescent more than just in body; I don't sense the passions and personal interior I might expect of someone pushing 30. If his being emotionally arrested at 14 is deliberate on your part, we're golden, though I'd then want to understand more about your intentions for Astris' development. [\quote]
Yes, quite. In terms of his growth, obviously a character that does not grow is boring. My idea is that growth for Astris has to be deliberate. As I said, his magic, his personality, even his very being is related and reflected in the stars above. Like the stars he is fixed, but the power of the stars impels, not compels. He is not incapable of growth and change, it simply comes harder for him. As he “ages” and learns more about how the world really works, he will come to have a more mature view of the world. Although he will still be in many ways a teenager. His theme is the power and insecurity of youth. There are subthemes of rebellion (acting out within the social norm is still a form of rebellion), longing for love and affection, and longing for recognition. Finally, at his core he craves a secure, safe place, where the barbs and arrows of the world cannot hurt him.
From my perspective, not Astris's: He believes in God, Jesus, and the Saints. But the earthly Church and its obligations has no real appeal to him. Atris is quite orthodox, but this is not his passion and he probably has never thought of himself as being orthodox. Living a monastic for a while just made him glad to be free of the routine and ritual of religion. Nevertheless, he is does not doubt the teachings of the Church, but doesn't really dwell on them. He would be shocked and repelled by rank heresy, but not the equally heretic but subtle twisting of a slight point of theology.
Motivations and Goals
Long term, Astris wants the life he always thought he should have. He wants to be looked up to as a noble knight, protector and lord. He wants people to respect him, admire him, and to be honest, defer to and obey him. He will struggle to raise himself in the Tremere hierarchy. He will likely come to serve the House as a Master of Auxiliaries.
Astris desperately desires love and acceptance. He will likely seek a familiar soon after the gauntlet. Astris is (it goes without saying) a virgin. He finds the idea of using ReMe to remedy that fact distasteful. But as time goes on and his natural charms continue to fail, he may find himself doing something he will both regret and beat himself up over for years to come
Astris loves his family and wants the best for them. Astris will let his father kick him like a filthy cur until the day he dies. Maybe if he just does more for the family they will accept him. Astris knows that this is unlikely, but he can't bring himself to abandon his family.
Astris gets along well with his parens. Viraxis saved Astris from a life of pain, so even the hardness of his training is not enough to discourage Astris's affection. Astris wants very much to “live up to” Viraxis's ideal. Astris will gladly assist Viraxis in any way he can.
Astris is aware that he has only a very general understanding of magic, based on knowledge of techniques alone. He wants to find and study primers for the Forms and decide on an area to specialize in. In the first development cycle, Astris plans to study the Forms and set up his lab. He will check on his family regularly- and will likely create a magic item or use some spell effects to bring them some direct but hidden benefit.
Shortly after his Gauntlet, Astris learns of his brother fighting in a grand Tourney. Astris decides that he wants to watch his brother win. Astris does not intend to interfere when he leaves the covenant, but simply watch. Of course, once he is there in the moment, his coolly thought out intentions may not matter.
You can make it not flawed at all, with the sigil manifesting only when the spell is cast.