/reserved
Background:
It would be an understatement to call Proteus “unwanted”. How could such a tiny, deformed lump of flesh continue a heroic lineage that traced itself back to Mercere himself? What a waste of vis! Proteus’s father would have bashed him against the wall, but his mother intervened. She did not live long after. The strange child had to learn to fend for himself.
Luckily, Proteus drew the attention of the Milvini Vim prodigy Aram, who recognized a maternal Mutantes influence on him. Aram brought Proteus to the Mercer House of Dragon’s Rest, a vassal of the great Confluensis covenant. Determined to overcome the deficiencies of his body, Proteus focused on self-transformation.
Proteus stayed in Dragon’s Rest for a few decades after his gauntlet. He was responsible for augmenting redcaps, while Aram specialized in replicating books. Proteus’ imperfect transformations and selfish streak earned him the moniker “lopsided”.
In time, Proteus grew tired of the confines of Normandy. He took to travelling between Mercer Houses across the order. When the malady struck, however, this no longer seemed safe. Hoping to avoid infection, Proteus settled in the remote Three Lakes covenant in the Novgorod tribunal. The Mercer House in Three Lakes was led by Vladimir the redcap, who soon became the dearest friend Proteus ever knew.
Proteus first got worried when, between the lines of a hastily scribbled letter, Aram hinted that he had contracted the malady. This was one of the few people who had ever cared for Proteus – and whom he had ever cared for, frankly. When Aram ceased correspondence entirely, Proteus was devastated. And when he received the news that Confluensis had been sacked, he immediately packed his belongings and set out.
Aram had left Confluensis shortly before the attack, and his laboratory in Dragon’s Rest was intact. Proteus managed to circumvent the few defenses that its disempowered owner had left behind. He scoured the empty halls, reconstructed remains of burnt texts, interviewed people, and summoned spirits.
Proteus’ suspicions were confirmed: for years, Aram had directed his substantial theoretical and Vim prowess towards discovering a cure for the malady. Proteus discovered that Aram had believed he was nearing a breakthrough. To seal this breakthrough, he had travelled to the icy north, taking his notes with him. What was he seeking? Where?
Proteus discovered a few clues to guide him on his way. Aram had boarded a ship bound for X. He had sought someone or something that his script referred to as “O”. This “O”, furthermore, seemed to have some connection to the sky. Perhaps “O” was to be found in an elevated location?
During the investigation, Vladimir wrote that covenants of the Novgorod tribunal had started persecuting outsiders. Proteus was no longer welcome. Staying at Dragon’s Rest was not an option after the sack, either. It was time to go. Proteus immediately sent letters to a number of magi whom he had met in his travels. He suspected they might have arrived at the same conclusion.
Stats at gauntlet:
Characteristics: Int +3 (Clever), Per +1 (Alert), Pre -3 (Lumpyface), Com 0, Str -1, Sta +1 (Hardened), Dex 0, Qik +2 (Witty)
Size: -2
Age: 25 (25), Height: 87 cm, Weight: 20 kg, Gender: Male
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift, Mutantum Magic*, Deft Form (Corpus) [Form: Corpus], Minor Magical Focus (Self transformation), Life Boost, Tamed Magic, Cautious Sorcerer (Bonus: Three fewer botch dice casting spells or in lab), Inventive Genius (Invent Lab Totals: +3), Personal Vis Source (Muto) [Location: Warts], Affinity with Muto, Hermetic Magus, Covenant Upbringing, Warped Magic (Twisted proportions), True Friend (Vladimir), Dwarf, Driven (find Aram, cure malady), Disfigured (bulbous and asymmetrical)
Personality Traits: Merciless +2, Selfish +3, Unpretentious +2
Abilities: French 5 (expansive vocabulary), Latin 5 (hermetic usage), Artes Liberales 1 (cermonial magic), Philosophiae 1 (ceremonial magic), Magic Lore 1 (creatures), Magic Theory 3 (inventing spells), Athletics 1 (running), Brawl 1 (Dodge), Concentration 1 (spell concentration), Folk Ken 1 (magi), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (politics), Code of Hermes 1 (mundane relations), Finesse 1 (Corpus), Parma Magica 1 (Mentem), Awareness 2 (alertness), Stealth 2 (sneak)
Arts: Cr 5, In 1, Mu 10, Pe 0, Re 5, An 8, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 8, He 0, Ig 0, Im 0, Me 0, Te 5, Vi 5
Spells Known:
Arm of the Infant (MuCo 20) +19
Bind Wound (CrCo 10) +14
Disguise of the New Visage (MuCo 15) +19
Gift of the Bear's Fortitude (MuCo 25) +19
Preternatural Growth and Shrinking (MuCo 15) +19
Doublet of Impenetrable Silk (MuAn 15) +19
Edge of the Razor (MuTe 20) +16
Proteus (to be done: aging, warping, talisman)
Characteristics: Int +3 (Clever), Per +1 (Alert), Pre -3 (Lumpyface), Com 0, Str -1, Sta +1 (Hardened), Dex 0, Qik +2 (Witty)
Size: -2
Age: 58 (48 PG), Height: 99 cm, Weight: 15 kg, Gender: Male
Confidence: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift, Mutantum Magic*, Deft Form (Corpus) [Form: Corpus], Minor Magical Focus (self-transformation), Life Boost, Tamed Magic, Cautious Sorcerer (Bonus: Three fewer botch dice casting spells or in lab), Inventive Genius (Invent Lab Totals: +3), Personal Vis Source (Muto) [Location: Warts], Affinity with Muto, Hermetic Magus, Covenant Upbringing, Warped Magic (Twisted proportions), True Friend (Vladimir), Dwarf, Driven (find Aram, cure malady), Disfigured (bulbous and asymmetrical)
Personality Traits: Merciless +2, Selfish +2, Unpretentious +2
Soak: +1
Fatigue levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-3), -3 (4-6), -5 (7-9), Incapacitated (10-12), Dead (13+)
Abilities: Artes Liberales 2 (cermonial magic), Athletics 1 (running), Awareness 2 (alertness), Brawl 1 (Dodge), Code of Hermes 1 (mundane relations), Concentration 3 (spell concentration), Dominion Lore 1 (angels), Etiquette 1 (magi), Faerie Lore 1 (faerie forests), Finesse 3 (Corpus), Folk Ken 2 (magi), French 5 (expansive vocabulary), Infernal Lore 1 (demons), Latin 5 (hermetic usage), Leadership 1 (laboratory work), Magic Lore 1 (creatures), Magic Theory 5 (inventing spells), Order of Hermes Lore 2 (politics), Parma Magica 5 (Mentem), Penetration 3 (Muto), Philosophiae 2 (ceremonial magic), Scribe 1 (copying), Stealth 2 (sneak), Swim 1 (underwater maneuvering), Teaching 1 (Magic Theory)
Seasons Not Advanced: 22 for spells, 2 familiar find & bind, 1 teach familiar Theory, 3 talisman = 28 = 7 years
Arts: Cr 7, In 11, Mu 20, Pe 9, Re 12, An 13, Aq 5, Au 10, Co 20, He 5, Ig 5, Im 7, Me 8, Te 9, Vi 10
Spells Known:
Bind Wound (CrCo 10) +28
Purification of the Festering Wounds (CrCo 20) +28
(1 season)
Wizard's Communion (Tame) (MuVi 40) +31
(2 seasons)
The Inexorable Search (InCo 20) +32
The Whole from the Part (InCo 20) +32
(3 seasons)
Sense the True Path (Tame) (InTe 15) +21
(4 seasons)
- The Sweetest Music (Tame) (InVi 15) +22
Base 1, +1 Touch +2 Sun +3 Hearing. Allows the target to hear raw vis as high, tingling sound. Larger amounts sound louder.
(5 seasons)
Beast of Miniscule Proportions (MuAn 20) +34
Beast of Outlandish Size (MuAn 15) +34 [apprentice]
Doublet of Impenetrable Silk (MuAn 15) +34 [apprentice]
(6 seasons)
-
Ears of the Bat (Tame) (MuCo(An) 5) +34
Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, requisite free. Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, requisite free. Changes the target's ears to resemble those of a bat, giving him +3 to rolls related to hearing -
Eyes of the Actual Eagle (Tame) (MuCo(An) 5) +34
Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, requisite free. Changes the target's eyes to resemble those of an eagle, giving him +3 to rolls related to eyesight. -
Fur of the Arctic Fox (Tame) (MuCo(An) 10) +34
Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, requisite free. Grows the target a white coat of fur that keeps them warm in extremely cold temperatures and makes them blend in with the snow.
(7 seasons)
-
Nose of the Hound (Tame) (MuCo(An) 5) +34
Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, requisite free. Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, requisite free. Changes the target's nose to resemble the snout of a hound, giving him +3 to rolls related to sense of smell. -
Touch of the Mole (Tame) (MuCo(An) 5) +34
Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, requisite free. Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, requisite free. Changes the tips of the target's fingers to resemble the feelers of a mole, giving him +3 to rolls related to the sense of touch.
Eyes of the Cat (MuCo(An) 5) +34
(8 seasons)
- I, Pike (Tame) (MuCo(An) 30) +47 [self-transformation]
Base 20, +2 Sun. Transforms the caster into a pike.
(9 seasons)
- The Browbeater's Bane (Tame) (MuCo 35) +61 [self-transformation]
Base 3, +1 Diam +7 Size. The caster grows 7 size levels, gains 14 Strength and loses 7 Quickness. A normal person grows to the size of a small dragon, but Proteus gains the stature of a large elephant.
(10 seasons)
Arm of the Infant (Tame) (MuCo 20) +41 [apprentice]
Cloak of Mist (Tame) (MuCo(Au) 40) +42, Mastery 1 (fast casting)
(11 seasons)
Gift of the Bear's Fortitude (MuCo 25) +61 [apprentice] [self-transformation]
Preternatural Growth and Shrinking (Tame) (MuCo 15) +41 [apprentice]
Shape of the Ancient Kite (Tame) (MuCo(An) 40) +34
(12 seasons)
Shape of the Woodland Prowler (Tame) (MuCo(An) 25) +34
(13 seasons)
The Silent Vigil (MuCo(Te) 45) +39 [self-transformation]
(14 seasons)
Image Phantom (Tame) (MuIm 20) +28 [apprentice]
Rock of Viscid Clay (Tame) (MuTe 15) +30
(15 seasons)
- Proteus' Crippling Arrow (Tame) (MuAn 15) +34
Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Part. A beast's limb becomes flaccid and soft, rendering it unusable.
(16 seasons)
Veil of Invisibility (PeIm 20) +17
(17 seasons)
- Below the Wind (Tame) (PeIm 10) +17
Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun. Makes the target odorless.
(18 seasons)
Silence of the Smothered Sound (Tame) (PeIm 20) +17
(19 seasons)
- Eye for an Eye (Tame) (ReCo 10) +33
Base 2, +3 Sight, +1 Diam. Keeps the target's eyes shut for the duration.
(20 seasons)
The Leap of Homecoming (Tame) (ReCo 35) +33
(21 seasons)
Seven-League Stride (Tame) (ReCo 30) +34, Mastery 1 (fast casting)
(22 seasons)
Wizard's Sidestep (ReIm 10) +20 [apprentice]