Table of Contents
Roberto Rodriguez of Flambeau, Knight of Seneca: (Roberto Miguel Rodriguez-Oestridez of Flambeau, filius Joel Munis, lineage of Delendos, school of Santiago)
Characteristics: Int +2, Per +0, Com +0, Pre +1, Str +2, Sta +1, Dex +1, Quik +1
Size: 0
Age: 54 (44)
Season: Winter 1244
Decrepitude: 0
Warping: 0 (3)
Confidence: 2 (5)
Virtues: +0 Gifted Hermetic Magus, +F Puissant Ignem, +1 Puissant Creo, +1 Life Boost, +1 Improved Characteristics, +1 Mastered Spells, +1 Self Confident, +1 Skilled Parens, +1 Warrior, +3 Flawless Magic; +1 True Friend1; +3 Gentle Gift2
Flaws: -1 Infamous Master, -1 Reckless, -1 Mentor, -1 Unimaginative Learner, -3 Overconfident, -3 Weak Magic Resistance (when not in possession of a symbol of his Catholic faith, such as a rosary or a crucifix (he carries one of each)); -3 True Love2
(1Familiar, 2Transformation)
Personality Traits: Adventurous* +3. Reckless +3, Brave +3, Loyal to Cidito +3, Optimistic +3, Loyal in General +2, Self Assured +2, Introspective +2, Pragmatic +2, Conscientious +1
Reputations: Infamous Master 3 (Hermetic), House Flambeau Acclaim (exceptionally bold) 4 (Hermetic), Powerful Magus from the Sea 1 (North Africa), Protector of the Throne 2 (Heracleion)
Abilities: Spanish 5 (Castilian, banter), Iberian Area Lore 2 (Reconquista); Artes Liberales 1xp1 (literacy), Andorra Covenant Lore 1 (Sa Dragonera Chapter), Athletics 2 (fitness), Awareness 2 (alert), Brawl 4 (fistfight), Catalan 4 (chit-chat), Code of Hermes 1 (procedure), Charm 1 (wit), Heracleion Lore 1 (Soteria), Concentration 3 (spells), Faerie Lore 1 (the sea), Finesse 3 (speed), Folk Ken 2 (warriors), French - Langue D'Oc 3 (tough talk), Guile 1 (smarminess), Hunt 1 (track), Intrigue 1 (alliances), Infernal Lore 1 (Flaming Shadows), Latin 4 (dramatic speech), Leadership 4 (in combat), Magic Lore 1xp5 (mythic beasts), Magic Theory 6xp6 (spells), Normandy Tribunal Lore 1 (covenants), Order of Hermes Lore 2xp1 (Flambeau), Parma Magica 5 (Ignem), Penetration 2 (Creo), Philosophiae 1 (ceremonial casting), Profession-Scribe 1 (copy), Profession-Seaman 1xp3 (marine), Profession-Soldier 3 (almogavar), Ride 1 (in battle), Single Weapon 6xp34 (long sword), Stealth 1 (ambush), Survival 1xp2(forage), Thrown Weapon 3 (spear), Teaching 1xp6 (martial abilities)
Arts:
Creo 6+3, Intéllego 5xp1, Muto 5, Perdo 6, Rego 10
Animal 5xp2, Aquam 5, Auram 5xp3, Corpus 5, Herbam 4xp2
Ignem 11+3, Imaginem 5xp4, Mentem 5, Terram 5, Vim 5
Twilight Scars & Effects: none
Magic Sigil: Style and Grace
Symbolic Sigil: a wide seven pointed star (a 7/2 heptagram)
Vis Stock: 4 Ignem in ring (his Fons et Origio); 5 Ignem from the Magic Realm stored in his essence.
Familiar: Don Diaz (aka "Cidito")
Might: 13 (full statistics below)
Bond Score: 55 (11 pawns)
Bond Level: 24
Cord Scores: Gold +1, Silver +2, Bronze +3
Lab Assistance: Int +1, Magic Theory 3 (Ignem)
Enchantments: (10 pawns)
CrMe15 Complex Mental Communication (Roberto to Cidito)
CrMe15 Complex Mental Communication (Cidito to Roberto)
MuIm21 Disguise of the Transformed Image (Disguises Cidito cartoonishly)
ReCo26 Endurance of the Almogavar: (Cidito to Roberto)
Spells Known:
MuAn15 Doublet of Impenetrable Silk: CT +8, Mastery 1 (Stalwart)
MuAq5 Water to Wine: CT +5, Mastered 1 (Multicast)
MuAq20 Lungs of the Fish: CT +5, Mastered 1 (Stalwart)
CrCo20 Purification of the Festering Wound: CT +16, Mastery 1 (Stalwart)
CrCo30r Gentle Caress of Asclepius: CT +16, Mastered 2 (Stalwart, Efficient)
ReCo15 Wizard's Leap: CT +20, Mastery 4xp6 (Fast Cast, Stalwart, Precise, Flex-Touch)
ReCo20 Incantation of Paralyzation: CT +18, Mastered 2xp6 (Imperturbable, Fast Cast)
ReCo30 Seven League Stride: CT +17, Mastered 1 (Stalwart)
ReCo35 Leap of Homecoming: CT +17, Mastered 1 (Stalwart)
InHe15 Shriek of the Wooden Shafts: CT +8, Mastery 1 (Stalwart)
MuHe15 Aegis of Unbreakable Wood: CT +8, Mastery 1 (Stalwart)
CrIg5 Palm of Flame: CT +25, Mastery 1 (Imperturbable)
CrIg10 Heat of the Searing Forge: CT +25, Mastery 1 (Penetration)
CrIg10 Lamp without Flame: CT +25, Mastery 1 (Imperturbable)
CrIg15 Flash of the Scarlet Flames: CT +25, Mastery 1 (Precise)
CrIg15 Heat the Frigid Hall: Mastery 1 (Lab)
CrIg15 Test of the Flames: CT +25, Mastery 1 (Resistance)
CrIg20 Flash of Dazzling Light: CT +25, Mastery 1 (Fast Cast)
CrIg20 Pilium of Fire: CT +28, Mastery 4xp10 (Penetration, Fast Cast, Multicast, Quik)
Cr(Re)Ig20 Sword of the Avenger: CT +29, Mastery 5 (Imperturbable, Fast Cast, Penetration, Subtle, Forceful)
PeIg5 Chill of Winter: CT +22, Mastery 1 (Multicast)
PeIg20 Wizard's Touch of Cold: CT +22, Mastery 1 (Penetration)
ReIg25 Ward against Heat & Flames: Mastery 2 (Stalwart, Multicast)
CrIg35 Ball of Abysmal Flame: Mastery 1 (Penetration)
InIn5 Prying Ears: Mastery 1 (Imperturbable)
InIm25 Eyes of the Owl: Mastery 1 (Boost)
PeIm20 Veil of Invisibility: CT +8, Mastery 1 (Flex-Concentration)
ReMe15 Demand of the Wizard’s Inquisition: Mastery 1 (Imperturbable)
ReMe5 Sandman’s Touch: Mastery 2 (Quiet, Boost)
InTe15 Howl of the Steel Weapons: CT +9, Mastery 2 (Stalwart, Flex-Touch)
MuTe5 Diameter Supple Iron and Complaining Rigid Rope: Mastery 1 (Flex-Concentration)
MuTe10 Supple Iron & Rigid Rope: Mastery 1 (Flex-Concentration)
MuTe20 Edge of the Razor: Mastery 1 (Lab)
MuTe25 Hardness of Complaining Adamite: Mastery 1 (Lab)
ReTe10 The Wizard's Key” Mastery 1 (Disguised Casting)
ReTe25 Wizards Ward against Weapons (+15 Soak)” Mastery 1 (Lab)
PeVi5 Demon's Eternal Oblivion: CT +14, Mastery 2 (Multicast, Penetration)
PeVi15 Lancea Magica: CT +15, Mastery 4 (Penetration, Unraveling, Fast Cast, Resistance)
PeVi15 Thwarting the Thaumaturgical Threat: CT +15, Mastery 3 (Fast Cast, Stalwart, Unraveling)
ReVi20r Aegis of the Hearth: Mastery 1 (Secure)
ReVi20 Maintain the Demanding Spell: Mastery (Lab)
Combat:
Spell Casting: Init +1 (+2 for PoF)
Fast Casting Speed: +5 (+6 for PoF)
Dodge: Init +1, Atk n/a, Def +6, Dmg n/a
Grapple: Init +1, Atk +5, Def +5, Dmg +2
Fistfight: Init +1, Atk +6, Def +6, Dmg +2
Knife: Init +1, Atk +6, Def +5, Dmg +4
Dagger: Init +1, Atk +7, Def +5, Dmg +5
Thrown Knife: Init +1, Atk +5, Def n/a, Dmg +4
Thrown Spear: Init +1, Atk +6, Def n/a, Dmg +7
Spear (& Large Round Shield): Init +2, Atk +9, Def +7 (+10), Dmg +7
Regular Longsword (& Large Round Shield): Init +3, Atk +11, Def +8 (+11), Dmg +8
Sword & Shield with all bonuses figured in: Init +3, Atk +15, Def +22, Dmg +11/+20
Notes: +9 Defense for Howl of the Steel Weapons or Shriek of the Wooden Shafts versus appropriate attacks; +1 Defense for Aegis of Unbreakable Wood; +3 Attack & +3 Damage for Kindness; +5 Damage (or double weapon's base Damage) for Sword of the Avenger
Soak: +3/+6 (Sta +1, Bronze Cord +2); add +3 for Doublet of Impenetrable Silk, add +15 versus heat & flames for Ward vs Heat & Flames
In Armor: light leather +4/+7, studded leather cuirass +5/+8, mail hauberk +11/+14
Fatigue: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, ko
Wound Penalties: -1 Light (1-5), -3 Medium (6-10), -5 Heavy (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Lethal (21+)
Standard Outfits & Accoutrements: (presumed to have on-hand at any given time)
- Casual (when lounging around): decent clothing, maybe a black heavy wool cloak or a tattered red cape, maybe some sandals or slippers, wooden crucifix, dagger, knife, rosary, gold ring with small ruby (his Fons et Origio), satchel (Protection 0, Load 0, Encumbrance 0)
- Semi-Casual (additional items to Casual): leather clothing, leather boots and maybe gloves, longsword (Kindness), satchel, another rosary, tattered red cape (Protection 1, Load 2, Encumbrance 0)
- Action Ready: (additional items to Semi-Casual): curiass of studded leather, leather boots & gloves, iron cap, longsword (Kindness), large round shield emblazoned with his sigil, satchel, another rosary, tattered red cape (the same one he has had for years and really needs to be replaced) (Protection 2, Load 5, Encumbrance 0)
- Action Ready II: (additional items to Semi-Casual): mail haubergon, leather boots & gloves, iron cap, longsword (Kindness), large round shield emblazoned with his sigil, satchel, another rosary, tattered red cape (the same one he has had for years and really needs to be replaced) (Protection 4, Load 5, Encumbrance 0)
- Heavy Combat: (additional items to Semi-Casual): chain mail hauberk, gambeson, plate & mail jambes, iron cap, boots & gloves, longsword and large roundshield, satchel, another rosary, another crucifix, spear, another sword or another spear (Protection 8, Load 9.5, Encumbrance 1)
- Magus Formal: (starting from scratch): nice clothes, boots, silver crucifix, dagger, rosary, gold ring with ruby, longsword (Kindness), satchel, ceremonial robes of red velvet with various symbols embroidered in gold thread (his heptagram sigil, the Flambeau hourglass, a forked dragon, cross of Saint James, the symbol for Neptune (♆), an Ignem firebird, and the three-serpent-head-circle symbol of the Order of Hermes)
- Items in Satchel: key to his trunk, jewelled haircomb clamshell from Princess Soteria, silver crucifix from Campostella, small hunk of iron from Wirth's sanctum, small chunk of rope from Johan's ship, small knife, tiny figurine of the Virgin Mary
-
Backpack (Optional): bedroll, canteen, hatchet, another knife, useful stuff [size=20](no, Roberto is not Batman; he is better than Batman)[/size]
Other Possessions: a standing crucifix, a cot with pillow and blanket, lantern, candelabra, hauberk of leather scale, three more spears, two more longswords, an axe, camping equipment, miscellaneous adventuring gear, 50' rope (tangled), half cask of Jerez Dulce, one untapped cask of the same, three-quarters bottle of Amontillado, one-quarter bottle of Palo Cotado, four locks of hair (from Carlos, Wen, Allen, and Albert), Johan's tooth, something else and another thing, another wooden crucifix from Santiago
Items in Trunk: (brand new; large iron-bound heavy oak chest with a heavy padlock, emblazoned with his sigil) non-fragile lab equipment, bible, icon of the Virgin Mary, statuette of Saint James, another dagger, four more sets of clothes (another decent, one very fine, one casual, one rugged), a shortsword, old pair of boots, small round shield with the symbol of Novus Mane, small round shield with symbol of Mons Electi, unopened bottle of Chiraz Oloroso, a silver bracelet, a small acorn, tin drinking cup from Betty's tavern-house, smooth white stone from the ruins of Bibracte, a gold ankh from Pyramids I, a string from Carlo's guitar, old Roman coin from the temple of Nehalina, old Egyptian coin from the sunken city of Heracleion, one more item, then another, seashell from Ibiza
Enchanted & Exceptional Items:
Carpet of Orestrides: Lesser Enchanted Device
[tab][/tab]Obtained as a gift from the covenant of Pyramids I during the Alabaster Lioness Expedition (part II)
ReAn35 Flying Carpet of Orestrides:
R: Item, D: Item Maintains Concentration, T: Ind, Unlimited Use
(Base 1, +2M Unnatural Motion, +1M Speed, +1M carry a Person, +1M extra weight, +1M Concentration; +5L Item Maintains Concentration, +10L Unlimited Use)
Kindness: Exceptional Weapon
Statistics: Init +2, Atk +7, Def +1, Dmg +9
[tab][/tab]Roberto has gone through several swords in his career. Clemente, his old longsword named after his father, was given as a gift to his sodale Wirth. Carlita was a sword he used for a short time during the Shadow Wars, which was disintegrated by Rassus. Santiago, named for his mentor from whom it was received as a gift, was lost in the boiling sea. Kindness was crafted by Pedro, using Vandium steel and the Toledo style, to prove the point that he could craft a blade as fine as Santiago. He did better. When Pedro was slain in battle, he gave the sword to Roberto and whispered his dying breath "...kill them with kindness...". Roberto accepted the sword and was going to name it Vengador, but then noticed Pedro had already inscribed the name "Kindness" upon it.
As an Exceptional Weapon, it has a bonus of +3 to Attack and Damage. This is natural and not magical, but he will often enhance the blade with magic such as Sword of the Avenger and Edge of the Razor.
Roberto's Lab
Basic Statistics: Aura 3 (Ignem), Intelligence +2, Magic Theory 6 (Spells); Cidito (Familiar) Int +1, Magic Theory 4 (Ignem)
Laboratory Characteristics: Size +3, Refinement +0, General Quality +1, Upkeep +6, Safety +0, Warping +1, Health +5, Aesthetics +16 (Spell Master 5)
Virtues: +0 Dedicated Building, +0 Defenses, +0 Elevated, +0 Idyllic Surroundings, +0 Magical Heating & Light (Superior), +0 Superior Construction, +0 Guards (x2), +0 Precious Ingredients, +0 Regio, +0 Superior Equipment,
+1 Gateway, +1 Spacious, +3 Greater Feature: Spell Circle, +3 Palatial
Flaws: -0 Thoroughfare, -1 Missing Equipment (No Longevity or Vis Extraction), -3 Greater Focus: Spell Circle
Specializations: +7 Spells, +2 Texts, +1 Creo, +2 Rego, +1 Ignem, +1 Imaginem
Expenses: 21£ Upkeep, 3£ year Size, -3£ year covered by covenant, -10£ year Journeyman Wages at Sa Dragonera, -15£ year Personal Income; = 4£ per year accumulation
Description of New Spells:
ReCo20 Incantation of Paralyzation
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
[tab][/tab]This spell hold the target’s body completely immobile for the duration.
(Base 5, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
CrIg20 Flash of Dazzling Light
R: Eye, D: Mom, T: Ind
[tab][/tab]This spell flashes a brief dazzle of light in the target's eyes. This isn't strong enough to blind them, but it can disadvantage them. The target must make a Stamina Stress roll of 9+ or suffer a -3 penalty to all rolls and actions. The next round the penalty is only -1, and it wears off after that. If the roll is botched, the effects are twice as long lasting. This spell is designed to be cast without words or gestures, so that it may be mastered and fast cast in combat to gain an edge on an opponent.
(Base 4, +1 Eye, +3 no Words or Gestures)
CrIg20 Sword of the Avenger:
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind, Reqs: Rego
[tab][/tab]This ignites a flame along the edge of a sword blade, doubling its damage value. More than a simple variant, this spell is intended for use with the Mastery Ability of Imperturbable Casting, because of the difficulty maintaining concentration on a spell during combat. Concentration does not need to be checked every round, as wielding a flaming sword in combat is what the spell is designed to do. But the caster does need to check when he exerts himself in combat or is struck a blow (even if it does no injury). The Rego requisite protects the sword from the flames, allowing the spell to be used repetitively on a weapon with out harming it. This also protects the wielder.
(Base 5, +1 Touch, +1 Concentration, +1 Requisite)
PeIg5 Chill of Winter:
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
[tab][/tab]The target to feel a sudden chill as they loose body heat, causing them to loose a Fatigue Level.
(Base 4, +1 Touch)
PeIg20 Wizard's Touch of Cold:
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
[tab][/tab]Inflicts +15 damage from cold.
(Base 15, +1 Touch)
InTe15 Howl of the Steel Weapons:
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Hearing
[tab][/tab]This spell warns you of the danger of metallic weapons with a howling sound signaling motion. This grants a +9 Defense bonus versus metallic weapons, provided you are able to parry or evade the attack, and you can dodge any metallic or metal tipped projectile originating from more than ten paces distance. The howl is only audible to you and cannot be mimicked by voices.
(Base 2, +2 Sun, +3 Hearing)
PeVi15 Thwarting the Thaumaturgical Threat:
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
[tab][/tab]Similar to Winds of Mundane Silence, but scaled down to affect a single spell (even if it is of momentary duration). This will counter or cancel a spell if your roll of a SD + (Level + 10) equals or exceeds twice the level of the opposing spell. For this version (Level 15), the roll is a SD +25 versus an ease factor of twice the level of the opposing spell. Countering another spell as it is being cast requires a successful Fast Cast roll, and thus requires Mastery of the spell and choosing the Fast Cast ability. Canceling an existing spell uses normal Initiative, and no Mastery is required.
(Base 5, +2 Voice)
PeVi15 Lancea Magica
R: Voice, D: Momentary, T: Individual
[tab][/tab]This spell targets an opponent’s Parma Magica, and attempts to collapse it. If the spell penetrates, make a Lance Roll of a Stress Die + (the Spell’s Level +10). If this exceeds targets Parma Magica x5, then their Parma collapses and is ineffective until it is recast.
[tab][/tab]This is a General Level spell, which Roberto knows at the third magnitude. That means his roll is a Stress Die + 25. Further, he has this spell Mastered, allowing him to add three times his Mastery score to the roll. With a Mastery of 2, this equals +6, for a total of a SD + 31 versus five times the target's Parma Magica score, enough to bring down a Parma of 6. However, considering his Arts and other scores, his base Penetration is going to be 2 plus the die roll. If he spends enough Fatigue with Life Boost for casting, and enough Confidence in both rolls, then presuming a decent roll, it is feasible for him to Penetrate and collapse a Parma Magica score of 8. But then he would collapse from exhaustion.
(Base: general, +2 Voice)
ReVi15 Transfer the Essence of Vis
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
[tab][/tab]This spell moves vis, siphoning it out of whatever container it was in, and transfers it to an object that you hold in your hand. Objects can hold an amount of vis as indicated in the Material and Size Chart on p. 97 of ArM5. This spell will only transfer the amount of vis up till filling the object, the remainder stays where it was at.
(Base 10, +1 Touch)
CrIg15 Heat the Frigid Hall
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room
[tab][/tab]This spell comfortably warms a room for the duration. This spell is listed
amongst Andorra’s Lab Texts, but the level is incorrect.
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Room)
ReMe15 Demand of the Wizard’s Inquisition
R: Eye, D: Conc, T: Ind
[tab][/tab]The target of this spell is strongly inclined to answer all of the caster’s questions truthfully and honestly.
(Base 5 +1 Eye, +1 Conc)
ReMe5 Sandman’s Touch
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
[tab][/tab]The target becomes sleepy and quickly falls asleep in a moment.
(Base 4, +1 Touch)
Appearance: Neither of these two pictures is perfect to my image, but they are close. Perhaps if they were combined?
[tab][/tab]Roberto prefers to be well groomed and clean shaven when possible. But he is pragmatic, and on campaign or long adventures, he can start to get rough. He has short black hair and brown eyes, skin ranges from pale to light brown (depending on sun exposure). He is about five feet and nine inches tall, weighing 180 pounds, with a fit athletic build. Since he is typically on adventure or expedition, he will run around with his studded leather hauberk and his sword and shield and that tattered red cape of his.
Roberto's Quarter
[tab][/tab]Roberto resides in an old Roman lighthouse in Sant Antoni de Portmany on the coast of Ibiza. It is an old Roman harbor and fishing village, and though old, the lighthouse tower is in excellent condition and an exquisite example of superior Roman engineering. Indeed, there is magic in the construction, for the very top floor has a Magic Aura of 3 Aligned with Ignem. In ancient days this helped with the (now forgotten) rituals used to illuminate the harbor. The tower has been abandoned in favor of a newer and larger one that is easier to access. Roberto's tower is located at the highest point in the area, atop a sea cliff overlooking the harbor, accessed only by a lone road from the town. It is hard to get to (unless you fly or can teleport), and the forgotten magic is of no use to the villagers. Because of this, and his heroism in defending against pirates (and because he has the Gentle Gift now), the people are happy to let him reside there. To further earn good will, Roberto donates money and effort to the annual Spring Awakenings festival, and has magically reawakened the lamp of the tower and shines down upon the village on those days. Unwittingly, this festival is what sustains the magical aura.
Status
+0 Journeyman: Roberto had already recently migrated to the Baelric Islands and set up shop in Ibiza, having originally come to get away from Hermetic politics and the culture of magi (and to be closer to his beloved). After a couple of run ins with pirates (including ne that was a hedge wizard), he earned a good reputation and was invited by Tiana to join Andorra (the intended purpose to provide security for the fledgeling chapterhouse of Sa Drgonera). The members are not all concentrated as in most covenants, and he knows a little Hermetic companionship and support is a good thing. So he has become a Journeyman member of the Covenant of Andorra. This is ironic in that he is a Knight of Seneca and of the True Lineage of Delendos, yet until the swearing ceremony he had never been there nor has the significance really sunk in yet.
Aura: +2
+3 Strong Aura: A Magic Aura of 3
+1 Controlled Regio: Access to the regio from outside is restricted by his control of the tower, which is kept secure.
+1 Favorable Aura: Aligned with Ignem
-1 Flickering Aura: The aura is sustained by an annual spring awakenings festival. The tradition had been waning and people lost interest, but when Roberto re-lit the tower and adjusted it to shine on the town for festival nights, enthusiasm rekindled.
-2 Tiny Aura (x2): The aura encompasses only his Lab
Location: +1
+0 Island:
+1 Difficult Access:
+2 Healthy Feature:
-1 Monster: There is a sea monster nearby. Tales are told of it but it has not been seen in a while, so it is not an issue yet. Not yet anyway...
-1 Urban: Roberto lives next a small coastal fishing
Construction: +1
+0 Tower
+1 Superior Engineering
Resources: +1
+1 Private Income
Inhabitants: +2
+2 Increased Staff
Relations: 0
+1 Agents: Roberto has contacts and connections with the villagers and local sailors
-1 Hangout: A dockside tavern, where the members of his staff and entourage like to hang out.
Don Diaz (aka "Cidito"): Orange Tabby Tomcat (El gato gordito Don Diaz Cidito)
Magic Might: 13 (Ignem)
Season: Summer (plus six years as a Familiar)
Characteristics: Int +1, Per +1, Com +1, Pre -2, Str -4, Sta +1, Dex +2, Quick +3
Size: -2
Confidence: 2 (5)
Virtues & Flaws: +3 Charmed Life (Luck), +1 Large, +1 Puissant Brawl, +1 Self Confident, +1 Perfect Balance, +1 Puissant Awareness, +1 Sharp Ears, +1 Tough; +1* True Friend, -3 Overconfident, -1 Carefree, -1 Magical Friend, -1 Missing Ear, -1 Missing Eye, -1 Nocturnal, -1 Obese, -1 Reckless
Natural Qualities: Ambush Predator, Crafty, Good Jumper, Skilled Climber, Thick Fur
Magical Qualities & Inferiorities: +6 Personal Powers (x6), +3 Greater Immunity: Heat & Flames, +3 Improved Powers (x3), +1 Improved Damage (claws), +1 Arcane Lore, +1 Gift of Speech, +1 Gift of Tongues, +1 Unaffected by the Gift; -3 Restricted Powers; -1 Essential Flaw (Mischievous), -1 Environmental Sensitivity (extreme cold), -1 Slow Power, -1 Susceptible to Deprivation
Personality Traits: Cocky +5, Curious +4, Cat* +3, Mischievous* +3, Optimistic +3, Reckless +3, Timid -1, Loyal to Roberto +3, Likes wine +1, Introspective +1
Reputations: Ornery 2 (local)
Combat
Claws: Init +2, Atk +12. Def +14, Dmg +1
Teeth: Init +3, Atk +12, Def +11, Dmg -3
Soak: +6
Fatigue: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, KO
Wounds: -1 Light (1-3), -3 Medium (4-6), -5 Heavy (7-9), Incapacitated (10-12), Dead (13+)
Abilities: Language of Cats 5 (meow), Andorra Covenant Lore 1 (getting around), Athletics 3 (jumping), Awareness 4+2 (night), Artes Liberales 1 (literacy), Balearic Islands Lore 1 (Ibiza), Brawl 5+2 (claws), Carouse 3[sup]xp1[/sup] (stay sober), Concentration 2 (radiate heat), Charm 1 (wit), Faerie Lore 1 (sea), Finesse 3 (accuracy), Folk Ken 2[sup]xp4[/sup] (covenfolk), Guile 1 (feign innocence), Heracleion Lore 1 (people), Hunt 4 (birds), Iberia Lore 1[sup]xp6[/sup] (El Cid), Intrigue 1 (allies), Leadership 4 (intimidation), Magic Lore 1[sup]xp3[/sup] (beasts), Magic Theory 4[sup]xp22[/sup] (Ignem), Order of Hermes Lore 2[sup]xp4[/sup] (familiars), Penetration 1 (changed form), Profession-Scribe 1 (copy), Profession-Seaman 1[sup]xp3[/sup] (recon), Profession-Soldier 1[sup]xp5[/sup] (patrol), Stealth 4 (stalk), Survival 1[sup]xp3[/sup] (near human settlement)
unaccounted xp???
Powers:
Radiance of the Fiery Tomcat
1 point, Init +2, Ignem
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Ind
[tab][/tab]Cidito can radiate heat by concentrating, with varying levels of intensity ranging from enough to warm a companion while sleeping, ambient enough to heat a small room, or as intense as to be hot to the touch (enough to inflict damage equal to a stress die +0) and able to ignite very flammable items (such as parchment or dry wood shavings). He can mitigate his Environmental Sensitivity to Extreme Cold using this power, but this requires him to maintain the power with Concentration at a -3 penalty.
CrIg5 (base 3, +1 Conc, +1 variable heat)
Personal Power (5 levels)
Cat like a Shadow in the Fire
0 points, Init +1, Imaginem
R: Per, D: Special, T: Ind
[tab][/tab]By remaining still while touching fire (such as sitting in a fireplace or a campfire), Cidito can remain invisible as long as he chooses until he breaks the spell by moving from the flame.
PeIm10 (base 4, +2 Sun)
Personal Power (10 levels); Improved Power, 1pnts (-1 cost); Restricted Power
Transportation of the Transient Tabby
0 points, Init -1 (after 1 round), Animal
R: Per, D: Mom, T: Ind
[tab][/tab]Cidito can instantly transport himself to any location that he can perceive or has an Arcane Connection with (often using his Scent Marking power). The caveat is that he can only do this when unobserved. In addition to the Restriction, this is also a Slow Power and it takes at least a full round of walking "around the corner".
ReAn35 (Base 35)
Personal Power (35 levels); Improved Power, 4pnts (-4 cost); Restricted Power, Slow Power
Always Land Safely
0 points, Init +1, Animal
R: Per, D: Constant, T: Ind
[tab][/tab]No matter what height or angle he falls or leaps from, even a botched jumping roll, Cidito always lands safely on his feet unharmed. He could fall into a vat of acid, and somehow land on the ledge or on something floating.
ReAn15 (base 4, +3 Constant)
Personal Power (15 levels), Improved Power, 2pnts (-2 cost)
Augmentation of the Angry Tomcat
1 point, Init +2, Animal
R: Per, D: Diam, T: Ind
[tab][/tab]Cidito puffs up and increases his Size by one or two points (from -2 to -1 or +0). Each point of increase adds +2 to Damage and +1 to Wound Increments, but lowers Defense by 1 point. He can shrink down to normal when desired.
MuAn20 (base 4, +2 Sun, +1 potentially greater size, +1 adjustable)
Personal Power (20 levels); Improved Power, 1pnt (-1 cost)
The Proper Beast
0 points, Init +1, Animal
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
[tab][/tab]Cidito can take on human-like features, such as being able to walk upright and hands that can use tools. But this is by no means a human form and he is still obviously a cat. Indeed, though unnatural, the change cannot be noticed unless he is walking upright or using his hand (or his paws are closely examined, think "Puss in Boots" or "Garfield").
MuAn20 (base 5, +3 Constant)
Personal Power (20 levels), Improved Power, 2pnts (-2 cost)
Scent Marking
0 points, Init +1, Vim
R: Touch, D: Constant, T: Ind
[tab][/tab]Cidito can create an Arcane Connection by "Scent Marking" a subject. This most usually takes the form of rubbing his head up against a human or an object, but he can also mark a specific location by spraying (in tomcat fashion). This power is Restricted in that these Arcane Connections can only be used in conjunction with his Transportation power.
CrVi15 (base 3, +1 Touch, +3 Constant)
Personal Power (15 levels); Improved Power, 2pnts (-2 cost), Restricted Power
Cat's Eyes
0 points, Init +0, Imaginem
R: Per, D: Constant, T: Ind
Cidito can see clearly even in total darkness.
InIm30 (base 3, +3 Constant, +4 Vision)
Personal Power (30 levels); Improved Power, 3pnts (-3 cost)
Familiar Bond:
Bond Total: 55 (Rego Ignem)
Familiar Bonding Level: 24
Cord Scores: Gold +1, Silver +2, Bronze +3
Bond Cost: 11 Ignem
Enchantments: 9 pawns
CrMe15 Complex Mental Communication (Roberto to Cidito)
CrMe15 Complex Mental Communication (Cidito to Roberto)
MuIm21 Disguise of the Transformed Image”; (Base 4, +1 Touch, +1 Concentration, five levels Bond Maintains, six levels for fifty uses per day), Effect Expiry of 70 years; Roberto can disguise Cidito as any other cat, but generally it is used to disguise the cat’s battle scars and disfigurements, indulging Cidito in his preferred self image. Imagine Kosp as an orange tabby (including coat and an eye patch). The image is obviously magical and cartoonish.
(Roberto to Cidito)
ReCo26 Endurance of the Almogavar: (Base 10, +1 Touch, +1 Conc; five levels Bond Maintains, one level for two uses per day), Effect Expiry 70 years).
(Cidito to Roberto)
Background: Don Diaz (aka "Cidito"), an orange tabby tomcat of girth and gumption
Cidito is a fat orange tomcat that followed Roberto from Novus Mane. Mainly because Roberto always gave him his leftover milk, and also because he likes sleeping in his fireplace. It is unknown if Cidito was warped into his magical state from the high Magic Aura of Novus Mane, if he acquired these traits elsewhere, or if he was born that way. There are apocryphal legends that Flambeau (or Delendos) had an orange tabby familiar, a sort of undocumented lineage of magical cats. Cidito may be fat, but he is also large and strong for a cat. He has a bold personality, confident and unafraid. He is also reckless and mischievous, which has made life interesting for Roberto to say the least. Cidito has grown quite sociable over the years, and especially likes consorting with the other members of Roberto's entourage (he has them all scent marked). He has also acquired a taste for wine, and likes poking his nose into the business of other magi (he is unaffected by the Gift).
Chronology: Born 1225?; first noticed in 1226; Follows Roberto to Bibracte in 1227; Familiar Bond in 1228; Alabaster Lioness/Heracleion, Ibiza
Arcane Connections: (people, places, and things he has scent marked)[list]
Roberto, Johan, Carlos, Wen, Allen, Albert, Betty, Wirth, some others;
Roberto's Sanctum in Ibiza, his old sanctum in Bibracte and the one in Novus Mane, Cairo, Pyramids I, Heracleion, Valnastium, a hidden beach somewhere, a few more;
Roberto's Carpet, the Malaga, Aeolus' sunken ship, Roberto's cape, Carlos' guitar, ?;
Several locations around the covenant of Andorra, the Palma House, and the Light House
The fireplace in the council hall, the mess hall, several grogs, Arnau, several griffons and flame brothers, Lucia, Fedora, Tiana, Fedora's kids, Moire, Moire's kids, Moire's kitchen, Pyramids I, the prison in Cairo, the tavern in Cairo, Valnastium, Felo, Johan Sr, Amada, Vincenc, Antoni, Agusti, Carlos, Moe, Armando, Javier, Oscar, Yvall’s, Tina’s House, some alley in Cairo, the wharf in Alexandria, a room at the Silver Rooster, somewhere in Fleur’s House, Miquel, Antoni, Cristobal, Trestie,
Alberto Hernandez: Almogavar
Chronology: Born in 1193; joined Segovia Almogavars in 1209 at age 16; fought at Las Navas in 1212 at age 19; Segovia Company broke up and he drifted for a few years until recruited by Santiago in 1220 at age 27; assigned to Roberto in 1226 at age 33; Road to Bibracte, Alabaster Lioness/Heracleion, Ibiza; contract bought out by Roberto in 1233 and receives Longevity pension from Santiago at age 41; entered game in 1234 at age 42; currently 1242 and age 50
Characteristics: Int +0, Per -1, Com +1, Pre +0, Str +2, Sta +0, Dex +3, Quik +1
Size: 0
Age: 50 (46)
Season & Year: Spring 1242
Decrepitude: 0
Warping: 1 (9)
Virtues & Flaws: Almogavar, Hermetic Experience, Improved Characteristics, Tough; Dutybound, Lingering Injury, Optimistic, Minor Warping Flaw (TBD)
Personality: Loyal +3, Brave +2, Cares about People +2, Serious +1
Reputations:
Combat:
Dodge: Init +1, Atk n/a, Def +6, Dmg n/a
Wrestle: Init +1, Atk +8, Def +7, Dmg +2
Knife: Init +1, Atk +8, Def +6, Dmg +4
Shortsword (w/Magic Round Shield): Init +2, Atk +12, Def +10 (+12), Dmg +9
Spear (w/Magic Round Shield): Init +3, Atk +12, Def +10 (+12), Dmg +7
Thrown Spear: Init +1, Atk +9, Def n/a, Dmg +7
Soak: +6
Equipment: metal reinforced leather hauberk, round shield, short sword, knife, (sometimes a spear or two)
Encumbrance: 0 (Load 5 = Burden 2, minus Str +2)
Fatigue: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, ko
Wound Penalties: -1 Lt (1-5), -3 Med (6-10), -5 Hvy (11-15), Incap (16-20), Dead (21+)
Abilities: Aragonese 5 (banter), Iberia Lore 3 (Aragon); Andorra Lore 1 (grogs), Animal Handling 1 (herd animals), Artes Liberles 1 (literacy), Athletics 3 (run), Awareness 3 (alert), Balearic Islands Lore 1 (pirates), Brawl 5 (wrestle), Carouse 3 (drinking songs), Catalan 4 (Barcelona), Charm 1 (wit), Chirurgy 2 (battlefield dressing), Church Lore 1 (Catholic), Faerie Lore 1 (caution), Folk Ken 2 (soldiers), Guile 2 (discrete lies), Hunt 2 (trap), Intrigue 2 (alliances), Latin 4 (talking to magi), Leadership 4 (combat), Magic Lore 2 (wizards), Mythic Europe Lore 1 (war), Normandy Lore 1 (military history), Order of Hermes Lore 2 (Flambeau magi), Profession-Seaman 2 (marine), Profession-Soldier 6 (organization), Single Weapon 7[sup]xp4[/sup] (spear), Ride 1 (travel), Stealth 3 (ambush), Survival 2 (forage), Thrown Weapon 4 (spear)
Enchanted Items & Benefits
Longevity: Level 30 since age 41 (56qp)
Blinking Ring: Lesser Enchanted Device (36qp)
ReCo30 Warrior's Leap:
Base 15, R: Touch, D: Mon, T: Ind, Unlimited Use
Ring of Endurance: Lesser Enchanted Device (42qp)
ReCo35 Endurance of the Berserkers
Base 15, R: Touch, D: Item Concentrates, T: Ind, Unlimited Use
Magic Round Shield: Lesser Enchanted Item (17qp]
MuHe14 Aegis of Unbreakable Wood
R: Item, D: Constant, T: Ind, Constant, +1 Defense
Background: Alberto Hernandez is a veteran Almogavar, and served in the Sergovia Company of Joel Muniz. That company broke up after Las Navas in 1214, and Alberto drifted off and found employment as a Bouncer in a Barcelona tavern. Santiago and (insert name of captain/companion of Santiago) tracked him down years later and convinced him to join the Lumina Company. Fed up with his hum-drum life since the war, he agreed, and for the past six years things have worked out well all around.
[tab][/tab]Albert has a Lingering Injury, wounded twelve years ago by a spear in the thigh. This inflicts a -1 penalty to physical actions (figured into his combat stats). If he botches a physical action, this aggravates the injury and the penalty becomes -3. The condition will worsen with age, multiplying the penalty by (1 + his Decrepitude score).
Note that, though he served in the same Sergovia Company as Roberto, the two did not know each other. He knew Pedro somewhat and was acquainted with Carlos, but Roberto was just the creepy guy who served the boss. Santiago is also eerie, but (Santiago's companion) convinced him.
[tab][/tab]Alberto came to Ibiza with Roberto, and when he joined Andorra he served with their guard. He has had several interesting adventures.
Development
[tab][/tab]Albert uses Generic advancement of 20xp per year. But needs to make an aging roll for every year.
1233: Age 41 (41), Started Longevity
1234: Age 42 (42)
Entered Game
1235: Age 43 (43)
Aging Roll 9; +5 Age, -1 Conditions, -3 Healthy Feature, -3 Longevity; equals 7
Apparent Age Increases one year
1236: Age 44 (43)
Aging Roll 3; +5 Age, -1 Conditions, -3 Healthy Feature, -3 Longevity; equals 1
No Apparent Aging
1237: Age 45 (43)
Aging Roll 4; +5 Age, -1 Conditions, -3 Healthy Feature, -3 Longevity; equals 2
No Apparent Aging
1238: Age 46 (44)
Aging Roll 8; +5 Age, -1 Conditions, -3 Healthy Feature, -3 Longevity; equals 6
Apparent Age Increases one year
1239: Age 47 (45)
Aging Roll 9; +5 Age, -1 Conditions, -3 Healthy Feature, -3 Longevity; equals 7
Apparent Age Increases one year
1240: Age 48 (46)
Aging Roll 7; +5 Age, -1 Conditions, -3 Healthy Feature, -3 Longevity; equals 5
Apparent Age Increases one year
1241: Age 49 (46)
Aging Roll http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=96682; +5 Age, -1 Conditions, -3 Healthy Feature, -3 Longevity; equals -2
No Apparent Aging
1242: Age 50 (46)
Aging Roll http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=96683; +5 Age, -1 Conditions, -3 Healthy Feature, -3 Longevity; equals -2
No Apparent Aging
Background:
[tab][/tab]Roberto is a war orphan from New Castile, the borderlands of the Reconquista. He was accepted into a band of almogavars when he was 14, proving himself in battle when he killed a man with a sword during a midnight raid on the camp. The mercenary company was secretly operated by a Flambeau magus with the Gentle Gift, Joel Muniz of the Knights of Seneca. He had recruited the boy to become his apprentice, treating him as a shield grog and training him in the field. When Joel was slain at Las Navas de Tolosa, Roberto earned his battlefield gauntlet by avenging his master. Joel's infamy became known posthumously, and his stigma lingers upon Roberto. Afterwards, Roberto completed his actual training while he followed his mentor Santiago during the Shadow Wars. Santiago killed Rassus in 1219 (to all appearances), and in 1220, Santiago sent him to Normandy to participate in the revitalization of Novus Mane (also to get him away from his parens' infamy to build his own legacy). He had several adventures during this time and got a taste for life at sea. In 1227, again at the request of Santiago, Roberto transferred to Mons Electi to investigate a mystery. He failed at that, but his presence was a catalyst that enabled other magi of that covenant to resolve matters. He was then called upon for help concerning the theft of a book containing information on a magical artifact known as the Alabaster Lioness, and the intrigues of an old infernalist enemy of his. After killing the enemy and foiling his plot, the expedition was diverted to the underwater city of Heracleion ruled by Princess Soteira. After a short adventure and an amorous encounter, the princess became Roberto's True Love. He also (somehow) developed the Gentle Gift (fluff: True Love heals the Gift). After returning to Mons Electi, Roberto was continuously restless and often returned to the sea to visit his beloved (their favorite romantic secluded spot is a beach in Ibiza). Eventually Roberto could stand it no more, and he has relocated himself and his entourage to the Baelric Islands so as to be closer to his beloved.
Chronology: These are the major events of Roberto's life...
- 1190 AD: Born January 31st; normal childhood, baptized at the regular age, taught to fight by father and educated by mother.
- 1200 AD: Orphaned at age ten; father killed in battle, mother dies from collapsing burning building after she saves her son, wanders the next few years associating with gangs of ruffians and thugs, his emerging Gift make social life hard
- 1204 AD: Joins a band of almogavars and first kills a man in battle at age 14
- 1205 AD: Apprenticed by Joel Muniz of Flambeau; served as a soldier in his mercenary company and as his shield grog, participated in the Reconquista
- 1212 AD: Battlefield Gauntlet; Joel is killed during the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa and avenged by Roberto, Joel's crimes of mundane interference are exposed but Roberto is not held responsible (instead gaining the Infamous Parens Flaw), Santiago becomes his mentor and he is his side kick during the Shadow Wars.
- 1219 AD: Santiago kills Rassus (to all appearances and investigations that follow) and the twins Relegare & Releganta are captured, Santiago decides that Roberto has completed his training (his true Gauntlet) and that it is time for him to make his own way in the world.
- 1220 AD: Sent to Normandy to help revitalize the covenant of Novus Mane (meets Aleianus, Havlard, Iolar, and Wirth); many adventures (Ugly Pete the Pirate, the Sea Hag, Temple of Nehalenia, Sangria in Toledo, Revenant of Ugly Pete, Witches of Thesally, Bone Merchant, Golden Scythe, and others); becomes Amicus with Wirth of Flambeau, meets the VanHalen crime family and helps Wirth to (semi) reform them, meets Reginald of Tytalus, twice encounters Leolinus, flys a ship, wins commune rights for Novus Mane after triumphing in single combat followed up by successful negotiations, kills Releganta (or so it seems), first meets Cidito (though doesn't realize he is magical at first), encounters Lord Soulis, Marcello goes missing, Roberto hangs out at Betty VanHalen's tavern a lot hanging out with Wirth and his "reformed" pirates.
- 1227 AD: At the request and recommendation of Santiago, Roberto transfers to the covenant of Mons Electi in the Ruins of Bibracte (meets Alexi, Fiona, Korvisn, Jaques, Marcus, Tranquillina, and others); sent to investigate conspiracies and mysteries, not so successful (he is a soldier not a detective), but his presence is a lightning rod that allows others to solve the problem (Valarain & Rotigers are brought to justice by Alexi at the Tribunal); Roberto ranks in the Quarter-Finals of the Dimicatio tournament and gains the notice of Carmine of Flambeau (wife of Priumus Andru of Jerbiton)
- 1228 AD: Makes Cidito, who had followed him from Novus Mane, his Familiar; Stulatus (Payaso Magnifico) joins Mons Electi, Crumhachd stirs trouble with Tranquillina and Stulatus and steals a book; other intrigues
- 1229 AD: on behalf of Carmine of Flambeau, Roberto forms the Alabaster Lioness Expedition to recover a stolen book and face his old enemy Leolinus; travels to Cairo, everything goes awry, manages to pull it off anyway (though with sacrifices, such as the death of Pedro).
- 1230 AD: Travels to the undersea city of Heracleion, battles a sea serpent, falls in love with Princess Soteira (ruler of the Tritons of Heracleion)
- 1231 AD: Returns to Mons Electi, is often restless, and the nest year he buys some beachfront property in Ibiza
- 1233: Buys a small ship and gathers his entourage and relocates to Ibiza; twice encounters pirates and avoids them, encounters pirates with a hedge wizard attacking a merchant ship and is compelled to intervene; kills the hedge wizard, torches the pirate ship, and rescues the merchant; earns praise from mundanes and suspicion from magi
Saga of Roberto Rodruigez of Flambeau
Origin
[tab][/tab]Roberto Miguel Rodruigez-Oestridez was born on the borderlands of New Castile in 1190. His father, Clemente Rodruigez-Vasquez, was once a mercenary caballero villano, now a retired farmer and prosperous freeman of a newly chartered fuero. His mother, Maria Oestidez, was a Christian Mozarab from Málaga in Andalusia , and like Roberto was destined to become, a war orphan and a refugee from her home. Roberto's father raised him to be fierce and assertive after his own example. His mother is the one who instilled his deeply rooted faith in Christianity and his in introspective sense of honor.
[tab][/tab]He was orphaned in 1200 when his home was razed by Almorhade raiders from a nearby tafia. His father died in combat defending against the invaders, taking several down before he fell, His mother died when their burning house collapsed upon her; Maria's last desperate act was to shove her young son out the window. When it was all over, young Roberto emerged from his hiding place, recovered his father's sword and his mother's ring, and wandered off too grief stricken for tears.
[tab][/tab]No one wanted to take the young child in, for they were disturbed by the effects of his emerging Gift. A monastery took him in for a short time, but sent him on his way after the fire that was blamed on him ( 
). So he kept wandering and fell in with gangs of thugs and ruffians who would begrudgingly accept him because of his courage and sheer tenacity. But these fleeting friendships never lasted long.
Apprenticeship
[tab][/tab]When he was 14 he joined a band of Almogavars, the Sergovia Company. Initially he served as a lackey and errand boy, and the men of the company often distrusted him and hazed him. But Roberto endured, and again earned begrudging respect because of his boldness and endurance of character. And more so because he proved himself in battle early on during a midnight raid upon the camp. He surprised a stealthy infiltrator, the first man he ever killed, then lit a bonfire and sounded the alarm.
[tab][/tab]Afterwards he was taken to the side by the leader of the company and recruited for special duties. Joel Muniz, the company captain (or Almogaten), was secretly a Flambeau magus with the Gentle Gift. He had recruited the angst ridden young lad into the Sergovia Company, and now that he had demonstrated capability, decided to initiate him as his apprentice. The captain's special interest in the boy cause some jealousy and resentment, despite having proven himself in battle (again, because of the Gift). But Roberto's knowledge of warrior culture and bold willingness to prove himself time and again helped him to overcome this.
[tab][/tab]Roberto received no special treatment or extra privilege, nor did he live the safe life of a student and lab assistant. Instead of using him as a lab assistant or tasking him to wizardly chores, Roberto's master employed him as a shield grog on his many adventures and expeditions. Joel pursued a relentless grudge against the Almohades, which Roberto enthusiastically participated in at the time. He was trained rigorously in the field, taught how to use his magic to his best tactical advantage, and more importantly, to master each and every spell he knew.
Gauntlet
[tab][/tab]Roberto earned his Gauntlet on the field of battle in 1212 at Las Navas de Tolosa, as attested to by his Mentor Santiago of Flambeau. Joel was slain in the battle, caught by surprise by an axe wielding ghul conjured by an enemy sorcerer. Roberto killed the sorcerer with a trio of fire-bolts, and the ghul he killed in hand-to-hand combat.
[tab][/tab]Though Reconquista forces won the day, there was a heavy price. Many lives were lost that day, and many grudges were born. More than half of the Sergovia company was wiped out, and many others were crippled for life and/or mentally scarred. Joel Muniz's infamy is posthumous, for it was only after his death that his activities became known. As he was only an apprentice, Roberto could not be held guilty of breaking the Code. The Knights of Seneca, the societas of both Joel and Santiago, advocated on his behalf and inducted him as one of their own. Santiago's involvement as a follower of Joel (who was his mentor) and his participation at Las Navas is his own Dark Secret.
The Shadow Wars
[tab][/tab]Roberto followed Santiago for the next few years during the Shadow Wars, and was a witness when Santiago had killed Rassus (or so it seemed) during a pitched battle in Asturias. This "second apprenticeship" was an influential period in Roberto's life. Santiago taught him to be more subtle and restrained in his methods, instilled in him a sense of duty and integrity, and tried to steer him to a more enlightened mindset. To this day, Roberto will repeat the didactic tidbits learned from Santiago in the form of quotes and parables.
[tab][/tab]Indeed, Roberto no longer hungers for war or even violence. He had satiated his vengeance during his apprenticeship, and in fact will reflect back upon those years with some regrets. But he will never talk about it. Rather, Roberto seeks adventure and to champion the cause of justice. However, because of the infamy of his pater, other magi look at him with scorn, expecting him to be nothing more than a blood-thirsty hot head. The fact that he is overconfident and reckless does not help to assuage this reputation, but his confidence and skill help him accomplish some pretty daring deeds. Santiago uses this to steer Roberto towards activities that will reverse the negative reputation that is the legacy of Roberto's parens.
The Novus Mane Cycle
[tab][/tab]After the death of Rassus, Santiago decided it was time for Roberto to strike off on his own and blaze his own path (his "second gauntlet", which mathematically equals the character at Gauntlet). After a baptismal ceremony at the Tagus River, Roberto is told to go to Novus Mane in Normandy. He collects his gear, gathers his followers (Carlos, Pedro, and Marcello), and heads off North. He is sent at the request and recommendation of Santiago, who was friends with the Pontifix of Novus Mane. However, the old magus had died and his filius Aelianus of Verditius was the new Pontifex. Roberto was readily accepted though, and met the other new magi of Novus Mane; namely Iolar of Bjornaer, Havlard Ex-Miscellanea, and Wirth of Flambeau (who would become his amicus).
[tab][/tab]The Novus Mane era included many interesting events and adventures. One of the first things to happen was a magical storm conjured by a Sea Hag that killed the pirate leader known as Ugly Pete. This same storm also wiped out the docks at Novus Mane and a few small ships (as well as Pete's ship). This is also when Johan encountered the Sea Hag as a child and suffered Warping as a result. The magi rebuilt the docks and reorganized the pirates as the custos and grogs of their covenant. During the expedition to the sunken temple of Nehalina, on ship with Joan's father at the helm (Johan Sr), the magi were attacked by Hermetic pirates exploiting Normandy's corrupt banditry laws. Johan Sr. outsailed them, Wirth jumped into the ocean and turned gigantic and seized their ship, and Roberto forced their captain to surrender at the point of his sword ([color=red]Join us or Die!).
[tab][/tab]After the Temple of Nehalina it was discovered that Ugly Pete had been transformed into a zombie pirate by the sea hag. Pete was later destroyed by Alianus of Verditius and Havlard Ex-Miscellanea. In another adventure, Sangria in Toledo, Roberto exposed Leolinus of Jerbiton as a corrupt infernalist and a murderer. Leolinus, and his master Jabl Tariq, would prove to be trouble again in the future. He travelled to Greece with Iolar of Bjornaer, aiding Wirth in seeking a Mystery that would allow him to form magical bonds with his wife. There, he fought against some of the Witches of Thesally and killed their coven leader with fire. In the Bone Merchant, Roberto and the others went to the Stonehenge Tribunal to confront the infamous Lord Soulis, allied with Leolinus. On their ship, Roberto used his magic to pick it up and fly in over turbulent seas caused by evil spirits (though they were capsized by several giant waterspouts and rescued by Divine intervention). There were other adventures and dramatic episodes, such as when Roberto averted an attack on the covenant by challenging the enemy leader to single combat and defeating him, establishing Novus Mane as a legal Commune, the Golden Scythe, and more.
The Ruins of Bibracte
[tab][/tab]In 1227, again at the request and recommendation of Santiago, Roberto transfers to the Covenant of Mons Electi in the Ruins of Bibracte. The intent was for Roberto to investigate the attempted assassination of Garus (alternate reality) and other intrigues. He wasn't very successful at this (he is a soldier, not a detective), but his presence was a lightning rod that allowed others to resolve these issues. Alexi VonKroitsau of Flambeau exposed the crimes of Valarian of Gurnicus and Rotigers of Flambeau, and having brought them to justice, was unanimously elected Chief Hoplite of the Normandy Tribunal.
[tab][/tab]There were numerous other important events of his life during this period. He was followed from Novus Mane by a huge orange one-eyed tabby cat, one that he used to feed milk to. Surprised to see him, not knowing that he was a magical cat with the power to teleport if unobserved (as well as sleep invisibly in a fireplace), Roberto rhetorically asked if he was the same cat from Novus Mane. The cat replied "Yep, er, I mean, Meow?". With the cat's enthusiastic consent, Roberto made him his Familiar and named him Don Diaz. He quickly acquired the nickname "Cidito", and Roberto's taste for wine. Then his grog Carlos had a brief love affair with the maga Fiona, but his interest waned because of his jealousy over Korvin of Mercere. Johan took up the habit of boxing chickens and cockfights, and was embarrassed when he lost a bar fight so he took up arm wrestling. Then there was the issue with Payaso and Tranquilina and Crumcrachd and the stolen book. Knowing he was right all along gave Roberto no sense of satisfaction, just frustration. Marcus of Tytalus was ever a thorn in his side, but a wise thorn.
Oddysee of the Alabaster Lioness
[tab][/tab]Then there is the matter of the Alabaster Lioness. Roberto was approached for a request of assistance by Carmine of Flambeau, wife of the Primus Andru of Jerbiton. He gained her attention when he defeated her sister at Dimicatio during the 1227 tribunal, earning a place in the semi-finals (which he lost). Seeing how determined and resourceful he performed under pressure, she knew he was the right man for the job. And the opposition was an old enemy of his, Leolinus, whom he thought was dead (killed by Lord Soulis).
[tab][/tab]Andru had recently acquired a text concerning an ancient Egyptian artifact known as the Alabaster Lioness, supposedly some sort of "soul jar". The text was being copied, but work had scarcely just begun when a thief absconded with it one night. All that was left was a few pages and a diagram that were copied. The thief, it was learned, once had ties to Leolinus. And he dropped the knife he used to kill the watchman. They traced him to Cairo, and through there agents they learned that Leolinus was indeed still alive, and again in cahoots with the renegade sahir Jabl Tariq. Roberto agreed to help, and the only favor he asked in return was a bottle of wine of Jerez. Carmine promised him a cask.
[tab][/tab]Roberto assembled his entourage; his personal grogs and long time friends Carlos & Pedro, his almogavar hirelings Allen and Albert, a few of the grogs of Mons Electi such as Wen, Daykin, Ache, Villaume, and Miroslav. And a mysterious rabbi named Pinchas. The journey started off by using the covenant's Mercere Portal to go to Harco, then from there using another portal to Valnastium. Cidito was disappointed he did not get to meet with the King of Cat's, Andru's familiar, as they were away on other business. But they did meet up with Carmine's son Felo, who was to accompany and guide Roberto on his mission. From there they all went to Venice, where a magus named Aeolus of Flambeau was to take them all to Cairo his magical flying ship.
[tab][/tab]That's where things took a turn for the unexpected.
[tab][/tab]Johan VanHalen Junior, at that time just a young grog and tough guy, had acquired Waring and a Malediction as a result of his Encounter with the Sea Hag a few years earlier. He was afflicted with a prohibition against riding on ships with a woman aboard. Though he was magically sedated to shut him up, the flying ship mysteriously would not lift off. Roberto thought to put the lad aboard a life-raft, make it float, and tow him. It just so happened that Aeolus had a small mundane skiff, and laughed as Roberto tried and failed to make it levitate (after hearing him brag about how he flew a ship over the English channel). Aeolus knew the spell and had it well mastered, and did the trick for him. Johan woke up aboard the floating skiff in tow with Cidito sitting on his chest offering him a bottle of wine. Drinking, fuming in resentment, Johan concocted a plan to rig a sail, cut the floating skiff free, and steer the winds himself. Ever the mischievous feline, Cidito swiped a sunk of cloth from Aeolus' stores, and they went to work. Unbeknown to them, it was magical sailcloth. They cut the tow line, hoisted the sail, and the ship took of like a bat out of hell and plunged into the sea. Magically surrounded by a bubble of air, Aeolus explained that they were headed to meet Poseidon himself and would have to bargain for their lives and more air.
[tab][/tab]Aeolus was understandably upset with Roberto, for he claims that Poseidon is his father and that the sail was created to visit him (which was a bad experience I suppose because there is a grudge and this is another story). Anyways, once arriving at Cairo, Aelous announced his intentions to ditch Roberto and company and leave them to their own fate. Roberto tried to persuade him to be more forgiving, but Aeolus would listen to none of it. So Roberto went about setting up headquarters in a dockside warehouse, and Aelous went about filling his hold with Cargo.
[tab][/tab]Then all hell broke loose. And honestly, Roberto did not start the fight.
[tab][/tab]Agents of Leolinus, who had posed as inspectors when the ship first pulled into port (and had set off Allen's danger sense), had returned with instructions from their master. Confiscate the ship and arrest all passengers.
[tab][/tab]These two minions of villains, being by their nature incompetent, came on aggressively and started a fight without parley. Not that Roberto would have surrendered anyway. But still, the fight got nasty, for the minions each conjured an 'Afrit straight away (perhaps panicking in response to facing magi). Villaume and Miroslav were the first to die in battle, split to red ruin by swords of brass. Aeolus' ship was set ablaze and he barely escaped. Roberto managed to stun an 'Afrit with the Wizard's Touch of Cold, killed it with his sword (which then melted), and barely avoided a blow from the other 'Afrit which he then took out using a spontaneous spell and a lot of vis (and luck).. The minions conjured a pair of devil dogs, one which Carlos was able to kill, but the other tore out Pedro's throat before Johan was able to grab it off of him and break it's back. Roberto rushed to Pedro's side, and his last dying act was to give Roberto the sword he made himself. [color=red]¡Pedro! Voy a vengar...
[tab][/tab]Roberto made up the story about Pedro telling him to kill them with Kindness, coincidentally the name of the sword. Pedro had his throat torn out and was pretty much already dead, and Roberto actually had the name inscribed at a latter date. But with it, he did manage to kill both the minions.
[tab][/tab]By then the legitimate authorities began to arrive, in droves. Roberto was desperate for a plan, not wanting to combat honest men of law but unwilling to surrender. Suddenly, bursting forth from the sea, Johan VanHalen Junior and Cidito arrived aboard the skiff, now in flight under Johan's power. Thinking quickly, Roberto shot off the Pilium of Fire multiple times to strike the ground around his entourage and create a ring of fire. He then cast Wizard's Leap a few times as quickly as he could, Flexing the range to Touch, to transport Carlos, Felo, Pedro's corpse, and himself aboard Johan's ship. Aeolus teleported himself, Deykin and Ache were already captured, Allen and Wen had already gone into town and Albert managed to avoid authorities but got separated from the group. No one knows what happened to Pinchas. Roberto told Johan to fly high and away to the west, towards the Covenant of Pyramids I.
[tab][/tab]Johan explained what happened, with some help and insight from Cidito. The ship, protected by the airy bubble, was drawn down into the waters beneath the sea, deep into the Faerie Realm to Aegae, the golden palace of Poseidon (Neptune). At first the god was angered, and had Johan and Cidito brought to him in chains in a prison bubble of air. However, he was impressed with the lads audacity and courage. Johan blamed it all on riding on a ship with a woman on board, which is always bad. He further recounts how it all started with his issues with the Sea Hag, and this is when Neptune became sympathetic. The Sea Hag was also a thorn in his side and was an endless source of trouble. In fact, the hag was hiding in plain sight disguised as a courtesan in Neptune's very court! It was purely by accident and Cidito's luck that she was exposed and banished from the Middle Sea for ninety-nine years. But Johan got all the credit, and the blame. The Sea Hag gave him the Curse of Venus, but Neptune rewarded him with magical powers to sail a ship above and below the sea or on and over the land. Then he sent Johan and Cidito off coincidentally in the nick of time to rescue Roberto.
[tab][/tab]This doesn't sit well with Roberto and Cidito likes to rub his nose in it, but he respects bravery and results, so he gave Johan a battlefield promotion. Aeolus was infuriated that Johan received blessings such as this from his father and that Poseidon kept the sail. Johan promised to take Aeolus to Aegae to get the sail and that he would give the skiff back when all was said and done. Roberto started to get angry with Aeolus, still angst ridden over Pedro's death, and certainly matters would have come to blows had not Felo intervened and cooled tempers.
[tab][/tab]At the Covenant of Pyramids I, Roberto learns the true nature of the Alabaster Lioness and the plan of Leolinus. They told the Tale of the Alabaster Lioness, which is far to long to recount here. Suffice to say, Leolinus had made a bargain with a powerful spirit and was to receive great power if he would find the artifact and bring it to the Malik of the City of Brass. The fight in Cairo sent Leolinus into a panic and pushed up his timetable. He had located the jar, and lacking the time to bargain with the sorcerer who had it, he summoned demons to murder the man and stole it. Try as he might to repent, Leolinus is repeatedly forced into situations where he has to rely on the help of demons and brutal sins. Also while at Pyramids I, Pedro was given a proper burial and entombed in ancient catacombs. Oestrides of Bonisagus further gave Roberto the gift of his flying carpet, saying his visions told him he was going to need it.
[tab][/tab]The Fat Bastard was ahead of them, they had to race to try and intercept him, and off they went on Johan's magic ship. And intercept him they did. In the middle of the Sahara, they encountered Leolinus and his expedition. With him was Jabl Tariq the Infernalist sahir, another pair of hedge wizard summoners, and a band of about a dozen thugs. Roberto had Johan land his ship a few hundred yards up ahead of them while he swept down on the flying carpet to provide cover fire on his flying carpet.
[tab][/tab]The battle was fierce but brief. Roberto scattered the enemy and killed one of the summoners straight away. Leolinus magically resisted the attack and tried to his Roberto with his mind tricks, which were deflected by Roberto's counterspell (Leolinus has demonstrated he can pierce Roberto's Parma before). Aeolus of Flambeau could not resist joining in on a good fight. The surviving summoner had conjured devil dogs, but Aeolus took both him and the dogs out with a conjured hail of fiery stones and a bolt of lightning. Leolinus tried using his magic to restore courage to his grog thus with some success. Jabl Tariq summoned a jinn, but something went horribly wrong (he botched). A furious gigantic sanstorm suddenly whipped up right on the spot. Roberto was hurtled asunder, though he managed to squeeze off a few more shots at Leolinus. A huge arm formed from the whirling sand and pulled Jabl Tariq into it, never to be seen again (so far). Leolinus was also never seen again, he may have been torched or buried in the storm. Or escaped. But he did drop the crate containing the Alabaster Lioness, which survived intact in the box and was recovered. The remaining thugs were most likely killed and swallowed by the storm.
[tab][/tab]Roberto was knocked to the ground and dazed and he was rescued by Aeolus. Possessing a ward against weather related effects (which includes sandstorms), he was able to grab Roberto and get them to the ship. Though at the edge of the storm, the ship was still in danger. Luckily Aeolus knew another weather ward that covers, naturally, an entire ship. The storm subsided and the rage of the jinni abated, then the Alabaster Lioness was recovered. Though he secretly wished to press on to the fabled City of Brass, there were more pressing responsibilities. There was grogs stranded in Cairo that needed to be extracted, he wanted Johan to take Aeolus to get his sail back, and to deliver the Alabaster Lioness to Carmine and Andru to insure it was in safe hermetic hands (and to get their son home).
[tab][/tab]In Cairo, those stranded had done the best the could to fend for themselves. Allen and Wen had rented an apartment together and taken low wage jobs in the city. Wen worked as a cook and server in a tavern that catered to European merchants, Allen worked as a bouncer in said tavern. It didn't take long before they fell in love, and became wed by simply declaring themselves so (they might do the church thing someday, but it is already consummated). They were in contact with Albert, who still had all of Roberto's goods (gear, money, and remaining vis) stashed in his hideout. The three of them were working on devising a plan to free Ache and Deykin, when Cidito showed up sitting at one of Wen's tables one day.
[tab][/tab]meow? 
[tab][/tab]Cidito gave her the lowdown on the current status and told her the crew was on their way for them. Wen was furious at being left out of the climax of the adventure, unwilling to listen to the cats excuses about how quickly everything went down and they were right there practically. When the customers at the tavern turned to look, Cidito pulled his "normal looking cat" routine and they all thought Wen was nuts. Allen understood what was going on, and later they held a conference together with Albert to plan the jailbreak. Cidito went back to Roberto with the complicated plan the devised. Cidito returned with Roberto's revised simplified plan.
[tab][/tab]That night, Allen and Albert took up their positions, close by to Wen who kept an eye on the jail from across the street with Cidito. Cidito had Ache scent marked, but not Deykin. He was able to visit the lunkhead and get an idea of what the jail looked like from within (and relay this information to Roberto). He hoped Ache would be able to get the message to Deykin and understand his instructions. Roberto told his familiar not to worry, he had a simple foolproof plan.
[tab][/tab]Hidden in the night clouds, Johan hovered the ship above the jail. Invisible, Roberto swooped down on the carpet. His mind raced as he rapidly tried to come up with a simple foolproof plan. He decided to stick with the one he had. Maintaining invisibility, he set fire to the roofs of a few nearby buildings to cause a distraction. Allen and Albert were in place to open doors on two stables that were set ablaze so that the animals could escape. Cidito went in to get Arcane Connections from Ache, from himself and Deykin. That's when things ran into a snafu, for it was in the middle of a jailhouse riot. Cidito adapted to the situation, enlarged his size, and jumped into the brawl, He isolated Ache and Deykin and obtained the connections, bringing them to Roberto. This actually simplified the plan. Roberto dropped invisibility and gave the carpet to Wen. Then he went into the jail and led his men out, melting locks along the way. Cidito went up to the ship to signal Johan, who dropped down and picked everybody up then flew off. Except Wen, who followed along on the carpet.
[tab][/tab]There was some argument about what to do next. Aeolus wanted to go to Aegae as was promised. Roberto pointed out how overcrowded the ship was and that Wen couldn't follow on the carpet. Felo wanted to get the Alabaster Lioness to Valnastium as soon as possible. Aeolus managed a compromise. Return to Venice where they could drop Felo off and he could use the portal to Valnastium. Wen and others could follow along and wait for Roberto there. The arguments didn't end there, but Aeolus was stubborn and that is what was finally agreed on.
Princess Soteira and the Undersea City of Heracleion
[tab][/tab]After dropping many off at Venice, Johan took Aeolus and Roberto under the sea, along with Carlos and Cidito. Aeolus looked forward to reaching their destination with eager anticipation. Roberto was curious as was Cidito. Carlos wondered why he agreed to this or was picked in the first place. Johan, though, was very nervous. He didn't really know how to get to Aegae. The sail just sort of took them there, and when the left, Johan could not comprehend the route (the path between the Faerie and Mundane Realms). He just took them down in the sea, recklessly hoping that they would find something accidently.
[tab][/tab]And he did.
[tab][/tab]They came upon an underwater city. Not a sunken or submerged city, but an actual aquatic city inhabited by merefolk (Tritons). And this city was under attack by a giant sea serpent. There were only a score of Triton soldiers remaining trying to fight it off, others had fallen in combat. Roberto wanted to take it on. Aeolus thought he was crazy, but stated he figured the best plan was to get close enough to cover part of it in the ship's air bubble and blast it with lightning bolts. Johan was recklessly optimistic about the plan, and Carlos wondered how he got talked into this. Roberto wanted to hold off on that as a backup plan, as it was risky. He wanted to go out and try to fight it hand to hand and try a spell that could affect it under water, such as the Touch of Cold or Chill of Winter. Aeolus said that was crazy because Roberto couldn't swim or know a spell to allow him to breath underwater. Roberto replied he was going to use Spontaneous magic to do both, and Aeolus laughed and commented how he used to have a magical trident that let you do both those things, but it was now lost underwater in his ship that caught fire and sank in the harbor in Cairo.
[tab][/tab]Then a voice behind them croaked "You mean this one?". Cidito was wet, holding the trident in his hand. He had scent marked the storeroom of that ship when he stole the sail, and can see in the dark of an underwater ship without a problem. What he can't do is swim. He doesn't like getting wet either. So he was lucky to stumble onto it right away.
[tab][/tab]Roberto took the trident in hand and it carried him through the water and allowed him to breath. He struck at the creature, but the blow was ineffective at harming it. The monster was distracted though, and his heroism and the appearance of this magical ship boosted morale and rallied the Triton soldiers. They wounded the serpent with a bold unified attack, Roberto stunned it with his cold spell, and Aeolus had Johan steer the ship in close enough to finish it off with lightning bolts.
[tab][/tab]The Tritons escorted the heroes to Heracleion where they were met by Princess Soteira, ruler of the city. She cast upon them all the temporary power to breath and speak and stay dry in her watery realm. They were given medals (sea shells), and a lavish banquet was to be held in their honor. At this banquet, Roberto fell in love with the princess as she danced with him. She returned his affections, and in the night, her love washed away the burden of the magical air in Roberto, resulting in the Gentle Gift. She is now his True Love. Carlos wrote a song about it.
Currently...
[tab][/tab]After returning to Mons Electi, Roberto was continuously restless. Some of the others in his entourage felt the same way; Wen and Allen were now wed and her father didn't like it one bit, Carlos had a lingering sadness over Pedro's death and didn't have the energy for his physical relationship with the polyamorous Fiona Ex-Miscellanea, and Johan had a yearning to cut loose. Roberto often would leave for weeks at a time to visit his beloved at their favorite romantic spot, a secluded beach in Ibiza. Eventually he could stand it no longer. He indulged Johan with a slightly larger ship, gathered his entourage, and relocated to the Baelric Islands.
[tab][/tab]Roberto is the magus-Captain of the Málaga. Johan is the helmsman/pilot, Allen & Albert are marines, Carlos is first mate, Cidito is mascot, and Wen flies ahead on Roberto's carpet as a scout and herald. Roberto had nothing to do with the conquest of Ibiza by Count Peter of Urgell and the Bishop Aurembiaix of Tarragona. But he has had conflict with the pirates of the region. Twice when they were a-sail on the waters they were approach out of hostility. Respecting the code and being of an enlightened mindset, Roberto chose to avoid conflict and had Johan submerge. A third time, while in flight, they spotted a different set of pirates attacking a merchant ship, And in this case, Roberto spotted that pirate invaders were being caried over to the merchant ship by a whirlwind spirit, commanded by some sort of hedge wizard standing on the deck of the pirate ship making all the obvious gestures and shouts of a magician. Roberto performed a Wizard's Leap to appear right behind the enemy wizard and ran him though with his sword. He then set the pirate's ship ablaze and leapt over to the merchant ship to participate in combat and clear the pirates from that ship. This action has won him good favor with the local mundanes because of his Gentle Gift, but the rumors whispered amongst magi are tainted by Roberto's Infamous Parens, and they say some self righteous Flambeau on a flying carpet is arbitrailly setting fire to ships in the Balearic islands. The fact that there is a hedge wizard vigilante sailing around setting fire to Barbary pirate ships doesn't help.
Saga of Joel Muniz, Knight of Seneca
[tab][/tab]Joel Muniz of Flambeau was Roberto's parens, the one that left him with the legacy of the Infamous Master Flaw. Some call him hero, some call him dastardly villain. Santiago called him brother. Roberto respects his memory, but he personally thinks that there was something seriously wrong with the man. Joel is an often misunderstood character, by both his friends and his enemies, and both his supporters and detractors admit that his actions and death are a complicated debate to say the least. For in every mundane conflict he could be accused of interfering with, it could also be claimed that he was opposing enemies of the Order (renegade sahir and Berber sorcerers) that happened to be allied with mundane forces (a vast legion of minions some say). Roberto knows the truth, he was brilliant man twisted by vengeance and a broken heart.
[tab][/tab]Joel possessed a rare trait amongst Flambeau magi. He had the Gentle Gift. He was also quite the skilled magus, but his social skill amongst fighting men gave him an edge his fellows lacked. It also allowed many of his actions to passed unnoticed by his fellows, for no one knew that it was a magus who was captain of the mercenary band of almogavars and caballeros known as the Sergovia Company.
[tab][/tab]A driven and passionate magus, his hatred for his enemies can easily be misconstrued as intolerant bigotry, for he loathed the Almohades with every fiber of his being. Joel was a member of a prestigious societas known as the Knights of Seneca, known for their love of adventure and excitement; they also have a history of conflict with wizards outside the Order. At one time this included the Sahirs, but they formed an alliance with them against the Almorovide Marabouts (the Sahirs are mostly Umayyad, and the fundamentalist Almororvides and later Almohades hate Sahir magic).
[tab][/tab]So, in truth, Joel's anger was not against Islam at all. His wife, Jasmine, was an Andalusian princess and a sahira. His wrath was directed solely at the Berber Almohades, who murdered her. He blamed himself, for it all happened while he was away on one of his many adventures, a vainglorious quest, and he pursued his vengeance unto his dying day. He carried out his wrath upon mundanes though, and the extent of his law-breaking will probably never be fully known.
[tab][/tab]It was while carrying out his secret mission that Joel met Santiago. In those days, Santiago was a reckless young hothead who was eager for nothing but battle. It was Joel who mellowed him out and taught him to be more focused and orderly, like a professional soldier. Ironically, it is Santiago who took the more enlightened path in the long run, for he eventually matured into a pious and faithful Christian, and as one of the Hoplites of the Order, he seeks to further the cause of righteousness and justice.
[tab][/tab]Roberto joined the band of mercenaries as a teenager. At first he was just a hanger-on, earning his food by carrying gear and fetching drink. Though the warriors found him odd and disturbing, they admired his tenacity and aggression. When the camp was attacked in a raid, Roberto proved his worth in battle when he picked up a sword and killed one of the intruders in a quick but fierce fight. Joel took notice when his men began speaking of this strange boy who earned their begrudging respect. He placed the lad on special duty, testing his prowess and ferocity. Pleased with his find, he eventually pulled him aside for special training.
[tab][/tab]Though an apprentice, Roberto received no special treatment. He was still a soldier and obeyed all of his superior officers. The reason Roberto holds Joel in such high regard, despite his infamy, is because of the valuable lessons he taught him. Not just magic, but more importantly, lessons about respect and honor. It was Joel that gave him confidence, made him a leader of men, and taught him to overcome the handicap of his gift and to persevere against adversity.
[tab][/tab]Joel and his mercenary band, including Roberto, participated in the great battle of Las Navas de Tolosa. He was not the only magus guilty that day, for it was a very chaotic conflict full of subterfuge and intrigue on all sides; mundane and arcane. Many Dark Secrets, Infamous Reputations, and bitter Enemies were made that day. Magi don't speak of it, No charges ever brought forth. Nothing but a code of silence and a few longstanding grudges. Santiago was there too. His participation is a Dark Secret, whereas Joel became infamous. Joel got carried away. The battle was so fierce and violent that slanderous rumors became attached to the event. For example; the Shadow Flambeau had nothing to do with the battle, yet it has become a fixed part of legend that they were the secret leaders of both armies, playing a game of diabolic chess with the blood and souls of mortals.
[tab][/tab]Joel's infamy is not the taint of diabolism though. But the revelation that he was the secret leader of this mercenary company was a shock to many and caused the Knights of Seneca to have to face accusations that they were participating in the Reconquista yet again (which is perhaps why they where so vehement in their war to eradicate the Shadow Flambeau). If Joel had faced Tribunal for his actions, he probably would not have been renounced, but he surly would have been severely punished.
[tab][/tab]But Joel never faced tribunal, for he himself was slain in that very battle. He was decapitated by an axe wielding Ghul conjured against him by an unknown enemy wizard. Roberto avenged his master and destroyed the fiend, earning his battlefield gauntlet. The tribunal would have probably taken away his familiar and destroyed his talisman. His familiar was also killed, and his talisman broken. Roberto was innocent because he was only an apprentice at the time. Santiago's participation in the battle and the activities of the mercenaries before that was (and still is) unknown. He claimed that he was just as shocked by his friend’s actions as anyone else, and of course neither he nor any of the other Knights of Seneca knew anything about the Caballeros. They all stood up for Roberto though, and claimed that since he survived and was on the triumphant side of a battle that his master was slain in, this qualified as his Gauntlet.
[tab][/tab]Roberto was thus officially a sworn magus at the Tribunal of 1214. Afterwards, Santiago took him under his wing and furthered his training, most importantly it was he who taught Roberto the final secret of Parma Magica and which is why he had inherited the same Flaw (Weak Magic Resistance unless in possession of a symbol of his faith). As his protégé, Roberto fought alongside Santiago in the Shadow Wars, the struggle to eliminate a cult of Infernalists that infiltrated the Order. This was a cathartic part of Santiago’s career, which is the reason he has become more faithful and pious in his maturity. Roberto himself is not infamous, only his dead former parens. Roberto’s heroism alongside Santiago exonerates him in the eyes of fellow Flambeau magi. However, none of the acclaim is his because he was just a sidekick. It is believed that the Shadow Flambeau have been eliminated, but the Iberian magi are ever vigilant. Having reached the proper age of a young journeyman magus, Santiago decided it was time for Roberto to go and make his mark in the Order.
[tab][/tab]Now a mature magus, Santiago has recently joined the Cult of Mercury, where he had met (the former master of Aelianus Robur Ex Verditius). He was saddened to hear that his new friend had passed on, and was also disappointed to hear what a shamble the old mans covenant had become. He hopes that Roberto will help make it great again, and make something of himself in the process. Santiago sent Marcello along with him, his only (and failed) attempt at training an apprentice of his own.
Saga of Clemente Rodriguez
[tab][/tab]Clemente Rodriguez was Roberto's father, and it is from him that he inherits his bold and assertive nature. Clemente was an adventurer, a soldier, a mercenary, a cavalier (caballero villano), a farmer, a husband, a father, and a heroic martyr. Clemente was born in Old Castile, and grew up in the city of Burgos. As a young man, he consorted with soldiers and adventurers and joined a mercenary company when he came of age. He earned fame and fortune in his many escapades, quickly rising in rank and status as a Caballero Villano and commander of a small company in service to King Alphonso of Castile.
[tab][/tab]Roberto credits him with several heroic deeds, some which are based in truth and others which may be somewhat fictional (he learned these tales from his father and his old companions, and old war stories take on a life of their own sometimes). It is claimed that Clemente had adventured in every kingdom in Iberia and had travelled as far as Italy and Ireland. He entered a tournament as a masked cavalier, and by unhorsing the reigning champion (a noble Caballero Higaldo named Don Ozcar) he earned his armaments (he entered the tournament wearing no metal, just leathers and a wooden pole for a lance). He once bested a giant in a wrestling contest using clever trickery, getting the giant to overeat and drink too much first. On the battlefield, he had bested over a dozen challengers in single combat. He captured twenty towns in the name of the king, and there is a tale of clever strategy associated with each one.
[tab][/tab]Clemente became a rich man, and settled down as a farmer as part of a fuero on the Castian frontier. His wife, Maria Oestridez, was a Mozarab Christian maiden from an aristocratic family that fled Malaga and resettled in the newly liberated teritorry. She bore him his only son, Roberto, and they had a peaceful and happy life for several years.
[tab][/tab]Then came the fateful day when Almohad raiders attacked the fuero and burned all of the buildings to the ground. Maria pushed young Roberto out the window just before the flaming rafters collapsed in on her. Roberto watched as his sixty year old father, unarmored but with sword & shield in hand, slay over a dozen raiders and their horses single handedly. But eventually Clemente was overcome by the weight of numbers. Roberto his, as any wise child should do. Too overwhelmed to continue crying, the child retrieved his fathers sword and wandered away. Roberto wielded Clemente's sword for many years in many battles. Old and battered, he gave it to his sodale Wirth to use as an Arcane Connection when Santiago gave him the gift of a new one of higher quality from Toledo.
Saga of Maria Oestridez
[tab][/tab]Maria was born in Malaga on the Andalusian coast. Hers was an artistocratic family supposedly descended from Roman blood. As Mozarab Christians under Moorish rule, the suffered persecution and adversity, but for generations they endured and maintained their existence in Malaga, and at times continued to prosper. But after a bloddy uprising and brutal suppression, in which both her parents were killed, Maria's paternal uncle took her and her sister with his family and fled to Castile.
[tab][/tab]The Oestidez family, ever resiliant, quickly rebounded. Within three years, they went from destitute refuges to a prominent family established in Toledo. Maria's eldest cousin Jadiadique, had grown tall and strong, and with wealth enough to purchase armaments had become a caballero and an adventurer. This is how she first met Clemente. Or rather, when Clemente met her, for she barely noticed him. Clemente tried to get Jadiadique to introduce them time and time again, but she was always courting someone else or engaged in some other activity. One time when she acknowledged him and permitted Clemente to court her, he was called away on an adventure expedition that took him over three years.
[tab][/tab]Meanwhile, Maria had her own life to lead. The reason her time was occupied all the time was because of her education, but she did have suiters. And she had decided to marry one, Andreas Formentarios, but she was unsure. He was wealthy, her uncle liked him, he was respected, but he was also aggressive and had a temper.
[tab][/tab]Then Clemente one day her cousin Jadiadique returns from campaign, and with him Clemente. And he continued to chase after her, unrelenting despite her insistence that she was betrothed already. He told her he liked the challenge, and after beating a giant at wrestling, he felt like he was capable of anything. Maria admired his persistence, was astounded at his bold audacity, and was enamoured by the way he told his tales.
[tab][/tab]But she was engaged, and true to her word, she had to rebuff Clemente.
[tab][/tab]One fateful night, when Clemente came to pester her, he overheard her in an argument. Andreas was in a drunken rage, accusing Maria of being a harlot and cavorting with Clemente behind his back. He hit her, and was about to beat her when Clemente burst in. And Clemente got laid out on the floor by a left uppercut. Then Maria crashed a vase over Andreas' head, and had him removed from the property.
[tab][/tab]This was just the beginning. It took another year of persistence, courting as she continued her education in philosophiae and the artes liberales. Clemente was hired off to war again, but this time returned quite soon and was eager to share the news. The king was chartering a series of new fueros along the borderland of New Castile, and mercenary caballero villanos such as himself were being offered land grants to join the settlements as landlords. He wanted Maria to join him as his wife. He would be a landed man now, and she would be a pioneer wife. A great change for each of them, but an exciting adventure neither could resist. They were wed a month later.
[tab][/tab]The rest of the story was already told in Roberto's saga, how she and Clemente had only one child, Roberto. How she raised him to have faith in God and to be introspective, and how she died while pushing him out a widow and saved him. But one more tid bit. The ring. Roberto took the ring from his dead mother's finger, and in his mind it is his mom's ring, and never questioned why it is large or fits him so well. She wore it on her thumb, and as a child he never thought twice about it. This ring, made of gold and set with a ruby, is used as Roberto's Fons et Origio (where he keeps his vis in case he needs it in a hurry). Maria was given this ring by her uncle the day she was wed, it belonged to her father; Arturo Oestridez.