Wolfgang of House Flambeau (Stats)

This is the character sheet for Wolfgang Weiß of House Flambeau, played by Plot_Device.

This topic should only contain the character's stats, background, spells, enchantments, etc. Any development discussions and notes will be posted in the topic Character Creation for Plot_Device (OOC).

Wolfgang Weiß of House Flambeau
.
Int: +2 Per: +1 Pre: -1 Com: -1
Sta: +2 Str: +1 Dex: 0 Qik: +1
Patient +2, Meticulous +3, Ruthless +2, Loyal (Kiefskala) +3
Confidence: 1 (3)
Warping: 1 (3)
Soak: 15 (+3 Vi/ +2 Ig/ +1 An/Te)
MR: 25 (30 Me, 39 Ig, 30 Te, 42 Vi)

Born: 1169 Gauntleted: 1194
Wizard's Sigil: Spell effects are orderly, uniform, symmetrical
Voting Sigil: An ourobouros ring made of malachite
Equipment: Full suit of chainmail; Longsword; Heater Shield; The Creation of All Things, by Barnabus ex Bonisagus, Creo Summa L19 Q12

General Abilities:
Area Lore: Swabia (Legends) 2
Area Lore: Durenmar (Library) 1
Area Lore: Scandinavia (Geography) 1
Athletics (Climbing) 1
Awareness (Alertness) 3
Charm (First Impressions) 1
Concentration (Spell Concentration) 1
Folk Ken (Magi) 2
Hunt (Forests) 2
Intrigue (Plotting) 0 (2)
Leadership (In Combat) 2
Native Language: High German (Swabian) 5
Organization Lore: Cult of Mercury (Ceremonies) 1
Organization Lore: Holy Vehm (Personalities) 1
Organization Lore: Order of Hermes (Politics) 1 (3)
Stealth (Hiding) 2
Survival (Mountains) 2

Academic Abilities:
Artes Liberales (Ceremonial Magic) 1
Dead Language: Latin (Hermetic) 4

Arcane Abilities:
Code of Hermes (Wizards' Marches) 1
Finesse (Speed) 1 (6)
Magic Lore 2 (9)
Magic Theory (Spells) 4 (10)
Parma Magica (Mentem) 3+2 (10)
Penetration (Perdo) 1+2

Martial Abilities:
Single Weapon (Longsword) 3 (10)

Supernatural Abilities:
Mountain Lore (Alps) 1 (5)

Hermetic Arts:
Creo (Puissant) 8+3
Intellego 6
Muto 0
Perdo (Puissant) 14+3 (11)
Rego 6
Animal 5
Auram 0
Aquam 0
Corpus 0
Herbam 0
Ignem (Affinity) 14
Imaginem 0
Mentem 0
Terram 5
Vim (Affinity) 17 (.5)

Spell Mastery:
Ball of Abysmal Flame (Stalwart, Pen, Multi) 3 (9)
Demon's Eternal Oblivion (Multi) 1
Dreadful Bane of the Fae (Multi) 1
Hauberk of Sublime Lightness (Stalwart) 1
Hiding the Ill-Bred Bard (Fastcast) 1
Mien of Helios (Fastcast) 1
Sap the Griffon's Strength (Multi) 1
Wizard's Icy Grip (Stalwart) 1
Hearkening Hunter (Imperturbable) 1
Treasure of Midas (Imperturbable) 1
Aegis of the Large Hearth (Penetration) 1

Virtues:
The Gift
Hermetic Magus
Puissant Perdo
Flawless Magic
Puissant Creo
Affinity with Ignem
Affinity with Vim
Minor Magical Focus: Serpents
Book Learner
Puissant Penetration
Puissant Parma Magica
True Friend (Kiefskala)

Flaws:
Mentor: Phillipus Niger
Blatant Gift
Duty-Bound: Protect the Order, Aid the Ash Gild (Major)
Susceptibility to Infernal Power
Judged Unfairly
Small Frame

Ring of Warding (Silver Ring with an inlaid band of lead)
Ward Against Beasts - Wards the wearer against the touch of mundane animals - those who attempt to do so have their movements rebounded in a precise reversal. Constant Effect.
Ward Against The Beasts of Legend - Wards the wearer against the touch and powers of Magical creatures up to Might 16. Penetration is 16. Constant Effect. This effect will expire at the end of Winter 1206.

Spell Lvl Base R D T Cast Pen Mastery Description
Demon's Eternal Oblivion PeVi 10 4 Voice (+2) Mom Ind 37 Pen +4 Multi 1 Infernal creature loses 10 might. Lines like cracks form in the creature's body, but perfectly straight and perpendicular to one another.
Dreadful Bane of the Fae PeVi 10 4 Voice (+2) Mom Ind 37 Pen +4 Multi 1 Faerie creature loses 10 might. Lines like cracks form in the creature's body, but perfectly straight and perpendicular to one another.
Sap the Griffon's Strength PeVi 10 4 Voice (+2) Mom Ind 37 Pen +4 Multi 1 Magic creature loses 10 might. Lines like cracks form in the creature's body, but perfectly straight and perpendicular to one another.
Hauberk of Sublime Lightness PeTe 30 5 Touch (+1) Sun (+2) Ind 25 Pen +4 Stalwart Suit of armor becomes nearly weightless. Affect Metal +2. (See HH:S 38) The armor appears to have been cleaned and polished.
Hiding the Ill-Bred Bard PeIm 15 4 Per Sun (+2) Ind 18 Fastcast The caster becomes invisible but still casts a shadow (Moving Image +1 mag) (See MoH 125)
Mien of Helios CrIg 15 5 Per Diam (+1) Ind 27 Pen +3 Fastcast The caster gives off bright light, blinding people within 10 paces (See MoH 110); the light casts perfect sharp-edged shadows
Wizard's Icy Grip PeIg 30 20 Voice (+2) Mom Ind 29 Pen +5 Stalwart Does +20 damage (cold), freezing solid if killed, no armor soak; the target's wounds are filled with perfect ice crystals, or if frozen solid, the target is encase in an ice crystal
Ball of Abysmal Flame CrIg 35 25 Voice (+2) Mom Ind 30 Pen +6 Stalwart, Pen 3, Multi 3 Does +30 fire damage. The flame appears as a perfect sphere around the target
Hearkening Hunter InAn 20 4 Per Conc (+1) Hearing (+3) 14 Pen +3 Imperturbable Caster can hear the presence of animals above a certain size (defined at casting). The sound the animals make is uniform, and iconic of the type of animal. For instance, a wolf will always sound like a perfectly clear wolf-howl.
Treasure of Midas CrTe 25 (r) 15 Touch (+1) Mom Ind (+1 Size) 21 --- Imperturbable Creates a 1 cubic foot perfect sphere of gold (800 lbs.)
Aegis of the Large Hearth ReVi 25 (r) 20 Special Year Special (+1 Size) 27 Pen +4 Penetration 1 Create an Aegis of the Hearth at level 20
Description

Wolfgang is short and slight, with unnaturally pale skin and eyes, wearing a thick, undyed linen robe. He is a quiet man, who thinks before he acts and makes every effort to be uninfluenced by emotion or prejudice. He is not afraid of battle, but he doesn't bluster or threaten, he simply resorts to force when words aren't enough, without warning or preamble. There is a tense stillness about him, like a viper waiting for a moment to strike, and when he does act it is sudden and brutal.

Background

Wolfgang Weiss was born in Schlangback, a tiny village in the Swabian alps of Germany. While the village was nominally under the control of the Duke of Swabia, Schlangback was small enough not to have a real church, and the town was ruled by the iron grip of a coven of folk witches. They held an annual sabbat, with the men of the village, keeping the girl children and leaving the baby boys at the edge of the forest. In other ways, though, they did good for the village, healing the sick, making sure nobody went hungry, and keeping the lord at arms length by providing him with magical services.

Wolfgang's father was a gamekeeper, living in the wilderness with his wife. The two had no children, and desperate, took one of the boys left out after the Sabbat. His father couldn't be sure, but chose to believe it was his son, and they raised Wolfgang as if he were theirs. The boy had a strange appearance, with white skin and hair and red eyes, pupils slit like a serpents', and patches of scales here and there on his body. He was fortunate to live in such a remote place, his parents accepted him, and other people didn't encounter his strange appearance or the negative feelings of his gift. He had a happy childhood, running around the mountain forests and learning his father's trade.

Of course, a village run by witches, no matter how remote, can't be kept a complete secret forever. Eventually word got to Philippus Niger, and not long after, he came to call on the village, accompanied by a few grogs and his deadly familiar. Having heard of a village controlled by witches, he saw it as his duty to eliminate them.

Able to smell magic, finding and killing all the witches in the village was no trouble, but he smelled something else, very faintly. Following the smell, he came to a gamekeeper's cottage deep in the forest, and entering abruptly and unceremoniously, found a family eating dinner – an ordinary man and woman, and a small boy, with a strange appearance, who smelled of the gift.

It was a near thing – Niger almost killed the boy out of hand, thinking him tainted by the Infernal, because of his serpentine looks. But smelling no other magic, and seeing no other evidence of any abnormal activity, he hesitated, and after a moment of thought, decided to take the boy back to Durenmar instead. Niger simply stated to all present that the boy would be coming with him, and his presence was so intimidating that there were no objections, nor a hint of non-compliance.

After the initial shock of being taken from his home wore off, Wolfgang began to get more comfortable around the old magus; learning his foibles and how not to make him angry, and learning that Sordus (Niger's familiar) loved being fed treats of raw meat. He was tested for taint by a holy magus and found to be untainted, and he became Niger's fourth and last apprentice. After being baptized, and having his gift opened, some of his strangeness faded, his scales molting off and his eyes becoming more normal, but his appearance is still strange – though not snake-like, his eyes are still red, and his skin still impossible pale – but he is less obviously serpentine.

Wolfgang took well to Hermetic training, although he had different strengths and weaknesses than his master. He shared the gift of Perdo, but was also gifted with other arts, and had innate talents for magic and magical study. He learned well, and was very receptive to the duty to the order Niger instilled in him, training for battle and accompanying Niger on several expeditions to Sweden. In the middle of Wolfgang's apprenticeship, Niger had a twilight lasting a year, and fostered by Niger's other filii, Wolfgang got to see more of the order and his house, spending the year in Provence where he joined the Cult of Mercury.

Wolfgang returned to Durenmar upon recieving word that Niger was back, and finished his apprenticeship with the old man. They are different in magical skillsets, and Wolfgang doesn't share all of Niger's obsessions, but he has accepted the duty to the Order that Niger tried to instill in him, and became a member of the Ash Gild, remaining in the Rhine tribunal, the first of Philippus Niger's filii to do so, which makes Wolfgang the most favored among them, though he is the youngest.

Characters

Phillipus Niger of House Flambeau – Parens – Canon magus, see GotF 59

Nihilus ex Flambeau – Niger's oldest filii – He is not interested in Rhine politics, but seeks prestige within House Flambeau. He has relocated to Castra Solis, and he is third in line (behind Jacinta and Niger) to be the most senior member of the lineage of Apromor. Wolfgang has met him a few times, but they are no more than acquainted. Niger considers him a failure, since he abandoned the Rhine and the Ash Gild. He fostered Wolfgang for the first two seasons of Niger's twilight, and taught him about Flambeau politics and acclaim. He attempted to convince Wolfgang to join the Milites, and the Cult of Mithras, but Wolfgang wasn't interested, finding the fealty and christianity overbearing, and finding that many of the christian cultists gave him side-long looks due to his appearance.

Saturnus ex Flambeau – Niger's second filii – He is dark and dangerous, having branched out from the Path of Apromor into Ramius. Wolfgang has never met him, but he's been warned that Saturnus is aptly named, and the friend of nobody in the Order, a giant of a man who wields a sword made of an iron elemental, who has won every Wizards' Melee he ever participated in. He spends most of his time in Iberia, skirting the edge of the code in aid of the Reconquista and in hunting for Sahirs. Niger is disappointed that he abandoned the Rhine, but he respects him for fulfilling his duty, even if it's not on the frontier that Niger would prefer.

Zaldun ex Flambeau – Niger's third filii – A basque magus, who was originally apprenticed to one of the Shadow Flambeau, and taken by Niger when he participated in their purge. Only a year into the apprenticeship, he was deemed "salvageable" and therefore not killed, but Niger was particularly harsh with him, and when he passed his gauntlet, he immediately left the Rhine, wanting nothing to do with the old man, returning to his Basque home and joining Aedes Mercurii. He fostered Wolfgang for the second half of Niger's twilight, and successfully convinced him to join the Cult of Mercury, mainly because Wolfgang felt more comfortable with the pagan rites and was more readily accepted by the cult members.

At Gauntlet

Int: +2 Per: +1 Pre: -1 Com: -1
Sta: +2 Str: +1 Dex: 0 Qik: +1
Patient +2, Meticulous +3, Ruthless +2
Confidence: 1 (3)
Warping: 0

General Abilities:
Area Lore: Swabia (Legends) 2
Area Lore: Durenmar (Library) 1
Athletics (Climbing) 1
Awareness (Alertness) 3
Charm (First Impressions) 1
Concentration (Spell Concentration) 1
Folk Ken (Magi) 2
Hunt (Forests) 2
Native Language: High German (Swabian) 5
Cult Lore: Cult of Mercury (Ceremonies) 1
Stealth (Hiding) 2
Survival (Mountains) 2

Academic Abilities:
Artes Liberales (Ceremonial Magic) 1
Dead Language: Latin (Hermetic) 4

Arcane Abilities:
Code of Hermes (Wizards' Marches) 1
Magic Theory (Spells) 4
Parma Magica (Mentem) 1+2
Penetration (Perdo) 1+2

Martial Abilities:
Single Weapon (Longsword) 2

Hermetic Arts:
Creo (Puissant) 2+3
Intellego 0
Muto 0
Perdo (Puissant) 12+3
Rego 0
Animal 0
Auram 0
Aquam 0
Corpus 0
Herbam 0
Ignem (Affinity) 5
Imaginem 0
Mentem 0
Terram 5
Vim (Affinity) 3

Spell Mastery:
Demon's Eternal Oblivion (Multi) 1
Dreadful Bane of the Fae (Multi) 1
Sap the Griffon's Strength (Multi) 1
Hauberk of Sublime Lightness (Stalwart) 1
Hiding the Ill-Bred Bard (Fastcast) 1
Mien of Helios (Fastcast) 1
Wizard's Icy Grip (Stalwart) 1

Virtues:
The Gift
Hermetic Magus
Puissant Perdo
Flawless Magic
Puissant Creo
Affinity with Ignem
Affinity with Vim
Minor Magical Focus: Serpents
Book Learner
Puissant Penetration
Puissant Parma Magica

Flaws:
Mentor: Phillipus Niger
Blatant Gift
Duty-Bound: Protect the Order, Aid the Ash Gild (Major)
Susceptibility to Infernal Power
Judged Unfairly
Small Frame

|Spell|Lvl|Base|R|D|T|Cast|Pen|Mastery|Description|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Demon's Eternal Oblivion|PeVi 10|4|Voice (+2)|Mom|Ind|21|Pen +4|Multi 1|Infernal creature loses 10 might|
|Dreadful Bane of the Fae|PeVi 10|4|Voice (+2)|Mom|Ind|21|Pen +4|Multi 1|Faerie creature loses 10 might|
|Sap the Griffon's Strength|PeVi 10|4|Voice (+2)|Mom|Ind|21|Pen +4|Multi 1|Magic creature loses 10 might|
|Hauberk of Sublime Lightness|PeTe 30|5|Touch (+1)|Sun (+2)|Ind|23|Pen +4|Stalwart|Suit of armor becomes nearly weightless. Affect Metal +2. (See HH:S 38)|
|Hiding the Ill-Bred Bard|PeIm 15|4|Per|Sun (+2)|Ind|18||Fastcast|The caster becomes invisible but still casts a shadow (Moving Image +1 mag) (See MoH 125)|
|Mien of Helios|CrIg 15|5|Per|Diam (+1)|Ind|13|Pen +3|Fastcast|The caster gives off bright light, blinding people within 10 paces (See MoH 110)|
|Wizard's Icy Grip|PeIg 30|20|Voice (+2)|Mom|Ind|23|Pen +5|Stalwart|Does +20 damage, freezing solid if killed, no armor soak|

Familiar

Kiefskala the Linnorm

Familiar - Threads: Gold 1, Silver 1, Bronze 4

Magic Might : 5 (Animal) [9 before size]
Characteristics : Int 0, Per 0, Pre +1, Com –2, Str +8, Sta +3, Dex +2, Qik -2
Size: +4
Confidence Score: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws : Magic Animal; Variable Power (x2), Puissant Brawl, Tough; Essential Flaw (avaricious, major), Magical Friend, No Hands, True Friend (Wolfgang)

Magical Qualities and Inferiorities : Greater Power; Gift of Speech, Improved Soak (x10), Personal Power (x2), Acclimation Prone, Temporary Might, Susceptible to Deprivation

Personality Traits : Avaricious* +6, Fierce +4, Vindictive +4, Loyal (Wolfgang) +3

Combat :
Constriction: Init –2, Attack +14, Defense +6, Damage n/a
Large Teeth: Init –2, Attack +14, Defense +6, Damage +11

Soak: +21

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0/0, 0/0, –2, –4, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–10), –3 (11–20), –5 (21–30), Incapacitated (31–40), Dead (41+)

Abilities: Awareness 5 (Alertness), Brawl 6+2 (Constriction), Hunt 3 (Deer), Native Language: High German 5 (Swiss), Swim 2 (Speed), Survival 3 (Mountains), Stealth 3 (Hide), Dead Language: Latin (Hermetic) 4

Powers:

Constriction (non-magical): The linnorm can only use this attack on a victim of Size +3 or less. Constriction is based on the grappling rules (see Non-Lethal Combat, ArM5, page 174). As long as the linnorm maintains the grapple, its opponent is considered deprived of air (see ArM5, page 180). The victim must make a Stamina check every five rounds, or suffer the normal effects of deprivation. Once the serpent has successfully grappled an opponent (and begun constricting), on subsequent rounds it can continue constricting and still attack with its bite. These attacks may be directed at the grappled victim (in which case the Grapple Strength adds to the Attack Total), or at another opponent. The serpent can usually only constrict a single creature at a time.

Poisonous Breath , 0 points, Init –3, Auram, Penetration 10
The linnorm can breathe a cloud of black smoke five paces across that affects victims with a contact poison (Ease Factor 9, inflicts an Incapacitating wound).
CrAu 30 (Base 15, +1 Touch, +2 Group)
Greater Power (30 levels, -3 Might cost)
Variable Power +1 magnitude (1 per 5 Might): +1 Wound severity

Venomous Bite , 0 points, Init n/a, Aquam, Penetration 11
The bite of the linnorm injects a deadly poison into its prey (Ease Factor 9, inflicts a Heavy wound).
CrAq 30 (Base 10, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 continuous effect)
Personal Power x2 (30 levels, –4 Might cost)
Variable Power +1 magnitude (1 per 5 Might): +1 Wound Severity

Vis : 2 Perdo in fangs

Appearance : The linnorm is a huge, bat-winged snake about 45 feet long and as thick as a tree. It has cat-like eyes that shine through the darkness. It's thick, overlapping scales are a pale, ashen green.

Advancement Log

Pre-Game

|Season|Activity|
| --- | --- | --- |
|Summer 1194|Read Ignem Summa 12/17 (+30 xp)|
|Fall 1194|Read Ignem Summa 12/17 (+30 xp)|
|Winter 1194|Read Ignem Summa 17/7 (+15 xp)|
|Spring 1195| Story with Sordus - +5 xp Parma +3 xp Magic Lore|
|Summer 1195|Read Ignem Summa 17/7 (+15 xp)|
|Fall 1195|Read Creo Summa 13/15 (+18 xp)|
|Winter 1195|Fix Arcane Connection, Parma Magica exposure +2 xp|
|Spring 1196|Taught Single Weapon +15 xp (Teacher 9 + single student)|
|Summer 1196|Story: +5 xp Parma Magica, +3 xp Finesse|
|Fall 1196|Read Creo Summa 13/15; Correspondence with Karlotta (+19 xp)|
|Winter 1196 |Learn Ball of Abysmal Flame from Lab Text – +2 xp Magic Theory exposure |
|Spring 1197 |4 warping, 3 Perdo vis, +2 xp Magic Theory exposure|
|Summer 1197 |Read Rego root 6/21 (+21 xp)|
|Fall 1197|Read Vim Summa 15/16; Correspond with Cliodna (+29.5 xp)|
|Winter 1197|Read Intellego Root 6/21 (+21 xp)|
|Spring 1198|Read Animal Root 5/15 (+15 xp)|
|Summer 1198|Learn spell Hearkening Hunt from Lab Text – +2 xp Magic Theory exposure |
|Fall 1198|Opened Silver ring to enchantment for 6 pawns; Finesse Exposure +2 xp, 2 warping, earned 6 vim vis,|
|Winter 1198|Enchant Ring with ReAn; Ball of Abysmal Flame Mastery Exposure +2 xp|
|Spring 1199| Taught Single Weapon +15 xp |
|Summer 1199|Read Vim Summa 15/16; Correspond with Cliodna (+29.5 xp)|
|Fall 1199|Read Vim Summa 15/16; Correspond with Cliodna (+29.5 xp)|
|Winter 1199|Enchant Ring with M Ward; Magic Theory Exposure +2 xp|
|Spring 1200| Taught Leadership +15 xp |
|Summer 1200|Tribunal; Read Ball of Abysmal Flame Mastery Tractatus Q12 (+30 xp)|
|Fall 1200|Scandinavia; Area Lore: Scandinavia +5 xp, Parma Magica +3 xp|
|Winter 1200|Scandinavia; Parma Magica +5 xp, Finesse +3 xp; 4 warping; vis: 11 terram, 8 corpus, 13 vim|
|Spring 1201|Scandinavia; Parma Magica +5 xp, Finesse +3 xp; 2 warping|
|Summer 1201 | Read Magic Lore Summa 4/21 (+16 xp) |
|Fall 1201| Learn Treasure of Midas; Magic Theory Exposure +2 xp|
|Winter 1201| Read Vim Summa 15/16; Correspond with Erdo (+29.5 xp) |
|Spring 1202| Learn Single Weapon (+10 xp) |
|Summer 1202| Read Vim Summa 18/11; Correspond with Erdo (+22 xp) |
|Fall 1202| Read Vim Summa 18/11; Correspond with Erdo (+22 xp) |
|Winter 1202| Read Vim Summa 18/11; Correspond with Erdo; 1 month distraction (+15 xp) |
|Spring 1203| Read Perdo Summa 15/16 (+19 xp) |
|Summer 1203| Read Perdo Summa 15/16 (+19 xp) |
|Fall 1203| Story: +5 Organization Lore: OOH, +1 Organization Lore: Holy Vehm, +2 Intrigue |
|Winter 1203| Practice: +4 Organization Lore: Holy Vehm, Purchased The Creation of All Things, by Barnabus ex Bonisagus, Creo Summa L19 Q12 |
|Spring 1204| Communing: +5 Mountain Lore |
|Summer 1204| Story: +5 Parma, +3 Magic Lore |
|Fall 1204| Exposure: +2 Magic Lore |
|Winter 1204| Communing: +5 Mountain Lore, 1 warping from ongoing Ward |
|Spring 1205| Story: +5 Parma, +3 Order of Hermes Lore |

Season Activity Gain
Summer 1205 Story: Pilgrimage for Vis; Bind Familiar Threads: Gold 1, Silver 1, Bronze 4 Level: 25 + 20 (size) + 5 (might) Lab Total 63 (Int 3, MT 4, Aura 5, Pe 17, Vi 17, mmf 17) Spend 13 Vim vis
Fall 1205 Learn Aegis of the Large Hearth from lab text +2 MT xp, Learn spell
Winter 1205
Background

Wolfgang Weiss was born in Schlangback, a tiny village in the Swabian alps of Germany. While the village was nominally under the control of the Duke of Swabia, Schlangback was small enough not to have a real church, and the town was ruled by the iron grip of a coven of folk witches. They held an annual sabbat, with the men of the village, keeping the girl children and leaving the baby boys at the edge of the forest. In other ways, though, they did good for the village, healing the sick, making sure nobody went hungry, and keeping the lord at arms length by providing him with magical services.

Wolfgang's father was a gamekeeper, living in the wilderness with his wife. The two had no children, and desperate, took one of the boys left out after the Sabbat. His father couldn't be sure, but chose to believe it was his son, and they raised Wolfgang as if he were theirs. The boy had a strange appearance, with white skin and hair and red eyes, pupils slit like a serpents', and patches of scales here and there on his body. He was fortunate to live in such a remote place, his parents accepted him, and other people didn't encounter his strange appearance or the negative feelings of his gift. He had a happy childhood, running around the mountain forests and learning his father's trade.

Of course, a village run by witches, no matter how remote, can't be kept a complete secret forever. Eventually word got to Philippus Niger, and not long after, he came to call on the village, accompanied by a few grogs and his deadly familiar. Having heard of a village controlled by witches, he saw it as his duty to eliminate them.

Able to smell magic, finding and killing all the witches in the village was no trouble, but he smelled something else, very faintly. Following the smell, he came to a gamekeeper's cottage deep in the forest, and entering abruptly and unceremoniously, found a family eating dinner – an ordinary man and woman, and a small boy, with a strange appearance, who smelled of the gift.

It was a near thing – Niger almost killed the boy out of hand, thinking him tainted by the Infernal, because of his serpentine looks. But smelling no other magic, and seeing no other evidence of any abnormal activity, he hesitated, and after a moment of thought, decided to take the boy back to Durenmar instead. Niger simply stated to all present that the boy would be coming with him, and his presence was so intimidating that there were no objections, nor a hint of non-compliance.

After the initial shock of being taken from his home wore off, Wolfgang began to get more comfortable around the old magus; learning his foibles and how not to make him angry, and learning that Sordus (Niger's familiar) loved being fed treats of raw meat. He was tested for taint by a holy magus and found to be untainted, and he became Niger's fourth and last apprentice. After being baptized, and having his gift opened, some of his strangeness faded, his scales molting off and his eyes becoming more normal, but his appearance is still strange – though not snake-like, his eyes are still red, and his skin still impossible pale – but he is less obviously serpentine.

Wolfgang took well to Hermetic training, although he had different strengths and weaknesses than his master. He shared the gift of Perdo, but was also gifted with other arts, and had innate talents for magic and magical study. He learned well, and was very receptive to the duty to the order Niger instilled in him, training for battle and accompanying Niger on several expeditions to Sweden. In the middle of Wolfgang's apprenticeship, Niger had a twilight lasting a year, and fostered by Niger's other filii, Wolfgang got to see more of the order and his house, spending the year in Provence where he joined the Cult of Mercury.

Wolfgang returned to Durenmar upon recieving word that Niger was back, and finished his apprenticeship with the old man. They are different in magical skillsets, and Wolfgang doesn't share all of Niger's obsessions, but he has accepted the duty to the Order that Niger tried to instill in him, and became a member of the Ash Gild, remaining in the Rhine tribunal, the first of Philippus Niger's filii to do so, which makes Wolfgang the most favored among them, though he is the youngest.

Characters

Phillipus Niger of House Flambeau – Parens – Canon magus, see GotF 59

Nihilus ex Flambeau – Niger's oldest filii – He is not interested in Rhine politics, but seeks prestige within House Flambeau. He has relocated to Castra Solis, and he is third in line (behind Jacinta and Niger) to be the most senior member of the lineage of Apromor. Wolfgang has met him a few times, but they are no more than acquainted. Niger considers him a failure, since he abandoned the Rhine and the Ash Gild. He fostered Wolfgang for the first two seasons of Niger's twilight, and taught him about Flambeau politics and acclaim. He attempted to convince Wolfgang to join the Milites, and the Cult of Mithras, but Wolfgang wasn't interested, finding the fealty and christianity overbearing, and finding that many of the christian cultists gave him side-long looks due to his appearance.

Saturnus ex Flambeau – Niger's second filii – He is dark and dangerous, having branched out from the Path of Apromor into Ramius. Wolfgang has never met him, but he's been warned that Saturnus is aptly named, and the friend of nobody in the Order, a giant of a man who wields a sword made of an iron elemental, who has won every Wizards' Melee he ever participated in. He spends most of his time in Iberia, skirting the edge of the code in aid of the Reconquista and in hunting for Sahirs. Niger is disappointed that he abandoned the Rhine, but he respects him for fulfilling his duty, even if it's not on the frontier that Niger would prefer.

Zaldun ex Flambeau – Niger's third filii – A basque magus, who was originally apprenticed to one of the Shadow Flambeau, and taken by Niger when he participated in their purge. Only a year into the apprenticeship, he was deemed "salvageable" and therefore not killed, but Niger was particularly harsh with him, and when he passed his gauntlet, he immediately left the Rhine, wanting nothing to do with the old man, returning to his Basque home and joining Aedes Mercurii. He fostered Wolfgang for the second half of Niger's twilight, and successfully convinced him to join the Cult of Mercury, mainly because Wolfgang felt more comfortable with the pagan rites and was more readily accepted by the cult members.