Mormulus, Magister of Illusion

Characteristics: Int +2, Per -2, Pre +3, Com +3, Str 0, Sta +1,

Dex 0, Qik -3 Age: 140 (25) Size: 0

Personality Traits: Curious +2, Focused -3, Passionate -5

Combat:

Dodge: Init -3, Attack +0, Defense -3, Damage +0

Soak: +1

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)

Abilities: Artes Liberales 4 (rhetoric), Carouse 4 (storytelling), Charm 5 (over time), Concentration 7 (lab work), English 5 (storytelling), Etiquette 3 (faeries), Faerie Lore 5 (nature), Finesse 3 (Imaginem), Folk Ken 7 (magi), French 5 (storytelling), German 5 (storytelling), Guile 2 (elaborate lies), House Merinita Lore 4 (personalities), Intrigue 3 (alliances), Local Area Lore 3 (faeries), Magic Theory 6 (enchantment), Music 3 (sing), Order of Hermes Lore 2 (spells), Parma Magica 9 (Mentem), Penetration 6 (Intellego), Philosophiae 3 (metaphysics), Sneak 3 (hiding)

Arts: Cr 30, In 25, Mu 15, Pe 30, Re 12, An 5, Aq 9, Au 5, Co 30, He 12, Ig 5, Im 40, Me 20, Te 5, Vi 40

Powers:

Ghostly Image, 0 points, constant, Imaginem: When he wishes to remain hidden, Mormulus cannot be perceived, even by other ghosts. When he does manifest, he may appear as any humanlike figure he can imagine, and seem as solid as he likes.

Ghostly Magic, 1 or more points, -3, by spell: Mormulus can make a spontaneous spell affect the physical world by spending 1 point of Might per magnitude of the effect.

Ghostly Wisdom, 0 points, uncontrolled, Mentem: Mormulus can sense things about the characters, which gives him a very good idea of what they are thinking about. He can also see glimpses of their past and future. You can use this power to have him subtly warn the characters about events to come, or to design illusions that let the characters re-live events that happened to them long ago.

Wizard's Sigil: Mormulus's magic always included some representation of his eyes. For example, in an outdoor illusion, characters might notice how the sun seems to reflect light like a pupil. All the characters he plays in his illusion have the same small, dark eyes, like tiny mulberries.

Vis: 12 Imaginem in the ghostly version of his diadem, if he can be made to feel remorse

Appearance: Mormulus is a vivid image of a magus with a multicolored robe, wild hair, and a confident though strangely detached demeanor. While he may look very young, he has more than a century of experience in his eyes. He wears a thin wire crown with a green gem at his forehead.

Roleplaying Tips: When the characters meet the true Mormulus, never pay attention to any one person for a very long time and even while listening, constantly look away from them into the living world of illusion that surrounds you. Play his dazed, confused qualities as thickly as you can.

In Ars Magica, images created by magic are real, even though the things they appear to be are not. This means that a spell that creates the image of something solid can mimic feelings associated with touch: temperature, texture, sharpness, "give," and even solidity. Illusions may thus appear to have substance. Much like they would instinctively draw their hands away from a flame, characters will instinctively hesitate before charging blindly into what seems to be a solid wall. The Mentem effects that form part of Mormulus's illusions back this up, influencing characters' minds so that they subconsciously avoid doing things that would show the illusions for what they are. However, the Mentem effect has no penetration, and thus does not affect any characters with magic resistance.

Despite the Mentem effects, the illusions have no actual substance, and a character who does charge at an illusory wall, or stumbles back into an illusory table, will pass right through. This feels extremely odd. Characters who have some experience with illusions can deliberately move their hands towards and through an apparently solid surface, to see if it really is.

Although characters are likely to quickly determine that the images in Mormulus's laboratory are nothing but illusions, this does not help them much. The images are real, and knowing that there is nothing solid behind them does not help the characters to see through them, or overcome the confusing Mentem effects.

Items the characters might find include:

• I. Weirdly shaped stone tables, but with all the equipment ruined and in pieces on the floor
• II. Broken furniture, as well as the rotting contents of various trunks and cabinets
• III. A small pool of water
• IV. A statue of a mushroom, about three feet high
• V. A statue of a broken crown set into the floor, two feet across
• VI. The corpse of Mormulus, long decayed (could be anywhere)

One of the diadems is also here, and it is the real treasure of this room. Therefore, it should only be included in the final part of the illusion, when the players can see Mormulus as he looks to himself. The actual diadem will be found somewhere near the remains of his body, for he kept it on him but did not usually wear it all the time, but the characters will be unable to find it unless Mormulus removes its ghostly counterpart.

Those who wear diadems can see through these illusions if they wish, or take control of them after Mormulus is gone, but cannot see Mormulus or his diadem unless he wills it. Those with Second Sight might see past the illusion to perceive the true nature of the room, but only with a Perception + Second Sight roll of 24+, because the effect is so powerful. The effects that generate these illusions have Creo, Perdo, Rego, Imaginem, Mentem, and Vim components, and the highest is Level 80.

If a character seems to be figuring out the illusions, you can rule that everything still feels like the illusion, even if they know better. If the characters begin to run around, let them run into the walls, but change the details of the setting so that some sort of wall is really there, and then insist that it was there all along. If you can evoke the confusing nature of these illusions through your storytelling style, even though it may frustrate players who prefer more direct action, this scene will be greatly enhanced.

Magic may seem to have an effect in this dream world, though this is simply part of the illusion and the spells will not actually succeed if they are cast at something that does not exist. If a spell is cast that affects one of the tables, or Mormulus, or the images created by the room, then it will probably work (though it may be resisted), and this may or may not be reflected in the illusion. Spells cast on people will usually work, if they are where they seem to be. All targeting rolls are at -5, however, due to the confusing nature of this place.

Imaginative characters can actually change the illusions, simply by suggesting them to be something else, as this is part of the nature of the faerie magic that Mormulus practices. In particular, characters with Free Expression may find that they have powers in this room that rival those of magi. However, if they try to make the room appear as it actually is, they will instead produce a distorted reflection of it, depending on what they think is where, and they may find themselves in an unpleasant battle of wills with Mormulus.

This part of the story can take as long as you like; if the players don't seem to be enjoying themselves, cut it short, but if they are really interested, let yourself go wild. Don't let the game get out of control, of course. Underneath the chaos, everything should make sense (if only to you) so that you can explain everything after the scene is over. All in all, the secret to running this part of the story is to have fun with it. It may be hard to manage, but it will be well worth the effort.

MORMULUS

Mormulus was an energetic, youthful magus in life, and his vibrant energy has carried over to his ghostly existence. He rarely questions himself and takes joy in watching the unraveling of the illusionary world about him. If questioned about the reality of the images in his room, he will laugh and say, "But all of life is an illusion, don't you know that?" The new images and scenes that the characters bring in with them will delight him; if he can, he will try to manipulate the illusions to keep the characters in his chambers as long as possible. He won't answer questions about the Bell or the covenant.

His corpse is lost somewhere within the room, and he does not remember that he has died. After many decades in his room of illusions, he has a hard time separating truth from fiction. He may periodically lose interest in the characters, even after they explain things to him, because he still is in the habit of treating everything as illusions that he can ignore or change when he grows bored with them. If the characters can get him to recognize that he is wearing a diadem, he may take them more seriously, since he knows that one of the crown's powers allows him to see through his illusions. This may cause him to question if there is something wrong with the effect, and ultimately realize that he is not actually wearing his diadem, giving the real one to the characters.

Mormulus is fascinated with the role he played in destroying the covenant. He mulls the events over and over in his mind and often reenacts the deaths of his sodales and custodes in an attempt to feel something, but he has never felt any emotion concerning what happened. For some reason, his heart and mind feel empty. Until he can feel remorse over his tragic mistake, he cannot pass on to the next world. This is not likely to happen unless the characters play through the events of the Sundering with him to find something that he can recognize as "real," and then bring what remains of it to him. For example, he may remember that it was Paulo who killed him, or realize how he has abandoned the dryad, or he may feel sorry for his sodales when he learns what happened to them. When he confronts the consequences of his detachment, he will overcome it. This should take him a very long time and a lot of thought; characters will probably have to leave and return several times to redeem him. In fact, it is better saved as a loose end for characters who return to the ruins after the Bell is recovered.

Until then, you can let your imagination and creativity carry you, because the whole room is constantly filled with some kind of illusion. These can take any form, including entire landscapes that extend to the horizon, and can change in the blink of an eye (but don't do this too often — players will become very confused if you abuse this effect). The settings can be weird and exotic, such as a faerie palace on a mountaintop, or strangely

mundane, as a deserted city street. However, there are never people that the characters can interact with in the illusion, unless it is Mormulus himself playing the part.

Mormulus can sense things about the characters, and he works this knowledge into his enchantment. If you would like to develop this scene into an entire session, have all the players secretly write down some event that was important in their characters' pasts: events that might be in the backs of their minds while they are exploring the ruins. Also note powerful scenes that have happened since they entered Calebais, or scenes that you suspect will happen later and you would like to foreshadow. Take these ideas and mix them up with all the things that Mormulus is thinking about (the early days of the covenant, the Sundering, his Veil and the dryad, the Bell of Ibyn) to create a web of confusion and illusion worthy of a master storyteller.

Go through each idea for a landscape in turn, but have them fade smoothly from one to another. Don't simply go from caverns to the ocean; instead tell the characters that they find a pool in the caverns, and as they look into it they find themselves mesmerized by their reflections, the patterns in the water and the soft tinkling of the ripples, which grow bigger and louder until they find themselves tossed and turned by the waves of the sea.

The floor is pitted and cracked from the great damage to the level below, but this will never be visible as it is always incorporated into the illusion. Characters may be able to feel their way around different objects; they will not affect the environment of the room directly, though they may also play a part in the illusion. If the characters close their eyes and crawl about the floor, they may be able to feel out these items, but even then it will be difficult, because the wizard's spells also affect the sensation of touch.

IERIMYRA'S LABORATORY

These rooms were owned by the wizard Ierimyra, and her ghost still lives within them. They are also inhabited by Hrools — lots of Hrools. Two huge wooden doors that once stood at the entrance to her sanctum now lie on the ground before it, partially covered with rubble and refuse. Beyond, characters will probably encounter Ierimyra's ghost pacing between her living quarters and her laboratory, as she regularly does.

IERIMYRA

One of the other wizards, Eonus, destroyed Ierimyra's mind during the Sundering, but she survived, tended by her Hrools. A few years later, however, raiding satyrs made it past her guards and killed her. She does not quite realize that she is dead. She is still driven by a powerful need to protect the Hrools, for she is dimly aware that they are in great danger at Calebais. However, it is almost impossible to get her to recognize that the Hrools are safe, even if taken elsewhere, because she cannot leave. Without the Hrools, she be overcome with grief, though perhaps if the characters return after several years with a few older Hrools she will see that they are secure and will be comforted.

Ierimyra brought the first Hrools to Calebais and through years of lab work and experimentation granted them human intelligence (see the Appendix). Even though she is now feeble-minded, the Hrools still practically worship her and try to follow her orders — whenever she says anything that can be understood, that is. In a fight, she will aid the Hrools directly, and something about her close emotional connection to them makes her able to affect them physically, even if she cannot affect other things of the real world. This will involve healing them, calling for reinforcements, or giving them magical strength. She may not even be aware of the characters, or may confuse them with satyrs or the other wizards of Calebais when she does see them, but will remain focused on her children and their needs.

Magic Might: 42 (Mentem)

Characteristics: Int +3, Per –1, Pre 0, Com 0, Str 0, Sta +1, Dex

0, Qik +1 Age: 79 (40)

Personality Traits: Maternal +2, Megalomaniacal +1, Calm -3

Combat:

Dodge: Init +2, Attack +7, Defense +7, Damage +0

Soak: +2

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)

Abilities: Animal Handling 3 (ferrets), Animal Ken 5, Artes Liberales 5 (logic), Concentration 6 (spells), Craft: Sculpting 4 (figurines), English 5 (spoken), House Bjornaer Lore 2 (history), Latin 5 (spoken), Local Area Lore 4 (magical places), Magic Lore 2 (places), Magic Theory 4 (enchanting), Parma Magica 7 (Corpus), Philosophiae 6 (natural), Survival 3 (forest), Teaching 4 (animals)

Arts: Cr 20, Mu 10, Re 15, An 22, Me 12, Te 8

Powers:

Ghostly Magic, 1 point or more, +1, by spell: Ierimyra can make a spell affect the physical world by spending 1 point of temporary Might per magnitude of the effect.

Ghostly Vis, 1 point or more (special), +1, by spell: Ierimyra can permanently expend her Magic Might as vis, with each point lost equivalent to one pawn.

Spells Known:

Soothe Pains of the Beast (CrAn20, Ritual/+54) True Rest of the Injured Brute (CrAn20/+43)

Champion's Strength (CrAn40, Ritual/+54): Increases an animal's Strength by one, but no more than one beyond the animal's natural score (Base 35, +1 Touch).

Mend the Broken Figure (CrAn40, Ritual/+54): Heals all wounds. Ierimyra seems to sculpt the animal's flesh during the spell, as if it were made of clay (Base 35, +1 Touch).

Gift of Man's Fortitude (MuAn15/+33): As Gift of the Bear's Fortitude, but for animals.

Commanding the Harnessed Beast (ReAn30/+38)

Mind of the Beast (MuMe30/+33)

Vis: 8 Creo in a ghostly figurine of herself, once she accepts that her Hrools are safe

Appearance: Ierimyra is only a hazy, translucent image of a woman who wanders aimlessly with a vacuous expression on her weasel-like face, wringing her hands and desperately unsure what to do about matters that have become too great for her. She wears forester's clothes (breeches, shirt, short cloak, cap), and is bloody from a ghastly puncture wound in her stomach, which she seems to have forgotten about. Her heart-beast is an ermine, but she is so lost that she doesn't even remember how to change any more.

Roleplaying Tips: Don't just roleplay a drooling idiot; try instead to sound like an absent-minded professor who was hit on the head. Ierimyra is very emotional and responds to others only on an emotional level. Rational and intellectual arguments mean nothing; the Hrools mean everything. Answer questions with more important, more desperate questions that no one can understand: What about your children? Does anyone have any cloth? Where is everything hidden?

Ierimyra's laboratory is not overrun with Hrools as one might expect — it's taboo to them. The Hrools will not knowingly allow anyone into the room to loot it. It was partially ruined during the Sundering, and narrow crevasses in the floor reveal the darkness of the level fifteen feet below. Wider cracks in the walls demonstrate the force of the tremors that affected this area. Bottles, scraps of parchment, flasks, tubes, and other equipment are scattered all about. Her U-shaped stone lab table still stands in the center of the room, and piles of rubbish fill the corners. A large variety of different-sized iron cages, which contain the remains of both magical and mundane animals, cover the north wall. Four of the skeletons contain pawns of raw vis: an otter with 1 Aquam; a giant worm (now a husk) with 2 Terram; a dog with horns, 2 Muto; and a boar with golden tusks, 2 Perdo. All the cages are locked and heavily rusted. Moss, of course, grows thickly here.

The ground is safe to walk on, though it might not look like it, being paper-thin in many places. Most of the floors of the covenant had devices that kept them structurally sound, since in many places only a few feet of rock separated the two levels. Almost all of this material was brought down upon the labs below during Crenvalus's great tremor spell, but the magic of the floor tiles still keeps this room intact. Still, it would not be wise to jump up and down or start hitting the floor with large, heavy objects.

Diligent searching through the garbage may uncover some of the following, based on Perception + Awareness rolls:

• I. Small crystals scattered among the rubble next to leather pouches that once held them. These contain a total of 8 pawns of Vim vis. Moss has grown over them.
• II. A bronze, stoppered beaker filled with acid, about two feet long, stuck in a crevice in the floor, against a wall. If found, it can be pried out, though care should be taken to keep it upright when traveling.
• III. A large scroll with lab notes. It explains in detail the process Ierimyra followed to give the Hrools sentience, and if a wizard spends a season studying it, he or she will learn the methods described in the appendix.
• IV. Nine three-inch-high green stone statues of Hrools buried in the room. Anyone who searches will find them in the remnants of a wooden box wrapped in yards of mushy felt.
• V. A scroll with poetry concerning the beauty of wild animals (deer, wolves, hawks, etc.) and a few thoughts about how the natural magic of animals works in conjunction with their symbolic qualities (which may strike the interest of a player magus).
• VI. Eleven splintered and fragmented stone platters with maps carved on them, on and around the table. These lead to dragon holes, sources of raw vis, and sites of danger in the surrounding region. They are glossed with many comments, though they have begun to fade with time and the direc-

tions are not always clear, since they are relative to each other. If care were taken in collecting them, it would not be very hard to reconstruct them, but if the characters just throw them into a bag, it will take at least a season to piece them back together. Use these maps as starting points for new stories — the magi should at least be able to obtain leads to some good sources of raw vis.

• VII. Under the table is a blue marble mortar and pestle, about the size of a soup bowl.
• VIII. Ierimyra's gold wire diadem (see page 78), was kicked beneath the cages. Characters cannot see it in the darkness without shining some sort of light underneath.

In contrast, Ierimyra's living quarters are stark and clear of rubble. Where parts of the walls or floors have collapsed, the rock has been taken away and the cracks swept clean of dust. The only moss that grows here is high on the walls and on the ceiling. In the center of the room is a pile of Hrool skeletons, fifteen feet across and five feet high. As may be obvious to the characters, this room is used as a cemetery. If characters look closely, they will notice that all the skulls have been broken apart or have large holes in them, and that some bunches of bones have been tied together with vines.

Beyond the antechamber and laboratory are the Hrool warrens. The lighting is very poor; there is only an occasional patch of magical light on the ceiling. Along many of the walls are surprisingly detailed carvings, which characters will realize were made by the Hrools. They depict their rescue from a dark, frightening place by a shining goddess, arrival in a kind of heaven, and then the destruction of that heaven when the gods made war on each other. The lumpy figures of the beings pictured can be described as childish at best, but they are usually recognizable as Hrools and magi. There is even a certain degree of beauty in the carvings, as evidence of young minds learning important life lessons.

The warrens stretch far into the rock in three directions, and even slope below the floor level. The ground is rough but any holes or cracks have been perfectly patched, and the ceilings are so low that most characters will have to stoop. Empty bowls and other containers litter the area; broken shards and a collection of heavily rusted (and worthless) swords and axes are strewn about. In the far corner of one cavern are six pups, which scamper through the rooms, play fighting and squealing. They will take no notice of what happens in the caverns, though if the Hrools have advance warning of approaching characters, they will hide the pups throughout the rubble for safety.

A pair of Hrool-sized tunnels lead to their "livestock pens," where they raise rats in primitive cages sculpted from stone. The Hrools also keep a reservoir of drinking water pulled from the well in a great covered stone jar here, and have a large storeroom for fodder, packed close to full with moss (about two pawns' worth). There is another

Magic Might: 10 (Animal)

Characteristics: Int +1, Per -1, Pre -3, Com -3, Str 0, Sta 0, Dex

+3, Qik +3

Size: -3

Confidence: 2 (5)

Personality Traits: Careful +3, Dedicated +2, Brave -2

Combat:

Bite and shield: Init +6, Attack +7, Defense +10, Damage +1 Spear and shield: Init +5, Attack +10, Defense +14, Damage +4

Soak: 0

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: -1 (1-2), -3 (3-4), -5 (5-6), Incapacitated (7-8)

Abilities: Athletics 2 (climbing), Awareness 3, Brawl 2 (grapple), Leadership 4 (combat), Single Weapon 5 (spear), Speak

Hrool 3 (orders), Stealth 3 (hiding), Swim 3 (diving)

Equipment: David's shield, and a wooden stake.

Encumbrance: 2 (2)

Vis: 2 Corpus in each satyr horn (8 total), 2 Animal

Appearance: Hukla is a hero among his kind, exceptionally lithe and fast and dotted with white spots over his furry body. He wears a necklace with four satyr horns, a sign of great status among the Hrool. He carries a magical heater shield, which he can lift though it is bigger than he is, and usually

carries a long spear.

The shield David carried is emblazoned with the symbol of Calebais, and has two powers invested in it: it is resistant to wear and age, preventing rust and mending itself when damaged (CrTe10, +2 Sun; +1 twice per day, +3 activate at sunrise and

sunset = Level 24). Also, if held still for six seconds, it can turn the bearer and everything he carries invisible for as long as he remains in one place. (PeIm4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun; +1 twice per day, +3 activate at sunrise and sunset = Level 19).

David's chain mail has three magical powers that were designed to trigger automatically every sunrise and sunset, though wounds do not heal naturally while the mail is worn and reopen soon after it is removed. These effects are: "heal the debilitating effects of disease, poison, or injury" (CrCo20, +1 Touch, +2 Sun; +1 twice per day, +3 activate at sunrise and sunset = Level 39), "heal an incapacitating wound" (CrCo30, +1 Touch, +2 Sun; +1

twice per day, +3 activate at sunrise and sunset = Level 49), and "reduce the intensity of all of a person's emotions" (PeMe4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun; +1 twice per day, +3 activate at sunrise and sunset = Level 19). The mail is also resistant to wear and age, preventing rust and mending itself when damaged (CrTe10, +2 Sun; +1 twice per day, +3 activate at sunrise and sunset = Level 24).

exit tunnel that leads to the level below that they keep blocked. All of these areas have been carved from the rock by the ermines, and the doorways look almost chewed, as if Hrool-sized fistfuls were simply scooped out of the walls.

There are two ermines here, Arz and Kremin, and each one wears a diadem. There are also 22 adults and 11 warriors, though feel free to change this number if the characters are weak. This group of Hrools possesses David's shield (carried by their champion, Hukla) and his chain mail, which is too big for Hrools to wear, so they keep it hidden on one side of the warrens. These Hrools fight with wooden spears that were once pieces of furniture or tool handles but that have been chewed into sharp stakes.

This level is almost completely impassable. Two laboratories and living quarters for magi were located here, but Crenvalus collapsed the floor above with a huge Rego Terram spell designed to kill Pitsdim, whose decaying remains are buried somewhere beneath tons of rubble. Only the smaller, western stairway and the well remain clear; the rest is full of dust, dirt, support timbers, rusted metal, and huge slabs of rock.

Feral Hrools and verminous creatures may be found burrowing through the maze of crawlspaces and tunnels that have been excavated throughout this level, and on the eastern side the Undertakers live in the earth directly beneath Drininkeana's lab. Small chambers may have been unearthed at various points within the dirt and rock, and any of these areas would serve as lairs for all manner of strange inhabitants.

Play this floor by ear. Or, if you wish, you can instead leave this level clear and stock it with ideas of your own: other ghosts, magic items, traps, or whatever you think appropriate.

The eighth level is the location of the wizard's council room, its antechamber, and the covenant's formerly large library. It also hides the entrance to the covenant's treasure vault and many of the answers to the questions that surround what happened at Calebais.

LIBRARY

The library is a large chamber with two lines of pillars giving the twenty foot high room a grand feeling. The upper parts of the walls have gilded carvings on them, depicting the potential of education. The north wall shows a maga standing proudly before a bearded, bare-chested giant sitting on a throne. The east wall shows a magus finding an enchanted clearing in a jungle-like faerie forest. The west wall depicts a maga with hand outstretched standing before a vast panorama of gold gilded stars. The south wall pictures a magus leading a sea of people up a mountain.

Perceptive characters might recognize the hand that wrote this as the same one that wrote the warning outside the covenant, Ornath of Guernicus.

All the books in the library have been burned. It looks as if some madman had a good time in here (and in fact, that's exactly what happened). If the books had been in good shape, they would have made a fantastic treasure. Unfortunately, they have been thoroughly destroyed. The blackened husks of the covers and shelves can be found throughout the room. They are covered with ashes, and it appears as if someone dug through them, perhaps to be sure that they were all ruined. Small middle sections of certain books might be read, but they will be of no real use to the magi. If they were carefully pieced together after months of work, perhaps some mundane information could be retrieved,

Etched in careful letters across this panorama are the following words.

CRENVALUS VISUS TUTUS FALSUS ERAT

(krane-WAH-loos WEE-soos TOO-toos FAHL-soos ay-ROT) "Crenvalus, your vision was wrong."

HABUIT SUPERBIAM NIMIAM

(hah-BOO-eet soo-PAIR-bee-ahm NEE-mee-ahm) "You had too much pride."

POSSEMUS LABORARE SIMUL UNA

(Poh-SAY-moos LAY-bore-AH-ray SEE-mool OO-nah) "We could have worked together."

but to study books requires that they be essentially complete, and these books cannot be mended.

There are six semi-private study alcoves built into niches along the walls. They are almost separate rooms that once had wooden screens blocking them off from the rest of the library. Some had simple lab equipment within. However, like the rest of the library, these alcoves are now useless.

The antechamber to the council room has stone benches built into the wall opposite the well, and its floor is covered with a complicated mosaic of colored tiles, detailing a golden dragon flying out of grim, dark hole in the hollow of a mountain. There is no rubble in this room and only a few decaying tapestries litter the floor where they fell from their hooks.

COUNCIL ROOM

The council room has a long, crafted stone table running down the middle of it. Around it are twelve chairs of different kinds, all of them large and ornately carved. Bright lights shine from above on each of the chairs, causing the dust in the air to sparkle and lending the room an air of majesty. The chamber is in fairly good shape, and some heavily tattered tapestries still hang on the walls. The only one on which a design may be deciphered has a map of the region around Calebais, but much of the detail has worn away.

Standing on the table is Pitsdim, the mad wizard, though the characters may not recognize him unless they have encountered him elsewhere. He is casting relatively minor fire spells (probably Pilums of Fire) towards the ceiling, and will be delighted to see that he has visitors.

PITSDIM

Pitsdim caused great damage within the covenant before he was slain by Crenvalus. He was one of the main perpetrators of the violence that brought the covenant down, and all the other ghosts hate him. He still wanders the covenant in the same frame of mind he had during the Sundering, best described as "Burn! Burn! Ha ha! Hee hee! Burn!" The characters may hear snatches of his maniacal laughter from below them as they explore the upper levels. He also hates Crenvalus, and when he is not lighting fires and giggling loudly, he mumbles to himself about the evil wizard's plan to destroy the covenant.

He can cast powerful Ignem spells, and if he sees someone in the well or standing on a balcony above him, he may send a burst of flame at them, and if it misses it may continue out of the well and burn in the sky above the hill for a few seconds (these sorts of displays have fueled the rumors about a fire-breathing dragon in town). Alas, few of his ghostly spells have an effect on the living. Those struck feel and look burned, but the illusion passes quickly and leaves no damage. If he sends a bolt of fire at the party, they may think they are injured, for they will feel the burning sensation of the flames, but will realize that it was an illusion once the initial shock has worn off. He is used to fending off intruders with his magic, but he forgets that he must use his Might to affect the physical realm. Wait until the players encounter him in the council chamber before he begins using his "real" powers to devastate their ranks, and remember that he can still temporarily blind characters with bursts of illusory light, or cause fear or anger if he can catch a character's eye.

In spite of the evidence, Pitsdim does not know he is a ghost, and since he is terrified of ending up in Hell's fire, he will not accept that he is dead. His consuming fear of the inevitable has fueled his destructive insanity, and this mindless violence has kept him on earth. He will destroy those who try to convince him he has died rather than listen to what they have to say. He may heed his familiar, but since their bonds are broken, they must speak. Pitsdim will probably never accept his guilt, however. If the characters do manage somehow to defeat him with ghostly fire or convince him to burn himself up, he will not return, and his ashes will contain 7 pawns of Ignem vis.

If the characters manage to defeat or subdue Pitsdim, they will notice more of the details of this room. Most of the chairs around

Magic Might: 38 (Mentem)

Characteristics: Int +2, Per +1, Pre -2, Com -3, Str +2, Sta +2,

Dex +2, Qik +2

Age: 82 (50)

Personality Traits: Megalomaniacal +2, Brave -2, Loyal -2,

Peaceful -3

Combat:

Dodge: Init +2, Attack +7, Defense +7, Damage +0

Staff (iron-tipped): Init +1, Attack +8, Defense +12, Damage +8

Soak: +2

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated

(16-20)

Abilities: Awareness 4 (alert), Brawl 4 (dodge), Concentration 3 (spells), Finesse 6 (Ignem), France Lore 3 (battles), Great Weapon 4 (staff), Local Language 5 (slang), Latin 2 (spoken), Magic Theory 3 (spells), Parma Magica 8 (Ignem), Penetration 8 (Creo)

Arts: Cr 25, Co 15, Ig 25, Me 15, Vi 15

Powers:

Ghostly Magic, 1 or more points, +2, by spell: Pitsdim can make a spell affect the physical world by spending 1 point of temporary Might per magnitude of the effect.

Ghostly Vis, 1 or more points (special), +2, by spell: Pitsdim can permanently expend his Magic Might as vis, with each point lost equivalent to one pawn.

Spells Known:

Flash of the Scarlet Flames (CrIg15/+56)

Ignite the Inflammable Item (CrIg15/+56): Sets fire to a slightly flammable object. (Base 5, +2 Voice)

Pilum of Fire (CrIg20/+56)

Arc of Fiery Ribbons (CrIg25/+56) Ball of Abysmal Flame (CrIg35/+56)

Conflagration of Light (CrIg50/+56): An enormous burst of fire launches from his fingers, burning each member of a group for +30 damage, and blinding those who see it as with Flash of the Scarlet Flames (Base 25, +2 Voice, +2 Group, +1 additional effect).

Dive of the Dying Phoenix (CrIg50/+56): A small, flaming bird speeds from the caster to any target within sight and explodes on impact in a tremendous blast of flame, causing +30 damage and setting the target on fire as with Coat of Flame, though there is no Rego requisite to keep the flames from spreading. (Base 25, +3 Sight, +1 Conc, +1 flashy effect).

Panic of the Trembling Heart (CrMe15/+43)

Rising Ire (CrMe15/+43) Encumbrance: 0 (1)

Vis: 7 Ignem in his ghostly ashes, if he burns away.

Appearance: Pitsdim is a frightening image of a middle-aged, obviously crazy magus in burned and tattered robes, with wild, dusty hair and even wilder eyes, violently swinging an iron-tipped staff. He is missing many of his teeth, and cackles hollowly to himself while he sets fire to everything in sight.

Roleplaying Tips: Practice the maniacal laugh (though not within hearing distance of people who wouldn't understand) and speak with gusto. He is obviously insane, violent and without remorse; if you want to try to give him some depth, he is also frightened and childlike. His grand speeches are barely intelligible, full of clichés and insulting banter, clearly a preamble to him burning everything in sight.

the council table are made of wood (still intact), and some are made of stone, and still others are made of tarnished bronze or brass. Many of the chairs are covered with moss, as is most of the table, but close inspection may reveal their high artistic quality. On the back of each chair (in Latin) is one of the following phrases:

MORMULUS, MAGISTER OF ILLUSION EONUS, MAGISTER OF THE MIND ERECHTHEUS, MAGISTER OF CHANGE CRENVALUS, MAGISTER OF CONTROL UDERZUS, MAGISTER OF PERCEPTION VENTUS GURGES, MAGISTER OF WEATHER GRANORDA, MAGISTER OF DEATH IERIMYRA, MAGISTER OF BEASTS

PITSDIM, MAGISTER OF FLAMES DRININKEANA, MAGISTER OF LIFE MALEVOLA VIDA, MAGISTER OF DESTRUCTION DARGAUD, STUDENT OF ALL THINGS

There are no inscriptions at the base of the table, and though a light shines down on a space at the head of the table, there is no chair. A window looks out over the well and carved on the opposite wall is a huge gilded sculpture of the symbol of Calebais: a broken crown in flames. It is fully visible from the council table. A small bell, two feet high, hangs in the corner, mounted on a wooden frame five feet above the floor. Made of bronze, it is round and only lightly engraved with some circular patterns running along the bottom edge, and the symbol of Calebais repeats three times around the middle.

On the far wall from the entrance to this room, behind the head of the table, is a magical door. One of the ghosts (David or Ferdina) might tell the characters about it, if properly questioned and treated respectfully. They know that the wizards would cast a spell every time they wanted to go through the wall, and then they pushed their way through the rock. There is a tunnel beyond it, though they probably do not remember more than that.

Another means for characters to find out about the door is by noticing the skeletal hand sticking out of it. Characters are likely to overlook it when they first enter the room because the walls are splotched with stains and moss and the light in the corners is dim. After dealing with Pitsdim, however, when they approach the far wall they will see the hand sticking out about three and a half feet above the floor, as if someone were trying to reach out from the stone. They may also notice the tattered remains of a letter beneath it (if Pitsdim's powers haven't burned it to a crisp), but most of the page has been torn away, and age or fire has made it impossible to read.

The door is magical, and Intellego Vim spells will reveal that it is an active device with Muto Terram, and Intellego Vim effects. If a magus casts a spontaneous Muto Terram spell on it, of any magnitude, a six foot by five foot section of the wall becomes passable (Sun duration). The spell is the means to activate the item, and does not make the change itself. The first time this happens, the mummified corpse (David) will crumple and fall partially out into the council room. Those walking through the door must hold their breath and force their way through five feet of pudding-like rock until they get to the other side. Characters may need to make Brave checks of at least 6+ to attempt to cross. A low Brave roll or botch might mean that characters panic while inside the rock, digging in their heels or thrashing about as if drowning. Another spontaneous Muto Terram spell causes the door to close again.

David will be very uncomfortable in this room, and will become very angry if anyone treats the corpse badly or the magi use magic on it. He will decline offers for a proper burial as long as he is still a ghost, but will have great respect for any who propose one for him. He will have particular trouble passing through the door, but will manage it if he is ordered to go through and the magi proceed first.

The door leads to the inner chamber and the tunnel that leads to the vault.

BACKGROUND: THE COUNCIL CHAMBER

The bell that hangs here is not the Bell of Ibyn, but merely a bell that was used to call magi to council meetings. It sounds toneless

and flat when hit, for it was activated by striking the magical chime that Ferdina carried. Only the autocrat can now cause the bell to ring properly; if she does it will echo with an otherworldly quality, and the ghosts of the remaining magi will be compelled to gather in the council chamber.

Ornath's simple wooden chair was removed after he departed. It used to sit at the end of the table, to represent his position as head of the council. With thirteen magi, Ornath only voted during ties, and decided the agenda for council meetings. It was his role to keep order, and the chaos that followed his departure was when the fighting began. Without him, the council was deadlocked, and no one was willing to give up their votes to control the proceedings, so his duties were given to the autocrat. She did not have their respect, however, and as soon as she became a hindrance to the plans of the ambitious magi, she was abandoned.

The letter remnant, once clutched by David's skeletal hand in the doorway, may look familiar to the characters, since they received the other half at the beginning of the story. If they rescue it from the flames and manage to make the faded writing visible, they will see that it reads:

... hoards green treasure, one who hoards gold treasure, one who hunts in the village, one who hunts in the forest, one who is blunt, one who is sharp, one of bright silver, one of tarnished silver, and the thief in white. The answer is: A Crown.

Make your way to our council chamber, seven levels down. There, you may pass through the door of stone by inventing a spell of Muto and Terram, and then you must break through another wall that seals the corridor beyond. When you see the sun, speak the words "The crown is broken" to bring you safely through the tunnel, but ignore the chests and avoid the pitfalls in the floor to find the cavern where our greatest treasure lies.

Use our former glory for good, and share it justly and mercifully with your sodales, for I travel now to a place where wealth and power cannot help me. Think no more ill of Crenvalus, but pray instead for my soul, and perhaps I will see you from afar and thank you for your mercy.

Farewell, my friends; so passes Crenvalus, follower of Tytalus, and last of the wizards of Calebais.

Crenvalus wrote this letter in a terrifying fit of remorse, and killed himself immediately afterward. He had given the message to David with instructions to take it to the redcaps, ensuring that it would spread throughout the Tribunal, but when he saw that he was not dead he had desperate second thoughts. He swept after David, and inexplicably closed the portal just as the captain was passing through, killing him. Yet David had stretched his hand bearing the letter through to the other side, and Larine, waiting for him and seeing what had happened, tore the letter from his grasp and fled the covenant, grieving for her lost love. Crenvalus cried after her to burn the letter, and never to betray the secrets of Calebais, but he does not know if she heard his ghostly commands. As time passed and no one made their way into the vaults, Crenvalus came to believe that she had done as he instructed.

The laboratory here has no contact with the rest of the covenant except through its balcony, so it is unlikely that characters will wind up here unless they have descended the well, either on purpose or by accident. The balcony is ornately carved with a basrelief of a great eagle in flight on the wall above, and some gleams of gold remain from the gilt. Characters may be able to see this balcony from the upper floors.

VENTUS GURGES'S LABORATORY

This area was the home and workplace of Ventus Gurges, a powerful magus who specialized in Auram and Aquam. A huge tapestry of a cloud, woven with silver thread against a black background, which is still largely intact, dominates the antechamber. It is more than twenty feet long and eight feet high, and bolts of lightning run from the cloud to the bottom of the tapestry. On the balcony is the emaciated corpse of Althea, Ventus Gurges's assistant, and her ghost haunts this level. The characters will probably meet her almost immediately, because she will not wait long to approach guests to her master's lab.

ALTHEA

Althea starved to death after her master died in the Sundering, because his laboratory has no physical connection to the rest of the covenant, and her broken leg prevented her from climbing out. She was struck by falling rocks during a massive earthquake that shook the covenant, and pinned down. She could only get free by permanently damaging her leg. She has always been physically weak, emaciated, and cowardly. She is only a laboratory assistant, not an apprentice, and had no magic. She remains spiteful to magi, for she believes their petty squabbles and lack of involvement in the day-to-day affairs of the covenant caused the Sundering. Sometimes she sits on the balcony and pours out her bitter sorrows in fits of loud weeping.

She will tell everything she knows about the laboratory if someone will give her some food to quiet her desperate hunger, which has grown over the last fifty years. To feed her, something edible must be given a spiritual component, as with a spontaneous MuAn or MuHe spell with a Mentem requisite. She also has the power of possession and may take over someone's body so that she may eat. This may result in a humorous episode, but try to make it grim, too. Once fed, she will go to sleep near her remains and quietly pass on.

The laboratory was once well equipped, though little sign of that equipment remains. Rubble lies strewn about everywhere. Large boulders, fallen out of jagged depressions in the ceiling, sit within a maelstrom of destruction. The walls are cracked and falling in many places.

If anyone touches the massive table in the center of the room, a bolt of lightning (CrAu35) flies from a small silver knob on the west wall onto the table's center, accompanied by a loud crack. If the lab were still functioning, this would light the materials here on fire, causing a mighty explosion, but the fuel is long gone and the trap is not as effective, save perhaps to knock intruders to the floor.

The north wall of the laboratory is covered with niches of all sizes that have been carved into the wall, floor to ceiling, creating a mosaic of square holes. Many are full, though very little of value remains. Most of the books have been ruined, but two tractatus on the history of the Order of Hermes, three on Roman history, and five on storm weather spells (Auram) are still legible, all of them Quality 8. Five goblet-sized glass containers each hold a bubble of viscous blue-black smoke, each worth a pawn of Auram vis. Three bucket-sized clay urns, sealed with wax, feel light enough to be empty, but each is labeled tempestas intestae (tem-PASTE-ahs in-TASTE-eye, "tempest in a pot"), so characters should know to be careful; each contains a different kind of weather spirit or air elemental, and as they have not been bound in service they will simply wreak havoc if released. Some other niches hold bottles with strange and mundane liquids inside, while others hold jars of fur or butterfly wings, and a few hold silver objects formed into small, hand-sized sculptures symbolizing clouds and lightning bolts.

The room across the well from the laboratory has a large, gray cloud in the middle, thirty feet around, and the bowl-shaped floor is partially filled with water. Soon after the characters enter, the cloud begins to rain. This was once a test area for Ventus Gurges; he practiced his magic here and designed and perfected new Auram spells using the cloud. If the characters attempt to cast Auram magic at it, they find it is exceptionally easy to affect and manipulate.

Magic Might: 15 (Mentem)

Characteristics: Int +3, Per +1, Pre -3, Com +3, Str -3, Sta -2, Dex

+1, Qik 0

Age: (70) Decrepitude: 3 Size: 0

Personality Traits: Forgiving -2, Hopeful -2, Brave -3

Combat:

Dodge: Init +0, Attack +1, Defense +0, Damage -3

Soak: -2

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-

Abilities: Artes Liberales 4 (mathematics), Bargain 4 (food), Charm 4 (begging), Church Lore 3 (schools), Concentration 4 (writing), Latin 5 (reading), Local Area Lore 3 (history), Local Language 5 (academia), Magic Lore 3 (creatures), Magic Theory 2 (writing), Order of Hermes Lore 2 (labs), Philosophiae 2 (moral), Profession: Scribe 6 (Hermetic books), Theology 4 (history)

Powers:

Possession, 3 points, +0, Mentem: Althea can take over a living body as if it were her own. Each round, the victim may make an Intellegence roll to resist, adding an appropriate Personality trait (e.g. Rebellious). On a 9+, she is driven out. On a 6+, the two wills are in conflict and neither may act. Otherwise, Althea may use the body as she wishes.

Vis: 3 Corpus in her corpse if she manages to eat something Appearance: Althea is an elderly, emaciated woman in rags, hobbling on her cruelly fractured left leg, her eyes wild with hunger.

Roleplaying Tips: Let your head dangle from your neck, and speak in a raspy, trembling voice. Stop speaking entirely every few seconds and look woeful.

What She Knows: Althea was a relative of Ventus Gurges and came to work at the covenant late in her life, not long before the Sundering. She rarely left his laboratory, eating meals in her living quarters, and thus does not know much about the covenant. She does know that an earthquake killed her master and flooded the well, and that most of the lab notes she copied are kept in the library. She remembers seeing a text about a magical bell, though she recalls nothing of the substance.

More debris is spread through the small living quarters, and nothing else is left of the wizard's personal belongings except for an occasional pile of rubbish. Angular, silver symbols ten feet high crowd the walls of the room, gently lit from above by a myriad of stars shining on the otherwise black ceiling.

The remaining levels are completely flooded, buried under water and sharing the depths with the great dragon statue that fills the central section. Many more laboratories and living quarters were located in this area, though not all of them had direct access to the well. If the characters have the means to explore them, you can extend the adventure, developing your own ideas for what they might find, but a better way to continue the story would be to put more detail into the upper levels and use these flooded levels to design a later expedition, after several game years have passed ("Return to the Broken Covenant").

This level will probably mark the end of the long journey the characters began by exploring Calebais, and it is rich with examples of the paranoia, power and pride that came to possess the magi. Unlike the ghosts on the sixth level, or Pitsdim on the eighth, the wizards who have gathered here are the ones who had the highest status. There is little trace of their labs or living quarters, as they are buried under rock or submerged beneath tons of water, so the ghosts on this level inhabit the rooms where they can remember and revel in their influence and their covenant's former glory.

Remember that these are the magi who were directly responsible for the disaster, even if they didn't cause all of the damage, and each of them has a lesson to teach. They have all committed ruthless and cunning acts, but don't give away their secrets until the moment is right. Instead, allow the players to become lulled by their ghostly stereotypes, and let the scenes drag on a little with their heavy symbolism. Then, before the characters lose interest, surprise and frighten them with sudden, swift, terrible action.

The characters will not necessarily leave here with the Bell of Ibyn. Defeating the foes that will oppose them and avoiding or surviving the traps that lie in wait will take great presence of mind and a good deal of luck. Even finding the chamber where the Bell lies will not be easy. Don't be tempted to keep giving the players hints until they figure it out; the Bell is so powerful and useful that the characters should not be guaranteed success. If they don't find it, they don't find it.

Furthermore, the final battles should press the characters so hard and cause so many casualties that they seriously consider retreating. Both the nearby village and the faerie forest can act as safe havens where the characters can rest and regain their strength for another assault. If they insist on pressing onward, no matter what the cost, you and the players must be prepared for characters to die in the attempt. For such a royal treasure, a high price must be paid or it will lose its value. Only the most brave and clever of players should have a chance at complete success.

When the characters push through the magic door from the council room, they will emerge into pitch darkness (this section of the covenant is not magically lit). Once they make light, they will see a rough-hewn cave sloping down, with a wall made of smooth stone at the far end, obviously blocking the passage. Near the wall is a skeleton in rotted wizard's clothing, still

REVERTITE AD MUNDUM VESTRUM PROPRIUM

(ray-VAIR-tee-TAY odd MOON-doom VAY-stroom PROHpree-oom)

"Return to your own world."

HIC SEPULCRUM CALEBASIS EST

(heek say-POOL-kroom KAH-lay-BAHS-ees est) "This is the tomb of Calebais."

SOMNUM INCOLAE INQUIETATE NON

(SOHM-noom in-KOH-lie in-KWEE-ay-TAH-tay nohn) "Do not disturb the inhabitants' slumber."

PERMANEBO IN LOCLO HOC PROTEGAMQUAE RELIQUAS MERSERICORES EORES SEMPER

(PAIR-mah-NAY-boh in LOH-koh hock proh-TAY-GAHMkwai RAY-lee-KWAHS mare-SAIR-ee-KOH-rays ay-OH-rahs SAME-pair)

"I shall always remain here to protect their pitiful remains."

IGNOSCETE NOBIS INSIPIENTIAM SUAM

(EE-gnoh-SKAY-tay NOH-bees een-SEE-pee-AYN-tee-um SOO-ahm)

clutching a staff (which is not, alas, magical). Etched crudely into the wall is a message, and a Perception + Latin roll of 6+ allows characters to make out the words.

There are numerous ways to break through the ten-foot thick wall, including enlisting the aid of Paulo, wielding magic, using the onyx-tipped staff, or applying brute force with picks and shovels. For magi, the wall will surely not be a major impediment. The air behind the wall is very stale, however, and it becomes heavily laden with dust as the characters walk around. From this point on, have characters check for the loss of a Fatigue level after each round of heavy exertion, rolling Stamina against an Ease Factor of 6.

Characters who explore the corners of the chamber may find the burned and dried husk of a dead fox (Crenvalus's familiar), the crumbled remains of several wooden shelves, a scribe's table, and a decaying stack of vellum that contains ancient and unreadable covenant records. The writing on these documents is faded and indecipherable, but its volume suggests it predates the Sundering by several years.

BACKGROUND: THE INNER CHAMBER

This area is where Crenvalus lived out his last hours, and his corpse lies without dignity on the floor. Since he couldn't catch the crafty mage, Pitsdim killed Crenvalus's familiar instead. Mad with rage and thirsty for vengeance, Crenvalus collapsed the entire seventh level, crushing Pitsdim but causing incredible damage to the rest of the covenant, flooding the lower levels and killing many of the remaining magi and their servants. Overcome with guilt, Crenvalus organized a mass grave for those of the fallen who could be recovered. David helped him carry their bodies to the burial chambers below, and then he sealed the tunnel with a solid wall of stone. Then, here in the simple chamber once used for covenant records, he composed his final message before taking his own life.

David stood loyally by his side through all this, and after seeing the wizard fall dead, he said a prayer and took the letter as he had promised, turning to slowly make his way back through the portal that would remain open until sundown. But Crenvalus found himself still standing when his body fell, and in confusion he frantically commanded David to stop, stop, for it seemed he was not dead, and everything was for nothing. Tormented and impotent, he grew furious with David, who stupidly no longer obeyed him, and in the blink of an eye he decided that he must make sure that the captain could not deliver his cursed letter. He quickly closed the portal, sealing David within.

70

Soon, Crenvalus came to understand the intricacies of his new form, though he lost much of his wisdom and became driven instead by paranoia, and he eventually pushed his incorporeal form through the great wall he had created to join the other ghosts in the chambers below. Having seen the devastation and ruin he has wrought, he will not choose to leave the treasure chambers now, but instead remains with his sodales, guarding their precious Bell against those who would steal it.

Once they discover a way past the wall, the characters will find a tunnel fashioned into a ramp that spirals down into the darkness. The walls are very rough-hewn and uneven, as if they were dug out with a huge scoop, and the ramp descends forty feet, making four complete revolutions.

Thoughtful characters (Intelligence + Awareness of 15 or more) will realize that this path will take them below the water line of the flooded well. Characters with Premonitions or similar powers will begin to get a sense that they are in danger from "fire in the air" and "water in the earth" (Ease Factor 3).

If Paulo is still with the characters, you may want to remind them of his unpredictable tendencies by having him yell and begin causing trouble again. Characters should have a chance to remember his violent temper and the power of his war hammer before they proceed down the tunnel.

PERILOUS SUN

Halfway down the ramp is a stylized picture of the sun with three clouds surrounding it etched into the ceiling. Have players make a Perception + Awareness roll of 9+, but roll a separate die yourself. If any players succeed when you roll a 0, tell them that they see the symbol of Calebais instead (a broken crown with three flames), until they examine the picture more closely. This extra roll may throw off players who have come to rely on Perception rolls.

As the first character walks past this motif, a thunderbolt flies from its center and strikes that character's head. If that character is under the influence of active magical effects or has the Gift, two bolts strike instead. Each bolt does +30 damage (a CrAu35 effect, with +25 Penetration), and because it specifically targets the head, the character will be knocked unconscious if this damage causes a heavy wound. In addition, all characters within thirty feet are deafened for several minutes unless they roll a 6 or better on a simple Stamina roll. The crack of thunder is loud enough to be heard from both the council room and the treasure chambers below.

Only the first character to pass the trap is struck, since it only activates once every twenty rounds, but if anyone says "Corona fracta est" (coh-ROH-nah FROCK-tah est, "The crown is broken") while standing beneath the picture, or in fact any sentence in Latin that contains the words for "broken" and "crown," the trap will be disarmed for several minutes.

PERILOUS WATER

Just after the corridor turns again, it will be evident that water is seeping in through cracks in the wall and trickling down the ramp. The rest of the journey is very tricky, because the wet rock is very slick. All characters should make Dexterity + Athletics - Encumbrance rolls against an Ease Factor of 12 to avoid sliding down the ramp (remember to take into account Virtues like Perfect Balance and Troupe Upbringing). Falling characters can catch themselves by succeeding on a subsequent Dexterity + Athletics roll against an Ease Factor of 9, but otherwise they tumble all the way to the bottom and suffer +16 damage.

At the bottom of the ramp are three large caverns, which Perception + Awareness rolls against an Ease Factor of 9 will reveal to be mostly natural. The caverns are already partially submerged with about two feet of water, as a result of the slow rivulet that has been trickling in. This water is very cold, and characters should make additional Fatigue checks as they wade through it.

By the time the lead characters have made it down the ramp, Paulo will begin smashing the wall holding back the water, assuming he is with them and they have not taken steps to prevent what should be predictable behavior. Those who do not recognize the danger ahead of time will reach the bottom of the ramp just in time to hear Paulo's yelling as his first swing hits the wall. They will then have to choose between fleeing back up the ramp to get above the flood, rushing blindly forward, or attempting to stop Paulo.

To either flee up the ramp past Paulo or race down to the relative safety of the far caverns requires a Quickness + Athletics - Encumbrance roll against an Ease Factor of 6. Stopping Paulo is hardly an option at all, since once he has started swinging the characters will have, at most, one round before the rock cracks, and Paulo is probably not within their line of sight. Wizards will have to rush back half the distance and try to fast-cast a spell, and this requires at least a 12+ Initiative roll. Even then, the cracks will be widened a little because of his first blow, and it will be only a matter of time before they burst.

Characters caught in the deluge will be dashed against the stone floor and knocked down into the caverns below, taking +30 damage. If they make it into the near caverns before the wall bursts, they will only suffer +10 damage from battery as the water rushes

in. The caverns will fill almost completely with water, but characters who are able to stay afloat (ditching heavy armor) can eventually work their way out. Retrieving the spoils of the treasure vault at this point will be extremely difficult without powerful Rego magic and either the ability to breathe underwater or some way to drain the area fast enough to keep ahead of the flood.

A great deal of treasure was stored in this room at one time, but almost all of it has rotted away under the still waters. Characters will feel the ground slide about beneath their feet as they wander about. If they start digging through the muck, they will find an assortment of ruined goods: pieces of furniture, metal rods, lengths of chain, carved chess pieces, tattered tapestries, rusted arms and armor, and more. Feel free to reward tenacity by slipping in exotic objects that might be useful in a lab or lead to other stories.

Three large chests sit spaced across the far wall, their lids clearing the surface of the water by about six inches. Massive locks still hold each of these chests shut, and the Ease Factor to pick them is 18 because of rust, though more forceful methods might be easier. Two of the chests hold a sizable fortune of silver coins, and the last once contained the covenant's stores of vis, unfortunately depleted during the Sundering.

Whenever any of the chests are opened, a pair of magical hands similar to those in the spell Hands of the Grasping Earth (ReMuTe15) — will emerge from the ground in front of the chest and grab the ankles of the closest person within five feet. They require a Strength roll against an Ease Factor of 12 to break free, though the water will cause them to deteriorate over time, reducing the Ease Factor by 3 each round. At the same time, two arms of a similar consistency emerge from the wall and begin to pummel the immobilized character with one-two punches (combat totals: Init +0, Attack +7, Defense +4, Damage +8). Each set has +25 Soak and no magic resistance, but hacking weapons do double damage against them. If not otherwise dealt with, they vanish at sunrise or sunset. Fortunately, the grasping hands will probably prevent unconscious characters from drowning, but unfortunately they are not easy to escape, especially while being punched in the face.

CORRIDOR AND PITFALLS

At the north side of the cavern is a corridor twenty feet long leading into the second cavern. In the middle of this corridor is a pit, the effect of which has been somewhat altered now that the area has been submerged in water. It is ten feet across and twenty feet deep, with spikes at the bottom, and an illusion of floor covering it. Characters cannot see this illusion because of the water, and if they step into the pit, they will not sink quickly enough to damage themselves, though they could drown if they are wearing heavy armor. They will need to make Strength + Swim - Burden rolls against an Ease Factor of 6 to make their way back to the surface.

When characters come within ten feet of the pit, have them make a Perception + Awareness roll. A large boulder with accompanying noise will appear behind them, as if it rolled in from somewhere in the other room, and any characters who did not botch their roll will see it coming towards them. This boulder is an illusion, intended to make intruders run towards the pit, but since it was not designed to account for water on the ground, something about it will look and sound odd to characters with a roll of 6 or better. Those with 12 or more on the roll, or anyone who stops to take a close look at it, will perceive exactly what is wrong with it and see through the illusion.

GRANORDA

Granorda loves mortal men and all of the decadent pleasures of life, even in death. Yet despite her specialty in necromancy and her hedonistic interests, she is generally an honest, open woman interested in justice and the survival of all that is pure and beautiful in the world. Underneath her brash exterior she is a caring, compassionate soul who is genuinely concerned for the well being of others.

Granorda needs to feel exonerated for her involvement in the Sundering. She allowed others (particularly Pitsdim) to commit violence that aided her goals, and kept silent about their crimes so long as they served her interests, partly because she disliked Ornath, and partly because she admired Crenvalus (even though she suspected he was responsible for the covenant's troubles). She came to believe that Crenvalus was unworthy of ruling Calebais, but she did not see her own faults and decided that she was the only possible choice to replace him. He killed her with surprising ease after she attacked him in his sanctum, and she still fears him for this reason.

Now, Granorda is also obsessed with her death and her physical remains. She is intimately aware of the power magi have over the spirits and the flesh of the dead, and is frightened beyond reason that her corpse will be violated or destroyed. She cannot help it — she suspects everyone of coveting her remains, and of desiring to commit foul acts with them. She feels incredibly helpless in this regard and is desperate to protect herself. If the characters can somehow seal her grave, she will pass on as soon as she gives up her ties to Calebais. One way for characters to help her with this is to convince her that they would do great good with the Bell. If she believes them, and if they swear an oath not to disturb her corpse, she will give them her blessing

72

and thanks, and soon go to her eternal rest. However, even if she had been their "leader," the other magi will certainly object to this, and they will fight twice as hard to prevent the characters from taking the Bell without their consent.

Crenvalus has a distinct dislike of not being in control of a situation, and in life he took great pleasure in manipulating the actions of other people. It was his constant efforts to take charge of the covenant and his repeated squabbles with Ornath that precipitated the Sundering, and his ill-planned vengeance that made him finally realize he was also unfit to rule. Yet when he realized that death was not the end for him, he found he could not bear the thought of anyone else ruling Calebais, or else he decided he really wanted to continue after all, and acted to ensure that no one would ever disturb the covenant again.

Though he has many weaknesses, Crenvalus was basically a good man who tried hard to preserve the honor of the covenant and the Order of Hermes. Anger comes quickly to him, however, and he has never practiced much restraint. He is also half-mad; though it

The ghosts of three of the magi may be found in this area, either gathered together in the Burial Chamber or moving throughout the caverns. They are each trying to seize control of Calebais from the others while watching over their once mighty covenant's last great treasure, the Bell of Ibyn.

Try to emphasize their interactions as you play them. They have haunted these caverns for fifty years, and have had plenty of time to explore each other's personalities and weaknesses. They know themselves far too well, and for the most part they hate each other. Each would like to put the blame for the Sundering on the others, and they periodically re-enact ghostly battles to achieve temporary dominance. On any given day, any one of the three may be nominally "in charge" of the covenant, though of course this distinction is childish and serves no purpose other than to feed that wizard's ego. The other ghosts will reluctantly yield to their leader, but they will also undermine his or her authority at every opportunity.

may not be apparent at first, his extreme paranoia and xenophobia will eventually manifest with sudden and violent ferocity.

When the characters arrive, Crenvalus will decide that Larine betrayed them. During the events that follow, he may curse her, and this is vital to the story as it reveals the name of the nun who sent the characters his message. If you don't think the players will get the hint, you can have Crenvalus begin to talk to Larine, as if she could actually hear him, or even become convinced that one of the characters is Larine. His last words might be something like, "Curse you, Larine! May you suffer forever if you have given them the key to our mighty Bell!" If this doesn't make the characters curious enough to track her down, nothing will.

If asked about the skeleton in the portal, Crenvalus will try to remain calm and explain that there was an accident; a companion was helping him carry bodies of the fallen to a mass grave, he will say, and became trapped in the doorway. He could not help him because he was already dead by then. He will then quickly change the subject. If David has come with the characters, there will be no time for talk, as a battle will begin immediately once David sees him and begins using his command powers. If confronted and killed by his hand, both Crenvalus and David will be laid to rest, free to go to wherever their spirits ultimately belong.

Hot-tempered and cynical, when Uderzus first meets the characters, he will probably size them up and ask, "Well, what are you waiting for? Don't you know how to loot a treasure trove?" He likes people who are able to accomplish things, and will scorn those who fail. He may indirectly warn the characters that they face more danger here than they think, but after that he will simply wait and watch to see how they deal with it.

If he happens to be the "leader" when the characters arrive, he will feel it is his duty to hinder the party. He will create illusions using both Imaginem and Mentem to misdirect the characters, laughing with glee when they fall for one of his tricks, and giving short, constructive praise when they see through them. If Uderzus is not in charge of things, he will watch from a safe distance, cheering on the characters, and enjoying the show. He will make liberal use of his lance in battle if the characters insist on attacking him, and will sow great confusion among their ranks with spells like Well Without Light.

Uderzus believes Calebais failed because nobody but him was able to do anything productive, and he died early on during a surprise attack on his sanctum. He still has questions about the Sundering, and will not rest until they have been answered to his satisfaction. Firstly, he does not know the details of David's

Magic Might: 45 (Mentem)

Characteristics: Int +1, Per +1, Pre +1, Com +3, Str 0, Sta +1, Dex

0, Qik -2 Age: 95 (40)

Personality Traits: Megalomaniacal +4, Brash +3, Just +2, Kind +2

Combat:

Dodge: Init -2, Attack +0, Defense -2, Damage +0

Soak: +1

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16- 20)

Abilities: Artes Liberales 3 (grammar), Awareness 3 (keeping watch), Charm 5 (common folk), Concentration 5 (spells), Etiquette 2 (nobility), Finesse 2 (Corpus), Folk Ken 2 (men), Guile 2 (faking authority), Infernal Lore 3 (undead), Intrigue 3 (plotting), Local Language 5 (old dialects), Latin 5 (Hermetic), Leadership 2 (intimidation), Magic Theory 3 (spells), Medicine 3 (anatomy), Parma Magica 6 (Corpus), Penetration 3 (Corpus), Philosophiae 3 (natural), Teaching 3 (men)

Arts: Cr 20, In 25, Mu 5, Pe 5, Re 25, An 5, Aq 5, Au 5, Co 25, He 5, Ig 5, Im 5, Me 25, Te 8, Vi 5

Powers:

Ghostly Body, 0 points, constant, Mentem: Granorda is aware she is a ghost, and can turn invisible, pass through walls, ignore physical attacks, and otherwise take advantage of her spirit form.

Ghostly Magic, 1 or more points, -2, by spell: Granorda can make a spell she has cast affect the physical world by spending 1 point of temporary Might per magnitude of the effect.

Ghostly Vis, 1 or more points (special), -2, by spell: Granorda can permanently expend her Magic Might as vis, with each point equivalent to one pawn.

Spells Known:

Charm Against Putrefaction (CrCo10/+49)

Incantation of the Body Made Whole (CrCo40, Ritual/+52)

Grip of the Choking Hand (PeCo15/+31)

Awaken the Slumbering Dead (ReCo35/+51): Animates a Room of corpses (Base 10, +2 Voice, +1 Conc, +2 Room).

Enchantment of my Lover's Eye (ReMe20/+51): Like Aura of Rightful Authority, except that the target acts as if he were in love (Base 5, +1 Eye, +2 Sun).

Coerce the Spirits of the Night (ReMe20/+55)

Incantation of Summoning the Dead (ReMe40, Ritual/+57)

Vis: 9 Corpus in her physical remains

Appearance: Long black hair and a disheveled, dirty black gown are the most prominent features of this well-built woman. She is attractive, but not by ordinary standards; it is her confidence and her mystery that turns heads. Although she walks about as if she were statuesque and queenly, her physical features are much more mundane.

Roleplaying Tips: Be calm, never lose your cool, and until you have made up your mind, treat people with respect. Be interested in good-looking men. Speak with a slight lisp and practice dainty, careful mannerisms. Glance away often, as if worried about something, but refuse to explain if caught. Trust no one, for you have been betrayed before. If you decide that someone is vile and contemptible, you must get rid of that person as quickly as possible.

death, but is suspicious of Crenvalus's "accident." Secondly, while he knows that Pitsdim caused the most damage to the covenant, he wonders why the other magi (especially Granorda and Crenvalus) did not settle their differences to deal with their common enemy. Finally, he believes that Crenvalus did something terrible to the covenant, some great and disastrous spell, but does not know what it was, because it happened after he and Granorda died and Crenvalus will not speak of it.

This chamber contains 22 different corpses hidden beneath the water, five of which are incomplete (only arms, heads, or the like). Characters wading into the room will invariably run

against the strangely well-preserved bodies, but they might not realize what they are at first, and are likely to be distracted by the three ghosts (Granorda, Crenvalus, and Uderzus) that they will probably encounter here.

When they first enter this cavern, they interrupt a discussion (or battle) between the magi to determine who will lead the covenant today. Regardless of the outcome, Crenvalus will eventually see the characters and begin speaking to them. Uderzus, too, will see them (probably before Crenvalus), but unless he is the leader he will remain silent. Crenvalus politely invites them into the chamber, stepping back to make room for them, and magnanimously introduces himself and his two sodales. Uderzus will make a rude comment or two about the characters, warning them through his demeanor that the situation is dangerous, but Crenvalus will soon regain control of the conversation. Granorda says nothing and tries to overcome her

Magic Might: 52 (Mentem)

Characteristics: Int +2, Per -2, Pre +1, Com +2, Str +1, Sta 0, Dex

-1, Qik +2 Age: 115 (40)

Personality Traits: Megalomaniacal +5, Honorable +1, Trusting -3,

Humble -3

Combat:

Dodge: Init +2, Attack +2, Defense +5, Damage +1 Staff: Init +2, Attack +4, Defense +11, Damage +3

Soak: +0

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16- 20)

Abilities: Artes Liberales 2 (logic), Awareness 5 (alertness), Brawl 3, Concentration 5 (spells), Finesse 6 (Corpus), Great Weapon 3 (staff), Guile 4 (manipulation), Intrigue 3 (plotting), Latin 6 (covenant usage), Leadership 6 (intimidation), Magic Theory 4 (spells), Parma Magica 8 (Mentem), Penetration 5 (Rego), Philosophiae 3 (moral), Spanish 5 (poetry), Theology 1 (Bible)

Arts: Cr 5, In 7, Mu 5, Pe 12, Re 35, An 30, Aq 5, Au 5, Co 35, He 5, Ig 5, Im 5, Me 35, Te 30, Vi 5

Powers:

Ghostly Body, 0 points, constant, Mentem: Crenvalus is aware he is a ghost, and can turn invisible, pass through walls, ignore physical attacks, and otherwise take advantage of his spirit form.

Ghostly Magic, 1 or more points, +2, by spell: Crenvalus can make a spell he has cast affect the physical world by spending 1 point of temporary Might per magnitude of the effect.

Possession, 3 points, +2, Mentem: Crenvalus can take over a living body as if it were his own. Each round, the victim may make an Intellegence roll to resist, adding an appropriate Personality trait (e.g. Rebellious). On a 12+, Crenvalus is driven out. On a 9+, the two wills are in conflict and neither may act. Otherwise, Crenvalus may use the body as he wishes, including casting his spells in the physical realm.

Spells Known:

Tossing the Brawling Brute (ReCo10/+70): Throws a person 15 feet in the air or 25 feet in any direction, causing falling damage if a solid object intervenes (Base 4, +2 Voice).

Topple the Brutish Band (ReCo20/+70): As Tossing the Brawling Brute, but affects a Group (Base 4, +2 Voice, +2 Group).

Strings of the Unwilling Marionette (ReCo25/+70)

Confusion of the Numbed Will (ReMe15/+70)

Aura of Rightful Authority (ReMe20/+70)

Enslave the Mortal Mind (ReMe40/+70)

Earth Shock (ReTe30/+65)

The Earth Split Asunder (ReTe30/+65)

Pitsdim's Downfall (ReTe50/+70): Shakes and collapses the ceiling of an entire level of caves to which you have an arcane connection, causing damage to other levels as well (Base 3, +4 Arc, +1 Diam, +1 Part, +5 size).

Vis: 10 Rego in his ghostly staff, if killed by David

Appearance: Crenvalus is a long, lanky, sinewy apparition with dark, bronzed skin and thick, heavy eyebrows. His white hair cascades across his head like a lion's mane, but his eyes are narrow and suspicious, and his smile should seem tense, like a trap ready to spring. He wears simple, well-made robes that are neither humble nor kingly, and carries a plain wooden staff.

Roleplaying Tips: Ensure that every other thing you say is an order of some kind, though not necessarily malicious or pompous ("Get me a chair; my feet grow weary.") React poorly to those who don't show you proper respect, and reject anything that sounds like a command. Give your eyes a haunted look, and stop moving them only when you speak, but take care never to look at a player directly, staring instead at a point directly behind them. You are crazier than you seem; let that slip occasionally. Start to lose it if questioned about David and the magical portal. When you can't take it any more, start screaming (and actually scream, to shock the players), "I should be in charge! I was the last! I survived! I was the best!" Slowly regain your composure, and then begin again.

natural anxiety about visitors, watching them closely to see that they don't somehow trick her or make any sudden moves. She will be interested in them, because she wonders if with their help she would be able to break the stalemate that exists here. Crenvalus does his best to keep talking, and keep the characters talking, continuing conversation for as long as possible before making his move, since his only aims are to find out what they know and then see them dead.

The questions he asks are intended to stall the characters while subtly convincing Granorda that they are a threat and intend to desecrate her grave. For instance, he might say something like "Naturally, you've come here to find valuable resources for your studies?" or "Tell me what you would do with the magic that remains in our covenant, if we allowed you to harvest it." The players should be thinking of vis, while Granorda is thinking of her corpse. Uderzus watches this play carefully, but does not interfere. As he speaks, Crenvalus moves towards the characters, focusing on the one he believes to be the most dangerous. When the time is right, and Granorda has been worked into a state near terror, he suddenly shouts, "I see it all now — they want to

defile your corpse with unspeakable acts and hideous experiments! Quickly, Granorda, wake the dead, wake the dead before it's too late!"

If the characters have been courteous and respectful, and if some of them are very handsome or have Virtues like Venus's Blessing, Granorda might hesitate long enough for the characters to interject and convince her that they seek no such thing. If they have been threatening, have Flaws that detract from their appearance

or are simply not very attractive, or if you and the players just want to play a climactic fight, battle ensues.

Crenvalus will attempt to possess the senior wizard of the group, his spirit rushing through the (hopefully) open mouth. If that fails, he will try to take over other wizards on subsequent rounds. If he succeeds, each round that character fails to regain control he will use his new body to cast spells, using up the character's Fatigue lev-