Satyrs

Faerie Might: 22 (Corpus)

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

Sta +4, Dex +1, Qik +2

Size: +1

Personality Traits: Lusty +5, Hasty +2

Combat:

Kick (non-lethal): Init +1, Attack +7, Defense +7,

Damage +7

Horn and Kick: Init +1, Attack +8, Defense +6,

Damage +11

Javelin: Init +2, Attack +8, Defense +9, Damage +8

Javelin (thrown): Init +0, Attack +9, Defense +6,

Damage +10

Soak: +8

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

Wound Penalties: -1 (1-6), -3 (7-12), -5 (13-18),

Incapacitated (19-24)

Abilities: Athletics 2 (dancing), Awareness 2, Brawling 5 (wrestling), Carouse 6, Charm 2 (taking liberties), Guile 3 (women), Hunt 3 (tracking), Local Language 3, Music 3 (flute), Single Weapon 4

(javelin), Survival 2, Thrown Weapon 3 (javelin)

Powers:

Enrage, 2 points, +0, Mentem: Satyrs can play wild, violent music, giving those who hear it +3 on Attack, Damage and Brave totals for the rest of the scene.

Revelry, 2 points, +0, Mentem: Satyr dancing music makes listeners more riotous and merry, increasing Personality traits like Reckless, Lustful, and Impulsive by 3 for the rest of the scene.

Vis: 2 Corpus in each horn

Appearance: Faerie satyrs are rugged, wild men with two sharp horns in their foreheads and goat's legs and hooves. They are very hairy, their whole bodies covered in short, dark fur, and they often sport scraggly beards. They are also a little larger than normal men. In spite of all this, they are still very attractive in a wild, virile way, for they embody pure masculinity in everything they do.

the most javelins into the neck of the beast without killing it, and so on. They do not eat meat, and they believe it dishonorable to kill unless their opponent kills one of them first. Incredibly lusty, these wild creatures live for the hunt and other earthly pleasures. In battle, they fight with horns and hooves simultaneously, hurling themselves at their enemies with dreadful force.

The eldest satyr, who will introduce himself as Boch, will quietly make the characters' acquaintance and take them aside once they have gotten comfortable. Older and wiser, he speaks the language much better than the others and bluntly asks the characters their business. If necessary, he will facilitate this discussion by playing a drowsy song on his pipes to calm down the rest after they have finished posturing for the newcomers. He assumes the characters have come here looking for the girl, and wants to head off a war without arousing the others' suspicions.

He will admit that she is here if they ask after her, but explains that she is "needed," and that she is their "wife." He can tell the story of how they captured her and what happened during the conflict, and may explain what he can remember about the arrangement with the dryad, mentioned below, if the characters negotiate. If they insist on seeing her, he will take them to her, but cautions that the others are extremely protective of her, and that in any case she cannot leave, for she "belongs with us now."

BACKGROUND: SATYR HOLLOW

These half-men, half-beasts have captured the young woman and set her up as sort of a communal wife. She has shelter that they built for her further along the valley, where she lives apart from them. They visit her when they are feeling lonely, and otherwise see that she is comfortable by bringing her food and drink and warm bedding. At first she did not go willingly into this arrangement, and the fauns were forced to harm both her protector and another who tried to stop them. She has since come to appreciate the influence she has over the creatures, though, for they listen to her and do what she asks, and she is free from the arduous responsibilities that were often imposed upon her at home. This seems to her the perfect place to bear and raise her baby, which will probably be at least part satyr because of the nature of the place.

Before the magi of Calebais set up their magical Veil, the satyrs had a similar arrangement with the dryad who lives in the forest, whereby they would visit her when they wanted company, which suited both parties very well. However, recently (that is, within the last fifty years) she has gone missing. This is dangerous for the fauns; they have become much more aggressive and violent, occasionally staging raids on the covenant by drinking their faerie wine until they are intoxicated and berserk, which

makes it possible for them to run through the Veil without losing their way or being misled by the illusions. They are searching for the dryad, but they never find her (their wine prevents them from seeing illusions, including her), and they have become convinced she is held captive at Calebais. Many of their number have been lost in battle with the strange creatures that live there, and they now have a long-standing grudge that they periodically renew in spite of the danger. Simply put, they are dying out.

Boch suggested that the satyrs capture a wife from the village, as payment for the dryad stolen from them. The fauns dislike the Dominion, but they saw the girl in the forest several times from a distance, and after a few fights to establish dominance, one of the younger satyrs decided to take her. Resolved, he and several others in his hunting party interrupted an angry confrontation between her father and her lover, and the two men attacked the fauns. It was not much of a fight, but one of the satyrs was killed, and so they killed one of the humans in their own form of primitive justice, taking their new bride and their fallen brother with them. Boch regrets this, and will do what he can to help the characters as long as no more blood must be shed.

The woman has drunk their faerie wine and eaten their faerie fruit, both of which have strange effects. Firstly, they accentuate independence and heighten reckless, lustful behavior. Secondly, they inspire a sort of temporary battle-madness, making one less susceptible to trickery and illusion and more inclined to fight. Finally, and most importantly, they prevent mortals from leaving the regio for a whole year. If any of the characters eats or drinks from the satyrs' stores, they too will be affected in this way; they can visit the dryad's palace, the Veil, and the surrounding forest, in fact anywhere within the regiones, but when they try to walk towards the village or follow the dryad into the covenant, they will simply wind up back where they started. Emphasize that the curse feels as if one's blood is racing, like running faster, or like one is "more awake" — this may later help the players piece together how to break the curse.

If the characters somehow manage to rescue the girl, even against her will, the satyrs will feel tricked and angry, perhaps angry enough to attack the village. The characters must realize that this will not address the essential problem, and Boch will do his best to explain this. Sooner or later the fauns will capture someone else, or else they will all be killed off in war with the Hrools, the village, or the characters. If this happens, the region will suffer a terrible affliction, causing all of the animals to weaken and die within a month. In fact, the characters might have seen early signs of this among the villagers' livestock. This could cause unpleasant consequences for the characters as the villagers might come to associate this pestilence with their passing through the area.

Note that Sir Gilbert (below), if he is with the characters, will be very hostile to the satyrs. They look like devils to him. Luc, too, will be frightened and urge Sir Gilbert to attack or at least retreat to the relatively safer ground of their camp. The satyrs have seen the knight and his men, but have avoided them because they do not think they fight fairly, with a horse to run for them and men with harp-strings that throw javelins. They will avoid this battle if they can.

In the meadow just below Two Crag Hill, the characters will meet a knight-errant, his trusted adviser, and his servants, from whom they can gain information about the magic protecting Calebais. These characters might be used later in your saga as occasional visitors to the covenant if they wind up being friends, or as periodic hindrances if they become enemies. They could even be incorporated into the game as companion characters, if you are just beginning and have players who would be interested in them.

During the day, this clearing should give the characters their first glimpse of the famous crags at the top of the hill that marks the location of the covenant. If the sky is clear, the peaks show up hazily against the sky on the horizon like a ghostly gate to another world. A colorful tent striped with red and blue has been erected at the center of the large, open field dotted with wildflowers. A red pennant with a rampant golden griffon flies from the central post, and colored ribbons dangle from the supporting ropes. Tied to one side is the knight's huge warhorse, picketed with the rest of the mounts. His many retainers are spread throughout the clearing, cleaning and cooking, while others may be out hunting in the surrounding woods.

If the characters arrive at night, only one man is hunched over the embers of the fire, his head nodding with fatigue.

This is a much flashier tent than most knights would use in the field, but Sir Gilbert is a flashy knight. Or rather, knight-errant; Sir Gilbert owes no allegiance to an overlord, but also has no land. He does have a horse and arms, and so he is doing his best to make a name for himself as a hero. His current project is to slay the dragon which he has heard lives atop the hill, but so far he has been unable to penetrate the enchantment surrounding it. When the characters meet him, they have the chance to gain valuable information and assistance, but if they prefer a fight they will have little to show for it.

Like most knights, Sir Gilbert is well-trained and well-armed. He wears chain mail, carries a sword and shield, and will mount his horse and charge with a lance if he gets the opportunity. In many ways he is a gentle and kind man, though still bold and brash, and his servants are particularly loyal for this reason. He is afraid of nothing, even wizards, and so fear will not temper his attitude towards unusual strangers. He will find The Gift distasteful in close quarters, however, and will deal with magi as little as possible.

Closely followed by his stubbly beard, his holy sword is his most prized possession. It contains the knucklebone of St. Augustus built into its hilt below the leather straps. This relic gives the sword the following powers:

• I. Sir Gilbert has a divinely based magic resistance of +30.
• II. Three times per day, he can use a point of Faith like Confidence, as long as it serves a good purpose.
• III. The first time each day Sir Gilbert prays for aid, you should consider whether he might receive a miracle. Miracles like these are subtle, and may seem like luck or a coincidence to those with no faith.

IV. Saint Augustus was an abbot known for finding lost relics, and he may lend his influence when Sir Gilbert prays for guidance; for example, he might send the knight a vision of what he seeks in a dream.

Sir Gilbert is careful to show deference to God, despite his bravery. Each week he returns to the abbey to confess his sins and hear Mass, and he sets aside time every night to pray and give thanks for his blessings. This sort of behavior may grate on wizards' nerves, but as he believes himself tolerant of their eccentricities, he will be very offended if they do not show him similar courtesy. Insulting his faith or the Church is one of the few ways characters can make him angry enough to attack them.

LUC

Luc is Sir Gilbert's personal and spiritual guide, an old friend of his family who has taken it upon himself to protect the knight from the intangible dangers of the world. He has much academic and arcane knowledge that he has learned from study and experience, and he doesn't have a great deal of pragmatism. Luc speaks four languages passably well, including Latin, but he is not as comfortable talking as he is listening, a quirk left over from living in silence as a hermit for seven years.

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

Age: 25

Confidence: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Knight; Lesser Immunity (fear), Relic (x3);

Pious; Humble; Visions

Personality Traits: Brave +5, Friendly +2, Honorable +2, Wise -1 Reputations: Brave knight 3 (local area), Pious 2 (local churches)

Combat:

Long Sword and Heater Shield: Init +3, Attack +11, Defense +14, Damage +11

Long Sword and Heater Shield (mounted): Init +3, Attack +14,

Defense +17, Damage +11 Lance and Heater Shield (mounted): Init +4, Attack +13,

Defense +17, Damage +12

Soak: +14

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

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

(16-20)

Abilities: Athletics 2 (climbing), Carouse 1 (staying sober), Charm 4 (gentlefolk), Folk Ken 3 (motivations), Great Weapon 5 (lance), Leadership 3 (small groups), Local Language 5 (straight talk), Magic Lore 2 (creatures), Ride 4 (combat), Single Weapon 5 (long sword)

Equipment: Full chain mail, helmet, heater shield, holy long sword

Encumbrance: 0 (3)

Appearance: Sir Gilbert is a large, burly man who appears slightly unkempt, his hair mussed and his beard slightly untrimmed. He nevertheless has polite manners despite his unrestrained demeanor. He is tall with blue, childlike eyes and straw-colored hair.

Roleplaying Tips: Imagine a friendly, slightly overbearing country sheriff; strap on a sword, and you have Sir Gilbert. He is pleasant company, very good in a fight, and yet still strangely humble. He is pious, but he is also good-naturedly tolerant of things that are strange to him. The characters should find they like him, even if they would normally be at odds with such a figure. Though he is something of a caricature, try to roleplay him as honestly as you can.

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

Age: 50

Confidence: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Priest; Educated, Student of Infernal, Student of Magic; Noncombatant, Vow (celibacy); Close Family Ties, Social Handicap (poor speaker)

Personality Traits: Loyal +2, Skeptical +2, Humble -1

Combat:

Dodge: Init -2, Attack +2, Defense -2, Damage -3

Soak: -2

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

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

Abilities: Area Lore 5 (politics), Artes Liberales 5 (rhetoric), Bargain 2 (books), Chirurgy 2 (setting bones), Church Lore 6 (politics), Concentration 6 (reading), Folk Ken 4 (nobles), Infernal Lore 2 (demons), Intrigue 3 (subterfuge), Latin 3

(written word), Local Language 6 (comprehension), Another Language 3 (heard), Another Language 2 (heard), Magic Lore 3 (legends), Philosophiae 4 (animals), Ride 1 (travel), Teaching 2 (pious students), Theology 3 (biblical passages)

Appearance: Luc is a gaunt, balding, white-haired man with a great deal more spryness to his step than his years would suggest. His aquiline nose and bushy eyebrows give him the appearance of a formidable and impressive personage. Only his gentle eyes and soft but firm voice suggest his years of quiet meditative study. He wears a pendant necklace from which he seems to draw much of his strength of will.

Roleplaying Tips: Play up his pomposity and sense of self-importance by harrumphing after characters say something. Make sharp but contained hand gestures and nervously finger your imaginary pendant. Don't overdo the negative aspects of his personality; at heart, he is a good man.

He loves to be in charge, yet has very strong religious beliefs and a strong desire to do right. If his authority is challenged he will never willingly back down, but if his need for respect is appeased, he is quite easy to deal with and can be quite charming. He carries a bronze pendant, which he has been told contains a sliver of the True Cross. He clutches it when he is afraid, and fingers it when he is unsure. It is probably a fake, but he draws spiritual strength from it anyway.

Luc will intensely distrust characters with The Gift. If Sir Gilbert seems too friendly with them, Luc will compensate with extreme hostility. He will assume the magi have somehow enchanted his lord, and take steps to remove him from their influence if he determines it to be necessary.

If questioned about his personal interest in the ruins of Calebais, he will speak of secrets to be found "in the hill," secrets about which he admits he knows nothing. If he begins to trust the characters, he will tell them about a story he heard of an evil spirit that lived under the hill, who plotted against the king. He would like to guide Sir Gilbert to fight and defeat such a base enemy.

In many ways, Paul is a perfect squire for a great knight: he is diligent, clever, and knows how to mimic the behavior of his master. However, he is also young and inexperienced, and likely to break into conversation at inappropriate times. He can be rather awkward with social graces. He will probably never become a knight; his aptitudes are much more directed towards being a man of the cloth. Paul also admires Luc, whom he serves nearly as much as Sir Gilbert. Fighting doesn't really appeal to him, though; he will only fight to protect his lord.

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

0, Qik +1

Age: 15

Virtues and Flaws: Custos; Carefree

Personality Traits: Excited +3, Servile +2, Brave -2

Combat:

Long Sword and Heater Shield: Init +1, Attack +8, Defense +12,

Damage +9

Soak: +14

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 1 (grammar), Awareness 3 (watching), Athletics 3 (lifting), Brawl 1 (wrestling), Church Lore 2

(politics), Folk Ken 3 (anticipating needs), Latin 1 (formal), Local Language 5 (formal), Ride 1 (long distances), Single Weapon 3 (long sword)

Equipment: Chain hauberk, heater shield, long sword.

Encumbrance: 2 (3)

Appearance: Paul is a competent young man, not yet sixteen with black curly hair. He tries to be the consummate squire, and is both obsequious and enthusiastic.

Roleplaying Tips: Overdo the servility and use your "courtly graces" as much as you can. Try so hard to please others, even when the occasion does not call for it, that you make a mess of things.

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

Personality Traits: Brave +1, Loyal +1

Combat:

Long spear: Init -2, Attack +7, Defense +9, Damage +7 Crossbow: Init -5, Attack +8, Defense +2, Damage +10

Soak: +5

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 (searching), Bows 3 (crossbow), Carouse 2 (camping), Great Weapon 4 (spear), Hunt 5 (tracking), Survival 3 (woods)

Equipment: Full leather armor, helmet, long spear, crossbow

Encumbrance: 2 (3)

SIR GILBERT'S MEN

These are trained foresters and huntsmen, but they will be very afraid of characters with The Gift. They will express their fear through tense anger and hostility, but they will not strike a blow without Sir Gilbert's or Luc's command. They are armed with spears or crossbows and wear leather armor. When fighting together, they will form a double rank and fire on alternate rounds, but raise their spears to meet a charge.

The men standing guard will stare openmouthed when they see the characters approach, because their camp has not been disturbed since they arrived. Eventually Paul, the squire, will call to Luc, the adviser, who is inside Sir Gilbert's tent. At first, only Luc will emerge because Sir Gilbert is busy praying (or is asleep), but he will soon rouse his master when he sees the approaching party for himself, most likely to inform him that a veritable army has descended upon them, if there are more than a few armed characters.

Sir Gilbert will be friendly to strangers, for the most part. He treats visitors as if they were old friends, come to have a cup of wine and a bit of a talk (though this attitude doesn't extend to obvious servants, bandits, wizards, or peasants). He will be astonished if there are noblewomen in the group, and will immediately inquire after their health, their comfort, and what brings them into this dangerous wilderness. He will be very interested in the purpose of the party, and will be intrigued (though wary) if he learns that they are magi.

While Sir Gilbert speaks, Luc will remain at his side, intent that the kind-hearted knight will not be tricked. If he senses The Gift, he will expect deceit and villainy from them. Nevertheless, he is still curious about the knowledge that legendary figures like wizards might possess, and as Sir Gilbert is seeking a dragon, he will attempt to tease any information from the characters that might aid his lord.

Sir Gilbert will openly reveal his purpose and tell what he has learned if he judges the characters to be good people; that is, if they are respectful and courteous, have obvious gentlefolk among them, appear wealthy, or seem like honorable allies. He will reluctantly agree to work with magi so long as they promise to leave the dragon to him, and may invite non-magi to accompany him on his expedition if Luc doesn't object too strongly.

Through diligent prayer and two weeks' worth of experience within the forest, Sir Gilbert has learned valuable information about the Veil. He will share it in pleasant company over a meal

or a few cups of drink. His demeanor is expansive among gentlemen; solicitous and speculative with ladies; and distant to servants, grogs, or those with an unpleasant aura about them.

• I. The dragon surely lives within the hill, for though no one has seen it for many years, he has witnessed black clouds of smoke, and was awoken once by the booming sound of flames exploding up from the hill like a volcano, lighting the night sky for miles.
• II. The woods are perilous, for several times he has gotten lost in them for hours, even with the strange guides that appear to lead him, for they do not take him anywhere that he can find again without their help. Once he managed to return to the campsite by following a white dove, which he believes was sent by God.
• III. He thinks that to reach the hill, the guides must be followed in a specific order, and he has had four dreams in which he followed one: a fox, a spider, a snake, and a squirrel. He believes this is the order in which they must be followed. If he keeps at it long enough, he thinks he will discover the proper sequence. He has faith in the truth of his dreams, but will be pleased if the characters confirm his discovery with their letter. (The letter will make Luc very suspicious, though, and he will certainly ask to read it himself.)
• IV. A stone pylon, inscribed with arcane symbols and weathered runes, stands on the slope nearby. Luc has managed to translate some of the message, but none of it meant much to Sir Gilbert, and he doesn't remember any of it except for one phrase, "the kiss of fire," because that sounds like dragon's breath to him. (Luc translated "Calebais" as "cali[dum] bas[ium].")
• V. There are other strange creatures in the forest. His men have heard large animals, and one claims to have glimpsed a shaggy man with goat's feet. Sir Gilbert thinks he saw something himself one evening when he was returning from the Veil. What he saw looked more like a group of large weasels, one of them standing on its hind legs to smell the

air. He stared at them, blinked from weariness, and they were gone. Sir Gilbert will not tell this story unless they have been talking for a long while, because it seems foolish to him.

VI. There has been no sign of the missing woman. His opinion is that the girl is still alive, for he heard that she had good reason to get married, and that her father had taken the soon-to-be husband out to the forest to teach him a lesson. Perhaps it was the young man who killed her father, inventing a story about demons for protection, and driving the girl into hiding. Instead of searching the forest, he thinks the king's men should be searching the cloisters. He has not visited the site, but believes the reeve is embellishing the story for his own reasons.

At the edge of the southern slope of the hill, just outside of the regio, is a stone pylon about nine feet high. Sir Gilbert, if he is with them, will bring the characters over to see it, since Luc could not understand all of what it says. It is worn and ruinous,

INTRATE IN HANC SILVAM FASCINATUM NON

(in-TRAH-tay in honk SEAL-vahm FAH-skeen-AH-toom nohn) "Enter not this enchanted forest."

NISI VOS SCITIS QUOS DUCES SEQUOR PRIMUM ULTIMUSQUAE ET RESPONSUM AENIGMAE SUI

(NEE-see vohs SKEE-tees kwohs DOO-kays SAY-kwor PREEmoom OOL-tee-MOOS-kwy ET ray-SPOHN-soom eye-NEEG-my SOO-ee)

"Unless ye know which guides to follow, first and last, and the answer to their riddle."

SI OPTATIS NOS ALLOQUOR MANETE IN LOCO HOC UNUS DE NOBIS PERVENIAM MOX

(see ope-TAY-tees nohs ah-LOH-kwor mah-NAY-tay in LOHkoh hock OO-noos day NO-bees pair-VAY-nee-ahm moks) "If ye wish to speak with us, wait here; one of us will be with you shortly."

SI ESTIS SODALES SALVETE AD CALEBAIS

(see AYST-ess so-DAHL-ees sahl-WAY-tay odd CAH-lay-BAH-ees) "If ye be our friends, be welcome to Calebais"

and looks like an ancient artifact of a bygone age. At the top is carved a broken crown and three flames, which characters might recognize as the symbol of Calebais. Weathered inscriptions may be read on each of its four sides (a Perception + Speak Latin roll will give an idea of how much the characters can make out, with a 6+ producing a few words and a 12+ yielding at least the substance of the entire message).

If characters wait beside the marker, one of the guides will eventually approach and beckon them into the regio (see The Veil, below).

BACKGROUND: THE MARKER

When the covenant was active, those who were not welcome and became lost in the regio would eventually be hunted down. Before the Sundering, those who waited at the marker would be perceived through a magic mirror (see page 48), and someone would be sent to show them the way through. The newer effect that Mormulus added to his Veil, preventing Intellego Imaginem magic, made the mirror cease to function, so no one in the covenant will see the characters' approach. The marker is not in any way magical, except that the mirror has a fixed arcane connection to it.

When translating the message for Sir Gilbert, Luc thought that the word "Calebais" might be a name derived from "calidum basium," or "fiery kiss," but it was too hard for him to decipher from context. If players ask how to say "kiss of fire" in Latin, perhaps because of Gilbert's use of the phrase, or if the characters ask Luc about that part of the inscription, they will realize the misunderstanding.

Calebais and the surrouning area are protected against unwanted visitors by a powerful enchantment, similar to the Hermetic spell The Shrouded Glen (ReMe40). It prevents people from entering the covenant and its environs without being admitted by the dryad, who acts as a sort of gatekeeper. Merely wandering through the area will not suffice, as the magic on the mundane level of the forest will turn explorers away without their realizing it, and in the regio the illusions will keep them occupied and confused. It is this "veil" of mystery that Sir Gilbert has been trying to penetrate, with limited success. The characters must find a way to understand the riddle before the dryad will allow them to enter the ruined covenant.

Another effect of the Veil is that it prevents almost all Intellego Imaginem and Intellego Mentem spells in the area from func-

tioning. That is, it reduces the strength of this magic by 60 spell levels. This should cause all spells that could penetrate the illusion or read minds to fail, including Intellego spells that have Imaginem or Mentem as a requisite. This effect covers the entire hill, including the covenant and the dryad's palace.

If characters have the means to identify the magic, they will see at least seven different effects of tenth magnitude or higher. Four are Perdo Vim, one is Rego Mentem, one is Intellego Mentem, and one is Creo Imaginem. They are Ritual-level effects that cover the entire hill and do not seem to have an obvious source. Residual magic might reveal that the Perdo effects are more recent than the others, as they were added only about fifty years ago, while the rest are at least a century old.

This part of the regio also has a Faerie 4 aura, which will boost the characters' spells but will also increase their chances for disaster should they botch their magic.

Once the characters enter, phantom images will occasionally appear one at a time, each speaking a cryptic message in a language every character can understand, and motioning for the characters to follow. Each guide leads them to its "den," an illusory location within the regio. Other guides will then appear periodically, even those that the characters have already followed, each speaking its message and beckoning to the characters. If the characters do not follow any of the guides, no matter how carefully they aim or how accomplished their sense of direction, they will eventually wind up back at the pylon or emerge from a different part of the forest, perhaps even on the other side of the hill.

The secret to the order of the guides is simple: the characters must follow the fox, and from then on they must follow the guide who begins its message with the last word of the previous guide's message. For example, the fox's statement ends with the word "realms," and so the next guide must be the black spider, who begins his statement with "realms." After the spider comes the snake, and so on, until they have followed all twelve guides in order. Then the dryad's image will appear, and ask them for the answer to the riddle.

Remember that the guides will not appear in the proper order. While waiting at a creature's den, characters may be approached by several of the wrong guides before the right one comes along. This may be a random process, or calculated to make the puzzle easier or more difficult. If you have one, a twelve-sided die is useful for this, but don't assign the creatures the number that corresponds to their place in the sequence below or the players might catch on. If the characters lose sight of the guides or leave the dens on their own, they will have to find their way back to the pylon and start over.

On pages 26 and 27 are the guides, their messages, and the brief description of their dens, in the order in which they must be followed. If you photocopy the pages, cut out each of the riddles and give them to the players as they are encountered, it will make this section much easier to run and much, much more enjoyable to play.

If all the guides have been followed in the right order, the image of the beautiful white-haired dryad, dressed in a living gown of leaves and flowers, will appear at the top of the cliff. She calls out to them with a voice like rushing wind and water, saying: "Be welcome, friends, if you can answer the riddle that goes before you. Tell me: What am I?"

The answer to her riddle is a crown (and you might congratulate whoever solves it with a Confidence Point). If the characters guess correctly, no matter how many tries it takes them, she will descend the cliff on a hidden path, and extend her ghostly hand to lead them through the pass to the ruins of Calebais. The trail cannot be seen no matter how hard the characters try, because of the illusion, but if they follow her carefully they will reach the top without mishap.

THE DRYAD

The dryad is bound to Calebais by a bargain she made with Mormulus, whereby she has promised to serve as guide and bearer of the Veil, and the wizard agreed to see that she and her forest were protected from harm. Because of this, she remains bound to the covenant and cannot leave, and, over the years, she has become very lonely. She will welcome guests merrily, and thoroughly enjoy the time she has with them as they try to guess the riddle before she leads them up the pass. It is not their conversation or their appearance that she enjoys, but rather their company; she desires the feeling of having people nearby.

The dryad cannot break her agreement under any circumstances. However, she can enjoy a short respite if a character agrees to take her place as wearer of the Veil for a day and a night. She will agree to this bargain only if the character wears a diadem, indicating that he or she has the authority to command her, or if the character accepts a gift from her in return. All of her gifts will have beneficial effects, but will also curse the recipients with faerie sleep, as described below. A character wearing the Veil can show the other characters through the pass while unconscious, though he or she will not be able to join them in the covenant or leave the faerie regio until the curse is broken.

If threatened, the dryad can bend the forest to her will, but it is unlikely that she will need to do so since she appears at will and is always insubstantial. Nevertheless, if she is somehow

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I. Red fox

It is supernaturally dexterous and svelte, and leaps about a great deal. Its ears are large and pointed, and its den is a large, tangled briar patch. It says:

(Note: those with more than passing knowledge of Hermetic history may remember that Quendalon was said to have gems for eyes.)

III. Tiny Snake

Brightly colored and not much larger than a dagger, this creature leads the characters to a flat rock that sits in the middle of a flower-covered glade. It says:

V. Red Drake

A skittish dragonlike creature without wings, about the size of a pony; its scarlet scales are tinted with gold. Its den is a shallow cave in a small cliff. Its message:

II. Black Spider

This frightening creature is about the size of a small child, covered in stiff hairs. A variety of trinkets and tools hang about its body. It lives in a sinkhole, about twenty feet in diameter. Its message is:

IV. Squirrel

This creature is twice its normal size, with a coat more deeply red than that of other squirrels, and waves its tail in agitation. It lives in an enormous oak tree, and says ""

ifts like me are given only by the holiest of men.

_______________________________________

This guide is hard to follow as it continually disappears behind rocks and trees, only to reappear again somewhere unexpected. Its den is a nest of soft moss with a ray of light shining on it from above, and under the moss (should the characters think to move it) is an etching of the symbol of Calebais: the broken crown in flames. It says:

ithin my compass lay all of Solomon's wisdom.

عد دددددددددد والاعتباد والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتاب والمتا

VII. A Young Man...

...dressed in green, with very dark, distinctive eyes. He is formal and polite, bowing deeply when he meets the characters, and he leads them to a large, ruined cabin built of stone. When he speaks, he says:

isdom is not all that those beneath me are lack-ing.

VIII. Mole

It nuzzles along the ground, never looking at the visitors, and leads them directly to its den, a large mound of earth overgrown with small trees and plants. It mumbles:

acking a center, but round as a wheel, I tumble\ninto valleys and climb sharp peaks.

IX. Falcon

A beautiful yellow and red peregrine falcon, with a golden wire band circling its head, meets and leads the characters by flying over them. Its den is the top of a tall stone column, ten feet high, and a basin at the top serves as a bath for a flock of red-brown sparrows. It cries:

X. Rooster

A plucky, bold bird three feet high leaps out of the bushes, perhaps startling one of the characters. Its comb is not red, but silver, and it jumps in the blink of an eye. It lives beneath a small bush covered in berries, and says:

ome I have again in stone, in great halls hewn by mighty crafters' hands.

XI. Ghost

A nebulous, floating apparition with a raspy voice moves slowly through the forest. It leads the characters to a dark grove of seven trees, barren and littered with needles, and intones:

ands can barely lift my weight, and hearts cannot bear the burdens I bring.

XII. Ermine

A white ferret, walking on its hind legs, brings the characters to the face of a large cliff face, about thirty feet high. It is difficult to understand as it speaks through clenched teeth:

ring me duty and service, for I sit above all the lords of the land, no matter how noble their bearing.

destroyed, the effects of the Veil will end, and all the crops in the region will suffer a terrible disease and waste away, causing seven years of famine. While they may not know the reason, the people in the village may come to blame the characters for this, as their troubles will have started "just after those strange folk came through here," and the characters may subsequently gain a poor reputation that could make its way to the convent in Chapter Three.

If the characters are having a hard time with the riddle, the dryad may encourage them by making the guides speak. Although she is bound not to give away either the solution to the riddle or tell the characters the secret to the proper order of the guides, she can give vague hints or choose the order in which the guides approach, and she might make them appear one after another to emphasize the first and last words of each riddle.

If they are really stuck, the dryad (speaking through the guides) might suggest an exchange: if one of the characters will come to her grove, she will allow that character to take her place in the Veil, and so provide access for the rest of the characters. This exchange has consequences that she does not reveal, though, for that character will fall asleep, and because of the nature of the faerie regio will be unable to leave for an entire year.

In any case, characters should not be able to force their way through the riddle. The dryad will not respond to threats or bribes, and she and the guides are merely illusions. The Veil prevents spells designed to find a direct route to Calebais, and even if the characters climb the cliff face where the dryad appears, they will wind up on one of the crags, still unable to see the covenant or approach the hilltop. Mormulus, the engineer of this illusion, was extremely clever, and there should be no flaw that the characters can exploit.

As a last resort, if the characters wait long enough, a group of Hrools will pass by, led by an ermine Hrool wearing a diadem. They are returning foragers, bearing wood and game. They do not know the secret of the riddle, but wearing a diadem allows the leader to see through the illusions, and thus pass directly through to the covenant. The characters may follow them or try to take the diadem. It will be obvious to anyone who wears this crown that they can see the forest in a new, different way (and feel free to rub it in, after the story is over, that the answer to the riddle was literally right before their eyes).

BACKGROUND: THE VEIL

Mormulus did not wish to remove all contact with the outside world, but he did wish to prevent people from accidentally stumbling upon the covenant. Thus, the Veil was not originally intended to keep everyone out of Calebais, only to present a challenge for those determined to get in. Because of the powers of the Bell, those who wore diadems could sense whenever someone set foot on the hill, and thus would have plenty of time to prepare while visitors were delayed by the riddle. If they won through and were still not useful to the covenant, their memory would be modified and they would be released back into the wood. In the face of a concentrated attack, the dryad would be instructed not to let anyone through, and the invaders would be waited out or hunted down.

The effects of the Veil cover all of Two Crag Hill, which is a Boundary target. It has lasted fifty years, so it must be a continuous effect of a device. Yet devices cannot affect a Boundary, as that requires a Ritual spell. How is this possible? The reason is that Mormulus bound the dryad to his service and enchanted her with the Veil. Her involvement makes it possible for him to target the entire area via a specialized form of magic. While it might be possible for other magi to learn this mysterious art of binding spirits, rules for it are beyond the scope of this adventure.

At the center of the Veil that protects Calebais is the area that contains the dryad's home and her grove of trees. This area corresponds to the top of Two Crag Hill, and overlaps the mundane layer — the covenant — with a regio and a Faerie 5 aura. It is impossible for the characters to find this place without being led here by the dryad herself or by searching for regio boundaries from within the Veil. Note that Intellego Mentem and Intellego Imaginem effects here are also reduced by 60 spell levels, as explained above.

The site is beautiful: there are six trees entwined in a living sculpture, with a large tangle of long roots arching over a round pool formed in the hilltop (the faerie version of the entrance to the covenant). A set of natural stairs made from narrow, straight branches lead up the side of the trees to archways that lead into the inside of their trunks, a series of six rooms that glow with the golden light of polished wood and smell of timber. It is much larger inside than outside. Tables, beds and baths are formed from living vines, leaves and branches, and the palace is unnaturally comfortable, almost decadent.

The dryad is not here; she is bound to the fountain in the covenant and her image in the Veil can only be seen after following the guides in the proper order. She leaves out food and drink for visitors and does not begrudge them helping themselves to her hospitality. The provisions are peculiar: wooden

bowls filled with rich, heady mead, thick and sweet; and wooden plates piled with cold, spiced meats, salty and flavorful. If mortals eat or drink of these pleasures, they soon become very drowsy and fall fast asleep. This unnatural sleep lasts for an entire year. With a lot of effort, characters can rouse themselves into a state of bleary consciousness for a short while (the equivalent of Dazed), but they cannot leave the faerie forest — they fall unconscious before they can cross the threshold — and they cannot be carried out, for they become too heavy to move. This curse is effectively cast by the dryad, and thus very difficult to dispel.

If the characters combine the dryad's hospitality with that of the satyrs (wine and meat, or fruit with mead, or any other combination), both curses will be lifted and the afflicted characters will suffer no further ill effects; they will find that they can easily leave the faerie regio. The two curses counter each other, for one speeds mortal blood and the other slows it down. This is the method by which they can free the satyrs' captive, if they have otherwise dealt with the threat the faeries pose to the village, and it is perhaps the only way that they can circumvent the penalty for accepting the faeries' gifts.

Faerie Might: 45 (Herbam)

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

Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik +2

Personality Traits: Lonely +3, Protective +2, Kind +1

Powers:

Control Herbam, 0 points, +5, Herbam: The dryad can control plants within the Veil, causing them to respond to her command. This is equivalent to a sixth magnitude Hermetic effect.

Infatuation, 1 point, +0, Mentem: By drawing her spirit close to a mortal, the dryad can cause intense desire for her and a willingness to do her will.

Insubstantial Form, 0 points, +5, Imaginem: The dryad cannot be affected by physical things, though she also cannot affect them. This is the only way she can manifest as long as she is bound to Calebais.

Vis: The dryad has no vis, since her magical essence is part of the enchantment of the wood.

Appearance: The dryad is old, white-haired, and wise, but still beautiful and earthy. She wears a living gown of leaves and flowers.

• I. The characters may somehow sneak women into the abbey, which could have the effect of profaning the services, for it is strictly against the Cistercian Rule to say Mass while women are present. This could create a chink through which evil forces can penetrate this fortress of holiness. The divine aura may weaken, and the site could become more vulnerable to infernal attacks. Because of their flouting of tradition, the characters may discover that they have helped a demon gain a hold on the abbey and corrupt it. This demon would probably also be interested in tracking down the characters and corrupting them too, in thanks for their aid, since they seem to be ripe fruit for plucking.
• II. If the characters manage to rescue the young woman, by bringing her mead or food from the dryad's grove, she won't want to return to the village, and she will be desolated if the characters have killed off the satyrs or freed the dryad. She might be convinced to join the characters' covenant. If the satyrs replace her and the characters ignore her plight, she will eventually escape on her own and return to the village, where the abbot will instruct her to join a convent. The characters may encounter her again in Chapter Three, but she will not speak kindly of them to the abbess.
• III. Perhaps the characters cannot find their way out of the Veil, and are stuck wandering the forest for days or even weeks, eating up their supplies and scrounging for food. This will probably make the players good and mad, and could cause rifts between the grogs and their masters. If you're going to do this, go all the way, and play out these scenes in detail. Try to get everyone involved, since this option is likely to inspire a lot of angry character development.

This chapter concerns the inside of the fallen covenant, inhabited by the ferret-like Hrools, strange magical creatures, and the ghosts of many of the former residents. Evidence of its mad destruction is found all about, and while there are signs of its former grandeur, the beauty of Calebais is gone forever. Characters will find much to attract their interest amid the rubble, including exquisite sculpture, enigmatic artifacts, and the sordid and twisted tales of the dead. However, much of the covenant's great wealth has been lost; characters will have to search carefully to find the few treasures that remain and uncover the clues to what happened from beneath the dust of decades. The mood should emphasize increasing fear and brooding mystery, and the best story involves a fine balance between roleplaying with the ghosts and intrepidly exploring the ruins.

Before the characters make their way into the tunnels, there are a few facts that you should make sure the players know. Because of their association with the Order of Hermes, magi and those who serve them would take these things for granted, and emphasizing them will help to bring the most mysterious aspects of the tale of Calebais into sharp relief.

• I. Magi are not allowed to spy on each other with magic. The Code to which every wizard swears states that scrying upon the affairs of other magi is strictly forbidden and punishable by death. This is difficult to regulate, though, since only the wizard who is so violated is aware of it (and not even then, if the spell is powerful enough), and it is very difficult to figure out who was responsible without scrying in return. But Quaesitors investigating a Hermetic crime are allowed to ignore this rule, and so magi who are inclined to break the law must be careful that they leave no evidence that can be magically discovered later.

  • (It is probably this fact more than any other that kept the magi from attacking each other for so long, and why Mormulus's Veil caused such chaos; it led the wizards who began the conflict to believe that they could get away with murder, for they thought no one could ever prove what they had done. If they had considered more carefully, they

• might have realized there are many other methods to reveal their crimes — methods that the characters might employ during their expedition — but they were anxious to take advantage of Ornath's recent departure and acted rashly.)

• II. Magi rarely slay each other, preferring to resolve their differences through certamen, the non-lethal wizard's duel. When they do commit violence upon each other, it is always under very strict conditions — a challenge issued during the full moon, a month of preparation, the conflict itself lasting only a month, and so on — and these conventions are strictly enforced by the Order of Hermes. The customary punishment for killing another magus outside of these conditions is death. (The scale of violence among magi that happened at Calebais is unthinkable, almost inconceivable. It is not surprising that Hermetic investigators would have concluded that the covenant must have been the victim of a powerful and diabolical curse. In a sense, it was, for the diadems have a dangerous side effect that was also partially responsible for their fall.)

• III. Most wizards have a sanctum, designated by a warning mark at the entrance. If a wizard enters a sanctum belonging to another, it may be taken as evidence that the transgressor intended harm. Therefore, slaying a wizard found in your sanctum is generally considered an act of self-defense, and many magi protect their private quarters with deadly magical traps and guardians. Such places, even in a deserted covenant, can be very dangerous to enter. (For a long time, before hostilities broke out, intruders into their sanctums were the only outlets the magi had to practice their destructive magic. Vestiges of these spells remain to harm those who explore what is left of the labs.)

• IV. Strange things can happen in magical places. A magical aura can alter things, living and dead, magical and mundane, and the characters cannot have any sure idea of what to expect. Because of this, as storyguide you have license to freely suspend the natural laws of Mythic Europe and circumvent the rules of the game when they do not support the story you are telling.

(This fact may help players develop a stronger sense of fear and wonder within the broken covenant.)

Once one descends into the ruins of Calebais, there is a Magic 5 aura. As in the forest above, though, all Intellego Imaginem and Intellego Mentem effects anywhere on the hilltop or in the covenant are reduced by 60 spell levels, effectively canceling them, as the Veil of Mormulus covers the entire area. This means that common spells like Whispers Through the Black Gate, Prying Eyes, or Thoughts Within Babble will simply fail without providing any information.