Baron Geoffroi D'Arques

"I have been to the Holy land and I have seen the armies of God and our enemies massed in numbers beyond counting, but this ... this is beyond comprehension. It brings an ache to my mind. And yet I must have more of it."

– Geoffroi d'Arques

This chapter presents the Baron Geoffroi d'Arques, a mundane knight and landed noble who becomes fascinated with all things supernatural. His fascination soon turns to greed and jealousy, and he sees little difference between the forces of the Divine, Faerie, Magic, or the Infernal. He gradually turns his court over to supernatural forces, filling his woodlands with magical beasts captured from afar, replacing his loyal servants with those gifted with supernatural abilities, and inviting magicians of all kinds to serve as his counselors.

Unlike some of the other antagonists in this book, Geoffroi starts as, and retains the potential to be, a valuable ally. But his hunger for knowledge concerning things beyond his own world is dangerous and proves likely to bring trouble to the covenant's door time and time again.

Baron Geoffroi d'Arques is a wealthy nobleman holding lands surrounding his birthplace of Arques in the Duchy of Normandy in addition to those closer to the troupe's covenant. His upbringing was typical of a Normandy noble, and he is steeped in politics and war. His father built a fortune by backing the winning side when King John lost his French holdings, but Geoffroi is astute enough to know his limitations: he is no great politician, but he is a superb soldier and is known on the tourney circuit throughout France.

He is married, with several children (both legitimate and illegitimate) and few enemies. The lands he holds are split between Arques and a few sizable manors near to the troupe's covenant. Having ignored these distant manors for some time, he is keen to exploit them financially and provide the proper oversight and governance as befitting a baron. It is this effort that brings him into contact with the covenant.

So far, Geoffroi has not knowingly encountered the supernatural except in story and song. He has always held a firm faith in the Lord and is a naturally God-fearing man. But faeries and unicorns? He has so far seen them as idle distractions for children and troubadours. All that is about to change.

As presented here, Geoffroi d'Arques is a lesser baron holding 10 manors and owing service for 10 knights and 100 infantry men. These lands are split between

The statistics below represent Geoffroi at the beginning of his journey, just as his fascination begins. As a mundane opponent he poses little personal threat to magi and his Ability scores change little throughout their entanglements, with the notable exception of his increasing knowledge of the supernatural realms.

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

Size: 0 Age: 32 (32)

Warping Score: 0 (1) Confidence Score: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Landed Noble, Knight; Wealthy; Driven (Learn all there is about the supernatural), Oath of Fealty; Reckless

Personality Traits: Driven +3, Brave +2, Chivalrous +1

Reputations: Prudhomme +3 (nobles of England and France), Excellent soldier +2 (the continental tourney circuit), Lord of Arques +2 (Normandy population)

Combat:

Dodge: Init –2, Attack N/A, Defense +2, Damage N/A

Fist: Init –2, Attack +5, Defense +3, Damage +1

Lance and heater shield (mounted): Init +0, Attack +14, Defense +12, Damage +6 Long sword and heater shield: Init +0, Attack +12, Defense +11, Damage +7

Long sword and heater shield (mounted): Init +0, Attack +15, Defense +14, Damage +7

Great Sword: Init +0, Attack +13, Defense +8, Damage +10

Soak: +11

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

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)

Abilities: Animal Handling 3 (falconry), Area Lore: Arques 3 (nobles), Artes Liberales 2 (arithmetic), Athletics 2 (running), Awareness 3 (battle), Brawl 2 (fist), Charm 2 (first impressions), Chirurgy 1 (sword wounds), Etiquette 3 (noble), French 5 (giving orders), Great Weapon 4 (great sword), Hunt 4 (deer), Intrigue 4 (noble courts), Latin 3 (church ceremonies), Leadership 4 (in battle), Music 2 (singing), Ride 5 (in combat), Single Weapon 5 (long sword), Survival 1 (forests)

Equipment: Superior quality (+1 soak) full chain armor, Superior quality (+1 attack) long sword, Superior quality (+1 defense) heater shield *, Great sword, an appropriate horse for every occasion

Encumbrance: 3 (4)

Appearance: Smart, clean-shaven, erect, and conspicuously wealthy, he wears the finest of everything, from his armor to his traveling clothes, from the sword at his waist to the gold rings upon his fingers. He also ensures that his horse is second to none along with its saddle, tack, and barding.

Geoffroi has the Wealthy Virtue, which allows him three seasons a year to spend as he wishes. This translates into a total of 20 experience points each year, which is gained as follows:

• Two seasons of being taught, assuming a quality of 7, for a total of 14 experience points across one or two Abilities
• One season of practice, assuming a quality of 4, in one martial Ability
• One season of exposure, giving 2 experience points in an Ability appropriate to running his estate, such as the local language, or in Order of Hermes Lore as he begins to learn more about his Hermetic neighbors.

After improving his grasp of Latin, he gains tuition in the four realm lore Abilities as soon as he is able, which requires suitable tutors. But one thing he cannot do is learn any of the Supernatural Abilities that his guests bring to his court. It is a source of frustration to him, but he contents himself by retaining those with gifts so that he may call upon them at will. In truth, as driven as he is to learn about magic, he is too much the master of his domain to serve as the apprentice that the various initiations demand. And so they fail.

* The bonuses for superior arms and armor have been factored into the combat statistics above.

The Ability Block Flaw prevents a character from learning Abilities of a given category, such as martial or academic. Applying it to supernatural Abilities is a potentially contentious use of the Flaw as the learning of supernatural abilities normally requires one of two things: a Virtue such as The Gift or True Faith, or an Initiation to grant the character the Virtue associated with the desired Ability.

For characters with The Gift, this particular Flaw could prove too restrictive, while for others with no intention to learn Supernatural Abilities, the Flaw provides no penalty at all. As such, use of this Flaw should be carefully considered by your troupe.

In Geoffroi's case, this restriction is integral to his character. He attempts a number of Initiations but gains no benefit, largely through being unwilling to fully commit to the change in outlook and behavior implied by the Initiation — remember, his status means that he is not good student material. You may decide that this is an appropriate use of the Ability Block (Supernatural) Flaw, in which case you should balance it with the Temporal Influence Virtue to represent his political clout.

Geoffroi's story provides troupes with the opportunity to explore material presented in a range of supplements. Of particular relevance to Geoffroi himself is Lords of Men, which, as well as exploring the lives of the nobility, contains a chapter discussing Hermetic interference in lordly affairs. And as Geoffroi is intent on bringing wizards, sorcerers, and beasts from all of the realms to his court, each of the realm supplements and Hedge Magic Revised Edition can be used for these workers of magic. In addition, Art & Academe presents material supporting mundane experimental philosophy and astrology and the works of supernatural artists, while City & Guild supports magical craftsmen.

Given the number of different hedge traditions available in Ars Magica Fifth Edition, storyguides should use as much or as little as they like from these resources, or indeed any of the Tribunal books. Geoffroi provides an opportunity for troupes to explore these traditions as any character touched by the supernatural would likely find a place within Geoffroi's court, from a faerie-blooded fisherman to a Levantine sahir.

his original home in Arques and his manors near the troupe's covenant. Geoffroi has not yet been resident in his new manor for long enough to learn the local language. If your saga is set in Normandy or near Arques, then simply move Geoffroi's original holdings elsewhere.

However, given the far-ranging political connections enjoyed by the nobility, Geoffroi may feasibly appear as a noble almost anywhere. There's a degree of flexibility in what rank Geoffroi enjoys, where he's based, and how much power and influence he commands. But at minimum, he should be wealthy enough that he can devote time to his newfound pursuits, secure enough in his lands that he need not be concerned about his neighbors, and hold lands both locally and some distance away, in order to allow for frequent periods of absence.

The lands near the covenant may have only recently fallen into his hands: as a dowry from his marriage that he has yet to exploit; inherited from his father or an uncle; or won through right of conquest or tourney. For whatever reason, the lands have recently become important to him, and Geoffroi is now keen to exploit them.

Although Geoffroi's story plays out over a number of years, Geoffroi can easily be added into existing sagas. All that's needed is for him to inherit some land near the troupe's covenant and decide to take an active interest.

Both Geoffroi's current and future success among the local nobility depend in large part upon his family. He has made an advantageous marriage and fathered several children whom he can marry off when they reach maturity to consolidate his power and wealth. But family can also be a liability, especially as Geoffroi incautiously pursues his supernatural fascination.

The Lords of Men supplement provides a way to randomly generate a character's living children (page 9). Using these rules as a base, Geoffroi has the following offspring at the start of his story:

• An illegitimate son aged 12 by a woman of low birth. His existence is openly acknowledged and he has a Loyal trait of +2 in Geoffroi's favor. Named Guillaume, his education iscurrently taking place on the Normandy tourney circuit.
• An illegitimate son aged 10 by a married woman of rank. He has a Loyalty trait of 0, probably resulting from the resentment of his mother toward Geoffroi. Named François, he is a member of his unknowing stepfather's household. Geoffroi and the boy's mother suspect the truth of his birth, but they cannot be sure.

• Two legitimate daughters, ages 5 and 3, who for their formative years can be considered to have a Loyalty trait of +2. Their names are Joie and Viollette.

Mother to the legitimate children, and very much part of Geoffroi's household, is Ysabeau. Statistics have been provided for Ysabeau below.

It may be important to track the ages of the above children as details of Geoffroi's family have the potential to provide unscrupulous or cunning characters with leverage with which they can influence Geoffroi's behavior.

Geoffroi's court at first looks much like the courts of other nobles of wealth and rank. But even before his obsession with magic, it is clear that he has an eye for the unusual. His arms and armor, for instance, are of superior quality, an indication that he is prepared to pay for the best.

The key theme for this antagonist is the accumulation of magical resources. As such, every time Geoffroi is introduced into a story after his initial encounter, either as antagonist, protagonist, or supporting character, he should have some obviously new magical accoutrement to which he is keen to draw attention. Geoffroi himself will certainly draw parallels with Sicily: scholars from multiple cultures or in this case magical traditions — welcomed and working within the same court.

The two key mundane members of Geoffroi's court are his steward Claude, and Geoffroi's wife Ysabeau. Claude is loyal to his master to the bitter end and cannot be turned by mundane means. But Ysabeau's primary concern is for the safety and prosperity of her children and she could potentially be a weak link to be exploited by the player characters.

As the years pass, Geoffroi's court comes to be dominated by those who know a little about magic, have supernatural abilities, or are members of a hedge tradition of some form. The culmination of this is an eclectic mix of magicians, each keen to learn from strange and unfamiliar traditions. For the most part, since each hedge tradition either requires an individual's Gift to be opened in a particular way or for the individual to undergo ritual Initiations, this is restricted to exchanging knowledge of the four realms, knowledge of the Order of Hermes, and the history and capability of each member tradition.

Most of the members of Geoffroi's council are unGifted members of their traditions. This is simply due to the negative social implications of The Gift. But there may be one or two who benefit from the Gentle Gift Virtue, and these would likely take prominent and guiding roles within the council.

However, as enlightened as the council sounds, its prime communal concern is extracting as much from Geoffroi as possible. They act as his counselors and guide him, but at the same time they manipulate him and ensure that he sees the world as they wish him to see it. As long as they provide him with trinkets and baubles he provides them with security and resources with which to expand their arts; they enjoy the effects of the Wealthy Virtue while members of his court, which brings with it an extra season to spend in study.

There are more potential hedge wizard characters than can be accommodated in this chapter, but some sample ideas along with some specific goals are presented here. Each of these hedge wizards, and each of those not listed that you might introduce, brings their own resources and creates yet more at Geoffroi's request. You can assume one average-quality tractatus on Magic, Faerie, or Infernal Lore for each practitioner at court. You can also assume that astrological inceptions and philosophical formulae will be developed at a rate of one or two each year. Some hedge wizards have the power to enrich objects of virtue, and you can assume a new enriched object once per year. Other enchantments may take longer, so assume 10 levels of enchantments per year. Specific examples are provided at the end of this chapter.

Learned Magician

Ádhamh Brathair (EWE BRO-hur) is a learned magician from Hibernia with the lofty aim of developing a unified theory of magic built on sound philosophical principles. He applies himself to researching the magic of his fellow wizards and to the breakthroughs needed for his new grand theory.

Goetic Sorcerer

Desperate to escape a dark fate, Dominici Viterbo tries to hide himself within the council. But he cannot outrun the de-

Ysabeau is Geoffroi's loyal wife and mother to his three legitimate children. As a minor supporting character she has few Virtues and Flaws listed but storyguides should feel free to enhance the character if they want to make her more prominent.

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

Size: 0 Age: 25 (25)

Warping Score: 0 (0) Confidence Score: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Gentlewoman; Educated, Privileged Upbringing, Temporal Influence; Dependent; Humble

Personality Traits: Humble +2, Protective +2, Honest +1

Reputations: Geoffroi's wife 3 (within the county)

Combat:

Dodge: Init –1, Attack N/A, Defense –1, Damage N/A

Fist: Init –1, Attack +2, Defense –1,

Damage –1 Soak: –1

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

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)

Abilities: Animal Handling 1 (horses), Area Lore: Arques 2 (personalities), Artes Liberales 2 (music), Awareness 2 (alertness), Carouse 2 (staying sober), Charm 5 + 1* (first impressions), Etiquette 5 (nobility), Folk Ken 2 (nobles), Guile 3 (avoiding offence), Latin 4 (church ceremonies), Leadership 2 (servants), Local Language 3 (local dialect), Music 3 (sing), Norman French 5 (Arques dialect), Organization Lore: Household 3 (personalities), Ride 3 (recreation)

Equipment: Elegant Gown, superior quality gold necklace

Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Appearance: Ysabeau is an attractive

young woman who carries herself with confidence around her staff but is both humble and demure in front of her husband and visitors to the court. She is always dressed elegantly and one of her favored possessions is a superior quality golden necklace, a recent gift from her husband.

Throughout the covenant's dealings with Geoffroi and his court, Ysabeau's priority is the protection of her children. She loves her husband but as his obsession with the supernatural gathers pace she can be persuaded to favor her children's future over that of her husband.

Ysabeau knows of Guillaume, Geoffroi's eldest illegitimate son, but does not know of Francois.

* The +1 bonus is granted by the superior quality gold necklace she wears. This applies to all first impression Charm rolls.

mons of his past and they soon find him. In teaching others, perhaps he can make right the mistakes he made and cleanse his own arts of corruption.

The Diabolist

Hannelore, a student of the Maleficia, brings her own infernal magic to the council seeking protection from Hermetic enemies that she made in the past. Wanting a direct route to influence, she looks to supplant Ysabeau in Geoffroi's affections.

Itinerant Sahir

Jabir Al-Qazwini is an Arabic magus who has traveled from afar in search of the "council of the wise" promised to him by a powerful spirit of the sands. Believing he has found it, he stays to learn but seems oblivious to Geoffroi's decline and the growing power of the council.

Disguised Faerie

A faerie in the guise of a wise woman, taking the name Dorothy Anning, using pretenses and powers in place of magical ability, infiltrates the council to learn how the world of men uses its power for the betterment of others.

Failed Apprentice

Denied his rightful place within the Order, Carles Peregrinus, a failed Hermetic apprentice, finds new friends in Geoffroi's growing council, a council he intends to dominate with his strong Entrancement power.

The Elementalist

Edwin Locke views meeting practitioners of other traditions with academic interest. He is the most likely candidate to approach other wizards and attract them to Geoffroi's court.

Additional Concepts

Others touched by magic, but less powerful than those above and unlikely to have a place within the council, may include:

Claude is Geoffroi's steward, a trusted retainer tasked with many of Geoffroi's affairs. The players are often as likely to encounter Claude as they are to encounter Geoffroi himself.

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

Divine Resistance: 15

Size: 0 Age: 28 (28)

Warping Score: 0 (4) Confidence Score: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Clerk; Guardian Angel; Clear Thinker, Sharp Ears, Strong-Willed; Oath of Fealty; Missing Hand, Noncombatant, Temperate, Weak Characteristics

Personality Traits: Loyal +3, Taciturn +2, Frivolous –1

Reputations: Geoffroi's right-hand man 2 (within Geoffroi's court)

Combat:

Dodge: Init –4, Attack N/A, Defense –4, Damage N/A

Soak: +1/+6*

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

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

Dead (21+)

Abilities: Area Lore: Arques 3 (personalities), Area Lore: Local 1 (geography), Artes Liberales 2 (logic), Profession: Steward 4 (noble manors), Church Lore 3 (personalities), Local Language 5 (local dialect), Etiquette 2 (nobility), Folk Ken 3 (nobles), Guile 2 (discerning lies about his master), Intrigue 2 (alliances), Latin 4 (academic usage), Leadership 2 (household staff), Norman French 5 (County of Rouen dialect), Philosophiae 2 (moral philosophy), Theology 3 (biblical knowledge)

Equipment: A simple habit in the style of a monk, wooden crucifix, pouch of money usually filled with sufficient for most expenses.

Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Appearance: Claude is of average height and slight build. His head is shaved clean and his face is long and dour. But his most distinctive feature is his right arm, missing at the elbow. He wears his habit with the right sleeve folded and pinned to fully contain what remains.

Claude de Fécamp was schooled at a Benedictine monastery, but has been part of Geoffroi's household for the last six years. His first year with the baron was a troubled time, and Claude resented both his master's wealth and his own subservient position. He angered many, treated others with contempt and scant regard, and made few friends. One evening he was set upon by persons unknown. He was severely beaten and would have been killed but for Divine intervention. An angel enfolded him in its light and confronted Claude with the mistakes that had brought him so low.

This event changed Claude's life forever. He reaffirmed his loyalty to Geoffroi, put aside his wayward habits, and dedicated himself to his duties. And in return, the angel promised that Claude would be protected from the world so long as he remained true. Those in Geoffroi's household now barely remember Claude as he was and only pay respect to the man he has become: loyal and temperate.

* Claude's soak score includes the +5 bonus granted by his guardian angel. This same guardian angel also grants Claude a magic resistance of +15 aligned with the Divine while he acts in accordance with God's ineffable will.

• A mundane astrologer and philosopher skilled in the creation of astrological inceptions who wants to learn true magic.
• A blind beggar cursed with prophetic visions that haunt his dreams. What he would give for one sight to be exchanged for another.
• A young boy who sees ghosts, and the mother who spirited him away from their frightened village.
• A faerie-touched armorer with exceptional skill, who needs somewhere to work, funds to refine his workshop, and someone to deal with the faerie that continually tries to steal back its tools.

Geoffroi wants to learn everything he can about the supernatural world. Having had his eyes opened to the possibilities that exist, he wants to explore the things that his peers ignore, he wants to embrace ideas that others find disturbing, and he wants to support practitioners of arts that other nobles and churchmen consider dangerous.

His motivations for this are threefold. First, there is simple curiosity. For most people, of any social standing, the supernatural is only a source of stories and folklore alone. And although almost everyone has had some kind of brush with the supernatural, few take an interest and most do their best to avoid it. But Geoffroi is an intelligent and inquisitive man, blessed with large secure estates, and the time and resources to devote to his interests.

Second, nobles should be seen to use their wealth in displays of conspicuous consumption. Nobles often sponsor artists, build castles, or fund churches and cathedrals. All these things provide projects in which a noble can invest and produce a lasting legacy. For Geoffroi, the art of magic is no different. He sees sponsoring a magical craftsman to be more prestigious than a mundane artist, creating an enchanted painting rather than a thing of dull and lifeless materials. As Geoffroi sees

An itinerant doctor, skilled in the elemental arts, enters the noble's court and makes himself very much at home. None seem to have a bad word to say about him and a sense of levity spreads throughout the court. Of course, they've all been brought under his spell as he manipulates

their humors, inclining them toward the sanguine and ingratiating himself into the bargain. Even when the noble's riches start going missing, none suspect such a good friend of the court — apart from the phlegmatic steward, who resolves to find someone who will listen to him.

it, a noble who can command the work of an enchanter or wizard can become famous. He could provide unusual or even magical items as tournament prizes, generous gifts to political allies. He can also maintain a subtle threat to those who count themselves as opponents.

And third, there's the sheer utility of funding the work of magicians. Geoffroi believes that he can direct their work for the good of his estates. If he can find the right magician, his crops could grow faster and stronger. Find the right astrologer, and the thoughts, intentions, and weaknesses of political opponents can be laid bare. And by employing the right craftsman, he can secure victory on the fields of tournament and battle by using enchanted arms and armor.

The first encounter with Geoffroi is intended to introduce him as a reasonable, curious, and educated man. It should affirm his role as a strong and secure landed noble, but also make clear his lack of experience with the supernatural. The encounter should also conclude in such a way that Geoffroi is left to ponder the possibilities of the supernatural world. He does not need to part company with the covenant as an ally, but neither should he be an immediate enemy.

The following ideas are all suitable for early interactions with Geoffroi as he starts to understand that there are worlds beyond his mundane comprehension. The storyguide should select one of the following encounter ideas to be the first encounter with Geoffroi, and then decide which of the others can be used to explore Geoffroi and his lands.

• A magical stag flees Geoffroi's woodland chase and arrives at the covenant, pursued by Geoffroi and his hounds. It is not powerful enough to overcome the covenant's Aegis and so is trapped, unable to reach safety and unable to outrun the noble's dogs. The stag has little to offer to the magi, given its low might and lack of power, but can the magi stand by and watch while the noble kills a beast from the magic realm? Geoffroi, of course, demands the return of the stag. But he is curious as to why the beast ran to the covenant, who the strange scholars are, and what kind of arrangement they might reach.
• A case of demonic possession is suspected in one of Geoffroi's manors, and every priest and monk available has been unable to release the poor victim. Geoffroi goes looking for specialists in the field, but once the magi from the covenant have been brought in, it is soon apparent that the demonic spirit has moved to a new host. The magi must find the demon and deal with it before its plan reaches fruition, and it is taken inside the covenant by an unwitting grog.
• A farmer in Geoffroi's estate was woken one night by a great crashing sound coming from his hayloft. He found the roof caved in, and the walls battered almost to the ground. As he searched for the cause of the damage, he found a large stone, as smooth and as rounded as an egg. But he could not

lift it. Nor could his neighbor. And nor could a team of oxen tethered to the stone. Geoffroi was called to see the stone, but has no answer. He cannot simply leave his tenants to deal with the problem, and so must seek people who might have some experience in such matters. What is the stone, who or what left it there, and how can it be safely moved?

• A strange leper from a distant land passed through Geoffroi's holdings not long ago. He claimed to be on a pilgrimage, and was seeking alms and the kindness of strangers to support himself. Geoffroi ordered that he be driven from his estates, and that no man, woman, or child give the man aid. They say that the leper cursed Geoffroi as he left, and his son has since taken deathly ill, with seeminglyno cure to be had. And then Geoffroi was told of some scholars who may be able to help. Can the magi of the covenant lift the curse? Or do they need to track down this leper (in truth, a wandering magus of House Tytalus) and force him to end whatever strange magic he has woven?

The first encounter with Geoffroi should leave him wanting to know more about the worlds beyond the mundane, but with a feeling of distrust toward his Gifted benefactors, and a sense that perhaps there might be others more amenable.

The methods Geoffroi uses to conduct his search for magical knowledge include acquiring books, tutors, items of virtue, faeries, and so forth, as well as introducing new arrivals to his court. But this focus on the supernatural is balanced by a growing neglect of his mundane responsibilities. In developing Geoffroi and his story, it is important that story seeds from both sides are represented.

Storyguides should not feel obliged to run all of the stories suggested in this chapter, but at least one from each category is recommended, to show a progression in Geoffroi's story. Many of the items can be repurposed as news updates to keep an interested covenant council informed as to his actions; the information may gained through infiltration, intrigue, or magical scrying.

The following events represent Geoffroi's growing interest in and connection with the supernatural.

The Library

The first stage in Geoffroi's growing interest is to accumulate books discussing, and artifacts from, the four realms. He approaches the covenant in order to buy books or copies of books to stock a growing library. In particular, he is intent on acquiring books of spells, believing that all he need do to cast them himself is to learn them. The following events can be used to show Geoffroi's acquisitions:

• The noble attempts to buy works from the covenant, commission new works, or acquire a tutor to teach him about the magic realm. If the covenant refuses, though he is angered, he asks that he be recommended to another school of wizards, in the hope that they might help him.
• Geoffroi has made contact with a merchant in the city who claims to be able to acquire magical texts. But the noble, mindful of his inexperience, asks the covenant to act on his behalf in verifying the authenticity of the texts. He is prepared to pay a handsome sum for genuine works, but needs a skilled eye to evaluate them. The merchant does indeed have texts to sell, but they discuss Infernal Lore. Do the magi really want these to fall into Geoffroi's hands? In fact, do they want them to fall into anyone's hands? And how did they come into the merchant's possession?

• Geoffroi's messengers start collecting stories of magical auras and regiones. He then decides to visit one. He is gone a week before his steward Claude approaches the covenant for help in finding his master, who is eventually tracked to the court of a powerful faerie. Geoffroi finds himself locked in a game of chess, with the lives of his companions at stake. Can the magi save the noble and teach him not to meddle in things that don't concern him?

At the end of this first period of Geoffroi's interest, he has started a collection of grimoires, bestiaries, and strange and unusual objects. This collection could be studied as individual books or as realia (Covenants, page 102) by enterprising magi.

The Hunt

The hunt is a key leisure activity for the nobility, so it is an obvious choice when Geoffroi looks to bring magic to his court.

• Geoffroi asks the covenant to supply him with, or breed on his behalf, a pack of hunting dogs with unnaturally sharp hunting skills. As ever, he is willing to pay. If he has had contact with any of the covenant's familiars in the past, he is unwilling to take no for an answer, and is likely to become belligerent.
• If Geoffroi and the covenant have clashed over the previous event, he approaches the covenant again in a more conciliatory manner. Having heard stories of a sounder of wild boar, apparently touched by the faerie realm, he invites the magi on a hunt with the intention of capturing as many of the animals as possible. By this stage, Geoffroi has learned that wizards do sometimes prize certain parts of magical animals, and he offers them the first choice of cuts. If the magi refuse the offer, the hunting party eventually returns, having suffered casualties and lost one of their number in the woods. Can the magi now be persuaded to help?
• Recognizing the danger of facing magical animals on their own territory, he intends to capture some alive, and stock his own estate with them.

He casts around for news of beasts of virtue or of legend, and then offers a bounty for any brought to him alive. Does the covenant have any beastly allies that might be endangered by his actions? Do they have any vis sources that might be put at risk? On the other hand, are they happy instead to use Geoffroi's resources to hunt one of their own deadly foes?

• A young man claims sanctuary at a local church, having run from Geoffroi's lands. After staying under the protection of the church for several days, he pleads with the priest to help him reach the nearby covenant. Geoffroi's men stationed outside the church will not let him leave unmolested, claiming that he is a thief and a murderer. The priest asks the magi for help in protecting the man. Once in the covenant's protection, the man confesses that he is cursed to take the form of a wolf upon the full moon, and that Geoffroi intends him to be the prized quarry in a magical hunt. Eventually, Geoffroi arrives demanding the release of the accused into his custody.

At the end of this series of encounters, the magi should be under no illusion that Geoffroi is taking his interest a little too seriously for comfort. While not yet dangerous to the covenant, he is becoming a nuisance.

The Tournament

The tournament is where a noble can truly show off his wealth, popularity, and influence. As an entrant, the noble can take to the field at the head of a large retinue and team of knights fighting under his colors. But as a sponsor and patron of the tourney, he can dictate the terms of the event, decide upon winners and losers, and demonstrate his largesse by awarding sumptuous prizes. For this purpose, Geoffroi commissions a number of prizes from the covenant magi. He asks for an enchanted sword, a golden cup of grandeur, a horse of virtue fit for riding, and a magical hawk, though he is also open to suggestions for alternatives. He also inquires about magically enhanced entertainments, so that he may present the most unusual and surprising feast to his guests. He is willing to pay handsomely for any assistance.

Geoffroi plans his tournament a year in advance, which should give the magi time to work on any laboratory projects that they choose to undertake on his behalf. It is likely to take place in the spring or summer, to take advantage of the finer weather.

If your covenant is in the Stonehenge Tribunal, or another where tournaments are looked down upon by the kings and princes of the land, then Geoffroi will ask the magi what he must do to secure favor with the king and gain permission to host the tournament. This is an outright request to use magic in order to spy on a powerful noble of the realm. If the magi refuse or are unable to find out for him, Geoffroi will approach an astrologer who will help through horoscopes and astrological inceptions.

The tournament is an opportunity to show Geoffroi beginning to find his own magical resources with the introduction of a magical swordsmith. He will introduce the smith to the covenant, and ask that he be permitted to work within the "beneficial air" inherent to the covenant. The swordsmith is happy to discuss his

art with learned men, though he himself is a peasant and somewhat daunted by the wealthy, especially those with The Gift. Is there anything that the Hermetic magi could learn from the craftsman? Having seen his art in action, are they happy to release him back to Geoffroi, or could they find another use for him?

Nearer to the time of the tournament, he also asks for specific aid for his own team of knights. And of course, he offers the covenant an invitation to enter the tournament under their own banner.

But being seen to help Geoffroi in this manner may prompt his rivals to ask the same of other wizards, Hermetic or not, which may create new rivalries (friendly or otherwise), or raise even more accusations of interfering in the mundane world.

Storyguides may find the material presented in Lords of Men (page 64) useful if the covenant chooses to become involved in the tournament.

The Council of Wizards

Geoffroi finally assembles a council of wizards within his court. Some are destined to be transient, passing through after performing some service for the noble, but others remain to enjoy his ongoing patronage. The council has the potential to pose significant problems to the covenant in its own right, so the covenant gains the Rival External Relations Hook (Covenants, page 22).

• Geoffroi extends an invitation to join his council to the covenant's magi. He describes a utopia of shared learning and peaceful understanding –— under his direction, of course. He offers the support and funding of his court if the magi share their magic with his council. Could pride or Hermetic Law permit such a relationship?
• Attracted by the talk of a land conducive to magic, one of the cunning folk (Hedge Magic Revised Edition, page 101) is drawn to the area. But his magical air

and strange foreign ways upset some of the locals, and he is held as a witch. The covenant and Geoffroi's court hear of the event at the same time, and both are intent on investigating.

• The hedge wizards send representation of their own to the covenant, eager to learn Bonisagus' theory of magic from the foremost users of magic in Mythic Europe. In exchange, they offer insights into their own unique gifts. The insights they offer could expand Hermetic magic in valuable ways, but when the magi refuse to teach the hedge wizards the Parma Magica, what do they offer in its place?
• Geoffroi promises his son Alenard to one of the magicians at his court. The Lady Ysabeau reaches out to the covenant, through a trusted messenger, to plead for their assistance in preventing

Edwin Locke is an academic from the north of England, and is a prominent and well-known tutor at York's cathedral school.

Locke has been created as an un-Gifted Mythic Companion and may take four more Virtues, which must be balanced by a further two Flaws.

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

Size: 0 Age: 40 (40) Decrepitude: 0 Warping Score: 1 (8) Confidence Score: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Magister in Artibus; (Theurgical) Summoning, (Theurgical) Controlling; Clear Thinker, Elementalist Air, Elementalist Earth, Elementalist Fire, Elementalist Water, Luck, Puissant Controlling; Overconfident; Weak Elemental Resistance, Ability Block (Martial), Mentor (Walter de Gray)

Personality Traits: Authoritative +2, Ordered +1, Choleric +2, Melancholic +2, Phlegmatic +2, Sanguine +2

Reputations: Tutor at York Cathedral School (among academics) 2, Elementalist of Repute (among elementalist societies) 1

Combat:

Dodge: Init *+*0, Attack N/A, Defense +0, Damage N/A

Fist: Init +0, Attack +0, Defense +0, Damage +0

Bludgeon: Init –1, Attack +2, Defense +0, Damage +2

Soak: +2

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

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)

Abilities: Artes Liberales 5 (grammar), Carouse 2 (games of chance), Charm 3 (being witty), Etiquette 1 (the Church), Folk Ken 2 (townsfolk), Greek 3 (prose), Latin 5 (academic usage), Leadership 2 (students), Magic Lore 2 (spirits), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (history), Philosophiae 5 (natural philosophy), Teaching 4 (Philosophiae), Area Lore: York 1 (personalities)

Arts: (Theurgical) Controlling 15 +3, (Theurgical) Summoning 15

Difficult Arts: Elementalist Air 4, Elementalist Earth 3, Elementalist Fire 4, Elementalist Water 3

Equipment: Philosophical texts, astrolabe. Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Vis: 4 pawns each of Aquam, Auram, Ignem, and Terram vis in the form of glass-like crystals. They are kept within small bottles of a preservative oil and contained within a custommade wooden case.

Appearance: Locke is a man well into his middle age, with thinning gray hair. He has the look of a confident and determined man, and carries himself with the bearing of one constantly left unamused by the antics of errant students.

Locke doesn't so much hide his magical knowledge from his colleagues and students as simply not discuss it. He is sure that some know or suspect, but he is content to live two lives: one within the cathedral sphere, and one in the world of spirits and supernatural beasts. It is fair to say that he knows little of the supernatural realms themselves, but does understand that there are other magical traditions. He has heard of the Order of Hermes, and recognizes their prominence.

He views the chance to meet other practitioners of magic as an intellectual challenge.

her son being subjected a magical apprenticeship; by rights, he is his father's heir. This situation proves the extent to which Geoffroi has lost perspective.

• With word of this council of wizards having reached neighboring counties, the covenant finds itself the subject of a Quaesitorial investigation into the support they have been showing this mundane noble and his court wizards. But the Quaesitor, and the magi she brings with her, seem to be taking the opportunity to settle old scores against the covenant.

Stolen Resources

Feeling secure under Geoffroi's patronage, the council of wizards starts to exert its influence. The following events may be employed to represent their growing audacity.

• Some of the covenant's vis sources are stripped bare, perhaps with the potential to damage them in the long term. The trail leads back to a hedge wizard working in Geoffroi's court. The wizard enjoys the protection of the court, and while apologetic, he cannot return the materials as they have been used. Geoffroi offers to mediate, and suggests that, if all of the covenant's resources were known to him, he could ensure that they too enjoyed his protection. Can an accommodation be reached?
• Emboldened by Geoffroi's support, the council of wizards decrees that any supernatural auras, beasts of virtue, or Gifted children found within Geoffroi's lands belong to them, and them alone. This comes just as one of the covenant's magi hears about a child exhibiting signs of The Gift. A contest over the child would bring the covenant and Geoffroi's court wizards into open conflict.
• A delegation from a nearby covenant arrives to remonstrate over the actions of Geoffroi and his band of wizards. It appears that their own vis sources have been raided and, given Geoffroi's apparent connection to the player covenant, they are being held responsible. The other covenant wants reparation for their loss and Geoffroi brought to account.

The Theft of Parma

In a move that is bound to endanger both the covenant and Geoffroi's council of wizards, one of the wizards in Geoffroi's court conceives of a plan to learn the Parma Magica. Can the hedge wizards abduct a magus of the Order and force him to teach the Parma Magica? Does this constitute the will of the council, or are there rogue elements present?

Assuming that the teaching of Parma Magica to these hedge wizards is even possible (The Gift is necessary to use it, so most of them cannot), how much of an Arcane Ability do you need to learn before you can practice? A score of 1 is probably the minimum that the student needs to be taught by a teacher. This is something that can be achieved in a single season. But the rogue hedge wizards need first to identify a target, and then somehow force him to teach one of the hedge wizards for a full season. An apprentice may appear an easy target, but a swift response is sure to follow, regardless of who is taken.

This story idea provides an opportunity to play things from the other side. Given a set of hedge wizards from Geoffroi's court, how do the players go about abducting someone from their own covenant? Can they plan around the obvious magic resistance provided by Aegis and Parma? And how do they cover their tracks and keep their mark safe and servile for a season?

The prospect of the Parma falling into the hands of hedge wizards is a significant threat to the Order, and the Order would stop at nothing to stop such a thing from happening. Doing so could bring swift retribution, followed by a larger debate to identify those responsible and decide upon their punishment. This is perhaps one reason for the troupe's covenant to deal with the matter quickly and quietly, before word gets out.

As a wealthy noble, Geoffroi need only spend one season each year overseeing his estates. But when even this is interrupted by his magical studies and the company of his court wizards his people begin to suffer.

Fines and Taxes

Geoffroi begins to tax his people hard in order to fund his growing interest in the supernatural, particularly by levying frequent and costly tallage. This causes hardship across the region, as those buying, selling, or moving goods are forced to pay exorbitant tolls and taxes.

• The general hardship can be used as a rationale for sending the troupe on brief stories elsewhere. For instance, when the covenant finds supplies hard to come by, they may be tempted to attend the fair that has just sprung up on the other side of the county. The hardship felt by the covenant can also be represented through the Wealth & Poverty rules in the Covenants supplement. If you are using these rules, increase the points cost of each type of inhabitant (as per the table on Covenants, page 63) by 1.
• A diversionary tale suited to grogs and companions sees them investigating the theft of crops or other goods from the villages under the covenant's protection. The evidence leads back to one of Geoffroi's estates, where the new tax collector is extracting more from the starving locals than they can possibly pay.
• Others have been driven to outright banditry and, having successfully captured a Redcap messenger, the bandit leader is enjoying her own taste of magic with the Redcap's enchanted devices. Tales of a bandit leader wielding powerful spells may at first lead the covenant to Geoffroi's court. But once the truth is discovered, how long can the stolen devices help the bandit avoid capture before the magi close in on her?

A Poor Ruler

It is not just the covenant that suffers the expanding effect of Geoffroi's excesses. His neighbors suffer the same rise in banditry

and theft originating in Geoffroi's lands. This can be represented by the following events.

• The Lady Ysabeau is sent to one of Geoffroi's outlying estates. Her daughters are sent with her, but her son remains with his father. She has been banished from Geoffroi's side after daring to argue with his decision to give the boy to one of his magicians. The covenant's grogs, patrolling their master's border, encounter Ysabeau and her daughters being taken under guard to her confinement. Having picked up some understanding of the arcane, Ysabeau manages to pass an Arcane Connection to herself to the grogs. Do the magi take the bait and use it to find out what's going on?
• Magi, companions, or grogs traveling into lands neighboring Geoffroi's are stopped by men wearing the colors of a noble rival to Geoffroi. They want to search the party for anything suspicious that might be sign of harmful intent toward their own lord.
• The covenant is mistaken for being part of Geoffroi's magical court, and is held responsible for leading him astray. Agitators are stirring up the local population and directing their anger toward the covenant. Is someone taking advantage of the situation simply to cause trouble for the covenant? If so, what are the magi being distracted from?
• A large number of serfs, including simple day workers, farmers, and families, turn up at the covenant asking to serve them as their own lord has treated them too harshly. But Geoffroi's steward Claude arrives soon after with a host of armed men and demands that the serfs be returned to his master's lands. He promises that only the ringleaders will be punished.

The Expulsion of Claude

Blind to the virtues of his loyal steward, Geoffroi expels Claude from his court and replaces him with a steward gifted in the magical arts, perhaps the elementalist Edwin Locke (detailed earlier). Claude returns to Normandy and retires to a monastery, but he takes with him knowledge of the magicians at Geoffroi's court that the magi might find useful. In particular, he has learned enough to collect Arcane Connections from them, some of which are still active. He intends to keep his own counsel on matters, but he could be persuaded to part with the connections if he thought it was in Geoffroi's interest.

The Peasants' Revolt

The growing anger within Geoffroi's estates starts to spill over into neighboring lands, including those belonging to the covenant. The peasant classes look upon the harsh taxation and the unwillingness of the other nobles to rein in this errant baron, and the seeds of revolt are sown.

But the revolt is being fueled by countless demons of resentment, ambition, and jealousy, and somewhere in the middle of the mob is one of the covenant's companions. Overcome by Infernal forces, he is possessed by a demon, and is apparently planning and leading the mob's actions. A manor house is burned down, a mill ransacked and destroyed, a chapel looted, and soon farms, barns, livestock, and granaries are targeted — all things designed to hit the peasantry hardest.

Unless the covenant intervenes, it gains the War Zone External Relations Hook (Covenants, page 22).

The encounters described in the previous section all naturally lead back to Geoffroi's court, and in that respect, there is little investigation required to discover the cause of the covenant's problems. But there is still much to learn that may be useful to the covenant when deciding how to deal with Geoffroi. As mentioned earlier, the story seeds are presented such that a story arc is suggested: Geoffroi starts as a positive figure, but then starts to become obsessed, ultimately becoming a danger to himself, his vassals, and his neighbors.

The covenant understands the potential for problems, but so far they may not understand what his aims are. The following sections present options that the covenant may use to gain insight into why Geoffroi is doing what he does, who is most influential with him, and what options they have for bringing the obsession to an end.

The covenant may choose to infiltrate the council of wizards and gain firsthand knowledge of its members and its workings. This can be done quite openly, and any members of the court will be afforded the respect owing to their status and power. But the council is expected to act, at least partly, upon the wishes of its patron. What happens when the magi refuse, citing their Hermetic oath? Are they able to come to an arrangement that maintains their obligations under the peripheral code and still serves Geoffroi's court?

While the infiltration option above involves sending someone in openly to become part of the court, this option uses magic and the art of intrigue to keep the council under observation.

Infiltration allows the covenant to learn more of the openly discussed plans, both those discussed with Geoffroi and those concerning him. But spying or magical scrying may allow the covenant to learn more secret plans. These may include alliances within the council: who sides with whom, who is tolerated, who is considered weak or dangerous, and which traditions might be attracted to join — all things discussed and plotted outside the council chamber, in quiet cloisters and darkened rooms.

This information could be used to cause division within the council, ultimately making it easier to deal with.

Arcane Connections secretly taken from individuals or from places within Geoffroi's manor allow the magi to listen in on and even directly affect or control members of Geoffroi's court. Magi may wish to design new spells to improve their capability in this regard.

Near the end of Geoffroi's story, the Lady Ysabeau does not like what her husband has become. She is scared for her children, concerned for those who live under his rule, and worried that he will lose his lands either to the wizards he consorts with or other knights come to pick over the bones of his failed estates.

Ysabeau wants to protect her son from magic and the influence of magicians, but Geoffroi wants Alenard to learn all there is to know. Geoffroi intends to give much of his land to his illegitimate eldest son Guillaume as appanage, or land held until Guillaume's death. He also sees magic as an acceptable pursuit for Alenard; as he himself retorts when confronted on this, "I have other sons." Geoffroi is clearly fulfilling his own ambitions through his son. He may already have struck a deal with one of the wizards at his court to take him as an apprentice and initiate him into their tradition. And it could bethis that prompts the unwilling Ysabeau to consort with yet more magicians.

But what if Geoffroi discovers that Ysabeau has spoken to the covenant behind his back? By the time of Ysabeau's removal from his side, his trust in her has failed, so he may have one of his astrologers judging her loyalty daily. There are a number of threats that could be leveled against her. Does he send her to Normandy if she is discovered? Does the council of wizards undertake magical means to enforce her silence? Is she threat-

ened with the removal of her daughters?

The covenant could learn from her the fate Geoffroi intends for Alenard, including the hedge tradition and its practitioner intended to take him. She can also disclose that, despite attempted initiations, Geoffroi himself has been completely unable to learn even the simplest piece of magic.

Resolving the problem with Geoffroi involves neutralizing the magical threat. The troupe has a number of options, from persuading him to give up his obsession to taking more direct action against the noble or his magical allies.

Hermetic magi are constrained by clauses within the Code that prevent them from bringing ruin to their sodales within the Order. Principally, this applies to interfering with mundane affairs. But the events surrounding Geoffroi blur the lines between magical and mundane. Can a magus who acts against a hedge wizard be considered to be interfering in mundane affairs? The hedge wizard is arguably aligned with the supernatural world, but is still closer to the mundane world than those of the Order. What if the hedge wizard is working for or against a mundane village, town, noble, or cleric?

These are the ambiguities that are disputed when cases are brought to Tribunal. There is no hard line here that a magus of the Order crosses; each case is individual. Overzealous Quaesitors, like Galatea described elsewhere in this book, would see interference in most encounters. But most magi recognize the realities of life and judge each case upon its merits. This is not a matter for storyguides or troupes to rule upon, but rather for the magi within their sagas to debate at Tribunal.

The magi may well close their doors to Geoffroi and simply ignore the issue. In this case, Geoffroi continues to lose control over his lands, and competing nobles, including Geoffroi's illegitimate son Guillaume, vie for these estates. At this point, Geoffroi himself ceases to be the problem, and the state of war of the covenant's doorstep — or the court wizards themselves become the challenge facing the covenant.

Ysabeau and Geoffroi's daughters return to Geoffroi's other lands near Arques. If he has been freed from the council's influence,

Alenard goes with them, and his resentment of his father's manipulation grows.

Geoffroi himself is overcome by his desire to learn magic, driven to spend his time reading anything he can find on the subject. He signs whatever papers are put in front of him, and is oblivious to his declining health. Eventually, he dies in poverty, his wealth usurped by those around him.

Perhaps the most direct approach is to simply persuade Geoffroi to turn his back on his magical pursuits and return to governing his lands as he had been doing before. One way to do this is to threaten his family. Although he may have lost perspective by the time the magi choose to deal with him, he is a father and a husband, and will respond to threats against them. Remember, he has illegitimate sons still in Normandy, one of whom (François) knows nothing of his true parentage. If this were made public, Geoffroi would find his lands in Normandy threatened by a vengeful cuckold. But this action could draw the covenant into conflict with the noble and his allies, as they assert themselves in a show of force to prevent extortion and blackmail.

Alternatively, the covenant could offer themselves as a viable replacement. The magi of the covenant could replace the magi on Geoffroi's council, providing him with some tuition in arcane lore but setting distinct boundaries. Why would Geoffroi accept what could be a lesser deal? If the magi could prove his council untrustworthy or uncover a direct plot or crime against his lands, then Geoffroi would be inclined to consider an alternative. But the council would be likely to take umbrage at this, and its members may look for ways to retain their position, either through their own politicking or by taking direct against the covenant in some way.

Lastly, the covenant could distance itself from the situation but manipulate or direct others to do the work for them. Rival nobles threatening Geoffroi's lands abroad would divide his attention and force him to divert resources to defending them. Alternatively, nobles friendly with or supportive of Geoffroi could be persuaded to intercede and make him see sense. Involving the Church is an option, though this may bring scrutiny too close to the covenant for comfort.

If Geoffroi's heir, whomever the magi decide that may be, is of age, then eliminating Geoffroi may be an option. Murder seems to be a direct contravention of the Oath and the peripheral code, but that just means that the magi intent on carrying out such an act must work harder to cover their tracks.

There are more ways for an Hermetic magus to murder a mundane than can be discussed here — even a mundane protected by a council of hedge wizards, some of whom may be able to detect the lingering presence of magic and trace it back to the covenant. The magi should be cunning and, unless they are sure of acting with impunity, make the event appear as natural as possible.

Of course, the marshaling of the court after Geoffroi's death is as important as the death itself. The Lady Ysabeau, no friend to the hedge wizards, must be protected from the designs of hedge wizards and allowed to preside over her husband's lands. And his son and heir must be guarded against the influence of the hedge wizards to ensure that they have no place at the heir's new court.

If murder seems too harsh a punishment, then Geoffroi could be made prematurely infirm, thereby necessitating a regent to manage his estates while he either recuperates or lives out his long dotage. If the magi take this course of action, they will need to account for the efforts of Geoffroi's court wizards, as they either take control or seek to cure their patron of his malady.

Murder may not be the most subtle or desirable way to deal with the problem and mindful of the Oath, and the covenant may not want to interfere directly in

The threats are easy to imagine, ranging from destruction of the council's magical resources to an implied or overt offers of violence. As hedge wizards, unless they have prepared for the eventuality, this is likely to be enough to make them consider their positions at court. Clumsy attempts at persuasion could see the hedge wizards appeal to Geoffroi and rely upon his protection.

Bribery could range from a direct payment of money, vis, books, or enchanted artifacts to an offer to work with the magicians and increase their understanding. And beyond this, a more profitable bargain for both sides would see an open sharing of resources. Remember that the hedge wizards could also be seen as a resource for the covenant. Each has specific gifts and techniques that could provide sources of insight for studious magi; they each present an opportunity to enhance Hermetic understanding and take Hermetic magic forward in new ways.

If neither bargaining nor bribery have removed the problem and the hedge wizards have not responded to threats, then it is time to act upon those threats.

Some workers of magic brought to the noble's court may be Gifted, but the majority will be unGifted, possessing little more than supernatural talents — no match at all for Hermetic magi. Still, the covenant may not have to eliminate them personally, of course. There could be any number of Tremere Vexillations, Flambeau magi seeking glory, or Hoplites seeking practice who would be happy to resolve the issue with utmost prejudice.

But then there's the response from within the hedge wizard traditions to consider. Eliminating such a unique council, which on the surface appears progressive, may result in retribution against arbitrary Hermetic targets. And when the root cause of the violence is tracked to the covenant, there may be some hard politicking to do.

Geoffroi may exact his own revenge

by increasing mundane pressure on the covenant's resources, making travel to and from the covenant more difficult, persuading neighbors not to trade with them, or inciting a fear of wizards among the local peasants.

House Ex Miscellanea explicitly accepts members of hedge traditions into its community. While they have most often been Gifted and of considerable talent to begin with, there is little preventing the covenant from trying to persuade Ex Miscellanea to absorb the members of Geoffroi's court. Those same members may need a little persuasion, but the benefits of membership could be made clear, especially when presented in contrast to the implications of refusal.

Once members of the Order, the hedge wizards are bound by the Oath and must moderate their behavior.

Perhaps the most audacious resolution of all is to take Geoffroi's vision to its ultimate conclusion and found a new Order. The First Tribunal — that fateful gathering of Bonisagus, Trianoma, and a host of other magi destined to found the Order of Hermes — took great determination to arrange. Distrustful magi from many different traditions chose to gather in one place and discuss the future. That Tribunal brought into existence the Order of Hermes and its Code, by which all members have since been bound. One of the key precepts of the Order is that magi should not involve themselves in the affairs of the mundane world, lest they bring ruin upon the Order or its members.

But members of those Traditions outside the Order of Hermes have no such code, at least not one that binds them all. But if a code could be negotiated, a code that moderated their actions and limited their involvement with the mundane rulers of the world, then the hedge traditions could be bound by the same limitations as the Order of Hermes.

Would the Order be supportive of such a move when it is a single noble at the heart of the problem? Could the covenant find visionaries from within House Bonisagus to support the idea? House Tremere in particular, charged with protecting the Order, would likely level a strong and unified objection: fostering a rival order, no matter how weak, is just creating problems, not solving them. Could this become the central issue at the upcoming Grand Tribunal?

Many of the hedge wizards you may want to introduce use distinct spells, devices, or other effects. The following sections present a few examples of the kind that Geoffroi would be particularly interested in. Where appropriate, the required Ability scores or laboratory totals are included to help design characters who can create these effects and meet Geoffroi's exacting expectations.

Those knowledgeable in Artes Liberales, Philosophiae, and Medicine are able to exploit their knowledge to produce a range of effects that, to the uneducated, appear supernatural, although they are not magical in origin. The following effects use the rules presented in Chapter 5 of Art & Academe. If you are not using Art & Academe, you can ignore much of the design detail in the formulae below and just concentrate on the effects.

Astrological Inceptions

The following are astrological inceptions, or insights gained through observation of the stars and calculations based on the bodies of the zodiac. They provide information, usually reliable though occasionally flawed. The effects are not magical. You can assume that the astrologer already knows how to create each inception, and spends a season in creating one or more copies on request. Once created, a copy can be completed with the casting of horoscopes for the intended target(s).

The use of N and NA in the inceptions below allows the astrologer to fill in the names of the targets upon casting the horoscopes and learning what the inception has to tell.

Has N Betrayed the Confidence of NA?

Inception Level 5

Detail: Binary

Reveals whether the first named individual is likely to have revealed a secret about the second.

If Geoffroi is given reason to suspect that Ysabeau has betrayed his confidence, he will have his astrologer cast this inception to confirm it.

(Base 4, +1 past)

Is N the Father of NA?

Inception Level 5

Detail: Binary

Given Geoffroi's suspicions concerning François, he will have an astrologer determine the truth at last.

The identity of François' father is a current persistent quality of François, so this inception does not look into the past, but rather queries the present state of the boy.

Alchemical Reagents

(Base 5)

Reagents have the power to transform base substances in a range of ways, but most often to express an inherent property and improve the substance.

Reagent Level 20

Alteration: Substantial

Glass is an expensive luxury, so of course Geoffroi wants the finest he can find. This reagent purifies the glass as it is

The magi are approached by a Jewish craftsman and his apprentice who ask for their help in finding a ring that has been stolen. The goldsmith reveals that he is able to burn magic into his craft, and that the ring was designed for Baron Geoffroi d'Arques. Aside from the value of the piece, and Geoffroi's wrath when he learns of the loss, the smith is afraid that someone will use the ring as an Arcane Connection to Geoffroi, allowing them to influence or harm him from afar. So where is the ring? What does the thief intend? And how is the goldsmith's apprentice involved?

being worked, transforming it so that it is of the finest colorless clarity.

Formed into decanters and drinking glasses, the resulting glassware provides a host with a +2 bonus to Leadership rolls while entertaining guests, as the host's wealth and power is vividly displayed.

(Base 10, +2 Substantial)

Pharmaceutical Theriacs

Theriacs are medicinal compounds designed to treat or alleviate specific ailments.

Compress of Tormentil

Theriac Level 15 Potency: Mild

Over the course of a week, this bandage infused with tormentil and comfrey completely heals a Light Wound caused by a slashing or piercing weapon.

(Base 10, +1 Mild)

Tincture of Vitality

Theriac Level 15

Potency: Moderate

This small draft of liquor instantly improves a Tired fatigue level to Weary. Geoffroi uses these when he enters the tourney, as they allow him to exert himself for longer, giving him the advantage.

(Base 5, +2 Moderate)

The City & Guild supplement introduces a simple form of hedge magic through wondrous items, devices created by master craftsmen with the Touched by (Realm) Virtue. The full rules for craftsmen and wondrous items can be found in Chapter 4 of City & Guild.

The crafting of a wondrous item is normally a two-stage process. First, the item itself is created to the highest quality possible by the craftsman. This is because the quality bonus itself assists the craftsman in his attempt to enchant the device.

The wondrous effect must be designed for a given individual (and acts as an Arcane Connection to that individual), and this takes at least a season. The possible effects are limited; they last for Sun at most, have an Individual target, and a Personal or Touch range to affect the item itself or its bearer.

Importantly, the craftsman's work is affected by the standard realm interaction table in ArM5, page 183, depending on the source of his power. This means a magical craftsman suffers when working within the Dominion, and finds his work easier within a Magic aura.

Within these limitations, here are some examples of wondrous items that Geoffroi may commission.

A Most Noble Ring

Created for Geoffroi by a master goldsmith with Divinely influenced power, this ring subtly enhances Geoffroi's bearing and appearance. He comes across as more forceful and fair than other men, thanks to the effect described below.

Aura of Enobled Presence

MuIm 10

Pen +0, 1/day

R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Individual

(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)

The craftsman requires a Workshop Total (see City & Guild, page 65) of 15 or greater in order to enchant this device, and the required craft totals to complete the work in 1 to 4 seasons are listed below. The craftsman's craft total for enchanting the device is based on his Dexterity + Craft Ability + his Workshop Bonus + a bonus from any assistant helping him + an appropriate aura bonus + any bonus afforded by the item's quality.

Required Craft Total: 1 season (28), 2 seasons (21), 3 seasons (19), 4 seasons (18)

A Blade of Virtue

This excellent quality long sword has a +2 bonus to both attack and defend. But it has also been enchanted by a magical craftsman with the following effect, granting a further +1 to both attack and defend when wielded by its intended owner.

The blade is enchanted for a specific individual, likely to be the knight who wins one of Geoffroi's tournaments, and takes a number of seasons to complete. If the raw materials for the blade are first treated as per the alchemical steel described in Art & Academe, page 76, the sword naturally gains a further +2 bonus to damage. Truly a prize worth winning.

The Rarefied Blade

MuTe 15

Pen +0, 1/day

R: Personal, D: Sun, T: Individual

In the hands of its intended owner, and upon the secret incantation being spoken, the sword's property of weight is altered such that it is lighter and more balanced in the hand. This grants +1 to both attack and defense.

When the effect is active, the sword has a Penetration of 0 and is resisted by any character or creature with a Magic Resistance of 0 or greater.

(Base 3, +2 Sun, +2 metal)

Required Craft Total: 1 season (30), 2 seasons (23), 3 seasons (20), 4 seasons (19)

Learned Magicians

In many ways the closest of the hedge magic traditions to Hermetic magi, learned magicians study their own arts, design their own spells, and create their own forms of enchanted devices. The following amulet and chartae effects use the rules presented in Chapter 5 of Hedge Magic: Revised Edition.

Amulets and Chartae

Amulets are the equivalent of charged devices commonly created by Hermetic magi. They take a season to create and can only be used by a single subject, specified at the time the device is created. They can contain any effect and they have a number of charges determined by the learned magician's lab total.

Chartae are simple single-use devices,

usually in the form of text transcribed onto a medium such as parchment, paper, or vellum. As with amulets, chartae are created for a given individual, but they are easier to make. The learned magician must spend a full day casting a horoscope for the charta's beneficiary, plus one hour for each magnitude of the desired effect. Amulets and chartae are both restricted to operating at Touch range.

Grant Fortune At the Tourney (Single Weapon)

TuFa Level 20

R: Touch, D: Season, T: Individual

This amulet, in the form of an embroidered girdle, grants the wearer great fortune throughout a season's effort at tournament when using their Single Weapon Ability. If the character's attack advantage is 0 or less, both combatants re-roll. If the second roll produces a positive attack advantage, it is used. If the character botches any of his rolls, that roll is discarded unless the second roll also results in a botch. If this happens, the least harmful result is taken. Note, only the Single Weapon Ability is protected in this way.

The amulet must be worn for the full season. If it has multiple charges (determined when the device is created by the skill of the Learned Magician), then they will discharge automatically and continue protecting the wearer until all charges have been exhausted.

(Base 5, +0 Touch, +3 Season)

An Arrow So True Has Never Been Struck

SuFa Level 15

R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Individual Completed on the morning of a hunt, this charta grants the recipient a +3 bonus to all attack rolls when using a bow.

(Base 10, +0 Touch, +1 Sun)