The Divine Abbot

Its sinuous bulk stretched throughout the converted scriptorium, nearly seventeen paces long. The scales on its head and neck were a pearly, iridescent gray, growing darker as one walked the length of its body, becoming the rusty brown of dried blood at the end of its tail. Two enormous eyes stared into the room, the deep, solid black of a shark, surrounded at their rims by a luminescent ring of gold. Its mouth hung open, disgorging a thick mist that filled the air with the scent of sandalwood and spilled out across the stones. Eight legs stretched out from its bulk in various states of repose, each one thicker and longer than a man's leg and tipped with a sharp, four-toed claw absentmindedly kneading the air or the ground as it spoke. The dragon's voice seemed simply to emanate from it, a

sound beginning deep within the creature and issuing unnervingly from its still, smoking maw.

— From the Journal of Acumenis Ex Miscellanea

The Dragon Abbot is a long-term foe, one who doesn't immediately desire conflict with the magi of the saga, but seeks to gradually change their environment in ways they will likely consider hostile as the Divine aura increases and regional resources become scarce. Some might consider the dragon an opponent most appropriate in a high-fantasy setting, while others may find it works better in a lowfantasy game where the exotic nature of the dragon stands out.

Once merely a marauding serpent who gained a sliver of the knowledge and personalities of those it ate, Rasa slowly accumulated fragments of understanding and gained awareness until it became less a cunning predator and more a calculating opportunist. It has the memories of countless creatures and men, stretching back into antiquity. When it recognized this power to learn and incorporate some portion of what it consumed, the dragon ate fewer animals and began to ravage villages and caravans. After devouring a veteran of the Silk Road, its curiosity was piqued and the dragon journeyed east.

For years, it preyed on the travelers who braved the route between Rome and Cathay, learning a pastiche of a half-dozen languages and innumerable nuggets of information. Then, in a moment of chance, the dragon fell upon a missionary priest. Through him, the worm learned of the great cities and ports shining in the fading light of the Eastern Roman Empire. It left the Silk Road and went west. It dallied in places for a few decades to learn about a region and then moved on when curiosity struck. This habit only stopped centuries later, after it ate the abbot.

Over the course of those centuries, the dragon created its share of enemies. It once ate a Redcap lover of a Tremere, who then created an unsuccessful vexillation to hunt the beast. A jinn known as "Howling Knife of the Dunes" still harbors a deep enmity for

Most recently, the dragon threatened to destroy and consume the occupants of a remote abbey. The pious abbot, a man of True Faith and selflessness, left the abbey to face the creature in an attempt to save his fellows and their home. He inadvertently succeeded through his sacrifice. When the dragon consumed him, it gained the understanding and Faith of the clergyman while experiencing an epiphany and a metamorphosis. It assumed the abbot's position and began to use its power and historical knowledge to further the will of God. The abbey's residents proclaimed the transformation a miracle and now devoutly protect and serve the Dragon Abbot and its plans.

From within the incense-scented halls of its abbey, the Dragon Abbot works to expand and strengthen the Divine throughout the region, executing plans with the collected wisdom of a creature that has survived since the Great Flood. It thinks that increasing the power of the Divine brings people nearer to God and creates a better world, one closer to the beauty of Paradise where one can more easily live a worshipful life in accordance with God's laws. This view is slightly flawed given the dragon's secondhand understanding of the world, humanity, and the Divine, but its faith and nature are genuine. The dragon believes it can best accomplish this by improving the situation of the local population through the generosity of the Church, through the education of the people in crafts and profes-

Minor, Supernatural

Rasa's use of the Taste of Memory power over time has granted it the Minor Supernatural virtue Font of Knowledge. This virtue bestows the Ability Font of Knowledge 1. By succeeding in an Ability check (Intelligence + Font of Knowledge + stress die) against an Ease Factor of (6 plus (3 times number of uses of Font of Knowledge that day)) a creature with this Ability may attempt a task with any untrained ability as if it possessed a score of 2. Failed attempts count towards the number of uses in a given day.

For example, if Rasa had previously used Font of Knowledge twice and attempted to use the Ability again to make a Magic Lore check, it would to make an 4 Int (+4) + Ability (3) + stress die check against an Ease Factor of (6 + (3 x 2)), or 7 + stress die vs Ease Factor 12. If it succeeds, it may make the Magic Lore check.

Naming the dragon depends on how personal you want to make the situation for the player characters. An antagonist simply known as "the abbot" places the focus on the enemy's position as an extremely active agent of the Divine. Giving the dragon an angelic name might highlight its transformation, while keeping its previous name, "Rasa," accents its draconic form and history. The choice impacts the player characters' perception of their opponent, and may ultimately influence the course of action they choose when deciding how to deal with the abbot, so consider your group's likely response when first presenting this foe.

sions, and by constructing greater works to glorify the power of God.

The Dragon Abbot cares little for the other powers in the area, except insofar as the creatures of the Faerie, Infernal, and Magic realms might be used to demonstrate the truth and potency of the Divine. In fact, it might even attempt to create conflicts with those creatures, trying to engineer situations where its fellow monks and friars can triumph over the very enemies it lured near. The dragon considers texts and artifacts of different realms suitable only for collection, seclusion, and eventual destruction, and sends out friars for this very purpose. Eventually, it hopes to relegate these other realms to insignificance, leaving only the brilliant glory of the Lord.

There are several ways the covenant might become aware of the presence of the Dragon Abbot. These encounters are meant to expose the player characters to the creature's growing influence and impact on the region as it begins to implement its ideas. Encounters should leave the characters wondering what the abbot plans for the region and how their covenant fits within the plan. Additionally, this text often refers to "friars" or "monks," which might seem to imply the abbey has both friars and monks. Such an arrangement would be highly unusual, if even possible; abbeys are usually foundations of a given order, and no order in 1220 has both cloistered and mendicant regulars. Whether the abbey is made up of an order of friars or an order of monks (or an order of canons, or perhaps even some unusual combination) should be a decision made at the beginning of the saga.

The magi arrive at a vis site only to find signs of a recent campsite and an obvious trail heading back into more civilized areas. Following the evidence leads the player characters to a group of monks who harvested the vis for the abbot and now plan to rest

Divine Might: 50 (Vi)

Characteristics: Int +4, Per +2, Pre +8, Com +4, Str +14, Sta +8, Dex +3, Qik –2

Size: +8 Season: Winter

Age: n/a

Decrepitude: n/a

Confidence Score: 2 (10)

Virtues and Flaws: Magical Animal; Magical Monster, Senior Clergy (abbot); Greater Immunity (heat and fire); Font of Knowledge, Magic Sensitivity, Piercing Gaze, Premonitions, Second Sight, Self-Confident, Student of Dominion; Hunger for Any Magic,* Monastic Vows; Driven, Infamous (The Dragon Abbot may have one more Minor Virtue of your choice.)

* As Hunger for (Form), but Rasa may eat any vis.

Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Gift of Speech, Greater Power (x3), Improved Abilities, Improved Attack (claws) (x2), Improved Damage (claws), Improved Defense (claws), Improved Fatigue, Improved Might (x8), Improved Powers (x3), Improved Soak (x6), Minor Virtue (Piercing Gaze), Minor Virtue (Premonitions), Minor Virtue (Magic Sensitivity), Ritual Powers (x6); Monstrous Appearance, Susceptible to Deprivation

Personality Traits: Driven +3, Pious +3, Curious +2, Hungry +2

Reputations: The Hungry Dragon Who Eats Travelers 4 (several different regions); The Reclusive Abbot of the Monastery 4 (local)

Combat:

Large Claws: Init –2, Attack +18, Defense +14, Damage +13

Large Fangs: Init –1, Attack +12, Defense +10, Damage +11

Constrict: Init –2, Attack +12, Defense +9, Damage n/a

Soak: +22

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

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–13), –3 (14– 26), –5 (27–39), Incapacitated (40– 52), Dead (53+)

Abilities: Area Lore: One Area 5 (trade routes), Area Lore 5: A Second Area (trade routes), Area Lore: A Third Area 4 (trade routes), AreaLore: Silk Road 5 (trade routes), Arabic (trade terms) 4, Artes Liberales 4 (rhetoric), Awareness 5 (humans), Brawl 6 (claws), Church Lore 2 (famous shrines), Civil and Canon Law 3 (mendicant orders), Concentration 3 (prayer), Divine Lore 4 (relics), Dominion Lore 4 (miracles), Etiquette 2 (scholars), Folk Ken 3 (scholars), Font of Knowledge 3 (lost battlefields), Guile 3 (scholars), Infernal Lore 2 (demons), Intrigue 3 (longterm schemes), Latin 4 (old dialects), Leadership 4 (scholars), (Living Language) 4, (Another Living Language) 3, (Another Living Language) 2, (Another Language) 2, (Another Language) 2, Magic Lore 4 (pagan rituals), Magic Sensitivity 1 (spell effects), Philosophiae 3 (moral philosophy), Premonitions 2 (threats to its goals), Second Sight 2 (invisible material things), Stealth 4 (remaining unseen), Theology 4 (saints)

Powers:

Cleansing Flame, 2 points, Init +3, Ignem: Rasa breathes a gout of flame 12 paces wide by 12 paces tall by 55 paces long. Anything caught in its effect suffers a stress die +25 damage from the fire. R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind, CrIg 50 (Base 20, +2 Voice, +4 size): Greater Power (50 levels), Improved Powers, (partial, –3 Might cost)

Taste of Memory, 4 points, Init –10, Mentem: Rasa takes either a targeted memory of a specific action or event, 5 experience points of a skill, or a Virtue from a creature consumed. Skills are improved normally, but the consumed creature must be alive at the time of consumption. Virtues may only be taken once per year. Might spent in this manner for skills or virtues also reduces the dragon's Might Score and is recovered either by consuming 10 pawns of vis per point spent or resting for a season (and abstaining from the use of this power in this manner) in a Divine aura of 5 or greater. [Note: This is

at a local inn before returning to the abbey.

At the inn, it becomes evident the monks harvested several sites in the area, including some the magi either don't know about or know belong to other covenants. If approached in a friendly manner they refuse to hand over the vis, and their leader carries a small relic providing a modicum of Magic Resistance. Any attempt to coerce the group leads the monks to seek sanctuary in the local church after begging a member of the community to either seek out the resident lord or send word to the abbey for assistance. The peasant envoy is a decoy, as the group releases two of their four pigeon messengers with their real plea for help. They refuse to leave the church until relief arrives, praying for protection and releasing another pigeon after two nights. One pigeon is kept in reserve, to be released as soon as the group is attacked.

The chance the abbot acts in time to save the monks depends on how far you place this vis site from the abbey, the sort of rescue the abbot dispatches, and how much respect the magi of your saga have for the sanctuary of a church. While the Divine aura may hamper spellcasting, it does little to stop forcible entry or wholesale destruction of the structure by mundane fire. If you want the dragon's existence known from the start, the Dragon Abbot itself may liberate the monks. If you wish a more secretive abbot, the dragon may send a devoted knight and his retainers. In a strongly conspiracy-themed game, the dragon may not send help at all, knowing any response may betray its presence and preferring to investigate the aftermath. A quick response allows you to increase the tension of the situation rapidly, while a longer delay allows for moral debates and politicking between magi. It is best to decide the speed and manner of the abbot's rescue, if any, prior to beginning the adventure based on

a non-Hermetic power, calculations provided for mechanical purposes only.] R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind PeMe 35 (Base 15, +1 Touch, +1 Cr requisite, +2 complexity): Ritual Power x2 (35 levels, –3 points)

Gift of Blood, 5 points, Init –12, Corpus: The dragon provides strength and stamina to those who drink its blood by granting the Toughness virtue until the creature reclaims its gift or the gifted individual dies. The Might points spent in this manner are not restored to the pool until the virtue is rescinded. Rasa may also use this power to heal itself of a Medium Wound or less. Might points spent on this healing effect are recovered normally. No Hermetic equivalent/CrAn 25(Base 20, +1 Touch): Ritual Power (25 levels)

Sign of Peace, 5 points, Init +3, Mentem: The abbot emits an incense-scented mist, filling the air within the building. The "mist" makes it almost impossible for creatures without Magic Resistance to commit violence or sin in the abbey. Those affected gain the Personality Traits Peaceful +4, Kind +3, and Obedient +3. Anyone attempting to act contrary to those traits must either fail an Ease Factor 9 check against the appropriate trait, or succeed in an opposing trait check with an Ease Factor of (9 + the appropriate effect trait bonus). For instance, a grog attempting to injure someone in the abbey must either fail an Ease Factor 9 check with a stress die and a +4 bonus (for Peaceful) or succeed at an Ease Factor 13 (9 + 4) trait check for a trait like "Violent," "Angry," or "Vengeful." R: Voice, D: Moon, T: Structure ReMe 50 (Base 10, +2 Voice, +3 Moon, +3 Structure): Greater Power (50 levels), Improved Powers x2 (initiative)

Scale of Truth, 5 points, Init –7, Mentem: The dragon imbues one of its scales with the power to reveal falsehoods. While the scale is in plain sight, the eyes of those within the room who speak a lie or quibble flash red for a moment. Monks or friars aware of this item tend to speak looking down or with their eyes closed if they wish to conceal a fabrication, but always look their fellow conversationalist in the eye when listening to replies. The scale remains functional until the dragon rescinds the power, destroying the scale in the process. Might spent for this power cannot be regained until the power is rescinded. R: Sight, D: Sun, T: Room InMe 50 (Base 10, +3 sight, +2 sun, +2 room, +1 tethered to object): Greater Power (50 levels)

Gift of the Stigmata, 15 points, Init –26, Corpus: Rasa imbues a scale with the magic of this power and exchanges it with an individual for a lock of hair. Until the next full moon, any wounds suffered by that person, while they possess the scale, are transmitted to the dragon. Rasa cannot Soak the attack, but does consider it against its scale of wounds. For instance, a blow with a long sword inflicting a damage total of 13 on a Size 0 friar would ordinarily be a Heavy Wound, but the dragon would only suffer a Light Wound. R: Arc, D: Moon, T: Ind CrCo 75 (Base 35, +4 Arcane Connection, +3 Moon, + 1 Rego requisite) Ritual Power x3 (75 levels)

Equipment: None Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Vis: 10 pawns of Vim in Rasa's blood.

Appearance: The scales on its long, sinuous bulk begin as a pearly, iridescent gray growing darker along the length of its body, and becoming the rusty brown of dried blood at the end of its tail. Rasa is approximately seventeen paces long, including its eightpace-long tail and its head, which is roughly three paces long. It sits low to the ground, like a crocodile, but is still just over two paces tall at the shoulder. Its large, gold-rimmed black eyes are nearly two palms across, and its teeth and claws are like daggers. It has eight legs and no wings. Note that Rasa has no power allowing it to change its shape to something humanoid. It can, however, contort and compress its body to squeeze through most common, human-sized doorways.

the nature of your troupe.

If you want to complicate matters further, other groups of magi arrive on the scene. They also tracked the clergy to this point and might not settle for just getting their own vis back. Some magi may see certamen as a reasonable resolution to the situation, while others feel dead monks are less likely to steal their vis a second time. If some of the other magi are aggressive and unconcerned about mundane casualties, they may choose to distract the player characters with debate or certamen while a magus and his grogs overrun and kill the monks.

How the characters respond to the situ-

ation greatly affects how the dragon views their covenant, as it consumes the pigeons to learn how the event passed and who was involved, regardless of the outcome. Those who kill the monks soon find their covenants aggressively targeted by the abbot's plans, and other covenants may even fall as a demonstration of Rasa's power.

This encounter presumes the covenant does not have a church. However, it could be easily modified. The monks could ask to improve an existing church, or, if the church exists outside the covenant's Aegis or has an Aegis too weak to prevent the dragon's entry, Rasa might arrive during an evening storm and "accidentally" set fire to the church, warranting the reconstruction.

A rich man (possibly the local noble) dies without heirs. In his last will and testament and in conjunction with a donation to the local diocese (whose bishop approves the request), he grants the abbey the funds to rebuild a church that once stood in or near the covenant grounds. Perhaps he knew the covenant, and felt

the scholars needed a church for their community. Perhaps he had been considering rebuilding the church for some time, or maybe he simply wanted to see the church restored as a part of his legacy and respected the abbey's reputation for capable craftsmen. For whatever reason, representatives of the abbey arrive with their official writ and begin preparations to reconstruct the church. The local bishop and most of the nobility support the plan.

The friars seek contributions from the covenant if they appear wealthy and selfsufficient, questioning why the community had not already rebuilt the church. If the covenant seems to maintain a subsistence operation, or obviously lacks infrastructure, the clergy offer to expand their project to include additional buildings. They also offer to take some of the covenfolk's children as apprentices to their craftsmen, or assist with the community's tax obligations if a few of the covenfolk contribute labor. Regardless, it becomes apparent that the friars intend to establish a new congregation centered on this building.

How will the magi deal with the situation? Can they impersonate or manufacture an heir, and demand that the priests build in another, more deserving location? Can they convince the bishop that such a structure would be more appropriate in a larger town in his diocese? What if they sabotage the construction efforts? Any resistance to the church's construction confuses and frustrates the friars, who thought they were helping improve a community. They do not aggressively oppose the covenant's attempts to move or halt the project, but they alert the abbot, drawing the dragon's attention to the activity. This, in turn, leads to increased scrutiny and conflict with the dragon, as it continues with its plans.

In a similar vein to the previous encounter, a cognizant Faerie or a Magical nature spirit arrives, attempting to peacefully approach a group of covenfolk or grogs. It is too weak to cross the Aegis of the Hearth, and asks either for permission to enter or for the magi to come converse with it. The creature points out the growing Divine aura of the abbey and the surrounding towns, saying that this seems much more aggressive than in past years, and threatens to overrun its home. It offers an exchange with the magi if they assist it, identifying a previously unknown vis site, establishing an alliance, or offering treasure it has or knows of if they can find a way to reduce the Dominion and restore the creature's home.

The creature is desperate and disappointed should the magi refuse, seeking out other nearby covenants or attempting to convince bandits or outlaws to assist it. One of these groups agrees and begins to harass and intimidate the community. This activity brings the attention of the local lord and the region's Quaesitor. Either investigation has an impact on the covenant, even if it does not immediately fall under suspicion.

If the magi agree, they find that the townsfolk have begun construction of a new church and graveyard on the site of the creature's glade. The old standing stone is being reworked into a great cross, and the thick woods are serving as the construction material. A friar of the abbey oversees the work, accompanied by a small detachment of soldiers from a nearby noble. They made a donation to the local lord and gained permission to provide the small community with a church — something it previously lacked. The friar happily describes how the abbot even intends to donate a bell to the parish and provide a relic of a local saint for the altar.

How do the characters respond to these developments? Do they seek out the creature that approached them, now interested in alliance? Do they attempt to destroy or capture the creature and eliminate any threats it may have created? What do they think of this new construction, so close to their own covenant grounds?

The magi decide to expand their covenant, building their own scriptorium or adding a craft the local abbey specializes

Rasa the Dragon Abbot is intended to be an antagonist who operates in the background, slowly increasing the Divine aura through its machinations. How would a storyguide go about implementing this kind of story arc?

First, consider the dragon's arc secondary in relation to another arc, and plan to use all four of the previously suggested stories, starting with "Conflict Over Vis." Then identify points where it might be appropriate to pause in the primary arc. At those points, offer the magi the hook for the dragon-associated stories and allow them to be pursued without negatively impacting the primary storyline. It is a good idea to keep two or three stories from the primary arc between stories in the dragon arc, in order to give an impression of the larger scale on which the abbot makes its plans.

For instance, if one were to use the Baron Geoffroi d'Arques (Chapter Two) as the primary arc, the initial stories might begin with the strange leper and progress to the Baron's acquisition of Infernal texts. At that point, the magi might experience the "Conflict Over Vis" story on their return. Continuing with the primary arc, the Baron might offer a tournament and a hunt, which would lead into "A Spiritual Encounter." After these stories, the magi might notice vis sites produce less vis, and the Divine aura in the countryside has slightly increased. As Geoffroi's interest in magic increases, he might make his offer have to the magi and the Infernal goetic join his council after the fall of the stone from the sky — although it simplifies matters to have the stone's impact indirectly damage the church, perhaps through an overturned lamp. These events lead into "The Friars Approach" story, and with the repairs the Divine aura surges further. This increasing Divine aura combined with the dampening Magical aura drives the hedge wizards to join Geoffroi, and leads to the attempted theft of the Parma followed by a possible demonic incident. These continued distractions and Geoffroi's neglect of his realm cause the populace to turn more and more to the Dragon Abbot's charity. Seeking additional resources to combat the Infernally tainted events, and perhaps looking to explain the growing aura, the magi might approach the abbey, leading to the "Failing Resources" story.

In this way, you incorporate the dragon within the saga while blending its story into the primary arc. One could continue braiding the stories further, utilizing the ideas of the abbey-sponsored fairs, Quaesitor investigations stemming from the baron's failed council, the abbot's rivalry with the jinn or Stellatus, the concerns of neighboring covenants regarding the growing Divine aura, or the increased mundane resources being redirected to abbey projects. Depending on the covenant's initial interactions with the dragon or the manner in which they observe its handiwork, the magi may consider Rasa a potential spiritual advisor or Divine ally. Then, either when the troupe recognizes the impact of the dragon, or when you deem it an appropriate challenge, a story arc focused on the abbot can take the primary focus as the magi decide how to handle the newly recognized issue.

in providing. Historically, the priests had always cooperated with the covenant, finding them decent neighbors and good customers. It is possible the monks even permitted the covenant to utilize their modest library or bookbinding workshop. Unfortunately, when the magi approach this time, they find many of the abbey's facilities closed and their presence unwelcome. Rumors in the surrounding community might even reveal that the dragon had threatened the abbey, but the abbot fended it off at a great cost to his health. Now bedridden and healing, the abbot closed much of the abbey to outsiders, keeping them in a small, detached portion of the grounds. The windows of the scriptorium are sealed with parchment, and there is no access to the abbey's library. At the same time, the abbot ordered the start of several new construction projects and sent friars abroad on special tasks.

This encounter has the greatest potential to reveal the nature of the abbot early in the story arc, as curious magi decide to seek out the details of the encounter between the previous abbot and the dragon. The nearby battlefield might yield Arcane Connections that prove useful later. Attempts at scrying within the abbey might show glimpses of the dragon. The magi might try to seek out one of the dispatched friars, hoping to gain information from him on the road and learn what new intrigues have been set in motion. How the magi choose to respond to this changing situation clearly sets the tenor of the relationship between them and the creature. Will they attempt to force an invitation to see the abbot or infiltrate the abbey grounds in order to confirm their suspicions? Is it possible they might attack, hoping to catch the dragon unawares?

What kind of magical items or relics might the dragon display? The storyguide could introduce any number of non-Hermetic items from Ancient Magic — like Canaanite necromantic clay tablets, Defixio plates, ancient fetish fertility figures, pieces of automata, or lost texts by magi investigating any of these magics. Hermetic devices the dragon owns are generally practical, providing small effects no greater than

three magnitudes for tasks like moving stones, clearing brush, or other maintenance jobs. Small relics might include thorns of the Crown of Thorns, fragments of cloth from the robe of Jesus, slivers of the True Cross, or the bones of various saints. The items should elicit interest from magi in the covenant, possibly associated with their specialties, in order to draw them into conflict with the monks.

These men represent the bulk of the servants of the dragon, but only a few know the true nature of their abbot. Many believe that their original abbot defeated the dragon, but suffered terrible wounds requiring his sequestered recovery. The senior priests know the truth, but maintain the fiction that the abbot receives visions while bedridden and healing.

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

Size: 0

Age: 34 (34)

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

Virtues and Flaws: Mendicant Friar or Priest; Clear Thinker, Improved Characteristics, Well-Traveled* or Long-Winded; Monastic Vows; Compassionate

* Indicates choice for an abbey member who has ventured out on tasks for the abbot.

Personality Traits: Pious +3, Dedicated +2, Loyal +2

Reputations: Trustworthy 2 (local) Combat:

Dodge: Init +3, Attack n/a, Defense +4, Damage n/a

Club: Init +3, Attack +4, Defense +3, Damage +4

Staff: Init +4, Attack +6, Defense +6, 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), Dead (21+)

Abilities: Area Lore: Native Area 3 (towns and villages), Area Lore: Travel Area 3* (travel routes), Artes Liberales 2 (rhetoric), Athletics 2 (hiking), Brawl 2 (Dodge), Charm 2 (peasants), Chirurgy 2* (sword wounds), Church Lore 3 (local diocese), Civil and Canon Law 1 (regulations for the clergy), Dominion Lore 3 (saints), Etiquette 3 (Church), Folk Ken 6 (members of the diocese), Intrigue 2 (parishes), Leadership 3 (preaching), Latin 4 (religious phrases), Living Language 4 (conversation), Native Language 5, Profession or Craft 3 (appropriate to position in abbey), Stealth 1* (hiding in brush), Theology 2 (scripture)

* Indicates choice for a friar.

Equipment: Monk's habit, sandals, walking stick (club)*

* Indicates choice for a friar

Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Appearance: A typical friar or monk in a woolen robe.

The abbot sends members of the abbey on tasks requiring them to go into or beyond the local area surrounding the abbey. It also relies on them to handle the daily needs of the abbey and its maintenance. The abbey has three or four senior brothers, who oversee operations. Use the statistics for the priest (See ArM5, page 23) or Brother Julian from Art & Academe (page 85), if available.

The dragon is willing to cooperate with the magi, considering their presence a great gift from God, a resource capable of facilitating more effective execution of its plans. In this scenario, the dragon may offer to share its wisdom with the magi, negotiating a relationship where the covenant takes up the role of recovering relics, items, and vis for the abbey in exchange for a share of the salvage. This situation changes over time as the dragon demands more and more, dictated by its growing needs and the importance of its cause. The added stress combined with the increased Divine aura that begins to expand from the abbey and impinge upon the covenant might turn the one-time ally into a very close foe.

The Dragon Abbot is a reformed evildoer, saintly and enigmatic in demeanor, avoiding direct confrontation unless no other option remains. It operates in a very strategic and clandestine manner in its efforts to impact an area with generosity and kindness — not violently opposing covenants, but improving the Divine nature of an area and turning it increasingly hostile to the Magically oriented magi. It does this by sending out emissaries on specific missions to recover lost relics, unearth secreted ancient hoards, and build and improve local churches, and thereby expand the influence of the Divine.

Given its wide and varied knowledge garnered from the memories of thousands of people, the dragon often remembers the resting place of an important relic it hadn't previously recognized. Armed with these locations, its servants depart the abbey to recover the religious artifacts. The abbey certainly hands the objects over to the local bishop to be appropriately stored or distributed, but not before the dragon orders monks to parade the items through the area, inspiring faith and promoting the good works of saints. It does this to build community spirit, which often rallies around a relic, and to allow the common people to benefit from the presence of the relic, be it miraculous or mundane.

Over the course of countless raids and ambushes, the dragon also built up a number of hoards, one for every lair as it traveled. Each one is packed with sacks and chests of coinage, jewelry, and weapons, plus whatever objects within its victims' possession interested it. Before the creature departed each lair, it buried these troves for retrieval at a later point. Now, when it knows it will require a windfall to fund a particular project, the dragon sends a member of the abbey out to collect what the brother can. Knowing these journeys could take considerable time due to the distances the servant must travel, the abbot takes this into account when designing its plans. A trusted clergyman or a penitent knight is usually given both a mule and a gift of stamina

from the dragon's blood to ensure he can recover the treasure and make the return journey alone.

The abbot then uses the riches to build and renovate churches, fund missions, and foremost, improve the lot of local communities. New and refurbished churches reinforce the importance of the Church as an organization, and through them, the importance of the Divine. Church construction draws the congregation together and provides opportunities for employment while possibly improving infrastructure, like bridges, walls, or wells. New missions provide succor to the poor while attracting eager labor and establishing new footholds for expanding the abbey's reach and influence, while also bringing greater glory to God. Additionally, a share of this recovered wealth is spent bettering the lives of the common folk. The dragon manages this by sponsoring seasonal fairs (City and Guild, page 106 has more on fairs) at the abbey and then quietly refunding table fees to peasants, paying for repairs on community goods like plows and wagons, or funding the purchase of such equipment or livestock when none exists. Additionally, excess monies are used to sponsor apprenticeships with craftsmen and professionals, paying for the necessary costs with the understanding that the future craftsmen will return to their home regions and add

The prior is one of three kinds of man. One, he's a sincere man inspired by a miracle, the Peter to the dragon's messiah. Two, he's a pragmatist who has nothing recognizable as faith, but sees the potential in having an actual miracle to show people. Three, he's mentally unbalanced after confronting a Divine act, but since it involves a dragon and an ongoing miracle, he could act either way, becoming Paul or Judas. As a potential betrayer he continues to serve, gathering records, clandestinely requesting help, and learning its weaknesses and vulnerabilities to aid those who would actually kill the dragon.

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

Size: 0 Age: 43 (43)

Warping Score: 0 (2) Confidence Score: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Senior Clergy; Monastic Vows; Intuition, Regular, Temporal Influence, Vow

Personality Traits: Organized +3, Calculating +2, Dedicated +2

Reputations: Trustworthy 4 (local), Wise 4 (regional)

Combat:

Dodge: Init +3, Attack n/a, Defense +4, Damage n/a

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: Area Lore: Native Area 3 (towns and villages), Artes Liberales 3, Athletics 1 (hiking), Brawl 2 (Dodge), Carouse 1 (remaining sober), Charm 3 (clergy), Church Lore 4 (local diocese), Civil and Canon Law 4 (regulations for the clergy), Dead Language: Latin 5, Dominion Lore 3 (saints), Etiquette 4 (Church), Folk Ken 4 (member of the diocese), Intrigue 3 (parishes), Leadership 3 (preaching), Living Language 5 (conversation), Native Language 5, Profession 3 (autocrat), Theology 3

Equipment: Monk's habit, sandals, walking stick

Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Appearance: A typical friar or monk in a woolen robe.

Priors act in the abbot's stead, performing any tasks deemed necessary. They handle interaction with outside officials, supervision of monks, operations of the abbey, and any other activities directed by the abbot. This prior might be friendly and genial, brusque and perfunctory, or distant and calculating. He may be the loyal gatekeeper or the scheming manipulator, but he performs his duties as prior with excellence.

Story Seed: The Traitor Within, The Traitor Without

The dragon cannot change its shape, although it can squeeze and contort his shape to fit through doorways, and so several of the monks know their new abbot is an unnatural creature. It's also true dragons are widely considered symbols of evil in most of Europe. Despite both Rasa's miraculous transformation and the epiphany that saved their home and lives through the previous abbot's sacrifice, a member of the abbey decides there is no way the creature truly changed its nature. After a monk discovers the abbot is a dragon, he decides the beast must be in league with Hell — after all, it ate the saintly abbot — and runs to the magi for help. This churchman might bring along extensive descriptions, Arcane Connections, or even (possibly incorrect) details of the dragon's plans. He might remain with the covenant, assisting with further planning and operations or acting as the constant reminder of the threat lying unresolved within the abbey. Or the monk might return to the abbey, playing the part of a double agent and inside man, feeding them more information and lying in wait for the magi to attack and finish the dragon's rule.

Some clever leaders cultivate double agents intentionally, and without the betrayer's knowledge — using them to feed misinformation to foes and create traps that cannot usually be discovered through the spy, who believes the intelligence to be genuine. Has the dragon deceived both this monk and the covenant? Does the dragon believe the magi are compromised Infernal agents? Is it attempting to lure the magi and their resources out, where it can better destroy them without collateral damage or suspicion?

Encountered while attempting to recover an item or harvest a vis site for the dragon, the knight does not know the abbot's true nature. He only seeks absolution for a wrong committed while traveling, and believes completing this task will provide it.

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

Size: 0 Age: 26 (26)

Confidence Score: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Knight; Wealthy; Affinity with Single Weapon, Improved Characteristics, Tough, Warrior; Oath of Fealty; Continence, Pious, Poor Student, Vow (complete the abbot's task), Wrathful

Personality Traits: Pious +2, Wrathful +2 Reputations: Pious 2 (local); Wrathful 2 (region)

Combat:

Dodge: Init +1, Attack n/a, Defense +5,

Damage n/a

Lance and shield (mounted): Init +3, Attack +14, Defense +12, Damage +10 Long sword and shield (mounted): Init +3, Attack +15, Defense +14, Damage +11 Long sword and shield: Init +3, Attack +12, Defense +11, Damage +8

Mace and shield: Init +2, Attack +10, Defense +9, Damage +10

Soak: +14

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: Native Area 4 (castles), Area Lore: Travel Area 3 (travel routes), Athletics 4 (armored), Awareness 1 (battle), Brawl 4 (dodge), Chirurgy 1 (sword wounds), Etiquette 3 (court), Great Weapon 4 (lance), Hunt 3 (boar), Intrigue 2 (court), Leadership 4 (small groups), Latin 1 (religious phrases), Living Language 4 (commands), Native Language 5 (commands), Ride 3 (battle), Single Weapon 5 (Long sword), Theology 2 (scripture)

Equipment: War horse, full chain mail, heater shield, lance, long sword, mace

Encumbrance: 2 (4)

Appearance: This lone knight wears a black surcoat over his armor and carries himself with a stoic sense of purpose. His gear and mount appear to be of good quality, and he otherwise appears as a typical knight leading a group of warriors.

The knight wears a black surcoat until the completion of his quest to reflect his sinful state. Extremely dedicated to his goals, nothing will dissuade him. He travels with a group of men-at-arms; use the statistics for one grizzled veteran (ArM5, page 21) and four standard soldiers (ArM5, page 22).

to their local economies when their education is complete. The abbot prefers this sort of assistance because of its long-term nature and community focus.

Finally, the abbot realizes the importance of good intelligence. Utilizing its Taste of Memory power, the dragon reaps great benefits through the consumption of trained birds — by eating the birds when they return, it learns what the animal saw or heard, what the conditions somewhere were, and what the relative strength of an enemy group was. Because the birds are naturally trained and nonmagical, there is no interference from the Parma (although neither the birds nor the dragon know of the Parma). In order to execute this strategy, the abbot orders the monks to maintain pigeon aviaries. The birds also provide supplemental income and foodstuffs. Occasionally, the dragon eats dogs or cats for this purpose, and offers a small prayer of thanksgiving before doing so.

The dragon does not dine with guests or travelers, but asks an elder monk or the prior to convey its apologies and dine in its place. No one lies for the abbot, they simply state he is unavailable or unable to dine at that time. The prior acting as the abbot's proxy handles other duties traditionally performed by the abbot, such as inspecting sleeping quarters. The monks and the abbey's leadership, and perhaps even those supervising or just outranking the abbot, such as the archdeacon, revere the dragon as miraculous, cooperating to maintain the dragon's secrecy and execute its plans. If anyone becomes overly curious or intent to see the dragon unbidden, and the creature's unwanted discovery appears imminent — despite the effects of the dragon's Sign of Peace power or the machinations of the abbot's supporters a plan exists to have the abbot "die" while a trusted elder monk or the prior is elected abbot to serve as the dragon's public representative. Should the local nobility somehow attempt to influence the election of a new abbot, the monastery's members don't contest the results but work to bring the replacement abbot into the fold while the dragon remains hidden either nearby or in the monastery's cellars.

The spread and increase of Divine auras, which negatively impact Magic auras, are the most likely events that draw magi to investigate the dragon's behavior and discover its existence. Local Quaesitors or Hoplites performing their own investigations may approach the covenant. Magi working at the very edge of their abilities and in correspondence with peers may notice the effects first, or the mystery could be an issue assigned to the magi at the Tribunal gathering.

The encroaching Divine would likely anger any Faerie creatures in the region, who may seek out the magi to determine the cause of the growing aura. This might present the covenant with opportunities to better establish ties or alliances with local fae, or introduce fae-blooded characters sent to cooperate with Hermetic investigations. Such an alliance might even serve as a springboard to unrelated or tangential adventures, as the magi explore possible leads within the surrounding faerie communities.

In a similar manner, a waxing Divine influence would drive local Infernal creatures to seek places with more sinful and less penitent inhabitants — like some covenfolk or grogs who are known for their violent, rough, and sinful lifestyles. The fact some covenants lack a regular priest makes their garrisons even more vulnerable to suggestion, corruption, or possession by Infernal agents. A strong Aegis of the Hearth may keep demons from entering directly, but a demon possessing a member of the covenfolk or grog turb may still infiltrate the grounds. Those Infernals unable to ride the covenant's servants might lurk just outside the Aegis, causing incidents and harassing suitable targets as they go about their business in the outside world. Magi are likely to simply eradicate such invaders, and it may take several incidents over the course of many seasons before a demon is interrogated prior to its destruction or banishment.

Possible hooks aren't limited to creatures. A growing Divine aura might reduce or eliminate both claimed and uncontested vis sources, and create friction between player covenants and other covenants in the region. For example, the magi arrive to harvest the vis only to find a certamen challenger waiting for them. Victory may earn them the vis they rightfully own, but some civil interaction is necessary in order to learn what is driving other magi to attempt resource poaching. Multiple incidents may create a matter for debate at Tribunal, as the members of the Order argue about the effect — the disappearing sites — rather than its cause — the growing power of the Divine.

As the abbot's plans progress, the influx of wealth and devout craftsmen into the region likely begins to change the nature of the surrounding communities. As magi and covenfolk travel throughout the area, they may notice this transformation. At first, they may not care about the arrival of additional masons or carpenters, or the new projects funded by the abbey's coin. However, this is just a more subtle barometer of the increasing Divine aura, as the additional infrastructure and improved quality of life encourages the population to greater acts of devotion and worship. The covenant may not immediately connect the cause and effect until they attempt to acquire some of these craftsmen for their own projects, or negotiate the education of apprentices and find them unwilling to train or work for anyone but the abbey. What might initially seem an annoyance may become a more desperate situation as aspects of the covenant fall into disrepair, or as the magi are forced to take time away from important research or personal projects to travel significant distances in order to obtain the expertise they need.

This monopolization of labor and resources could also cause friction between the local nobility and the abbey. A clever nobleman, or one who has previously cooperated with the covenant, might seek out the covenant in frustration over the growing power of a secretive and seemingly incorruptible abbot who operates through subordinates and grows more popular every day. The magi might be asked to clandestinely act against the abbey in exchange for some form of limited autonomy or relief from regular feudal obligations — the sort of freedom nearly every covenant eagerly desires may be too great a reward to ignore. Only after they accept the arrangement and put their own plans in motion will they begin to discover the scope of the dragon's actions and the nature of their foe. Worse yet, the nobleman is unlikely to accept failure, and what had initially begun as a simple plot to quickly "deal" with a Church official may spiral into something far greater as the frustrated lord threatens the magi with civil punishment for unacceptably slow progress. If the magi are reckless, this situation carries the additional possibility of the covenant being brought up on charges at Tribunal for serving as court wizards to a mundane lord in violation of the Hermetic Code. The player characters must carefully conceal their operations not only from the Dragon Abbot but other members of the Order in the area, who may arrive to discuss the changing environment with their neighbors. The fading Magic aura could become the least pressing of their worries as they face an impending trial at Tribunal, either attempting to find a Quaesitor advocate willing to take their case, or

preparing their own defense. Both options potentially distract the characters from the still-growing influence of the Dragon Abbot and from their own research.

The abbot also has the potential to limit a covenant's access to other resources — grogs may take on vows and go on crusade, regional supplies are redirected for abbey construction projects, covenfolk might desert for pilgrimages, scholars and craftsmen refuse to work with men of questionable repute, and texts once available for loan are gathered and locked away deep within the abbey.

Additionally, the abbot eagerly seeks to recover relics and non-Hermetic magic items from ancient sites and battlefields. It often dispatches abbey clergy for this purpose. When possible, the abbey safely uses these devices on behalf of the local populations, presenting them as Divine objects and demonstrating how they are "really" tools of God. If the very nature of the item prevents this use, the dragon either destroys the item or locks it away. These quests are not the only missions that servants of the abbey undertake; the dragon must consume vis due to its magical nature, and sends trusted friars to many lesser vis sources with instructions for harvesting the vis. The creature recognizes that, if successful, it will eventually destroy the very sites it needs to survive.

Through everything, the dragon views opposition by the player characters as a test of its faith and determination sent by God, never blaming them for their actions.

There are two broad ways in which the problems with Rasa can be resolved.

The least-violent options for dealing with the negative effects of the Dragon Abbot might involve simply persuading the creature to leave the area. After establishing a peaceful rapport with the monks and learning the abbot's nature, the characters could extol the importance of a distant pilgrimage, or discuss the insights and enlightenment only possible in an ascetic hermitage far from any trace of civilization. These possibilities require blunting the creature's missionary zeal and engaging it in regular discussion — a task that might prove difficult for a magus not seeking a more pious path or one who isn't a dedicated student of the Divine. Once this is accomplished, the dragon could be convinced to undertake a pilgrimage to a distant but significant religious site like Jerusalem or the Sea of Galilee in the Levant, the great library of Saint Catherine's Monastery at Mount Sinai, the Way of St. James and Santiago de Compostela in Spain, or the Canterbury Cathedral in England. This trip effectively removes the dragon from the saga as it decides to remain at its chosen destination, but might produce later consequences as investigators from the dragon's new home come to the Tribunal seeking the creature's origin.

Depending on the time frame and location of the saga, the abbot might be convinced the most Christ-like action it could undertake would be its own sacrifice on behalf of its adopted congregation. An impending attack of pagan Mongols, or of a conquest-minded army like the Fourth Crusade or an expansionist Moorish or Arab force, might serve as a sufficient threat to motivate the dragon. This becomes much more possible if the magi take the time to gather evidence and eyewitness testimony of the merciless and destructive aftermath of such an attack, appealing to the dragon's growing sense of selflessness.

Charging the abbey and engaging the dragon in combat is implausible for almost all magi, especially given the dragon's Might combined with both the Divine aura of the place (the abbey and scriptorium should have a Divine aura of 4 or 5) and the subsequent mundane and Hermetic consequences of attacking a house of God. Covenants seeking a permanent end to the dragon need to consider using the abbot's tactics against it, to reduce its power base and draw it into the open. In

Because they travel abroad, the clergy become the easiest targets for the magi. Grogs and paid agents might ambush them on the road, in towns, and while completing tasks for the creature. Depending on the nature of the people assigned to such attacks, there may be failures as holy men beg for mercy or assassins simply lose their desire to kill a man of God. There might be a negative impact on the region's reputation as disappearances mount or the local populace discovers slaughtered corpses.

Another option, relying more on subterfuge than violence, is to impersonate the monks and perform outrageous or distasteful acts among the people living around the abbey, such as stealing in the name of the abbot, bouts of drunken debauchery and rabble-rousing, or plain violence. This also requires agents with questionable morals, willing to not only terrorize innocents, but to masquerade as servants of God while they do so. Aspects of the plan might become prematurely revealed if any members of the operation attend confession nearby.

The magi might also conspire to use the Church organization itself against the abbey and the monks. Other members within the Church hierarchy might somehow get the idea that the abbot and his monks are fomenting heresy, or that they have violated canon law in some way — maybe by stealing from the diocese, through fornication, or by bearing false witness. Such violations could cause conflict as priests are accused of civil crimes such as murder, and invoke their right to be tried by Church courts, thus creating friction with local authorities or possibly drawing the unwanted attention of higherranked and less understanding Church officials to the abbey. This forces the dragon to expend resources either resolving or concealing the issue. If the dragon's true nature is revealed, the Church might well decide to remove it as abbot; it is, after all, not even a human being.

The land surrounding the abbey also

presents a viable target for magi. By interfering with the abbey's crops, the characters can cause food shortages and impact the raw materials used for trade good production. Wizard's Autumn (PeHe 15) is low enough level to allow most magi to affect a field, as is a spell to salt the earth for a moon duration (CrTe 15, Base 3, +1 Touch, +3 Moon) even with a Divine aura present. A specialist might have a high enough casting total to use spells like Clouds of Rain and Thunder or Clouds of Summer Snow (CrAu 25). A very experienced magus would be needed to summon the Curse of the Ravenous Swarm (CrAn 45), especially since the abbey has an aura greater than 3. A covenant might be able to disguise such spells as natural phenomena, at least the first few times. Mundane tac-

tics, such as fire or trampling beasts, could be just as effective but they blatantly alert the abbot to the fact that someone means

the abbey harm.

Livestock could suffer a similar fate, with debilitating spell effects still possible at low levels — like destroying the wool of a flock of sheep (PeAn15, Base 3, +2 Voice, +2 Group). Specialists might be able to cause cows or goats to stop giving milk or chickens to stop laying eggs (PeAn 25, Base 5, +2 Voice, +2 Group). Reavers, bandits, or even Mentem-affected locals could be encouraged to steal or poach livestock. In a similar vein, magi might drive natural or magical predators into the area, using them to kill and harass the abbey's animals while the monks waste time and effort trying to protect them.

Another option for limiting the abbey's resources lies in disrupting its trade with outside customers. Covenants could choose to damage or curse goods leaving the abbey, making them impossible to sell and thereby denying the monks the income necessary to meet their obligations. Depending on the monetary reserves of the abbey, this tactic may take some time to seriously impair operations. Possible variations on it might include hexing merchants coming to trade with the monks, using Mentem magics like Pains of Perpetual Worry (CrMe 20) to sour their mood or make them greedy, or Panic of the Trembling Heart (CrMe 15) to chase them away, or a moon-duration Recollection of Memories Never Quite Lived (MuMe 5) to make them believe they were cheated during their last transaction at the abbey. Those preferring a mundane approach might feed information about the departure times and dates of trade good shipments to bandits or unscrupulous local lords, and allow them to do the covenant's dirty work.

Finally, once the dragon has been lured from the abbey, or for those looking to challenge it directly, there is the possibility of seeking out a dragonslayer or another dragon to attack the abbot. A dragonslayer may only need the bare evidence of the dragon's existence, believing the worm has deceived the monks. Armed with his own righteous belief, such a proxy champion might weaken the dragon enough for the covenant to finish the job. Another dragon could fulfill this role equally well, and even prove to be a better combatant. However, another dragon might also require more convincing or some sort of compensation before it would be willing to attack.

This way, likely through a combination of tactics, the covenant could frustrate the abbot's plans sufficiently to draw it out into the open, forcing it to deal directly with the threat presented by the player characters. By carefully gathering Arcane Connections beforehand and negating its greatest defense — the spell-dampening effect of the Divine aura within the abbey — the magi would stand a good chance of defeating this unusual foe.

Some may decide the best way to eliminate the abbot is to manipulate another foe into performing the deed. Magi might convince or lead another nearby covenant into striking down the dragon. They could search out the eternal enemy of the Divine and find demons willing to attack the abbot. The covenant could reveal Rasa's true nature to higher ranking and unsympathetic Church officials, like an archbishop. They might galvanize the whole of the Tribunal into an action against the creature, arguing that the dragon constitutes a unique and obvious threat to the Order of Hermes. Or faeries might be convinced to take part in a grand story involving the dragon's death. Any such allies are dependent upon the creatures and groups near the covenant and the diplomatic efforts of the magi.

Whatever the nature of the foe they enlist to eliminate the dragon, there is the chance the magi have leapt from the proverbial frying pan and into the fire. Storyguides should carefully consider the lingering consequences of involving a third party to deal with the dragon. Quaesitors may not leave, wondering what other issues lie hidden and require attention. Clergy may instigate small-scale crusades or purges. Demons would not stop at removing the dragon, but continue to subject the region to their evil machinations. Fae may feel their role has evolved from the triumphant hero into the despotic conqueror. Truly devious magi may attempt to use the dragon as a means of eliminating various supernatural threats they cannot handle themselves. The consequences of such machinations are beyond the scope of this chapter, and so left to the storyguide's imagination.