The Waimie

The Waimie is an immense serpent who has lived long ages, and grown magically strong over that time. She craves vis, because it is the only way she can retain that which she has learned, and it is essential for her to continue to grow in power. To this end, she gives birth to smaller serpents who are sent out into the world to retrieve vis for their mother.

Throughout the course of her interaction with the characters, they suffer the depredations of her offspring on their vis sources. Eventually they are lead back to her home, and a tumultuous confrontation with the fearsome serpent in the Magic Realm itself.

The Waimie is a colossal and exceptionally powerful creature of the Magic Realm. She continuously produces offspring; many of these do not survive the fierce competition with their siblings. Those that do grow bigger and more powerful over time, but the larger ones often fall victim to Acclimation, failing to grow in Might more quickly than Acclimation can sap it.

The Waimie has little affection in her cold heart for her offspring, instead seeing them as useful tools to achieve her aims. She is content to allow the most capable to survive, although she has discovered that if she permits too many to live, they are prone to making attempts on her life, seeking to become the mothers of their own broods. She is thus under constant pressure from her larger daughters, who occasionally form coalitions with their younger siblings.

She spends half the year living in a lair in the Magic Realm, sharing her cave there with her current favorite (that is, the least stupid) from among her brood. She sends her smaller offspring out into the world to satisfy her curiosity about all things magical and she has picked up much from these spies — including knowledge of the Order of Hermes. She has seen through borrowed eyes how magi search out and hoard vis, and has struck upon a simpler way to feed her cravings.

The statistics of the Waimie's offspring vary with the years they have survived. At the end of this chapter are those statistics that change with age; assume all other statistics are the same as their mother's. All powers acquired at different life stages are described in her statistics block. The brood begin looking like snakes, but as they increase in size their heads become more elongate and wedge-shaped, like that of a crocodile. The scales become thicker and overlapping, and develop ridges and spines.

The creature described in this chapter is called the Waimie (pronounced "WAY-mee") in the manner of northern England and southern Scotland, meaning simply "worm" (as in dragon, rather than earthworm). However, in sagas located in other parts of Mythic Europe, the Waimie would go by some other name. In northern Europe she would be called the Orm; in French-speaking areas she would be the Wivere; to the Basques the Suge; to the Cantabrians the Mengue; to the Greeks the Hudra; and in the Rhine Tribunal she might be called the Lindwurm.

Each year, a Waimie's offspring gains 5 Might, and 5 more points of Magical Qualities. The Gigantic Quality is bought with these points from the second year onwards,

and other Magical Qualities with the remaining points. The Waimie's offspring stop growing after ten years. Don't forget to add the aura modifier to Magic Resistance, and to subtract the serpent's Magic Sensitivity score. Note also that Animal spells targeting the brood need one or more Size modifiers once they exceed Size +1 (one Size modifier for Size +2 to +4, two for Size +5 to +7, three for Size +8 to +10; ArM5 page 113).

The corpse of each of the Waimie's brood has a pawn of Animal vis per 5 points (or fraction) of her Might, in her eyes.

The storyguide can alter the Waimie to be more suitable to her troupe or saga.

Season: Autumn

Magic Might: 49 (Animal)

Characteristics: Int 0, Per –1, Pre –6, Com –6, Str +18, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik –5

Size: +9

Confidence Score: 2 (6)

Virtues and Flaws: Magic Animal; Magical Monster; Greater Immunity (blades); Arcane Lore, Improved Characteristics, Lightning Reflexes, Personal Vis Source, Student of Magic; Difficult Underlings; Driven (Minor), Infamous

Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Gigantic x 9, Greater Power (Serpent Spies), Greater Power (Two Heads Are Better Than One), Greater Power x 2 (The Envenomed Gift); Gift of Speech, Improved Attack (Fangs) x 3, Improved Defense (Fangs) x 3, Improved Powers x 3, Improved Soak x 4, Minor Virtue (Great Quickness), Minor Virtue (Improved Characteristics), Minor Virtue (Magic Sensitivity), Minor Virtue (Tough), Personal Power x 2 (Scion of the World Serpent); Major Flaw (Hunger for Animal Magic); Minor Flaw (Afflicted Tongue), Minor Flaw (Clumsy), Minor Flaw (Poor Eyesight), Reduced Fatigue, Reduced Might, Restricted Power (must bite to use The Envenomed Gift)

Mundane Qualities: Ambush Predator,

Loathsome Appearance, Slippery, Venomous

Personality Traits: Serpent +6*, Brave +3, Hungry for Vis +3, Territorial +2

* Essential Trait

Reputations: Venomous 4 (Local)

Combat:

Fangs: Init –3, Attack +18, Defense +8, Damage +19

Constriction: Init –5, Attack +12, Defense +1, Damage n/a

Soak: +14

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

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–14), –3 (15– 28), –5 (29–42), Incapacitated (43– 56), Dead (57+)

Abilities: Area Lore: Local 6 (vis sources), Area Lore: Regional 4 (vis sources), Area Lore: Magic Realm 5 (Animal boundaries), Awareness 3 (prey), Brawl 6 (fangs), Hunt 4 (vis), Leadership 4 (brood), Local Language 5 (common dialect), Magic Lore 5+2 (Magic Realm), Magic Sensitivity 5 (vis), Organization Lore: Order of Hermes 2 (covenants), Stealth 4 (stalking prey), Survival 2 (grassy areas), Swim 4 (rivers)

Powers:

Constriction (non-magical): The Waimie can only constrict a victim whose Size is less than her own. Constriction is based on the grappling rules (see "Non-Lethal Combat," ArM5, page 174). As long as the Waimie maintains the grapple, her opponent is considered deprived of air (see ArM5, page 180). The victim must make a Stamina check every five rounds, or suffer the normal effects of deprivation. Once the Waimie has successfully grappled an opponent (and begun constricting), on subsequent rounds she can continue constricting and still attack with her bite. These attacks may be directed at the grappled victim, or at another opponent.

The Envenomed Gift, 0 points, Init, Vim: Anyone bitten by the Waimie can be affected by this power in addition to the non-magical venom. If the Waimie decides to use this power, the victim gains the effects of the Painful Magic Flaw as her venom taints his Gift. The effects fade after a day. No Hermetic equivalent: Greater Power x 2 (50 levels, –5 to Might cost, +5 to Init)

Serpent Spies, 2 points, Init Qik –4, Animal: At a touch the Waimie can establish a mental link with one of her offspring that permits her to see and hear everything the young serpent does. She can create this link with any number of her brood simultaneously and each link remains active indefinitely, but she does not regenerate the Might pool used to establish the link until she allows the

A Weaker Waimie

This is easy — simply use one of the Waimie's brood to represent her mother. Slow the development of the brood so that they take two or more years to increase in Size and Might.

Currently, the Waimie's offspring grow by gaining 5 points of Might every year. However, weaker offspring can be created by alternating the gain of 5 Might with a gain of 5 points of Magical Inferiorities instead. This is more work for the storyguide, but makes the Waimie's Might much lower (gaining only half the increases), and gives more weakness-

Note that Magical Qualities and Inferiorities that affect the Size of Magic Animals do not alter their Might score; subtracting Size from the Might score occurs before purchasing Magical Qualities and Inferiorities during character creation (see Realms of Power: Magic, pages 30–36). Changes in Size due to Virtues and Flaws do affect the character's Might, however. This is a clarification to the existing Ars Magica rules.

es and vulnerabilities. Suitable Magical Inferiorities include: Minor Flaw (Anchored to (Land)*, Baneful Circumstances*, Clumsy, Environmental Sensitivity*, Essential Flaw*, (Form) Monstrosity*, Lesser Malediction, or Poor Characteristic), Reduced Attack, Reduced Might, Reduced Powers. Flaws marked with * can be found in Realms of Power: Magic, pages 47–51.

power to lapse. InAn 40 (Base 15, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 extra sense, +1 constant) Greater Power (40 levels, –2 Might cost)

Scion of the World Serpent, 0 points, Init –2, Animal: The serpent grows tremendously in length and girth, assuming any Size from 1 larger than her current Size up to Size +12. For every point of Size, the creature gains +2 Strength and –1 Quickness. Wound ranges also change. At Size +9 (shown here), the Waimie is 130 feet long and six feet diameter; at Size +10 she is 170 feet long by seven feet diameter; at Size +11 she is 210 feet long by ten feet diameter; and at Size +12 she is 265 feet long by thirteen feet diameter. The effect must be restored at sunrise and sunset to retain the increased size; if she is distracted at either of these times the power may lapse. Further, when this power is used, the serpent's natural attacks become magical in nature and must Penetrate any Magic Resistance of her opponents. Use the Waimie's original Size to resolve Animal spells. MuAn 30 (Base 4, +2 Sun, +4 Size to affect Size +12) Personal Power x 2 (30 levels, –3 Might cost, +1 Init)

Swallow Whole (non-magical): The Waimie can swallow whole any creature that is at least 5 points of Size smaller than she is. If the creature has not first been subdued with a Constriction attack (see above) it can struggle to escape, but it continues to be affected by constriction while swallowed. It is impossible to breathe inside the Waimie, requiring deprivation rolls (ArM5, page 180) even if the victim escapes the grapple. Three rounds after being swallowed, the victim reaches the stomach. The powerful acids inflict +9 damage every round, and complete immersion quadruples this to +36 (ArM5, page 181). A character may be able to brace himself and avoid complete immersion: make a Strength + Athletics roll each round; Ease Factor 6 results in only half immersion (triple damage), Ease Factor 9 results in immersion of a limb (double damage), and Ease Factor 12 means just a splash (normal damage). The Waimie cannot swallow a second creature until the previous one has reached the stomach.

Two Heads Are Better Than One, 1 or more points, Init –4, Animal: The Waimie's head divides longitudinally into two (or more) heads, each one allowing the creature an extra attack. The Waimie can produce one extra head for every additional Might point spent. The serpent acts as a trained group of as many individuals as she has heads, and there is no Leadership limit for the total Group bonus. Note that physical attacks made while using this power must Penetrate any Magic Resistance. MuAn 50 (Base 25, +2 Sun, +3 Size): Greater Power (50 levels, –4 Might cost and +1 Init from Improved Powers)

Venomous Bite (non-magical): When the Waimie attacks, compare her Attack Advantage to the victim's armor Protection (not his Soak). If the Waimie's advantage is higher, the victim suffers the effects of adder venom as listed in the Poison Table on page 180 of ArM5, regardless of whether the bite inflicts an actual wound.

Vis: 6 pawns of Animal vis in eyes, 4 pawns of Perdo vis in teeth.

Appearance: The Waimie is an immense dragon-like serpent, lacking legs or wings. She is 130 feet long, and the widest part of her body is over six feet in diameter. Her body is covered with thick, horny scales that have a central ridge elongated into a spine that runs flat against her body, and she has belly scutes like those of a snake. Her head is eight feet long and wedge-shaped, with a hooked tip and wicked-looking curved fangs. Overall she is a mottled green in color, with occasional darker scales close to her back and lighter scales closer to her belly. Her voice is a whisper, with a sibilant vibrato caused by her forked tongue.

The Waimie has her own vis source, which satisfies her Hunger for Animal Magic Flaw. Every year she sends one of her brood to a distant grove to gather three sprigs of marjoram as the star Regulus rises. The serpent then returns to the lair, her venom temporarily nullified by the magical herb. Of all the vis the Waimie eats, it is this vis she craves most.

A character can discover this by watching her lair and following the smaller serpent as she leaves. If he manages to secure possession of the marjoram from the offspring, he has a powerful tool with which to strike a bargain with the Waimie. He may be able to negotiate temporary suspension of thefts while he holds this vis as ransom.

The Waimie brooks no challenges to her position at the head of the brood. She deliberately excludes her eldest offspring from her cave in the Magic Realm (see later) so that they suffer Acclimation (Realms of Power: Magic, pages 52–54) and do not grow to challenge her supremacy. Some resort to cannibalism to get the vis they need, while others range far afield in search of their own vis, but it is barely enough. Denying her offspring the ability to grow also prevents them from establishing their own families, since these serpents need to grow to their mother's size before they can produce their own brood.

If the player characters do not adopt an immediately hostile approach to the Waimie's offspring, they may find that one of her elder daughters seeks freedom from her mother's tyranny. She needs a sufficiently powerful Magic aura to prevent Acclimation, so that she can grow to her full size. She also needs a suitable mate; a creature reasonably serpentine or draconic. If the characters can help her with these requirements, they secure the alliance of the Waimie's daughter against her mother. Whether she can be trusted once the characters have fulfilled their part of the bargain remains to be seen.

A Stronger Waimie

The Waimie herself is pretty strong already, but she can be made more of a challenge by giving her greater resources and removing some of her restrictions. She could easily find a use for a group of human servants, perhaps using a power similar to the Entrancement Ability to maintain control over them. These servants form the Cult of the Serpent, and their prime purpose is to gather information and vis for their Scaly Queen. Such a cult is headed by a charismatic leader, a hedge wizard with The Gentle Gift and a selection of serpent-related powers. He has Magical Blood of the serpent, and is somehow related to the Waimie's brood.

Removing the Difficult Underlings Flaw from the Waimie allows her to coordinate her offspring better, sending them out in groups to attack the player characters. If she can defeat them totally, then she need not share any vis sources with them at all.

The characters' initial encounter is with the Waimie's children rather than the Waimie herself. They first become aware that something is up when they visit a regular vis source and discover that the vis has already been harvested. This vis source should be in a form that is portable, and that does not require the use of magic or skill to obtain.

Initially this proves an annoyance, but they discover that the same happens the following year. If they leave a guard on this vis source, he witnesses the approach of a snake (one of the Waimie's brood, a yearling), who attempts to take the vis. She is acting contrary to a natural animal — she knows where the vis is and how to get it, and may or may not be successful, depending on the actions of the characters on guard.

If the Waimie's yearling met with resistance, the next year a two-year-old offspring arrives to steal the covenant's vis. It may be the same serpent (assuming she escaped), still bearing the scars of the previous year's encounter. It may be an entirely different creature, or it might be impossible to tell. Every year, the Waimie sends a bigger member of her brood until one escapes with the vis; she'll then send a similar-sized serpent in the subsequent years until that one meets with a run of failures, when she sends a bigger serpent again. Ideally, the Waimie needs her offspring to bring back vis at least every other year on average, so she'll send a big enough offspring to do the job. Of course, the offspring leave vis behind in their corpses, so the covenant may just accept that their vis source has become a contested vis source, and even welcome the occasional extra Animal vis. Before the characters get too used to this strategy, the Waimie starts to send a much smaller offspring out with each larger one. The job of this tiny serpent is to bring back the eyes of a slain sibling, because this is where the vis resides.

After a few years of the magi fighting the Waimie's offspring for vis, she decides that these magi could easily provide her with more vis than they currently do, so she sends one of her hatchlings to follow them back to where they live. The youngster lurks near the covenant, remaining out of sight, but attempts to follow any groups of characters as they leave the covenant, in the hope that they will lead her to another vis source. It is perhaps best to allow the hatchling to be successful in one such mission, allowing the Waimie to start exploiting another vis source belonging to

the covenant. Of course, if the covenant does not have any other suitable vis sources, then the Waimie is out of luck.

After a second vis source has been located by the Waimie, she tries to find a third using the same method. This time the characters might notice that they are being followed; the Waimie's hatchlings are quite stealthy, but hardly invisible. There are only so many times that one can pass off another snake as a coincidence.

Once spotted, the hatchling tries to escape, but while the characters are chasing it, the Waimie sends one of her bigger offspring (one year older than the characters have faced so far) into their covenant to look for vis using her Magic Sensitivity Ability, with an Ease Factor of 12 – number of pawns of vis. It is possible that this offspring might be repelled by the covenant's Aegis of the Hearth; the Waimie has no knowledge of such things. If the Aegis is of sufficient Level and Penetration, the covenant may end up fighting the Waimie's offspring outside the covenant. The worst case scenario for the characters would be for the covenant to have both a weak Aegis and no sentries, leading to the discovery of the Waimie's daughter when she is already in the covenant's vis stores, helping herself to whatever bounty is gathered there. The time that the Waimie's brood has in the covenant and the distribution of the vis stores determines how much vis the serpent is able to steal before she is discovered. If the covenant is prone to keeping a single large vis store, then the creature could manage to consume threequarters of the vis before she is discovered. If instead the vis is stored in the sanctum of each magus, she might only have the opportunity to raid two or three sancta. Of course, the brood could be stopped by any physical or magical traps protecting the vis stores or sancta.

Once discovered, the Waimie's offspring attempts to escape in the most expedient manner possible, seeking to return to her mother with whatever she has managed to purloin. The exception to this is if she faces only minor opposition, in which case she will take her chances at killing the grogs so as to continue her raid. After leaving the covenant, the offspring returns home and regurgitates whatever vis she has acquired.

By the time the Waimie's offspring have pillaged multiple vis sources and attacked the covenant, the characters are probably sufficiently motivated to learn more about the serpents who are dogging their steps.

It is reasonable to assume that the Waimie and her offspring could not live in the region and remain entirely unknown to the populace. The characters may therefore look to the local people for rumors and legends about the Waimie. Alternatively, they may encounter a local in a tavern on the way to (or less helpfully, on the way from) the cave who might be enticed into recounting the story.

Apparently, the creature first appeared in the region a century ago. She was originally caught as a small eel-like creature when a sinner went fishing on a Sunday; disgusted with his catch he cast her down a well. The creature grew, and the villagers found that if they fed her milk they could sate her terrible appetite for livestock. However she did not stop growing even on this diet of milk, and the sole dairy farmer in the valley found it hard to produce sufficient milk to keep her satisfied. Several knights tried to kill her, but each time she was wounded, her blood solidified in the wound healing the injury, and even severed sections just grew back together. She was eventually slain by a champion, who covered his armor in metal blades and fought her while astride a river; when the serpent tried to envelop him she cut herself to pieces. The blood was washed downstream, preventing the pieces from regenerating. However, each one grew into a small serpent who has swum in the river ever since, waiting for someone to fish her out on a Sunday.

This story raises objections from those listening in. One old man has also heard the story, but in his version the beast was completely invulnerable on the outside, and was eventually slain by thrusting a sod

If anyone thinks to ask why there was only one dairy farmer in the valley, the answer will come back that all milk from cows fed in the valley has a horrible acrid taste, except for those pastured on a particular parcel of land. The freeman who owned the land no longer lives there; he died without issue and willed the land to the Church, which now leases it to local serfs for growing garden crops. Those who are aware of the Waimie's appetite for vis might guess at the reason for her taste for milk. If the land were to be returned to pasture and cows fed there again, the characters could extract Creo vis from their milk.

of burning peat down her throat on the end of a spear. New serpents grew wherever the burning blood touched a marjoram plant.

A third gaffer disagrees with both versions told so far, claiming that the serpent was a princess turned into a hideous creature by her evil stepmother, and the spell was eventually broken by her brother. The transformation rebounded on the witch who had laid it, and it is she who still haunts the region with her brood.

None of these stories are true, but one of them contains a hint of truth concerning the Waimie's vulnerability — she cannot be harmed by bladed weapons. However, there is no way that the characters could know that, or which of the mutually contradictory tales might be true.

An obvious tack is to follow one of the serpents back home. The smaller a serpent is, the harder she is to follow; conversely, the bigger serpents can be easily spotted. Whatever size they are, they avoid inhabited regions and use rivers or the sea wherever possible to travel home. They are reasonably inattentive and not possessed of a great deal of wisdom, so as long as the characters do not draw too much attention to themselves, the offspring will not notice she is being followed.

The Lair

The Waimie's lair is described in more detail in a later section. Its location should be chosen to suit the needs of the saga; but the following characteristics should be taken into consideration:

• The lair is a cave in the wilderness, some distance from human habitation;
• The cave is situated near water, either on the coast or by a major river;
• The cave is in a Magic aura of at least 5, and some local feature should explain the presence of this aura. Magic auras form around natural and preternatural tethers (Realms of Power: Magic, page 8); add the tether scores together to get the aura strength. The labyrinthine caves constitute a natural tether of 2, and the Waimie has lived here for ages, which counts as a preternatural tether of 2. Other features that might improve the aura include: a beautiful waterfall (natural tether 1), wave-carved stone arches and columns (natural tether 1), or a site of powerful ritual spells (preternatural tether 1–2).

The Waimie herself is not present during this first visit to her home — she must spend at least half the year in the Magic Realm to avoid Acclimation, and this happens to be her absent season. That is not to say that the cave is empty; on the contrary, it is filled with serpents of all sizes who are the various offspring of the Waimie. The smaller serpents are the most numerous — at least a hundred hatchlings, maybe half as many yearlings and two-year olds — and there should be just a handful of the elder offspring, but enough to give the characters a scare!

If the characters are up for a fight, have them face a serpent who is a couple of years older than any they have faced so far. A serpent of this size should appear to them to be the master of them all, and if they are able to defeat her they may consider their problem solved. For a tougher fight, the characters may have to face a horde of smaller serpents attacking at the same time, acting as an untrained group.

There may be ways in which to defeat the serpents en masse, such as with fire or spells. Spells that affect an area, such as Creo Ignem or Creo Aquam spells with multiple Size modifiers, can potentially include more than one serpent in an affected area considering how densely packed the brood is. For example, a base Individual of Ignem can completely immerse one creature of Size 0. This is equivalent in volume to two creatures of Size –1, five creatures of Size –2, ten creatures of Size –3, twenty creatures of Size –4, and so on. So a Pilum of Fire can simultaneously damage two hundred hatchlings (Size –7); or else fifty hatchlings, five yearlings (Size –4) and one two year old (Size –1). Once the serpents are aware of the characters' presence they will spread out to attack them from all angles, reducing the efficacy of these area effect spells by one half to one third. Note that as magical creatures they are immune to hunger, thirst, and suffocation; if sealed inside the lair they simply wait until their mother or some misadventure frees them.

Attacking the Waimie's offspring makes no difference to the depredations on the covenant's vis sources; the Waimie herself is still alive and can give birth to more children to replenish those the characters have slain. Some of her larger offspring have also accompanied her to her lair in the Magic Realm, and are of an appropriate size to begin raiding against the characters' vis sources.

Depending on the power level of the characters, it would be good if this encounter exposes them to specimens of the Waimie's offspring larger than they have met before, but still quite junior in the overall hierarchy. This increases the impact of the arrival of one of the truly immense creatures in the next part of the story.

Once the characters have been a sufficient nuisance to the Waimie — having prevented her from claiming too much vis,

and probably slain many of her young she desires revenge. She sends one of her elder offspring (at least eight years old) to besiege a locale important to the characters. This is probably their covenant, but may be an important vis site, or even a village. Using her Scion of the World Serpent power to greatly increase her size, the offspring throws her coils around the chosen locale, completely encircling it. At her maximum Size of +12 she is 265 feet long, and can enclose an area of 70 feet diameter in her coils. If the covenant's fortress is smaller than this, she overlaps the coils, making multiple circuits, but her head is always near the main entrance. If the covenant has a high enough Aegis of the Hearth with sufficiently strong Penetration to stop the Waimie's offspring from entering, then she lays her coils around the boundary that defines the Aegis.

The colossal creature blockades the covenant, attacking anyone trying to enter or leave. Any doors on the outside of the covenant that open outwards are blocked by the creature's bulk and do not open. Any supplies brought to the covenant are swallowed whole or else hurled a great distance with a flick of the creature's head. If magi have a sufficiently high Parma Magica, they may be immune to the creature's attacks (it has a Penetration Total of Magic Might + Aura modifier when using this power), although they could still be swallowed whole. They are unharmed by this experience, but it is profoundly disturbing. Everyone else is trapped unless they can fight their way out or escape the serpent's attention.

The Waimie's offspring are not particular attentive and have weak eyesight, so a stealthy character may be able to evade notice. However, their Magic Sensitivity actively hinders magical attempts to sneak past the offspring with invisibility spells and so forth.

The giant serpent remains until killed or driven off. If the player magi deduce that the growth effect must be a power (they might notice the flickering of the creature's size at sunrise or sunset), they can attempt to disrupt the creature's attention when the power fades — as long as they do not give her the opportunity to reuse her power, they may have a chance at defeating her.

The final encounter between the characters and the Waimie occurs when they follow her offspring back to their caves and manage to penetrate deeply enough to find her lair in the Magic Realm. Here they face their enemy and put an end to her thefts, hopefully for good. Note that the Waimie is an exceptionally tough target, especially on her home turf, and characters might need to find a solution that does not involve direct confrontation.

As mentioned earlier, the Waimie's lair is located in a cave system near water. A river mouth is perfect, or a set of sea caves. The exact layout of the caves is not important, suffice to say that there are a dozen or so interlinked caverns, some of them joined by narrow caves through which humans (and some of the larger offspring) cannot pass. The caves near the entrance of the complex have a Magic aura of 3; this gradually increases as one penetrates deeper into the complex until one cavern has an aura of 8. This cave does not have a direct route to it, but the passageways that link the other caves to this one are the widest, averaging ten feet in diameter. The caves themselves are beautiful works of nature, with fluted columns of stone that sparkle with glittering colors that seem to shift under the light of the characters' torches. The tunnels that link the caves have perfectly smooth walls that have been worn by the passage of many thousands of serpents, and they bear the faint ripple marks of their belly scales. The cave walls are banded with malachite, a deep green stone with whorls of jade and verdigris, and occasional emeralds can be found in the ceiling and floor.

Every cave is occupied by the Waimie's brood of various sizes. They resent any intruders into the caverns, although they do not communicate well with each other, and characters only need to face one cave-full at a time. Also, they are not particularly bright, and are easily tricked by illusions, shapeshifting magic, distractions, and so forth.

The final cave, where the Waimie spends her time when in the mortal realm, has a Magic aura of 8 and is the site of a

Some of the characters are away from the covenant when the Waimie's offspring besieges it. They are trapped on the outside, while the others are trapped on the inside. Assuming that the characters manage to communicate with each other, they discover that vital resources for driving off the serpent (such as vis, the casting tablet of a ritual, or an enchantment) are inside the covenant, and they must devise a way to retrieve them without being intercepted by the giant creature.

The Waimie is a difficult antagonist to face, but the characters need not do it alone. Through a redcap, the magi discover that a Hermetic rival is also a victim of the Waimie's depredation. The redcap suggests some form of summit to discuss the problem of the larcenous brood, and perhaps forge an agreement to work together towards her destruction. Some suspect the rival covenant of ulterior motives when they suggest that this meeting take place at the players' covenant, but surely they are on the level, aren't they?

regio with a Magic aura of 10. If the regio is entered (a task with an Ease Factor of 11 for the appropriate Supernatural Ability; see ArM5, page 189), the characters find that the floor of the cave in the regio is a huge mound of solid malachite, and there is a deep spiral trough inscribed into the sides of the mound. If the characters walk around the spiral, following it to the top of the mound and the center of the room, they find themselves passing through a gate into the Magic Realm.

Here, the Waimie's lair is an insula enclosed within an Animal Boundary of level 4. This means that the effective Magic aura is 14, or 18 for any Animal-related effects, including the Waimie's Magic Resistance and Penetration totals. There are also four additional botch dice for any magical activity. It is like the cave in the mundane realm, but vastly bigger. Rather than just one mound, the insula is filled with hundreds of them, each one inscribed with a spiral groove in the malachite. Each mound is a different size; some are just a few feet across, whereas others are the size of hills. On some of these the spiral is clockwise, on others it is anticlockwise, and many of them interlink with each other and interlock with neighboring symbols. From a high enough vantage point, the spirals appear to be some sort of map or possibly writing in a foreign, curlicue alphabet. What's more, the landscape is in a state of subtle, constant change; it is too slow to be seen in action, but there is a definite redesign of the mounds and spirals as they change in size and shape. It resembles nothing else than a nest of snakes all writhing against each other, sinuous and languid.

Inhabitants of the Lair

The Waimie is the most obvious inhabitant of this insula, her vast bulk stretched out among the malachite. The cave is sufficiently vast that she may not be spotted at first, and she uses surprise to her advantage. She resents intrusion into her hiding place, and it will be difficult to resolve this encounter without bloodshed. For a more difficult challenge she may be accompanied by one or more of her mid-sized offspring (years six to eight). Keep track of the number of wounds she suffers during the fight; in the magically charged atmosphere of her lair, the blood falling from each wound quickens into a living serpent who joins the fight in defense of her mother. A Light Wound results in a one-year-old offspring, a Medium Wound in a three-year-old serpent, and a Heavy or Incapacitating Wound in a fiveyear-old. These children of her blood do not spawn their own offspring if wounded.

Even with the Waimie dead, the lair may not be empty. The insula is big enough for one of her offspring to hide here and eventually grow big enough to pose a challenge to the characters. Also, the boundary of this insula is permeable to occasional visitors from elsewhere in the Magic Realm; serpents and dragons seem particularly drawn here. The storyguide should populate the hidden reaches of this vast cage with any creatures she chooses.

The Serpent Map

The strange landscape of the Waimie's lair is in actual fact both a map and a text.

One possible inhabitant of the insula is the father of the Waimie's brood. As is common with snakes, the Waimie's husband is much smaller than the Waimie herself, and he appears to be human. After the characters have begun to explore the insula, he approaches them and greets them in a friendly manner. He explains who he is, but seems to desire no revenge — or even display any emotion — at the demise of the

Waimie. He explains the working of the Serpent Map (see below), and proves to be an asset to the characters. However, is he all that he seems? Remember, the Serpent of Eden was a snake who took human shape.

His exact powers are left to the storyguide; he is almost certainly a shapechanger, but he may be a magical human who can become a serpent, or a snake who can walk as a man.

It is not written in a human language, but is instead a physical representation of the speech of serpents. If an intelligent snake slithers across the surface of this insula, it will start to comprehend the knowledge encoded within. The lair is a giant map of the Magic Realm — or a portion of it at least. Further, the map is annotated with details of the wonders and dangers therein. Even humans can gain an inkling of the information contained therein. For each season spent studying the Serpent Map, it acts as a Summa on Area Lore: Magic Realm, Level 5, Quality 4. If the character can understand the language of snakes through the Animal Ken Virtue, then the Quality is equal to his score in the Animal Ken Ability instead, if that score is higher than 5. A Bjornaer magus with a snake heartbeast has an effective Language score of 5 (Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page 23), and uses this as the Quality instead. If the character assumes the shape of a serpent for at least half the season, then the Quality is treated as 3 points higher.

At the option of the storyguide, the map can be used to try to divine the locations of Magic auras, vis sources, or gates to the Magic Realm. This requires time to study the map — at least one week per 3 points of the Ease Factor — and an Intelligence + Area Lore: Magic Realm. The Ease Factor varies according to the information sought:

Location Ease Factor Magic aura 9 + aura

Magic regio 12 + highest-level aura Vis source 15 + yearly pawn harvest

Magic Realm gate 18

The Waimie is a creature of remarkable power, and is intended to be a difficult challenge for even experienced magi. Storyguides might instead wish to allow the characters to come to some sort of accord with the Waimie. She will certainly demand a tithe of vis from the characters, but this tithe might be less than what she could have her offspring steal — and without the possible loss of life.

The existence of the Serpent Map is known to a few other creatures in the Magic Realm, and the characters' possession of it will not go unchallenged indefinitely. Some of those seeking it out are simply chancing their luck, and can be nothing more than a nuisance to the characters. However, the map's encoded knowledge is of use to more powerful entities, so that one is bound to come visiting before long. Such creatures could be many times worse than the Waimie.

If the roll succeeds, then the character may trace the location of the place found from any known aura in the mundane world.

Exits to Other Insulae

Like most regions of the Magic Realm, the Waimie's insula is connected to others through either boundaries or vestiges. The storyguide should determine the exact destinations for these features, and what perils and experiences face the characters when using them. The following are only examples of the sorts of features that characters might find:

• A stream runs through one portion of the insula. It serves as a boundary to another insula, this one aligned to Aquam.

• Against one wall of the cave is the root of a huge ivy that grows up out of sight. If climbed, a person can cross this Herbam boundary into a plantdominated insula.
• On top of one of the smaller mounds is a small statue carved from the same malachite as the cave. It is an abstract piece apparently made of arches and rings, but if examined from different angles, it appears to be suggestive of a dancing woman. This Terram vestige of level 4 represents a Mystery Cult of dancers who enhance fertility through their efforts, and is also present in a Mentem and a Corpus insula.
• A phantom mouse runs through the lair. It is generally only seen out of the corner of one's eye, or heard as the pattering of tiny feet. This is a Imaginem vestige of level 2, which is linked to the dream of a cat who happens to be a magus' familiar. The vestige can be found in several different insulae, and if someone can catch the mouse they can travel with it to those insulae.

For details on crossing over into other parts of the Magic Realm, see Realms of Power: Magic, page 23. The base Ease Factor for crossing any boundary (ignoring any Familiarity modifier) is 18. The base Ease Factor for using a vestige is (10 – vestige level) x 3.

Killing the Waimie frees her offspring from her tyrannical rule. The younger offspring will be confused and lost, and probably remain in the caves until they become normal serpents thanks to Acclimation, or else are eaten by their elder siblings. The surviving older serpents flee the lair and search for Magic auras of their own in which to set up a home, and for vis sources to prey upon. Some might even survive long enough to reach maturity and take on the statistics of the mother Waimie. Should they find mates, they could then start their own broods. Depending on the density of suitable Magic auras in the region, there could be several Waimies that compete for the same vis sources, or the characters might simply have to survive a battle royale until one achieves dominance.

Hatchlings

Magic Might: 0 (Animal)

Characteristics: Cun –1, Per +2, Pre –6, Com –6, Str –14, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik +9

Size: –7

Virtues and Flaws: Lightning Reflexes; Infamous

Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Improved Initiative, Minor Virtue x 5 (Improved Characteristics x 3, Puissant Stealth, Sharp Eyes); Miniature, Temporary Might

Combat:

Fangs: Init +12, Attack +8, Defense +13, Damage –13

Soak: +3

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

Wound Penalties: –1 (1), –3 (2), –5 (3), Incapacitated (4), Dead (5+)

Abilities: Awareness 2 (prey), Brawl 2 (fangs), Hunt 4 (rodents), Stealth 4+2 (stalking prey), Survival 3 (grassy areas), Swim 1 (rivers)

Powers: Venomous Bite

This serpent is about three feet long and about one inch in diameter at her fattest point. Serpents of this size were born this year. Because of their tiny size, hatchlings receive a +3 bonus to any rolls involving hiding.

One Year Old

Magic Might: 5 (Animal)

Characteristics: Cun –1, Per –2, Pre –6, Com –6, Str –8, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik +6

Size: –4

Virtues and Flaws: Lightning Reflexes; Infamous

Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Greater Power x 2 (The Envenomed Gift); Improved Powers x 2, Minor Virtue (Improved Characteristics); Temporary Might; Restricted Power (must bite to use The Envenomed Gift)

Combat:

Fangs: Init +6, Attack +8, Defense +10, Damage –7

Soak: +3

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

Wound Penalties: –1 (1), –3 (2), –5 (3), Incapacitated (4), Dead (5+)

Abilities: Awareness 2 (prey), Brawl 2 (fangs), Hunt 4 (rodents), Stealth 4 (stalking prey), Survival 3 (grassy areas), Swim 1 (rivers)

Powers: Venomous Bite, The Envenomed Gift

This serpent is over six and a half feet long and about three inches in diameter at her fattest point. This makes her the size of a particularly large adder. Yearlings have very different Magical Qualities than hatchlings; many features have been exchanged for others.

Two Years Old

Magic Might: 10 (Animal)

Characteristics: Cun –1, Per –2, Pre –6, Com –6, Str –2, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik +5

Size: –1

Virtues and Flaws: Lightning Reflexes; Infamous

Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Gigantic, Greater Power x 2 (The Envenomed Gift); Improved Powers x 2, Minor Virtue (Great Quickness), Minor Virtue (Improved Characteristics), Minor Virtue (Magic Sensitivity); Temporary Might; Restricted Power (must bite to use The Envenomed Gift)

Combat:

Fangs: Init +5, Attack +8, Defense +9, Damage –1

Soak: +3

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

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–4), –3 (5–8), –5 (9–12), Incapacitated (13–16), Dead (17+)

Abilities: Awareness 2 (prey), Brawl 2 (fangs), Hunt 4 (rodents), Magic Sensitivity 1 (vis), Stealth 4 (stalking prey), Survival 3 (grassy areas), Swim 2 (rivers)

Powers: Venomous Bite, The Envenomed Gift

This serpent is about 13 feet long, and has a diameter of about six inches at her widest.

Three Years Old

Magic Might: 15 (Animal)

Characteristics: Cun –1, Per –2, Pre –6, Com –6, Str +2, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik +3

Size: +1

Virtues and Flaws: Lightning Reflexes; Infamous

Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Gigantic x 2, Greater Power x 2 (The Envenomed Gift); Improved Powers x 2, Improved Soak, Minor Virtue (Great Quickness), Minor Virtue (Improved Characteristics), Minor Virtue (Magic Sensitivity), Minor Virtue (Tough); Temporary Might; Restricted Power (must bite to use The Envenomed Gift)

Combat:

Fangs: Init +5, Attack +8, Defense +7, Damage +3

Constriction: Init +3, Attack +8, Defense +5, Damage n/a

Soak: +8

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

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–6), –3 (7–12), –5 (13–18), Incapacitated (19–24), Dead (25+)

Abilities: Awareness 2 (prey), Brawl 2 (fangs), Hunt 4 (rodents), Magic Sensitivity 2 (vis), Stealth 4 (stalking prey), Survival 3 (grassy areas), Swim 3 (rivers)

Powers: Constriction, The Envenomed Gift, Venomous Bite

This serpent is about 21 feet long and has a maximum diameter of nine inches. She is now big enough to use constriction attacks against human-sized targets.

Four Years Old

Magic Might: 20 (Animal)

Characteristics: Cun –1, Per –2, Pre –6, Com –6, Str +6, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik +1

Size: +3

Virtues and Flaws: Lightning Reflexes; Infamous

Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Gigantic x 3, Greater Power x 2 (The Envenomed Gift); Improved Attack (Fangs), Improved Defense (Fangs), Improved Powers x 2, Improved Soak, Minor Virtue (Great Quickness), Minor Virtue (Improved Characteristics), Minor Virtue (Magic Sensitivity), Minor Virtue (Tough); Temporary Might; Restricted Power (must bite to use The Envenomed Gift)

Combat:

Fangs: Init +3, Attack +10, Defense +7, Damage +7

Constriction: Init +1, Attack +8, Defense +3, Damage n/a

Soak: +8

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

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–8), –3 (9–16), –5 (17–24), Incapacitated (25–32), Dead (33+)

Abilities: Awareness 2 (prey), Brawl 2 (fangs), Hunt 4 (rodents), Magic Sensitivity 3 (vis), Stealth 4 (stalking prey), Survival 3 (grassy areas), Swim 3 (rivers)

Powers: Constriction, The Envenomed Gift, Swallow Whole, Venomous Bite

This serpent is about 33 feet long and has a maximum diameter of 16 inches. She is now capable of swallowing whole characters of Size –2 or smaller.

Five Years Old

Magic Might: 25 (Animal)

Characteristics: Cun –1, Per –2, Pre –6, Com –6, Str +8, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik 0

Size: +4

Virtues and Flaws: Lightning Reflexes; Infamous

Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Gigantic x 4, Greater Power (Two Heads Are Better Than One), Greater Power x 2 (The Envenomed Gift); Improved Attack (Fangs), Improved Defense (Fangs), Improved Powers x 3, Improved Soak, Minor Virtue (Great Quickness), Minor Virtue (Improved Characteristics), Minor Virtue (Magic Sensitivity), Minor Virtue (Tough); Temporary Might; Minor Flaw (Clumsy), Minor Flaw (Poor Eyesight), Restricted Power (must bite to use The Envenomed Gift)

Combat:

Fangs: Init +2, Attack +11, Defense +7, Damage +9

Constriction: Init 0, Attack +9, Defense +3, Damage n/a

Soak: +8

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

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–9), –3 (10–18), –5 (19–27), Incapacitated (28–36), Dead (37+)

Abilities: Awareness 2 (prey), Brawl 3 (fangs), Hunt 4 (rodents), Magic Sensitivity 3 (vis), Stealth 4 (stalking prey), Survival 3 (grassy areas), Swim 3 (rivers)

Powers: Constriction, The Envenomed Gift, Swallow Whole, Two Heads Are Better Than One, Venomous Bite

This serpent is about 42 feet long and has a maximum diameter of 20 inches. She is now capable of swallowing whole characters of Size –1 or smaller. The creature's vast size makes her ungainly.

Six Years Old

Magic Might: 30 (Animal)

Characteristics: Cun –1, Per –2, Pre –6, Com –6, Str +10, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik –1

Size: +5

Virtues and Flaws: Lightning Reflexes; Infamous

Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Gigantic x 5, Greater Power (Two Heads Are Better Than One), Greater Power x 2 (The Envenomed Gift); Gift of Speech, Improved Attack (Fangs) x 2, Improved Defense (Fangs), Improved Powers x 3, Improved Soak x 2, Minor Virtue (Great Quickness), Minor Virtue (Improved Characteristics), Minor Virtue (Magic Sensitivity), Minor Virtue (Tough); Temporary Might; Minor Flaw (Afflicted Tongue), Minor Flaw (Clumsy), Minor Flaw (Poor Eyesight), Restricted Power (must bite to use The Envenomed Gift)

Combat:

Fangs: Init +1, Attack +13, Defense +6, Damage +11

Constriction: Init –1, Attack +9, Defense +2, Damage n/a

Soak: +10

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

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–10), –3 (11– 20), –5 (21–30), Incapacitated (31– 40), Dead (41+)

Abilities: Awareness 2 (prey), Brawl 3 (fangs), Hunt 4 (rodents), Magic Sensitivity 3 (vis), Stealth 4 (stalking prey), Survival 3 (grassy areas), Swim 3 (rivers)

Powers: Constriction, The Envenomed Gift, Swallow Whole, Two Heads Are Better Than One, Venomous Bite

This serpent is over 53 feet long and has a maximum diameter of two and a quarter feet. She is now capable of swallowing whole characters of Size 0 or smaller. Note that from this age onwards the offspring can speak, but her voice is hampered by her divided tongue, and she can barely speak above a whisper.

Seven Years Old

Magic Might: 35 (Animal)

Characteristics: Cun –1, Per –2, Pre –6, Com –6, Str +12, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik –2

Size: +6

Virtues and Flaws: Lightning Reflexes; Infamous

Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Gigantic x 6, Greater Power (Two Heads Are Better Than One), Greater Power x 2 (The Envenomed Gift); Gift of Speech, Improved Attack (Fangs) x 2, Improved Defense (Fangs) x 2, Improved Powers x 3, Improved Soak x 3, Minor Virtue (Great Quickness), Minor Virtue (Improved Characteristics), Minor Virtue (Magic Sensitivity), Minor Virtue (Tough); Temporary Might; Minor Flaw (Afflicted Tongue), Minor Flaw (Clumsy), Minor Flaw (Poor Eyesight), Restricted Power (must bite to use The Envenomed Gift)

Combat:

Fangs: Init 0, Attack +14, Defense +8, Damage +13

Constriction: Init –2, Attack +10, Defense +2, Damage n/a

Soak: +12

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

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–11), –3 (12– 22), –5 (23–33), Incapacitated (34– 44), Dead (45+)

Abilities: Awareness 2 (prey), Brawl 4 (fangs), Hunt 4 (rodents), Magic Sensitivity 4 (vis), Stealth 4 (stalking prey), Survival 3 (grassy areas), Swim 3 (rivers)

Powers: Constriction, The Envenomed Gift, Swallow Whole, Two Heads Are Better Than One, Venomous Bite

This serpent is about 67 feet long and has a maximum diameter of three feet. She is now capable of swallowing whole characters of Size +1 or smaller.

Eight Years Old

Magic Might: 40 (Animal)

Characteristics: Cun –1, Per –2, Pre –6, Com –6, Str +14, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik –3

Size: +7

Virtues and Flaws: Lightning Reflexes; Infamous

Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Gigantic x 7, Greater Power (Two Heads Are Better Than One), Greater Power x 2 (The Envenomed Gift); Gift of Speech, Improved Attack (Fangs) x 2, Improved Defense (Fangs) x 2, Improved Powers x 3, Improved Soak x 4, Minor Virtue (Great Quickness), Minor Virtue (Improved Characteristics), Minor Virtue (Magic Sensitivity), Minor Virtue (Tough), Personal Power x2 (Scion of the World Serpent); Temporary Might; Minor Flaw (Afflicted Tongue), Minor Flaw (Clumsy), Minor Flaw (Poor Eyesight), Reduced Fatigue, Restricted Power (must bite to use The Envenomed Gift)

Combat:

Fangs: Init –1, Attack +14, Defense +7, Damage +15

Constriction: Init –3, Attack +10, Defense +1, Damage n/a

Soak: +14

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

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–12), –3 (13– 24), –5 (25–36), Incapacitated (37– 48), Dead (49+)

Abilities: Awareness 2 (prey), Brawl 4 (fangs), Hunt 4 (rodents), Magic Sensitivity 4 (vis), Stealth 4 (stalking prey), Survival 3 (grassy areas), Swim 3 (rivers)

Powers: Constriction, The Envenomed Gift, Scion of the World Serpent, Swallow Whole, Two Heads Are Better Than One, Venomous Bite

This serpent is about 84 feet long with a maximum diameter of three and a half feet. She is capable of swallowing whole characters Size +2 or smaller. Brood this size and up tire easily carrying their bulk, so have one less Fatigue level than normal.

Nine Years Old

Magic Might: 45 (Animal)

Characteristics: Cun –1, Per –2, Pre –6, Com –6, Str +16, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik –4

Size: +8

Virtues and Flaws: Lightning Reflexes; Infamous

Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Gigantic x 8, Greater Power (Two Heads Are Better Than One), Greater Power x 2 (The Envenomed Gift); Gift of Speech, Improved Attack (Fangs) x 3, Improved Defense (Fangs) x 3, Improved Powers x 3, Improved Soak x 4, Minor Virtue (Great Quickness), Minor Virtue (Improved Characteristics), Minor Virtue (Magic Sensitivity), Minor Virtue (Tough), Personal Power (Scion of the World Serpent); Temporary Might; Minor Flaw (Afflicted Tongue), Minor Flaw (Clumsy), Minor Flaw (Poor Eyesight), Reduced Fatigue, Restricted Power (must bite to use The Envenomed Gift)

Combat:

Fangs: Init –2, Attack +16, Defense +8, Damage +17

Constriction: Init –4, Attack +10, Defense 0, Damage n/a

Soak: +14

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

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

Abilities: Awareness 2 (prey), Brawl 4 (fangs), Hunt 4 (rodents), Magic Sensitivity 4 (vis), Stealth 4 (stalking prey), Survival 3 (grassy areas), Swim 3 (rivers)

Powers: Constriction, The Envenomed Gift, Scion of the World Serpent, Swallow Whole, Two Heads Are Better Than One, Venomous Bite

This serpent is about 106 feet long with a maximum diameter of five feet. She is capable of swallowing whole characters Size +3 or smaller. This is the largest the Waimie's offspring grow; she herself is one Size increment larger (see her Scion of the World Serpent power for her Size progression).