Gascony

In 1220, the western part of the Provençal Tribunal is a great wedge-shaped chunk of wilderness called the province of Guyenne and Gascony, or simply Gascony, and considered a part of the Duchy of Aquitaine. The territory extends south and east from Bordeaux along the Garonne river until it reaches Charlemagne's Cross near Roncevaux in the Pyrenees, and includes all of the western coast as far as Bayonne. Gascony comprises three civilized regions corresponding to the three major cities: the northern area surrounding Bordeaux, the higher ground and bishopric at Auch near Toulouse and the southeastern border, and the southwestern edges near Bayonne where Gascony meets the Basque lands. The English crown has firmly held this land since Richard the Lionhearted made his home in Bayonne and crushed the local lords. The current king of England, Henry III, enjoys visiting his mother, who lives nearby. Traditionally, the dukes of Aquitaine established themselves in Bordeaux and ignored the rest of the region unless necessity demanded action. They

make occasional, brief forays down the Garonne River in demonstrations of power.

The Way of St. James, the third most popular pilgrimage in Mythic Europe after Rome and Jerusalem — passes through much of the duchy. The Way offers a wellmaintained series of roads for pilgrims traveling to Iberia through Gascony, with five different paths, including the less commonly used route along the coast, known as "The English Way." However, the interior of the country contains little more than uncultivated land, forests, and marshes. Several orders of

knights have created commanderies from donated lands, building small communities to protect travelers and generate revenue for the crusaders in the Holy Land.

Pilgrims have traveled to the shrine of St. James in Santiago de Compostela, established by Charlemagne as he marched to Zaragosa, from beyond the Pyrenees for centuries. By the beginning of the 1100s, the well-organized trip enjoyed acclaim across Europe, popularized by Aymeric Picaud's Liber Peregrinationis, a gift to Pope Callixtus. Five separate routes wind across France and Provence, marked with wayposts bearing the ancient sign of the scalloped shell, symbolizing not only the journey, but those walking its path. Travelers wear a scallop shell on their hat or as a pin, and are called "palmers," like pilgrims to the Holy Land. A dedicated support structure exists along the Way, beginning all over western Europe, converging just before the passage over the Pyrenees to Puenta la Reina in Navarra, and then continuing across northern Iberia before terminating at the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

The devout living alongside the Way of St. James established hospitals to feed and tend pilgrims. Many offer as much food as the wanderer can take in a single scoop of the shell. Their churches are celebrated stops where praying travelers view relics. Their merchants maintain hostels, boarding houses, and a support industry generating rich revenue. The five popular routes through Provence are:

The English Way, following the coast of Gascony through Bordeaux and Bayonne.

The Via Turonensis, from Paris, through Turonem, or Tours.

The Via Lemovicensis, beginning in the town of Vézelay, through Lemovicum, or Limoges.

The Via Podiensis, which starts in Le Puyen-Velay. Those who begin in Geneva call this the Via Gebennensis.

The Via Tolosana, originating in Arles and passing through Toulouse.

Faith & Flame

The first four paths funnel to Roncevaux Pass by the town of Ostabat. Ostabat has two hotels, two hospitals, and over two dozen hostels, and over five thousand palmers a week pass through on their journey to the raw stone tunnel leading into Iberia. Constructed inside the tunnel, an inn operating in the pass provides a shelter from storms and snows while offering a place to rest mounts before continuing onward. Only the Via Tolosana uses a different pass; Italian wayfarers favor this one. Regardless of their road, pilgrims keep journals documenting their stops and the notable sites visited. In almost every town, one finds lodgings catering to pilgrims, bearing the Way's signature shell icon.

See The Church, page 16, for more information about creating pilgrimage stories.

In 1208, Pope Innocent III placed all of England under interdict to encourage King John's reconcilation with the Church. As part of his holdings, many of Gascony's churches closed and refused to celebrate mass for six years. In the relatively wild lands of southwestern France, a region with little traffic off the pilgrimage routes, a group of demons gained a foothold (see Six Deadly Spirits, nearby), and Infernal auras remain quite common, even in cities and villages where the Dominion holds sway during the day. At night, the Infernal often regains control. The interdict affected the Divine auras of the region in strange ways, leaving many weaker or altered from what one might expect, and no Divine aura less than seven is older than six years.

Once a pagan mystery path, the route to Santiago de Compostela reflected a trip to the end of the world, where the sun died and the scallop became the symbol for rebirth from the sea. This original purpose was incorporated into stories of St. James rescuing a knight from the ocean. The pre-Roman path may offer insights into Diedne magic or links to Atlantis.

Book Five of the Liber Peregrinationis offers advice for pilgrims, detailing recommended stopping places, relics for veneration, sanctuaries to visit, and the scams and bad food to avoid. While providing valuable insights into a piligrim's life and describing Santiago de Compostela and its cathedral, the text acts as a mystery script, possibly providing the path for Initiation into fertility magic secrets, or a method for amplifying a Hermetic longevity ritual's efficacy. At the time, the text's author remains unclear, and it demonstrates a great deal of Basque influence. Perhaps the authoring magus still lives in secrecy or hermitage—in the Pyrenees of either Provence or Iberia. He must be found to decipher the Initiation encoded within the manuscript. For most, a complete copy of the five books of the Liber Peregrinationis serves as a tractatus of Area Lore: Iberia, Area Lore: Provence, Artes Liberales (Music), Divine Lore, and Theology with a quality of 8.

These demons arrived during the interdict of 1208 and linger in the wild lands of interior Gascony. A demon generally descends upon a community, possessing its more prominent members. Through their victims, they encourage the rest of the village to sin, eventually enveloping the town in an Infernal aura. Each demon favors a particular deadly sin (two, in the case of Cenodoxus Superbia), and if it can ensure its host dies unrepentant, the victim returns as a minor demonic creature or

ghost. Three demons remain active in the area, while the demon of Greed has moved to the bridge of St. Thibery. The demons of Gluttony and Wrath travel amid the Crusaders in Narbonnais and Toulousain, spreading their vices among the Crusaders and defenders alike. What happens when these demons take notice of the covenant and attempt to corrupt companions or magi? If one escapes, will all six descend upon the covenant, possessing grogs and covenfolk to infiltrate it?

Order: Lord of the Vessels of Iniquity Infernal Might: 40 (Vim)

Characteristics: Int +2, Per +2, Pre +1, Com +2, Str +3, Sta +4, Dex +3, Qik +3

Size: +0

Confidence: 2 (7)

Virtues and Flaws: Improved Characteristics, Self-Confident; Overconfident

Personality Traits: Depraved +6, Hateful +6, Subtle +5, Cunning +4, Deceptive +4, Vessel of Iniquity Demon +3

Reputation: Subtle & Effective 5 (Infernal) Hierarchy: 5

Combat:

Fist: Init +3, Attack +7, Defense +7, Damage +3

Dagger: Init +3, Attack +10, Defense +8, Damage +6

Soak: +4

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: Bargain 7 (setting rates for assistance), Brawl 4 (dagger), Charm 7 (first encounters), Folk Ken 7 (humans), Guile 7 (craftsmen), Intrigue 7 (subtly spreading gossip)

Powers:

Form of Wickedness, 4 points, Init 0, Mentem. This Power is a special variant of the Coagulation Power, and it replaces that Power for this order of demons. The demon assumes a physical form with no shape, dimension, or other accidents of form; while composed of matter, it is pure sin made visible to mankind. Indescribable, this form provokes an extreme response in viewers who indulge in the sin of envy until they drop from exhaustion. (See Realms of Power: Infernal, page 39)

Form of Man, 0 point, Init 0, Corpus. After taking physical form, the demon may shapeshift into any human form, which it may dissolve at will.

Obsession, 1-3 points, Init –5, Vim. The demon can impose the Obsession Trait of Pride or Envy. (Realms of Power: The Infernal, pages 31-32)

Contagious Obsession, 1 point per victim, Init 0, Mentem. Any person who succumbs to the Obsession (Envy) Power of a Vessel of Iniquity becomes a carrier of that Power, and can pass it on to anyone who becomes a victim of their sin. Obsession is resolved in the usual way, except that if the target fails his personality roll, he becomes contagious. Any other person who suffers as a result of his new personality trait must himself make a resistance roll against the initial Obsession Personality Trait or succumb and become a carrier. The total number of people potentially affected is limited by the number of Might points the demon expended to fuel the power.

Grant the Master's Potential, 10 points, Init –17, Vim. Cenodoxus grants the equivalent of the Great Characteristic virtue to the target, raising the appropriate Characteristic associated with the target's chosen craft to +3, or by +1, whichever is better (See ArM5, page 30). The demon usually grants the Virtue temporarily, subtracting the cost from its Might Pool. It can choose to bestow the Virtue permanently, which reduces the demon's Might Score as well. If temporary, the Might points are only restored when the Virtue is withdrawn. The demon may do this at anytime by simply choosing to, but it also often occurs when a prohibition placed at the time of the gifting is broken. The prohibition is often just a time limit, like a year and a day or "until this project is complete." Targets receiving the Virtue permanently also gain the Flaw Tainted with Evil. No Hermetic equivalent. R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Individual, Ritual

Grant the Master's Insight, 5 points, Init -7, Vim. The Lord of Pride and Envy grants the equivalent of the Puissant (Ability) Virtue to the target, providing a bonus to the appropriate craft ability of 2 (see ArM5, page 48). This power provides its bonus in addition to any bonus the target may have from other Virtues, including Puissant (Ability). (For example, a smith with Craft: Smithing) 3, Puissant Craft: Smithing and this benefit would have a total of 3+2+2.) The demon usually grants the Virtue temporarily, subtracting the cost from its Might Pool. It can choose to bestow the Virtue permanently, which reduces the demon's Might Score as well. If temporary, the Might points are only restored when the Virtue is withdrawn. The demon may do this at anytime by simply choosing to, but it also often occurs when a prohibition placed at the time of the gifting is broken. The prohibition is often just a time limit, like a year and a day or "until this project is complete." Targets receiving the Virtue permanently also gain the Flaw Tainted with Evil. No Hermetic equivalent. R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Individual, Ritual

Shroud the Stench of the Pit, variable points, Init +3, Vim. The demon can conceal the Infernal nature of any other supernatural power or aura, making it appear to be Magical or Faerie instead. It may also be used to remove all stench of the supernatural, making things appear wholly mundane. This power can shield a creature or effect from the Sense Holiness/ Unholiness ability. This Power costs Might Points equal to the original cost of the Power being concealed, or Might Points equal to the magnitude of the Infernal effect if it does not cost Might Points. This Power lasts for as long as the Power it is masking.

Weakness: Protected Group (meek people) Vis: There are eight pawns of Vim vis in the demon's tongue and eyes.

Appearance: Cenodoxus manifests as a handsome and well, but appropriately, dressed man or woman, depending on whom he targets. He always has a dagger adorning his outfit, and carries quality tools associated with his target's chosen craft or profession.

Cenodoxus delights in acting as the advisor or muse, demanding the victim create ever better works while backhandedly stoking the craftsman's ego and enticing him into a state of sinful pride. Then, he socializes with those surrounding or associating with the craftsman, noting the victim's success, his innate skill, his brilliant vision — asking others what they wouldn't give to achieve similar results, infecting them with contagious envy. These tactics help the demon corrupt whole guilds with hubris and jealousy, sometimes shifting its own allegiance simply to evoke envy in the victim he first uplifted. Cenodoxus sometimes leaves his dagger lying out and "misplaced," when both tempers and passions flare, enabling murders of convenience. He would gleefully join a Verditius' forge companions, and his higher Might means he can bypass many covenants' Aegis.

Since Eleanor of Aquitane's annulled marriage to Prince Philip, Bordeaux has served as the stronghold of English interests in the region. The port does brisk trade in tin and lead with southern England as the gateway for the metal to the rest of France and beyond. The city is a major stop along the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella, and important churches include the Basilica of St. Seurin and the Basilica of St. Michel, which stands outside the city walls. Consecrated by Pope Urban II in 1096, Bordeaux's cathedral is the seat of the archbishopric. Archbishops often act as conspicuous agents of English policy and the current archbishop, Guillaume Amanieu, is no different. King Henry III of England favors him with the title of Seneschal and Guardian of all his lands beyond the sea. No meek academic, Guillaume participated in both the Reconquista and the Albigensian Crusade. He regularly clashes with the archbishop of Bourges, Simon de Sully.

Beneath the south side of town, in a natural cavern, is a Mithraeum, an ancient temple dedicated to the god Mithras and built by the Roman soldiers once stationed here. It has remained buried and hidden for centuries, its whereabouts known only to Kaeso of Flambeau (see Houses of Hermes: Societates, page 13). Fearing its discovery by the invading barbarians occupying Bordeaux, he kept it secret from the rest of the Order and built a different temple further east, on the site of what became Castra Solis.

Further south of the city, on the banks of the river Leyre, stands the small hamlet of Belin. It supports a keep and a church, and is the purported birthplace of Eleanor of Aquitaine. The town enjoys a generous charter which draws many craftsmen. King Henry III is fond of the castle and prefers to make it his residence when visiting. The church is the resting place of Olivier de Viennes, Ogier the Dane, and several other of the Twelve Peers of Charlemagne. Ogier's famed sword, Cortana, forged of the same steel as Roland's mighty Durendal and formerly the weapon of King Arthur's knight Tristan, is missing from the crypt. The church grounds have a Divine aura of 4, and the air is laden with a very sweet perfume. On anniversary of Ogier's death, this blessed aroma can cure a sick penitent. On the anniversary of the Battle of Roncevaux, the scented air is laden with 5 pawns of Divine-tempered Creo vis.

Situated on the edge of the Gascony Moors, at the confluence of the Garonne and Brion rivers, the walled city of Bazas serves as the seat of the bishopric. It is a regular stop on the Way of St. James starting from Limoges. Popular locations within the city include the Templar hospital established to serve travelers and the cathedral of St. John the Baptist, where pilgrims come to pray before continuing on to the Basque town of Ostabat. St. Veronica built the cathedral's oratory and the altar holds a relic of St. John's blood certified as authentic by Pope Urban in 1092, who returned to Bazas to preach the Crusade in 1096. It has a Divine aura of 5, which rises to 6 on August 29th, the feast day of the Baptist's beheading.

The countryside to the southwest is mostly marshland with a few respectable stands of pine and oak only casually harvested by the locals. Shepherds tend to their flocks, watching from stilts to stay above the fens. The shepherds claim a brilliant white creature lives on the edges

Current Covenants: Castra Solis (including Mimizan)

Ruined, Abandoned, or Lost Covenants: Bachlach's Hermitage, Nemetannais, Two Diedne sites, their names lost to the Schism War.

of those small forests, a unicorn gazing out from the trees for a few moments before returning to the woods. They believe such sightings to be an omen promising three days of safety for the flock.

The rustic magus, Tres, his band of two other magi, and their custodes, use the rough and unforgiving landscape to hide and operate unmolested when not resting at their sancta. The many pilgrims traveling in the area mean few pay any attention to groups on the roads or camping outdoors, and moors help dissuade all but the most insistent visitors.

Order: Spirit of Deceit Infernal Might: 30 (Vim)

Characteristics: Int +0, Per +1, Pre +2, Com +2, Str +4, Sta +4, Dex +2, Qik +2

Size: +0

Virtues and Flaws: Puissant Charm, Puissant Guile; Weak-willed

Personality Traits: Deceptive +6, Acedia +3, Persuasive +3, Spirit of Deceit Demon +3, Trustworthy –5

Reputation: The Convincing Silver Tongue of Doubt 4 (Infernal)

Hierarchy: 4

Combat:

Dodge: Init +2, Attack -, Defense +8, Damage -

Fist: Init +2, Attack +7, Defense +7, Damage +4

Soak: +4

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: Brawl 5 (Dodge), Carouse 4 (appearing drunk), Charm 5+2 (first encounters), Etiquette 5 (nobles), Folk Ken 5 (humans), Guile 7+2 (convincing others), Perform 5 (guitarra latina), Theology 4 (duty)

Powers:

Change Form, 0 points, Init 0, Corpus. Can take on the form of a human between Size –2 and Size +2. He often chooses the form of a troubadour with a guitar. Trust of the Innocent, 1 point, Init –1, Mentem.The target of this effect loses all judgment and believes a specific lie (as long as it is passable) until presented with evidence to the contrary. An Intelligence roll against an Ease Factor of 6 is allowed to resist the effect.

Obsession, 1 to 3 points, Init –5, Vim. the demon can impose the Obsession Trait of Acedia or Sloth. (Realms of Power: The Infernal, pages 31-32)

Coagulation, 3 points, Init –1, Corpus. May take on a physical body in 30 rounds of manifestation, or may dissolve with a round of concentration.

Forked Tongue of the Serpent, 3 points, Init –1, Mentem. The target believes any lie, no matter how preposterous, until he relates the lie to someone else. He then realizes how ridiculous the falsehood sounds, and the demonic Power is broken. An Intelligence roll against an Ease Factor of 9 also reveals the lie's veracity, with the first roll allowed an hour after the effect was used, and further rolls permitted every subsequent hour.

The Serpent's Oracle, 2 points, Init –3, Vim. The demon duplicates the effect of any non-ritual Intellego spell for the cost of 2 Might Points. It may also gain a morsel of future knowledge, understanding the most immediate consequences of any one future action.

Strangle the Noble Endeavor, 5 points, Init 0, Mentem. This power allows the demon to create a perfectly convincing moral, theological, and scriptural argument for whatever point he is trying to prove, generally demonstrating how participating in a Crusade brings ruin on a person's loved ones. After reasoned consideration a Intelligence + Theology against an Ease Factor of 9 reveals the reasoning to be false, with the first roll allowed a day after the effect was used, and further rolls permitted every subsequent month. Someone else may explain the error to the victim, effectively making the roll on the victim's behalf.

Weakness: Protected Group (Crusaders) Vis: There are 6 pawns of Vim vis in the demon's hands.

Appearance: Adrian appears as a handsome troubadour or beautiful trobairitz traveling the countryside, spreading news, and performing for both common folk and nobility through song and music.

Wherever the demon goes, it warns of the terrible atrocities being performed in Narbonnais or across the sea "in the name of faith," and how people shouldn't imagine either going to join the Crusade or even join the defense of the nearby Crusade's targets, the Cathars. He infects people with the emotion of acedia, the sloth of inaction, convincing them they have no place participating in a fight that doesn't involve them, and that such an endeavor would not only lead to folly and misery for the target's family, but also serves uncaring nobles seeking to line their pockets.

An ancient town established before Caesar's arrival in Gaul, Blaye served as an important part of Charlemagne's defense against the Saracens. The ancient king of Aquitaine, Charibert, and Charlemagne's greatest paladin, Roland, lie in white marble sarcophagi, buried beneath the Basilica of Saint-Romain in a crypt. Overlooking the estuary, the basilica is a popular stop for pilgrims traveling the Way of St. James; they pray at the crypt or the altar before crossing the Gironde river by ferry. The basilica has a Divine aura of 4, which increases to 5 on the 15th of August, the anniversary of Roland's death, and on the 24th of November, St. Romain's feast day. A hospice dedicated to Saint Nicolas operates here, specifically to offer care to pilgrims traveling the route.

While the count of Angoulême rules Blaye, a local lord governs the prosperous port from the citadel, Castle Rudel, which adjoins the basilica. Although the same family has served in this castellan role for generations, they serve at the pleasure of the counts of Angoulême. The current lord, Geoffrey I, was recently confirmed by Hugh X of Lusignan, the count of Angoulême by marriage to Isabella of Angoulême, in Aquitaine (See The Lion and the Lily, page 68).

The triangular area of land west and north of Bordeaux encompassing the coast and the mouth of the Gironde Estuary is mostly marshy wetlands. In antiquity, a Roman military post was set up in the area, to ensure the security of the road which traveled the coast. In the ninth century, the first medieval fortification was built on the Roman ruins using white limestone, giving it the name Blanquefort. The castle guards two roads: the first is called Levade, and links Bordeaux to Soulac in the northern part of the Médoc, and the second road is known as the Channel Soulac, which goes south to Bayonne. This road was a main artery of the Way of Soulac, or "Eng-

Order: Tempters (Incubi/Succubi)

Infernal Might: 15 (Vim)

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

Size: +0

Virtues and Flaws: Improved Characteristics x2, Puissant Charm, Puissant Guile; Weak-willed

Personality Traits: Selfish +5, Deceptive +4, Lustful +4, Tempter Demon +3, Cowardly +2

Hierarchy: 3

Reputation: The Despoiler of the Pious 3 (Infernal), Clever 1 (Pilgrimage Hostels)

Combat:

Club: Init +3, Attack +7, Defense +6, Damage +5

Fist: Init +2, Attack +4, Defense +4, Damage +2

Soak: +3

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: Awareness 3 (humans), Brawl 2 (club), Charm 7+2 (first encounters), Concentration 3 (maintaining concentration), Folk Ken 7 (humans), Guile 7+2 (seduction), Penetration 3 (Hag Ride)

Powers:

Coagulation, 2 point, Init –1, Corpus. The demon can obtain a material form, which it may dissolve at will.

Obsession, 1-3 points, Init –5, Vim. The demon can impose the Obsession Trait of Betraying Lust. (Realms of Power: The Infernal, pages 31–32)

Harness the Wind, 1 point, Init 0, Corpus.

This Power allows the demon to fly from one place to any other. The Power lasts until the journey's end, or dawn. Most demons do not bother to do this; they instead discorporate and generate a fresh body at the new location. Sexual demons can do this, instead of using this Power, but lose their cargo when they do.

Hag Ride, 1 point, Init 0, Corpus. The demon may "ride" a victim for an evening. This Power causes the victim to lie, fully conscious but unable to struggle, while assaulted by the demon. If the demon is in spiritual form, the victim can see ghost-like glimpses of his assailant. Being ridden by these demons causes the loss of a long-term Fatigue level, and prevents the recovery of any other Fatigue levels during the night. Sometimes a victim is ridden on consecutive evenings, and loses additional Fatigue level each evening. Some powerful sexual demons can cause wounds or can kill with a single ride. Others ride victims in their dreams. The target regains the power to move at dawn.

Mutable Gender, 0 point, Init 0, Corpus. The demon can change the shape of its manifestation at will, to whatever male or female human form it desires. Julian almost always takes the mien of a raven-haired roguish man in his early twenties wearing pilgrim's garb, unless another form would be more appropriate to the situation.

Weakness: Protected Group (people who

have already lost love once)

Vis: Three pawns of Vim vis reside in the demon's belt buckle.

Appearance: Appearing as a vibrant and cheerful man or woman in his or her early 20's, the demon tempter is always finely, but suggestively, dressed. He favors rich blues and deep brown colors, and appears greatly interested in the victim's insights and experiences.

Julian often asks a target to walk and tell him more about a topic the individual feels passionate about, drawing her aside from prying eyes before attempting to seduce the target with his powers. Then he arranges future trysts, even traveling along with the victim's entourage. When possible, he escalates the liaisons, adding elements of risk while catering to every whim until the pair is "accidentally" caught in the act of carnal sin in the most damaging manner.

Due to their nature, both Cenodoxus and Julian prefer to keep their activities to more populated sites, like Bordeaux, Bayonne or the ferry crossing at Blaye. Cenodoxus requires an audience to achieve his full effect, and so restricts himself to larger settlements. Julian finds settlements to be fertile ground for spreading his particular sin, and regularly preys upon pilgrims using the Way of St. James, fiendishly delighting in their spiritual corruption. Adrian wanders from town to village to city, performing at inns and taverns every night, carousing with the inhabitants to better widely spread his obsession.

lish Way" of St. James, which began on the coast in Soulac, stretching south to the town of St. Jean Pied-de-Port. There, the Soulac Way joined the other four major routes of the pilgrimage before crossing over the Pyrenees at Roncevaux.

Blanquefort

The village of Blanquefort supports the keep overseeing the road, and has a white limestone church dedicated to St. Martin. A large marble sarcophagus occupies the church's crypt, a possible resting place of one of the Twelve Peers of Charlemagne. The Lord of Blanquefort is charged with collecting the toll from travelers on the road.

Soulac

This small town serves as the starting point for many English pilgrims seeking to walk the Way of St. James to Compostella. The Knights Hospitaller maintain a hospice here, and the Basilica of Our Lady of the End of the Earth boasts a number of relics. These include a candle from the nativity of the Lord, palm leaves which fanned in Jesus as he entered Jerusalem, and most importantly, several drops of milk from the Virgin Mary. It has a Divine aura of 4. To the northwest of Soulac, a small group of Benedictine monks maintain the first monastery in the region, a chapter of the powerful abbey of Sainte-Croix de Bordeaux.

Dolmens

Hundreds of dolmens litter the fens and marshes of the Médoc, each with a Faerie aura of 1 to 5. Most of them serve as homes for the faeries that call the region

Notably absent from the crypt in Blaye are both Roland's legendary relicladen sword, Durendal, and Roland's fabled Olifant, a signal horn carved from the horn of a unicorn and sundered by the force of Roland's dying act of sounding it. The fate of these objects is a mystery. The horn purportedly rests across the estuary in Bordeaux, in the basilica of Saint Seurin. Durendal's resting place is much more uncertain.

Stories claim the sword's golden hilt holds a tooth of Saint Peter, the blood of Saint Basil, a lock of hair of Saint Denis, and a piece of the raiment of the Blessed Virgin Mary, making it a puissant weapon against demons and powerful protection against harmful magics. The Confraternity of Roland claims Wayland Smith and Verditius forged the blade, which might make it a breakthrough of Divine and Magical synthesis. The tale of Roland claims the dying knight used it to cut La Brèche de Roland in the Pyrenees while trying to break the blade in order to deny it to the Basques overrunning his host (even though Roland's Breach is nearly 100 miles to the east!) When the weapon remained unharmed, he flung it away, and it was found stuck in a cliff wall beneath the abbey in Rocamadour, 200 miles away—perhaps drawn to the many relics contained within the abbey, including a wooden Black Madonna carved by Saint Amadour.

Although a sword remains in the cliff in 1220, it is also said that Charlemagne claimed Durendal in the aftermath of the battle, and that the Verditius magus Roscius later stole it away to Verdi. Roland is thought to have received church burial, but if he did not and his ghost was somehow summoned, he could confirm the provenance of the weapon wedged in the rock face or answer questions regarding its origins.

The ghost Pyrene's (see Chapter 6, The Pyrenees) close association to the mountains means she likely witnessed the battle where Roland fell. If she can be convinced to travel to Rocamadour, or if the alleged sword is brought to her, she could validate its authenticity. If the weapon in the cliff is Durendal, then what has the Confraternity of Roland brought inside Verdi?

First married at the age of 12, Isabella of Angoulême was once the Queen of England, the widow of King John and the mother of both fourteen yearold King Henry III and eleven year-old Richard, High Sheriff of Berkshire and future Holy Roman Emperor. Eleanor of Aquitane approved of her, and the English people called her "Messalina," "The Helen of Gaul," and a "siren," although her beauty infatuated them. She married Hugh without waiting to receive the consent of the king's council in England, a required procedure for a former queen of England. Traditionally, the council not only chose the queen dowager's second husband, but decided whether she should be allowed to marry at all. Isabella's defi-

ance caused the council to confiscate her dower lands and stop the payment of her pension. Isabella and her husband retaliated by threatening to keep the ten yearold Princess Joan, King Henry's sister and the promised wife of King Alexander II of Scotland, in France—perhaps hidden away in Castle Rudel under the watchful eye of the Lord of Blaye. Isabella will have another nine children with Hugh over the next fourteen years, and her notorious beauty never fades. Does faerie blood run in her veins, or has Isabella struck a bargain with Oriande la Fée, and if so, at what price? Does she conspire with Ducaru of Stella Durus (see Chapter 7: Narbonnais) to secure her legacy and bloodline with his machinations?

home and serve the Queen of Rosefleur as she torments travelers on the pilgrimage. More powerful creatures lair at sites with stronger auras.

Collectively called Dames Blanches, these faeries include the courtly fae, nymphs, and sirens common through the area, along with a few trolls and fauns. They often try to lure pilgrims from their journey and either eat them (in the case of the trolls), or encourage them to live in the wilderness, where the victims often (unintentionally) die of exposure. Others simply request assistance in some small task or a few moments of dancing in order to allow travelers to pass unmolested, tormenting those who refuse. These faeries take forms ubiquitous and commonly known throughout Mythic Europe, making their stories familiar to pilgrims of any nation.

Rosefleur

The castle of Rosefleur resides within a Faerie regio of six levels on the western shore near the tip of the peninsula. It appears as a fairy-tale castle with narrow towers, fluttering banners, and smooth cut stone set in a paradise of flora and fauna, in stark contrast to the muddy and windswept lands of the mundane level. The aura of this place ranges from 2 at the lowest point, to 7 at the heart of the castle. The faerie inhabitants are nude most of the time, though they dress in gossamer finery appropriate to a noble court when their queen entertains guests. The lady Oriande la Fée rules over the faeries of the region, claiming suzerainty from the northern-most bank of the Gironde south to the foot of the Pyrenees and east to the Camargue. The faeries of the region all recognize her, though many pay only the smallest amount of lip service to her rulership — that is, until she arrives in person. In the mundane world, the outline of the small temple sanctuary where the Gauls worshipped her as an aspect of the Goddess Sirona, patron of healing and springs, is still visible. A highly-cognizant gift-giver and sustainer, she changed her role into that of a challenger along the remnant Roman roads and later the Way of St. James. Her constant interaction provided the Vitality to reenvision herself as the region changed, but her origins lie in the muddy square of stones.

Faerie Might: 50 (60 in her demesne) (Herbam)

Characteristics: Int +4, Per 0, Pre +4, Com +4, Str +1, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik 0

Size: 0

Confidence Score: 1 (3 points)

Virtues and Flaws: Focus Power x2, Great Characteristics x3, Greater Power x3; Fae Sight, Fae Speech, Humanoid, Highly Cognizant, Improved Characteristics x6, Increased Might x9, Improved Powers x2, Lesser Power, Personal Power x3, Place of Power (Médoc), Pretentious; Monstrous Appearance, Vulnerable to Iron; Poor Combatant, Restricted Might (Storm), Susceptible to Deprivation, Traditional Ward: Divine.

Personality Traits: Curious +4, Aloof +3, Faerie Queen +3, Meddling +3

Reputations: Cruel 3 (local), Meddlesome 3 (Knights), Observant 3 (region)

Combat:

Fist: Init 0, Attack +3, Defense +1, Damage +1

Soak: +2

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

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

Abilities: Area Lore: Provence 6 (Gascony), Animal Handling 6 (woodland creatures), Artes Liberales 3 (Astronomy), Athletics 3 (dance), Awareness 2 (within court), Bargain 7 (setting favorable terms), Brawl 1 (dodge), Carouse 6 (appearing intoxicated), Charm 6 (knights), Concentration 3 (remaining focused), Etiquette 7 (inciting insult), Fae Speech 6, Finesse 6 (Rego), Folk Ken 2 (men), Guile 3 (entendres), Intrigue 5 (confounding conversation), Leadership 6 (directing fae), Organization Lore: Order of Hermes 4 (Merinita), Penetration 6 (Rego), Profession: Storyteller 4 (history), Survival 4 (fens)

Powers:

Call of the Kept, 0 points, Init 0, Non-Hermetic. Oriande may call forth a Facric ally, providing it with the cue

to manifest and act as she directs. R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind

Caress of the Lethe, 4 points, Init –4, Mentem. The person touched by Oriande forgets his mortal life until he sees a particular object, or class of object, associated with his home. R: Touch, D: Until, T: Ind

Dream's Undeniable Invitation, 1 point, Init -1, Corpus. Oriande causes a human within Voice Range to fall asleep. R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind

Enthralling Sound, 3 points, Init –3, Mentem. Through her storytelling Oriande creates a particular emotion in any group of people who hear her speak. This power also increases the intensity of an existing emotion. A stress roll with an appropriate Personality trait against an Ease Factor of 9 allows a victim to overcome this power's effect. R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Group

Extended Glamour, 0 points, constant, Mentem. This power allows the Queen to take control of a mundane area, making it an extension of her Faerie kingdom.

Focus Power (Plants within her realm), up to 10 points, Init 0, Herbam. Oriande may create Herbam effects up to 10th magnitude. (10 Intricacy points spent on Initative)

On the Breath of the Wind, 5 points, Init –5, Herbam. Oriande transforms into a swirling breeze of leaves appropriate to the season until she decides to resume her regular form. R: Per, D: Until, T: Ind

The Price of Impertinence, 5 points, Init -5, Animal. A human within range of Oriande's voice is turned into a woodland creature, such as a squirrel, a hare, a fawn, a hedgehog or polecat, until a condition set by the Fae Queen is met. R: Voice, D: Until, T: Ind

Equipment: Oriande carries a dagger with a blade of glass, which she can gift for use within her lands as part of her Extended Glamour. When she does so, it becomes a weapon of the wielder's choice.

Vis: 10 pawns of Herbam vis in her antlers. Appearance: A beautiful woman with faintly olive skin and a pair of mosscovered wooden antlers protruding up from her wild yet luxuriant hair, which is shot through with small flowers. Oriande's amber eyes are the color of frozen sap, revealing the callous and arrogant visage of a noble who exercises power absolutely and despises being thwarted. Her dress is made of leaves and lacy spider webs, and she walks trailing a cloud of fireflies or soft snow flurries, depending on the season. Where she steps, the natural environment seems to become more perfect new shoots and bulbs burst forth in Spring, lush grass and leaves unfurl in Summer, vibrant colors emerge in Autumn, crisp frost forms and dried leaves swirl in Winter, only to fade slightly when she departs.

Oriande delights in tormenting wandering knights and pilgrims, causing them to forget their journeys and remain with her for as long as they entertain her. She draws vitality through the creation of conflicts, such as by kidnapping people and holding them hostage or stealing items and demanding tasks or ransoms in exchange for their return, and forcing the knights and pilgrims of the area to resolve those stories, either by rescuing what was taken or dying in the process. In these tales, she plays the capricious Faerie regent, exercising power at her whim. Particularly intriguing knights have been gifted her dagger, which has transformed into a blade of glass at their desire. It may not be particularly effective against mundane opponents, but faeries of the region immediately recognize it as her token—though some may seek to claim it for their own!

Once the playthings of this faerie queen become faeries themselves, she generally loses interest in them. She has hosted many magi in her court as refugees, vassals or allies, including Maugris and Dama. Dama, in particular, spent a long period there while pursuing the mysteries of Story Magic.

Many orders of knights operate in Occitania, but the greatest concentration protects pilgrims traveling the Way of St. James in addition to other various duties. The most significant orders are described here.

Knights Templar

Spread throughout Europe, the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, Order of the Temple, or Knights Templar are the largest knightly order of the era. They operate under a Papal Bull, exempting them from local laws, permitting them to freely cross borders and pay no taxes. The Templars' primary mission is the liberation of the Holy Land, and they realize that such an endeavor demands resources and manpower. In order to accomplish this task, they establish outpost sites, usually donated lands, which they cultivate and use as recruiting stations. Called "Temple commanderies" or "Temple preceptories," Templar sites consist of a house for the commander, a dwelling for the monks and other members, a place for pilgrims to stay, a farm, a mill, a chapel and a cemetery. Each site requires water and generally has easy access to a stream or well. Some have hospitals for the sick or dungeons to keep prisoners and all are surrounded by a boundary wall. (For more on Templar history and structure as well as other orders of knights, see The Church, page 102.)

There are one hundred commanderies

of the Knights Templar in Languedoc, with 27 in Arelat, 20 in Gascony, 14 in Narbonnais, and 29 in the Toulousain. Of the 17 commanderies in Clermont-Auvergne region (See The Lion and the Lily, page 70), ten are considered within the Provençal Tribunal. There are no commanderies in Andorra or the Pyrenees. The commanderies in Gascony and Toulousain (as well as the nearest civilian settlement, unless the commandery is established in a town) are charged with protecting the Way of St. James, in addition to supporting Templars participating in both the current Fifth Crusade and the Reconquista.

Depending on a facility's nature whether it watches over pilgrims, generates revenue, or both—anywhere from six to fifty brother-knights, an equal number of brother-sergeants and at least one chaplain priest form the garrison. Many of these warriors have participated in campaigns in France and Iberia, as well as crusades, and the commander is selected from among them by a vote of the members. One commander, called a tutor, is selected from local commanders to oversee operations within a country. The leader of the Templars claims the title of grand master. The current grand master is Peter de Montaigu, a native of Auvergne. His brother, Guerrin de Montaigu, is the grand master of the Knights Hospitaller. There are normally three Templar masters in the Tribunal. Giraud Brochard is the master of Aquitane and Guillaume d'Ailly, the Master of Provence and Spain. The Master of the Province and Balliwick of Provence died in 1219. Historically, the

Oriande is an archetypal Faerie Queen, and may fulfill such a role in many different stories set in the area. For example, Oberon (see The Lion and the Lily, page 72) may consort with her, or perhaps quarrel with her over a child from the covenant. The Boar King (see The Lion and the Lily, page 119) might seek her hand and deem the magi or their companions as appropriate challenges to demonstrate his devotion. Alternatively, she might choose to meddle with a knight on a quest, waylaying and tempting him much like the faeries in Arthurian legends. She might manufacture

problems for nearby settlements, or take hostages whom she vows to release if certain items are returned to her or certain activities completed. She claims to have Ogier the Dane's sword, Cortana, in her possession as a result of just such trickery. A favorite tactic is to direct a lesser faerie to provoke a group of travelers into hostilities, then appear in the aftermath and demand missives be delivered to other faerie nobility in the region as reparations for the harm inflicted upon her subjects. She then shadows these messengers, manufacturing challenges along the way to gain vitality.

post remained vacant until 1229.

Commanderies often operate in the same manner as abbeys and monasteries. For example, Montsaunès Commandery, fifty miles southwest of Toulouse, supervises dependencies and satellites throughout the Toulouse area. The Commandery of St. Marcet and the Boudrac Commandery are both dependents and the knight commander also oversees smaller posts including those of Escanecrabe, Figarol, Lestelle de Saint-Martory, Mazeres-sur-Salat, and Saint-Jean Plante. The Templars at Montsaunès also manage possessions in the towns of Arbon, Guau, Laffite-Toupière, Salies-du-Sala, St. Martory, Saint-Gaudens, Soueich, and Valentine.

The Templars refused to support the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars. Peter de Montaigu declared only one true Crusade existed — the Crusade against the Saracens. Bertrand de Blanchefort, fourth Grand Master of the Templars from 1153 to 1170, had Cathar heritage, and his descendants in Razas fought on the side of the Cathars against the Albigensian Crusade. Because of their independent standing, commanderies with close ties to Cathar communities occasionally hid perfecti for short periods.

For more information on playing Templar characters or designing Templar commanderies, see The Church, page 102.

Knights Hospitaller

The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, or the Knights Hospitaller, also have a strong presence in Provence. They focus on supporting pilgrims along the Way of St. James and generating revenues to support operations in the Levant, much like the Knights Templar. The primary preceptory is in Saint-Gilles, near Nimes, and administers fifty-three of the eighty-one holdings across Arelat, Gascony, Narbonnais, and Toulousain. The preceptory in Toulouse administers the other twenty-eight. Additional information on the Hospitallers can be found in Tales of Mythic Europe, page 70.

Knights of St. James of the Sword

Founded and based in Iberia, the Knights of St. James of the Sword, or Order of Santiago, possesses only a few holdings in Provence, the most significant of which is the Bessaut Commandery and hospital of Our Lady Mary Magdalene. All of the Order's commanderies in the region are established along the Way of St. James, and primarily in Gascony. They serve solely to defend and assist pilgrims. A sizeable dona-

Perhaps because it was an emblem of Jesus' Incarnation or because it was believed to represent the fearsome passions of nature, the unicorn did not widely appear in early heraldry.

Divine Might: 20 (Animal)

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

Size: +3

Season: Summer

Confidence Score: 2 (5)

Virtues and Flaws: Divine Animal; Divine Master, Greater Purifying Touch (poison); Improved Characteristics, Longwinded, Sense Holiness/Unholiness, Unaffected by the Gift; Mute, No Hands; Baneful Circumstances (virgin women), Compassionate, Reclusive, Weakness (virgin women). (Divine Animal and Divine Master are as Magical Animal and Magical Master, but aligned to the Divine Realm)

Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Greater Power (Righteous Fury), Improved Abilities, Improved Confidence, Improved Initiative (alicorn), Improved Might (x3), Improved Power (x1, Righteous Fury, x2, Sense Virginity), Improved Recovery, Lesser Power (Sense Virginity), Minor Virtue [Improved Characteristics] (x3), No

Fatigue (The Unicorn instead uses Confidence points for its Greater Purifying Touch)

Personality Traits: Brave +3, Pure +3, Unicorn +3, Cautious +2

Reputations: Reclusive Beast of the Woods 3 (local), Symbol of Romantic Love 2 (Languedoc)

Combat:

Hooves: Init +1, Attack +7, Defense +5, Damage +7

Alicorn: Init +4, Attack +9, Defense +6, Damage +9

Soak: +3

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

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

Abilities: Area Lore: Local Region 1 (hidden places), Athletics 5 (galloping), Awareness 3 (humans), Brawl 4 (alicorn), Concentration 2 (Sense Virginity), Folk Ken 3 (humans), Penetration 4 (Sense Virginity), Sense Holiness/ Unholiness 4 (women), Stealth 5 (remaining unseen), Survival 4 (forests)

Natural Weapons: Alicorn: Init +2, Atk +3, Def +2, Dam +3

Powers:

Righteous Fury, 4 points, Init 0, Animal. R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind. Surrounded with

a nimbus of soft white light, the unicorn's hooves and alicorn become razor sharp, infused with the power of the Lord as it gains a +5 bonus to all Attack and Damage rolls. MuAn 40 (Base 25, +2 sun, +1 size): Greater Power (40 levels, +10xp Penetration), Improved Power (Initiative x5)

Sense Virginity, 3 point, Init +3, Corpus. R: Eye, D: Conc, T: Individual. By gazing into the eyes of an individual, the unicorn can determine whether the target is a virgin. InCo 15 (Base 5, +1 eye, +1 Conc): Lesser Power (15 levels, +5xp Concentration, +5xp Penetration), Improved Powers x2 (initiative)

Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Vis: There are four pawns of Divinelyaligned Animal in the unicorn's horn, or alicorn as it is also called.

Appearance: Equal to a mighty charger fit for a king, this creature appears as a horse with a goat's cloven hooves and beard, a lion's tail, and a slender, spiral horn on its forehead.

Design Note: This creature was created using the rules from Realms of Power: Magic, but with substitutions appropriate for a Divine creature.

tion from Guilhem de Mazerolles in 1219 funded the new hospital's construction at the Bessaut Commandery. A host of eight knights, their households and two score of men-at-arms operate from the compound, which is not associated with any nearby settlement. The Knight Commander is Juan Marcos Correa, a seasoned veteran of the Reconquista with a pleasant demeanor. He enjoys good relations with the other surrounding commanderies of other Orders, and his brother is also a member of the Order of Santiago in Iberia. The current grand master in Castile is Martín Peláez Barragán.

Established on the left bank of the Gironde river, Langon functions as a trading port and a stop on the Way of St. James before continuing south to Bazas. It is also notable for the nearby Roquetaillade Castle — the first castle built by Charlemagne and now the home of the baron de La Motte. Each Lord de La Motte has improved upon the citadel to create the current structure, an imposing square castle with four towers. A group of faerie stoneworkers who live in the nearby caves make this continued expansion feasible. They have made a pact to serve the de La Motte family and so complete a construction project for each new lord. The details of this bargain are kept secret, and only passed from father to son at the old lord's deathbed.

Founded by Richard the Lionheart around 1195 on the banks of the Garonne, the walled town of Marmande was, by 1209, the property of the Count of Toulouse. It was taken in 1212 by the forces of de Montfort, and then, after rebelling, again in 1213. In 1214 an English army approached, and the castle and town went over to King John's banner, but when the English retreated after the disaster at Bouvines the crusaders were unwilling to give the inhabitants another chance for treachery.

In the winter of 1218, just after Christmas, crusaders loyal to Prince Louis arrived, commanded by count Centule d'Astarac. After a nine month siege, the garrison surrendered and was allowed to march out with the terms faithfully observed. Then the crusaders, commanded by Amaury de Montfort at the direction of the Bishop of Saintes, systematically massacred all five thousand citizens of the town, sparing neither women nor children, and even slaughtering the livestock — claiming the act was necessary to secure continued blessings for their arms. Once they completed their bloodshed, they set fire to the whole town and leveled all that they could. Many say twenty-four year-old de Montfort ordered the killings in revenge for the death of his father at Toulouse in 1217.

In 1220, the area is a great field of rubble and ashes where the charred bones of the five thousand victims of events of a year ago lie unburied. A strong Infernal aura of 6 remains here, rising to 7 on September 26th, the anniversary of the horrible event. On that night, those with Second Sight see the ground covered in the gruesome bloodsoaked handiwork of Prince Louis' men, as if the carnage had "rained down from the heavens." Ghosts are common here, as are Infernally corrupted crows which fed upon the abandoned carrion.