Small Game

In the hazy dawn light, two men leave the city. One man rests his heavy head against the side of their fully-laden cart, while his companion narrowly avoids steering into the path of the itinerant merchants arriving at the city gate for the day's fair. The heavy-headed man sadly contemplates the lightness of his coin purse — emptied last night into an extraordinary number of tankards — while two small shapes watch this ignominious departure from a vantage atop the city battlements.

One of the observers chimes, with a delicate, silvery metallic voice, "Are we really relying on these men to outwit magi?"

"You worry too much, Ailuros," the other replies, lazily lifting a long leg to scratch behind his ear. "What is done cannot be undone."

The two small observers then turn, elegantly leap onto a nearby house, and chase each other's shadows over the rooftops. Below, the fairground is being prepared.

This adventure seed pits the player characters against a pair of animae – self-aware magical automatons created centuries ago by members of a forgotten magical tradition. Details regarding the mechanicians and how their powers can be integrated to improve Hermetic Magic are described in Ancient Magic, but that book is not required to run this story.

Because the antagonists do not directly interact with the characters for most of this story, they should be usable by most troupes without alteration. Storyguides wishing to increase the challenge presented by the animae are advised to portray them more assertively and ruthlessly. It should be noted, however, that Ailuros and Maahes can be very dangerous adversaries as they will not hesitate to sic nobility, church officials, or urban mobs upon the magi if they feel threatened.

Among the innumerable magical practices endemic to Mythic Europe, the ability to generate an anima (vital spark) is one of the most impressive, allowing a magus to imbue an otherwise inanimate object with a life of its own. Despite superficial similarities to Heron's art, however, neither the Animae Magic of House Merinita, the Automata of House Verditius, nor the Augustan Brotherhood's Animo ability can demonstrably create sentient life. Thus, while the relationship between the aforementioned powers remains hotly debated by Hermetic scholars, Maahes and Ailuros would be deeply offended at being mistaken for the products of what they haughtily dismiss as inferior magics. Details concerning the Animae Magic and Automata mysteries can be found in Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, while Animo is described in Rival Magic.

In the city of Alexandria in 293 AD, a famed mechanician named Celmis Rodhios constructed his masterpiece, a silver cat anima whom he named Ailuros (a Hellenization of the Egyptian deity Bast). Beautiful, urbane, and welleducated, the feline was acknowl-

Mechanica of Heron refers to both a Major Supernatural Virtue and its attendant Supernatural Ability. Possession of this Virtue allows a character to construct a variety of magical wonders, including sentient magical devices called animae (singular anima). Other arcane secrets known to the mechanicians included the ability to create permanent enchantments without vis, and knowledge of how to create devices whose effects can later be altered (so long as the new power uses same Technique and Form combination as the previous one). For more information on Heron's magic, consult Ancient Magic, pages 77–78.

edged as a paragon of the mechanician's craft, earning her master, who regarded his creation more as a daughter than a pet, great prestige.

Years later Celmis' former pupil, Epimedes Daktyloi, crafted a golden cat whom he named Maahes, believing this would prove that he had surpassed his famous parens. While Epimedes' peers agreed that the gold cat was impressive, most thought that it was too derivative of Celmis' designs and failed to illustrate any real innovation on the part of its creator. Feeling cheated by the judgment of his colleagues, Epimedes urged Maahes to demonstrate his superiority by destroying his feminine counterpart, but to his chagrin the cats were instantly smitten with each other and soon became inseparable companions.

Being immortal, the felines outlived the magical tradition that spawned them and were residing in Tyre when that city fell to Arab armies in 636. Entering the service of a victorious emir, the felines acted as advisers to the city's Islamic rulers. In 1124, Tyre was captured by the crusaders and the two animae arranged to be smuggled out of the city disguised as figurines. Unfortunately, they were attacked en route and came into the possession of a young knight from the player characters' Tribunal. Shortly after escaping from the knight's manor, Maahes and Ailuros came to the attention of a nearby Hermetic covenant, which promptly had them abducted for arcane experimentation.

The cats do not have fond memories of their imprisonment. Considered little more than toys, they were subject to all manner of torments by the magi. Unable to escape the covenant themselves due to a series of magical wards, the cats eventually succeeded in tricking an apprentices into breaking the wards for them. Believing themselves to be hunted by their former captors, the cats are extremely wary of the Order of Hermes and suspicious of any friendly overtures from magi. Still, they are aware that they cannot oppose a Hermetic covenant by themselves and are looking for allies. They have settled in a city near the players' covenant and have entered into an alliance with a local goldsmith, covertly engineering his election as the city's prevot (mayor). For further details on town governance, consult City & Guild, page 13.

This hook can, theoretically, be played out just about anywhere in Mythic Europe, but it is easier if the players' covenant is located reasonably close to a town or city where the renegade mechanica can hide from their pursuers. If the players live in a more isolated covenant the story will still work, but getting the characters on site might require more effort.

As written, the adventure is assumed to take place in the Normandy Tribunal (covered fully in The Lion and the Lily). To this end, all of the given names are provided in their French form, but as they are all the names of popular saints, they can be readily adapted to fit other regions of Mythic Europe.

While functionally similar to the magical creatures described in other Ars Magica Fifth Edition supplements, this story's antagonists are, in fact, enchanted devices. As such, the cats do not contain vis and are not susceptible to the effects of Might stripping spells similar to Demon's Eternal Oblivion, though they are vulnerable to the Disenchant ritual. The primary function of their Might Score is to provide them with Magic Resistance.

The powers of animae work like those of Hermetic magic items in terms of uses per day and Penetration. Consequently, the cats are relatively indifferent to adverse supernatural auras, which reduce their Magic Resistance and Penetration, but have no impact on their ability to affect themselves or normal human beings with their powers.

Finally, it should be noted that the animae's Abilities are somewhat misleading. While Ailuros and Maahes are truly ancient beings and have learned much over the centuries, much of the knowledge they have accumulated is no longer relevant or useful as of 1220. In game terms, both have several levels of the Worthless Abilities flaw (Grogs, page 86).

This story begins when it comes to the characters' attention that two of the covenant's teamsters, Jean and Marc, who have just returned from the city with supplies, are behaving very strangely. Soon, the other grogs come to the conclusion that the pair are spying on the covenant. The problem (for Ailuros and Maahes) is that the grogs they've selected are completely incompetent at espionage. Play the scene in a way that suits your saga, but

Because animae are fashioned from lifeless metal, they do not have Wound Penalties like living creatures, but track damage using Damage Levels like other objects instead. Whenever an anima suffers damage exceeding its Soak, it must make a Stamina roll against an Ease Factor equal to the amount by which the damage exceeded the Soak. If the roll fails, the anima loses a Damage Level; if the roll botches it loses additional Damage Levels equal to the number of botches. Maahes and Ailuros each have 5 Damage Levels. They suffer

no Wound Penalties as they accrue damage, but when the last Damage Level is lost, they are destroyed.

Animae do not heal naturally, but can be repaired by a skilled craftsman. Specifically, characters with the Mechanica of Heron or Craft Automata abilities (consult Ancient Magic, page 75 and Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page 128 respectively) can repair a number of Damage Levels per season equal to their score in the Ability used. Non-functioning mechanica cannot serve as a source of Insight.

Magic Might: 9 (Terram)

Characteristics: Int +1, Per +1, Pre –2, Com –4, Str –7, Sta +1, Dex +3, Qik +4

Size: –3

Confidence Score: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Perfect Balance, Puissant Awareness, Sharp Ears, Tough; Nocturnal. Personality Traits: Curious +4,

Mischievous +3, Timid +2

Combat:

Claws: Init +3, Attack +8, Defense +10, Damage –5

Teeth: Init +4, Attack +8, Defense +7, Damage –6

Soak: +4

Wound Penalties: None, see "Mechanica & Damage" insert.

Abilities*: Arabic 5 (cultured discourse), Area Lore: Alexandria 4 (libraries), Area Lore: Eastern Roman Empire 6 (history), Area Lore: Town 2 (personalities), Artes Liberales 5 (rhetoric), Athletics 3 (jumping), Awareness 4+2 (at night), Brawl 2 (claws), Classical Greek 6 (Koine), Folk Ken 5 (scholars), French 3 (peasants), Guile 5 (obfuscation), Hunt 6 (birds), Intrigue 3 (elaborate schemes), Latin 5 (eastern), Magic Lore 2 (magic users), Organization Lore: Order of Hermes 2 (Verditius), Organization Lore: Imprisoning Covenant 2 (wards), Philosophiae 3 (sympathies), Stealth 4 (stalking).

* Cats are excellent climbers and jumpers, gaining a +3 bonus on appropriate rolls.

Powers:

Child of Hephaestus, 0 points, Init +0, Terram: The anima is able to move under its own power in a manner appropriate to its shape. Ailuros & Maaes are somewhat heavier than flesh and blood felines, but not by enough to affect their mobility. ReTe 20: Base 2, +1 Concentration, +2 metal; +5 levels for device to maintain concentration, +10 levels for unlimited uses. (Mechanica Level: 12)

Gift of the Muses, 0 points, Init +0, Auram: The anima has a sophisticated panpipe system in its neck. By selectively opening and closing vents to expose different reeds, the cat can approximate human speech. CrAu 20: Base 2, +1 Concentration, +2 highly unnatural; +5 levels for device to maintain concentration, +10 levels for unlimited uses. (Mechanica Level: 12)

Gown of the Night Predator, 0 points, Init +0, Terram: The anima can camouflage itself by altering the coloration and pattern of its "coat", conferring a +3 bonus on Stealth or Hunt totals. MuTe 13: Base 2, +2 Sun, +2 metal; +3 levels for six uses per day. (Mechanica Level: 9)

Unbound Stalker, 0 points, Init +0, Terram: The anima can temporarily become incorporeal, allowing it to pass through walls unhindered or slip free from ropes and fetters. The magic only persists for a few seconds, but this is sufficient for the intended purpose. PeTe 20: Base 5, +2 metal; +5 levels for 24 uses per day. (Mechanica Level: 12)

The Wish of Your Mistress, 0 points, Init +0, Mentem: The anima is able to implant a single complex suggestion into the target's mind, which must be obeyed to the best of the victim's ability. Combined with Maahes' "Voice of the Demagogue" power, the cats are able to rapidly recruit a host of servants. ReMe 50: Base 20, +1 Touch, +3 Moon; +5 levels for a Penetration of 10, +5 levels for 24 uses per day. (Mechanica Level: 30)

Vis: None.

Appearance: Ailuros is a lithe silver cat with sparkling emerald eyes, built to resemble an Egyptian Mau. Mischievous by nature, she appreciates the sobering effect Maahes' presence has on her, curbing her more capricious impulses and helping to keep her focused. She enjoys the thrill of the hunt, and Justinian's nightingale (an anima described on page 84 of Ancient Magic) still holds a grudge against her for damaging its wing on more than one occasion. She is smarter than Maahes and acts as his adviser on important matters, but defers to his authority completely as she feels a wife should. The sound of a silver wind chime (Celmis' sigil) can be heard when she uses her powers.

Magic Might: 13 (Terram)

Characteristics: Int 0, Per +1, Pre 0, Com –4, Str –7, Sta +1, Dex +3, Qik +4

Size: –3

Confidence Score: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Perfect Balance, Puissant Awareness, Sharp Ears, Tough; Nocturnal, Proud.

Personality Traits: Curious +4, Prideful +3, Hedonistic +2, Timid +2

Combat:

Claws: Init +3, Attack +8, Defense +10, Damage –5

Teeth: Init +4, Attack +8, Defense +7, Damage –6

Soak: +4

Wound Penalties: None, see "Mechanica and Damage" insert*.*

Abilities*: Arabic 5 (cultured), Area Lore: Alexandria 3 (Library of Alexandria), Area Lore: Eastern Roman Empire 5 (history), Area Lore: Town 1 (geography), Artes Liberales 3 (rhetoric), Athletics 3 (jumping), Awareness 4+2 (at night), Brawl 2 (claws), Classical Greek 5 (Koine), Folk Ken 3 (nobility), French 3 (merchants), Hunt 4 (mice), Intrigue 2 (alliances), Latin 5 (academic usage), Leadership 4 (servants), Magic Lore 3 (items of quality), Normandy Lore 2 (cities), Organization Lore: Order of Hermes 2 (hierarchy), Philosophiae 6 (reagents), Stealth 4 (stalking).

* Cats are excellent climbers and jumpers, gaining a +3 bonus to appropriate rolls.

Powers:

Child of Hephaestus, 0 points, Init +0, Terram. See Ailuros.

Gift of the Muses, 0 points, Init +0, Auram. See Ailuros.

Gown of the Night Predator, 0 points, Init +0, Terram. See Ailuros.

Unbound Stalker, 0 points, Init +0, Terram. See Ailuros.

Voice of the Demagogue, 0 points, Init +0, Mentem: The anima appears more intelligent and majestic than it actually is. Those affected by this power are inclined to regard the caster as their natural superior, to be respected and obeyed to the best of their ability. Targets do not find it particularly unusual or noteworthy that their superior is a metal cat. ReMe 40: Base 5, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +2 Group; +3 levels for a Penetration of 6, +2 levels for three uses per day. (Mechanica Level: 24)

Tranquility of the Purring Cat, 0 points, Init +0, Mentem: The anima can inspire a sense of supernatural calm in a small group of people by purring. Those affected are oblivious to strange goings on (rhinoceroses crashing through the door, a pair of animated metal cats walking down the street, and so on.) The targets perceive events normally, but while Maahes purrs, they react to even the most outlandish events as if they were perfectly normal occurrences unworthy of comment. The power persists for as long as Maahes keeps purring and, with repeated applications, can affect several groups simultaneously. ReMe 34: Base 4, +2 Voice, +1 Concentration, +2 Group; +5 levels for device to maintain concentration, +4 levels for 12 uses per day. (Mechanica Level: 21)

Vis: None.

Appearance: Maahes is a golden cat with dazzling ruby eyes who was designed to look like a majestic Persian. Larger and more heavily built than Ailuros, Maahes attracts even more attention than his lovely mate, something he secretly enjoys. Given to indolence and pride, he values his wife's keen intellect and enjoys the sense of whimsy she injects into his life, which prevents him from getting too complacent.

Maahes enjoys sunning himself and has a passion for academic debate, particularly on his pet topic of alchemy. Whenever Maahes uses his powers, those in his immediate vicinity can feel the spring sun shining upon their shoulders regardless of the time of day or meteorological conditions.

the grogs' activities should be sufficient to worry the other characters without prompting them to incinerate the unfortunate grogs first and ask questions later. For example, they might be trying to infiltrate areas reserved for magi, making sketches of the battlements, or asking the sergeant about the covenant's magical defenses. Ultimately, it should be obvious to everyone that the teamsters are trying to gather information about the covenant and its magi beyond what is known to most covenfolk.

If interrogated through mundane methods, Marc and Jean fall into a dogged silence. Intellego Vim magic reveals them to be under a powerful non-hermetic Mentem effect of 10th magnitude (base level 1 to detect the Form, base 3 to determine Form and Technique). The sound of a silver chime is also heard. If magically forced to talk, the grogs reveal that a well-dressed gentleman in hooded cape commanded them to investigate the covenant's defenses and ascertain the resident's attitudes toward non-Hermetic magic, magical creatures, and Hermetic property, then report back to him in a month's time. Nothing more can be extracted from the pair since they simply don't know what the hooded man is planning to do with the information. Although they were supposed to return to the city next month to deliver their report, neither grog knows where the rendezvous is set to occur the man said that he would find them. Peering into the grogs' minds reveals the image of a sun-shaped gold pendant hanging around a man's neck.

A non-Hermetic magic user inquiring about their magical secrets and facilities should prompt the characters to investigate. If they don't, after a few months they notice that another pair of teamsters (most covenants have several) have been traveling to the city every month, even when they had no covenant business there. Magical investigation reveals that they are being controlled by the same magical effect that afflicted Marc and Jean. These new spies are just smarter than the previous ones.

At this point the characters are likely to head for the city to investigate. When the characters arrive, it's the feast day of the city's patron saint. That means that the churches are specially attended and the city has an increased Dominion aura of 4. It remains at this level for a week before returning to its usual value of 3. Adding

to the festive and vibrant atmosphere is a fair in progress just beyond the city walls.

The fair is situated in a small field just outside the city walls. It consists of a series of lanes marked with ropes, and stalls. The main products being sold are local produce and livestock (or wool, depending on the area), but some of the merchant stalls also sell luxury items and other rare objects. This could be an opportunity for the characters to do some shopping if they are so inclined. The fair is bustling with activity during daylight hours, but is relatively desolate at night. There are a few guardsmen patrolling the area to watch for fires or thieves, but they are easily avoided in the dark.

One of the rumors described earlier relates to an accused murderer named Jacques. Depending upon the needs of your saga, Jacques can be either Gifted or simply cursed with the Magical Air Flaw. He is dirty, hungry, lonely, and miserable, but apart from the guards this is the same condition in which he's spent most of his brief life. Freeing the boy by force is a simple matter for a Hermetic magus since a pair of village thugs are the only

Medieval cities are highly flammable. Thatched roofs and wooden walls are the norm and, as such, fire is a serious hazard because entire cities can go up in flames quickly if any part of them catches fire.

Characters know this, so the use of Creo Ignem spells should be seen as a dangerous proposition in an urban environment.

thing that has prevented him from escaping, but staging a jailbreak can create political and legal problems with the mundane authorities. Players may also wish to make arrangements for Jacques' legal defense in hopes of saving his life. The trial is scheduled to take place in a month's time, however, so the matter isn't a particularly urgent one.

If the characters wish to talk to the boy themselves, the guards acquiesce so long as the characters turn over any weapons before entering the makeshift jailhouse. Jacques is lonely and eager to talk once he realizes that the characters don't want to hurt him. He freely admits to killing Michael Le Long, but claims to have done so in self-defense. Asking around town will confirm that the victim was a well-known robber, and Jacques would not likely have been charged if not for his suspicious air. It is up to you if you

The cats have been using their influence around the city to promote their candidate for prevot (mayor). This has left a magical trail that can be found by magi, leading them directly to the cats. However, Ailuros and Maahes have a number of agents around the city, not all of them laboring under mindcontrolling magics; many are employees of Philippe l'Orfevrier or supporting him of their own free will. As such, the cats are likely to be aware of the characters' capabilities long before they are encountered.

want to build a story around this hook or even make him a potential apprentice.

Recognizing the supernatural loathing Jacques inspires as a sign of The Gift, Maahes and Ailuros visited the boy along with Philippe l'Orfevrier a few days ago. Jacques does remember the visit but because Maahes was using Tranquility of the Purring Cat he doesn't consider the meeting to be worthy of note. If asked about visitors, cats, or the sun pendant, however, he remembers that he received a visitor a few days ago who wanted to know whether he was an "apprentice." The man he saw appeared to be in his late forties with brown hair and a beard. The description of the man and

the sun pendant leads the characters to Philippe l'Orfevrier. Jacques can describe the cats too if asked, but knows nothing of their plans or capabilities. Apart from him, only a handful of townsfolk have seen the animae and most of those have been sworn to secrecy.

Philippe l'Orfevrier is a wealthy townsman in his late forties. He owns a large house in the richest part of town and sits on the town council. His business as a goldsmith is very lucrative and he maintains a number of busy workshops located throughout the city. He specializes in small intricate pieces of gold jewelry; his delicate gold designs were one of the things that drew Maahes to him.

Although Philippe believes himself to be the cats' equal in their joint endeavor, the cats are under no such illusions. Philippe has the necessary skills and tools to perform routine maintenance on an anima's delicate mechanisms (though he lacks the magical ability needed to truly repair them) and is in a position of influence high enough to interest the cats, but they have no particular attachment or loyalty to him personally. The cats are currently engineering Philippe's rise to the position of prevot. This is a lifelong post, so it is very important. Obtaining such a lofty position requires the funding of important works of art in the city cathedral and donations to hospices and church houses. Philippe is also contributing to the well-being of the city and has offered to host a feast for all the townsfolk on the last day of the fair. He is also pressing for improvements to some of the public areas of the city, offering to pay part of the costs himself.

These activities have made him popular in town, but are also costing him a lot of money. He has had to secure a loan from a local money-changer despite the brisk business he's been doing lately. The cats are engineering this streak of good business, and are trying to delay repayment of the debt, but the True Faith of the rabbi who lent Philippe the money is mak-

Once within the city walls, characters may question the locals about the various clues they've managed to gather. The townsfolk are wary and guarded if the characters are strongly armed and armored, assuming that they're looking for trouble. If they manage to earn the trust of the citizens, however, the following rumors can be overheard in conversations or by talking to the locals in the taverns or at the fair.

• It has been a lean year. The fair is helping, but not by much.

• Taxes are already too high, and the lord and city council want to increase them.

• Philippe l'Orfevrier is gathering support to become the next prevot. He is a skilled goldsmith who seems to be doing good business with the Count. Philippe has earned a lot of money recently and is actively recruiting an entourage of learned men.

• Michael Le Long, a fellow from a neighboring village, was murdered recently. The town watch captured a young boy named Jacques not far from the scene. The boy bears the taint of witchcraft and was caught red handed so there's little doubt as to his guilt. He is currently being held in a

• nearby barn awaiting trial. The results of the trial, however, are almost a foregone conclusion.

• If the characters ask about a well-dressed man wearing a hood, they are informed that a number of people in the town fit that description. The sun pendant, however, is recognized as the mark of the incipient Merchants' Guild in the city. Its members are the richest merchants in town. They adopted the symbol recently due to its inclusion in the local nobleman's coat of arms and its association with gold and wealth.

ing things difficult for them. The felines are also influencing people's perception of Philippe as a good and worthy member of the city council, and plan to brainwash as many people as possible when the actual election takes place. As it happens, the current prevot is quite old, so it's not unusual for Philippe to have announced his candidacy. Other councilmen are making similar overtures, albeit without the same measure of success.

Philippe's house is a two story building with stout stone walls and strong wooden doors. The goldsmith lives on the second floor with his wife Maria, two daughters (aged 7 and 4), and his 3 year old son. Four servants and Philippe's apprentice, Mathieu, inhabit the ground floor.

The family and servants have been living with the cats for a while and have come to trust them as supernatural but benign creatures who must be kept safe at all costs. They will not volunteer any information about the animae to strangers, having been ordered not to.

The following situations may be encountered in the city or fair. Some of opponents described below pose a significant threat while others are merely annoying, but all of them add a bit of extra excitement to the game and help highlight the importance of grogs in urban settings.

• A belligerent group of drunken youths (statistics as The Rogue, ArM5 page 23) try to pick a fight with the characters after accusing them of some faux pas.
• A pack of stray dogs follows a Gifted character around, barking at him and occasionally nipping at his heels. This makes stealthy movement impossible and attracts all sorts of negative attention.
• Children react as negatively to The Gift as adults, but are less inhibited; babies crying inconsolably when brought into the character's presence makes a bad first impression. Older children may throw rocks or garbage at the character instead.
• Characters who have antagonized the animae may find themselves hunted by an assassin. He too has the statistics of The Rogue, but carries a dagger coated in monkshood (Init +4, Atk +9, Def +7, Dam +2; those wounded by the blade must make a Stamina roll against an Ease Factor of 9 or suffer an additional Heavy wound).

Eventually, the characters should be able to track the plot to the home of Philippe l'Orfevrier. Naturally, the servants refuse to allow the characters to enter their master's home uninvited and call for help if attacked. If the characters manage to enter the home anyway they find the two cats lounging in the main chamber. The cats are surprised, but not frightened, and calmly explain that that they were merely trying to determine whether the magi were friendly or not, and wish to parley.

If the characters seem to be set on harming the cats, Maahes controls the characters who are not magically protected (grogs and companions) and turn them against the magi, while he and Ailuros use the distraction to flee though the nearest wall and disappear from the city. Such an attack will convince the cats that the Order of Hermes is intrinsically hostile to magical creatures and will predispose them against further interactions with magi (see Bared Claws, later).

The cats' main desire is to be left alone. They tell the players about their long and humiliating imprisonment, stressing that they wish to avoid suffering such a fate ever again. To this end, they want physical and legal protection from the Hermetic magi that had held them captive. In return, they are willing to offer up a wealth of information that might interest the players. In particular, they have a vast knowledge of the history of the Eastern Roman Empire during the last thousand years. Their most enticing offer, however, is information regarding the lost magics of the Mechanica of Heron and the location of a temple of Serapis which contains a treasure

trove of mechanica.

Given all of their previous experiences, the cats are understandably wary of Hermetic magi, and are suspicious of any offer that appears to be too generous. However, they know they need protection if they want to avoid being recaptured so they are quite motivated to reach an agreement with any sympathetic magi, such as the player characters..

Depending upon how the adventure has progressed, this story might end with one or both of the cats being killed or captured by the magi, escaping the city, or reaching a detente with the character's covenant.

The events of this hook could easily lead to many further stories.

Characters try to save the life of Jacques, the boy charged with the murder of Michael Le Long. This is somewhat time sensitive as the trial is set for one month after the events detailed in the main adventure, though it might be postponed for various reasons. While Jacques is guilty of the crime, there are grounds to claim self-defense and have him acquitted with a fine. There are rules for trials in City and Guild, page 29, but they boil down to Jacques (or his lawyer) making a Communication + Civil and Canon Law roll versus an Ease Factor of 9 with success resulting in an acquittal (The –3 penalty to social interactions has already been added to the Ease Factor).

If the characters do not send anyone to defend Jacques he is found guilty and hanged the following day. Even if the court accepts the defendant's plea of selfdefense, however, Jacques is still likely to face a hefty fine which, as an urchin, he is unable to pay. If the covenant pays the fine for him, the grateful boy is remanded into the covenant's custody where he makes a fine servant (or apprentice).

For characters interested in uncovering Heron's lost magical secrets, this hook can serve as a direct tie-in to the adventure described in Ancient Magic. The cats make excellent guides since they are intimately familiar with both Alexandria and Constantinople. Ailuros doesn't get along with Justinian's nightingale (Ancient Magic, page 84), however, and if both animae are present the characters have to endure a lot of bickering.

The characters might also think to use Ailuros and Maahes themselves as sources of Insight. The cats find the prospect of being poked and prodded in such a fashion to be extremely degrading, but might consent to it as part of negotiations for protection.

If the cats are granted the magi's protection, they set up court in the city. With time, the city grows and prospers, becoming a center of the arts and sciences, especially poetry and experimental philosophiae, with the two cats acting as the true power behind the city council. Ailuros and Maahes are already engineering the rise of their human proxy Philippe l'Orfevrier to power. If they succeed, academics and artists will flock to the city to practice their trades under his patronage.

As soon as they can manage it, the animae wish to found a university, though this is likely to take several years to come to fruition. Through the artistic and scholarly works they commission, the cats endeavor to portray magic in a positive light. This can improve the relationship of the covenant with the city, and might even benefit the Order as a whole once their ideas begin to enter mainstream academic discourse. The cats also try to assist the magi by keeping them apprised of mundane events in the area.

On the downside, too close a relationship with the animae could expose the characters to charges of interference with mundanes.

The cats might be being pursued by other magi as they fear. As a result, the characters might well find themselves accused of depriving another covenant of

its magical power. Whether the other covenant seeks financial restitution or blood can vary according to the needs of your saga. Likewise, the strength of the covenant in question should be tailored to fit your saga. In a worst case scenario, the protagonists may find themselves embroiled in Wizard's War with dangerous opponents unless they agree to return the cats to their "owners."

If the cats have to flee from the city or if one of them is destroyed by the characters, they are convinced that the Order of Hermes as a whole is their enemy. They move to another major city with a university, formulating a long-term plan to influence the Church's policies against the use of magic. Soon, Paris or another major center of learning starts spreading the doctrine that all magic is the work of the Devil.

If the characters return the cats to the covenant they previously escaped from, they eventually learn that Damnameneus filius Acmon, a middle aged Verditius, presented a mechanical cat that fits the description of Maahes or Ailuros as his entry into the Verditius Contest, claiming to have created it as part of an unstabilized breakthrough. The cat appears identical to the anima met by the characters but doesn't seem to have any of its powers (other than locomotion) and seems considerably less intelligent. Has the Verditius been tinkering with the Mechanica? If so, will the players be able to rescue the cats and repair whatever Damnameneus did to them? The discovery has placed the Verditius (previously a nobody) in a strong position to become the next Primus, and he is currently basking in his new-found fame.

If the character's suspicions are correct, they have strong blackmail material. If the other cat survived and is still at large the Bared Claws scenario outlined earlier could be in the making.

While insufferably condescending at times, the animae do acknowledge some limitations to their condition — most notably the inability to procreate. If a maga successfully integrates the Awaken Device virtue (Ancient Magic, page 80), the cats seek her out immediately to commission a kitten crafted from electrum (an alloy of gold and silver). Is the character comfortable undertaking such a project?