Animated Statue of a Minor Palace Guard

A reworking of the Grizzled Veteran (ArM5 page 21). The ghost remains in constant possession of the statue.

Magic Might: 10 (Mentem)

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

Size: 0

Virtues and Flaws: Magic Thing; Magical Monster; Warrior, Weakness (talking back to superiors).

Magical Qualities: Improved Initiative x2, Improved Attack x2, Improved Damage x4, Personal Powers x2

Personality Traits: Defend the Tomb +3, Loyal +3, Cheeky +2, Brave +1.

Combat:

Axe* and Large Shield: Init +1**, Attack +17**, Defense +14, Damage +12**.

Kick: Init –1*, Attack +8*, Defense +5, Damage +11**.

* In play the Storyguide would describe this as something more Egyptian, like a kopesh (curved sword) and a large hide shield.

** Includes Increased Initiative, Attack and Damage.

Soak: +21 (hardened bronze statue)

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

Abilities: As per ArM5, page 21. Adjust unsuitable entries, like Order of Hermes Lore.

Powers:

Possess statue, 0 points, Init 0, Terram: ReTe30. Personal Powers x2 (30 levels, –3 Might cost, +1 Init)

Equipment: Axe, breastplate (the Egyptians didn't use full scale armor)

Vis: 2 pawns, Mentem, axe.

Appearance: The ghost of an older soldier, possessing a statue with his face.

A talisman, in this sense, is a small magic item which is triggered by a predicted action. For example, if a person opens a door and steps through it, the talisman on the lintel pours fire on their head. Talismans quite often control the gross elements rather than more subtle manipulations of emotions or luck.

Ancient Egyptian people did not have general Magic Resistance; only creatures did. This is reflected in the design of many talismans, which, if designed to affect humans, have no Penetration bonus. This allows even young Hermetic magi to ignore them, although too lax an attitude can lead to the loss of grogs, companions, and valuable equipment.

Ancient Egyptian magicians designed their talismans so that they could be temporarily deactivated. This allowed the talismans to be safely installed in tombs, as the magicians were not, themselves, able to resist the powers of the talismans they created. Each talisman is usually rendered inert until sunset when struck by a particular spell effect. A magus who takes a talisman into a laboratory can discover which spell effect allows passage either by trial and error, or by investigation equivalent to discovering the triggers of a magical item (ArM5, page 100).

Talismans often act as traps, in which

3 points, Init Qik–3, Terram or Herbam

This power allows a ghost to step into a statue and animate it at Range: Personal; it cannot animate multiple statues with this power simultaneously. The Improved Powers Magic Quality is often taken to reduce Might cost to zero. Note that the physical attacks of an animated statue have to Penetrate the Magic Resistance of any opponents struck.

Wooden Statue: ReHe 25 (Base 10, +2 Sun, +1 constant effect)

Stone Statue: ReTe 25 (Base 3, +2 Sun, +1 affect stone, +1 constant effect, +2 intricacy)

Metal Statue: ReTe 30 (Base 3, +2 Sun, +2 affect metal, +1 constant effect, +2 intricacy)

case they can be resolved using the narrative rules described earlier. The base Ease Factor for bypassing a magical trap is equal to (6 + the magnitude of its effect). Example talismans are provided later.

Wards

The most popular wards in Egypt are those that hide tombs from sight, or subtly nudge people away from them. As with many other Egyptian talismans, these wards usually have a method of temporary deactivation. These methods are a popular subject for books by treasure hunters. The formula is generally that to find a ruin, you must stand at a specified place, perhaps at a specified time, and do a specified thing. So, "Be standing on this particular rock at dawn, while wearing a headdress of red feathers" is possible. Egyptian Wards are more likely to have Penetration Totals than other talismans, as they are often directed against spiritual beings.

The strongest wards are not so simply avoided. The books that describe bypassing these Wards are Initiation Scripts for Mystery Virtues. These Virtues occasionally allow a character access only to a single site. More commonly, they provide a mystical advantage which could be used on many hidden sites, but neglect to mention this is the case. For example, some of these scripts grant the Second Sight Virtue and describe how to find and cross regio boundaries. Others provide magical resistance against Egyptian talismans made of a certain substance, or by a certain school of practitioners.

Wards can sometimes be avoided or overcome, much like talismans or mechanical traps. A ward is not actively trying to harm or entrap interlopers, just repel them. There may be a scant few seconds to act before a ward turns sand into glass to create a seal on the tomb, or else a concealing illusion may be imperfect, and various tricks might reveal its presence. In such cases, the ward should be defeated using the narrative rules mentioned earlier. The base Ease Factor for such actions is (9 + the magnitude of effect). Example wards are provided later.