Lambert of Merinita

Concept: This trader of goods and materials uses his magic to support his mercantile activities and his family, and overcome the social handicap of his Gift.

Lambert of Merinita was born into a merchant family, and a love of haggling and business was instilled in him at a very young age. The effects that Lambert's Gift had on people prevented him from achieving any real success as a youth, despite his charisma and enthusiasm. Lambert cared greatly for his family and maintained close contact with them throughout his apprenticeship and beyond, and he was married and had several children before finishing apprenticeship. The obligations and joys of providing for his family have dominated his life. Lambert's family makes its living by purchasing goods and materials and transporting them to where they can be sold at a profit. Lambert aids this business throughout his life by using his magic to find the most advantageous materials for purchase, and to transport these materials safely and quickly.

Lambert focuses his magic around the Art of Mentem, Faerie Magic, and the mercantile activities of his family.

Lambert is driven to haggle and make deals whenever he can, although his efforts in this field meet with mixed results. He is practiced in the art of bargaining, and becomes more so as he ages. He is also a skilled communicator with a formidable presence, yet The Gift makes it difficult for people to trust him; some (both human and faerie) who have forged agreements with Lambert often suspect that they have been poorly dealt with even if they can't think of any reason why they should feel so. Magi, on the other hand, are protected from the effects of Lambert's Gift, and so cutting deals with other members of the Order is a source of great joy for Lambert.

Characteristics: Int +1, Per +1, Pre +3, Com+2, Str 0, Sta +1, Dex –1, Qik –1

Size: 0

Age: 31 (31) Decrepitude: 0 Warping Score: 0 Confidence Score: 2 (5)

Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Affinity with Mentem, Faerie Blood (Sidhe), Faerie Magic*, Puissant Mentem, Self Confident, Skilled Parens, Social Contacts (family business connections), Quiet Magic; Dependant; Busybody, Compulsion (haggling and negotiation),

Incompatible Arts (Rego Imaginem and Rego Mentem) , Unimaginative Learner * House Virtue

Personality Traits: Assiduous +2, Brave –1, Reckless –3

Reputations: none

Combat:

Fist: Init –1, Attack–1, Defense –1, Damage 0 Dodge: Init –1, Attack N/A, Defense –1, Damage N/A

Soak: +1

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

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

Lambert has undergone initiation into the Minor Virtue of Arcadian travel through the group of Merinitae called the Wayfarers, using the script presented on page 80 of Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults. During his Ordeal of Initiation, he made his way from Bayeux cathedral into a Faerie regio in the forested hills of Bayeux County, while being pursued by faerie boars. As a result of his initiation, Lambert

has acquired the Virtue Arcadian Travel and the Flaw Fear (swine). Also, Bayeux cathedral functions as a permanent Arcane Connection to Lambert.

When using Arcadian Travel, Lambert creates charms with the skill Profession (storyteller). Lambert sets sections of his stories down on paper to serve as objects associated with the charm.

Abilities: Area Lore: Brittany 2 (geography), Area Lore: Normandy 2 (politics), Artes Liberales 2 (arithmetic), Bargain 2 (with faeries), Carouse 2 (games of chance), Charm 2 (first impressions), Etiquette 2 (church), Faerie Lore 3 (bargaining with faeries), Folk Ken 2 (townsfolk), French 5 (Lorain), Guile 2 (fast talk), Intrigue 2 (rumor mongering), Latin 5 (Hermetic use), Leadership 2 (inspiration), Low German 2 (Flemish), Magic Theory 4 (inventing spells), Occitan 2 (Provencal), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Politics), Parma Magica 1 (Mentem), Philosophiae 2 (ritual magic), Profession: Merchant 2 (commodity speculation), Ride 2 (speed)

Arts: Cr 1**, In 5, Mu** 5**, Pe** 3**, Re** 4, An 4**, Aq** 2(1), Au 0**, Co** 0**, He** 0**, Ig** 0**, Im** 0**, Me** 11+3**, Te** 0**, Vi** 0

Twilight Scars: none Equipment: none Encumbrance: 0 (0) Spells Known:

Soothing Voice of the Stableman (ReAn 15/+9) Patch of Drought (PeAq 10/+5)

Frosty Breath of the Spoken Lie (InMe 20/+20) Posing the Silent Question (InMe 20/+20)

Tread of Fellow Travelers (InMe 30/+20)

Blissful Messenger (MuMe 30/+20)

Calm Mind of Resolute Behavior (PeMe 20 /+18)

Unseen Arm (ReTe 5/+5)

Vis: none

Appearance: Lambert is a tall, thin man with dark hair and a solemn look that makes him seem more sad than his behavior indicates. He frequently dresses in the garb of a successful merchant. Although it is clear that his easy smile and friendly demeanor are at least in part the product of practice, their effusiveness goes a fair way toward offsetting the detrimental social effects of The Gift.

Activities immediately past gauntlet: Lambert, just out of apprenticeship, spends his time split between living the life of a merchant adventurer and an itinerant magus. He often avails himself of the generous hospitality laws of the Rhine tribunal. As a young magus, Lambert spends much of his time providing for his wife and children.

Casting Sigil: Lambert's casting sigil takes the form of coins. Items that he creates and alters have the images of coins subtly worked into their appearance. Creatures that are enchanted by Lambert's magics often have footsteps that seem to ring with the echo of clinking coins.

Voting Sigil: Lambert's voting sigil is a wooden dowel carved into a caduceus. Lambert has on occasion turned inquires regarding his voting sigil into discussions regarding the mercantile association of Mercury.

Characteristics: Int +1, Per +1, Pre +3 (1), Com+2, Str 0, Sta +1, Dex –1, Qik –2 (1)

Size: 0 Age: 46 (46) Decrepitude: 0 (3) Warping Score: 3 (0) Confidence Score: 2 (5)

Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Affinity with Mentem, Arcadian Travel**, Faerie Blood (Sidhe), Faerie Magic*, Puissant Mentem, Self Confident, Skilled Parens, Social Contacts, Quiet Magic; Enemies (faerie merchants); Busybody, Compulsion (haggling and negotiation), Fear (Swine)**, Incompatible arts (Rego Imaginem and Rego Mentem), Unimaginative Learner, Weak Magic

* House Virtue

** Mystery Initiations and Ordeals

Personality Traits: Assiduous +2, Brave –1, Reckless –1

Combat:

Fist: Init –1, Attack–1, Defense –1, Damage 0 Dodge: Init –1, Attack N/A, Defense –1, Damage N/A

Soak: +1

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

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

Abilities: Area Lore: Brittany 2 (geography), Area Lore: Normandy 2 (politics), Artes Liberales 2 (arithmetic), Bargain 4 (with faeries), Carouse 2 (games of chance), Charm 2 (first impressions), Etiquette 2 (church), Faerie Lore 3 (bargaining with faeries), Faerie Magic 2 (Charm creation), Folk Ken 2 (townsfolk), French 5 (Lorain), Guile 2 (fast talk), Intrigue 2 (rumor mongering), Latin 5 (Hermetic use), Leadership 2 (inspiration) , Low German 2 (Flemish), Magic Theory 5 (inventing spells), Merinita Lore 1 (Wayfarers), Occitan 2 (Provencal), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (politics), Parma Magica 4 (Mentem) , Philosophiae 2 (ritual magic), Profession: Merchant 2 (commodity speculation), Profession: Storyteller 3 (faerie tales), Ride 2 (speed)

Arts: Cr 6**, In** 8(3), Mu 5**, Pe** 4**, Re** 4, An 7**, Aq** 4**, Au** 0**, Co** 5**, He** 0**, Ig** 0**, Im** 6**, Me** 18 +3(11), Te 0**, Vi** 6

Twilight Scars: none

Equipment: Casting Tablet of the spell Locked Storehouse

Encumbrance: 0 Spells Known:

Soothing Voice of the Stableman (ReAn 15/+12)

Patch of Drought (PeAq 10/+9)

The Inexorable Search (InCo 20 /+14)

Pull of Blood (InCo 20 /+14)

Frosty Breath of the Spoken Lie (InMe 20/+30)

Posing the Silent Question (InMe 20/+30)

Scent of Loose Purses (InMe 30/+30)

Stench of Hate (InMe 30/+30)

Tread of Fellow Travelers (InMe 30/+30)

Blissful Messenger (MuMe 30/+27)

Calm Mind of Resolute Behavior (PeMe 20 /+26)

Unseen Arm (ReTe 5/+5)

Piercing the Faerie Veil (InVi 20/+15)

Vis: 5 pawns of Herbam vis in the form of berries that have a smell which attracts horses.

Appearance: Lambert is a tall, thin man with dark hair that is graying at the temples. He has a solemn look that makes him seem more sad than his behavior indi-

cates. He frequently dresses in the garb of a successful merchant. Although it is clear that his easy smile and friendly demeanor are at least in part the product of practice, their effusiveness goes a fair way toward offsetting the detrimental social effects of The Gift.

Activities in the last fifteen years: Lambert, 15 years out of apprenticeship, has children who are able to take care of themselves, and he even has a few grandchildren. Lambert has undergone Initiation in the mystery of Arcadian Travel through the Wayfarers (Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page 80). Lambert leaves most of the face-to-face dealing in his family's mercantile industry to his children, for fear of being accused of interfering with the mundanes (and because his children do not suffer from the corrosive social effects of The Gift). However, his love of bargaining frequently leads him into faerie auras and regiones to strike bargains with the fay. Much of Lambert's magical research in this period of his life involves providing tools for his family to use. By this point of his life, Lambert's mercantile activities have earned him the enmity of a powerful group of faeries. During this period, Lambert spent one season inventing Piercing the Faerie Veil and one season inventing The Inexorable Search, both with the assistance of Laboratory Texts. Lambert spent three seasons inventing Pull of Blood (with the help of unusual laboratory schedules and experimentation), four seasons inventing Scent of Loose Purses, and three seasons inventing Stench of Hate. Lambert spent one season copying Laboratory Texts to exchange for his casting tablet of the Locked Storehouse. Lambert spent three seasons serving House Merinita and the Wayfarers in conjunction with his Initiation into the Mystery of Arcadian Travel. During these fifteen years, Lambert gained 135 experience points in Abilities and 195 experience points in Arts (and an additional 39 from his affinity with Mentem).

Characteristics: Int +1, Per +1, Pre +3(1), Com+2 (1), Str 0, Sta +1, Dex –1, Qik –2

Size: 0 Age: 61 (47) Decrepitude: 0 (3) Warping Score: 4 (10)

Confidence Score: 2 (5)

Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Affinity with Mentem, Arcadian Travel**, Faerie Blood (Sidhe), Faerie Magic*, Puissant Mentem, Self Confident, Skilled Parens, Social Contacts, Quiet Magic; Enemies (Faerie merchants); Busybody, Compulsion (Haggling and Negotiation), Fear (Swine)**, Incompatible arts (Rego Imaginem and Rego Mentem) , Unimaginative Learner, Weak Magic

* House Virtue

** Mystery Initiations and Ordeals

Personality Traits: Assiduous +2, Brave –1, Reckless +1

Reputations: Overly Concerned with Mundanes (Quaesitors) +1, Compulsive dealmaker (Tribunal) +1, Dangerous Bargainer (local faeries) +2

Combat:

Fist: Init –1, Attack–1, Defense –1, Damage 0 Dodge: Init –1, Attack n/a, Defense –1, Damage n/a

Soak: +1

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

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

Abilities: Area Lore: Brittany 2 (geography), Area Lore: Normandy 2 (politics), Artes Liberales 2 (arithmetic), Bargain 5 (with faeries), Carouse 2 (games of chance), Charm 2 (first impressions), Dominion Lore 1 (Divine creatures), Etiquette 2 (church), Faerie Lore 3 (bargaining with faeries), Faerie Magic 3 (Charm creation), Folk Ken 2 (townsfolk), French 5 (Lorain), Guile 2 (fast talk), Infernal Lore 1 (demons), Intrigue 2 (rumor mongering), Latin 5 (Hermetic use), Leadership 2 (inspiration), Low German 2 (Flemish), Magic Lore 1 (creatures) , Magic Theory 6 (inventing spells), Merinita Lore 2 (Wayfarers), Occitan 2 (Provencal), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (politics), Parma Magica 4 (Mentem), Philosophae 2 (ritual magic), Profession: Merchant 2 (commodity speculation), Profession: Storyteller 3 (faerie tales), Ride 2 (speed), Teaching 2 (merchants)

Arts: Cr 6**, In** 12**, Mu** 5**, Pe** 6**, Re** 7, An 7**, Aq** 5**, Au 5, Co** 6(2), He 5**, Ig** 5**, Im** 6**, Me** 22 +3(13), Te 5, Vi 6

Twilight Scars: none

Equipment: Casting Tablet of the spell Locked Storehouse, Coin of Enthusiastic Patrons, Coin of Petulant Customers

Encumbrance: 0

Spells Known:

Soothing Voice of the Stableman (ReAn 15/+15) Patch of Drought (PeAq 10/+12) The Inexorable Search (InCo 20 /+19) Pull of Blood (InCo 20 /+19) Memory of the Distant Dream (CrMe 20/+32) Frosty Breath of the Spoken Lie (InMe 20/+38) Posing the Silent Question (InMe 20/+38) Thoughts Within Babble (InMe 25 /+38) Familial Secrets (InMe 30/+38) Scent of Loose Purses (InMe 30/+38) Stench of Hate (InMe 30/+38) Tread of Fellow Travelers (InMe 30/+38) Opinions of the Masses (InMe 35/+38) Oath Breaker's Confession (InMe 40 /+38) Blissful Messenger (MuMe 30/+31) Confusion of the Numbed Will (PeMe 15/+32) Loss of But a Moment's Memory (PeMe 15/+32) Calm Mind of Resolute Behavior (PeMe 20 /+32)

Mind Cleansed of Treachery (PeMe 45/+32) Unseen Arm (ReTe 5/+13)

Piercing the Faerie Veil (InVi 20/+19)

Vis: 4 pawns of Herbam vis in a wooden ring, 5 pawns of Intellego vis in the form of bottles of water removed from a reflecting pool; this water still bears the reflection of the moon upon its surface regardless of its location.

Appearance: Lambert is a tall, thin man with dark hair that is graying at the temples. He has a solemn look that makes him seem more sad than his behavior indicates. He frequently dresses in the garb of a successful merchant. Although it is clear that his easy smile and friendly demeanor are at least in part the product of practice, their effusiveness goes a fair way toward offsetting the detrimental social effects of The Gift.

Activities in the last fifteen years: Lambert, 30 years out of apprenticeship, is concerned with administering the business that his family runs. He spends a good deal of time with his grandchildren. At age 47, Lambert struck a deal with a fellow magus to receive a longevity ritual; this occupied two seasons of Lambert's time, one assisting with the ritual and another using Lambert's influence and wealth to pay for the service. Lambert has spent one season upgrading his laboratory, giving it the Highly Organized Virtue and an orb as a lesser feature (see Covenants Chapter 9). He has spent one season inventing Memory of the Distant Dream, one season Inventing Confusion of the Numbed Will, one season Inventing Loss of But a Moment's Memory, two seasons inventing Familial Secrets,

two seasons inventing Oath Breaker's Confession, and two seasons inventing Opinions of the Masses. Lambert has spent one season learning Mind Cleansed of Treachery from a Lab Text, and one season learning Thoughts Within Babble from Laboratory Texts. He has spent one season opening the Doorframe of the Wary Steward, and two seasons enchanting it. During this period, Lambert has gained 110 experience points in Abilities and 190 experience points in Arts (and an additional 25 experience points in Mentem due to his Affinity). Lambert has also devoted three entire seasons to spending time with his children and grandchildren.

Characteristics: Int +1, Per +1, Pre +3(1), Com+2, Str 0, Sta +1, Dex –1, Qik –2

Size: 0 Age: 76 (49) Decrepitude: 0 (3)

Warping Score: 5 (15) Confidence Score: 2 (5)

Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Affinity with Mentem, Arcadian Travel**, Faerie Blood (Sidhe), Faerie Magic*, Puissant Mentem, Self Confident, Skilled Parens, Social Contacts, Quiet Magic; Enemies (faerie merchants); Busybody, Compulsion (haggling and negotiation), Fear (Swine)**, Incompatible Arts (Rego Imaginem and Rego Mentem), Unimaginative Learner, Weak Magic

* House Virtue

** Mystery Initiations and Ordeals

Personality Traits: Assiduous +2, Brave –1, Reckless +2

Reputations: Overly Concerned with Mundanes (Quaesitors) +1, Compulsive dealmaker (Tribunal) +1, Dangerous Bargainer (local faeries) +2, Skilled in Mentem (Tribunal) +2

Combat:

Fist: Init –1, Attack–1, Defense –1, Damage 0 Dodge: Init –1, Attack n/a, Defense –1, Damage n/a

Soak: +1

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

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

Abilities: Area Lore: Brittany 2 (geography), Area Lore: Normandy 2 (politics), Artes Liberales 2 (arithmetic), Bargain 5 (with faeries), Carouse 2 (games of chance), Charm 2 (first impressions), Dominion Lore 1 (Divine creatures), Etiquette 2 (church), Faerie Lore 3 (bargaining with faeries), Faerie Magic 3 (Charm creation), Folk Ken 2 (townsfolk), French 5 (Lorain), Guile 2 (fast talk), Infernal Lore 1 (demons), Intrigue 2 (rumor mongering), Latin 5 (Hermetic use), Leadership 2 (inspiration), Low German 2 (Flemish), Magic Lore 1 (creatures), Magic Theory 5 (inventing spells), Merinita Lore 2 (Wayfarers), Occitan 2 (Provencal), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (politics), Parma Magica 4 (Mentem), Philosophae 2 (ritual magic), Profession: Merchant 2 (commodity speculation), Profession: Storyteller 3 (faerie tales), Ride 2 (speed), Teaching 2 (merchants)

Arts: Cr 10**, In** 12**, Mu** 12**, Pe** 10**, Re** 11**; An** 7**, Aq** 5**, Au 5, Co** 6(2), He 13**, Ig** 5**, Im** 6**, Me** 25+3 (10), Te 5, Vi 7

Twilight Scars: People in the vicinity of Lambert do not loose their mental focus as a result of tiredness, nor are they able to nod off unintentionally.

Equipment: Casting Tablet of the spell Locked Storehouse, Ring of the Cold Iron Mind, Coin of Enthusiastic Patrons, Coin of Petulant Customers, Granary Chest, Token of the Harvest Evening**.**

Encumbrance: 0 Spells Known:

Opening the Tome of the Animal's Mind (InAn 25/+20)

Soothing Voice of the Stableman (ReAn 15/+19)

Patch of Drought (PeAq 10/+16)

The Inexorable Search (InCo 20 /+19)

Pull of Blood (InCo 20 /+19)

Intuition of the Forest (InHe 10 /+26)

Converse with Plant and Tree (InHe 25 /+26)

Memory of the Distant Dream (CrMe 20/+39)

Family Gathering (Cr(In)Me 40/+39)

Missive of Memory (CrMe40/+39)

Frosty Breath of the Spoken Lie (InMe 20/+41)

Posing the Silent Question (InMe 20/+41)

Thoughts Within Babble (InMe 25 /+41)

Familial Secrets (InMe 30/+41)

Scent of Loose Purses (InMe 30/+41)

Stench of Hate (InMe 30/+41)

Tread of Fellow Travelers (InMe 30/+41)

Opinions of the Masses (InMe 35/+41)

Oath Breaker's Confession (InMe 40 /+41)

Blissful Messenger (MuMe 30/+41)

Confusion of the Numbed Will (PeMe 15/+39)

Mind Cleansed of Treachery (PeMe 45/+39)

Unseen Arm (ReTe 5/+17)

Piercing the Faerie Veil (InVi 20/+20)

Wrappings of Metaphysical Iron (ReVi 20/+26P )

P includes spell potency bonus

Vis: 2 pawns of Herbam vis in a wooden ring, 6 pawns of Intellego vis stored in small reflective coins, 4 pawns of Mentem vis in the form of bottles of faeriemade wine.

Appearance: Lambert is a tall, thin man with dark hair that is graying at the temples. He has a solemn look that makes him seem more sad than his behavior indicates. He frequently dresses in the garb of a successful merchant. Although it is clear that his easy smile and friendly demeanor are at least in part the product of practice, their effusiveness goes a fair way toward offsetting the detrimental social effects of The Gift.

Activities in the last fifteen years: Lambert, 45 years out of apprenticeship, is still close to his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, but he is no longer particularly active in running his family's business, leaving the responsibility to his descendants. Lambert at this age devotes much of his passion to investigating faeries and faerie regiones. During this period, Lambert spent five seasons inventing Blindness of Involuntary Obstinacy, four seasons inventing Family Gathering, and four seasons Inventing Missive of Memory. Lambert spent one season each inventing Converse with Plant and Tree, Opening the Tome of the Animal's Mind, and Wrappings of Metaphysical Iron with the assistance of Lab Texts. He spent one seasoning opening the Granary Chest for Enchantment, two seasons enchanting The Convenient Warehouse, one season Enchanting Carpentry of Brass, and one season enchanting Charm versus Dampness. Lambert spent one season creating the Token of the Harvest Evening. Lambert also lost two seasons exploring Faerie regios. During these fifteen years Lambert gained 270 experience points in Arts (and an additional 23 experience in Mentem from his affinity).