Eternal Spirit of Flame

The volcano (or a regio within it) may be inhabited by a powerful magical nature spirit, or possibly a spirit associated with another realm. Once the characters have established themselves in or near the volcano, they can try to contact and commune with this spirit. Alternatively, the spirit may contact the magi itself. Bjornaer and Merinita characters are particularly likely to be contacted, as they are generally the magi most connected with nature, but any character apparently interested in the welfare of the volcano could be contacted.

Communing with the spirit at the heart of the volcano allows the characters to access the Volcano Lore Supernatural Ability (this is a type of Nature Lore; see Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, pages 102–106, or Guardians of the Forests: The Rhine Tribunal, page 37).

The volcano spirit can grant Virtues to characters who are loyal to it. The basic procedure is that the character performs a quest for the spirit and makes a sacrifice (gains a Flaw) and in return the spirit grants the character a portion of his power (a Virtue). Each quest is a good opportunity for the troupe to tell a story. Some example Virtues, quests, and sacrifices include the following.

Virtues

Elemental Magic, Major Hermetic Virtue (ArM5, page 41): Many of these projects use elemental Forms with other elemental Forms as requisites. A character with the Elemental Magic Virtue can ignore such requisites, making the projects easier.

Greater Immunity, Major Supernatural Virtue (ArM5, page 43), or Lesser Immunity, Minor Supernatural Virtue (ArM5, page 44): Immunity to lava, heat, or noxious fumes could be very convenient for living in the Burning City.

Major Magical Focus, Major Supernatural Virtue (ArM5, page 45), or Minor Magical Focus, Minor Supernatural Virtue (ArM5, page 46): A major focus in volcanoes or a minor focus such as ash, fire elementals, lava, volcanic fumes, or volcanic rock.

Mythic Blood, Major Hermetic Virtue (ArM5, page 47): The magus could have his blood mingled with that of Vulcan, a fire elemental, or a dragon, and thus inherit useful supernatural powers from this powerful lineage.

Special Circumstances, Minor Hermetic Virtue (ArM5, page 49): Your magus gains a bonus to his magic when casting inside a volcano.

Ways of the (Volcano), Major General Virtue (ArM5, page 50): Your character gains a deeper understanding of volcanic regions.

One Season (40), Two Seasons (30), Three

Commune with the Fire Soul

Seasons (27), Four Seasons (25).

InTe 30

R: Touch, D: Concentration, T: Individual The caster plunges his hands into lava (which will cause damage if he is not protected) and communes with the spirit of the volcano. If the volcano's spirit is a creature with Might, then this spell needs to penetrate its Magic Resistance.

The length of time a conversation with a volcano spirit takes is highly variable, and depends on the activity of the volcano. The spell allows the caster to perceive and participate in the conversation at either great speed or very slowly, as appropriate. A conversation of a few simple sentences with a dormant volcano could take many days, and would therefore require either a spell with a different duration or magical effects similar

Hermetic Projects

to Maintaining the Demanding Spell (ArM5, page 162) in order to maintain the Concentration duration. On the other hand, a long multi-faceted discourse with an active volcano can be conducted in a fraction of a round.

(Base 20, +1 Touch, +1 Concentration) Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (60), Two Seasons (45), Three Seasons (40), Four Seasons (38).

Ring of Protection Against Magical Creatures of Fire

ReIg 35

Pen: +22, constant effect

R: Touch, D: Constant, T: Individual This ring, with an inset ruby, wards the wearer against creatures with an Ignem Form who have a Magic Might of no more than 20.

(Base Effect at level 20, using Sun Duration instead of Ring and Individual Target instead of Circle; +11 penetration bonus of 22, +4 constant effect)

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (70), Two Seasons (53), Three Seasons (47), Four Seasons (44).

Sense the Hearts of Fire

InIg 30

R: Personal, D: Sun, T: Vision

The caster detects whether creatures he can see have an Ignem Form Might. This is a magical property of a creature made of flame. It has no effect on creatures that are not made of Ignem, regardless of whether they have a Might or not. Creatures apparently made of flame (creatures of another Form, illusions, or the effects of Hermetic Rego Ignem magic) who do not have an Ignem Form Might are also not detected by this effect.

Obviously, this spell needs to Penetrate the Magic Resistance of the detected creatures.

(Base 4, +2 Sun, +4 Vision)