The Greek Volcanic Islands

The Greek island groups of Methana, Milos, Nisyros, and Santorini are all volcanic. Each group consists of dozens of islands that have been formed by volcanic activity, and there are further volcanoes beneath the surface of the sea — the activity of these marine volcanoes sometimes causes the sea to boil. Many of the surface volcanic craters have broken their walls and also been flooded by the sea, and

Creeping Earth

At Campi Flegrei parts of the earth frequently creep, causing the earth to rise by 10 to 12 feet over a period of several years. This is fast enough for people to observe, and the inexorably rising earth can cause buildings to collapse and split. This is clearly a supernatural phenomena, and the recent collapse of a small town not long after a new church was constructed has convinced some magi that the creeping earth is the work of a magical spirit at the heart of Campi Flegrei, fighting against the encroachment of the divine on natural places.

Pompeii and Herculaneum

The Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum were destroyed in an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. If your saga follows history, then these towns are buried and their location is not precisely known in 1220. However, the eruption and subsequent destruction was documented by Roman writers, so magi may decide to search for the towns.

It is possible that the violent eruption caused the towns to fall into a regio, and perhaps the inhabitants, or their descendants, still live within. Maybe there is even still a functioning Temple of Mercury within the towns. The entrance to the regio might be found within the crater of Mount Vesuvius (or even other volcanoes). The townsfolk (who are surely supernaturally changed by their experience) could be recruited as covenfolk by the Burning City. Alternatively, perhaps the towns really are merely buried beneath tons of ash and mud.

In either case, the two towns are now inextricably entwined with volcanism. This means that any artifacts recovered from Pompeii or Herculaneum may be used as a Sympathetic Connection of +1 to aid the Penetration of effects that target creatures that live in volcanoes. Artifacts from Pompeii or Herculaneum also have a +3 Shape and Material bonus for volcanism effects. This Shape and Material bonus is in addition to any other bonuses for the artifact.

there are also a number of hot springs and pools heated by volcanic activity on the islands. There are frequent earthquakes on the islands, and the breaking of the islands by the shifting earth has revealed striking, brightly colored layers of rock deposited by successive eruptions. These layers of volcanic rock are good sources of the exotic minerals that are needed for some Hermetic laboratories.

Fishing villages dot the islands, and the larger islands have substantial towns. Many of the inhabitants use water heated by the volcanoes for bathing, and the island-dwellers could be recruited to act as covenfolk.