The Corpse-Thief

Yes, my lord, guaranteed fresh. It was procured from the bishop only this morning...

A despicable character hated and feared by good Christian folk, the Corpse-Thief lurks around graveyards and gallows, seeking to steal ingredients to sell to witches and warlocks alike. He knows that the bodies of suicides, murderers, and unbaptized children fetch the highest prices among his clientele. Naturally, a Corpse-Thief plies a highly specialized trade, and both his customers and his raw material are usually spread far and wide, occasioning him to travel extensively.

A Corpse-Thief is likely to pick up a good knowledge of occult matters. Having the Penetration Ability gives him a working knowledge of arcane connections and sympathetic connections. Magic Lore or Infernal Lore, or more rarely Faerie or Divine Lore, tell him to what use each type of material can be put, and cover matters such as Shape and Material bonuses and Enrichment of Objects of Virtue (see Realms of Power: Magic, page 124). A Corpse-Thief with the appropriate (Realm) Lore also understands

The character can make effigies of individuals out of wax, straw, and cloth that house an arcane connection and simultaneously act as a sympathetic connection to the people they represents. A simple effigy is good for one use, takes an hour to make, and requires a Dexterity + Craft Poppets roll against an Ease Factor of 9. A permanent poppet takes a week to make, and has an Ease Factor of 12. Permanent poppets can accept a new Arcane Connection once the previous one has expired; naturally, this must be to the same person. Unlike other symbolic representations, a poppet made with this Ability may be used by any person, not just the character who made it. Specialties: a particular type of target — women, magi, dragons, kings, etc.

As detailed on page 64 of Art & Academe, an apothecary can extend the lifespan of an Arcane Connection by preserving the material correctly. This can only be done for Arcane Connections of human, animal, or vegetable origin, and cannot be repeated to extend the duration further. Make a Dexterity + Profession: Apothecary roll, and consult the following table:

ORIGINAL EXPIRY	EASE FACTOR	NEW EXPIRY
Hours/Days	3	Weeks
Weeks	6	Months
Months	9	Seasons
Seasons	12	Years
Years	15	Decades
Decades	18	Indefinitely

what vis is, for what uses it might be employed, and where it tends to be found. Should the character also have Magic Sensitivity, he can locate vis himself, even if he cannot use it.

In addition to collecting body parts of the dead, a Corpse-Thief usually also specializes in taking arcane connections from the living. A Corpse-Thief might steal to order, or else obtain material from prominent townsfolk, then offer them to the highest bidder among his usual contacts. Combining the skills of a burglar with his occult lore, he can creep into a house or workspace, and knows which objects and body exuviae tend to form the best arcane connections. Furthermore, he recognizes the importance of handwritten documents, names, and personal data, such as birth dates, to the exercise of magic.

Typically, he crafts an effigy of his victim called a "poppet" or "witch doll," which takes advantage of sympathetic bonuses. Embedded in the poppet is an arcane connection, and it is sold along with the name of the victim, an example of his handwriting, and possibly (if the Corpse-Thief is educated) a horoscope, all of which increase the efficacy of the poppet to his client (ArM5, page 84). If the character has the professional skills of an apothecary, he can even extend the life of the arcane connection; this is useful if he cannot find a seller immediately (see insert).

A Corpse-Thief may even be skilled in petty magical practices himself. He may have inherited some minor magical item, or have an intrinsic magical power from a Supernatural Ability. Due to the personality of a typical Corpse-Thief, such abilities are often malicious in nature, or at least used maliciously. For example, the thief's demon Valefar (Realms of Power: The Infernal, page 57) can teach a person how to make a Hand of Glory from the hand of a hanged murderer.

It takes a special sort of person to be a Corpse-Thief. Even the most inveterate, hard-bitten criminal generally shows respect for the dead. Furthermore, the knowledge of forbidden things hints at a dark past. A Corpse-Thief could have been the child of a witch or warlock, but showed no talent for sorcery at an early age, and so was put to work in a useful trade to support his parent. Alternatively, the Corpse-Thief could have been an initiate of a diabolic cult, who practiced his trade at the bidding of his infernally tainted masters. The indoctrination that accompanies either of these backgrounds sets a twisted sense of morality that allows the character to do the horrible things that he does.

Another path to such a questionable career is rooted in a superstition of the age: occasionally a person is given the Last Rites because he is near death, but then recovers. This is an exceptionally rare occurrence; indeed, the sacrament of Extreme Unction is supposed to guarantee death. Nevertheless, in Mythic Europe there are forces that can bring people back from the brink of death, not least of which is Hermetic magic. Far from being considered a second chance at life, such a circumstance is considered to generate a living corpse: neither truly alive nor properly dead. The viaticarus ("one prepared for the journey") is legally separated from society, and theologically separated from the Church. He is denied further sacraments; this is the point behind the Last Rites. He cannot attend church, get married, or enter Holy Orders.

Most significantly, he cannot perform penance for any sins he commits henceforth. Common superstition holds that nothing he does now can affect the placement of his soul in the afterlife, and he is free to sin without consequence. Church doctrine says otherwise, and suggests that the viaticarus should keep himself obsessively free from sin since it cannot be expiated. Legally, the bonds of marriage are dissolved, and the "widow" is free to marry again. Viaticari may not write wills, since dead men technically do not own property. By many local

traditions they cannot eat meat, have sexual intercourse, or walk in bare feet.

It is perhaps no surprise if one of these "living corpses" takes on a morally repugnant role, if they consider themselves beyond morality and immune to the burden of sin. As literal outcasts from society, they struggle to find a means by which to earn a living, making them easy prey for unscrupulous warlocks and magi. Unlike some grogs, a viaticarus might willingly work for Gifted individuals without reservation, eager for any acceptance, even if it is for what they do rather than for who they are.

Players may use the following notes in the creation of corpse-thieves.

A Corpse-Thief probably lurks on the fringes of society, so Social Status Virtues such as Wise One or Wanderer are appropriate, as is the Outcast Social Status Flaw. Essential to this character is an understanding of esoteric lore, and he needs a Virtue which grants the capacity to take Arcane Abilities at character creation, such as Arcane Lore. Magic Sensitivity proves very useful to a character such as this, and Social Contacts allows him to have a wide client base among the hedge witches of the region. He also benefits from Virtues that permit him to gain his raw ingredients more easily, such as Puissant Stealth and Light Touch. He may have the Minor Enchantments* Virtue to represent some of the magic he has acquired from his clients.

The Tainted with Evil Flaw is highly appropriate, as is the Viaticarus Flaw*. Thanks to his usual working hours, the Nocturnal Personality Flaw is suitable.

* See Chapter 6, New Virtues and Flaws

The following suggestions give some ideas for stories involving Corpse-Thieves.

A player maga involved in a feud with a non-Hermetic wizard becomes the target of the Corpse-Thief's attention when he is commissioned to make a poppet of the player character. Having studied his target for a while, he decides to infiltrate the covenant as a day laborer or new servant, but through diligence or sheer good luck, he is caught in the act of retrieving his arcane connection. The temptation to kill the Corpse-Thief immediately is likely to be great, but more could be learned if he is captured and questioned. With the right incentive, the Corpse-Thief will sell out his employer, and perhaps be able to supply a poppet of her that he made as insurance.

This story works equally well with a magus opponent who has declared, or is about to declare, Wizard's War against a player magus.

A Corpse-Thief who works for the covenant has a good professional knowledge of the local hedge wizards, and perhaps knows some of them personally. He may even be aware of their powers and weaknesses. When the magi hear of a particularly troublesome non-Hermetic wizard, they come to the Corpse-Thief for information. He can give them a list of names who it might be, and where they each can be found. The magi may be surprised — dismayed, even! — by how many minor magical practitioners live in the region right under their noses. Why are there so many, what are they up to, and how did they remain unnoticed for so long?

A Corpse-Thief needs the same Abilities that a regular thief benefits from: Stealth, Awareness, Athletics, and Legerdemain. Knowing what to steal is covered by Magic Lore and Penetration; the latter is also useful for any magical abilities the character possesses. In the preparation of material for sale, the Profession: Apothecary and the Craft: Poppets Abilities are also highly useful. Area Lore and Organization Lore are important Abilities in developing a client base from which to earn a living.

Training packages include: Footpad, Apothecary, Magician, Craftsman, Cultist, Local.

This character must be able to take Arcane Abilities at character creation.

ABILITIES AT AGE 24: Area Lore 3 (graveyards), Athletics 2 (running), Bargain 1 (corpses), Brawl 3 (getting away), Concentration 2 (at night), Chirurgy 2 (crushing injuries), Craft Poppets 2 (5) (wizards), Folk Ken 2 (customers), Guile 3 (feigning innocence), Legerdemain 2 (acquiring locks of hair), Magic Lore 3 (undead), Native Language 5 (obsequious), Organization Lore: Apothecary Guild 2 (corruption), Penetration 2 (poppets), Profession: Apothecary 3 (preserving arcane connections), Stealth 4 (at night)

ABILITIES AT AGE 35: Area Lore 3 (graveyards), Athletics 2 (running), Bargain 2 (corpses), Brawl 3 (getting away), Concentration 2 (at night), Chirurgy 2 (crushing injuries), Craft Poppets 3 (wizards), Folk Ken 2 (customers), Guile 4 (feigning innocence), Infernal Lore 3 (undead), Legerdemain 3 (acquiring locks of hair), Magic Lore 4 (undead), Native Language 5 (obsequious), Organization Lore: Apothecary Guild 2 (corruption), Penetration 3 (poppets), Profession: Apothecary 4 (preserving arcane connections), Stealth 5 (at night)

ABILITIES AT AGE 50: Area Lore 3 (graveyards), Athletics 2 (running), Bargain 2 (corpses), Brawl 3 (getting away), Concentration 3 (at night), Chirurgy 4 (crushing injuries), Craft Poppets 4 (wizards), Folk Ken 3 (customers), Guile 5 (feigning innocence), Infernal Lore 3 (undead), Legerdemain 4 (acquiring locks of hair), Magic Lore 5 (undead), Native Language 5 (obsequious), Organization Lore: Apothecary Guild 2 (corruption), Penetration 4 (poppets), Profession: Apothecary 5(10) (preserving arcane connections), Stealth 5 (at night), Teaching 2 (Craft: Poppets)

Were the Corpse-Thief to be conceived as a companion character, the most obvious change to make to this character is to give him some overt Supernatural Abilities of his own. Particularly appropriate are Entrancement (ArM5, page 65), Cursing (Hedge Magic Revised Edition, page 35) or Hex (Realms of Power: The Infernal, page 92). Combined with his ability to generate high Penetration totals from effigies and stolen arcane connections, these Abilities can even be useful against a magical opponent. The Diabolic Past Story Flaw is ideally suited for a Corpse-Thief companion character, as is the Enemy Story Flaw, representing former victims of his craft.

A grog character can be converted into a companion character through Initiation into a Folk Witch coven (Hedge Magic Revised Edition, page 33) or an infernal tradition (Realms of Power: The Infernal, page 126).