Mutationis Patronus

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

Size: –2

Age: 82 (15) Decrepitude: 0

Warping Score: 11 (6) Confidence Score: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Animae Magic*, Becoming*, Faerie Magic**, Fast Caster, Luck, Minor Magical Focus (selftransformation); Dwarf, Deficient Technique (Intellego); Carefree, Clumsy Magic, Hedge Wizard

* Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, pages 92 & 93

** House Virtue

Personality Traits: Impish +3, Duplicitous +2, Meddlesome +1

Reputations: Hedge Wizard 3 (Roman magi)

Combat:

Dodge: Init +0, Attack N/A, Defense +0, Damage N/A

Fist: Init +0, Attack +0, Defense +0, Damage –1

Kick: Init –1, Attack +0, Defense –1, Damage +2

Soak: 0

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

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–3), –3 (4–6), –5 (7–9), Incapacitated (10–12)

Abilities: Artes Liberales 2 (ceremonial magic), Awareness 3 (alertness), Bargain 2 (faeries), Carouse 3 (drinking songs), Charm 2 (first impressions), Concentration 2 (spell concentration), Faerie Lore 3, Faerie Magic 9 (becoming), Finesse 5 (casting speed), Folk Ken 2 (magi), Guile 2 (elaborate lies), Italian 5 (curses), Latin 4 (Hermetic usage), Magic Theory 5 (Muto), Music 3 (sing), Organisation Lore: House Merinita 3 (modifying initiation scripts), Parma Magica 4 (Corpus), Penetration 4 (Muto), Philosophiae 2 (metaphysics)

Arts: Cr 16, In 10, Mu 20, Pe 10, Re 12, An 0, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 5, He 10, Ig 0, Im 10, Me 8, Te 9, Vi 20

Twilight Scars: Patronus' shadow moves of its own accord, and his eyes glitter with flecks of silver and gold. He also finds the smell of iron nauseating, so spends as little time with Avedutus as possible, and he can tell true gold from false.

Equipment: Patronus carries very little with him; a simple flute and usually some vis of various forms to bolster his spontaneous casting.

Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Spells Known:

The Wooden Horde (CrHe 35/+30)

A Pocketful of Soldiers (MuHe 35/+30)

The Ear for Distant Voices (InIm 20/+10)

Veil of Invisibility (PeIm 20/+20)

Wizard's Sidestep (ReIm 10/+22)

The Distracted Turb (CrMe 45/+24)

Touch of Midas (CrTe 20/+29)

Bring Forth the Lord of Knives (CrTe 35/+25)

The Earth Split Asunder (ReTe 30/+21)

The Heady Rush of Magic (CrVi 5/+36)

Piercing the Faerie Veil (InVi 20/+15)

Wizard's Communion (MuVi 20/+40)

Dreadful Bane of the Fae (PeVi 10/+30)

Circular Ward Against Faeries (ReVi 20/+32)

Casting Sigil: Visible strands of light and stars stream from his fingertips to the targets of his spells. His spell residues give off tiny sparkles when investigated.

Appearance: Since the rites of Becoming he has appeared as a juvenile boy. He is small for his apparent age and has unkempt ginger hair and a band of golden freckles across his nose. Due to warping his eyes also glitter and shimmer with gold and silver. He is dressed differently every time he is encountered, sometimes as a ragged child and sometimes like a miniature prince, but he always wears the red sash denoting his membership of the Trattato. Strikingly, he only talks through a mask that he brings to his face each time he wishes to speak.

Patronus has created a Talisman, and knows several uncommon spells.

Patronus' talisman is a painted leather mask in the shape of an exaggerated elderly face.

MuAn 11

Pen +0/Unlimited Use

R: Personal, D: Momentary, T: Individual

Triggered each time Patronus brings the mask to his own face, this effect changes the expression shown on the mask. One time elation, another horror, followed by surprise, and anger, and everything in between.

(Base 1; +10 for unlimited use)

MuAn 40

Pen +0/Unlimited Use

R: Personal, D: Concentration, T: Individual

This effect, achieved through Animae Magic, gives the mask a life of its own by transforming it into a faerie. Its form remains the mask but it gains personality and independence of thought. Patronus uses this mostly to amuse himself, but also to put others off-guard.

The faerie's personality matches the mask's current expression.

(Base 15, +1 Concentration, +5 levels for Might Score; +5 Device maintains concentration, +10 unlimited use)

CrHe 45

R: Touch, D: Moon, T: Group This Animae Magic ritual creates ten Herbam-based faeries each with a Faerie Might of 1. Each faerie has a general motivation decided by the caster at the time of casting. Examples might be to attack particular targets, to defend a given person, item, or place, or simply to amuse.

Patronus summons these faeries with the waxing and waning of the moon to protect the tower occupied by the Trattato. They swarm in the trees and grass around the tower and threaten any not wearing a red sash.

No larger than a human hand, these faeries pose little threat individually, but they engage in combat as a swarm of creatures. See the statistics and swarm rules in the nearby insert.

(Base 5, +1 Touch, +3 Moon, +2 Group; +10 levels for Might)

MuHe 30

R: Touch, D: Diameter, T: Group

This Animae Magic spell creates a horde of ten Herbam-based faeries each with a Faerie Might of 1 by transforming a large group of wooden items. A woodcutter's pile or a thatched roof is enough. Patronus uses these faeries to sow instant confusion or to attack specified targets (anyone not wearing red, for instance). Enough of these capricious creatures stay on-task to make a decent threat, while others engage in harmless tomfoolery. The faeries only last for a diameter and then they fall to the ground, turning back into their original forms, when the spell expires.

No larger than a human hand, these faeries pose little threat individually, but they engage in combat as a swarm of creatures. See the

With the election of the new duke due to take place tomorrow, the town of Casalmaggiore is busy with numerous knights, merchants, clerics, and others gathered to witness or participate in the election and coronation. There is nowhere left to stay in the town, but Giuliano offers the magi and companions one of several standing chambers within the palace. Their grogs join the other lower retainers and sleep in whatever space is given to them, most likely on floors or in outbuildings.

Giuliano is greeted by loyal courtiers who receive his magical guests with a degree of trepidation and distrust, with the magi overhearing some of their misgivings.

The action takes place from six in the evening onwards, during celebrations for Giuliano's return to the city and the politicking of the election. This gives the magi, or their unGifted companions, the chance to mingle and judge the mood of the room. In particular, this is the scene in which the players meet Lucia and Avedutus.

Lucia and Avedutus recognize any magi present, unless they are attempting to disguise themselves and their nature, and treat them with caution. If you introduced the magi of the Trattato at Tribunal ahead of this story the player magi automatically recognize them given their distinctive looks. Lucia is not best-pleased at being seen by magi in her seductive guise.

The evening is accompanied by music from a troupe of musicians, and the intrigues proceed amid the dancing. It seems that both factions are hard at work and characters engaging in Intrigue may learn the following:

• There are suspicions that the old Duke met his end before his time (as the storyguide, you are free to decide whether there is any truth in this and by whose hand he may have died).
• Giuliano did much offend his uncle, hence his long absence from the court.
• Federico and Lucia are to be wed, though the news is to be kept secret until after the election.
• Giuliano has betrayed his brother by attempting to steal the Lady Lucia away from him.

It is here that Hieronymous and Lucia can be seen in frequent conversation with Federico. Avedutus is on constant guard and does not, without permission from Lucia, allow strangers to impose upon Lucia.

At ten in the evening, a fanfare is sounded and Hieronymous announces that the election must now take place.

Lucia claims to be at court for simply social reasons, and is open that she maintains a sanctum nearby and therefor has a connection to the court. She also attempts to shift any suspicion of wrongdoing onto Hieronymous. She "suspects" him to be manipulating the election, but that she has taken care to ensure that no magic is used to influence the result one way or the other. A lie, obviously, but this is left to the magi to determine. She even offers a mockwarning that they should take care lest they be accused of meddling in mundane affairs.

If challenged on her relationship with either of the brothers, she seeds misdirection with truth and simply asks how a woman is supposed to secure land