Planetary Divinities

At some point in their complicated and extensive history, the ancient Romans started venerating the planets, the visible heavenly bodies commented on by Greek and Roman philosophers. Distinct from the gods, many of whom are associated with the same planets, the planetary divinities were seen as lesser gods, and were given names and temples of worship. The actual supernatural beings observed were the Astra Planeta, planetary spirits that belong to the Magic Realm and were uninterested in the Romans' devotions. The worshipers attracted a different crowd: a group of seven powerful faeries noticed the Romans' veneration and inserted themselves into the role of the Astra Planeta. To the Roman worshipers, the planetary spirits suddenly took an interest and began to respond to their prayers and supplications. The planetary divinities would favor specific people, charismatic worshipers who increased the divinities' followers and advanced their reputation. The veneration of the planetary divinities diminished with the downfall of the Roman Empire. For hundreds of years, the planetary divinities idled in their regio, hidden inside the Septizodium.

The vociferous arguing of the cardinals roused the planetary divinities from their torpor. They noticed that one of the cardinals had a demonic patron. They also saw another regularly targeted by magic, and noticed another wizard activating the enchanted statue on some mornings. Bemused, the faeries wanted to play too. While not completely understanding what the men were trying to decide, they correctly ascertained that one would rule the others, misinterpreting the title "pontiff" as "Pontifex Maximus," the high priest of all of the religious cults of pagan Rome. Visiting the dreams of the cardinals, they selected the man most sympathetic to classical paganism, Tommaso da Capua, and promised to make him the pontiff. Swayed by their enchantments, Tommaso agreed.

The planetary divinities gain vitality by being venerated. Tommaso's love of the classics and agreement to be the Pontifex Maximus feel like veneration, and the faeries want more. They think that having the cardinals support Tommaso will mean more vitality. To encourage this, the faeries visit the cardinals in their dreams and promise to make them better, stronger, smarter, or more eloquent. A divinity can only affect the Characteristic it is associated

with: the Sun is associated with Presence, the Moon Dexterity, Mercury Quickness, Venus Communication, Mars Strength, Jupiter Intelligence, and Saturn Perception. If promises don't work, threats might, and the divinities can also permanently decrease a person's Characteristics. Both threats and promises are expressed in the person's dreams. The planetary divinities can speak, in archaic Latin, but prefer to express themselves through dreams.

Faerie Might: 40 (Vim)

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

Size: 0 Confidence Score: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Positive Folktales; Greater Power (x3), Ritual Power (x4); Highly Cognizant, Humanoid Form, Personal Power; Intangible Flesh, Restricted Might (sunlight); Traditional Ward (Folk Charm)

Personality Traits: Appropriate to the planet +3

Combat:

Dodge: Init +2x, Attack n/a, Defense +2, Damage n/a

Soak: 0

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

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

Pretenses: Artes Liberales 4 (astronomy), Athletics 4 (flying), Awareness 3 (sleepers), Faerie Lore 4 (Roman deities), Folk Ken 4 (worshipers), Intrigue 1 (plotting against each other), Latin 4 (astrological terms), Penetration 5 (Mentem)

Affliction of Heavenly Insanity, 2 points, Init +0, Mentem. R: Eye, D: Sun, T: Ind. Similar to the Hermetic spell Blessing of Childlike Bliss, this power continually changes a person's thoughts, continuously scrambling a person's memory and perceptions throughout the duration of the effect. Magi cannot cast spells under this power's effect. A target may decide to perform a single action and succeed with an Intelligence + stress die roll against an Ease Factor of 12. The action must commence and finish in a single combat round.

Cost 20 levels. (Base 10, +1 Eye, +1 Sun)

Enticement of the Dreamer, 3 points, Init –1, Mentem. R: Touch, D: Dream, T: Dream. The planetary divinity can enter a sleeping person's dream and influence it. The divinity must touch the target, brushing him with the faerie's intangible fingers. Upon awakening, the sleeper remembers the dream with an Intelligence + simple die roll against an Ease Factor of 6.

Cost 30 levels. (Base 15, +1 Touch, +1 Dream)

Flight, 2 points, constant, Corpus. The divinities can fly.

Cost 15 spell levels (Base 4, +2 Sun, +1 constant)

Heaven's Gazing Erosion of Man, 2 points, Init +0, Mentem or Corpus. R: Eye, D: Mom, T: Ind. This power permanently grants the target 3 Aging points in the particular Characteristic associated with the planetary divinity. The target also gains 3 points toward Decrepitude.

Cost 20 levels. (Base 15, +1 Eye)

Invisibility, 4 points, Init –4, Corpus. The divinities can turn invisible.

Cost 15 spell levels (Base 4, +2 Sun, +1 for moving image)

Planetary Divinity's Blessing of (Great Characteristic), 10 points, Init –17, Vim. R: Eye, D: Mom, T: Ind. Ritual. A specialized version of the common faerie power Grant (Major Virtue), this power allows the planetary divinity to permanently or temporarily increase a specific Characteristic in a target from +3 to +4 or from +4 to +5. Like other ritual powers, permanently increasing the Characteristic reduces the divinity's Might Score. Each planetary divinity can only increase the Characteristic with which it is associated.

Cost 50 levels. (Special)

Planetary Divinity's Blessing of (Improved Characteristics), 5 points, Init –1, Vim. R: Eye, D: Mom, T: Ind. Ritual. A specialized version of the faerie power: Grant (Minor Virtue), this power allows the planetary divinity to increase a specific Characteristic by 3 points, to a maximum value of +3. Just like the power The Divinity's Blessing of (Grant Characteristic), the increase is temporary or permanent as the faerie chooses, and each divinity can only affect the Characteristic associated with that divinity.

Cost 50 levels. (Special)

Vis: 8 pawns of Vim vis located in the various props of the faerie's costume, such as toga, sandals, and rod.

Appearance: Like performers draped in elaborate costumes, each planetary divinity looks like a youth wearing a Roman toga, ceremonial accoutrements, and bearing emblems representative of their planet.

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

Size: 0 Age: 45 (45) Decrepitude: 0 (4)

Warping Score: 0 (0) Confidence Score: 1 (9)

Virtues and Flaws: Diabolist; Senior Clergy; Corruption, Greater Immunity (mind control), Wealthy; Arcane Lore (free), Enticer of Multitudes, Mentored by Demons (x2), Temporal Influence; Commanding Aura (free); Ambitious, Enemies; Arthritis, Fragile Constitution, Motion Sickness, No Sense of Direction

Personality Traits: Manipulative +3, Tense +3

Reputations: Strict Leader 4 (Church), Foe to Heretics and Witches 4 (Church)

Combat:

Dodge: Init –1, Attack n/a, Defense +3, Damage n/a

Fist: Init –1, Attack +2, Defense +2, Damage –1

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: Artes Liberales 2 (rhetoric), Awareness 2 (lying), Brawl 3 (dodge), Charm 2 (social equals), Corruption 6 (5) (personal influence), Civil and Canon Law 5 (papal prerogatives), Concentration 2 (sermons), Bargain 3 (future favors), Etiquette 3 (public functions), Folk Ken 3 (social equals), Guile 3 (social inferiors), Infernal Lore 4 (demons), Intrigue 6 (vocational advantage), Italian 5 (expansive vocabulary), Latin 5 (church usage), Leadership 7 (priests), Legerdemain 3 (slight of hand), Organization Lore: Church 5 (personalities), Philosophiae 3 (ethics), Ride 2 (leisure), Teaching 2 (ordinary lectures), Theology 5 (against the New Aristotle)

Equipment: Expensive clothes appropriate to his station

Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Appearance: Square-shouldered and stiff, Riccardo is a severe, uptight figure.