The Franciscans

Early in the 13th century, the Holy Spirit sent a challenge to the world through one particular individual — Francis, a merchant's son living in Assisi, Italy. Francis' response to God's call is making people in all walks of life, from the pope down, reconsider their relationship with God. His followers, and those of his cousin Clare, share the life of the poorest, supporting themselves by manual labor when possible, begging when it is not. They call themselves the Little Brothers (Friars Minor) and Poor Sisters, and live in humility, charity, and sympathy with nature, urging everyone, by their example, to re-examine their motives and actions in the light of the Gospels.

Through the example of Francis and his followers, God seeks to remind people of the example set by the early Church, and so reduce selfishness and improve faith, hope, and charity, with the intention of saving souls. Anyone who wishes to live a truly Christian life must accept these challenges, or reconcile their conscience if they do not. Those who do not truly aspire to the Christian ideal, but like to appear to be doing so, must also decide how to approach these challenges.

News of the new Friars Minor movement has spread very rapidly, so characters in sagas set anywhere in Mythic Europe have a good chance of encountering someone who has heard one of the Friars Minor preach. Characters may meet, or even be, friends or relations of one of the members of the new group. The friars themselves are keen travelers, so it is not unusual for characters in Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Morocco, Syria, or the Holy Land to have met a friar. Friars are less likely to have turned up in other countries, but it is undoubtedly possible. Perhaps a player character is one of the early followers, who has traveled to spread the word. In 1220, it is possible for characters to meet Francis himself, some of his earliest followers, and perhaps even his parents. The outline presented here of the life of Francis himself, his followers, and the early history of his movement provides background for such encounters.

Characters who hear the preaching of a charismatic, inspirational friar — even Francis himself — may well have an emotional response. This might induce them to change their habits, so as to become more charitable and pious. Such characters might be inspired to give away property, either their own or some belonging to the covenant, or to follow the preacher when he moves on, so as to hear more of his stirring words. In contrast, a character antagonistic to the Church might be roused to act against the preacher and stir up trouble.

Challenge to the Merchants

Francis is from a rich merchant family, yet rids himself of all his riches and not only rejects the life of trading and spending, but refuses to handle coins at all. This is a challenge to the rising merchant classes.

Challenge to the Nobility

He recruits followers from the nobility, bidding them give their wealth to the poor and take on the role of humble servants to lepers, the sick, and the impoverished. This is a challenge to their status and traditional way of life.

Challenge to the Church Authorities

He sends preachers out on foot, ignoring the rule on enclosure and stability of abode, and they preach to peasants in the vernacular. This is a challenge to the complacent, long-standing Benedictine monasteries, and to the authority and control exercised by the Church itself.

Challenge to Society

He encourages women to do the same as himself; this is a challenge to the traditional place of women in society. Also, he preaches outdoors to anyone, even the birds and animals. This is a challenge to everyone who exploits these creatures.

Challenge to the Theologians

He advocates deeply spiritual, nonintellectual prayer. This is a challenge to the scholars of the Church.

Challenge to the Monasteries

While individual monks and nuns take vows of poverty, the abbeys, nunneries, and monasteries where they live have accumulated possessions. Many are now very rich indeed. Francis challenges them to review their situation in the light of the gospel. Can the rich and powerful abbots give their institution's wealth to the poor? If they do not, can they still claim to be true followers of Jesus?

Challenge to the Laity

The many poor among the laity have very little of their own in the way of possessions, and already live a fairly precarious existence. For them, there is still a challenge set by Francis, because he would have his followers give up any selfish desires as well as all possessions.

Men and women join the Franciscans as Little Brothers or Poor Sisters as an alternative to the more-established religious orders. While the Virtue Mendicant Friar covers male Franciscan characters, it is not appropriate for female Franciscan characters. They should take the Social Status Religious, described in Chapter 3: The Diocese, and any combination of suitable Virtues and Flaws to highlight those aspects of the character's life and beliefs that the troupe wants to use in stories. Note that, conventionally, Mendicant Friar requires that the character also take Monastic Vows. However, if the stories to be told using this character do not center on his vows, alternatives may be taken (see Chapter 3: The Diocese, Virtues and Flaws).

Mendicants

The mendicants are distinguished from other religious in that they do not have possessions, either personally or as a group. They are allowed, by Church law, to beg and live on the charity of others. They are linked to others in their tradition without being tied to a specific place, although the women are usually required to live in a settled community. They are not under control of the local bishop, answering to their own leaders and the pope. They serve the poor and preach the gospel, particularly in urban communities. Friars and nuns belong to the Franciscans, Dominicans, or Carmelites. Friars often travel, and may come into conflict with local clergy over preaching and administering the Sacraments to their parishioners.

The Dominicans

The Order of Preachers — also known as the Dominican friars — was founded to save souls by preaching the gospel and combating heresy. The founder, an ordained Augustinian canon from Spain named Dominic, was inspired by witnessing the popularity of the Albigensian (Cathar) movement in southern France, and set out to use its best aspects within an orthodox Catholic setting. The Dominican emphasis is on learning, apostolic simplicity, virtue, and contemplation.

While the Franciscans eschew academic theology, the followers of Dominic embrace it, placing great importance on education. They are much involved with universities, where they study and gather recruits. Their vow of poverty allows them to own books, but nothing else. The Preachers live on charity, mainly donations from the urban population. Characters may find them preaching to people in their own language in any town or city in mainland Western Europe, and perhaps further afield. They wear a white robe with a black cloak and hood.

Approval for the new movement came from Pope Honorius III in 1216. By 1219, there were hundreds of people following Dominic's ideals, so he called for representatives from all the priories to meet together in Bologna on Sunday May 17th, 1220, the feast of Pentecost. If your saga follows history, the structure and laws of the order are discussed and agreed upon at this meeting, appointing Dominic as the first master general. The movement continues to grow rapidly, with the Preachers reaching Oxford, England in 1221. Dominic himself dies in Italy very soon after. The speed with which the new movement is spreading confirms the truth of the dream that Dominic's mother had while carrying him, of a black and white dog carrying a lighted torch in its mouth, which set fire to the earth wherever it ran.

A character wishing to be a member of the Order of Preachers will have the Educated Virtue and, if male and he does not already have Magister in Artibus, he will be sent to a university to study theology and will almost certainly be ordained. Such a character may be part of a community of similar people, living in a small priory or nunnery in a university city or, if male, may be part of a small group traveling to extend the reach of the order, preaching as they go.

Preaching

While sermons in the vernacular are an important part of the church experience, popular preaching tends to occur outside, in barns, churchyards, or wherever a crowd can gather. Preachers are treated as stars, with people traveling many miles, sometimes days, to see them. Reputation is everything, and preachers are perhaps best treated as performers using the Art & Academe rules, pages 125–129, to describe their personal development in terms of increases in the Ability Profession: Preacher and their reputation.

Only ordained priests can hope to preach without any concerns from the Church, and even monks are viewed with suspicion if they preach outside of the immediate environs of their religious house. So dangerous is the potential of preaching wrong doctrine and this resulting in social unrest, that even friars are sometimes viewed with suspicion. Lay preachers and non-ordained clerks who wish to preach would do well to restrict their preaching to matters of morality, or the lives of the saints, rather than straying into matters of doctrine. (In game terms, using Ceremonial Influence to change Personality Traits, or teaching Dominion Lore and possibly allowing listeners to gain a Devotion Point to a relevant saint.)

Popular preaching uses a number of common motifs and stories, and varies mainly in the delivery. It can be bawdy, is often funny, and is filled with parodies of popular songs with new religious lyrics, and old jokes with new religious punchlines. The preacher can preach on any of a wide range of subjects, typically including Theology (unwise, unless the bishop has granted license to preach), Dominion Lore, Church Lore, any of the (Realm) Lores, and any other subject that forms the basis of the preacher's message. See Art & Academe pages 13–14 for rules on preaching.

Casual attendance at a preacher's meetings can act as a source for exposure experience points for that season for interested parties, so a peasant might learn a little Infernal Lore by listening to the weekly admonitions of the preacher. This gain of an experience point occurs even if the peasant previously had no knowledge of that Ability at all, where normally placing exposure in such an Ability would not be allowed.

If a character dedicates a season of free time to following a preacher, the study source is equal to the Aesthetic Quality of the preacher's performance in the relevant Ability. The Ability must be known by the preacher, and the study total can not raise it to a score equal to the preacher's ability. It is always possible to learn Profession: Preacher by listening to a preacher, instead of the intended subject, if the listener so desires. The preacher may also try to inculcate temporary Personality Traits in the audience, as noted in Chapter 3: The Diocese, Care of Souls and Art & Academe, page 13.

Francis was born in 1181 into the family of a prosperous cloth-merchant, who christened him Giovanni. His mother came from Provence and his father, Pietro Bernadone, often traveled that way for trading opportunities and happened to be in France when his son was born, so the boy was nick-named Francesco, "the Frenchman," or in English, Francis. He had a little education, acquiring the basics of reading and writing in Latin. As soon as he was old enough, he started to help in the family business. He led an active social life and became a leader among the affluent youth of Assisi.

In 1202, Francis went to fight in a war between Assisi and Perugia, dreaming of a life of chivalry, but he was taken captive and held in prison for many months. During this time, he became very ill with ague (malaria). His father paid the ransom and Francis returned home, where he worked in the family business, dealing in luxurious fabrics, when his poor health permitted.

In 1206, while praying in the small, semi-derelict church of San Damian, just outside the wall of Assisi, a voice spoke to Francis from a Byzantine-style crucifix on the wall. It instructed him to "Go and repair my house, which you can see is falling down." Initially, Francis interpreted the call literally, but later it dawned on him that more was required and he realized his life must change; he described it as a fire that burned inside him. He gave away his possessions to the poor, vowed his devotion to the crucified Christ, and set out to copy the lifestyle of the apostles as closely as he could. For two years he tried to find a way of living a satisfying religious life by adopting poverty, serving a community of lepers, working to repair dilapidated churches that he often used for temporary shelter, and preaching. Seven others joined him.

In 1209, Francis realized that he was called to greater poverty and, on the spot, he abandoned coins, staff, belt, and shoes and his followers did the same, giving everything they owned to the poor. They withdrew to a quiet place to pray and fast where, inspired by the Holy Spirit, Francis began to formulate his rules for the brothers. It was during this period that Francis, through his True Faith, obtained the Abilities of Meditation and Understanding.

When he reached Rome in 1209, Francis had eleven followers with him, all barefoot and as scruffy as himself. He presented himself at the Vatican and requested an audience with Pope Innocent III. The pope was expecting them, as the Holy Spirit had sent him a prophetic dream the previous night in which he saw the Lateran Basilica about to collapse, but held firm by a small man dressed in rags, who propped the walls up with his own back. So, when Francis asked for approval of his new way of living the gospel message, the pope gave his blessing, although he gave permission only for preaching on morality, leaving theology to the ordained clergy.

Francis and his followers returned to the valley close to Assisi, where their life of prayer, fasting, and good works continued. Further mystical experiences awoke the Supernatural Abilities of Purity and Intervention in Francis, and he began to teach some of the brothers.

Player characters may meet one or more of the founder members, such as Sylvester of Assisi or Bernard of Quintavalle, Rufino — both priests and cousins of Clare (see this chapter, Clare of Assisi). There is also Leo, another priest; he is known to some as Brother Lamb of God, and is Francis' confessor and scribe. Among the early followers are also Giles of Assisi (a farmer's son, noted for his fervent prayer and mysticism), Masseo (known for his eloquence and courtesy), Anthony of Padova, Simon of Assisi, Christopher of Romagna, Peter Catanio, Sabbatinus, Moricus the short, John of Capella, Philip the tall, John of San Costanzo, Juniper, Barbarus, Bernard Vigilante de Vida, and Angelo Tancredi from Rieti (a noble knight before joining).

Francis of Assisi

Characteristics: Int +1, Per 0, Pre +4, Com +2, Str 0, Sta –1 (1), Dex –1, Qik –1

Size: 0

Age: 39 (39)

Decrepitude: 0

Warping Score: 1 (0)

Confidence: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Mendicant Friar; True Faith (Faith Score 5; Faith Points: 8); Animal Ken, Great Presence, Inspirational, Premonitions; Driven (Live like the apostles), Monastic Vows; Ability Block: logic, Compassionate, Fragile Constitution, Social Handicap (Unworldliness)

Personality Traits: Compassionate +3, Humble +3, Pious +3

Reputations: Saintly (most of Western Europe and parts of Arab lands) 3

Combat:

Dodge: Init: –1, Atk n/a, Def –1, Dam n/a

Soak: –1

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

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

True Faith Magic Resistance: 50

Abilities: Animal Handling 1 (birds), Animal Ken 3 (birds), Area Lore: Northern and Central Italy 3 (towns), Area Lore: Holy Land 1 (towns), Artes Liberales 2 (Bible), Awareness 2 (the sick), Bargain 2 (cloth), Carouse 2 (entertaining), Charm 3 (preaching), Church Lore 3 (monks), Concentration 4 (praying), Folk Ken 4 (the poor), Intervention 1 (healing), Italian 6 (preaching), Latin 2 (Bible), Leadership 3 (inspiration), Meditation 3 (silent prayer), Organization Lore: Franciscans 4 (Initiations), Premonitions 1 (danger), Profession: Cloth merchant 2 (selling), Profession: Preacher 2 (impromptu speaking), Purity 1 (fasting), Teaching 3 (religious), Theology 2 (life of Christ), Understanding 3 (when kneeling)

Encumbrance: 0 (0)

See the main text for details of Francis' life. His supernatural Abilities Intervention, Meditation, Purity, and Understanding derive from experience of Divine Ascension (Divine Unity) (Realms of Power: the Divine, pages 63-65). As a result of Divine Unity, Francis personifies holy charity. The Premonitions Virtue represents Devotion obtained with True Faith 2 (Realms of Power: the Divine, page 61). With True Faith of 5, Francis also has the advantages of Hope (add 6 when using Faith Points like Confidence) and Charity (he radiates a tangible Divine Empyreal aura of level 1 to Voice range, see Realms of Power: the Divine, page 62). His Fragile Constitution results from Divine Warping; if your saga follows history, further Warping gives him stigmata in 1224 during a visitation by an angel).

In 1212, Francis set out for the Holy Land, but God had other ideas and the ship was wrecked on the Dalmatian coast. Francis recognized and accepted the correction and walked back to Italy. In 1214, Francis felt again a call to preach to the Saracens so set off walking through Spain towards Morocco, but his health failed and he was obliged to return to Italy. During the following year, Francis went to Rome where he met a man named Dominic, who was there to ask papal approval for a new religious order of preachers. Pope Honorius gave his approval and support, perceiving the Little Brothers and Dominic’s preachers as a valuable means of countering heretical ideas. The pope urged Francis himself to remain close to Rome, under papal protection. Cardinal Ugolino was appointed protector of the followers of Francis.

By 1217, Francis had around 5,000 followers ready to take their message of poverty and penance across Europe. The Franciscans' first general chapter meeting was held at the Portinuncula, Assisi, where certain brothers were nominated as provincials to lead the spread of the message. The earliest missions were to France, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Some of the friars met with opposition from fellow Christians, so those who set out in 1219 and after were supplied with documents to prove that they had papal approval.

In 1219, Francis and a dozen companions set sail for the Holy Land to join up with crusaders. In Syria, Francis was shocked to find how different the behavior of the rough soldiers was to his dreams of chivalry and fighting for God. Accompanied by Brother Illuminato, Francis went to meet the Sultan of Egypt in his encampment. Respecting the role of the preacher, the sultan treated the men with courtesy, offered gifts that Francis refused, and eventually sent them back to the Christian camp. It is believed by some that Francis became ill as a direct result of this visit. Did a Sufi afflict him with illness as a punishment for preaching the Christian faith, or for insulting the sultan by refusing his gifts? The small group remained a while in the Holy Land until disturbing news reached them from Italy (see this chapter, Current Crises).

The crisis at the heart of the movement (see the next section) has not affected most of the followers as yet, who wander through the towns and countryside of central Italy and beyond preaching of peace, love, and repentance. Always, they are careful to respect parish priests and never preach without their permission. They are clearly loyal to the institution and hierarchy of the established Church.

As the interest in Francis' message has grown, more time is spent on preaching, leaving less for work, so the group has become entirely dependent on what food they beg for. They refuse to use coins, taking only the food and drink that they are offered, and going hungry if they must. The only semi-permanent buildings they have for themselves are simple wattle and daub huts where they sleep on the ground, owning no furniture. They have very few books and no other possessions.

Letter of Approval: Cum Delicti

Honorius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to the venerable brother archbishops and bishops, and to the beloved sons, the abbots, deans, archdeacons and other prelates of the Church, greetings and apostolic blessings.

Since our beloved sons, brother Francis and his companions in the life and religion of the Little Brothers, have rejected the vanities of this world and have chosen a way of life deservedly approved by the Roman Church, and they spread through the various parts of the world, after the example of the Apostles, sowing the seed of the word of God, we beseech and exhort all of you in the Lord, and by these apostolic letters command you. When members of the aforesaid brotherhood present themselves to you bearing these letters, receive them as Catholic faithful, showing yourselves favorable and kind to them out of reverence for God and us.

The success of the new movement was so sudden and so great that new groups of followers set themselves up in Italy and elsewhere, with no organization, no novitiate system, and only the basic initial rules to live by. With some 5,000 members now claiming to be followers of the absent Francis, Cardinal Ugolino took control, desiring that the Church as a whole might benefit from the example of the friars. The cardinal tried to make the friars live more like Benedictines, and went so far as to propose that a friar become a bishop. These views were not acceptable to Francis, and as soon as he heard what was going on, he set out for Assisi. On his return to Italy, he started trying to return the movement to his own ideals, but he did not have the necessary organizational abilities and struggled. When he found a group of friars in Bologna living in a house of stone and deep into plans with the university to open a school, Francis realized that his creation had grown beyond his control. Unless your saga changes things, in 1220, at a meeting of the general chapter of the Friars Minor, Francis attempts to resign his position as leader. With Francis' health failing, much of the active leadership is handled by Brother Elias (see his stats for details).

Brother Elias Bonibarone, Minister General of the Little Brothers

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

Size: 0

Age: 40 (40)

Decrepitude: 0

Warping Score: 0 (0)

Confidence: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Mendicant Friar; Strong-Willed, Enduring Constitution; Monastic Vows

Combat:

Dodge: Init: 0, Atk n/a, Def 0, Dam n/a

Soak: 0

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, 0, –2, –4, Unconscious

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

Abilities: Arabic 3 (preaching), Area Lore: Central Italy 2 (towns), Area Lore: Holy Land 2 (towns), Area Lore: Northern Italy 4 (towns), Area Lore: Southern Italy 2 (towns), Area Lore: Syria 1 (towns), Artes Liberales 4 (grammar), Awareness 3 (those troubled in mind), Bargain 2 (selling), Charm 2 (peasants), Chirurgy 2 (cleaning wounds), Church Lore 3 (monasticism), Civil and Canon Law 4 (monasticism), Concentration 3 (preaching), Craft: Mattress-making 2 (softness), Etiquette 2 (senior clergy), Folk Ken 4 (friars), Guile 2 (excuses), Intrigue 1 (negotiating), Italian 5 (preaching), Latin 4 (legal terms), Leadership 3 (friars), Organization Lore: Franciscans 3 (membership), Philosophiae 1 (moral philosophy), Profession: Scribe 2 (legal documents), Theology 2 (history)

Elias Bonibarone was born in 1180 at Belvilia, near Assisi, into the family of a mattress-maker. He followed the family trade at first but gained some education and went to Bologna, his father's hometown, to study. He supported himself there by working as a scribe. He was among the earliest followers of Francis. In 1217, Francis sent Elias to the Holy Land, leading a small group of friars with the intention of settling and preaching there. In 1219, Elias was put in charge of the activities of the Friars Minor in Syria, but he returned to Italy in 1220, when Francis did. If your saga follows history, Elias remains at the head of the movement until May 1227. By then, he has upset many who adhere to the original rule of absolute poverty by his methods for acquiring land and money to erect what he believes to be a suitable resting place and memorial to Francis. Giovanni Parenti, provincial of Spain, succeeds him.

Story Seeds

Who is to Blame?

While preaching at a fair or market, or in some other place where mixed crowds gather, a friar notices a nobleman nearby. Using Meditation and Intervention, he causes the man to be beset by disturbing images that reflect his worst unconfessed sins. The blame falls on any magi present, unless they have the Gentle Gift. If there are none near enough, then it falls on any character who stands out, whether because of a Magical Air, or a physical Flaw that people tend to find disturbing. The innocent victim of the cruel lord's wrath may be a player character or may appeal to one for help.

New Arrivals

One or more player characters (if a Quaesitor is among them, so much the better) are traveling through a rural region in one of the many areas where friars are still unknown. The talk everywhere among the peasants is of great signs and wonders worked by a couple of foreigners who recently arrived. Some say they spoke at length in an unknown language, which they believe was Latin. Descriptions given by the peasantry are enough to suggest to the player characters that it might be a magus who is taking no care to keep his spells concealed from mundanes. If the characters find a priest to talk with, they learn that two friars from Italy passed through on their way to the nearest town, and one of the pair was working miracles. If they do not think of consulting the parish priest, or cannot locate him, they may have a more interesting time dealing with the apparent violation of the Hermetic Code.

Influence

A priest not far from the covenant denies a friar permission to preach in his parish. As he walks away, disappointed, the friar meets what appears to be a peasant who engages him in conversation and offers sympathy and advice. Acting on this, the friar visits the covenant (believing it to be the home of the local lord) in hopes of obtaining support there to persuade the priest to change his mind. Does he get the support he requests? Does anyone try to identify the "peasant" and seek him out? What the friar finds at the covenant makes him want to stay for a while to preach to the people there; do they let him?

New in Town

Three Franciscan brothers arrive at the town nearest the covenant and plan to stay a while to preach, after obtaining permission from the parish priest. They erect very flimsy, temporary shelters against the town wall. Every time anyone from the covenant visits the town, at least one of the three is preaching in the marketplace or in front of the church. An urban covenant finds that the favored spot for preaching is very close by them, and crowds gather often; how do they deal with this?

There also is always at least one of the Franciscan friars begging for food somewhere in town. If player characters have contacts in town, they find beggars asking for help to move or remove this new competition.

Tricky Mission

An archmage, who long ago lost touch with the day-to-day world outside his library and laboratory, hears muddled reports of Francis, and recruits the player characters to investigate on his behalf. Use any of the suggestions in the sections Birds and Animals or Brothers and Sisters that fit the archmage's interests as the excuse. Depending on his obsessions, the characters are under instructions to discover Francis' secrets or to find out about his use of supernatural abilities, and if need be, challenge him to "Join or die." What evidence can they obtain to convince the exacting archmage of their findings?

Vis Under Threat

A friar who is an ordained priest comes across a place where the vegetation is particularly vibrant and the animals plentiful, healthy, and unusually interested in him. He has entered a place with a Magical aura that is a significant vis source for the covenant. Inspired by the environment, the friar stays there, celebrating Mass every day and preaching to the animals. If the magi do not act quickly, the aura changes and the vis source is lost, at least temporarily.

In his preaching, it is clear that Francis calls the earth his mother, and believes that the sun, wind, and fire are his brothers, and the moon and stars are his sisters. He has even been heard to talk of his sister Bodily Death. Most of his followers accept the terms unquestioningly, but magi are likely to look for very particular meanings in such statements. Francis has not yet explained to anyone why he professes these beliefs. During the period soon after he took up the religious life, while spending many hours meditating and praying in a cave in a small valley just outside Assisi, he glimpsed something of the nature of God's creation, which he expresses in these family terms. A more-educated character might eventually be able to understand the insight Francis received and be able to express it in more academic, philosophical terms, if he could ever find the opportunity to discuss it at sufficient length.

Meanwhile, those who care about such things speculate on what it might mean, and the notions likely to be of most interest to magi are presented here. It is thought by some that Francis is familiar with certain spirits; much of the background information on this topic is in Realms of Power: Magic, Chapter 7.

One interpretation of Francis' relationship with the sun and moon is that he is in touch with two of the Astra Planeta, Named Spirits, Selene and Helios. The interests ruled over by Helios include healing, which may have impelled Francis' early interest in helping lepers. Selene rules commoners, which might explain Francis' enthusiasm for preaching to the common people. She also rules witchcraft, which might cause struggles between the spirit and the man of God. The spheres of these two are opposed in rainfall and drought, and in feminine energy and masculine energy, which might provoke periodic conflicts, perhaps with Francis at the center, mediating.

Francis may be on familiar terms with several spirits of the Elements, one tied to the Art of Terram that he names Earth, one tied to Ignem that he names Fire, and a third tied to Auram that he names Wind. If these are what he claims as relations, they are relatively low-powered spirits and restricted to a specific location, perhaps in or around the cave in the valley near Assisi where Francis first went to pray and began his life as a friar. It may be that he has encountered specific elementals of earth, air, and fire, and found some way to pacify them and establish communication with them, although there is no report of any of his mysterious brothers or sisters being seen in any physical form. If this is the case, elementalist characters (Hedge Magic, page 17) may wish to talk to him. It is unlikely that Mother Earth is the Primal Spirit that governs the whole earth, but some might believe this possible given that these spirits are thought by some to be the echoes of the words of creation; Francis is, after all, close to God, perhaps closer than any other living human being.

It is possible that Francis has some understanding of one or more of the Leti, or spirits of death. Which one it is that he might know well enough to call his sister is a matter for speculation and, perhaps, investigation by characters with an interest in necromancy and spirits. It may be one of the Thanatoi, or spirits of a peaceful death, but the early martyrdom of some of his followers may indicate acquaintance with the Keres, spirits of violent death. Francis' own long experience of poor health suggests that it may well be one of the Moroi, a spirit of disease that he feels close to. Perhaps when Francis goes off alone to pray in isolated locations, sometimes he is talking with one of these spirits.

Magi with an interest in Theurgy (The Mysteries: Revised Edition, Chapter 9) may be keen to investigate the possibility that Francis has found a way to work with spirits that is compatible with Church teaching. If they can learn his secret, and so overcome the belief that the practices of the cults involved in theurgy are pagan, they will be able to be much more open about their knowledge and abilities. This is seen by some as an advantage but, with the long tradition of great secrecy, there are many who would oppose it.

Magi with an interest in Planetary Magic (The Mysteries: Revised Edition, page 30) may wish to question Francis about his understanding of the moon and stars, because they know how to invoke the influence of planets when instilling effects into enchanted devices. Perhaps he can teach them something new and valuable to improve their knowledge and understanding. A Mystery Cult built around this skill may need to investigate whether he was ever a member. Perhaps he is able to initiate new members into the cult? Theurgists with an interest in Interplanetary Magic (Realms of Power: Magic, page 108) might be interested in finding out what Francis means by claiming celestial relations, too.

Magi may suspect that, if Francis does communicate with spirits of any sort, he probably has the Virtue Second Sight and strong views concerning those who seek to command and exploit spirits. Magi may expect that this will bring him into conflict with members of the Order of Hermes who have dealings with spirits in any way.

Miracles of the Little Brothers

God's interest in the Friars Minor is made evident by the number of miracles he performs for them. Here are examples witnessed since the founding of the movement, to suggest what might occur in a saga.

• One day, the friary at Alemquer had no food left other than two loaves. But, while the brothers were seated at table, an angel came to the main door in the guise of a young man, bringing enough bread for them to have a loaf each.
• Miramolin, King of Morocco, had several friars thrown into prison without food or drink for twenty days. When frightened by severe storms, the king decided to release them and found them to be perfectly well.
• Later, when the king had the friars killed and their bodies thrown into a fire, the flames drew back and would not touch their remains.
• Francis visited a man named Bartholomew, who had a madman living with him who was possessed by a demon. For some hours before Francis arrived, and all the three days that he was there, God silenced the demon.

He also sends prophetic dreams to further the spread of the group. Examples include the following:

• For three nights running, Sylvester had the same dream in which he saw a dragon prowling round the walls of Assisi, and then beheld a large bright shining cross emerge from the mouth of Francis, which put the dragon to flight.
• In the late 1230s, Jean de Brienne, Emperor of Constantinople, was nearing the end of his life and praying that he might be received into heaven. A friar came to him in a dream and told the emperor that he would die clad in the same habit. The next night he saw two friars with the same message, and the following night there were three. The frightened man revealed his dreams to a friar. Soon he gave up his throne and adopted the life of a friar until his death.

It has been noted by many that, as well as preaching to people, Francis occasionally preaches to animals and birds. It appears that he believes that, since they are all creatures created by God, they deserve care and to hear his words. There is no doubt that birds fall silent to listen, and normally shy animals approach closer to hear and see him better. What is unknown, unless Francis himself knows the answer, is why they do so.

No one has yet investigated to find out if there is anything special about the particular creatures that attend his sermons. Perhaps only those with some link to the Divine pay attention, although, if this is so, there are considerably larger numbers of creatures with Divine connections than previously suspected. It is possible that creatures touched by the supernatural in other ways might show an interest. If an animal with Infernal Might was in the audience, Francis might find it disruptive. Similarly, an animal or apparent animal of the Faerie Realm might be drawn to his preaching if Francis is using parables. A member of House Bjornaer might attend one of these sermons in the wild and learn something about the other creatures there, and about Francis himself.

Clare (or Chiara) was born into the well-off noble family of Favarone di Offreduccio and his wife, Ortolana, in the Italian town of Assisi in 1194. She first heard Francis preach in 1210 and was inspired by his preaching and way of life. She felt drawn to follow his example, but her family expected her to make an advantageous marriage. So she made a secret assignation with Francis and his followers, where she dedicated herself to following Francis' way of life. Francis recognized that it was entirely inappropriate for females to wander the roads preaching and begging, but his ideal of absolute poverty was something they could follow. He sent her to live with the Benedictine nuns at Saint Paul's nunnery near Bastia, Umbra. Francis knew she would be safe there because the penalty was automatic excommunication for a person who attacked anyone taking refuge there.

When her family disowned her a few days later, and she no longer had to stay under the protection of Saint Paul's nunnery, she moved from there to join a small group of penitential women close to Assisi and near to Francis' favorite church of Saint Damian. Her sister, Catherine, came there to join her the following week. Only Clare's prayers and a miracle saved Catherine from the men who came to drag her back home. Clare welcomed her sister into the penitential community and gave her a new name, Agnes.

Seeing that other women wished to adopt his teachings, Francis arranged for Clare to be the leader of a community of women at the church of Saint Damian, whence they acquired the name "Damianites," although they call themselves the Poor Sisters. Clare was appointed as abbess here in 1215, although she was very reluctant and only agreed because Francis insisted and she had promised obedience to him. It was against the original pattern of the community to have any distinctions between the sisters but, with pressure from the rulings at the Fourth Lateran Council, Francis saw that the sisters would only be permitted to keep their way of life if they adopted some of the aspects of a traditional nunnery. Clare responded by making sure she did more than her share of the menial and unpleasant tasks.

From the earliest days, the poor and sick visited the community at the church of Saint Damian, and caring for them fills much of the nuns' time. By making themselves dependent on their own manual labor or freely given donations of food, and living a communal life of humility and charity, the women share the suffering of the poorest. They pray simply but with a fervent intensity, in contrast with the intellectual approach typical of traditional religious communities. It seems that God had been preparing the way for this new group, as women from towns and cities across the region greeted the new movement as offering something they had long been yearning for in their hearts, and flocked to join. Although the first recruits were from the most affluent and powerful families of Assisi and neighboring urban settlements, now members are recruited from all stations in life, so it is quite common that a nun cannot read. Those who cannot are allowed to repeat the Lord's Prayer multiple times, while those who can read the Divine Office. Francis is in the habit of sending women to join Clare without properly testing their vocation so, naturally, some unsuitable recruits turn up.

From the start, the women lived according to a "form of life," a set of guidelines composed for them by Francis, which was expanded and modified in line with experience, and on the basis of letters sent by Francis to Clare as he traveled. Clare petitioned Pope Innocent III to allow her community to remain in poverty and he agreed. In 1216, Cardinal Ugolino wrote to Pope Honorius III about the many small communities of holy women living in poverty and charity on the outskirts of Italian towns and cities, and the pressures upon them from pious people who sought to make their financial standing more secure, and those bishops who wanted to impose control over them.

In 1219, Cardinal Ugolino, wishing to see the community of Poor Sisters following a more structured rule, presented the community at Monticelli with a document based on the conventional Benedictine Rule. Clare rejected the clause that permitted the nuns to own property in common, as contrary to the determination to remain utterly poor. She chose to modify it as seemed right to her, so she devised her own version of the rule — the first to be written by a woman — using Francis' ideas for the Little Brothers as the core. It governs their life of spiritual poverty and works of charity. The main difference between this rule and those followed by other nuns is that total enclosure is not required, so a nun may go out for an approved reason. The nuns are required to fast every day except Christmas, if they can and are not serving outside the nunnery. Those who are allowed outside must not stay out longer than necessary, must act with discretion so as to avoid scandal, must be careful what they repeat outside about anything said or done inside the nunnery, and must not speak gossip from the outside world once they are inside again. Many other rules adopted by this order come from the traditional list, reinforcing regulations that are being forgotten in many communities. The completed, written rule will be presented to Pope Innocent IV in 1253, if your saga follows history.

Francis is determined that the links between the brothers and sisters must never turn into an obligation that might tie any of the brothers to one locality. Just as Clare looks to Francis for guidance and spiritual support, calling herself his "little plant," he views her as living a perfect example of the life of the gospel, and turns to her when he is uncertain about what to do.

As the friars travel widely to preach, the sisters travel to found new religious communities. In 1214, Clare's niece Balvina, moved from her home at the monastery of Arezzo to become abbess of Vallegloria, Spello in Umbria. In 1217, two of Clare's companions, Marsebilia and Cristiana, started a new group in Foligno, with Marsebilia as abbess. Clare's sister Agnes established a community at Monticelli, near Florence, in 1219.

Unless something in your saga changes things, Clare becomes unwell in 1224 but continues to inspire her sisters until her death in 1253, by which time there are at least 150 communities of Poor Sisters across the continent, from Poland and Slovakia to France. In 1228, Pope Gregory IX authorizes the Poor Sisters' way of life with a new "privilege of poverty" which confirms their right to refuse any endowment of land or any other gifts.

Clare of Assisi

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

Size: –1

Age: 26 (26)

Decrepitude: 0

Warping Score: 0 (0)

Confidence: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Senior Clergy; True Faith (Faith Score 2; Faith Points 6); Inspirational, Intuition, Premonitions, Privileged Upbringing; Compassionate, Monastic Vows; Ability Block (athletic), Small Frame, Motion Sickness

Personality Traits: Compassionate +3, Humble +3, Passionate +2

Reputations: Saintly (throughout Italy, France, Spain) 3

Combat:

Dodge: Init: +0, Atk n/a, Def +0, Dam n/a

Soak: 0

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

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–4), –3 (5–8), –5 (9–12), Incapacitated (13–16)

True Faith Magic Resistance: 20

Abilities: Area Lore : Assisi 4 (people), Area Lore: Italy 2 (towns), Awareness 5 (the needy), Chirurgy 2 (10) (binding wounds), Church Lore 2 (monasticism), Concentration 3 (prayer), Craft: Needlework 2 (mending), Dominion Lore 2 (saints), Etiquette 3 (nuns and friars), Folk Ken 4 (the needy), Housewife 2 (cleaning), Italian 5 (comforting), Leadership 3 (nuns), Music 1 (local folk songs), Premonitions 2 (sickness), Teaching 2 (nuns)

Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Favored Abilities: Intervention, Meditation, Purity, Understanding.

For a minority of Franciscans, their lives as religious allow them to develop supernatural Abilities when under the spiritual guidance of more-experienced fellow Franciscans. Although no Franciscan or other member of the Church would consider it as such, certain outsiders may recognize elements that make the Franciscans look like a Mystery Cult or Holy Tradition, and it is convenient to treat it as such. This Holy Tradition is only open to a character who adopts the life of a Franciscan friar, or joins the Poor Sisters. See Realms of Power: The Divine, page 47 for more information on Holy Traditions.

A character may be designed as a member of the Holy Tradition during character creation. In these circumstances, the Supernatural Virtues that bestow the favored Abilities must be balanced by Flaws in the conventional manner, and Monastic Vows is compulsory. Players are encouraged to select Flaws that result from following one or more of the Initiation Scripts given here. The character has been Initiated by a charismatic member of the Little Brothers or Poor Sisters, who may continue to act as spiritual guide and counselor.

A character may also join the followers of Francis during character generation or in play, and subsequently meet someone who invites him or her to study and pray in order to find a deeper devotion to the calling, which equates to an invitation to discover the deeper Mysteries. The invitation may come from a character qualified to act as Mystagogue herself, or from a character who introduces the new potential recruit to a more senior, charismatic, or intelligent person who will be the Mystagogue.

Initiation Scripts

The deeper mysteries within the Franciscan movement are very new, and the only Initiation Scripts available are those recorded in the last few years by those who have observed Francis and his earliest recruits working with new candidates. The standard Initiation Scripts take the candidate through several of the most significant formative experiences in the life of Francis himself. All require that the Mystagogue knows the Virtue to be gained.

Note that two Scripts require the Initiate to live for a season in a particular place — Francis' cave near Assisi. If the player character is based somewhere close by, so that there is no significant journey to make to reach the place, then she is highly likely to find that Francis' cave is already occupied or being reserved for someone who is expected (but may never arrive), and so be obliged to wait — perhaps living with the nearest community of friars or nuns, and serving them and the poor and sick of the locality.

Initiation: Meditation

The Initiate spends a season in the cave where Francis himself lived, high on the side of the valley close to Assisi. During the first week, the Mystagogue visits frequently to instruct him and act as a spiritual guide. The pair engage in discussions of the scriptures, emphasizing the effect they have on the feelings of the Initiate and the implications of the word of God on the Franciscan's life of service and preaching. Matters of academic theology are hardly ever dwelt upon.

For the rest of the season, the Initiate's time is spent in solitary prayer and meditation on the matters discussed with the Mystagogue. Sufficient food and water is brought every day by either one of the friars from the original Franciscan settlement close to the little chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, which is situated in Francis' valley, by another potential candidate waiting for the cave to be available, or by a close friend of the Initiate; this person should not disturb the Initiate.

The situations that the Initiate reflects upon may be acted out with the player character by members of the troupe. Such stories should test the commitment of the Initiate to a lifetime of selfless service lived in total poverty and simplicity, and be complex enough to represent a Quest. See Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page 59 on the use of Psychodrama.

At the end of the season, the successful Initiate obtains the Major Supernatural Virtue Meditation, with the associated Ability 1, plus the Major Flaw: Driven that makes him strive always to live in apostolic poverty and simplicity.

[Initiation Total 21, Script Bonus 15: Major Ordeal (9) + Quest (3) + Sympathy bonus: Path of the Founder (3). The Script requires a Presence + Franciscan Lore total of 6.]

Note: The location and experience of prayer and meditation closely match a period in the life of Francis, so the Sympathy bonus is 3.

Initiation: Understanding

After finding a suitable Mystagogue and spending at least a few days with him in prayer and spiritual guidance, the Initiate must undertake a Quest, alone or with others, to obtain a suitable crucifix. This must be of Byzantine style and at least 200 years old. It must be obtained without committing any sin. Since the Initiate must own nothing, she cannot exchange something she owns or pay money for it, and must find a way of acquiring it that allows her to use it in any way she wishes, without it being her own property.

Having obtained it, she must travel to the chapel of Saint Damien and arrange with the nuns there, through the Mystagogue, to have the chapel of Saint Damien to herself for several days at least. There she must watch and pray on her knees before the crucifix, and endure at least one intense and confusing vision. Members of the troupe may be invited to contribute to this, which counts as a minor Ordeal.

If the Initiate has confessed all her sins and done penance for them, and has fulfilled the demands of the Quest, she is rewarded by a mystical vision during which the crucifix is consumed in a blaze of light radiating from the figure on the cross. The most blessed may also hear a voice, as Francis did. This vision happens in one to ten days.

If successful, the Initiate gains the Major Supernatural Virtue of Understanding, and its associated Ability 1, along with the Minor Flaw Visions. A person who attempts this ceremony while unworthy fails to gain the Virtue and instead is likely to attract the attention of an angel intent on improving her or a demon determined to win her soul for hell; she gains the Flaw Plagued by Supernatural Entity.

[Initiation Total 12 (21 - 9 for previous Major Ordeal), Script Bonus 7: Minor Ordeal (3) + Quest (3) + Sympathy bonus: Path of the Founder (1). The Script requires a Presence + Franciscan Lore total of 5.]

Note: The location matches that where Francis had his vision, but he did not have to go on a Quest and there is no guarantee that the vision the Initiate receives will be the same so the Sympathy bonus is 1. Since the Franciscan character may not own the item, loss of the crucifix does not count as a Sacrifice; it is simply the object obtained in the Quest.

Initiation: Intervention

The Initiate lives with the Mystagogue from the autumn equinox until mid-winter, during which time the pair discuss and meditate upon the miracles Jesus worked during his life on earth, as recorded in the gospels. At the end of the season, just after the winter solstice, the Initiate travels to the mountainous country around Assisi. In imitation of Francis, during the coldest days of winter the Initiate journeys alone, on foot and in rags, through the snows to a suitable monastery or nunnery where he or she must work as a scullion until the spring equinox. At the end of this period, clad again as a friar or nun, the Initiate must travel to Rome. There the Initiate must obtain a papal blessing while remaining at all times too humble to actually request one.

If successful, the Initiate gains the Major Supernatural Virtue of Intervention, and its associated Ability at a score of 1.

[Initiation Total 15 (21 - 6 for previous Major Ordeal; Script Bonus 9: Time and place (1) + Initiate's time (1) + Mystagogue's time (3) + Quest (3) + Sympathy bonus: Path of the Founder (1). The Script requires a Presence + Franciscan Lore total of 6.]

Note: Unlike Francis, the Initiate is not set upon by robbers, beaten, and stripped naked before crawling through the snow, so the Sympathy bonus is only 1.

Initiation: Purity

For this Initiation, the character must return to the small cave in the valley close to Assisi, where Francis spent his time meditating, fasting, and praying in the early days of his vocation. The Initiate must live there wearing only coarse rags fit for a beggar, and go without all but the smallest quantity of simple food and water for a season. This must be considerably less than the friars nearby have to live on, and barely enough to keep the character alive. One small meal each day of bread with gruel or porridge is allowed, except on Friday when only water may be taken, and on Sunday when a little of some other foodstuff is permitted. If the local friars are wanting, the character gets only water. This counts as an Ordeal that damages the character's constitution permanently.

Members of the troupe may act out the temptations that the Initiate is subjected to with the player character. Such stories should test the commitment of the Initiate to self-discipline, and be complex enough to represent a Quest.

If successful, the Initiate gains the Major Supernatural Virtue Purity, and its associated Ability 1, along with the Minor Flaw Fragile Constitution.

[Initiation Total 18 (21 - 3 for previous Major Ordeal), Script Bonus 9: Quest (3) + Minor Ordeal (3) + Sympathy bonus: Path of the Founder (3). The script requires a Presence + Franciscan Lore total of 9.]

Note: The location and experience of fasting closely match a period in the life of Francis, so the Sympathy bonus is 3.

Script Variations

Francis is guided by angelic advice to suit the Initiation Script to the spiritual needs of each individual candidate. Thus some of the original followers have two or more of these Virtues through Initiation by Francis himself as Mystagogue, but may have different Flaws. There are one or two who have alternate Powers and Methods, too. Once Francis has died, this advice will no longer be available, and it is never available to other Mystagogues unless a suitable story is played out to acquire such an advisor. Other Mystagogues may unknowingly use an unsuitable Script (one that varies from the standards set out here but in a way that does not suit the Initiate). This bends the rules set out in The Mysteries: Revised Edition in order to prevent all Franciscan Initiates having the same Flaws as each other, and to explain how it is that there are numerous Initiates among the earliest Franciscans but far fewer later on.

There are no generally known or documented interactions between members of the Order of Hermes and the Friars Minor as yet. There are, however, stories told here and there, and probably some private correspondence that may come to light. It is said by some that the Franciscans' rejection of many of the ways of thinking that are currently so widespread in the Church is a strong indication that they may well be far more sympathetic towards magi and those who serve them.

If things progress in your saga as in history, the followers of Francis take his new way of religious life to Germany in 1221, England in 1224, and Hungary in 1228. If things take their historical course, Francis works on new rules for his followers and produces, in 1221, a new rule for the friars (approved by Pope Honorius in 1223 as the Regula Bullata), and a rule for laymen, called Tertiaries, who follow the lifestyle except that they do not take clerical vows and remain living with their families.

If your saga follows history, Francis' health continues to deteriorate. He retires from the road to live more like a hermit, although with a few close companions. His piety is marked by the gift of stigmata from God in 1224, and Francis dies in 1226.

Something in your saga might change any of this. How differently will things turn out if an Hermetic magus cures Francis of the lingering marsh fever, for example?

Leaders

Leadership remains a difficult issue in 1220 and beyond. Player characters may play a part in the appointment of the Franciscan minister-general — the title given to the person who takes over the leadership after Francis' death. They might take a role directly through a friar character, or indirectly. House Jerbiton is most likely to take an active interest. How does the movement develop with a follower of Jerbiton at the head, or someone controlled by House Jerbiton?

Schism

While Francis was away, one of his followers, John of Capella, was inspired with enthusiasm for the care of lepers and, having gathered a large group of afflicted men and women, began to develop a new religious order for them. How will the Franciscan movement and the Church at large deal with this, bearing in mind that the papacy has spoken against the founding of yet more religious orders?

Approval

While displaying all the usual attributes of a religious order, the Franciscans do not, in 1220, have official papal approval. If your saga follows history, this happens in 1223, but something in your stories may alter the date, or stop it happening at all. Either way, there must be consequences.

Martyrdom

The group of Franciscan brothers in Morocco preaches despite repeated periods of imprisonment and constant surveillance. Their activities stir up dissent between the Christians and Saracens in Morocco. According to historical reports, they're martyred on January 16th, 1220. It is possible that something in your saga may prevent this, of course.

Academic Theology

While Francis avoids academic theology, the currents run in that direction, propelled by the enthusiastic, erudite teaching of the well-educated Dominican friars and a number of influential educated Franciscans. As the academic theologians take over the movement, this may stir up conflict either with the papacy that expressly forbade Francis from preaching theology, with the Dominicans who consider that turf allocated to them by the pope, or within the Franciscan order with those of the Little Brothers who adhere to their founder's original ideals. Any side in such a dispute might call on the player characters for help.

Heresy

Academic theologians are apt to question and analyze, which can lead towards accusations of heresy. A leading Franciscan with close links to academically inclined members of the Order of Hermes may well develop some unconventional interpretations. If a Franciscan has made enemies, he might be accused of heresy unjustly. Can characters save a friend from condemnation?

Poverty

Right from its earliest days, it has been hard for the friars to retain absolute poverty. Already they have a few substantial buildings to use, even if they do not own them all. Would a covenant agree to nominate one of these buildings as covenant property so that friars might use it but not own it?

Would a covenant or player character agree to hold funds on behalf of a friar such that they could be used later for purchase of necessities? What if a friar wanted money retained for use later on things that were not essential but just useful? There could be trouble with the leading Franciscans in such a case, or perhaps it is the leaders who want to circumvent the poverty rule and it is the ordinary followers, clergy, or other supporters who create trouble when they find out what has been going on.

The many temptations of the world that they have rejected are an ever-present danger for followers of Francis. Probably the most common is the temptation to consider something as belonging to oneself. Sometimes the temptation is more subtly disguised, such as that which threatens to overtake Brother Elias (see his stats for details). A Franciscan player character may be able to save Elias from making this error. Demons are ever alert to the opportunities such temptations offer them. If the forces of the Infernal can keep a plan together for long enough, they should find it easy to corrupt or destroy the nascent movement.

Story Seeds

The Unwelcome Friar

A pious maga is rumored to have made successful efforts to entice a friar to her covenant, in the hope that he would pray with her and preach. Her sodales have not yet taken any action against the friar, although he inspires many of the covenfolk and some hang on his every word, to the detriment of their duties. The increasing religious fervor may soon cause problems. The maga herself is disappointed that the friar is not ordained, so cannot celebrate Mass or hear confessions, and would like to replace him with one who is. If her ambition becomes known, the covenfolk will fight to keep the man they have come to love and depend on. The other magi will fear the inevitable rise of a Dominion aura at the covenant should a priest settle there, and the attention a priest would draw to them from the local bishop.

Tales Teachers Tell

One story, circulating in the Normandy tribunal, tells of a friar who lived with a spring covenant for several years. He worked as a teacher of Artes Liberales and Norman French, helping the disparate group of grogs accompanying the magi, who had come from different places, to find a common language. He used stories and parables from the Bible for all his tuition, and so brought religious education to his pupils at the same time. It is not clear whether he ever knew anything of the real work of the scholars, who never attended the lessons. One day he left without any explanation, and it may be that this was when he found out about them, or that they found out about his personal agenda and feared an upsurge in religious fervor that might threaten the covenant. If the former is true, he may well pass on what he learned about the magi to other friars.

Ministration

Francis repeatedly declined certain concessions offered for his followers, but after his death, these may be accepted. One is a relaxation of the instruction that a friar must always obtain the permission of the parish priest before preaching. If the papacy removes the right of priests or bishops to stop friars from preaching, there is bound to be friction and the player characters may become involved, especially any player characters who are members of the clergy. Similarly, the original Little Brothers were rarely ordained, but several pressures are growing to encourage more among them to be priests, which may bring them into conflict with the traditional clergy when they are active in their ministry.

Persecution

Something may happen to change the Church's view of the Franciscans. Perhaps a change of pope to one with very conservative views who sees them all as a threat, or even as heretical. Maybe some supernatural accident has very unfortunate consequences and the movement is seen as too dangerous, in which case, the fall from favor might affect only one part of Mythic Europe. Under such circumstances, some of the Franciscan friars and nuns who have supernatural Virtues might go into hiding and their Holy Tradition develop as a secret within the Church. The story of how they find suitable teachers and develop the new secret tradition could form a saga theme.

Story Seed: Forbidden Property

A Franciscan friar found a brooch in a thicket near a road in a valley through a mountainous area. He picked it up and took it with him, intending to dispose of it suitably when he reached the next town. He was undecided on whether to hand it to the local priest for safe-keeping until the owner came to claim it, to hand it to the local nobleman as the person most suitable to have such a thing, or to sell it and distribute the proceeds to the poor. As he continued on his journey, he found that the road seemed much easier than it had been. By the time he arrived at the next town, he had worked out that the brooch was making travel easier for him and felt he could not give it up.

He made the excuse to himself that he had not yet decided which course of action was right, and that he would pray about it until the right choice became clear. In his conscience, he knows that he wants the brooch for himself. His belief that he must have no possessions is at war with his belief that it will help him travel to spread the good news of God's forgiving love.

Of course, what he has is a Hermetic enchanted item, lost by a Redcap. When someone comes looking for it, they find the friar before long. If he has shown it to anyone who understands these things before the Redcaps catch up with him, it may be harder to retrieve.

There is a character sheet for a Franciscan teacher character as a Companion in Realms of Power: The Divine, page 96. That character is designed as someone who will enthusiastically set about the conversion of any characters in a covenant who are not pious Christians.

The following characters are suitable as Franciscan additions to a saga.

Franciscan Nun

Characteristics: Int 0, Per +3, Pre 0, Com +1, Str 0, Sta 0, Dex +2, Qik 0

Size: 0

Age: 20 (20)

Decrepitude: 0

Warping Score: 0 (0)

Virtues and Flaws: Religious; Improved Characteristics, Lesser Purifying Touch (Quotidian Fever); Weakness (Babies), Continence, Lame

Combat:

Dodge: Init: –1, Atk n/a, Def –3, Dam 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)

Abilities: Area Lore: Central Italy 3 (hospitals and leper colonies), Awareness 3 (babies), Charm 2 (children), Chirurgy 2 (sores), Church Lore 1 (5) (Franciscans), Concentration 3 (prayer), Etiquette 2 (urban poor), Folk Ken 4 (poor townswomen), Organization Lore: Franciscans 2 (Poor Sisters), Profession: Herbwife 2 (Sleep), Profession: Washerwoman 2 (woolen cloth); Housewife 2 (cooking), Italian 5 (consolation), Stealth 2 (urban)

Franciscan Friar

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

Size: 0 Age: 18 (18)

Decrepitude: 0

Warping Score: 0 (0)

Virtues and Flaws: Mendicant Friar; Well-Traveled, Animal Ken; Ability Block (Martial), Pious, Temperate

Personality Traits: Forgiving +1, Gregarious +2, Practical +1

Combat:

Dodge: Init: –1, Atk n/a, Def –1, Dam n/a Fist: Init: –1, Atk +0, Def –1, Dam +0 Kick: Init: –2, Atk +0, Def –2, Dam +3

Soak: 0

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

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

Abilities: Animal Handling 1 (wild mammals), Animal Ken 3 (wild mammals), Area Lore: Italy 3 (towns), Area Lore: Provence 3 (towns), Artes Liberales 2 (reading aloud), Awareness 2 (poor people), Charm 2 (children), Chirurgy 1 (broken bones), Church Lore 2 (monasticism), Concentration 1 (preaching), Folk Ken 2 (the poor), Italian 5 (preaching), Latin 4 (preaching), Franciscans Lore 2, Provençal 3 (preaching), Teaching 1 (children), Theology 2 (heaven)