The Divine Landscape

To understand the nature of the religious tensions that divide the Theban Tribunal, it is necessary to understand the history that led to the great Church of the first Christian millennium fragmenting into hostile camps.

In 381 the Second Oecumenical Council was called at Constantinople, and Constantinople and Jerusalem were granted their own dioceses, creating a system of five patriarchs known as the Pentarchy. The patriarchs guided the Church, none subservient to others, but accepting by tradition Rome as "first among equals" with Constantinople as the New Rome taking second place. The authority of Rome was always stronger in the Latin-speaking West than the Greek-speaking East, and the Church developed two cultures while sharing common doctrine. These are the "Roman" and "Greek" Churches of the Tribunal.

Iconoclasts and Iconodulists

One of the key differences between the Eastern and Western Churches is the importance of icons (eikon) in Eastern spirituality. These beautiful objects are representations of holy figures, and are often elaborately and lavishly decorated. A few, the acheiropoieta, were not made by human hands at all, but came into being miraculously as spontaneous manifestations of the Dominion.

Icons are often associated with miracles and effects, in the same way as relics in the Western Church. Objects of popular devotion, they are sometimes regarded with suspicion by theologians. Two great parties arose on the issue of the use of icons in the Church. The Iconoclasts, who opposed icons, held that the processions and prayers directed to icons frequently surpassed veneration (proskynesis timetike) directed to the subject, and so were actually direct worship (latreia) of the icon itself. The opposing party, who supported icons, were known as Iconodules, and claimed that to deny the material presentation of Christ in icons was to deny the incarnation of God, as icons were reminders of the physical presence of God in the world through Jesus Christ.

The issue roused such sentiment that in the eighth century an imperial order for the removal of some icons led to riots breaking out. This inaugurated a fifty-year period of political and military struggle, and during these years the League of Iconophiles, the direct ancestors of House Jerbiton, formed (see Houses of Hermes: Societates, page 40).

Two rival Church councils — one Iconoclastic and one Iconodulist — met and denounced each other. Eventually the support of the Empress Irene for the Iconodulist position ensured their victory. In the ninth century, a further thirty-year period of violent political and theological struggle arose over the issue, and in 843 the Regent Theodora promulgated a final pro-Iconodulist judgment. Icons remain an important aspect of Orthodox faith to this day, and the first Sunday of Lent is still celebrated as the Feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy.

Such complex theological issues, which led to the deposing of emperors, violent public discussion, and demonstrations, are hard for Westerners to understand. But theology is followed in Constantinople in much the way the city in former times wholeheartedly embraced chariot racing teams. Everyone has an opinion, and theological debates are major sources of gossip and interest. The population of Constantinople is noted for its intense spirituality and religious enthusiasms, and for its temperamental character and tendency to riot over such issues.

When the local Latin churchmen attempt to suppress the procession of the icons through the streets on the Feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, rioting is certain. Most clergymen are still Orthodox, while the hierarchy of the Church is now at least partly Latin. With the Latin Patriarch of Constantinople dead, and his replacement not yet appointed, few realize the bloodbath the Bishop's decision to suppress the procession will provoke. Can the characters avert disaster?

The increasing claims of primacy by the pope led to centuries of tensions between the patriarch-led churches of the East, and the Western churches that looked to Rome for leadership. The final split that divided Christendom came in 1054, over a theological dispute. The dispute crystallized over a phrase, in Latin filoque, meaning "and from the Son."

The rejection of the papacy's authority over the filoque clause led to a split, with the diocese of Rome known as the Latin Church, and the Eastern part of the Church becoming the Orthodox Church. The event was in fact not generally seen as catastrophic at the time, but simply another theological dispute. But today the breach has widened to the point that both sides regard the other with grave distrust, and frequently as heretics.

Despite that, attempts at dialog have continued. The real catastrophe followed the crusade of 1204, which culminated in the sack of Constantinople, the imposition of the Latin Church by the conquerors, and the subsequent political and religious struggle that has torn the Theban Tribunal apart.

The technical aspects of the argument over the phrase filoque (meaning "and from the Son") are complex, but can be summarized as follows.

In the East the Holy Trinity could be described as the Father, from whom proceeded the Son and Spirit. Whereas the Latin formulation was the Father, from whom proceeded the Son; the Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father and Son.

The issue was a long-standing bone of contention, and led to a short-lived schism in the ninth century when the pope excommunicated the Patriarch of Constantinople, Photius. The breach healed, and until 1054 the debate continued. It was at least partially exacerbated by the difficulties of expressing the theological nuances of the Greek terms in the Latin formulation, and vice versa. The issue in trinitarian theology, in "the economy of the Godhead" as this area is known, became the focus for long-standing linguistic, theological, cultural, and political divides.

In 1220 many citizens still take every opportunity to discuss theology, and the lack of understanding of the Trinity on the part of the Latins is a cause of much amusement at their ignorance among Greeks. The baker who sells the characters their bread, or the maid who serves their breakfast, may well wish to engage them in theological debates, and attempt to show their ignorance. A character with a good score in Theology may well win friends, regardless of his background and ecclesiastical allegiance.

The Orthodox Church has a very strong mystical tradition dating back to the days of the Desert Fathers — early hermits who embraced a contemplative lifestyle and somedecades. The tradition has largely died out

today, though some isolated exponents may exist. Asceticism, contemplative prayer, and invocation of certain specific prayers are still common throughout Byzantine religious life, especially in the monastic tradition and on Mount Athos. One form of spirituality is creating a major impact on religious thinking — the mystical practice of the hesychasts.

The practice of hesychasm is a form of Orthodox spirituality that dates back as far as the Desert Fathers, but which is gaining in influence at this time. However, it is still an unusual and at times theologically controversial practice, insofar as the Church authorities pay any attention to it. While widely known from St. John of Sinai's seventh-century mystical classic The Ladder of Divine Ascent, the practice is generally considered to be suited only to ascetics living lives of renunciation as hermits. In recent years a movement that introduces hesychast practices to monastic life and alongside standard liturgical offices has began to gain influence, though the practice is still theologically controversial.

The hesychast trains himself to repeat constantly the Jesus Prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner," and to remain perfectly still, focusing on the inner to the neglect of the body and external environment. Special breathing exercises are used to enter a meditative state, along with controlled postures held for hours. Ecstasy, premonitions, and other phenomena are incidental by-products, and should be ignored completely as dangerous spiritual counterfeits that can lead to delusion and danger. The hesychast learns how to control his emotions by letting the mind be drawn into the heart and the unceasing quest for God and salvation. The ultimate aim is mystical experience of the Divine and illumination by the Holy Spirit.

Although amulets and talismans with inscribed holy names and prayers were common until the Iconoclasm riots, they usually employed Christian symbols. One example is the lead monk and nun rumored to be employed by the Empress Irene in the working of love spells. So too, diviners and soothsayers did certainly exist in the streets of Con-

stantinople, but they ran the risk of death at the hands of enraged pious mobs. St. John Chrysostom publicly denounced the trade in amulets in the fifth century, and today openly bearing any kind of amulet or magical item is likely to mark one for death at the hands of the citizenry, long before the Church authorities get you. In fact, you would be much better off if the Church got to you first, since following the Iconoclasm period popular sentiment turned violently against use of magic or divination in any form, while the Church promulgated laws defining very specific offenses and punishments that are generally lenient. For example, dealing with demons is regarded as largely its own punishment, as the magician is invariably destroyed by the powers he tries to control. Ordinary Hermetic magic is probably indistinguishable from sorcery to any uneducated individual, requiring subtlety in spellcasting. Jerbiton magi are, however, known and respected as scholars, and are simply regarded as philosophers pursuing natural science as long as they avoid showy magical effects and frightening people. The Gentle Gift is an invaluable attribute in the urban areas of the Theban Tribunal.

Despite this, or perhaps because of it, some magi have adopted Holy Magic, especially in House Jerbiton (see Realms of Power: The Divine, page 38). Magi of the Holy Societies of Sol Invictus (Realms of Power: The Divine, page 70) and Kabbalists, Baal Shem, and Karaites from the Jewish traditions (Realms of Power: The Divine, pages 140–142) can be found in the Tribunal, as well as Christian holy traditions including Hesychasm and the Society of St. Cyprian and St. Justina.

Most icons are mundane, though beautiful, objects of pious veneration and aids for prayer directed to the figure depicted they are eikons. This is represented in game turns as a bonus to prayers to that particular saint (see Realms of Power: The Divine, page 87). The icon must be crafted as a single painting (described in Art & Academe, page 117). Only those who have taken Holy Orders and have a score in Ability Theology of 3 or more can create eikons.

The formula for creating an eikon is:

Aesthetic Quality: Dexterity + Craft (Painting) + bonuses

The Theban Tribunal

This generates its Aesthetic Quality (as described in Art & Academe, pages 123–125). An additional bonus (+1 for Standard work or +3 per Excellent crafts result) to Aesthetic Quality may be granted per season of work in gilding, bejeweling, or likewise decorating the icon appropriately, if spent by talented craftsmen specialized in those abilities. A Pious personality trait may also be employed as a bonus to Aesthetic Quality if the saint depicted is the patron saint of the artist.

Eikons of saints give a bonus to intercession rolls when invoking a saint (see later). The bonus is equal to the Aesthetic Quality

Troupes using the rules in Realms of Power: The Divine in their saga may wish to represent hesychasts in game terms. In 1220 there are two distinct modes of hesychast practice. The ascetics follow the traditional lives of hermits and renunciates, and live apart from their fellows. The monastics incorporate hesychast practice into the Divine offices of monastic life. They have slightly different favored abilities, as follows, reflecting the different focus of individual and communal paths to the Divine.

Ascetic Favored Abilities: Meditation, Purity, Transcendence, Understanding. Monastic Favored Abilities: Ceremony, Meditation, Transcendence, Understanding.

The Holy Tradition is found exclusively among monks and possibly some nuns. There are at this time no Latin practitioners. Hesychasts are prone to the Divine Gloom form of Divine Ascent, from the very first time they experience it (see Realms of Power: The Divine, page 63).

When Simon of Newmarket is found dead in the back streets of Constantinople, his body hacked apart and his remains thrown down a disused well, political tensions run high. He was travelling to the covenant of Ingasia to discuss the location of the next Verditius Contest, which has caused much disagreement in the house between pro-Verdi and pro-Ingasia factions. The characters may be suspects, magistrates, or foreign Quaesitors investigating the crime. Eventually the cause of his death becomes clear — Simon was not killed in a Hermetic political assassination, but died because of the broach he wore on his cloak, which was prominently marked with Verditius runes. A frightened mob killed the suspected sorcerer, The Gift and his blatant spellcasting exacerbating their fears.

Favored Abilities: Holy Magic, Invocation, Sense Holy/Unholy and Wonders

St. Cyprian was a native of Carthage who lived in Antioch in the third century. He was renowned as a powerful thaumaturgist, whose magical wonders brought him a great reputation. In the same city lived a beautiful young lady named Justina, who had converted from paganism to worship Christ. A rich young man named Aglaias wooed her, but she rebuffed him. After a forceful abduction failed, he went to Cyprian for help. Cyprian consented for a price, and employed all his magical arts against the girl, but his demons fled from her in terror and his spells failed. He attacked her household mercilessly, but all his spells failed. Thus he realized his sin. He went to the bishop, repented, burned his books on pagan magic, and was made a priest of God. Justina became a deaconess, and they had many adventures before suffering for their faith as holy martyrs.

St. Cyprian and St. Justina are the patron saints of magicians who repent, and who turn their knowledge to the support of the Divine. The Holy Society has a small but pious following who use prayer and miracles to fight the enemies of God.

divided by 5 (round up). Icons of Christ likewise give a bonus to invoking God's aid (see Realms of Power: The Divine, page 41).

In either case, the veneration of the icon requires an hour of peaceful contemplation, or in an emergency the expenditure of a fatigue level and a roll of**:**

Emergency Veneration Roll: Presence + Concentration vs Ease Factor 15

The Sundered Eagle

Angelic or saintly miracles occur at a time decided by the entity venerated, not necessarily immediately. So one might venerate an eikon of St. George the morning before going out to fight a dragon, and receive the effect of his Power at the time of the conflict.

An eikon can also be used for study of the ability Craft: Painting (as described in Art & Academe, page 126).

Eikons do not possess Divine Might.

Acheiropoieta

The acheiropoieta are icons not made by hand, but spontaneously generated by the power of the Divine. They are usually found in Dominion auras of strength 10, or are brought from Heaven by angels. Invariably of Christ or the Virgin, they are always powerful relics. The best known spontaneous image of this type in the West is the Veil of Veronica, and in the Orthodox world the Mandylion

Before the fall of Constantinople, the city held the largest collection of relics in Christendom. Many of these have been taken by the conquerors and sent back to Western Mythic Europe, but a good number still remain. Several relics are quite potent, stronger than both standard relics (the Minor General Virtue: Relic) and more powerful relics (the Major General Virtue: Powerful Relic found in Realms of Power: The Divine, page 35). Examples are provided below. Characters should not start the game possessing these relics, unless extreme circumstances exist in the troupe (for example, one of the player characters is Otto de la Roche).

Use relics in your saga to indicate the zeal with which medieval characters desire them, and the lengths that they will go to get them. Successfully taking a relic from someone else can indicate God's will, regardless of the means that the takers use to obtain the item. Relics are spread among all the mundane political entities populating the Theban Tribunal, and everyone wants more relics than they have. Player characters can easily be motivated to gain or retain a relic, depending on how they are allied or attached to any one particular group. Several of the magi of Moero's Garden, for example, would happily take a relic from a Latin crusader and return it to its proper place in the Eastern Church.

Fragments of the True Cross

The brutal instrument of Jesus' death, the cross is a symbol of mankind's redemption and a central aspect of medieval Christian identity. Lost under a hill outside the walls of Jerusalem, the True Cross was discovered by St. Helena, Constantine's mother, who commissioned basilicas on the site to house the relic. Parts of it were transported to Constantinople, and throughout Mythic Europe. Many pieces of the True Cross were kept in the Haghia Sophia. Those pieces are now held by Venetian and Latin occupiers, as well as Byzantine exiles in Nicaea, who were able to take many of the smaller pieces with them.

A fragment of the True Cross that is as large as a man's leg has a Faith Score of 10, giving it 10 Faith Points and a Divine Might of 100. It also has the power to completely heal any wound instantaneously. Such pieces are rare. A piece the size of a man's hand has a Faith Score of 3 and has the power to instantly heal a Medium Wound. Small slivers have a Faith Score of 1 and act as regular relics (ArM5, page 48). Smaller fragments are common, and are frequently kept in golden reliquaries that people wear. The True Cross is an inexhaustible source of small relics.

The Image of Edessa

Part of the long, linen winding sheet used to bury Christ, this napkin-sized cloth has the image of Christ's face impressed upon it. Moved from Jerusalem to Haghia Sophia in 944, it is currently in the possession of Otto de la Roche, the current Duke of Athens. His possession of the shroud is the source of great animosity among ecclesiastics of the Eastern Church, a few of whom complained to Pope Innocent III, without result.

The Image of Edessa has a Faith Score of 5, meaning 50 Faith Points and a Divine Might of 50. It has the saintly powers of Celestial Immunity and The Leap of the Faithful (Realms of Power: The Divine, pages 88–89).

The Crown of Thorns

Haghia Sophia's most recent acquisition, the Crown of Thorns was moved to Constantinople in 1063 from the Holy Land. Made by Roman soldiers to humiliate him, Jesus wore this painful headpiece as he walked to Calvary for his crucifixion. Like the True Cross, it is an inexhaustible source of smaller relics — individual thorns that have been distributed throughout Mythic Europe. Each thorn acts as a relic granted by the Minor General Virtue: Relic. The whole crown has a Faith Score of 7, and the saintly powers of Cure Blindness, Strengthen the Cripple, and Mass Healing.

In 1220, the crown belongs to the Latin emperor, but is held by the Venetian doge as security against a large loan of 13,134 Mythic pounds. It has not left the city, and resides under lock and key in the Venetian section of Constantinople.

The Holy Lance

The Holy Lance of Longinus (Latin: Lancea Longini) is a Roman pilum, used by the centurion Longinus to pierce Christ's chest during the crucifixion. It has lain in Constantinople since the eighth century and now rests in the imperial palace of the Latin emperor. A second, longer lance was discovered during the First Crusade in 1098, and this also appears to be a genuine relic.

The Holy Lance has a Faith Score of 3 and the power to Expel Demons. It is a good example of a relic gained by the General Major Virtue: Powerful Relic.

— the first icon which was stolen from Constantinople during the Sack of 1204.

Non-Divine Icons

Icons can also be affiliated to other realms — Magic, Infernal, or even Faerie — but these are extremely rare. False icons, for such they are, arise in different ways. Some are spontaneously generated in powerful auras by misguided worship aimed at an entity other than God. Worship is reserved for God alone (latreia), while veneration (dulia) can be applied to any entity, even a demon or mortal, without harm as respect due to its status and power, no more and no less. (The Seventh Oecumenical Council created hyperdulia, a special veneration applied solely to the Theotókos.) Worshiping rather than venerating an icon breaks the First Commandment, and is a mortal sin that will open one to the possibility of demonic influence.

The power of these false icons usually resides in the item itself; they do not, as with true icons, act as channels to an entity, though demons are usually attracted by misapplied veneration aimed at them. They are therefore best represented as supernatural creatures with a Might score and powers.

The Byzantine Empire has been under the auspices of the Divine realm since the Battle of Milvian Bridge, when Constantine the Great abandoned his pagan heritage and fully embraced Christianity. The emperor is the representation of God on earth, His vicegerent who rules through divine mandate. If an emperor is murdered, it is a sign that he has lost God's favor, and if the murderer then accepts the purple and is crowned the new emperor, God's grace has descended upon the new ruler. In Mythic Europe, this means that the emperor, whatever actions brought him to the throne, is a representative of God and gains the powers of other Christian rules, as defined in Realms of Power: The Divine, pages 42–43.

The emperor's holy authority is symbolized by three artifacts: his battle standard, his imperial crown, and the holy icon of the hagka — a double-headed eagle carried on a long pole. When combined, these items form a powerful divine force. In 1220, these items are separated, one held by Bulgarians, another by the Latin occupiers, and the third mysteriously missing. Many theorize that the empire won't stabilize until these three artifacts are again held by a single emperor.

The Battle Standard

The battle standard is a large, bronze staff capped with a golden eagle and cross posts that hold the imperial symbol emblazoned on purple silk. It was last seen in the army of Isaac Angelus, when he summoned the army of Constantinople to march on the rebellious Bulgarians in 1190. His army was defeated and routed, fleeing all the way back to Constantinople. When held by the imperial standard bearer, the battle standard extends the emperor's commanding aura to Sight Range (Realms of Power: The Divine, page 42). This effectively grants a +3 bonus to any Discipline and Morale tests friendly soldiers have to make.

The Byzantine Imperial Crown

Each emperor has his own crown, personally made for him by the imperial goldsmiths. Of the three items that signify imperial power, the crown is merely symbolic and does not confer any additional supernatural powers. Since each emperor has his own individual crown, a large collection of past crowns exists, all finely wrought of gold and precious jewels. The conquerors have taken all of these crowns as spoils of war. Besides their monetary value, the crowns of past emperors do not possess any supernatural powers.

The crown is the easiest of the three artifacts to find because it is, in fact, made for the current emperor once he ascends to the throne. To augment the powers of the other two artifacts, the crown must be worn; so while symbolic, it is essential. If lost, a new crown must be made before the emperor can augment the powers of whatever other artifact of power he might possess. Crowns are lost relatively often; in 1204, before the fall of the city, Alexius V Ducas Murzuphlus lost a battle to a small group of French knights raiding the coastal city of Philia, leaving both his crown and the hagka behind as he fled.

The Holy Icon: The Hagka

The hagka is the imperial symbol of the Byzantine Empire, depicted as a doubleheaded eagle. Installed as the state symbol by Emperor Isaac I Komnenos, rumor has it that he derived the symbol after seeing the "hagka," a legendary two-headed eagle large enough to carry off a bull. Symbolically, the double heads represent the emperor's authority over both secular and religious aspects of the empire.

The hagka is a bronze effigy mounted atop a long lance, with a portrait of the Blessed Virgin Mary hung from it. By itself it confers a Magic Resistance of 10 to the bearer. If used in connection with the imperial crown and the battle standard, the Magic Resistance is spread to every friendly unit within Sight Range, and the Discipline and Moral bonus is boosted to +6.

The veneration of saints and the invoking of their intervention from God are a major component of the Orthodox Church. Having survived the Iconoclasm, images of saints and their relics flourish. Technically, there is no difference between Byzantine saints and the saints of Western Mythic Europe; the Greeks venerate all saints and don't exclude saints popular in the West from their calendars. They do have a preference for Eastern saints, especially martyrs of the Eastern Roman Empire, but would never ignore the apostles, the Blessed Virgin Mary, or any of the holy martyrs.

There are a great many more recognized saints in the Eastern Orthodox Church than in the West. The official calendar of saints, the Synaxarion, lists over 2,000 saints, each having a brief history and liturgical readings for public displays on any individual saint's day. Compiled in the 11th century and regularly updated, the most exact copy resides in the Studion next to the Church of St. John the Baptist in Constantinople. Other derivative copies exist. The Synaxarion includes many saints not recognized by the West, including Emperor Justinian, Emperor Justinian the Younger, Patriarch Photios and his theological opponent Patriarch Ignatios.

Saints seem to be more active in Eastern Mythic Europe than in the West, and their intervention in mortal affairs is more common. Perhaps this is because of the loss of the Queen of Cities, the dethroning of the rightful emperor, and the catastrophic rise of demons and Infernal agents. For example, in 1207 when Ioannitsa the Greekslayer, King of Bulgaria, was besieging the city of Thessaloniki, the city's patron St. Deme-

trios assumed physical form and slew him with a spear. The siege was lifted and one of the worst threats to the Byzantine Empire was removed.

Invoking a saint's intercession is common, and storyguides can use the rules in Realms of Power: The Divine.

Invoking ^a Saint: Communication + Charm + modifier + simple die vs. 15 + simple die

A list of modifiers helpful in invoking saints appears on page 87 of Realms of Power: The Divine.

There is a surprising similarity in the miracles that Greek saints employ, according to the stories of their lives. While all the powers and curses available to Western saints are allowable, storyguides should concentrate on the following powers:

Healing, 2 points, Init +7, Corpus. With this power a saint can heal all of a supplicant's wounds, regardless of how they were inflicted, cure any disease, and remedy any physical impairments.

Overstepping the Temporal Bounds, 5 points, Init +9, Mentem. Saints have the ability to slip outside of the regulated structure of God's temporal framework and view images of the past and future, as well as instantly appear in any place no matter how far it is from their last appearance. Knowledge is often delivered in cryptic riddles or parables. Allow the petitioning character to benefit from the Supernatural Virtue: Premonitions or the Supernatural Flaw: Visions for the day.

Feed the Hungry, 1 point, Init +3, Herbam. Using God's power, a saint can create nourishing food for any number of people it sees fit. This is usually bread and fresh water, but fish and other corn products can be created.

Relief from Natural Disasters, 5 points, Init +6, Aquam or Terram. Many hagiographies recount how a saint saved the faithful from violent storms, earthquakes, or being lost at sea. With this power a saint can halt any natural disaster occurring from mundane causes. For supernaturally caused disasters, this power allows the saint to instantly transport the petitioner away from harm, up to a hundred miles away.

Tame the Wild Beast, 2 points, Init +5, Animal. This power tames any wild beast, regardless of size or temperament, causing an otherwise hostile animal to depart in peace. Tamed animals cannot be yoked into service, and this power primarily protects the faithful from dangerous predators while traveling.

Gift of Endurance, 3 points, Init +6, Corpus. This power lets saints fortify a petitioner to be immune to physical deprivation. The petitioner does not need to eat or sleep for a number of days equal to the saint's Divine Might, nor do naturally occurring weather conditions (heat and cold) impair him.

The powers listed on page 88 of Realms of Power: The Divine that Greek saints do often have are: Acknowledgement of Evil, Apparition, Expel Demons, Resist Temptation, and Sanctuary of Virginity.

A Mother's Curse

Mothers are held in special reverence in Greek and most other cultural traditions surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. The Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of God, is the patron and protector of Constantinople, the greatest city on earth. Mundane mothers are viewed as the protectors of their children. To ensure the proper behavior of her children, a mother in Mythic Europe's Mediterranean Sea basin has the power to curse her child. This curse is associated with the powers of the Divine realm, and an individual mother does not have to possess any magical, divine, or supernatural powers or Abilities to be able to invoke a curse.

The effects of the curse are the same as the Minor Supernatural Flaw: Lesser Malediction. The mother selects some area of expertise her child has — military, academic, or professional — and he suffers a –3 penalty to all rolls involving that activity. Curses cannot be laid haphazardly, and the mother must have a good reason behind her curse for it to manifest. Most curses demand that the character do something to return a family situation to normality. Examples are rescuing a captured sister, reclaiming the family honor, defending a weak sibling, and providing for destitute kin. The storyguide should use her judgment to decide if a curse is appropriate. Roleplaying games rarely include a character's mother, and this is an opportunity for the storyguide to propel stories while retaining a certain Greek feeling in the saga.

The only ways to remove a mother's curse are by completing the assigned task that elicited the curse, or receiving divine intervention. A saint can remove a curse, as can other creatures of the Divine realm, but even this depends on the character's behavior, the exact terms of the curse, and God's ineffable plan. Characters hoping to find succor from a curse that is supposed to ensure Christian principles may be sorely disappointed when a saint refuses to remove it.

Given the importance of theology and religion in the Theban Tribunal region, it is unsurprising this is reflected in the Hermetic politics. Chapter 3: Order of Hermes, The Leagues of Thebes details several leagues, and another is given below.

The League of Constantine desires to restore the Roman Empire by restoring a Greek emperor to the throne. Its members have uncovered the Infernal influences that led to the city's fall, and suspect that the missing hagka is vital to accomplishing their goal. Their immediate goal is to search the enemy Bulgarian territories for Isaac Alexios' missing battle standard, hoping that it will provide clues to where the hagka may lie.

In the long run, the League of Constantine is correct. The city has suffered due to its loss of Divine favor. Returning the hagka to the throne will be extremely beneficial. It does not necessarily mean that a Greek will overthrow the Latin emperor, but the return of the hagka will grant the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of David, and the mercy of St. Paul to a truly devout emperor.

Unfortunately, the league has not accurately determined who was under the influence of Infernal manipulation. Demons, being the masters of guile, have remained immune to the league's investigative spells. Determining that demons were involved in the city's fall was easy, identifying who the specific culprit is has been impossible. The league suspects certain individuals but cannot provide definitive proof. Coupled with this inability to distinguish between allies and enemies, the hagka could be anywhere. The league doesn't know if the artifact is whole, or has been split into several parts. It could be hidden in a crusader's treasury, secreted away in a Greek monastery, buried under a pile of rubble in the burned-out Venetian quarter, or laying at the bottom of the Bosporus.

The Hagka, the two-headed eagle, is not merely the great symbol of Byzantium, but is also a real creature, an immensely powerful Divine beast. Native to the mountains of Asia Minor, it was called upon by Byzantine folk, emperors and peasants alike, in defense of their lands. This splendid and awe-inspiring beast is large enough to flatten a small house or carry off a man in each of its claws. Its feathers shine with the light of the heavens and its gazes strike terror into the hearts of enemies, causing wicked men to fall to their knees and beg for forgiveness. After the Hagka failed in its battle to protect Constantinople (see Chapter 12: Infernal Landscape, Akgah), it was forced to flee the great city and retreated to the wilderness of Asia Minor, where it remains the protector of the Empire of Nicaea. The great eagle is weakened, but still has a Divine Might of 40. It bears sore wounds that will not heal and its brilliant white feathers remain soiled until the empire is restored. It will nurture and protect any pious Greek who is loyal to the empire but is an enemy to Latin crusaders, unless they are truly repentant.

The symbolic hagka, a representation of this legendary beast, may be seen in the coat of arms of the great city of Constantinople, clutching a cross and an orb in each of its claws, signifying Divine and imperial authority, respectively. The two heads look both to the west and to the east. It is also often depicted on battle standards (see main text) or in stained glass windows in churches in colors of gold or purple.

Realms of Power: The Divine divides saints into three categories: greater, area, and local saints. Greater saints have a Divine Might of 75, area saints a Divine Might of 50, and local saints a Divine Might of 25.

St. Symeon Stylites, a Syrian pillar-sitter who lived atop his column for 37 years. The patron saint of Antioch in the former Byzantine Levant, Symeon was the first of many stylite saints.

Greater Saints

• St. John Chrysostom, a prolific Father of the Church and patron saint of preachers.
• St. George, megalo martyros (magnificent martyr), one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers in the Eastern Orthodox Church, patron saint of soldiers (note that St. George does not become the patron saint of England until 1415, after the battle of Agincourt).

Area Saints

• St. Demetrios, patron saint of Thessaloniki and soldiers.
• St. Eugenios, patron saint of Trebizond.
• St. Euphemia, patron saint of Constantinople, the city's first official saint
• St. Nicholas of Myra, patron saint of sailors, merchants, students, and children.

Local Saints

• St. Hosios Loukas (St. Luke), a 10th-century hermit who is patron saint of his monastery, built on the slopes of Mt. Helicon.
• St. Hypatios, patron saint of Rufinianae, a monastic complex a few miles from Chalcedon and a frequent stop-over for imperial families.
• St. Leontios, patron saint of the monastery of St. John the Evangelist on the island of Patmos. Leontios was a "holy fool," meaning that he was not a monk or part of any institutional framework, and was made a saint based solely on his asceticism.
• St. Prokopios, the first martyr of Diocletian's persecutions, and popular in Caesarea.
• Saints Cosmas and Damian, twins known as Unmercenary Physicians (they healed the sick for no pay), they are saints of physicians and suburban Constantinople.