The Islands

The legendary sea at the center of the Theban Tribunal — the backdrop to the epic voyages of the Greek heroes — is strewn with hundreds of islands, among them the birthplaces and sanctuaries of gods and the refuges of saints. The sea goes by several names, but is most commonly called the Aegean Sea, after an ancient king of Athens, Aegeus. His son Theseus, returning home from his battle with the minotaur on Creta, had forgotten to raise a white flag on his ship to indicate victory. In despair, Aegeus cast himself into the waters. It also takes its name from the underwater palace of Poseidon, Aegaea. The Bulgarians call it the White Sea, reckoning it to be more hospitable than the stormy Black Sea beyond the Sea of Marmara. It was also known in antiquity, and still is today, as the Archipelago, due to the great abundance of islands found in its waters.

The Aegean islands were notionally divided between the Republic of Venice and the new Latin Empire in the wake of the Fourth Crusade and the defeat of the Byzantine Empire. However, the practical influence of the Latin rulers over the islands varies considerably, and control over many of them during the last decade and a half has been in a state of flux. Some are currently ruled by local despots or even pirates. In 1204, Venice claimed the most strategically important ports: those of Candia, Rodos, Karpathos, and the Cyclades. Among the islands of the north Aegean, they curiously only claimed Lemnos, the home of the covenant of Ingasia. Some magi in the Tribunal thus suspect that House Verditius may have come to some kind of secret commercial arrangement with the former doge, and suspect them of having aided the crusade.

The Aegean Sea contains a great variety of islands, from the tiniest rocky islets to grand domains covering hundreds of square miles. Many are surprisingly green and fertile, depending on the presence of springs and rain-giving mountains, while others, especially the smaller ones, are mostly barren and unfit for agriculture. The more verdant of the isles are typically covered with vineyards, orchards, olive groves, or fields of grain, with sheep and goats in the mountains. A small few are volcanic, and others are rich in marble, precious metals and stones, or ore. Due to the generally reliable and constant winds, windmills, a relatively recent innovation copied from Muslim lands during the crusades, are employed to mill the grain harvest. Any settlement of any consequence is a port, and there are no large cities.

The northwestern stretches of the Aegean Sea are mostly free of large islands, except for the clump known as the Sporades, modestly-sized isles covered in verdant forest, farms, and vineyards. To the east, a chain of several larger islands extends along the coast of Asia Minor; apart from Lemnos, they owe nominal loyalty to the Latin Empire. Most

The countless islands and wealth of shipping in the Aegean have made the Archipelago a haven for pirates since antiquity, and the practice of piracy has continued more or less unchanged for millennia. As well as the obvious profit obtained from captured booty, it is also not uncommon to hold worthy persons captive for ransom. Long ago, the god Dionysos was captured by bold Tyrrhenian pirates, who mistook him for the relative of a wealthy merchant. The god found this turn of events amusing and turned the oars of the ship into snakes and the pirates into dolphins. Rulers throughout history have tried to bring the pirates to heel, with mixed success, but on occasion have also solicited them as mercenaries and allies.

Especially on some of the smaller and more barren isles, where tiny port towns struggle to eke out an existence, piracy is a way of life and a practical necessity. Such communities do not necessarily regard piracy as a dishonorable profession, although all lords of any stature regard pirates as criminals, and treat them accordingly. The current upheaval in the Aegean in the wake of the collapse of the Byzantine Empire has proven a boon to pirates, and their numbers have grown rapidly. Some pirate lords have even become despots of local ports. This bold expansion is, however, tempered by the arrival of the crusaders and the fearsome Venetian fleet, who are eager to protect their new trading interests. Still, some Venetian captains are willing to deal with pirates, provided that they prey on their rivals.

Piracy might be a viable source of income for a Theban covenant. Although the Tribunal has strictly forbidden magi and covenants from preying on each other's ships, this doesn't stop pirates who know nothing of the Order of Hermes, nor does it forbid a covenant from piracy against mundanes, although this practice is likely to be viewed dimly. Pirates are also a staple of many kinds of stories, either as villainous enemies — perhaps preying on the covenant's shipping and holding magi or covenfolk hostage for ransom — or alternatively as swashbuckling heroes who stand up to the excesses of overbearing lords and greedy captains.

notable among the supernatural beings that may commonly be encountered in the northern half of the Archipelago are the Gorgona (see Chapter 5: Greece, Thessaloniki) and magi of the underwater covenant of Aegaea (see later) and their attendant tritones.

Lesbos, the third-largest Greek island, after Candia and Euboea, is a green and pleasant place, full of gardens and flowers. It has two large sea inlets, two principal mountains, and several hot springs. It is known as an abode of minstrels, poets, and lovers, where, most unusually, women are afforded a higher status than men. Five of the original towns of Makaria (as the island was once known) — Mytilene, Mithymna, Issa, Antissa, and Avrisi — were named after the daughters of King Makaras, a son of Helios. Each daughter ruled her home, and the women of Lesbos have held dominion over the men ever since. The island was later named after Lesbos, one

Throughout history, the islands of the Aegean have been places of exile, both for undesirable and troublesome individuals, and for all manner of cursed beasts and spirits. In the Roman era, early Christians often fled here; later under Byzantine rule, pagans, heretics, criminals, and traitors were banished to certain of the isles. The islands were also places of refuge for malicious hedge wizards and the beasts and demons that they summoned, many of which were trapped or bound by the Byzantine magicians of old. However, with the recent failure of ancient Byzantine magics throughout the Tribunal in the wake of the fall of Constantinople, many of these old menaces are now released from their bondage.

Today the islands remain convenient hiding places for those engaged in unholy acts; several of the smaller isles are infested by covens of stringles (see Chapter 12: Infernal Landscape). Wise islanders also take care to bury certain cursed or evil persons on small uninhabited and isolated isles and islets adjacent to the settled islands, lest they become a vrykolakas (see Chapter 12: Infernal Landscape). Many such islets are home to ramshackle graveyards with an Infernal aura and are blighted by these vampires; in most cases, the water prevents them from accessing settled areas.

of Makaras' sons-in-law. In ancient times the mother goddess Cybele was worshiped here; her male followers ritually castrated themselves and adopted female identities.

Later, in the fourth century BC, Aristotle came to Lesbos, where he wrote his famed Historia Animalium ("History of Animals") and four related works, in which he describes many locations in Lesbos and the rich variety of fauna that he found there. Under the Romans and the Byzantine Empire, Lesbos was relatively neglected and was used as a place of exile for undesirables, the most famous of which was the Byzantine Empress Irene of Athens, who was exiled here in 802.

Characters hailing from Lesbos — either domineering women or submissive men — who have not adjusted to the reversal of gender roles elsewhere should take the Social Handicap Flaw. The Enchanting Music and Free Expression Virtues are very common.

Orphykia

Orpheus, the legendary minstrel whose singing and playing could entrance all manner of beasts and plants, even rocks and streams, was slain by the maenads. His decapitated head and his lyre fell into a river and thence into the sea, before finally washing up here on the westernmost shore of Lesbos, near to the town of Antissa. The people of Lesbos afforded his remains great honor and respect, burying the head in the center of an ornate shrine. Terpander, the greatest minstrel of his day, born in nearby Antissa and credited with inventing the seven-stringed lyre, took the lyre of Orpheus. This sacred grove, Orphykia, which has a Magic aura of 4, is now an idyllic garden where nightingales sing more splendidly than anywhere else known. Doubtless the poetess Sappho came to Orphykia during her life, and her spirit often lingers here. The site is now sacred to the Cult of Orpheus (see Houses of Hermes: Societates, page 120), and is

tended by a lone Ex Miscellanea magus from

The Petrified Forest

that tradition, Zacharias.

Among the western stretches of Lesbos is a place where the remains of a forest have been turned into stone. Upright stone tree trunks of various sizes stand in a blasted and desolate vale. A few of the other stone pillars look suspiciously like woodcutters that have been likewise cursed. This place is home to a particularly malevolent group of kalotyches (see Chapter 10: Faerie Landscape, Stoicheia), spirits of trees that avenge their own felling. The deserted petrified forest, which has a feared reputation on Lesbos, has a Faerie aura of 3, and the stone roots of the trees may be harvested as Perdo vis, although so doing enrages the spirits. To avoid angering the kalotyches and suffering a similar fate, the folk of Lesbos take care to honor their trees and do not fell them, which is perhaps one reason why there are so many carefully tended gardens and groves elsewhere on the island.

The Cyclades, also known as the Encircling Isles since they were spun around the legendary birthplace of Apollon and Artemis on Delos, are a cluster of several dozen islands in the central Aegean Sea, southeast of Attica and Euboea. Many cypress trees sacred to Artemis may still be found on the isles; they are also associated with Hades and resur-

Apart from Lesbos, the largest, other major islands of the northern half of the Aegean are as follows, in order of size:

Khios

Khios is a mostly dry and mountainous land, although vineyards are located in the most fertile spots and the aromatic mastic shrub, a prized spice from which chewing gum can be obtained, grows only here. The medicinal black wine from Khios, first cultivated here by the legendary King Oenopion, a son of Dionysos, is among the finest in the Theban Tribunal. The island is home to the great monastery of Nea Moni ("new monastery"), founded by Constantine IX, which is one of the largest in the former Byzantine Empire.

Lemnos

The fertile and volcanic island of Lemnos, as well as being rich in grain, olives, and sheep, is also home to one of the Forges of Hephaistos, which is a House Verditius cult site and the site of the covenant of Ingasia (see later).

Samos

Samos, a verdant island thickly covered with vineyards and olive groves, was the birthplace of the goddess Hera. Accordingly, it is home to the ruins of her great sanctuary temple, the Heraion. The Tunnel of Eupalinos, a miraculously straight ancient aqueduct running more than a thousand yards beneath a mountain, was constructed with the aid of Pythagoras, a native of Samos.

Thasos

Thasos, only four miles south of the shore of Macedonia, is rich in silver, gold, and lead mines and marble quarries.

Imbros

Just off the coast of Imbros, not far from the narrow entrance to the Marmara Sea, is rumored to be a great underwater cave that is the stable of Pegasus, the winged horse and son of Poseidon.

Ikaria

The island of Ikaria is named after the legendary Icarus, who fell to his death after his wings fashioned of wax melted when he flew too close to the sun. It has famed healing springs known to cure infertility, where Creo vis may be harvested.

Samothraki

Samothraki (Samothrace) is a mountainous granite isle lacking natural harbors. It is home to the partially ruined Sanctuary of the Great Gods. In antiquity this was the center of the Cult of the Great Gods, a mystery cult that rivaled the more secretive Cult of Eleusis (see Chapter 5: Greece, Attica and Boeotia) in popularity. Off the east coast is a sunken city. It is well known to the local sponge-divers, who used to harvest here until one of their number strayed too close to the city and was eaten by the monster who guards it. The locals are aware of occasional visitors to the island who are always dripping wet, and suspect them of being inhabitants of the city.

rection, and are thus most commonly found near graveyards. An ancient plane tree may be found in the center of every Cycladic village, carefully tended by the locals. This tree is home to a kalotyche that blesses the settlement with fragrant vines, herbs, and flowers for so long as the tree lives unmolested. The Etesian winds, which prevail from the north, keep the islands cool in summer. They were generously provided by Zeus, after sacrifices were made to him on Keos.

These islands currently comprise a new realm known as the Duchy of Naxos. The inaugural duke is Marco Sanudo, a Venetian and nephew of Enrico Dandolo, the famed Doge of Venice during the Fourth Crusade, who seems to have inherited much of his uncle's charisma and common sense. Marco was tasked with suppressing piracy in the Cyclades, so he borrowed galleys from the Venetian navy, with which he attacked the Aegean island of Naxos in

1207. Despite heavy fighting, he soon conquered it. He subsequently took almost all of the rest of the Cyclades by 1212, and divided the islands into more than fifty lordships owing allegiance to him, many ruled by his relatives.

The Duchy is a successful realm, paying homage to the Latin emperor but generally being left alone by all parties in the constant fighting and political maneuvering. While nominally a vassal of the Latin Empire, Marco's lands are held in his own right, independently of Venice and the current doge, but closely allied with Venetian interests. While he introduced the Western Church and barred Greek Orthodox individuals from high office, the Orthodox churches and clergy were left largely unmolested, and perhaps as a result Marco Sanudo has a largely peaceful and prosperous duchy whose inhabitants seem mostly content to continue as before, with new lords ruling them.

As noted, Marco is nephew of the former Doge Dandolo. His brother, Pietro, was the black sheep of the family and a rather unsettling youth, whom Marcus never really felt comfortable around, despite their shared blood. Pietro was a mere boy, pleasant enough, and intelligent and scholarly, but there was something profoundly strange about him. In one of his last acts, Dandolo arranged a position for him somewhere, and Marco often wonders what happened to him, hopes he is doing well, and hopes for word. In fact, Pietro was apprenticed in House Verditius at the covenant of Ingasia and is now named Satabus; he has just moved to the covenant of Polyaigos (see later) where he has learned of Marco's rise to power. He has not yet contacted him, although he retains a strong affection for his mundane family.

For such a relatively barren and small island — it is only a mile or two across — Delos has had an important role in the history of Greece. It lent its name to the Delian League, a consortium of city-states that ruled much of ancient Greece. These days, it has all but been forgotten. With no natural resources or inhabitants, it has no strategic importance. Its insignificance to mundanes is the reason why few have realized that the island has uprooted, and drifts on the currents of the Aegean and Kretan seas. It is of importance and interest to the Order of Hermes however, since Delos is where the meetings of the Theban Tribunal are held.

The Legendary Origins of Delos

Asteria and Leto were the daughters of the titans Koios and Phoebe. Asteria was the mother of Hekate by the titan Perses, but was also pursued by Zeus. To escape the amorous attentions of the chief of the gods, Asteria transformed herself into a quail and leaped into the sea, where she became the island of Delos (which also bore the names of Asteria and Ortygia, after ortyx meaning "quail"). Delos was not fixed to the ocean floor, but instead floated on the sea. Asteria's sister Leto later became pregnant by Zeus, and jealous Hera sent the Python to pursue her, declaring she would find no rest on either land or sea. Her savior proved to be her sister, who, as a floating island, was neither. Leto gave birth to the twin gods Apollon and Artemis, and in gratitude to her sister, Leto caused the floating island to be fixed to the sea bed with four immense columns. Zeus decreed that no one would ever be allowed to be born there again, nor die on its shores.

Naturally, Delos was a sacred place, holding temples to Artemis, Apollon, Leto, and Dionysius, but it was Apollon who was held in the highest regard. Only the priests of these shrines were permitted to live on the island, whose only other residents were three nymphs sent by Apollon from the mythical land of Hyperborea, who were worshiped as goddesses. Quails were — and still are — numerous on the island, and dogs, cats, hawks, and other predators were forbidden there to prevent the accidental deaths of these sacred birds. The temple to Apollon was the meeting place for the Delian League and the loca-

tion of its treasury prior to the Peloponnesian War. During the high point of the league, Delos boasted both a commodities and a slave market. But with its decline, the island was soon abandoned. Despite being periodically inhabited throughout the Roman period, it had no capacity for food or timber production, and only limited water. So it remained largely free from permanent human settlement. It has been abandoned for at least a thousand years.

The Hyperborean Nymphs

The nymphs Arge, Opis, and Loxo came from Hyperborea to Delos with Artemis and Apollon, and now guard the shrines on Delos. They are the personifications of archery: Opis presides over the aim, Loxo over trajectory, and Arge over distance. A further two nymphs, Hyperoche and Laodice, traveled from Hyperborea to Delos with a tribute of sacred relics, but after they left Delos to return home, they disappeared. Their sisters are keen to hear news of them.

The three Hyperborean nymphs still guard the shrines on Delos. Their appearance is provoked by disturbing the structures or relics left on Delos, and vandals have just a few moments to explain themselves before they begin to shoot. Trespassers typically receive mortal wounds, although they never die until they have left the island.

Magic Might: 30 (Corpus)

Season: Winter

Characteristics: Int +1, Per +2, Pre+2, Com –1, Str +1, Sta +2, Dex +6, Qik +3

Size: 0

Confidence Score: 3 (8)

Virtues and Flaws: Daimon, Magic Spirit; Great Dexterity x 2, Improved Characteristics x 2, Puissant Bows, Self-Confident; Driven, Fury, Magical Air (free)

Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Greater Power (Donning the Corporeal Veil), Greater Power (Strike of the Cornered Game), Greater Power (varies*), Improved Dexterity, Major Virtue (Essential Virtue); Improved Attack, Improved Confidence, Improved Damage x2, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Mentem Resistance, Minor Virtue (Keen Vision), Minor Virtue (Improved Characteristics) x4, Minor Virtue (Inoffensive to Animals), Minor Virtue (Tethered Magic**), Minor Virtue (Voice of the Island)

* Arge knows Outstanding Distance, Opis knows Unequaled Aim, Loxo knows Peerless Trajectory.

** From Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 107; this allows the nymphs to use their powers on their arrows, which then deliver their effects.

Personality Traits: Archer* +6, Wrathful* +3, Dutybound* +3

Reputations: Guardian of the Shrines 3 (Local)

Combat:

Short Bow: Init +5, Attack +25, Defense n/a, Damage +14

Dodge: Init +3, Attack n/a, Defense +11, Damage n/a

Soak: +5

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

Abilities: Classical Greek 4 (sacred hymns), Athletics 5 (running), Awareness 5 (vandals), Bows 12+2 (short bow), Brawl 4 (dodge), Delos Lore 5 (birds), Hunt 6 (quail spirits), Hyperborean 5 (warriors), Hyperborean Lore 3 (archers), Leadership 4 (intimidation), Magic Lore 4 (wizards), Mentem Resistance 5 (deception), Penetration 4 (Strike of the Cornered Game power), Swim 4 (coastal waters)

Powers:

Donning the Corporeal Veil, 0 points, Init +2, Corpus: The nymphs can form a body with the statistics presented here. They can dissolve this body at will, but if it is slain, it contains the vis listed below. This does not slay the spirit itself, merely its current Aspect.

Strike of the Cornered Game, 2 points, Init +4, Corpus: The nymph can paralyze any individual struck by one of her arrows. The paralysis lasts until the nymph decides to cancel the power, or until the sun crosses the horizon. ReCo 25 (base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 canceled at will) Greater Power (25 Levels, –1 Might cost, +4 Init)

Outstanding Distance, 3 points, Init +5, Herbam: (Arge only) Arge can shoot an arrow that can hit any target up to seven leagues away. She must hit the target with a normal missile Attack Total, but ignores range increment penalties. She must be capable of seeing her target to strike them, and so there cannot be any intervening obstacles. ReHe 25 (base 3, +1 Touch, +4 magnitudes for seven leagues) Greater Power (25 levels, +5 Init)

Unequaled Aim, 1 point, Init +9, Corpus: (Opis only) Opis can shoot an arrow that, if it hits, strikes a part of the body designated by her. Damage from the arrow is delivered as normal, and the body part is also left unusable. The target temporarily acquires a Minor Flaw such as Missing Eye, Missing Hand, or Lame; this Flaw disappears once the wound that inflicted it has healed. If the hand is struck then the target drops whatever he was holding in that hand. PeCo 15 (base 5, +1 Touch, +1 Part) Greater Power (15 levels, +7 Init)

Peerless Trajectory, 0 points, Init +10, Herbam: (Loxo only) Loxo can shoot an arrow that flies around corners, over obstacles, and behind shields. Cover is no impediment to such an arrow, if the nymph knows the location of her target, she can still make a normal missile Attack roll against it. Range penalties apply according to the actual path of the arrow. The target's Defense Total must be calculated excluding a shield, as Loxo's arrow strikes around even these obstacles. ReHe 5 (base 3, +1 Touch, +1 complexity) Greater Power (5 Levels, –1 Might cost, +8 Init)

Equipment: Short bow, full heavy leather armor

Vis: 6 Rego, in bows.

Appearance: Three stern-looking maidens with hair drawn back into severe pony tails. They wear leather armor and each carry a bow of ivory. They radiate a sense of displeasure. The three nymphs are difficult to tell apart.

These nymphs are actually Daimons, a type of spirit that resides in the Magic Realm. The guardians of Delos are Aspects of the Daimons, so if they are slain they can simply reform a new Aspect a day later. (See Realms of Power: Magic, page 102, for more details). They typically dwell in the shrines where the Magical aura is highest, to preserve their Might from Acclimation.

to Egyptian and Eastern deities in antiquity. Here are a small number of houses where

Characters interested in Hyperborean magic (see Ancient Magic, Chapter 8) may naturally be drawn to Delos in search of secrets. Undoubtedly there are answers to be found here, but they are not easily yielded. There may be information hidden in the temple to Apollon, but the shrine's guardians are strongly resistant to those who would disturb the ruins. The nymphs themselves are a potential source of information as they originated in Hyperborea and speak its language, but they are not the most friendly of beings, and seekers may need to prove themselves worthy.

Delos Today

Delos today nominally belongs to the Duchy of Naxos. However, this is perhaps a technicality only, since somewhere between 1200 and 800 years ago, Delos became a floating island again. Hermetic investigations have suggested a failure in the spells that bound the island to the sea floor, suggesting a weakening of Leto's magic. But the magic of the titans is largely a mystery to the Order, and this is mere conjecture.

Both Magic and Faerie are strongly

present on the isle, although Magic predominates, since the titaness Asteria was aligned to that Realm. The whole island has a Magic aura of 3, although there are certain places, such as the sacred lake (see Chapter 3: The Order of Hermes, The Ceremony of Propitiation), where the Magic aura rises as high as 8. There are also a number of Faerie auras or regiones on Delos, such as the abandoned shrines of Apollon. The Magic aura is aligned to the emotion of restlessness (Realms of Power: Magic, page 15), imposing the Personality Trait of Restless +1 on anyone who sets foot on the island (where the aura is greater than 3, this trait rises to +2). Unusually, magi also seem to be affected. The fauna of the island, most notably quail, hare, and lizards, are constantly on the move. Even the vegetation is transient; the plants grow new shoots, provide fruit, and die back with no respect to the seasons. Humans who come to the island have no desire to remain there, recognizing that they are only ever visiting. Magi attending the Tribunal meetings (see Chapter 3: The Order of Hermes) find it difficult to sit for the entire day, and often pace up and down, or leave the agora for short periods. There is usually little desire to linger once the Tribunal has closed.

The mount in the center of the isle is named Kynthos, and is home to the ruins of the Sanctuary of the Foreign Gods, where visitors from distant lands erected shrines guest magi (metoikoi) traditionally stay during Tribunal gatherings.

Delos' most notable feature is, of course, its migratory movements. The currents of the Mediterranean are predominantly south in the summer, and east-northeast in the winter, and this seems to determine its course through the Cyclades archipelago. It rarely travels outside of the area roughly described by the islands of Astipalaia, Thera, Melos, and Andros, and travels roughly in a clockwise route through this region. It returns to its original position between Mykonos and Syros every 19 years. The Tribunal's Redcaps are asked to keep an eye out for Delos every time they pass through the Cyclades, so its position can be roughly charted by the Tribunal.

It is generally believed that Zeus' ban on births and deaths on the island is still in force. It has been many generations of magi since a slaying was attempted, and all present intervened to prevent it for fear of risking the notorious wrath of the Lord of Olympos. In line with the ban, no pregnant women or animals are permitted on the island during a Tribunal meeting, and the magi continue the ancient practice of forbidding all predatory animals; anyone with such a familiar or animal companion must leave it behind. Bjornaer magi with predatory heartbeasts refrain from changing form on Delos if they can avoid it.

Characters will certainly visit Delos at some point during their lives, to attend a Tribunal meeting. The biggest potential for stories comes when it is the characters' phyle's turn to prepare the agora for an upcoming Tribunal. Naturally, this task will be delegated to the younger members of the phyle. In addition to the practical issues of supplying food for sixty or more magi plus their servants for a week, they must deal with seven years of neglect at the Tribunal site. Typically, all of the houses require new furniture and roofs, since the impermanent nature of everything on Delos is particularly harsh on perishable goods. Damage to the structures must be repaired with caution, since the Hyperborean nymphs strongly resent any physical changes to the island at the hands of humans.

More significantly, Delos is prone to gathering magical beasts on its wanderings around the Cyclades. They are attracted by the Magic aura, and then often find it difficult to leave once the island has moved on. Creatures of a predatory nature do not often linger long, as they are struck by the wanderlust engendered by the island, but these and other potentially dangerous creatures may still be present when it is Tribunal time. To make matters worse for the characters, these creatures must be driven off rather than killed; and they must be prevented from returning to the agora for the duration of the meeting. This requires knowledge of appropriate warding spells, which a phyle always ensures that the characters know prior to their duties on Delos (alternatively, they are provided with Casting Tablets for the requisite spells).

The Hermetic Agora

The Tribunal of Thebes has met on Delos ever since its inception. There were other suggestions — the site of Thebes being the most notable — but all were championed by one faction for some political advantage. Delos was chosen because of its historical significance, lack of a resident population, and its Magic aura.

The meeting itself takes place in the agora — an assembly place built and used by the Delian League. A natural hollow forms an amphitheater, and the sides are faced with marble steps. The agora is surrounded with carved marble pillars. Some way from the agora itself are the walls of four large buildings and a number of smaller huts. These are provided with roofs and necessary repairs are done to house the four phylai and their auxiliary staff during the Tribunal meeting. All members of each phyle are expected to share one of the four buildings; tables, chairs

Other islands of the Cyclades include, in order by their size:

Naxos

Naxos, the largest and most fertile of the Cyclades, is centrally located and is the seat of the duke of Naxos. He has just completed a sturdy fortress, the Kastro, and is beginning work on a new cathedral. A giant cathedral-like cave in the side of Mount Zas, the highest peak of the Cyclades, was sacred to Dionysos as the site of his marriage to Ariadne after she was abandoned by Theseus. The spring of Krini at Apeiranthos, in the northeast of the island, has a shapeshifting stoicheion (see Chapter 10: Faerie Landscape, Stoicheia), whereas that of the nearby spring at Karava always takes the form of a white cat. The two stocheia are rivals of one another; Karava is the stronger faerie, but Krini has more adaptable powers. When someone takes an interest in the springs, Krini will take the form of a white cat and pose as Karava, granting permission to harvest vis from the spring.

Andros

Andros is the other major port of the Cyclades, famed for the skill of its shipbuilders. It is the home base of the shipborne covenant of Favonius (see later).

Paros

The quarries of Paros, which yield the famed translucent white Parian marble, were worked by tens of thousands of slaves in antiquity, although they are now mostly disused.

Melos

Melos is the only other volcanic island of the Cyclades, apart from Thera. Rich in obsidian, it is a fertile land dotted with hot springs, strange caves, and dramatic rock pillars. Its smaller neighbor Polyaigos is home to an eponymous covenant (see later).

Keos

Known for its fine sweet black wine, the island of Keos is blessed with many springs, which were formerly home to nymphs until they were driven away by a huge lion, Leon Petrino. The stone lion, seemingly carved out of the mountainside itself, will animate in defense of its island. If it can be bested, stones may be cut from its mane that are Rego vis.

Ios

Ios, the burial place of Homer, is covered with a dense forest of oaks and is the best source of timber for shipbuilding among the islands.

Thermia

Named after its thermal springs, the barren island of Thermia is home to a ruined town named Vryokastro, which is made of massive stones and was originally built by the drakoi (see Chapter 10: Faerie Landscape, Faeries of Greece). Now it is the haunt of many vrykolakes (see Chapter 12: Infernal Landscape, The Vrykolakes); they are more numerous here than anywhere else in Greece. They used to dwell on the island of Hydra, in the Saronic Gulf to the west, but were banished here by a local bishop. These vampires wear human forms and dwell unseen among the local inhabitants. But on one night each year, they travel from nearby islands and gather on Thermia, revealing their true forms to each other, to the horror of the hapless innocents they have tricked into accompanying them. Although most of their victims are devoured, some are driven mad and allowed to escape, in order to ensure that the people of Thermia are kept in constant fear of their demonic neighbors. Given that these predators blight the whole island, interest might potentially be attracted from magi of the Donatores Requietis Aeternae (see Houses of Hermes: Societates, page 115).

Mykonos

The island of Mykonos is littered with large boulders, the petrified remains of giants slain by Herakles. It is infested with several covens of stringles witches (see Chapter 12: Infernal Landscape) and is suspected of being the capitol of their "kingdom." Witches in other parts of Greece are said to be able to summon a Mykonon stringles demon to assist in their evil deeds; in return, the witch must tithe one infant to the witches of Mykonos each year.

and bedding have to be supplied from beyond Delos.

The Tribunal Treasury

Hearkening back to the communal treasury of the ancient Delian League, the Theban Tribunal has its storehouse of treasure in exactly the same spot on the isle of Delos. The small temple-like building is empty on the ground floor, except for a large leaden door set into the ground. This is a copy of the one in the Tower of Bonisagus at Durenmar (see Guardians of the Forests: the Rhine Tribunal, page 57). This magical trapdoor, which has never been breached, may only be opened with a large iron key that is entrusted to the archon. The possession of this key is largely ceremonial, since the treasury is rarely accessed in between Tribunals, except in case of emergency. The steps below lead to a series of dusty chambers dozens of feet underground, where several hundred pawns of vis, as well as many ancient items and texts, are carefully stored and cataloged. Due to the presence of such a large quantity of vis stored in close proximity, spontaneous magical effects are quite common (see Realms of Power: Magic, page 123.)

As with all the sacred sites on Delos, the treasury benefits from the protection of the Hyperborean nymphs. Nevertheless, it would not be extremely difficult for a resourceful magus to steal vis from the treasury, or for a clever arche to embezzle vis from it. However, it is believed that such crimes have never occurred. Plundering the treasury would surely be viewed as a grave offense.

Thera, the southernmost of the Cyclades, is a rocky crescent-shaped island that partially encircles a central lagoon, forming a huge natural harbor. However, the dramatic steep slopes and cliffs leading down to the bay severely limit the potential for a port of any size. Instead, a few small settlements are perched atop the black cliffs, overlooking the lagoon. The new Latin name recently given to Thera is Santorini (St. Irene).

The Bay of Thera

The eerily still blue lagoon of Thera, which is accessed by one of two wide entrances from the sea, is several miles across. It is precipitously deep, except for at its very center where the peak of a volcano simmers just beneath the surface. This part of Thera was originally land, but was obliterated in a cataclysmic eruption during the age of the titans, more than a thousand years before the birth of Christ. This caused a giant wave, which battered the nearby Cycladic islands and Candia, wrecking their coastal settlements. This disaster was a result of the final battle between the titans and the Olympians (see Chapter 9: Magical Landscape, The Titans). Zeus cast the mightiest titan, Typhon of a hundred serpent heads, down into Tartaros. Typhon remains trapped in the volcano at the center of the lake, but he occasionally spews forth a swirling cloud of dust and fire, which ravages the whole of the Aegean Sea. This cloud scatters burning fragments of pumice, which are Perdo vis. The Seekers of the Fallen (see Chapter 9: Magical Landscape) believe that freeing the entrance to the underwater volcano will open up a portal to Tartaros, which is part of the Magic Realm. The lagoon has a Magic aura of 7.

Outside the bay, in the seas surrounding Thera, is one of the most common haunts of the Warrior of the Sea, the Thalassomachos (see Chapter 10: Faerie Landscape, Faeries of Greece). He steals the nets of local fishermen and summons winds to thwart them. However, he does not venture into the bay, and his sudden flight from Thera may herald the imminent arrival of a mighty storm from Typhon.

The Dodecanese are a chain of a couple of dozen islands in the southeast of the Aegean, a region which in antiquity was at the extremity of the Greek world. Christianity took root here earlier than anywhere else in the Tribunal, thanks to several missions by the apostles St. Paul and St. John. Some of the islands later felt the influence of Muslim rulers, although the Byzantine Empire has left by far the stronger and more recent influence, leaving the isles liberally dotted with many fortifications, monasteries, and churches. Apart from Rodos, Karpathos, and their immediate surrounds, which were nominally claimed by Venice after the Fourth Crusade, the Dodecanese fall under the dominion of the Latin Empire, despite the fact that the closest shores of Asia Minor are divided between the Empire of Nicaea and the Seljuk Sultanate.

This small island at the northern end of the Dodecanese is the holiest in Greece, being the place where St. John the Apostle was exiled, the horrors of the Roman emperor Nero's persecution of the Christians still fresh in his mind. A baptismal font still stands at the spot where he alighted on the shore. Apart from the monastery of St. John the Divine, founded at the end of the 11th century and later fortified against the attacks of pirates and local despots, Patmos is uninhabited, although it is visited by a great number of pilgrims.

The Cave of the Apocalypse

Some way up the side of Patmos' highest peak is a small cave where St. John received his apocalyptic visions from Jesus, which were written down by his disciple Prochorus. These words are recorded in the Bible's Book of Revelation, also called the Apocalypse of John, foretelling Armageddon, the fall of Satan, the second coming of Christ, and God's final judgment upon the earth. In the cave can be seen the rock that the apostle used as a pillow, the cross he carved into the rock, and the triple fissure in the rock wall through which he heard the voice of Jesus. Several monks from the island's monastery have

During the ancient war between the titans and the Olympians, Poseidon chased the titan Polybotes across the sea and ultimately defeated him by ripping off a part of the island of Kos and hurling it at him. Polybotes remains trapped under this rock, Nisyros, a small isle just to the south of Kos that has a Magic aura of 3. Kos was one of the wealthiest ports in antiquity, famed for its wines. In the fourth century BC the islanders forged an alliance with Egypt, and it became a favored city of the Egyptian rulers, Ptolemeos II being born here. Under Byzantine rule, Kos has remained an important port, and is home to many rich farms.

The Tree of Hippocrates

In the center of the town of Kos is an ancient plane tree, the oldest and largest in the Theban Tribunal. Settlers from Epidauros (see Chapter 5: Greece, Epidauros) had established an asklepieion here, an offshoot from the original of Epidauros. Here, a native of Kos named Hippocrates, later known as the father of medicine, first learned the secrets of the art from Asklepios. He then taught it to his students in the shade of the local plane tree, which was named after him. Later, St. Paul also delivered sermons from beneath the tree. Every year, in autumn, the womenfolk of Kos make a wreath from the leaves of the tree, which is then blessed and hung among the icons in the local church. The previous year's wreath is carried down to the shore in a procession, and ceremonially cast into the sea. A magus is usually waiting inconspicuously in a boat, however, since the old wreath is worth 8 pawns of Creo vis. The womenfolk return to the town center and embrace the tree, and are blessed with long life and vigor. The tree has a Magic aura of 4, although a Divine aura pervades throughout the rest of the town.

The closest confidante and advisor of the Despot of Rodos is a hedge wizard of highly dubious moral character, likely corrupted by the Infernal, who bends the ear of his master to suit his own selfish ends. He has written the only books to be found on the island, which are corrupt and tainted works including a perverted copy of the Bible. And he is greedily gathering all the island's vis, while his demonic patron secretly looks on with satisfaction. After hearing rumors of depravities and wizardry on Rodos, the Theban Tribunal asks for volunteers to investigate.

Rodos (Rhodes), the largest of the Dodecanese islands, is named after the beautiful nymph Rhode, a daughter of Aphrodite and a consort of the sun god Helios. Both Rhode and Helios were worshiped as protectors of the island, and to this day the rhoda, a pink hibiscus gifted by Rhode, blooms all over its shores. In antiquity, the city at the northern end of Rodos was home to the Colossus, an epic statue of Helios bestriding the harbor's entrance, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. This marvel stood for less than a century before collapsing after an earthquake, breaking off at its knees. The remains of the bronze torso lay there for many centuries, until the invading Saracens broke it up in the seventh century, selling the pieces to a mysterious Jewish merchant claiming to be from the Holy Land, who hauled it all away with a thousand camels. Even now, small bronze shards of the Colossus may still be found — given that they are Ignem vis, the supposed merchant might have had an arcane use in mind.

Rodos was ruled by the Saracens for centuries, who fortified the city with sturdy walls and divided it into several districts, including one that to this day has a large Jewish presence. A separate district was created for the city's rulers. The First Crusade restored ithe city to Byzantine ownership. During the Third Crusade in 1191, Richard the Lionheart conquered Rodos and recruited its sailors to his cause. After the Fourth Crusade, the island was claimed by the Republic of Venice, which has had a naval base here since 1082. It is now ruled by Leo Gavalas, a wealthy and corrupt dynatos from Constantinople who arrived here shortly after that city fell, rather presumptuously establishing the Despotate of Rodos and declaring himself despot. Among his peculiarities is a great fear that the "freedom of reading" will lead his subjects to rebellion; as such, one of his first acts was to confiscate all the island's books. Only texts that he has personally approved, and which portray him in a suitably favorable light, may be sold here.

Also named Creta in Latin, Candia is the largest island of Greece and the second-largest in the Eastern Mediterranean, after Cyprus. It is the southernmost territory of the Theban Tribunal, lying between the part of the Aegean Sea known as the Sea of Creta and the Mediterranean proper, about two hundred miles north of the coast of Africa. It is mostly rocky and covered with mountains, whose waters selectively feed the greener of its various plains and plateaus, where many olive groves may be found. Sheep and goat herding is prevalent in the hills.

Candia was home to the ancient Minoan civilization, founded by the legendary king Minos, a son born to Zeus and Europa, who was made one of the three Judges of the Dead in Hades upon his death. Idomeneus, his grandson and also king, was one of the leading Greek generals in the Trojan War. He and his island were cursed after he slew his own son in fulfillment of a promise made to Poseidon; after the god had saved his ship from a terrible storm, he swore to sacrifice the first living thing he saw upon his return, which turned out to be his son.

After successively falling under the dominion of Rome, the Byzantine Empire, and the Saracens, Candia was recaptured from Muslim hands under the rule of the Byzantine emperor Nikephoros II in the 10th century. In the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade, became the possession of Boniface of Montferrat, who was persuaded to sell it to the Republic of Venice, the doge viewing it as a strategic asset, for 1000 marks. A Genoese pirate by the name of Enrico Pescatore ruled for several years until Venice managed to assert its authority in 1212, whereupon the Kingdom of Candia was established. In the eight years since, Venetian families have been encouraged to settle on the island, and there has already been a succession of four different doges (dukes) installed as ruler, each serving a two-year term. There is currently a rebellious atmosphere as the locals chafe under the higher taxes and tariffs that the Venetian rulers of the ports have imposed.

The principal city of Candia and the largest amid the Greek islands, Chandax, which the Venetians have taken to simply calling Candia, is located halfway along the northern coast of the island, at the site of the ancient port city of Iraklion. The settlement was reestablished by the Saracen rulers of

Candia in the ninth century, who erected a moat around the city for protection and used it as a base to attack Byzantine shipping. After it was conquered by the Byzantines, Chandax was razed and rebuilt. It is now the seat of the Kingdom of Candia and an archbishopric. The new Venetian rulers are busy strengthening the old Saracen defenses with a sturdier wall, and a new fortress protecting the harbor is beginning to rise.

Mounts Zeus and Ida

Candia has a profound association with Zeus, the king of the Olympian gods, as it is the island of his birth and the place where he was raised as a youth. This is immediately clear to any visitors approaching Chandax by sea, for when they look up at the mountain behind the city they see that it has the giant profile of Zeus' head, facing up into the heavens. Nowadays, the Christian folk of Candia prefer to think of Mount Zeus as bearing the profile of God, however. Acorns from the sole oak on the mount are a potent source of Vim vis.

A short distance to the west, in the center of Candia, is the island's highest peak, Mount Ida (Mount of the Mother Goddess). Somewhere on its slopes is the Cave of Zeus, which has a Faerie aura of 8. The great god was born here and was hidden away from his father Kronos by his mother Rhea. He was then nurtured by three nymphs, who clashed their spears on their shields to disguise the cries of the baby. The cave is guarded by a golden dog, and the great eagles who gave Zeus the gift of thunder also patrol the surrounding heights. According to the ancient beliefs of Candia, Zeus is reborn every year in his cave, is nurtured and grows to maturity, and then dies in winter on Mount Zeus. Lucian the Scholar of House Merinita (see Aegaea, later) claims to have encountered the nymphs and the infant Zeus on his travels in Candia.

The Labyrinth of Knossos

On the hillside a short distance from Chandax lies the remains of the ancient capital of Candia, the legendary city of Knossos, home to many epic Greek legends. The Cretan Bull was a splendid white beast, gifted to Minos by Poseidon, but the king refused to sacrifice it as intended. In revenge, Poseidon made Minos' wife Pa-

The legends of the Labyrinth of Knossos include the following; any of these characters or stories might be re-created inside the Faerie regio:

Resurrection of Glaukos

Glaukos, the young son of King Minos, was exploring the cellars of the palace when the boy climbed into a giant jar of honey and drowned. When the wizard Polyeidos discovered the body, Minos ordered him to bring his son back to life, and imprisoned him in the cellar until the job was complete. Trapped there, Polyeidos killed a snake that he saw slithering across the stones of the cellar, whereupon another snake came along with a herb in its mouth and touched it against the body of the first, reviving it. Polyeidos used the magical herb to resurrect Glaukos.

Defeat of the Minotaur

The hero Theseus volunteered as one of the 14 sacrificial victims from Athens. Minos agreed that if he could conquer the Minotaur with his bare hands, the annual tribute from Athens would end. Ariadne, a daughter of Minos who fell in love with Theseus, gave him a ball of thread so that he could trail it behind him and thus find his way out of the labyrinth. After besting the Minotaur with his fists, he then slew it with his sword and retraced his way out, escaping from the island with Ariadne and the 13 Athenian children. Theseus later abandoned Ariadne on Naxos.

Daidalos and Icarus

The labyrinth's creator, Daidalos, gave the ball of thread to Ariadne that let her and Theseus escape. Minos punished him for this treason by imprisoning him, along with his son Icarus, in the labyrinth. Daidalos crafted two pairs of wings so that they could escape by flight. Icarus flew too close to the sun, however, so that his waxen wings melted and he fell to his death in the Aegean Sea near the island of Ikaria.

siphae enamored of the bull. The legendary craftsman Daidalos built a wooden cow for her to hide in so that she could approach it; the Minotaur, a fearsome beast with a bull's head and a man's body, was born of their union. The Cretan Bull wrought havoc on the island; it was later captured by Herakles, in his Seventh Labor.

The great palace at the center of the city, the labyrinth, was built by Daidalos to hide away the Minotaur. It had more than 1000 rooms and was built in the form of a maze. The Minoans gained the upper hand in their war with the Athenians after Minos implored Zeus to intervene. As a result, Athens was forced to send a yearly tribute of seven youths and seven maidens, who were placed into the labyrinth to feed the Minotaur. Minos also set prisoners loose there; they were freed if they managed to escape.

The ruins of Knossos have a Magic aura of 3, which supersedes a weaker Faerie aura. The site is of particular interest to Marcus Tauros of House Criamon (see Magi of Hermes), who has seemingly received visions of a past life as a Minoan priest. He might well be encountered here, as he investigates the catacombs beneath the ruin in an attempt to unearth the secrets of a magical Minoan Cult of the Bull. He has yet to discover that the intact labyrinth may be found inside a regio, the highest level of which has a Faerie aura of 6. Inside the palace, two symbols may be seen throughout: the bull, symbolizing the Cretan Bull and the Minotaur, and the labrys (from which the word "labyrinth" derives), a double-headed axe and a symbol of protection.

The greatest gorge in Europe, stretching is more than 10 miles long, was cut by a river rising in the White Mountains in the west of Candia. A journey through it — from an altitude of more than 4000 feet at its northern end, down to sea level on the south coast of the island — is a perilous trip of two or more days traveling along the sides and bottom of the chasm. A Magic aura of 2 pervades the whole length. The route is dotted with many caves and springs — the abodes of nereids — as well as ancient cypress and pine trees. Here may be found many mountain flowers with medicinal properties. One such plant is the paeonia (peony), which was named after the god Paion. Paion was the physician of the Olympian gods who used it to heal the wounds of Hades and Ares. Also found here is the dittany, which is

The mythical protector of Candia, Talos, is a giant bull-headed man of bronze (not to be confused with the Minotaur) who was forged by the god Hephaistos as a gift to King Minos. He was first defeated by Medea, the sorceress-protector of the Argonauts. She removed the bronze nail in his ankle, allowing the green ichor from Talos' single vein, which ran from his neck to his ankle, to bleed out.

A local alchemist later restored Talos by brewing new blood for him; if drained, the ichor amounts to 7 pawns of Ignem vis. During the Byzantine era, Talos was bound for many centuries into one of the cellars in the ruins of the Labyrinth of Knossos, but he was recently released when the ancient spell failed.

The giant bronze man, which has a

Magic Might of 35 and a Size of +3, has resumed his protection of the island. He circles it thrice daily — a legendary feat, given that this is a distance of hundreds of miles — and hurls huge rocks at any enemy ships he encounters. Should enemies disembark on the shore, Talos makes himself red-hot and grapples them in a fiery death grip.

Unsurprisingly, Talos has proven himself a menace to Venetian shipping, and the new rulers of Candia have announced a handsome reward for the capture or slaying of this "demon." This might attract the interest of magi, and the true nature of Talos, if discovered, would be of great interest to House Verditius. Equally, Talos might make a suitable patron for a covenant on Candia.

chewed by wild ibex to heal their wounds. In constrast, the dragon arum with its dark brown flowers is a deadly poison to all except snakes, and is associated with Hades.

At the center of the gorge, in a place where the two cliff walls loom more than a thousand feet above, yet are only a dozen feet apart, a pair of great bronze gates bars the way, forming a nigh impregnable barrier. Beyond the gates is a tiny settlement called Keno, which has a Faerie aura of 4. Here an ancient race of Cretans endures who worship Apollon at the temple at the center of their village. They speak Classical Greek with a Doric dialect, and are brilliant archers and hunters, although they know almost nothing of the outside world. Here, Apollon hid to escape the wrath of his father Zeus after slaying Python, the protector of Delphi. He fell in love with a local nymph and forgot himself as the sun rose late; even now, the sun does not reach the center of the gorge until midday.

One of the Theban Tribunal's most splendid covenants, but also one of its oddest and most inaccessible, Aegaea is an underwater sanctuary, occupying the supposed

palace of Poseidon at the bottom of the Aegean Sea. It has dedicated itself to the preservation and study of legends native to the Tribunal, both contemporary and ancient. Although it is an Autumn covenant with potent magics at its disposal, its members are believed to project little power beyond their underwater domain, and are consequently dismissed by many in the Tribunal — especially given Aegaea's Faerie aura and the strong Faerie bent of most of its magi.

The covenant was founded approximately two centuries ago by a Merinita maga named Orithyia. According to her story — she wrote several colorful accounts of her various fantastical travels, which have since become semi-legendary in the Tribunal — she was led through the seas to the site of the covenant upon her return from Arcadia by a powerful golden man with a dolphin's tail. She believed him to be none other than Triton, the herald of Poseidon, and negotiated a pact with him for her and her followers to stay there. The magnificent underwater palace that she had been brought to could be none other than that of Poseidon, she reckoned, which, according to Homer, was named Aegaea. Thus was her covenant formed under the same name, with Triton as its patron. The Tribunal was initially sceptical of Orithyia's claims, but Redcaps attested

to the existence (and splendor) of the site and its patron.

Since its founding, Aegaea has remained a poorly understood and somewhat withdrawn presence in the Tribunal, mistrusted by many. Apart from Redcaps, very few magi have ever seen the site, although most of those who have speak warmly of their reception. Under the leadership of Lucian, it has earned a not-undeserved reputation for being a somewhat unreliable ally. Shrewd observers have noted that Aegaea's allegiances appear to be as changeable and unpredictable as Poseidon and the seas themselves. Still, Aegaea has occasionally proved its worth to the Tribunal by dealing with underwater menaces.

The covenant occupies the supposed palace of the god Poseidon, which is located in a Faerie regio at the bottom of the Aegean Sea, not too far from the coast of Euboea. Inside the regio, the top level has a Faerie aura of 8. It contains a grand and elegant palace located on the sea floor, amid sumptuous gardens. Between the rocks are beautiful sea-flowers of innumerable hues, and other splendid plants whose foliage shimmers sea-green. The palace is a sprawling, open structure of numerous courtyards, buildings, and towers, Greek in style, but whose composition and ornate gardens are more reminiscent of a sultan's palace. The buildings are made of white coral and shells lined with silver and gold, and the floors are of a creamy pearl-like stone, inlaid with precious gems. The magi of Aegaea have established their sancta in some of the grandest rooms and towers of the palace. Honored visitors may be received in the largest and most central chamber, which resembles an airy throne room and is lined with Doric columns. At the far end, the majestic throne of Poseidon sits empty.

The water in the top level of the regio is surprisingly airy; mortals can breathe unhindered, ink dries on parchment, and fires can even be lit. It presents some resistance to motion, but not as much as normal water. With practice, one can either walk or swim through it equally well. Peculiarly, the realm is brightly lit by constant sunshine penetrating the waters above, as if the surface was only a few dozen feet from the top of the regio, although the covenant is in fact many hundreds of feet underwater. The palace is attended by tritones — mermen with green hair and eyes. Here and there, a beautiful sea nereid (see Chapter 10: Faerie Landscape) — a half-maiden, half-fish — may be found in repose. Sea lions, dolphins, and all kinds of strange fish and sea serpents swim nonchalantly through.

Aegaea's Patron: Triton

Aegaea is unusual in that its patron — likely one of the most powerful of all the covenant patrons — has a Faerie Might. Triton, the son and herald of the Olympian god of the sea, Poseidon, has the seeming of a great golden-skinned merman bearing a trident and carrying a conch shell trumpet with the power to calm or embolden the waves. Sometimes he is physically present at the covenant; at other times he may be far away in the Aegean Sea.

He is attended by a multitude of tritones (see also Realms of Power: Faerie, page 90), likewise mermen with the upper body of an athletic man and the lower body being a dolphin's tail. They have green hair and eyes, and most of their upper bodies are covered by small, hard, shell-like scales. The swiftest of the tritones, the centaur-tritones, have a horse's forelegs instead of arms. The tritones fulfill the role of warriors, messengers, and servants.

Aegaea stands greatly on ceremony and is influenced heavily by ancient legends, particularly those of the Olympian gods, and most especially Poseidon. Visitors to the covenant — who are few — are often invited to participate in elaborate ceremonies or reenactments of these tales upon their arrival, for which they will find themselves assigned a particular role. If Lucian, the covenant's leader, is feeling particularly eccentric, he may require some small story or quest to be completed before he will receive the visitors. Most Redcaps have managed to compress these tiresome welcome rituals to a tolerable level of nuisance, although Lucian still insists on naming each of them after one of the children of Hermes (Pan, Tyche, Hermaphroditus, Rhodos, and so on). They often travel to the covenant using the glass submarine owned by the covenant of Alexandria. The more adventurous may borrow one of Aegaea's several items designed for visitors to use. One such device is a necklace that transforms the wearer into a sea lion. Another is a floating orb surrounded by a bubble of air. The Tribunal's Redcaps also have a magical conch shell on permanent loan from the covenant, which allows them to alert Aegaea to their presence from above the waves up to a league away.

The covenant has almost no need for contact with the mundane world. It appears to be fabulously wealthy — or at least, the countless precious jewels and utensils of gold appear genuine, so long as they are not removed from the Faerie regio. When it comes to eating, fish and seaweed is the order of the day, with other more exotic dishes also presented by the faerie servants. The tritones appear to take care of the furniture and bedding materials, and provide the magi with basic tools and items of clothing. The only goods needed from outside are parchment and inks, and certain items of laboratory exotica. Over the years, Aegaea has built up a surprisingly good library. As one would expect, it has an excellent collection of tomes on Faerie Lore and Aquam. But besides the Hermetic books, it has also amassed a peerless collection of poetry, both ancient Greek and Byzantine. Horses of various fine types, but invariably with some measure of faerie lineage, are bred in the grand stables attached to the palace. They are occasionally presented to other magi and covenants as gifts, and once on dry land their faerie nature may manifest in unexpected ways.

Due to their inveterate and eccentric scheming, the magi of Aegaea — and especially Lucian — have acquired a reputation for being untrustworthy, and even treacherous. Only on matters concerning the Fay, where they will rigorously defend the sanctity of Faerie sites and castigate those who abuse them, are they predictable. On all other matters, they change their allies and friends seemingly on a whim. Shipwrecks are invariably blamed on them — several other covenants, perhaps overestimating Aegaea's power over the waves, have accused them in the past of all sorts of mischief at sea. In fact, they probably could cause huge problems for the other covenants' ships, if they could ever be bothered to.

Lucian, the unchallenged leader of the covenant, has assembled a group of magi that he imagines as appropriate for various roles in Poseidon's court and retinue. The membership numbers about a half-dozen, and is dominated by magi of Houses Merinita and Bjornaer. Some proficiency with the Art of Aquam is a practical necessity for every magus, for obvious reasons, although once one is safely inside the regio, it is not really needed. For magi not of House Merinita, the downside of continued presence in such a potent Faerie aura — eating faerie food, using faerie ingredients in the lab, and so on — is a rapid accumulation of Warping. All such magi who have lived here for a significant time have become heavily Warped.

Lucian the Scholar of House Merinita

Age: 112 (Apparent Age: 65) Personality Traits: Scholarly +4, Whimsical +3, Treacherous +2

Lucian, the last filius of the covenant's founder, Orithyia, is renowned among magi for his scholarship; he is especially interested in the literary traditions of the Byzantine Empire and ancient Greece. He can recite dozens of lengthy poems from memory, and seeks to explore the power of stories and rhetoric. Among the several Mysteries into which he is believed to have been initiated is the Folk Mystery of Story Magic (see Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page 98).

A white-haired man with a benevolent countenance, Lucian habitually wears excessively gaudy dark blue robes that have been embroidered with several scenes from Byzantine and Greek legend. In surprising contrast to most of Aegaea's magi, he is well-traveled and not especially attached to aquatic living. He is also an active politician, although his plans and motives often appear to be obscure and eccentric. He may suddenly offer or switch his support to any magus who he perceives as behaving heroically, or acting in accordance with ancient traditions or stories. Unfortunately, his influence is somewhat hampered by the reputation of Aegaea for unpredictable, even treacherous, acts.

Lucian has several Twilight Scars, al-

The Theban Tribunal

though they are not readily apparent: he has acquired a few mental defects, including an occasional difficulty remembering his own identity. He may often claim to be someone else, typically a figure from Greek legend.

Leukothea of House Merinita

Age: 73 (Apparent Age: 25) Personality Traits: Withdrawn +3, Tempestuous +2, Regal +1

Charming and beautiful, Leukothea's strong faerie nature can easily be guessed at from her appearance — most obviously from the tailfins that she has in place of feet, and from her purple eyes. Although born with the blood of the sea nereides, her Twilight Scars are gradually making her even less human and more like a nereid, a side effect of which is that her apparent age is actually decreasing. Her most recent transformation has given her a crab's pincers attached to her temples, which are mostly hidden beneath her greenish-blue-tinted hair. Lucian has proclaimed this as sign that she is destined to become the faerie Amphitrite, the bride of Poseidon. Although she may indeed eventually pursue the Inner Mystery of Becoming (see Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page 93), as Lucian urges, she has mixed feelings about this supposed fate. Nevertheless, she has recently taken to wearing gold-trimmed white robes befitting a queen. She may often be seen riding her dolphin familiar, whom she has named Hippothoon, after a mortal son of Poseidon.

Delfini of House Bjornaer

Age: 62 (Apparent Age: 43) Personality Traits: Gregarious +2, Curious +2, Fierce +1

As her name suggests, Delfini's heartbeast is that of a dolphin. Her decision to join Aegaea was thus more a practical matter of suitable aquatic surroundings, rather than being due to any particular interest in Faerie. A plain but earnest woman, she is friendly and inquisitive, and loves to swim alongside ships bearing Redcaps and exchange gossip with them — in mundane circles at least, a dolphin accompanying a ship is considered fortuitous. She is mostly well-regarded due to her outgoing nature, although some magi consider her nosy and view her with suspicion.

Krum the Swift of House Bjornaer

Age: 57 (Apparent Age: 40)

Personality Traits: Competitive +3, Naive +2, Changeable +2

Krum is a tall, athletic Bulgarian magus, with the heartbeast of a stallion. As a young magus he was a member of Moero's Garden in Constantinople, where he delighted in running races in the capital's great Hippodrome. After the sack of the city in 1204 and the subsequent move of that covenant to Nicaea, he met with Lucian at the Tribunal of 1207. Lucian regaled him with colorful tales of Poseidon, the god who was the creator of the horse and the inventor of the art of riding and horse-races. Persuaded and enthused by these legends, and in a rather drastic change of scenery, Krum promptly joined Aegaea. His current idea is to develop his inner heartbeast into one of the great golden-maned sea-horses that drew Poseidon's chariot.

Being self-sufficient in most regards, and relying on the palace's attendant tritones, the magi of Aegaea have almost no human servants. Neither do they have a mortal turb to speak of, but can instead call upon an army of warrior tritones in case of need.

Favonius is an unconventional covenant — a flotilla of four main ships accompanied by a host of others, in constant movement around the Aegean Sea. It is the creation of Memnos, one of the most

famous Verditii alive, and is driven to constant movement by its thrill-seeking patron spirit.

Some fifty years ago, Memnos of Verditius conceived a daring plan for a new covenant. In his travels through mainland Greece

The covenant of Favonius consists of four round ships, and a dozen or so auxiliary vessels. Two of the main ships are constructed

Each of the four main ships is a structure of Excellent Quality (City & Guild, page 69). Because of the quality of workmanship, pilots receive a +2 to any navigation rolls, and captains receive a +2 bonus to any ship-handling rolls. The Tereus and The Halcyon are both Size +9 and have 16 damage levels (City & Guild, page 77); The Philomela and The Procne are Size +8 and Size +7 respectively, and have 12 damage levels each. Typically, damage levels are only lost from storms, fire, naval combat, and magical attacks. In addition to the enchantments mentioned earlier, all four ships have enchantments granting protection against fire and the ability to repair damage by incorporating new wood. These ships are bought with the Magical Fortress Boon, and their enchantments do not cost covenant Build Points. Additionally, The Philomela and The Tereus have been outfitted with a total of five laboratories. The new ship, should it join the covenant, will have an additional three laboratories.

from Dryops' wood, and bear both an aura and a regio that are exactly the same size as the ship itself. The magi's living quarters are on the mundane level of the regio, in a Magic aura of 2. However, each is configured with a secret way into the regio, which has a Magic aura of 3. This extra space serves as the magus' laboratory.

The four main ships are:

The Philomela: The first of Memnos' creations, The Philomela is 72 feet long, and houses the laboratories of two magi. Its captain is Verecunda of Verditius. The Philomela sets the pace and direction of the fleet, since its timbers are enchanted with magic that compels and directs the wind under the control of its captain.

The Tereus: The second of Favonius' magical ships, and at 18 feet longer than The Philomela, big enough for three laboratories. Its captain is Aeliophanes of Flambeau.

The Procne: The principle trading vessel of Fa-

vonius, The Procne is a typical example of the round ships that ply the Aegean Sea. It is 60 feet long with one deck devoted nearly entirely to hold space. Its captain is Basil of Andros.

The Halcyon: This ship is little more than a barge; at 115 feet long and 40 feet wide, it is the largest and least maneuverable of the covenant's vessels, and serves as the common space for the magi to hold meetings. When the magi are not using it, the hold of The Halcyon is used to store the most expensive and delicate supplies of the covenant. Kept at the center of the fleet, The Halcyon is enchanted with spells that quell violent waves in its immediate vicinity, and thus is important to the safety of the covenant.

Some of the other ships are Memnos' early creations. Some have Sails and Rudders of Quality, others have minor enchantments to enhance speed or maneuverability.

Dryops was once simply a woodpecker spirit (one of the Fauni, see Realms of Power: Magic, page 103), but its ambition and restlessness soon brought it the status of a genius loci of the wood on a mountain. Yet Dryops was still dissatisfied: as a bird spirit it has been able to move, but now it was fixed to a location. When Memnos suggested his plan, Dryops was eager to partake. Through Transformation (Realms of Power: Magic, page 52), Dryops surrendered its role as a Daimon and a genius loci, and once more became a wandering spirit. Favonius currently owes a major debt to Dryops, whose powers gave the covenant its life. Every time the spirit uses its Regio power, it permanently loses 15 points from its Might. However, the adventures it experiences as the spirit of the covenant's fleet makes it content to shoulder this burden.

To those with Second Sight, Dryops appears as a goose-sized woodpecker, with a black-and-white-spotted body and a red face. He is normally seated in the rigging of one of the ships.

Favonius keeps clear of the major shipping lanes so as to keep a low profile, and is constantly on the move. It is most commonly found in the Aegean Sea, but has made journeys to the Black Sea, to Cyprus and Egypt, and to Sicily. Most of the time the ships remain together, but the smaller cogs that sail with it are often outriders that keep an eye on local traffic — particularly naval vessels. Favonius is usually amenable to giving passage to magi from other covenants if it does not take them too far out of their way, but since they rarely have a destination in mind they rarely refuse such a

request. If it is inconvenient or distant, they may ask for the neutralization of a shard for one of their members, but even this is occasionally waived if the journey takes them somewhere new.

Although Dryops has never complained about the loss of Might it suffered to create new regiones for the covenant, the magi have agreed to devote time and effort to find ways to restore this lost Might to their patron. This means that they are often slaves to the whim of the spirit, who has different ideas than they do about what constitutes excitement and adventure; such escapades often place the covenant in not-inconsiderable danger. However, the spirit has recovered sufficiently to entertain the suggestion put to it by Memnos of adding an additional sanctum ship to Favonius, allowing new members to join the covenant.

The founder of Favonius is Memnos, who remains on land at his shipyard. Memnos' filia Verecunda is the de facto leader of the covenant, and has her sanctum on The Philomela. Aeliophanes is in charge of The Tereus. The other two magi (one on The Philomela, one on The Tereus) have been left for the storyguide to describe. Alternatively, one or both of these sancta could be vacant, and with the imminent addition of a fifth ship to Favonius, this could be an interesting home covenant for the player characters.

Memnos of House Verditius

Age: 92 (Apparent Age: 58)

Personality Traits: Hubris +4, Fearful of Open Water +3, Diligent +2, Talkative –2

Memnos is the founder of the covenant and architect of its marvelous vessels. He is a member of the Mystic Fraternity of Samos (The Mysteries Revised Edition pages 126 –129); or, if your saga does not include this Mystery Cult, a suitable alternative that teaches Hermetic Architecture. He has always been fascinated with ships and boats, and is specialized in their enchantment. However, an unfortunate incident during a Mystery Initiation left him with a Death Prophecy that he would die "with the sky above him and the sea beneath him". He has never actually sailed on any of his ships for fear of the prophecy's completion. He has become famed as a builder of sea-going vessels and is nearly always busy working on one commission or another.

Memnos is a healthy man apparently in his fifties, with curly black hair and a full beard. His skin has turned nut-brown from his outdoors life on the seashore. His work with hefty beams of wood has left him massively muscled, and he is an expert climber with a good sense of balance. He is best skilled in the Art of Rego, and is particularly accomplished in craft magic, which he uses to lighten his work. He has a team of 4 forge-companions (see Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page 113), and his laboratory on Andros contains many specializations and enhancements.

Verecunda of House Verditius

Age: 51 (Apparent Age: 38)

Personality Traits: Avaricious +3, Uncompromising +2, Careless +1, Hubris +1

A limber woman who typically dresses as one of the sailors — which is far more practical than robes on deck — Verecunda holds the title of Gubernatrix, the chief helmsman of the fleet. Unlike her master Memnos, her enchantment skills are specialized in ropes, knots, cords, and twine; a focus which proves very useful aboard ship, but not one that has led to a steady client-base for enchanted items. Her familiar is a monkey, which she picked up on one of their more long-distance journeys when the covenant was smaller. He can often be seen in the rigging of The Philomela keeping watch.

Age: 32 (Apparent Age: 19) Personality Traits: Adventurous +2, Proud +2, Careful –3

Aeliophanes has his sanctum on The Tereus, but he spends little time there. He spends the majority of his hours on his personal vessel, a one-man sailing boat commissioned at his own expense from Memnos. He is a monster hunter, delighting in chasing down creatures purely for their vis. It is well-known in the Tribunal that if a covenant has a problem with a monster with which the magi cannot themselves cope, Aeliophanes will dispatch it for them — if he can be found to ask. His motivation is a lust for glory rather than a desire to help. But despite this, Aeliophanes is a likeable person and a favorite among the grogs thanks to his gung-ho attitude and Gentle Gift.

Aeliophanes appears to be in the prime of his life (he has the Unaging Virtue); a darkhaired young hero with a neatly trimmed beard. His spear is his talisman, and it is enchanted with several effects to enhance its use as a weapon without being stopped by the Might of the creatures he hunts.

The covenfolk of Favonius have been gathered from all over the Mediterranean Sea, and use the Lingua Franca (see Chapter 4: Culture and Customs) to communicate with each other. The number of covenfolk varies with the season; some overwinter with their families on various islands. A dozen small cogs and scores of skiffs and rafts comprise the flotilla.

Basil of Andros

The most important of the covenant's companions, Basil of Andros ensures its flow of supplies. He is a merchant-adventurer (City & Guild, page 108) well on his way to establishing his own trading house. He has a fiery temper and argues constantly with Verecunda about the need for profitable journeys rather than adventures.

Peter Monocheiros

Peter "One Hand" is a pirate who owns two of the vessels of the flotilla, and has the allegiance of eight of the covenant's most capable warriors. Peter owes his life to Aeliophanes, and is utterly loyal. In return for the protection of the fleet, Peter offers one third of his plunder to the covenant; anything identifiable or sensitive is passed on to Basil for trading in distant ports. Peter takes pains to ensure his predations cannot be linked back to Favonius; he and his crew wear masks when at "work," and their ships are enchanted to take on different appearances.

If a House's domus magna is defined as the home of the primus, then Ingasia — an autumn covenant on the island of Lemnos — is the domus magna of House Verditius. Having recently

become primus, Stouritus of House Verditius has decided to remain at his home covenant instead of relocating to Verdi. Typically selfconsumed, most Verditius magi aren't particularly concerned with where the domus magna is, and Stouritus' decision has not had any effect. As 1234 draws closer, the date of the next Verditius Contest, this issue will become much more important.

Ingasia has housed Gifted enchanters for centuries, since long before the Order of Hermes existed. During the heyday of the Greek gods, Hephaestus built a forge on Lemnos and gathered and trained Gifted individuals to assist him. The Gifted wizards remained after the god's departure, living apart to mitigate the innate hostility and suspicion they felt for each other, but continuing to work at the forge. Though never prosperous, the wizards of the forge endured, training apprentices and continuing their tradition of magical enchantments.

With the introduction of the Order of Hermes and Parma Magica, the wizards could truly work together, and membership blossomed from two to three to six and more. Legally, Ingasia was founded after Verdi; but historically, Ingasia was the first forge created by Hephaestus. This has given Ingasia's members the idea that the covenant is older and more venerable than Verdi.

As the Order grew, so did Ingasia. It remained neutral in the many mundane wars that scarred Thebes, and in the various strifes that rocked the Order. Manufacturing and selling enchanted items to both sides of any conflict, Ingasia avoided favoring one faction over another. The fall of Constantinople has complicated the situation, however. Lemnos was awarded to Venice as one of the spoils of the crusade, and has been under her control since 1204. The Venetians naturally wanted to claim the whole island and all of its products, including the valuable Lemnia Sphragis (Lemnian Earth) — reddish earth mined near the city of Hephaestia and used as an astringent for hemorrhages and snakebites. The seizure of this profitable resource has diminished Ingasia's finances, forcing the magi to raise their prices on sold enchanted items.

Lemnos is shaped like an upside down "U," with a deep natural bay on the southern side of the island. Most of the island is

Ingasia is a collection of stone houses that dot the slopes of Mt. Mosychlos. One large stone building serves as the covenant's meeting hall and entrance to the labyrinth that lies underneath the side of the volcano. Each magus has his own above-ground residence, but the laboratories, vis stores, and libraries are located underground in the labyrinth. The labyrinth runs throughout Mt. Mosychlos, with many hidden tunnels and secret caverns. While past residents may have explored all of it, the current magi haven't, and only use the tunnels that lead to familiar rooms. In the center of this labyrinth is the Forge of Hephaistos, the center point of the covenant's Magic aura of 4, near the molten core of the volcano. The forge has been converted into a Hermetic laboratory, specialized to provide a +8 bonus to Rego magic and a +5 bonus to creating enchanted items. The magi share this space, besides using their individual laboratories.

Stated Purpose

Ingasia's stated purpose is to continue the traditions of House Verditius. It serves the Tribunal as a whole by strictly retaining its neutral position and continuing to sell manufactured enchanted items to all parties who can afford the cost.

Patron Spirit

Ingasia's patron spirit is Mosychlos, the volatile genius loci of the volcano that bears its name. The spirit has little interest in the magi, and the magi were happy to parasitically live in the spirit's Magic aura. When the Thebes Tribunal was founded, however, and every covenant was required to have a patron spirit, the magi of Ingasia created a formal pact with the spirit.

Mosychlos is cantankerous and ornery. His grumbling can shake the ground, sometimes collapsing some of the labyrinth's

tunnels, and in his ire he can send molten lava flooding into the tunnels nearest the volcano's core. Through the oath of his formal binding, he has promised to minimize these occurrences, but they still happen periodically. The magi have reacted by creating several enchanted devices that will prevent the magma flow and shore up the tunnels. As long as the devices are in place, there is nothing to fear from Mosychlos.

Ingasia's schedule is as regular as a weaver's guild house. Forge-companions and magi work during the day, Stouritus and his autocrat plan the future, and vendatores broker the sale of enchanted items. Redcaps visit regularly, keeping Stouritus informed of the needs of the magi of the Tribunal, distant news from Verdi, and gossip and tales of the other Verditius magi of the Tribunal. Stouritus oversees all of the covenant's interior and exterior concerns, leaving the magi to work in their laboratories and forges.

With his recent ascension to primus, Stouritus has building plans for Ingasia. Determined that the Contest will be held here, he has drawn up plans for larger, more-prestigious buildings above ground, and additional laboratories below. No ground has been broken, but shipments of Egyptian marble and Trebizond oak are due, and gangs of masons and laborers have been recruited from the villages.

Stouritus has recently announced that Ingasia will welcome new members of House Verditius. He is trying to show the Tribunal and the Order that Ingasia is welcoming, wellrun, and magnanimous. At the same time, he hopes to show how conservative, close-minded, and rife with internal conflict Verdi is.

Ingasia has six members, all of House Verditius. Stouritus is the eldest, followed by Theorus the Old, Hydatius, Eudoxia, and Bobila and Gemma.

Stouritus of House Verditius

Age: 178 (Apparent Age: 93) Personality Traits: Driven +3, Humble +2, Hubris +1

The Theban Tribunal

Stouritus is a rare magus among House Verditius; he is humble. Long suspecting that he would one day be primus, he avoided the majority of the House's Inner Mysteries that would foster his pride, and concentrated on the House's history, members, and legal rulings. To his mind, House Verditius is the one House that can withstand the tests of time; no matter how old a magus grows, he will eventually cease to exist, while the enchanted items of House Verditius can be eternal. He has focused on making Ingasia a shining example of a model House Verditius covenant, and has succeeded.

As eldest magus and ruler of Ingasia, Stouritus would like to forbid vendettas among the covenant's members. He has no legal authority to do so, however, and so he leads by example, refusing to engage in what he sees as a violent and fractious custom of his House. Luckily, Hydatius follows this example, reinforcing Stouritus' peaceful posture. Stouritus has participated in the Tribunal's government for seventy some years, and has a reputation as an honest, fair-minded magus.

Stouritus' long-standing concern has been the number of magical items members of his House can sell to mundanes. The Order's only rule concerning the sale of enchanted items is that magi must use intermediaries when selling to mundanes; the number of items sold has never been definitely set by a Grand Tribunal, though many Tribunals follow the example of the Roman Tribunal, allowing one enchanted item annually. Through the years, Stouritus has managed to increase the number of items sold to five. He has also convinced the Theban Tribunal that Items of Quality (Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page 124) are not enchanted items per se, and do not count against the total number of enchanted items sold.

Euxodia of House Verditius

Age: 57 (Apparent Age: 42) Personality Traits: Hubris +3, Unpleasant +2, Gossip +1

Eudoxia is a maker of enchanted mosaics and a member of the Confraternity of Irene (Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page 122). Spiteful and full of hubris, Eudoxia is exploring the mysteries of automata, having recently been initiated into the Inner Mystery. She has managed to acquire two of the statues that used to line the Hippodrome, and works to unlock their secrets.

Age: 89 (Apparent Age: 35)

Personality Traits: Hubris +3, Diligent +2, Bickering +1

Gemma and Bobila are conjoined twins, attached at the spine so that the sisters are always facing away from each other. Trained by Stouritus, they craft the majority of Ingasia's enchanted items, always working in their labs making magical things. They have grown used to their deformity, and work around it. Their labs are connected, with forges, workbenches, and other work stations mirroring each other, separated so that both magae can work on different enchantments at the same time. Of course, they must both work at their forges at the same time, or their workbenches, etc. Each has her own vendator and group of forgecompanions, and lead separate Hermetic operations. They are surprisingly efficient and constantly work, taking seasonal breaks only to increase their understanding of the Arts by studying raw vis.

Unknown to Stouritus, Gemma and Boblia are selling more enchanted items then they legally should. To make matters worse, they are favoring the Byzantines of the Nicaean Empire, the sworn enemies of the Venetians. As Stouritus is occupied with his building plans, they have escaped their parens' detection. This has bolstered the covenant's finances, meaning better food and better materials. But the sisters are crafty, slowly increasing Ingasia's wealth to avoid notice. Their long-term plans have yet to be revealed.

Few of the forge-companions and covenfolk are island natives. Most are karkinoi, descendents of a tribe of creatures found by Hephaistos when the god first fell to the island. Karkinoi are amphibious, born and raised in the water before walking on land, and have pinchers instead of hands.

The covenfolk live nearby the covenant in three stone buildings set near the coast, connected to Ingasia by underground tunnels. Two of the buildings house the karkinoi and the third is the home to the mundane forge-companions.

A dozen covenfolk live at Ingasia, serving as maids, cooks, and servants for the resident magi. The autocrat, Theodorus, has

a private residence, and is responsible for the covenant's accounting of both money and vis. Because vis is necessary for the magi's many enchanted items, Ingasia keeps a large store of it on hand, an anomaly in the Thebes Tribunal. Theodorus has noted that Gemma and Boblia are generating increased revenues lately, but because the money will pay for Stouritus' proposed building plans, he has not said anything about it.