Ars Magica - Tribunals of Hermes - Rome.pdf
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paizo.com #822388, Simon Cordner <mean_liar@hotmail.com>, Oct 19, 2007
paizo.com #822388, Simon Cordner <mean_liar@hotmail.com>, Oct 19, 2007
CREDITS
SPECIAL
THANKS
Writing: ShannonAppel and Chris Frerking
DeveloDment: Ken Cliffe
To thewhole damnWhiteWolf game studio. There are 20
damn people here now, dammit, and that’s too many to come
L
Editing: Alara Rogers
Art
Direction: Richard Thomas
Layout: Sam Chupp
ProductionAssistance: Kathleen Ryan
Cover: Michael Weaver
Logo: Richard Thomas
Interior
Art:
EricHotz,WilliamOConnor,JoshuaGabriel
up
with
joke names for every damn month. So I’m not doing
a damn Special Thanks. Dammit.
Timbrook
Cartography:Brian Blume
Back Cover: Michelle Prahler
Ars
Magicam was originally created by Jonathan Tweet
and Mark ReinOHagen
Cartographic Elements are copyright by Brian Blume,
1993.
0
1993 by White Wolf. All rights reserved. Reproduction
without written permission of the publisher
is
expressly denied,
except for the purpose of reviews. Ars Magica, Deadly Legacy,
Malfecium, Shamans Hidden Path, Pax Dei, Tribunals of Hermes
Iberia, Tribunalsof Hermes: Rome, TheWizard Grimiore, Mistridge,
Covenants, Mythic Europe,MythicPlaces, and the Last Italian Faerie
Forest are all trademarksand copyrightsof White Wolf.
Disclaimkr:Thecharactersand eventsdescribed in this book are
fictional, any resemblance between the charactersand any person;
living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Tribunals of Hermes: Rome
Digital Edition Version 1.0
Copyright © 2006 Trident, Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games.
All rights reserved.
AUTHORS’
DEDICATION
This book
is
dedicated to the members of Berkeley’s
Roman Tribunal Saga. Many of the ideas in this book were
originally presented in those stories. Thanks to Philip
Brown,Billy Filios,ScottGier,PhilipGross,DonaldKubasak,
DougLampert, Dave Martin,DougOrleans,Don Petrovich,
Dave Pickering, Eric Rowe, Matt Seidl, John Tomasetti,
Chris
Van
Horn,
DaveWoo, KevinWongand everyoneelse
paizo.com #822388, Simon Cordner <mean_liar@hotmail.com>, Oct 19, 2007
F
-
4
i
CHAPTER
ONE:
INTRODUCTION
Chapter One: Introduction
8
Chapter Two: Mythic History
14
Chapter Three: Hermetic History
32
Chapter Four: Roman Landscape
42
Chapter Five: Covenants
58
Chapter Six: Mythic Places
98
Appendix: Roman Vocations
112
“In recent years, storiesfinding.theirway out of the Roman Tribunal have grown more
and
morebleak.’ Even messagesfrom thegreat Mapillus itseljonce beyond reproach, seem to suggest
new
factionalism within what
I
once considered the Order of Hemes’ very Heart of Law.
For
decades, those
of,^
beyo&* Italy have looked solemnly upon its degrudution,.andmany of us had
given up hope. Recently, however, there seems
to
shine a
new
light. Jarune ojQuuesitor, the most
respected
of
ourHouse, saveperhapsforArliandus
of
Magvillushimself,has announcedthat hewill
gather a triad of$&.uesitoris, and they will go to Italy
tofix
the ancient problems of thepeninsula.
It seems one of the oldest Tribunals of the
Order
may
be saved.
“In
preparutionfor thut trip,Jaraneannouncedthat he would need curreiztinfbrmation on the
Tribunal and its co-pt ways.
It
was decided that another Magus, one who would not seem to
represent the oficial
triad
would be sent. I
am
honored to say that I was chosenfor the task.
Following are
my
oficial records
and
insights into Roman Tribunal;
made
in preparationfor the
arrivalofJarane. May Guemiaggrqntthatmy perceptions havebeen clear,andmy memory crisp.
“My first
siop
in the Roman Tribunal was Harco, the Covenant closest
to
Provencal’s
Doissetep,
cind
Domus
Magnus
of Mercere,aplacewhere]araneand theothershavemet in thepast.
SinceMercere is oneof the most respected Houses in the Order,
I
thought the visit would be ajoyfil
one. Instead,
Ifound
myself catapulted into the brutal reality that
is
the Roman Tribunal.
“Itwui afullduy’beforeI wasfinallyable
to
meet Insatella,
Primus
of
Mercere. Several times
there werefalse starts, when
I
was prepared
to
meet with the
Primus,
but othermattersintmened.
I
am still astonished that two merchants and one priest were both deemed more important than
myse2f.
“While I waited,,Iwandered around Harco, knowing that I could learn
as
much from the
covenfolk
as
from the Primus. The opulence presented before me was something
I
have seen only
in the highest courts
of
Europe. Everywhere the atmosphere was ‘amercantile one, something I
expected
tofind
in Venice, not in the heart of one of the
most
honorable Houses
of
the
Order.
Still,
there was one glimmer of hope in the Covenant. Talking with Guiseppe, a visiting merchant, I
learnedHarco was
extremely
honest in its trade.
So,
even
ifHarco is much too involvedinan arena
where Magi have no business,
at
least they behave in a manner that will not bring dishonor
upon
the Order, norfuel mundanefires
against
us.
%t
does not mean, however, that the Covenant’s
mercantile actions
skould
be codmed.
“WhenfinallyImet with Insatella,shewas studyingan agreement left
by
a
merchant. By that
time,
I
had no real want to talk with her,for I had
all
the information
I
needed.
I
simply presented
rny credentials
is
a
wesitor, and askedfor permission to use
a
Herines
portal
to
pass
on
to
Mapillus.
I
was again astounded, this time when Insatella said no. After considerable debate
I
finally convinced her that
I
was
on
important @mesitor business,
and
she allowed me to
pass.
I
could not believe that Mercere would have so little respect for
a
@&sitor, particularly one
performing .his duties.
..
,
.. .
,
.
“Harco was ovqhelming,for it shatteredmany of my illusions, but even
Harco’s
realities
could not prepare me
for
Mapillus. Despite my credentials
an
thefact that my masterpassed his
apprentice’sGauntlet at Magvillus itselfi I was not allowed into the Covenant’s inner sanctum.
Whenlinquired
as
to
why, Iwastold certainmatterswerestillbeingclarified. Isuspect thosewithin
him
the
t&
purpose
of
my
visit
and
had something t h b l e to hide.
“So,
Iamunhappy
toreport
that
Iwasunabletogaintheaidwehopedforat
Mapillus. Instead,
I
was kept evenfrorn
,
.!
.
leaying the true state
of
aflairs
within the Covenant’s walls. Ifear great
machinutio& ofpowergoon thhe,
rnhybetodowiththehrescascrolls
of agespast. Irecommend
that an organization.of supporters, outside Rome, move for
an
investigation of Mapillus,
Quuesitoris’so-called home.
“Greatly disappointed,
I
moved
on,
traveling
out
to
the city of Vieste. After several weeks
I
was abl3bconv(nce a shipcaptain to head to
Tunis.
I
had to pay him
amall
fortune, for he was
.
’
paizo.com #822388, Simon Cordner <mean_liar@hotmail.com>, Oct 19, 2007
.
--.,
’
very worriedaboutpirates,saidto make Tudsthnrhome. Fortunately, the tripwas an uneventjil
one, though the captain constantly engaged in superstitious rituals. Near the bottom of Calabria
he intoned wardsagainst the sirens. East ofSicily, hemudea sacrifice to the Cyclopes,begging that
they not take his ship. It is amuzing
that
even in cultured Italy, Christiansare still close to their
paganforefathers.
“When
I
walked through Tunis, it was clear that
I
was in aforeign land. The darker skin of
the townsfolk intimidated me so that
I
cast spells upon myseIf, to appear
as
they did.
I
was quite
relieved when I left thewalled city behind. I heard storiesofMoslems who dealt with greatmagicks
and demons, and
was
worried that my disguise would be penetrated.
“From Tunis, it wasjust afew hours to the ruins of Carthage,where Sansaronis located. The
trip was an awfil one. The heat was oppressive and several times I considered turning buck.
Occasionally beat gusts
of
windfrom the south bombarded me with sand. However, infrequent
olive trees became great oases to me, proving that the land is not utterly inhospitable.
“On
the outskirts
of
Carthuge’s ruins
I
was met
by
Ahmen, who I later learned
was
one of
SansaronCovenant’sfivecustos. He seemedsurprised to seeme, and
as
we picked through theruins,
he questioned me intensely.
I
prattled like some old hen, so pleased was
I
to hear Latin again.
“Sansaron itself is located in magically inspired caverns, below the temple of some ancient
Carthaginian god. After trekking across many areas
of
ruin we came to that temple. My guide
touched
a
huge block
of
stone, which stood within the temple ruins, and said a ritualisticphrase.
When the block magically moved aside,
I
was ushered into Sansaron,which is not to say
that
I
was
welcome.
“Ahmendisappearedfor
a
while, leaving me in the vestibule.
When
hefinally returned, after
abandoningme in that cold, dunk chamberfor an intolerabletime, hesaida room had been prepared
for me,for the time that
I
remained at the Covenant. That was all that was done. After being led
to my room, which was notfitfor apeasant,
I
was left alone.
I
expected’tobe greeted by Narisian,
head ofthe Covenant. Never have
I
been in a Covenant where visiting Quuesitoris were not met
at
once. When Ahmen appeared hours later, to bring me
a
scant dinner,
I
realized
I
was being
ignored.
I
demanded to be taken to Narisian. Ahmen reluctantly led mefrom my cell.
“To
say Narisian was rude would be an overstatement. However, he was quite abrupt. He
hud
no
desireto talk to me,
and
rehsed to let me look around his Covenant. It was made quite clear
to me that Sansaron had beenfounded in Afnca,
so
farfrom the rest ofthe Tribunal, because its
memberssoughtisolation. AlthoughNarisian was willing toputmeupwhileIwentaboutany other
business,
I
was clearly not welcome.
“So,
I
left Sansaron. The gloom that hud set upon me since
I
entered the Roman Tribunal hud
grown even more oppressive. All things in the
land
were compt; or so it seemed. Asfar
as
I could
tell, Rome did not have one redeemingfeature.
When
I
walked throughforeign Tunis once again,
I
scarcely noticed it. Ijoinedthe ship
I
had
left behind, and we wereshortly on our way to Cagliari,
the Sardinianport near Verdi. This time,
I
paid
nq
attention to the captain’s rituals, although they
were
as
constant
as
on our tripfrom Tunis.
“Perhaps the cool v&eerI developed is evidence $how the Roman Tribunal became so vile.
Perhaps its inhabitants, like me, were initially oflended by the
land’s
inhospitality and
sin.
In
growingcold to theirenvironment,they became
as
cruelandcorrupt
as
it.
Perhaps, had
I
remained
in Rome,
I
would have become asfoul
as
they.
?
f~
__---
-
2
A
-
y
_ _ _ -
’.
“It was not easy
to
getfrom Cagliari to Verdi. All routes which might have once led
to
the
Covenantwereovergrown.
When
Ifinally
didcomecloseto Verdi, Ifacedamental battle
with
spells
ofconcealment set upon theplace. Finally, however,
I
stumbledupon the hidden valley where Verdi
has residedfor so long. It was
a
place of beauty, seemingly
an
Eden
upon
the earth where magic
is the great mother, protectingand comforting all those within its embrace. Almost
at
once,
I
was
taken to Imanitosi’s great mystical tower, where I met with the
Primus
ofverdi. Shewas kind and
helpjil, constantly pointing out the good that her Covenant was doingfor the Tribunal and the
order.
paizo.com #822388, Simon Cordner <mean_liar@hotmail.com>, Oct 19, 2007
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