Ars Magica - Apprentices

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paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016
Even the mightiest

wizard of the Order of Hermes
once cast his very first spell.
The greatest Bonisagus magus of the age
was once taught the rudiments of Magic Theory.
There was a time when even the dragon-slaying
Flambeau faced his fear of the cook to pilfer cakes
from the kitchen. And the powerful Mentem maga who
now pulls the strings of kings and bishops once pined for a
glance from a handsome stableboy. 4419290 735982
They were all apprentices once.

This book contains advice and rules for playing apprentices
and other children in Ars Magica. It covers changes to
character generation and guidelines for development as
a child grows up. Rules for teaching Hermetic Virtues
are also included, as well as a broad range of
AG0300 ISBN 1-58978-128-7

spells suited to an apprentices abilities. See
Mythic Europe anew through the
eyes of Apprentices!
AG0300 ISBN 1-58978-128-7 $17.95

51795
9 781589 781283
WWW.ATLAS-GAMES.COM 2012 Trident, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Apprentices
Credits
Authors: Matt Ryan with Erik Dahl Fourth Round Playtesters: Jason Brennan, Justin Brennan,
Development, Editing, & Project Management: David Chart Elisha Campbell; Leon Bullock, Peter Ryan, Chris Barrett,
Layout & Art Direction: Michelle Nephew John A Edge; Eirik Bull, Karl Trygve Kalleberg, Helge Rager
Proofreading & Art Direction Assistance: Jessica Banks Furuseth, Andr Neergaard, Sigurd Lund; Antoni Morey
Publisher: John Nephew i Pasqual, Joan Bauza Soler, Melcior Parera Mas, Guillem
Cover Illustration: Grey Thornberry Gelabert Perello; Christian Rosenkjaer Andersen, Pelle
Interior Art: Jason Cole, Alan Dyson, Kelley Hensing, Jeff Kofod; Christoph Safferling, Jan Sprenger; Mark Shirley,
Menges; additional art from Medieval Life Illustrations and Treasury Camo Coffey, Andrew Walton
of Medieval Illustrations published by Dover Publications, Inc.
Ars Magica Fifth Edition Trade Dress: J. Scott Reeves
Publishers Special Thanks: Jerry Corrick & the gang at the Source. Author Biographies
Erik Dahl writes for Ars Magica from Davis, California. He
First Round Playtesters: Christian Jensen-Romer, Kevin Sides,
is very grateful to Matt, his co-author, for taking their youngster
Ben Hayes, Luke Price, Ed Woods, Lloyd Graney; Donna
under his wing and seeing to the later years of its apprenticeship.
Giltrap, Malcolm Harbrow, Aaron Hicks, Richard Love;
Now that it has finally passed Gauntlet and is out in the world
Volker Brkel, Christoph Safferling, Andrew Smith; Neil
on its own, they can both breathe easier and try to clean up their
Taylor, Phil Masters, Gary Parden, Arvan Pritchard, Sheila
labs. To growing up, and growing old!
Thomas, Peter Windsor; Sean Winslow, Andrew Crabtree,
Matt Ryan lives and works in the Finger Lakes region of New
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Andrew Reeves, Sam Bull

York State. When not working at his desk, he enjoys camping,
Second Round Playtesters: Donna Giltrap, Malcolm Harbrow,
hiking, and fishing. Apprentices have been a regular feature in
Aaron Hicks, Richard Love; Angus MacDonald, Brian
most of his sagas, and he hopes that this supplement will help
Watson, Quetta Watson, Sarah MacDonald, Cody Charm
players find the same enjoyment in their sagas. He would like
Maker Watson, Megan Salem Rose Watson; Matthew L.
to thank the many, many people who helped see this project
Seidl; Neil Taylor, Sheila Thomas; MaPhi Werner, Stefan
through to fruition, especially his co-author and the ArM5 line
Ehret, Alexander Bader
editor, Erik and David.
Third Round Playtesters: Pelle Kofod, Christian Rosenkjaer
Andersen; Leon Bullock, Peter Ryan, Chris Barrett; Jason
Fryer, Matt Dyson, Emily Dyson; Donna Giltrap, Malcolm Special Dedication
Harbrow, Aaron Hicks, Richard Love; Mark Shirley, Camo
Coffey, Andrew Walton; Sheila Thomas; MaPhi Werner; The authors and developer dedicate this book to their children:
Sean Winslow, John Geck August, Eleanor, and Mayuki.
Ars Magica players participate in a thriving fan community by subscribing to email discussion lists (like the Berke-
ley list), compiling archives of game material (such as Project Redcap), maintaining fan-created web sites, and running
demos through Atlas Games Special Ops program. To learn more, visit www.atlas-games.com/ArM5. You can also
participate in discussions of Ars Magica at the official Atlas Games forums located at forum.atlas-games.com.
Copyright 2012 Trident, Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this work by any means
without written permission from the publisher, except short excerpts for the purpose of reviews, is expressly
prohibited. Printed in USA.
Ars Magica, Mythic Europe, and Charting New Realms of Imagination are trademarks of Trident, Inc. Order of
Hermes, Tremere, and Doissetep are trademarks of White Wolf, Inc. and are used with permission.
ISBN-10: 1-58978-128-7 ISBN-13: 978-1-58978-128-3
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Contents
I. Introduction 5 Bastard................................ 9 Know-It-All....................... 11
Stories About Children........5 Orphan................................ 9 Late Bloomer....................... 12
Ages of Man.........................5 Virtues That Grant Protection from Diseases...... 12
How to Use This Book. .......6 Experience Points..............10 Turbulence Prone................ 12
Virtues & Flaws New Flaws.........................12
That Affect Size................10 Abandoned Apprentice........ 12
II. Creating Inherited Virtues & Flaws....10 Frail................................... 12
Young Characters 7 Child Virtues & Flaws........11 Low Tolerance.................... 13
General Characteristics.......7 Boundless Energy................ 11 Short of Breath................... 13
Age......................................7 Bully................................. 11 Slow Reflexes...................... 13
Characteristics and Size......8 Deft Characteristic............. 11 Suppressed Gift................... 13
Virtues & Flaws. ...................9 Dependence......................... 11 Abilities..............................13
Social Status Grows Quickly.................. 11 Transitions of Maturation...14
Virtues & Flaws....................9 Inconspicuous..................... 11 A Standard Apprenticeship. ..15
Apprentice............................ 9 Infatuation......................... 11
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List of Inserts
Aging Chart................................. 7 Story Seeds: Finding a Parens...... 32 Story Seed:
Example Childhoods.................... 8 Detecting the Gift...................... 33 Against the Masters Wishes.... 50
Changing Social Status................ 9 Apprentice of House Bonisagus....34 Story Seed: The Thrills of Love....50
Optional Rule: Story Seed: More Marriage Story Seeds....... 51
Abilities for Infants................. 13 Im Not Going Anywhere!...... 35 Story Seed: Time to Die............. 53
More Powerful than Normal...... 14 Hermetic Terminology............... 36 Story Seed:
Companion: Noble Child.......... 19 Teaching Schedule..................... 37 Wheres the Money?............... 53
Apprentice: Foundling Child..... 20 Story Seed: Midnight Rescue..... 38 New Laboratory Flaw:
Story Seed: Story Seed: Shared Lab.............................. 55
An Introductory Adventure..... 21 A Temporary Reprieve............ 38 Story Seed:
Story Seed: Fetch the Baby........ 21 Story Seed: The Inheritance...... 39 Where Did the Cat Go?......... 55
Turbulences and the Story Seed: Story Seed:
Aegis of the Hearth................ 24 A Convenient Suspect............ 39 Visiting a Colleague............... 55
Grog: Blacksmiths Son............... 26 Apprentice of House Verditius.... 40 Story Seed:
Story Seed: A Toddlers Tale...... 27 Story Seed: Where Are My Bat Wings?.... 57
Story Seed: The Unlicensed Loan............. 44 Story Seed: Investigating Evil.... 57
Who Stole the Baby?.............. 27 Tales of Wondrous Story Seed: Missing Mail........... 57
Story Seed: The Curious Cleric....28 Enchantments......................... 44 New Spell: Ager Belli................. 58
Grog: Urchin.............................. 30 Optional Rule: Story Seed: Trial by Fire............. 60
Story Seed: An Unlikely Ghost... 30 Learning Cantations in Play.... 46 Houses of
Companion: Merchants Son...... 31 The Dream Witches................... 48 Hermes Gauntlets...........62 & 63
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The Chameleon Cat............ 45
The Clerics Pate................. 45
The Cooks Revenge............ 45
The Curse of Diana............ 45
Curse of the Babys Bladder... 46
Closing the Campfire........... 46
The Dancers Dame............ 46
Ears of the Hare.................. 46
An Evenings Illumination.....46
Hurling the Droplet of Lye....46
Hypnotic Gaze................... 46
The Jongleurs Steps............ 46
Jupiters Tears..................... 47
The Laundress Clothesline....47
Mimic the Christs Miracle....47
A Pestilence of Fleas............ 47
Physicians Sense................ 47
The Poor
Performers Reward............. 47
The Racing Rot................. 47
The Reward Delivered........ 47
Sense the Sleeping Hound.... 47
Shattering Touch................ 47
Slap of Awakening............. 47
The Smokeless Campfire...... 47
The Studious
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Birth to Age 7 17 Ages 8 to 14 29 The Unruffled Traveler........ 48

The First Years...................17 Growing Up.......................29 Whispering Fingers............. 48
Birth and Blessing..............17 Hermetic Apprenticeship......32
Childbearing...................... 17 Finding an Apprentice.......32 V. Adolescentia:
Birth Apparitions................ 17 Becoming an Apprentice....33 Ages 15 to 21 49
Religious Rites Opening the Arts..............34
for New Babies................... 18 Opening Arts with Coming of Age...................49
Illegitimate and Supernatural Abilities......... 35 Marriage............................51
Orphaned Children............. 18 After the Arts Are Opened.....36 Supernatural Interests........52
Life in the Covenant. .........53
Early Childhood................19 Delaying Opening
Born with The Gift............19 Life in the Laboratory.......54
the Arts.............................. 37
Gifted Babies.....................20 Laboratory Turbulences...... 56
Legal Issues........................38
The Gift Revealed.............21 Laboratory Adventures....... 56
Teaching
Turbulence.........................22 Bellum...............................57
Hermetic Virtues...............40
Incurring a Turbulence......22 Failing an Apprentice........58
Acquiring House Virtues..... 42
Controlling Turbulences....23 Losing the Gift.................... 59
Gaining Hermetic Flaws..... 42
Effects of Turbulence.........23 Apprenticeships End:
Study.................................43
Infant Characters The Gauntlet.....................59
Teachers............................. 43
and Stories.........................24
Learning Parma Magica..... 61
Book Learning.................... 43
Character Design Notes...24 Post-Apprenticeship..........61
Training............................. 44
Infant Stories.....................25 Scholae Magicae................63
Cantations.........................44
Children and Animals.......26 The Apprentices Delight..... 45
Story Ideas......................... 26 The Appropriate Attire........ 45
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Chapter One
Introduction
Welcome to Apprentices, a supple-
ment for Ars Magica Fifth Edition. Stories You could, for example, allow a team
of grogs led by two adolescent ap-
Every magus, regardless of House,
begins his magical career as an ap- About Children prentices to stumble upon The Broken
Covenant of Calebais. They may not get
prentice, and this supplement fo- to the depths of the adventure be-
cuses on that time in a characters The legends of Mythic Europe fore seeking help from their masters,
life. While power and prestige may include many stories about children. but they could have many successes
await him, an apprentices life can As a child, Merlin saw the under- in the first half of the story.
also be tiring and unglamorous. ground battling dragons that were If your adventure is for child
He is surrounded by his studies preventing King Vortigern from characters exclusively, you need to
reading, writing, the seven liberal building his castle, thereby saving think about the consequences of the
arts, the practice of spellcasting, his own life and preparing the way players failing. It is much easier to
and the intricacies of enchant- for Uther Pendragon. King Arthur, fail as a child than as an adult charac-
ments and is regularly subjected Herakles, and C Chulainn are ter. Child characters have low Abil-
to noisome work and tedious labor. other famous examples. The stories ity scores and suffer an aging modi-
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Living within a covenant, an ap- of their childhood are every bit as fier to their Characteristics. Keep
prentice also plays with his friends, dangerous and exciting as those told this in mind when you design ad-
explores the wondrous magical and about their adult lives. Apprentices ventures. Be aware that your players
medieval world of Mythic Europe, will help you craft similar stories for child characters will fail. That is part
and unavoidably gets into trouble. your players characters childhoods. of childhood. While you may want
Apprentices also includes guidelines Remember that your group is grim consequences, you might also
and stories for other child characters telling stories about children, not want less severe results. Such fail-
as well unGifted boys and girls for children. As a storyguide, you do ures naturally lead to more roleplay-
with different backgrounds. The sons not have to make a huge shift from ing adventures. For example, rather
and daughters of the covenants in- the type of adventures you create than a dragon incinerating a helpless
habitants, children are a natural man- for adult characters. Like any ad- child, the beast commands the child
ifestation of any long-running saga. venture, you need protagonists, an- to clean its cave. Who knows what
Grog and companion-level child tagonists, dramatic tension, conflict, he will find in the fiends lair?
characters are the playmates, friends, and resolution. Adventures designed
enemies, and antagonists of appren- for child characters require the same
tices, and can be as important as they elements as adventures designed for
are. Descriptions of childhood dur-
ing the medieval period provide the
regular characters: a setting, a hook,
a trigger, resolution, consequences,
Ages of Man
stage for these characters, who await and NPCs. If you are using child and Medieval thinkers like to classify
your troupes imagination to scamper adult characters, you need few or no things, and the human life cycle or
through their own adventures. alterations to your regular stories. the ages of man, is included in the
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vast repertoire of categorized items. used to cover specific events and tunates fail apprenticeship, losing
Originating from the pens of pagan opportunities found when playing their Gift but still remaining use-
writers, Aesop expressed a threefold a young character. Because there ful in the Order. Bellum is magical
division, and Hesiod mentions four are several nuances to creating a game that adolescent apprentices
ages of man. But the most popu- younger character, chapter two is and young magi play to practice
lar division was by Hippocrates, devoted entirely to that task. Inher- their Arcane Abilities. An Her-
whose seven ages of man were later ited and Child Virtues and Flaws metic apprenticeship closes with
validated by Christian writers, most are new types of Virtue and Flaw al- the Gauntlet, a test to determine if
notably St Augustine and St Am- lowed only to young characters. an apprentice is ready to swear the
brose. The first three ages of man, The rest of the book is divided Oath of Hermes and join the ranks
each seven years in length, are in- into three main sections mirroring of magi as a true magus. Other as-
fancy (infantia), childhood (pueritia) the formative years of a character. pects of adolescence are included,
and adolescence (adolescentia). Chapter Three: Infantia details in- those that affect both Gifted and
The ages of man are apt titles for fants, both as characters and story unGifted boys and girls: growing
the different stages of life. Younger elements. Birth and baptism are up, getting married, and navigating
characters are more accurately iden- included, as are the difficulties and the supernatural forces that await
tified by their age of man category: blessings of being born with The every adolescent in Mythic Europe
an infant character is between birth Gift. Infants with The Gift can with interest.
and seven years old, a child char- experience Turbulences, magical One final caveat: situations will
acter between eight and 14, and an outbursts spawned by a temper tan- occur in which you and your troupe
adolescent character between 15 trum, paralyzing fear, or other emo- must decide how to apply the in-
and 21. Between each stage of life tional trauma. formation contained in this supple-
is a liminal period, when a charac- Chapter 4: Pueritia describes life ment to rules found in other Ars
ter can change, transitioning from between ages 8 and 14, a very good Magica Fifth Edition products. Ev-
one stage to the next. The trans- range in which to start a child char- ery character has had a childhood
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formational period allows a player acter. Most apprentices are found and the childhood rules can be used
to modifier his character, changing and accepted at this stage, and the for every character in Mythic Eu-
Virtues and Flaws that no longer ac- chapter covers finding an appren- rope, but how that specifically hap-
curately describe the character. tice and opening the childs Arts. pens depends on the character, her
Various teaching methods are cov- location, and her role in your sto-
ered, including rules for teaching ries. Learned Magicians, Muspelli,
Hermetic Virtues. Cantations, low- diabolists, spirit votaries, and faerie
How to Use level formulaic spells, give child
apprentices the opportunity to cast
doctors all had childhoods, but a
volume of this size cannot address
This Book formulaic spells in addition to their
attempts at spontaneous magic.
all of the issues that arise when ad-
dressing specific concerns with the
Apprentices focuses on child char- Chapter 5: Adolescentia de- panoply of non-Hermetic traditions
acters by providing opportunities scribes ages 15 through 21, the core that exist in Mythic Europe. Use
for them in play, showing how in- of Hermetic apprenticeship. Labo- Apprentices as a guide to further the
fants, children, and adolescents can ratory life is explored, from the enjoyment of your adventures in
have important roles in the daily mind-numbing daily chores to the Mythic Europe.
functions of your covenant. New opportunities for adventure within
rules are kept to a minimum and are a season of lab activity. Some unfor-
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Chapter Two
Creating Young Characters

Creating characters younger essary, to foresee a desired end for to adventuring in Mythic Europe,
than adults is similar to creating a child characters growth. While I but even the greatest weakness
adult characters: a player starts with might be creating a knights son as can be the source of drama for
a concept and then selects game my character, I ultimately envision your troupe.
specific attributes to define the the character as a knight when he
character in play. Example child- comes of age. Players who enjoy
hoods are provided for those de- such forecasting can influence a Age
siring assistance. Because children characters future development by
interact with the game world differ- guaranteeing predetermined Virtues One of the most important
ently from adult characters, many and Flaws (see Inherited Virtues and decisions when creating a young
of these attributes Characteris- Flaws later in this chapter). Discuss character is selecting his starting
tics, Virtues & Flaws, Abilities, etc. with your troupe how you see these age. Choose the life stage that you
need adjusting when applied to Virtues and Flaws developing, and would most like your character to
young characters. ask their assistance in steering the explore: infancy, childhood, or ado-
Like an adult character, a young- character along this path. Besides lescence. Any age is allowable, but
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er character is detailed as he ex- predetermined Virtues and Flaws, some will be more challenging than
ists at the moment he begins play. there are methods that allow your
For example, if you are creating a young character to change as he Aging Chart
10-year-old character, that char- grows into an adult. There are also
acter is mechanically defined as he set stages that allow you to change In the chart below, apply the
exists at 10, not as you would like your character if he has not devel- Characteristic Modifier to all of
to see him as an adult. It is fine to oped to your liking, changing the the characters Characteristics.
think that the knights son you are character so he more accurately re-
creating will eventually become a flects your vision of him. Age Characteristic Size
knight, but the character you are Modifier Modifier
<1 yr 10 3
playing is not a knight at the time
1 yr 9 3
you are creating him. This is impor-
tant. All characters change, a natu-
ral consequence of interacting with
General 2 yrs
3 yrs
8
7
3
2
other players characters and the
troupes Mythic Europe. Because
Characteristics 4 yrs
5 yrs
6
5
2
2
67 yrs 4 2
he is growing, a child character ini- Child characters are most ob- 89 yrs 3 2
tially changes more than an adult, viously distinguished from adult 1011 yrs 2 2
and Apprentices will help you manage characters by factors derived from 1213 yrs 1 1
those expected changes. their age and size. To be sure, some 14+ yrs 0 0
It is natural, although not nec- of these factors are disadvantages
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characters, those age 7 and young-
er, receive the harshest penalties. A
high negative Characteristic modi-
fier and smaller Size makes almost
any violent encounter lethal. Child
characters, those age 8 through
14, receive a smaller penalty. Such
characters also have more choice
in their actions, as 8 is the standard
age at which most children embark
upon their career path.
A characters starting age also
determines the number of starting
experience points, as detailed later.
Characteristics and Size

Like adult characters, younger
characters have 7 points allocated
toward Characteristics, with Vir-
tues and Flaws adding or subtract-
ing points from that total. A score
of 0 represents an average Char-
others. Characters younger than 14 teristics and Size, and these penal- acteristic for the characters age
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have penalties applied to Charac- ties can make play difficult. Infant group. Once determined, Char-
Example Childhoods
The following Ability pack- Covenant Bred Childhood: Ath- Mischievous Childhood: Brawl
ages describe how to spend the letics 1, Area Lore: Covenant 2, Guile 2, Native Language 5,
45 experience points a charac- 2, Folk Ken 1, Latin 2, Na- Stealth 2
ter has accumulated by age 5, to tive Language 5, Organization Shy Childhood: Awareness 2, Na-
speed up character creation. Most Lore: Order of Hermes 1 tive Language 5, Stealth 3
of them come from Ars Magica Exploring Childhood: Area Lore Social Childhood: Charm 2, Folk
Fifth Edition, though there are 2, Athletics 1, Awareness 1, Ken 2, Guile 2, Native Lan-
some additions. Native Language 5, Stealth 1, guage 5
Survival 2 Traveling Childhood: Area Lore:
Athletic Childhood: Athletics 2, Feral Childhood: Animal Han- Area A 1, Area Lore: Area B 1,
Brawl 2, Native Language 5, dling 1, Area Lore 2, Athletics Folk Ken 2, Living Language 1,
Swim 2 2, Awareness 2, Brawl 2, Hunt Native Language 5, Survival 2
Border Childhood: Area Lore: 2, Stealth 1, Survival 3, Swim 1 Wilderness Childhood: Athletics
Area A 1, Area Lore: Area B 1, Fighting Childhood: Awareness 1, Awareness 1, Native Lan-
Folk Ken 1, Living Language 3, 1, Athletics 1, Brawl 3, Guile 1, guage 5, Survival 3, Swim 1
Native Language 5 Native Language 5
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acteristics for young characters
are negatively adjusted because of Changing Social Status
age. Use the accompanying Age Social Status Virtues and Flaws possessed. For example, a young
Chart to determine a characters are likely to change during the squire (Minor Virtue: Son of
Characteristic Modifier and Size course of play. Since a child usu- Knight) kills a priest and becomes
Modifier. The character will even- ally follows her parents vocation, an outlaw (Major Flaw: Outlaw).
tually outgrow both penalties as most of these changes are minor. In such cases, simply change the
he ages. Son of Peasant becomes Peasant Social Status Virtue or Flaw. You
when the character comes of age. do not need to change other Vir-
Sometimes, the change is more tues and Flaws, nor do you need
dramatic and requires a com- to re-balance the characters total
Virtues pletely different Social Status Vir-
tue or Flaw than was previously
allotment of Virtues and Flaws to
account for the change.
& Flaws
A characters age has no bearing and Flaws allowed by character- person might deny being a childs
on the number of Virtues and Flaws type, and you may always choose parent, some honorable and some
allowed. Like their adult counter- fewer Virtues and Flaws than your less so. Regardless of the situation,
parts, younger characters have a character is allowed. children without parents are either
number of Virtues and Flaws de- bastards or orphans.
termined by the type of character.
Young grogs can have up to three Social Status Apprentice
points of Virtues and Flaws, and Virtues & Flaws
young companions and apprentices Free Virtue, Social Status
can have up to ten. Many existing Every character needs a Social The character is an apprentice
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Virtues and Flaws are appropriate Status Virtue or Flaw. In most cas- to an Hermetic magus.
for younger characters, although es, a child follows the vocation of
some need to be modified to better his father, a long standing tradition
Bastard
suit them. developed from the legal practices
At character generation, the of the old Roman Empire. When Minor Flaw, Social Status
number of Virtues must equal the a childs parent is socially recog- The character is an illegitimate
number of Flaws. The exception is nized, the child character has the child. The father may be known, by
an apprentice character who has same Social Status Virtue or Flaw. many or a few, but does not recog-
been studying long enough with Designate the Social Status Virtue nize the child as his.
his parens to have acquired the or Flaw as, Son of (Social Status)
Free House Virtue (see Chapter or Daughter of (Social Status). Orphan
Four: Pueritia). The Virtues and The child has similar privileges
Flaws Rules and Guidelines insert and opportunities to the parent, Free Virtue, Social Status
must also be followed (ArM5, and the same social limitations. The childs parents are un-
page 37). The child of covenfolk would have known or deceased. Someone else
the Free Social Status Virtue: Son serves as the childs caretaker, ei-
Virtues and Flaws must balance of Covenfolk. ther a relative, a kindly cleric, or
at child character generation If the parent is not socially rec- an institution.
ognized, pick one of the follow- If the character starts play as an
Characters do not have to have ing Social Status Virtues and Flaw. apprentice, he has the Free Social
the maximum number of Virtues There are many reasons why a Status Virtue: Apprentice.
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Virtues That Grant Total of 50 and teaches the appren- Inherited Virtues
Experience Points tice spells three times (one season & Flaws
for three years). A Weak Parens has
Some Virtues, like Warrior and a Teaching Source Quality of 8 and In a general sense, Virtues and
Educated, give characters addition- a highest applicable Lab Total of 30 Flaws denote a characters strengths
al experience points by indicating for teaching spells. and weaknesses. A child charac-
that the character had a past that ter may not have developed such
warrants such a boon. A younger strengths and weaknesses at the
characters past is not extensive Virtues & Flaws point in life at which the player cre-
enough to account for these experi- That Affect Size ates him. That is, the player wants
ences and such Virtues are prohib- the character to develop in a certain
ited for characters created younger All human babies are born Size way, but wants to play the character
than 14. 3. A normal baby grows to Size before those developments mani-
Both the Skilled Parens Virtue 0 by age 14, but not everyone is fest. Inherited Virtues and Flaws
and the Weak Parens Flaw make as- normal in Mythic Europe. Some allow the player to create that situ-
sumptions about the parens of the characters are smaller or larger than ation. Only magus and companion
character who selects them. Some- their peers. characters can start play with Inher-
thing about the magus is especially During the first year, a baby ited Virtues and Flaws.
strong or uncharacteristically weak. who will become larger or smaller An Inherited Virtue or Flaw
If you are following a standard ap- than normal grows differently from is one that hasnt yet manifested,
prenticeship for the young charac- other babies, and by the end of that but will under certain conditions.
ter (see later), a Skilled Parens must year is noticeably different. A char- For example, Bill wants his char-
generate a Teaching Source Quality acter with a Virtue that increases acter, Rufus, to hit a growth spurt
of 18, or have a combined Commu- her Size applies the adjustment af- at age 10 and sprout up in size,
nication + Teaching of 9, and needs ter 1 year, so that by her first birth- acquiring the Minor General Vir-
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a highest applicable Lab Total of day she is Size 2 (if Large) or Size tue: Large. At character genera-
50. A Weak Parens can only gener- 1 (if Giant-Blooded). Continue to tion, Bill selects Inherited Virtue:
ate a Teaching Source Quality of 8, adjust the characters Size through- Large. When Rufus turns 10, or
meaning his combined Communi- out her childhood. thereabout, he undergoes some
cation + Teaching must be 1, and Characters who are smaller dramatic change that increases his
his highest applicable Lab Total can than normal remain stunted, and Size. Until that time, however, Ru-
only be 30. while her playmates grow in size, fus is not bigger than average. The
The Skilled Parens Virtue and she does not. Continually adjust a character does not receive a ben-
Weak Parens Flaw are prohibited if smaller characters Size downward, efit from an Inherited Virtue until
the apprentice characters sources keeping in mind that a human baby it materializes, and the same is true
of instruction, including parens, cannot be smaller than Size 3. for an Inherited Flaw.
covenant, and library, have stats. This means that smaller characters An Inherited Virtue or Flaw
If the parens is not detailed, per- remain smaller during their child- has the same value, Minor or Ma-
haps an NPC without stats, then hood. A character with the Flaw jor, as the normal Virtue or Flaw,
the Virtue or Flaw may be selected. Small Frame, for example, will stay and counts against the total num-
A Skilled Parens has a Teaching Size 3 until he is 12, when he ber of Virtues and Flaws assigned
Source Quality of 19, and teaches changes to Size 2. A Dwarf stays during character generation. Use
an apprentice Abilities and Arts 12 Size 3 until he is 14, when he be- your common sense when select-
times (1 season for 12 years). He comes Size 2. ing which Virtues and Flaws can be
also has a highest applicable Lab Inherited. It need not be a biologi-
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cal event that triggers the Virtue or Boundless Energy her as if she were one age category
Flaw manifesting. Inherited mere- higher on the Aging Chart when
ly means the potential for the Vir- Minor Virtue, Child determining her Size.
tue or Flaw exists within the char- Youthful vigor surges through
acter or his environment and hasnt the character, giving him a +3 bo- Inconspicuous
yet materialized. nus to Fatigue rolls.
All Inherited Virtues and Flaws Minor Virtue, Child
must materialize by adulthood (age Bully Due to demeanor, disposi-
21). They can manifest at any age, tion, or supernatural meddling,
either through player decision I Minor Flaw, Child, Personality the character is easily overlooked
want this to happen when Rufus is The character feels compelled and unnoticed. She gains a +3 bo-
10 or in response to a gaming to pick on others who are smaller, nus on rolls that help her hide and
session That was a very fun en- weaker, or generally less confident. avoid attention.
counter and would explain Rufus He is likely physically intimidat-
growth spurt; lets do it! ing and relatively unpopular with Infatuation
his peer group because of this. The
character has a Personality Trait: Major or Minor Flaw, Child, Story
Child Virtues & Flaws Bully +3. The character is romantically
attracted to someone (not a player
Characters age 20 and younger Deft Characteristic character) with whom he has no
can select Child Virtues and Flaws, chance of a relationship, whether
a new type of Virtue and Flaw that Minor Virtue, Child because it would be inappropriate
reflects childhood boons and banes The character has a natural affin- or simply because it is unrequited.
that are outgrown by adulthood. If ity for a specific Characteristic and As a Minor Flaw, the character is
you select a Child Virtue or Flaw for only suffers half the normal Charac- infatuated with someone who likes
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your character, you must exchange teristic Modifier penalty (rounded him, just not in that way, and is
the Child Virtue or Flaw for another down) due to his age. willing to assist him on occasion.
Virtue or Flaw of like value (Minor As a Major Flaw, the character
for Minor, Major for Major) during Dependence is infatuated with someone who
one of the Transitions of Matura- doesnt like him, and who uses this
tion (see later). Minor Flaw, Child, Personality emotional advantage to order the
Other than the value of the Vir- The character does not feel character around.
tue or Flaw, there is no set pattern comfortable without a mentor or
for how these things change. Grows someone he trusts watching over Know-It-All
Quickly could become Large, Light him, and is extremely shy of strang-
Touch, Sharp Ears, or Tough. It is ers. When completely alone, he suf- Major or Minor Flaw, Child, Personality
up to you and your troupe. fers a 3 penalty to everything he The character has a deep-seated
A character may have both tries to do, and feels intensely aban- need to show off her experience
Child and Inherited Virtues and doned and fearful. and knowledge to others. She can-
Flaws. Child Virtues and Flaws not resist demonstrating her supe-
must change during one of the Grows Quickly riority, and often fails to impress or
Transitions of Maturation, and convince because of her self-cen-
Inherited Virtues and Flaws must Minor Virtue, Child tered attitude.
manifest before the character turns The character grows much more
age 21. quickly than other children. Treat
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New Flaws
These Flaws are appropriate for
both children and adult characters.
Abandoned Apprentice
Major Flaw, Story

The character was abandoned
by his master midway through his
Hermetic training. He knows Her-
metic magic and can cast spells and
enchant items like other magi. He
is not a member of the Order of
Hermes, however.
Some Tribunals rule that an ap-
prentice has a year to find another
parens before he is hunted down
and slain like a Marched magus.
Most Tribunals rule that abandon-
ing an apprentice is a low crime,
and if the character makes his situ-
ation known his parens may face
legal action.
Late Bloomer could be benevolent, malicious, or Decide at what age the character
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accidental, depending on the crea- was abandoned. Create the charac-

Minor Flaw, Child ture bestowing the protection and ter as a regular apprentice up until
The character is slow to mature. its future plans. that age, and then give him expe-
Treat him as if he were one age cat- rience points based on his age and
egory lower on the Aging Chart. Turbulence Prone other Virtues for his life past being
For example, a child of 12 would abandoned. If the character knows
have a Characteristics penalty of 2 Major Flaw, Child the Parma Magica, he must join the
and a of Size 2. This Flaw is only available for Order or be slain.
Gifted characters. Whenever you Even if the character joins the
Protection from Diseases roll a potential botch on a magical Order, his background continues to
activity, whether or not you actu- cause problems for him.
Major Virtue, Child, Supernatural ally botch, you must also check for
Some supernatural agent Di- turbulence (explained in the next Frail
vine, Infernal, Faerie, or Magic chapter). The character cannot at-
has granted the character immunity tempt to control this turbulence, Minor Flaw, General
from all diseases. The character can as he focuses on preventing the The character is weak of build
still suffer wounds and other dam- potential calamity represented by and easily hurt when undertaking
age, but diseases do not affect him. the botch dice. The effects of tur- physical activities. He has a 3 pen-
The reason for such protection bulence are always bad. alty to his Soak score.
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Low Tolerance with Magic Resistance and he con-
tinues to suffer the negative social
Abilities
Minor Flaw, General penalties of The Gift. Such a char-
The character cannot eas- acter may still use Supernatural Each character gains a number of
ily withstand pain and fatigue. Virtues and Abilities. He may be experience points for Abilities de-
Increase the penalties for reduced a member of the Order of Hermes, pending on the characters starting
Fatigue levels by one point, and depending on when his Gift was age. After 5 years of age, the char-
increase the total penalty from suppressed. acter gains 15 experience points a
wounds the character has received How The Gift returns should be year. Those with the Wealthy Vir-
by one point. You also suffer a 3 decided by the storyguide. Exam- tue receives 20 experience points
penalty on rolls for the character ples are surviving a laboratory di- per year, and a character with the
to resist pain. saster while assisting another magus Poor Flaw receives 10. These can
(perhaps that was how Suppressed be spent on any Ability the charac-
Short of Breath Gift was gained), comprehending ter currently has, General Abilities
a Temporary Twilight while in a logical for such a character to have,
Minor Flaw, General powerful regio, visiting the Magic and Abilities allowed him by his
The character cannot last as long Realm and succeeding in some task, selected Virtues. If the child char-
as others when exerting himself or undergoing a years instruction acter has a Supernatural Ability, the
and quickly tires during extended from an elder dragon. player may spend experience points
physical activity. He receives a 3 The troupe should consider to increase its score.
penalty to all Stamina rolls to avoid carefully how the character will A Gifted character may possess
fatigue, including rolls to maintain fit into the saga. If he replaces a a Supernatural Ability without the
Concentration. players magus, he has a very serious corresponding Supernatural Vir-
Flaw. If he replaces a companion, he tue. The player simply selects a
will become much more powerful Supernatural Ability for the char-
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Slow Reflexes
when the Story Flaw is resolved. Ei- acter. This is an option, not a re-
Minor Flaw, General ther approach can work, with care. quirement; many Gifted children
The character does not react
well to surprises. He receives a 3
to his Initiative total in situations Optional Rule: Abilities for Infants
warranting a quick response.
Most characters will begin play ence points must be spent on a
after five years of age, the player Living Language, typically the
Suppressed Gift
having selected an example child- childs parents native language,
Major Flaw, Hermetic, Story hood or created an equal child- but situations could exist where a
The character has The Gift but hood. For players who want to second or third Living Language
cannot access its power, having make a character who is five years receives experience points. The
old or younger, use this optional remaining 9 experience points
temporarily lost his magical abil-
rule to determine how many ex- must be spent in Area Lore, Ath-
ity through mishap or some other
perience points he receives. For letics, Awareness, Brawl, Charm,
misfortune. While the Gift is sup-
each of the first five years of a Folk Ken, Guile, Stealth, Survival,
pressed, the character cannot per-
characters early childhood, he Swim, or any Supernatural Ability
form Hermetic magic, improve receives 24 experience points per the character may have due to a
his Arts, or perform the Parma year. 15 of these yearly experi- Supernatural Virtue or The Gift.
Magica. His Arts do provide him
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have a Supernatural Ability, but If you are making an apprentice during each of the final 3 years. The
not all. If a Gifted character with character midway in his career, use allowable level of spells bought at
a Supernatural Ability becomes an the standard apprenticeship model. character generation is the same for
Hermetic apprentice, the Super- The character receives 19 experi- apprentices as it is for magi (ArM5,
natural Ability is usually convert- ence points per year of apprentice- page 32).
ed into an Hermetic Virtue (see ship for the first 12 years, which he A characters Ability scores are
Chapter 4: Pueritia). should spend on Abilities and Arts. limited by his age; young characters
Vocationally, children nor- For each of the 3 remaining years, have a maximum Ability score of 5
mally follow their same-sex par- the apprentice gains 40 experience (ArM5, page 31). Hermetic Arts are
ent. A character between 6 and points to spend on spells, with each not limited by age.
14 years old may put experience experience point buying 1 spell lev-
points in Abilities that his father el, and 6 experience points to spend
or her mother uses to make a liv- on Arts and Abilities. You may de-
ing. For many characters, this will
be either a Craft (Type) or Profes-
viate slightly from the standard
model. In particular, you may want
Transitions
sion (Type), but exceptions exist. A
knights son, for example, can put
to spend experience points gained
during the first 12 years on spells,
of Maturation
experience points in Ride and Sin- gaining 1 level of spell for each ex- There are three liminal stages
gle Weapon. Your storyguide will perience point transferred. Also, the that every young character goes
decide which Abilities are allowed experience points gained during the through, during which the control-
based on the characters childhood. later 3 years that are earmarked for ling player may change Virtues and
The child characters score is lim- spells, could be spent on Arts and Flaws. These stages appear between
ited to half the parents vocational Abilities. The number of experience the ages of man, when a person steps
Ability score during these years. points per year is more important from one age into the next. The first
After 14, the only cap on Ability than how it is spent: 19 experience transitional stage is between ages 7
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scores is determined by the char- points are gained each year during and 8, when a character stops be-
acters age at character generation the first 12 years of apprenticeship, ing an infant and becomes a child,
(ArM5, page 31). and 46 experience points are gained the second between ages 14 and
More Powerful than Normal

It is conceivable, and even model is a useful approximation, points and possibly more Virtues
probable, that creating a young explaining how magi characters and Flaws. If you want charac-
Gifted character and advancing receive 240 experience points ters at the end of apprenticeship
him season by season using the and 120 spell levels for appren- to be of equal power to stock
rules in this supplement will result ticeship (ArM5, page 29). Char- magi those made using the
in a character more powerful than acters made using the optional regular rules limit them to the
a magus created using only the rule Extremely Complex Char- standard study model. If they are
main rules found in Ars Magica acter Generation, (ArM5, page too young to work in the lab, as-
Fifth Edition. This need not be 33) will probably start play with sign them other duties. The maid
the case, and that decision lies more experience points. Charac- could always use an assistant, and
with your troupe and how far they ter made using the rules in this nothing teaches humility like do-
want to deviate from the standard supplement will be different from ing laundry. Not every lesson in
apprenticeship. both those methods, and will life is learned from academia.
The standard apprenticeship generally have more experience
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15, when the child becomes an
adolescent, and the last at age 21,
when the adolescent becomes a
young adult. Similar to other transi-
tions that allow characters to gain
and change Virtues and Flaws (see
Grogs, chapter 5), natural aging al-
lows characters to change through
transitions of maturation.
When a character passes
through one of these stages, the
player may change the characters
Virtues and Flaws. Both must be
exchanged for Virtues and Flaws
of equal value: Minor replaced
with Minor and Major replaced
with Major. Childhood Virtues and birthday. Characteristics must im- Make the change during the first
Flaws change during transitions of mediately be correctly recalculated, season of the year of the age of man
maturation. They may be retained according to lost or gained Virtues that the character is entering: 8, 15,
through the first two transitional and Flaws. and 21. While not as immediate as
stages, infant to child and child to Virtues and Flaws that affect on paper, in game this change still
adolescent, but must be changed Size may be gained or replaced, happens quickly. A sudden growth
by the final transition of Matura- as long as the characters Size in- spurt or unnatural knack with a par-
tion, from adolescent to adult. creases or stays the same, and does ticular skill set is fairly natural, espe-
Inherited Virtues and Flaws may not decrease. Thus, a 21-year-old cially for children in Mythic Europe.
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changed during transitions, but can could suddenly become Large, It takes roughly a season for the
also change at any time before the but not Small Framed. A 14-year- change to occur, and others will no-
character turns age 21. old could gain Small Frame, how- tice that the child is going through a
Virtues and Flaws that mechani- ever, since his Size is supposed to dramatic, but not unnatural, change.
cally affect experience points can- increase from 1 to 0 on his 14th
not be replaced but can be gained. birthday, but if he suddenly devel-
For example, a child with Affinity oped Small Frame, his Size would
in Single Weapon must keep the
Virtue throughout his life, but need
stay at 1.
Virtues and Flaws that reflect a
A Standard
not necessarily have had it since
birth; he may have acquired it on
characters background are only al-
lowed if the character experienced
Apprenticeship
his 14th birthday. Puissant Ability the suggested background in play. Most Gifted, Hermetic char-
and Art can be replaced, since both For example, a character can only acters are created as magi, start-
Virtues affect an Ability or Art score take Enemies if an appropriate ene- ing play after their apprenticeship.
rather than the experience points my has already surfaced in play. Vir- Apprentices allows players to create
used to generate the score. Virtues tues that award experience points younger characters, who begin play
and Flaws that mechanically affect are still prohibited for characters during or even before apprentice-
Characteristic build points can be younger than 21. ship. Because this process is dynam-
gained and replaced. A child could On paper, these changes are in- ic, allowing a multiplicity of starting
replace Increased Characteristics stantaneous and the character is im- points, Apprentices offers a model for
with another Virtue on his 21st mediately recalculated if necessary. a standard apprenticeship that can
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be used as a benchmark. According three seasons of Exposure experi- years the apprentices parens needs
to Hermetic Law, a student under- ence points. The standard appren- a highest applicable Lab Total of
goes apprenticeship for 15 years, ticeship model assumes that the 40. Thus, each year the apprentice
during which he must be taught parens has a combined Commu- gains 40 experience points to spend
one season a year. The other three nication + Teaching of 4 and can on spells. As learning spells is a
seasons are at the parens discretion. generate a Teaching Source Qual- Laboratory Activity, the apprentice
In game terms, the player receives ity of 13. Added to 6 experience gains 2 experience points from ex-
240 experience points to spend on points gained from three seasons posure in every season, for a total
Abilities and Arts, and 120 levels of of Exposure, an apprentice gains of 8 over the year. At the end of the
spells. What does this look like year 19 experience points a year for final three years, the apprentice has
by year? eleven years of the apprenticeship. gained 120 spell levels and 24 expe-
One convention that has be- In the first year, the parens rience points. The grand total of 15
come standard throughout the Opens the Arts, so the apprentice years of apprenticeship using this
Order is to have the apprentice gains Exposure experience in every model is 241 experience points and
assist the parens when not being season, for 8 experience points. 120 spell levels.
instructed. In long-term advance- During the final three years, the
ment terms this means one season parens teaches the apprentice spells.
of Teaching experience points and To teach 120 levels of spells in three
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Chapter Three
Infantia: Birth to Age 7

She urged all that was possible to divert of which are designed to mitigate ens, the baby loses a Fatigue level.
me from marriage that it was a bond the inherent risks of childbirth and If the baby loses five Fatigue levels,
always fatal to a philosopher; that the cries the first years of life. it dies.
of children and the cares of a family were If the mother dies during deliv-
utterly inconsistent with the tranquility and ery, the baby surely will too unless
application which study require. a surgeon is on hand to perform
a Caesarian delivery. A midwife
Peter Abelard, Letter to Philintus or physician adds her Profession:
Midwife or Medicine score to the
Why did people have children recovery roll. (These rules are re-
in the 13th century? To extend a peated from Art & Academe, page 63.)
family name or inheritance, to in- Several precautionary measures
crease the pool of personal labor, are available for expectant moth-
to guarantee a caregiver for ones ers: holy relics, superstitious folk-
waning years, or as a natural con- lore charms, and even Hermetic
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sequence of the bliss of copula- magic. If a religious artifact or relic

tion? Perhaps this and more, but has Faith Points, each Faith point
planned or unplanned, prepared or can be used like a Confidence
unprepared, people regularly had point to add +3 to a die roll. Creo
children. Historically, the 13th Corpus spells add the same bonus
century experienced a slight popu- to this roll as they do to normal
lation growth. Recovery Rolls.
Birth Apparitions
Childbearing
The First Years Childbearing is difficult and po-
Important peoples births are
sometimes accompanied by visions
Even the tale of how an infant tentially dangerous for both mother and apparitions, which herald the
enters the world of Mythic Europe and child. To determine whether persons future significance. In
has story potential. childbirth is successful, treat the de- Mythic Europe, birth apparitions
livering mother as if she had a Me- are not uncommon. Any character
dium Wound. Make a Wound Re- with Virtues or Flaws attached to
Birth and Blessing covery roll every two hours, and the a specific realm may be born with
baby is born once this imaginary an accompanying apparition, ap-
A number of rituals and practices wound reaches an unwounded propriate to the strength of their
surround the birth of a new baby, all state. Every time the wound wors- Virtues or Flaws. Apparitions take
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many forms: angels heralding the while others prepare to trap them the possibility of a childs emerging
birth with trumpets, devils pranc- and use them for their own designs. Gift. However, baptism cancels any
ing in a circle in the air, faerie An Aegis of the Hearth spell may pre- supernatural effect not associated
lords observing the birth, or magic vent a birth apparition from appear- with the Divine realm that may be
animals sniffing the newborn. Ap- ing, if it can protect the covenant affecting the child at the time of
paritions appear at the moment of from the creatures Might. baptism. Baptism also drives out
birth, seemingly called from their any possessing spirits, although it
native realm, and remain for a Religious Rites for New Babies doesnt prevent those spirits from
few minutes at most. Most have a coming back.
Might Score of 5, if the child has In Christian lands, the child must Jewish and Muslim children
a Minor Supernatural Virtue or be baptized soon after birth. The have similar practices. After birth, a
Flaw, or 10 for a Major Virtue or Church requires that each child has Jewish mother remains sexually re-
Flaw, and rarely have magical pow- three sponsors, two male and one moved from the father for 7 days,
ers. However, if the character has female for a boy, and the reverse if the child is male, and 14 days if
a Flaw that includes a supernatural for a girl. Each sponsor is called a the child is female. Eight days af-
attachment (Plagued by Supernat- godfather or godmother, and ter birth, a boy receives his name
ural Entity, Supernatural Nuisance, together they are called godsibs. during his ritual circumcision, the
etc.), that creature will appear as Parents cannot stand in as godsibs, brit milah, and a girl is named after
the birth apparition. but the priest or midwife can in the two-week separation between
Most magi know of birth appa- case of emergency. Most Hermetic mother and father. Muslim babies
ritions, and have various opinions magi were baptized, and this sacra- undergo a ritual purification imme-
about them. Some ignore them, ment does not hinder or influence diately after birth. A few hairs are
sacrificed and someone whispers
the adhan, the call to prayer, in the
babys ear. Both the Jewish naming
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ceremony and the Islamic purifi-

cation ritual have the same divine
effect as a Christian baptism: all
non-divine supernatural effects are
canceled and possessing spirits are
driven from the child. Like baptism,
these ceremonies do not hinder or
influence a childs Gift.
Illegitimate and
Orphaned Children
Some children are born out of

wedlock, either from an unmar-
ried mother or a union that the
Church considers inappropriate
(such as cousins). Such a child
is called a bastard, bast, hor-
cop (meaning whore head), or
leir-child (meaning child of the
lair or lying). In most societies,
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mother and child have a negative
reputation in their community. The Companion: Noble Child
child cannot inherit or own prop- Characteristics: Int +1, Per 1, (46), 5 (79), Incapacitated
erty, unless legally recognized by Pre 0, Com 3, Str +1, Sta +2, (1012), Dead (13+)
the father. Sometimes bastards are Dex +3, Qik +2 (4 Charac- Abilities: Athletics 2 (running),
convenient. Because bastards can- teristic modifier due to age) Brawl 2 (kick), Native Lan-
not inherit property, noble fathers Size: 2 guage 5 (courtly terms), Ride
view their illegitimate sons as loyal Age: 6 (6) 2 (galloping), Swim 2 (diving)
warriors who cannot interfere with Confidence Score: 1 (5) Equipment: Good clothes
their recognized heirs. This is suc- Virtues and Flaws: Son of Landed Encumbrance: 0 (0)
cessful to a degree, but easily leads Noble; Death Prophecy; In- Appearance: The nobles son is
to entanglements and succession herited Great Dexterity, Inher- a richly clad, clean scrubbed
struggles. Illegitimate urban chil- ited Skinchanger, Improved boy of average height and
dren are raised in hospitals, the Characteristics (x2); Feud, weight. He has a devilish look
medieval equivalent of orphanages, Know-It-All (major); Ability in his eye, a hint at the trouble
where free hospitality is offered to Block (Academic), Poor Hear- to come.
the poor and indigent. Some are ing, Poor Student, Reckless
abandoned, left at crossroads or Personality Traits: Know-It-All The nobles son is a handful.
on church porches. If the mother +3, Reckless +3, Brave +2 It was prophesied at birth that
hopes someone will find and raise Combat: he would die by fire, and he has
the child, she leaves a small packet Dodge: Init 2, Attack n/a, Defense led a reckless life. He has learned
+0, Damage n/a to ride from his fathers grooms
of salt with the child.
Kick: Init 3, Attack +2, Defense and is a proficient horseman.
+0, Damage +0 The character has two inherited
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Defense +2, Damage +0 Dexterity, that will manifest in

Soak: 2 the future.
Raising children is seen as wom- Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, 1, 3, This character also uses the
ans work in the 13th century. Noble 5, Unconscious Athletic Childhood given earlier
and wealthy women have a female Wound Penalties: 1 (13), 3 as a starting base.
staff to help raise the children, and
nurses, wet nurses, and rockers
women hired to rock the cradle
are common jobs. A peasant woman
activities as best as a child is able.
Toys are always popular, as are Born with
fills all these roles herself, as well as
doing her other household chores.
dolls, called poppets. It is very
common for an infant to form a The Gift
Childhoods are surprising similar lasting attachment to a favorite toy
for people within the same ethnic and continue playing with it into The Gift may or may not be in-
and socio-economic group. his childhood years. heritable, and each troupe must to
An infant is usually walking Once they are more adept phys- determine for themselves the likeli-
within four or five seasons. Once ically, games like ball games, athlet- hood of Gifted parents birthing a
mobile, children invariably begin ic events, and throwing games are Gifted baby. Ars Magica Fifth Edi-
playing, a necessary activity for extremely popular with boys and tion makes no definitive statement
them to develop into well-adjust- girls. Well-to-do children also play either way, but the implied default
ed, capable adults. The most com- games that strengthen their mental setting is that The Gift is completely
mon type of play is mimicking capabilities: chess, backgammon, random. If heredity influences the
adults, copying adult behavior and and dice. matter then a Gifted parent increases
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a magus as well (see Blood Rights in
Apprentice: Foundling Child Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 53).
Characteristics: Int +3, Per 0, Pre Encumbrance: 0 (0) Hermetic magi have been known
+1, Com +2, Str 0, Sta +1, Appearance: The foundling looks to procreate, in the hopes that their
Dex 2, Qik 1 (4 Charac- like an ordinary child wearing offspring will be Gifted. As of 1220,
teristic modifier due to age) simple, clean clothing. While no sound Hermetic theory exists
Size: 2 he isnt particularly ugly, many to explain why some children have
Age: 7 (7) folks think he is due to the The Gift and others dont, and the
Confidence Score: 1 (3) childs Blatant Gift. evidence of Gifted mothers and
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Or- fathers birthing Gifted children is
phan; Inherited Flexible For- The foundling was deposited spotty. There are exceptions. Sev-
mulaic Magic; Book Learner, on the priests doorstep mere days eral of Aurulentus of House Jerbi-
Puissant Latin, Sense Holi- after his birth. The kindly priest tons forefathers have been Gifted
ness and Unholiness; Blatant raised the boy, despite the childs (Magi of Hermes, page 15), and Petrus
Gift, Plagued by Supernatural Blatant Gift, viewing it as an act of Virilis, a Bonisagus magus living at
Entity Christian charity. Because of the Durenmar, is the exception, and all
Personality Traits: Outspoken foundlings adoptive fathers pro- of his offspring have been Gifted
+3, Brave +1, Devoted +1 fession, the character is allowed (Guardians of the Forest: The Rhine Tri-
Combat: to put starting experience points bunal, page 59). Other magi could
Dodge: Init 5, Attack n/a, Defense in Artes Liberales and Latin. be interested in producing Gifted
4, Damage n/a The foundling has a knack for children, quite possibly one of the
Soak: 3 books and reading, making him
magus characters in your saga.
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, 1, 3, an ideal future apprentice. As of
It is unlikely that a player will
5, Unconscious yet, he hasnt been noticed by the
play a newborn character and more
Wound Penalties: 1 (13), 3 Order of Hermes.
likely that the players characters will
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(46), 5 (79), Incapacitated The foundling used the Social

(1012), Dead (13+) Childhood as a starting base. He interact with a Gifted baby. Most of
Abilities: Artes Liberales 1 has an Inherited Hermetic Vir- the time this isnt any different to
(psalms), Brawl 1 (dodge), tue, which means that Flexible interacting with a mundane baby,
Charm 2 (clergy), Church Formulaic Magic will materialize although low level Turbulences
Lore 2 (religious holidays), sometime during apprenticeship. (see later) might frequently occur.
Folk Ken 2 (clergy), Guile 2 Further, it supposes that the char- As mentioned, curious supernatural
(lying to superiors), Latin 1 acter will eventually be found and agents may become involved.
(church usage), Native Lan- trained by a magus. The charac-
guage 5 (Bible quotes), Sense ter can still learn other Hermetic
Holiness and Unholiness 1 Virtues (see the next chapter), but Gifted Babies
(good) does not have to use that system
Equipment: Homespun tunic and for acquiring the preselected In- The Gift is not always present at
wool leggings. herited Virtue. birth (see later), but if it is present
than the Gifted infant has a much
rougher time than its mundane
the likelihood of having a Gifted matically produce Gifted offspring, peers. The negative social influence
child, making it easier for a magus reduce the Ease Factor to 6. While it of The Gift permeates every rela-
to find an apprentice. You might de- will be easier to find a Gifted child in tionship in life, both intimate and
crease the Ease Factor necessary for a this case, it might be harder for a ma- incidental. Long-term association
season spending searching for an ap- gus to claim them for his apprentice, can override these negative social re-
prentice to 9. If Gifted people auto- since the childs parent is quite likely actions, but that does not guarantee
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loving parents. A mother might love
her Gifted baby, or she might be im- Story Seed: Fetch the Baby
mediately repulsed by the newborn. One of the covenants magi es. Even if the grogs can save the
Babies with the Blatant Gift are of- hears of a child whom she sus- family and convince them to bring
ten destroyed or abandoned. Even pects is Gifted, based on reports the baby to the covenant, the re-
babies with the regular Gift can of spontaneous fires igniting in turn journey is anything but easy.
be seen as a curse, and grudgingly the childs presence. The village is Small fires continue to ignite and
raised from Christian charity rather days walk distant so she sends a draw the irate attention of the val-
than parental affection. It all de- group of grogs, the player charac- leys faerie folk, who strike back at
pends on your players and how they ters, on a simple mission: retrieve the travelers. Meanwhile an Infer-
see their characters background. A the newborn. Upon arrival, the nal hawk follows the party, hop-
Gifted child abandoned two hours baby has incinerated its parents ing to snatch the baby away while
after birth and raised by a group of hut and angered the villagers, the grogs are not paying atten-
magical wolves is just as viable as a who are on the verge of burning tion. Can the players return from
Gifted child who is loved and pro- the baby and its parents as witch- such a simple mission?
tected by his mother and father.
noticed, while a newborn with the puberty or an early traumatic event.

The Gift Revealed Blatant Gift might be instantly and It can also linger in a child well into
correctly cataloged. The Gift re- adulthood. The sooner The Gift
Sometimes The Gift is subtle veals itself in several unpredictable appears, the earlier a child can be
and difficult to detect. An infant ways. Sometimes it is evident at discovered and begin her Hermetic
with the Gentle Gift might never be birth, other times it is triggered by training. The most difficult days of a
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Story Seed: An Introductory Adventure

The largest town in the area is ated fear that surges through the One of the characters has heard
having a holiday, and folks from crowd forces the second (and of a wise woman who lives nearby,
near and far attend. Hundreds other) Gifted character to have and convinces his fellows that she
of children have come, includ- a Turbulence, at which point fear might be able to help them. This
ing the player characters. Each runs rampant. woman is actually a Gifted witch,
player should have a six or seven- The Gifted children find them- envious of the power wielded by
year-old infant character. One or selves in the center of a quickly the magi of a nearby covenant.
two players should have Gifted gathering crowd. Some of the With nowhere else to turn, they
infants, although their Gift has townsfolk scream that the children children head to the witch despite
not revealed itself yet. During are witches or demons and should their mistrust of her. She offers
the festivities, a game of football be slain. United in their escape, to help the children, but this is
commences in a nearby field, and the children run for their lives, (naturally) a ruse. While she even-
the children begin kicking an gathering their loyal friends (the tually leads the characters to the
inflated pigs bladder around. As other player characters). Separat- covenant, she first befriends them,
the game builds in excitement, ed from their parents and barely so they can then unknowingly act
one of the Gifted children under- escaping the frenzied crowd, the as spies for her. If she is advanced
goes her first Turbulence, which characters catch their breath while enough in her Hedge Arts, she
is an especially visual display that hiding in a nearby forest or back might wish to take one of the chil-
interrupts the game. The gener- inside the town. dren as her own apprentice.
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childs uncontrolled Gift lashing
out and affecting the child or other
nearby targets.
Incurring a Turbulence
Whenever a Gifted character
botches a stressful activity that
includes magic, he runs the risk
of incurring a Turbulence. That
includes magic can be taken liter-
ally or loosely. The troupe should
decide how tightly they want to
adhere to this rule, and whether
the storyguide has a free hand
in deciding when a child should
check to incur a Turbulence. Some
storyguides might decide that be-
ing in a supernatural aura or regio
is enough to warrant a Turbulence
check, while others might insist
that the botch result from an ac-
tivity using a Supernatural Abil-
Gifted childs life are those between
Turbulence ity. Discuss this with your troupe
4419311 736003
the time her Gift manifests and the so that you all know when a Tur-
time she is accepted into appren- Many infants are emotion- bulence check will be made. The
ticeship by an Hermetic magus. ally volatile, having outbursts and troupe must also decide if incurring
The negative social conse- temper tantrums over the small- a Turbulence replaces the botch,
quences of The Gift accompany est things. This otherwise normal or is in addition to whatever else
its emergence. As soon as a childs behavior can lead to complica- might happens due to the botched
Gift presents itself, she suddenly tions for a Gifted child, given his roll. For younger characters, it is
finds herself shunned by her peers inherent magical ability. Intense suggested that a Turbulence re-
and village members. Even loving emotional displays, or situations of place the botch, so as not so slow
and dutiful parents can be affect- heightened stress, can lead to un- down the game.
ed, as The Gift pushes them away wanted and uncontrollable magi- To see if a character incurs a
from the magical child. Friends cal displays. A temper tantrum Turbulence the player rolls the
depart and life becomes lonely could cause a nearby book to ig- characters Intelligence + a stress
and fraught with suspicious looks, nite; a sudden scare might cause die + Aura against the storyguides
secret accusations, and sometimes a rain cloud to form and burst in roll of a stress die (no botch).
open hostility. While the Church a room; or a bullys attack could Turbulences are a magic power;
forbids abandoning children, some result in the assailant being pro- use the Realms Interaction Table
Gifted children are still left in the pelled through the air in the oppo- (ArM5, page 183) to determine
wilderness to fend for themselves, site direction. Hermetic magi refer the value of the aura interaction.
and abandonment is an especially to these displays as Turbulences If the player rolls higher than the
large risk for a Gifted infant. (Latin turbula, plural turbulae): a storyguide, the character incurs a
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Turbulence. If the player rolls less Controlling a Turbulence: Effects of Turbulence
than or equal to the storyguides Stamina + stress die
roll, the character does not incur vs. Warping Score + stress die Turbulences can manifest as
a Turbulence. any combination of Technique and
Age is also an important factor. If If the character controls the Tur- Form, sometimes influenced by the
the players roll is less than or equal bulence, the player can determine characters Virtues and Flaws, but
to the characters age, a Turbulence the magical effects, with final ap- not always. If the character has an
does not happen. To incur a Turbu- proval from the storyguide. If the Affinity or Puissant Art, that Art is
lence, the player must roll higher character fails to control the Tur- a good choice. However, the sto-
than the storyguide and higher than bulence, the storyguide selects the ryguide may choose any Art combi-
the characters age. magical effect. Controlled Turbu- nation she likes. Despite Bonisagus
lence can help, or at least not harm, achievements, magic is not scien-
Incurring a Turbulence: the character and his surroundings. tific and cannot be absolutely con-
Intelligence + stress die + Aura Uncontrolled Turbulences are wild trolled. The only predictable fact of
vs. Higher of stress die (no botch) outpourings of uncontainable mag- magic is that it is unpredictable.
and characters age ic, and can be dangerous. To facilitate play, the storyguide
or player or both could pre-deter-
Exempli Gratia: Eriks seven year old Exempli Gratia, continued: After in- mine the typical effects resulting
character, Eleanor, uses her Supernatural curring a Turbulence Eleanor, attempt to from a characters Turbulences.
Ability: Magic Sensitivity to see if a rock control it. Erik rolls Eleanors Stamina Having a series of effects for several
she found is magical. Erik botches the roll (modified by age to 1) + a stress die (4) magnitudes is handy.
and must roll to incur a Turbulence. Elea- for a total of 3. The storyguide rolls Elea-
nor Intelligence is +3, modified to 1 due nors Warping Score (0) + stress die (9) Exempli Gratia, continued: Eleanor
to age. She is standing in a Magic Aura for a total of 9. Eleanor does not control the could not control her Turbulence. The rolled
of 2. Erik rolls a stress die (9) + Intel- Turbulence. Warping score total was 9, minus the rolled
4419312 736004
ligence ( 1) + Aura (2) for a total of 10. Stamina total of 3 is 6, divided in half is 3,
The storyguides stress die roll is 6. Eriks A Turbulence usually manifests for a third magnitude effect (level 15). El-
roll is higher than the storyguides roll and as a low magnitude magical effect, eanor has a history of crying, so Erik and
higher than Eleanors age, so Eleanor in- although more powerful effects are his storyguide decide that tears powerfully
curs a Turbulence. possible. The magnitude of the ef- gush from Eleanors eyes until sunset, a level
fect is the difference between the 15 Creo Aquam effect (base 5, +2 Sun).
two rolls for controlling the Turbu-
Controlling Turbulences lence, divided by two. Use the to- By itself, a Turbulence isnt be
tals already rolled. able to affect something with Mag-
If a Turbulence occurs, the char- ic Resistance. Essentially, all of the
acter tries to control it. This is simi- Controlled magical energy necessary for the
lar to adult magi controlling Tem- Turbulence Magnitude: effect is used to create the effect,
porary Twilight. The player rolls Stamina + stress die total with nothing extra to push through
an Stamina + stress die against the Warping Score + stress die total/2 a targets Magic Resistance. In game
characters Warping Score + stress terms, it would be similar to a magus
die. If the first roll is greater than Uncontrolled casting total equaling the spell level.
the second, the character controls Turbulence Magnitude: If the character has the Penetration
the Turbulence. If the first roll is Warping Score + stress die total Arcane Ability, however, then a Tur-
less than or equal to the second Stamina + stress die total/2 bulence has Penetration, equal to
roll, the character fails to control the characters score in the Ability.
the Turbulence. Sympathetic magic can increase this
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penetration by adding a sympathetic and higher than the characters age. at this point magical botch should
multiplier to the characters Penetra- If the player manages to force a Tur- be interpreted literally, i.e., when
tion score (ArM5, page 84). bulence, he must still control it by botching an a Supernatural Ability
succeeding with a Controlling Tur- or other magic roll.
Turbulence Penetration: bulence roll. A player can always Youll need to decide how this
Penetration Ability times spend additional Confidence points affects your game in play. You wont
(1 + sympathetic multiplier) to modify these rolls. be rolling for Turbulences when
Turbulence episodes get fewer time is passing in the background,
A clever child might want to use and further between as the charac- so it ultimately wont matter when
the magical energy of Turbulences ter grows older. Random episodes going season-to-season. If an ad-
in his favor. A Gifted character can are infrequent and it becomes more venture happens in the covenant, a
try to force a Turbulence whenever difficult for a character to force a Gifted character wont be able to do
he wishes. The player must spend a Turbulence. Mechanically, the In- much magically without an invita-
Confidence point, at which point he curring a Turbulence roll gets more tion token, which would logically
checks to incur a Turbulence, as per difficult as the character ages. At be the characters first order of busi-
the earlier rules. If the player beats some point, you should decide to ness before continuing the adven-
the storyguides roll, the character stop rolling. If the troupe wishes, ture. Players dont need to actively
has a Turbulence. To recapitulate: players can still make Incurring avoid Turbulences, and should view
to succeed, the players roll must Turbulence rolls for a Gifted char- them as a fun consequence of play-
be higher than the storyguides roll acter on a magical botch, although ing an emotional, untrained child.
Turbulences and the Aegis of the Hearth

4419313
Because your saga probably lences should participate in the

Infant 736005
takes place in an Hermetic cov-

enant, you need to know how
Aegis ritual. An apprentice must
be able to work magic, and her
Characters
a Turbulence interacts with the
covenants Aegis of the Hearth. Es-
regular practicing of low-level
spells and spontaneous effects
and Stories
sentially, treat the Turbulence would be crippled by even the
Playing an infant character is
like any other magical effect. If weakest Aegis. Learning an Art
challenging. There are almost no
the child incurring the Turbu- means that the student practices
roleplaying opportunities for ba-
lence participated in the Aegis of it during instruction, which ne-
the Hearth spell, then the Turbu- cessitates the casting of low-lev- bies, and only a few for toddlers
lence is not hindered by the Ae- el spontaneous spells. Some magi and the very young. No one is go-
gis. If the child didnt participate argue that an apprentice should ing to ask the four year old to save
in the Aegis, then the Turbulence be given an invitation token, like the covenant from the invading
is affected, and likely wont hap- a visiting magus, which can be Mongols!
pen. Subtract half the level of the taken away at will, allowing only
Aegis of the Hearth spell from the roll specific times during which the
the player makes to incur a Turbu- apprentice can cast spells and
Character Design Notes
lence. There is still a chance that practice magic. At other times,
the Turbulence happens, but it is when he doesnt have an invita- Negative Characteristic and
very slim. tion token, the apprentice cant Size modifiers from age make an
Magi debate whether ap- practice magic and cant incur infant character extremely fragile.
prentices who still suffer Turbu- Turbulences. Because his Stamina is modified by
age, his Soak is low, and his small
24
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Apprentices
Size means a smaller wound range.
Any combat will likely prove fatal,
and even a slight mishap could re-
sult in a Medium or Heavy wound.
It is obvious that an infant should
avoid combat, but because of a re-
duced Soak and narrow wound
range, some players might (rightly)
suggest that a player infant charac-
ter should avoid any activity that
could result in physical damage.
There are two options for deal-
ing with infant characters who suf-
fer damage. The first is to exchange
wounds for Flaws, as suggested in
Lords of Men, page 125. The Option:
Mitigating Deadly Wounds allows a
player to reduce a wounds severity if
the character receives a new Flaw. A
troupe could decide that accepting
a Minor Flaw will reduce a wound
one step, from Medium to Light
for example, and a Major Flaw will
reduce a wound three steps, from a
Fatal wound to a Medium Wound. trampled, and adult characters usu- Lazy days of frolic rapidly pass
4419314 736006
If the Flaw is accepted before one of ally laugh off social faux pas made like water down a stream. It wont
the transitions of maturity, it can be by the child. Players can enjoy be long before the infants are im-
exchanged for another Flaw as the the looseness infancy offers. Their pressed into their parents labor, so
child grows. characters focus on play instead of enjoy the sun! Use game sessions to
The second option is add the work, and regularly disregard their highlight the parts of medieval so-
child characters age modifier pen- responsibilities. ciety you find fascinating or espe-
alty to any wound recovery roll that cially entertaining. Let the children
the character needs to make. Chil- run wild at the market and steal an
dren are easily damaged, but they Infant Stories apple or two, and watch them flee
also quickly heal. This option al- when the local reeve and his Irish
lows for a severe wound but gener- Mythic Europe is a place of wolfhound appear.
ally allows the character to recover wonder. Civilization either a vil- Most stories involving infants
from it rapidly. A fall from a tree lage, castle, or covenant offers a will likely present them as sto-
might leave a severe wound, but cornucopia of new and intriguing ryguide characters, and include
hardly risks the childs life. experiences for an infant. The wild their parents or other adults. They
Despite the challenges, playing land, the fields and forest beyond, are the objects of the adventure in-
an infant allows a player to stumble are even more tantalizing, and the stead of the subjects, and are there
through his early adventures while unknown adventures lying past to be watched, rescued, guarded,
he explores Mythic Europes society those areas are even more enticing found, or removed. Infants are
and culture. Gender roles and their to an excitable child character. Ev- irascible and difficult to manage.
associated rules can be abused and erything is new, and little is familiar. They can compound a simple
25
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Apprentices
tion for a curious child. Animals
Grog: Blacksmiths Son are likewise curiously attracted to
Characteristics: Int +1, Per 1, (mothers), Craft: Blacksmith children and provide ample ideas
Pre 1, Com 1, Str +3, Sta 2 + 2 (small items), Folk Ken for stories and adventures. A curi-
+2, Dex +2, Qik 2 (4 Char- 1 (parents), Magic Sensitiv- ous animal, such as a cat, wants to
acteristic modifier due to age) ity 1 (auras), Native Language know what the child is doing; a
Size: 2 5 (rhyming slang), Swim 2 skittish animal, like a horse, might
Age: 7 (7) (ponds) want physical reassurance; a reck-
Virtues and Flaws: Son of Crafts- Equipment: Clothing similar to less animal, such as a hound, wants
man; Intuition, Puissant Craft: his fathers: homespun shirt the child to come play with it; and
Blacksmith, Magic Sensitivity; and trousers, leather apron. an aggressive animal, like a bull,
Bully, No Sense of Direction, Encumbrance: 0 (0) wants to assert its dominance over
Slow Reflexes Appearance: A broad-shouldered the child. Supernatural animals are
Personality Traits: Bully +3, boy with blue eyes and a gap- also interested in infants, and such
Brave +2, Loyal +1 toothed sneer. beasts are vastly more interesting
Combat: than their mundane counterparts.
Dodge: Init 6, Attack n/a, Defense The blacksmiths son is a bully. Infants are tempting targets, espe-
4, Damage n/a He is stronger than his peers and cially when the parent or caregiv-
Fist: Init 6, Attack +1, Defense knows it. He is not looking for- er is otherwise distracted. Divine
3, Damage 1 ward to a life spent as a blacksmith animals might want to offer a fast
Soak: 2 in the village, which might explain blessing, or merely enjoy the sweet
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, 1, 3, why he bullies the other children.
smell of a breast-fed baby. Infernal
5, Unconscious His Magic Sensitivity inexplicably
animals likely want a quick snack.
Wound Penalties: 1 (13), 3 draws him toward magic regiones
Faerie animals rarely miss an op-
(46), 5 (79), Incapacitated and auras, and his No Sense of Di-
portunity to interact with a child,
4419315 736007
(1012), Dead (13+) rection means that he invariably

Abilities: Area Lore 1 (hidden cant find his way home. and magic animals curiosity is of-
places), Athletics 2 (run- This character uses the Ath- ten piqued enough to investigate.
ning), Brawl 2 (fist), Charm 1 letic Childhood as a starting base. Any animal with a Might score that
lives in proximity to children may
come calling.
days journey with difficulties and narrow escapes, solving puzzles,
troubles. If your group includes an identifying the culprit, and saving Story Ideas
players infant character, he doesnt the day. Scale and threat level are
have to have the spotlight for the important, and should be adjusted A visiting animal with Might
entire nights session, and shifting for younger characters. Instead of naturally leads to a story. Most
emphasis to include other adult slinking through an enemy camp likely, your players characters are
player characters is important. It is at night, perhaps a group of infants adult caregivers rather than infants.
easy to let infant stories slip into has to sneak past the kitchen staff. Instead of being tempted or lured
silly escapades of bathroom hu- or kidnapped by a magical beast,
mor and tangential ramblings, and the story might involve prevent-
while such a story might be enjoy- Children and Animals ing such an event. While visual
able once or twice, it can quickly clues might indicate a beasts realm
become annoying. Children have a natural incli- affiliation a three-headed, fire-
On the other hand, infant sto- nation for animals, and even the breathing dog is probably Infernal
ries can involve many elements of ugliest, most obstinate mule can it is, more often than not, hard
a story aimed at older characters: be an attractive focus of atten- to tell a creatures realm affiliation
26
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Apprentices
without magic. Is that fox interest- animal find food. A curious char- telligent than their playmates, and
ed in helping the characters infant acter might wander to the next might purposefully look for super-
son, or eating it? A local supersti- town for no known reason, only natural animals, often leaving the
tion suggests leaving a newborn to find that an Infernal bull is ter- safety of home to wander aimlessly
baby alone in a clearing overnight, rorizing the local cows. Moral di- in pursuit of the fantastic and in-
in hopes that a faerie wolf will ar- lemmas, a staple of medieval and credible. A Gifted infant character
rive to lick the infant and bequeath modern children tales, can be in- wouldnt be the first to try to save a
it supernatural powers. Will a cov- troduced by having an animals donkey from an oppressive master,
enant grog allow his wife to take desire conflict with a covenfolks ask a ravenous wolf to stop prey-
their newborn and leave him over- desire. A magical mouse wants to ing on a flock of sheep, of help a
night in the clearing? Perhaps the build a nest next to the hearth, stranded blackbird find its way back
players characters are other grogs but the cook continually chases to its nest. Supernatural animals
who must prevent another grog the mouse away. The cook wants may react to the Gift differently, al-
from following his wifes advice. a clean kitchen and the mouse though many do so in the same way
Many supernatural animals, es- wants a warm warren; who do the as mundane humans. Mundane ani-
pecially magic and faerie beasts, children support? mals suffer the same negative social
can talk. Children wont be left Gifted infants are often more reaction to Gifted youths as mun-
alone during the first years of in- curious and traditionally more in- dane humans.
fancy, but children who are four
or five years old might be left in
a safe place to play together. Ag- Story Seed: A Toddlers Tale
riculturally, many covenants are
An infant character passes sions, the infant slips out of bed
similar to small villages, and dur-
the day playing with a house- and dashes off to where she last
ing the planting and harvesting
hold item that her family values: saw the item. It is gone. Did faer-
seasons, older infants might be left
4419316 736008
perhaps the familys only ladle, ies take it? Another child? Or did
to their own devices in one corner her fathers favorite shovel, or her father or mother pick it up,
of the field where their parents are her mothers silver necklace. meaning a wake-up whipping is
working. An innocuous beginning, Summoned for supper, the child waiting? The child wakes his sib-
skipping stones across a trickling leaves it outside and doesnt re- lings, and perhaps sympathetic
stream while mother and father are member leaving it behind until adults (a nanny or other coven-
threshing wheat, could suddenly later, while lying in bed for the folk), and a midnight hunt for
turn sinister when a snake swims night. Fearful of the repercus- the item begins.
up to the children and asks them
if they want to play. Older infants,
those who are six and seven years
old, would be helping their par- Story Seed: Who Stole the Baby?
ents in this situation. Telling older A Gifted baby is stolen from into the unknown hills. Is the
infant characters to find the miss- her cradle in the night. The fam- culprit a troll intent on eating
ing younger infants could lead to a ilys hue and cry brings the play- the child, an elf who forgot to
spectacular adventure. er characters (all grog-level vil- leave a changeling replacement,
Many supernatural animals lagers) in the morning, and the a hedge wizard planning to sac-
ape the roles of their mundane village elder charges the player rifice the child, or an Hermetic
counterparts, all for some other- characters with finding and re- wizard who plans on raising and
worldly scheme incomprehensible turning the baby. The trail leads training the baby? And which
to humans. Characters might help through the nearby woods and fate is worse?
a Divine animal work or a faerie
27
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Apprentices
Story Seed: The Curious Cleric

In the 13th century, a clerk and innocent. a fox and a lion, had agreed to
named Odo of Cheriton is wan- This also means that Aesops go hunting together. He caught
dering Mythic Europe, collecting Fables are popular in 1220, and a large rat, the fox caught a
stories about animals to use as ex- that any number of those marvel- goose, and the lion a scrawny
amples of proper moral behavior ous tales can be adapted into an crow. When it came time to di-
in his sermons. Traveling mostly adventure. These are a few exam- vide the catches for dinner, the
in the Normandy and Rhine tri- ples, named after the fables they wolf suggested that each preda-
bunals, he has amassed quite a are taken from. Like medieval bes- tor eat what he caught. The lion
collection of tales, which he has tiaries, which in Mythic Europe responded by striking the wolf.
added to medieval versions of describe magical animals (often The fox then suggested that the
some of Aesops fables, perhaps Animals of Virtue), the animals in lion take it all, and leave the oth-
the greatest teller of animal stories Aesops Fables are also supernatu- er two leftovers. The lion agreed.
ever. The fables are brief, the ani- ral creatures. The wolf slunk off, and now asks
mals can always talk and regularly the characters to punish the sy-
exhibit types of human behavior, The Frogs and the cophant fox and retrieve the
and the tale always ends repre- Battle of the Bulls large rat from the lion.
senting a moral value.
Odo can be used in a variety A magical frog asks a child ap- The Peacock Elected
of ways. He can come to the cov- prentice for help in stopping the King of the Birds
enant because he has heard that a nearby bulls from battling over
child living there has had adven- control of their herd. The frog is A sparrow lands on the labo-
tures with animals. He can inter- worried that the losing bulls will ratory window sill and tells an
4419317
view the child about these adven- invade his pond and destroy his apprentice a tale. The birds held 736009
tures, or use the child to lead him habitat. The bulls are battling over a great congress, in which they
to interesting local animals. The one particular cow, a recent ad- elected the peacock as their king
magi will probably be suspicious dition to the herd. Removing the because of his beauty. A raven
of this curious cleric, doubting cow will stop the battle but anger disagreed, asking if the peacock
that he is just a simple collector the herds owner. The children could protect the flock from attack
of tales and believing that he has can try to stop the battle or erect using his beauty. The other birds
more secret designs. Conversely, means to protect the frogs pond overruled the raven, which flew
he could come to preach against from the vanquished bovines. off in a huff. The sparrow then
the childs interactions with ani- saw the raven talking to an eagle,
mals, saying that only the an- The Wolf, the Fox, and and he overheard the ravens plan,
cients knew how to correctly in- the Lion Dividing the Spoils that the eagle attack the birds to
terpret animal behavior and such prove that the raven was right and
present-day practices endanger A wounded wolf comes to the peacock weak. Terrified of the
the soul of the child, since Satan the children characters seeking attack, the sparrow asks the child
lays an easy snare for the young justice. He and his companions, for help.
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Chapter Four
Pueritia: Ages 8 to 14
Childhood lasts from the ages of 8 ordered to fetch water, and stationed his feelings toward the child. This
to 14, universally regarded as the age at home to watch younger children. same man knows which side of his
when a child enters puberty. Transi- Covenants provided a kinder at- bread the covenant butters, howev-
tioning from infancy, childhood is mosphere for Gifted children. While er, and will not act against the child,
characterized by concentrated social each individual suffers the same even though he cant stand to be in
learning and prolonged forays from pangs of social revulsion engendered its presence.
the family hearth into the compli- by a childs Gift, overall the coven-
cated world of adults. At this stage folk know about these feelings, and
of life, a child is able to assist the many become used to the child over
same gender parent in daily chores,
either in the household or in the field
time. Again, proximity is the issue.
A covenfolk who spends most of his
Growing Up
or workshop. This is the age when life outside the immediate grounds Most mundane characters learn
noble boys and girls are fostered, a wood cutter, charcoal burner, to be adults by copying their same-
leaving their family home to live with or shepherd will never get over sex parent, both vocationally and
another noble family. Boys socially. Like their par-
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destined for the clergy of- ents, grog and compan-

ten spend the day learn- ion characters work most
ing to read from the local of the year, following
priest or parish clerk. their elders through life in
UnGifted child player both work and play. Male
characters are likely to children follow their fa-
be sons and daughters of thers to work, where they
covenfolk or nearby com- are given simple tasks to
panion-level characters. perform before moving
Just like a son being incor- on to more complex tasks
porated into his fathers vo- as they mature. Female
cation, so too can a child children work at home
mimic his fathers various and in the field with
adventures. At this stage mother, copying simple
in life, child characters can chores and gradually ac-
travel short distances by cepting more and more
themselves, and can serve responsibilities.
as useful messengers, ser- A parent trains his
vants, and errand boys. A child to be his replace-
daughter could be left un- ment. This is probably
attended to weed a garden, not a conscious act; most
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Apprentices
the same for her daughter. Schools
Grog: Urchin are beyond the means of most par-
Characteristics: Int 1, Per 2, Legerdemain 2 (picking ents, and many of those who could
Pre +3, Com +3, Str 2, Sta 0, pockets), Music 2 (singing), afford it would rather see a son sit-
Dex +1, Qik +1 (Characteris- Native Language 5 (thieves ting astride a destrier than hunched
tic Modifier 2) slang), Stealth 1 (following over a writing desk.
Size: 3 people), Survival 2 (finding Schooling exists in some areas,
Age: 11 (11) fresh water) often rudimentary lessons given by
Virtues and Flaws: Daughter Equipment: Ratty clothes, shab- a parish priest who is under some
of Branded Criminal; Incon- by cloak, and a hidden dagger small obligation to teach local chil-
spicuous, Inspirational; Small Encumbrance: 0 (0) dren to read and write. This usu-
Frame Appearance: The urchin is a ally costs the parents something
Personality Traits: Mischievous small, freckled-face, dirty girl, a weekly meal, firewood, a hen
+3, Determined +2, Loyal 1 with quick fingers and ferret- and also deprives the parents of
Combat: like eyes. the prospective students labor. Life
Dodge: Init 1, Attack n/a, Defense is hard, and many hands make a
+1, Damage n/a The urchin is the daughter of chore easy. Some parents are real-
Soak: 2 a branded outlaw, who fled her izing the opportunities for an edu-
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, 1, 3, abusive home and lives on the cated child, especially sons from
5, Unconscious streets of a large city. She has wealthy merchant families and the
Wound Penalties: 1 (12), 3 made friends through her inven- lower orders of the nobility. Second
(34), 5 (56), Incapacitated tive songs, which usually poke
and third sons are famous for en-
(78), Dead (9+) fun at some local dignitary or
tering the Church for a career, and
Abilities: Area Lore 2 (secondary market celebrity. Her immedi-
parish or cathedral school learning
streets), Athletics 1 (avoiding ate goal is to lead a gang of child
often paves the way. Parish schools,
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pursuit), Awareness 1 (city thieves. The urchin started with

guards), Brawl 1 (dodge), the Exploring Childhood sample cathedral schools, and universities
Charm 1 (city guards), Folk childhood. The character has are detailed in Art & Academe, chap-
Ken 1 (adults), Guile 2 (city room for another Minor Virtue ters 6 and 7.
guards), Leadership 3 (peers), and Flaw. For those outside institutional
learning, most of their learning is
gained through copying an instruc-
parents raise their children in the rect or could be done better. Vo- tor, often a parent. Like their par-
same manner as they were raised, cationally, a father teaches his son ents, grog and companion charac-
never questioning whether it is cor- what he knows, and a mother does ters must work for two seasons and
Story Seed: An Unlikely Ghost

While traveling through a vil- dicate a Magic aura. The castle is a tighten around throats, and eerie
lage, a magus and his companions battered shell, strewn with piles of shrieks wail. But it is not a ghost
hear rumors of a nearby abandoned rubble and overgrown by ivy and causing the mishaps; a Gifted child
castle haunted by a ghost. The vil- thorny bushes. As soon as the par- of nine hides in the ruins, using
lagers avoid the site, but the rumors ty begins exploring the area, the his ability to force Turbulences to
may induce the magus to investi- mundane members are plagued by good effect. Can the magus dis-
gate. Ghosts can be entertaining minor magical effects. The ground cover the truth, and possibly take
and, if it is a Magic spirit, might in- shifts and causes slipping, cloaks the child as his future apprentice?
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get two free seasons a year. A par-
ent spends one of the free seasons Companion: Merchants Son
training the child, who receives Characteristics: Int +1, Per 0, mon to the area of his birth.
experience points based on the par- Pre +1, Com +3, Str 0, Sta 0, Dressed in fine clothes, he
ents Training Source Quality. Every Dex 1, Qik 0 (Characteristic looks uncomfortable, and
Ability can be increased through Modifier 1) continually shifts and picks at
training, as long as the require- Size: 1 his clothing.
ments for both trainer and pupil are Age: 13 (13)
met (ArM5, page 164). Virtues and Flaws: Son of Mer- The merchants son is a good
Growing up in a covenant is chant; Wealthy, Inherited True example of a character designed
similar to growing up in a village, Faith; Luck, Relic; Dark Secret, to develop according to a predes-
town, or other settlement, but dif- Overconfident; Obsessed (with tined plan. The player ultimately
fers in important ways. Typically, saints lives), Short of Breath wants the character to forsake
covenfolk have a better under- Personality Traits: Bully +3, his mercantile ways and become
standing of the various inhabitants Brave +2, Loyal +1 a preaching friar, much like St
of Mythic Europe, although this is Combat: Francis of Assisi. Growing up, the
not always so. A covenfolk mother Dodge: Init 1, Attack n/a, Defense merchants son is fascinated with
will probably soothe a child who +1, Damage n/a Saints Lives, both in collecting
says that a faerie stole her shoes, Dagger: Init +2, Attack +1, De- the stories and visiting the saints
while a village mother might beat fense +2, Damage +2 places of martyrdom. During one
the child for lying or offending Soak: 1 such excursion, he found a holy
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, 1, 3, relic, and the player assumes
the faerie. Supernatural Abilities
5, Unconscious that veneration of the relic and
are better accepted, and those
Wound Penalties: 1 (14), 3 the associated saint will lead to
with an aptitude may be asked by
(58), 5 (912), Incapacitat- the character gaining True Faith.
the magi to accept additional re-
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ed (1316), Dead (17+) Lucky since birth, the character

sponsibilities. A child with Second Abilities: Area Lore: Area A 1 has a measure of overconfidence
Sight might be asked to look for (people), Area Lore: Area B that could lead to trouble.
new regiones in the nearby for- 1 (history), Animal Handling At some point, the merchants
est, and a child with Premonitions 2 (pack mules), Bargain 2 son discovered his fathers illegal
might be asked to accompany the (best price), Brawl 2 (dagger), business practices, and he is fear-
covenfolks products to the market. Church Lore 3 (saints days), ful that public knowledge will
Naturally, the childs friends want Folk Ken 2 (merchants), Lead- lead to his familys ruin. While he
to tag along. ership 3 (teamsters), Living is starting to detest business, he
Life outside the covenant is Language 3 (merchant termi- loves his family. The player hopes
harder, especially for a Gifted child. nology), Native Language 5 that the ensuing tension between
Depending on circumstances, his (merchant terminology), Pro- keeping his familys secret and his
parents may still love and protect fession: Merchant 2 (exchange repulsion of merchant life will
him. On the other hand, they may rates), Ride 2 (long distances), trigger that life-changing event
have been driven out of town due Survival 2 (roads) that leads to True Faith.
to their peculiar child. Friends Equipment: Fine merchant The merchants son is based
should be few for a Gifted child liv- clothes on the Traveling Childhood
ing outside a covenant, where play- Encumbrance: 0 (0) sample childhood. Because he is
mates are at least more likely, if not Appearance: The merchants son Wealthy he received 20 experi-
guaranteed. Everything depends on is of average build and height, ence points for each year past
the player and the troupe, and the with features and color com- five, 160 in total.
type of tales the group wishes to
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Apprentices
tell. A Gifted child could be ostra-

cized from society and sent to live
Hermetic her new home, where she begins
her training. While this is often
with the local witch, who forces
the child to undertake dangerous
Apprenticeship exciting, it can also be frightening;
the child is abandoning the known
missions into the faerie forest to world however painful it might
collect ingredients for her foul po- Most apprentices begin their ap- be for a new world. The journey
tions. A Gifted child could also live prenticeship during childhood. Sev- toward a new life can be very daunt-
in town, avoiding the streets bul- eral other magical traditions, including. A kind magus tells the child of
lies and finding peace only in his fa- ing many hedge and rival magicians, the companionship, community,
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thers house, his sole friend a boy of also select an apprentice while she and power that lies ahead. An un-
the same age whom he has known is a child. Once found, the appren- kind magus uses the apprentice as
since birth. tice accompanies her new master to he sees fit and cares not a whit about
the childs feelings.
Story Seeds: Finding a Parens

Finding an Apprentice
Instead of an adventure in an oppressive bully, uninterested
which an adult magus and his staff parents, or an overbearing parish In most Tribunals, the Order of
find an apprentice, a troupe could priest. After the children are dis- Hermes does not have a dedicat-
play the reverse: a Gifted child covered to be missing, the village ed branch of servants looking for
and his childhood friends leave reeve or bailiff or headman sends
Gifted individuals to become ap-
town to find a wizard. The chil- a search party to find them. Serfs
prentices. The Thebes Tribunal is
dren know that their Gifted friend cant just vacate the farm of their
an exception, as is detailed in The
is special and think that aiding own volition! A prolonged chase
Sundered Eagle: The Theban Tribunal. In
him will provide them with a new ensues, with the player charac-
home, as well as foster the inter- ters hunting through the mystical other Tribunals, each magus finds
est of a powerful magical bene- faerie woods looking for the ru- his own apprentice. The traditional
factor in their future. There may mored hidden wizards tower, all model has the magus scouring the
be additional reasons why the the while hunted by the reeve and rustic villages and urban squalor
children want to leave the village: his hounds. of Mythic Europe, looking for a
Gifted youth. House Bonisagus has
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Apprentices
a second, easier option because a
Bonisagus magus can take another Detecting the Gift
magus apprentice from him. Even Intellego Vim spells can de- When the caster places his
so, that House has rules for those tect The Gift. The base level is hand on another character who
members who exercise this option, 10: detect the traces of powerful has The Gift, his hand feels numb.
so that the practice is not over- magic, which will detect both the This spell was initially invented to
used and burdensome (see Houses of Blatant Gift and the Gentle Gift, detect Gifted hedge wizards, and
Hermes: True Lineages, page 17). as well as the regularly Gifted. It was first described in Hedge Magic,
The surest way of finding an cannot differentiate between The page 6.
apprentice is an adventure, one Gift and the False Gift, however, (Base 10, +1 Conc, +1 Touch)
designed by the storyguide for suffering the usual limitations
the players magus. However, this Hermetic magic has against the Sight of the Lazy Parens
might not suit the other players or Infernal. Any spell used to iden-
the troupe as a whole, who might be tify The Gift must bypass the InVi 40
interested in other sorts of adven- Magic Resistance, if any, of the R: Per, D: Sun, T: Vision
tures. A player can instead declare target. A magus should remember The casters eyes become mag-
that his magus is spending a sea- that using Intellego Vim spells on ically sensitive to Gifted individu-
son looking for an apprentice. The another magus counts as scrying, als, who appear to be surrounded
player makes a Perception + stress and is forbidden by the Code of by a magenta aura. This spell does
die roll against an Ease Factor of 12 Hermes. not cause a Warping point if it is
to successfully find an apprentice Here are two common Her- used sparingly or personally de-
metic spells for detecting The Gift. signed (invented) by the caster.
(ArM5, page 106). Because success
is difficult, a player has the option If used continually, or if cast by
The Numbness of the Gift someone for whom the spell is
of seeking help from another play-
not specifically designed, the
er character or storyguide charac-
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InVi 20 caster receives a Warping point.

ter who can spare the time to help
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Touch (Base 10, +2 Sun, +4 Vision)
the seeking magus. The assistant
character makes a Characteristic +
Ability check against an Ease Fac- Ex Miscellanea magi of the lin- forward as detecting a magical aura
tor of 12. Success lowers the ma- eage of Pralix are very good at de- or an enchanted item. Supernatural
gus Ease Factor by 3 if the assistant tecting Gifted individuals, using the powers are more common than The
is a player character or by 1 if the Comprehend Magic Virtue that is Gift, and spells designed to detect
assistant is a storyguide character. inherent within the line (Houses of The Gift will sometimes inaccurate-
Multiple assistants are allowed. Hermes: Societates, page 128). Such a ly indicate those possessing other
Both the magus and his assistants magus concentrates on finding Gift- supernatural traits.
must spend the entire season look- ed hedge wizards to bring into the
ing for an apprentice. Assistants Order, rather than Gifted children
might include characters such as to apprentice, but an apprentice- Becoming an Apprentice
a female scholar companion mak- seeking magus who knows such a
ing a Communication + Area Lore Pralixian magus might ask for aid. Most of the time, the process is
roll as she investigates neighboring Since most magi do not have this overwhelmingly easy: it is a state-
nunneries, a knight using Presence Supernatural Virtue, many have de- ment of intent followed by a season
+ Etiquette to ask discreet ques- signed spells to facilitate searching of action. Once the child is found the
tions at court, and a rogue using for an apprentice. Unfortunately, magus returns to the covenant with
Intelligence + Folk Ken to glean such spells are not always accurate. the child and states that the child is
information from villagers. Detecting The Gift is not as straight- his new apprentice. To finalize and
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Apprentices
boriously. Since the apprentice lives
Apprentice of House Bonisagus with the magus, she is allowed access
Characteristics: Int +1, Per +1, (forest), Swim 1 (underwater) to his sanctum and undertakes the
Pre +1, Com 2, Str 1, Sta Arts: Cr 0, In 1, Mu 0, Pe 0, Re chores that the magus might have
+3, Dex +1, Qik +1 (Charac- 0; An 2, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 0, He done alone. Hermetic pewter and
teristic Modifier 3) 0, Ig 0, Im 0, Me 0, Te 0, Vi 0 glassware need to be cleaned, floors
Size: 2 Equipment: Apprentice robes are scrubbed, shelves dusted, para-
Age: 8 (8) Encumbrance: 0 (0) phernalia is organized, and the labo-
Warping Score: 0 (0) Appearance: A happy looking ratory is maintained for optimal use.
Confidence Score: 1 (3) girl, with braided hair and a Initially, an apprentices as-
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Ap- wide smile. sistance in the laboratory may be
prentice; Apt Student; Soft- minimal. A proper laboratory as-
Hearted The character has just been sistant needs to be trained in Magic
Personality Traits: Obedient +3, accepted into House Bonisagus, Theory, as well as to have The Gift.
Generous +2, Agreeable +1 starting play after her first year An apprentice needs other skills as
Combat: of apprenticeship. Prior to her well; he is not merely the magus as-
Dodge: Init 2, Attack n/a, Defense discovery, she lived in the woods sistant, but his Hermetic offspring.
0, Damage n/a with her parents. The charac- The apprentice must learn to read
Soak: 0 ter started with the Wilderness and write Latin if she is to have any
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, 1, 3, sample childhood, received 30 sort of standard Hermetic career.
5, Unconscious experience points for the two But even before being trained in
Wound Penalties: 1 (13), 3 years before being accepted as
Magic Theory, the child can assist
(46), 5 (79), Incapacitated an apprentice, and 19 experience
in the lab as a servant. The charac-
(1012), Dead (13+) points for her first year with the
ter adds his Intelligence divided by
Abilities: Area Lore 1 (deer Bonisagus magus.
2 to a labs Safety, +1 to Aesthetics,
4419323 736015
paths), Athletics 1 (jumping), The character does not begin

Awareness 1 (alertness), Brawl play with any Hermetic Virtues and +1 to a Mentem Specialty (Cov-
1 (dodge), Latin 2 (Hermetic and hopes to learn them from enants, page 116). The Safety modi-
usage), Native Language 5 her parens. The Apt Student fier is only beneficial for a magus if
(storytelling), Profession: Virtue adds to the Teaching the child assistants Intelligence is a
Forester 1 (gathering wood), Source Quality when her parens positive number after being modi-
Stealth 2 (hiding), Survival 3 teaches her. fied due to age. Otherwise such as-
sistance will actually be a hindrance.
legalize the procedure, the magus acters eight years of age and older.
opens the Arts of his new appren- Restricted Abilities might also be Opening the Arts
tice. Childhood is the most common available depending on the occupa-
stage of life to start an apprentice tion of a childs parent (see Chapter Opening the Arts of the ap-
character, and eight is the average 2). Supernatural Abilities are allowed prentice is the magical beginning
age that a character becomes an ap- if the character has the correspond- of her career. Once her parens per-
prentice. If your child character is ing Supernatural Virtue. forms this season-long procedure,
starting play before becoming an ap- During early apprenticeship, the the apprentice can cast spells, al-
prentice, you should give the charac- promise of wielding mighty magi- though only the simplest sponta-
ter General Abilities that mirror her cal power seems distant. Instead of neous effects will be possible at
early life, skills that she would have casting Pilums of Fire, she cleans her first. Opening the Arts also legally
learned during her infancy. All Gen- parens laboratory, perhaps even his binds the apprentice to the magus.
eral Abilities are available for char- personal chambers, and studies la- Before this procedure, the Gifted
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Apprentices
child is simply a servant, assistant, metic Supernatural Ability. Also, Simply meeting or exceeding the
or hanger-on. Afterward, the child the Lab Total must be at least 10 if required Lab Total Opens the Arts
is the magus and is considered his the apprentices Supernatural Abil- of the apprentice, but destroys the
legal property. ity is from a Minor Virtue and 30 Supernatural Ability. To maintain
Every competent magus can if from a Major. If the apprentices exciting Supernatural Abilities, the
Open the Arts of a Gifted student. Supernatural Virtue does not have a Lab Total must double the necessary
A magus should have a score of 5 corresponding Supernatural Ability, level. Supernatural Abilities can also
in all 15 Hermetic Techniques and Greater Immunity for example, the be converted into Hermetic Vir-
Forms. If the magus has a score of matching the minimum Intellego tues, if the parens Lab Total is high
less than 5 in an Art, his apprentice Vim Lab Total will suffice (10 for enough. Maintain or converting is
automatically gains the Hermetic Minor, 30 for Major). the parens decision. Supernatural
Flaw Deficient Form or Technique, Children with a single Super- Abilities derived from a Minor Su-
depending on the inadequate Art natural Ability are usually easy to pernatural Virtue convert into Minor
score. Purposefully including Defi- Open to the Arts. An Intellego Vim Hermetic Virtues, and a Supernatu-
ciencies when Opening the Arts of Lab Total of 10 is automatic unless ral Abilities derived from Major Su-
an apprentice is a low crime, usually the parens Opening the Arts has pernatural Virtues change into Ma-
punishable by a fine. Including two less than 5 in either Intellgo or Vim, jor Hermetic Virtues. If converted,
Deficiencies during the Opening of and even then it is generally possi- Supernatural Abilities must normally
the Arts is a more severe low crime ble. A Lab Total of 30 is harder but change into Hermetic Virtues that
and the magus may be punished not impossible. A child with more the parens possesses. This is similar
with the loss of the apprentice, hav- than one Supernatural Ability is to teaching the apprentice Hermet-
ing her removed from him and given more difficult. Supernatural Virtues ic Virtues (see later); only Hermetic
to a more competent magus. Includ- and Abilities stack when calculating Virtues possessed by the magus can
ing three or more Deficiencies is ex- the necessary level of the parens In- be passed on, either through teach-
tremely irresponsible. Most Tribu- tellego Vim Lab Total. For example, ing or converting. While the parens
4419324 736016
nals agree that such faulty Opening to Open the Arts of a Gifted child need not know how to perform the
of the Arts produces inferior magi with Greater Immunity and a score Supernatural Ability, he must know
and threatens the healthy longevity of 3 in Dowsing, her parens needs how to perform the Hermetic Vir-
of the Order. A magus responsible an Intellego Vim Lab Total of 45: 30 tue. Alternatively, the parens may
for this failure faces the loss of his for the Major Virtue without a cor- convert a Supernatural Virtue into
apprentice and banishment from responding Ability, plus 5 times the an Hermetic Virtue he does not
the Tribunal. score in the Supernatural Ability. know, if the two Virtues are very
Opening Arts with

Supernatural Abilities Story Seed: Im Not Going Anywhere!
Magi like to think that returning turn to the covenant with a Gifted
For a competent magus, Open-
to the covenant with a Gifted child player character child. The child
ing the Arts is an automatic process
in tow is easy. Storywise, it is only does everything possible to es-
unless the apprentice has one or
if you want it to be. Most likely, cape, while the other players act to
more Supernatural Abilities. Many, the child is meeting the magus for contain the child without hurting
though not all, Gifted children the first time and reacts negatively her. This could be especially fun
have an accompanying Supernatu- to his Gift. Escape, not accompa- if the other player characters are
ral Ability. In those situations, the niment, is a likely first thought. An grogs or companions, and do not
parens Intellego Vim Lab Total interesting initial adventure might have the necessary magical means
must equal or exceed 5 times the be for the player characters to re- to easily transport the child.
apprentices score in any non-Her-
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Apprentices
Hermetic Terminology
Hermetic magi have adopted the female plural discipulae. lastic circles and universities.
titles to refer to specific positions Dominus: Master or lord, this Pater: father, often used after ap-
within the Order. Masters and ap- term is used by an apprentice prenticeship in place of parens
prentices have Latin titles as well. for his master. A female maga to indicate affection or respect,
Both titles parens (parent) and is a domina. The male plural is sometimes used during appren-
filius or filia (son/daughter) are domini and the female plural is ticeship instead of dominus as
used by magi after apprenticeship. dominae. a term of endearment. The fe-
During apprenticeship, characters Frater: Brother, this word means male equivalent is mater.
also use the following terms: a fellow male who was taught Parens: Parent, as mentioned.
Hermetic magic by the appren- The plural of parens is parentes.
Adolescentia: A time of service tices master. A female maga is Pueritia: The early stages of an
and preparation in an appren- a soror. apprentices education, gener-
tices life, the adolescent years Infantia: The period of an appren- ally associated with childhood.
when he knows enough to as- tices life before he was accept- Tiro: Young soldier, recruit, or
sist his master in the lab. ed by his master, infancy. beginner, this word is used
Discipulus: An apprentice during Magister: A term for an apprentices by apprentices to refer to each
apprenticeship. A female ap- teacher or tutor, most common- other. Older magi use it deri-
prentice is called a discipula. ly applied to mundane teachers. sively to imply inexperience or
The male plural is discipuli and This word is also used in scho- dull-wittedness in their fellows.
similar. For example, Skinchanger case, the Supernatural Virtue was a what this channel is, and the child is
might convert into a Minor Magi- feature of the childs Gift, and the likely to believe that the ability has
cal Focus with self-transformation, parens merely turns that feature been simply lost. The troupe should
4419325 736017
or Magic Sensitivity into an Affin- into a new, Hermetic channel. Nei- decide whether two Virtues are suf-
ity with Intellego or Vim. In this ther the parens nor the child knows ficiently similar.
After the Arts Are Opened
Once the Arts are Opened, the

apprentice character has a 0 in each
of the five Techniques and ten Forms.
She can immediately cast spontane-
ous spells. She can read any casting
tablets the covenant may have, pro-
viding she has a score of 1 in Artes
Liberales and 4 in Latin. Barring some
logical limitations the apprentice
cant cast formulaic spells because she
doesnt know any an apprentice
can undertake any magical activity a
magus can. Simply use the applicable
formula based on the current Arts
scores of the apprentice for any magi-
cal activity she undertakes.
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Apprentices
Delaying Opening the Arts ably honor his decision and not There is also the chance that
snatch up the child, but that isnt a the magus never intended to Open
Not every magus Opens the Arts guarantee, nor does it prevent other the Arts of the Gifted child and is
of his apprentice immediately. He magi from taking the child. If a ma- merely keeping her as a Gifted lab
might want the child trained in Aca- gus does snatch the child and quick- assistant. The Order frowns on this
demic or Arcane Abilities first, need ly make her an apprentice, there are practice and most Tribunals declare
to increase his own low Art score few options for the deprived magus. that keeping a Gifted lab assistant is
before Opening the Arts, or have He could declare Wizards War and a low crime. While this is fine in le-
other pressing matters on hand. He hope to take the child back, but this gal theory, it is difficult to prosecute,
can declare the child his apprentice, is risky and he could lose the child because the defendant can always
but she isnt legally bound to him as a casualty of the war. He could say that he was merely delaying
until he Opens her Arts. This is a also offer to trade the magus some- Opening the childs Arts until the
gamble; until the child is officially thing more valuable, and perhaps child was properly trained. Rather
his, she can be taken by other magi. even go into debt to secure the ap- than a cumbersome and uncertain
His friends and sodales will prob- prentices return. trial, magi prefer that an individual
Teaching Schedule
To ensure that a new appren- Each year, the student must spend one her safe within her Parma.
tice learns everything necessary to season studying the Art with her master, Before she has reached 15 years of
become a magus, most new mas- for safety. Let the master favor the Forms age, it is best that she read and write, so
ters follow the following schedule, at first, for they will help protect her when that after she may herself study the Theo-
which is believed to come from she cannot share his Parma. ry of Magic from the book.
letters Bonisagus wrote to Triano- According to the Peripheral An apprentice cannot effec-
ma, and is more or less what the Code, a magus must teach his ap- tively work magic until she knows
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traditions of the Order dictate. prentice for one season every year. enough Latin, and is more use-
The life of the Art requires a master Many magi prefer to do this in ful in the lab if she studies Magic
and student. The student gives her magic spring, if for no other reason than Theory. Generally, apprentice
to her master to shape, and to be worthy because it resonates strongly with magi gain scores of Latin 4, Artes
of this gift, he must first achieve a masters nature. While some magi follow Liberales 1 and Magic Theory 3 by
understanding of all of the Techniques and Bonisagus instructions exactly, the time they reach adolescence.
Forms. and ensure that their students have Some masters teach their appren-
If a magus does not have at least some knowledge of every Form tices these Abilities themselves,
a score of 5 in every Technique and before they teach them the Tech- but many hire educated tutors to
Form when he Opens the student niques or spells, most prefer to fo- teach them to read and write.
to the Arts, the students magic will cus on the Arts that they think will Once the child has served fifteen
be crippled. Doing this is generally best serve the student. years, the master must give her a test to
considered an Hermetic crime (see The words for safety have be sure of her worth. Only then shall he
Legal Issues, later). Apprenticeship puzzled many magi; some think teach her the secret of the Parma Magica,
is not considered to have begun this was an instruction to spend and release her from his service.
until the master has Opened the only one season each year teach- This test has come to be known
students Arts. ing the Arts (perhaps in order as the Gauntlet, and every House
Many magi believe this pas- to avoid the danger of excessive has its own methods for determin-
sage is where the term The Gift study), while others believe it ing whether their apprentices are
for the ability to work magic meant that only the childs master ready to become magi. (See Chap-
originated. should teach her magic, to keep ter 5 for examples.)
37
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Apprentices
and every task assigned. Failure to
Story Seed: Midnight Rescue please the magus may have dire
A magus discovers that a rival ods to take her. He is, however, consequences, and a magus faces no
living in another covenant has willing to use mundane methods, legal repercussions if he destroys his
been keeping a Gifted child as a and assembles a team of his cov- unsatisfactory apprentice. There are
laboratory assistant for two years enants grogs to undertake the many unsavory tasks for ungrateful
and has yet to Open her Arts. The mission. Can the grogs sneak into apprentices; almost any Tytalus ma-
magus wants the child but doesnt the rival covenant, find the Gifted gus could write a tractatus on the
want to risk using magical meth- girl, and escape with her? ways to abusively instruct a failing
apprentice.
The apprentice can be traded
Story Seed: A Temporary Reprieve to another magus and has no say in
the transaction. A magus does not
An overbearing and cruel pa- years hence. In the meantime, the need to explain why he gives an ap-
rens mistakenly forgets to train his apprentice must avoid the first pa- prentice away. Perhaps the appren-
apprentice for a season during the rens, who will surely try to snatch tice is at fault and the magus tires
year. Another magus notices this him back, and learn as much as he of a stupid, lazy, or senseless lad.
and, while the parens is distract- can from his new parens. If the Perhaps the magus is to blame, un-
ed, abducts the apprentice and issue becomes too strained, one derestimating the time commitment
declares that he is the apprentices magus may declare Wizards War involved in training an apprentice.
new parens. Naturally, the first against the other, and the appren- Maybe he simply changes his mind.
parens disagrees and demands the tices only hope is to survive the On the other hand, he might gain
return of the apprentice, to which conflict. This can be particularly something more valuable than an
the second parens replies that it complicated if both magi live at apprentice in trade from another
must be settled at Tribunal, five the same covenant.
magus. It is entirely decided upon
4419327 736019
by the parens.
act decisively and simply take the marized. A Gifted child is legally The Code of Hermes indirectly
lab assistant as an apprentice. If the recognized as a magus apprentice protects the apprentice from other
timing is right, and the lab assistant only when the magus opens the ap- magi because the apprentice is the
is taken a day or two before a new prentices Arts. This protection is magus property, and receives the
season begins, the rescuer could im- immediate and begins on the first same legal protection as the magus
mediately begin Opening her Arts. day of the season spent opening the familiar, invested devices, vis sites,
This automatically makes her an apprentices Arts. The parens must and other magical goods. Killing a
apprentice, and immediately grants personally instruct the apprentice magus apprentice is depriving that
both magus and apprentice the le- for one season during each year of magus of his magical power, and is
gal protection offered by the Code apprenticeship, although the type of covered by the Codes first provi-
of Hermes. Specifically, the former instruction is not specified. The pa- sion. In cases of legally sanctioned
magus cannot charge in and de- rens must also be the first to strike violence where a magus property is
mand his lab assistant be returned. if the apprentice, likely a magus at targetable, Wizards Wars and Wiz-
that point, turns against the Order. ards Marches, an apprentice is fair
The Code does not protect the game. Like any other property of
Legal Issues apprentice from his master, who the defendant, an apprentice can be
can treat the apprentice as he sees destroyed or taken. A magus could
The Code of Hermes contains fit. The parens can train the appren- declare Wizards War on another
several regulations concerning ap- tice in any fashion imaginable, and magus with the sole intent of taking
prentices, which are easily sum- the apprentice must perform each his apprentice. If he succeeds, he
38
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Apprentices
might need to defend the appren-
tice from the former parens in future Story Seed: A Convenient Suspect
Wizards Wars. Like other property, A player character appren- gas capabilities. Worse still, that
an apprentice can serve as compen- tice enters his parens laboratory maga is due to visit today, and
sation for crimes. A Tribunal could one morning and finds the ma- the apprentice knows that she is
decide that an apprentice is forfeit, gus dead, a knife sticking from scheduled to meet with the now-
and should be given to someone his back. The magus was known dead parens and the covenants
else, or destroyed. The crime does to abuse the apprentice, who other magi at dinner. Can the
not have to involve the apprentice rightly suspects that if the crime apprentice avoid accusation and
for the Tribunal to decide on such a is discovered, he will be blamed. correctly identify the murderer?
punishment. The parens had a sworn enemy, Can he claim credit for solving
If an apprentice commits an another maga, and killing the the mystery, or does he need a
Hermetic crime, then his parens is parens and blaming it on the ap- more likely detective, since few
held liable. Most Tribunals assume prentice is surely within the ma- would believe a child?
that the apprentice acted under the
magus orders. If a magus can prove
that the apprentice acted of his own wizard committed the crime, how apprentice feels that his parens isnt
volition, which Hermetic magic can would the Order respond? Essential- abiding by the parens-apprentice
do, then the Tribunal has a choice. ly the parens can remove any indi- bargain. An apprentice cannot peti-
It can deal with the apprentice as rect protection that the Code might tion for a new master, arrange better
the magus property and punish the have offered from the apprentice. treatment from the current master,
parens, or treat the apprentice as an Often, this is a death sentence. or attempt his Gauntlet early. As
interloper without any legal recog- The Code of Hermes does not far as the apprentice is concerned,
4419328
nition within the group. If a hedge provide any means of appeal if the the Code guarantees that his pa- 736020
Story Seed: The Inheritance

A magus acquires a Gifted child ation. According to the abbot, he could ignore the situation entirely.
as his apprentice from a prosper- can only retain the farm if the child Hell retain his apprentice, who
ous farmer, who is happy that the is returned to him. mopes and pouts because of his un-
child has a place to go. A few years If the player character is the ap- cles misfortune. He might be able
later, the father dies. With the child prentice, perhaps with the Flaw: to magically affect the situation, al-
absent, the property defaults to the Heir or Close Family Ties (the though the monastery has a Divine
farmers brother, who begins man- uncle), he must somehow deal with aura of 4 and the abbot rarely leaves
aging the estate. A nearby abbot his uncle. Most likely, his parens it. He could hire a lawyer to argue
learns of the property transfer, and wont let him return with his uncle, the case in the bishops court, even
knows that the child is not being even if he wants to. He cant legal- though the abbot and the bishop
cared for by the uncle. The abbot ly sign off the rights to the farm, are cousins. Perhaps he lays claim
claims that the monastery should since children cannot make legal to the farm, saying that he is the
manage the estate until the child contracts. Perhaps he can convince boys legal guardian, as he realizes
comes of age to inherit the farm. the abbot that the property is best the estates financial worth to the
For the uncle to retain the proper- managed by his uncle, while his covenant. All the while, he must
ty, he must raise the child. Humbly, place is in the covenant. make sure that his involvement
even fearfully, the uncle approach- If the player character is the with the mundanes does not breach
es the magus and tells him the situ- parens, he has several options. He the Code, a narrow path to tread.
39
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Apprentices
Apprentice of House Verditius

Characteristics: Int +1, Per +1, Wound Penalties: 1 (14), 3 Appearance: Vile-looking and di-
Pre 1, Com 0, Str +1, Sta +2, (58), 5 (912), Incapacitated sheveled, the apprentice wears
Dex +1, Qik +1 (Characteris- (1315), Dead (16+) craftsmans clothes appropriate
tic modifier 1) Abilities: Artes Liberales 1 for the forge.
Size: 1 (rhetoric), Brawl 2 (dagger),
Age: 12 (12) Craft: Goldsmith 3 (fine de- The Verditius apprentice has
Confidence Score: 1 (3) tails), Guile 2 (women), Latin spent five years in apprentice-
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Ap- 2 (Hermetic usage), Magic ship. The character used the Mis-
prentice; Major Magical Focus Theory 2 (enchanting items), chievous Childhood as a starting
(Metal); Affinity with Craft: Native Language 5 (metal- point, received 30 experience
Goldsmith, Cautious Sorcerer, working terminology), Stealth points for the two years before
Verditius Magic*; Weak Spon- 2 (shadowing) apprenticeship, and received 95
taneous Magic; Hunchback, Arts: Cr 0, In 0, Mu 4, Pe 0, Re experience points (19 x 5) for the
Slow Caster 4; An 0, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 0, He five years spent as a Verditius ap-
*Free House Virtue 0, Ig 0, Im 0, Me 0, Te 5, Vi 3 prentice. His parens has already
Personality Traits: Loyal +3, Jeal- Equipment: Robe, heavy leather initiated him into the Outer Mys-
ous +2, Indecisive +1 apron, and a pouch containing tery of the Cult (Verditius Magic
Combat: the casting tokens for his can- Virtue).
Dagger: Init 0, Attack +5, Defense tations Experience points have been
+3, Damage +3 Encumbrance: 0 (0) spent on Abilities, Arts, and spells,
Dodge: Init 0, Attack n/a, Defense Spells Known: deviating slightly from the stan-
+2, Damage n/a Probe for Pure Gold (InTe 4/ +6) A dard model of apprenticeship. The
4419329
Soak: 0 variant of Probe for Pure Silver. character is not limited to canta- 736021
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, 1, 3, 5, Shattering Touch (PeTe 5/ +6) tions, and has bought a higher
Unconscious The Crystal Dart (MuTe(Re) 10/ +10) level spell.
rens can treat him poorly, and his apprentices for short periods of could, however, and magi outside
only recourse is to suffer through time through fosterage, effectively the fostering agreement could ac-
it. If he wants a new master, he will breaking the rule that an apprentice cuse either of the fostering magi of
have to be subtle. He needs to show must receive personal instruction. a low crime. Since fostering is com-
his worth to a prospective new pa- Other Houses and other magi also mon, most magi would view the
rens, while at the same time proving foster apprentices. This is a breach accuser negatively, even though he
worthless to his current master. Just of the Code, and if brought to trial, may be technically right.
how far he can go depends on the each fostering magus could be ac-
temperament of his parens. cused of a low crime if they are not
House Bonisagus has additional also providing each apprentice a Teaching
legal privileges, because magi from season of personal instruction dur- Hermetic Virtues
that House can take an apprentice ing the fostering period. Because
away from another magus. The fosterage is always agreed to by Teaching an Hermetic Virtue
House has some self-governing both participating magi, the likeli- combines aspects of learning a Su-
guidelines that apply, but these hood that one would charge the pernatural Ability (ArM5, page
are merely suggestions, not laws other with a crime is slight. Nor 166) with learning a Mystery Cult
(Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page could either apprentice bring the Virtue (The Mysteries Revised Edition,
17). Some Bonisagus magi trade parentes up on charges. Others page 13). The instructor, typically
40
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Apprentices
an apprentices parens, generates in a single season if the Teaching Minor Hermetic Virtue the charac-
a Teaching Source Quality total Source Quality meets or exceeds ter already possesses adds +3 to the
that is compared to a required tar- the Target Level. Target Level, and each Major Her-
get level. Both teacher and student metic Virtue adds +9.
must be Gifted individuals trained in The Target Level is 15 to learn A teacher can only teach an
Hermetic Magic Theory. A magus a Minor Hermetic Virtue Hermetic Virtue that he has. If he
cannot teach a Gifted hedge wizard decides to include an Hermetic
an Hermetic Virtue because the two The Target Level is 21 to learn Flaw in the instruction, to make the
men do not understand magic in the a Major Hermetic Virtue process easier, he can only include
same way. At the end of a seasons an Hermetic Flaw that he possesses.
instruction, the parens generates a The more Hermetic Virtues a The student cannot instruct himself,
Teaching Source Quality just as if he Gifted student has, the harder it another difference between learning
were teaching an Ability or an Art. is to teach him new Hermetic Vir- Hermetic Virtues and Mystery Cult
tues. Learning Supernatural Abili- Virtues. Not every magus teaches
Teaching Source Quality: ties is also hindered by knowledge Hermetic Virtues to his apprentice,
Communication + Teaching possessed in other Supernatural although doing so does fulfill the
+ 3 + bonus Abilities (ArM5, page 166), and annual requirement of one season
Hermetic theorists speculate that of personal instruction due the ap-
The bonuses for the Instruction whatever nuance of The Gift so prentice. If a magus would rather
Total are the same bonuses that ap- limits learning Supernatural Abili- teach Hermetic Virtues than of Arts
ply for every teacher (ArM5, page ties also limits learning Hermetic or Abilities, the apprentice may end
164). Like Arts, Hermetic Virtues Virtues through instruction. Each up with less knowledge (fewer ex-
can only be taught one-on-one,
so every parens Teaching Source
Quality receives a +6 bonus. Vir-
4419330 736022
tues that affect teaching also apply.

An additional bonus can be
included if the teacher includes
an Hermetic Flaw along with the
Hermetic Virtue. Mystery Cult ini-
tiations sometimes include Ordeals,
which add a bonus to learning the
Mystery Cult Virtue. In its rough-
est sense, an Ordeal is a Flaw. For
whatever reason magic being
quixotic at its core it is easier to
teach an Hermetic Virtue if one in-
cludes an Hermetic Flaw. Including
a Minor Hermetic Flaw adds a +3
bonus. Including a Major Hermetic
Flaw adds a +9 bonus. A teacher can
only include an Hermetic Flaw that
he has.
Like Mystery Initiations and
regular teaching, there is no die
roll. The Hermetic Virtue is taught
41
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Apprentices
perience points) than his peers. Like This rule pertains to seven of the Gaining Hermetic Flaws
most of apprenticeship, it is the pa- twelve Houses, all four True Lineag-
rens decision. It isnt unusual for a es, and three of the Societates. The Few apprentices purposefully
parens to teach Arts, Abilities, and fourth Societas, House Ex Miscella- gain Hermetic Flaws. A player can al-
spells during the required seasons nea, is a special case because an ap- ways select an Inherited Flaw at char-
of instruction, and spend additional prentice of a House Ex Miscellanea acter generation, and while this will
seasons teaching the apprentice an magus receives a package of House develop sometime during the child
Hermetic Virtue or two. Virtues and Flaws: one Minor Her- characters life, that is different from
metic Virtue, one Major non-Her- gaining an Hermetic Flaw after cre-
Acquiring House Virtues metic Virtue, and one Major Her- ating the character. Hermetic Flaws
metic Flaw. Because there are several acquired after character generation
Every Hermetic House has one types of Ex Miscellanea magi, the affect a character as soon as they are
or more Hermetic Virtues associat- troupe should decide if an appren- gained, their effects manifesting im-
ed with it, and every Hermetic ma- tice of a specific tradition learns the mediately. Hermetic magi have not
gus receives a free Minor Hermetic House Virtues and Flaws through found a way to remove Hermetic
Virtue based on his House. Play- one-on-one association or through Flaws, and once gained an Hermetic
ers often refer to this Virtue as the a process similar to a mystery initia- Flaw is permanent, barring a story.
House Virtue, because it comes tion like the Mystery Cult Houses. The two most common ways
free with the characters Hermetic An apprentice of a magus of a characters gain Hermetic Flaws are
House. The House Virtue does not Mystery Cult gains the free House through learning Hermetic Virtues,
have to be specifically taught, al- Virtue by undergoing an Initiation to and as a consequence of game play.
though it can be. Often it is learned learn the Houses Outer Mystery (as As mentioned previously, it is easier
over time, assumed by the impres- described in Mystery Cults). House to learn an Hermetic Virtue from a
sionable young apprentice as she Verditius Initiates an apprentice im- teacher if that teacher includes an
learns magic during the prolonged mediately following the opening of Hermetic Flaw in the process. Her-
4419331 736023
teaching and laboratory interac- an apprentices Arts. House Bjornaer metic magi do not fully understand
tions with her parens. Initiates an apprentices Heartbeast why this is so, but like Mystery Cult
For over half of the Houses, it at some point during apprenticeship, Initiations, tainting the learning
takes 10 seasons of one-on-one at the Ritual of Twelve Years (see process with an incurred liability
interactions with a parens for an Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page makes instruction easier. The sec-
apprentice to gain the free Minor 16). Houses Criamon and Merinita ond way characters gain Hermetic
House Virtue. Teaching Arts, Ar- Initiate apprentices at various times, Flaws is through play. Uncontrolled
cane Abilities, and spells and help- usually dependent on the master. Ini- Temporary Twilight episodes are a
ing in the laboratory all count as tiation into a Houses Outer Mystery frequent cause, bestowing Hermetic
seasons of one-on-one interactions. takes a season. Flaws on an apprentice in the same
If an apprentice does not receive 10 The apprentice must learn the way they grant Hermetic Flaws to a
seasons of one-on-one instructions, same free House Virtue that his pa- magus (ArM5, page 89). Gaining an
he does not receive the free House rens knows. In a House where there Hermetic Deficiency Flaw during
Virtue. In such a case, there would is a choice of House Virtues, the pa- the opening of the Arts is another
likely be other problems due to le- rens can decide which House Virtue path to receiving a new Flaw during
gal issues. is acquired, if he has both. House play. Some Supernatural creatures
Flambeau, for example, has the have the power to grant Minor
Acquiring the Minor choice of Puissant Perdo or Puis- and Major Flaws, and while these
Hermetic House Virtue requires sant Ignem. If the master has both arent always Hermetic, they can
10 Seasons of one-on-one Virtues, he can choose either as the be. These Flaws are not necessarily
Interaction with Parens apprentices House Virtue. permanent and many are tempo-
42
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Apprentices
rary inconveniences. Realms of Power: penalized, and a character with the Book Learning
Magic and Realms of Power: Faerie have Blatant Gift suffers a 6 penalty. A
details and example creatures. Gifted student suffers a 3 penalty Another good way to improve
when learning from a teacher be- an apprentices or scholars Abili-
cause teaching is a social activity. ties is to allow him access to books.
Study If a Gifted teacher teaches a Gifted Both summae and tractatus can be
student, the penalty is doubled, 3 invaluable instructional tools for
Educational instruction in the in- for each Gifted participant in the a young student, who needs to be
stitutions of Mythic Europe begins social exchange. The Parma Magica able to read (Artes Liberales 1) and
around age seven. Future lawyers negates this penalty completely, al- must be fluent in the language used
and clerics are taught the basics of lowing a parens to teach an appren- in the book (a score of 4 or higher
the trivium, the first stage of medi- tice without issue. Mundane teach- in the written language) to gain
eval learning. An apprentice may ers usually do not have a Parma any useful insight. Books, however,
also find himself behind a reading Magica, and the penalty is imposed. are precious things, and not every
desk, as it is perfectly reasonable A magus could share his Parma owner wishes his cherished vol-
for a magus to send his apprentice Magica with both his apprentice umes to undergo the vigorous and
to a mundane teacher. Rather than and the mundane teacher, which often damaging treatment received
spend precious time teaching an ap- would cancel The Gifts negative from a young student. Universities
prentice Latin, Artes Liberales and social effect. To do this, the magus require students to make their own
Profession: Scribe, many magi use must keep both teacher and appren- copies of texts, avoiding the lend-
a tutor. Many covenants have such tice in sight, which limits his solo ing of books from a teachers library
professionals on staff, scholastic in- work. He could have the pair work- entirely. Most students cant afford
structors paid to teach Academic, ing in his laboratory while he works to purchase an individual copy of a
Arcane, and other Abilities. on something else, but this often book, but those who can will find
proves too distracting. booksellers in the larger towns and
4419332 736024
Teachers A Gifted student could find him- cities of Mythic Europe. Cathedral
self among non-Gifted students. An and other religious schools put even
Sending an apprentice to a mun- apprentice could be compelled to more restrictions on the books they
dane teacher is problematic because attend a teachers class on his pa- own, keeping the written treasures
mundane teachers hate Gifted stu- rens orders. Since Gifted children in safe hands.
dents. While the Parma Magica are usually brighter than their peers, The books in a covenants li-
eliminates the inherent suspicions a Gifted character who is not an brary are slightly different, in
fostered by the Gift, those without apprentice might be forced into a that they are usually owned by
its protection find Gifted students classroom. Perhaps the village priest the group of magi rather than the
unpalatable. The Gifted child is per- took pity on a Gifted outcast, and individual. Most covenants have
ceived as lazy, shiftless, and dishon- welcomed the child into the local stipulations on who has access to
est at first, and then later, as they parish school. Students are nor- their written repository, and only
progress in their lessons, as devious, mally taught in groups, and only the in the most liberal covenant will
undeserving, and underhanded. wealthiest children and Hermetic an apprentice have free rein. Nat-
Mechanically, the Gift imposes apprentices commonly receive in- urally, an apprentices parens will
a 3 penalty on all social interac- dividual tutelage. Classrooms are probably want unlimited access to
tion totals (ArM5, page 75). A stressful, teachers are strict, and the covenants library, which could
Gifted teacher suffers this penalty classmates are experts at picking out easily create tension if he is the
when calculating a Teaching Source the oddballs and terrorizing them. only magus with an apprentice.
Quality (ArM5, page 106). A char- Incurring a Turbulence would be a Why should his sodales have to
acter with the Gentle Gift is not weekly, if not daily, occurrence. wait a season to read the Corpus
43
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Apprentices
summa because it is in the hands Training ties. In almost all cases, a Training
of a mere boy? Other magi take a Source Quality will be lower than a
more proactive view, thinking that A magus may train his appren- Teaching Source Quality.
the easy and early dissemination tice, using the rules for Training A magus would better serve
of arcane books to an apprentice (ArM5, page 164). Only Abili- his apprentice in the long run
ultimately strengthens the Or- ties can be trained, not Arts, but a if he learned how to teach (ie. if
der of Hermes as a whole. House trainer does not need an additional he gained a score in Teaching).
Bonisagus has sworn to spread its Ability (Teaching) to train, like While training might not be the
knowledge of magic to any re- a teacher does. A magus without best method of instruction, it does
questing magus. Does this include a Teaching score might consider count as a season of one-on-one
apprentices? training his apprentice in Abili- instruction.
Story Seed: The Unlicensed Loan Cantations

An apprentice character de- his own hands, and promises to
sires to read a tome written about turn a blind eye to any strategies When Hermetic magi speak
a particular Art. However, the the youth might concoct, pro- of spells, they often use the Latin
covenant has ruled that an ap- vided no one is hurt and nothing word incantamen, which can mean
prentice may only study a book is destroyed. Maybe the appren- both formulaic and spontaneous
in the library once a year, and tice could sneak into the library spells. Over time various magi
the apprentice has already been at night and replace the book started using the Latin word can-
allowed this privilege. His pa- with a lookalike, providing he tamen to mean little spell. When
rens suggests that the apprentice can bypass the librarians magical applied to the magical castings of
might have to take matters into guardian night owl. a magus, the term can be insulting:
Vide Darii cantamen perdere! (Look at
4419333 736025
Darius little spell of destruction!).

Tales of Wondrous Enchantments Using cantamen or cantation is
very appropriate for a low-level
Stories of King Arthur are pop- cane secrets, including three great spell cast by an apprentice, how-
ular in the 13th century. Arthurs names used to power his most po- ever, and magi often call a low-
mystical companion, Merlin, is tent spells, which she records in a level formulaic spell a cantation,
a master of self-transformation secret journal. Remembering this especially when the caster is an
spells and prophesies, and his tale, adult magi have searched for apprentice.
tales capture the imagination of this journal, called The Book of Not every apprentice knows
apprentices. Child apprentices Nimiane, scouring the Stone- formulaic spells. Many magi con-
love the drama of the tales and henge and Normandy Tribunals sider it a waste of time and resourc-
the legendary proportions Merlin as they look for the book and the
es to teach a young apprentice
assumes. Adolescent apprentices secret glen where Merlins instruc-
spells. But not all agree, and some-
like debating whether the tales are tions were recorded. The Seekers,
times a parens will teach a child
true, arguing the pros and cons a society of magi within the Or-
apprentice formulaic spells. Teach-
with their masters, their peers, and der who often search out such ar-
anyone who has an opinion. tifacts, claim there is no evidence ing formulaic spells is explained in
Their favorite part of the story that such a book exists, but few ArM5, page 95. In a single season,
is when Merlin teaches magic to trust these secretive explorers. an apprentice can learn a number
the young damsel Nimiane. In Whether these tales are true or of spells equal to her parens high-
eight days, he tells her all his ar- not depends on your saga. est applicable Lab Total, while
the highest individual spell level
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she can learn is her Lab Total in
the spells Technique and Form. In
most circumstances, an apprentice
will be able to learn many canta-
tions in a single season.
A cantations main advantage is
that it usually works, or at least is
usually cast. Because a cantation is
a formulaic spell, the spell casting
total needs to fall short of the spell
level by 10 or more to fail (ArM5,
page 81). If the casting total is 10
or less below the spell level, the
cantation is cast and the caster
loses a Fatigue level. Spontaneous
magic can have the same magical
effect as any cantation, but a caster
needs to meet or exceed the de-
sired effect level using spontane-
ous magic, something not every
apprentice will be able to manage.
Knowing a cantation nearly guar-
antees the successful casting of the
magical effect. Spontaneous magic
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does not offer that same promise, This spell slightly changes the The Clerics Pate 736026
for an apprentice. color and cut of a leather jerkin, PeCo 5

Below are some sample canta- wool tunic, or fur cloak. In social R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Part
tions that are especially popular situations where clothing is impor- This spell causes the target to
with apprentices: tant, the caster gains a +1 bonus lose all the hair on his head.
to any Etiquette or Charm roll the (Base 3, +1 Touch, +1 Part)
The Apprentices Delight player has to make.
(Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun) The Cooks Revenge
CrHe 3
R: Touch, D: Dia, T: Ind The Chameleon Cat PeHe(An) 5
This spell creates a ripe apple Req: Animal
that lasts for two minutes, long MuAn 5 R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
enough to be gobbled down. The R: Touch, D: Dia T: Ind This spell spoils a plate of food.
apple provides no nourishment; its This spell changes the color (Base 3, + 1 Touch, +1 Requisite)
pleasure is in the sweetness of eat- of a beast of up to Size +1. The
ing it. color change only lasts a couple The Curse of Diana
(Base 1, + 1 Touch, + 1 Diameter) minutes, but is not restricted to
any natural color an animal might PeAn 4
possess. Green cats are a favorite R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
The Appropriate Attire at Durenmar. This spell causes an animal of
MuAn 4 (Base 2, +1 Touch, +1 Diameter, Size +1 or smaller to lose all its fur.
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind +1 unnatural) Several members of House Jerbiton
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find hairless cats beautiful, but their The Dancers Dame Hurling the Droplet of Lye
opinion is not shared by many.
(Base 3, +1 Touch) ReHe 5 CrAq 3
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind R: Touch, D: Dia, T: Ind
Curse of the Babys Bladder This spell animates a linen gown This spell produces a drop of
or dress to dance with the caster, lye that can burn a coin-sized hole
ReCo 5 who must maintain concentration in leather cloth or in parchment.
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Part while dancing (Ease Factor 9). If hurled at a living target, the
By manipulating the targets (Base 3, + 1 Touch, + 1 Conc) corrosive substance can cause +1
stomach and groin muscles, this spell Damage.
causes the target to release his water, Ears of the Hare (Base 1, +1 Touch, +1 Diameter)
resulting in a (usually) embarrassing
situation. This spell does not target MuCo 4 Hypnotic Gaze
or create urine, so if the target has R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
recently urinated, the spell has no ef- Requisites: Animal ReMe 5
fect. This cantation is unfortunately This spell gives the caster the R: Eye D: Mom, T: Ind
popular with many apprentices. auditory ability of a hare, granting The target becomes sleepy and
(Base 2, + 2 Voice, +1 Part) her +1 on Perception rolls that in- falls asleep within a few seconds.
volve hearing. (Base 4, +1 Eye)
Closing the Campfire (Base 2, +2 Sun, requisite free)
The Jongleurs Steps
PeIg 5 An Evenings Illumination
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind ReAn 4
This spell extinguishes a fire. MuAq 5 R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
The caster must touch the flames. R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind This spell animates a shoe, mak-
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This spell is more popular with This spells changes water into ing it caper and jig under the casters
Flambeau apprentices, who often lamp oil. As earlier, a barrelful control. Cast on a shoe that some-
have enough Ignem Form Resis- amount of water will produce a one is wearing, the spell causes the
tance to avoid being burned. bucketful of oil. wearer to stumble.
(Base 4, + 1 Touch) (Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun) (Base 1, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
Optional Rule: Learning Cantations in Play

Most magi dont take the time eventually becomes known, the perience points earned from the
to teach cantations to apprentices. definition of a formulaic spell. adventure. The level of the spell
It is not the most effective use of Using this rule allows a player determines its cost, at one experi-
time and a younger apprentice will to spend adventure experience ence point per level.
be limited in what she can learn. points on a spontaneous spell If you use this rule, it should
An optional rule is to let the re- his character used in play to turn also be available to adult magi.
peated casting of a low level spon- it into a formulaic. He must use However, adult magi can invent
taneous spell become a formulaic the same spell repeatedly, at least many cantations in a single sea-
spell. At some point in the appren- as many times as the level of the son, and thus are unlikely to
tices mind, casting the same spon- spell. If this condition is met, the want to take advantage of the
taneous spell over and over again player can buy the spell with ex- rule very often.
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Jupiters Tears the caster. It is useful in discover- has to speak in specific spell-casting
ing if a common cold or recurring situations.
CrAu 5 ache is actually something more (Base 3, +2 Voice)
R: Sight, D: Conc, T: Ind severe.
This spell makes a single cloud (Base 4) Shattering Touch
on an overcast day release its mois-
ture, causing a light drizzle. The Poor Performers Reward PeTe 5
(Base 1, +1 Conc, +3 Sight) R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
CrTe 4 An object of stone or weaker
The Laundress Clothesline R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind earthy material up to a pace across
This spell creates a handful of breaks apart.
PeAq 4 mud, useful for hurling at a target. (Base 4, +1 Touch)
R: Per, D: Mom, T: Ind Since this mud is magically created,
This spell immediately dries the it is resisted by Magic Resistance. Slap of Awakening
casters clothing, which he must be (Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
wearing when this spell is cast. ReMe 5
(Base 4) The Racing Rot R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
This spell instantly awakens a
Mimic the Christs Miracle PeAn 4 target from sleep to alert conscious-
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind ness. It does not work on someone
MuAq 5 This spell causes leather goods unconscious from Fatigue-level loss
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind to crack and wear, marring their ap- or continuous magic. It will awaken
This spell changes water into pearance and bringing them closer someone who was magically put to
wine. Changing water into a pro- to eventually breaking. sleep, as long as the magic that put
cessed liquid reduces its size, and it (Base 2, +2 Voice) the person to sleep has ended.
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takes a barrelful of water to produce (Base 4, +1 Touch)

a cup-sized amount of wine. The Reward Delivered
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun) The Smokeless Campfire
ReTe 4
A Pestilence of Fleas R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind MuIg 5
This spell is a counterpart to The R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
MuIm 4 Poor Performers Reward. It hurls the This spell changes the nature of
R: Voice, D: Dia, T: Ind ball of mud at a target. a fire so it does not produce smoke.
This sensory illusion makes tar- (Base 3, +1 Touch) (Base 1, + 2 Voice, + 2 Sun)
get itchy. Tasks requiring Concen-
tration or physical activity are pe- Sense the Sleeping Hound The Studious Doppleganger
nalized by 1.
(Base 1, +2 Voice, +1 Diameter) InAn 5 CrIm 5
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Physicians Sense This spell indicates to the caster This spell creates a static copy of
if an animal within range is asleep. the caster, which sits on a stool and
InCo 4 Care must be taken that the vocal- appears to be studying a book. The
R: Per, D: Mom, T: Ind ization of this spell doesnt wake image is only visual.
Like The Physicians Eye, this spell the beast, which is good practice (Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1
determines the general health of in determining how loudly a caster intricacy)
47
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The Unruffled Traveler
The Dream Witches
ReAu 4
Some mothers threaten their tice with the dream witches, R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
misbehaving children with tales evil sorceresses in tattered cloaks
This spell wards the caster from
of bogeymen, horrible night crea- who sweep into the apprentices
light breezes, redirecting them to
tures that devour bad girls and dreams and contort them into
blow around the caster and leave
boys. A fairly common practice, horrible nightmares. The threats
him untouched. It is ineffective
the exact monster invoked differs vary; the dreamer is stripped of
by region, and depending where all intelligence, or his flesh is rent against stronger winds.
the family lives the traditional and torn, or perhaps the night- (Base 2, +2 Sun)
bogeyman might be goblins, mare is so terrible that it bursts
bugbears, elves, or vampires. Ap- his heart. Whispering Fingers
prentices soon realize that these Most apprentices forget these
traditional bogeymen are either tales after childhood. Few remem- CrMe 5
fairly benign or easily managed ber the horrible stories of their R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
through magic, and this psycho- parentes, or if they do they scoff This spell lets the caster speak
logical tool loses much of its im- them off as simple childrens fan- directly into the targets mind for as
pact. cies. But as with many legends in long as he maintains concentration.
But there are worse creatures Mythic Europe, the dream witch- (Base 3, +1 Touch, +1 Conc)
in the world than elves and bug- es actually exist, hidden within an
bears. Instead of the traditional esoteric Mystery Cult of the Or-
night creatures, a maga might der of Hermes, with powers not
frighten her misbehaving appren- unlike those reputed to them.
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Chapter Five
Adolescentia: Ages 15 to 21
Adolescence is the third stage spent in study or play is now inter- from his work. The invitation to as-
of life, running from 15 to 21 years rupted by penning love poems and sist a master in the lab is an impor-
of age. Poets refer to this as the age dreamily gazing out tower windows. tant rite of passage and a sign of great
of lovers, when a boy is no longer a An apprentice achieves his maxi- status among an apprentices peers,
child, yet not quite a man. An ado- mum usefulness to his parens during since it carries the connotation that
lescent boy is given adult responsi- this stage of life. Besides becoming the apprentice is no longer a child.
bilities while still receiving the toler- an important laboratory assistant, the
ance his youthful years deserve. At apprentice can perform other tasks
15, a characters Characteristics are in place of his parens. With several
no longer penalized for age, meaning
that he often shifts into more adult
years of training under his belt, the
apprentice might start performing
Coming of Age
roles. It is common for a 15 year old duties that would otherwise require By 15, most boys and girls have
boy to join his lords levy and march the magus to waste time on lesser become productive members of so-
to war, or for an apprentice to stand projects, or that would distract him ciety. Most have taken firm steps
in for her parens rather along a career path and
4419338 736030
than merely assisting are fully entrenched

him. Adventures can in their vocation. The
lose their childhood fo- vast majority of Myth-
cus and become more ic Europes children,
mature. those of the unwashed,
The teenage years laboring peasant, serf,
bring all sorts of ac- and farmer, are work-
companying troubles. ing the farm, driving
Puberty is a compli- the herd, and engag-
cated mix of emotions, ing in all the agrarian
and years immediately tasks necessary to sus-
following are fraught tain life. Young girls
with anxiety, expecta- from the poorest to
tions, and inclusion the wealthiest learn the
into a new world of textile trades, spinning,
adult behavior. Roman- sewing, and weaving.
tic issues assume a sud- Urban sons of guild
den and overwhelming members are likely ap-
importance, often to prentices in their fa-
the point of distraction. thers guilds, toiling for
Time that was once a master who provides
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Village girls unite to do laundry at
Story Seed: Against the Masters Wishes the well, and boys unite to drive the
In many areas of Mythic Eu- The player characters could be cows to pasture. Rural adolescents
rope, peasants are forbidden to the fleeing apprentices, trying to may have a younger sibling in tow,
leave the land they work with- outrun the nobles pursuing posse, charged with watching the child in
out the permission of their feudal or agents from the covenant sent addition to their work.
master. An adolescent who leaves to retrieve the boys. This could A good many rural adolescents
home for the city is actually break- be a good introductory adventure. leave home during this time and
ing the law. A landed noble no- Players make adolescent charac- head for town, which offers bet-
tices that several of his serfs sons ters who then flee home, heading ter employment opportunities, un-
are leaving the manor and head- for the nearest city but inadver- supervised freedom from parents,
ing to town, and asks the magi if tently meeting the covenfolk and and the intoxicating lure of urban
they can help retrieve the boys. magi sent to find them. excitement. Not every adolescent
goes willingly. Some are sent against
their wishes by parents who hope to
them room, board, and instruction. tradesmen and clerks still work close- provide their children with a better
Other adolescents might be en- ly with an instructor, but they are not livelihood. These adolescents are in
rolled in universities or cathedral watched over as if they were chil- addition to the number sent as ap-
schools, and those bent on religious dren. Adolescents gather into same- prentices to city guilds and those
life might be already enclosed in sex groups, both for safety, to rein- sent for institutional education. Be-
monasteries and churches. force social mores, and to exchange sides working menial labor jobs, of
Adolescents work on their own, ideas and information. If work can be which there are many, the vast ma-
without parental supervision. Skilled done in a group, so much the better. jority of rural adolescents become
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Story Seed: The Thrills of Love

Romantic infatuations strike The obstacles to the characters become unbelievably entangled.
the young quickly and ferociously, desire to be near his love should For example, a visiting Tyta-
generated by a single glance, a ca- seem insurmountable. Social and lus magus arrives at the covenant
sual touch, or a scented letter. Ad- cultural barriers must be crossed: with his 14 year old daughter in
olescents may abandon their sense reluctant fathers persuaded, jeal- tow. Although she isnt Gifted, she
of reason to chase a pretty face, ous rivals dueled, midnight rendez- is still the daughter of a powerful
braving all sorts of dangers just to vous arranged, and love letters and magus. To make matters worse,
be near the one they love. This is items of affection must be covertly she is beautiful beyond measure
the stuff of many medieval legends passed back and forth. The social to the (admittedly nave) adoles-
and the romance literature popular suspicion fostered by The Gift can cent player characters. During her
in the 13th century. be detrimental, although the ap- stay, the youths vie for her atten-
Any character can suffer Cu- prentice still feels the stings of un- tions, and if one of the adolescents
pids darts. Love strikes without requited love. Obvious obstacles is an apprentice, the competition
mercy, and storyguides should feel aside, adolescent infatuation can should be fierce and extremely en-
justified in simply stating that a be additionally complicated emo- tertaining. The Tytalus daughter
players adolescent character sees tionally. Perhaps the apprentices plays up the rivalry, her head full
a beautiful face and instantly falls beloved does not return his affec- of romantic notions, encouraging
in love. Use this to propel stories, tions, or is betrothed to another. her suitors and hoping to provoke
not to punish or penalize players. Love affairs, secret or declared, can them into a duel.
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More Marriage Story Seeds

A marriage is a nice hitch to The Illegal Marriage The Private Marriage
wrap a story around, because they
are common enough events to in- In some countries, serfs and The adolescent son of a cov-
clude all sorts of characters. Magi other bonded men must first ask enant grog disappears, and the
sometimes marry, which may in- their lords permission to marry. characters are charged with find-
volve the whole covenant, but A serf that didnt shows up at the ing him. He has run off and mar-
even a secret marriage between covenant seeking sanctuary from ried a local girl, and now the pair
grogs is storyworthy. an upset local lord. Do the magi are on the run and trying to find a
help him and his new bride, or do new place to live.
they turn them over to his lord,
The Masters Marriage
who has a reputation for savagery? A Noble Marriage
An apprentices parens is mar-
rying his beloved at the covenant, The Faerie Marriage The nearby knight is getting
and the feast is set. A magnificent married and invites his neighbors
cake is baked, but it mysteriously A faerie proposes to a nave to attend. Several of the covenants
goes missing just hours before the adolescent character, who inadver- adolescents go, but are unprepared
grand banquet begins. Knowing tently accepts the proposal and is for the heightened social interac-
that his parens is preoccupied, whisked to the Faerie Realm. Char- tions that result at court. Can the
the apprentice must find the miss- acters must retrieve the character, characters avoid making fools of
ing cake. and not incur the faeries wrath. themselves at the ceremony?
servants in the houses of the nobil- Not every boy or girl becomes Marriage
ity, wealthy merchants, and church a productive member of society,
4419340 736032
dignitaries. Many better-off families and a good number instead become The average age that most peas-
hire adolescent servants, exchang- unproductive elements: beggars, ant boys marry is 18 to 25, while
ing meals, clothing, and minimal thieves, layabouts, and cutthroats, most girls marry around 17 or 18.
education for the servants labor. to name just a few. Bad luck and ill Historical evidence for marriage is
Adolescent girls and boys perform circumstances lead many to such scant in the 13th century, and while
many, if not most, of the menial lives, but some actually aspire to records exist of kings, princes, and
jobs done in a rich mans house. such evil trades. While child rogues wealthy nobles marrying much
An adolescent is easily taken by and thieves can be a nuisance and younger partners, such behavior is
flights of fancy, easily distracted inconvenience, adolescent outlaws limited to perhaps 1% of Mythic
from work by sights and sounds. A and troublemakers can be danger- Europes population. In most cases,
pretty girl turns a boys head and he ous. Legally, most areas treat an the man is older than the woman.
drops the baggage he was carrying. adolescent offender as an adult. An For the vast majority of the popu-
A wounded, whimpering dog pulls adolescent is too young to inherit lation, the agrarian peasantry, mar-
a young woman from her chores, as property, but not to hang for murder, riage for male characters happens
she rushes to its aid. Adolescence is heresy, or theft. While a child might after adolescence. For a female
often described as the best time of receive a pardon for even the vilest characters, however, it is very likely
ones life, mixing the innocence of crime, a boy or girl in her teens will that she will enter this most holy of
childhood with the enthusiasm and not. While the family surely grieves, unions before she turns 21.
exuberance of puberty, and before the crowd wont flinch at a hanged Clandestine marriages, those
being ground down by adult toils 16 year old boy or a 14 year old girl that occur without a priest and
and troubles. burned at the stake. witnesses, are common. The will-
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ing participants verbally promise Some players may have heard of unnoticed by Mythic Europes su-
to marry each other and the act is the legend of the right of the first pernatural denizens.
done. The Church has recently out- night, jus primae noctis or droit du sei- Demons find adolescents tasty
lawed such practices, and Canon 50 gneur (the lords right). According morsels, each ready for temptation,
of the Fourth Lateran Council re- to this legend, in some countries, corruption, and sin. Magically com-
quires that marriages be performed the lord of the land had the right pelling an adolescent to act sinfully
by a priest. The marriage contract to sleep with any mans bride on the might be easy, because of the tar-
must be publicly announced before first night of her marriage. Although gets lower resistances and tender
the event, and the priest is tasked popular in several 20th century films, age, but it is not actually sin. To be
with investigating if any impedi- the legend of the right of first night a sin, the act needs to be conscious.
ments to the union exist. Most of- is not medieval, and most likely arose Like an adult, an adolescent needs
ten, these impediments are degrees in the 19th century, as an aspersion to purposefully sin for the demon
of consanguinity; the couple must cast against the Middle Ages. to succeed. Though most inter-
be four steps of affinity removed ested in mortal sins, demons start
from each other to form a legal with venial sins, trying to tempt an
union. Children of clandestine or Supernatural Interests adolescent into small acts of vice,
illegal marriages usually those in the hopes that he will eventually
who marry regardless of degrees of Children are easier targets than be tempted to commit greater sins.
consanguinity are illegitimate. adults, and some supernatural crea- One demon spent five years trying
To end a legal marriage, a priest tures intentionally target younger to tempt an adolescent girl, posing
must annul the marriage by decid- characters because of this vulnera- as a wealthy merchant and continu-
ing that it was invalid in the first bility. Removed from the home and ally offering her gifts and baubles in
place. If annulled, the marriage outside direct parental control and an attempt make her vain. On the
never existed legally, and both protection, adolescents are more at cusp of her leaving adolescentia,
participants are allowed to marry risk than younger children. Adoles- the demon invited the girl to a huge
4419341 736033
again. Annulments are expensive centia is probably the age of man banquet filled with sweet meats and
and time consuming, and out of where the biggest developmental wondrous devices. According to
the reach of peasants, townsfolk, changes occur, during which char- the legend, she escaped by crossing
moderately wealthy merchants, acters change from a child into an herself, but in your saga, she might
and the lesser nobility. adult. This transition does not go need the aid of the magi to free her-
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self from the demons clutches.
Where there is sin, there is also Story Seed: Time to Die
salvation. Divine creatures take a An adolescent son of a martial to face the monster. The monster,
more passive approach to adoles- grog hears of a terrifying forest a variant of a Fachan (Realms of
cents, who after all have free will faerie whose role is to challenge Power: Faerie, page 77), expects to
just like their parents, but many a young man to combat, as a nec- be killed by a champions blade,
stand available if divine help is essary step to that mans adult- but only after a fierce struggle.
sought. In most cases, the character hood. Not understanding the It is a deadly combatant and the
has to travel to the divine creature, role of faeries and assuming that creature will happily kill a novice
either through pilgrimage to a holy there is no real threat, the boy warrior. Can the boys defeat the
site or by entering the divine crea- decides to corral his adolescent faerie or must they return home
tures terrestrial regio. Most saints companions into going with him and ask for help?
take kindly to adolescent petition-
ers, who receive a +1 bonus to the
roll to invoke their patron saint
(Realms of Power: The Divine, page 87).
Story Seed: Wheres the Money?
Other creatures, like divine uni- The steward of the covenant all their money, and in reality is
corns and phoenixes, willing assist regularly attends the small towns a rabbit. If the characters refuse,
the troubled. Divine creatures are Wednesday market, but is unable the faerie secretly changes their
exceedingly hard to deceive, and to go this week because of other coins into leaves. In the small
supplicants with hidden selfish de- duties. He gives a group of ado- town, when it is time to pay for
sires are easily detected. lescents a pouch of pennies and the supplies, the characters dis-
Faeries take a keen interest in the a grocery list, and sends them cover the faeries spell. The mer-
liminal stages that begin and end on their way. Along the road, chant is upset and the steward
the adolescent age of man. Suscep- the characters encounter a faerie surely will be, unless the char-
4419342 736034
tible and naive, a 15 year old is the peddler who offers to sell them acters can locate the faerie and
perfect target for many faeries, who his cow. Buying the cow costs force him to remove the spell.
greedily lap up the adolescents vital-
ity. Some faeries actually feed on the Surrounded by her court of fairy unconscious adolescent boy. A grif-
flesh and bones of adolescents, but damsels, she holds the child down, fin probably views an adolescent as
the vast majority seek the easily in- flays his hair and scalp, cuts open an easy meal. Unthinking magic
duced emotional surges of a young his skull, and removes his brains. things, such as elementals and spirits,
adult. A troll living under a bridge Stitching him back up, she sends the wont notice the difference between
might challenge an adolescent to in- brainless lad on his way, insane and an adolescent and an adult.
spire courage, its preferred form of doomed to wander aimlessly.
vitality. A faerie prince might prom- Magic creatures are the least in-
ise to save an adolescent girl from terested in adolescents; their general
her life as a servant by whisking her
away to his faerie castle, while a fa-
lack of interest in humanity is not
suddenly lessened the moment an ad-
Life in the
erie princess might need to be saved
from a giant. The Woman of the
olescent walks on the scene. A think-
ing magic creature might be briefly
Covenant
Wheat Fields is a particularly nasty interested in a youth, but much de- Most youthful player characters
faerie from the Stonehenge Tribunal. pends on the creature in question. A likely live in the covenant with the
Typically, she has a faerie servant magic unicorn might be calmed by rest of the troupes characters, al-
abduct a boy traveling through the a pure adolescent girl, and a magic though it is equally conceivable that
wheat fields and bring him to her. lioness might lick the wounds of an they live in a nearby village or town,
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especially if they are the children of around, he could mimic this be- for one magus to work. Combining
companion characters. Their days havior, targeting fellow adolescents different magis activities in the same
mirror their parents. Like his par- instead of their parents. Perhaps he space is extremely difficult. If the
ent, an adolescent character must has decided on some grand adven- parens works on one project while
work two seasons a year, giving him ture, or more likely is charged with the apprentice works in another, in
two free seasons to grow (teaching performing some errand for his pa- the same laboratory, the laboratory
or training) or explore (adventure). rens. Quickly assembling his party, is considered Shared, a new Flaw for
The more closely an adolescent is he is off, out the covenant doors and the laboratory (see insert).
connected to a covenant, the further on the road to adventure. Like other laboratory assistants,
removed he is from the regular so- an apprentice adds his Int + Magic
cial operations of mundane society, Theory to his parens Lab Total. The
although life at the covenant will Life in the Laboratory apprentices Virtues and Flaws affect
certainly mimic many of its forms. A the Lab Total, as do his parens. For
covenant blacksmiths son may forge An adolescent apprentice spends example, an apprentice with Inven-
as many horseshoes as his village much of his time working in his pa- tive Genius adds to the Lab Total,
peer, but isnt afraid to wander the rens laboratory. Physically, he is while Waster of Vis imposes twice
faerie forest on days off. Grog ado- nearly an adult, having outgrown the normal vis cost. All laboratory-
lescents will eventually replace their the negative modifier applied to related Virtues and Flaws apply. If
parents in their duties, a convention Characteristics, and if his parens both parens and apprentice have
followed across Mythic Europe. has properly prepared him, the ap- Waster of Vis, for example, the
Adolescent characters can under- prentice has some skill in Magic laboratory activity costs twice the
take the same adventures adult char- Theory. Every magus can have at normal amount of vis.
acters can, and in fact may have more least one helper. More requires a If the magus decides on a non-
time to do so. If a magus needs a score in Leadership (ArM5, page standard laboratory routine, (Cov-
handful of grogs to accompany him, 130), and it is the rare apprentice enants, pages 1079), his apprentice
4419343 736035
and the mission isnt especially dan- who cannot offer any assistance at must work the same schedule. If the
gerous, he may opt for the younger this stage of his career. How much apprentice fails to work the same
members of the turb, so that the more time the apprentice spends assisting schedule, the magus does not re-
experienced members can continue his parens is up to the magus and his ceive the bonus of the non-standard
their duties. An adolescent is always arcane preferences. A Bonisagus or work schedule. While not receiving
keen to show that he is an adult, and Verditius apprentice might spent all any additional bonuses for working
might persistently ask whether he of his time enclosed in the sanctum, the same routine, the apprentice
can join an activity. Adolescents are assisting three seasons out of the unfortunately suffers the same con-
often given more slack for making year and receiving instruction in the sequences as the magus for the non-
mistakes than their parents, meaning fourth season, which also happens standard routine.
that a group of adolescent characters in the parens laboratory. A Me- Both magus and apprentice are
could abscond for an overnight jour- rinita or Bjornaer apprentice might allowed time away from the labo-
ney without worrying about pun- find himself following his parens ratory activity to deal with other
ishment when they are discovered around the countryside, partaking distractions. The apprentice cannot
missing. Because they are less expe- in adventures rather than working stand in for the magus or take over
rienced, such a party has a wonderful in the lab. for him midway through the sea-
knack for getting into trouble. The apprentice is an assistant, son. The rules for being distracted
An apprentice likely has days not a co-worker; he aids the magus in the lab dont change for the ma-
here and there that are free from rather than works on another project gus (ArM5, page 103). The appren-
chores or arcane duties. Having seen in the same lab. A standard Hermet- tice can also miss up to 10 days out
how his parens orders the covenfolk ic laboratory is only large enough of the season and not damage the
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Apprentices
laboratory activity. For every day
past 10, however, the aid he pro- New Laboratory Flaw: Shared Lab
vides is penalized by 10 points. For
younger apprentices, this will ne- Covenants introduced lab Vir- for the resident magi working on
tues and Flaws, which describe independent projects, each of
gate their usefulness, since few have
laboratory merits and defects. whom needs at least 500 square
an Intelligence + Magic Theory
Shared Lab is a Free Outfitting feet of space. 2 General Quality,
total greater than 10. This penalty
Flaw. The lab is not large enough 2 Safety
does not carry over the magus Lab
Total. For example, if the appren-
tices assistance adds 5 points to the
magus Lab Total (Intelligence 3 + Story Seed: Where Did the Cat Go?
Magic Theory 2), missing 11 days A magus is spending a season The magus orders his apprentice
( 10 penalty) negates the appren- making a magical cat his famil- to bring the cat back by night-
tices 5 points, but does not further iar, when the cat decides to go fall. The adolescent, who doesnt
decrease the magus Lab Total by 5. for a stroll. One of its powers is know the peasants very well, asks
An apprentice has other capaci- to shape-change into a person, other adolescent covenfolk to
ties besides assisting in the lab, and which it does, and heads into the help him. Can the characters find
if the covenant has spare laborato- fields to play with the peasants. and return the cat in time?
ries, the youth can undertake indi-
vidual laboratory assignments. The
covenant might have to create a Story Seed: Visiting a Colleague
spare laboratory first, something
the apprentice might be able to do. The magus wants to visit a apprentice will unroll the rug and
To create a standard Hermetic lab- friend of his, but does not want to the magus will use Rego Corpus
oratory, a character needs a Magic waste his entire season traveling to magic and the small piece as an ar-
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Theory score of 3. A character with his friends covenant. He sends his cane connection to instantly travel
a lower score in Magic Theory can apprentice, accompanied by a few to the location. The rug cant be
create a lab, but it is subpar, with grogs, with strict instructions to unrolled in the magus friends cov-
a Refinement Characteristic equal reach the destination at a specific enant, as the Aegis would stop the
to (Magic Theory 3). If you are time. The apprentice carries a rug, Rego Corpus spell. The apprentice
not using the expanded rules in of which the magus has a small must make the journey and find a
piece, and at the desired time, the safe place to unroll the rug, on time.
Covenants, simply subtract the Re-
finement score from any Lab Total.
In any case, a character creating a (Covenants, page 110); generally, an not be very high, which will dras-
lab needs at least a Magic Theory apprentice character needs a Magic tically limit the types of activities
of 1. Other requirements, such as Theory score of at least 4, making he can undertake. Still, there are
space for the lab in the covenant, this an added incentive to masters a few choices that a low Lab Total
adequate square footage for the lab, for teaching their apprentices Magic does not penalize. He can extract
and the necessary funds, must exist Theory at an early age. No other lab- vis, and will generate at least one
before a lab can be created. oratory activities can be conducted pawn of Vim vis. While meager, this
If a spare lab exists, the apprentice in a lab while it is being improved. would be beneficial for covenants
can improve it. The Covenants book Any Gifted character with a set in sagas with lower vis resourc-
includes a large list of laboratory Magic Theory score of at least 1 es. He can also fix an arcane con-
improvements. The apprentice must and his Arts opened can perform nection for the magus (ArM5, page
have the required Magic Theory individual laboratory activities. 94). An apprentice can fix arcane
score to make laboratory refinements Such a characters Lab Total will connections with minimal training,
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Apprentices
needing only a Magic Theory of 1, Laboratory Adventures
which allows her to use vis during
a laboratory season. Most magi find Season after season of laboratory
permanent arcane connections use- activities, even interspersed with
ful, either as links to prospective en- seasons of study, doesnt provide the
emies or allies, distant locations, or proper staging for actually playing
remote areas. an apprentice character. Even with
While an apprentice may not all this time in the lab, a storyguide
have the Art scores to be able to can still create adventures for ap-
instill an effect into a device, he prentice characters, especially since
may be able to open a device for the apprentice can miss a day here
enchantment. He will need a Magic and there without unduly affecting
Theory score equal to half of the the parens Lab Total. Laboratory
required pawns needed to open the activities can veer off course during
device. Magi occasionally put their the season, and these simple read-
apprentices to work preparing en- justments can provide adventure
chanted devices for them, thus free- opportunities. Ingredients might
ing up the time for them to accom- need to be replenished, broken
plish something else that season. equipment repaired, new equipment
obtained, or arcane advice sought.
Laboratory Turbulences For example, the maga runs out of
a standard but necessary component
If the apprentice is young, there for her lab work, any one of the hun-
is a chance that he will experience dred arcane things a wizard needs in
a Turbulence during a season of the laboratory. Traveling to the saf-
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laboratory work. The troupe and est site would take too long, but a
storyguide should decide if the ac- closer site has the required ingredi-
tivity undertaken is stressful, and ent. Unfortunately, the nearer site
if so, the apprentice should check is guarded by a magical creatures.
for a Turbulence. A stressful season The apprentice must race against
would include one in which the pa- time to return with the desired sub-
rens experiments, uses more than stance, outwitting (or outrunning)
10 pawns of vis, works odd hours the guardian of the regio.
or irregular work patterns, or one Most magi characters have Story
in which the Lab Total of the par- Flaws that the storyguide can use to
ticipants is barely high enough to pull them from their laboratories
accomplish the desired goal. If you and engage them in adventures.
decide that a Turbulence check is An apprentice character may have
warranted, have the player make these as well, but even better, he
the check midway through the sea- must follow his masters commands,
son. If the Turbulence is controlled, which can easily include missions
nothing happens, but if it is uncon- away from the covenant. Such ex-
trolled, reduce the Apprentices Lab peditions are fertile soil for the
Total aid by half, as well as deter- creative storyguide, who can wrap
mining the regular results of an un- a tale around even the most pedes-
controlled Turbulence. trian chore.
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Apprentices
Bellum the opponent to break concentra- loses the match. If he is successful,

tion, which ends the Ager Belli spell. however, he casts a second spell at
In the 10th century, the magus The first apprentice casts a spell to his opponent. This spell can jostle
Casius invented a game called Bel- distract his opponent, while main- his opponent, distract him, confuse
lum, Latin for war, which gives taining his own Ager Belli spell. him, or otherwise interfere with him
apprentices a method to practice Maintaining a spell while casting a maintaining his spell. The opponent
Arcane Abilities and magical Arts. second requires a Stamina + Con- must make a Stamina + Concentra-
During the game, the apprentice centration + stress die against an tion roll to see if he can maintain his
creates an illusion of a Roman sol- Ease Factor of 15. This is a risky Ager Belli spell. The storyguide must
dier, which he then controls to fight ploy, because if he loses concen- decide the Ease Factor based on the
an opponents illusionary soldier. To tration on his Ager Belli spell, he second spells effect, using the sug-
win, an apprentice must defeat his
opponents illusionary Roman. A
second way to win is to force the op- Story Seed: Where Are My Bat Wings?
ponent to lose concentration, which During a seasonal laboratory grogs to the selected location.
cancels the spell. This game became activity, the magus runs out of bat Anything could happen: the ap-
wildly popular in several Tribunals, wings. The apprentice must travel prentice catches too many bats in
and magi continued to play it past to the far side of the forest and a net and they carry him away, he
apprenticeship. Any number can spend an evening catching live catches another magus familiar
play, the only requirements being bats. Friends in tow, the appren- bat, or the first bat he catches is
that an apprentices Arts are opened, tice leads a group of same-age really a faerie prince.
and he can cast the spell Ager Belli
(Latin for field of battle).
4419346
To play, two or more apprentices
cast Ager Belli. As the apprentices
Story Seed: Investigating Evil 736038
concentrate, the soldiers converge, Nearby peasants are concerned to take something from the church
chopping and mauling each other that the local church is failing that can act as an arcane connec-
in dramatic fashion. The players them. The priest refuses to preach, tion, so that the magus can watch
concentrate on specific images, more people in town are getting it from afar. The peasants are cor-
hoping to make those images slay sick, and the church grounds seem rect; the church is under the sway
the images of their opponents. A inexplicably eerie at night. With of a demon. This simple mission
judge, often a peer, decides each nowhere else to go, they ask the places the apprentice face-to-face
round of combat, determining magus for help. He sends his ap- with a demonic entity and its pos-
who played the better round. Each prentice to investigate, telling him sessed priest.
round, the participants make an In-
telligence + Finesse + stress die roll.
The player with the highest total Story Seed: Missing Mail
wins the round, if the judge is hon-
orable, and the first player to win The local redcap is late. The the regular route, the apprentice
five rounds wins the game. Natu- magus is expecting some vis, which discovers that a knight has thrown
rally, these rolls are for the players the redcap is supposed to be carry- the redcap in his gaol, thinking
ing. Since he is known as a recal- him a thief. The apprentice could
to determine which character had
citrant drunk, the magus suspects just return to the covenant with
the better round. In game, the judge
the redcap is lingering in a village this news, but perhaps thinks of the
can cheat, determining the winner
inn and sends his apprentice out to glory that awaits him if he frees the
of each round by his own criteria.
meet him. A few days later, along redcap and punishes the knight.
A second way to win is to force
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Apprentices
Gift cannot continue his magical
New Spell: Ager Belli training, having lost all his arcane
powers. Once The Gift is lost, the
CrIm 10 can be designed that make differ- character immediately gains the
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind ent illusionary images. A Roman Minor Social Status Virtue: Failed
Req: Rego soldier is a standard image, but any
Apprentice (ArM5, page 42), which
This illusion creates a Roman Size 0 figure is allowed, including
replaces the Free Social Status Vir-
soldier. The soldier responds to the knights, club-wielding barbarians,
tue: Apprentice. The character can
mental direction of the caster, who and supernatural creatures like
still find work at the covenant as a
must maintain concentration as the fauns and satyrs.
laboratory assistant or scribe, but
soldier moves. The image contains (Base 1 (illusion affecting 1
only visual elements. This spell is sense), +1 Touch, +1 Conc, +2 her career as a maga has ended.
used by Hermetic apprentices to coordinate complex movements Some apprentices are abandoned
play Bellum. Note that other spells of the illusion, +1 Rego requisite.) instead of failed. For whatever rea-
son, the parens refuses to teach the
apprentice any more and expels him
gested situations on the Concentra- the apprentice with the highest to- from the covenant. Most Tribunals
tion Table (ArM5, page 82). tal. Just like a one-on-one match, the consider this a low crime; legally
Because this game was developed selected judge is the actual arbiter; taking an apprentice implies that the
for apprentices, who have yet to the die rolls are for the players. magus plans to train and eventually
swear the Oath of Hermes, target- Bellum is popular in large cov- Gauntlet a Gifted student. Those
ing another apprentice is not strictly enants, where it is played by both who stop short, who simply tire of
breaking the Code of Hermes. Ap- apprentices and young magi. Theo- teaching an apprentice and dismiss
prentices have magically pushed, retically, Bellum matches are civil him, are in effect releasing Hermet-
levitated, and ignited opponents. affairs, but these matches have been ic secrets and privileges they have
Loud noises, phantom horsemen, known to get out of hand, especial- sworn to safeguard to the world at
4419347 736039
and creating a pit underneath an ly when players have been drinking large. Legally, it is cleaner for a ma-
opponent are excellent distractions. alcohol. Bellum players have been gus to kill an apprentice he no longer
Participants with no moral scruples known to withdraw from the con- wishes to teach. There is no provi-
should still remember that maiming test early, to then push, shove, even sion against that. However, not ev-
or permanently harming another trade blows with other players. ery magus is that ruthless, and some
apprentice is damaging the parens The most extreme example of this who wish to dismiss an apprentice do
goods and is against the Code, so happened at the Grand Tribunal of just that. If an abandoned apprentice
care should be taken in deciding 1162, when a large Bellum game knows or somehow learns the Parma
how to distract an opponent. Win- turned into a minor riot. Magica, and has not sworn the Oath
ning by distracting an opponent is of Hermes, he instantly becomes a
especially laudable because the Ease threat to the Order. This rare event
Factor to cast a spell while maintain- Failing an Apprentice is only possible if the apprentice
ing another is probably higher than learns the final key instructions of
the Ease Factor to continue concen- The rigors of Hermetic study the Parma Magica before he has
tration during a distraction. prove too difficult for some, and oc- finished apprenticeship (see later).
Bellum is not just for two; other casionally apprentices fail in their Once found out, he will be hunted
players can also join the game by efforts to master Bonisagus teach- down and slain, as will the magus
simply sitting down and casting ings. Losing The Gift is the main who abandoned the apprentice. A
their own Ager Belli spell. Each play- reason apprentices fail, although lenient pursuer might offer Hermetic
er makes an Intelligence + Finesse + some are abandoned by their mas- membership to the apprentice, but
stress die roll, and victory goes to ters. An apprentice who loses his that is not a requirement.
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Apprentices
An abandoned apprentice leads Gift differ between player charac- Why would a player select this Flaw,
an odd life. Depending on why ters and non-player characters. For which will decidedly alter his char-
she was dismissed, she might find a a player character, losing The Gift acters life? For the same reason that
new parens, whether a magus from is always the players choice and a player might choose Blind, Miss-
the same House or a different one. never decided by a die roll. The ing Hand, or Tainted with Evil; these
Often, she can be adopted by an- player decides that his character Flaws describe the character that the
other magus and finish her train- loses The Gift, and that he wants to player wants to play.
ing. Many abandoned apprentices continue playing the character after Storyguide character appren-
quickly seek magi from House Ex this dramatic occurrence. Several tices may lose The Gift in the same
Miscellanea, hoping to find a spon- things could cause this to happen: a way, by choice. If the storyguide
sor who has less stringent require- laboratory accident, a spectacularly thinks this would better serve the
ments than other Hermetic magi. botched spell casting roll, falling saga, she can decide that the sto-
Other abandoned apprentices dis- prey to a Gift-destroying demon, ryguide characters Gift is lost or
appear into the woodwork. Such an tussling with an Amazon sorceress, suppressed. Alternatively, the sto-
apprentice considers herself trained a particularly nasty Turbulence, and ryguide can let the dice decide, and
enough, capable of continuing her an incredibly failed Temporary Twi- an optional method exists to deter-
arcane studies privately. She has all light comprehension. The character mine if the apprentice loses his Gift.
the capabilities of a maga, but is not immediately loses the power to cast Every time a storyguide character
a member of the Order of Hermes Hermetic spells, work any type of apprentice works a stressful labora-
and cannot use Hermetic society magic, and cannot use Supernatural tory season, as described previously
as a resource for books, additional Virtues or Abilities he might possess. in Laboratory Turbulences, roll a
instructors, or other traded com- A Gift that is not permanently stress die. If you roll a 0, roll an ad-
modities. She cannot join a cove- lost is suppressed. Instead of los- ditional number of botch dice equal
nant or participate in any Hermetic ing the Gift entirely, a player can to the parens Lab Total divided by
functions. Having not sworn the decide that the apprentices Gift is 10 (round up). If any of those dice
4419348 736040
Oath of Hermes, she is not bound suppressed. The character gains the come up 0, the apprentice has lost
by it, but neither is she protected Major Hermetic Flaw: Suppressed his Gift. The number of botches
by it. An abandoned apprentice is Gift, which allows the character to and the importance of the NPC in
not necessarily doomed to a life of continue to use existing Supernatural the saga should determine if the
isolation. Sometimes groups form, Virtues and Abilities. The character loss is temporary or permanent.
outliers of the Order, who accept cannot gain new Supernatural and
such members. The mock covenant Hermetic Virtues while the Gift is
Fenistal in the Rhine Tribunal is one suppressed. A Suppressed Gift may Apprenticeships End:
such group. Run by the Exsules, return, which is up to the troupe The Gauntlet
these Hermetic offshoots of the and the storyguide. How it returns
Order readily accept any Gifted should also be decided upon by the The Gauntlet is the test each
abandoned apprentices they can group, but surely it will involve a parens sets his apprentice to deter-
find (see Guardians of the Forests, page fantastic adventure that pushes the mine whether she has succeeded
114 for more details). character to the limits of his capa- and is ready to become an Hermetic
bilities. Because the Suppressed Gift maga. Every apprentices Gauntlet is
Losing the Gift is a Major Hermetic Flaw, it could different, designed to test their spe-
be selected at character genera- cific skills, although several Houses
For an apprentice character to fail tion as an Inherited Flaw. If a player have standard Gauntlets that many
his apprenticeship, he must lose his knows that he eventually wants to members use to test apprentices.
Gift, either permanently or tempo- play a failed apprentice, he could The Gauntlet must be passed to
rarily. The mechanics of losing The select both Flaws as Inherited Flaws. the masters satisfaction; there is
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Apprentices
Story Seed: Trial by Fire

A powerful magus of House The apprentices are awakened tices through a small town with a
Flambeau has placed a bet with all at dawn on a lonely mountaintop, zealous parish priest, into a wild
masters in the Tribunal that have their masters nowhere to be seen. forest where bandits have their
apprentices nearing maturity. He The magus explains that they are camp, and into a regio where the
believes that apprentices have gone on their Gauntlet, and charges ghosts of fallen soldiers rise to fight
soft, and could not succeed at a them with the task of traveling to each night. When they arrive at the
Gauntlet as difficult as the ones they the covenant where the Tribunal covenant, they learn that they have
had when he was an apprentice. He is taking place, over a hundred been watched the whole time via a
offers a wager of 10 pawns of vis miles away. All of them must ar- spell using an arcane connection to
to every magus, betting that their rive within four days, or they will the corpse, so that their masters are
apprentices cannot pass a Gauntlet miss the Tribunal and fail the test. aware of how well (or badly) they
of his design without their masters Finally, the magus gives them a did. If they succeed, the magus will
interference. If the apprentices are fresh human corpse that they must be happy that there are new magi
in grave danger, he will probably transport with them. In a puff of worthy of the title, and if they do
allow their masters to assist, but in smoke, he disappears. not succeed, he will at least be glad
that case all bets are off. The journey takes the appren- of their masters vis.
no executive branch of the Order prentice for too long is to forgo the playing their apprentice character
of Hermes that oversees Gauntlets Gauntlet, instantly declare the ap- as a maga, and are not interested in
or second guesses the individual prentice a maga, and pay her a rook spending a game session passing the
master. If the master feels that the of vis for each year past 15 of her characters Gauntlet. The second
apprentice has not succeeded, the extended apprenticeship. option is to roll a die to determine
character spends another year as an A Gauntlet makes an excellent if the apprentice character suc-
4419349 736041
apprentice before trying again. Af- story for an apprentice character. It cessfully passed the Gauntlet. This
ter three failed attempts, magi from should provide a challenge for the method works well for a storyguide
House Quaesitor step in, overriding character, testing both the Arts and character apprentice working under
the parens proposed Gauntlet and Abilities she is good at, and those in a player character magus. Make an
administering one of their own. which she is weak. To make a Gaunt- Intelligence + Ability + stress die
The parens decides when the let dramatic, it could be set away roll against an Ease Factor of 9 for
apprentice attempts his Gauntlet. from the covenant, so that a charac- the apprentice character. Use the
The exception is House Tytalus, ter must travel somewhere to accom- Ability you think most appropriate
where the apprentice undergoes his plish her goal. The Gauntlet should for the House and the particular ap-
Gauntlet when he has had enough not take more than 10 days, howev- prentice, using the Hermetic Hous-
pain and suffering from his parens er, so as not to interrupt the appren- es Summary chart for ideas (ArM5,
(Houses of Hermes: Societates, page 83). tices last season with her master. page 30).
A selfish master could keep an ap- If you do not wish to run a
prentice indefinitely, although Gauntlet adventure for an appren- Optional Rule for
keeping an apprentice for more tice character, you have two op- Passing a Gauntlet:
than 20 years is a low crime in many tions. If the character has spent Apprentices Intelligence
Tribunals. If an apprentice has been the required number of seasons + Appropriate Ability + stress die
kept overlong, she could ask anoth- studying magic, you can automati- vs. 9
er magus to notify a Quaesitor of cally have the character pass her
her situation. One punishment for a Gauntlet. This method works well Failing this roll means that the
magus convicted of keeping an ap- for players who plan to continue apprentice must spend another year
60
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Apprentices
with her master. Botching this roll nal instructions are still withheld. Post-Apprenticeship
means something dire happened. Regardless of a characters score in
The severity of the consequences Parma Magica, she will not be able Having successfully completed
should depend on whether the ap- to invoke her own Parma Magica apprenticeship, an apprentice char-
prentice is a player or storyguide until after she receives the final key, acter becomes a maga of the Or-
character, and if there are available which happens after she has sworn der of Hermes. Her time is hers,
characters (and player desire) to the Oath of Hermes. Some appren- no longer subjected to the will of
rescue the apprentice. tices are believed to have worked her master, and she can pursue any
it out for themselves, but this is far avenue of life she likes. The very
Learning Parma Magica from easy, nor is it common. next stage for many is to find a
Any magus can teach the ap- proper home. Some join existing
Invoking a personal Parma prentice the final key, although do- covenants and some form new cov-
Magica is the last thing an appren- ing so before the apprentice swears enants with other recently Gaunt-
tice character learns, receiving the the Oath of Hermes is a High leted magi. Magi of the Rhine
final key instructions after swear- Crime. Essentially, such a magus is Tribunal often spend a few years
ing the Oath of Hermes to her passing the secret of Parma Magica visiting established covenants and
master. Few parentes take the time to someone who is not technically taking advantage of that areas rules
to teach Parma Magica, expecting a member of the Order. While an of hospitality (see Guardians of the
the apprentice to learn it through apprentice is certainly under the Forests: The Rhine Tribunal).
exposure. The apprentice is regu- auspices of the Order, she is not a Etiquette suggests that a recent-
larly included in the parens Parma member until she swears the Oath ly Gauntleted magus provides his
Magica ceremony, and as he shares of Hermes. parens with both a feast and a gift
his Parma Magica, the apprentice
watches and mimics the parens. All
the while, the parens holds back
4419350 736042
knowledge of the finishing gestures

and verbal components, that last bit
of information that will allow the
apprentice to invoke his own Parma
Magica. Mechanically, the player
records the number of Exposure
experience points spent on Parma
Magica on his character sheet, tal-
lying it up just like any other Abil-
ity. However, his character will not
be able to perform Parma Magica
until the final key instruction is giv-
en. Usually, an apprentice character
finishes apprenticeship with a score
of 1 in Parma Magica.
It is possible that an apprentice
could convince her parens to give
her a season of instruction in Parma
Magica. In this case, additional ex-
perience points will accumulate to
a score higher than 1, but the fi-
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Apprentices
to acknowledge the parens efforts. magus can offer him a position, but 3, and Parma Magica 1 (ArM5,
Conversely, many covenants give a much depends on the student-mas- page 32). While good, these are
sizable gift of vis or a selection of ter relationship that existed during still only recommendations. An
copied books to the new magus, the apprenticeship. apprentice is a magus if he has
helping her to start off her career The recommended minimum been opened to the Arts, trained
on the right foot. Those that have Ability scores for a magus are Artes for 15 years, and then passed his
space in their covenant for a new Liberales 1, Latin 4, Magic Theory Gauntlet to his masters satisfac-
Houses of Hermes Gauntlets

While each Gauntlet is designed as full magi after they assume their as full magi once they are asked
individually for an apprentice, com- heartbeast for the first time, re- the Riddle of the Magus. This
monalities exist within the Houses gardless of age or training. Some Riddle is a personal enigmatic
regarding the Gauntlet an appren- Bjornaer magi will undertake mock puzzle for the Criamon magus,
tice undergoes. Use this section as Gauntlets after 15 years of train- who spends the rest of his ca-
a guideline for developing Gauntlet ing, especially if they are working reer seeking appropriate answers.
adventures, but do not feel restrict- with an apprentice from another Still, a Criamon apprentice could
ed by these examples. House-spe- House who is attempting a Gaunt- be sent to a foreign envoy per-
cific Gauntlets are fully explained in let at the same time. haps a magic creature, another
the Houses of Hermes series. magus, or a talking brook to
An adventure designed as an ap- House Bonisagus receive this Riddle.
prentices Gauntlet does not need
to be the actual Gauntlet per se, House Bonisagus values the- House Ex Miscellanea
but could be an introductory epi- ory over application and Order
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sode for the character, who must cohesiveness over competition. House Ex Miscellanea does 736043
achieve some goal before facing Bonisagus apprentices must pass not have any formal Gauntlet
her Gauntlet. Many Gauntlets are a day-long oral examination set procedures, and each of the dis-
aimed at the individual and do not by an elder Bonisagus magus, and tinctly different traditions that
include other characters. For exam- Trianoma apprentices must spend fall under this House has dif-
ple, a Verditius maga must make an two seasons traveling on their own ferent methods of determining
enchanted item to pass her Gaunt- to distant covenants. Before these when an apprentice finishes her
let. This isnt terribly exciting for tests, apprentices must deliver a training. They do adhere to the
the group, but a story detailing her Laboratory Text that they have Code by not teaching the final
journey to get the raw materials for created during their apprentice- instructions of the Parma Magica
her creation might be. She and her ship to another magus who does to an apprentice until after 15
fellows must cross dangerous terri- not live at the covenant. This re- years, but any sort of Gauntlet
tories and face unknown dangers in flects their specific Oath, to share imaginable is appropriate for the
a faerie forest. Pre-Gauntlet adven- knowledge with the Order, and varied members of this House.
tures should be designed to include the apprentice is expected to take Wind wizards might have to col-
the apprentice and her friends. helpers along with her. lect Auram vis from a mountain-
ous stream, necromancers might
House Bjornaer House Criamon have to speak with the ghost of
a Roman senator, and diviners
Apprenticeship is slightly dif- Passing a Gauntlet is merely might have to forecast the time
ferent for House Bjornaer magi, a formality for House Criamon, of their own death.
who recognize their apprentices whose apprentices are accepted
62
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736044
736044
Apprentices
tion. A master could Gauntlet an
apprentice who doesnt read, speak
stigma for producing such an odd
offspring. Most agree that every Scholae Magicae
Latin, or know any Magic Theory. magus who undergoes an Hermetic
Such an apprentice wouldnt have apprenticeship should know how The notion of a group of magi
been much help in the lab, and to read and write, speak Latin, and forming a scholae magicae, or school
will make a sorry magus. His pa- know his way around an Hermetic of magic, to train Hermetic appren-
rens will suffer shame and social laboratory. tices was an early idea. Based on the
Houses of Hermes Gauntlets (contd)

House Flambeau House Mercere a highly formalized event. The ap-
prentice does not need to beat his
House Flambeau apprentices Redcaps of House Mercere, as master, just make a decent showing
undertake a very stylized, very pub- well as the few actual spell cast- in the contest. He must present his
lic Gauntlet, displaying their mar- ers, must carry a message from one master with a branch taken from a
tial or magical abilities. A Gauntlet location to another to pass their birch tree, signifying the sigil that
adventure would include attending Gauntlet. This is never straight- his master will keep. Prior to this,
such a ceremony, or preparing for forward, and the master always in- the apprentice must acquire a birch
it by facing challenges or long-held cludes some trick or dangerous ele- tree branch. Egotistical apprentic-
fears of the apprentice. ment in the task. For example, the es will want a branch from a magic
apprentice must carry a faerie to a tree, forcing them (and their com-
House Guernicus nearby covenant, since only the fa- panions) to search in nearby magic
erie knows the message. The faerie and faerie woods.
The legal-minded House Guer- is devious and quickly disappears,
nicus magi make their apprentices forcing the apprentice to find it if
4419352
she wishes to pass her Gauntlet. House Tytalus 736044
take an extensive written examina-

tion, as well as engage in a mock in- Apprenticeship in House Tyta-
vestigation case. The master engi- House Merinita lus is cruel and torturous. Tytalus
neers a deception and then requires apprentices challenge their master
his apprentice to solve the case. The Gauntlets for House Me- for their Gauntlet when they feel
rinita magi are as varied as the they are ready. A Gauntlet adven-
House Jerbiton individual members. In broad ture would be some activity that
strokes, the House is interested in helps prepare a Tytalus apprentice
Apprentices of House Jerbiton either faerie or nature. An appren- for this inevitable challenge, some
participate in a Grand Tour before tices Gauntlet typically requires endeavor that allows her to prac-
their Gauntlet, visiting a large city her to wander ancient faerie tice her favored strengths.
and viewing its beautiful artifacts. roads and lonely forests, looking
In anticipation of this event, a Jer- for specific faeries, links between
the Magic and Faerie realms, and House Verditius
biton apprentice would be inter-
ested in visiting nearby monaster- penetrating deeply hidden faerie House Verditius is exclusive-
ies, nunneries, or noble houses to regiones. ly focused on making magical
view any available objects of art. items. An apprentice must forge a
Rumors of a beautiful chalice or House Tremere completed apprentice piece for
woven tapestry could easily divert his master to pass his Gauntlet.
a Jerbiton apprentice from his cur- An apprentice of House Tre- Finding the raw materials for this
rent studies, and make him gather mere must face his master in certa- piece can be quite dangerous, and
his friends for an overland journey. men to pass his Gauntlet. This is entertaining.
63
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Apprentices
classical schools of Socrates and Pla- mon; and magi who were expected prefer a single apprentice-to-parens
to, magi thought they could mirror to live and work together after ap- relationship. History has shown this
classical models with one of their prenticeship clung to resentments to be the most effective method of
own. The first attempts were in the formed in their youths. propagating Hermetic magi.
10th century, 200 years before the The Hermetic Arts must be These problems are not insur-
current universities of the 13th cen- taught one-on-one, from magus to mountable, but overcoming them
tury. All early attempts failed, de- apprentice, and this limitation has requires concentrated effort and a
spite the high hopes and dedicated yet to be overcome. Academic and great deal of the magis time. The
efforts of the founders. By lowering Arcane Abilities can be taught to school could be hidden, in a re-
their expectations, and enrollment multiple pupils by a single teach- mote covenant or a regio; mundane
numbers, at least two covenants er, and while these are important, teachers could be highly paid and
have succeeded as schools of magic, they fall far below the importance protected by Parma Magica; and a
but both are diminished actualities of knowing the Arts. Hiring mun- powerful Aegis could limit Turbu-
of the initial lofty concept. dane teachers can be a problem. lences, as long as casting tokens are
Gifted youths are difficult to They too need to be protected by provided when the students need to
teach as a group. Unless they are a Parma Magica, or are likely to flee practice magic. The biggest limit
constantly covered by a Parma Mag- at the first opportunity. Employing is the one-on-one teaching of the
ica, they dont get along. The social mundane teachers means introduc- Arts, and many magi consider that
consequences of The Gift drasti- ing them to the Order of Hermes, until this limit is conquered, schools
cally prolong the formative period not legally but knowingly, and some are a waste of energy and time.
of making friends. The children are magi are hesitant as to how much There are at least two covenants
suspicious of each other and distrust- the mundane world knows about in Mythic Europe that function
ful of their peers, detracting from the the Order. While its existence as schools, although both should
classroom experience. The height- might be public knowledge among be considered covenants first and
ened anxiety of the situation makes some noble circles, details are kept schools second. Though dedicated
Turbulences more common, and it is fuzzy so as not to cause undue sus- to teaching, neither has overcome
tricky to provide a continuous learn- picion. The last thing the Hermetic the difficulties involved in instruc-
ing environment when the class- Order wants is to be accused en tion groups of Gifted students,
room explodes into flames during a masse of heresy or witchcraft. although both have found ways
grammar lesson. Even when a sub- Another problem is that magi around that difficulty. The island
ject is rudimentary, Gifted children change their minds. It is easy to covenant of Polyaigos runs a school
feel the anxiety of working next to commit to one, perhaps even two that educates Gifted children in the
their peers, and any excessive emo- seasons of teaching a year, but a large liberal arts, a system that only works
tional outburst can lead to trouble. number of students would require a because of the Theban Tribunals
Young students are also vulner- greater commitment. Few magi wish treatment of apprentices in gen-
able to the passions of their class- to teach every season of the year, eral (The Sundered Eagle; The Theban
mates. Hermetic students are not and even that might not be enough Tribunal, page 33). The mysterious
immune to bullying, psychological to bear the weight of heavy teach- Scholomance in the Transylvanian
inadequacies, and jealousy. Early ing schedule that multiple students Tribunal teaches 10 students at a
attempts proved disastrous. Soon require. But things change three or time, and while all might work for
after the Schism War, a covenant four years later, when magi realize the Order after graduation, only
tried to form a Gifted academy. the amount of work involved and the one is Gifted (see Against the Darkness:
The children did not get along. lack of personal time available. Be- The Transylvania Tribunal, Chapter 6).
Suspicion turned into hatred; long- cause Arts must be learned through
standing animosities became com- one-on-one teaching, many magi
64

Ars Magica - Apprentices

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paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

Even the mightiest

They were all apprentices once.

AG0300 ISBN 1-58978-128-7

AG0300 ISBN 1-58978-128-7 $17.95

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Andrew Reeves, Sam Bull

ISBN-10: 1-58978-128-7 ISBN-13: 978-1-58978-128-3

paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

Birth to Age 7 17 Ages 8 to 14 29 The Unruffled Traveler........ 48

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paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

Creating Young Characters

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Characteristics and Size

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paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

Major Flaw, Story

accidental, depending on the crea- was abandoned. Create the charac-

paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

More Powerful than Normal

paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

Infantia: Birth to Age 7

sequence of the bliss of copula- magic. If a religious artifact or relic

paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

ceremony and the Islamic purifi-

Some children are born out of

paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

Defense +2, Damage +0 Dexterity, that will manifest in

paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

(46), 5 (79), Incapacitated The foundling used the Social

paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

noticed, while a newborn with the puberty or an early traumatic event.

Story Seed: An Introductory Adventure

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paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

Turbulences and the Aegis of the Hearth

Because your saga probably lences should participate in the

takes place in an Hermetic cov-

paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

(1012), Dead (13+) rection means that he invariably

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paizo.com #2601081, Roy Sirkis <csroysirkis@gmail.com>, Nov 6, 2016

Story Seed: The Curious Cleric

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destined for the clergy of- ents, grog and compan-

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pursuit), Awareness 1 (city thieves. The urchin started with

Story Seed: An Unlikely Ghost

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ed (1316), Dead (17+) Lucky since birth, the character

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tell. A Gifted child could be ostra-

Story Seeds: Finding a Parens