Hermetic Projects Chapter Two: The Burning City

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The Burning City

The Burning City project is about constructing a covenant in the heart of a volcano. The effects in this project involve constructing buildings on either lakes of lava or the crater rim, effects to ensure that the magi and covenfolk can survive in this inhospitable environment, and effects to deal with the possible supernatural denizens of a volcano. Effects to find a volcano and to regulate its behavior are also detailed.

Although the Burning City is predicated on an entire covenant constructed within a volcano, there is no need for interested magi in your saga to take this approach. Perhaps your magi are only interested in building a small chapterhouse, or a laboratory, on the lava fields. Alternatively, your magi might not be interested in colonizing the volcanic heart at all — maybe they only want to survive inside a volcano for a particular adventure. In any case, your magi only need to develop the elements of the Burning City project they find useful.

Finally, if the particular effects of this project are not useful in your saga, some of the ideas discussed in this chapter may give the troupe inspiration for the construction of covenants, chapterhouses, or laboratories in the other inhospitable places of Mythic Europe.

Why Build a Volcano?

Why might magi want to build a covenant inside a volcano? For some magi, merely the challenge and the fact that it can be done is enough of a reason. However, some other reasons for colonizing a volcano include:

• Living inside a volcano could be a part of a Mystery Cult initiation.
• The heart of the volcano could have a very high magic Aura, which makes the effort of building a laboratory in the volcano worthwhile.
• Laboratories built inside a volcano can be designed to take advantage of the volcano’s natural features for a bonus to appropriate laboratory work (some examples are given later in this chapter).
• A magus whose magic suffers from a particularly harsh Necessary Condition or Restriction Flaw (see ArM5, pages 56 and 58) may only be able to use his magic within volcanic regions.
• A magus with a Study Bonus Virtue or a Study Requirement Flaw (see ArM5, pages 49 and 59) who already has an Ignem Art Score in excess of 35 can only take advantage of his Virtue when he improves his Art (or improve his Art at all, if he has the Flaw) if he studies in an extreme location, such as a volcano’s heart.
• The volcanic heart could contain vis sources that the covenant wants to ensure do not fall into the hands of other magi, or other forces beyond the Order of Hermes.
• The volcano’s heart could contain an entrance to the Magic Realm, the Infernal Realm, or the Faerie Realm, which the magi want to monitor, control, destroy, or explore.
• A covenant built inside a volcano is likely secure and hidden from mundane interference. Even many Hermetic or other supernatural foes would be reluctant to casually assault a covenant embedded in a volcano.
• A volcanic covenant may be allied to indigenous inhabitants of the volcano. The covenfolk could include fire elementals and other magical creatures, faeries, or humans with lava flowing in their veins (perhaps due to ancestors who were volcanic creatures).

Volcanoes in Mythic Europe

In Mythic Europe most volcanoes are found in Greece, Italy, and Iceland. However, there is nothing to prevent a volcano occurring elsewhere in Mythic Europe, in your saga — especially if the volcano arises due to magic.

The Greek Volcanic Islands

The Greek island groups of Methana, Milos, Nisyros, and Santorini are all volcanic. Each group consists of dozens of islands that have been formed by volcanic activity, and there are further volcanoes beneath the surface of the sea — the activity of these marine volcanoes sometimes causes the sea to boil. Many of the surface volcanic craters have broken their walls and also been flooded by the sea, and there are also a number of hot springs and pools heated by volcanic activity on the islands. There are frequent earthquakes on the islands, and the breaking of the islands by the shifting earth has revealed striking, brightly colored layers of rock deposited by successive eruptions. These layers of volcanic rock are good sources of the exotic minerals that are needed for some Hermetic laboratories.

Fishing villages dot the islands, and the larger islands have substantial towns. Many of the inhabitants use water heated by the volcanoes for bathing, and the island-dwellers could be recruited to act as covenfolk.

Story Seeds for Mythic Europe's Volcanoes Creeping Earth At Campi Flegrei parts of the earth frequently creep, causing the earth to rise by 10 to 12 feet over a period of several years. This is fast enough for people to observe, and the inexorably rising earth can cause buildings to collapse and split. This is clearly a supernatural phenomena, and the recent collapse of a small town not long after a new church was constructed has convinced some magi that the creeping earth is the work of a magical spirit at the heart of Campi Flegrei, fighting against the encroachment of the divine on natural places. Pompeii and Herculaneum The Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum were destroyed in an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. If your saga follows history, then these towns are buried and their location is not precisely known in 1220. However, the eruption and subsequent destruction was documented by Roman writers, so magi may decide to search for the towns. It is possible that the violent eruption caused the towns to fall into a regio, and perhaps the inhabitants, or their descendants, still live within. Maybe there is even still a functioning Temple of Mercury within the towns. The entrance to the regio might be found within the crater of Mount Vesuvius (or even other volcanoes). The townsfolk (who are surely supernaturally changed by their experience) could be recruited as covenfolk by the Burning City. Alternatively, perhaps the towns really are merely buried beneath tons of ash and mud. In either case, the two towns are now inextricably entwined with volcanism. This means that any artifacts recovered from Pompeii or Herculaneum may be used as a Sympathetic Connection of +1 to aid the Penetration of effects that target creatures that live in volcanoes. Artifacts from Pompeii or Herculaneum also have a +3 Shape and Material bonus for volcanism effects. This Shape and Material bonus is in addition to any other bonuses for the artifact.

Italian Volcanoes

Campi Flegrei, or the Burning Fields, is an area of volcanic activity about five miles across located very near the city of Naples. There are numerous craters and the last eruption was in the year 1158, in which the crater of Solfatara exploded. Some of the craters have been flooded by the sea, creating harbors.

Mount Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in Mythic Europe. It is almost 10,000 feet high and it dominates the skyline above the Sicilian city of Catania. At the summit of the mountain there are two main craters (Bocca Nova, and Voragine), and together the craters are nearly continuously sending forth showers of ash and molten rock. Every few years there are larger eruptions that cause rivers of lava to flow from the mountain, and there are hundreds of frozen rivers of lava on the volcano’s flanks. The last large eruption was in 1194. Exceptionally large eruptions occur every few hundred years, and during these eruptions massive fountains of lava are ejected thousands of feet into the air. Some legends say that the two main craters are inhabited by separate magical spirits who have trapped several brother-spirits beneath the earth. The escape of one of the brothers could cause a major eruption and the formation of a new crater. Other legends say that there is only a single magical spirit beneath the crater (see Realms of Power:Magic, page 111).

Lipari is an island volcano in the Eolian Islands. The volcano has a number of small craters, which have been fairly quiet of late — although there are records of a large explosive eruption several hundred years ago. The island is the pre-eminent source of pumice and obsidian in Mythic Europe. Lipari has been continuously occupied since before Roman times and there are a number of settlements on the island. The largest is the town of Lipari, which is the seat of the bishop of Lipari (which has been a diocese since the fifth century).

Stromboli is another island volcano in the Eolian Islands, with a number of craters. The volcano is nearly constantly active, and most evenings glowing fragments of lava are ejected hundreds of feet into the air from the crater. Although the intensity of this continuous activity varies from week to week, it is fairly predictable and not very hazardous. However, every few years, rivers of lava flow from the volcano into the sea. These outflows can overwhelm the unprepared, but even this hazard does not prevent people settling on the island, and there are a number of fishing villages on the coast. Even more rarely (perhaps once in a generation) a large explosive eruption occurs, which can cause damage within several miles of the volcano.

Vesuvius is near Naples and is, like Stromboli, almost continuously active at a low level, though it sometimes falls almost dormant for periods of about a century. During times of activity, larger eruptions might send fountains of lava into the air, or rivers of lava down the mountain slopes. Vesuvius is also famous for unexpectedly erupting in a massive explosion, typically following a period of dormancy. The Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum were destroyed in such an eruption (see nearby insert).

Vulcano is formed by two islands in the Eolian Islands: the main island is Vulcano and just north is a smaller island Vulcanello. There are a number of small villages and monasteries on the larger island, and the island is reputed to be a very healthy place to live; many people bathe in hot mud pools on the beach. The rim of the main crater (La Fossa) is constantly blanketed in steam and sulfurous fumes.

Volcanoes in Iceland

Iceland, which was first settled by Vikings in the ninth century, is pockmarked with dozens of active volcanoes.

One of the most active volcanoes is Hekla, which has recently had major explosive eruptions in 1104, 1158, and 1206.

If your saga follows history, then there are subsequent eruptions in 1222, 1300, and 1341. The eruptions of 1104 and 1158 were so vast that debris and ash landed over most of Iceland.

The Ljósufljö volcanic field is a long strip of steaming fissures and craters that covers an area about 30 miles long and 3-6 miles across. The last major eruption occurred in 960.

The Reykjanes volcano is a cluster of small craters. The last eruption was in 1211, and if your saga follows history, it erupts again in 1226. The similar, nearby Krísuvík cluster last erupted in 1151 and 1188.

The Brennisteinsfjöll volcano erupted in 1000, 1188, and 1200. The eruption of 1000 occurred at the same time as the Icelandic parliament met at Thingvellier.

Katla is another highly active volcano, although it is usually hidden beneath the Myrdalsjökull icecap. Because of its ice covering, large eruptions from the volcano spew an impressive amount of debris over most of Iceland, and even the rest of northern Mythic Europe. The most recent large eruptions were in 920, 950, 1150, and 1177. If your saga follows history, then there are subsequent eruptions in 1245, 1262, and 1311. A smaller volcano, Eyjafjallajökull, a dozen miles to the west and likewise beneath an icecap, sometimes erupts in the months prior to Katla; the spirits of the two volcanoes may be somehow related.

Bárdarbunga is a large volcano partially hidden beneath the Vatnajökull glacier. The volcano periodically causes floods of glacier melt, and has occasional large, explosive eruptions. The most recent eruptions were in 1080, 1159, and 1210.

Öraefajökull is the highest peak in Iceland, and beneath it lies a large, dormant volcano. The large central crater (about two miles in diameter) is completely covered by the Vatnajökull icecap. Although the volcano has been quiet for some time (if your saga follows history), it spectacularly erupts in 1362.

Affecting Volcanoes with Hermetic Magic

Volcanoes contain bubbling, liquid lava, volcanic rocks, sulfurous fumes, and clouds of ash, all of which makes it hard to determine which Hermetic Forms should be used to target a volcano. The following guidelines have been used in this chapter to decide which Hermetic Forms are appropriate, and can also be used as a guide to the development of your own spells:

Create a volcano, volcanic rock, lava, or volcanic ash

Creo Terram

Create volcanic fumes

Creo Auram

Control/Cause/Stop the eruption of a volcano

Rego Terram (Ignem)

Control de flow of lava

Rego Aquam

Change lava

Muto Aquam

Move volcanic ash about in the air

Rego Auram

Talk to a volcano

Intellego Terram

For Terram effects, volcanic ash is the same magnitude of effect as sand (which is usually the base magnitude of the effect), and the base Individual is 10 cubic paces of ash. Volcanic rock, and an entire volcano, counts as the same magnitude of effect as stone (which is usually one more than the base magnitude of the effect), and the base Individual is a cubic pace. Lava counts as the same magnitude of effect as a metal (usually two magnitudes greater than base), and the base Individual size is a cubic foot. See ArM5 (page 152) for details of how the magnitude of Terram effects depends on the type of material being affected.

For Aquam effects, liquid lava counts as a corrosive liquid and the base Individual is a puddle with a volume of about 0.2 cubic feet (which is a pool a foot across, and six inches deep). See ArM5 (page 121) for details of how the magnitude of Aquam effects depends on the material.

For Auram effects, volcanic fumes and ash both have a base Individual that covers an area with a diameter of about 100 paces.

Effects to Help Find Volcanoes

These effects are used to help find a volcano. Vulcan’s Glass and Scribe of All That I Can See are enchanted items that could be used by a team of grogs to help their master find a volcanic site. Scent of Ash and Trail of Ember are spells, but, of course, your characters could invent similar effects as items if you wish.

Scent of Ash

InAu 15
R: Personal, D: Concentration, T: Smell

The caster can smell and identify, on the breath of the air, the ash that has carried from volcanoes. This is enough information for the caster to determine the approximate direction and distance to each of the volcanoes he detects. A dormant volcano can be detected in this way from within one league (three miles), a volcano that has erupted within the last 100 years can be detected from within seven leagues (21 miles), and a volcano that has erupted in the last season can be detected from within 100 miles. Dormant volcanoes are detectable in this way because ash from their violent eruption is still present in the environment. The ash may have fallen to the ground, but some small (but detectable via Hermetic magic) fraction has been blown up into the air again. Of course, the huge plume of ash from a large on-going eruption can easily be identified without the aid of magic from many hundreds of miles away.

(Base 4, +1 Concentration, +2 Smell)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (30), Two Seasons (23), Three Seasons (20), Four Seasons (19).

Scribe of All That I Can See

InTe(Aq)(He) 25

Pen: 0, 1 use per day, item maintains Concentration
R: Touch, D: Concentration, T: Vision

This enchanted quill helps a character to rapidly draw an accurate map of what he can see. The item grants the user special magical senses that allow him to precisely estimate the distance, shape, and relationships among geographical features, and figure out how best to represent this information on a page. This is information that anyone with sufficient skill could determine by merely looking. The quill does not draw the map by itself. The character draws the map. The quill only ensures that the subsequent map is accurate and that it can also be very speedily drawn, by providing the character with enhanced information about what he can see.

It takes 1 Diameter to draw what can be seen from a tree-top or church tower, and it takes 3 Diameters to draw what can be seen from a mountaintop, or by a flying character. If what is being mapped includes something complicated (like the streets of a city) it takes an additional 3 Diameters to draw the map.

The map produced with the aid of the quill can be used in conjunction with spells such as Trail of Ember and The Inexorable Search (ArM5, page 131). Having the map also gives a character a +3 bonus to Area Lore rolls made to navigate the terrain depicted.

The character needs to provide parchment and ink (or similar materials), and he must be literate if he wishes to annotate the map. If the map is not annotated it can only be used by a character who successfully makes an (appropriate) Area Lore roll against an Ease Factor of 12. If the map is annotated, it can be used by any character literate in the language of annotation. The character who created the map can always use it, even if it is not annotated.

The requisites are required so that rivers and forests can be mapped too.

(Base 2, +1 Touch, +1 Concentration, +4 Vision, free requisites; + 5 item maintains Concentration)

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (50), Two Seasons (38), Three Seasons (34), Four Seasons (32).

Trail of Ember

InTe 20
R: Arcane Connection, D: Momentary, T: Individual

The caster of this spell throws a piece of volcanic rock onto a map. The rock lands on the location of the volcano it was expelled from. If the volcano’s location is not bounded by the map, then the rock rolls off in the direction that the volcano lies.

If the rock thrown onto the map is not volcanic, then it just lands somewhere at random. The caster can confirm this by casting the spell several times: a volcanic rock will always land on the same spot on the map.

Note that a volcanic rock created via Creo Terram magic will not reveal what volcano it came from when thrown onto the map with the Trail of Ember spell. This is because such a magically created volcanic rock did not in fact come from a volcano.

(Base 4, +Arcane Connection)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (40), Two Seasons (30), Three Seasons (27), Four Seasons (25).

Vulcan's Glass

InTe 20 Pen: 0, 1 use per day
R: Touch, D: Concentration, T: Vision

This enchanted mirror allows the user to identify the volcanoes in a mountain range. The user turns his back to the mountains, and studies the reflected image of the mountain range in the mirror. The reflected images of the volcanoes glow with a red aura.

This spell works because whether or not a particular mountain is a volcano is a visible property that can be distinguished by someone with appropriate skill. This spell compensates for the lack of appropriate skill in the observer.

(Base 2, +1 Touch, +1 Concentration, +4 Vision)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (40), Two Seasons (30), Three Seasons (27), Four Seasons (25).

Volcanic Rock as an Arcane Connection A volcanic rock is an Arcane Connection to the volcano it came from that lasts for years and gives a +3 Penetration multiplier. Of course, the Penetration multiplier is only relevant in the rare case that the volcano has Magic Resistance, or if the volcano is within an Aegis of the Hearth. A piece of volcanic rock would not usually be an Arcane Connection to any magical spirits, elementals, demons or other creatures dwelling at the heart of the volcano, but it could be used as a +1 Sympathetic Connection to such creatures.

Effects to Create Volcanoes

Of course, it might be that the magi cannot find a volcano on a suitable site — perhaps no volcano can be found with a Magical aura, or the volcanoes are far from where the magi want to live. This doesn’t have to be a problem: the magi can raise their own fiery inferno from the protesting earth!

Tear the Earth Asunder

CrTe 65
R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Individual, Ritual

The caster of this ritual stabs a dagger into the ground: from the wound a volcano rises, and lava and scalding gases erupt. Over a period of a day, the volcano erupts, darkening the sky with plumes of ash, and forming a large volcanic crater.

Obviously, the eruption of the volcano devastates villages, towns, monasteries, covenants, or other settlements built in its shadow. Once the spell has been cast, there is no active magical effect; the eruption is natural and does not need to Penetrate Magic Resistance, and consequent rivers of lava and falling ash can also pass unhindered through an Aegis of the Hearth. The caster of the ritual also needs some form of protection to avoid being killed in the eruption.

The volcano region can be up to 20 miles in diameter (though the crater will be a fraction of this size), and the peak can be up to 15,000 feet high (which would make it one of the taller mountains in Mythic Europe).

(Base 3, +1 Touch, +13 Size)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (130), Two Seasons (98), Three Seasons (87), Four Seasons (82).

Awaken, Sleeping Giant!

ReTe(Ig) 45
R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Part, Ritual

This spell is cast in the crater of a dormant volcano, and causes the volcano to erupt into life again. The volcanic crater can be up to two miles across, and the spell has no effect if cast in a location other than a volcanic crater. Obviously, the caster will be caught in the eruption, which may be a problem if he is not protected by appropriate wards.

Once the spell has been cast there is no active magical effect; the eruption is natural and does not need to Penetrate Magic Resistance. The effect is considered “slightly unnatural,” as it is natural for a volcano to erupt, but the spell artificially triggered the eruption.

(Base 2, +1 Touch, +1 Part, +8 Size, +1 affect Volcano (same as stone))

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (90), Two Seasons (68), Three Seasons (60), Four Seasons (57).

Hazards of Volcanoes

The hazards of the volcano include lava, heat, noxious sulfurous fumes, and, of course, eruption.

Lava

Molten lava has a base damage of +15. This is the level of damage sustained if a character walks on lava or is splashed by lava. If a character has a limb or more of their body covered by lava, it causes +30 damage. If half or more of his body is covered by lava, then the character suffers +45 damage. Finally, if his entire body is immersed in lava, he suffers +60 damage. The character continues to suffer this damage each round, until he has been removed from the lava. As lava may stick to the character, it may be difficult to naturally remove the lava from a character who has been immersed in a pool of lava. Note that, apart from defining the base damage for molten lava, these rules are not new; they follow the standard rules for heat and corrosion damage on ArM5, page 181.

Bonuses to the character’s Soak score from any armor he is wearing only apply if the character has less than half of his body covered by the lava. This is because, although the armor provides some protection from splash damage, the lava can flow through and behind the character’s armor once he is substantially covered. Bonuses to Soak from Virtues such as Tough, and the natural hide of some characters (such as Bjornaer magi in Heartbeast form), cannot be bypassed in this way. Most magi will also have a bonus to their Soak from their Ignem Form Bonus (see ArM5, page 78), which cannot be bypassed either.

Boiling Mud and Water

Sometimes volcanic activity heats water and mud to scalding temperatures. Bubbling pools of mud and geysers of boiling water trap the unwary. Boiling mud and water both cause +3 damage to a character (+6 damage for immersion of a limb, +9 damage for immersion of a torso, and +12 damage for total immersion). Of course, mud pools and hot springs of lesser temperature are not dangerous, and some characters frequently bathe in these for medicinal benefit.

Heat

Even characters who are merely close to a volcano can take damage from the heat. Characters who approach within 30 yards of molten lava suffer +3 heat damage each diameter.

Fumes

The noxious fumes from a volcano affect anyone who comes within 15 paces of a crater or river of lava. This has two effects: the fumes are toxic, and the character cannot breathe due to the lack of safe air.

• The lack of air to breathe means that the character must make an air Deprivation check every 30 seconds (5 combat rounds); see ArM5, page 180.
• The toxicity of the vapors also poisons the character. Every diameter that the character remains within the vapor, make a Stamina check for him against an Ease Factor of 6. If this is failed, the character takes a Medium Wound.

Eruptions

Characters caught in a volcanic eruption may be swamped by lava, crushed by falling rocks, overcome by fumes, or buried beneath ash.

• The rules just given can be used to cope with the lava and fumes from an eruption.
• Characters who are at peril from falling rocks may take between +5 and +20 damage, or even greater if the storyguide chooses, depending on how close the characters are to the center of the eruption.
• Burial by ash is a particularly insidious danger. There is little danger from the falling ash itself, but ash can sometimes rapidly cover a large area to a depth of dozens of feet. This causes trapped characters to die from asphyxiation. The character must make an air Deprivation check every 30 seconds (5 combat rounds); see ArM5, page 180.

Effects to Protect Characters

These effects are designed to protect characters who either live within a volcano, or are temporarily visiting a volcano.

Pitch Brush

ReAq(Ig) 48

Pen: 0, 6 uses per day
R: Touch, D: Moon, T: Part

This enchanted item is a brush that is used to paint a dark tar infused with volcanic ash onto the hull of a boat. The brush causes the tar to magically seal, and until the effect expires the boat can be rowed or sailed on lava without damage.

Other items, such as oars or even a person, can also be painted in the pitch. Each charge is enough to paint the hull of a small boat or a single person. However, as the effect has a Part target, larger items can be fully protected by painting it with several charges’ worth of the pitch. If only the hull of the boat is painted, then other parts of the boat will not be protected if they come in contact with the lava. This might happen if the boat capsizes, for example.

This spell is based on the Rego Aquam guideline to ward against a mundane liquid, and the Ignem requisite prevents the heat damage (with an additional two magnitudes due to the intensity of the heat).

(Base 5, +1 Touch, +3 Moon, +1 Part, +1 Ignem requisite, +2 intense heat; +3 six uses per day)

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (96), Two Seasons (72), Three Seasons (64), Four Seasons (60).

Cloven Hoofed Boots

MuAq(Te) 24

Pen: 0, Constant Duration Effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: part

These boots turn the lava directly beneath them into a solid. Although the boots are constantly active, the effect only solidifies the lava that the boots are touching. This means that the character wearing the boots can either walk across or stand still on top of an expanse of lava. However, once the character moves, the solid lava that was beneath him melts back into the bulk of the lava field. Another character may be able to quickly follow behind, but this would require a lot of agility.

The Terram requisite is free because it is part of the guideline. Note that this effect does not change the temperature of the lava, so a character using these boots will likely need protection from heat.

(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Part, free Terram requisite; +1 for 2 uses/day, +3 environmental trigger)

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (48), Two Seasons (36), Three Seasons (32), Four Seasons (30).

Steed of Vesuvius

MuAn(Ig) 45
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Individual

This spell magically transforms a horse so that he is able to gallop across molten lava as if it were a cobbled road. The horse also has no fear of the heat or fumes expelled by the lava, and he does not suffer from the heat of the lava or the toxicity of the fumes. The rider of the horse does not receive any protection from this spell.

When the spell expires, the horse suffers a Long-Term Fatigue level.

The requisite is free because it is part of the guideline and required for the effect.

(Base 25, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Size, free requisite)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (90), Two Seasons (68), Three Seasons (60), Four Seasons (57).

Dragon's Blood

Mu(Re)Co(Ig)(Te) 70
R: Personal, D: Year, T: Part, Ritual

This ritual changes the blood of the caster into lava. This does no harm to the caster himself, and his super-heated blood means that he is immune to any heat based damage that causes +15 or less damage (which includes lava).

If the character is injured in melee combat, his opponent(s) must make Dexterity rolls against an Ease Factor of 6 to avoid being splattered by hot lava. Opponents who fail take +15 damage. If the caster’s melee opponents are unaware of his lava blood (that is, it is the first time they have seen him injured), then the Dexterity roll is made against an Ease Factor of 9.

The Ignem and Rego requisites are required to give the additional protection from heat. The Terram requisite is free because it is required for the effect.

(Base 25, +4 Year, +1 Part, +1 Ignem requisite, +1 Rego requisite, +2 intense heat)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (140), Two Seasons (105), Three Seasons (94), Four Seasons (88).

Covenant of the Dragon

Mu(Re)Co(Te)(Ig) 85
R: Touch, D: Year, T: Group, Ritual

This ritual changes the blood of a Group of up to 100 individuals into lava. This has the same effect on each member of the Group as the ritual Dragon’s Blood. This is an efficient way (in terms of vis) of protecting an entire covenant from the heat hazards of living in a covenant located in a volcano — although each person will take 6 Warping points every year (see ArM5, page 168).

(Base 25, +1 Touch, +4 Year, +2 Group, +1 size, +1 Ignem requisite, +1 Rego requisite, +2 intentse heat)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (170), Two Seasons (128), Three Seasons (114), Four Seasons (107).

Fumarole Mask

PeAu 34

Pen: 0, Constant Duration Effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Individual

This mask is made from porous volcanic rock and it destroys the toxic properties of any air that passes through it. This allows the wearer of the mask to breathe without trouble in the heart of a volcanic crater, or on a river of lava. The air affected by the mask tastes slightly unpleasant, but this does not cause any damage to the wearer.

Although the mask is constantly active, once the toxicity of the air has been removed, the air itself is no longer the subject of a magical effect. This means that the air is not resisted by characters with Magic Resistance, so magi can breathe using the mask without lowering their Parma Magica.

Note that Muto effects which change the air to be non-toxic are of little value to magi, as the effect only lasts as long as the spell duration. This means that when the magus tries to breathe the magically changed air, his Magic Resistance will resist the air as it is the subject of a magical effect. So the magus must either asphyxiate or lower his Parma Magica — both options are hazardous.

This spell is based on the Perdo Aquam guideline to destroy a property of a liquid, and applied by analogy to the Auram Form.

(Base 15, +1 Touch, +2 Sun; +1 for 2 uses/day, +3 environmental trigger)

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (68), Two Seasons (51), Three Seasons (46), Four Seasons (43).

Effects to Control Volcanoes

Vulcan’s Warning Bell is an enchanted item that is intended to give the covenant due warning that the volcano is about to erupt. In most circumstances, the warning is sufficient to allow either the covenant to be evacuated, or (perhaps more usefully) the Scorn of Aphrodite’s Tears ritual can be cast, which suppresses the imminent eruption. The Flame Tongue spell can be used to direct a belch of hot lava at an individual, which can be used as a weapon to discourage invaders. Creeping Earth makes the earth rise over the course of a month, seriously damaging buildings.

Creeping Earth

ReTe 25
R: Touch, D: Moon, T: Part

The caster of this spell stamps his foot on the ground and a patch of earth, centered on his position and 35 paces across, slowly but inexorably rises up for the duration of the spell. The earth rises at a rate of about one inch per day (up to three feet over the spell duration).

This is fast enough for people to observe if they watch the earth for more than a Diameter, and the movement can destroy buildings and other structures — even the strongest castle walls run the risk of collapse.

This spell only works when cast within a league of a volcano (three miles). This is because this movement is only a slightly unnatural property of the earth in such regions, whereas it is a grossly unnatural property of earth elsewhere.

(Base 2, +1 Touch, +3 Moon, +1 Part, +2 Size)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (50), Two Seasons (38), Three Seasons (34), Four Seasons (32).

Flame Tongue

For info on this spell's community erratum, see Talk:Flame Tongue

ReAq(Ig) 25
R: Voice, D: Momentary, T: Part

This spell causes a glutinous glob of lava (from a lake or river of magma) to leap out and hit something. The volume of lava moved is about 2 cubic feet, and it can be moved to hit any location within Voice range. Whatever the lava hits takes between +15 and +60 damage, depending on how much of it is covered by the lava. The lava sticks to whatever it hits and continues to inflict damage each round. It takes several days for the lava to cool naturally.

The heat of the lava is also sufficient to ignite anything flammable that it hits.

Flame Tongue is an Aimed spell, with a +6 bonus to hit due to the size of the volume of lava.

If the caster tries to totally immerse a person with the lava projectile, there is a –6 penalty to the Aiming Roll (effectively canceling the +6 size bonus). There is no penalty to the Aiming Roll if the objective is to merely splash someone. In some circumstances, the storyguide may decide that a missed attack to immerse a character results in a splash.

(Base 10, +2 Voice, +1 Size)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (50), Two Seasons (38), Three Seasons (34), Four Seasons (32).

Scorn of Aphrodite’s Tears

ReTe(Ig) 70
R: Touch, D: Momentary, T:Individual, Ritual

This ritual is cast when the eruption of a volcano is imminent, and it climaxes with a vial of pure water being poured into the crater mouth. The ritual prevents the volcano from erupting.

The volcano region can be up to 20 miles in diameter (although the crater will be only a fraction of this size), and the peak can be up to 15,000 feet high.

(Base 3, +1 Touch, +13 Size, +1 affect a volcano (equivalent to affecting stone))

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (140), Two Seasons (105), Three Seasons (94), Four Seasons (88).

Vulcan's Warning Bell

This enchanted bell is suspended in the vapors escaping from a volcanic crater. It detects when the volcano is preparing to erupt. Normally, the bell gives a number of days warning equal to 1 stress die. If a 0 is rolled on the stress die, then the number on the botch die represents the number of hours warning. If the botch die is itself a 0 (i.e., a botch), then there is no warning. The variable warning is a feature of the eruption, not the bell; Hermetic magic cannot predict the future directly, so the item must rely on advance signs of the eruption, and they appear at varying times.

Note that if the volcano unexpectedly erupts due to a supernatural effect, there may be considerably less warning.

There are two effects involved — one to detect the imminent eruption and one to ring the bell. Note that it might be possible for a magus to design a single effect that both detects an eruption and rings a bell to convey this information, as a cosmetic effect. That is not the approach taken here.

The Vibration of Anticipation

InAu 19

Pen: 0, Constant Duration Effect
R: Personal, D: Sun, T: Touch

This effect gives the bell the magical sense to detect the imminent eruption.

(Base 4, +2 Sun, +1 Touch; +1 for 2 uses/day, +3 for environmental trigger )

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (38), Two Seasons (29), Three Seasons (26), Four Seasons (24).

Clarion Call

ReTe 17

Pen: 0, Unlimited Uses
R: Personal, D: Sun, T: Touch

This effect rings the bell. The frequency of the ringing increases as the eruption time nears, and in the final hours the bell urgently rings every few seconds.

(Base 2, +2 effect metal; +10 unlimited uses, +3 linked trigger )

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (34), Two Seasons (26), Three Seasons (23), Four Seasons (22).

Colonizing the Volcanic Crater

In order to colonize the volcanic crater, your characters need to be able to create solid ground from the lava to build upon. Even if your magi build on the rim of a volcanic crater, the earth may need to be stabilized. In any case, the magi will need to ensure that day-today habitation is possible, by cooling the building interiors and preventing the ingress of toxic fumes. Designers must also provide for the feeding and watering of the covenant.

Effects for Buildings

These effects allow the construction of buildings within the volcanic crater, or are required to make the buildings habitable.

One strategy is to create a series of stable islands in the lava (using the Seeds of Earth enchanted items), upon which Mystic Towers (see ArM5, page 153) can be raised. The towers are cooled by Cold Marble Slabs, and Fumarole Vents ensure that the air inside the towers is safe to breathe. An alternative approach is to use the Repulsion of Earth effect, which causes a tower to float. A tower created near the volcanic crater can then be floated and pushed out over the lava lake; the floating tower will still need to be made habitable by Cold Marble Slabs and Fumaroles. A third strategy is to create buildings made from molten lava itself, using spells such as Tower of Lava.

In addition, the Repulsion of Earth and The Heart That Could Move Stone effects could obviously be the basis of a flying covenant. For another technique that achieves the same goal, see the chapter on the Flying Castle of Thomae in Legends of Hermes (page 122). If the same method were applied in a volcanic setting, precautions would have to be taken to protect the materials of which the flight disk is comprised.

Cold Marble Slab

PeIg 34

Pen: 0, Constant Duration Effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Structure

This marble slab, about a pace across, is activated when it is hung above the entrance of a building, and it chills the building. Normally, this would make continued occupation of the building intolerable; however, if the building is in a very hot location (such as a volcanic crater), then the cooling provided by the marble slab cancels out the ambient heat and makes the building habitable. This effect targets a base-sized Structure and is thus sufficient to affect a structure similar in size to a Mystic Tower (see ArM5, pages 113 and 153). Larger structures will require a larger Cold Marble Slab effect.

The chilling effect is not sufficient to cool anything very hot, such as lava, that happens to be in the building. However, it is sufficient to cool the air that is heated by the lava.

(Base 4, +2 Sun, +1 Touch; +1 for 2 uses/day, +3 for environmental trigger )

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (68), Two Seasons (51), Three Seasons (46), Four Seasons (43).

Fumarole Vent

PeAu 44

Pen: 0, Constant Duration Effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room

This enchanted item is a vent that is placed over a window in a room. The fumarole vent destroys the toxic properties of the air passing into the room, in the same way that a Fumarole Mask does (see earlier). This allows people to freely breathe in a room that is in a building constructed in (or very near) a volcanic crater, or on a river of lava.

As the effect uses the Hermetic target Room, to target the air passing into the room, only one vent is required even if the room has multiple openings. However, if a building has multiple rooms it requires a vent in each room. A version of the vent with a target of Structure could be invented to protect the entire building.

(Base 15, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Room; +1 for 2 uses/day, +3 for environmental trigger )

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (88), Two Seasons (66), Three Seasons (59), Four Seasons (55).

Repulsion of Earth

ReTe 34

Pen: 0, Constant Duration Effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room

This feather encased in amber is an enchanted item that is activated by being brought over the entrance to a stone building. When active, it causes the stone building to float several paces above the ground. If the effect ends (by the item being removed, for example), then the building crashes to the ground. This may cause significant damage to the building.

A Finesse Roll against an Ease Factor of 9 must be made if the building must be torn from its foundations. If the roll is failed, then any subterranean (i.e., basement) levels of the building are damaged and rendered unusable. This does not affect the upper levels. This effect targets a base-sized Structure and is thus sufficient to affect a structure similar in size to a Mystic Tower (see ArM5, pages 113 and 153). Larger structures will require a larger Repulsion of Earth effect.

Once it is floating, the building can be moved. However, the building is still incredibly massive and so it requires an enormous amount of force (or magic such as The Heart That Could Move Stone) to move. The building cannot be pushed by an individual, normal strength man, nor will it blow away in the breeze.

(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +3 Structure, +1 effect stone; +1 for 2 uses/day, +3 for environmental trigger )

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (68), Two Seasons (51), Three Seasons (46), Four Seasons (43).

Seed of Earth

MuAq(Ig)(Te) 59

Pen: 0, Constant Duration Effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Part

When this small piece of volcanic rock is thrown onto molten lava, it solidifies a portion of the lava, creating a roughly circular island about 80 feet across and 50 feet deep. The seed itself is buried 25 feet down, in the center of the island. As the effect has a constant duration, the island is stable and suitable for building structures upon. If the seed is removed, dispelled, or destroyed, then roll a stress die; this is the number of rounds that the island remains until it dissolves back into the lava. The Ignem requisite is for cooling the island.

(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Part, +6 Size, +1 Ignem requisite, free Terram requisite ; +1 for 2 uses/day, +3 for environmental trigger)

Required Lab Total to complete project, as lesser enchanted item: 118.

The Heart that Could Move Stone

ReTe 25
R: Touch, D: Diameter, T: Structure

The caster can move stone buildings with incredible force. This usually causes the stone building to collapse, as it is torn from its foundations. Anyone inside takes +10 damage from the falling structure.

However, if the building is floating (through the Repulsion of Earth effect, for example), then the character can push the building to a new location. Characters inside the building when it is being moved must make Dexterity rolls against an Ease Factor of 6, each round, or lose their footing. Unless special precautions are taken, laboratories inside the building are disrupted by the movement, which ruins any laboratory activities being conducted that season. It takes a season to reorganize a laboratory disrupted in this way.

(Base 3, +1 Touch, +1 Diameter, +3 Structure, +1 affect stone)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (50), Two Seasons (38), Three Seasons (34), Four Seasons (32).

Tower of Lava

ReAq 50
R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Part, Ritual

This spell sculpts a tower out of hot bubbling lava. The resulting tower is solid and rigid, but if its foundations remain in lava, then the tower will dissolve back into the bulk within a day. The Part target is required, because the spell does not use all the available lava.

The tower is about the same size and dimensions as the one created by the spell Conjuring the Mystic Tower (see ArM5, page 153). A Finesse roll against an Ease Factor of 15 is required to ensure that the tower is well made; failure means that the lava takes a solid but malformed shape.

(Base 3, +1 Touch, +1 Part, +6 size, +3 elaborate design)

Required Lab Total to invent ritual: One Season (100), Two Seasons (75), Three Seasons (67), Four Seasons (63).

Solidity of Stone

MuTe 45
R: Touch, D: Moon, T: Individual

This spell changes a mass of stone so that it has the unnatural property that it does not melt, even when heated to tremendous temperatures. The purpose of this spell is to prevent a building created out of molten lava (like that created by Tower of Lava) from dissolving back into the bulk lava.

Obviously, this spell must be cast every month otherwise the tower will melt and collapse.

The stone will still be hot, even if it is solid. So, a building protected like this will need to be cooled (or inhabited by characters immune to heat).

(Base 4, +1 Touch, +3 Moon, +4 size, +1 affect stone)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (90), Two Seasons (68), Three Seasons (60), Four Seasons (57).

New Laboratory Virtue: Volcanic Minerals Free Laboratory Outfitting Virtue The laboratory is supplied with exotic minerals from a volcano. The laboratory needs to be regularly resupplied, otherwise this Virtue is lost. There is no benefit in taking this Virtue multiple times — once the laboratory’s demands for exotic minerals have been met, additional minerals are of little value. –1 Upkeep, +1 Terram.

Effects to Live in the Volcanic Crater

These effects can provide health and wealth to the inhabitants of a covenant occupying the mineral-rich environment of a volcano.

Sculpt the Stone Machine

CrTe 20
R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Individual, ritual

This ritual creates a machine made of stone that is suitable for use as the invested item Stone Harvester. The machine appears to be a large stone beetle about one pace in length. Until it is invested with the Stone Harvester suite of effects, the machine is merely a very elaborate statue.

(Base 3, +1 Touch, +3 elaborate design, +1 minimum ritual effect magnitude)

Required Lab Total to invent ritual: One Season (40), Two Seasons (30), Three Seasons (27), Four Seasons (25).

Stone Harvester

This invested item is a beetle-shaped machine that crawls along the rim of the volcanic crater. It collects and sorts the volcanic debris for valuable and exotic materials, which can be used to reduce the Upkeep of Hermetic Laboratories (see Covenants, page 110). Each Stone Harvester can provide the Free Outfittings Virtue Volcanic Minerals (see Insert) for up to 5 Hermetic Laboratories. Note that the laboratories do not have to be located in the volcano — the minerals can be transported to a remote laboratory.

The Stone Harvester is a huge stone device. It requires 20 pawns to open for enchantment (taking one season and a Magic Theory Score of 10). The effects later require 13 pawns of vis to invest into the Stone Harvester.

As the Stone Harvester is made of stone and only traverses the volcanic crater rim, it does not need any particular protection from either heat or fumes. A version of the Stone Harvester that actually enters the lava would obviously require some protection.

Harvest Stone

ReTe 43

Pen: 0, Unlimited Uses
R: Sight, D: Diameter, T: Part

The Stone Harvester uses this effect to collect stone/mineral/metal material of a particular sort that it encounters — the stone is identifying material using the Stone Wealth effect. The collected stone is placed in a large stone basket on the back of the Stone Harvester which must be periodically emptied by a grog (precisely how frequently depends on the rarity of the collected stone). If the grog fails to empty the basket, the Stone Harvester will continue to harvest, but excess stone will fall out of the basket.

(Base 3, +3 Sight, +1 Diameter, +1 Part, +2 effect metal; +10 unlimited uses, +3 linked trigger (Stone Wealth))

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (86), Two Seasons (65), Three Seasons (58), Four Seasons (54).

Stone Wealth

PeIg 34

Pen: 0, Constant Duration Effect
R: Personal, D: Sun, T: Smell

This effect grants the Stone Harvester the sense to smell whether a particular sort of stone, metal, or mineral is nearby (within about 5 paces). The Stone Harvester contains a small compartment and it targets materials that match the material in the compartment. If there is no material in the compartment the Stone Harvester continues to move about the crater rim, but will obviously not find any matching material. The Stone Harvester only identifies Terram based objects, but of course additional effects could be invented to allow the Stone Harvester to identify and manipulate Animal, Aquam, Corpus, or Herbam objects.

This sense allows the harvester to smell things buried to a depth of about 1 pace.

(Base 2, +2 Sun, +2 Smell, +1 smell through intervening material; +1 for 2 uses/day, +3 for environmental trigger )

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (38), Two Seasons (29), Three Seasons (26), Four Seasons (24).

Stone Crawler

ReTe 14

Pen: 0, Constant Duration Effect
R: Personal, D: Sun, T: Individual

This effect manipulates the legs of the Stone Harvester, enabling it to move around the crater rim. The Stone Harvester moves constantly, at the pace of a walking man, in a clockwise direction around the crater rim.

(Base 3, +2 Sun, +1 affect stone; +1 for 2 uses/day, +3 for environmental trigger )

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (28), Two Seasons (21), Three Seasons (19), Four Seasons (18).

Stone Hammer

PeTe 33

Pen: 0, Constant Duration Effect
R: Sight, D: Momentary, T: Part

This effect is activated when the Stone Harvester detects that its target material is beneath the surface of the earth. The Stone Hammer effect loosens up to one cubic pace of intervening stone or dirt. This allows the target material to be lifted out of the ground.

(Base 3, +3 Sight, +1 Part, +1 affect stone; +10 unlimited uses, +3 linked trigger (Stone Wealth))

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (66), Two Seasons (50), Three Seasons (44), Four Seasons (42).

Story Seed: Tophet's Gate Many volcanoes are reputed to be gates to Hell. One well-known incident that demonstrates this occurred when the heretical Ostrogothic king Theodoric died in 526. A jet-black stallion arrived at Theodoric’s palace in Ravenna, gathered the dead king’s body, and then galloped away to Mt. Etna, straight into the crater and down into Hell. If there is a hell portal in the volcano, it is likely accessed via an Infernal regio. For ease, the story seeds that follow refer to a single devil interacting with the covenant. In your saga, a series of demons could interact with the covenant, or one or two powerful demons could take on the role of the devil. Deals with the Devil Even if they are not infernalists, the devil may offer the magi power. Of course, dealing with the devil imperils the immortal souls of the magi, but if his help is really needed, then what choice do the magi have? Some aid that the devil can offer is listed here. The devil may merely wait for opportunities to offer his aid, or he may actively arrange circumstances where his aid is needed. Corrupter demons (see Realms of Power: The Infernal, page 48) are the most likely to be involved in stories concerning deals. The Portal: The magi need to rapidly travel. The devil offers the hell portal, explaining that by traveling through it they can arrive at any crossroads in Mythic Europe. Vis: If the magi run short of vis, then the devil is able to offer some from Hell’s stocks. Of course, this will be infernally tainted. Illusions: A foolish magus has committed a crime under the Code of Hermes: perhaps he has endangered other magi by interfering in the mundane, he has scried upon the secrets of another magus, or he has killed another magus. The devil offers to cover this indiscretion; his illusions cannot be broken by Hermetic magic. Ward Against Age: If the magi are very elderly, they may find it difficult to create an effective Longevity Ritual. The devil offers a ward against age which will prolong the magi’s lives far beyond the capability of Hermetic magic. Sacrifices A portal to Hell is unlikely to remain open without frequent sacrifice. Even if it would, the devil would hardly inform the magi of this fact, as making sacrifices to the devil is a good way to damn your soul. Some stories that might arise from sacrifices include: Revolt in the Inferno: The magi sacrifice the children of the grogs to the devil by casting them into the volcano. Rego Mentem effects can easily keep the grogs under control in even the most despicable circumstances, but one botched spell by the magi could unravel all their careful plans and throw the covenant into revolt against their infernal masters. The devil might even manufacture circumstances to make this happen — after all, a bloody revolt is sure to lead to more dammed souls, regardless of how it ends. The Hidden Coven: Although the magi do not make sacrifices to the devil, a coven of infernalists hidden nearby does. The coven infiltrated the ranks of the covenant grogs and secretly cast sacrifices into the volcano heart. Will the infernalists be found out? The Devil’s Henchmen: The magi seek out and assassinate infernalists and devil worshipers throughout Mythic Europe. Where possible they throw the bodies of these executed heretics into the maw of the volcano. The magi argue that they are performing god’s work, but on the other hand by executing an infernalist the magi have prevented him from repenting and saving his soul, thus ensuring another damned soul for hell. Are the magi the servants of heaven or hell? Guardians The covenant magi might neither worship nor deal with the devil; instead they might guard the hell portal and try to prevent demons from escaping into the world. Destroyer demons (see Realms of Power: The Infernal, page 48) are the most likely to be involved in stories where Hell directly attacks the covenant. Some stories that might arise from this are: Ward Masters: It is well-known in the Order that the covenant guards a portal to Hell. This is considered a worthy duty and many other covenants in the Tribunal send gifts of vis to help maintain a powerful Aegis around the covenant and to assist in the regular casting of a network of wards that envelope the crater. Re-casting is required as the bubbling volcano regularly breaks the circular wards. The magi of the covenant are also wellknown as masters of warding magic and other tribunal magi visit the covenant for instruction and study. Sunder the Gate: Rumors reach the magi of a ritual that can destroy the hell portal. Chasing leads and researching this project might require travel throughout Mythic Europe, and include many years of work. Of course, there is always the possibility that the rumored ritual is an Infernal plot: maybe the ritual will summon a demonic horde to destroy the covenant, or maybe the rumors are just intended to distract the magi from warding the portal. Devil’s Night: Once a year, the forces of Hell batter against the covenant’s defenses. Usually, these efforts are futile, but this year Hell has managed to marshal an army of soldiers led by infernalists in the mundane world, near the covenant. The infernalists plan to attack the covenant in the hope of breaking the wards about the hell portal. As the covenant is more used to dealing with supernatural assaults, there may be unexpected problems in dealing with a large mundane attack. Tragic Heroes The covenant was founded by a magus whose lover (or beloved friend or family member) secretly turned to infernalism and then died in a state of unrepentant sin. The magus intends to study and then open the portal to hell, so he can travel to Hell and rescue his beloved from eternal damnation. The magus’ plan may actually be the playing out of a stratagem of a Deceiver demon (see Realms of Power: The Infernal, page 48). Some stories that this might inspire include: Recruitment: The magus tries to recruit a small group of magi to help in his project. Can he trust them? Do they suspect he is an infernalist? The Devil’s Bargain: The devil rises from the hell portal and offers to return the soul of the magus’ lover in exchange for the souls of a wealthy family of aristocrats. Is the devil trustworthy? Will dealing with the devil damn the magus himself? (No, and yes, obviously, but the magus might convince himself otherwise.) Can the magus find a way to damn the aristocrats? Dead Martyrs: Carrying a collection of holy relics will help protect the magus as he walks through the wastes of hell searching for his beloved. The magus can amass relics by raiding churches and monasteries. He might be able to buy relics, too, although he will need to be wary of fakes, and by buying relics the magus will commit the canon law crime of simony. Heaven’s Labors: A saint appears to the magus in a dream and offers to protect him during his journey through Hell. However, before the saint will help, the magus must found a monastery dedicated to the saint on the rim of the volcano. The prayers of the monks in the monastery will aid the magus during his sojourn in Hell. Accused of Infernalism A very real danger, of course, from living in close proximity to a portal to Hell is that regardless of the intentions of the characters they are vulnerable to accusations of infernalism. For this reason, the magi may want to keep the hell portal secret. Some possible stories arising from this concern are: A grog goes missing: Has he merely fallen into the lava, or has he run away? What does he know about the hell portal? Was he a spy from a rival covenant? Can the magi track him down before he reveals their secret? Visitors: Foreign magi unexpectedly arrive at the covenant. Can the hell portal be hidden from them? Can the visitors be encouraged to leave promptly without arousing their suspicions, or do they already know about the portal? Can the demons on the other side of the hell portal be relied upon to keep quiet? Framed: Even if the volcano is not really a hell portal, it is common knowledge (right or wrong) that many volcanoes are. This means that a rival covenant might accuse the magi of infernalism, anyway. If the rival covenant is politically well-connected, within the tribunal, the accusation could lead to an investigation by the Quaesitors. Dealing with the investigation could be bothersome and disruptive to laboratory work even if there is nothing for the Quaesitors to find. Of course, a diabolically clever rival could even make their own deal with the devil to plant evidence of infernalism in the volcano crater.

The Thermal Bath of Good Humor

This invested item is a bath in which the covenfolk (and magi) can bathe in water heated by the volcano. Regular bathing in these waters increases the health of the characters. On the other hand, a version of this bath called The Thermal Bath of Scalded Flesh could be invented as a sadistic torture device.

The bath is a huge item; if it is made of stone, it requires 20 pawns to open for enchantment (this takes one season and a Magic Theory Score of 10). If the bath is made of metal (iron or copper), it requires 25 pawns to open for enchantment (this takes one season and a Magic Theory Score of 13). The effects later only require 1 and 3 pawns to invest, which means that there is plenty of room in the bath for other effects.

Test the Waters

InIg 9

Pen: 0, Constant Duration Effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Individual

This effect determines the temperature in the bath. When the temperature drops below a comfortable bathing temperature, it activates the heating effect Fill the Bath. If the bath is intended to be The Thermal Bath of Scalded Flesh, then this effect is invented to monitor around (and activate the Fill the Bath effect at) the boiling temperature of water.

(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun; +1 for 2 uses/day, +3 for environmental trigger)

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (18), Two Seasons (14), Three Seasons (12), Four Seasons (12).

Fill the Bath

ReAq 28

Pen: 0, Unlimited Uses
R: Sight, D: Diameter, T: Individual

This effect causes the water in the bath to move through the air, pass over a volcanically heated region, and then back in a circle into the bath. The water travels in its circuit as a gentle stream suspended in the air at about waist height. The water returns to the bath warmed and dissolved in the water are a number of beneficial mineral salts.

If the bath is being controlled to a comfortable bathing temperature, then any characters who bathe once a day for most of the year receives a +1 Living Condition modifier to their Aging Rolls for that year, and a +1 Modifier to any Recovery Rolls they make during the year (see ArM5, pages 168 and 179). This modifier cannot be increased by more frequent bathing. These beneficial effects come from the mineral salts that are entrained in the water. The beneficial effects are not magical in origin, and a character who constantly uses the bath in this way does not gain Warping Points. The bath does not need to be able to detect the mineral salts as they are naturally present in the volcano.

If for some reason, the mineral salts are lacking from the volcano (which would be highly unusual) then the bath has no beneficial effects on the bather — apart from cleanliness, of course!

If the bath is being controlled to a scalding temperature, then any character immersed in the bath takes +12 damage each round due to the elevated temperature.

The effect requires both the presence of water in the bath and a volcanic region to heat the water within Sight range. If either of these elements are missing the effect does not activate.

(Base 1, +3 Sight, +1 Diameter, +2 very unnatural effect; +10 unlimited uses per day, +3 linked trigger (Test the Waters))

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (56), Two Seasons (42), Three Seasons (38), Four Seasons (35).

Well Ever-Full

This well is an invested item. It has two effects enchanted in it: one periodically fills the well with water from the sea, the other removes the salt from the water. As both effects are momentary, once the water has been affected it is no longer under a magical effect. The water is thus drinkable by characters with Magic Resistance. If there is a suitable river or lake near the covenant, then the well could source its water from there, without the need to remove the salt from the water. However, many naturally-occurring volcanoes are located on islands remote from sources of fresh water. River and lake sources can also be problematic as they may not be available year-round (through either evaporation or freezing), and may even dry up completely for years at a time.

As the two effects require 6 and 3 pawns of vis respectively, the well must be opened for enchantment using at least 9 pawns of vis. A well (a huge item made of stone) takes 20 pawns of vis to open for enchantment (leaving room for extra effects to be invested if desired). It takes one season to open the well for enchantment, which requires a Magic Theory Score of 10.

Fill the Well

ReAq 54

Pen: 0, 2 uses per day
R: Arcane Connection, D: Momentary, T: Individual

This effect is triggered every sunrise and sunset. It instantaneously fills the well with water from the sea (which must be within seven leagues). The effect requires an Arcane Connection to the sea. Any water which remains from the previous triggering of the effect is sufficient for this. However, if the well is ever completely drained of water, it must be primed with a cup of water from the sea. If the well ceases to work (for some reason) for more than a few months, then the well must also be refilled with a cup of water from the sea, as the Arcane Connection to the sea will have expired.

The volume of water that is transported daily into the well is sufficient to supply the water needs of a covenant of several hundred people.

The effect is based on the Rego Corpus guidelines, applied by analogy to the Aquam Form. Note that the water is only transported a distance of seven leagues, so for this to be effective the well must be located with seven leagues of the water source. A version of this effect, using the guideline one magnitude higher, would enable the water to be transported any distance.

(Base 30, +4 Arcane; +3 environmental trigger, +1 2 uses per day)

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (108), Two Seasons (81), Three Seasons (72), Four Seasons (68).

Cleanse the Undine's Tears

PeAq 24

Pen: 0, 2 uses per day
R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Individual

This effect eliminates the salt in the water in the well. This effect is triggered by the Fill the Well power, and is activated one round later.

Note that the salinity of the water will not return once it has been removed. This is because salt is not part of the essential nature of water.

(Base 15, +1 Touch; +3 linked trigger (Fill the Well), +1 2 uses per day)

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (48), Two Seasons (36), Three Seasons (32), Four Seasons (30).

Story Seed: Vulcan's Forge The Roman God Vulcan (Greek, Hephaestus) had forges beneath Vesuvius and Vulcano, and possibly other volcanoes too. Many volcanoes thus contain faerie regiones that led to Vulcan’s court. Of course, whether the Vulcan presiding over this hot and sooty realm is the real Vulcan, or merely a faerie portraying the role, is unclear. Stories that might arise from Vulcan’s Forge include: The Competition An emissary from Vulcan arrives at the covenant and delivers a challenge. Vulcan claims that the volcano is his forge and will not allow the magi to remain unless they beat him in a series of competitions. The competitions include: Forging the strongest sword. Creating the sharpest edged blade. Smelting the largest amount of iron from ore in one day. Manufacturing the most beautiful and delicate copper tiara. The competition will be judged by Vulcan’s wife Venus (Aphrodite). If the magi refuse to participate then Vulcan will cause the volcano to erupt. On the other hand, as long as the magi perform credibly Vulcan will let them stay, even if they do not actually win the competition. Forge Companion Vulcan offers to train a character in the art of metalworking (or the magi request this). The character lives for several years in Vulcan’s court and gains an Affinity Virtue with either Craft: Metalwork, Rego, Ignem, or something similar. The years spent in the faerie court are also spent learning Abilities or Arts from Vulcan, working at his forge, or adventuring in the faerie court. Smith for Hire Vulcan can make highly complex devices and can find exotic materials. He is willing to work for the magi, but they need to pay him with presents for his wife Venus. Items created by Vulcan are especially useful for magi, as when he uses his forge he automatically prepares the item for enchantment (see ArM5, page 97). This means that the magi can invest items that are large or made of exotic components, even if they lack the required Magic Theory to prepare the item for enchantment themselves. Items forged by Vulcan are also very cost-effective as invested items — depending, of course, upon what Venus’ present costs the magi. Outside Influence If it becomes known that the covenant is in contact with Vulcan’s court, then representatives of House Merinita and House Verditius are likely to both be very interested. The covenant can expect to be visited by many magi of these Houses, which could lead to competition over local resources, the establishment of a House Verditius dominated chapterhouse on the very doorstep of a covenant, and legal wrangling at Tribunal over whether anyone is “molesting the faeries” of Vulcan’s court. At the very least, many visitors are likely to distract the magi from their own work.

Effects to Deal with Volcanic Inhabitants

Volcanoes might be home to a number of supernatural creatures. These effects may help the magi deal with their neighbors.

Basalt Cage

CrTe 20
R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Individual, Ritual

This ritual creates a large cage made out of basalt stone with a single gate (also made of basalt) that can be opened and shut. The cage is large enough to hold ten man-sized creatures. Individuals in the cage may find it difficult to escape, if the gate is somehow locked or barred.

However, the main purpose of the ritual is to create a cage which is subsequently enchanted as an item with the effect The Entrapped Flame.

Note that, if your character is talented at Rego magics, he may find it easier to use a Rego Terram craft effect to sculpt such a cage from a hunk of basalt. However, remember to consider that the magus must make a Finesse roll against an Ease Factor of 24 to succeed in casting such a Rego craft effect, as it would be hard for a mundane craftsman to sculpt such an item and it would take him a long time to do so (see Covenants page 49).

(Base 3, +1 Touch, +1 Size, +1 complex structure, +2 minimum level of a ritual)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (40), Two Seasons (30), Three Seasons (27), Four Seasons (25).

Commune with the Fire Soul

InTe 30
R: Touch, D: Concentration, T: Individual

The caster plunges his hands into lava (which will cause damage if he is not protected) and communes with the spirit of the volcano. If the volcano’s spirit is a creature with Might, then this spell needs to penetrate its Magic Resistance.

The length of time a conversation with a volcano spirit takes is highly variable, and depends on the activity of the volcano. The spell allows the caster to perceive and participate in the conversation at either great speed or very slowly, as appropriate. A conversation of a few simple sentences with a dormant volcano could take many days, and would therefore require either a spell with a different duration or magical effects similar to Maintaining the Demanding Spell (ArM5, page 162) in order to maintain the Concentration duration. On the other hand, a long multi-faceted discourse with an active volcano can be conducted in a fraction of a round.

(Base 20, +1 Touch, +1 Concentration)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (60), Two Seasons (45), Three Seasons (40), Four Seasons (38).

Ring of Protection Against Creatures of Fire

ReIg 35

Pen: +22, Constant Duration Effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Individual

This ring, with an inset ruby, wards the wearer against creatures with an Ignem Form who have a Magic Might of no more than 20.

(Base Effect at level 20, using Sun Duration instead of Ring and Individual Target instead of Circle; +11 penetration bonus of 22; +1 for 2 uses/day, +3 for environmental trigger)

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (70), Two Seasons (53), Three Seasons (47), Four Seasons (44).

Sense the Hearts of Fire

InIg 30
R: Personal, D: Sun, T: Vision

The caster detects whether creatures he can see have an Ignem Form Might. This is a magical property of a creature made of flame. It has no effect on creatures that are not made of Ignem, regardless of whether they have a Might or not. Creatures apparently made of flame (creatures of another Form, illusions, or the effects of Hermetic Rego Ignem magic) who do not have an Ignem Form Might are also not detected by this effect.

Obviously, this spell needs to Penetrate the Magic Resistance of the detected creatures.

(Base 4, +2 Sun, +4 Vision)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (60), Two Seasons (45), Three Seasons (40), Four Seasons (38).

Sublimation of Flame

MuIg(Au) 30
R: Voice, D: Diameter, T: Individual

This spell changes a fire elemental (or another creature made of fire) into air for a short period of time. This renders the fire elemental incapable of using many of its powers for the duration of the spell.

If the target is in a well-ventilated area (such as outside), then the air that forms its body disperses. This inflicts an Incapacitating Wound on the fire elemental, and when its body returns to fire, numerous small fires erupt throughout the volume it has filled (about 50 paces across). These small fires cause +3 damage to anyone in the volume, and ignite flammable materials.

If the target is in an enclosed area (such as inside a room), then the air is closely contained, and the creature suffers no damage. When the fire elemental’s body returns to flame anyone else remaining within the room immediately takes either +10 or +Might damage (whichever is greater) as the elemental’s incandescent body of flame coalesces.

This spell must Penetrate the Magic Resistance of the fire elemental. This spell is able to affect creatures of up to Size +6 (this includes fire elementals of up to Might 25)

(Base 5, +2 Voice, +1 Diameter, +2 size)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (60), Two Seasons (45), Three Seasons (40), Four Seasons (38).

The Entrapped Flame

ReIg 45

Pen: +22, Constant Duration Effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room

This effect is enchanted into a cage made from basalt stone (see Basalt Cage) which is large enough to hold ten man-sized creatures. Creatures with Ignem Magic Might up to 20 cannot escape from the cage.

The cage has a gate, that can be opened and shut by characters who are not affected by the cage. Shutting the gate activates the effect.

(Base Effect at level 20, using Sun Duration, +2 Room; +11 penetration bonus of 22, +1 for 2 uses/day, +3 for environmental trigger)

This item could be invented as a lesser enchanted item. Required Lab Total to invent lesser enchanted item: 90 Alternatively, the item could be invented as an invested item. It takes 20 pawns of vis (huge, stone), one season and a Magic Theory Score of 10 to open the basalt cage for enchantment. Then, invest the effect. Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (90), Two Seasons (68), Three Seasons (60), Four Seasons (57).

Story Seed: Eternal Spirit of Flame The volcano (or a regio within it) may be inhabited by a powerful magical nature spirit, or possibly a spirit associated with another realm. Once the characters have established themselves in or near the volcano, they can try to contact and commune with this spirit. Alternatively, the spirit may contact the magi itself. Bjornaer and Merinita characters are particularly likely to be contacted, as they are generally the magi most connected with nature, but any character apparently interested in the welfare of the volcano could be contacted. Communing with the spirit at the heart of the volcano allows the characters to access the Volcano Lore Supernatural Ability (this is a type of Nature Lore; see Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, pages 102–106, or Guardians of the Forests: The Rhine Tribunal, page 37). The volcano spirit can grant Virtues to characters who are loyal to it. The basic procedure is that the character performs a quest for the spirit and makes a sacrifice (gains a Flaw) and in return the spirit grants the character a portion of his power (a Virtue). Each quest is a good opportunity for the troupe to tell a story. Some example Virtues, quests, and sacrifices include the following. Virtues Elemental Magic, Major Hermetic Virtue (ArM5, page 41): Many of these projects use elemental Forms with other elemental Forms as requisites. A character with the Elemental Magic Virtue can ignore such requisites, making the projects easier. Greater Immunity, Major Supernatural Virtue (ArM5, page 43), or Lesser Immunity, Minor Supernatural Virtue (ArM5, page 44): Immunity to lava, heat, or noxious fumes could be very convenient for living in the Burning City. Major Magical Focus, Major Supernatural Virtue (ArM5, page 45), or Minor Magical Focus, Minor Supernatural Virtue (ArM5, page 46): A major focus in volcanoes or a minor focus such as ash, fire elementals, lava, volcanic fumes, or volcanic rock. Mythic Blood, Major Hermetic Virtue (ArM5, page 47): The magus could have his blood mingled with that of Vulcan, a fire elemental, or a dragon, and thus inherit useful supernatural powers from this powerful lineage. Special Circumstances, Minor Hermetic Virtue (ArM5, page 49): Your magus gains a bonus to his magic when casting inside a volcano. Ways of the (Volcano), Major General Virtue (ArM5, page 50): Your character gains a deeper understanding of volcanic regions. Quests Awaken the Sleeper: The spirit of the volcano is lonely, but he has a brother who lies dormant beneath the earth. The character must awaken the brother (cause him to erupt), creating a new volcanic crater. Blood to Flame: The character must invent, and cast on himself, a ritual that permanently changes his blood to lava. Cleanse the Slopes: The slopes of the volcano have been colonized by a monastery that rings a bell to the glory of God. Each peal of the bell strengthens the Divine and weakens the magic aura that the volcano spirit feeds upon. The character must silence the monastery bell. Gather the Embers: The spirit of the volcano has a number of children (fire elementals) that over the centuries have dispersed throughout Mythic Europe. One of his children is trapped in the catacombs beneath a mundane king’s castle (the fire elemental is used as a source of central heating for the castle). The character must travel to the castle and rescue the fire elemental from its servitude. Stoke the Fire: The volcano has been weakened by long centuries of activity. The character must recharge the heart of the volcano by casting a rook of Creo vis into the crater heart. Sacrifices Blatant Gift, Major Hermetic Flaw (ArM5, page 51): The character sweats, puffs, fumes, and rumbles like a volcano on the brink of eruption; other characters find him very unusual. Chaotic Magic, Major Hermetic Flaw (ArM5, page 52): The character’s magic becomes like an erupting volcano and difficult to control. Difficult Spontaneous Magic, Minor Hermetic Flaw (ArM5, page 53): Like a dormant volcano, the character’s spontaneous magic becomes difficult to rouse. Incomprehensible, Minor General (ArM5, page 55): The character’s understanding of magic changes and becomes full of allusions to bubbling lava and drifting ash that other magi cannot readily comprehend. Missing Hand, Minor General (ArM5, page 56): The character cuts his hand off and casts it into the volcanic crater, linking him with the volcano’s spirit. Unpredictable Magic, Minor Hermetic (ArM5, page 60): The character’s magic can erupt unexpectedly.

Increasing the Lab Total

To complete many of the projects that comprise the Burning City your characters might want to increase their Lab Total. These are some strategies that you might like to employ.

Shape and Material Bonuses

Shape and Material bonuses can give your characters bonuses to their Lab Total when inventing item effects (ArM5, page 99). Also, if a magus has a Talisman, then its Shape and Material bonuses can be used to give him a bonus when casting appropriate spells (once the Talisman has been attuned; see ArM5, page 98).

Some new Shape and Material Bonuses are listed later (the troupe should feel free to devise their own Shape and Material bonuses too). The bonuses written in italic text have been drawn from other books in Ars Magica Fifth Edition. The bonuses written in regular text are new suggestions.

Ash (burned debris, not the tree) (+2 burning things, +5 affect things that have been burned, +2 Ignem)

Artifacts from Pompeii and Herculaneum (+3 volcanoes)

Marble (+5 wards, +3 beauty, +3 cold)

Mask (+2 affect wearer’s sight, +3 hiding, +7 disguise, +2 affect wearer’s breathing)

Mirror (+7 illusions, +5 see the truth)

Vent (+7 affect air passing through it)

Volcano (+5 volcanoes)

Laboratory Customizations

Features can be added to a laboratory which add a bonus to certain types of Lab Totals, and elements of the laboratory’s structure or location can also be auspicious for some sorts of work. Many of the options presented in Covenants (pages 112–121) could help with the Burning City effects. Some new Laboratory Virtues and Flaws include the following.

Features

A Greater Feature is a Major Structure Virtue for a Laboratory and it adds +2 Aesthetics and +3 points distributed among the appropriate specializations. A Lesser Feature is a Minor Structural Virtue and it adds +1 Aesthetics and +1 in an appropriate specialization.

Fumes

A sphere of glass rests on plinth in the laboratory. Trapped in the sphere are swirling, noxious vapors captured from a volcanic vent. Specializations: Pe, Au, Ig.

Pool of Lava

The laboratory is either built to enclose a pool of lava or a specially constructed cauldron keeps a sample of lava hot and molten. Specializations: Ig, Te.

Thermal Spring

A volcanically heated spring bubbles up from the center of the laboratory. Specializations: Cr, Aq, Ig.

Volcanic Rock

In the center of the laboratory is a huge slab of volcanic rock. Specializations: Mu, Ig, Te.

Dormant Volcano

Free Structure Virtue

The laboratory is located in a dormant volcano crater. +1 Aesthetics, +1 Ig.

Active Volcano

Major Structure Flaw

The laboratory is located in an active volcanic crater. Note that the Safety, Upkeep, and Health factors here assume that this laboratory and the magus are both somehow protected from the catastrophic hazards of being in an active volcano crater. +2 Upkeep, –2 Safety, –1 Health, +1 Experimentation, +3 Ig.

Mineral Bath

Minor Outfitting Virtue

The laboratory contains a mineral bath that is heated by a volcanic source. The magus takes frequent baths while contemplating his work. +2 Health, –1 Safety, +1 Aq, +1 Longevity Rituals.

Volcanic Spirit Forge

Minor Supernatural Virtue

The laboratory contains a forge that is heated by a volcanic spirit. –1 Upkeep, –1 Safety, +1 Experimentation, +1 Re, +1 Ig.

Hell Portal

Major Supernatural Flaw

The laboratory contains a fiery portal to Hell. –2 Safety, +2 Warping, +1 Re, +3 Vi.

Experimentation

Your magus could try to accomplish some of these projects using experimentation (see ArM5, pages 107–109). What follows are some example side effects and modified effects that could result from experimentation on these projects (if a side effect or modified effect is rolled on the Extraordinary Effects table; see ArM5, page 109).

These are only suggestions: your troupe should feel free to modify, or ignore these, or create your own, as necessary.

• The effect only works when the volcano is erupting.
• The effect only works when used within the crater of a particular volcano.
• Tears of lava momentarily flow from either the caster’s or the target’s eyes. This causes +10 heat damage, and blinds him for one diameter.
• The target (or caster) belches a powerful sulfurous stench. This causes no damage, but it is obnoxious and it draws attention to the character.
• The target (or caster) becomes very hot, and sweats profusely. He must make a Stamina check against an Ease Factor of 6 or immediately lose a Long Term Fatigue level due to lack of water (the Fatigue level can only be regained by drinking).
• Any flammable items held or worn by the caster (or target) ignite. This usually includes clothing, straps holding armor together, etc.
• Metal objects held or worn by the caster (or target) melt. This causes no damage if he immediately drops the item, although usually it ruins the item. If the character holds onto the item, he takes +12 heat damage. If he is wearing full metal armor, he takes +48 damage; partial metal armor, +36 damage.
• The caster’s (or target’s) clothing turns to ash. This causes no damage exceptto the clothing, but obviously it draws attention to the character. Metal armor and jewelry is slightly singed, but otherwise unaffected.
• Fires within Voice range of the target (or caster) briefly flare up to a brilliant, searing heat and then extinguish.
• Wherever the caster (or target) walks, her footprints burn into the surfaces she walks upon. This leaves a clear trail of scorched earth and ash. This side effect lasts for Sun duration.
• The room briefly fills with toxic volcanic fumes. An immediate Stamina check, against an Ease Factor of 6, must be made for each character within the room. If this is failed the character takes a Medium wound. If the room is normally ventilated, the poisonous fumes disperse within 1 round. However, if the room is sealed, the fumes persist and characters in the room need to take another Stamina check every Diameter. If the effect is cast outside, there is no damaging effect as the fumes are too quickly dispersed, although characters within Voice range of the caster do smell the fumes before they disperse.
• The humors of the caster (or target) become temporarily unbalanced. Make a Stamina check for the target against an Ease Factor of 6. If this is failed, the character develops a disease due to an excess of hot, dry, yellow bile, which causes a Medium Wound.
• The humors of the caster (or target) become subtly, but permanently unbalanced. This causes no immediate effect, but the character’s subsequent Aging checks are made with an additional –1 Living Condition Modifier. Note, that this side-effect only affects the character once, even if he is affected by the spell/item effect multiple times.
• The humors of the caster (or target) are buffered against extreme swings. This causes no immediate effect, but the character’s subsequent Aging checks are made with an additional +1 Living Condition Modifier. Note, that this side effect only affects the character once, even if he is affected by the spell/item effect multiple times.
• The outer layers of the target’s skin form a hard, black crust. This gives him a +3 bonus to Soak, which lasts for Sun duration. When this side-effect expires, the crust of skin peels off over a period of about one week. This has no game-mechanical effect, but it is visually unappealing: the peeling skin is broken, scabbed, and burnt.
• The caster (or target) is imbued with a warm internal glow. She does not suffer from exposure, hunger, or thirst until the glow subsides, which takes a simple die of Sun durations. This side effect appears to bypass the Limit of Energy, which could make the spell Lab Text an important source of insight for a magus attempting research in this area.

Attribution

Attribution Based on the material for Ars Magica, ©1993-2024, licensed by Trident, Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games®, under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license 4.0 ("CC-BY-SA 4.0"). Ars Magica Open License Logo ©2024 Trident, Inc. The Ars Magica Open License Logo, Ars Magica, and Mythic Europe are trademarks of Trident, Inc., and are used with permission. Order of Hermes, Tremere, Doissetep, and Grimgroth are trademarks of Paradox Interactive AB and are used with permission.