CREDITS

Author: Roderick Robertson

Development Director: Jonathan Tweet

Line Developer: Wade Racine

Additional Development: Peter Hentges Executive Editor: Beverly Marshall Saling

Copyediting: Bob Kruger Art Director: Daniel Gelon Cover Art: Micheal Weaver Cover Logo Design: Chris Rush Interior Illustrations: Eric Hotz, Anson Maddocks, William O'Connor, Daniel Gelon

Layout & Typesetting: Daniel Gelon Print Coordinator: Keith Kentop

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Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction
Overview
Bibliography
Chapter 2: Mythic History
Early Scotland
The Ascendance of the Scots
The House of Canmore: Scotland in the 12th Century
Scotland after 1200
Kings of Scotland
Kings of Man and the Isles
Earl of Orkney
Timeline of Major Events
Timeline of Mundane Events
Chapter 3: Hermetic History
The War Against Damhan-allaidh
Two Orders, the 13th House
The Order and the Kings
The Tribunal Today
Chapter 4: Scottish Landscape
The Borders and the Lowlands
The Highlands
The Islands
Stone Monuments
Things Scottish
Chapter 5: Covenants
The Covenant of Horsingas
The Covenant of Crun Clach
The Covenant of Mac Gruagach
Chapter 6: Character Creation
Lowland Characters
Highland Characters
Geasa, Gifts, and Curses
Gruagach—The Highland Magician
Chapter 7: Scenario Ideas
Other Saga Dates
Meeting Brude Deathless
Cattle Raiding
Blood Feud
Highland Giants
Lord Goulis and the Demons of Monksend Castle
The Return of Damhan-allaidh
Appendix 1: Character Templates
Grog Templates
Magi Templates
Appendix 2: Gaelic Glossary
Pronunciation Notes
Vocabulary
Mythic Scotland at a Glance

When he had eaten and drunk his fill, She said, "Lay your head upon my knee, And before we climb yon high, high hill I will show you wonders three.
"See you that broad, broad road That lies by the lify leaven? That is the road to Hell, Though some say it leads to Heaven.
"And see you that narrow, narrow road, Beset with thorns and briars? That is the way to rightcousness, Though after it few inquire.
But see you that bonny, bonny road That winds about the ferny brae? That is the road to fair Elfland, Where you and I must go."
—The Ballad of Thomas the Rhymer

Chapter 1: Introduction

Lion of the North: The Loch Leglean Tribunal details Mythic Scotland for Ars Mágica storyguides and players. It presents the lands and cultures of Scotland from the Borders in the South to the Highlands and Islands in the North. Characters can join the political struggle against the conquerors from the South, defend the land against Scandinavian raiders, engage in games and battles with the ever-present faeries, and discover the strange and ancient magics that some still practice.

A Tapestry of Culture

Mythic Scotland has had many cultures overlaid one on the other. This supplement starts its history with the mysterious Brochbuilders, who built hundreds of large stone towers. The towers, or "brochs", are the only trace left of these people; not even their name remains to us. When the Romans first arrived on the Island of Britain, they called all the northern tribes Caledonians. The Romans so feared the Caledonians that they built two walls to prevent them from raiding into Britain. After A.D. 300, the Romans took to calling the people beyond their walls Picts, instead of Caledonians. An Irish tribe, the Scotti, settled in the Southwest and eventually conquered the Picts, giving their name to the entire land. Saxons held the

southern part of the land for a time, and the Norse occupied most of the Islands and the northern provinces. The latest influx is of Anglo-Norman barons from England, whom the king invited north.

The Loch Leglean Tribunal reflects the cultural diversity of Scotland. Three covenants dominate the tribunal, each with its supporters and cultural preferences. In addition to the Order of Hermes, two magic traditions exist in the tribunal. The northern Highlands and Islands are Norse in culture, and rumors say that the shadowy Order of Odin has at least one "covenant" among them. In the Highlands live the last remnants of ancient Pictish magicians.

Avoiding Misconceptions

The Scotland of most people's imagination is a pastiche of Highland games, Robert Burns, and old movies. The Scotland presented herein is the remote ancestor of these. The clans with which everyone is familiar have only begun to coalesce in the 12th and 13th centuries. The kilt, that most Scottish of garments, is 500 years in the future, while clan tartans are even farther off. Bagpipes are reserved for the pleasure of the chiefs and great lords, and are rarely played for the common folk. The land is not united. The people of the Lowlands hate and fear their Highland neighbors, while the Highlanders look down on the Lowlanders as soft and treacherous. The land is not just the moorland and mountain that we think of today. The Caledonian forest covers vast areas, with a canopy so thick and dark that no plants can grow on the forest floor. Wolves and wild boar roam the forest. The people of the land have a knowledge of the familiar wild animals, but also know the faeries and monsters that inhabit the mountain, loch, and forest. This knowledge makes the Highlander superstitious and wary, for who knows what that figure in the mist might be?

Overview

This book examines the fascinating mix of cultures and beliefs found north of Hadrian's Wall. Waves of invaders have left behind a complex interweaving of peoples, which natives take for granted but visitors rarely appreciate. Magi of the Order have to deal with much more than inter-covenant politics: the very land can aid or hinder them.

Inhabitants

A dichotomy between the Highlands and Lowlands filters through all levels of Mythic Scotland. The Lowlands are home to bands of seelie faeries, but the Highlands are the haunt of many solitary faeries, of which few, if any, are benevolent. (Faeries dominate the Scottish landscape, more than any other supernatural phenomenon.) Norman-Scottish nobles, who have only held the land since the 11th century, rule the Lowlands. In the wild hills of the Highlands, the clans control their own destiny, yielding their freedom to no king. The Lowlanders speak a version of English; the Highlanders speak Gaelic and Norse. Throughout this book, Scotland is presented from the viewpoint of the Highlanders. The culture and government of the Lowlands

follow the English pattern (much as detailed in the Ars Magica rulebook).

The Order of Hermes in Scotland

The Loch Leglean Tribunal is a very unorthodox Hermetic tribunal. Fully a fourth of the magi in the tribunal owe no allegiance to covenants; yet they have full voting privilege at the tribunals held every seven years. The Houses of the Order have very divergent membership in Loch Leglean; Houses Mercere and Quaesitor have only one member each in the tribunal, while House Ex Miscellanea comprises one-half the total magi. Magi accepted in Loch Leglean may have trouble with the rest of the Order. One distinct group in House Ex Miscellanea, the gruagachan (GROO-uh-guk-an), is blatantly non-Hermetic, unable to learn even the parma magica. However, its members are accepted by House Ex Miscellanea and the Order in Loch Leglean.

This book details the three dominant covenants of the tribunal, but the nature of Hermetic politics in the tribunal should in no way limit the players. Covenants come and go with little notice. Some described here may fade, to be replaced by a covenant of your troupe's design.

Theme

Independence is a major part of Scottish life, whether mundane life or Hermetic. There are many secluded places where a covenant or clan may escape the notice of the outside world. The culture of much of the country emphasizes dependence and regulation at the family or clan level, with little respect for the functions of government. Players will find that new covenants are easy to start, but can fail just as easily. Magi will find that the rest of the Order of Hermes will pay little attention to the events in the tribunal. Like the rest of Mythic Europe, most members of the Order probably have no idea of where a covenant in Loch Leglean is, let alone what it is doing.

A Note on Pronunciation in Gaelic

Sprinkled throughout the text are words and names in Gaelic. Pronunciation guides are provided for these words, but the reader should keep in mind that there is no one way to pronounce them. Dialects vary from region to region, and shift over time. I have used the MacLennon dictionary for a pronunciation guide. Also, I have used Scots Gaelic in this book, and there are numerous differences between Irish and Scots Gaelic, not only in pronunciation, but in spelling. One obvious example is the word "sith," which in other Ars Magica material has been written "sidhe," after the Irish fashion.

Bibliography

History

Chadwick, H.M. Early Scotland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1949,

Fry, Plantagenet and Fiona Somerset. The History of Scotland. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1982.

Geoffrey of Monmouth. History of the Kings of Britain. London: Penguin Books, 1966.

Grimble, Ian. Clans and Chiefs. London: Blond & Briggs, 1980.

Jenner, Michael. Scotland Through the Ages. London: Michael Joseph Ltd., 1987,

Kinvig, R.H. The Isle ofMan. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 1975.

Linklater, Eric. Orkney & Shetland. Robert Hale Limited.

MacKie, J.D. A History of Scotland. London: Pelican Books, 1984.

MacLean, Fitzroy. A Concise History of Scotland, London: Thames & Hudson, 1970.

Prebble, John. The Lion in the North.

London: Penguin Books, 1973.

Ritchie, J. N. Graham and Anna. Scotland, Archaeology and Early History.

London: Thames and Hudson, 1981.

Ross, Stewart. Monarchs of Scotland. Facts on File, 1990.

Schei, Liv Kjorsvik. The Orkney Story. New

York: Hippocrene Books, 1985.

Scullard, H.H. Roman Britain: Outpost of the Empire. London: Thames & Hudson, 1979.

Thompson, Francis. A Scottish Bestiary. Glasgow: The Molendinar Press, 1978.

Tacitus. The Complete Works of Tacitus. New York: Random House, 1942.

Wainwright, F.T., ed. The Problem of the Picts. London: Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1955.

Folklore

Arrowsmith, Nancy and George Moorse. A Field Guide to the Little People. Pocket Books, 1977.

Bord, Janet and Colin. Sacred Waters. Paladin Books, 1986.

Briggs, Katherine. An Encyclopedia of Fairies. New York: Pantheon Books, 1976.

Briggs, Katherine. The Fairies in Tradition and Literature. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1967.

Coxe, Antony D. Hippisley. Haunted Britain. London: Pan Books Limited, 1973.

Douglas, R.M. Scottish Lore and Folklore. New York: Beekman House, 1982.

Grant, I.F. Highland Folkways. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1961.

Robertson, R. MacDonald. Selected Highland Folktales. London: David & Charles, 1977.

Stewart, Bob and John Matthews. Legendary Britain. London: Blandford Press, 1989,

Language

MacLennon, Malcolm. A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language. Aberdeen, Scott: Aberdeen University Press, 1979.

Renton, R.W & J.A. MacDonald, Ed. Abair! Glasgow: Gairm Publications, 1990.

Mackinnon, Roderick. Gaelic: A complete course for beginners in Scottish

Gaelic. New York: David McKay Co., 1971.

Moore, Knott & Hulbert. The Elements of Old English. Ann Arbor: George Wahr Publishing Co., 1977.

Lewis, C.T. Elementary Latin Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1979.

"Marius son of Arvirarous succeeded him in the kingship. He was a man of great prudence and wisdom. A little later in his reign a certain king of the Picts called Sodric came from Scythia with a large fleet and landed in the northern part of Britain which is called Albany: He began to ravage Marius' lands. Marius thereupon collected his men together and marched to meet Sodric. He fought a number of battles against him and finally killed him and won a great victory. In token of his triumph Marius set up a stone in the district, which was afterwards called Westmorland after him. The inscription carved on it records his memory down to this very day. Once Sodric was killed and the people who had come with him were beaten, Marius gave them the part of Albany called Caithness to live in. The land had been desert and untilled for many a long day, for no one lived there. Since they had no wives, the Picts asked the Britons for their daughters and kinswomen; but the Britons refused to marry off their womenfolk to such manner of men. Having suffered this rebuff, the Picts crossed over to Ireland and married women from that country. Children were born to these women, and in this way the Picts increased their numbers. This is enough about them, for it is not my purpose to describe Pictish history, nor, indeed, that of the Scots, who trace their descent from them and from the Irish too.
-Geoffrey of Monmouth, Historia Regum Britanniae, 1136

Chapter 2: Mythic History

Early Scotland

The original people of the land called Scotland have been lost in the mists of time; not even their name remains. However, they left behind a number of structures, ranging from circles of standing stones to brochs (brox), large thick-walled towers. "Who built the brochs?" is a question that has not been answered. Irish myths and legends describe a seafaring people known as the Fomoreach (Fo-mor-uch), who came from the North and East. It is possible that the Fomoreach were the Broch-builders.

Scotland is divided into four major areas: the Highlands, Lowlands, Borders, and Islands.

The Cruithni

Before the 3rd century, the Romans in Britain called the tribes north of the line roughly delineated by the Forth and Clyde rivers "Caledonians." The Caledonians called themselves Cruithni (KRUN-u), the sons of Cruithne (KRUN-eh). The Cruithni migrated from Scythia to Thrace, thence to Ireland, and finally to the northern part of Briton. The Cruithni determined kingship from the mother, rather than the father, due to a bargain made long ago with a friendly Irish king. This system meant that the king's heir was usually his sister's son.

The Cruithni and the Broch-builders fought sporadically, and eventually the Cruithni dominated and assimilated the Broch-builders. The Cruithni also maintained their holdings and identity against the Druids, who dwelt to the south and made forays northward to spread their teachings. The Cruithni accepted some of the teachings of the Druids but modified the teachings to better fit with the harsh and rugged land in which they dwelt. In addition, they adopted the antipathy of the Broch-builders to the Druids so that the Druids never had a strong hold in the north of Scotland. In the Lowlands and the Border hills, the native Britons, who were kin and neighbors of the southern tribes, embraced the faith of the Druids wholeheartedly.

The Romans in Scotland

The Romans invaded Britain in the first century, sending their legions against tribe after tribe of Britons. In A.D. 80 they pushed their way to the area of the Firth and Clyde rivers, where they encountered the Cruithni, whom they called Caledonians. In a great battle in A.D. 84 known as Mons Graupius, the Romans defeated hordes of red-haired Caledonians, killing their leader, Calgacus. The Romans sealed the border with a series of turf forts and stone towers stretching from the Firth of Clyde to the Firth of Forth.

A firth is a narrow arm of the sea, typically named after the river that empties into it.

Within thirty years they abandoned this wall because of the ferocity of the Caledonians. One legion of over 6,000 men, the IX Hispana, marched north in 118 and disappeared into the hills, never to be seen again. (There are tales of ghosts sighted that match the description of the missing Romans, but the legion's final resting place has never been found.) The Romans then built great stone walls, fortified with towers, between the Solway and the Tyne in the 120s, and between the Forth and the Clyde in the 160s. They named the first wall in honor of the Emperor Hadrian, the second after the Emperor Antonius. Neither wall was successful in keeping the Caledonians from Roman Britain, and the Romans were kept busy in defense and retaliatory raids.

"To us who dwell in the uttermost confines of the Earth and of freedom, this remote sanctuary of Britain's glory has up to this time been a defense. Now, however, the furthest limits of Britain are thrown open, and the unknown always passes for the marvelous. But there are no tribes beyond us, nothing indeed but waves and rocks and the yet more terrible Romans, from whose oppression escape is vainly sought through obedience and submission. Robbers of the world, having by their universal plunder exhausted the land, they rifle the deep. If the enemy be rich, they are rapacious; if he be poor, they lust for domination; neither the east nor the west has been able to satisfy them. Alone among men they covet both poverty and riches. To robbery, slaughter, and plunder they give the lying name of Empire; they make a solitude and call it Peace."
—Calgacus, King of the Caledonians, A.D. 84

Magic Against Rome

The power of the native magicians may have aided the Caledonians, but the magic of Scotland had little effect on masses of men. One reason that the Romans did not consolidate their hold on Scotland was that the cult of Mercury was not a major factor in life along the two walls that divided Caledonia from Britannia. Many temples to Mithra can be found by the walls, but The priests and followers of Mithra in the Roman army did not have the magical power of the Persian priests whose god they adopted; rather, they indulged in feasts and ceremonies of no magical potency.

Civil war in the Roman Empire around the year 200 enabled the Caledonians to conduct great raids. Hadrian's Wall was severely damaged during these raids and was not repaired until 207. The Romans gave up any thought of conquering the area north of the Wall and were content to defend the rich lands of Britannia.

Rome Against the Picts

The Caledonians and Picts are the same tribes who called themselves the Cruithni. By A.D. 300, the Romans changed their terminology for the people. Their reasoning behind the change remains a mystery.

Beginning in about A.D. 300, the Romans began to call all tribes north of the Wall Picti (pic-tee), a word whose exact meaning and provenance are unknown. By the 340s, the Picts and the Scots (an Irish tribe) were raiding northern Britannia. In 367 the Picts, Saxons, Franks, Scots, and other Irish tribes all attacked Britannia: an occurrence that the Romans attributed to a massive conspiracy. Some Roman authors hinted at a supernatural conspiracy among the tribes as well as a military one. The Romans managed to beat back the raids, and they strengthened their defenses yet again, installing buffer kingdoms in the North. However, the presence of Rome in Britain was fading, and by 410 all Roman troops had been recalled from the Island.

Bereft of the legions, the Britons left behind invited the Scots to settle on the west coast of Caledonia, in an effort to check the power of the Picts. The Britons also invited the Angles and Saxons to defend against the Picts, but those folk soon invaded Britain on their own. The Angles pushed north on the east coast of Caledonia and established the kingdom of Northumbria. By the middle of the 6th century, Caledonia was home to four peoples: Picts, Scots, Britons, and Angles. For three hundred years the balance of power wavered from one people to the next, with the Picts generally dominant above the Forth-Clyde line. The Pictish royal families married many foreigners, whose sons ruled Pictland: some well, some poorly.

Christianity Comes to Scotland

Christianity came to the southern Picts by the mission of St. Ninian, a holy man born in the British kingdom of Strathclyde and trained by St. Martin of Tours. St. Ninian returned to Scotland in 397, building his first church at Witerna in Strathclyde. His church became known as Candida Casa, or White House, due to its coating of whitewash. Ninian reduced the powers of his bishopric, knowing that the Picts and Scots would not accept the word of God from a man too closely associated with the Roman version of the Church. His missionaries spread throughout southern Scotland and along the northeast coast.

St. Columba, an Irish monk trained in the traditions of Candida Casa, crossed from Ireland in 565 and was granted a small island in the West, known as Iona. From here he traveled to the court of the northern Pictish king, Brude Mac Maelchon, whom he baptized. Soon missionaries from Iona traveled the length and breadth of Scotland, England, and Ireland. The Pictish religion, a combination of druidism and earlier beliefs, was totally eradicated by the monks and missionaries, who preached of the God of Love. The 6th and 7th centuries saw many religious communities founded throughout Scotland and Pictland, and many of the founders became saints for their deeds.

Hagbui (hag-buoy): An undead Viking typically guarding buried treasure.

Independence of the Scottish Church

The Scottish Church did not generate the same sort of aura that the strictly regimented Roman Church did, and, as a result, sites of Scottish churches did not interfere with magical auras. Rather, the aura of Scottish churches augmented magical auras, making inhabitants more spiritually centered. However, the expansion of the Roman Church into Scotland (see below) and the seizing of Scottish churches by English and other churchmen of the Roman faith have seriously reduced the number of sites with this unique aura.

The Scottish and Irish Churches were independent of the leadership of the bishop of Rome, which led to gaps between the teachings of the Roman and Celtic Churches. The Scottish Church met the Roman Church in the Saxon kingdom of Deiria, where, in 664, the Synod of Whitby declared that only the Roman form of the Church should hold sway in the British Isles.

There were superficial differences between the Roman and Celtic such as the different ways of cutting the tonsure—the Celtic tonsure was cut ear to ear over the top of the head—and the different formulas employed for the dating of Easter, but more significant was the feeling invoked by each. "The Scottish Church brought Love; the Roman Church brought Law," say the scholars, and in the end Law won out over Love.

The Vikings

In the late 8th century the northern parts of Pictland came under attack by Norsemen, who settled in Caithness and on the Orkney and Shetland Islands. Viking pirates looted Iona in 795, and the undefended monasteries up and down the coast quickly became targets of ship-borne raiders. The monks sent relics and priceless treasures inland or to Ireland for safekeeping. Nevertheless, the Viking raiders tore the fabric of the Celtic Church, ending an era of matchless scholasticism and artistic invention. The Vikings also forced the Picts and Scots closer, as the two tribes had to cooperate to ward against the raiders. Hidden hoards of religious art and jeweled items, buried during raids and long-since forgotten, dot the coast. While Church treasures are hardly likely to be guarded by vengeful spirits, the sacred power of the relics could reform the finder. Plunder buried by a raiding party, on the other hand, could well be guarded by a slain watrior, who watches over the treasure until his friends return. Such a guardian, or hagbui, is a formidable foe, able to track even one stolen cup or bauble.

Hagbui (Barrow-dweller)

The hagbui and other creatures have powers expressed in terms of Hermetic arts and spell levels. These give you a guide as to their power when Hermetic magi try to counteract or resist them.

Powers

The hagbui does not tire, nor can it be knocked unconscious.

Along with its greatly augmented Strength, Size, and Stamina, the hagbui may have one or more of the following powers. Each power after the first adds 2 to the Magic Might of the hagbui. Each time the hagbui successfully uses a power, it loses one point of Stamina.

Rock Swimming (MuCo 40): The hagbui may "swim" through stone or earth. It must make a Stamina roll of 15+ to enter or leave the earth (one try per round). It moves at half walking speed.

Fall of Darkness (Pelg 25): The hagbui creates a circle of darkness twenty paces in diameter. No light may enter or exist in this circle.

Fearful Aura (ReMe 20): The hagbui may attempt to panic one opponent a round. If the panic is not successfully resisted, the target will flee in terror until out of sight of the hagbui.

Wind Raising (ReAu 20): The hagbui can raise gale-force winds but may not change their direction once they are raised.

Confuse (ReMe 15): Like Confusion of the Numbed Will. The hagbui may attempt to confuse one opponent a round.

Mist Raising (CrAu 10): The hagbui can raise a thick mist, which resists being pushed by the wind. The mist smells of corpses.

Dull Weapon (PeTe 5): The hagbui may reduce the damage bonus of any single sharpened weapon (edged or pointed) to zero.

Curse: The creature may use the Curse extraordinary Talent, with a skill level of 5.

Geas: The creature may use the Geas extraordinary Talent, with a skill level of 5.

Second Sight: Like the Second Sight extraordinary Talent, with a skill level of 5.

Shapeshifting: The creature may use the Shape Shifter extraordinary Talent, with a skill level of 5.

The following powers are permanent effects upon the hagbui that have them, and thus don't cause the loss of Stamina that the above powers do.

Reanimation (CrCo 45) The hagbui heals one body level per round, even after "death." A method of permanently killing the creature exists but varies from creature to creature (for example, burning, dismemberment, drowning). Unless the creature's body is treated in the appropriate way, it continues to heal.

Immunity to Edged Weapons (MuCo 35): Edged weapons (including spears and arrows) cannot penetrate the thick skin of the hagbui. Weapons affected by this power still do damage but have an effective damage bonus of zero. Crushing weapons act normally.

Stink: (CrAu 10): Like Stench of the Twenty Corpses.

Hagbui (Barrow-Dweller)

Magic Might Size

10 -2

Characteristics

0 Cun n/a Pre

+1 Per (tracker) n/a Com

+7 Str (supernatural) -3 Dex (bloated)

+10 Sta (undead) -1 Qik (massive)

Personality Traits

+2 Angry, -5 Grudging of Treasure

Combat Totals

Weapon 1st Atk Parry Dam

Claw Totals: +7 +5 - +17*

Bite Totals: +5 +4 - +17

Dodge: -3
Fatigue: n/a
Soak: +15
Encumbrance: 0

* Two attacks

Body Levels

OK/OK/OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Incapacitated

Abilities

3 Brawl (claws), 5 Track (treasure)

Vis

5 pawns of Córporem vis in one organ (for example, heart, liver, stomach).

The Ascendance of the Scots

In 834, Kenneth Mac Alpin stood on the Stone of Destiny and was hailed as King of the Scots. The stone, a relic of ancient traditions, was carried by the Scots across Europe long before they landed in Ireland. The stone is used only in the ascension of the king and cries out when the rightful king stands upon it. The stone was kept at Dunadd, capital of the Scottish kingdom, until Kenneth moved it to Scone. (The Church did not crown Scottish kings, unlike other monarchs. Instead, the kings were recognized through the consensus of the leading nobles of the realm.)

Kenneth lost no time in invading the southern Pictish lands, claiming the throne by descent through his mother. For six years the northern lands resisted him, but by 850 all the land north of the Forth-Clyde Line was in Scottish hands. The Scots exterminated the Pictish royal families, and within two generations even the Pictish language was forgotten.

The Strathclyde Britons and the Angles of Northumbria now faced a united opponent to the north. For eighty years Scotland endured three kingdoms, until Malcolm II defeated the Angles at the battle of Carham in 1018 and annexed all their land from the Forth to the Tweed. Malcolm had the aid of the King of Strathclyde, who died soon after. The king was childless and left his kingdom to Malcolm's grandson Duncan, who ascended the throne of scotland in 1034. The ascension of Duncan was the penultimate step in the unification of Scotland, uniting the remnants of the four peoples, with only the Norwegians in the northern Highlands and Islands resisting until the 13th century.

MacBeth and the Passing of the Kingship

Duncan, a rash and spoiled boy, attacked England against the advice of his counselors. He retreated from the disastrous campaign, to find the northern nobles in arms against him, led by MacBeth, mormaer of Moray and heir to the throne by Pictish succession. MacBeth captured and killed Duncan with the aid of Pictish wizards and some renegade magi from House Ex Miscellanea. MacBeth ruled wisely and well for seventeen years. Duncan's son Malcolm Canmore ("Big Head"), brought up in England, invaded and took the lands below the Forth-Clyde Line. He was aided by two mysterious magi and Duncan's brother-in-law, Siward of Northumbria. In 1057 Malcolm killed MacBeth, fulfilling the prophecy that no man born of woman might kill MacBeth, for Malcolm was born by being cut from his mother's body.

Lulach, MacBeth's stepson, was declared High King of Scotland in the old Pictish style. Lulach was the last of the truly Scottish kings: he spoke Gaelic, had his major lands in the North, and respected the ancient rights and privileges of the Highlanders. His reign lasted only eight months, before Malcolm had him treacherously slain and took his title. The kingship, which had passed from mother to son in the Pictish tradition, henceforth passed from father to son in the manner of the Normans and English.

Mormaer (mor-mer): great steward.

Malcolm Canmore and the English

Malcolm spent most of his early life in England, at the court of Edward the Confessor. Malcolm felt comfortable with southern ways; his friends were English, and he felt responsible to them for his ascension. In 1066 Edward the Confessor died, leading to a three-way struggle for the English throne. King Harald Hardrada of Norway gathered his forces, including the earl of the Orkneys; but King Harold Godwinson defeated his army at the battle of Stamford bridge, and Harald Hardrada died in the fighting. William, Duke of Normandy, killed Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings and claimed the throne of England by right of conquest. William's advance north pushed English nobles before it, and many arrived in Scotland, where they found a sympathetic king. In addition, many English magi retreated to Scotland, where they plotted to regain their homeland.

Malcolm married and had a son named Duncan. After his first wife's death, he married Princess Margaret of England. The granddaughter of the English king Edmund Ironsides, Margaret had fled from William's onslaught to Malcolm's court with her brother Edgar Atheling, who was the heir to the Saxon crown of England. Malcolm and Margaret had six sons, and gave them English or biblical names rather than traditionally Scottish ones. Margaret and her sons were influential in bringing the Roman Church to Scotland, founding many abbeys and monasteries.

Malcolm Against William the Conqueror

Malcolm took the field against William in his wife's name, invading northern England in 1070, William retaliated in 1072 and forced Malcolm to recognize William as his overlord, forging a link in the chain of English dominance in Scotland. However, the oath did not clearly state the lands for which Malcolm swore fealty, so doubts exist as to whether he swore fealty for all of Scotland or only the English fiefs of Lothian and Cumberland.

King William took Malcolm's son Duncan as a hostage, to raise in the Norman court. Malcolm continued to raid the northern English provinces until he died at Alnwick in Northumbria, thrust through the eye with the lance from whose tip he was accepting the keys to the city. His eldest son, Edward, died in the ensuing skirmish, and his son Edgar took the news north to Margaret, who died three days later. Her last prayer was thanks that such bad news allowed her to purify her soul before she died.

Malcolm's brother Donald Ban had been raised in Scotland rather than England, and he rallied the Scottish people. Striving to enforce the slogan "No more English influence," he briefly resisted the foreign attempts to dominate Scotland. King William Rufus of England, son of the Conqueror, had no intention of allowing the Scots to rule themselves. William sent Duncan, son of Malcolm, to Scotland with a large retinue of knights. The Scots grudgingly accepted him as king, on the condition that he never again introduce English or French into the land. Duncan was unable to fulfill his pledge and was murdered. The Scots proclaimed Donald Ban king once again.

The House of Canmore: Scotland in the 12th Century

On Duncan's death, his brother Edgar took the field against Donald Ban. With Anglo-Norman help, he captured and blinded Donald Ban and seized the throne. Edgar had no true right to the throne, for three other claims preceded his. The line of King Lulach had precedence by the ancient Pictish descent through the mother; Bethoc, daughter of Donald Ban, was his designated heir; and the line of direct descent lay with Edmund, son of Duncan.

For the next one hundred and thirty years, the line of Canmore faced rebellion after rebellion by the descendants of Lulach and Duncan, who were supported by the great lords of the Gaidhealtachd (gayal-tachc, the Highlands of the Gaelicspeaking peoples) and many Highland magicians. The claimant to the throne through Donald Ban's line, Bethoc, died in a perhaps uncanny way, for one day her pack of hunting dogs suddenly went mad and tore her from her horse, rending her limb from limb.

Scotland Divided

During this period several kings and great lords ruled over a divided Scotland. In the West, the Hebrides were part of a kingdom formed of Dublin and the Isle of Man. The kingdom owed allegiance to the king of Norway, and the Church, as established there, was subject to the Norse diocese of Trondheim. Many wizards of the Order of Odin supported the Norsemen. In 1098 Magnus Barelegs, king of Norway, invaded western Scotland and was granted all the lands that he could sail a ship around "with the rudder in place." He had a ship placed on a cart and dragged across the peninsula of Kintyre at Tarbert, adding it to his kingdom. In the far north, the earl of the Orkneys ruled, with substantial holdings on the mainland in Caithness. The descendants of Lulach ruled Moray.

King David came to the throne in 1124 and wanted to extend the borders of Scotland southward. The civil war in England between Queen Maud and Stephen of Blois provided an opportunity. Declaring his alliance with Stephen, David marched south. Archbishop Thurstan of York met him at the Battle of the Standard in 1138, and the archbishop's mailed knights crushed the poorly armed Scots. The Battle of the Standard did not dull the Scottish hopes, however, and in 1139 Stephen granted Northumbria to the Scottish king.

David's Advances

David molded Scotland on the Anglo-Norman model. Major landholders under the old traditions became knights or barons, and the seven mormaers became earls. Many Norman and English lords gained titles and land in Scotland, most of them by the simple expedient of marrying an heiress to a great estate. Motte and bailey castles sprang up in the South and East: symbols and strongholds of the new feudal aristocracy. David regularized the administration of the kingdom, creating or redefining major offices, such as those of the steward, chancellor, constable, justiciar, and chamberlain. Local administration became the province of the barons and the royal sheriffs. The Royal Council, composed of the major lords of the land, ratified decisions affecting the entire kingdom.

To encourage trade, David insisted on a uniform system of weights and measures, and established royal mints at Roxburgh and Berwick. Royal burghs, which had exclusive rights to foreign trade, were established at many towns, which paid cash to the king for the privilege (see "Royal Burghs" in Scottish Landscape, Chapter 4). David also invited many holy orders to come to Scotland, granting them land and privileges.

Bishoprics were restored or, in the case of the Highlands and Islands, established for the first time. Like secular titles, most of the Church positions went to Norman or English churchmen. Under David and his descendants, the English monks and churchmen usurped lands and responsibilities of the Scottish clergy, greatly reducing the number of churches and abbeys that had the Scottish Dominion aura.

Demons, hitherto unknown in Scotland, also came north with the Normans.

The Maiden King

David passed away quietly in 1153 and was succeeded by his eleven-year-old grandson, Malcolm IV. Malcolm took a vow of celibacy early on in his career, and for this he became known as "the Maiden." He never married, but rumor has it that he fathered a bastard son. The able and energetic Henry Plantagenet rose to the throne of England in 1154. Malcolm knew that any expansion to the south was doomed to failure, so in 1157 he traded the southern gains of David for the earldom of Huntington. While the Scots contend that Malcolm swore fealty to Henry for only his English earldom, the English contend that he did so for all his lands, including his kingdom. Yet another claim of the English for Scotland was thus created.

The Lion of the North

William the Lion, brother of Malcolm, ascended the throne of Scotland in 1165, and proceeded to rule the country for the next forty-nine years. William was a physically powerful man and was very attracted to women. He had many illegitimate children, but did not marry until 1186. William strengthened the feudal structure laid down by his ancestors, founding royal burghs, appointing loyal (if hated) Anglo-Norman lords as sheriffs and justices, and establishing assizes on the English model.

When, in 1173, King Henry of England's sons declared war against their father, William joined the princes, making the price of his aid the county of Northumberland. King Henry's troops captured him in 1174 and took him to the French town of Falais. There he was made to swear fealty to Henry for Scotland and surrender a number of key castles, including Edinburgh and Stirling. In 1189, King Richard the Lionheart, needing money for his Crusade, allowed William to buy back his land for 10,000 merckes, demanding fealty only for William's English possessions. The English soon conveniently forgot this document, known as the Quit-Claim of Canterbury.

A new threat arose in 1197 from the earldom of the Orkneys, led by Earl Harald, who was married to the greatgranddaughter of King Lulach. His family was cursed to be bellicose and ruthless. Harald drove south through Moray and Ross, and it took eight years to extinguish his threat. William captured Harald's son Thorfinn and blinded and castrated him to ensure that the threat of his line would die with him. Thorfinn's brothers dropped all pretensions to the throne, wishing to njoy life with their bodies intact.

In 1211, rebellious Mac Williams (descendants of King Duncan) invited Guthred, the eldest great-grandson of Duncan, to Scotland. Guthred left his home in Ireland and spent over a year harrying King William's forces, but was caught, hung by the heels, and beheaded.

Alexander Succeeds William

King William diedin 1214 and was succeededby his son, Alexander II. King John of England had knighted Alexander in 1212 and accepted his oath of fealty for his English lands. Alexander joined the revolt of the English Barons in 1215. In retaliation, John crossed the border and burned four Scottish towns. Alexander was present at Runnymede on June 15th and signed the Magna Carta.

Guthred's brother allied with a greatgrandson of Lulach; but in 1215 the abbat (see "Ownership of the Monastery" in Scottish Landscape, Chapter 4) of the Monastery of St. Maelrubha in Applecross captured and killed both men, then cut off their heads and sent them to King Alexander as proof of the deed. In gratitude for the suppression of the rebellion, the king granted the earldom of Ross to the monastery.

As of A.D. 1220, King Alexander is only twenty-two years old and betrothed to Princess Joanna, daughter of the late King John of England. His three sisters were given to John for marriage to suitable princes and will be married to English earls. His coronation was in the traditional Scottish manner (ohn blocked his attempts to have a Papal Legate perform the coronation). King Henry IIl of England is ambivalent at best toward his northern neighbor, though he does approve of the match between Alexander and his sister.

A Brief Note to Storyguides

This ends the established history of Mythic Scotland. What follows is a summary of events from 1220 to 1300, included as an aid to storyguides. These events will take place unless character action prevents them. The storyguide may also use this as a springboard for prophecy. Many people in Scottish history have had the gift of prophecy or, as it is sometimes called in the Highlands, the "second sight." Prophecies are often clouded in allegory and symbolism, with people described as animals, with the kind of animals based on coats of arms (for example, the lion often represents the king of Scotland) or on the people's role in the prophecy.

Scotland After 1200

The marriage in 1221 of Alexander to Joan, daughter of King John, strengthens ties between England and Scotland. The marriage produces no heirs, however, so Alexander names Robert Bruce, senior descendant of David I, as his successor. Alexander marries again after Joan's death in 1238, and fathers a son in 1241. Alexander attempts to gain papal recognition of his enthronement, but is blocked by a jealous Henry III of England, who does not wish to see Church sanction of the Scottish crown.

The Mac Williams rise again early in Alexander's reign, but are quickly crushed. Alexander has the severed heads of the leaders brought to his court, where he displays them as an object lesson. Alexander leads expeditions against the North and West in the 1220s. The last uprising against the king occurs in 1228, led by the Mac Williams, and is defeated after two years. The king's troops kill the last Mac William, an infant girl, by dashing her brains out against the market cross in Forfar. After over 130 years, the line of Canmore and Margaret is finally secure against retribution for Edgar's usurpation. The pope canonizes Queen Margaret in 1230, The clergy of southern Scotland are compensated well to produce a record of her life. They emphasize Margaret's piety by contrasting it against the lives of MacBeth, Donald Ban, and their descendants, whom they portray as wicked men and lunatics.

The monks of Melrose made good kail on Fridays when they fasted; Nor wanted they good beef and ale as lang's their neighbor's lasted.
— Anonymous, regarding the plunder by the Lowland monasteries
kail: broth, hodge-podge soup lang: long

Henry lII of England and Alexander have an amicable relationship, though some issues raise their heads from time to time. Henry attempts to reestablish English dominance over Scotland, while Alexander tries to have his sisters married to the sons of John and to have Northumbria returned to Scotland. The issues are peacefully resolved in 1237. Alexander gives up his claims to Northumbria in return for grants of land in England. Henry finds suitable barons to marry his sisters. Alexander dies in 1249, having pacified the kingdom by eliminating threat of internal rebellion and English aggression.

A New Era for Scotland

Alexander II's eight-year-old son, Alexander II, mounts the throne only five days after his father's death, without being crowned by the Church. Alexander III is married to Margaret, daughter of Henry II, in 1251. Henry keeps a paternal eye on the kingdom, ensuring that no rebellions threaten the reign of his son-inlaw. Nine years later, Alexander finally takes over the reins of government, ending a period of squabbling between the powerful Comyn family and the justiciar Alan Durward. For 15 years, Scotland is relatively peaceful, and relations with England are friendly. Alexander resists several English attempts to force him to do homage for Scotland.

Scotland's relations with Norway, however, are strained. The Norwegian king still holds the Hebrides and Man. A raid by Alexander on Skye in 1262 provokes King Haakon to assay an invasion of Scotland. He assembles a great force late in 1263, but before the invasion is well underway, the autumn winds disperse the fleet. The battle of Largs in 1263 is a Norwegian victory, but the Norse are unable to follow up their success, and retreat to Orkney, where Haakon dies. The Scots root out the remaining Norse troops in Caithness, Skye, and Man. The treaty of Perth in 1266 formally recognizes Man and the Western Isles as Scottish for 4,000 merckes and an annual payment of 100 merckes.

Alexander's children all die before their father, and in 1284 he remarries in an attempt to beget a new heir. Before he can accomplish this, he is thrown from his horse and dies. His only descendant is his threeyear-old granddaughter Margaret, known as the Maid of Norway. Robert Bruce and John Balliol claim the throne of Scotland, and a group ofnoblemen appeals to Edward I of England to protect it. Edward agrees, on the condition that Margaret marry Edward's son and rule Scotland under Edward's custody. Unfortunately for the Scots, Margaret, the last of the line of Canmore, dies in the crossing from Norway, and with her, the hope for peace in Scotland.

When Alexander our King was dead, that Scotland led in love and le away with sons of ale and bread of wine and wax, of game and glee, our gold was changed into lead.
Christ born into virginity, succor Scotland and remedy that stood is in perplexity.
—Anonymous, regarding the death of King Alexander III, 1286
le: law sons: lots, much

Rivals for the Throne

Many claimants come forward, until the royal council requests that King Edward of England arbitrate between them. Thirteen men eventually put their claims before Edward, who starts the proceedings by requiring all of them to swear fealty to England for the throne of Scotland. There are two major claims: from Robert Bruce and John Balliol. Both men claim descent from daughters of David, Earl of Huntington, brother of William the Lion and Malcolm IV. Edward and his 104 auditors finally find for John Balliol in 1292. Robert Bruce protests, as Alexander II had recognized him as heir before the birth of Alexander III. Edward's main reason for choosing Balliol is his belief that John is easier to control.

John Balliol is enthroned at Scone in 1292 and immediately faces the enmity of Robert Bruce and the other claimants to the throne, as well as the contempt of Edward. Edward's machinations finally force John to defy him. John allies with King Philip IV of France in 1295 and dares Edward to do his worst. In March of the next year, the English knights and longbowmen from Wales decimate the Scottish army at Selkirk. The English army sweeps north, capturing towns and castles. Edward strips John of all royal insignia and takes him south, to live for a while in English prisons. Edward also takes the Stone of Scone. However, some claim that the stone that Edward takes is a fake, the real stone having been hidden before his arrival.

Opposing the English

With the king out of the way, major strongholds taken, and loyal English lords installed in prominent positions, Edward assumes that it is only a matter of time before England absorbs Scotland, much as it had absorbed Wales only shortly before. However, the pride of the Scots will not allow the English to long rule unopposed. All over the country small rebellions flare up against the foreigners. William Wallace rises to prominence after 1297, when he defeats the Sheriff of Lanark. Wallace soon leads a large army, and the Governor of Scotland, John de Warrenne, Earl of Surry, advances against him. At Stirling, Wallace allows the English to begin a long, slow march across Stirling Bridge—then attacks. The Scots capture, kill, or drive off all the major English lords. The Scots flay Hugh de Cressingham, the Treasurer of Scotland (and a man hated by all), and many take part of his skin as a souvenir. Wallace makes his piece into a belt.

Edward, angered by this display of Scottish insolence, marches north at the head of a great army. On the 22nd of July, 1298, the English and Scots clash on the field of Falkirk, but this time the English defeat Wallace's men. Wallace escapes from the slaughter and flees to France, disgraced in Scottish eyes. The country is still rebellious, and two men rise to lead armies. Robert the Bruce, grandson of the Robert Bruce who claimed the throne in 1190, and John Comyn, descended from David II, join to fight the English. However, in 1299 John Comyn attacks Bruce in Selkirk forest, and Bruce barely escapes with his life. As the century ends, the English are in possession of southeast Scotland. Pockets of insurrection and rebellion are flaring up everywhere, but the might of England and the rivalry between Bruce and Comyn make the future look bleak for the struggle to maintain Scottish independence.

Kings of Scotland

Name	Begin Reign	End Reign
Duncan I	1034	1040
MacBeth	1040	1057
Lulach	1057	1057
Malcolm III Canmore	1057	1093
Donald Ban	1093	1094
Duncan II	1094	1094
Donald Ban	1094	1097
Edgar	1097	1107
Alexander I	1107	1124
David I	1124	1153
Malcolm IV	1153	1165
William the Lion	1165	1214
Alexander II	1214	1249
Alexander III	1249	1286
Throne in dispute (Margaret, Maid of Denmark is heir)	1286	1290
John Balliol	1292	1296
Edward I of England	1296–

Kings of Man and the Isles

Name	Begin Reign	End Reign
Godred Crovan	1079	1095
Civil War	1095	1098
Magnus Barelegs—King of Norway	1098	1103
Civil War	1103	1113
Olaf I	1113	1153
Godred II	1153	1187
Reginald I	1187	1228
Olaf II	1228	1237
Harald I	1237	1248
Reginald II	1248	1248
Civil War	1248	1252
Magnus (Battle of Largs 1263)	1252	1265
Kings of Scotland (Man and Hebrides sold to Scotland 1266)	1266–

Earls of Orkney

Name	Begin Reign	End Reign
Sigurd Eysteinsson	875	901
Turf-Einar Rognvaldsson	901	932
Thorfinn Skullsplitter	932	963
Several sons of Thorfinn	963	976
Hlodvir Thorfinnsson	976	980
Sigurd the Stout (Died at Clontarf)	980	1014
Sumarlidi, Brusi, Einar Wrymouth—Sons of Sigurd (Olaf Haraldson, king of Norway, seizes the islands)	1014	1017
Brusi, Thorfinn	1017	1035
(Confirmed by Olaf) Thorfinn, Rognvald	1035	1045
Thorfinn the Mighty	1045	1065
Paul, Erland (Fought at Stamford Bridge. Magnus Barelegs seizes the Islands 1098)	1065	1098
Sigurd—Son of Magnus	1098	1103
Hakon, Magnus—Sons of Paul and Erland	1103	1117
Hakon	1117	1123
Paul (Magnus Canonized 1135)	1123	1136
Rognvald Kolsson (Crusaded 1152)	1136	1158
Harald Maddaderson (Shetland separated from Orkney 1194; Rognvald Canonized 1192)	1158	1206
David, Jon—Sons of Harald	1206	1214
Jon Haraldson	1214	1231
Six Earls of Angus (Battle of Largs 1263; Man and Hebrides sold to Scotland 1266)	1231	1276
Magnus Manusson	1276–

Timeline of Major Events

300 B.C. — Picts invade Scotland

139 B.C. — Age of Aries begins (Hermetic reckoning)

55 B.C. — Julius Caesar invades southern Britain

A.D. 43 — Aulus Plautius invades Britain

122 — Hadrian's Wall begun

138 — Antonine Wall begun

395 — Roman Empire divided into East and West

397 — St. Ninian founds Candida Casa at Whithorn

663 — Synod of Whitby

710 — Nechtan, king of the Picts, accepts "Roman" Church

767 — Order of Hermes founded at Durenmar

814–816 — Pralix fights Damhan-allaidh (davan-alli) in Britain and Caledonia

817 — Admission of House Ex Miscellanea to Order of Hermes

843–849 — Kenneth MacAlpin conquers Picts

889–890 — Damhan-allaidh returns, but is driven off

1003–1012 — Schism War; House Diedne destroyed

1066 — Norman Conquest of England

1098 — Magnus Barelegs acquires Western Isles

1189 — Pact of Crun Clach forbids magi from dabbling in politics

1286 — Alexander III dies heirless

Timeline of Mundane History

300 B.C. — Picts invade Scotland

55 B.C. — Julius Caesar invades southern Britain

A.D. 43 — Aulus Plautius invades Britain

80–81 — Romans invade Lowlands to Forth-Clyde

81 — Romans build predecessor to Antonine Wall

82 — Romans pacify western Lowlands

83 — Romans advance to Inchtuithil, begin Legionary fort

84 — Battle of Mons Graupius

87 — Romans retreat to Forth-Clyde

105 — Tyne-Solway line fortified

122 — Hadrian's Wall begun

138 — Antonine Wall built

150 — Antonine Wall abandoned

158–163 — Antonine Wall re-garrisoned

180 — Southern tribes overrun Hadrian's Wall

197 — Caledonians and Maetae overrun Hadrian's Wall during Roman civil war

205–207 — Hadrian's Wall reconstructed

208–209 — Romans re-invade north of Hadrian's Wall

211 — Romans retreat to Hadrian's Wall

This is a two-column layout of the complete timeline. Here's the full OCR transcription in chronological order:

Timeline of Mundane History

296 — Romans attack Caledonians

306 — Romans attack Caledonians

343 — Romans reorganize northern defenses

360 — Romans attack Picts

367 — Picts, Scots, Franks, and Saxons all invade Britain

368-369 — Romans retake Britain, strengthen defenses

382 — Picts and Scots invade Britain, defeated by Magnus Maximus

383 — Romans take most troops from the Wall

395 — Roman Empire divided into East and West

397 — St. Ninian founds Candida Casa at Whithorn

426–30 — Votadinii and Cunedda from Scotland moved to Wales by Vortigern

426–30 — Saxons invited by Vortigern to fight Picts

500 — Scots take Argyll/Lorne/Oban (Dalriada)

548 — St. Oran dies (Dalriada)

550 — St. Mungo builds church at Glasgow

562 — St. Molaug (Isle of Lismore)

563–579 — St. Columba (Iona, Dalriada, northern Picts)

580 — St. Cuthbert (Lothian)

580 — St. Aidan (Northumbria, Holy Isle)

601 — St. Maelrubha (Applecross)

603 — Battle of Degsastan (Angles beat Scots)

643 — Donald Breac of Scots killed by Britons, Scots Pictish clients

663 — Synod of Whitby

672–693 — Brude son of Bile consolidates North and South Picts

685 — Battle of Necansmere (Picts beat Angles)

710 — Nechtan, king of the Picts, accepts "Roman" Church

756 — Angles, with Pictish help, beat Dumbarton

780–850 — Norse raid, then settle in, Shetland/Orkney/Caithness

795 — Iona first raided by Vikings

843-849 — Kenneth MacAlpin conquers Picts

870 — Dumbarton sacked by Irish Danes

934 — Athelstan of Wessex attacks eastern Scotland

937 — Battle of Brunanburgh (Wessex defeats Scots, Strathclyde, Danes)

1018 — Duncan becomes king of Strathclyde Britons

1018 — Battle of Carham (Malcolm II defeats Lothians)

1034 — Duncan becomes King of Scots

1040 — MacBeth kills Duncan, becomes king

1054 — Malcolm Canmore invades Scotland

1057 — MacBeth killed by Malcolm Canmore

1066 — Norman conquest of England

1069 — Malcolm marries Princess Margaret

1071–1072 — William the Conqueror attacks Scotland

1093 — Malcolm killed at battle of Alnwick

1098 — Magnus Barelegs acquires Western Isles

1100 — Edgar founds Edinburgh Castle

1100–1160 — Feudalism introduced in Scotland (Alexander I, David I)

1138 — Battle of the Standard, Northallerton (English defeat Scots)

1140–1164 — Somerled leads rebellions in Argyll and Islands

1173 — William the Lion invades England

1174 — William the Lion captured, pledges allegiance to Henry

1189 — Scotland buys independence from Richard I

1263 — Battle of Largs (Scots defeat Norwegians)

1266 — Western Isles reacquired by Scotland

1274 — Alexander III attends coronation of Edward I by summons

1286 — Alexander dies heirless

1290 — Margaret, Maid of Norway, dies on way to Scotland

1292 — John Balliol chosen as king by Edward

1296 — Treaty with France against England

1297 — William Wallace rises, Battle of Stirling Bridge

1298 — Wallace defeated at Falkirk

"... as for the wizards and witches of my army, I find them to be braver and truer than the magi of the Order, who, retreating from conflict with Damhan-allaidh and bleating their fear of his bloody rites, left the defense of Britain, Europe, and the
Order to a hastily raised army of illtrained hedge wizards and others deemed unfit to join the exalted Order of Hermes. Thus do I declare my despite for the Order of Hermes and form the Ordo Miscellanea, which shall accept those magicians whom the Order of Hermes despises: the lowly, the oppressed."
—Pralix, filia of Tytalus, letter to the Order, 956, Age of Aries

Chapter 3: Hermetic History

The Order of Hermes in Scotland has a checkered past. Originally, magi of the Order ignored or shunned Scotland, partially because of the climate, partially because of the native wizards. However, the flight of Damhan-allaidh (davan-alli, the Spider) to Scotland forced the Order to act. Since the end of the war against Damhan-allaidh and the formation of the Loch Leglean tribunal, the magi of Scotland have played fast and loose with the rules of the Order. Yet there is a formal procedure, albeit different, to the affairs of the Order in Scotland, which outsiders must learn.

The War Against Damhan-allaidh

In the late 8th century, a threat to the Order lived in Brittany. A Scottish wizard named Damhan-allaidh discovered principles of magic based on blood and sacrifices, and his rites gave him access to magic unknown to the Order of Hermes. His refusal to join the Order and obey its restrictive rules regarding mundane society forced it to act. Several followers of Flambeau and Tremere gathered to oppose the wizard, whom they called by the Latin version of his name, Dav'nalleous. Damhan-allaidh defeated the Hermetic magi in battle at Carnac. Knowing that the Order would do all in its power to kill him, he fled to Scotland. There the Order had no followers, and he hoped to induce the local magicians to join him.

The Order of Hermes spent several years preparing for the fight against Damhan-allaidh, though a few magi attempted to challenge him on their own. These magi met their end at the hands of the wizard, whose spy network usually had knowledge of where and when the magi reached the Islands.

In May of 814, the maga Pralix of House Tytalus landed in Northumbria, accompanied by half a hundred grogs and several magi: of Houses Tremere, Flambeau, and Tytalus. The first battle between the two sides came a few weeks later in June, as Pralix was traveling along the shores of Loch Oadh. Even though all her forces were with her, Damhan-allaidh attacked. He had allied with giants, creatures standing more than thirty feet tall, who threw mighty boulders and crushed men and horses alike with tree trunks. All the grogs were killed or scattered, and only one magus other than Pralix, Ignes Festi of House Flambeau, managed to survive the carnage. The battle ended only when two giants started hitting each other, soon involving all the others in a grand fistfight. Pralix and Ignes Festi escaped under the feet of the giants, and fled away to patch their wounds and plan a new strategy.

Pralix Recruits Local Aid

Having only one other Hermetic magus, Pralix resorted to recruiting magi from among the Scots and Picts. Pralix found the native magicians to be generally weaker than any Hermetic magus, though there were a few stand-outs: notably, a magician named Brude Deathless, who was a member of a loose tradition of Pictish magicians called gruagachan. Brude had already started a movement among the gruagachan to rid the land of Damhan-allaidh. Pralix persuaded Brude to join her army, and he brought many gruagachan with him, including his own children and grandchildren. Other magicians trickled in, and she recruited warriors from among the clans. Finally, in the spring of 815, Pralix felt confident enough to try to bring Damhanallaidh to battle. She sent many shapeshifting witches to search out the wizard's location, and set the other magicians to making weapons, armor, or other magical items. In May she received word that he was hiding in the Highlands near Loch Ochy. Her forces moved north, with many magicians on the flanks and in the air to prevent a repeat of the ambush at Loch Oadh.

Gruagachan

The gruagachan are a loose association of wizards who trace their lineage to the wizards of the Picts. They use the language of the Picts in their teaching and magic, much as the magi of the Order of Hermes use Latin. The magic of the gruagachan is focused on affecting the wizard and individual others. Magi of the Order of Hermes are typically powerful in a broad range of Talents but few could challenge the gruagachan in their area of specialty. Similarly, gruagachan magic has some limitations that are easily surpassed by Hermetic magic.

Gruagach (groo-uh-guk): A Pictish wizard. Plural is gruagachan (groo-uh-kahn). More about gruagachan is presented in Character Generation.

A major setback occurred on the march: Ignes Festi and Brude Deathless quarreled, and Brude abandoned Pralix to her own devices, taking most of the gruagachan with him. With her forces depleted, Pralix had to decide whether to continue with her campaign or disengage. She decided to push on, putting her faith in the special measures developed for the giants. At Loch Ochy the two forces clashed, the battle opening with the giants hurling boulders among the magicians. This time, however, Pralix was waiting for them, and her magic, combined with that of several native magicians, destroyed or deflected the boulders harmlessly. Ignes Festi, with help from other fire-based magicians, built a wall of fire in front of the giants as they charged. The flames bumed a few giants and drove many away. However, the battle was not all one-sided; Damhan-allaidh had spent the winter preparing for this fight as well. His spells cut bloody swaths through the ranks of the magicians, some of whom had learned the parma magica, but had not had much time to practice it. Damhanallaidh also had human allies, who accounted for the cause of many casualties among the magicians and their followers.

Pralix Retires to Loch Leglean

Pralix was forced to retreat once again, but this time her retreat was orderly. Only a third of her magicians were dead or too badly wounded to continue, though her mundane allies had suffered greatly from Damhan-allaidh's magic. She retired to Loch Leglean, where her followers built a small town to shelter the weary magicians and warriors. In June she sent a message to Brude Deathless to apologize for Ignes Festi's behavior. Brude replied that he would only consider returning if all of Pralix's magicians were granted the protection of the Order of Hermes. After deliberation and heated arguments with Ignes Festi, she agreed, declaring all who followed her banner to be members of the Order. Ignes Festi stormed out of camp vowing to have nothing further to do with Pralix and her band of hedge wizards and witches. In his angry journey, he came upon Damhanallaidh quite by accident. The two magicians did not wait to talk, but joined immediately in battle. The hills rocked and echoed with the power of their magic. The battle ended with Damhan-allaidh wounded and Ignes Festi dead. His burnt, mutilated body was cast over the walls of the settlement at Loch Leglean, much to the dismay of the resident magicians.

Late in 815, during one of the longest nights of the year, Damhan-allaidh used a long-prepared weapon on the Hermetic forces: the sluagh (sloo), the undead of the Highlands. The spirits swarmed over the ramparts at Loch Leglean, attacking with reckless abandon. While less than a dozen magicians were killed, the confusion allowed Damhan-allaidh to escape to the South. He went to earth in the forest of Cad Gadu, on the Welsh border. Months of investigation by Pralix's magicians finally pinpointed his location. In March, Pralix's army moved southward, picking up magicians and warriors as it went. On March 21, the forces of Pralix and Damhan-allaidh met for the last time, and Pralix was finally victorious. The battle is known as the Battle of the Great Light, for as the sun set, a mighty magic created a false sun that lit up the sky for miles around. Under the light of the false sun, the supernatural allies of Damhan-allaidh shrank away, cursing him for his impotence.

Pralix laid out Damhan-allaidh's body for cremation; but during the night it disappeared, and the guards around the pyre were found killed in a gruesome manner. Though Pralix's magicians successfully hunted the followers of Damhan-allaidh, his body was never recovered. Brude then revealed a secret of Highland magicians: their ability to remove their soul and place it in an object. While the soul remains undisturbed, the wizard may not die. Even the most gruesome wounds heal, though the wizard's ability to feel finer human emotions deteriorates in proportion to the special healing.

Two Orders, the 13th House

With the war against Damhan-allaidh over, Pralix found herself the leader of a large army of witches, Druids, gruagachan, beast mages, and other non-Hermetic magicians. With their approval, she formed the Ordo Miscellanea, directly opposed to the Order of Hermes. Startled by the defection, the Order of Hermes scrambled to repair the breach. Numerous messengers passed between the leaders of the two Orders, and finally in 817 Trianoma traveled to Pralix's base in Cad Gadu. Trianoma's efforts healed the breach between the Orders. The Order of Hermes admitted the Ordo Miscellanea as "House Ex Miscellanea" and divided the British Isles into three tribunals: Hibernia in Ireland, Stonehenge in Britain up to Hadrian's Wall, and Loch Leglean—named for Pralix's winter camp—north of the wall.

Trianoma is the maga of House Bonisagus whose political savvy helped form the Order of Hermes.

Damhan-allaidh's Return

While still the head of the Ordo Miscellanea, Pralix had created the Praeses Septentrionalis, or Northern Guard, to watch over Scotland. Several covenants formed the Praeses and they watched primarily for signs of Damhan-allaidh. It gradually lost its sense of urgency, and in the late 880s the Praeses paid for its laxness, Damhanallaidh and an army of supernatural allies destroyed the covenant of Heart's Delight in one night. They overran the covenant, slaying all the magi as they went. In the following year several other covenants in the Praeses were destroyed, and Pralix sent a message to the European magi for aid. Several Flambeau and Tytalus magi came to Scotland, seeing an opportunity for testing spells of combat and destruction. In a great battle in Caithness, the Hermetic magi managed to defeat Damhan-allaidh and his allies, but he was again able to escape. Frustrated, Flambeau magi declared that they would hunt down the sorcerer, but Pralix, fearing bellicose Flambeau ravaging the island and her House, ordered them from Scotland. Since that time bad blood between House Ex Miscellanea and House Flambeau has been a part of life in the tribunal.

Numerous rumors of the return of Damhan-allaidh have circulated since | 890, but none were ever confirmed. In 977 giants destroyed the covenant of Uamh na Croig, but investigations proved that the magi had incited the giants by hunting them for sport. The final verdict was that the giants had not been under any influence from Damhan-allaidh. One outcome of the investigation was a strong warning from the tribunal to covenants and magi to leave the giants strictly alone.

The Schism in Scotland

In 1008 the Schism War came to Scotland, and in the fighting, three covenants Strongly associated with House Diedne were destroyed: Holy Oak, The Well of the Head, and Druids' Dale. All three succumbed to the forces of Flambeau and Tremere. Several Scottish covenants joined in the fighting and plundered the libraries and laboratories of the destroyed covenants. Bands of gruagachan joined in the war, fighting against their traditional enemies of House Diedne.

The Order of Odin

Members of the Order of Hermes in the more settled areas of Europe fear the mysterious wizards of the Scandinavians. They have concluded that the Order of Odin must exist as a counterpart to the Order of Hermes. They point to covenants destroyed along the Baltic or in Scotland and Ireland. Obviously, no mere mortal forces could destroy a covenant of trained Hermetic magi, they reason; and without the coherence imposed by an-order and code, magicians would slaughter each other. Thus, their conclusion is that the Scandinavian magicians must have a structure similar to the Order of Hermes. Yet, they are mistaken. The magicians of the Norsemen have no formal order, though some may gather in informal groupings similar to covenants. More often, an individual wizard attaches him or herself to the court or war band of a noble. Whether godi of the Norse pantheon, Finnish wind wizard, or shaman, the magician binds him or herself to a patron, not to an order.

Magi in most areas where the Norse have settled (Ireland, Scotland, the Baltic Coast, Kiev, and the Russian principalities) may know the truth of this. However, the magi of these areas are rarely trusted by the rest of the Order of Hermes. Quaesitoris often use letters that declare the Order of Odin to be false against those who bring them forward, as evidence of complicity and collusion with the Order of Odin. The quaesitoris are more likely to bring the author or revealer of such a letter up on charges than first attempt to substantiate the claims made in it! Storyguides should be careful to note who spreads information about the Order of Odin and who might be listening. Players should be careful to distinguish between the knowledge that they themselves have and the knowledge their characters have.

The Order and the Kings

Despite the clause in the Code of Hermes about interfering with mundane society, the magi in Scotland have had a long history of aiding or interfering with the mundane rulers of the country. Kenneth MacAlpin, King of Scots, invaded the southern Pictish lands in the mid-9th century. Along with his Scottish warriors, he had magi, particularly members of House Diedne. The Druids had long lusted after the northern lands, but had been frustrated by the magic of the gruagachan. Together, the military might of the Scots and the magical might of House Diedne were able to conquer the inhospitable Highlands. The Druids destroyed one Pictish covenant, Peanhafel, in a year-long siege in 849. Spells crafted by the Diedne eradicated the Pictish tongue, so that since the year 900, Pictish has been a forgotten language.

Besides House Díedne's helping Kenneth MacAlpin and his successors, there were the instances of magi intervention where Hermetic magi and gruagachan helped MacBeth fight Duncan and where others helped Malcolm Canmore fight MacBeth. Also, Scottish magi fought in King David's host at the Battle of the Standard. Only since the Pact of Crun Clach in 1189 has there been a peace between the magicians in Scotland. In the pact, the magi swore to refrain from aiding the king or invaders, and reaffirmed the injunction in the Code of Hermes. Additional clauses in the pact prohibit some acts of theft or assault, while specifically allowing others.

Trouble with House Flambeau

A major problem with the pact is that it is only binding on magi in the Loch Leglean Tribunal. A number of German and Spanish magi of House Flambeau rampaged through the Highlands in 1099, hunting non-Hermetic wizards. The Flambeau managed to reach the area of Strathnavar, killing a number of gruagachan and lessertalented wizards and witches. Then they encountered Brude Deathless—at least 400 years old and a mighty gruagach. His soul well hidden, he stalked the magi and crippled them, one by one, with Curses and Geasa (gessa). The Flambeau retreated to their native lands and covenants, swearing to raise an army of Hermetic magi to blast the "barbarian wizard." The movement soon cooled, however, as several magi lost their powers due to Geasa, often in spectacular displays of pyrotechnics, The covenants of the Loch Leglean Tribunal passed one of their few near-unanimous decisions, whereby they swore to defend their homeland against the threatened invasion. The Flambeau backed down in the face of a united tribunal, but their wounded pride still tankles. To this day, there are less than five Flambeau in all of Scotland.

The Tribunal Today

In number of magi, the Loch Leglean Tribunal is the largest tribunal in the Order Of Hermes. However, the majority of the magi are of House Ex Miscellanea, and many do not live in covenants; so the tribunal as a whole has little power in the Order. A quarter of the magi owe allegiance to no covenant, yet still vote in tribunal. An independent magus is called an aonaran (unaran, hermit, pl @onaranan, un-aranan). Much of the political maneuvering in the tribunal is in lining up the aonaranan to support plans made by the three main covenants. No single group of covenants is powerful enough to control the tribunal, so alliances are a necessary part of tribunal politics. The three groups are close to each other in military and magical power, so raids and skirmishes are the order of the day. Magi raid each other's vis sources, herds, and warriors in accordance with the Pact of Crun Clach. Some of the aonaranan try to stay out of the fighting; others hire themselves to one side or another. Some stage counter-raids when they know that a covenant's magi and warriors are busy elsewhere.

Hermetic Political Divisions

Crun Clach is the voice of the Lowland covenants. Clan Mac Gruagach holds the Highlands, while Horsingas holds an anti-Norman and anti-foreigner campaign in the South. While any combination of two groups could govern the tribunal, getting agreement on an alliance is a difficult matter for the best negotiators in each bloc. Each of the three groups represents a different culture within Scotland.

Horsingas has by far the most military power in the South; their magi are warlike and experienced and their grogs welltrained in warfare. The main thrust of Horsingas is to rid Scotland of foreigners, especially Normans. These magi have the support of Whitburh Frithowebba, the only quaesitor in the entire tribunal. Whitburh is adept at turning a blind eye to "minor" infractions of the Hermetic Code. She is savvy enough to realize that any major infraction will bring an investigation into the tribunal by her superiors in House Quaesitor, so she tries to keep the more hotheaded magi under some restraint.

Caitlin Suil Uaine of Crun Clach leads the remainder of the Lowland covenants, simply because they do not want to support the flagrant excesses of Horsingas. Caitlin is a canny diplomat and has been.able to lead coalitions of Lowland and Highland covenants to censure or threaten Horsingas. However, she has sometimes had to concede points to the Highlanders for their help. Her job of leading the Lowlanders is easy because of the arrogance of the magi of Horsingas, who only aid those magi who they feel can further the anti-Norman movement. Most magi in the Lowlands have accepted or requested aid at one time or another from Crun Clach, and during times of trouble many of the aonaranan have sheltered at Crun Clach.

Clan Mac Gruagach leads the Highland covenants, mostly by example, but sometimes by threat of armed raids or Wizards' War. Many of the Highland covenants are poor, old, remote, or all three and are usually willing to give their sigils to the Mac Gruagach magi. In addition, many of the aonaranan are of Highland stock and tend to W vote with or give their sigils to the Mac Gruagach. Moreover, the clan has the largest military force in the Highlands, though of mixed quality. They are able to raid and guard their own valuables at the same time and can even 'lend clansmen to other covenants for a short while. However, even with all these advantages, the Mac Gruagach are not able to dominate the tribunal.

Magi by House

Altogether, there are about 100 magi in Loch Leglean. House Ex Miscellanea claims half the magi of the tribunal, with House Merinita a distant second with ten magi. House Flambeau is traditionally underrepresented, and currently House Quaesitor has only one member, Whitburh of Horsingas covenant. The other Houses have less than ten magi each, mostly found in the Lowland covenants. Still, some Highland magi have trained in England or on the continent and have returned to their own land.

Tribunal Meetings

Meetings of the tribunal occur every seven years at Loch Leglean, Pralix's base camp during the war against Damhanallaidh. Powerful magic hides the physical buildings of the town from the mundane world, and only during the tribunal gatherings are the buildings visible. Because of this, the Loch has a reputation among the neighboring clans of being haunted by a village that appears once every seven years as punishment for crimes committed against God.

The aonaranan who show up for the tribunal are quite popular, and members of all three political groups woo them for their support. Each group tends to use different inducements based on its current needs and abilities. Horsingas' faction tends to offer military aid or threaten attacks; the Lowland covenants, led by Crun Clach, offer material aid or support; and the Highland covenants can offer any of the above.

Venerable Gwynasere,
We write to inform you of a problem in the North. The magi of the covenant of Horsingas in the Loch Leglean Tribunal have abused and broken the Code of Hermes on too many occasions to enumerate or describe. They blatantly attack English castles and travelers, justifying their actions as the arts of oppressed and desperate Saxons. In truth, these "Saxons" are not interested in driving the Normans out of Britain; rather, they are indulging their bloodlust and rapacity, using as a rallying point a cause long-since scorned here in the South.
As you refuse to pass judgment on the covenant of Blackthorn, we implore you to call a tribunal of House Guernicus, to better a shred or these magi of Horsingas, who daily besmirch the good name of the Order and inflict much pain and suffering on the poor people of the North.
With all due respect, William Fireheart and Dan O'Thunder, House Flambeau

Links to Other Tribunals

The tribunal has its neighbors in the Hibernian Tribunal and Stonehenge Tribunal, and the Norman Tribunal is becoming increasingly important with the mundane political ties between Scotland and France. Several covenants have personal ties to covenants in other tribunals, but there are no major links to other tribunals. There are occasional meetings with representatives from the Stonehenge and Hibernia Tribunals regarding the Isle of Man, which is vis-rich and claimed by all three tribunals.

Other Magicians in Scotland

There are Scandinavian magicians in the Orkney and Shetland Islands, as well as in the Hebrides and on Man. There is an unknown number of gruagachan in the Highlands (thought to be less than 100), and most clans can claim an old wise woman or two. Rumor claims that Lord Goulis, seneschal of the realm, is the king of the Scottish diabolists, but no one has found concrete evidence to implicate him.

Scottish Timeline — Hermetic History

139 B.C. — Age of Aries begins (Hermetic reckoning)

A.D. 767 — Order of Hermes founded at Durenmar

808 — Battle of Carnac; Damhan-allaidh defeats Order of Hermes

810 — Damhan-allaidh flees to Scotland

811–814 — Damhan-allaidh defeats several Hermetic magi

814–816 — Pralix fights Damhan-allaidh in Britain and Caledonia

814 (May) — Pralix travels to Scotland

814 (June) — Pralix ambushed at Loch Oadh

814–815 — Pralix gathers strength, recruits Clan Mac Gruagach, Brud Deathless

815 (Jul.) — Pralix guarantees Hermetic status for gruagachan, wizards

815 (Jun.) — Battle of Loch Ochy; defection of Brude Deathless

815 (Aug.) — Battle of the Bloody Glen; Damhan-allaidh wounded

815 (Dec.) — Night of the Sluagh; Damhan-allaidh slaughters many wizards

816 (Mar) — Battle of the Great Light; Damhan-allaidh defeated

816 (Mar) — Damhan-allaidh's body disappears

816 (Jun.) — Ordo Miscellanea formed by Pralix

816 — Sporadic fighting as Damhan-allaidh's followers are hunted down

816 — Clan Mac Gruagach joins the Ordo

816 — Praeses Septentrionales (Northern Guard) formed to watch for Damhan-allaidh's return

817 — Trianoma helps turn the Ordo Miscellanea into House Ex Miscellanea

817 — Holy Oak founded (Diedne)

817 — Admission of House Ex Miscellanea into Order of Hermes

834 — Well of the Head founded (Diedne)

860's — Activities of giants closely watched, but no danger to Order

889 — Praeses Septentrionales destroyed by followers of Damhan-allaidh

889 — Flambeau and Tytalus magi sent to fight Damhan-allaidh

890 — Damhan-allaidh defeated again, but escapes to Shetland Islands

930 — Rumors of Damhan-allaidh's return prove baseless

954 — Crun Clach founded

956 — Well of the Head sponsors Druids' Dale

1003–1012 — Schism War: Houses Tremere and Flambeau destroy House Diedne, Holy Oak, Well of the Head, and Druids' Dale destroyed

1048 — Rumors of Damhan-allaidh's return plague northern Scotland

1070 — Horsingas founded

1099 — Flambeau ravage Scotland

1189 — Pact of Crun Clach forbids magi from dabbling in politics

Salve Sodale,
Many of my colleagues have questioned me about my self-imposed migration to the Loch Leglean Cribunal, insisting that no sane man, or Redcap for that matter, can long endure the horrible conditions of such a fierce and unfriendly land. After years of hearing slander against one of the most beautiful areas and some of the most courteous and graceful people. I have written this letter to you, Mihalpi, my primus, in hopes that others of our House may gain an appreciation for this most unusual of tribunals.
The southern border of the tribunal is the great wall built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in an attempt to keep the noble Picts from the butnerable and decadent lands of Britannia. The political boundary between Scotland and England varies as the Scots press south and the English north
The southern and eastern parts of Scotland, or the Lowlands, as they are falled, are ruled in the Norman style. Many of the knights are not even native Scots, but rather French and English implants, invited by the kings of Scotland, who try to control an unruly populace. The covenants in this part of the country tend to be based on the traditional model respected on the Continent and in England.
It is in the Highlands and on the Islands that the true spirit of the country can be seen. The men living here owe allegiance to their clan lords, who act as fathers more than great lords. While the lands are held by great nobles, tew it any ever visit these hills, and the king's law is flouted at will. The clans of the Highlands are friendly on the whole, but you must take care not to insult, as fends are a way of life to them. The clans take the name of their founder or, sometimes, an occupation. Pride in the family is a prevailing trait is a clansman, and each man can recite the deeds of the clan and the names of the ancestors of the chief. Deep in the Highlands can be found families sporting pedigrees that date back to the coming of Christianity to the land.
Thomas Verus of Mercere, portion of a letter to the principle of House Mercere, 1355, Age of Aries

Chapter 4: Scottish Landscape

The landscape of Scotland has shaped the lives of its inhabitants. Vast tracts of forest cover the Highlands, and long sealochs (fjords) deeply cut the west coast. The landscape itself keeps the people of the land from joining together, but allows raiders to strike and retreat with nearimpunity. The Islands, off the north and west coasts, invited the people to take to boats, though oars more often propel them than the wind. The Lowlands are fertile, while the Highlanders must eke out a precarious living with footplow and sickle.

The Borders and Lowlands

Anglo-Norman nobles rule the Lowlands of Scotland, and as a result the social atmosphere of the Lowlands is much like England. The Pennine Hills, the Cheviot Hills, and the Tyne Valley mark the ill-defined border between England and Scotland. The actual border has shifted with time: sometimes far to the south, sometimes to the north. The border areas between England and Scotland have been a battleground since before the time of the Romans. While the two kingdoms fight over who owns the land, powerful families, who hold their land by force of arms, ignore the dictates of both thrones. These families raid their neighbors on both sides of the border indiscriminately, and both English and Scots recognize the right of "hot-trod," that is, following a cattle thief over the border into the other country.

There are few large towns or cities, as the passage of armies has had a destabilizing effect on the area. The city of Carlisle, often traded between the two countries, lies near Hadrian's wall and is a major seaport. Bamburgh and Berwick, on the opposite coast, likewise trade masters. Between these three towns are miles of nothing but hills and fierce Border families. The covenant of Horsingas has found the lawless Cheviots to be a blessing. They can raid without worrying about serious military threats from their neighbors, many of whom allow the magi to cross their lands in return for a part of the booty.

The wife and sons of Malcolm Canmore founded many religious establishments in the watershed of the Tweed, including the abbeys of Melrose, Kelso, Dryburgh, and Jedburgh. To the southwest lies the castle of Monksend, originally a small monastery. It was claimed by the Goulis family, hereditary seneschals of Scotland. Here the family rules the surrounding lands with cruelty, and many people claim that its members worship the Devil.

The capital city of Edinburgh is located on the south coast of the Firth of Forth. It is built on and around the slopes of Castle Rock and along the "Royal Mile" to the abbey of Holyrood. Edinburgh is one of the largest cities in Scotland, yet has less than 2,000 inhabitants—quite a shock to visitors used to the larger cities of the continent.

The Eildon Hills

Rising from the plains of the Borders, the Eildon Hills near Melrose house a sizable fairy community, led by a being known to mortals only as "the Queen of Elfland." "Elf" is a Border term for faeries of all descriptions and is related to the Norse and Saxon words aelf, alf, etc. The hills are hollow, and inside are levels of regio that eventually lead to Arcadia (see sidenote), specifically Somniare. Here the fey dance and play, whiling away time. Each day spent here is as seven in the outside world, and mortals who enter the hill here will age at a corresponding rate.

The town of Melrose and Melrose Abbey reside at the base of the hill. However, not even the power of the Church can forbid passage to the fey, who use the opposite side of the hill in their rades in the mortal realm. King David I founded Melrose Abbey for the Cistercian Order in 1136. It has been often beset by thieves and brigands, not the least of whom were the magi of Horsingas, who plundered it of candles, vellum, and plate more than once.

Until 1188 the Eildon Hills were a single hill, with the remnants of a Pictish or British hill fort on the north side. In that year the wizard Michael Scot, having subdued a demon of great strength and power, inquired of it how it could be banished. "Set me a task that I cannot perform, and I shall leave you forever," replied the demon. One of the tasks that Michael then set the demon was to sunder Eildon hill, which the demon easily accomplished in one night. The inhabitants of the surrounding lands reported a Colossal ripping sound, as if the world were being torn asunder. The monks of Melrose Abbey prayed the whole night long, but since that night there have been three hills at Eildon.

Arcadia, the realm of the faeries, is divided into six known lands:
Sorinbrus — the land of dreams

Atlantium — the land under the sea

Antrum — the land under the ground

Wyrd — the land of the air

Barathrum — the land of the dead

Tartarus — the land of the beyond

Royal Burghs

The family of Canmore, especially David I, struggled to bring Scotland into the 12th century. One of the ways of civilizing the country was to establish "royal burghs," towns and cities that had special privileges granted by the crown. These privileges include the right to hold their own markets, and exemption from certain fees and taxes. In addition, the garrison of the castle (which is property of the king or of a lord appointed to the post) protects the town against raiders and brigands. The burgh has to raise its own militia to police its streets, though, as the garrison of the castle is only to protect the burgh from outside violence. To maintain their status, royal burghs pay tolls (fees) on goods sold in the market and on stalls erected there. A burgh may elect its own magistrate, the "bailie," and is largely self-governing.

The kings established royal burghs in many pre-existing towns, and most royal burghs have similar plans. The High Street (sometimes two streets in parallel) runs between the church and the castle. Along the High Street can be found the main buildings of the town. Narrow alleys called "closes" cross the High Street, leaving little room between the houses. High walls surround the burgh, and it is rare to find buildings outside the walls, because of the fear of marauders. Instead, the houses and shops, made all of wood, rise vertically up to seven or eight stories. The focal points of the burgh, besides the church and the castle, are the tollbooth and the market cross. The tollbooth is a combination of administrative offices and jail. Besides the castle, the tollbooth is the most heavily fortified building in the city. Criminals are kept in the tollbooth, as are any tolls collected. Thus, the tollbooth is made the center of the town—and the center of attention of would-be thieves, and of rebels wishing to free compatriots. The market cross is the symbol of the burgh's royal status, and acts as the main marketplace for the city.

Royal burghs have small populations: most have only 500-700 inhabitants, while Berwick and Edinburgh have about 1,500 each. Many of the inhabitants of the burghs are foreigners; some were invited by the king, others came in the retinue of the lord who owns the town, and some simply immigrated from other countries. French, Flemish, and English burghers predominate, but the occasional Spaniard, German, or even Italian can be found. Jews are practically unknown in Scotland.

Burghs are centers of trade and are generally the only places in Scotland to find coin of any kind. The burghs produce wool, leather, cattle, fine cloth, and woodwork, which the merchants sell to other burghs and to England and the rest of Europe. In return, the burghs import wine, spices, jewelry, grain, and raw materials for the necessities of life. The burghs buy the cattle from the Highlands, so in the late summer and early fall the population swells with rowdy Highlanders. The clansmen are often more than a match for the poor members of the militia who must patrol the streets.

Royal Burghs of Scotland

Aberdeen Bamburgh Berwick Brechin Carlisle Dunkeld Edinburgh

The Church in the Lowlands

The Roman Church in Scotland was poorly organized before King David revived some lapsed sees and created others. Between 1140 to 1190 there were ten sees in Scotland. William the Lion divided the See of Dunkeld in 1190 to create the See of Lismore, in Argyle. As a rule, cathedrals are located in royal burghs, though a few, like Glasgow, are not. Guillame de Bruyse, the Bishop of St. Andrews, is the primate of the Church in Scotland. He answers only to the pope—a decision handed down by Celestine IN in 1196, after the archbishops of York and Canterbury quarreled over whose administration the Scottish Church came under.

The Sees of Scotland

Aberdeen Brechin Caithness Dunblane Dunkeld Galloway Glasgow Lismore (part of Dunkeld until 1190) Moray Ross St. Andrews

The Highlands

The highland plateau of Scotland rises to an average height of between 1,200 and 1,800 feet, with many peaks over 3,500 feet (Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in the country, rises to 4,400 feet). The Caledonian Forest, a primeval forest of hardwoods, covers much of the land. In places it so dense that a person cannot push between the trunks of the trees, and so dark that only mushrooms and other fungus grow on the ground. The clans have pushed back the forest, but it still separates and divides the country, making travel and communication between clans infrequent. Fog, mist, and rain are common, and in the winter, snow blankets the ground for months at a time. Steep ravines and dark lochs cut through the hills.

The atmosphere of the Highlands influences the outlook of the inhabitants, both mortal and faerie. In times of trouble the clans look inward to the family for support. The faeries are generally solitary and terrifying, killing and eating livestock and humans. The clansmen are fierce, befitting a race that inhabits one of the least desirable regions in Mythic Europe. Feuds between clans can flare up at the slightest provocation, sometimes caused or enflamed by sith.

The north and west coasts are rugged, with cliffs falling sheer into the waves. Descendants of the Vikings rule the region, with the king of Norway as their overlord. The inhabitants speak Norse as frequently as they speak Gaelic. The remnants of many peoples inhabit these far hills and glens: descendants of the Picts, Broch-builders, and Britons. The isolation of the communities has helped preserve aspects of their cultures.

Despite two and a half centuries of Anglo-Norman influence, the Highlands and Islands have preserved their traditional clan-based society, fiercely guarding their rights and culture. The Highland clans are tribal in nature. The leaders of the community live with their followers, rather than build castles in which to live. The clan consists of a large extended family, and all members claim descent from one ancestor, from whom the clan takes its name. The leader of the clan is the ceann cath (kyann ka, chief), normally called by the family name (for example, the ceann cath of Clan Mac Donald is called "the" Mac Donald). Below the chief are various clan officers: the seanachaidh (shenuchy), the tanaiste (tanishtu), and, if the chief cannot lead the clan into battle himself, the war leader. The seanachaidh is the main storyteller and historian of the clan, memorizing the genealogy of the chief and maintaining the oral history of the clan. The tanaiste, or tanist, is the man appointed by the ceann cath to succeed him to the chieftainship. While the ceann cath appoints the tanist, he must be approved by the officers and leading men of the clan. If they do not approve the chief's choice, the officers may appoint another man in his stead.

The chief and his lieutenants provide for their clansmen in times of trouble, buying and distributing grain in years of famine, forgiving rents to those struck by raids, etc. In return, the clansmen support their chief both with produce and in war. Highlanders measure the power of a chief by the number of men in his following, or "tail." Some of the greater chiefs are able to Muster 2,000-3,000 men. Chiefs welcome landless men, or caterans (kat-erans), who will increase their following. These cater-Qns are adopted into the clan and given land. They take pride in their new family.

The Highland chiefs are not granted their lands by the king; rather, they hold them by approval of their clan and by force of arms. The "great families" of Scotland (at least in Lowland and royal eyes) are those whom the king has graced with his formal "Grant of Land and Title." In most cases these are southern knights and lords who have inherited the land by marrying heiresses. The Lowlanders see the Highlanders as barbarians, followers of a corrupt Church and speakers of an unintelligible language.

Highland Pastimes

The Highlanders are a race of poets and musicians, and singing is one of the characteristics of the people. Highlanders sing to make work pass easily. Singers and musicians shape their rhythms and tunes around the nature of the work, whether rowing, reaping, or fulling cloth. In addition, the people dance to peurt-a-bail (pert a bial, mouth music). In all their songs, the people tend to make up the words on the spur of the moment, often poking fun at the well-known shenanigans of people present. The tune and beat are the important parts of the music, as opposed to the words. The songs are sung a cappella. In the chief's hall can be found the pipers who play only for the chief, never for dancing or war. Harpers and bards (poets) inspire the men before battle, telling of the brave deeds of the clan.

Storytelling is a popular pastime and consists of retelling stories of the great Gaelic heroes like Finn Mac Coul, Ossian, or CuChulainn. Stories of the good folk (faeries) are popular, as are stories of ghosts and monsters. The chiefs and lairds have trained-storytellers: the seanachaidhean (shenuchan) and ollamhan (olluvan), who keep the history of the clans alive in their stories. A popular pastime is the ceilidh (keeli), where the folk gather to tell stories and sing.

The seelie faeries of the Highlands are appreciative of talented musicians, There are many tales of harpers, pipers, or singers taken by the good folk to their knowes (nows, hollow hills). Here the mortals learn fairy tunes, often escaping years later to bring the music with them back to mortal lands. Many areas are known to be abodes of faeries, in part because of the music that can be heard coming out of the ground.

The Norman lords in the Highlands have established private game parks, but the Highlander considers it his right to hunt and fish without any man's say. Salmon and trout abound in the Scottish rivers and lochs, and catching them is popular among those who live along their banks. Wolf hunting is not popular, but considered necessary, as wolves frequent the forests and uplands, often taking cattle or goats.

Hunting in the Highlands is usually done with a bow and arrow (or with a net, for birds). To hunt larger game, the Highlanders use hounds—Scottish greyhounds are able to run down and kill wolves or deer—and they carry spears in case they run into boars or other fierce prey. The Highlanders hunt mostly for food, rather than for sport. Horses are little used by the Highlanders, and then chiefly to haul game back to the homestead.

Fishing is usually done by netting, especially when fishing the rich banks off the coast, but care must be taken to avoid netting the more supernatural aquatic creatures, whether merrows or a river faeries. Catching fish for pleasure is done with line and hook, and the teeming rivers of Scotland provide the inhabitants with much in the way of this pleasure.

"Taking a salmon from the river, a tree from the forest, and a deer from the mountain are three actions no Gael was ever ashamed of."
—Traditional

Feats of strength are popular in the Highlands, and many areas have a clach neart (clach niarst, stone of strength), used as a test of manhood. Throwing the hammer and caber (kaber, rooftree, a fifteen- to twenty-foot-long tree trunk) are other tests of strength. A popular sport is shinty, or camanachd (caemanachc)—a form of field hockey related to hurling in Ireland or to stickball among the Norse. In the Scottish version, any number of players can form a team, from as few as four or five, to several dozen. Each player uses a caman (caeman), a stick about three feet tall with an angled head at the bottom (much like a golf club). The ball is wood or of leather stuffed with grass, feathers, or other light material. The object of the game is to drive the ball to the opposing goal, which may be a particular stone, a stump, or a corner of a house. The first team to score a goal wins. Beyond this, there are no rules. The game is popular not only among humans; the good folk enjoy it as well. In the southern Highlands, the faeries have been known to steal a champion human shinty player for a game between troops.

The Church in the Highlands

From the earliest times of the Church in Scotland, local lords or chiefs gave missionaries land for the buildings and fields of their monasteries. Once granted land, the monks built a stone wall or earthen rampart to shelter the monastery buildings. This wall was necessary for the defense of the monastery against marauders and the enemies of their benefactor. Often the lord would grant lands on whicha fort already stood, to ease the monks of the burden of building walls. Once the wall was complete, the monks built individual houses, known as kils, or cells. The monastery may have a number of other buildings. A small church is present for the benefit of the monks and is not meant for the surrounding populace. A visitor can find kilns, granaries, guest quarters, mills, barns, and workshops, depending on the age of the monastery and the efforts of the monks. The monastery relies on the produce of its own lands, or of the sea if it is close. Gifts from the surrounding clan are appreciated, but not necessary to the survival of the monastery.

The lands of the monastery are known as the comraich (comrich, sanctuary). The comraich may be relatively small, enclosing only a few acres, or it might stretch for several miles. Carved stone crosses, or stones on which crosses have been engraved, surround the comraich. The comraich provides sanctuary for anyone who can reach it: if a fugitive can enter the comraich, the monks wil! investigate the offenses and decide what to do with him or her. This allows time to let tempers die down and ensures the fugitive a trial. The comraich is also the area protected by the Dominion of the monastery.

Ownership of the Monastery

Monks of the Scottish Church may marry. The monks are often of the same family as the founder of their monastery and live with their wives and families in the monastery. Leadership of the community generally passes from brother to brother, or father to son.

Most monasteries date back to the time when missionaries from Ireland came to convert the Picts and Scots. A noble gave ownership of the monastery and lands to the founding ab, who thus had two distinct functions: leader of a religious community and owner of the lands and buildings. After the death of the ab, the religious leadership of the monastery was given to a member of the religious community, but the land was given to the one who could best administer it. This method of inheritance often led to a secular relative of the ab inheriting the physical estate of the monastery.

The secular leader of a monastery is the abbat, and the religious leader is the comarb (com-arb), or co-ab. Human nature being what it is, the secular abbat does not always have the best interest of the monastery at heart, and the abbat often takes rents and goods intended for the Church. The staff and hand bell of the founding ab are evidence of the ownership of the monastery and are guarded well by their possessors. Additionally, the bell and staff are the focus of the aura of the Scottish Dominion. If the monastery loses the bell and staff, it will no longer generate an aura.

Bishops have a much smaller role in the Scottish Church than they do in the Roman Church. Rather than ruling a diocese, with the attendant power that comes with such a position, the bishop is a member of the monastery who has the power to consecrate priests. While it is rare for an ab to also be a bishop, it is possible. As a rule, monks choose bishops for their sanctity and perhaps also for their lack of interest in administration. The ab is a Presbyter (an elder of the church) and leads services for the monastery and the surrounding community.

Most clans do not have a nearby church, so itinerant priests care for far-flung clans. These priests travel a circuit, visiting each clan in turn. With the hazards of travel and poor conditions in the Highlands, it is sometimes a year between visits. Because of this, Highland couples often pledge themselves "handfast," a form of trial marriage that may later be recognized by the priest.

Aura of the Scottish Church

The Scottish Church generates a Divine aura with a special effect. Because of the way the early missionaries preached the word of God, the Scottish Dominion calms those within it. While within the boundaries of the Dominion generated by the relics of the early saints, the Passions and Personality Traits of the character are temporarily dampened to a score of 1 (without respect to whether they were + or -). Long residence in the aura results in permanent lowering of these traits. It generally takes one to two weeks to lower each point of Passion or Personality Trait. Until the time that the character becomes fully acclimated, the Passions and Traits will return at about a point a day (or faster, if a situation warrants it) if the character leaves the aura. A character is fully acclimated when all Passions and Personality traits are at zero.

Once acclimated, a person becomes dispassionate and emotionless. While it is difficult for himor her to feel hatred or anger, the gentler emotions also suffer, so that to love a person is impossible as well. While Scottish monks may marry and have children, the love they feel for their family is the same as the love they feel for humanity; it is not the romantic or familial love that the rest of the world feels. This lack of passion does have a beneficial side effect: demons have few ways to tempt or torment acclimated characters.

Acclimated characters who leave the aura regain their old Passions and Personality Traits at a rate of 1 point per month. See the rules on adding experience to a Passion and gaining and losing Personality Traits in the Ars Mágica rules. Once a character has regained any Passions or Personality Traits, the character is no longer acclimated to the aura.

The Scottish Dominion is also kind to magi who embrace its peacefulness and calm. The Dominion's negative modifiers to magic die rolls do not affect acclimated magi; instead, their spells function as if the aura were magical. However, once acclimatized to the aura, magi suffer a -5 to all magic cast outside it, until they regain all the points that they once had in Personality Traits and Passions.

After the death of the founding ab of a monastery, who was the owner and administrator of the monastery's land as well as the religious leader, his functions were sometimes split. If the functions were split, the secular owner of a monastery is the abbat and the religious leader is the comarb.

The Kelledei

A second order of the Scottish Church arose because of lay abbacy. Where the religious brothers find that they cannot live under the rule of a greedy or irreligious abbat, they may abandon the monastery. They then establish themselves on land given by the king or surrounding chiefs.

Known as the cele de (servants of God), or kelledei, they often settle close by the old monastery and continue to minister to the needs of their neighbors, who are often their relatives. Unlike holy orders in the Roman Church, the kelledei have no formal organization and no rule to live by. Instead, each community lives under its own rule, leading to a wide range of conditions based on local custom and the organizational ability of the comarb. From the early ninth century on, the kelledei spread throughout Scotland, but primarily in the areas that held to the Scottish Church rather than the Roman.

With the increased presence of the Roman-style orders, it became a common occurrence for a Benedictine or other religious order to settle in the same town or area as a community of kelledei. Unfortunately for the kelledei, the clergy of the Roman-style orders often have little sympathy for the adherents of the Scottish Church. They take advantage of royal and papal backing to absorb or dissolve the communities of kelledei. In some rare cases, however, the Roman clergy live in harmony with their Scottish brethren.

Demons and the Array of Hell

Because of the special temper of the aura of the Scottish Church and the emphasis on the Love of God, a large blind spot exists in Highland life regarding Satan and demons. Satan is seen as a figure of ridicule, or as something feared only by Lowlanders and foreigners. However, the aura only protects the monasteries and a few rare people, leaving the great majority of the Highlands open to demonic influence. The lack of such influence can only be attributed to a lack of interest on the part of the minions of Hell. With the influx of the Normans, a few demons have migrated north, finding victims among the people of the Lowland cities.

The Islands

The Northern Islands

The Orkney and Shetland Islands are collectively referred to as the Northern Islands or Nordreys, and are owned by the kingdom of Norway. There are about sixty islands in the Orkneys, half of which can or do support human occupation. There are nearly a hundred Shetland islands, of which only fifteen or so support humans. The islanders call the largest island in each group Mainland, an indication of the seclusion of these islands. The Shetlands, and to some lesser extent the Orkneys, have a strange enchantment in that the domestic animals that live on these islands are less than half the size of normal animals. Horses, sheep, cattle—even dogs suffer from this enchantment. The people of the islands appear unaffected, though, and some range well over six feet tall.

The Islands, especially the Orkneys, have many standing stones, stone circles, and other products of an ancient race. Magical investigation of these sites has indicated that, while they may not be as magnificent or wellknown as Stonehenge in England, they are considerably older. The Orkneys were originally called the Orcades, the Isles of the Dead, though exactly why is not known. Scholars in the Order of Hermes know that a stone circle on the island of Mainland in the Orkneys, the Ring of Brodgar, leads to the faerie realm of Barathrum.

The existence ofmany brochs in Orkney and Shetland indicates that the Brochbuilders had mastered the art of sailing, but sometime in the past the Picts also invaded and settled the Islands. The Picts ruled the Islands until the end of the 8th century, when the Vikings first raided and then settled. King Harald Fairhair of Norway created the earldom of the Orkneys in the late Ninth century, and the history of the earldom is a savage and bloody one. The Odal law of Norway grants the lands of the dead farl to his surviving sons, and several civil Wars between brothers mark transitions between earls. In theory the earl of the Orkneys holds his lands in fief from the king of Norway, but in reality the earls often rule their lands with little regard for the king.

The Picts little exceed pygmies in stature; they did marvels in the morning and the evening, in building walled towns, but at midday they entirely lost their strength and lurked, through fear, in little underground houses.
—Historiae Norwergiae
Editor's Note: The description fits the race of faerie known as the trow, rather than the Picts. —Peter Hentges

Men from the earldom serve all over Mythic Europe. From Ireland to the Byzantine Empire, Orcadian mercenaries fight for silver. The Scots and Irish call these men galloglaichs (gaul-o-glachs, foreign warriors). They fight armored in chain mail and helmets, and with twohanded axes. They often go bare-legged, the better to charge their enemies.

At nine skills I challenge, a champion at chess; runes I rarely spoil. I read books and write; I'm skilled at skiing and shooting and sculling and more! I've mastered music and verse.
—Rognvald, Earl of Orkney

The faeries of the Islands are, if anything, more solitary than their cousins on the mainland of Scotland. The Islands are home to several otherwise-unknown species, notably the trow and the stoorworm. The trow may be relatives of the Norse trolls, though it is possible that the Vikings gave the name to the native creature in memory of the trolls back home. Trow can have one or two heads and are restricted in sunlight. If daybreak finds a trow above ground, it cannot return to its underground home until nightfall. The islanders count it lucky to hear a trow speak, but unlucky to see one. A trow sometimes takes whole communities under its care, but demands grain, animals, or a spouse in return. On the whole, the islanders see the trow as wicked, perhaps more than they are in truth.

Stoorworm

The stoorworm is a relative of the "well worms" of northern England and southern Scotland. It is a poisonous water serpent that can grow to immense size. The cirein croin (KEER-en crun) was the ancestor of all stoorworms, a serpent so large that it could circle the entire Island of Britain, including Ireland! It was finally killed when a hero sailed down its throat and lit its insides on fire with a burning peat. The teeth fell out of its mouth and became the Orkney, Shetland, and Faroe Islands, while the burning body formed the island of Iceland. Its liver still flames and is responsible for the volcanoes prevalent in Iceland.

The stoorworm is as long as a ship and as thick around asa tree trunk. It has neither legs nor wings, but drives through the waves by twisting its body. The stoorworm is large enough to be a threat to any but the largest ships, and its poison breath can clear ship decks with ease. Stoorworms tend to entwine their prey, then bite and squeeze it until it dies, whereupon they swallow the morsel.

Stoorworms prefer not to face multiple opponents, but often do not recognize ships as constructs filled with multiple foes, seeing them rather as individual intruders in their domain. When the stoorworm comes ashore (which is extremely rare), reduce the First Strike and Attack scores of both the Bite and Entwine attacks by half, though Damage remains the same.

Stoorworm

Magic Might Size

42 +6

Characteristics

+2 Cun (hunter) -5 Pre (terrifying)

+4 Per (keen nose) n/a Com

+8 Str (huge) +2 Dex (sinuous)

+10 Sta (unceasing) +6 Qik (fast-talking)

Combat Totals

Weapon Ist Atk Parry Dam

Bite Totals: +16 +14 +25 Poison*

Entwine Totals: +10 +11 Special**

Breath Totals: +20 +10 Special***

* Powers: The poison of the stoorworm coats its teeth and will stick to armor or shields after a bite attack. Characters handling anything bitten by a stoorworm must take great care that no poison enters the mouth, nose, eyes, or open wounds. A Dexterity roll of 8+ will ensure that the character has avoided the poison. If the roll fails, the character must make a Stamina roll of 9+. On a successful roll, the character loses one body level; on a failure, two.
** Entwines on the first round; every round thereafterhas a cumulative +8 damage (2nd round +8 damage, 3rd round +16, etc.). The stoorworm can automatically bite anyone caught in its coils. Each human-sized object held by the stoorworm reduces its Entwine First Strike attack by 6. Damage is reduced by 6 for each object after the first.
*** The stoorworm may use 2 Magic Might points to breathe a cloud of poison gas. Every creature (except the worm!) within a cone ten feet wide by twenty feet long must make a Stamina roll of 9+ or lose two body levels. A successful roll still results in the loss of one body level
Dodge Defense: +6
Soak: +24
Fatigue: +10
Encumbrance: 0

Body Levels

OK, 0/0/0/0, -1/-1/-1, -3/-3, -6, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, 0/0/0/0, -1/-1/-1, -3/-3, -6, Incapacitated

Abilities

-6 Ferocity (disturbed), 6 Swim (storms), 3 Smell (blood)

Vis

12 Animal in scales, 6 Perdo in poison glands

Trow

Powers: Trow caught above ground at sunrise are unable to retreat to their home below the earth, though sunlight does not otherwise affect them.

Trow may cast spontaneous Terram magic spells. Roll +15 for the spell's level if the trow expends a fatigue level; divide the roll by 2 if the trow does not exert itself.

Trow

Paerie Might Size

21 32

Characteristics

-1 Int (slow) 0 Pre

-2 Per (bad eyesight) -2 Com (slow-witted)

+3 Str (burly) 0 Dex

+4 Sta (tireless) 0 Qik

Personality Traits

-3 Solitary

Combat Totals

Weapon 1st Atk Parry Dam

Club Totals: +4 +5 +3 +8

Soak:+9
Dodge Defense: -2
Fatigue: +4
Encumbrance: 0

Body Levels

OK, 0/0/0, -1, -3, -6, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, 0/0/0, -1, -3, -6, Unconscious

Abilities

2 Club Attack (smash, 4 Play Musical Instrument (wild tunes), 3 Club Parry (clubs)

Kunal Trow

Powers: Trow caught above ground at sunrise are unable to retreat to their home below the earth, though sunlight does not otherwise affect them.

Kunal trow may cast spontaneous Terram spells. Roll +25 for the spell's level if the kunal trow expends a fatigue level; divide the roll by 2 if the kunal trow doesn't exert itself.

The kunal trow is sometimes called the "king" trow. These creatures are the trow that most often take villages under their care, but they often demand a bride or groom in return. Kunal trow may learn the entire gamut of gruagach powers, including Speak Pictish and Potency. (See Character Generation, Chapter 6, for more infor-Mation about gruagach powers.)

Kunal Trow

Faerie Might Size

29 +2

Personality Traits

-3 Solitary

Characteristics

+3 Int (sly) +2 Pre (regal)

-2 Per (bad eyesight) -2 Com (slow-speaker)

+3 Str (burly) 0 Dex

+4 Sta (tireless) 0 Qik

Combat Totals

Weapon 1st Atk Parry Dam

Club Totals: +4 +5 +3 +8

Soak: +9
Dodge Defense: -2
Encumbrance: 0
Fatigue: +4

Body Levels

OK, 0/0/0, -1/-1, -3, -6, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, 0/0/0, -1/-1, -3, -6, Unconscious

Abilities

2 Club Attack (smash), 3 Club Parry (clubs), 4 Play Musical Instrument (wild tunes)

The Western Islands

The islands to the west of Scotland are the Western Islands. The Norse call them the Sudreys (Southern Isles). They are divided into two main groups: the Outer Hebrides (also known as the Long Islands), and the Inner Hebrides.

The Long Island suffers the full brunt of Atlantic storms. So strong are the gales that the islanders hold down the thatched roofs on their cottages with ropes weighted with stones. The western beaches of the Long Island change, from gold to sandy to silver, as the seas churn up the treasure of the merrows (fish-people), then steal it back again. The inhabitants of the islands do not collect this treasure, as they fear the wrath of the merfolk. The natives advise visitors to the islands to steer clear of the beaches when they glint, as the merrows are quick to capsize and sink boats that try to leave with their holds full of gold and silver.

The Inner Hebrides lie not far offshore from the mainland. It is often difficult to tell what is an island and what a peninsula, as the coast is so deeply cut by sealochs (fjords). Boats ply the water between the islands easily, but swimmers must beware of the treacherous currents that separate the islands. The Inner Hebrides have slightly better weather than the Outer, but even here, stones hold down the thatch roofs.

The Western Isles were long a stronghold of the Broch-builders, who repelled several invasions by the Picts. They fell before the spears of the Picts, though, long before the Norse invaded the Islands,the 800s. Godred Crovan, the king of Man, seized the Sudreys and the city of Dublin. In 1098, King Magnus Barelegs added the peninsula of Kintyre to the kingdom (see "The House of Canmore: Scotland in the 12th Century" in Mythic History, Chapter 2).

Like the men of the Orkneys, the warriors of the Hebrides traveled far across Mythic Europe, fighting for pay and plunder. The kingdom of Man and the Isles had many civil wars, and even in relatively peaceful times the men found employment among the clans of the mainland, or in Ireland. Somerled, a Norse-Gael rebel, defeated Godred Ht of| Man in 1156. The division of the king-. dom granted Somerled the two southern island groups, Islay and Mull; the hold of the king of Man on the Long Island and Skye was weakened permanently.

All the islands in the Hebrides have their share of faeries, both malign and benign; and though they are called by different names because of the language differences between the mainland and the Islands, the island faeries are substantially the same as on the mainland.

The Isle of Man

The Isle of Man sits in the Irish sea between England, Scotland, and Ireland. It has sometimes been part of the Kingdom of Norway, but generally it has been its own kingdom. Farming people settled on Man in prehistoric times, and the Romans knew of Man, though they did not invade or settle there. Christian missionaries from Ireland used the island as a stepping-stone in the expansion of Christianity from Ireland to Scotland and England. At the end of the 8th century, Man was first raided, then settled, by Vikings. The Norse made use of its strategic position to launch raids against the surrounding coasts. The Kings ofNorway claimed the island as part of their own lands, but in practical fact, the last king who landed there ruled, whether he was from Ireland, Scotland, or Norway or was a local native.

Norse is the language of the rulers of the island, but many of the farmers speak an accented Gaelic. Farms cluster in the coastal lowlands, while cattle, sheep, and goats graze the hills of the interior. The island has three towns: Douglas, Ramsey, and Peel.

Magical Interest in Man

Magi from the Order of Hermes fought a number of battles over the island and its vis sources until 1145. In that year a special tribunal made up of delegates from the Hibernian, Stonehenge, and Loch Leglean Tribunals issued the Partitio Monaviae.

This document acknowledges the neutrality of Man until "such time as a covenant shall be founded on Man or its dependent islets; at which time the island shall be considered part of the mother tribunal of the new covenant. The new covenant shall be considered the owner of such sources of vis and other resources as are found on the island." No one has yet founded a covenant on the island, in large part because of the presence of a band of wizards who settled along with the Norse invaders. It is thought by most of the Order that the island is infested with magi of the Order of Odin.

The island is vis- and faerie-rich and has two known gateways to Arcadia. There are two acknowledged kings of the Man faeries, Arawn and Manannan Mac Lir. These two kings control the land and the sea, respectively. The good will of Manannan is necessary to leave the island, as he has great power over the waves and storms. The island has a number of magical wells and springs that can cure a variety of ills. Finding one can be difficult, however, as the locals are not likely to aid the characters. In addition, there are at least three wells named "St. Patrick's Well," further confusing the issue.

The Holy Island of Iona

Missionary saints of the Scottish and Irish Churches sanctified several islands off the coast of Scotland. The first island so blessed was Hii, later renamed Iona. Here saint Columba landed after his exile from Ireland, and here he founded his first church. On a hill on the west coast of the island is the Arn cul-ri Eirin (arn cool-ree erin), a cairn that marks the spot where Columba looked back and found that he could not see his homeland.

"Small and mean though this place is, yet it shall be held in great and unusual honor, not only by Scotic kings and people, but also by the rulers of foreign and barbarous nations and by their subjects; the saints, also, of other churches, shall regard it with no common reverence."
—St. Columba about Iona, at his death in 597

Columba lived and died on the island, and after his death in 597, the abbey remained in his family through the comarb system. The Danes raided the island several times in the late 8th century. A raiding party killed the entire population of the island in 802. Monks then came and moved the remains of Saint Columba and any remaining treasures to Ireland for safekeeping. The relics were returned in 818. In 829 Danes killed Abbot Blathmac when he refused to reveal the resting place of Columba's bones. The bones were both feared and coveted by the Viking raiders, who had heard of the Christian custom of enshrining saints' bones in jeweled reliquaries. In Columba's case, however, this was a false rumor.

An important site on the island is the relig oran (relig or-an, the burial place of kings). Here lie buried most of the kings of the Scots, from Aidan to MacBeth and Gruoch. Foreign kings are buried here as well, including Norse and Irish. Saint Oran (a member of Columba's original band of twelve monks) is also buried here. In a curious ceremony, Oran volunteered to be buried alive at the consecration of the first church on the island. On the third day after the interment, Columba had his tomb opened, and he proved to be still alive. He opened his eyes and said to Columba, "Death is no wonder, nor is Hell as it is said." Columba had the tomb quickly resealed, and these words of his have passed into folklore: "Earth, earth upon the mouth of Oran, lest he talk more." No prayer addressed to Columba will be heard unless it is addressed to Oran first.

The entire island has a Dominion aura of level 8 and is of the Scottish temper (see "Aura of the Scottish Church").

Stone Monuments

Though the great stone circle of Stonehenge in England is the best known monument in the British Isles, there are many others, especially on the Islands of Scotland. The secrets of the standing stones and stone circles have long been lost in Scotland. The fey claim no ownership, even though the sites have strong Faerie auras. The elusive Broch-builders, or a people older still, may have had a hand in their construction.

These stone circles and standing stones are sometimes on islands, but the majority are on the mainland, often on hilltops or in secluded valleys. There are several styles or types of monuments: menhirs (solitary standing stones), alignments (groups of stones that point at geographical or astrological features), and circles, both standing and recumbent (where the builders intentionally placed the stones on their sides). Some areas have more monuments than others. Argyle and Kintyre have numerous alignments, pointing at islands and mountain peaks. The islands of Lewis in the Hebrides and Mainland in the Orkneys have large stone circles. The northern Lowlands of Buchan and Mar have many recumbent circles. The area around Inverness has standing stone circles, and the area north of the Borders has both alignments and stone circles.

Stones and the Fey

As a rule, stone circles and standing stones are associated with the faerie realm of Barathrum, the land of the dead. Recumbent circles are associated with | Antrum, the land of earth and rock, ang alignments with Caelum, the realm of the air and stars. Individual monuments may have different associations, but these are the prevalent connections. Some of the greater stone circles, such as the Callanish standing stones of Skye or the Stennes | stones on the Island of Mainland in the Orkneys, have multiple associations. The Stennes stones lead to both Barathrum and Caelum, while the Callanish stones are rumored to lead to Barathrum, Antrum, and Tartarus itself.

Most monuments have a community of duine sith (doonu shee, people of peace) living nearby, but the fey do not own the monuments. Rather, they oversee the use of them, making sure that no mortals tear them down or otherwise destroy them. As the Church is not as prevalent in Scotland as in England, many of the monuments still hold their power. Most monuments normally have Faerie auras of 2-6, increasing in power at certain times dependent on the site. The larger ones, such as the Callanish and Stennes monuments, are gateways to Arcadia and have auras of 10 at all times.

Other Magic of the Stones

Stories tell of other uses for the stones. Some say that blood sacrifices attract the attention of the pagan gods of the Picts, who will grant a wish—or tear the soul from the mortal insolent enough to summon them. Others say that the stones may be used to communicate with the dead or to travel to other sites such as Stonehenge, or Camac in Brittany. Alignments are said to be places of visions of the future and past. Unfortunately for the magus who would attempt to invoke the power of the stones, no story tells how to perform these deeds.

The Roman churchmen fear and despise the stone monuments and try to uproot them whenever possible. They claim the stones to be the work of the Devil or demons and that hideous rites are practiced even now by the countryfolk. Yet no matter how much the Church might rail against the stones, the common folk will not aid in their destruction. The stones are often part of ceremonies on Beltane, the spring "quarter day." What happens at these monuments is different from site to Site, but always involves fire. Fires may be kindled on a particular stone, or torches extinguished, or straw and twig effigies burned. Often, the participants leave behind small sacrifices of cheese, cloth, or flowers. No one tells outsiders what these rituals mean, but the participants all warn of dire, if indeterminate, consequences if the rituals are not performed.

Legends say that some stones are able to move about, usually uprooting themselves and rolling down to the nearest body of water. There they immerse them-Selves, then roll back to their appointed Places to wait for the next time. Each stone or group of stones moves on its own schedule: some on nights of the full moon, others on "quarter" days. Some move to no schedule at all, but are influenced by an outside event such as a severe thunderstorm or a war.

Stone monuments often act as collectors for vis of various sorts. The vis might be related to the type of monument, or then again, it might not. Flowers or plants inside a stone circle, water from a spring, chips from the stones themselves—the vis might take any of these forms. It might be only available during the quarter days (special days near solstices and equinoxes), or it may lie around waiting for the first person who wanders by. Not all monuments that produce vis produce usable vis: one stone is said to contain several queens of vis, but it weighs several tons and has resisted all attempts to remove it from the ground.

Things Scottish

Magi measure vis in three general units: pawns, rooks, and queens. A pawn is equal to 1 unit of vis, a rook 10, and a queen 100.

Languages

Scotland is a country divided not only by geography, but by language. In the South, Scottish holds sway. This is a heavily accented (to the southern, English ear) combination of the Germanic language of the Angles, the French of the Norman overlords, and Gaelic. Some burghs have sizable Flemish or French populations, who handle the wool export and speak their own tongues. In the Highlands, Gaelic is the predominant language. It was the language of the Scotti, who brought it from Ireland in the 500s. The conquest of Kenneth MacAlpin spread it throughout Scotland. Descendants of the Vikings hold the Hebrides, Orkneys, Shetland Islands, and parts of Caithness. Here the inhabitants speak Norse in addition to, and sometimes instead of, Gaelic. In the fastness of Ross and Sutherland live a few isolated clans who speak Gaelic laced with some elements of Pictish.

Latin is the language of the clergy in the southern areas, but even the edicts of the kings of Scotland have not changed the practice of the Scottish Church, which still holds services in Gaelic. Latin is the predominate written language. Few people can read Ogham, a form of monument writing. Ogham was used for inscriptions for both Gaelic and Pictish, but the Pictish inscriptions are no longer legible to the modern reader. Ogham is no longer a living language and is not written anymore.

Pictish is a dead language. It has elements of an even older language—not related to any other in the British Isles adopted when the Picts absorbed the Broch-builders. After Kenneth MacAlpin's conquest of Pictland, members of House Diedne cast subtle spells that somehow made the Picts forget their language and speak Gaelic. Many young gruagachan lost their Pictish because of these spells, but older gruagachan preserved the language. Now only gruagachan speak pure Pictish, which is a magical language, aiding them greatly when casting their Geasa and Curses. The secret of the languagedestroying spells died with House Diedne in the Schism War. The language of the Broch-builders has been lost for millennia, and no traces are known to exist.

Currency

Any coins at all are a rarity in Scotland, but the Church demands that its taxes be paid in coin. Except in the case of churchmen, nobles, and foreign traders, it is rare for anyone to carry coins. The major currency for the country is animals: cattle, sheep, and goats. Raids between families and clans are part of everyday life, and the Highlanders have become adept at these activities. The Highlanders say, "A man who steals one sheep is a petty thief, while one who steals a hundred cows is a great man."

David I introduced the silver Scots penny, and it is equal in value to the English penny. Gold coinage is unknown in Scotland. What Scottish coinage there is follows the English pattern: 1 pound=20 shillings=240 pennies. A particular Scottish unit of value is the merk, or mercke, which is equal to 2/3 of a pound or 13 shillings 4 pennies; there is no coin for the mercke. All merchants have iron plates, onto which they place any coins that they receive, as cold iron will destroy any faerie glamour cast on the money.

The Calendar

The year in the Highlands is divided into four quarters, loosely based on the seasons. The "quarter days" of the Scottish calendar mark the change of the seasons and are of great importance to the Highlanders. Days are counted from the night before, so the eve of a holiday is part of the holiday itself.

The year begins on oidhche challuin (oychu cha-lun, New Year's Eve). A peculiar tradition of "first footing" holds that the first person to cross the threshold of a house will bring good or bad luck for the rest of the year. Dark-haired men bring the best luck, women the worst. The household keeps the fire alight all night long (normally they would be smoored, or banked). It is extremely bad luck to have your fire go out or to give fire to a fireless hearth.

The Feast of St. Bride, on the first day of February, is the ancient quarter day of imbolc (imbolk). Seanachaidhean recite the genealogy of Bride, and pregnant women pray for an easy delivery.

Beltane (bel-tane) falls on the 1st of May and echoes pagan fire ceremonies. In ancient times men were sacrificed to ensure supernatural protection for the herds. Now cakes, figures made out of bundled sticks, or flowers are substituted. Processions led by men carrying torches circle the fields, invoking the protection of the elements, gods, or saints. Beltane is the day when the migration to the summer pastures begins. Bonfires are kindled, and the animals are driven between the fires to cleanse them and preserve them from harm.

The first day of August is the Celebration of Lughnasa (loo-nasa), which once honored the pagan god Lugh, but now merely marks the beginning of the harvest. Lughnasa is a time of great celebrations; and feasts and festivals abound.

The harvest is normally over by August 15, St. Mary's Day. Harvest feasts are prepared with many symbolic ingredients, and the harvesters perform rituals marking the end of the harvest (see below about cutting the cailleach). St. Michael is a popular saint in the Islands and the west coast, as he is the patron saint of the sea, boats, and coastal districts. In these areas the feasts and festivals normally performed on Lughnasa are performed on his feast day, September 29.

The eve of Samhain (saw-hen), November 1, is a dreadful time, when the dead walk the earth and the otherworld is accessible to mortals. As dusk is falling, every able-bodied boy runs a circuit of the fields carrying a burning torch. Having thus secured their homes against the attentions of the faeries and monsters, the people gather in their houses to wait out the night. Wise women and young girls cast divinations, as the interaction of the natural and supernatural worlds guarantees the accuracy of the foretelling. The reading of patterns made by spilling egg whites into boiling water is one method used. Women divine the future for their clan or families; young girls try to find out who their love or husband will be.

Highlanders keep other holidays; the ones listed above are just the major ones. Christmas and Easter are celebrated, though without the same intensity; and each neighborhood or island keeps the feast day of its patron saint. Other festivals, holdovers from the days of the pagan gods, are celebrated. The monks and priests of the Church try to stop these practices. Some manage to overlay a Christian meaning on the holiday (as with the feast of St. Mary being held on the pagan day of Imbolc).

Agriculture

The individual families in the clan farm their own plots of land, rotating plots every few years so that all families have a chance to farm the more productive lands. In addition to the cultivated land, the clans use the less fertile land of the hilltops for pasturage of cattle, sheep, and goats. This crude farming leads to some families not having enough food to last the winter and spring, and they can face starvation unless the chief of the clan gives them grain from his own stores.

The primary crops of the Highlands are oats, barley, and bere, a primitive form of barley. The clans sow only the best infield plots with "great" oats, the variety grown in the Lowlands and England. Most of the oats are "black," or "small" oats, which are only half the size of the great oats. Black oats have better yield and are hardier than their southern cousins. Both black oats and barley have a yield of only three or four to one. Bere has a better yield, up to twelve to one, but the grains are smaller, Great oats yield usually less than three to one in the cold Scottish climate, so are planted only on the best land.

Because of the scarcity of good land, the Highlanders glean each field carefully, even hooking grain out of bushes and from between rocks, with sickles. However, Highlanders take great care when planting to avoid known faerie knowes, as the effect of faerie grain on humans is sometimes beneficial, sometimes harmful, but always disorienting and terrifying.

Scotland does not produce good hay, so the Highlanders cut any available grass to feed their animals over the winter, carefully clearing hay out from rocks, bushes, marshes, and forests. The hay is full of weeds and does not provide much nourishment. As a result, the animals of the Highlands are short, stunted things, producing offspring only every other year on average. The Highlanders avoid pasturing herds on faerie knowes, as animals fed on hay from them can mutate, produce monstrous offspring, or have other strange side effects.

Where there is enough arable land to make such outlay profitable, the Highlanders use horses or oxen to pull the plow. The plow is flimsy, made of wood held together with wooden pins and leather thongs. The iron coulter is one of the most valuable pieces of equipment in the household. Either the animals are yoked four abreast or the plow is tied to the tail (yes, the tail) of a solitary animal. The plow does not turn the soil; rather, it makes deep scratches. Often the field must be plowed two or three times to make it suitable for planting. The rocky and steep terrain of the Highlands makes the cas-chrom (kos krom, footplow) by far the better tool. The cas-chrom has a long (four-and-a-halfto five-foot) handle with a naturally curved end capped with a small iron head. A single man uses the cas-chrom, walking backwards and turning the soil much as with a spade. A man can plow deeper with the cas-chrom and can turn smaller fields.

The field is sown with grain, then harrowed. The planting is finished by April or May. The men care for the fields over the summer, while the women and youngsters are away at the summer pastures. In autumn everyone joins in the harvest. Reaping takes many forms, dependent on the area and the crop. In some primitive areas in the West and North, the harvesters pull the plants up by the roots and burn the stubble (which deprives the livestock of winter forage). In most of the country, however, they cut the grain with sickles, leaving long stubble for the animals. Both men and women join in the harvest. They sing peurt-a-bail to help keep the rhythm and pass the time. Akind chief may ask a piper to play for the harvest.

Customs of Agriculture

There are many customs pertaining to the harvest, including the cutting of the first or last sheaf. Harvest customs differ. In most areas, the first sheaf is known as the oigh (oyu, maiden), and a chosen girl cuts it. The last sheaf is the cailleach (keluch, old woman) and likewise has many traditions. In some areas it is an insult to the local good folk to cut the cailleach, and they will plague the reaper for the next year. A clever solution to the problem is to have all the reapers throw their sickles at the cailleach to cut it. In other areas, the cailleach is the last sheaf placed on the haystack, and it protects against rats and mildew. In yet other areas, the cailleach is the home of the faerie who protects the field (or just the grain). Disrespect to the cailleach will spell ruin for the field, because its protector will leave.

Cattle

Scotland's arable land is much less a proportion of the countryside than the moors and hills, which makes the raising of animals an important part of the Highlander's way of life. Highlanders count the clan's wealth by the size of their cattle herd. Cattle are the cash crop of the Highlands; they are bartered among the clans, stolen from neighbors, and driven to the Lowlands to trade for imported goods.

Beltane (May 1) is the traditional time to drive the herds to their summer pastures in the hills. While most of the men of the clan stay behind to see to the fields, everyone else moves to the summer pastures. Here the young men watch the animals, while the women and young girls milk the animals and make cheese and butter. The people live in shielings (sheelings, temporary stone, turf, or wood huts). The Highlanders build shielings in pairs, one for the women to sleep in and the other to store the dairy supplies. The young men live under the stars. The shielings are the scene of much of the courting among the young folk, and the atmosphere is relaxed and festive.

The women and young folk return to the valleys to help with the harvest. They bring the herds and the stores of cheese and butter with them. After harvest, the men cull the herds for the best animals to drive south, mostly four-year-old males. This is also the beginning of the cattleraiding season, as each clan tries to increase the size of its herd at the expense of its neighbors.

The start of the drives to the Lowlands is normally around Samhain. In the Lowlands they sell the animals for the necessities of life that cannot be produced in the Highlands: iron implements and weapons, spice, cloth from the Netherlands and France, and much else. The drovers must be careful, because their neighbors, and even the Lowlanders, will steal cattle as they are being driven to market. The cattle drives are opportunities for the young men to travel outside clan territory, while cattle raids allow them to hone their skills and gain the respect of their peers and elders.

Back on the clan lands, the women slaughter the animals not expected to live through the winter, and use sea salt or smoke to preserve the meat. The remaining animals are brought inside and stabled in the lower end of the house. Wooden fences keep them from the family areas. The warmth generated by the animals is a welcome addition to the house, though the smells are not. Animals get only enough grain to keep them alive through the winter. In years of poor harvest, some people and many animals die of starvation. In the spring, the animals often have to be carried out to the pasture because they do not have the strength to move themselves.

Other Animals

Goats and sheep are an important part of Highland life and are kept for their milk and their wool. The animals themselves are small, usually fifteen to twenty pounds. Does and ewes breed only every other year. They are milked, and the kids and lambs get only enough milk to keep them alive. The women make the rest of the milk into cheese and butter. Children gather the wool, and their mothers spin it into a yarn used to make "hard tartan." Hard tartan sheds water easily, in great part due to the amount of natural oil in the wool. In an average household, sheep will number about the same as cattle in the herds, while goats outnumber sheep. Men raid goat and sheep herds even more often than cattle herds, but goat or sheep raiders are not regarded with the same esteem.

Most households in the Highlands have at least one dog, sometimes of the breed known as the Scottish deerhound, Or greyhound. These dogs are large, standing up to three feet at the shoulder, though they are slender. They have short, Wiry coats and are usually gray or black. They hunt by sight, and are able to run down deer and hares. Other dogs are kept for herding, hunting, and chasing off predators. Terriers hunt rats and other vermin, keeping the grain stores and poultry safe. Collies accompany the herdsmen to help control livestock, and larger or braver dogs are capable of driving off wolves. They are essential in defense of the herds during cattle-raiding season, barking and threatening raiders who would steal their charges.

Highland ponies are usually called gearran (gyarran, gelding) or garron. They are not large beasts; however, they are surefooted in the hills and moors, and are useful for bringing in dead deer or hauling other burdens. The Highlanders do not often use the pony for warfare, as the animals are too small to give any advantage in combat. Ponies are not an important part of a Highlander's herd. Often the animals are left outside at the end of summer to survive or starve, rather than being fed over the winter months.

The Highlanders keep chickens, and their eggs and meat are welcome additions to the highland diet. The chickens roost in the rafters of the houses, but must forage for their food, as the Highlander is not likely to spend good grain on them. The rooster is "he who blesses the morning." And a black cock cures epilepsy: buried at the site of the first attack, it guards against further attacks. Wild birds also provide food for the table, and young boys in the western regions are famous for their skill at "birdnesting"—climbing down the sea cliffs to raid the nests of sea birds. Geese use Scotland as a stopping ground on their migrations, and Highlanders use nets or slings to hunt them.

Domestic pigs are not common in the Highlands, as they are looked down upon. This prejudice, dating back to the Picts, is strongest in the central and eastern regions. In the West, in Argyle and the old kingdom of Dalriada, some people keep pigs for their meat. They rarely feed them grain but instead leave them to forage in the forests for roots and acorns. Domestic pigs are scarcely distinguishable from wild boar, which also roam the forest. Hunting wild boar is an activity of the brave and foolhardy (and Norman nobility). The boar can ignore most wounds and will try to disembowel its attacker even as the boar draws its last breath.

Garron Highland Pony

The garron is the small Highlands pony. It is not normally ridden, especially not to battle, but has a great capacity to haul heavy loads over great distances and is surefooted in the hills and moors of the Highlands. Garrons are known for their patience while hauling loads and even put up with the pain of having plows attached to their tails. The garron is not kept by most families, as its upkeep is a less efficient use of land than the upkeep of other stock.

Powers: None

Vis: None

Garron - Highland Pony

Magic Might Size

0 +1

Characteristics

-1 Cun n/a Pre

0 Per n/a Com

+3 Str (haul burdens) +2 Dex (agile)

+5 Sta (perservering) 0 Qik

Personality Traits

+2 Patient, +1 Loyal

Combat Totals

Weapon 1st Atk Parry Dam

Hoof Totals: +2 +4 - +5

Dodge Defense: 0
Soak: +7
Fatique: +5
Encumbrance: 0

Body Levels

OK, 0, -1/-1, -3, -6, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, 0/0/0, -1/-1, -3, -6, Unconscious

Abilities

1 Ferocity (chased)

Cu Greyhound

The grey or deerhound is a feature of most Highlands households. It is a hunter and a fierce protector of the herds. The dog, which stands about three feet high at the shoulder, is slender and covered with wiry gray hair. These hounds hunt by sight rather than smell, so they must see their prey before they will chase it. Full-grown hounds are capable of pulling down a deer, wolf, or boar, yet are swift enough to catch the elusive hare and fox. The hound chases the prey until it can leap and knock the animal down; then it savages the creature to death with its teeth.

Powers: None

Vis: None

Cu - Greyhound

Magic Might Size

0 0

Characteristics

0 Cun n/a Pre

+3 Per (keen eyes) n/a Com

+2 Str (mighty jaws) +1 Dex (agile)

+5 Sta (runner) +5 Qik (swift)

Personality Traits

+3 Eager to Hunt, +2 Loyal, +2 Lazy

Combat Totals

Weapon 1st Atk Parry Dam

Bite Totals: +11 +8 - +9

Tackle Total: +14 +10 - Knockdown

Dodge Defense: +9
Soak: +5
Fatigue: +5
Encumbrance: 0

Body Levels

OK, 0, -1, -3, -6, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, 0, -1, -3, -6, Unconscious

Abilities

2 Alertness (animals), 5 Athletics (run), 4 Ferocity (hunting), 5 Scan (movement)

The Good Folk

Scotland is a land inhabited by many kinds of faeries, from the helpful brownies and bocans (bo-kans) to the dreaded brollachan (bro-lachun, formless) and each uisge (ech oosh-koo, water horse). Three general types of faeries exist: household, or workplace, faeries; the seelie court; and the dark faeries of the unseelie court.

Workplace faeries tend to be solitary creatures, helping with chores around a farm or shop. They work for no master and are insulted if given more than what they consider their due. Some may work for a saucer of milk, others for a set of clothes once a year. All will leave their place of work if spied on or given gifts beyond their traditional bounty. Character stats are not provided for workplace faeries, as these faeries will disappear if approached.

The seelie court is the nobility of the faerie race. Seelie faeries live in knowes, appreciate mortal music and poetry, and enjoy riding in rades (rayds, processions). They range over land and water both, riding faerie horses hung with silver bells and bright ribbons. Members of the seelie court are not friendly with humans, but are tolerant as long as their faerie pride is not insulted. They can be as fierce as their opposites, the unseelie faeries. The Lowlands and Borders are home to many courts of seelie faeries. Seelie courts may kidnap a mortal musician who catches their fancy. Some of these musicians never return; others escape, bringing back new tunes and often acquiring the gift of Enchanting Music (as the +2 Virtue). There are fewer courts of faeries in the Highlands, though there are settlements near many stone circles and alignments.

There are few courts of unseelie fey in Scotland. The dark faeries tend to be solitary, lurking in streams and pools or inhabiting ruined towers and houses. An unseelie faerie is very likely to kill a mortal who crosses its path, and some hunt humans as their prey. Water faeries usually hunt during the day, attacking lone travelers who stop to get a drink of water or wash up after a long journey. Some faeries are shapeshifters, but have some distinguishing mark in human form that identifies them, such as the sand and seaweed in the hair of the each uisge. Some faeries are masters of glamour, casting illusions over treacherous terrain or over themselves, to conceal the danger.

"The faeries of Scotland, both on the Borders and in the Highlands, are proud, but intensely dislike the name "faerie"—or the name "elf," a common name for the fey in the Borders. The people of Scotland, in an attempt to placate their powerful, unseen neighbors, resort to many euphemisms for them. The good folk, the people of peace, the gentry, the wee folk—all these and many more are names for the fey."
—Thomas Verus of Mercere, Guide for travelers in Scotland, 1355, Age of Aries

The Sluagh

Faerie Might: 45

The sluagh are collective entities of undead spirits that haunt the Highlands. Individually, each member of the sluagh is just a mindless spirit, with little power of any kind. However, the sluagh is composed of hundreds, if not thousands, of spirits. Together, they can drive humans insane or frighten them to death. The spirits that make up the sluagh must surround their target to be able to use their powers (not hard given their number). The sluagh moves at the pace of a galloping horse.

As a collective entity, the sluagh has the following powers:

Mind Suggestion (ReMe 30): The sluagh may implant suggestions in the mind of the target. These suggestions are normally to kill or destroy what the target holds most dear.

Frighten (PeMe 30): The sluagh drives the target insane with sheer terror. The target must make an Intelligence roll of 14+ or be driven insane. Usually the sluagh will force the target to run without stopping for terrain features or fatigue. If the spirits of the sluagh are feeling merciful, they abandon the target before he or she dies of exhaustion. If they do, the poor person's mind will be gone (reduce Intelligence to -3). He or she will flinch at loud noises, be afraid of the dark, etc.

Each Uisge

The each uisge is a dark faerie creature of the beach and sea-loch. Each uisge can change form—usually between a black horse and man shape, but some people claim to have seen them change into birds. In its horse form, the each uisge is found standing at the water's edge. Each uisge's skin clings fast to whatever contacts it: the only known remedy for this effect is to cut off the part touching the creature (only a hand if one is lucky). If a person cannot free him or herself, the creature plunges into the waves and feasts on his or her flesh—all except the liver, which it detests.

When in man form, the each uisge is handsome, with dark hair. In the roots of the hair can be found sand and seaweed, a sure giveaway of his true nature. Each uisge cannot enter or cross fresh water, so fleeing across a creek is enough to escape from the monster. The each uisge is wellknown in the Highlands; yet its Guile ability and Glamour power ensure that it gets enough to eat.

Powers:

Shapechange to Man, MuCo 45, 5 points: The each uisge may take the form of a dark-haired, handsome man. In this form he attempts to seduce young women before taking them to the sea's edge to devour them. A dead giveaway of the each uisge's true form is that his hair has seaweed and sand matted in it.

Attract the Doomed Victim, MuMe 30, 1 Point: Each uisge uses this power to lessen the natural caution of the victim. The victim approaches and climbs on the each uisge's back willingly. Once a character is on the each uisge, a Per roll of 10+ negates the power's effects, allowing the victim to attempt to dismount.

Sticky Skin, ReCo 25, O points: The skin of each uisge is highly adhesive, and any person who touches the beast finds that he or she cannot pull away from it. The skin of the victim bonds to the skin of the each uisge, and only a spontaneous PeAn spell of level 15 or greater, or a sharp knife, can separate the two.

Vis: 2 Perdo in teeth, 5 Aquam in hide

Each Uisge

Faerie Might Size

32 +2

Characteristics

+2 Int (crafy) +1 Pre (pretty)

+1 Per (good ears) +2 Com (expressive face)

+3 Str (brawny) 0 Dex

+6 Sta (deep breather) 0 Qik

Personality Traits

+3 Bloodthirsty

Combat Totals

Weapon 1st Atk Parry Dam

Bite Totals: +4 +4 - +7

Kick Total: +6 +6 - +10

Dodge Defense: +0
Fatigue: +6
Soak: +11
Encumbrance: 0

Body Levels

OK, 0/0, -1/-1, -3, -6, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, 0/0, -1/-1, -3, -6, Unconscious

Albilities

5 Athletics (swim), 2 Ferocity (eating), 3 Guile (harmless)

Cu Sith - Faerie Dogs

Many types of cu sith (koo shee) exist. This example is relatively benign, merely warning of impending death. These dogs will attempt to disappear if attacked, but if the fey command it, they can grow to enormous size and devour a horse and rider.

Most cu sith are a dark green color, shading to a lighter green near the feet. They have a somewhat heavier build than a greyhound. While the good folk keep many of these dogs in the South, in the Highlands they run wild and elude capture, disappearing when followed. They always move in straight lines.

Powers:

Bark of Doom (special): The green dogs of the faeries are beasts of illomen in the Highlands, and if one follows you long enough to bark three times, then you will die soon thereafter. A brave man can turn at the first bark, which will drive off the dog, but he will have bad luck for a period of time (up to a week) afterwards. The dogs do not cause the death or ill-luck, but rather they merely presage things to come.

Vis: 4 Intellego in throat

Cu Sith · Faerie Dogs

Faerie Might Size

10 0

Characteristics

+2 Cun -2 Pre (spectral)

+1 Per (keen sight) n/a Com (expressive face)

+1 Str (wiry) +4 Dex (silent)

+10 Sta (tireless) +4 Qik (fleet-footed)

Personality Traits

+2 Patient

Combat Totals

Weapon 1st Atk Parry Dam

Bite Totals: +10 +11 - +8

Bark Total: Special (see Powers)

Dodge Defense: +8
Soak: +14
Fatigue: +10
Encumbrance: 0

Body Levels

OK, 0, -1, -3, -6, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, 0, -1, -3, -6, Unconscious

Abilities

4 Ferocity (if attacked), 5 Stealth (following), 9 Invisiblity (followed)

Babhan Sith - Fairy Woman

The babhan sith (buvan shee) is a type of unseelie faerie and usually is found out on the moors and uplands, far from human habitation. She lives in an abandoned shieling, or rough hut, which she can transform into a well-lit house with her glamour. The babhan sith is a solitary fey, though her glamours may create as many women as needed to dance with a group of men. Shepherds and others out at night hear the sounds of music and revelry and see the comforting glow of a fire. When one approaches the house, he is welcomed in by one or more beautiful women, who invite him to dance. If the man agrees, he is drawn into the dance, and his blood is drunk by the babhan sith. The dancer is totally oblivious to the blood drain, but if anyone does not join the dance, he may try a Second Sight roll at 8, to notice the truth. Once a man is dancing with the babhan sith he cannot save him. self, but must be resuced by another.

Powers:

Claws: Babhan sith have iron-hard nails on their hands that they can use in a fight. These claws will shred cloth anq leather, but are at a disadvantage to harm someone in iron armor. The bab. han sith has two attacks per round with her claws, and if both hit in one round, she may grasp the target, getting a chance to bite the next round. The babhan sith's claws will negate any protection from leather, cloth, or fur armor. They suffer q damage penalty of -3 against iron ring mail, -5 against iron scale or chain. Faerie iron and bronze armor have their norma] protection values.

Enchanting Music: As the +2 extraordinary Talent.

Glamour: The babhan sith may fill the inside of the hut with an illusion of normality. The illusion is the equivalent of CrIm 25 and Mulm 25 and includes all senses.

Infatuation: This ability creates a strong amorous attraction for males and works both by sight and sound. The victim has one chance to roll Stamina to resist the attraction; the difficulty number is the babhan sith's Faerie Might.

Vampirism: The babhan sith feeds upon her partners, sucking their blood and discarding the empty husks. Once the mortal is dancing with her, she bites his chest, sucking a body level every two turns. Thus, it takes about 10 turns to drain and kill a normal man.

Vulnerability to Iron: Blows delivered with cold iron hurt the babhan sith as if the iron were red-hot, causing half-again the normal damage. Note that while the babhan sith dislikes the touch of iron, she does not take damage from mere contact with it. She does, however, prefer that her partners take off any armor and weapons before she feeds!

Babhan Sith - Fairy Woman

Faerie Might Size

25 0

Characteristics

0 Int -3 Pre (ugly)

0 Per +2 Com (sweet voice)

+1 Str (unnatural) +2 Dex (graceful)

+1 Sta (spirited) +1 Qik (sudden moves)

Faerie Powers

Claws Infatuation

Enchanting Music Vampirism

Glamour Vulnerability to iron

Personality Traits

-5 Bloodthirsty

Combat Totals

Weapon 1st Atk Parry Dam

Bite Totals: +11 +12 - +5 + drain

Claw Total: +6 +7 - +10

Dodge Defense: +6
Fatigue: n/a
Soak: +1
Encumbrance: O

Body Levels

OK, 0, 0, 0, -5, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, O, 0, 0, -5, Unconscious

Abilities

6 Athletics (dance), 5 Dodge (restricted spaces), 5 Brawl (claws), 5 Enchanting Music (seductive)

Brollachan

The brollachan is a solitary creature that hides in crevices in terrain or in abandoned houses, or travels the moors on foggy nights. It moves at about one-third of a normal man's walk, but at close quarters it is deadly. It is a fleshy creature with no shape; neither does it have bones nor internal organs. It can squeeze into small places or strike out with fleshy tentacles, which it is constantly extruding and retracting.

Powers:

Pseudopods: The brollachan may extend up to three pseudopods a turn, using them to strike one opponent. If two or more pseudopods strike the opponent in one round, the brollachan may attempt to grapple the opponent and draw him or her in. If the grapple is successful, the brollachan automatically begins to smother the victim on the next turn. The damage from the smother attack is counted off the fatique of the target, until all fatique levels are gone. Then the brollachan starts to eat the target, doing damage as normal. Armor does not protect against the smother attack. The brollachan may only smother one person at a time.

No fatigue: The brollachan does not suffer from fatigue.

Vis: 2 Muto in body

Brollachan

Paerie Might Size

24 +4

Characteristics

+1 Cun (hunter) n/a Pre

0 Per n/a Com

+5 Str (enveloping) -4 Dex (boneless)

+5 Sta (amebic) -3 Qik (sloshing)

Personality Traits

+2 Hungry

Combat Totals

Weapon 1st Atk Parry Dam

Strike Totals: +4 +6 - +2

Grapple Totals: n/a +6 - -

Smother Totals: n/a n/a - +10 *

Dodge Defense: -5
Soak: +10
Fatigue: n/a
Encumbrance: 0
\*Smother: See Powers.

Body Levels

OK, 0/0/0/0/0, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

n/a

Abilities

4 Stealth (hide)

There are many covenants in the tribunal: the current number stands at this teen, though there have been as many as twenty or as few as seven at any time. These covenants tend to be small, and rarely does one mature from its Spring to Summer, and even more rarely to Autumn. At this time there are two covenants in the prime of their lives: Crun Clach and Clan Mac Schuagach. A third covenant, Horsingas, bids fair to join these two.
Besides those magi living in the formal covenants, there are over a score of magi living scartered throughout the country in solitude. I fer to keep an accurate count of the independent magi, or apparaman, by trading information with those who saw them last, but sometimes many years go by before I hear of the more reclusive magi.
Even though Scotland is relatively rich in his, the number of magi living so pear each other means that more than the normal amount of inter-covenant rivalry is felt. While outright wars and wisard's marches are rare, the covenants often clash over sources of his or over cattle or (in a few cases) simply because of mean-spirited jealousy.
One last thing that I must mention: please inform any followers of our House that the term "Redcap" and our distinctive headgear should not be used north of Hadrian's Utall. A solitary type of dark faerie lives here that goes by the name of redcap. Members of this species live in cliffs and abandoned towers and drop stones on the heads of those who pass beneath. After mully running down, the redcap dips his hat in the blood of the unfortunate traveler. Due to the reputation of these fey, the local populace is likely to attack anyone referring to him or herself as a Redcap! As an additional note the color red is fealously held by the fey as their particular color, and they have been known to pester and bother those wearing it.
I remain, as always, your servant,
Thomas Verus of Mercere, 1355, Age of Aries

Chapter 5: Covenants

The covenants of the Loch Leglean Tribunal reflect the cultural mix of Scotland. In the South are covenants of the more "traditional" or "continental" pattern, while in the North covenants are sometimes clans of Highlanders. In this chapter we look carefully at three covenants, the political leaders of the tribunal. Player character covenants may fall under the political wing of one of the three "main" covenants, or they may attempt to form a fourth party. The characters can even strike off on their own, with no obligations—and no protectors.

There are many other covenants in Loch Leglean as well, but they tend to be small and short-lived. These covenants are for you to develop as you see fit.

Covenant of Horsingas

Symbol: A thunderbolt superimposed on a Norman-style helmet

Season: Late Summer/early Autumn

Founded: a.p. 1073

Members:

Sir Edwin of Hexham, House Tytalus. He is the war leader, usually found armed and armored. He has a terrifying steed. He, Whitburh, and Sir Jehan share leadership of the covenant.

Whitburh Frithowebba, House Quaesitor. She is the only quaesitor in Loch Leglean, and she tums a blind eye to most illegal activities.

Giuseppe Del Mato, House Flambeau. He has a mastiff familiar.

Sir Jehan of Surrey, House Jerbiton. He sees himself as a noble knight and deigns to speak only to Sir Edwin.

Ealwynn of Keswick, House Bjornaer. She specializes in Perdo spells. Her heartbeast is a stoat, and her hair turns from white in the winter to brown in the summer.

Coenwulf Eofurcumbol, House Bjornaer. Boar tusks sprout from his face, and he can use them to deadly effect. He is married (by common law) to Ealwynn.

Aelfred of Little Downing, House Tytalus. The former chief of the covenant, now an old, bitter husk.

Grogs: Thirty-five trained and equipped as spearmen, fifteen mounted and equipped as light horsemen.

Magic aura: 2

Magical library: Creo 3, Intéllego 7, Muto 8, Perdo 2, Rego 14, Animal 1, Aquam 8, Auram 3, Córporem 3, Herbam 5, Ignem 4, Imágonem 2, Mentem 11, Terram 8, Vim 10 Mundane library: Hermes History 2, History 4, Humanities 1 Uncontested vis: Aquam 1, Herbam 8, Muto 7, Perdo 1, Terram 2

Nearest towns: Bamburgh (forty miles to the northwest), Carlisle (thirty miles southwest).

Important neighbors: Lord Fitz-Hubert; Baron Naworth; Abbot Geoffrey; Hexham Priory; AlexanderNixon, chief of the Nixons

Saxon magi, displaced by the Norman invasion of England, founded the covenant of Horsingas in 1073. Their original purpose was to regain the throne of England for Edgar Atheling, the Saxon heir-apparent dispossessed in 1066, but with his death, the covenant lost heart. Instead, they set out to make the borderlands uninhabitable for the Normans. To this end they have raided south across Hadrian's Wall, as well as attacking the Norman keeps that have sprung up in the Lowlands.

Horsingas is close to being declared a renegade covenant, because the members ignore the strictures of the Order of Hermes against interfering in mundane affairs. However, they have the only quaesitor in the tribunal, Whitburh, as a member. Though she does not generally participate in raids, she turns a blind eye to the activities of the more hot-headed members of the covenant. Until a quaesitor from Stonehenge or some other tribunal brings the matter up, the covenant will most likely be able to escape retribution from the Order.

The covenant is located in the Cheviot hills along the Tyne river, about eight miles north of Hadrian's Wall. The main area of the covenant is a series of deep caves, excavated by a now-dead Terram specialist. The covenant 15 not likely to expand the caves any time soon, since no one in the covenant is particularly skilled with Terram magic. The covenant I$ Surrounded by low hills, suitable for spying On the surrounding terrain, though none a Prime location for a castle. In addition, the Magi have placed numerous spells: some to sound alarms, others to mislead anyone who is hot a member of the covenant. The covenant has about 50 grogs, known as weardmenn (weardmen, Saxon for "guard"). The covenant has quite a large stable, and the covenant is able f mount all the magi and some of the weard-Menn on their raids.

Origin of the Covenant

The founders of Horsingas were living scattered throughout northern England when William the Conqueror led his victorious knights north in the late 1060s. William's harrying of Yorkshire and Northumbria forced them over the border, where they banded together more out of hatred of the Normans than for any other reason. They supported Malcolm Canmore's foray south in 1070, disguised as scouts and light horsemen. Their spells saved the covenant from the fury of William in 1072 when he invaded Scotland in retaliation for Malcolm's invasion. The magi formally requested recognition in 1073. The covenant has not softened its hatred over the years, as the magi search for their apprentices in areas that feel the oppression of the more brutal Norman lords. The covenant recruits weardmenn from landless adventurers, peasants forced from their lands, or anyone else who has a grudge against the Normans.

Lifestyle

This covenant runs more as a group of allied bandits than a Hermetic covenant or a military camp. The weardmenn indulge in drinking and games, which often leads to fights. The magi scheme and feud among themselves, each one putting forward his or her own plans and targets. There are few women among the inhabitants of the covenant, and these are as mercenary as the men.

The ramshackle buildings put up by the weardmenn are always in danger of collapse, and many prefer to sleep in one of the caves that the magi allow them to use as barracks, Those with delicate stomachs are advised to sleep in the open, since the cave is also the main stable for the covenant's horses and is mucked out only rarely. The magi reserve the deeper caves for themselves, but they are plagued by drippy ceilings and muddy floors. Little escapes contact with the mud and dirt that is so prevalent.

The covenant language is Old Saxon, which the surrounding dale men still understand but which is a dying language elsewhere in England. In addition, the magi have developed a series of code words in Latin, which allows them to discuss raids and targets under the noses of magi from other covenants.

The Inhabitants

The magi of Horsingas are perhaps the least cohesive group of magi in the tribunal, united only by their hatred of the Normans. They pay little attention to research or creating items, other than to aid their fight against the hated foe. Each magus has a grudge against the Normans, but the magi's goals and plans are often at cross-purposes. Leadership of the covenant rests uneasily on three magi, Sir Edwin of Hexham, Whitburh Frithowebba, and Sir Jehan of Surrey. Even when these three cooperate, the other magi of the covenant do not necessarily agree to their decisions.

Despite the internal dissension, the covenant presents a solid front in matters Hermetic, voting as a block in tribunals. This unity has made Horsingas one of the three powers in the tribunal and it has attracted its share of the aonaranan of the tribunal, most of whom wish to expel the "French."

Sir Edwin of Hexham

Though not the eldest of the magi, Edwin is the war leader of the covenant because of his martial ability and understanding of the Norman mind. He was raised by Sir Guilleme de Fontnevoy, Lord of Hexham, who is notorious for his harsh ways. Edwin was knighted, but a quarrel with his lord forced him to flee from England. Aelfred of Little Downing found him as he wandered the countryside alone. Aelfred recognized his power for what it was and took him to the covenant. Here Edwin trained in the arts of the Order and fanned the flames of his hatred for the Normans. Edwin and Sir Guilleme have a running feud, which has not yet been resolved.

Edwin is rarely without his armor and weapons. His face is scarred by years of combat, and his icy blue eyes are turned in contempt on most people. Women find his rugged face and fair hair irresistible (much to his dismay), but men either hate or fear him. Edwin takes the initiative in conversations and rarely relinquishes it.

nE Edwin rides his horse, Heard Healu (he. ard he-alu, Bad Health), into combat. The horse has had Steed of Vengeance (MuAn 20) cast upon it permanently. The sight of Heard Healu crashing through lines of foot soldiers has given the beast a reputation of being even more fierce than its rider. Edwin is the only one who can care for Heard Healu, as it is combat-trained as well as enchanted.

Spells of Edwin's Invention

Rally the Defeated Troops (Rego Mentem 20) Spell Focus: Banner or flag (+5) R: Near/Sight, D: Special, Conc.

The targets of this spell are those under the command of, or lead by, the caster, When first cast, the spell will rally troops, stopping retreats and routs, and clearing the minds of the targets of fear and depression. It imparts +3 Brave and +3 Obedient traits (or augments already existing ones) for as long as the caster advances against the enemy. An unwelcome side effect of the spell is that if the caster retreats without having first dropped the spell, the personality traits imparted by the spell reverse to Cowardly +3 and Rebellious +3.

Sharp Shriek ofPain (Perdo Córporem 20) Spell Focus: A human ear (+1), a sharp spike (+1), both (+3)

R: Near/Sight, D: Moon/Inst.

The spell creates a sharp, stabbing pain in the ears and punctures the eardrums. The target cannot hear for the duration of the spell.

Sure Strike of the Sword (Rego Corporem 20) Spell focus: Broad Sword (+2) R: Touch, D: Conc./Sun

This spell imparts the target person with +2 weapon skill with the particular weapon he or she was holding at the time the spell was cast. Casting requisites: Terram and, depending on weapon, Herbam.

Trap the Treacherous Tongue (Rego Cérporem 15) Spell Focus: A muzzle (+2) R: Near/Sight, D: Conc./Moon

The target's mouth is held shut with a strength equal to the caster's Strength +1, so that no sound other than a whimper may escape his or her lips. A concerted effort (opposed Strength rolls) allows the target to open his or her mouth enough to take food or drink of water. One other person may add his or her Strength score to the target's to try to physically pry open his or her mouth.

Edwin of Hexham, House Tytalus

Age: 35
Size: 0

Characteristics

+2 Int (crafty) -1 Pre (scarred face)

-1 Per (nearsighted) +2 Com (lifting spirits)

+2 +2 Str (lifting) 0 Dex

0 Sta (persevering) +1 Qik (running)

Personality Traits

+2 Angry, +3 Betrayed

Confidence

3

Virtues & Flaws

Affinity with Córporem +3, Inspirational +1, Knight Errant +1, Magical Companion (horse) +2; Curse of Venus -2, No Sigil -1, Orphan -1, Outlaw (northern England) -4, Personal Hatred (Guilleme de Fontnevoy) -1. Personal Hatred (Normans) -1. Short-lived Magic -2, Wild Magic -2

Reputation

Saxon Witch (English nobles) +2, Bloodthirsty (English soldiers) +2

Abilities

Affinity with Córporem (Perdo Córporem) 4, Alertness (with helmet) 1, Concentration (under pressure) 2, Hermes History (and mundanes) 3, Hermes Lore (late-maturing magi) 2, Intimidation (threats) 1, Lance Attack (against mounted opponents) 3, Leadership (raids) 4, Mace Attack (against mounted opponents) 2, Magic Theory (Parma Magica) 5, Parma Magica 4, Ride (attack) 3, Scribe Latin (no frills) 5, Shield Parry (mounted) 3, Speak French (Norman) 3, Speak Latin (Horsingas code) 5, Speak Saxon (rallying) 5

Techniques and Forms

3 Cr 2 An 0 Ig

0 In 2 Aq 0 Im

0 Mu 0 Au 5 Me

9 Pe 9 Co 0 Te

8 Re 0 He 1 Vi

Spellcasting Information

Spellcasting Speed: +1 (-3 in armor)
Twilight Points: 8
Effects of Twilight: None
Wizard's Sigil: Colored strands of light pass from his fingers to the target. The color depends on the arts used.

Spells Known

Rally the Defeated Troops (ReMe 20) +14. Sharp Shriek of Pain (PeCo 20) +23. Sure Strike of the Sword (ReCo 20) +21, Trap the Treacherous Tonque (PeCo 20) +23, Endurance of the Berserkers (ReCo 15) +21, Panic of the Elephant's Mouse (ReAn 15) +10, Rusted Decay of Ten-score Years (PeTe 15) +9, Unseen Porter (ReTe 15) +8, The Wound that Weeps (PeCo 15) +23, Bind the Wound (CrCo 10) +16, Eyes of the Cat (MuCo 10) +13, Grip of the Choking Hand (PeCo 10) +23, Sight of the True Form (InCo 10) +13, Curse of Rotting Wood (PeHe 5) +9, Destroy Fur and Hide (PeAn 5) +11, Invocation of Weariness (PeCo 5) +23

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry Dodge Defense: +1/-2

Lance Totals: +8 +5 +13 -5 Soak: 0/+7

Mace Totals: +2 +6 +9 -5 Fatigue: 0/-3

Shield Totals: -3 -2 -1 +7 Encumbrance: 0/-3 in Armor

Weapons, Armor, and Items

Helmet, knight shield, lance, ring hauberk, sword, broad sword enchanted with Edge of the Razor (MuTe 5)

Heard Healu - Edwin's Magical Horse Companion

Magical Might Size

17 +2

Characteristics

-4 Cun (stubborn) +2 Pre (demonic)

-1 Per (stolid) n/a Com

-5 Str (muscular) -4 Dex (large)

+4 Sta (enduring) -4 Qik (heavy)

Virtues and IFlaws

Clumsy -2, Hardy Convalescence +1, Tough +1

Reputation

Fiercer than Edwin (covenant, English soldiers) +4

Personality Traits

-5 Angry, +3 Stubborn

Combat Totals

Weapon Ist Atk Parry Dam

Kick Totals: +4 +9 - +15

Bite Totals: +3 +4 - +10

Dodge Defense: -2
Soak: +18
Fatigue: +9
Encumbrance: 0

Badu Levels

OK, 0/0, -1/-1, -3, -6, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, 0/0, -1/-1, -3, -6, Unconscious

(Abilities)

Ferocity (ridden in battle) 4, Track (men) 2

Vis

Two pawns of Animal vis in teeth.

Ferocity

'An animals "Ferocity" describes the circumstances during which the animal is especially ferocious (given in parentheses) and the degreeof its ferocity (from 1 to 10). Add this number to the creature's attack rolls when it's in the indicated circumstances.
For example, Heard Healu has "Ferocity (ridden in battle) 4". When ridden in battle it gets +4 on all attack rolls.

Whitburh Frithowebba, Quaesitor

Left to starve in a forest in Shropshire because the lord of her village believed her to be a witch, Whitburh was found by a wandering quaesitor from the Rhine Tribunal. Whitburh retained a hatred of the Norman overlords of her homeland, and after her initiation as a maga, she returned to England. At the Stonehenge tribunal of 1179 she met Ealwynn of Keswick. Whitburh found a kindred spirit in Ealwynn and joined the covenant of Horsingas. Soon afterwards the only other quaesitor in the Loch Leglean Tribunal died investigating rumors of collaboration between a covenant and the Order of Odin.

As the only quaesitor in the tribunal, Whitburh has been able to mask the more heinous crimes of her covenant. She has gathered a lot of blackmail material on the greater covenants of the || tribunal, especially Crun Clach and Clan Mac Gruagach. She is unwilling to use this information, as a complaint by these covenants to the Order at large would surely invite an investigation of the entire tribunal, and Horsingas' position would be precarious indeed. Whitburh tries to impress upon magi new to the tribunal the importance of her friendship.

Raedbora (ray-edbora, Counselor) is Whitburh's raven familiar, and Whitburh has picked up the raven's delight in shiny objects and the habit of "flicking" her arms. Whitburh's rooms are a mess of shiny objects she has filched or found, and the two can often be found together examining their "treasures."

Spells of Whitburh's Invention

Awaken the Leafy Warders (Intéllego Herbam 35)
Spell Focus: A leaf carried in the caster's ear for 12 hours (+3)
R: Near, D: Sun/Moon

Cast upon the plants surrounding the caster, the spell causes the plants to notify the caster if specified conditions are met. Plants will not recognize a specific person and cannot read heraldry, so can only tell of "the approach of a horse" or "many men," not of "the Lord Henry of Chester" or "the garrison of the castle." The caster must specify what the plants are to look for, and it is up to the storyguide to determine if the plants can follow the instructions. If they cannot, then they will either do nothing or notify the caster every time anything over Size -4 moves past: "There is a squirrel approaching; here comes a fox; a hawk is flying overhead; there is a man approaching; many deer are passing by." The caster must use a leaf from the plants so enchanted as an arcane connection for the spell to work when he leaves the area. If an arcane connection is not used, then the caster can only hear the plants when at Near range.

Dry Rot of a Hundred Years (Perdo Herbam 15)
Spell Focus: A piece of wood with dry rot (+1)
R: Near/sight, D: Inst.

This spell will destroy ten paces of palisade, gate, or other wooden structure, The wood will look unchanged until hit, trodden on, or otherwise disturbed, whereupon it disappears in a puff of dust and wood chips.

Figures Through Fire and Fumes (Intéllego Ignem 15)
Spell Focus: A one-inch crystal sphere (+4)<br R: Self/Touch, D: Conc./Sun

Allows the caster to see clearly into a fire, through the ripple of heat waves and the smoke.

Impair the Hound's Nose (Perdo Animal 20)
Spell Focus: A pinch of pepper (+2)
R: Near/Sight, D: Moon/Inst.

Destroys an animal's sense of smell. Most dogs or other animals that depend on their sense of smell will be frantic for at least five minutes when this spell is cast on them.

The Unhearing Ear (Perdo Córporem 20) Spell Focus: A bit of wax (+2) R: Near/Sight, D: Moon/Perm.

The target's ears slowly fill with congealed wax (which replenishes if removed). The target feels no pain or other sensations, but goes deaf in the space of a half-minute and continues so until the spell ends or is dispelled.

Whitburh Frithowebba, House Quaesitor

Age: 64
Size: 0

Characteristics

"+3 Int (intuitive) 0 Pre

+1 Per (detection) -2 Com (curt)

-2 Str (weak hands) -1 Dex (stumbling)

+1 Sta (concentration) +2 Qik (limber hands)

Virtues & Flaws

Aptitude (+1 with serfs) +2, Exceptional Talent (Magical Sensitivity) +1, Knack (+4 with investigation) +2, Piercing Gaze +2, Quaesitor +1, Strong-willed +1; Clumsy -2, Criminal Brand -1, Fury (injustice to serfs) -3, Lack of Control -2, - Minor Deficiency (Auram) -1, Minor Deficiency (Herbam) -1

Personality Traits

Hates Normans +2, Loyal to Horsingas +3

Confidence

3

Reputation

Blind to illegal activities (Loch Leglean Tribunal) 3 +3, Has the dirt on other magi (Loch Leglean Tribunal) +3, Shady (House Quaesitor) +1

Abilities

Alertness (movement) 3, Area Knowledge—Borders (people) 3, Area Knowledge—Scotland (covenants) 2, Church Lore (local clergy) 3, Concentration (shared senses) 1, Dodge (spears) 4, Evaluate Horses (stamina) 2, Finesse (Intéllego) 2, Folk Ken (Borders) 3, Hermes Lore (British Isles) 4, Hermetic History (British Isles) 3, Hermetic Law (loopholes) 6, Magical Sensitivity 3, Magic Theory (Intéllego) 6, Norman (English) Law (jurisdiction) 2, Parma Magica (Ignem) 4, Ride (chase) 3, Scottish Law (foreigners) 3, Scribe Latin (analysis) 6, Search (writing) 2, Shield Parry (swords) 1, Speak Norman French (questions) 3, Speak Saxon (questions) 4, Sword Attack (retreating) 1

Techniques and Forms Spellcasting Information

7 Cr 14 An 5 Ig Spellcasting Speed: +4

25 In 6 Aq 15 Im Twilight Points: 5

6 Mu 7 Au 10 Me Effects of Twilight: Minor deficiency in Herbam

20 Pe 10 Co 19 Te Wizard's Sigil: All persons in a three-foot radius feel their skin tingle

5 Re 12 He 10 Vi

Spells Known

Awaken the Leafy Warders (InHe 35) +36, Scrying Pond (InAq 35) +32, Summoning the Distant Images (InIm 35) +41, Voice of the Lake (InAq 25) +32, The Ear for the Distant Voice (InIm 20) +41, Image from the Wizard Torn (ReIm 20) +21, Impair the Hound's Nose (PeAn 20) +35, The Unhearing Ear (PeCo 20) +20, The Call to Slumber (ReMe 15) +18, Dry Rot of a Hundred Years (PeHe 15) +31, Enchantment of the Figures Through Fire and Fumes (InIg 15) +31, Invisibility of the Standing Wizard (Pelm 15) +36, Unseen Porter (ReTe 15) +16, Whispering Winds (InAu 15) +33

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Sword Totals; +5 +4 +6 O (6) Dodge: +6

Shield Totals: 0 0 -7 +3 (9) Soak: +9

Fatigue: +1

Encumbrance: 0

Weapons, Armor, and Items

Robes enchanted with Strengthen the Shielding Sark (MuHe 20) to Protection 8, rock crystal globe, sword, +5 to all Intéllego spells.

Racdbora - Whitburh's Raven Familiar

Magical Might Size

3 -3

Characteristics

+2 Cun (clever) -1 Pre (obnoxious)

+2 Per (quick eye) -2 Com (squawks)

-3 Str (small) +3 Dex (acrobatic)

+1 Sta (tireless) +3 Qik (impulsive)

Virtues and Flaws

None

Reputation

None

Personality Traits

+4 Mocking, +2 Orderly

Confidence

3

Combat Totals

Weapon lst Atk Parry Dam

Swoop Totals: +8 +6 - +1

Dodge Defense: +10
Soak:0
Fatigue: O
Encumbrance: 0

Body Levels

OK, -3, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, -3, Unconscious

Abilities

Concentration (shared senses) 2, ReadLatin (Whitburhs handwriting) 3, Scan (shiny objects) 3

Bond Cords

Bronze Cord (body) 1, Gold Cord (magic) Z, Silver Cord (mind) 2

Bond Qualities

Independence (Raedbora acts in her own best interests in most circumstances), Shared Senses (Raedbora and Whitburh may use each other's senses with a Perception + Concentration roll of 9+), Unlimited Bond (all powers and cords work at any range)

Vis

Two pawns of Auram vis in feathers

Giuseppe Del Mato, House Flambeau

Giuseppe was born in southern Italy. His family was slaughtered by a Norman lord, but Giuseppe managed to escape and make his way to the covenant of Magvillus in Italy. There Giuseppe trained in the arts, and he soon showed a fondness for Perdo magic. After completing his apprenticeship, Giuseppe wandered throughout Europe. He traveled with a number of mercenary bands, eventually joining the army of William the Lion in his English invasion. He quarreled with his Scottish patron and found his way to Horsingas, where he was welcomed for his expertise in war.

Giuseppe often gets into scraps with nobles, especially Normans, a breed for whom he has nothing but hatred. He rarely uses his magical skills in flashy ways; instead, he prefers to use them to subtly augment his own effectiveness. He is attended at all times by Dent Coccinus, his mastiff familiar. Giuseppe has picked up the unconscious habit of growling, showing his teeth, and raising his hackles when he is threatened or when trying to intimidate his opponents. Dent Coccinus wears heavy leather body armor anda spiked collar on raids.

Sir Jehan of Surrey, House Jerbiton

Sir Jehan's family was of old Saxon blood and was granted lands by William Rufus of England for its aid in suppressing a number of Saxon rebellions. He was a squire to Sir Oswald of Alfreton, who was another Saxon nobleman and an old friend of the family. Sir Oswald was secretly a rebel against the Norman overlords, and he instilled in Jehan a hatred of the Norman masters. Jehan went mad when he saw his real father kill Sir Oswald in a botched raid. He was taken in by the maga Drusela of Blackthorn. A knock on his head had awakened his latent talent for magic, and Drusela was pleased to teach him all her arts. Unfortunately, the crack on his head also scrambled his memory. He thought himself to be the son of Sir Oswald and swore vengeance on the slayer of his "father." On his twenty-first birthday he slew his real father in church, before the altar. He was captured and sentenced to death; but he managed to escape by means of his magical arts, and returned to Drusela. He was cast out by Drusela, but met Cynewulf Gryreleoth, a magus of the covenant of Horsingas.

His studies were completed under Cynewulf, and after his initiation he stayed on at Horsingas, aiding the magi in their struggle to overthrow the Normans. Jehanclaims the name and rank of his "father" and believes himself to be a belted knight, though he cannot remember when the ceremony of knighthood took place. He cannot recall the truth about his birth, though a bout with twilight might shake the memories loose. He holds himself above the "rabble" of Horsingas, deigning only to speak to Sir Edwin, whom he holds in some esteem.

Ealwynn of Keswick, House Bjornaer

Ealwynn is a short woman, with strong connections to her heart-beast form, the stoat or ermine. As a child she was considered by her parents and their neighbors to be bewitched. At the age of five she was kidnapped by Hosvir Goatlegs, an itinerant Bjornaer mage, who raised her as his own child. He trained her in the magical arts once she was old enough to comprehend the lessons. Ealwynn was content to travel with Hosvir, visiting both sides of the border. The two magi rescued Coenwulf, who joined the pair in their wanderings. Hosvir was killed and eaten by Norman soldiers while in his heart-beast form (a goat). Running away from the remains of her mentor with tears in her eyes, Ealwynn swore to avenge him on the Normans. She and Coenwulf joined Horsingas, and soon she hada reputation as a bloodthirsty killer, quite literally. When Coenwulf declared his passion for her, she pledged her troth to him, and the two have been common-law husband and wife since.

Her magic, as well as her appearance, is regulated by the seasons. In the summer she enjoys increased ability with Creo, Corporem, and Animal arts, while her Perdo, Ignem, and Imágonem are reduced. In the winter the affected arts are reversed. The arts gradually turn during the spring and fall, and on the equinoxes all the arts are at their "base" level. Her beast form and her hair also follow this transition: in the summer she is a darkhaired woman anda stoat; during the winter she is white-haired and an ermine. Targets of her spells feel the pain of bites, and she specializes in Perdo, Animal, and Córporem. Several times she has been seen lapping at the blood of her victims after battle.

Coenwulf Eofurcumbol, House Bjornaer

Coenwulf was ugly as a child and was treated badly by his home village. He ran away and hid in the deep forest. Here he discovered that by wishing hard enough he could actually turn into a savage boar. In this form he hunted the Norman foresters and the villagers who had treated him so badly. One evening, as twilight was falling, he ran into an old man and a young woman: Hosvir Goat-legs and Ealwynn. They took pity on the poor confused creature that was neither a boy nor a pig and trained him in his abilities.

The boy fell in love with Ealwynn, even though she was nine years his senior. When Hosvir was killed, Coenwulf joined Ealwynn in her quest for vengeance. As he grew into his powers and his manhood, he professed his love for Ealwynn, who returned his rough affection. Since that time, they have been inseparable and usually appear together: the small, delicate woman and the hulking brute of a man.

Coenwulf found an old Saxon helmet, one surmounted by the brass figure of a boar. He admired the helmet so much (it even fit!) that he took it and made it into the focus for his magic. It is enchanted to change when he does and provides several other abilities. It is from this helmet that he took the name Eofurcumbol: Boar Helm. His face was affected by a botch while he was still untrained, and as a result he sports a magnificent set of tusks, with which he is quite adept in combat. He has all the subtlety and tact of his heartbeast and the power to back up his rudeness.

Aelfred of Little Downing, House Tytalus

An old man who has not joined in a raid for a long time, Aelfred was at one time the head of the covenant, a position now held jointly by Jehan, Whitburh, and Edwin. Bitter at his removal from the chieftainship, Aelfred now sits alone in his cave, muttering over his accumulated treasures. Even as short as five years ago, Aelfred was a vigorous magus who rode with the best of them. But then something went terribly wrong with his longevity potion, and he turned from a hearty man of apparent age forty-five to a withered husk in the matter of a few weeks.

Aelfred was apprenticed at Horsingas back when it actually looked like a Saxon pretender to the English throne had a chance.

Over the years Aelfred has seen many causes come and go; the current goal to rid Scotland of the English is just one more in a long line of hopeless causes. He is saddened that not one of the noble goals he had as a youth ever came to fruition. Instead, the covenant is no better than a band of common brigands and murderers. They are outlaws in their home. land of England, reduced to raiding monasteries and caravans for supplies.

Covenfolk

There are very few actual servants in the covenant, a few camp followers serve the needs of the weardmenn, and a few men too old or infirm to wield weapons help out in the hope of a handful of scraps at dinner.

Weardmenn

The magi of Horsingas use terms from Old Saxon for their grogs, so they control a duguth of weardmenn, rather than a turb of grogs. The duguth consists of fifty warriors, of two types. Thirty-five are foot soldiers much like any in England, while fifteen are light horsemen from the surrounding Border families. The footmen are armed and armored with equipment plundered from their opponents, so armor ranges from chain hauberks to no armor at all, with the majority of the footmen in cloth gambesons, and helmets. All the foot soldiers are trained to use a one-handed spear, and in addition may carry hand weapons of any sort. The horsemen are all skilled riders mounted on the dale ponies prevalent in the Border region. They are equipped with a spear, shield, and sword, and wear leather or cloth armor with an iron helmet. They are especially good at harrying the heavier Norman cavalry, and often use a feigned retreat over marshy ground to mire their opponents.

The weardmenn are divided among the warlike magi. Edwin of Hexham commands a group of eight horsemen and ten footmen. Coenwulf has a group of six men and one woman, who pride themselves on their ferocity and are known as the baresarks. They wear no armor, but work themselves into a fury before battle. While only two of them actually have the "Berserk" Virtue, all of them try to outdo each other in ferocity. Sir Jehan commands the remaining horsemen and a dozen footmen, who wear his colors and carry his badge on their shields. Seven footmen are skilled in the use of the crossbow and serve under Giuseppe Del Mato.

There are group rivalries among the four divisions, especially between the two groups of horsemen and between Jehan's footmen and the baresarks. Fighting between the groups is allowed, but only barehanded. If anyone draws a weapon, that person is subject to the ire of the magus whose weardmenn he or she strikes.

Security

The covenant relies much on its out-of-the-way location for defense, as well as lookouts posted on the surrounding hills. If a hostile force actually did manage to find the covenant, the weardmenn and other servants would be out of luck. There are only a few poor shacks to shelter in at the best of times, and an invader would find them little hindrance. The magi, on the other hand, have quarters in the caves, constructed long ago, and the entrances are well-protected by spells. Only a powerful group of magi could hope to enter the caves against the spells of the covenant; no mundane force would have a chance.

The Nixons surround the covenant, and they also provide security against English or Scottish troops who would follow the magi. The Nixons even provide mounted men on occasion. Should a concerted effort be made to crush the covenant, however, the might of the Nixons would probably be elsewhere. though they demand tribute following raids, '

Resources

The covenant has few true resources, Other than what can be stolen from its neighbors. The glassware in the laboratories came from a raid several decades ago, the vellum and writing supplies are raided from abbeys and monasteries, and the cash reserves are from raided tax collectors. The Grea around the covenant provides some Vis, notably Herbam and Muto, but the Magi find that they have to raid farther and farther afield to maintain their stocks of other forms. The Isle of Man is an inviting target for their vis-hunting, but because of their "wanted" status in Carlisle, it is difficult to hire a boat and crew.

Outside Relations

The Fitz-Hubert familyhas a steady hatred for individual magi. Henry Fitz-Hubert, Baron Egremont, once tried to imprison Giuseppe Del Mato, and several of his men were killed by the mage in the failed attempt, while his uncle Guy, Baron Naworth, has borne the brunt of many raids and schemes. Guilleme de Fontnevoy is a knight owing fealty to Guy, and his castle and men are often marked by Edwin for special attention. Abbot Geoffrey, related by marriage to the Fitz-Huberts, is the Abbot of Hexham Priory, which is frequently raided for candles, wax, vellum, and other supplies.

Alexander Nixon, the head of the Nixon family, is a friend of the covenant, and his men sometimes ride with the weardmenn. Long association with the covenant has made the Nixons wealthy, as they demand' tribute from the covenant after each raid the raiders must cross Nixon land to reach England. Alexander is canny, however, and never demands too much of the booty, even allowing mere token payments when raids have gone awry. The Nixons have stopped English troops who claimed the right of "hot-trod" while following the magi.

Storytelling

The magi of the covenant know that they are breaking the Code of the Order. They depend on the fact that the only quaesitor in the tribunal is one of their own and that the other covenants are tied in a web of deceit and blackmail. Horsingas is a covenant for those players who want to have adventures with a heavy combat component. How the covenant is viewed by the players will have a large effect on how the covenant acts. Are they patriots defending their country against the aggressions of the Anglo-Norman government ofEngland, or magical thieves, plundering the rich (maybe even giving to the poor)? Stories revolving around raids and defense, with side trips into tribunal politics, will figure heavily in any saga.

Story Idea

The complaints against the magi of Horsingas have finally made an impression on Bilera, the prima of House Quaesitor. She assembles a team of one or two quaesitoris and several magi of a warlike bent. The characters are chosen because of their service to the House or their special talents. The team must investigate the allegations against the covenant of Code-breaking. Once the team reaches Scotland, the careful web of blackmail and deceit upon which the tribunal rests starts to unravel. Whitburh will make good on her threats to spill secrets about other covenants to the quaesitoris. It is possible that the tribunal will band together in the face of the threat of external scrutiny. A united tribunal might even decide to secede from the Order, returning to the concept of the Ordo Miscellanea. Alternatively, the magi of Crun Clach or Mac Gruagach might see an opportunity for eliminating the fractious Sasunnach (SAS-un-uch, Saxons).

The actions and even the nationalities of the quaesitor team may have a big impact on the investigation. Norman characters are made to feel distinctly unwelcome. Sir Edwin or Sir Jehan may challenge other knights among the characters to a joust, a l'outrance (to the death). Characters displaying anti-Norman sentiments may find themselves approached by the covenant, which is looking for allies. While not likely, it is possible that the covenant may decide that the quaesitoris are better off dead, and ambush them in the hills of the border.

How will the characters deal with the problem of not just a rogue covenant, but a possibly rogue tribunal? There are magi in England eager to try the mettle of the Scots, and English nobles hungry for lands in the North. But whatif the Scots ally with the Order of Odin? Can the characters gather enough allies to face the Norsemen as well as the Scots? Will the Hibernian Tribunal stand by while the Order of Hermes lays waste to another Gaelic tribunal? Is the storyguide ready for another Schism War, or will the covenant back down at the threat of Wizards' War?

The Covenant of Crun Clach

Symbol: A hill with a triangular door

Season: Autumn Founded: A.p. 954

Members:

Caitlin Suil Uaine, House Merinita, She is half faerie and seems to be thirty years old (though she is actually 300). She may be the most powerful wizard in the Order. Her daughter is Aine.

Alexander the Lame, House Merinita. He tutors Aine. Despite his name, he is not lame.

Iain Mac Gabhan, House Merinita. The second in command. He partially turns into a pig when he uses faerie magic.

Radislav am Polanach, House Criamon. He has come from Eastern Europe to study the Enigma among the faeries.

Seumas an Cat, House Ex Miscellanea. He is the filius of a magus executed in Hibernia for diabolism.

Freiceadanan (freicudanan, guards): 10

lightly armed sith and men

Magic aura: 3/3/4 Faerie aura: 2/3/6

Magical library: Creo 6, Intéllego 5, Muto 12, Perdo 3, Rego 7, Animal 5, Aquam 5, Auram 3, Cérporem 7, Herbam 10, Ignem 8, Imágonem 14, Mentem 8, Terram 14, Vim 4 Mundane library: Faerie Lore 3, Fabulous Beast Lore 3, History 1

Uncontested vis sources: Animal 4, Aquam 2, Herbam 2, Muto 4, Rego 13, Terram 5 Contested vis sources: Aquam 10, Auram 4, Córporem 2, Herbam 6, Ignem 4, Rego 3, Terram 7, Vim 1

Important neighbors: Various clan chiefs

Crun Clach is inside a sithean (shee-hen, faerie mound), which Caitlin Suil Uaine won in a shinty match in 954. The previous owner of the hill was a moderately powerful prince of the seelie court known as the Prince of the Grey Jerkin. Many of the inhabitants of the covenant are good folk, who were in servitude to the Prince and remained in the hill after Caitlin won ownership.

The hill of the covenant is a gently rounded slope with a "crown" of stones jutting out of the ground about ten feet below the top of the hill. The entrance to the hill can be found most days only by those possessing the means to pierce the glamour that hides the doorway (Second Sight + Perception 8+, Faerie Eyes, Intéllego Imágonem spells of level 10, or the goodwill of the covenant). The doorway, once found, is revealed to be a stone covered with delicate tracery in the Pictish style. The door must be attuned to the visitor, or he or she must be brought through by a member of the covenant. On Beltane, Samhain, and the night of the full moon, the glamour is thin, and anyone may see the door on a Perception roll of 4+. Those who have special abilities can see the door automatically at these times.

Once past the door, the characters are in the lowest level of the regio that the covenant occupies. Here are the stables, kitchens, and quarters of the mortal servants. This level of the regio has a Magic aura of 3 and a Faerie aura of 2. The walls here are hewn out of the natural granite of the hill and have running patterns carved into them. Some rooms are painted, and all have a slightly fey quality about them—disconcerting to the first-time visitor.

The second level of the regio can be entered by any of the sith. They appear to walk down corridors that have no exits, or open doors that did not exist before their arrival and do not exist once they pass. This second level has a Faerie aura of 3 and a Magic aura of 3. The walls are of the purest quartz, fine-veined with traces of gold. The walls glow with a diffused light, illuminating the hall so that there are no Shadows. Here are quarters for the bulk of the court, as well as a number of storerooms for vis and goods.

The last level of the regio has a strength 6 Faerie aura and a strength 4 Magic aura. It is restricted to the magi, and here can be found their labs and living quarters. This level of the covenant is constructed of an intelligent, living stone that is named Am Balla (am ba-la, The Wall).

Am Balla

Am Balla actually exists in the lower levels, but normally does not manifest there. There is no door to the top level of the regio; rather, you ask Am Balla if it would please make an opening so you can enter your lab. The rooms themselves have no fixed position: any room can be reached from any area, if you are polite. Am Balla can speak and will ask a magus permission to open a door into his or her area if someone else asks to enter it. If you annoy Am Balla, you can find yourself locked out of your apartments or be forced to take long detours to reach your lab. On the other hand, those that Balla likes can ask to have their rooms taken to the surface of the hill or even to another level of regio in the hill. The rooms are always part of Am Balla, however, and always have the strength 6 faerie aura. Explosions are not a way to make friends with Am Balla, nor are most Terram magics! Am Balla has a fondness for Volya, Radislov's familiar. He allows Volya to roam through any level he wants (Caitlin does not know this).

Regio

A regio is an area where supernatural power of one of the four realms (magic, faerie, divine, infernal) allows access to multiple places that seem to occupy the same space and share some features. Regio are quite common in areas with faerie auras and give rise to stories of things like hermits' huts in deep woods that hold grand palaces, or stone monuments that allow people to disappear on certain nights.

Origins of the Covenant

The Prince of the Grey Jerkin founded Crun Clach long before the Picts, or even the Broch-builders, came to the shores of Scotland. Here he lived with his people, ruling a court of seelie fairies. The favorite sport of his court was shinty, a game related to the hurly played by his cousins in Ireland. As the years passed and mortals came into the area in bands and families, the court began to use the shinty games as a means of wagering and of determining debts. They always included a mortal in the game, which made it binding on all parties. If the human was on the winning side, the Prince would reward him or her with gold or strange gifts. However, he would give a losing mortal to the sluagh, which would force the poor person to murder and steal before driving him or her mad.

In 954 Caitlin Suil Uaine, a young halfsith maga, challenged the Prince and his court to a game of shinty. The stakes were her youth and her quite-considerable beauty against entry into the court. She gathered together a number of her friends, many of them also magi. The ensuing game lasted two full days, culminating in a win for Caitlin and her team. The Prince, furious at having lost to a band of mere mortals, immediately rechallenged Caitlin. This time the Prince staked a position in the court second only to that of the highest councilors against her youth and beauty. Again the mortals won and again the Prince re-challenged and raised the stakes. After five games, the Prince found himself stripped of his hill, court, and courtiers. Caitlin moved in with her friends. She claimed the third level of the regio as her own and forbade it to the courtiers. To consolidate her gain, she befriended Am Balla, but with what means only she and Am Balla know.

Recent History of the Covenant

Since 954 Caitlin has owned the hill outright, and she has ruled it wisely and well. She has used her own natural longevity and the considerable resources of the covenant to gain control of most of the Lowland covenants. The recent (to her mind) emergence of the Saxons of Horsingas has eroded that control and created yet another power bloc in the tribunal. Crun Clach is popular with visiting Merinita magi, as well as with the occasional lord of the seelie court. Here the faerie and mortal cultures intermix, and strange and bizarre events often take place. The political machinations of Iain Mac Gabhan only spice up the mix, though Caitlin has no fears for her position, due to her friendship with Am Balla.

Lifestyle

The life of the inhabitants of Crun Clach is luxurious in comparison to that in any other covenant in Scotland. The hill is wellfurnished, and the labs are well-appointed. For the magi, space can be had for the asking, and Caitlin is able to expand the lower levels of the regio as well. How she is able to accomplish this no one knows, but as long as she is able to create new space (or remove unwanted areas), they don't mind. Magical rocks placed at convenient areas light the first level

regio. Creating and renewing the stones is part of the obligation each magus has to the covenant. Household chores are performed by the brownies and grochans and other minor faeries who serve the mistress of the hill.

The second level of the regio is even more spotless than the first, as any smudge will show up on the illuminated walls. Here the sith keep their revels and entertainment, just as they did in the "old days" of the Prince's reign. The food here is heavily of a faerie nature, and prolonged exposure to it will change a mortal in unpredictable ways.

The third level of the regio is the strangest of all. The living rock means that there are no corridors; instead, Am Balla creates a passageway to the rooms. Visitors to a magus's quarters must ask Am Balla to open a door to that room. Am Balla will usually only do this after. checking to see that the room's owner will accept the visitor. Even Caitlin cannot force Am Balla to perform a task, and Am Balla has a long memory for both friends and insults.

Inhabitants

Caitlin Suil Uaine, House Merinita

Caitlin is a half-faerie, half-human maga of unequaled power in Scotland, if not the world. Her faerie nature has extended her life to ten times her normal span so that she appears to be a young thirty, instead of the three centuries she actually has lived. She rules Crun Clach with a strong hand, as if she were indeed a princess of the good folk. Caitlin has extensive knowledge of things in and around Scotland, but her knowledge of the greater world is woefully lacking. Her Latin is rudimentary, and she had to learn the alphabet by drawing the letters as if they were pictures. She still has trouble reading Latin, but the few books she has written are reckoned masterpieces of the calligraphic art, reminiscent of the splendors of the ancient Scottish and Irish manuscripts.

Caitlin's two great companions in life are her daughter, Aine, and her faerie dog, Gliocas (glicus, wisdom). Aine is her daughter by Oenghus; nine years old and a flirt, she has started Hermetic training under Alexander. Gliocas has been with Caitlin for two hundred years, but he is getting a little slower lately. Caitlin fears that he does not have too much more time in this world and is preparing for the shock oflosing him when he finally passes away.

Caitlin Suil Uaine, House Merinita

Age: 327
Size: 0

Characteristics Virtues & Flaws

+3 Int (shrewd) O Pre (plain)

+1 Per (sees through guile) -2 Com

-2 Str (grip) -1 Dex (dance)

+1 Sta (concentration) +2 Qik (walking)

Personality Traits

Crafty +4, Fey +1, Miserly +2

Confidence

5

Virtues & Flaws

Faerie Magic +1, Keen Vision +1, Magical Animal Companion (faerie dog) +2, Strong-willed +2, Student of Faerie +3; Minor Discomfort from Iron -2, No Familiar -2, Poor Reader -3, Sensitive to Smoke -1, Weak Writer -1

Reputation

Not to be trifled with (Loch Leglean Tribunal) +5

Abilities

Acting (old) 3, Alertness (sounds) 3, Animal Handling (horses) 4, Animal Ken (dogs) 1, Area Knowledge—Argyle (faeries) 8, Area Knowledge—Britain (faeries) 3, Area Knowledge—Ireland (faeries) 3, Area Knowledge—Scotland (faeries) 5, Athletics (dance) 3, Bargain (tribunal politics) 6, Certamen (illusions) 4, Charisma (magi) 5, Charm (nobility) 2, Church Knowledge (Scottish Church) 1, Church Lore (Scottish saints) 3, Concentration (long periods) 7, Craft Calligraphy (interlaced animals) 5, Craft Cloth (patterns) 3, Craft Stone (bas-relief) 7, Craft Wood (chains) 3, Diplomacy (faeries) 5, Disguise (age) 3, Dodge (rocky ground) 6, Drinking (strong liquor) 2, Etiquette (faeries) 3, Evaluate (vis) 4, Faerie Lore (faerie lineage) 4, Faerie Magic 7 (illusions), Fantastic Beast Lore (faerie animals) 3, Finesse (illusions) 7, Folk Ken (nobility) 5, Forgery (Artwork) 3, Guile (faeries) 5, Hermes History (Scotland) 2, Hermes Lore (Scotland) 2, Humanities (arts) 2, Intimidation (Mortals) 5, Intrigue (tribunal) 5, Leadership (covenant) 7, Legend Lore (Scotland) 5, Legerdemain (stage tricks) 4, Magic Theory (faerie) 8, Parma Magica (Terram) 6, Penetration (Mentem) 6, Pick Locks (in darkness) 1, Play Harp (improvisation) 4, Play Shinty (stealing) 3, Pretend (anger) 4, Ride (darkness) 6, Scan (seacoast) 3, Scribe Latin (calligraphy) 1, Scribe Ogham (names) 1, Search (wilderness) 4, Sing (ballads) 4, Speak English (magic) 3, Speak Gaelic (rapidly) 5, Speak Latin (basic) 5, Speak Norse (lineage) 4, Speak Saxon (threats) 4,Stealth (wilderness) 3, Storytelling (sound effects) 3, Subterfuge (bluff) 4, Survival (seacoast) 6, Swim (ocean) 5, Track (faerie horses) 4

Techniques and Forms Spellcasting Information

34 Cr 33 An 31 Ig Spellcasting Speed: +9

29 In 31 Aq 36 Im Twilight Points: 0

32 Mu 31 Au 35 Me Decrepitude Points: O

30 Pe 29 Co 25 Te Wizard's Sigil: A soft chime sounds; the more powerful the magic, the deeper the tone

31 Re 33 He 29 Vi

Spells Known

Most spells to level 60-70, all faerie spells known to House Merinita

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack —Damage Parry

Caman Totals: +9 +7 +5 +8 (14) Dodge: +8

Soak: +15

Fatigue: O

Encumbrance: Ó

Weapons, Armor, and Items

Cloak of Concealment: Mulm 25; the wearer is hard to pick out against the background (-5 to Scan rolls when still, -2 when moving). Oak wand talisman: +7 protection from storms, +4 control things at a distance, +4 destroy things at a distance, +3 project bolt or missile, +2 repel things; focus for Curse ofCirce (MuCo 30), focus for Panic of the Elephant's Mouse (ReAn 15)
Ring of Plant Mastery (a wooden ring): Allows spontaneous Rego Herbam spells of level 20 or less with no fatigue loss.
Ring of the Sea's Command (a silver band surmounted by an aquamarine): Allows spontaneous Rego Aquam spells of level 25 or less with no fatigue loss; only works on salt water.
Ring to Ward the Fire's Wrath (copper ring surmounted by a ruby): Grants +15 soak against fire, Ignem-based spells, dragon's fire, etc,
Robes of Puissant Might: Protection 15 robes with no encumbrance.

Faerie Powers

Faerie Eyes +0, Faerie Sight 0, Fascination +1, Healing +1, Speak with Animals +1, Very Tough +1
Faerie Sight: As the +1 Supernatural Virtue
Fascination: Those who look at or listen to Caitlin see her as someone whose praise they desire. They are willing to follow reasonable requests. The effect may not be dispelled by magic, except on a personal basis. It is equivalent to a ReMe 25 spell. Caitlin may call on this power at will and need not use it all the time.
Healing: For the cost of 1 fatigue level, Caitlin may heal one body level, either her own or another's. The recipient must make a Stamina roll of 3« to benefit. Caitlin may heal disease the same way.
Speak with Animals: Caitlin may speak with all forms of animals, except for reptiles and dark faerie creatures. The conversations cannot be understood by onlookers.
Very Tough: +7 to Soak

Gliocas - Caitlin's Qu Sith Companion

Faerie Might 10
Size 0

Characteristics

O Cun n/a Pre

+1 Per (sight hound) n/a Com

+3 Str (wiry) -5 Dex (agile)

+10 Sta (untiring) +4 Qik(sprinter)

Personality Traits

-5 Loyal (Caitlin) +2 Patient

Combat Totals

Weapon 1st AtK Parry Dam

Bite Totals: +10 +11 - +8

Dodge Defense: +8
Soak: +14
Fatigue: +10
Encumbrance: 0

Body Levels

OK, 0, -1, -3, -6, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, 0, -1, -3, -6, Unconscious

Abilities

Ferocity (protecting Caitlin) 4, Stealth (following) 5

Powers

Invisibility

Bond Qualities

Independence (Raedbora acts in her own best interests In most circumstances), Shared Senses (Raedbora and Whitburh may use each other's senses with a Perception + Concentration roll of 9+), Unlimited Bond (all powers and cords work at any range)

Vis

Three pawns of Imágonem vis in hide

Alexander the Lame, House Merinita

Alexander was known as "the lame" from his earliest childhood, as he was born with a twisted leg. Even though it has long since been healed, he is still known by this reference to his old ailment. Alexander has an obsession with his body, casting spells such as Disguise of the New Visage and Aura of the Ennobled Presence in an effort to retard aging. His age is seventy-six, but by his body and face he looks to be no more than a vigorous thirty. He researches constantly in hopes of finding magics related to retarding or even reversing aging. Alexander was unable to learn the basics of faerie magic, much to his chagrin. As a result, he strives to create Hermetic spells that mimic the abilities of faerie magic, especially healing and fatigue-removing spells.

He would like to travel to covenants on the continent to compare notes with other magi who also work on the problem of aging, but Caitlin will not fund such a voyage from the covenant coffers. Alexander is currently training Aine, the precocious daughter of Caitlin and Oenghus. She is a lively child, who torments him mercilessly with her games and play. Alexander is frequently torn between his fear of and respect for Caitlin and his natural tendency to swat the child. As yet he has only trained her in one art: Herbam. She is thus unable to cast any spells, which is just fine by Alexander. He plans to teach her the Forms first, before teaching her any Techniques. He hopes that the years it will take will help calm the child, but she has other plans.

Iain Mac Gabhan, House Merinita

Iain was one of Caitlin's apprentices, and even though she gave him the position of second place in Crun Clach, he longs to head up his own covenant. With

Caitlin's longevity, it is unlikely that Iain will ever inherit the leadership of Crun Clach.

lain has been left scarred for life by one unfortunate encounter. He threatened and attempted to bespell a powerful faerie of the unseelie court and only then discovered that his spells would not affect unseelie faeries. The faerie, not at all amused by the attempted spellcasting, cursed the magus. Anytime he uses his faerie-based powers, he will transform into a pig, to a degree in direct propor tion to the power of the spell.

Iain manages day-to-day concerns, as Caitlin does not trust a "mere mundane" to adequately control the basics of life for the covenant. Iain has studied some Latin treatises on agriculture and is trying to improve the yield of both crops and animals. lain feels proprietary about the flocks and herds of the covenant and takes it as a personal insult when one of the Prince's monsters is born (see below). Triath nan Leathad (treeu nan lyaiud, Lord of the Hillside) is Iain's billy goat familjar. He takes as much pride in the goat herd as Iain does, especially as many of the goats in it are descended from him. Triath is a lusty member of his species, and the mystical bond between him and Jain has made lain able to perform the same amorous functions, even at his advanced age. He may be unable to father any children due to his longevity potion, but that does not diminish his appetite!

Iain's Curse
The faerie prince cursed Iain such that for every spell Iain casts that includes faerie magic, he will partially transform into a pig. Every time Iain casts a faerie-based spell, roll on the table, loving chart once for each 5 levels in the spell. Re-roll any duplicates. If Iain ever cast a level 50 faerie spell, he would automatically become a pig.

Roll Result Magical Effect

1 Head Mu Co 20

2 Right Arm MuCo 20

3 Left Arm MuCo 20

4 Torso MuCo 20

5 Right Leg MuCo 20

6 Left Leg MuCo 20

7 Voice MuIm 10

8 Smell MuIm 10

9 Gluttonous +3 MuMe 20

10 Mind of the Beast MuMe 30

The effects of the spell wear off over time; roll once per night to see what transformation is reversed. It would take a Muto Corporem spell of level 50 to restore Iain to human once again, or a dark faerie can reverse the curse if suitable recompense can be found.

Radislav am Polanach, House Criamon

Radislav is originally from Poland. He Studied in Hungary under a magus of House Criamon, who determined that Radislav's best chance of understanding the Enigma lay far to the west, among the faeries of Scotland and England. Crun Clach seemed the best choice for studying the enigmatic sith, and he has made himself welcome at the covenant in many small ways. One of his most useful talents is his ability to defuse tense situations with purposely silly questions, done in a heavy accent. His quest for the Enigma has made him reckless, and he has had a number of bouts of Twilight, usually resulting from eating or drinking faerie foods without asking what they were.

Radislav's familiar is Volya, a ferret he discovered trying to steal his food while he was on his way to Scotland. Volya is a pleasure-loving animal, and with his natural intelligence increased by the mystical bond with Radislav, he has become something of a practical joker. He has even made friends with Am Balla and has virtually unrestricted access to all the private quarters (but not the labs or sanctums, as Am Balla likes the little clown and won't let him go where he may get hurt).

Radislav was able to forge an Enigmatic cord with Volya, besides the regular three cords. This cord grants the Visions Exceptional Talent, and the cord's score adds to any Visions roll. If Radislav can solve a mystery of nature with Enigmatic Wisdom, he gains 1 experience point in Enigmatic Wisdom.

Seumas an Cat, Magus Ex Miscellanea

Seumas enjoys hunting; or, rather, he enjoys the chase and the ability to sneak up on and watch animals. His life is the numerous animals he has trained or rescued, which all live in his rooms in the covenant. Wherever he goes, he is attended by at least two dogs and his wildcat familiar, Sron Dubh (sron doo, Black Nose), With the recent acquisition of Sron Dubh, Seumas has developed a severe dislike of loud noises (especially when he is engrossed in what he is doing). He will whirl on the source of the noise, hissing and spitting like a cat.

Seumas is a possible liability to the covenant: his master back in Ireland was accused of being a diabolist and had a wizard war declared against him. The Flambeau magus in charge of the war was sure that he had accounted for all the apprentices, but he did not know about Seumas. Whitburh Frithowebba, the quaesitor of Horsingas covenant, knows of the connection. She has hinted that she might tell the quaesitoris and Flambeau of the existence of Seumas if charges were ever brought against Horsingas for its anti-Norman actions. Sron Dubh is the only Scottish wildcat ever domesticated (though Seumas will argue the inaccuracy of the word 1/ domes ticated"). He is a fierce mouser and keeps the corridors and storerooms of the covenant free of the mice and rats that Am Balla allows in for amusement. While Sron Dubh still has feral instincts, he is quite willing to enjoy the benefits of domesticity and yet appear aloof to the humans who share his abode. Gliocas, Caitlin's sith dog, particular enjoys sneaking up on Sron Dubh, who tries to act nonchalant whenever he is startled.

Scottish Wildcat

The wildcat cannot be tamed. It attacks any human that approaches it, not stopping until the death or the retreat of the human. The cat is compactly built and is up to three feet long from its nose to the tip of its clubbed tail. Wildcats can weigh fourteen pounds or more and are generally heavier than domestic cats (which also abound in Scotland). A tomcat will kill its own kittens to maintain its solitude. The wildcat hunts mainly hare and vole, but is able to climb and stalk well, even surprising birds on tree branches.

Wildcats are watched for signs of the upcoming weather. If one is seen frolicking, then a storm is soon to come. It can call up the wind by flicking water with its paw, and washing behind the ears will bring rain. Several shapeshifters (Bjornaer, gruagach, or otherwise) in Scotland favor the wildcat for its natural abilities and for its solitary nature.

Scottish Wildcat

Magical Might Size

0 -2

Characteristics Virtues & Flaws

+1 Cun (sly) n/a Pre

+1 Per (nervous) n/a Com

-2 Str (small) +3 Dex (agile)

+2 Sta (feral vitality) +3 Qik (reflexive)

Personality Traits

+3 Cunning, +7 Feral

Confidence

3

Virtues & Flaws

Exceptional Talent (Perfect Balance) +1

Abilities

Climb (trees) 3, Ferocity (disturbed) 3, Jump (distance) 2, Perfect Balance (branches) 5, Stealth (hunting) 7, Swim (fast streams) 1

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry Damage

Bite and Claw Totals: +10 +8 - +4 Dodge: +8

Dodge Defense: +11
Soak: 0
Fatigue: +2
Encumbrance: O

Body Levels

OK, -1, -6, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, -1, -6, Unconscious

Vis

none

Count Gwyridden

The count is a proud, arrogant member of the court and is privately jealous of | Oenghus's popularity and skill. The count's | whole purpose in life is to play shinty, and he spends hours practicing (though he never seems to get any better). His quarters are on the second level of the regio, and he has an entire hallway down which he shoots and dribbles at all hours of the day and night. Gwyridden is fond of the color red, and his outfits are all predominantly that color. When playing shinty, he wears red leather that has been enchanted to repel wood. Gwyridden is not much of a team player, preferring to hog the ball and the glory.

Count Gwyridden, Daoine Sith Shinty Champion

Age: 234
Size: 0

Characteristics Virtues & Flaws

O Int -3 Pre (arrogant)

+4 Per (eagle-eyed) -3 Com (spiteful)

O Str +1 Dex (graceful)

+1 Sta (runner) +3 Qik (reflexive)

Personality Traits

Arrogant +4, Jealous of Oenghus's Popularity +3, Proud +2

Confidence

4

Virtues & Flaws

Knack (+4 with shinty) +2, Lightning Reflexes +2, Self-confident +1; Oath of Fealty (Caitlin) -1, Sense of Doom -3, Sensitive (dirty clothes) -1, Social Handicap (conceited) -1, Susceptible to Divine Power -2, Vulnerable to Bells -1, Vulnerable to Iron -1, Vulnerable to Rowan -1

Reputation

Champion Shinty Player (faeries) +5, Pompous +2

Abilities

Alertness (movement) 3, Athletics (run) 6, Brawl (dirty moves) 3, Climb (cliffs) 1, Craft Wood (caman) 3, Dodge (caman) 5, Faerie Lore (Prince of the Grey Jerkin) 3, Intimidation (running) 3, Leadership (shinty) 3, Play Shinty (shooting) 8, Ride (distance) 1, Scan (hills) 3, Search (running) 3, Sing (victory songs) 2, Stealth (hide) 1, Subterfuge (actions) 2, Survival (hills) 4, Track (people) 3

Faerie Powers

Change Size, Faerie Flight
Change Size: The count may change his Size up or down 2 points (to +2 or -2).
Faerie Flight: The count may fly for 3 miles before having to touch the ground again.

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Caman Totals: +15 +11 +9 +11 Dodge: +8

Soak: +2

Fatigue: +1

Encumbrance: O

Weapons, Armor, and Items

Enchanted caman, leather jerkin

Oenghus Dubh

A distinct contrast to Gwyridden, Oenghus is warm and friendly, often partying to all hours of the night with the other members of the court. Oenghus is the only mortal who lives in the second regio of the hill, but this bothers him not at all. He is popular with both the sith and the mortals of the covenant. While Gwyridden practices and never seems to improve, Oenghus never practices, yet he is still a better player than the count, which is galling to the proud sith. Oenghus played in the last game against the Prince, where he proved his championship mettle. He looks forward eagerly to the rematch, which he hopes will be soon, as he is not getting any younger. Caitlin has promised to create a longevity potion for him; but in any event the effects of the hill have retarded his aging, and he still has many years left—a fact of which he is not aware.

Oenghus Dubh, Mortal Shinty Champion

Age: 31
Size: 0

Characteristics Virtues & Flaws

0 Int +1 Pre (genial)

0 Per +2 Com (articulate)

0 Str (spindly) +4 Dex (poised)

-1 Sta (thin chest) +5 Qik (fleet-footed)

Prersonalitu Traits

Brave +1, Generous +2

Confidence

3

Virtues & Flaws

Gang Leader (mortal shinty players) +2, Knack (+2 at shinty) +1, Long-winded +1, Self-confident +1; Curse of Venus -2, Oath of Fealty (Caitlin) -1, Overconfident -2, Softhearted -1

Reputation

Open-handed +2

Abilities

Alertness (shinty ball) 3, Area Lore—Crun Clach (shinty field) 4, Athletics (run) 2, Folk Ken (shinty players) 2, Leadership (shinty) 3, Play Shinty (scoring) 9

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Caman Totals: +18 +15 +9 +12 Dodge: +5

Soak: +0

Fatigue: -1

Encumbrance: 0

Weapons, Armor, and Items

Caman, wool jerkin

Covenfolk and Freiceadanan

Most of the covenfolk are the faerie retainers who stayed with the hill, rather than follow the Prince ofthe Grey Jerkinwhen he lost his fifth shinty match. Titles abound among the sith; even the lowliest brownie servant claims to be an earl or baron of the court, much to the amusement of the daoine sith, The day-to-day upkeep of the covenant is performed by household faeries. Sometimes their efficiency causes trouble, such as when they clean up after someone who had not finished with what he or she was doing. (The worst punishment for this offense is to have to work at the same task for a long period of time, with no variation in the chore.) The mortal covenfolklive on the first level of the regio and are mostly herdsmen. A few act as guards for the mortal flocks.

All the covenfolk play shinty and make up the covenant's team. However, there are currently two players who do little else but play shinty. Count Gwyridden is a daoine sith and has played the game for centuries. His rival and partner is Oenghus Dubh, a mortal man whose prowess is legendary in the lands of the sith. With one of these two the covenant can win most games; with both, Caitlin is nearly guaranteed a win against the most proficient team. The Prince knows of these two, and his plots often revolve around injuring or luring one to his own side.

The covenant is guarded by ten grogs, called freiceadanan. To these men and women comes the duty of hunting the Prince's monsters (see below). The covenant has not needed armed guards for any other purpose since the late 10th century, when the covenant repelled a raid by Vikings.

Security

The hill is only a hill in the mortal realm, with a crown of stones and gentle sides. The doorway into the covenant is protected by glamour and is normally only visible to those with "uncanny" gifts. The mortal world has no way to attack or affect the covenant. The people of peace, however, can find the entrance easily; and, if they felt it necessary, could mount a serious threat to the magi. Caitlin is careful to keep relations with the surrounding sith on a neutral to good footing. Occasionally, a monster may attack the covenant. Normally these are creations of the Prince of the Grey Jerkin. The covenant has survived these attacks with ease, but one is never sure whena truly terrible monster may attack.

In truth, the only serious threat to the covenant is the Prince, who challenges the covenant to a re-match every few decades. These matches are well attended by the local good folk and even attract faeries from Ireland, England, and France. The Prince is now a pauper, but his team is always filled with adventurous faeries, who stand to gain important posts if he ever regains his hill and throne.

An Caora Dubh (an kooroo doo) - The Black Ram

A typical monster created by the Prince of the Grey Jerkin to harass Crun Clach, an caora dubh was born normally put then killed and ate its mother and ran away into the hills surrounding the covenant. Here, an caora dubh hid and grew, until it attained full growth (as shown above). While it can and does kill and eat any animal, its favorite prey is man. Its preferred method of hunting is to sneak up on unsuspecting herdsmen and push them over a cliffs edge, then descend to eat the body, all except the heart. Like many faeries, an caora dubh takes two times damage from objects made of rowan and must flee from the sound of bells. Because of this, the flocks of Crun Clach wear silver bells, and the people of the covenant carry rowan staves and hooks when out herding in the hills.

An Caora Dubh- The Black Ram

Faerie Might Size

24 0

Characteristics

-2 Cun (hurttul) n/a Pre

+3 Per (keen sense of smell) n/a Com

+2 Str (supernatural) +1 Dex (sure-footed)

+3 Sta (rugged) -3 Qik (ungainly)

Virtues & Flaws

Susceptible to Bells, Susceptible to Rowan

Personality Traits

-3 Bloodthirsty, +5 Cautious

Combat Totals

Weapon 1st Atk Parry Dam

Horn Totals: +6 +9 - +11

Bite Totals: +3 +7 - +8

Dodge Defense: +1
Soak: +7
Fatigue: +3
Encumbrance: 0

Body Levels

OK, Q/0, -1, -3, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, 0/0, -1, -5, Unconscious

Abilities

Climb (cliffs) Z, Ferocity (hunting) 4, stealth (stalking) 5

Powers

Fleece is Protection 4, Invisibility

Vis

Four pawns of Perdo vis in horns; five pawns of Animal vis in fleece

Resources

The covenant's main resources are the dozen faerie horses and the faerie servants that were won along with the hill. The covenant raises sheep and goats nourished by the grass growing on the outside of the hill, which results in some extra-ordinary animals. The Prince of the Grey Jerkin sometimes causes a monster to be born to the covenant's flocks, which then does the

the covenant. When the occurrences of monsters increase, Caitlin knows that the Prince is planning to challenge her once more. greatest damage it can to the inhabitants of

Much of what the covenant needs can be produced or traded for locally, though glassware is rare. However, Am Balla will gladly make containers for potions, as long as the potions do not stain or corrode the rock. The faerie inhabitants of the hill feed on strange and varied foods, for which they trade with other faerie communities.

With its stocks of vis, the covenant can usually trade for any mundane item needed, either with other covenants or by creating trade goods. The mundane animals raised on the sides of the hill are often driven to the fairs of the Lowlands, where they are traded for mortal goods. Magical animals are traded to other covenants or to the faeries.

Each Sith (eck shee) - Faerie Horse

The faerie horses are bred for the use of high faeries of the seelie court. The beasts are magnificent specimens, with regal bearing and spotless coats, and they standa bit larger than mortal horses. Faerie horses can walk or run over water as if it were land and at twice the speed of normal horses. When being ridden in a rade, they have bells entwined in their manes and tails as a protection against unseelie fairies. The only place a mortal is likely to see each sith is at the covenant of Crun Clach, where Caitlin Suil Uaine keeps a stable of about a dozen of the creatures.

Each Sith (eck shee) - Faerie Horse

Faerie Might Size

12 +2

Characteristics

Characteristic Score Characteristic Score

Cun +3 Pre (perfect lines) +3

Per (nervous) +1 Com n/a

Str (powerful legs) +3 Dex (graceful) +2

Sta (long-winded) +7 Qik (fleet) +3

Virtues & Flaws

Faerie Eyes

Personality Traits

Loyal +1, Proud +2

Combat Totals

Weapon 1st Atk Parry Dam

Hoof Totals: +9 +8 - +9

Dodge Defense: +3
Soak: +11
Fatigue: +7
Encumbrance: 0

Body Levels

OK, 0/0, -1/-1, -3, -6, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, 0/0, -1/-1, -3, -6, Unconscious

Abilities

Athletics (Run) 2, Ferocity (predators) 2

Powers

Run on water as on land, ReAn 20, 1 point: The each sith may run across the surface of water as if it were solid ground. In addition, the each sith leaves no tracks behind it, even in the softest earth.

Vis

Three pawns of Rego vis per hoof

Outside relations

The covenant is located in Kintyre, a long peninsula belonging to the kingdom of Man and the Isles, ruled by the Norse king of Man. Most of the surrounding people know of the faerie mound and the rades of the good folk. Any notice that a group of magi would normally attract focuses instead on the sith.

Crun Clach is one of the many covenants that visit the vis-rich Island of Man. Caitlin's diplomacy has averted several conflicts with covenants from the Stonehenge, Hibernia, and Loch Leglean Tribunals.

Storytelling

Life in a faerie mound is not like anything in the mortal world, especially in the higher levels of the regio. Be sure to portray the strange and whimsical nature of a faerie court. Entertainment lasts for several days. There are feasts of wondrous food and drink, and enchantments are taken for granted. The inhabitants can change their form or size from one day to the next. These things all make for a chaotic and baffling, but fun-filled, environment. The demeanor of the inhabitants should fit those involved in a centuries-long party interrupted by periods of minor crisis.

Story Ideas

The covenant is subject to attacks by monsters created or encouraged by the Prince. The freiceadanan normally handle these monsters, but occasionally one is tougher or more cunning than they can handle, and then they must call in the magi. The attacks generally occur once every two to five years, but increase in frequency as the Prince feels the need to issue another challenge. By the time he issues the challenge, the attacks can occur two to three times a year.

The Prince challenges the covenant to a shinty match every twenty to fifty years. Between matches he must gather his team, collect his stake, and harass the covenant (to tire them and attempt to eliminate their team). The Prince has lost every game for the last 250 years and has put himself deeply in debt to the numerous courts and faeries. His stake in the games has not changed in the last hundred and seventy years: a bounty of vis (about 4 rooks worth) against the hill. Between matches, the Prince spends his time in Scotland, 'England, or Ireland, gathering vis or recruiting players for his team. He promises high positions in his court to anyone who plays for him. He gives magical gifts to any mortals who join him, in addition to taking them to Arcadia to pass the time until the game.

Shinty

The rules for shinty are quite simple: The ball must be propelled by the caman: no kicking, hitting, or throwing allowed. Players may not pick up or hide the ball. Other than that, the only rule is that the first goal wins the game. A typical shinty match takes place over the hills between two villages, with no "out-of-bounds" or "safe" areas. For roleplaying a game of shinty, the following game rules are included for your enjoyment.

Shinty Basics

The skill of Play Shinty includes the use of the caman to shoot, dribble, and block the ball. The player may also use the caman to catch the limbs of an opponent, to trip, or to attack. A skilled shinty player is even able to run with the ball balanced on the head of his or her caman. Shinty players may shoot the ball two ways: swinging at the ball on the ground (like in golf) and "lifting" the ball into the air with the caman, then swatting it like a baseball.

Shinty Play

There are several methods to start the game, depending on local custom or agreement between the two teams. In one method, both teams start near their own goals, with one team in possession of the ball. Another has one team drive the ball forward, by either "teeing off" or lifting and swatting. Yet another has a neutral person throw or place the ball between the two teams, who then rush forward to gain possession.

Once the ball is in play, there is neither rest nor time-out periods, though players may retire to regain their breath or get refreshments, or for any other reason, and rejoin the game later. Play continues through, over, or under any obstacles on the field. The only reason to stop the game would be that the players could not find the ball. While it is considered unsportsmanlike and rude, attacking another player is allowed. However, players who resort to this are likely to find themselves the target of the entire opposing team.

Shinty at Crun Clach

The games between Crun Clach and the Prince require a few extra rules. The ball must always be visible and unaffected by magic. However, illusions of the ball are legal. Invisible players may not hit the ball, but may be present on the field.

The field for the game is the broad meadows surrounding Crun Clach. Play is to the first goal, which is the blasted oak on the east side of the hill for the covenant and the standing stone on the west for the Prince. Each team numbers between one- and twodozen players; negotiation determines the number before the match.

Shinty Activities

Activity	Resolution
First Strike	Play Shinty + Qik - Enc + 4 + Stress die
Attack	Play Shinty + Dex + 2 + Stress die
Parry	Play Shinty - Siz + 3 + Stress die
Shoot Distance	(Play Shinty + Str + Stress die) yards
Swat Distance	(Play Shinty + Str + 4 + Stress die) yards
Shoot	Play Shinty + Per + 2
Lift and Swat	Attack -3
Dribble	Attack
Block	Play Shinty - 2
Trip Opponent	Attack vs. Per + Dex
Entangle Caman	Attack vs. Parry -
Balance Ball	Play Shinty + Dex - 5; roll every 10 feet
Steal Ball	First Strike vs. First Strike

Prince of the Grey Jerkin

Faerie Might Size

35 0

Characteristics

-2 Int (stubborn) +2 Pre (lordly manner)

+1 Per (keen) 0 Com

+41 Str (persistent) +6 Dex (nimble)

+1 Sta (vigorous) +7 Qik (lively)

Personality Traits

Haughty +2, Proud +3

Confidence

3

Virtues & Flaws

Ambidextrous +3, Exceptional Talent (Perfect Balance) +1, Gang Leader +2; Curse of Venus -2, Driving Goal (regain Crun Clach) -1, Indentured Servant (squire) +2, Infamous (laughingstock) -2, Obsessed (beat Caitlin) -1, Sense of Doom -3

Reputation

Aloof +1, Laughingstock (faeries) +4

Abilities

Alertness (shinty) 3, Area Knowledge—England (faerie courts) 1, Area Knowledge—Ireland (faerie courts) 1, Area Knowledge—Scotland (faerie courts) 2, Athletics (jump) 3, Bargain (vis) 3, Charm (sly) 2, Climb (Crun Clach) 3, Craft Songs (inspirational) 4, Dagger Attack (First Strike) 2, Dagger Parry (daggers) 3, Dodge (caman) 5, Evaluate Players (shinty) 4, Faerie Lore (courts) 5, Fantastic Beast Lore (British Isles) 3, Intimidation (royal bearing) 3, Intrigue (faerie courts) 1, Leadership (shinty) 2, Perfect Balance (running) 3, Play Harp (own songs) 4, Play Shinty (shoot) 6, Ride Horse (each sith) 3, Scan (shinty) 4, Search (long grass) 3, Shield Parry (claws) 3, Short Sword Attack (First Strike) 1, Sing (own songs) 4, Speak Gaelic (cultured) 6, Spear Attack (horseback) 2, Stealth (running quietly) 3, Scottish Law (foreigners) 3, Scribe Latin (analysis) 6, Search (writing) 2, Shield Parry (swords) 1, Speak Norman French (questions) 3, Speak Saxon (questions) 4, Sword Attack (retreating) 1

Powers

All Auram spells to level 35
Invisibility (PeIm 35)
Shapechange to Hawk (MuCo 35) or Bull (MuCo 25)
Glamour (CrIm 25, can create images up to Size +2)

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Caman Totals: +17 +14 +8 +9 Dodge: +12

Spear Totals: +14 +10 +6 -2 Soak: +19

Short Sword Totals: +11 +11 +6 -1 Fatigue: +4

Dagger Totals: +11 +12 +5 +4 Encumbrance: 0

Shield Totals: +6 +5 -3 +6

Weapons, Armor, and Items

Dagger, helmet, round shield, short spear, short sword, gray leather jerkin (protection 15) repels attacks by wooden objects (ReHe 15). Can change wearer to mist up to three times a day as Cloak of Mist (MuCo 45). Magical caman can drive a ball twice as far as normal and cause it to make two 90° turns in flight (ReTe(An) 15).

The Covenant of Mac Gruagach

Symbol: An otter's head

Founded: A.D. 988

Members:

Calum Mac Lachlan, gruagach, magus Ex Miscellanea. He is a monstrous, old magician and the effective head of the covenant.

Domnhull Beg, House Bonisagus. He was apprenticed to a Bonisagus magus to help integrate gruagach magic with Hermetic magic.

Mungan Mor, magus Ex Miscellanea. He is a beast mage, and he tends the clan's animals.

Mairi Sean, maga Ex Miscellanea. She is a spirit mistress, trained in the Thebes tribunal.

Fearghus Mac Mungan, magus Ex Miscellanea. He is Mungan Mor's filius and is missing a foot.

Aonghus Lamh larran, magus Ex Miscellanea. He is the war leader of the clan.

Nechtan Dubh, gruagach. He was trained by the legendary Brude Deathless.

Important clan members: Donncadh Mac Calum, chief; Lachlan Mac Calum, seanachaidh; Raibert Mac Donncadh, tanist.

Important neighbors: Various clan chiefs.

Magic aura: Average of 3, up to a maximum of 5.

Magical library: Creo 0, Intéllego 10, Muto 10, Perdo 9, Rego 0, Animal 24, Aquam 10, Auram 9, Córporem 7, Herbam 12, Ignem 15, Imágonem 20, Mentem 9, Terram 14, Vim 12 Special: Each time a magus consults the library, roll a stress die. On a botch, 1-10 levels of arts are destroyed.

Mundane library: Church Knowledge 1, Fantastic Beast Lore 1, Hermes Lore 1, Humanities 1, Pictish History 3 Uncontested vis sources: Intéllego 2, Perdo 5, Rego 3, Animal 9, Aquam 3, Auram 6, Córporem 14, Herbam 12, Ignem 2, Terram 4, Vim 4

Contested vis sources: Creo 6, Rego 4, Perdo 5, Animal 5, Aquam 2, Ignem 2, Imágonem 1

Freiceadanan: Entire Mac Gruagach clan, about seventy-five warriors.

The covenant of Mac Gruagach is part of the larger Clan Mac Gruagach (the children of the son of the wizard). Calum Mac Lachlan, a 135-year-old gruagach, is the real head of the covenant. The aim of Calum is to integrate the ancient lore of the gruagachan with that of the Hermetic Order. To this end he has sent a number ofmagi to other covenants. For example, he sent Domnhull Beg to Durenmar, the domus magna of House Bonisagus. Calum and

Aonghus Lamh laran are both officers of Clan Mac Gruagach and must ultimately follow the commands of Donncadh Mac Calum, who is the chief of the clan.

The covenant is organized along the lines of a typical Highland clan, and the covenant buildings are spread throughout Glen Glas, rather than huddled close together. Much of the valley has a Magic aura, which ranges from 0 to 5. Each member of the covenant builds his or her residence on a site that suits his or her magic, with Domnhull living on the only site with an aura of 5. Each house has its own Aegis ofthe Hearth, as the entire glen is too large for one Aegis. In the hills surrounding the covenant are shielings for the summer cattle herding, as well as the houses of the more reclusive members of the clan.

Origins of the Covenant of Mac Gruagach

Clan Mac Gruagach has a long history of magical association, as the name itself suggests. When the Order of Hermes chased Damhan-allaidh into Scotland in 814, the clan already existed, led by a Pictish gruagach named Nechtan Mac Brude, son of Brude Deathless. The clan stayed neutral in the ensuing fight, even when Brude joined Pralix. The clan stayed out of the Order of Hermes until Nechtan's death in 987 and the ascension of his great-grandson Calum. Calum saw the deterioration of the Highland magic. Rather than try to preserve it in its current form (as his great-great-grandfather does), he resolved to integrate Highland magic with magic of the Order. To this end, he appealed for inclusion in House Ex Miscellanea. Once accepted, he started to send Gifted clansmen to covenants in other countries in an attempt to gather enough knowledge that someone of his line could integrate the two traditions. While so far there has been no luck in the attempt, still he hopes.

Lifestyle

To those not brought up in the Highlands, the idea of a covenant ruled by a non-magus might seem risky, if not downright dangerous. The covenant works, however, because of the temperament of the Highlanders who make up this extended family. There are no "magi," "grogs," and "consortes"; there are only members of the family, some of whom happen to have skills in the arcane arts. The work of the seasons of the non-magi is much the same as in the rest of the Highlands. The herds are driven to the hills in spring and back in the fall. Raids against neighbors and guarding against raids take place in the fall. The magi of the covenant aid in these tasks, though some are exempt because of their research.

The Inhabitants

Calum Mac Lachlan, Magus Ex Miscellanea

Calum is the effective head of the covenant (not the clan), though he has abdicated the Hermetic title to Domnhull Beg, who can better interact with the rest of the Order of Hermes. Calum is an old gruagach and has been injured several times; his body is gnarled and fur-covered. His left hand is a withered claw, and he smells of rotting vegetation, especially when wet. Like most gruagachan he is lonely; few of the clan will visit him because of the stench of his body, and he has become quite crotchety in his old age.

He is known to be the true power in the covenant, at least in the Loch Leglean Tribunal. He has a deep and abiding love of his clan and will do much to preserve its members. He has given himself the obligations of aid, counsel, and magical gifts to the clan. In addition, it is he who started sending suitable clan members to other covenants on the continent for training. Only one or two are sent in each generation, but even this influx of other thought is enough to keep the covenant from getting stagnant.

Calum Mac Lachlan, Ex Miscellanea Gruagach, Head of Covenant

Age: 135
Size: +1

Characteristics

+1 Int (knowledgeable) +2 Pre (physical)

0 Per -3 Com (looks of a beast)

+3 Str (grip) -1 Dex (accident-prone)

0 Sta +1 Qik (sure stride)

Personality Traits

Crotchety +2, Concerned for Clan and Covenant +3

Confidence

3

Gruagach Powers

Curse (physical traits) 8, Geasa (specific) 7, Shapeshift (eagle) 10, External Soul

Virtues & Flaws

Adept Student (gruagach magic) +1, External Soul +4, Large +4, Mastered Talent (Shapeshifter) +4, Self-confident +1, Leadership +3; Blatant Gift -1, Hedge Wizard -1, Isolated from Order -2, Lack of Potency -2, Magic Susceptibility -1, Obligation . (three seasons to clan) -3, One-handed -2, Social Handicap (smelly, clothes in rags, wild hair) -1, Weak Magic (Curses) -2

Reputation

Powerful (Loch Leglean Tribunal) +5

Magic Resistance

45

Effects of Gruagach Powers

Magical Air; Blatant Gift; Offensive to Animals; gnarled, heavy musculature (+2 Str, -3 Com); full, heavy pelt of gray-black fur covers entire body (+2 protection, -1 Pre, Social Handicap); left hand is a withered claw ("One-handed" Flaw); smells of rotted vegetation (Social Handicap)

Abilities

Area Knowledge—Clan lands (neighbors) 6, Area Knowledge—Highlands (covenants) 3, Bargain (tribunal) 5, Church Lore (Scottish Church) 2, Direction Sense (woods) 4, Disguise (hide deformities) 1, Divination (clan matters) 4, Dousing (arable land) 3, Drinking (staying alert) 3, Enchanting Music (harp) 5, Entrancement (men) 2, Faerie Lore (unseelie) 5, Fantastic Beast Lore (giants) 4, Farming (seasons) 4, Gift (mental) 7, Gruagach Lore (clan history) 5, Gruagach Wisdom (new Talents) 9, Herbalism (medicinal) 4, Hermes Lore (Ex Miscellanea) 2, Hex (humans) 4, Intimidate (size) 3, Leadership (covenant) 6, Magic Sensitivity (gruagach) 4, Mimicry (birds) 2, Perfect Balance (cliffs) 2, Ride (long distance) 3, Second Sight (faeries) 3, Sense Holy/Unholy (Scottish Church) 4, Shield Parry (one on many) 5, Sling Attack (accuracy) 4, Speak Gaelic (leadership) 5, Speak Pictish (Shapeshift) 4, Spear Attack (one on many) 4, Stealth (woods) 6, Track (men) 4, Transform (to cow) 3, Weather Sense (rain) 3

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Spear Totals: +8 +5 +8 0 Dodge Defense: -2

Sling Totals: Rate 1/round +5 +4 - Soak:+7

Shield Totals: +8 +5 +8 +7 Fatigue: -2

Encumbrance: 0

Weapons, Armor, and Items

Helmet, linen cotte (full armor), sling, shield, spear

Domnhull Beg, House Bonisagus

Son of the chief of the clan, Domnhull was sent to Durenmar, domus magna of House Bonisagus. There he trained in that House's traditions. He is working on integrating the gruagach magical tradition with that of the Order. He hopes that the native Highland magician will not be seen as merely a member of House Ex Miscellanea, but as a worker in a magical tradition of equal honor and status to the Hermetic, He dreams that success in this endeavor will allow him to start a new House in the order, dedicated to the gruagach. He is a brilliant theoretician and will pursue his goal for the rest of his life, but it has so far eluded him.

Domnhull's familiar is Cagair an t-Aile (cager an-tailu, Whisper of the Wind), a male osprey. Cagair often perches above Domnhull's head, reading over his shoulder and making sharp comments when Domnhull dozes or makes a mistake in reading. Cagair also pesters Domnhull to have books and scrolls of courtly romances from Provence brought to the covenant, as he has developed an insatiable appetite for the deeds of lovelorn knights. Cagair has recently discovered the romances of Chrétien de Troyes and has become fascinated with the legends of King Arthur and his knights.

Spells of Domnhull's Invention

Enchantment to Block the Assault ofIron (Rego Terram 20) Spell Focus: Iron ring (+2) R: Self/Touch, D: Conc./Sun

This spell blocks all attacks that have substantial metal (not just iron) components (swords, maces, some axes, etc.). The target of the attacks need not be aware of them. An item (such as the iron amulet that acts as the focus) is enchanted with the spell. The wearer of the object is then protected from the attacks; if the item is removed, the spell is canceled. This item cannot be given to anyone else: it is keyed to the original target of the spell. This spell is incompatible with the Enchantment to Block the Assault of Wood.

Enchantment to Block the Assault of Wood (Rego Herbam 20)

Spell Focus: Wooden ring (+1) R: Self/Touch, D: Conc./Sun

This spell blocks all attacks that have substantial wooden components (arrows, spears, axes, etc.). The target of the attacks need not be aware of them. An item is enchanted with the spell (such as the wooden ring that acts as the focus). The wearer of the object is then protected from the attacks; if the item is removed, the spell is canceled. This item cannot be given to anyone else: it is keyed to the original target of the spell. This spell is incompatible with the Enchantment to Block the Assault ofIron.

Shield ofMystic Might (Rego Terram 35) Spell Focus: Iron and wood ring (+4) R: Self/Touch, D: Sun/Moon, Requisite: Herbam

A combination of the two Enchantment to Block spells, this spell blocks all metal or wooden attacks. Its effects and restrictions are the same as the two Enchantment to Block spells.

Domnhull Beg, house Bonisagus

Age: 109
Size: 0

Characteristics

+3 Int (dedicated) 0 Pre

+2 Per (connections) -1 Com (slurred speech)

-2 Str (decrepit) 0 Dex

-1 Sta (short-winded) 0 Qik

Personality Traits

Driven +3, Diligent +2, No-Nonsense +1

Confidence

3

Virtues & Flaws

Adept Student +1, Enduring Magic +3, Exceptional Talent (premonitions) +1, Hermetic Prestige +1, Knack (+4 with magical theories) +2, Magical Affinity (Vim) +3, Prestigious Family +1; Blatant Gift -1, Deficiency (Auram) -1, Driving Goal (integrate gruagach magic with Hermetic magic) -1, Incompatible Arts (Intéllego Auram) -2, No Natural Resistance -3, Obligation (one season to clan) -1, Rigid Magic -3

Reputation

Family Connections +2, Bonisagus (Order of Hermes) +1

Abilities

Area Knowledge—clan lands (magicians) 1, Bargain (services) 3, Church Lore (Germany) 2, Diplomacy (clan) 1, Enigmatic Wisdom (non-Hermetic traditions) 1, Etiquette (cities) 1, Evaluate Vis (type) 2, Faerie Lore (magic) 3, Fantastic Beast Lore (Highland giants) 2, Finesse (Intéllego) 3, Folk Ken (gruagachan) 2, Gruagach Lore (integration) 5, Hermes History (Dav'nalleous) 4, Hermes Law (other magical traditions) 2, Hermes Lore (researchers) 4, Humanities (science) 4, Intrigue (Bonisagus) 2, Legend Lore (giants) 4, Magic Theory (integration) 8, Meditation (collect thoughts) 4, Occult Lore (curses) 3, Parma Magica (Intéllego) 3, Penetration (Intéllego) 4, Play Harp (meditation) 3, Scribe Latin (classical texts) 6, Speak English (conversational) 1, Speak French (conversational) 1, Speak Gaelic (enunciation) 4, Speak German (magical theory) 3, Speak Italian (conversational) 1, Speak Latin (exposition) 5, Speak Norse (conversational) 2, Speak Polish (conversational) 2, Speak Russian (conversational) 1, Vim Affinity 3

Techniques and Forms

12 Cr 11 An 8 Ig

26 In 10 Αq 5 Im

15 Mu 8 Au 25 Me

12 Pe 15 Co 10 Te

20 Re 10 He 24 Vi

Spellcasting Information

Spellcasting Speed: +3<br Twilight Points: 18
Effects of Twilight: Increased understanding of Córporem, may write up to 2/3 his Córporem score
Blatant Gift
Wizard's Sigil: A slight glow emanating from his eyes. This cannot be seen under most conditions, but may be faintly visible in overcast or twilight conditions and is easily visible in the dark.

Spells Known

Domnhull has had the time to work on any spell he desires and can be considered to have any spell available to his lab totals.

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

None - - - - Dodge: 0

Soak: -1

Fatique: -1

Encumbrance: 0

Weapons, Armor, and Items

Oak staff talisman, +4 Destroy at Distance, +4 Control at Distance, +3 Project Bolt, +2 Repel, +7 Protection from Storms, focus for Obliteration of the Metallic Barrier (PeTe 20), Wielding the Invisible Sling (ReTe 10)
Iron and wood ring, focus for Shield of Mystical Might

Cagair an t-Aile, Domnhull's Osprey Familiar

Magical Might Size

6 3

Characteristics

+2 Int (inquisitive) n/a Pre

+3 Per (strong eyes) n/a Com

+2 Str +2 Dex (nimble)

0 Sta +3 Qik (swift)

Reputation Confidence

None 3

Personality Traits

+3 Fierce, +4 Enjoys Romances

Combat Totals

Weapon lst Atk Parry Dam

Claw Totals: 47 +6 - +3

Soak: -3
Dodge Defense: +8
Encumbrance: 0
Fatigue: +3

Body Levels

OK, -6, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, -6, Unconscious

Abilities

Concentration (reading) 1; Ferocity (hunting) 2; Legend Lore (King Arthur) 2; Read French (romances) 4; Read Latin (from a distance) 5

Powers

Invisibility

Bond Cords

Bronze (body) 1; Silver (mind) 3; Gold (magic) 1

Bond Oualities

Domnhull and Cagair always know where the other is up to 100 paces away. Domnhull and Cagair share magical protection, always using the better of their two Magic Resistances. They may use each other's senses on a simple Perception + Concentration roll of 9+.

Vis

Three pawns of Aurum vis in feathers

Mungan Moor, Magus Ex Miscellanea

Mungan was trained in the traditions of the animal magi of House Ex Miscellanea. He has a deep love and respect for animals of all kinds, but loves best the sheep, goats, and cows that are so essential to Highland life. He is the acknowledged master of the herds and personally drives the herds to the Lowlands each autumn to sell them for the goods desperately needed at home. Though itbreaks his heart to sell "his" animals to the Lowlanders and the English, he knows that the clan must have the proceeds of the sales for its continued existence. Every year he picks up as much laboratory equipment as he can, along with other supplies. He uses his spells to protect the flocks from disease, create fodder, and drive off wild predators. He will use offensive magic against humans only and only when he is unable to protect his flocks any other way.

Mungan spends most of his time with the animals and is known to prefer his herds to human companionship. His familiar, Marbhairn na Gearr-fhiadh (marvarn na gyarria, Hare Killer), is an old, grizzled deerhound. He and Fiacail Geur, Aonghus's familiar, have a long-standing rivalry, which flares up every time they are in the same place. Generally Marbhair na Gearr-fhiadh gets the better of Fiacail Geur, which does not endear either him or Mungan to Aonghus.

Mairi Sean, Maga Ex Miscellanea

Mairi has traveled over much of the world and was apprenticed under a master of spirits in Greece. She learned to summon and control ghosts, and on her return to Scotland she set about trying to learn more of the history of the area. She has summoned many spirits of the Picts, but her magic does not work on Broch-builder ghosts. This fact has annoyed her to no end. She has fixated on the Broch-builders and often summons the ghosts of those who knew them. She once bungled a spell so badly that she was punished by having to spend one season of the year doing nothing but responding to the requests of the clan. This came on top of her other obligations to the covenant. She is looking for grounds to have her punishment repealed, a quest that can lead her to attempt risky summonings.

Mairi is training Diana nam Grechanach, a young Greek girl from the Isle of Boetia. She was sent to Mairi by Demetrios of Athens, Mairi's pater. He sent her to Mairi because his familiar had just died of natural causes and so he knew his own time was coming. Diana has had some training in medicine and is a welcome addition to the clan. She is able to care for the wounded or hurt and assist at birthings.

Mairi's familiar is Geamair (gemar, Gamekeeper), an owl. He spends most of the day sleeping, waking up for the hunt in the early evening and spending the rest of the night with Mairi. Geamair is able to see spirits, thus giving Mairi an advantage in her studies.

Fearghus Mac Mungan, Magus Ex Miscellanea

A cousin of Mungan Mor, Fearghus apprenticed under Mairi Sean. He has focused on the sluagh, the undead host. He has developed a number of spells to protect himself and others from the sluagh and is working on spells to control them. Fearghus has a problem holding his liquor, which dates back to an encounter with a brollachan, one of the shapeless monsters that inhabit secluded lochs and glens. Fearghus was able to escape the creature but lost his foot in the chase. Since then he feels the need of a drink any time he ventures outside at night, when he is going to cast a major spell, or any other time he feels the need of courage. As a result ofhis drinking problem, he has botched several spells, which has brought him close to wizards' Twilight several times. The rest of the covenant members are unaware of his problem, except for Mungan Mor, who brings a few bottles of wine from the Lowlands every year.

Aonghus Lamh Iarran, Magus Ex Miscellanea

Aonghus is the war leader of the clan and as such has great power over its men. He is addicted to raiding, and he lives for the stealthy approach and the lifting of other people's cattle. He has spent much time enchanting his arms and armor, making them lighter and more effective. He normally does not use his magic in a fightbut rather uses it to enhance his own, and his followers', prowess. However, he is not averse to bouts of certamen with other magi, often challenging visitors to "friendly" bouts.

Aonghus's deerhound familiar, Fiacail Geur (fee-acal geer, Sharp Tooth), has much the same temperament as his master. A long-standing feud between Fiacail Geur and Marbhair na Gearran-fiadh has led to a distance between Aonghus and Mungan Mor. Fiacail has yet to establish dominance over the older dog, which Aonghus feels reflects badly on his own prowess.

Nechtan Dubh, Magus Ex Miscellanea

Nechtan was trained by Brude Deathless himself. He is a descendant of Brude's and perhaps the favorite of all Brude's students, While he is not anti-social and can be quite courteous when approached, he is perhaps a bit zealous when he feels that he has been mistreated. He is free with his Curses, but also with his Gifts. He uses Geasa only on those he really takes a dislike to, as he enjoys denying pleasures to his enemies. He is slightly easier to approach than Calum Mac Lachlan and enjoys greater popularity among the clan.

Donncadh Mac Calum

Donncadh wasa hell-raiser in his youth, but the excesses have caught up with him. Though he is only fifty-seven, he has suffered a number of wounds, reducing his once-expert weapon-handling to a mere shadow of his former expertise. His clansmen in the covenant have tried to slow his decline or restore his abilities, but his body is simply too wom-out to bear the burden that he has placed on it. Donncadh looks with fatherly concern on the clan and dreads the day that the clan must pass to Raibert, who is his son and the tanist. He struggles to keep the ambitions of his brother Lachlan in check, hard though that is.

Mairi Falt Ban

Donncadh's wife, Mairi, fell in love with her husband when he was the dashing young man who always had a kind word and a smile for a shy girl. Married in her teens, she has stayed by him even in his worst moods and rages. Mairi is the unofficial leader of the women ofthe clan. She often intercedes with Donncadh for mercy or leniency when his stubbomness threatens to lead to injustice. While not an official member of the clan hierarchy, Mairi has more say in how the clan runs than Aonghus larann Lamh or Lachlan. She projects an aura of calm, often able to defuse tense moments justby walking into the room. She will take no nonsense from the menfolk of the dan, and the prospect of facing her calm wrath will scare even the bravest warrior.

Donncadh Mac Calum, Chief of Clan Mac Gruagach

Age: 55
Size: 0

Characteristics

+1 Int (astute) +1 Pre (craggy)

-2 Per (farsighted) -1 Com (irritable)

O Str -3 Dex (old injuries)

-1 Sta (nagging cough) -2 Qik (stooped)

Virtues & Flaws

Good Arms +1, Knack (+4 with leading the clan) +2, Leadership +3, Strong-willed +1, Wellknown +1; Arthritis -3, Feuds (well-established, demonic influence) -4, Fragile Constitution -1, Poor Eyesight -1, Poor Hearing -1

Reputation

Concerned with Clan 2, Short-tempered 2, Friendly 1

Personality Traits

Shrewd Leader +4

Confidence Decrepitude

3 4

Abilities

Animal Handling (cattle) 2, Area Knowledge—clan lands & neighbors (people) 4, Bargain (animals) 3, Charisma (fatherly) 3, Charm (women) 3, Church Lore (local) 2, Craft Leather (armor) 2, Craft Wood (farm implements) 1, Diplomacy (clans) 4, Dirk Attack (left hand) 2, Dirk Parry (retreat) 2, Dodge (in armor) 3, Evaluate Animals (worth) 4, Faerie Lore (local) 3, Folk Ken (Highlanders) 3, Gruagach Lore (Brude Deathless) 3, Guile (diplomacy) 3, Intrigue (clan politics) 4, Leadership (clan) 4, Legend Lore (local) 1, Pretend (get sympathy) 2, Shield Attack (punch) 1, Shield Parry (axes) 2, Sing (port a bail) 1, Speak Gaelic (commands) 3, Subterfuge (sympathy) 2, Survival (hills) 2, Sword Attack (first strike) 3, Sword Parry (disarm) 1

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Broad Sword Totals: +5/-1 +4 +9 +4 Dodge: +1/+4

Dirk Totals: +2/-4 +3 +5 +3 Soak: -1/+11

Shield Totals: +1/-5 0 0 +5 Fatigue: -1/-7

Encumbrance: 0/-6

Weapons, Armor, and Items

Chain hauberk, helmet, broad sword, round shield, dirk

Lachlan Mac Calum

The younger brother of Donncadh, Lachlan is the clan seanachaidh. He has a vast repertoire of stories concerning the clan and the covenant, and is knowledgeable about most of the supernatural denizens that live in the Highlands. He tailors his stories to his audience, regaling the older members of the clan with stories of the heroes of old. To the younger members he often tells stories of demons, ghosts, and monsters.

Lachlan proceeds under the assumption that he will inherit the chieftainship on Donncadh's death, and he often acts as if he were already chief. He is a font of information on the surrounding lands, clan politics, and feuds, and also has quite a lot of evidence against other covenants in the tribunal. Calum Mac Lachlan, his many-times-great uncle, keeps him up-to-date on tribunal politics. Lachlan is extremely sensitive of the honors due his rank (either as seanachaidh or chief) and is quick to berate younger members of the clan who fail to show "proper respect for their elders."

Raibert Mac Donncadh

Raibert is much as his father was in his early years: a hell-raiser, playboy, and fierce warrior. He has upset a number of fathers with his dalliances, and Donncadh has plans to marry him off before he is killed by a protective parent. Raibert has a reputation for his recklessness, and he deserves it. He has injured himself several times, such as when he broke his ankle while jumping up onto a rooftop. However, he has led a charmed life so far, perhaps because of the friendship he has with Aonghus larran Lamh. He tends to abuse his position and leads a group of five young men who terrorize the surrounding lands with their antics.

Covenfolk and Freiceadanan

The covenant is only part of Clan Mac Gruagach and does not cast the deciding vote in clan matters. Donncadh Mac Calum is the chief of the clan. He is aided by his son, Raibert Mac Donncadh, who is his tanist, and Lachlan Mac Calum, who is his brother and the seanachaidh. Donncadh's wife, Mairi Ban, is the unofficial chief of the women of the clan, and she settles many disputes before the men even know that a problem exists. Calum Mac Lachlan, as head of the covenant, and Aonghus Lamh Iarran, as war leader of the clan, both have a say in the way the clan runs.

The clan has about seventy-five men able to bear arms, a dozen of whom have chain armor and helmet, shields and swords, or twohanded axes. They are well trained in weapon skills. The remainder carry a mix of spears, bows, axes, darts, and dirks. Use the template of the galloglaich in Character Templates for the heavily armored men and that of the clansman for the remainder.

Security

The covenant does not have a single area in which all the members live; rather, it is dispersed throughout the holdings of the clan. During the spring and summer the covenant has its highest security, as the herds are in the higher hills and the population of the clan is in the shielings. Men watch for wolves and cattle raiders from nearby clans, and the entire clan is on the lookout for danger. During the autumn, the herds are back in the valley or on their way to the cattle fairs of the Lowlands. Even so, the clan's living area is well guarded. Only during the long nights of the winter are the clan lands relatively unwatched. As it is rare for any Highlander to venture forth in the winter snows, the clan expects no aggression during this season.

The covenant buildings are of the standard Highland pattern: long, low drystone buildings with thatched roofs. There is one low door in each house and no windows or chimney. Animals are normally kept in the downhill portion of the house, walled off from the human area by a wooden fence. This allows both the animals and

the humans to benefit from the roof and the heat generated by the cows, goats, and sheep. Chickens nest in the rafters, and there is a loft for the older folks as well. The houses inhabited by the magi of the covenant are likely to have wards and spells to keep the inquisitive out. All the clan houses have spells on them to make them more weathertight and sturdy.

Resources

As members of the clan, the covenant-folk may call upon the men for raids or war, especially as the current war chief is a magus. The covenant's spells help augment the animals of the clan and the produce of the fields. With the increased food, the clan is able to support the covenant members who do not normally work the fields or herds. However, there is little in the way of glassware, ironwork, or other products of civilization. Baskets woven of reeds or twigs must hold each magus's goods, and fired pottery doubles as lab ware.

The lands around the covenant abound in vis, producing six anda half rooks of mixed vis a year, with another two and a half rooks that is also claimed by other covenants. Each year, 14 pawns of Córporem vis is extracted from the used thatch of the clan houses. This windfall allows the covenant favorable vis trades for those forms that they cannot collect locally. The vis collected from thatch comes from the concentrated breath of the houses' occupants that collects in the thatch, and under the influence of the area's aura it transforms into Corporem vis. Other forms of vis that might collect in thatch include Auram from wind, Herbam from the thatch itself, or Ignem from soot and smoke. Occasionally, Animal vis might be found. Each house's thatch will trap no more than 1 pawn of vis, and the house must be located in a Magic aura with a strength of at least 2.

Unfortunately for the covenant and for Calum's hopes, the clan has had bad luck with its library and labs. A raid from a neighboring clan destroyed several of the outlying buildings, including one of a magus doing research. In the ensuing fire, many important volumes burned, and many more suffered damage by water and exposure. Now the books are nominally as presented, but each time they are consulted they have a chance of falling apart or of not having the information they are supposed to contain.

Outside Relations

The clan is located well back in the Highlands and has little interaction with the Lowlands or other "civilized" lands. Each year during the cattle-droving season, the drovers are given a list of desired items. Ink, exotic woods, gems, iron implements, glassware, and other trade goods are eagerly sought, as there is no mundane way to make them in the Highlands.

The clans surrounding the covenant are well aware that a number of wizards and gruagachan live there, but most of them have a wise woman or gruagach of their own. The Highlanders are used to much worse in their land than a bunch of wizards who usually do not bother their neighbors.

Storytelling

When arriving at the clan, visitors are greeted far out in the fields by a few lads who are tending a mixed herd of sheep, cows, and goats. None of these lads speaks Latin or English, only Gaelic. They escort anyone speaking a language they cannot understand to the house of Domnhull Beg. During the spring and summer the clan houses stand deserted; only the houses of the magi are inhabited. In the autumn the women and children are back slaughtering animals in preparation for winter. A traveler happening to come by in the winter is shown to a seat by the fire and given a cup of hot broth to drink before being asked any questions.

The storyguide should play up the general good nature of these people. Hospitality to a stranger is ingrained in them early in their life. However, if a clan member is attacked, the attackers had better have a large contingent of troops at their back or be quick on their feet, else they will be slain outright. Friends of the clan are friends for life, or until proving themselves enemies. Enemies of the clan are openly acknowledged as such. The clan is not duplicitous, and it will not invite an enemy to dine and then attack him or her. This is just not the clan's way.

Story Ideas

The time for the tribunal to meet is coming up in a few months. Calum sends out invitations to the covenants and magicians of the Highlands to meet on the clan lands. This is a major festival for the Highland covenants, when they get together to trade for vis, catch up on friends and enemies, and socialize. This year, Calum welcomes outsiders (the characters) to the festivities.

Calum holds court surrounded by his clan and a few aonaranan, who are proud to be so chosen. He hears complaints against and about the Highland covenants, dispensing justice with an even hand. Several problems or ideas are brought forward to be taken to the tribunal. Informal contests take place between rival magi, and a few bouts of certamen are fought. All goes well until the body of one of the leastliked magi is found murdered in Aonghus's hut. Aonghus has an alibi for the time that the murder took place (drinking with a number of magi). Accusations and counter-accusations are thrown back and forth, and angry magi can be seen talking in whispers.

Unable to appease the high-strung magi, Calum appoints the characters to investigate the murder, pointing out that they have no reason to favor anyone in their investigation. The Highlanders grudgingly accept his decree, but do little to help the characters. Everyone knows someone who had been insulted or attacked by the deceased. Trying to use scrying spells such as Eyes of the Past runs into some sort of anti-scrying defense. Some magi will gleefully point out that vis collected from Loch Ness has the power to block such spells. Magi from covenants in that area will protest their innocence, pointing out that such vis is sold to many magi. Magi refuse to have spells such as Frosty Breath of the Spoken Lie cast on themselves. The characters have to use more-mundane methods to get to the bottom of the problem.

The way the characters go about their investigations may have long-running effects on their acceptance in the Highlands. If they do well, finding the murderer without hurting too many feelings, they are made welcome in most covenants. On the other hand, if they manage to insult everyone in sight and not find the murderer (or accuse the wrong magus), they would do best to leave the Highlands and never come back. Prepare multiple motives and suspects, as well as old grudges that can be paid off by pointing the investigators at the wrong suspect. This story could work just as well with competent companions, but they would have to have Magic Resistance of one form or another.

I have found that the beliefs and magic of the natives of Scotland before the Scots have been lost to the world, but many tantalizing hints can be found among the inhabitants of the Highlands and Islands. Many families have members with exceptional talents, which are passed down from father to son or mother to daughter. The numbers three and seven seem to have mystical connotations, especially as in "the third child of a third child" or "seventh child of a seventh." A number of mystical abilities seem to be far more prevalent among these rude peasants than among similar folk in other countries that I have visited, and a number of these people have even joined House Ex Miscellanea solely on the strength of their ability to douse for water or on the basis of their frequent visions. However, no one whom I interviewed knew of anyone with more than one strange ability, with one exception. The local people told me of beings known as "gruagachan," which means either a monster or wizard or both. The number of gruggichan in Scotland is small, surely not more than two dozen in the entire country. I found one young gruagach in the covenant of Eilean Beg (he has since left that covenant) and had a chance to talk to him of his abilities. Much like any Hermetic magus, he had a difficult childhood, mostly because of being able to see through illusions and find lost objects with the method known as dousing. One day, while gathering seaweed for the evening meal he was abducted by a huge, smelly man, who turned out to be Brude Deathless. Like some of our own less-principled magi in the Order of Hermes, Brude stole the child away to his tower in the fastness of Strathnavar, where he raised him in the tradition of the gruagachan. After years of laborious study in the arts of the gruagachan, the boy was told to make his way in the world, and had several geasa (a form of delayed curse or retribution common to the gruagachan) laid on him, especially that he must train at least one gruagach before his forty-ninth year. Brude, it seems, worries that the traditional magic of the Highlands (or "Alban," as he named it) was being diluted and lost, never to be recovered. Each generation of gruagach teaches less and loses more of the magic. My informant, Chearlach Mac Caolin, was desperately looking for a student, as his fortieth year was approaching and he had not yet found a suitable candidate.
—Uierna of House Bonisagus

Chapter 6: Character Generation

Before a player generates a character from Scotland, he or she must make an important decision: whether the character is to be from the Highlands or the Lowlands. The Lowlands include the Borders and a thin strip of land up the east coast of Scotland as far as Aberdeen, and among their inhabitants are all the townsmen and city-dwellers. The Highlands are the interior of the country and the Islands. Foreigners in Scotland include French and Flemish wool merchants, and English and French nobles and their retinues. The descendants of Danish Vikings live on the Islands and the northern Highlands, and Irish live along the west coast.

Lowland Characters

Create Lowland characters like any other character in an Ars Magica saga. Characters from the Lowlands have either English or Scottish as their native tongue.

The long spear is the traditional weapon of the Lowlands commoner. Few inhabitants of the Lowlands use bows, except the inhabitants of the Ettrick Forest. Lowland knights are not as well equipped as the knights of England, with chain hauberk rather than full chain armor as the norm. While players are not restricted by this, storyguides should keep it in mind when designing adventures. Characters from the Border families typically are horsemen (see the template for the Border rider in Character Templates). Armor in the Lowlands, except that of knights and men-at-arms, consists of leather or quilted coats (equivalent to leather-hauberk armor).

Attitudes of the Lowlanders include pride in their land, fear of Englishmen or Normans, and love of the Church. The Lowlanders generally resemble the "everyman" of the Ars Magica rules. Lowland nobles are generally Anglo-Norman and tend to be poorer than their English and French cousins.

Characters from the Borders should have Virtues and Flaws related to families and love of raiding. Many are outlaws on one side or the other of the border, and enemies abound, both personal and those of the family. Feuds are common among the Borderers.

Lowland magi can be of any House, and foreigners are welcome among most covenants. There are no gruagachan in the Lowlands. Houses Ex Miscellanea and Merinita have the largest number of magi in the Lowlands.

Highland Characters

Characters from the Highlands have a free score of 1 in Faerie Lore, due to the extremely faerie-rich environment in the Highlands. Highland characters will have Gaelic as their native tongue or Norse if they live in Caithness or the Islands.

Highlanders are raiders by nature and typically do not wait around for counterattacks. Typical Highland weapons are dirks, axes, clubs, and short spears. Armor, if worn, is generally leather or cloth jerkins, represented by cloth cuirass armor in the rules. Well-armored Highlanders wear heavy cloth cottes, represented by full cloth armor in the rules. The Danish islanders of the West and North have developed heavy infantry, the gallowglaich, who wear cotte or chain hauberk and carry two-handed battle axes. Highlanders use bows, darts, and slings for their missile weapons. There is no military equivalent of the Lowland or English knight, as the horses of the Highlands are small ponies and better suited to hauling baggage.

Virtues and Flaws related to the character's family should be fairly common, as the family or clan is an important part of Highland life. Highlanders see most of those from the rest of the world as "foreigners," even (or especially) Lowlanders and the

English. However, Norse and Irish are readily accepted in the North and West. Feuds are common among the Highland clans, though few have supernatural origins or influences. While Anglo-Norman earls are nominally in charge of the Highlands, they prefer to live in the Lowlands, close to the court. Clan chiefs hold the true power in the Highlands. They have near-absolute power over the fate of their followers, but must still answer to the clan council.

Most Highland magi are of House Ex Miscellanea, and the Flaws "Hedge Wizard" and "Isolated from the Order" are quite common. For training in other Houses, the character can apply at a covenant, or travel abroad. Note that a magus of House Flambeau is unlikely to accept a Scot as an apprentice (a prejudice that dates back to Pralix and the war against Damhanallaidh). House Ex Miscellanea readily accepts gruagachan, but their Hermetic status can (and probably will) be in doubt if they leave the Highlands. The Highlands are famous for theirhermit magi, who have full voting rights in the tribunal. Most of the hermits tend to side with one of the main covenants, but trading for votes is one way these hermits make a living.

New Weapons

Caman: The caman is both a walking stick and the club for playing shinty. It looks like a modern golf club, with a head about six to eight inches long.
Dart: A light javelin, about three feet long. Some darts have leather vanes attached to the end to aid in flight. A warrior carries a number of javelins, to harry opposing troops.
Dirk: The dirk is the main weapon of most Highlanders. It is a large knife, generally sixteen to twenty inches long. It is sometimes used in the left hand in conjunction with the targe, held so that the point projects beyond the rim of the shield.
Long Ax: The Highlanders, especially those along the coast, carry this light ax with them wherever they go, often using it as a walking stick. The haft is about three feet long, and the head is small, only six inches long and three wide.
Targe: The typical shield of the Highlanders constructed of two layered planks—offset, so that they will not split easily. The shield is about two feet in diameter and covered in leather decorated with curving patterns of studs and nailheads. The central boss often includes a long, thin spike. This spike adds to the weapon damage of the shield when used offensively.

Name Expense Speed AtkB WpnDam ParB Str Load Space

Caman Inex +4 +2 +1 +3 n 0 1

Dart Inex -1 +1 +3 +1 n 0 n/a

Dirk Inex +2 +4 +3 +1 n 0 0

Long Ax Inex +3 +3 +5 +2 n 0 1

Targe Inex +2 +2 +1 +3 -2 0.5 1

Male Names:

English	Scottish Gaelic
Adam	Adhamh
Alexander	Alasdair, Alai
Allan	Ailean
Andrew	Aindreis
Angus	Aonghus, Oengus
Arthur	Artur, Art
Barry	Barra
Bartholomew	Barthalan
Bernard	Bearnard
Charles	Tearlach
Christopher	Criostoir, Crisdean
Colin	Cailean
David	Daibhidh
Dermott	Diarmid
Donald	Domhnull
Dugald	Dughall
Duncan	Donncadh
Edmond	Eamonn
Edward	Eideard
Ernest	Earnan
Evan, Ewan	Eoghonn
Farquhar	Fearchar
Fergus	Fearghus
Finlay	Fionnlagh
Francis	Froinsias, Frang, Frannsaidh
Gavin	Gabhan
George	Seorus, Deorsa
Gerald	Gearaild
Gillian	Gille-Eathain
Godfrey	Goraidh
Hector	Eachonn
Henry	Ganruig
Hugh	Uisdean
Iver	Iomher
James	Seumas
John	Iain
Joseph	Seosamh
Kenneth	Coinneach
Lachlan	Lachlann
Lawrence	Labhruinn
Louis, Lewis	Luthais
Luke	Lucas
Magnus	Manus
Malcolm	Calum, Colm
Mark	Marcus
Martin	Martainn
Michael	Micheil
Morris	Muireach
Mungo	Mungan
Murdoch	Murchadh
Neil	Niall
Nicol, Nicholas	Neacal
Norman	Tormod
Patrick	Padruig
Paul	Pol
Peter	Peadar
Pierce	Piaras
Richard	Risteard
Robert	Raibeart
Roderick	Ruairidh
Ronald	Raonull, Raghnaill
Samuel, Somerled	Somhairle
Simon	Sim
Stephon	Stiabhan
Thomas	Tomas
Walter	Batair
William	Uilleam, Liam

Female Names:

English	Scottish Gaelic
Agnes	Aigneis
Alice	Ailis
Amelia	Aimil
Angelica	Aingealag
Anne	Anna
Annabella	Anabal
Barbara	Barabal
Beatrice	Beitris
Bridget	Brighde
Catherine	Catriona
Christina	Cairistiona
Dora	Doireann
Dorothy	Diorbhail
Eileen	Eibhlin
Eleanor	Eilionor
Elizabeth	Ealasaid
Evelyn	Eibhlin
Flora	Fionnaghala
Frances	Frangag
Grace	Grizel, Giorsal
Helen	Eilidh
Honora	Onora
Isabel	Iseabel, Iosbail
Janet	Seonaid
Jean	Sine
Joan	Siubhan
June	Seana
Kate	Ceit
Kathleen	Caitlin
Kirsty	Ciorstag, Ciorstan
Letitia	Leitlis
Lily, Lilian	Lili
Louisa, Lucy	Liusaidh
Mabel	Maibel
Margaret	Mairearad, Maighread
Marjory, Margery	Marsali
Martha	Marta
Mary	Mairi
Mildred	Milread
Molly	Mailie
Muriel	Muireall
Nelly	Neilli
Norah	Nora
Peg, Peggy	Peigi
Rachel	Raonaid, Raonaild
Rose	Ros
Sheila	Silis, Sile, Sighle
Susan	Siusan
Sybil	Sibeal
Winifred	Una

Geas

Geas is a prohibition that, when the geas is broken, it invokes a Curse on the victim. Gift is a magical boon. Curse is a magical affliction.

Gruagachan are generally the only characters from the Highlands with more than one Exceptional Talent. If the player wishes to create a non-gruagach character with more than one Exceptional Talent, then the Virtue "Latent Magical Ability" should be taken to represent the fact that the character is a potential gruagach. However, until the character is taken as a student by a gruagach and begins to learn of his or her abilities, that character's starting Exceptional Talents cost the normal amount.

New Virtues

Knight Errant, +1 Background

You have received the accolade of knighthood and are on the bottom rung of the ladder of nobility. You have the right to carry arms and be addressed as "sir" (or the local equivalent). However, you do not have any other game benefits. On the plus side, you do not owe anyone fealty, nor are you obligated to provide a season of service a year. This may be the only inheritance you will ever receive or may be the result of a series of unfortunate accidents.

Death Prophecy, +2 Supernatural

You have been blessed or cursed as to your fate. Someone (a magician, faerie, or other supernatural creature) has put a condition on your death, and until the condition is met, you will not die, though you can be seriously injured. You heal normally, but cannot die as a result of wounds or old age. Unfortunately for you, fate or bad planning can bring about the conditions in unexpected ways. If, for instance, your death condition is to fear only boars, you should be wary of men bearing boars on their coats of arms or of inns named after boars, in addition to the purely mundane creature.

The storyguide must keep the prophecy in mind and give fair warning of items related to the prophecy. At the very least, the storyguide should provide the clues to the rest of the party after the event, if the character is killed. Players may only take this Virtue with the agreement of the storyguide.

Exceptional Talents

Geas, +4 (+2 for gruagachan) Gift, +4 (+2 for gruagachan) Curse, +4 (+2 for gruagachan) See "Geasa, Gifts, and Curses"

Student of Brude, +1 Gruagach

The gruagach was trained by Brude Deathless. As such, he or she has a measure of prestige among other gruagachan and can begin the game with the Virtue "External Soul." In addition, he or she has a Geas to train a student by age forty-nine or lose all gruagach powers.

Shapeshift, +3 Gruagach

Exceptional Talent allowing gruagachan to change shape. Every gruagach must have this Talent. (See "Shapeshift and Transform.")

Transform, +3 Gruagach

An Exceptional Talent allowing gruagachan to change the shape of others. (See "Shapeshift and Transform.")

External Soul, +4 Gruagach

This Virtue is available only to those who have the Virtue "Student of Brude" (or who are trained by player character gruagachan with the Virtue).

The gruagach's soul is extracted and placed in a safe place, hidden from mortal men. Unless the soul-object is destroyed, the gruagach is safe from mortal injury. The gruagach can be incapacitated, but never killed. The gruagach's body cannot be disjointed or burned, even by the strongest magics or natural forces, but will heal slowly. If incapacitated, gruagachan always use the rules for recovering in the field, even when recuperating in good condition. Recovery rolls of 1 through 8 indicate the loss of the next roll (half a day lost), while a botch loses the next two rolls (one full day lost to recovery). Every time a botch is rolled, the experience marks the gruagach in some way. Usually this is a physical sign: a foul odor like that of the grave, skin that dissolves cloth, extreme ugliness, or other characteristics that make the gruagach more horrendous. The storyguide should feel free to assign a minor (+1/-1) Virtue or Flaw to the botch to represent the change.

The gruagach's soul can reside in any type of object, but any damage to the soul object, even the merest scratch, will kill the gruagach. Age has no effect on the gruagach. The soul can be removed only once, and once removed may never return to the body. If not taken as a beginning Virtue, the method of removing the soul may be researched as if it were an Exceptional Talent valued at +4. (See "Learning New Exceptional Talents.") Characters starting the game with the External Soul are no older than twenty-eight years.

New Flaws

Trained as a Gruagach, -4 Hermetic

You were mistakenly trained as a gruagach for a year. Because of the vast differences between Hermetic and gruagach magic, you have a difficulty learning parma magica and magical Techniques and Forms. You suffer a -1 penalty on your Parma Magica and Magical Art scores (for example, if your score is 3, it is the equivalent of 2).

Afflicted Tongue, -1 Physical (-3 for magi & gruagachan)

You have a speech impediment, such as a lisp, stutter, or missing teeth. You suffer a -2 to all rolls involving the voice. Hermetic magi, gruagachan, and others who rely on the voice to work magic take this as a -3 Flaw. You must also roll an extra botch die when casting a spell or using your powers.

Palsied Hands, -2 Physical

Your hands shake uncontrollably, making casting spells or holding objects difficult. All rolls involving holding or wielding an object are at -2, including weapon skills. Magi and others who rely on hand gestures to work magic must roll an extra botch die when casting a spell.

Geas, Variable Supernatural

You have had a Geas cast upon you and must obey the restrictions of the Geas or be penalized by the Curse associated with it. The storyguide must determine the level of the Geas, taking the "Cursed" Flaws as a guide. More stringent restrictions on your activities increase the value of the Flaw. See "Geasa."

Feud, Variable Background

Your family is involved in a feud. The opposing family or families are roughly of equivalent strength to your family and its allies. The cost of this Flaw is dependent on the age and nature of the feud:

-1 The feud is new, not yet a blood feud.

-2 The feud has been going on a while; a few murders have occurred,

-3 The feud is a full-fledged bloodbath.

-1 (Additional) The feud is fueled by supernatural powers.

You are liable to be ambushed or attacked by opposing clansmen, and your family expects you to join raids against your enemies.

New Abilities

Gruagach Lore, Casual Knowledge

Familiarity with gruagachan, including knowledge of what gruagachan are capable of, famous gruagachan (Brude Deathless, Clan Mac Gruagach, and others), and the connections between gruagachan and giants.

Play Shinty, Physical Skill

See "Shinty" in Covenants, Chapter 5, for a description of the game of shinty.

Geas, Gift, Curse

These Exceptional Talents are covered in the following section of this chapter.

Speak Pictish

The ability to speak the lost language of the Picts. Available only to gruagachan. Speak Pictish adds to the gruagach's casting totals. See "Creating a Gruagach Character."

Potency

A gruagach ability that adds to the gruagach's casting totals. The gruagach's Potency score may never be higher than the gruagach's score in Speak Pictish. See "Creating a Gruagach Character."

Gruagach Wisdom

Knowledge of and insight into the mysteries of gruagach magic. Used much the same way that Hermetic magi use Magic Theory.

Geasa, Gifts, and Curses

The Exceptional Talents of Geas, Gift, and Curse are different aspects of one greater magic, which has long since disappeared save for these Talents. All three can add or remove Virtues, Flaws, and characteristics from a person. Curse and Gift are opposites: Curses add Flaws or remove Virtues; Gifts add Virtues or remove Flaws. Geasa are delayed Curses that take effect if the bearer meets certain conditions (specified by the caster).

These three enchantments are capable of great harm or benefit to the recipient. Unfortunately, the caster must be careful when using any one of these three, as the benefits are counterbalanced by penalties if the casting does not succeed. Most characters will have a good idea of the effect they can normally expect, but the Resistance of the target can make a big impact on a failed casting.

Casting a Geas, Gift, or Curse

All three Talents share the same casting formula:

Stress die + Talent + Int - Target's Resistance (+ Speak Pictish) (+ Potency)

Only those characters who know Speak Pictish may learn or use the Potency skill, and only gruagachan speak Pictish as starting characters.

Hermetic magi may add their Vim scores to the Magic Resistance value of their Parma Magica.

If the roll is greater than the target number of the Curse, Geas, or Gift (determined by the effect), then the target acquires the effect described by the caster.
If the roll fails by less than seven, then neither character is affected.
If the roll fails by seven or more, then the storyguide has the option of laying a minor Geas or Curse against the caster. For every 7 points that the roll fails by, the storyguide may assign a -1 Geas or Curse (as per the "Geas" or "Curse" Flaws).
If the roll is 0, then add the casting bonus only ifit is negative. If the casting bonus is positive, then the total roll is considered to be 0. If the casting bonus is negative (because, for example, the target has a high Magic Resistance), then apply it to 0. The caster suffers a Geas or Curse as above (with at least a -1 "Geas" or "Curse" Flaw, even if the Ease Factor is 6 or lower).
If the roll is a botch, the results can be even worse (at the storyguide's discretion).

Effects

A Gift can only affect each characteristic or ability once, until the Gift is lost. Gifts may not "stack" Virtues. Gifts may not lift Geasa or Curses, nor may Curses eliminate Gifts. There are a number of Virtues and Flaws that cannot be affected by Curses, Geasa, or Gifts. For the most part the storyguide should decide the effects of a Curse, Geas, or Gift on a case-by-case basis. However, the following Virtues and Flaws should not be granted or revoked by these Talents:

Virtues and Flaws that include ownership of items (books, magic items, etc.)
Divine "True" Virtues (True Faith, True Love, etc.).
Social Virtues, such as Leadership, Gang Member, or Reputations
Specialized knowledge (Arcane Lore, Educated, etc.)
Most Background Virtues and Flaws

Prohibitions

Some Gifts and all Geasa are tied to prohibitions. One who violates the prohibition loses the benefit of the Gift or suffers the retribution of the Geas. Others are tied to circumstances during which they take effect or during which they fail. Prohibitions and circumstances partially determine an action's Ease Factor.

Specific prohibitions are things that are easy to avoid. They can include things like the following: never eat the meat of a cow, never strike a member of your family, never cast a specific spell, never say the name of the one who cast the Geas on you, never use your ancestral broad sword.

General prohibitions are more difficult to avoid and can seriously hamper a character. General prohibitions can include things like the following: never eat cooked meat, never sleep under a roof, never use a metal tool or weapon, never use swords.

Sweeping prohibitions are very difficult to avoid and can even force retirement of a character, especially if tied to a harsh penalty. Sweeping prohibitions can include things like the following: never strike a blow, never eat meat or fish, never use a specified magical Technique or Form, never speak, never use weapons.

Uncommon circumstances are like specific prohibitions, very rare events, or combinations of events, such as "while in a cathedral."

Common circumstances are like sweeping prohibitions, common events, or combinations of events such as "while in the light of the sun."

Penalties

Penalties for breaking a Geas can range from a one-time failure of the ability to always botching when using the ability. The magus may also specify that the ability or characteristic be reduced a number of points permanently. A Continuing Geas can be declared for one-time penalties or ability reduction, so that the character suffers the penalty each time he or she breaks the Geas. It should be noted that a character may be under conflicting Geasa and that obeying one will break the other.

Penalty	Effect
One-time zero	The next die roll for the ability in question is zero. Roll for a botch as normal.
Ability reduced	The indicated ability is reduced by the stated amount for the next die roll.
Characteristic reduced	One characteristic is reduced by the stated amount for the next die roll.
One-time botch	The next affected die roll is automatically zero, and the character's first botch die is an automatic botch. (Roll for additional botch dice past the first, if any.)
Zero until condition	The next series of die rolls for the character are zero (normal chance of botch), until the condition is met. (This penalty is common for Curses or Geasa about being wounded.)
Continuing	The Geas remains in effect for the rest of the character's life or until lifted. This modifier is applicable with penalties that reduce a characteristic or ability. Each time the Geas is broken, the characteristic or ability is lowered.
Ability cap	The ability cannot be raised until the Curse is lifted.
Always zero	The character's rolls are always zero for the designated characteristic or ability. Roll normally for botches.
Always botch	The character always botches the characteristic or ability roll. If the character is foolish enough to attempt the activity, roll for botch as normal, and the first botch die is automatically a botch.
Gift lost forever	The Gift given to the character is lost. This condition eliminates points added to characteristics or abilities; remove Gifted Virtues or replace eliminated Flaws. An eliminated Gift may never be given again to this character.

Poetic Justice

The appropriateness of Gifts, Geasa, and Curses is an important part of the magic of the Highlands. Storyguides should feel free to add from 1 to 7 points to the difficulty of a Curse, Gift, or Geas that has no relation to what has gone on in the saga. If a character Curses a person for no reason, the storyguide should assign the maximum penalty. Likewise, if the Curse, Geas, or Gift particularly fits the storyline, up to 7 points can be subtracted from the difficulty, making it easier to cast. The storyguide (or the troupe) should resolve each use of this magic ona case-by-case basis.

Brude Deathless is the most powerful gruagach in Loch Leglean. He participated in the war against Damhan-allaidh.

Geasa

A Geas is a prohibition against some act, which, if broken, invokes a Curse on the victim. A Geas is generally permanent and cannot be repealed or revoked easily. The caster links the Geas to one ability or characteristic of the victim, which is affected for the rest of the character's life or until the Geas is lifted. To cast a Geas, the magician must specify the forbidden act and the ability or characteristic to which it is linked. The base Ease Factor to cast a Geas is 7 and is modified by both the conditions of the Geas and the penalty that is assessed if the Geas is broken. The more severe the prohibition and the harsher the penalty if broken, the harder the Geas is to cast; but experienced gruagachan can effectively cripple a character.

Geasa cast by a player during play must be overseen by the storyguide. He or she may assign penalties or bonuses to the roll depending on how the Geas fits into the saga and depending on the actions of the target and caster.

Geas Gase Factor Modifiers

Prohibitions:
Specific prohibition	+0
General prohibition	+3
Sweeping prohibition	+7
Penalties:
One-time zero	+0
Ability reduced	+1 per point reduced
Characteristic reduced	+1 per point reduced
One-time botch	+1
Zero until condition	+3
Continuing	+3
Ability cap	+3
Always zero	+7
Always botch	+14
Poetic Justice:
Suitable Geas	-1 to -7
Suitable penalty	-1 to -7
Inappropriate Geas	+1 to +7
Inappropriate penalty	+1 to +7

Exempli Gratia

Geas

Angered by not being invited to a local celebration, Brude Deathless decides to cast a Geas on Duncan the Bold, the leading warrior of the clan. He descends on the feast and declares his Geas; that Duncan must suffer a wound whenever he is in combat should he ever fail to invite a stranger to dinner. The storyguide checks the tables for the Total Ease Factor.
Total Ease Factor = 7 (base) + 7 (sweeping prohibition) + 3 (zero until wounded) + 1 (continuing) + 2 (appropriate Geas) = 18
Brude's casting score is 12 (Geas) + 1 (done in revenge, Brude's specialty) + 6 (Int) + 8 (Speak Pictish) + 8 (Potency) = 35
Brude only needs to not botch; he rolls a 9, for a total of 44. Now each night that Duncan fails to invite a stranger to dinner, the die roll for soak on his next combat will be zero. The die will continue to be zero until Duncan loses at least one body level, then will revert to normal.

Gifts

A character with the "Gift" Talent can grant abilities, traits, or Virtues to him or herself or to others. However, he or she must specify conditions (as with a Geas), along with the Gift, under which the Gift will be lost. The Ease Factor depends on what effect the caster wishes to give the target, modified by the enhancement granted and the Geas attached. Note that the penalty on many Virtues must be the loss of the Gift, as other penalties make no sense.

The Gift is continuing if it has onetime or reduced trait penalties, meaning that the character still has the Gift, but suffers the penalty each time he or she breaks the Geas. If the character breaks the Geas connected to the Gift a number of times equal to the casting total of the original Gift roll, then both the Gift and Geas are both broken permanently.

A Gift must overcome Natural and Magic Resistance, even though the recipient wants the Gift in the first place. Botches on the Gift roll can affect the user or the recipient and can take many forms, from stricter prohibitions or penalties, to reversed effects (in effect turning the Gift into a Curse).

Gift Gase Factor Modifiers

Gift:
Add to a characteristic	+7 per point added
Add to an ability	+3 x Experience cost of new score
Add a Virtue	+7 x Virtue Score
Remove a Flaw	+7 x Flaw Score
Geas:
Specific prohibition	+3
General prohibition	0
Sweeping prohibition	-3
Geas Penalties:
Fail once	+3
Botch once	0
Ability reduced	-1 per point reduced
Ability capped	-7
Gift lost forever	-7
Poetic Justice:
Suitable Geas	-1 to -7
Suitable penalty	-1 to -7
Inappropriate Geas	+1 to +7
Inappropriate penalty	+1 to +7

Exempli Gratia

Gift

After his brush with Brude Deathless, Duncan the Bold approaches the Old Woman of the Heather, a local witch known to have the ability to grant Gifts. She explains to him that Geasa are extremely difficult to remove, and that he will just have to invite a stranger to dinner every night. However, knowing that Duncan has made an enemy of Brude, she decides to Gift him with protection against his malevolent spells (Withstand Magic +2 Supernatural Virtue that confers +6 Magic Resistance). However, he must never eat beef nor kill a man except in face-to-face combat, or the ability will disappear. He agrees, and pays a cow, two goats and a sheep, and she prepares her Gift.
Total Ease Factor = 7 + 14 (+2 Virtue) + 3 (sweeping prohibition) - 7 (Gift lost) = 11
Her casting score = 4 (Gift) + 1 (Int) = 5
This is a bit of a stretch for the Old Woman, but she rolls a 7 and successfully Gifts Duncan. Now, until Duncan breaks one of his new Geasa, he will have +6 Magic Resistance. However, once he breaks either Geasa, he will lose the Resistance and will never be able to be Gifted with it again.

Curses

Curses reduce abilities, characteristics, and Virtues; or grant Flaws. Curses do not have attendant Geasa, but a Curse must have a condition that breaks it, much like a Geas. Most conditions describe something that the victim must do or have done to him or her such as obtain a kiss or perform a specific act. The victim or his or her friends may end the Curse, if they can find the releasing condition. An Intéllego Vim spell of level 35 can reveal the lifting conditions on the Curse.

Curse Ease Factor Modifiers

Curse:
Cap an ability	+3
Reduce a characteristic	+7 per point reduced
Reduce an ability	+7 per point reduced
Add a Flaw	+7 x Flaw value
Remove a Virtue	+7 x Virtue value
Lifting:
Specific condition	+14
General condition	+7
Sweeping condition	0
Poetic Justice:
Suitable Curse	-1 to -7
Suitable lifting	-1 to -7
Inappropriate Curse	+1 to +7
Inappropriate lifting	+1 to +7

Exempli Gratia

Curse

Brude Deathless is disturbed by a cattle-raiding party crossing below his Broch. Seeing his old enemy Duncan the Bold, he curses him and his cattle-thieving ways. Brude lays a Curse upon him that he will fear the sight of the moon and that he will be hard to awaken (thus restricting his nightly forays). The Curse will continue until Duncan marries (not likely for the danger-seeking Duncan). The storyguide decides that the “Common Fear” (-2 Mental) and “Deep Sleeper” (-1 Physical) Flaws are appropriate, and checks for the total Ease Factor:
Ease Factor = 7 (base) + 21 (-3 of Flaws) + 7 (general condition) -2 (suitable Curse) = 33
Brude's casting score = 13 (Curse) + 6 (Int) + 8 (Speak Pictish) + 8 (Potency) = 35
Brude's normal casting score would be 35, meaning that anything but a zero would invoke the Curse. He Curses Duncan and rolls a 3 for a total of 38. However, Duncan has not yet broken either Geas associated with his Gift of Withstand Magic, so his Resistance of 6 reduces the roll to 32, defeating the Curse. With a laugh and a wave (and a silent promise not to break his Geasa), Duncan leads his men away. Because the roll failed by less than 7, Brude takes no effect from the failed Curse.

A broch ("brok") is a large, thick-walled tower built by a forgotten race.

The "magnitude" of a magical effect is one-fifth of its level. Magnitude is a Hermetic way of describing the power of magical effects. While players might talk of "levels," "magnitude" is used when speaking in character.

Lifting Geasa and Curses

Geasa, Gifts, and Curses may be lifted only in extraordinary circumstances or by high-level spells. The one who cast the Curse, Gift, or Geas may revoke it by rolling over his or her original roll with the same Talent and while the target is in earshot. Persuading the caster to do this should be worth several adventures.

Hermetic magi may use Perdo Vim spells to remove a Gift, Curse, or Geas, but there are risks inherent in doing so. First, the magus must cast an Intéllego Vim spell of at least level 20 to determine the likely magnitude of effect of the Curse. On a successful cast, the magus gets an idea of the level spell he or she would need to cast to dispel the Curse. On an unsuccessful cast, the storyguide should modify the suggested level up or down by as much as 25% of the real score. On a botch, the storyguide should modify the suggested level by up to 50%. The level of the Geas or Curse is the Ease Factor of Original Curse plus 1/10 the caster's Magic Resistance. Note that the Intéllego Vim spell will reveal the Ease Factor, not the Magic Resistance of the person who placed the Geas or Curse. A Curse cast by a hedge witch has the same "feel" as one cast by Brude Deathless, whose Magic Resistance is 60!

Exempli Gratia

Determining a Geas' Magnitude

Duncan the Bold, tired of his Geas (and getting poor because of it), goes to the magi of Clan Mac Gruagach in hopes of having the Geas lifted. Domnhull Beg agrees to try to lift the Geas. Domnhull's Intellego + Vim + Affinity + Int score is 62, and he is easily able to produce a level 20 spontaneous spell. The storyguide indicates that the Geas on Duncan is about magnitude 4. (The Ease Factor was 18.)

Once the magus determines the magnitude of the Geas, he or she must cast a spontaneous Perdo Vim spell of at least the true level of the Geas or Curse. This spell is always cast under stress. Note that the Intéllego Vim spell is necessary to understand the nature of the Curse. A Perdo Vim spell cast without the knowledge gained by the Intéllego spell has no beneficial effect. This is also why the Perdo Vim spell must be spontaneous: since Geasa are such specialized magical effects, a formulaic spell could not take all the variables into account.

If the magus successfully casts a spell whose level matches or exceeds the Geas level, then the Geas is successfully lifted. There are no further penalties to the one who bore it or to the magus who lifted it. If the magus did not cast the required spell successfully or the level of the spell was not sufficiently high, then the Geas remains. If the spell was less than 15 levels from the required level, or the magus botched the casting roll, then the storyguide may have the Geas be triggered on the bearer or transferred to the magus who tried to lift it.

Lifting a Geas Magically

Having determined that he needs a spell of about level 20 to lift the Geas, Domnhull agrees to try to lift the Geas. The total level that the spell must match or surpass is:

18 (Geas total) + 6 (1/10 of Brude's Magic Resistance) = 24

Luckily, Domnhull asked Duncan, who had cast the Geas and so had a good idea that the likely level of the spell could be up to ten levels more than that indicated by the Intéllego spell. Domnhull gathers two pawns of vis, which he will use in the lifting of the Geas. His casting total is:

12 (Perdo) + 24 (Vim) + 3 (Intelligence) + 3 (Vim affinity) + 10 (vis) = 52

He rolls a 3, for a total of 55, giving him a successful spell of level 27. The Geas is lifted and Duncan is now able to eat alone once more. Now he must pay off the debt to the covenant, especially for those two pawns of vis!

Gruagach — The Highland Magician

The gruagach is the descendant of the giants and gruagachan of old and is trained at an early age to an older gruagach. Gruagach magic is represented by Exceptional Talents, which are easily acquired by the gruagach character. Highland magic is incompatible with Hermetic, faerie, or other magical traditions.

Creating a Gruagach Character

A gruagach character fills your "magus slot." In standard troupe-style play, in which each player has only one magus character, the gruagach counts as that character.

Characteristics

Develop a gruagach's characteristics as you would those of a magus.

Virtues and Flaws

Virtues and Flaws describe a gruagach's magic powers; thus, many special rules apply to selecting Virtues and Flaws.

Gruagachan may take up to 10 points of Virtues and Flaws. A gruagach must choose the new +3 Virtue "Shapeshifter" (see "New Virtues") and at least two other Exceptional Talents. Exceptional Talents are less expensive for gruagachan than they are for other characters, as noted in the table "Gruagach Talent Cost." Other Virtues and Flaws are not available to gruagachan, as detailed in the unavailable Virtues and Flaws table. Finally, a few more Virtues are available only to gruagachan. (These Virtues cannot be given to other characters, even with the "Gift" Talent.)

Gruagachan can be recognized by House Ex Miscellanea if they request admission to the Order. However, magi of other Houses may or may not accept their Hermetic status (equivalent of "Hedge Wizard" Flaw).

Gruagach Talent Cost

Note: Talents marked "MR" represent magical powers and can contribute to Magic Resistance for the gruagach.

Talent	Value/Tag
Alchemy	3
Animal Ken	1
Contortions	1
Curse	2 MR
Direction Sense	1
Divination	2 MR
Dousing	1 MR
Empathy	1 MR
Enchanting Music	1 MR
Entrancement	2 MR
External Soul	4
Geas	2 MR
Gift	2 MR
Healer	1
Herbalism	1
Hex	1 MR
Magic Sensitivity	1 MR
Mimicry	1
Perfect Balance	1
Premonitions	1 MR
Read Lips	1
Second Sight	1 MR
Sense Holiness	2 MR
Shapeshifter*	3 MR
Transform**	3 MR
Visions	1 MR
Weather Sense	1

\* A gruagach must have this Exceptional Talent. See "Shapeshift and Transform."

\** This is a new Exceptional Talent. See "Shapeshift and Transform."

Highland characters who are not gruagachan but who have the Exceptional Talents of Gift, Curse, or Geas have an unconscious knowledge of Pictish, but cannot otherwise use the language unless taught. If such characters learn Pictish, then they may develop the Potency skill and add their knowledge of Pictish to their casting rolls.

Virtues and Flaws Available to Gruagachan

Any Virtue or Flaw specifying Hermetic arts, parmae magicae, Hermetic spells, etc. Any Hermetic Virtue or Flaw regarding spellcasting (voice, gestures, foci, side effects, etc.).
Any Hermetic Virtue or Flaw about time limits, life-linked magic, etc., of spells.
Most Virtues and Flaws about the Order of Hermes. (Reputations are all right.)
Any Virtue or Flaw regarding literacy, books, etc.
Heart-Beast, Will Over Form, Hidden Shape
Magical Affinity
No Natural Resistance
Old (If character has External Soul)
Faerie Blood or related Virtues or Flaws
Faerie Magic
WithstandMagic, or Magical Resistance
Werewolf
Immortal

Abilities

Abeginning gruagach has an array of basic abilities. Additional abilities, or higher scores in these abilities, are purchased from a number of points equal to the character's age. Gruagachan cannot begin the game with arcane abilities or formal knowledges. Three new knowledges available to gruagach (only) are described below. (Two Exceptional Talents, Shapeshift and Transform, are described in "Shapeshift and Transform.")

Like other abilities, these abilities have specialties. Note that these specialties cannot combine if they are identical. For example, if your specialties with Curse and Potency are both "in revenge," then you get only the +1 bonus on a vengeful Curse, not +1 for each specialty.

Speak Pictish: Lost to the rest of Scotland, Pictish is the sole province of gruagachan, to whom it is not only a semisacred language but a major part of their craft. The language has many magical overtones and is used by gruagachan when they attempt to use any Exceptional Talents that are marked MR on the "Gruagach Talent Cost." It is essential to have a knowledge of Pictish to use the Potency skill. Specialties: any Exceptional Talent. (Intelligence)

Potency: Potency adds to casting total of all Exceptional Talents that are marked MR on the "Gruagach Talent Cost," even if such Talents are not adding to the gruagach's Magic Resistance. Potency may never be higher than the gruagach's score in Speak Pictish. Specialties: a specific Talent. (Intelligence)

Gruagach Wisdom: This is the ability of the gruagach to research new Exceptional Talents and to understand the nature of Geasa, Gifts, and Curses. Gruagach Wisdom is used to generate a "lab" total for the gruagach when the gruagach is researching new Exceptional Talents (see p. 112). Specialties: Gifts, Geasa, Curses. (Intelligence)

Gruagach Basic Abilities

All gruagach characters start with these abilities at no cost.

Ability	Value
Speak Gaelic	4
Speak Pictish	3
Gruagach Knowledge	3
Gruagach Wisdom	3
Shapeshift	3
Two other Exceptional Talents	3 each
Area Lore (Local)	2

Gruagach Magic

Gruagach magic is very different from Hermetic magic, as it revolves around the use of Exceptional Talents.

Casting Gruagach Magic

All gruagach magic is rolled with stress dice, as gruagachan do not have the precise control that Hermetic magi do.

Gruagachan have the same aura modifiers as Hermetic magi, but they may not gain the benefits of the Scottish temper of the Dominion as described in Scottish Landscape, Chapter 4.

A gruagach does not begin life with the "magical air" of the Hermetic magus. However, the first botched use of a magical Talent (marked MR on the "Gruagach Talent Cost") will grant both the "Magical Air" and the "Offensive to Animals" Flaws. The second botch grants the "Blatant Gift" Flaw. These Flaws are in addition to any Flaw that might be granted by the botch. The beginning gruagach may start with either the "Magical Air" and "Offensive to Animals" Flaws or all three Flaws at normal cost.

Magic Resistance

Gruagachan cannot learn the parma magica. Instead, the first three magical Talents (marked MR on the "Gruagach Talent Cost") that the character learns contribute to a gruagach's Magic Resistance. Magic Resistance is equal to the sum of the gruagach's scores in these three Talents. When the gruagach has successfully learned the Virtue "External Soul," add +20 to Magic Resistance.

Learning New Exceptional Talents

A gruagach may learn a new Exceptional Talentby spending a season or more learning the basics of the Talent. The gruagach generates a learning total based on:

Simple die + Int + Gruagach Wisdom

Note that, unlike Hermetic magic, Magic auras do not add to the learning total. The character must have at least 3 points of Gruagach Wisdom for each point of the gruagach cost of the Talent. The Ease Factor to successfully learn the Exceptional Talent is 10 times the gruagach cost of the Exceptional Talent. Learning a new Exceptional Talent requires at least one full season. The gruagach may spend several seasons learning the Talent, adding a simple die roll to the lab total each season. Study must be continuous, as per Hermetic laboratory rules. Once the gruagach learns a Talent, his or her score in the Talent is 0. Further experience in the Talent proceeds as detailed in the Ars Magica rules.

Exempli Gratia

Learning a New Exceptional Talent

Young Donald Dubh wishes to learn the Exceptional Talent of Magic Sensitivity, a +1 Exceptional Talent for gruagachan. The target number is 10. His Intelligence is +2, his Gruagach Wisdom is 6; he rolls a 9 on the simple die, for a learning total of 17. He has successfully learned the Talent in one season and has a score of 0 in Magic Sensitivity.
A few years later, Donald has raised his Gruagach Wisdom to 9, allowing him to learn Transform, a special gruagach Talent. Transform is a +3 Exceptional Talent for gruagachan, and therefore the target number is 30. Donald’s new learning total is 11 and his first season’s roll is 6, for a total of 17, not enough to learn the Talent in one season. Over the next three seasons his rolls are 2, 10, and 4, for a total of 33, giving him a score of 0 in Transform.

Limits of Gruagach Magic

While a gruagach can greatly affect other characters, there are a number of limitations on what the gruagach can influence, due to the fundamental nature of gruagach magic. First, gruagach magic is verbal and personal. The target of a gruagach's magic must be within earshot (about 100 paces in an open field, less in enclosed or muffling areas). The gruagach may only cast a spell on one person at a time, though each casting takes only as long as it takes for the gruagach to state the conditions (roughly 1 round). Note that a gruagach need not see his or her target to be able to affect it. The classic example would be Cursing someone listening at a door. If there are multiple possible targets, the gruagach must specify in some way who is the target: "You, in the blue shirt, may your hair fall out if you ever try to steal again." Names are not an integral part of gruagach magic.

Gruagach Magic May Not:

Affect a divinely granted Virtue or Flaw.
Affect an infernally granted Virtue or Flaw.
Affect someone out of earshot of the gruagach (though it may affect the deaf).
Affect a character retroactively (for example, grant a Background Virtue or Flaw).
Affect the dead or their spirits.

Shapeshift and "Transform

The gruagach's ability to Shapeshift and ability to Transform others are linked. The Ease Factor depends on the size of the desired form, the type of animal or material of the form, and whether the form is natural or man-made. The greater the change in size, the harder the change. For example, it's easier to turn from toad shape into mouse shape than from a human shape into a mouse shape. Changing to a supernatural creature is possible, but the Magic Might of the creature is added to Ease Factor. It is not possible for users of these Talents to shift into angelic, demonic, or faerie forms. They may not shapeshift into a specific creature or person, and any physical defects they have translate to the new form. No words or gestures are needed, and the change is virtually instantaneous. While in animal form, the character has all the senses and abilities that the animal enjoys. In an inanimate form, a character has only touch and hearing to guide him or her.

Casting Total: Stress die + Int + Talent + Speak Pictish + Potency

Shapeshift and Transform change the target's clothing, including shoes, boots, and belts. Small amounts of metal (a dagger, rings, a medallion) also change with the target, but no magical effect granted by an object operates until it is back in its original form. Large amounts of metal (armor, weapons, a sack of coins) do not change, but instead fall to the ground around the target. If the target gained two or more levels of Size, armor bursts as the body grows inside it. The target takes +5 damage if wearing scale or other leatherbacked armor, +10 if wearing chain.

For Shapeshift, the base Ease Factor for changing is 6. A gruagach failing the roll may not attempt to assume that general form again until the next dawn. General forms are those listed in "Shapeshift and Transform Difficulty Modifiers." For instance, a gruagach who tries to change into a hare and fails cannot turn into any other type ofmammal until the next sunrise.

Shapeshifted gruagach can be identified by Sight of the True Form or Second Sight. Gruagach may always return to their own form by rolling 3+ using the regular shapeshifting rules. Thus, gruagachan are immune to most shapeshifting magic (for example, Muto Corporem spells, Transform).

For the Transform ability, the base Ease Factor is 10. The victim may resist with Natural or Magic Resistance. If the target fails and does not have the ability to change back, he or she is stuck in the new form until freed by the gruagach or by someone who can discern that he or she is under a spell. A transformed person can be identified by Sight of the True Formor or Second Sight. The gruagach may always recognize his or her own handiwork. Magi can use spells to restore the transformed person. A level 20 spell will normally restore a person from animal form; level 30, from plant; level 35, from inanimate.

Shapeshifter and Transform Difficulty Modifiers

Size:

1 point different: +1 2 points different: +3 3 points different: +6 4 points different: +10, etc.

General Form:

Mammal: +0 Reptile: +1 Bird: +3 Fish: +3 Insect/worm: +6 Wood/vegetable: +6 Stone: +10 Metal: +15

Nature:

Natural form: +0 Man-made form: +6 Complex man-made form: +15

Supernatural:

+Might score

Newid Gornest—Shapeshifting Duels

Gruagachan have developed the newid gornest (new-ud gorn-est, change duel) as a method of settling arguments, much as certamen serves the Order of Hermes. Gruagachan normally fight to the collapse of one of the combatants. The winner may cast a Geas or Curse on the loser of the duel, rolling normally to cast the Geas, with a +7 bonus to the roll.

The newid gornest begins with the challenged gruagach changing into a shape that threatens the challenger. The challenger chooses a shape in response; the first shifts again, and the contest is on until one of them falls unconscious from fatigue loss.

Whenever a gruagach changes shape within a newid gornest, he or she must make a Shapeshift roll. The change is successful if the storyguide deems the total sufficient. If the roll fails, the gruagach loses a fatigue level to the opponent's attack and must attempt a different shape.

A gruagach in a duel gets a +3 casting bonus if the other's shape does not threaten him or her. Thus, if Chearlach chooses the form of a bird to escape Brude's lava, Brude is not threatened and gets the +3 bonus.

Note that it is as appropriate to threaten a shape's purpose as it is to threaten its physical existence. If a gruagach becomes a cave to shelter from a storm, that gruagach's opponent may become a wolf in the cave, to deny shelter. The shape selected, however, cannot be a theory or concept: it must have a physical form. A gruagach could take on the form of a rebellious peasant to challenge the dominion of a lord, but could not change into the abstract concept of rebellion.

These contests can go through many changes before a victor is decided, and they demand quick thought. The storyguide must also be quick to assign modifiers to the roll, based not only on the shape chosen, but on the total effect of that shape on the duel.

Gruagach Training

A gruagach wishing to train another must have scores of at least 7 in Gruagach Wisdom, 4 in Speak Pictish, 7 in Shapeshift, and 7 in any two other Exceptional Talents. Finding a suitable person to train involves either a roleplayed story or a season of searching and a successful Perception roll. A potential gruagach must have at least one Exceptional Talent already and often has more than one.

Potential gruagach are normally (Simple die roll + 7)-years-old when discovered; training usually lasts seven years.

Training a New Gruagach

Gruagachan train students for many reasons: some are lonely; some sense the potential in the student; some even steal a student to revenge themselves on that child's family. Gruagachan trained by Brude Deathless have Geasa cast on them by Brude that require that they train a student by age forty-nine or lose their gruagach powers (all Exceptional Talents except those that the gruagach had before training).

The intensive training provides two distinct benefits to the gruagach. The first benefit is experience that gruagachan may spend to enhance their own powers (only those being taught). Each season spent teaching grants the gruagach 2 experience points to the Talent being trained. Second, gruagachan can add their student's Gruagach Wisdom to their own attempts to learn new exceptional talents (much like Hermetic magi using their apprentice's Magic Theory in the lab).

The student lives at least seven years with the gruagach, learning the lore of the gruagach and three Exceptional Talents. The first Talent normally learned is Shapeshift, since shapeshifting duels are the gruagach form of certamen. While the character is being trained, the master's score in Gruagach Wisdom is used to determine which Talents the student may learn. The master must have 3 points of Gruagach Wisdom for each point of the gruagach cost of the Talent, and must have a score of 7 in the Talent to be taught. Storyguides should note that only characters trained by Brude Deathless or a player gruagach can take the Virtue "External Soul" during character creation, as it requires 12 points in Gruagach Wisdom.

The training is intensive; the student spends two seasons of each year in training. At the end of the seven years, the new gruagach has the gruagach basic abilities indicated, plus his or her age in experience points. Most, if not all, gruagachan are illiterate, and the knowledge of the gruagachan cannot be passed on through writing.

During an average training, a student earns 3 experience points or learns one +1 Exceptional Talent per season of teaching. Exceptional Talents with a cost of +2 normally take two seasons, and +3 Talents, like Shapeshift, normally take three seasons. At the same time, the teacher earns two points of experience per season in the Exceptional Talent he or she teaches.

He wha tills the fairies' green nae luck again shall hae.
An' he wha spills the fairies' ring betide him want and wae.
But wha gaes by the fairy ring nae dule nor pine shall see;
an' he wha cleans the fairy ring an easy death shall dee.
—Anonymous
wha: who nae: no hae: have spills: breaks gaes: goes dule: sorrow pine: pain dee: die

Chapter 7: Scenario Ideas

This chapter includes a number of story ideas, both for grogs and companions and for magi. Some are ideal for natives, while others can draw foreigners to the Highlands. These stories have no set date, so may be used in sagas set outside of the official saga date of A.D. 1220.

Other Saga Dates

The official date for Ars Magica products is 1220, but Scotland has had a long and varied history. Other dates may appeal more to your players. We include only times after the founding of the Order, though gruagachan characters could conceivably fight the Roman legions or the Scotti. )

The War Against Damhan-allaidh: 810-816

The war against Damhan-allaidh could be used as the backdrop to a wartorn saga. Players would be native magicians, or the remains of Pralix's forces, separated at the battle of Loch Oadh. Their battles could be those detailed in Hermetic History, or be part of the "unknown history" of the war. There is no House Ex Miscellanea yet, so friction between members of the Order of Hermes and the native magicians can be a factor in the campaign. After the-war is over, the Ordo Miscellanea is created, and there is the politics involved in joining the two orders. Besides the scenario of the war raging against Damhan-allaidh, there is that of the north and west coasts of Scotland being under attack by the Vikings, complicating the political and military picture.

The Consolidation of Scotland: 840—900

The Pictish culture and language disappeared during this period. The tribunal politics would include the ascendance of House Diedne over House Ex Miscellanea. Characters could support one House over the other, or remain on the outskirts, picking up the pieces. While outright warfare should be rare, political maneuvers would more than make up for the lack of a military solution. House Diedne enjoys a hundred years of domination in Scotland, until the Schism War.

The Schism War: 1003-1012

The forces of House Diedne tried to defend themselves against the combined might of Houses Flambeau, Tytalus, and Quaesitor. Lowland Scotland was a major center of Diedne covenants, and at least three were destroyed. Many Ex Miscellanea covenants joined in their destruction, paying them back for the Diedne dominance since the consolidation of Scotland.

MacBeth and Malcolm: 1050—1060

MacBeth and Lulach represent the last Scottish kings, while Malcolm Canmore brings a more "continental" court to Scotland. Magicians aid both sides in the struggle, though many view it as a "mere" mundane political problem. Magi from the Stonehenge and Norman Tribunals start to settle in the Lowlands and along the east coast.

Norman Conquest of England: 1006-1075

Saxon nobles and magi displaced by the Normans stream north. Malcolm Canmore leads an invasion against northern England in 1070, but William the Conqueror retaliates in 1071-72. Again, magi are a factor on both sides of the war. In addition, Malcolm is busy bringing feudalism to Scotland, installing lords and royal officers. Covenants may suddenly find themselves taxed by a new lord or face eviction from their landholdings.

Various Rebellions: 1060—1189

Various pretenders to the Scottish throne lead rebellions against the House of Canmore, giving warlike magi a chance to aid one side or the other. Assassination and terror tactics, as well as outright warfare, can give magi a chance to try to place their own puppet king on the throne. The Pact of Crun Clach in 1189 prohibits Scottish magi from aiding in mundane politics, effectively ending magical support for the rebels.

Interregnum and Rebellion: 1290-1300

The death of Margaret, Maid of Norway, in 1290 leaves the throne of Scotland vacant. Many claimants to the throne come forward, and King Edward of England is asked to adjudicate the succession. His choice, John Balliol, proves to be an unpopular king, and rebellions flare up. The political fortunes of Horsingas may rise and fall with the fortunes of William Wallace, the most successful rebel. However, magical intervention on Wallace's side may provoke protests from covenants in the Stonehenge tribunal or retaliation against the Scottish magi.

Meeting Brude Deathless

Brude (as seen in the examples in Character Generation) is a crotchety old man, who tosses off Curses on those who disturb him. He lives in a broch in the far North, away from a world that considers him a monster. He lives in constant pain from his mutated body, which does nothing to improve his mood.

Brude Deathless is over 550 years old and the most powerful human or humancross known to be living in Scotland. (Damhan-allaidh, though, if he lives, is more powerful yet.) However, he has retreated from the world for the most part and is cranky and reclusive. Only a special reason could get him to leave his home of the last 300 years or even to see a visitor. A suitable inducement to Brude would be Clan Mac Gruagach managing to develop a Hermetic application of the gruagach tradition, or the clan facing a serious threat (they are his descendants after all). A war against non-Hermetic magicians or against House' Ex Miscellanea might also get his attention. The appearance of Damhan-allaidh certainly would; while he might or might not join the war on the side of the Order, he would fight Damhan-allaidh until his spirit left his body.

Brude's main focus is to keep the gruagach traditions alive. When he takes an apprentice, one of the first things he does is to cast a Geas on him or her. As a result, the apprentice must train at least one apprentice before his or her forty-ninth birthday or lose all gruagach powers.

Brude Deathless

Age: 550
Size:+2

Characteristics

+6 Int (wise) +3 Pre (forceful)

+2 Per (discerning) +3 Com (eloquent)

+5 Str (anarled) +3 Dex (graceful)

+1 Sta (vital) +3 Qik (reflexive)

Personality Traits

Recluse +5, Short-tempered +2, Concerned for Continuance of Gruagachan +4

Confidence

5

Magic Resistance

60

Virtues & Plams

Aptitude (+2 with Shapechange) +4, Clear-thinker +1, Enduring Constitution +1, External Soul +4, Giant's Blood +5, Self-confident +2, Sharp Ears +1, Tough +1; Blatant Gift -1, Dark Secret (son of Damhan-allaidh) -1, Deficiency (1/2 score against the truly virtuous) -2, Reclusive -1, Fury (if disturbed) -3, Poor Eyesight -1, Social Handicap (appearance, smells) -2, Tainted with Evil -1

Reputation

Recluse (gruagachan) +4, Dangerous but Powerful (Hermes) +5

Abilities

Alertness (attacks) 3, Animal Handling (dogs) 2, Animal Ken (dogs) 8, Area Lore—Britain (history) 4, Area Lore—Highlands (gruagachan) 10, Area Lore—Scotland (history) 6, Bargain (favors) 2, Boating (small craft) 3, Brawl (damage) 6, Charisma (Highland politics) 3, Charm (sly) 2, Chirurgery (cuts) 7, Church Knowledge (sacraments) 1, Church Lore (saints) 4, Climb (cliffs) 3, Concentration (study) 5, Contortions (climbing) 3, Direction Sense (in hills) 5, Dirk Attack (slash) 4, Dirk Parry (dirks) 3, Divination (dreams) 4, Dodge (spears) 6, Dousing (long distance) 6, Empathy (politics) 8, Enchanting Music (inspiration) 8, Entrancement (domineering) 5, Faerie Lore (politics) 3, Fantastic Beast Lore (Highlands) 5, Folk Ken (baser nature) 5, Gift (characteristics) 10, Gruagach Lore (own pupils) 8, Gruagach Wisdom (training) 25, Healer (disease) 7, Herbalism (body-enhancing potions) 4, Hex (revenge) 3, Intimidation (reputation) 6. Leadership (gruagachan) 6. Legend Lore (Picts) 5. Magic Sensitivity (students) 5. Medicine (anatomy) 4, Mimicry (animals) 5, Occult Lore (ghosts) 4, Perfect Balance (cliffs) 4, Play Harp (solo) 5, Potency (Curse) 8, Premonitions (magic) 5, Read Lips (Gaelic) 4, Scan (hills) 5, Search (plants) 4, Second Sight (faerie glamour) 6, Sense Holy/Unholy (people) 3, Speak Gaelic (conversational) 6, Speak Pictish (Curses) 8, Stealth (walking) 5, Survival (Highlands) 4, Swim (sea) 4, Track (animals) 5, Transform (to inanimate objects) 10, Visions (death) 6, Weather Sense (storms) 3

Gruagach Abilities

Curse (physical abilities) 13, Geasa (revenge) 12, Shapeshift (to inanimate objects) 15, External Soul

Effects of Gruagach Powers

Magical Air; Blatant Gift; Offensive to Animals; extremely hairy (hair is white and gray splotched); skin is thick and insensitive ("Tough" Virtue); smells of wet dog; cloth disintegrates on contact with his skin, so must wear leather or hides; feet and hands have thick, horny nails (+1 damage in brawl); eyes are pale and dead-looking, but turn red when he is angry; horns grow out of head (usually hidden by hair); canine teeth are fangs (+1 bite damage); can only eat meat.

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Dirk Totals: +9 +11 +12 +2 Dodge: +7

Soak: +6

Fatigue: +1

Encumbrance: 0

Weapons, Armor, and Items

Dirk

Story Idea

The characters should be playing magi from outside the tribunal.

While studying old records in their covenant library, they come upon an account of an expedition to the Highlands. Four magi from the covenant (from the more warlike Houses) went wizard-hunting among the non-Hermetic magic users. They ran into a fierce wizard, who hid himself from their sight and spells and cast Geasa on them. They found that their best Perdo Cérporem and Creo Ignem magic would not bite on the wizard, nor would any of their other spells. The magi returned from Scotland humiliated and swore vengeance on this upstart.

They prepared well for the journey, attracting several other magi of a like bent. They sailed from the nearest harbor, but were never heard from again. The only clues to their intended destination can be found by a Scribe Latin roll of 6+. On the northwest coast of Scotland is a tower overlooking a long arm of the sea. To the north of this tower is a circle of standing stones. To the south and west is an island where vis can be gathered by the handful from seaweed, which drapes the rocks on the beach. In the tower lives the wizard, who the magi learned was called Brude. The notes state that the interior of the tower is a mine of relics and objects of power. They talk of a rock that makes the owner live forever and a powder that allows the user to change his or her shape without casting a spell.

The storyguide should sprinkle more hooks specific to the characters. Perhaps one magus was the pater of a character, while another character is researching non-Hermetic magic theory. The hooks should match the tenor of the saga. Do you want the characters to interact peaceably with Brude, or do you want a story of revenge and murder?

Cattle Raiding

Cattle raiding is a major part of life in the Highlands, as it allows the clan to sell more animals. The normal season is around the end of summer, just before the clans drive the cattle to the Lowlands. Cattle raids also take place during the drives, from both Highland and Lowland families. The characters can be on either side: either as raiders, who want a quick and successful attack, or defenders, who wish to keep the attackers at bay. Death on either side is not the desired result (there are other raids for that). Raiders merely want to gain cattle without sustaining losses, and defenders merely want to protect their herds and chastise those who threaten them.

Cattle drives in the Highlands will usually be one clan's men and cattle, and can range from a small clan's drive, with two to five drovers and five to ten cows, to that of a major clan, with twenty to thirty men and several hundred cows. There will be at least as many dogs as there are men, often twice as many. All the men are on foot, though a garron or two may haul equipment. Raiding parties will usually try to number at least as many as the guards, preferably up to three times that number. The herdsmen are armed like typical Highlanders (use the clansman template in Character Templates).

The skills most needed for a successful raid are Tracking, Stealth, and Animal Handling (droving). If all goes well, the herders will not notice the raiders beforehand, nor pursue them afterward. However, things do not always go as planned. If the guards sense the presence of the raiders, they will defend their herd; and at least one will signal or run for help. Weapon skills are then necessary, both to eliminate the guards and to deter pursuit. The raiders must also be wary of the dogs that accompany the herdsmen: mostly for their keen senses, though the dogs are also able to inflict nasty bites.

Once the raiders dispose of the guards one way or another, they must approach the herd carefully. The cattle, sheep, and goats of the Highlands have strong instincts to scatter when threatened. Each animal will head offin a different direction from the others, remaining apart for minutes, even hours. For this reason, a successful raid leader will strike when the animals are in terrain that restricts their movement, such as a ravine or near a river. Once in a while a bull or cow will turn on the raiders, forcing the unlucky cattle thieves to run for cover!

Story Idea

The characters (all grogs or companions—this is not a magi-level adventure!) are herding their clan's cattle to Aberdeen, where they will be sold. There are fifteen drovers from the clan, including the characters. They have two garrons to carry the cooking gear and extra food and to haul goods back after the market. There are about twenty dogs along with the men. The leader of the group is Malcom Ceann Dubh, the son of the chief and tanist of the clan. Malcom is old enough to want only to get his charges to market and back, but several of the clansmen wish to raid a group they saw over in the next glen.

One day, Sean Beg, the ringleader of the raiders, approaches the characters. If they join the raid that night, he will make sure that they are well rewarded, just as he knows he will be for a successful raid. Whether the characters join the raid or not, Sean leads a group of about half the drovers over the hills and into the darkness.

The other herd is sleeping along the stream at the bottom of the glen. The sides of the glen squeeze together not far from the camp. Sean plans to divide his forces, sending two men to the far side of the herd, while the remainder hide up in the draw. The two men will start a ruckus to drive the cattle up the valley and into the arms of the waiting raiders. Then they will run back away from the herd and rejoin their own herd by circling the hills. The raiders waiting up the valley will split once again: half will drive the cattle to their own herd; half will make sure that their getaway is clean.

The raiders will need to make Stealth rolls to move into position without being detected by the herdsmen and their dogs (6+ for those up the draw, 10+ for the two sent to spook the herd). Once the cattle are spooked, characters detailed to herd the cattle must make Animal Handling (droving) rolls when the cattle reach them. For every 5 points, or fraction thereof, rolled above 10, a character can control one animal and drive it in a desired direction. The cattle are nervous and try to scatter. Successful Animal Handling rolls calm the cattle, and they can be driven with further rolls. The raiders left behind to deal with pursuit have two rounds before the guards arrive. Any cattle in the area will spook once again. The herd's dogs will try to circle around the herd to drive it back to their owners. On the fourth turn after the herd reaches the characters, the dogs will spook it again (same rolls as before). Botches result in the character being charged by a bull.

If the characters did not join in the raid, simply have the drovers from the other clan hit the herd while the characters are on watch, using the tactics outlined above.

Crodh (kro) Cattle

Bull: Tarbh (tarv)

Cow: Bo (bo)

Highland cattle are generally more intelligent than their tractable cousins. If startled, the herd will scatter, rather than stampede in one direction. Highland cattle are smaller than cattle raised in more temperate climes and mature more slowly.

Crodh (kro) - Cattle

Magical Might 0
Size +1

Characteristics

+1 Int n/a Pre

+1 Per n/a Com

+2 Str +1 Dex

+4 Sta +1 Qik

Personality Traits

Jumpy +3

Combat Totals

Weapon 1st Atk Parry Dam

Horn Totals: +4 +3 - +3

Dodge Defense: +1
Soak: +6
Fatigue: +4
Encumbrance: 0

Body Levels

OK, 0/0, -1, -3, -6, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, 0/0, -1, -3, -6, Incapacitated

Abilities

Dodge 1

Blood Feud

The Highlander's pride in his or her family and the need for revenge for injuries form a recipe for lifelong feuds between families and clans. The incident to start a feud may be as innocent as a minor disagreement or as serious as murder. Whatever the reason for the feud, it is difficult for the proud Highlanders to forgive the injury. Instead, they will find an opportunity to give as good as they got, if not better. The escalation of the feud may be slow, but it is nearly certain. Eventually, whether days or years go by, the feud enters the stage where blood is drawn on both sides. As the feud grows in scale, it also grows in scope, drawing in more and more distantly related families. A full-blown feud pitches an entire clan against another and may even include families not directly related to either side.

Once a character's family is involved in a feud, he or she is liable to be attacked by the opposing family simply because of his or her relatives, regardless of his or her own innocence. Feel free to use random attacks and ambushes against the character and the character's friends. With little effort, you should be able to provoke the character to retaliate, thereby adding to the misery generated by the feud. The character need not be one of the originators of the feud; it is often better to have such family matters catch up with the character at unexpected times.

Story Idea

This story idea works best with grogs or companions or a weak magus (one who cannot just magic-away the problem).

The character in question is acting as guard for the chief of the clan as he visits a number of neighboring clans. The chief is trying to raise support for his feud with the Mac Peadars, with whom his clan has had a long and deadly history. The characters are sitting with the hosting clan's men at dinner one night when one of the hosts makes disparaging remarks about his clan, chief, or some other controversial subject. Be sure to hit at least one of the character's personality traits in the insults. Let tempers flare, dirks be drawn, and blood be spilt. By the time others can break up the fight, the clansman has taken a serious wound, even if the character did not roll one. (Yes, this is not fair.) The chiefs approach, and the clansman dies in his chief's arms. There is nothing for the host to do but ban the characters and their chief from his lands, though by the laws of hospitality he cannot kill them until the morning. By then, they had best be back on their own lands.

Soon after the incident, a shepherd up in one of the high pastures is found beaten nearly to death. When asked who did it, he names the other clan. That night, several hotheaded young men go out "hunting" and come back several days later, smug and full of themselves. Incidents of violence escalate, men are knifed in the back and ambushed, and finally it comes down to full-scale raids against the lands and houses of the two clans. Each clan starts to call on its own allies. Unless peace is made or one clan is eliminated, the feud will take ona life of its own, and even the best plans to end it will fail.

Highland Giants

The giants that inhabit the Highlands are a powerful but nearly extinct race. There are two races of giants, closely related: the famhair a'falach, giants with magical powers (a'falach means "hidden" and refers to the hidden heart of the magical giants); and the famhair laisdir, the nonmagical giants.

The famhair a'falach are the originators of gruagach magic, and some may have powers about which the gruagachan know nothing. They stand up to forty feet tall and are immensely strong. There are only a few left in all of Scotland, and each has a soul that can be separated from its body and also has centuries of life experience. The last remnants of this race live in remote Sutherland and Strathnavar, having retreated from the encroachments of humans. A concerted expansion into their last domain by humans could easily lead to a bloody war as the giants strike back against the puny humans who have hounded them. The return of Damhanallaidh could also precipitate the giants' anger against mankind. Meeting a magical Highland giant should be on the same scale as meeting the Dragon of the Pyrenees or Brude Deathless.

The other species of giant, the famhair laisdir, has no magical abilities beyond its size and strength, but these are often enough. Famhair laisdir are even larger than their magical cousins, standing up to 60 feet tall. They throw stones for sport and in war; luckily most are poor shots. Nonmagical giants are usually less intelligent than the average human and are easily tricked, especially into showing off their strength. These giants are a little more common than the famhair a'falach, but still are rare enough that the average Highlander will never see one in his or her life.

Combat Against Giants

Due to the great size of these giants, some special rules must be used in combat.

The rocks that a giant throws are large boulders, and any hit will kill most human-sized targets. Depending on the surface the boulder lands on, the boulder may roll, skip, sink, or shatter. The storyguide should determine what happens to the boulder after it lands, Hits missing by 3 or less should be considered grazing blows, which do "only" +15 damage.

Parries by opponents of Size +3 or smaller cannot hope to stop any attack of a giant. It is far better to dodge; better yet, to run away.

Due to the mass of the giants, no human-sized attack can do more than one body level in damage, unless a way is found to attack the vitals. Opponents of Size +2 to +4 do half the normal levels of damage, and opponents of Size +5 or more do normal amounts of damage. Note that lance attacks use the Size of the horse when determining damage (usually in the +2 to +4 Size range). Arrows, quarrels, and slingstones do -10 damage, with a maximum of 1 body level. Siege engines do half-normal body levels.

As giants are six times the height of a man or more, most attacks will be against the legs and feet. It may help if the players visualize being attacked by a one-foot-high doll.

Famhair a'falach - Magical Highland Giant

Highland giants are solitary creatures, retreating before man into the wilds.

Magical giants have the powers of the gruagach and more. The gruagachan claim that they first learned their powers from the giants and even claim descent from them.

Magical Might Size

62 +6

Characteristics

+4 Int (wise) -5 Pre (awe-inspiring)

+4 Per (excellent hearing) 0 Com

+15 Str (huge) O Dex

+10 Sta (unstoppable) -4 Qik (ungainly)

Virtues and laws

External Soul +4

Personality Traits

+3 Jumpy

Magical Atbilities

Shapeshift (control) 15, Magic Sensitivity (distance) 13, Faerie Sensitivity (Unseelie) 10, Weather Sense (storms) 12, Second Sight (magic) 12

Confidence

3

Combat Totals

Weapon 1st Atk Parry Dam

Boulder Totals: Rate 1/round +3 - +60

Club Totals: +5 +9 - +35

Dodge Defense: -3
Soak: +20
Fatigue: +20
Encumbrance: 0

Body Levels

OK, 0/0/0/0 -1/-1, -3, -6, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, 0/0/0/0 -1/-1, -3, -6, Unconscious

Abilities

Area Knowledge—Highlands (natural features) 5, Club Attack (sweep) 3, Speak Gaelic (conversational) 2, Speak Giant (Shapeshift) 5, Speak Pictish (conversational) 2, Throw Rock (distance) 4

Weapons and Armor

Skin (Protection 4), tree-trunk club

Vis

Eight pawns of Córporem vis in body, six Vim in brain, two Animal in hides

Powers

External Soul: Most famhairan a'falach have separated their heart from their body, hiding it to save themselves from being killed.

Gruagach Magic

The famhairan a'falach use gruagach magic, adding their ability in Speak Giant instead of Speak Pictish when using their Talents.

Famhair Laidir - Non-magical Highland Giant

The non-magical cousins of the famhairan a'falach, the famhairan laidir generally are taller, but have much less intelligence and no magical abilities. Fast-talking humans can easily confuse a famhair laidir, but if one finds that it has been tricked, its vengeance can be terrible. Generally, humans have little to fear from a giant (except for being stepped on), as they only attack opponents of a similar size unless firmly directed to do otherwise. Many famhairan laidir aided Damhan-allaidh in his war against Pralix and against the Praeses Septentrionalis, and many could join him if he rose to lead them again.

Characteristics

-3 Int (dense) -6 Pre (impressively huge)

+6 Per (keen nose) 0 Com

+35 Str (huge) -1 Dex (ungainly)

+40 Sta (supernatural) -1 Qik (slow reactions)

Virtues and Flaws

External Soul +4

Personality Traits

+4 Easily Confused

Magical Aibilities

Shapeshift (control) 15, Magic Sensitivity (distance) 13, Faerie Sensitivity (Unseelie) 10, Weather Sense (storms) 12, Second Sight (magic) 12

Confidence

1

Combat Totals

Weapon 1st Atk Parry Dam

Boulder Totals: Rate 1/round +4 - +70

Club Totals: +5 +12 - 450

Dodge Defense: -6
Soak: +64
Fatigue: +40
Encumbrance: 0

Body Levels

OK, 0/0/0/0 -1/-1/-1, -3/-3, -6, Incapacitated

Fatigue Levels

OK, 0/0/0/0 -1/-1/-1, -3/-3, -6, Unconscious

Abilities

Club Attack (sweep) 3, Smell (food) 5, Throw Rock (distance) 1

Weapons and Armor

Hides (Protection 10), skin (protection 8), tree-trunk club

Vis

Twelve pawns of Córporem vis in body, four Animál in hides.

Story Idea

This story is meant to lure characters from outside the Loch Leglean Tribunal to visit Scotland, though it is easily modified for native Scots. Characters from outside the Highlands or Ireland are unlikely to know about the peculiar abilities of Scottish giants, such as being able to remove their hearts or shapeshift.

One day, after casting some highly visible spell, the characters see a large golden eagle flying closer and closer. It lands on a branch or rock nearby (never on the ground: she hates to get her feathers dirty). Characters with a prophetic bent realize that something momentous is about to happen, and, after the bird settles herself, she begins to speak!

"Good people, my mistress, An Banrigh nam Eilan nam Crodh Beag (an ben-ree nam élan nam cro beck, The Queen of the Island of Little Cattle), is tired of living, yet is unable to die. Long ago, before even the Romans built their roads. or the Greeks their temples, my mistress removed her essence and hid it away from the sight of mortal man. Now, however, she finds life burdensome and would fain leave this plane of existence. Yet she is infirm and

unable to leave her bed. She bade me find powerful magicians to recover her heart and return it to her in her island castle. For this service, she is prepared to pay in gold, gems, and items of great power. I have flown long and hard to find such puissant magicians as yourselves, and I beg that you accept this charge."

If the characters agree to retrieve the queen's heart, they will be told that it lies under a rock in the center of an island. The island lies in a lake three leagues long by one league wide, and there are seven islands in it. The island with the heart can be recognized because every night seven black geese fly onto the island and every morning seven red salmon leap out of the water around it. The heart is buried under a stone surrounded by seven oak trees, each with an eagle's nest in it. Once the characters have retrieved the heart, they must take it to the queen's island (in the Shetlands) and there deliver it to the queen so that she may destroy it and die in peace.

The storyguide should take pains to conceal the fact that the queen is really a famhair a'falach who is trying to retrieve her external soul. The storyguide is free to make the journey as long as he or she wants. The storyguide may involve the characters in tribunal politics, encounters with the Highland faeries, and finally a confrontation with the guardians on the queen's home island. (What, did the eagle forget to mention those? Oh dear.) Of course, a rock that a forty-foot giant can lift easily is a bit more than mere human strength can shift. The payment will be just as the eagle promised, except on a giant scale (rubies the size of your hand, gold nuggets the size of your head, magic rings crafted for a giant's finger, etc.).

Lord Goulis and the Demons of Monksend Qastle

King Alexander I appointed Henry de Goulis as his seneschal, and such was Alexander's dependence on Henry that he made the title hereditary in 1121. The seneschals served the kings of Scotland with dedication and intelligence, soon making themselves indispensable. David Goulis, Henry's greatgrandson, began construction of a castle named "Monksend" in 1187, having taken the lands of a Benedictine monastery for his own. Rumors immediately started to spread of David's atrocities: the Benedictines claimed that David had slaughtered the abbot of the monastery and laid him under the cornerstone of the castle. In 1189 David brought forward a monk to dispute these allegations, but still they persisted.

The castle of Monksend became known locally as a haunted place, and it is avoided even by armed cattle raiders. The land around the castle supports the rumors, appearing dark and gloomy even on the brightest day. The people of the Borders claim that on nights of the dark of the moon David rides forth, attended by his familiar, Robyn Redcap, and a host of demon dogs. He seeks innocent souls to sacrifice to his demonic master. The strongest man is unable to pierce Lord Goulis's armor, and the fastest horse cannot outrun the hounds. Many people can tell of children stolen from their beds or of a brother slain in the hills. Folk-belief claims that a silver crucifix buried under the doorsill will protect the inhabitants of the house, but few can afford such a thing. Yet the true danger of Lord Goulis lies not in his nocturnal forays but in the fact that he has the ear of the king and is able to influence him.

The characters can become involved with Lord Goulis in a number of ways. Perhaps they hear a rumor that he has stolen a child from the covenant or a friendly neighbor. A lone magus, out on the dark of the moon, may be chased by Goulis and the hounds. If the magi keep Lord Goulis from his prey, they can find themselves on the receiving end of royal scrutiny. David's defeat can come in many forms: he can be physically destroyed or politically embarrassed or have a Church inquiry into' his activities. Characters involved in defeating Lord Goulis will probably come under the scrutiny of his demon patron, which can lead to years of battling Hell itself.

Lord Goulis is a threat to covenants (and the population at large) located in the Borders. Rarely does his hunting take him north of the Teviot or west of the Annan. He spends about three months of the year attending court with the king, then returns to Monksend. At court he appears to be an elderly man, with many physical problems. He has the reputation of being a shrewd bargainer and has been the power behind the throne in many momentous decisions. When at home at Monksend, he normally dresses in his demonic armor, which imbues him with strength and grace and overcomes his physical defects. Robyn Redcap, his demonic familiar, watches over Monksend while his master is away. Robyn takes the form of the dark faerie known as a "redcap." He keeps his cap red by periodic applications of fresh blood, and is made stronger by it.

David, Lord Goulis

Age: 50
Size: 0

Characteristics

+5 Int (legalistic) 0 Pre

+1 Per (observant) +1 Com (sly tongue)

0/+4 Str (normal/unearthly) -3/+2 Dex (palsied/poised)

+4 Sta (boundless energy) -2/+3 Qik (halting steps/vigorous)

Virtues & Blas

Leadership +2, Self-confident +3, Social Contacts +1, Superior Demonic Familiar +4, Wealth +4; Bad Reputation (kidnapper) -1, Dark Secret (diabolist) -1, Obligation (to Hell) -1, Offensive to Animals -1, Palsied Hands -2, Susceptible to Divine Power -4, Tainted by Evil -2

Personality Traits

Sadistic +5, Secretive +4

Confidence

6

Reputation

Kidnapper +1 (locals), Shrewd Counselor (England & Scotland) +6

Abilities

Area Lore—England (northern) 2, Area Lore—lands around Hermitage (neighbors) 2, Area Lore—Scotland (noble families) 3, Bargain (demons) 3, Charm (nobles) 1, Church Lore (Lowland monasteries) 2, Concentration (summoning) 3, Dagger Attack (damage) 1, Dagger Parry (slashes) 3, Diplomacy (Kingdoms) 2, English Law (fealty) 2, Folk Ken (fears) 1, Forgery (king's signature) 1, Guile (activities) 2, Hand Ax Attack (damage) 4, Hand Ax Parry (horseback) 1, Hierarchy (demon names) 5, Intimidation (demons) 2, Intrigue (royal court) 3, Lance Attack (horsemen) 3, Leadership (counsel) 3, Occult Lore (demons) 6, Read Black Tongue (names) 3, Ride (hills) 1, Scottish Law (property) 3, Scribe Latin (legal documents) 4, Search (documents) 3, Shield Attack (first strike) 1, Shield Parry (swords) 4, Speak English (diplomacy) 5, Speak Latin (legal) 5, Speak Norman French (courtly) 3, Speak Scottish (counsel) 5, Subterfuge (legalities) 3

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry Unarmored Armored

Dagger Totals: +0 +2 +3 +4 Dodge:-2 Dodge: +3

Ax Totals: +9 +8 +16 +2 Soak: +4 Soak: +20

Lance Totals: +13 +7 +22 - Fatigue: +4 Fatigue: +4

Shield Totals: +7 +4 +5 +8 Encumbrance: 0

Weapons, Armor, and Items

Dagger, enchanted armor, hand ax, lance, knight's shield

Magical items

Lord Goulis's armor has many enchantments on it. It has no encumbrance and increases his Strength to +4, his Dexterity to +2, and his Quickness to +3. It has a protection value of 16. This armor was a gift from his patron demon and will disappear if Lord Goulis is killed. The demon may alter any physical attributes of Lord Goulis while he is wearing the armor. The armor allows Lord Goulis to use his skills in ax, lance, and shield. Out of the armor he can only use his dagger skill.
Lord Goulis's horse is a demon bound in horse form. Treat as a Size +3 horse with Steed of Vengeance cast upon it, able to use fiery breath (Crlg 25, +20 damage to one target within 10 feet). The horse-demon knows enough not to breathe fire when "friendly" witnesses are around.

Robyn Redcap - Lord Goulis's Demonic Familiar

Demonic Might 35
Size 0

Characteristics

+3 Int (twisted) -6 Pre (smell of rotten blood)

+1 Per (acute nose) +1 Com (sly)

+5 Str (wiry) -1 Dex (jerky)

+2 Sta (enduring) +4 Qik (scampering)

Virtues and Flaws

none

Personality Traits

+5 crafty. +4 cruel

Reputation

Cruel +5

Confidence

4

Combat Totals .

Weapon 1st Atk Parry Dam

Rock Totals: Rate 2/round +8 - +9

Dodge Defense: +9
Soak: +7
Encumbrance: 0
Fatigue: +2

Abilitics

Brawl (claw) 6, Dodge (weapons) 5, Hierarchy (names of rivals) 6, Scribe Black Tongue (curses) 4, Scribe Latin (magical texts) 3, Throw Rock (drop) 7

Weapons and Armor

None

Vis

Five pawns of Perdo vis in claws, eight Córporem in cap, three aesfotedia (see below) in body.

Physical Form Powers

Collect the Potency of Blood (1 Might point, MuCo 15): Robyn can dip his cap in the blood of a victim he has killed and gain +3 Strength and Stamina per Size point of the victim (minimum of one point's worth). This bonus decreases at the rate of 1 point per day. If Robyn cannot dip his hat at least once per month, then his Strength and Stamina will each decrease at the rate of 1 point per 2 days, until they are both zero. Robyn can gain the benefits of up to four Size points of blood at one time (+12 Str and Stm). The blood must be fresh; if it stands more than 10 minutes, no benefit can be gained from it. It takes Robyn three combat rounds to dip and replace his hat.

Psuchomachia

None

Possession

None

Spiritual Form Powers

None

Lord Goulis's Demon Dogs

Demonic Might Size

8 0

Characteristics

0 Cun +1 Pre (horrifying)

+2 Per (soul-sight) n/a Com

+2 Str (un-natural) +4 Dex (agile)

+1 Sta (always hungry) +5 Qik (supernatural)

Personality Traits

+5 hungry

Confidence

4

Combat Totals

Weapon 1st Atk Parry Dam

Bite Totals: +12 +11 - +9

Tackle Totals: +10 +10 - *

Dodge Defense: +10
Fatique: +1
Soak: +4
Encumbrance: 0
* Knockdown

Body Levels

OK, 0, -1, -3, -6, Incapacitated

Fatique Levels

OK, 0, -1, -3, -6, Unconscious

Abilities

Athletics (jump) 3, Ferocity (hunting) 3, Scent (innocence) 3

Vis

One pawn Perdo vis in tongue, two aesfotedia (see below) in body

Powers

Howls of Confusion (PeMe 15) 1 point: By howling, the hounds can cause a victim to become thoroughly confused. Some victims fall to the ground in terror; some run in a straight line; others run one way, then the other, etc. What the victims will not do is put up an effective struggle. The howls are resisted by a willpower roll of Intelligence at 9+. Some Virtues and Flaws will modify the roll (Strong-willed and Faith points will add to the roll; Weak Will and Terrors will subtract); the storyguide must determine the roll on a case-by-case basis.

The Return of Damhan-allaidh

After his last defeat in 890, Damhanallaidh fled to the Shetland Islands to plot his return and recruit allies. Twice since, in 930 and 1040, there were rumors of his reappearance, but neither time were the rumors substantiated. In 930 a group of magi traveled to the North but was lost between the mainland and the Shetlands. In 1040 one maga returned from the Shetlands, her mind destroyed and her body hideously wounded. There have been no rumors since then, but several magicians, Hermetic and otherwise, have told of visions of the return of Damhanallaidh, who would be attended by giants and demons.

This scenario assumes that at least one magus in the character's covenant has an Intéllego Mentem score of 30. If no one in the covenant has such skill, then a magus known to be a specialist in dreams and memory can visit the covenant. This scenario is suitable for sagas set in or out of the Loch Leglean Tribunal. If the characters come from outside the tribunal, they may be able to call on magi from all Houses of the Order, but will face opposition to an invasion from the Scots' covenants. A saga set in the Loch Leglean Tribunal will not have the same level of support from outside the tribunal, but the player characters will have the invaluable assistance of the tribunal's members.

A magus in the saga's covenant with more than 12 Twilight points (or one living nearby, if no one fits the description) has had a series of disturbing dreams. With the aid of the covenant, the dreams are revealed as the psychic remnants of a disturbance related to Damhan-allaidh. If the magus is a native Gaelic speaker, then the dream shows a hideous spider-like being, bloated and slime-covered, spinning to repair a tattered web. Capering demons surround the spider, and waves of evil and malevolence wash over the characters as they view

the image. If the magus does not speak Gaelic, then the image is as before, but instead of a spider the image is of a man, dressed in spiked and horrific armor. Where his eyes should be is a sickish blue glow, like the radiance of putrid fungus. He stands before a loom and weaves a center to a frayed and torn piece of fabric.

In either case, the characters will not likely know the figure (a Hermes History, Hermes Lore, or Occult Lore roll of 42+, or a Gruagach Lore of 35+, makes the connection between the figure and Damhan-allaidh). The storyguide can either pass the dream off as a minor event or stress the importance of it. In either case, the next week the characters hear of another case of nightmares, and investigation reveals the same dream. Over the course of a month, the players hear of more cases, maybe from as far away as England and France. The Loch Leglean Tribunal buzzes with theories and interpretations. It seems that many magi near final Twilight have had the dreams, all about the same time.

A special tribunal is called to investigate, and then empower agents to seek out the source of the frightening dreams. Each major covenant in the tribunal wants to have its own magi become these special agents—for the prestige, if nothing else. The storyguide may run the tribunal or just announce the results after noting that it happened. In any event, the tribunal chooses the characters for the part, whether due to their past deeds, their neutrality in tribunal politics, or the support of one of the major magi (Caitlin of Crun Clach, Calum Mac Lachlan of Clan Mac Gruagach, or Whitburh Frithowebba of Horsingas).

A group of magi, including Caitlin, Calum, Whitburh, and anyone else the storyguide desires, instruct the characters in their duties. They are to investigate the dreams and determine what or who the being is, why it seems so malevolent, and why the magi have been having the dreams. Whitburh gives each character a seal that will grant him or her the authority of quaesitoris for the duration of the investigation, but only for duties relating to the dreams.

From here, the storyguide must make his or her own decisions. The dreams occurred after Damhan-allaidh completed a major part of his plan to conquer Scotland. Investigations into the timing of the dreams will indicate a ripple effect, with the center of the ripples in the Shetland Islands. This quest can be a major undertaking for the characters or a cakewalk, depending on how the storyguide wishes to play it. The stats provided are for a Damhan-allaidh that is able to seriously threaten the Order in the Loch Leglean Tribunal, but the storyguide should consider several scenarios of Damhan-allaidh's power.

NOTE: The stats for Damhan-allaidh include gruagach abilities and some special abilities that are not possible for player characters to have themselves. The write-up of Calum Mac Lachlan in Covenants, Chapter 5, portrays a more "normal" gruagach.

Damhan-allaidh has been gathering strength:

Use the stats provided, then add some Highland giants (magical. and not), unseelie faeries, Highland monsters (a stoorworm, some each uisge), etc. This is a major undertaking, and the following war should take several years of game time to play out, probably destroying a good number of covenants in the process. The characters will probably have to ask the Order for aid. This allows magi a chance to use their spells of destruction in (relative) seclusion. Against such a threat, the tribunal members would even put aside their hatred of House Flambeau.

Damhan-allaidh is working alone:

Use the stats provided, but give him few resources at the beginning of the scenario. If not stopped by the characters on their first try, he will break out of the Shetlands, gathering support as he moves south. This will result in a few major battles, but he will not be strong enough to take on the whole Order immediately. Isolated attacks against magi will occur. A covenant will be attacked once he has found a number of allies. As more time passes, he will attract more powerful allies, until he has the forces described above. Again, this scenario could take years of game time to play out, but the early years will be a game of cat and mouse, with the characters being both hunter and prey.

Damhan-allaidh is working behind the scenes:

He has been using his Enthrall ability to take over the minds of nobles, magi, or churchmen (or all three). He never appears on-scene; instead, the characters must face and defeat attacks by mind-controlled puppets of the Spider. He has a pathological hatred of the Order of Hermes, coupled with knowledge acquired over the centuries about how and where to strike at it. He knows when to make a bishop declare the magi to be heretics, when to make the king or great nobles tax and harass them, and when to spread rumors of the Order of Odin or even of his own reappearance.

Damhan-allaidh is weaker than before:

Reduce the stats provided: Damhanallaidh is weaker than he was the last time he waged war, and he was even stronger back in 814. This scenario should have a satisfying conclusion as the player magi blast the evil menace to atoms. (Or do they? He has escaped from magi before.) He should still be a match for the characters, but there is much less danger to the Order. If the characters really blow it, however, he can still break out as above.

Damhan-allaidh is undead:

As any of the above scenarios, but the body of Damhan-allaidh has long since turned to dust. Damhan-allaidh has found a way to break the bond of flesh and is now a spirit, taking over bodies. Once the characters kill the current incarnation, they might be the next target receptacles for this ancient spirit.

Damhan-allaidh is truly dead:

The players travel all over northern Scotland, with the fear that a major evil creature is waiting for them, only to find that the rumors of his rebirth have been greatly exaggerated. On the other hand, the characters will have plenty of opportunities to annoy or make enemies of the rest of the Order in Scotland. . . .

Damhan-allaidh

Age: 650?
Size:+1

Characteristics

+6 Int (malicious) -6 Pre (hideous)

-3 Per (megalomaniac) -5 Com (egotistical)

+5 Str (supernatural) +3 Dex (deft)

+10 Sta (vital) +6 Qik (lightning quick)

Virtues & Flaws

External Soul +4, Hatred Passion (Order of Hermes) +5, Need Not Sleep +5; Chaotic Magic - 4, Deleterious Circumstances (under clear skies) -3, Disfigured -2, Fury (when thwarted) -3, - | Hunchback -2, Vulnerability (obsidian) -3, Vulnerable (Celtic holy relics) -3, Weakness (strong drink) -1

Personality Traits Reputation

Hate Order of Hermes +5, Insane (megalomaniac) +5 Dead +5, Evil +3

Confidence

5

Magic Resistance

77

Abilities

Alertness (sense magic) 6, Animal Ken (predators) 4, Area Knowledge—British Isles (magical sites) 4, Area Knowledge—Brittany (magical sites) 3, Area Knowledge—Highlands (magical sites) 6, Animal Handling (wolves) 3, Athletics (jump) 2, Bargain (faeries) 5, Boating (small craft) 4, Brawl (claws) 7, Church Lore (Scottish Church) 3, Climb (speed) 3, Concentration (screams) 5, Contortions (escape bonds) 7, Dart Attack (accuracy) 4, Diplomacy (from strength) 4, Direction Sense (hills) 4, Divination (entrails) 4, Dodge (swords) 4, Dousing (magic) 6, Drinking (get drunk) 2, Empathy (victims) 2, Enchanting Music (fear) 6, Entrancement (willing sacrifice) 5, Faerie Lore (history) 3, Fantastic Beast Lore (giants) 8, Folk Ken (victims) 4, Geasa (physical) 7, Gift (characteristics) 6, Gruagach Lore (outdated) 2, Gruagach Wisdom (new Talents) 30, Herbalism (poison) 6, Hermes History (Pralix) 3, Hex (fear) 3, Leadership (supernatural allies) 6, Legend Lore (early Britain) 6, Magic Sensitivity (Hermetic) 5, Magic Theory (gruagachan) 1, Mimicry (victim's voice) 5, Occult Lore (Scottish Highlands) 5, Perfect Balance (standing still) 3, Play Flute (haunting melodies) 4, Potency (curse) 6, Premonitions (Order of Hermes) 5, Read Lips (distance) 3, Ride Horse (speed) 5, Scan (forest) 6, Search (forest) 4, Second Sight (faeries) 4, Sense Holiness & Unholiness (relics) 7, Speak Frankish (courtly) 3, Speak Latin (archaic) 3, Speak Pictish (Geasa) 6, Speak Saxon (threats) 4, Two-handed Spear Attack (cruelty) 5, Two-handed Spear Parry (spears) 6, Stealth (walk silently) 5, Survival (forest) 4, Swim (ocean) 2, Track (humans) 4, Visions (hunters) 3, Weather Sense (storms) 4

Gruagach Afbilities

External Soul, Curse (physical) 17, Shapeshift (monsters) 20, Transform (fish) 20

Special Gruagach Abilities

Decay (bone-breaking) 15, Enthrall (for sacrifice) 10, Incinerate (projection) 13, Sacrifice (human) 8, Shatter (explosion) 9

Effects of Gruagach Powers

Magical Aura, Blatant Gift, Offensive to Animals, Bulging right eye (-1 Pre); clothes rot on contact with his skin; deformed left leg (-1 Quickness); fangs (+3 damage in Bite); hunchback, iron-hard claws (+4 damage in Brawl); no bodily hair; skin is crusted with old pus (Pre -2); swollen abdomen; open sores on body (Pre-2)

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

2-h Spear Totals: +21 +18 +21 +14 Dodge: +13 Soak: +31

Dart Totals: Rate 2/round +5 +8 - Fatigue: +10 Encumbrance: 0

Weapons, Armor, and Items

Darts, enchanted armor (Protection 20), spear

Special Abilities

Damhan-allaidh has developed even beyond the normal Talents of the gruagach and has learned the equivalent of Hermetic form + technique abilities. Each ability is a separate skill and allows casting spontaneous Hermetic-style spells. The level of the result is equal to:
Ability + (Characteristic) + Stress Die if he spends a point of the appropriate characteristic or (Ability + (Characteristic) + Stress Die)/2 if he does not.
If he spent a point of a characteristic and botches the spell, he loses the point permanently. Otherwise, he regenerates characteristics like long-term fatigue levels.
These spells may be resisted as Hermetic spells.
Incinerate: Like Creo and Rego Ignem, but only for true fire, not light or heat effects. Characteristic is Presence.
Decay: Like Perdo Animal and Córporem. Characteristic is Stamina.
Enthrall: Like Rego and Perdo Mentem. Characteristic is Intelligence.
Sacrifice: Like Creo Vim. For each body level that Damhan-allaidh can drain from a sacrifice, he gains the equivalent of one pawn of vis per 10 levels of spell result. He may only perform sacrifices four times a year on the quarter days: Imbolc (Feb. 1.), Beltane (May 1), Lughnasa (Aug. 1), and Samhain (Nov. 1).
Shatter: Like Perdo Herbam and Terram. Characteristic is Strength.

Appendix 1: Character Templates

Grog Templates

Highland Sailor

Age: 23
Size: 0

Characteristics

-1 Int (slow) 0 Pre

0 Per 0 Com

+1 Str (brawny arms) 0 Dex

+1 Sta (hardy) -1 Qik (rolling gait)

Personality Traits

Brave 0, Easy-going +2, Loyal +1

Virtues & laws

Close Family Ties +1, Exceptional Talent (Direction Sense) +1, Crew (gang) Member +1; Dependent (family) -1, Enemies (rival clan) -1, Social Handicap (smell of pitch and tar) -1

Reputation

Reliable (crew) +2

Confidence

3

ALbilities

Alertness (weather) 2, Boating (storms) 4, Bow Attack (windy conditions) 3, Brawl (punch) 1, Climb (rigging) 3, Direction Sense (ocean) 4, Shield Parry (boats) 3, Speak Norse (ship terms) 5, Spear Attack (boats) 2, Swim (remove clothes) 1

Description

You served as a member of the crew aboard a galley along the western coast, but the death of your chief's son in a "boating accident" made moving to a new venue desirable. (How were you to know that the man who assaulted you in the dark and fog was your chief's son?) You now serve the covenant ashore, but desire to return to the sea and waves.

Quote

"It was an accident, really it was. He fell onto my knife, backwards, fourteen times."

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Bow Totals: l/round +8 +8 0

Spear Totals: +6 +5 +6 0

Knife Totals: +0 +4 +3 0

Soak: +1
Encumbrance: 0
Dodge: -1
Fatigue: +1

Weapons, Armor, and Items

Knife, round shield, self bow and 12 arrows, short spear

Ghillie, (gilly, young man)

Age: 16
Size: 0

Characteristics

+1 Int (artful) -3 Pre (young)

+1 Per (keen eyes) -2 Com (excited)

-1 Str (still young) +2 Dex (lithe)

-1 Sta (asthmatic) +3 Qik (energetic)

Personality Traits

Brash +2, Brave +1, Wants Respect +3

Virtues & Flaws

Carefree +1, Keen Vision +1, Reckless +1; Deep Sleeper -1, Obligation (clan) -1, Social Handicap (youth) -1

Reputation

Still young (clan adults) +2

Confidence

3

Abilities

Alertness (animals) 2, Animal Handling (droving) 3, Area Knowledge—clan lands (trails) 3, Brawl (grapple) 1, Climb (steep hills) 1, Dart Attack (moving) 2, Dirk Attack (thrust) 1, Dodge (skirmish) 2, Faerie Lore (tales) 2, Farming (cas chrom) 2, Play Shinty (dribbling) 1, Shield Parry (retreat) 1, Speak Gaelic (work terms) 4

Description

You are a young man of the clan, proud of your association with such a powerful family. However, you are still considered to be a youngster, even though you are sixteen years of age. Your goal is to impress the adults in the clan as to your age and experience so that they will allow you to join raids and expeditions.

Quote

"Why can't I join Lachlan and the others? I helped defend the herd when Seumas Dubh tried to lift the cattle last year, and I drove off that wolf this summer."

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Dirk Totals: +5 +7 +2 -2

Caman Totals: +7 +5 -2 +4

Dart Totals: +3 +5 +1 -

Shield Totals: +0 +2 -7 43

Soak:4
Encumbrance: O
Dodge: +4
Fatigue: +2

(Ceapons, Alrmor, and Items

Darts (three), dirk, leather jerkin, target shield

Clansman

Age: 30
Size: 0

Characteristics

-2 Int (stubborn) 0 Pre

-3 Per (nearsighted) -2 Com (rustic)

-3 Str (stocky) +2 Dex (agile)

+2 Sta (long-winded) +1 Qik (nimble)

Personality Traits

Proud +2, Loyal to Family +3, Brave +2

Virtues & Flaws

Long-winded +1, Stocky +1, Versatile Sleeper +1; Feud With Neighboring Clan -2, Poor Eyesight -1

Reputation

Killer of Aonghus Mac Dughal +3

Confidence

3

Abilities

Abilities: Animal Handling (droving) 3, Area Lore—clan lands (paths) 2, Ax Attack (running) 3, Ax Parry (retreating) 1, Bargain (animals) 3, Brawl (punch) 2, Climb (quickly) 2, Dirk Attack (running) 2, Dodge (unarmed) 2, Evaluate Cows (fitness) 2, Faerie Lore (stories) 1, Farming (cas chrom) 2, Scan (herds) 2, Shield Parry (axes) 3, Sing (work songs) 1, Speak English (market) 2, Speak Gaelic (animals) 4, Speak Scottish (haggling) 2, Survival (Highlands) 2, Track (cows) 2

Description

You are the strength of the clan; without you the crops would not be grown, the animals would not be taken to market, and the clan would have no defense. Last year you killed Aonghus Mac Dughal, a notorious cattle thief. As your clan and his are at feud anyway, you felt justified, but you still had to flee. You have traveled several times to the cattle market at Dunkeld and consider yourself quite the man of the world.

Quote

"Well, I'm not saying that the clan is poor, but you should see Dunkeld. Hundreds of people live there, and they all carry swords! It's the biggest city you'll ever see, and the cathedral is huge. I'll bet it's the biggest city in the world."

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Ax Totals: +7 +7 +11 +5

Dirk Totals: +6 +7 +8 -2

Shield Totals -1 +2 -2 +5

Dodge: +3
Soak: +3
Fatique: +5
Encumbrance: 0

Weapons, Armor, and Items

Dirk, helmet, leather jerkin, long ax, target shield

Gallowglaigh

Age: 25
Size: 0

Characteristics

0 Int +1 Pre (powerful-looking)

-1 Per (hard of hearing) -1 Com (terse)

+1 Str (well built) 0 Dex

+1 Sta (powerful chest) -1 Qik (slow to react)

Personality Traits

Honor-bound +2, Self-reliant +2, Brave +3

Virtues & Flaws

Enduring Constitution +1, Long-winded +1, Welltraveled +1; Disfigured (Scars) -1, Judged Unfairly (killer) -1, Deep Sleeper -1

Reputation

Bloodthirsty (civilians) +3, Steady (warriors) +2

Confidence

3

ALbilities

Battle Ax Attack (increase damage) 4, Battle Ax Parry (Two-handed Ax) 4, Boating (rowing) 2, Brawl (dirty tricks) 2, Broad Sword Attack (first strike) 1, Climb (rigging) 2, Drinking (get drunk) 2, Faerie Lore (tales) 2, Intimidation (physical) 1, Kite Shield Parry (hold ground) 2, Leadership (small unit) 1, Ride (long distance) 1, Scan (military formation) 2, Speak Gaelic (curses) 4, Speak Norse (intimidation) 3, Survival (Hills) 2, Swim (ocean) 1, Track (men) 1

Description

You are a mercenary from the Hebrides, trained to attack at a run even when wearing heavy chain armor. You have served the Irish in their wars, helping cut down Norman knights; now you have returned to Scotland, as Ireland has grown a bit too hot for you.

Quote

"Horses? You call those horses? When I was in Leinster, I fought the cream of English knighthood mounted on real horses. These are merely ponies with young boys on 'em."

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Battle Ax Totals: -2 +6 +18 +6

Broad Sword Totals: -3 +5 +8 0

Kite Shield Totals: -3 -2 -l +7

Dodge: ax -6, sword -7
Soak: +13
Fatigue: ax -4, sword -5
Encumbrance: -5 with ax or -6 with sword and shield

Weapons, &irmor, and Items

Battle ax, broad sword, chain hauberk and helmet, kite shield

Border Rider

Age: 26
Size: 0

Characteristics

0 Int -1 Pre (unbecoming)

+1 Per (sharp ears) -1 Com (heavily accented)

0 Str 0 Dex

+1 Sta (hardy) 0 Qik

Virtues & lams

Close Family Ties +1, Secret Hiding Place +1, Versatile Sleeper +1; Enemies (English knight) -1, Hired Lance -1, Weak-willed -1

Personality Traits

Brave +1, Follower +2 Confidence

Reputation

Good Cattle Lifter (Family) +2

Confidence

3

Abilities

Alertness (horses) 2, Animal Handling (cows) 2, Area Knowledge—Borders (trails) 3, Brawl (throws) 3, Evaluate Cows (fitness) 2, Lance Attack (footmen) 3, Ride (chase) 4, Shield Parry (spears) 3, Speak English (Northumbrian) 4, Stealth (horseback) 2, Swim (rivers) 1, Sword Attack (horseback) 2, Track (cows) 3

Description

You have been riding a horse since the time you could walk, and raiding cattle since you could hold a lance. However, the English are not a forgiving people, and your name has been attached to several raids and murders. While your family would be happy to defend you, it is better that they not come under attack by mailed knights. While you are glad of having a haven such as the covenant, your heart is not really with these people.

Quote

"The English have no sense of proportion. All I did was drive off a few cows; it's not like I killed anyone ... that time."

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Lance Totals: +7 +5 +11 0 Dodge: -3 (3)

Sword Totals: +3 +6 +8 0 Soak: +3 (9)

Fatigue: -2

Encumbrance: 3

Weapons, Armor, and [tems

Broad sword, hard leather cuirass armor, lance, round shield

Lowland City Militiaman

Age: 25
Size: 0

Characteristics

+1 Int 0 Pre

0 Per 0 Com

0 Str 0 Dex

+1 Sta (hardy) -2 Qik (flat footed)

Personality Traits

Brave -1, Haggler +2, Follower +1

Virtues & Flaws

Busy Body +1, Free Expression (wood) +1, Knack (+2 in marketplace) +1; Bad Reputation (thief) -1, Dependents (family) -1, Recruit -1

Benutation

Slightly Shady (city) +2

Confidence

Alertness (cities) 3, Bargain (wood) 3, Craft—wood working (furniture) 4, Drinking (comradely) 2, Evaluate wood (furniture) 2, Folk Ken (customers) 3, Forgery (carving) 2, Guile (customers) 3, Long Spear Attack (formation) 3, Ride (difficult ground) 1, Speak Scottish (trade) 5

Description

You lived in a city, a woodworker and carpenter by trade. Trained to wield the spear, you were called out once to deal with some English baron, but warfare is not truly in your blood. Driven from your home by false rumors of thievery and bad goods, you and your wife and child have been taken in by the covenant.

Quote

"Yes, I could build it like that, but if you get me some oak or maple, I could build it much better."

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Spear Totals: +9 +5 +9 +3 Dodge: -4

Dagger Totals: -3 +4 +2 -2 Soak: +2

Fatigue: -1

Encumbrance: 0

Weapons, Armor, and Items

Long spear, dagger, leather jerkin

Companion Templates

Lowland Merchant

Age: 40
Size: +1

Characteristics

+2 Int (calculating) +2 Pre (cheerful)

+1 Per (subtle) +2 Com (entertaining)

0 Str -2 Dex (thick-fingered)

-1 Sta (out of breath) -4 Qik (obese)

Personality Traits

Afraid of robbers +3, Bravery -2, Penny-pincher +3

Virtues & Flaws

Business +3, Light Sleeper +1, Patron +2, Welltraveled +1; Common Fear (being robbed) -2, Compulsion (gambling) -1, Dark Secret (front for magi) -1, Expenses -1, Favors -1, Obese -1

Reputation

"Oily" +3, Shrewd +3

Confidence

3

ALbilities

Alertness (thieves) 3, Bargain (animals) 4, Church Lore (local clerics) 1, Drinking (stay sober) 1, Etiquette (nobles) 2, Evaluate animals (cattle) 3, Folk Ken (customers) 4, Guile (merchandise) 4, Intrigue (burgh politics) 4, Pretend (poverty) 3, Ride (hills) 2, Scan (herds) 3, Search (animal health) 3, Track (cattle) 1, Wagoneering (hills) 1

Combat Information

Dodge: -1
Soak:+0
Fatigue: -3
Encumbrance: 2

Description

You are the chief of a sept of the larger clan, responsible for forty families. Unfortunately, you are not in the same area as the rest of the clan, so you must deal with your neighbors on your own. One of the neighboring clans is at blood feud with yours, over a murder and a kidnapping of twenty years ago. Another is allied with the first, and the pressure from the two of them has forced you to appeal to the magicians for aid. Now you and yours serve the magicians, in return for their protection.

Quote

"Ah, yes, you came down last year. Well, this poor old man had better look at your stock, eh? T hope this lot is better than the last—they nearly bankrupted me."

Weapons, eXrmor, and Items

None

Bard/Olamh (Poet/Teacher)

Age: 27
Size: O

Qharacteristics

+3 Int (imaginative) +1 Pre (garrulous)

+1 Per (intuitive) +2 Com (sweet voiced)

-2 Str (soft) -2 Dex (clumsy)

-1 Sta (out of shape) -2 Qik (dawdler)

Personality "Traits

Brave 0, Happy-go-lucky +3, Romantic +2

Confidence

3

Virtues & Flaws

Exceptional Talent (Enchanting Music) +2, Free Expression +1, Gossip +2, Long-winded +1, Welltraveled +1; Bad Reputation (ladies' man) -1, Curse of Venus -2, Deep Sleeper -1, Enemies (fathers and brothers of various young ladies) -1, Faerie Enmity -], Meddler -1

Reputation

Ladies' Man -2

ALbilities

Charisma (friendly) 2, Charm (seduction) 2, Craft - harp (repair) 1, Dirk Attack (frantic slash) 1, Dodge (retreat) 1, Enchanting Music (cause laughter) 4, Etiquette (hospitality) 1, Faerie Lore (songs & poems) 3, Folk Ken (young ladies) 1, Intrigue (Highland news) 1, Legend Lore (songs & poems) 3, Play Harp (long sessions) 4, Sing (repertoire) 4, Speak Gaelic (romance) 5

Description

You are a traveling poet and musician, welcome in most communities for the news you bring, as well as for your songs. You have a retentive memory and can recite stories by the hour. However, there are a number of communities where you are distinctly not welcome, due to some unfortunate romantic encounters.

Quote

"Really, she came to me that night. I tried to tell her to go away, but she wouldn't. Now her brothers are after me."

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Dirk Totals: +1 +3 +2 +2

Dodge: -1
Soak:-1
Fatigue: 0
Encumbrance: 0

Ceapons, Alrmor, and Items

Harp, dirk

Monk of the Scottish Church

Age: 24
Size: 0

Characteristics

+2 Int (scholarly) 0 Pre

+2 Per (careful worker) -3 Com (reclusive)

-2 Str (out of shape) +2 Dex (nimble fingers)

+1 Sta (healthy) -2 Qik (painstaking)

Personality Traits

None

Faith

1

Virtues & Flams

Clear Thinker +1, Clergy +3, True Faith +3; Noncombatant -3, Reclusive -1, Sheltered Upbringing -2, Soft-hearted -1

Reputation

None

Confidence

3

Abilities

Canon Law (monastic codes) 2, Church Lore (Scottish services) 3, Church Lore (Scottish saints) 3, Craft gardening (root crops) 1, Evaluate Books (creator) 2, Faerie Lore (church beliefs) 1, Humanities (philosophy) 3, Scribe Latin (calligraphy) 4, Sing (hymns) 2, Speak Gaelic (conversational) 5, Speak Latin (liturgy)

Combat Information

Dodge: -2
Soak: +1
Fatigue: +1
Encumbrance: 0

Description

You were born into the monastery community and would most likely have died there. However, a chapter house of the Cistercians was established in the area only five years ago, and they appealed to the bishop to have your monastery added to theirs. The bishop agreed, but instead of handing over the Bell and Staff of St. Mungo, the abbot fled with them to the North. You felt you could not join him in so flagrantly opposing the bishop and tried to join the Cistercians, but you were denied entry into their order. Wandering over the hills and valleys of Galloway, you came upon the covenant, whose members, though they are not churchmen, are at least scholars. Since your arrival, the members of the covenant have seemed to become less easily agitated, which you ascribe to the beneficence of the Lord.

Quote

"I hear the pain in your voice. Would you care to let me share your hurt with you? A sorrow shared is a sorrow halved."

Highland Chieftan

Age: 30
Size: 0

Characteristics

+2 Int (shrewd) +1 Pre (stately)

+3 Per (see nuances) +1 Com (clear speaker)

0 Str -2 Dex (old wounds)

-3 Sta (nagging cough) -2 Qik (limp)

Personality Traits

Brave +3, Hate Enemy Clans +2, Loyal to Clan +3

Virtues & Plaws

Aptitude (+1 with social attributes) +2, Clear Thinker +1, Inspirational +1, Leadership +3; Blood Feud (enemy clan) -3, Enemies (a different clan) -1, Obligation to Clan -3

Reputation

Fond of sweets +2, Tough but Fair +3

Confidence

3

Abilities

Animal Handling (droving) 2, Area Lore—clan lands (families) 4, Bargain (clan politics) 3, Bow Attack (forests) 3, Charisma (clan members) 2, Dirk Attack (close quarters) 1, Dodge (close quarters) 3, Folk Ken (feuds) 3, Guile (anger) 1, Intimidation (clan) 2, Intrigue (neighboring clans) 2, Leadership (clan matters) 4, Shield Parry (hold ground) 3, Speak Gaelic (leadership) 5, Survival (Highlands) 2, Sword Attack (drive forward) 2

Description

You are the chief of a sept of the larger clan, responsible for forty families. Unfortunately, you are not in the same area as the rest of the clan, so you must deal with your neighbors on your own. One of the neighboring clans is at blood feud with yours, over a murder and a kidnapping of twenty years ago. Another is allied with the first, and the pressure from the two of them has forced you to appeal to the magicians for aid. Now you and yours serve the magicians, in return for their protection.

Quote

"I know that the cattle must be driven to market, but the problem still remains that Donald can't go: they'll kill him on sight. He will just have to stay home this year."

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Broad Sword Totals: +1 +5 +9 +0 (6)

Dirk Totals: -2 +3 +4 -2 (4)

Shield Totals: -6 -2 -5 +5 (11)

Bow Totals: 1/round +6 +8 -

Dodge: -1
Soak: +0
Fatigue: -3
Encumbrance: 2

Ceapons, Armor, and Items

Bow and arrows, broad sword, dirk, leather helmet, linen cotte, shield

Cailleach Glioc (Wise Woman)

Age: 50
Size: 0

Characteristics

+3 Int (keen wit) -1 Pre (stooped posture)

+4 Per (insightful) +2 Com (speak in metaphors)

-1 Str (infirm) -1 Dex (tremors)

-2 Sta (elderly) -1 Qik (hobbling gait)

Personality Traits

Brave O, Romantic +4, Short with Inhospitality +3

Virtues & Flaws

Exceptional Talent (Gift) +4, Gossip +2, Knack (+2 telling stories) +1; Decrepit -2, Lame -2, Palsied Hands -1, Poor Eyesight -1, Poor Hearing -1

Reputation

Wise Woman +3

Confidence

3

Abilities

Area Lore—10-mile radius (people) 4, Bargain (services) 2, Church Lore (stories of saints) 2, Craft—weaver (hard tartan) 3, Etiquette (hospitality) 3, Evaluate Animals (milk) 2, Faerie Lore (monsters) 3, Fantastic Beast Lore (Highlands) 3, Folk Ken (lovers) 4, Gift (physical) 5, Intrigue (local clans) 3, Legend Lore (heroes) 4, Occult Lore (spirits) 3, Speak Gaelic (storytelling) 5, Storytelling (lessons) 4

Combat Information

Dodge: -1
Soak: -2
Fatigue: -2
Encumbrance: 0
Decrepitute: +1

Description

For long years you have lived here, at the top of this hill. When you were younger, you used to visit the surrounding clans; but the years have taken their toll, and you now receive visitors at your house. They come for many things: young girls come wishing to win the hearts of their young men; young men come for help gaining wealth or power. You look kindly on young lovers, but tell them stories to make them heed more than just their hearts. You can make small potions or amulets that give the requesters what they asked for, but they must heed your conditions or the gift is ruined.

Quote

"Ah, love. I remember when.... Oh, don't mind an old woman, deary; yes, of course I can help. You know, your plight reminds me of the story of Dougie and the Swan Maiden. You see, there was this young man...."

Weapons, Armor, and Items

None

Magi Templates

Ex Miscellanea Storm Witch

Age: 32
Size: 0

Qharacteristics

+3 Int (clever) -3 Pre (wild appearance)

+3 Per (clear sighted) -3 Com (squeaky voice)

0 Str 0 Dex

+1 Sta (robust) -1 Qik (mervous)

Virtues & Flaws

Extra Arts (30) +3, Independent Magic +2, Magical Affinity (weather) +2, Sharp Ears +1, Subtle Magic +2; Blatant Gift -1, Hedge Wizard -1, Isolated from the Order -3, Necessary Condition (whistling) -1, Poor Eyesight -1, Poor Reader -3

Personality Traits

Brave -2, Haggler +3

Confidence

3

Reputation

Hedge Wizard (Order of Hermes) -2, Wind Witch (neighbors) +3

Abilities

Bargain (services) 1, Concentration (storms) 3, Faerie Lore (air) 1, Finesse (Auram) 3, Folk Ken (needy) 2, Scribe Runes (records) 3, Speak Gaelic (bargaining) 4, Weather Affinity (storms) 4, Whistling (spell casting) 3

Techniques and Forms & Spellcasting Information

0 Cr 0 An 0 Ig Spellcasting Speed: +1

4 In 1 Aq 0 Im Twilight Points: 0

0 Mu 11 Au 0 Me

8 Pe 0 Co 0 Te

11 Re 0 He 1 Vi

Spells Known

Gathering of the Stormy Might (ReAu 30) +23, Quiet the Raging Winds (PeAu 25) +20, Chaos of the Angry Wave (ReAq 20) +13, Circling Winds ofProtection (ReAu 20) +23, Maintain the Demanding Spell (ReVi 20) +13, Sailor's Foretaste of the Morrow (InAu 15) +12, Jupiter'sResounding Blow (ReAu 10) +23, Push of the Gentle Wave (ReAq 10) +13

Wizard's Sigil

Smells of a storm approaching

Combat Information

Dodge: -1
Soak: +1
Fatigue: -1
Encumbrance: 0

Description

You were brought up in the traditions of the Highland weather witches, able to call or dispel storms just by whistling. The winds are your plaything, but you will harness them for a price. Sailors often come to you to guarantee their safety. To the magi of the Order of Hermes, you are beneath contempt: you cannot even speak Latin, let alone read it! You think of them as overblown windbags who needa few holes to let all that hot air out.

Quote

"Of course I can get you a good breeze, but it will cost you."

Weapons, firmor, and Items

None

Quaesitor Investigator

Age: 34
Size: 0

Characteristics

+3 Int (quick-thinking) 0 Pre

+3 Per (thorough) -2 Com (supercilious)

-2 Str (untrained) 0 Dex

-1 Sta (weak-blooded) +1 Qik (twitchy)

Personality Traits

Brave -1, Overbearing +3, Superior +3

Confidence

4

Virtues & Plaws

Magical Affinity (Intéllego) +4, Piercing Gaze +2, Quaesitor +1, Quiet Magic +2, Self-confident +1; Dark Secret (no real authority) -1, Delusion (all Scots are stupid) -1, Driving Goal (cleanse the Tribunal) -1, Study Requirement -3, Susceptible to Infernal Power -4

Beputation

Fanatically anti-demon +3

Abilities

Acting (authority) 2, Certámen (Ignem) 2, Church Lore (demons) 1, Concentration (at night) 2, Debate (Code of Hermes) 2, Diplomacy (Tribunal) 1, Etiquette (slights) 1, Hermes History (Tytalus diabolism) 2, Hermes Lore (Schism War) 2, Hermetic Law (Peripheral Code) 3, Intéllego Affinity (Vim) 3, Magic Theory (Intéllego) 5, Parma Magica (Mentem) 3, Penetration (Intéllego) 3, Scribe Latin (legal documents) 5, Search (records) 1, Speak German (vocabulary) 4, Speak Latin (denunciations) 5, Subterfuge (bluff) 3

Techniques and Forms

3 Cr 0 An 0 Ig

7 In 0 Aq 6 Im

3 Mu 0 Au 6 Me

3 Pe 3 Co 0 Te

7 Re 0 He 7 Vi

Spellcasting Information

Spellcasting Speed: -2
Twilight Points: 0

Spells Known

Aura of Rightful Authority (ReMe 20) +13, Ear for the Distant Voice (InIm 20) +13, Image from the Wizard Torn (ReIm 20) +10, Opening the Intangible Tunnel (ReVi 20) +14, Perceive the Magical Scent (InVi 20) +17, Tongue of the Folk (InMe 20) +16, Wind of Mundane Silence (PeVi 20) +10, The Unseen Arm (ReTe 5) +7

Wizard's Sigil

Hair stands on end.

Combat Information

Dodge: -2
Fatigue: 0
Soak: 0
Encumbrance: 0

Description

Newly initiated as a member of House Quaesitor, you have taken it on yourself to investigate and cleanse the Loch Leglean Tribunal. While technically you have no authority to do this, those ignorant Ex Miscellanea witches and charlatans are no match for your keenly honed intellect. Once you have shown the rest of the Order what crimes are being committed here, your rise in both the Order and your House is sure to be meteoric.

Quote

"I am quite aware of the implications of your refusal to cooperate with a member of House Quaesitor. Are you?"

Weapons, Armor, and Items

None

Ex Miscellanea Shapeshifter

Age: 23
Size: 0

Characteristics

+2 Int (talented) -2 Pre (untamed)

+3 Per (alert) -3 Com (snarls and growls)

-1 Str (scrawny) +1 Dex (delicate step)

0 Sta -1 Qik (animal reflexes)

Personalitu Traits

At Home in Beast Form +3, Brave (depends on form: Human +2, Wolf: +2, Goat 0, Hare -3, Raven Confidence -2, Wild +2 Eagle +3)

Virtues & Plams

Extra Arts +1, Silent Magic +4, Subtle Magic +2, Will over Form +3; Flawed Parma (Ignem) -1. Minor Ignem Deficiency -1, Orphan -1, Personal Magic -6, Weak Writer -1

Reputation

Feral +2

Abilities

Alertness (prey) 2, Dodge (arrows) 2, Faerie Lore (shape shifters) 1, Fantastic Beast Lore (giants) 2, Hermes History (gruagachan) 2, Hermes Lore (Ex Miscellanea) 2, Magic Theory (Muto) 5, Parma Magica (Córporem) 2, Pretend (interest) 1, Scan (forest) 1, Scribe Latin (bestiaries) 5, Search (bushes) 1, Speak Gaelic (animals) 4, Speak Latin (animals) 5, Survival (forests) 2, Swim (streams) 1. Track (small animals) 2, Will over Form (change to animal form) 4

Techniques and Forms

1 Cr 9 An 0 Ig

0 In 1 Aq 0 Im

10 Mu 1 Au 0 Me

0 Pe 10 Co 1 Te

0 Re 1 He 0 Vi

Spellcasting Information

Spellcasting Speed: +1
Twilight Points: 0

Spells Known

Cloak of Black Feathers (MuCo 35) +21, Cloak of Gilded Feathers (golden eagle) (MuCo 35) +21, Shape of the Agile Climber (Goat) (MuCo 25) +21, Shape of the Moorland Runner (Hare) (MuCo 25) +21, Shape of the Woodland Prowler (MuCo 25) +21, Air's Ghostly Form (CrAu 5) +3,

Wizard's Sigil

All within 10 feet feel animal urges.

Combat Information

Dodge: +3
Fatigue: +1
Soak: +1
Encumbrance: 0

Description

You always felt more comfortable around animals, and one day you met an old man who taught you how to be one. Since then you have traveled the land and the air in the forms of wolf, goat, hare, raven, and golden eagle. You want to learn more: how to become a wind or a fire.

Quote

"Grrrrrowf. Skreeaak. Shut up and let me be."

Weapons, Armor, and Items

None

Gearr (guar) - Hare

Age: n/a
Size:-3

Characteristics

+1 Int (cunning) - Pre n/a

+5 Per (sharp ears) - Com n/a

-3 Str (small) 0 Dex

+3 Sta (Runner) +3 Qik (nervous)

Virtues & Plaws

Carefree +1, Keen Vision +1, Reckless +1; Deep Sleeper -1, Obligation (clan) -1, Social Handicap (youth) -1

Reputation

Vermin +3

Confidence

3

Personality Traits

Brave -3, Curious +1, Fierce (when caught) +2

Description

The hare is a favorite form for Scottish shapechangers, as it is fast, perceptive, and wise to the lay of the land. There are two types of hares in Scotland: the blue, or "mountain" hare, and the brown hare. The blue hare changes its coat to white in the winter and is impossible to make out against the snow. A full-grown hare is capable of putting up a nasty fight when cornered, but most hares are taken by predators (stoats, weasels, cats, dogs, eagles, or hawks) while still young. In the springtime, hares congregate and go mad with mating passion, hence the expression "mad as a march hare." Hares are said to sleep with their eyes open, so alert are they. Hares swim well and are built for running up hills. A hare, when pursued downhill, will run at a diagonal to the slope, to prevent the steepness of the hill from sending it tumbling.

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Kick Totals: +2 0 +1 Dodge: +4

Soak: +3

Fatigue: +2

Encumbrance: 0

Body Levels

OK, -3, Incapacitated

Fatique Levels

OK, -3, Unconscious

Gruagach

Age: 29
Size: 0

Characteristics

+3 Int (shrewd) -3 Pre (deformed)

0 Per -2 Com (shy)

+2 Str (muscular) -2 Dex (uncoordinated)

+2 Sta (barrel-chestged) 0 Qik

Personality Traits

Brave -1, Kind +2, Shy +3

Canfidence

3

Virtues & Flaws

Enduring Constitution +1, Exceptional Talent (Enchanting Music) +2, Knack (+4 Shapeshift to mammal) +2, Tough +1, Ways of the Woods +4; Deleterious Circumstance (when wet) -2, Geas (never eat animal flesh or botch next Shapeshift roll) -2, Geas (train a student by age forty-nine or lose gruagach abilities) -1, Hedge Wizard -1, Lack of Penetration -2, Poor Hearing Magic Resistance -1, Speech Impediment (lisp) -1

Confidence

3

Reputation

None

Abilitics

Alertness (bad terrain) 2, Area Lore—Strathnavar (Navar River) 3, Climb (cliffs) 1, Cudgel Attack (stun) 1, Dodge (Shapeshift) 2, Faerie Lore (each uisge) 1, Gruagach Lore (master's clan) 3, Gruagach Wisdom (new Talents) 4, Sing (dirges) 2, Speak Gaelic (the seasons) 4, Speak Pictish (Shapeshifter) 4, Survival (forest) 2

Description

You are a member of a magical tradition far older than the Hermetic Order. While House Ex Miscellanea is willing to sponsor you in the Order, many other Houses will never view you as a true member of the Order. You have the capability of achieving immortality by removing your soul and hiding it. However, your magic is very personal and can only affect one person at a time. You must be careful: botched magic will warp your body, making you horrid to see.

Quote

"Please, I do not wish to insult you, but if you do not leave now, I shall be forced to cause warts to grow upon your face so that others will shudder when gazing upon your hideous visage."

Combat Information

Weapon First Strike Attack Damage Parry

Cudgel Totals: +8 +6 +4 -2 (4) Dodge: +2

Soak: +6

Fatigue: +1

Encumbrance: O

Weapons, Armor, and Items

Iron-bound cudgel, leather jerkin

Appendix 2: Gaelic Glossary

The native language of the Highlands and Islands, Gaelic has its origins lost in the mists of time. It is possible that the Broch-builders spoke a tongue like Gaelic; it is known that the Picts spoke a language much like Welsh. The Gaelic of the Highlands is an import from Ireland, brought by the Scots. The Pictish language was no longer spoken within two generations of the conquest of Pictland by Kenneth MacAlpin. Gaelic is an oral language, not usually written down. For this reason, the written language is quite diverse, with spelling only approximating the sound of the spoken word, unlike spelling in the more structured Latin or Greek. Gaelic has its different accents among its various groups of speakers, much like English does, but a Gaelic speaker from Ireland will have no problems in Scotland, and vice-versa.

The following pronunciation guide and vocabulary are not intended to be a course on speaking or reading Gaelic, but to provide a means for players to create names for characters, covenants, and places that approximate Gaelic. The pronunciation of words will vary from district to district, and thus the pronunciation below (taken from Mackinnon) is only a sample. Players who actually speak Gaelic may feel free to laugh at this section.

Pronunciation Notes:


b	as b in English
bh	as vin English, sometimes silent
c	always hard as in "cot"
ch	can be hard, as in "character," or soft, as in "inch"
chd	"chk" as in "Loch Katrine"
dh	voiced ch, y as in "yet," or silent
di	"jee"
-each	"uch," "eck"
f	as f in English
fh	mainly silent, but sometimes like h
g	Hard g, as in "Goth"
gh	voiced ch (see dh above)
h	as h, j, or kin English
l	ll as in "silly", "lli," as in "million," or "back I" as in wool
m	as m in English
mh	as v in English, or silent
n	as n in English
ng	as "ng" in "finger," or "ni," as in "pinion"
p	as in English
ph	as f in English
r	as in "peril"
s	as in "set"
se-	"sheh"
si-	"shee"
sh	as h in hat or "sh" as in "English"
t	soft t
th	usually silent, sometimes h or ch as in "Loch," sometimes y as in "yet"

Gaelic uses the vowels a, e, i, o, u, but with several different intonations: sharp, flat, long, short, and nasalized.

Most words in Gaelic are accented on the first syllable or the next to the last one.

Vocabulary

And, In, Of, The

English Word	Gaelic	Pronunciation
And	agus	a-gus
In	anns, san, sa	ans, san, sa
Of	de	de
Of the	nam	nam
The	an, na	an, na

Geography

English Word	Gaelic	Pronunciation
Bare Spot	Mal, Mel	mal
Battlefield	Blair	blare
Bridge	Drochaid, Drochit	droch-aj, droch-et
Broad Valley	Strath	stra
Cape	Mal, Mel	mal
Castle	Caisteal	KASH-tyal
Church	Kil	kil
City	Baile Mor	balu mor
Cliff	Creag	creg
Enclosure	Gart	gart
Field	Auch, Ach, Dal	ach, dahl
Forest	Coille	culu
Fort	Rath, Dun	ray, dun
Grove	Doire	duru
Headland	Can	kan
Heap of stones	Cairn	kam
Height	Ard	ard
Hill	Cnoc	knoc
Hollow	Corrie	korry
House	Tigh	toy
Island	Eilan	elan
Lake, Fjord	Loch	lock
Meadow	Lon, Dal, Innis	lon, dal, inis
Monastic Cell	Kil	kill
Moor	Monadh	MON-u
Mound	Tom	tom
Mountain	Beinn (ben)	beyn
Narrow Valley	Glen	glenn
Narrows	Kyle	kile
Pass	Bealach	BYAL-uch
Pile	Cruach	kruach
Plain	Blair	blar
Reef	Sgeir	sker
Ridge	Druim	drum
River	Abhainn	avin
River Mouth	Inbhir, Inver, Aber	inver, aber
Rock	Cregg	kreg
Rough	Garbh	garv
Rounded Hill	Mam	mam
Sea	Muir	moor
Sea Port	Baile Puert	balu pert
Skerry	Sgeir	sker
Sloping Plain	Learg	lerg
Stone	Clach (clack)	klach
Strait	Col, Kyle	kol, kile
Tide	Sruth	SIOO
Town	Baile	balu
Tree	Craobh	kruv
Village	Clachan	klachan
Water	Esk	esk
Wave	Tonn	toun
North, Left	Tuath	too-u
South, Right	Deas	jes
East, Front	Ear	er
West, Back	Iar	ee-ur

The Sky

English Word	Gaelic	Pronunciation
Sun	Grian	grean
Moon	Gealach	gyal-uch
Star	Reul	reel
Wind	Goath	gu
Cloud	Neul	neel
Rain	Frasacd	fras-achc
Storm	Doirionn	durun
Sky	Speur	speer

The Calendar

English Word	Gaelic	Pronunciation
Season	Uair	tray
Day	Latha	la-u
Hour	Uair	na-ir
Monday	Di-luain	ji-luan
Tuesday	Di-miart	ji-mayrst
Wednesday	Di-ciadoain	ji-ciadin
Thursday	Dior-daoin	JEERR-din
Friday	Di-h-aoine	ji-hunu
Saturday	Di-sathuirne	ji-sahurn
Sunday	Di-domhnaich	ji-donach
January	Am Faoilteach	am fultach
February	An Gearran	an gyarran
March	Am Mart	amart
April	An Giblin	an geeblen
May	An Ceitean	an keechen
June	An t-Og-mhios	an tog veeus
July	An t-Iuchar	an tyoochir
August	An Lunasdal	an LOON-usd-al
September	An t-Sultuine
October	An Damhar
November	An t-Samhain
December	An Dudlachd	an doodlachk
Spring	Earrach	er-ach
Summer	Samhradh	sav-ra
Fall	Foghear	fu-ur
Winter	Geamhradh	gev-ra

People

English Word	Gaelic	Pronunciation
Man	Fear	fer
Wife, Woman	Bean	ben
Gentleman	Duine	doonu
Old Man	Bodach	bo-doch
Old Woman	Cailleach	keluch
Young Man	Oganach	ogunuch
Young Woman	Oigh	oyu
Children	Clann	klan
Boy	Ghillie	gillu
Girl	Caileag	kal-ag
Baby	Naoidhean	nooyen
Son	Mac	mak
Daughter	Nic	nik
Sister	Piuthar	pioo-UR
Brother	Braithair	bray-her

Occupations

English Word	Gaelic	Pronunciation
High King	Ard Ri	ard ree
King	Righ	ree
Great Lord	Mor Maer	mor mer
Lord	Morair	morer
Chief of Clan	Ceann Cath	kyann ka
Knight	Ridire	reediru
Guard	Freiceadann	freicudan
Blacksmith	Gobha	go-u
Harper	Clarsair	klar-ser
Horseman	Marcaiche	mark-ich-u
Hunter	Sealgair	shalgir
Magician (Druid)	Druidh	druy
Magician (Caster)	Geasadair	ges-ader
Messenger	Teachdaire	techk iru
Monk	Manach	manuch
Piper	Piobaire	peebiru
Poet	Bard	bard
Priest	Sagart	sagurt
Sailor	Maraiche	mar-ich
Scholar	Sgoilear	scoler
servant	Serbhanta	sharvant
Singer	Seinneadair	sheyn-u-der
Slave	Traill	trail
Stonemason	Clachair	klach-er
Storyteller	Seanachie	shenuchy
Teacher	Olamh	oll-uv
Warrior	Laoch	lach
God	Dia	jia
Satan, The Devil	Diabhol	jia-vul
Saint	Naomh	noov
Angel	Aingeal	ENG-ul

Adjectives

English Word	Gaelic	Pronunciation
Angry	Fearg	ferg
Big	Mor	mor
Brave	Treun	treen
Cold	Fuar	foo-ur
Handsome	Pearsanta	pers-annt-u
Happy	Toilitchte	to-licht-u
High	Ard	ard
Honest	Firinneach	fear-unn-uch
Hot	Teth	te
Long	Fada	fada
Monster	Uile-bheist	oolu-vest
Old	Sean	shen
Sad	Bronach	bronach
Savage	Garg	garg
Short	Goirid	gurij
Silent	Samhach	sav-uch
Slovenly	Rapach	rapuch
Slow	Mall	maul
Small	Beg	beg
Surly	largalt	iur-galt
Timid	Meata	metu
True	Fior	feer
Young	Og	og
Color	Dath	da
Black	Dubh	doo
Blue	Gorm	gorm
Brown	Donne	doun
Greeb	Uaine	ua-niu
Grey	Glas	glas
Red	Dearge, Ruadh	jarg, roo
Speckled	Breac	breek
White	Ban	ban
Yellow	Buidhe	booyu

Parts of the Body

English Word	Gaelic	Pronunciation
Head	Ceann	kyann
Hair	Falt	falt
Ear	Cluas	klooas
Eye	Suil	sool
Chin	Smigead	smiged
Mouth	Beul	biall
Nose	Sron	sron
Arm	Gairdean	gayrjen
Finger	Meur	meer
Thumb	Ordag	ordeg
Hand	Lamh	lav
Claw	Spog	spog
Chest	Broilleach	bro-ilach
Heart	Cridhe	kree
Stomach	Goile	GUL-a
Leg	Lurga	loorgu
Knee	Gluin	gloon
Foot	Cas	kos
Skin	Craicean	cracun
Skeleton	Taisean	tashun
Bone	Cnaimh	kreev
Skull	Claigionn	klycun

Clothing

English Word	Gaelic	Pronunciation
Cloak	Cleoc	kloac
Coat	Cota	kota
Hose	Briogais	brigis
Mantle, Irish Cloak	Brat	brat
Shirt	Leine	leenu
Shoe	Brog	brog
Shoes	Brogan	brogan
Purse	Sporan	sporan
Belt	Crios	kris
Hat	Biorraid	byurr-aj

Materials

Clay	Criadh	kri-u
Wood	Fiodh	fi-ugh
Gold	Or	or
Silver	Airgead	ER-gud
Iron	larann	juren
Tin	Staoin	stuin
Wool, Feathers	Cloimh	klo-ee
Linen	Anart	anart
Leather	Leathar	le-hur

Countries and Foreigners

English Word	Gaelic	Pronunciation
Gaelic Language	Gaidhlig	gaelic
English Language	Beurla	biar-la
Latin Language	Laidionn	lajun
French Language	Fraingeis	FRENC-ish
Scotland	Alban	alban
Scot	Albanach	alban-uch
Lowlands	Galldach	gaul-dach
Highlands	Gaidhealtachd	gayal-tachk
Highlander	Gaidheal	gayal
England	Sasunn	sas-unn
Englishman	Sasunnach	SAS-unn-uch
Ireland	Eire	eru
Irishman	Eirenach	eir-an-ach
Norse Hebredean	Fionghall	fiun-yal
Norseman	Lochlannach	loch-llan-uch
France	Fraing	frenc
Frenchman	Frangach	frene-ach
Rome	Roimh	roo-eev
Roman	Romanach	romanuch
Roman Churchmar	1Papanach	papanuch
Foreigner	Gall	gaul

Animals

English Word	Gaelic	Pronunciation
Badger	Broc	brok
Bird	Eun	en
Bull	Tarbh	tarv
Cat	Cat	kat
Cattle	Crodh	kro
Chicken	Eireag	erag
Cormorant	Sgarbh	scarv
Cow	Во	bo
Crow	Feannag	FYANN-ag
Dog	Cu, Madadh	koo, mad-
Duck	Lach	lac
Eagle	Iolair	yulir
Fairies	Sith	shee
Fairy	Sitheach	shee-uch
Fiend	Deamhom	joun
Fish	Iasg	iusg
Fox	Madadh-ruadh	mad-u roo
Hare	Maigheach	my-uch
Hawk	Seabhag	she-vug
Hoodie Crow	Starrag	starreg
Horse	Each	eck
Mare	Lair	lar
Pig	Muc	muc
Rat	Radan	raden
Raven	Fitheach	FEE-uch
Roe Deer	Earb	erb
Rook	Rocaise	ro-cisu
Salmon	Bradan	bradan
Seagull	Faoileag	fuleg
Seal	Ron	ron
Serpent	Nathair	na-hir
Sheep	Caora	kooru
Spider	Damhan-allaidh	davan-alli
Trout	Breac	breck
Whale	Muc-Mhara	muc-vara
Wolf	Madadh-aillaidh,	mad-u alli
	MacTir	makcheer

Instruments and Tools

English Word	Gaelic	Pronunciation
Music	Ceol	kyoll
Harp	Clarsarch	klar-soc
Bagpipes	Piob	peeb
Tune	Fonn	foun
Mouth Music	Port-a-beul	port-a-bial
Drum	Bodhrain	bo-ron
Arrow, Dart	Saighead	syud
Axe	Tuagh	too-u
Battle Axe	Olltuagh	oll-too-u
Bow	Bogha	bo-ha
Helmet	Clogad	klogad
Knife	Sgiane	sciun
Shield	Sgiath	sgiu
Sword	Claidheamh	clyiv
Scabbard	Truaill	troo-ul
Shinty Stick	Caman	cayman
Scythe	Speal	spel
Ship	Long	loong
Plow	Crann-arrain	kran-aren
Footplow	Cas-Chrom	kos-krom
The Bible	Piobull	peebul

Numbers

English Word	Gaelic	Pronunciation
One	Aon	oon
Two	Da	da
Three	Tri	tree
Four	Ceithir	ke-hir
Five	Coig	СО
Six	Sia	sheea
Seven	Seachd	shachk
Eight	Ochd	ochk
Nine	Naoi	nooy
Ten	Deich	jech

Hermetic Terms

English Word	Gaelic	Pronunciation
Creo	Cruthaich	kroo-huch
Intéllego	Fios	fis
Muto	Atharraich	ahurich
Perdo	Sgrios	scris
Rego	Ceannseach	kyan-sich
Animál	Beatach	be-huch
Aquam	Uisge	ooshkoo
Auram	Aile	aela
Córporem	Corp	corp
Herbam	Lus	loos
Ignem	Teine	tenu
Imágonem	Iomhaigh	eevay
Mentem	Inntinn	eentin
Terram	Tir	teer
Vim	Cumhachd	koo-achk
Redcap	Teachdair (messenger)	techk-iru
Apprentice	Foghlumach (learner)	fulumach
Consors	Caraid (friend)	kaerej
Covenant	Comhairle (council)	ko-urlu
Custos	Freiceadan (guard)	freicudan
Grog	Dionadair (supporter)	jenadar
Turb	Comhlan (band, group)	ko-lan
Turb	Buidhean (company)	booyen
Spell, Magic	Geasadaireachd	ges-ederuc
Spell, Magic	Druidheachd	druyachc

Mythic Scotland at a Glance circa 1220

Mundane History: The Broch-builders, Picts, and Scots have succeeded each other over the centuries. Vikings, Britons, and Saxons have also found a hold in Scotland. The English and Normans are now gaining more control over the Scots. Descendants of the Vikings rule large parts of the northern Highlands, as well as the Islands.

Lands: The Lowlands are English in culture and law, with many English and Norman families. The Highlands, however, are hilly, thickly wooded lands where clans rule and bow to no king. The Border lords between Scotland and England will gladly follow either king, for a price.

King: King Alexander II, son of William the Lion, rules Scotland. He joined the rebellion against King John of England and signed the Magna Carta. The king rules from Castle Rock in Edinburgh, where lies the Stone of Scone. All Scottish kings have been crowned over this stone. Alexander is betrothed to Joan, daughter of King John of England.

Seneschal: Lord Goulis, rumored to be a servant of Satan. His family has held the office of seneschal as a hereditary fief for three generations.

The Church: The Roman Church rules the Lowlands, but the Scottish Church still has abbeys in the Highlands. Services in the Scottish Church are conducted in Gaelic instead of Latin. The Roman Church is making inroads into the Highlands, at the expense of the native Church. Guillame de Bruyse, the bishop of St. Andrews, is the primate of the Church in Scotland.

Hermetic History: The first Hermetic wizard to come to Scotland was Pralix, who came in pursuit of Damhan-allaidh. Pralix fought many battles with Damhan-allaidh here, and many original members of House Ex Miscellanea were from these lands. The tribunal, formed in 817, takes its name from the winter camp Pralix used during her campaign. In 1008, during the Schism War, three Loch Leglean covenants closely associated with House Diedne were destroyed. Magi in Loch Leglean have a long history of interfering in mortal affairs, though the Pact of Crun Clach (1189) has reduced the incidence of direct involvement.

The Order of Hermes: The largest three covenants here are Crun Clach (a Lowland covenant), Clan Mac Gruagach (a Highland covenant), and Horsingas (a Saxon covenant). A quarter of the magi are tied to no covenant, though they retain voting rights in the tribunal. They are known as aonaranan (un-aranan, hermits; singular: aonaran). The magi of Loch Leglean are prone to side with their non-Hermetic neighbors against Hermetic magi from mainland Europe. Whitburh Frithowebba of Horsingas Covenant is the only quaesitor in the Tribunal. Thomas Verus, a wandering

Redcap, is the only member of House Mercere who makes Scotland part of his route.

Magical People and Creatures: Faeries, or sith (shee), are common in Scotland. Highland faeries are usually solitary, strange, and dangerous. The more tolerant and humanlike faeries commonly live in knowes (hollow hills) and enjoy going on rades (rides or processions). Gruagachan (GROO-uh-guk-an; singular: GROO-uh-guk) are magicians who hail from an ancient, non-Hermetic tradition. Wizards from the Order of Odin are found here in the northern Islands. Demons have accompanied the Norman and English immigrants, but they are still less common here than elsewhere in Mythic Europe. The further reaches of the Highlands are home to giants, and a form of water wyrm known as the stoorworm lives in the seas off the north coast. Monsters hide in the depths of the lochs (lakes) and waterways.

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.

Open License Markdown version by YR7 & OriginalMadman, https://github.com/OriginalMadman/Ars-Magica-Open-License

See Also

CREDITS

Chapter 1: Introduction

A Tapestry of Culture

Avoiding Misconceptions

Overview

Inhabitants

The Order of Hermes in Scotland

Theme

A Note on Pronunciation in Gaelic

Bibliography

History

Folklore

Language

Chapter 2: Mythic History

Early Scotland

The Cruithni

The Romans in Scotland

Magic Against Rome

Rome Against the Picts

Christianity Comes to Scotland

Independence of the Scottish Church

The Vikings

Hagbui (Barrow-dweller)

Powers

Hagbui (Barrow-Dweller)

Characteristics

Personality Traits

Combat Totals

Body Levels

Abilities

Vis

The Ascendance of the Scots

MacBeth and the Passing of the Kingship

Malcolm Canmore and the English

Malcolm Against William the Conqueror

The House of Canmore: Scotland in the 12th Century

Scotland Divided

David's Advances

The Maiden King

The Lion of the North

Alexander Succeeds William

A Brief Note to Storyguides

Scotland After 1200

A New Era for Scotland

Rivals for the Throne

Opposing the English

Kings of Scotland

Kings of Man and the Isles

Earls of Orkney

Timeline of Major Events

Timeline of Mundane History

Timeline of Mundane History

Chapter 3: Hermetic History

The War Against Damhan-allaidh

Pralix Recruits Local Aid

Gruagachan

Pralix Retires to Loch Leglean

Two Orders, the 13th House

Damhan-allaidh's Return

The Schism in Scotland

The Order of Odin

The Order and the Kings

Trouble with House Flambeau

The Tribunal Today

Hermetic Political Divisions

Magi by House

Tribunal Meetings

Links to Other Tribunals

Other Magicians in Scotland

Scottish Timeline — Hermetic History

Chapter 4: Scottish Landscape

The Borders and Lowlands

The Eildon Hills

Royal Burghs

Royal Burghs of Scotland

The Church in the Lowlands

The Sees of Scotland

The Highlands

Highland Pastimes