Mythic Inhabitants

Mushussu, the snake-dragon

This is perhaps the greatest of the covenants known opponents, unleashed by a combination of factors at the beginning of the Aerie of the Spirit's Breath, this dragon lurks on the next peak to the East, biding its time.

There are mosaics, wall engravings and other art work scattered throughout the mountain that shows this dragon, sometimes alone, sometimes with a large, defaced figure, other times fighting groups of sorcerers.

Mushussu has been in the mountain for over two millennia, and perhaps longer. Why he came here is unknown. What is known is that he seeks to free someone from the 'heart' of the volcano.

Imprisoned by the previous covenant in a gold egg, encrusted in sigils, Mushussu was freed by a combination of astrological conjunction favorable to its power and the new magi casting spells at the vis source at the same time, providing the magical blip it needed to break its bonds. Luckily for the magi it was powerless to break the bonds that prevented it from straying from its place of imprisonment (unfortunately, the steps the new magi took to banish the dragon, allowed it to succeeded in leaving this area). Mushussu would have assuredly destroyed the young magi if it was not for the foresight, perhaps prophetic, of the previous magi of the Gauntlet of the Four Quarters, who left behind a powerful ritual. This ritual, unfortunately, is too weak to ever affect the serpent again.

Mushussu now lurks in a peak to the East, surrounded by great wealth that was the property of several very irate earth entities, who now skulk nearby. He dwells by a pool that is said to have oracular powers, a text in the covenant also indicates that this pool may be harvested for vis. Mushussu has not moved from his new mountain fastness, but is watching the mountain-covenant, waiting for something. If his gaze should ever leave the mountain and turn to the surrounding lands, the characters would be in great trouble, since their charter oath would require them to deal with Mushussu.

An enormously powerful dragon, no spells the magi have tried (up to 12th magnitude) have affected him. It is clear he has great powers and experience. Mushussu has never shown the capacity for speaking Greek or any other language known to the characters, instead speaking an alien language quite outside the character's experience (ancient Babylonian).

Illuyankas - the Dragon

He defeated the Storm-god in Kiskilussa. Later he was lured from his lair with his children by a well dressed Inaras with a feast. After they were too engorged to get into their lair again, the Storm-god, accompanied by the other gods, killed him.

In another version of the myth, he defeated the Storm-god and stole his eyes and heart. Later, his daughter married the son of the Storm-god. Acting on the Storm-god's instruction, his son asked for the eyes and heart. When these were returned to him, the Storm-god vanquished Illuyankas, but slew his son as well when the youth sided with the dragon.

The ritual of his defeat was invoked every spring to symbolize the earth's rebirth.

Varvara's Water Elemental

Varvara, somehow, was linked to a water elemental after examining one of the chambers off the moon-chamber. This entity seems linked to an inkish-black well just at the edge of the covenant area. A thaumivore by nature, it is bond to Varvara and is summoned by her magic. Most second magnitude spells and above cast by Varvara within the mountain will attract its attention.

The entity has a great deal of control over water and has the ability to absorb any water it contacts, including that which is a part of another being or thing; a very deadly attack (magic might 30).

Bound to Varvara by something that resembles a gold cord (see familiar in the AM rulebook), the entity seems to wish for 'union' with Varvara in order to free itself. If this ever happens, whatever happens next will be very bad indeed. The cord is different from a typical gold familiar cord in certain ways: (1) There are, as yet, no bronze or silver cords; (2) The cord is one way, from Varvara to the entity; and (3) Varvara does not seem to receive any benefits from the bond.

While Varvara believes that the entity cannot follower her from the mountain, she is wrong. Any significantly powerful magic (a ritual of 7th magnitude or above; less if it is aquam magic) will attract it's attention. The creature is capable of traveling the world's waters (the ancients believed that all water, whether streams, lakes, seas, etc. are connected). This should always be used at the storyguide's discretion and should never be lightly introduced.

Varvara was slain by this elemental after an intellego spell gone awry. The creature seemed to absorb her mind, soul and flesh, leaving an ancient, deformed skeleton. The elemental later appeared during the Conjunction of 1186 and after a protracted battle was banished by the magi. Whether it still exists, and what its agenda might be, are mysteries.

Ghosts

There are a variety of ghosts throughout the covenant. Their presence is felt by all in small ways. While the Aegis screens many out, there are still a great deal of ghosts within its boundary. Thus, any laboratory botch has extra dice. Storyguides should feel free to have the ghosts interfere in anything they feel is appropriate.

The ghosts are culled from throughout the history of the area. The mountain acts as a magnet for ghosts, attracting many restless dead. Though there does not seem to be any ghosts of the local inhabitants. Some ghosts are mindless, while others retain full cognition of their past life. They run the gamut from weak wisplings who do one task repeatedly, to ghosts of great power who still have causes they remember.

Remember that most of the ghosts are delusional, while others are completely insane. A few are cognizant of their surroundings and can even interact somewhat.

The inhabitants are aware of the ghosts, with second-sight being so prevalent many can see them. In general, they view the ghosts as a natural phenomena. The ghosts in turn rarely seem to show much interest in the inhabitants.

The ghosts are, however, greatly interested in the magi. They tend to cluster around in great numbers, making botches that more deadly. Corvus has succeeded in developing relations with some of these ghosts.

Occasionally a certain ghost will connect to a mortal for one reason or another, often a reason that makes no sense. Consequently, it is not uncommon for inhabitants to have the ghostly warder virtue or the haunted flaw. This should not be done lightly. Certain religious rituals of the inhabitants (at least those associated with the covenant) provide protection from ghosts and the capability of exorcisms.

Masertes This man, dressed in disshelved armor, only goes by his last name, the name of a powerful Byzantine house. He believes he is resting between battle with the rebel Bardas Phocas almost two hundred years ago (Bardas Phocas was defeated by the emperor Basil II in 989 AD). He has no recollection of his death, and will often remark that this is a strange monastery. He alternates between mellowness and joviality. He loves to talk about battle.

Anna This young woman, remembers her death quite well, she died when Turks raided her caravan. She is unsure why she is in this place, and believes she is in some pagan afterlife. This has caused quite the crisis of faith and she will question anyone who can hear her about theological and metaphysical questions. An educated woman, a rarity, she always seeks out good conversation.

Lucian This centaurion of Rome fell in the wars with Mithradities. He is continually replaying that finally battle. In his more lucid moments he loves to talk woman and wine. In his unlucid moments he will regard anyone who can communicate with him as either a soldier under him, his superior officers, or an enemy, depending on their demeanor. He views Corvus as the Greek surgeon attached to his unit. He is most often found in the ruins along the caldera. He speaks Latin as his native tongue. Lucian has indicated that there were "Priests of Mercury" involved in the battles against Mithradites, though he has been able to indicate nothing more concrete.

Headless This is a ghost you seen wandering around the corridors near your sanctum. It is only seen on nights of the waxing crescent moon. It has no head and is dressed in finery. Corvus has never succeeded in conversing with it.

Moran This man attempts to be Corvus' body servant, even though he is dead and thus can not affect the physical world. He blatthers endlessly about life in court and how he has served the best and how Corvus is lucky to have one such as he serving.

Aurelius A ghost of a Roman soldier who served in the 12th Galetea Legion under general Marcus Flavius in the war against Mithradites VI.

A ghost of what seems a former Bibliothecarius seen occasionally by Corvus in the Library. he avoids contact.

A ghost of a teenage boy, engulfed in flames running along a passage near Corvus' sanctum, mouth stretched open in a silent scream.

Mette A ghost of an old human woman in red robes. She is friendly, but does not speak any language Corvus knows. She is found roaming around the temple ruins on the caldera's shore. Magical attempts to communicate have shown a woman who exists from a time far in the ancient past. She does not even recognize the Greeks, though she has heard of Troy. She claims to be a priestess, though she gets very enigmatic as to the nature of this place and her relationship to it.

An old sailor from Sinope, found near the Dolphin's Arch.

Violent Hittite This ghost lurks outside the Library. He is violent, does not like Magi and refuses to deal with them. He is a very powerful ghost. All the magi know about him is that he is

Elementals

Elementals are fairly common in a magic aura of the power, to the extent of spontaneous generation. These elementals will occur naturally throughout the mountain in areas attached to their element. Most are of low magic might, with the greatest having a magic might of twenty.

More powerful elementals are rare, having been bound by ancient sorcerers or created by natural occurrences of great might. Elementals bound by elder wizards should be major story plots. While those attached to natural phenomenon (i.e., storms, earthquakes) should have a short life beyond these occurrences.

The elemental from the regions just below the Lunar Sphere is described in more details elsewhere.

Automata

The Covenant has several key automata of great importance and power. The ones found as part of the Gauntlet and the Saturn's Chamber being notable examples. It seems clear that the magi of the Four Quarters had advanced skill in this art. Several automata found seem to been pre-Hermetic in origin.

Guardians

Hephaestus performs two of the most important functions of a magician: he binds his enemies with unbreakable and often invisible bonds, and he protects his friends with a wide variety of prophylactic devices, such as the dogs of Alcinous mentioned in the Odyssey 7.91-94.

A gloss on the name of Pandareus gives the story of a golden dog built by Hephaestus: "He [Pandareus] stole from Zeus's temple on Crete the animated [empsychon] dog of gold, which Hephaestus had made and he gave it to Tantalus." A scholiast to Pindar notes that this dog served as a guardian (phyla) of Zeus' temple on Crete. The Hellenistic poet Nicander of Colophon refers to yet another manufactured dog when he explains the excellence of Chaonian and Molossian dogs: "They say that these dogs are descendants of a dog, which Hephaestus, after casting it from Demonesian bronze and setting a soul [psyche] in it, gave as a gift to Zeus and he have it as a gift to Europa." Nicander then describes how the dog passed as a gift from Europa to Minos to Procris to Cephalus until Zeus finally turned it into stone as it pursued the Teumasian fox.

Minos and the island of Crete were the recipients of still another of Hephaestus' animated statues: Talos, the bronze man. It was the statue's custom to walk along the periphery of the island thrice daily and pelt with rocks anyone who approached the island. He is supposed to have died as a result of Medea's magic spells when he attempted to stop the Argonauts from landing on the shore of Crete.

According to Alcaeus, Hephaestus made a bronze lion and into this put pharmaka [powerful or magical herbs] beneficial to mankind. This was later hidden on Lesbos to hide the island.

There are four steps to Hephaestus' creation: (1) Hephaestus forges a metal statue, usually of an animal; (2) the statue is animated; (3) he gives the statue as a gift to a god or mortal kind; and, (4) the statue is used as a phylactery for a building or kingdom.

These statues are animated as a result of specific techniques and they are used to guard limited geographical areas. All the statues are said to be alive: both Talos and the golden dog are described as "animated" [empsychos]; Hephaestus gives a soul to the bronze dog. All of the statues are explicitly said to be phylacteries, and wherever the location of the prophylactic statue is specified, it seems to be along the perimeter of the place to be protected: the erection of the hold and silver dogs at the threshold of Alcinous' palace; Talos' thrice daily circuambulation of the island of Crete; and the burial of the Lesbian Lions "hard by the border of the Methymians."

The practice of putting pharmaka into hollow statues in order to animate them is attested among the theurgists and magicians of the Roman period, where it was often traditionally linked with "Chaldaean" lore. Medea practiced this when she built a hollow image of Artemis.

Throughout Anatolia, North Syria and Mesopotamia we find portal and guardian figures crowding the thresholds of palaces ad temples: fantastic winged-creatures, human-headed bulls, lions, mermen, "scorpion-men," sphinxes, griffins, "griffin-demons," and many other grotesque shapes. These were equaled if not exceeded by those rendered in bronze, silver and other precious metals.

Nameless Fire Elemental

Once, perhaps long ago, when this mountain was still known as the Gauntlet of the Four Quarters, there existed a mage. Who this mage was is unknown. This mage was obsessed with death, as many magi often are towards the end of their life. This magus, however, brought to the question several useful bits of knowledge. First, was his development of the Stoic philosophical ideas of the nature of the element of fire. The second was the natural application of Theurgy towards the summoning and control of elemental magic. What that magus did is unknown. The result is known all too well.

This nameless mage was able to bind his spirit, perhaps even his soul (the metaphysics are vague and an area full of debate), to the essence of fire. This created a ghost that was a creation of fire. Unfortunately, due to the nature of fire, such a creation was unstable. Perhaps the magus acted to soon before his knowledge was perfected, perhaps such a task is beyond Hermetic magic and the philosophies of mere mortals.

This creature was buried deep within the mountain until Ianus, a former member of the covenant, delved too deep. This spelled his death and the eventual death of Mithras of House Bonisagus and several custodes of the covenant. Now the creature is loose, able to manifest at will in the surrounding countryside.

The creature who was once a mage wanted the ancient text on Vim. Perhaps it hoped to use the knowledge therein to firm up its very nature, perhaps it hoped for other things. The only thing that can be certain, is that like the fire of its essence, it will spring to life again.

Constantine, through research in the archives of the Constantinople Covenant, has found reference to one Icaros filius Croetus ex Flambeau, who was also a noted theurgist. Perhaps the identity of this mage, who is recorded as a member of the Gauntlet of the Four Quarters, can give some clues into the nature of this strange elemental. Within the archive lies the following:

"cum puer audaci coepit gaudere volatu
deseruitque ducem caelique cupidine tractus
altiu egit iter..."

"the boy began to rejoice in his bold flight and, deserting his leader, led by a desire for the open sky, directed his course to a greater height..." this quotation from Ovid's Daedelus and Icarus was found amongst a roster of the Gauntlet of the Four Quarters. While Icarus does not seem to appear in further references, his paren, Croetus is mentioned often. It seems that he was a magus who claimed the blood of Sol Invictius running strong in him, and held that the flesh was the limiting factor of the gift. Expunge oneself from the flesh, preferably with the cleansing power of fire, and the gift of the magus would know no bounds.

Demonic Plants and Animals

There has always been, opposed to positive conceptions of the creative powers of plants and animals, the notion that their sacred power is chaotic or demonic. Rather than aiding man, they are destructive. The most common examples are monstrous plants and animals, which figure especially in heroic quests as guardians of boons or threats to be overcome; mythical animals associated with destructive natural phenomena, such as the earthquake monster or the monster who according to some traditions causes eclipses by devouring the Sun or Moon; and personifications of evil powers such as death or disease (e.g., the hound of hell) or chaos beasts (such as dragons) whose release marks the end of the world or who will be slain in a final battle by a savior deity. A universal phenomenon is the association of certain species of animals with sorcerers and witches. The most frequent form of this belief is that of the familiar--an animal whose soul is bound up with that of the sorcerer, whose form the sorcerer can assume, and who may be commanded to serve his evil master.

Some species (e.g., animals such as the serpent and various narcotic plants) exhibit the ambivalence of the sacred--they are conceived as being both beneficent and dangerous. This reflects a crucial aspect of the sacred--that it is a region of power. As was stated above this power is ambivalent--i.e., it can act for mankind's benefit or detriment--and is perceived therefore as the location either of creativity or of chaos.

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Last modified: Wed Nov 25, 1998 / Jeremiah Genest