The Podium in the 4th Gauntlet

The podium seems to form strong connections between etxts written on it and the copies. Thus the copies have a greater atatchment to the original, and mroe importantly, what the writer had in mind. This increases quality, and restores damage.

Upon the podium sits a slim tome entitled Voices From the Past. This text, written by Stentor, is a collection of notes and references to several other texts left behind by the Gauntlet of Four Quarters (especially those of the complete elemental and Vim texts) as well as a handful of works by magi of the Aerie. In it, Stentor analyzes the shared ceremonial tradition of the Gauntlet and the Aerie in surprising depth, considering the apparent length of the text. He offers a concise and precise description of the integration of Hermetic theory with this tradition, although he assumes some base familiarity with theurgic motifs and their use.

The latter half of the text examines the deeper implications of many of the fragments of non-Hermetic theurgic rituals which have been found throughout the mountain, as well as Tobias's study of the Gauntlet and first-hand experiences of several of the magi. These sections identify the most puzzling aspects of the mountain's magics, while offering several potential answers and lines of investigation. Stentor discusses the implications of each of these briefly, although his focus is on the more practical topic of developing a non-Hermetic spell which would harness the power of the mountain, especially one geared to protecting those who call it home.

When removed from the reading stand, the text is a great deal more terse (and considerably less helpful), and the entire latter half - discussing the deeper theurgic roots of the mountain - is missing entirely.

Menas filius Thais, follower of Criamon, approaches the study of water in this text from the supposition that it is alive and inhabited. It is unclear whether the author refers to elementals or to something more akin to faerie or exotika, but the author's theurgic bent is only accentuated on the reading stand, as the book then includes several poetic exhortations to various aquatic divinities and daimons. The summa also contains a fascinating discourse on the ancient theory that all water is connected and its ramifications on Hermetic magic theory.

The summa proper is an interesting digression into the nature of the Form of Aquam. After a rather lengthy discussion of the basic properties of water, the author draws a most amazing parallel between the interconnectivity of the microcosm to the universe. He draws particular attention to the vast systems of water within the cosmos and the fact that the human body is also a reflection of the macrocosm. The tome then launches into a full-blown discussion of how the basic properties of water are reflections of those of Pure Aquam. The properties listed in the text when viewed upon the reading stand are compendious, and several previously destroyed explanatory chapters appear, discussing at length the apparent conflicts between some of these more obscure aspects of Pure Aquam.

A number of supplementary materials are bound with the summa: a Liber Quaestionum and two Tractatus.

Written by Hesychius follower of Bjornaer, this text is very stream of consciousness, allowing the conversation to flow and meander seemingly about to and fro. However, once the underlying points about water are made, the arguments fall into place quickly and easily, making the text an absolute grammatical model for the way in which the author views liquids, as materials, with the most fluid, yet cohesive, of rules to abide by. Accompanies the Summa Nerro tis Zoi.

An interesting text which is by the same author as the Aquam Liber Questionum. The obvious implication and therugical motifs are there. The water is viewed via both arcane connection and sentience to allow viewing. The text's also has a good primer on aeromancy (the reading of ripples in water).

Even more so than its sister tractatus, this on the Voice of the Lake, makes clear the author's feelings about the nature and behavior of water. While the message is gentle, it is still strong, forceful and constant. The text is in archaic Greek, and while some may find the sentient overtones a bit heavy-handed, anyone familiar with the caldera can identify a couple of oblique references to the mountain lake.

When placed upon the reading stand, Sciron of Tremere's opus is very much more startling in its careful avoidance of theurgy. Sciron's step by step approach sets forth a somewhat unconventional, yet perfectly reasonable system with which to control and understand the element of air. Sciron's system is precise, exact, and almost completely adjunct to Bonasagus's standard theories.

Sciron draws heavily on classical philosophy, occasionally eschewing standard Hermetic theory in favor of proto-Hermetic techniques which more accurately reflect the magical framework he propounds. He devotes two large chapters to weather manipulation and divination before exploring several theories on the boundary between the sphere of air and the lunar sphere. No where does Sciron treat elementals, faeries of the air, their kin, or theurgy of any kind.

The summa is bound with supplimentary materials: one Liber Quaestionum and a single special Tractatus.

Written by Aurionus, this Liber Quaestionum is a complete adjunct to the text by Sciron and in complete opposition. It is obvious that the collator of the books placed the two side by side for a particular reason. It is concerned with the nature of high air elementals and their link to the Lunar Sphere and Sphere of Fire. The Greek used to compose it is formal, archaic, quite elegant and almost ritualistic in tone. Bound at the end of this tome is a prayer addressed to Hephaestus seeking his aid. By its imagery, it seems clearly written by a Verditius. Accompanies the Summa Wind Amongst the Clouds, Mist Along the Edge.

Written by Iernus as part of his gift to the covenant preparatory for acceptance into full membership, this commentary has a much more mechanistic than theurgic approach, contrasting with Aurionus' work. It does give some nods to the possibility of Aeolus' servants being the source of thermals and other breezes, but mainly speaks of the effects of those breezes on birds, to a lesser extant other airborne objects, and rarely on landbound beings. One who did not know Iernus would readily determine that the author had much experience of flying in bird form.

This is an amazing piece of work by Aurionus. It actually encompasses 2 spells in the tractatus! Granted the spells are similar, but the thesis and integration of knowledge are extremely complex and eloquently mastered here. Obviously, Aurionus knew what he was doing here. His theories on the similarity elements and transformations of air, as well as, therugical motifs are abound in the text. This text contains a piece of embroidered silk, bound between two quartets. This silk depicts a rainstorm and is beautifully rendered.

This wild and fanciful Greek text was written by Cyrus filius Kypris bani Flambeau. It recounts a young Flambeau's journey to visit Hephaestus, his later journey to find the Phoenix, and his eventual return to his homeland. The story is interspersed with eloquent discourses on the Art of Ignem, although it is heavily laden with pseudo-Hermetic correspondences to divine will, the mind, and creation itself. The story's natural progression and its accompanying discourses on fire seem to parallel an initiatory sequence of some sort, although the specifics of this initiation are not detailed in the text.

Overall, the text approaches fire as a divine entity, emphasizing the creative, spiritual aspects of the Form, rather than the destructive. Further, the story proper is much more complete when read upon the reading stand, offering a great deal of detail on the sites visited by the young Flambeau. The Chaldean Oracles figure into the text a great deal as well, although much of the text seems to draw from other, unnamed sources.

The summa is bound with several supplementary materials: one Liber Quaestionum and two Tractatus.

This text appears to be a transcription of a disputatio between Flambeau himself and one of his apprentices. The tone and nature of the language implies that the author is same as for the main text and is given by the name of Croetus in the Liber Quaestionum. Accompanies the Summa Fire From Hephaestus' Forge, Blood of the Earth.

Written by Croetus, filius Procyon, follower of Flambeau, this Tractatus is rife with ramblings of a Flambeau on the verge of a breakthrough. Croetus obviously believes in purity of form and essence and a cleansing by fire. The edges of this part of the text are actually aflame, though the pages are never consumed. [Note: Procyon was a filius of Flambeau]

An apprentice's exercise, seemingly, this Tractatus is by Icaros, filius Croetus, follower of Flambeau. The analogies of the purifying spirit of water and the physical act of using fire, fuel this discussion. There are obvious, reverential overtones and additional theurgical incantations and motifs in the text.

This tome, written by Althea, filia Gemeter, follower of Tytalus, is a delight to peruse upon the reading stand of the fourth gauntlet. The verse that makes up the bulk of the summa is obviously drawn from many sources, although Althea herself wrote most of the hymns found herein. Some little commentary and narrative exists between the restored poems upon the stand, although it is generally succinct. Nonetheless, these descriptions aid dramatically in uncovering the underlying meaning of much of the rest of the text. Several of the poems appear to be fragments of larger, more involved pseudo-Hermetic theurgic rituals, while others - those not written by Althea herself - appear to be more whole rites, although quite ancient.

The basic aspects of this Form are covered at the beginning of the text after a copy of the Homeric Hymn to Rhea, although Althea's explanations follow early Geurnican geomantic lines more than the traditional Bonasagan. The topics of the poems in the remainder of the text vary widely, although they are loosely grouped according to their relevance to the five Techniques of Hermetic magic. Careful examination of the structure of the summa reveals much about Althea's insights into Terram, although - true to her House - not without some struggle.

The summa is also bound with supplementary materials: one Liber Quaestionum and two Tractatus.

Written by Gemeter, filia Seraphis, follower of Tytalus, this is a seemingly fanciful account of a discussion with the caldera. While, the place and mountain are never named (though always spoken to and referred to with reverence), the physical areas mentioned in the discussion are readily associated with the caldera, as anyone familiar with the Mountain would recognize. This text is a copy by Althea from her parens, the language is highly stylized with many therugical motifs and sayings. Accompanies the Summa Gaea's Stirring, Rhea's Tears.

Written by Althea, filia Gemeter, follower of Tytalus, this Tractatus emphasizes the lasting arcane impression (and therefore aspects of immortality) inherent in the creation of any magical items. It talks at length on the nature of the understanding such forms and impressions. There is a vague, but distinct undertone in the text that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.

Also written by Althea, filia Gemeter, follower of Tytalus, this Tractatus is a simple, and eloquent one. Mourning the loss of valued and faithful help, Althea apparently created this spell using insights she had gained from texts and histories dealing with ancient Sun Kings from Africa. She paints an interesting history (both of the spell and the bits of history she deigns to tell) and uses the word 'ushtabi' incessantly, though she never defines it.

When read on the podium this text written by Pronia filia Aoshnara follower of Guernicus (one of the old magi of the Gauntlet of the Four Quarters), was one of the few texts left behind by whatever calamity took them. Within the brittle pages of this tome are described the theories and practices of the Art of Vim. Outside of this chamber several pages were burnt from the bindings. Read on the podium the book takes form.

This text focuses on the nature of the gift, auras and regiones, binding and dispellings. The sections thought destroyed can be read. It seems that this text was written on this podium, and the podium connects the book, in some unknown manner, to part of the realm of Forms, making it resonate with the true reality. This book was written by someone who came from a Pythagorean tradition and sees Vim in the context of Geometry.

The text also contains one Liber Quaestionum and four (only 3 in the damaged copy) Tractatus. The third was destroyed ttoally in the copy the library has, and is of especial interest. This covers a ritual that allows one to form an anchor in a region (Anchoring the Mystical Veil ReVi50). This ritual allows one to form a permanent anchor point between the mundane level and any level of the regione you choose (and have a connection too). This ritual can be used with Ceremonial Magic.

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Last modified: Thur Jun 24, 1999 / Jeremiah Genest