Caterina filia Grigori

Since 1218, Caterina has wandered Mythic Europe. Her feud with Grigori, her parens, broke out into the open soon after the Terragon Vale incident, and they parted ways, each swearing to slay the other if they cross paths again. For a time, she returned to Italy, where she seduced a Venetian noble. But aware that her former pupil Innocentius was well disposed towards her, and had even taken her name in defiance of the Questitores, she reached out to him with discrete messages. They kept up a correspondence until 1224 and the attack of Igneous Drake on Cor Draconis. When Innocentius slew Igneous, he hatched a plan to finally get his revenge on his pater, Sebastien of Tytalus. For this, he needed the help of Caterina, a practiced seducer. He asked to meet with her to explain his plan in detail and secure her cooperation. She suggested the Black Sheep Crossing, a network of Infernal auras which can be used to travel rapidly across Mythic Europe. He agreed, but their meeting was observed by some of Innocentius's sodales, and this is where Caterina met Coleman the bard.

Sensing a man who had a need to be dominated by a beautiful woman, Caterina reached out to Coleman and has made him her servant, albeit one she calls upon only in great need and with great care, lest she be discovered by the magi of Cor Draconis. In 1225, she procured a high quality sword fit for Coleman, poisoned it, and met with the bard in Munster, where she also lured Sebastien. She tricked Coleman into believing that Sebastien was raping her, which prompted Coleman to try and kill the magus, but the attempt failed and Sebastien escaped. This was frustrating for Caterina, as her price for her help was the Staff of Igneous Drake; since Sebastien lived, Innocentius kept the staff from her.

Caterina is now in Dublin, where she easily won the attention of Archbishop Henry de Londres. She has convinced him she is a German princess, and although he has noted her intelligence and her capacity for reading scholarly books, he has no knowledge of her magical talents. In Dublin, Caterina can keep tabs on Cor Draconis, Innocentius and Coleman, without being easily detected.

Caterina is willing to help Innocentius, but she won't do it for free. She is jealous of his covenant and all the resources he has; although she has a laboratory back in Venice, it is poorly located in the city. She has few books, but is able to find vis thanks to her Magic Sensitivity. She knows she will one day need a new Longevity Ritual, but this is something Innocentius cannot easily provide. She's been studying Magic Theory in order to be able to handle the large amount of vis that will be required when her current Ritual fails.

Caterina is vain and envies all she meets, thinking them undeservedly showered with wealth and fortune, far in excess of their talent, while she struggles to remain safe and healthy. She is not so obsessed with her youth that she is willing to accumulate Warping, but she spends hours every day worrying over the smallest imperfection and she brings a trunk of cosmetics with her everywhere, which she considers critical to her appearance. She is accompanied by three Italian soldiers, whom she retains as shield grogs. Caterina's talent is for weather magic, and she has only a few demon-related spells, mostly intended to protect herself from them. She has often trafficked with the creatures, usually performing tasks for them in exchange for favors, but she cannot summon them. She is a known diabolist and an enemy of the Order.

In a crisis, Caterina begins with Veil of Invisibility and Circling Winds of Protection. She uses Jupiter's Resounding Blow, Lifting the Dangling Puppet and Broom of the Winds to intimidate people without seriously injuring them, upgrading to Charge of the Angry Winds and Talons of the Wind against large groups. When she wants to kill an individual, she can throw 4 Incantations of the Lightning in a single round, with increased Penetration. She has a variety of useful utility spells, including Whispering Wind (to eavesdrop on conversations), Bind Wound, Disguise of the New Visage, and Aura of Ennobled Presence. Touch of Midas ensures she always has a chest of gold.

Caterina filia Grigori of Bonisagus (in Summer 1226)

Int +2, Per +1, Pre +1, Com +2 (1), Str -2 (1), Sta 0, Dex +1, Qik +1

Virtues & Flaws Outcast; The Gift; Gentle Gift (+3), Major Magical Focus: Weather (+3), Magic Sensitivity, Skilled Parens, Venus' Blessing, Well Traveled; Ambitious, Envious (-3), Offensive to Animals, Study Requirement (-3), Susceptible to Divine Power

Age 79 (44; +2 living conditions, -12 longevity ritual)

Size 0

Decrepitude 0 (2)

Warping 5 (17)

Personality Traits Jealous +3, Ambitious +2, Brave +1

Abilities Alps Lore 2 (geography), Artes Liberales 1, Athletics 3 (hiking), Awareness 1 (standing watch), Brawl 1 (dagger), Charm 3 (seduction), Concentration 3 (spells) Etiquette 2 (first impressions), Finesse 3 (weather), Folk Ken 3, French 3 (2) (Crusaders), German 5, Guile 3 (seduction), Infernal Lore 3 (demons), Intrigue 3 (betrayal), Italian 5 (nobles), Latin 4 (hermetic usage), Leadership 3 (grogs), Magic Sensitivity 5, Magic Theory 7 (handling vis), Parma Magica 3 (Auram), Penetration 3 (Auram), Stealth 3 (natural settings), Survival 2 (Alps), Teaching 5 (infernalists)

Arts Cr 10, In 10, Mu 9, Pe 10, Re 10; An 5, Aq 8, Au 11 (1), Co 8, He 5, Ig 5, Im 5, Me 8, Te 5, Vi 11

Lab Total: Tech + Form + 10 (Int 2 + aura 2 + MT 6; if Weather add Major Magical Focus)

Spells

Wizard's Mount +15 (CrAn 15)

Air's Ghostly Form +33FT (CrAu 5, AM 125)

Jupiter's Resounding Blow +33FT (CrAu 10, AM 125)

Broom of the Winds +33FT (CrAu 15, AM 125)

Charge of the Angry Winds +33FT (CrAu 15)

Circling Winds of Protection +33FT (CrAu 20, AM 125)

Clouds of Rain and Thunder +33FT (CrAu 25, AM 126)

Clouds of Summer Snow +33FT (CrAu 25, AM 126)

Incantation of the Lightning +38T (CrAu 35) Mastery 3 (Multiple Casting, Penetration, Magic Resistance)

Breath of the Open Sky +33FT (CrAu 40)

Whispering Winds +33FT (InAu 15)

Sailor's Foretaste of the Morrow +33FT (InAu 20, AM 127)

Talons of the Wind +31FT (MuAu 20, AM 127)

Ward Against Rain +33FT (PeAu 10, AM 128)

Room of Stale Air +23T (PeAu 15)

Quiet the Raging Wind +33FT (PeAu 20, AM 128)

Cloudless Sky Returned +33FT (PeAu 30, AM 128)

Clouds of Thunderous Might +34FT (ReAu 30, AM 128)

Bind Wound +18 (CrCo 10)

Disguise of the New Visage +17 (MuCo 15)

Lifting the Dangling Puppet +21T (ReCo 15)

Aura of Ennobled Presence +13 (MuIm 10)

Veil of Invisibility +15 (PeIm 20)

Touch of Midas +15 (CrTe 20)

Wielding the Invisible Sling +18T (ReTe 10)

Unseen Porter +18T (ReTe 10)

Piercing the Infernal Veil +21 (InVi 20)

Demon's Eternal Oblivion +21 (PeVi 10)

Circular Ward Against Demons +21 (ReVi 15)

Aegis of the Hearth +21 (ReVi 20)

Equipment The Wand of Storms, dagger, robes, winter clothing

Encumbrance 0

Soak 0 (+1 against most forms, +2 vs Air, Water, Corpus, Mentem and Vim)

Combat Init +1, Atk +1, Def +1, Dmg -2

Dagger Init +1, Atk +5, Def +3, Dmg +1

Dodge Init +1, Def +2

Incantation of the Lightning Init +1, Atk --, Def --, Dmg 1d10+30

Talons of the Wind Init +1, Atk --, Def --, Dmg 1d10+5

The Wand of Storms, Caterina's Talisman

Caterina's wand is carved from a hawthorne tree that was struck by lightning. It has been opened for 8 spaces, 7 of which are full.

• +5 to enchant the wand

• +4 to project bolt or missile

• +3 to control things at a distance

• +2 for Auram effects

Flying Spell

12/day

Identical to Wings of the Soaring Wind, but R: Pers and modified for the item to maintain concentration. Activated by twirling the wand around her and saying "Fly!" in German.

Base 5, +1 Conc, +2 highly unnatural, +1 Rego requisite. +5 levels for the item to maintain concentration. +4 levels for 12 uses/day. Final level 34, filling 4 spaces, taking 3 seasons.

Circling Winds of Protection

3/day

An effect identical to the spell, but R: Pers and designed for the wand to maintain concentration. Activated by twirling the wand around her and saying "Defend!" in German.

Base 3, +1 Conc, +2 unnatural, +1 Rego effect. +5 spell levels for the item to maintain concentration, +2 for 3 uses per day. Final level 22. Completed in one season, fills 3 slots.