GMNPCs

The Black Cloaks

A group of Tremere shield Grogs modeled on the Spartans.

Enormous infantry shield, long spear. Their motto, "Then we shall fight in the shade."

"the battle against them will be in the shade." Horodotus

Age 25

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

Virtues & Flaws: Turb Trained (+1); Cautious with Single Weapon (+1), Good Characteristics (+1); Pack Mentality (-1), Proud (-1), Restricted Learning: Athletics, Brawl, Single Weapon, Thrown Weapon, Survival (-1)

Abilities: Artes Liberales 2, Athletics 5 (running), Brawl 4 (dodge), Greek 5, House Tremere Lore 1, Latin 5 (military language), Order of Hermes Lore 1, Ride 2 (long distance), Single Weapon 5 (spear), Survival 3

Combat: Init +2, Atk +2, Def +2, Dmg +2

Spear and Infantry Shield: Init +4, Atk +10, Def +14, Dmg +7

Evade +9

Soak: +10 (Sta 2 + Armor 8)

Load: 13.5 for Burden 4, reduced to 2 from Strength.

Equipment: Infantry shield marked with the symbol of House Tremere (Load 3), spear (Load 2), full metal scale armor (Protection 6, Load 6), gambeson (Protection 1, Load 1.5), open helmet (Protection 1, Load 1), black cloak, dagger

ὑπὸ σκιῇ ἔσοιτο πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἡ μάχη

The Black Arrow

An arrow enchanted with a one-time Perdo Corpus death effect. This is a level 40 enchantment; for every 5 points of Lab Total over 35, the magus creates an additional Black Arrow. The Arrow has no Penetration, and so does not affect anyone with Might, but it does affect very large humans (Size +1).

Base 30, +1 Touch, +1 Size

Right now, Athena could make 4 of these (Lab Total 58) and Hugh could make 2, though Hugh hasn't gotten any XP for a while and might be able to do better. It seems like a good present from Hugh.

Kallisto

Magic Might 5

Season Summer

Size 0

Confidence 0

Str -1, Sta 0, Int +1, Per +1, Pre +1, Com +3, Dex 0, Qik -1

Virtues Magic Spirit (0); Chthonic Magic (+3)

Flaws Magical Friend (-1); Driven: To Protect Akakios (-1), Tainted with Evil (-1)

Qualities (+5) Improved Abilities x2 (+2), Major Power: Possession (+3)

Abilities Artes Liberales 1 (Greek classics), Awareness 3 (suspicious), Chthonic Magic 5, Classical Greek 5, Folk Ken 4 (first impressions), Infernal Lore 5 (Chthonic), Magic Lore 5 (Greece), Romaic Greek 5, Teaching 2 (children)

Powers

Possession, 5 points, Init +2, Mentem. Kallisto can possess a human being; this power is identical to that demonstrated by demons, except that Kallisto cannot divide her consciousness. She must spend all of her Might to use this power, and her entire self enters the possessed victim. This attack has Penetration 0. She cannot regenerate Might as long as she is possessing someone. She can choose to extend her Might over her host, giving Magic Resistance 5, but in this case wards repel her possessed body; otherwise, she can "hide" inside her host and penetrate wards, including the Aegis of the Hearth. Spells can be used to target Kallisto when she is possessing a host; they must overcome her 5 Might. See RoP:I p. 32.

Kallisto is Akakios' mother. In life, she was a Greek sorceress and a follower of the Titan-goddess Hekate. While her magic often called upon dark powers of the underworld, she was herself most concerned with the mysteries of magic and her goddess. She harmed others only with cause and even -- with the other witches of her coven -- used her powers to defend and preserve the people of Thessaly from foreign powers and injustice.

Years ago her coven was identified in the mountains of Thessaly and the veteran Hoplite, Hugh of Flambeau, was sent to investigate. Despite protests by local covenants, he found them harmless and even fell in love with Kallisto, whom he found noble and possessed of a spiritual wisdom his life had always lacked. He could not remain, of course, but before he departed Kallisto made a bargain with dark powers to engender a son despite the infertility caused by Hugh's longevity ritual. Hugh never knew he had a son.

Akakios' birth, however, alarmed the coven; the other witches were shocked by what Kallisto had done and she was banished. Taking Akakios, she withdrew to a remote island, where she and her son lived in almost complete isolation, with only the ghosts of shipwrecked sailors and ancient Greeks for company. Occasionally Kallisto would venture to the mainland for supplies, and on these occasions Akakios went with her, but most of their life was spent alone on the island.

Then, in 1205, Hugh returned. He had long pined for Kallisto and had come to realize she was the love of his life, but it was a dream vision that prompted him to finally seek her out. He found the coven but, without Kallisto's guidance, the witches had fallen into Infernalism and human sacrifice. They attacked him and he defended himself, killing most and scattering the rest. From them, he learned that Kallisto had born him a son and then left. He went in search of her and eventually found her, on the island.

That is when Kallisto revealed that her time was almost up. After ten years, her soul was soon to be forfeit as payment for Akakios' own. The only alternative was to give them her son, which she refused to do. In tears, the two came to a decision: Hugh would kill her and protect her body with both Christian rites and Hermetic magic, ensuring the Chthonic powers could not claim her. Hugh wanted to keep Akakios near him, and sent him back to the Alps with the intent of claiming him for his own apprentice, but Sebastien of Tytalus had superior influence and picked the boy first.

Kallisto has long dark hair in ringlets, a somewhat long face and a strong nose. As a ghost, she doesn't remember her whole life, and has been traumatized by her death. The dark powers to which she promised her soul continue to pursue her, and she perceives this as evil hounds which howl and stare at her from the shadows. She is desperate for her son to live, and doesn't really remember her love of Hugh, so focused is she on protecting her son.