| Magi & Companions | Grogs | Covenfolk |
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Senior (NPC) Magi
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Custodes Irish Mercenaries Rank and File | Covenfolk
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Obituaries of the less-fortunate characters
Based on the covenant's Virtues and Flaws, Spiritus Draconis has space for 6 magi, 20 specialists, and 50 covenfolk. The notable personalities, including both player and non-player characters, are described below.
Since Spiritus Draconis was founded in 1202, and the Saga began in 1219, there are two generations of magi in residence. There is no official difference in status between junior and senior magi; the junior magi have nominal equality. In reality, the senior magi are growing somewhat complacent and are getting more involved in their personal agendas, leaving day-to-day affairs and minor problems in the hands of the junior magi.
Sagakeeper character #226.
Clementis is the wisest and most benevolent of the senior magi. Clementis is a Latin nickname meaning "the Mild." This unassuming magus is one of the founding magi of Spiritus Draconis. He is well-liked by the grogs because he is very good-natured and patient. He is also not very demanding- he rarely asks the grogs to accompany him on expeditions or undertake demanding duties.
Clementis created many useful enchanted devices for the covenant. Some of these are quite helpful to the grogs. Lately, Clementis has been spending most of his time making enchanted toys and amusements. Unlike most magi, he seems to like children, who delight in his wondrous inventions.
Do not be decieved by Clementis' inoffensive demeanor. He is a powerful magus. Clementis is very self-sufficient and he never takes grogs with him on expeditions- they would only get in his way. He has many powerful enchanted items, including:
Within the Order of Hermes, Clementis is soft-spoken and often underestimated. His sodales at Spiritus Draconis have learned to respect his cool judgement: Clementis rarely speaks at council meetings, but when he does, his words carry much weight. Clementis is the oldest and most knowledgeable member of Spiritus Draconis. He is the only one to have taken an appentice: Rydderch, who is now a magus in his own right.
Sagakeeper character #225
Augustin Colaire is the most worldly and adventuresome of the senior magi. He has emerged as the leader of the magi and his word is respected by all. Colaire is the covenant's representative to the outside world, and spends much time visiting with nobles, churchmen, and other wizards on the covenant's business.
Colaire has an inoffensive, almost comical appearance: he is short, with a fat paunch and fringe of long, white hair around his shiny, bald pate. His features are rough and homely. He does not wear a beard or moustache, making him look oddly boyish to Welsh eyes. He always dresses in grand robes embroidered with mystical symbols. Somehow, these robes and his tall, pointy hat make him look funnier, not more imposing.
Those who know Colaire's reputation recognize him as a magus to be reckoned with. Magi from overseas call him "The Lion of Toulouse" because of his famous exploits in the distant land of Provençal (before he ever came to Wales). Here at Spiritus Draconis, Colaire has defeated many fantastic beasts, including a werewolf and a giant. Grogs tell stories of his skill, cunning, and valor. They are not always eager to serve with him, however, for accompanying Colaire on a mission means that hardship and danger lie ahead.
Strangely for a magus of such fierce reputation, Colaire loves books and scholarly pursuits. He is a well-known physician in the local area and he maintains an active correspondence with many learned men, both inside and outside the Order of Hermes.
Colaire is impatient and demanding. He seems testy at the best of times. Most of the grogs fear him and try to stay out of his way. Colaire does have a few favorite grogs- almost always custodes- he relies on for most of his errands. Being one of Colaire's favorites is certainly a mixed blessing. Colaire seems, strangely, to choose inept grogs like Hubert as his favorites. Lately, Colaire has taken a shine to Wmffre.
Sagakeeper character #233
Cygnar is reputedly the most powerful magus at Spiritus Draconis. He is also the most secretive. One of the founding magi of the covenant, he is the only magus who occasionally challenges Colaire's leadership.
Cygnar spends most of his time in his laboratory, a place no one dares enter. The grogs say he uses magic to spy on everyone, or else he can peer into the hearts of men, for Cygnar always seems to know everyone's secrets and he appears out of nowhere whenever a grog is misbehaving or shirking duty.
Although Cygnar is usually holed up in his lab, he has a raven familiar that seems always to be perching on the eaves or window-sill. Its beady eyes see everything. The raven can dominate a man's will and make him say or do anything it silently commands- a power it uses solely for its own evil amusement. As much as the grogs hate the raven, no one dares mistreat it for fear of Cygnar's wrath.
Cygnar, even more than Colaire, is the covenant's champion. He has defended the covenant with mighty magic on several occasions- such as the time he drove off an attacking army with one spell, or the time he drove off the dwarfs infesting the covenant's silver mine. Even the other magi are awed at the power of Cygnar's spells.
Cygnar is the most dreaded of the magi. He tends to treat the grogs fairly, but he doesn't let them get away with anything. He's always watching. He gives everyone the creeps. Fortunately, Cygnar has one favorite grog, Owain, on whom he relies for everything. Cygnar considers Owain his personal servant.
Note: Players who play magi in the Saga of Spiritus Draconis should not view Cygnar's character sheet, as he remains very mysterious to his sodales.
Sagakeeper character #227
Eirian was one of the five founding magi of Spiritus Draconis. She is on a leave of absence that began in Summer, 1224. Eirian is still listed as a member on the covenant charter.
Eirian Willowwood is a mystical, reclusive maga known for her excellence with potions- and for her unorthodox theories of magic. Although she is a member of House Merinita, she shows great bitterness and resentment to the Merinita magi of Blackthorn.
Eirian is currently on an extended journey into Arcadia. Because of the vagaries of time between the mortal and Faerie realms, no one knows when- or if- she will return. She departed in Autumn of 1224.
Eirian made a special arrangement with her sodales to take a leave of absence beginning in Autumn, 1226. She is still nominally a member of the covenant, but has temporarily relinquished her priveliges- including laboratory space, voting rights at the Council, and a share of the covenant's vis supply. She may reclaim these rights by announcing her return at a council meeting.
The magi have agreed to store Eirian's lab equipment for up to ten years. It is packed away in locked chests in the covenant's basement. After ten years, Eirian has agreed that the magi may divide her belongings among themselves.
When she went to Arcadia, Eirian took her sigil with her. Her vote at Tribunal is thus not available to cast by proxy.
The covenant charter makes some provision for semi-official companions, because it specifically states that non-members are permitted to attend and speak at Council meetings. This is about as far as official recognition of companions' status extends.
Consortis are treated as long-term guests of the covenant, not employees, so they are not subject to orders from the magi. Of course, offending the magi might result in their being asked to leave.
The covenant is generous to its consortis, supplying them with private apartments and a modest stipend for expenses. They magi do expect some amount of advice or assistance in return, but both parties understand the relationship to be one of friendship and cooperation, not a strict quid pro quo contract.
The term "grog" at Spiritus Draconis refers to a servant who lives at the covenant and posseses skills or abilities that make him useful for adventuring. Under this definition, grogs count as "specialists" with respect to the Inhabitants Characteristic of a covenant.
Custodes are the armed bodyguards of the magi, chosen from among the covenant's most trusted grogs. Custodes enjoy the following priveleges over the other grogs:
Custodes gained their status either through promotion by the former turb captain, Taurus; or by request from one of the magi. Taurus tended to promote custodes based on their demonstrated loyalty and reliability. The magi sometimes chose custodes for the same reasons, but remarkable displays of valor, prowess, or intelligence were also likely to earn their approval. The result is that the covenant's custodes are an odd mix of its most disciplined and its most erratic warriors.
Adie is the covenant herbalist. She was the protegée of the maga Eirian Willowwood, but Adie stayed on when Eirian left the covenant.
Adie knows how to make many useful potions- tonics that can improve a grog's strength, salves that speed healing, and so forth. Her magic comes from the inherent properties of her plants and herbs- she does not have any magical powers of her own.
Adie is Norman-French, not Welsh. Eirian found her far away in England when Adie was a small girl. At first, Eirian thought Adie might make a good apprentice- this turned out not to be the case.
When Adie was young, she was the covenant's courier. She wasn't a Redcap, simply a runner who carried messages between the covenant and nearby fields and villages. When carrying these messages, Adie found it useful to disguise herself as a boy so she would draw less attention traveling alone. She also adopted a male persona with an exaggerated sense of machismo, which has carried over to her real personality- she feels compelled to prove herself the equal of a man in any endeavor.
Adie idolized the late turb captain, Taurus. She was greatly affected by his loss. She has few friends among the grogs or covenfolk. Now that Eirian has left, Adie is once again an orphan.
Adie had always hoped to be a fighting grog. Taurus did see to it that she got some weapons training, and Adie, with her quick dagger, can be quite useful as a spy or an inconspicuous female bodyguard. Adie is a custos because of her unusual skills and her years of loyal service, which began when she was a little girl.
Cedric is the covenant's gate-keeper. He is strong, tough, and skilled at arms: an excellent shield grog.
Cedric is a Saxon mercenary who found steady work at the covenant and settled down. He has a wife, Martha, and three children. Cedric is putting on weight and is probably near the end of his fighting prime.
When he was new to the covenant, Cedric used the enchatned Axe of the Titans to cut down what was decidedly the wrong tree- he inadvertenly chopped down a focus of faerie power. The faeries of the wood have plagued Cedric ever since. His days of hunting and roving are over- Cedric shelters behind the covenant's Aegis of the Hearth or in the company of magi. To make himself useful, Cedric took up the trade of pottery. Most of the jars and clay pots he makes find their way into the wizards' laboratories.
Cedric works most closely with Rydderch. He gets along with everyone and is something of a mentor to the younger grogs and covenfolk.
Emma is a striking, athletic maiden who is exceptionally skilled with the Welsh long bow- even though she's a Saxon by birth.
Emma came to the covenant as an orphan and was taken in by Owain. The strong-willed girl grew up wild in spite of the efforts of the coven-women. Emma is as bold as a man, and she revels in manly pursuits like riding, hunting, and gambling. She scorns gowns and perfumes and all things ladylike.
Owain is like a father to Emma and she is the only person who could be called close to the reclusive hunter. There are whispers that their affection has become other than filial, but those are most likely unfounded. Apart from Owain, Emma gets along best with the roughest and toughest grogs in the turb- currently, the Irish mercenaries. She has served Rydderch in several battles, but has not yet done much work for any other magus.
Emma's notable accomplishments include killing an armored Norman man-at-arms with one shot of her mighty bow, and dealing the killing shots to the huge and poisonous Wyrm of Llyn Ffawd.
Gryffyd is the covenant blacksmith. He is proud and boastful, not showing proper respect even to the magi. Still, he is an excellent smith and the covenant is fortunate to have him. He is as skilled at wielding weapons as he is at forging them: his mighty axe has turned the tide of many a battle.
Gryffyd is a learned man- he can read, write, and speak Latin. As a boy, Gryffyd attended a cathedral school, but he was too willful and insubordinate and the schoolmasters expelled him. His wealthy parents managed to apprentice him to a blacksmith and Gryffyd prospered in the trade.
Gryffyd is from the Welsh Marches, an area of Wales under Norman rule. There is a rumor that Gryffyd killed a Norman knight named Sir Hugh Giffard. Gryffyd claims it was in self-defense. This makes Gryffyd a hunted man, and he came to the covenant to escape the vengeance of Giffard's brother, Walter.
Gryffyd holds himself above the other grogs and so has few friends, yet everyone respects his skill at arms and his great courage. Gryffyd has several times been sorely wounded fighting for Rydderch, but even with those scars, Gryffyd is always eager to join a fight.
Owain is a veteran forester and he is the covenant's chief huntsman and scout. Owain hunts alone and without dogs, stalking his prey silently. He is very solitary in temperment, enjoying the loneliness of the wilderness much more than the companionship of the covenant.
Owain is cunning and has a natural grasp of tactics. However, he lacks the force of personality to be an effective leader. The magi trust him to follow complex instructions or to exercise discretion and judgement. Owain prefers to work alone.
Owain came to the covenant many years ago and offered his services as a scout. Perhaps he was drawn to the remoteness of Spiritus Draconis. There is a rumor among the grogs that Owain is actually a pagan, and came to the covenant in the hope that magi would be tolerant of his ancient faith.
Owain's only friend among the grogs is Emma. He taught her everything she knows. Owain is primarily Cygnar's servant; he has also accompanied Rydderch on many expeditions.
Wmffre is the acting turb captain, since the death of Taurus in Autumn, 1223.
"The Irish are a rude people, subsisting on the produce of their cattle only, and living themselves like beasts - a people that has not yet departed from the primitive habits of pastoral life."
- Giraldus Cambrensis, Topography of Ireland, written in the twelfth century.
In the spring of 1223, the former turb captain, Taurus, realized that the covenant needed more fighting strength. He spent a season on a recruiting mission and he met a small group of Irish mercenaries in Bangor who were looking for work. Taurus managed to hire all three of them.
All of the following characters are sturdy fighters, but they lack the status of custodes. In fact, all of them have the "Hired Sword" Flaw.
When he was asked at the orphanage why he had no parents, Bricc said, "Can't afford 'em." Nobody pressed the matter, as it seemed to raise his ire. The fact of the matter is that he was the unwanted offspring of mixed lineage. His father was a goblin and his mother was unwilling. A temporary enchantment changed her mind, but it wore off well before the child was born. After which the child was left on the steps of the orphanage rather than embarrass the family. Bricc found out much of this later when attempting to trace his lineage.
While at the orphanage, Bricc preferred to be alone and would spend much of his free time away from the other children in the woods or in a series of local caves. He enjoyed their beauty and the solitude they provided. This appreciation is, perhaps, one of the gifts of mixed lineage.
Having few skills out of the orphanage, Bricc pursued various professions. His fondness for caves lead him to pursue work in a copper mine. He was asked to leave when he got in a disagreement with the mine's owner which came to blows.
At times, Bricc attempts to shake off the stigma of having goblin blood by attempting things beyond his abilities, like standing up to a mining foreman twice his size. This overconfidence is often the impetus for disagreements, which keep him reclusive, but observers are often surprised when he emerges victorious.
Eventually, Bricc found employment as a mercenary. Mercenaries, at least, were willing to overlook his queer look and temper, providing he fought well. This is how he came to the attention of Taurus. Taurus came across Bricc and a couple of others in his band (Fin and Fagan) when the mercenaries were visiting Bangor, hoping to find work fighting Englishmen in the Prince's army. Taurus recognized immediately that with both mining and martial skills, Bricc could be quite an asset to Spiritus Draconis and convinced him to return with him. Taurus was also impressed with the fact that of all the members of his mercenary band, Bricc was the only one intelligent enough to wear armor.
Fagan is a young Irish mercenary. His appearance is rather fearsome; he is tall and broad-shouldered, with a wild, uncombed red beard and long dirty hair kept beneath a close-fitting black hood. Instead of a cloak he wears a traditional black sheepskin rug, tied around his torso and hanging just below mid-thigh. His hose is as black as his boots and his entire ensemble is filthy, smelly and vile. Yet Nature has been good to Fagan; beneath his crust of grime lies buried a cheerful, ruddy face, making him one of the more handsome soldiers of the turb. Few notice this; most stop gazing at the rustic after a few disgusting seconds.
In the typical Irish custom, Fagan does not wear armor, considering it a burden. He believes himself quite brave to fight without it and is never hesitant to join in battle, leaping into the press wildly flailing his weapon around his head. He fights with his giant war maul, an evil-looking club with a five-foot shaft and an ironclad head.
Little is known among the turb of Fagan's past. Though good-natured, he is quiet about his reasons for leaving Eire. He is considered quite barbarous and has many strange habits, including passing his water sitting down and speaking almost too favorably of his sister. Many have privately wondered at the exact nature of their relationship.
Fagan is lacking in skills applicable for day-to-day living in the covenant. He has apparently never worked a spade, hoe or thrasher. He isn't much for cleaning or repairs. In fact, besides dashing the brains out of enemies Fagan's only other useful skill is shoveling out the latrines. Not that he seems to mind, although his barrack-mates do; he has spent many nights excluded from the communal sleeping building.
The rest of the turb and covenfolk are always confusing the names of Fagan and Finn. This doesn't bother Fagan at all- nothing does- but Finn thinks Fagan is filthy lout and he's highly insulted by the confusion.
Finn is another Irish mercenary. He is short, with a brawny, compact build, and bushy, red hair and beard. Finn is the most seasoned of the three Irish mercenaries, a hard-drinking, hard-fighting veteran of several campaigns in both Ireland and Wales. The Irish mercenaries recognize him as a leader of sorts, though they bicker with him frequently.
Like many Irishmen, Finn scorns armor, wearing only a sheepskin and trousers into battle.
Finn's favorite pastimes are drinking and brawling. He excels at both. He's restless and unruly unless there is an enemy to be fought and booty to be plundered. He seems content to stay at the covenant for now because of the steady pay, but before long, the turb leaders may decide he's more trouble than he's worth.
The grogs and covenfolk often confuse the names of Finn and Fagan. Finn hates this because Fagan is so rustic, ignorant, and vile-smelling. The two mercenaries look almost nothing alike except that they both have red hair.
Madoc is one of the covenant's fishermen. He is a local youth known for his quarrelsome ways and fierce temper. He is a strong, surly-looking lad, with flame-red hair and a scruffy growth of beard.
Madoc hails from the village of Rhyl, where he had an unhappy upbringing. The child of a local maiden who was taken against her will by an Irish raider, Madoc was the subject of merciless harassment by the other village youths. Madoc got into a lot of fights with the local boys before they learned to avoid provoking his dreadful rage.
Madoc joined the covenant to escape his home town. He gets along well enough with the Welsh grogs, but his unhappy childhood has left him with a deep-seated resentment of Irishmen. He is frequently quarreling with the covenant's new Irish mercenaries.
Spiritus Draconis has about 50 non-adventuring covenfolk, many of whom are the wives and children of the grogs.
Hubert is a retired grog originally from the distant land of Provençal, across the sea. He came to the covenant with the magus Augustin Colaire when Spiritus Draconis was founded, and served with singular sloth and stupidity until 1222, when age and ill health forced him into retirement. Hubert was renowned for sleeping on watch duty and shirking chores. Until recently, he was always accompanied by a decrepit black cat, also from southern France; the cat finally gave up the ghost in 1223. For some reason, Hubert is a favorite of Augustin Colaire, which is why Hubert has never been fired for dereliction of duty. Though retired, Hubert still insists on toting his 18' pike around with him, leaning on it as if it were a staff.
"Young Rydderch" is the posthumous son of the late, great shield grog Kenyr and his widow Elena. Kenyr planned to name his first-born after his favorite magus, Rydderch. His widow honored this wish. Young Rydderch is unlikely to share his late father's power of Second Sight- he was not born at night, one of the signs of such powers according Welsh folklore- but he was conceived and carried to term in the covenant's strong Magical Aura and he may have magical powers as a result. In any case, everyone expects him to somehow follow his late father's illustrious example. (Note: the magi don't know it, but Kenyr possessed a jug of magical water, which he left at home on his fateful adventure. This water will be given to Young Rydderch as his birthright; it contains 2 pawns of Aquam vis.)
Elena is Kenyr's young widow. She has one son, Rydderch ap Kenyr. Elena was the prettiest maiden in the covenant when Kenyr married her in 1222; many hearts were broken when they wed. The covenant gladly supports her in gratitude for Kenyr's sacrifice. Elena is a skilled seamstress and has become especially adept at rendering the covenant's symbol on banners and surcoats. She has become close friends with Gwenever since the latter helped console her during the early stages of her grieving.
Requiescat in pace:
Taurus was a grog of lifelong service, having begun his career under Augustin Colaire at the ill-fated covenant of Coeur du Bois in the Provençal Tribunal.
When Coeur du Bois disbanded, Taurus accompanied Colaire in his travels throughout Europe. He was appointed turb captain of Spiritus Draconis when the covenant was founded, and was the central figure responsible for recruiting, training, and leading the grogs.
Taurus was well-liked by his men and known giving them wide latitude in fulfilling their missions. He was also a strict disclipinarian, flogging or discharging grogs who neglected their duties. Taurus held a growing turb of aggressive, ambitious, and quarrlesome grogs together by sheer force of character, forging the turb into something like a professional guard force.
Taurus sometimes accompanied magi personally on their missions, and this is how he met his end. In the Autumn of 1223, while helping Rydderch lift a demonic curse that had been laid on Gwenever's family, Taurus was overcome by supernatural forces during a desperate battle. A fleeing enemy paused long enough to slay Taurus as he lay helpless.
Taurus is buried in the churchyard of St. Asaph's Abbey. He leaves behind no known relatives, but he will be sorely missed by grogs and magi alike.
During his brief service as a grog in the covenant's turb, Kenyr rose from being a frightened youth to a valiant custos. His most famous deed of valor was slaying a warrior demon with one blow of his mighty spear.
Kenyr was a local lad who grew up fascinated by stories of wizards and dragons living in the hills. At the age of his majority (14), he eagerly enlisted with the covenant. Though initially lacking in courage, he was valuable from the outset for his enthusiasm and for his gift of Second Sight.
Kenyr was an inveterate ladies' man, pursuing the fair sex with more eagerness than success. He did manage to marry Elena, the prettiest girl in the covenant, in 1222.
Kenyr valiantly met his end saving Rydderch from being torn apart by enchanted snow-wolves at the climax of the story, Jack Frost. He was buried with full honors at the churchyard at St. Asaph's Abbey. Kenyr is survived by his young widow and by a son, Rydderch ap Kenyr, named after the late father's favorite magus.