1230 AD: Adventure in the Sinai

1230 Adventure Oracle

Cabal Legacy—10% (7, adventure!)

Seeker—10% (50, no adventure)

Regional Produce—10% (78, no adventure)

Multiple Sites—10% (85, no adventure)

Road—10% (70, no adventure)

Tribunal Border—30% (62, no adventure)

Unsafe—10% (69, no adventure)

Regio—30% (99, no adventure)

1 adventure this year with one of my favorite hooks. I do love the Neo-Mercurians. 

Difficulty: 7, Hard, EF 15

Origin: 48, Hermetic 1. At EF 15, it’s my own House.

Timing: 6, Autumn. 

Complexity: 5, Complex 2 challenges. 

Type: 15, Social, and 94, my choice. I’ve been doing a lot of Magic and Legal stuff lately: let’s do Combat. 

Locking in, let’s roll omens. 

Omens—5, not bad, not good. 

Spring 1230

This season, Jabril again relaxed under the waving palms at Alexander’s Camp, studying Herbam, spending 1 pawn of vis. 

Vis study: rolled 7+2+3=12 xp to Herbam, bringing it to 6.

2 exposure xp to Magic Theory (also from last season)

Summer 1230

With his Herbam satisfactory for the moment, Jabril found a suitably destroyed house in Aghurmi, and used it as a base to study his Perdo summa. The solitude of the past two seasons was a welcome change from the chaos of last year.

That being said, near the end of spring, he made it a point to venture to the annual Mercuralia celebration in Alexandria, which didn’t take too much time away from his studies. 

Study xp: 21+3=24 xp to Perdo, bringing it to 6. Jabril makes a note to trade the summa to Venti Rosa when they arrive, as it has already outlived its usefulness, planning to trade it for a Q15/L12 Vim summa if he can. 

Autumn 1230

 

Dinner with the Enemy 

As autumn arrived, so did Venti Rosa. In addition to trading 6 pawns of Corpus to them for 6 pawns of Vim and getting a new summa, Jabril also received a letter from one of his Neo-Mercurian colleagues. This time, it was Hector ex Flambeau of Para Belli, a Crusader covenant in the Sinai. Hector began by acknowledging that the two sat on opposite sides of the Levant’s main political divide, Hector being an anti-Treaty magus. Nevertheless, he hoped they could put that aside for the time being and work together on a matter of some importance to the Cult of Mercury. 

Hector went on to explain that one of the young magi from Ikhmindi, Chisomo ex Miscellanea, one of the two Megabari at the covenant, had displayed a great deal of interest towards the Cult of Mercury, and made much effort in contacting Heliobus and the other cult elders in the Levant, seeking initiation. Jabril recalled the topic coming up at Mercuralia, and the assent of the congregation to her accession. The letter continued to note that Heliobus, as Priest of the local congregation, was away on business in Thebes for the rest of the year, and as such, the responsibility of initiating Chisomo fell to Hector, as the next most elder magus of the cult. 

However, rather than purchase a ram, as Jabril had for his first initiation, Chisomo was adamant that she be allowed to hunt a Ram of Virtue, seeing it as a challenge that married the traditions of her people with the Neo-Mercurians. Hector had agreed, but worried about the well-being of the young maga. It would trivialize the initiation for an experienced Mystagogue to accompany her on the hunt, but a young-but-skilled magus like Jabril could help keep her safe while keeping the challenge. Thus, Hector requested that Jabril join him and Chisomo at Para Belli, the so-called Covenant of Lions, in the Sinai, to aid in the initiation. 

While Jabril had been enjoying his solitude, there had always been a natural restlessness to him that was exacerbated by such relaxation, and so he eagerly left for Para Belli. More than a week later, after the long journey by land to Alexandria, then by ship to Arish, the last city of Egypt in the east before the Holy Land, and finally a last wilderness trek over the rocky desert, Jabril at last beheld Para Belli, deep within the barely-inhabited southern Sinai. The outer appearance of a wild, large stone hill hid the fortress within, its entrances and observation points cunningly concealed as piles of stone and shallow cave entrances. The only things that hinted at a human presence were two weathered, but imposing stone statues that sat twinned atop the hill: lions in form, looking down imperiously across the Sinai. As he approached, he saw with some surprise that the statues’ gaze turned to follow him, and craggy, magical voices issued a challenge from within their sandstone bodies. Remembering the pass-phrase from Hector’s letter, he delivered it, and with a rumble, the top of the hill slid open in two parts between the automata, revealing a set of carved stairs lit by flickering enchanted torches. 

Following them down, he was met by Hector on the steps: a tall, muscular Florentine with well-tanned skin and a mane of sun-bleached hair, Hector’s youthful appearance, maintained by a strong longevity potion, belied his status as an octogenarian, having first come to the Levant nearly half a century ago. Even in this place of safety, Hector favored the heavy armor Jabril had first seen him in at his first Mercuralia, a work of Hermetic art inscribed with pagan symbology. The older magus greeted Jabril in fluent Arabic, with a warm smile and a hearty clap on the shoulder. Not as welcoming were the other magi of Para Belli, Tiberius, Torchere, and Aramis of Flambeau, and Leo of Bjornaer, Crusaders all, who greeted him with stiff smiles as Hector led him into the grand main hall of the fortress, well below the surface. It was a relief to meet the amber gaze of young Chisomo, who offered Jabril a far more genuine smile as she greeted him. 

Before the work of initiation began, Hector had arranged for a welcoming feast for the two guest magi, which was brought forth as soon as Jabril had settled in. The beast master noted with quiet distaste that his particular dietary needs had been ignored, but was nevertheless impressed with the quality of the feast, which was formed entirely of Italian recipes and ingredients. Hearty roasted boar sat surrounded by a host of tortes both savory and sweet, with sides of polenta and risotto, as well as a selection of fragrant cheeses and rich sausages. More intimidating was the conversation: numerous times, the hot-headed young Torchere attempted to engage Jabril in debate on the Treaty of Baghdad, but with cunning and his growing skill with etiquette, he deftly redirected the conversation towards pleasant jokes and stories, leaving the younger magus stewing as the others were gradually charmed by him. 

As the evening wore on, Jabril found himself regaling the covenant with tales of his adventures both with his parens and without, making a game of working in a number of subtle Neo-Mercurian references that amused and delighted Hector and to an extent, Chisomo. Jabril could tell that while Hector had certainly respected him before, Jabril’s calm self-assurance and effortless navigation of multiple layers of meaning and conversation were giving the older Flambeau quite a new and positive impression of him. 

At last, the dinner came to an end, and the magi prepared to retire for the evening. Before they did, however, Hector took Jabril and Chisomo aside, and explained what was to happen the next day. He had taken the time to track a Ram of Virtue to its den within the nearby stony hills, and was happy to guide them to the rough location. All that remained was to subdue the creature without killing it, as it would need to be sacrificed for the initiation. With their plans set in motion, the magi retired to rest for the night.

First challenge: Int+Etiquette (rolled 5+2+2=9, spent 2 confidence to succeed), Com+Neo-Mercurian Magic (rolled 6+1+2=9, spent 2 confidence to succeed), Per+Folk Ken (rolled 6+0+4=10, spent 2 confidence to succeed). Three successes. 

Of Goats and Megabari

 

In the morning, Chisomo and Jabril set out into the barren Sinai wilderness, armed with the destination Hector had given them. Jabril was glad for some time with Chisomo: she was an intriguing woman from an intriguing people. Indeed, as they went, she proved to be a bold and eloquent conversant in Arabic, asking questions about Jabril’s harsh upbringing and sharing her own history among the Megabari. Jabril learned that the people were divided into feuding tribes too numerous to name, each ruled by a tyrant. Rather than being given his power by blood or strength of arms, however, the tyrant was selected from the pool of those men who owned the right animals: in this case, those who had both a breeding pair of cattle and goats. The women of the tribe were accorded the honor of choosing, and besides held great power and influence. Indeed, no man was allowed to take a wife besides the tyrant, and his wife was selected for him by the women. 

This sounded strange to Jabril, but no stranger—he mused—than the inner workings of the Ayyubid Sultanate, which seemed to produce heirs primarily through conspiracy and violence. He was more intrigued by the weapon she favored. It was a long, thin club with a thick iron knob at the end, which she swung with an anxious skill as they crept through the hills. For her part, she seemed confused by Jabril carrying no weapon, and politely broached the subject a few times: to which he replied with only a smile.

Before long, the two Ex Misc had reached the stretch of scrubby hills that Hector had pointed them to, and very quickly, Chisomo pointed out tracks weaving their way into the rocks, on a path that seemed to be well-trodden. Electing to ambush their prey, Jabril and Chisomo found a place amidst the rocks to wait, and stayed there for hour, crouching close together. Jabril realized early on that, for her, this was as much a test for him as it was for her, to gauge his true skill. And so he quieted his breath and the muscles that began to ache after an hour of stillness, and focused on being almost indistinguishable from the rocks around him. 

Within a handful of hours, their patience was rewarded. A large ram, shaggy and muscular, came traipsing down the worn path, clearly used to having its run of the area. After a silent nod to each other, the two magi leapt into action. With a speedy Wizard’s Leap, Jabril appeared in front of the ram, cutting off its escape, while Chisomo flanked behind, club in hand. Rather than back down, the ram snorted and immediately lowered its head to charge, forcing Jabril to dodge left and right as the creature came for him several times. It was wearing itself out though, which allowed Chisomo to land a couple of choice blows. 

Finally, panting and exhausted, it seemed to be on its last legs, and seeing his opportunity, Jabril leapt on it, wrestling it to the ground. Chisomo fell in to help, and as she held the creature, Jabril was to cast his potent command spell on it, forcing it into stillness and ordering it to follow Chisomo peacefully wherever she went for the next month.

Returning to Para Belli in triumph, Jabril was pleased to stay and accompany Hector and Chisomo to the nearest temple of Mercury for her initiation, and then traveled with Chisomo as far as Alexandria before the two parted ways as friends to their respective covenants.

Second challenge: Sta+Stealth (specialty, rolled 1, reroll 5 for a total of 12+2+3=17 for a success), Qik+Brawl (specialty, rolled 2+0+5=7, cast Wizard’s Leap to add mag 3 and spent 2 confidence to succeed), Str+Athletics (rolled 0, botch threatened! Botch dice 6, 4, 5, 7, 6, no botch, becoming a result of 2. Spent 2 confidence and cast Starry Harness of Khonsu to add mag 7 and succeed, barely.). Three successes, miraculously. 

Results: Success! Jabril returns to Siwa having successfully helped one of his friends from Ikhmindi join the Neo-Mercurians. Additionally, he has reached across the aisle to the Crusaders and been the bigger man (for now). He comes home with 2 rewards+4 xp for his successes, and an additional 9 xp and confidence for the difficulty level (a total of 16 xp for his troubles). 5 goes to Neo-Mercurian Magic, bringing it to 3, 5 goes to Stealth, also bringing it to 3, 5 goes to Etiquette, and 1 goes to Animal. Every little bit counts. The rewards are banked. Overall, the adventure takes 17 days.

 

Winter 1230

 

This winter, Jabril took the time to study his Muto tractatus, after sending his turb to gather the cocoons of butterflies for him to study. 

 

Study xp: 9+2=11 xp to Muto, bringing it to 4. 

 

Aging roll: rolled 3+4-1-5=1, meaning no apparent aging this year.