1238 AD: Poison Vis

 1238 Adventure Oracle

Cabal Legacy—10% (39, no adventure)

Seeker—10% (52, no adventure)

Regional Produce—10% (19, no adventure)

Multiple Sites—10% (20, no adventure)

Road—10% (92, no adventure)

Rival—30% (97, no adventure)

Unsafe—10% (40, no adventure)

Unknown—30% (24, adventure!)

Hermetic Politics—10% (75, no adventure)

Protector—10% (15, no adventure)

The unknown hook has borne fruit! 

Difficulty—rolled 8, hard, EF 15. 

Origin—rolled 86, Hermetic 2, Subject of Investigation at this EF. I’m already coming up with an interesting idea. 

Timing—1, Spring. 

Complexity—3, simple, 1 challenge. 

Type—44, Magic. Actually quite apropos for what I’m thinking. 

We’re opting in. 

Omens—5

Spring 1238

The Case of the Cursed Corpus

It is at this point that I, your humble narrator, feel compelled to remind you of one of the longstanding features of Siwa Oasis. Since Jabril first began exploring the oasis, it had always been an extraordinarily vis-rich site, particularly for a single magus. Jabril has always had more vis than he could use, but not enough Vim specifically to ward each of the six sites he protected in the valley. So, for some years now, he had been trading a portion of his collected vis from one of his sites to Venti Rosa in exchange for enough Vim to make up the difference. Sometimes Herbam, sometimes Aquam or Ignem—last year, it was Corpus from the Jabal al-Mawta, stored whimsically by the beast master inside a representation of his own laughing face carved by spontaneous ReAn from a camel bone. 

It was thus his own eyes that now stared at him accusingly from the hand of Balthazar, Chief Quaesitor of the Nile. It was early spring, two moons past Venti Rosa’s usual winter check-in, that the old Criamon had arrived at Siwa. He had regretfully informed Jabril that he was the unfortunate subject of the Tribunal’s first true investigation. 

Apparently, Robert ex Mercere, sole Gifted Mercere in the Nile, had attempted to use the Corpus vis for a healing ritual and it had gone quite awry, nearly killing him and the patient (though both were now safely recuperating at the Pyramids. Upon investigation, Venti Rosa had confirmed that the Corpus traded to them had Infernal taint, using the services of a friendly imam to confirm. 

Though the Redcaps had a good relationship with Jabril, they felt it was their duty to bring this before Balthazar. And so, here he was, hoping against hope—as he said—that Jabril was not the cause of this. While his languages were still not as good as perhaps they should be, Jabril had certainly grown quite fluent in Hermetic etiquette since he had founded the covenant, and smoothly welcomed Balthazar and assured him they would find the heart of the matter together. 

Balthazar had brought with him the selfsame imam used by Venti Rosa: an older man called Nayel, a scholar from Cairo, who possessed an unusual ability to discern the unholy which Hermetics did not possess. Though he quickly established that Jabril himself did not seem to be infernally tainted at his core, Nayel still regarded some of his clothes and tools skeptically, as they possessed the touch of the infernal. 

Here, Jabril explained the nature of the regio insofar as he understood it, and shared his personal theory that the abandonment of Alexander’s wishes by his generals and the subsequent slow abandonment of the temple had led to the natural aura being superseded by an Infernal one born of betrayal, which could now only be held back by active works of magic in the temple. Here, Nayel interceded to note that a proper sanctification by a true follower of Allah would do better: Jabril acknowledged this, but pointed out that such a thing would likely destroy the natural magic aura and perhaps even exorcise the oracle, whom he required for further study. Balthazar understood and moved on. 

Jabril went on to describe the demons that had assaulted him on his last journey into the temple, and surmised that perhaps the shadow or his personal tempter had continued to take an interest in him and corrupted either his vis source or his stocks. Both the others agreed, and they took time surveying the Hill of the Dead and his vis stocks. The Hill seemed untouched, save for a tiny remnant of infernal aura rapidly disappearing near the regio entrance. But as they began to investigate his stocks, although most seemed to be fine, Nayel pointed out one pawn of Corpus that seemed tainted. 

Jabril was about to remove it when a great force erupted from it, pushing out across the storeroom and scattering pawns everywhere. Jabril, on instinct, pushed Nayel and Balthazar to the ground, shielding them with his body, and grimaced as he felt the wave of force push hard on his Parma—but not pierce it. 

A stunned silence fell over the room: then, as no more danger seemed to be forthcoming, Jabril and the others exhaled with relief and stood slowly, dusting themselves off. Balthazar assured him that his act of sacrifice had certainly cleared him in the Quaesitor’s eyes, but counseled him to take care and guard himself, for most assuredly a demon had it out for him. As a show of friendship, Balthazar replaced the corrupted vis for him and made sure to contact Venti Rosa and explain the situation.

As the two left, Jabril was all genteel civility, but inwardly felt that seed of worry begun to sprout.

Challenge: Int+Magic Theory (rolled 1, reroll 3 for a total of 8+2+6=16, success), Com+Infernal Lore (specialty, rolled 7+1+2=10, spent 2 confidence to succeed), Sta+Parma Magica (rolled 6+2+4=12, spent 1 confidence to succeed)

Result: Total success. Jabril proves that he is not the cause of the infernally-corrupted vis and learns of the demonic influence still at Siwa. He suspects this is not the end of it. Mechanically, we’ve uncovered our unknown hook: Demonic Interest! Though the regio is no longer corrupted, demonic forces have taken an interest in Jabril and his covenant, and have tried already to corrupt him.

Luckily, instead, Jabril walks away with a reward +2 xp, as well as 8 xp (becoming 13 overall) and 8 confidence. 5 goes to Magic Theory, 5 goes to Parma, and 3 goes to Infernal Lore, bringing it to 2. Jabril spends his reward, + 16 Mythic Pounds, on a level 15 Imaginem Tractatus, restoring trade with Venti Rosa. Overall, the adventure takes 16 days (one imagine he wines and dines Balthazar). 

Summer 1238

Jabril spent the season studying his new Imaginem tractatus on one of the larger dunes between Aghurmi and Abu Sharef. From here, he could behold the dramatic colors that played across the salt lake near Abu Sharef as the sun rose and fell, and smell the sweet date-scent drifting from the western plantations. It was perhaps his most pleasant study session yet: he thought idly of putting more time into his Imaginem studies, if only for the fact that the particular peculiarities of his training would require him to seek out more and more beautiful places to study. 

Having finished his book, though, he planned to trade it for a Terram tractatus when next he saw Venti Rosa. 

Study xp: 15+2 xp to Imaginem, bringing it to 5. 

Autumn 1238

This season, Jabril studied his Mentem tractatus, having his covenfolk stand near him and carry on conversations with each other and idly listening to them as he read. Rather than trade it for another tractatus, he instead sold it to Venti Rosa for 2 pawns of Mentem, 2 pawns of Auram, and 5 pawns of Imaginem. 

Study xp: 9+2 xp to Mentem, bringing it to 4. 

Winter 1238

Finally, Jabril ensconced himself within the stone-cut tombs of Bilad al-Rum and studied his new Terram tractatus. At last, as the season ended, he found himself with some ability in every one of the Arts, with only Mentem and Auram still too low for an apprentice. 

Study xp: 15+2 xp to Terram

Aging roll: rolled 5-1=4, Jabril’s apparent age increases by 1.