Covenant Library
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Unless otherwise stated, all books are written in Latin.
Book Study Rules:
- Each book has a Quality (Q) rating. This is the number of experience points (xp) you gain from reading it in one season.
- A Summa may be read multiple times until your Art or Ability is equal to the Summa's level.
- A Commentary may only be read once the summa has been exhausted. You may only benefit once from reading the Commentary.
- A Tractatus may only be read once with benefit. However, there is no level limit; these may be read at any time.
Hermetic Arts
Nova Semitae's library in Hermetic Arts is of exceptional quality due to the unusually high number of excellent writers who founded the covenant. As such, members enjoy an accelerated path to learning all 15 Arts with many Commentaries and Tractatus to fill out one's understanding. Some summae even allow a second reading to pick up secondary knowledge once they've been completed.
Techniques
Creo
- Ex Nihilo ("Out of Nothing"). Summa Lv 12, Q 11
- (3 + Com 4 + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1) + illumination (1) + resonant material (1))
- Written by Ardea of Bjornaer, illuminated by Litha of Bjornaer. This book is scribed on vellum, and is bound with laces of green silk whose delicate appearance belies its unnatural tensile strength, between sturdy boards of oak. The content focuses upon the cultivation of a magnificent garden hidden within Crintera's regio, with particular care taken to describe proper cultivation of many herbs of culinary and medicinal usages.
- May be read as a Q14 tractatus in Profession: Gardener (as a tractatus), upon completion of the summa.
- Commentaries on Ex Nihilo by Litha (Q11), Aislinn (Q10), Aulus (Q12)
- Notes on the Bountiful Harvest. Tractatus Q9
- (3 + Com 4 + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1))
- Written by Aislinn
- An Examination of Applications to Enhancing the Body with Particular Emphasis on the Physical. Tractatus Q10
- (3 + Com 2 + Good Teacher + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1))
- Written by Julissa
- Applications on Vis Extraction. Tractatus Q11
- (3 + Com 3 + Good Teacher + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1))
- Written by Aulus
Intellego
- Esse Est Percipi ("To exist is to be perceived"). Summa Lv 15, Q 15
- (3 + Com 5 + Good Teacher + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1) + illumination (1) + resonant material (1))
- Written by Justinius of Tremere, illuminated by Litha of Bjornaer.
- This book is scribed on immaculately white parchment, and bound between plates of solid quartz. This text claims the art of Intellego is an extension of one's own senses, not a magical art separate from the magus. (It was the authorship of this book which earned Justen the office of Quaesitor from House Guernicus.)
- When the summa's knowledge is exhausted, it can be studied again as a Q15 tractatus in Awareness.
- Commentary on Esse Est Percipi by Julissa (Q11)
- The Noble Art. Tractatus Q10
- A collection of letters between Quaeistor Justen of Tremere of Nova Semitae and Archmagus and Quaesitor Caecilius of Bonisagus of Durenmar
Muto
- Non Sum Qualis Eram ("I am not such as I was"). Summa Lv 11, Q 12
- (3 + Com 3 + Good Teacher + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1) + resonant material (1))
- Written by Maribus Mercandi.
- This book is scribed with multicoloured ink that seems to shimmer and shift upon the rough, unevenly tanned vellum; it is bound by heavy oaken boards lined with dark blue silk. This book extemporizes upon the limits of essential nature, and postulates that the possibilities of Muto magic are limited only by the imagination of the magus.
- Commentaries on Non Sum Qualis Eram by Aislinn, Litha
- The Malleable Human Body. Tractatus Q12
- Written by Litha
Perdo
- Finis Vitae Sed Non Amoris ("The end of life is not the end of love"). Summa Lv 10, Q12
- (3 + Com 3 + Good Teacher + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1) + resonant material (1))
- Written by Maribus Mercandi. This book philosophizes upon the necessity of death as a means to facilitate new life. This book is of much lower quality than others by the author; it is clear from the covenant's records that it was written hurriedly to complete the library's collection of arts summae. It is scribed upon plain white parchment and is bound between hazelwood boards by strips of dark blue silk.
- Commentaries by Julissa (Q11), Aulus (Q12)
- Applications of Perdo for Defeating Creatures Fay and Magical. Tractatus Q11
- Written by Maribus
Rego
- Lessons for the Leader. Summa Lv 10, Q13
- (3 + Com 2 + Good Teacher + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1) + resonant material (1) + level bonus (2))
- Written by Julissa Criamonis.
- After the summa has been exhausted, this book acts as a Q12 tractatus for Leadership.
- Commentary on Lessons for the Leader by Justen Tremeris (Q14)
Forms
Animal
- Dentis et Unguis ("Tooth and claw"). Summa Lv 9, Q12
- (3 + Com 2 + Good Teacher + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1) + illuminated (1) + resonant material (1))
- Written and illuminated by Litha of Bjornaer.
- This compendium of beasts gives detailed accounts upon the diets, natural habitats, and mating habits of hundreds of animals, both extant and extinct. This book is scribed on sheepskin vellum and scribed in goat's blood; it is bound with some sort of tough sinew between two heavy (and rather hairy) hide cover-plates.
- Perfection of the Beast. Tractatus Q10
- Written by Litha of Bjornaer
Aquam
- A Flumine Usque ad Terminos Terrae ("From the river unto the ends of the earth"). Lv 12, Q 12
- (3 + Com 3 + Good Teacher + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1) + resonant material (1))
- Written by Maribus Mercandi.
- This book talks extensively about the mundane and mystical properties of Llyn Efyrnwy and Afon Efyrnwy. The book is scribed on vellum and bound between two oak boards, lined with deep blue silk.
- When completed, also counts as a Q11 Tractatus upon Area Lore: Powys.
- Commentary on A Flumine Usque ad Terminos Terrae. by Aislinn of Tytalus (Q10)
Auram
- Fiat Justitia Ruat Caelum ("Let Justice Be Done When the Sky Falls"). Summa Lv 18, Q 11
- (3 + Com 4 + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1) + illuminated (1) + resonant material (1))
- Written by Aislinn of Tytalus, illuminated by Litha of Bjornaer.
- Aislinn suffered a Twilight experience after performing a ritual that lifted a great drought from England; when she emerged from Twilight two months later, she immediately set to writing this book. Upon publication, this summa earned Aislinn the honourary title of Archmage. The book is written on clean white parchment and is bound between two thin plates of silver, and bound with strips of sky blue silk.
- Commentary on Fiat Justitia Ruat Caelum by Litha Bjornaeris (Q11)
Corpus
- Sanguis et Lacrima ("Blood and Tears"). Summa Lv 10, Q 15
- (3 + Com 5 + Good Teacher + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1) + illuminated (1) + resonant material (1))
- Written by Justinius of Tremere, illuminated by Litha of Bjornaer. Scribed in blood on pages of human skin, this book gruesomely takes full advantage of form effect bonuses with its subject matter! Despite its grisly appearance, however, this book is quite accurate and informative, detailing the inner workings of the human body in ways which would be dismissed as frivolity by any medieval doctor, yet are confirmed by Intellego magics. Includes roughly drawn, yet accurate, sketches of how to bind certain types of wounds, and how to treat certain illnesses, complete with cross-references and an exhaustive index.
- May be used by those with the Gift as a tractatus on Chirurgy (Q14)
- Commentary on Sanguis et Lacrima by Julissa (Q11), Aulus (Q12), Aislinn (Q10)
- Vita ex Mors ("Life and Death"). Summa Lv 17, Q 9
- (3 + Com 3 + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1) + resonant material (1))
- Written by Desiderius of Verditius. Authored by a widely known necromancer, this text postulates on the nature of the relationship between life and death.
- Commentary of Vita ex Mors by Maribus (Q12)
Herbam
- Vivat Crescat Floreat ("Live, Grow, and Flourish"). Summa Lv 12, Q12
- (3 + Com 2 + Good Teacher + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1) + illuminated (1) + resonant material (1))
- Written and illuminated by Litha of Bjornaer.
- This book expounds upon various edible plants native to the Stonehenge Tribunal, and includes preliminary notes upon the design of several spells to prepare food for large groups of people. It is written upon a papyrus-like parchment made from birtch pith, and is bound between oaken boards lined with a fine linen dyed in shimmering green.
- Upon completion, the book grants 5xp in Profession: Herbalist.
- Commentary on Vivat Crescat Floreat by Maribus (Q12)
Ignem
- Igni Ferroque ("Fire and Iron"). Summa Lv 12, Q10 (see notes, Terram listing)
- (3 + Com 4 + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1) + resonant material (1))
- Written by Aislinn of Tytalus and Justiniun of Tremere. Bound into a single book is an Ignem Summa and a Terram summa, by husband-and-wife team Aislinn Tytali and Justen, Quaesitor Tremeris. Despite being two independent summae, they were written with obvious collaboration, and the information on each art is complementary to the other; when studying one volume, treat its Quality as two higher if you have studied the other volumn within the past year.
Imaginem
- Delectatio Morosa ("Peevish Delight"). Summa Lv 9, Q14
- (3 + Com 5 + Good Teacher + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1) + resonant material (1))
- Written by Justinius of Tremere. Covers the art of Imaginem from a philosophical perspective, exploring the natural and meta-natural properties of the fives species. Written on vellum in multi-coloured ink, five different colours for the five species; the colour-coded text increases the summa's quality due to the ease of cross-referencing
- Commentary on Delectatio Morosa by Maribus (Q12)
Mentem
- Mentem Mortalia Tangunt ("Mortality Touches the Mind"). Summa Lv 13, Q12
- (3 + Com 2 + Good Teacher + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1) + illuminated (1) + resonant material (1))
- Written and illuminated by Litha of Bjornaer. A memoir on how to write memoirs, this summa explains the way the mind stores and recalls memories. Written on vellum and bound between oak boards lined with deep green linen.
- Commentary on Mentem Mortalia Tangunt by Justinius of Tremere (Q14)
Terram
- Igni Ferroque ("Fire and Iron"). Summa Lv 12, Q10 (see notes, Terram listing)
- (3 + Com 4 + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1) + resonant material (1))
- Written by Aislinn of Tytalus and Justiniun of Tremere. Bound into a single book is an Ignem Summa and a Terram summa, by husband-and-wife team Aislinn Tytali and Justen, Quaesitor Tremeris. Despite being two independent summae, they were written with obvious collaboration, and the information on each art is complementary to the other; when studying one volume, treat its Quality as two higher if you have studied the other volumn within the past year.
- Commentary on Igni Ferroque (Terram) by Julissa (Q11)
- The Art of Terram in Glasswork. Tractatus Q5
- Written by Neanne of Verditius
Vim
- Crescat Scientia Vita Excolatur ("Let knowledge grow to enrich life"). Summa 12, Q11
- (3 + Com 2 + Good Teacher + skilled scribe (1) + skilled binder (1) + resonant material (1))
- Written by Julissa of Criamon. Describes geographical and natural properties that affect the magnitude of an aura, and the ways in which auras might be attuned.
- When completed, may be read as a Q11 Tractatus on Magic Lore
- Commentaries on Crescat Scientia Excolatur by Aulus (Q12), Neanne (Q6)
- Thoughts on Auras, a Second Look. Tractatus Q10
- Written by Julissa of Criamon
- On Extracting the Essence of Power. Tractatus Q5
- Written by Neanne of Verditius
- Hermetic Warding of the Covenant: An Examination of the Classic Aegis of the Hearth. Tractatus Q11
- Written by Aulus of Bonisagus
- Auras for Covenants Anew. Tractatus Q11
- Written by Aulus of Bonisagus
Lab Texts
Known Lab Texts
TBA
House Rule: Lab Text Availability
In order to both introduce an element of chance — and to save myself the effort of listing dozens of spells that would have accumulated over a 50-year period — I am introducing the following mechanism to determine if the library contains a given (standard) spell.
1) Check the Form of the spell in the chart below and note whether its availability is Low, Medium, or High
| Form | Availability |
| Animal (An) | High |
| Aquam (Aq) | High |
| Auram (Au) | High |
| Corpus (Co) | Medium |
| Herbam (He) | Low |
| Ignem (Ig) | Low |
| Imaginem (Im) | Low |
| Mentem (Me) | High |
| Terram (Te) | Medium |
| Vim (Vi) | High |
2) Look up the availability in the chart below and roll percentile (d%) to find whether or not a lab text in the library.
| Availability | Spell Translated | Spell Untranslated | Unavailable |
| Low | 01-02 | 03-17 | 18-00 |
| Medium | 01-10 | 11-50 | 51-00 |
| High | 01-20 | 21-70 | 71-00 |
Here's what the results mean:
| Spell Translated: | The spell is available in the library and has been translated into a readable format. You may use the lab text in the lab immediately. |
| Spell Untranslated: | The spell is available in the library, but the notes are still in the magus' shorthand. If you've translated a text from the magus before, you can treat this result as 'Spell is Translated' above. Otherwise, to use this text, you will need to spend a season decoding the magus' shorthand style first before using the text. |
| Unavailable: | You're out of luck. You will need to invent the spell from scratch, or trade for someone's lab text. |
This list will also include all known lab texts that are created by magi, or discovered using the above mechanism.
This house rule will be available until the number of lab texts reaches a level suitable to the covenant's age. (This make take a while.)