Varana's Tomb
Located deep in the Gwynedd hills, this spot is closer to Cad Gadu than to Nova Semitae. This tomb is a multi-layered in regiones to keep out accidental visitors. Formed from a casting of Conjuring the Wizard's Tower, it nonetheless only has two floors with a deeply crenellated roof which now serves as the nesting area for a pair of mated giant snow owls. The only entrance is a trap door which leads to a 30' tall second story (the lab), which has a set of stairs leading down to the tomb.
Mundane Level
The peak the tower is on is the highest point in its area, located on a rocky prominence that must be climbed. Mounts and carts are impossible to bring up. The tower is located in a level 1 Magical regio. Without magic or Second Sight, the only way in is to somehow spot the tower in one's peripheral vision and then shuffle towards the tower while looking askance.
First Magical Regio
The tower is made out of a solid piece of grey stone, of the kind in the area. The environment is also quite cold and icy. There are no entrances into the tower except through the roof. The roof features 10' tall crenellations and encloses the nest of a pair of mated giant owls. These owls freely enter and leave the regio and their nest is partially covering the trap door. They are not immediately hostile, though will become alarmed if approached. They can be calmed with the right gestures, or food.
The trap door drops into the laboratory floor. Without additional magic to cross into a higher-level regio, characters will drop into the first magical regio level only.
Laboratory Floor
The laboratory is accessible only from the trap door in its roof, and either rope or magic is needed to lower one's self the 30 feet to the floor.
Magic Regio Level 1: This is the default view. The lab is recognizable to a magus, but looks abandoned and trashed. Shelves are empty and the room appears tossed. Stairs lead to the Level 1 tomb level.
Magic Regio Level 5: If crossed into this layer, the laboratory is fully functional, and features a huge shelving area stocked with books on all manner of subjects, all non-Arts. Stairs lead to the Level 5 tomb level.
Tomb Floor
Magic Regio Level 1: A plain sarcophagus lies in the center of this room, which is also 30' tall like the laboratory. There is nothing else in this room.
The magi have not attempted to open this sarcophagus.
Magic Regio Level 5: A highly decorated sarcophagus with the lying statue of Varana carved on the sarcophagus cover lies in the center of the room. Six evenly-spaced pillars rise along the edges holding up the roof (the lab floor) while gargoyles appear perched at the top of the pillars. A large bookshelf containing high-quality books on the Arts is the main prize on this floor. Investigating the books triggers the gargoyles to attack. If sufficiently damaged, they return to the ceiling and will eventually recover if left alone.
The magi have not attempted to open the sarcophagus.
Library
All books are written in latin unless otherwise noted.
Although the magi have not yet learned this, copying books does not work here. The knowledge can only be transmitted if read, and re-written as a brand new book by the student. This is a quality of the regio.
Arcane Abilities
- Faerie Lore: Of Faerys, Summa Level 6, Quality 8
- Magic Lore: Anciente Kyngdome of Brytain, Summa Level 6, Quality 7
- Infernal Lore: Daemons and Beasts, a Treatyse in XVII Volumes. Tractatus (17 volumes), average level 7
- Dominion Lore: Angels and Ministyrs of Grace, Tractatus (12 volumes), average level 7
- Magic Theory, Libri Quaestionum de Magicam, Tractatus (12 volumes), Quality 11 (see below)
- These books operate under unusual rules as described here. These are in the form of questions and answers, a common medieval writing format. However, each set of books is intended for a specific audience. The farther your skill is from the intended level, the less you learn from that book. This is represented as follows: Reading a tractatus will net you: (Quality) minus (twice the difference of your skill and the books intended level). It is therefore intended that you read the books only once your Magic Theory reaches a certain point; before that, and it's too advanced; after that, you already know the material and gain less from it.
- Book 1: Level 1
- Book 2: Level 2
- Books 3-4: Level 3
- Books 5-6: Level 4
- Books 7-8: Level 5
- Books 9-10: Level 6
- Books 11-12: Level 7
- Code of Hermes: TBD
Languages:
- Speak Latin, Summa Level 4, Quality 8
- Speak Greek, Summa Level 4, Quality 8
- Speak Aramaic, Summa Level 4, Quality 8
- Speak Italian (Italo-Dalmatian), Summa Level 4, Quality 8
- Speak Norwegian, Summa Level 4, Quality 8
- Speak Swedish, Summa Level 4, Quality 8
- Speak Danish, Summa Level 4, Quality 8
Organization Lores
- Order of Hermes, Tractatus (12 volumes), Quality 7 each
- Although this book set is about a century dated (there are no references past 1130), this set does collect a great deal of knowledge of the Order including early Tribunals, key players, and a particular focus on the Schism War. Readers will be impressed on the enormous losses of magi and magical knowledge from the widescale destruction.
- Church Lore, TBD
Academic Lores:
- Artes Liberales: TBD
- Philosophiae: TBD
- Medicine: TBD
- Civil and Canon Law: TBD
- Common Law: TBD
- Theology (Christian): TBD
- Theology (Judaism):
- Theology (Islamic): TBD
Arts
- Creo
- Intellego
- Muto
- Rego
- Auram
- Imaginem
- Mentem
- Terram
- Vim
Lab Texts
- Many (largely Auram, Imaginem)