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Prospectus Characters #1: Albus' Tale Dramatis Personae
Albus' Dialogues She haunts my dreams, her bright yellow hair like liquid gold, her pale skin like the finest ivory, her long lean body like that of a predatory animal. And her wings... her wings... as airy as the clouds, as pure as new-spun wool, big enough to envelop the whole world. She stands beside me, always to the dexter side, and whispers lovingly into my ear. "Repent, Dear Heart. Repent. You forsake Him for what is but a pale shadow of His true glory. Repent." It is my doom. The legacy of my pater's pater. Olennius of Tytalus. Today she was very strong. She has always been strong this day. The dream was quite vivid. It was hot. The warm sun beat down on me without mercy. I stood at the base of a hill, surrounded by a crowd made up of all of humanity. Atop the hill there were three old Roman crucifixes. Thieves hung from two, but it was she who hung from the third, her arms and legs nailed to the cross, her wings shorn from her body, and blood trickling forth from her right side. "E'lo-i," she cried. "E'lo-i." All looked up to see the spectacle. When it was over they turned away. She spoke one last word for me alone. "Repent." Sleep is now gone. It will not return to me this night. I must be gone from this place. I must. I know she will follow. How could one like she be bound by mere geography? So, my flight is illogical. Still, I may hope. Logic has always been my friend. May it be wrong this time. I have gathered my meager goods. Sword, shield, two suits of travelling clothes, a poor bronze ring given me by my mother, a lock of hair from a girl I thought I loved. In but a moment I will go to wake Rises. We will visit the kitchen for supplies and then be off. Still, it echoes in my mind. "Repent."
Albus' Dialogues It has been five years now since Avitus brought me to the covenant. I remember how frightened I was that first day in this strange place, how much I wept for home. Avitus was very kind that day. When he saw my demeanor, he sent for my mother. She stayed at the covenant for two long years. Now, another three years have passed. To celebrate my completion of Intellego, Avitus bade me relax today. He suggested I go visit my mother. He has always been very kind. I braved the oppressive heat. Mother was quite pleased to see me. But, I was surprised by a new fraility in her. I fear she will not live long. If only she were gifted, like I, but such was not her fate. As I spoke with her she pressed upon me an old bronze ring. She said it belonged to my father, whom I never knew. She bade me wear it, and I did. I wanted to please her, for I know she will pass beyond the veil soon. When I returned to Avitus tonight he was stricken by the news. He told me my studies could wait, and that I should spend what time I could with my mother. I know Rises' pater is not nearly so kind. I may only thank Tytalus that Avitus is.
From the Records of the Rhine Tribunal of 997 WHEREAS, The Code of Hermes states, "I will not deal with devils, lest I imperil my soul." WHEREAS, Ludwig of Tytalus has already been found guilty of the High Crime of association with demons. WHEREAS, Olennius of Tytalus was Ludwig's apprentice from 981 to 996. WHEREAS, Kremhild of Quaesitor has determined through the use of Intellego magics that Olennius of Tytalus was aware of Ludwig's association with demons. LET IT BE RESOLVED that Olennius of Tytalus shall be found guilt of the Low Crime of aiding and abetting association with demons, and he shall serve house Quaesitor for five years helping to discover the diabolism that has taken root in house Tytalus, and at the end of that period he shall donate a further two rooks of vis to the continued efforts to cleanse a once fine house.
Albus' Dialogues I had a dream last night. It was like none I had ever had before. The first thing I remember is darkness. Then a brilliant light slowly rose and at its center was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She was tall and lean. He pale face was smooth yet stern, as if it had been worn away from white marble by the slow touch of the ocean. Her blonde hair surrounded her like a halo. At first I thought she was young Clara, but as she grew nearer I saw that her face was mature. It contained the wisdom of aeons. Then, suddenly, rising up from behind her, sprouting from her back, were a pair of grand white wings. That was when I knew her as an angel. She spoke softly as the murmur of the creek, and I had to lean close to hear the words. "You must go to her, now, for there shall never be another chance." And then she was gone. I awoke with a start, and hurriedly put on my clothes. I had badly neglected my mother for the last week. I had thought she was growing no worse. I had used the excuse of the warmth of summer. Now I hoped it was not too late. I was sure it was. I ran the three miles to the village she lived in. She still breathed. Just barely. I held my mother's hand as her breathing grew more ragged and eventually stopped. I did not cry, for her death had been expected. If only she had the gift.
Albus' Dialogues A mixed day. We were visited by a Quaesitor today. His name is Olvera, and he is an old friend of Avitus'. Avitus bade me to entertain Olvera's apprentice, Catorse, in whatever way I saw fit. I quickly corralled Rises to help, for he is much more familiar with what he calls the "flora and fauna" of the nearby villages than I. While Rises and Catorse drank I slipped away to meet with Clara. She had tearful news. Her family had completed negotiations on an arranged marriage for her. I was not surprised, but I consoled her nonetheless. Our worlds had never been the same. When we done she gave me a lock of her hair and asked I remember her. I shall, long past her death I suspect. Afterward I returned to find Rises and Catorse still drinking. They had not even noticed my absence. I was not sad, just empty. A mixed day.
Albus' Dialogues Avitus died today. It was but a week ago that my pater greeted me at the end of my Tytalus gauntlet and named me a magus. Now he is dead. I will miss him. I will miss the long talks we had of individuality, of self-improvement through conflict. I am sad he is dead. But, it was expected. He died old, as did his own pater. Most Tytalus are never old, but Avitus was, as was Olennius before him. In his memory, I will go out and fight and win. I will learn more about myself and become stronger by doing so. It is how he would have wished it. My pater. Avitus.
From the Judgements of Thierry of Quaesitor "The diseased tree bears rotten fruit." It is the thirty-seventh precept of Guernicus, as recorded in his own hand in _The First Book of Law_. It remains a rule to live by. A hundred and fifty years ago my predecessors pruned the tree of Tytalus, for it had grown sick with the plague of diabolism. But, they did not cut deeply enough and now our entire garden is threatened. I have completed the investigation of one Avitus of Tytalus. His pater was Olennius of Tytalus, found guilty of the low crime of aiding and abetting association with demons (c.f. Rhine Tribunal 997), and Olennius' pater was Ludwig of Tytalus, found guilty of the high crime of association with demons (ibid.). Two charges have been raised against Avitus, by Sabine of Mernita and by Arcava of Jerbiton. Each claims belief that Avitus has followed the path of his master (c.f. complete interrogations, attached). Thus far evidence supporting the two maga's claims has been entirely negative, and Intellego magics cast upon Avitus have been negative as well. I am preparing to bring this investigation to a close, but I would ask you to remember once more Guernicus' words. The forces of Hell have proven resistant to our Intellego magics, and thus those magics can not be entirely trusted. Avitus of Tytalus should be considered guilty unless found innocent, and thus must be watched carefully. We need only scant evidence to bring this case to a more satisfactory conclusion.
Albus' Dialogues My dreams have been empty of her for weeks, but my angel came to me again last night. She said no word to me, but simply looked. Her golden hair lay partially across her face but it did not obscure her smile. She was very pleased. Still smiling, she spread her wings and flew up toward a golden light. And then I slept a night of such bliss as I have ever known. I did not do it for her. I most definitely did not do it for Avitus. I did it for myself alone. I found the books in Avitus' lab. It had to be cleaned out, of course. There were three of them. Each was bound in dark leather. The pages were made of fine vellum. In short they looked like a thousand other books. I have had training in the occult. I have learned to recognise diabolic forces so that I may slay them. I was even there that day in Nurnberg when an old money-lender raised up a demon and Rises, still an apprentice, put it down. So, when I flipped through that first book, I recognised the sigils that filled the pages. They were dark and blasphemous sigils related to diabolism and the raising of demons. The other two books were no better. As is my duty as a magus of Hermes, I burned all three books. I have also alerted the Quaesitors of Rhine to my findings, lest I be an accidental accomplice. They will arrive soon, and I am sure they will not be kind. I can only hope that Avitus did not truly delve into these dark arts. I certainly saw no evidence. But, it is an illogical thought. Why else would he possess those tomes? Still, I can hope.
Albus' Dialogues A day with the Quaesitors. Thierry of Quaesitor, an old wrinkled man whose longevity potions are clearly failing, was their leader. He spoke long of his own investigations and those of Olvera of Quaesitor, whom my pater considered his friend. He swore that my findings had proven their suspicions. My pater could not speak in his defense. I allowed them to probe my mind deeply. It was demeaning, but logically necessary. They seemed satisfied with their findings, and thanked me for my help. Then, after eight hours of grueling questions, accusations, and magics, they were gone.
Albus' Dialogues She came to me last night, my angel. It was different though. She did not simply watch, as has been her way. Instead she circled warily. A flaming sword was in her left hand, a stout shield upon her right arm. As she drew nearer I heard her quiet words, and they were such as she had never spoken to me before. "Repent. Your lineage is tainted. Your gift taints you. All of it is but shadows, yet you give up everything for them. Your only chance is to repent all. Repent." I slept poorly and woke bleary-eyed, nearly useless despite the invigorating coolness of Fall. How could I repent fifteen years of life, everything that I am? How? "Repent," she commands.
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