Untitled - The Secrets of the Mind & Body Shaping

acteristics — how to adopt the form of a
particularly notable animal ancestor. He
acquires a third form of the heartbeast;
giving him an outer heartbeast (the animal
form) and an inner heartbeast (the
ancestral form).
Initiating the Clan
Mysteries
Clan Mysteries are Initiated by
elder members of the clan acting as
Mystagogues; these clan members are
often members of the same sept as the
Initiate. The Initiation Scripts used by a
clan are unique to that clan, and are not
employed by other clans. These Scripts
originated from the native beliefs of the
founders of each clan, but have been
elaborated over the years; however, they
all follow broadly a similar template. All
Clan Mysteries (with one exception; see
Clan Ilfetu, above) are Minor Virtues,
and thus have an Ease Factor of 15.
They require a Mystagogue who knows
the sought Virtue and has a (Presence
+ House Bjornaer Lore) of at least 8,
although a previous Ordeal bonus may be
in effect, which reduces this.
tHe trial of (naMe)
In a special place and at a special time
(+3), the Initiate must undergo a rite of
physical or mental mortifi cation (+1), and
suffers a Minor Ordeal (+3). If a Major
Ordeal is suffered instead, this script has a
+13 Script bonus.
tHe deed of (naMe)
The Initiate is charged to discover a
quest that will satisfy his ancestors (+3);
complete that quest (+3); then spend a
season composing a poem, lay, or song
detailing his heroic deed (+1).
tHe oatH of (naMe)
The Initiate must make a solemn oath
equivalent to the Vow Flaw (+3) that will
please her ancestors, and spend a year
demonstrating her dedication to that oath
(+1). Her Mystagogue must then spend a
season teaching her the new Virtue (+3).
If the oath is broken in a minor way, the
Virtue is lost until amends are made. If
Mystery Cults
broken in a major fashion, no restitution
is suffi cient.
Initiating the House
Mysteries
The House Mysteries (Heartbeast,
Secret Name, Sensory Magic,
Theriomorphy) are Initiated by members
of Clan Ilfetu. The description of each of
the House Mysteries listed below includes
the Initiation Script, although alternate,
more stringent scripts may be known to
Clan Ilfetu if the Mystagogue does not
know the Virtue being Initiated, or has
insuffi cient knowledge of the House Lore.
However, the Ritual of Twelve Years is the
only method employed by the House to
Initiate new members.
The Initiation Scripts for the House
Mysteries often call for the ritual to be
conducted in a specifi c location that is
resonant with the power of the ancestors,
known as an ancestor site. All members
of House Bjornaer know Crintera to be
such a place, but other locations are also
known to Clan Ilfetu. These are invariably
located in regions of pristine wilderness,
far from the habitations of mankind,
where the ancients made long pilgrimages
to make offerings to their ancestor spirits.
As such, reaching the location of the rite
is not merely a long journey, it is one
fraught with peril, for the spirits guard
these regions still, and set challenges to
test the mettle of those who would reach
them.
tHe ritual of tWelve years
(Minor House Mystery)
This is the Initiation rite of the
Mystery of House Bjornaer, which confers
the Heartbeast Virtue. Only members of
Clan Ilfetu know the Initiation Script for
the Ritual of Twelve Years. The Gathering
of Twelve Years is a particularly propitious
time for the ritual, but it can take place
at any ancestor site, at an appropriate
time calculated by the Mystagogue. Any
magus who wishes to be present at the
ritual is entitled to attend (and typically
the members of the Initiate’s sept are pres-
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Example Ancestor
Sites
PriPet MarsHes
The Pripet Marshes, in the
Novgorod Tribunal, are the supposed
origin of all the Slavic people, although
all migrated away many centuries ago.
They are occupied (and protected) by
the Bjornaer-only covenant of Pripet
Maior, who are careful not to interact
too closely with the spirits of the
marsh, least they become tainted by
human imagination and turn fae.
kerry Mountains Pool
Deep in the Kerry Mountains in
Hibernia there is a pool where the
ancient Irish came to cast votive offerings
of great personal value to their
ancestors. The still black waters of
the pool are believed to hide untold
wealth in gold, silver, and perhaps even
ancient enchantments.
ent), but the sept has the right to dismiss
participants who they believe might upset
the mystic balance of the ritual by having
contrary heartbeasts. By tradition, those
magi who took part in the training of
the Initiate (his sept), the Mystagogue,
and up to six others cannot be refused
attendance at the ritual, but the sept can
turn away individuals in excess of this, if
they choose.
The temperament of the heartbeast
is usually evident in the personality (and
even the appearance) of the Initiate. The
ritual is only likely to fail if the heartbeast
of the Initiate is completely contrary to
those of the witnesses. As there is no
way of determining a heartbeast or its
temperament for sure prior to the ritual,
this unfortunate situation does occur, but
it is rare. The Ritual of Twelve Years can
never be repeated for the same Initiate;
thus, an Initiate who fails can never enter
House Bjornaer. If Initiation is successful,
the probationer immediately adopts the
shape of his heartbeast, and gains the
Heartbeast Virtue and Ability at level 1.