Overview[]
From the back cover:
A tale must be told of Autumn's death...
Like a fresh spring bud vulnerable to a sudden frost, your Covenant was once perilously frail. However, during many hard years you and the other Magi labored to garner a small measure of magical might. Now, after the hardships of a long gruelling toil, you cab rest upon the laurels of achievements past. You are at Autumn, the bloom of your power.
But lo, Winter now looms on the horizon. A great evil is mounting and it takes its strength from the burning pits of Hell. This evil has been doing its black work from within your covenant for decades, without your slightest knowledge. Be forewarned: if you cannot best the evil you have bred, you endanger your mortal soul.
A Winter's Tale
This Ars Magica supplement is part III in the Four Seasons Tetrology, and follows in the footsteps of The Tempest. Herein the Storyguide will find the information needed to organize the descent of your Covenant from Autumn to Winter. This book consists of several interrelated adventures that detail the collapse and perhaps destruction of a once proud Covenant.
The characters must come to grips with the malign threat posed by a band of Diabolists who aspire to bring about Armageddon. Unbeknownst to the characters, they have been at the root of the Diabolists' machinations from their very beginnings. Mow the Magi must undo what had gone in the past or their Covenant will not merely pass into Winter, but may pass from existence.
Contents[]
Preface by Ken Cliffe[]
The Saga[]
- Theme
- The Course of the Saga
- The Origins of The Shard
- The Diabolists
- Camelia
- Emil Lucinda
- Mab
- Honerius
- Gizzleren
The Earth Bears Fruit (Chapter One)[]
- Past Touches Present
- Wickam Today
- The Traveling Romani
- The Characters Arrive
- The Wickam Tavern
- Father Miller Arrives
- Wilf Shepherd, Village Elder
- The Villagers
- Father Miller, Priest of Wickam
- The Villagers' Plot
- At The Cemetery
- After the Theft
- The Shard
- The Diabolists' New Plan
- The Curse of the Shard*
Plague's Revenge (Chapter Two)[]
- The Peddler
- The History of Woodbridge
- The Diabolists in Woodbridge
- Woodbridge Today
- Town Rumors
- The Church
- The Statue
- The Disease
- Saint Francis, the Statue
- The Rat Attack
- The Romani Medallion
- The Giant Rats
- Ordinary Rats
- Banishing the Rats
Thief In The Shadows (Chapter Three)[]
- The Diabolists Return
- The Break-In
- Taking Stock
- Balaerus' Journal
- After the Theft
- The Beast's Visitation
- The Coming of the Beast
- Researching
The Race For The Shard (Chapter Four)[]
- Heading into the Mountains
- The Diabolists' Actions
- Approaching the Mines
- The Dwarven Mines
- Ambushes All 'Round
- Trapped With the Diabolists
- Roleplaying the Diabolists
- Tharuum the Mountain Giant
- Tharuum, Guardian of the Alps
- Dealing With the Dwarven King
- Traveling to the Well
- The Dwarves' Hostage
- Glorin, Dwarven Guide
- The Well of Life
- Returning to Grimbeard
- Grimbeard, King of the Dwarves
- A Common Dwarf
The Seven Signs (Chapter Five)[]
- Researching Paradise
- The Nature of the Signs
- The Four Riders of the Apocalypse
- War Famine
- Plague
- Death
- The Riders' Mounts
- The People Within the Riders
- The Dead Rise
- The Return of Balaerus
- Balaerus's Map
- The Fifth Sign
- An Angry Mob
- The Day After
- Brother Giles, Traveling Jesuit
- The Undead Horde
- Skeletons
- Zombies
- The Journey to Paradise
- Recent Events in the Alps
- The Sixth Sign
- The Gates of Paradise
- Archangels
- The Flaming Sword
Giving The Devil His Due (Chapter Six)[]
- Entering Paradise
- The Summoning Ritual
- Stopping the Ritual
- The Demon Arrives
- The Sacrifice
The Final Chapter (Chapter Seven)[]
- Brivelzn, Would-be destroyer of the World
- The Fate of the Sacrifice
- The Fate of the Covenant
Appendix: Devil's Advocate[]
- The Role of the Demon
- The Nature of the Demon
- Demonic Powers
- Demon Weaknesses
- Demon Motivations
- Roleplaying Demons
Index[]
Background Information[]
Memorable Quotes[]
Characters[]
- Balaerus - Magus, Wickam Covenant's deceased founder
- Lucinda - Fortune Teller and Diabolist
- Carmella - Leader of the Diabolists
- Emil - Diabolist
- Mab - Witch and Diabolist
- Honerius - Coven's Companion and Diabolist
- Gizzleren - Minor Demon, Sought out the Diabolists
- Robin Gill - Grog Member, Works under Tiberius
- Tiberius - Magus
- Grimgroth
- Bill Gill - Robin's Father, Former Grog Member
- Wilf Shepherd - Village Elder
- Father Miller - Priest of Wickam
- Jamie the Miller - Wickam Villager
- Jocko the Farmer - Wickam Villager
- Will the Tavern Keeper - Wickam Villager
- Octavius - Peddler of the World's Treasures
- Mack the ratcatcher - Woodbridge Villager
- Gwynith - Woodbridge Villager
- Fergus the baker - Woodbridge Villager
- Thomas Milton the physician - Woodbridge Villager
- Pegeen the herbalist - Woodbridge Villager
- Devlin the town watchman - Woodbridge Villager
- Father Delson - - Woodbridge Priest
- Saint Francis - Animated Statue
- Beast - Divine Messenger
- Grimbeard - Dwarven King
- Powers: The Earth's Carbuncle
- Powers: Earth Shock
- Powers: Tunnel of the Mole
- Tharuum - Mountain Giant and Guardian of the Alps
- Powers: Skin of Stone
- Powers: Commune with Mountains
- Glorin - Dwarven Guide
- Powers: Tunnel of the Mole
- Brother Giles - Traveling Jesuit
- Plague - Rider of the Apocalypse
- Powers: Curse of the Leprous Flesh
- Powers: Curse of the Unportended Plague
- Powers: Curse of Maggots
- Sir Grahame of the House of Maston, "War" - Rider of the Apocalypse, Third son of Lord Vesron
- Powers: Spirit of Valhalla
- Lord Vesron Maston, "Death" - Rider of the Apocalypse
- Powers: Grip of the Choking Hand
- Powers: Bane of the Decrepit Body
- Powers: Clenching Grasp of the Crushed Heart
- Andrew O'Locklen, "Famine" - Rider of the Apocalypse, Exciseman
- Powers: Thief of Nourishment
- Powers: Starve Stock
- Sir Christian Gisborne - Lord of the House of Gisborne
- Archangels
- Powers: Feathers of the Cherubs
- Powers: Sense of Spirit
- Powers: Light of the Heavenly Wrath
- The Flaming Sword
- Powers: Flames of the Guardian
- Powers: Weightlessness of the Saints
- Brivelzn - Would-be Destroyer of the World, Demon
- Powers: Burst of the Sweeping Flames
- Powers: Prison of Flames
- Powers: Ball of Abysmal Flame
Gallery[]
Terminology[]
Apple (Shards), Aura, Balaerus's Journal (Book), Certámen, Companion, Coven, Covenant, Curse, Demons, Diabolists, Divine, Dominion, Dwarves, Faerie, Four Riders of the Apocalypse, Goblins, Grog, Hell, Hermetic, Infernal, Magi, Magus, Medallion (Item), Netherworld, Note of the Piper's Flute (Spell), Paradise, Saga, Scriptural Seven Signs, Spirt, Swiss Alps, Thief as of Ink (Spell), Tree of Knowledge, Well of Life (Fountain of Life), Wickam (Location), Woodbridge (Location),
References[]
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