Naevius filius Thacius, follower of Verditius
Description
A slightly squat figure with round shoulders, Naevius wears the traditional garb of a member of House Verditius – orange-brown formal robes, stitched with intricate, esoteric patterns. His receding hairline and rather grey complexion make him appear older than he might otherwise given the influence of his longevity potion. Knowledgeable and talented with Verditius magic, and filius to the Archimagus Thacius, Naevius certainly has potential to become a fine artisan of magical items. Marked by the blatant gift and slow to cast magic, it is perhaps no great surprise that he spends the majority of his time in his laboratory or the library – and certainly appears to have no adventurous instinct.
In council, Naevius is a conservative voice – clearly still influenced by his upbringing in the Rome Tribunal. Whilst always endeavouring to maintain an air of civility and politeness, his opinions and suggestions may often feel uncharitable or harsh to those not used to the conventions of the continental Order. Whilst he has come to the Stonehenge Tribunal apparently eager to contribute to the renewal of the Order – that image of that Order is a decidedly traditional one.
Despite his auspicious lineage and doubtless talent, Naevius is yet to really make his mark – either within the affairs of the covenant or the wider Tribunal. There is a sense that he is yet to specialise his craft or find clear direction in his magical research – instead he quietly takes advantage of the liberal access he now enjoys to a library. Whilst he never stints on his service to the covenant, one might get the impression that the covenant is simply a place to get on with some uninterrupted study rather than a home.
Views of the other magi as at 1310 AD:
Jari
Originally from the far reaches of Novgorod, Jari is marked by the blood of the winter court and influenced, I think, by some of the inhuman motives of the fae. On the surface, he can often appear good humoured, but there is no genuine warmth behind that smile. For Jari, all is a powerplay – an opportunity for him to find status within the pecking order. He achieves a measure of status from his work beyond the covenant – for the furtherance of admittedly important goals, under the leadership of Terentius – but mostly, he seeks to undermine others at council, to bring them down a peg and thereby elevate his relative standing. Pyrrhus either does not notice this or doesn’t have the strength of character to contest it. Indeed, if Jari were interested in taking his position, I doubt the Flambeau would argue strongly against it – so intimidated is he by the Merinitan’s cutting tongue.
I sense Jari’s dislike of me, and frankly I take it as a compliment. He is a capricious and brittle character who doesn’t really care about anyone but himself. Like Narcissus, he sees not the gaping flaws in his character when he gazes lovingly into the mirror.
Pyrrhus
Whilst he’s not a terribly effective leader, Pyrrhus is a decent man. At council he shows considerable forbearance – not least with the countless barbs cast at him by Jari and occasionally Terentius. Pyrrhus often seeks to widen the discussions at council – he is genuinely curious about philosophy and the metaphysics of our world – in contrast to Terentius who always appears to want to narrow debate as much as possible. Oh, he can occasionally lose his temper a bit – but this is mild compared to others of his House I’ve encountered – indeed, mild compared to some others on the council.
Personally, I have considerable time for the fellow. We’ve had some most enjoyable conversations around the topics of magical theory and alchemy – and his interests appear quite close to my own and insights are often quite brilliant. Indeed, Pyrrhus doesn’t really strike me as a member of House Flambeau but would perhaps have been happier as a member of my House.
Terentius
Pragmatic and determined, Terentius works hardest for the covenant and has been willing to take on significant risks for his sodales, the Tribunal and his House. There is much to admire about the man – not least his sense of duty and sheer determination. In council though, he is moody and appears uncomfortable, often drinking heavily, jiggling in his seat with barely constrained energy and occasionally losing his cool altogether, impatiently shutting down discussion. He is a perfect follower in many ways – a credit to his House. Once given a firm direction, there is – I believe – almost nothing that would dissuade him. However, in the absence of strong leadership his urgent impatience threatens hasty and ill-guided action. He needs a leader who will keep him busy, but he is not the man to set policy himself.
Outside of council meetings, I’ve had little interaction with Terentius. He is not openly disdaining like Jari – but I sense no bonds of comradeship from him either. Should he rise to the leadership of the covenant, this probably bodes well. So long as I am contributing to the practical advantage of the covenant, he probably won’t care less what I do.
Hypathia
I had heard of Hypathia back in the Rome Tribunal – indeed, she was somewhat infamous! Between meddling in mundane affairs and seeking conflict with the Roman Church, her reputation was that of an arch troublemaker for the Order. So far removed from Stonehenge, magi were incredulous that she had not been brought to heel by the Tribunal and many of my sodales believed that only the Grand Tribunal could restore sanity before outright conflict with the mundanes was provoked. Of course, history has shown the folly in these opinions – the Templars had no interest in peace with the Order, and what we perceived as selfish or reckless interference was actually desperate actions to survive against an implacable enemy. Indeed, the woman is – for the most part – unlike her reputation: She listens to her sodales, is mindful of her actions, and appears sincerely committed to the Order. However, the powerful and invasive supernatural forces which surround her undermine these good intentions, I believe. Only when she divests herself of these ‘treasures’ and is willing to be a maga amongst equals rather than a ‘queen’ will she be able to positive influence our future as a genuine Trianoman.
Hypathia is always civil to me, but I sense a formality about her interactions which might disguise a less positive impression of me. If she assumes leadership of the council – especially whilst she wears such titles and powers – then I fear she would lead us into ruin.
Branwen
I’ve not met anyone like Branwen before and I must confess I don’t really know what to make of her. Whilst Hypathia was – nominally – a member of Ex-Miscellanea, Branwen is the real deal! Her relative ignorance of the Order is astounding – but she does not lack for Hermetic ability. A lineage which teaches magic but doesn’t teach the traditions of the Order is frankly disturbing – as power without responsibility should always be. However, there is – so far – nothing reckless or irresponsible about this maga. Indeed, she comports herself with much better manners than most of the council, listens to the advice of others and appears thoughtful when engaging in discussion. In many ways, she is more of a maga than most magi I have encountered!
As she seems very strange to me, I dare say I must appear the same to her – we are both steeped in long traditions and ignorant of one another’s. I don’t doubt she will swiftly catch up on the gaps in her education, but I suspect this will be a very one-sided process. She appears very private and reticent to speak much about her training and beliefs – so I suspect we will gain few insights into the customs and philosophies of her lineage.
Description
A slightly squat figure with round shoulders, Naevius wears the traditional garb of a member of House Verditius – orange-brown formal robes, stitched with intricate, esoteric patterns. His receding hairline and rather grey complexion make him appear older than he might otherwise given the influence of his longevity potion. Knowledgeable and talented with Verditius magic, and filius to the Archimagus Thacius, Naevius certainly has potential to become a fine artisan of magical items. Marked by the blatant gift and slow to cast magic, it is perhaps no great surprise that he spends the majority of his time in his laboratory or the library – and certainly appears to have no adventurous instinct.
In council, Naevius is a conservative voice – clearly still influenced by his upbringing in the Rome Tribunal. Whilst always endeavouring to maintain an air of civility and politeness, his opinions and suggestions may often feel uncharitable or harsh to those not used to the conventions of the continental Order. Whilst he has come to the Stonehenge Tribunal apparently eager to contribute to the renewal of the Order – that image of that Order is a decidedly traditional one.
Despite his auspicious lineage and doubtless talent, Naevius is yet to really make his mark – either within the affairs of the covenant or the wider Tribunal. There is a sense that he is yet to specialise his craft or find clear direction in his magical research – instead he quietly takes advantage of the liberal access he now enjoys to a library. Whilst he never stints on his service to the covenant, one might get the impression that the covenant is simply a place to get on with some uninterrupted study rather than a home.
Views of the other magi as at 1310 AD:
Jari
Originally from the far reaches of Novgorod, Jari is marked by the blood of the winter court and influenced, I think, by some of the inhuman motives of the fae. On the surface, he can often appear good humoured, but there is no genuine warmth behind that smile. For Jari, all is a powerplay – an opportunity for him to find status within the pecking order. He achieves a measure of status from his work beyond the covenant – for the furtherance of admittedly important goals, under the leadership of Terentius – but mostly, he seeks to undermine others at council, to bring them down a peg and thereby elevate his relative standing. Pyrrhus either does not notice this or doesn’t have the strength of character to contest it. Indeed, if Jari were interested in taking his position, I doubt the Flambeau would argue strongly against it – so intimidated is he by the Merinitan’s cutting tongue.
I sense Jari’s dislike of me, and frankly I take it as a compliment. He is a capricious and brittle character who doesn’t really care about anyone but himself. Like Narcissus, he sees not the gaping flaws in his character when he gazes lovingly into the mirror.
Pyrrhus
Whilst he’s not a terribly effective leader, Pyrrhus is a decent man. At council he shows considerable forbearance – not least with the countless barbs cast at him by Jari and occasionally Terentius. Pyrrhus often seeks to widen the discussions at council – he is genuinely curious about philosophy and the metaphysics of our world – in contrast to Terentius who always appears to want to narrow debate as much as possible. Oh, he can occasionally lose his temper a bit – but this is mild compared to others of his House I’ve encountered – indeed, mild compared to some others on the council.
Personally, I have considerable time for the fellow. We’ve had some most enjoyable conversations around the topics of magical theory and alchemy – and his interests appear quite close to my own and insights are often quite brilliant. Indeed, Pyrrhus doesn’t really strike me as a member of House Flambeau but would perhaps have been happier as a member of my House.
Terentius
Pragmatic and determined, Terentius works hardest for the covenant and has been willing to take on significant risks for his sodales, the Tribunal and his House. There is much to admire about the man – not least his sense of duty and sheer determination. In council though, he is moody and appears uncomfortable, often drinking heavily, jiggling in his seat with barely constrained energy and occasionally losing his cool altogether, impatiently shutting down discussion. He is a perfect follower in many ways – a credit to his House. Once given a firm direction, there is – I believe – almost nothing that would dissuade him. However, in the absence of strong leadership his urgent impatience threatens hasty and ill-guided action. He needs a leader who will keep him busy, but he is not the man to set policy himself.
Outside of council meetings, I’ve had little interaction with Terentius. He is not openly disdaining like Jari – but I sense no bonds of comradeship from him either. Should he rise to the leadership of the covenant, this probably bodes well. So long as I am contributing to the practical advantage of the covenant, he probably won’t care less what I do.
Hypathia
I had heard of Hypathia back in the Rome Tribunal – indeed, she was somewhat infamous! Between meddling in mundane affairs and seeking conflict with the Roman Church, her reputation was that of an arch troublemaker for the Order. So far removed from Stonehenge, magi were incredulous that she had not been brought to heel by the Tribunal and many of my sodales believed that only the Grand Tribunal could restore sanity before outright conflict with the mundanes was provoked. Of course, history has shown the folly in these opinions – the Templars had no interest in peace with the Order, and what we perceived as selfish or reckless interference was actually desperate actions to survive against an implacable enemy. Indeed, the woman is – for the most part – unlike her reputation: She listens to her sodales, is mindful of her actions, and appears sincerely committed to the Order. However, the powerful and invasive supernatural forces which surround her undermine these good intentions, I believe. Only when she divests herself of these ‘treasures’ and is willing to be a maga amongst equals rather than a ‘queen’ will she be able to positive influence our future as a genuine Trianoman.
Hypathia is always civil to me, but I sense a formality about her interactions which might disguise a less positive impression of me. If she assumes leadership of the council – especially whilst she wears such titles and powers – then I fear she would lead us into ruin.
Branwen
I’ve not met anyone like Branwen before and I must confess I don’t really know what to make of her. Whilst Hypathia was – nominally – a member of Ex-Miscellanea, Branwen is the real deal! Her relative ignorance of the Order is astounding – but she does not lack for Hermetic ability. A lineage which teaches magic but doesn’t teach the traditions of the Order is frankly disturbing – as power without responsibility should always be. However, there is – so far – nothing reckless or irresponsible about this maga. Indeed, she comports herself with much better manners than most of the council, listens to the advice of others and appears thoughtful when engaging in discussion. In many ways, she is more of a maga than most magi I have encountered!
As she seems very strange to me, I dare say I must appear the same to her – we are both steeped in long traditions and ignorant of one another’s. I don’t doubt she will swiftly catch up on the gaps in her education, but I suspect this will be a very one-sided process. She appears very private and reticent to speak much about her training and beliefs – so I suspect we will gain few insights into the customs and philosophies of her lineage.