Marcus Rabinus

(Last update: 5/6/96)

(this page written by Mark Shirley)

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Marcus is one of the original members of the Covenant. He has remained diocetes (treasurer) of the covenant since its founding. He affects a friendly and jolly demeanor, but has been known to be quite callous in the past. He easily becomes infuriated when his competance is questioned.

Basic Stats

Name: Marcus Rabinus
House: Jerbiton
Parens: Belisarius
Gender: Male
Current Year: 1235AD
Age: 92
Apparent Age: 39
Year Born: 1143AD
Decrepitude: 1
Size: +1
Confidence: 6
Height: 6' 4"
Weight: 240lbs

Appearance

Marcus is an imposing figure. He is taller than most of Malinbois' Magi, and quite overweight. His bulk makes him awkward and ponderous, and commonly uses his magical basket to get around - he is noted for his laziness. He has cultured a beard in his old age, and his clerical tonsure grew out many years ago. His eyes are a startling orange colour, like burnished copper. He favours a steely-grey tunic covered by a royal-blue sleeveless mantle, tied at the waist by a length of silken rope. He also often wears a hooded brown wool cloak. Around his neck he wears two charms on leather thongs, the first is an oval fire-opal, the other is an oaken tablet inscribed with a hexagram. His staff is rarely far away. Recently he has made his talisman (see below), a huge book with a jewel-studded cover which is chained to his left wrist with a silver chain and manacle.

Origins

Marcus was apprenticed at Cracetus, a Covenant of mainly Jerbiton Magi located in the Rhine Tribunal. Fleeing the destruction of the covenant of Phoenix which he helped to found in the Greater Alps Tribunal, he settled in Malinbois with his amicus Archmagus Peregrine Demonsbane.

Characteristics

Personality Traits

Reputations

Virtues and Flaws

Abilities

Marcus, on the rare occasions he has been out on excursions, has wielded his staff in combat, he can also throw it like a javelin (Staff Attack, Staff Parry, Javelin Attack). Due to long association with his amicus Peregrine, he is quite knowledgeable of demons and their works (Occult Lore). He is versed in the Arts and Sciences (Humanities), and is known to be a gentleman (Etiquette). He also attends Mass regularly at the Chapel of St. Raphael (Piety).

Magical Stats

Twilight Points: As an old Magus, cannot have avoided a fair few
Longevity Potion: reasonably good - he appears to be only half of his true age
Casting Speed: Not known for his speed
Targeting: Pretty clumsy

Abilities

Marcus has never fought Certamen while at Malinbois, so they are unsure of his ability. His grasp of Magic Theory is the best of the Magi of Malinbois, and he excels in the creation of Invested Items. Many Muto spells require fine precision, and Marcus has his natural clumsiness to overcome, so he has practised long and hard at his Finesse.

Wizard's Sigil

A loud croaking sound.

Effects of Twilight

Arts

Spells

A small selection of Marcus' own spells. Knows many of the standard Muto spells, especially those that give animal characteristics to humans.

Magical Items

Marcus is known for the unimaginative names for his magical creations. The one exception is his talisman, which is "The Book", not just "Book".

The Book

The Book is Marcus' work of art. It is a huge leather-bound tome (16" x 12" x 6"), with inumerable pages of the finest uterine vellum. Despite its size, Marcus carries it as if it has no weight. A mirror forms the first page, and an oval hole cut into the ox-leather cover allows this to be seen from the outside. Pearls, cats-eyes, emeralds and sapphires decorate the cover. A silver clasp holds The Book closed, the key to which is also a fine writing-knife, which itself is a lesser enchanted item which will write upon command in as many colours as desired. The Book is chained to Marcus with a silver chain attached to a manacle which is clasped around his left wrist.

The Book is still in the process of enchantment, but it will, when finished, be able to answer any question, just by opening it up and reading the answer (Intellego vis has been invested so that it can learn many Knowledges). It will also reveal someone's thoughts just by reading them off a page. Many other spells of Knowledge and Wisdom will be placed within, some innate to The Book, others written in so that they can be cast from text.

Notes

Marcus was an orphan, and raised by monks near the town of Braunshweig (Brunswick). He was expected to take Holy Orders himself when old enough, and was being carefully groomed by the abbot due to an obvious natural intellect. However, when he was eight, he was assigned to take care of a visitor to the monastary. This was Belisarius Martes, a member of the Covenant of Cracetus in the north of the Holy Roman Empire. He was returning home after a fruitless search for an apprentice. Out of habit he started to talk to the boy, trying to find evidence of the Gift, and finding none. The subject changed to religion, and the young Marcus expressed his surprise at the catalogue of Christ's Miracles, especially the turning of water into wine at the wedding in Cana. Before the old mage's eyes the young orphan performed the same "miracle", and Belisarius knew that he had found his apprentice.

Belisarius Martes was an alchemist, and like his parens dealt primarily with the etheareal elements of Fire and Air. The only part of alchemy that Marcus could comprehend was the transmutation of substances, and he tended towards the material elements of Earth and Water. He was nonetheless a diligent student, and passed his Gauntlet in 1166AD. While at Cracetus, Marcus became firm friends with another apprentice skilled at the Transformation Art, who became known as Peregrine after his Gauntlet. They remained at Cracetus until the Tribunal of 1172AD, when Peregrine's pater was executed for diabolism. Fearing persecution, Peregrine was forced to leave the Covenant, even though he was found innocent of a diabolic taint. Marcus went with him, along with a Criamon, also from Cracetus. They founded a Covenant, Phoenix, in the Alps south of Munich, on the site of an old Temple of Mercury. They were soon joined by 3 other Magi, and lived happily for over 2 decades. Marcus befriended Rubeta, his familiar, and Peregrine took on an apprentice. In 1194AD Peregrine met the challenge of Archmagus Electarion and won. Marcus accompanied him to the challenge, and when they returned they found Phoenix in ashes, destroyed (it was purported) by demons. They went wandering, finally coming across the Magi of Malinbois, who agreed to admit them.

Rubeta is Marcus' familiar. He is a huge toad, naturally the size of a small cat, but able to expand to the mass of a human. His skin is a glossy brown with pale patches of green on his flanks, and his belly is spotted with yellow. Rubeta's eyes are huge, and a brilliant copper colour, matching Marcus'. A power bestowed upon the toad by the familial bond ensures that Rubeta is never treated with revulsion, and along with his dog-like friendly demeanor, he is popular amongst the covenfolk, who tend to overfeed him. By puffing himself up, Rubeta is able to cause creatures smaller than him to take flight, and if inclined, he can cause swirls of gold and silver to infuse his eyes, creating a confusing, hypnotic effect.

Gemaric is Marcus' current apprentice (the first was dismissed when he attacked Imanitos Mendax with a sword). He is currently 8 years through his apprenticeship.

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