Companions

Short descriptions of Seven Temple's ever-changing collection of companions can be found here.

Angela, the covenant's librarian

Description

Angela is a small, thin girl with black hair and dark brown eyes. She is very pretty with a dark look that leaves men trembling. She wears simple clothes that to a woman look plain but for some reason men find attractive.

Personality

Angela is perpetually happy and carefree even when in Gloucester when things were looking tough she just got on with things sure that in the end all would be well. With her fathers teachings she has learned to be incredibly inquisitive constantly poking her nose into things that really don't concern her. What she has learned through life in Gloucester though is that when confronted with a dangerous situation the most effective defence is to run away. She is incredibly softhearted and hates violence in all forms often running away so she does not have to witness such events.

Background

Angela's father was a scribe and bookbinder for the Welsh nobility of Cardiff, but when the Welsh took Gloucester he moved there where the business was better. He stayed when the English took Gloucester back because of all the merchants there and the business they generated. He married a local girl and had a child in 1104 , the Mother died in childbirth but he raised the child as well as he could teaching her his craft hoping that she could make some sort of honest living rather than fall into prostitution or thievery. Angela grew older and occasionally was asked by unscrupulous merchants to write out contracts that were false she became very good at this and supplemented her meagre income by this method.

Bartholomew, the merchant

A larger than life character in more ways than one, Bartholomew is a very fat man who is almost always nibbling on some sweetmeat or other such delicacy. Despite his great bulk though he is a handsome man, always well-dressed and his light brown beard immaculately trimmed. He does not however fit the stereotype of the jolly fat man and is not above using his size to intimidate people. As far as Bartholomew is concerned there is only one person in life you have to look out for, yourself. No one else matters and if you have to tread on other people's toes to get what you want, too bad. There's no need to be rude about it of course, manners after all cost nothing.

Bartholomew grew up on the streets of Gloucester, the son of whore was killed by a violent client when he was just five. He never knew who his father was and had struggle for scraps of food just to survive. Bartholomew found he had an inner resolve which kept him going and with his sharp brain and knack of reading people, he was able to scrimp a basic living helping some of the merchants in town. As he grew older he was able to do a little peddling himself and found a real aptitude for making money. Now aged just 23, he has managed to build up a thriving small business and is looking for something to help him expand...

Giovanni, the watchful servant

Description

Giovanni's Mediterranean heritage means that he stands out from most members of the covenant. Tall and dark haired, he has striking features and an olive complexion that would not look out of place on a Roman senator. He invariably dresses in a refined and sober manner, though his fondness for black capes give him a slightly sinister appearance. His speech is careful and deliberate, and though he is quick to pick up languages, he seems unable or unwilling to master local accents and dialects.

Personality

Giovanni is outwardly respectful to all he meets, though in private he will express strong opinions when he deems it appropriate. He holds all Hermetic Magi, even those from non-Latin traditions, in high esteem, though his personal loyalty to Quaesitor Medius overrides all other concerns. Giovanni is extremely perceptive and watchful, and he often takes on the role of a silent observer of events. He dislikes the British climate, food and culture, though he does not share his opinions on these matters with anyone other than Medius.

History

Giovanni was selected at an early age by the Magi of Magvillus covenant to be trained as a bodyguard and companion to Medius. His whole life has been spent within the Hermetic sphere, and he regards the traditions and structures of the Order as being as natural and normal as their counterparts in the mundane world. When Medius was ordered by Primus Guernicus to travel to the Stonehenge Tribunal, Giovanni was the obvious choice to accompany him.

Henry, the boatman

Henry is a short, skinny fellow with mousey brown hair and a nondescript sort of face. Although he quickly tires if forced to undertake long treks, his mouth seems to have a life of its own and he is rarely short of something to say. Henry has the gift of the gab and is often able to bring round even initially ill-disposed people to his own point of view. An eternal optimist and dangerously overconfident in his own abilities, he is nevertheless a skilled boatman and has a knack with languages. Henry is a carefree soul and is usually entertaining to be around providing you're not the reclusive or grumpy sort. Unfortunately he isn't half as clever as he thinks he is and this has in the past caused him problems, most notably his cunning plan to catch a magic fish that almost resulted in him and his younger brother Wilfrid (whom he is very close to) drowning.

Henry and Wilfrid were inadvertently saved from a watery grave by Cormoran's pater, Giddeon when he accidentally caught them in his net. Henry is a superstitious sort who grew up listening to legends and old tales told by his grandfather, and promptly decided that he owed his life to Giddeon and was obliged to serve him in whatever way he could. As a reclusive magus who valued his solitude, the incessant chatter of Henry and Wilfrid quickly drove Giddeon to distraction and he was beginning to contemplate throwing them back into the sea when Cormoran came visiting and Giddeon saw a golden opportunity to regain his peace and quiet. He commanded Henry and Wilfrid to serve his filius in his place and so Henry and Wilfrid came to be Cormoran's faithful servants and journeyed with him from Cornwall to Blackney.

Matthew, the apprentice scribe

Description

Currently barely out of boyhood, Matthew has an unruly shock of straw coloured hair over a face that is disfigured by the scar tissue of old burns. His eyes are dark and constantly watchful and his manner is much the same. Against that he is swift lad with a deft hand and it is apparent that he is very bright.

Personality

Matthew has been twisted by the fire that almost killed him. He is a loner, a brooding figure who can often be found moving quietly around the covenant spying on the grogs and covenfolk as they go about their business. He will oft times bend the truth when speaking to others, for no reason other than a perverse enjoyment for his behaviour. He is a hard worker when it comes to his studies however, as he does have a sharp mind and needs to keep it exercised.

Background

Matthew was but an infant when he was trapped in his peasant parents' burning hut and he was lucky to survive the blaze. As he grew older it was apparent that the once happy child had been greatly changed by the burden of wearing his scars and he began to withdraw form the rest of the village. He started to become aware that he could sense the outbreak of fire even before it would start, and a fascination for those devouring flames led him to watch it's work. This led to suspicion that he might be responsible for the blazes and it was with happy relief that he was given up when scribe came seeking an apprentice.

Robert, the glassblower

Carefree glassmaker and alchemist, skilled but prone to oversleeping.

Sarah, the covenant's chirurgeon and herbalist

Sarah is a frail looking old woman in her forties with long white hair that she wears neatly tied up in a bun. Her face, that might otherwise once have been thought quite pretty, is disfigured by an ugly red birthmark covering one eye and most of her left cheek. In addition to this affliction, Sarah's joints, in particular her knees, are badly affected by arthritis and she moves around painfully slowly. Sarah is however possessed of a remarkably strong constitution and rarely succumbs to any of the diseases that she all too often sees in the infirmary. She wears simple wool and linen clothing and carries a walking stick to help her move around.

Sarah has lived in the covenant all her life and has worked in the infirmary since she was a young girl after her gift for healing and compassionate manner were identified by the maga Edith. She is a quiet, kindly woman, who has dedicated her life to helping others. Despite all her personal afflictions Sarah bears herself with a quiet grace and good humour. She is caring and always ready to try and help out wherever she can. Whenever someone is in the infirmary Sarah will sit with them reading them stories and trying to soothe them as best she can. She is also well versed in herb lore and in summer can often be found tending the covenant's little herb garden. Her one regret is that she never married, but she is content with her lot and dotes on Aelfwin and Helena's children as though they were her own grandchildren.

Viremos, deceased hermit

Description

As a denzien of the spiritworld, Viremos usually goes unseen by mortal eyes. To those able to perceive spirits, he appears as a short, disheveled man carrying a fishing rod. Apparently of late middle age, he has worn, ruddy features and a bulbous nose. Tufts of yellow-white hair sprout from his nose, his ears and various points on his head. Rarely still save when fishing, he scampers about as though possessed by boundless energy.

Personality

An abject coward, Viremos behaves as though he is threatened from all quarters. His fears conceal an active mind and a curious nature, and he can be a diligient and engaged investigator once he is convinced he is safe. His knowledge of mystical creatures, places and events is quite extensive, and he is usually happy to share his experience with others. As a hermit, Viremos lived on a constant diet of fish from a nearby river, and his love of fishing has been maintained in the afterlife. He is never happier than when crouched by the bank of a lake or river, matching wits with a slippery and damp opponent.

Background

In life, Viremos was a hermit who lived in the wilds close to the covenant of Cad Gadu. As a youth, he had many adventures among the magical lands of north Wales, but he became more timid and sedentary with age, eventually taking up residence in a deep cave, where he spent much time contemplating the world's mysteries. He encountered the young Magus Theo while fishing one morning, and the two became friends as Theo pursued his apprenticeship. Realising that his health was failing, Viremos made a final bargain with a local witch, who bound something of his spirit into a silver penny, which he gave to Theo shortly before he died. The penny somehow binds Viremos to the mundane realm, and his spirit remains close to Theo rather than moving deep into the otherworld.