Joshua Levi
Joshua was born into a family of Jewish artisans in the holy city of Jerusalem as their second son. He presented as a shy young child, one who was content to play alone with marbles and stones instead of joining the others. As he grew older, however, it became more clear that it was his peers were shying away from him more and more, finding something unnerving in his presence. Word of the strange young boy made it back to the local Covenant, who recognized the tell-tale signs of the Gift beginning to manifest. Shortly after Joshua passed his eighth birthday, a charming man equipped with exquisite examples of silver and gems presented himself as a jeweler in search of an apprentice and offered to take the young boy on. His family quickly agreed, perhaps more quickly then they would like to have admitted, and Joshua found himself transported to the strange and wondrous world of the Magi.
Once in the Covenant, Joshua discovered that the man who had collected him was indeed the jeweler, but would not be his true master. Instead, the Verditius Magna Qanar took Joshua under her wing, though she initially taught him only enough to introduce him to this strange new world and open his own magical abilities before sending him off again to get a base-level education in Latin, Arts Libralis and Philosophie. It was in these early classes that he first met his future wife Ruth, who was suffering through the same instruction as she started her path to becoming a scribe. As the only two in the class who natively spoke Hebrew, the two worked together often - though their budding friendship was strained by Joshua's gift.
As he continued his studies, Joshua initially kept in fair contact with his family. However, the strangeness of the tales and demands of his studies caused the contact to grow more infrequent in time until they came effectively to an end a year after his bar mitzvah. His relationship with Ruth, however, continued to blossom. Somehow he found time to court her amidst his studies and apprenticeship, and she reciprocated despite the repulsion she knew was generated by his Gift. Recognizing the love, and knowing how hard it could be for a mage to find companionship, Qanar encouraged their relationship.
Ruth and Joshua married in 1216, at the age of 20. A year later, the two welcomed their first child, Sarah, into the world. Joshua somehow managed to balance new fatherhood with study and successfully passed his Gauntlet three years later, virtually concurrent with the birth of their second child, Issac. No longer tied by the bonds of apprenticeship, Joshua and Ruth began discussing future plans. Fate intervened, however, when Joshua found himself swept up in a scuffle during a routine vis extraction. Before he could mount any real reaction to the events around him, his possessions (including his casting tools) were taken from him and he was thrown in a prison. Fate's call, however, was to have him tossed in a cell alongside the weathered and long-wandering crusader Sir William.
Combining martial skill with arcane abilities, the pair affected their escape and made their way back to the Covenant. While she was glad Joshua had made it back, Qanar expressed some concerns about the explosive and public nature of their escape and its inevitable defense at an already politically fraught tribunal. Realizing he needed to move up his timetable, Joshua gathered up his family and took William up on his offer to travel with him back to England (which seemed as far away from the Levant Tribunal as possible) and look into the town with strange towers the crusader had told stories of.
Vitals
| Name: | Joshua of Verditius | |
| Formal Name: | Lesus filius Luna scholae Verditii ab Hierosolyma | 
|
| Mundane Name | Joshua Bar Levi | |
| Race/Nationality: | Jewish | |
| Place of Origin: | Neve Ilan Covenent | |
| Birthdate / Apparent Age: | August 29, 1196 / 35 | |
| Known Specialties: | Enchantments. | |
| Apprentices: | None | |
| Family | Ruth (wife) Sarah, Issac & Alter (Children) |
Character Sheet
Characteristics
| Intelligence | +3 | Presence | -1 |
| Perception | +1 | Communication | +2 |
| Strength | -1 | Dexterity | +0 |
| Stamina | -1 | Luck | +0 |
Virtues & Flaws
| Virtues Hermetic Magus (Free) |
Flaws Weak Spontaneous Magic |
Skills
Active Skills
| Skill | Specialty | Score | XP |
| Awareness | (Examination) | 2 | 15 |
| Concentration | (Lab Work) | 1 | 5 |
| Craft (Lapidary) | (Flaws) | 4+2 | 72 (48) |
| Craft (Metalsmith) | (Silver) | 2 | 15 |
| Profession (Scribe) | (Arcane) | 1 | 7 |
| Teaching | (Magic Theory) | 2 | 17 |
Social Skills
| Skill | Specialty | Score | XP |
| Charm | (Witty) | 2 | 18 |
| Etiquette | (Nobility) | 1 | 5 |
| Intrigue | (Allies) | 2 | 15 |
| Folk Kin | (Nobility) | 3 | 30 |
Arcane Skills
| Skill | Specialty | Score | XP |
| Magic Theory | (Enchanting Items) | 5 | 76 |
| Finesse | ( ) | 0 | 0 |
| Parma Magica | (Terram) | 1 | 5 |
| Penetration | (Terram) | 1 | 5 |
Academic Skills
| Skill | Specialty | Score | XP |
| Artes Liberales | (Logic) | 3 | 30 |
| Philosophiae | (Verditius Runes) | 3 | 36 |
| Rabbinical Law | (Penance) | 1 | 5 |
| Theology (Jewish) | (Torah) | 1 | 5 |
Lore
| Skill | Specialty | Score | XP |
| Area Lore (Melverley) | (Personalities) | 2 | 15 |
| Area Lore (Jeruselem) | (Jewish Areas) | 2 | 15 |
| Organization Lore (Verditius) | (History) | 2 | 16 |
| Organization Lore (The Order) | (Politics) | 1 | 5 |
| Code of Hermes | (Tribunal Procedures) | 1 | 5 |
| Faerie Lore | (Water Faeries) | 1 | 10 |
| Magic Lore | (Magical Traditions) | 2 | 15 |
Language Skills
| Skill | Specialty | Score | XP |
| Literate Hebrew | (Vocabulary) | 5 | 75 |
| Literate Latin | (Hermetic) | 4 | 50 |
| Literate Arabic | (Merchant) | 4 | 50 |
| Speak English | (Traveler's) | 3 | 31 |
| Speak Welsh | (Traveler's) | 3 | 31 |
Mundane Qualities
Description
Personality Traits
-?-
Reputation
None
Equipment
Neckless of Ennobled Presence
The bearer appears more forceful, authoritative and believable. Numerous subtle changes in appearance bring about this change, including a slight supernatural illumination of the face, a more erect posture, and a pound and smoother voice. The character gets a +3 on rolls to influence, lead, or convince others.
Known Languages
| Language | Dialect | Specialization | Score | Fluency |
| Middle Hebrew | Jerusalem | Conversational | 5 | Fluent |
| Arabic | Palistinian | Merchent | 4 | Functional |
| Latin | Hermetic Latin | Hermetic Terms | 4 | Functional |
| English | Middle English | Traveler's | 3 | Basic |
| Welsh | Powys Wenwynwyn | Travelers | 3 | Basic |
Magical Abilities
Arts
| Creo | 12 | (86) | Animal | 6 | (21) | Ignem | 5 | (18) |
| Intellego | 7 | (28) | Aquam | 6 | (21) | Imaginem | 2 | (3) |
| Muto | 11 | (66) | Auram | 5 | (19) | Mentem | 6 | (21) |
| Perdo | 10 | (55) | Corpus | 10 | (55) | Terram | 10 | (57) |
| Rego | 10 | (55) | Herbam | 6 | (21) | Vim | 5 | (15) |
Spells
Creo
Herbem
Conjure the Sturdy Vine
(CrHe 5; Voice; Sun; Individual; Cast: +18; Mastery: 0)
Tool: Minature vine carved from moss agate (+0)
Grows a 10 paces vine from a moderate quantity of wood, or from fertile soil. The vine is extremely strong and pliable, suitable for use as a rope.
Auram
Chamber of Spring Breezes
(CrAu(Ig) 10; Touch; Sun; Individual; Cast: +17; Mastery: 0)
Tool: Small fan carved from Agate (+3)
Creates a breeze of fresh air that continually moves throughout a room, keeping the air continuously breathable even if the room is air-tight. The breaze can be created outdoors, but there it has little effect.
Clouds of Rain and Thunder
(CrAu 25; Sight; Conc; Group; Cast: +17; Mastery: 0)
Tool: Minature drum carved from Agate (+3)
Creates a small but severe rainstorm, including lightning and winds. The storm gathers and breaks in a few seconds as the caster concentrates, and dissipates with similar speed when he stops doing so.
Intellego
Auram
Whispering Winds
(InAu 15; Sight; Concentration; Individual; Cast: +13 Mastery: 0)
Tool: Silver ear clip (earring) he puts on as part of the casting. (+5)
The winds bear their tidings to Joshua's ears, allowing him to hear the words spoken by any group of people within his line of sight, provided no solid barrier (including glass) intervenes. Joshua was taught this spell because it is an adaptation of an effect known to Bjornaer the Founder, and his pater considered it vital to the understanding of magical theory, despite (or perhaps because of) how poorly it fits into the normal framework of Hermetic magic.
Vim
Sense the Nature of Vis
(InVm 5; Touch; Momentary; Individual; Cast: +12; Mastery: 0(2))
Tool: A small, highly reflective silver disc. (+2)
Joshua can tell what Art a supply of raw vis is connected to. To him, the vis appears to glow with an aura that is appropriate to the Technique or Form that the vis is associated with. Some of the colors are very similar but are easy to distinguish if the item is held steadily and studied for a few seconds. This spell was considered one of the essential spells for a Verditius by his pater.
Muto
Animal
Wizard's Wool Cloak
(MuAn 10; Personal; Sun; Individual; Cast: +17; Mastery: 0(2) )
Tool: A silver and rock crystal brooch, with a shield-like design (+5)
An item made of animal material (silk, wool or leather) worn by the Magnus is changed so it cannot be cut or penetrated. A simple cloth doublet becomes the equivalent of armor with no Load and a +3 Soak bonus. The magic does not make the armor better at absorbing shock, so this +3 bonus is the limit that can be bestowed without changing the material into something completely different. Its effect may not apply to purely blunt weapons. Joshua's pater considered this to be an essential self-defense spell.
Aquam
Spring's Treat
(MuAq 5; Req Ignam; Touch; Diameter; Individual; Cast: +20; Mastery: 0)
Tool: A small piece of jade, carved into the shape of half a lemon. (+4)
Turn the water in a pitcher or decanter into chilled lemonade. This spell was an original invention of Joshua's made as part of his final years as an apprentice. He chose lemonade based on Ruth's preferences.
Imaginem
Taste of the Spices and Herbs
(MuIm 5; Touch; Sun; Individual; Cast: +13; Mastery: 0)
Tool: A cube of rock salt, with leaves and roots carved into the faces. (+0)
A setting's worth of food or drink tastes and smells exactly as you designate. Of all of his spells, this is the one Joshua has spent the most time experimenting with, casting it with shorter durations or expanding the spell to cover an entire table's worth of settings. Because of kids.
Mentem
Recollection of Memories Never Quite Lived
(MuMe 4; Eye; Sun; Individual; Cast: +17); Mastery: 0)
Tool: A rhodocrosite with an open eye carved into one side, and a closed eye on the other. (+2)
Changes the target's memory of details into a similar, though different, memory. The target is no more sure of this manufactured memory than of the authentic one, so he may discover strange fabrications to be false.
Terram
Crystal Dart
(MuTe 10; Voice; Momentary; Individual; Cast +21; Mastery: 0(1))
"Tool:" A small granite dart with electrum wings. (+4)
A 10-inch crystal dart rises from the ground at Joshua's feet, floats into the air, and speeds off like an arrow at a target within range. It does +10 damage and always hits its target (although it must penetrate Magic Resistance to have any real effect.) This is Joshua's only real offensive magic spell.
Supple Iron and Rigid Rope
(MuTe 10; Touch; Sun; Individual; Cast +21; Mastery: 0)
Tool: Minature coil-of-rope token made from electrum. (+4)
Makes a flexible object stiff or a stiff object flexible. Casting requisites of Forms appropriate to the material affected are required. This is one of the spells Joshua used to break out of the Crusader's prison, though he has subsequently created a more resonating casting tool.
Perdo
Aquem
Comfort of the Drenched Traveler
(PeAq 5; Touch; Momentary; Individual; Cast: +17; Mastery: 0(1))
Tool: Droplet carved from jade. (+4)
Dries a person and his or her clothes. Though of limited utility when he was in the Holy Lands, Joshua has found this to be an invaluable spell traveling to England in the autumn.
Ignam
Summer's Respite
(PeIg 15; Touch; Sun; Room; Cast: +15; Mastery: 0))
Tool: Small brass casting of a fan. (+3)
Reduces the ambient temperature in a room to a comfortable, if slightly chilly level. A very popular spell in the desert regions, Joshua would often cast it despite its typically fatiguing nature. Has found much more limited use in the British Isles.
Mentem
Lay to Rest the Haunting Spirit
(PeMe 6; Voice; Momentary; Individual; Cast: +13; Mastery: 1)
Tool: A smooth black onyx token with a white center. (+4)
If this spell penetrates the resistance of a ghost or similar spirit, it loses 6 points from its Might. If this reduces the spirit's Might to zero, it vanishes.
Terram
Fist of Shattering
(PeTe 10; Voice; Momentary; Individual; Cast: +20; Mastery: 1)
Tool: A piece of granite carved into a fist. Somewhat crude as he carved it while imprisoned. (+3)
An object of stone or weaker material up to a pace across breaks apart. The appropriate Form for the target is a casting requisite. This was the other spell Joshua utilized to make his escape from the Crusader prison, and he still retains his casting tool from then.
Rego
Corpus
Curse of the Unruly Tongue
(ReCo 5; Voice; Concentration; Individual; Cast: +20; Mastery: 0)
Tool: An iron nail. Has to be magnetized on occasion. (+4)
This causes the target to stutter and slur words. Communication rolls are at -3. Spoken spells are at -6 to the spell-casting roll, and there is an extra botch die. Joshua has been known to utilize a variation of this spell with a "Sun" duration.
Group Leap of the Homecoming
(ReCo 35; Personal; Instant; Group; Cast +20; Mastery: 0)
Tool: A miniature iron doorway. Has to be magnetized on occasion. (+4)
Transport a group of up to ten individuals, including Joshua, to any place for which he has an arcane connection.
Terram
The Unseen Porter
(ReTe 10; Voice; Concentration; Individual; Cast: +20 Mastery: 0)
Tool: A small iron figurine. Has to be remagnetized on occasion. (+4)
Slowly moves a non-living thing that could theoretically be moved by a very strong (Str +5), person. The heavier the object, the slower it moves. It cannot move objects more than 6 feet off the ground, nor can it move a living object. If delicacy is required, high Finesse stress rolls (12+) are needed. Casting requisites appropriate to the target are required.
Magical Enchantments
None
Warping
None
Laboratory and Sanctum
Laboratory
Joshua and his family live in the first two floors of the North tower (lapis lazuli).
See Laboratory Qualities for an explanation of the stats.
Current Qualities
| Size +0 | Refinement +0 | General Quality +0 | Upkeep +0 |
| Safety +0 | Warping +0 | Health +1 | Aesthetics +4 |
Lab Specialization
| Creo | 0 | Animal | 0 | Ignem | +1 |
| Intellego | 0 | Aquam | 0 | Imaginem | +1 |
| Muto | 0 | Auram | 0 | Mentem | +1 |
| Perdo | 0 | Corpus | +1 | Terram | 0 |
| Rego | +1 | Herbam | 0 | Vim | +1 |
| Vis Extraction | +1 | Texts | +1 | Items | +1 |
| Spells | 0 | Experimentation | 0 |
Contributing Factors
- Magical Heating: +1 Health, +1 Aesthetics, +1 Ig
- Magical Lighting: +1 Aesthetics, +1 Texts, +1 Im
- Superior Construction (from Conjuring the Mystic Tower): +1 Safety, +1 Aesthetics
- Auspicious Shape: +1 Aesthetics, +1 Vi
- Wizard's Cog & Tumbler (Wheel/Mechanism): +1 Items, +1 Rego, +1 Vis Extraction
- Person (Sarah): -1 Safety, +1 Corpus, +1 Mentum
Lab Totals
- General: Technique + Form + 3 (Intelligence) + 5 (Magic Theory) + 5 (Aura Modifier). <F+T+13>
- Item Creation: Craft at Technique + Form + 3 (Intelligance) + 6 (Magic Theory) + 5 (Aura) + 1 (Lab Specialty) + 5/2 (Craft) + ^5 (Form/Runes). <F+T+25>
- Vis Extraction: Normally Lab Total 32 Vis Produced: 4 pawns.
- Learning Texts: Spells up to Technique + Form + 3 (Intelligence) + 5 (Magic Theory) + 5 (Aura Modifier) + 1 (Lab Speciality)+ 6 (Apt Student) in one season.
- Writing Laboratory Texts: Write 100 levels per season.
- Copying Laboratory Texts: Write 60-levels per season.
Laboratory Qualities
Laboratory Items
Wizard's Cog (ReTe 9) A large gear, about 1 foot across, carved out of a single piece of granite. Once mounted on an axle, the gear will begin to rotate continuously as though attached to a moving water wheel. The direction can be reversed by removing the gear and placing it back on the axle in reverse.
Muted Tumbler (MuIm 6) A small iron-lined oak barrel with a polished stone lid. Reduces any sound produced from within the barrel to no more than a level of a bubbling creek or low conversation. Joshua uses it for tumbling rocks without the sound of stone on metal becoming deafening with the laboratory, but still loud enough he can judge the condition of the stones by sound.
Unseen Scribe (ReTe 19) Consisting of a single sliver of soapstone ornately carved into the shape stylus, this device is able to write on its own, recording what is said. This does not allow the magi to create notes any faster but does write them out fully in the standard language being spoken. Any laboratory notes made this way are created in a "translated" state.
Reputations
Undetermined 2 (20xp)
Personal Library
Books
- Observations of a Flambeu. Tractatus Q11
- Written by Joshua of Verditius in duplicate using the arcane pen. Mostly based on his observations on of Obscurus Ignis spellcasting alongside his current studies. Written Spring 1236.
Translated Texts
Enchantments
Room of Everfresh Provisions (CrAn(He) 24)
Wizard's Cog (ReTe 9)
Neckless of the Ennobled Presence (MuIm 8)
Muted Tumbler (MuIm 6)
Unranslated Texts
Spells
Conjure the Sturdy Vine (CrHe 5)
Whispering Winds (InAu 15)
Sense the Nature of Vis (ImVm 5)
Wizard’s Wool Cloak (MuAn 10)
Sprint’s Treat (MuAq 5)
Taste of the Spices and Herbs (MuIm 5)
Recollection of Memories Never Quite Lived (MuMe)
Crystal Dart (MuTe 10)
Supple Iron and Rigid Rope (MuTe 10)
Comfort of the Drenched Traveler (PeAq 5)
Summer’s Respite (PeIg 15)
Lay to Rest the Haunting Spirit (PeMe 6)
Fist of Shattering (PeTe 10)
Curse of the Unruly Tongue (ReCo 5)
The Unseen Porter (ReTe 10)
Polish Stone (ReTe 5)
Create Likeness in Stone (ReTe 15)
Wizard's Communion (MuVi 20)
Clouds of Rain and Thunder (CrAu 25)
Chamber of Spring Breezes (CrAu(Ig) 10)
(Italic: Not in Joshua's shorthand)
Enchantments
Arcane Scales: Magical Weight (InVm 5+10)
Arcane Scales: Magical Type (InVm 5+10)
Ring of Transport <70 year> (ReCo 38)
Umbral Weapons <70 year> (PeMe 19)
Intertwined Tablet (ReAn 18)
Unseen Scribe (ReTe 19)
Personal Vis
- 8 Pawns of Creo vis
- 11 Pawns of Rego vis
- 2 Pawns of Imaginum vis
- 7 Pawns of Corpus vis
- 12 Pawns of Ignam vis
- 18 Pawns of Vim vis
(1233)
Peculiar Materials
- Heartwood of a Twice-Struck Oak
Mundane Materials
- 1oz of gold
- 1 Ruby (Precious)
- 1 Topaz (Precious)
- 2 Bloodstone (Semi-Precious)
- 6oz of workable silver
Companions
Seasonal Activities
Go To Earlier Seasons.
1236
Winter: Write Commentry on (Ex Nihilo).
(Exposure: Magic Theory +2 xp; Correspondence: Verditius +1 xp; Language: Middle English +1xp)
Spring: Write the required book for the Covenant Service on Ignum (Observations of a Flambeau).
(Exposure: Magic Theory +2 xp; Correspondence: Verditius +1xp; Language: Welsh +1xp)
Summer: Study Aquem from A Flumine Usque ad Terminos Terrae
(Study: Aquam +15 xp; Correspondence: Philosophiae +1xp; Language: Middle English +1xp)
Autumn: Continuing his personal introduction to the forms, Joshua studies Igni Ferroque (Terrem)
(Study: Terrem +15 xp; Correspondence: Philosophiae +1xp; Language: Welsh +1xp)
1237
<<< - Update Point - >>>
<<< - Planing - >>>
Winter: Create the Millstone of Clean Flower (Covenent Service).
(Exposure: Magic Theory +2 xp; Correspondence: Philosophiae +1 xp; Language: Middle English +1xp)
Spring: ??.
(Exposure: Magic Theory +2 xp; Correspondence: Organization Lore: Verditius +1xp; Language: Welsh +1xp)
Summer: Study Imaginem (The Book)
(Study: 21 xp; Correspondence: Philosophiae +1xp; Language: Middle English +1xp)
Autumn: Continuing his personal introduction to the forms, Joshua studies Igni Ferroque (Ignum)
(Study: Ignum +15 xp; Correspondence: Organization Lore: Verditius +1xp; Language: Welsh +1xp)