Difference between revisions of "Seleucus"
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'''Seleucus''' is the name of an albino wizard of evil repute. In the Spring of 1198, [[Sandre]] went looking for an albino wizard who had been seen prowling around the covenant of Stranggore the previous year. See the story, ''[[Trail of the White Wizard]]''. | '''Seleucus''' is the name of an albino wizard of evil repute. In the Spring of 1198, [[Sandre]] went looking for an albino wizard who had been seen prowling around the covenant of Stranggore the previous year. See the story, ''[[Trail of the White Wizard]]''. | ||
== Background == | == Background == | ||
| − | The magi of Stranggore suspect that Seleucus is actually [[Argus]]'s former apprentice, Stephen, who mysteriously lost his Gift c. 1165, over 30 years earlier. | + | The magi of Stranggore suspect that Seleucus is actually [[Argus]]'s former apprentice, [[Stephen]], who mysteriously lost his Gift c. 1165, over 30 years earlier. |
Stephen was Argus's third and final apprentice. He was a proud and headstrong boy, difficult to train. At some point seven or eight years into his apprenticeship he began secret magical experiments to investigate and then manipulate the nature of his own Gift. [[Sandre]] found the notebooks of these clandestine experiments. | Stephen was Argus's third and final apprentice. He was a proud and headstrong boy, difficult to train. At some point seven or eight years into his apprenticeship he began secret magical experiments to investigate and then manipulate the nature of his own Gift. [[Sandre]] found the notebooks of these clandestine experiments. | ||
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== Accusation == | == Accusation == | ||
| − | Seleucus is accused of murdering the hedge wizard and soothsayer Orvyn of Whitby in a diabolic ritual. This accusation comes from the remains of Orvyn himself, by means of ''Whispers Through the Black Gate.'' Orvyn claims that Seleucus was trying to steal his magical power. | + | Seleucus is accused of murdering the hedge wizard and soothsayer [[Orvyn|Orvyn of Whitby]] in a diabolic ritual. This accusation comes from the remains of Orvyn himself, by means of ''Whispers Through the Black Gate.'' Orvyn claims that Seleucus was trying to steal his magical power. |
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| + | == Notebooks == | ||
| + | The magi of Stranggore eventually retrieved two notebooks written by Seleucus: the clandestine notebook he kept as an apprentice, and the journal of his diabolic activities. | ||
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| + | === Laboratory Notes === | ||
| + | Sandre recovered, and, in Spring 1197, studied, [http://forum.andrewgronosky.us/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=198&p=789&hilit=experiments&sid=8e81e2d7e9fe4afca649abe574889f6c#p789 lab notebook of Stephen's illicit magical experiments]. These were conducted when the boy was still Argus's apprentice, before he turned to evil. | ||
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| + | === Journal === | ||
| + | Seleucus's journal describes his quest to regain his magical powers. He knowingly turned to diabolism, having learned the incantation to summon a demon from a perverted monk at an abbey in Dorset. (The journal implies that Stephen acquiesced to the monk's unnatural lust in exchange for occult teaching.) He learned to summon a minor demon, but that weak spirit quickly gave him the name of a greater one: [[Tazell]]. | ||
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| + | Tazell seduced Stephen gradually. First, it commanded Stephen to kill a goat and spill its blood over a standing stone. Later, its demands became more extreme: it bade Stephen to kill a beggar, and soon, hedge wizards. By that time, Stephen had become a full-fledged diabolist and taken the name Seleucus. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Tazell gave Seleucus his Gift, but required blood sacrifice (eventually, human sacrifice) each season to sustain it. It also granted him additional powers each time he sacrificed a hedge wizard. Seleucus ritually murdered four hedge wizards over the years 1193-1198. Tazell kept urging him to capture and sacrifice a Hermetic magus, but Seleucus balked at attacking such a powerful victim. | ||
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== Stories == | == Stories == | ||
| + | * ''[[I Shall Be First]]'' | ||
* ''[[Trail of the White Wizard]]'' | * ''[[Trail of the White Wizard]]'' | ||
* ''[[Spring Cleaning]]'' | * ''[[Spring Cleaning]]'' | ||
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Latest revision as of 19:05, 7 August 2013
Seleucus is the name of an albino wizard of evil repute. In the Spring of 1198, Sandre went looking for an albino wizard who had been seen prowling around the covenant of Stranggore the previous year. See the story, Trail of the White Wizard.
Background
The magi of Stranggore suspect that Seleucus is actually Argus's former apprentice, Stephen, who mysteriously lost his Gift c. 1165, over 30 years earlier.
Stephen was Argus's third and final apprentice. He was a proud and headstrong boy, difficult to train. At some point seven or eight years into his apprenticeship he began secret magical experiments to investigate and then manipulate the nature of his own Gift. Sandre found the notebooks of these clandestine experiments.
A few weeks after Stephen lost his Gift, he fled the covenant alone and without money. Few covenfolk of Stranggore remember him: Junior is one, and Brian the Mad another. Of course, the senior magi also remember him well.
Investigation
The covenant's contacts have revealed than an albino wizard travels down the Fosse Way from Bath (or points north) to Stranggore every year, usually during Lent (so, spring) -- though he seems to have skipped 1197.
In Bath, the albino is known commonly as the White Wizard, or less commonly as Seleucus. He has dealings with several prominent citizens of Bath: a master tailor, a wealthy wine merchant, and similar persons of wealth and influence. They seem to know him and dread his coming. Servants whisper that when the White Wizard comes to town, the wealthy try to avoid him, but if he should arrive unheralded then he gets immediate and private audience with even the most important men of the city. Servants whisper that the White Wizard has put a spell over their masters.
Accusation
Seleucus is accused of murdering the hedge wizard and soothsayer Orvyn of Whitby in a diabolic ritual. This accusation comes from the remains of Orvyn himself, by means of Whispers Through the Black Gate. Orvyn claims that Seleucus was trying to steal his magical power.
Notebooks
The magi of Stranggore eventually retrieved two notebooks written by Seleucus: the clandestine notebook he kept as an apprentice, and the journal of his diabolic activities.
Laboratory Notes
Sandre recovered, and, in Spring 1197, studied, lab notebook of Stephen's illicit magical experiments. These were conducted when the boy was still Argus's apprentice, before he turned to evil.
Journal
Seleucus's journal describes his quest to regain his magical powers. He knowingly turned to diabolism, having learned the incantation to summon a demon from a perverted monk at an abbey in Dorset. (The journal implies that Stephen acquiesced to the monk's unnatural lust in exchange for occult teaching.) He learned to summon a minor demon, but that weak spirit quickly gave him the name of a greater one: Tazell.
Tazell seduced Stephen gradually. First, it commanded Stephen to kill a goat and spill its blood over a standing stone. Later, its demands became more extreme: it bade Stephen to kill a beggar, and soon, hedge wizards. By that time, Stephen had become a full-fledged diabolist and taken the name Seleucus.
Tazell gave Seleucus his Gift, but required blood sacrifice (eventually, human sacrifice) each season to sustain it. It also granted him additional powers each time he sacrificed a hedge wizard. Seleucus ritually murdered four hedge wizards over the years 1193-1198. Tazell kept urging him to capture and sacrifice a Hermetic magus, but Seleucus balked at attacking such a powerful victim.