COVENANT LIBRARY

ARCANE TEXTS

On the Articulation of the Human Form

Author: Rufus Urbanus scholae Jerbitonis

Appearance: Three volumes, bound in fine dark leather and gold leaf. The pages are of creamy vellum, scribed in a clear, firm hand, with key points in the text inked in blue, red or gold. The volumes are heavily illustrated, with dozens of vivid images depicting the human form and its internal processes and organs.

Contents: This work discusses the human body, its anatomy, and the balance of its humors. The style is clear and precise, and is clearly the product of a gifted writer who is fascinated by the subject matter.

Mechanics: Corpus Summa, Level 11, Quality 12; Medicine Summa, Level 3, Quality 12.

Bones of the Earth

Author: Ambrosius Ex Miscellanea

Appearance: Three volumes, bound in worn leather that has cracked and faded with the years. The pages are creased and stained. The penmanship is rather crude, and the few illustrations consist of maps overlaid with traceries of faded red ink; sketches of stone monoliths and clusters thereof; and odd diagrams, sigils and runes of no apparent Hermetic significance.

Contents: Despite its meandering style and crude penmanship, this is a highly informative study of earth magic. The work is unfortunately marred by the author's use of non-Hermetic concepts to support key aspects of the text.

Mechanics: Terram Summa, Level 10, Quality 6, Incomprehensible.

Dialogues on Mentem

Author: Adrastus scholae Bonisagus

Appearance: A slim volume, newly rebound in a mottled cover of cow's leather. The pages within are curled and faded, the handwriting cramped but clear. The few illustrations depict basic hand gestures used in Mentem magic, ornamented in red and blue ink.

Contents: An elementary primer on the Art of Mentem, in the form of a dialogue between Adrastus and his pater.

Mechanics: Mentem Liber Quaestionem, Level 0, Quality 11.

Elemental Primer

Author: Darius Fictor scholae Bonisagi

Appearance: Four volumes of moderate thickness, each with a fine leather cover dyed in a different color: blue, gray, red and green. Each volume's title is picked out on its cover and spine in gold leaf. Each volume is illustrated with Hermetic sigils appropriate to the element in question, and key points in the text are marked in blue, gray, red or green ink. Although the books have clearly been read at least once, their covers and pages are in excellent condition.

Contents: A simple, plainly written set of dialogues on the elemental Forms, offering a good introduction to these Arts for the beginner.

Mechanics: Aquam Liber Quaestionem, Level 0, Quality 10; Auram Liber Quaestionem, Level 0, Quality 10; Ignem Liber Quaestionem, Level 0, Quality 10; Terram Liber Quaestionem, Level 0, Quality 10.

The Foundations of Hermetic Magic

Author: Sensim scholae Bonisagi

Appearance: This heavy tome is close to a foot thick. Its dark blue cloth cover, lettered in silver paint, is fraying around the edges, and some of the gatherings have come loose from the spine. Key points in the text are marked in blue ink. Several illustrations throughout the text depict the Founders in various postures. Some images and textual references have been blotted out, and a few pages are missing.

Contents: A classic text on magical theory, one commonly used to train Bonisagus apprentices. Contains a great deal of information on the Founders and their magical styles.

Mechanics: Magic Theory Summa, Level 5, Quality 10; Hermetic Lore Tractatus, Quality 7.

On Fragmentation

Author: Fragor scholae Flambonis

Appearance: Several loose sheets of parchment, kept pressed between a pair of wooden boards. Leather thongs hold the boards shut. The pages themselves are written in a quick, decisive hand. Includes some surprisingly artful sketches of ordinary objects shattered by magic.

Contents: A brief tract on the use of Perdo to degrade an object's shape without altering its substance. Written in a terse, assertive style.

Mechanics: Terram Tractatus, Quality 2, Fist of Shattering.

Of Genesis

Author: Lilith scholae Criamones

Appearance: A broad, thin volume, in good condition. Written in a clear, rounded hand. Contains a number of colorful illustrations of Biblical scenes. While most of the book is in Latin, several terms scribed in the Hebrew alphabet are sprinkled through the text.

Contents: Elaborates on the relationship between the Ars Creandi and the Biblical story of Genesis.

Mechanics: Creo Liber Quaestionem, Level 0, Quality 12, Incomprehensible. Quality is only 8 if the student knows no Hebrew.

On Germination and The Nature of the Seed

Author: Morus scholae Merinita

Appearance: Two volumes, bound in bright green leather. Its pages are scribed in a loose, flowing hand. Numerous illustrations depict whimsical scenes of forest faeries guiding and encouraging the growth of plants in various stages of their life cycles. The first few pages of the second volume, "The Nature of the Seed," are badly stained by some reddish substance, but are still readable.

Contents: This whimsically illustrated work deals with the connections between the Arts of Creo and Herbam. The text tends to wander onto tangentially related topics, making the author's arguments difficult to follow.

Mechanics: Creo Summa, Level 6, Quality 7; Herbam Summa, Level 8, Quality 7; Magic Theory Tractatus, Quality 4.

Inner Fire

Author: Icaros Immanitas doctrinae Flambonis.

Appearance: A gathering of unbound pages held between wooden covers. Scribed in a quick, slanted hand.

Contents: This is a brief commentary upon the nature of the Hermetic Gift, which its author likens to the element of fire.

Mechanics: Magic Theory Tractatus, Quality 5.

The Life of the Senses

Author: Juliasta filia Criamon

Appearance: Three heavy volumes, bound in new leather. The pages are crisp and white, with broad margins, and have been scribed in a clear, bold hand. Several curious illustrations of sensory organs serve to clarify the text, at least in theory.

Contents: An analysis of the Art of Imágonem, likening the senses to living things that consume sensory impressions as mortals consume food and drink. The style is brisk and engaging, but often confusing or illogical.

Mechanics: Imágonem Summa, Level 12, Quality 10, Incomprehensible.

Perfecting the Form of the Beast

Author: Chelys doctrinae Bjornaeris

Appearance: A single well-worn volume, bound in tan leather.

Contents: An insightful analysis of the process by which an animal's form can be brought closer to the ideal.

Mechanics: Animál Tractatus, Quality 3, The Immaculate Beast.

Principles of Hermetic Magic

Author: Calculus Desideratus scholae Bonisagi

Appearance: Three heavy volumes, bound in dry black leather. The pages are old and brittle. Scribed in a very small, flowing hand, with key points picked out in red ink. Contains a few marginal notes in the third volume, elaborating on difficult spots in the text.

Contents: Written to provide a series of introductory lessons to the Art of Vim, the Principles are also an excellent primer for Magic Theory.

Mechanics: Vim Liber Quaestionem, Level 0, Quality 12; Vim Liber Quaestionem, Level 3, Quality 12; Vim Liber Quaestionem, Level 6, Quality 13; Magic Theory Summa, Level 4, Quality 9.

Prolepsis

Author: Orbona Atrata scholae Criamones

Appearance: Three volumes, bound in gray leather. Written in a tiny, angular hand, without embellishment. Employs an idiosyncratic system of abstract symbols to elaborate on certain aspects of the Art, but is otherwise unillustrated.

Contents: Deals with the application of the Ars Intelligendi as a divinatory medium. The style is extremely abstruse, employing a number of terms not clearly explained in the text. Incorporates elements of pre-Hermetic magic, apparently from Hellenistic sources.

Mechanics: Intéllego Summa, Level 15, Quality 7, Incomprehensible.

On Quenching

Author: Aerarius Lynceus scholae Verditii

Appearance: A plain volume, bound in dark brown leather. Key points in the text are picked out in purple ink. Several pages bear water-stains; the affected pages are blurred but still readable.

Contents: A rather narrow study of the Art of Aquam, dealing primarily with its interactions with heat and fire.

Mechanics: Aquam Summa, Level 4, Quality 7.

On Smithcraft and The Metal of Mars

Author: Aerarius Lynceus scholae Verditii

Appearance: These two volumes are bound in dark brown leather. Each volume's cover has been branded with a symbol: the first bears the hermetic rune for Terram, while the second bears the astrological sign for Mars. Key points in the text are picked out in red and purple ink. The back cover of the second volume has been warped and scorched by heat.

Contents: A study of the Art of Terram, focusing on its application in the manipulation and enchantment of metals, particularly copper. The attribution of copper to Mars, rather than to Venus, is noteworthily idiosyncratic.

Mechanics: Terram Summa, Level 8, Quality 7; Magic Theory Tractatus, Quality 4.

On the Suppression of the Mobile Image

Author: Leonis Callidus doctrinae Jerbitonis

Appearance: A single volume, bound in yellow leather and titled in silver paint. Scribed in a graceful, flowing hand, with key points picked out in many colors of ink. Vividly illustrated, perhaps excessively so.

Contents: Based upon a standard spell for rendering the human form invisible, this text elaborates on the differences between fixed and moving images.

Mechanics: Imágonem Tractatus, Quality 4, Veil of Invisibility.

Terra Sigillata

Author: Fabius Lemnicola scholae Verditii

Appearance: Three volumes, bound in tooled black leather and titled in gold. Scribed in a tall, narrow hand. Key points in the text are picked out in gold ink. Contains a number of valuable illustrations relating to the text. Slightly worn.

Contents: An analysis of the processes involved in gathering and preparing a form of vis found on the isle of Lemnos.

Mechanics: Creo Liber Quaestionem, Level 3, Quality 9; Terram Liber Quaestionem, Level 3, Quality 9; Vim Liber Quaestionem, Level 3, Quality 9; Magic Theory Tractatus, Quality 3.