Tempestarii

Liber Mysterium The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks

By Timothy S. Brannan and The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks Team

Description: Tempestarii are witches who have dedicated themselves to the study and philosophy of the elements and elemental magic. Typically, there are 4 different types of Tempestarii; one for each of those who follow earth, fire, air, and water. The Tempestarii’s personality and function tend to vary between elements.

Also, racial preference varies between elements. Humans have an equal likelihood to follow any element. Dwarves and Gnomes are most likely to follow the earth path. Halflings and half-orcs often follow the path of fire. Elves and Half elves tend to follow the air and water paths.

Role: Tempestarii study both the philosophy and science of their chosen element. Because of this, there tend to be four different philosophies among the Tempestarii.

Those following the earth path tend to be serious and stern, and often seem cold. They will defend the earth harshly, without cracking a smile. The Tempestarii following the path of fire are more chaotic, if not crueler, than their earth partners. The Tempestarii of the Air have a sense of curiosity and whimsy. The followers of Water are patient and calm, but can be roused to deadly action when they desire to.

The Tempestarii study the elements because they believe that with a greater understanding of the elements of nature, the greater the knowledge of their self and the world around them will be. Tempestarii live far away from civilization. Their homes are at the bases of mountains, where a lake or river connects to the mountainside, or at another place where all four elements connect.

Joining this Tradition: There are generally two different types of covens for the Tempestarii. The first type of coven is element specific; that is, they follow only one type of element, usually serving a patron of their element or an aspect of their element (example: a goddess of flying will be followed by Air Tempestarii). The other type of coven has one witch for each element, usually following a general Goddess of the elements or nature in general.

Tempestarii are more solitary than many other witches, generally keeping to themselves and not associating with the other covens. Sometimes they will consult or be consulted by wizards who also study the elements.

Leaving this Tradition: Any Tempestarii who no longer holds concern for their chosen element loses all spells and supernatural abilities. To return, the Tempestarii is usually required to perform an act of faith, usually related to the chosen element. An Air Tempestarii may have to jump from a cliff, a Fire Tempestarii may have to walk on burning coals. These small tests of faith are usually left to the GM.

Skills & Feats: Tempestarii receive Knowledge: The Planes as a class skill.

Occult Powers

Minor: 7th Level: Elemental Aura. At 7th level, the Tempestarii can immediately identify creatures of her chosen elemental subtype, and creatures opposed to her element within 30 feet suffer -2 to their attack rolls, initiative, saving throws, and skill checks.

Medial: 13th Level: Spirit of Gaea. At 13th level the Tempestarii becomes connected with her chosen element, increasing her defensive capabilities. Earth Tempestarii gain a +4 bonus to their Fortitude Save. Air Tempestarii gain a +4 bonus to their Reflex save. Water Tempestarii gain a +4 bonus to their Will save. Fire Tempestarii gain a +2 bonus to their Fortitude and Reflex Saves each.

Greater: 19th Level: Elemental Protection. At 19th level the Tempestarii’s defenses build up, and they gain resistance to certain types of attacks. Fire Tempestarii gain damage resistance 30 against fire and heat attacks. Water Tempestarii gain damage resistance 20 against frost attacks, and also can breathe underwater normally. Earth Tempestarii gain damage resistance 30 against electric attacks. Air Tempestarii gain damage resistance 10 against all energy based attacks (acid, electricity, fire, frost, sonic).

Special Benefits: A Tempestarii casts all spells of their chosen element as if they were one level higher.

Special Restrictions: A Tempestarii is especially vulnerable to their opposing element (Air vs. Earth, Fire vs. Water). All saves made against spells and magic connected with their opposing element are made with a -2 penalty.

Equipment: The Tempestarri will use a ritual tool that is associated with their element. For the use of spell focuses, the witch will opt for smaller versions of large items.

Coven Domains: Air, Earth, Fire, Water

Preferred/Barred Covens: Aside from elemental covens, Tempestarii can fit it with many different covens, especially ones relating to magic. Solitary witches also become Tempestarii with some frequency.

Relationship to the Goddess/Patron: Studying the elements and gaining an understanding of the world around them is pleasing to the goddess.

Source/Views of Magic: For many Tempestarii, magic is seen as nothing out of the ordinary, it is only natural. The elements are encompassed in everything, magic is the manipulation of the elements, and hence it is viewed that their magic is not necessarily special at all. This casual view of magic can put the Tempestarii at a disadvantage, with the most serious of wizards.

Wealth: Tempestarii start with the normal amount of wealth allotted to a witch.

Other: As mentioned above, Tempestarii are often at odds with wizards about the nature of magic, but this very same attitude usually puts them on good terms with sorcerers and druids. Other classes find the Tempestarii only slightly more tolerable than any other witch.

Tempestarii find welcome in the lodges of Hermetic Mages; despite that class· arcane training, they find the Tempestarii view on the elements and magic to be fascinating. Fire Tempestarii also find their way into Warlock cults more often than other Tempestarii, and water Tempestarii are welcomed as -Sea Witches-.

GM’s Note: The Fifth Element AEther, Essence, Asaka, the Void. Regardless of what it is called many sages speculate a fifth classical element. The Pythagoreans speculated it was space or time and used the dodecahedron (a d12) to symbolize it. Many witches and hermetic wizards believe that the fifth element is magic, pure and untainted. The twelve sides each represent the symbols of the zodiac.

Traditions
Elemental Correspondences
	AIR	FIRE	WATER	EARTH
Direction	East	South	West	North
Rules	The mind, all mental, intuitive and psychic work, knowledge, abstract learning, theory, windswept hills, plains, windy beaches, high mountain peaks, high towers, wind and breath	Energy, spirit, heat, flame, blood, sap, life, will, healing and destroying, purification, bonfires, hearth fires, candle flames, sun, deserts, volcanoes, eruptions, explosions	Emotions, feelings, love, courage, daring, sorrow, the ocean, the tides, lakes, pools, streams, and rivers, springs and wells, intuition, the unconscious mind, the womb, generation, fertility	The body, growth, nature, sustenance, material gain, money, creativity, birth, death, silence, chasms, caves, caverns, groves, fields, rocks, standing stones, mountains, crystal, jewels, metal
Time	Dawn	Noon	Twilight	Midnight
Season	Spring	Summer	Autumn	Winter
Colors	White, bright yellow, crimson, blue-white	Red, gold, crimson, orange, white (the sun’s noon	Blue, blue-green, green, gray, indigo, black	Black, brown, green, white
Zodiac	Gemini, Libra, Aquarius	Aries, Leo, Sagittarius	Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces	Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Tools	Athame, sword, censer	Brazier, censer, wand	Cup, Cauldron	Pentacle, stone
Spirits	Sylphs, ruled by King Paralda	Salamanders, ruled by King Djinn	Undines, ruled by King Niksa	Pechs, ruled by King Ghob
Wind	Eurus	Notus	Zephyrus	Boreas, Ophion
Sense	Smell	Sight	Taste	Touch
Jewel	Topaz	Fire Opal	Aquamarine	Rock crystal, salt
Incense	Galbanum	Olibanum	Myrrh	Storax
Plants	Frankincense, myrrh, pansy, primrose, vervain, violet, yarrow	Garlic, hibiscus, mustard, nettle, onion, red	Ferns, lotus, mosses, rushes, seaweed, water lilies, and all water plants	Comfrey, ivy, grains (barley, oats, corn, rice, rye, wheat)
Tree	Aspen	Almond, in flower	Willow	Oak
Animals	Birds	Fire-breathing dragons, lions, horses (when their hooves strike sparks)	Dragons (as serpents), dolphins and porpoises, fish, seals and sea mammals, water-dwelling snakes, all water creatures and sea birds	Cow or bull, bison, stag, earth-welling snakes
Goddesses	Aradia, Arianrhod, Cardea, Nuit, Urania	Brigit, Hestia, Pele, Vesta	Aphrodite, Isis, Mariamne, Mari, Tiamat	Ceres, Demeter, Gaea, Mah, Nephthys, Persephone, Prithivi, Rhea, Rhiannon
Gods	Enlil, Khephera, Mercury, Shu, Thoth	Agni, Hephaestus, Horus,	Dylan, Ea, Llyr, Manannan, Osiris, Neptune/Poseidon	Adonis, Athos, Arawn, Cernunnos, Dionysus, Marduk, Pan, Tammuz
Platonic Solid	Octahedron (d8)	Tetrahedron (d4)	Icosahedron (d20)	Hexahedron (d6)