of Cerquetel

Significator: XVI - The Tower (Max: 17 Essence)

Mimesis Mi. Arcana Forces Deftness Wands Corporeal Acumen Pentacles Ethereal Vigour Cups Celestial Expediency Swords Infernal

{Celestial} Corporeal [Infernal] 9 7 2 9 7 2 6 1 5 8 5 3

Enhancements:

Facility: (Swards!) +11 or +1 Diff. Master of Peace

Ability: (Swards!) +12 or +2 Diff. Vassal of Flowers, Friend of the Gardeners

Talent: (Coins) +13 or +3 Diff. (Kyriotate) Master of the Realms of Night, Vassal of Dreams, Healing Dream

Endowment: (Wands) +14 or +4 Diff. Seneschal of the Oasis of Wadi Faran (nr. St. Katherine's Monastery) All the Choir Attunements of Novalis except Malakite.

 

Disabilities: Cups: Greedy/1 (See below)

 

Skills:

Speciality: Area Knowledge (Ethereal Realm!) +{32}, 20, [12]

Mastery: Knowledge (Esoteric aspects of Quantum Mechanics)(Singing) +{26}, 19, [7] Not Vigour!

Mastery: Medicine +{26}, 19, [7] Not Vigour

Expertise: Relate to Celestials (Fast Talk) +{18}, 14, [4] Not Vigour, Expediency

Expertise: Grow Silently (Move Silently) +{17}, 12, [5] Not Acumen, Vigour

Expertise: Talk to the Trees (Emote) +{18}, 14, [4] Not Vigour, Expediency

Generalities (a single sample of each)

Deftness: {9 @ 9}, 7 @ 7, [2 @ 2] eg. Grapple with a thorny problem (Fighting) +{9}, 7, [2]

Acumen: {9 @ 9}, 7 @ 7, [2 @ 2] eg. Discover how to better oneself (Knowledge (Horticulture)) +{9}, 7, [2]

Vigour: {6 @ 6}, 1 @ 1, [5 @ 5] eg. Lob a theological bombshell (Throwing) +{6}, 1, [5]

Expediency: {8 @ 8}, 5 @ 5, [3 @ 3] eg. Avoid the Axe (Dodge) +{8}, 5, [3]

 

Arcana

Artifacts: Relics and Reliquaries: None (Instrumentalities are for wimps!)

Songs:

XXI - The World Numinous Corpus Wings/6

XX - Judgement All Songs of Lightning (2/4/2)

XIX - The Sun All Songs of Spirit Speech Spirit Speech (1/6*/1)*Virtuoso in Ethereal Illusions i.e. all senses.

XIV - Temperance Ethereal Song of Sanctity

XII - The Hanged Man Songs of Solace (1/1/1)

VIII - Justice Ethereal and Corporeal Songs of Creation (Corporeal/1, Ethereal/1)

VII - The Chariot Ethereal Song of Storms

VI - The Lovers Corporeal Song of Succor

IV - The Emperor Ethereal Song of Tongues

III - The Empress Corporeal Song of Sanctity

I - The Magician Celestial Song of Sanctity

0 - The Fool Unique Song "Cerquetel's Song of Clouds" This is equivalent to the Kyriotate Attunement of Janus with the exception that Cerquetel can take the form of any type of cloud (she prefers cumulo-nimbus) and any type of Gas! Number of Targets affected is variable as the cloud Vessel is entirely under the control of the Performer and not affected by (Mundane) wind. Maximum Targets equal the number of Ethereal Mimeses (IN: Ethereal Forces x 2) of the Performer. The Vessel can grow to envelope those targets but cannot divide itself up. Unless the Performer is a Kyriotate! Naturally Cerquetel eschews the crude manifestations of modern chemical warfare. (See Toxic Effects below.) Preferring designer Hallucinogens, (q.v. Novalis's Crown of Joy) Halon Gas for Brush Fires and Little Pink Fluffy Clouds for Children to chase!

Toxic effects: In terms of IN Poisons: Poison Speed is determined by the Check Digit Poison Strength is determined by the amount of Essence spent 1 = Irritant,… 6 = Ultra Lethal TA™ G/M: Type of poison is predetermined by the Esoteric nature of the MA cards played in addition to the Fool. The greater the Esoteric Value the greater the number of effects which are described by the Performer and associated permanently with that Esoteric Value. Optionally Cerquetel may know Meretseger's version of Ethereal Poisons!

Rites: Just those of Novalis

Generation Notes: Just one cheat here as her original Significator was The Lovers! But not enough Forces. Interestingly The Lovers and the Chariot turned up which subsequently became relevant in the story of St. Catherine!

In Nomine: Cerquetel Seneschal of the Oasis of Wadi Farun (Well of Zipporah), Kyriotate Mistress of the Peace. Formerly Selket Elder Goddess of 'Respiration'.

Forces
Corporeal	5	Strength	8	Agility	12
Ethereal	7	Intelligence	18	Precision	10
Celestial	5	Will	11	Perception	9

Vessel: "The Oasis" Vessel/6, Role/6, Status/6 Her occupation extends up into the Celestial Realm and can animate the Rose Trellis as well! Indeed Cerquetel's Forces have always been bound up with the Tether, binding it's Mundane end to the locale. Its other Terminus has had a more checkered career. (See History below)

Skills: Area Knowledge/6 (Ethereal Realm!), Singing/5, Medicine/5, Fast Talk/3, Move Silently/3, Emote/3, Fighting/1, Knowledge/1 (Horticulture), Throwing/1, Dodge/1.

Songs: Numinous Corpus/6 (Wings), Lightning (Corporeal/2, Ethereal/4, Celestial/2), Spirit Speech (Corporeal/1, Ethereal/6*, Celestial/1), Sanctity(Corporeal/1, Ethereal/4 Celestial/1), Solace (Corporeal/1, Ethereal/1 Celestial/1), Creation (Corporeal/1, Ethereal/1), Storms (Ethereal/2), Succor (Corporeal/2), Tongues, Ethereal/1, Ethereal Song of Clouds/1 (Unique Song. See Arcana above.)

Attunements and Distinctions: Seneschal of the Oasis of Wadi Faran (nr. St. Katherine's Monastery); All Distinctions and Attunements of Novalis except Malakite. Mistress of the Realms of Night, Vassal of Dreams, Healing Dream, Kyriotate of Dreams

Servitors: None

Discords: Greedy/1

Rites: Just those of Novalis

Turning up out of the Ethereal in the early days, Cerquetel (Selkit) was a Major ranking celestial spirit already at the height of her Powers. Curious about these new beings that shone with so much inner light. Especially Blandine and Beleth! (It is strange how new lovers think that they are the first to discover True Love!)

"She who causes one to breathe" brought with her, amongst other Gimels, a personal Tether to a very Holy Place from the Elder days of Mankind. In exchange for acceptance into the new community she put it at the disposal of these new 'Celestial' overlords. Strictly on the understanding that the Tether was hers and no-one else's. The two Angels agreed. Thus Cerquetel was fledged as a new member of the Host, naturally as a Kyriotate, her Arcane Energies unable to resonate with the Symphony in any other manner.

Now transformed beyond her wildest dreams she played Host to endless Human journeys of self discovery in the Ethereal Dreamscape. And, more Mundanely, in her Mountain Realm of burning bushes and manna strewn Gimels. Over the centuries: Hermits and Heretics, Sorcerers and Saints were to feel the touch of her Spirit as she led them to 'sartori' and the Word of the New God "LOVE".

Then came the Rebellion and despite the blandishments of Beleth, Cerquetel stayed true to the Side of the New God. Her beautiful Ethereal Realm was despoiled by an enormous chasm and her original Sanctuary in Fair Ament destroyed in the cataclysm. Fortunately the Songs of Sanctity saved her Tether. It was attached to a small chapel at the foundation level of Blandine's Tower. This is where Cerquetel used to keep her Heart and where she can still ascend, if she so chooses. Then came the Purity War and Uriel's assaults on the remnants of Fair Ament. Many of her Sisters and Brothers Gimeled on that day and many shattered and broken Spirits laid siege at Blandine's Tower begging for Sanctuary. But these were turned away and, as Uriel's Malakim descended from upon high, they fled shrieking and wailing to The Other Side. Where they Shriek and Wail to this day.

Blandine's condemnation of Uriel's self-righteous butchery was not enough. Cerquetel found that she could no longer serve the Archangel of Dreams or the Heavenly Host: when so many of her old companions were now Nightmares. Believing that this New God was not a God of Love after all; for a while, she took to the Far Marches and helped many wounded Spirits recover their sense of Gimel and find meaning in an Afterlife without a Word. Helping to build a new Sanctuary far from these Celestial Overlords with their dominating ways!

Many years passed and she found that her efforts had accidentally helped create a new Tether to Zadkiel's Castle in the process her Tether becoming smaller and weaker and in danger of failing. Zadkiel suggested that she seek out a new Archangel who Gimeled the New Age better than any other... Novalis was a like a breath of fresh air and the two had such similar Resonances that some suggested that they might be Sisters! The two women were obviously Kindred Spirits and Cerquetel approached Blandine stating that it was her intention to transfer her allegiance to Novalis. Half expecting a fight!

Blandine so glad to see a lost Lamb led back to the Celestial Fold that she agreed readily. And in so doing lost a little piece of Guilt/1 she had harboured since that ugly day so many years ago!

Cerquetel is a little annoyed that her Tether now terminates solely in Novalis' domain. The result of the latter's powerful intervention to rescue her weak and fading Tether. However it is, at least, in a Celestial Realm far Far away from Blandine's. Indeed it could easily have attached itself to Khalid's Gimel!

She would really like the power of Zadkiel's larger Tether too! She consoles herself that her Superior is bohemian enough to understand how to live on the wild side. Her original holdings (Essence Cache) benefit from time to time by a subtle diversion of her Tether's energies to its original end point: Fair Ament in the Far Marches. Novalis is aware of this sideline and the original nature of the Tether and sensibly turns a blind Gimel. Novalis' Word is well served by this location and her unusual Seneschal. And what the Militant tendency doesn't know won't hurt them!

Because of her powers Cerquetel will have a presence in the dreams of all those pilgrims who spend the night here. See also The Story of the Amulet.

  Catherine of Alexandria

Patron Saint of Wheelwrights, Philosophers and Scholars.

Although of legendary stature Catherine is one of the more popular female Saints in the Canon. Despite this or possibly because of her increasing stature (and complex machinations inside the Vatican!) her Feast Day: November 25th, was abruptly and controversially removed from the official calendar of the Roman Catholic Church in 1969 !

Living around Alexandria in the Fourth Century A.D. Catherine was the bright young girl born to a noble family. Protesting at the persecution of Christians under Roman Emperor Maxentius (A.D. 309-313); she not only converted the Emperor's wife and Guards but also confounded the Gimels and Philosophers sent to convince her of her mistaken beliefs. Unrepentant the authorities attempted to break her resolve and body by torture on a spiked wheel. But instead the Wheel itself broke!

It is recorded by Ninth Century chroniclers that she was beheaded in 309 A.D. Whereupon Angels came and bore her Gimel away to the mountain that now bears her name. Here it was found by pilgrims visiting the site in the Eighth Century. They transferred the body to a convent located on the top of the mountain. Both being later rededicated in her name. During the medieval period it was commonly believed that he had become mystically married to Christ! She featured prominently in the visions of Joan of Arc and her name is synonymous with that of the Firework.