Vector Tempestatum is a
rather unusual sort for a Flambeau.
Were it not for his Blatant Gift, he might pass for a grog: the
man is quite Large, carries a greatsword across his back, and dresses
in scale armor. Knowing he is a Flambeau adds some sense to this,
and he may seem like a fairly ordinary Flambeau of the more pyrotechnic
school until one gets to detailed conversation.
While Vector is one of the first to suggest "kill it and suck its
vis" as a solution to problems-- the phrase has become common
in the Amurgsval grog corps as a euphemism for "kill it dead"--
he will often ignore great stores of vis on the hoof, claw, or
wing, claiming such things as "It'll help scare away the missionaries,
and might even breed." When Criamon turn up, he appears well-equipped
to debate the Enigma with them in his inimitably blunt style:
Corylus
of Criamon has said "Vector Tempestatum reaches the Enigma the way an
ordinary Flambeau crosses a faerie forest: he leaves destruction and
chaos in his wake, but he does reach his destination."
Vector-- Boris, to those who have known him since apprenticeship--
commands magicks of all four elements, and has a strong set of
lightning and storm magicks alongside the standard Flambeau fire
magicks. His earth magicks include both spells to entrap people and
creatures in the earth as well as spear-throwing spells that bypass
magic resistance. His Aptitude for elemental magicks makes him truly
terrifying in combat, and he has recently learned the Second Secret of
Uncontrolled Power from Aeolus, making him more dangerous yet.
He has recently completed the majority of work on the Aristeia, a medium-sized merchant vessel that has
been enchanted to sail on all four elements as an ordinary vessel
would on water. The Aristeia's command of the elements is such that
it could travel through a hurricane without damage and remain on
course; it sails more often on cloudtops than the land. The Aristeia
is the current preferred mode of travel for the magi of Amurgsval,
since it is even possible to pretend to be a normal vessel when on a
body of water. (Bringing a medium-sized merchant vessel up to a city
where it couldn't possibly have sailed upriver to get there in the
first place strains credulity a great deal less than flying in.)
Boris towers head and shoulders over most magi, and appears very
dangerous with his swarthy skin, dark eyes, curly black hair and
imposing beard. He tends to dress in black, and speaks in a loud
basso. He has no patience for threats, and is quite happy to
demonstrate his command of destructive magic to make a point-- though,
unlike many Flambeaux, he is content to impress or frighten, rather
than destroy.
Opinions
- Enigmatic Wisdom: "The whole Criamon riddle schtick is a blind
to keep people from understanding the true power available in Wizard's
Twilight. If you can make it through the smokescreen of riddles, you
can find your way to a knowledge that's just like magic theory: it's
just that its primary use is when you're in Wizard's Twilight. Learn
up the stuff, and when you go Twilight, you can come back more powerful
than ever."
- House Bjornaer: "The only one we have around isn't much use.
I've yet to see one prove himself, though that Draco Amicus guy who
turns into a dragon might be fun to spend some time with."
- House Bonisagus: "Handy to have around. They save a lot of time
on research. They can be a pain when they get obsessive."
- House Criamon: "Mostly a bunch of tattooed gibberers, but
some of them are worth paying attention to. The problem is figuring
out which ones." (To any Criamon proposing riddles: "Kill yourself
and suck your own vis. I did it; can you?")
- House Díedne: "Never met one. If they really stuck
to their motto, 'Blessed be the Earth and all who serve her,' they couldn't've
been all bad."
- House Flambeau: "Contains far too many suicidal idiots who
are ready to blow themselves up. Once they clue in to destruction as
a means to an end, not an end in itself, they'll be better."
- House Guernicus: "Someone has to keep the rest of the Order in
line."
- House Jerbiton: "Someone has to talk to the Mundanes."
- House Mercere: "They keep the Order together. I always
offer them a lift if they're going my direction."
- Faeries, House Merinita: "Faeries can do things Hermetic
magic can't. Having a Merinita on hand to talk to them is bloody
useful at times, and even without one they're at least as good as
their word-- but only the words they give. If your Merinita is smart,
he can even arrange that you can get rewards for turning some faeries into
target practice, rather than a bunch of 'em coming after your blood."
- House ex Miscellanea: "They know a lot of weird things, some
of them useful."
- House Tremere: "Bunch of lunatic power mongers. Last guy
to challenge me to certámen wanted me to change my vote at
Tribunal, so I decked him and asked the Quaesitor to declare Wizard's
March. Didn't work, but at least he shut up and no one tries to
challenge me to certámen over trivial matters any more."
- House Tytalus: "Perhaps the House in the Order least susceptible
to generalizations. Keep an eye on them, whenever they're nearby. They
tend to have more open minds than most magi, and are harder to freak out."
- House Verditius: "Smart: they know magic items can be
more reliable than spellcasting, and they aren't afraid to use mundane
techniques to accomplish an end. A pain when they don't get out of the
lab, though."
- Peasants: "Don't waste them; it takes time to breed them up,
especially ones that are willing to put up with magi. Only use mass
destruction when you're very sure of your targets."
- Nobles: "Someone has to take care of the tedium of running
the lands."
- Demons and the Infernal: "Second biggest pain in the butt
in the universe. Use mass devastation by lightning and be real
cautious about the vis you find afterwards."
- The Church and the Dominion: "Biggest pain the butt in the
universe. The Dominion is occasionally useful in fighting the Infernal,
but demons are really just the enforcement arm of a big protection racket:
'join the Church or we send round these brimstone breathers to rough you up.'
Felis Umbrosus even found proof for it in the Bible--
he says there are spots where Satan is shown to be working directly for
Yahweh.
If ever I get the chance, I'm packaging both of 'em up and burying 'em
real deep. Don't go around arbitrarily wasting churches, though--
you can get all sorts of shit for that. Do what you can to let them
destroy themselves."
- The Enigma:: "I killed it and sucked its vis."