Longinus Background

From Ars Magica

Background

Longinus is a young man of unremarkable appearance, at first glance. However, he wears long white woolen robes with a deep hood and voluminous sleeves, so that he can rarely be seen at all. This serves to cover his two outstanding physical features: a pair of stubby growths where his hands should be, and a white birthmark in the shape of a pair of hands.

He was born with both features and they seem to be an integral part of his nature. Certainly, his parens was unable to grow new hands. After 25 years Longinus is used to the lack of hands and feels no need to have his 'deformity' repaired.

Both also seem to be intimately connected to his magic. When he casts spells his birthmark moves around his body, often ending in a location connected with the spell. This can be awkward when the mark suddenly appears on his face! He has taken the shape of the birthmark as his voting sigil and has it inscribed in a signet ring which is normally hung around his neck.

Longinus' birth parents were greatly disturbed by the deformed stubs in the place of his hands and when a travelling friar saw the birthmark and claimed it was an 'ill mark' the baby was soon abandoned. A passing redcap heard the baby's hungry cries and upon investigating noticed the birthmark. He took the child with him to the next covenant where he was cared for. Later a gifted Mercere, Mercantus, observed the clear signs of magical talent in Longinus and decided to take him as apprentice despite his unknown lineage.

• • • Longinus' true Lineage is a matter of some interest within House Mercere as traditionally Mutantum magi have been limited to Blood descendents of Mercere himself. It is generally thought that he is a throwback from an early lost line of the Mercerian family tree.***