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Astrological Monograph (While this document contains no historical data, its reference to "Tarlov of the Ghost Hand" as a near-legendary figure indicates that the inhabitants of eastern Avalon knew of that name in the early days of the Kingdom of Evendarr. It is to be noted that the effects described were those which could be obtained during the previous Cycle of Ages.) The Natal High Horoscope as a Talisman and Artifact By Astara Flavia, First Astrologer Done at The Royal Astrological Society of Evendarr at Cwyll, on the 27th September, Y.R. 62, the 47th Year of the Great Phoenix Cycle, the 14th year of the Reign of His Royal Majesty Berthold IV (The Brave) Only Persons of Significance shall have High Horoscopes cast for their Children, & only the Most Rigorously Qualified Astrologer may cast them. Since the Approximate Date, Time & Place of The Noble Birth is usually known, there is sufficient Time to assemble the necessary Materials & to procure the Services of One who has the required Skill. A sheet of the finest vellum, pronounced to be free of impurities & magical effects by the Court Mage & a representative of the Healers' Guild shall be prepared & made ready. The Inks to be used must be made of or contain the Blood of the Creature who rules the sign of the child's birth. If the household rank is that of a Duke or equal, especially if the child is to be Named Heir, ink of the Blood of the Creature ruling the Great or Golden Cycle may also be included. For the Royal Heir, or in the rare instance of the birth of a child for whom the omens have been greatly portentous, the ink may also include the Blood of the Creature who rules the Cycle of Ages. Thus, the Heir to His Royal Majesty, born in the sign of the Raven, in the year of the Air Salamander, in the 41st year of the Great Phoenix Cycle, shall have Her Chart Inscribed with the Blood of these Creatures. As soon as the child is determined to have been born alive & in good health (in most cases), a drop of the infant's own blood is drawn from the r ing finger of the left hand & added to the mixture, & the High Horoscope is then recorded. This must be done within three days after Birth, for by then the Infant is fully acclimated to an independent life & the spirit is no longer malleable. It then becomes a Most Valuable Object, for it is imbued with the essence of the native for whom it was cast, & whoever possesses it may exercise a certain measure of influence over the native. Keeping the High Horoscope safe from unwonted meddling, by magical or mechanical means, is a Matter of the Highest Responsibility, usually given unto the most able & trusted advisor of the child's family. By the Magical Laws of Sympathy, any action that affects the High Horoscope can also affect the native to a great or lesser degree. Only the first Chart so cast will function sympathetically, even though counterfeits have been known to be attempted. If the Chart is known to be genuine, it can then be used to identify Imposters & Pretenders. Even Spirit Possession may be detected, unless the child is not of this Plane, or became Possessed before or during birth. In the event of multiple births, the Firstborn shall have its blood drawn from the left ring finger, the second-born from the left middle finger & the third-born from the left index finger. In the rare instance of an unfortunate fourth-born, its blood shall be drawn from the left thumb. (This has occurred but once in known history, in the case of the hapless Dyffed the Clumsy of Wyr, thus giving rise to the Aphorism, "He's all thumbs.") The granting of Permission to Cast a High Horoscope is recognized in the Law of the Realm as De Facto Acknowledgement that the child is Legitimate, Entitling him or her to all of the Customary Titles, Honors & Privileges entailed by Rank, Family & Class. Conversely, the refusal of such a Casting denies those Rights. This practice has oftentimes been the cause of Much Dissension in households, especially when a High Horoscope was Permitted for a Child Known to have been born or sired out of wedlock, or when the Casting was denied to an otherwise Legitimate child because of Omens, Health, Passions or Politics. Occasionally, High Horoscopes denied Permission have been cast secretly, for the same reasons. Rarely also, have High Horoscopes been cast in secret for children of humble birth, for whom the Omens have shown great portent. By the Law of Sympathy, in addition to being a source of influence & control over the native, the High Horoscope, if it is properly cast & ensorcelled at birth, can confer certain powers & protections. The forms & puissance of these will depend on the Omens of good or evil shown in the chart, & the skill of the Sorcerer. Among these effects are Immunities to Poisons, Diseases & Spirit Possession, Protection from Certain Weapons, Magical Spells or the Attacks of Certain Creatures & Monsters, Shapechanging, & Regeneration. Even greater magical effects have been rumored, but except for fragments of legends & bard's tales, no proof of their existence can be obtained. It is also possible, if a High Horoscope shows sufficient Omens of power & the necessary spells are properly cast by a Healer of the highest rank, that it may become a repository of the native's spirit in a time of great peril, even unto death itself. With the chart & the necessary rituals, spells may be cast to communicate with the spirit, or even to infuse it into another body or simulacrum, so long as no other spirit is present. This may only be done with the consent of the disembodied spirit. However, there exist in certain ancient scrolls now resting in the Archives, mysterious references to the re-embodiment of an unwilling spirit by the legendary necromancer Tarlov of the Ghost Hand, using the Vilest & Most Despicable of Rites. In a few rare instances, the High Horoscopes of some of the greatest figures of history have been reputed to have become artifacts of power & protection, which have been called upon in times of direst need, even after the passage of centuries. One such legend tells of the warrior King El Thydd of the lost Realm of Andalusia who, upon being summoned by his people in their most desperate hour, appeared in full armor on his great war chariot. He then led his kingdom’s remaining forces against his sworn enemies, the Thralle, confounding his foes & routing an invasion force ten times greater than his own. Other High Horoscopes of Power are said to be those of the Elven Sorcerer Umbriel Ardril, the Necromancer Tarlov of the Ghost Hand, the Knight Jarlana Silverhair, Baron Lord Geoffrey of the Northern Reaches, & the Healer -Princess Bythina, who saved her people from the spotted plague. The Dark Elves do not speak of their Heroes. Despite the efforts of the Guild to retrieve these relics for the Crown, they have been lost to theft, invasion or catastrophe. It is said that the Elves of Misty Wood know where lies the chart of their Mage, & rumors surface from time to time of a hidden Cave in the Arawyn Mountains where the High Horoscope of Lord Geoffrey lies guarded & concealed.
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