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A small note: This posting is to be seen as a supplement to the excellent post about spirits by Paul Strack. I use his categorization of spirits on a scale 1-5, like in Book of Chantries.
When the gauntlet formed, the Mythologae were forced to choose between exile and to submit to a new, harsher reality. Most fled or gradually vanished, but a few remained. They had to adapt to survive, or simply give up and become figments of the imagination.
Many Mythologae seems to be at least partially shaped or empowered by the belief of sleepers. When people stopped seeing visions of angels and demons, they started to be contacted by spiritistic presences and later UFOs, fulfilling the same spiritual need of guidance and mystery. In fact, many of the aliens seems to behave like beings which once manifested to the medieval peasants as angels or faeries. One school of thought say that our perceptions of the beings have changed, while the essential beings has remained. Others claim that new beings emerge from the Umbra to fulfil our fantasies.
The Mythologae are extremely varied beings, ranging from strange animals to the mighty dragons. Unlike most spirits they usually don't change their forms very much, and can often be identified into various genera. However, just like in all other matters of the Umbra appearances can be deceiving. Their tendency towards embodiment both helps and hinders their summoning. Since they often have strong ties to the material world they usually answer summonings much more readily than they aetheric brethren. Unfortunately they also require bodies, and since many of them lack the ability to form their own bodies, the mage have to provide it. This can of course be problematic in the case of the more bizarre mythologae.
Most chimerae are minions, usually with very animalistic tendencies. The classical types are more powerful than the rest, and often have a power of 2 or even 3. Most powers are physical, like powerful venom, fire breathing or the ability to fly. Some chimerae are more or less intelligent, especially those with human parts like centaurs and sphinxes, but usually tend to fall prey to their animal passions when pressed. They have a power of 3 or even 4 in some individual cases.
The most typical modern mythologae are the UFOs and their beings. There are a staggering variety of ufonauts, and most are completely incomprehensible. They usually appear to isolated people, subject them to a confusing and contradictory experience, and then disappear. Sometimes they leave behind inscrutable artefacts like pieces of metals, complex mutilations, crop circles or even gifts of food. Some mages believe they are a modern form of faeries, while others believe they represent beings from the Realm of Mystery.
Other modern mythologae are found in urban folklore, like sewer crocodiles, predatory insects, poltergeists or serial killers. They are usually not very strong beings, and disappear as soon as disbelievers approaches to avoid Paradox.
Great Animals are closely related to the Totem Animals, and may be the same. If a mage (or sleeper) impresses them for some reason, they can adopt him. As long as he follows and respects the animal, he will be protected, guided and taught by his Totem. In fact, there is a strong overlap between the Great Animals and other nature spirits.
Another division is cultural, between the western and eastern dragons. Western dragons tend towards more physical existence, often with a bulky, definite lizard-shape and an intense hunger for material wealth and food. Eastern dragons are more elemental, and often have less defined forms. Instead they appear to enjoy political and magickal power more, and often surround themselves with courts of lesser beings in great palaces in their home realms, while western dragons are generally solitary and prefer natural caves. Eastern dragons also appear to take less interest in the material world, while western dragons often seek to breach the Gauntlet.
Most dragons can easily defeat even a Master in magick, and are roughly equivalent to a Lord or Greater Preceptor. Beside magicks such as Forces, they are often quite powerful in Mind and Spirit, not to mention numerous other spheres. Their physical abilities are no less impressive, and many are invulnerable to ordinary weapons. However, their greatest strength is spiritual. The dragon mind is alien and more dangerous than any magick. Its sharp as a razor, practically impossible to befuddle, and when it strikes it strikes like a cobra. Many dragons dominate people simply by their sheer presence or their titanic will.
Up to the Spirit PageAnders Sandberg / nv91-asa@nada.kth.se