The Story of Profanus

Profanus had a childhood shrouded in misery and fear, and denies that he ever had a 'vulgar' name. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland to a wealthy merchant family. His mother withered and died giving birth to him, and during a few years his father seemed to age quickly and finally passed away. He looked like half a century would weigh on his shoulders, although he was only in his thirties. The boy had an terrible effect on people's aging.

Like so many other gifted children, Profanus was treated with suspicion and hate. This was not without a reason, because he had influence on people's health. Those who picked on him would find themselves stricken with illness or painful physical defects. This of course made the hate towards the young lad only stronger. It came to an end when he was badly beaten up at a marketplace in the middle of the day. No one had come to help him, as a couple of teenagers had changed him into a crying heap of bruises in a pool of blood. Shaking of rage, he pointed at the laughing bullys and wished they were dead. Quickly their flesh started to rot, and soon they were nothing but skeletons on the ground.

Profanus did not get a trial before he was tied to a pole and a fire was lit underneath. The clergy had been quick about capturing burning him, for he was "clearly possessed by a demon". The burnmarks on his skin remind him of the horror to this day, and he has not been able to overcome his fear of clergy since they captured and tried to take his life. It all would have ended, if Putredus, follower of Tytalus would not saved him in an imressive show of flames, smoke and a few snapped spines.

Putredus was from the nearby covenant of Agnus Coctus, and had discovered Profanuses gift during visits to Edinburgh. He took the scared boy to the covenant, where he started the fifteen-year-long hermetic training. The young apprentice soon learned to like his master and other covenfolk, for they treated him with, if not with respect, at least politeness.

The apprenticeship was hard, but rewarding. Putredus was a strict teacher, and taught Profanus how to manipulate his power over the human body. The keen and exceptionally fast-learning apprentice spent hours of his free time in the mortuary, developing a morbid interest in dead people, as well as an affinity for death and aging. He was always bothered about the fact that his magic would not affect ones buried by church and had also difficulties accepting divinity as a higher power, therefore his magic is always weakened by the precense of holiness more than other magi's.

In fifteen years, Profanus had not only become master of corpus art, but had developed an understanding and appreciation for human body. For him the most important thing is his control over human life, also with the aid of magic. Although he has great control over magic, to him it is only the means of increase the understanding of life, aging and death. That is why he has an habit of saying "Ars brevis, vita longa". For him, this actually is so, because the effects of his magic are often short-lived.

As Putredus follows traditions of Tytalus, he was allowed to choose any kind of apprentices gauntlet he wanted for Profanus. The task was to physically harm the master. Profanus tried his spells many times, testing spontaneous magic and his master's spellbooks, but always the parma magica was unbeatable. Putredus was about to enjoy one more year of lab-assistance, but as he was smiling Profanus took his staff and hit him in the face. After Profanus was announced a magus and his hermetic name was given by his master, he set out to meet challenges that would make him worthy in his house. He saw an opportunity in the newly founded covenant of Insula Maledictus, full of challenges and danger. One day, if he survives on this cursed island, Profanus will be the greatest among corpus magi.

Argyle: "Profanus, would you mind casting Charm Against Putrefaction on your collection of human hearts? It smells really horrible even in my sanctum, and I'm unable to concentrate in making plans for conquering England!"

Tomas: "Now, Profanus, be nice and give the good man back his spleen, will you? No, wait... (smells around)... it contains vis. Give it to me, godsdammit!"

Nelly: "No, Profanus, I won't let you do medical experiments on my faerie friends. Yes, they would be offended."

Bearnard: "What the BLOODY BLOODY BLOODY HELL are you doing?! No, I am not dead, I was talking with the earth! Now put that scalpel away."

Brother Bruce: "Hey! Hey! Stop digging the graves open! That's blasphemy!"