Scribed by Lothar
Spring 1104 AD
Osric our steward went on a buying spree and bought a bowl for Turold and two Irish wolf hounds for myself. Godwin, a self proclaimed demon hunter, and his assistant Andrew arrived at the covenant and were briefed by Ruaridh on our demon problem. I had such a hard battle with the demon that I do not understand how these non Magi hope to best it. Idris was obviously upset by their arrival as they are blatantly Christian. At the time of the Spring equinox Idris conducted a ritual of Anu by the pool. All it seemed to me to be was a big party and I joined in with gusto. A few days later Quaesitor Jania arrives and started her investigations. She initially went to the heart of the forest and cast eyes of the past, observing Idris leaving the glade just before I was attacked by the Demon and so proving him a liar. Back at the covenant we questioned Idris and after several minutes of questioning we revoked his good standing (as per the charter) as he has obviously lied to us on several occasions. Then Jania questioned him using various magics, and when he answered a question about associating with House Diedne in the affirmative she rendered him unconscious and stated that he will have to go to Holy Isle Covenant for further questioning. The next day Idris’s unconscious body was loaded onto our boat and Varsavia and Ruaridh travelled with Jania as her Hoplites. That night while Varsavia was on guard Idris somehow overcame the spell Jania had cast on him and smashed Varsavia in the head with a bit of Iron ore that was left in the hold of the boat. He then made his escape over the side. The next morning when Ruaridh went to relieve Varsavia all he found was her corpse, her blood covering the bottom of the boat. Ruaridh flew back to the covenant to bring us the news and collected two vials of Idris’s blood to use in locating rituals which he then flew to Holy Isle covenant. The Boat returned a few days later and Varsavia’s body was taken to the Summer Glade in the faerie regio. There Llyn y Fan appeared and took her up into Arcadia.
Summer
The summer meeting was full of discussion over what we should do about Idris and it was decided that we should be vigilant and if he should come back we will kill him without hesitation. A few days later we saw lights in the sky and a halo around the sun, usually thought to be a bad omen, and the grogs were worried. Stassius the red cap arrived and brought us the news that Henry of Normandy, assisted by the King of France had fought successful battles against the armies of Black Hugh. Hugh met his uncle and agreed to pay 1000 marks in reparation to Duke Henry in return for a peace treaty. It is said that no sooner was Black Hugh upon a ship for England that he renounced the pact with his uncle, swearing that he would yet bring Henry to his knees. As for Hermetic news, Du Clerc has requested confirmation from Tyriania that magi are not obligated to send men or mundane resources at the command of the King. Tyriania has confirmed that because no mundane can be the master of a magus that even royal commands may be refused; however - this cannot be used to bring magi in conflict with the mundanes. Krekaranius has warned that the recent solar halo seen throughout England is a warning that evil is abroad in the land. He counsels that each covenant should prepare their defences for the storm to come. Venius and Darius have travelled to the Loch Legaen Tribunal to investigate rumours that the unnamed house has been active there. Holy Isle and Blywyddan covenants have mounted a search for Idris, they believe that he may be hiding within a regio somewhere in Wales. They will attend Severn Temple covenant to continue their investigation and the case will be brought to the next Tribunal.
Autumn
Half way through this season a great storm descended on us and a bolt of lightning hit the tower killing one of our grogs. Then from the skies a screech of anger and a Griffin descended on us. Maddog organised his men into a spear block, but it proved of little use against so mighty a foe and quickly one grog after another was lifted into the air and dropped with a dull thud onto the hard earth. Maddog’s men held firm until Maddog himself was subject to this treatment, at which point they broke for the buildings. The Griffin then started to attack the doors to the Great hall and while Turold and Petrus took cover in the cellars I started to summon bears to fight this magical creature. While I was distracting it Ruaridh made himself invisible and then began to cast lightning bolts of his own to defeat the creature. After a few blasts of his magic the Griffin turned in fear and flew away. Ceadwith tried to help the wounded all she could but still we lost four grogs, Aelfwold to the lightning and Bedwyn, Howell and Dogfael to the Griffin.
Scribed by Petrus
Winter
It is perhaps with a heavy heart that I, Petrus, take up once more the task of recording the events and times of our covenant. As we met for our first concilium of winter we were all painfully aware of the two absences from our council table: Idris, the renounced traitor, now fled and hidden perhaps within some regio in Wales; and Varsavia, lost to us by Idris's treachery. The council meeting was a sombre affair; Ruaridh will study from three pawns of Perdo vis, Turold shall continue his studies of his late pater's notes, and I shall develop a sixth magnitude version of Maintain the Demanding Spell. We discussed Lothar's covenant service, and decided that given the fears we have of another attack by the unnamed house we would send him to Blackthorn. I have sent him with a letter to my Pater, Xeros, requesting a copy of a ninth magnitude version of Aegis of the Hearth.
Lothar raised the matter of warning the surrounding villages about the return of the demon. We feel that his appearence, despite his gentle gift, means that it would be wiser if Thurstan carries out the task, and attempts to recruit new grogs in the process. It appears that Lothar also wishes to move into Varsavia's sanctum, her laboratory in a better state of progress than his own. The council decides that it must be undisturbed until the Quaesitor arrive to investigate Idris, and the possible role that Varsavia took in assisting his escape. Lothar, again, suggests that we could allow him to travel to other covenants during this season to try and exchange vis. He is keen to continue his studies of Animal. We decide that given the amount of vis we can expect as part of our deal with Carrion Moor, it would be foolish to try and deal with a vis rich covenant like Blackthorn at this time. For a copy of our Mentem Books we are expecting nine books of Imagonem and four and twenty pawns of vis. Given that they have a source of Animal, we may hope for some of that form upon concluding our deal at the next Tribunal.
At the time of mid-winter, after the feast we hold each year, Ruaridh reports to us a strange and disturbing dream. In this dream he is standing on the tower looking over the courtyard to the north battlements. A storm gathers with preternatural haste and Ruaridh can see the covenant's grogs manning the battlements and making their way into the great hall. Then he is visited by the Morrigan who tells him, again, to honour her in the old ways in return for her aid in the fight. The dream apparently ended with the tower being struck by lightning. I know not what to make of such a dream, in truth. Indeed, Ruaridh's reference to the Morrigan as a 'god' caused me no small concern; that Idris's superstitious ways have come to infect the surviving members of this covenant. We agreed to discuss this matter again in spring. Thus the season and the year concluded.
Spring 1104 AD
Osric our steward went on a buying spree and bought a bowl for Turold and two Irish wolf hounds for myself. Godwin, a self proclaimed demon hunter, and his assistant Andrew arrived at the covenant and were briefed by Ruaridh on our demon problem. I had such a hard battle with the demon that I do not understand how these non Magi hope to best it. Idris was obviously upset by their arrival as they are blatantly Christian. At the time of the Spring equinox Idris conducted a ritual of Anu by the pool. All it seemed to me to be was a big party and I joined in with gusto. A few days later Quaesitor Jania arrives and started her investigations. She initially went to the heart of the forest and cast eyes of the past, observing Idris leaving the glade just before I was attacked by the Demon and so proving him a liar. Back at the covenant we questioned Idris and after several minutes of questioning we revoked his good standing (as per the charter) as he has obviously lied to us on several occasions. Then Jania questioned him using various magics, and when he answered a question about associating with House Diedne in the affirmative she rendered him unconscious and stated that he will have to go to Holy Isle Covenant for further questioning. The next day Idris’s unconscious body was loaded onto our boat and Varsavia and Ruaridh travelled with Jania as her Hoplites. That night while Varsavia was on guard Idris somehow overcame the spell Jania had cast on him and smashed Varsavia in the head with a bit of Iron ore that was left in the hold of the boat. He then made his escape over the side. The next morning when Ruaridh went to relieve Varsavia all he found was her corpse, her blood covering the bottom of the boat. Ruaridh flew back to the covenant to bring us the news and collected two vials of Idris’s blood to use in locating rituals which he then flew to Holy Isle covenant. The Boat returned a few days later and Varsavia’s body was taken to the Summer Glade in the faerie regio. There Llyn y Fan appeared and took her up into Arcadia.
Summer
The summer meeting was full of discussion over what we should do about Idris and it was decided that we should be vigilant and if he should come back we will kill him without hesitation. A few days later we saw lights in the sky and a halo around the sun, usually thought to be a bad omen, and the grogs were worried. Stassius the red cap arrived and brought us the news that Henry of Normandy, assisted by the King of France had fought successful battles against the armies of Black Hugh. Hugh met his uncle and agreed to pay 1000 marks in reparation to Duke Henry in return for a peace treaty. It is said that no sooner was Black Hugh upon a ship for England that he renounced the pact with his uncle, swearing that he would yet bring Henry to his knees. As for Hermetic news, Du Clerc has requested confirmation from Tyriania that magi are not obligated to send men or mundane resources at the command of the King. Tyriania has confirmed that because no mundane can be the master of a magus that even royal commands may be refused; however - this cannot be used to bring magi in conflict with the mundanes. Krekaranius has warned that the recent solar halo seen throughout England is a warning that evil is abroad in the land. He counsels that each covenant should prepare their defences for the storm to come. Venius and Darius have travelled to the Loch Legaen Tribunal to investigate rumours that the unnamed house has been active there. Holy Isle and Blywyddan covenants have mounted a search for Idris, they believe that he may be hiding within a regio somewhere in Wales. They will attend Severn Temple covenant to continue their investigation and the case will be brought to the next Tribunal.
Autumn
Half way through this season a great storm descended on us and a bolt of lightning hit the tower killing one of our grogs. Then from the skies a screech of anger and a Griffin descended on us. Maddog organised his men into a spear block, but it proved of little use against so mighty a foe and quickly one grog after another was lifted into the air and dropped with a dull thud onto the hard earth. Maddog’s men held firm until Maddog himself was subject to this treatment, at which point they broke for the buildings. The Griffin then started to attack the doors to the Great hall and while Turold and Petrus took cover in the cellars I started to summon bears to fight this magical creature. While I was distracting it Ruaridh made himself invisible and then began to cast lightning bolts of his own to defeat the creature. After a few blasts of his magic the Griffin turned in fear and flew away. Ceadwith tried to help the wounded all she could but still we lost four grogs, Aelfwold to the lightning and Bedwyn, Howell and Dogfael to the Griffin.
Scribed by Petrus
Winter
It is perhaps with a heavy heart that I, Petrus, take up once more the task of recording the events and times of our covenant. As we met for our first concilium of winter we were all painfully aware of the two absences from our council table: Idris, the renounced traitor, now fled and hidden perhaps within some regio in Wales; and Varsavia, lost to us by Idris's treachery. The council meeting was a sombre affair; Ruaridh will study from three pawns of Perdo vis, Turold shall continue his studies of his late pater's notes, and I shall develop a sixth magnitude version of Maintain the Demanding Spell. We discussed Lothar's covenant service, and decided that given the fears we have of another attack by the unnamed house we would send him to Blackthorn. I have sent him with a letter to my Pater, Xeros, requesting a copy of a ninth magnitude version of Aegis of the Hearth.
Lothar raised the matter of warning the surrounding villages about the return of the demon. We feel that his appearence, despite his gentle gift, means that it would be wiser if Thurstan carries out the task, and attempts to recruit new grogs in the process. It appears that Lothar also wishes to move into Varsavia's sanctum, her laboratory in a better state of progress than his own. The council decides that it must be undisturbed until the Quaesitor arrive to investigate Idris, and the possible role that Varsavia took in assisting his escape. Lothar, again, suggests that we could allow him to travel to other covenants during this season to try and exchange vis. He is keen to continue his studies of Animal. We decide that given the amount of vis we can expect as part of our deal with Carrion Moor, it would be foolish to try and deal with a vis rich covenant like Blackthorn at this time. For a copy of our Mentem Books we are expecting nine books of Imagonem and four and twenty pawns of vis. Given that they have a source of Animal, we may hope for some of that form upon concluding our deal at the next Tribunal.
At the time of mid-winter, after the feast we hold each year, Ruaridh reports to us a strange and disturbing dream. In this dream he is standing on the tower looking over the courtyard to the north battlements. A storm gathers with preternatural haste and Ruaridh can see the covenant's grogs manning the battlements and making their way into the great hall. Then he is visited by the Morrigan who tells him, again, to honour her in the old ways in return for her aid in the fight. The dream apparently ended with the tower being struck by lightning. I know not what to make of such a dream, in truth. Indeed, Ruaridh's reference to the Morrigan as a 'god' caused me no small concern; that Idris's superstitious ways have come to infect the surviving members of this covenant. We agreed to discuss this matter again in spring. Thus the season and the year concluded.