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Scribed by Turold

Spring 1144 AD


Another spring, but sadly old arguments continue with the antipathy between Antonius and Madoc becoming ever more blatant. It seems that the peasant hero Paul of Ludlow was slain last Autumn and the tales say that a welsh war wizard was responsible for his death, a man 10 feet tall who could not be touched by the steel of blades. Antonius asked Madoc whether the brigands that he had met may in fact have been this man Paul and his men. Madoc responded aggressively, saying that he had no reason to believe so. Audacia supported the younger magus stating that we all had a right to defend ourselves when attacked by mundanes. Antonius agreed but stated that as Paul was such a significant figure, buried in Gloucester Cathedral, then council should have been informed. Madoc again said that he believed that he had battled with brigands but Antonius stated that he believed Madoc would not have mentioned the issue at all if Antonius had not asked him why he had returned with an injured man. At this there was some considerable unpleasantness between my two sodales. After some time things calmed down and we agreed as a council that if any were forced to use overt magic against the mundanes then council would be informed. Antonius said that he would try and establish whether the death had been caused by Madoc and if so ensure that there was no link with Severn Temple. Then Ruaridh, rather unwisely given the previous heated passions, asked Madoc if there was any element of his story he wished to change prior to Antonius looking into the matter. The Criamon magus immediately stormed out of council and we were forced to adjourn for an hour whilst I spoke with him. Eventually he was persuaded to return and he was gracious enough to apologise for not reporting the fight immediately. In turn Antonius apologised for his hot temper. With all calmed we were able to ascertain there and then that description of the two events matched and that it was indeed our sodalis who had slain the English folk champion. I am however sure that with Antonius' skills in the mundane sphere there will be nothing further heard of this matter. As to his and Madoc's differences I only hope they can find a way to settle them in the future that we not suffer such disruption to our business. Antonius and Ruaridh were able to confirm that the stone that Madoc had found was tied to the old legend of Gwynenbach as the etchings represented a man leaping from a cauldron and transforming into a variety of creatures. The area contains a magic aura of perhaps the 3rd magnitude but the magic within the stone is not hermetic. They used the mask that I had created so many years ago to look in the ground around the stone and were able to recover an old and tarnished bronze coin that contained 1 pawn of Muto vis. Not a great amount perhaps, but enough to register this as a vis site and thus avoid any repetition of the looting of the Saxon King's tomb. I will examine this stone at greater length over the course of summer.

The other matter we discussed as a council concerned Antonius and Ruaridh's further investigation into the matter of Red Morley. Having been granted authority by William to deal with the now abandoned house where the attack had taken place they had found signs of a clawed creature with evidence that it had burst into the building through the windows. They reported that there was a presence of the infernal although they could find no more information. They examined Snigs End shortly afterwards but they could find no sign that any ritual had been carried out there.

For the seasons activities Audacia was adding an enchantment to her newly created talisman with Aelfwin doing more work on the glassworks. Antonius rode abroad on the service of the covenant, Madoc spent his time learning Circle of Beast Warding and I spent the season completing my creation. Ruaridh announced that he would be learning to use the shortsword, and he, myself and Audacia also agreed that what spare time we had during the year we would test each other with our respective melee weapons (I having already spent some time learning to use a broadsword).

Again the rest of the season was relatively quiet, although the one unusual occurrence is of great irritation. A few weeks into spring I noticed that Tegwarod seemed to be tired and listless and when I examined the Silver Birch that he resides in found it sickening, with spots upon its bark and leaves. Casting an Intellego Herbam spell I was able to see that the enchantment was much deeper. Sarah also examined it and between us we established that it was a natural disease but caused by spores from the Morfan's part of the forest (whether sent deliberately or brought back accidentally I do not yet know). I flew to Cad Gadu and there made request of Edith for her aid. Given that our relationship has never been that cordial I expected some of the manner in which she behaved towards me, but I was surprised that after so little displeasure she agreed to help in exchange for an item that I would craft in Autumn. She brewed a herbal remedy that slowed down the disease while she developed a spell to effect a more permanent remedy. Before she had returned at the end of the season that brew began to wear off but Sarah was able to recreate the blend and when Edith returned that maga was able to preserve the tree and my companion who resides within it. I hope that this may be the start of a thawing in relations between myself and Edith for in truth I feel some guilt about the manner in which I may have treated her in the past.

Summer

This is the last season that I must scribe for the time being and once again it passed without traumatic event. Perhaps I can dare hope that our covenant now firmly embeds itself in its own Summer for despite the many matters that we must still resolve I sense that there is a greater strength in the concilium and a diversity that means we are more able to face a variety of challenges. At council my sodales were once more prepared to recompense me for the vis used in restoring the tree although the time I shall spend will be my own. Antonius brought report that he had got the businesses up and running again as the Welsh have now surrendered. It seems that the old Baron of Chepstow is now the Earl of Gloucester and due to Antonius' efforts we can count him as a friend. There is a new knight at Coleford but there is as yet no attempt made to resettle Clearwell. He has also managed to recruit a glass-smith, a man who will certainly prove useful given Aelfwin's efforts.

Antonius stated that he would be spending the season in Blackthorn on some hermetic business, with Ruaridh again involved in investigations and Audacia tutoring Bethwyn. Aelfwin said he would be working in his alchemical laboratory while for our services I travelled to visit the stone, with Madoc again exploring the forest.

I initially travelled with Madoc to reach the stone. On the first night Raegwulf claimed that a spirit had come but there was some argument between Madoc and himself resulting in him leaving us for the night. Whilst I am aware that he is Madoc's consortis I must say that his manner is arrogant in the extreme and I suggested to my young sodalis that he should not tolerate such. The next day we cast around but could not find the stone. I flew into the air and was easily able to find the hill but when I called for the others they did not come. A short walk later I was with them but as I attempted to retrace my steps was again unable to find the place.

It seems that it is protected and Raegwulf agreed that if his spirit guide returned he would lead us all to that place. After I had made camp there Madoc departed and it seems that once more his skill in exploration came to the fore. During his journey, centred around Petrus' old forest laboratory, he met with a talking Badger whose speech was coarse beyond belief. Despite this the creature was able to direct him to a small waterfall underneath which was a small pool containing silvery moss. Madoc took half of this plant and on returning discovered that it contained 3 pawns of Vim vis. If this proves to be a renewing source this is a momentous discovery indeed for this is certainly one of the rarest forms of vis to be found in such a form.

It seems that Ruaridh's investigations were less successful but also full of importance. While he was flying, invisibly, through mid Wales he felt his Parma tested and the bitter smell of sulphur hanging in the air. He landed in order to erect a ward against demons and continued his flight. Again he was pressed and as soon as he was close enough he apported back to the covenant. Discussing it with my sodales he wondered whether it was an infernal spirit set to guard the sky. Audacia felt that this might be a matter best brought to the attention of Holy Isle but Ruaridh demurred, stating that he could see no link with the un-named house. Instead he and Audacia would travel back to Wales at the end of the season. This they did but I understand that they saw or felt no sign of this creature. For myself my studies of the stone passed smoothly. Indeed there are a great number of powerful effects in this stone and I believe that just the study of it has given me greater insights into the underlying theory of magic. I am looking forward to relaying my discoveries to my sodales at council when tomorrow dawns.

Scribed by Madoc

Autumn


The council meeting began with Ruaridh asking why Antonius was not present. After a discussion where I declared that if he chose not to attend that was his own business, it was decided by the senior magi that Ruaridh should fly up to Blackthorn to discover his whereabouts. The Council meeting resumed the next day with Antonius then present. When I asked about his absence in a good-natured way I was rebuffed and told it was a matter of Hermetic law and I should not poke my nose into it. At this Turold rapidly started to discuss his findings of the previous season to prevent a full-blown argument starting. He explained that the Myrthin stone was an ancient item crafted about the 6th century and that there were 7 forms present on it. These are Wolf, Falcon, Boar, Salmon, Stag, Griffin and Dragon. He had managed to activate the stone for the first 6 forms but unfortunately not the 7th. It appears that the form lasts for one day from dusk till dawn or from dawn to dusk and can be activated at will. It also appears that each form can be used but once a day so no army of griffins would be available to us. Antonius at this point asked if we should mount a guard on such a powerful item to which I responded that unless guided there you would not find it on foot as it was magically warded. Turold agreed with me and Antonius withdrew his suggestion as unnecessary. When I described how we were initially led there by a spirit, Audacia piped up that she would like to destroy this spirit as it might lead undesirables to the site. We then agreed for her to accompany Turold to the site when next he travels there to interrogate this spirit to learn of its knowledge. Antonius grudgingly informed us that Lazarus is now Primus Tytalus and he would not expand on the statement that at the house meeting some game was played for the leadership of the house. I do not understand these Tytalans constantly playing their games, do they not realise that the struggle for wisdom is a serious affair and that all these games do is distract them from the goal that is understanding? During the season Turold constructed some device for Edith and also found time to visit the Vim Vis pool I was led to by the uncouth Badger. Indeed, it appeared that the badger was quite subdued by Turold's presence and some form of similarity struck me. Perhaps because they both linked to the earth in some way. The Badger had struck one of the grogs, Simeon, blind and it was only through Turold's intervention that it agreed to remove the spell it had put upon our man. It turned out that this Badger was called Arwel and I declare that as it was a magical beast any that hurt it would suffer death.

Ruaridh extracted Vim Vis for the Aegis to be cast at the start of winter. I spent much of the season installing my friend Raegwulf in Petrus' old lab as he seems to grate on the nerves of the other Magi. I thought it wise, as he is not my Amicus, to place him outside any retribution certain Magi may feel they owe me. I have already lost one friend through malignant actions of my Sodalis and would hate to lose another.

Audacia this season started to develop a huge Perdo Auram Affect for the foray into Swallowcliffe next year. Aelfwin learnt glass smithing from the smith we have recently hired and Antonius, seeing the benefits that having Arian has brought me, studied from the Animal texts.

Later in the season, Myra of Carrion Moor came to talk to Turold about a problem she had regarding an unseelie earth fae that had abducted a friendly wind fae that might eventually become her familiar. Turold supposed that this was in some way a copy of the way Gofannon had taken Llinifan as his bride. After confirming his suspicions with Gofinwe, he travelled with Myra to a fae Regio near Carrion Moor. They entered the Regio via a spell of Myra's and then descended into it till they came to a cave where the evil earth Fae called Golmorden lived. Turold intelligently supposed that to enter its realm would be dangerous therefore he attempted to lure it out by attacking its home. Myra, on seeing this, joined in but her lightening was deflected and struck Tegwared by mistake. The Golmorden reacted by casting a might magic of his own causing the earth to turn into a wave and it struck Tegwared mightily. Only after much effort was Turold able to free Tegwared from the piles of earth that had surmounted him and then thinking that the Golmorden might have spent itself on such an attack he bravely ventured down into the depths to fight with the evil Fae. He then confronted the Fae in its lair, where caged up was the wind Fae. He fought a mighty battle with the Fae and was nearly bested several times but eventually prevailed by destroying the Golmorden's heart. He then freed the wind Fae and returned to Carrion Moor where his wounds were succoured and he returned home to work on the item for Edith.

Late in the season I started to investigate the boar tide but was informed by a vision of Raegwulf's that the tide was in some way related to the ladra. When questioned, Idris informed me to learn of the ancient ways to placate the ladra to learn of her wisdom.

Winter

At council we were informed of the previous season's happenings and applauded Turold for his bravery. Audacia stated that she would be finishing here Perdo Auram spell. Turold decided to teach Clifford. Antonius studied from Mentem Vis. Ruaridh created a spell and Aelfwin studied alchemy.

Turold, early in the season, flew to Lear Valley to deliver the item he had made for Edith. He was assailed by a storm on the way there and took shelter in a cave. That night an Imp attacked him and tired by his flight and attempts to destroy the imp with spontaneous magics fell asleep. The imp stole his Sigil, which frightened Turold who upon waking went, and summoned Audacia to kill the imp. This she did but when attempting to dig out the Sigil from where it had been buried accidentally destroyed the Sigil as well as the surrounding earth.

Later in the Season the redcap Lorretius arrives bringing news both hermetic and mundane. Of the news mundane it befell that talks between the Welsh and English have led to peace! Under this agreement the Dean again becomes English. In Normandy Duke Geoffrey had asked King Henry for help. There was a fire in Hereford cathedral, which damaged it greatly; indeed the archbishop's house was burnt down. The Archbishop of Canterbury wants to sell church land to crown but was being opposed by the Archbishop of Hereford. Saracens have captured a few castles namely Odessa in the Levant. Of Hermetic news Levant magus Nicestus, Corlears first apprentice has discovered ancient runes of Verditius which will make his items much sought after in the order and should see him become a rising star in the House with perhaps the ear of Boran Primus Verditius. Indeed the Primus has asked for a demonstration of these runes and may reward the magus with some formal reward.

Later in season Archimagus Jolyon arrived and performed a ritual he had devised to summon a building that contains our great hall and sundry other rooms.
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