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Scribed by Cormoran

Spring 1206 AD


The river valley is awash with colour, the pinks and whites of the the trees calling out to one another in courtship, so like a village dance with everyone in their best clothes trying to catch the attention of the handsome man. Of all the lovely blossoms that decorate the trees and shower down their petals with every breath of breeze, there is nothing so sweet or fair to me as the delicate blooms of the apple tree.

At the council meeting, Marius stated he would be going off to war in the service of the king in northern France. Tiarnan stated he would leave for Loch Legaen to save his friend Marissa with aid from McKeith the spirit master from Holy Isle covenant. It seems interesting that Tiarnan can get McKeith's help but Erin's help is denied to others. Presumably one of the benefits of being an Archimagus.

During this season, I developed a device to purify the applejack to remove any impurities.

Later in the season, two Magi came to stay with us. They are apparently seeking a covenant to stay in and we need new blood. There was a Verditius called Fabius and a Tytalan called Idolon. They seemed nice and I hope my demeanour did not scare them. I showed them around the covenant and described the pleasures of living here to them then left them to their own devices.

Summer

The spring bubbles and gurgles like a baby that I suppose it is for as it flows down the hill it is joined by other springs growing in maturity like a teenager, till it meets the mighty Severn and matures into the river it self, full of power and glory. As it flows south west, it widens and slows into old age until it finally fades and dies into the Hibernian sea.

No one turned up to the council meeting, but that was not that surprising with Marius abroad, Tiarnan up in the highlands and Cynfellen binding his familiar.

During this season, I determined to refine my applejack, trying to make a very smooth version that would suit the palate of a noblewoman, my plan being to go to my tower in the winter in the Fae regio and appease the Erechwyth with a gift of the drink. Unfortunately the apple proved more powerful than myself and I could not take the bite out of the drink.

The two Magi seemed well settled in and I joined them occasionally for ale at the pub. They seem pleasant and I will vote for their inclusion, I'm sure.

Apart from that, no news was received and I remain the sole guardian of the temple.

Autumn

Nature's bounty is upon us; she showers us with her gifts: fruit from the trees, grain from the earth and covering all leaves of gold. I think the Pontifex sometimes wishes that the leaves were gold so that we might be free from mundane financial concerns, but they are fleeting like the season turning brown and breaking up in your hand like rusty metal till all is left is dust, but the trunk remains solid and strong, the core of the being surviving the winds and frosts of autumn, waiting and sleeping till spring's dawn. As we walk the forest in Autumn, the leaves crunch below our feet a carpet of gold that makes the forest floor look like it's on fire.

The council met and Marius told us the news from foreign lands. Apparently he had been fighting hard for the king but even so many castles in french held lands had been lost to the french king. I do not understand why Marius cannot use subtle magics to sweep the french troops before his welsh warband, but he stated that if he did, Magi supporting the french king would do the same.

As I was due to go and assist Edith as a covenant service, Marius agreed to stay in the covenant and learn a spell. This season I went to Lear Valley and assisted Edith in the lab. For this service she provided a few potions of Demon's Eternal Oblivion of the eleventh magnitude.

The season passed peacefully for me in Lear Valley and for Marius in Severn Temple and I hoped that Cynfelyn had a successful season finishing binding his hound familiar.

Winter

I heard an entertainer in Lydney tell this poem, he said it was an old one from Hibernia. I preserve it here in our journal for our sodalis in later years to remember and enjoy.

"The stag bells, winter snows, summer has gone
Wind high and cold, the sun low, short its course
The sea running high.
Deep red the bracken; its shape is lost;
The wild goose has raised its accustomed cry,
Cold has seized the birds' wings;
Season of ice, this is my news."

We met at the council and again the Pontifex was missing, I hope that some help may come to him in the spirit world, may the old gods grant it so. We decided to give the Anu's acorns to Idolon and Fabius and I explained to them the possible benefits of burying them. I think I persuaded Idolon but fear the attraction of free vis may be too much for our Verditius Magus guest. At the start of the Council, we were introduced to Maelgwyn, Cynfelyn's new familiar. He seems a shaggy hound; I seem to remember him being ginger and brown but now he is silver and black, whilst Cynfelyn has taken the hound's old colors. The hound was respectful and seemed to be bright and attentive, which is more than can be said for the Pontifex's familar. As covenant service Cynfelyn created a device to create wind for the sails of our ship. I trained my apprentice Frioc this season, Marius went and checked on the spy network and also checked on what happened with the missed Tribunal this summer.

Later in the Season the redcap Alanus arrived. After knocking the snow from his boots and having a walming meal he reported to the council the following news. The Earl of York seems to have taken the role of spokesman for the unhappy barons and was going to take a list of demands to King John in London. The attacks to our north on the tax collectors were unatural, as the men had been wounded through their armour but without the armour being damaged. Of Hermetic news, the reason for no Tribunal was explained as Blywyddan covenant would be declared lost and the Praeco wanted a proper investigation to make sure no foul play had been enacted. Because of this, we were informed that the Tribunal would now meet in the summer of 1208.

Because of the news from Bridgnorth, we decided to have the spies in that area keep a low profile to avoid being detected by infernal means; better to have news tomorrow than never to hear from them again.

We also received a message from Arctoria explaining that McKeidd had gone into the spirit world many times to try and find Tiarnan but to no avail, The spirit master has stated that unless Tiarnan leaves the spirit world soon he will start to suffer from the effects of twighlight as the magic in that place penetrates to the very core of a mortal stuck there. The plan is for Marissa to collect Kai from the covenant in spring and take him to Carron Valley where McKeidd will use the connection between Familiar and Magus to assist him in location our wayward sodalis.

The rest of the season passed uneventfully and another year passed into the journal.
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