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Scribed by Daedalus

Spring 1248 AD

Having only been a member of this council for a year, it is an honour to be asked to make record in this journal. For my part, I shall endeavour to document the events affecting the covenant and the debates and decisions of council, faithfully and without prejudice. For the sake of those who come after me, who rely upon the warnings and history written in this journal, I will avoid frivolous opinion and inconsequential prattle in favour of rigour, detail and accuracy. I hope my sodales will forgive any errors I make in form, structure or grammar and know that such mistakes reflect only the humble qualities I possess as a scholar and not the diligence of my Mater’s tutelage.

The council met in full upon the first morning of the season, that being the second day of February. All Magi were present, as was Aeddyn (formerly Archimagus Marius) who resides here as a guest and attends as a non-voting member of the council. As the first point of an informal agenda, Pontifex Archimagus Astrius requested that council members present news from the previous season.

Magus Husam began by sharing matters relating to his formal role as Magna ex parte in relation to the investigation of ‘The Fells’ within the city of Bristol. Following threats to the inn-keeper and his wife, Magus Husam had arranged for the workers at the ‘Wagoner’s Rest’ to be evacuated to Lydney. So concerned was he, and his Amicus Earl Thomas De Percy, that valuable assets not fall into the hands of his former agent, that – much as the Scythians burnt crops and poisoned wells to frustrate the advance of King Darius of Persia – he arranged for this inn and his private house within Bristol to be burnt down. This drastic measure illustrates the concern that Magus Husam possesses about the growing influence of Giordino who, under the alias ‘The Italian’, now appears to serve the demonic vampire named ‘The White Lady’.

Whilst the loss of this inn will, for the short-term, have a small impact upon our finances, Magus Husam revealed that his Amicus has agreed to use royal funds to construct a traveller’s inn within Lydney. This small town has become a thriving settlement in the years since the covenant founded it and should provide sufficient patronage that our income should be restored within two years.

Magus Lysimachus revealed that an accident had occurred in his laboratory whilst he had been experimenting on a new spell. Several Magi had reported feeling a strange vibration through the walls of the tower and it appears that this accident caused a significant fire to break out in Lysimachus’ sanctum. Council was relieved to hear that Magus Lysimachus had not been injured in the event.

Quaesitor Maximus and I reported the completion of covenant services in winter. These limited enchantments have been added to the treasury for use by the council.

Aeddyn related news of the rebellion by Dafydd ap Llewellyn, Prince of Gwynedd, and his allies. The battles in the mountainous north of Powys have been indecisive, thus Earl De Percy plans an attempt to crush the rebel Prince’s supporters in Pembroke. He also relayed message that Primus Urbanus, King of England and former resident of this covenant, plans to travel to Wales as soon as he may. Pontifex Archimagus Astrius declared that the Primus would be a welcome guest should he choose to visit Severn Temple.

The second point on the informal agenda related to plans for the year. Magus Lysimachus indicated that he and Magus Husam were awaiting a reply from the Senior Red Cap of the Hibernia Tribunal, Maga Floredia. The Magi sent message seeking an arrangement with her to visit Dublin following the discovery that a ship, ‘The Ain Feann’, which they suspect of transporting goods and agents for ‘The Fells’ made its home port in that city. Given the advantages of having a Senior Red Cap as a guide within a city which may harbour a powerful diabolist, Pontifex Archimagus Astrius advised him to wait until they received a response. Magus Lysimachus agreed to this and postponed any venture to Dublin.

The third point raised for discussion was the matter of covenant services. There was expressed a view by several members of council that a fully invested item with magical effects enchanted within it to aid the exploration of Regiones would possess significant utility. The precise form and materials employed, and the nature of the magic that would be invested into such an item will be discussed outside council. However to provide sufficient vis to invest such an item, Quaesitor Maximus and I shall extract Vim vis for the covenant in spring. Pontifex Archimagus Astrius will also extract Vim vis for the covenant in summer so that we have sufficient for the recasting of the ritual ‘Aegis of the Hearth’. Also in summer, Magus Lysimachus will travel to ‘Black Road’ covenant in Normandy to deliver books we had agreed in trade and seek, in his formal capacity as Civilitor further exchanges of art, spell and mundane books. In autumn Magus Husam will travel to Bristol as part of his responsibilities as Magne ex parte for investigating ‘The Fells’ and Maga Erla will explore the forest in pursuit of rare plants with which improve our herb garden. These services were agreed without council vote.

The fourth point related to requests for covenant resources required for training and pursuits in our spare time across the year. Magus Lysimachus, Quaesitor Maximus and I applied for use of books from the mundane library; access to works on civil law, stories of occult powers and philosophy were respectively granted.

The fifth point was formal requests for covenant resources for activities in spring. Maga Erla was granted access to books on the art of Mentem. During this discussion Pontifex Archimagus Astrius declared that he would be abroad for the season at the covenant of Cad Gadu and would require use of the covenant ship.

The sixth point was the award of vis and money for the covenant services completed over the previous year. The Pontifex decided that four pawns of vis and a sum of fifty pennies would be granted for each service completed.

Before dismissing council, Pontifex Archimagus Astrius asked whether there were any other matters of business to consider. Quaesitor Maximus belatedly announced that he would be visiting the meeting of House Guernicus in the summer and would have need of the covenant ship. There was an issue with this request as Magus Lysimachus had already been granted use of the ship to travel to Normandy as part of his covenant service. The two Magi agreed a compromise rather than contest the issue in certamen. Quaesitor Maximus will have use of the ship provided he diverts to the port of Cherbourg en route, so that Magus Lysimachus can make travel to Black Road covenant.

Thus the meeting came to a close.

Daedalus’ private journal

It continues to strike me, the differences between council meetings here at Severn Temple and those I observed as an apprentice at Trevalga. Pontifex Archimagus Astrius allows fairly chaotic meetings with little formal structure to the agenda, disorderly debates and few issues put to council vote. Magi do not address proposals through the Pontifex and they frequently talk over one another, sometimes even interrupting the Pontifex. As a new magus, it is not my place to publically criticise the running of the council, but the rather laissez-faire nature of these council meetings do not lend themselves to good governance in my view. For example, Maga Erla’s covenant services appear to serve no one but herself, as only she can make use of these herbs and plants; however, as no one else appeared to question or challenge this activity, I did not feel it politic to raise objection.

On a more positive note, I recently had the pleasure of Magus Lysimachus and Quaesitor Maximus’ company over a few evenings to discuss the form and material for the fully-invested enchantment we shall undertake for covenant services in the future. We settled upon the form of a dagger, which should sympathetically assist the enchantment of ‘Rend the Mystic Veil’ that I shall work towards working and the material of a small sapphire, which should add focus to various Intellego spells to detect the boundaries of a regio and determine the aspect and magnitude of an aura. The fifteen pawns required to invest the device will require someone with considerable skill with the art of Vim. Fortunately, the Archimagus has indicated that he possesses sufficient skill to utilise so much vis in a single season.


Upon the twenty third of March, two days after the spring equinox, the Red Cap, Magus Alanus, arrived to relate news and bring messages. Magus Lysimachus received a private letter from the Senior Red Cap of the Hibernia Tribunal, Maga Floredia, which he later revealed contained an invitation to meet in the city of Dublin next year and some offer of assistance with his investigation. Of mundane news, the Red Cap told us of a victory for the Duke of York against the Scots. It is his assessment that the victory was such that the Scots should not press south of the border with England for several years. King Louis IX of France has, with Papal blessing, launched a seventh crusade. This crusade will attempt to break Egyptian military power in the region and recapture Jerusalem. It is said that King Louis intends to rally some twenty thousand men in the first half of the year. In Iberia, King Ferdinand III of Castile has recaptured the city of Seville from the Moors and Prince Alfonso X of Castile the city of Alicante. Finally, he brought the mysterious news from the Greater Alps that on the twenty-fourth night of November last year, the north side of a mountain ‘Mont Granier’ suddenly collapsed. This great mass of stone apparently crashed into the valley below destroying five villages and bringing devastation to two others. Apparently over one thousand deaths resulted from the disaster.

No other events of note occurred over the course of the season.

Summer

Upon the morning of the first day in May, the Magi of Severn Temple met in council. All Magi were present, though Aeddyn did not attend. He gave no formal notice of this absence though it was assumed he was abroad advising Earl De Percy on his efforts against the Welsh rebels.

Pontifex Archimagus Astrius requested that council members present news from the previous season and started by relating some news of his own. It appears that there is fierce fighting around Ceredigon. Following the Welsh coast on route to Cad Gadu, ‘the Severn Star’ was briefly pursued by several unidentified vessels. Not wishing confrontation with English or rebel Welsh ships in the region, the captain was forced to utilise an enchantment to out-run them. During the season, Pontifex Archimagus Astrius had called in at Holy Isle covenant. He related news that a black-sailed ship, believed to belong to the Unnamed House had been sighted amongst the western isles of Loch Leglean.

Magus Lysimachus related details of discussions relating to the creation of a fully-invested device to assist magi travelling within a regio. It appears that there will be sufficient vis to begin construction of such an item next year. This was agreed by council without a formal vote.

Activities for the season were discussed next. Quaesitor Maximus will travel to his House meeting and Magus Lysimachus will voyage with him as far as Cherbourg. Maga Erla requested use of the Mentem books and I received permission to make use of the Vim books over the course of the season. Maga Erla made an additional request of the council, that woman named ‘Agnes the Red’ be assigned to her as a shield grog. This was granted by Pontifex Archimagus Astrius without any condition or payment to the covenant required. Finally, I raised a proposal for the use of the acorns I had received from the Heart of the Forest last year. As I was uncomfortable with returning these acorns in veneration of the Anu or by exploiting them to further my personal studies, I suggested that I would look to develop watching ward rituals that could be cast using the Vim vis contained the acorns. These rituals could, I recommended, be used to hold spells to ward or extinguish fires upon the trees as a way of overcoming a significant weakness in our defence. This was approved without council vote.

No other events of note occurred over the course of the season.

Daedalus’ private journal

I could scarcely believe my ears when Maga Erla asked who the Unnamed House were at council today. It is shocking to consider how little she knows – or cares – about the history of the Order to which she belongs. I am increasingly coming to the view that she regards the Order and our covenant as an opportunity to grasp as much as she can for herself while grudgingly returning only the very minimum demanded of her. Despite trying very hard not to dislike her, I find it difficult in extremis!
I shall relate one example of how unpleasant she is. As a result of the defects from my awkward birth, I occasionally suffer pains in my left hand that keep me awake. The healer here is an exceptional and kind-hearted woman named Blanche. She is a skilled chirurgeon and herbalist and, over the course of several treatments, she managed to reduce the pain in my ruined hand. On one occasion, after receiving such a treatment, Maga Erla spied me leaving the infirmary and approached me with an impertinent air. She had the gall to ‘remind’ me that Blanche is married to Captain Constantius – with the clear implication that I was visiting the infirmary with the desire for some sort of vulgar relations. I was so shocked by this accusation that I could think of nothing to say and retreated to my sanctum immediately. Now, despite the pains in my hand keeping me awake once again, I fear calling at the infirmary in case such visits stimulate scurrilous gossip!


Autumn

The council met in full upon the first morning of the season, that being the last day in the month of July. All Magi were present, as was Aeddyn (formerly Archimagus Marius) who resides here as a guest and attends as a non-voting member of the council. As the first point of an informal agenda, Pontifex Archimagus Astrius requested that council members present news from the previous season.

Magus Lysimachus began with news of his visit to Black Road covenant in Normandy. He remarked that despite the sea journey required, that the covenant was closer than many within our Tribunal and that he hoped his visit might be the beginning of a closer relationship. Under the authority granted by the title of Civilitor, he was able to arrange trade for chapters of books on arts, a number of spells and a mundane book on faerie lore. Our part in this trade must be completed before 1255.

Rather than return directly to Severn Temple, Magus Lysimachus made use of the relatively proximity to visit the University of Paris. He described his timing as poor, as Paris was inundated with thousands of visitors flocking to the King’s call of crusade and the muster in the city. He was granted hospitality within the French Nation of the University but was unable to arrange any exchanges of knowledge between King’s College and Paris. It seems that the Rector of the University is a religious and conservative fellow more intent on suppressing works which met with Church disapproval than widening access to wisdom and learning. Indeed, it appears that religious oppression was a significant restriction for those scholars at the University, with unjust accusations of heresy used as a threat against those that might challenge orthodoxy in pursuit of knowledge.

However, Magus Lysimachus was able to make a contact within the French Nation who might one day replace the Rector. Should such an eventuality occur then he has some hope of greater trade between the two Universities. He also revealed that during his time in Paris, a limited enchantment called ‘The Traitor’s Coin’ had broken. No motion for Calamitas was raised.

Pontifex Archimagus Astrius relayed the completion of his service and mentioned also that he had travelled to Mynydd Myddyn to retrieve vis from the Maiden’s Glade and the Great Oak. There persists a regio about the Maiden’s Glade, though his short stay only cost him two days within the mundane realm.

Quaesitor Maximus explained three rulings from the meeting of House Guernicus he had attended. Primus Guernicus had apparently requested that all members of the House explain these rulings to their sodales.

The first ruling involved a formal investigation into House Bjornear and their links to the tribes of shapeshifters – some of whom had alliance with the Mongols and were declared enemies of the Order at the Emergency Grand Tribunal of 1247. Apparently, this follows the precedent of investigations into Houses Tytalus and Tremere, and will involve the questioning of all magi within the House. Quaesitor Maximus expressed the view that the purpose of this investigation was to force the leadership of House Bjornear to cooperate with active investigations against individual members of that House within the Rhine and Novgorod Tribunals. It was broadly accepted that perhaps only a handful of House Bjornear Magi might have any association with those tribes allied with the Horde.

There was informal debate on this point, with the view expressed that this ruling by House Guernicus appeared to have a political objective and might push a further wedge between House Bjornear and the rest of the Order. Quaesitor Maximus rejected the view that this could potentially cause a schism within the Order, arguing that the possibility of schism was reduced by virtue of the pressure this investigation would bring upon senior members of the House Bjornear. I offered the opinion that this investigation might undermine some of the efforts of my own Primus in fostering cooperation with House Bjornear in hunting down the shapeshifters who had attacked Coeris. Quaesitor Maximus did not respond to this point, save to reiterate his view that House Guernicus was acting for the best interests of the Order.

The second ruling, which Quaesitor Maximus suggested ‘may annoy and upset’ members of the council, was a ruling that members of House Guernicus would open peaceful discussions with representatives from the Brothers in Christ sect. He related that an Archimagus of his House had met with a Brother who expressed the wish to step back from potential conflict with the Order. This contact expressed regrets for ‘mistakes made in the past’ and had offered to engage in negotiation with the Order in order to secure a ‘chance for peace’.

It was clear that many members of the council had strong feelings about this ruling. Pontifex Archimagus Astrius and Aeddyn reminding the council of the death of Magus Giraldus and the manipulation of Houses Mercere and Guernicus in the case against Aeddyn when he held the title of Archimagus Marius. There were a number of legal questions about what Magi within Stonehenge or members of House Ex-Miscellanea could or could not do against members of the Brothers in Christ sect. There was also discussion about the legality of House Guernicus’ negotiations if they took place within Stonehenge.

The third ruling related to an accusation against Primus Urbanus and his Amicus Aeddyn and the decision of the House to formally investigate a charge of ‘interference in mundane affairs’. Quaesitor Maximus related that the House had evidence from Primus Urbanus’ own lips that he had, as a young magus, once used the spell ‘Aura of Ennobled Presence’ to help him negotiate with some of the Princes of Wales. Despite no consequences arising from this fairly innocuous use of magic, House Guernicus had debated whether this indicated a wider abuse of magic in the gaining or maintaining temporal influence. The investigation into the Primus and his Amicus will be conducted by a yet-to-be-named Archimagus of the House.

Early in the discussion about this ruling, Aeddyn lost his temper. He raised his voice and was somewhat intemperate towards Quaesitor Maximus. Aeddyn quickly apologised to the council for his outburst and absented himself for the remainder of the council. Pontifex Archimagus Astrius raised no sanction against him and Quaesitor Maximus did not ask for any sanction to be applied for the discourtesy.

It came to light that during the House meeting, Quaesitor Maximus had revealed Aeddyn’s actions against the monks of Tintern in the winter of 1245 to his Primus. Whilst I had not been present for the events, I had read that there had been an agreement within council not to mention this matter to any outside the covenant. Pontifex Archimagus Astrius did not raise the issue, but I asked whether Quaesitor Maximus’ actions left him open to the charge of Delictum under the charter. Quaesitor Maximus considered this question and ruled that he could not be charged with Delictum for two reasons; firstly, the charter specifies that private information about one’s sodales should not be shared outside the covenant and that Aeddyn, no longer a Magus of the Order, was not counted amongst his sodales. Secondly, whilst council discussed that information pertaining to the attack upon Tintern should not be shared outside of the council – it did not formally vote upon the matter. Thus, he ruled, he had no case to answer under the code.

Following Quaesitor Maximus’ ruling, I formally withdrew the motion for a charge under the charter. However, Magus Husam insisted that a charge of Delictum was raised and a punishment of three seasons of service voted upon. Quaesitor Maximus referred Magus Husam to either the Senior Quaesitor or the Tribunal to overturn his ruling. Perhaps recognising that to do either of these things would require the information the council wished to keep confidential becoming more widely known, Pontifex Archimagus Astrius declared that whilst the spirit had been broken, by the letter of the charter Quaesitor Maximus had not acted unlawfully so no charge would be heard before the council.

The last business of the council was concluded swiftly. I was permitted access to the Vim text for study. Pontifex Archimagus Astrius explained that he would be abroad this season. He intended to travel to Narwold covenant where they had reported unquiet spirits fleeing the fens and expressed the concern that an ‘ancient enemy’ may have returned. It was also noted that Maga Erla will accompany Pontifex Archimagus Astrius to the Heart of the Forest during this season, so that one other of the council is aware of how to harvest the site.

No other events of note were reported over the course of the season.

Daedalus’ private journal

A difficult council meeting with raised tempers and considerable hostility shown towards Quaesitor Maximus by some members of the council. I sympathise with some of the sentiment – the decision to undermine the efforts of Primus Tremere and launch an investigation into House Bjornear is a very unhelpful move after the progress made at the Grand Tribunal. Given the danger posed by the zealous Brothers in Christ sect, I’m very surprised that House Guernicus is planning peace talks with them. As for the ludicrous accusation against Primus Urbanus – well, it seems to represent political meddling of the worst kind from a House that should know better. My Mater once privately confided to me that House Guernicus had some serious questions to answer following the fall of House Tremere. I fear that their answer, the replacement of Primus Gregorius with Primus Praetorius was not the one we were hoping for!


Winter

Upon the morning of the last day of October, the Magi of Severn Temple met in council. Pontifex Archimagus Astrius was absent from the meeting and Aeddyn did not attend. Neither gave formal notice of this absence though we were given to understand that the man Niall had related message that Pontifex Archimagus Astrius would not attend this council. As for Aeddyn, it was assumed that he was abroad, possibly travelling to Valnastium to visit Primus Jerbiton.

Magus Lysimachus convened the meeting, acting as Pontifex by authority of his position as Ministrator to the covenant. He began by relating the news, brought to us from Niall, about the events at Narwold. It soon became apparent that we should hear this testimony from the witness himself, so Niall was invited to speak to the council and explain the disaster that befell them deep in the fens.

Pontifex Archimagus Astrius and Niall had travelled to Narwold to assist Magus Fergus in the investigation into unquiet ghosts that were roaming the lands near to the covenant. There apparently had been some problems at the covenant; Magus Salios, perhaps in the grip of a serious twilight, rewrote their covenant charter in summer barring the other magi from their laboratories and removing access to libraries, stores of vis and magical enchantments. However, Pontifex Archimagus Astrius was still minded to venture deep into the fens to uncover the source of these restless spirits.

They ventured through the marshlands that extend to the east of the covenant for most of three days, eventually arriving at a wooded hill rising out of the fens. Within this wood lay a sizeable dell with a shallow cave visible at the far end. Within this dell were three long graves, each marked with black stones at one end. Believing there might be a regio at the mouth of this cave; Pontifex Archimagus Astrius cast a spell and led Niall and Fergus within. Maelgwyn, Pontifex Archimagus Astrius’ familiar, was unwilling to enter the cave, so remained outside to keep a watch.

Inside the regio, the cave appeared littered with the detritus from some ancient dwelling and old bones. Even as Fergus spied something in the ‘spirit world’ and cast a warding circle, a figure materialised before them. The figure was a woman with long black hair, shadowy eyes and a long, dark dress tied at the waist with a leather belt. Pontifex Archimagus Astrius identified her as Mona, a dangerous spirit who slew Magus DeCamp and Maga Fulgaria in the winter of 1170. Niall reported that Pontifex Archimagus Astrius spoke with Mona in Welsh and that her attitude was hostile. He understood that she accused them of trespass and would extract a price for their crime.

The group swiftly exited the regio to discover that time had passed in the mundane realm. Pontifex Archimagus Astrius appeared suddenly overcome and fell to his knees. After a few moments the cause for this pain became apparent, as Niall espied what appeared to be Maelgwyn staggering towards them from the entrance of the dell. It was quickly clear that this was the corpse of Maelgwyn, his legs broken and his throat and belly cut wide open, being animated by some supernatural force. Pontifex Archimagus Astrius quickly dispatched this abomination and the three men returned to Narwold covenant. Niall ended by relating the message that Pontifex Archimagus Astrius would be away from the covenant this season but might be found either in the Morrigan’s hill or the Anu’s glade at the heart of the forest. No sanction under the charter for this absence was proposed by the council.

Magus Husam reported the results of his investigations in Bristol over the previous season. His former agent, Giordino – alias ‘the Italian’– has consolidated his grip over the criminal gangs in the city and extended his influence from the docks to encompass the merchant district. This brutal exertion of power has caused the rival gangs with Bristol to ally with one another for fear that their territories will be next. Magus Husam met one dock worker who described ‘the Italian’ as ‘the son of the devil’, implying the possibility that some sort of infernal pact had been sworn. It seems that Giordino maintains contact with some of his former inner circle; Dougal, a violent thug who we believe is now a vampire, ‘Little Jack’, a sizeable yet slow-witted man handy with his fists, and Roger, a clever but weedy fellow described to Magus Husam as the ‘mouth of the Italian’. In his new guise as a casual barge worker, Magus Husam, was able to infiltrate the fringes of this criminal gang, even receiving an invitation to join as a low-level ruffian.

There followed a discussion regarding plans to act against this new enemy within Bristol. Hopes of capturing Roger using mundane agents appears problematic as several agents belonging to De Percy have been killed. Magus Husam indicated that Giordino likely knew the identity of some of these agents and had assassinated them to blind us to his activities. Magus Lysimachus questioned the involvement of the watch within the city. There is a question as to the extent to which the gang has its ‘hooks’ into the watch. They may simply be taking bribes to turn a blind eye to Giordino’s activities, but it is possible that some are now working directly for the ‘the Italian’. Magus Husam will raise the prospect of using mundane agents to capture Roger and the question over the neutrality of the watch with his Amicus Earl Thomas De Percy. There was no council vote upon this proposed course of action.

Maga Erla reported that she had obtained some more plants for her herb garden. This was accepted as completion of her covenant service.

Magus Lysimachus reported that he had received a letter from Magus Arcanus in autumn offering to investigate something of the history of this site and the puzzle of Magus Lysimachus’ encounter with a magical crystal within the caves of Mynydd Myddyn in 1247. Magus Arcanus plans to travel here this season to begin such work. This proposal was accepted without council vote.

There was a brief discussion about activities for the season. Quaesitor Maximus and Maga Erla successfully petitioned the acting Pontifex for use of the Perdo and Animal texts respectively. I was awarded use of Archimagus Petrus’ book containing the spell ‘Rend the Magical Veil’ for the season. Magus Husam shall train in speaking Gaelic with one of the Captains.
Finally, Magus Lysimachus requested whether any member of the council had the ability to cast the ninth magnitude version of the ritual ‘Aegis of the Hearth’ from the text, as Pontifex Archimagus Astrius would not be available for the casting. I judged that I had a fair chance of completing the ritual safely and successfully and volunteered to undertake the task.

No other events of note were reported over the course of the season.

Daedalus’ private journal

I am told that the loss of a familiar is much like the grief of losing a child, but as I have had experience of neither it is difficult to fully understand why Pontifex Archimagus Astrius would desert the council and force another to undertake the potentially dangerous ‘Aegis of the Heath’ ritual for the first time. Maga Alicia tried on many occasions to explain the character of the familiar bonds, but it is an aspect of magic that does not lend well to my nature. I find the whole notion of elevating a ‘pet’ to the status of an equal partner a rather ridiculous notion. I don’t doubt that the process makes a Magus potentially more powerful, but I simply cannot imagine finding such admiration for an animal that I would want to undergo the lengthy ritual myself.

Magus Arcanus visited over the course of the season. He is an erudite and perceptive Magus with a keen interest in the history and origins of magic within these isles. He wishes to experience the crystals of this cave, to gain insight into the nature of the magic that appears to transport one’s mind to the past. Magus Lysimachus agreed to consider this course of action, though I suspect he regards the plan as somewhat reckless.

Maga Erla continues to behave in an odd and eccentric way. I’m sure I heard the sound of a pig squealing from somewhere within her sanctum. I suppose she may use a spell such as ‘Curse of Circe’ to discipline her unruly shield grog, though there is a quite unappealing smell that clings to her these days – an animal aroma reminiscent of the midden! I did not raise the issue with her, of course. Whatever it is she is doing, at least she currently leaves me alone. The last thing I wish to do is renew her unwelcome and impudent interest in my activities.



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