1222

Spring, Episode 2.10, "The Haunted Covenant"

In early spring the covenant held it's annual Council Meeting as required by the charter. Sander was offered the position of Artificer and accepted, serving out Myrna's remaining term, one year. Innocentius recommended increasing the covenant's portion of vis to 4 pawns from 3. Polumeta submitted her expectations of vis use for Cernunnos's project, amounting to 16 pawns.

The season passed uneventfully and, on summer's eve, a group gathered to investigate the "outer buildings" of the haunted covenant. Originally to consist of Samson, Blane and Sir Hamish, Polumeta and Marcellus, Sander and Gaius, Cernunnos and his hounds, Samson's wounds from his battle with Old Nan re-opened at the last hour and he was taken to the hospital. Nualla, visiting the covenant for the Eye of Balor ceremony, took his place with her trusty Irish shield grog. Polumeta also brought along Henri to act as a porter, should the group discover anything of value within.

The Outer Buildings consist of a rectangular enclosure surrounded by a stone wall 190 feet long and 160 feet wide. Within were several buildings including a stable, a smithy, a weaver's stall, a leatherworker's shop, a jeweler's workspace, a kitchen, a small house for the steward (or master of craftsmen) and a long hall where the bulk of the inhabitants must have slept. Entrance was through a single opening in the wall marked off with four severed heads on pikes; when Sir Blane crossed the threshold the heads began a chorus of unearthly moans that did not stop so long as the magi and their allies were within the wall of the compound.

Almost immediately the group came under attack from a half dozen skeletal revenants, the remains of the covenfolk who once dwelt here. They were dispatched fairly easily, with the magi well protected by their expert shield grogs. It was while casting a simple spontaneous spell to detect the presence of vis in the bodies of the skeletons that Sander was overwhelmed by the latent magic of the Haunted Covenant and had what may be the most long-lasting effect of the expedition: his first Twilight episode.

Sander found himself in the Haunted Covenant centuries ago, when all around him were speaking 9th century Gaelic. The inhabitants of the compound -- Irish men and women of simple dress -- had helped "the masters" prepare for "their great ritual," and they hoped that all was about to go smoothly for a feast was planned for the ritual's aftermath. But then something terrible happened -- the earth shook and the skies trembled with thunder. Everyone began to run here and there, some seeking shelter in the longhouse while others fled the compound altogether. And as Sander felt something awful happen in the world around him, he returned to the mortal world. There, he learned that for the last two minutes, his body had apparently been replaced by a skeleton which had stood immobile in the same pose Sander had been in when he botched his Intellego Vim spell. Sander acquired a total of 11 Warping points from the combined botch + bad Twilight experience, developed a Twilight Scar that leads him to occasionally switch to 9th century Gaelic when he speaks, and he acquired the Flaw Warped Magic.

With this excitement behind them, the company returned to the exploration. In the stable, the magi found a few more revenants and six skeletal horses, apparently transformed through long exposure to the Magic Realm. Cernunnos spoke with them and learned of their tortured existence, and he was able to persuade them to allow themselves to be put down and thus rest. Vis was being collected from all the skeletal revenants as well as these horses.

Suspecting that the long house was the biggest threat, Sir Blane led the company there and they investigated, swiftly coming under attack by a dozen revenants. In the middle of the battle, Cernunnos vanished -- the victim of the room's carpet, which had somehow been transformed into a Magical Thing by exposure to the Magic Realm. The carpet, which depicted a storm at sea, transformed Cernunnos into a figure on its own woven surface, and he could be seen drowning in the carpet's woven ocean. While Blane, Hamish, and the other grogs dealt with the revenants, Polumeta and Sander struggled to free Cernunnos, who had used his powers of Animal Ken to "talk" to the sea serpents who were in the carpet's ocean near him. On one of these creatures he hitched a ride, and when Sander cut the carpet Cernunnos was able to "swim" out the cut, emerging as a human being again .... riding a giant sea snake, which promptly lashed out with violence before it was killed. The revenants had been put down, but not before they tore apart Nualla's loyal (but lightly armored) grog, Mac Redshirtson. Polumeta had the carpet rolled up and carried by her wooden servants.

From here the group investigated the various workshops, destroying occasional revenants and gathering magical stones and a beautiful copper choker in the shape of a serpent from the jeweler's bench. The moment of greatest danger was in the smithy, because in addition to the trio of skeletal revenants, the forge was guarded by the smith itself, a revenant whose bones were made of iron and who glowed with red hot heat. Nualla's Lay to Rest the Haunting Spirit was put to much use throughout the night, and in particular sent the smith to its death, but the hammer and tongs wielded by the smith were revealed to be Magic Things in their own right, with unknown powers. The Hammer, in particular, possessed some level of intelligence and was able to communicate in a rudimentary way. Polumeta reassured it that they would make many things together, and took it and the tongs with her.

In the kitchen there was a brief scuffle with five revenants before the group gathered up a loaf of bread which had become saturated with vis, giving it life-sustaining powers. A nearby jug of mead also contained vis, but would force whoever drank it to tell the truth. Burdened with this and other supplies, Henri and the wooden servants withdrew from the enclosure, carrying the plunder back to the covenant.

This left only the steward''s home, which was revealed to be a two-roomed house. In the front was found a harp which, when Nualla knelt down to play it, was revealed to be a Magic Thing with a mind of its own and uncertain magical powers. Nualla resolved to keep it. Meanwhile, Blane had discovered the steward's elaborate and handsome bed, which filled the back room. After detecting vis within it, the group decided to remove the bed to the castle, dismantling the front wall of the house with Perdo Herbam spells and carrying it with the aid of all the grogs. Somewhere in here, the copper necklace which Polumeta had placed in her bag from the jeweler's room had snuck round her neck and was now trying to strangle her; Cernunnos was able to cast Master the Unruly Beast upon it and it was confined to a wine bottle from the kitchen.

Back at the castle, the bed was installed in Sir Blane's room, and Nualla and the brave knight decided to get right to business upon it. But to the horror of both, the bed seized Blane with its sheets and coverlets and proceeded to fly and bounce around his room in a furious manner, not stopping. Blane was unable to free himself, despite his great strength, until Nualla succeeded in casting Slippery as an Eel upon him, giving him the necessary lubricant to slip free. They fled, naked, locking the bed in Blane's chambers.

That night the Eye of Balor was lit and the covenant's annual festivities were held.

Final record of plunder:

• 30 pawns of Corpus vis in skeletal fingers.

• 6 pawns of Animal vis in horse's teeth.

• 12 pawns of Herbam vis in magic bread.

• 12 pawns of Aquam vis in magic mead.

• A Magic carpet with the power to trap people inside its weave; the carpet escapes into the night.

• A Magic choker made of copper in the shape of a serpent

• A Magic Harp with unknown powers.

• Various precious and semi-precious stones, containing unknown vis

• A Magic Hammer and Tongs, with unknown powers

• A Bed of Madness, currently confined to Blane's chambers

Scenes from the Hill

• Sander is now rarely seen by most of the castle's inhabitants. While he used to be in the scriptorium most of the time, he has now adopted the habit of working by night and sleeping during the day. Rumor has it he casts horoscopes for the night guards to pass the time.

• The daughter of Jenny and Gregory is named Sarah. Henri and Constance name their son Jonah.

• The scriptorium completes a new copy of Transforming the Elements, incorporating Hermia the Infernalist's raven feather cloak into a new binding, making the book among the best in the library.

• Brother Cormac repeats his appeal for a humble chapel (cost 8£) to be constructed on the site of St Patrick's church. The covenfolk have nowhere to worship, and they consider it shameful that the magi have not built a church. Everyone said they were in league with the Devil, but we didn't believe it... until now!

• For about two weeks, Samson takes most of the on-duty guards off their post and has them carefully searching all over the Hill of Uisneach for vis, using the divining rods. They appear to be searching according to a carefully devised plan figured out by Samson, but the search is ultimately fruitless. Samson holds a feast at the end of the two week period, but there isn't much to celebrate. Many of the grogs think Samson is crazy.

• Sir Blane is gone most of the season, traveling in Wales. He returns with a dozen Welsh longbowmen, veteran mercenaries who move into the castle and join the turb. Also with him is Sir Robert the Fat, a landless knight and former Crusader. Robert has a prodigious appetite for beef and beer, but claims he can train your soldiers.

• The Magic Carpet escapes into the woods. Henri saw it suddenly unroll from the wooden men that were carrying it and crawl off, like a giant inchworm, at a faster speed than the burdened grog could follow.

• The magic bread, mead and Stones of Virtue are temporarily stored with the rest of the covenant's vis in Innocentius's tower until such time as the council finds a use for it.

• The Bed of Madness is found, the next night, resting peacefully in Blane's room. It looks so innocuous, and so comfortable... There are many stories told about the raucous lovemaking between Nualla and Blane which kept everyone in the tower awake for hours. (The female servant's quarters is right below Blane's room. They heard the bed bouncing all day.)

• The 30 pawns of Corpus and 6 pawns of Animal vis are put in the covenant stores, and Innocentius hints he intends to use it to pay off the last of the covenant's debts.

• Hammer, and its beloved pet Tongs, seem content to dwell in Polumeta's laboratory for now.

• Alfeva discreetly removes the wine bottle containing the Choker Snake to her laboratory.

• Harp plays at the Eye of Balor festival, inciting crowds of Irish folk to tears through its Enchanting Music. After one breathtaking performance, it refuses to play until Nualla lavishes praise upon it, whereupon it consents to an encore. And another

• Many recruits to the covenant arrive at the Eye of Balor festival, including 6 members of the Barliman family, well-known growers of barley and makers of beer (four serve as laborers in the covenant's economics, while John Barliman and his wife are Brewer 6 and 4 respectively). Also, an apprentice blacksmith, weaver, seamstress, leatherworker, carpenter and mason, and 8 stout Irish lads willing to fight in the Turb alongside Maedoc the Mighty.

SUMMER, 1222 "BUT THE SUMMER OF HIS HEART..."

TEASER: THE EYE OF BALOR

Having recovered, Samson led those congregated to witness the lighting of the Eye in a prayer. He devoted the next year of deeds to the name of God, and asked his Lord to watch over the covenant and protect her. Sadly, this had the undesirable effecting of creating another schism in the covenant’s Turb as those Irish members thought he had gone too far with his insertion of Christianity into their pagan ritual and the English members thinking Samson did not go far enough.

However, the people of Cor Draconis had much more pressing issues to gossip over: Namely, the impending nuptials of one Sir Blane. Revealed during the height of celebration by Sir Bellatrix of the Autumn Court leading a pack of five vassal knights and one androgynous drummer child, the Knight of Summer was presented with a sprig of heather tied with a bow, and the summons that the Fair Lady Kelda of the Autumn awaited his arrival before summer’s end, at which point he would fulfill his obligation to her family by honoring their marriage.

As word of this spread far and wide amongst the covenant, a spiteful Nuala cast “99 Problems but Britches Ain't One” on Sir Blane.

FLASHBACK: 1215—THE COURT OF SUMMER

Sir Bellatrix’s proclamation brought the Summer Knight back to a simpler time.

He was eighteen, on the verge of shedding the title squire and donning the vestments of knighthood. Ever a dutiful son, he had taken the time to visit his ailing mother. She was—as per usual—hunched over her loom, fingertips split open, weaving her blood-soaked masterpiece: A luxurious tapestry of her eldest son.

Startled, Blane retreated to discover that the Lady Kelda, daughter of Lord Aelfred and the Fair Maiden of Autumn, was seeking an audience with him. Retiring to the antechamber from whence he was to emerge upon the sounding of the trumpets, there came a disturbance at the door. Outside was Kelda, her hair mushed from harrying, she presented her betrothed with a simple flower, one said to cure the nightmares, and her favor, hastily wrapped around his arm as the trumpets started to sound.

As Kelda pushed him through the curtains, Sir Blane discovered that he was still at the Eye of Balor ceremony with his trousers pooled around his ankles before all those assembled.

ACT ONE: ACROSS THE IRISH SEA

Once Sir Blane had gathered his wits (not to mention, his trousers) about him, he resolved to travel to Arcadia at once and to personally and dissolve this union before any more damage could be done to his love life. Sadly for Sir Blane, this resolve was for naught.

Six would travel alongside Sir Blane: Alfeva of Guernicus, Cassius the Black Cloak, Coleman Cahir Mac Aland, Maedoc the Cowherd and, lastly, Eain ibn Sahir, an alchemist and newcomer to the covenant. Their destination was to his homeland in Scotland, from there Sir Blane would walk the faerie roads to bring him to his true home.

In addition, the covenant’s factor would also travel with them as far as Dublin, whereupon he hoped to secure them a seafaring vessel. Sadly, the pickings were slim; most vessels that called Dublin their port of call were out to sea with the start of the new fishing season. Colin had two choices, a newly refurbished small-round ship, under the command of a wealthy merchant son from Londontown, or an old, tattered Norman longboat. A superstitious lot, Colin chose the latter, forgoing the former as she was called the Mad Duchess; however, her captain was an unreasonable man who wanted 10 silvers per head of passenger.

After a quick discussion with the ships’ quartermaster, Captain Mel J. Fleming IV interrupted, offering to take the lot across the Irish Sea for a total of 30 silver.

As these plans were hammered out, Sir Blane caught sight of Nuala. As per her custom, she was flittering about singing her song and strumming upon her harp. Apparently, she had come to Dublin to help renegotiate new contracts for her own covenant.

Marshaling the courage to speak with his lady love, Sir Blane marched down the gangway to make amends. However, Nuala was not hearing a word of this, instead levying Pains of the Perpetual Worry upon her former lover. Stricken with worry, Sir Blane was at a loss. Coleman tried to serve as peacemaker; however, his advances were also rebuffed.

Soon, the Mad Duchess was setting sail and a last call was given.

Subverting convention, Nuala remained where she stood, alone, on the dock. Her reasoning written plain on her expression: It was fun while it lasted. He made his decision; I have to move on.

Once aboard the good ship Mad Duchess, shenanigans ensued: Maedoc remained on deck, having a pallet of straw brought up from below decks to serve as a makeshift bed; Alfeva retreated to her cabin to read the tome she had brought along; too maudlin to engage the crew in their game of dice, Sir Blane mopped around below decks, not even the spiriting raising tales of Coleman was enough to break Nuala’s curse; Eain made himself of use at the crow’s nest, and Hermeline, Alfeva’s familiar, tricked the quartermaster into believing she was the pope in disguise.

On the fourth night, as Eain’s watch was ended, and he was dispatched below to catch some rest, the impressionable Islamic Irishman came across the captain creeping about. Lodged in the crook of the captain’s arm was a wooden box, stuffed to the gills with various precious jewels and other expensive ephemeral. When question as to the purpose of the box, Fleming rambled on about how this was his dowry to the mermaid.

Sensing something afoot, Eain ran off to notify the senior member of the expedition, Alfeva. Alfeva had been asleep when the incessant knocking came at her door. Tripping over his tongue at the sight of such unguarded loveliness, Eain was finally able to make his report, but not before almost taking leave of his vows and imbibing heavily upon Alfeva’s invitation.

Once she took in the news, Alfeva knew action was required. “We need to assess if we are in any danger,” she said. At the last word, a violent shudder was heard throughout the ship as if the vessel had suddenly run aground.

The passengers all gathered on the main deck to discover that night had suddenly become day. Collecting themselves, both Sir Blane and Alfeva were able to cooperate each other’s theories: They were now in a faerie regio. Sir Blane even went as far as to remember an old nursery rhyme that Arcadia was only “seven waves away from any Irish shore.”

From there, Alfeva set out to curing the captain, who seemed enchanted to go to a cove and marry his so-called bride to be. Utilizing spontaneous magic, Alfeva was able to break the mermaid’s control over Mel J. Fleming IV’s mind, while also knocking him into blessed unconsciousness. Meanwhile, down below decks, the passengers discovered that the captain had bolted the crew quarters down with iron chains and lock. Mustering his courage, Maedoc aided Sir Blane in removing these obstacles and freeing the crew.

Emerging from the darkness below, Sir Blane was temporarily blinded as a giant, winged wolf touched down below the decks and the all too familiar voice of Sir Bellatrix chastised: “Took you long enough, Sir Blane.”

ACT TWO: THE COURT OF AUTUMN

In short order, the passengers had found their shepherd through Arcadia. Their vessel’s passage into Arcadia had been arranged by Sir Blane’s brother to expedite the nuptials. She did praise Alfeva for her course of action in handling the ship captain, as Mel J. Fleming IV was bound to find himself in an unappetizing predicament: The merfolk of Arcadia are notoriously cannibalistic in nature.

Docking at the ports of Arcadia, the traveling caravan departed on horseback for the Court of Autumn to the east. Several days past and the bellicose nature of Bellatrix toward her fellow countryman started to intrigue the Guernicus maga. She noted that the woman’s sole claim to femininity resided in a delicate orange handkerchief she wore around her right arm, a detail that had gone unmarked by the rest of the party. She had to know more!

One night, she started to engage Sir Blane in conversation, specifically about his time home at the court. All the while, her gaze remained on Sir Bellatrix, scanning her expression. He spoke of his father, and mother, then made a passing reference to Lady Kelda. This prompted a burst of outrage by Bellatrix. Throwing her wine into the flames and commenting on Sir Blane’s obvious unworthiness, the two nearly came to blows had it not been for the swift intervention of others.

Enraged, Sir Bellatrix mounted Fenrir and was not seen again for the rest of their stay in Arcadia.

With their shepherd having fled, the troupe continued onward. Mercifully, their march was relatively uneventful.

Weeks passed and soon the visitors from Cor Draconis arrived at the Valley of Autumn. Upon entering the vale, they were greeted by a kindly courtier. While he was startled at Sir Bellatrix’s absence, he was still quite pleased to see that the rest had arrived unmolested as expected. In short order, he began to catch them up to speed on the marriage preparations and that King Clovis I was anxious to reunite with his long lost brother, especially after so many years apart.

At the mention of his name, Coleman recalled that King Clovis was the king to unite all the Franks into modern-day Normandy, at this the courtier agreed that it was King Clovis’ plan to bring peace to the seasonal courts forging unity through marital bonds.

Upon entering the castle, Sir Blane was quite disturbed to see men that he had known since childhood give up the standard of the Summer Court in favor of the dress more in common with mundane crusaders. Speaking with the born again Marcus, the captain of the guard, proved his worse fears had been born out. Something was seriously rotten in the state of summer. He had to speak with his seneschal, Aelfred.

While seeking his seneschal, Sir Blane encountered his brother instead. When Blane had left the Summer Court in autumn of 1215, his brother was but a snot-nosed child named Neill; now, he was a king with a name all his own, a usurper of his father’s throne. Theirs was a terse encounter as the elder brother did not recognize King Clovis’ authority, showing him great disrespect, culminating in addressing him by his familiar name—and not his royal benediction—and refusing to recognize the badge of his office. Tensions flared when Sir Blane made a motion to dismiss his king, claiming that he can wait until he had spoken with his seneschal. At which point, King Clovis exorcised his kingly authority by having his guards detain the errant summer knight. Sir Blane relented and rather than risk his own life, and those of his fellow travelers, decided to wait until the seneschal was brought before them.

Outside, the castle, Maedoc made the discovery that the wool of the sheep was made of pure gold! He approached one of the sheepherders and a quick discussing was had on the merits of herding sheep versus tending cows, followed by discovering that the sheep themselves were rather common to Arcadia and belonged to the Lord of Autumn, Aelfred. Once that ended, Maedoc—realizing what this could mean for the covenant—went tracking down Coleman. Coleman said he had met Aelfred last year and that perhaps the two men could secure the ownership of a mating pair of these creatures.

Elsewhere, Alfeva decided to meet with Lady Kelda herself in her tower. The lady had been preparing to sit down for tea when the maga darkened her doorstep. Kelda invited her in and poured her a cup, handing her a dish filled with an elvan delicacy known as “crumpets.” The two proceeded to talk for the better part of an hour. During which time Alfeva skillfully won the lady’s affection and her trust. By exposing herself as lesbian, Alfeva formed a lasting bond with Lady Kelda, and she was finally able to admit her secret to someone: For Lady Kelda was in love with Sir Bellatrix—not Blane—but that she was convinced the marriage was the sole means to protect her people.

“For them I will give up my heart’s desire,” she said sadly.

In the main hall, Sir Blane was reintroduced to Lord Aelfred, walking in Aelfred’s shadow was Father Gil-Martin, a rotund man of the cloth. Seeing the worry that had laid claim to his heart courtesy of his one-time lover, Gil-Martin approached Sir Blane, laid a hand on him, and said, “Everything will be alright.” In a flash, the curse was lifted. Sir Blane rose to his true height and took a step backward.

The four men engaged in some polite, if perfunctory, conversation with one another until the king took his leave, retiring with the reverend to his estate room, leaving the two cohorts to conspire with one another. Answering the knight’s most pressing question, Aelfred said that the Christianization of the Summer Court began shortly after his departure upon Gil-Martin’s arrival, but that no one knew where exactly he hailed from, and that that was one of the reasons for Stelios’ exile from the court as he refused to be baptized. Sir Blane was upset. To wit, Lord Aelfred said it would be best if the men reconvened in his daughter’s tower.

Along the way, the two encountered an understandably excited Maedoc and Coleman. Relented to his ward’s better judgement, the lord allowed the two men to come in tow. He seemed nonplussed by his sheep, as if all sheep had coats of pure gold, and said that several of them were for Sir Blane’s dowry once he wed his daughter.

The wedding took center stage of conversation as Lord Aelfred laid out his plan: If Sir Blane were to fulfill his vows and marry his daughter that would buy the Autumn Court time. King Clovis is obsessed with this notion of unifying the seasonal courts under one banner. Having his brother, a knight of summer and child of autumn, married to the Fair Maiden of Autumn would seemingly bring the Autumn Court in line with his greater ambitions. All the while, he might be able to make entreaties into the Spring Court or start forging alliances elsewhere in Arcadia.

This plan was rejected by Sir Blane. A sham marriage would offend his honor. During this time a knock came at the door, Reverend Gil-Martin was requesting Lord Aelfred’s presence. Seeing no reason to reject such an audience, Lord Aelfred departed.

Alfeva then led the group in a round robin to discuss what options they had available to them. All in the attention of coming up with a solution. No idea was too outrageous to be rejected outright. As a consequence, seemingly everything from Sir Blane suffering a fall at the hands of Sir Bellatrix to knocking out the Lady Kilda with alchemical agents and pretend she had died.

Finally, tired of others discussing her fate and placing their own concerns above her people, Lady Kilda took the floor with some choice words for Sir Blane and his vaunted honor. She clarified that she never loved him, and never could, but that she would marry him if it could save her people. Finally, in a last bout of cooling anger, Lady Kelda said that his was selfish code that would see many good people tramped underneath the weight of his so-called noble ideals.

It was during this moment that inspiration struck Coleman. “What if we just lied to the reverend?”

Sir Blane said that he could not tell a lie, to which Alfeva said: “You won’t have to.” Using her magics, the quaesitor implanted the false memory that he had married Nuala at the Eye of Balor ceremony moments before Sir Bellatrix arrived.

From there it was up to Coleman to sell the lie to the reverend. Cornering Gil-Martin in the fields, Coleman wove his web and masterfully so. Listening to the plaintive bleating of the golden flock in the background, Gil-Martin was convinced that Coleman was speaking truth. He laid his hand on Coleman’s shoulder, and the weaver of tales felt a peace he had not known since seeing Alfeva in the spring of 1220. He was renewed, healed a little.

Hours later, the troupe was summoned to the main hall. There sat a displeased King Clovis. He was most disappointed in his brother, but now it all made sense. His brother’s apparent apprehension, which the reverend could attest to was healed through God, was brought upon by his sin. Sir Blane had broken his vow, and by doing so fallen far short in his responsibilities.

Seeing that no good could come of remaining in the king’s presence, Alfeva made noises as if to return to their quarters for the night. To wit, the king advised that the rite of hospitality has been revoked. Sir Blane and his lot were to clear out of the Autumn Court that same evening.

As the group began to saddle up, Lord Aelfred was there to greet his ward. The two exchanged words, upon which Lord Aelfred said he was no better off than when his gambit had started. Alfeva did say that the faerie lord could avail himself of the redcaps and that that would ensure their communiques were secure. Lord Aelfred thanked them both and bid Sir Blane to “go with God.”

EPLIOGUE: ON THE ROAD

As the troupe was making their way outside of the valley, Alfeva’s familiar, the vixen Hermeline, revealed herself at last. She bid that the group leave with all due haste.

When the maga inquired what had startled Hermeline so, the vixen admitted that she might have been somewhere she should not have been inside the castle. She was in a room, stealing grapes—invisible, mind you—when a second man was brought into the room, prompting the first to transform.

“Transformed into what?” Alfeva asked.

“Well, I’m not saying, but…” She held up her two forefront paws on either side of her head, indicating demonic horns.

Scenes from the Hill

• Kennel-master Dongal, an aging Beast-master, arrives at the Eye of Balor ceremony and stays through the summer. He is usually seen in close conversation with Cernunnos. He has brought a small pack of hounds with him.

  • Soon after the Eye of Balor, Samson makes an impassioned speech to the assembled covenfolk and magi, directly asking Victor to rebuild the ruined church which once stood on the hill. Victor replies that the restoration of the church "to all its original humble beauty" has been arranged. Polumeta is providing an engineer to supervise the construction and Victor has found the 50£ required. Construction will take about a year, and will include not just building the stone church, but also the stone wall that surrounds it, a small home for Brother Cormac, and restoration of the gardens and cemetery inside the walls. After three years without a church, the covenfolk are greatly relieved by this and a general mutiny is avoided.

• Sander follows Nuala to Qui Sonant Pro Quieto, ostensibly to attend the funeral of her shield grog, but in truth to follow the call of his heart. He takes Gaius, his Black Cloak, with him. Gaius is alarmed to find that Qui Sonant has no turb and no grogs, only stout Irishmen who serve the magi. He shows them pity and disdain for their sorry lot.

  • Later, in council, Victor explains to the magi that the rebuilt church will not have a tower. A church tower will have bells, and bells extend the reach of the Divine aura. A church aura can be high enough to threaten the covenant's Magic aura, especially on the sabbath and holy days. Without a tower and bells, the Divine aura should be limited to the church and its immediate area.

  • Sgt Dobbins and a few of the other Alpine grogs spend the season in Devlin. Rumor has it they are on a special mission for one of the magi. In Dobbins's absence, Sir Hamish takes over as Sergeant of the Grogs.

• Captain Mel J. Fleming IV is so moved by Alfeva's efforts in the saving of not only his life but his crew's, he swears his ship's service to Cor Draconis. The Mad Duchess comes with a total crew compliment of 35, including the captain and his quartermaster, Maximiano.

• A letter arrives by Redcap for Sander, but he's not around to accept it, so it is left for him in his tower.

• When he returns from Faerie, Blane moves to a new room in the Tower of the Four Seasons. The Bouncing Bed is left in his old room. Without anyone in the room, it looks like a perfectly normal (richly appointed and deliciously comfortable) bed.

Autumn, Episode 2.12 -- "Salvation"

The V-Team, Season Two

Come the next morning, Samson is on hand at the Proving Grounds to see his team depart. He espies Yanick in the stables, doting over Pie. "She's a fine mare, Yanick," he says by way of greetings. As per usual, the two speak in French together, affording them a modicum of privacy.

"With a fine name?" the page asks, uncertain.

"The finest," Samson answers. He drops to one knee and stretches out his arms in a wide bear hug. Yanick runs up, throwing himself into Samson's arms. In his ear, Samson will whisper: "Oh, you're a good boy." He pulls back, cupping his page's chin in a massive paw, make certain he can see the sincerity in his eyes. "...I'm proud of you, Yanick."

There is a noise at the stable's entrance, and the two turn to look.

It is Maria. Yanick's posture becomes suddenly erect and awkward in Samson's arms, eliciting an amused glance.

"Oh, begging your pardon, honored magus" Maria says hastily in Latin.

"Nonsense, Maria," Samson dismisses her concerns in Latin. "We were just finishing up here." He places all his weight on on leg and rises to his full height.

In Latin, he intones loud enough for Maria to hear: "Make certain Pie is watered properly. Don't think that because you're running off hither-&-tither on super secret missions means you can slack off on your duties as my page." During this, once he has Yanick's attention, he tosses the lad a knowing wink.

"Maria," he says with a nod by way of signature, and strolls out to see to the rest of the team's provisions.

Sir Blane, Brogan the Blind, and Colin set out for Normandy, sailing across the Channel to Barfleur. They spent three days traveling along the Norman coast to Rouen, and once they arrived in the city Colin found the market and befriended the merchants there. Inquiring about Lord Aurele de la Croix, Samson's father, he learned two things. First, that de la Croix was in the city at a rented residence. Second, Aurele had purchased, from Colin's intended contact, the right to sell Lyncanium in Normandy. In other words, Colin had come on this trip expecting to negotiate with a local merchant, but in fact he would now be negotiating with Samson's father.

The trio found Lord Aurele with three of his guards, and were invited to stay the night and depart in the morning. Word was sent to Father Giles at the cathedral in Rouen, a priest Aurele had contracted to accompany him to Ireland to verify that no black magic was being used upon him in his quest for longevity. Dinner that evening was pleasant and comfortable until Colin insisted on correcting Aurele over the issue of Samson's Hermetic name. Aurele insisted on calling his son Rene, "when I call him anything at all." The mood of the evening thus soured, everyone retired to their rooms. In the morning they were joined by Father Giles, and now seven in number (for Aurele insisted on bringing his guards), they began their journey back to Barfleur and the Mad Duchess. Brogan tried to engage the Father in conversation, but he was clearly evaluating the travelers, and he remained evasive. Blane's faerie nature, however, made him suspicious in the Father's eyes and, for his part, Blane wanted nothing to do with priests anyway.

After a day and a half of travel, the group arrived in Caen. Aurele regaled the Irish with tales of William the Conqueror, his army, and the might and power of his enormous castle at Caen. From his speech, the others began to see where Samson had gotten his talent for self-promotion. But on to their second mission: Brogan was dispatched to speak to the nuns of the abbey there and inquire after Jocelyn du Bois, Samson's old tutor. After a brief wait, Jocelyn did indeed appear. She gave a cover story to the nuns about negotiating new supply contracts at the castle and then mounted a horse and accompanied the rest of the group out of town. She knew that, by supper, her lies would probably be discovered, and she did not know what the abbey would do in response, but she intended to be far away by then and soon on her way to Ireland. There, she could start her life over. Aurele was surprised to find Jocelyn still possessed of her maiden youth, and Colin began to suspect Samson's motives, a man involved with one woman sending for another -- very beautiful -- woman to join him. But Jocelyn was able to convince Colin of her commitment to her vows, even as she befriended Brogan.

That evening a storm rolled in and, as the group was traveling west towards Barfleur, they became lost in the expansive marshes of that region. With the rain and the darkness making travel all but impossible, they found a promise of shelter in some ruined buildings. Blane and Brogan went forward to investigate and found the ruins to be that of a church and associated monastery. Brogan's keen senses were able to identify the trace of tanning chemicals, suggesting the monks had been leatherworkers by trade. Chickens and a black cockerel were all that remained, however. Brogan was well enough trained in the ways of the evil one to realize that the church was almost certainly an Infernal aura, and she led Blane back and informed the group they needed to depart at once, but there were few options. The group had to have shelter soon, and Father Giles, an expert in tracking down and defeating diabolists, was confident he could protect everyone. They went to one of the outlying buildings, where the monks had lived, and tried to make it through the night.

Their sleep was punctuated with nightmares of fire and death, and around midnight they were spied upon by the cockerel, who seemed to be mad. When it sped off, Brogan's hound Conan sought to pursue it, and Father Giles did as well, suggesting that the creature, which was probably possessed by a demon, should be destroyed. When Blane offered to stay behind, because infernal creatures hated him especially and knew his name, Aurele decided the safest place was as far from Blane as possible, and led his men to accompany Giles. Brogan went as well, leaving Colin and Jocelyn with Sir Blane and the campfire.

The demon-hunting party followed Father Giles to the ruins of the church and then promptly vanished, all save one of Aurele's servants, who managed to escape this fate but did not know where everyone else had gone. Fleeing back to the camp, he informed Blane, who was in a quandary. On the one hand, he could not leave Jocelyn and Colin alone in the ruins, but on the other hand he could not fail to come to the aid of Brogan and Aurele. He decided he must help them, and he promised to protect Jocelyn and Colin no matter what happened. With Colin hiding behind Blane and Jocelyn braving the danger alongside, the trio went to look for their missing friends.

Meanwhile, Brogan, Aurele, Father Giles, and the remaining guards found themselves in the church -- but the church as it was when it was being burned down. Frozen in a moment of perpetual time, the church was always on fire, the lead in the roof always melting, and the dozens of monks trapped in the church always running pell-mell in hysteria. But Brogan, who "saw" through the use of her walking stick, realized most of the monks were, in fact, illusions created by a handful of demonic spirits. Father Giles bravely led the group through the evil spirits and down into the crypt, where the smoke and heat would be less intense. Down the steps they found themselves in a short corridor leading to the crypt proper, where several stone sarcophagi presumably held the bodies of the monks who founded the church. But they also found there a monk in a red robe, a monk with cloven feet and a book upon his back -- a book bound in the flesh torn from a human face!

The Cloven-Hoofed Monk thanked Father Giles for his loyal service and called him to his side even as Blane, Jocelyn and Colin suddenly appeared. Blane had barely been able to detect the presence of a high-level Infernal regio, thanks to his Second Sight. And although the way had been closed to normal travel, he was able to lead his companions through, and they arrived just as the Cloven Hoofed Monk offered to save the lives of those trapped in the burning church. All they needed to do was swear themselves to his service, and they would live. Giles, now revealed as a traitorous servant of the evil one, testified to the sincerity of the Monk's offer.

But Aurele would have none of this. Armed with his family sword, a relic of the First Crusade, he charged the Monk with his men. One of them perished at once as the Monk threw a ball of black flame that burnt the man to death in seconds. Colin drew his knife and sought vengeance on Father Giles, but Sir Blane beat him to it, incapacitating the traitorous priest with a clumsy thrust of his longsword. Jocelyn, fresh from the abbey, prayed loudly and fervently for help from the Virgin Mother, but her prayers seemed to be in vain. The Cloven-Hoofed Monk hurled a ball of black fire at Sir Blane, wounding him dangerously and setting his clothes afire, before Aurele and his men pinned him up against a wall and began to beat him to death with maces and the Sword of Golgotha. But the Monk's physical form was only temporary, a shell for his true, spiritual, nature, and as he began to shed that body his flesh turned to smoke. Before he could flee his mortal body, Blane managed to deal him an incapacitating blow with his sword. As the body fell to the ground, Aurele and his men made sure the Monk was dead.

With the Cloven-Hoofed Monk dead, the fires surrounding the church went out and it became possible for those trapped within to break out through a window and flee the Infernal regio. But before they did, Brogan went back to recover the Monk's book of black magic...

Scenes from the Hill

• In the first days of Autumn, Victor leads the latest Aegis of the Hearth. For the first time, he is assisted in a Day of Communion by Alfeva, Innocentius, Polumeta, Samson and Cernunnos. This greatly increases the Aegis's Penetration.

• Coleman formally founds a traveling acting troupe, led by the handsome Wilhelm, Alfeva's former servant. Acting talent is a bit hard to come by, but Wilhelm recruits a troupe in Dublin and nearby towns. Coleman provides the plays but leaves Wilhelm to manage things. Wilhelm names the troupe The Academy.

• Sander makes three brief visits to Qui Sonant, about once a month. He and Nuala enjoy each other's company. Gaius, his Black Cloak, doesn't get along with the Irish grogs but is untroubled by the necromancy of the covenant, thanks to his Tremere upbringing. When Sander isn't in Qui Sonant, he's sending letters there. (Editor's note: Really. Adorable. Letters.)

• Lord Aurele and his two surviving guards arrive with the rest of the Normandy expedition about mid-season. He is given accommodations in the Great Hall. Aurele speaks only French, treats Samson brusquely, orders Colette around like a mere servant, and basically acts as if he owns the place. He is not popular. Irene, who happens to be French, is assigned as his maid.

• Sir Blane returns from the Normandy expedition gravely wounded and is put into the hospital to be tended by Aine. He spends six weeks in her care, and his burns have not yet healed. At the end of autumn he is still confined to the hospital, though he can get up and walk slowly for short periods.

• Lady Jocelyn du Bois is given the task of caring for Sara, the young Gifted daughter of Jenny and Gregory. Being French, beautiful, and charming, she is immediately well liked at the feasting table, especially by Colette (who has someone to talk to) and Sir Robert (who has someone new to lust after).

• Several of the grogs, notably Dobbins, Frederic, Yanick and Andel, seem to have largely moved to Devlin. The Welsh longbowmen take over their sentry duty, and Sir Hamish has Dobbins's former spot as turb sergeant.

• Letters are sent back and forth between Nuala at Qui Sonant and Blane at Cor Draconis. Blane, who has been grim and unhappy for months, seems to find his old smile again after these letters, and Aine relates that he is resting peacefully.

• As winter comes, Samson is seen out on the hillside, hunting with Redwing. He seems happier than he has been in a long time, and clean shaven again!

Winter (2.13) "Dead Mage Walking"

Mid-winter, three of the magi responded to Indrechtach's summons and made the journey to the Peruchia of Nerius. These magi -- Samson, Polumeta, and Cernunnos -- had all been asked to come due to their meeting with Saint Nerius when they were apprentices. They took with them two Black Cloaks, the young servant Haifa, and assorted familiars and beasts, including Redwing, Caera, and two of Cernunnos's mundane hounds. Cassandra was left behind, for she was terrified of leaving the covenant and felt certain Igenous's familiar, a fire-breathing drake, would find her and kill her if she did. Cassandra had grown increasingly frantic over the last several months, and Cernunnos spent some time mollifying her before leaving.

It took two days to reach the southern coast, where they were met by an old fisherman with a small boat. After introductions in Latin, he took them to the small windswept island of Greater Saltee, and as they approached they could see the Peruchia's cathach on the cliff facing north. Once they disembarked, they climbed the path and found, to their surprise, Nuala and Sander there before them. The cathach, the skeletal hand of Nerius himself, created a Divine aura that all the magi could feel, threatening their Gift. Polumeta cautioned Sander and Nuala not to steal the cathach, as they tried to do at Uisneach a few years before.

The fisherman returned with three men as passengers, and as they disembarked on the shore, Polumeta led the others to meet them. Eldest among them was Fedelmid, founder of the covenant. Indrechtach and a younger magus were saying their goodbyes to their former master and, as the magi arrived, Indrechtach confessed that Polumeta, Samson and Cernunnos had been misled: they were not here to visit the Peruchia. In fact, no woman was allowed on the island of Little Saltee at all. Instead, they had been brought here to act as escorts for Fedelmid, who had resolved to make his final journey to Qui Sonant Pro Quieto, where he would be interred until the end of time. Nuala had been sent by Qui Sonant to ensure his safe arrival, and Sander had tagged along, impossible as it was for him to refuse Nuala's company.

Polumeta was coldly furious over this turn of events and Samson criticised the need for such duplicity, but Cernunnos pointed out that Fedlimid was, instead, ensuring secrecy. To this Fedlimid agreed, pointing out that he had many enemies, was very old and weak, and could no longer risk casting spells lest he enter Twilight forever. Admitting he had brought them here under false pretense, he nevertheless asked them to take him to Qui Sonant. With some reservations, they agreed.

The plan was to travel one day west to a faerie trod and there challenge the guardian, Oison son of Finn. If they beat his challenge, they could take the road north to Dublin in hours instead of days. From there, they could take another trod to the covenant. Sander suggested a nice relaxing boat ride would be safe and speedy, but Fedlimid had no enthusiasm for a journey by sea.

Samson sent Redwing ahead to scout, and about midday the newly-bound familiar returned to say there was a strange sight ahead: a big blue wagon stuck in the mud, with a man trying to get it out. His body was covered in strange markings. Samson and Cernunnos went ahead, and found a young Criamon magus and his talking dog familiar. Cain, the dog, introduced himself and his master, Lucien Caduceus, whom he insisted was a traveler of many lands. Lucien's horse, however, insisted Lucien was an idiot and untrustworthy when Cernunnos spoke to him, and would have made a break for it had the beastmaster not kept it in check.

Samson helped get the wagon out of the mud and urged Lucien to be on his way, but by now the other magi had arrived and it was observed that, with a wagon, Fedelmid would travel much faster and in more secrecy. After some debate, with Samson insisting the new magus was not trustworthy, they agreed to try it. The wagon, it turned out, was Lucien's laboratory and Polumeta was shocked at how dangerously unsafe it was. Indeed, the thing was a rolling deathtrap and it was something of a miracle Lucien hadn't yet killed himself in a furious explosion.

Upon reaching the faerie road, the group encountered Oison son of Finn, whom they knew by legend had to be forced from his horse in order for the road to be opened. Various tactics were tried, from seduction to flattery, and Cernunnos was in the middle of blocking one end of the road with an Animal Ward, when Samson lost patience, cast a spell that made him grow to the size of a giant, and then rushed the horse. Tackling it and Oison, he won the challenge. The magi continued on their way. It took two days of travel, but they reached the end of the road and, when they emerged, found from the stars overhead that indeed only two hours had passed. The first leg of their journey was complete.

Ahead was the town of Dublin and a bridge across the river, but when Redwing scouted ahead he found an ambush lying in wait: a knight Templar (or so the others deduced after Redwing described him), a half dozen soldiers of the Templars, and an old woman, all mounted. Fedelmid tentatively identified the woman as Helena of Jerbiton, an old rival who had declared Wizard's War on him decades ago. Helena believed that the best way to preserve the Order was to make it a part of the Church, a Holy Order led by a Grandmaster and answerable to the Pope in Rome. Fedelmid, who had always been skeptical of the Pope and the human foibles of the Church, opposed this plan and had thwarted Helena on multiple occasions. Now, it seemed, she was ready to ensure that Fedelmid died before he could be properly secured at Qui Sonant Pro Quieto. Having endured his rivalry for most of a century of life, she wanted it to end, and not continue beyond the grave.

Extensive debate followed. Finally, the group decided to avoid the ambush by going down the river and crossing out of their way, then returning to the faerie trod. This they did, and eventually found the guardian: a withered hag who challenged them to a board game popular in Ireland and not unlike chess. Sander, as the person who had played the game the most (Area Lore: Hibernia), was chosen to play for the magi. Nuala gave him a quick kiss on the cheek for luck, but this flustered the one-eyed magus (botch) and he made a number of early careless mistakes from which it proved impossible to recover. He was quickly defeated and the travelers found themselves out of the faerie regio, back on a mundane path. They resumed the journey north, but Redwing soon warned them that Helena and her Templars were in pursuit, mounted, and would be here within minutes.

Cernunnos again placed a Ward Against Animals that blocked the path. Samson used Corpus magic to enlarge the three Black Cloaks to the size of giants and then took a stand with them inside the Ward, facing the approaching Templars. Lucien hid inside the wagon, and Polumeta enchanted a rug to float and put Fedelmid on top of it, sending him off into the woods.

Helena arrived. At first, her parley with Samson was respectful, but Polumeta goaded her with sarcasm. Helena did not try to hide that she was here to find and kill Fedlimid, and suggested she was willing to kill anyone else in her way. But rather than parley, she deduced the magi were telling the truth when they said Fedlimid was no longer with them, and she sent her soldiers into the woods to try and track down the fleeing magus.

For his part, Fedlimid managed to flee by flying carpet, putting considerable distance between him and the pursuers before finding a spot to hide. There, he eluded Helena until Redwing found him, and he was able to rejoin the magi. Having eluded Helena, the magi continued north and eventually reached Qui Sonant. There, Fedelmid was welcomed by Cantarus of Jerbiton, who offered him "final hospitality." At this point, Fedelmid paused, turned to the magi, and gave them what aid he could.

Nerius, years before, had charged the Alpine Apprentices with finding Valoran, Nerius's former apprentice, who was "lost." Fedelmid told them that, were they to succeed in their quest, they would need to walk three paths.

• First, Valoran wore the Mantle of Nerius. The magi must learn the secrets of the Mantle so they could identify it when they saw it. Ceylan of Verditius made the mantle centuries ago but is long dead; his laboratory texts still exist however. The magi must find them.

• Second, Valoran himself trained an apprentice before he left: Angelus, who dwelt in Champagne, in the Normandy Tribunal. If anyone knows where Valoran went, it would be Angelus. The magi needed to find Angelus and learn what he knows.

• Finally, every year a blue flower blooms at Fudarus, where Nerius was martyred. The magi will not find Valoran without this flower.

Having said his peace, Fedelmid turned to Cantarus and entered Qui Sonant, never to emerge. Nuala accompanied him, to participate in Fedelmid's ritual suicide and burial. The other magi made their way home. Sander, having found Lucien a pleasant companion, made him welcome back at Uisneach, where the blue wagon was now parked.

Scenes from the Hill

• Blane, still confined to bed after his grievous injury at the "hands" of Old Nan, is seen reading up on THE SPIDER WAR. Coleman is a frequent visitor.

• Lord Aurele de la Croix spends the winter at the covenant, with most of his days spent in Samson's laboratory in Marshall's Gate. In his free time he patronizes Coleman and the acting company, seeking entertainment. For a lot of the winter, he's just bored. By the end of the season, he seems happy to retire early to his chambers.

• Alfeva is absent for about ten days, departing on her broom. "House business," she says.

• Lucien's Blue Wagon is parked on the Hill near St Patrick's Well, a scenic spot surrounded by trees. There, he is often seen in the company of Sander, Brother Cormac, and Profundus.

• Coleman is clearly working on an important poem; he routinely stops people in the corridors of the castle, tests a few lines or a phrase on them, and makes marks on a wax tablet.

• A magical oven is installed in Colette's kitchen; the oven was made by Polumeta, heats on command without fuel, and is considered by Colette the best thing the magi have done since hiring her. She insists her kitchen have "more magic, much more magic."

• At the end of Winter, Jovis departs, leaving the castle on foot and making his way north.