1090

YEAR 1090

Scribed by Petrus

Summer 1090 AD

And now, full circle, this journalhas passed back into my hand. I, Petrus, shall resume the duty of relatingthe story of our covenant. The summer began hot and dry and did continue sofor much of the season. I chose to study further of the Corporem tomes, asthe time to make my first Longevity potion draws fast upon me. Ruaridh tookthree pawns of Muto vis from which to study and Idris began his covenant service;to exchange Ignem for Terram vis with Orlania at Blywyddan covenant. We also,after some debate, chose to send a request to Durenmar for a Perdo Vim ritualsaid to be powerful enough to destroy a first magnitude Infernal aura. Thataura, perhaps created by Jean, was discovered shortly after his death by QuaesitorYania. It resides in that place where we found the unholy book - a legacyof the diabolist Radulfus.

It appears that agents of thedevil work also in Gloucester, perhaps while the dominion is weak while repairsto the cathedral are in progress. One of Ruaridh's spies, for want of a betterword, was slain by a servant of the devil, and later came back to life toattack Ruaridh and his companions. It appears that Ruaridh was fortunate.The creature that attacked them was paralysed by the light of the sun, butnot slain it seems. That night further sign of the creature's devillry waswitnessed near to the cellar where the fight took place. We know little ofthese diabolists, save that they wear black cloaks and have the mark of theinverted cross upon their foreheads. What has become of them we do not know,and we can only guess the motivation for their attack.

At mid-summer one of the grogs,Ethric, was transformed into a hound. The cause is somewhat of a mystery,but the timing is suggestive of the Tuatha de Danu. We speculated at councilas to the reason for this attack, but neither Ruaridh or myself understandmuch of them. Stassius arrived, and on this occasion stayed the night. Itappears that the King of France has sent a host to Duke Robert's aid, andhas besieged the King. We are already crippled by tax, and news of this sortdoes not bode well. More importantly Quaesitor Tyriania has confirmed theappraisal of Yania's investigations. Idris has been found of no fault regardingJean's death. However, it does appear that Yania's suspicions have been confirmedalso. Jean was indeed a diabolist. What sorry news, and one that has carrieda deep air of depression across us all. That one of our very number shouldhave defiled his oath and betrayed his Sodales. Tyriania will come to us inthe Autumn to continue her investigations. It appears that Darius is alsoto be questioned regarding his filius. We also requested that Stassius carrywith him our invitation for another magus to fill the vacant seat at our councilchamber. Oscytel, since the breaking of his potion, has selected a man totake over from him when he retires. His name is Thurstan, and by all accounthe appears to have the qualities required of the station. He is currentlya Captain, and will remain so until Oscytel passes the mantle of responsibilityto him.

Autumn

As the leaves have turned fromgreen to gold, the weather has broken and tho' mild, it is wet for much ofthe Autumn months. I shall, for the covenant's sake, extract Vim Vis. Idris,having successfully returned from Blywyddan with the Terram vis, has electedto return to Wales. The reason for his doing so is quite vulgar, but I supposefor record's sake I should relate it. He seeks a wife. Fortunately my Sodalis,Ruaridh, is disposed to more appropriate work. He shall design a Perdo Corporemspell to help him destroy the ripe corpses of the animated dead. Tyrianiaarrives to investigate further into the sorry tale of Jean's treachery. Shequestions both Ruaridh and myself , but of course Idris is away. The sanctumand the spring are examined, and both found to be free of any infernal taint.But on the night of the equinox, Jean's spirit is spied at the spring. Therebefore us and the Quaesitor he admits his crimes, and casts further accusationagainst his Pater Darius. The depth of his crimes seem great. It appears thathe strangled a child in order to infernally consecrate a part of the covenant,and killed the foreman of the mine and his wife. As his tormented shade passedaway from the spring and back into the bowels of Hell, I was struck by somethingthat Idris had said. That Jean's death has altered this place from Creo toPerdo. Indeed blood bubbled up from the spring this season delivering to usfive pawns of Perdo vis. Idris believes that the repercussions of this areyet to come to pass.

Winter

The ice and snows of winter settleupon our covenant as we met upon the first dawn to discuss our business. Ishall study three pawns of Vim Vis in order to improve my understanding ofthe theories of magic. I do think that perhaps an experimental applicationof Jerenius' principle might lead me to make a breakthrough. Indeed, I havebeen thinking that much of the difficulties that we magi suffer in the non-magicalsupernatural auras may be due to a simple clash between the principles ofJerenius and Lyberta's second law. It should be possible to formulate a spellwhich acts independently from the surrounding aura, indeed Dorsavias' magicwas somewhat isolated from the environment. If his magic could be enactedby drawing upon, what he did term, the natural magic that resides within theperson or body of a magus, then such a principle, if it could be applied Hermetically,could enable magi to cast their magics while inside incompatible auras andregios. This theory, if I could develop it, would allow a magus to cast spellswithin the Dominion or the Infernal realm without anything like the difficultycaused by their incompatibility with magic. Such a breakthrough would shiftthe balance of power between the Order and the Church, and allow us to defendourselves more effectively within the realms of the Infernal. I must writeto Xeros and request reference to this idea. Perhaps I should consider a visitto Durenmar some months before the next meeting of the House.

Ruaridh is experimenting witha spell to use against the barrow shade which defends the Mentem site, andIdris is to study three pawns of his Corporem vis. It appears that Idris'search for a wife has been successful, but I feel the least said about thatsort of thing the better. A Magus has answered our request and travels downto meet us this season. His name is Turold, filius Corlear discipilus Verditius.Idris reports that some of the grogs had a vision of a Red Dragon, and saysthat he has seen it drinking from the Severn and staining the river with blood.I do hope this is all just pagan superstitious talk. The last thing we needis more conflict between the Welsh and the Normans. Our covenant is so precariouson the border here.

Turold arrives and without muchdelay we unanimously agree to invite him to join the covenant. A VerditiusMagus will help our covenant grow in reputation and wealth, and it will begood to have such a specialist within our walls. We held a large feast inhis honour, and celebrate our first decade, at which he and one of the grogssupplied musical entertainment. I must confess I am surprised that he hadthe time to learn music and magic; a magus of many talents it seems. Moresour news from the mine, however. The iron begins to run dry, and we are nottoo far from the end of its life. Let us hope that with our combined talentswe can establish a new mine before our reserves run out.

Our covenant has survived nowfor ten full years, and despite our trials and the treachery of one of ournumber, we prevail still. We passed quickly from Winter back to Spring. Letus hope that our journey through Spring is short and that we enjoy a long,peaceful Summer. Let Jean's evil be a lesson for us all to abide to our Oath,and give thanks to our arts that we have so much to show for our ten yearsof occupancy. Our Library is deficient in six arts yet, but our reserves ofVis are great. Our Laboratories would be the envy of many magi, and now thatwe have our full number again, with Turold's membership, let us look uponthe next ten years with good spirit and firm resolve.