1100

YEAR 1100

Scribed by Idris

Spring 1100AD

Castellan Oscytel departed thislife on the first morning of the new year at peace in his bed scarcelya fitting end for so violent and unpleasant a man and Thurstan wasappointed Castellan in his stead. Petrus departed for Durenmar and our gatehouseswere finally completed. Alarmingly later in the season we found a spy fromHoly Isle in Black Knee who had been set to watch the covenant for any signsof Diedne. Eventually after interrogating him at length we let him go witha curt message for the magi of that covenant.

Summer

We journeyed intothe fey regio to speak with Ruadan about her gift and to try to challengethe Mountain King for my son. The snow lay thick about the land and conditionswere terribly harsh making travel very hard going indeed. Ruaridh spoke withRuadan and in return for the five pawns of Perdo vis that she had gifted him,for it was she who had sent the Cor, he agreed to kill the daemon who hadtricked her, set its head on a spike and burn it. In addition, as compensationfor the death of her servant, she demanded blood. Varsavia explained thatshe only wanted a few drops not the the life that we feared, but none of ussave Cynddylan was prepared to do it. I warned him about the possible consequencesof such an act but he was not daunted and went through with it though I fearfor what will happen to him.

Then on to seeGofynwy who agreed to take me and one other through to the realm of the MountainKing. I took Myrvyn with me for the challenge as we decided on an archerycontest before embarking on our quest. The King agreed to the challenge:if Myrvyn my champion won then I would be allowed to leave with Ieuan butif he lost then I would remain with him for the time it would take for Ieuanto grow to manhood.

The contest couldnot have been closer: the King shot with a bow of marble and once hehad the mark, he hit an unerring bullseye with his second shot of three. Myrvynalso hit bullseye with his final arrow and we still only won when he let outthe most outrageous sneeze as the King fired his final arrow causing him tomiss his mark. So it was with a greatly lightened heart that I was able toleave with my son who had aged but one year. What ill-feelings and mistrusthad been present between me and the King were now passed and we left on goodterms. I said I would bring Ieuan to see him every few years, a promisethat I have every intention of keeping. Myrvyn will also have to returnas he accepted the King’s gift of his bow in return for promising toreturn to teach him archery. On the way out I agreed to pay Gofynwy as muchwelsh gold as I could carry in return for him ferrying us across to the King’srealm.

Whilst we weregone the storyteller Stephen came again at Midsummer’s Eve and told taleof Taliesien and his origins from Cerridwen’s cauldron and Gwion. Wasthere a hidden message in all this for us?I feel there must havebeen as Ederryn sent him here to meet me but alas it seems our paths are destinednot to cross.Taliesien had the giftof prophecy and could see the past, present and future - he was the Merlin.Stephen also foretold war in the land and saw English soldiers coming to theTemple.

August

There was a bitterargument at council. Turold proposed a motion to censure Ruaridh for breakinga previous vote of council (not to pursue the diabolists until we had hadguidance from the Quaesitor). Turold voted for the motion but Varsavia andRuaridh voted against it and I abstained.Ruaridh was clearly atfault but his intentions were good despite his arrogance in the matter.There was then a votefor Ruaridh to follow the fey pact he had made with the same outcome.

Stassius arrivedshortly afterwards for a very brief visit. The Dominion is every more powerfulfollowing King Robert’s murderous victories in the Eastern Lands.Proof surely of it’sbrutal influence? TheKing though tragically died in a hunting accident and civil war looms as DukeHenry and Prince Hugh start fighting. Hugh has had himself crowned at sword-pointand "King" Hugh is besieging Gloucester with an army. How long Iwonder before the treaty with Wales is violated once again.

Primus Guernicushas ruled that Daffyd killed himself to avoid questioning.Alas I feared he wouldfind such, Daffyd’s plan of blackening Holy Isle’s reputation hasbackfired and it can only be a matter of time before they come for me.Other news Hermetic:Nostrius has gone into final twilight and Casus of Flambaeu is to join Blackthorn.Gruda has been requested to attend Holy Isle covenant and Jania has ruledthat anyone sighting him must tell him this if they see him.The noose tightens.

It seems Turoldhas now changed his mind about his motion to censure Ruaridh and has backeddown over it and apologised to Ruaridh.Even though he lost thevote anyway, now does he toady to regain Ruaridh’s favour.

With war seeminglyimminent I have sent Blodwyn and Ieuan out of the covenant with the womenand children to Monmouth. With them out of harm’s way and Cynddylan tolook after them at least now I can stop worrying about them and concentrateon matters here. A fortnight later, as Stephen the bard foretold, an Englisharmy of several hundred men arrived at our gates and demanded entry. Turoldparleyed with them but refused them admittance. We were given a day and anight before their attack. Somehow before this time was up a dozen of theirsoldiers got inside the courtyard and managed to hold the door open long enoughfor more soldiers to get in. There was some desperate fighting but our soldiersmanaged to hold them off and Varsavia’s fire magicks repulsed them.

However we wereleft with only eight able-bodied men to defend the Temple with so we decidedon a sally with myself, Ruaridh and Varsavia made invisible. We attacked inthe early hours of the morning and routed the army. The Englishmen were terrifiedas their leaders died before their eyes with no enemy in sight and fled screamingin terror. I think it will be some goodly time before any other army marcheson this place.

Varsavia’sstudies this season with Terram went awry again and caused a minor earthquakewhich destroyed the granary and also Iacobus’ texts on Magic Theory.

Winter

An eerily quietseason, the snows were light upon the land and though the wolves were hungryand roamed the land they caused us little trouble. There seems to be no maligninfluence acting upon them but they do grow ever bolder as starvation loomsover them. Is this some portent perhaps from the land of hard times to come?