1107

YEAR 1107

Scribed by Turold

Spring 1107 AD

It is over a decade since lastI put quill to parchment in recording the history of our Covenant, and perusingthese records is a reminder of the tribulations that we have constantly facedin our efforts to reach Summer. Alas, such an exalted position still seemssome time away and events this season have provided little settling of ourposition.

While the beginning of Springheralded an improvement in the weather, there was still much concern as wemet in council. We were still a member short with Lothar's continuing disappearance,and that very morning we received the news that Leofric had passed away afterserving but a day as acting Castellan. We appointed Eocfrith in his stead,but as it seems unlikely Varein will return some more permanent provisionwill have to be made in the future. Ruaridh was sorely troubled by what nextyears tribunal may bring and asked myself and Petrus if we would be preparedto lend our aid in his preparations to do battle with the demon that besetshim. We readily agreed and will give up some time later in the year. For theseason he took three pawns of Vim vis so as to further study that form inorder that he can prepare some enchantment that will aid him. Petrus was appointedthe task of scribing some more of his spells as a covenant service, Antoniusdecided to read from the Encyclopaedia Hermetica to improve his knowledgeof the law, and I was granted permission to extract vis from the aura formy own future use. It was also decided that Ruaridh would travel to our Ignemsite and mark it as our own so that there could be no future excuse for anythat might take it for themselves.

Just a few days after we met wereceived troubling news from Black Knee. It appears that a new knight underthe Baron of Chepstow, one Sir Gerald, has been granted Lydney. He pressedfurther and rode in to our village, claiming it as his own and levying a sterntax on the miners. In addition the preacher Godwin was arrested on the ordersof a priest that accompanied this knight. It was immediately decided thatAntonius and Lucian, under the guise of being merchants, would journey toLydney and find out what they could. There they discovered that Sir Geraldwas a former military man, not born into the nobility, and that he was beinghard pressed to turn a quick profit on the landholding granted to him. Ascouncil we resolved that we must retake Black Knee and show that we meantto receive no interference on our lands. In return we would offer favourabletrade arrangements in order to make peace and help the knight earn his monies.It is formally passed in council that we consider Black Knee an integral partof our covenant.

The night before our action Ruaridhflew to Lydney and there effected the escape of Godwin with little difficulty,though it seems that the priest, a man named Christopher, had tortured himand named him as a heretic.We then sent a large force of men to Black Kneewhere they quickly overran the two soldiers that had been placed as guardsthere. They were sent packing with the message that Sir Gerald would do wellnot to molest us in future, and we sent a grog to convey our desire for ameeting. He did not return and instead we received a message that Andrew,Godwin's companion, was also considered a heretic and that he should be deliveredunto the Knight or the lives of our grog, and two of the village women heldhostage, would be forfeit. After a lengthy discussion, at times quite heatedI must add, we decided to do this and then rescue Andrew later, a plan thathe agreed to for the sake of the women.

A large proportion of our men,accompanied by Antonius and Lucian, and also Ruaridh (though invisibly), escortedAndrew to Lydney where they were met by the knight and his men. Antonius masqueradedas Ruaridh in discussions with Gerald and an arrangement was reached wherebywe would provide stone and tools at cheap prices while paying a good pricefor livestock. This was agreed to and Antonius was invited to stay and dine,which protocol demanded he agree to. It appears that this was a plan hatchedby Sir Gerald and Father Christopher, for after the meal Antonius was informedthat he would attend mass with them. Realising the danger that this couldcause Antonius dropped his transformation magics before taking communion sothat diabolism should not be inferred. Nevertheless it seems likely that thingswould have taken a very ill turn were it not for the presence of one Stuart,formerly a lay clerk at the monastery of Lindisfarne. He had some knowledgeof the order, even having met Yania in the past, and he managed to persuadeSir Gerald that this was a matter for the rector of Chepstow to rule upon(he is apparently a tolerant man). Antonius was allowed to leave and we shallsee what further problems this leads to in the summer.

After this we used the spell Openingthe Intangible Tunnel to aid Andrew's escape. It appears that something inthe magic went awry, for while it was intended that he be granted the visionof a cat he was actually transformed into one. He still managed to escapehowever and is now hiding with Godwin in the Covenant.

Summer

The council meeting began withdiscussion about events at Lydney. In the past there was an infernal aurapresent in the village and we decided we must investigate whether this wasstill the case, a task that Ruaridh agreed to carry out. It was also decidedthat the lack of space in the library is becoming intolerable, so we are tobuild another level above it in order that we can separate the mundane textsfrom the hermetic. Ruaridh continued with his Vim studying, while for Antonius'service it was agreed that he would continue to interact with the mundanes,primarily Gloucester and Chepstow. Petrus kindly offered to help me explorea puzzling phenomena that has been occurring to me over the last year or so;it seems that my magic is somehow interacting in a most unusual way with stone,to the extent that I have without my awareness left impressions of my handin the wall of my sanctum.

A day later Ruaridh informed usthat Lydney does indeed still possess an infernal aura. This is a most troublingmatter, particularly as Antonius has some doubts as to the piety of the priestthere.

Antonius spent a useful seasonabroad. During his time away he met with the rector of Chepstow, a man namedFather Adrian. Apparently he was as tolerant a man as Stuart had describedand it seems that the matter has for the present been resolved, though ifit goes to the Bishop or higher we have no assurances of the outcome. In returnwe are to build a small chapel at Black Knee which Father Christopher willoversee, and for a few months every year Stuart will reside as a guest ofthe Covenant. As a result it was decided that Godwin and Andrew had to leave,Ruaridh making the arrangements for this. Council gave its formal thanks toAntonius for his skilful handling of the problem.

Towards the middle of the seasonSylvania came to the Covenant in response to our request for aid. She questionedus for some time before informing us that it was likely that Lothar was trappedin Arcadia, caught in some form of dreamlike state. She believed however thatshe may be able to fetch him out by, in some manner I do not fully understand,using his affection for Varsavia. At Midsummer she took Eanfled and left forthe faerie regio. That same day it snowed, presumably as a result of Ninniaw'sbargain with the Erechwyth. It was but a few days later that she returned,bringing Lothar with her, though he was much changed. Indeed it was hard tobelieve he was the same man; the scars on his face had disappeared, he wasno longer gently gifted and much of his ignorant stubbornness and overconfidenceseemed a thing of the past. We demanded that he be examined by a Qaesitorof House Merinita, and he departed for Loch Leglean tribunal.

At the end of Summer Antoniusreturned, bringing with him the work on the occult that we had traded withIsaac for. He also brought a more worrying tale. While in Gloucester he andLucian were surprised to meet Ruaridh, who was apparently there on some personalbusiness. They spoke with him for some time before becoming suspicious. Itwas well that they did for this was the infernal impostor again. As they relatedthe conversation Ruaridh's fear seemed to return upon him, particularly aswe learnt that it had discussed Godwin leaving for London. Only Ruaridh hadknown this and our concern is that it may be able to read his mind. As a resultit has been decided that council will now be permitted to keep secrets fromRuaridh in order that the creature can learn no more of our actions. Indeed,he has agreed he will no longer even read this journal until the demon isdefeated.

After the extensive examinationsof the season it seems that I have some power to mould stone, possibly a nonhermetic addition to my gift. In the future I shall try and spend a seasonwith the Archimagus Jolyon, who is perhaps more likely to be able to helpme harness this talent than any other magus of the tribunal.

Autumn

As Autumn replaced Summer Lotharreturned from his journey. No word yet having reached us he was asked to remainin the guest house and we held the meeting of council without him. Ruaridhalso stayed only for as long as it took him to inform us that he would beworking on his spell this season, and that he would require Petrus' aid. Formy part I was asked to extract vis as my service and Antonius was grantedsome Imagonem vis to continue his studies.

The season brought a visit fromStassius, whereupon we were informed that it was Lothar who had returned andwe welcomed him back as a member of Severn Temple. A discussion was held andhe announced that he would be seeking to join Ex Miscellanea, House Bjornaerbeing unlikely to react with favour to his rash act. For the rest of the Summerhe intended to do some work on his laboratory. Stassius also brought newsthat the Emperor of Germany had been overthrown by his son, that Scotlandhad a new king called Alexander and that Black Hugh had returned to Englandafter making several promises to the pope regarding his actions. A large numberof religious posts had been filled as a result. Of hermetic news we were toldthat the war in Germany had come within 13 miles of Durenmar, an event thatPrimus Jerbiton has been instructed to prevent recurring. The moon has alsobeen seen waxing and waning contrary to nature, an omen that Jordael relatesto a coming war, and Krekaranius to the stirring of a giant worm. The tribunalwill be held at Cad Gadu next Summer and it seems that we must make even greaterpreparations. Ponrius had requested that Dionysus make a formal investigationof our Covenant for alleged mismanagement. This has been declined as not appropriateat this time, but it seems that somehow we have made political enemies andshould be on our guard. In truth I found this news somewhat hard to believeand am unsure what we can do other than refute any such allegation directly.Finally he brought two letters from magi unknown to us, both being applicantsto join us. We have extended an invitation for them to visit us that we mayall decide whether each other are suitable. One is a Flambeau however, andif things continue as they have we may yet have need of a magus with theirparticular skills.

One further event of note occurredand that was upon the night of the equinox. One of the guards saw somethingby the spring and Antonius was summoned. There he witnessed the manifestationof what we believe was the ghost of Radulfus, an event that has occurred before.His speech was mainly unintelligible but Antonius says he referred to 'thechildren of Lydney', 'the watchful eyes of damnation' and something furtherabout 'striking thrice' and 'the heart'. We discussed what this could meanfor some time, indeed whether it was of any value at all considering the source,and then the possibility of funding the building of a church in Lydney. Itis a matter that I am sure we will return to while the infernal has a footholdin our neighbour.

Winter

While the cold months of Winterare never pleasurable, though visiting Petrus' sanctum, with it's enchantedfire, of an evening provides some relief from the chill, the season passedrelatively uneventfully and there is always hope as we approach a new year.For a few moments before Ruaridh excused himself we had a full council, thefirst in some considerable time. Ruaridh continued with his spell and it wasmy turn to aid him in his work. Antonius and Lothar spent there time studyingfrom the Mentem and Muto tomes respectively. After Ruaridh had left we decidedwe must try and provide him with additional aid and we decided to try andcreate some item to do this. We initially considered some form of Perdo Vimitem, but Lothar suggested we could create a greater magnitude of effect bycreating a potion. This elegantly practical solution was agreed and Petrusgave up his time to work on it, his affinity with Vim sure to produce a significantresult. I must admit to feeling somewhat humbled that such a solution hadnot occurred to me, but it seems that since his return Lothar is thinkingwith greater clarity than ever before and his general demeanour is increasinglyrestrained and practical. If it were not for the Qaesitor's ruling it wouldseem impossible that this was the same man who originally joined us.

The one event of note occurredduring a particularly fierce rainstorm in the heart of the season. A sectionof the temporary roof covering the building works on the library was rippedoff during the night and the damage could have been very severe. FortunatelyAntonius was in the library during the night and he used his magic to protectthe hermetic library. Ruaridh soon arrived and added his protection to themundane library, but sadly not in time to prevent several of the pagan lorevolumes sustaining water damage.

At the end of the season Petrushad produced four bags of sand enchanted as a weapon against our demonic foe,and Ruaridh has developed a powerful Perdo Vim enchantment of his own. I foundworking with him less of a hardship than I had initially feared. He is veryfocused in his work but certainly not difficult to get on with in his laboratory,despite the obvious strain that he is under. I can only hope that next yearbrings him better fortune than this one has.