1115

YEAR 1115

Scribed by Petrus

Spring 1115 AD

Once more I shall take up quilland parchment and record the times and trials of our life here at Severn Templecovenant. On this bright spring morning I sit within the library with a mixtureof emotion; relief that our covenant is no longer situated within a regio,concern that the strength of our aura has seriously diminished. Aye, and itwas my own experimentation which caused this state of affairs. It appearedthat by accident I have achieved something that Xeros tried in vain for hisentire lifetime to achieve - to affect the strength of a magical aura. Whilstlast season our aura rose to the ninth magnitude and we were forced to livewithin a regio or desert the covenant; this season the aura has collapsedand registers by my spell to be of the fifth magnitude. The affects of livingfor three months within such a powerful aura appears to have quickly warpedsome of the grogs, and I sense a change even in some of my sodales. Turold,Antonius, Edith and Lothar all appear to have been subtly warped by the magicshere. My greatest fear, however, is that the aura has been permanently damagedby the accident - as a candle may burn brightly and consume itself more quickly.I have been making notes and taking regular measurements since the beginningof this phenomenon. If this damage to our aura is to be permanent, then itis vital that at least something is learnt from our loss. Our council meetingreflected the sense of relief and concern which I have described. I suggestedto council that I should perhaps build a new laboratory within the magicalaura to the south of our covenant - in the hope that if I am ever able torecreate the accident it will not so sorely endanger this aura. There waswide support for this suggestion, though with some note of concern for mysafety whilst working at such a distance from covenant.

For now I shall continue copyingour Rego text in preparation for the conclusion of our deal with Lear Valleyat the Tribunal in summer. Ruaridh shall study Rego vis. Antonius will workabroad from the covenant and deal with our mundane relations. Turold, Lotharand Edith shall study from the Perdo, Intellego and the Vim texts respectively.

A few days into the season Mathus,the Redcap, made a brief visit. It appears that Dionysus, having fully examinedDafydd's belongings, had discovered some documents taken from Severn Templewhich detailed the discovery, by the magi of Severn Temple's previous incarnation,of a large and vis rich regio a few miles south-east of Blackthorn covenant;a place named Mynydd Merddin. The documents, written by Radolphus before hisfall into diabolism, also included an approximate map of the area and descriptionof his first expedition there. There was much excitement at the council meetingand it was quickly decided that we would send a small expedition to the site,obtain some vis, and declare it as a covenant vis site before the sessionof the Tribunal. Ruaridh scouted the region by air, and checked the recordsat Blackthorn to ensure that the site had not been discovered and declaredby any other covenant. Having found that it was not already a declared vissite Ruaridh, Turold, Lothar, and Antonius, along with Pendaran and Lucienelected to undertake an expedition. They left in two groups; the main partymaking their way via Monmouth and Skenfrith by foot, Ruaridh and Turold flyingup to meet them a few days later. The next we heard of them was when our librarian,Jacque, discovered Antonius severely burnt and injured, lying in agony onthe council room floor. It appears that the party had found the ruins of aCeltic settlement within the regio, and discovered that one of the desertedbuildings had a Sanctum marking upon the door. Ruaridh correctly recognisedRadolphus' sigil beneath the mark, and warned the others not to enter - ashe remembered the watching ward that we had discovered upon Radolphus' sanctumin the early days of our covenant. However, while the other magi consideredwhat action to take next, Lothar (impetuous and stubborn as ever) barged thedoor open while in bear form and released a fire enchantment within the ward.Lothar was only mildly hurt by the inferno that exploded from the doorway,his bear form robust enough to survive the blast. However, Antonius was notso fortunate. The explosion which caught him a few paces away burnt him withsuch ferocity, that he only escaped death by a hair's breadth. Ruaridh wasable to remove a shard of wood six inches long from Antonius' chest, and temporarilyease the severity of his wounds by use of spell. Then, after Rending the MagicalVeil to allow Pendaran to carry him out of the regio, Antonius used the Leapof Homecoming potion to return to the council chamber.

Whilst Edith has worked with skilland effort to stabilise his wounds, the scars across Antonius' face and neckcould not be healed by her art. It was only by transferring him to Scarfelland dealing for Creo and Corporem vis that Blodwyn was able to mend his appearance.Even after this Antonius still feels pain across his face upon occasion -and our fear is that Radolphus' fire spell was infernally tainted.

Lothar checked the inside of thesanctum by summoning a bear and sending it inside. Ruaridh and Turold werethen able to examine the diabolist' haunt. Inside they discovered books ofart, grimoires, money, vis and magical items which rightfully belonged toour covenant and had been stolen by Radolphus before the refoundation of SevernTemple. They also discovered a journal written in Radolphus' hand which revealedsomething of his descent into madness and corruption. They had to wait forLothar, who had gone off to explore the forest in a sulk, but were eventuallyable to return with a large portion of the find.

Other than a demand for tax; somesix hundred pennies, the rest of the season passed peacefully enough. Antoniuswas infirm for most of the season, but endeavoured abroad to bring us newsfrom the region. It appears that Duke Edward of Normandy has invaded and withforces loaned from the Empire and France has battled Hugh at Ashford. By allaccounts the war does not go well for Black Hugh and he has retreated to London.Meanwhile, and somewhat predictably, the Welsh have risen to arms and laidsiege to Chepstow and Monmouth.

Summer

Whilst war and strife beset themundane world around us, our covenant remains peaceful - sheltered by theforest, our reputation and our relative remoteness. We met for council atthe beginning of the season and some small share of disquiet descended uponus. Antonius, quite properly angered by Lothar's boorish foolishness lastseason, has brought case against him. Quaesitor Ponrius of Blywyddan willact as Accusator at the next tribunal. Lothar was angered in turn at thisapparent "slight", and stormed out of the council room. We wereforced to conduct the majority of our meeting without him.

From Antonius we heard somethingof the mundane conflict, as I have already described, but he also relatedhis visit to the Abbey at Pricknash and his meeting with the Abbot there;Sebastien. By Antonius' account he appears a tolerant man, and had heard ofthe Archbishop of Canterbury's opinion that Magi were not enemies of the Church.It appears that Lamark's work in Rome has afforded us the opportunity to makeallies among the mundanes. Whilst such things would never interest me, I amgrateful we have someone like Antonius who enjoys such a burden. We discussedthe Tribunal, and decided upon a motion to suggest that covenant's offer sanctuaryto magi without covenant during these times of mundane conflict and the returnof the unnamed house. Ruaridh, Turold and myself will study from vis thisseason, despite the weakened aura, while Antonius, Lothar and Edith will studyfrom texts.

The Tribunal opened on the morningof mid-summer with the Praeco's address in which he reminded us of our dutynot to interfere during these times of mundane conflict, and warned us toexercise vigilence and caution (a reference to the events of Ashenrise) withregard to the activities of the unnamed house. He also expressed the widelyheld desire that Narwold covenant, impertinently established by the NormandyTribunal in East Anglia, should eventually become part of Stonehenge. PraecoGarius also welcomed Quaesitor Serenia of House Guernicus to the Tribunal,she will act as senior Quaesitor, and Agned of Ex-Miscellanea, who havingpassed whatever gauntlet (if she had one) will take up residence in Wales.The Tribunal then turned to the matter of Wynedd, who having been accusedof consorting with the unnamed house by Dionysus, was being defended (in theformal role of Patronus) by our own sodalis, Ruaridh. Dionysus detailed thecase against Wynedd, in that she did aid Stephen and another wizard of theunnamed house, by summoning for them a spirit which gave them information.From the description it appeared that the spirit may have been Idris, andgiven his recent reappearance within the regio and at the spring this mademe particularly suspicious. Ruaridh argued her defence well, but after sometime the argument dwelt upon whether Wynedd had known the two men or not.Ruaridh argued that she did not, and thus had only helped our enemies inadvertently.Given her youth and inexperience this argument might have saved her life,but proof of this was required so Ruaridh elected to cast a truth spell uponher while Dionysus asked further questions. Wynedd at first refused the spelland silently shook her head, and growing in frustration Quaesitor Sereniahad to insist that the spell was cast. The effects of Ruaridh's spell wereunexpected and almost lethal. As he cast the Betraying Whispers upon her somegreat voice shouted "NO", and Ruaridh was struck unconscious inan instant. The meeting was adjourned in some confusion whilst Ruaridh wascarried off to the infirmary and Wynedd was rendered unconscious by a spellfrom Dionysus.

The next day the Tribunal reconvenedwith Ruaridh insisting that the truth spell be tried again. Quaesitor Sereniawas unwilling and ordered that Blodwyn reveal the nature of the injuries thatRuaridh had received the previous day. It appears that he had suffered a greatwound to his mind that would have left Ruaridh as good as dead; it apparentlytook a ritual and sixteen pawns of vis to remove the harm. However, Ruaridhwas still minded to try again, but he conceded to allow Caisus to stand byas Hoplite. This time the spell was cast with success, but still the effectswere unpredicted. All in the room could hear the whispering of spirits comingfrom Wynedd. Dionysus asked questions, but Ruaridh would not reveal what answerhe heard from Wynedd's mind. Eventually the trial was adjourned again, whilethe two Quesitori met privately with Serenia. When they returned Dionysusand Ruaridh offered the same punishment to the Tribunal. The evidence it seemedwas clear - Wynedd had knowingly helped our enemies - the vote for her guiltwas unanimous. She was lead away by Hoplites Caisus and Orlania; her faterightly determined by the necessity of the law. After this sorry businesswas completed the Praeco ordered what motions each covenant brought beforeTribunal. I have not the diligence of my Sodalis Turold, but I shall at leastrecord those motions which affected our covenant.

Our tithes for this year amountedto a total of thirty pawns of vis; eighteen of these to the Tribunal, twelveto Holy Isle. There was another vote regarding vis territories brought beforethe Tribunal by Quaesitor Ferramir, but despite Narwold's presence the votewas to leave things as they were. Blywyddan has finally been recognised asa Summer covenant, and it is my hope that we too shall soon be so recognised.Ponrius of Blywyddan brought Antonius' case against Lothar and was successfulin his prosecution. Lothar will pay Antonius nine pawns of Creo or Corporemvis, and has been formally condemned by the Tribunal for his reckless action.Such a condemnation is widely used in the more civilised parts of the Orderto shame a Magus into mending their behaviour; however I fear that such thingsare less considered at the fringes of the Order where many Magi appear tohave no shame. Whilst I hope Lothar will see the error of his ways, I senseonly that he feels slighted by Antonius and may not heed the opinions of theTribunal and his own Sodales. Erin of Scarfell offered to make longevity potionsfor consortes at a reasonable cost, and Blodwyn presented the records of theInfirmary. It appears that the infirmary has been well utilised, but thereis little chance that the Tribunal will consider to bear such costs of vis.We were warned by Holy Isle that the unnamed house has a historical interestin our magical site, and also warned that those approaching Carrion Moor shouldbe on their guard for some magical black beast which has attacked their grogpatrols. For ourselves we raised the motion I have already mentioned. I waspleased to see that it gained majority support despite Blywyddan and HolyIsle voting against it. In these dark times the Order must look out for itsMagi, and covenants should be prepared to shelter those magi who live withoutcovenant. The second motion was from Ruaridh who formally acted as Accusatorin a case against Jerriania. The matter was settled quickly with Llandolwynreceiving three hundred pennies for damage to his laboratory. Thus was theTribunal business concluded and we made our return to the covenant.

Towards the end of the seasonwe sent men to reinforce the village of Lydney, which had been raided by theWelsh. Mathus arrived at the end of the season. He informed us that Hugh'sforces had been besieged at London by Edward of Normandy and the Duke of Yorkuntil the King had been betrayed by his own nobles and delivered up to Edward.Gloucester was now hard pressed by the Welsh in the West and the regroupedarmies of Edward who now marched to crush resistance in Gloucester and Hereford.Duke Edmund of York has returned to his own lands to repulse Scottish armieswho have raided in his absence.

Autumn

The weather has broken early anda chill rain soaks the covenant grounds. We met for council, for my part eagerto avoid the tempers which had flared last season. The meeting was civil enough,though I fear Lothar continues to harbour a childish grudge against Antonius.Ruaridh and Lothar will copy up some of the water damaged books of art recoveredfrom Mynydd Merddin; Creo and Vim respectively. Edith will utilise her abilitieswith herbs and potions to make four doses of a preparation to halt the progressof a disease. These she will invest with vis, but Herbam rather than Corporemor Creo, by virtue of some strange non-Hermetic quirk. Turold and myself willstudy pawns of Perdo and Terram, despite the continuing weakness within theaura.

I write this with my pale handstill shaking with shock at the news I have heard. Long have I believed, sincemy days as an apprentice, that Blackthorn was an impregnable fortress - theLatin heart of the Tribunal and a sanctuary against the unnamed house. Indeedif it had been Holy Isle or Blywyddan or even ourselves I should be less surprised- but Blackthorn has been attacked by a great winged Dragon summoned perhapsfrom some deep regio by the unnamed house. The walls of Blackthorn are inruin, it's towers smashed. Only by virtue of the deep caves which house thevast magical libraries have the knowledge and lore of that place perhaps survived.Lamark lies now in our infirmary - but he breathes no more. Edith struggledfor hours to save his life, but his injuries were beyond her art. Gyriania,the gifted Redcap, appeared with him outside our covenant and has apportedto Holy Isle and Cad Gadu to gain aid in finding Serenia and Caisus. We fearthat even the Hoplite's arts will not avail him against such a powerful creature- and I fear that they too may be lost. It appears that the visions and portentsseen by some of the coven folk and grogs have come to pass. Krekaranius'swarnings were true also. Perhaps it is true then, that the unnamed house havesomehow tapped the power of Stonehenge to raise this ruin upon us. The covenantis on alert, and we are ready to evacuate at any time. In the far distanceas one looks from the tower north-west into the mountains, we have seen theblack smoke rising from the ruins of Blackthorn.

Quaesitor Dionysus and ArchimagusCasitus have called upon our covenant, now a week after the first news reachedus of Blackthorn's fall. It appears that Serenia and Caisus have been found,and both are safe. Rebuilding has already begun to make Blackthorn habitableagain, but the covenant lacks young magi who can spare the time required forsuch duty - they shall have to search beyond the Tribunal to gain new members,or perhaps take the unprecedented step of inviting an Ex-Miscellanean. Thetwo Holy Isle magi came to oversee the transfer of Lamark's body back to Blackthorn- and to summon and interrogate the shade of Idris which now haunts the spring.They questioned the shade for hours under the watchful eye of Ruaridh. Itappears that Dionysus can confirm at least some of what Idris has told him.Idris claimed, again, that there were two factions within the unnamed house- only one of which has fallen to the infernal. I am loathe to heed that murderer'stalk, but it seems that despite his treachery the Quaesitor believes somethingof what Idris says. Archimagus Casitus offered to destroy the shade for us- but I was concerned that it might alter the nature of the aura here (asother deaths have done), and Ruaridh was afraid that such an action mightfurther weaken or even destroy the aura (given that in some form or anotherthere has always been a guardian here). I think he regards these pagan superstitionstoo highly, but it is agreed that we shall hold off from destroying Idrisuntil he either causes trouble or we discover a way of doing so which willnot harm the aura.

Two events have occurred in Lydneywhich I must also report this season. First it appears that the grogs we sentto help defend the village have been involved in some drunken brawl and havekilled one of Sir Gerald's men and crippled another. On this matter we haveleft it to Antonius to make suitable amends. The murderer, a man named Ulf,has been hanged. The sergeant of the squad, Lars, has been flogged and strippedof his position, and Piro, who crippled a man's leg, has been flogged also.Sir Gerald is away fighting the Welsh, so we paid his Sergeant ninety penniesin compensation and replaced our grogs with a fresh squad to maintain Lydney'sdefence.

The second matter relates to theterrible events which continue to plague Lydney. It appears that the deadman was placed overnight in the Church for a vigil or something, but duringthe night the body came back to life and attempted to kill Father Christopher,the priest there. Two of Lydney's men managed to save the priest, but thenow inanimate body remained within the church. Antonius was loathe to becometoo closely involved, but helped to retrieve and burn the dead man's bodyoutside the village and offered to try and get help from Tintern Abbey forthe priest and the church. With the Welsh still abroad in the area no monkfrom Tintern could be approached. Antonius says he will try again to encouragesomeone from the clergy to visit the place once the war dies down. Given thewar we were unsurprised that prices for food were raised across the region.This drain on our coffers was partly offset by a rise in the price of iron.

Winter

With the first snows has comeconsiderable relief; the aura has returned to its original strength of sixmagnitudes. Our site has once again found its natural equilibrium, and forthe first time in a year I am confident that no lasting harm has been done.At our council meeting Turold offered to breakdown the lump of quartz whichLothar found a while ago. The quartz dust has a natural power to bestow invisibilityand five potions can be extracted. Ruaridh, Lothar and myself will study fromVim, Animal and Terram vis respectively. Edith will study the Perdo text whilstAntonius will extract some Vim vis for himself in preparation for his longevitypotion next year. After the council meeting we cast the ninth magnitude Aegisof the Hearth from text.

Shortly into the season we wereinformed by Antonius and Lothar that the bright star which has appeared inthe sky, accompanied by a host of shooting lights, indicates the change inthe faerie season from Winter through to Spring. Lothar has taken pains tolearn more about the fae and improve his Mentem magics so that he might betterresist the manipulations of the Ruadan - and has announced that next yearhe intends to travel to the regio.

The faeries continued to playa part in the season. One of the grogs was attacked by the Morfan, we believe,and his face is now permanently marked by numerous warts and boils. The man,named Horsta, was already scarred upon the face and his visage now is quiterevolting. I have requested that the Castellan ensure that this man does notattend the Great Hall whilst Magi are eating their meals. The other matterwas more serious. Eanfled brought a gift of honey for Lothar which, unbeknownstto our Sodalis, had been mixed with some enchantment which shrunk Lothar tothe size of a mouse for several days. We have left it to Lothar to explainour displeasure to Eanfled - I believe that Lothar has also killed Ciaran,the faerie trapper who poisoned the dose of honey in the first place. I amsure that Eanfled did not play this "trick" maliciously - but itisimportant that he understands that such things unacceptable if he is toremain a trusted member of this covenant.

Towards the end of the seasonAntonius reported that Gloucester had fallen to Edward's forces and the diabolistEarl Benoir had been captured and killed by the Welsh while attempting toflee. It seems that the war will soon be over, on this fair news the seasonand the year ended.