1117

YEAR 1117

Scribed by Turold

Spring 1117 AD

Looking back at Petrus' precedingwords in this journal I find myself agreeing, that while there are still darkdays to follow and many threats to overcome, there is a real sense of optimismthat we will soon cast off the early days of Spring and as a covenant stakeour place in Summer. Perhaps it is the sense that we are taking on our problemsrather than responding to the vagaries of fate, or the fact that the issuesthat concern us seem to be of a greater magnitude than in my early days atSevern Temple, but I have a confident feeling that we come to a position wherewe can make a difference, both within the surronding area and perhaps thetribunal as a whole. It is a feeling that I believe my sodales also shareand I look forward to what the next few years will bring.

This year began with some smallcommotion within the tower. It seems that the loss of his magic that has plaguedRuaridh throughout the winter came to an end on the first morning of spring.I did not personally witness the events but heard that Ruaridh's sanctum andthe stairwell were covered in a thick magical mist, the result of his dailyattempts to spellcast going off simultaneously. A few Perdo Auram enchantmentswere sufficient to deal with this phenomenon and Ruaridh was a much relievedman when we convened the first council of 1117.

Council had few matters to discuss,the most important relating to our lost Rego source and any possible solutionsto this problem. It is a matter long overdue and while there were not thatmany suggestions made it is something that we shall all cogitate on in futuremonths. Edith will use some herbal preparations that she possesses to turnthe water bitter, perhaps leavening some of the mundanes desire to use thatparticular source.

Lothar brought two matters up.First it seems that he will soon wish to begin the work that will bind thefae squirrel 'Sable' to him as a familiar. He wished to trade with Petrusfor vim vis, our own supplies being perilously thin with the events at thelast aegis, and seemed highly frustrated when Petrus reminded him of the personalnature of that substance, rendering it unsuitable for his needs. Secondlyhe suggested that it may be worth the covenant purchasing a pair of horsesfor the purposes of breeding. With his skills and arts it seems likely thatthis is a matter that Lothar may competently be able to deal with, and theprice of horseflesh certainly makes it seem a worthwhile pursuit. It is amatter we shall look into.

Over the course of the seasonI shall be continuing work on a commisioned enchantment with Petrus investigatingthe Black Torc, Ruaridh studying from Rego vis, Lothar studying the Vim texts,Edith the Animal tome and Antonius performing his usual service abroad.

Very little happened during thenext three months; Ruaridh travelled to Blackthorn at Serenia's request, Antoniuswas visited by Eloria and Lothar held another of his somewhat bizarre partiesby the spring on the night of the equinox. Apart from this the season passeduneventfully.

Summer

There were a number of issuesraised as we joined together for council. Petrus' investigations of the Torchad revealed that as we suspected it was a device used to ward against spirits,specifically against those up to the 7th magnitude. However, he also stronglysuspected that there was some as yet unrevealed enchantment contained within,and coupled with the nature of it's creator I think it unlikely that any wouldyet be happy to utilise this device. Ruaridh announced that he would not betravelling to the meeting of House Guernicus, instead being left behind tooversee the tribunal in the absence of the more senior Quaesitorii, a signalhonour. He also informed us that Blackthorn was in need of many mundane resourcesand would pay well for any magi that could help them at this time. Edith immediatelydeclared that she would travel there this seaeson to grant what help she could.

Antonius brought back some newsfrom his journeys. It seems that Sir Kenneth of Coleford is marrying the Baronof Monmouth's daughter which will mean a strong political alliance. Furthermorehe is fortifying Coleford itself, hence the quarrying that had so disturbedthe waters of Clearwell Hill. Indeed he has set up a village called Clearwellwhich is expanding into the forest. This is of great concern to us so we discussedpossible options for quite some time. We think that our best option may beto try and think of some way of discrediting him among his supporters andallies but Antonius will have to investigate further. Lothar seemed to favoura more direct response but I shall relate his concerns shortly. Antonius alsoinformed us that from his sources in Gloucester he had heard a tale that theAbbey Gatehouse, a priory in Wooton under Edge, was the scene of some darkdeeds. It had been claimed that a monk there was caught summoning demons alongwith some other men. It was not clear what had happened to this man, but itis another matter we shall have to investigate. Finally Antonius completeda deal with the jew Isaac trading our text on Humanities for 1,250 penniesof silver.

I wrote that Lothar had favoreda more direct response to the problems of Coleford and Clearwell. The reasonthat he gave us was that before he discovered the berries that are our sourceof Muto vis, he came upon a great stag that he claimed was the 'Spirit ofthe Wood'. This dying creature had aided him on the condition that he protectthe forest in it's place. Lothar now believes he has been cursed by this creatureas the expansion of the mundanes settlements continues on the western edge.To demonstrate his concerns he travelled into the wood, accompanied by Edith,Ruaridh and Antonius. He tripped over a root almost immediately after entering,claiming that this was proof that the forest had withdrawn it's aid to him.It seems that once more his desire to make pledges he has little understandingof has led him into difficulties, though with our desires all being so similarhe will have our long term aid in attempts to remove these mundanes who soencroach on the magical sites that surround us.

Antonius announced that he wouldbe travelling again over Summer while I continued my work, Ruaridh used hisown vis for study, Petrus took the Imagonem work and Lothar returned to theVim texts.

The day after midsummer Edithcalled a council meeting. She had been plagued the night before by an intensedream of such a nature that she felt it important we all be informed. Shehad seen the covenant enveloped by storm clouds with the moon bathed in bloodand the sky filled with fire. We summoned Jacques who has some knowledge ofthese things and as we suspected he said that it was a bad omen, specificallyrelated to famine, disease and a battle in which innocents would lose theirlives. We agreed that we should spend further funds on building up our reserves;another famine is a thing that we would be well prepared for.

The only other event of note wasof a personal nature, the strange magic that I possess once more beginningto manifest itself without my control. I spoke to Petrus again and it seemsclear that I shall soon have to venture into the faerie regio to seek aidfrom Gofynwy. For the present I have had to lay rugs across the floor of mysanctum so that I am not in a position to affect the stone floor that I workupon.

Autumn

We were joined at the start ofcouncil by the Redcap Mathus who had arrived on the previous night. Therewas much news and I shall here relate the most important points. The alliancebetween the Kings of England and France has come to an end. Indeed the Emperorof Germany felt the need to threaten France after it invaded Normandy. Dueto a shortage of men in England, while the fighting has continued on the continent,the harvest has failed and prices once more are reaching great levels withsupplies so scarce. He had news relating to the stories we had already heardabout the Abbey Gatehouse. The monk, named Tristram, had indeed been revealedas a diabolist along with two acolytes. All had been sentenced to death butTristram escaped and is now loose in the area. Sir Kenneth's marriage to Catherinewent ahead as planned and he now has a force of 14 men. The new Earl of Gloucesteris holding a tournament in Spring.

Of hermetic news there was alsoplenty. An attempt has been made on Primus Llandoddwyn's life in Cad Gaduitself. An un-named assasin tried to stab him with a heavily enchanted bladethough he was destroyed by Praeco Garius. Ruaridh is the Quaesitor assignedto the investigation. House Guernicus' meeting was much concerned with ExMiscellanea's motion and has decided to support it, declaring consorting asan act to aid, conspire or provide information, though maintaining ignoranceis still no defence in the law. Feremir has sadly passed in to final twilightbut Serenia has declared he will not be replaced in the tribunal. There hasbeen a wizards war between two Tytalans, Turbulus of Loch Legean and Venastesof Normandy. Despite being the younger Venastes was victoriuos but has nowbeen accused of killing three consortes and damaging magical equipment byScarfell covenant. In return he has charged that Blodwyn attempted to shelterTurbulus in the infirmary there. Again Ruaridh has been called to investigate.

After Mathus had left there wassome discussion of the news that we had heard. Ruaridh informed us that thebody of the would be assasin was present within the covenant walls and thatit's ghost was roaming around. Edith's cat, with the aid of Lothar's magic,was able to inform us that it is generally following Ruaridh, but has alsobeen investigating our Sancti. We asked Ruaridh to remove the body outsidethe covenant which he agreed to.

Another discussion concerned Lothar'sproblem with the Stag's curse. Edith will spend this season trying to extendthe Forest's eastern boundary, and at the same time shutting off the northernapproach to the covenant. Antonius is off to Blackthorn to give them his aid,while Petrus will be continuing his studies of the Imagonem books.

I shall be travelling to see Gofynwyand the council agreed to exchange a rook of my vis for the horse createdby Gofannon. I have little idea whether this will be a suitable gift to takebut I will not visit empty handed. Ruaridh and Lothar are to travel to MynyddMerddin for another investigation of that magical site.

I have been told that little occurredwhile I was away in the regio save for the events that occurred in MynyddMerddin which I shall relate as best as I am able after hearing them related.Apparently all went well initially, a camp being set up in the village andsome preliminary scouting not revealing anything to be concerned about. Ruaridhand Lothar decided to look for some of the vis sites recorded in the reportand set off with the grogs through the awakened forest. While travelling throughthis dense and dark wood they were lucky enough to be able to kill one ofthe deer. They pushed through to the far side and making their way throughthe mist to the higher level of the regio harvested some of the moss thatcontains the Intellego vis.

It was on their return throughthe wood that disaster struck. The great bear that we had read about seemsto be a hugely powerful creature with the ability to disappear at will. Asthey struggled through the forest it launched a surprise attack, scatteringeveryone in an instant and killing one of the sergeants who had leaped into defend Ruaridh. In the ensuing panic it attacked another grog who was savedfrom instant death only due to his hound defending it's master. Sadly thisman later succumbed to his wounds. Ruaridh attacked the creature with lightningwhile invisible and managed to drive it off, though from his words I sensethat this was a battle whose outcome was never certain in his own mind. Eventuallythe majority of the survivors managed to regroup and find their way back tothe camp. I say the majority for one man, a grog by the name of Lars, didnot return and could not be found.

The tribulations of the expeditionwere still not over however. The ancient celtic tribe that we had assumedlong dead turned out not to be so however, and while the group were restinglaunched an attack. Ruaridh was injured by a spear blow, and Lothar sorelywounded, though in bear form he was able to win out the day and all were ableto return to the covenant, nearly the entire season having passed while theywere within the regio.

Winter

I returned from the farie regioa few days ago after the council meeting, so I can only briefly relate thosediscussions that I have heard about from Petrus. The events at Mynydd Merddinwere to the fore. It has been suggested that an attempt to parley with theceltic folk be attempted, Lothar seemingly very keen that Antonius attemptthis task. There have also been reports that strange shadows have been sightedwandering between Lydney and Blacknee. Antonius also received a visit fromQaesitor Linaris relating to the charges that have been laid against his materconcerning an alleged infraction of the Primary Code in her dealings withthe fae.

Lothar is to spend the seasonextracting Vim vis, Petrus and Ruaridh are studying from the Intellego vis,Antonius the Imagonem vis and Edith the Herbam vis. I shall be performingmy service and crafting figurines for the inhabitants of the covenant, tobe used with the map I created for my house meeting.

I write this in a bitterly coldlibrary as much to take my mind off the gnawings of hunger as for any otherreason. Disaster has struck us once more and even though we expected it wehave been sorely hurt. Only a few weeks into the winter came a great storm.Driving rain and tumultuous winds assailed the covenant and before sufficientresponse had been mustered our granary's roof was torn from it's mooringsand the walls battered into submission. Nearly all of our stocks, those thathad been purchased at such great expense in preparation, were lost in a moment.We immediately met and decided on a drastic plan of action. Severe rationingwould be put into effect. Antonius set off for Hibernia in an attempt to buymore food and I visited every covenant in the tribunal on the same task. Nearlyall were affected as badly as us, some worse, and my efforts yielded littlesuccess. Solis Castle promised us some fish which has recently arrived thoughseveral weeks too late for many, and Cad Gadu loaned us a spell which, withthe use of our vis stocks, we have been able to magically create food.

Shortly after I returned to thecovenant a virulent plague struck us also, and it took a combination of Edithspotions and later Ruaridh's spells made permanent with vis to ensure the magi'ssurvival. I myself suffered for a number of weeks, and while not as badlyafflicted as in the past, am still feeling weary from the pestilence. I hopeAntonius returns soon.

It is almost Spring and we havesurvived but at great cost to the covenant. Fully ten people have succumbedto illness and starvation, including Jacques and Lledoc, and our walls nowhave barely enough men to cover them if we work them continually. Tragedyhas also befallen Blacknee, who in addition to the effects of famine wereattacked by brigands while there were no grogs to protect them. Many of thewomen and children were killed and the miners hearts hang heavy with theirloss. There will be much rebuilding to do next year but we shall be equalto the task I am sure.