1119

YEAR 1119

Scribed by Turold

Spring 1119AD

The first councilof this year felt somewhat strange with the oft stubborn and surly Lotharnow departed from us. In truth we never had a close bond but I am still saddenedby the empty seat that rests in the council chamber. While it is an undoubtedfact that the last forty years have seen the strength of Severn Temple regrowto a fine level, there are too many magi's names now erased from the charterand it is my sincerest hope that it is many many years before this journalshall record the passing of another.

Petrus began byinforming us that his investigations into the bronze skull cap recovered fromMynnydd Merddin had uncovered many useful effects, particularly in dealingswith the mundanes. He went on to relay news of his visit to Dialectica, thenew Bonisagus resident at Blackthorn. It seems she is of the Trianoma persuasionin that house and she has proposed that some sort of formal alliance be formedbetween our two covenants. It seems that we are perceived within the tribunalas an independent and vibrant council, and with our position being seperatefrom the two factions that seem to be dividing Stonehenge she can see profitfor all in such an arrangement. We agreed that we would invite her for furtherdiscussions at the Spring equinox.

Antonius was ableto tell us that Coleford was wounded and his workers had ceased their labourson the new road and withdrawn to the village, where much work is neded. Apparentlyhe is in a difficult financial state, a fact that will hopefully slow downhis plans for expansion. Antonius once more was asked to travel the land forhis service, while Petrus and Edith both used personal vis for their studies.Ruaridh took three pawns of the rego vis, while I took the opportunity ofstudying the texts on the art of Vim.

Dialectica arrivedas arranged, and seemed to have quite an effect on some of my sodales whenthey met her. She seems a pleasant and intelligent young woman, and her ideashad a great deal of merit, drawing broad support from all at council. Sheproposed that under the terms of the alliance we would share information onthe mundanes, aid each other in times of hardship or threat, share spell resourcesand allow free use of each others visitors library, and meet as equals beforeeach tribunal to discuss the more pressing issues to be raised. Edith hadsome doubts, wondering whether Blackthorns intentions were fully as nobleas Dialectica promoted them to be, and suggested that if that covenant wassincere in it's avowed desire to form a middle grouping between the factionsthen perhaps it was time an Ex Miscellanean was invited to reside there, butwe parted on good terms and agreed to a full meeting of both councils a weekhence.

The meeting washeld at Blackthorn where it was announced that in response to Edith's concernstheir council had voted to invite one of her house to join them. After a longand frank discussion it was agreed unanimously by both councils that we wouldenter into this formal alliance and it is my hope that this will eventuallylead to a restoration of what I believe the original purpose of the Orderstood for throughout the tribunal.

Little else ofnote occured during the course of the season, though Antonius left at theend to act as a witness during Maria's trial at Normandy's tribunal and isnot expected to return until late in Summer.

Summer

Council had littleto discuss save for the activities of the four magi present at the beginningof the season. I spent the season enchanting an item for one of my sodales,Petrus began the process of creating his talisman, Ruaridh was inventing aspell for the first time in a nimber of years and Edith was extracting vimvis for her personal use.

During the seasonMathus arrived bringing with him an arabic Bonisagus by the name of Caelestiswho had travelled from Antioch far to the east. This magus has a deep fascinationwith the stars and believes that it is possible to use the arrangements ofthe constellations to both divine future and past events. It appears thatit was the stars that brought him here, just a year out of his apprenticeship,to ask us if we would accept him as a new member of the covenant. Councilhad already agreed that we would seek a new member to replace Lothar, andover the course of the season it became apparent that Caelestis would be aworthwhile addition to the covenant. This was the only event of note duringone of the most peaceful seasons that I can recall since joining Severn Temple.

Autumn

The council started with Antonius'news of his journey. His mater was found innocent of the charge that she breachedthe primary code and was given but a small fine of vis for her actions. Linaris,the Merinitan Quaesitor who accompanied him on his trip had also taken thetime to investigate the faerie regio in the light of Lothar's death there.It seems possible that the nature of the vis that can be recovered from thetail feathers of the birds there may have changed, but unless one of us isinjured as a direct result of the actions of Magnus then there will be nocharge brought against him.

Formal offer wasmade to Caelestis to join the covenant and with his acceptance we are nowwith a complement of six once more. He was asked to grant the usual two seasonsservice and to spend time learning to speak English in order that he can communicatewith the grogs if such should be necessary. He begun by spending this seasoncopying the imagonem texts. For my service I extracted vis from the aura,with Petrus analysing the potions that we had recovered from Mynyydd Merddin,Ruaridh continuing with spell creation, Antonius studying from the Auram textsand Edith from the Mentem.

Due to the continuingthreats of war throughout the continent taxes were an extra 100d this year.There were also reports of strange shadows being seen in the vicinity of Blacknee,and a grog patrol discovered the corpse of a boar, once again with it's hearthaving been removed from it's body.

An event laterin the season increased our concerns as th whether Deanne may be abroad. Pendaran,Petrus and Caelestis all shared a dream where an old woman, whom Petrus tentativelyidentified as being her, was heading into the heart of the forest with a shadowclinging about her. They also dreamed of hooded figures performing a ritualat Stonehenge and Caelestis was able to identify the planet Mars hanging overhead,an event that is likely early in Spring next year. Petrus also dreamt thathe burnt his thumb while eating broth and the very same thing happened thatmorning at breakfast. Petrus is not an unduly superstitious man but his concernwas obvious. We discussed these strange dreams and our concern rose as towhether the corruption might once more enter the forest and if a dragon wasonce more to lay waste to the members of the order.

I immediatelyflew to Cad Gadu, Holy Isle and Blackthorn to inform them of these eventsand our concerns, and I believe was heard with receptive ears at these covenants.Caisus suggested that in light of our alliance it may be as well that themagi of both our covenants have potions of apportion to the other, a suggestionthat we agreed with wholeheartedly. Petrus has agreed to perform an extraservice in Winter to enable this arrangement for it seems that time may beagainst us.

Scribed byAntonius

Winter

The last formal meeting of theyear began with a discussion on what should be done regarding the dreams thatPetrus and others had had concerning Deanne and the heart of the forest. Thesedreams having seemed to suggest that she was tainted and could be bringingthat corruption into the heart of the forest which appears to be inextricablylinked to the magical aura here. The discussion was quite wide-ranging thoughultimately, though interesting, theological theories on the nature of aurasand their formation could only go so far in providing us with a coherent planof action as to what to do with Deanne. The council was split as to whetherwe should attempt to capture Deanne alive or simply kill her on sight. Toresolve the situation I challenged Petrus to certamen. He won quite comfortablyand the matter was decided, we were to try and capture Deanne alive if atall possible.

Soon after the meeting the covenant,and seemingly the whole of the Dean, was shaken by a great earth tremor. Fortunatelywe suffered little, if any, damage though Gloucester was not so lucky. HoweverCaelestis claims that it was an omen and said that it foretold disaster. Therewas a second tremor some days later which caused some disruption to Petrus'workings to create potions of the Leap of Homecoming for our allies at Blackthorn.Caelestis decided to abandon his seasons scribing for the covenant to assistPetrus so that he could manufacture the required number of potions beforethe year was out.

Ruaridh journeyed to Holy Isleto report the prophecies from Idris.

Just before the mid-winter Mathusarrived bearing the usual mix of news from around this Isle and beyond. Ofhappenings in the mundane world, it seems that the King's armies bested theFrench in May. The victory was a significant one and Edward captured a greatdeal of land. His daughter Madeleine was married to the Duc d'Anjou to helpsecure the peace. Pope Galasius passed away and the Archbishop of Vienna,Calixtus has been appointed as the new Pontiff. Archbishop Thurstan met thenew pope in Rheims on the feast of St. Luke but had to return with him toRome as the King had banned him from returning back to England. The King wasdispleased as Thurstan had not been approved by him and is plainly seekingto assert his authority. As expected Father William of Coleford has been appointedas the Rector of Chepstow, I shall have to keep a close eye on him to seehow much his cousin is able to hold him in thrall. The Hermetic news was ofgreater interest, Jordael says that the dragon that attacked Blackthorn isstill active and maybe under the control of the UnNamed House. Cad Gadu haveclaimed that members of Narwold covenant have stolen vis from one of theirsites. Georgicus of Narwold has asked whether the matter should be dealt within Stonehenge or Normandy. Ruaridh has been instructed to investigate thedeath of one Douglas of House Ex-Miscellania, it is being alleged that PraecoMagrane of Loch Laglaen has broken the primary code. With this in mind anyclaim that we of this Order make about being above the petty squabbles ofthe mundanes seems, to me at least, to be increasingly absurd.

As the year drew to an end bothTurold and Ruaridh had a vision of a great winged serpent passing overhead,travelling Northwest. Could this signify an imminent attack on one of theWelsh covenants? Fearing such an eventuality Turold flew to Blackthorn andBlywyddan but thankfully all was quiet and so it remained for what was leftof the year.