1122

YEAR 1122

Scribed by Edith

Spring 1122AD

Antonius, Turoldand myself met for the spring meeting. I shall be extract vim for the familiarenchantment - I was also able to trade with Antonius for 2 pawns.

Lucien has returnedand in a dreadful state. It appears he has been chained up in a cell withno light and little food since his disappearence. His captors have releasedhim and the reason for it is unclear. We had Pywackit check him and examinedhis figurine - and it appears he is without taint. However, his constitutionis broken and he will never fully recover. Even if I healed him back to strengthhe would die an early death I fear. Antonius felt that Lucien was no longeran ally. If we attempted to pension him he would become bitter and seek tocause trouble for Antonius. After several days Antonius reached a decisionand renounced Lucien’s status as Amicus. Upon his instruction I fed Luciena draught of sleeping herbs from which he will not awaken. His body was takenbeyond the Aegis and burned. His ashes scattered upon the river. I can’thelp thinking that this is why they released him. Why kill Lucien themselveswhen they can have his best friend do it for them.

Summer

Antonius shalltravel abroad and I shall extract Vim vis for the covenant.

The council ofBlackthorn arrived at the covenant about a week before the Tribunal. Ruaridhwas returned and Antonius had travelled back with news that after strong galesstrange omens and illusions had been seen throughout the region. Also he reportedthat the abbey at Pricknash had burnt down and the Abbot there had died. Figuresin black hoods were rumoured to have been seen fleeing the flames. He’sgiven some money to the abbot at Tintern - the hope being that this will builda good reputation whilst allowing Antonius to expand his influence a littleway beyond Chepstow.

The meeting wasanimated as each of us discussed the problems we perceived in the Tribunal.How much of it was empty words I do not know, but by the end Blackthorn hadagreed to request an Ex-Miscellanean to join their number (though not Harnolwho had previously applied, I note). We shall open our visitor’s libraryto the Tribunal. Those in covenants shall pay 2 pawns per season, those withoutonly one. This should demonstrate a willingness to aid those isolated magifrom my house.

I have just arrivedback from the Tribunal, and I am a mix of excitement and anxiety. I shalltry to relate the events at Cad Gadu.

We arrived intime for the first day, and after breaking fast made our way in to the greathall where the meeting was opened by the Praeco. He announced his concernat the events in Loch Legaen and the spate of wizard’s war (perhaps unwittinglysparked by our sodalis) which theatened that Tribunal. He spoke also of theneed to prepare for war with the unnamed house. To that end he called forthe election of a Praeco Legatus - a sort of deputy to assist the Praeco andtake over if anything happened to Garius. The three oldest who could standwere Llanoddwyn, Casitus and Dionysus. After them were Darius, Jordael andEloria. I figured a quick victory for Llanoddwyn - with the two latin’ssplitting their vote. However in the recess before the presentations for electionRuaridh was approached by Casitus - and was gone some time in discussion withthe Tremere. I know not of details, but I suspect that Ruaridh must have helpedbroker some political deal between the Archimagus and the Primus Ex-Miscellanea.For when we were called back in, Llanoddwyn announced that he would not standfor the position! I was shocked, for this meant that now Darius could stand,and we would have nawt but the three Tremere to choose from. However, I guessfrom the expression on Ruaridh’s, Llanoddwyn’s and Casitus’sfaces that this had not been the intended plan. When Dionysus agreed to stand,and so did Darius the frustration upon those three faces were clear for allto read. Perhaps the deal was to let Jordael stand, by one of the Tremeredeclining? Still, Archimagus Casitus won and the meeting was adjorned untilthe next day when covenants would put their motions.

The next morningall Hell broke loose. As the first motion of the day Primus Llanoddwyn calledfor the dissolution of the Preaco Legatus - which Garius immediately overruled!As I understand matters this was unprecedented for the Quaesitor had to scurryoff to decide who had the right - a Primus to raise a motion or a Praeco tooverrule it! After about an hour the Quaesitor returned and Ruaridh’sdemenour betrayed the decision. The Primus had been overruled. At this pointI suspected the Tremere had won whatever political intrigue they had started- but Llanoddwyn is a crafty bugger. He immediately called for a vote of noconfidence in the Praeco - I tell you Garius’ face was a picture! Thiswas apparently something that the praeco cannot overrule and it immediatelywent to a vote. The odd thing was no one could work out why he had done this- as it would appear to give Casitus the Praecoship - but I went along withthe motion on the assumption that Llanoddwyn knew what he was doing. The motionwas passed by a small majority and Garius was stripped of the position ofPraeco. Casitus was called to step up to the table and assume the head ofthe Tribunal. Then Llanoddwyn revealed his plan - he called again for a voteof no confidence in the Praeco - the uproar was instantaneous!

Serenia, the seniorQuaesitor, was outraged at this blatent abuse of the Primus’s powersand stormed out of the Tribunal followed by Dionysus, Ponrius and Yania. Whilstno one could overrule the Primus’s motion - the Tribunal could not continuewithout the presence of at least one Quaesitor. All eyes turned to Ruaridh.If he left then the Tribunal was adjourned and Casitus would remain as Praeco- if he stayed and the vote was passed there would have to be new electionsfor Praeco. Ruaridh sat for an age and the silence slowly turned to mutteringand speculation. Eventually Casitus walked out - so that if Ruaridh even leftthe room the Tribunal would be over. After what seemed an age Ruaridh declaredthat there was a motion of no confidence before the Tribunal and that it shouldbe voted upon. He had barely spoken the words before there was a huge cryof jubilation from many of the Ex-Miscellaneans. The celebration was not sharedby the majority of Latins.

Casitus was rejectedby the Tribunal, and now Llanoddwyn, Darius and Jordael stood for the positionof Praeco. Llanoddwyn advised everyone to vote for Jordael - and that is theway it eventually went. Jordael, understandably dazed by the political eventswhich had thrust him into power, called for the Tribunal to be post-poned.We left - and I tell you no one had seen a Tribunal like it. Now I guess everyMagus in the Tribunal - and beyond - is wondering what will happen next? WillRuaridh be in trouble for not walking out with Serenia? Will the Grand Tribunalconsider order to be lost in Stonehenge and call a Wizard’s March? Theseare anxious times, but at the last we have shown our resolve. Ex-Miscellaneawill not be pushed around by Latins any longer - and Ruaridh has shown hisgreat courage by standing with us. I cannot say what these events will entail- there are too many uncertainties to be resolved - too many possibilitiesto predict. But this is a day which will go down in the history of the Order,and perhaps was the defining point in the future of this Tribunal. Now, Ihope beyond hope, that the future will not be ill for my house and our Quaesitor.If I live another 100 years, I shall ever remember the day when Ruaridh madehis stand with us. If anything happens to him there will be many in our housewho will consider him a martyr - and bloody ruin shall be delivered in retribution.Is this day the beginning of a new peace or a new war? Perhaps only the GrandTribunal can decide that now... I can’t help wondering what Petrus willmake of all this.

We paid 380d oftax this season.

Autumn

Our council met for a quiet meeting.Caelestis and Petrus are still away so matters were quickly decided. Ruaridhwill study the Aegis of the Hearth Ritual so that someone may cast it whenPetrus is away. Antonius will be travelling up to Blackthorn to use theirvisitors library.

It is the mid-season and up tillnow no event of note has occurred, save a day and night of violent winds whichdamaged the roof of the tavern and terrified some of the grogs. Caelestishas returned with the news that Petrus has deserted our covenant and now residesat Durenmar. We were all rather shocked to hear this. It appears he won somethingof a competition and was invited to stay, whilst a rival in the contest wassent to Novgorod. Later in the season we heard from Dialectica via Antoniusthat some of this circumstance was instigated when we invited Caelestis tojoin. Apparently, with so few in the house, it is relatively unheard of fortwo Bonisagi to share a covenant. Whilst I am certain that in time Caelestiswill be a great scholar and boon to this covenant, I can’t help feelingthat we were somewhat ... well, cheated.

Towards the end of this quietseason I had a talk with Ruaridh regarding the Tribunal, the meeting of thecouncil of Quaesitori and events that may come. He seems confident that hehas committed no wrong, though it appears that his actions have stirred enmityamongst some of the Latins. I was surprised to discover that he still seeshimself as a neutral figure in this Tribunal. Whilst that may be true he certainlydoes not appear so to others. I suggested that he would do well to recognisehis allies and friends in these troubled times - but I know not whether helistened to my council.

Winter

Our meeting at the beginning ofWinter confirmed many of my concerns for Ruaridh. It appears that Caisus hasbeen openly talking of a schism now between the Latins and non-Latins, andhow Ruaridh might legally be killed. Antonius dutifully reported this allto us and also told us that it is only Ruaridh’s position as Quaesitorthat currently prevents either Caisus or Isabella declaring wizard’swar. Frankly though I consider Caisus challenging as unlikely and Isabellaas futile. I think my sodalis are worried that the Flambeau, through talkingup the schism, will further deepen such divisions. I suspect that much willbe swayed by the masters of the dogs of war - the Tremere.

Also, after a brief discussionand a vote, it was decided that I should receive Petrus’s sanctum andlaboratory at the top of the tower. Caelestis put a strong argument for hiscase; one, he is a Bonisagus; two he wants to be based high up so he can lookat the stars. However, my sodales agreed that the ability to create extrahealing potions and spells would, in the long term, serve the covenant better.I did offer to simply inherit the equipment and allow Caelestis the top roomsin the tower. He rejected my generous offer though; revealing that his soleargument for receiving the equipment was that he belongs to House Bonisagus.

Caelestis and Turold performedtheir covenant services this season. The former will extract vim and the latterinvestigate the dagger given to us by the Tegid Foel.

Antonius called a meeting a fewweeks into the season to report that Meredith, the gifted child, has beenvanishing during the night. We searched for the boy for a long time, eventuallydiscovering that his tracks disappeared into thin air about five yards fromthe door. In the end I spoke to Idris, who had seen the child pass throughthe regio boundary and had been keeping an eye on him to ensure he came tono harm. By morning the child returned safely. We’ve kept a watch onthe boy and it appears that he disappears about two or three times a week.There seems little we can do, and for all we know it is a natural manifestationof his gift. We’ve asked Antonius to keep an eye on the matter, but otherwisewe have left it lie. It appears, though, that someone should take the childas an apprentice soon.

Mathus arrived for mid-winter.A set of apparently supernatural events have caused great talk amongst thepeasantry and the townsfolk alike. The fire at Pricknash Abbey, rumoured tohave been started by the rogue diabolist, Tristram, who escaped trial fromAbbey Gatehouse destroyed all but three of the books therein - and the abbothimself died in the flames. The first day of summer saw fires break out inseveral places across the City of Gloucester - which were fanned by strongwinds which blew for a day and a night so that the fires spread fiercely.After these events people spoke of strange illusions and omens being seenacross the region - one man in Chepstow spoke of the ghost of his dead fatherrising up to cause his wife to miscarry their child, another spoke of a blackdog which pursued children out by Ashleworth. Then upon the longest day theland shook and many of the civil buildings damaged in the fires collapsed- and the tower of the Cathedral was damaged. Then last season another violentwind sprang up in time to destroy the granary at Lydney and overturn bargesnavigating the river. Some in the region speak of there being some force behindthese apparently independent act. These rumours appear to be spread in thesame manner as the warnings against our merchants - and may well be designedas part of a campaign to alienate our covenant from contacts and neighbours.

Of news Hermetic: Sylvania hassaid that fires will be seen burning in the northern skies mark the turn ofthe faerie season from Spring to Summer. Jordael has called an emergency meetingof the Tribunal to sit on the midsummer morning of 1123. Blackthorn have requesteda meeting before the Tribunal in order to discuss the tensions in the Tribunaland how best they might be resolved. We also received a letter from Petrus.He seemed from his letter to rather regret his move, though it now seems asthough he had little choice. He’s asked us to forward some of his personalbelongings to Durenmar and allowed us to keep some vis in lieu of servicesmissed. We have also been invited to Durenmar - though I suspect somehow thatthe invitation was primarily for Turold.

The remainder of the season wasquiet enough, though in the first week of December fires were seen in thenight sky to the north-east. It appears that the faerie season has moved nowinto summer, though I know too little of the fae to understand how this willaffect the local regio. My hope is that the powers of the winter fae who nowcontrol that place will wane. It is the end of another year, and my firsttime as scribe. I now entrust these parchments back to Ruaridh. These twoyears have been some difficult times, and I have been honoured to record them.However, it is my hope that Ruaridh will have comparatively little to report.