1123

YEAR 1123

Scribed by Ruaridh

Spring 1123AD

I must confess I am somewhat loatheto take up my quill and ink to scribe this journal. It is not the events ofthis season that turn my heart against it, but rather the fear that any wordsI write will lack the significance of those of my predecessor. Still, if thetales I relate do not have the same sense of wonder or urgency of those ofrecent years, I hope that my prose is easy on the eye and on the tongue. IfI cannot be exciting, I shall at least be objective.

The first council meeting of theseason passed without any events of real note. Though Petrus’ move toDurenmar certainly represents a loss to the covenant, it does mean that discussionsproceed rather more quickly and with more direction. Unless Turold or Kaelestesdecide to take up the fallen baton, perhaps unnecessary diversions into thearcane theory are a thing of the past.

Only two items warrant furthermention. First, Turold announced that his erstwhile apprentice, Meredith,continued to disappear at nights, returning in the morning with tired eyesand wild stories. Consequently, the Verditious intends to spend this seasoninvestigating the boy’s Gift. Second, Edith informed us that she intendedto spend the year binding her familiar. I have never understood why Magi bindthemselves magically, physically and mentally to animals, but I must admitto some curiosity about how the process will change her. It seems odd thatanyone would select a beast to be their closest friend in the world. Are weso far removed from mundane society that we cannot relate to people? Are bats,rats, cats and frogs really that fascinating?

Later in the season, I travellednorth to Cad Gadu to speak with Praeco Jordael. He confessed that he was worriedabout the Tribunal meeting scheduled for this summer. To be quorate, the meetingwould have to attract over half of the magi residing within these isles. HousesFlambeau and Jerbiton had already announced that they would not be attendingin protest against the events of last year. We could also not count any membersof House Merinita since their House meeting was scheduled for the same time.This would leave us desperately short of people. There was little we coulddo about this, though we resolved to encourage members of our own covenantsand House to attend if at all possible.

As a footnote, I shall recordthat, while journeying in the south of the land, I encountered an old associateof the covenant, Andrew the crusader, in a sorry state. He had been woundedwhile battling a coven of diabolists, and he was now blind and infirm. Onhearing that we still had problems with the fells in Gloucester, he agreedto send his remaining men to join the covenant. I understand that he has sinceretired to spend his remaining days as a monk at the Abbey of St Cedric.

Summer

At the council meeting that beganthe season, Antonius brought us news of mundane affairs that he had pickedup during his travels through the towns and villages of the Dean. He had comeacross much gossip about the perils of dealing with witches and warlocks,clearly a reference to the Magi here. These rumours appeared to originatefrom south of the city of Gloucester, which led him to believe that the mostlikely source is the village of Stone. Antonius discovered another link tothe coven in Gloucester when he spoke to the Magus Cornelius, who told himthat a barge used by the coven, the Bristol Lark, had been seen in Londonon several occasions. Perhaps there is some connection between the diabolistsof both cities. The final piece of information Antonius brought concernedthe Sir Kenneth, knight of Clearwell. He had been called to fight for theKing in Normandy, and we offered up a silent prayer that he might not returnfrom the campaign. The knight had completed repairs to Clearwell village,though his financial worries meant that it might be some time before he wasable to recommence work on the forest road.

Turold informed us that his researchinto Meredith’s Gift had yielded some surprising results. The boy’smagic had apparently become ‘fixed’ at a very early age, and Turolddoubted whether he would even be able to teach him the Hermetic Techniquesand Forms. Turold detected that Meredith had some powers as a storytellerand perhaps a shapeshifter, and we decided to take him to Cad Gadu to seewhether anyone there knew how his magic might best be developed.

I am something of a loss at howto report the next event. For reasons that I still do not fully comprehend,Kaelestes decided to visit the three most important members of my House inthe Tribunal, Archimagus Jolyon, Primus Llanoddwyn and Praeco Jordael, toask them to get me to stand down from my position as Quaesitor. His argument,the logic of which still defeats me to this day, was that, although my Househad acted perfectly legally at the recent Tribunal meeting, it was importantto make a sacrifice to soothe the wounded pride of Houses Tremere and Flambeau.As if they would do the same were our positions reversed! This whole affairwas caused by the duplicity of certain members of House Tremere. Why on earthshould we be penalised just because their manipulations tripped them up foronce? I must admit that I was initially furious with Kaelestes, particularlyas he had not had the courtesy to discuss this with me beforehand. However,when my anger subsided, I realised that his actions stemmed more from politicalnaiveté rather than malicious intent. Nevertheless, I think I will perhapsencourage Kaelestes to spend more time in his laboratory and less on diplomaticmissions in the future.

Towards midsummer, we travellednorth to Blackthorn to discuss our plans for the coming Tribunal meeting.Serenea told us that there had been some discussion within that covenant’scouncil about the wisdom of continuing with our alliance, but the decisionhad been taken to maintain it for the time being. The look of distaste onIsabella’s face made it clear who had initiated that debate. We discussedtactics for the Tribunal, and agreed that both covenants would propose measuresdesigned to encourage further harmony between the Latin and non-Latin factions.

The Tribunal meeting itself wasa muted, low-key affair, though it did not pass off completely without incident.Houses Merinita, Flambeau, Tremere and Jerbiton had not sent representatives,and the meeting only just achieved a quorum. I feared the worst when I learnedthat it would take the departure of only three magi to render the meetinginvalid as this would allow any groups seeking personal advantage to effectivelyhold the Tribunal to ransom. I must admit to glancing nervously in the directionof Eloria of Tytalus several times given that she is widely known to relishintrigue of every kind. Still, any schemes she had proved ineffective, andthe quorum held firm.

Praeco Jordael opened proceedingswith a speech encouraging co-operation between all the members of the Tribunal.His words echoed around the half-empty chamber, and there was little responsefrom the Magi present. We then moved onto the motions raised by the covenants.To save both precious ink and my weary hands, I shall list only the most important.

Dialectica of Blackthorn announcedthat her covenant was actively seeking a new member. She invited applicationsfrom all Magi, though those from members of House Ex Miscellanea would betreated especially favourably. As her second motion, Dialectica suggestedthat the Tribunal should convene a special forum to promote discussion ofmagic theory and traditions. This idea received some support, and Kaelestes,after an abortive attempt to express his ideas in English rather than Latin,put forward the proposal that the first such forum should be devoted to discussinghow to adapt Hermetic magic to integrate or at least mimic non-Hermetic talents.Kaelestes was commissioned to put together a more detailed plan by the timeof next Tribunal meeting.

Jolyon of Lear Valley said thathis covenant was seeking tomes on the Arts of Perdo and Aquam, and he offeredCreo, Muto or Herbam vis in exchange. Jolyon also offered to pay a rook ofvis for a fist sized block of blanched tourmaline, which I understand is somesort of rare stone. Eloria of Blywyddan announced that it was willing to exchangeAquam or Terram vis fort Mentem.

In the final motion of the firstday of the meeting, Blodwyn of Scarfell asked whether the Tribunal consideredthat the experimental infirmary had been a successful enough to warrant asubsidy. By a small margin, the Tribunal approved a tithe of one pawn of visper Magus to supply the infirmary. In future, injured Magi will be asked tocontribute half the cost of any healing performed at the infirmary.

At the start of the second day,Antonius announced that Severn Temple now considered itself a Summer covenant,having survived the many trials of spring and subsequently prospered. Kaelestesinformed the Tribunal that we now had a small visitors library, and we intendedto make a nominal charge of two pawns of vis per season for magi within covenantsand one pawn for those who dwelt outside covenants. Kira of Carrion Moor triedto make trouble over the ‘unfairness’ of our action, but her protestswere quickly dismissed.

The final two motions were raisedby Magi from outside covenants. Harnol asked that the Tribunal extend thesame rights of protection to followers of pagan faiths that followers of theChristian religion received now. I actually had considerable sympathy forHarnol’s proposal, but it was put aside by Jordael on the grounds thatall mundanes, including worshippers of pagan faiths, already had protectionunder the Code. Vorios, follower of Criamon, announced that he had experienceda strange dream concerning a hooked claw. He asked whether anyone knew whatit could mean, but no-one was able to shed any further light on the matter.The Tribunal meeting was then dissolved. It was by far the quietest sinceI passed my gauntlet. I am not so sure that this was entirely a bad thing.

Before he left Cad Gadu, Turoldtook Meredith to see Jordael. The Praeco announced that he had dreamt aboutthe boy, and he agreed to let him stay at the covenant. When Turold went totell Meredith, the boy appeared already aware of the decision, and he claimedto have visited Cad Gadu before. What can this all mean?

Autumn

We briefly discussed the eventsof last season at the council meeting. Turold informed us of Meredith’sdeparture, and he was briefly upbraided by Antonius for taking the boy withoutseeking the permission of council. I do hope Antonius’ insistence onsticking precisely to the rules does not come back to haunt him in the future.

The only other incident worthrecording is that the covenant apparently defeated the village of Lydney ina game of ‘football’. I am not exactly familiar with the rules ofthis particular game, but I understand that one of the grog sergeants, Arnulf,scored the winning ‘goal’ by dragging a stuffed pig’s bladderthrough the gates of Lydney. The victory certainly improved the men’s’spirits, and, despite the frequent drunken brawls before, during and afterthe game, no-one was seriously injured.

Winter

At the start of the season, Turoldtold us that Pendaran had decided to leave the covenant. The old giant intendedto return to the mountains to spend his last few days. Though his incoherentbellowing had become increasingly wearying in recent years, I know the covenantwill miss Pendaran. I doubt we will ever see his like again. Still, Turoldhas acquired a new companion, a strangely shaped half-faerie named Cyrgig.Our Verditius does seem fond of unusual men.

Antonius informed us that a manfeeling from the fells in Gloucester had requested sanctuary in the covenant.This Bledwyn claimed to be an occultist who had crossed one of the fells ina deal, and he now feared for his life. In return for his safety, he offeredto tell us all he knew of their organisation and plans. Based on Antonius’assurances that he would keep a close eye on the man, we agreed to grant himat least temporary sanctuary.

Mathus the redcap arrived laterin the season, bearing both mundane and Hermetic news. He told us that oneof the King’s close advisors, the Bishop of Lincoln, had died in a ridingaccident. The city of Lincoln had also been razed almost to the ground bya great fire, which seems rather a strange coincident. A new Archbishop ofCanterbury had been elected, but the choice was unpopular with many of thepriests and monks in the land.

Onto Hermetic matters. The decisionof the Flambeau and Tremere to boycott the Stonehenge Tribunal meeting hadbeen supported by the Primi of those Houses, though there was strangely nomention of Primus Jerbiton’s attitude. Separately, Primus Guernicus announcedthat he was convening a special meeting of the Stonehenge Quaesitori for midsummer1124 AD to discuss recent events.

A week before midwinter, we receivedreports that a villager from Blackney had been killed in mysterious circumstances.We examined the corpse, and through the use of magic we detected that theman had been slain by an enormous creature, most likely a spider. The beastin question was much larger than the spiders that had plagued us in the past,and we speculated that this might have been the dreaded Pybaw that the Ruadanhad created as a weapon against the Erechwydd. But why is the Pybaw abroadin the mundane realm? Since Varsavia’s death, we have had little contactwith the faeries from the nearby regio, and our knowledge of events thereis sadly lacking.

I hate spiders.