1138

YEAR 1138

Scribed by Audacia

Spring 1138AD

So eager was I to be out and huntingthat infernal wolf, that my notes about our meeting were scant. Ruaridh andI will take some armed men, and Hassan, and try to track down and destroythis creature forever. Antonius, as he usually does, will travel abroad thisseason amongst the mundanes. Caelestis was extracting vim vis, I think. Turoldwent to Blackthorn, though I was so busy considering the tactic of our huntthat I forgot to record the reason why.

Travelling out shortly after dawn,Ruaridh, the grogs and myself ended up spending a good few weeks camped outat the cave. We searched for wolf tracks and ventured as close as we deemedwise to the Dell. In the end we ran short of supplies and had to head backto the covenant. Having gathered more food and fresh wine we intended to makeour way back to the cave and continue our nightly vigils and daily searching.However, on the way back, our quarry found us.

At first we espied some wolvesfollowing us from within the forest. Our archer killed one, but the otherwolves hung back; watchful, but careful not to get too close. After some hourswe broke the stalemate by continuing down towards the cave. As we approachedthe top of the steep slope leading down to the cave and the clearing, we weredistracted by the sounds of wolf howls. Then, without warning, the demon wolfsuddenly appeared within our ranks. Paralysed by the piercing howl of theinfernal wolf many of the grogs were unable to react. The wolf lunged towardsRuaridh, it’s great crushing maw ready to take him by the throat. Bysome miracle, Hassan managed to throw himself between the wolf and Ruaridh,taking the blow that might have slain my sodalis upon himself. In the nextinstant those of us who carried the Perdo Vim potions hurled them at the beast.As suddenly as the attack had come, the drama was over; the heavy sand burninginto the essence of the beast until nawt remained but a pool of black ichorupon the bare earth where the wolf was stood.

I for one needed no further confirmationof Hassan’s bravery and loyalty. We returned immediately to the covenantafter I had stabilised his wounds with one of my personal potions. From therewe had him healed as best we could with vis. The vicious nature of the injuryhas left him with a deep and permanent scar about his chest. Hassan has recoveredhis fitness, but the nature of the wound may come to haunt him in later years.

Such a speedy resolution of theproblem of the wolf left Ruaridh and I free to pursue some other possibilities.We investigated the infernal Dell in the southern wood, but through the rendingof the veil there appears to be no change about the place. We also managedto obtain some Vis from the barrows to the North East of us; long ago revealedto the covenant by Idris. From there we obtained a reasonable amount of MentemVis; by having myself excavate and grogs run down to the forest edge withsacks of bones. We’ll have to leave the place for a while so that thebarrow shade’s victims have a chance to add their bones to the site,but otherwise I think we have a stable source of Mentem vis here.

We returned to the covenant andthe last few weeks of the season passed without incident. Antonius returnedsafely, with the suggestion that things were going well for us in the mundanepolitic. Turold came back from Blackthorn a couple of days before the beginningof summer. Then, upon the last day of spring and with his typical lack ofceremony, the Archimagus Jolyon arrived. The summoning of the tower was alengthy ritual, and I couldn’t help but be impressed that apparentlythe Archimagus had taken but one season to create such a spell. The towersrose directly out of the ground, accompanied by such a shaking of the earththat I wondered whether the surviving outbuildings would collapse. Great clodsof turf showered from the two rooftops as they stretched their way into theair; the battlements already fully formed. At the end of it, Jolyon lookedexhausted, but he accepted our profuse thanks and enthusiastic admirationfor his talents with both good cheer and modesty. Jolyon wanted to get straightback, as after he has recovered he has much work to attend to. I suspect hecould see we were eager to explore our new home, but too polite to do so whilsthe remained with us.

Summer

Our meeting was very late, aswe spent most of this day exploring the towers and organising carpenters tobegin building doors and furniture. When we finally met we each quickly determinedto spend the season assembling our new laboratories; save Turold who, by someobligation or another, felt it necessary to travel into the faerie regio.

The only other news was from Antonius,who told us of King Stephen’s coronation at Westminster. It seems thatmore locally, our neighbour Sir Martin has risen in station. He is to be wedto the daughter of the Duke of York later this year, and has been grantedthe title of Baron of Monmouth. It seems now that a new era of peace may reign,with the two local Barons being on such friendly terms. Though, somethingin Antonius’ tone of voice made me wonder whether he thinks that sucha friendship will last the test of now being equals. I do not know.

Suffice to say that I spent apleasant season fitting out my new sanctum and laboratory. From the destructionwe have rallied and rebuilt. It shall not be too long now until we turn ourminds back to expansion again.

Autumn

It feels good to have a sanctumand laboratory again. In all my years, as an apprentice and later at Rellatonicovenant, always have I had somewhere secure and private to rest and work.I must confess I didn’t realise how important such things were to meuntil at the end of last season I found myself able to relax a little; forthe first time since the dragon’s attack. However, as I sit here nowwith quill and parchment to record this seasons events, I realise that allof us had relaxed perhaps a little too much. As I shall relate, always mustwe be vigilant, ever watchful. Such comforts and security may weaken the will,and that may court disaster as surely as any external threat. But I move aheadof myself, for the season began innocently enough.

At the council meeting Caelestis,Ruaridh and Turold reporting back on the magical symposium held at Blackthornlast season. It appears that only one speaker turned up; Sylvania of Merinita.Du Clerc and Petrus, due to speak on the power of the Dominion and the natureof magical auras respectively, failed to attend; leaving the symposium a somewhatshorter affair than had been intended. My sodales were able to trade a rookof mentem vis for imagonem, and they purchased from Jordael a magical devicethat constantly operates the Invisible Eye Revealed to a seventh magnitudeeffect for a mere 8 pawns of vis. This device is an excellent bargain, butTurold shall investigate it before we rely upon it at council meetings. Finally,Jordael gave us news of Edith, who fled from this covenant before I arrivedhere and took many magical resources belonging to the covenant. It appearsthat she is still alive, and that Jordael has had indirect contact with her.It seems also that she fled the covenant after a message was delivered toher from Mathus; something we may have to raise with the Red Cap.

It was a sign of our new foundfeelings of security, perhaps, that whilst Ruaridh and I would study fromvis, and Turold reassemble his laboratory; Caelestis’s mind had turnedto the task of passing on his magical knowledge, and with Antonius’sassistance was minded to seek out an apprentice. It seems also that Caelestishad some desire to travel to Turold’s house meeting in a couple of yearstime, and from there both of them travel to the Levant. We reminded Caelestisof the black prophecy his return was supposed to herald, to which Caelestisreplied that he had seen something in the stars that made him believe thathis God demanded such a trip. However, it seems perhaps that Destiny is morefickle than our Bonisagus believed.

The search for Caelestis’sapprentice began poorly. He and Antonius travelled only as far as Blackneewhere they discovered the village in a state of emergency. The recent heavyrain had caused the mine to collapse, trapping some of the miners. Ruaridhand I were swiftly summoned. Ruaridh used a Rego Terram spell to support theceiling, whilst I managed to create a small path through the blocked areaand rescue one of the men from inside. However, as this man and I sought toescape the tunnel entrance, Ruaridh’s spell gave way. Ruaridh and I managedto escape with only minor cuts and bruises, but the man I’d tried torescue was not so fortunate. As the wooden timbers gave way he was crushedby the tons of rock which crashed down upon us. Six of the miners died thatday, and it will be some time until we have the manpower and prepared siteto extract more iron from the hills.

Caelestis, impatient to resumehis search for an apprentice, pressed on. Their party made it as far as theWye by nightfall. There Antonius ordered the two grogs to set up camp, whilstHassan made his prayers. However, it seems that their party was not the onlyones to miss the last ferry to Chepstow. A group escorting a wagon had campednearby and overheard Hassan’s praying. We all know how ignorant, armedmundanes react to something unfamiliar. A fight broke out, with Hassan nearmortally wounded by a longbow arrow. Antonius used his magic to swiftly bringthe situation under control, and before too long the men were disarmed andbound; save one who managed to escape into the dark forest nearby. Only thendid they discover that one member of this group was a monk from Tintern Abbey,where Antonius (in another guise) is well known. This monk recognised Antonius’svoice and his fate was sealed in that moment. Hassan was ordered to slit themonk’s throat, and the two grogs prepared weights so that all the bodieswould be lost in the nearby river.

However, whether it was the deathof the monk or sheer bad fortune, the events attracted the attention of aninfernal spirit. The spirit assailed Antonius, claiming that it had long soughtthe soul of the monk and it was angry that all it’s efforts were nowin vain; for the monk had died still virtuous. The body of the monk had beenthrown in the river by now, but unlike the others, his body had not sunk underthe weights attached; but floated still, near the steep bank. Antonius flewup to see if he could destroy or hide the body. Of course, flying moved himbeyond his ward. The spirit tried to bargain with Antonius; the life (andsoul) of the remaining prisoner in return for a convenient cover up of themonk’s death. Antonius, of course, refused. However, the spirit threatenedto use whatever powers it had to ensure that the crime was discovered, andthat the wrath of the Church comes against Antonius. When Antonius stuck closeto his Oath, and still refused to bargain; the spirit tried to intimidatehim by interfering with the winds that held him aloft. When Antonius realisedthat the spirit could keep him in the air, indeed pull him higher into theair, he took the decision to escape while he could; and apported back to thecovenant. However, the infernal spirit was still abroad; and Caelestis, frightenedby the presence of an infernal aura that had sprung up about the location,remained in hiding nearby.

What transpired next was reportedto me later, for after Antonius’s return to the covenant I flew downto the abbey to see if I could intercept the single survivor or detect anypresence of this infernal spirit in the vicinity. Indeed, I flew over theriverbank where all these events had transpired, peering into the other worldwith my familiar’s eyes, but by then no sign of the infernal spirit couldbe seen. Finding no sign of Caelestis, I flew further up the river and tookup watch on the approach to the Abbey. Early the following morning I espiedthe lone survivor of the escort group, and ensured that no tale would everreach the Abbott’s ears. It seems that by the time I had taken positionnear the Abbey, Caelestis had already returned to the covenant and openlyconfessed to his crime before the rest of the concilium.

It seems that as Caelestis hidin a nearby copse of trees away from the scene; the infernal spirit approachedhim. It whispered threats, claiming it had Antonius prisoner, and offeredAntonius’s safe return should Caelestis kill the remaining prisoner forit. At first, though scared, Caelestis appears to have listened to this spirit’sbargain; even suggesting that should the monk’s body also be destroyedthat he might agree to the pact! However, in Caelestis’s words, in theend Antonius’s life was worth less than Caelestis’s soul; and Caelestisrefused the bargain. At this point the spirit revealed itself, though in anillusory form I should guess, as a great, winged beast bearing cruel blades.It threatened to kill Caelestis should he not agree to the pact. It seemsthat this changed things for Caelestis; evidently Caelestis’s life isworth rather more to him than Antonius’s, and even his Oath! Cuttinghis finger with a knife, Caelestis swore a pact with the demon by lettinga single drop of blood.

My hands are shaking as I writethis; with emotions that I have rarely known. I have tried to write this accountobjectively – but you should understand that my record of these eventsis coloured by my disgust, anger, bitter disappointment in Caelestis, andpain that one of my sodales; someone whom I respected as both peer and covenantmate, should so readily and so selfishly defile his Oath, and prove his wordsof religious piety to be hypocrisy of the worst kind. Did he swear pact tosave Antonius? A heinous crime still, but at least one with some shred ofhonour – No! To save his own worthless flesh, Caelestis swore a pactwith this demon. The irony is ever more bitter given that the demon was lyingabout having Antonius, and probably using illusion to intimidate Caelestis.It makes me almost physically sick to think upon this betrayal of his sodalesand the Order. That some should regard their Oath so lightly, and he a followerof Bonisagus! Were Caelestis not already languishing in a dungeon in Blackthornawaiting the next tribunal where justice will be served; I would have personallytaken satisfaction at the March called against him, and hoped that it wouldbe my hand that took his life. Indeed, when the Tribunal makes its judgement,I shall request that I am nominated the hoplite that performs the execution.Caelestis has proven himself a craven coward, and a worthless fool. SevernTemple should not mourn his passing, but be grateful for the fact that heis now gone from our number.

I cannot write more on this matter,I keep breaking the nib of my quill.

Winter

I realise that this is the entryfor the winter season, but I must first record some events from Autumn thatI was too angry to relate. Petrus turned up at the covenant, severely latefor the symposium by a combination of atrocious weather during the sea voyageand difficulty travelling during this time of civil war amongst the mundanes.He stayed only a short time before going on to Blackthorn. I don’t thinkhe could believe his ears when we told him about Cae . the Oath breaker,whose name I still cannot write calmly.

Mathus also turned up. It seemsthat Stephen’s victory in the South has been matched only by greaterresistance in the North, where Scotland is now Henry’s ally. The Earlof Gloucester has died, leaving no male heir. It seems the Earl of Somersetwill win Stephen’s affection by stripping the Dean and Gloucestershireof fighting men to aid the King in the North. Also the King of France makestrouble for England’s nominal King, claiming castles on the continentonly recently given by Stephen to a kinsman. It appears though that no resistancewas offered against France’s invasion.

Of Hermetic news; Edith has beencaptured and investigated by Serenia. It appears she has been found not guiltyof any involvement with McGreine, but shall still have to answer for the theftsmade against this covenant. Narwold are to be held in contempt of the Tribunalafter failing to deliver a queen of vis within the time allowed. Ruaridh approachedMathus over the issue of this message to Edith, which may have prompted herflight. Despite handling the topic with sensitivity, Ruaridh appears to havecaused Mathus some offence. It appears our Red Cap is peculiarly sensitiveabout his duties. After a discussion we also decided to lend some vis to Narwold.At the beginning of Winter Turold returned there with two rooks from the covenant,and made personal loan to them of another two rooks. These loans they haveagreed to pay back by the Tribunal of 1143. Fulgaria, at least, has enoughhonour to ensure the debt is repaid.

Our council meeting decided ouractivities for this season. I shall continue to study from Aquam vis, so thatin the future I may be better prepared if the Erechwydd decides to cause troublefor us again. Ruaridh will study from some personal vis. Antonius will developa new spell which can disguise his voice; no doubt to prevent identificationslike that made by the monk last season. Turold, as covenant service, willinvestigate the new magical item we purchased from Jordael. So long as wecan be sure of its effects, it will be a valuable item at future council meetings.

Later in the season we were paida visit by Edith who returned many of the items she stole from the covenantmany years ago. Her reasons for leaving were explained; that she believedthat her life was in peril from infernal agents. Indeed, she claims she wasattacked more than once by demons after her escape. It seems clear that shereceived a warning about Darius, and fled rather than seek the aid of hersodales. We had a difficult discussion about whether or not we should punishher. In the end we decided that for punishment she must replace the vis shestole (some 15 pawns), and pay a fine of a further 15 pawns. In addition shemust replace the potion of Demon’s Eternal Oblivion she used during herabsence. If she fulfils this before the Tribunal, the covenant will drop thecase against her.

The second question, whether ornot to restore Edith’s good standing so that she might remain at thecovenant, was more difficult. I had not met Edith before, but whilst she hasa tough mind and a defiant spirit, I sensed that there would be a tensionbetween us if she stayed. At one point during the council with Edith, Turoldremonstrated with her over the issue of taking covenant defensive items. Atthis point Edith turned viciously on Turold, proclaiming him a hypocrite (amongsta rant of personal insults). Edith claims she left the covenant with its singlegreatest defence. When I queried this she revealed she was talking about Meredith,who apparently offered to go with her. I don’t really understand allthis. It is clear that Turold and Edith have something of an unsettled argument,but the reasons for this animosity are utterly unclear to me. As it was, Edithwas also in two minds about whether to resume residence here, and for myselfthat fact helped me decide what we should do. A vote was taken on restoringher good standing. Turold and myself voted against, and Edith abstained. WithRuaridh and Antonius the only votes for restoration, the status of her goodstanding remained unchanged. Edith, took the decision to leave the covenantand we accepted her resignation from the covenant charter. She left shortlyafterwards.

The remainder of this season passedpeacefully and without incident. When I decided to leave Rellatoni, to seeka covenant where more challenges might hone my skills and temper my will,little did I suspect what I was letting myself in for. At least now I appreciatemore fully a quiet season of study, with no great dangers or trials to overcome.

Here ends my record of events,now shall I pass this journal to Ruaridh.