1161

YEAR 1161

Scribed by Astrius

Spring 1161 AD

The Spring meeting started witha discussion about Theo, but as before, there was little concrete action thatcould be taken and all we could do as a council was agree to wait and hopefor his safe return.

Dialectica stated that she willbe abroad in Summer and Autumn of this year to attend her house meeting. AsMedius also plans to venture forth in Summer I will remain within the covenantthen and extract vim vis as service then. For this season I announced my intentto seek the hound that helped me to track down the blood werewolves and seeif the Anu's vision of it being destined to be my familiar was true. Tiarnanstated that he intends to repay the dozen pawns that he owes from bindinghis familiar this year and hopefully this should leave us with enough forboth the aegis and the longevity potion that Cormoran will need next year.Cormoran will spend this season replanting the orchards down in Blackney thatwere swept away by the flood, though quite why it takes a magus to plant afew apple trees is beyond me.

The meeting concluded with a quickreview of our finances. These are encouragingly healthy. We have a reserveof over 1165d and are currently making a profit of 340d, after making ourback tax payments. With monies to spare, Cormoran suggested that the covenantbuy a sailing barge and given the difficulties that magi of this covenanthave had with securing safe passage along the Severn in the past, all agreed.Medius also raised the possibility of a financial stipend along the same linesof the vis tithe and Dialectica agreed to consider such a plan.

The season was not much olderwhen a cart arrived bearing a large package for Cormoran. It contained thearmour that he had commissioned from Ildenacht of Trevalaga and appears tobe of exceptionally fine make. It is also remarkably light for its size, buteven so, it was easy to see why Lauretius had not been able to carry it himself.

Magus Arcanus arrived later inthe season to speak with Medius on Quaesitorial business.

Although sadly there was no furthersign of Theo during the season, another long lost member of the covenant didreturn, though much changed. Robert, an archer who accompanied Magus Tiarnaninto the faerie regio in 1151 and like that magus, was captured by the Erechwyth.His skin is now pale, his hair white and his eyes a piercing shade of blue,clearly his time in the Erechwyth's icy realm has warped him. The bow thathe carries also appears to have some sort of faerie enchantment about it.However, as his claims that he had struck no deal nor sworn any oath of allegianceheld up under magical interrogation he was allowed to return to the turb,albeit only as part of the Blackney militia.

My hunt for the Drudwhil houndproved to be a great success, though I am sure it would read better if Theowere here to help me with the telling of it. Anyway, given that the Anu hadsent me a previous vision about it, I decided to make my way down to the Heartof the Forest to see if the Anu could help me find the beast. Following Theo'sexample I sat back against the tree that grows in the centre of that placeand closed my eyes. I felt a little self-conscious at first but there is apeaceful air there and with the warm Spring sunshine on my face I soon driftedoff to sleep.

I dreamt that I was standing onHuntley hill at night, with a half moon risen behind me. Off to one side Icould hear the sounds of fighting so I hurried down the slope of the hillto investigate. There I espied three men run from a clearing. They were dressedin ragged clothed, but wore armour underneath it nevertheless and one borea sword. The hound chased after them and they turned to fight it. Back fromwhence the hound had come I could hear a woman screaming. I started forwardsto help only to find myself sitting up and awake in the glade once more. Witha muttered word of thanks to the Anu for her vision I set off for Huntleyhill, anxious to make it in time.

The vision proved to be uncannilyaccurate. Not long after night fell, with the moon half-full and risen I heardfighting ahead of me. I hurried down as quickly as I was able in the darkwoods and with flame and sword quickly dispatched three of the bandits thatthe hound was pursuing. The dog then led me back to where the screams of awoman could be heard. In the midst of a crude campsite two more men were setabout raping the poor woman. The hound and I caught them unawares but neitherof us was about to show such men any quarter. Curiously, soon after the fightwas over one of the werewolves made its way cautiously into the clearing.It took no threatening action, a wise move as I was only too ready to sendit join the brigands in the next life, but instead merely asked after thesituation. I told it that this was not its business and it meekly departed,neck bent in submission, promising not to interfere.

Nevertheless I kept a carefuleye out lest it or its fellows were lurking thereabouts as I tried to ascertainfrom the woman what had happened. It seems that she was the wife of a merchantand their wagon had been attacked by the bandits. At her request and leavingthe hound guarding her, I left to check the fate of her husband. Sadly itwas as I had feared, he had been slain. She was naturally upset by the newsbut strong enough to make it to the priory at Huntley Wold under my escort.I asked her not to mention the flames that she had seen me cast and wieldon my sword and she agreed. After watching to make sure that she was safelyadmitted, I slipped back into the forest and made my way back to the covenantwith the hound trotting alongside me.

Once returned to the covenant,I was able to cast 'The Tongue of the Beasts' from our Spell Library and speakwith him. His name is indeed Drudhwil and he hunts those who are deservingof death. After I explained about what it meant to become a familiar he readilyagreed. I was naturally delighted by this as I feel sure that he and I willform a fast bond, and I look forward to hunting with him. As the season drewto a close this happiness was not even tempered by the knowledge that I willbe spending the warm summer days cooped up in my laboratory extracting vimvis once more.

Summer

The night before the summer councilmeeting Theo finally returned. Although he was tired and hungry as is oftenthe case following one of his journeys in the spirit realm, he looked noticeablydifferent this time. Something about his profile, his face, had definitelychanged though there was not one single thing that I could put my finger on.I was not the only one to notice this. At the council meeting the followingday, Cormoran demanded to see Theo's sigil to confirm his identity, whichTheo duly demonstrated. When asked to explain his sudden disappearance Theosaid that he had had a unique and urgent opportunity to go to the land ofthe dead, which if missed, might not come again. He then went on to talk alittle about what he saw there, though as is often the case with Theo thesedays I am sure there is much that he can not or will not divulge. The landof the dead apparently consists of two parts, separated by a cold river. Thefirst is a dark, misty forest where the lost spirits wander and the otheris a bright land of green fields and high mountains.

Theo said that he was searchingthere for some of his lost bardic memories and it was the acquisition of thesethat has altered his appearance. When pressed on this subject by first Mediusand then Dialectica, Theo explained that the bardic bloodline had been sunderedbut is now rejoined. Seeing that this did not clarify things, he went on totell the story of Gwynbach and the origin of the bards, though to be honestwhile it was a fine tale I for one was not left any clearer. In any eventTheo says that this bloodline is now widespread though he has never met anyother sharing it, even his father. The opportunity that he had been presentedwith was an open pathway to the doorkeeper of the Lands of the dead, Gwyn-ap-Nudd.

At this point, perhaps tiringof stories, Dialectica proposed a motion of Delictum and two season's serviceas penalty. This was however rejected by the council by four votes to three,with Dialectica, Medius and Theo voting for and myself, Cormoran, Tiarnanand Alefwin voting against. Medius will remain Ministrator despite this asDialectica did not put that post up to vote.

With the issue of Theo's absenceresolved Medius announced that the infernal activity near Carrion Moor maynot be the Fells as had been first suspected but rather a separate group ofdiabolists. They have been linked to a black sailed ship seen in Plymouthand Southampton that is crewed mostly by men from the Levant, at least twoof who are moors. Magus DuCamp has uncovered signs of a battle between theship's crew and Fells in Southampton. Although there was a master presenton the Fells' side, it appears that they lost and DuCamp found the body ofa Fell that had been preternaturally aged. A message from the crew has alsobeen intercepted, written in Arabic, it revealed that they are seeking a magicalastrolabe, a device that can be used to track the movement of the stars. Thisobviously raises suspicions that the Renounced Magus Caelestis is involvedfor he was a noted astrologer and it was Southampton where he was last seen.This raises clear concerns for as well as knowing the covenant and its surroundswell, from my readings of the journal it seems this traitorous wizard, althougha Bonisagus, had some skill with auram and was capable of casting the Incantationof Lightning. Medius now wonders whether the two diabolists who he observedon his travels in southeast England were part of this coven. His investigationsinto local diabolists would seem to be of even greater import now.

There was then a brief discussionon Caelestis's ability to predict the future and the suggestion that the covenmight be receiving information from a traitor within the Order. Quite howthis came about now escapes me, though I cannot but help remember Cormoran'spreposterous and insulting suggestion that given their speed of movement andknowledge of covenants the traitor was likely to be a member of House Mercere!Thankfully more diplomatic voices than mine set him straight quickly as tothat House's dedication and the talk moved on to what action we can take ourselves.Of covenant services, Medius is to scry on the local Fells, while Theo willtravel to Monmouth to spread positive stories about this place and the woods.He will also attempt to find out Baron Martin's plans for Lydney and get themeasure of his son.

A week after the start of theseason a cartload of spell tomes arrived from Solis Castle, the fruits ofa deal made at the last tribunal, though we have yet to make good our sideof the bargain.

Soon afterwards Medius returnedto the covenant with ill news from his investigations in Huntley. Not onlywere he and his companions robbed by a group of four brigands on the roadnorth of Monmouth, but when he attempted to investigate the manor house inHuntley he was spotted and in the ensuing hue and cry his consortis Giovanniwas captured. On his return an emergency council meeting was swiftly convenedas Medius related the events that had befallen him. The danger was clear,if the knight at Huntley is indeed a Fell as we fear, then he cannot be allowedto interrogate Giovanni for he is privy to many of this covenant's defencesand plans. From our discussions it quickly became clear that we had two options,a subtle approach to obtain an arcane connection to Giovanni's cell and apporthim out in some way or a more martial approach involving storming the manorhouse. I was content to back the subtle plan, saving the attack as a back-upshould all go wrong. I have had enough experience with local nobles to becautious of risking a breach of the primary code once again.

Happily Aelfwin, in the guiseof a craftsman peddling his wares was able to get a rough layout of whereGiovanni was being held and even obtain two arcane connections within thehouse. Archimaga Gariana, who had kindly answered our request for assistance,was then able to enter the house and apport Giovanni to safety, leaving behinda simulacrum of his corpse to fool his captors. Although sorely wounded fromthe clash that resulted in his capture, Giovanni had not yet been interrogatedso for that at least we must be thankful. On a related note, after speakingwith Medius I was able to track down the bandits who had waylaid him and hiscompanions and ensure that they will never again assail a magus or anyoneelse.

A month into the season anotheremergency council meeting was called, this time by Theo, to discuss what hehad learnt about Lydney. The Baron of Monmouth is content to leave it as agrave, but the Baron of Chepstow has appealed to the Earl to let him buy Lydneyand the rich farmland surrounding it to settle when Wollaston is rebuilt.The Baron of Monmouth plans to oppose such a request but said that he needsto produce a taxable revenue from the land if he is to convince the Earl toallow him to keep it. As such, he has offered the lands to Theo, in his roleas Knight of Briavel. There was a lengthy discussion about whether takingon this undertaking was a good idea and how we might produce a revenue fromthe land without seeing it settled by more than a handful of peasants. Theconclusion we reached was that with a mixture of small farms and orchards,there need be naught but a small riverside hamlet and scattered farmsteads.This seemed satisfactory to everyone so it was agreed that Theo will acceptthe Baron's offer. Theo brought back other significant mundane news. It seemsthat war is brewing with France once more. With the inevitable higher taxesand levy that will bring, we will have to keep a careful eye on the covenant'sfinances until it is over.

Of more concern, to me at least,was the news that the werewolves who dwell near Mynnyd Myrddyn may have takenLionel of Skenfrith, leaving that castle without a knight or clear heir. Theohas been tasked to investigate the disappearance by the Baron of Monmouthso he left with a "retinue" of four grogs to travel to that place. The soonerwe can obtain a replacement for Turold's item that was able to ward away thesedevious and malicious creatures the better. Then I shall hunt down every lastcursed one of them.

Autumn

If my writing here is unclear,it is not because the palsy that the Morrigan afflicted me with has returned,nay, my hand is still shaking with rage following our autumnal concillium.I still cannot believe the decision the council has reached. Theo had returnedfrom his investigations having found Sir Lionel and restoring him to his castle.Yet this was far from the happy ending that it might have appeared to themundanes. Our initial fears about Lionel having been taken by the werewolveswere correct and he had been infected with their curse in order to give themcontrol over their local knight. So now we have a werewolf ruling from Skenfrithcastle!!! When Theo went to seek out Lionel in the woods he was first approachedby the previous knight, who had also been infected but had been declared dead.With the wolf spirits about, Theo was rightly reluctant to invite him to joinhis campfire and attempted to leave. At this point two figures approachedhim, the Grandfather wolf and the pack leader. There was some discussion aboutthe rights of the werewolves to take these actions before Theo somehow invoked"Jack of the Green". This entity is apparently extremely powerful in the woods,indeed Theo referred to it as a God on more than one occasion. After hearingboth sides of the debate jack of the Green ruled in favour of the werewolvesbeing allowed to set the now cursed Lionel back as knight of Skenfrith. Thewerewolves' argument was crafty, claiming that all they wanted to do was protectthe woods and prevent any tree felling. They said that with Lionel in placethey would thenceforth lay low and trouble no one. Theo says that they alsoswore that they would send no more bloodwolves and would not attack any fromthe covenant again. Theo claimed that this "Jack of the Green" spirit willhold the werewolves to this promise, though our history of dealings with theseduplicitous creatures suggests that he will have to be extremely vigilant.Naturally enough a vote was then called to decide whether we should honourour side of this bargain and cease any hostile actions against the werewolvesuntil they break faith. To my astonishment and no little anger the vote went4 to 1 in favour of this treaty of non-aggression being honoured, with minebeking the only dissenting vote and Cormoran abstaining. If it has been closerI would have used certamen but with such a majority there was little chanceof that succeeding. Men will die because of this decision, but when the werewolvesbreak the deal, and break it they will, I will make them pay.

Following this debate, Dialecticaappointed Theo Legationis with respect to the local nobility and asked himto negotiate a tithe for Lydney. Although he is my closest friend, I can onlypray that he shows better judgment when dealing with nobles than he does withwerewolves and pagan spirits.

Some three weeks later, a delegationof faeries arrived at the covenant bearing our terram vis. One of these wasthe fey called Turold and I took the opportunity to question him on what heremembered of his previous existence as a magus. Although he clearly has somememories, they seem to be sketchy and vague, so it seems we will never knowjust how deeply involved in the Renounced Magus Ruaridh's treachery Turoldwas.

Astrius's private journal

Theo came to me one eveninglater in the season speaking of a vision he had had in which he was killedby Ieuan, the gifted son of the Renounced Magus Idris. In this foretellingTheo died because he was unable to defend himself without his sword. Theoasked for his sword back, I was naturally reluctant to return it to him butagreed to go with him to the Heart of the Forest to see if the Anu could giveme any guidance on this issue. As I had done the previous year when seekingDrudwhil, I leant back against the tree and after falling asleep in the warmsunshine was granted a vision. The vision was set in Wales, somewhere in theCambrian mountains I think, and I could see three fell figures, a growlingred-eyed wolf, a tall hermetic magus with pale hands but an obscured face,and a black-clad figure with a sword burning with a sickly green flame. Facingthem was Theo, yet he looked still more different and intriguingly remindedme of someone else, though who exactly I have not been able to put my fingeron. The black-clad figure, who I assume was Ieuan, attacked Theo who madeto draw his sword but it was not there and before he could do anything elseIeuan ran him through and left him lifeless on the mountainside. As the visionfaded I heard the Anu's voice in my head telling me that this vision was somethingthat might happen if things continued as there were.

Naturally I was gravely concernedby this and in spite of my suspicions regarding the Pagan gods or spirits,whatever they may be, I do find myself trusting the Anu. I was still howeverloathe to return the sword to Theo. I can see him being drawn ever deeperinto the schemes of the Morrigan and this quest of his to regain "his" bardicmemories and become High King. I know Theo better than anyone, though I amincreasingly wondering if I should say I knew Theo better than anyone foreach time we have a deep conversation about what exactly he is involved inhe tells me still more secrets and freely admits that there is more than he"cannot" tell me. I fear for him and while I would not see him slain for wantof a weapon, a blade forged by the Morrigan containing the spirit of a maguswho forsook his oath to follow her warped and twisted aims cannot be anythingsave a corrupting influence upon him.

In the end, after a long andintense debate, I promised that I would return the sword to him if he wouldfirst swear an oath on all that he held sacred and true that he would notbreak his Oath. To my unease Theo seemed extremely reluctant to make sucha vow. Reasoning that he was concerned about breaking it through a minor technicalor accidental infringement I asked instead that he swear not to break thespirit of the Oath. Although he seemed a little easier with this he neverthelessdeclined and to my shock proposed that he would instead swear on our friendshipthat if I returned the sword he would not break the spirit of the Oath. Somewhattaken aback and in truth a little aggrieved by this I agreed. I would liketo say that I implicitly trust my friend in all things but as we walked backthrough the green woods I had a strong foreboding that the friendship thatwe share and that I thought would last for as long as we both lived will nowend much sooner. Having specifically requested such a vow, if Theo breaksit then we can no longer be friends, much as that will grieve me. So it waswith a heavy heart that I returned the sword to him shortly after we returnedto the covenant.

A couple of days before the endof the season Dialectica returned from her house meeting, but news from thatwill have to wait for the next chronicler for I am now to bury myself in mylaboratory for one year in order to bind Drudwhil as my familiar. Obviouslymy absence for such a length of time means that I cannot fulfill my dutiesas Imperator and I informed the Pontifex of this. Now Cormoran will have therole he so desperately craves I just hope that the jealousy that poisonedhis actions towards me will fade so that I can trust him once more.

Scribed by Theo

Winter

I must admit to some trepidationto writing this journal after my long absence as so much has changed sincelast I wrote here. Hence I will ask the readers pardon if my usually moreloquacious style is missing from these pages.

After his period as acting-Pontifex,Medius was I think a little relieved (as I know I was) when Dialectica returned.Having the responsibility for the entire covenant on one's shoulders can bequite a burden. However with Dialectica's return this council had, for a shortwhile, a full complement of Magi. The Pontifex told us little of the affairsof her House meeting, as in truth we would probably understand less than halfof the theories discussed. She did state that the House of Bonisagus had agreedto back the Quaesitori's vote for an investigation into the pagan membersof the Order - this vote will take place in two years time, in 1163, at thenext Grand Tribunal meeting.

After this interesting news Astriusannounced that he was to start binding his familiar-to-be, Drudwyl, and assuch would be absent from the council for the next year. We all wished himthe best of luck and I for one look forward to seeing them together laternext year. Astrius also stepped down as Imperator as he could hardly carryout his duties whilst binding his familiar. Cormoran, as the only candidate,was subsequently voted into that position. Let us hope that this will finallysettle Cormoran's obvious jealousy with Astrius and that he can work withoutany further rancour at Council.

I then made report concerningmy investigation and discoveries concerning the werewolves of Mynydd Myddynand Sir Edwin of Skinfrith. It seems that they lured Sir Edwin away with dreamsof his lost elder brother, these dreams bade Edwin to seek his brother inthe woods. After an initially fruitless search he eventually searched in thewoods during the full moon and was lost to his village. The werewolves plan,was to infect him and have one of their own in a position of power. As I expectAstrius reported in his writing of the journal before me - they succeededin their aim. They have sworn to Jak'o'the'Forest (also known as 'Jak in theGreen') that they will do nothing to anger of disturb the locals, also thatthey forswear their vengeance against those werewolves in our forest. Howlong this will hold them I have no idea, but it buys us some further breathingroom.

For our seasons work: Tiarnanwill scribe some of his knowledge of and adventures in the Fae regio to theFae Lore texts; Medius will study from the Vim books; Dialectica will studythe mentem vis; Cormoran was about his own business outside the covenant;Aelfwin was to study the intellego books and I was to learn more of the Welshlanguage. Finally Dialectica announced that she would be taking Aedden asher apprentice.

Later that season the redcap Loretiusarrived with letters for both Astrius and Tiarnan, as well as other news.It seems that Henry Plantagenet, of Anjou, is going to invade England. Englandis divided over how to deal with this, with many Marcher Lords unable to attendthe English muster due to a potential 'Welsh iprising'. Hence we are warnedthat travelling next year may be dangerous, with so many armed men abroad.

Tiarnan later told us that hisletter was from Archi-Maga Sylvania, reporting that due to the possibilityof war early next year they intended to sail for the meeting of House Merinitabefore the end of Winter. Tiarnan therefore declared that he would be extractingvim vis for the rest of the season available to him.

It was only a few days later thata lone traveller arrived at the covenant, with a message for Medius from MagusTostig. It seems that his sanctum had been breached and that he wants thisact investigated. With Medius busy and Winter not the best time to travel,Medius decided to investigate this early next year. At about the same timeCormoran left Blackney with Dermot, Robert, Wif and Henry to go and investigatethe Fae regio.