1167

YEAR 1167

Scribed by Tiarnan

Spring 1167 AD

An unexpected and shocking Councilmeeting that has left the covenant bereft of its former leader in most mysteriouscircumstances! Dialectica opened the meeting and promptly announced that sheintended to resign her position as Pontifex and depart the covenant with allhaste. She announced that she could no longer here given that the pagan GoddessCeridwen had designs on her apprentice, Aedan. Even though Aedan had beenreturned to her, Dialectica declared that she could not be sure that she couldprotect him should Ceridwen return, and she therefore planned to take himfar away from any place where this entity might have any influence.

Several of us tried to dissuadeDialectica from her chosen course of action, though her resolve was unshakeable.I even proposed to resort to Certamen to force her to spend a further seasonhere to reconsider, but in the end I was persuaded that it would be unkindto do so given the very real fears she expressed for the safety of her apprentice.So, it was agreed that Dialectica would step down immediately and that Aelfwinwould take over her position as Pontifex. The rest of the Council meetingpassed in a swiftly, as few here had the appetite for making great decisionsbefore we had thought through the implications of Dialectica's decision. Inthe end, we all agreed to remain within the covenant for the duration of theseason, with the exception of Theo, who spent time in the villages aroundthe Dean building up his network of contacts. True to her word, Dialecticaimmediately set about collecting her belongings together, and she departedthe covenant - we can only assume forever - for Blackthorn.

[Tiarnan's private journal:The meeting was more surprising for what was not said as for what was actuallydiscussed. Theo barely said a word for the entire meeting, and his gaze wasdowncast for the entire time. At least four of us around the table - everyoneexcept Cormoran, in fact - know the true story behind Aedan's history, yetnot a word of the real reason why Dialectica was so concerned about him. Indeed,had Cormoran been more perceptive, he would surely have twigged that somethingwas not quite right, but fortunately he remained ignorant of the subtext.I cannot believe that Theo can be happy to lose contact with his son, especiallyif some of the predictions I have heard about him turn out to be true, butI do not see what he can do about it. I sense this move will bring him immediateunhappiness and profound troubles in the longer term.]

Summer

Theo told us at the Council meetingthat he had managed to rescue one of the covenant's mundane contacts - Rachelof Huntley - from the clutches of her malicious brother, who we suspect ofdiabolism. In the guise of a Black Knight, Theo had spirited her away fromthe manor house in Huntley by defeating her guardian in single combat, thoughfrom the look of the bruises on his face, the fight had not been all one way.We then had a long conversation about various matters relating to the grogsthat I must admit I did not fully follow, for I was preoccupied with the decidingwhether I should press on with my researches or go for a swim during the afternoon.By the time I had decided on the swim, the Council had apparently determinedthat we should spend some funds to erect a shelter outside the south gateof the covenant to protect visitors from the elements while they wait forour grogs to decide whether to permit them entry. We also agreed to buy thegrogs some new uniforms, though I sense it will take more than some new tabardsto improve the look of that unsavoury and decrepit bunch.

I spent the season travellingthrough the faerie regio to learn more about the impact of recent changesto the balance of power between the Courts of the Erechwydd and Gofannon.We managed to sneak past the glade where the Palug once dwelt without encounteringthat place's new guardian, though I saw him spying on us as we hurried past.We attended Nynniaw's gift-giving ceremony once more, and we learned thatthe forest had moved from winter to spring and the snowfields that had oncecloaked the ground were now in retreat. There we saw a creature with the lowerbody of a horse but the head and upper body of a man; we spoke briefly, buthe seemed very suspicious of me when I announced that I was a wizard, andI chose not to press him further. After rescuing Kai from an accident involvinga transformation spell, which I will think about more in future, we travelledon through the forest to Stonevale, where Cyrgig provided a stiff and ratherformal welcome. Sir Turold was not in residence, so I left a message for himand then we made our way back out of the regio via a new path that led pasta great tree which I took to be the home of Silgiltis, a faerie that I hadnot hitherto encountered. He seemed annoyed that we had arrived at his homeuninvited, and rather than risk alarming him further, I chose to depart forthwith.Leaving the regio, we found ourselves deep within the mundane forest, thoughit was not too difficult to find the covenant once more with Kieran's help.

Autumn

Medius and Astrius returned fromtheir expedition to the Levant just before the start of the season, and theyrecounted the main events of their journey at the Council meeting. Astriusagreed to scribe a detailed account of the trip, which can be found here.The main conclusion was that they managed to track the renegade Magus Caelestisto the ruins of a great temple, where he was slain. Medius was convinced thatCaelestis would not rise from his grave again, for he had managed to destroythe demon with had kept the diabolic Magus alive on previous occasions. Hopefully,this matter is settled once and for all, and we shall have no more troublefrom that quarter.

The rest of the Council meetingwas fairly uneventful. Theo resigned his positions as Ministrator, sayingthat he no longer wished to hold the post, and Medius was elected unopposedas his replacement. Theo declared that he would spend the season travellingthrough the nearby towns and villages of the Dean to ensure that no rumourslinked the mysterious Black Knight who rescued Lady Rachel of Huntley withSevern Temple. During the rescue, he had been forced to take off his helmet,revealing the unusual circlet that he always wears, and so he planned to tellstories emphasising another of the knight's characteristics, his flame redhair, to draw attention away from any mention of the circlet. Finally, therewas a discussion about who would take-over the fine laboratory equipment leftby Dialectica. Cormoran and I both laid claim to the equipment, and so wedetermined to settle the matter through Certamen. The contest was over quickly,and the equipment now graces my laboratory.

A strange event took place atthe Autumn Equinox, which was also the four hundredth anniversary of the foundingof the Order of Hermes. One of the grogs spied a figure standing by the spring,and by the time he had conveyed the news to us, more figures had appeared.We ventured outside, and we surprised to discover that the figures were theshades of Magi who had once dwelt here at the Severn Temple. What magic haddrawn them here at this time we can only guess, but it proved a fascinatingopportunity to converse with those who we had only previously read about inthe journal. The occasion was almost spoiled by Astrius, who insisted on repeatedlyberating several of the shades for "betraying their oaths" or some such, butDaffyd pointed out that the forces that had drawn the shades here obviouslydid not concur with him. Indeed, only four Magi - Radulfus, Jean, Caelestisand Audacia - were absent from the throng. Astrius claimed that this did notmean that there were not other oath breakers among the group, for it seemedto him that it was only those who had had direct contact with the infernalwho had not returned. Aelfwin pointed out that Audacia had been killed bythe Morrigan, rather than some demon, after which Astrius quietened down,but I wonder if there is not some truth to his assertions. The rest of thenight passed peacefully, as Magi regaled each other with stories from thepast. As dawn approached, the shades began to depart, leaving only the livingMagi.

Winter

Medius returned from a trip toBlackthorn, where he had spoken with Senior Quaesitor Serenia about Caelestis.He was also able to inform us that Serenia had decided not to raise the matterof Dialectica's departure with the Concilium Quaesitori, preferring to giveour new Pontifex time to prove himself. Theo explained that he had managedto visit two sets of standing stones during his travels around the Dean. Helocated a bronze arrowhead just beneath the ground amid the Trellech Stonesand handful of moss at Gray Hill. On further investigation, these proved tocontain Corporem and Mentem vis respectively.

Later in the season, we were visitedby the Redcap Loretius. He brought news that the forces of the Duke of Yorkhad been stalled in the north, but Henry Plantagenet had won a great victoryin the south, driving the king out of London. Closer to home, Loretius, reportedthat he had seen no sign of the fells, but there continued to be rumours ofdiabolic practices at Snig's End. Of Hermetic news: a meeting of the GrandTribunal has been called for midsummer 1172 to discuss Prima Ex Miscellanea'saccusations against Holy Isle; Scarfell covenant has been attacked by blackclad enemies; House Criamon held its house meeting, though Primus Criamonwas not in attendance; and Quaesitor Galfredus of Holy Isle intends to cometo Severn Temple next year to learn more about Mynydd Myddyn so he can investigatethe recent sighting of a member of the Unnamed House.