1177

YEAR 1177

Scribed by Cormoran

Spring 1177AD

We assembled for the first councilunder the leadership of Medius the newly promoted Pontifex. We talked aboutthe attack that Dionysus committed upon this covenant and decided that assoon as possible that word should be gotten out to the Prefactor, senior Quasitorand Prima of Ex-Miscellanea. I also suggested we talk about mistakes madeduring the fight so that we could learn from the event but I was shouted downas people were too proud to discuss these errors. I next tried to bring uphow we might defeat him if he attacked again mentioning his defences of Invisibilityand Imàginem but again people were in no mood for pursuing this line of enquiryand so I tactfully let the matter drop. As we had used so much Vim Vis inthe attempts to recast the Aegis Dialectica agreed to extract Vim Vis to replenishour stocks. After further discussion Carwyn stated that he knew that Cassitusis also apparently a Lich and incredibly he said that he had met Darius aswell who was in the form of a giant wolf. I suggest an attack on Holy Isleto cleanse it of this infestation but Medius and the others were quick topoint out that the grand tribunal forbids any action against Holy Isle alsoit would be seen as breaking the primary code. After we had declared whatwe were to do in this season the Pontifex handed out Vis and the rate of 3pawns per season service. Dialectica returned hers in a display of generosity.The Pontifex then distributed a small stipend of monies but again Astriusand Dialectica returned there's. I decided to learn Creo this season, as weneed a replacement healer now that Aelfwin has passed over the veil.

A few days into the season a womanapproached who wore a red cap it later turned out that it was a Mercere calledNora. She then gave us the news hermetic. The sad news was that Loretius theredcap had died, he had served the tribunal for years but at least he diedin his bed of old age. The death of the redcap now presents an opportunityfor a southern covenant to sponsor a new redcap. Fenriata had called an emergencyhouse meeting for the summer of 1177. The mundane news was that king Henryhad struck hard against the Scots but because of his northern adventures troublehad flared up in the south in against the French. Finally because of the successin putting down the Norfolk revolt there were many unemployed mercenariesnow who had turned to banditry to make some sort of living. Nora also broughta letter from Petrus in which he asked if he could come and investigate aboutthe Regio surrounding the covenant and if he did not receive and letters tothe contrary he would arrive in autumn.

During the season Medius had causeto travel to Travalga and Carrion Moor on Quasitorial business, whilst atthese covenants he discovered that Travalga agreed that a red cap should bein Carrion Moor or Severn Temple, as we needed more news in the south. Carrionmoor also agreed with the placement of a red cap but desired it in their covenantfor the prestige. To discover about the shield that he discovered Carwyn wentto see the god of the wave whose shield it was. However the god was not willingto divulge the shields secrets, as he believed it should not be in the worldof mortals indeed he even offered to catch it and keep it if it was throwninto the waves. At the end of the season Helena left for Lear valley it wassad to see our healer leave but it was understandable that she wanted to beaway from where her family had been slaughtered.

Summer

At the council meeting the previousseasons happenings were reported as told and then as expected Dialectica statedthat she would take Theo's and hers son as apprentice. Not much else was discussedand the meeting ended quickly and we resumed our studies.

At midsummer I travelled to CadGadu for the emergency house meeting. Once there I was amazed to see the turnout.Indeed many people had come from overseas for this emergency meeting. Oneof these I met was a man called Valgat a grog and interpreter for a wizardcalled Udaf from bear claw covenant somewhere in the northern wilds of a countrycalled Norway. It sounds like a country at war with itself with brother fightingbrother as an internal power struggle continues between church and state.I met Valgat when he wanted me to bare knuckle fight a warrior for a prize.I agreed as it sounded like fun and I was confident of victory due to my sizeand strength. It is often said that pride comes before a fall and what a foolI was, for the warrior was fast and nimble and without my spells I felt likea lumbering oaf. Although I landed a few good blows he felled me like an oxand after I awoke I spent the rest of the day and night drinking some of myspecial cider till oblivion gripped me. The next morning I was awoken by asteward who informed me that I was to be granted the honour of hoplite toensure that no one tried to cause problems for the quasitor during the meeting,of course with a twelve foot giant standing behind him no mundane was goingto try and cause any problems.

During the meeting it turned outthat Udaf had a problem in that he had an alliance with shape shifters aswe do but house Bjornaer had tried on many occasions to wipe them out. Ourwise prima decided that she would have a quiet word with the Primus of houseBjornaer at the grand tribunal and try and sort the problem out.

Eventually after everyone hadbeen heard the prima brought up the reason for the meeting in the first place,she wanted to bring case against Holy Isle Covenant for harbouring these non-deadcreatures that Cassitus and Dionysus had become. After a long row over whetherit was legal or not to just go and assault the dedicated covenant the quasitorruled that this was our only avenue of attack within the code. Given thischoice of do nothing or vote aye the vote was unanimous.

The rest of the season passedwithout note and I look back now with pride at how my actions at the tribunalmight have assisted our quasitor and prima.

Autumn

Autumn came without the strongwinds that normally occur and we were blessed with watching the leaves fallgently from the trees rather than ripped off by the gales that roar up theSevern valley. At the council meeting Dialectica reported that the Earl wasback in Gloucester after performing his duty to the king, Dialectica met himand sorted out the problems with ownership of Lydney and Briaval and Blackney.She also reported that the Baron of Chepstow believed the land near Lydneywas under-utilised and was using this as a ploy to obtain the land from us.The Earl of Gloucester was also under pressure to elect a baron of Monmouthas he has been holding this land for a while and apparently this is not thedone thing amongst the nobility.

We then discussed Lydney and Carwynsuggested over paying taxes so that these petty claims to our land would bedropped. I then suggested that someone either learn or obtain the ritual ofbountiful harvest to ensure the orchards I have planted produce fruit in greatquantities and then pay the taxes with cider.

The matter of the copying of thepagan texts was brought up and it occurred that there were no scribes availableat Cad Gadu for copying unfortunately and so if we wanted the tomes we wouldhave to do it ourselves. Dialectica will travel to Powys with Aithan thisseason to show him the mundane court of the Prince of Wales. A few days intothe season Petrus arrived with an armoured escort and began his investigation,which was rather esoteric and seemed to imply that every regio has a themeand ours might be betrayal because of the fall of the original temple. Healso implied that because we lived in the aura we might be warped by it tobetray our sodalis. His point was well made and I could see that history ofbetrayal and deceits have plagued this covenants history. The rest of theseason passed peacefully and our studies were in the main successful.

Winter

The council met on the first dayof winter with the rain pounding against the shutters of the tower. The matterregarding the previous season were discussed and after that Carwyn statedhe would be off to Llear's court to discover what had happened to the crown.Petrus had suggested a doorway into the magical regio, which might also bethe otherworld, and we discuss it but come to no satisfactory conclusion asthe dangers of creatures escaping might outweigh the benefits of quick accessto the spirit realm. Dialectica described how the trip to the Welsh courtswent where Aithan was trained in horse riding and swordsmanship.

Carwyn's trip to the realm ofwater went well, once arriving via the power of the Lladra he had a conversationwith her about the politics of the court but was able to discover little fromthe spring fae. However just by looking around he could see that it was acourt in preparation for war with many fae warriors in attendance and veryfew of the female formed fae. From other fae in attendance to Lear he gatheredthat the court of stone believed that Aithan could be more manipulated forthe benefit of the court of stone far more easily than his father could andfor that reason they wanted him still made king under there power. In comparisonthe court of wood want the defeat of the dominion soon as they are sufferingmost but they want the young king to have more say and are worried about thebalance of the courts. Finally the court of water wanted success but a balancedsuccess against the dominion so that no power comes into the ascendance butthen the court of water has not been affected as much as wood and stone.

The winters snows came thick andsoon and stopped mundane transport quite early in the season, and so it waswith quite relief that the rest of the season passed without note but to saythat our studies were successful and uninterrupted.