1184

YEAR 1184

Scribed by Dialectica

Spring 1184 AD

Our council met, save Astrius and Cormoranwho are still abroad in Novgorod, upon the first morning of spring. Therewas little to report from the previous season save the long-awaited returnof Addyn, having successfully passed his gauntlet to become Magus Marius followerof Jerbiton. With our two warrior magi away no vote can be held, but he expressedhis desire to join our covenant and was invited to remain as a guest untiltheir return.

[Private journal: The vote is fairly secure I think. Carwen appeared genuinelypleased to see Addyn return and Medius will see the benefit of having a Jerbitonpotentially able to help him in his investigations of the Church cult andthe Fells. Giraldus will follow the lead of the majority, I feel. Cormoranwill likely vote the same way as Astrius (unless they fall out during theirtrip, the giant appears to have formed a bond of friendship with the hoplite)and I think Astrius will be easily convinced to support Marius' membership.]

Medius reviewed our stores of vis, setting aside the tithe we shall need topay next year at Tribunal before distributing two pawns for each covenantservice completed. Giraldus, as covenant service this year, will travel abroadwithin the shire; not least to see what news there may be following the deathof Friar Bertram last year.

Marius and I will travel to Powys and attend the Prince's court.

The Welsh court welcomed Addyn with enthusiasm and the Prince held a feastin his honour to mark his return. Many of the Prince's house knights appearto already court his favour and my concerns that there would be animositytowards Ifan's heir have proven unwarranted. The Prince's wife was cold towardshim, however, though Maneddwy has no right to complain given she has bornIfan only daughters. Addyn carried the occasion well, clearly having learntmuch during the preparation of his gauntlet. I was content that he perceivedwell the intrigues of the court and made moves to ensure that the influenceof Maneddwy over some of the more impressionable knights was minimised.

My greater concern came when emissary of the Prince of Gwynedd arrived laterin the season. It seems that Llewellyn is once more feeling the urge to takeup his sword and make threat against the English. Of course, he cannot dothis alone and Ifan made it quite clear that he would take no action thatwould endanger the treaty he holds with Gloucester. However, Conwy and Angleseyappear to support Llewellyn, and this issue will return in force if they chooseto openly support the Prince of Snowdonia. Ceredigon and Carmarthen seem moreswayed to Ifan and it may be worth Addyn paying visit there to shore up suchsentiment in the short term and create a relationship he can influence inthe longer term.

Summer

With Astrius and Cormoran still away, our depleted council met to relate eventsfrom last season and plan actions for the next. Giraldus began by relatingthat the Baron of Chepstow has appointed a magistrate to investigate the deathof Brother Bertram, at the Abbot of Tintern's request. This is disturbingnews; firstly, because it suggests that the Abbot (whom we already suspectof having links to this Church cult) has considerable influence over the Baron,and secondly, because such an investigation always risks uncovering the involvementof this covenant in the Friar's death.

As if to remind us that the threat of the Fells has not receded, our spy inHuntley reported that Edwin has not been seen for some time. Rumour claimsthat he is 'unwell', but with a diabolist one can never be too sure. It isclear that the Church cult will occupy the focus of our attention for thetime being, being a more direct threat, though I know that Medius for onehas not forgotten the menace of the Fells.

Giraldus will travel on Tribunal service, delivering messages between covenantsin the south. Medius and I will carry out covenant service; Medius will extractVim vis for the covenant stores and I will make an item for Giraldus. Addynrequested and received access to the covenant's mundane library so that hecan better familiarise himself with the workings and traditions of the Church.

[Personal journal: Over dinner Medius, Carwen and I complained a littlethat we appeared to be receiving very little news beyond our immediate contactsin Trevalga, Narwold and Carrion Moor. We had hoped that the presence of aRed Cap would mean we would receive richer news about the mundane and Hermeticevents further afield, yet it appears, if anything, that we now receive lessnews. We agreed that we would gently raise the subject with Giraldus. We wouldnot wish to offend him, yet it may be that he simply does not realise whatimport such wider news may have for us; inexperienced as he is.]

Autumn

With Astrius and Cormoran returned, our council met in full. Medius, clearlypleased to have them back, swiftly appointed Astrius as ministrator and Cormoranas Imperator once more.

Astrius and Cormoran made brief report of their trip to Novgorod. The journeywas facilitated by Moravius of Solid Castle, who asked in return for a clawand a venom sac from the Wyvern they had encountered in Mynydd Myddyn (shouldthey manage to slay it). This deal was retrospectively approved by the council.They described the journey through the wilds of the North, Astrius appearingparticularly enamoured with the vast forests and snow capped mountains farfrom mundane influences. It appears they had a run in with the Order of Odin(a force many in the Order thought long since quiescent), though managed todefeat three of them with relative ease. They eventually reached a covenant,far to the North, called 'Shining Lights' where they met the strange magiwho inhabit the place.

The Pontifex of the covenant is a very ancient Flambeau, who chastised Astriusfor the inaction of his House against the Order of Odin. Astrius related thatShining Lights acted as a bulwark against this old enemy, though he had concernsas to what would will happen as that place inevitably declines as the magiage and die. Our sodalis will raise these concerns in a letter to his Primusand make motion at the next meeting of House Flambeau.

Cormoran had travelled there to investigate the mysterious deaths amongstthe giants of Albion and discovered that the Tytalan there had made a pactwith the Norse giants. The Norse giants would leave their covenant in peaceso long as this Tytalan assassinated their old enemies to the south. Cormoranresolved this problem by granting the Tytalan an ancient magical artefactof the giants, a horn which causes terror in such kind. This will allow ShiningLights to keep the giants at bay, without any further attacks on Cormoran'sgiant kin.

News from last season included an ominous discovery that the magistrate appointedto investigate the death of Friar Bertram is a monk from Tintern Abbey. BrotherOswald is said to be a very pious man and close to the Abbot himself. It appearsthat the Church cult is directly investigating the death of one of their own.

Carwen reported that a book on Saintly miracles, obtained from Yania, hadbeen translated into Latin. Our Merinitan related that some of the odd handgestures which appear in the illustrations of this text appeared very similarto some made by Bertram when he encountered him at the Trellech stones.

Further to this, Medius announced that he and Astrius (acting as Hoplite)would travel to Narwold to see what they could discover about the disappearanceof Arcturus. The Tytalan, renowned for his knowledge and contacts within theChurch, has been missing for some time now. Could it be he has become a victimof this cult? Whilst they are in London they shall take Giraldus along andlook to commission the building of a ship and the recruitment of a crew tosail her.

Finally, Marius' petition to join the council was only little more than aformality, though my filius treated the matter seriously and gave a good accountof himself to the gathered magi. I was particularly appreciative of Carwen'ssupport, who spoke well in his favour. No one made any argument against themotion and the council voted swiftly to admit him. Marius will return to Powysand look to developing the village near to Mynydd Myddyn he inherited as aCovenant Service.

[Personal journal: Marius has done the Covenant something of a favour andraised the issue of what news we receive with Giraldus. My filius couchedthe discussion in terms of the information he will need to help him managethe mundane politics in Wales. It appears that there a couple of reasons whywe are receiving so little news beyond our borders. Firstly, Archimaga Gyrianiahas been recalled to her Domus Magnus over some matter of grave import tothe House; secondly, our new Red Cap has been spending more than a littletime in the taverns and inns of the Shire during his periods of service (albeitto build up local contacts, he claims). However, Giraldus has promised toseek more Hermetic and mundane news beyond our borders to report to councilin future.]

Winter

Our council met in full on the first day of winter, though there was onlylittle news from what had been a quiet season.

Of the investigation in Narwold and London, Medius (quite naturally) revealedlittle - though it appeared that both he and Astrius had encountered significantdifficulty getting into Arcturus' sanctum (Astrius returned blinded!). Hisinvestigation is ongoing.

Giraldus reported that the ship was under construction and that he would returnto London to continue the process of recruiting a crew. The ship has beennamed the 'Severn Boar' after the great silver-haired beast which has beenoccasionally espied when the tidal bore races along the river.

Marius reported that he had begun an investigation into the Church withinPowys, careful not to arouse suspicion, but in order to identify any individualsor monasteries which might have links to this Church cult. The village nearMynydd Myddyn is isolated and relatively poor, but could act as a useful stagingpost for magi wishing to travel into the regio. The steward of the villagehas been told to welcome any who bear the colours of Briarvel.

Cormoran will perform a covenant service and prepare further potions of Leapof Homecoming.

Medius reminded the council of the Tribunal at Blackthorn in the summer andbid us consider any motions we might wish to raise so that they could be discussedat the next council meeting.

The season passed peacefully, and the year ended with all magi safely returnedto the covenant.