(Summer 1222-Summer 1223)
Valeri spends his time at Skaholt trying to ingratiate himself with the local churchmen but is hampered by his gift. Inpiration suddenly struck, and he sought out those divines charged with tending the livestock.
He found Rickard, and because he was lovingly nuzzled by the goat rickon was warmed to him. They got chatting and Valeri was able to find out something about the library (it contains something called "the bible" and other books). Learning that the church was short of vellum as well, Valeri offered to overwinter some of the goats that would otherwise be culled (using Aoide's improved ability to generate silage). The chuch would then process the extra goats to obtain extra vellum which would be split (somehow) between the two parties.
Over dinner valeri was chatting to a visitor (a Bard named either named Karl Eriksson or Erik Karlsson - Valeri's mind wandered during the introductions. The stranger was looking for poetic inspiration and had returned to his old haunts in pursuit of same. When Valeri received Pumilius's letter about the declining aura, he took the quick way out and, rather than spending years trying to find the best man for the job, invited back the Bard to Aoide to the "self-centre of learning" to see if he could help.
Karl turned out to be a fountain of knowledge on the history of the church explainign all the little fueds that had kept the bishops from getting their own way, and Valeri's eyes quickly glazed over. They arrive at Aoide and after a few pleasantaries, it is let slip that the Covenant knows Pan caudrax, Karl is awed (but not over-) and seems eager to help, as these people will surely lead him into interesting times.
Martin "let slip" (it was more like drawing teeth) that his imaginary enemy was Loki, and he had been the one playing with the cauldron at the egg camp. The Magi ask Karl's advice
Karl suggests a few possible leads as to cauldrons in the myths of the people he has known they were:
1) TheCauldron of Diwrnach the Giant
This cauldron will only cook the food of a brave man, one of the Hallows brought back from Tir Na N'og by Arthur Pendragon
2) The Ale Cauldron of the Giant Hymir.
Hymir was the father of Tyr. It was stolen by thor and Tyr with help from Loki and Hymir's Wife (who was also Tyr's Mother)
3) Cauldron of Bran
Given to the warrior, Bran by the giant Llassor Leas Gyfnewid. Dead warriors boiled in in in will come back to life
4) Odhrerir
Contains the Mead of Poetry brewed from Kvasir's Blood. Odin stole it from the dwarfs Fjalar and Galar
5) Mimir's Well
one of the three roots of yggdrasil loches this well, Odin traded an eye for one draught of the well.
6) Cauldron of Dagda
"none would come away with hunger unsatisfied"
7) Hvergelmir
"Before there was Land and Sea, there was a seething cauldron of ice and venom in the north called Hvergelmir. It was matched in the south by a boiling fountain of fire called Udarbrunn. Where the two forces of fire and ice met, the first being formed, This was Ymir."
8) The Ale Cauldron of Aegir
The Jotun Aegir (domain is the sea) hosts feasts for the Gods, and brews the mead and ale for succh feasts in a special cauldron. The Cauldron is also used to brew storms and fate.
Karl was also able to illuminate the Magi about the contents of the Library at Skaholt
The bible [Theology Summa Level 10 Quality 3, and Church Lore Summa Level 3 Quality 3]
Somnium Scipionis by Macrobus [Tractatus, Artes Liberales 8]
Periphysion by John Scottus Eriugena[Theology Summa Level 4 Quality 8]
Cur Deus Homo? by St. Aslem [Theology tractatus, Quality 8]
Scito te Ipsum by Peter Abelard [Philosophy tractatus Quality 8]
The Cathedral has been trying for years to get hold of Philosphi Mundi by William of Conches [Philosophy Summa
Level 4 Quality 8] but has not suceeded yet (Karl doesn not know why)
Meanwhile Vincent has been on his trip of discovery. In bergen, by judicious wnching and whoreing, he unearthed the names of the two passengers who had joined the doomed ship Heimdall at bergen. these were a local woman, Yrsa and her two sons. There were travelling to join Yrsa's husband Einar Gamlisson in Iceland. No other passngers joined at Bergen. Travelling onwards to the Isle of Visby (where the Hansa's financial records were kept, he meets with both Albrecht Lindqvist (the head of the hansa) and his clerk. With a mild bribe, Vincent is able to obtain the ship's manifest. The cargo was grain, and the passengers were twelve rich spanish and french noblemen, although further investigation could find no record of how they managed to find themselves at Visby.
Recalling his other mission: try to set up book/vis trades with other covenants, Vincent travells to Lubeck, and eventually tracks down the Covenant of Oculus Septentrionalis. He is recieved by several jerbiton Magi , who suggest that such trades would be very adavntageous, but would need to wait until Boris of Novgorod (a redcap attached to the covenant had returned). Vincent noticed that none of the Magi freaked him out in any way.
When discovering whence he came, they asked him if he had seen evidence of the Order of Odin, and after he replied in the negative didn't push the matter.
Vincent asked on the offchance if the had heard of the names on the list, and they said that they were a party of overzealous Flambeau who had gone off on a wild goose chase to find the order. Vincent did not go into great detail as to why he was asking.
On reporting back to the Council, Tethys confesses that she knew about the deaths pf the Flambeau, but hadn't told the rest of them before the trip because ehe "didn't want to worry them"