In 1145 AD, after centuries of competition to claim the Isle of Man for their respective tribunals, the magi of Hibernia, Loch Leglean, and Stonehenge convened at the covenant of Vigil in Hibernia to sign this agreement. The three tribunals ceased their warring, and ownership of the Isle of Man would be determined by the first covenant to be founded on the Isle and survive for the period of one Grand Tribunal (33 years).
The magi know the location of a former covenant of House Diedne.
- In 1003, magi from the covenant of Ungulus (in the Stonehenge Tribunal) attacked and destroyed a Diedne covenant as an opening salvo in the Schism War. Information on this covenant has been scrubbed from redcap records in Stonehenge, but Thomlyn was able to piece together from clues that the covenant was located at Burroo Ned, a wooded hill south of the village of Rushen.
Records held at Mercer House in Stonehenge reveal three attempts to found a covenant on Man, two before the Partitio Monaviae and one after.
- Rector Maris (“Lords of the Sea”): In 866, one hundred years after the founding of the Order, a group of experienced magi from different houses traveled to Man for the express purpose of claiming it for the Order. They went to Mount Snaefell, the tallest peak on the island (over 2,000 feet), killed the dragon that dwelt there, and founded their covenant in the dragon’s lair, a series of caves with a high magical aura. Six months later, however, a Redcap arrived to deliver mail and found the covenant destroyed and the magi dead. While the Redcap is not entirely sure what happened, there was evidence of a counter-attack by at least two dragons, including one that breathed fire. Note the Manx have their own story about the slayer of the Snaefell dragon, believing it was killed by Finn the Wizard, who dwells at Cashtell Yn Ard (“Castle of the Heights”) in the northeast of Man.
- Rector Novus (“New Lords”): In 938, a group of young magi fresh out of their Gauntlet attempted to found a covenant on Man. They chose a sunken island off the southeast coast, said to be home to a fantastic city. They traveled to the bottom of the sea in a diving bell they had prepared for this purpose, but were never heard from again.
- Servus Maris (“Servants of the Sea”): About sixty years ago (1160), Gwrhyr Ex Miscellanea led his fellow former apprentices from the Cornish covenant of Stellasper back to Mount Snaefell. After extensive preparations, they began rebuilding the covenant once located there. Within a few months, the covenant was attacked by a fire-breathing dragon who killed everyone but Gwrhyr, who was allowed to flee with the message “Don’t come back.” Gwrhyr refused to tell more about what happened, and is now a magus of Cad Gadu, the domus magna of House Ex Miscellanea, in Wales. Interestingly, the covenant of Stellasper vanished 2 years later in a cataclysmic storm.
The magi consulted the Red Book of Cloyne, held at the mercer house of Leth Moga, and learned of four attempts by Hibernian magi to found covenants on Man, two before the Partitio Monaviae and two after.
- Conc Daerg (“Red Hill”): In 838, a group of young Irish magi settled on the south shore of the River Andreas, lured by a lucrative vis source they called the Barnacle Tree (the exact location of this tree is not revealed in the records). But a few years later they were attacked by raiding rune wizards of the Order of Odin. There was great slaughter, and redcaps report the area is now an Infernal aura.
- Wardfell: In 941, a Tytalus from Normandy led several young Irish Tytalus to Wardfell Mountain. They raised a tower and their covenant seemed to be flourishing when it completely collapsed in a single night, leaving only a black pit now known as “the Devil’s Den.” This is now the site of a potent Infernal aura and is said to be home to many demons. Twenty years later, the Corruption of House Tytalus would be exposed.
- Cashtal Lajer ("Castle of Strength"): In 1031, a veteran magus of House Tremere led young Irish magi to this hill at the base of the mountain Silean Vollee. They quickly discovered two dragons that were their neighbors, but survived a few years by pitting the dragons against each other. The covenant collapsed after an attack by rival magi, believed to be from Stonehenge. The dragons are both described as fire-breathing. Chenney-Mooar is black, could adopt human shape, and dwelt atop Slieau Dhoo. Tharmaneagh, who lived in a cave in Slieau Curn, was a green dragon who had a grudge against the Order of Hermes.
- In 1201, several young Merenita set out for the Isle of the Mermaids, off the Calf of Man. The Isle is located in a faerie regio which can be accessed only when May Day falls on a Sunday. A redcap witnessed their ship enter the regio. They haven’t returned. May Day next falls on a Sunday in 1222.
The magi have not yet sought out records of attempts by Loch Leglean magi to found covenants on Man. However, Bradan knows the following:
- Loch Leglean has a very high population of magi.
- Most of these magi belong to House Ex Miscellanea, which is infamously bad at keeping track of its magi.
- About a quarter of all the magi in Loch Leglean don’t live in a covenant at all.
- For all these reasons, no one is really sure how many wizards live in Scotland or where they are.