Scribed by Ruaridh
Spring 1086 AD
A troubling season indeed. Jean was surprised by the rogue wizard Myrnyddawn a few hundred paces from the covenant, and he was struck in the shoulder by an arrow. One of the grogs drove the Welshman off, reporting that he assumed the form of an owl as he fled. Jean's wound appears severe; he can use his arm only with much difficulty, and we currently lack the magic to restore mobility to the joint. Despite this setback, Jean ventured into Gloucester to meet with Baldwin, the Reeve, who professed sympathy for the covenant's financial distress and offered to purchase half of the iron mine from Sylvester. We accepted this offer, subject to Sylvester's agreement, but I cannot help but think that the Reeve has some ulterior purpose in mind.
The talking bear Idris and I encountered several seasons ago was captured by one of the local knights, and it was displayed in a cage for passing visitors. Idris arranged for it to be released at night, and it duly escaped. We know little of this creature, but I suppose that it cannot hurt to keep on the good side of our neighbours, mundane or otherwise. Idris spent the rest of the season with the old woman, Deanne, who lives further into the forest. She has taught him the rudiments of alchemy, a useful skill indeed.
Summer
Idris and I ventured north to Cad Gadu for the Ex Miscellanea House meeting. I fully expected it to be a rather loosely organised, informal affair, but I was nevertheless taken aback by just how shambolic proceedings were. Little noteworthy discussion took place owing to an argument between the Primus, Lexor, and Darius of Solis Castle, who had come to accompany Urien. The two engaged in Certamen, which, much to my surprise, Darius won, and Lexor subsequently challenged him to Wizard's War. The readiness with which Darius accepted this challenge leads me to believe that he planned the entire confrontation.
The meeting broke up shortly afterwards, but not before Lexor had levied a tax of two pawns of vis on every member of the House. Before I left, I took the opportunity to examine Cad Gadu's magical library. It was quite impressive, though not astoundingly so, with a large number of Herbam and Corporem texts. The spell library was more extensive, with row after row of valuable scrolls. Idris spent some time looking at the non-Hermetic library, which he described as enormous. The one good thing to come out of the meeting was that it gave us the opportunity to exchange magical texts with Erin of Scarfell, and we now possess several important works on Intellego, Aquam and Terram!
Back at Severn Temple, we sent our scribe, Pierre, to assist the Reeve in drawing up the book of taxes demanded by the King. We were shocked when we learned how much we will have to pay this year, some two hundred and eighty five pennies. Needless to say, this is far more than we can afford.
Autumn
The decision to send Pierre to aid Baldwin proved to be a terrible mistake. The fool apparently got drunk in a tavern and spilled many of our secrets, including that we were Magi and that we forged the deeds transferring ownership of the land from Radulfus to Jean. His confidant was a mysterious woman who disappeared the following morning, a fact that leads me to suspect the Reeve's hand in all of this. Three soldiers came to the covenant looking for Pierre, and we were forced to hide him in my sanctum. The men wanted to search the entire covenant, something that we obviously could not permit. A fight broke out, and two of the knights were slain. I altered the memory of the third to make him think that he had been ambushed by a Welsh raiding party, and we let him return to Gloucester. I am sure that we have not heard the last of this. Later in the season, a Redcap arrived with disturbing news: Lexor had been killed. Nostrius has ordered all Magi to attend the Tribunal meeting next year.
Winter
By far the worst season of our short time at Severn Temple! At times I felt sure that the covenant was lost, and, even now, I can scarcely believe our luck in avoiding destruction. Things started innocuously enough: Jean agreed to attempt to destroy the church bell in Lydney, and, suitably disguised, he made his way into the village. He intended to use an Ignem spell to burn down the building, but, little known to us, Radulfus was lurking in the vicinity. As Jean cast the spell, Radulfus used his own power to augment the magic, and the church was destroyed in an awesome burst of flame. It disturbs me that our aims coincided so closely with those of the demon in this regard.
Baldwin called Jean to Gloucester to inspect the land deed forged by Pierre. Radulfus' signature had changed beyond recognition, and it was clear to all that the document was a forgery. Jean, Baldwin and Vaesic went to see Earl Robert to sort the matter out, but Radulfus was also present, though shielded from the naked eye. I know not the exact events that followed, but Radulfus caused the deeds to burst into flames, much to the alarm of the Earl and his men. Jean was arrested and placed in the gaol awaiting his trial on charges of witchcraft. We were in a terrible situation: if we rescued Jean, we would undoubtedly reveal our true nature, yet to leave him to his fate would damn us just as surely.
Desperate for learned council, we sent a message to Blackthorn requesting urgent aid. We were enormously fortunate that Lamark, follower of Jerbiton, agreed to help us. He arranged for Jean to be transferred to a larger cell, though the cost - five hundred pennies - was so high that I fear that we may have bankrupted ourselves in the process. He then set about influencing public opinion, painting the picture of Jean as a man falsely accused. Oscytel arranged for Sylvester to be slain lest he reveal what he knew about us. In the meantime, we made a thorough search of the covenant, finding a secret chamber where Radulfus had formerly practised his foul magics. We found an Infernal book amidst much diabolic paraphernalia; it contained what we suspect are the True Names of several demons, and Lamark reasoned that one must be that of the demon that possessed Radulfus.
Even Lamark's sterling efforts would likely have proved to little avail were it not for a piece of astounding good luck. Jean was due to be questioned under torture the following day, and he would surely been unable to hold his tongue for long. However, a former priest, clearly out of his wits, attacked a member of the Archbishop's staff, confessing to the crime of witchcraft. Jean was cleared of the charges against him and released. I must record that there appear many loose ends to this saga, and I am not entirely sure that I understand quite how it was resolved in our favour. Still, we must be grateful that, in this instance at least, fortune was on our side.
Spring 1086 AD
A troubling season indeed. Jean was surprised by the rogue wizard Myrnyddawn a few hundred paces from the covenant, and he was struck in the shoulder by an arrow. One of the grogs drove the Welshman off, reporting that he assumed the form of an owl as he fled. Jean's wound appears severe; he can use his arm only with much difficulty, and we currently lack the magic to restore mobility to the joint. Despite this setback, Jean ventured into Gloucester to meet with Baldwin, the Reeve, who professed sympathy for the covenant's financial distress and offered to purchase half of the iron mine from Sylvester. We accepted this offer, subject to Sylvester's agreement, but I cannot help but think that the Reeve has some ulterior purpose in mind.
The talking bear Idris and I encountered several seasons ago was captured by one of the local knights, and it was displayed in a cage for passing visitors. Idris arranged for it to be released at night, and it duly escaped. We know little of this creature, but I suppose that it cannot hurt to keep on the good side of our neighbours, mundane or otherwise. Idris spent the rest of the season with the old woman, Deanne, who lives further into the forest. She has taught him the rudiments of alchemy, a useful skill indeed.
Summer
Idris and I ventured north to Cad Gadu for the Ex Miscellanea House meeting. I fully expected it to be a rather loosely organised, informal affair, but I was nevertheless taken aback by just how shambolic proceedings were. Little noteworthy discussion took place owing to an argument between the Primus, Lexor, and Darius of Solis Castle, who had come to accompany Urien. The two engaged in Certamen, which, much to my surprise, Darius won, and Lexor subsequently challenged him to Wizard's War. The readiness with which Darius accepted this challenge leads me to believe that he planned the entire confrontation.
The meeting broke up shortly afterwards, but not before Lexor had levied a tax of two pawns of vis on every member of the House. Before I left, I took the opportunity to examine Cad Gadu's magical library. It was quite impressive, though not astoundingly so, with a large number of Herbam and Corporem texts. The spell library was more extensive, with row after row of valuable scrolls. Idris spent some time looking at the non-Hermetic library, which he described as enormous. The one good thing to come out of the meeting was that it gave us the opportunity to exchange magical texts with Erin of Scarfell, and we now possess several important works on Intellego, Aquam and Terram!
Back at Severn Temple, we sent our scribe, Pierre, to assist the Reeve in drawing up the book of taxes demanded by the King. We were shocked when we learned how much we will have to pay this year, some two hundred and eighty five pennies. Needless to say, this is far more than we can afford.
Autumn
The decision to send Pierre to aid Baldwin proved to be a terrible mistake. The fool apparently got drunk in a tavern and spilled many of our secrets, including that we were Magi and that we forged the deeds transferring ownership of the land from Radulfus to Jean. His confidant was a mysterious woman who disappeared the following morning, a fact that leads me to suspect the Reeve's hand in all of this. Three soldiers came to the covenant looking for Pierre, and we were forced to hide him in my sanctum. The men wanted to search the entire covenant, something that we obviously could not permit. A fight broke out, and two of the knights were slain. I altered the memory of the third to make him think that he had been ambushed by a Welsh raiding party, and we let him return to Gloucester. I am sure that we have not heard the last of this. Later in the season, a Redcap arrived with disturbing news: Lexor had been killed. Nostrius has ordered all Magi to attend the Tribunal meeting next year.
Winter
By far the worst season of our short time at Severn Temple! At times I felt sure that the covenant was lost, and, even now, I can scarcely believe our luck in avoiding destruction. Things started innocuously enough: Jean agreed to attempt to destroy the church bell in Lydney, and, suitably disguised, he made his way into the village. He intended to use an Ignem spell to burn down the building, but, little known to us, Radulfus was lurking in the vicinity. As Jean cast the spell, Radulfus used his own power to augment the magic, and the church was destroyed in an awesome burst of flame. It disturbs me that our aims coincided so closely with those of the demon in this regard.
Baldwin called Jean to Gloucester to inspect the land deed forged by Pierre. Radulfus' signature had changed beyond recognition, and it was clear to all that the document was a forgery. Jean, Baldwin and Vaesic went to see Earl Robert to sort the matter out, but Radulfus was also present, though shielded from the naked eye. I know not the exact events that followed, but Radulfus caused the deeds to burst into flames, much to the alarm of the Earl and his men. Jean was arrested and placed in the gaol awaiting his trial on charges of witchcraft. We were in a terrible situation: if we rescued Jean, we would undoubtedly reveal our true nature, yet to leave him to his fate would damn us just as surely.
Desperate for learned council, we sent a message to Blackthorn requesting urgent aid. We were enormously fortunate that Lamark, follower of Jerbiton, agreed to help us. He arranged for Jean to be transferred to a larger cell, though the cost - five hundred pennies - was so high that I fear that we may have bankrupted ourselves in the process. He then set about influencing public opinion, painting the picture of Jean as a man falsely accused. Oscytel arranged for Sylvester to be slain lest he reveal what he knew about us. In the meantime, we made a thorough search of the covenant, finding a secret chamber where Radulfus had formerly practised his foul magics. We found an Infernal book amidst much diabolic paraphernalia; it contained what we suspect are the True Names of several demons, and Lamark reasoned that one must be that of the demon that possessed Radulfus.
Even Lamark's sterling efforts would likely have proved to little avail were it not for a piece of astounding good luck. Jean was due to be questioned under torture the following day, and he would surely been unable to hold his tongue for long. However, a former priest, clearly out of his wits, attacked a member of the Archbishop's staff, confessing to the crime of witchcraft. Jean was cleared of the charges against him and released. I must record that there appear many loose ends to this saga, and I am not entirely sure that I understand quite how it was resolved in our favour. Still, we must be grateful that, in this instance at least, fortune was on our side.