Scribed by Terentius
Spring 1316AD
It has been five long years since it was last my duty to scribe Severn Temple’s journal. Looking back at that record, I am struck by how little we have achieved over the intervening years. I now wonder whether the defeat of the Templars a decade ago may have been our high watermark, and we have now entered a period of managed decline. With the deaths of Volutus and, more recently, Hypatia, we are much weaker – in both wisdom and capability – as a council than we once were. Our most bountiful sources of vis – such as Mynydd Myddyn and the Heart of the Forest – are now lost to us. Enemies abound, and the Unnamed House strike blows that we cannot return. The forest that surrounds the covenant, for so long a peaceful and protective haven against the troubles of the outside world, is now actively hostile to us. I do not think it is impossible for us to reverse this malaise, but I am yet unsure whether the council has sufficient will and foresight to do more than attempt to hold on to what we have, rather than extend our power and influence. Time will tell.
Our council meeting at the start of the season was dominated by talk of activities of the Broken Mirror cult in Bristol and Gloucester. I began by recounting the tale of our investigation of a series of murders that had taken place in and around Bristol over the past months. Aided by information from Charles Allen, a contact of our spymaster Kenneth, who keeps an ear out for such news, Jari and I were able to locate the sites of several of the killings. Most of the trails had long since grown cold, though we were able to confirm the common theme that the victims had had their throats cut from behind with a ragged knife or claw. In at least some of the cases, the eyes of victims had also been carefully removed. Most of the murder sites were gruesome places – filth-strewn alleys and the like – and I was not surprised to find they were within low magnitude infernal aurae. Jari also managed to find a broken hand mirror close to one of the locations, demonstrating a connection with the cult in Gloucester and the southern ports.
Scouting at night from the rooftops, Meliorax and I were also able to spy a group of four hooded figures making their way to a warehouse, apparently taking care to avoid encountering the watch. In the form of a raven, I was able to observe them from the rafters undertaking a ritual that appeared to be similar to that conducted by the academics in the King’s College in Gloucester. The ceremony was led by a figure who wore the clothes of a merchant, whereas the petitioner – who asked that his true love would agree to marry him the next time he asked for her hand – wore more common garb. The other two figures were dressed as a guardsman (possibly a member of the town watch) and a commoner, respectively. At the end of the ritual, the petitioner shed some blood from his wrist, and the four figures departed in different directions. I was only able to follow one, so I chose the merchant, who led me to a townhouse in one of the more salubrious parts of the city. Marking the location well, I returned to meet Jari at our inn.
In the small hours of the night, Meliorax disturbed a creature bent low over a prone body in an alleyway not far from where we slept. It locked eyes with him for a moment, before standing and unfurling shadowy, bat-like wings and disappearing into the night. Interestingly, Meliorax noted that it existed beyond the veil, despite its victim resting in the mundane realm. The next morning, a group of watchmen discovered a dead body in the alley. We were not able to get very close, though we did confirm that the man had died from having his throat cut in a similar manner to the previous victims. Thus, knowing both the location and approximate timing of the attack, we resolved to find out more by using the ritual Eyes of the Past the following night. Alas, whether it was misadventure or some malign interference by the infernal entity, the ritual did not proceed as planned, and Jari fell to the ground unconscious, his eyes clouded with cataracts. I was able to carry him back to the inn, though when he awoke the next morning, he was blind. He explained that the ritual had put him into contact with the creature, who warned him off and, symbolically I hope, ate his eyes. With no way to advance our mission, Jari used the Leap of Homecoming to return to the covenant, and I followed a short time after.
Pyrrhus then continued the tale by recounting his investigation into the cult at the King’s College. He had managed to gain access to the quarters of Anthony, one of the cult members, and was able to purloin both an arcane connection and a coded letter. While exploring the place, he had once again encountered the infernal spirit that masquerades as one of the masters of the college. It expressed an interest in joining forces, for – it claimed – the cult served one of its infernal rivals and it was displeased that about the encroachment onto what it perceived as its turf, but Pyrrhus rebuffed all suggestions of any deal or agreement. Despite this, the entity provided some hints as to the identity of its rival, for it noted that our foe was “once close to you”, “was beginning a scheme to take back what it had once lost”, and that we should “ask those of House Jerbiton” about its activities. He also pointed to Anthony’s recent elevation, noting that masters must kill of those above them in the cult’s hierarchy if they wish to advance. Knowing the most dubious provenance of this information, and mindful of his oath, Pyrrhus would truck no further discussion with the creature. Curiously, despite this, the demon hinted that the solution to unlocking the cipher in Anthony’s letter lay in Roger Bacon’s Magnum Opus. Pyrrhus plans to set Marcellus the task of decoding the message; let us see whether he is up to the challenge. After having made a copy of the letter, Pyrrhus sought to return the original to Anthony’s quarters, though when he did so, he discovered that the other documents had been removed from the secret compartment in the master’s desk. Once again, the demon that haunts the college attempted to offer its aid, though Pyrrhus rebuffed it.
We now have a number of possible avenues of investigation, but we will need to await a cure for Jari’s blindness before we press the matter much further, for he has certain investigatory magics that the others of us lack. Still, the leads are promising.
The only other item of note discussed at the council meeting concerned our approach to the charge of breaching the Primary Code that is likely to be levelled against me at the next Tribunal meeting. I argued that it would be best to keep the council’s involvement out of the discussion, for it risks spreading the blame – and any associated penalty – more widely and, in fairness, not all members of the council supported the original course of action. However, Naevius and others proposed that, since my actions were taken at the specific behest of the council, it would be unfair to portray them as resulting from the reckless decisions of a single magus. After some debate, a vote was taken, and it was proposed that the covenant would publicly accept the blame. Pyrrhus and I voted against the motion; Naevius, Theoclea and Jari supported it; and Branwen abstained.
[Terentius’ private journal: Though I am not convinced of the wisdom of the council’s decision, I am nonetheless grateful for the support. I confess I have sometimes waxed melancholy about my prospects at the looming trial, for I well remember the harsh charges levied at Drusilla some years ago for a much less flagrant incident. Quite how things will play out, I cannot say, though it is somewhat sobering to have to consider whether I shall even be around to see some of the plans we put in place at council mature.]
A few days into the season, the covenant was visited by Gaines and Daedalus from Blackthorn. The former had come to deliver news in his capacity as redcap, whereas the latter had made the journey to heal Jari’s marred vision using the ritual Free the Accursed Body. Gaines informed us that the magi of Holy Isle had once again sighted the Black Ship of the Unnamed House in the seas between the islands off Hibernia. They had given chase, but the infernalists had summoned a dense fog around their vessel and disappeared in the confusion. Gaines also noted that, at its recent meeting, House Flambeau had judged all magi of Crannagh Tomb to be guilty of diabolism and had led a Wizard’s March against the covenant. All five of those magi (Nechtan, Faeran, Druster, Oenghus and Seannafair) had been slain, and the covenant had been ransacked. The former Primus of House Flambeau, Guido, had been present for the first part of the meeting, but he had refused to participate in the Wizard’s March and had been expelled from the House by the new Primus, Aloisius. Prima Luddwyn of Ex Miscellanea has unsurprisingly expressed her deep concern about these events.
In news of the mundane realm, the king has returned to England in triumph, having forced many Irish lords to swear fealty to him and passing rich lands to his supporters, strengthening his position among the nobility. In Scotland, Robert de Brus has survived a rebellion by some of the clans, but he is currently in no position to mount an invasion of England. Gaines also brought a message from Loricatus of Carrion Moor to our council. It detailed the activities of the Broken Mirror cult in Plymouth and Southampton. Like us, the magi had investigated the ritual sites of the cult and determined that they bore signs of infernal practice. Finally, Praeco Voressio has agreed to hold a meeting of the Stonehenge Tribunal at Blackthorn next summer.
After Gaines had left the council chamber, there followed a spirited discussion about the circumstances surrounding the assault on Crannagh Tomb. Pyrrhus refused to say how he voted or acted on the issue, and he seemed entirely unmoved by suggestions that he should have informed the council of the matter last year, declaring it was House business and thus private. When asked to elaborate on the evidence of diabolism that had convinced the House to act, he provided a few cursory details – that there were infernal entities in a forest close to Crannagh Tomb; that a redcap had fallen prey to these creatures; and that the magi of that covenant had not cooperated with a Quaesitorial investigation – but this scarcely seems enough to warrant the drastic action taken. Furthermore, Pyrrhus did not help his case when, in response to a question about what evidence there was that all members of the covenant were diabolists, he noted that some members of his House, notably those from the Rome Tribunal, had trouble distinguishing between infernal and pagan practices. The whole discussion was very unsatisfactory, and we left it with more questions than answers.
[Terentius’ private journal: I find it impossible to believe that the evidence mentioned by Pyrrhus would be enough to convince the House to act in this way. Perhaps there are further, very sensitive matters that he has been asked not to reveal at this time; or maybe he has just forgotten. Still, the fact that Guido refused to participate does not bode well. I think I shall write to Emerius – who has always struck me as sensible and level-headed – to see whether he can shed any light on the matter, for a do not believe he would have taken part in the attack without good reason.
More generally, Pyrrhus has grown increasingly belligerent in the past couple of years. In the past, he would often blow hot and cold, but the more subtle aspects of his character now seem to have been lost beneath a new-found confidence in the power of direct confrontation. He has always treated those mundane folk he believes to be below him with a certain callousness, but it would be a marked escalation if he now believes that this also extends to members of House Ex Miscellanea. No, I cannot believe this is true; there must be damning evidence of Crannagh Tomb’s activities that he has not yet shared with us.]
With Jari’s sight having been restored by Daedalus’ ritual, we decided to change our plans for the season and press on with our investigation into the cult in Bristol. Alas, would that we had remained within our laboratories, for our efforts were dogged by repeated disasters. Returning to the warehouse where the cultists carried out their rituals, Jari was in the process of examining their mystic circle using an Intellego spell when his throat was cut from out of nowhere and he fell to the ground, though fortunately still conscious. His assailant – the infernal creature Meliorax had disturbed on our previous visit – was insubstantial even in the realm beyond the veil, except at the precise moment of the attack. It readied a second blow, but I was able to attract its attention away from Jari, who banished it via the Circular Ward Against Demons, though not before it had slashed my torso. The creature once again became insubstantial, though I sensed that it had not left the warehouse.
Jari attempted to return to the covenant using the Leap of Homecoming, but his magic failed him, and he was catapulted across the floor, falling unconscious as he landed awkwardly. The building also erupted in flames as his oil lantern crashed to the ground. I rushed to aid him, dousing the flames and erecting a second ward against infernal creatures, but I too was cursed by unreliable magic, for my attempt to reduce his size so I could more easily carry him from the building backfired, and it was I who was shrunk to the size of a child. As I contemplated how to get us out of this mess, I heard the sound of voices outside, as a patrol of seven members of the town watch, led by the cultist we had observed last season, began to unlock the door to warehouse. I rendered myself invisible and attempted to use Mentem spells to (not so) subtly divert the attention of the cultist, but I was loathe to intervene more directly given the likelihood I would not be able to disable all seven men before they raised the alarm. The cultist shrugged off these spells, and the watch discovered Jari’s prone body and dragged him off to the guardhouse. I remained hidden within the circle for some time until I was as sure as I could be that the demon had left, before making my way back to a safe place. Fortunately, Jari awoke a few hours later and, finding himself locked within a cell of the guardhouse, he was able to apport back to Severn Temple.
Jari’s wounds, though severe, were soon healed through the use of magic. We debated whether our repeated failures in Bristol were a sign that we should perhaps pause our investigations for a while, but Jari pressed to continue, albeit in a more cautious and indirect manner. To this end, he completed a survey of the towns and villages in and around Somerset in an attempt to determine whether there was any sign of cult activity beyond the main cities. This started well enough – he was able to learn of a missing servant at Berkley castle and a farmer, Ambrose Wiseman of Chipping Sodbury, who had come into an unexpected amount of money – but things once again took a turn for the worse near Bridgewater while he was investigating the death of a merchant, Roland Price, who was found dead in the river with marks on his neck. Jari had scarcely been in the town for more than a few hours, when Races-the-Wind was attacked by an infernal, bat-like creature in the woods about the place. Despite his familiar’s preternatural ability to sense impending danger, the creature managed to ambush him before he could take evasive action, though Jari was able to save his life through apporting them both back to the covenant. Somewhat shaken by the whole encounter, he chose to leave further investigations for another day.
The season at last draws to a close. It has been a trying time; we have learned much, though at many times we have teetered on the edge of disaster. I cannot yet say how these matters will be resolved, but I expect we will face further challenges in the days ahead. I passed Marcellus in the library on the way to the council chamber, and from the self-satisfied look on his face, I intuit that he has had success in decoding Anthony’s cipher.
Summer
As all Magi gathered for the summer council meeting, Pyrrhus informed us that Marcellus had successfully deciphered the coded letter that had been found in Anthony’s chambers. The craftsman was invited to join us, and with his customary flourish, he announced that the message read, “Friend from Dublin arriving. End of July. Speak with mutual friend in Bristol.” He also noted that the cipher was relatively complex, and even having broken it, the message would still have been meaningless without the knowledge that the code referred to passages within Roger Bacon’s Magnum Opus. Thus it seems that there was some profit in Pyrrhus’ interactions with the fiend at the college, despite all the danger it entailed.
We thanked Marcellus for his efforts, and he left us to our deliberations. There was a lengthy discussion about how best to pursue these matters. Ultimately, we decided that I would travel to Bristol to see if I could find out more about two of the leaders of the cult, namely the merchant who led the ritual and the watchman, while Pyrrhus would attempt to learn more about Anthony’s activities, particularly in relation to any plan to travel to Bristol in line with the coded message.
[Terentius’ private journal: Branwen counselled caution throughout these discussions, sensibly pointing out the dangers associated with the infernal creature in the warehouse in Bristol that had caught us off guard on our previous investigation. I believe that she is as keen as any of us to get to the bottom of the matter, but she argued it was too dangerous for me to travel alone. Jari still seemed somewhat shaken from his recent encounters in Bristol and Bridgewater, and it was clear that he had no desire to return to either location for the time being. Naevius, Theoclea and Branwen herself all lacked suitable defensive magics, which left only Pyrrhus as a candidate. There is no doubt that his pyromancy is extremely accomplished, but I judged that his shortcomings elsewhere, accompanied by his belligerent attitude, increased the risk of a mundane encounter turning hostile and spiralling out of control, so I was relieved when he agreed to investigate Gloucester instead.]
The rest of the meeting was relatively short. Branwen confirmed that the borders of the wild wood had remained constant over the past season, allaying some of our fears about the extent to which the deal struck with Jack O’The Green had truly secured the safety of the remaining parts of the forest. Less encouragingly, Theoclea mentioned that there had been no suitable opportunity to seek a private audience with her brother at court in Winchester. She described the king as pre-occupied and strained, most likely resulting from his time in Ireland.
[Terentius’ private journal: My understanding is that the two siblings had hitherto been very close, despite the differences in their current circumstances, so it is a little worrying that they may be drifting apart. I also sensed that Theoclea might be under-playing the extent of the change in Urbanus’ demeanour, perhaps hoping that it is just the temporary consequence of his present fatigue.]
At the King’s College, Pyrrhus successfully secured himself a short-term teaching position, and he soon learned that Anthony was due to depart on sabbatical at the end of the month. This was conveniently timed for the rendezvous mentioned in the coded letter, but it perhaps offered the opportunity to follow him to see who he met. More ominously, Pyrrhus once again encountered the demon who poses as a scholar within the college, and it is evident that they discussed the plans of the cultists in some detail. The creature asked Pyrrhus who he thought was behind the cult, and Pyrrhus mentioned that our council had considered a number of possible individuals, including the Unnamed House, the White Lady and Guyere. Listening to this list, the demon remarked that Pyrrhus’ guesses were getting colder, and he pointedly asked, “How is the King?” At this, Pyrrhus used a break in his teaching schedule to return to the covenant to discuss this with Theoclea and others. She was unsure how to take the news, asking whether Pyrrhus thought the demon was making a threat, but he instead suggested that it might mean that Urbanus had fallen under the sway (or worse) of the infernal power behind the cult.
[Terentius’ private journal: Pyrrhus walks a narrow ledge in his interactions with the creature. I can well understand how the information it offers can be exceeding useful, yet I had always assumed that he remained very tight lipped when conversing with it. However, it is clear that he has revealed the deliberations of the council. This is a very dangerous precedent, for it provides it with indications of how the council might act in the future, which in different circumstances might allow the demon to thwart our plans.]
In Bristol, through some painstaking observation, I was able to learn the identities of, and obtain arcane connections to, two of the leading cultists: Michael, a middle-ranking member of the town watch; and Lambert Fox, a wealthy merchant and possibly minor member of the nobility. While travelling close to the warehouse used by the cult for their rituals, I spied a dark spirit lurking in the shadows, though I lost sight of it within moments. Fearing that I would be attacked or followed, I took a circuitous route out of the area, making sure to travel through well-lit public squares. I thought I had minimised the chance that the creature would be able to tail me all the way to the barge, but as I spoke with Meliorax on the deck, I once again glimpsed the spirit for a brief Instant. I erected a Circular Ward Against Demons and ordered the barge captain to pull into the Bristol Channel. After several hours of careful watching without spying the intruder, we made our way back to the covenant to make use of the Mirror of Far Seeing.
We spent some time scrying on the movements of Michael and Lambert. Alas, on the third day, when Kenneth and Meliorax were sharing their watch while I got some rest, the mirror was suddenly engulfed in dark fire and cracked into many pieces as Kenneth focussed its attention on Lambert. I learned later from Meliorax that our spymaster was killed almost instantly, but he rose from the dead, with strange flames pouring from his eyes and mouth. Meliorax was unable to escape the chamber, for the door was shut behind him, and he was forced to desperately evade our former consor’s attacks within the cramped room. Though sleeping, I had felt the Aegis of the Hearth breached by the initial attack, and I hurried to the cellar. Upon opening the door, I was surprised when Kenneth slashed across my arm with his dagger. Meliorax cried out that he was not simply acting under the influence of an infernal spell but actually dead and risen. With some regret, I plunged my blade through his chest, driving him to the floor. Though the blow would have enough to kill any man, Kenneth’s corpse still moved under the control of the infernal entity until I removed his head and hands.
I had barely enough time to consider my next move before I noticed a cruel figure wreathed in flame and shadow materialising beyond the veil. Its power was considerable, for it walked straight through my Circular Ward Against Demons and pierced my Parma Magica with its infernal spells. I heard dark voices in my head, which I felt were either trying to drive me mad or bring me under its sway, but I was just able to shrug off its manipulations. Desperately rushing to the treasury, I retrieved one of the dust pouches imbued with Demon’s Eternal Oblivion, but it had no effect on the creature, which used some form of infernal spell to lift me from my feet and dash me against the walls of the chamber, destroying many of the potions and salves that were stacked there. With a last desperate effort, I managed to compose myself long enough to incant the Cloak of the Raven’s Feathers, which broke the hold it had over my corporeal form, allowing me to fly out of the room and up to the great hall. The creature did not pursue me, which suggests that it might somehow been limited in how far it could travel from the mirror. After several hours of tense waiting, I once again descended to the cellar, where I found no sign of its presence, save subtle sigils of infernal shadow and flame where it had cast spells.
A few days later, Branwen and Jari returned from a journey into the faerie regio. Branwen began the season travelling within the magical forest, but she had received a strange message in a dream. As she slept, she saw one of the silver-eyed corvids that serve the Morrigan yell “Alarm!” at her in a most agitated manner before flying through the forest towards a pool of inky black water. Guessing that this warning related to the Nechtan’s pool, deep within the faerie regio, she persuaded Jari to guide her there via hidden paths. Taking a draught of the water, she received a disturbing vision of a great swarm of flies in the shape of a hand rising from a dead body in eastern lands that made its way west, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake. Starting slowly but picking up speed at each turn, the swarm eventually arrived at the covenant, where Branwen saw a vision of herself stricken with a deadly disease for which there appeared no cure.
Recalling that the healer Blanche was said to have some experience of interpreting visions, Branwen made her way to her abode, which I understand is hidden somewhere north-east of the Dean. She received a warmer welcome from Blanche’s peculiar guardian than most of us would, and Blanche asked a series of detailed questions about the vision in an attempt to unlock its secrets. After a period of deliberation, she told Branwen that she believed that the swarm of flies represented a corrupt plague started by a powerful infernal entity that revelled in senseless slaughter. The plague has apparently already begun, though for now it remains far in the east for its spread west is as yet slow. That said, Blanche thought it would arrive at Severn Temple between one and two score years from present. She believes that the plague is more deadly than any seen before, and that magic will offer no protection or cure. Bearers show no signs of it in the early stages, which means that it can spread silently as they move around. However, once the disease reaches its later stages, death comes swiftly and without mercy. Blanche is a confirmed pagan, but she noted that even the Anu’s blessing, which some say has protected the covenant for more years than any here can reckon, may not be proof against its power. Blanche nevertheless advised Branwen to seek out the Anu’s groves and make offerings to forestall its progress. Having delivered this fell news, Branwen departed the covenant once more to seek counsel from her other allies.
At the end of the month, I travelled to Gloucester to tail Anthony as he departed on sabbatical. It was a fairly simple task to follow him as far as Bristol, where he met Lambert in the Three Swallows inn, before the two of them boarded a ship headed for the southwestern ports. At this point, I was forced to follow the ship in the form of a raven, which left me exhausted at the end of each day. They pulled into an unknown port in north Devon, where I spent the night in a traveller’s inn, before heading around Land’s End to Truro. I was intending to follow the same modus operandi there, but I noticed a hooded fellow depart the inn in a suspicious manner as I was ordering an evening meal. I had been careful to use different illusions to mask my appearance in each place, so it was almost impossible for him to have recognised me from anything other than my voice. Deciding to take no chances, I left the inn and spent a less comfortable night camping a few miles from the town.
I resumed my pursuit the next day, but poor visibility in the autumn fog threatened to bring disaster, for I confused the ship with another similar vessel and followed it almost to France before realising my mistake. Returning to Cornwall, I had lost sight of my true quarry and was now several hours behind, which meant I had to guess its likely course and fly as swiftly as I might to catch up. It was with some relief that I spotted it once more. The ship pulled in at Southampton, but by the time I made my way to the docks, its passengers had vanished into the town. I searched a fair number of taverns and inns over the next few hours, but I saw no sign of them. At that point, I realised that Winchester, where Theoclea had travelled to meet the king, was but a short journey from the town, so I made my way there with all haste.
In Winchester, there was a great royal procession as the king led a coterie of nobles from the castle to the cathedral as part of a religious celebration. My attempts to attract Theoclea’s attention as she rode by came to naught, but I was able to get a message to her a few days later via the king’s agents. I recounted the tale of my pursuit of the cult members as far as Southampton, and we discussed the possibility that their target might even be the king himself given their presence so close to Winchester. Theoclea agreed to ask Urbanus whether he would accept guards from the Order to watch for any attempt to assassinate him, and Theoclea bade me speak with Valens of Trevalga, who was attending court in his mundane guise as Sir Valentine. Valens agreed to assist, travelling to Carrion Moor to ask whether their spy network might be used to locate the travellers from Bristol.
Unfortunately, a few days later, I received the unwelcome news that Theoclea’s meeting with Urbanus had not gone well. Even securing an audience had been difficult, and he had declined the offer of aid from the Order without giving the matter real consideration. For the first time, I perceived the fragile nature of Theoclea’s position at court, for the servants and agents that surrounded her evidently owed their allegiance to the king, rather than her. I also received report from Loricatus via Valens that a ship from Hibernia had arrived in Southampton a few days before. It remained in port for only a few hours before departing for an unknown destination. Shortly thereafter, five figures were seen boarding the cog from Bristol, which left port heading west.
Thus, it was with a feeling of some foreboding that I returned to the covenant for the end of the season, particularly as Theoclea had elected to remain behind to follow the court as it relocated from Winchester to London.
Autumn
At the council meeting, Branwen brought some disturbing news relating to a vision she had had while exploring a sacred grove to the Anu close to Cad Gadu. The vision placed her in a throne room, where a regal figure was approached by a shadow. Branwen was able to hear the words spoken by the king, but not those of the shadow, so the conversation appeared rather one sided, though it was clear there was an exchange of information. The regal figure thanked “Brother Hadrian” for his aid and listened to the shadow’s request for recompense. He noted that he did not have the required object (“a trinket”), but he agreed to ask his sister for it and pass it over if it was in his power to do so He also noted that he remembered well the shadow’s warning in relation to the Order and that he would not trust any of them.
The implications of the vision alarmed us all, for we quickly made a connection between this Brother Hadrian and Hadrianus of Jerbiton, one of the three traitors who slew Marius many years ago and stole of the Crown of Math. Hadrianus later joined House Corpus Domini as Calpulnius, before formally “surrendering” the Order to the infernal Pope around the time of the attack on Durenmar. Naevius agreed to postpone the rest of the council meeting so we could act swiftly on this information. Jari agreed to journey to Eurus Aquilae to seek their aid, whereas I travelled as fast as I could to take a warning to Theoclea. Alas, both journeys were in vain. The magi of Eurus Aquilae had already left the covenant for Winchester, having separately heard news of the vision from Prima Ex Miscellanea, whereas I encountered Theoclea on the road leading west from London. She had been commanded by her brother to retrieve the crown and deliver it to him by the end of the month.
The council met again a few days later once Theoclea had arrived back at the covenant. We held a long discussion about what might be influencing the king. Three alternatives seemed plausible: first, that he might simply have valued Brother Hadrian’s useful advice and aid during his expedition to Hibernia; second, that Hadrian might have used some form of infernal trickery to gain the king’s confidence and cloud his judgement; or third, most troubling of all, that Urbanus might even be a willing member of the infernal cult. The second of these seemed most likely to me, though Pyrrhus seemed to have a darker view of the king’s behaviour and repeatedly warned us not to discount the third possibility.
We also discussed how we should respond to the command given to Theoclea. There was absolutely no appetite to comply with it by delivering the crown, but opinions differed on which alternatives offered the best chance of success. All agreed that openly defying the command risked bringing the covenant and Tribunal into conflict with the king, which we wished to avoid at all costs. I argued that our best chance was to hunt down and slay Brother Hadrian to break his hold over the king, though I acknowledged that this was far easier said than done. Pyrrhus advocated either destroying the crown or placing it with the faerie folk, but others pointed out that this was no solution, for it would not prevent conflict with the king once the deadline passed. More promisingly, Pyrrhus also mentioned that he had commissioned Marcellus to create a close replica of the crown, which offered us the opportunity to use it in place of the real thing should we need to buy more time. The work was as yet unfinished, but the hope is that it might fool anyone who had not studied the crown closely. Even if that does not include Brother Hadrian, the fact that he would have to travel to court to retrieve the crown might give us the opportunity to ambush him there. Branwen also agreed to travel to Cad Gadu to enlist the aid of Cyrilus of Ex Miscellanea, who claims to be an exorcist with some expertise at fighting infernal entities.
Marcellus completed the work a week-and-a-half later. It was a convincing facsimile, and lacking any real alternatives, we agreed to proceed with the subterfuge. Salustria arrived at the covenant to inform us that the magi of Eurus Aquilae had established a base near Witney, and Theoclea and I travelled there to outline our plan. Argentius listened intently, and after a time agreed that it offered some chance of success, though the risk to Theoclea was great. As such, he proposed to use arcane connections to listen in on the conversation between the king and his sister, and Tiberius stood ready to apport to their location should the encounter go poorly. Pravia also warned us not to assume that Brother Hadrian and Hadrianus were one and the same, for it was possible that another individual had assumed his identity for some unknown purpose. With the plan set, Theoclea departed for London while I returned to the covenant.
[Terentius’ private journal: While discussing our limited range of options with Argentius, I mentioned that much of our information came from the infernal scholar within the King’s College, and I mused whether there was any way we could take advantage of this. I think he must have misunderstood my intention as advocating more active interaction with that entity, for he asked Quaesitor Pravia to leave us while I elaborated. There was little more to say, so we brought the conversation to a close shortly thereafter, but I wonder whether he now thinks I am incautious about dealing with demons. Yet another problem to add to the list.]
Back at Severn Temple, I found Jari in an agitated state. He bade me speak with Cyrilus, who had arrived from Cad Gadu a few days earlier. Cyrilus outlined his theory that the diabolist behind the Broken Mirror cult was extraordinarily powerful, for he was confident enough in his own status above his rivals that he could create permanent arcane circles containing knowledge of summoning rites, rather than the temporary circles used elsewhere. He also speculated that the entity that had attacked me the previous season, which I estimated as having infernal might of between the ninth and eleventh magnitudes, was likely in service to an even more powerful demon, which could be twice as powerful. I confessed some scepticism about these claims, but I have made far less study in this field than others, so I agreed that they needed to be taken seriously. I travelled to London to warn Argentius of the danger of confronting Brother Hadrian should there be the possibility of also encountering this demon.
I arrived in the safehouse just in time to observe the encounter between Theoclea and Urbanus via a scrying device set up by the magi of Eurus Aquilae. It was extremely tense, for Theoclea did not follow the agreed course of action from the start. She explained to Urbanus that she had brought the crown, but she would not give it to him. Barely suppressing his anger, he asked why, and she replied that it conveyed both authority over the magical and faerie powers of the land and responsibility to act as steward over them. Hypatia had left the crown to her, but she had not yet claimed it, for she was not yet ready for this responsibility and unsure whether she was worthy. She recalled Hypatia’s early lightness of spirit, and she pointed out how the burden of the crown had worn her down over the years, leaving her a haunted and dark figure. It was a powerful and moving speech, full of pathos, and Urbanus clasped his head in his hands and wept openly after Theoclea had finished. He declared that he had done terrible things and lost something of his soul through the choices he had made in Ireland, including breaking promises and killing innocents. Seeing his heartfelt remorse, Theoclea said that she would give him the crown if he asked again for it, but she begged him not to do so. Urbanus shook his head, declaring that if she was not worthy to wear it, then he was certainly not. Instead, he bade her take it away and hide it, for he would find another way to pay his debts. The two embraced, and Theoclea departed for her quarters. I left the other magi to maintain their vigil and returned to the covenant.
[Terentius’ private journal: Theoclea impressed me greatly with her impassioned plea to her brother. From the look on Argentius’ face, I could see that this was most definitely not the agreed plan, but her gamble paid off beyond our wildest expectations. The danger is far from over, for Brother Hadrian will no doubt seek to re-establish his influence over the king, but for now we are in a much better situation than we could plausibly have expected. On a gloomier note, I am sure I am not alone in noting the dark undertones of the king’s speech. I shall leave them in the journal without comment, but I hope Theoclea pays close attention to her brother’s manner and behaviour in the times to come.]
Back at the covenant, we discussed a plan first advanced by Cyrilus that we could potentially weaken Brother Hadrian’s infernal power by destroying the inlaid circles that had been located in Gloucester, Bristol, Plymouth and Southampton. We agreed that it would be best to attack all of the circles at the same time to reduce the possibility that earlier attempts might forewarn the cult of our intentions and make subsequent assaults more difficult. To this end, Jari took ship to enlist the aid of the magi of Trevalga and Carrion Moor. He first spoke with Valens and Plautus, who were following up my report of a potential agent in Truro; they believed that there might be a fifth circle in the cult’s hideout within the town, but they agreed to postpone their investigation until all were ready. At Carrion Moor, Loricatus also agreed to coordinate simultaneous attacks on the circles at Southampton and Plymouth. Jari returned to the covenant with this news, and we made our plans for the appointed time.
At Gloucester, Pyrrhus, Branwen and Cyrilus made their way to the college, and Pyrrhus attempted to bluff his way in. However, the gate-warden appeared sceptical of his claims, and Cyrilus was forced to use Mentem magic to dull his wits and alter his memories. Creeping across the courtyard, Branwen was shocked to spy the spirit of the infernal scholar waiting for them close to the room where the cult had inscribed their circle. The spirit then manifested in the mundane realm and beckoned for Pyrrhus to follow it to another chamber where they might converse in private. I am not privy to the details of their conversation, but Pyrrhus emerged a short while later, apparently having been warned about some dire event to come. At that juncture, Pyrrhus felt that the Aegis of the Hearth had been breached, and loudly yelled a warning to the others. Taking a draught of his potion, he apported back to Severn Temple.
Branwen and Cyrilus briefly discussed whether they should follow him, but they decided to press on with their mission. Despite minor difficulties with a locked door and some inconvenient barrels, they soon managed to uncover the circle, and Cyrilus used a spontaneous spell to corrode and destroy the metalwork. As he did so, he was engulfed in flames, suffering moderate burns, though fortunately his Parma Magica kept out the worst of the trap. With their work done, the two magi apported to Severn Temple.
In Bristol, Jari, Daedalus and I travelled from the docks to the cultists’ warehouse. Within the structure, I spotted the infernal spirit that has plagued us before, but I was able to drive it off with a well-placed arrow to which I had tethered Demon’s Eternal Oblivion. I am not sure I killed it, but it was sorely wounded and fled the scene. Daedalus attempted to erect a Circular Ward Against Demons, but his magic was adversely influenced by the aura, and he crumpled to the floor amidst a flash of arcane light. As I helped Daedalus to his feet, Jari quickly used a spell to destroy the infernal circle. As in Gloucester, there was an eruption of flame, though fortunately Jari’s Parma Magica was proof against it. At that point, we both felt the Aegis of the Hearth breached, and we used the Leap of Homecoming to travel back to our home, while Daedalus used the Seven League Stride to travel to our campsite outside Bristol.
The scene as we arrived back at Severn Temple was one of carnage and confusion. A group of Irish warriors armed with shillelaghs had stormed the gates of the covenant, though our grogs had held the line and pushed back the enemy, felling twice their number as the battle raged. Captain Merrick rallied our men though the odds initially seemed against them, and the invaders soon regretted their lack of heavy armour when faced with a group of our veterans armed with stout war mauls. Still, our losses were considerable, particularly as several of our defenders were slain by infernal magics by unseen foes.
Within the main tower, I raced to Naevius’ sanctum, as Jari had informed me that the Crown of Math was hidden within a false drawer. I reached it before any of our enemies, retrieved the prize and headed up to the roof of the tower, where I met Jari and a clearly alarmed Races-the-Wind. Lower in the tower, Pyrrhus discovered Naevius lying prone beneath a shadowy demonic entity, which appeared to trying to extract the location of the crown from the Verditius’ mind. Thinking quickly, he summoned a blinding light that illuminated every corner of the room, which banished the creature, for it could not abide the lack of shadows. Alas, Pyrrhus had arrived too late to save his consors, Domnall, who had been slain by one of the unseen diabolists, though not before giving good account of himself in the melee.
The battle raged for a while longer, though the spirit of the enemies was broken, and at length they turned to flee, though few escaped the covenant and even fewer, I wager, the forest beyond. As we inspected the dead, we found the bodies of four robed figures, one of which was Anthony, the master from the King’s College. We had captured two of the Irish followers, and I was able to extract some details from their minds using Mentem magic. It seems that the group called themselves the Sons of Mayon and were usually based close to Dublin. They had travelled to England a week or so ago, camping close to Bridgewater. They had five leaders (Lambert, Anthony, Lloyd, Walter and Gamil), and from the descriptions, we surmised that all save Lambert had perished in the attack. These five served someone the captives referred to as the dark master, though they were not able to name or describe him properly. I had several other questions in mind, but our Aegis of the Hearth was breached once more by an infernal sell, which slew the two captives before they could reveal any more secrets.
So, we end the season in a better situation than we began it, though our enemy remains at large. The timing of the attack suggests that this dark master – presumably Brother Hadrian – has access to divinatory magics, which make him even more dangerous. Still, we have weakened him for now, and we must not give him time to recover.
Winter
Theoclea remained at court with her brother, so the council met without her on the first day of the season. Most of the meeting involved a discussion of how best to press our advantage against the remains of the broken mirror cult. After some debate, it was agreed that Pyrrhus would travel to the King’s College to see whether the other members of the cult in Gloucester – Masters Michael and John – remained in their posts. I also agreed to visit Bristol to check whether Lambert had returned to his former base of operations.
Further afield, Pyrrhus suggested leveraging his contacts at Cliffheart to try to learn more about the cultists’ activities around Dublin. There seemed some sense in this, for that covenant might possess an established spy network or at least some native speakers who would not attract as much attention as foreigners when making enquiries. However, Branwen, in particular, was less than keen on involving members of Cliffheart in our affairs given recent events. At length, we agreed that we would take the matter in stages, starting first in Bristol and Gloucester before considering our actions beyond these shores, though in preparation, Jari agreed to travel to Blackthorn to obtain directions to Glencoghlea.
We also discussed how best to protect the Crown of Math should the diabolists make another attempt to seize it. Some of the suggestions were, quite frankly, ludicrous; I shall leave it as an exercise for the reader to guess who suggested submerging the crown – an artifact of pagan and faerie origin – in holy water to prevent diabolists locating it. At length, it was agreed to maintain it in its current location and state. Though unimaginative, I think this remains the best solution, at least for now.
Shortly after the meeting, I am informed that Branwen requested that Pyrrhus use the ritual Free the Accursed Body to cancel the effects of a transformation spell that he had used to disguise her appearance during their trip to Gloucester. This spell had produced unexpected side effects and lingered far longer than usual. Pyrrhus agreed, but alas the ritual went awry as the vis burned in his hands. The interaction between two miscast spells produced an unstable, protean result, for Branwen appeared to age greatly over a period of a few heartbeats before returning to her former state. This cycle would periodically repeat, withering her body and robbing her of her strength for a time, before reversing course. The two shared a few pointed words before returning to their business.
In Gloucester, Pyrrhus soon learned that Anthony’s former colleagues both remained within the college. He also had yet another encounter with the scholarly demon, who informed him that the two masters were now under its sway. The creature also told him that Lambert was in hell, having failed his typically unforgiving master.
In Bristol, I was able to learn that Lambert had not returned to the city and that the cult had not restarted its rituals since the destruction of its arcane circle. I also took the opportunity to explore Lambert’s townhouse, where I was able to locate a strange leather tube sealed with wax at both ends. Meliorax informed me that he sensed a shadow about the device, though I could not see it. The next night, I awoke from a dream after hearing a voice that I took to be that of Lambert directing me to burn the item. I vacillated for a time about whether to risk opening it, but eventually decided to dispose of it within the Bristol Channel. Although we may have lost a clue, my calculus was that it was better to avoid yet another unpredictable infernal encounter given all that has befallen us in recent months.
The rest of winter passed without event of note, and so I now hand over the honour of writing this journal to another. For once, I hope the coming year is less eventful and exciting.
Spring 1316AD
It has been five long years since it was last my duty to scribe Severn Temple’s journal. Looking back at that record, I am struck by how little we have achieved over the intervening years. I now wonder whether the defeat of the Templars a decade ago may have been our high watermark, and we have now entered a period of managed decline. With the deaths of Volutus and, more recently, Hypatia, we are much weaker – in both wisdom and capability – as a council than we once were. Our most bountiful sources of vis – such as Mynydd Myddyn and the Heart of the Forest – are now lost to us. Enemies abound, and the Unnamed House strike blows that we cannot return. The forest that surrounds the covenant, for so long a peaceful and protective haven against the troubles of the outside world, is now actively hostile to us. I do not think it is impossible for us to reverse this malaise, but I am yet unsure whether the council has sufficient will and foresight to do more than attempt to hold on to what we have, rather than extend our power and influence. Time will tell.
Our council meeting at the start of the season was dominated by talk of activities of the Broken Mirror cult in Bristol and Gloucester. I began by recounting the tale of our investigation of a series of murders that had taken place in and around Bristol over the past months. Aided by information from Charles Allen, a contact of our spymaster Kenneth, who keeps an ear out for such news, Jari and I were able to locate the sites of several of the killings. Most of the trails had long since grown cold, though we were able to confirm the common theme that the victims had had their throats cut from behind with a ragged knife or claw. In at least some of the cases, the eyes of victims had also been carefully removed. Most of the murder sites were gruesome places – filth-strewn alleys and the like – and I was not surprised to find they were within low magnitude infernal aurae. Jari also managed to find a broken hand mirror close to one of the locations, demonstrating a connection with the cult in Gloucester and the southern ports.
Scouting at night from the rooftops, Meliorax and I were also able to spy a group of four hooded figures making their way to a warehouse, apparently taking care to avoid encountering the watch. In the form of a raven, I was able to observe them from the rafters undertaking a ritual that appeared to be similar to that conducted by the academics in the King’s College in Gloucester. The ceremony was led by a figure who wore the clothes of a merchant, whereas the petitioner – who asked that his true love would agree to marry him the next time he asked for her hand – wore more common garb. The other two figures were dressed as a guardsman (possibly a member of the town watch) and a commoner, respectively. At the end of the ritual, the petitioner shed some blood from his wrist, and the four figures departed in different directions. I was only able to follow one, so I chose the merchant, who led me to a townhouse in one of the more salubrious parts of the city. Marking the location well, I returned to meet Jari at our inn.
In the small hours of the night, Meliorax disturbed a creature bent low over a prone body in an alleyway not far from where we slept. It locked eyes with him for a moment, before standing and unfurling shadowy, bat-like wings and disappearing into the night. Interestingly, Meliorax noted that it existed beyond the veil, despite its victim resting in the mundane realm. The next morning, a group of watchmen discovered a dead body in the alley. We were not able to get very close, though we did confirm that the man had died from having his throat cut in a similar manner to the previous victims. Thus, knowing both the location and approximate timing of the attack, we resolved to find out more by using the ritual Eyes of the Past the following night. Alas, whether it was misadventure or some malign interference by the infernal entity, the ritual did not proceed as planned, and Jari fell to the ground unconscious, his eyes clouded with cataracts. I was able to carry him back to the inn, though when he awoke the next morning, he was blind. He explained that the ritual had put him into contact with the creature, who warned him off and, symbolically I hope, ate his eyes. With no way to advance our mission, Jari used the Leap of Homecoming to return to the covenant, and I followed a short time after.
Pyrrhus then continued the tale by recounting his investigation into the cult at the King’s College. He had managed to gain access to the quarters of Anthony, one of the cult members, and was able to purloin both an arcane connection and a coded letter. While exploring the place, he had once again encountered the infernal spirit that masquerades as one of the masters of the college. It expressed an interest in joining forces, for – it claimed – the cult served one of its infernal rivals and it was displeased that about the encroachment onto what it perceived as its turf, but Pyrrhus rebuffed all suggestions of any deal or agreement. Despite this, the entity provided some hints as to the identity of its rival, for it noted that our foe was “once close to you”, “was beginning a scheme to take back what it had once lost”, and that we should “ask those of House Jerbiton” about its activities. He also pointed to Anthony’s recent elevation, noting that masters must kill of those above them in the cult’s hierarchy if they wish to advance. Knowing the most dubious provenance of this information, and mindful of his oath, Pyrrhus would truck no further discussion with the creature. Curiously, despite this, the demon hinted that the solution to unlocking the cipher in Anthony’s letter lay in Roger Bacon’s Magnum Opus. Pyrrhus plans to set Marcellus the task of decoding the message; let us see whether he is up to the challenge. After having made a copy of the letter, Pyrrhus sought to return the original to Anthony’s quarters, though when he did so, he discovered that the other documents had been removed from the secret compartment in the master’s desk. Once again, the demon that haunts the college attempted to offer its aid, though Pyrrhus rebuffed it.
We now have a number of possible avenues of investigation, but we will need to await a cure for Jari’s blindness before we press the matter much further, for he has certain investigatory magics that the others of us lack. Still, the leads are promising.
The only other item of note discussed at the council meeting concerned our approach to the charge of breaching the Primary Code that is likely to be levelled against me at the next Tribunal meeting. I argued that it would be best to keep the council’s involvement out of the discussion, for it risks spreading the blame – and any associated penalty – more widely and, in fairness, not all members of the council supported the original course of action. However, Naevius and others proposed that, since my actions were taken at the specific behest of the council, it would be unfair to portray them as resulting from the reckless decisions of a single magus. After some debate, a vote was taken, and it was proposed that the covenant would publicly accept the blame. Pyrrhus and I voted against the motion; Naevius, Theoclea and Jari supported it; and Branwen abstained.
[Terentius’ private journal: Though I am not convinced of the wisdom of the council’s decision, I am nonetheless grateful for the support. I confess I have sometimes waxed melancholy about my prospects at the looming trial, for I well remember the harsh charges levied at Drusilla some years ago for a much less flagrant incident. Quite how things will play out, I cannot say, though it is somewhat sobering to have to consider whether I shall even be around to see some of the plans we put in place at council mature.]
A few days into the season, the covenant was visited by Gaines and Daedalus from Blackthorn. The former had come to deliver news in his capacity as redcap, whereas the latter had made the journey to heal Jari’s marred vision using the ritual Free the Accursed Body. Gaines informed us that the magi of Holy Isle had once again sighted the Black Ship of the Unnamed House in the seas between the islands off Hibernia. They had given chase, but the infernalists had summoned a dense fog around their vessel and disappeared in the confusion. Gaines also noted that, at its recent meeting, House Flambeau had judged all magi of Crannagh Tomb to be guilty of diabolism and had led a Wizard’s March against the covenant. All five of those magi (Nechtan, Faeran, Druster, Oenghus and Seannafair) had been slain, and the covenant had been ransacked. The former Primus of House Flambeau, Guido, had been present for the first part of the meeting, but he had refused to participate in the Wizard’s March and had been expelled from the House by the new Primus, Aloisius. Prima Luddwyn of Ex Miscellanea has unsurprisingly expressed her deep concern about these events.
In news of the mundane realm, the king has returned to England in triumph, having forced many Irish lords to swear fealty to him and passing rich lands to his supporters, strengthening his position among the nobility. In Scotland, Robert de Brus has survived a rebellion by some of the clans, but he is currently in no position to mount an invasion of England. Gaines also brought a message from Loricatus of Carrion Moor to our council. It detailed the activities of the Broken Mirror cult in Plymouth and Southampton. Like us, the magi had investigated the ritual sites of the cult and determined that they bore signs of infernal practice. Finally, Praeco Voressio has agreed to hold a meeting of the Stonehenge Tribunal at Blackthorn next summer.
After Gaines had left the council chamber, there followed a spirited discussion about the circumstances surrounding the assault on Crannagh Tomb. Pyrrhus refused to say how he voted or acted on the issue, and he seemed entirely unmoved by suggestions that he should have informed the council of the matter last year, declaring it was House business and thus private. When asked to elaborate on the evidence of diabolism that had convinced the House to act, he provided a few cursory details – that there were infernal entities in a forest close to Crannagh Tomb; that a redcap had fallen prey to these creatures; and that the magi of that covenant had not cooperated with a Quaesitorial investigation – but this scarcely seems enough to warrant the drastic action taken. Furthermore, Pyrrhus did not help his case when, in response to a question about what evidence there was that all members of the covenant were diabolists, he noted that some members of his House, notably those from the Rome Tribunal, had trouble distinguishing between infernal and pagan practices. The whole discussion was very unsatisfactory, and we left it with more questions than answers.
[Terentius’ private journal: I find it impossible to believe that the evidence mentioned by Pyrrhus would be enough to convince the House to act in this way. Perhaps there are further, very sensitive matters that he has been asked not to reveal at this time; or maybe he has just forgotten. Still, the fact that Guido refused to participate does not bode well. I think I shall write to Emerius – who has always struck me as sensible and level-headed – to see whether he can shed any light on the matter, for a do not believe he would have taken part in the attack without good reason.
More generally, Pyrrhus has grown increasingly belligerent in the past couple of years. In the past, he would often blow hot and cold, but the more subtle aspects of his character now seem to have been lost beneath a new-found confidence in the power of direct confrontation. He has always treated those mundane folk he believes to be below him with a certain callousness, but it would be a marked escalation if he now believes that this also extends to members of House Ex Miscellanea. No, I cannot believe this is true; there must be damning evidence of Crannagh Tomb’s activities that he has not yet shared with us.]
With Jari’s sight having been restored by Daedalus’ ritual, we decided to change our plans for the season and press on with our investigation into the cult in Bristol. Alas, would that we had remained within our laboratories, for our efforts were dogged by repeated disasters. Returning to the warehouse where the cultists carried out their rituals, Jari was in the process of examining their mystic circle using an Intellego spell when his throat was cut from out of nowhere and he fell to the ground, though fortunately still conscious. His assailant – the infernal creature Meliorax had disturbed on our previous visit – was insubstantial even in the realm beyond the veil, except at the precise moment of the attack. It readied a second blow, but I was able to attract its attention away from Jari, who banished it via the Circular Ward Against Demons, though not before it had slashed my torso. The creature once again became insubstantial, though I sensed that it had not left the warehouse.
Jari attempted to return to the covenant using the Leap of Homecoming, but his magic failed him, and he was catapulted across the floor, falling unconscious as he landed awkwardly. The building also erupted in flames as his oil lantern crashed to the ground. I rushed to aid him, dousing the flames and erecting a second ward against infernal creatures, but I too was cursed by unreliable magic, for my attempt to reduce his size so I could more easily carry him from the building backfired, and it was I who was shrunk to the size of a child. As I contemplated how to get us out of this mess, I heard the sound of voices outside, as a patrol of seven members of the town watch, led by the cultist we had observed last season, began to unlock the door to warehouse. I rendered myself invisible and attempted to use Mentem spells to (not so) subtly divert the attention of the cultist, but I was loathe to intervene more directly given the likelihood I would not be able to disable all seven men before they raised the alarm. The cultist shrugged off these spells, and the watch discovered Jari’s prone body and dragged him off to the guardhouse. I remained hidden within the circle for some time until I was as sure as I could be that the demon had left, before making my way back to a safe place. Fortunately, Jari awoke a few hours later and, finding himself locked within a cell of the guardhouse, he was able to apport back to Severn Temple.
Jari’s wounds, though severe, were soon healed through the use of magic. We debated whether our repeated failures in Bristol were a sign that we should perhaps pause our investigations for a while, but Jari pressed to continue, albeit in a more cautious and indirect manner. To this end, he completed a survey of the towns and villages in and around Somerset in an attempt to determine whether there was any sign of cult activity beyond the main cities. This started well enough – he was able to learn of a missing servant at Berkley castle and a farmer, Ambrose Wiseman of Chipping Sodbury, who had come into an unexpected amount of money – but things once again took a turn for the worse near Bridgewater while he was investigating the death of a merchant, Roland Price, who was found dead in the river with marks on his neck. Jari had scarcely been in the town for more than a few hours, when Races-the-Wind was attacked by an infernal, bat-like creature in the woods about the place. Despite his familiar’s preternatural ability to sense impending danger, the creature managed to ambush him before he could take evasive action, though Jari was able to save his life through apporting them both back to the covenant. Somewhat shaken by the whole encounter, he chose to leave further investigations for another day.
The season at last draws to a close. It has been a trying time; we have learned much, though at many times we have teetered on the edge of disaster. I cannot yet say how these matters will be resolved, but I expect we will face further challenges in the days ahead. I passed Marcellus in the library on the way to the council chamber, and from the self-satisfied look on his face, I intuit that he has had success in decoding Anthony’s cipher.
Summer
As all Magi gathered for the summer council meeting, Pyrrhus informed us that Marcellus had successfully deciphered the coded letter that had been found in Anthony’s chambers. The craftsman was invited to join us, and with his customary flourish, he announced that the message read, “Friend from Dublin arriving. End of July. Speak with mutual friend in Bristol.” He also noted that the cipher was relatively complex, and even having broken it, the message would still have been meaningless without the knowledge that the code referred to passages within Roger Bacon’s Magnum Opus. Thus it seems that there was some profit in Pyrrhus’ interactions with the fiend at the college, despite all the danger it entailed.
We thanked Marcellus for his efforts, and he left us to our deliberations. There was a lengthy discussion about how best to pursue these matters. Ultimately, we decided that I would travel to Bristol to see if I could find out more about two of the leaders of the cult, namely the merchant who led the ritual and the watchman, while Pyrrhus would attempt to learn more about Anthony’s activities, particularly in relation to any plan to travel to Bristol in line with the coded message.
[Terentius’ private journal: Branwen counselled caution throughout these discussions, sensibly pointing out the dangers associated with the infernal creature in the warehouse in Bristol that had caught us off guard on our previous investigation. I believe that she is as keen as any of us to get to the bottom of the matter, but she argued it was too dangerous for me to travel alone. Jari still seemed somewhat shaken from his recent encounters in Bristol and Bridgewater, and it was clear that he had no desire to return to either location for the time being. Naevius, Theoclea and Branwen herself all lacked suitable defensive magics, which left only Pyrrhus as a candidate. There is no doubt that his pyromancy is extremely accomplished, but I judged that his shortcomings elsewhere, accompanied by his belligerent attitude, increased the risk of a mundane encounter turning hostile and spiralling out of control, so I was relieved when he agreed to investigate Gloucester instead.]
The rest of the meeting was relatively short. Branwen confirmed that the borders of the wild wood had remained constant over the past season, allaying some of our fears about the extent to which the deal struck with Jack O’The Green had truly secured the safety of the remaining parts of the forest. Less encouragingly, Theoclea mentioned that there had been no suitable opportunity to seek a private audience with her brother at court in Winchester. She described the king as pre-occupied and strained, most likely resulting from his time in Ireland.
[Terentius’ private journal: My understanding is that the two siblings had hitherto been very close, despite the differences in their current circumstances, so it is a little worrying that they may be drifting apart. I also sensed that Theoclea might be under-playing the extent of the change in Urbanus’ demeanour, perhaps hoping that it is just the temporary consequence of his present fatigue.]
At the King’s College, Pyrrhus successfully secured himself a short-term teaching position, and he soon learned that Anthony was due to depart on sabbatical at the end of the month. This was conveniently timed for the rendezvous mentioned in the coded letter, but it perhaps offered the opportunity to follow him to see who he met. More ominously, Pyrrhus once again encountered the demon who poses as a scholar within the college, and it is evident that they discussed the plans of the cultists in some detail. The creature asked Pyrrhus who he thought was behind the cult, and Pyrrhus mentioned that our council had considered a number of possible individuals, including the Unnamed House, the White Lady and Guyere. Listening to this list, the demon remarked that Pyrrhus’ guesses were getting colder, and he pointedly asked, “How is the King?” At this, Pyrrhus used a break in his teaching schedule to return to the covenant to discuss this with Theoclea and others. She was unsure how to take the news, asking whether Pyrrhus thought the demon was making a threat, but he instead suggested that it might mean that Urbanus had fallen under the sway (or worse) of the infernal power behind the cult.
[Terentius’ private journal: Pyrrhus walks a narrow ledge in his interactions with the creature. I can well understand how the information it offers can be exceeding useful, yet I had always assumed that he remained very tight lipped when conversing with it. However, it is clear that he has revealed the deliberations of the council. This is a very dangerous precedent, for it provides it with indications of how the council might act in the future, which in different circumstances might allow the demon to thwart our plans.]
In Bristol, through some painstaking observation, I was able to learn the identities of, and obtain arcane connections to, two of the leading cultists: Michael, a middle-ranking member of the town watch; and Lambert Fox, a wealthy merchant and possibly minor member of the nobility. While travelling close to the warehouse used by the cult for their rituals, I spied a dark spirit lurking in the shadows, though I lost sight of it within moments. Fearing that I would be attacked or followed, I took a circuitous route out of the area, making sure to travel through well-lit public squares. I thought I had minimised the chance that the creature would be able to tail me all the way to the barge, but as I spoke with Meliorax on the deck, I once again glimpsed the spirit for a brief Instant. I erected a Circular Ward Against Demons and ordered the barge captain to pull into the Bristol Channel. After several hours of careful watching without spying the intruder, we made our way back to the covenant to make use of the Mirror of Far Seeing.
We spent some time scrying on the movements of Michael and Lambert. Alas, on the third day, when Kenneth and Meliorax were sharing their watch while I got some rest, the mirror was suddenly engulfed in dark fire and cracked into many pieces as Kenneth focussed its attention on Lambert. I learned later from Meliorax that our spymaster was killed almost instantly, but he rose from the dead, with strange flames pouring from his eyes and mouth. Meliorax was unable to escape the chamber, for the door was shut behind him, and he was forced to desperately evade our former consor’s attacks within the cramped room. Though sleeping, I had felt the Aegis of the Hearth breached by the initial attack, and I hurried to the cellar. Upon opening the door, I was surprised when Kenneth slashed across my arm with his dagger. Meliorax cried out that he was not simply acting under the influence of an infernal spell but actually dead and risen. With some regret, I plunged my blade through his chest, driving him to the floor. Though the blow would have enough to kill any man, Kenneth’s corpse still moved under the control of the infernal entity until I removed his head and hands.
I had barely enough time to consider my next move before I noticed a cruel figure wreathed in flame and shadow materialising beyond the veil. Its power was considerable, for it walked straight through my Circular Ward Against Demons and pierced my Parma Magica with its infernal spells. I heard dark voices in my head, which I felt were either trying to drive me mad or bring me under its sway, but I was just able to shrug off its manipulations. Desperately rushing to the treasury, I retrieved one of the dust pouches imbued with Demon’s Eternal Oblivion, but it had no effect on the creature, which used some form of infernal spell to lift me from my feet and dash me against the walls of the chamber, destroying many of the potions and salves that were stacked there. With a last desperate effort, I managed to compose myself long enough to incant the Cloak of the Raven’s Feathers, which broke the hold it had over my corporeal form, allowing me to fly out of the room and up to the great hall. The creature did not pursue me, which suggests that it might somehow been limited in how far it could travel from the mirror. After several hours of tense waiting, I once again descended to the cellar, where I found no sign of its presence, save subtle sigils of infernal shadow and flame where it had cast spells.
A few days later, Branwen and Jari returned from a journey into the faerie regio. Branwen began the season travelling within the magical forest, but she had received a strange message in a dream. As she slept, she saw one of the silver-eyed corvids that serve the Morrigan yell “Alarm!” at her in a most agitated manner before flying through the forest towards a pool of inky black water. Guessing that this warning related to the Nechtan’s pool, deep within the faerie regio, she persuaded Jari to guide her there via hidden paths. Taking a draught of the water, she received a disturbing vision of a great swarm of flies in the shape of a hand rising from a dead body in eastern lands that made its way west, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake. Starting slowly but picking up speed at each turn, the swarm eventually arrived at the covenant, where Branwen saw a vision of herself stricken with a deadly disease for which there appeared no cure.
Recalling that the healer Blanche was said to have some experience of interpreting visions, Branwen made her way to her abode, which I understand is hidden somewhere north-east of the Dean. She received a warmer welcome from Blanche’s peculiar guardian than most of us would, and Blanche asked a series of detailed questions about the vision in an attempt to unlock its secrets. After a period of deliberation, she told Branwen that she believed that the swarm of flies represented a corrupt plague started by a powerful infernal entity that revelled in senseless slaughter. The plague has apparently already begun, though for now it remains far in the east for its spread west is as yet slow. That said, Blanche thought it would arrive at Severn Temple between one and two score years from present. She believes that the plague is more deadly than any seen before, and that magic will offer no protection or cure. Bearers show no signs of it in the early stages, which means that it can spread silently as they move around. However, once the disease reaches its later stages, death comes swiftly and without mercy. Blanche is a confirmed pagan, but she noted that even the Anu’s blessing, which some say has protected the covenant for more years than any here can reckon, may not be proof against its power. Blanche nevertheless advised Branwen to seek out the Anu’s groves and make offerings to forestall its progress. Having delivered this fell news, Branwen departed the covenant once more to seek counsel from her other allies.
At the end of the month, I travelled to Gloucester to tail Anthony as he departed on sabbatical. It was a fairly simple task to follow him as far as Bristol, where he met Lambert in the Three Swallows inn, before the two of them boarded a ship headed for the southwestern ports. At this point, I was forced to follow the ship in the form of a raven, which left me exhausted at the end of each day. They pulled into an unknown port in north Devon, where I spent the night in a traveller’s inn, before heading around Land’s End to Truro. I was intending to follow the same modus operandi there, but I noticed a hooded fellow depart the inn in a suspicious manner as I was ordering an evening meal. I had been careful to use different illusions to mask my appearance in each place, so it was almost impossible for him to have recognised me from anything other than my voice. Deciding to take no chances, I left the inn and spent a less comfortable night camping a few miles from the town.
I resumed my pursuit the next day, but poor visibility in the autumn fog threatened to bring disaster, for I confused the ship with another similar vessel and followed it almost to France before realising my mistake. Returning to Cornwall, I had lost sight of my true quarry and was now several hours behind, which meant I had to guess its likely course and fly as swiftly as I might to catch up. It was with some relief that I spotted it once more. The ship pulled in at Southampton, but by the time I made my way to the docks, its passengers had vanished into the town. I searched a fair number of taverns and inns over the next few hours, but I saw no sign of them. At that point, I realised that Winchester, where Theoclea had travelled to meet the king, was but a short journey from the town, so I made my way there with all haste.
In Winchester, there was a great royal procession as the king led a coterie of nobles from the castle to the cathedral as part of a religious celebration. My attempts to attract Theoclea’s attention as she rode by came to naught, but I was able to get a message to her a few days later via the king’s agents. I recounted the tale of my pursuit of the cult members as far as Southampton, and we discussed the possibility that their target might even be the king himself given their presence so close to Winchester. Theoclea agreed to ask Urbanus whether he would accept guards from the Order to watch for any attempt to assassinate him, and Theoclea bade me speak with Valens of Trevalga, who was attending court in his mundane guise as Sir Valentine. Valens agreed to assist, travelling to Carrion Moor to ask whether their spy network might be used to locate the travellers from Bristol.
Unfortunately, a few days later, I received the unwelcome news that Theoclea’s meeting with Urbanus had not gone well. Even securing an audience had been difficult, and he had declined the offer of aid from the Order without giving the matter real consideration. For the first time, I perceived the fragile nature of Theoclea’s position at court, for the servants and agents that surrounded her evidently owed their allegiance to the king, rather than her. I also received report from Loricatus via Valens that a ship from Hibernia had arrived in Southampton a few days before. It remained in port for only a few hours before departing for an unknown destination. Shortly thereafter, five figures were seen boarding the cog from Bristol, which left port heading west.
Thus, it was with a feeling of some foreboding that I returned to the covenant for the end of the season, particularly as Theoclea had elected to remain behind to follow the court as it relocated from Winchester to London.
Autumn
At the council meeting, Branwen brought some disturbing news relating to a vision she had had while exploring a sacred grove to the Anu close to Cad Gadu. The vision placed her in a throne room, where a regal figure was approached by a shadow. Branwen was able to hear the words spoken by the king, but not those of the shadow, so the conversation appeared rather one sided, though it was clear there was an exchange of information. The regal figure thanked “Brother Hadrian” for his aid and listened to the shadow’s request for recompense. He noted that he did not have the required object (“a trinket”), but he agreed to ask his sister for it and pass it over if it was in his power to do so He also noted that he remembered well the shadow’s warning in relation to the Order and that he would not trust any of them.
The implications of the vision alarmed us all, for we quickly made a connection between this Brother Hadrian and Hadrianus of Jerbiton, one of the three traitors who slew Marius many years ago and stole of the Crown of Math. Hadrianus later joined House Corpus Domini as Calpulnius, before formally “surrendering” the Order to the infernal Pope around the time of the attack on Durenmar. Naevius agreed to postpone the rest of the council meeting so we could act swiftly on this information. Jari agreed to journey to Eurus Aquilae to seek their aid, whereas I travelled as fast as I could to take a warning to Theoclea. Alas, both journeys were in vain. The magi of Eurus Aquilae had already left the covenant for Winchester, having separately heard news of the vision from Prima Ex Miscellanea, whereas I encountered Theoclea on the road leading west from London. She had been commanded by her brother to retrieve the crown and deliver it to him by the end of the month.
The council met again a few days later once Theoclea had arrived back at the covenant. We held a long discussion about what might be influencing the king. Three alternatives seemed plausible: first, that he might simply have valued Brother Hadrian’s useful advice and aid during his expedition to Hibernia; second, that Hadrian might have used some form of infernal trickery to gain the king’s confidence and cloud his judgement; or third, most troubling of all, that Urbanus might even be a willing member of the infernal cult. The second of these seemed most likely to me, though Pyrrhus seemed to have a darker view of the king’s behaviour and repeatedly warned us not to discount the third possibility.
We also discussed how we should respond to the command given to Theoclea. There was absolutely no appetite to comply with it by delivering the crown, but opinions differed on which alternatives offered the best chance of success. All agreed that openly defying the command risked bringing the covenant and Tribunal into conflict with the king, which we wished to avoid at all costs. I argued that our best chance was to hunt down and slay Brother Hadrian to break his hold over the king, though I acknowledged that this was far easier said than done. Pyrrhus advocated either destroying the crown or placing it with the faerie folk, but others pointed out that this was no solution, for it would not prevent conflict with the king once the deadline passed. More promisingly, Pyrrhus also mentioned that he had commissioned Marcellus to create a close replica of the crown, which offered us the opportunity to use it in place of the real thing should we need to buy more time. The work was as yet unfinished, but the hope is that it might fool anyone who had not studied the crown closely. Even if that does not include Brother Hadrian, the fact that he would have to travel to court to retrieve the crown might give us the opportunity to ambush him there. Branwen also agreed to travel to Cad Gadu to enlist the aid of Cyrilus of Ex Miscellanea, who claims to be an exorcist with some expertise at fighting infernal entities.
Marcellus completed the work a week-and-a-half later. It was a convincing facsimile, and lacking any real alternatives, we agreed to proceed with the subterfuge. Salustria arrived at the covenant to inform us that the magi of Eurus Aquilae had established a base near Witney, and Theoclea and I travelled there to outline our plan. Argentius listened intently, and after a time agreed that it offered some chance of success, though the risk to Theoclea was great. As such, he proposed to use arcane connections to listen in on the conversation between the king and his sister, and Tiberius stood ready to apport to their location should the encounter go poorly. Pravia also warned us not to assume that Brother Hadrian and Hadrianus were one and the same, for it was possible that another individual had assumed his identity for some unknown purpose. With the plan set, Theoclea departed for London while I returned to the covenant.
[Terentius’ private journal: While discussing our limited range of options with Argentius, I mentioned that much of our information came from the infernal scholar within the King’s College, and I mused whether there was any way we could take advantage of this. I think he must have misunderstood my intention as advocating more active interaction with that entity, for he asked Quaesitor Pravia to leave us while I elaborated. There was little more to say, so we brought the conversation to a close shortly thereafter, but I wonder whether he now thinks I am incautious about dealing with demons. Yet another problem to add to the list.]
Back at Severn Temple, I found Jari in an agitated state. He bade me speak with Cyrilus, who had arrived from Cad Gadu a few days earlier. Cyrilus outlined his theory that the diabolist behind the Broken Mirror cult was extraordinarily powerful, for he was confident enough in his own status above his rivals that he could create permanent arcane circles containing knowledge of summoning rites, rather than the temporary circles used elsewhere. He also speculated that the entity that had attacked me the previous season, which I estimated as having infernal might of between the ninth and eleventh magnitudes, was likely in service to an even more powerful demon, which could be twice as powerful. I confessed some scepticism about these claims, but I have made far less study in this field than others, so I agreed that they needed to be taken seriously. I travelled to London to warn Argentius of the danger of confronting Brother Hadrian should there be the possibility of also encountering this demon.
I arrived in the safehouse just in time to observe the encounter between Theoclea and Urbanus via a scrying device set up by the magi of Eurus Aquilae. It was extremely tense, for Theoclea did not follow the agreed course of action from the start. She explained to Urbanus that she had brought the crown, but she would not give it to him. Barely suppressing his anger, he asked why, and she replied that it conveyed both authority over the magical and faerie powers of the land and responsibility to act as steward over them. Hypatia had left the crown to her, but she had not yet claimed it, for she was not yet ready for this responsibility and unsure whether she was worthy. She recalled Hypatia’s early lightness of spirit, and she pointed out how the burden of the crown had worn her down over the years, leaving her a haunted and dark figure. It was a powerful and moving speech, full of pathos, and Urbanus clasped his head in his hands and wept openly after Theoclea had finished. He declared that he had done terrible things and lost something of his soul through the choices he had made in Ireland, including breaking promises and killing innocents. Seeing his heartfelt remorse, Theoclea said that she would give him the crown if he asked again for it, but she begged him not to do so. Urbanus shook his head, declaring that if she was not worthy to wear it, then he was certainly not. Instead, he bade her take it away and hide it, for he would find another way to pay his debts. The two embraced, and Theoclea departed for her quarters. I left the other magi to maintain their vigil and returned to the covenant.
[Terentius’ private journal: Theoclea impressed me greatly with her impassioned plea to her brother. From the look on Argentius’ face, I could see that this was most definitely not the agreed plan, but her gamble paid off beyond our wildest expectations. The danger is far from over, for Brother Hadrian will no doubt seek to re-establish his influence over the king, but for now we are in a much better situation than we could plausibly have expected. On a gloomier note, I am sure I am not alone in noting the dark undertones of the king’s speech. I shall leave them in the journal without comment, but I hope Theoclea pays close attention to her brother’s manner and behaviour in the times to come.]
Back at the covenant, we discussed a plan first advanced by Cyrilus that we could potentially weaken Brother Hadrian’s infernal power by destroying the inlaid circles that had been located in Gloucester, Bristol, Plymouth and Southampton. We agreed that it would be best to attack all of the circles at the same time to reduce the possibility that earlier attempts might forewarn the cult of our intentions and make subsequent assaults more difficult. To this end, Jari took ship to enlist the aid of the magi of Trevalga and Carrion Moor. He first spoke with Valens and Plautus, who were following up my report of a potential agent in Truro; they believed that there might be a fifth circle in the cult’s hideout within the town, but they agreed to postpone their investigation until all were ready. At Carrion Moor, Loricatus also agreed to coordinate simultaneous attacks on the circles at Southampton and Plymouth. Jari returned to the covenant with this news, and we made our plans for the appointed time.
At Gloucester, Pyrrhus, Branwen and Cyrilus made their way to the college, and Pyrrhus attempted to bluff his way in. However, the gate-warden appeared sceptical of his claims, and Cyrilus was forced to use Mentem magic to dull his wits and alter his memories. Creeping across the courtyard, Branwen was shocked to spy the spirit of the infernal scholar waiting for them close to the room where the cult had inscribed their circle. The spirit then manifested in the mundane realm and beckoned for Pyrrhus to follow it to another chamber where they might converse in private. I am not privy to the details of their conversation, but Pyrrhus emerged a short while later, apparently having been warned about some dire event to come. At that juncture, Pyrrhus felt that the Aegis of the Hearth had been breached, and loudly yelled a warning to the others. Taking a draught of his potion, he apported back to Severn Temple.
Branwen and Cyrilus briefly discussed whether they should follow him, but they decided to press on with their mission. Despite minor difficulties with a locked door and some inconvenient barrels, they soon managed to uncover the circle, and Cyrilus used a spontaneous spell to corrode and destroy the metalwork. As he did so, he was engulfed in flames, suffering moderate burns, though fortunately his Parma Magica kept out the worst of the trap. With their work done, the two magi apported to Severn Temple.
In Bristol, Jari, Daedalus and I travelled from the docks to the cultists’ warehouse. Within the structure, I spotted the infernal spirit that has plagued us before, but I was able to drive it off with a well-placed arrow to which I had tethered Demon’s Eternal Oblivion. I am not sure I killed it, but it was sorely wounded and fled the scene. Daedalus attempted to erect a Circular Ward Against Demons, but his magic was adversely influenced by the aura, and he crumpled to the floor amidst a flash of arcane light. As I helped Daedalus to his feet, Jari quickly used a spell to destroy the infernal circle. As in Gloucester, there was an eruption of flame, though fortunately Jari’s Parma Magica was proof against it. At that point, we both felt the Aegis of the Hearth breached, and we used the Leap of Homecoming to travel back to our home, while Daedalus used the Seven League Stride to travel to our campsite outside Bristol.
The scene as we arrived back at Severn Temple was one of carnage and confusion. A group of Irish warriors armed with shillelaghs had stormed the gates of the covenant, though our grogs had held the line and pushed back the enemy, felling twice their number as the battle raged. Captain Merrick rallied our men though the odds initially seemed against them, and the invaders soon regretted their lack of heavy armour when faced with a group of our veterans armed with stout war mauls. Still, our losses were considerable, particularly as several of our defenders were slain by infernal magics by unseen foes.
Within the main tower, I raced to Naevius’ sanctum, as Jari had informed me that the Crown of Math was hidden within a false drawer. I reached it before any of our enemies, retrieved the prize and headed up to the roof of the tower, where I met Jari and a clearly alarmed Races-the-Wind. Lower in the tower, Pyrrhus discovered Naevius lying prone beneath a shadowy demonic entity, which appeared to trying to extract the location of the crown from the Verditius’ mind. Thinking quickly, he summoned a blinding light that illuminated every corner of the room, which banished the creature, for it could not abide the lack of shadows. Alas, Pyrrhus had arrived too late to save his consors, Domnall, who had been slain by one of the unseen diabolists, though not before giving good account of himself in the melee.
The battle raged for a while longer, though the spirit of the enemies was broken, and at length they turned to flee, though few escaped the covenant and even fewer, I wager, the forest beyond. As we inspected the dead, we found the bodies of four robed figures, one of which was Anthony, the master from the King’s College. We had captured two of the Irish followers, and I was able to extract some details from their minds using Mentem magic. It seems that the group called themselves the Sons of Mayon and were usually based close to Dublin. They had travelled to England a week or so ago, camping close to Bridgewater. They had five leaders (Lambert, Anthony, Lloyd, Walter and Gamil), and from the descriptions, we surmised that all save Lambert had perished in the attack. These five served someone the captives referred to as the dark master, though they were not able to name or describe him properly. I had several other questions in mind, but our Aegis of the Hearth was breached once more by an infernal sell, which slew the two captives before they could reveal any more secrets.
So, we end the season in a better situation than we began it, though our enemy remains at large. The timing of the attack suggests that this dark master – presumably Brother Hadrian – has access to divinatory magics, which make him even more dangerous. Still, we have weakened him for now, and we must not give him time to recover.
Winter
Theoclea remained at court with her brother, so the council met without her on the first day of the season. Most of the meeting involved a discussion of how best to press our advantage against the remains of the broken mirror cult. After some debate, it was agreed that Pyrrhus would travel to the King’s College to see whether the other members of the cult in Gloucester – Masters Michael and John – remained in their posts. I also agreed to visit Bristol to check whether Lambert had returned to his former base of operations.
Further afield, Pyrrhus suggested leveraging his contacts at Cliffheart to try to learn more about the cultists’ activities around Dublin. There seemed some sense in this, for that covenant might possess an established spy network or at least some native speakers who would not attract as much attention as foreigners when making enquiries. However, Branwen, in particular, was less than keen on involving members of Cliffheart in our affairs given recent events. At length, we agreed that we would take the matter in stages, starting first in Bristol and Gloucester before considering our actions beyond these shores, though in preparation, Jari agreed to travel to Blackthorn to obtain directions to Glencoghlea.
We also discussed how best to protect the Crown of Math should the diabolists make another attempt to seize it. Some of the suggestions were, quite frankly, ludicrous; I shall leave it as an exercise for the reader to guess who suggested submerging the crown – an artifact of pagan and faerie origin – in holy water to prevent diabolists locating it. At length, it was agreed to maintain it in its current location and state. Though unimaginative, I think this remains the best solution, at least for now.
Shortly after the meeting, I am informed that Branwen requested that Pyrrhus use the ritual Free the Accursed Body to cancel the effects of a transformation spell that he had used to disguise her appearance during their trip to Gloucester. This spell had produced unexpected side effects and lingered far longer than usual. Pyrrhus agreed, but alas the ritual went awry as the vis burned in his hands. The interaction between two miscast spells produced an unstable, protean result, for Branwen appeared to age greatly over a period of a few heartbeats before returning to her former state. This cycle would periodically repeat, withering her body and robbing her of her strength for a time, before reversing course. The two shared a few pointed words before returning to their business.
In Gloucester, Pyrrhus soon learned that Anthony’s former colleagues both remained within the college. He also had yet another encounter with the scholarly demon, who informed him that the two masters were now under its sway. The creature also told him that Lambert was in hell, having failed his typically unforgiving master.
In Bristol, I was able to learn that Lambert had not returned to the city and that the cult had not restarted its rituals since the destruction of its arcane circle. I also took the opportunity to explore Lambert’s townhouse, where I was able to locate a strange leather tube sealed with wax at both ends. Meliorax informed me that he sensed a shadow about the device, though I could not see it. The next night, I awoke from a dream after hearing a voice that I took to be that of Lambert directing me to burn the item. I vacillated for a time about whether to risk opening it, but eventually decided to dispose of it within the Bristol Channel. Although we may have lost a clue, my calculus was that it was better to avoid yet another unpredictable infernal encounter given all that has befallen us in recent months.
The rest of winter passed without event of note, and so I now hand over the honour of writing this journal to another. For once, I hope the coming year is less eventful and exciting.