Session 19
« Session 18 | Nova Semitae Saga Journal | Session 20 »
Summer 1226
At the Summer Solstice, the council noted two marriages, two notable correspondences came in via Redcap, and a visit to Elysium.
Redcap Announcements
First, the expected announcement of Tribunal in 1227 came in along with news that both the covenant (collectively) and magi (mostly Geoffrey) were notified of charges being levied against them. These charges included interference with mundanes, and serving as a court wizard. They were being formally notified that they were under investigation and that a Quaesitor would likely be visiting in the new year prior to Tribunal
The second was a open invitation by Eglantine of Jerbiton for the covenant of Everlasting Flame in Hibernia, inviting all magi to a Hermetic Fair hosted by her and the covenant. In particular, unused gear was being sold along with a great deal of Ignem vis that the covenant was known for. The covenant had paid for use of the Mercere portals for the first fifty magi who registered interest. The magi decided to simply sail over as a token of good faith and allow more far-flung magi to take advantage of the portal usage.
Marriages
After being betrothed for five years, Sir William Cornwall has married Catherine of Pulverbatch. They have taken up residence at his castle.
Magni of Flambeau has taken a grog to wife, Gwendolyn of Shrewsbury.
Both couples were married by Fr. Thomas, since he had traveled back with Aulus to attend the council meeting.
Elysium
Early in the morning of the solstice, a covenant party consisting of Angharad, Geoffrey, Magni, Gwendolyn, Mildegod, Ruth, Joshua traveled to the local faerie court to make a visit to Elysium. Geoffrey had correctly surmised that the multiple transitions (solstice, marriage, daytime, boundary) would ease their passage into Elysium. Joshua correctly guessed that a guardian would challenge them on their entry.
The guardian took the form of the gargoyles fought in Varana's tower. He asked them why they were there and was told they wanted the history of Khras-Nagar. He asked what their price was, and initially the party answered they were going to free him. They then figured out that the faerie always extract a price for help, so the party told it that they would take his many stories from him as price for his freedom. He let them continue.
The path down through Elysium showed a general history of the British isles beginning with pre-Celtic cultures included that of Khras-Nagar and paralleling it to the fall of the Jewish people to the Babylonians. It walked through the many invasions (Celts, Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Romans, Vikings, and Normans) talking about how the people of Khras-Nagar (simply called the people of the hill) scattered.
Three peoples still somewhat intact (that is least inter-mixed with all the invading groups) exist: the Ganganoi in Wales and Ireland, the Caledonii in Scotland, and the Parisii in England. A descendant of Khras-Nagar's tribal bloodline is said to be available in one of these three peoples.
Autumn 1226
The visit to the covenant of Everlasting Flames was extremely profitable. In summary:
- Geoffrey, Obscurus Ignis, and Joshua were able to trade or acquire vis, books, or commissions
- Geoffrey was able to ask around about the mysterious attacker 'Francis'
- Obscurus Ignis was able to begin floating the idea of a minimum number of Quaesitores per Tribunal as a 'fair' standard
- Geoffrey and Joshua were able to acquire some items of interest at the auction
- Magni was able to circulate his intentions to become a Hoplite
- The covenant was able to trade for an enormous amount of Ignem vis
- The covenant was able to trade for books with the remaining vis taken to the fair
- The covenant has traded four seasons of library access for like access in return, for copying purposes.
Eglantine has indicated that she would be interested in having a recurring event midway through the Tribunal period to reduced travel in a short period of time.
Bonisagus Research Projects
Due to the international reach of the Fair, magi were also able to learn of several interesting projects by Bonisagus magi:
- A version of Pilum of Fire inherently more stable than normal (two fewer botch dice in all situations, minimum of 1)
- An attempt to ease the difficulty of spells with one success (reducing the base use of ReCo to move a body rapidly from 15 to 10)
- Research into tying two trees together to ultimate allow transport through trees. So far, he has been able to tie trees together (new guideline) as being Arcanely linked.
Experience Points
Characters participating in the trip to Elyisum - Angharad, Geoffrey, Magni, Gwendolyn, Mildegod, Ruth, Joshua - earn +5 Adventure XP in Faerie Lore or Area Lore: British Isles.