1237, Winter
We get to the end of 1236 in our Ars Magica saga, and most of us spending have been spending time reading and studying books before the end of the year. The plan for my maga, Pisciculus ex Criamon, is to improve her Creo, before starting on Imagonem.
The end of the year (we now end the year in Autumn, and begin the new year in Winter) rumours come through, providing some interesting bits of information about one of our neighbouring covenants.
- Hardened as most now are to the Earth shaking at the turn of the year, many felt this year’s event to be a bit of an anti-climax. While there was some mild vibration, it is possible that the event may have passed entirely unremarked if it were not that so many were waiting for it. A general sense of relief is palpable across the land.
- While the rest of the country was largely spared its annual Earthquake damage, a loud bang was heard and the earth shook damaging the ancient Roman wall between Scotland and England, near the Roman fort of Brocolitia.
- Likewise, residents of Byrness village report a bright flash of light from the South-East, accompanied by a strong but localised Earth tremor.
- A great beast was seen flying high in the sky shortly after new years day. Details were difficult to make out and different observers report a giant bird, a bat and even a dragon! All observers agree that whatever it was, it was Red in colour and had a mighty wingspan. The creature was observed in many locations across the country.
- Mage Cerwyn ex Merinita has not been seen by his Sodales for some time. Any information as to his location or wellbeing would be welcomed by Praetor Abelard ex Miscelania at Arbroath Covenant.
- Archmage Alois ex Merinita of Fithich Spog has visited Mac Gruagach covenant to pay his respects to Praetor Callum Mac Lachlan ex Miscellania. This is the first time for many years that the Arch-mage has been seen by any not resident at Fithich Spog. Callum later told his sodales that he and the Arch-mage has agreed to stand together against any ‘troublemakers’, but he refused to be drawn into specifics.
- Disaster has struck the Covenant of Horsingas. Reports are fragmentary, but apparently so is the Covenant. Locals report a strong earth tremor at the expected time, and then no contact by coven-folk from Horsingas with local merchants , innkeepers etc. A red-cap, Greysen, who was carrying messages for Horsingas has reported the total destruction of the Covenant. It is unclear if this is the result of a magical mishap, an attack by some outside force, or the response of Stonehenge tribunal to their missing diplomatic delegation.
It is also time to handle ageing (at the beginning of Winter, since that’s now the year start). Unfortunately, one of our old grogs, Hamish, fails an ageing check and dies. He had been ‘retired’ to being landlord of our ‘pub’ known as The “Library”. Callen, another grog who is getting on in years, is moved to being the new landlord, and we hire a new grog – a young hunter named Donald.
Pisciculus ex Criamon – Winter, 1237
Our redcap, Greysen, passes us the news that the covenant of Horsingas seems to be no more. Since we’ve had (mostly) good relations with them, and also what befalls one of us could happen to others, we prepare to quickly head out and investigate. There’s also the issue that if there’s anything left laying around, then being first on the scene has its advantages.
It will take three or four days for us to get there, but Allistor ex Miscellaneous could do it in a few hours on his flying staff. So he heads on ahead of us, whilst we take the slower route by boat and road. I probably need to invent a fly spell of my own, or at least something to move me from one place to another quickly. I could do it as a spell, or maybe as an enchanted tattoo. Maybe this means that I need to concentrate on more Rego and Corpus instead.
Some days later, we arrive at a scene of devastation. There is an almost circular region centred on the covenant which seems to be a complete ruin of rock, stone and sand. Trees and hills are devastated, and what were a series of caves is now just a slump in the ground.
Allistor is there, pulling bodies up out of the ground, and he recounts what he’s been doing.
On approaching Horsingas, he spotted something large flying in the sky in the direction of Burnham covenant. Assuming it was the rumoured ‘dragon’, he avoided it and made it to Horsingas safely.
There was an almost circular region centred on where the covenant was, where everything is slumped down. The hills where their caves were have collapsed. There was loose stone, rock, brick and wood all over the ground. Allistor thought that the devastation includes everything that was enclosed by their Aegis of the Hearth.
He found a body amongst the rock. It was the remains of a middle aged woman, wearing good quality servant’s clothing. Probably crushed to death by the falling rocks. The epicentre seems to be centred on the guest quarters.
The next day, Allistor managed to find some more bodies, and he took them to a nearby village. Eventually, he found a boar that is still alive – probably the heartbeast of a Bjornaer magus. However, the boar is barely conscious. Further magi are found – but they are all dead.
One of the local peasants tried to take the boar as food, but was chased off by a torrent of water from Allistor. By the time we turn up, Allistor has found another maga who is still alive. However, like the boar, she is not conscious.
The boar is Coenwulf Eofurcumbol ex Bjornaer, the maga Whitburh Frithowebba ex Guernicius. Coenwulf’s wife Ealwynn, another Bjornaer is also there but amongst the dead. Eventually, all the magi are accounted for, with only two still alive.
Maedbh checks the aura, which is strongly faerie, and there is no Aegis of the Hearth here. Last year’s would have terminated at the end of the year, so presumably whatever happened here did so before then, so there was nobody to renew it.
We have a discussion about whether it would be okay to cast magic on a magus without permission in order to save their life, and conclude that regardless of what Hermetic Law says, probably nobody is going to press charges.
So I cast The Chirurgeon’s Healing Touch on Whitburh, followed by Bind Wound to stabilise her condition. She is still unconscious, but hopefully less likely to die. As for Coenwulf, in order to affect a Bjornaer who is in their Heart Beast form, you need Animal, not Corpus magic. So there’s little we can do for him except hope.
We decide that we probably need to get help. The nearest friendly covenant is Fire’s Heart, about 40 miles away. So Allistor heads that way to see if they are willing to provide assistance.
A few hours later, a giant eagle turns up, with a person riding on their back. They are magi from Fire’s Heart. The rider is Brother Martin, who is able to help with healing the wounded. We will need to get them somewhere more suited to healing though, which will probably mean creating a litter and taking them to Fire’s Heart.
