Prospectus Logs #14: Peace & War +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Of yet another trial brought upon Prospectus Locus and how the war | | between the Christians and the Moors displays itself in a very blatant | | manner. Also, letters, meetings, and a gathering of grogs. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Dramatis Personae: Albus of Tytalus Magus (Shannon Appel) Catorse of Quaesitor Magus (Kevin Wong) Docilli of Bonisagus Magus (Eric Rowe) Fabricarious of Verditius Magus (Chris Van Horn) Frangere of Tremere Magus (Eric Fulton) Risus of Criamon Magus (Dave Woo) Lorum of Merinita Magus (Bill Filios) Viator of Jerbiton Magus (Dave Pickering) Aubrin Elder Magus Drake Elder Magus Forticulus Elder Magus Lucindia Seneschal (Chris Van Horn) Aitor Basque Grog Federico Leader Grog Gustau Crusader Grog Rodrigo Leader Grog Sergio Siege Grog Antonius of Mercere Magus of Plateau Asadel of Tremere Leader of Sader Boy Docilli's Apprentice Jafia Christian Knight Johannes Covenant Scribe Lord of the Sea Turtles Sea Turtle Mohammed Moorish Leader Olerius Royal Advisor Omar of Tremere Magus of Sader Peter Renegade Monk Samuel Covenant Healer Tara Albus' Apprentice Tempus Templar Leader Gamemaster: Chris Van Horn - * - Albus' Dialogues July 18, 1215 Late Evening Home again! The last months have been interesting. I have increased my understanding of Christians relics manyfold. Still, it is good to be back in comfortable settings. This is especially true now that the loathsome Iberian summer is truly setting in. A flurry of activity since I got in today. First my two new grogs--Aitor and Gustau--had to be introduced to Rodrigo. They both seem like stout men. I believe Xavier selected well. Then I had to deliver those letters that Antonius passed on to me in Barcelona--one went to Viator and two others were circulated. - * - Letter from Drake to Prospectus Locus Written in Nature's Teeth, Novgorod Scribed May 17, 1215 Delivered July 18, 1215 My friends, fellows, and companions, My apologies again for the length between my letters, but the trip to Nature's Teeth was an arduous one. There are such great winds upon the island where the covenant is located that I could not fly in and was forced to rely upon mundane means of transportation! The covenant here is a strange one, and it makes me again look with wonder upon the magnificent home we have in Prospectus Locus: its solid stone walls, its beautiful stained glass windows, its working plumbing. The poor fellows here at Nature's Teeth have a beautiful keep upon their island, but they have never been able to enter it, for it is magically bound. So, they crouch in the courtyard and in the outbuildings while they desperately search for a final gem which will allow them entry into their home-to-be. But, enough--onto my mission. If you have received my last letter, you know it was my privilege to be sent to Nature's Teeth upon a mission for the Primus of Bjornaer. He has long felt guilt over the ancient rivalry between Bjornaer and the many non-Hermetic shapechangers. He hopes to correct that while he still lives. Near ten years ago, a pair of shapechangers belonging to the Order of Odin joined Nature's Teeth--the covenant is oddly split between Odinites and Hermetics, but they seem to work together well--and my Primus wished these people to visit him in Crintera. I talked long with these Odinites, and I was successful, for they have even now left to visit Crintera. It also happened during our conversations that I discussed the return of Bjornaer, and I remember well what Thorgrim said that day: "I do not think that was your old Master that appeared to your people. She is long dead as you must well known. It could only have been The Other, he who taught us to melt our shapes like ice in summer, he who must have taught your Bjornaer too. We call him Loki, and he is a shapechanger, a trickster, and a god of fire. He still walks the lands of the north, bringing evil and good to those who do not deserve it, but are fated for it still." It was a curious story, and I dismissed it at first. But, it set upon my mind and began to consume me. Where Loki is carefree, Bjornaer is stern; where Loki controls fire, Bjornaer fears it. It is a story I have seen many times, of an apprentice breaking away from her master, and becoming everything her master is not. Could it be true here? Thorgrim's story reminded me of what Grimgroth said of the Old Ones, and as I began to wonderingly trace my own lineage back to They, my interest in Them grew and filled my soul. A Criamon of Nature's Teeth, Nova, told me many stories of the Old Ones, and of a mask the covenant once owned which offered visions of Them. She also spoke of another Seeker, Andron, who had long ago passed on to Thebes in the hope of discovering the secrets there that are still locked away here upon this island. That, my friends, is where I have decided to go, where my heart demands I travel. It is Thorgrim's words that lead me, his statement that it was an Old One who taught Bjornaer, and to whom we must all trace our lineage. It explains much, makes sense of much that is senseless, and so I need learn more. I will find answers in Thebes, and then I will return to you, my friends. Drake PS: The fellows at Nature's Teeth are looking for a diamond the size of a fist that was last held by a magus named Trollwise. I have seen a copy of it (embedded in their council table, of all things!), and even that is quite impressive. If Lucindia could look for any reference to such a gem appearing in Iberia in the last thirteen years and send such information on to Nova at Nature's Teeth, it would be appreciated. - * - Letter from Generarus of Plateau to Viator Scribed June 7, 1215 Delivered July 18, 1215 Viator of Jerbiton, I will begin construction on your magic item on January 1, 1216. If you wish to send helpers, please be sure they arrive by that date. I will be located at the former home of Andalusia. Final payment should be remitted at that time. Generarus of Plateau - * - Letter from Drake to Prospectus Locus Written in Transylvania Scribed June 8, 1215 Delivered July 18, 1215 My friends, fellows, and companions, Traveling through Transylvania on my way to Thebes. Not much to report, but I ran into a redcap tonight and didn't wish to miss the opportunity. Lots of worry about Tremere vampires here. Makes our Reconquista-Roman squabbles look small. All the best. Drake PS: Make sure Frangere doesn't melt away in sunlight or anything. - * - Albus' Dialogues July 18, 1215 Late Evening (continued) After the letters were delivered I was finally able to go chat with Docilli. Tomorrow I will begin teaching Tara the arts of Hermes. I am nervous about this, so I asked Docilli for advice. We talked about how an apprentice best learns. Docilli suggested one should allow an apprentice to choose those arts she is interested in. I have accepted his advice. When I spoke with Tara I learned that she was most interested in Creo Corpus. So, I will open her to the arts of Hermes tomorrow, and the first lessons will be on Corpus. Then I must brush up on my Creo so that I may teach that to her next year. It's now very late. I need to write a letter to this new Papal Legate to express my interest in his Christian relic. Then I will finally be able to rest--a well-earned sleep in my own rooms. - * - Letter from Albus to Papal Legate Paulus Scribed July 18, 1215 Papal Legate Paulus, Greetings to you. My name is Peter. I am one of the scholars of the Ebro delta keep. I have been visiting a church near Barcelona for the last several months and have just returned. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. I am intrigued by what I have heard of your relic of Joseph of Arimathea. I hope I can come and visit--perhaps early next year--and do what I can to aid in your investigation of this relic and so learn of it myself. Peter, Scholar of the Ebro delta - * - The Council Records Written by Boy at Docilli's Instruction It is July twentieth in the year twelve-hundred and fifteen These Are Official! The magi in attendence are Albus, Aubrin, Catorse, Docilli, Frangere, Fabricarious, Forticulus, Lorum, Risus, and Viator. Two magi are absent. Drake is likely in Greece. Xanti is studying at Mistridge. We had ten magi, and so that was enough for quorum which requires there be a majority of covenant members, or at least that was the case when this meeting was called. Aubrin called the meeting to order. AUBRIN spoke first, to tell the Council of disturbing news. He hears that an army of a thousand moors is moving up the coast supported by a Moroccan navy. Aubrin knows Mohammed, the leader of this army, and says he is a cruel and brutal man. Further, news says that Olerius, an advisor of the young king of Aragon, is raising an army to combat this Moorish incursion. However, Olerius plans to make his stand in Mantiun, to our north. There was much discussion and it was decided we would face this problem by waiting for the Moorish army, making our leaders look like Moors, and then proclaim to them that we were friends, naming our old Moorish connections. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "If you were older, I might care." | | -Docilli to Albus, on seniority | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ DOCILLI was rightfully worried about the fact that council meetings could not be called and the covenant was almost undefended until recently, due to the absence of many magi. He raised this issue in two parts. FIRST, he asked for a change to the charter to redefine quorum as a majority of magi at the covenant. A VOTE FOR A CHANGE TO THE CHARTER was called, and there were no objections so it PASSED. SECOND, he asked Aubrin to make a suggestion as elder that magi not leave the covenant if doing so might endanger it. A VOTE was called, and this issue FAILED, but then Aubrin saw the wisdom in Docilli's suggestion and suggested, as Elder, "Magi should feel some loyalty to the covenant and great loyalty to covenfolk, and should not leave the covenant when doing so would put them in grave danger." - * - Aubrin's Memoirs July 22, 1215 I see this Christian-Moorish skirmish is going to be a nasty nuisance for a few months, and the annoyances started today. The Templar Tempus and a few of his warriors came by the covenant today to try and work up some mutual defense pact or something with us this afternoon. I'm really not sure what he was hoping to get, but in any case I told him we were planning to lock the gates and wait for the Moors to go away, and weren't perticularly worried. - * - Albus' Dialogues July 23, 1215 Early Evening The war nears. Looking out from the library windows I could see fires to the South this evening. Further, we receive a demand for five warriors to be sent to Mantiun today. Part of our duty to the King of Aragon. They went off to meet with the army Olerius is gathering there. This war tempts me. Greatly. What a challenge it would be! Today, though, I will side with caution and responsibility. Tara must be taught. And there are too many ways to die by chance on a battlefield. What a waste that would be. Lorum and I are going to go for a swim tonight to spy on the Moorish army. A very prudent plan so we will not be caught unaware. - * - Aubrin's Memoirs July 23, 1215 armies march like ants to the call of the hive-king war is eternal - * - Albus' Dialogues July 24, 1215 Late Evening Our covenant is now absolutely overflowing with people. Something I have never seen before. Thankfully we have been able to send our peasants up to Mantiun--to be protected by Olerius' army--or we would be twice as full. However, we have 100 extra soldiers in the covenant. They are a contingent sent by the King to help protect our castle. He--more likely this Olerius fellow, for I hear the King is young--decided our keep was valuable for control of the Ebro delta. I think that's somewhat overrated considering all the tributaries that lace the delta--but I've never been properly trained in war. Something to correct I suppose. Of course these 100 Christians mess up our plans to masquerade as Moors. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "Well, these 100 men have made our position worse." | | -Aubrin, on tactics | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Lorum and I ate with these new soldiers tonight. We realized they are almost all young and green. A token force at best. Lorum was uppity during dinner for some reason. He was eating his fish normally. Then he got a funny look on his face and ran out of the room with it. He returned a few minutes later with extra sauce, but it was all quite odd. I let the issue drop. - * - Letter from the Lord of the Sea Turtles to Lorum Delivered inside a Cooked Fish, July 24, 1215 Meet me at the grotto at the next full moon so we may resume our duel. If you do not show you shall be forfeit. (Turtle's footprint) - * - Albus' Dialogues July 24, 1215 Late Evening (continued) After dinner Lorum and I went for a swim. We went down the coast a little bit to destroy a few of the Moorish boats. I kept watch while Lorum rotted their hulls. We got two but then had to retreat as they caught sight of us in the water. Probably me--my stealth skills are deficient. As we came back in we caught site of a scuffle at the gate. We found that Peter--a monk from Castello's monastery--was trying to sneak into the covenant. He claims that he was being accused of witchcraft and so he fled to us. I was happy to offer him hospitality. However--in light of the coming Moorish attack--I found it prudent to lock him up. Wouldn't do to have a traitor open our gates. Peter acquiesced. He is now relaxing in one of our nice cells. He had a few interesting books on Christian Kabbalism and will start copying them while he is interred. Oh, we also started digging up the causeway today. It should make life harder for the attacking army. We found buried under it the capitals of some Corinthian columns. Most interesting! I can not help but think it is related to Aquil's seat of power in Bercula. Something to investigate after this battle is over. - * - Aubrin's Memoirs July 25, 1215 With any luck, we can now say "that is that," for today the Moors came, they saw, they left. Veni vidi fugi. It all started out with screams this morning, and when I looked out the tower window I saw some manner of fire elemental flying at our covenant. Fortunately, our aegis deterred it, and when Federico got the troops together, their arrows made it retreat. Shortly afterward the main Moorish army appeared, and they advanced forward to make their demands. We had no plan to surrender, of course, and so their cries fell upon deaf ears. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "Surrender your castle and we will let all of your people live." | | "It's not a castle." | | -Mohammed and Catorse, on interpretations | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ I cleared one of the two gate house towers for exclusive use by my grogs, and that offered a place where the other magi and I could practice magic away from the eyes of the Christians. We made many plans: to destroy the Moors' ladders, shatter their battering rams, put out any fires with magic, and conjure up wounds that weep. None of it was necessary. When the army marched upon us Federico and Viator shouted at them to retreat, Auras of Rightful Authoritie cast upon them. Docilli was sitting nearby, telling them to right words to say in Arabic. The Moorish troops stumbled to a halt and then retreated back to the other side of the excavated causeway. Afterward they portaged a boat with a ballista into our lake, and tried to attack with that, but again Federico and Viator easily drove them off. At that point a few men among the Moors began to move through the army casting spells, and that was when I called the first parley. I went out and spoke to this Moorish magus, and explained who I was, and my connections to Sader and Estancia-es-Karida. I told him we would destroy the army if it attacked, and that he would do best to move along. He tried to ask for concessions, that we join his side, or at least not allow the king's men to operate out of our fortress. I could not agree, and so returned to the castle. When the army prepared to make its third attack the men seemed to be disorganized, and I suspected the wizards had deafened them somehow. As the Moors moved forward I called up a huge fog that surrounded the entire covenant, and used my decades of skill to make it appear as natural as the sun rising in the morning. The attack broke apart, and this time the Moors called out to me to parley. We made no more progress, for I could not promise those things the Moors wanted, and in the end the Moorish sorcerer said that his army was moving on to Mantiun, but that they'd be forced to come back and destroy us afterward, to assure their access up the Ebro. I shrugged; they can try. And so the Moorish army moved away, defeated without a death. I hope Viator and Docilli were pleased by our restraint. I was hoping to be away with our hundred houseguests and so I went to to talk to their leader, Jafia. We discussed many things, from the Moorish retreat to our new neighbors the Templars. In the end, though, I came to my point, that Jafia should take his men to reinforce Mantiun. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "We hear they ride two to a horse if you know what I mean." | | -Jafia, on innuendo | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Jafia refused, again underlying the strategic location of our covenant in the Ebro delta. I was annoyed, for this locale has always been a place of beauty and wonder to me--the troubles that seem to have centered upon it for the last months are unfortunate and disheartening, but I can only hope that they will pass. I sent Viator up to talk with Olerius in Mantiun, but he too refused to move the troops out. Wars and strategies be damned. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "We should have let the beaver keep the damn dam." | | -Lorum, on practicality | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ In October Docilli and I are going to invent a Ward Against Arrows that can shield the entire covenant for a day, and that should be helpful in the future, but for now I think we can rest contented that the Moors are gone on to Mantiun, where they face 700 defenders, and so have almost no chance of taking the walled city. - * - Albus' Dialogues July 27, 1215 Mid-Evening Lucindia returned today with ten grogs. Put my two Barcelonan grogs to shame. That should fill out our turb to something slightly in excess of 25. Lucindia says that more would exceed our current budget. She also brought back a much needed chirurgeon and that scribe to assist her. With the Moorish army now sieging Mantiun I have sent young Peter off to Valencia. He hadn't had time to more than start copying those books. I told him to finish in Valencia and that we could then buy a copy. - * - Aubrin's Memoirs July 27, 1215 I can't help but smirk at the fact that Lorum seems to have bested that faerie turtle again. He received a letter requesting a duel a few days ago and responded saying he didn't find it appropriate for the turtle to chose the time and location. The turtle sent a letter back today saying he'd meet Lorum "anywhere, anytime," and Lorum promptly pocketed that letter and went back to his business. He already believes he has defeated the turtle, it seems, because when the faerie tower regio went away Lorum remained standing on a trod while the turtle was bounced back to Arcadia, so Lorum has no plans to call for a new challenge any time soon. - * - Other Covenant Records as recorded by Lucindia the Seneschal August 3, 1215 Siege engineers and ten additional warriors arrived at the covenant today to begin building ballistas and catapults. They were sent by Olerius. They have begun chopping down trees as part of their construction. - * - Albus' Dialogues August 10, 1215 Late Evening A pair of Moorish boats failed to make it up the Ebro today. They started coming up right along the main river today. Stupid as anything because that's where we are. The ballistas would probably have taken care of them, but Docilli didn't want to see anyone killed. So Lorum and I went for a swim. I holed the ships. The Moors repaired them. Then Lorum sunk them for real. We got some flour, fermented milk, and cheese out of the deal. I'm fairly certain all the Moors made it to shore. Afterward Lorum demanded a council meeting because he was unhappy with Docilli's attitude to this war. I have to agree it's unrealistic. People die. We had a long argument. There was no real resolution. Docilli suggested we destroy our walls so our covenant isn't as valuable--he thinks that will keep us safe. An interesting philosophy and I couldn't guarantee it was wrong. Fabricarious suggested we deepen one of the tributaries so we're not the only place the biggest boats can get up the river. That seems to have some merit. We'll look into it when this is all done. - * - Aubrin's Memoirs August 12, 1215 Today sixteen ships decided to head up the Ebro. The catapults and arbalests would have been lucky to take out more than a few of them, but Docilli wanted to avoid death. So, with my blessing, he headed down river to the boats with a map of the tributaries. His parley was successful, for the 16 boats turned back, and afterward all but the largest started heading up the western edge of the delta. Seeing this Jafia decided to take his men out to try and block that particularly tributary up with rocks and other obstructions and that's about where I threw my hands up. As much as I respect the moral views of Docilli and Viator, we just can't stop an entire war, so I let Jafia and his men go. Still, I'm going to try one last thing at Docilli's request--I'm flying upriver about 60 miles to a where Ebro turns west, and I'm going to try and create a natural looking rockslide to block the Ebro, then divert it, which should hopefully result in us being in a less advantageous position. It's not a long term solution, but we can come up with one later. For now, I hope it gets us out of a very uncomfortable position where we don't want to fight anyone at all. I feel as powerless as I did back at Tribunal, when Asadel told me I shouldn't let the youngsters push me around. - * - Notes of Omar of Tremere, Magus of Sader The twelfth of August in 1215 Came across Docilli today. Our ships were sailing up the river. He brought a map of the Ebro's tributaries. Saved me the trouble of certamening his covenant. We're going to use one of the tributaries instead. Good to have magi who understand we Tremere should be served. Asadel will be pleased. - * - Albus' Dialogues August 18, 1215 Late Afternoon Aubrin is back. He never managed to divert the Ebro. Didn't have the right engineering skills for it, it seems. Looks like it's no longer relevent though. Aubrin saw the Moorish army retreating from Mantiun. A little bloody and worse for wear. So Aubrin returned. Just in case the Moorish army decided to stop here again. But they didn't. They seem to be in full retreat. Olerius and his army in Mantiun must have won. - * - Aubrin's Memoirs August 19, 1215 I think I can now safely say, "That is that," for Olerius stopped by today to pick up his 100 extra warriors, and our covenant is now back to normal. The only thing of particular note is that Olerius asked for some advice on where a royal fort could best be placed in this area. I worked with Sergio to offer a proposal that clearly states it would be much better off in Zelipe's land, away from us. All around a good thing, for that royal fort will become the new vital strategic point in the Ebro, and hopefully leave us out of the whole mess next time this happens. As long as it is put in Zelipe's land, all should be fine. - * - Albus' Dialogues September 1, 1215 Late Afternoon Grogs finished digging up those columns under our causeway today. It seems there is a stoya there. That is, a line of covered marble columns. We're removing the columns for use--somewhere. They really are quite beautiful. It seems to me a line of marble columns should lead somewhere. I suspect Aquil's throne is just beyond that stoya. To one side of the other. We will have to continue excavations to discover it. And then we can destroy it.