Prospectus Logs #32: Out of Africa +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Of the renewed quest for silver amulets, a curse unending. The | | troublesome and prickly corners of Hermetic politics, a return trip to | | Africa, and a second meeting with the Almohad army. Also, the final | | fate of a certain maga. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Dramatis Personae: Albus Magus of Tytalus (Shannon Appel) Berengarius Magus of Criamon (Eric Rowe) Fabricarious Magus of Veriditius (Chris Van Horn) Risus Magus of Criamon (David Woo) Viator Magus of Jerbiton (David Pickering) Hufar Arabic Grog Roger-Tien French Grog Steven Crusader Grog Xavier Iberian Grog Angel Angel Isaac Jewish Rabbi Koman Jewish Rabbi Monya of Matmata Jewish Sorceress Narisian Ex. Misc. Sansaron Magus Omar of the Blackeyes Leader of Almohad Army Thomas Sansaron Grog Story Guide: Bill Filios - * - Other Records as recorded by Lucindia the Seneschal July 12, 1218 Viator has returned from his trip to Rome. He reports that the College of Cardinals has taken up the issue of whether the artifact at our nearby monastery should be brought to Rome. - * - Albus' Dialogues August 30, 1218 Late Afternoon Some things never die. So it seems with Monya and her thirty pieces of silver. This day we were approached by a magus. Narisian. The leader of the Sansaron covenant at Carthage. He brought accusations and demands. Narisian stated that Monya and her Berbers were causing problems for Carthage. Raiding and looting. He was mad at me for returning her amulets. He blamed me for the problems. I never fear hypocrisy. So, I was willing to hide behind the Treaty of Barcelona that I had ignored on my last trip to Africa. Narisian tried to certamen me. He claimed Monya was diabolic. I warned him that such a certamen would not know resolution without a trip to Magvillus. This seemed to cow him. Afterward I became more accomodating. I offered to help him on a few conditions. I told him I would retrieve the silver from Monya only if I saw proof that she was diabolic. In addition I offered to try and make peace between himself and Monya. In return Narisian will never again bring this incident up. We will leave tomorrow. I believe Berengarius, Fabricarious, and Risus will join me. We will also be joined by Thomas, a grog from Sansaron; I have requested his attendance so that Monya may have a Sansaron present to make peace with. En route to Djerba--Monya's village--we hope to find a rabbi--someone who can assess whether Monya's magic is diabolic or not. I was just preparing to begin Tara's next season of study. Instead I have decided to take Lorum up on his kind offer of a few years ago. When I helped him track down the sea turtle he offered in return to teach my apprentice for a season. So, in a few weeks time Lorum will begin Tara's training in Imagonim. It is an art I am not quite adequate in. It is also an art that interests her. All goes well. - * - Albus' Dialogues September 1, 1218 Late Afternoon Two things of note. First, last night I had the most wonderful dream. Her doing, no doubt about it. I was in a beautiful Templar church. In Rome. There I presented clergy men with Judas' coins. I felt wonderful. It is almost enough to make me believe in Her again. Second, this afternoon we stopped in Valencia. I went ashore to try and find word of our diabolic tinsmith. He has gone underground again. I have tried to make the rulers of Valencia understand how dangerous a diabolist can be. - * - Albus' Dialogues September 4, 1218 Evening Again last night the dream. I begin to wonder why I fight against Her. She can offer me such peace, such wonder. We stopped by Sader today hoping to pick up a Kabbalist. No luck. We do have a name of a rabbi in Carthage, however. Koman. - * - Albus' Dialogues September 10, 1218 Early Morning My dreams were different last night. Filled with brutality instead of peace. I was in Djerba. A host of warriors marched behind me. I slew, looted, and burned as I went. Berbers died before me. I killed Monya with my own hands. Scattered about her body were books and something more. The six silver amulets. The six Hands of Fatima. I spoke with my fellows when I woke. Berengarius believes that I have once again seen faraway events. As I did when I saw the silver first discovered. If so, Monya is now dead. My whole mission grows more complex. What do I now owe Narisian? What do I owe Her? - * - Albus' Dialogues September 12, 1218 Late, Late Evening No luck in Carthage today. Koman was not available. Still it seems scarcely relevent. Monya is dead. There is no longer a need to determine whether she is a diabolist. I went to sleep shortly after our minor disappointment in Carthage. I had a new dream tonight. From Her, as ever. She came to me tonight. She praised me and told me that the bearer of the amulets was dead. She said that she would aid me in by quest by recreating my bond to the amulets. Then she mixed my blood with Monya's. When I woke there was stigmata upon my hands. I fear I am tied once more to the amulets. To the coins. Berengarius agrees. - * - Albus' Dialogues September 14, 1218 Evening We arrived today at the coast near Djerba. In two days we should arrive at the village. - * - Albus' Dialogues September 16, 1218 Late Evening Today we arrived at Djerba. It went as I had expected. The place was in ruins. Destroyed maybe a week ago. On the day of my dream. We saw a figure about the ruins. At first I thought it might be a surviving inhabitant. Risus and I tried to chase him down. I know he was more than I had thought when a spell hit my Parma. I was suddenly paralyzed. Fortunately my fellows were able to chase down what appeared to be an old man. Fabricarious slew him with his new Pilum of Flame. Somehow, the man was reduced to dust. I recovered from my paralysis. As we spoke we realized that we were surrounded by an infernal aura. This answered the problem of the man's devolution to dust. He had been a demon. For a time we argued the problem of demonic vis. But then Risus scattered the old man's remains. Or so we thought at the time. Searching a little longer we discovered Monya's body. I collected the books surrounding her. The amulets were gone. At this point I found myself at a moral quandry. I was unsure whether to continue at this point. Whether to seek the amulets further or not. Whether my job for Narisian was done or not. My questioning was only ended when we were attacked once more. Tracking down the second old-man-demon was equally easy. After the grogs and I slew him I scattered the vis. Much to my surprise my fellows were unhappy about this. Berengarius started to claim that Risus had lied about scattering the first vis. I grew angry that Berengarius called my old friend a liar. So I certamened him. Unfortunately I am a generalist while Berengarius is a Mentem specialist. He was able to beat me. As a result I may no longer destroy demonic vis--except as part of normal usage. I can live with this I think. Drake and Aubrin have tried to convince us all that demonic vis is chaotic but not evil. Perhaps they are right. We waited on through the evening, hoping that another demon would attack us. It was not to be. And then in the evening we were faced with a surprise. Risus suddenly announced that he had been controlled by one of the demons for much of the day. My whole argument with Berengarius had been moot. Risus had never destroyed that original vis. The demon controlling him had lied. We tried some more to find that third demon--the one which had controlled Risus--but were unsuccessful. Finally we beded down for the night, just outside the tainted ruins. A word on the taint: I was at first worried about it. Afraid that it might prove that Monya played with demonic powers. But I have since thought back on what Isaac taught me. He told me that places where the Jewish people met great defeat might become tainted. I believe that is what has happened here. We will only remove the taint if a new Jewish peoples resettles in the land. - * - Albus' Dialogues September 17, 1218 Midday Today Xavier was able to find the tracks of the army that destroy Djerba. There are hundreds of warriors. Remembering back to my dream I believe that it is the Almohad army that attacked Djerba. I have decided to go after them. I hope to negotiate for the amulets. - * - Albus' Dialogues September 21, 1218 Evening We met with the army today. Things went as satisfactorily as expected. The leader of the army was named Omar. At my request he came out to meet us. I explained to him that I was looking for Hands of Fatima and willing to pay for them. He sent word out to his army. He soon appeared with eleven Hands. Six of them were indeed the six that Monya had made. Unfortunately he asked for far too much. Three hundred pounds of silver. I began to consider possibilities. Taking Omar. Attacking the army. Fortunately common sense prevailed. I was angry at first. Of all people it was Berengarius who calmed me. After I spoke with Berengarius I had one last talk with Omar. I asked him to bring the amulets to Sader so that we could trade there. I also asked him to bathe the amulets in the blood of his enemies if possibly. If he does I will be freed of my new bond. So, we are off toward home. We need to make two stops on the way. One in Carthage to ask Jews to resettle Djerba. One in Sader to ask for their help with the negotiations. Then it is home. - * - Albus' Dialogues October 3, 1218 Evening A useful stop in Sader today. I have told them the amulets should arrive soon. I have said I am willing to pay thirty pounds of silver. Twice their market value. Hopefully the magi of Sader will use magic to help convince the Almohads of this fair price. This was all Berengarius' suggestion. He is more intelligent than I would have thought. And more rational at times. - * - The Council Records as recorded by Lucindia the Seneschal October 7, 1218 In attendence: Albus, Aubrin, Berengarius, Catorse, Drake, Fabricarious, Forticulus, Frangere, Fraxima, Larissa, Lorum, Risus, Viator, and Xanti; also myself, Lucindia the Seneschal. Absent: None. Points of Debate: * ALBUS asked for the allocation of 30 pounds of silver. He pointed out that he had in the past given a large amount of gold to the covenant, following the Liminal incident, and also offered to spend a few seasons working for the covenant. Albus' request was granted. He shall spend the next season writing a few spells for the covenant. * LORUM requested that we delay the building of the church by a year, claiming a lack of funds. There are sufficient funds at this time. This issue failed. * BERENGARIUS requested that Chicken #14 be allowed to vote for him at council meetings. This issue failed. - * - Albus' Dialogues October 7, 1218 Evening All goes well. With any luck I will have the amults by year's end. I am tempted to drop them in the bottom of the Mediteranean to spite Her. But I am no longer sure. After Her latest dreams I have a hard time keeping up the gruff exterior I put forth when Isaac was with me. I have allocated all the vis from our adventure to Berengarius and Fabricarious. Neither Risus nor I want anything to do with this tainted vis.