Nerius Log #8: Ignigena, Part III

The Players

Acer						Magus		(Ian)
Anchises Tarquinius                             Magus           (John)
Atratus                                         Magus           (Dave)
Cleo						Magus		(Henry)
Daisy                                           Giant Lizard
Dedecus                                         Magus           (Chris)
Henry of Louten                                 Autocrat        (Shannon)
Insolitus Georgius                              Magus           (Eric)
Jerard                                          Companion       (Henry)
Marbaid                                         Magus           (Billy)
Roberto Maria Jiminez-Pena                      Magus
Rose Tourrante                                  Magus
Silva Ambages                                   Magus
Souris                                          Companion       (Ian)
Stagnum Os                                      Magus           (Scott)

**
** From the notes of Silva Ambages, a clutter of books, notepads and 
** papers that the magi of the Covenant of Saint Nerius scribed

It seems that Alondra did me a huge favor when she guided me to the
Covenant of Saint Nerius.  She had said that many of the magi here
were the friends of the Faerie, but I believe they are something more,
for, when I arrived, I was forced to wait for some time, because no less
than five of the seven full members of the Covenant were out adventuring.
They are not your average magi, it seems, who live their lives cloistered
in their labs, hoping to gain some small bit of knowledge that will
immortalize their names, even after their extended life has ended, and
this fills me with joy, for I feel this Covenant may truly be alive,
and that I may enjoy myself here, much more than the other Covenants
that I have briefly stayed at durings my journeys, since the time of
my appreniceship.

I have heard the story of their trip to Ignigena, the journey upon
which they were on when I arrived, so many times that I feel compelled
to scribe it, and, although the magi may not be the most heroic, and
though their actions may not have been the most intelligent, Ignigena
itself is a lost Covenant, full of mystique, and it deserves to be
written of.  Perhaps some day I shall compose the epic of Ignigena,
but, as of now, the events are too inconclusive.  I am sure that some-
day we shall return there.

When I think of the tales that I have heard of Ignigena, the vision
that first comes to my mind is one of Chaos, and I shall begin my
narrative at the time of most Chaos, when the Pearl of Wisdom was
regained, for when the Pearl of Wisdom was recovered was surely
when this ordinary, sorid tale, became an epic story.  The image
that I see most strongly is Marbaid and Anchises madly fleeing, having
failed to tunnel out of Ignigena with the newly-won Pearl, and, at the
same time, Jerard, Dedecus, and Souris, supporting the ailing Stagnum
fleeing also, all hoping to escape the under-tunnels of Ignigena and
the fiery beast that stood there, threatening Atratus still.

Dedecus, and his band of companions were menaced by a truly worthy beast.
It seems that Daisy, who had befriended the passed on Dirnano was angered,
and she blocked exit from the caves.  Kind Jerard however, calmed him
down by feeding him his staff, and Daisy soon let them pass.  However,
beyond Daisy, they would find a further sign of her wrath, a woman, in
strange armor, made of the giant cockroaches who lived in Ignigena lay
wounded.  Eventually the magi, stopping in a way uncharacteristic for
many of their kind, befriended the woman, and aided her, by carrying
her from the Covenant, once again beginning their mad flight.

Soon after, Anchises and Marbaid, carrying the Pearl of Wisdom, also
emerged from the caverns.  Showing the greed of many magi, they marched
to the Library that had balked them before, and Anchises, using the power
of the Pearly, prepared to destroy the door, opening the Library at once.
Yet, the air was full of magic, and the world still chaotic, and Anchises
turned this epic tale into one of epic tragedy, for, in attempting to 
destroy the magic of the door, he botched horribly, and, he would soon
discover, managed to instead destroy his own magical gift.  Once, again
their was panic, and Anchises and Marbaid quickly fled the Covenant
building, wishing to test it's limits no more.

As the magi regrouped, and counted heads, they realized that they had
left one of their own behind, in a move not uncharacteristics of magi
the world over, but, Atratus would soon emerge, no worse the wear for
the attentions of Vancust, an elemental being of fire, who had once
been a magi of the covenant, and, if anything, more aware of things
from his twilight.  And, in his hands, Anchises bore ignem vis, taken
from the lava of the mountain itself.

The rest of the tale, it seems, is rather boring, and hardly worth
recounting, but, I record here because every epic must have an end.
After a little experimentation, the magi found that a different word
was needed to pass through the portal on this side, but, by luck, friends
of the woman whom they had saved from Daisy knew it, for they were the
descendants of the groogs left behind so long ago, and thus, the magi
left Ignigena, along with these many 'cockroach warriors', and Daisy,
who had found an attachment ot Anchises since Dirnanon's demise.  The
other side of the gate would, this time, emerge into a dark place
that was very hot, and, after many days of walk, the magi would escape
the tunnels, only to find themselves in faraway Hungary, with a long
voyage ahead of them.

**
** From the Autocrat's Log, Covenant of Saint Nerius
** scribed by Henry, Autocrat of Stabilis Fidelis
** Fall, 1199

The wizards finally arrived back after nearly one season away.  It
seems that their exit from Ignigena was quite far away, and they had
quite a trek.  Arrived without Dirnano and Somnium, who apparently both
perished in the attempt to gain Ignigena's wealth.  Items gained from
Ignigena seem to be itemized as follows:

1 Undamaged Magickal Book, in code, but seeming to speak of Auram
1 Damaged book on Hermes Lore, with treatise on the Pearl of Wisdom.
1 Damaged book with one hand of Ignem spells
3 Damaged books on the art of Ignem
2 Damaged books on the art of Creo
1 Damaged book written in Greek (another language to learn!)
1 Damaged book detailing Longevity Potions
1 wood box, that is magical, and, it seems, may be used to hide items
1 magical mask of fired clay, found in the box
1 stringless lute
1 giant lizard named Daisy (Seems to think it belongs to Anchises)
3 grogs (living to south of Covenant now)
1 woman (living to south of Covenant now)
4 potential apprentices (living to south of Covenant now)
4 suits of cockroach armor, with some vis in them (held by grogs & woman)
16 Pawns of Ignem Vis, in the form of lava
Much vis from the bodies of Dirnano and Somnium

**
** From the Logs of the Council of the Covenant of Saint Nerius
** Fall, 1199

Division of Vis from the last expedition was done.  Dirnano and
Somnium contiue to serve us, and our vis stores have been extended
greatly, despire the cost of the Hermes gate.  Much time will need
to be expended to understand the various books and items that have
been brought back from Ignigena, but they will surely make our
Covenant more powerful.  Daisy has been given to Anchises, to, in
some small way, help him over his great loss.  Two of the four
potential members were at the Covenant, thus Silva and Georgius
were voted on.  They have both been accepted as Associate Members,
although Acer voted against Silva.  New Seniors members were also
selected, to fill the two holes, and Cleo and Marbaid now bear that
rank.  The Pearl was discussed, and many want to destroy it, but
the final decision was to hold it until such a time as it can be
investigated.  Marbaid claims that it is perfectly all right to
use, and that he was not corrupted in the least.  I shall send
grogs to ask the other two prospective members to join us, and
we should reconvene on that issue in about a week.  In the
meantime, all of the magic-users are busying themselves learning
the secrets of what was recovered from the Lost Covenant.

** From the Logs of the Council of the Covenant of Saint Nerius
** Fall, 1199 (one week later)

Today, we examine Roberto and Rose for membership.  In certain ways, this
was a disturbing event, for they left Dedecus a letter, which seemed to
have bits of Rego Mentem magic about it, and, at least in my view, seemed
to disturb him quite a bit.  Rose was the first magus that we saw, and 
she is a very beautiful magus indeed.  I worry that many of the magi do 
not wish to accept her, especially the two women, Cleo and Silva, 
for she is a bit arrogant for her own good.  The decision was made that she
should return to Nort Sur Erdre, and we would discuss her case tomorrow,
when we do not have her beauty here to distract us.  In the meantime,
we must turn to her companion, Roberto, and see if he too is worthy to join
our Covenant.