Vardian Log #44: The Enemy Within -- "Can I read your mind? Yah, I'd like to know what's in my mind!" --Dave [while talking to himself] "You don't wake up and find yourself unconsious." --DougL -- Season: Fall, 1211 Dramatis Personae: Andrea Apprentice Arliandus of Quaesitor Magus Bolo Warrior (Dave) Caedes of Flambeau Magus Caelean Magus Calios of Bonsagus Magus (Scott) Certus of Bonsagus Magus Certusaguson Dwarf Demoror of Quaesitor Magus (Billy) Domita of Ex. Misc. Magus (DougL) Flamma of Tremere Magus (Eric) Fortukiton Dwarf Geraldo Companion (DougL) Inimicus of Tremere Magus Karantia of Tremere Magus Robert of Quaesitor Magus Rupes of Bjornaer Magus Segulvia of Quaesitor Magus Tremoror Dwarf ** ** From the Notes of Vincere, Personal Scribe to Arliandus, Primus of ** House Quaesitor In the Summer of 1211, the Quaesitors of the Order were called together for a grand meeting in Magvillus, the first in many years. Seventy Quaesitors were present. Only a handful were unable to attend. At the appointed time, Arliandus, primus of the Grand House, Guernicus, began to speak. He spoke of two grave threats to the Order, possibly the greatest since The Schism War itself. The first threat that Arliandus spoke of was the Church, one of the Order's oldest problems. He spoke of the recent Papal Bull against the Order, and expressed worry of it's implications. Already, he said, it was having it's effects upon the world around us. As an example, he mentioned the Covenant of Portaclera. It had been destroyed by German Mundanes, due to the recent outcry against magi. Arliandus also mentioned the Covenant of Saint Nerius in France. Once, it had been seen as the hope of peace between the Order and the Church. Now, it has been disbanded, to protect our Order. To try and contain this problem, Arliandus asked that the Quaesitors do all that they could to try and curtail interaction between the Church and the Order. Then, Arliandus moved on to the true issue to be discussed. Becoming more grave as he spoke, Arliandus then proceeded to tell the assembled Quaesitors of evidence of a Conspiracy within the Order itself, bent on the destruction of all of Hermes. As Arliandus spoke, five Flambeau slowly walked into the room. They moved into a circle around Segulvia of Quaesitor as Arliandus revealed that Segulvia was a member of the Consipracy that he spoke of. Before any could react, Segulvia was killed by the assembled Flambeau. Having ensured the sanctity of the meeting, Arliandus went on to explain the evidence of this Conspiracy. He told of Robert of Quaesitor discovering a strange silverish powder that was reputed to change the aura of an area. When Robert used it, he found that it allowed him access to another place. It was a gateway to a magic realm that was much like our own world, yet different in many small ways. In that realm, Robert came upon a small village. The villagers there spoke of their masters, and how they would destroy our Order. Especially, they spoke of one named Tristus. Through further investigation, Arliandus said that he had found that that magic realm was the home of the Organization that wishes to destroy our Order. Additionally, he had discovered that the Organization seemed to contain many descendants of House Diedne, the scourge which we wiped from our Order two hundred years ago. After speaking long against Diedne, and those who would betray us now, and mentioning that he suspected that this Organization was at the heart of our current problems with the Church, Arliandus told the gathered Quaesitors of their duty. He stated that all must be scrutinized for their possible connection with the conspiracy, and said that special attention must be paid to the houses Bjornaer and Ex. Misc. Even more, he warned that the Tribunals of Hibernia, Loch Leglean and Stonehenge were especially suspect. After speaking on the matter for an extended time, the floor was finally opened for discussion. For the next several days, I assembled a list of those who the Quaesitors of the Order suspected. Over two hundred names were listed. Finally, the Grand Quaesitor Tribunal of 1211 was called to an end. ** ** From the Notes of Vincere, Personal Scribe to Arliandus, Primus of ** House Quaesitor One of the magi who Arliandus spoke with after the meeting was Flamma, a maga of Vardian's Tomb. She had earlier stated that she had been to the realm that Arliandus had described, led by two that she named as Inimicus and Karantia of Tremere. After Arliandus had assured himself that Flamma was not a member of the conspiracy, she was allowed to speak. She defended Inimicus and Karantia, saying that the realm was probably due to Apertus, a diabolist who was slain after an Official Wizard's March over a decade ago. Flamma listed the others who had been to the realm with her, and then gave a list of a dozen suspects within the Tomb before her audience was ended. ** ** From the Chronicles of Salvadore ** Fall, 1211 The Council Meeting of Fall, 1211, began when Certus of Bonisagus addressed the younger magi of the Tomb. He said that he, and the other elders, were pleased with the recovery of Guiseppe's diary, and to give thanks gave all of the younger magi one season in the greater library. He also requested the rest of Guiseppe's books which the younger magi had acquired. For a time, Calios argued, but it was finally decided that the rest of Guiseppe's book would be turned over to the elders as Certus had requested. Next, Demoror of Quaesitor rose to spoke. He mentioned that he had recently attended a Grand Quaesitor Tribunal, and that all of Guernicus was quite worried over the current policies of the Church. He said that the decision had been made at the meeting that there would be less interference with the Church and the Mundanes. Fortunatus and Luke of Jerbiton took this announcement with ill grace, but Certus promised that he would do what he could to help and make the ruling less harsh to them. Demoror next mentioned that Flamma was now officially a Quaesitor of Flambeau. However, before he could continue, he was interupted by Fortunatus of Jerbiton, who had been quite quiet throughout the meeting. He mentioned that before the returned friendship in the Covenant, he had made a great mistake. At the fair, he said, he had talked with Alinardo of Tytalus and Caedes of Flambeau. Alinardo had convinced Fortunatus that Certus was one of the primary causes of the recent problems with the Church, and so Fortunatus had paid Caedes to declared a Wizard's War against Certus. Apologizing the whole time, Fortunatus went on to say that he expected notificatation of that Wizard's War to come to Certus very soon. Apparently, Fortunatus had sent word to Caedes to not call the war after all, and he had been ignored. Certus jumped up, to leave the Council Room and begin his preparations, and he was followed by Fortunatus, who the whole time kept declaring that he had been mistaken, and that he would do all he could to help. When the two had left the Council Room, Demoror mentioned that he too was involved in a Wizard's War. He said that one named Caelean had challenged him to War on his way back from Magvillus, in a dream. ** ** From Rupes' Book It was in Fall of 1211 that I was finally able to return to my home, Vardian's Tomb. At Crintera, I had been serving Urgen, who was trying to make me a "better" Bjornaer. When he died in that season, I was finally freed. I am somewhat unhappy about Urgen's demise for if he had been able to live longer, I might have been able to gain his confidence, and the position that I had earlier coveted. Due to his death, I fear that the position that I sought for is now forever beyong my reach. Upon my return to the Tomb, I went to Luke at once, wishing to again see the one who I respect most at that place. In his lab, I found Demoror, making vile accusations against me. He was speaking of his apprentice, Andrea, who had disappeared just before my return. Thinking me still absent, he was vilely libeling me behind my back, blaming me for the disappearance. So, I greeted him as all good magi should, with a Certamen. Clearly, Demoror has spent more of the last years studying than I, for the fool was able to defeat me. In return, I allowed him to peer into my mind, knowing that he could not truly comprehend it. When I awoke, he seemed confident that I had not taken his apprentice. Tea the next day was the same chaotic, yet informative, affair that it had always been. For a time, Karantia complained of how she had fled Postestas to escape four nosey Quaesitors who had taken up residence. When she asked Demoror who had sent them, he would not respond. Demoror was more concerned about his apprentice, who Domita had revealed was in a Faerie Covenant far below the Lake. After tea had ended, Demoror got together a bunch of magi to go and investigate that lead. I went along just to annoy the idiot. I was really quite disapointed. The "Covenant" was full of Faeries, seven or eight I believe, yet none of the others wanted to collected the vis that they represented. Instead, we talked with them for a while, accusing them of all manner of evil things. They seemed to get into the spirit of things and began to accuse us as well. For a while, they claimed that Demoror was a Diedne, and then they began saying the same of me. I still do not understand where they came up with that sudden discussion of a long dead House. Finally, after casting some spells, we decided that Domita's original spell had been mistaken, and that Andrea was nowhere in the Covenant of Faeries. We returned to the Tomb, and shortly afterwards, Demoror headed off to Magvillus, seeking more information. His apprentice finally turned up again, and no explanation was given. ** ** From the Accounts of Tractare Despite Fortunatus' betrayal, still the elders of the Tomb stay unified. Together, they managed to hold off the Flambeau who threatened Certus, and together they still stand. ** ** From the Diary of Luke On September 19, 1211, Flamma had her third child, Tercero. The birth occurred at Literatus, and thus I was unfortunately not present. I am quite happy for Flamma and Tolas.