Vardian Log #53: Childhood's End Season: Fall, 1214 to Spring, 1217 Dramatis Personae: Angus of Bonisagus Magus (Don) Bolo Warrior (Dave) Certus of Bonisagus Magus Chavin of Tytalus Magus David Fellow Demoror of Quaesitor Magus (Billy) Durus Ghost Domita Ex Miscellanea Maga (Doug) Geraldo Warrior (Doug) Gotho Grog Hadrian of Flambeau Magus Lucky Cat Lucky the Younger Cat Nevill Grog Rupes of Tremere Magus Sadie Wife Specula Daughter Taron of Bonisagus Magus Tolas of Tremere Magus Verdan of Bonisagus Magus (Shannon) ** ** From the Journals of Certus ** Fall, 1214 Angus has finally showed a bit of common sense. When he appeared at the Council Meeting today, he had Truth encased in a magic scabbard that he had made. It blocked Truth's spell, so that they would not fly wildly whenever one moved into it's radius of effect. Quite a good move on his part, for I was about to deal with thata damned blade once and for all after that Bjornaer incident. ** ** From the Secret Diary of Tolas ** Mid Fall, 1214 Since Certus agreed to support my new Covenant, just before the Tribunal, I have been able to gather a good amount of support. It seems that things are going quite well. Postestas and Vardian's Tomb have both pledged a large amount of support, and even Arliandus has promised to back me at the next Tribunal. Even better is the fact that many of the magi of the Tomb have expressed a wish to join me in moving to Sardinia. At first, I had expected perhaps a Tremere or two from the Tomb, and maybe the Criamon. Now, however, both younger Bonisagus have mentioned that they expect to join us, and Meles, who hasn't been around for years, has reappeared, and also asked to be a part of Dragon's Rise. The Bonisagus are no doubt plants from Certus, and I have no idea what to make of Meles, but still, I think they shall all provide more good than bad. Tenatively, I have set Spring, 1218 as the date to move to Dragon's Rise. There are so many things to do between now and then. I hope we shall be able to complete them all. ** ** From the Journals of Certus ** Late Fall, 1214 I write this entry with a hand that is burnt, blistered and bruised, but still, I must say that today was a good day, for I have dealt with a problem that has plagued my Covenant for years. Three days ago, a Mundane showed up at the Tomb. He had been sent by Marco, who had been keeping an eye out on matters in Rome for me. The word that he brought was good. Marco had finally located Parins. I should take a step back and explain myself. At the time, I thought Parins some type of diabolic creature. Several times, he had caused problems for our Covenant, constantly manipulating things from the shadows, almost always through diabolic agencies. Last year, Parins nearly destroyed my Covenant, almost washing it away with the waters of an ancient fountain. It was at that time that I began to keep a constant watch for Parins. Now, that vigiliance had finally paid off. So, I gathered Chavin, Hadrian and Taron, and we set off to the Faerie Forest where Marco said that Parins had been seen. Finding Parins was relatively easy. He was right in the middle of a scheme to anger both the Faeries of the Forest and the Church in Rome, and to lay the blame upon our own Covenant. The ensuing fight was a great one. Somehow, all four of us managed to survive. Parins threw demonic beasts and faerie creatures at us again and again, but each fell, and at last Parins was without defenders. Realising that Parins was defenseless, I threw myself at him, and began to pummel him. After I had bruised and battered him for a while, he finally cried enough, and then, I began to ruthlessly question him, continuing to batter him whenever he refused to answer me. I was quite surprised when I learned that Parins was nothing more than a simple Mundane. Apparently, he had been born with some power to control arcane entities. Faeries, ghosts, even demons, or so it seemed, were all pawns in Parins' hands. Only when we had finally exhausted him, defeating all of his creatures, had we been able to defeat him. Apparently, shortly after Parins had learned to control his powers, he had descended upon the Covenant of Sansaron. He had corrupted that place, and made it his own. When the younger magi reported on Sansaron, leading to it's final destruction, Parins came to us, determined to take revenge on those who had destroyed his home. At first he tested our limits, with his vampire and his demon and his other plots. When he found that I had actually managed to instill some morals within my magi, he decided that he would settle for nothing less than the destruction of the Tomb. And, this is what he had been working upon when Chavin, Hadrian, Taron and I descended upon him. My curiosity abated, I killed Parins, for he was much too dangerous to live. The four of us thus returned to the Covenant, happy that a grave danger to the Covenant had been met. ** ** From the Diary of Verdan of Bonisagus This day, I attended the wedding of Domita in Rome. She was married to a man named David, who seems a nice enough fellow. I am quite pleased that she has found the same happiness that Sadie and I have. ** ** A Letter From Verdan of Bonisagus to Demoror of Quaesitor ** Spring, 1215 Dear Demoror, I will be working with Rupes in lab for the next two seasons, helping him to make a Longevity Potion. Please do not declare a Wizard's War upon him during this period. Thank You. Verdan of Bonisagus ** ** From the Diary of Verdan of Bonisagus ** Late Summer, 1215 When I finished helping Rupes with that Longevity Potion, he made Bolo magic armor, just like he had promised. Bolo seemed quite pleased, and I am happy that such a good defender can now defend me better. Next, I'm going to make him that Longevity Potion that I promised, to repay him for saving me from Twilight last year, and then, I can FINALLY get back to completing my training to make myself ready to take an apprentice. Surely, the years are too short. ** ** From the Journals of Certus ** Winter, 1215 Since I sent those fools to Literatus back in 1212, there have been troubles between my grogs and those at Literatus. At first, there were just minor squabbles in Venice, and then, a few nasty little brawls. Just today, the grogs at Literatus challenged ours to a Tournament, fighting to see who is the best. I have decided to allow it, hoping that it shall cool some of these foolish tempers. ** ** From the Diary of Verdan of Bonisagus ** Spring, 1216 After I saved Lucky from those awful faeries, two years ago, I took her into my house. I noticed that she was lonely shortly there after, so I took a quick trip up to Rome and found her a companion. When the first litter of kittens was born, I was not unhappy, for Sadie and Specula both loved them. Some of the other magi, including Flamma and Luke, adored them as well, and shortly there were cats through out the Covenant. This season, Lucky's third litter was born, and one of those kittens was slightly magical, due to the aura of the Tomb. I am quite pleased, for I shall be able to take this kit, which I have named Lucky the Younger, as a Familiar once my arts are trained (I must admit, I was feeling a bit jealous at the time, for Angus was then making one of his pups into a familiar of his own). There is still much to do, such as completing Bolo's potion, and scribing books for Dragon's Rise, but as soon as those are complete, I shall begin extensive studies of Animal and Mentem. Within six years, I hope to make Lucky a familiar. I think that this could prove to be quite a boon. After my unfortunate twilight years ago, I began to grow panicked for an apprentice. However, I think a familiar could do even better to guide me away from such mishaps, especially if I forge an especially strong cord of gold. And then, I can turn back to the art of learning, and of trying to advance the bounds of Hermetic magic, rather than wasting my time learning what many already know, just so I can teach an apprentice. Truly, I should have a century or more still due to me. There should be plenty of time to welcome a new Bonisagus to the Order at a later time... ** ** From the Lab Notes of Verdan of Bonisagus ** Late Spring, 1216 Bolo's longevity formula is finally completed. Thanks to Domita, Muris and Tolas all aiding me, I think I have surpassed myself. Bolo should not feel the ravages of age for nearly half a century. Truly a great feat when one considers how resilient mundanes are to magic. ** ** From the Journals of Certus ** Summer, 1216 Today, Gotho and Nevill wandered back into the Tomb, and with them came the ghost, Durus. I was quite surprised, for these were the three that the younger magi had left in the far away Black Forest, in exchange for the herbs that we then needed to save the Covenant. Apparently, their seven years of service had ended, for time passes differently in the Faerie Realms, and thus, they had been allowed to come back to us. The influences of the Fay show strongly upon the two grogs, for mortals are often greatly affected by such exposure. I have rewarded both Gotho and Nevill greatly for their loyalty, to show the other grogs that such fidelty is always repaid. ** ** From the Diary of Verdan of Bonisagus ** Late Summer, 1216 When life is at it's best, and all around you seems great and beautiful, you should be quite wary, for the only way to go is down. This was shown to me quite brutally last week, when a great tragedy struck my family. Sadie and Specula were out walking, it seems, and they stumbled upon the pit of the lizard that long ago I saved for Bolo. It has been there for years, but they must have been preoccupied. All we found were torn and bloodied clothing, and gnawed bones. When I first heard what I happened, I went into a rage. The world was distinctly tinged in red. I marched through the caves, and, finding the lizard, slew it, throwing pilum after pilum of green flame at it. Then, I wandered the caverns for a time, lost in my own misery. When I returned to my lab, my empty lab, it seemed that the cats realized what had happened, for they were subdued and quiet. When one of Dubius' mice, which are always getting loose, wandered through, they did not even try to chase it. Now, I have immersed myself in my lab work, trying to forget. What's done is done, it seems. Now, my line shall never pass on from me, except through the Hermetic ways, but even worse, never again shall I see the two who I loved and lost. Throughout this, I have learned one brutal lesson. Some things must simply be killed, for they are too dangerous to live. The lizard was one of these creatures, as are the faeries that created it, and, really, almost every other Faerie I have ever met. I see now that when I was younger, I was soft hearted to such an extent that it bordered upon the absurd. I have learned now, though the price of the teaching was much, much too high. ** ** From the Secret Diary of Tolas ** Winter, 1216 Finally, the saga of the damned Faeries at Varanor's Tomb has come to an end. I am quite pleased that that idiotic chapter in the Book of Life came to an finish before we left for Sardinia. Geraldo returned to the Tomb shortly after the collapse, and he told us what had happened. Apparently, another group of Faeries had began to play the same game as Varanor's Tomb. They formed a Covenant named Varanor's Stand and began to do all the same stupid things. There was a short period of discord between them and Varanor's Tomb, and it soon led to our right war. When it was all over, the Stand had utterly collapsed. Afterwards, the Tomb disbanded, and the Faeries which had made it up fled back into the highest levels of regio. My only regret is that I could not convince other magi of the Tomb to help me in an attack against the Faeries when they were warring among themselves. There are simply too many cowards among them, I suppose. ** ** From the Diary of Verdan of Bonisagus ** Spring, 1217 The time for our new beginning has come, and I now greet it with more joy than I ever would have in the past, for suddenly these caverns hold too many memories. I have only been at the Tomb for ten years, but some times it seems a hundred. Lately, we have begun the copying of books that we will need for the new Covenant. Vardian's Tomb has been quite considerate in helping us out, as has Postestas. Clearly, they are vying for the political power that our new Covenant represents. At the same time, we have begun writing the Charter for Dragon's Rise. Already, there have been some conflicts, but nothing major. I hope that our new Covenant is not split between the Bonisagus and the Tremere, fractured just as the Tomb is. Many of us who are going are friends, and I do hope that that will make the difference, although when I look back upon what I have heard of Guiseppe and the five friends who founded Vardian's Tomb, I can only wonder. Surely, such a degeneration can not happen again. Surely, we would not allow it.