Mortui Vivos Docent

The spring of 1232 brought news of a feast: Sir Richard de Commarque had returned from his service to Hugh “le Brun” de Lusignan, and a celebration ensued. While segregated between the nobles and covenfolk, a festive night ensued. Sir Richard regaled his guests with stories from his time in the north, and delighted his mother with an exquisite gift befitting her devout nature: an opening Madonna triptych, which party-goers could not resist examining. One such admirer was the magus Aedifex of Merinita, who had attempted to be less conspicuous by disguising himself with magic. He was surprised (as were nearby observers) when he touched the open triptych, only to have his parma magica blown through and his spell dissipated, and later informed his sodales as to what had transpired.

During dinner, conversation turned to Sir Richard’s future plans, which seemed ill-defined. But when Sir Richard offhandedly mentioned a trip to visit a fellow knight to the south, Robert de Laugerie had one of his trademark premonitions and saw the young man hit twice – seemingly fatally – with arrows while riding slowly down a road. Confiding his vision with Fortis of Flambeau, it was decided the heir to Commarque would not take his upcoming journey alone.

Alpha Storyguide: Patrick
Cast: Aedifex and Sir Robert de Laugerie (Jeff), Nequam of Tremere (Paul), Johannes of Verditius (Rick).

As the Winter Solstice of 1216 approached, and the newly-arrived magi Melita of Bonisagus, Vindicatus of Guernicus, and William de Bonville of Jerbiton prepared to engage in their first Aegis of the Hearth ritual, visitors presented themselves at the gate. Four brothers of the Abbey of Sarlat presented themselves: Lucas, Andri, Daniel, and Lorenz. Accompanying them for the last leg of their journey was Kara of Mercere, to become their fourth member, along with wagon loads of lab equipment.

William was welcomed to a meeting between the Abbey members and Roger de Commarque. Brother Lucas informed Sir Roger that the Abbot wished a chapel to St. John to be built upon his lands, in order to serve the spiritual needs of the people of the village of Beyssac. Brother Lucas enthusiastically seized upon the idea, to William’s chagrin. William glumly reported the matter to his sodales, who immediately began plotting a means by which to thwart the encroachment of a Divine aura on their turf.

As they dined together that evening, Melisandre des Escars brought Brother Andri to speak with the magi. It seemed he was more interested in hearing about their scholarship than discussing matters of the faith. They dodged his request to see the Gallery of the Hunt but otherwise engaged him in discussion of Artes Liberales.

Days later, the Autocrat Agatha de Reims brought a frantic Jehans des Escars to beseech the magi to find his daughter, missing for the last couple of days. The Inexorable Search revealed her to be on the castle grounds, and Summoning the Distant Image showed her to be trapped in a cave somewhere, but searches proved fruitless until the day of the Solstice. While the magi completed their Aegis of the Hearth ritual, Lady Agatha asked them if they had searched the caves next to the Gallery. Puzzled, they went with her to find that indeed, a cave entrance leading farther below ground appeared, where previously there had been none.

A search of these caves revealed nothing, but when Melita cast Piercing the Magical Veil, another level of this regio was revealed, where more cave paintings survived, and a strange, phosphorescent fungus illuminated the caverns. Here, they found Melisandre, and returned her to a grateful Sir Jehans, who pledged his eternal support to the magi.

Things seemed to be about to settle down when one last visitor paid their respects: Curina filia Rex of House Bjornaer, of the covenant of Doissetep in the Provencal Tribunal. Ostensibly, she was there to make a courtesy call and inform them that some of her House might be in the area as part of their rituals. It was clear, however, that she also sought to convince them that joining the Provencal Tribunal would be a better fit for them than the Normandy Tribunal. The magi were noncommittal.

Cast: Melita of Bonisagus and Kara of Mercere (Val), Vindicatus of Guernicus (Grady), William of Jerbiton (Bob).

Alpha Storyguide: Patrick

Experience: Source Quality 5

Return of the Native

...in which Commarque's heir returns to the castrum

Beginnings

...in which the magi establish the covenant of Crypta Venatus and meet their neighbors