Early in the fall of 1217, the constable appointed by the regent of Henry III, Duke of Aquitaine and King of England, Sir Gaidon d’Aubec, arrived with another knight to discuss their recent encounter with Lobar the Wolf. This brigand had become too much trouble to be ignored, so Sir Guidon was charged to bring him to justice. The magi told him what they knew – which was little – but used their arcane connection to Matteus to locate a probable hideout. To their surprise, the ruffian with Sir Gaidon was a Hermetic magus, Fortis filius William Fireheart of House Flambeau, seeking to join their covenant. Apparently a follower of the School of Ramius, his specialty was protective spells that allowed him to wade into melee…explaining his outward appearance as a regular knight.

Sir Gaidon retrieved his friend Sir Étienne de Cendrieux, and Sir Roger de Commarque agreed to accompany them. Brandon Macheth, the mountainous Montagne, and Captain Ivor’s team of longbowmen joined the force, and Fortis, Melita, Vindicatus and William came as well. It was decided that as their expedition must travel south, and close to the covenant of Belinor, they should pay their respects there before engaging Lobar. A mysterious man named Nicodemus, a Magister in Artibus of the University of Paris, arrived just before they set off and asked to join them, trying to make sense of visions of a charging white horse.

Three days to the south, the band was intercepted by self-important knights of Lord Garmond, and escorted to the village closest to the “scholars” of Belinor. The villagers seemed cowed by the covenant’s reputation, yet a young man was found to lead them to the squat tower in the foothills of the Pyrenees. The magi of Crypta Venatus were challenged by a man named Marcus, and two seemingly robotic grogs. Shortly thereafter, the magi were brought before two of the members of Belinor: Celera of House Ex Miscellanea and ??? of House Bjornaer.

Pleasantries were exchanged, and more wooden servants brought refreshments for the guests. However, Belinor’s magi seemingly lost interest in the visit upon learning of Crypta Venatus’ reason for journeying this far south. The magi left with the promise of correspondence and vis trade.

Their hounds picked up the scent of Lobar’s men soon after leaving the village, and though Lobar’s men kept a careful watch, they were first lulled into letting their guard down when Fortis took on the appearance of their captured companion, and when flights of longbow arrows were followed by a fearsome cavalry charge, even the hardened Brabaçon mercenaries were cut down quickly. Sir Gaidon eviscerated one with his lance, Brandon Macheth lopped the head clean off of another, and Lobar himself died when Melita hit him full in the face with her Shower of Needles spell.

Although all of the men were killed or captured, the only sign of the mysterious hedge wizard Rene were the magical grenades some of the mercenaries employed in the battle. Flush with the thrill of victory, but anxious to put the matter with Rene to rest, the group marched back towards Périgord, and home.

Cast: Sir Gaidon and William of Jerbiton (Bob), Nicodemus and Balthasar (Josh), Brandon Macheth (Nick), Melita of Bonisagus (Val), Vindicatus of Guernicus and Montagne (Grady).

Alpha Storyguide: Patrick

Experience: Source Quality 8