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midnight:history:1224:3

Spiders

Spring, 1224

The area around Cruentis Petram in the Yorkshire Dales is full of caves, many of which are home to the supernatural. Having spent much of the season investigating the deaths at Nocte Flamma, it is decided to use the rest of their time spelunking looking for vis.

Several caves are investigated, and some vis sources are located (including some magical berries growing on the roots of a tree, and the pool of a blind water faerie with a fear of loud noise). One cave has a magically created back wall, about 300 years old. Carved onto the wall are the words “Here lays the flesh of Helione ex Tytalus. May she find wisdom in her sleep.” They decide not to explore further until they can find out some more about Helione.

A cave of giant spiders is also investigated. Most of the small spiders (the size of a large dog) are destroyed, as are a couple of larger spiders (bigger than a man). There is evidence that an even larger spider dwells within though, and a rest is declared before any further exploration is done.


The magi investigate the smoking caves of the spiders and harvest what vis they can. There is also vis in the bodies that the spiders have wrapped in their webs, Animal in the animals and some Corpus in the body of what is presumably a peasant. They are not sure whether the victims were magical in nature, or whether some process created the vis. There are still larger spiders dwelling deeper in the caves, so they decide to leave them and come back later, in case they can harvest them for vis.

There is a large eye carved on a weathered rock on a hill, which has a strong magical aura. The eye seems to be part of a face, mostly buried in the top of the hill. Reckoning that the face belongs to a large stone humanoid, they estimate a total height of about two hundred paces. Any attempts to investigate the stone magically fails to penetrate its resistance, though they determine that it has a magical might of around twelve magnitudes. The magi do no currently have a way to investigate directly any further, so leave it alone for the time being.


Historical Research

Proceedings of the Stonehenge Tribunal, AD 927

Kalsua ex Tytalus of Sursum covenant wishes to declare the maga Helione ex Tytalus as rogue and an enemy of the Order. She charges her with theft of property from the sanctums of several magi in Sursum, of betraying the covenant charter, and of declaring an illegal wizards war against the whole covenant in an attempt to cover up her crimes.

Kalsua also wishes to charge the magus Bulrion ex Tytalus with theft of property, of aiding an enemy maga against his own covenant and of breaking the covenant charter by leaving without payment of dues.

The decision of the Tribunal was to deny the request of Sursum covenant in regards to declaring Helione ex Tytalus a rogue. Helione was also found innocent of the charge of illegally declaring a war. Sufficient notice is deemed to have been given according to the strict letter of the law. Since the magi of Sursum refused to state what damage was done, what items were stolen, or which cult secrets were betrayed, Helione ex Tytalus was declared innocent of all charges.

Bulrion ex Tytalus was charged with paying 7 pawns of vis to Sursum for the breaking of their charter, but all other charges are denied due to lack of evidence.

Proceedings of the Stonehenge Tribunal, AD 934

The charge of the murder of the maga Kaliste ex Tytalus had been made against Helione ex Tytalus by Kalsua ex Tytalus of Sursum covenant. Other than the disappearance of both maga, no evidence was presented. Given that Helione had not been seen for several years, and those who brought the charges were now dead, this Tribunal decided to take no further action.

The maga Morridir ex Diedne of Lux Draconis covenant claimed damage to her lab by the magi of Sursum covenant and sought restitution. The Tribunal found Sursum to be guilty. However, given that the only surviving magus of Sursum was an apprentice at the time, the Tribunal decided that he could not be held responsible and therefore no restitution was permitted.

Quaesitor Jardunicus of Blackthorn has investigated the destruction of Sursum covenant and all the magi within. Due to the covenant’s close relationship with the nobles of Cornwall, it was attacked and destroyed by the forces of Athelstan in 931. The Tribunal will take no further action in this, and revenge attacks against Athelstan were forbidden.

Examination of the surviving notes left in the ruins implied that several magi of the covenant, including Kalsua ex Tytalus, were Titanoi cultists who were experimenting with the summoning of demons. Several letters imply that at least one other member of the cult outside of Stonehenge may also be involved in these diabolic practises. The Quaesitor at Fudarus covenant has been notified. The surviving apprentice was declared innocent of these events and now resides at Blackthorn, under the tutelage of Bordanus ex Bonisagus.

midnight/history/1224/3.txt · Last modified: 2018/12/02 12:42 by sam