THE CONCILIUM

Season: Late Spring/Early Summer

'Spring Covenants are newly formed, usually by a handful of Magi just out of apprenticeship. These early years of Covenant life are usually filled with struggles for survival and a maturing of the Magi’s powers . . . Summer Covenants have survived through the trials of Spring and soon reach the peak of their magical power. The founding Magi often bring in new blood to take care of matters not demanding their close attention.' --AM, ppg. 118, 121.

Magic Aura: 5

Fortress: The heart of the Covenant are the remains of an old lighthouse, built in 1215 and abandoned in 1298, rebuilt to some degree in 1317-1318. The Covenant House itself is built off the north side of the old lighthouse, partially dug into the steepest face of the Rock. A few small outbuildings along the gentler southern and western sides complete the Concilium. Strong, buttressed battlements encircle the rock just above the high tide mark, with several watchtowers and a gatehouse/dock completing the fortress. It takes 30 Grogs to fully man the defenses in time of war.

Grogs: 40. They are organized into 4 Maniples of 10 Grogs apiece. The first three Maniples are the Coven Watch, each Maniple consisting of 8 Sentry Grogs and 2 Archers. One of the Grogs of the 1st Maniple is the Turb Sergeant. The fourth Maniple is known as the Shield Maniple, consisting of 10 Shield Grogs, assigned to personal protection of the Magi. The Turb Captain (a Companion) is also known as the Shield Commander. All Grogs possess a Trustworthy Personality Trait of +1.

Covenfolk: In addition to the warrior Grogs, there are a dozen or so Covenfolk who work in the kitchens, clean the rooms and do other odd jobs. There are also a blacksmith, a scribe, a carpenter, and a few other specialists whose quarters and workshops are within the Concilium walls.

Cr 5	In 10	Mu 8	Pe 6	Re 5
An 10	Aq 13	Au 10	Co 7	He 7
Ig 8	Im 10	Me 6	Te 10	Vi 8

Magical Laboratories: Each Magus has his own laboratory, adequately equipped if still somewhat cramped. No modifiers to Lab Totals.

Magical Artifacts: to be determined.

Sources of Vis: 30 pawns of vis can be collected from the Rock per year:

• Where the ceaseless tide washes the sand below the eastern face of the Rock, there lives a particular species of rock snail. Their shells are touched by the rays of the rising sun, washed by the surf, and sheltered in the crevices of the Rock itself; a few handsful of the pearly, opalescent shells cast off by the snails can be gathered each Spring, worth 5 pawns of Muto vis (killing the snail for the shell voids the magic; and the pounding water quickly destroys the fragile shells).
• The trees that dig their roots into the northern face of the Rock are elder remnants of the mighty forest that once covered all of Dalmatia before the coming of man. In the Autumn, their leaves change to all the colours of the rainbow; a scant few leaves turn a burnished gold that seems to glow even in the brightest light. A leaf caught by a living hand, after it has freely fallen and before it touches the earth of the steep slope, possesses a delicate magic. A few leaves worth 5 pawns of Herbam vis are all that can be gathered each year.
• The chill breath of Winter often whistles eerily around and about the heights of the Rock, whispering secrets to the stones and making the Grogs shiver. The first frost of Winter freezes the sea spray in the crevices, cracking away pieces and pebbles that clatter their way down with a sound like the running feet of faerie children. The smoothest, whitest of the quartz crystals that are freed from the heart of the Rock in this manner are magic: crystals worth 5 pawns of Auram vis each year (chipping the quartz out of the surrounding stone disperses the magic).
• The heat of the Summer sun brings a blessed lassitude to the Adriatic coast, beating down with a comforting warmth that gentles the spirit and tends the spirit to wandering. The blackest veins of stone in the southern face of the Rock absorb the heat, growing first warm and then hot to the touch. The hottest of the black rock sometimes becomes tarry and viscious and extrudes itself slightly from the surrounding stone; this pitchlike-stone, if cut free with a cold iron chisel at sunset on Midsummer’s Day, will remain hot and soft to the touch, even months or years later; 5 pawns of Ignem vis can be collected in this manner each year.
• There are two magic-tainted species of animals that frolic and play along this section of the Adriatic coastline: beautiful, ecstatic dolphins, and funny, stubby brown penguins. In the centre of the brains of some of the dolphins can be found a tiny magical pearl; the blood of some of the penguins runs clear instead of red, and salty as seawater. A dolphin pearl is worth 1 pawn of Intellego vis; the clear blood from one penguin is worth 1 pawn of Aquam vis. Only 5 magic creatures from each of these species can be killed each year, without endangering the continuation of the breeds.

Equipment: The Covenant is well-equipped for routine expeditions (ropes, packs, lamps, torches, etc.). It also has half a dozen pack animals (ponies), two horses, a few small rowboats, and one larger (20-man) boat suitable for short sea voyages.

Income: The Concilium often provides routine magical aid to the Slav and Ragusan peasants on the mainland. Food, replacement Grogs (within reason) and normal maintenance is thus taken care of. 100 silver pennies are available each season for extraneous use (these do not accumulate).

Status/Reputation: "Summer Covenants are often viewed with suspicion and distrust by older, more established members of the Order . . . [they] are the rising stars in the Order, and pose a threat to the status quo . . . You have to tread carefully to avoid the attention of the powerful." --AM, pg. 122.

Relationships: The Concilium has the friendship and moderate loyalty of the peasants nearby on the mainland. The local clergy, however, Catholics of the Bishopric of Ragusa, view the Covenant with suspicion, if not outright dislike. This distrust has found a focus in the person of Antonio di Serra, a wealthy Ragusan merchant and devout Church deacon. His frequent campaigning against the Concilium to the Ragusan Senate and Count di Philippi are a constant annoyance.

Obligations: The Count, in peevish return for being denied possession of the Rock, has levied a seasonal property tax of 25 silver pennies against the Magi of the Concilium. It is far from a crippling debt, but it does reduce somewhat the freedom of the Magi to improve their holdings.