Background Information
(Last update: 15/8/96)
List of Vis Sources
The Covenant of Moonfield
The Covenant of Dankmar
The Four Fay Courts
Hrools
West Tower
East Tower
South Tower
The Covenant of Holzenberg
The Covenant of Saxum Ruberis
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This page gives some more detailed information about our Covenant, under
the following categories:
Index
The Covenant is located approximately 15 miles southeast of Perpignan in
the County of Roussillon, not far from the eastern edge of the Pyrenees.
To the west lies a forested region, containing the towns of Belabre, Elne
and Thuir. To the east there is only the nearby small Pagan village of
Julliac, and then a few miles of marshland to the Mediterranean Sea.
Malinbois is a member of the Provencal Tribunal. Nearby Covenants are
Dankmar
(about 15 miles to the north) and
Moonfield
(about 30 miles to the west). See the
Maps
section of the
Library
for more details.
Location
Santare Hill is surrounded by the Faerie Forest of Collbran. It is
two-cragged; on the higher peak there stands a single tree, the fortress
itself is atop the lower peak. Lower down the hill there is a small chapel
(where the Friar,
Jean-Pierre,
works in the valetudinarium) and a well. Beneath the
hill, there is an extensive network of caverns where the
Hrools
live. There is also a small tin mine there.
(Ward: +1, Watch: +1)
Magic Aura
+1
When the Covenant was founded, the ambient magical Aura of Santare Hill
was +4. After a small drake named Cuwain had taken up residence, however,
the Aura rose to +5, staying more or less constant for many years. Some few
years ago, the Aura dropped back down to +4, and then further down to +3,
+2, and finally +1. This was a cause for considerable concern - the reason
for the fall is not known, but was a subject of much speculation at Council
Meetings. The Aura appears to be currently stable.
Inside the Inner Wall, there are three towers where the Magi live, a
grog barracks, quarters for the covenfolk (and kitchens), a small store and
stables. Between the Inner and Outer Walls, there are more grog quarters,
Mordaleus'
laboratory, a large smithy, a percamenarium and a large stables which houses
the mounts for the cavalry. There are quarters for about 60 grogs, which are
full.
Defensibility
The Outer Wall encloses an area 330' by 330'. The Inner Wall encloses an
area 180' by 180'. The Outer Wall is 20' high, the Inner Wall 30' high.
Both are 5' thick and are in good repair (or were, until Bishop Orris of
Perpignan recently brought down the Wrath of God upon the Covenant's
buildings!). There are 12 towers on the Outer Wall, and 7 towers on the
Inner Wall. There is also a 20' deep dry moat, which contains a foul
Brollican to deter anyone who would think of entering it. The moat is
spanned by a drawbridge. Overall, it is a quite large, and very sturdy
fortress.
(Ward: +3, Watch: +3)
Towers
There are 3 separate towers, each with five floors, which house the Magi
and the Council Chamber. Detailed plans can be found on the following pages:
Island of Leucate
Fionn has recently located to this island, which is a few leagues off
the coast to the east. Leucate has a Magical Aura of +3, and Fionn's
Sanctum is now there. (General Quality: +1)
Odette's Sanctum
Odette does not live on Santare Hill either, but in an isolated tower
far off in the mountains. (She travels to Council Meetings with the use of
a Speculum.) This place used to be the abode of one Varina Procellosus, and
has a Magical Regio upto level 6. (General Quality: +2, Auram
Specialisation: +3)
Currently resident at Malinbois there are 14 Magi, 3 Apprentices, 3 Familiars, 9 consors, 18 custos, 40 milites and 19 other covenfolk. See the
List of Members
for more details. There are a few specialist craftsmen amongst the
covenfolk: an ostler, a blacksmith, a weaponsmith, a percamenarius and an
armourer.
Grogs
There are 58 grogs in total. Apart from the custos, they are unexceptional
troops. They have reasonably good armaments, are fairly well organised,
are loyal, with an average amount of training. The current captain is
Guy la Foreaux.
Previous captains include the superlative swordsman
Napoleon
and the long-serving former sergeant
Braeble. The sergeants are
Davis
and Tomas, who took over from
Oeric
when he was killed a few years back. Unbeknownst to most, the newly arrived
charismatic bandit leader, Victor, has designs on wresting the Sword of
Malinbois from Guy.
The Albigensian Crusade which took place in the Val du Seraque came to an
end several years ago. Approximately a decade ago, this was the cause of a
major split in the Provencal Tribunal. Malinbois joined the contigent, named
the Procrustean League, lead by the Covenant of Bellaquin, who supported a
policy of intervention in the Crusade. Opposing the formation of the so-called
rival `Narbonnese Tribunal' was a powerful faction lead by the Covenant of
Doissetep. However the Grand Tribunal of 1228 declared this new Tribunal
invalid, and so the Provencal Tribunal returned to its original state,
although deep-seated differences remained amongst its members. This rift
appeared to have been healed by the time of the most recent Tribunal,
Doissetep at 1235.
Hermetic Relations
The Summer Covenant of Malinbois is moderately well-trusted and has a
neutral reputation within the Order of Hermes, although some view its
precocious expansion and numerous disputes (highlighted at the Tribunals)
with distaste. Relations with the nearby covenant of
Moonfield
are reasonable (differences concerning the local plague have been mostly
mended), but there has been some trouble in the past with the closest
Covenant, the Winter Covenant of
Dankmar.
Faerie Relations
The Covenant was on very good terms with the Seelie Queen Bellantia who
resided in the nearby Forest of Collbran. However she has now passed away and
the new Queen is Eloise Amoenitas, a former member of Malinbois. Relations
with her are quite good, if a little more informal.
The Unseelie Queen, Fitheach the Silent, lives in a Faerie Regio
within a tree on the other peak of Santare Hill. She was allowed to move in
due to a favour owed. Her presence has a caused a few problems, but nothing
disastrously bad yet.
See also the
Four Fay Courts.
Church Relations
Before his recent (and many would say timely) demise, Bishop Orris of
Perpignan hated our guts. He was a fanatical and extremely devout Catholic who
regarded us as a bunch of pagan devil-worshippers (largely untrue). He arrived
some years ago at Santare Hill and brought down the Wrath of God to destroy
our fortress in retribution for the slaying of over 2000 Crusaders by the
Senior Magi. This `miracle' was partially successful, destroying the top
floors of the towers and some of the other buildings.
Infernal Relations
Mostly very bad. The Devourer is out to get us, and there is a certain
corrupt priest, Father Tanchus, who is an enemy. He has so far escaped us, but
there are several destructive spells with his name on them! However the Senior
Magi did come to an agreement of mutual benefit (or so it seemed) with one
Sainella, Negotiator of the Middle Echelons many years ago - but this is
highly secret - indeed Fionn seems to have wisely wiped his
memory of this event!
Mundane Relations
Baron Thibaud of Thuir was until recently our Liege Lord. However he was killed
in mysterious circumstances during the Crusade (he was a Cathar sympathiser).
We are on good terms with other Cathar nobles, most notably Viscount Orstadt
and Sir Miquel du Cerbere.
Contacts
Malinbois is rather isolated, but our poor contacts have improved somewhat
with the arrival of a Redcap, Laurent, and the employment of a `Spymaster'
from the Dyer's Guild in Perpignan.
(Contacts: -2)
The Covenant is fairly well equipped in this area. The
Arcane Library
is fairly extensive and over the years a large number of
Spell Grimoires
have been collected. The magical laboratories are mostly standard, but a few
are of superior quality or have been specialised using Covenant funds.
See also the list of
Vis Sources
and the current
Vis Stores.
Magical Artifacts
The friendly Faerie Forest of Collbran surrounds Santare Hill - enemies find
it very difficult to make their way through without getting lost. Wearers of
the Diadems of the fabled Bell of Ibyn (which is housed in the central cave)
also gain advance warning of any wanderers approaching Santare Hill. There
are quite a few other
Magic Items
in the Covenant's stores.
(Ward: +2, Watch: +7)
Vis Obligations
The annual ritual to Hades uses two pawns of Vim Vis (see below for details).
Also, a tithe of 2 pawns of Rego Vis is paid annually to the Covenant of
Val-Negra, given in exchange for an item purchased in 1230, and a tithe is
also paid to a Jerbiton from the Covenant of Barcelona, in exchange for
an apprentice that was `purchased'.
Apart from that, the only other regular expenditure of Vis is for the annual
casting of Aegis of the Hearth on the Winter Solstice. There are
two versions in the library, usually the 9th magnitude is cast in preference
over the 5th magnitude, except when Vis is short.
Surplus Vis is used for Covenant projects, emergencies (such as healing) and
for distribution amongst the Magi in payment for Covenant work.
Most of the equipment at Malinbois is fairly standard, including the
weapons and armour for the Turb. The
Mundane Library
is reasonably good, with a few exceptional tomes, and it specialises in maps.
The Covenant used to own a merchant ship, but this was destroyed
by a Sea Giant. Captain and crew are missing presumed drowned. Now the
Covenant just owns the remnants of a small fishing fleet (a couple of sorry
boats), although we have recently acquired a magical Faerie craft, called a
Sea Wife, and funds have been approved for the purchase of more boats.
There are also about 22 horses in the stables, most of which belonged to
Sir Severin's cavalry.
Sources of Income
The Covenant was moderately wealthy, with an income of about 2000 schillings
per annum, but has recently experienced financial difficulties. The bulk of
the money comes as profit from the tin mine in the caves
underneath Santare Hill. Profit was maximised by getting the small goblins to
do most of the work, with the assistance of a magical Faerie Stone, but they
have now sadly departed. The income from the Covenant's fishing fleet (based
in the nearby coastal village of Hapton) had slumped due to the activities of
the Sea Giant (now fortunately slain), but is now picking up again. We also
get a tithe of 250 schillings from the estate of Sir Ferrun. Major expenditure
is in food and lab equipment.
See also the
Treasury.
The Covenant is obliged to protect the nearby Pagan village of Julliac
(many of the villagers are shapechangers). During the Crusade the residents of
the small village were housed temporarily in the caves.
Apart from the tithes, the only obligation of Vis is the two pawns
of Vim Vis required for the sacrificial annual ritual to Hades. This is by way
of debt. We discovered the result of not performing this ritual - Fionn and
Callidus suffered a drastic curse. At one stage we were paying a tithe to the
Covenant of Circulus Ruber in the Hibernian Tribunal, but this only lasted for
seven years.
The Covenant pays an annual vassalage of 10% of its income.
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