Can o' Worms: Whitburh asks to see Eric and Hygwald. It seems that the last of Horsingas's Vim vis has been spent on this month's aegis. They normally exchange Vim vis with Turmaris every three years, but this year, the Turmarran grogs did not show up. They are ordered to proceed to Loch Leglean and see if the the Turmarrans are waiting there. If not, they must travel to Turmaris in Skye and make the exchange.
Turmaris was not at Loch Leglean. Somnifer of Doire Druidhan was, as was Rhys ap Tregar of Cnoc Nathair, apparently making some arrangement. Somnifer was incensed when the Horsingas contingent turned up, and he immediately broke off the arrangement (whatever that was) and left. Hygwald offered Rhys an alternative - an exchange of books. Rhys expressed an interest in any Animal texts that they might have. The situation was left unresolved - each magus would need to talk to their covenants.
Bloody Hands: The caterva needed to stop off at Glascarnoch to gather supplies. They were offered hospitality by Angus MacKar, the ceann cath (clan-chief) of the MacKars. It seems that this offer was ordained by Caroline MacKar, the chief's grandmother, and by all accounts a witch. She knew of the Order, and requested a service from the magi, in return for vis. It seems that Bluidhand, the ancestral sword of the MacKars, was lost by her grandfather on the slopes of Beinn Dearg. The recovery of this sword would rally the MacKars against their enemies, Clan Boggart, with whom they have a long running feud. Angus and his appointed successor (taniste) Dhugal accompanied the caterva up the mountain. They soon formed the impression that Angus was lazy, arrogant and a half-wit. Dhugal was a complete contrast to his cousin, and, as the fight later that night proved, an accomplished warrior. They were beset by Boggart warriors, who then vanished into the mists after they were slain - ghosts of the Boggarts slain by the former Angus MacKar on the night that Bluidhand was lost.
The next morning, Hygwald uses a spell to search out the sword, but instead locates its scabbard, hanging from the heather over a deep ravine. They surmise that Angus, with his dying breath, must have flung Bluidhand into the ravine to keep it out of Boggart hands. They prepare to descend. Dhugal offers round some 'Goat's foot whiskey', which his aunt Caroline makes. He claims it gives courage when climbing.
Angus is first down, and he immediately starts searching feverishly for the sword of his ancestor. Consequently, Eric, who is next down, does not have the stability of someone holding the rope at the other end, and nearly falls. Hygwald follows them down. Eric finds the sword, but as he grasps it, fails to notice a ghostly form taking shape from the vapours rising from the bog. Because Eric does not keep his parma up, the ghost of the first Angus MacKar is able to possess him with ease, and the newly-embodied MacKar attacks the first stranger he sees, believing him to be a Boggart - Hygwald. A side-swipe across the chest opens up the Tremere from side to side, and he collapses, bleeding profusely. The living Angus distracts his grandfather by trying to wrest the sword away from him, saving Hygwald from the killing blow. When the current clan-chief wins the sword, the ghost of Angus leaves Eric and possesses his grandson instead. This leaves Eric free to apply some magic to Hygwald, binding his wound, and then using Endurance of the Beserkers to get him back on his feet; knowing that only Hygwald will have the magical power to drive out the ghost. He begins by weakening the spirit so it gives up its enugermen; he then uses a spontaneous Coerce the Spirits of the Night to drive it away.
In the lull before the spirit returns, the magi make their exit. Dhugal, who has remained at the top of the cliff, insists that Bluidhand is sent up first, in case the ghost returns. Eric and Hygwald then follow. Dhugal then reels in the rope, abandoning his cousin and clan-chief in the chasm. He is wracked by guilt in doing this, but knows that the clan will suffer at the hands of Angus. The magi persuade him that what he is doing is for the best, and the three leave Beinn Dearg and the screams of Angus behind. They tell the clan how Angus tragically fell to his death after recovering his ancestor's sword, and all but Caroline buys it. She suggests they leave with the first light, but tells them they are welcome to return once the affair is less fresh in the minds of the clan, and they start drawing conclusions. On their way back to their path, the caterva visit Beinn Dearg once more. Angus has clearly been drivin mad through spending three nights with his grandfather's ghost.
Can o' Worms (cont.): Back on the trail to Turmarris, the caterva finally make it to the Great Glen, and cross the Ross River at Spean Bridge. They continue to Balmacara, which is the best place from which to cross to Skye. They spend the night at a broch just outside Balmacara which was hosting a party of some sort, although when they awake, the broch appears deserted - and has been that way for many decades. Leaving their horses in Balmacara, the caterva crosses the mile or so of sea in a leaking fishing boat.
While on Skye, Hygwald interfered with a pagan fertility rite, believing it to be a sacrifice, and managed to annoy the village, the sacrifice included. Flatus, one of the grogs, had a midnight conversation with a disembodied voice, and they swapped stories. The magi were later told that this was likely to have been a trow, an earth faerie native to Skye. Finally reaching the north end of Skye, Eric gets into the rowing boat they find there to cross to the island of Turmaris, while Hygwald announces their arrival with a huge illusionary banner bearing the sigil of Horsingas. When they reach the covenant (40 days after they left Horsingas), they soon realise why the magi have failed to meet them at Loch Leglean - the covenant's single tower is encircled with the coils of an enormous serpent, several hundred feet long with a head the size of a barn. Tomas d'Arden of Bonisagus sends his image to speak with the magi, and he is joined by a bird which speaks with the voice of Eileen of Merinita. It appears that Aeliophanes of Jerbiton (the other magus currently at Turmaris; as their leader Mariella of Verditius has gone to the Roman Tribunal with Ian MacPhearson of Ex Miscellanea) has made a hobby of hunting these stoorworms, although they are not usually as large as this one. A month ago he came running up the beach from one of his hunting trips, chased by this enormous stoorworm, who he had apparently angered. It immediately laid siege to the covenant, and they haven't been able to shift it, or leave the covenant to get help. They have a spell in the library designed to control these beasts, but they were unable to cast it as it is a 10th magnitude spell. However, now the magi from Horsingas have arrived, they have brought Animal vis with them, and the spell could now be cast. Eric was heard to comment that as they had six grogs with them, they could come up with at least six plans to get the vis into the covenant! In the end, Hygwald flies the canister of vis into the covenant, and Aeliophanes casts the spell, commanding the stoorworm to leave.
Eric and Hygwald are invited to spend the Summer at Turmaris, before making the long trip back to Horsingas. They accept.
The Golden Ship: Aeliophanes asks if Eric and Hygwald would like to help him follow up on a legend. There is a local story about a ship made of solid gold, yet as light as wood, that appeared out of the mists in the height of the viking era. It used to belong to Sverik the Blue, a viking who used to raid ships heading for Ireland. It was always believed a myth, until just recently. Reports of its reappearance came to Aeliophanes twice, independent of each other. The first was from a Norman soldier who was on a ship bound for Ireland. The ship was rammed and sunk by a golden ship, and he was the only one who escaped, swimming to shore through the icy cold waters. He later died of exposure, but not before telling his tale to a priest, who told the story to Aeliophanes. The second story was told by an old man from the village of Ballyswag on the north-west coast of Skye. Eric, Hygwald and Aeliophanes go to see the old man, and he tells them the story. He saw the Golden Ship sail directly into a cliff-face,and is able to direct them to the place, locally called Malin's Head. Eric climbs down; Hygwald follows but falls, and is injured in the fall. They realise that there is a cave entrance, totally below the surface of the water, but that it will probably become uncovered on a neap tide. Aeliophanes gets Hygwald through the cave mouth and into the tunnel beyond by turning him into a seal. While he goes back for Eric, Hygwald swims around to inspect the cavern. As the sun sets, the other two magi enter the cavern an revert to human form. The cavern is half-filled with water, but with what little light they can summon, they cannot see the roof. It appears to be completely empty. Hygwald had seen something glittering in the tunnel on the way in, and he returns for a look, firstly casting a spell on himself to enable him to breathe under water. He finds a side tunnel, which leads inwards, becoming narrower and narrower until he has to turn back. However, when he reutrns he cannot find Aeliophanes or Eric. He makes a little ledge with magic so that he can stop treading water, and casts some petty magic to warm himself up. However, the secretive atmosphere he sensed when casting the first spell must have affected the second, for he very nearly sets himself on fire.
Eric and Aeliophanes go in search of Eric, and find the side tunnel. They are also forced to return, and discover the singed Tremere waiting for them in the cavern. They decide to explore once again, and discover a viking snegge moored in the cavern, apparently made of solid gold. Inspecting it cautiously from the water, the three naked magi find it crewed by animate skeletons. Hatching a plan, Hygwald lifts Eric out of the water with magic, and the latter uses four pawns of Corpus vis to cast a 5th magnitude Perdo Corpus spell that turns the nearly all of the skeletons into dust. They enter battle with the survivors, including one who is clearly the captain. Luck is not with Hygwald - attempting to cast The Wizard's Sidestep he botches once more, and loses all control over his image. With swords and spells, Eric and Aeliophanes dispatch the foe while Hygwald struggles with his magic. Finally they gain possession of the Golden Ship, and Eric, an experienced sailor, goes about getting it sea-worthy, while Hygwald's modesty gets the better of him and he decides to conjure clothes to cover his nakedness. Clearly he is cursed, for his magic fails yet again!
With the neap tide retreating, the Golden Ship starts to move towards the cave mouth with Eric at the tiller (although as the tiller is a large ruby mounted on a pedastel, he doesn't really know what he is doing). As they reach the mouth of the tunnel the tide has dropped sufficiently for the ship's mast to clear the roof. However, an angry voice booms out: "WHERE ARE YOU GOING WITH MY SHIP?" The ship turned out to belong to Danea, a faerie queen. She agreed to allow the ship to be taken by the magi, as long as it was never used to harm the natives of Ireland, or assist the invaders. Danea also demanded that the magi brought her the head of a firbolg - a hideous and evil creature, according to her - who was living nearby. Finding the Firbolg was not difficult, and he put up very little struggle, as they caught him unawares, tending his garden - he certainly did not seem to be the murderous monster described by Danea. Still, they took his head back to her, and she threw it to her court, who used it as a football.
The magi left with the ship, stopping only to pick up a Saxon who hailed them from the shore. He had been a guest of the Lady Danea for 13 months, but had expressed a desire to return to his homeland and organise a rebellion against William the Conquerer. Aethelbald had actually been with Danea for over one hundred and fifty years. His squire, Céannidig, was a squat, ugly midgit, who said little but proved to be very good at his job. Hygwald negotiates with Aeliophanes about sharing the ship - it stays at Turmaris, but they get half of whatever vis or silver Aeliophanes acquires through its use. When Hygwald and Eric establish their own covenant, they may renegotiate this deal.
During this season, Hygwald, Eric and Aethelbald head for Horsingas. Although the journey is long, it is largly uneventful. When they get back, a council meeting is called to inform Horsingas of the success of the mission. There are some issues to bring Eric and Hygwald up to speed as well, the most important of which is that Doire Druidhan has recruited four new magi - two Jerbiton (one the former apprentice of the other) and two Flambeau. Three of these are mature, accomplished magi, making them and Horsingas probably equal in strength.
Acting on information from Horsingas's spies, Eric and Hygwald plan a trap for a supply wagon heading for Hexham Abbey. They meet the wagon on the Bellingham road, having first filled the area with fog. Aethelbald, illuminated by magic, and with his voice altered to make it sepuchural, commands the wagoneer and its guards to abandon the wagon, which, overcome with fright, they do. While dragging the wagon out of a ditch, the group hear the baying of dogs, which quickly appear and attack. Following the mastiffs are a group of strange spearmen, with sallow skin and sloping foreheads. They also attack the caterva. Finally, their master appears, aknight mounted on a huge destrier. He calls off his dogs and men, and rides off, only to wheel and command the group to "tell their masters that the Lord de Soulis has returned". De Soulis is the seneschal of Scotland, and an important local baron, who has been on Crusdae. He has an evil reputation, and the news that he was back in the area worried the Council. The magi later discover that it was de Soulis who killed Jehan's master in the same year that magus passed his Gauntlet.
Jocelin, a Redcap of the Stonehenge Tribunal, brings another young magus to Horsingas, completing its complement of magi. Hachim is a member of House Criamon, and an Astrologer. Jocelin also brings a message for Hygwald about the services he owes to House Mercere - they require three charms by the Summer of 1225, one of which must be a charm against magic. Hygwald arranges for 4 pawns of Herbam vis and 4 pawns of Terram vis to be taken to Doire Druidhan to pay off his fine.