A message comes to Hygwald via redcap from a magus called Azenis, Pontifex of a covenant called Lux ex Tenebris near St. Andrews. He requests a small favour from Hygwald and his sodales, in return for which he promises to reward handsomly. Travelling to Lux ex Tenebris, Hygwald, Eric and Aethelbald discover that the favour is to escort a Northumberland knight, a friend of Azenis callled Francis d'Alsante back to Lux ex Tenebris. Francis will soon be returning from Crusade to his liege, Baron de Ros at Norham Castle. Azenis worries that de Ros, a deeply religious man, would try to prevent Francis from meeting with him. When the magi arrive at Norham they find that a feast and tourney have been put on in honour of the returning knights. This makes it easy to find Sir Francis, but not approach him - he spends much of the tourney at the Baron's table, in the company of his nephew, Christophe.
Aethelbald is entered into the melee lists, for the winner of the tourney gets to be seated at the Baron's table for the feast. He gets to the final round, but is defeated by Christophe d'Alsante, who also wins the mounted list. Eric sends a message to the castle late that night, purporting to report the death of an old friend of Francis's. When he checks that it was delivered the next morning, he finds that it was intercepted by Christophe, who decided not to trouble his uncle with the news. Eric therefore gives another copy of the message to Francis's squire, with instructions to deliver it straight to him. Hygwald is in the castle to try to buy back Aethelbald's arms and armour, and when he sees Christophe striding angrily over to where Eric is waiting, he slips in and speaks to Francis. At the name of Azenis, Francis immediately agrees to meet Hygwald at noon and go with him to Lux ex Tenebris. Eric gets threatened with a flogging by Christophe if he ever comes near Francis again.
Francis appears at the prearranged time, and seems anxious to get away from the castle without being seen. His demeanour has changed - he sems more withdrawn, and when they stop for the night, he immediately falls to sleep into a troubled dream. Hygwald attempts a spell to discover what he is dreaming of, but he only just manages to avert disaster as his spell fails. Realising that something provoked such a serious interruption to the flow of magic, he attempts an Intellego Vim spell, with precisely the same result. He decides not to cast any more magics, but Eric uses Thoughts Within Babble to find out what Francis is saying in his dream - "No, don't make me do it!"
The next morning, they meet a man waiting for them on the road. After initial confusion, he turns out to be Stratus Enor of House Quaesitor, and he demands that they turn Sir Francis over to him and continue on their way. Hygwald, bound as he is to obey the quaesitores, complies. Needless to say, Azenis is very upset that they failed. Both magi feel that Azenis still owes them for the job, which failed through no fault of theirs, and they remain at Lux ex Tenebris, in the hope for an audience with Azenis. He refuses to see them, until the 3rd day, when he says that Sir Francis had come to see him that night, and he felt that the magi had earned their reward. He gives them each 3 pawns of Terram vis, and a season of study in the library of Lux ex Tenebris. Hygwald, in attempting to discover the nature and quantity of the vis given him, manages to fumble his magic yet again, but once again managed to advert disaster - just as well, as he was in a powerfully magic aura and casting his spell on 3 pawns of vis...
Hygwald, upon returning to Horsingas, visited Whitburh and made a formal report, stating that Azenis was under scrutiny by Stratus Enor, and he was connected to Sir Francis. He hypothesised that Sir Francis might be a magus.
At the beginning of the summer season, some of Sir Edwin's peasants turned up at the covenant, terrified. They had been working the fields when two fire-breathing monsters showed up and started to burn the crops. Hygwald, Eric and Hachim all went along with some warriors, only to discover that it was Aaron and Thomas Vann, the two Flambeau from Doire Druidhan. They claimed to be just doing some target practice, and they had already destroyed the field, as well as stored grain in a barn and several cows and sheep. Hygwald challenged Aaron (the more intelligent one of the two) to certámen, and lost. The final strike was, strangely enough, a Creo Corpus spell, although its precise effects have not yet been elucidated.
Fallen Angel: After midsummer, Fingal (the eagle familiar of Cliona from Lombard Covenant) turned up, carrying a message for Eric. It was from Dalton, telling them of a Celestial Wanderer which had landed in Dublin. He believed that it, and the two others who had fallen earlier in the year, posed a possible threat to the Order, and suggested that Eric investigated the Dublin one, while he and his sodales headed south to find the others. Accordingly, Eric, Hachim and Ælfhere set out for Dublin. They found the fallen star in a glassblower's shop, and it was being venerated as a Tear of the Holy Virgin. A shrine had been set up, although Aed, the glassblower's apprentice (currently in charge) confided to Eric that he knew the Tear to be evil, although he didn't reveal how he knew this. Eric attempted an Intellego Vim spell at Aed, and with a surge of blinding light as his spell botched, saw a vision of feathered wings in the light just before he passed out. Aed pointed out a fiery cross in the sky, and told Hachim to find it, and take it to the Holy Smith of the Isle of Mann, as it was the only way the Tear could be destroyed.
The caterva discussed plans on how to steal the Tear, but before they managed to enact any of these, a seven foot tall savage calling himself Cu Chulain burst into the shop (this was witnessed by Ælfhere). He proclaimed himself an enemy of the Normans and an Irish patriot, and stated the Tear was a Norman plot concocted by their sorcerers to fool the Irish. He was questioned by both Ælfhere (in English) and Aed (in Irish). Cu Chulain became impatient, and grabbing the Tear with one hand and Aed with the other, flew through the roof of the glassblower's shop and away, seeming to be a ball of fire as he headed south, leaving a trail of smoke. This was no mean feat considering the Tear took 15 men to get it out of the crater in the first place!
The caterva travelled to the Isle of Mann. Hachim made some calculations, and worked out the fiery cross must have landed either on the north end of Mann, or else in the sea beyond it. They first located the Holy Smith, who went by the name of Mael Cais, and who lived in Castletown. He revealed that God had told him what he must do with the cross once it was brought to him. The group set off on Great King Orrey's Road, which lead to the town of Ramsey on the north end of the island. On the way, their sleep was disturbed by a stray pig, who put up an inital struggle, but ended up as breakfast.
Reaching Ramsey, Eric, disguised as a Templar, offered a reward for anyone who could tell them about a fiery cross. A farmer claimed the reward, having seen it land on Mount Snaefell while he was out looking for his missing pig. They climbed the mountain, and found some caves half way up. Eric lead Ælfhere and Gorson into the caves, and spoke with a wind that seemed to blow from further within. Her name was Larial, and she asked them their business. When they said they had come to retrieve the ross, she was pleased - apparently it caused her some pain, and she gave them a gift in recompense for taking it. It was only later that they realised that this gift was the ability to both understand other languages and be understood by others. Larial also asked if they wanted to go further into the caves, and meet the Fiery One, but they declined. Climbing to the top of the mountain was a great effort. It resulted in many injuries, the most serious of which was to Bernard, who broke his leg in a fall. Aaron proved to be the best climber, despite the definite penalty of dragging up Hachim, who he was tied to. They nearly slipped several times. Eric took a much easier route, using Rego Corpus magics to let him float gently to the top. At the top they found the cross, glowing with a holy white light. Eric found the hard way that no magic worked in its immediate vicinity, by having his floating spell fail on him. They discussed and rejected many plans to get Aaron, Hachim, Eric and the sword back down the mountain. In the end, Aaron climbed down with the sword tied to him (although he slid most of the way), and once it was gone, Eric used a spntaneous spell to get both him and Hachim back down to the bottom. While camping that night, Eric remembered why no covenant had been successful establishing itself on Mann, and was grateful he had declined to go and see 'the Fiery One'.
Returning to Castletown, Mael Cais got to work on the sword, refusing any assistance from Ælfhere. Instead, Ælfhere and Gordon stood guard outside the smithy. On the fourth day, a group of eight men charged them, and while Gordon ran for help, Ælfhere was cut down with a single blow by their leader. When the others turned up, two of the outlaws were at the door, while the others were engaging the smith and his apprentices inside. Both apprentices were killed in the fight by the outlaws, who were stopping the caterva from attacking their leader, who was fighting Mael Cais. A magus had also arrived, and he threw spells at Eric and Hachim, to keep them away. When hard pressed by Aaron, he created a chasm between them, then disppeared. Ælfhere had been brought back to his feet by Eric's Endurance of the Berserkers, took on the leader, but his war hammer was destroyed by his opponent's skill, and he took yet another wound. Eric targeted a jet of water at the leader, who was knocked off his feet and slain by Aaron.
Aelfhere was at death's door once the sun set, and Mael Cais was also badly wounded. Even so, he resolved to continue working on the sword, and after two days work (during which time Ælfhere came very close to death, but was saved by a local herb woman's skill with chirurgy), completed his masterpiece - a longsword decorated with angels that still glowed with a holy fervour.
The caterva questioned one of the survivors, who said that their leader, a mercenary by the name of Bloody Ranu, and one of Ireland's most feared killers, had been sent by a dream to Castle Chulain, where he had been promised great wealth by the reborn hero. He also told them that they had been ordered to come to Mann, where they would meet up with a wizard called Rosby, who would point out a weaponsmith who they had to murder on behalf of this Cu Chulain. In return for his life, the man offered to sho them how to get to Castle Chulain, in the Glen of Imaal in the Wicklow Mountains. As Ælfhere is severly wounded and Bernard has a broken leg, the magi decide to leave them in Dublin (at the Abbey of St Werburgh's) and hire two Irish mercenaries, who have gathered in Dublin to respond to Cu Chulain's challenge. They are brothers, Gallagher and Riordan. The captured bandit, Séan, leads the caterva into the Glen of Imaal, and it set free, with a promise to hire him if they survive this encounter with Cu Chulainn. The glen contains a large clearing, in the centre of which, atop a burial mount, is a manor in the shape of a five-pointed star, surrounded by a high wooden palisade. About 300 mercenaries are camped outside, waiting for the commencement of the games that will determine who gets one of the coverted jobs working directly for Cu Chulainn. The first game is the clach niart, the Stone of Strength. Aaron and Gallagher manage to lift it, and with a bit of help from Eric's magic, so do Gordon and Riordan. Hachim and Eric still cannot, so Eric fakes one of the wooden tokens that declares him a winner with a bit of magic. Hachim offers his services as a chirurgeon, and manages to impress the sergeant sufficiently that he doesn't have to participate in the trials. The next trial is a 10 mile race. Once again, only Aaron and Gallagher complete the race in the top 200, so Eric makes three more tokens for the next trial. Unfortunately, it is a paired combat to the death, and so it is noticed that some cheating has gone on, as one person is left without a combatant. Rosby the magus makes an appearance, and notices that the token held by Riordan is a fake - he is dragged off into the castle. Eric and Gallagher are both matched with Irish mercenaries, but Gordon has to fight an English footman, and Aaron fights a Norman knight. Eric's battle is over in a single blow to the head, but Gallagher comes off worse from a spear-thrust, and is killed. Gordon and the footman slog it out for many minutes, but with help from Eric's spells, prevails. Aaron is hard-pressed against the Norman, but once more with Eric's magical assistance, wins his fight.
The caterva get inside the palisade. Their wage is a shilling a day, and they formulate plans to get into the heavily-guarded keep. Their first plan is to get the builders of the keep drunk, so they can find out what is going on inside. Eric, attempting to create a flask of whisky, botches his spell and instead, consumed with the anger that he'd noticed associated with the aura, lashes out at a nearby knight. Fortunately he was able to pass it off without serious harm! One day Eric goes to the stables to erect his parma in the morning, and casts Gift of the Bear's Fortitude. Unfortunately, the wrathful aura that permeates this area interfers with his magic, and he transforms wholly into a bear. Consumed with hatred he slays a horse, whose squeals of terror attract Hachim's attention. Hachim puts the bear into a stall, and creates the illusion of a mule to hide him from the other 100 or so men in the compound (Fortunately Eric also botches his Magic Resistance, else Hachim's spell would never have worked!). By using Muto Imaginem spells to give himself a voice, then Perdo Vim spells to return him to human form (although naked!). Hachim's comment, upon seeing Eric again was "Have you stopped horsing around? You've just got to grin and bear it!"
After the seventh day with still no movement from inside, the caterva decide to break in through the unfinished wing. They make their way upstairs and spy into the main hall. There they see Cu Chulainn and two Iron Tears sitting on carven stone thrones. Riordan's body is stretched out on the floor before the Irish hero, and three nearby cages each contain a prisoner. The caterva withdraws to consider options.
After hours of whispering, they come up with a plan. Dressed in illusionary black cloaks, Aaron and Eric enter the main chamber, while Gordon and Hachim lingre by the door. Eric casts Wake the Slumbering Corpse on Riordan's body, creating a distraction. Aaron unsheaths the holy sword and charges at one of the Tears, Gordon engages the diabolists while Hachim bars the door. The Tear smashes under Aaron's blow, squirting molten iron all over him, although his armour takes the brunt of it. Cu Chulainn undergoes a horrific transformation, revealing himself to be a hideous demon, with a contorted body, huge mouth and a column of dark blood springing from his forehead. He attempts to knock people over with a great wind, while Aaron moves in to attack him. At this point his magic fails, and he resorts to using his mighty fists against Aaron. Eric tries to use Flash of the Scarlet Flames to help Aaron out, however the spell botches in a spectacular way, setting Eric's head alight and blinding him. Aaron eventually prevails aginst the demon, and destroys the other Tear. Gordon on the other hand is heavily wounded by one of the priests. In a murderous frenzy he manages to slay three of them before having his head caved in by the last one. With the demon dead, the magi start to take stock, and release the captives from their magical cells - Aed, and two magi from Lombard, Dalton and Brian. The group are attacked by Rosby, who manages to get a Crystal Dart into Eric before floating down to engage the group. He doesn't fare well, despite his protection from metal - when he sees two swords, one glowing with a holy light and the other made of glass heading in his direction, he uses a Leap of Homecoming to escape.
Now all the caterva have to do is escape the castle, surrounded as they are by 100 mercenaries. They loot the place, finding chests of gold and silver, and books in Rosby's library. They also want to take the 3 magical cages and the remains of the demon (called Crom Cruach, apparently) and the two Tears - over 4 tons of iron! Using illusions to make Eric and Hachim look like Cu Chulainn and Rosby, they send the captain of the mercenaries off to Arklow to buy four wagons and horses. They then load these up, and send the captain and 20 men back to Arklow with the goods. Brian accompanies them. The rest then dress like the diabolists, and waiting uptil after dark, approach the main gate and leave, claiming to be on a mission for Cu Chulainn. They meet back up with their loot, and 'Rosby' sends the mercenaries back into the hills to rejoin the main force. Meanwhile, the caterva escape via boat to Dublin.
To finish off their adventures in Ireland, they pay a visit to Lombard to pick up the 6 pawns of Creo vis that they are owed, although Hachim uses 4 pawns of it immediately to cure Eric's blindness, which as not cleared up on its own. They leave the remains of the Tears and the book on Creo with Lombard, but take the rest themselves back to Horsingas. The holy sword is buried under a hawthorn tree some distance from the covenant.
Hear news that the King of France has died. This is a problem for England, as his successor Louis has a history of invading England.
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