To my Most Honoured Quaesitoris Whitburh Frithowebba Guernici filia Severine, from your earnest and devoted servant, Huwgwold, Magister Disceptator et Lucrum Hygwald Veritas Tremendi filius Goliard Gubernatrix, filia Flumen Fae-Bane ab Spina Nigra, ab Portus Viduae Vastae;

It is with the greatest humility and the profoundest relief that I bring the news of the destruction of the archimagus Azenis Tytali, the evil murderer of Severine Guernici. The foul diabolist has been summarily Marched by the dauntless magi of Portus Viduae Vastae. Justice has been done - at great risk and no smaller cost. Our covenant has been sorely damaged, many virtuous crusader knights lie dead and we valiant magi have suffered much injury - I myself write this from my hospital bed - but we are victorious and Azenis is defeated!

You will have been informed by your worthy sodalis Stratus Enor of the matters leading to the final fall back into darkness of Azenis ab Lux Ex Tenebris but I feel it is my responsibility to bring to you a complete account of these momentous events.

It has been well documented that Azenis' actions, in the year of 1223 anno domini, had brought some condemnation upon myself and my sodales for the charge of interference with mundanes; we accepted Severine's decision then with humility and grace though we knew little of the conditions of the charge. We now know that Azenis was actually striving to dominate the Order through brutal murder and vile blasphemy against God. After killing the good maga Severine, he announced himself as "the most powerful magus in the Order" and that all would bow down before him. Might I present an ashen corpse in refutation of this somewhat impetuous claim?

After the fall of Lux Ex Tenebris, Azenis came to our covenant and demanded a sanctum be made available for him and his work. Not in the position to argue with an archimagus of Azenis' mighty reputation, the council of Portus Viduae Vastae reluctantly granted his request. It was well that he remained ensconced within his laboratory for almost all the time he was present at our covenant, for we were free to pursue our own investigations into his activities. Little was made clear of his work save that he appeared to be working on a longevity potion of some kind; it was speculated that he was performing research into the nature of immortality. If we could have been aware then of what we are now: that he planned to mount an assault against the gates of Heaven itself, to steal the Most Holy Shroud Of Our Lord Jesus Christ and wear it as a cloak against his own death, then we would have acted far sooner against him.

Our own suspicions were of urgent moment when we discovered an aura of decay and rot about our covenant. Our investigations, which included the summoning of water spirits and a visit to the site of Lux Ex Tenebris, revealed that not only had this begun to occur from the time of Azenis' arrival, it echoed of the collapse of Azenis' former covenant. Without proof, however, we had little to confront him with on this matter. Now we had a new ally, the ghost of Triandin Jerbitonis, who was able to inform us further of the dark magus' plans.

It transpired that he was following the researches of his fellow magus, Benvolius of Bonisagus, who sought to marry the Realms of Magic - Azenis' particular interest was in how he could pervert the divine to his own unholy devices; his studies apparently demanded the body of a blasphemer, the hand of a saint and the Shroud of Christ itself, stolen from the Holy Land by his puppet crusader, the knight Francis d'Alsante.

Lucas Von Bec, visiting the covenants of Blackthorn, Arbroath and Schola Pythagoranis, in order to learn further of Azenis' diabolic interests. He encountered Severine Guernici during his investigations; she endeavoured to challenge her former sodales upon his actions - and, for this act, Azenis killed her and destroyed her immortal soul. Emerging the morning after this most evil exploit, he displayed the sins of pride and greed, and showed neither guilt nor remorse for his vile and murderous deed, only contempt for Severine and the Order of Hermes.

We were all but prisoners in our own covenant that bitterest of winters after Severine's murder. I managed to escape south, and went to enlist the assistance of a dragon. I knew from a previous encounter that Azenis had enraged her for she believed him to be the killer of two of her hatchlings. Word came to us also that the crusader Christophe d'Alsante had returned and that he planned to mount an attack upon the "evil sorcerer" who had corrupted his uncle, Lord Francis.

We contrived to use these events to our best craft and advantage, to bring the dragon, Sir Christophe and his army to St Abb's Head at the auspicious time of Good Friday, as determined by our resident astrologer, Hachim Criamonis. This would be a proptitious moment, we knew, for his power was drawn from the Shroud and, upon this day does the Good Book tell us, that Our Lord Jesus Christ entered Hades to do battle with Lucifer; his power would be weaker then - this was to be his Heel of Achilles, his Beard of Samson. The century marched upon Manor Head in the quiet of night, under the cover of conjured cloud, whereupon Sir Christophe made his challenge to Azenis and gave this servant of Satan the opportunity to repent of his sins. Corrupt beyond redemption, Azenis, most unsurprisingly, met the offer with disdain.

It was during the battle that we saw how truly diabolic his power had become: the stink of Hell's blight spread from him and stripped flesh from bone, brought strong men to their knees with age and decrepitude, destroyed lives and souls all about. Sir Christophe died first, then many more. It was only because of our own magical defences that we were able to resist the corruption he commanded and so conspire to strike back. Our ally the dragon snatched him in her jaws and carried him into the sky, where they struggled together high above St Abb's Head - but Azenis prevailed and the dragon, sorely injured by his foul magics, was forced to release him and slip away into the sea to escape.

Triumphant against both the dragon and an army entire of crusading knights, Azenis returned to land upon the roof of our covenant, where Eric Tytali, Lucas Flambonis and I awaited. Lucas Von Bec dealt the archimagus a crippling blow with his own sorceries and, while I wrestled with the archmage to keep him from casting his deadly spells, Eric conjured a mighty gout of water, with which to force him off the roof, to fall to the flagged stone of our courtyard. His death was announced by the keening cry of Kakethrik, his vulture familiar, as it fell from the sky. The Devil had claimed him when we reached his body; naught was left but ash and dust.

A service was held in honour of the fallen knight and the harrowed ground of St Abb's Head was made miraculously whole. We knew then that we had been the agents of a holy cause, acting in the service of God and the Order and our hearts were lifted in joy.

Where the dragon and the army had failed, we few young magi would prevail. A righteous blow has been struck against the enemies of the Order of Hermes. Portus Viduae Vastae Perditor Azenis!

This is the complete and accurate account of the destruction of the evil diabolist Azenis Tytali by the valiant and dutiful magi of Vidua Vasta, by your most humble servant, Huwgwold, Magister Disceptator et Lucrum Hygwald Veritas Tremendi filius Goliard Gubernatrix, filia Flumen Fae-Bane ab Spina Nigra, ab Portus Viduae Vastae.

Assisting me in this great action were my sodales, of whom it would be churlish of me not to give mention: Magister Frates Eric Ribecus Tytali filius perditorque Azenis ab Lux Ex Tenebris, Magister Valetudinis Lucas Von Bec Flambonis filius Talion, Magister Pietas Julia Textrix Bonisagi, Magister Mortis Hachim El Khalej Criamonis.