The Covenant of Horsingas
This covenant runs more as a group of allied bandits than a Hermetic
Covenant. The weardmenn (grogs) indulge in drinking and games, which often lead
to fights. The magi scheme and feud among themselves, each one putting forward
his or her own plans and targets. There are few women among the inhabitants,
and these are as mercenary as the men. The ramshackle buildings put up by the
weardmenn in the caves as barracks are always in danger of collapse, and many
move their bed-rolls into the deeper caves that the magi let them use. Those
with delicate stomachs are advised to sleep in the open, since the caves are
also the main stable for the covenant’s precious horses. The magi dwell in
the buried tower above the caves, which is in much better condition. Six of the
ten available sancta are in very good condition. The covenant language is
Saxon, which the surrounding dale men understand, though they speak one of two
dialects, Scottish to the north (a Saxon/Gaelic hybrid) and Northumbrian (which
makes heavy use of Danish). In addition, the magi have developed a series of
code words in Latin, which allow them to discuss raids and targets under the
noses of magi from other covenants.
Horsingas is a simple tower-castle that has been carved into a hill.
Therefore it is the equivalent of a normal tower, but almost entirely
underground. The entrance level of the covenant, which is the middle of the 5
floors, is mid-way up the hill, and has been cunningly built to make use of
natural features such as overhanging rocks and large boulders to obscure the
windows and main door. The ‘roof’ of the tower is level with the top
of the hill, and has an open light well and four sentry posts, which are the
top of four turrets that run up the outside of the keep. Being buried in a hill
gives Horsingas superb protection from attack. The four sentry posts on top of
the hill are hidden by illusion (see below), and overlook all four approaches
to the hill. The light well can be closed up if required. The sentry posts have
spiral staircases that lead down to the bottom layer of the fortress, and have
viewholes all the way down.
Horsingas is very good at making enemies. As far as they are concerned, they
are surrounded by enemies - Normans to the south, Lowlanders to the north and
treacherous Britons to the west. However, at a more immediate level they have
made themselves rather unpopular with the local nobility.
The magi of Horsingas are perhaps the least cohesive group of magi in the
Loch Leglean Tribunal, united only by their common goal - to return England to
Saxon rule. They pay little attention to research or creating items, other than
to aid their fight against their foes. Each magus has a grudge against the
Normans, but the magi’s goals and plans are often at cross-purposes.
Leadership of the covenant rests uneasily on three magi, Edwin, Whitburh and
Jehan. Even when these three co-operate, the other magi of the covenant do not
necessarily agree with their decisions.
Despite the internal dissention, the covenant presents a solid front in
matters Hermetic, voting as a block in tribunals. This unity has made Horsingas
one of the three powers in the tribunal and it has attracted its share of the
aonaranan (solitary magi) in many matters.
Sir Edwin of Hexham, scholae Tytali. Edwin is perhaps a warrior first and a
magus second, still, his spells help him to be an even better warrior. He is an
expert strategist, and is often to be seen in the midst of battle astride his
flesh-eating horse Heard Healu.
Whitburh Frithowebba, scholae Guernici. The only quaesitor in the Tribunal
of Loch Leglean, Whitburh often finds herself divided between loyalty to the
Code and loyalty to the Covenant. The latter usually wins.
Sir Jehan of Surrey, scholae Jerbitonis. Though not a warrior, he is a
noble, and usually accompanies the covenant’s men into battle
Ælfred of Thirlweall, scholae Tytali. Once the leader of the
covenant, he has been usurped by his filius Edwin.
Ealwynn of Keswick, scholae Bjornaeris. Intelligent, swift, and utterly
ruthless. She is married to Coenwulf.
Coenwulf Eofurcumbol, scholae Bjornaeris. Apprenticed to the same magus as
Ealwynn, the two fell in love immediately, despite being entirely different
from each other. Coenwulf is a huge hulk of a man with the heartbeast of a
boar, and the wits to match.
Guiseppe del Mato, scholae Flambonis. A mercenary from Sicily who was
apprenticed at Verdi, Guiseppe has the soul of a magus, the skill of a smith
and the mind of a warrior. He wandered Europe for most of his post-Gauntlet
life.
The covenant has ten individuals that could be considered consortis.
Caedwalla is a veteran of the Baron’s Rebellion and in gratitude for
his heroic effort against the Scots, he has been given longevity potions to
keep him fighting fit. He is the leader and trainer of the footsoldiers of the
covenant. He is the nearest thing that the covenant has to a leader of all of
the grogs.
Alexander Nixon is the youngest brother of the clan chief of Clan Nixon,
and has no real chance at leadership of the clan. Thus he now commands the
Bordermen that fight on pony-back in the duguth of Horsingas.
Heremod is a Dane who was exiled from his homeland due to his violent
temperment. He is the unofficial leader of the baresarks in the turb.
Ceredig is a deacon of the Celtic Church. Though he has not taken up
weapons himself, he condones the need to fight for one’s beliefs.
Wihlfred is the Librarian of Horsingas. Once he was the apprentice of
Jehan’s pater, but after 5 years of apprenticeship it became clear that
Wihlfred’s Gift had dwindled to nothing for some reason. He now serves as
the amenuensis and librarian for the covenant. His knowledge of Magic Theory
allows him to assist in the decoding and rewriting of lab notes. Horsingas has
decided that it is worth keeping a guard in the library, as it is the first
target of raids, and Wihlfred’s brother Wulfhere, a trusted weardman,
performs this task.
Glesig is the covenant’s smith, an unusual post for a woman to hold.
However, Glesig is a huge woman with mighty thews, and is rumoured to be less
than human. She is skilled at intricate work, and can turn her hand to weapons,
jewelry, glassblowing and carpentry.
Anna is an ancient Highlander who Ælfred met whilst in Scotland. She
is known in the covenant as ‘Cailleach Anna’, and it is said that she
has great magical powers and is afforded a lot of respect from the non-magi.
Cerdic is a Southern Saxon, and was once a member of the Covenant of Seven
Sisters. He is the ostler of the covenant, a seemingly lowly position but the
magi give him much respect for his knowledge of horses. He is the only one
other than Edwin who can get near Heard Healu.
Billing is a good friend of Hereward, and accompanied him when he was
exiled from Denmark. He is responsible for keeping the lore of his people
alive, and is a trained storyteller. His biggest assest to the covenant is his
vast memory.
The magi of Horsingas use terms from Old Saxon for their grogs, so they have
a duguth of weardmenn rather than a turb of grogs. Custos are referred to as
huscarls. The grog captain (or thegn) is currently Caedwalla, who has the
respect of most of his men, who are mainly native Northumbrians or Scots. The
duguth is currently at only 2/3 strength, numbering at about one hundred
weardmenn, which can be broadly divided into four groups:
Forty of the wearmenn are foot soldiers, armed and armoured with equipment
plundered from their opponents, so armour ranges from chain hauberks to no
armour at all, with the majority of the footmen in cloth gambesons and helmets.
All the foot soldiers are trained to use a one-handed spear, and in addition
may carry hand weapons of any sort. Caedwalla is responsible for these troops
personally.
Another two dozen are light horsemen from the surrounding Border families.
They are all skilled riders mounted on the dale ponies prevalent in the Border
region. They are equipped with a spear, shield and sword, and wear leather or
cloth armour with an iron helmet. They are especially good at harrying the
heavier Norman cavalry, and often use a feigned retreat over marshy ground to
mire their opponents. They are led by their kinsman Alexander Nixon.
There is also a squad of 21 crossbowmen, trained personally by Guiseppe del
Mato in the use of the most feared weapon of the North, the heavy crossbow
which he had specifically imported from his native Sicily.
Finally there is a group of 11 men and one woman who pride themselves on
their ferocity and are known as the baresarks. They wear no armour except the
pelt of a bear (which most slew single-handed), but work themselves into a fury
before battle. They carry axes and shields into battle and all try to outdo
each other in ferocity. Only two actually have the Berserk Virtue. They are
lead by Heremod.
When the magi go into battle, they each have their own troops. Sixteen of
the horsemen and the same number of footsoldiers follow Sir Edwin and carry his
badge on their shield (a rearing black horse). Sir Jehan commands 14 of the
footsoldiers and the rest of the cavalry, his badge is three skulls. Coenwulf
is accompanied only by his Baresarks (their badge is a piece of bear skin
nailed to the face of the shield), and Guiseppe takes his crossbowmen and the
remaining ten footmen, whose shields bear red and black vertical stripes. There
are group rivalries among the four divisions, especially between the two groups
of horsemen and between Jehan’s footmen and the baresarks. Fighting
between the groups is allowed, but only barehanded. If anyone draws a weapon on
another of the duguth, that person is subject to the ire of the magus whose
weardmenn he or she strikes.