Tell us about the covenant in your part of the world.  The members, the leader, and the relations with other covenants.  Feel free to post the technical data sheets for your covenant if you wish.

I'll add a synopsis of some of the Covenants I've ran in the past or just designed for fun.  Feel free to use them as active covenants, background characters or springboards for your own adventures. For ease of editing, I'll put one Covenant per post.

Perseverada

Tribunal: Normandy

Season: Spring/Summer

  Perseverada is a covenant in southwestern portion of the Normandy Tribunal that  enjoyed a long and prosperous rise into Summer but has in recent years suffered a string of ill fortune and declining membership that threatens to close the storied covenant for good.
  The covenant consists of a complex of caverns below a functioning (if small-ish) castle that belongs to the family of Annelise ex Jerbiton, the only remaining member of the covenant.  The cavern below the castle have a moderate magical aura but the entire valley (in which the castle is situated) has a mild magical aura and the laboratories of several former magi are situated in the forests.

  The covenant has an excellent library and ample room for labs in the cavern system below the castle.  The liege of the castle is an ardent supporter of the covenant's existence and leaves it to run itself with minimal interference but does expect assistance with any troubles beyond the mortal ken.  Recent troubles have threatened to destroy the covenant however; all but one of it's magi have vanished mysteriously and the silver mines that keep the castle and covenant flush with cash has attracted a monster that has run off the mortal and faerie miners thus dwindling it's coffers greatly.  The perceived weakness of Perseverada has caused political rivals to challenge it's claims to the local Vis sources placing the covenant in further peril.  In the crowded Normandy Tribunal, Perseverada would make for a prime location for just-gauntleted magi to make their mark by rejuvenating the venerable covenant.

Many years ago, I wanted to run a more fantasy-version of ARM5. Just to shake things up. I decided on Harn as it has very strong medieval trappings and it was easy to slip into a cool world. I didn't want things completely overt... just more so than Mythic Europe. At the time, I didn't really know ARM5 very well. So I decided to build the Covenants within the Tribunals of the West up from scratch. It was one of the more rewarding things I've done to prep a game... I learned SO MUCH about the system and its capabilities. In addition, as I went through the years (I actually only did about 200 years and not even that for all of them. There ended up being 11 Tribunals! I fully mapped out/generated about 30 covenants. Again, I can't stress enough how interesting it was.

All the books in various libraries were actually written by NPCS that I had write them. Spells were similar. I spent a long winter on it mainly because I was having so much fun. But I did finally run the game here on Rpol.

Here is the old summary of the covenant. The tower was based on the older edition supplement MISTRIDGE as I used those maps in the game. I had great players and we lasted a year or more. Unfortunately, as happens with RPOL, the pace slackened and we lost some key players--and decided to put it down. I've always meant to put everything up and make it available for the community. I have tons of text, maps, and A LOT OF METACREATOR sheets!

Here is the original premise as part of the RTJ/Game Ad

---

The starting year is 704, by Tuzyn Reckoning, and you have accepted the challenge of restoring a covenant that is struggling under poor circumstances. The covenant lies on the distant island of Harn, renowned for magic and strange occurrences, and rumored to be a place of great adventure and danger.

The covenant of Via Munitus was formed in 661TR on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Kaldor. The Founding Members consisted of Ealchere ex Jerbiton from Havarus Peak, Astrigonius ex Criamon from Querion Hall and Vevrina ex Miscellanea of Cad Gadu. With the services of a magus from the Esevria covenant in Chelemby they raised a tower for the covenant and have resided within it since that time. There have been a series of unfortunate incidents with the members of the covenant in the preceding years. As a result, an invitation was offered for magi to join the covenant of Via Munitus on the island of Harn.

Greetings sodales,

I write to you from the wonderful island of Harn in the Gulf of Eder. My name is Vevrina and I write this as the sole remaining member of the covenant of Via Munitus. Through a series of unfortunate events, I write this alone from my home and sanctuary. The departure of my friend and fellow council member, Adaelia ex Flambeau, with her filia, to the Varduin Tribunal leaves our halls quiet and desolate.

I write so that adventurous and capable souls will cross the Gulf of Eder to join my covenant and further the good name of Via Munitus for decades, nay, centuries to be. Do not be dismayed for our covenant is strong in resources and knowledge. We have thrived here on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Kaldor, at Mount Nhytloc between the Kald and Hemurin Rivers, for almost fifty years. In that time, we have grown our library, expanded our resources and accumulated much that should serve as sufficient enticement to encourage your acceptance of my invitation. The island of Harn is rich in magical wonders, fountains of vis and many strange and exotic creatures. I offer you the opportunity of a lifetime; to come to the fabled Wizarding Isle and grow in your Art.

I have chartered a vessel, the Malignant Praise, to ferry all those who would take up this offer. It will arrive in the port of Parahal, in the Kingdom of Palithane, in two month’s time. There it shall provide you transport across the violent seas and, fear not, for her Captain, Menodas, is a seasoned hand. He will take you to the port of Burzyn, in the Kingdom of Chybisa on the mainland of Harn. I will have our trusted retainers there to bring you to us with all possible haste.

I look forward to new faces and strong souls within the walls once again. Until we meet!

Vevrina ex Miscellanea, Covenant of Via Munitus
By my hand, the 16th of Peonu, in the Year 704.

---

History of Via Munitus as Told by Vevrina ex Miscellanea

We all came here because of Ealchere, he’s Jerbiton from Havarus Peak. I had been traveling the western edge of the mainland for a few years and settled down in Querion Hall. It was temporary; a sharing of knowledge between myself and the magi in residence. Astrigonius was there, of course, as he was apprenticed at that covenant. We had made acquaintances over a couple years when Ealchere visited the covenant looking for sodales to accompany him to Harn. You should have heard him… he talked incessantly of the auras, the vis just lying around to be collected, and there was little Order influence on it. That’s what he claimed, that there were only two covenants in place on the island. Ealchere had spent the last few years traveling all over the island and visiting the two covenants: Istrasias and Obellius. We learned more about his ‘travels’ later but, back in 657, the idea seemed perfect.

I had not received much in the way of solidarity amongst the other covenants and had been wandering for a great deal of time. Querion Hall was the first covenant to allow me to stay and that, simply put, actually valued my knowledges. So I was definitely interested in putting down roots somewhere that I could avoid most of the Order and all of the politics that came with it. Astrigonius had grandiose plans for investigating the auras and the fabled history of the island. He had read De Itinere Ad Nebula, the Hall had a copy of it, and was intrigued by the statements from Ealchere. We signed on then and there. It took us two years to put together the resources with much of our library coming from Astrigonius’ copying from Querion Hall. The monetary part was handled by Ealchere with a lot of the support coming from Havarus Peak. We spent two years putting everything together and set sail for Harn in 659 TR.

We were young then, you see, it was going to be a great adventure. Ealchere could have talked birds out of the trees and he had arranged everything. He showed us maps of the site and had already done some negotiations with the locals here in Kaldor. We came here right away and set up a base camp, speaking with locals and putting together the resources to raise a tower. Ealchere arranged that, at poor terms I might add, from the Esevira covenant in Chelemby. We had to promise a significant amount of prominent vis to a mage from Esevria covenant in the Alsian Tribunal to accomplish it. In the end, it was worth it since we would never have survived without this stone around us but we knew it was a significant amount.

Ealchere had chosen our location to be near vis sources that he had claimed to have already scouted in his travels. Well, that turned out to be false. We learned later, when Ealchere's rival from Istrasias levied claims against us for vis theft that Ealchere had placed our site on top of their source. The ice gathered from the peak of Gonbar had been claimed by Istrasias in the past but Ealchere had spent his time in Istrasias sniffing out some of their sources and... thanks to Peripheral Rulings, all vis within six leagues of our covenant was ours by right.

It’s worth mentioning that Astrigonius and I just wanted to be left alone to pursue our own fields. Ealchere was behind everything and we took him at his word. We learned what a mistake that would turn out to be over the years but he had everything under control as far as we could discern. The Kaldoric nobility was obliging of us without any promises we were made aware of and the vis was easily harvested. It was not long before we discovered our main sources and the covenant prospered. Astrigonius and I dived into our studies and left the politicking to Ealchere.

It was at the 670 Tribunal that we first gained an inkling that Ealchere had omitted a few things from us. It turned out that he had been expelled from Istrasias for unwelcome behavior towards the covenant members. That was when he began traveling the island, in 651, and spent time in Obellius. Astrigonius’ figured it out later but, at the time, we thought it was just coincidence. The Rule has been changed since then but our covenant placed their vis source right within our statutory Domain and removing it from Ostium Domus’ resources. They filed a claim against us but, on a legal sliver, Aedile the Quaesitor dismissed it under the Peripheral Code. Frankly, this just inflamed the attitudes of the other covenants toward us. Ostium Domus, our closest neighbor, figured us for thieves and with good cause! We won but only by a barely legal ruling. At the time, we figured we were in the right and made no attempts to heal the breach… it wasn’t until later, after Ealchere passed, that we figured out what had happened. Ealchere’s time in Obellius? We figured he spent that time getting a look at the vis records that the Mercere maintained for the local covenants. By the time we figured that out, it was too late and we were off to a rocky start.

Either way, at the Tribunal, Octavia from Istrasias and Ealchere got into a row. There were threats flying back and forth but it was settled down by the end of it. That woman hated him with a passion and, although we didn’t know it at the time, she had good reason for it. Turns out Ealchere, ever loose in the loins, had attempted to force her into his arms while at Istrasias. An attempted rape of the Founder’s apprentice is not really a good method of obtaining acceptance to a covenant and they rightly tossed him out. Slimy bastard deserved it. I don’t like to think of his activities when he was out ‘politicking’ on our behalf. Who knows what he did in those days to the poor mundane girls that crossed his path. That was always his problem… never could take no for an answer to anything. While I would be forced to agree that he was successful in many of his goals, the man was foul and bristled the fur of anyone who had dealt with him. Well, the Praeco and Quaesitor managed to settle things down despite Ealchere taunting the woman and we all headed back to our respective homes.

Shortly after the Tribunal, we inducted two new members here. Arriving together, Caesia and Adaelia showed up one dark and stormy night on our front steps. Caesia was a thin girl, almost waifish with big eyes and she always seemed so distracted, seems that the young girl had always been a prescient and she said a few things that got us worked up. Adaelia, now she was something different and very protective of the Merinita. She was a Flambeau and had met up with Caesia on the mainland. At first, she was just providing protection as Caesia was fairly lost when it came to reality but I think Adaelia warmed to the notion of Harn after time. We brought them in as probationary members and they earned their labs in a few short years. Caesia was a different sort as she was always talking about things that might or might not happen. Some of her visions, which Astrigonius figured she viewed at all times, came true and so we felt a certain obligation to her. Adaelia proved her worth right away in organizing and training our turb. She was an adventurous sort and suited to commanding the menfolk so we simply allowed her to do it without interference.

We rewrote the Charter around that time and got Ealchere removed from leading us. Astrigonius actually worked hard on that score and Ealchere was out of the Chair. With Astrigonius as Superior, we spent most of the eighth decade of the century in a time of consolidation. Each to their own projects and everything went smooth until closer to the end of the decade. Caesia spent a few years researching her own interests and then began traveling north with some grogs for protection. At first it was just summers, then spring and summer, and by the end of the decade she was gone most of the year. I traveled with her several times just a bit north along the Fur Road to locate herbs and other materials for my work but she kept going further north. We discovered that she had been leaving the men along the river and continuing into the forest on her own. The swordsmen protested but they had to follow her orders. Astrigonius was busy with some of his work and, frankly, I was not very interested in it at the time. Adaelia accompanied Caesia and myself some times but she also went out in search of adventure. It was a good time. Ealchere was quiet, often gone into the Kingdom for liaisons with his friends and associates. We paid little attention to him since he was gone from the covenant so often.

Our relationship with Kaldor had always been his doing. We did not inquire into his dealings since the Kingdom exerted no control or demands on any of us so it was presumed that everything was under control. It was to some extent however, looking back, I think Ealchere’s relations with the Kingdom went further than we imagined. You may have heard of the Treasure War? A foolish pretext for an invasion that Torastra had been planning for some time. In 674, Calstel, a relic-blade of the Kaldoric, was stolen from the Royal Treasury. King Torastra was young and fiery around that time and he immediately started throwing suspicion on everyone. While this was going on, we were only partially aware of things and paid it little mind. Ealchere though was in the heart of it. He had taken to advising high-ranking members of the nobility, perhaps even the Crown, on the events. In mid-year, the King himself arrived at our gates and requested to speak with us.

It was a proud day for us, the King of Kaldor requesting our assistance! We spoke with him for some time and came to an agreement. Ealchere would use the Art to locate the relic and we would craft the King a helm for battle, in return he excused us of any tithes or duties for thirty years. A fair bargain. In the end, the thieves were tracked to Burzyn in Chybisa to our south. The King sent an ultimatum for the blade’s return to the Chybisan King and, when it went unanswered, decided to invade the smaller kingdom. The whole episode seemed arranged, when I look back on it now, but we all agreed that the compensation was worth it. We had been tithing the Sheriff for most of our existence and the prospect of complete freedom was too tempting to pass up.

In the end, you likely know the outcome; the King routed the Chybisans and took dominion of it unto his own hands. I am still unsure as to what role he played in the invasion but he certainly appreciated the attention granted him by certain nobility after the invasion. I find it a bit suspicious when the majority of those worthies were granted lands and dominion in Chybisa after it was annexed. Even so, he did not ride with the campaign but did increase his social calls to Tashal and Olokand in the years to come.

But things remained quiet for the most part. It was around then that Astrigonius assisted me with crafting a longevity matrix sufficient for my needs. Caesia’s absences were growing longer and Adaelia spent much of her time studying and defending the tower from the northern Gargun. She traveled a bit to see the island but never for more than a season.

At the Tribunal in 681, Ealchere finally had gone too far. It was as if he could not resist taunting the maga that he had assaulted and the entire Tribunal was nearly in uproar over it. It was very little surprise that Octavia declared War on him but they were forced to set it aside until all parties had a chance to return to their residences. I know Aedile was hoping that a period of time would cool the flames but it was not to be. Upon our return, as Superior, I decided that this was a personal conflict and that the covenant should not be imperiled. I will not perjure myself and say that we all did not harbor our doubts at this time. Octavia’s accusations at the Tribunal had been revealing of the exact nature of their rift and there was little love for the man even here.

We allowed him to utilize our grogs and he departed the covenant before the War began according to the deadline set by the Quaesitor. We did not hear anything for several weeks until Ealchere returned here in a sorry state. He had been wounded and bore the marks of blade and Art. He said little about the confrontation but did claim that it was over and an agreement was reached. Figuring any agreement was private between the parties, we did not pry and that was our last mistake with the damnable man. He was quieter after that and more studious. He curtailed his forays into the kingdom and spent months in study, even writing some works for the library. At our Council Meeting in 682, we agreed to elevate him to the post of Scribal Magister, thinking he had turned over a new leaf. If you had known the man, it was obvious that something had changed within him.

We were blessed with XXXXX, Adaelia’s apprentice, in 684TR. Aedile, the Quaesitor, and his Hoplite, Gaston, appeared at our gates to request Adaelia’s assistance on an investigation. She must have been expecting it as her bags were packed and our farewells took no more than an hour. The three of them departed and I only know that they traveled north and west… ENEMY.

When she returned, Caesia was with her, a quiet girl of only nine years old. She was from one of the barbarian tribes in the north, I can’t remember which one and Adaelia had indicated that she was an orphan. Judging by the emotions there, I think Adaelia had something to do with that but the child was clearly Gifted. We learned that Aedile had been grievously wounded during that conflict and Gaston eventually lost his life. A story for another time and one for which, honestly, I don’t know all the turns. Regardless, Caesia ex Merinita was opened to the Arts on her 11th birthday and was properly apprenticed by Adaelia.

We seem to always be infringed upon an infrequent basis with deceitful lulls in the midst. That might explain why we stand so stooped today, perhaps we are guilty of complacency? We had a number of good years after that…

It was in 687 that the old Ealchere returned. He had been so quiet those six years that I can barely recall his presence. That should have been my first sign that something was amiss but we were all so busy. Ealchere informed us that Balesir, the old King of Chybisa, had invaded the kingdom to retake his throne. With our services rendered, we thought little of it although Ealchere’s pigeons were flying furiously in those days. In the late spring, he stepped down from his post and left Via Munitus to accompany the King on his campaign to retake Chybisa. It was quite a surprise to most of us but we simply warned him to beware possible entanglements that would reflect poorly on us. Since Istrasias and Obellius have been so involved in military matters in the past, we felt and rightfully so that his assistance would not be a violation of the Code.

It was nearing Autumn when we had word of what transpired at the Battle of Chybisa. It was a stranger that brought us news of Ealchere’s death and his Talisman. Sir Andris had ridden from the battle to return Ealchere’s effects. From him, we learned that Ealchere had ridden with the King on campaign against Chybisa and the rebels under Balesir. Sir Andris was a knighted bastard son of one of the manor lords in the King’s train and had made the acquaintance of Ealchere a few years past at the Olokand Tournament. Apparently, and this was the truth as my Art could tell, Sir Andris had sworn allegiance to Ealchere in exchange for youth and service. He accompanied our fellow mage into battle and described the foul treachery that had slain him. Amongst the Chybisan army, a woman warded by Melderyn and Thardan mercenaries assaulted Ealchere and his grogs. Sir Andris described the woman in some detail and it was clearly Octavia of Istrasias. The two of them waged an arcane combat and Ealchere fell slain on the field. It was then that Andris, I won’t give him his honors now, swept up Ealchere’s Talisman and raced back here to bring the news.

I won’t lie and say that we felt a great sadness at the man’s death. But it was not right and Astrigonius immediately penned a missive to Aedile in Obellius. It took some time for a response to come back to us and we were visited by the Quaesitor himself. I had heard of the permanent injuries sustained the years before but was shocked at his condition. Confined to that stone chair, he was… is still a formidable man and one that always sought out the truth. He transposed himself here to bring the news to us personally that Istrasias had provided him with documents alleging that Ealchere had broken the terms of the armistice between Octavia and himself. You would not believe what the man had done! He had secretly agreed to provide Octavia with twelve pawns of vis each year to maintain the peace… she had defeated him and he surrendered to her terms! The vis? You may guess where that had come from, our reformed little librarian had been stealing it right from under our nose! It seemed that Ealchere had failed to provide the payment in the winter of 686 and Octavia was claiming that it voided the armistice between them. A search of our stores revealed that the black-hearted bastard had stolen nearly our entire supply of vis! We were left with only a few pawns of Form! Astrigonius was outraged, as was I, and we demanded that Octavia face murder charges and return the stolen vis. Aedile tried to persuade us to drop the matter but Astrigonius penned an immediate petition for her arraignment at the next Tribunal.

We were in fair dire straits at that time. A search of Ealchere’s quarters revealed that he had also been purloining from the vis payments to Esevria for the manifestation of our tower! At that time, I swear to you, I would have slain the man with my own two hands if he were only still alive. It was a dark time for us and still a few years to the Tribunal. Astrigonius immediately corresponded with the magi at Esevria with all of the facts and we negotiated a new series of payments. Again, these terms were not favorable to us but we had little choice. With no stores and certainly no ability to make good on six years of payments, we would have been thrown out if the matter were to go to hearing so we had no choice but to agree. I won’t say they were unfair but some compassion would certainly have been warranted, don’t you think? Either way, we agreed to the penalties and additional sums to cover the missed payments. Those were a busy two years as we scoured for new vis sources and prepared for the upcoming Tribunal.

We were not blind to our predicament going into that summer. Ealchere had done nothing but insult and offend against near every covenant in the Tribunal. Our relations with Ostium Domus were non-existent since our inception and Istrasias had every reason to hate us before we accused them of theft. Only Obellius stood unaffected by Ealchere’s selfishness, so we figured, although that turned out to be wrong also. It seemed that the Redcaps had conversed with Aedile about the coincidence of our location and there was strong suspicion that Ealchere had used his time at Obellius to breach their records. No proof, mind you, but we knew the truth. It was all done before we even knew the man existed so what could we do? But it was clear at the Tribunal that we had no supporters and only Aedile’s even handling of the matter kept it from being disastrous.

After the first day of the Tribunal, I knew that we were best to tuck tail and ride home but Astrigonius and Adaelia refused to submit meekly. It wasn’t in their bones to do so. Astrigonius informed me later that Aedile had approached him privately with Marius, the Founder of Istrasias, to negotiate a truce but it was not to be. The one time in his life the man chooses to be stubborn and principled! The hearing did not go well. Under enchantment, by her own request, Octavia recited the aftermath of the Wizard’s War and the terms of her agreement with Ealchere. She brought a list of the vis received from Ealchere and we all knew the sources of it. The terms of the agreement were also done out in signed testimonial from Ealchere himself! The damned man could have at least avoided that! By the end of the hearing, the only resolution that was passed was initiated by Zinaida from Istrasias who posited that the only real claim we possessed was one of theft by our own sodales! Octavia was exonerated and our charges against her and Istrasias were dismissed in a near-unanimous vote. If we were blind before, that vote opened our eyes… the entire Tribunal had marked us well by the actions of Ealchere.

We returned home in defeat and focused on our work. We managed to discover a new source of vis, the King Fish in Lake Lefanas, shortly after that but we struggled under the weight of our debt to Esevria. Sir Andras, who had attended the Tribunal as custos, had borne testimony at the proceedings and, when it was done, returned to Via Munitus with us. Astrigonius chose to honor Ealchere’s promise to him and he was sworn in as a custos of the covenant. The man even received a lengthening ritual from him per his bargain with Ealchere.

I tell you, after this telling, I would not be surprised that you all departed for parts far away. A feeling of being accursed was all too palpable at that time. Astrigonius spent a good year attempting to divine just that very thing and was left with nothing. I knew it was not Art that cursed us but Ealchere. Everything he had done over the years had come full circle and we, as his sodales, left to make the amends. Things did not get better either…

A few seasons after that Tribunal, Caesia headed north and never returned. We interrogated her grog-companions quite thoroughly and found nothing amiss. They had waited until their monies were exhausted and headed home to Via Munitus. She was lost up there in those woods. A divination of Astrogonius revealed her to be still up there… but of life, he could not determine and claimed it was cloudy. For all I know, her Talisman is simply lying on the forest floor and covered with rotting leaves. Adaelia was in a panic and swept north in a rage. I have good reason to believe that several mundanes and monsters met their end that year as she searched out her old friend. In the end, she returned home empty-handed and we were poorer once again of another sodales. She did tell me, before she left, that Caesia was out there and appeared in her dreams from time to time. For once, the Flambeau seemed at peace with something she could not change and she focused on her apprentice’s studies.

It is hard to put your finger on it but, looking back, I knew that we all slunk around in a miasma of defeat by then. Caesia’s disappearance was but one more stone against the walls of our confidence. Adaelia reacted in the only way known to her. She hoisted her blade, gathered up a few grogs, resolved to show the island to her apprentice. She was gone for a season or two each year returning only to regale us with some new discovery or adventure. Caesia ex Merinitia grew quickly in that time and her Arts were formidable when it came to the elements. Under Adaelia’s tutelage, she blossomed into a fine maga and warrior. They were quite the pair in those times.

In 697, Adaelia had received word from her milites associates of a new undertaking in the Aquilonius Tribunal. She decided that the task would be her young apprentice’s Gauntlet and made plans to accompany her to the continent. Adaelia was only to be gone for a few years and return before the Tribunal so we chose not to worry about it. It was not until 701, when things had become more perilous, that I received word she would be staying the course on the new task. They helped found Nova Gloria, you see, and her apprentice was properly Gauntleted in the struggle. I miss her but wish her well and did not, at that time, plead with her to return. I was done at that time… completely ambivalent to our demise. I was all alone.

Astrigonius had fallen into Twilight, up in his lab, shortly after Adaelia had left. I visited him each day but he has still not come about from his experiences. It has been almost five years since he fell and only now am I comforted that he will return. But, back then, I was despondent for the future. I cannot tell you what changed my mind but it was clearly the dreams I had been having, the challenges at Tribunal and finally, somehow, I managed to drag myself out of my quagmire of self-despair.

In the end, I think it was the blood I found on returning from the Tribunal. I had taken four grogs with me to Obellius in 703 and, when I returned, I found that treachery had struck within our walls. Again, I lay it at the feet of Ealchere. Andras had become our Guard-Captain several years earlier when our old friend, Garas, died in battle at Adaelia’s side. It was not a difficult decision for me although I wish now that I had uncovered more of his dealings with others at the time. As I mentioned, it was a dark time for me all alone in these walls. Andras had changed, or maybe became more truly himself, as the years went by and warping affected him. I saw little physical change although he argued mightily with Astrigonius at one time about reversing his age. Astrigonius refused his request and, it would seem, Andras had nursed a dark seed of hate from that moment on… or perhaps earlier, who can tell now.

When I returned from the Tribunal, I found that Andras and several of our grogs had risen up against the covenfolk. They had raided our tower and looted several enchanted items we had collected over time. The remaining loyal grogs were either with me or slain in their slumber. Some of the covenfolk fought back and several lives were lost… it must have been a slaughter. Our scribe was found at the doors of the library hacked in pieces… I would rather not speak of it in such detail. Suffice to say, Andras had led his bloody-handed cohorts against my people and made off with silver and several enchanted items. I was able to track him to the north but did not have the resources to take up the chase and I fear that will haunt me again in the future. As it was then, I could barely keep the covenfolk here and try to rebuild the damage.

Dark times, yes… but I feel that such an exorcism of the last touch of Ealchere on this covenant was necessary despite the tragedy of it. I can tell, even now, that a pall seems to have lifted and with that has come all of you. I have spent the past two years attempting to restore the covenant to form and function. My request for new blood, that which brought all of you, was part of it. I have restored some of our vis sites although I did lose two of them… one to Ostium Domus and the other to something else. I have recruited new grogs to take the place of those lost and new men and women to replace the skillsets ended by that bastard’s blade. We are in a time of new beginnings, a time of new Spring and all that lies before us will be due to our hand… not the false steps of history long dead.

---

The covenant of Via Munitus was founded in 661 TR by Ealchere ex Jerbiton and Astrigonius ex Criamon. The tower was constructed, via the Art, several years later by a magus from Esevria in the Alsian Tribunal.

Location
The tower lies on the slope of Mount Gonbar in the Hemura Forest of Kaldor. A remote location, the tower is often obscured from vision by the thick mist that rise and linger along the sides of the mountain. The tower is approached by a switch-back dirt road that is augmented by gravel and various flat stones. It has been known to wash out at times but no serious effort has been made to strengthen or pave it. The magi of the covenant generally remedy any damage or wear it suffers as needed but permanent improvements have not taken place for many years.

The trail, wide enough for a wagon and a half, winds back and forth down the slope of the mountain until it levels out for several miles until it reaches the Fur Road. This course is more even but twists and turns its way through the thick forest. At the junction of the trail and the Fur Road there is a large black stone that appears to be of volcanic origin. The trail to the covenant requires some inspection to discover behind the trees that frame the rock.

The Saltmine
Less than a mile away, the covenant maintains a small salt mine for its benefice and trade in nearby Olokand. The miners reside in a small community with their families near the mine itself and do not consider themselves to be a part of the covenant. The covenfolk and the miners are friendly and cooperative with each other but clearly distinct. The miners do have amiable feelings towards the scholars in the tower for their pay and conditions are generous and they have seen the benefits of magical assistance from time to time. Several injuries have been healed over the years and an infestation of goblins was dealt with by Adaelia back in 682TR. For those reasons, the divide between the two communities is more reminiscent of one between neighboring villages. The miners are under contract with the local Salter’s Guild by means of a nebulous arrangement achieved by Ealchere ex Jerbiton. A representative from the Guild maintains communication with the foreman of the community but it is common knowledge that the Guild wants little to do with this particular location. Community residents believe that a portion of the income derived from the salt is chiseled off by the Guild officials privy to the arrangement.

The mine itself provides a steady income for the covenant and its residents. The teamster wagons that transport the raw materials to the Guild operate on a monthly schedule from Spring to Fall. In the winter, most activity ceases other than exploratory work.

The mining community numbers around 18 men, 14 women, several small children. It also has a small three-walled enclosure that is used for saying Mass when FRIAR is visiting the community.

The Tower
The covenant of Via Munitus is based out of a stone tower stretching thirteen stories from the rock fce on which it just as if embedded by a giant’s hand. The tower has smooth stone walls and a rounded core buttressed by four squared off columns to make it cornered. The columns are seamless with the core of the tower and formed of the same dark grey stone that is clearly not local. The semblances of dragons can be seen from subtle carvings along the columns. The tower itself appeared almost overnight according to the local storytellers and the truth is even more impressive. Crafted by a contracted magus from the covenant of Esevria in Chelemby, the tower was conjured into form on a dark night in the Autumn of 661TR. Built to the specifications of the Via Munitus magi, it was designed to have ample room for growth as the prospects of the covenant seemed strong at the time.

The Roof
The roof of the tower is flat and has only a marginal stone railing along the circumference. There is a disused avian coop (a.) that was once intended and used for carrier pigeons by Ealchere. It has not been used in years. The coop is attached to a dilapidated rough study (b.) with an old table used for composing and responding to missives. There is also an enclosed shack (c.) that is used for sentry duty. The view affords complete observation of the trail leading to the covenant. The guard schedule requires a grog on duty between sunrise and sunset.

There are two staircases that descend from the roof. On the south side, the stairs lead down to the Council Chamber. This staircase has been blocked and the door nailed shut on both ends. On the north side, the staircase is spiral and leads down to the 3rd floor. An alarm rope leads down the staircase from the roof and is attached to a large bell on the third floor.

13th Floor, The Council Chamber
The Council Chamber sits at the top of the tower and encompasses the entire 13th floor. A large round table surrounded by chairs sits in the middle of the room. An enchanted candelabra glows above the table with light emanating from the various arms. The chairs are high-backed and worn wood with frayed seat cushions. One of the chairs is made of a darker wood and the back extends a half-foot more than the rest, it is here that the Council Superior generally sits during session. The walls of the chamber are mostly occluded by shadows from the singular source of light in the room. However, hanging on the wall behind the Council Superior are three portraits. Closer inspection reveals them to display three individuals, two male and one female. The portraits were clearly the work of competent artists and depict…

The center of the floor is the top of wide staircase that spirals down the middle of the tower and deposits an individual on the 6th floor. A wooden banister carved in a dragon motif runs around the rim of the staircase where it is visible on the 13th floor.

A stone bench, carved from the exterior wall, runs the entire rim of the chamber.

12th Floor, Astrigonius’ Sanctum

11th Floor, Vevrina’s Sanctum
This floor is entirely the domain of Vevrina and contains her lab, living quarters and guest quarters. The stairs open into a narrow hallway with several pressed and framed blossoms hanging on the walls. The previous occupant, Ealchere, had installed a suite of three guest rooms (a.) for his personal visitors. Vevrina only maintains one of these rooms and the others are dust-filled and covered in cobwebs. The antechamber (b.) has several potted plants that fill the room with the sweet smell of spring. The privy (c.) is accessible from this room. Vevrina’s living quarters (d.) and her laboratory (e.) remain off-limits to others.

10th Floor, Library
The largest room on this floor is the Library (a). It is clean and well-kept with only a slight smell of mustiness inevitable with large amounts of old parchment. A series of wooden tables, inclined for ease of viewing, are spaced around the edges of the room. A larger table takes up the center of the room with a few reading stands placed upon it. Writing supplies such as ink, quills and parchment are also located here. Lighting is supplied by three carvings of the sun, glowing at all times, that are chiseled into the walls. Open flames of any sort are not allowed in this room.

The other half of the floor was originally intended to be another Sanctum, containing a living room (a.), laboratory (b.) and privy (c). As it stands now, the rooms are jammed full of clutter. There is no sense of organization or logic to the stacks of objects and it is apparent that much of the cleaning conducted by the covenfolk involved piling unknown things here.

9th Floor, Empty Sanctum
The former Sanctum of Adaelia ex Flambeau, these rooms have been cleaned and tidied. The antechamber has a few chairs covered by rough sheets under which they bear small cushions for sitting (a). The living quarters are bare at the moment with only a bed and chest (b.) and a thick wool curtain covering the privy (c). The adjoining room is large and has only a few tables and empty reading stands (d). The furniture appears to have been recently added and simply placed to fill the room. Standing ajar is a door that fits snugly to disappear into the wall, it leads down a half-circular hallway (e.) that terminates in a smaller room with a few more tables (f). The entrance was clearly intended to be secret but is open to inspection at this time. It is clear that the covenfolk are unaware of the private chamber.

8th Floor, Empty Sanctums
This floor has room for two Sanctums which currently have only a few pieces of furniture. The antechambers are small but suitable (a). There are living rooms (b), laboratories (c), and privies (d). The furniture present is limited to a single bed, chest and a few tables.

7th Floor, Empty Sanctums
This floor has room for two Sanctums which currently have only a few pieces of furniture. The antechambers are small but suitable (a). There are living rooms (b), laboratories (c), and privies (d). The furniture present is limited to a single bed, chest and a few tables.

6th Floor, Privileged Quarters
This floor holds several rooms suitable for distinguished visitors. A pair of suites (a) are reserved for nobility or magi while a multitude of single rooms for other guests are also available (b). Only about half of them are fresh and ready to receive visitors. The custos also make their quarters here in the single rooms… A small room for the lavatory has a tub for washing and a cauldron over a firepit with stocked firewood (c). The two privies are accessible through this room (d).

5th Floor, Gallery
A stone balcony runs the length of the wall and looks down onto the Great Hall.

4th Floor, Great Hall
This floor contains the Great Hall in its entirety. A great oak table sweeps around this room forming a three-quarter circle. Benches are arranged around the outside of the table, so that all seated look into the center of the room. Folks can be heard to wonder how the single piece of wood could have been brought into the tower.

3rd Floor, Covenfolk Quarters
The bulk of these rooms are the living quarters for the covenfolk and their families (a). The older covenfolk, whose children are grown, are given two connected rooms, while younger couples have a single room. Unattached covenfolk share a common room (b) and dormitory (c), and many of the women sleep in the kitchen (d). The kitchen is a large room dominated by an open fire and stone oven. Wine, smoked fish, and meat, bread, and vegetables fill the well-stocked larder (e). There is a guard room where at least one grog is on duty at all times (f). There are two lavatories (g), and those who wish to bathe do so in a wooden bath in the kitchen or the river.

2nd Floor, Mundane Guest Quarters
Most of these rooms are set aside for mundane guests. Two suites of rooms are provided for visitors of note (a), while a further nineteen rooms (b) are provided for lesser visitors, such as wandering clergy, grogs and companions of visiting magi, or a noble’s retainers. Two lavatories (c) and a bathroom (d) are provided.

Three other rooms here have distinct purposes or residents. Gareth Left-Quill resides in the room next to the stairs (e), opposite of the stonemason’s room (g). The final room (f) is a defensive room and usually has a grog on duty or nearby. The defensive room rests above the gate and includes arrow slits, chutes for boiling oil, and small openings in the floor which allow defenders to shoot into the entrance hall.

1st Floor, Entrance and General Quarters
This floor contains an entrance hall (a), a room designed to store several carts (b), and stabling for visitors’ and the covenant’s horses (c). Additional stabling is provided (d) although at present the covenfolk keep a small herd of goats and sheep here. Riding equipment, hay, oats and firewood are next to the stables (e), along with a tent, various lengths of rope, scrap leather, cloth and other detritus.

1st Sub-Cellar
One of these rooms (a) has been set out with straw mattresses and other very basic furnishings, to house mercenaries or other soldiers temporarily taken on by the covenant. Most of the furnishings are a bit mildew due to disuse. The largest chamber (b) is used by the grogs for weapons practice and two other rooms are used for storage (c). These contain all manner of junk, plus a few useful objects, and are in shambles. The final room (d) has a heavy door with strong iron bolts, and is designed to contain wild animals or berserk prisoners.

2nd Sub-Cellar
The large chamber (a) which dominates this level is one of the largest in the tower. It is often used by resident magi to test spells and cast other magicks. The walls to the room are strangely pitted, multi-colored and rippled in places. A number of secure cells are also maintained here (b), with an unused guard post (c).

3rd through 6th Sub-Cellars
These cellars primarily unused at the moment. There is random junk and barrels strewn about the area. Created during a period of experimentation in Terram, the cellars are not furnished and have not been used for some time. An unpleasant smell of mildew permeates all of them. These rooms do constitute some of the larger rooms in the tower but lack good circulation and lighting.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
As mentioned earlier, I used the Mistridge supplement for the Tower. I'll see if I can sift some more stuff from all my notes without spoiling all the GM stuff.

---