Anno Domini 1214
Summer 1214: A Tribunal Divided
As I write my accounts of the Roman Tribunal of 1214, I am greatly tempted to claim that I had masterminded a great change within the Tribunal and that everything had gone as I planned. Truth be told, I, Lucas ex Bonisagous am nothing but a lucky idiot; but you should make your own mind, so I tell my tale.
Soon after joining Palantini in 1210, it became obvious that a few covenants controlled the Tribunal and used this advantage with impunity. Half the Magi in Italy reside in unrecognized Covenants, lumped together with the ex Miscelleanea wizards at Tribunal, and treated little better then hedge wizards. Being a member of Palantini, I was one of the priveleged elite and I could have rested assured of my position - but I felt a great injustice was being done to my brethren and took upon myself the task of getting all the Covenants within the Tribunal recognized.
I spent every Fall traveling the Tribunal, gathering support for a vote to dramatically change the political landscape. The task was not easy. I made deals and promises, gaining much political debt, and using every trick my Pater ever taught me. In the end what moved people was my passionate plea for fairness. I had that speach down and it worked every time. I was ready, confident that I would be able to sway the Tribunal. It was no suprise that my proposal was last in the agenda, and I made good use of the time to rally support, and to settle a score with Rellantali.
It took some doing, but I tricked Dareth ex Tytalus into challenging me to certamen. Despite my skill at the Arts, he overcame me and I lay unconsious in the courtyard, unable to defend myself from the insults he threw upon me. I was told later that Deleo took pity upon me and dragged my limp form away. It was a minor setback but a lesson learned; I must plan my revenge carefully and not let my recklessness get the best of me. Not giving a second thought to the incident, I returned full force to gather votes for my proposition.
At last the vote came: I spoke eloquently. I was working the crowd, raising their passions, and stirring their hearts. I was coming to a climax when I was abruptly silenced. The Praeco gave two sharp taps of her staff and cried "Confuto!" She had evoked the most blatant and crude political power at her dispoal, her ability to silence anyone. I was fuming mad. I stared, poison dripping from my eyes at her dispassionate face. All were silent and then she called for the vote. A roar of noise arose from the low end of the chamber, but the shouting was again cut short by the Praeco. The vote was made and the months of work had payed off; the vote was won. A raucous cheer was let out and I stood to make the speach I practiced many times in my Sanctum.
This is where things went wrong. The prosiding Quaesitor - a staunch Traditionalist - stepped foward and cleared his throat. He matter-of-factly declared the Tribunal null and void because a number of non-Tribunal members had voted. A redcap handed him a scroll, which he unrolled and began to read the names of the official Tribunal members. Shocked silence; the names listed were only those of the recognized covenants. With a slight wave he asked the 'guest' magi to leave the chamber so the Tribunal of 1214 could be started again. The magi, less willing to speak out against a Quaesitor, filed out of the room and huddled in groups to discuss their fate. I started to go with them in a sign of solidarity but their angry glares warded me off. My defeat was worse then total, for I had managed to make powerless the people whom I was trying to empower. I had made enemies of everyone in the Tribunal. The powerful resented my disrupting the status quo and the weak hated me for getting them effectively kicked out of the Tribunal. I returned to the chamber determined to do what I could to fix what I had done.
The Tribunal of 1214 started again. The agenda was much the same and the voting went quickly, since everything was already debated and there were half as many people talking. The vote came again to my proposition. I spoke well and again I was silenced. The vote was taken and I lost. The Praeco then spoke up, her tone serious. She simply stated that she would not lead a Tribunal divided. She proposed a variation on my proposal where a covenant could join the Tribunal if all its members attend three Tribunals in a row. She added that all the current "guest" Magi, but also any visiting Magi, should declare their presence and any intent to join the Roman Tribunal to either a notery Redcap or a Quaesitor, and those applications for membership will be voted upon at the next Tribunal. Both motions passed. (Note: Although Lucas didn't know it at the time, this proposal was the direct result of relentless behind-the-scenes lobbying by Lucas's sodales, Deleo and Renata. It was basically his idea re-cast as a gradual process rather than a sudden upheaval.)
The guest Magi were invited back in the room and told of their fate. There was some relief, but anger was still the dominant emotion. I had gotten what I wanted, eventual recognition of the covenants of my peers, but only after they endure seven years as guests with little to no rights, and then another 14 years as itinerant Magi, as they earn their covenants' recognition.
So as you see, I was idiot to challenge those much more powerful then myself, and lucky that in the end I got what I wanted. It was all at a great cost to myself. My reputation as a coward was now surpased by my reputation as a troublemaker, and though some respect my bold opposition of authority, most hold me in comtempt. I fear I have much to do to win back the allies I have lost.
Lucas, filius Tiberius, scholae Trianomae
Spring 1214: The Templar Conspiracy
Shortly before Sir Thomas expedition to the Holy Land, a Templar Knight called upon him:
The knight who came to visit Sir Thomas is Don Lorenzo Malpiero, one of the Poor Knights of the Temple of Jeruselem (the Templars). The Templars' main mission is to defend the Holy Land against the infidel. They have an extensive network of bases throughout Europe to provide fund-raising, recruiting, and supply. As it happens, they have what Don Lorenzo describes as "a modest chapter-house" in Venice, in the district of San Marco.
Don Lorenzo has been on Crusade - the real Crusade, actually fighting the Saracens. He is a middle-aged man, face weathered by months under the scorching desert sun, lean and fit as a greyhound, balding and with a heavy salt-and-pepper moustache that droops almost to his chin. And yet, he is a man of courtly grace and refined manner. About him is a faint smell of spices and exotic oils.
After introductions and the usual pleasantries, Don Lorenzo said he came to Thomas because he had heard about Thomas's estrangement from his family. He said that it takes true character to stand up for what one believes is right when one's family is against one, and he knew how Thomas left the Crusade after the sack of Zara. Some talk followed about how wrong the Crusade was, and all that. Finally Don Lorenzo got around to his point.
Twice before, members of the Grand Council had attempted to depose the Doge on the grounds that an excommunicated ruler is not fit to govern Christian lands. Both times, Something Bad happened to the council members at the forefront of that movement before it could get off the ground. The Templars had a friend (Don Lorenzo declined to name names at this point) who was stirring up sentiment against the Doge again. They were asking for Thomas's help in seeing this movement succeed.
There were a number of ways Thomas could help out. The most immediate was that the seditious Council members needed bodyguards. The Templars had few men to spare since their main responsibility lay in the Holy Land. Also, Don Lorenzo understood Thomas has the ear of Arturus, who sits on the Grand Council. His vote would be a valuable addition to the cause. Don Lorenzo knew he was asking a lot but he said some kind of action was required - the Doge seemed like he was going to live forever, and if the rumors of his diabolic contact were true then that might not be just a figure of speech.
Being a courteous man, Don Lorenzo did not press Thomas for an answer at that moment. He may be reached by letter or messenger at the Templar chapter house. He suggested Thomas not go to the chapter house in person, but if je need to contact the Templars on short notice, the deacon at the Church of Saint Gabriel is a friend of theirs.
Sir Thomas's tale continues - Upon my return from the promised lands, I was allowed to take leave from the Covenant so I could aid those who resisted the Doge and his diabolical domination of Venice. Prior to my leave, the magus Marcus took me aside to explain his Order's delicate position when it came to "Mundane Affairs". It seems these wizards, who claim to be Christians, have taken an oath not to interfere with us "Mundanes". It seems this oath applies to not only those that follow the truth path of the Church but also to those like the Doge who have fallen in with the Devil. I don't see how any good Christian would allow Infernalism to fester unhindered. Still I respect their Order's principles to live a life seperate from normal men. I cannot help but fear for thier souls; those who live apart from men and apart from God hardly seem like men at all. With this perspective on wizards, I gladly left the covenant to continue my fight against evil.
The next year was spent with Pierro, my squire and now close friend. Together we led a small group of men guarding the Don Geraldo, a minor member of the Coucil and vocal opposenent of the Doge. The work was uneventful with only the occational testing of our readiness. The men performed well and it was not until a year had passed that we were truly tested. For about a week we'd noticed a watch outside the door to Don Geraldo's townhouse - which we easily dispersed with a show of force. These watchers then moved into the opposite building and kept an unsettling eye over the Don's door. We tried to lure them out with a double of the Don, to expose and shoot the would-be assassins, but they did not take the bait. We tried an assualt but the knaves proved to be too quick. Not wanting to stretch my men thin, we adjusted the Don's routine, making it less predictable and kept a close guard, waiting for the would-be assailants to make thier move.
I woke in the night to cries of distress. The Doge's men were battering at the front door. Grabbing sword and shield, I rushed to make the Don safe. We escaped through the cellar and into a side street where a gondola was kept. Don Geraldo, Pierro, Michael the boatman, and I made our escape into the canals of Venice. It was the dead of night but it was clear by the noises and lights that all the Doge's men were out, arresting his opposition. We made our way to Guidecca to the Don Bartolo's estate to warn him, and hopefully take one of his seaworthy boats to the mainland. I escorted both Dons to the shore, where we were met by a soldier bearing Lorenzo's token, a piece of his red and white surcoat, claiming to be one of his men. Not trusting him at his word, I took the cloth and smelled it; true enough it smelled of spices and oils. We had made contact with the Templars and the Dons were safe. Michael, Pierro, and I spent the rest of the night ferrying the enemies of the Doge to safety.
The Doge had spread his forces thin and the Knights of the Temple saw the time was ripe to rid Venice of the evil which ruled over her. Two score of mounted knights in full armor took control of the Piazzo San Marco and the forces loyal to the good and rightous Council members set seige to the Dogal palace. Pierro and I led a dozen men charged with taking and holding a side entrance to the Grand Council chambers. We battered down the door and engaged the Doge's men. The guards had the definite advantage; Pierro and I were fighting side by side in the narrow doorway, each of us facing two hardened men-at-arms. Despite our mounting wounds, we held our ground, and with a last push we broke the ranks: our soldiers surged through and overcame the guards. We took the door but at a great cost. Pierro lay bleeding, mortally wounded. Loyal and steadfast to the end, Pierro had stood by me despite his grievous wounds and now he breathed his last.
The rest of the day was a blur. We held the doorway and managed to capture several members of the Doge's court as they tried to flee the building. The Templars held the streets and Council chambers, and the Doge's remaining supporters were trapped in the palace. Doge Dandalo himself had slipped away during the fighting, but his control of Venice was broken.
A peace was made between the factions and the Grand Council voted in a strong neutral Doge, the Don Pietro Ziani. The Templars, who never intended on holding Venice, turned the city over to the new Doge. News of Venice's coup d'état against the excommunicated Doge was welcomed by the Vatican, and within scant days, the Pope lifted the Interdict. All the church bells tolled for hours and there was rejoicing in the streets.
With this peace came reflection. Pierro was knighted Sir Pierro and buried with honors. Venice, the city I loved, was hurt but was healing - and I, too must heal. I worry that my hatred of the Doge pushed Pierro to self-sacrifice. I turn again to the Church and travel to the Benedictine monastery where my brother Giovanni took the cloth some 12 years ago. There I will learn to read and write and perhaps find some peace before I am once more called into the fray.
Vincenzo d'Armano, known as Sir ThomasAnno Domini 1212
Summer-Autumn 1212: Sir Thomas's Pilgrimage
On June 14th, Sir Thomas, Bartolo the merchant, Perrio the grog, and an ex-crusader named Guiseppe (whom Thomas had met through the Deacon at St. Gabriel's Church), left Venice to go on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Traveling in comfort aboard one of Bartolo's merchant galleys, they made quick progress to Cyprus where they docked to take on supplies. There Bartolo conducted business while Thomas lead the others into town to find a priest to give guidance to Guiseppe, who was also excommunicated for fighting in the false Crusade. Thomas was hoping Guiseppe would seek penance and be given clear direction from the priest on how to atone. On the way to the church, they came across a monk in the marketplace selling indulgences. Thomas and Pierro were skeptical but Guiseppe was entranced by the Holy Seal of the Pope and the promise divine forgiveness. He handed over a large sum of cash, which Thomas had given him for the pilgrimage, and added his mark to the long list of names on the back of the indulgence. Guiseppe was quite pleased, having just been relieved of all his sins. Thomas was shocked that Guiseppe actually believed he had bought his way out of excommunication. They continued on to the church where they meet an Orthodox priest who spoke no Italian and after some smiles and waves they were blessed and went on their way.
They sailed to Acre where they first sighted the Holy Land. It looked dead, a barren desert in sharp contrast to the lush green found around Venice, but the contrast was equally extreme the other way: Venice was a spiritual desert and they were entering the most holy place on earth. It was shocking in its stark harsh beauty. They wept gritty tears and kissed the ground as they disembarked.
The party made their way to the Templar stronghold of Acre. They found a helpful German Templar who gave them some background and took them to the Templar part of town. There Bartolo attended to business and procured the guide Angelo. They learned that Jerusalem is under Saladin's control (or rather, his descendants'). As part of the peace agreement between the Crusaders and the Caliph, pilgrims were allowed to visit; however their safety was questionable, since the Emir seemed to do little to stop the many bandits gathered to prey on the pilgrims. Thomas, wanting to avoid conflict, decided to wait until a large group of pilgrims left Acre together under the protection of the Templar Knights. During the month it took to gather enough pilgrims to merit an escort, Angelo did an excellent job showing them the sites and in and around Acre.
The pilgrims left Acre, escorted by three knights and their squires, and traveled south along the shore to the border city of Jaffa. They then traveled inland towards Jerusalem. The next three days were brutal for Thomas. The burden of his armor and weapons, which he carried in a bundle on his back as part of his penance, seemed to grow heavier, the sun hotter, and at times he was reduced to crawling. He was unresponsive to his companions; his mind wholly set on the burden that bore.
Upon reaching Jerusalem the pilgrims all filed into the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and received mass. It was by far the pinnacle of the trip. The gold in the church seemed brighter than elsewhere, the hymns sweeter: the words rang out like bells in the soul. Thomas returned to his room and slept better than he had for years, now believing that redemption was possible.
The party and pilgrims took in the holiest of holy sites in and around Jerusalem, trying perhaps inanely to absorb the divinity by being in proximity with these most sacred sites. A week later the party and the caravan left to return to Acre. They stopped at a small oasis village where they were approached by a Christian herder who asked for their help. All the villages' animals that were not tied down ran off into the desert. He said that the villagers were blaming the Templar of the thievery. Thomas pointed out that it was not likely a man was the thief since one who steals the free animal could also easily cut the rope and take the restrained animal too. Though the grogs wanted to help, Thomas said it was too risky to send armed men out into an Infidel controlled land and expect any good to come of it.
The party returned to Acre where the shrewd merchant Bartolo got an excellent price for Thomas' Armaments. They then rested a few days waiting for a ship to Zara, where Thomas was to donate the money made from selling his arms and armor. Bartolo's own merchant galley had long since returned to Venice, but he easily negotiated passage aboard one of the many homeward-bound Venetian galleys.
The trip to Zara went smoothly and Sir Thomas donated the proceeds from the sale of his armor to a convent that operated an orphanage, still full of the orphans of the Fourth Crusade. The sisters' words of thanks did little to settle Thomas's guilt at the sight of all those children, whose fathers and mothers had been taken from them by Venetian swords. They did not linger in Zara but returned as soon as possible to Venice.
Leaving Bartolo behind, Thomas, Pierro, and their newfound comrade Guiseppe proceeded to the Vatican. On the road they had one brush with some highwaymen but were able to talk their way out of a fight. Thomas was able to find the Vatican priest who had set him the penance of a pilgrimage and showed letters from Jerusalem and Zara proving he had done all that had been asked. As promised, the priest submitted a request to the Pope and received a letter with the Papal seal instructing the Archbishop of Venice to re-admit Thomas and Guiseppe to the diocese. The penitents were allowed to take Holy Communion in Rome and they returned home with a sense of well-being.
Having become his friend through the long and sometimes arduous journey, Thomas offered Guiseppe a job as a grog at the covenant. Guiseppe was rather open-minded toward the idea of working for magi, and given the respect he had for Thomas's obvious piety, he agreed to serve any master Sir Thomas considered worthy of service.
Summer 1212: A Sickness in Venice
Part I - An Ill Omen
The right and honorable Magester di Medicina Marco Castello was called to Venice to treat the Don Marco, a standing member of Venice's Grand Council. His immediate assessment was that the lord was suffering from malaria. The wise doctor noted in private that this was not the season for malaria and that the patient may have been poisoned. I took his cue and during the next few days while the doctor treated the patient upstairs, I set upon becoming friendly with the staff downstairs. It was quickly revealed that this house was the usual pit of intrigue common to the wealthier houses my master visits. The lord was in debt, had enemies within the Glassblowers' Guild as well as the Doge, had a mistress, was marrying off his daughter to a commoner, and was giving away the family fortune to the local monetary. The wise doctor made secret arrangements to rush the Don out of Venice and to Fortuna, the nearby country house of the Don Arturus with whom he is familiar.
Early in the morning with the gardener's help, we loaded the Don very quietly, under the ruse that loud noises could worsen his delicate condition. While in the Don's room, I noticed that the window, which was previously closed, was ajar and that there was a slight sulfur smell. This ill omen did not sit well with me and I mentioned it to my master. The wise doctor nodded knowingly, seeming to already suspect black magic. We left the gardener at shore and continued on to Palantini. It seems we were not expected and the lady of the manor cruelly berated my honorable master and it took much patience for me to hold my tongue. To my surprise we were allowed to bring our patient in and set him up in a room oddly ornamented with bloodstone relief. The house seemed both dead and alive. It looked as if nothing had changed for centuries, dust settled around common household items, yet there was a slight hum in the air one which I can only express as magical. After dallying too long examining some strange mark on a door, the lady Renata gave me a stern look and I proceeded to the guest house to set up my master's room.
The next day my master mentioned to the lady Renata, that the Don's son, and 24 men-at-arms, may be looking for him. I swear the small and seemingly frail lady rose up and almost strangled Marco so strong was her ire. She cursed his stupidity, oddly in Latin, and walked into the house. A short while later I found myself riding off on the cart looking for the Don's son. He, and his small army, was not hard to find, and I escorted them back to the near by village of Fortuna which shares the name of the manor. The good doctor explained to the son that for the health of the patient that he had decided to stop here rather then risk traveling more. The son was taken in and agreed that the accommodations were acceptable and he sent his men back to Venice. What was strange to me was how the servants managed to get the house sparkling clean in time for the son's arrival; I commended them on their good work and they looked at me dumbly.
The lady Renata took particular interest in the supernatural aspect of my master's case and vigorously interrogated us like we were common thieves. I admire my master's ability to stay calm throughout this verbal beating and the fact that he showed her such respect throughout made wonder if there was more to this women then meets the eye.
Part II - A Witch to Burn
I was half way down the road when Pierro rode up shouting that the lady Renata needed an escort to Venice. I cursed my luck and climbed up for the short ride back to the covenant. The lady was in no mood for talking and it wasn't until we reached the townhouse that she told us what was going on. It seems that an unseasonable sickness had befallen some nobles and she suspected black magic. With a pouch of silver she sent us out to find out what rumors we could. I hit my usual sources and then spent the rest of the day drinking and chatting up the wenches. That night we reported back that doctors and potion-peddlers have been getting good business in Dorsoduro along the Grand Canal. The next morning while the lady slept, we went out to get more info. While milling about the Piazza, we heard that the Dogal Guard had imprisoned a witch, and not just any witch, the witch who had poisoned Don Marco. Seems this servant girl was practicing the black arts in the Don's own house and that she was to be tried the next day at San Stefano's. We rushed back to tell the maga the good news only to realize that it wasn't yet noon. She's got a terrible temper when first roused, so we drew lots and Pierro lost. She mumbled something about 'if she was already dead she'd be easier to talk to' and went back to bed.
After lunch Renata was up with gusto and pushed us out the door to talk to this witch. Not that I doubt my lady but rumor had it that the girl was under lock and key, so I was a bit nervous as to how she would be dealing with the armed guards. So we cased the back garden looking for a way in only to find an old man gardening. Our lady caught his eye, did a little magic, and soon we were walking in the back door. She had the gardener lead us to the sergeant who was in turn ensorcelled and led us to the witch. Though her eyes were red and puffy it was obvious that she was just a girl, and not a bad looking one at that. My lady set upon her like a cat on carp, scaring the girl to a dumb silence at which point she resorted to her arts to get what she wanted. Afterwards, she assured the girl that no one would believe her if she spoke of her visit and locked her back in her cell. Renata explained that the girl was innocent, herself bewitched so that she could not tell her plight. It seems a man had talked his way into her house and she could not speak of it. Pierro and I talked about rescuing the girl, and how grateful she'd be, but the lady Renata said she needed us to find the real witch. She didn't seem amused when I smiled at her.
I took Renata to the Grand Canal where we spied a doctor leaving one of the larger townhouses. I chatted him up and it seems the master of the house is suffering from malaria. It being summer, all but the window of the sick master was open to allow a breeze. We were able to find a spot to watch the window, became familiar with it, and returned to the townhouse. She sent us to rest up for the night. It seems we are to stay up all night watching some rich man's window. I swear she's gone insane: the streets of Venice are dangerous enough in the day but at night I shiver to think what twisted evil a ruffian will turn to appease the whispered pleas of the once living. Since the Interdict, the spirits have found no rest and many a wicked soul has found sport in the suffering of the living. Needless to say, Pierro and I did not rest well.
Part III - A Dreadful Night
I don't like to talk about the things I saw that night. It must have been a particularly evil night because the streets were filled with the dead. They came at me begging, crawling, pleading, bleeding, some with no arms, some with no eyes, all wanting, all needing for something that I could not give them, at least not willingly. The lady seemed unaffected by the horror. She saw them and saw through them, like they were not there. (I wonder sometimes if she sees us any differently.) Pierro made a strong face. It seems his faith in God gave him some solace though it did nothing to hold back the dark shadows which seemed drawn to the light of our lantern.
One desperate spirit begged for me to recover his lost treasure; he described in great detail a fortune in silver and gold, and described exactly were he buried it, each stone each step, and it was only just over there... but before I could ask more, the Lady Renata bespelled him and from his ghostly mouth smoke billowed with each lie and it became clear that the ghost had nefarious intent. After this encounter the lady started chanting and carefully drew out a circle which when complete faintly glowed orange. From that point on the ghosts no longer approached us as long as we stayed within the circle.
As the night drew on, Renata decided that the view of the window was not good enough and directed us to board the gondola and move closer. While we sat waiting, a bloated body floated to the surface. It was the ghost of a drowned man; his eyes bulging and his swollen tongue slipping out of his mouth as he mumbled his pitiful pleads. The lady took some interest in this ghost and cast a spell on him. He seemed compelled to answer her questions which she put upon him with her usual judicial detachment. It seems the dead do have eyes and that this one has seen from his watery grave a near-corporeal black mist pushing through the window which we watched. She was quite pleased with this rather disturbing news.
It was the darkest time of a night when we heard the window open. We sat mesmerized as a dark form floated into the house and then, as quickly as it appeared, it flew out the window and into the night. We then heard a door and saw a shadow of a man walking past. Pierro jumped into action pushing and paddling wildly try to get ashore. After some effort, and not before waking an old women who emptied her chamber pot at us, we made it ashore and ran down the street along the canal. We assumed he was going to San Marco and the only way to catch him was to cut him off at the Rialto bridge, so we ran quietly, managed to avoid the watch, and arrived in time to meet the man at the bridge. From what I'm told, Pierro approached the man asking him to stop but then inexplicably Pierro wandered off. I arrived seconds later to see Renata furiously staring down the man. She gave me a glance and I knew she was in trouble so I pulled out my dagger and stabbed. I cut him once but he was able to pull away and run off over the bridge. I was about to follow when Renata stopped me and took the bloodied dagger with a grin.
Part IV - An Evil Revealed
We returned to the townhouse to find Pierro asleep in his cot. I rose him because the lady still needed our assistance. She had gotten out the map of Venice and was moving the dagger over it. The tip came down on a point near the Dogal palace and we headed out to find this man. After a quick search of the neighborhood, I found blood on the side door of a large townhouse. Our lady touched the blood and said with confidence that this was the house. She whispered some magic words and with a turn of the hand the lock on the door clicked open. We walked into what seemed to be the servant's stairway. I scouted up the stairs and finding at the top more blood on the ladder to the attic. I quietly came down to report back and when I arrived we heard the front door open. We started to sneak around but I accidentally kicked a stone in the darkness, alerting the stranger to our presence. We made it to the front only to see the man running away. A quick spell cast over the map showed that the man was clearly in the Dogal palace. We then knocked on the front door of the house and Renata ensorcelled the butler into showing us the attic. We found there unspeakable evils, an infernal laboratory.
Renata bossed us about to gathered up evidence to show her superiors. While Pierro wrapped two ghastly looking tomes in our cloaks, our lady went about freeing a rather large bat from its cage. With half an eye on her and half an eye on the demonic decor, I watched our lady coax this bat into her cloak. Once outside the bat took off into the morning's dim light. (Later on back at the covenant I spied the bat again in the folds of her cloak.) We made haste to the townhouse of her superiors and presented the evidence of diabolism. The fast talk and grave looks told it all. It seems that we uncovered a great evil, that Venice herself was sick with the disease of Infernalism. (Sadly I add, the innocent girl was burned as a witch. The wizards were lost in their world and the needs of their 'order' eclipsed the needs of this one good girl.)
Part V - The Tribunal's Theriac
No one at the emergency Tribunal was overly surprised that Infernalism had taken hold within the Grand Council of Venice. The Doge himself was excommunicated for sacking the largest Christian city in the world and Venice was under Papal Interdict. What concerned the Tribunal was that the Infernal agents now knew of the Order's presence within Venice. Our Hoplites quickly captured the man who had eluded Renata and the Quaesitores broke his will and learned how far the diabolical sickness had spread. (It seems that the Doge and all those in league with him are diabolists.)
The actions the Tribunal decided to take was one of patient observation as dictated by the Code. First of all, we all swore an oath that we were not working with or for any Infernal agents. Second, we assigned Hoplites to watch the known diabolists and another to protect the lady Renata, who had exposed the infernal corruption. Thirdly, it was emphasized that no one would actively draw attention to the Order by attacking the diabolists. The last thing the Order wants is a war and the best cure in this case is to let the sickness run its course.
Spring 1212: The Ivory Rod
Bartolo, the wealthy merchant and provisioner of rare items for the covenant, approached the magi Lucas and Deleo with a dilemma. His son had recklessly gambled away the family signet ring. In the wrong hands, the ring could ruin Bartolo by forging his seal. He was desperate to get it back. It seems a wizard, at least a man with a magic ivory rod, was using magic to cheat wealthy merchants out of great sums of money.
After some discussion and a vague referral to Renata, who suggested it sounded like the work of Rellantali, Lucas attempted to scry the location of the ring from a map of Venice using Bartolo's ring, which was cast from the same mould as his son's lost ring. The spell worked and pointed them to a bad part of town. Lucas suggested that Deleo perhaps go retrieve the ring but Deleo made some excuse about doing lab work and it was up to the Bonisagus to risk the dangers. Eager to not lose any time, he gathered his faithful shield grog Urislav and Antonio, a fierce bruiser of a grog, who he thought would be a great asset in this rough part of town.
They found the block where the ring should be and Bartolo and Antonio entered the tavern-brothel located there to search for the man who had stolen Bartolo's ring. The barkeep was at first helpful until he realized who they were asking about and he quickly shut up and kicked them out. By this time Antonio had two drinks and was acting more and more like a local. Lucas led them to the next building where there were many small apartments. They entered and saw a bum sleeping off a drunk. Lucas asked Antonio to question him, trying to find the man who stole the ring. The drunk got surly and soon was cut ear to ear by the thug Antonio. Lucas shocked by the events had Antonio dump the body in an adjacent room and spont'ed the blood away.
They continued their search upstairs. A whore was walking back to the tavern and Antonio decided to 'distract her' while the rest of us hid. The 'distraction' was taking a bit too long so Lucas approached and took the reckless and stupid grog outside. While in the alley, trying to think what to do with this dangerous grog, Lucas had the idea to try to touch the building and spont a spell to detect the ring's presence. He succeeded, and putting aside the grog's misdeeds they quickly entered the third building on the block. There they encountered a cloaked figure who made his escape into the sewer. Another spont'ed spell determined that the ring had left the building and they started the chase. It was filthy and disgusting tromping through the rat infested sewer. They came to a ladder up and sent Antonio up first. He was confronted by 8 men and 4 crossbows who ordered him up. Antonio decided to go down but his body language betrayed him and he was shot four times at close range, being saved only by the magical armor the covenant lent him. At this time a parley was started and Bartolo agreed to come up and talk. The rest followed and for a tense few minutes it was not clear if we were all going to die or not.
There were eight armed men, including the man with the ivory rod, and it was not clear why these thugs were even trying to parley, when in walked a cloaked magus. It was Dareth ex Tyatalus of Rellantali. Lucas was greatly relieved. He quickly arranged the return of the ring and even agreed to leave through the sewers, glad to no longer be risking his life or the lives of his companions. At the time he was quite pleased to escape with the ring but upon the retelling of the events to his sodales, he quickly realized that his actions showed weakness and reflected poorly on Palantini. He did not try to take the obviously-enchanted rod out of the hands of a mundane, he did not confront Dareth over his robbing of mundanes, and he did not even insist on leaving respectably through the front door. Upon this bitter reflection, Lucas retired to his sanctum.
Tristan and Deleo then hunted down the man with the ivory rod, whose memories of how he had gained and lost the rod had been destroyed. There was little proof of Rellantali's misdeeds and they will no doubt be telling the story of Lucas' retreat for some time. The reckless and stupid grog Antonio was kicked out of the covenant by Arturus, further humiliating Lucas in that he could not control his grog. All in all this was not a good adventure for Lucas.
Anno Domini 1211
Autumn 1211: The Red Wizard
Arturus asked Sir Thomas to escort the magus Deleo, latest addition to the covenant Palatini, from Rome to his new home at the covenant. The trip out was pleasantly spent with the boy Mario, who has a knack for traveling and entertaining the locals with gossip and stories. Upon arrival, Thomas was surprised at how small Rome was as compared to Venice. After setting up lodging, he sent the boy to meet with the magus and his servant Pierro at the Colosseum.
While the magus waited for his escorts to arrive, a mysterious crone approached and spoke to Deleo, cryptically hinting that he will find what he seeks in the mountain town of Faenza. The old woman called Deleo by the name "Fedoso" and said her own name was Discula.
During this time, Thomas went to the Vatican seeking penance for killing Christians in the attack on Zara in the Fourth Crusade. The priest asked Thomas to return the following day after fasting. Thomas returned to the inn where, Mario had already broughtthe wizard Deleo. Though Thomas was prepared for the shock of encountering a new magus, this wizard took no care with his appearance - he looked like a bloodthirsty criminal, grasping his shortsword and eyeing Thomas maliciously. Thomas did his best to be polite and suggested that they all take a bath after such a long journey. The bath was uneventful; the wizard's appearance was little improved but his smell and temperament seemed to improve slightly.
The next day Sir Thomas returned to the Vatican where he was given his penance: to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land; to carry his arms and armor but to not wear them; to be humble and eat no meat; and to be gentle and spill no blood. when he arrives in Jerusalem, he is to sell his equipment and travel to Zara, where he is to donate the proceeds to an orphanage. While Thomas was with the priest, the rest of the party took in the sights and picked up supplies including a map of Italy.
On the trip back the wizard, for unknown reasons, decided to take the more difficult road through the mountains. There it rained and though the inns were of lesser quality, their simple fare and dry shelter were much appreciated. In one such inn, the innkeeper sought out the help of the wizard Deleo, asking him to use magic to cure his daughter's disfiguring cleft-lip. Thomas saw no promise in the girl , suggesting she accept her lot and consider joining a nunnery. This brought the girl to tears and Thomas found himself dismissed by the more sympathetic magus. Deleo took great interest in the girl questioning her for some time and in the end convinced the father to bring her to the covenant where he could possibly find a cure. The girl seemed to the wizard quite intelligent, and better still, a good cook, which the covenant dearly needs.
On one particularly bad stretch of road, a warhorse approached caring a badly beaten knight stripped of his arms and armor. He was hurried back to the nearest inn, where he was treated for his wounds. This knight, Leonardo de Siena, had been waylaid by a giant who had bloodied him with a tree-sized cudgel before stealing his sword and mail. Upon hearing this, Thomas urged his companions to help him find and best this giant.
The search did not take long. The giant was waiting at the side of the road, bragging loudly of how he could best any knight. Sir Thomas led the charge only to find his sure footed-horse mysteriously stumble to the ground mid-charge. Pierro entered into the fray, where he recieved a near fatal blow to the chest.
Thomas recovered from the fall, entered into melee and within a few short swings had deeply wounded the giant. Pierro started yelling about another wizard when Thomas found himself suspended a foot above the ground and totally at the mercy of the giant's mighty club. The combat stopped abruptly as a wizard dressed in red angrily walked onto the road. There an unintelligible conversation between the disembodied voice of Deleo, who had previously turned himself invisible, and the irate red wizard took place. When all was done, Thomas found himself on his feet, and the wizard and his giant were retreating into the woods. Thomas was not at all pleased with the outcome but it seemed that the giant was under the protection of the Wizard in Red. Deleo would not openly let Thomas cause harm to another wizard's companion, no matter how evil.
They traveled on to the next town, where they sought to stabilize Pierro and rest the wounded horse. There Mario spun the tale of thier battle with the giant, leaving out the bit about the wizards of course, and the party was quite popular within the town despite the ill effects of the Gift. While they waited, Thomas and Mario looked for the giant but he was not to be found. An odd messanger took an unusual interest in Deleo, asking him questions and being generally friendly. To a wizard this is very strange and Deleo had Mario follow the man while invisible. The man left town then doubled back through the forest and to a hilltop glade where some armed men - apparently bandits - were hiding in an underground den. Mario reported back to Deleo, who led the party out of town.
Some distance out, the mysterious crone Discula again approached the wizard and they spoke in Latin and before she literally disappeared into the woods. Deleo asked Mario to lead the party back to the thieves den, and when they approached, they were confronted by a man in poorly fitted mail. Thomas quickly challenged the man, insisting on the quick return of Leonardo's armor; the challenge was accepted. With deft speed, Thomas heavily wounded the brigand who cried for mercy and began hastily to remove the armor. At this time the Wizard in Red arose for the hole, shouting angrily at Deleo. No wizardly combat ensued but the discussion was heated. In the end Thomas and party left with the Sir Leonardo's sword and mail. They traveled back a day to where Leonardo was recovering and returned his sword and mail, earning a boon from the knight for saving his honor and returning his armaments. The rest of the trip home was damp but uneventful and all were pleased to reach Palatini.
Spring 1211: The Disappearance of Laertes
Darvo of House Tremere from the covenant of Potestas came to Renata with an urgent request: a fellow member of his House, Laertes, had gone missing. He could not be reached at his townhouse and the Redcaps could not find him. None of the magi in Venice knew where he was, and he had not left word with his servants that he was leaving town. It had been a couple of months since anyone had seen him. Darvo asked Renata to find Laertes, because he said he and his sodales were growing concerned about their solitary comrade.
Renata brought Sir Thomas along for protection and assistance, and also brought Giorgio as a servant and guide. Their first stop in the investigation was the townhouse in Venice where Laertes lived alone with a grog and one or two servants. Laertes, it turned out, was a solitary magus living outside a covenant. His grog was evasive and unhelpful, saying only that Laertes was several weeks overdue from a routine errand and that the grog had searched the city for his master, to no avail. Giorgio took the grog aside and managed to eke out a crucial detail: that Laertes had failed to return after going to the ghetto to buy a book from a Jewish merchant.
Giorgio followed up on this lead himself, not sharing it with the magus or her companion. In the ghetto, he found the shop of one Netto Zuccaro, an antiquities dealer whose stock included a lot of loot from the sack of Constantinople in 1204. Giorgio learned that the book had been stolen before Laertes arrived for his appointment to complete the sale.
Giorgio then returned and passed along what he had learned. Renata visited the shop and found Zuccaro so eager to put the matter of the book behind him that he was quite cooperative. He told Renata that three people had taken an interest in the book: Laertes, a tall, hooded magus with a gravely voice, and a short, club-footed man in green velvet whom Zuccaro thought was the lackey of some rich nobleman. The book had been promised to Laertes but was stolen the night before the sale was completed.
Renata returned to the covenant townhouse and berated Giorgio for not sharing his information earlier. By going off on his own, she said Giorgio had delayed the investigation and endangered himself and the mission. Giorgio, who was already tired of having to obey the maga's orders, got fed up and resigned on the spot.
With two new grogs, Jacobo and Urislav, Renata resumed the investigation by trying to find the lackey in green. Such a distinctive outfit was not hard to find, and the group managed to locate him in the marketplace. After a failed attempt to tail the man, Renata used Posing the Silent Question to learn his name: Christofo Bonarti. Bonarti was a servant in the household of the court astrologer, Antonio Paruzzi.
The group visited Paruzzi's house and asked him about the book. Paruzzi seemed to have little exact knowledge about its contents, only that it was a rare Latin text on astrology from Constantinople and that he desired it for his professional collection.
Having followed the book lead to its end, the group began searching graveyards and hospitals for the missing magus Laertes. They eventually found him in the hospital at the monastery of Saint Giovanni Evangelista (John the Evangelist) in the sesitere of Castello. Laertes was suffering from an extended episode of Wizard's Twilight, incoherent and muttering disjointed Latin phrases about Gnostic heresy. The monks had thought he was possessed by a demon and tried exorcism. When that failed they brought in Doctor Marco Castello, who was baffled but fascinated by the strange case. Renata struck up a good relationship with the doctor and the two went on to become friends.
After a short time, Renata consulted with her House about what to do with the Twilight-stricken Laertes, whom she believed may be in danger from whatever rival stole the book from the Jewish antiquities dealer. Magvillus agreed to offer care and shelter to the wizard until he recovered his senses. Suspecting Antonio Paruzzi may have been responsible for the theft, Renata commanded a ghost to watch the astrologer's house for three nights. Her incoporeal spy reported that a cloaked figure crept out of the house each night to attend a secret meeting in the district of San Marco.
Renata found the site of this secret meeting in a seemingly abandoned basement of a tenement building. By staking out the place, she learned that nine hooded cultists gathered nightly for a meeting that lasted some two to three hours. The maga decided to break into the place after all the cultists had left. Behind a secret wall panel she found the stolen book: The Book of Seven Stars. This is now part of the covenant library.
The book contained a secret message which Doctor Castello, who could read Greek, was able to decipher:
until the days of licinius the eagle rode in a chariot drawn by eight and thirty horses gifts of the thrice great since the coming of the white prince one score have been lost now under the reign of the ram the keys are five and ten but they do not open every door when the lost are gathered every lock shall be shattered and trumpets will ring the dawning of the fifth age
Anno Domini 1210
Autumn 1210: A Ghost at the Party
Lucas approached Arturus and asked him what he could do to get to know the other magi in the Tribunal and start building better relationships among them. Arturus suggested that Lucas organize a social gathering, perhaps a party on the festival of the patron saint of wizards, Saint Cyprian of Antioch. Lucas was a bit roped in but he had the help of the merchant Bartolo, a friend of the covenant, and Giorgio, the custodian of the covenant's townhouse.
Bartolo and Giorgio did most of the organizing for the party. Lucas planned a rather calm, cerebral evening of discussion and good-natured magical debate. He organized a small conference were guests would present papers on various topics in magic theory. Unknown to Lucas, Giorgio procured massive amounts of alcohol with the party's lavish budget. Giorgio also mistakenly believed that Parma Magica protects wizards from the effects of alcohol, so he heavily spiked the wizards' punch with hard liquor.
A number of guests from the covenants of the Roman Tribunal attended: including the Quaesitor Protantus from Magvillus; Marius from Rellantali; Anson from Feritel; Ulfian from Verdi; Lasria the unaffiliated maga; Gerbert and Favila from Literatus; Notatio from Luctatio; and Fortunatas and Rubaton from Vardian's Tomb. Following the afternoon's conference, the wine and liquor flowed freely and the party soon spiraled out of control. Magi and grogs alike reveled with abandon.
During the festivities, Giorgio caught one of Rellantali's grogs stealing silverware. Giorgio promptly took the man aside and drank him under the table, taking back the stolen silverware once the man was unconscious.
During the revelry, Ulfian somehow lost his voting sigil, which he had brought with him through some error in judgement. He urged Lucas to help him find it. Lucas sent the badly hung-over Ulfian back to Verdi's Venetian townhouse, promising news by evening. Using spontaneous Intellego magic, Lucas found the sigil - hidden in the rafters in one of the rooms where the party was held.
Lucas returned the sigil, but his curiosity was aroused as to how the sigil could have got there. He decided to investigate the house further. Lucas, Bartolo, and Giorgio soon discovered that a ghost was haunting the rented house. The ghost beckoned them to follow it out into the haunted night of Venice under the papal Interdict.
Eventually, the ghost led the trio to the basement of the abandoned Church of Saint Luke in the Cannaregio district of the city. There, through a hidden door, lay a secret chamber guarded by a black-shrouded corpse. When Bartolo approached, the corpse came to life with a dreadful groan and chased the group out into the churchyard, where they eventually defeated it by dousing it with alcohol and setting it on fire.
Inside the secret chamber, they found a site of diabolic worship. Inside a broken pentagram were two clay urns full of human bones. Also in the chamber was a chest which contained two books. The ghost pointed urgently to one of the urns, which the characters correctly guessed contained its unconsecrated remains. The characters took both urns and smuggled them out of town for burial. They took the books and returned to the covenant.
One of the books turned out to be the journal of one Baccio Fabri, a non-Hermetic alchemist. The other was a book of Hermetic lab texts, containing detailed notes on several powerful rituals. All of the rituals were spells that dated back to the ancient Cult of Mercury, ancestor tradition to the Order of Hermes.
Lucas reported his find to the Quaesitor Protantus. The Quaesitor examined both books. The book of Hermetic Lab texts, he pronounced fully orthodox and free of any perceptible diabolic taint. Lucas was allowed to keep that book. The journal of Fabri, Protantus ordered sent to Magvillus for further study.
Shortly after this incident, Protantus approached Arturus with the suggestion that if Palatini was looking for new members, there was a young maga of House Guernicus who was looking for a covenant. Arturus realized it would be prudent to have a Quaesitor at the covenant, especially in light of the diabolism uncovered so nearby. Renata was invited to join the covenant.