Blywyddan in 1080 AD

1080 AD

Jerriana -- Tytalus
Venius -- Tremere
Orlania -- Flambeau
Ponris -- Flambeau - Quaesitor

Grogs: 50
Castellan: Cyfeiliog [57]
Aura: 4
Season: Spring
Reputation: Turbulent

Set high in the Cambian mountains, this covenant is both remote and nearly inaccessable in winter. The location is harsh and the grogs that survive must become so. Cyfeiliog, his life extended by longevity potions, commands them forcefully but occasionally trouble becomes strirred up. Morale is generally very poor, the men following the word of their Magi and castellan half from fear. Blywydden has almost no contact with mundanes.

Blywyddan has never managed to pass from spring to summer. Always short of mundane resources, often food, this covenant has nearly collapsed several times - not helped by the recent spate of Wizards War which reduced the number of original Magi from five to three. The covenant brings in a pitiful amount of vis each year, but this may be more due to the lack of co-operation rather than a lack of rich sites. There is no visitors library, and Magi are discouraged from visiting.

The mountain upon which Blywydden was built is said to be a sleeping earth elemental which will one day rise up, but the Magi there appear unconvinced. The site is exceptionally rich in Terram, but only a few pawns are harvested each year as none of the magi require it for their studies. There was a network of caves through the mountain, but they collapsed during the recent conflict.

Politics is conducted by Certamen, on good days, and arguments between the three original Magi continue to disrupt the covenants affairs. Nine years ago there was a massive Wizards War between the members of the covenant, resulting in the deaths of two Magi and a permanent injury to Jerriana. Shortly afterwards Ponris was requested to stay at the covenant by the tribunal, and oversee that Hermetic law was being followed. Jerriana, who now bears the scars of her conflict with the deceased Flambeau magus Andreas, is a Perdo specialist and has developed many new and unpleasent ways of inflicting pain and injury upon her opponents. She despises Venius, the Tremere, and they often bicker at council (when they are not fighting Certamen). The only reason that she does not challenge him to Wizards war is because she is unsure who Orlania would support in such a conflict. It is known that Orlania and Venius have only the least regard for one another, but Andreas was the Flambeau's first apprentice and it is not known whether she holds a grudge. Orlania killed the Criamon Magus Mauritius during the Wizards War, and now occupies his laboratory. Some say she was jealous because he had discovered a spell that he refused to allow her to learn, it is also said that she has been unable to find the spell; much to her chargrin. Ponris keeps a careful eye on events at the covenant and is a highly repected Quaesitor, he makes little contribution to council, preferring to save his breath.

Within the tribunal Blywyddan occupies no coherent position. The Magi often vote differently, even when the covenant has agreed to support an issue. Nostrius is apparently very frustrated with the situation, particularly as Venius is one of his ex-apprentices, and often chastises their lack of progress. The only thing that appears to unite this factious covenant is their mutual dislike for the non-Latin houses.