[color=red]Allright, that is just wrong. Is that another illusion? Should we go save the boy? Do they really do that up here in France? In Leon they boil theives alive, but they are grown adult criminals.
Clara gently comforted iolar, saying that these were illusions.
But this? Her hand clutches wirth's, and she looks at him, tears in her eyes. She begins to move towards the child
Wirth immediately stops her, and draws her to him, although she tries to escape his grap.
He, too, is visibly moved, not so by the boy's cries (he thinks this is just another illusion), but by his wife's look and pain.
Curse to the faeries: [color=red]Bastards!
He grabs his wife in his embrace, gently kissing her until she calms somewhat.
[color=red]Hush, my dear, this is just another of those devilish illusions, don't be fooled by these monsters. Close your eyes, protect your hears and let me guide you.
[color=red]rrrrr... Mi no gusta los Faeries (how do you say faeries in Spanish?)
Iolar also looks away from the horrible scene.
Kilica seems largely unafected
To Wirth the scene does seem very familiar. The magi are able to move on leaving the sound of screams and the crackling of flames behind.
Again the journey seems to stretch on and both Iolar and Clara are growing tired . Geneveive agree's to a break as it won't actually lengthen the journey. She does say that the spirits seem to be very active today , perhaps they don't like flambeau mages , or then again they may have a grudge against Eagle Bjorenar or both
[color=red]They will want to mess with my head & Aelianus next. Whatever was in my childhood, I worked it out already. My youth was rather bloody, I warn you all now, they may have some disturbing sites for us. But it seems that, at this point, the most that they can hurt are our feelings. I just quote the great Vanacastium of Flambeau (from Val Negra). "The only good faerie is a charcoaled faerie". He may have been a bit extreme in that comment, but I am sure you all can appreciate the sentiment.
[color=red]Don't attack them, that allows them to defend themselves and that would not be safe it voids your protection and this wood is not a safe place
After a timeless period of rest the group presses on through the woods
[color=red]I know my Oath. I shan't molest any fae this day. I will defend, but I will not attack.
Roberto is honestly not afraid of the fae. They don't stand a chance against me. I am serious about adhering to my Hermetic Oath though, and why incur their wrath when I am saddled with so many travelers that cannot put up a decent fight?
Genevieve
[color=red]Oh We'll be safe the treaty is binding . You will be dead and dismembered which would be unfortunate unless one of the elders can rescue you. They will not attack while you remain on the path no matter what it looks like
The journey continues and the damp gloomy atmosphere is depressing for everyone even Roberto.
The magi walk out onto an area of rougth semi mountainous terrain which the path winds across seeming taking malicous pleasure in following one of the more difficult paths across the plain.
A great stone tower looms out of the mist to the right of the group and Roberto recognises it as the covenant he finished his training at. Riding out from the gate of the covenant is a merry group of Roberto and his henchmen, they ride off into the distance as they did when roberto left for Novus Mane, ignoring the group on the path who continue on .
Soon they reach a village located not far from the covenant , a village of proud and independent peon's who Roberto and his former master had often visited and fought alongside agains Almohad border reavers.
The village is a ruin , with its buildings burnt out , the bodies of the villagers lie around the burnt out ruins of the church which had always been their redoubt in case of attack. To the experienced eye of Roberto it looks like they where taken by suprise and attacked , probably while they where gathered together for sunday mass. There are signs of a struggle so they must have held out for a while but no help came.
Some of the stones of the church look as if the stone itself burnt and melted in the flames.
The bodies themselves are starting to rot and show all of the appalling wounds of war and abuse. The bodies of the children particularly disturb Clara and Iolar. Kilica seems most put out by the Priest nailed to his churches cross with a bonfire at his feet.
The path winds through the village giving all a good view of this scene.
What is odd is that Roberto visited this village not long before he left and it had not been attacked while last he was in Castille.
Just to comment: Excellent storytelling Andrew! The imagry is powerful, well written. I need to think of how Roberto reacts to this!
Okay, some clarification. I recieved my battlefield gauntlet six years ago, and my parens dies at Las Navas. Santiago, my mentor, finished my training. We were last at Estancia es Karida in Granada, the Sahir covenant. Roberto has no qualms with the Sahirs. As Ummayads, they hate the Almohades just as much as I do. The peasent Santiago and I use to visit might live just North of there, just over the Guadalquivir river.
Roerto thinks that the Almohad hedge wizards, known as Marabouts who pose as holy men, are really diablorists or necromancers of somekind. And Santiago and I had just participated in the Shadow War and he himself dealt the killing blow to Rassus.
So right away, I suspect Infernal foul play. I (as Roberto) think that the Almohades are a heretical form of Islam, and they were probably in cahoots with the Shadow magi.
And this is not a scene from my childhood. This is less than a year ago! These fae show visions of what truely was, if not what truely is.
[color=red]Madre de Dios! This, this cannot be! I must return. I need to make haste to Novus Mane so I can sent a message to Santiago, and then I must return to Spain to teach those devil worshipers the true wrath of el Vengadore! (the avenger)
Roberto, the fay are playing mind tricks. Don’t listen to them. They only wish that you either attack them or stray from the path. Aelianus tries to see if Roberto is just scared or really in panic.
Roberto does not get scared. But he is in a rage.
[color=red]Yes, mind tricks. Even if what they show me is true, I can do nothing about it. Still, once we finish our business here I plan to seek out Santiago.
Again the terrible visions are left behind and the mages and their companions continue on the weary way. After what seems like hours of trudging along the path Genevieve finally indicates that she can see signs that they are reaching their destination.
Indeed not long afterwards the path begins to widen, the ground begins to dry out and it even starts to feel warmer. As peoples spirits begin to rise after their long and gloomy journey , there is a last sight of something in the tree's behind them. Wirth see's an image of himself looking a few years older with his arm around the shoulders of a withered old crone, but after a few seconds this image slips away.
The clearing the path opens into is a wide and green clearing with what appears to be a Roman villa incongrously standing above a celtic village. Several well marked paths lead away from the clearing.
Genevieve turns and speaks to the group
[color=red]Welcome to Shadows of the past this is the area in which our covenfolk and guests dwell. The other magi maintain sancta along the other paths. I will see they are notified of your arrival. Guest quarters have been prepared in the west wing of the villa and servants are waiting for you. My Sancta is in the East wing and if you should need my assistance please visit my servant will fetch me without you needing to enter my sanctum area.
I have been asked to send Iolar to see Marrissa when we arrive and a servant should be along to escort her shortly. Please don't leave the clearing as the boundary of the safe area is not always clear but feel free to go anywhere else in the clearing.
A young women with very prominent Blue Woad tattoo's on her face and clad in very archaic clothing approaches the group bows and leads Iolar away up one of the tracks.
Genevieve escorts the rest of you to the villa before departing to her own quarters. Waiting for you are a number of servants most of whom also bear blue woad tattoo's but less prominently displayed. They take your travelling gear and show you to a room where a meal has been laid out , the meal is a feast in the Roman style with quite an impressive array of food and drink.
[color=blue]OOC I couldn't come up with a good way to screw with Aelinius's past
Images of the covenant crumbling around him before we arrived? Doesn't matter, the mood is set and there is no need to overplay it. Well done! I like the "older Wirth and the Crone" after image. Nice touch 
And it can lead to a nice seguway into a Santiago story later on! Mentor was much more relevant as a Virtue than as a Flaw.
Seriously though, well done! I thought you were gonna throw a scene of young Roberto crying for his dead momma, blkah lah blah. You threw me a curve ball and evoked the desired reaction!
OOC: If it where just to scare Aelianus then something horrible happening to Diodorus should ave done the trick. But otherwise the covenant as suggested. More applause as already mentioned for the nice storytelling.
Aelianus is most happy with the feast and then later see to that his wand is polished and placed in the display case that he has crafted for the wand. The display case is crafted out of walnut and has a red silk interior.
Who is all at the feast with us? Magi of this covenant I presume? Who would they be?
At the feast there are a number of servants and the maga Genevieve who escorted you here but none of the other magi of the covenant attend. Genevieve explains that many of them are not particuarly sociable. Talia is away from the covenant or she would probably be here, Tamara does not care for mages of house Flambeau. Marrissa and Lara are meeting with Iolar on Bjornear business so neither of them are available and she has never seen Alecto at a social gathering yet. She explains that Marrissa has asked that Wirth and if he wishes his wife visit her tommorrow. If any of you wish to speak to the other mages at the covenant she can send a messanger. If you want to make any deals with the covenant she explains you need to speak with Tamara, Marrissa or Alecto as they are the ruling triumvirum of the covenant although she personally is not aware of Marrissa ever losing a vote.
The food is very good but the servants don't talk much although they seem to understand latin.
[color=blue]Marrissa Of Bjornear
A master shapeshifter and rival of Archmage Julius of Flambeau since their apprentice ship. She is believed to be a member of the Corybantes . She plays no part in tribunal politics rarely turning up to tribunal’s and it is not common knowledge what her heartbeast is .
Tamara Ex Miscallanea
A member of the House Ex Miscallanea witch group she is one of the senior members of the group and also leader of the covenant , Aged about 100 . She has a reputation for being skilled at Corpus magic’s
Talia Ex Miscallanea
Another Witch she is younger than Tamara aged about fifty and a Mentam expert. She is a more common sight outside the covenant than most of the mages .
Paulus Ex Miscallanea
A male witch aged about 30 and a former apprentice of Tamara’s almost never seen outside the covenant
Alecto Ex Miscallanea
A Spirit master from Greece aged about 80 , there is always at least one spirit master at the covenant and Alecto joined about 30 years ago. She is also reclusive
Genevieve of Jerbiton
The public face of the Covenant , she has a greater interest in the culture of the commoners than is usual in her house and is thought of as somewhat odd. She is aged about 45 and is the covenant’s main diplomat and public representative
Lara of Bjornear
A former apprentice of Marrissa aged about 45 , her heartbeast is also unknown and she is rarely seen outside the covenant
What's not to like about House Flambeau? Marrissa seems decent, from a proper house. I also don't care much for Archmagus Julius or his Gurnicus girlfriend (if this is the same Julius I am thinking of that is).
Genevive is a cordial and gracious hostess. The rest seem like a bunch of hedgies.
Roberto keeps his mouth shut all throughout dinner (will wonders never cease!?!)
[color=red]We must all raise our glass to our host even if the by other circumstances can’t attend the table. Aelianus raises his goblet of vine. [color=red]To generous hosts.
A moment later Aelianus turns to Genevieve. [color=red]I would like to meet some of the ruling magi later as I have some business proposal to make. But please tell us more about your covenant. Have you ever personally felt the need for any magical items but not taken the time to produce them your self?