So i am developing a Saga where a covenant has to work with Christianity, folkwitchesm and Rune wizards to imprison powerful demons like Cthulhu and such. the great old ones are mentioned in the main book.
Now for the background, a thousand years ago there was a great battle between these factions to stop the rise of great old ones, and these entities were sealed in tombs on an island. The covenant that was formed was one a nearby island. They existed from Charity being given from the order and from the church.
As time passed the demon's didn't rise and the covenant was not sent new mages and even the goodwill of the church is drying up. The small monastary of Caroliingian monks (a made up group of demon hunters associated with the church) was falling into obselences.
The covenant now has only 2 wizards, one folkwitch and one runewizard left. The huge castle on the island is falling into disreppair and neglect.
When my new troop comes the great old ones are wakening and escaping as the runes and spells are wearkened from neglect.
My question is should I have a winter or a fall covenant? I am thinking winter and having the characters clear out the debris and rebuild. The mages still at the covenent have a decripitude of three and a little batty due to warping.
the covenant being what it was a gaurd house to some of the most heinous monsters has an extensive collection of infernal lore and dinvine lore the order, the church, the wizards and the folkwitches are beginning to not want to work together. To make matters worse the inquisition is actively looking for those that work with demons.
My question is should I have a winter or a fall covenant. And should my library (of slowly decaying books from lack of attendence) be a large or medium library that needs to be restored?
This sounds like a great game!
Classic winter covenant situation. I’d use the “large” library since the rules actually end up creating relatively small libraries.
It's your call really.
3 decrepitude is not too bad...
Fall is a covenant typically still at the peak of strength or at least still has the potential to be.
Things that would spell winter
- Someone noteworthy is actually allied with the Titans and working to free them
- Some of the library is gone, stolen, damaged or simply taken away by church, previous member or descendent that claimed it, etc
- Charter is being challenged by ennemies
- Debt has debt collectors chipping away covenant
- Damaged Aura or corrupted Aura
W
Note that Winter and Fall are narrative concepts, rather than mechanical. The covenant creation rules [Cov] refer to different power levels, but not seasons.
What you describe, sounds like Winter. There are few magi, and they are old. However, they may still be in Autumn if they are active and supportive, and make an effort to run the covenant. A Winter covenant is typically overcome by indifference. The magi may be selfish, tired of life, or overcome by hubris or by rivalry. Nobody takes responsibility for anything outside their sanctum, and library and buildings decay, and the grogs are left to their own devices. This is an excellent background to drop young player magi, because they can take charge when their elders are beyond caring. In a typical Autumn covenant, they would be overruled by their elders.
An Autumn covenant is, as was said, at the height of its power. It is ruled by magi in their prime who take responsibility for the smooth operation of the covenant. After all, they want a strong and comfortable place to live in retirement, so it is in their best interest to keep it going.
Obviously, a covenant does not turn Winter overnight, so the covenant may be somewhere in between. In the end, the label does not matter. Your narrative does.
The concept, I think, is best illustrated by the four seasons saga for 2/3ed, telling the story of the covenant from from fledgling, through growth and prime, into decay. The concept does not have the same significance in 5ed rules.