Note: There is currently no attempt to balance these numbers. I feel no compunction to make it all even out. However I am very open to proposals/ideas to modify anything/everything. And I suppose upon review ... at a total of -10, if we did want to balance it all out we actually have points to spend.
Overall Total: -10
Site (Sub-total: +5)
Aura: Major x 1, Minor x 2: +5
The broader Magic Aura of the Covenant is +5, with this level of Aura generally reaching to the boundaries of the Ringwork. This level of Aura has been shockingly fast in developing since the Covenant has been founded, magic started being done here, and the mystical caves rediscovered. The caves beneath the Covenant were magical when discovered while the rest of the Island was dominated by Faerie at that point. Now the +5 Aura has grown and spread and the caves have grown to +6. This level of +6 has additionally spread to encompass anywhere a Sanctum and Lab has been built and the grove and circle where the Oath Stone is maintained. It is clear that "wild" pre-hermetic magic was done in the caves since ancient times and is resurging on Inchmore with the very real possibility of both growing/expanding further and unpredictable results in the future.
Difficult Access: Minor: +1
As a somewhat difficult to land upon, but not impossible, island within a sizable lake Inchmore is naturally somewhat more difficult to access and correspondingly easier to defend.
Healthy Feature: Minor x 2: +2
Inchmore is largely secluded in a pristine natural environment with abundant fresh water while being removed and upstream from the polluting influences of even the otherwise nearby city of Athlone.
Vivid Environment: Minor: +1
Lough Ree is beautiful and Inchmore Island isn't half bad itself. The environment of the Covenant is intrinsically pleasant, majestic even. These qualities have if anything only started to intensify with the spread of the influence of Magic in the area.
Road: Major: -3
The eastern shores of the Lough Ree are an existing entry point to a Faerie Trod network that has connections throughout much of Connacht and to the Faerie High Road Trods that connect more broadly out to the rest of Hibernia. These Faerie Trods/Roads provide a mystical move of rapid transit throughout the Tribunal/Isle. With this spot forming roughly the center of Hibernia and this greater system of Trods, Inchmore sees an unusually high volume of mystical traffic nearby.
Road: Minor: -1
The River Shannon is one of the primary mundane trade networks of Hibernia and Inchmore Island is on that route. Additionally Athlone is a center of trade throughout Hibernia both on the river and on the east/west road. This is very near Inchmore and people sometimes travel one route before changing for the other (river to road, or road to river) based on their travel needs. Inchmore thus, despite being semi-secluded on the island, has an unusually high volume of mundane traffic nearby.
Fortifications (Sub-total: -2)
Island: Free: 0
Inchmore Island on Lough Ree is the site of the main body of the Covenant.
Manor House: Free: 0
The core residence of the Magi and repository of Covenant resources is a sizable and impressive Manor House on Inchmore Island.
Ringwork: Free: 0
A sturdy ringwork encloses the Manor House and most of the additional Covenant infrastructure buildings, being large enough to contain a small to middling size village.
Edifice: Minor: +1
The Manor House is of obvious quality stone construction and is massive. It makes a clear statement of wealth and power to even the casual observer passing by on the lake/river or shoreside.
Important Building: Quay & Gatehouse: Minor: +1
This structure is similarly impressive, if somewhat less aesthetic, to the Manor and forms the keystone of any initial mundane defense of the island. Given the difficulty of landing on the island and the hardened defense this constitutes on exactly landing, this fortification is disproportionately effective and impressive to observers.
Castle: Major: -3
Strictly speaking Inchmore does not have a Castle. It does however have sizable defenses which make it very well fortified as an island, espcially against mundane attempts to land on the island. For this reason it could attract similar degrees of attention and concern as a Castle despite not being similar grade of full fortification.
Outbuildings: Minor: -1
There are several buildings that are part of the Covenant infrastructure that are outside of the ringworks.
Resources (Sub-total: +2)
Hidden Resources: Minor x 3: +3
This is intended to reflect three distinct sources of further resources/benefit to the Covenant that are as yet untapped and/or undiscovered.
- Wild & Ancient Magic: The Caves of Inchmore an the rapidly expanding Aura plainly indicate something about the magical nature of the island. What however remains anything but understood.
- Ruins of Praesis: Praesis was not on Inchmore Island but it was nearby somewhat north of Lough Ree, near the Shannon. The ruins of this Covenant are in no way fully explored or tapped for magical potential or resources.
- Undisclosed: There is another source in my head canon that I'm not divulging.
Vis Salary: Minor: -1
The Charter of Inchmore requires Covenant Service on a regular/consistent basis, and in particular requires meeting those obligations in order to receive the share of vis due a member in good standing.
Residents (Sub-total: -3)
Sailors: Free: 0
There are a fair number of boaters and sailors among those now in residence in the Covenant. Additionally the Crannogmen are fisherman to a man, and so all are skilled on the water.
Distorted Covenfolk: Minor: -1
The Crannogmen are deeply touched by Faerie and this both obvious and long known in the surrounding area.
Fosterage: Minor: -1
To Be Determined.
I don't want to pre-define this as much as say that as we develop our knowledge and relationships with the three Faerie Courts that this is a situation that is very likely to happen in establishing positive relations with one of them.
Gender Imbalance: Minor: -1
Almost all of the Covenfolk imported for the founding of the Covenant are men.
External Relationships (Sub-total: -5)
Ungoverned: Minor: +1
Ireland is not a unified kingdom. Inchmore lies, purposefully, in territory that falls into the border lands of more than one current Irish kingdom, and more than one English Lord besides. Inchmore thus exists in a place where there is no absolutely dominant power (such as England) with clear dominion, like much of the rest of Hibernia.
Beholden: Major: -3
Inchmore was founded with the overt and express backing of a coalition of Hibernian Covenants that sought to "preserve the old ways" as refound a new Covenant to serve the function of former Praesis. The core of this Coalition remains the Covenants of Circulus Ruber, Vigil, and Lombaird. They have aided extensively in the construction and outfitting of the Covenant itself and expect political returns on their investment. They feel owed by Inchmore and expect favors in return, much less for Inchmore to remain deeply loyal to the Hibernian cause for which it was founded.
Rival: Major: -3
Ballack of Tytalus and his compatriots are not gone. They simply fled the combined might of the Coalition, abandoned Praesis, and relocated to Ashenrise. They continue to loudly proclaim Praesis to have been rightfully theirs as a spoil of lawful war. In no uncertain terms these older Magi resent the founding of Inchmore and would dearly love to see it fail and be out of their way. If it can be arranged without drawing direct confrontation with the Coaltion they will eagerly participate.
Surroundings (Sub-total: -9)
Minority: Minor: +1
The Crannogmen of Inchmore are definitely a minority and do not fit in well with mundane society in general.
City: Major: -3
Athlone is next door, sharing the lake even. While it never sought to exert great influence over Inchmore island the lands were nominally English prior to Inchmore Covenant being founded. The Coaltion has completely disrupted that as they came in and constructed Inchmore with a heavy hand. Now that the Coalition has returned to their homes it remains to Inchmore Covenant to find a new relationship with Athlone.
Ruined Covenant: Major: -3
The ruins of Praesis are very nearby and very fresh. And very unknown.
Legendary Site: Minor: -1
In being founded to renew the former function of Praesis in the Tribunal, Inchmore now replaces it as the point of exchange/dialogue between the Druids/Coill and the Order. Additionally it is now the location which polite Hermetics seeking to enter Connacht are expected to call on prior to crossing the border. All of this being part of the intended function of the Covenant. And all of this prior to the discovery of the ancient Oath Stone. The Oath Stone, both what it symbolizes and what it makes possible, has if anything greatly amplified this anticipation of a role for the Covenant as a center for diplomacy and deal making within the magical world of Hibernia. Can Inchmore live up to these expectations?
Faerie Court: Minor x 3: -3
There are three Faerie Courts with which Inchmore will need to most directly have relations. None of these relationships have been really established at this point.
- The Goblin Market, of Athlone
- The River Court, of the Shannon
- The High Circle, of Meadhbh
