The Covenant of Conatus Sponte
Physically, the covenant is situated on the West coast of Bretagne in the Normandy Tribunal. The ground rises sharply in a long ridge before falling away more gently towards the sea. In and before this cliff the covenants main structures lie. The ground before the covenant is largely sandy, and features several shallow pools of salt water; some of these produce Muto vis. Between the cliff and the sea lies a small village, Plouinec, where the covenfolk live in their shacks. Furthur inland, where the ground is lusher and a small river runs down to the bay, a dozen horses are kept. The covenant’s herd of goats roams both the land spread before the covenant and the slopes of the covenant proper. The rocks on the seaward side of the covenant yield mussels and the sea nearby has a plentiful quantity of fish.
The covenant is contained with a cliff of hard stone. It is turning into a sprawling cavern complex, as the facilities are being expanded in preperation for the tribunal of 1366 A.A..
Where the cliff is neares the sea, there stands a cluster of stones through which the winds whistle keenly. Here the magi attach variously coloured flags and pennants for strange purposes. They are changed every season.
Covenant Characteristics (4th edition style)
Site: +1
Access Quality: 0
The covenant's supplies are not especially impressive, and are subject to shortages in bad times.
Access Distance: -2
The covenant produces some supplies of food, but relies on the importation of a lot of staples from nearby villages and towns. Rarer equipment must be sought in the city of Vannes.
Covenant: 20% / Half a day: 20% / Day: 40% / Two days: 20% / Week: 0%
Seclusion: +4
The area is isolated by geography and reputation. A curious visitor arrives about once every sixteen weeks; these are normally turned away by the covenfolk of the village.
Environment: 0
The sea are is bracing, but perhaps a little too bracing to do any good.
Buildings: +2
Size: 0
The undeground complex of the covenant is extensive and holds space for seven magi and twenty specialists and the ten-member turb. The village by the shore has small shacks and huts for about forty covenfolk.
Plans to expand the covenant will increased the space to accomodate ten magi, forty specialists and ten turb-members, with the village housing an expanded population and additional turb-members. Buildings to house the visitors who come for the Tribunal sessions are also planned, and are the equivalent of space for forty specialists (Size: +6!)
Impressive Structures: 0
The great hall of the covenant is a particularly impressive feat of architecture, it has a large fireplace for heating and can accomodate the representatives of the Tribunal when the need arises.
The expanding library of the covenant could probably be expanded and improved. The vast empty atrium could also be beautified (Imp. Struct.: +2).
Quality: +5
The underground complex of the covenant is extremely well-made and aesthetically pleasing. The shacks of the covenfolk, however, are vastly less impressive.
There are plans to improve the quality of the village according to a bold new design, and to ensure that the guest quarters are of equal stature (Quality: +14!).
Repair: -1
Despite the quality of the construction, extensions over the last few years have taken their toll. Overhaul of the entire underground complex is long overdue; as the seneschal will attest if given the opportunity.
Refurbishment of the covenant will largely depend on how much time certain magi are prepared to invest (Repair: +12! - complex excellent, guest quarters and village good).
Defences: +3
Site: +7
The covenant faces a slight downward slope, is difficult to access from either side (being between two esturies), and quite difficult to approach from behind (since after the landing where there is, admittedly, much sand, invaders face a brisk walk up a slope), although anyone who gains the ridge has an advantage over anyone at the covenant's main entrance.
Elaborate Structures: 0
A watchtower sits atop the ridge. This was once the quarters of Brecca, but it has been returned to its old function.
There has been talk in some quarters that the 'gatehouse' should be made more defensible (Elab. Struct.: +1).
Extent: -1
The underground parts of the covenant are protected by the rock they lie under and stout doors. The village however is totally undefended.
Improvement of the village itself should make it more defensible (Extent: 0).
Repair: 0
Apart from some cosmetic damage to the tower the defences are in fairly good order.
Stores: +3
Vis Stocks: +10
Current stores can be found
elsewhere in the Wiki.
Supplies: 0
The covenant, while free of debt, has little in the way of emergency supplies. Truly exotic items must be ordered in from Vannes, or beyond.
Reputation: -3
The actions of certain members at the Tribunal sessions has resulted in the covenant becoming reputed for being Fractious (+2, Tribunal Gallia Transalpina).
The actions of the covenant's members in dealing with strange local occurrencesmay have garnered them some respect with the local inhabitants.
Relations: -4
Allies: 0
still to come
Enemies: -7
While previously plagued by the covenant of
Locronan, the disappearence of its magi seems to have left Conatus Sponte without enemies; who knows if the powers of Locronan are gone for good though?
Contacts: -3
Spies from somewhere live within the covenant (one may be from the Golden Bee, sent to peer at Idonia).
Improvement: +2
Income: 0
The convenant is able to meet most of its needs, except for the niggling problems with maintenance. This is largely thanks to some clever transformations that keep a local spice merchant in saffron provided he does not inquire about where it comes from. A recently established silver mine at Quiberon will doubtless improve matters (Income +1).
Vis Supply: +9
The covenant is well supplied with vis, although the magi still complain about the varieties.
Information about the sources of vis are located
here.
Inhabitants: -4
The population of Conatus Sponte, before the arrival of the new magi (a.k.a. the player characters) consisted of three magi, ten specialists, a turb of ten mercenaries, and forty assorted covenfolk. Currently the population stands at seven magi (although one is missing), fifteen or so specialists and companions, a turb of ten aging soldiers who are training others, and forty or so covenfolk.
With the planned recruitment the population should climb to ten magi (with one still missing), as many as thirty specialists, a thirty-strong turb, and seventy covenfolk (Inhabitants: -1, -2 if Orfeo is 'gone for good'; not including the PC magi).
Library: ?
Spells: ?
Not bored enough to work this out yet.
Hermetic Books: ?
Not bored enough to work this out yet.
Mundane Books: ?
Not bored enough to work this out yet.
Mystical Attributes: +4
Aura: +5
The aura around Conatus Sponte is rather strange. It varies greatly, although is of weak strength for most of the area (Magical Aura 2). However, under the cliff where the magi and the labs reside the aura is moderate in strength (Magical Aura 5). The aura is discussed more in greater detail
here.
The aura is effected by the nearby Alignments du Carnac.
Magical Items: +1
The founders of the covenant established a water source and illumination for the underground parts of the covenant; although these features are relatively unspectacular. These enchantments, and other devices, are discussed
here.
The current magi have decided to improve the quality of life in the underground part of the covenant, and some are calling for a magical well to provide Plouhinec with convenient water as well.
Laboratories: +8
The laboratories vary widely, depending on the diligence of the magi occupying them. Phoca ,and the absent Orpheo, have excellent and well-equipped labs (two labs with +3 general bonus); Quintus Querte has improved his lab (one lab with +2 general bonus), as has Idonia (one lab with +1 general bonus); the other labs have not been given much attention (three basic labs) - either through lack of interest or due to the presence of children (!). A seperate lab, unowned by any single magus, is used for vis extraction; it has not been fully set-up for other magical work (one-half of a basic lab).
Quintus Querte is intending to improve his lab greatly (to +4 general bonus, if it can be afforded), and share his techniques with the others so they might more easily make their own labs more efficient. Teuthras has implied that he could improve the vis extraction lab somewhat also (+2 Vim specialisation bonus).