Celebrating the Winter Solstice
The Minstrel
In the Halls of the Mountain King
Airlift
21st December 1220
On the day of the winter solstice the magi gathered for a council meeting to discuss the matters at hand. They agreed that they want to trade some vis for new books. They then went outside to cast the Aegis of the Hearth ritual. Titus was casting the ritual while the others joined him in walking along the outer walls of the covenant. Each of the magi was carrying three sticks that were combined into a large bundle when the procession concluded on top of the covenant building with a recitation of the covenant oath.
The next day a messenger from Lord Montferrand arrived at the covenant to invite 'the lord of the manor' to a series of feasts at the last five days of Christmas. Sir Bertrand accepted the invitation. The same invitation was extended to Sir Dominic, Father Clement, Father Francis?, and Bishop Maximillian?.
1st - 3rd January 1221
Sir Bertrand, accompanied by his ensign and a small group of soldiers, Zeebebah, Dominic, Father Clement, Father Francis?, and Bishop Maximillian? travelled to Montferrand where they were welcomed by Lord Montferrand. While passing through the courtyard they noticed a man wearing the Templar colours. As soon as they got the chance Sir Bertrand and Zeebebah went out to speak with him. The Templar identified himself as a Brother Sergeant and told them that he arrived in the company of Sir Bohemond? who is in charge of the Templar Commandery at Bezu. Dominic spoke to the Brother Sergeant later during the day while exploring the castle, receiving the same information.
In the evening everybody gathered for a feast. Accompanied by the songs and stories of Jocelin, the local Minstrel, they enjoyed the food, wine, and entertainment. Half way through the feast a servant approached the high table and soon after he had left again a new guest was admitted into the hall. Dressed in fine closes he appeared to be a wealthy merchant or travelling noble. He was seated next to Dominic and Bertrand. They noticed a golden bangle at his right arm. As the feast continued he entertained them with several stories and tried his best to avoid their questions. As the feast ended the stranger addressed Lord Montferrand to thank him for his hospitality and asked for Jocelin's lute to play a song in return. As soon as he started to play everybody was overwhelmed with sadness. After the song was finished the stranger left and everybody retired for the night.
During the next day Bertrand asked Sir Bohemond to join him for a ride through the snow. Accompanied by Dominic, Zeebebah, and the Brother Sergeant they rode out. Bertrand and Zeebebah questioned him about the Templar who had been involved in the stealing of the relic. Bohemond denied convincingly any knowledge of this. He was unable to provide them with any hints about who may be behind this.
At the feast that evening the stranger appeared again and was warmly welcomed by Lord Montferrand who commented on the stranger's outstanding performance the previous night. This obviously upset Jocelin who said that he could do the same. He started to play the Song of Sorrow the stranger had played the night before and everybody was in tears again. Dominic noticed a golden bangle at Jocelin's arm. The stranger complimented Jocelin on his performance but remarked that there are better ways to start a feast. He then went on to play a very happy song. Soon everybody was in a good mood and several guests were dancing on the tables. After his song ended the stranger left while everybody else continued the celebrations. Zeebebah approached Jocelin and asked him to compose a song about a beauty from the east and how she marries a Bertrand, a French noble for the next evening. As the feast approached its end Bertrand got into a heated discussion with Gilbert, one of the knights he had met during his time as a crusader. This incident ended with Bertrand being punched in the face.
The next day Lord Montferrand approached Bertrand and invited him to a game of chess. Bertrand was delighted to accept the invitation. While he had no trouble winning the game he was questioned by Lord Montferrand about his intentions at Bugarach and his opinion about the stranger and his songs. After the game Lord Montferrand left to talk to Zeebebah about the stranger. Father Clement spoke with Father Francis who wanted to discuss the stranger with him and was happy to report that Lord Montferrand had agreed to supply the priory with stone for the new church. Later that day Father Clement noticed Lord Montferrand and Sir Bohemond walking around the court yard. Sitting on a bench he managed to overhear parts of their conversation. Apparently they were discussing a stone supply and some issues involving salt.
The next feast started with Jocelin playing the Song of Joy the stranger had played the night before followed by the song requested by Zeebebah. By the time the second song came to its end the stranger entered the great hall again. He asked for the lute and began to play.
Everybody fell asleep, waking up the next morning. In the confusion that followed it took some time before it was noticed that Jocelin and the stranger were missing. Lord Montferrand asked Sir Bertrand to help in the search for Jocelin. Bishop Maximillian requested the same from Dominic. Father Clement and Zeebebah joined the search as well. Olivier reported that he had seen the stranger riding off towards Bugarach at the second night. The party set out to follow him.
4th January 1221
Sir Bertrand, Dominic, Zeebebah, Father Clement, Olivier, and a few of Bertrand's men followed the road to Bugarach in pursuit of the stranger and Jocelin. Following horse tracks off the road on a small path leading along the side of the Pech de Bugarach they came to point where the tracks suddenly vanished. Looking around Dominic noticed a strange translucent barrier in front of him. Stepping through this barrier he disappeared from the sight of the others and found continuing tracks on the other side. Returning through the barrier he managed to lead the others through. A similar procedure was used to cross a second barrier further up the hill. The tracks finally led them to a wooden door in the side of the mountain.
As Dominic knocked at the door it developed an eye and a mouth. The door told them that they would have to leave all metal behind to enter. This let to some arguments about how they should proceed. Dominic insisted on entering while Bertrand refused to enter without proper weapons. After some magical intervention from Zeebebah it was decided that Olivier should lead the horses and some of Bertrand's men back to the covenant to report and to request assistance while the rest passed through the door. Bertrand and his men armed with sticks.
Inside they found themselves surrounded by darkness. Only Dominic was able to see the horrible faces frozen in stone at the wall. He described them to the others and as they approached the end of the tunnel they decided to turn back and ask for help at the covenant. On their way back they caught up with the other group and finally returned to the covenant.
Zola offered to turn all weapons and armour into bronze, as faeries usually object to iron but not other metals. The next day Zola, Zeebebah, Sertorius, Sir Bertrand with his men, and Olivier departed from the covenant to meet Dominic at Bugarach before returning to the halls under the mountain. In Bugarach as everybody was gathering in the middle of the village Sertorius casted a spell on Cruz to increase his size. The now pony sized wolf scared the horses which started to run in all directions. Dominic, after recovering from being thrown off his horse accused Cruz of being infernal and after some arguing with Sertorius rode off to discuss this new development with his Bishop. After reassuring the villagers the remaining party left their horses behind and travelled back to the strange door.
Again the door demanded that they should leave all metal outside but Zola could convince it to let them pass. Walking down the hallway with its horrible faces they came to a well lit hall with playing music and dancing. At the far end of the hall sitting on a throne surrounded by guards dressed in what appeared to be human bones, sat the stranger they had met at the feast. They quickly found out that he his the king of the mountain. Zola quickly offered the pawn of Auram vis to him that was found after she had defeated the west wind and told the story of this battle.
She asked for Jocelin and was told that he had stolen the king's bangles. Promising that he would be punished appropriately and that Jocelin would never bother the mountain king again Zola was able to convince the king to hand Jocelin over to her. She also noticed a black stone in front of the throne that seemed to be the missing part of the covenant's fountain. The mountain king told her that he had taken it from the top of the mountain, hoping that it would provide entertainment. Unfortunately the stone had stopped talking. He agreed to exchange it for better entertainment.
After watching the dancing for some time the party left to return Jocelin to Montferrand. When Lord Montferrand heard that Jocelin had stolen from one of his guests who also happened to be a faerie king he decided that Jocelin had to be punished. Sir Bertrand and Zeebebah were asked to suggest a suitable punishment. They agreed that Jocelin should be exiled from this area. Pleased that the situation had been resolved Lord Montferrand asked Sir Bertrand if he could offer him anything in return. Sir Bertrand asked for free access to the bathhouse in Rennes-les-Bains for the members of the covenant and received it.
The final feast was held that night. Its only shortcoming was the lack of entertainment now that the local minstrel was exiled. Father Clement provided entertainment by telling fascinating and inspiring stories.
The next morning they returned to Bugarach and the covenant.
12th - 24th January 1221
Zeebebah, Sertorius, Father Clement, and Sir Bertrand with some of his men set out to bring some Cathars with useful skills from Castelnaudary to Bugarach. They knew that the city had been under siege during last autumn but were hoping that the siege was lifted for winter.
After about four days of travelling they were getting closer to Castelnaudary when they noticed smoke rising behind a hill. Soon they realised that a group of mercenaries was looting the village behind the hill. It turned out that one of the crusaders and his men were trying to acquire food for the ongoing siege. Following Zeebebah they were able to help a woman to fend off a few mercenaries.
They continued to Castelnaudary where they found the siege still intact although the besieging army was small and starving. Sir Bertrand went to speak with Amaury de Montfort, trying to convince him to lift the siege for winter and then return in spring to take the city. Amaury was unwilling to listen to his advise and determined to revenge the death of his brother.
The party left and made camp out of sight of the crusaders. At night Sertorius shrank Sir Bertrand and Zeebebah and flew into the city, carrying them and Father Clement. Once they made it safely into the city they started to look for craftsmen they would like to take back with them. Unsure how they could identify Cathars they went to a part of the city that seemed to have many workshops and knocked on the door of a blacksmith. They were able to convince him to trust them to take him and his family out of Castelnaudary. He also pointed them to other craftsmen and a scribe that Sir Bertrand and Father Clement convinced with his help. While they were still gathering people Zeebebah started to put groups of people to sleep and Sertorius was shrinking them and then flew them out of the city. He was forced to do do the trip in and out of the city several times. At one point he was spotted by a guard on the city walls and later by one of the guards outside the city, raising alarms on both sides. Fortunately the arrows that were flying his way missed and they all managed to get out of the city safely.
The next day they left to return to Bugarach and the covenant. Sertorius flew ahead, carrying Zeebebah, to return to his lab and the invention of his new spell.