Stories for the Mountain King
Damage Control
A Matter of Perception
Dreaming of Wolves
21st - 23rd December 1221
The annual council meeting was held and the Aegis ritual was conducted on the winter solstice. As the magi finished the ritual at the top of the covenant building they noticed a group of travellers approaching the covenant. Ash, the Redcap led a group of visitors from Bellaquin to the covenant to participate in the Storytelling competition. The group included Julius of House Jerbiton who had visited the covenant before as well as Marcus of House Guernicus, Auguste of House Jerbiton, and the Troubadour Tibaut. While Auguste and Tibaut announced their intention to participate in the competition Marcus requested an opportunity to address the council of Infractus Summus Redivivus. At the following council meeting the alliance between the two covenants was formalised as Marcus detailed Bellaquin's plans for the upcoming Tribunal and the magi of Infractus Summus Redivivus agreed to support them in exchange for support from Bellaquin. They also offered mundane support for Bellaquin's attempt to retake their covenant from the crusaders.
Julius discussed the existence of an old pagan temple in the area with Father Clement and they agreed to search for it in spring.
Soon more guests arrived, including Lord Montferrand and his new minstrel Ugos, as well as Geoffroy of Mistridge. The magi soon found out that there is a long standing rivalry between Geoffroy and Tibaut.
The next day the competition commenced. The Mountain King appeared to judge the competition together with Lord Montferrand and Sir Bertrand.
The minstrels Tibaut, Greffroy, and Ugos, the magus Auguste, and Father Clement were competing. Auguste was caught cheating with an attempt to use magic and Geoffroy won the competition much to the dismay of Tibaut and his friends from Bellaquin.
And in the test of strength Sertorius outclassed even the bone-knights of the Mountain King.
The next morning Geoffroy was missing. In his room the magi found the missing piece of the fountain that the Mountain King had promised in return for entertainment.
24th December 1221
The magi set out to visit the hall of the Mountain King where they hoped to find and free Geoffroy. While Zeebebah was overcome with confusion as they approached the door in the hillside, Zola tried to improve her abilities to negotiate but failed terribly.
The reluctant door was finally convinced to open itself and the magi entered the mountain. Inside they found a terrified Geoffroy performing for the Mountain King under threat of a horrible death.
The Mountain King was convinced to let Geoffroy go for the promise of an annual competition and that he will be allowed to take the winner to his court for one night.
The magi reassured the upset Geoffroy that all this was an accident and that they intend to honour their agreement with Domus Liber and will support Mistridge at the next Tribunal.
Back at the covenant Sir Bertrand agreed to meet with Bellaquin's Turb Captain to discuss plans to retake the covenant that is currently occupied by crusaders.
30th December 1221
Sertorius took another walk along the path marked by the standing stones. A new stone was revealed at the end of the path with the inscription
The inscriptions on the stones that can be read when following the path now reads:
On his way back Sertorius discovered a few pebbles in his shoes. Examination revealed that they contain three pawns of Intellego Vis.
23rd January 1222
Again the magi found themselves in Titus' dream world. After being incinerated and reduced to ashes by a fire giant they found themselves in the forest where they had been harvesting berries in the last two years. Here they met the wolf that had chased them out on both occasions.
The wolf seemed quite peaceful and spoke to them, identifying himself as the guardian of the forest. He led them to the heart of the forest where he vanished behind a Rowan tree.
After waking up the magi decided to try to communicate with the wolf during the next expedition to harvest the healing berries.