Ars Magica Mystic Halls Campaign

Divider

General Campaign History

The Covenant of the Mystic Halls was founded in 1040 AD. Seven new magi, led by Rollo of House Jerbiton, left the dying Covenant of Black Tower in southern Scotland to found a new covenant. The location of the covenant was easily selected. Rollo had recently, and unexpectedly, inherited the title to lands in the Ribble Valley.

At the top of Pendle Hill, on an isolated rock ledge, the magi began to build their covenant. The site was selected for its magical nature (+3 Aura), its defensibility, and the proximity of small supporting villages. Over the years the covenant grew in physical size and in the number of members, consors, grogs, and servants. In 1065 AD a great tower was raised at the top of the hill. This was surrounded by a curtain wall and towers by 1090, and the castle was named Mystimont. In 1070 a section of the hill on the approach to the castle was leveled by the covenant's Flambeau magi to create a level area for a town. This became known as Blackledge, and was populated by people who served the needs of the covenant.

The year 1109 AD was the beginning of what is now known as the Nobles' War. The Baron of Manchester, a foe of the covenant since he was given his title, backed by the local clergy, led a group of local nobles in a series of attacks on the covenant and its lands. In 1110 a small army sacked and burned Blackledge, and attacked Mystimont. The attack was repulsed with severe losses to the attackers. Raids continued for years, with Blackledge again being attacked in 1111 and 1112. In 1117 AD a truce was arranged with the Baron of Manchester. That truce continues until the present.

Following the Nobles' War, additional defenses were added to the covenant. Another, larger wall was added around Mystimont, with two large barbicans to defended the entrances. A large defensive structure, known as Montguard, was built at Blackledge to close off the top of the hill from easy access. Work on these structures was completed between 1140 and 1160.

After the Noble's War, the relations between the covenant and the surrounding lands became notably less violent. Although the Baron of Manchester and other nobles continued minor harassments, no significant violence would again occur. Much of this was due to the covenant's assumption of a much lower profile. The members were forbidden to take any open action against the nobles, and to minimize their impact on the general countryside. The result, was a long period of generally peaceful, if not friendly relations between the covenant and the rest of the kingdom.

During this time, the covenant developed its reputation as a group of magi uninterested in the general activities of the rest of the Tribunal. Mystic Halls magi were a very individualistic lot, and rarely participated in meetings or other Tribunal affairs. Many now attribute the domination of the Tribunal by the covenant of Blackthorn to the lack of interest by Mystic Halls.

Life at the covenant was generally quiet and peaceful until about 1220. At this time, the covenant began to experience problems with Scottish wizards. Whether these were members of the Order of Odin, or a group of powerful Hedge Wizards from Scotland is still unclear. However, they began to raid the lands of the Covenant of the Mystic Halls, and to engage its magi in magical combat whenever encountered. This activity also coincided with a notable increase in the activities of the Scottish border lords, as they sought to expand their holdings into northern England. Mystic Halls was apparently the target as it was the northernmost covenant in England (actually Edenholm is the northernmost covenant, but no one, except its members and a few Redcaps, are aware of Edenholm's location).

The troubles with the Scottish wizards culminated in an attack on the covenant in the spring of 1232 AD. Approaching Mystimont secretly, a single very powerful Scottish wizard, aided by a host of Unseelie Faeries, launched an attack on the covenant's defenses. In a day long fight, the magi and covenfolk were able to beat off the attack, but only after suffering very heavy losses. Four magi were killed outright in the fighting and one was driven insane by the Faeries. A majority of the guards and many covenfolk were also slain. The castle was effectively destroyed. All of the mundane construction was reduced to ruins, with only part of one barbican remaining partially intact. The defenses at Montguard were utterly destroyed, and a notable segment of the village of Blackledge was burned. None of the magical constructs, such as the great tower, survived more than a few days. Some sort of Faerie magic caused all of the magically created structures to slowly merge back into the ground, and all of the underground areas to slowly fill. Within a week after the battle, only mundane ruins were left.

With the destruction of the castle most people thought the covenant was finished. And this was the impression which most mundanes, and hopefully the attackers, were given. Although many magi were dead and a number more had left the covenant, a core group decided to rebuild.

Realizing that they could not withstand another such attack, or even a raid by the local nobles, the covenant decided to let everyone except a few mundane friends and the other covenants in the Tribunal believe that the covenant was gone. This would ease any remaining problems with the local nobility, hopefully keep the Scottish wizards away, and allow the covenant time to reconstruct itself.

A new covenant was constructed within the rock below the ruins of the barbican. In the Spring and Summer of 1232, the energies of the covenant were devoted to excavating a multi-layer underground domicile. With the new covenant completed, life returned more or less to normal. There have been numerous adventures since then, but nothing of special note.

Summer Snows

In April of 1231 a non-Hermetic magic portal was found on the covenant's lands. This portal led to what was later identified as northern Russia. There, the lost Covenant of Summer Snows was discovered. Two members of Mystic Halls (Basil Fieryhand and Austin Trelain) helped to reestablish the covenant. Although dominated by a mythic figure known as the "Snow Queen", this area proved to be vis rich. The magi from Mystic Halls were able to gather quite a bit of vis and other treasure while on a number of adventures. The covenant also collected payments of vis from other magi who wished to use the portal to travel to the area. Eventually problems between the self appointed head of Summer Snows and the magi of the Mystic Halls, plus other difficulties, led to the destruction of the portal in early 1241.

Summary of Magi Members
Name House Joined Ended Sex Status Notes
Rollo Jerbiton 1041 1166 M NPC Founder and First Primus. Went into Twilight.
Weldric Bonisagus 1041 1149 M NPC Founder.
Harold Jerbiton 1041 1138 M NPC Founder.
Ethalred Flambeau 1041 1119 M NPC Founder. Died fighting in the Holy Lands.
Morcar Quaesitoris 1041 1109 M NPC Founder. Killed in the Nobles' War.
Edgar Tytalus 1041 1169 M NPC Founder.
Edward Verditius 1041 1150 M NPC Founder.
Jared Tytalus 1042 1064 M NPC Died in a Wizard's War.
Augustus Flambeau 1110 1212 M NPC Apprentice to Ethelred. Arch Mage.
Damas Jerbiton 1125 1199 M NPC Apprentice to Rollo. Primus from 1166 until 1199.
Artemis Bonisagus 1144 Present F NPC Apprentice to Weldric. Primus from 1199 to present.
Simeon Verditius 1148 1226 M NPC Apprentice to Edward. Went insane due to Twilight experience and jumped out of a window at the covenant.
Leo DeGrance Tytalus 1155 1232 M NPC Apprentice to Edgar. Thought to have died in battle of 1232. Now believed to be alive, insane, and working against the covenant outside of the Order of Hermes.
Slyvan Merinita 1178 1232 F NPC Died in battle of 1232.
Julius Jerbiton 1184 1232 M NPC Apprentice to Damas. Died in battle of 1232.
Basil Fieryhand Flambeau 1191 1241 M PC Apprentice to Augustus. Arch Mage. Left covenant to fight the Moors in Spain.
Sybill Mercere 1195 1226 F NPC Non-magus. Killed by bandits.
Marcus Quarts Jerbiton 1207 1232 M NPC Apprentice to Damas. Died in battle of 1232.
Kearin Tytalus 1214 1232 M NPC Apprentice to Leo DeGrance. Died in battle of 1232.
Austin Trelain Jerbiton 1217 Present M PC Came from Edenholm in the Stonehenge Tribunal. Current member.
Reuven Yosef ben Mordechi Verditius 1217 1220 M PC Came from Londinium in the Stonehenge Tribunal. Went to Laizround in the Hibernia Tribunal.
Hurtmore Flambeau 1217 1232 M NPC Came from Blackthorn in the Stonehenge Tribunal. Returned to Blackthorn after battle of 1232. Now believed to have possibly been a spy.
Redferne Flamestorm Flambeau 1226 1241 M NPC Aprentice to Basil Fieryhand. Went to Iberia with Basil.
Argonnias Beleigrious Termere 1231 Present M PC Came from Spiretop in the Stonehenge Tribunal. Current member.
Ramirez Tytalus 1231 Present M PC Came from Duresca in the Iberia Tribunal. Current member.
Horus Flambeau 1232 Present M PC Came from Spiretop in the Stonehenge Tribunal. Current member.
Harold Jerbiton 1234 Present M PC Came from Edenholm in the Stonehenge Tribunal. Current member.
Felix Quaesitoris 1238 1241 M PC Came from Londinium in the Stonehenge Tribunal. Left covenant to investigate questionable activities of Blackthorn. Has not been seen since.

There were two additional PC magi, both contemporary to Basil Fieryhand. However, no records are available for these two characters. Both would have left the covenant around 1215.

Other Magi
Name House Appeared Last Seen Sex Status Notes
Veritus the Letter Writer Tytalus 1231 1240 M PC From Italy. Somehow found the Covenant of Summer Snows in the Novogrod Tribunal. Was at Summer Snows when the portal to there was destroyed.
Katrina Ex Misellania 1231 1240 F PC Apprentice to a Diedne magus. Trapped in a magical flame at the Covenant of Summer Snows until freed by Austin Trelain. Was at Summer Snows when the portal to there was destroyed.
Athlon of the Black Staff Merinita 1242 1242 F PC From Ebudae in the Hibernia Tribunal via Cad Gadu in the Stonehenge Tribunal. Currently a guest at the Covenant of the Mystic Halls.

Notes on the History

The preceding history is a highly modified version of the original history for the campaign. This is the history currently used by the revised campaign. The original history included many historically inconsistent items, such as a force of over 300 guards at the covenant's castle (no ... not covenfolk ... guards!), and many items which were inconsistent with the game system background, such as a covenant with over 25 magi in a tribunal which had 11 covenants and a total of only about 45 magi.

Some aspects of the background are still known to be inconsistent with the game system's background. For example, a covenant openly at war with the nobility would be a blatant violation of the Code of Hermes, and would undoubtedly subject the covenant, at a minimum, to censure by the Tribunal. However, there is a limit as to what can be corrected, and still keep the original flavor of the campaign, which is what the players want. Many of the problems were corrected by having the castle destroyed, and the covenant go into hiding. More will be corrected over time, as the general story line is brought more into conformity with the background of the real and Mythic Europe.

Divider

Back Ars Updated: 21 November 2000