The Story

In order to give you an idea of what to expect, there follows a summary of the events of The Broken Covenant of Calebais as they might occur in your game. Of course, this may not be how it happens in your group, whether because you change things about it or because the players make new and interesting choices that this version does not anticipate. In short, the story can happen many different ways, and there is no one best route through this adventure.

Long ago, perhaps two hundred years or more, a group of Hermetic magi constructed an inverted tower, tunneling down into Two Crag Hill. It was essentially a deep well with rooms carved into the sides, providing the magi with water and shelter and safety from prying eyes. In their early years they united together to aid rebels against the king, and thus took the symbol of a broken crown. These activities brought great disfavor from the tribunal, who conducted a thorough investigation and punished many of the wizards for their interference in mundane affairs. After that followed a period of inactivity as the magi withdrew into seclusion, and each of them began to fear that others, outside or working within, would try to take over their covenant. By design they lacked any central authority to regulate their activities, and the magi of Calebais soon became estranged from each other.

Over the years, personal conflicts between the members grew and flared up, but none of the magi felt confident enough to attack the others directly. To outsiders, it appeared as if nothing was wrong in Calebais: it prospered, was well-defended, had many great magical devices, and possessed a large and diverse library. Without trust or an impartial judge to work out their differences, however, the bitter grudges of the magi grew heavier and heavier and the cancer at the heart of the covenant spread and grew ever larger.

Finally, in about 1170, the situation finally exploded into violence, unintentionally catalysed by one of the wizards' great achievements. Mormulus, a master of illusions, wanted to protect himself from the prying eyes and ceaseless spying that he imagined to occur throughout the covenant. He devoted his studies to magic that could stop what he saw as the essential problem and his final creation was a magical device that effectively prevented all such spells. No magi would ever be able to peer into his or the covenant's affairs ever again.

Soon after, the Quaesitor Ornath left, unable to tolerate the wizards' infighting any further. In his absence, Mormulus's enchantment increased the wizards' paranoia, and they inexplicably concluded that they were free from the threat of retribution from the Order. As long as they allowed no outsiders into their covenant, they could aid rebels, punish their enemies, and even secretly attack each other, safe in the belief that no one would ever be able to ascertain who was to blame for what. This idea threw the unstable covenant into terrifying anarchy.

Chaos broke out in what has come to be called the Sundering by the former inhabitants. Wizards, their familiars, their apprentices, and the grogs, all of whom had conflicting loyalties, openly fought in the halls of the covenant. In the process, they killed

almost everyone and destroyed most of the covenant's possessions. The rooms and tunnels were severely damaged; little remains of what was once a place of culture and great beauty.

In terms of sheer destruction, the wizard Pitsdim was unequaled in his ability to lay waste to everything in his path, and many of the ghosts still blame him for the result. Crenvalus, too, destroyed more than his share of the covenant in a great rage, summoning an earthquake that buried Pitsdim under several feet of rock, but also caused great damage and flooded the lower levels, drowning or crushing the few living souls who remained.

From those who fled at the outset, other magi of the Order gathered that some great evil had befallen the covenant. A group of three Quaesitores went to investigate the site, to determine what had happened and report to the tribunal. One of these magi was Ornath, the only wizard from Calebais to have escaped. They found that little remained of proud Calebais, and that the ruins were already haunted by ghosts of the bitter dead. Because Ornath's anger over the destruction was immense, he wanted these spirits to suffer perpetually for their terrible acts. He realized that explorers might be persuaded by the dead to help lay them to rest, so after cursory examination, he convinced the others that the place was cursed by devils and should not be disturbed.

Since that time, no one has ever seen inside the covenant, both because the spells that they would use to examine a potentially dangerous place from a distance do not function, and because they fear traffic with demons. To this day, however, many magi in the Order are intensely concerned over what happened at Calebais, a covenant that should have been too powerful to destroy, but none have been able to penetrate Mormulus's Veil of secrecy. The ruins have thus been left entirely undisturbed.

After years of silence, a messenger of the Order of Hermes brings a strange document to the characters' covenant. This old, tattered letter outlines some of what happened at Calebais and tells of a bell of great magical power still hidden in the depths. The message was given to the Redcap by a nun who had once been a valuable member of Calebais, but who asked that her name and location be kept secret. She believes that the Order is in danger, that the ruins of Calebais will soon be uncovered, and asks that the characters use their powers and wisdom to convince the mortals to leave the place undisturbed, while helping themselves to what treasures still remain.

Their expedition reaches the nearby village, which is locked in silent conflict. A man has died from evil wounds, and his daughter is missing, perhaps abducted or killed. The only survivor of

the attack can remember almost nothing, and there are reports of strange devil-folk in the woods. The abbot of the monastery believes that these rumors are baseless, and wishes the whole clamor quieted; the reeve has petitioned the nobility for a force of men with which to search the woods.

In the forest, the characters come upon a group of satyrs, who have captured the young woman and intend to keep her. The nature of the forest makes it impossible for her to leave, but the characters may learn that a dryad lives elsewhere in the woods, and that the satyrs would prefer her to their captive. The dryad is bound by a bargain she made with Calebais, and the characters must solve the mystery of its destruction if they wish to free her.

At the base of the hill, the characters meet a knight-errant, Sir Gilbert. He intends to slay the dragon that is said to inhabit the ruins, and may help them break through the illusion that prevents them from approaching the covenant. This puzzle involves following each of twelve magical guides in the proper order, and then guessing the answer to their riddle. If the characters succeed, the dryad will lead them to the covenant's entrance.

Calebais is a great well, nine stories deep (and at one time even more), with chambers and balconies built off the central feature. Within, they discover many ghosts of the former inhabitants, and a ferret-like race of intelligent animals known as the Hrools. They may also explore many magical laboratories that have been left more or less intact above the flooded areas. Eventually they will discover the hidden treasure vaults, and by avoiding several traps and dealing with three ghosts who guard them, they may retrieve the legendary Bell of Ibyn.

Bearing their prize back to their covenant, the characters will find that the Bell is faulty, and cannot be repaired without understanding of its secrets. If the Redcap can be convinced to cooperate, she will take the characters to meet the nun who sent them the letter, perhaps to shed light on the problem. The story takes on a whole new tone after they travel to the convent, and learn that their benefactor has died in the meantime. They are given an opportunity to prove their virtue, after which they receive a message she wrote just before she died, finally providing them with the key to unlock the powers of the Bell of Ibyn.

The story also contains many loose ends that the characters may choose to tie up afterwards: rescuing the satyrs' captive, freeing the restless dead from their torment, determining the future of the Hrools, and even exploring submerged levels of the covenant. The story of Calebais should thus inspire many exciting subsequent adventures for you and your Ars Magica troupe.

Here are some notes about the characters in this adventure, briefly summarized with a page reference to help you remember their roles, explain their relationships to each other, and locate them quickly. Refer back to this list whenever you need to find information about a character in the story.

11 Ash, Redcap Respects magi and the Order, dislikes being taken for granted 16 young woman Father killed, lover injured, pregnant, held by faerie curse 16 murdered man Killed by satyrs in the forest while protecting daughter

16 young man Injured protecting lover, resting at abbey, lost memory, heard the Bell 16 Father Eric, abbot Angry with the reeve for stirring up the village, assumes girl fled

16 Stephen, reeve Investigating murder and abduction, believes great evil in forest, dislikes the abbot

21 Sir Gilbert Friendly knight-errant, seeks dragon, knows four of the guides

21 Luc, adviser Distrusts characters, protects Sir Gilbert

22 Paul, squire Enthusiastic and awkward, serves Sir Gilbert and Luc

18 Boch, satyr Speaks for the satyrs, misses the dryad, explains the abduction and the faerie curse

29 dryad Controls the Veil, lonely, can only leave the fountain in spirit unless freed

CHAPTER TWO

42 Dargaud, ghost UnGifted Redcap, sneaky, throws rocks, freed when he understands what happened

40 Ornath, magus Quaesitor, disliked Crenvalus, left the covenant, headed its investigation 44 Paulo, ghost Crenvalus's muddled shield grog, war hammer, freed by protecting Calebais

47 Josephine, ghost Grog, thief, grieving, freed by rescuing her son Gemaric

48 David, ghost Captain; practical; magic armor, sword, shield; freed by killing Crenvalus

51 Gemaric Transformed child, now an intelligent rock, has little legs, flees

52 Igack, fire drake Pitsdim's familiar, breathes fire, has a diadem

54 Ferdina, ghost Former autocrat, gentle, burned, chime, freed by respect from magi

58 Mormulus, ghost Merinita illusionist, lost in dream world, freed by remorse

61 Ierimyra, ghost Bjornaer, mother of the Hrools, scholarly, freed by her children's safety

66 Pitsdim, ghost Ignem Flambeau, insane, freed by burning to death

80 Larine, nun Librarian, David's lover, fled Calebais to nunnery with Crenvalus's letter

69 Althea, ghost Lab assistant, freed by satiating her hunger

74 Granorda, ghost Necromancer, paranoid, freed by making her corpse safe 75 Crenvalus, ghost Rego master, crafty, killed David, fears Larine and his letter

76 Uderzus, ghost Tests the characters, magical lance, freed by answers to his questions

CHAPTER THREE

82 Hedwig, abbess Authoritative, dignified, has a letter from Sister Larine 83 Palona, advocate Nun, divides life into good and evil, aids Sister Hedwig 84 Alice, visionary Saintly nun, has Faith and holy visions, aids Sister Hedwig 84 Malores, mute Faerie nun, mute, worships the moon at night 85 Nadaline, cook Larine's closest friend, doesn't answer questions, hard worker

88 Raphael Fled his lord's wrath, took sanctuary in the convent stables 88 Father Martin Priest for the convent, dour, dislikes strangers, harsh confessor

The story begins when the characters are visited by a Redcap, one of the messengers of the Order of Hermes, who bears a letter for the magi. This Redcap could be someone the characters know, who lives in their Tribunal, or a new character that they will meet for the first time. Included is a character named Ash, a Redcap without The Gift, who you may use for this story. In any case, since all covenants need to have some connection to the Order, no matter how remote or secret the wizards may be they will eventually receive the message that introduces the adventure.

Ash is a member of a small group of redcaps who call themselves "the Broken Branches." She has spent her entire adult life as a messenger for the Order of Hermes; she loves the freedom, the excitement, and the responsibility. If she could not travel, she would quickly wither away. Her name is her own invention, and she doesn't like questions or jokes about it. She is respectful to magi, but privately doesn't think much of them or their leadership. However, she is very loyal to the Order of Hermes as a whole; this may be because the only person she's ever trusted (beside herself) was her brother, a magus, now dead.

Ash wears a magical traveler's cloak, which was a gift to her from her brother and her most prized possession. He also gave her a magic ring that can disguise her appearance, making her look and sound like a man when necessary. She intensely dislikes this, but she recognizes that it is often useful, as medieval women rarely travel without an escort and are not treated well when they do. It is one of the reasons she respects the Order, for among wizards she can simply be herself.

When Ash does something that does not fall within her official duties, she expects to be paid. House Mercere sees to her needs, but she believes that it is through special alms that magi recognize her exceptional efforts on their behalf. To her, not giving her something in return for doing something expertly is treating

her like a servant, and that hurts her pride. She will not take kindly to magi who think of her as little more than a courier, and these characters will have a hard time convincing her to do anything for them that she doesn't have to do.

This story device works best if the characters call a special meeting to hear the message, with as many magi as possible present to hear it. The Redcap will explain upon her arrival that the information she carries is interesting but not urgent, and concerns a former covenant in the area known as Calebais. It can wait a few hours while she recovers from her journey, perhaps giving the magi time to refresh their knowledge.

As long as the characters have some knowledge of the Order (that is, a score in Order of Hermes Lore), players may see what they know about the former covenant by making an Intelligence + Order of Hermes Lore stress roll and applying the results to the list below. You might wait to reveal all of this information until after every roll has been made, so that you can share the results with the whole troupe; don't force the players to compare notes unless the characters are particularly secretive, as several characters may recall the same things.

Characters with an hour or two to spend in a library with books on Order of Hermes Lore might be allowed to do some spontaneous research. One way to do this is to rule that if they happen to have a relevant book in their library that they can read, and they take the time to skim through it, they may add its Quality to their roll. If this information comes from a summa, this cannot increase the total beyond its Level x 3. As this is simply scanning a book for pertinent information, Virtues like Book Learner shouldn't apply.

Knowledge Roll: stress die + Intelligence + Ability Research: Knowledge Roll + Quality Summa Limit: Level x 3

Characteristics: Int 0, Per +1, Pre -1, Com -2, Str +2, Sta +4, Dex 0, Qik 0

Age: 33

Virtues and Flaws: Redcap; Dowsing, Wilderness Sense; Enduring Constitution, Great (Stamina), Strong-Willed; Low Self-Esteem; Compulsion (travel), Temperate; Mentor (leader of the Broken Branches); Poor Student, Social Handicap (independent)

Personality Traits: Independent +3, Respectful +2, Loyal +2 Combat:

Staff (thorny): Init +0, Attack +7, Defense +11, Damage +8

Soak: +4

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, 0, -2, -4, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: 0 (1-5), -2 (6-10), -4 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)

Abilities: Athletics 3 (walking), Awareness 1, Bargain 4 (services), Brawl 3 (dodging), Carouse 2, Code of Hermes 2 (Redcaps), Dowsing 4 (water), Folk Ken 3, Great Weapon (staff) 5, Local Area Lore (geography) 5, Local Language 5 (directions), Order of Hermes Lore (covenants) 4, Ride 1, Speak Latin 5 (reading messages), Survival 5 (forest), Swim 2 (while burdened)

Equipment: Ash wears a circular traveler's cloak fashioned from rough cloth with several magical effects: it protects her from harsh elements (ReAqAuIg Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 requisites; +4 constant = Level 14), makes walking easier by helping her avoid rough ground and snares (InHeTe Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 requisite; +4 constant = Level 9). The cloak also mends any rips or tears it receives (CrHe Base 2, +2 Sun; +1 two uses per day, +3 activated by sunrise and sunset = Level 8). She carries a walking stick cut from ash, enchanted with Transformation of the Thorny Staff (MuHe Base 3, +2 Sun = Level 5), Shriek of the Impending Shafts (InHe Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +3 Hearing; +4 constant = Level 20) and a version of Intuition of the Forest that affects only her (InHe Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun; +1 2x/day = Level 5). Finally, she has a ring that disguises her voice and appearance when worn (MuIm Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun; +4 constant = Level 9).

Appearance: Ash is a tall, thin woman who looks gaunt and emaciated but is actually wiry and quite tough. Her stub nose and long, narrow face do not go well together. She dresses like a pilgrim in a tunic and footless hose, and prefers to walk barefoot.

Roleplaying Tips: Emphasize her pride, independence and toughness by holding your shoulders high and starting directly at people when they talk to you. Use your eyes to show what a suspicious and wary person she is. Let secret looks of disgust slip out when magi do something stupid. Keep your chin up and your neck elongated and tense when playing her, to mimic her startling slenderness.

If players botch their roll, their characters will remember nothing about Calebais, and might suffer other ill effects depending on the severity of the botch: they might become fatigued, lose interest in the whole subject, or even suffer a loss of Confidence Points. You can also mix up or invent information to give them, but try to avoid giving hints of what is true and what is false this way. Knowing that they botched, players will probably disregard what you tell them unless that information is confirmed by other sources.

If characters have heard something about Calebais, they may also have heard stories that are exaggerated or simply not true, and examples are included below. You can use this disinformation to provide red herrings for the players, though you may want to make another roll in secret, or provide the less reliable information to characters who are prone to recklessness or gossip. All the rumors have grains of truth about them, though, and if the "false" ones interest you, they can be developed into additional options for this story.

You may want to note what information you give to whom, so that if the players forget you can allow their characters to remember without having to work out what you revealed.

• 0+ (True): Calebais was a covenant that gained notoriety in its Tribunal for being destroyed about fifty years ago. The magi there were very proud, more so than most, perhaps because of their reputed great wealth.
• 0+ (False): The disaster that befell Calebais was said to be divinely inspired, and widely regarded as a miracle. An old man visited the covenant and called down a pillar of fire to burn up the evil wizards and everyone who served them.
• 3+ (True): The wizards of Calebais were known for being isolated and caring little about the outside world. They lived in tunneled halls beneath a great, craggy hill. Visitors

• reported extravagant decorations, expensive tapestries, and so many magical devices that they hardly needed servants.
• 3+ (False): The tunnel in which the magi lived originally belonged to a great dragon, which the magi turned to stone. Their limitless wealth was taken from the dragon's hoard. When their magic failed, the dragon awoke and reclaimed its lair.
• 6+ (True): The covenant took as its symbol the image of a broken crown surrounded in flames. It was located within a faerie forest, but the wizards did not get along with the faeries. Magi from Calebais used to boast that they were protected by a legendary magical bell, which made them invulnerable, and its powerful magic still remains.
• 6+ (False): In fact, killing faeries was how the covenant got most of its vis. Because of this, the magi were investigated and punished many times for repeatedly molesting and angering the fay. The faeries of that area are still extremely hostile and attack wizards on sight, so no one risks investigating the ruins.
• 9+ (True): Calebais was supposedly protected by a sort of magical veil, and though the covenant fell, the veil remains,

• and prevents arcane investigation of the covenant. The magi also had a device called The Bell of Ibyn, a powerful artifact of mysterious origins, and claimed that because of it, no attack or intrusion could catch the magi unawares.
• 9+ (False): The veil was a powerful version of the spell Aegis of the Hearth, which the magi bragged they had somehow found a way to make permanent, though they would not reveal the details to outsiders. Magi speculate the veil is somehow tied to the Bell, which had been a church bell in a great city of the Holy Land. The magi brought it back from the First Crusade and enchanted it with powerful magic.
• 12+ (True): When word reached the tribunal that Calebais was no more, a triumvirate of Quaesitors went to investigate. They reported that the magi had fallen victim to a diabolical curse, and that the covenant was destroyed because of their great pride. In light of these events, their symbol of a broken crown in flames was seen to be particularly apt, having represented a fallen group of arrogant wizards.
• 12+ (False): The Quaesitors reported that demons served one of the custodes, who had been corrupted, and their infernal influence spread throughout the grogs until they had enough power to take over the covenant. Few of these evil creatures remain, but those that do often appear as ghosts of the former inhabitants, to better corrupt those who take an interest in the ruins.
• 15+ (True): Many of the magi of Calebais wore unusual gold wire crowns, which were magically tied to their legendary Bell and also had powers of their own. At the Tribunal where the investigating Quaesitors announced their findings, several magi took issue with their report, accusing them of hiding the truth. These accusations were grounded in the fact that the lead Quaesitor, Ornath, had been a member of Calebais only a year before, and had left under suspicious circumstances.
• 15+ (False): These Quaesitors had ties to a rival covenant, a source of a great many political machinations in the Tribunal, and that covenant was said to have engineered the ruin of Calebais. The Quaesitors were accused of having returned there to ensure their enemies were defeated, and to erase all evidence of their covenant's involvement in its downfall.
• 18+ (True): The original founders of Calebais were punished by Tribunal for having aided rebels against the king, and it was in honor of their outrageous act that the covenant had adopted the symbol of a broken crown. Their rebellious nature was apparently carried on by tradition, because the magi were known not only for their bad relations with other covenants, but also for fighting bitterly amongst themselves.
• 18+ (False): Just before their destruction, the magi had been found to be dabbling in mundane politics again, assisting a rebel plot against the kingdom. This prompted other wiz-

12

ards to take action by secretly advising members of the Church and sending agents to Calebais to prevent it.

• 21+ (True): Ornath, follower of Guernicus, left Calebais over a dispute for leadership of the covenant with another wizard, Crenvalus, follower of Tytalus. Though he joined another covenant, he was never accorded much respect, and was only allowed to act as lead Quaesitor for the investigation of Calebais because he had once lived there and knew how to pass the magical veil. Many wizards suspect that he was just as responsible for the covenant's destruction as the others.
• 21+ (False): According to records they left after their deaths, Ornath and his two partners removed the Bell of Ibyn from Calebais, and spirited it away to either their home covenant or their domus magna in the Roman Tribunal. They left a fake in its place, which has none of the powers of the original, but which may contain clues for locating and reclaiming it.

If any of this information seems like the sort of trivia characters would have picked up at Tribunal meetings, from others in their House, or through their own research, you can simply tell it to them. The Redcap, if treated well, might tell what little she knows about Calebais, too. If the characters' covenant is very far away, like in another Tribunal, you might apply a penalty to their total.

Magi or those characters with long association with the Order may have heard of magi who lived and studied at Calebais. You might divide the total from the previous roll by three and choose that many brief summaries from the list below, starting with any magi from their own House, and then concentrating on the top of the list or magi that you think would have probably come to their attention.

• Ornath of Guernicus, Quaesitor: Left the covenant before it fell, making known his insurmountable and violent differences with the other magi, particularly Crenvalus; once led the wizards' council at Calebais; led the investigation into the covenant's fall.
• Granorda of Jerbiton: Known for her extensive practice of necromancy, and a passionate interest in Corpus; called "magister of death"; received little respect and even scorn from her House because of her unusual ideas.
• Crenvalus of Tytalus: Excelled at Rego, called the "magister of control" by those at Calebais; considered an idealist by others in his House; had a red fox as his familiar.
• Uderzus of Tremere: Referred to as the "magister of perception" for his accomplishments with Intellego and Imaginem; wielded a broken lance said to have divine powers; reclaimed his sigil when his master went into Final Twilight.
• Pitsdim of Flambeau: Belonged to the Ignem school of his House, was known as the "magister of flames" within the

covenant; hot-tempered; used a phoenix sigil at Tribunal; said to have gone mad after many Twilight experiences.

Mormulus of Merinita: Eldest magus at Calebais; reclusive; credited with inventing a revolutionary version of The Shrouded Glen, called The Veil of Mormulus; known as the "magister of illusion"; excelled at Imaginem and Vim.

Ierimyra of Bjornaer: Had an ermine heart-beast, indicating purity and nobility; highly educated; experimented with Animal and Mentem; called the "magister of beasts."

Drininkeana of Ex Miscellanea: Called the "magister of life" at Calebais; suspected of being descended from wizards of Diedne; particularly skilled with Creo and Herbam.

Erechtheus of Mercere: "Magister of change"; had taken an unGifted apprentice.

Ventus Gurges: "Magister of weather," interested in elementals. Malevola Vida: "Magister of destruction."

Eonus: "Magister of the mind."

Change this information or add details as you like, so that these characters fit your vision of Calebais and the Order of Hermes. Several of the magi have been left intentionally vague, even without Houses, so that you can use them as hooks for your saga.

When the wizards gather, the Redcap will explain that an old nun, who had once been a custos of Calebais, gave her a letter for them. She said that the last magus at Calebais wrote it just before its end, and the nun took it with her when fleeing the covenant. It reveals the fact that one may pass the veil that protects Calebais, and describes the Bell of Ibyn, their greatest treasure. She has kept the letter hidden all these years, but recent events have made her decide to come forward. Her position at the convent would be compromised if her sisters knew of her history with the Order, so she asked the Redcap to keep her name and location secret. (The Redcap agreed, and will not yield to the characters' curiosity out of professional pride.)

Through her contacts among the Cistercians, the nun has learned that the village closest to Calebais was recently the scene of a terrible event, which could have wider-ranging consequences. A respected man of the community was found dead in the nearby forest, gored to death as if impaled on the horns of some wild beast. His daughter, too, is missing, and presumed dead. This is not the first mysterious attack of this nature, and the villagers are convinced that there is great evil in the forest demons, they say, born in the pagan ruins that lie within the enchanted woods. Villagers are clamoring for the king's representative to gather his men and search the forest, to hunt these creatures down and destroy them.

Why does the Redcap bring the message to these characters, rather than to the magi at some other covenant? This question may puzzle the players, as they are not likely to be the most powerful wizards in their Tribunal, and even if they have a good reputation, it is unlikely that the nun would have heard of them. Here are some plausible reasons to explain why the characters were chosen.

• I. Ash doesn't like other magi in the Tribunal. She recommended the characters because she knows very little about them but hopes that they will prove better than others.
• II. One of the characters might remind Ash of her brother, or once knew him, and she has decided to give that character this opportunity in his memory.
• III. The characters' covenant is closest to Calebais or the convent. Or, Ash wants to snub those who are closest by bringing in outsiders. This may in time give the covenant new enemies.
• IV. A character might be descended from one of the magi at Calebais; perhaps one of the wizards trained an apprentice from whom a character is descended. The nun might have asked the Redcap to track down the character as a sort of inheritance. Or

perhaps the nun had a child of her own, before or immediately after she fled the covenant, and has now learned the location of her grandchild.

• V. Perhaps the Redcap has a fondness for a particular House, to which one of the characters belongs. Or, knowing that the letter is from a magus of House Tytalus, she decided it would be most appropriate to give it to another Tytalus.
• VI. It is a favor, and the Redcap will expect a favor in return. In fact, there is something that the characters are uniquely able to provide her.
• VII. The Redcap selected a covenant at random from those within the Tribunal. The characters are her lucky winners. If they aren't interested in investigating, she'll take the letter somewhere else. Perhaps she is even taking it to each covenant in turn, and the characters must hurry if they wish to act on the information before other covenants get involved.
• VIII. The Redcap has a very good reason, maybe one of the ones on this list, but isn't telling. This mystery may intrigue the characters on its own.

The nun fears that this situation could have dire consequences for the Order of Hermes. She believes that these attacks were caused — directly or indirectly — by Calebais, and that if the authorities were to investigate the area, they would discover evidence of the Order and hold them responsible for the attacks. This could turn their wrath upon other local magi, and perhaps worse — the abbot of the nearby monastery has distant ties to the Pope, and could bring the power of the see of Rome to bear. Someone must act to see that the mystery of these attacks is solved without involving Calebais, or at least ensure that there is nothing there to implicate the Order. If nothing else, this may be the last chance for anyone to rescue some of the lost treasures of the covenant before they are destroyed.

After providing this background, the Redcap produces the letter. It has been kept inside a leather case all these years, and she has not yet read it. The nun told her to say that it is only part of the letter, but it is all she has, and that it was written by a magus

named Crenvalus of Tytalus. It is torn in many places, especially across the bottom where it was ripped in half, but it is still legible. The penmanship is of very poor quality, and those who examine it carefully may conclude that it was written in a hurry. If no one objects, she will read it aloud. (See the insert.)

The nun may have an exaggerated idea of the danger, and it may be very unlikely that any of these events will come to pass. The promise of worthwhile treasure and a unique challenge could be enough to convince the magi to investigate. However, the events in the village may help draw the characters into the medieval landscape that surrounds the former covenant, and explain some of the rumors that they have heard, or will hear, about what lies in the ruins. Solving the mystery of the village is an excellent opportunity for the characters to start off on a good footing with the nuns in Chapter Three, assuming the story brings them to that conclusion, as their reputation will probably precede them.

Sodales,

I have a sad tale to tell. Calebais is no more. It has been destroyed. Heed well my warning, if you desire to avoid our fate, for I write to you from my grave. Perilous was the devil that beset us, but his embrace was not inevitable. Learn from our mistakes in dealing with this evil that covered our eyes and took hold of our hearts.

Mormulus's Veil was the beginning of our end. It was the means to bring peace to Calebais and those who lived within, but after all else, it was that which destroyed us. Though it had no power to harm of itself, it is what allowed the demon to strike, and when it finally usurped the Code of Hermes, our seduction was complete.

I beg of you, my friends, beware the pride that holds your souls captive. This sickness will destroy you as surely as it destroyed us. Be strong; unite, and bond together. Do this lest you also be beset by the curse that fell upon us.

If you think you can atone for our great sin, retrieve our great Bell of Ibyn. This device of warning served Calebais since its founding, though it could not prevent the evil that penetrated our deepest thoughts. Yet our fabulous treasure

may protect you against danger from without, as it did us, if you are already safeguarded against danger from within.

To reach the Bell, you must first pass through Mormulus's Veil. This can be done if you find the dryad who lives upon the hill. The twelve guides will lead you to her if you follow them in the correct order. The thief in red is first, followed by one who crawls through the air, one who crawls upon the earth, one who—

The letter ends abruptly, where it has been torn away.

The Redcap has been given simple instructions for reaching the covenant from the nearby village, to which she can easily direct the characters. From there they must approach Two Crag Hill from the south through the woods, and will soon come to a marker left by the magi that will tell them what to do next. She will convey this information and leave them to make their own way, or else she will agree to lead them to the village if they make it worth her while. She will not accompany them to the covenant under any circumstances, as she believes it is far too dangerous for her.