Baron Giraud Le Cornu

Baron Giraud Le Cornu is never content to leave the magi alone. He regards magi's attempts at neutrality in mundane politics as a form of rebellion against their rightful overlords. By fair means or foul, the baron strives to undermine the magi's independence and eventually impel them to swear oaths of fealty. The Code of Hermes forbids magi from swearing fealty to mundanes with good reason. If the baron is successful, the covenant finds its political troubles are just beginning.

A new baron has come into possession of one or more manors that abuts the lands of the PCs' covenant. Lord Le Cornu is fairly young for a baron, a rising star in the court of his count. He has many qualities that the nobles of Mythic Europe admire: loyalty, bravery, and courtesy, but also initiative and shrewdness.

Baron Le Cornu obtained his lands by betraying his own father. His father had rebelled against the count, and the young Giraud was outraged that his father had jeopardized his birthright by siding against his liege. He feigned support for his father, but at a crucial moment betrayed him and handed him over to the count. When the rebellion was put down, Giraud's father was dispossessed or killed (depending on which makes sense for your saga). Giraud received the barony as reward. Either as part of this, or later as an incentive for continued loyalty, Lord Le Cornu has come to possess one or more manors adjacent to the covenant's lands.

Lord Le Cornu rules about ten manors. At least one of them is very near the covenant, but the others could be up to several days' ride away. The baron lives in a tower keep, situated on the richest of his manors about ten miles (a half-day's ride) from the covenant.

He has the following retainers:

• • A mesnie of three household knights (use the Knight companion template from page 23 of ArM5, but remove the Relic Virtue and the Overconfident Flaw).
• • Nine vassal knights including his brother Artur.
• • Two household squires, one of whom is his herald Bertrand Gallain.
• • Another 15 mounted men-at-arms (including the squires of all his knights).
• • A permanent guard of 12 dismounted men-at-arms at his castle (use the Standard Soldier grog template from page 22 of ArM5).
• • About 50 semi-trained, dismounted peasant levies who can be called upon for military emergencies.

• A discreet and trusted confessor, Brother Henri Raoullin, who doubles as his castle chaplain.
• A steward who travels among and administers the baron's estates in his absence.
• His wife and four children (two sons and two daughters, all under the age of ten).

One of the baron's vassal knights is his younger brother Artur, who would rule as steward if the baron were to die before his eldest son comes of age.

Baron Le Cornu spends about half the time at his keep managing his own estate, and the other half divided between visiting his other manors and attending the court of his overlord.

The motivations and personalities of some of the people around the baron could be important to the saga.

The name Giraud Le Cornu is Norman French and may need to be modified to fit your saga's setting. In Mythic Europe, Normans comprise the ruling class in northern France, England, Sicily, and parts of Ireland, Greece, and the Levant.

Baron is French term for a type of intermediate noble, higher than a landed knight, but lower than a count or earl. The baron owes allegiance to a greater noble who may be a count, earl, or duke. The baron's overlord is referred to as a count in this chapter, but his actual title varies according to where the covenant lies. If the covenant is in the county of Champagne (in the Normandy Tribunal), then Baron Le Cornu's overlord is the powerful Count of Champagne. If the covenant is located in Cheshire (in the Stonehenge Tribunal), then the baron's overlord is the Earl of Chester, and so on. Since Baron Le Cornu enjoys some protection and aid from his overlord, it is best if he is not a direct vassal of the king or emperor: that would make his protector too powerful for most sagas.

Titles for nobles for all regions of Mythic Europe, including non-Norman regions, are discussed in the supplement Lords of Men, pages 30-36.

Lady Éloise Le Cornu

Age: 27

Personality Traits: Loyal to Baron +2, Headstrong +2

Éloise is the wife of Giraud Le Cornu.

She is a competent manager in her own right, well able to manage the barony's affairs during her husband's extended absences at court or on military campaigns. Despite her competence, she is a bit insecure with these responsibilities, and responds by

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

Size: 0 Age: 35

Decrepitude: 0 Confidence Score: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Landed Noble, Knight; Wealthy; Improved Characteristics, Privileged Upbringing, Protection (count); Hatred (of rebels; major); Oath of Fealty; Pious (minor)

Personality Traits: Hates Rebels +6, Brave +3, Pious +3, Calculating +2, Loyal +2

Reputations: Hates Rebels 2 (local)

Combat:

Lance and Heater, Mounted: Init 0, Attack +16, Defense +14, Damage +6

Long sword and Heater, Mounted: Init 0, Attack +14, Defense +13, Damage +7 Long sword and Heater, Dismounted: Init 0, Attack +11, Defense +10, Damage +7

Long sword, Dismounted: Init 0, Attack +11, Defense +7, Damage +7

Soak: +11

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)

Abilities: Animal Handling 3 (horses), Area Lore: Own Barony 4 (personalities), Artes Liberales 2 (arithmetic), Bows 3 (short bow), Charm 3 (first impressions), Church Lore 2 (relics), Civil and Canon Law* 2 (property law), Etiquette 4 (court), Folk Ken 4 (nobles), French 5 (Norman), Great Weapon 3 (long spear), Hunt 4 (wild boar), Intrigue 4 (5) (alliances), Latin 3 (ecclesiastic), Leadership 5 (armies), Organization Lore: Nobles 4 (politics), Ride 4 (5) (battle), Single Weapon 5 (long sword), Theology 1 (liturgy)

Equipment: Warhorse (courser), full chain mail, heater shield, lance, long sword, diary chronicling conflict with the magi, several fake relics

Encumbrance: 3 (4)

Appearance: Baron Le Cornu is a tall, fair-haired man with a keen, calculating cast to his features. He is clean shaven and keeps his hair short to better fit under a helmet. His clothes are well-made and a bit conservative. He thinks carefully before he speaks and his voice carries a weight of accustomed authority.

* Substitute Common Law in place of Civil and Canon Law, if your saga is set in England.

Lord Le Cornu is a minor baron, so he controls about ten manors. Not all of his manors are located close together; it is not unusual for nobles in Mythic Europe to own manors distributed over a wide area, since they are often acquired one at a time, over several generations. Most of his manors are managed by knights whom he holds in vassalage, and Baron Le Cornu is, in turn, vassal to a greater noble.

putting up an exaggerated façade of authority. She makes up her mind too quickly, and rarely reconsiders or listens to advice.

She may find herself in the position of negotiating with the magi while her husband is away. In these negotiations, she is at first more demanding and less patient than her husband. The baron includes his wife in most negotiations and council meetings.

If the saga runs for several years, Lady Éloise eventually loses her Headstrong Personality Trait as she grows accustomed to authority, and instead begins to assert her own ideas without excessive force: she gains Innovative +1.

Brother Henri Raoullin

Age: 46

Personality Traits: Loyal to Baron +3, Pious +3, Analytical +2

Brother Henri is Baron Le Cornu's chaplain and confessor. He has some legal training, and also serves as the baron's legal advisor and clerk. Brother Henri chooses his words carefully before he speaks, and he has a knack for quoting appropriate biblical proverbs. He tends to have a moderating influence on the baron. However, he is a willing assistant in the baron's intrigues. He wants to learn as much as he can about the magi: first, to be sure they are not diabolists or heretics; and second, to verify they are not using their powers to mistreat good Christian folk. Brother Henri may approach the covenant under a white flag to try to defuse hostilities, and his hand should be evident in any settlement terms the baron offers.

Artur Le Cornu

Age: 31

Personality Traits: Brave +3, Loyal to Baron +2, Pragmatic +1

Giraud's younger brother Artur is cut from the same cloth as his brother, but is physically stronger and intellectually a bit weaker. Artur is a vassal knight to Giraud. He has come to approve of his brother's choice to betray their father for the good of the realm, but doubts his own ability to make a similar choice. Artur lacks his brother's ability to read and write, and is less skilled in intrigue and courtly graces, but he is also less prone to be swayed by his own passions. If he takes over the barony due to his brother's untimely death, he quickly learns the art of intrigue and becomes nearly as formidable as his predecessor. He is more likely than his brother to seek the help of hedge wizards against the magi, and less inclined to listen to Brother Raoullin.

Bertrand Gallain

Age: 26

Personality Traits: Decisive +2, Brave +1, Loyal to Baron +1

Bertrand Gallain is one of two squires who directly serves Baron Le Cornu. Like most squires, he aspires to become a knight, but his skills and demeanor are better suited to diplomacy than to battle. He usually makes up his mind about people based on his first impression, and expects others to judge him the same way. Gallain is a younger son of a poor knight who puts on airs to try to hide his humble origins. He has come to enjoy fine clothes and the perquisites of the baron's court. While he is basically loyal to his lord, his fondness for luxury and his status consciousness makes him somewhat susceptible to bribery and flattery.

Baron Le Cornu is a favored vassal of a count or higher noble and often attends his lord's court. If he feels threatened, he can take refuge at court or send his family there for safety. The baron also has contacts among his peers, to whom he can turn for advice or minor aid.

It is important for story purposes that the baron not rely too heavily on his liege for support. That would really make the baron's liege into an adversary as well as one who may be too powerful for the covenant to resist. There are good reasons why the baron's patron would not want to get involved in stories about the magi. The most important reason is that Baron Le Cornu is expected to handle his own problems. He holds his position because he is useful to his liege, and if he starts causing trouble and running to his liege for help, his usefulness ends.

Another reason is that the baron's patron cares much less about the magi than the baron does. He doesn't see them as an imminent threat because the Order of Hermes has never before overthrown a count. He has so many vassals already that gaining the covenant's land and soldiers would not make much difference to him. Now, if he had the opportunity to use the magi's powers to benefit his position, that would be another matter. So the baron's overlord stands more to gain by making friends with the magi than he stands to lose by leaving them alone. Baron Le Cornu, as a dutiful vassal, understands this, and it moderates his approach.

The baron's overlord can be useful to help defuse tensions between the baron and the covenant. If raids and fighting break out, the overlord can send emissaries to broker a truce. On the other hand, if the magi become too violent and aggressive, the overlord can again send emissaries demanding they stand down or face the threat of his army. The count can muster an army of thousands, if necessary.

The baron does not covet the covenant's lands or wealth for himself. Neither does he particularly want them to swear allegiance to himself, personally. What he cares about is that magi become lawabiding citizens as he understands the concept. This requires that they swear allegiance to some mundane overlord and thereby break the Code of Hermes. Failure to swear allegiance to anyone is, in the baron's opinion, an act of rebellion.

Baron Le Cornu is motivated mainly by loyalty to his liege, and by a fervent belief in the feudal system. Like many nobles in Mythic Europe, he regards feudal hierarchy as the natural order of society. He sees its interconnected web of allegiances as the sole means of keeping the peace among

nobles. For this reason, he hates rebels and tries to fight them even when he has nothing personally to gain by doing so. In his opinion, anyone who does not pledge fealty to some noble in Mythic Europe is either a king, the Pope, or a rebel.

The more the baron learns about the magi's powers, the more he comes to fear them. Magi are so powerful that he believes they could dominate or even overthrow the nobles of Mythic Europe. They could take control of his liege's mind, or teleport into his bedchamber to murder him in his sleep. He believes that unless all magi can be brought into the web of allegiance that nobles use to check one another's aggression, they are a menace to himself, his kin, and his liege. In a world strongly resembling historical Europe, the Baron's assessment would not be far from the truth. See Lords of Men, pages 42–43, for a discussion of why the presence of magi doesn't actually overturn the feudal system.

The first encounter with Baron Le Cornu is relatively cordial. After the baron acquires his new manor next to the covenant, he sends one of his personal squires, Bertrand Gallain, to speak with his new neighbors. Gallain asks a few questions that seem to him innocuous, such as who is the covenant's liege lord and why the covenant maintains a garrison of armed warriors. Unless the covenant members are very careful in how they handle Gallain's unexpected visit, Baron Le Cornu learns some information that disturbs him.

Initial relations with the baron depend largely on the outcome of the first meeting. If Bertrand Gallain meets any magi who lack the Gentle Gift, he reports to his lord that the covenant is inhabited by nefarious characters who are not to be trusted. If the covenant admits to practicing magic, suspicions of heresy or devil worship come to the baron's mind. The presence of a castle or armed grogs without permission from some high lord upsets him a great deal. He tries to arrange, through his emissary, a personal visit to find out more. During that visit, he is visibly suspicious, and presses the magi or their representatives, asking by what right they hold the covenant and who authorized them to keep men-at-arms.

Whether the covenant grants the baron's quest for a visit or denies it, he soon begins efforts to recruit agents to learn more about the covenant. He does his best to keep an eye on the magi's activities. His next step depends on what they do, but the first likely confrontation is that residents of the covenant are seen trespassing on the baron's land — accompanied by armed men, if applicable — and he sends a written complaint warning them not to trespass again.

Baron Le Cornu relies entirely on mundane resources and methods. He has no access to supernatural powers and no Magic Resistance.

Early on, the baron realizes that he is unlikely to get what he wants through direct combat with the magi. A typical covenant is probably powerful enough to defeat a baron, and the Code of Hermes permits magi to fight defend themselves against aggression from mundanes (see Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 51). Baron Le Cornu's approach is to try to use both a proverbial carrot and a stick, trying to court the magi's favor at some times, and to scheme against them at other times. If the magi go too far toward accomodating the baron, they risk accusations of interfering in mundane affairs. If they rebuff his friendly overtures too firmly or too often, he turns to harassment and coercion. Stories arise either way.

When relations between the covenant and Baron Le Cornu are good, he occasionally tests the friendship by asking favors of the magi. For example, before riding off to fight in one of his lord's wars, he may ask the magi for some kind of magic to aid him in battle. The baron naturally sees nothing wrong with this, and is offended if the magi refuse. He does not, however, have any ability to detect magic, so the magi can satisfy him (for a while) with a placebo. Sooner or later, he asks for substantive help of a kind that is not easily faked, such as a spell to save his crops from a blight, or magical assistance in hunting down some "rebel scum."

The baron also expects to exchange gifts with the magi. He presents them with fine and useful things such as nobles often give to one another: serving dishes, costly garments, hounds, horses, and so on. He drops hints that he expects magical gifts in exchange ("Surely wizards such as yourselves possess no end of wondrous enchanted things. I hope this gift does not seem too humble in your eyes."), and gets insulted if they are not forthcoming.

Baron Le Cornu owns a manor near the covenant, perhaps more than one. Like many nobles, he also owns considerable woodland, and may possess other assets such as a mill, bridge, road, or market. When he is at odds with the covenant, he denies its inhabitants the use of these lands and resources. This is potentially problematic because the baron may own the main route that provides access to the covenant. He may also own the land on which some of the covenant's vis sources lie.

If the baron learns that the magi regularly visit his lands or holdings (for example, to collect vis), he sends an angry letter forbidding them to trespass on his territory. He then directs his agents to keep an eye on the magi's movements. If they persist in their trespassing, the baron has two options: he can set a guard to keep the magi away, or he can file a lawsuit against the covenant.

The baron's agents can inform him of where the player characters go, so he knows where to set a guard. However, his knights and men-at-arms quickly tire of guard duty, so guards are a short-term measure. The baron may prefer to have a spy tail the trespassers and figure out what they are up to. If they are collecting vis, the baron doesn't know quite what it is,

but he can conclude it's magical and important to the magi. He then tries to use it as a bargaining chip in negotiations.

There are several reasons why the baron may choose to file a lawsuit against the covenant. The storyguide should choose just one or two of these: repeated lawsuits can be dull and potentially frustrating, unless your troupe really enjoys playing courtroom dramas.

The baron may file a charge of trespassing if members of the covenant have been seen on his land. The penalty for trespassing is a minor fine, so the outcome of the case is not very important. What is important is whether the magi recognize the authority of the court by answering the summons. If they defy the summons, the baron gets angry and hatches a new plot against the covenant. On the other hand, if they show up in court, the baron relaxes a bit, even if he loses the case, because the magi have shown

A vis source that lies on the baron's lands counts as the Contested Resources Hook. If your covenant has any Hidden Hooks, you may wish to reveal that one of those Hooks is a vis source that lies on the baron's lands. Another option would be to add a new Contested Resources Hook and let the players choose a new Boon to counterbalance it. Or, you could give the covenant some other new resource worth the same number of build points as the vis source the baron now claims. Discuss with your players the situation that, for story purposes, the baron is blocking access to one of the covenant's resources, and ask what they think is a fair way to offset that loss.

they respect mundane authority.

If the magi are seen removing something valuable from the baron's property, such as vis (if the baron has figured out that vis is rare and valuable), the charge becomes burglary. This is a serious offense, possibly carrying the penalty of hanging, and as such must be tried in royal court. Set the trial date a few seasons away so the characters have time to prepare. See Resolving Court Cases, later, for a discussion of how the characters might successfully deal with such a charge.

If the covenant does not have a tame nobleman as the landholder of record, a noble can sue to challenge the covenant's ownership of some or all of its land or income sources. In fact, the baron has no personal claim to the covenant's property, so the suit has to be filed by the count. The case is clearly the baron's brainchild, though, and he appears in court to argue it on his lord's behalf. In Mythic Europe, almost all land and valuable resources, including mineral rights and hunting privileges, belong to some noble or other. Unless the covenant can prove they have a right to their land or resources, mundanes assume it belongs to the count. Even if the covenant is an allod (a piece of property that is owned outright, not granted as a fief), the baron may challenge the magi's ownership of it in the hope that they fail in defending their claim.

As relations with the covenant begin to sour, the baron assembles a network of agents whom he uses as spies and informants. The rules for agencies in Houses of Hermes: Societates (pages 140–144) can provide some inspiration for whom he might recruit. Those rules can also be useful if the player characters want to counter the baron's schemes by using agents of their own.

It is fairly easy for the baron to recruit agents. He is wealthy and influential, and he knows how to return a favor. The magi, on the other hand, are strange individuals whose Gift normally alienates the common folk. Most covenants inspire little loyalty among the peasants so there are usually people willing to keep an eye on

the magi in exchange for a little coin.

The baron appoints one of his inner circle, probably his wife, to operate the network for him. She starts by recruiting agents with weak ties to the covenant, such as farmers and artisans who make occasional deliveries there. Anyone with animosity toward the covenant — thwarted apprentices, evicted tenants, rival mages, shortchanged merchants — is also a good candidate for recruitment. Once the basic informants are identified, the baron's agents use them to find out progressively more about the covenant, and to get into contact with its residents. In time, they find covenfolk or grogs who might be susceptible to bribery or extortion: for example, covenfolk with impoverished relatives or grogs with a drinking or gambling Weakness.

It takes one season for the baron to accumulate the first three agents, all of whom live and work outside the covenant. After that, he can recruit additional agents, possibly inside the covenant. It takes one season to recruit an outsider, two or more seasons to recruit one of the lowly covenfolk, and longer than two seasons to recruit anyone of higher importance. You may find it helpful to keep a list of the agents the baron has recruited. They don't have to be fully developed characters with names and personalities; the important thing is to know how many agents the baron has and approximately where they are, so you have an idea what they can do.

The baron uses agents in several of his schemes. He also collects information from them one small piece at a time. For example, a local artisan who makes a delivery at the covenant can give him a description of the entryway and front courtyard, and the names of the servants who received his goods. Over time, the baron can assemble from these reports a surprisingly detailed profile of the covenant: its defenses, members, internal conflicts, sources of income, expenditures, and so on.

Most covenants rely to some extent on outsiders: farmers and merchants who provide supplies, friendly nobles, or priests who provide political cover. Baron Le Cornu strives to drive a wedge between the covenant and its mundane allies and supporters. In so doing, he hopes both to weaken the covenant and eventually to force it to seek a new mundane benefactor: the baron's overlord.

The baron's agents can identify the covenant's friends and supporters, as well as the families of covenant members (if they happen to live nearby). The baron then has several ways he can apply pressure to those individuals.

• He has a great deal of control over his own villeins and can simply beat them if they visit the covenant or talk to any of its members.
• He can send squires or knights to intimidate members of the lower social classes, whether they are free or not.
• He can threaten to boycott merchants and craftsmen who do business with the covenant. They probably rely on the baron's business for part of their livelihood, so he can make them choose between trading with him or the covenant.
• For members of the higher social classes, including priests and abbots,

the baron can try to persuade them that the magi are wicked people with whom one should not associate. His persuasive skill can be augmented by bribery or by veiled threats against the person's reputation. The baron can use his favored position at court to speak out against anyone who fraternizes with the covenant, leading to a risk of a bad Reputation and perhaps the displeasure of the bishop.

Once the characters notice that a friend or associate of the covenant has turned against it, they can try to win that character back through a story. For example, it might be possible to regain a peasant's support by having some tough grogs scare away the squire who's been bullying him.

If the baron finds out about any internal tensions at the covenant, he does his best to fan the fires of dissent. He has his wife or confessor arrange a secret meeting with the disgruntled party to encourage the con-

Going up against wizards is dangerous business, as anyone in Mythic Europe should know. The baron expects that magi may manage at some point to cast a spell over him, or even kill him. He takes steps to ensure that simply eliminating him will not be enough to stop his plans.

Baron Le Cornu has three trusted advisers whom he keeps apprised of all his plans. These are his wife, his confessor, and his younger brother Sir Artur, who is one of his vassal knights. If the baron were to die suddenly, any of these three would be able to take over the campaign against the covenant. Baron Le Cornu has two sons, who are young (aged 9 and 6) when the conflict starts, but who will be brought into his circle of trust when they come of age at 21.

The baron can read and write. He keeps a detailed diary of his conflict with the magi. This is hidden under the altar in the chapel next to the baron's keep, where the baron mistakenly believes it is completely safe from magical detection. The diary contains reports from all the baron's spies and informants, and in time grows into a very complete profile of the covenant and its inhabitants, defenses, floor plan, visitors, income sources, and so on.

The baron also records in this diary anything he can find out about the magi's magic, including where their vis sources are (as far as he can find out), what spells each magus has been seen to cast, what the magi's Wizard's Sigils look like, and the baron's conjectures about how to "break" or avoid particular spells. Half of this information is pure speculation and half of what is left is misinterpretation, but the quarter of truth remaining makes him a canny adversary.

flict. He does his best to point out the many faults in the magi's leadership, and paints a lovely picture of how harmonious relations would be, if only the magi would see reason and come over to his side.

Unless you want to roleplay stories of skullduggery and betrayal, the baron should fail in any attempts to cause actual infighting in the covenant. The worst that should happen in most sagas is that the baron might gain a few new agents inside the covenant, or perhaps persuade a handful of covenfolk or grogs to desert.

Through his agents, the baron can get a good idea of who the covenant's rivals are. If there are any local hedge wizards whom the magi once insulted, or a clergyman who suspects the magi of witchcraft, the baron finds them and summons them to his keep. He listens with sympathy to the rivals' grievances, and offers what support he can.

The baron's support provides an opportunity to reintroduce adversaries whom the covenant thought they defeated, but who are still alive. In a high fantasy saga, the baron may go so far as to enter a pact with faeries or magical beasts. He would balk at consorting with demons, but only if he knew the demon for what it was.

Although the baron is a mundane, he lives in Mythic Europe and has some familiarity with magic from folk tales and hearsay. He's aware that his opponents are wizards, so he makes an effort to find out as much as he can about magic and how to protect himself against it.

As anyone knows from folklore, magic can be used to alter someone's appearance. Therefore, the baron instructs his knights, men-at-arms, and retainers to be alert for people who are acting strangely or seem out of place. He works out a system of passwords, so that suspected intruders can be challenged. He teaches his retainers not to follow orders unquestioningly, but to exercise common sense and to demand the password before following any unusual orders.

Once he realizes that wizards can fly or transform themselves into birds, the baron keeps the windows of his chamber tightly shuttered. Also, since a flying or invisible intruder could enter the castle and then move about inside, he installs bells on the doors of his chamber and other sensitive areas of the keep, and orders patrols at random times of the night.

Eye contact is important for some forms of hedge magic, including the Entrancement Supernatural Ability from page 65 of ArM5. Knowing this, the baron avoids eye contact with magi and instructs his retainers to do likewise. He orders any prisoners suspected of being wizards to be blindfolded and gagged for transport to the dungeon. This includes anyone the baron's men capture in raids or ambushes against the covenant, as well as any intruders who are captured inside the baron's keep or manors.

Unless Baron Le Cornu has supernatural allies, his defenses against magic are based mainly on conjecture. There are gaps in his knowledge: he understands little about Arcane Connections, and doesn't take precautions to avoid leaving behind a shed hair or hanging his favorite cloak where the magi's spies might steal it. Mixed in with his effective defensive measures are a number of ineffective ones, based on unfounded superstition and false conjecture. For example, the baron comes to believe that the touch of a relic instantly dispels any magic, and spends a great deal of time and money acquiring an impressive variety of relics — all fake. He keeps some of these on his person, and has others presented to any stranger who visits his court. The visitor must touch or kiss the relic before being admitted to the baron's presence. Over a few years, this and other odd habits lead the baron to acquire a local reputation of Eccentric.

Baron Le Cornu may attempt to steal something from the covenant. He is mainly interested in enchanted items, and in written material, from which he hopes to

Burglary requires the baron to use one or more of his agents. It is unlikely he has anyone inside the covenant who dares to break into a magus's lab, so he first must recruit a specialist from outside. It could take seasons or years for him to find a skilled burglar with whom he can strike a deal (perhaps by forgiving another crime, if the burglar agrees to do the job). The baron then uses any agents inside the covenant as accomplices in the break-in: they can help the intruder get inside, serve as lookouts during the job, and facilitate the getaway. The burglar tries to get the stolen items back to the baron as quickly as possible, rather than hiding them somewhere near the covenant, because he or she expects the magi to find their property magically, and wants to be long gone by the time they do.

It is best to have the baron's man steal something minor, like a lab text or a charged item, rather than something as major as high-Quality summa or an invested device. The actual theft probably does not amount to much. Players may nonetheless take even a minor theft very seriously. Give them a chance to catch the burglar in the act (this can make a good story for grogs).

If the characters break into the baron's keep, get into fights with his knights or servants, make threats against his person, or otherwise escalate the conflict, the baron may resort to holding a member of the covenant for ransom. This, of course, requires him to capture someone. A variation of the ransom scenario could develop if one of the player characters stands accused of a serious crime and ventures away from the covenant. In that case, the baron holds the suspect for trial, but is open to negotiation for his release.

The most likely scenario is that the baron has received word through his agents that some members of the covenant will

be in a certain place at a certain time. The baron then assembles several of his knights and lays an ambush, the goal of which is to capture prisoners rather than kill anyone.

The baron is willing to offer a prisoner's release in exchange for restitution for some harm the covenant has done him or his knights. He also releases hostages in exchange for formal agreements with the magi (see Negotiated Settlements, later). The baron is not keenly interested in the covenant's money, though he doesn't refuse it. Any offer of cash will have to be accompanied by some kind of promise as well.

It's possible that tensions between the baron and the covenant will escalate to open fighting. In that case, Baron Le Cornu is not really strong enough to defeat a typical covenant. He realizes that he has much more to lose from fighting than he stands to gain. He respects and fears the magi's power and, while he is no coward, he does not want to die over a matter as minor as one covenant.

The baron (or his successor) will probably attack if an attempt is made on the baron's life, or if he dies suddenly from mysterious causes or falls under some kind of spell. By the time the conflict has escalated to that point, the baron's advisors are well aware of his enmity with the covenant. They don't need hard evidence, or indeed any evidence at all, to convince them who is responsible for the assault. They simply attack the obvious suspects.

When fighting breaks out, the baron takes a defensive stance, fortifying his manors near the covenant, posting watches, and keeping at least half of his knights at home. He gathers another dozen mounted men (himself, three knights, and eight men-at-arms) who ride out on hit-and-run raids to ravage the covenant's lands with torch and sword. His prior intelligence-gathering work should tell him exactly where to strike. His first targets are any vis sources that he knows about: they are useless to the baron, but useful to his enemy, so destroying them is a logical move. If the covenant owns any wooden structures such as bridges or mills, he tries to burn them next. After that, he tries to destroy property, and massacre or drive away as many of the covenant's farmers and laborers as possible. Although slaughtering civilians and burning granaries are heinous war crimes to a modern reader, they're routine tactics of medieval warfare.

These raids can be quite destructive, and may cause long-term financial setbacks for the covenant. The baron fully expects the covenant to launch proportionate reprisals. Once fighting has broken out, it can be difficult to stop. See Resolving Military Conflict, later, for how to bring the fighting to an end.

No investigation is necessary to determine what Baron Le Cornu wants — sooner or later, he makes his demands plain. Investigation is necessary, however, to gain insight into his plans and to discover the agents he uses as pawns.

As a prominent noble, Baron Le Cornu's name and reputation are widely known. Characters can get good information from a variety of sources: by speaking with his knights or any noble in the region, by talking with neighboring monks or townfolk, or even asking questions in the proverbial smoke-filled tavern.

The baron is generally well-regarded. He is noted for his consistent record of fighting against rebels. The story of how Lord Giraud Le Cornu acquired his lands by betraying his rebellious father is widely known in the region. Reactions to this betrayal are mixed, depending on who is telling the tale. Some see turning over one's own father to the enemy as a ruthless coup to gain favor and power; others see it as a knight's duty to aid his liege, even against his own kin. Since that battle, sources agree, Baron Le Cornu has always been eager to ride forth and fight any knight or lord who dared to challenge the count's authority.

The characters would need to speak

to the baron's peers, vassals, squires, or close associates to find out more. Giraud Le Cornu is a learned man, having been tutored in Latin, the Artes Liberales, and a bit of law when he was a boy. He's known among other nobles for being erudite. They also describe him as good negotiator and resourceful in battle.

Getting agents into the baron's keep can be challenging. Since he employs spies and informants himself, Baron Le Cornu is alert for others who may try to use the same methods against him. His defenses against magic make it somewhat difficult for a magical spy to infiltrate his keep.

Since the baron works mainly through agents, rooting out those agents is a good way to thwart (or at least stall) his plans. The trouble is, the baron is perfectly able to recruit new agents to replace ones who become exposed. Counter-espionage can become a recurring source of stories for the covenant.

The easiest agents to uncover are also the hardest for Baron Le Cornu to replace: agents inside the covenant itself. Magi can easily root out such turncoats through Intellego Mentem spells (Posing the Silent Question, Frosty Breath of the Spoken Lie, and so forth). The difficulty lies in knowing when to look for such agents. It's possible to simply subject the grogs and covenfolk to random checks, but doing so can be harmful to morale. Such tactics can actually backfire by driving disgruntled covenant members to join the baron's service. The Ars Magica supplement Covenants includes rules for gauging the loyalty of the covenant's servants. Using magic to interrogate a servant probably counts as a minor humiliation, if you are using those rules. The loyalty rules, however, are not meant as a substitute for roleplaying. Consider playing through at least one or two interrogations and deciding the subject's reaction (and any change in loyalty) based on how the scene plays out.

Baron Le Cornu also has agents outside the covenant. These are harder to track down because there are more of them scattered throughout a much larger population.

Since agents are critical to many of the baron's schemes, exposing them is one of the best ways to stop him making trouble for the covenant. Give the players a fair chance to do this. Keeping a list of agents is one way to ensure the players have a fair chance. You can also create stories by having grogs or covenfolk notice, for example, shadowy figures skulking about restricted areas of the covenant. Once the player characters uncover an agent, they can deal with that agent in a number of ways. They might try to recruit her as a double agent, cast Mentem spells on her, try to feed her false information, bribe or intimidate her, or simply avoid her.

It might be interesting to roleplay the baron's attempts to recruit a player's grog or companion as an agent. The most likely course for such a story is for the player character to refuse, but if your troupe has an appetite for intrigue, the character can become a double agent, feeding false information to the baron. If your troupe has a very large appetite for intrigue, the player might actually want to roleplay a traitor to the covenant! (Think carefully before you try this option; be sure all of your players would enjoy that sort of story.)

Since the baron can only recruit agents at a fairly slow rate, industrious players can eliminate his entire network and prevent him from rebuilding it. Doing so requires a lot of stories.

The player magi may fear that conflict with the baron will lead them into Hermetic legal trouble. In fact, the covenant is more likely to get into legal trouble for trying to accommodate Baron Le Cornu than for fighting him.

As is pointed out on page 51 of Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, magi are generally allowed to fight mundanes when they must, as long as they don't form alliances with the mundanes' enemies. If your saga is set in the Normandy Tribunal, the Peripheral Code is especially flexible with regard to mundane relations. See The Lion and the Lily, pages 24–25.

It is also clear from legal research that

the Peripheral Code outright forbids magi to swear oaths of fealty. Where the Code stands with regard to any sort of oath or treaty short of full allegiance is less clear; there are few, if any, precedents. The details of the Peripheral Code rulings should make plain that the Tribunal objects to oaths of fealty because they involve magi agreeing to personally serve mundanes. They also make plain that it's forbidden for magi to take sides in mundane conflicts because that could draw other magi and covenants into the struggle. Exactly what constitutes "taking sides" varies from Tribunal to Tribunal, and may not even be clearly established in case law.

Legal research should make clear whether the covenant's Tribunal is lax or strict with regard to enforcing the Code's proscription against interfering in mundane affairs.

Baron Le Cornu can be an abundant source of stories for the covenant, because no matter how the characters try to deal with him, he triggers action. If they try to ignore him and hope he'll go away, he sends agents to infiltrate the covenant and cause mischief, which generates stories. If they try to reason with the baron and peacefully co-exist alongside him, they first have to negotiate with him, causing stories, and they they have to deal with his demands, possibly causing more stories. If the magi associate too closely with the baron or make a pact with him that too closely resembles an oath of fealty, their neighbors may complain to the Quaesitores or Tribunal, which leads to more stories.

One of the major issues in the conflict, from Baron Le Cornu's point of view, is whether magi are accountable to mundane courts of law. The outcome of a single legal case probably won't end the conflict between the baron and the covenant. The legal decision is nonetheless important in its own right.

The Gift causes any secular court to develop a strong bias against magi who are called to testify (unless, of course, all the magi involved have the Gentle Gift). Make it obvious that the court dislikes the magi: As you roleplay the count or magistrate, try to seem irritable, scowl at the magi's players, and openly call the magi "knaves" or the like. Magi often earn experience points in a bad local Reputation when they appear in open court unless they are very careful. A minor charge such as trespassing can be a good way to foreshadow future legal trouble and illustrate that mundane courts are hostile to magi.

A description of the secular courts of Mythic Europe can be found in Lords of Men, pages 80–82, and of Church courts in The Church, pages 35–36.

Questions of Jurisdiction

The first question that needs to be resolved is which court has the authority to hear the case. In historical Europe, a baron would typically have his own court of law that hears minor cases, such as trespassing and petty theft. If members of the covenant trespass on the baron's lands, the baron both brings the suit and hears the case. The idea of a party in a case also presiding as judge seems crazy to a modern reader, but modern ideas of justice do not prevail in Mythic Europe.

Medieval courts were so complicated and idiosyncratic, it's difficult to generalize about how they worked. This gives you creative latitude to have them operate in whatever way seems best for the story. For instance, if your players would feel that having their case judged by the plaintiff (the baron) is unfair, you can always say that, in this jurisdiction, such cases are traditionally heard in the court of the baron's overlord.

It is difficult, but possible, for magi to receive a favorable ruling from the baron's own court. The baron is strongly biased in his own favor, and further biased against the magi due to their Gift. Nevertheless, he takes his role as judge seriously, and will not knowingly abuse his authority. If the magi present strong evidence or argue exceptionally well, they can indeed re-

ceive justice from Baron Le Cornu's court. Indeed, their chances are about the same as they would be in any other court.

Anything involving the ownership of land, economic privileges (such as monopolies or royal charters), or capital crimes should be typically heard in royal court. Keep in mind that stealing livestock, poaching big game, and similar property crimes are punishable by death in secular courts.

There is a third option: the magi can try to have their case heard in a Church court. Canon courts automatically have jurisdiction if the accused is a member of the clergy, and usually preside over civil cases when the issue involves inheritance or a breach of contract. In parts of historical Europe, someone accused of a crime could claim benefit of clergy — the right to be tried in a canon court rather than a secular court — if he could prove he could read Latin.

Arguing the Case

Courts in Mythic Europe operate rather differently from modern courts. The idea that the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty would be foreign to a judge in Mythic Europe. Similarly, the accused has no right protecting him from self-incrimination. The court pays a great deal of attention to testimony, and is less concerned with physical evidence. In a secular court, the judge is often a noble with little or no education. If any lawyers

are present, they are there to advise the judge, not the defendant.

Witnesses are often called to attest to the character of the defendant. In a canon court, character witnesses are especially important: If enough clergymen attest to the good character of a defendant, a canon court deems the defendant cannot possibly have committed the acts of which he stands accused. This is called compurgation. Compurgation does not formally exist in secular courts, but the court does treat character witnesses as relevant evidence. Assembling character witnesses, or using Mentem magic to create some on the fly, is a good way to weaken a circumstantial case against the covenant. Actual eyewitnesses who saw (or think they saw) a crime still carry a great deal of weight. Most characters in Mythic Europe have little training in logic or rhetoric, compared to magi, so players can still counter an eyewitness by pointing out alternative explanations for what he thought he saw.

In cases regarding the covenant's ownership of land or other income sources, the case hinges on proving the magi have possessed the property for a long time. The defense is that, if the magi have never been required to pledge fealty or pay fees to some noble who owns the resource, then the magi must be the rightful owners. The best independent records for showing how long the covenant has remained in possession of the land are often in the

The traditional test in historical Europe for someone to claim benefit of clergy was to read a particular Bible passage — Psalm 51 — in Latin. In Mythic Europe, claiming benefit of clergy may not be that easy. The Church and the Order of Hermes have existed alongside one another for centuries. If you don't want to explore the political consequences of magi becoming subject to Church courts, simply declare that either the Church or the Order has already decided that magi don't count as clergy unless they are actually ordained.

On the other hand, a troupe that is so inclined can spin quite a few stories around the issue of magi and the canon courts. First, there is the debate over whether magi are entitled to benefit of clergy, which might cause some political fallout. The Church wants to take a closer look at these new "clergymen," and the Order is concerned this puts the privacy and safety of other magi at risk. To explore stories of this kind, simply rule that, in your saga, there is no legal precedent on whether magi are subject to Church courts, and proceed to establish one.

parish church. The Church keeps track of baptisms, marriages, and deaths (including, very often, those of covenfolk and grogs). Many churches also record major events that occur in the parish. The parish records therefore are very likely to mention the covenant. Persuading the priest to open those records to the covenant for use in its legal defense may require a story.

The Value of Vis

Sooner or later, Baron Le Cornu may accuse the magi of stealing vis from his land. This is a novel and controversial claim that has potentially far-reaching effects for the covenant and the entire Order. The outcome depends in part on the physical form the vis takes.

If the vis appears in the form of something intrinsically valuable, such as a large animal or a jewel, then stealing such an item is already a serious crime under mundane law. In that case, the court disregards the baron's claim that the item was especially valuable because it contained vis. It judges the case as if it were a theft of a valuable mundane item.

If the vis is contained in a form of minimal value, such as flowers, beeswax, or most natural substances, the burden falls on the baron to prove that it was valuable. Unless the baron can call on a magus to testify, he cannot prove that. The court therefore rules that the characters committed trespassing, not theft. However, the baron makes an argument that if the covenant ever steals the same or similar item again, that the theft should serve as de facto proof that the item is indeed valuable. The court agrees with this argument, and treats any future cases of stealing vis from the baron's land as serious burglaries.

Settling Out of Court

It is possible that the baron's case against the covenant is very strong: for example, if one of the characters actually committed a crime in front of witnesses. In that case, he sends an emissary to the covenant, offering to settle the case out of court. Of course, he requests fair compensation for whatever harm has been done to himself or his vassals. He also makes additional demands. See Negotiated Settlements, later, for some of the things the baron requests as part of a settlement.

Verdicts Regarding the Covenant's Land Ownership

If the covenant enjoys the Autocephalous Boon (from Covenants, page 20), then the covenant has documentary evidence of its independence, and the baron and the count automatically lose the case. Otherwise, the covenant must either settle the case by recognizing that the count owns the land and negotiating a charter with him, or it must argue its case in royal court. The good news is that if the covenant manages to win the case, it acquires the Autocephalous Boon as a result of the verdict.

If the court dispossesses the covenant of its land, ownership reverts to the count. The baron gives the covenant a week to pack up its belongings, then leads a force of armed men to remove the squatters at sword-point.

If fighting breaks out between the baron and the magi, it might seem that the situation will inevitably spiral out of control. There are a number of ways to defuse tensions, even after fighting has broken out.

The count values the baron and his knights more highly than he values the resources of the covenant. Even if Baron Le Cornu becomes blinded by rage and hellbent on defeating the covenant, his liege won't let him waste blood and treasure on a futile war. His liege can step in and order the baron to break off hostilities. The player characters might choose to appeal to the baron's overlord to curb the baron's aggression. See Negotiated Settlement, later.

With planning and perhaps a bit of daring, a covenant can probably defeat the baron in battle. If the player characters manage to fight off a couple of the baron's raids, sack one of his manors, or kill or seriously wound two or three of his knights, self-preservation motivates Baron

The players can always simply give Baron Le Cornu what he wants: they can swear fealty to the count. This handily resolves the conflict with the baron — indeed, it makes him into a potential ally. The Quaesitores and the Tribunal would sternly disapprove of such a solution, however. Swearing an oath of fealty is a direct violation of the Peripheral Code in any Tribunal. If the covenant chooses that option, they have to keep their arrangement secret from other magi. Trying to protect that secret then becomes a source of stories.

Oaths of fealty are banned because they include a pledge of personal service. Promising to serve a mundane lord is basically the same thing as becoming a court wizard, which is illegal under the Code by long tradition. If the covenant carefully modifies the traditional oath of fealty, they may be able to swear an oath that satisfies Baron Le Cornu and his liege without running afoul of the Peripheral Code. See Negotiated Settlement, later.

The players may think of trying to set up a companion as a kind of figurehead. The baron could make that companion a knight, then accept him as a vassal. That trick works for some covenants, but unfortunately it won't fool Baron Le Cornu. It's the magi and their magical powers he worries about, and he won't be satisfied until he feels the magi themselves are under control.

Relocation

Another way to resolve the conflict with the baron is to move the covenant. It's an extreme solution, and it means the baron wins, but it can actually be a

good choice if your troupe would enjoy a change of setting and a break from the intrigue, while keeping the same characters.

Another alternative is for the covenant to negotiate some kind of permanent treaty with the count. A well-designed treaty stops short of the magi promising to personally serve the noble, so as not to violate the Peripheral Code.

A negotiated settlement does not have to be a single agreement. It's possible, for example, to start with a simple pact of non-aggression, which is enough to keep Baron Le Cornu satisfied for a few seasons. After a while, some other dispute may arise, leading to a conflict that can be ended by adding new terms to the agreement between the magi and their mundane neighbor.

The following is a list of the baron's demands, in descending order of priority. If the magi agree to all of these, there is no cause for further conflict and the baron becomes a peaceful neighbor.

• The magi must promise not to attack the count or any of his vassals, nor cast spells on them without permission. The count's vassals include Baron Le Cornu and all of his own vassals and retainers. Magi are allowed to use magic or deadly force in self-defense if mundanes attack them first.
• The magi must satisfy the baron that their powers don't come from the Infernal. Accepting the holy sacraments of confession and communion satisfies the baron. The players may think of other ways to convince him (or, more precisely, his confessor, who advises him on this and all spiritual matters).
• The baron demands the magi provide magical service to his liege. His idea is that the magi will use spells to help the count at court and to aid him in military adventures. Of course, to do so would be a blatant violation of the Code of Hermes. Negotiating this point takes some effort: at first the baron is angry that the magi defy his lord's will, but eventually the char-

• acters can persuade him to drop this demand.
• The magi must promise to respect the baron's territorial boundary. They may not venture onto his land without permission, nor remove anything without paying for it. This, of course, includes not taking vis from the baron's land without giving something valuable in exchange. The baron will accept money, but he would prefer to be paid in goods only the magi can provide, such as enchanted items (including charged items) or spells cast for his benefit. The magi must also respect the property of the count and his other vassals.
• The magi must agree to obey mundane law. Covenant members who are accused of major crimes, such as murder, arson, assault, and burglary, must be handed over for trial. The covenant must be subject to lawsuits so aggrieved neighbors can seek redress. Exactly which court shall have jurisdiction over the magi is open to negotiation; see Questions of Jurisdiction, earlier.
• The magi must pay to the baron's overlord a percentage of the income from any land or resources they cannot prove they hold entirely in their own right.
• The covenant must obtain permission from the count to keep men-at-arms, or disarm all of its grogs.
• The magi must agree to pay scutage (a kind of fine or tax for avoiding military service), but the baron will grant an exemption if doing so helps him get one of his higher priorities.

There are concessions the count (though his representative, the baron) is willing to grant in exchange (again, in descending order of significance).

• Formal recognition that the covenant owns its land and resources, including the serfs who live at the covenant and work its fields.

• A charter that recognizes the covenant is an independent legal entity, so other nobles can't question its legitimacy, and its privileges can't be taken away in future generations.

• Permission to keep a garrison of armed grogs.

• Exemption from military obligations and scutage.

• Formal and exclusive rights to collect vis from the baron's lands.

• Permission to clear wasteland and bring it under cultivation.

• Permission to hunt and slay magical beasts.

• Exemption from certain taxes and fines.

Most of these privileges are things that covenants typically act as though they already have. The advantage of agreeing to the baron's terms is that the covenant can secure these rights permanently and doesn't have to worry about them in the future. If the characters negotiate a settlement with the count (through Baron Le Cornu), it is final.

A few of the terms Baron Le Cornu demands are novel, in the sense that similar arrangements between magi and mundaes have not been described in previous Ars Magica Fifth Edition supplements. If the characters agree to these terms, they are breaking new ground in Hermetic law as it concerns mundane relations. Some members of the Order of Hermes disapprove of the precedent they are setting.

Vis Ownership

The Tribunals described in ArM5 supplements decide the ownership of disputed vis sources solely among magi, without regard to the mundane owner of the land where the vis source is found. Baron Le Cornu asserts that vis from his land is his, to dispose as he sees fit.

Magi in the Tribunal are concerned about the baron's claims because other mundane landowners can be expected to also assert ownership over vis on their lands. This threatens the security of vis sources all over the mundane realm in which Baron Le Cornu resides. Members of the Tribunal may accuse the covenant's magi of threatening to deprive them of magical resources, because what once be-

longed to their covenants may soon be claimed by mundanes.

There are a number of legal questions that might be debated at Tribunal:

• If the Tribunal had previously considered the vis to belong to the covenant, does that ruling still stand? If the vis is theirs, are they within their rights to give it to the baron? If the Tribunal objects, does it have the authority to cancel the agreement?
• The covenant has made an agreement with the baron regarding the vis on his lands. Are other magi in the Tribunal bound to recognize that agreement? If someone trespasses and takes the vis, would that be a Hermetic crime? What crime, and who would be the injured party — the covenant or the baron?
• Does the baron actually own the vis source or does he only control access to it? Is he entitled, for example, to sell the vis to the highest bidder?
• By alerting the baron to the value of the vis source, did the covenant inconvenience or put at risk the resources of other covenants in the Tribunal?
• Given the implications of the agreement for all the magi in the Tribunal, did the covenant have the authority to sign it? Should it require ratification by the Tribunal, and will the Tribunal ratify it?

Court Wizards?

Another question is whether the magi, in making some kind of settlement with the baron, have gone too far toward becoming court wizards. An accusation might be made at Tribunal. It may or may not be justified by the facts: some magi are cynical enough to hurl a frivolous claim at a political rival, just to cause trouble and tarnish his reputation.

Mundane Courts and Magi

The biggest legal and political issue is the extent to which magi are allowed and required to submit to mundane authority. This is intentionally left vague in Ars Magica Fifth Edition, so your troupe can decide for itself how closely integrated or how well isolated the Order of Hermes is with respect to mundane society.

On the one hand, some members of the Order resent the covenant for agreeing to obey mundane law. Mundanes expect that decision to be binding on all magi, yet some magi regard it as an infringement on their sovereignty. Being forced to obey mundane law can be a major inconvenience. For example, it means that nobles or magistrates may feel entitled to visit the covenant from time to time for an inspection. One can make an argument that signing a document agreeing that the covenant is subject to mundane law endangers the Order; it encourages nobles to pressure other covenants for similar contracts.

On the other hand, openly defying mundane law antagonizes nobles and increases their hostility toward magi and the Order. Making some kind of negotiated settlement, one could argue, calms relations with mundanes and makes Mythic Europe safer for magi.

The actual outcome of the Tribunal debate could swing either way. The Tribunal may restrict itself to making a narrow ruling on the covenant's individual agreement with the baron, or it may make a sweeping policy decision, either forbidding or requiring that magi submit to the authority of mundane courts. Either a narrow ruling about the covenant's particular arrangement, or a broad policy ruling, could be argued all the way to the Grand Tribunal. The Tribunal may go so far as to assert that magi can only be tried in special Hermetic courts, in much the same way clergy are subject only to ecclesiastical courts. The player characters may get involved to either support or oppose an effort to set up such a court system.