Territory of RaimondVI

The counts of Toulouse administered the city of Toulouse for the Merovingians and the Carolingians, and this became a hereditary title supposedly owing fealty to the King of France but in truth existing as an independent realm commonly called Toulousain. It is covered in greater detail in Chapter 4. The counts have interests beyond that region, however, making them major players in Narbonnais as well.

Part of the Aude river district, Lodeve is dominated by vineyards and herds of sheep. The region's Corbieres Mountains are the first foothills of the Pyrenees. The primary settlement in the county is the town of Lodeve, a popular stop on the Way of St. James to Compostela. The Knights Templar maintain a fortified, walled town a day's ride to the north of Lodeve.

The cathedral is dedicated to Saint

Genesius, a third century clerk from Arles who was martyred in 303, a victim of the persecution of Diocletian. Saint Genesius' beheading is represented on the keystone of the apse. He is the patron saint of clerks and notaries. The preserved body of Fulcran, the former bishop, is buried within the cathedral's catacombs. Fulcran died in 1006 and is also considered a saint for his purity. The cathedral has a Divine aura of 5.

The Grandmontine Order, which follows the Rule of St. Steven, maintains a priory a few miles outside Lodeve. Overlooking the countryside from atop a tall hill in the middle of an oak forest filled with dolmens and Roman ruins, the Priory of St Michel de Grandmont hosts pilgrims traveling the Way of St. James. It has a Divine aura of 4, and on the night of the summer solstice there is a Faerie aura of 4 around the largest dolmen on the grounds.

St. Thibery

A 450 ft. segmented arch bridge crosses the Herault River in the town of St. Thibery as part of the Via Domitia. Its Roman origins are questionable as the spans are inconsistent with other imperial construction. Is this the handiwork of a faerie or a demon?

Current Covenants: Ara Maxima Nova, Stella Durus

Ruined, Abandoned, or Lost Covenants: Himinis' Forge, Uxellodunum, Two Diedne covenants in the Massif Central whose names and locations are lost.

Cut into the living stone near a vineyard, this large rectangular trough produces 4 pawns of Herbam in the pomace of the must—the solid portion of seeds, skins, and stems—if the grapes of the first harvest are stomped barefoot. Repeating the process with the last harvest yields 6 pawns of vis, but they are vis Infesta. In centuries past, an angry mob believed they discovered a pagan ritual being performed, and killed the young women thought to be participating. In truth, the women had been working on the last batch of grapes when fauns seduced them. The maids were caught just after lying with the faeries. Unconvinced by their pleas, the crowd stoned the girls to death.

Order: Tempters (tenetores)

Infernal Might: 15 (Vim)

Characteristics: Int +1, Per +2, Pre –1, Com +2, Str +3, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik +3

Size: +0

Virtues and Flaws: Puissant Charm, Puissant Guile; Weak-willed

Personality Traits: Greedy +5, Selfish +5, Deceptive +3, Tricky +3, Tempter Demon +3, Cowardly +2

Hierarchy: 0

Combat:

Fist: Init +3, Attack +3, Defense +5, Damage +3

Walking Stick (club): Init +4, Attack +6, Defense +7, Damage +6

Soak: +2

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: Awareness 3 (humans), Brawl 2 (club), Charm 4+2 (first encounters), Concentration 3 (maintaining concentration), Folk Ken 3 (humans), Guile 5+2 (reducing risks), Penetration 1 (Rushing Wages of Greed)

Powers:

Coagulation, 2 points, Init –1, Corpus. The demon can obtain a material form, which it may dissolve at will.

Obsession, 1–3 points, Init –5, Vim. The demon can impose the Obsession Trait of Greed. (Realms of Power: The Infernal, pages 31–32)

Envisioning, 1/5 points, Init +0, Mentem. The demon may appear in the dreams of a sleeping target (which costs 1 point), or make the target experience a waking dream or vision (in which case it costs 5 points). The demon twists the dream, causing the target to imagine life in terrible poverty with extreme needs. This causes the victim to make a Brave Personality roll against an Ease Factor of 9, or suffer natural abject terror and lose a long term Fatigue level.

Change Form, 0 point, Init 0, Corpus. The demon can change the shape of its manifestation at will, to whatever human or animal form it desires. The Old Man of the Bridge may shift into a raven or cause his bundle of firewood to disappear.

Trove Just Beyond Reach, 4 points, Init +1, Imaginem. The Old Man creates a phantasm of a cracked strongbox spilling silver and gold coins into the riverbed and lying in plain view of the bridge. The waters around it look deep enough to leap into safely, but clear and very calm. CrIm 20 R: Sight, D: Sun, T: Individual. (Base 3, +3 Sight, +2 Sun)

Rushing Wages of Greed, 8 points, Init –1, Aquam. The Old Man creates an area of swiftly flowing, churning water with a strong undertow. Escaping the area requires Swim rolls with a –6 penalty, or the swimmer suffers deprivation from drowning (ArM5, page 180). ReAq 40 R: Sight, D: Conc, T: Part. (Base 5, +3 Sight, +1 Conc + 1 Part +2 Size)

Weakness: Compulsive (The demon can do nothing until it has finished counting coins thrown on the ground and placing them in its purse)

Vis: There are three pawns of Vim vis, in the demon's money purse.

Appearance: The demon manifests as a wizened old man in peasant's garb, carrying a large bundle of firewood sticks tied to its back. It moves with the assistance of a cane and carries a lantern. It attempts to convince travelers to dive into the river while it watches their possessions—asking for half of what the victim recovers and using its powers to amplify greedy feelings. As the dupe leaps into the river, the demon uses Rushing Wages of Greed, possibly drowning the individual.

The counts of Toulouse have many vassals whose holdings are found in this region.

The country of Béziers has been a holding of the counts of Carcassonne since 1034. From 1194 to 1209, Béziers was ruled by Raimond-Rogier Roger Trencavel, who was also the count of Carcassonne, the count of Albi, and the count of Razes, he owed fealty to both Peter II of Aragon and Raimond VI of Toulouse. He died a prisoner of the crusaders in 1209; see "Carcassonne" in Chapter 4: Toulousain. Like much of Provence, Béziers is a land of temperate climate with forested rolling hills.

Béziers

Built as a colony for Roman veterans during Augustus Caesar's reign, Béziers exports white wine. Its walls were built with stones from the old amphitheatre, and the River Orb borders its ruins on three sides. Trencavel relied heavily on the Jews of the city to administer daily operations.

As a stronghold of the Cathars, the city suffered greatly during the Albigensian Crusade. It was nearly burned to the ground, and while reconstruction began in 1215, there is still a long way to go. The new cathedral's construction utilizes the foundations of the old structure, which had stood since 1130. The tall limestone church of the Madeleine that served as the viscount's chapel is one of the city's few remaining structures. It was from the steps of this building that Arnaud Amaury uttered the infamous order "Kill them all; God will know his own." The other surviving house of God, the church of Saint Aphrodise, who Christianized the city, is built over a 3rd century necropolis. After the butchery committed by the crusaders, the entire city suffers under an Infernal aura of 7, which rises to 8 on the anniversary of the massacre (July 22nd) and drops to nothing during Advent and Lent.

This used to be a hereditary office of the count of Toulouse referring to the rulership of the region, but Raimond VI was dispossessed of the duchy during the Albigensian

Crusade. Since Simon de Montfort's death in 1218, the title of duke of Narbonne has belonged to Arnauld Amaury, the current archbishop of Narbonne and papal legate. The title of viscount of Narbonne, which refers to the secular ruler of the city of Narbonne, is separate from the ducal title. A famous viscountess of Narbonne was Ermengarde, who ruled from 1132 to 1194. Five "judgements of love," as detailed in the authority on courtly love, the treatise De Arte Honeste Amandi by André le Chapelain, are attributed to her. She corresponded with and encouraged many troubadours, creating a strong artistic tradition in Narbonne that has survived despite the Crusade.

Narbonne

Known for its tolerant attitudes, in its time Narbonne has both acted as the capital of Visigothic Septimania and belonged to the Emirate of Cordoba. The city boasts both a vital port and fishing community on the Aude River and serves as a cultural center for the troubadours. A well-known population of Jewish scholars operates several schools at this crossroads of the Via Domitia and the Via Aquitania.

The cathedral of Saint-Just-et-Saint-Pasteur de Narbonne currently lies in a ruined state from neglect. The viscount of Narbonne and the Archbishop feuded over control of the city for decades in the 1100s. Currently, the Archbishop controls the western half, and the viscount oversees the eastern portion and the commune, or bourg. This conflict has led to the neglect of many churches, including the cathedral. This has left the city with a weak Divine aura of 2, which rises to 3 on the feast days of its patron saints. The basilica of St. Paul-Serge, which is built on the site of a 4th-century cemetery established by Constantine, retains a Divine aura of 5 at all times.

The Abbey of St Mary of Lagrasse, which lies about two days' ride west of the city, is still influential in the region. The abbot of Narbonne, Nimphridius, established the monastic community in the 7th century according to the Benedictine rule. It was elevated to the rank of abbey in 779 and enriched quickly thanks to the sponsorship of Charlemagne and donations from neighboring lords. It acquired lands, castles, priories and other assets. For example, in 1115, one of the viscounts of Narbonne, Aimery II, donated the village of Le Lac to the abbey to resolve a conflict with the archbishop. During the 12th century it ruled over a large territory spread through the dioceses of Toulouse and Béziers and the county of Urgell, but the Crusade has caused its decline.

A hereditary holding of Toulouse since the ninth century, the county of Nimes is the eastern march of the count's lands. Full of rolling hills, streams, and forested regions with a pleasant Mediterranean climate, it

has a rich abundance of natural resources like cork, grapes and olives. The city of Nimes is known for its textile industry.

Nimes

Some claim this city was founded by Heracles' son, Nemausios, around a healing spring. The administration of Nimes occupies the old Roman amphitheatre, an enormous structure capable of holding 16,000 people, which also acts as a refuge in times of danger. An order of the viscount's knights — the Knights of the Arena — and the bishop's palace complex are also housed within the structure's apartments. Legends suggest the tunnels beneath the arena connect to the amphitheatre in Arles, which has also been converted into a fortress. The arena enjoys a Divine aura of 3.

Two other major Roman edifices still dominate Nimes. The first stands nearly 20 paces high and overlooks the city from its highest point: the Tour Magne is an eightsided, three-story tower which incorporates the last remnants of the Roman walls. The second, the Maison Carree, was originally a temple dedicated to Apollo where judges would gather, and now serves as offices for the four consuls who represent the city. It sits on a podium with six columns supporting a portico on either end, a perfect example of a Roman temple. Nestled within a lacuna, there is a lingering Faerie aura of 1 here, which increases to 3 on February 9th, the ancient date of the Festival of Apollo.

The Bramabiau Gorge

In hills between Millau and Nimes, the river Bonheur plunges into a large cave in a cliff-face. After traveling along a subterranean gorge which includes six waterfalls, it reemerges from another large cave opening as the Bramabiau (Occitan for "Roaring Ox"), and continues down a box canyon toward the coast. Entering from the lower cavern, one can delve into the various passages. In a side tunnel, just past a waterfall, there are fetishes and gallery paintings which might be studied for Insight into cultic Fertility Magic (Ancient Magic, page 54). This passage has a Magic aura of 3, and 4 on nights of the full moon.

Grotto of Faeries

South of the Bramabiau Gorge, but still tucked into the hills between Millau and Nimes, an underground river also flows through the back of this deep cavern. Several large galleries, called "cathedrals" by the locals, sink nearly 200 paces down into the rock and require a difficult climb down to the floor. A group of lesser nymphs (Realms of Power: Faerie, page 71) dance and sing to the genius loci spirit of the river. They are the source of the sounds of flowing water often emanating from the mouth of the cave. The entire cave system has a Faerie aura of 3.

The Nemausian Spring

This spring near Nimes is said to have been established as a shrine dedicated to the son of Heracles by Gauls before the conquest of Julius Caesar. Others claim it to be the ancient altar once consecrated to the local magic spirit known as Volcae, a being venerated by the indigenous tribes until the Romans' arrival. A spirit still resides here, though greatly weakened by the spread of the Dominion and nearby seat of the bishopric in the converted Arena of Nimes. It produces three pawns of Creo or Aquam vis in the form of very clear, very small pools of steaming water which well up every summer solstice.

The March is ruled by Raymond Berenguer IV, who is also the count of Provence. This forces the count of Provence to owe fealty to both Aragon and Toulouse.

Avignon

The city of Avignon stands in the March of Provence, rising up behind the tall ramparts of a double wall and overlooking an impressive bridge across the Rhone river, which flows along the northern urban border. The castle stands on the remains of a Roman castrum and the town center hosts a thriving community of craftsmen and tradesmen's guilds. As of 1200, the consuls declared independence from Toulouse and the Holy Roman Empire, establishing a republic. It is described in greater detail in Chapter 8: Arelat.

The county of Rodez was created from part of the old county of Rouergue, and was initially an appanage of Toulouse, until it was seized by the ancestor of the viscount in 1112. The House of Millau ruled Rodez in unbroken succession through the 13th century. The current count's father, Hugh II, sponsored the abbey of Bonnecombe. The current count of Rodez, Henry I, plans to take the cross and leave on Crusade. His son, Hugh, is only eight years old, and his father plans to leave him here, under the case of his mother is Algayette, heiress of Guy, lord of Scorailles. The House of Millau is a great supporter of the troubadour movement and Rodez is considered its heart. Hugh II and Henry I are both known as patrons of multiple troubadours. (Henry was preceded as count by two short-lived half brothers, Hugh and William.)

The Knights Templar kept five separate towns within Rodez, sold to them in order to fund the count of Toulouse's participation in the First Crusade. The fortified villages of La Cavalerie, La Couvertoirade, and Saint-Jean d'Alcas, and the commanderies in Saint-Eulalie de Cernon and Viala du Pas de Jaux all support Templar operations in the area, and have since the mid-12th century. Guillaume de Saunhac is tutor to the current commander of Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon. He becomes the Master of the Knights Templar in 1245.

Rodez

Known for the contentious relationships between the bishops of Rodez and the count, large double walls divide this agricultural trade center into sectors of authority. It is located at the confluence of the Aveyron and Auterne rivers on the Plateau de Segala. Constructed of red sandstone in 1000, the western wall of the Rodez Cathedral is part of the city's external defenses and boasts two towers. It has a Divine aura of 5. Other notable buildings include the Bishop's Palace

with its tall tower, and the church of Saint Amand; its choir holds sixth century tapestries representing the miracles of Amand, the patron saint of all who brew beer. St. Amand's church enjoys a Divine aura of 4.