Tolosa Paratge

Situated in a regio within the city of Toulouse, amidst the ghostly memory of a once holy lake, this cosmopolitan covenant is composed of nine magi from five Houses: Jerbiton, Flambeau, Criamon, Ex Miscellanea, and a single Verditius. As an ancient, long established covenant, they have weathered centuries of Hermetic politics, but recent crises in the mundane world threaten to tear them apart. They have fallen victim to internal dissent and something akin to civil war, with recent Wizard's Wars called between members of the covenant having claimed two magi, leaving the rest in fear. They guard the genius loci of the city, and see themselves as servants of the city; when the citizens turned against themselves, madness and death struck the covenant. Some favor the Cathar cause, while others remain loyal to the Church, and both the Black and

White Brotherhoods claimed the support of some of the magi. All of them share a passion to protect their Southern homeland against the Crusade, yet the religious question is tearing them apart. As madness drags them deeper into Winter, perhaps only a Quaesitor's intervention can prevent their self destruction.

The covenant is hopelessly divided into two factions. The magi who support Bishop Foulques are currently too fearful to enter the regio and have established laboratories in the city. The pro-Cathar magi have holed themselves up in the regio, fearing to leave, besieged by their former colleagues, and waiting for the inevitable outbreak of further Wizard's Wars. Both sides are acting in a manner that would scandalize most of the Order if it were more generally known.

Tolosa Paratge was founded in the first wave of the Order of Hermes, and was one of the four original covenants of the Val Negra Tribunal. A House Diedne covenant, it was unusual for its size, having six or more members for two centuries. Once a leading site for Diedne magical research, the magi were rumored, unusually for their House, to be specialists in spirit magic, and developed a slightly sinister reputation within the Tribunal. Their refusal to admit a deputation of Quaesitors following the mysterious death of the senior Tremere maga in the Tribunal was one of the first incidents in the tragic events leading up to the Schism War.

During the Schism War the magi of the covenant were killed in a spectacular assault led by a group of Flambeau magi, and the site was garrisoned by them until the arrival of the Gorgiastic Cathar Anaïs. She led the reconstruction of the covenant as a multi-House site. As Toulouse expanded, so the regio became harder to access, but the covenant grew in power and prestige. Some Hermetic historians believe Anaïs' teachings, which proved influential among the grogs, may have been a factor in the development of Cathar doctrine; others believe the influence was entirely the other way. The covenant is home to the lineage of Gorgiastic Cathars, religious dualists practicing a theurgical faith.

Through a series of brilliant magi, Tolosa Paratge became known for its culture, cosmopolitan ways, and the subtle influence it has exerted on the development of many of Toulouse's intuitions, especially many believe the capitouls*.* There are also rumors of a legendary treasure concealed at the site, possibly the same treasure Quintus Caepio Severus tried to steal centuries before.

Recently, disaster has befallen the covenant. While all the magi resolutely supported the southern cause against the crusaders, following the destruction of Mistridge and Lariander there were increasing fears that very survival of the Order in the region was at stake. Historically the magi of the covenant, proud of their city, have had strong links with many factions within the walls — the guilds, the bishop, the capitouls, the count, and so on. Magi have occasionally found themselves at cross purposes in their subtle influence of the political factions, but the greater good of Toulouse and the covenant had held them together. The covenant leader Augustus was a high ranking Quaesitor, and made sure no one looked too closely at issues of interfering with mundanes, providing there was no risk of harm to the covenant or Order.

The city has changed hands several times during the crusade, but the covenant has remained loyal to the city and refused to deal with a foreign master. However in the weeks before the death of de Montfort in 1218, Augustus was convinced by Bishop Foulques that the city would fall; as a result he asked the Gorgiastic Cathar magi to leave the covenant for their own safety. They refused, and one of them, Marc, bitterly accused the Quaesitor of betraying Tolosa Paratge and all it stood for. He called a Wizard's War against his covenant mate, something almost unknown in Hermetic society. It seems Augustus did not take this seriously; Marc was, after all, a Cathar pacifist. Marc however, convinced Augustus was under demonic influence, slew him in a rather confused argument in the tower.

A month later, St.Tropez declared Wizard's War on the unresisting Marc, and slew him in turn. Mariola was appointed the new Council Leader, but her inaction led to the

covenant rapidly dividing in two: one party, the Blacks, favoring the Cathar cause; the other White party favoring expelling the heretics for bringing ruin upon their sodales. The Blacks are stronger, and currently hold the covenant. The Whites wait in the city, plotting to retake it. Whether this happens by appeal to Tribunal in 1221 or by Wizard's War remains to be seen. The violence and madness of the times have infected even these covenant mates.

The covenant stands within a regio on a small rocky island that rises sharply from the mist-shrouded lake (see the nearby insert, The Magic Lake). A narrow winding path leads up the step cliffs to a selection of red brick townhouses huddled around a central tower, an octagonal structure of black stone eight stories high. A few of the coven folk live permanently on the island along with some of the magi, but many choose to reside within the city of Toulouse. A rowing boat is enchanted to sail to the jetty on the island or the last roof on the shore when someone calls out a short poem in the Occitanian tongue. The lake is haunted by things only glimpsed within the still black waters. Perhaps the inhabitants of Tolosa Paratge know what lurks therein, but if they do they are not saying.

The magi maintain an inn within the city, thirty dwelling houses, and have some eighty covenfolk, many of whom are artisans or laborers within the mundane city of Toulouse. Three of the houses have well stocked laboratories underneath despite being within the Dominion, and several magi maintain their sancta in the city, working in the labs on the island and returning to Toulouse to sleep.

Tolosa Paratge is first and foremost a Hermetic covenant, a place of magical study, research, and experimentation. However, while its true purpose — to provide a home and laboratory space for magi — has never been eclipsed, it has also developed a

distinct culture well known throughout the Tribunal and beyond. The Tolosates, as the coven members are called, are known for their pride in their ancient heritage as one of the first covenants of the Order and Tribunal. Few dare remind them that a Diedne covenant stood here then.

The covenant is ruled by ancient traditions; new magi are welcomed, but must serve ten years before being admitted as full members, unless they were apprenticed and gauntleted within its hallowed walls. The Ability Organization Lore: Tolosa Paratge is used in place of Etiquette for any magus visiting, and by ancient custom guests must be invited before they cross the lake. There are hundreds of traditions; only the residents know them all, and they seem so normal to them that they often fail to advise newcomers, sometimes with embarrassing or even dangerous results.

"Paratge" means, roughly, gentility, and the urbane learned and cosmopolitan magi are immensely proud of their Occitanian language, culture and poetry. They have a reputation across the Order of Hermes as generous patrons of artists, poets, troubadours, and original thinkers. Many a great performer has been taken to the mysterious island in the impossible lake to give a recital, and afterward wondered whether they dreamed the whole thing, despite the generous bag of silver by their side when they awoke back in their room.

By tradition any magi apprenticed here may wear a small silver flower. Those who are current members wear a golden flower, and those who have both served their apprenticeship and now reside within the covenant wear a flower of gold and silver set with precious gems as a mark of their status.

The current magi of the covenant are divided between the factions, with the nominal leader unable to bring them together.

Mariola of House Jerbiton

Age: 96 (Apparent age: 80) Personality Traits: Proud +2, Indecisive +2, Withdrawn +2

A potent Imaginem maga, she has more and more retreated from the impossible challenge she faces, and after she failed to insist on measures against St.Tropez after his slaying of Marc, the covenant has effectively disintegrated. Too proud and too inward looking to seek outside assistance, she is trapped in a spiral of self doubt and inaction, and is firmly locked in her sanctum, agonizing over what to do.

CAROLUS ST. TROPEZ OF HOUSE JERBITON, LEADER OF THE WHITE FACTION

Age: 54 (Apparent age: 42)

Personality Traits: Vindictive +3, Determined +2, Pious +1

Carolus is a former apprentice of Mariola, and still genuinely fond of his parens. He assumes the guise of a minor southern noble, and indeed maintains a small castle and household at Chateaux Pujol, just outside the city. Like many lords in the region he recognizes no liege but holds the estate independently. When Marc slew Augustus a long term simmering resentment exploded into violence, and St. Tropez declared a Wizard's War on Marc. Surprisingly, Marc did not defend himself, but allowed the Perdo specialist to slav him. Fearing the vengeance of the other Gorgiastics, Carolus fled into the city, where he rallied many of the grogs and covenfolk to his white banner, swearing that the heretics would be removed from the covenant, and then the city. With his fellow "Whites" he is now at-

tempting to blockade the regio, though no Wizard's War has been declared.

St. Tropez's greatest achievement has been to win over Arnaud Almaric, the papal legate, to the southern cause, and to get that infamous churchman to denounce the French throne's ambitions in the region. St. Tropez believes that the Cathars have brought the judgment of God upon the land; only by their extermination can the region be spared further horrors. No Tribunal has so far found him guilty of breaking the Code, and he may seek martyrdom in an attack on the hated Gorgiastics, his sodales, before he can be convicted.

Cyprian of House Flambeau, Leader of the Black Faction

Age: 84 (Apparent age: 71)

Personality Traits: Dignified +3, Courageous +2, Foolhardy +2

In his time, Cyprian has been a troubadour knight and a passionate Seeker, questing for the lost magical secrets of the Tribunal, and he is the parens of Renaud of Stella Durus. Fiercely loyal to the covenant and to Mariola, his years posing as a knight errant and undisputed skill with weapons have led this Perdo Terram specialist to the leadership of the Black faction. A member of the Cult of Mercury, Cyprian is not himself a Cathar; to be honest he regards them as somewhat annoying in their pacifism and mystical beliefs, but he has long felt that Bishop Foulques has betrayed the Church and his honor, and St. Tropez's slaughter of the defenseless Marc and the subsequent descent into anarchy has made him more than willing to take up arms against his sodales, if only in defense of his home.

Age: 77 (Apparent age: 65) Personality Traits: Industrious +3, Hubris +3, Avaricious +2

Adam has long maintained a sanctum and laboratory within the city, located in a waterfront lacuna with a Magic aura of 2. He is far more involved in city politics than

the politics of his home covenant. He has joined the White faction owing only to his deep seated anti-Semitism, for he owes a substantial sum to the lewish moneylenders of Cahors, and therefore Bishop Foulque's anti-Semitic and anti-Cathar rhetoric appeals to him. His plans for the enchanted boom across the river to help maintain the regio were resisted by the Gorgiastics, who felt it might adversely effect the aura, and he has never forgotten. Following the Wizard's Wars he has therefore sided with St. Tropez, whom he regards as representing the best interests of the covenant. Adam is deeply immersed in the magic of Hermetic Architecture (see The Mysteries Revised Edition, page 97)

RAIMOND OF HOUSE EX MISCELLANEA, GORGIASTIC CATHAR, BLACK FACTION

Age: 41 (Apparent age: 39) Personality Traits: Pacifist +3, Introspective +2, Serene +1

Raimond is a Cathar Good Man, and sworn to the faith, though his theurgical beliefs are far from the Divine faith of the majority of mundane Cathars. He believes he has lived many times before, and even lived exactly the same lives in many many cycles of the universe, being reincarnated endlessly. He aims one day to escape the cycle of rebirth by entering Final Twilight, and helping hold open the escape route from the horror of the cycle of eternal recurrence, the sanctuary outside of time. He therefore strives to impose his free will and to act in unexpected ways, hoping to break the pattern of previous lives, and seeks out

Twilight experiences, which he sees as a way to step outside of time and modify the endless repetition. He is not afraid to die fighting the White faction, for he is convinced that, should he fail now, in a future cycle he will triumph and help liberate humanity. Besides, Raimond knows that he is doomed to die by drowning in the River Garonne, and so is not frightened of offensive magics.

The covenfolk of Tolosa Paratge are equally divided between the White and Black factions. Most reside within the mundane city, but given the current state of civil war between the magi some half dozen grogs and a dozen or so covenfolk are currently besieged in the regio. Some of their colleagues remain at large in the city and are attempting to formulate a rescue plan, and they may well approach magi from outside the city, or send Redcaps, to try to gain assistance for their faction. The covenfolk frequently engage in violence on the city streets, and many mundane citizens are caught up in these skirmishes, often becoming actively involved.