The Fate of Carthage

When visiting Castello del Selvaggio, the covenant's representatives pass through some ruined farmland. The villagers ask for alms from the magi and the priest can be seen blessing the ground and sprinkling holy water before an expectant congregation. The blight was caused by Al-'Aqrab but there is little or no magical residue left to be detected. Those enquiring after the blight, as the surrounding lands are healthy and green, discover that the lands started dying two seasons before Castello del Selvaggio fell. This is an important point for the players to hear as it is likely that the same fate befalls their covenant, giving them a final two seasons to plan their defenses.

But a moment later, as the sun finally set, the Aegis suddenly dropped. A crossbowman loosed a bolt at the wall, and the wall shattered in an instant, almost dragging Maximus down with it. With the wall breached, an unstoppable knight led a mundane force into the castle and killed all who stood in his way.

Maximus' last act — having fled the mundane assault — was to magically raise a bridge that spanned the lake, allowing Matias and some of the other covenfolk to escape. The effort taxed him greatly, and Matias never saw him again.

By the time the refugees reach the player covenant Avedutus has returned to Casalmaggiore and left Selvaggio in the care of Patronus and Al-'Aqrab. If and when the magi visit Castello del Selvaggio they find a small army of the duke's men camped in and around the covenant and taking advantage of the local resources. The castle walls are adorned with the bodies of its defenders, strung up on gibbets as a sign of Avedutus' victory.

The most glaring feature is the collapsed section of the outer wall, which is easily large enough for an attacking army to pass through. This detail may be important to magi looking to defend their covenant against Avedutus' assault.

Any seeking access to Castello del Selvaggio are turned away in no uncertain terms by the occupying Casalmaggiore force, though this is arguably just a slight inconvenience to magi prepared to use magic against those who might bar their way.

Should the player magi gain access to the castle, both of the Trattato magi, Patronus and Al-'Aqrab, can be found within the main hall of the castle discussing its ongoing defense with captains of their military force and the rebuilding of the walls with loyal engineers.

When confronted about Maximus, the Trattato magi claim right of conquest arising from Wizard War. If pushed on his fate, they offer to call him down from the council chamber and a few moments later Maximus' slain body is brought in, seated in an elaborate chair. The childlike Patronus, talking through his talisman mask, acts mockingly towards the corpse and invites the visitors to ask it what they will. He even pretends to summon Maximus' spirit into his mask, allowing the visitors to interrogate the faerie within. There is no spirit to question however, as Al-'Aqrab has already summoned and destroyed Maximus' ghost.

If challenged over the mundane forces used in the attack, Patronus refers to them as grogs and wonders whether the visitors are just envious of the size of their turb. Both magi deny any suggestion that they staged a magical assault with Maximus outside the terms of Wizard War and challenge the visitors to prove it.

Al-'Aqrab is more forthcoming about what the Trattato hope to gain if asked directly. They want power, respect, and influence. He claims not to see a need for further violence if the Tribunal accepts this "transaction" and treats the Trattato with the deference it has earned. Folk Ken reveals his particular zeal for this, suggesting that his need for respect and power is greater even that the Trattato's.

Neither Al-'Aqrab nor Patronus accept certamen, seemingly uncaring at the potential loss of face and remind the visiting magi that they have the duke's men in residence, should they wish for any unpleasantness.

Any confrontation with Patronus and Al-'Aqrab includes Al-'Aqrab calling for guards. You can assume 15 standard soldiers (as per ArM5, page 22) armed with crossbows (add the following line to the standard soldier statistics):

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

Size: 0

Age: 43 (43)

Decrepitude: 0

Warping Score: 0 (0)

Virtues and Flaws: Merchant; Wealthy, Educated, Temporal Influence; Enemies (Verona Politicians), Noncombatant, Weak Characteristics

Personality Traits: Diplomatic +3, Honest +2, Political +2

Combat:

Dodge: Init +0, Attack N/A, Defense +0, Damage N/A

Fist: Init +0, Attack +0, Defense +0, Damage +0

Soak: 0

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

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

Abilities: Animal Handling 1 (horses),

Area Lore: Verona 5 (politics), Artes Liberales 4 (rhetoric), Awareness 2 (alertness), Bargain 3 (city matters), Carouse 3 (staying sober), Civil and Canon Law 4 (Veronese law), Concentration 3 (council meetings), Etiquette 4 (nobility), Folk Ken 4 (townsfolk), Guile 4 (lying to the populace), Hunt 2 (with hounds), Intrigue 5 (alliances), Italian 5 (poetry), Latin 3 (legislation), Leadership 4 (inspiration), Music 1 (compose), Organization Lore: Order of Hermes 2 (magi within Verona), Organisation Lore: Verona Council 5 (personalities), Profession: Councillor 5 (Veronese matters), Profession: Merchant 4 (timber), Ride 3 (distance)

Equipment: A retinue of notaries and advisors

Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Appearance: Migliore is an impeccably dressed man, unafraid to display his wealth where others may see it. His fingers are adorned with rings of gold and gemstones and his clothes bear embroidery of gold and silver thread. He looks well for his 43 years, and his hair is still thick and lustrous, though graying at the temples. But take away the pomp and splendor and he becomes quite unassuming.

Migliore Bevilacqua is a timber merchant by trade, but he found some time ago that the best way to support his business was to enter politics and ensure that his family were best placed to receive substantial orders. He has a love of his city and trusts the strength of its walls and its citizens, but he recognizes that Verona has enemies in Lombardy and beyond. And he knows that Verona cannot afford to be held hostage by the smaller dukedom of Casalmaggiore.

Crossbow: Init +7, Atk +11, Def +6, Dam +8

Treat them as three untrained groups for the purposes of any combat that occurs here.

These guards menace the magi, taking up positions behind them. Neither the Trattato magi nor their guards initiate any violence, but once Patronus and Al-'Aqrab are done, they order the player magi to be removed. One of the combat groups attempts to manhandle the player magi from the hall and escort them from the covenant.

Given that it takes three rounds for the archers to reload, two of these groups switch to their standard weapons if they have cause to shoot their bows. Should the meeting take a violent turn, Patronus uses his array of spells to create various faerie defenders to bolster the mundane guards. Al-'Aqrab quietly and swiftly leaves the scene, quickly trying to entrance any assailants who follow him.

The Trattato may have made a mistake in letting Patronus and Al-'Aqrab secure Castello del Selvaggio, as they are the most likely to betray those they swore oaths with. Coming to an accommodation with these two magi is one option that has a direct influence on how events play out later. For instance, if Al-'Aqrab can be persuaded to abandon the Trattato then they lose the capability to bring down the Aegis of the Hearth. So what do these two magi want? In the first instance, they now have a covenant site. It has a Magical aura and access to vis sources and, crucially for Patronus, access to a strong Faerie regio. This is probably sufficient for Al-'Aqrab. If he can be guaranteed the security of this one gain, then his selfish nature takes over and he abandons Lucia's grand project.

Patronus won't leave just on a selfish whim; he'll need something more. Those with Faerie Lore or House Merinita Lore may recognize Patronus' transformation, and he may be persuaded by offers to help with the final stage.

But neither can be turned if approached together. Such attempts can only be successful if the Trattato magi are approached individually, where their selfish aims have chance to express themselves.

The visiting magi may have to content themselves with leaving apparently empty-handed. But if they think to infiltrate the duke's garrison, they learn how Avedutus casts his spells (a description of the anvil within the strange wagon), which could be exploited in the coming conflict. This also confirms that Avedutus was part of the assault, the means by which the wall was breached, and that it was Avedutus who hunted and killed the exhausted Maximus. They also learn that while Verona is the duke's next tar-

get, there is apparently another smaller target to be taken in the coming action, which has been decided upon by the duke's consort. None present know the location of this secondary target.

They do know that the campaign is to start next spring, once the gains around Selvaggio have been secured. This should give the player magi time to undertake laboratory work.