Malinbois Background

From Project: Redcap

(Last update: 15/8/96)

This page gives some more detailed information about our Covenant, under the following categories:

Setting

The Covenant is located approximately 15 miles southeast of Perpignan in the County of Roussillon, not far from the eastern edge of the Pyrenees. To the west lies a forested region, containing the towns of Belabre, Elne and Thuir. To the east there is only the nearby small Pagan village of Julliac, and then a few miles of marshland to the Mediterranean Sea. Malinbois is a member of the Provencal Tribunal. Nearby Covenants are Dankmar (about 15 miles to the north) and Moonfield (about 30 miles to the west). See the Maps section of the Library for more details.

Location

Santare Hill is surrounded by the Faerie Forest of Collbran. It is two-cragged; on the higher peak there stands a single tree, the fortress itself is atop the lower peak. Lower down the hill there is a small chapel (where the Friar, Jean-Pierre, works in the valetudinarium) and a well. Beneath the hill, there is an extensive network of caverns where the Hrools live. There is also a small tin mine there. (Ward: +1, Watch: +1)

Magic Aura

+1

When the Covenant was founded, the ambient magical Aura of Santare Hill was +4. After a small drake named Cuwain had taken up residence, however, the Aura rose to +5, staying more or less constant for many years. Some few years ago, the Aura dropped back down to +4, and then further down to +3, +2, and finally +1. This was a cause for considerable concern - the reason for the fall is not known, but was a subject of much speculation at Council Meetings. The Aura appears to be currently stable.

Fortress

Inside the Inner Wall, there are three towers where the Magi live, a grog barracks, quarters for the covenfolk (and kitchens), a small store and stables. Between the Inner and Outer Walls, there are more grog quarters, Mordaleus' laboratory, a large smithy, a percamenarium and a large stables which houses the mounts for the cavalry. There are quarters for about 60 grogs, which are full.

Defensibility

The Outer Wall encloses an area 330' by 330'. The Inner Wall encloses an area 180' by 180'. The Outer Wall is 20' high, the Inner Wall 30' high. Both are 5' thick and are in good repair (or were, until Bishop Orris of Perpignan recently brought down the Wrath of God upon the Covenant's buildings!). There are 12 towers on the Outer Wall, and 7 towers on the Inner Wall. There is also a 20' deep dry moat, which contains a foul Brollican to deter anyone who would think of entering it. The moat is spanned by a drawbridge. Overall, it is a quite large, and very sturdy fortress. (Ward: +3, Watch: +3)

Towers

There are 3 separate towers, each with five floors, which house the Magi and the Council Chamber. Detailed plans can be found on the following pages:

Island of Leucate

Fionn has recently located to this island, which is a few leagues off the coast to the east. Leucate has a Magical Aura of +3, and Fionn's Sanctum is now there. (General Quality: +1)

Odette's Sanctum

Odette does not live on Santare Hill either, but in an isolated tower far off in the mountains. (She travels to Council Meetings with the use of a Speculum.) This place used to be the abode of one Varina Procellosus, and has a Magical Regio upto level 6. (General Quality: +2, Auram Specialisation: +3)

Inhabitants

Currently resident at Malinbois there are 14 Magi, 3 Apprentices, 3 Familiars, 9 consors, 18 custos, 40 milites and 19 other covenfolk. See the List of Members for more details. There are a few specialist craftsmen amongst the covenfolk: an ostler, a blacksmith, a weaponsmith, a percamenarius and an armourer.

Grogs

There are 58 grogs in total. Apart from the custos, they are unexceptional troops. They have reasonably good armaments, are fairly well organised, are loyal, with an average amount of training. The current captain is Guy la Foreaux. Previous captains include the superlative swordsman Napoleon and the long-serving former sergeant Braeble. The sergeants are Davis and Tomas, who took over from Oeric when he was killed a few years back. Unbeknownst to most, the newly arrived charismatic bandit leader, Victor, has designs on wresting the Sword of Malinbois from Guy.

Outside World

The Albigensian Crusade which took place in the Val du Seraque came to an end several years ago. Approximately a decade ago, this was the cause of a major split in the Provencal Tribunal. Malinbois joined the contigent, named the Procrustean League, lead by the Covenant of Bellaquin, who supported a policy of intervention in the Crusade. Opposing the formation of the so-called rival `Narbonnese Tribunal' was a powerful faction lead by the Covenant of Doissetep. However the Grand Tribunal of 1228 declared this new Tribunal invalid, and so the Provencal Tribunal returned to its original state, although deep-seated differences remained amongst its members. This rift appeared to have been healed by the time of the most recent Tribunal, Doissetep at 1235.

Hermetic Relations

The Summer Covenant of Malinbois is moderately well-trusted and has a neutral reputation within the Order of Hermes, although some view its precocious expansion and numerous disputes (highlighted at the Tribunals) with distaste. Relations with the nearby covenant of Moonfield are reasonable (differences concerning the local plague have been mostly mended), but there has been some trouble in the past with the closest Covenant, the Winter Covenant of Dankmar.

Faerie Relations

The Covenant was on very good terms with the Seelie Queen Bellantia who resided in the nearby Forest of Collbran. However she has now passed away and the new Queen is Eloise Amoenitas, a former member of Malinbois. Relations with her are quite good, if a little more informal. The Unseelie Queen, Fitheach the Silent, lives in a Faerie Regio within a tree on the other peak of Santare Hill. She was allowed to move in due to a favour owed. Her presence has a caused a few problems, but nothing disastrously bad yet.

See also the Four Fay Courts.

Church Relations

Before his recent (and many would say timely) demise, Bishop Orris of Perpignan hated our guts. He was a fanatical and extremely devout Catholic who regarded us as a bunch of pagan devil-worshippers (largely untrue). He arrived some years ago at Santare Hill and brought down the Wrath of God to destroy our fortress in retribution for the slaying of over 2000 Crusaders by the Senior Magi. This `miracle' was partially successful, destroying the top floors of the towers and some of the other buildings.

Infernal Relations

Mostly very bad. The Devourer is out to get us, and there is a certain corrupt priest, Father Tanchus, who is an enemy. He has so far escaped us, but there are several destructive spells with his name on them! However the Senior Magi did come to an agreement of mutual benefit (or so it seemed) with one Sainella, Negotiator of the Middle Echelons many years ago - but this is highly secret - indeed Fionn seems to have wisely wiped his memory of this event!

Mundane Relations

Baron Thibaud of Thuir was until recently our Liege Lord. However he was killed in mysterious circumstances during the Crusade (he was a Cathar sympathiser). We are on good terms with other Cathar nobles, most notably Viscount Orstadt and Sir Miquel du Cerbere.

Contacts

Malinbois is rather isolated, but our poor contacts have improved somewhat with the arrival of a Redcap, Laurent, and the employment of a `Spymaster' from the Dyer's Guild in Perpignan. (Contacts: -2)

Mystical Attributes

The Covenant is fairly well equipped in this area. The Arcane Library is fairly extensive and over the years a large number of Spell Grimoires have been collected. The magical laboratories are mostly standard, but a few are of superior quality or have been specialised using Covenant funds.

See also the list of Vis Sources and the current Vis Stores.

Magical Artifacts

The friendly Faerie Forest of Collbran surrounds Santare Hill - enemies find it very difficult to make their way through without getting lost. Wearers of the Diadems of the fabled Bell of Ibyn (which is housed in the central cave) also gain advance warning of any wanderers approaching Santare Hill. There are quite a few other Magic Items in the Covenant's stores. (Ward: +2, Watch: +7)

Vis Obligations

The annual ritual to Hades uses two pawns of Vim Vis (see below for details). Also, a tithe of 2 pawns of Rego Vis is paid annually to the Covenant of Val-Negra, given in exchange for an item purchased in 1230, and a tithe is also paid to a Jerbiton from the Covenant of Barcelona, in exchange for an apprentice that was `purchased'. Apart from that, the only other regular expenditure of Vis is for the annual casting of Aegis of the Hearth on the Winter Solstice. There are two versions in the library, usually the 9th magnitude is cast in preference over the 5th magnitude, except when Vis is short.

Surplus Vis is used for Covenant projects, emergencies (such as healing) and for distribution amongst the Magi in payment for Covenant work.

Mundane Resources

Most of the equipment at Malinbois is fairly standard, including the weapons and armour for the Turb. The Mundane Library is reasonably good, with a few exceptional tomes, and it specialises in maps. The Covenant used to own a merchant ship, but this was destroyed by a Sea Giant. Captain and crew are missing presumed drowned. Now the Covenant just owns the remnants of a small fishing fleet (a couple of sorry boats), although we have recently acquired a magical Faerie craft, called a Sea Wife, and funds have been approved for the purchase of more boats. There are also about 22 horses in the stables, most of which belonged to Sir Severin's cavalry.

Sources of Income

The Covenant was moderately wealthy, with an income of about 2000 schillings per annum, but has recently experienced financial difficulties. The bulk of the money comes as profit from the tin mine in the caves underneath Santare Hill. Profit was maximised by getting the small goblins to do most of the work, with the assistance of a magical Faerie Stone, but they have now sadly departed. The income from the Covenant's fishing fleet (based in the nearby coastal village of Hapton) had slumped due to the activities of the Sea Giant (now fortunately slain), but is now picking up again. We also get a tithe of 250 schillings from the estate of Sir Ferrun. Major expenditure is in food and lab equipment.

See also the Treasury.

Obligations

The Covenant is obliged to protect the nearby Pagan village of Julliac (many of the villagers are shapechangers). During the Crusade the residents of the small village were housed temporarily in the caves.

Apart from the tithes, the only obligation of Vis is the two pawns of Vim Vis required for the sacrificial annual ritual to Hades. This is by way of debt. We discovered the result of not performing this ritual - Fionn and Callidus suffered a drastic curse. At one stage we were paying a tithe to the Covenant of Circulus Ruber in the Hibernian Tribunal, but this only lasted for seven years.

The Covenant pays an annual vassalage of 10% of its income.

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