Story Elements

Below are ideas and plot hooks that need resolving by one of the GMs.

Immanola's Grand Prophecy
Immanola the ancient Primus of house Ex Misc gave a prophecy whilst in the presence of Essel, Rian and Cirice. This Prophecy foretold of doom and destruction and announced that the final days were coming. However as Immanola's previous Prophecy didn't come true and as such very few Magi are concerned about this new prophecy at the moment.

"My warnings of destruction and salvation; ignored and squandered. He shall return, though blood and betrayal. Making friends out of slain foes. Chaos approaches, the song has been sung. Ice, blood and darkness shall reign across Hermes children. Yet, Hope remains; sundered across ten and three. ''Harken to me, The Final Days are Nigh!" ''

Regional Plots
Covenant's Centralised Kingdom Location All the lands in this area are owned. If the covenant becomes known it will need to explain its presence and come to some sort of terms with the lord and owner. Until then we best be careful keeping it secret. ''With Templar patrols and several of our members becoming more and more known to the peaks of nobility there are some with concerns over how well the secret can be kept... Moreso now that 'Fairhaven' could well be entering into conversation.''

Ruined Covenant Site The ruins beneath our covenant are still somewhat of a mystery. We know it has a deep history. Originally a Roman Temple to a forgotten deity stood here. Later a Covenant of the Order was settled here, but it was destroyed two hundred years ago during the Schism War. Who knows what treasures our forebears have left us... or what secrets they would rather left forgotten.. ''Besides Tancred that is.. Of course, those in the 'No Mages Club' have more insight on both what lies beneath Sagehollow and what lies in Tancred's past.''

Tasks to Complete
Assart Rights Forestry in Sherwood is dictated though the assart rights provided in the name of the king by his Foresters, these men are servants of the king and of the Sheriff of Nottingham; Robert Gisgard. Could Sagehollow utilize these rights to support a greater and more legal form of income? Arianwen has become known to Prince John and Essel has begun to manipulate Rohen d'Aincourt.

Agents With so many mundane villages and noble estates around Sherwood, the covenant will require agents to keep tabs on the local area, hear about any intriguing information and if necessary remove problematic issues which could threaten the magi. ''We have made a couple of associates, especially in the criminal circles of Nottingham. We'll probably have to pay for any information though.'' 'A meeting has been requested with leaders of Sagehollow by The Fox - a crime boss in Nottingham - twice. This must be done before Autumn 1193, and he may prove a useful ally...'

Monastery Monasteries of Mythic Europe often contain the greatest collections of mundane knowledge outside of the Order of Hermes. Sagehollow luckily has one of these nearby, if they could be convinced to trade, then Sagehollow's library will grow to contain books of Philosophae and Artes Liberales. The Cistercian Abbey has been mentioned in game - further narrative to be written once discussions with the GM have been had. ''We have managed to obtain a vast number of such books. There seems to be no trouble having the Monastery so close for now.''

Robin Hood Robin will stop at nothing to make sure that Giscard gets his comeuppance. Robin is also looking to improve the lives of the common folk, by raiding the caravans of the Sheriff and returning the stolen goods back to them. However, if this were to be connected to the covenant, it would be highly dangerous. ''Before we can persuade Robin and his men to retire, we need to deal with Robert Giscard. Baron Richard of Blyde and Giles of Vennes may prove useful to this end.'' ''Giscard has shown that he intends to show a firmer hand. He knows of Sagehollow and has (mostly accurate) descriptions of many of its inhabitants, but as yet does not know where it is to be found...''

Knights Templar - Manor at Wishborne In 1185 King Henry II gave the Knight Templar the hospital at Newark as their base of operations in England, this lead to the Knights Templar gaining the Manor at Wishborne, only a stones throw from the covenant. The new King; Richard Cœur de Lion, has decreed that the knights are immune to the crimes of Danegeld (viking tax), Murdrum (Assassination/Murder in Secret) and Latrocinium (Guerrilla Warfare). This would make Templar's either great friends or foes to the magi. Evelyn has seemingly had peace with the Templars, though in doing so their presence has increased in Sherwood.

Marian and Rohen of Farnesfield Marian, the former Lady of Farnesfield, was kept in Gresham Abbey and her son driven away, with the village being controlled by its sheriff. Perhaps this bears looking into. ''Rohen d'Aincourt has reclaimed his land to much annoyance. He is an ally of Ser Humphrey (Essel) and Fairhaven (Sagehollow).''

Rylon The Black Dog of Sherwood Forest, Rylon, has began to form a friendly relationship with some members of Sagehollow, particularly Chimi and Osanna. Perhaps a more formal alliance could be struck to safeguard one another from danger when needed, to reduce the covenant's dependence on the Aegis and its secluded nature. ''Essel and Arianwen plan to head to Hibernia on a quest from Rylon. This may be the first step.''

Other Ongoing Plots
Arianne and Giscard Arianne's sister, Erin, is being held hostage in Nottingham Castle, forcing Arianne to spy on the covenant and report back to Giscard. Her spying has become known to Sagehollow, who have agreed to help her feed Giscard accurate (but often ineffectual) information. This is only a short term solution, however; her sister must be freed. The longer Arianne is forced to give information to Giscard, the more likely Giscard is to demand more harmful information. If given, this could compromise the security of Sagehollow, and if not, it would risk Giscard growing tired of Arianne's inactionable information, opting instead to recapture her and execute both sisters to regain the standing he'd lost from her escape at Normanston. Erin will be freed as soon as is practicable - if The Fox becomes an ally, then he will be consulted regarding what insight or help he can offer towards this end.

Lady Tessora After the Miracle of Summerbridge, Lady Tessora has been blessed by God and charged with being His Sword upon the earth. This newfound power qualifies her - in the eyes of Hermetic Society - as being equivalent to a mage of the Order, and therefore subject to the same laws and customs. It is probably only a matter of time before House Mercere discovers this, and extends a formal "invitation"...

Unity in Stonehenge As part of Essel's goal of uniting The Stonehenge Tribunal, arrangements have been made to boycott the 1193 Tribunal in the hope of forcing Blackthorn into conceding some power, not to Voluntas but to Ungulus which Essel and Julia hope will host the next Tribunal. To this end Essel has agreed to two tasks. Finding out why a Faerie Lord seeks Espera of Ungulus and why Parsirus of Ungulus was slain by a dragon. ''Flavius of Ungulus secretly passed Essel a clue to finding the Faerie Lord. While the time has passed, study of the stars may reveal a future occurance.'' Blackthorn has been made aware of the boycott and have opted to instead declare a postponement with the agreement to a smaller gathering between Blackthorn, Voluntas and Sagehollow.

The Múspelli Sagehollow uncovered a plot in 1192 by a Múspell to conduct a ritual around an Irminsul to help bring about Ragnarök. Under the advice of Torvi, Arianwen thwarted this plot and took the Irminsul to Sagehollow. Time will tell if this will raise the ire of the Múspelli. A servant of Gullveig has some kind of connection to the Múspelli, and has shown a desire to claim authority over nearby folk witches. She was searching for Torvi (by name) in 1189, and has encountered Arianne during her search.

Isle of Man Torvi was told of this last bastion of Norse Paganism in Britain, and wishes to visit at some point. Torvi and Silk have agreed to travel to the Island to learn more about the Múspelli.

Gwaelod In pursuit of recovering Ceridwen's Cauldron, Cirice has discovered the legendary kingdom of Cantre'r Gwaelod, locked in a regio beneath Cardigan Bay. Its seven loyalist houses are perpetually locked in a civil war against the renegade eighth, and need help from Sagehollow to prevail and release Ser Morfran, who can give her more information. Cirice is currently researching "The Temple of Light", pursuant to helping the loyal clans win their war (or at least, to not lose it).

The Ascians Little has been uncovered of this enigmatic group. The covenant has learned that a servant of Gullveig (affiliated with the Múspelli) has been seeking an alliance with them.

Gresham Church After the death of ten of Will Scarlet's Chosen Men at the ghostly battlefield in the Gresham Barrows, Tessora has taken it upon herself to persuade the nuns of Gresham Abbey to permit a church being built at the site, granting their souls - and all those of the other combatants - rest from their eternal battle.

Magi
Arianwen - Tormenting Master (Emrys) Arianwen's Parens leads a pack of fellow Bjornaer and is angry that she choose to leave and live an independant life by moving to Sagehollow. There is no doubt that Emrys intends to force her to return to the fold.

Cirice - Dark Secret (Ceridwen was Diedne) As yet Cirice has kept her secret, though some historic descriptions have been seen by Torvi. She remains resolute and perhaps fearful of its discovery by Tancred. Will this be possible once she succeeds in unlocking Priftana and speaking with Morfran who no doubt knows the fact but not its secrecy.

Edric - Mentor Occultes, the leader of the Linden gild of magi in the Rhine tribunal has taken an extra interest in his filius' filius Edric since their time together at Durenmar. Often acting as a mentor to the academically gifted magi and providing aid whenever possible. However, there will likely come a time where Occultes has need of Edrics unique talents, after all, he has done much to help his young magi... ''Edric has been granted aide by his sodales. Has he considered quid pro quo?''

Essel - Tenens Occultorum Tasked with Keeping Magical Secrets out of the hands of Mundanes, Cataloging Magical Sites and Retrieving Missing Texts. Essel holds the position of Spring Tenens within House Bonisagus giving the young maga a responsability across the Britannia, Hibernia, Loch Leglean and Stonehenge Tribunals. The Redcaps and other magi trianoma in those areas are expected to help with this but the position is hers.

Evelyn - Envied Beauty Jealousy and female paranoia follows in Evelyns wake, though she herself is oblivious to it. Who knows what trouble could come of this.. ''A number of individuals have had their heads turned by Evelyn passing. Talks of angels and witchcraft among the Templars and religious penance during her visit to Gresham Nunnery are only the start.''

Companions
Lady Tessora of Artois - Gender Nonconforming Due to Tessora's belief that she is a knight regardless of her gender, she often conducts herself - and expects to be treated - in a way that is only applied to men in English society. People may take issue with this; nobility may be offended by her claiming the rank of knight, low-born warriors may feel emasculated by her, or the church may believe her claims of being blessed by the Divine to be the fanciful imaginings of a delusional woman. ''While the Templars have seemingly tolerated Tessora in previous encounters, tales of Summerbridge are likely to have spread. Will they be so forgiving as rumours of a holy woman go from village to village?'' ''Baron Louisoix d'Valerian has been ordered by Prince John to strip Lady Tessora of her knightly accoutrements. Tessora refused, to which Louisoix left, promising to inform the Prince of her lack of cooperation. Tessora plans to gather character witnesses to testify to her knightly behaviour.''

Rohen d'Aincourt - Devoted Lord Farnesfield has been through interesting times and its people are looking to their new lord to bring stability and improvement. He, of course, feels compelled to help in whatever way he can, come what may.

Tancred - Oath of Fealty A crusader born in the 10th century, Tancred met and befriended the Magus, Darius of Flambaeu. During their time together, Tancred swore his enteral service to the Order of Hermes. While assisting his friend with putting the heathens of House Diedne to the blade, Tancred was trapped in time. Now freed nearly 200 years later, he must find his place in this new world, in which his oath to the Order still remains. ''Baron Louisoix d'Valerian has been ordered by Prince John to demand Tancred find a leige-lord before Winter. Due to his Oath to the Order, Tancred plans to ask Lord Ethelbert of Wilton to nominally take him into his household, presumably in exchange for something from Sagehollow or himself.''

Torvi Ylvakrí - Pagan Torvi's Paganism is fairly apparent to others. She is unwilling to feign Christianity on principle, such as attending mass or observing Christian holidays. Even when dressed in normal attire, her strange appearance, mannerisms and accent may draw unwanted attention and cause issues; let alone if she is seen in her traditional garb and performing a Pagan ritual.

Potential Hooks Encountered
Prince John Arianwen has struck up the beginnings of a potential friendship with Prince John. This could be leveraged for great political gain.

Captain Sabre and The Naglfar This feline captain and his largely female crew were encountered by Cirice. His memory was faulty but it was hinted he was once the familiar of a late mage of the order. How did Sabre survive?

The North Sea A shipbound spring Covenant of 'mad' mages who sail the North and occasionally Irish Seas causing trouble. Do they belong to the tribunal?

Eustace the Pirate King A highly feared pirate whose home is at the channel isle. His past transgressions were forgiven by King Richard in exchange for ferrying crusaders. His flag bears a devil upon a black background.

Rufus and his hunters The Redcap Rufus found himself targeted by a determined group who he barely managed to escape from. Who were they, and why did they attack him?

White Crow Evelyn wishes to visit Casubon of Verditius, as the only other member of the house in the Stonehenge Tribunal.

Tancred and Tessora's Knighthoods Both Ser Tancred and Lady Tessora are, despite their genuine nobility, susceptible to a forceful inquiry by interested parties; neither has a leige-lord, Tancred bears the coat of arms of a man centuries dead, and Tessora is obviously a woman and thus not capable of claiming the title of Knight.

Future Historical Events
1193: The first Tribunal to happen since the covenant's foundation takes place at Blackthorne 1195: The Quaesitor Trutina arrives in England, joining the Burnham covenant. 1195: The first Grand Tribunal since Sagehollow's foundation takes place at Durenmar - will Essel attend to further her political ambitions?. 1198: The first "Contest of Verditius" takes place - Evelyn is obliged to attend. 1198: Pope Innocent III is elected to the Papacy, he announces the Fourth Crusade in 1202 and Albigensian Crusade in 1209; One of the most dangerous Popes in the Orders history. 1199: King John takes the throne, following Richard's death. C. 1200: Scintilla of Flambeau and her filius Focus arrive from eastern europe, joining the Burnham covenant. 1201: The Stonehenge Tribunal learns of the existence of Sachiko of Burnham. 1202: The Fourth Crusade Begins; Will Tancred and Tessora answer the papal call to war? 1204: The Sack of Constantinopolis. 1208: Redcaps raise the issue of magically created silver as 'interfering with mundanes' causing the rule of 'No covenant may put more than two pounds of magically created silver per resident into circulation each year. 1208: Immanola stops moving. 1216: Immanola is declared fully Twilighted, and is replaced by Ebrion. 1216: King Henry III takes the throne. 1216: The second Contest of Verditius takes place. 1220: The Flambeau mage William Fireheart of Ungulas dies in a Wizard's War in France. 1228: The Second Grand Tribunal takes place since Sagehollow's foundation.

Several apprentice magi in Stonehenge becoming full magi.