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Winter 1097

Desperate to get to sea while the last fine days of Autumn last the Covenant holds brief sea trials of the Stag's Blessing, circumnavigating the island and declaring the ship seaworthy. A couple of days later they sail to the Rock of the Birds, and met with the bird Elders, giant Cormorants named Thought, Memory and Speech. These Elders (speaking with the voices of a multitude of birds) offered to send Liutfred home to Germany, at great cost (his ability to speak to animals), but he declined. Instead the Magi agreed a deal to purchase the service of the Storm Crow (thief) sent to spy on them so that he could not carry a message back to his former employers. His new orders were simply to report nothing to anyone.

One trip done in safety and the weather still holding the Stag's Blessing set sail again, this time for the slightly more distant island that had been observed sporting fires and smoke. Two days sail brought the crew to a strange low island covered in trees of great thickness, the ground made of hot sand. On this island they encountered giant Boars, fully the size of the largest of Oxen, that snorted steam and breathed fire. Coveting these creatures for meat, hide and vis the crew spent many days hunting and attempting to trap them. In the end, and only after both Hans and Rolf were badly hurt, Landolf was able to bring down a single Boar with the last of his arrows, and haul the carcass aboard ship.

With their holds full, and a number of wounded crew, the Blessing was eager to return home, sadly Thief had other ideas. No sooner had the ship put back to sea than the Storm Crow appeared and summoned up a storm, blowing the ship far off course!

Autumn 1097

The season opens far from auspiciously. At the Equinox the Magi meet to elect a new Council, instead they come into open conflict with the Grogs, who attempt to hold the Magi to ransom by witholding food, demanding greater powers, and more effort on returning to Germany. Magus Hans is discovered to have been behind the plot and is censured by the other Magi. An agreement is eventually reached that sees the Magi and Grogs forming their own independent councils with shared responsibility over the Covenant. Elections are held to fill these new councils (for a term of a year) and Clementine spends much of the Autumn drawing up a new Covenant charter, as well as creating her own house (a thing filled with magical mishaps).

Other strange omens also attend the Equinox. The tide rises, ghosts walk from the sea, and the Magi encounter the spirit of a Tremere who claims to be in Twilight, having fallen at a final battle between the Order and the Diedne some years in the future! A day or two later Landolf captures a Storm Crow sent by parties unknown to spy on the Covenant (While Rolf creates a diplomatic incident by wounding a Fox). This creature is kept in a cage for most of the season, the Magi having been informed by Renaux of the danger in killing any birds. Magus Hans is particularly cruel to the creature.

Despite the strange goings on work continues on the ship building, until at last the vessel is complete towards the end of the season. A few days before it's completion Rolf experiences a strange dream or vision of the Great Stag and awakes to discover that he has carved a leaping stag for a figurehead. He declares that the ship is under the Stag's blessing, and suggests that name for the vessel.

Summer 1097

By the start of Summer both Hans and Vilmar are wounded by the attempt to get into Adara's former lab. Although the lab is now open, little research is done, instead those who can investigate it, while others turn their attention to the continuing food shortage. With Rolf aiding the farmers and Hans joining the hunters, as well as Clementine trading with the foxes, it looks like things may finally be more secure come winter.

At the same time the grogs spend much time preparing for the building of a ship, while Wernerus and Gerke read over the shipbuilding books and plan a design. Trees are felled, rope is wound, planks are sawn and seasoned, moss and seaweed gathered for caulking, and a place for building made ready. There is still no sail, however, and it seems unlikely that this ship can be built in time to face what now seems an almost inevitable raid by the same creatures that slew the old Covenant. As of now the only plausible defence seems likely to be retreating to the Stag's mountain and abandoning the Covenant.

Finally the island is at last declared to be a real Covenant, and a tribunal of Magi formed. It is agreed that come the auspicious conjunction on the Autumn Equinox the government of the Covenant will be decided, and perhaps a Primus chosen. Few fail to notice that Hoffnung begins his campaign for the position early, acting as if he is already in charge.

Spring 1097

In general you spend the Spring digging in. Food and shelter are in short supply, as are any sorts of working spaces for the Magi. Mostly you turn your hands to making the ruins of the Covenant useful as living space. Rolph and Hoffnung both assist in building shelters, uncovering the caves, and erecting a bank and palisade to surround the Covenant. Big earth moving projects have to take second place to gathering food and basic supplies, however. Hunting, gathering plants, and trying to make fields to grow food, take up most of the time available, so although there is a bank and a bit of a ditch by the end of the season, there isn't really any sort of wall, let alone solid defences. Most people are living in the caves, or in the lower floor of the tower, and conditions are still very basic. There are no working labs.

On the magical front things are little more advanced. Wernerus, Vilmar and Gerke spend the season going through much of what's left of the Library, learning about the island, and the realm. Clementine solidifies relations Renaux, your new ally, and Hans and Hoffnung search for magical resources, auras, vis, and other interesting places. You discover the cave of stone (with an aspected Terram aura), the stone boat pool (which appears to chart moving auras) and some plausible vis sources.

Winter 1096

Six young Magi accept a commission from Constandios of Kasterberg to search for his missing Fillius Manius and the lost Covenant of Incerta Spes. They travel overland from Magdeberg to the Frisian coast, and discover the Covenant abandoned. Clementine activates some sort of magical device that transports the group to a Magical Regio with no obvious way out.