Silbury
Covenant Members
Magi
Sidies
166 years old, 135 since apprenticeship. Filius of Duraldus, follower of Bonisagus. Sidies has been mediocre all his life, and has abjectly failed to shine as a theoretician, while his performance in politics was dismal. Continued failure has not made him bitter, although he has never trained an apprentice, but has merely sunk him in depression and apathy. He joined Silbury because there he could fade into the background without having to worry about things. Now, he is working on ways to extend life, aiming to become the oldest magus in the Tribunal, and maybe the Order, hoping to shine at survival at least.
Kagaruskak
158 years old, 129 since apprenticeship. Filia of Joanna, follower of Criamon. Kagaruskak has not been seen since she joined the covenant five years ago. She is still there, as she eats her food, and leaves notes for the servants, along with her sigil and voting instructions at Tribunals, but no-one has seen her in the flesh. Inside her laboratory, she works on her great project to understand the Enigma. Her laboratory is wrapped about with magical devices and spells to prevent all intrusion, magical or physical, and within she is creating magical devices that allow scrying. She has been studying this all her life, and now her masterpiece is almost ready. This is a device which will allow her to experience, with all her sense, everything that is going on within the Tribunal. When she finally activates it, it will almost certainly send her very spectacularly into Twilight. But that, of course, is probably as close to her aim as any other result.
Glaniger
160 years old, 128 since apprenticeship. Filius of Pilosus, follower of Flambeau. Glaniger is the youngest magus in the covenant, and thus the one with lowest status. He resents this, since he thinks that his record merits him more consideration. Over the last century and more, he has been hunting down exotic magi all over Britain, delighting in the challenge as much as the fight. Now, he feels that the Order he fought for has let him down, and he is plotting revenge, on Silbury and the Tribunal in general. So far, his plans are not very advanced, but he is considering stealing much of the money and the Hermetic library and running off to form a renegade covenant of some description, which would spend its time attacking others.
Carnifex
162 years old, 138 since apprenticeship. Filius of Guanilla, follower of Flambeau. A Perdo specialist, Carnifex has slipped into senility as he has aged. He now suffers from frequent delusions in which he believes that he is hunting down demons and their servants. At first, these bouts seemed likely to devastate the covenant, but Praenestus crafted a device which neutralises his spells, and replaces them with illusions of the desired effect. This device is bound to his forehead, where it hides itself from his view, although everyone else can see the gem glittering brightly, held in by a net of gold. So now, he wanders the covenant, leaving a trail of destruction that disappears as soon as he passes out of sight. The servants and residents are used to his behaviour, and visitors are warned of what to expect. It is generally believed that he will slip into Twilight soon, and some magi are a little nervous that Praenestus's device might fail at that point.
Septima
171 years old, 146 since apprenticeship. Filia of Sextus, follower of Jerbiton. Sextus was a magus of Tremere, and so was Septima for most of her career. As she became old, however, she tired of the constant reaching for power, and wanted to retire to enjoy herself in study and contemplation. Accordingly, she applied to House Jerbiton, and to Silbury, leaving Spina Nigra and Tremere behind her. That was twenty five years ago, and she has been at Silbury ever since. She really appreciates the refuge that it has offered, and has become the unofficial representative of the covenant, since she doesn't mind spending time talking to visitors. Although she loves Silbury as a home, she will not easily be moved to action: after all, the whole point of coming here was to avoid that.
Sibilla
50 years old, 35 since apprenticeship. Filia of John, follower of Mercere. Sibilla is an eager, earnest Redcap, who manages to annoy people by being a bit too earnest. She will insist that they must have messages that need delivering - after all, all magi need to stay in touch. She will travel to any covenant that hasn't been heard from in a while, and try to chivvy them into writing to someone. Thus, she was the one to discover the remains of Fulmen Candidum. She cites these as an example of what happens when you don't send letters, so start writing, now.
Johanna
61 years old, 46 since apprenticeship. Filia of Julia, follower of Mercere. Johanna is all business. She will turn up at a covenant, deliver messages and collect those to be taken, and leave again, all without talking more than is necessary. She will not participate in any great feasts laid on for her benefit, but neither will she take offence at poor treatment. She wants to build a reputation as a perfectly efficient Redcap, to disguise the fact that she doesn't have a great natural talent for travelling and bearing messages.
Lampasca
156 years old, 132 since apprenticeship. Filia of Helena, follower of Guernicus. Lampasca is a staunch Traditionalist, but she is proud of her fairness in all judgements. She will not hesitate to disadvantage her own covenant if that is the way that justice inclines. She is somewhat worried by Spina Nigra's actions, and, as the presiding Quaesitor at Tribunals, makes sure that they don't get away with anything outside the Code. She trained Polinaces, at Insula Sancta, but she is more interested in the living tradition of the Quaesitores: she will undertake investigations thoroughly, rigorously, and impartially.
Julius
176 years old, 145 since apprenticeship. Filius of Cincinnatus, follower of Tremere. Julius is a bitter individual. He joined Silbury in a bid for power, and hoped to survive long enough to become Praeco. Now, he is the oldest magus in the Tribunal, but because the relevant time is that since apprenticeship, he is not Praeco. Soon, he will risk a subtle attack on Praenestus, because he is sure that he can convince Septima to step aside: after all, she doesn't want the responsibility. Or, alternatively, he will try to convince the Tribunal that the correct basis for choosing the Praeco is actual physical age. Either way, once he has the position, he will use it to increase his own power, bringing Spina Nigra under his sway, and then allowing them to increase in power, carrying him with them.
Praenestus
170 years old, 147 since apprenticeship. Praeco. Filius of Artaura, follower of Verditius. Praenestus is something of a mystery to the magi of the Tribunal. He has been a member of Silbury for thirty years, and is an Arch-Mage. There are stories of the great items that he has crafted, and of his exploits, but since he joined Silbury there has been nothing. He crafted the item for Carnifex, and he serves well as Praeco, running Tribunals with a great deal of fairness, but he takes no initiative. The reason is simple: he is struggling with Twilight. He has been on the verge of Final Twilight for thirty four years, and he has managed to stave it off by channeling his magic into devices, and other tricks that he has devised over the years. He dare not cast a spell, for that would almost certainly push him over the edge, and he only risked crafting Carnifex's item because the wild magic flying around was pushing him towards the brink.
Companions
William of Avebury
The Autocrat and treasurer of the covenant, William is responsible for handing out the money, and making sure that it is well spent, as well as ensuring that the covenant is well organised. This is a job he does very well, and with scrupulous honesty. So far. He has, however, been carefully manipulating and changing the systems so that, if he wanted, he could embezzle large sums of money easily and invisibly. He could now siphon off �500 per year from the income, and the same from the reserves, without there being much chance of anyone noticing. He is hoping to get a charm to protect him from magic in the near future, because he dare not take his money away with him while there is a chance that the magi will find him. At the moment, no-one has any reason to distrust him: he is efficient, well-paid, and enthusiastic in his job.
Grogs
All the grogs are armed with swords and armoured with chain mail: and their equipment is well-maintained. What is more the covenant keeps fifty grogs in this manner, and trains them as well. As a result, the covenant could face any mundane attack. Glaniger plans to take some grogs with him when he deserts.
Covenant Site
The covenant is within Silbury Hill. This site no longer has a magical aura, but the protective enchantments that keep it hidden from the outside world have survived. Avebury Stone Circle is very close indeed.
Covenant Buildings
One, the Hill. The covenant is a series of rooms within the hill, all windowless and lit by enchanted crystals of quartz fixed to the walls. The buildings are well-maintained, especially the Great Hall where tribunals take place, and the guest quarters.
The Great Hall is in the centre of the hill, and is octagonal, rising to a peak like a tholos tomb. The blocks making up the walls are of many colours, and they form abstract patterns which serve as decoration. The floor is decorated with a mosaic representing the first Tribunal at Durenmar. Scattered around the room are fine chairs, carved from wood, upholstered, and sometimes gilded. There is a raised dais against one side, with a throne and a lectern. The dais is covered by a scarlet canopy, and both the throne and the lectern are gold. The Praeco sits on the throne, and the presiding Quaesitor stands at the lectern, which bears a copy of the Peripheral Code during Tribunals. Both are enchanted, the lectern to assist with finding references and to protect the Quaesitor from interference, and the throne to protect the Praeco, make sure that he can be heard in all parts of the Hall, and bring any comments to his attention.
The guest quarters are all close to the Great Hall. Every guest is assigned a suite of three rooms: an ante-chamber, for the entertainment of guests; a study; and a bedroom/bathroom. The studies are all marked as sancta, with a space in which the magus's own symbol can be put while he is present. The rooms are all furnished in fine woods, with tapestries on the walls and rugs on the floor. Several gold ornaments and other works of art complete the picture in the ante-chamber, while the study also contains a few books: basic works on Hermetic History, Lore and Law. (Target level 1, no teaching bonus) These books are brilliantly and expensively illuminated. All guests are assigned a grog and a servant during their stay, although they may dismiss these and bring their own if they prefer. During the Tribunal, most meals are taken in your own chambers, and the ante-rooms are the site of most plotting. They are not magically spied upon, because they would be caught.
The rest of the covenant is equally opulent, with large laboratories for the magi, and even good quarters for the servants.
Constitution
All power is held by the magi, and the longer that you have been a magus, not necessarily at Silbury, the more power you have. The covenant is very wealthy (see below), and the money granted to a magus is calculated according to age, similarly for the number of servants assigned. The same is true of vis, although the draining of magic means that the covenant has less vis available than before. The effect of this constitution has been to fill the covenant with old magi, and mean that the Praeco of the tribunal has been here for the last century and a half.
Mystical Attributes
Library
The arcane library is excellent, but old. None of the magi in residence contribute to it, nor can they get much benefit from it. Nevertheless, there are about three hundred volumes here, with Rego and Terram particularly strong: there are texts on those arts with target levels of 28 and 30 respectively, and these have been commented and glossed to improve their worth. The library could teach you up to these levels.
Laboratories
Most laboratories are similarly excellent, since the covenant can afford to pay for the additional materials. All of them are at least +1, and two (which go to the Praeco and presiding Quaesitor) are +5. The resident magi do not want to spend the time improving them, but the covenant has the necessary lab texts, and might be willing to hire other magi to do the work, for money or for access to the library.
Vis Supplies
Very limited now. The covenant gets only 12 pawns of vis per year, 4 Creo and 8 Corpus, and thus it would be willing to trade for Vim vis. After all, none of the residents want to waste seasons on that sort of thing. They are might trade vis for vis, but money or, again, access to the library would be preferred payment.
Magical Artifacts
Lots. The throne and lectern are mentioned under the description of the buildings. There are also a number of other items, including three major ones.
Other Notes
At the heart of the covenant there is a magical fountain, which bubbles up with gold. It is not a source of vis, but it does provide the covenant with one hundred pounds of gold every year, an income of �2000 sterling, more or less.
Mundane Resources
Income and Reserves
The covenant's only income comes from the fountain. Still, it is quite adequate to keep it in fine state. Magi receive �1 per year for every year that has passed since they became a full magus, a total of �1181 per year. The rest goes on general maintenance of the covenant, accomodation of Tribunal visitors, and about �200 into reserves every year. The reserves currently stand at �75000, all in gold.
Mundane Library
The mundane library, being expanded by the librarian with a large budget, is superb. It contains about three hundred books, and could teach a student up to a score of 8 in just about any knowledge, including Area Lore for the Stonehenge, Loch Leglean, Hibernian, Normandy, and Provencal Tribunals. It is kept in a separate room from the arcane library.
Equipment
Anything they want, and of good quality. Since the magi do not travel much, this tends to go on fine furniture and the like, and thus counts more as treasure.
Treasure
Apart from �75000 in cash, the covenant has a lot of jewellery, art, and fine furniture. There are hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of treasure here.
Other Notes
Any mundane resource that the covenant wants, it can buy. This includes castles: they have the cash to build a superb castle in under a year, and hire the army needed to man it. Of course, none of the covenant members are interested in doing that sort of thing.
Relations
Hermetic
Stonehenge Tribunal
General Interaction
Reputation
Silbury is full of old and powerful magi, and has libraries and laboratories that are the envy of most covenants. However, it is firmly placed in Winter, because it does nothing. The magi just sit on the resources, and deal with their own concerns. Generous souls might place it in Autumn, but it is nearly dead, and one catastrophe could push it over the edge. It might not even survive the loss of its magical aura.
Redcaps
Fantastic accommodation, but the magi are too introverted to be much interested in news. It has the advantage that you can stay here and rest without being pestered for indiscreet gossip. They don't have much use for Redcaps either, except when announcing the Tribunals, but it is a good idea to pop in for a week or so to make sure if you are in the south of England.
Quaesitores
Home of the Praeco, and the presiding Quaesitor, and has been for years. Reliable, quiet, but powerful enough to not be influenced by Spina Nigra. It is a bulwark and a good neutral place to hold Tribunals, so they will be reluctant to rule against it, especially since Spina Nigra would almost certainly try to take over the role of Praeco.
Other Covenants
Cad Gadu
Caligo Fulgens Crepusculi
Domus Doctrinae
Insula Sancta
A long way off, and old. The resentment of exotics coloured the early relations between these covenants, and so they have remained cold, with no love lost.
Peregrinatores Glandis
Rosa Aurea
Another reliable bunch, devoted to the status quo. There is not much contact between the covenants, but what there is is friendly.
Schola Pythagoranis
Silbury has barely noticed the existence of this covenant.
Scopulus Ungularum
Distant. Some of the members of Silbury can remember Hector, and they tend to look down on his successors for the mess that they have made of the covenant.
Spina Nigra
Turris Papilionum
Other Tribunals
Non-Hermetic
History
Silbury was founded in 855, the first covenant in the Tribunal to have no non-Hermetic antecedents. As such, in the early years the members saw themselves as bearing the banner of Hermeticism amid barbarians, and some of the Flambeau members gained a reputation for over-vigorous pursuit of exotic magi, which did not endear them to the rest of the Tribunal. The covenant was badly affected by the corruption of House Tytalus, with two diabolists of the House being found among its members. A thorough investigation cleared the other members, but still they lost much prestige and confidence. Since then, no Tytalus magi have been allowed to join the covenant.
It was expected that the covenant would be very active in the Schism War, given its previous actions, but it was, instead, rather reticent, too unsure of its standing in the Order and the Tribunal to risk taking sides. Thus, it emerged from the war with little credit, but still intact. The fountain of gold ensured financial security, and the magi of the covenant met to discuss the best way of ensuring that they always had the required standing in the Tribunal. They recognised that relying on outstanding members was not a viable prospect, since it was always impossible to guarantee that such members would continue to join. Instead, they framed the constitution granting status and wealth based on age, reasoning that a covenant full of older magi would always have power, experience, and probably the Praeco, and that the covenant's status would thus be secured.
The scheme worked. The age of the resident magi increased drastically, and within a few decades the unbroken run of Praecos had begun. The covenant's status within the Tribunal was assured, but the sense of community was destroyed: most members had come from other covenants, to finish their lives amid excellent resources, and had no desire to improve the covenant, or to form it into a bulwark of good Hermetic values. And so it entered on a curious kind of decline, losing all its spirit while the body remained intact.
Copyright David Chart 1995-1998
