Difference between revisions of "Avalon"

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The Covenant of Avalon

Location and best known for

From the ordinary world Avalon is reachable by a gatehouse up the hill on the east side of Glastonbury. The gatehouse appears to be set into the hillside, and is always staffed. From Faerie, it sits astride a tangle of the network of Arthurian trods, and just across the marsh from the lands about Camelot, in a huge faerie regio adjoining Avalon. On one memorable occasion Martin's Mere island, which travels the Arthurian trods most winters, crashed into Avalon's gatehouse. The Faerie tunnels into Avalon change frequently, and have defied any attempt to keep track of them, except that we do tell everyone the spiders are assigned to find and guard tunnels.

Within, Avalon is a fair hillside with about twenty houses clustered near the centre, a central hall, kitchens and a solid stone Library. Further down are farms and various Grog houses. The most obvious landmark is the twenty-five foot high Spider Garden between Geliqué's house and lab. We recommend the Strawberry Tarts made by the fairest granddaughter of Old Wyot, in a house near the swamp.

To the Order of Hermes Avalon is perhaps best known either for its fine library or its long-running feud with Stonehenge Covenant. The Library includes a high-quality set of Arts Summae but the many excellent tractatus by Duris Custos also deserve a mention. Other books that may draw the curious include Merlin's Diary (original in Cornish with some Latin words), some Perso-Arabic acquisitions in Winter 1239 and the range of mundane subjects including legerdemain and chicken farming.

Magi

The four older Avalon magi tend to keep to themselves and are but seldom seen at Tribunal. In practise 'they are always arguing with each other about something and it's never important.'

Anna Ex Miscellanea - occasional source of information when the Arthurian story cycle has been tampered with and needs fixing. NPC

Desdevarious of Merinita - loves cows. Quite certain of himself. NPC

Moira of York, Bjornaer - possibly the oddest of a strange bunch. NPC

Stephen of Jerbiton - I guess he gets on with the local nobles? No confirmed sightings outside breakfast. NPC

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PC Magi:

Hugh of Flambeau: Hugh is a well known Hoplite with a minor reputation of having been raised by diabolists. He served as Marshall of Stonehenge for seven years after being appointed at Tribunal, and led a small force of magi to destroy the invading army of giants, dragons and witches in Loch Leglean after this army had wiped out Brabonicum Covenant, Jarrow Covenant, and the Mercer House in London via Brabonicum's Gate. Hugh is possibly the biggest reason Stonehenge don't declare Wizard's War on Avalon. (Those who know him better say he's a nice man who goes out of his way to save children in distress, and it's not his fault he smells of sulphur).

Aisling of Merinita: Aisling is well known both for her announcement that she had developed a way to guarantee a baby has The Gift and for her very visible and beautiful body. Although she must be considerably older, Aisling, Gentle Gifted, still only looks about twenty and would definitely make Venus jealous. These days she does wear a long dress from neck to calf, but it takes a while to realise this as it is woven from transparent spidersilk.

Scriptor of Tytalus: Scriptor is in charge of the Library, and has authority over all book trades. It is known in some circles that he is a Holy Magus. Other than that - well he seems to like to travel? Five of them have been off to Africa and Asia, but he has the best Arabic of the magi. Although normally gifted, Scriptor does not have other social handicaps.

Aiobhe of Verditius: Aiobhe is best known for her offer to heal anyone from Stonehenge Covenants who turns up injured outside her lab. She has also sent free healing spells to other covenants and crafted quite high level spell rings for a couple of covenants. Reportedly she is also married to Geliqué ex Miscellanea, which became famous when their son, Auren of Verditius, was permitted to gauntlet after more than fifteen seasons of teaching rather than 15 years. Aiobhe is rather lovely apart from the occasional mad cackle, the way certain girls avoid her, the Gift and a hot streak if anyone criticises Geliqué.

Geliqué Lunel, Craft Magus Ex Miscellanea: Geliqué is married to Aiobhe of Verditius, but better known for being blamed for burning down half of Wychwood Covenant when she lived there, and the large spiders she is frequently buying vermin for, and keeps about her person. These spiders seem to be always at least 19 or 20cm wide and grow to the size of two pigs side-by-side seemingly at the will of the spider. She should be better known for her beautifully crafted silk weaving, but it is mainly Avalon who wear this, and various nobles when she occasionally weaves bolts of silk to sell. Gelique has written to every covenant in Stonehenge saying she can weave spell charges into items including silken masks of second sight.

Secondary Magi: Bloody Bill, Redcap (companion), based at Avalon, possibly about more given his age. Odo of Flambeau: Hugh's filius, more competent than his reputation. Cadwyn of Tytalus (or Gauntleted name TBA): Usually encountered as a kestrel, when not in her lab. Cadwyn is actually descended from Merlin but I don't think that is common knowledge. Makren of Flambeau (or Gauntleted name TBA): Hugh's second apprentice.

Current apprentices: Aiobhe's apprentice Aisling has an apprentice but she is away.

Magical creatures, some of whom are familiars: A bright pink crow. The colourful faerie Oliphaunt. Two black Jabberwockies, keep away from their tentacles which are poison. Gelique's familiar Nida.