Date - 3/5/95 (12th Session)
... In which the Covenant of Rabenstein petitions for membership
The Redcap Aestrius arrived early in June as he had previously promised, to lead the Magi to the Covenant of Transmarisca for the Tribunal of 1202. Despite preliminary assurances of acceptance, Burchard of Jerbiton rose to oppose Rabenstein's petition when the matter was approached, producing a map indicating the Covenant was situated on land owned by the Church. When questions arose as to the origin of the map itself, the opposition lost its impetus. Rabenstein was ultimately granted permission to establish itself in the Duchy of Steiermark, but the matter was agreed to be revisited at the next Tribunal to review its status. Other Tribunal matters were primarily closed to the Magi of Rabenstein, as their petition for admittance was not granted until the last day, but they were witness to a grand philosophical debate about the nature of man and magic led by Ancharius.
Cast: Merento of Bonisagus (Clint Buss), Gustav of Merinita (Christian Young), Capra of Bjornaer (Dallas Perry)
Date - 3/7/95 (13th Session)
... A village boy is rescued when he tries to ride the Barrenshutzklamm rapids
In the absence of the Magi, most of the Covenfolk of Rabenstein descended upon the nearby village of Bosl for the Festival of St. John to break from their long days of labor. One particularly foolhardy village boy, Ammon, set out to ride the rapids of the Mür and down the Barrenshutzklamm falls to impress a beautiful village lass. When his tiny raft capsized, Eric, Uri, and Katrina joined hands and edged out in the rough water to save him from going over the falls, earning the respect and admiration of many of the villagers.
Cast: Erik von Mälmo (Chris Blake), Katrina (Dallas Perry), Uri (Christian Young)
Date - 3/12/95 (14th Session)
... In which a grisly discovery is made on the Covenant grounds
The morning after a cozy Halloween evening celebrating Rabenstein's successful petition to join the Rhine Tribunal, bloody entrails were discovered on the hill just below the fortress (the sentries must have been preoccupied with the festivities). Vitto and Merento discerned that they were those of a human, and using the Covenant's hunting dog (a gift from Sir Gozwin) they successfully found the disemboweled body of a wayward travelling peasant hidden in the ruined mill. After a somber investigation, the dog also led the group to a bloody shirt in the hut of an old man from Bosl, who quickly broke down in tears and confessed to the crime. Father Bernard took the diabolic murderer away to Landskron where he was imprisoned, and his aged wife departed in shame (stories claim she joined a convent). Although the man confessed, and the villagers felt appeased that the Devil caused the sin, the wizards felt uncomfortable with the tale's conclusion since the murderer claimed he didn't know why he did it/thought it was a dream. This story was remarkably similar to the explanations for mysterious (though seemingly innocuous) incidents at Rabenstein itself, and gave a sinister feel to the unexplained appearance of of painted pottery in the Covenant's kitchen.
Cast: Merento (Clint Buss), Gustav (Christian Young), Vitto (Chris Blake), Katrina and Capra (Dallas Perry), Angelo (Mike Provenzano)
Date - 3/19/95 (15th Session)
... Where overambitious grogs are arrested for poaching
When a chicken poacher tried to steal from the Covenant one bitter winter day, overzealous grogs pursued the offender well over the ridge and right into a hunting party. Its leader, Captain Hagen (recently arrived at the bequest of the Bishop of Seckau), informed the out-of-breath grogs that they were trespassing on the Bishop's lands. Suddenly accused of poaching themselves, the group desperately split up and ran for it. Polu, Katrina, and Helmut were captured along with the poacher Roland, arrested and imprisoned within Hagen's stronghold castle Kleistburg (30 miles northeast of Rabenstein). Although they beat the poor thief terribly during their imprisonment in the dank dungeon of Kleistburg, it took several days for their release to be arranged while the Magus Merento journeyed to Seckau Abbey to petition for their freedom (and pronounce their innocence), and they nearly got their hands cut off in punishment. Helmut was briefly freed from the cell during the wait, and met some of the mercenaries who served Hagen (all of them Braboncons who served on the Third Crusade), as well as his alluring young mother. During discussions with the canons of Seckau, Merento discovered that indeed Rabenstein does lie on land owned by the Bishop, and he attempted to earn their trust.
*This story was liberally appropriated from the White Wolf supplement A Midsummer's Night Dream (including the character of Captain Hagen and his mother, though excluding much as described in that sourcebook).
Cast: Polu and Merento (Clint Buss), Katrina and Lady Enellé Hallinger (Dallas Perry), Helmut Grolsch (Christian Young), Axel Grolsch (Mike Provenzano)
This page last modified on 11/5/97.
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