1222 Autumn

<Chronicle

Vera, Holy Magi now lives on the shores of Lake Avernus.

These is the questions Mungo asked Brother Titus.

These answers plus the map that Mungo "held on to" make up a tractatus quality level 5 Area lore: New Eden

What Christian year was it when your people came here?

I don’t know when the Citadel was founded, but I do know that eventually there were too many people for the Citadel to support so the city of Solaire was founded. My family has lived in Solaire for generations. I was told that about 20 years ago the lost city of Nelo Rondo was founded, but I’ve never been there.

What is everyone’s name and tell me one thing about them?

I don’t know everyone! But if you mean the Sentinels I know a few of them.

It is said that among the Sentinels there are four groups: the Elucidators who enlighten the corrupted, the Purifiers who make sure the food and water is clean to eat, the Artificers who built the walls and other holy items to protect us, and the Illuminators who go out into the dark and bring the glory of God’s light with them.

It is said that the Sentinels are the only people who are allowed to enter the inner circles of the Citadel.

There is Roberto ‘The Brave’. Even though he is the youngest of the Illuminators he has put his complete faith in God and is often the first to ride out to protect the people.

Benignus ‘The Kind’. He is a great Purifier. It’s said that he once prayed to St. Peter and it rained fish for a full day.

Calypso “The silent” She is a skillful Elucidator. She once found an evil cabal inside the walls of Solaire. She always gets a confession but no one has ever heard her speak.

Although he isn’t a Sentinel, Father Renald is a highly revered man. It’s said that God took away his eyes and placed them in heaven so that Father Renald could see everywhere.

How did you and your people come to be here?

I was born here just like many of the people of this city.

How many are you, men, women, and children?

The lands were once vibrant and would give us all the food we would need. We had many people living in Solaire and we even had enough people to start the lost town of Nelo Rondo.

Do you undergo longevity Rituals? Are you rendered sterile by the ritual?

I do not know what you mean by “Longevity Rituals”. I do not understand what you mean by “sterile”, but I know that the Sentinels often take vows of Chastity and that God has given them very long lives.

We saw a bald Genderless creature of vaguely humanoid shape and a Two headed dogs. What else have you seen?

I’ve never gone beyond the city walls, but I once heard a pair of the Illuminators arguing about a man in black armor. One said that the man in black armor must have been a vampire because none of his wounds ever bled. The other said that the reason it doesn’t bleed is because it’s a ghost that lives in the armor.

Who are you and what is your title? What are your duties?

My name is Titus. Title? I own no land. I’m just a  camp laborer/groomsman. I care for the horses and make sure the soldiers get their supplies.

How long did you train? Describe your training.

I was a young boy. I walked up to the barracks and said that I wanted to be a soldier and help protect the good people of Solaire. They said I was too small, but I could help in the stables, and I’ve been helping ever since.

Give me something of yours quickly!!

All that I have is needed for my job. I’m afraid I have nothing to give you.

Paul's summary:

Well we finished the Paulo’s rumor. The group had just met up with the horsemen on the road to the Citadel in the Regio, New Eden. Vera “Roberto! But you were a novice when last I saw you! What has happened?” Roberto” You’ve been gone for 20 years, and things only got worse since you left.” At this time the group heard the howling of the two-headed devil dogs off in the distance behind them. The horsemen said that everyone should come with them to a safe location. After traveling down the cross lined road for a few miles the group saw a very large wall surrounding a city. The group was let inside the city, but only went a block away from the gates to a squat stone building. Upon entering the building they saw it was a barracks on one side of the building and a small kitchen/hearth on the other side of the building. There were people coming and going but on in a hurried fashion. Sitting at the hearth was an old man. Roberto went over to the old man and spoke into his ear. When the old man turned around the group saw that the old man’s eyes were completely milky, white. Also when he stepped away from the fire the group saw that he seemed to softly glow from within. As he got closer, the group felt a calming effect wash over them. He asked them who they were and how they came to be here. The group explained that they had found Vera and she told them about New Eden and how the rumor of Lake Avernus would let them travel to New Eden. Upon hearing that the group was from the outside world Father Renald (The old man) called over Roberto and told him to get the soldiers and horsemen ready to ride. When the group asked him why the soldiers were getting ready, he told them that the evil of this land must never be allowed to escape into the rest of the world. If they got loose it would be the end of Christendom. Renald explained that in New Eden, the people of the order of St. Nerius had been fighting a very powerful demon. This demon called upon a group of lesser demons to aid him. This group is known as the Children of Judas. Even though they are lesser demons even the lowest among them is a fearsome creature. During this conversation Paulo cast a magic spell to knock the grogs and companions to the floor so he could ask Renald a private question. When he cast the spell Father Renald suddenly moved forward with a speed greater than his age would have suggested. He grabbed Paulo by the wrists and beseeched him to not cast anymore magic. When Paulo asked him why, Renald told him that the demon had tainted magic and anyone who cast magic without the protection of God would be a beacon for the demons to find. He told the group that although no one has ever seen them. It is rumored that the Head demon kidnaps people who use magic so he can include them into the Dark Disciples. After this the group rested and got some food while the soldiers were getting ready. During this time Paulo asked Father Renald about religion. Also Mungo was able to speak with one of the camp workers (Brother Titus) and wrote down what he said. Then the soldiers (there were 15 soldiers and the 4 holy magi horsemen) were ready to go back to the Lagoon that the group had entered New Eden from. When the group got near Nelo Rondo they left the road and traveled towards the swamp land. As they traveled closer to the swamp they heard several howls of the two headed dogs behind them. The soldiers and 2 of the horsemen turned back to fight off the dogs. Our group and two of the horsemen continued on to the lagoon just before they got the lagoon a group of 30 of those shambling man creatures came out of the swamp to attack the group. The two horsemen (Roberto and the other one who the group never got his name) turned to the Shamblers and told our group to keep going. Roberto pulled out a set of hand bells and began ringing them while praying. As he praying bolts of lightning would arc of him and slam into the shambling horde. The nameless horseman pulled out a rosary and began to pray. As he did so rocks the size of a man’s head were being pulled from the ground and hurled towards the shamblers. Our group kept going and when they came in sight of the lagoon they saw three figures sanding in front of it. One of the figures was a man covered in pitch black armor carrying a massive greatsword. Another figure was a tall green skinned man creature with the face of a pig and small balck wings on it’s back. It was carrying a large meat hook in one hand and a large verdigrised copper club in the other. The final figure was a giant (size +4) red skinned man carrying a massive cudgel with him. The group attacked the creatures and during the fight Vitalias was hurt badly because he when was fighting the pig creature it stuck him with the meat hook and when Klaus tried to shoot the creature with an arrow it hit Vitalias instead. Eventually, Vera was able to kill it by hurling a bolt of fire into it’s head. Paulo used multiple castings of demon’s eternal oblivion on the giant and hurt it but wasn’t able to kill it. (because of the tainted magic aura Paulo now has a -2 to the sin covet). The black knight was about to kill Vitalias when the ground began to shake. All of the group fell down and then the earth swelled up like a wave and slammed into the black knight and hurled him deep into the swamp. It was Roberto and the nameless horseman who helped to stop the black knight. The giant was knocked down by the earth swell and Roberto and the nameless horseman began to attack it. The group quickly went into the Lagoon, but Vera stood in the shore looking indecisive. It was Roberto who told Vera that they could handle the giant and that she should go back with our group, because she knew the outside world better than they did and if they failed on this side she would be able to stop/warn people about anything coming out of Lake Avernus. The group made it back to Italy without any problems. Vera was able to use her magic over the course of a few weeks to heal Vitalias enough that he could travel back to the covenant. (Holy magi can take long term fatigue instead of Vis when casting ritual spells) The group told Vera that they would work on a way so she could quickly contact them in case something came out of Lake Avernus.