The Mages, 1096 AF
Lady Lysandra, the current Black Master Mage was made a target for assassins, first by Mordred and then by the previous Master Zoist Kyan of the Black, a Drow. Mordred attempted to tempt Lady Lysandra to his cause, but she denied him and he asked loudly for somebody to kill her.
Early on Sunday, Lady Lysandra went into hiding from threat of assassination. Sir Guillium de Hawkeye, the High Sheriff of Albion stated, “The safety of Master Black is a matter of concern for all Harts. Any attack on her person will be treated in the same manner as that on the person of Lady Elspeth Tarragon.” This was proclaimed throughout Albion, as is required by our laws, and notices were posted throughout that portion of Teutonia that hosted the Gathering. When the Stewards Guild became aware of this proclamation, they raised the price for the Guild termination attempt to that of a Lord General. Thus it showed the Guild was satisfied that the Harts proclamation was legal, and acknowledged the deep feelings within the Harts.
Foolishly he tried to ‘borrow money’ from the Harts and was apprehended by some very alert Slayers who brought him to my attention in the Command Tent. He was detained for his rude and uncouth conduct. I consulted Lord Lynx and Mormegil of the Black Kites about his conduct. They told me that Harts should deal with him as they may.
The following morning on the battlefield, before the sides joined, Master Violet, who had been a long time friend of Zoist Kyan, convened a meeting of the Mages Council. He brought charges against Lady Lysandra of conduct un-befitting of a Master Colour Mage. The penalty, if found guilty, would be removal from her position and stripping of her powers. However, the votes of the Council Members present and entitled to vote were in her favour by a 4-2 majority, and so the matter was dropped. Yet Master Violet wishes to take the matter up with the Harts again.
The Gryphons held Master Violet to Trial for the murder Lord Holbon for removing his support of the ritual that attached his head. This had occurred at the Grand Convocation of Guilds earlier this year. He was arrested and was marched into court. He wore white prison pyjamas with the black arrows of a common criminal. Floris was present, and laid the blame squarely upon Violet. Also present were four of the Chaos Knights.
Lord de Wilfsbane was kidnapped seconds before the trial and was replaced with a Shapechanger. The exchange was not noticed until Grand Master Floris Brand teleported the Lord General back into the camp. The Mages Guild had been overheard talking about putting this beast in, although Violet knew nothing of it so this could not be added to his growing list of charges.
Master Violet had all his defence notes stolen from the Mages Guild. One of Master Violet’s was that the magic required to keep Lord Holbon’s head alive was a drain on the Books of Magic and this was required elsewhere. However, Floris pointed out that barely a quarter of one of the four Books of Magic was used. This therefore was a sixteenth of all Magic and the rest of the world only required a quarter.
He was found guilty of contempt of court on at least four counts, for which a lenient and unbiased Death Sentence was set! This was commuted to not use his powers (except in self defence) for a period of about 3 months although some had pressed for a longer sentence to be passed up to 10 years. The sentence in Gryphon lands has always been Death for contempt of court. According to an eminent lawyer, “This improves the defendants attitude to the trial in general and the judge in particular.” In recent years, commonly the Judge has commuted the sentence to whatever he sees fit.
The following day, the hearing that decided whether Rowan de Richelieu, the Blue Master Mage should receive her lands back occurred in front of Lord General Timothy de Wilfsbane.
There was much concern amongst the Gryphons, by the appearance of Succubus Fusca. This creature claimed Rowan as her child. This was borne out by the small horns on Rowan’s head and her claw like fingers. The creature accused the Master Violet and Floris Brand of interfering in her natural development and demanded that Rowan return to her side. From the lips of Master Violet, this appeared to be true.
However, Rowan refused to return with the Succubus until she had retrieved her fathers’ lands. This seemed quite unlikely at this point as Lord Gryphon announced that “NO FOUL, LOATHSOME…. DISGUSTING,…. HELLSPAWNED.. DEMONIC FIEND…WOULD EVER OWN GRYPHON LANDS WHILST I am around.”
Fusca threatened to emasculate the Lord Gryphon and then do to the Gryphon lands what she had done to Rowan’s father and Lord General Carlos Equezzera, the predecessor to Feohtan. She had killed them both in a huge explosion that laid waste to their entire estates. At this point, Master Violet said he would like to assist the Gryphons but he had been forbidden to use his powers by Lord Timothy de Wilfsbane the previous day. Lord Timothy was caught and had to agree a swift deal with the Blue Mage, whereby she would get her lands back and the sentence on the Violet Mage would be lifted. In return she negotiated an unknown deal with Fusca who agreed not to carry out her previous threats.