The magi have gone to a great deal of trouble to demarcate the boundaries of the covenant. Marking walls, sealing passages with doors and walls, and other means. They have succeeded in creating an area with a diameter of five-hundred paces. The center of this is the library. The Aegis, while only fifteenth level, gives a stability to this area, protecting it from many of the wilder magics that prevail without. In addition, the magi have struggled to maintain a degree of physical separation between the Covenant area and the outside mountain.
The average aura within the covenant is +4. There are some areas that are lower, mainly along the edges. The only spot higher is the library.
The library is a golden rectangle. The only entrance is a large stone double door. This door is ornately carved with geometrical designs, representing the various perfect geometrical forms. The doors only open in the presence of the Bibliothecarius holding his crystal tipped staff (note: the staff alone does not do the trick, though the staff gives off magic). Inside are kept the covenant books in ancient wooden presses. Two archways lead off. One to a room used for storage of library related stuff, it is mostly empty. The other to the council chambers.
The aura of these chambers is +6.
The books of the library, a very precious commodity, are all from the former covenant. Just about everyone shows signs of damage, as if fire was used to excise portions. Often these portions appear to have been very important. No trace of history of the Gauntlet remains here.
The council chamber is dominated by a large circular table, of polished black stone (with Ianus' sigil embedded within). It is surrounded by twelve chairs, five of them are antique, seven being new. The new ones have recently been renovated, and are of fine wood, covered in brcade. The antique ones have been reupholstered too.
Also in the council chambers is a stone chest (4 feet long by 2 feet wide by 2 feet high) with the fifteen Verditius runes carved on top. It looks new, having been created by Tiphys when the covenant was formed. Within it are stored the vis supplies of the covenant. It will only open to a member of the Covenant.
The covenant has an Aegis of the Hearth, level 25, protecting it. The other protection of note is an Intellego Aquam, thirty-fifth level ritual invented by Tiphys, which will detect the presence of any water elementals within the covenant and give their location to any of the magi. This enchantment is permanent and will notify the magi no matter where they are within the mountain or its nearby vicinity.
Cara Ayesha has spent several seasons placing warding spells on many of the entrances. These tend to be an alarm to her, in the council chamber, and a pilum of flame at the intruder. They are set to admit anyone who participates in the Aegis or carries a token.
Most of the sanctums are located within the Aegis. There are two exceptions, Tiphys and Tobias. The auras of the average sanctum is thus +4.
The covenant also claims a common laboratory, used for collective projects. It has a base score of zero.
Near the Library and Council Chamber is a room enchanted by Tiphys (the room was opend with 35 pawns of vim vis). On the floor is an exquisite map of the Tribunal and surrounding lands, including the entirety of the Mediterranean and much of Persia. Upon this map are small figures representing each magus of the Covenant. These serve as arcane connections to the various members and will always show their location and their general state of being. This is an InCo (with several requisites) at level 45.
Several parts of the Map have been enchanted to reflect Tiphys's knowledge of the world. These can be studied as a text by spending a season meditating on a segment of the map, studying the detailed inscriptions. These inscriptions seem to be more complicated the longer you look at them, and impart great magical information. These are CrMe(In) 35th level effect (each lore is a seperate effect). The scores are:
Tiphys has indicated, in his own oblique way, that he intends to add more information as time goes by.
The door to this chamber is enchanted to only open to two members of the Council. It is an ReTe40(In) enchantment. It also has an Mentem requisite to determine if either party is being coerced. If that is the case the door will not open.
The magi chose to center their holding around the library for good reasons. It seems to have been the center (or a center) of the previous covenant, the Gauntlet of Four Quarters. This area allows the magi to make a claim of home and a degree of safety in a magical 'wilderness'. The area they have chosen is less devastated than many other parts of the mountain. Perhaps more important in making the choice was the presence of a collection of books and a group of local inhabitants who are very friendly to the magi.
Return to the Storyguide Primer Index
Last modified: Sun Jan 24, 1999 / Jeremiah Genest