The main character in any Ars Magica saga is the covenant itself. Bynnewalle has recently entered winter as the magi aged and stopped focusing on the health of the covenant. Magic ran rampant in odd ways, hard to control; no new magi had joined in almost 40 years, allowing their number to dwindle to 6, less than a quarter of what it reached in its prime; and the whole covenant had given up playing an active roles in the politics of the Order, though they were no doubt still a source of power.
Player Magi
Atria ex Miscellanea (Rose)
Cornelius ex Jerbiton (Mike R)
Edmund ex Miscellanea (Nathan)
Fergus ex Bjornær (Marc)
Isaiah ex Bonisagus (Mike W)
Ysle ex Verditius (Bess)
Player Companions
John (Mike W) - Woodsman
Marsilia de Palermo (Bess) - Linguist
Sextus (Mike R) - Merchant's son & Cornelius' younger brother.
Agilbert (Nathan) - Edmund's cousin, a priest.
Former Player Companions, now missing!
Federico di Firenze (Owen) - Rash Swordsman
Guy de Coucy (Nathan) - Hedge Knight, Turb Captain
Sarah (Rose) - Runaway
Former Bynnewalle Magi
Ambrose ex Flambeau (Ambrose de Vymont): Giant of a man (over 7' tall) and a Battle-magus who uses magic to enhance his own physical combat skills and neutralize his opponent's magic. Wields a war club that most men can't lift.
Status: Reported by Tristan to have fallen in battle outside of the covenant.
Asketil ex Tremere (Asketil of Skálholt): Magus with incredibly strong skills in Creo magic. Relatively private about his own research, but still thought of positively by other magi. Original parens of Isaiah before he was taken by Bartholomeus ex Bonisagus.
Status: Laboratory was less trashed than other accessible labs. Dalton, Cornelius, John, and Andrew have encountered him in an undead form. He claims to have lost his Gift (since he's dead) and be predominantly at the mercy of his unnamed Master, but can slip out of his control for brief periods during daylight. He states that he was forced to attack the covenant, bring down the Aegis and help capture some of the other magi for his Master; now, he seeks to help the new covenant defeat his Master and set him free of service and into true death.
Brangwyn ex Miscellanea: Hedge Maga with a mastery over blood magics. Interested in understanding the nature of life.
Status: Upon attempting to enter sanctum, crone-like voice bellowed "WHO GOES THERE? You DARE enter my sanctum?" Nicholas' ghost claims that this is a bluffing defense, and that the voice is her familiar. Asketil claims she is alive, being tortured to use her magic to aid the Master; she is responsible both for the regeneration of the undead and for amplifying the Master's power.
Gavin ex Jerbiton (Gavin Bellecote): Magus known for studying mythical creatures and how they relate to mundanes. Often gets involved with local nobles, and indeed with those from other parts of the isles, to help rid them of supernatural threats.
Status: Voice that Fredrico heard in his helmet was cursing Gavin and looking for a book. Asketil claims that Gavin's Gift was taken by the Master, but Gavin himself escaped.
Nicholas ex Verditius (or Nicholas the Crow): Archmagus known for creating powerful items that can use hedge magic as well as hermetic magic. Used to be trying to tie engineering into magic as well. Grand-parens of Ysle.
Status: Deceased. Found dead on the floor of his sealed sanctum. When Atria summoned his spirit, he evinced a desire not to disappear and had Dalton fetch a substance from his basement and pour it on his body, whereupon his ghost become strongly visible. It seems that we have poured at least 30 pawns of Mentem vis onto him… Currently in spirit form in Bynnewalle, either in his former Sanctum or in the rest of the covenant, depending on the location of the barrel with his remains. Capable of controlling Viviana when she is in the same region as he.
Tyceline ex Criamon (often called Tyceline the Frantic): An archmaga with a specialty in Terram, known for juggling many projects at once. One of the foremost Terram masters in the Order with a specialty in metals.
Status: Apparently went into Twilight (due to Asketil's sabotage) and transformed into a silver statue with a surprised look on her face; the fortress of Condercum transformed to salt around her. She later showed up at Bynnewalle, looking golden, claiming that someone had sabotaged her labwork — we learned from Asketil that he was responsible, under the orders of his Master. She seemed to have had an incredibly good Twilight experience and was very powerful, squishing undead and mending a cracked wall with gold, but Aite (who arrived with her) convinced her not to do any more magic and to leave! He seemed concerned about not allowing her to go into Final Twilight — very strange for a Criamon. She left Condercum and all her things to Aite, and seemed fairly confident that they would return to normal from their salty state eventually. Unsurprisingly, she was right.
Other prominent Magi
Aite ex Criamon is a Criamon member of the Covenant. Tyceline left Condercum and all her things (including the automaton Viviana) to him. (This character was originally played by Kaben, who has since left the group.)
Bartholemeus ex Bonisagus has also gotten involved in the investigation, and while he won't be able to go himself, he added people to the group to make sure that any magical research that was being done can be recovered, as well as the artifacts being worked on by Nicholas since some of his creations have near legendary status. He made sure Ysle is part of the mission for this reason; her magical style is very similar to that of Nicholas. He seems to believe that now the covenant is free of monsters, its possessions are his to "protect", i.e. carry off.
Dalton ex Guernicus (Formerly played by Owen, who left the group.)
Forthus ex Tytalus is a magi at the Burnam covenant who tried to pillage the ruins of Bynnewalle shortly after the players arrived. He has shown the other magi nothing but scorn, but he was filling to pay 10 pawns of Vis (7 Ignum, 3 Terram) to purchase Jacob, Tyceline's former apprentice.
Guillaume ex Flambeau was brought into the mission by Lucian, who figured that a group of newly-gauntleted magi could use some power behind them. He is a Flambeau in the Apromor style, focusing on Perdo — especially Perdo Corpus. He speaks only rarely. (This character was originally played by Ivan, who has since left the group.)
Lucian ex Guernicus has organized the investigation, but is letting Dalton lead it. This is Dalton's first big case, so Lucian is there to observe, but trying not to interfere. He has pulled other people in who he thinks will be helpful (or act as protection), such as Isaiah who actually lived at the covenant for the first five years of his apprenticeship, Guillaume who is a powerful Flambeau, and Marsilia as her language skills could be useful.
Netrutious ex Criamon is a strange, old magi at the Brunam covenant.
Re'il ex Bonisagus is a magi at the Burnam covenant; one of the few magi there who has treated Bynnewalle fairly and seems like a potential ally.
Thalius ex Mercere is the redcap most recently assigned to Bynnewalle covenant.
NPCs
Agelbert is a priest from a village approximately 20 miles away, and a second cousin of Edmund ex Miscellanea. He has agreed to come to Bynnewalle to help with some of the unholy happenings.
Baron Alvin Beferus is the local baron for the area the includes the Bynnewalle covenant; his manor house is about five miles away. He seems to have taken a positive view on the magi and has tried to impress them.
Cuirc is a small, fae-touched young woman with blue hands that smell of elderberry. She is incredibly lucky, and attractive to nearly everyone. She is currently trapped within the Aegis mostly because she doesn't want to face Kinsis's "affection"; this is lucky for the magi, as Dalton gave his word to Sir Gregory that they would keep her available until this whole mess with murders and monsters is sorted out. (This character was played by Kaben, who has since left the group.)
Emryst the Preeminent is the court magician for Baron Beferus. It is unclear how much power he actually has, but he does treat the magi as close colleagues.
Essilia was Gavin's apprentice. Now with Gavin in France.
Sir Gregory is a knight working for Baron Beferus. He seems fast, skilled at fighting, and distrusting of the covenant members, but he defers to his Lord on these matters.
Kinsis is a creature that the players set free from Nicholas' basement. He is known to be extremely strong, drink blood, and apparently is obsessed with Cuirc.
Jacob was Tyceline's apprentice. He was 12 years old and about 4 years into his apprenticeship in 1220; Bynnewalle traded him to a Tytalus at Burnham for 10 pawns of vis.
Milo is Baron Beferus' interrogator. He is a plain-looking middle-aged man with a piercing stare. He seems to be able to get into people's heads and tell when they're lying, though the specific nature of his power is unclear.
Norris is one of the Baron's men who claims to have been part of the battle with Kinsis and others that left Sir Gregory with a cracked skull.
Tristan was Ambrose's apprentice and became the de facto leader of the Bynnewalle refugees. Almost 14 years into his apprenticeship, he would have been preparing for his gauntlet shortly. He is currently being taught Auram by Dalton to open his 15th Art. (This character was briefly played by Evan, who has since left the group.)
Sir Woodruff is a knight working for Baron Beferus and Sir Gregory's second in command.
Grogs
Covenfolk
These grogs care for the covenant: magi, other grogs, animals, and other day-to-day sorts of things.
Ahelis is a young widow, competent in the kitchen and good with children. She has a very young daughter, Sibry. She is also caring for the baby boy recovered from the ruined village, Urciscenus.
Angharat is a Welsh woman, Ieuan's wife.
Beatrix is a maid.
Glenda Baker is the head cook at the covenant. She has one living son, Jason.
Jane is a stablehand.
Juliana is seeking work as a maid.
Martin is a shepherd, fond of gambling and his dog Coll.
Toly is a man-of-all-work, previously employed by a local priest. He has a young son, Osbert.
Craftspeople
These grogs are skilled in their crafts, providing goods for the use of the covenant and occasional trade.
Edith is a semptress.
Estrild is a midwife and healer.
Eustace is a smith. He is currently missing.
Peter is a percamenarius (a parchment-maker), removed from his job at Tynemouth Priory for drunkenness.
Richard is a carpenter.
Turb
These grogs primarily defend the covenant. With the current lack of manpower and wealth of things to do, they also serve as a general source of muscle.
Andrew is a soldier, a veteran of the crusades. He is a natural leader, and a sergeant of the turb.
Berenger Twist-eye is a swordsman.
Clement is a peasant recently returned from service as a feudal levy.
David is a Welsh bowman and bowyer, brother to Ieuan.
Denis is a yeoman of Bynnewalle village, most skilled with a spear.
Frederick is a guard from Baron Beferus' manor, under the command of Sir Gregory. He has a reputation for incompetence there, and is at the covenant to keep an eye on Cuirc. So long as it does not interfere with his duty to Sir Gregory, he acts as one of the turb.
Gilbert is a soldier, but rather young.
Henry is a soldier. Big like ox, dumb like sheep.
Hereward is a yeoman of Bynnewalle village, primarily a spearman.
Ieuan is a Welsh bowman, brother to David and husband to Angharat.
Philip is an archer and storyteller.
Reginald is a soldier, another veteran crusader. He has some masonry experience.
Simon is an archer, formerly a poacher.
Sperling is an archer. He has a younger sister, Margery, for whom he is responsible.
Theobald is a swordsman, a long-time member of the turb. He is responsible for his niece, Tilla.
Warin is a soldier, with premonitions and a questionably legal past.
William is an archer, fleeing an amorous past.
Wounded
These grogs are currently recovering from wounds.
(Everyone is well!)
Potential Recruits
These are grogs the players would like to recruit, probably from the collection of refugees gathered at the Baron's manor town.
Alma is an educated young woman with a strangely magical air.
Geoffrey is a vagabond clerk.
Gerard is a troubador, intent on charming the ladies.
Grairne Mhór is woman of giant blood, terrifying with her battle-axe.
Robert Tischler is a mason and a wicked hand with a war maul.
