Summer, 1228.

After spending almost the entire of the previous season out and about, the magi decide to try and spend time in research. They are disturbed by one of their covenfolk though, Marigold, who informs them that her contacts in York have reported that a female wizard accompanied by armed guards has turned up in the city. Vladimir ex Tytalus and Quaesitor Columbanus head into York to investigate, where they are met by Herritia ex Tytalus of Nigrasaxa covenant. She has come up here to investigate the reports on the destruction of Voluntas covenant. She and Vladimir make some reference to various plots, and they share information.

About a month later, the Gifted Redcap Leona ex Mercere arrives, carrying a message from Doissetep. It is a somewhat muddled report by the Archmage Benzigotrin ex Criamon on the research he has performed on the Tetrahedron of elemental fire. She also brings the Tetrahedron itself, which she says is being returned. The Archmage has become somewhat deranged of late, and the letter, which is dated from last year, was found addressed to the covenant along with the chest, so it is being returned.

The letter seems to suggest that it was his research into the Tetrahedron that may have caused Benzigotrin's descent into instability.

The magi try and find somewhere safe for the artefact, giving it over to Vladimir to protect.

Umbriel takes it upon herself to complete the training of Valka, the Nordic Muspelli who has apparently sworn an oath to join the Order, though it's not clear that the full process had been followed by Voluntas covenant before it was destroyed.

During their conversations, Valka reveals some information about what had happened up in Ultima Thule before the Long Day, and that apparently a Cult Of Hel had become infiltrated by infernally aligned Hermetic magi who followed Mephistopheles. Their power was broken somewhat by the White Christ (so Valka claims) on the Long Day itself when he attacked their leaders, possibly aided by some within the Cult.

My Learned Sodalis, A most interesting artifact it is that you had brought to me. It poses many questions and the answers that it gives are interesting. It has been like staring into the abyss for a long time now and you are probably wanting to know what has been staring back at me. It has been reluctant to give up its secrets. But I may now be able to shed some light onto its darkness.

It is of pure Fire, and about twenty magnitudes of resistance to research, and has blown my vis budget for the rest of the century. It seems to be an arcane connection to pretty much everything, which makes it very interesting and very useless. You can’t target that. Why make such a thing, or why would it come to be made, or what did it make? It is as old as the world at the very least, so may be a fragment of the start.

There is a spark within that looks back. It is not just an elemental piece, but something within that looks out, or at least something without that looks through it. It is as if blind, hunting for something in the dark which it cannot see. It is but a fragment though, a part of something else. There are four, which when together make a whole or could be a maker of the whole.

It is a teacher, and a catalyst. With it the mysteries of Ignem become clear and the path to enlightenment can be followed. With vis about, it multiplies and increases in potency. The cost in vis is somewhat offset I suppose, but I have no use for Ignem.

The path to enlightenment is a dark one. Road to Hell being paved with good books. Or something. It touches me, my mind, my memories, and the staring begins in my dreams where the dark thing walks amongst the shadows. It is an old thing, a memory of old things, much older than you can imagine. Old than that even. The darkness glimmers there. There is a glimmer in the darkness.

They have a purpose. It has a purpose. Please take it away from me. It could be a junction. A key to a junction. Like a regio of the whole world. A path to a reflection of the truth. Another reflection. Reflections within reflections of reflections. There is light and there is it. It waits. It has gone away but it talks to me, yes. It says it will come back. One has been sent to us. The serpent waits for her, but it says she is not here. Betrayal within betrayal. What does that mean? Why does it wait when it has been so long. Waiting so long. Since before the Light. Seeking Oneness with the true God, but so much in the way, Divest of our sins in the fire of purification.

It is a tool, a key, a way of thinking. It is part of the wheel but part of the gears that drive the wheel without it the wheels cannot turn they cannot move they cannot be. with them and the rituals they can open maybe a way but the blind one cannot see to know what is where there were secrets bound and hidden temples twelve books i see which hold the way out

from perfection comes the first thought and the thought begats the light which begats the serpent which begats man the saviour finds us the tree of knowledge and shows the falseness of the paradise the reflection of man in woman and the way to our new world there is darkness but we must wait and see what the blind cannot it sleeps but was woken it plots but it sleeps and waits and cannot do what it can do must wait for the keys that build and make

Benzigotrin ex Criamon, Doissetep Covenant, MCCXXVII