Provençal Tribunal

The Provençal Tribunal is the Regional Tribunal covering the southern part of modern-day France, from Bordeaux on the Atlantic coast, across the northern Pyrenées, to Marseilles on the Mediterreanean coast. This territory is much larger than the present-day French region called Provence, including also Languedoc and Gascony. The Provençal Tribunal is bordered by the Normandy Tribunal to the north, the Iberian Tribunal to the south, and the Greater Alps and Roman Tribunals to the east.

See the Map of Mythic Europe.

Current Edition Resources

The Provençal Tribunal is one of the few regional Tribunals never to be fully detailed in a Ars Magica supplement.

Current Edition Covenants

• Castra Solis, domus magna of House Flambeau

Provençal Tribunal in Past Editions

From First Edition through ArM3, the Provençal Tribunal was the default setting for beginning Sagas. Several early scenarios such as the Stormrider jump-start kit and Broken Covenant of Calebais were set there.

Part of the interest of Provençal Tribunal is the event in real history called the Albigensian Crusade. Briefly, a religious movement called the Cathar heresy spread through the region and, in the early 13th century, a crusade was called to suppress it. Through ArM3, the suggested starting date of a Saga was 1197 (not 1220 as in ArM4 and ArM5), so there was about a decade of game time before the Crusade really got started. The years leading up to the Albigensian Crusade could be a tense and interesting time for a Saga.

Covenants in Past Editions

The following covenants were mentioned in older supplements but are no longer considered part of Fifth Edition canon.

• Doissetep
• Mistridge (covenant)
• Val-Negra

Saga Links

The following saga websites are set in, or otherwise related to, the Provençal Tribunal. Feel free to add your own site to the list; please insert it in alphabetical order.

Great Tree Covenant

A fifth edition Saga beginning in the standard time in western Provencal. Somewhat higher fantasy than Ars Magica usually lends itself to, given that the Covenant is carved into a giant tree.

Malinbois

The annals of the Covenant of Malinbois, 1197-1241AD, located near to the city of Perpignan. This Summer Covenant has recently defeated a major demon plaguing the Val du Seraque, and is now set on rebuilding and politics. Sister site to Tumulus Tortilis (Stonehenge Sagas).

Pont d'Ariege

The Covenant of Pont d'Ariège was founded in 1197 AD, on the lands of Baron Guy of Quérigut, who was saved by the Magi from a terrible curse he had contracted while on crusade. The Covenant is located on a small island on the river Ariège, South from the town of Tarascon-sur-Ariège, in the County of Foix.

Saga of the Mirror

Vormaerin

Thesaurus Terrae

Villa Manlia

The Saga, based on 5th edition rules, starts in 1200 and is centered on a small Spring Covenant in the Provençal Tribunal between Pamiers and Mirepoix built on the ruins of an old Roman villa whose thermal water tap into an antique magical source. The Saga focuses on the consequences of the Crusade launched against the Cathars and tries to incorporate some genuine historical facts. The website, written in French, contains a few ready-to-play adventures, some references to historical background (books, papers, websites...) as well as some reflections on the use of legal reasoning in the interpretation of RPG rules.

La guerre du Schisme (Français)

This french saga is based on Arm5th and related a tragic and bloody episode of the order's history: the schism war. Young magi are formed in an alliance diedne at the beginning of the second millennium and must run away far in an ancient site of diedne's covenant lost in the Vercors. While they are looking for the ancients inhabitants who have mysteriously dissapear, they find themselves gradually involved in a diabolic plot that will result in the eradication of house Diedne...This blog also contains numerous play aids,links to forum, interpretations and personal rules arising from years of game experience.

Related Sites

• Wikipedia article on the Albigensian Crusade

References

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Based on material Copyright David Chart 1997-2000. Used with permission.