The Contested Isle Ch 5

Chapter 5: The Province of Connacht

Good be the land and the kingdom thou dost inhabit; bountiful is its harvest, its honey, its fish, its wheat, and barleycorn, fair and mild is its weather. All that is necessary for thee is to be found in this land.

— The words of Ith of the Sons of Mil, spoken to the Tuatha Dé

Connacht (CON-ukh-t) has a long and rich history, in which mundane kings sit down with druids, giants, and the faerie kings and queens of old. There are strong alliances between its many peoples, but also feuds and rivalries, and it is a place more magical than perhaps even the Order suspects.

However, a centuries-old treaty forbids them from plundering Connacht for its resources, making Connacht, occupying the west of Ireland, a tantalizing opportunity for younger magi influenced by new continental attitudes.

The province is ruled by the kingdom of Connacht, which also enjoys fealty from the kingdom of Bréifne to the north. Both kingdoms have so far held out against the English, but while the Connachta kings jealously guard their borders and ruthlessly put down any incursions, they owe tribute to the English and rule by accord alone.

Geography

Connacht's craggy coastline to the north, west, and south is filled with cliffs, bays, and islands. There are many natural harbors and the coastal villages live off the sea and its shore while their livestock graze the steep hillsides.

The land itself is varied, with low-lying plains in the central region and mountainous ridges to the north, west, and south. Vast peat bogs are also found to the north and the west, and Connacht is generally fertile and productive. It also has numerous lakes both large and small and its prominent rivers are the Muaidhe (MOY), the Gaillimhe (GAL-lyiv-uh), and the Sionainne (SHON-an-yuh). It is the Sionainne on the eastern edge of the province that effectively divides Connacht from the rest of Ireland.

The province is bordered to the north by Ulster, to the east by Meath and Leinster, and to the south by Munster.

The Peoples of Connacht

Connacht has a number of clans that wield influence over its territory, and it is also the last refuge of the Fir Bolg and the land of the Coill Trí. As a result, its people tend to be knowledgeable about the supernatural and consult freely with druids.

The Connachta

The Connachta families claim descent from Conn Cétchathach (Conn of the Hundred Battles), the once High-King of Ireland. Cousins to the Uí Néill, they have wielded power across Connacht unchallenged for centuries despite deep-seated family rivalries.

The Uí Briúin (OO-ee BROON) rose to prominence five hundred years ago due to the close ties that they maintained with the druids. The major septs within the Uí Briúin are the Uí Briúin Bréifne, rulers of the Kingdom of Bréifne that include the rival Uí Ruairc (OO-ee ROO-ark) and Uí Raghallaigh (OO-ee RYE-lih) families, and the Uí Briúin Ai, rulers of the Kingdom of Connacht that include the ruling Uí Conchobhair (OO-ee CON-khoh-wur) family.

The Uí Fiachrach (OO-ee FIKH-rakh) were the dominant clan in Connacht for many generations, but lost influence to the Uí Briúin. Memories are long and the Uí Fiachrach songs tell of the time when they ruled Connacht. They are principally to be found across the central and western part of Connacht. Families of the Uí Fiachrach include the Ó Cléirigh, and the Ó Sheachnasaigh.

The Uí Maine (OO-ee MAN-yuh) drove the Fir Bolg westward when they took their lands near the Sionainne. The influence of the Uí Maine in Connacht has waned in recent generations and the Fir Bolg still harbor grudges against them. Families of the Uí Maine include the Ó Ceallaigh, the Ó Domhnalláin, and the Ó Fallamháin.

The Fir Bolg

Defeated at the hands of the Tuatha Dé, the Fir Bolg retreated to Connacht and conceded the rest of Ireland. They occupied all of Connacht for hundreds of years until the Milesians came and drove them even further to the west. While diminished in number, the three tribes of the Fir Bolg can still be found on the Aran Islands.

With the exception of the Fir Domhnann, the Fir Bolg are Christian, having been converted by Saint Patrick. The Fir Domhnann have more sympathy with their bastard Fomóir blood and they have taken to their goddess Domnu; their druids channel her power in their magic.

While their influence as rulers has all but gone, they still have a wisdom earned through countless victories, and defeats, making them invaluable counselors to the rulers of Connacht. The Fir Domhnann, however, resent the rule of man as it was their ancestor Gannan who was awarded Connacht to rule after the coming of the Fir Bolg to Ireland.

The Druids and the Coill Trí

The nobles of Connacht consult and protect numerous druids and few in Connacht would bar a druid's way. Those hedge wizards with the gift of foresight may now be seeing the omens changing for Connacht, and thus the Connachta should be mindful of their druids and their advice to prepare. Within a generation, the English may not be kept beyond the border.

Magic and Faerie auras are plentiful in Connacht, and even in the Dominion there are hedge wizards who seem to thrive. Vis, too, is abundant, though not often found in great quantities. Extraordinary vis (see Realms of Power: Magic, page 119 XXX) is common, as are herbs and things of virtue that the druids use to enhance their powers.

The Coill Trí is an imposition upon the druids of Connacht by the Ordo Hiberniae and many resent the restrictions they endure and the tribute they must pay; every seven years, Connacht must give up seven Gifted Connachta children to the magi ruling Leinster, Munster, and Ulster. This does not sit well, but just as the Fir Bolg and the Tuatha Dé after them owed tribute to the Fomóir, and the kings of Connacht owe tribute to the English, so the druids of Connacht must accept the same.

Booleys and Crannógs

Connacht has many villages that move with the seasons so as to better support their livestock and to go where the work and harvests are. This results in a number of booley villages, collections of simple dwellings occupied for only a season or two before the occupants move on to fresh pastures. This leaves many villages free to be used by faeries and many a traveler has been lured to a wicked fate upon looking for shelter in a booley when the fae are at home.

Crannógs are structures built upon stilts or platforms of timber and stone rising out of a lake. These man-made islands support homes and even small villages. Most are now empty and abandoned, left to faeries and druids.

Story Seed: Falling on Deaf Ears A Bréifne farmer seeks out a druid to ask for help, offering one seventh of his harvest for the next seven years. A witch, protected by an Uí Raghallaigh noble, has entranced the farmer's son and will not release him from her spell. Traveling east, the farmer finds magi of the Order, but do the magi feel able to intervene or must they work through agents?

The Kingdom of Bréifne

The kingdom of Bréifne (BREYF-nuh) extends from Sligo on Ireland's western shore almost to Kells to the east. It borders Ulster to the north, Meath to the east, and the Kingdom of Connacht to the south. Importantly, it spans the River Sionainne, long considered the border between the province of Connacht and the rest of Ireland.

Bréifne's Connacht territory is divided by Lough Allen, with a mountainous aspect to the north and gentle plains to the south-east. The unspoiled landscape has a natural beauty with deep valleys, rolling hills, rivers, and lakes barely touched by man. Settlements are concentrated along the short coast and the banks of Lough Allen and the rivers Sionainne and Erne.

Magical Influence

While the land is fertile, Bréifne is sparsely populated and replete with Magic auras anchored by the supernatural beauty of the untouched wilderness. Given the relative absence of people across the counties, the other realms have little influence over Bréifne's landscape.

Bréifne poses a particular problem for the Order. While the crown of Bréifne itself is subject to the kingdom of Connacht, the old treaty is unclear on whether Connacht is considered to stop at the Sionainne or to cover all lands subject to the kings of Connacht. At present, there are no covenants to be found in Bréifne and the Coill Trí argue that the land is theirs.

The Diocese of Triburnia The Diocese of Triburnia, also known as Kilmore, is coterminous with the kingdom of Bréifne and falls under the administration of the Archdiocese of Armagh. Bishop Tuathal Ua Connachtaig courted controversy by swearing an oath of fealty to Henry II in 1172 in his capacity as Bishop of Kells. It was a move that angered many and the Church appears complicit in moves to give the English further influence over Bréifne affairs. This is perhaps something that Hermetic newcomers to Hibernia might seize upon. The current bishop is Flann Ó Connachtaig, a scholar with no desire to oppose English influence in the region.

Kings of Bréifne

The most influential families in Bréifne are the Uí Raghallaigh clan to the east and the Uí Ruairc clan to the west. These wealthy and militarily strong families command extraordinary loyalty from their people and have come to blows countless times over control of Bréifne, each with their own allies from within Connacht and beyond.

The Bréifne crown is not inherited; the king is chosen from the male line by the male Uí Briúin Bréifne. Those with designs upon the crown often blinded or castrated their rivals to ensure that they are unfit to challenge them, and even today Bréifne politics is a brutal affair. The Bréifne kings, currently Ualgarg Uí Ruairc, owe allegiance to Connacht and the Uí Ruairc clan enjoys the support of the Uí Conchobhair rulers of Connacht against the Uí Raghallaigh in their frequent clashes.

The English exert their influence in Bréifne affairs from outside Connacht and, if your saga follows real-world history, Ualgarg is temporarily dethroned for a year in 1228, replaced by his cousin Niall. Ualgarg regains the throne when Niall dies and holds it until his own death in 1231.

If your saga follows real-world history, the feud between the two clans reaches a head in 1256 when Bréifne is split in two. The priory that stands on the Druim Leatan ridge separating Uí Ruairc from Uí Raghallaigh forms part of the boundary between the Bréifne Uí Raghallaigh to the east, and the Bréifne Uí Ruairc to the west. When this happens, both kingdoms remain subject to the kingdom of Connacht.

West Bréifne

The western part of Bréifne, ruled by the Uí Ruairc family, is a dramatic wooded land ringed with high mountains. These woodlands provide good hunting and are filled with wild pigs, boar, deer, and all manner of game birds. Wolves are also common, and eagles are often seen overhead.

The Glencar Waterfall

The 50-foot tall Glencar Waterfall in Bréifne's north-west flows with clean fresh water all year round. The beauty of the waterfall is at the heart of a strong Magic aura. Its waters are said to cleanse and heal wounds, effects resulting from the spell-like vis (Realms of Power: Magic, page 121 XXX) found within the waterfall.

The Black Pig's Dyke

The Black Pig's Dyke runs north to south through West Bréifne before running west to east and then rising south to north through East Bréifne. This Faerie trod is in a poor condition and is not currently continuous. The Connachta druids want to keep it that way; if it were replowed it would form a boundary around Ulster, which would carve into Connacht and open up more land for the Order of Hermes to claim.

East Bréifne

East Bréifne is bordered north and south by Ulster, Meath, and Leinster. Little wonder then that these Uí Raghallaigh lands are subject to interference from the English and their Irish vassals. Despite the constant antagonism, many magical places in the region have been preserved and magic is strong here.

Carrick

The small town of Carrick is a strategically important place. It provides a natural fording place across the River Sionainne, and if the English decided to invade Connacht, both sides would attempt to secure Carrick to control this key supply line. As such, Carrick has a distinctly martial outlook.

The Black Pig's Dyke runs to the west and south of Carrick.

Kilmore and CAvan

Twenty miles east of the Sionainne, Kilmore and Cavan sit just a couple of miles apart. Kilmore is home to the bishop of the diocese of Triburnia, and is protected by a motte and bailey castle built by Walter de Lacy in 1211. The castle is one of many built by de Lacy to facilitate a push into Connacht. If your saga follows real-world history, Cathal Uí Raghallaigh takes the castle in 1224 and demolishes it. Similar fates regularly befall de Lacy's other castles.

Cavan sits to the south-east of a complex of small lakes, many of which support crannógs. While many are now overgrown and appear to be little more than small islands close to shore, some continue to be used as booley villages or makeshift lodgings for fishermen working the lakes. However, some were once home to druids and the Magic auras have not yet faded. With a little effort, the crannógs north of Cavan could be turned into a new covenant site, easily defended yet close to markets and supplies.

At a distance of about five miles on each side, the towns of Kilmore and Cavan are surrounded by the Black Pig's Dyke to the west, north, and east.

The Kingdom of Connacht

When the people of Nemed told him of the tribute demanded by the Fomóir, Fionntan gave them wise counsel and told them that whatever tribute the Fomóir imposed upon them that it was in their power to either bear it or escape it.

— Lebor Feasa Runda

The last free king of Connacht was Ruaidhri Uí Conchobhair (ROO-ri OO-a CON-khoh-wur), who gained power through ruthless politics, military strength, and the assistance of the druids. He held the Connacht crown, secured continued fealty from Bréifne, and became High-King of Ireland, but his banishment of Mac Murrough led directly to the invasion of Ireland by the English, and the loss of Leinster, Munster, Meath, and Ulster. With his forces unable to stem the flow of the English conquest, he visited the Fir Bolg kings on Árainn Mhór to seek their advice. They gave him the counsel of Fionntan, and on the sixth day of October in 1175, Uí Conchobhair signed the treaty of Windsor, acknowledging Henry of England as ruler of Ireland. Uí Conchobhair remained king of Connacht conditional on yearly tribute, a tribute that still stands.

Ruaidhri Uí Conchobhair abdicated as High-King of Ireland and retired to the monastery at Cong, dying in 1198. The current king of Connacht is his half brother, Cathal Uí Conchobhair. If your saga follows real-world history, Cathal remains king of Connacht until 1224 when he is succeeded by his son Aedh. The title of high-king is lost forever, with the exception of two failed attempts to restore its authority.

Queen Maedhbh "I never was without one man in the shadow of another." — Queen Maedhbh Conniving, lascivious, and duplicitous, Meadhbh knew every type of magic that could control a man's head and heart and she employed this against mortal and immortal alike. Those who think the faerie Queen Maedhbh powerless in death should think again. Her mortal form may be buried at Cnoc na Ré, but her spirit still holds court and she may be sought out by kings, princes, and druids, offering her power to those who would give themselves to her. Her jealous love for Connacht may be roused should the Ulaidh deign to attack and she could lead a mighty army out of the Otherworld to meet them on the battlefield.

The Archdiocese of Tuam

The archdiocese of Tuam is coterminous with the kingdom of Connacht, its range reinforcing the crown's authority over its lands. The placing of the diocese of Triburnia under the archdiocese of Armagh ignored the subject nature of the kingdom of Bréifne and has been a source of dispute ever since.

The archdiocese covers eight dioceses; Killala and Achonry to the north; Mayo, Tuam, and Elphin centrally from west to east; and Annaghdown, Cill Mhic Dhuach, and Clonfert from the south-west to the south-east.

The Diocese of Killala

Much of the diocese of Killala, consisting of the north-westerly tip of Connacht, is mountainous and sparsely populated with extensive inland marshes and peat bogs.

The Stags of Broadhaven

The Stags of Broadhaven are a series of islands that rise steeply from the sea, and the jagged rocks are home to many seabirds. One of the islands has a cave that runs through it, a regio entrance that leads to the Otherworld of the Tuatha Dé who hold power over the Atlantic shore. The waters around Broadhaven are filled with dolphins and seals who act as their messengers and envoys.

The Diocese of Achonry

The diocese of Achonry is separated from Killala to the north by a ridge of mountains and from the Kingdom of Bréifne to the east by nothing more than good intentions. As a result, the people of Achonry must balance their favor between the Uí Ruairc kings of Bréifne and the Uí Conchobhair kings of Connacht.

Sligo

The town of Sligo is built upon the Sligeach estuary, home to fishermen who harvest the plentiful shellfish along the shore. The river is fed by Lough Gill, a large lake some six miles long. Sligo has no defensive walls or castle, and nor does it have an abbey or cathedral. Instead, the local area is dotted with numerous small religious communities.

Nearby, Lough Gara flows over a drowned village. The story goes that a faerie widow and her babe-in-arms came to the prosperous village seeking charity. She went from door to door through the night pleading for alms and shelter. She received none. On leaving the village, she pronounced a curse such that the waters of the brook rose up and drowned every one of the villagers asleep in their beds. Magi searching for spirits of regret or the drowned may find them still there at the bottom of Lough Gara.

The Temple House at Ballymote

Connacht's only Temple House is a square castle built in 1181 on the outskirts of Ballymote,ten miles south of Sligo and five miles west of Lough Arrow, provocatively close to the border with the Kingdom of Breifne. The castle is simple and lacks a keep, but is home to several foreign Templars and a large number of Connachta lay brothers.

Ballymote's fortunes have improved since the castle was built. It affords the town protection from the rogues and bandits that once troubled it, and keeping the castle supplied ensures that the town's merchants are kept busy.

The grant of land to the Templars some forty years ago was politically motivated; their presence provides a shield against aggression from others with designs on Bréifne soil. The current kings of Connacht may also consider granting land to the Order of Hermes in the hope of gaining similar control over migration into their lands. The Connachta druids are currently counseling against this dangerous move.

The Stones at Cnoc na Ré

Just two miles from Sligo, on the Cúil Irra peninsula between Sligo Bay and Ballisodare Bay, a large collection of stone circles and tombs covers the rolling hills. The hill of Cnoc na Ré stands proud at the western end of the peninsula. At its summit there is a huge tomb made of loose stones. It is 180 feet across and nearly 35 feet tall. This is the tomb of Queen Meadhbh. She is buried upright within the tomb and looks north-east into Ulster, vigilant should the men of Ulster try their luck against Connacht.

Drumcliffe

The old druid Bran Bodhar lives in the village of Drumcliffe to the north of Sligo bay. He spends his days in a round tower and those who speak of him claim that he can see the future. He does indeed possess the power of divination and his sight is so keen that it may sometimes see tomorrow. But he is both deaf and illiterate so those who seek him out must go armed with much patience and little expectation.

Binn Ghulbain

The plateau Binn Ghulbain can be clearly seen from Sligo town and all the environs around. Much of its 1700 feet slope is steep grassland before the cliff suddenly rises from the ground. Binn Ghulbain was where the Fianna, the young landless fighting men who marched under Finn Mac Cumhail, were to be found. Some say that their spirits are still there and that their heroics may be employed by those willing to climb Binn Ghulbain.

Loch na Súl

The Fomórach king Balor of the Baleful Eye was slain by Lugh of the Tuatha Dé at the second battle of Mag Tuired by loosing a stone from his sling that shattered Balor's eye. The fire from Balor's eye gouged a hole in the earth. As the giant fell, his blood filled the hole to form Loch na Súl, or the Lake of the Eye. The blood may be gone but part of Balor's shattered eye remains and is the source of the lake's level 2 Magic aura. Were a covenant in search of a cathach to remove the eye from the lake, the aura would fade.

The Diocese of Mayo

The diocese of Mayo was officially dissolved in 1202 by a Papal legate, with all subject lands and monasteries transferring directly to Tuam. The clergy of Mayo have been resistant to the change despite the decision having been ratified by Pope Innocent III in 1216. If your saga follows real-world history, this is confirmed again in 1221 by a further legate and finally by Pope Gregory IX in 1240.

Maol Réidh and Néifinn

Maol Réidh (MEEL RAY, as Cnoc Maol Réidh) is Connacht's highest point at over 2500 feet tall and its steep side drops away into Killary Harbor. Due to its impressive natural beauty, the mountain, dotted with sparse woodland, has a low level Magic aura. This has been reinforced through centuries of repeated casting of magic at its summit, and the aura is strongest at the point where the mountain overlooks the harbor.

Named for Nemed from the ancestral invasions of Ireland, Néifinn (NAY-finn) is Connacht's second highest point and is also over 2500 feet tall. Like Maol Réidh, it has a Magic aura across the mountain, which increases near the summit where generations of druids have used Néifinn as a vantage point from which to cast their spells. Both of these mountains provide excellent visibility across the land, which may be advantageous for certain spells.

Lough Conn

Visible from Néifinn, Lough Conn and its neighbor Lough Cullin, to which it is linked, form a lake complex nearly ten miles long. Lough Conn discharges to the Atlantic through the River Muaidhe (MOY), noted for the wealthy churches dotted along its length.

It is said that Lough Conn was formed by a great boar being chased by Fionn mac Cumhaill and his hounds Conn and Cullin. As the magical boar ran, water poured from its feet, so much that the two lakes were created and Finn's hounds drowned. The boar was never caught and still roams freely in the Faerie realm, though it has not been sighted in the mortal world since the chase.

Dooncarton

Dooncarton village sits inshore from the high cliffs to the south of Sruwaddacon Bay. There is little there except farmers who scrape a living from the estuary's harvest of shellfish. The village has a small church, a faithful congregation, a powerful dominion. But a small walk outside Dooncarton, on the slopes of the Caubeen Mountain that overlooks the village, there is a ring of seven stones. These stones, four feet tall in a circle no more than ten feet across, have a strong Faerie aura.

Aughagower

Those on pilgrimage walking in Patrick's footsteps usually pass Aughagower on their way. There is a slender tower in the grounds of the village church in which a druid lives whose power comes from the Divine. This lone cantor bestows blessings to aid those who feel their faith being shaken and need a sign that they are on the right path. See Realms of Power: The Divine Revised Edition, page 93 XXX for more information on the Cantores.

Achill Island

Croaghaun is Achill's highest point at over 2000 feet and the cliffs drop away from the northern slopes of the mountain straight down into the Atlantic. Croaghaun is partnered to the east by the similarly impressive Slievemore, and throughout the island with further mountains to the south.

The dramatic landscape across Achill gives the island an underlying Magic aura, broken only by the dominion centered upon the church bells. Given the sometimes harsh conditions and the relative lack of agricultural land, most of the inland population of Achill have nomadic tendencies. They live in a series of booley villages across the island and move with the seasons.

The island has a number of natural harbors, sheltered by the high cliffs, including Keel and Keem on the western side of the island and Cashel on the east.

Clew Bay

Clew Bay is a large natural ocean bay, protected at its mouth by the mountainous Clare Island and inshore by numerous drumlins, small submerged hills the tips of which just breach the surface. Some say the drumlins are actually faerie whales, free to roam the ocean at high tide but turning to stone when the tide turns. It is certain that nobody who counts the drumlins on different days arrives at the same count twice.

Croagh Patrick

Overlooking Clew Bay, Croagh Patrick is over 2000 feet tall and sits above the villages of Murrisk and Lucanvey about four miles from the town of Westport. Saint Patrick climbed this mountain and fasted at its summit for forty days and nights. The she-demon Caoranach tormented Patrick throughout his fast, sending a vast flock of crows and all the snakes of Ireland to distract him. At the end of his fast, he threw a silver bell into the air. The noise as it fell dispersed the crows and caused every serpent across the island to flee, never to return.

Caoranach herself was knocked from the sky, falling into the lake now called Lough Nacorra, where she was imprisoned for a while by its Divine waters. Upon her escape, Patrick tracked the demon to Lake Derg near Donegal where he finally defeated her.

Croagh Patrick itself is an important pilgrimage site and has a strong Divine aura. Numerous shrines to Patrick surround the mountain and a small church has been built on its summit. However, the roads in the area can be dangerous and robbers, faeries, and demons alike test the faith of those going to Lough Nacorra. If using the pilgrimage rules presented in The Church, page 16, these trials form useful oppositional elements when calculating the Pilgrimage Level.

Story Seed: An Appeal A clerical companion character is approached by the clergy of Mayo to take their case to Rome to argue against the dissolution of their diocese. They feel an outsider's voice added to their own may give them the weight they need. When the cleric receives a menacing visit from agents apparently sent by the Archbishop of Tuam, it seems that Tuam is prepared to go to supernatural lengths to secure its hold on Mayo. But is the archbishop really behind this, or is he just a pawn in a larger game?

The Diocese of Tuam

The city of Tuam is a fading center of political and economic power. It is here that the Uí Conchobhair dynasty sought to strengthen their grip on Connacht with a castle built in 1164. But the city has not fared well since then. Although home to five monasteries and several high crosses, Tuam has been without its cathedral since it burned to the ground in 1184. With the king's abdication in 1185, and the tensions with the English on Connacht's borders, little attention has been turned to rebuilding it.

There is hope for Tuam, however, as the town now holds many popular markets and fairs, and is home to a growing mercantile industry. So while economically strong, the political class has all gone and the city is left with an archbishop without a cathedral. Some might say this makes fertile ground for the Infernal.

Cong Abbey

Cong Abbey was founded by Saint Deichin in the early part of the 7th century, but the monks of Cong Abbey have recently adopted the Augustinian rule, leaving behind the old ways of the Celtic Church. The abbey has had a checkered past and was destroyed by fire early in the 12th century before being rebuilt around 1135 and Ruaidhri Uí Conchobhair retired here after his abdication. Despite its location well within Connacht, the abbey was attacked by the English knight William de Burgh in 1203 and had to be rebuilt again.

The Cross of Cong is an elaborate golden processional cross commissioned by Tairrdelbach Uí Conchobhair nearly 70 years ago. The cross is a reliquary and contains a piece of the True Cross, which provides 3 Faith Points. Originally intended for Tuam cathedral, it was moved to Cong when the abbey was last rebuilt.

The town of Cong itself is built on an island formed by a number of streams that flow around it. It also sits above a series of underground streams that connect Lough Mask in the north with Lough Gaillimhe to the south. It is near the site of the First Battle of Mag Tuired where the Tuatha Dé defeated the Fomórach. Much of the site is now wooded over, but there may still be Magic and Faerie artefacts buried beneath the trees.

Lough Mask and Lough Gaillimhe

Lough Mask, the smaller of the two lakes, empties into the larger Lough Gaillimhe, and through it into the Atlantic. Lough Gaillimhe is a large lake a short walk to the north of Dún Bhun na Gaillimhe. A canal, called the Friar's Cut, has been channeled from Lough Gaillimhe, through the settlement surrounding the nearby Dún and into the Atlantic. As the Tuatha Dé Manannán mac Lir claims sovereignty over Lough Gaillimhe, the druids of Tuam were called upon to negotiate the canal's route.

Dún Bhun na Gaillimhe

This fort, looking south into Loch Lurgain on the west coast, was built by Tairrdelbach Uí Conchobhair in 1124 and its location was chosen both as a naval base and for its defensibility by land. It is protected from the north by boggy ground that makes progress difficult, and from the south and east by the extensive muddy tidal flats.

This did not deter assault, however. The Maigh Seola, those lands east of the Gaillimhe, were rich pickings and successive kings of Munster not only raided huge quantities of cattle but also destroyed the Dún in 1132 and 1149. While attackers made slow progress to the fort, it was neither easy to resupply nor was it particularly robust. These flaws remain in its current incarnation.

If you saga follows real-world history, the fort and its settlement will be a repeated target for the Normans when they enter Connacht around 1230.

Connemara

Connemara is the region to the west of Lough Gaillimhe and is further divided into north and south areas by the short mountain range known as the Twelve Bens. The distinction between north and south is considered very important by the feuding families living in their respective areas. Connemara is currently ruled by the Ó Cadhla clan, but they are facing competition as families from Leinster and Munster seek out new lands after being displaced by the English.

Clifden

The Connemara village of Clifden is built on the Owenglen River where it flows into Clifden Bay. The surrounding hills are dotted with barrows and stone tombs. Unlike other areas, the people of Clifden seem to have lost their fear or respect of the Tuatha Dé and stones from the cairns and tombs have been taken to make houses and churches across the local area. The Tuatha Dé are incensed at this disrespect and the mortal and immortal worlds are in need of somebody to mediate.

Omey Island

Omey Island is accessible from the Connemara coast by foot at low tide. The local villagers hold pony races across the sands throughout August, giving the community chance to reaffirm friendships, trade, and go courting.

The island itself is home to a monastery founded by St. Feichin, which has struggled through recent years. Unless new patrons are found, it may soon be abandoned. The stone-built church is strong, however, and there is a holy well that supports its own separate Divine aura, even producing Divine vis.

Inishbofin and Inishark

These twin islands about five miles off the Connemara coast bear a strange magical curse. Despite the islands' mild climate and plentiful food, those who live on the islands age more quickly than those on the mainland, suffering a –1 Living Conditions penalty. There are numerous ruins on the island, left behind by the monks who died without replacement, some as recent as the monastery founded by Saint Colman on Inishbofin that dissolved in the 10th century. Some research would be required to see whether an effect like the Aegis of the Hearth could protect inhabitants against the curse.

The Diocese of Elphin

The Diocese of Elphin occupies the eastern edge of Connacht and is bounded by the River Sionainne for its length. Those who live in the diocese look nervously across the Sionainne for signs of English aggression, and with good reason. The Hermetic covenant of Praesis is located on an island between Connacht and Leinster and it is well known that the Leinster druids have been at war with those of Connacht. Many men of Elphin have already died defending these druids, and with their loss the fear is that a new English assault cannot be far behind.

The Town of Elphin

The town of Elphin, south of Carrick in Bréifne and north of Boyle in Connacht, is a devout place. It is said that the druid Ono was ruler of these Elphin lands when Saint Patrick passed through. Ono was converted and gave Patrick his land and his castle in which to found a monastery. Through Patrick's miracles, a spring of pure water broke forth and the stream runs through Elphin today. He also established Elphin as an episcopal see and the current bishop is Dionysius Ó Mórda, a man not given to compassion or understanding as far as druids are concerned.

Boyle Abbey

The town of Boyle is home to a Cistercian Abbey, barely sixty years old and built under the patronage of the wealthy Mac Diarmaid family. Construction is ongoing with the church consecrated as recently as 1218.

This is actually the third site that the Cistercians attempted to use, finding it difficult to gain a foothold in Connacht. Few know why, but unlike the other nobles in the region the Mac Diarmaids frequently shunned the advice of druids and from 1161 have suffered no druid at their court.

Cruachan

Ancient Connacht was ruled by queen Meadhbh from Rathcroghan, the Rath of Cruachan. Little remains of her fortress now except ruins and time-worn earthworks, but there is a way into the Faerie regio that still contains Meadhbh's ancient court.

The site of Cruachan, near the town of Tulsk, is surrounded by mounds and barrows from which all manner of monsters, beasts, and faerie folk intrude upon the mortal world. This happens most frequently at Samhain, and the villages around Cruachan are protected from these terrors by druids, including nightwalkers (see Hedge Magic Revised Edition XXX).

Roscommon

The town of Roscommon holds numerous market charters and many roads pass through the town, but it lacks the life and energy of other market towns. Could this have anything to do with the Ollamhain singer that was run out of town three years ago? Or the breaking of the church bell three years before that? Or the killing of that magical swan three years before that even? Whatever it is, misfortune seems to fall regularly on Roscommon and, seemingly without notice, a fog is falling on its people.

Athlone

Ten miles to south east of Roscommon, just south of Lough Ree, the English control a large stone bridge that spans the River Sionainne and joins Leinster and Meath to Connacht, providing a valuable foothold in Connacht.

Athlone stands on the site of an ancient ford. To the south, the river is impassable to Clonmacnoise, and from early times Athlone was of great strategic importance. Tairrdelbach Uí Conchobhair built a bridge and protective ring fort here a century ago. This was replaced by a stone castle ten years ago by John de Gray, the Bishop of Norwich and Justiciar of Ireland from 1209 to 1212, but has become a possession of Walter de Lacy, who has stationed a small garrison. Athlone is prosperous under English rule, and the marketplace provides finished goods hard to acquire in the region. The Sionainne and the Great Highway mean trade from across Ireland flows through here.

There is always conflict to be had at Athlone. While the castle protects Meath from Connachta invasion, it does nothing to prevent small bands of men crossing the Sionainne to test their mettle against the English.

At night Athlone residents are prone to hear the terrible cry of the banshee (Realms of Power: Faerie, page 80 XXX), for many local families have the death omen. Once the banshee is heard, many fall to weeping and mourning, but it is said that if you are quick witted enough and can discover which of your clan is about to die, you can sometimes avert the catastrophe.

Rathbeg

Nine miles north of Roscommon is a small collection of barrows. These barrows contain the bodies of Fir Bolg warriors killed in battle and buried centuries before Saint Patrick converted the Fir Bolg to Christianity. Their spirits still sleep on beneath the barrows, waiting to be called.

The Castlestrange Stone

Near the small town of Athleague there is a single standing stone called the Castlestrange Stone. Egg-shaped and a yard along its longest dimension, the stone is inscribed with a single continuous winding pattern across its surface. There is no supernatural aura but those who have touched the stone claim it to be unnatural. As a result, few are prepared to move it from the shallow hillside on which it can currently be found.

It is similar to another stone near the village of Bullaun to the west, though that one is larger and more upright. The designs are strikingly similar. If the two could be studied together, perhaps the meaning behind the carvings could be discovered.

Story Seed: The Swords of the Fer Caille= When a number of villages on the Meath side of the Sionainne are put to the sword by mysterious and savage warriors, the Bishop of Athlone asks the magi of Leinster for their help. These Fer Caille are faeries (Realms of Power: Faerie, page 77 XXX) looking for mortal heroes to fight and slay them. The trouble is that the Connachta men are following the Fer Caille example and raiding against Meath holdings. Can the magi arm and prepare their grogs and consortes to withstand the Fer Caille? And what orders do they give concerning the mortal men of Connacht?

Story Seed: The Cry of the Banshee A banshee is heard to wail, and the youngest of the family Congal Mac an Fhailghigh sees it outside their home. The urchin immediately runs in to the night, and finds a way to discover the characters, asking them to help stop the banshee, or change the doom on his family. The death will surely occur soon; will the characters be moved to tangle with this supernatural horror? And why are so many prominent English clergy and knights riding to town on this dark, cold evening?

The Diocese of Annaghdown

The small diocese of Annaghdown has a small human population, but it is notable as Ireland's Fir Bolg population falls under its influence.

The Aran Isles

The series of three Aran Isles off the coast of Gaillimhe Bay are home to Ireland's remaining Fir Bolg.

Árainn Mhór is the largest and most westerly of the major islands, and is home to the Fir Bolg royal blood line. Their king, Rudraige Ua Sláine, lives in the Dún Aonghasa, a large ancient ring-fort at the top of a cliff built by Aonghus mac Úmhór, king of the Fir Bolg upon their exile to Connacht. It has four concentric walls of dry stone construction. There are three other smaller forts of similar construction on Árainn Mhór; Dún Dubhchathair, Dún Eochaill, and Dún Eoghanachta. These are home to others of the Fir Bolg royal line. The rest of the Fir Bolg live in large beehive-shaped drystone huts called clóchan. There are also a dozen monasteries on Árainn Mhór and these are home to human and Fir Bolg monks alike.

To the west of Árainn Mhór are the two small Brannock Islands. Giraldus Cambrensis wrote of them when he described an island upon which human corpses did not decay. Instead, they are left in the open and it is known that a man may visit the island and find any number of his forebears laid out before him. This same island also has no mice and those brought to the island either throw themselves to the sea or die on the spot. The magi of Qui Sonant have heard of the island and would be interested to know more but for the treaty that prevents them from entering Connacht.

The Fir Domhnann of Árainn Meáin are the smallest of the three tribes and they all live within the Dun Chonchuir ringfort. As may be expected of the tribe who have turned to venerating the Fomóir goddess Domnu, there are no churches on Árainn Meáin and no Divine auras.

Árainn Thiar, the smallest of the major islands, is inhabited by the Fir Gaileoin. They are nominally Christian but virtually non-observant and island is home to only one church.

Tempull Bheanáin is a small oratory situated on high ridge on the south-east of Árainn Thiar. It is outwardly very small and appears to be an abandoned ruin. On stepping through into the Terrestrial regio that overlays it (see Realms of Power: The Divine Revised Edition, page 13 XXX), however, the church is large and overwhelmingly beautiful and no harm may come to those inside.

The Diocese of Cill Mhic Dhuach

The Diocese of Cill Mhic Dhuach is the ancestral home of the Uí Fiachrach. It is now wealthy but lacking in the military might it needs to defend itself from raiders crossing the border from Munster to the south.

Cill Mhic Dhuach Monastery

The bustling Ó Sheachnasaigh stronghold of Gort, and the nearby Cill Mhic Dhuach Monastery, grew in importance through the last century. Besides its impressive stone-built church, the monastery contains a number of buildings including a tall round tower that noticeably leans to the east. Such is the wealth of Cill Mhic Dhuach that if your saga follows real-world history, it is plundered many times during the thirteenth century. It is said that no man may die of lightning in the diocese of Cill Mhic Dhuach.

The Rath of Fir Mhor

Fir Mhor is a large ring fort near the village of Bullaun and the larger town of Loughrea. It is used by local nightwalkers to protect their harvests against harsh weather spirits, faeries trying to steal their livestock, and infernal plagues blown on the wind. In these times the true Rath, complete with palisade and internal buildings, descends from the Magic regio that normally hides it. The nightwalkers gather their forces here and protect an area some twenty miles around.

The Rath is also home to a yard-tall standing stone, upright and rounded, and covered with a continuous swirling pattern. It is clearly related to the Castlestrange stone in Elphin and may even bear the same enchantments.

The Diocese of Clonfert

The cathedral at Clonfert grew out of the earlier monastery and the church was started around 1180. A magical stonemason worked upon the great arch that surrounds the doors and such is the beauty of his work that supernatural beasts from all the realms traveled to see it. Even now, the stonework bears the images of those who came to see the stonemason work.

Slieve Aughty

Slieve Aughty is a densely wooded mountain range that spans the Connacht-Munster border. As such it is a large refuge for magical creatures and beasts who prefer such places. Magi of the Order come here to find potential familiars and some accidentally cross into Connacht, something that has caused tensions to flare between the Order and the Coill Trí. If anyone could create a magical boundary to mark the border between Munster and Connacht across Slieve Aughty they would earn the thanks of the Tribunal and the Coill Trí.

The Hermetic covenant of Elk's Run can be found on the Munster side of the Slieve Aughty hills.

Hedge Magic and Original Research Any literate hedge wizard able to undertake work in a laboratory can use the Original Research rules presented in Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, but (according to page 16 XXX of Hedge Magic Revised Edition) if the wizard's tradition has no codified theory of magic, this theory is the only thing open for investigation. Otherwise, the process is the same as for Hermetic magi. Storyguides looking to explore Oireadh's research, or to implement something similar elsewhere, should familiarize themselves with the Original Research rules presented in Houses of Hermes: True Lineages. ÁdhAmh's Research Ádhamh Brathair (EWE BRO-hur) has a vision of a theory of magic that encompasses all the traditions of Ireland and grants all practitioners the magical defenses afforded by each tradition. This breakthrough requires at least 120 breakthrough points (Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 28 XXX). Ádhamh suspects that he cannot succeed during his lifetime, but he has secured his notes in the hope that future generations can build upon his research. His work so far has centered on the creation of Amulets (Hedge Magic Revised Edition, page 86 XXX) that grant the wearer the Supernatural Virtues for Second Sight, Dowsing, and Cursing, inspired by the Folk Witch tradition. These grant the associated Ability at a score of 4 for a season. Through these he has learned how his own magic differs from that of the Folk Witches, an important point of comparison when understanding his own tradition. In addition, by learning these Abilities, he hopes to gain the limited magical defenses that they offer, which furthers his ultimate goal. He currently has fifteen points toward his research total.

The Pact of Oireadh

The Pact of Orieadh is a group of druids intent on creating their own unified theory of magic with the ultimate aim — unknown to the Order — of creating their own form of Parma Magica.

History

The covenant of Praesis was once a meeting place between the hedge wizards of Connacht and the Ordo Hiberniae. With all those years of dialog and exchange, it is not surprising that some of those hedge wizards would wonder at the magical secrets being kept from them. Having once been allies of Praesis, the druids of Oireadh deserted Meadhbh when her demands upon them became unreasonable. They instead began to ask what brought the Order their power, and what protected them while lesser wizards fell. So these wizards began to turn their abilities to research.

Setting and Physical Description

The druids of Oireadh do not live and work together in the manner of Hermetic magi. Instead, they meet every season in the village of Oireadh, which is no more than two day's travel for each member. Each of these druids has his own aura supporting his own supernatural tradition.

Culture and Traditions

Oireadh is a collection of druids who support each other in their magical and mundane pursuits. The effect of The Gift has been hard to put aside, but living so far apart seems to help, as the antagonism inherent to The Gift only manifests when meeting in person. Each of the druids has his own helpers and messengers and these are frequently employed to take messages between the druids; they can often be encountered on the region's roads and tracks.

The more academically-minded of the Oireadh druids have turned their thoughts to understanding the different magics used by the druids. The research is clandestine for fear of how the Coill Trí and the Ordo Hiberniae will respond.

Principally resident in Connacht, the druids of Oireadh have no love for the English.

Magi

There are currently eight druids sworn to the Pact of Oireadh. It is important to note that, unlike the Order, Oireadh does not discriminate between traditions and so a Fir Bolg is free to sit at council with a Witch, a Goetic Sorcerer, and a Learned Magician. These principle members are described below.

Ádhamh Brathair

Age: 55 (Apparent Age: 55)
Personality Traits: Charismatic +3, Determined +2, Cautious +1
Tradition: Learned Magician

Ádhamh is a master of experimental philosophy and a Gifted Learned Magician, tracing his magic ultimately back to Bologna in Italy. It was Ádhamh who conceived the Pact of Oireadh and he is also the principle researcher working toward unifying the druidic gifts.

He sees his work as being for the greater good. While he would prefer to take the glory he is aware that it is the work of more than a single lifetime. He is cautious about revealing too much to the Coill Trí as he knows of their connection to the Ordo Hiberniae and is concerned as to their potential reaction. This is especially resonant as the Coill Trí recently took a Gifted child from him in order to provide tribute to the Hermetic magi across the border.

Ádhamh is ordained in minor orders but is supported by a wealthy nobleman of Cong, where he turns his powers to helping the noble and his family.

Umor Ard Mac Adar

Season: Autumn (Apparent Age: 50)
Magic Might: 25
Personality Traits: Gentle +3, Independent +2, Idealistic +1
Tradition: Transformed Fir Domhnann

Umor Mac Adar is one of the few Fir Domhnann to leave Árainn Meáin, but while he has left his home behind he brings his faith in Domnu with him. Larger than any mortal man, Umor carries the deformity of his ancestral Fomórach blood, and he has an extra pair of arms that extend from his sides. Otherwise, he looks broadly human and his mature face is almost handsome. His magical blood gives him a Might score and healing powers.

Resentful of his people's exile, he agreed to help Ádhamh as an opportunity to gain favor among the humans so that one day his people might come back to the mainland. His desertion of his homeland is seen as a betrayal by some of his kind and his three cousins have sworn to kill him.

Generally fearful of humans, he has chosen to place his trust in Ádhamh and frequently acts as arbitrator when tempers flare between those Gifted sworn to the Pact. He lives in the hills above Lough Conn where all manner of spell-like vis can be found. Those who seek him must do so at night, for he sleeps within a hidden regio by day.

Mór Greannach

Age: 75 (Apparent Age: 75)
Personality Traits: Mischievous +3, Meddling +2, Trustworthy –1
Tradition: Folk Witch

Mór Greannach (MORE GREN-nukh), meaning "grey-beard," gains her name from the thin grey beard that hangs from her aged chin. She is well into her seventies, and all those years have been put to the pursuit of her arts for the benefit of her community. She is feared and distrusted every bit as much as she is revered and consulted.

Mór Greannach is hugely knowledgeable on the workings of the magical world around her and she frequently collects herbs and objects of virtue from the rolling hills and woodlands around her village, magically enriching them to add to her own powers.

Of the Pact of Oireadh, Mór Greannach is the one with the widest contacts among other druids and hedge wizards. Aside from her coven, she is on friendly terms with scores of nightwalkers, faerie-touched craftsmen, Ollamhain (Realms of Power: Faerie, page 135 XXX), and the Kilkenny coven across the border in Leinster.

Mór Greannach is also the closest to Oireadh as she lives in nearby Carrowmore.

Tuathal an IArrainn

Age: 40 (Apparent Age: 40)
Personality Traits: Honest +3, Disciplined +2
Tradition: Goetic Sorcerer

Tuathal an Iarrainn (TUH-ah-hal AN IR-ran) is a master of the Ars Goetica, which give him the means to summon, bind, and command spirits. There are some who distrust both the means and the source of his magic, but Tuathal seeks never to hide his nature.

He is a master smith by trade; he can use his magic to bind spirits to the items and weapons he makes. However, he has been using his Commanding art more recently under Ádhamh's request as he seeks out more resources that could help with the research.

Tuathal maintains a well-equipped workshop in the coastal village of Rosbeg to the west of Oireadh and has two mundane apprentices, neither of whom is suited to the Goetic Arts. See Realms of Power: The Infernal (pages 114–119 XXX) for more information on the Goetic Arts.

Covenfolk

The druids do not have covenfolk as such but the villagers of Oireadh, having been well paid for their hospitality, are loyal to them. Over the years, they have learned where each of the druids can be contacted. The villagers are particularly wary of those who come to the village looking for the druids (treat this as an additional –1 to any social interaction rolls) and secretly send a messenger to Mór Greannach to warn her of the visitors.

===Oireadh Story Seeds The following story seeds serve to introduce Oireadh and its druids. the DiAbolist's Dying Wish Tuathal's Goetic master has died in Dublin. Among his effects was a large book written in Latin and arcane code, a sum of money, and the request that the book be delivered to Tuathal in Rosbeg. The arcane nature of the book was recognized, however, and it has worked its way to the player covenant through one of their companions. The book on Infernal Lore concentrates mainly on specific demons. Do the magi keep the book, send it to the rightful owner, or investigate further looking for evidence of diabolism beyond the Connacht border? An Evil Wind When an infernal wind blows disease through the county, the magi find themselves unable to counter its effects. But there are tales of a Fir Domhnann healer living among humans in Connacht. Unable to cross the border, the magi send their trusted companions to find Umor Ard Mac Adar in the Lough Conn hills. Unknown to them, Umor's cousins have ventured into Connacht intent on killing their wayward kin. The companions must run the gauntlet of Umor's cousins and get the healer back to the covenant in time to prevent the infernal illness taking more lives. A True Summoner When Ádhamh Brathair discovers that Tuathal's arts are infernal in origin he casts his net wider. He begins looking for a true magical summoner to learn from and his quest takes him out of Connacht. He makes contact with the apprentice taken from him, asking her to tell him of any summoners her new covenant encounters. When she is discovered sending messages to Ádhamh, the covenant must confront her origins and loyalties as well as the nature of Ádhamh's unknown research. The Words of Wisdom A magical spirit, created during Ádhamh Brathair's experiments, flees on the wind, fearful of being enslaved. Stopping near the player covenant, it imparts its knowledge to the villagers around it and, as though a madness has overcome them, they all begin to speak of strange things in a Latin that none of them understand. With the magi quickly involved, they discover that the spirit is a thing of accumulated magical knowledge but with no guidance on how to use it. Discovering that the spirit is already fading, should they let it die and with it the knowledge it contains, or should they guide it back to the one who created it?

The Covenant of Praesis

Symbol: A spear formed from thigh bones and a skeletal hand
Season: Winter
Cathach: The Gáe Bulg; a spear made from the bones of the monster Coinchenn

Left to fend for itself by the Tribunal, the winter covenant of Praesis fell to foreign adventurers. Once the shining example of friendship between the druids of Ireland and the Order, to some it now represents the dangers posed by outsiders, while to others it demonstrates that Hibernia itself needs to change. Whatever the arguments, the new masters of Praesis face the hard task of dragging the covenant out of winter.

Cathach

The Gáe Bulg is a spear made from the bones of the monstrous witch Coinchenn, slain by Art, son of Conn. It is formed from her two great thigh bones and capped with her clawed right hand. If the spear should pierce its target, the clawed hand closes around the target's bones or guts, and it cannot be removed until the target is dead. Although Coinchenn herself was cruel and hideous, her daughter was beautiful and virtuous. The crone guarded her jealously as she foresaw that on the day her daughter was wooed Coinchenn would lose her life. She beheaded those who tried to take her daughter and stuck their heads upon the spikes that surrounded her home. Possession of the Gáe Bulg grants the Death Prophecy Virtue (ArM5, page 41 XXX) to those who wield it. The prophecy is different for every person, but the circumstances always start with the loss of the spear itself.

History

Praesis was established on the Connacht and Meath border soon after the Treaty of Cnoc Maol Réidh. Intended as a place where magi of the Order could meet with the hedge wizards of Connacht, within a century the purpose of its founding was all but forgotten, and its prestige was already waning.

Centuries later, though wary of admitting a foreigner from the continent, Praesis accepted Holzner of Tytalus in the spring of 1213. Two years later, Holzner stole the covenant's cathach. The covenant caught and executed him, and the maga Meadhbh, leader of Praesis, hung his head by its hair from the covenant's palisade.

Word of Holzner's humiliation reached his parens, Ballack, who then left the Rhine to seek justice in Hibernia. He convinced others that if the Tribunal would not sanction Praesis then they should take the covenant by force. Declaring Wizard War, Ballack struck quickly.

Praesis was stronger than it appeared, however, and the attack was resisted. From their base on Lough Ree's eastern shore, Ballack's forces stripped the covenant's vis sources bare and killed any person they saw attempting to enter or leave Praesis. The siege prevented Praesis from attending the last Tribunal meeting, where they might no doubt have appealed for and gained allies.

The siege lasted the turn of four seasons of stand-off, during which time numerous mundane mercenaries and several young magi, allies to both sides, lost their lives. While the covenants of Hibernia debated, the war continued. The sides seemed evenly matched, man-for-man and magic-for-magic, but Ballack's nerve held out longer. As the last of the Praesis' allies fled, Báetáin Ua Traimair of Praesis negotiated a peace with Ballack; the cathach in return for safe passage for Meadhbh. The terms were accepted and Ballack has been in control of Praesis ever since. Meadhbh claimed sanctuary at the covenant of Qui Sonant Pro Quieto.

Setting and Physical Description

Praesis occupies a stone tower raised on a wooded island in Lough Ree. Sitting between Connacht and Meath, it has the village of Annaghmore to the west and Agharanagh to the east. It is far enough from both shores that spells with Voice range do not carry. The rubble from the original tower and covenant outbuildings lies scattered around and the new tower is the result of Hermetic ritual.

The woodland across the island has been ravaged and burned, but the island is recovering and the green has reasserted itself across the dead and dying woods.

The location was originally chosen for its symbolism, sitting as it does between the domain of the Coill Trí and the rest of Ireland, dominated by the Order of Hermes. But since the siege, the covenant finds itself isolated from both sides with mundanes generally unwilling to help them and the Coill Trí warning hedge wizards of this new danger.

The western shore of Lough Ree is a faerie trod (Realms of Power: Faerie, page 21 XXX). The natural boundary has a Faerie aura of 5 and it has the power to take the traveler to a number of other trods across Connacht.

Culture and Traditions

Praesis is cold and austere, and the ruins of laboratories can be seen from nearly every window in the tower, serving as a reminder of the conflict. The covenant holds a weekly council to determine the whereabouts, state, and intent of Meadhbh and her supporters, and to ensure their defenses are as strong as possible in case they attempt to retake the covenant.

Through the last two seasons Guillaume Flambeau of Normandy has been briefing his colleagues on interesting sites his spies have found across the Connacht border. Praesis often plays host to a changing roster of foreign magi recently arrived in Hibernia, and the gaze of these magi is shifting to Connacht with growing interest.

Villages on both sides of Lough Ree are more fearful of magi and their servants than usual, only reluctantly providing goods and service. Treat those associated with Praesis as having the Infamous Flaw (ArM5, page 55 XXX) and the level 4 bad Reputation that goes with it.

Magi

There are six magi who live at Praesis and a further two apprentices. The four principals are described below.

Ballack of Tytalus

Age: 80 (Apparent Age: 65)
Personality Traits: Confident +3, Driven +2, Patient +1

Ballack, the new Lord of Praesis, rejoiced in turning Hibernia's traditions on the Irish and taking his revenge against Meadhbh. But it speaks to the character of the man that Holzner's head still hangs from the palisade walls exactly where Meadhbh put it years ago.

He displays a festering contempt for the Irish magi and their outdated ways and is busy making overtures of support and friendship to both established English covenants and newly-arrived adventurers. Ballack has spent the last year consolidating his hold on the crumbling ruins of Praesis but his war against Meadhbh cost him dearly, and he owes vis and favors to a number of magi. For all his confident swagger he knows that until his debts are repaid his position is merely on loan.

With his personal resources exhausted, he has been forced to borrow yet more vis and casting tablets from his distant benefactors. He is keen to find a way for the covenant to pay for itself and soon. He cannot be seen to abandon his prize.

Báetáin ua Traimair

Age: 60 (Apparent Age: 47)
Personality Traits: Regretful +3, Conflicted +2, Pragmatic +1

Báetáin Ua Traimair is a traitor. Originally one of the magi besieged by Ballack, his support for Meadhbh waned as the siege looked increasingly hopeless. He ultimately chose the survival of Praesis over its destruction and delivered the Gáe Bulg to Ballack. When this was discovered, the magi of Praesis saw that they had lost the fight and fled.

He rarely leaves the old tower now. Every time he does he passes the burned homes of those he once knew. He can still hear their screams as the fire rained down from the sky. And he now shares the covenant with Guillaume, their killer. But for all that, Praesis still stands and can be rebuilt. Báetáin is one of the few native magi of House Tremere in Hibernia and has been stationed at Praesis all his life. His parens retired to Coeris some years ago, taking Báetáin's sigil with him.

guillAume flAmbeAu of normAnDy

Age: 65 (Apparent Age: 52)
Personality Traits: Bombastic +3, Aggressive +2, Patient –1

Unable to step out of the shadow of Montverte, the covenant of his apprenticeship, Guillaume sought another Tribunal on which to make his mark. He was attracted to Hibernia ten years ago by the tales that he had heard during his apprenticeship. He is dangerously proficient with Ignem magic and has already taken the cathach of one independent magus, claiming both his covenant resources and his apprentice, who he is now training in his own image.

Guillaume is currently undertaking actions against locations in Connacht using the Breifne mercenaries in his employ. He hasn't set foot into Connacht himself yet, but he is using his men to identify and raid vis sources.

He has an ongoing rivalry with the maga Gráinne inghean Uaitéar of the covenant of Vigil and would like nothing more than the chance to see the witch humbled before him.

Cacht Cultas Críamoine

Age: 50 (Apparent Age: 40)
Personality Traits: Remote +3, Cold +2, Precise +1

Brought up in the covenant of Qui Sonant, Cacht is a Hibernian native, a maga of House Criamon chosen by the Path of Strife (Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, page 67 XXX). Her rejection of Criamon's traditional morality drew her to conflict and the Siege of Praesis offered a unique challenge: the destruction of the status quo. Having killed in Ballack's name, she subsequently lost interest in his aims. She has no particular cause and resides at Praesis only until one is brought to her, but she listens intently to Guillaume's reports on Connacht sensing a new conflict in the making.

Covenfolk

Aside from a few personal servants brought by the conquering magi, the covenant has yet to recruit new covenfolk. The exception is the turb of Breifne mercenaries led by Guillaume. They are content to work for to Guillaume as long as they are paid well and have a plentiful supply of food, fighting, wine, and women. The area around Praesis has learned to fear the men of Breifne.

The giant-blooded Oscar von Harz is entirely without fear and is utterly loyal to Ballack. The white-haired giant is the current guardian of the Gáe Bulg and he can be found on a wooden platform looking out to Meath holding the terrible spear in challenge to those who would try to steal it. While outside the Aegis of the Hearth as convention dictates, the tower and the spear are actually within a regio, out of sight of the mortal world, and are well-warded and protected with magic. Oscar has seen his death, thanks to the magic of the Gáe Bulg. All anyone knows is that he has taken an interest in the legends of the Fir Bolg since being given the spear.

Story Seed: Remember Who You Work For When a player character becomes involved in a cult or society, they are ordered to take a message to the errant Ballack who has been forgetting the debts he owes to some powerful and mysterious benefactors. While not a member of the cult, Ballack benefited from their aid. Can the younger magus exert the authority of the cult over Ballack? Story Seed: Tthe Broken Treaty Faolán of the Younger House fled to Connacht before the fall of Praesis. His parens was one of the true Ollamhain (see Realms of Power: Faerie, page 135 XXX) and Faolán has a limited grasp on the Arts. As a result, he sees himself as closer to the druids of Connacht than the Order. While he may have friends within the Coill Trí, his extended stay across the border is a clear breach of the treaty. When the Tribunal realizes where Faolán is, and that he is turning his back on the Order, the player characters are commissioned to find him and bring him back to the Tribunal with or without the assistance of the Coill Trí. The player characters find themselves on a manhunt in hostile territory.