Bohemian Rhapsody
Current Saga Year
1271 AD
Saga Mythic Europe Ordo Hermei Lusus
CovenantCharacters
 

Porta Germaniae has added numerous Boons, and a few Hooks, since the beginning of the saga; the values of Hooks and Boons thus no longer balance.


Aura Site Minor Boon x3

This applies only to Regio Interior, where most magi have their sancta; the Aura increases by one additional point on certain days throughout the year - five fixed events (the solstices, equinoxes, and All Hallow's Eve), and two to three scattered astrological conjunctions, depending on the year.
The Regio has increased in strength and revealed new Regio levels over the years; current Aura strengths are 8/6/4/1

 

Autocracy / Hierarchy Governance  

Magi are governed by decisions of Consilium Foederis, in which all full members have voting rights, but founders have veto power, and each magus possesses votes equal to the number of sigils held, per Leges Peripheriae Germaniae
Covenfolk are governed by the Vilicius, a steward who handles the day to day management of the Foedus, focusing on income and finances; he is assisted by the Praetorius, who commadns the Milites, and by the Procurator, who manages the service staff of the Foedus, including ancillae and ministeres.

 

Benefice External Relations Minor Boon

Porta Germaniae owns chapels and churches on its land, and the residence of the priest.

 

Chapter House Residents Major Hook

Porta Germaniae has sponsored a colonia in Bologna and two capitula: Arx Caeles and Mýtiny Hub.

 

Criminals Residents Minor Boon

Zalesaku, a group of Faerie-blooded woodsmen, serve the Foedus as hunters and trappers

 

Edifice / Important Bulding Buildings Minor Boon x6

Many impressive edifices grace the Foedus: the gatehouse; Dvorana Carodejů occupying the north-central point of Regio Interior (and its shadows on lower regio levels); the Hospitium, located in the center-east of Regio Interior; Vez Tajulpny, located at the south-central point of Regio Interior; and Turris Praecisus, located in the center-west of Regio Ima; Sacrarium Nemoris, located at the north end of the ridge outside the hranice, is also an important structure

 

Exceptional Book External Relations Major Boon

The Foedus has a copy of Aer, the best available Auram summa; this copy is bound by Ius Iurandum Vaccae Vitulaeque (IIVV)

 

Healthy Feature Site Minor Boon

The hranice is a mystical place that fosters health and growth

 

Heavy Cavalry Residents Major Boon

The Foedus can field two banners of mailed men@arms

 

Hunters Residents  

Some covenfolk are woodsmen who hunt, trap, and fell timber in the forests.  These men are skilled with hunting weapons such as bows and spears, or timbering weapons such as pole axes

 

Infants Residents Minor Hook

Something is affecting the next generation of covenfolk: a larger-than-normal proportion of whom are Gifted

 

Peasants Residents  

Some covenfolk are farmers and herdsfolk

 

Magical Crossbowmen Residents Major Boon

The Foedus has trained several units of professional soldiers, who are armed with magical crossbows and other expensive gear

 

Manor House Buildings  

Visible major structures outside the hranice include a wooden manor, or Zameck, a watchtower (Rozhledna) on the Foedus ridge, and a fortified stone church and a wooden hall (Jidelna Lovecky) at the Morava vesnicka, as well as commercial and industrial structures such as the Breclav mill, Můstek (Dyje bridge), Cihelna (kilns), Svíčkař (chandlery), Koželužna (tannery), Převoz (Morava ferry), and Pila (sawmill)

 

Missing Founder External Minor Hook

Narenius Flambonis disappeared mysteriously in the Winter of 1221 AD

 

Monster Surroundings Minor Hook

The Mokrinadrak, a large and dangerous Magical Wyrm, lives in the Mokrina near Porta Germaniae (and near several vis sites); additionally, a dragon spirit (Umbra) manifested within Regio Ima and somehow manifested physically following a strange magical event in Regio Ima

 

Mystical Allies Surroundings Major Boon

A chimerical guardian (Obluda) has taken up residence on top of the Vez Tajulpny

 

Pagans Surroundings Major Hook

Some of the covenfolk are openly pagan, while some others practice pagan beliefs in secret

 

Politics, Hermetic External Minor Hook

Porta Germaniae lies at the intersection of four Hermetic TribunaliaGermaniaHelvetiaDacia, and Sarmatia; several magi are actively involved in Hermetic politics within Tribunal Germaniae and beyond

 

Prestige External Minor Boon

Porta Germaniae has a good reputation throughout most of Ordo Hermei as a respectable covenant - even their rivals acknowledge the integrity and nobility that Porta Germaniae displays in its dealings with other covenants and magi

 

Regio Site Minor Boon

Porta Germaniae is located within a regio, which at the time of its founding had only two layers; due to aura growth and instability, it now has four layers; the outermost layer, Regio Exterior or Hranice Nedávný, has a magical aura of 1; the middle layer, which was formerly the outermost level, is Regio Media or simply the Hranice, with a magical aura of 4; the inner layerl, Regio Interior or Hranice Čarovný, has a magical aura of 6; and the innermost layer, Regio Ima or Hranice Nejhlubší, has a magical aura of 8

 

Right Resources Minor Boon

The Foedus has the right in perpetuity to collect fysilver from anyone fishing along the Dyje River south of Znojmo, and along the Morava River adjoining Foedus lands; the Foedus also has milling rights within the immediate region (Breclav and neighboring villages); these rights were granted by the Markgraf and confirmed by the King of Bohemia

 

Ringwork Fortifications  

Structures within the Regio are protected by a composite wall of stone, earth, and timber; Foedus structures outside of the hranice are not protected by walls, although the Zameck is stoutly built, as is the fortified church at Morava vesnicka

 

Rival External Minor Hook

Someone or some group is working to undermine or stymie the covenant; several entities or groups have been encountred who could fit this hook: infernalists and agents of the Mongols and/or "the Devourer" have all worked to undermine or obstruct the covenant

 

Secondary Income Resources Minor Boon x4

The Foedus has lesser sources of income from fishin, livestock, milling rights, bridge tolls, and trade; products include: pig and hound breeding, a share of Breclav bridge tolls, trading activity

 

Slavery External Minor Hook

Although technically no longer slaves, the Foedus occasionally purchases young pagan Slavs at the Prague slave market, commuting their status to that of indentured servants; this typically has been done to correct what would otherwise be a drastic gender imbalance in the covenfolk; this has influenced the culture of the covenant in many ways, and the descendents of former slaves comprise a significant portion of the Foedus population

 

Suffrage Residents Minor Hook

Porta Germaniae grants equal status within the Foedus to men and women, even for covenfolk; this is largely a theoretical right, as apart from Magistra Danalia, the leadership in the Foedus is predominantly male; craftswomen prosper, however, and some daring women have even taken up arms for the Foedus

 

Superiors Residents Minor Hook

The Foedus charter assigns a higher status to the founding members than to members who have joined later; members have rights according to the number of sigils which they bear - within Germania, this means that Archimagi and Magisteres will dominate over Tyro magi, even for decisions of Consilium Foederis; prospective magi must also prove themselves before full member status is granted by the Consilium

 

Unknown   Major Hook

An unknown Hook

 

Vis Grant Resources Minor Boon

Ascripticii Foederis are granted a proportionate share of vis gathered by the Foedus; conditional members are not granted a vis share, but are not required to gather vis, instead providing a season of service to the Foedus each year in return for room & board, library access, and Hospitum access

 

Vivid Environment Site Minor Boon

The hranice is a vividly magical and bounteous place, that imparts a sense of peace and plenty to those who live there

 

Warping to a Pattern Site Minor Hook

Covenfolk have begun to experience Warping in ways that suggest some sort of pattern

 

Wealth Resources Minor Boon

Foedus income from agriculture, forestry, and manufacturing have developed into Typical sources over the years; income received may be in bartered goods rather than coin; products include: mead, ale, honey, pork, grain, vegetables, fruit, poultry; timber, charcoal, tannins, game; wickerwork, candles, pottery, cloth, rope, bronzework, goldwork

 

Wooden Fortifications Minor Hook

The Dvorana / Aula great hall is constructed entirely of wood; further, the inner wall and walk of the ringwork fortification is wooden, as are the watchtower and most other visible external buildings; this may change over time, as some new buildings incorporate brick or stone construction

 

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Sváteční
Festivals
As in most places in Mythic Europe, festivals are a regular element of life at Porta Germaniae.

Spring

The spring festival coincides with Velikonoce (Easter). Customs include the drowning of Morana, in which young girls build an effigy of straw and branches and dress it in old clothes, then set it on fire and throw it into the river while singing (symbolizing the destruction of winter and the beginning of life with spring); another spring custom is for young men to drench young women with cold water, as a symbolic wish for health and fertility; young women respond by giving men special food or beverages as gifts.

Velikonoce customs include men erecting a spruce maypole for traditional dancing and the masopust, a carnival-like procession of people singing and wearing beast masks.

 

Autumn

The largest festival at Porta Germaniae is the Svátek (Autumn festival), which coincides with the magi gathering hrudz nodules from the Dyje river in mid-November. Weddings traditionally take place at the Svátek, with plenty of music, folk dancing, and feasting. Traditionally, the Foedus provides food for all during this time, although as the population has grown, everyone contributes food for the feasts, with the Foedus providing special treats and beverages. The Svátek continues for at least a week, sometimes longer. The Foedus usually holds a Certamen tournament among the discipuli at this time, although this contest is conducted inside the hranice.

Later in Autumn, covenfolk celebrate All Soul's Eve with special cakes and cold milk, to ward off penitential flames; covenfolk also decorate graves with flowers and lit candles in remembrance of the dead, so that their souls will rest easy.