Early one morning, Lucias' charred body is found in his sanctum.

As soon as Stefanos is called into the room and sees what has happened, he immediately tries to deduce what exactly transpired. Once he has looked the room over, he summons the ghost of Lucias...

Apparently Lucias has gone to his Eternal Reward, because you don't find any ghost.

Auriane stands back, watching the Tytalus cast a spell over the former Bonisagus. Must've been some spectacular Ignem spell... she mutters to herself. When it is discovered that no ghost exists she arches a brow in some disbelief. Final Twilight? At his age?!

While Zorya has the mundanes hard at work investigating local legends, Stefanos tries to puzzle out Lucias' immolation, and Auriane talks to rocks, a newly gauntleted Bonisagus suddenly shows up one day at the edge of the woods....

Sir Richard goes with a contingent of men, including Jan, to meet the new arrival. Once it has been established that this is a magus and not some unknown intruder, Sir Richard deferrentially bows and escorts the bonisagus back to the covenant, where he is left, under guard [after all, we have no idea who this is!] in the main hall of the manor house. Sir Richard then proceeds to find one of the magi and informs them of the location of the 'visiting' magus and answers any questions set to him. He then considers his part in this finished and returns to his duties.

The Bonisagus will introduce himself in Latin after he was lead to the council chamber or to the meeting room and a magus/maga arrived :
Salve sodalis/sodales!
My name is Hora scholae Bonisagus. I came from the Rhine tribunal and was doing affairs with my parens around the the black sea as i heard rumors of a new covenant. As i prefer to place my services at the disposal of a young covenant, i searched you. I hope that our work will be fruitful and that the order will benefit from our work. Please, can you tell me a little bit about this covenant and itīs current status?
Hora is not very old, about 22 or 23. He has red-blonde hair and blue eyes. He is wearing a linnen shirt, trousers and soft leather boots. Over that a blue robe with the embroided signs of House Bonisagus and the Vim sign. During his travel he wore a simple hooded surcoat which he had deposit inside the building.

"Rumors?" Helena exclaims rather excited before she recovers and adds with her usuall friendly tone: "Oh, forgive me, Lord Hora, welcome to Haunted Springs. These are your sodales (this word is spoken like a question) Lady Auriane, Lady Mikelle, Lord Stefanos, Lady Viola. My name is Helena Guenos." She drops a deep curtsey. "Would you like to tell us about these rumors you heard? That comes as a complete surpries to us."

Stefanos walks in carrying a handful of smoldering ashes in his hand and grumbling about "damn bonisagi and their fornicating experiments..." "why was I called here in the middle of the day? You know I have work to do!". Then he notices Hora... After he listens to what he has to say, Stefanos snorts and says:
"Another bonisagus, eh? Well, Hora... It is customary, when introducing onself to one's peers to include the name of your parens. Since you wish to be a part of us, I will ask you the same thing that I asked the last person who wished the same: 'what can you offer us, Bonisagus?'. But why do you want to join this covenant, Hora ex Bonisagus? Have you not heard what happened to our last resident follower of your House? *This* is all that is left of him..."
Stefanos puts out his hand and lets the bonisagus see the woven sack containing the ashes.

"My name is Hora scholae Bonisagus, filius Graubold. Maybe i have spoken in too low voice." He then looked into the sack. "You ask what we of house Bonisagus offer to you? We offer our life in search for new magic for you, especially for Tytalus to play with. I think that this former sodalis offered his life too, whtever he had done"

Stefanos looks mildly amused and annoyed at the same time: "No, Hora. I didn't ask you what House Bonisagus can offer us. I know both the strengths and the weaknesses of the Bonisagus as a house. What I want to know is what *you* personally can offer us. Can you be more productive than burning yourself to a crisp, like some of your brethren?"

Hora: I am not responsible of the things that my poor brother have done. If i can be more productive than burning myself to ashes you can only find out if you give me a chance to show my benefits. And i ask myself if you can offer more than accusations or suspiciousness. To say it again: I am Bonisagus and offer you the genius and the knack for magic all Bonisagus have. If you have no need for a Bonisagus, your covenant soon will fade into winter, long before reaching summer.
A lean, non-descript woman in no-nonsense utilitarian clothing with a mace hanging from her belt eyes the stranger Bonisagus while Helena bids greetings on behalf of the covenant magi. She looks to be in her early-mid twenties as well. A metal disk hangs from a leather thong around her neck, and it appears to bear at least a couple of Verditius runes on them.
"Yes, I'm most curious about these rumours myself, sodales" she says with a certain amount of interest. "We've only recently announced ourselves to the local lord. "
"I am Auriane filia Incendus, follower of Flambeau," Auriane introduces herself. "As Stefanos has indicated our last Bonisagus met with some. . . mishap of some sort."

"Tell us what and where you have heard of this budding covenant, Hora... As Aurianne says, we are not yet declared to the order and only a few days hence to the local lord..."
Stefanos turns to Aurianne: "mishap, eh? Well, I guess you could say that. I don't know what burned Lucias to a cinder, but at this point, I couldn't say if he botched Ignem, or reached final twilight, or even if there was demonic intervention..." At this last, he eyes Hora suspiciously. "It is convenient, is it not sodales, that a member of house Bonisagus arrives at our doorstep scarce hours after the other has departed? It is enough to set one athinking..."

Mikelle walks in to wherever this discussion is taking place. She looks slightly ill, which might explain her absence for the previous week. she stands and watches the debate

Hora: I always said that the maker of the word had a strange sense of humour, if a Bonisagus arrived just after the departing of another. But the world isnīt always so suspiciously as a Tytalus might think. Let me say that i was leaving Constantinople about the same time as you, but i have heard from you even later. And if you ask why i want to join a young covenant: A newly found covenant can profit better by my studies and works. And i can become famous faster in a new covenant, yes i will confess that. If you ask about my magic, i can tell you that i best at Mentem and Vim. Vim of course.

Stefanos: The maker of the world may have a strange sense of humour, Hora, but I don't think he is laughing now! Why have you come here? And don't give me any more of this 'newly-founded-covenant-can-profit-from-my-studies' crap! I don't believe that any more than I believe that you just happened to hear of magi leaving Constantinople... And a specialization in Mentem and Vim hardly makes you unique around here! And therefore hardly capable of doing anything that the rest of us cannot accomplish...

With a little irony in his voive, Hora answered: "Oh, sorry, i donīt know that a Tytalus can match a Bonisagus in Magic Theory, inventing spells or making magic items. I am here to fortify this covenant and i offer my heart and my genius and my understanding for Vim into this covenant. But i am not standing before a Quaesitor. There is no need to give an account of me. Accept me or accept me not. I know that Tytali are prisoned in their mistrust. What do the other sodales say about this point?"

Mikelle shurgs and speaks up: "Really Stefanos? Looks to me as if you don't want anyone better than you in your specialities at the covenant.". She turns to Hora and smiles. "I am Mikelle e Domo Tytali. I am pleased to meet you, sodalis."

Hora only greets Mikelle with: "Nice to meet YOU, sodalis." He then waits for Stefanosī answer.

Stefanos' eyes narrow: "Any Tytalus can match the achievements of any Bonisagus. The fact that we do not choose to spend our entire existence within the four walls of a lab, does not mean that we are less capable or less ingenious... I had accounted the bonisagi with pride but not with the blind sort of superiority that you are showing... As for myself, I am willing to accept you until you show me that I have been wrong... But let it be noted that I have reservations..."

Hora: Oh sorry, if i have made the impresssion that i am superior to any of you. I only wanted to say that i am good as ever Bonisagus in the Lab. I doesnīt want to offend you personally. I too realize the importance of House Tytalus for the Order. By the way, is there a chance that i can take over the lab of my poor sodales if the covenant accept me as a new member? And how do you solve the problems of mebership? Is there a time of partial membership?

Auriane gives a wry, patient look as the Tytalus clash words as they frequently do whenever they come together. Giving the Bonisagus a more welcoming look (as welcome as magi give to one another, at any rate), she inclines her head with a slight smile.
"I welcome the opportunity to work with a member of House Bonisagus. Perhaps my discussions will go further this time if my sodalis can answer my questions.
At the moment, we have no Charter nor any formal membership rules. In fact, the Charter was what I was discussing with our departed sodalis when we discovered his accident. It appears that I will shoulder the presentation of Charter to council, but I do not oppose the addition of another magus who is a member of the Order in good standing and does not pose a threat to us."
She says these with only the mildest of looks to Stefanos.

Hora: "I will gladly make a contribution to a charter or any discussion concerning magic, the covenant or the order if someone whishes so. I think that i will spend most of my time in the lab. I am Bonisagus, not Jerbiton. But i think i have to poke out my nose sometimes to see if there is a world outside my lab...so i am willing to give me whole to the covenant and not only as a lab rat. And concerning the thread: It is not difficult to find out that my sodalis Stefanos at least fears the discovery of the covenant by someone. But i will say it again: I found this valley as i searched for a covenant to live in, not to find a covenant for scheming or intrigue. I am not involved in any plotting."

Auriane: "There are a couple of more magi. . . around somewhere. One is likely flying about, that would be Zorya of Bjornaer; the other speaking with ghosts or trees - that being Viola of Merinita."

Hora: "It seems to be a fine balanced covenant: Tytali,Flambeau, Merinita, Bjornaer. I always thought that every Sodalis is important for the order, even a Criamon or ex Misc - more or less. "

The Flambeau turns her head to address Helena. "Would you please see that suitable quarters are found? Perhaps clearing out Lucias' former quarters."

"Sure, mylady." Helena replies quickly "As soon as mylord Stefanos is finished with his ... err... work in those rooms I can prepare them for Lord Hora." She casts a questioning look at Stefanos. "Until then... Ah, Lord Hora, may I show you the room you may call yours until we prepared something more comfortable for you?"

Helena heads for the door but stops for a moment. "Lord Stefanos, if I may ask... Do you wish any kind of... well, last service for Lord Lucias, may god bless his soul."