Durenmar

This article covers the Durenmar covenant as it pertains to Radio Noir.

Overview
The Durenmar chantry is hidden in a densely forested valley, surrounded by forbidding mountains, in the Fornost Realm of the Middle Umbra. The chantry itself is an open collection of towers and halls, surrounding a large, roofed amphitheater. The valley is bathed in perpetual moonlight and there is always frost on the ground.

Getting here takes negotiating narrow paths over jagged mountains and through deep, dark woods. Of course, the Masters of the Order of Hermes have more convenient ways of getting there. There are portals to Durenmar in Doissetep, Fengheld, Dankmar, and in the basement of an old inn in the village of Triberg in the Black Forest.

Unwanted visitors must contend with the extremely hostile environment - the mountains and woods will actively try to kill anyone who strays off the path - and the pack of Umbral wolves bound to the chantry. Even Werewolves have learned to steer clear of the Durenmar Valley. The chantry itself is always guarded by a cabal from House Lictori.

History
The ancient Durenmar chantry was once the Domus Magnum of House Bonisagus. It's physical location it was originally in the Black Forest until it was moved to the Middle Umbra in 1411. Since then, the chantry has lost its status as Domus Magnum but it is still one of the the Great Chantries of the Order. This status is preserved by its connection to two powerful Nodes, its history (not only was Bonisagus himself the first Primus of the chantry, but the transportation of a whole chantry into the Umbra likely inspired the move of Doissetep to the Vadum of Forces decades later), and the fact that the Rhine Tribunal (one of the oldest tribunals of the Order) still meets here.

In 1851, it was revealed that Grand Master Aritrimax bin Bonisagus had been killed and replaced by a Japanese demon, likely an ikiryō. By the time it became clear that House Bonisagus was unable to muster the strength to retake the chantry, the demon had carved the souls out of 37 mages and sealed the chantry.

House Bonisagus was forced to ask the Order of Hermes for help retaking their own Domus Magnum. Only House Flambeau pledged their wands. On the night of Rauhnact, 1852, Legatus Abakuk de Vermis bani Flambeau retook the ancient chantry with seven warcabals, a battalion of Proxima, and a pack of Croatian Shadow Lords.

After the demon was killed, Abakuk discovered that Aritrimax bin Bonisagus had been trying to summon this particular demon for decades, by name. They also found evidence leading to many older Bonisagi being involved in nefandic arts. This led to one Adeptus being sentenced to gilgul and two Masters being exiled from House Bonisagus.

Today it is the undisputed stronghold of the Goethean Party and unofficial Domus Magnum of House Flambeau. Ttogether with the chantries of Fengheld and Dankmar, it controls all but a few of the Order's German Nodes. Durenmar is also the headquarters of the Volkstraditionsrat.