Welcome to Ars Magica - Pessi-Mythical
The year is 1199 and the Magi have been granted rights to Griefhaven, a former Covenant stronghold of the order which was run by one Björn of Flambeu, a magus of notoriety and great piety.
Björn however stole a man's wife... and got excommunicated. When his wife died in childbirth he might have gone slightly insane with grief and decided that if he could not get into heaven until the Good Lord's judgement... he would make his covenant into a hall for the dead to wait out judgement day.
... it might not quite have worked out for him or for those around him.
We now deal with the aftermaths. Like the gateway that swallows the living into a death-aura and the relics of Björns war with the local bishop Nicolas (who was short a wife and blamed Björn both for this and for her death).