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Dramatis Personae Magi - 2.5 vis/year salary Ealdwine, an Ex Miscellanea and a Rusticani - Vis: 2.5 pawns Luc Morneau, Tremonius, a Bonisagus and a Researcher - Vis: 2.5 pawns Gerda, a Tremere and a Leader - Vis: 2.5 pawns Alraune, a Merinita and a Prankster - Vis: 2.5 pawns Chloe, a Bonisagus and a Plotter - Vis: 2.5 pawns Soňa, an Ex Miscellanea and a Witch - Vis: 2.5 pawns Leona, a Bjornaer and a Heroine - Vis: 2.5 pawns Torvald, a Verditius and a Sculptor - Vis: 2.5 pawns Jacques, a Tytalus and a Traveller - Vis: 2.5 pawns Companions Flagstone Pavimentum, a Spirit and a Collector Rashad al-Najafi, a Sahir and a Foreigner Ghorma, a Cat and a Seeker Mariel, a Thief and a Lycanthrope Rhys de Vaux, a Scholar and a Solicitor Mehdi, a Mazdean and a Leader Grogs Lucas the Scarred, a Turb Leader Eliezer, a Veteran Warrior Babet, a Veteran Warrior Artemisia, a Veteran Warrior Alain, a Veteran Warrior 26 Veteran Warriors Johann, a Steward Jeanne, a Chamberlain 3 Scribes A Brewer A Carpenter 2 Apprentice Carpenters A Stonemason A Toolmaker A Leatherworker A Teacher A Fencing Instructor 7 Divers Unworking Spouses 8 Divers Children Odo, a Hunter 29 Divers Laborers 62 Divers Servants 33 Divers Teamsters Others Raymond Roger I, a Count Raymond II Trencavel, a former Viscount and a Ward Mors Rattus fucked around with this message at 04:22 on Dec 5, 2014 |
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Oct 4, 2014 01:45
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 Near the town of Foix, along the River Leze, Chateau des Pavons lies. It is built on the lands of Raymond Roger I, the Count of Foix. Raymond Roger spends most of his time at his castle, the Chateau de Foix, but thanks to the Albigensian Crusade, he has come to rely on the covenant for many things. Indeed, it could fairly be said that he's willing to listen to them on pretty much every matter. He has even given his ward, Raymond II Trencavel, formerly Viscount of Beziers, Carcassonne, Albi and Razes, to the covenant to raise. The boy is thirteen, headstrong and rather upset that his mother surrendered his lands to Simon de Montfort. Still, these politics are of little concern to the magi most of the time - at least, until they're forced to deal with them. If the Trencavel boy has his way, they may eventually be forced to. Fortunately, Raymond Roger's network of spies and informants are at the covenant's disposal. The covenant is housed in one of the manor houses of Raymond Roger - quite a nice one, all told, with a truly extensive cellar complex that has, over the years, been carved out into a tunnel system that covers most of the manor. It is possible to cross the entire place without ever seeing the sky, though the tunnels are twisting and numerous, such that only the locals can hope to find their way around them. Even they have preferred paths - there are said to be entire cellars lost to time, cobwebs and poor mapping. The local forest belongs to the covenant as well - well, it belongs to Raymond Roger, but the forest and its beasts are entirely under the covenant's rule. The chase has many paths leading through it, but most are dead ends. Once again, only the locals can truly traverse it safely. The part most people see is the inn, which stands out before the manor house and welcomes travelers. These travelers are frequent, for the inn (and covenant) are built along a wide road, right at the ford where it crosses the River Leze. It's a beautiful site, and the inn is quite pleasant, but it is always busy. Especially in festival season, when the merchants and locals gather by the ford for the mercantile fair every summer. With them come the Romany...and where merchants and nomads congregate, trouble always follows. Rare is the summer (or, rarely, the fall) where one or the other doesn't end up causing a problem, either by accident or deliberately. Would that they were the only problem the covenant has! No, there is more. The locals suffer under a curse laid on them long ago by the Basque witches. No one quite remembers why - the story has been muddled and lost - but it apparently involves some kind of deal that the locals didn't follow through on. The eldest child born in the area to any given family is human for only moments - long enough to be born, and to turn into a bird. The birds retain their human intellect, though most cannot speak. These intelligent birds and the rare talking dog and fox caused by the local magical aura have given the place something of a fearful reputation among outsiders...though many still come to the inn despite it. In part this is because of the safety Raymond Roger has always offered to the Cathars, who have flocked the area, along with a settled group of Zoroastrians from the far-off land of Persia. This is trouble, in these Crusading times - especially for the covenant, who lack proper defenses, yet have agreed to defend the odd Zoroastrian/Cathar settlement that has sprung up near the inn. Raymond Roger's finest soldiers and archers are at their command, but they lack any real fortifications and are open on several sides to attack. At least invaders might be kept away by the local faerie court, which makes its home in the forest, just outside the covenant's Aegis. They model themselves after the French nobility, and are known to cause trouble when they get bored. Like any nobles, they get bored rather easily. They aren't the only supernatural forces in the area. The ancient ruins of a Roman fort can be found in the forest as well, guarded by strange creatures that are ill understood. Some say dragons, others beasts of stone, but all know that the ruins are dangerous. Fortunately, the creatures seem to prefer not to leave it. A holy hermit is also known to frequent the area. Some belive him to be one of the Cathar Perfecti, while others claim he's a Church agent. No one is sure, but having a holy man so close would make any magus uncomfortable. Even the covenant's foremost magus, Leona of Bjornaer. She is the nominal chancellor of the covenant, though she tends to make rulings only when the covenant's council is deadlocked. She is famous in the Tribunal for her defeat of a river dragon alone, and her very presence has made the covenant command respect. However, few have forgotten its legacy - the mess caused by its founder, Morgan of Tytalus, who unleashed a plague that tore through the area about a century ago - a plague so terrible that several magi died of it. As a result, the covenant still owes ancestral debts to the covenants of Aedes Mercurii, Castra Solis and Stella Durus. However, thanks to the work of Leona and some of the other magi of the covenant, it can claim debts on Ara Maxima Nova, the Coenobium and the Ostal des Exiles. The covenant has earned its place in hte Tribunal...but it's always going to be hard work in a Tribunal as argumentative as Provencal. Boons: Manor House Aura x2 Minority Felicitous Tribunal Chase Useful Curse Tame Nobleman Vast and Labyrinthine Hidden Ways Informants Vivid Environment Famous Resident Veteran Fighters Missile Weapons Secondary Income Hooks: Road (Minor) Festivals Faerie Court Itinerants Ford Regional Produce Ancestral Error Heretics Hermit Fosterage Roman Ruins Rival Poorly Defensible Hermetic Politics Guardians Protector Inhuman Covenfolk Aura: 5 Library ART SUMMAE An Introduction to Earth (Terram, L6, Q19) Conflagrations, Fires and Flames (Ignem, L7, Q22) Birth of Master (Rego, L6, Q21) Magics of Creation - The First Steps (Creo, L6, Q18) Gwidion's Lessons for the Young (Herbam, L6, Q20) Power Over Power (Vim, L6, Q18) The Theatre of the Mind (Mentem, L6, Q20) On the Form of the Man (Corpus, L6, Q19) The First Word On Finality (Perdo, L6, Q20) Ars Neptunis (Aquam, L14, Q12) To Understand the Beast (Animal, L14, Q10) Metamorphosis (Muto, L15, Q8) Boreas (Auram, L16, Q8) The Book of Ten Thousand Leaves (Herbam, L16, Q10) ABILITY SUMMAE Ars Bonisagi (Magic Theory, L5, Q10) Leona's Guide to the Magical Realm (Magic Lore, L3, Q10) TRACTATUS The Application of Vim to the Supernatural Humors (Magic Theory, Q7) x2 The Necromancer's Tool (Corpus, Q10)u The Wizard As Warrior (Penetration, Q8) Recreating the Crafts of the Hand (Finesse, Q9) The Beauty of Creation (Creo, Q10) On the Nature of Auras (Vim, Q11) De Potestate et Obligatione (Philosophiae, Q11) Liber de Lumine (Ignem, Q11) The Arabian Nights, Translated by Leofric of Merinita (Faerie Lore, Q11) The Arabian Nights, Translated by Leofric of Merinita (Area Lore: Middle East, Q5) Alraune's Digressions (Imaginem, Q2) Jacques' The Ducking Pool: A Poem of Humorous Education (Aquam, Q7) Lab Texts: Broom of the Winds (CrAu 15), The Transformation of the Ravenous Beast to the Sessile Shrub (MuAn 30, Tremonius' shorthand), 185 levels as yet unresolved Magic Items Ferramenta Glacies (ReAq 14, freezes water into ice when used.) Granary Chest (MuHe 24, shrinks plant material in the chest to the size of a grain of wheat until removed. MuHe(Te) 10, turns the wood of the chest into brass once a day, ReAq 9, slowly moves liquids out of the chest over a period of minutes and keeps them from seeping or dripping in) Freshness of the Harvest Evening (CrHe 14, keeps all plant material in the room from rotting but may warp it if left in the room for a long time) Mjolnir's Equal (PeTe(He) 25 - when activated by a warrior's call, destroys a metal or wooden item touching the hammer) The Enchanted Porter (ReTe 15 - 24 times a day, allows the wearer to lift and push most heavy objects easily until the glove is taken off) The Magical Oven (CrIg 20 - 24 times a day, will become red-hot on command until sunset or ordered to stop) Apollo's Lyre (CrIm 10 x4, can play 4 different songs 3 times per day each, which play once a string is plucked until a different one is plucked) The Soothing Pipes (PeMe 33 - 6 times a day, will calm anger or fear in a group of up to 100 people in hearing range of its playing) The Rod of Night's Embrace (ReMe 28 - 6 times a day, will cause a group of up to 100 people in range of your voice to fall asleep over the course of a few seconds) The Unfired Lamp (CrIg 20 - Glows as bright as a cloudy day on command, until commanded to stop.) 2 Healing Potions (Cure up to an Incapacitating Wound) 7 Amulets of Protection from Rain (ReAu 10, 2 charges, protects the wearer from the touch of rain until sunrise or sunset) 5 Amulets of Protection from Rain (ReAu 10, 3 charges, protects the wearer from the touch of rain until sunrise or sunset) 1 Amulet of Protection from Rain (ReAu 10, 4 charges, protects the wearer from the touch of rain until sunrise or sunset) 1 Amulet of Protection from Rain (ReAu 10, 5 charges, protects the wearer from the touch of rain until sunrise or sunset) Vis Vis Sources: 30 pawns/year (2 Creo, 0 Intellego, 1 Muto, 2 Perdo, 4 Rego, 4 Animal, 0 Auram, 1 Aquam, 2 Corpus, 2 Ignem, 3 Imaginem, 1 Mentem, 2 Terram, 4 Vim) Vis Stocks: 2 Creo, 0 Intellego, 1 Muto, 2 Perdo, 4 Rego, 2 Animal, 0 Auram, 1 Aquam, 2 Corpus, 2 Ignem, 1 Imaginem, 1 Mentem, 2 Terram, 4 Vim, 47 pawns as yet unresolved Silver Income: 490 Mythic Pounds of silver per year Expenses: 476 Mythic Pounds of silver per year Cash Reserve: 14 pounds of silver Mors Rattus fucked around with this message at 02:52 on Jan 14, 2015 |
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Oct 4, 2014 01:45
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Spring, 1220 Things are going well at the Chateau des Pavons. The covenfolk are industrious and the library has recently been filled by the entire collection of the Roots of the Art. The Aegis of the Hearth has been placed for the year, pacing out the boundary of the covenant, and it is time to settle in. The first council meeting of 1220 - and the first of several of your careers - will begin soon. The inn is doing well, and the local county is being taxed efficiently by Raymond Roger I, but the sheer expense of supporting so many people is still wearing on the finances. At least vis is plentiful, and there is time before the next Tribunal meeting, so politics are not quite so terrible as they could be yet. Spring is warm and so far no one has seen any Papal envoys or Crusaders coming to attack the area, so everyone's rather cheerful for the new year. Leona has returned from her winter trip south, to meet with one of her former apprentices, whole Torvald is a newcomer like many of you - a Verditius who came to the covenant from the north, to practice his craft. (Statuary.) Jacques, the resident Tytalus, has settled in his travels for the season and is even going to be attending the Council meeting. Truly, this is a grand start. So! First things first: the Council. Everyone has a vote - but you can also decide to give one or more non-magi a vote, if you want, perhaps as a voice for the covenfolk. You can propose things, like how to divide up vis when people want it, or if there's any duties everyone must take part in. Feel free to propose and vote on whatever you want; should there be a tie due to abstentions, Leona holds the tiebreaking vote, as eldest and most prestigious. I would also love if you would describe your personal labs for me and list a few valuable items you keep in there. And then it's time for you to decide on what you're doing this spring.
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Oct 4, 2014 01:45
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The Council The council chamber is a well-appointed hall in the main manor, decorated with tapestries and fine furnishings and with a view overlooking the entire estate from its wide window. The other council members are already there. Jacques is a small, weathered man who has clearly seen better days - perhaps better years. He has several scars on his face, which wasn't pretty to begin with. The scars make a patchwork of his red hair and beard. Still, he carries himself as confidently as any Tytalus. Torvald is a pale man, but well-muscled. He clearly hasn't the sun often, and his black hair is starting to go bald already, despite looking to be in his mid-20s. Leona has sandy brown skin, speaking to a long time spent under the sun and probably some African or Arabian ancestry. Her hair, like her namesake's, is a mane of dirty blonde. (It is no surprise to anyone that her heartbeast is a lioness.) Leona stands. "I declare this council to be in session. Let it be known as the first council of our new members, and long may they sit on it!" She claps her hands together. "That's all the formalities taken care of. We've always been rather casual. Now, on to business. I'd like to reopen the topic of vis division and what is to be done about it, if anything." Torvald speaks up. "I say give anyone access to as much as they want!" "Says the Verditius. Naturally." Jacques laughs. It's a rattling laugh, somewhat grating. "Give him all he wants and we'll run dry in five years!" Leona looks the rest of you. "Obviously, you'll have your own desires. Other than that, I would also like to mention our financial state. I am informed that while we are still making a small profit, if taxes were to go badly one year, we might begin to run a small debt. So, any ideas about potential fixes there should be mentioned, either here or to the chamberlain. I'm sure you all read the histories I sent you and know what sort of problems we may have in the future, so I won't go over all that again." She nods. "Are there any other issues any of you want to bring to the floor for debate before we vote on things?"
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Oct 8, 2014 22:50
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Jacques laughs. "Oh now, love, they'd have taken it better if you'd suggested chess! Now, your proposal's interesting, and I think elements of it can be adapted. But I say peg the rate at 5 vis per two years. Two and a half per year, though obviously half a pawn is just bookkeeping nonsense. More vis will appease our enchanters, but the rate will keep us from running low for, say, the Aegis." Torvald shrugs. "I can't teach for a season and spend a season each year making statues to sell. I have work to do too, you know." Leona considers. "I think I have a solution there...let me present the ideas for voting." She waves a scribe over. "On each issue, I think we can declare them the following..." On The Issue of Vis posted:
On the Issue of Covenfolk posted:
On the Issue of Censors posted:
On the Issue of Service posted:
Leona nods. "Excellent. Now, if everyone agrees that this sums up the issues, I will have your votes. As a note - if the vis salary passes, I feel the best way to handle it is to treat it as a right to whatever vis you want, in the amount owed, rather than a necessity to collect it each year. Easier on bookkeeping." Torvald steps forth first. "On the issue of Vis, I vote for free usage. On the issue of covenfolk, I vote to leave things as they are. On the issue of Censors, I vote they should exist for emergency decisions - the vis clause is pointless if free usage occurs. On the issue of service, I vote for the season of service, though I will want to revisit that once our finances are better in order." Jacques shrugs. "I vote, on the issue of vis, for the salary. On the issue of covenfolk...oh, I say let them have a vote! It'll be good for us to have to argue with them occasionally. On the issue of Censors...I'm flattered, of course, and I'll accept if it carries. But I vote no, on the basis that I like seeing you all struggle. On the issue of service, I abstain." Mors Rattus fucked around with this message at 03:09 on Oct 13, 2014 |
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Oct 13, 2014 03:05
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Leona nods. "Very well. On the matter of vis, the salary passes. On the matter of censors, the motion passes, and on service, with the caveat that we won't be legalistic about the term 'a season of service' but rather the spirit of it. We seem to have a tie - three votes for no change in the covenfolk's status, one for a nonvoting position, three for a voting one. My vote would change nothing on the first three issues, and in any case would be for what is passing. In this issue, I would like to vote for a nonvoting position, but this would not break our tie. As such, I lay my vote for a voting position, with the caveat that I, too, expect the chamberlain to vote only on issues which affect the covenfolk and to abstain in other circumstances." She claps her hands. "So settled! If there's no further business, we will adjourn. Welcome to the covenant, my friends, and I hope your work will be productive. I have some experiments to get to, so I shall leave you all to your own work." Jacques nods. "I'll see you all come summer, I think - I've a tournament to crash in the north." He laughs. "If I'm lucky, I'll even bring home a prize from those Normans." Torvald shrugs. "Good luck, then." And now, seasonal work! There are many things a person can do each season. Both of your characters get to do something. Things that you can do: 1. Try to invent a new spell, either from scratch or from a lab text. 2. Try to create a magic item, either from scratch or a lab text. 3. Read a book, train with a teacher, study from vis or otherwise attempt to improve yourself by study. 4. Extract vis from the local aura. 5. Maintain your lifestyle, if you are a non-magus with a job to maintain a few times a year. 6. Go out on an adventure to achieve some end (find a potential familiar, deal with a local problem, attend to Hermetic politics, find information or aid related to a personal goal, find new vis sources and/or monsters to kill for vis, whatever) So, what are your plans for Spring of 1220?
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Oct 16, 2014 19:26
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You can assume, for convenience, that your lab is fully set up.
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Oct 20, 2014 04:06
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Staying At Home Gerda Gerda reads To Understand the Beast, broadening her understand of Animal magic. By the end of the season, she is more confident and powerful. The book details the nature of animals as a concept, exploring the metaphor of the animal kingdom and its relation to magical theories popularized in the Order in the early 1000s. It's a decent read, but the metaphor is not as clear as it could be. Still, when reading books of this level, that's only to be expected. Gerda gains 10 Animal XP. Tremonius Tremonius heads into his lab, beginning his experiment! He works steadily and progresses on the spell, experimenting on rats and weeds. In his experiments, he makes some good progress. However, a number of the experimental rats get out - and once they escape, no one can find them again. A few days later, a particularly hardy strain of ivy begins growing on the inn. Some investigations actually find that it is moving through small holes in the structure, tunneling and filling in small mouse and rat holes that were already there. It grows quickly, but each individual vine is small and rather weak. There's a lot of vines, though, and the infestation is hard to root out - there always seems to be more ivy getting in there. It even starts poking out inside the inn occasionally, generally near the pantry or kitchens. The cook takes to calling it the Green Rat after it wraps itself around a bag of grain tightly enough that he has to actually fight the vines that get through to the kitchen for a while, and the name sticks. Odd, that. Spell is base 10, +0 Target, +10 Duration, +10 Range, so yeah, that's level 30. No boost from requisite because without it the spell would do literally nothing. This season's lab total is... [20:07] <Krysmbot> MorsRattus, 3 = 3 49. The spell receives 19 of 30 necessary points and will be done next season, barring disaster. Experimental roll is... [20:08] <Krysmbot> MorsRattus, 8 = 8 Modified upward by +1, the research risk modifier, which must now be applied next season as well. So 9: A special/story event - the infestation. [20:11] <Krysmbot> MorsRattus, 7 = 7 - not a 1, so no accidents. Alraune Alraune sets to work writing, with a scribe working with her to keep her on task and to transcribe her work into a more legible format. It takes all season and the result is still difficult to read because of Alraune's inability to say anything particularly clearly and without three layers of digression and obfuscating metaphor, but she sees nothing wrong with the work. Her prose is tedious, but by the end of the season, the text is at least complete. All that is left is to name it. Alraune gets 2 XP to spend on Imaginem and/or Magic Theory and/or Latin and/or Artes Liberales. Her text ends up Quality 2 due to her poor Communication score combined with Incomprehensible. It may still be useful to some members of the covenant who possess Book Learner, at least. Chloe Chloe dedicates her season to The Magics of Creation, one of the storied Roots of the Art. Designed for beginners, it is an exceptionally well-written and clear explanation of the use of Creo magic. Its examples are well thought out and by the end of spring Chloe has mastered all of the theories it presents. She also understands fully why the book has been the gold standard for Creo primers for nearly a century - its clarity and easy, flowing prose are both extremely helpful to understanding. Chloe gains 21 Creo XP after Book Learner. Flagstone Flagstone works on his collection of books; he doesn't add many to it, as most of the covenant's books are safely in the library, but he does get several new versions of the Holy Bible and a copy of the Parzival, which he tucks away in his collection. The covenfolk are largely calm and at ease this season. They are not entirely comfortable with the new magi, but it always takes time to warm up to new magi and learn that they are, if not to be liked, at least to be respected. The Gift, after all, is a constant. Flagstone gains no XP, due to its Might score. Rashad Rashad spends the season exploring the area and getting better acquainted with it. Few know quite what to make of a Muslim scholar, but his talent as a falconer and his skill with the liberal arts allow him to find a position as an astrologer and assistant falconer in nearby Foix. It is not an easy job, but it will do to maintain his funds at an acceptable level - Raymond Roger, it seems, is willing to pay quite well for astrological readings. Rashad earns 7 Foix Lore XP and has found himself a trade that he can use to support himself. Mehdi Mehdi sees to his flock and works to establish the proper holy places and rituals that his faith requires. He will have more time to do other things later, but for now, he must ensure that the holy flame is secure. Mehdi gets 2 XP to spend on anything reasonably associated with his work. Rhys Rhys settles in, handling those legal tasks which come up so often in the lives of townsfolk. Foix is a lovely town, though bearing the scars of recent combat, and Raymond Roger's castle overlooks the city. Between the nobleman's needs and those of the townsfolk, Rhys finds his business buzzing and profitable. Rhys gets 2 XP to spend on anything reasonably associated with his work. Those Going Out Ealdwine, Ghorma, Sona and Mariel head out into the forests with some grogs, hunting for magical beasts. What day and times work best for you guys? I am going to be favoring GI's days because it's his core adventure, of course. Anyone, remember, can pilot one or more grog, so everyone who's available at the agreed on time can take part, even if both their characters are busy.
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Oct 23, 2014 01:28
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We're lookin' at Sunday, then, call it circa 6-7ish EST.
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Oct 23, 2014 18:12
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For tomorrow: Channel is #provencal on SynIRC, dicerolls are done via .roll <X>d<Y>+<Z>.
Mors Rattus fucked around with this message at 22:51 on Oct 25, 2014 |
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Oct 25, 2014 22:29
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Post-Adventure The conquering heroes return, having fought wolves. They have slain the Red Wolf, a legendary beast that stole and ate children, at the behest of a raven. Several grogs were wounded in the fight, but the worst wounds were healed by Sona's magic potions, and everyone survived. (Except the Red Wolf and its pack, of course.) The raven has agreed to become the familiar of Ealdwine, so long as it is fed its favored diet: eyes. The corpse of the Red Wolf contains three Animal vis, located in its bloody teeth. The rest of the corpse may be of interest if anyone wants to figure out something to do with it. The eyes are both gone. The raven also provided a glowing red stone that contains two Ignem vis, suggesting a source somewhere in the forest. The grogs have taken the rest of the raven's treasures, mostly silver coins and a bit of gold, to share amongst themselves. Ealdwine, Sona and Mariel get 8 XP to spend on anything related to what they did, with no more than 5 XP going into a single skill. Summer, 1220 As summer begins, Jacques returns from his tournament bearing what he claims is the stolen hat of a particularly arrogant Norman Flambeau named Geofric. He puts it on display at the inn. It is an excellent, expensive hat with a peacock's feather in it, and he is quite proud of it. He then gets to work writing a book. Leona remains away all throughout the summer. A letter arrives in July from her, saying that she is currently in Greece, tracking down one of her fellow Bjornaer magi, and will return some time in the autumn. Torvald remains sealed in his lab through spring and summer, coming out only for meals. He claims, if asked, that he is experimenting with sculpture techniques and cannot share his work. The merchants begin to arrive in early June, preparing for the great mercantile fair in July. Business picks up nicely around then, with the inn bustling practically every day. The merchants have no desire to socialize with the magi, and avoid them for the most part. So far, there doesn't seem to be any obvious trouble. What are your plans? Mors Rattus fucked around with this message at 04:56 on Oct 27, 2014 |
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Oct 27, 2014 04:50
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Summer, 1220 Staying At Home Tremonius Tremonius continues his work on his spell. However, his experiment has ended up taking him into an odd place. The sidetrack with the vines and the rats seems to have led him a bit astray. When the spell is finished, he ends up with what he wanted...but with a significant imperfection. The bushes he creates with his spell are, one and all, foul-smelling, poisonous to the touch in a manner similar to poison ivy, and covered in sharp thorns. While still a useful spell, it is one whose effects no one wants to be round at all. Perhaps vermin were not the best experimental subjects after all. [14:57] <+Morphball> morsrattus: 6 = 1d10(7)-1 - a side effect! [14:58] <+Morphball> morsrattus: 7 = 1d10(7) - a major flaw. Oops. Ealdwine Ealdwine spends the summer performing the ritual to bond himself to his familiar, the raven discovered in the spring. As the season passes, the two bond with each other and the Cords of Power are forged. By summer's end, the pair are inseparable. Ealdwine's Intellego Auram lab total is 6+6+3+3+5=23. The target is 9+25-20=14, so that's more than enough. It costs him five pawns of Intellego and/or Animal vis. Jacques is happy to approve an advance on his vis salary to cover this - a familiar is, after all, a major thing to have. He now has 23 points to spend on Cords. There are three Cords, the Golden, Silver and Bronze Cords, and these are rated between 0 and +5. The Golden Cord reduces magical errors, subtracting botch dice from your magical botches equal to its value, to a minimum of 1. The Silver Cord helps resist mental influence of all kinds, adding its value as a bonus to all rolls involving Personality Traits, and to all rolls that protect from natural influence such as intimidation or trickery. Further, if you are ever overcome by mind-effected magic, the familiar may stress roll its Silver Cord value once per day to free you on a 9 or higher. (If it botches, it, too, gets caught.) The Bronze Cord protects the body, adding its value to your Soak total, to all healing rolls, to all rolls to withstand deprivation and to all aging rolls. (But not Fatigue stuff.) It costs 5 points to raise a cord to +1, 15 to +2, 30 to +3, 45 to +4 and 75 to +5. No Cord may be higher than +5. An extra points are lost, but if you increase your Intellego Auram total, you can spend a season reworking the binding spell and paying a small amount of vis to rearrange the Cords. Both the raven and Ealdwine gain the True Friend virtue for free, and a new personality trait: Loyal (partner) +3. The raven will not die of age until Ealdwine does, and suffers aging only when he does. It can understand any language he speaks and may croak rough approximations of simple human words, being a raven and thus equipped to do so, if not well. It can be taught the same as humans; familiars are exempt from the Might reduction to XP caused by being supernatural. The raven and Ealdwine are Arcane Connections to each other and may affect each other freely with magic. Ealdwine may choose to use the raven's Magic Resistance (9) in place of his Parma Magica, but they don't stack. The raven can use Ealdwine's native Form resistance against spells in place of its own Magic Resistance if that's better. In addition, Ealdwine gets 2 XP to spend on Magic Theory, Intellego or Auram. Sona Sona spends her season organizing her laboratory and working around the covenant. The raven is happy to talk to her, if somewhat self-centered, and explains that it found the delicious stone in the forest, near a lizard nest. The lizards, he says, were not very friendly at all and he avoided them, but he stole the egg from their nest because it was shiny. He can describe the nest's location...as the raven flies, which may not be conducive to walking. It is apparently in a small cave in the side of a cliff, near the south end of the forest. He says that the wood around the cave is sometimes scorched. Perhaps, Sona wonders, a small dragon's nest? But there are no stories about a dragon in the area. Sona increases her Kitchen to Refinement 1, improving its Safety rating to 0. [14:23] <+Morphball> morsrattus: 12 = 1d10(4)+8 - She manages, by the skin of her teeth, to gain the Highly Organized Virtue, giving her +1 General Quality. [14:24] <+Morphball> morsrattus: 2 = 1d10(2) - No such luck on gaining Spotless, though. Sona gets 2 XP to spend on Folk Witch Magic Theory. (Or Profession: Servant but why would you do that) Gerda Gerda devotes herself to reading, her magic having waned in the warmth of the season. The Ars Bonisagi is an exceptional text on the minutiae and history of Magic Theory. It is an in-depth exploration of Bonisagus' life and work on Magic Theory in his own words. This does mean it is somewhat dense and difficult to understand - unpacking metaphor and reference to contemporary events more than two centuries past takes some work - but by the end of the season, Gerda has strengthened her grasp on the fundamentals quite well. Still, she has only begun to tap into the wellspring of knowledge that the book represents. It will take even more study to understand the allusions of Bonisagus, let alone the full depth of his work. Her letters are sent out to the local Tremere, carried by the Redcaps. It will be nearer the end of summer before her replies arrive. Gerda gains 10 XP. Chloe Chloe dives into Birth of a Master. It is, in actuality, somewhat primitive for her - it is designed for beginners and apprentices. The writing is exceptionally clear, of course, but there simply is not the depth that someone of her intellect requires. It is a learning experience, but by summer's end she has exhausted all the book has to teach her and more. Chloe gains enough XP to put her at level 6 Rego, plus 3. It can't go higher than that, despite its Quality. So, 14 XP. Alraune Alraune devotes herself to reading. (And doodling in margins and writing letters and chasing a butterfly.) The book ends up a little the worse for wear from the experience, but it is a wonderful chance at learning for the maga. She begins to expand her horizons, touching on the basics of Mentem. It is quite an interesting read, all in all, and by the end of summer, Alraune feels she has mastered the text's lessons. She isn't perfect - but there's nothing more the book can practically teach her, and while no master, she ends up a serviceable beginner at mind magic. Alraune gains 20 Mentem XP. Mehdi Mehdi knows that a fair is a place of temptation and danger as well as opportunity. Evil lurks at a fair, in the form of greed and gluttony and pride. He gives his sermons and performs good deeds about the town. They are distrustful of the strange outsiders, to be sure, but his charitable giving and aiding of the poor and sick make him friends among the townsfolk. He is strange to them, but he seems to be a decent person, at least. Mehdi gains 2 XP to spend on an appropriate ability. He also gains 1 Faith Point, which does not regenerate daily. His normal Faith Point does. He also expends one Faith or Confidence point to invoke ceremonial influence. (This will eat the Faith Point gained here, if a Faith Point is used.) [14:33] <+Morphball> morsrattus: 8 = 1d10(3)+5. I will be generous, however, and say that he expended a Fatigue level to add his Leadership to the roll a second time - making it an 11, not an 8, which is enough to invoke a Calm temper of +1. All rolls compatible with calmness, peace and tolerance get a +1, while those that run counter to it get a -1. This bonus/penalty fades at the end of the first day of the fair, however. Ghorma Ghorma spends his time following the young Raymond II around. Raymond is a mischevious young man, prone to getting into trouble - trouble that the servants of the covenant get annoyed by, mostly, but which does not come to magus attention. The boy pranks guests at the inn, orders people about and in general is the sort of nuisance that a noble child surrounded by peasants inevitably becomes. He is happy to complain to his new friend, Ghorma, about how the magi don't pay attention to him or give him the respect his rank deserves, and how when he's older he is going to make everyone treat him properly. He's planning something for the fair, and he wants Ghorma to help him with it. He is going to prank the magi at the fair, it seems... Mariel Mariel keeps her head down, picking pockets and making off with small items over the course of the fair. It isn't glamorous work, nor particularly virtuous, but where else can she find something to do? Any other job would lead to questions about where she went every Sunday, and what that chicken blood was all about each Monday morning. No, this is the best thing for it, right now. Mariel gains 2 XP to spend on appropriate abilities, such as Area Lore, Legerdemain or Stealth. Those Heading To The Fair The fair is a bustling place, a miniature town set up in the fields and meadows between the inn and the nearby town. A city of tents and stalls, donkeys and carts. There is much to see there, much to do and many, many people to talk to. The grogs have been given their salaries a bit early this season, that they might go and spend their coin at the fair, as well! Okay, I have for certain: Rashad, Flagstone and Rhys going to the fair. Probably Ghorma as well, I imagine. Anyone else can come along, but will receive no XP for doing so - just the fun of the adventure. You only get seasonal XP for one activity, even if you take a day off to go do something else. What days work best for everyone? And, of course, grogs can attend and spend their own hard-earned coin. Mors Rattus fucked around with this message at 02:14 on Nov 14, 2014 |
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Nov 7, 2014 21:03
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Yeah, Flagstone can reasonably have a stock of anchors prepped. Let's say ten? Ten sounds reasonable.
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Nov 8, 2014 03:43
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Okay, sounds like tomorrow night, then! Around 7-7:30 or so EST. If that doesn't work out I'll pick a new day then.
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Nov 8, 2014 19:40
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Okay, new plan. We're looking at Thursday, sometime after 7:00 EST.
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Nov 10, 2014 22:01
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This post is a reminder to myself to post tomorrow about the adventure and what happened and poo poo. Watch this space.
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Nov 14, 2014 05:53
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The Fair Rhys returns from the fair with some sizable bags of expensive Middle Eastern spices - pepper, cumin and nutmeg. Valuable indeed! He has befriended a Sicilian spice merchant named Russo, pointing the inn's cook (and thus the magi) towards the man, along with Baron Raymond. He also purchases a map for young Raymond II - probably crap, but the boy seems to enjoy it. Ghorma and Flagstone have joined forces, buying a number of goods using money borrowed from the grogs. Flagstone requests the magi pay back thirty pence to cover his costs there - nothing major, really. Ghorma has acquired a bronze bracelet that he is wearing as a decorative collar now. It is covered in strange markings - knots and patterns. Celtic, perhaps. Raymond II comes in a few days later with a few bags of vegetables. He presents the council with the bag and proud grin, saying that he got them from a weird merchant who called himself Hermes. He says the merchant told him the fruits were magical, but to get the magic you have to sing to the vegetable in a beautiful voice, then bit down hard on it just as the song ends. The vegetables are a beet that vaguely resembles a human face, a carrot that looks slightly like a dick and a pair of radishes that seem to have nubs on them sort of like fingers. He seems very proud of what he's done and expects to be praised. Maybe he's not such an annoying kid after all! Meanwhile, Gerda has sent some grogs over to the Mercere tent at the fair, getting prices for books. The Mercere are happy to trade vis at standard lending rates - they make a profit, of course, and the covenant has no real need for it. The books, though, seem like they could be valuable...though the Redcaps have only brought their less valuable materials to test the local market. Summae - 5 pawns/book Guernicus and Tytalus: Debates of the Founders (Code of Hermes, Level 3, Quality 7) The Magus as Craftsman (Finesse, Level 2, Quality 9) Ways of the Seer (Intellego, Level 15, Quality 5) The Lion's Court (Animal, Level 20, Quality 4) Halls of Avalon (Faerie Lore, Level 5, Quality 5) Tractatus - 2 pawns/book On the Ways of Color (Imaginem, Quality 8) Brother of Power (Vim, Quality 9) My Master's Final Experiment: The Death of Borea (Magic Theory, Quality 8) Proceedings of the Fifth Tribunal: An Annotated Guide (Code of Hermes, Quality 10) Unmaking the Ideal (Perdo, Quality 9) The Redcaps will arrange for book trading in lieu of vis payment, but do seek to make a profit in their trades - they want a tractatus of some value in addition to an equal trade for each book. Autumn 1220 Jacques finishes his writings by summer's end. He has used his experiences at the tournament in the north as a jumping-off point for an amusing and irreverent exploration of the Art of Aquam. He has the book added to the library, declaring his service for the year over and setting about to his own experiments. He has named the piece 'The Ducking Pool: A Poem of Humorous Education.' If he is needed for anything, he says, he will be in his lab most of the season. It is a tractatus of quality 7. Leona arrives a few days after autumn begins, bringing with her a skull. She smiles when asked about it but will discuss little other than that the skull belonged to an enemy. She offers her services as a teacher to anyone that wants it during the fall, though she notes that any students must agree on a subject to learn from her. She is willing to speak on her knowledge of Animal, Muto, Perdo, Mentem or Corpus, or on Penetration or the Parma. She would prefer not to write a book, it taking more time than she feels she has to write more than a tractatus. Torvald declares that he will perform his service to the covenant in winter, creating an item for sale. He is going to be out for the autumn along with some of the covenant's teamsters and buyers, to find a proper candidate to purchase from him. The fair ends without any major incidents - there are fewer reports of fights this year than normal, and only a few complaints of theft. What are your plans? Also what do you plan to do with Raymond's gift?
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Nov 15, 2014 02:50
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ah right, i knew i was forgetting something Will post that tomorrow.
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Nov 15, 2014 05:45
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Gerda Gerda receives a letter from Protendus of Tremere, senior of the Provencal Tribunal and second to the Iberian exarch. He holds six Tremere sigils, but rarely uses them. He is a member of the mixed covenant of Aedes Mercurii, representative of the god Pluto on their council. (He is himself not particularly pious, but House Tremere felt it important to not let anyone else represent the underworld god.) House Tremere is relatively weak in Provencal. The last great enterprise the House attempted in the area failed for mysterious reasons, and he encourages Gerda to make a name for herself and to keep an eye out for Tytalan plotting. Politically, House Tremere in the Provencal Tribunal prefers to abstain unless matters affect them, and to support the Quaesitores whenever possible. He believes that House Tytalus, the crusaders of the Albigensian purge and some of the magi at Castra Solis to be Tremere's greatest threats in the region. He notes that, as Tremere, they are able to use methods that a Quaesitor normally could not, and channels that they could never access. These tools must be put to use in ferreting out plots and criminals. He encourages Gerda to become a peacemaker and negotiator between magi where needed, and to gain leverage and control over those who would be useful or make trouble. Before Provencal can be reformed for the better, it must be made to stop infighting quite so much. So: go forth, make a name for yourself and insinuate yourself into the affairs of other magi. Contact him if you require advice or support. Also, all of you who care about Tribunal politics know the following - it's a breakdown of local politics and the other covenants of Provence. Aedes Mercurii One of the three strongest power centers of Provencal, they are pagan magi who split from Val-Negra back during the Schism War and settled somewhere in the Pyrenees, around an ancient temple to Mercury. they are known for being rebellious and contentious against authority, and to especially hate Castra Solis. They tend to oppose new covenants that do not immediately ally with them, but they lack unity on pretty much any matter except opposing Castra Solis, so even that's not definite. They resent the power of the domus magna of House Flambeau, and many consider them to be dangerous fanatics. Their greatest public ally is Ara Maxima Nova, with most other covenants attempting to remain neutral or siding against them in important matters. Their greatest enemy is Castra Solis. They control 18 votes at Tribunal. Ara Maxima Nova This is a largely Merinita covenant focusing on the magic of the vineyards and roads of Narbonnais, and the Dionysian Mysteries. They have a histroy of driving out those with interest in the fae or in the ancient past, unless those magi are willing to join or help their Dionysian ambitions. Otherwise, it is neutral towards most others, so long as the magi of Ara Maxima Nova are not prevented from exploring or investigating the Via Domitia. Ara Maxima Nova's public allies are Aedes Mercurii and to a lesser extent Stella Durus. Their greatest enemy is the Coenobium. They control 4 votes at Tribunal. Bellaquin Bellaquin is a strong covenant that has grown somewhat stronger by their recent move from the wartorn Toulouse to the Pyrenees. They are heavily influenced by the Jerbiton, and enjoy gettinv involved in mundane affairs. They welcome new magi and covenants, hoping to improve their own membership and grow resources, perhaps to enable them to form a new Catalan Tribunal. The Andorrans of Bellaquin are known for holding fairs for magi. Their greatest public ally is Aedes Mercurii, though the Bellaquin magi do not so enthusiastically return their support. Bellaquin is also friendly with Castra Solis, the Coenobium, the Ostal des Exiles and Stella Durus. Should the Chteau des Pavons seek to expand its use of the local fair, they will become direct competitors. Their greatest enemy is Tolosa Paratge. They control 5 votes at Tribunal. Castra Solis Castra Solis is the domus magna of House Flambeau and one of the most influential covenants of the region. It is a stronghold in Gascony, producing every kind of military magus that House Flambeau might dream of. It is home to the Tribunal Praeco and the Presiding Quaesitor of the Tribunal. It is a strong advocate for the Church, Crusading nad Christianity. Depending on how well new covenants and magi act, they may be allies or enemies. They are quite generous, but are prone to distrust House Tytalus and to resist any covenant with a strong Tytalus presence. Their greatest public ally is Stella Durus, but they are friendly with Ara Maxima Nova, Bellaquin and the Coenobium. Their greatest enemies are Aedes Mercurii and the Ostal des Exiles. They control 17 votes at Tribunal. The Coenobium The Coenobium is not a single covenant, but a sprawling mass of chapter houses, each home to one or two magi, that banded together under one charter some two hundred years ago. They are one of the eldest covenants in Provencal, and extremely politically powerful. They are composed mainly of Jerbiton magi and Redcaps, and take a rather dim view of new magi that want to settle near a Coenobium chapter house. There are nearly two dozen magi in the covenant, and they will coordinate their efforts to sabotage rivals that don't wish to join them. As a result, there have been few covenants that last long in southern Provence for the past century, but their influences is at least geographically limited and incomplete. They have an open offer to assist those seeking aid, but it's common knowledge that their help always comes with a vague implication of future annexation. The Coenobium does, at least, not agree with itself on all matters, and is caught between Castra Solis and Aedes Mercurii. Their greatest public ally is Castra Solis, at least on most issues, but they are friendly with Aedes Mercurii (to an extent), Bellaquin, Stella Durus and Tolosa Paratge. Their greatest enemy is Ara Maxima Nova. They control approximately 20 votes at Tribunal, depending on how many Coenobium magi show up any given year. The Ostal des Exiles In English, the House of Exiles. They are also called the Faidits, and are made of refugees from other covenants around Toulouse, which failed or were abandoned due to the Albigensian Crusade. They are an odd group, but welcoming of new magi and covenants, hoping to gain their help in the defense of Toulouse from the North. They are open-minded, friendly and easy to work with. Their greatest public ally is Tolosa Paratge, but they are relatively friendly with Ara Maxima Nova, Bellaquin and Stella Durus, though they aren't usually taken very seriously. They control 6 votes at Tribunal. Stella Durus They are a small, mixed covenant (including the notorious Tytalus magus Ducaru) on the outskirts of Narbonne. They are usually to preoccupied with their own work to interfere with others, and aren't particularly likely to get involved with newcomers unless their resources are threatened and the newcomers don't settle between the Pyrenees and Albi, Beziers or Toulouse. They are, however, hostile to anyone else in that zone and will attempt to harass and bully them. (Fortunately, Foix is not really in their targeting zone.) Their greatest public allies are Bellaquin and Castra Solis, but they are relatively friendly with most of the Tribunal, even Aedes Mercurii. They control 5 votes at Tribunal. Tolosa Paratge Tolosa Paratge is a mixed covenant of great nobility hidden in a regio within Toulouse itself. They are currently split over the issue of the Cathars. Some wush to expel them, while others want to protect them. They respond to outsiders based entirely on their stance on this issue - they ignore those who don't care, and get those who do involved in their internal arguments and battles. Most others believe they are self-destructive and, out of a sense of decorum, choose to let them resolve their own issues internally. Individual magi have their own opinions, but no one really wants to act openly. Their greatest public ally, insofar as they have any, is Stella Durus, but most of the Tribunal just wants to sit back and watch. They control 9 votes at Tribunal but rarely align on any issue. Fraxinetum Redux Very few actually know anything about this tiny Arelat covenant. They have never attended Tribunal, but are registered with House Mercere as holding 3 votes. They have never used any. Miniata Sophia A very young Criamon covenant - barely 40 years old. They are focused on teaching a small town near them and seeking enlightenment. They hold 4 votes at Tribunal, but avoid politics entirely, so few bother with them at all. Tres' Band A 'covenant' consisting of the infamous Rusticani magus Tres, based out of a forest in Gascony. They are known to hate most of the Order and never attend Tribunal, but they are known to have three members, all Rusticani, and generally opposed to other magi, depending on how the magi treat the mundane population near Gascony. They are aggressive enemies of any magus that wishes to be a ruler of men, and have no qualms about starting trouble if required...though they'd prefer to avoid doing things that would get them killed. Mystery cults are also known to be in the Provencal Tribunal, quite importantly. At least, some of them. Not all are known. The Legion of Mithras A powerful tradition within the Order, defenders of justice, law and honor. They are well-supported by Castra Solis, and many believe that the Great Temple of the Legion is somewhere in France - perhaps even under Castra Solis itself. However, the truth is unknown. Most of the Legion in Provence is Christian, though a few may actually worship Mithras. If so, they hide it well, and most treat Mithras as an allegorical symbol for Christ. They are quite influential throughout the Tribunal, opposing the Mercurian faction based out of Aedes Mercurii. The two despise each other. The Mithraians are willing to use force to fight the Crusade if needed, despite being Christian - they favor a proactive defense of covenants at risk. They are often individualistic, and are divided on many issues, save their absolute contempt for the Cult of Mercury. The Cult of Mercury The Cult's spiritual center - fractious though it may be - is Aedes Mercurii. They possess ancient secrets from the early history of the Mercurian Cult, and are willing to teach them to those magi whom they feel show promise. They consider themselves the true descendants of Rome, and oppose the Neo-Mercurians of other Tribunals as traitors. Within the Tribunal, they hold many ceremonial positions by ancient tradition, despite being openly pagan, and are supported by long Tribunal law and custom. Few take them really seriously these days - an amusing tradition to some, or a blasphemous and contemptible one to others, but rarely worthy of much thought. Despite this, they still hold quite a bit of secret power and personal influence. They began the revitalization of the Mercurian religion in the 900s, and while it fractured, they are still rather influential among pagans. They focus on recovering their ancient rites and rituals, and they are rigidly isolationist when it comes to mundanes. They have no desire to be involved in the Albigensian Crusade on either side, and while they will work to hide covenants from the Church, they will not fight it. They are intensely conservative, despite the Mithraians and dream of a return to Roman glory. The Knights of the Green Stone A small group of chivalrous magus-knights, primarily found in Toulouse among the Ostal des Exiles. They are publically led by Gilbert of Flambeau and are strongly linked to the Rhine and Normandy. They are widely seen as eccentrics and hold very little political influence, but they do have their own strange mysteries that no one's quite figured out. The Matres and Matrones Founded by the mater of the current Praeco in the late 800s, this cult is dedicated to the advancement of women and their protection. They speak very little of their past, and while they are tied strongly to House Merinita, their imagery draws from the folk witches of France, reverence of Mary Magdalene and other female saints, particularly the Black Madonna, and the patronage of Eleanor of Aquitane, whom they claim was one of their supporters, perhaps even a member. (Some of them say Eleanor was a folk witch who brought her secrets to the cult from the Holy Land.) The cult is not solely Hermetic - they have granted membership to some hedge wizards and even unGifted women who have supernatural powers. Very little is publically known about them, but it is believed that the Praeco, Dama of Merinita, and the Chief Redcap of the Tribunal, Alazais of Mercere, are involved. Perhaps also the First Consul of the Coenobium, and notable magi Mariola of Tolosa Paratge, and Beatrice of Guernicus, who is believed to be in line to become Presiding Quaesitor, since her parens, Tibaut, died last year - and he was the last one. Their mysteries and powers are hidden by the cult, but their goals of advancing women are, at least, known. In any case, the primary issue affecting the Tribunal is interference with the mundanes, and specifically the effects of the Crusade on the Tribunal. Many senior magi, including Leona, are also worried about the growing power of the Coenobium - in recent years their influence has grown quite a bit following the destruction of several covenants at Crusader hands. This is making even their former allies uneasy. Mors Rattus fucked around with this message at 19:48 on Nov 16, 2014 |
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Nov 16, 2014 17:27
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One other thing I forgot before: Alraune receives several return letters - most are mere pleasantries and confused requests for clarification. Two, though, are notable. One is from Luc of Ara Maxima Nova His letter is long and somewhat rambling itself, introducing him as a member of the Keepers of a Thousand Tales, exploring the stories of the world for knowledge of the fae. His reputation precedes him - he is a master of Imaginem, Mentem and Vim, and has great knowledge of many mysteries. He would like to meet with Alraune and help her in person, but would of course want her help in return. He is interested in working with the stories of Heracles, and thinks that Alraune may be able to assist him, but would need to show her a path to deeper mysteries. He's somewhat vague about what this would entail, but makes many references to the Greek gods and Dionysus especially. It probablyi nvolves some kind of mystery initiation. The other comes fro Marie of Merinita, one of the more politically powerful magi of the Tribunal. She believes she may be able to point Alraune at those who can teach her further, but would want help in her own goals before doing so. She is much more open than Luc is...but her goals are also harder. She plans to get Aquitaine brought from the Normandy to the Provencal Tribunal, a task that will take some doing and no small amount of political power in itself. Helping her in that may well find Alraune teachers, but it would take some thought on how to even begin helping.
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Nov 27, 2014 00:51
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Autumn, 1220 Staying At Home Ealdwine Ealdwine first takes the vegetables and tests them, following the method that the young Raymond has told him. It is pompous and not particularly melodious and makes him feel rather silly. This silly feeling is only increased when he spots Raymond peeking in the window and snickering as he bites into the vegetable. Nothing happens after that, except that Raymond start laughing uproariously and runs off the moment Ealdwine seems like he's going to pay much more attention to him. The rest of the vegetables make for a nice stew. He spends the rest of the season producing useful items for the covenfolk, fulfilling his oath of service. Specifically, he produces, over the course of the season, fourteen wooden amulets, designed to protect their wearers from the wind and rain. (It'd be fifteen, but...his attempt on one of the amulets goes horribly wrong, the magic reversing on him and leaving him slightly warped.) His letter is sent off with the Redcaps, but will see no return for several months - finding Tres and his band is never easy. [22:22] <skybot> morsrattus: 22 (1d10+16=6) - first amulet. 3 charges. [22:24] <skybot> morsrattus: 21 (1d10+16=5) - second amulet. 3 charges. [22:24] <skybot> morsrattus: 18 (1d10+16=2) - third amulet. 2 charges. [22:24] <skybot> morsrattus: 20 (1d10+16=4) - fourth amulet. 2 charges. [22:24] <skybot> morsrattus: 20 (1d10+16=4) - fifth amulet. 2 charges. [22:25] <skybot> morsrattus: 26 (1d10+16=10) - sixth amulet, botch check! Follows lab experiment rules, so base of (local aura) botch dice, subtracting 1 for the familiar. [22:28] <skybot> morsrattus: 12 (4d10=2, 3, 4, 3) - no botch. So sixth amulet, 0+16=16, 2 charges. [22:29] <skybot> morsrattus: 18 (1d10+16=2) - seventh amulet. 2 charges. [22:29] <skybot> morsrattus: 26 (1d10+16=10) - eight amulet. Botch check! [22:30] <skybot> morsrattus: 21 (4d10=6, 4, 2, 9) - lucky again. eighth amulet, 2 charges. [22:30] <skybot> morsrattus: 26 (1d10+16=10) - ninth amulet. Botch check! [22:30] <skybot> morsrattus: 28 (4d10=10, 9, 3, 6) - botch! Amulet fails horribly, Ealdwine gains 1 Warping. No Twilight check...yet. [22:32] <skybot> morsrattus: 23 (1d10+16=7) - tenth amulet, 3 charges. [22:32] <skybot> morsrattus: 23 (1d10+16=7) - eleventh amulet, 3 charges. [22:33] <skybot> morsrattus: 17 (1d10+16=1) - explosion! [22:33] <skybot> morsrattus: 6 (1d10=6) - (6*2)+16=28. Twelfth amulet, 4 charges. [22:34] <skybot> morsrattus: 17 (1d10+16=1) - explosion! [22:34] <skybot> morsrattus: 9 (1d10=9) - (9*2)+16=34. Thirteenth amulet, 5 charges. [22:34] <skybot> morsrattus: 19 (1d10+16=3) - Fourteenth amulet, 2 charges. [22:35] <skybot> morsrattus: 21 (1d10+16=5) - Fifteenth amulet, 3 charges. So, overall, that could have gone far worse, really, given the risk of making 15 seperate dice rolls instead of a number of one-charge amulets. Ealdwine gains 1 Warping, and 2 XP split between Craft, Rego, Auram or Magic Theory. Amulets: 7 have 2 charges, 5 have 3 charges, 1 has 4 charges, 1 has 5 charges. These go to the covenant stash. Each charge protects the wielder from being touched by rain until the next sunrise or sunset. Gerda, Chloe and Sona Gerda entreats Leona to lecture on the Parma Magica for her and Sona. Leona is pleased to do so. She is quite knowledgeable about the Parma, being an experienced warrior-maga, and she is able to provide a wealth of information over the course of the season. She is particularly concerned with practical usage and defense against spells of direct harm over theorizing and laboratory work. One of her more interesting anecdotes - and her teaching style is full of those - is about her battle with the river dragon. It was, she says, one of the breed known as the tarasque, and she believes it was one of a pair - the male. The female, she thinks, survived by laying low and moving to another river. She explains the great terror of the tarasque is both its claws and fangs - which you must learn to fight on your own - but also its firey breath, which can kill any who stand before it. She says it is a valuable creature to hunt, if you can manage it - they are dangerous, but a good source of Animal vis if you can amanage a kill. She believes that the female she mentioned may have gone to ground in Tarascon, near Toulouse, but she never found solid proof. It hasn't caused problems in years, at least. Gerda, Chloe and Sona receive 8 XP in Parma Magica. Not bad! Tremonius Tremonius dedicates himself to refuting the works of Pavora of Bjornaer. It goes well, and his writing is excellent. The text is finished by late autumn, and the rest of the season is spent getting it exactly right, then having it fully scribed and bound properly. Copies will need to be made and disseminated for his argument to reach a wider audience, of course, but that is a matter for the scribes - they can just be instructed to copy it, after all, for trade. The text itself, of course, will be quite handy around the covenant for those who wish to shore up their understanding of Hermetic theory, particularly as it applies to animal experimentation. Tremonius gets 2 XP to spend on Magic Theory, Latin, Artes Liberales or, if you really wanted to, Profession: Scribe. Mehdi Mehdi, having attended to his congregation, spends the season in deep communion with the holy will of Ahura-Mazda. He spends most of his days in his temple, attending to the flame and performing the deep and complex rituals that are not strictly required but which greatly exalt the holy name. His meditations and prayers fill the ears of any who come near. 4 XP to spend between Zoroastrian Priesthood Lore, Concentration, Music or any Supernatural Abilities he already has a score in. Ghorma Ghorma follows magi and Redcaps around, wandering the area and learning what he can of the Cults of Mercury and Mithras. Rashad Rashad serves well at Count Raymond's court, providing readings of the stars and interpreting their will, as well as attending hunting expeditions with the Count and his hawktenders. It is a busy season, though not an unenjoyable one. He does, however, earn his keep - astrology is quite valuable these days, after all. 2 XP to spend on Artes Liberales, Hunt or Foix Lore. Mariel Mariel, meanwhile, continues to do odd jobs, avoid people and occasionally filch food or money as she needs it. She manages to build up enough to last her through winter and into the new year, by the end of the season, and no one suspects her too badly of anything she's actually done. That's good, right? 2 XP to spend on Legerdemain, Foix Lore or Survival. Rhys Rhys, having already earned enough to keep himself living for the year, spends his season eating delicious foods and exploring the town. He makes friends, gives legal advice and learns about the local political scene and the friction between the town's guild leaders and mayor. Rhys gains 7 Foix Lore XP. Other Leona approves of the expenditure of five vis on The Magus as Craftsman, on the basis that it will be useful to more people. Jacques, meanwhile, agrees to spend his salary on the Annotated Proceedings, as Gerda asked, since she is buying My Master's Final Experiment. The Redcaps are pleased with the trade. Sona, meanwhile, takes a day off to fly over the forest. She finds the cave, and some poking around allows her to find a relatively passable path to it...but unfortunately, she can find little evidence of what's living there, beyond a few scorch marks here and there and, more distressingly, a collection of bone fragments that she thinks are only mostly deer and fox. Meanwhile... Alraune Alraune corresponds more with Luc, and is invited to Ara Maxima Nova to speak with him in person. He is very interested in teaching her what he knows, but it can only be taught in person - he won't speak of the details by letter. However, he is going to have to join him in his devotions. Well, that can't end too badly... Alraune is off on a solo adventure this season, to go meet with Luc of Merinita and perhaps join his mystery cult. Ridley, we'll schedule this whenever works for you. Flagstone Flagstone, in the meantime, gathers up a team of grogs and anyone else that's interested, preparing them to flush out the Green Rat once and for all! Hopefully they have some idea how to do that, though. And everyone else, well, it's time to go a-huntin' vinerats. Green Intern, you're lead on this one, so your schedule will dictate when it happens; everyone else can come along either as a grog or as a main PC if they feel they'd be interested in doing those. Mors Rattus fucked around with this message at 05:43 on Dec 2, 2014 |
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Dec 2, 2014 05:34
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Well, it'd still probably take more than one roll for all 15, but it'd have been, like, four, maybe five, tops.
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Dec 2, 2014 06:29
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I can roll with Thursday, so let's go with that for now.
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Dec 3, 2014 04:47
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After a particularly loud afternoon at the inn, the Green Rat has been rooted out of the building and forced into a chest, which has been claimed by Tremonius. One of the grogs, Babet, has lost all of his money to some English mercenaries, who left that very afternoon.
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Dec 5, 2014 03:55
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Alraune leaves the covenant early in autumn. She returns just before winter, having gone to visit Ara Maxima Nova. It is unclear what exactly transpired there, but it was clearly something. Alraune gets 8 XP, and gains the Flaw Vow, plus the Arcadian Travel Virtue. Winter, 1220 Once her season of teaching is over, Leona begins to work on her own projects, spending much of winter in her lab. She comes out every so often to talk to people, but is largely busy working on a spell of some kind. Jacques emerges from his lab, now armed with a new harp. He does not discuss what it can do, saying it's a personal business, and vanishes as winter begins. Reports come in later in the season of a man matching his description causing trouble among the Papal forces. Everyone agrees that they know nothing about it. Torvald devotes his winter to the creation of a statue which, he says, will warn its owner when a thief enters the household. He hopes someone finds a buyer for it, because he's going to be busy all season making it. If none of the covenant does, he requests leave to have the seeking of the buyer next year count as that year's service. Ealdwine finally receives a return letter from Tres and his band. It is a friendly missive. Tres hopes they can meet at some point, though it would need to be prearranged - he'd love to discuss things, but knows that he'd be in danger. He warns Ealdwine to be wary of other magi - even his sodales - for they fear the power of the populace. If he should ever need a hand in dealing with the results of that fear, Tres would be happy to help. That certainly couldn't make things worse. What are your plans?
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Dec 8, 2014 02:48
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Winter, 1220 Staying At Home Ealdwine Ealdwine heads into the library, removing a lab text that has been helpfully translated into proper Latin rather than shorthand. It was a gift, apparently, some years back. The librarian could probably tell the story, but the old man is a poor speaker, preferring the quiet of the library and the scribes who use it most. The text details the Broom of the Wind - a simple spell of Creo Auram. However, Ealdwine decides he will try to experiment with his studies of the spell, perhaps to create something stranger. Creo Auram lab total is Creo 0 + Auram 6 + Int 3 + Magic Theory 3 + Aura 5, for a total of 17 - enough to learn the level 15 spell from a lab text. Experimenting adds... [20:36] <Morphball> morsrattus: 5 = 1d10(5) So it's a 22. Rolling on the experiment table... [20:37] <Morphball> morsrattus: 1 = 1d10(1) [20:37] <Morphball> morsrattus: 8 = 1d10(8) A 16. 12+: Roll twice more on this chart. [20:37] <Morphball> morsrattus: 4 = 1d10(4) 4: No extraordinary effects. [20:38] <Morphball> morsrattus: 3 = 1d10(3) 3: No extraordinary effects. The experiment proves fruitful but unnecessary; little interesting comes of Ealdwine's stranger reinterpretations of the text beyond a slightly increased understanding of the spellmaking process. Ealdwine learns Broom of the Winds and gets 2 XP to spend on Magic Theory, Creo or Auram. Tremonius Tremonius spends the season reading On the Form of the Man, learning the basics of Corpus from one of the finest primers ever written. By winter's end he has exhausted the text of any use and reached a basic mastery of the Art. It is a clear and well-written text, to be sure, easily understood - but it lacks the depth he will need to go further in his studies. Thanks to Book Learner, Tremonius gains 22 Corpus XP and exhausts the abilities of On the Form of the Man. Ghorma Ghorma gets a servant to turn pages for him, spending the season poring over Leona's text. It is educational - but, unfortunately, his nature makes it difficult. He grasps the information, but understanding the true essence eludes him, as each night the understanding he thought he had slips away, as his eternal nature reasserts itself. Ghorma reads Leona's Guide, but without vis to consume, its 10 XP is reduced to 0 by his Might 13. At least he can do adventures? Alraune Alraune's letters prove...confusing, more than anything else. The secrets of Luc's group are unknown outside it - to learn more, well, she'll either need to speak further with Luc and his followers, or perhaps seek out the secrets of Dionysus herself, heading to Greece or other areas. Those Going Elsewhere I can spot three adventure seeds here - Sona wants to lead a team to the nest and clear it out. Gerda is heading to Ostal des Exiles to discuss politics and perhaps other things. (Leona says that she believes the tarrasque corresponds to Animal, as a note.) And Flagstone wants to go exploring under the covenant. I have not yet heard from neongrey about seasonal activities, nor heard what Mehdi is doing this season. So, get those posted, and tell me what times are good for you guys, and who's going on what.
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Jan 14, 2015 02:48
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Rashad Rashad can find tales of witches, but none locally. The locals will point him at the inn if he wants wizards, though! (And. apparently, a single witch.) If he wants to meet with witches, he will need to travel to one of the farther villages of the county, where there are stories of an old woman who can cure ills, or perhaps curse people. It's not entirely clear - people are afraid of her, but the locals say that if the wizards weren't here, they'd go to her for problems. The wizards are here, however, and that's much better. Gerda can get ahold of that lab text she wanted, yeah. As for scheduling, let's see... Team Sona, how's Thursday sound? Team Ostal, how about next Saturday? Team Flagstone, uh, we'll figure a thing out.
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Jan 24, 2015 21:10
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January is clearly a bad month, so we are pushing poo poo back a week. Next Friday, 7:30 EST.
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Feb 1, 2015 01:54
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Change of plans: Sunday. (My family is not being cooperative.)
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Feb 7, 2015 00:26
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Spring, 1221 It turns out that travel outside the covenant is impossible - a freak squall blows up at the start of winter, snowing out the roads. It should be over within days, but days become weeks and weeks become months. The snow lets up occasionally, but until the year's turning it never truly goes away. Most of the Tribunal is left frozen, quite literally, until spring's thaw. No one is quite sure why it happened, but it was clearly due to some magic. Whatever the case, any plans for travel had to be shelved. Anyone who had been going on an adventure may choose another winter activity to gain XP. With the melting of the snows, Alraune leaves for Greece, seeking some way to escape the fate she has accidentally bound herself to. In the meantime, a new maga arrives to take her place - the Saracen Verditius Sumayya, who settles in come spring. The people of the covenant are wary of her - she is, after all, a Muslim if rumor is to be believed (which it may not be, though she is from Egypt), and involved with Lord Raymond's son, Roger Bernard. Certainly, Lord Raymond-Roger has declared her to be under his protection, in the name of his son. That could be trouble if it becomes serious - both for young Roger Bernard and for Sumayya, if the Quaesitores choose to ask questions. With the thaw, travel is once again possible, at least. What are your plans? We're just going to pretend Winter went that way and start fresh for the new year.
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Feb 11, 2015 19:42
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Poking people who still need to post - Roland Jones, neongrey, Kellsterik - and asking - what days are good for adventuring, folks? Even if the adventure is just 'time to chat with Rashad'.
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Mar 22, 2015 01:39
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