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Introduction You came to the covenant a little more than a month ago. It's essentially a small village on an island, with a large stone and wood house in the middle for the magi's laboratories and dorms, prepared for your use. You've recently settled in and gotten acquainted with the locals and their customs. It's summer, and the sun shines endlessly on the rocky island, and lights up a glittering sea. You've had little problems with the covernfolk, who seem to be an easygoing and laid-back, if hardbitten, lot. As for the remains of the old covenant, much remains unknown. You've met the remaining survivor 5 times so far; his lab is situated down a rocky path, in a cave overlooking the sea, and he only leaves it once a week or so, when he goes to get wine and olive oil from the covernfolk; otherwise he has his food brought to him. His name is Alexios, and he is of house Bonisagus. Rumor is that he is quite powerful, and he has been a magus for almost 7 decades by now, but little else is known about him or his research. He greeted you once when you first came, introduced himself, and quickly disappeared back to his laboratory. Much of the old covenant still remains in disrepair or disarray, and you've seen little to suggest what might've happed to the magi and the companions that lived there. The central building has a locked door with the word “Library” emblazoned in golden letters and an array of wards and mystic runes upon it, which you have not yet been able to open, and the covernfolk warn you against entering the lighthouse, from whence they claim strange ghosty voices come at night, and which was once the laboratory of two of the covenant's previous occupants. Likewise, parts of the covenant's basement seem to connect to the large and expansive network of caves beneath the island, and from the grogs that used to serve in the house itself, you learn that there were labs and other occult spaces in the caves, as well as rumors of monsters and strange phenomena. You won't know for sure what might be there until you investigate further, though from what you've heard and your initial survey, there could easily be several places in the caves and elsewhere on the island that may be useful as labs specialized in particular ways for particular arts. The island is also especially rich in Vis, even for the unusually vis-rich theban tribunal; and you are certain there may be more sources you've not yet found. With you, you've brought several books and texts, gifts from mentors and covenants, and about 80 pawns of vis of various sorts. The texts are: Lab texts: Aegis of the health (ReVim) - lvl 40 Wound the Dead (PerVim) - lvl 15, damages ghosts. The Gentle beast (ReAn) - lvl 25 Books: On the forms and their conjuration by magic, by Agamemnon Tremere, Creo Tractus, Quality: 11 On the forms and their banishment by magic, by Achileus Tremere, Perdo Tractus, Quality: 11 The first flame of knowledge, by Metraxes Metraxes Bonisagus. Intellego Summa, Level 15, Quality 15. Also Ignem Tractus, quality 11. Wine of dionysus, by Lucien Merinita. Mentem summa, level 10, quality 15. Herbam tractus, quality 9. Also a profession (wine grower) summa, level 4, quality 10. The Principles of Bonisagus, By Elisrodos Bonisagus. Magical Theory Tractus, Quality: 11. Painting by word and spell, by Agape Jerbiton, Imaginem summa, level 10, quality 16 The vis stocks you've brought are as follows: 7 Terram 6 Corpus 7 Ignem 6 Herbam 27 Vim 7 Mentem 10 Rego 8 Creo 3 Muto 3 Perdo 3 Intellegem Now that you're settled in, there are several issues that demand your attention, though they are not all equally pressing. Within a year, you will have to reaffirm the covenant's Charter and reestablish its connection to its guardian spirit, which is, according to the tribunal's documents, a local neried. You've not yet encountered this neried, and whatever agreement it had with the previous covenant is almost certainly void. Alternatively, you will have to draw up a new charter you can all agree on and find some other guardian spirit. There is also the issue of the various locked and hidden parts of the island, such as the library, the lighthouse, the caves connected to the basement; these will need to be breached, found or explored, but might very well lead to a wealth of magical items, vis sources, vis stocks, or useful books and lab texts. Not to mention, some of them might very well contain real dangers that need to be contained before something goes wrong. Further, the covernfolk have been reporting strange fires at night, like signal fires, on the shores across the tiny straight between the island and the mainland, but noone lives there and noone is seen there during daylight hours; this may well warrant further exploration and examination. Lastly, one of the vis-sources is the bones that keep washing up on shore at the beach by illium propper, or where it would have been. While creepy, these are not a problem, but they may attract the ghosts of long dead warriors, or worse, and may be worth more investigation than the rest of your otherwise interesting vis sources. What do you do? Running Gdocs tally and overview will be Here once i've finished it.
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Dec 28, 2017 00:48
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Paisios, Adept of Ermis It was far too early for Paisios. The curly haired young magus leaned to the side, propping up his head with his arm, eyes shut. A large, golden brown owl rested on a nearby empty chair, clearly asleep. The other magi likely wrote him off some time ago as apathetic to the problems being discussed. Nevertheless, he finally shook himself awake with a soft sigh, blinking sleep away from his dark, bleary eyes. He begins to speak softly, his speech tinged with the archaic tones the others had quickly come to associate with the Egyptian Greek. "I will be able to divine a preliminary survey of the covenant buildings in a matter of days, unless you would prefer I focus my efforts on the island itself first. Stellar influences are strong here; my findings should be fairly thorough." The owl blinks slowly awake, rasping softly and fluffing her feathers. "Perhaps another can speak with good Alexios, should it be possible to interrupt his work. It would be prudent to compare my findings to his recollections." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Melminius, Autocrat "As I have informed the learned magi," the stern eunach begins, the fainest hint of irritation in his voice, "the village cannot support the work of your Order until dye production and trade can be resumed. The produce of fishermen and hunters alone struggles to support Master Alexios, much less a half dozen of his colleagues." He calms, continuing, "Blessedly, I am informed that the magics required are quiet rudimentary. If the learned magi can simply call forth the loathsome snails from the sea, there are still many women who remember the trade. The only other requirement is copious salt, but as I understand, your magic can easily extract the required amounts from seawater?" His eyes narrow and his nostrils flare, "There is, of course, also the matter of the change in governance..." fool of sound fucked around with this message at 20:45 on Dec 28, 2017 |
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Dec 28, 2017 20:43
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Eliodoros Eliodoros and his entourage have made themselves at home already. Expensive furnishings (carried in under Katja's stern direction), more expensive cat toys, and of course the wardrobe full of finely made and variously decorated robes. For the council meeting, such as it is, he has selected (or, perhaps, has had selected for him by the careful and watchful eyes of his familiar and his servant) a formal robe in white, adorned with black symbols of meaning to...well, mostly to Verditius crafters and, more specifically, to his own particular confraternity. He is not a large man - not by any stretch - but the outfit is designed to make him seem more imposing. Alexia has perched on his shoulder, while Katja stands back and waits. "A survey is an excellent idea. I do not feel it prudent to interrupt Alexios more than is needed - his work is clearly important to him. We can meet with him when he comes down for his next meal. As far as governance - we are Greeks. The matter seems to me to be perfectly clear. We elect one among our number to serve as Speaker for a term, and in that capacity oversee the tedious aspects of governance. That way, we each will have a chance in turn to support the covenant without having our time taken permanently with dealing with such...mundane issues, as it were. Obviously, though, for more important matters, we would need to meet and debate." Alexia purrs softly. "Service to the covenant is, itself, a good idea, Master. I should think that all would gain, were each to be required to serve the covenant in some way during that term." "...mm. An even division of responsibilities and therefore of benefits as well might indeed serve." He shakes his head, as the autocrat speaks. "As to salt...it should be relatively simple to separate salt from sea water. It is profoundly inefficient, however, to require a magus' attentions all the time. I could develop a tool that would do it much more quickly and effectively...but it would take me at least a season to develop, as well as sufficient vis. For now...well, if one of us is going to travel to the sea anyway in search of the nereids, that seems as good a time as any to do it for the present. As for what a tool would need...Katja." He holds out a hand, and the girl steps forward almost before her name is spoken, handing him a wax tablet and a small stick. He begins to do calculations. I'm away from my books but I'd guess it would be a pretty darn simple item to make.
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Dec 28, 2017 21:10
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Melminius, Autocrat "I assure the learned magi that I more than capable of dealing with any mundane matters, should you not wish your work disturbed."
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Dec 28, 2017 23:09
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Theodoros Theodoros is sitting back in his chair. A big man, he's dressed simply, almost as if dressing were an afterthought, and he seems to be hard in concentration looking at a speck of dust. "It doesn't have to be the Nereid, you know. As our sponsor, I mean. I know she was before, but we can make new arrangements. Maybe even with a God; Poseidon, or Ares, or Apollo. No reason we can't try, at least. Be quite an honor to be sponsored by a God. Even if we can't, there's a lot of power around here. You can feel it. Lots of faerie spirits. Oh, have any of you looked at the charter yet? See if there's anything too offensive in there?" He keeps his eyes on the speck of dust. "We need to find a way into the library too, you know, and figure out what those strange fires are at night. There are spirits that do that, you know. Light fires at night. Sometimes they guard treasure. Of course, they could just be ghosts. Could be anything, really." Then he smiles, the dust mote having apparently done something amusing.
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Dec 29, 2017 00:47
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Paisios, Adept of Ermis "I believe that I can fairly quickly discern the method by which the wards on the library may be bypassed. Failing that, I can certainly determine if an alternate entrance is possible. The lighthouse may be somewhat more difficult, depending on the nature of the apparent haunting. As for ah, pagan spirits, that seems to be your area of expertise, Theodoros?" "As for governance, I see no reason that we should not allow Melminius to maintain his position. Certainly he has managed effectively thus far, even in the face of... whatever has befallen the previous occupants. I see little reason for an sort of permanent or rotating office for the magi. A simple charter of duties and privileges, and periodic meetings, should suffice, I think?" The owl narrows her eyes at Eliodoros' cat. fool of sound fucked around with this message at 01:50 on Dec 29, 2017 |
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Dec 29, 2017 01:41
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Theodoros "Ah, well, someone needs to be the, ah, well, the public face of the covenant, do they not? Deal with the non-mages and such, engage in matters of covenant governance. Most covenants have one, don't they? And, if so, no reason, it shouldn't be rotating. After all, we're not a tyranny here, and all should do their part. It's, err, a selfish man who only worries about his own affairs." He continues staring at the sunlight.
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Dec 29, 2017 02:30
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Johannus "Do you really imagine that any of us are not selfish? Still, I imagine that having some kind of organization in place will result in fewer unscheduled disruptions to our individual workings. And speaking of... I strongly feel that we should investigate what works our former colleagues may have left interrupted in their labs when they disappeared. Alexios seems... unlikely to have done any poking around himself."
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Dec 29, 2017 02:48
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Eliodoros Eliodoros holds his tablet out, and Katja quickly collects it. "A simple tool to produce the effect would take me a single season to make, and require two pawns of vis. Aquam or Rego. I envision a container - copper, I think, so that the tarnish will not greatly affect it. Salt is easily removed from water by transformation to steam. Place water in the receptacle, it becomes steam, flows out through a funnel in the top and condenses once more in a barrel placed next to the container. Simple application of natural philosophy. You will need to scrape the salt out of the container afterwards." The cat grooms herself, purring softly, as the owl stares at her. "I concur that we are all selfish - but self-interest, in this case, dictates that we serve the covenant. And the tribunal - once we are settled, it will not do if we are poor citizens. As to their labs..." Eliodoros' lip curls up. "I would prefer to confirm their deaths before I entered them, but....well." Alexia speaks up. "The law would likely not allow it were it done loudly. It should be quiet. Fortunately, I think this is possible, and certainly I can look into your library for you. You are not cats - you don't have my eyes, to see through walls."
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Dec 29, 2017 13:53
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Klaudios shakes his head sharply, almost a twitch of negation. "Sure we do" He interjects flatly. His eyes go glassy and lose focus for a few seconds as the assembled swing their own gazes around to look at him. After the moment passes, and just as someone else begins to speak he barrels on "There is a woman in the next room pretending to clean plates who is primarily standing at the window sighing." Before anyone can respond to this apparant nonsequitur he moves on, evidently running through an speech composed in his long silence. "The mundane concerns of the covenfolk will wait. It will take us some time to resolve more pressing matters. Until then, we should permit them to handle their own affairs. I see little reason to lord directly the covenfolk and less in traveling to the mainland to treat with lords wanting to deal in the village's produce. These villagers are surely capable of managing well without magi interference, given Alexios' habits. It is reasonable for us to augment the Covenant's food stores to support ourselves in the mean time, however tedious without a permanent solution. We will need one of us to shepherd and tally our magical resources, and to facilitate voting. Why would we need a spokesman to speak on our behalf, and to whom? Further, it stands to reason that if we are to resume industry, the previous covenant had methods to solve these issues. We should therefore make effort to recover details, if not devices, already within our reach before attempting to reinvent as well resume. I suggest that we apply ourselves first and foremost to subduing the covenant library. Once its defenses have been neutralised, it will be simple for me to catalogue its contents - magnifying our subsequent efforts. Then we must apply ourselves to contracting a patron, and only then can issues of formal governance and commerce take priority."
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Dec 29, 2017 17:26
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Johannus Johannus gives Klaudios an odd look at his non-sequitor, but otherwise ignores it. "Look, we have plenty of time. Each of us can poke around where we feel best, figure out what we have to work with, and make plans from there. I agree that the villagers and servants can look out for themselves while we take stock. We should each claim our room, mark our labs so the others know where to avoid, and then we can meet again in... lets say a week, to go over what each of us has found. I would suggest that we not hide anything we find during this time, and treat all discoveries as shared resources. We may be selfish, but trying to hide things from each other will only lead to us antagonizing each other more than usual."
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Dec 29, 2017 18:27
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Eliodoros "We cannot simply ignore the world around us. In time, we will have business with it - or do you expect me to refuse tradition and not offer my skills to those who can honor my costs? Likewise, we cannot ignore the people here - it is a poor craftsman who neglects his tools. Any of them." Eliodoros shakes his head. "It will not do if they do not at least have a representative to bring their needs to, when those needs cannot be solved easily on their own. And, of course, you are correct - someone must tally the numbers when it comes to vis usage." Alexia stretches. "Which I suppose means we volunteer?" Eliodoros looks down at his cat, then sighs. "If no one else will take the role and we can't agree on a rotation, I suppose that I can organize administrative works like that. But again, frankly, these services to the covenant should shift hands, so that everyone must carry the burdens of the whole in turn." He shakes his head. "On more interesting matters - I will happily look into the caves. I am an elementalist - the earth is no stranger to me." Katja, meanwhile, has been taking notes on a separate wax tablet, keeping the minutes of the meeting.
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Dec 29, 2017 19:03
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Theodoros "Those fires across the straits. If no one else is going to find out what those are, I suppose I'd better, shouldn't I?" He turns out of the light, and the other mages can see his eyes are bloodshot. "Could be something interesting. Could just be shipwrecked people, though."
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Dec 29, 2017 19:08
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Johannus "We aren't discussing ignoring the covenfolk entirely, just that we don't need to deal with them today or this week. I have no issue with handling their needs and complaints as long as we can schedule times that they can bring their issues to us. Anyways, I'll take a look at each lab as we find it, make a list of what it contains. I won't remove anything unless we come to a consensus on what we consider the final status of our former covenmembers to be." chin up everything sucks fucked around with this message at 19:14 on Dec 29, 2017 |
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Dec 29, 2017 19:11
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Paisios, Adept of Ermis "'Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you: do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets'" Paisios says sleepily, shutting his eyes again. "All of us here are blessed with wisdom, and can surely understand that generosity and loyalty will be met with the same."
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Dec 29, 2017 19:21
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Klaudios "Eliodoros clearly wants to do this job, so let him do it." He turns to address the fretting eunuch, "You, find him if you need anything. Or find me and I'll find him for you. Once we sort our business, we'll sort yours." Epiphanios Shrugging, Epiphanios volunteers himself, "I've been assigned to help here for a few seasons, so whatever you need help with, I will probably be... around."
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Dec 29, 2017 19:28
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Paisios, Adept of Ermis "If these matters are settled for now, I will begin my investigations this evening. We should meet again to discuss our findings in a few days time. Er, perhaps over dinner next time?" Paisios yawns.
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Dec 29, 2017 19:39
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The meeting continues for a while as the assembled magi discuss the practical details of working together on new undertakings. Eventually, each retires to their varied lodgings for the night. In his quarters Klaudios sits in meditation, using skill and magic to review his memories of the day, as he does at the end of every day. The only interesting event this day was the first meeting of the nascent covenant revival. Walking ghostlike among a perfect memory of the magi (and sole mundane) caught midspeech he notes the important beats, as he sees them: the points of inflection, in which each magi sets forth a clear goal. The motivations of the others are as always a half-revealed mystery, even after close repeated observation, but goals make sense. Paisos - Divine the Keys to the Library Johannes - Investigate the Labs Eliodorus - Explore Caverns Klaudios - Fixing Buildings and various Craft Magics/assisting Paisos Theodorus - Investigate the Mysterious Fires No consensus was reached on Covenant Governance, so the group will reconvene frequently to deal with issues as they arise. As they meet for a common evening meal at least every other day anyways, this will not present difficulty.
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Dec 31, 2017 02:57
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Paisios, Adept of Ermisquote:Library Divinations: Paisos shook his head, a waste of time. The entire structure was substantially warded against prying eyes. Paranoid indeed, for magi benefiting from an Aegis. If nothing else, it proved the library substantially defended. Investigation would be impossible until they were more firmly established. The magus rubbed his temples, the conflicting messages in the stars were headache inducing. Perhaps he would have more luck with the lighthouse. quote:---Compile daily horoscope for lighthouse (1 hour) Compile daily horoscope: 1d10+11 13 Success Mars in Carcer, Saturn in Mors, first Decan of Aquarius... not a welcome sign, but also not a terrible surprise: a demon was behind the unquiet spirits haunting the lighthouse. Paisios uttered a prayer quickly before continuing his reading. The demon had deceived some small number of lost souls into its service; it was possible it coerced the loyalty of minor devils as well. More hopefully, it meant that the destruction of the lead demon would likely end the haunting. A more chilling though came unbidden to Paisios' mind, inducing him to cross himself: one or more of these ghosts could be the trapped spirit of a previous inhabitant. fool of sound fucked around with this message at 04:04 on Jan 5, 2018 |
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Jan 1, 2018 18:17
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Johannus "Elidoros, I shall offer my assistance in mapping out the caves, since there are likely labs hidden away in the depths."
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Jan 3, 2018 04:46
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Klaudios applies himself busily to the practical problems facing the covenant and village, as posed by Melminius. First, the requirement of salt and other practical goods. The village is short on silver, as the lucrative trade in dyes and prepared food dried up as the former magi of the Covenant vanished. Once that trade is resumed, a portion of its proceeds will go back into the supplies required to continue industry. For now, Klaudios thinks he can supply the village with what it needs. He directs the fishermen of the village to the small rocky beach by the dock, and requires them to bring as many clean barrels and shovels as they can carry. Naturally, they do not take kindly to being ordered around by a scrawny stranger from up near the lighthouse, mage or no. After the generous assistance of Melminius, ever eager to seem important, this task is eventually completed and barrels line the beach. Muttering under his breath, Klaudios gesticulates forcefully at the ground and a small section of sand tamps flat, a perfect circle pressing itself around the edge as if drawn by an invisible hand. The magus steps into the circle and begins humming and muttering under his breath, sometimes turning and looking at the sea, other times considering the barrels. Shortly, he stops this mysterious activity and begins another, even more mysterious but much more impressive activity. Sweeping from edge to center of the circle and back again in a complex pattern, Klaudios chants and gesticulates widely with his arms. It's almost as if he is tracing out the countours of invisible shapes or.. perhaps moving in response to an invisible current, like kelp caught in a riptide. The observant among the watchers just notice that his shuffling steps have traced out a shape like several nested circles when he stops and makes a whipcracking motion, calling out in Classical Greek "Hearken unto me, O waters, and yield me thy bounty!". All eyes stare expectantly at the sea, which twinkles in the late morning light, evidently unperturbed. A scant moment later the small crowd pivots as the barrels fill, one and all, with uncountable grains of good quality sea salt! With the work of minutes, Klaudios has more than replenished the village's salt supplies, necessary for preserving fish to trade for grain and other necessaries. It is true, mages have returned to the island, mages who will actually be helpfu- wait, where did he go? Problem solved, Klaudios stomps the ground back into blankness with a VERY well practiced little spell and trudges back off towards the covenant. Over the course of the afternoon, several other minor issues are resolved via magical intervention. For the most part, this is uneventful, though the solutions Klaudios supplies do not always satisfy their recipients for reasons that would be obvious to anyone but him. Chiefly, some dilapidated buildings are patched and improvements are made to chimneys and hearths. By the evening, Klaudios is tired of trying unsuccessfully to manually square his room and instead opts to "cheat" and cast a version of "Perfection of the Well Designed Chamber" intended for wooden buildings, to the alarm of other occupants as the place lets out several ominous creaks. Much better. At the end of his day, he takes a final meal with Paisos in a common dining area, though this is in the middle of Paisos' "day". Upon hearing his news about the Library's enchantments, Klaudios sweeps the various dishes to one side of the table - Paisos manages to rescue his drink - and using a finger sketches out a rudimentary plan for a laboratory built around the door of the Library. This plan is eventually scrapped when Paisos points out that building the structure isn't the problem, even with a space for the laboratory the covenant doesn't as yet have the resources to put... a laboratory in the laboratory. This is indeed a problem, but one that will need to wait for tomorrow with all of the other problems of the world. Klaudios retires, with a plan to set out from his chamber early the next day to begin experimenting with cave mapping techniques.
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Jan 4, 2018 08:50
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Eliodoros "Excellent. Katja - gather a small squad of grogs. Six? Six should do. Who knows what moved in while the Aegis was down?" Katja scurries off to do this, while Eliodoros pets the cat on his shoulder. He turns to Johannus. "Katja can sketch the basic map, at least. The grogs will handle physical risks and carrying torches. I can keep an eye for dangerous terrain with magic, at least until we have some idea what we face, but it is taxing. My spells are well suited to handling trouble or shoring up dangerous areas, at least. We'll need to be ready to react to...well, whatever we find." Alexia tilts her head. "My eyes see well in darkness - I can lead you." Her eyes shimmer faintly. Alexia activates True Sight of the Air to boost her already being a cat and having cat eyes. Once we get going, Eliodoros will be casting Eye of the Treacherous Terrain, which will almost certainly cost him 1 Fatigue Level: 13 after casting, so yeah, 1 fatigue level lost and now the spell lasts for concentration, once we set out.
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Jan 4, 2018 22:35
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Theodoros "Well, suppose I should get a boat and row on out to the channel. Anybody coming with me to look for the fires? Anybody?"
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Jan 5, 2018 04:24
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Paisios, Adept of Ermis A single candle lit the ground beneath the starry night. Paisios knelt, but held his head high and back straight. He stared down the accursed lighthouse, the sympathy in his heart raging against the tragedy the demon had wrought upon the lost souls trapped within. He closed his eyes, and issued a prayer for their salvation: "Holy Balthasar, who loved the Lord even before His coming, we beg your prayers to our God for the salvation of these lost souls, that they might find rest in the Kingdom where there is no pain or sorrow or fear. We beg forgiveness for their sins by thought, word, and deed, for none save our Lord are without sin. We plead that by Christ, who through his Cross destroyed Death and defeated Satan, they be delivered from evil and granted life eternal. In the name of the Lord; Amen." Pray to St Balthasar to lay the ghosts to rest: 1d10+2 10 (Nothing) He would repeat the prayer each night. He could only hope that by the time he and the other magi banished the demon and its deluded followers, his prayers would be heard and the lost souls would escape the Hell the devil no doubt wished to drag them down to. fool of sound fucked around with this message at 04:47 on Jan 6, 2018 |
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Jan 6, 2018 03:13
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Fr. Jean Chambris A boat rows up to the island and man steps out of it. He observes the landscape around him warily, and then looks distracted for a moment. Finally he sighs and says, "You have led me here so that I might do His will. I will do so the best I can.", and walks up to the covenant, past the peasants gawking at him, Knocking on the door, he waits until it's opened by the doorman, and says, in poor Greek, "I is Father Jean. You have demon in house of light. I will help you."
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Jan 6, 2018 04:48
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Cave adventure! Gathering your grogs, you, Johannus and Elidorus, set out into the caves, which can be most easily entered from the basement of the covenant's main building. It is an eerie experience; footsteps echo, and several walls glisten with mois and water, throwing tochlight back at you and giving you illusions of eyes peering at you, or greater depth where there is none. Eliodrus, you quickly discover that your spell's warning show a clear path; a path about half a meter wide, which runs straight where it can and makes nice even curves otherwise, is safe to walk on, stable and rough in just such as way that the moisture and water does not make it slippery. outside of it there are a few safe spots, but most places, the rock is uneven, slippery or both. Eventually, the tunnel you're walking down opens up into a larger cave; but a strange one. It seems almost perfectly circular, except for a large, uneven rock that jots out from its side almost perfectlu opposite of you. It has several other openings, tunnels you could walk down, but the moment you step into it, both of you feel your Parma Magica being hit with something. There's some sort of magic here, and it just failed to penetrate your defenses. What do you do? (anyone's free to join as a grog or companion as well) Strange fires adventure. Theodoros, you (and anyone joining as a grog or companion (or magi)) grab a boat and have a few grogs row you out by nightfalls, and you see the fires being lit. It's the night of a new moon, and nothing but stars illuminate the ocean, which gently rocks your boat, and the middeterrainian wind is cool, but not truely cold. The strait is narrow, and you're barely halfway across by the time you can see figures dancing around the fires; you're not certain, at this distance, but certain of them seem to be armed with spears? You think you hear songs, or chanting, as well, but, again, you are uncertain at this distance. It would be easy to go closer, but you would likely be spotted by the figures. Unless, perhaps, you row for a while along the coast, and land a distance away from the fires. What do you do? Lighthouse adventure! Entering the lighthouse is easy enough. The covernfolk, fearful of it, had put what seemed to be an overturned dresser before the door, but it was easily removed. Inside, the lowest floor was simple enough. There was a stair up, to the right, a few tables here and there, with dice still on them, a firepit, some rags on the floor beneath the stairs. The only thing of interest is a small shrine, by the wall, straight across from you. It held a small statue of Hermes, and several silver instruments; knives and.. braziers, mostly? There was a clay jug on the floor next to it. If you go up the stairs towards the second floor, you see a trap door the stairs lead to, and you hear several voices shouting above you. What do you do?
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Jan 7, 2018 04:57
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Johannus - Cave Adventure With a somewhat annoyed sigh, Johannus spends a moment to slowly and clumsily focus his gift in ways that he was rarely used to, seeking to feel the magic that had touched his Parma Magica and find where it had come from. Glancing at the floor, the young mage shrugs and looks back at the grogs to motion them in. "Room is enchanted. Weak, not sure what it does, but it's probably not going to kill anyone. Lets keep moving." Detecting magic - Intelligo Vim spontanious casting (Base 5, +1 touch, +0 momentary) = (16 + stress die)/2 = 12 - Success! This takes 2 rounds (slow caster) and a point of fatigue Praxiteles of Corfu - Fires Adventure Already stiff from the boatride, Praxiteles stands up in the rocking boat to look out at the fire and the dancing figures. Spitting off the side of the boat, narrowly missing one of the rowers, the older guardsman grunts and looks back at Theodoros. "Could be bandits with too much wine. Might be pagans having a party or a ritual. Could be something else. Don't like the look of those sticks though. Want us to get in closer? I could, uh, try to get a closer look myself, if we pull in down the coast. Sneaky like."
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Jan 7, 2018 06:40
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Theodoros "We should move further up the shore and approach by land, I think. It's less threatening that way. Besides, best to cover our approach. I don't want to get a spear through my chest, and I'm sure you don't either", he whispers to Praxiteles . As they row past in the dark, Theodoros peers at the spearmen around the fire, hoping he can discover something....anything about them. Awareness: 1d10+2 7 Jean Jean examines the herm. "Pagan gods.", he says. "They are pagans, but pagan gods will not help against demons. Only the true God can do that, But faith and fortitude will see us through. And remember, demons always lie. All they say, all they show you will be lies." He speak to himself, and it seems like he almost is praying in French. "Advise me, angel, I beg. We face evil here."
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Jan 7, 2018 17:37
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Paisios, Adept of Ermis (Lighthouse Adventure) "Do not discount Thrice-Great Hermes, good father. While pagans called him a 'god', Lactantius and Holy Augustine tell us he was a wise prophet of the Lord. He is the patron of our Order for a reason." Paisios chided the foreign priest as he examined the shrine. Paisos froze as he heard the voices above. "Be prepared to retreat if we are overwhelmed, father, and do not break this circle!" he hissed as he begins to sprinkle salt while whispering a prayer the angel Gabriel. quote:Casts Circular Ward Against Demon (Level 15) Cast ward: 1d10+13 14 (Critical) -> Cast ward: 2*(1d10)+13 25 (Success)
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Jan 7, 2018 19:38
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Eliodoros Eliodoros frowns as he feels the magic fall off of him, and Alexia's fur bristles as she does the same. "At a guess, it is meant to affect normal people. Grogs, Katja - be careful. Report to me if you feel anything strange at all as you enter." A standing spell like this probably means a circle on the ground. Easily destroyed if necessary, but possibly not something he wants to do immediately, until he's sure what it does.
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Jan 10, 2018 22:18
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Lighthouse adventure Jean, you and the magus, Paisos, stand in a circle of his creation, a ward, you know, against evil things and foul demons. As you do, you hear a whisper, as if from far away, carried on the wind. the voice is soft, sweet, like a youth who might one day be a great singer. It says "You are not alone here; other souls yet resist. Save them and show them the way, and their valor may yet have won them favor with The Father On High." The two of you stand in the circle for a while, perhaps.. ten minutes? more? nothing seems to happen. Certainly, noone bursts through the door down the stairs. You're just standing there, in an otherwise harmless room. Cave adventure Jaques the grog, you advance to protect the mage should anything come at them, but you are suddently reminded that there was a side pasage a bit back, and, without thinking, you turn around to go and make sure nothing is attacking from the rear. The two other grogs who steped into the circle with you apparently have the same idea, but the three grogs further back stop you and give you strange looks, at which point you remember what you were just told and feel a bit silly. Eliodoros, Johannes, you don't see or feel anything change, Fires Adventure Theodoros, you do notice two things: many of the figures seem to be wearing armor, and one or two of them are carrying jugs. The two of you row down the coast and land a bit further down, before walking up towards the fire. from here you can see that there are a few more fires, a bit further inland - no more than a few hundred yards - which wasn't clear from the water. You don't have any other new information, but you'll be at the fires in a moment or two. do either of you want to cast a spell or do anything else, before you get closer?
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Jan 11, 2018 07:53
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Klaudios - The Lighthouse The door to the lighthouse landing crashes open and Klaudios stomps into the room, bursting in on the quiet moment and immediatly beginning to speak. "Paisios, I have better plans for the Very Large Lab. The Library is surprisingly well built. Instead of a detached structure conjoining to the door mechanism via vestibule, the lab could be easily braced against the Library. I spent all morning double checking my calculations." As he goes on he takes in the scene, walking curiously over to the overturned jug and peering inside. He stops, and blinks owlishly at Paisus. "What?"
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Jan 11, 2018 15:26
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Eliodoros "...well, that would seem to be it. Hold there." Eliodoros kneels next to where the grogs turned back, inspecting the floor. "Alexia, help me find the circle. It should be simple enough to break once we've found it." He's kept the Eyes of Treacherous Terrain spell up for now, moving deliberately so that he can maintain concentration, at least until he's sure neither he nor Alexia is about to step on something dangerous. Once he identifies where the circle is, it shouldn't be too hard to break it.
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Jan 11, 2018 15:40
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Paisios, Adept of Ermis (Lighthouse Adventure) Paisios stares at Klaudios, blinking several times. "Ah, perhaps later, my friend? There is devilry afoot higher in the tower." He looks about sheepishly, "Though it seems that it is disinclined to investigate our intrusion..." He turns to the priest at his side, "Perhaps we should continue our investigation?" Jacques, Fallen Knight (Caves Adventure) "Sorcery?!" the Frank rumbles in dull surprise, his single eye, still bloodshot from hangover, glaring into the darkness.
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Jan 11, 2018 19:30
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Eliodoros "Of course it's sorcery! What else would it be here?" Eliodoros stands upright as Alexia pats him with a paw. He looks down at the cat, then follows her briefly until he can see the walls properly, dropping his spell and reaching into his robe to draw forth a small rod. Chanting, he gestures grandly with the rod and his free hand. One of the runes carved on the walls glows brightly for a moment, then explodes in a massive shower of fine dust - larger than the thing should really produce, but that is more a consequence of Eliodoros' sigil. He pockets the rod once more. "Mark this spot, Katja. The circle will be easy enough to repair if we desire it, and this was meant to protect something." Fist of Shattering. No roll because I literally do not need one - I can cast this spell in my sleep.
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Jan 12, 2018 15:07
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Theodoros "Shh. We don't want to be spotted. Keep going, but row quietly", he whispers. Just to remind you. We're not landing at the fires. We're beaching away from them and going forward on foot so as not to startle them. Jean Jean nods. "Yes, we must act. There are souls in danger." He looks inquiringly at the newcomer. "You are joining us, yes?"
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Jan 13, 2018 00:50
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Paisios, Adept of Ermis (Lighthouse Adventure) "I am not a strategist, but I dislike the idea of climbing through a hatch into what could be a waiting ambush... A moment." Paisos ushers the others as far away from the trapdoor as possible, and begins incanting the magics of Mercury and Carcer. His hands blur as they trace planetary sigils in the air as his gaze bores into the trapdoor. As the spell reaches its crescendo, Paisos shouts "Open!". The trapdoor slowly, gentle begins to move. quote:Casting Unseen Porter: 1d10+13 23->13 (Success)
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Jan 13, 2018 18:45
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Klaudios The Lighthouse Spurred by Paisos' decisive action to continue exploring the Lighthouse, Klaudios makes up his mind. "Very well, I will join you, I think I will be of great aid." he says. He treads no more delicately than before to stand directly beneath the now open trap door, head tilted sharply back to stare up at the hatch. After a second he looks back down and says... [[Klaudios casts the rote "The Craftsman Observes His Distant Handiwork", shifting his viewpoint to look out from a point through the open trapdoor, and goes on to give a description of what he sees. Klaudios has a fine attention to detail but tends to care about different details than other people and has trouble understanding what someone else will find important.]] Epiphanios Fires (The beach) Epiphanios jumps out of the rowboat as it reaches ground, quickly stepping ahead of the two hunters still pulling the boat ashore to catch up with the magi. Quietly clearing his throat to make himself known without too much startlement, "Let me do the talkin' and I'll let y'all do the shockin' if it comes to it." he hoarsely stagewhispers, miming zapping attackers with a wiggling of his fingers.
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Jan 14, 2018 20:52
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Lighthouse Klaudios, you Observe Your Distant Handiwork, and have a look in the room above. This floor is split into two rooms by a wall straight across the middle right across from you, with a half-open door. The room you can see looks like it might once have been sleeping quaters for grogs; there are beds and tables around the place, as well as drawers and footlockers. The furniture has all been upended, however, and placed in a semicircle around the door as, it seems, a bulkwark or a barricade? around that semi-circle, wearing ancient bronze armor, spears and swords, are 9 figures. Across from them, in the half-open door, is a single figure, likewise armed and armored in ancient armor. now and then he jumps forward, attacking one or more of the figures behind the baricade with his spear, only to be driven back. Both the 9 figures and the one in the door are shouting, in some ancient variant of greek. It isn't classical greek, the greek of homer, which you are well-versed in, but something older. It's far enough removed from modern greek that it is difficult for you to follow, but you're fairly certain the 9 figures call the one in the middle a coward or a traitor, and and call him... well, the grammar and declinations are different enough that you can't be sure of the exact name, but some ancient variant of 'alexandros.' The figure in the middle, Alexandros, seems to laugh and taunt the other nine, and frequently laugh as they attack him and drive him back. The Fires You land at the beach and approach the fires and the figures. Quickly, you discover that it seems to be, well, a party. as you get closer, you hear music and rowdy shouting and talking and singing. Fairly soon, you get close enough that you're certain you can be seen, but none of the figures seem to mind, as you approach. They seem to be... well, humans. men and women of various ages. They also, seem... odd, though. Their facial features are... od. Not odd in the same way, but all uniquely odd. A strange jaw shape. Overly large eyes. A bulging forhead. Silvery-white or red hair on olive skin. Some look.. unpleasant, others merely strange, and a few even seem strangely attractive in their uniqueness. Soon, two of the people come over to you, and greet you. They are speaking greek, classical greek, but their dialect is strange. "Oh, guests!" says the one, a woman, looks to be fairly young, but not a child or a teenager. The other, a man of similar age, continues. "Come drink with us and sing with us!" he says, laughing all the while, and hands you a large jug of wine. The caves. You easily destroy the magic circle, and your grogs can enter with no problem. Where do you go from here? There is the strange outcropping across from you, which breaks the otherwise clear circle of the cave, and two tunnels, running straight ahead and too the left, and straight ahead and to the right. Ther eis also a smaller exit, seemingly cut into the wall, the size of a small door, perfectly rectangular. Perhaps a lab lies hidden on the other side?
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Jan 17, 2018 05:05
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Johannus - Cave Adventure "Assuming that somebody went through the effort of spelling a passage through the rock and keeping grogs away for a reason, this is probably one of the labs. Care to take a peek so we can map it out before moving on?" Johannus asks Eliodoros. "If you don't feel comfortable, I can come back after we finish mapping out everything else." Praxiteles of Corfu - Fires Adventure The strange speech and shapes of the party-goers confuses Prax for a moment. None of the other locals looked or spoke anything like this, and surely such odd folk would have been gossiped about! He could barely understand half of what they said. Something was odd here... Glaring menacingly at the man even as he takes the jug of wine that is handed to him, the warrior invokes his Second Sight. Second Sight: 1d10+2 8
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Jan 18, 2018 04:15
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