1222.2a The Lost Boys

It is a few weeks into summer, well after Apollodorus, Andru, Marcus and Mufarjj were expected to have returned. Renault has sent missives to Valnastium to confirm whether they have returned to Valnastium, but they've always been returned with a simple "No." in Carmine's handwriting.

One dark night as a summer storm is kicking up around the castle side of the Regio, Apollodorus, Andru and Mufarjj appear. A great shout goes out, reverberating through all the castle side, ""I need some help here in the courtyard! Anyone familiar with Apollodorus knows it is his voice.

In the event that the sound doesn't penetrate Parma Magica mundane servants begin banging on sanctum doors, telling the magi that "Master Apollodorus needs help in the courtyard."

When someone (or everyone) makes it to the courtyard, Andru is there standing in singed robes, face filled with soot over Mufarjj's badly burned body. Apollodorus and Marcus are nowhere to be seen.

As soon as Laetitia hears, she grabs her rock from outside the covenant gates, and immediately Leaps there.

(1221? Shouldn't this be 1222?)

If Laetitia was included in the last Aegis casting then she will hand Andru a casting token. If she wasn't, she'll give him her own. "Who is this? Is Apollodorus safe?"

Korvin will cast Bind wounds 1d10=4 + 51 on Mufarjj

"Quick. Bring him to my sanctum. I can heal him there."

Laetitia would've been part of the ritual as a prospective member (if anyone has a problem with that, it would've been at Apollodorus' invitiation last Winter. The current location is inside the castle courtyard not far from Fiona's cottage, if I'm getting my layout in my head right, and if not that's where I'd intended them to be, and a wizard invited in can't give their token to another party).

When Laetitia attempts to offer Andru a token, he shows one of the ones assigned to Apollodorus, "I'm not sure, it all happened so fast. I think he's at Valnastium to fetch Carmine. Marcus lost control multicasting Ball of Abysmal Flame and we were being overrun. He immolated in an attempt to give us cover to escape. Mufarjj was too close to Marcus[1] trying to keep the Nosferatu from feasting on Marcus. This is Mufarjj, although you can barely tell." Laetitia may know about Mufarjj from Alexei, she may have seen him around the covenant, before he left with Apollodorus.

(([1] Everything you thought you knew about Marcus has been changed. Marcus is being NPC'd since I'll be more active in Albion, once my kitchen remodel is finished.))

Andru says, "I'm overcome, I don't think I could move his body magically. I think Apollodorus means to go back for Marcus. My head is clearing a bit. That's why he's getting Carmine."

From a clincal point of view, Mufarjj has 3rd degree burns over 80% of his body. ((Timing of events: I don't see Korvin's 1222 seasonal activities. We can say that you were in Iberia during the spring? Work for you?))

Anyone with OoH knows that Carmine is a Flambeau married to Andru.

((Spring was the planned time. My seasonal activites are there, just way back. Not sure if I reposted them to the current page after updating for the spring trip. Otherwise I would not have acted. I'm trying to stabilize until I can cast a healing ritual.))

Without my books to help Korvin will attempt to spont lift the dangling puppet. ReCo 1d10=7 + Re12 + Co17 + stam 1 = 37 + aura

and guide him to my Sanctum where I will be able to cast Incantation of the Body Made Whole CrCo 40

(37+5)/2=21, which is good enough.

Who's coming with Korvin? Andru appears to want to come with. It will also take more than a couple of minutes to take Mufarjj to Korvin's sanctum. Give me a couple of concentration rolls. One for telling everyont to clear out of the way since half the covenfolk have arrived to gawk/rubberneck. One for navigating the way back to Korvin's sanctum.

Remember Korvin's sponts take a while so other people have time to show up.

Concentration rolls: Concentration skill is 1. Not sure of the attribute that goes with it.
1d10=8 : Korvin orders Jolanda ( in grog thread) to clear a path for him.
1d10=1 EXPLOSION!! 1d10=9
For maneuvering to Korvin's sanctum. Korvin will not answer any questions until he get Mufarjj in his Bed of Rapid Convolesence ( which is an item that Korvin bough with his BP)

Bed of Rapid Convolesence -
CrCo 34
Pen +0 constant effect
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
A Leather bed which gives anyone resting in it +18 Recovery as long as they remain in the bed.
(base 15, +1 touch, +2 Sun, +1 level 2 uses/day, +3 environmental trigger)

I guess I left it unsaid that the reason why there is a crowd by the time you do it is because of Korvin's ceremonial casting. I was taking that into account, taking 45 minutes to do a 3rd Magnitude effect.

Concentration is an int based skill. In either case there's no problem.

It might have been quicker to lower his weight with MuCo :open_mouth:

Laetitia will come along with Korvin and Andru, and see if she can be helpful in any way.

((I thought I had planned what Alexei was doing in 1222, but I haven't, we'll say he's at the Covenant though))

Alexei suddenly appears in the courtyard with his staff topped by a spearhead. "I'm sorry I'm late, what has happened?" he sees the charred body of Mufarrj and recognizes it after only a moment. "Mein Gott!" he whispers. "What has happened to him?"

Viscaria appears from the doorway of the library. She scowls as she sees all the magi gathering around a body and the servants thronging about. Her mouth opens to snarl out a command or three before she remembers that she is a guest. She takes a deep breath and calls out to Alexei, loudly and clearly so that all around can hear her.

"Imperator, I have my shield-mate and am ready to serve. Where do you need me?"

Vin Diesel's eyes glint in the darkness behind her.

Isen arrives running into the courtyard. When he sees the people assembled, he quickly assesses the situation, and concludes he's useless for the burnt magus.
So he takes another angle: He stops, and grags a guard on duty
You. Have you seen what happened?

Fiona hears Apollodorus's voice through the window of the Princeps's office, sets down the paperwork she was looking at, and gets up to investigate. By the time she makes it down the stairs to the door overlooking the courtyard, most of Mons Electi is already gathered around Mufarjj.

She watches what's going on, and asks what happened (allowing the others to sum up what's been said). It's plainly obvious that the Moor is in a world of hurt.

She will move closer and cast Revealed Flaws of Mortal Flesh silently and without gestures, touching him gently in an uncharred place with her staff. In 5 + Co 14 + Sta 3 + Mastery (Still Casting) 1 + Aura 5 – No Words 10 + die roll of 6 = 24, vs. a Spell Level of 10. His eyes (if you can see them) and hair turns white momentarily. Just in case he's got something going on other than the bad burns.

She looks around at the throng, sees that they will be crowding into Korvin's sanctum, and decides that she will best serve out of their way.

[color=blue]"I'm going back to my office. If anything happens, if we learn anything, or if Apollodorus arrives, or if there's anything I can do, please send for me." She will then turn and go back to her office.

((Anyone can get the answers to their questions. It's Mufarjj. He's generally kept to himself. He's probably the most capable mundane warrior here, and can beat Alexei if Alexei isn't using magic.))

As Korvin is moving Mufarjj to his sanctum, but before the throng has returned to their quarters Apollodorus reappears in nearly the same spot Mufarjj had been. With him is a beautiful woman with dark hair and olive skin. She rushes to Andru and they embrace.

Apollodorus speaks up, "I require anyone with a stout heart and combat capability to journey with me to Thera. We have to rescue Marcus. I can transport no more than 10 people, and I'll arrive a moment later. Please be aware that this transport will warp you a bit. Also, there is a chance that we may run into Marcus and he may be immolating, so there is a risk of being burned. And then there is a worse risk of succumbing to the Nosferatu. Carmine will be coming with us, while Andru will be remaining behind and coordinating resources from Valnastium to be brought here, since I can most easily transport everyone back here. We could use grogs, as there are many mundanes in their service."

Korvin is better here healing Mufarjj. Rituals will take more time than Apollodorus will want to take. Fiona or Jormungand should go to help with any healing on the spot.

This is a combat centered story. That's not to say that magi who aren't combat capable can't have a productive part of the story. There's a lot going on and having a mix of talents is good.

When asked why Apollodorus didn't take this approach before, "Most men, even Magi, haven't faced vampires. The initial shock can be frightening. In truth, most of the covenant haven't faced horrors before. Mufarjj had at the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa. Everyone else has had a pretty staid and quiet life, and I didn't feel I could inflict those horrors on anyone, or even ask. I am still unwilling, but Marcus saved us, and so I feel I must do what I can to save him." And then, in a very quiet whisper he adds, "if he can be saved."

Korvin is talking while getting the items needed to cast the Ritual.
Mufarjj needs this healing ritual which will take me two hours to cast. If Fiona can not go to help heal then I will go but that will be after two hours.