Alexei attends the meeting in his usual wardrobe, including a fine suit of mail that he conjures every day. His tunic however has a new accessory, a red cross over the breast. He seems inordinately pleased as he bows to the assembled and takes a seat.
"Good day Sodales. Tranquilana! So very nice to see you, welcome."
((This assumes everything went well on Crusade...))
Fiona smiles at Alexei. [color=blue]"I think that suits you, Alexei."
Isen arrives last, in his usual, simple attire, contrasting sharply with the grace and fashion of his sodales.
His mood is sour, for this meeting does not bode well (as in, politics)
Korvin stands once the greetings and jibs have run their course.
Greetings friends. I wanted to call this to inform you of the events that transpired during my most recent time as Precept. I have recorded the an account in the the Precepts journal that you can read but I feel that some things are too important to allow to chance. In short, I was visited by the new local Priest. A Father Théofil. He is a very corpulent man who has some knowledge of the Order. I learned later that his position was brought about by House Guernicus. Korvin places both and on the table and his tone switches to much more serious tone. He is to be treated with that in mind at all times. Korvin makes sure that part hangs a bit as he makes eye contact with everyone.
He talked much about the Bishop and I thought it would be in Mons Electi's best interests to be on Bishop's good side. This is when I conducted a research that found that Mons Electi had been giving 500 silver marks to the Bishop every year but had forgotten to do it this year. I arranged to correct that and Alexei was kind enough to accompany me to guard the shipment. After an interesting trip we arrived at Dijon and are received by the Bishop and his visitor...Valerian. They seemed to be on good terms which put us at a disadvantage. Much of what we discussed is in the journal including Valerian being caught in his own web. Gestures to the scroll. But it was made clear that ALL had to give confession. I must say, as a worshiper of the Mercurian rites and spirits I was very afraid. Alexei was a pillar of strength and kept me from fleeing with is wise words. In the end I saw the Bishop in private and once I said I would give confession he had it be recorded that I had. Bishop Gautier also knows much of the Order. I feel that as long as we stay on his good side we will be left alone.
But I must be clear. Théofil will insist that everyone give confession. So if it is not your beliefs to do that I would insist that you make the trip to see the Bishop. This must be done every year. Even for those of you who follow the Pope, I would say go to the Bishop. Théofil is in league with Valerian and will do what he can to bring us down.
Tranquillina looks a bit pale at this news, and not (just) because this is the most she has heard Korvin say at any one time. She had been warned, multiple times, that joining Mons Electi meant having enemies, but ... so soon? And - an enemy, within the Church, arranged by a Quaesitor?! "It isn't right," she mutters, accidentally drawing attention to herself.
"I am happy to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, annually at least," she avows, "but if this Father Théofil is ... well, essentially a spy for our foes, then I would feel extremely uncomfortable speaking openly with him ... it would not work. I should make it a point to travel to Dijon to meet with the Bishop, or a priest with his recommendation. Do you have the feeling," she asks Korvin, "that the Bishop would keep God's confidence even if our confession included Hermetic details?" Tranquillina is not at all sure Korvin is the best person to answer that question; indeed, his offhand admission of paganism had startled her. Still, there was enough worship of false gods and fringe religions in the Stonehenge Tribunal, not least among the magi, that the idea did not make her as uncomfortable as it once did.
((PS: 500 pounds of silver = 750 marks))
I would not speak to Théofil unless you had no choice. Even then you must treat him as a spy for Valerian . Bishop Gautier seems to have a lot of knowledge about the Order so I think you would be safe.
One thing to consider is that we need to have more contact with our neighbors because I would bet that Valerian does. We need to be on good terms with the authorities in the town and with the Duke.
Alexei chuckles. "My friends, Theofil does not need to be the threat that you think he is. When he journeys to us, let him meet with me...and the soldiers...and the covenfolk...people who need his tender care and the word of the Lord. We shall keep him thoroughly occupied." he points to the symbol on his tunic. "As a Magus, a Christian, and now a Crusader, I think it is best that I deal with him and believe I can keep him busy."
[color=blue]"How long is this pilgrimage to Dijon that we must undertake?" Fiona asks.
Beware Theofil. When I was with him he asked asked a direct question about Mons Electi and something pushed against my Parma. He may know some holy magic or have a supernatural ability. I do not fear for you Alexi but you can not protect all of the people that would go to his church with your Parma.
Isen... frowns
Great, more bad news.
And is a parody of what confession should be. I should kill this Theofil for this.
Sigh... I shall take confession with this Bishop, then.
But I wonder... If this theofil acts like this, he betrays the sanctity of confession, thus making it null and void IMO. Can't we use it to our advantage, then? Subtly feed him bad tidbits of info? I'm sure some of my schrewd sodales could manipulate him, and valerian through him. All the while taking "real" confession with the bishop, of course.
I'm also a little worried about these 750 marks. This is an astounding lot of money. I didn't knew we were rich enough to spare the expense. Can we?
We need to expand our ways of making money. That will buffer us against any loss or problems. The money is payed to the Bishop and goes to support the Duke. Call it a cost of doing business.
It takes several days. He also has a residence in Givry. I would recommend that everyone try to do it this year. I will deliver the payment next year and do it then. Perhaps several of you can join me then.
((Out of curiosity, who have the magi been taking Reconciliation with before? The previous Bishop, another priest somewhere, or just going without unless they go to a city somewhere?))
Annual Confession has never been enforced locally before. Apollodorus handled all mundane interference for Mons Electi... 
But now Apollodorus is gone, and a new priest is installed in the local parish and you're now being informed that he will be ensuring that everyone take confession as decreed by the Papal bull... Make sense?
((Yeah...so if anyone wanted to do Reconciliation in the past, they had to go somewhere to do it of their own volition, pretty much.))
Well the parish's Church is close by, a couple of miles down the road. It isn't a long ways off, by any means. It doesn't appear we have any particularly observant magi. At this point Alexei might be the closest. When Roberto arrives, he might be a bit more observant than Alexei. And the former priest had a come to God on your own terms attitude...
((I guess my default assumption about Tranquillina was that she was just normally observant - meaning, about as observant as a random covenfolk. There's enough time in a maga's schedule to attend weekly mass, for example - particularly a maga with Leap of Homecoming 8) ))
((And I had pictured Fiona as being the twice-a-year Christian. Going on Easter and Christmas, and doing Confession maybe once a year or so, if that.))
((Alexei will be more observant after the Crusades at this point. He was more than twice a year before, but not much more.))
j/k))