1221.0 Council Meeting

"Are you trying to tell me that simply by knowing your name that I should know all about you? I could ask if you know about me, of my history, of my life by knowing that I am Jacques of Flambeau? Yes, certainly Brione mentioned your name. But that isn't sufficient for me to know you, and as I said, our resources are limited when it comes to these things. We do not have the vast wealth you do. We survive as we may, as I would say any in our circumstance might do."

Alexei's jaw drops at the brazen response, for several tense seconds he just regards Jacques before smiling a most...sinister smile.

"Well...I believe I've heard all I need. Apollodorus...my vote stands." he says as he pulls out a spearhead made of iron from a pouch in his belt and stabs it into the chair he vacated. "My sigil." he adds as he walks to the door and turns back to Jacques. "You seem...unaquainted with our House Jacques. Do come and see me once this is done. I shall be happy to show you many things that you are unaware of. I'd also like to hear more of the events in the barn. Don't miss this oppurtunity..." he says as he raises his staff and then disappears.

((Casting Leap of Homecoming back to his Sanctum, he should be able to do it easily, but I can roll when I get home if you need me to))

[OOC:Just so we are clear. Alexei's vote, as I read through the thread is that the magi of Atsingani would be offered Protected Guest status with Mons Electi.]

"What a charming fellow. I shall endeavor to take him up on his offer when we have concluded our business."

[color=blue]"Aye, that we have. And I trust that you'll find our relationship more to your liking than I understand yours with Montverte was."

Fiona looks at Alexei, brows furrowed at his phrasing. He makes it sound almost dirty, she thinks.

Fiona looks at the space Alexei had just vacated, then at the magi of Atsingani with an apologetic shrug.

[color=blue]"My sodalis seems to have taken the whole affair with Brione somewhat...personally, I'm afraid."

((Yes, Alexei's last statement was even further, that they should join the Covenant. Having said that it's doubtful Alexei knows or fully appreciates what all that entails, but let's just say he wants Jacques where he can see him)).

(ooc - Judging by Apollodorus's question and Alexei's response, I thought Alexei's vote was to invite Atsingani to join as Probationary Members.

You can hash it out (it's why I left his Sigil behind). It went like this:

Apollodorus:

Alexei:

But, his vote (such as it is) stands and the sigil is there, presumably to be used wisely. :wink:

Viviana responds, "It is as I have forseen. The General retreats and the Giantess will entreat!" She seems to be overtaken and her eyelids flutter while she appears to have a fit of some kind.

Jacques regards her, "She is having a vision, this happens periodically. I ask that we be quiet and allow her episode to run its course."

"A man, with lightning fire comes, and all fall before him."
...
"The General defeats the wolf."
...
"The Giantess confronts her past."
...
"The lecherous messenger disrupts diabolical plans!"
...
"The library is turned to dust!"
...
"Jotunheim releases the host!"

And then she passes out.

"Welcome, Magi. It's a pleasure to have you at our table. Hopefully it'll stay pleasurable, at and off the table," Jormungand drawls. "Maga Viviana, if your mater would be willing, would she like me to help her try to enter? Mah knowledge of mundane medical knowledge is severely lacking, but Ah make up for mah deficiences in vigor and the Art of Corpus."

Jormungand clears his throat. "Well, that was vaguely... an invitation, Ah think, but not as fun as mah invitation would be." He shifts and squirms in his seat a bit. "Actually, however this meeting adjourns, if you'd like, you're welcome to come see me too. If muscles are sore, Ah can help loosen them up." He adds, nonchalantly, "Beds are meant to be shared."

In the silence Jormungnad sleepily begins, "We were actually hoping to discuss your Covenant status, and its importance to you all, actually. Some of us are adverse to the finer aspects of vassalage - although mah family's former covenant was flat out robbed and destroyed because we didn't understand vassalage so there are advan-"suddenly his eyes fully open and he leans forward stiffly, "Ah'm sorry, by Thor's Hammer, are you afflicted by Odin's ravens? What are the Giants about to do? That will not do, not do at all." His eyes seem strangely animated.

"By Freyja, Ah don't care how often you try, jotuns, we will always stand in your way!"

She appears to be out cold. Jacques looks unconcerned.
"So, it appears that there is an offer waiting to be spoken of..." His manner suggests that he has some sense of what is to be offered, but that he's waiting for it to be formally offered.

As soon as Viviana passes out, Fiona springs to her feet and rushes to her side to check on her condition. Int 1 + Medicine 3 + die roll of 8.

Fiona looks sharply at Jormungand's outburst. [color=blue]"Do you assume that your interests and those of the Giants are at odds? And why must you oppose them without knowing what they're doing or why? Are we really all that different from you?"

She appears to be resting comfortably and nothing seems wrong with her. You could try a bloodletting, but you don't think her humors are imbalanced.

"Fiona, there's nothing you can do for her. This was a particularly powerful vision. She will likely be out for a few hours. She warned me that this might happen, and empowered me to act on Atsingani's behalf, much as she did at our first meeting."

"Well, of course!" Jormungand quips. "They are fated to destroy our world, Midgard. Well, not the ones already here - even the wise Mimir and far-seeing Vafþrúðnir assisted Odin in his quest opposing the jotunn last time. 'Tis the Fire Giants of Jotunheim and the misshapen followers of Loki that Ah worry about and oppose, Fiona, and their quest to overthrow the Aesir, not the peaceful ones of the land. Ah doubt your kin have attempted to steal mah Goddess recently to marry her off against her will, even if a night with her be well worth Thor's and Odin's anger. Nor do Ah so instinctively oppose the reasonable and beautiful ones like yourself, sodalis." He sort of mutters under his breath, "Even if the Aesir have already been overthrown by another Pantheon, Ah'm sure they'll work out their place by God's side soon and come back, as the Vanir before them."

"Oh, oh yes. Sorry, we were distracted." Jormungand settles back down in his seat after Fiona makes sure Maga Viviana is taken care and not collapsed on the floor. "We were discussing our acceptance, distaste, opinions, and histories with or without the practice of vassalage. Ah believe we were at the point of debating the advantages and disadvantages of Vassal Covenants, in comparison to the rights, responsibilities, and duties of Membership, or Probationary Members. As acting Princeps and Chair of this Meeting, Maga Fiona has invited you as Protected Guests to this table to voice what you believe to be your merits as vassals, and to review your opinions if the offer of Membership to Mons Electi was proffered as an alternative. We differ on opinion there too, and hope your testimony will sway us towards a greater understanding and majority position."

Jacques appears confused, "I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. Atsingani is your vassal, and I don't understand your usage of the term of Protected Guest."

Once she's satisfied that Viviana's fine, Fiona will return to her chair and write down her "prophecy" word for word, as best as she can recall, muttering as she writes (reading aloud what she's writing, under her breath). Jacques seems to place great stock in her visions, so it might be a good idea to have it handy in the library for future reference. She has a bad feeling about the "giantess confronts her past" and the "library is turned to dust" ones in particular.

Fiona, who knows basically nothing about Norse religion aside from having heard the names Odin and Thor before, hears "destroy our world blah Odin quest blah her kin haven't kidnapped blah beautiful and reasonable ones like yourself", and she can't help but blush at the compliment.

[color=blue]"It's one of the three statuses defined in our Charter...more than a mere visitor but less than a Member. It affords you basic rights and protections, including full protection of your Hermetic rights within the covenant, a sanctum, access to the library, and proper victuals. As a Protected Guest, you're allowed to attend Council meetings, but no vote. Your status can be revoked either by myself or by a vote of the Council.

"And as to the other..there are those on the council who are unhappy with vassalage in general and with your being our vassals in particular, and are considering offering you membership instead."

"Membership? Protected Guests? Which is it? Does this include our turb, as well, that you take them in as covenfolk?"

[color=blue]"That is why we," Fiona indicates the rest of the magi of Mons Electi, [color=blue]"wish to discuss the matter with you. Whether to keep you as vassals, whether to invite you to be members, what to do with Atsingani in either situation...that is what is on the table. Sodales, if you please?"

FIona sits back in her chair and looks around the table, waiting for the questioning and the discussion to begin, and for someone to change her mind.

"I'll be frank, I have no objection to offering you and your sodales Probationary Member status, rather than Protected Guest. We would take in your turb, and integrate them with ours, and deal with that difficulty as we may. Realize, though, that I am one voice amongst many. All of my sodales here could take an apprentice and open their arts without giving them a deficiency, several have made a talisman, or bound a familiar. Indeed we have one apprentice amongst us. I would rather have you with us, where your actions and your turb's actions can be more tightly controlled. I say this, Jacques, because you are wet behind the ears."

OOC: I've offered jebrick the chance at running Jacques here. So Jacque's response may take some time. Whether it does or not, you can still discuss your leanings, or ask what's they (Atsingani) can offer, etc.

After he is done speaking, Apollodorus writes a note and then sends a page for Alexei.

[i]Alexei,

Please return to the council chamber, I'm sure one of us can retire to an antechamber or niche and perform a spell to sober you up. Your presence is requested and required, by me, personally, or I will ask the council discuss your censure, after the matter of Atsingani is settled. We have just brought them into the council chamber. I have made my position, desiring that they join us as Probationary members, and we integrate their turb into our own.

Apollodorus[/i]

Hmm, I may have underestimated the impact of this "Brione" incident, considering. Perhaps I really shoud spend some time of my own with the grogs. Well, our grogs."
Thinks Fieltarn, as he watches the somewhat tense exchange between Alexei and Jacques... a realization just reinforced when Alexei leave the Council, a moment later.

She is a fine speaker. I should also ask her for some pointers on etiquette, later on.
Nevertheless, Fieltarn may be advocating for Atsingani's member to join Mons Electi, but he intently watches for Jacques reaction as Fiona mentions Atsingani's relationship to Montvert...

=> if deemed pertinent : +1Per +3Awareness (same score in Guile) +roll of 7f = 11

"Who the hell would the General be?" murmurs Fieltarn behind Fiona's shoulder, as she write Viviana's enigmatic words. " And which wolf? Tremere or... ? Fascinating."

Fieltarn also finds himself listening with more interest than he expected as Jormungand explain some of his own religion's teaching. Revising his previous impression on the deceivingly youngish magus I wonder what he might say about werewolves... But at least he may be more than a lecherous corpus master after all.

Fieltarn nods vigorously, smiling gently.

I share the same views. Actually, I beleive I was just the one who suggested that you join us as full members, rather than vassals. I'd add my voice for you and your sodales from Atsingani to be Probationary Members, consequently.

While I'm not that... seasoned myself, as Apollodorus kindly suggest, at least regarding my prospective capacity to properly form an apprentice of mine, like you Jacques I've been on the road almost my whole life, and being familiar with the challenge of not having settled in one place, I think that it nevertheless gives ample opportunities to prove one's mettle. In a Tribunal such as ours, I'd say that Atsingani managed better than most would have probably thougth you would, hence my favorable inclination towards you joining us as full members.

Still, I can also understand the circumspection of my sodales, regarding your former liege, and the extent of your ties with Montverte, even as you're now considering leaving its shadow. The more you'd be willing to share about them, the more I believe this Council would feel at ease... and probably the best everyone - us and you - could then prepare for some probable retaliation from Montvert, you see.

Alexei sits dourly in his sanctum, another cup of wine on the table as he sharpens a spearhead from a collection that he keeps. The note slides under the door and is retrieved for him by Helmut who stands nervously as he has only seen him this mad on few occasions...and usually men died shortly afterwards. Alexei glares at the scrap of vellum and opens it, looking at it blearily for a moment.

"My lord?" Helmut asks with a quivering voice as he sees Alexei's hand begin to shake.

"Bloody Hell!" he suddenly roars and stabs the spearhead through the note onto his table and then hurls the wine cup across the room. "I left the damned meeting so I could avoid censure! That smug son of a bitch Jacques, I almost killed him right there!" He stands up, pacing for several moments running his hands through his hair or stroking his beard as he tried to reign in his burning humours. Finally he stops, picks up his staff and begins to gesture and speak loudly in a somewhat slurred voice.

((Casting a spontaneous spell to destroy the inebriating properties of the alcohol he's consumed, per the rules on 123, that's a base 15 spell with R: Personal D: Momentary T: Individual total spell level 15

Casting total Pe 11 + Aq 5 + Int 2 + 5 Aura + 2 Gestures and voice + 3 Special Circumstances = 28

Spending a Fatigue, I figure drunkeness could cause extra botching dice if I roll a 10.

1d10+28 → [2,28] = (30)
invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3289217/

Got it exactly.))

At the conclusion of the spell, he takes a staggering step from the sudden onset of fatigue and then stands straight again and sober. He straightens his robes and smooths his hair and beard before reaching for the spearheads on the table but stops with a shaking hand. "Blast!" he finally mutters and walks out the door leaving young Helmut to tidy up the room.

Minutes later he walks into the meeting room and heads to the chair he vacated earlier. "Is this seat taken?" he says with somewhat forced lightheartedness as he plucks the spearhead he left in the cushion and sits down.