He's not trying to seduce her, but he is flirting, and I am trying to play up Social Handicap by just choosing the wrong words, or words/phrases with lots of innuendo. If she starts expressing any return interest in staying the night/a tryst, however, he's not going to say no, either. "Cool and frigid" might be miscontrued as "cool and dominant" which can be fun in its own, special deluded way. And his perception makes it really hard to tell the difference. And note: Jormungand looks like a teenager too.
Let's see, Charm + Communication for the attempts at communication =
Charm(Woman) 3+1 + Comm 2 + Venus Blessing 3 - Social Handicap 3 = 6
Seduction is not that much better, Carouse 4 + Pres 3 + VB 3 - SH 3 = 7
((He is a min-maxed character - if he ever chose to lay it on thick, I'd throw on an "Aura of Sensual Presence", his version of Aura of Noble Presence, get the Pheromones side effect, and add +4 to total above, but I didn't declare that earlier.))
"So, getting back to the question. Where does Mons Electi stand in regards to the proposed new Tribunal? It is likely that Murion will put the question to each of you. I ask the question now so you can be prepared for an answer. Are any of you familiar with the covenant of Triamore in the Rhine Tribunal?" Area:Lore location of Mons Electi or Normandy Tribunal of 12, of Rhine Tribunal would be a 6, or OoH Lore of 9. Korvin has heard of it, but to get any detailed knowledge need in regards to this topic to make a roll...
"Triamore is another covenant pushing for the formation of a new Tribunal and they would be a part of it. I believe that there are a sufficient number of magi to satisfy the legal requirement for a Tribunal." Tria pauses, "I expect you will have quite a few visitors over the next 7 years... And your heavy commecial interests and mundane wealth align well with the Lotharingian movement. It is likely that many have already satisfied themselves on which side of the question your covenant stands, but the smart ones will come and visit you to find out.
"So, where does Mons Electi stand?"
OOC: most of the raw wool produced by the covenant is sold to cloth and clothing makers in Flanders...
Alexei sighs, truly he was more interested in how she was coming and going within their Covenant than creating a new Tribunal. "I of course do not speak for all, but I would welcome a new Tribunal and that is how I would vote."
"I will not be voting at the Tribunal, out of respect to my Brothers and Sisters of my House. As to Mons Electi, we have been discussing it...Quite lively at times. I would be interested to hear what we would gain or lose by joining the Lotharingian Tribunal. Our position gives us options with the Greater Alps Tribunal and the Rhine. Our business interest align us with Flanders but that can change in time.
"Certainly, Korvin, I understand your predicament well. It is good that it is being discussed now. The game is afoot and the players are in motion. There will be opportunities a plenty for Mons Electi. If I may..." The way she pauses indicates that she has some deep political knowledge she is willing to impart, but only if you ask.
She continues, "You have the Tribunal of the Greater Alps nearby, it is a bit far, but certainly something can be arranged due to Andru and Apollodorus's close relationship, as long as you meet the vis requirements. There is also the Provencal Tribunal to consider, they would be eager to snatch a covenant out of this, House Flambeau would view it as something of a victory over House Tytalus. Joining a new Tribunal with the ability to establish new law, a new Peripheral Code is appealing.
Appearing to change subject completely "I wonder, do any of you know how old Apollodorus is? I know Proctor has been digging into this matter, and what interests him, I tend to follow and take an interest in."
OOC: The fact that Apollodorus was a Tremere is actually not well known, the only people who know are the people who were at the dinner party last year. Tremere don't talk about him leaving the House. I don't believe any of the new Magi have any reason to know that he was a Tremere, or even that much about his history, except he has fabulous mundane wealth. An OoH Lore roll of 12 for everyone except Korvin will give them some basic detial, for Korvin, that ease factor is a 9.
Alexei seemed only somewhat interested in the conversation, politics and intrigue were not appealing to him. At the subject of Apollodorus's age he pauses and thinks.
"Before I came here I would have thought him only somewhat older than me. But since then I've found out quite a bit more while still left in the dark. He's far more powerful than I thought he'd be plus the fact that he was of House Tremere once. Then he's also trained more than one apprentice. He's an older magus definitely, how old though I don't know."
Tria regards Alexei, "That is most interesting, and the only records I can find on Apollodorus is that he was an apprentice of Astrolabe of Jerbiton, almost simultaneous in time with Andru. Do you know who his apprentices are? Were they Tremere or Jerbiton? And how do you know about them?"
Alexei seems oblivious to any potential harm revealing this information.
"All of his apprentices were Tremere I believe...come to think of it, I think one of his apprentices had a fully Gauntleted apprentice or two. One of them I engaged in a friendly bout of Certamen and I was thoroughly trounced. She was the younger one, Luna I believe her name was. This was last year shortly after we arrived. I think she was apprenticed directly to Apollodorus."
He intends what he says 100%, it's how he remembers it. He had been drinking then and was also nearly beaten into unconsciousness by that certamen bout, so the accuracy can certainly be questionable. Such is life in Alexei's world
Just make sure I know this kind of thing in the future, it helps when I play out the NPC motivations and actions. Despite the one accusation I had, I do not rely on deus ex machina and try and give my NPCs real motivations. For example, at some point Tria is going to track down Luna, find out that you gave her inaccurate information and will have to suss it out. Eventually, she'll have some difficult questions for her covenant-mate to answer. Also, it's convenient that Fiona isn't here to shush or correct Alexei.
"I know of Luna, she visited Maris on occasion, before Maris became Exarch. And I believe she battled Fiona in the first round of the certamen tournament.
"I wish to thank you all for a pleasant evening of conversation, I must be off for Cunfin tomorrow. Murion will be here in two weeks, and I'll be back in ten days to confirm arrangements." As she reaches the door to the dining hall, she pauses and looks back at the table, "Are you coming, Jormungand?"
Additional questions can be asked of her as she departs for Cunfin tomorrow, which she will be doing in a tradtional manner.
((That's fine. I try to be accurate, this time I didn't go back and re-read that thread for corrections, so for right now I'm not certain what mistakes were made. If Tria comes back and accuses Alexei of lying or something he'll handle it then. I'm trying to play him as guileless and a bit befuddled. Honest to a fault but perhaps not the best memory.))
Alexei shrugs. "That sounds plausible. But to be honest I was mostly concerned with my own event, the joust. Did you hear how I triumphed?"
