Just got back from my cardioversion, I had an Atrial Fibulation (an irregular heartbeat) and had to get it zapped into rhythm again. Doing well, but I'm a little loopy, so I won't likely be posting today. Take care all.
Ow. And you call that loopy?
Take care!
I went into something similar a week ago. 18 hours straight or arrhythmia tachycardia before they realized that someone had sc***ed my "prescription adjusment", and they "adjusted" it again. 
I can confirm that such event does leaves one "loopy" indeed, take care qcipher.
Quick question. I thought I had read somewhere that canonically, there is no Order of Odin in 5e...which does not necessarily mean that the OoH knows that there's no such thing.
As far as our characters know (and I'm assuming that Jormungand might be in a better position to have a more accurate answer, dunno), is the Order of Odin a confirmed organization, is it a bedtime story told to scare young apprentices, is it something like the Loch Ness Monster in our world, or something in between?
Yes!
Canonically there is an Order of Odin tradition within the House Miscellania, I believe. Is there also the Scandinavian Order of Odin? Hadn't really given it a lot of though.
Okay, so I was looking over the covenant charter, specifically the bits on vis, and I just want to make sure I'm understanding correctly.
We don't have a vis allowance or stipend or whatever, where each magus gets paid so many vis a year.
What we do seem to have is that the members are able to volunteer to perform services for the covenant, and are compensated according to how much risk is involved (minimum two pawns), as determined by the Princeps. And, every year at the winter meeting, after deducting the cost of the Aegis (7 pawns) and the costs of the services performed by the members (undetermined), then each member gets one share of the surplus (next year, full members get a full share, probationary get half). And rereading, I notice that the surplus is determined in the Winter meeting, but is distributed in the Spring meeting.
Now, if I'm understanding that right, my MetaCreator shows that we currently have 50 pawns of vis, but haven't deducted anything for services rendered, because that's not come up in any of the threads (unless Princeps duty counts). Apollodorus, Alexei, Fiona, and Onesiphorus would each get one fourth of that vis (I'm assuming that Silviatos and Iosephus don't get a share since they're missing), which would be twelve pawns each (rounding down), and leaving two pawns in the stores.
Am I reading that right? And if so, since payment is made in the Spring meeting, would I be correct in assuming that the distribution of the surplus would also? (which, I think, is the meeting that we're having now). And would I also be correct in assuming that the method of distribution is up to the Princeps's discretion?
(The reason I'm trying to get clarification is because I think Fiona's going to have to pay some vis to somebody somewhere, and she doesn't have any without the surplus distribution. And she really doesn't want to have to go begging to the Council for vis for her own personal business...or for any reason, for that matter...that whole Secretive thing.)
I bumped up some of the amounts of vis to spend Mad Max's build points. The Vis Sources on Obsidian Portal has 57.
The ReTe directed vis can't be divided, but it can be broken up at selection. It is not easily transportable. See the description of that for more information. I think it is reasonable that Princeps duties could yield a fee for service at the minimum level. If the Princeps thinks their work was especially dangerous or difficult, I can see them helping themselves to a bigger portion and designating it in the record to be paid out at the end of their term.
My suggestion would be to retain the ReTe directed vis in stores and then calculate shares for distribution excluding it, and run an account of the shares of the ReTe vis. Alternatively, the Mercere could find a nice home for that vis at a great price.
I saw that, and updated my MC file accordingly, which is where I got the 50 pawns from (the 57 from the vis sources, less the 7 pawns for the Aegis of the Hearth that we cast in Autumn).
Right...a 14st chess piece. Good luck getting that past Homeland Security 
Okay...so for 1220, that would be Alexei (Spring), Onesiphorus (Summer), and Apollodorus for Silviatos (Autumn). The Winter meeting would have marked the beginning of Fiona's term (I'm assuming that the seasonal meeting is the one that occurs the day before the start of the season, so the Winter would be the one that happens on the last day of fall.) When Jormungand does the figuring for 1221, I think Fiona can make a pretty good case that getting kidnapped and stuck in a blizzard, caught between two (for lack of a better word) rival factions should be worth a couple extra pawns.
So. 57, less 7 for the Aegis, less 2 each for Alexei, Onesiphorus, and Apollodorus, less the 6 dedicated ReTe, would be 38. Which divides into 9 each for the four magi, with two carrying over into the next year's stores.
And if we can find a good buyer for the ReTe through the Mercere, that can get added into the stores for 1221.
Technically, Alexei didn't have a season, Apollodorus had two, but he's willing to let Alexei have the spring amount due to the ongoing service of improving defense.
Now... You're the Princep who decides whether or not you get extra vis. Every Princep can make that determination for themselves. You enter it into the record and it is done. Of course abusing this privelege will likely bring the wrath of your sodales upon you.
Okay, so Alexei, Apollodorus, and Onesiphorus get two pawns each of their choosing. I figured all seven pawns used for the Aegis were the Vim, since Rego would likely be more useful and more in demand. So, with that, we currently have 10 pawns of Mentem, 5 Muto, 2 Aurum, 10 Corpus, 3 Vim, 4 Aquam, and 10 Rego. Once the payment for Princeps duty is rendered, then Fiona will distribute the surplus at the end of the meeting.
And she will enter "Fiona, +2 pawns" into the record. (I was going to put "for being held prisoner and stuck in a blizzard for a week," but I figured that she's Secretive, and wouldn't enter why...plus, it's common knowledge what happened. But mainly being Secretive, "which can frustrate those around" her.)
There's a vis source that isn't recorded on Obsidian Portal. The mist of forgotten dreams, Mentem 6 pawns, bought with some of the 70bps Jonathan accorded to Fieltarn (and Victor), as quote : "items that are already at the covenant" (ie, before Fieltarn's coming, at least that's how I read it). So, Fiona, Apollodorus, Alexei should also benefits from this source, unless I misinterpreted.
Dang it. I'm going to have to get my hands on a copy of The Lion and the Lily, aren't I.
I think you can edit the page and add it. If you can't, let me know and I'll change that.
It's not necessary, but you might find it helpful.
You can look at the map of some of the covenants of the tribunal I put up on a google map (amul is also using it for Phoenix). If you want to get The Lion and the Lily, I recommend the pdf available from e23. PDFs are the bomb.
Does that come with a happy ending?
Well.... the book does say each person's Longevity Ritual is highly personalized to the magus's style... I'm sure Jormungand hopes so. 
How the tourney works. A team is entered, and I'm presuming a team representing Mons Electi has been formed. A team consists of five magi, mundanes are ignored, and two alternates may be selected. Additionally, in the event of injury causing a member to leave the team, another person can be added at a later time. Requests for Apollodorus to join the team have been politely but firmly declined.
The Hastiludium: two opposing teams of three members face each other, one member is balanced on something that is suitable to their magic. That something is an item that can be found in any peasant village, not longer than a broom nor wider than a beer barrel. The field is 120 paces long, 40 paces wide. Each magus may cast a single spell before the contest begins, and then once begun may cast spells freely. You attempt to pass the other team's line while preventing your opponent from doing the same. Parma may not be extended over mounts. The mount must physically pass over the halfway mark and the opponents goal line. There will be a number of heats until the finals. Magi have been injured in this event, though not fatally, usually.
The Certamen Tournament: As certamen, and in heats as above. The senior magus in a heat chooses the Technique, junior the form. Vetos are not permitted. Heats are choosen at random. Champions may be choosen from the teams entered.
The Joust: like a mundane joust with the following exceptions. Mounts may be magical or mundane, magic used can only affect your mount, your weapons or yourself. Someone is elected as a champion for the team, and this may be changed from one heat to the next. Magi have died in this event, at previous tourneys.
The Melee: is essentially like capture the flag, but for grogs only. Speed is generally a useful characteristic here. Weapons are wooden and damage done is treated as fatigue. If there's a botch real damage is done, and the team doing the damage is expected to pay for healing with vis.
The Dimcatio: As the Flambeau contest, and it is a favorite of the Tribunal's Flambeau. A champion is choosen from the team, and competes in heats as above, and they may change champins between heats.
The Scavenger Hunt: A team of up to three has three days to find as many hidden objects as they might. Most are hidden by magic, or might need magic to discover their clever hiding spaces.
Some things to consider. Longevity is important in heat events. Events like the Hastiludium, the Joust or the Certament Tournament may need to change competitors if they sucumb from one event to the next. The ability to heal or restore fatigue quickly between heats would be very useful, and you should be specific about what resources you plan to bring to bear in advance. Also, House Mercere brings plenty of corpus vis and will extend credit or do some vis exchanges.
Contests take place over three days. So that gives each event about 5 hours to finish. I've paired non-fatiguing or less dangerous events with more dangerous/fatiguing events. Once a champion is selected for a heat, he rolls (stress die) to determine the competitor. Good rolls make your heat opponent the easier for that particular heat. A botch suggests you matched up against the reigning champion or expected champion (i.e. Maris in the Certamen tournament) for the specific event. The scavenger hunt is a bit different, and I'll detail that at a later time.
There are a total of 24 teams who enter the tournament, but some teams may not compete in individual events, so the number of teams you might face will vary.
Day 1
Certamen Tournament
Scavenger Hunt
Day 2
Dimcatio
Hastilidium
Day 3
The Melee
The Joust
So, we have six magi (Fiona, Alexei, Onesiphorus, Filtiarn, Korvin, and Jormungand), not counting Apollodorus. Who's volunteering to be the alternate?
And what happens if a covenant has fewer than five magi, total? Are they not allowed to field a team, or is that where the magi who aren't a part of a covenant can go the free-agent route? And does a team have to consist of magi of one covenant?
So, basically a cross between hoverboarding and rugby.
Fiona would still like to enter, just for kicks.
If Alexei is interested, I'd vote him for our champion, as he seems to be the most combat-oriented of the all of us. The whole dying part would suck, though, so..um..Alexei, try not to get yerself killed, mkay? 
Fiona is still interested in this.
Alexei is definitely interested in the Certamen and Dimcatio, I hadn't considered the joust, but he does have the skills for that (Long spear, combat riding, and spells that affect only him and his mount, plus a bunch of soak producing spells).
I should probably only be in 2 contests, so maybe the joust and cretamen?
So, I'm laying this out in a bit more depth, 24 teams means a 32 team bracket, with the prior tournament event winner and 1st runner up getting a bye in the first round. 6 other teams will also get byes, which will be chosen at random. 32 team barcket also means that it is 5 rounds of competition to the final. 1st round champions rolling have a good chance of a bye, and we'll proceed to the next round, rolling again. I want all the players to come to some consensus regarding the champion, next in line, etc for each event. Good rolls in subsequent rounds might indicate you're facing an sub-par opponent who managed to upset in the last round.
In those cases, they field a smaller team. 5 +2 alternates (my addition) is a maximum. Coenobium and foreign teams can compete, but they are disadvantaged in that their starting tally is only 1, whereas all other teams get a number equal to the number of magi of their covenant. Foreign teams also have to pay 5 pawns of vis per magus on their team (so 35 pawns to compete), Flambeau from neighboring Tribunals typically attend. Not all teams compete in every tournament game. Some covenants don't have the right collection of skills to compete in every tournament event. Some get beat out in another event and can't get healed in time for the next one.
This is a whole team event of up to three.
May I suggest Onesiphorous is either an alternate or doesn't participate? Mad Max's posting rate has fallen off recently. This isn't a slight against Mad Max, just an observation that he might be too busy, and I'm trying to wrap up his story from year 1.