I thought I wrote a letter to Spider's Palace when I wrote all the other letters, after the big "Oh, that's what YOU meant" conversation. They're the only backstory element that she has in Normandy.
Again, cutting to the quick of things: I'd like members of our covenant to interact with Le Maison, and apparently, specifically Maris.
Well, I do have Alexei opening the Prospero door. He has already opened the Maris door, but Fiona could pick that one up. There is a Verditius there...
Viscaria is uniquely suited to pursue the fae covenants in Normandy, since I had otherwise de-emphasized the fae here. There is Oleron and its vassals...
Here's where I was coming from when I was assuming Prospero's character. What? Why would she send me a letter? Th' feil lass oughta visit. I've got no guff in ma hame. And, if you'd asked me OOC, the only letter that went back and forth between Ra'am and his pater were letters in Magic Theory first, with discussion of family second.
Sure! I'll happily go wander out to Oleron.
And based on that logic, wouldn't Prospero reply back with a terse, "Git yer wee lassie bum up to ma hame already." ?
Apparently, my letter to Spider's Palace didn't go through. Can we assume some form of correspondence took course between them BEFORE they announce they won't be going to the Tribunal?
Sure...
Viscaria learns that they intend to lobby the representatives of the other Tribunals in advance of Grand Tribunal...
The stretch of time from 1223-1226 and 1227 is meant to be used as a tool for magi of Mons Electi to determine what they want to do and then see that it is done. The stories I have initiated are not intended to be the only stories, but they are intended to be important stories necessary for filling in certain gaps that I either see or have been made aware of. If I can combine personal story flaws with my overall saga progression, I try and do that, as well. So if Isen wants to go into the Magic Realm, it's more than possible. I'm not clear if characters know or are aware of Fiona's transformation (that's Peregrine's call). If he expresses disappointment at being unable to cast certain spells, she may impart information, and again that's PB's call.
So, once Isen knows that he can transform flaws, say Rigid Magic into Waster of Vis, I don't have a problem with that happening. I'm thinking about limiting the transformation of Hermetic/Supernatural flaws to once per flaw for free, and thereafter it's either stuck or costs something...
((The magi are probably aware that she had great difficulty casting spontaneous magic when she arrived, and doesn't have that problem anymore. She won't come out and say how it happened, but people might notice that her going to Magic was the dividing line between could barely and could easily. And when asked, she won't deny it.))
And to be clearer, the stories already in process are the minimum of stories that I want to tell, that stitch things together. If you want a story that covers something, or you think there are loose ends that need to be tied up we can cover those things. A bit of a spoiler, Peregrine already knows, but the Giants thing is not going to be resolved when Peregrine is done with the current episode. And I have hooks to draw other characters into the magic realm.
So Isen can be pulled into the Magic Realm sometime after Fiona returns, and before 1227.4. The events of his journey in the Magic Realm will probably have very little impact on the events of Stop, Collaborate and Listen.
Well, I didn't want to bother you or else, so I thought it would be easier for you to rationalize it like this, do this at a later time, and assume Isen had royally screwed up (Which is what I did, in fact 
)
To explain myself: Yes, and it is deliberate 
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The description is false because this is the kind of feelings one will get, despite the words being said. If, as a GM, I present to a player a NPC that he feels, through a folk ken roll, is shaddy, unreliable or lazy, I'll describe him as such. The gift works like this, save that there's no roll, the character feels shaddy and untrustworthy.
It is, IMO, way too easy to forget the gift's effects, and painting everything in a bad light first helps. I mean, how many mundanes, in this thread or another, reacted to any magus gift? I know I had to write twice Raoudha's reactions to Alexei, because I had first forgotten about the gift, and then saw that he had the Gentle gift 
Similarly, if a player meets a magi in disguise, do you tell him "the stranger has the gift, don't forget it" so that he may color his roleplay accordingly?
I somehow get the vague impression that our mileages do vary
It doesn't hurt to give reminders that his Gift is not gentle, and he's a Monstrosity of Form. However, I would like the character to say what he actually would say not how the player things it will be received through the negative effects of the Gift. Does Heims order people around? Or does he ask for things and they just sound like orders? I have a boss who asks a question, but it's really not, it's a call to action, and a backhanded way of saying I missed something and need to go back and fix it. So saying something in character, and then writing it up as the player how you'd like it to be received is fine. I just don't think Heims really acts like that. I think it's possible his actions can be interpreted like that, and it's fair and reasonable to remind players, but I'd rather you be true to Heims, and offer suggestions as to how characters might interpret it. If the negative effects of The Gift are felt individually and resolved by the individual, Wen, Mufarjj and Vin are going to all have slightly different reactions. Vin will recognise Heims and Cygna. Whether Heims recognizes Vin, well...since he's such a hermit...I dunno, I can see him not recognizing Vin at all.
Mufarjj, for a moment thought about trying to take off Heim's head, but only decided against it because of his method of entrance.
Yup.
What I wanted was to have a dichotomy between the standard feelings of the gift and his words and attitude and words. Fact is, this was only an introduction (so first impressions first), and the language skill didn't help
Hiems? Recognise Vin? Err... Probably not, yes Although if Vin reminded him, he'd surely make the link 
This is great!!!
Cranking up the WABAC machine (and this is partly my fault, I had forgotten as well until just now), but did we ever decide which books Fiona would be able to copy at Durenmar?
Tranquillina will be bringing a Level 17, Quality 9 summa on Mentem with her to Mons Electi, if that should be a factor.
I'm still a fan of a Parma book. Sounds like some would like a Finesse book is possible. Intelligo sounds like the other favorite.
I am seriously ready to punch Ra'am. Did I botch a socialize roll or something? Good Christ, it was a joke! Does Alexei have to do the 'dance of 50 abasements' to get him to lighten up?
You can do that...
Trying to be objective, what Alexei said was seriously beyond the pale, and I saw it as being highly offensive.
In my opinion, it was akin to going into a (for all intents and purposes) stranger's house, and commenting that his son needed more discipline, and that if he were yours you'd do something different to bring him up better in some way.
I have no doubt that Alexei meant it as a joke, but (and please take this as constructive criticism) he does have a tendency to put his foot in his mouth.
For example, the first thing that Alexei said to Fiona was a racial joke, which made for a very bad first impression that took quite a while to overcome. As it is now, they're close enough that she'd be half-tempted to take him to bed if he would (and I quote) "just learn to think before he opens his mouth sometimes!"
I can see under the circumstances one might take some offense. Alexei is a stranger (though not to Ulrich), he came unannounced, he interrupted a nap, he made a joke about Ulrich's...habits, and he implied something (any implication might cause this response when it's a Bonisagus and their apprentice) about what he'd do (as a joke). All of this religious stuff and other things Ra'am's pulling out of a hat. Alexei didn't make a joke about anyone's religion except maybe his own. It's not like he joked about the Crusades or the Reconquista. Simply put, in my (and Alexei's opinion) Ra'am is choosing to be upset and manufacturing things that Alexei might have implied but didn't.
Seriously, you can try explaining it to me ten different ways and I will NEVER see what he said as being beyond the pale. A Holocaust joke is beyond the pale. A joke about lynchings or rape is beyond the pale. This is not beyond the pale. But bear in mind, I don't think Ra'am is being out of character or anything. I've met people like Ra'am who want to get upset over something that was never said or intended. If we were in real life, we'd be boxing by now because I would have said something like:
"Awww, I'm sorry, I hurt your feelings...do you want a juicebox? Would that make it all better?"
That's Alexei...which is more than a bit of me I guess. Maybe it's the timing or delivery. I can see someone not appreciating the joke, or even getting a bit upset over it. After 3 or 4 apologies, get over it!
Now with Fiona...yeah, the first meeting was a bit dicey, Alexei was in his cups a bit too. Then the next meeting Alexei was the angry guy.
Tough crowd. Maybe it's just me and my sense of humor. I mean I roasted my dad at his own wake, and people loved it!
People go to war over religions... Ra'am is pious. The names of people he's encountered at Phoenix should have informed Alexei enough that he's dealing with people of a different culture, possibly different religions. Telling a Jew, of the period, that they need to take someone to Church isn't going to be well received.
But... I didn't even see it as funny in or out of character. What's funny about telling someone if you were in charge of his charges you'd make them go to Church?
When a lusty young man is about ready to get it on with a giant talking spider...church of any kind might be a good idea for him. That...was the joke. Obviously Ra'am might not have known some of the history of Ulrich and also chose to get upset about implications that were never made.
Don't get me wrong, I get upset about jokes too, nasty jokes that make fun of subjects that I hold dear. It's one of the reasons I stopped watching Family Guy. But, Alexei will take it to his grave (and he might depending on how things go) that Ra'am is over reacting.