Halie nods. "Begging your pardon. It was not my intention to inply that my membership be contingent upon such provisions as I feel necessary." She produces a quill made of one of her own feathers, and signs. "I do feel that the accommodations are prohibitive to Hermetic study, and should like to see either development on Eilean Chon, or at least an equitable distribution of access. A shared laboratory lacks optimisation, so more labs in the available space would make the most sense. If building one enormous lab did not disturb the aura, three smaller labs distributed across two stories would certainly be no more upsetting to the Niseag."
"Most of our covenfolk are shepherds or fishermen," Drystan says. "We do have a handful of craftsmen – a smith, a carpenter, a couple of weavers. We did have a merchant, but he left a couple of years ago."
"To be honest, it's never been that much of a concern before. But then," Eilid says as she looks around the table, "we've never had this many members, or prospective members, at one time before. I can't remember ever having more than five or six, and they tended to be more concerned with their studies than with labwork. I think I've spent more time in the Common Lab than all the others combined.
"If we do have that many people interested in taking advantage of the Common Lab, it would behoove us to find a way to make it accessible to more. Is that something you would be interested in investigating?" she says, looking at Halie.
"Is that your way of saying that there is no dedicated industry supporting the ongoing costs of the covenant? Are those costs then paid for via magical means? Is there some sort of conversion of vis to silver, or other valuable commodities, perhaps?
((OOC: is this another way of saying whatever industry is selected will generate several stories detailing its creation?))
"We have a lot of sheep," Drystan says. "And most days, we have a good enough catch to sell in Cill Chuimein or Inbhir Mhoireastain. We actually sell or trade for enough to keep our coffers full, with a bit of a surplus."
((ooc - not really...between the two income sources, sheep-herding and fishing the loch, that gives us £80 a year, and our expenses are only £52. So, while not rich, I don't think we'll need any running-out-of-money stories for a little bit.))
"I have no crafting magics at my disposal, but it would be a trifle to investigate how high above water level the aura extends, and to a lesser extent, how far below. The current laboratory takes up as much space as any two standard laboratories, so with a skilled carpenter to partition the existing building and add a second story, it would be a simple matter to install four standard size labs there without any issue... possibly a fifth, if a basement could be excavated efficiently without flooding."
(I hate crappy auras. I wonder if we could shift about Boons/Hooks to add an undiscovered regio somewhere that our labs could be installed?)
"My two companions are neither servant nor shield grog so I will need that. One is skilled at merchant type skills with a specialty in valuing items that had previous owners and the other is skilled at acquiring things that have current owners. My family is good at that and would like to make this a place of refuge and base of operations." Which is a polite way of saying fence and thief. Siobhan continues, "I noticed that the lab I was given had no equipment. Is that because there was none that I need to use my own or was that because it has been stored?"
She continues with a charter comment, "we removed the life time commitment but we have not put in a penalty for leaving. Such can leave us short handed in supplies and efforts and such. Perhaps anyone that leaves must repay vis equal to that claimed in the prior year and must be up to date on their covenant service or do a season of service to covenant before being released from their oath."
"Which one did we put you in?" Drystan asks. When Siobhan tells him/points it out to him, he will say, "Ah, yes. That used to be Curwen's, years ago. Hasn't been used, really, since he died. We will certainly acquire all the necessary equipment for your laboratory, to get it to your liking. That is, after all, your right as a member."
He looks around at the others. "That, naturally, goes without saying for everyone. Except for Faileas's and Fiona's labs, the others have stood abandoned for decades, and we will do what we can to help you get a satisfactory lab."
((in game terms, it's going to take everyone but Talia (who used her personal bp for her boat/lab) two seasons to set up their labs, using the rules straight out of Covenants.))
Halie also bought a lab with personal build points.
It will take two seasons to unpack and set it up, like setting up a new lab, the only difference you'll have he virtues/flaws intact.
Trimalchio signs the charter.
By the way, this makes reference to "seniority" when it comes to determining the Princeps and access to the shared lab. How do we determine seniority when so many are joining on the same day?
"Obviously the order of signing indicates seniority." Talia smiles warmly.
"But of course, as in all matters of Hermetic dispute, certamen remains the standard method of resolution," Halie adds, with a matter-of-fact nod to Trimalchio.
"Odd," Eilid says. "I had always assumed that negotiation was the standard method of resolution, with Certamen the court of next-to-last resort."
Halie smiles wryly. "Perhaps the northern climate predisposes Caledonian magi towards cooperation and magnanimity, but I assure you that this is not the case in Britannia, Roma, or Germania. Elsewhere, magi, just like mundanes-" she looks directly at Talia, "--are driven entirely by self-interest. In my experience as a Quaesitor, certamen as the vehicle of 'negotiation' is the rule, and not the exception."
Speaking absently about certamen, "My understanding is certamen is used when the dispute has reached an impasse when neither party can agree to the terms to resolve it otherwise, when negotiations fail. Certamen is simply another method to say that the parties agree to disagree and therefore must resolve the matter by alternate means. This is sometimes necessary to move forward."
Regarding Haile's direct look, "Magi, as much as they like to think themselves better than mundanes, are still people. It is the human condition: to be driven by self-interest. Do you look at me as you do because you know I know this, or because you want me to know you know this, too? Do I need to state that my joining is for reasons of my own self-interest? I would've thought that would be self-evident that it is the case for all of us to come here and join. It is in their self-interest" Talia indicate Drystan, Eilid and Doineann "to recruit self-interested parties who have goals that might align with theirs. For it is when people come together under common goals when the most of human achievement happens."
The door to the council chamber opens suddenly, allowing a gust of wind and some leaves to follow in after the young magus dressed as a succesful craftsman walks in. He has an apron and tool belt on and in his left hand is an engraved right triangle, covered in various runes.
"I'm sorry...is this the Council meeting?" he asks in Latin with a Scottish accent. "For some reason I thought it was on the boat at the Loch. I had a devil of a time getting in and some right crude fellows pointed me in the right direction." he says as he rubs his left arm and winces. "I am Aodhan of the Halls of Verdi. And...I...well I'm not exactly sure what one does in these meetings. Meet I suppose. Perhaps there is food? Oh and vis. I'll need vis and a lab and then I can start building things, such as better defenses, make sure pirates aren't trying to raid us." he looks around a bit awkwardly. "Unless...they're friendly?"
"That would've been Thick Tongued Sal, I'm guessing. That's my ship." Talia says greeting the latecomer.
"He should change his name to 'club-fisted brute'. Was his mother a giantess?" Aodhan replies and then snorts with laughter for several seconds.
"So, what are we talking about? Labs? I'll need a good one if I'm to build wondrous things, and I have many wondrous things in mind. But uh...in case I don't have one at the ready I take requests of my services for modest fees. My initial surveys of the place...didn't seem too impressive with lab space nor the aura overly strong. But I haven't been everywhere yet. So which shall be my lab? And what about food? I'm starving."
"I suppose it's possible that the boat was in the way when I showed you where the council chamber is," Doineann says.
"The food is tonight," Eilid says. "The covenant traditionally has a revel on the solstices and equinoxes. And after the meeting is the Sgeigeach Niseag, the Taunting of the Niseag, which the muggles normally do after the Summer meeting, which we need to be there to ensure nobody suffers exposure. The vis is part and parcel of being a member, and the laboratory in the cottage that Dioneann showed you is yours to do with as you will."
The three older magi look at Aodhan with a "Tell me he did not just say that" look on their faces.
"Actually," Drystan says, "Fiona is half-giant, and her clan still comes around sometimes."
"We were just discussing that," Eilid says, "before we got sidetracked by a discussion on the proper place of certamen in conflict resolution in the Order."
"I look at you because one who would gloat over an illusion of superiority is unlikely to resolve any disputes in a civilised manner. And precisely the sort of inequality that should be avoided." She turns to regard the newcomer. "For instance, it strikes me as highly unjust that a Verditius would not have access to facilities suitable for his craft because someone who picked up a quill a few minutes before him, decides to pull rank just to prove she can."
She extends a hand and shakes Aodhan's firmly. "Halie Bjornaeris, it's a pleasure."
"Thus I move to establish an equitable rotation of the common lab among all members, effective immediately, and expand the facilities in the meantime to accommodate more magi for greater rotation. Is there a second?"