1222.2c Your Presence Is Requested and Required

((Elain had never left your side, and as he'll be recognized by Poena, is a good choice. I was about ready to swing the club-by-four.))

Korvin can probably get 2 IotBMW rituals off. Let's run them per your most recently proposed botch rules, they're part of the story, so they're stressed.

(he does not have this ritual mastered so they would be stressed anyways :slight_smile:

  1. 1d10=2 + 52 = 54
  2. 1d10=5 + 52 = 57

That would be 4 hours plus 2 minutes per for resting off the long term fatigue.

Drat, I forgot about LT Fatigue. You're already at Winded, because of Insatella. You'll drop to Tired if you do two, and have a -1 penalty on your third Ritual, which is immaterial to the success.

Long term fatigue requires a night sleep to be recovered.

He would not be able to two the 2nd one as it would leave him dazed. He did the Ritual for Mufarjj at the beginning of the Lost Boys thread. So just one healing ritual then he will have to rest before going to Durenmar with Insatella

Close to a fortnight when all is said and done. There are 6 others who need to be healed, they can be maintained easily enough with devices until Korvin can heal them.

After Korvin has healed two injured Redcaps, Insatella comes to find him, a scroll with a large red wax seal that appears to have been broken is in her hand. "Korvin, this cannot be true," she says waving the scroll in her hand. Tears begin streaming down her face, "and my daughter is in that nest of vipers, as we speak, with no easy way of getting to her."

Korvin slouches in a seat. A half touched meal sits by him and his face shows exhaustion that he is feeling. His speech is slow as he is having trouble thinking of the words. "Lets go to Durenmar and take council. I'm sure this will be covered up as usual but perhaps we can save your daughter with the other Houses involved."

After another pause," I think we can leave when you are ready. Elain will have given them the basics of what has happened but they will need to council with you."

Ok, if Mufarjj had IotBMW cast upon him, Korvin is in a stupor and at -5 now. All of the spells were still cast successfully, just actions going forward are an issue.

Travelling to Durenmar, thankfully for Korvin is effortless, or would be if he weren't so exhausted, but his footsteps feel leaden, and his weariness is apparent to everyone. He has given much tonight, risked much, and it is dragging on him. His arrival at Durenmar with Insatella is tense, even though it was expected. A Tremere magus is there, one who was present when Korvin first started this evening's assignment from Apollodorus. The Tremere whispers into Korvin's ear, "i fear I must be the bearer of bad news. Apollodorus is dead. Word came to us from Andru a few moments ago."
The Tremere, and a Durenmar guard escort Korvin and Insatella to the council chambers. Within, Korvin can see Andru, Peona, Murion and the Bonisagus Quaesitor, Caecilius. Insatella is invited in, Korvin is asked to wait outside for a few minutes, but Insatella insists that Korvin be allowed to enter immediately, and Poena concurs, overcoming much of the objection.

As Korvin moves through Durenmar he looks longingly at chairs and benches as they walk past them. The hoplites support him when he staggers and keep him moving forward. At the news of Apollodorus' death he nods. Too tired to show much emotion. "He was a great man and will be missed." At the word that he will have to wait outside the chambers Korvin takes a step towards a bench against the wall. He sags a bit when he is asked to come in right away.

Murion calls the meeting to order and then indicates Poena should start things off. "Each of you here, except, perhaps, Korvin knows that Xenophon of Tremere has been killed tonight. Until his death, he was probably the oldest magus. Apollodorus was gauntleted shortly after the Schism, and was a product of that environment. He was haunted by a lab accident that left him extraordinarily Gifted a few years after his gauntlet. He did much for my House, and much was given to him. He became a student of the Schism, and indeed of all the troubles the Order has had from within. After a hundred hears of study he drew a startling conclusion, that House Guernicus was behind all of the troubles, and it all began with the Duresca scrolls."
Cavillor hisses, "House Guernicus cannot have done all that you claim, they simply aren't powerful enough, they maintain order in our ranks, and nothing else!"
Poena returns a laugh, but one with no hint of mirth or humor, "I have copies of Apollodorus' research, of how he connected the dots." She waves her hands and several volumes are brought out and provided to everyone present, including Korvin. "Apollodorus had been lying low for these last few years, until he found what he was seeking. He built Mons Electi on the spot of a former covenant of House Diedne." A few people draw in a sharp breath when they hear her call the House by name. "Apollodorus, had been inquired as to whether it was safe to build a covenant in that location, several members of House Guernicus assured him it was, never mentioning what had been there previously, even though Apollodorus knew what was there. One of the things that troubled him most was that House Guernicus always seemed to prefer destroying evidence, preventing others from learning about their mistakes. As loremasters, destroying evidence and lore should be a last resort. It is not lore that makes us evil, it is how we use it. Why not destroy the books on the Arts, if lore is truly so dangerous. Xenophon understood this, and began making trouble for House Guernicus, after several attempts on his life, he let one appear to be successful and assumed a new identity, and apprenticed with Astrolabe of Jerbiton."

Andru picks up the tale, "Of course, that wasn't the case. He was an apprentice in name only, in reality he was my master as much as Astrolabe was. He taught me much, but how I am most appreciative of him was that he taught me how to look at the way House Guernicus was isolating us, and keeping knowledge of our past hidden. Why is it that people who even bring mention of the Duresca scrolls get punished so severely? Threats of being marched if they don't keep quiet. And then there is the stranglehold that the House maintains on the Normandy Tribunal, odd rulings allowing covenants to continue exist in a nearly perpetual state of near/almost war enshrined into that Tribunal's peripheral code. Why are the places of House Diedne kept secret, lost in lore only to the records House Guernicus keeps to themselves. And then there is the central mystery, the one that I don't think Apollodorus solved. Little is know of what happened to Guernicus, the Founder, how he died, only rumors and innuendo remain. Fenicil spoke for him in his later years, and then once he became Primus of the House, that's when, apparently the Tremere were seeking to dominate the Order."

Murion speaks, interrupting Andru before continuing, "There is a clear pattern beginning with the supposed Tremere domination, escalating into the Schism War. And here is where it is most disconcerting. It has long been rumored that House Guernicus has amassed a collection of ancient magical artifacts and rituals, which they keep to themselves. It was during the Schism, that Xeneophon's pater, as the Quaesitor of House Tremere witnessed the ritual murder of the Diedne representative, cursing that House and weakening it to allow the rest of the Order to defeat House Diedne. Notice the targets, Houses that were tightly woven with strong sense of duty to one's house. House Tremere and House Diedne were both greatly weakened, and only House Guernicus remains that strong sense of duty to the House amongst its members. And it is all covered by a cloak of service to the Order."

Discussion continues into the afternoon, Korvin hears some other things, but mostly he's in a daze. One tidbit he plucked out of the conversation is that Garus had been a confidant of Xenophon and was targeted because of that relationship, and that Garus was attempting to build a tightly woven sense of duty to the Order and the House into the Flambeau, and it was beginning to work.

Korvin will try very hard to stay awake but keeps nodding off so he only hears things in bits and pieces. If left alone for long enough ( no one jabs him in the side) he will take a nap in his chair.

At some point Korvin is awakened, having missed nearly the entirety of the meeting, and apparently never waking as he's been moved. He finds himself in a comfortable bed being gently shaken awake. The rosy sunlight suggests that it is near sunset. "Magister Korvin, your Prima is ready to depart and asks that you join her at Harco when you are able, Murion extends an invitation for you to stay and rest here as long as you require." The man speaks heavily accented Latin and smiles at him with a toothless grin. There is food, and warm mead, and Korvin realizes he is ravenously hungry.

Korvin has recovered a fatigue level.

Bide a moment Korvin gets up still groggy, gets dressed and performs his Parma. He then sits down and and eats two meals in a hurried fashion. I feel much better. Please tell Prima Mercere that I will travel with her shortly. As the servant is leaving to deliver the message Korvin looks up at him with wide eyes. Wait! What did you call me?

"I called you Magister. Ra'am informed the Prima that you had taken his youngest daughter as an apprentice, so I addressed you as Magister, denoting your master status. Have I offended?" He seems genuinely perplexed.

No. I just never heard it with my name before. Please go tell Prima Mercere that I will be ready to leave.

He does go to Insatella, and then returns, "She asked me to escort you to her, given your extreme fatigue, and perhaps not knowing exactly where you are." He guides Korvin to the portal leading back to Harco, where Insatella is waiting. Their departure is not met with any fanfare or protocol, and the hoplites who had accompanied Korvin aren't anywhere to be found. Arriving back at Harco, Korvin can see the Redcaps moving about, busily cleaning up the mess from the night before. As the pair begin making their way towards Insatella's temporary office they are intercepted by a pair of Redcaps,
"Prima Insatella, we have a maga of House Guernicus here who claims to have rescued your daughter from Magvillus! She's requested a device to cast Leap of Homecoming so she can bring them here. Given Korvin's tales of the night before, we thought it prudent to hold her pending your arrival, and allow you to decide." Behind the pair of redcaps a contingent of grogs is seen surrounding a diminutive figure with black hair that is immediately familiar to Korvin.

Insatella, this is Advocata Laetitia. She is the one that started the most recent, unfortunate events that have lead to Apollodorus' death, Gaurus' assassination and who knows what other mayhem. She ran to her masters when she realized who Apollodorus was. Laetitia, Prima Insatella Mercere.

In a low voice to Insatella.
I would council caution Prima. She could bring Maria to Durenmar or Castra Solis and then we could bring her back to here. Or we should hold her familiar hostage if we give her an arcane connection to Harco.

Insatella says in a loud voice, staring at Korvin, "It seems as if she already has an Arcane Connection here, most likely courtesy of my daughter. I have neither the time nor the inclination to assign blame now, there is too much work to be done, and my daughter is missing. Since you distrust her so, I leave the matter in your hands. Recovery of my daughter is now your responsibility. I'll call upon another to aid in healing us." Her tone is not angry, so much as it is entirely business-like.

Laetiia clears her throat abruptly. "Need I point out that, had I any inclination to bring along more hoplites to attack your covenant, I most certainly would not give up the element of surprise by announcing myself first. There are certainly some magi stupid enough to ask could I please borrow a magic item so my friends can come kill you, but I am not among their number.

"May I also take a moment to remind you that your House's heir apparent is only a short distance from Magvillus, with only one Twilight-ridden retired Greybeard for protection-- should her absence be noted, it would be a very simple matter for any Guernicus to locate her." She reaches up and shakes some dust and debris from her hair.

Korvin looks at Laetitia for a while then turns to one of the nearby Redcaps. Go find one of the belts of recall. Hopefully they have not been destroyed in the fires. He turns back to Laetitia. While we are waiting, perhaps you could tell me what happened when you disappeared from Thera.

Laetitia looks around, exaggeratedly glancing at the great numbers of people about them. "This tale will soon be all over the Order: I went to Magvillus, and soon after I was debriefed, Magvillus was attacked by some unknown, outside influence. Many were trapped in the wreckage when part of the fortress collapsed. Maria and I would both have died, had not the valiant Moebius tunnelled through the wreckage and saved us." She stares intently at Korvin, hoping he caught the subtle innuendoes she conveyed.