"It's actually not that difficult. It was one of the first spells I invented as an apprentice. You just need to have studied some Creo and some Imaginem for a few months."
((If I have it figured right, it's CrIm, Base 1 to create an image that affects a single sense. +1 magnitude to create an image that moves with you, analogous to making a moving visual image, but not one that you make move at your direction as you concentrate. R: Personal, D: Sun +2, T: Individual. Final spell level should be 4. 5 if I thought it should be bumped up a magnitude because it moves with her constantly.))
"And the spell is weak enough that I can dispel it with no effort and cast it anew if need be."
If it's base 4... Talia smirks a bit. (Cr 13+3 + Im 0 + Sta 2 + Aura 3)/5=4.25. Talia will create a dress similar to Godiva's, but favoring her colors. ((Like that picture, yeah, that's it.))
"Thanks, I would have never thought about that." Getting back to luncheon. "Again, accept my apologies for her abundance of caution. she says while giving a sidelong glance at Caoimhe. "Can we get back to our otherwise pleasant discussion?" If Sal is nearby he kinda moans a bit...
Looking suspicious, Caoimhe does take Godiva up on her offer, touching her quite thoroughly. 7+2Charm+5Com=14... she is most definitely flirting with Godiva as she "inspects" to make sure she's real.
((I'm guessing, then, that Caoimhe qualifies as "sexually compatible"? Godiva has +2 Pre and Venus's Blessing.))
Godiva lets Eireann examine her patiently, watching her with a half-smirk, half-smile. It's really quite interesting, watching her (Eireann's) fingers or parts of her hand disappear as it passes through what looks like Godiva's clothing.
"I think you missed a spot," she whispers before she finally says, "Satisfied?"
Meanwhile, Actius, who is most pointedly "not" watching, shifts uncomfortably in his chair. "Yes, let's. Where were we?"
Talia was watching Caoimhe and Godive closely. She's not unfamiliar with sapphic pleasures, but she prefers vigorous male attention, being the only woman aboard a ship has created numerous opportunities.
"So, I'm to understand that this is a dedicated covenant, but has no sponsor? You have a conjured castle, which must have cost a fortune, if my cog below is indicative of costs. Quite a bit of wealth here. I'm impressed. What made you think Insula Canaria was dead? Did you not bother to go visit and look it over, see that people, perhaps magi were there? I'm a bit confused, and I'm hoping you can enlighten me.
what's more interesting is feeling up her naked body, with impunity.
"Not yet, but perhaps later," she retorts brashly. "After I've had a more thorough inspection, in private. As for now, all I can attest is that you have a very real-feeling body. I'm still not convinced you aren't fae, though. I've never laid eyes on a mortal woman that made all my rational sense flee with the simple quirk of her lips." (Charm check 14.)
"We're not actually a Dedicated Covenant like they have on the mainland, when a covenant sets up another covenant that's beholden to it for support. This is more like, I decided that I would like to study this lake that supposedly has a respectable Magic Aura over the whole thing, to see if I could determine how such a thing came to be and if it were possible to duplicate the effect somewhere else. Can you imagine the benefits if we were even to take a small magic area and expand it? To fill a whole valley, a large lake, or even a sea? It could revolutionize the order? No more trying to pack a covenant into a pocket of Magic that you could touch both sides. You could build an entire city inside a Magic Aura if I can unlock the lake's secret!"
By the end of his monologue, he is standing and pacing, speaking excitedly. He catches himself, and sits down, looking rather embarrassed by his outburst.
"Aham. So, I wrote to a few of my housemates, got their support (more moral than fiscal, I'm afraid), and came here with my filius and a couple other magi of my acquaintance who wished to move here. The castle was erected by my soror in Hibernia, who used a larger variant of Conjure the Mystic Tower.
"As to the other, about Insula Canaria. As I said, it was merely hearsay. After that dreadful incident where your princeps and his apprentice had succumbed to diabolism...I had heard that the covenant was trying to recruit new members, but I had heard rumours that it was unsuccessful so they disbanded and became eremites. Obviously, they was vastly mistaken, and I do apologize for not looking into it myself. I had seen the buildings, but assumed that they had been abandoned. We've been very busy trying to get our own house in order, as it were."
"Perhaps if Talia lets you stay, we can...discuss rational sense in more depth."
"So do you find yourself short of anything, and in excess of something else? Given that we're so close, I think there is a rather high risk for misunderstandings and what not. I'd like to discuss trade possibilities, areas of mutual understanding and the like. I think your ideas on discovering more about the aura are intriguing, but should be approached with an abundance of caution, if our aura were to diminish that would be horrific."
"Now I'm all jealous at being left out," Talia gives a mock pout. "Eireann is free to do as she wishes, trying to control her is..futile."
"At the moment, we're still getting situated, seeing what we have and don't have. Robin is exploring for vis sources, but I suspect that, as vast as this Faerie-aligned woods are, much of what he finds may have a taint to it. But, once we're settled, we would be happy to discuss matters with you. And I agree, I would be devastated if my research wound up doing the aura harm of any kind."
"It is perhaps possible that Robin might stumble across one of our vis sources, and given the present understanding that Insula Canaria is not gone, harvesting should be done after ownership is determined, wouldn't you agree? Our close proximity increases the likelihood that misunderstandings like this might occur. Despite being a Tytalus, I prefer competition to conflict, and competition can be friendly as much as it is adversarial." ((This before or after Talia does Douglas?))
((Based on this, I'm thinking well before. Talia knows that the Mercere are researching registered vis sources, but doesn't know if they're going to find anything or, if so, how much.))
"If he stumbles across any vis sources, we will check with you to be sure that we're not encroaching on one of your registered sources. Fair enough?"
"Or perhaps," Godiva says, "we can simply say that what's on your side of the lake is yours, and what's on our side of the lake is ours."
To Godiva, "I think not. What is registered to Insula Canaria is registered Insula Canaria. What you suggest borders on...unreasonable. I'd like us to be good neighbors to each other. If you require verification, we could ask that the Redcaps confirm or deny that the registration exists in our name. That's fair, and then we can't be accused of trying to take a legitimate, newly discovered vis source that would rightfully be yours. I think we can all agree that the Redcaps are beyond reproach in these matters, and serve to be an impartial third party."
"Fair enough," Actius says. "Any vis sources discovered by either covenant shall be registered to the discovering covenant, except in such cases where the vis source is already registered. If you will excuse me for a moment."
He then leaves the room for a few minutes and returns with a couple of parchments, an ink well and a quill. "If you don't mind signing an agreement in principle. I've found that it's so much better to get such matters in writing, don't you agree?"
He then sets them on the table before Talia. It's a document stating the above, pending ratification by the Presiding council of each covenant, to take effect at sundown of the Fall Equinox, and already signed by Actius.
Talia will sign both copies. I think this is an equitable agreement. I do look forward to seeing you in the future, if you'd like to conduct some trades, I think we could probably patch up some deficiencies the others lack."
"Eireann, I must be going, studies to return to and what not. If you wish to take Godiva up on her offer, I can send the ship back up for you tomorrow around the same time." Talia's tone of voice suggests she doesn't approve. When Talia gets up she makes a careful search around her looking for any stray hairs. Note she didn't take her clothes off with the CrIm effect, so she shouldn't have too many. Her total is 14. She doesn't really care if she gets noticed doing this, and has no guile to make what she's doing seem inconspicuous.
"Very well. Good day to you all." Talia will take Sal and the other sailor back to the Whoa Buoy. They'll return to Insula Canaria and she'll notify the magi of the existence of Orientali Litore, a covenant further north on the other side of the Loch. She'll include the names and houses to the extent she knows along with other detail of the discussion in a note to be sent to all the magi.
I discovered a new covenant, Orientali Litore not far from us. The residents that I know of are Godiva of Jerbiton, Actius of Bonisagus and a Robin House unknown. They indicated that they heard Insula Canaria had disbanded. I signed an agreement in principle protecting our registered vis sources and suggesting that new ones are the property of the finder. It needs to be ratified at the next council meeting, and should probably be reviewed by our esteemed Quaesitor. I signed it because i didn't see any technical or convoluted language. I attempted to arrange trades, but was rebuffed with the excuse that they were just getting settled. I also need someone skilled with Perdo magics to destroy any arcane connections my friend may have left behind on an extended stay. If you have the ability and knowledge to do so, please let me know. Until such time as those connections have been eliminated, I must also exclude her from being aboard my ship, since my ship is outside the Aegis boundary, I take precautions against scrying to the extent I can.
Warm regards,
Talia
I will look over the agreement and get back to you shortly.
I am not especially talented with Perdo, but if you have reason to suspect they may try to scry upon your consors, mayhap it is best to let them; I can monitor your friend for any magics which may have been cast upon her. Tampering with another magus' consors or custos falls under the Code's prohibition against scrying on another magus, and if these neighbours are dishonourable it is better that we know and deal with it, than to constantly guard against it as prudence would necessitate.
Please feel free to stop by and come aboard at your convenience to discuss it. I can show you to her cabin. In the meantime I have stopped my crew from clearing her cabin out. In the event you are unfamiliar with custom, it is advisable to request permission to come aboard. While the entirety of the ship is not my sanctum, my sailors have been used to vigilantly guarding my privacy when in ports. I am trying to disabuse them of that behavior when here at Insula Canaria, but you know men: like old dogs, they are.
