(A series of shopping adventures, each more geographically distant)
1223.1
"...and while Fiona is still at Durenmar," Theraphosa continues explaining. "She hasn't written back to indicate if there are any books there for sale, so I can only assume there aren't. I'm not exactly sure where Viscaria went off to, but she has this list of lab texts, summae and mundane shopping that, frankly, I don't think she'll have the time to do on her own anyway. Perhaps some of this can be found in Autun? And from there, just a short hop, really, barely an opportunity to stretch your legs, to get to Atramentum Renatus. Then we'll spend a day in Clermont-Ferrand, before coming back. Shouldn't take more than a week. I would go by myself, but...."
Theraphosa meaningfully shrugs several of her exoskeletal legs.
"So what do you say? Care to go on a little shopping trip for the covenant?"
(OOC: We could gloss over the trip to Atramentum Renatus, and keep this grog-level)
Adeline would be interested by this... but she's only 18 at the time... I can maybe retroengineer her, this'd be a good intro story, both for the character and for how she began to climb the social ladder (by incrusting herself on this mission)
You say "only 18" ... I hear "been a medieval adult for 4 years"
I cooked up the five weavers explicitly hoping they'd be fun to take out on the town on adventures of this sort - by me or by any player. Gaston Lainnier certainly comes to mind as a shrewd bargainer, but any of them should hopefully have something fun to recommend them. (Pierre will be my companion character.) I can post precise character sheets soon; Blanche is already on the wiki.
So far, this looks like a non-combatant party. Could be fun, if they aren't ambushed.
EDIT: For JL:
Following the Defense threads, Isen would be interested to buy the following items:
5 or more portable items (boots would be great) with the ability to cast Wizard's Leap on their wearer:
ReCo (An, Te, He) 15, +1 touch, +5 for 24 uses per day = lvl 25 enchantment.
Items able to cast Veil of Invisibility, either on their wearer (in which case he'll need more) or on a group:
Base 4, +1 Touch, +1 Conc, +1 changing image, +5 maintain concentration = lvl 20, 30 if affecting a Group.
Items able to cast Doublet of Impenetrable Silk, either on their wearer (in which case he'll need more) or on a group:
Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun = lvl 15, 25 if affecting a Group.
He'd also like a lab text for:
Any spirit summoning spell like Summoning the Spirit of Fire
Any spirit control spell such as Coerce the Spirit of Fire
I'm pretty much ready for this, just need to know who's going on this first trip, and what the specific goals are...
Informationally speaking Clermont and Montferrand are separate cities at this time and are not necessarily friendly. Clermont is in the hands of the clergy and Montferrand belongs to the nobility.
Also, plan on a week of travel there and a week of travel back (it's 130ish miles away), plus however much time the party will be staying there and any points along the way.
Grog-level, I have Wen and Mélanie who would be willing to travel. If we include Companions, Wilhelm might, as long as he doesn't have to go into the cities. Especially if it's mainly/exclusively women traveling. They will need some protection.
I'm leaning toward Mélanie, mainly because Wen's been on the last three grogventures. And either one would be more along for the ride/to get out of the covenant for a while rather than any need to get something.
Any sort of exquisitely crafted objects, for prizes at the A&S competition. This is more about establishing a connection with a craftsman (and looking out for Gifted children raised in craft environments, or potential new covenfolk)
Mundane books to enhance the library. Again, this is more about establishing a contact than fulfilling a specific need right now.
Theraphosa plans to approach various covenants as an ambassador and see what sort of library exchanges they are interested in making. She does not have the bargain skill and is not going to engage in any exchange herself, she's just checking for interest. Going by the categories in Covenants pg 94:
She wishes to discover if anyone is making a sale by public offer, and to consider it, regardless of whether it is on our shopping list or not.
Sale by tender (ie, asking if anyone has these) of the lab notes she needs for the tribunal
Other stuff:
PeVi Might stripper spells and mastery texts
Aegis of the Hearth mastery texts
Transportation spells
1st and 2nd magnitude lab texts
Edit: Just saw the posts that have been made while I am writing this. Given the distances involved, Theraphosa will be sitting in the covered wagon, reading her Tractus on Normandy Tribunals. She'll only come out if there's trouble, and briefly to pass the message to the other covenant. Otherwise, this is a grog adventure.
Edit 2: I lack viable grogs! I name my Spidersilk Weaver "Rashid," and will have him come along.
I'm totally up for bringing Gaston and Guilheum (Take Your Son To Work Month). Gaston is appearing in another thread, so I thought I'd float the other ideas; but he is the first one I thought of too.
Sounds like Gaston might be the one to bring, since it sounds like a very mercantile thread. As for overexposing him - look how much play Wen gets, and I didn't even make her.
Rashid bows his head low. "I would be quite pleased to go, for I have heard Autun is a commune, and I'm quite intrigued to see how this affects their businesses. I can drive the wagon, too." His unassuming merchant's garb includes a cloak with a deep cowl, the better to hide his skin tone, and armor.
Are we going to Clermont or Montferrand, or to Autun?
In the interests of full disclosure, Theraposa's presence will dominate the character of the story whenever she's nearby. She's a companion level character and she'll be sending out the grogs to acquire the things she needs, and ensnare her enemies. Oh, and Difficult Underlings should certainly apply here, who wants to take orders from a spider? Hijinks ensue...
Theraphosa's plan was to go to Autun and then either Clermont or Montferrand. I don't know nearly enough about any of these cities. (and only picked Clermont and Montferrand because they seemed nearby). Then again, as you say, she isn't driving.
Ahh, but she is driving, merely by being present. Involving Theraposa in the stor(y|ies) effectively makes here the star of the show. She's a companion level character with the Difficult Underlings flaw, and also has a problem showing herself in public.
And Mélanie. "You know, if it hadn't been for me, the covenant would have wound up a pile of rubble a couple of years ago. But they put their faith in me, and I ran all the way to Harco to bring in reinforcements. All. the Way. to Harco. That's right."
