((Ulrich and Rose stood off to one side when the others were casting the healing ritual on Ra'am, but i don't think they'd been formally introduced.))
Ulrich can be in the library, or with Rose. Ra'am is giving him the freedom to choose where he wants to be. Indeed, he's given Elizabeth that freedom, as well.
((I'm cool to have an introductory chat between Tranquillina and Ulrich (and perhaps Rose too), if Peregrine wants to play.))
((Rose, I believe, is packing right after the ritual for a trip to Coeris in the morning, which is like any moment now. Ulrich would like to be with her if she will let him, help her pack, say goodbye, and then mope until next time. If not, he will be in the gardens, being all emo.
But, yeah, I'm game.))
"Your efforts certainly aren't necessary, Tranquillina. I have done an extensive self-exam, and am in good shape, but thank you for your concern." And Elizabeth is certainly there, but her nose is buried deep in the tome, as it were. Tranquillina will have to ask her directly what she's studying, if she wants to know, or wants her to talk. much beyond a friendly, "Goodbye."
Tranquillina hears through the grapevine that Maris and her Tremere are leaving for Coeris, which, geographically speaking means that they will be going near or to Mons Electi.
No sense interrupting Elizabeth, Tranquillina decides: if she had wanted to talk, she would have joined in.
This trip towards Coeris sounds like a no-lose situation. ((except sorry Ulrich/Peregrine 
)) Tranquillina steps to a spot just outside Le Maison's Aegis and hacks a bit of rock from the ground; she can always Leap back here if the trip turns out not to be fruitful for her.* She quickly writes a second copy of her letter to Mons Electi; unless Alexei is still around (I don't think he is), she'll show both copies to Maris, in the event that a witness to Alexei's signature would be helpful. She leaves the signed copy with instructions to have it delivered to Mons Electi, and brings the unsigned copy with her.
- Tranquillina isn't above generally grabbing Arcane Connections to locations as she goes, of course. That being said, the only one of note she's likely to have in her possession right now is one to near Nigrasaxa, since most of her stuff is still there. And she probably leaves that in her quarters at Le Maison.
Of course this all depends on Maris accepting her company on the journey, which she politely inquires about. ((Who are the other people in the traveling party? And I don't know anything about Maris, although Tranquillina would have learned a bit about her by now.)) [color=magenta]"You are kind to offer to allow me to accompany you, at least until we arrive close to Mons Electi," she thanks Maris. [color=magenta]"I know you offer this with no implied debt, but I can volunteer to help with reconnaissance during the journey. I have various means of traveling with great stealth, as well as vision that I can enhance magically."
In fact, she will cast Eyes of the Eagle on herself as the journey departs ((automatic, even fatiguelessly so in Le Maison's aura; it will last three days and two nights)), and while on the road she'll use her cloak's Gift of the Bear's Fortitude every sunrise and sunset.
As Tranquillina attempts to insert herself into Maris's party, Maris takes her aside for a word, "I'm well aware of where your ultimate destination is. You see, I'm the one who gathered all the information about his prospective members on his behalf. I think you would be a fine addition there. You are not a fine addition to my retinue, though. The magi in my retinue, including my apprentice, Rose are all Gently Gifted. Your presence with us will generate some amount of discord among our group." She pauses a bit and pulls something out of a pouch, "Use this in about 30 days." She holds out a strand of hair, "It's one of our grogs, and I'll tell him to expect you at some point after about 5 weeks."
She smiles as she gives the strand of hair to Tranquillina, "Think of it this way, you don't have to endure the overland travel. The purpose of this trip is a test for Rose in handling herself in mundane environments. It will also take us some time before we go past Mons Electi, at least 5 weeks, but it may be more, depending on how Rose conducts herself. It would be a shame for you to waste a season traveling with us, when you could be more comfortable here, wouldn't it?"
Carefully, Tranquillina secures the grog's hair, thanking Maris without meeting her eye. [color=magenta]"I will count thirty days and then Leap to this position. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I will certainly enjoy the comforts of your home in the meantime." In fact, Tranquillina is nearly crushed: she heard only that she would not be worthy of the traveling party, despite the fact that it was sandwiched between a compliment and a reasonable explanation. She tries to hide her dispiritedness, but probably doesn't do so completely. ((Prs 2 + Guile 3 + stress die 2 = 7))
When Maris's party sets out on the road, Tranquillina is there to wave goodbye. But as soon as they march out of sight, she visibly deflates and stands still for several long moments, breathing deeply at the ground. ((I'm guessing)) She is mirrored by the moping form of Ulrich on the other side of the road.
Yes, Ulrich is there to see Rose off. He would like to give her a goodbye hug and kiss, but with Maris standing right there...
So he will console himself with a cheery goodbye wave and a mouthed "I love you," and watches bravely as the woman who means more to him than anything leaves his life once again.
Once the troupe is out of sight, his shoulders slump and he hangs his head, trying desperately not to cry and to ignore the aching emptiness in his chest, all but unaware of anything else around him.
Suddenly an egg-sized shard of rock bounces off of Ulrich's leg. Tranquillina is standing several paces away, frowning towards him and adjusting the sleeve of her cloak.
[color=magenta]"That tiny room, beside the library, where people eat a quick snack before returning to their books," she says to him, her tone sounding nothing at all like a question. [color=magenta]"After dinner. I'll bring ale. You bring dice, and a readiness to answer questions."
With that, she turns her head to look at the entrance to Le Maison's main building. Without a sound or a gesture, she disappears from where she is standing, reappearing at its front door which she enters briskly.
Ulrich yelps in pain and hops for a moment as the rock strikes true, then looks across the way at the strange maga. He watches her depart, wondering what she has planned. Ale and dice? Sounds like she intends to recreate a tavern, but why? Does she intend to get him drunk and take advantage of him? He thinks about Rose, and promises her that he will never cheat on her.
But the stranger is a maga, of that there's no doubt. So, he scrounges up a pair of dice and arrives at the alcove at the appointed time, making sure his belly was full so he wouldn't get too drunk.
Tranquillina did indeed bring the ale - three pitchers of it, to go with two cups. [color=magenta]"You have the look about you of a boy who wants to be thinking about anything other than what he's thinking about. I know that feeling well," she says in a monotone. She is wearing what can only honestly be described as a tavern wench's dress, low-cut enough that it would be moderately scandalous were it adorning a healthier bosom. The result is that the outfit highlights her youthful appearance, seemingly barely into adulthood.
[color=magenta]"Your die. My die." Tranquillina says as she splits the pair of dice between them. [color=magenta]"We roll simultaneously. If yours is higher than mine, you get to ask me one question on a Hermetic topic of your choice; if I cannot answer correctly, you pour me a drink. Take note that if your die was higher than mine by exactly 2 or 5, then you must pour me the drink magically, without touching anything; you have to drink for any spillage or inability to pour. Take note also that if I lose because I rolled a 1, I must answer with my magic instead of with words; forgetting to do so costs me a drink. If I win, I ask you a question, with the same rules."
[color=magenta]"If we tie, then we each start talking and pouring each other's drinks immediately; you can pour into mine until I finish the next sentence in the Hermetic Oath, and vice versa (we start with the first sentence). In addition to these rules, anytime a 6 is rolled, then before any words are said, you must try to magically summon my die to you before I summon yours to me, and the loser drinks. However, if the 6 appears as a 6-vs.-3 or a double-6, then instead you magically toss my die at me and vice versa. Sending the die to the wrong target: a drink."
[color=magenta]"Ready then?"
Ulrich finds himself staring at her cleavage. He tries to be circumspect about it ((Com 1 + Guile (to women) 3 + die roll of 6 = 10)), however. I was right! he thinks. She is going to get me drunk and seduce me! Why did this kind of thing never happen before Rose?
He listens as intently as he can as Tranquillina explains the rules, with a growing sense of impending doom. I'm sorry, Rose, I don't want to betray you, he thinks soberly, and hopes that she never finds out about what will happen that night.
[color=green]"I think so," he says when she's done and reaches for his die. He throws the die, which comes up a 2.
Tranquillina throws hers, obtaining a 4.
((I'm happy to skip the Invisible Castle dice rolling links for this exercise - I trust you not to cheat unless you really feel like it 
))
[color=magenta]"What is a Perdo gesture that should not be used for Corpus spells?" she asks.
If he fails, she remembers to pour his drink magically.
((Made-up mechanics: Int + Carouse roll against an Ease Factor of 3. But every drink will act like a Light Wound, or worse for big drinks....))
((Clay/ceramic ale jugs? In that case, Unseen Arm at level 5 should suffice. Her ReTe casting total is Re 9 + Te 5 + Sta -3 + Aura 5 = 16 + die roll for fatiguing spont; she doesn't botch (in fact I've gotten two exploders in a row now - stupid timing 
). Uh oh, Fatigue is going to kill us quickly here, didn't think of that ... how about every fatiguing spont is just another -1, like the temporary drinking Light Wounds?))
((Finesse roll to hit his cup - Int 3 + Finesse (moving things) 3 + die roll 0 (no botch) beats an Ease Factor of 3.))
((If he fails:)) The pitcher lifts up, pours a modest drink into his cup (threatening to spill, but doesn't), and returns safely to the tabletop.
((No matter what:)) On the next round, Tranquillina rolls a 2.
((What are the dice made out of: Terram too?))
((Works for me.))
((Int + Carouse, or Int + Magic Theory? Int + Carouse is 2 + die roll; Int + Magic Theory is 6 + die roll. And a virtual Light Wound if you fail a Sta + Carouse roll of...let's not make it too easy, a 9? If Tranquillina got the "good stuff" 
))
((Ulrich rolls a 7, for a Carouse of 9 or a MT of 13.))
Ulrich barely even pauses to think, but blurts out the correct answer. ((which means no drink, right?))
((Aren't medieval dice traditionally made of Animal? Animal bones? Quick google search shows medieval dice were stone, wood, or animal bones. So, sure, Terram works))
Ulrich throws a 3. [color=green]"What is the smallest item that can be used as an Arcane Connection to a person?" he asks.
((And, just so I don't have to do the math every time, Ulrich's ReTe is Sta 2 + Re 8 + Te 1 + Aura 5(?) = 16 + die roll, ÷ 5.))
Even though Tranquillina is usually pretty aware of being watched, she doesn't notice Ulrich's little indulgence. ((Per 2 + Awareness 3 + die 3 = 8.))
Before things get too far gone, Tranquillia tosses her wrist so that the sleeve of her dress touches Ulrich's hand. [color=magenta]"There, now you've got a little magical protection," she murmurs. [color=magenta]"Sometimes this game gets out of hand...."
((To answer questions correctly, it could be lots of things - I think MT makes the most sense, or Perdo/5, or whatever - and Ease Factor 9 is fine by me. And are you proposing that each drink might or might not inflict a "Light Wound", depending on a Sta + Carouse roll?))
[color=magenta]"That's correct: drawing a finger across your throat is fine for most Perdo spells, but can be overly specific for Corpus. There are several other -" she begins to lecture, before stopping herself. ((Yup, no drink for Ulrich. No spell for Tranquillina either, so no Fatigue so far.))
((I was drifting towards Animal too - that might be more fun, since Terram is already in the game. And Ulrich's Rego is pretty decent, so I don't feel like I'm handicapping him.))
((Int 3 + MT 6+2 + stress die 6 = pwn.)) [color=magenta]"An eyelash," Tranquillina responds, batting hers.
For the next round, she rolls a 4.
[color=green]"Thank you, Maga," Ulrich says.
((Yes, since this seems to be basically a drinking contest to see who can hold their liquor better. Makes sense to me, anyway.))
Ulrich smiles as he throws his die, which comes up a 1. The smile vanishes.
Tranquillia does smile, or perhaps "smirk" is a better word. She puts her die inside her empty cup and inverts the latter, trapping the die underneath. [color=magenta]"How can you tell what my next roll is, without moving the cup?" she challenges Ulrich.
As the game progresses and presumably both participants' grips on sobriety wane, Tranquillina will start to ask side questions unrelated to the game itself. [color=magenta]"What is Elizabeth's nature, anyway?" she blurts out at one point. [color=magenta]"Is she always untalkative? or just towards people she doesn't think highly of?"
[color=green]"Hmm...that is a hard one," Ulrich muses. ((Int + MT of 6, dice are 1 and 4 for a total MT of 14)). [color=green]"If you had seen the die before you covered it up, I would say Intellego and Mentem, but you didn't. Maybe a Muto Corpus to give myself the ability to see in the dark, and an Intellego Terram to see what's within the inverted cup, much like that spell that lets you see what's inside the room. Or is it Intellego Imaginem?"
((Let's see...Tranquillina's Sta + Carouse is 5, and Int + MT is 11, while Ulrich's is 2 and 6 respectively. So, yeah, she's definitely going to get the better of him. He's going to be quite a bit more sloshed than she is before long.))
[color=green]"Elizabeth? She's pretty enough, but she's pretty quiet, too. Very dedicated. I don't think she talks much outside to the laboratory, except to her family. And I guess to me, a little but, but since we're both Ra'am's apprentices, that kinda makes us brother and sister, doesn't it?"
He looks down at his goblet and falls quiet, with a sad look on his face.
((Failed Awareness roll! T has Sta -3, not +3. She really is a frail one, since her accident long ago.))
[color=magenta]"Good ideas, young one," Tranquillina begins triumphantly, [color=magenta]"but your roll was a 1, so you should have answered with magic rather than words. Allow me!" She pours him a drink by hand.
She then lifts her cup up to reveal her roll for the next round: another 4.
Tranquillina waves her left hand in what might have been an effective declamatory gesture under a sober operator. [color=magenta]"Oh by Criamon's bottom," she profanes, [color=magenta]"I don't know how you went there about Elizabeth. It's obvious you've totally fallen for this Rose girl. I'm guessing she's happy about that too, seeing as how your moping about only started this morning. At least your pater is proud of you ... don't take that for granted. What is Mr. Crashing Carpet teaching you anyway these days?"
((Folk Ken roll 2+3+9=14))