"Oh, there's no problem, sister," Tranquillina snaps, her Gaelic almost too fast for Fiona to understand, "other than that our leader here is more suspicious of, of the leader of the lineage that founded our entire, our whole community, than he is of a, of that bastard clown down there who comes from a line of snakes." She intentionally avoids saying the names of any Houses or other Hermetic terminology so that nobody else can know the topic of her utterance. Tranquillina's chin is held high, her gaze staying fixed on Korvin after she emitted a quick glare at Fiona. After a few moments, though, she glances towards the giantess again; Fiona may or may not be able to see the hurt in her eyes, or her concern that she slapped away a helping hand.
Korvin returns Tranquillina's gaze and will switch to Fiona when Tranquillina does and then back to Tranquillina . It is really that terrible that you can not speak openly to me. I have aired my thoughts which is what we should do. If you have anything against any of the candidates then speak it so we all may judge. So you do not trust Tytali because you feel they manipulate everyone. Is that correct?
Fiona looks at Tranquillina with a slightly confused look on her face for a moment as she tries to parse the double-speak. She then gets an "Ah" look on her face and nods slightly.
[color=blue]"Sodales, I would like a brief recess," she says as she stands up.
[color=blue]"I would speak with you outside, if you please?" she says to Tranquillina in Gaelic, and looks briefly at Korvin. Fiona then leaves, goes outside and finds a spot to sit against the wall where she waits for Tranquillina to join her.
[color=blue]"So, this is not just about your issues with Tytalus, but a slight against your Prima," she says quietly, looking Tranquillina in the eyes.
[color=blue]"Murion has long been a friend of Mons Electi, and Apollodorus, even before there was a covenant. Apollodorus and she worked together to try to prepare for the coming troubles. Perhaps Korvin has forgotten that; I will speak with him in a few minutes. But if your prima writes us a letter of introduction for a newly-gauntleted housemate, that is good enough for me. Just as it would have been if she had felt the need to do so for you.
[color=blue]"As far as Stultus goes...that is something that you will have to work out yourself. I will only say that I am...surprised that you seem unable to see beyond the house to the magus."
Tranquillina nods rapidly to Korvin and is about to speak further to the matter, but is interrupted by Fiona....
((Couple of side questions: first, Fiona doesn't have any Magic Realm vis inside her in 1227, right? And second, can you tell me anything about Murion and Apollodorus's collaboration?))
Out in the hallway, Tranquillina stands eye to eye with Fiona's sitting form. "Oh, his crack about Murion being devious doesn't offend me - hell, it's probably accurate," she begins, looking over her shoulder at the doorway to the council room. "But his damn judgment of her, and her, her judgment of...." She trails off, not really sure where she was heading. Her mind is obfuscating the telling detail that, yes, it does make her feel inferior when a younger Bonisagus is recognized by those above her in the House, when she herself has done little to earn that recognition. Damned if I'm going to vis-bind some animal to myself just to score points with the Prima, her thoughts whirl. Maybe it's time I start concentrating on research...?
Tranquillina rubs her eyes, like she often did during the Tribunal; her long green and gold sleeves obscure her face for a drawn-out moment. "Don't you see, Fiona - it is about the magus, not the House." She probably even believes this rationalization as she says it. "Stultus was personally trained by a deceiving, cruel, grudge-carrying Tytalus maga, a specific person, not a stereotype." Her face is very pale, even paler than the worrisome hue it has been the last few months. "She ... she is the maga to whom I was first apprenticed. Before, before Tria and my House. So don't think I don't know exactly what we're dealing with here." Her last words are barely more than a whisper.
((Murion, through the Jerbiton and Tremere Primas, knew about the research into the scrolls. She knows what we know about the attack on Apollodorus. She has the evidence that Guernicus is behind much of the major events in the Order. Basically the same stuff we have. Korvin was asleep during the Prima meeting with the major folks so he has no information on what they talked about.))
((I actually had to go back and track down the post to be sure I remembered which side she was on, but forgot to link it earlier. My bad.))
((correct...she consumed the vis, in a way, to gain the Venus's Blessing Virtue in Summer of 1224.))
Fiona nods sagely. [color=blue]"Ah, I see. 'There but for the grace of God', perhaps. Are you Tria's mirror, Tranquillina?" Fiona waits for her answer.
[color=blue]"I don't think any of us are the spitting image of our mater. I doubt that you are Tria's, I doubt that Stultus is his maters, and I know for sure that I'm not mine. And I think it does him and you a disservice to treat him as though he is."
Fiona reaches out to stroke Tranquillina's hair in an almost maternal gesture, then reaches into her purse to pull out her flask and hands it to the Bonisagus. [color=blue]"Here...it looks like you need this."
She gives Tranquillina a moment to recover from the whisky, then continues. [color=blue]"Think about what I've said. I personally see no reason to bar any of them from probationary status. But if you still can't give him the chance to prove himself, perhaps we can recommend him to Novus Mane or make him a Protected Guest for a time."
The question confuses Tranquillina greatly for several seconds. "No, that wouldn't - you know that -" she sputters, before it dawns on her: her four years at Mons Electi so far have flown by, and she doesn't actually remember the details of her complicated training coming up with the other magi. "I was first apprenticed to Cumhachd ex Tytalus, bless her soul," she says sarcastically, not realizing that she has reverted to Latin. "After nine years, I was rescued from her clutches by Tria Trianomae, who claimed me by right of her House. But two years after that, my apprenticeship was transfered to Maximianus Bonisagi, who oversaw my Theoretical Interview and is truly my pater."
((I'm going to presume that Fiona continued her line of thought with this new information - hope you'll agree with the changes below - seems reasonable....))
Tranquillina's hair is much longer than usual tonight, but tightly bound in an intricate style, so the stroking is a little unsatisfying. She takes the flask and looks slyly at Fiona, then chants an Intellego Aquam spell and touches the liquid within to her tongue, with as little self-consciousness as someone else sniffing at the bottle. ((Sta -3 + In 6 + Aq 0 + aura 5 + stress die 6 = 14, halved is 7, enough for Subtle Taste of Poison and Purity.)) Satisfied that she can handle a bit more drink even with guests present, she downs a good solid draught of whisky, becoming the perfect picture of a coughing lightweight in the process. ((Sta -3 + Carouse 2 + stress die 3 = 2.))
Tranquillina rolls her eyes, although the intensity of her disagreement seems to have faded significantly. "Trouble is trouble, wherever you place it," she responds. "And accepting a Tytalus in our midst is simply asking for trouble. But I am only one vote of this council, and I will treat no guest or member ill, until his actions warrant it."
((Ah...I was thinking she was Tria's filia, and had forgotten about Maximianus.))
((Fiona was going for something comforting...shrug Ah well.))
[color=blue]"True...but one vote is enough to bar membership. I feel, based on what I've seen and heard, that he will be a boon to the covenant."
((Unsatisfying as a solace ... get your mind out of the gutter! 
))
((Hmm, is that true? - anyway, Of Of Course she won't end up voting against any of them. Though she might be sorely tempted....))
((But it's so nice and comfy down here! 
))
((Yep. According to the charter, "The status of Probationary Member of the Council...is admitted upon the unanimous approval of the current Council of Members. " Of course, it's open to debate as to whether, for example, five ayes and two abstentions constitutes "unanimous approval"...I think it is, since there would be no nays.))
Is Roberto a probationary member?
So much stuff, been busy myself. Having scanned the conversations, it is probably for the best that Roberto was, um, playing dice with the grogs 
Otherwise he would have shot his mouth off 
So what is going on here?
I believe Roberto started at Mons Electi near the beginning of the autumn of 1226, so he's still a Probationary Member at the time of this discussion (he's scheduled to become a Full Member at the beginning of the summer of 1228). He still gets to participate in decisions of the council of magi, though he only gets half a vote.
well, would half a vote for "no" disrupt a unanimous decision? 
The little clown amuses me, and the Bonisagus seems gullible enough. I abstain from voting, for while I have no objections, I feel that it ius not yet my place to say yea or nay.
((We would have to update it I think because it does not talk about quorum so technically 1 aye and 6 abstentions also constitutes "unanimous approval". i would guess that is not what we want.))
In the section "Governance of this Covenant", fourth paragraph below the Officers, it says: "Should it not be possible to convene the full Council of Members, any quorum consisting of more than half of its current members is considered valid; else the discharge of the council’s duty must be delayed until such time as the full council may be convened."))
((Are we ready to reconvene the Mons Electi magi with the applicants for dessert and resolution?))
((I think so.))
[color=blue]"Shall we reconvene the meeting, then?" Fiona asks Tranquillina.
Assuming that she is, Fiona gets to her feet with no regard to modesty or propriety and goes back into the council chamber.
[color=blue]"Is there any more discussion regarding the applicants, or are we ready to take votes?"
If we vote now, Tranquillina will enthusiastically support Gerulf; she'll vote for Rose with some uncertainty but knowing that that's what Probationary Membership is for; and she'll abstain from voting on Stultus, and just sit there looking like a sullen teenager.
Korvin votes aye on all but opens up the discussion to send them to Novus Main for their probationary period.
Fiona votes aye on all three.