Alexei leans in towards Roberto after he has finished venting about war. "Sodales...let us take that discussion elsewhere. You have valid points, but they are best discussed at a different time. I have my frustrations with the Tribunal and its ways also, but giving voice like this can cause discord and other problems, though not among us I'm sure. Just as I would defer to your judgment in Spain regarding these matters, I would ask you listen to me here in Normandy. And I thank you for your ideas regarding the mercenary company, I feel that you would be well suited to starting that up and presenting a thorough plan for us to use."
"Your average mundane knight," comments Stultus very quietly, "is a young male who has received battle training from childhood. Which is to say, a package of pride, aggression, I'm-better-than-you swagger, and cocksureness -- a package neatly wrapped in armor, and given a nice, sharp sword. Jousts and such are a way of channeling and blunting this pride and aggression, if you don't happen to have a real war handy. A socially acceptable outlet."
Well, I am an infantry man, raised up and trained as a foot soldier. But my father was a knight. Not the sort that you recognize. A Caballero Villano as opposed to a Higaldo. A common free man instead of a nobleman. His armaments were earned through labor and service, his training came from field experience. There is no shortage of war where I come from, and hired warriors & soldiers vastly outnumber nobility.
So perhaps I was raised to take things more seriously.
And make no mistake, we have jousts and training games in Castile & Aragon. But we do it to actually practice and hone skills, not for sport or to belay the bordom of blue-blooded roosters. If they find themselves short of war, I reccomend the Crusades.
And you know what? I am man enough to admit that I am half way sorta talking out of my @$$. Half of what I have said is true. The othet half is just guesses and fabrication. I am just talking around in circles because I really don't like the idea of of tourney "war-sport", or the Hermetic Normandy Tribunal Tournaments. If these things were indeed a contest of skill as a means to train and learn to improve, I would whoheartedly approve. But it isn't. It is show and sport and vanity.
And I am sure you are surprised to learn that a true Flambeau magus hates war. We master the art so others don't have to, a duty to protect the Order of Hermes and our covenants. We are the ones who saved the Order from the evil Didne hordes. We defended the Order from the Odinists and brought the Sahirs into the Hermetic fold. Flambeau himself brought about the Pax Hermetica, the Peace of Hermes having been forged by his "Join, or Die!" recruitment policy. The only way to insure peace is to prepare for war.
Alexei's eyes widen at the outburst from Roberto and then runs a hand through his hair and leans back. He tried to change the track of the conversation, now he thought it best to sit it out.
Fiona looks at Roberto to see if he's joking. When it's apparent he isn't, she then looks to see if he's lost his mind.
[color=blue]"Yes. Let us go forth to seek and slay a dragon," she says after a moment. [color=blue]"And I will stay behind to comfort the widows and feed the orphans."
She shakes her head. [color=blue]"There are some things that even the most powerful of archmagi fear, and with good reason. Dragons are near the top of that list. If you are truly serious, I will not stop you, and I will do what I can to aid you. But I will not go with you, and I will be truly and pleasantly surprised and grateful should you return."
Fiona shakes her head no. [color=blue]"And who determines whether my contributions to the covenant's welfare are more worthy than Alexei's, or less valuable than Tranquillina's, or undeserving of any recompense at all?"
((Has Fiona heard anything during Tribunal on this, or picked up on anything in her, admittedly limited, dealings with Tria? Per 0 + Awareness 3 + die roll of 8 = 11, or Per 0 + Folk Ken (Magi) 2 + die roll of 6 = 8.))
[color=blue]"Does anyone know why we have to pay such an onerous tithe?" Fiona asks with a thoughtful frown. [color=blue]"It would seem that, unless the Church is intending to destroy us, that they would have us pay a something more within our means."
[color=blue]"Nothing wrong with a young male who's sure of his cock," Fiona says under her breath with a dreamy smile.
Fiona looks at Brionne, trying to hide the shock and horror she feels at his tale. ((Com 2 + Guile (Hiding true feelings) 3 + die roll of 7.)) That doesn't sound like the man she knows and has grown fond of...but then again, that was many years ago, and men do change over time. But still, it's something to mull over.
[color=blue]"I...see. She finishes her wine, then stands and puts a gentle hand on his shoulder.
[color=blue]"Thank you for your time, lad. You've given me much to think about. And I've not forgotten that I promised to do a little something for you. I know how you enjoy having magic cast upon you. I can either grant you the form of a pig for the rest of the night...although that is a powerful spell and may Warp you a shade more. Or, if you wish, I can grant you a form that is even more pleasing to the eye for...not quite four weeks. Which would you prefer?"
Brionne chuckles at the offer. "Some m'lady would think the first spell was a punishment or a curse...I hate to ask, but one thing I dearly enjoy is walking about the moonlight with naught but Eyes of the Cat to help me see. Ye may not understand with fair ye are...but I feel better seeing others than being seen..." he blushes and wipes his nose on the back of his sleeve.
Fiona smiles. [color=blue]"Flattery will get you everywhere," she says with a smile. She then leans over to kiss him on the cheek, her hand lingering on his arm as she silently and without gestures casts the spell. ((CT is 35 + Aura 5 +die roll of 9 – No Words 10 = 39.))
[color=blue]"You're a sweet man, Brionne. And I thank you again for your time. Remember...not a word to Alexei or Helmut." She smiles again and starts to lead him toward the door.
[color=blue]"Oh...by the way. I'm easily capable of casting a version of that spell that will last for weeks, if you ever want it."
What did he say that shocked Alexi to silence? Mind you, I may have gotten carried away in my roleplaying dialogue. Really trying to think of what is in this character's head. Roberto is a war orphan, pressed into service as a child soldier, not only participated in many battles but was involved in a full on war, and after his code-breaken parens dies and Roberto became a magus, he participated in the Hermetic War against the Flaming Shadows. He is already a grizzled veteran at his young age.
Now me, I am not a veteran. So I am just guessing what his mindset would be like.
As for tournaments, the whole bit about not killing the horse and having to have noble blood to participate, Roberto really does think that is stupid and pointless.
And yes, Roberto is serious about trying his hand at dragonslaying.
I am not married nor do I have any children. If I did, perhaps I may feel differently. And I have held off on Longevity thus far, for perhaps I would like to sire offspring one day. Or perhaps to train an apprentice.
And you know what, the idea of having children, or supposing I had children, that further motivates me to slay a dragon and help make the world a bit safer thereby.
Robero smirks. Only those Archmagi who are frail, elderly, or girls. And I think that your natural fear and overactive imagination quite exaggerate the proposal and the danger. There are all different sizes and shapes of dragons. I am not suggesting questing after Pan Caudrax or the Great Serpent of the Pyrenees. I am thinking a mid-sized serpent, one within the ragnge of my Parma Magica and Penetration. And I have said many times and it has always proven true. Planning and preparation mean everything.
So if you would like to help me, perhaps some research. Ferret out rumors of any isolated villages being plagued by a drake or minor dragon. Ogres even. Monsters that menace humanity must be put to an end, and taking their treasures is justly deserved spoils.
Time. Everyone's time is equal, for a season spent in whatever task, grand or mediocre, is still a season spent doing something other than what you want to do. But fine, none of you seem interested in the idea. Tell you what, everyone you want to lay off shall be hired as a member of my personal staff. I will pay them as part of my Lab Upkeep, which the covenant compensates me for.
And no, I am not being serious. I am simply sating that you are going about the trimming of fat from the buidget the srong way. Remove or weaken enough of the bottom bricks, and eventually the whole wall colapses. And you are asking whole families that have become dependant upon us to make sacrifices you are unwilling to make. In fact, I will lead by example and revise my own lab set up to be cheeper and more efficent.
"Not everyone has that choice," Tranquillina interrupts. "Take Stultus for example. Half his lab is on the rocky shelf high above us - exposed to the elements and the forceful winds; that takes a tremendous toll on the equipment there, which must often be replaced. Why, simply getting supplies up to that sanctum takes more time, which translates into more servants and thus more cost. And we would punish him for his laboratory's upkeep, because he volunteered to use that lab due to his smaller stature? That seems unfair to me ... although I am but a frail, elderly girl, so you might not be inclined to value my opinion." She makes no effort to hide the sarcasm in her last comment.
Why not simply scrap that lab and build a better and more cost effective one on the ground?
Stultus had actually moved a lot of the lab inside -- forget lab equipment, the elements and the forceful winds take a tremendous toll on the dwarf, and there are no replacements for him available -- but that doesn't detract from Tranquillina's point.
"Because of the magical advantages in being on a mountaintop, and the time required for setup and teardown. If I had a year or two to devote to setting up a new lab that's just as good, I might well do that -- but as things stand, I don't."
Is it a tithe or a payoff? It was simple dropped into our laps. If we wish to...renegotiate with the Bishop I think that falls to pauses to check the officer list. Alexei as Vilicus. I might want you to take your deputy to this visit as well. with your future duties, we can not count on you being here all the time so Tranquillina should meet him.
Roberto. Your suggestion has merit if we are struggling like Novus Main but at this point we are simple having to readjust our funds for new expenses. At this point I would suggest that we shelve it until we see how these other methods work out. It may come down to drastic belt tightening but I think we have some time before it comes to that.
((I would have two responses for this but I'm unsure of Korvin's knowledge. Tenens seems like a in-House function of the Bonisagus for other Bonisagus. From reading it I'm not sure if a general magi, from outside Bonisagus, would even know they exist. I will go with my first response.))
Korvin looks blankly at Tranquillina for a moment.
Tranquillina takes a deep breath, but merely nods at Alexei. It's a sensible contingency, she tells herself, and I will have the energy for it. After taking it easy over the summer, she felt fully recovered and successfully tackled the second Corpus tropaeum during the autumn. But she is planning, for the next few months, one last overhaul of her laboratory: she will patiently go over the room from top to bottom, cleaning and organizing every last piece of equipment, now that all her Corpus aids are in place. She also needs to make room for her new magical furnace (she smiles inwardly, anticipating its healthy warmth throughout the winter), and - certainly not least, in terms of her attention - to fulfill her promise to Loys. I've never trained a dedicated servant in a lab before ... I hope I haven't made a huge mistake. But back to the matter at hand: she reassures herself that a trip to see the bishop will not cause her undue stress, even during a busy season; I'll take my annual confession at the same time, she decides efficiently.
((Fair point ... and it'll help all of us for a quick summary of what a Tenens is anyway. Myself included :mrgreen: ))
Tranquillina clears her throat and assumes a didactic tone of voice. "Much of what the Tenentes Occulortum do can be surmised from the name," she begins. ((Everyone present knows the words mean "Tenders of Secret Lore.")) "These four magi Trianomae travel extensively over their assigned areas - in Tria's case, the Tribunals of Rome, the Rhine, and the Greater Alps: the most prestigious of the four. In brief, their role is to guard the metaphorical boundary between magical knowledge and the mundane world. They ensure that Hermetic research is kept safely out of mundane hands, especially when explications of that research are transfered from a covenant to Durenmar. To be prepared for that duty, Tria would want to keep track of all the research projects currently being undertaken by Bonisagi in - er, by magi in her assigned area." She glances guiltily at Korvin as she continues her lecture. "The Tenentes also keep track of non-magi who are known to us as being seekers of magical phenomena; occasionally, subtle intervention is necessary there to forestall threats to Hermetic security." Tranquillina decides not to bring up the Gazetteer if nobody asks about it. ((Int + Order of Hermes Lore vs. EF 12 for anyone to remember the word Gazetteer as being connected to the Tenentes Occultorum, vs. EF 15 to actually know what it is. As a Bonisagus, Gerulf probably deserves a +3 bonus to his roll.))
Alexei heaves a heavy sigh at the assignment of seeing the Bishop again, and to renegotiate the tithe they were making.
"Yes...it should be done, the true tithe is only 10 percent. I'm concerned that my love for Mother Church and fidelity to it might cloud my judgment...but this seems rather clear cut. Perhaps it is best then that I go, and yes having someone come with is a good idea. The Bishop knows...far more than I'm comfortable with about the Order. A failing I believe that we can again thank Valerian and his allies for. He was performing magic right in front of him! Such nerve! Such disrespect in the house of the Lord!"
If it is a true tithe I would agree but the Bishop mentioned that some of it would go to the Duke to pay for his Crusade. Korvin looks to Tranquillina. I would keep an open mind while negotiating.
(( Nb4xBc6 Q+... ))
"I have no light to shed on the matter -- just a question. What was Tria looking for in Rome?"
"I wish I knew," Tranquillina answers, shaking her head. "Not because it is any business of ours ... but because of the rumors I heard of the antagonism Tria was engendering during those visits."
((In case that part of the conversation is petering out....))
"In any event," she continues, "the conversation soon turned to other matters - that was the day that Alexei, er, sought medical attention." She looks with concern at the Flambeau. "Tria left then, for a few days, but then returned with a guest. I went to Korvin to request an Aegis token for this guest, but because we did not know their identity, we both visited Tria's quarters. That is when we found out that Tria's guest was the local Tremere Exarch...." Tranquillina glances over to Rose for her reaction. "Maris seemed somewhat put out that two Mons Electi magi, rather than one, knew of her coming; of course that sparked my curiosity. That of our Princeps too, I wager, but he judged - rightly - that we would learn more from our visitors if he stepped away from the discussion."
If you mean that I try not in insert myself into other's business then yes. And Maris is a bit scary.