1227 Tribunal Preparations

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: In the Ruins of Bibracte
201

((her = Moire?))

"Well, with the way Fiona left Insula Canaria so suddenly, it looked like things were going to be difficult for us...me an' Seumas." Moire moves her hand to her stomach for a moment, until the nausea passes, then looks at Tranquillina suspiciously. Did she just cast a spell on me? she thinks. I don't feel any different.

"And my place was with Fiona," Moire continues," as was my ma's before me, so it wasn't hard to convince her to bring us with her. And Seumas was one of the best shepherds there, and is one of the best here, so it wasn't like we were worried about him earning his keep.

202

((yep, Tranquillina cast it on Moire))

If Moire had any suspicions about the last spell, Tranquillina doesn't notice them - Folk Ken roll: Per 2 + Folk Ken 3 + stress die 0 (no botch) = 5.

[color=magenta]"In my opinion, your excellent knowledge of the capabilities of the covenfolk, such as the shepherds here, is one of your great strengths," Tranquillina tells Moire with a knowing nod. [color=magenta]"And not just of their abilities, but of their inclinations as well. Your devotion to Fiona, and by extension to the entire covenant council, is beyond question; but there are many in our fields, and not all of them can rise above the others where loyalty is concerned."

She leans forward, looking straight at Moire. [color=magenta]"I am interested in finding out who these covenfolk are, whose commitment to Mons Electi is as outstanding as yours. We have a significant task needing done - long and careful work, though not physically burdensome - that requires utmost discretion and faithfulness. And how proud these chosen folk would be to carry out this important duty, even if it differed from their normal routine. How proud, indeed, would their friends and families be, at their willingness to set aside one role for another."

[color=magenta]"Moire, will you help me - help all of us - choose these paragons of Mons Electi?"

203

((Boy, it's a good thing Moire has the Gossip Virtue, isn't it?))

"What kind of work are ye talking about, ma'am?" Moire asks.

Once she gets her answer (I'm assuming "we need people we can trust to quarry stone using magic items in the Regio"), she thinks for a couple of minutes.

((Area Lore roll: Per 2 + Area Lore: Bibracte 3 + die roll of 3 = 8. I'm assuming that her Specialization of "Goings-on" doesn't apply.

Or Folk Ken roll to know about the people: Per 2 + Folk Ken (covenfolk) 5 + die roll of 3 = 10.))

Once she's had time to sort through everyone she can think of, she will start throwing out names that she thinks would be a plus and start delineating their pros and cons...some of which don't have anything to do with the task at hand, but are merely thrown out for the "Oh, by the way, you might want to know..." factor.

Starting with her own husband Seumas, who "is big, strong and a hard worker, and it would be nice to have him home at night instead of out in the fields all the time. Of course, he stutters something fierce, so you don't have to worry about him spilling any secrets, even if he were the kind who would, which he isn't."

((By this time, her French score is 4, so she should be pretty much up to speed on what all's going on in the covenant.))

204

Alexei speaks up in a serious voice. "In light of recent events, I suggest we have a warning system that we can use to alert us and Grogs should something happen within the Tribunal's Aegis. The problem of course is that we will only be invited into it and can be rescinded easily, perhaps at an even fatal moment, and we'd need to sound an alarm quickly. Perhaps an item or items could be made and hidden on the Tribunal grounds, so they will be part of the Aegis and not be resisted even if we are ejected from the invitation? These items would sound an alarm for all of us to hear should it become necessary. Would that work?"

205

((Shortcutting a bit. This is exactly what Tranquillina (and I) were hoping for. What do you think of the following plan: we come up with a list of ten names of covenfolk that seem most promising - mostly, or wholly, currently unnamed folks. For each one, a name, occuptation, and a couple of pros and cons. I'm happy to do the majority of them - I'll probably stick with people with local French backgrounds - do you want to come up with a couple who might possibly come from farther away?))

Tranquillina quickly begins to take notes on wax tablets - just each covenfolk name, and a few words to trigger her memory. In the afternoon she will copy these notes onto ink and parchment; she knows that she can use Creo Mentem magic later to recall Moire's descriptions perfectly, if she remembers anything of each part of the conversation.

[color=magenta]"I am very glad to hear that you agree: Seumas would be an excellent man to lead this team. He is equally trustworthy, and I know he and I will be able to communicate well. I trust that you will be able to convince him to put aside his shepherd's crook for a short time."
((Would Seumas also be up to French 4 by this time?))

After the bulk of the business had been conducted, Tranquillina leans confidentially towards Moire. [color=magenta]"Do not think that I fail to appreciate your thoughtfulness and assistance, Moire - as well as your utmost discretion, to everyone but your husband. I knew you were the right person to approach, and I also thought about how I might be able to repay you." She lowers her eyes towards her feet before politely continuing. [color=magenta]"You've hinted to me about your troubles conceiving another child, and I know how frustrated you and Seumas must feel. I do know a fair bit about the human body, and I have ways of finding out more. If we get this quarrying team successfully off and running, with Seumas proudly in charge ... then with your leave, I could try to see if I can help with your ... difficulty."

206

((Works for me.))

Moire smiles. "I'm his wife...I can be very persuasive when I need to be."

((Yes, his French is also at 4, but he doesn't speak Latin, and he has the Afflicted Tongue Flaw.))

"Well, it's only been two years since Viviene was born, so it may be too soon, yet. I'm hoping that the difficulty I had with her didn't....make me barren, but it would be nice to know if I can give him more children. Thank you."

207

Depending on what happens with Isen and Fiona (does he get rid of his rigid magic in time?), we could do it with a Watching Ward, which would save us the time, if not the vis.
For such a 1-use thing, I think it's worth it.

208

((Here's what I came up with by randomly picking names from Saint Gabriel.))

Edward le Grand: an Englishman who came in a couple of years ago to help rebuild the wall, also helps with whatever needs to be done around the covenant (construction, teamster, brute squad, what have you).

  • Pros: Large, strong as an ox, has no trouble following orders if he understands them.
  • Cons: Not all that bright, his French is mediocre; ideally, should have an English speaker to help him if it's more complex than "lift this and move it over there".

Jost von Aichstatt: a German carpenter who immigrated from Baden when Apollodorus was first establishing the covenant. There has not been as much demand for his work as he had hoped.

  • Pros: already knows the basics of carving, just needs to translate from wood to stone; is used to working with magi.
  • Cons: is an adequate carpenter at best, hopefully will be able to use the tools to do a good job carving the stones.

Muirenn ingen Cherbaill: an Irish woman who showed up with her infant daughter Echrad and has been doing odd jobs and manual labour around the covenant every since.

  • Pros: big and strong, for a woman (nowhere near as big as Fiona, of course); has shown a willingness to do whatever she needs to do, within reason.
  • Cons: Is a mother of a five-year-old girl, so she may have distractions or other obligations that she might place first; almost never talks about her life before she arrived here.
209

Have Tranquillina make some stuff with Imaginem:

Alarm Bell Pendant
CrIm 5 (Base 1, +1 Diam, +3 size?, 1 use/day) S/M Bell +5 Warnings
When activated by passphrase, the bell rings a distinct ring for 2 minutes. This sound is a thousand times louder than a single man’s shout, an can be heard for a vast distance. While extremely loud, it does not cause damage or cause any other mechanical effects.

The Secret Alarm
CrIm 10 (Base 1, +4 Arcane Connection, +1 Diam, 1 use/day)
A pair of pendants, one the receiver and the other the transmitter. When activated, the transmitter causes the "receiver" to generate any sounds that could be "heard" by the transmitter.

[hr][/hr]

Viscara arrives at Tranquillina's sanctum a bit later than expected. "Good morning, 'Lena. And who is this with you? You live with one of the magi, don't you?"

Out of the context of Fiona's cottage, Viscaria doesn't recongnize Moire at all, despite having magic'd up her current living quarters.

210

[color=magenta]"Ah, Viscaria, welcome again," Tranquillina replies also in Latin, staying seated but motioning the maga to a comfortable chair. [color=magenta]"Yes, this is Moire, of the heelands near my birth home, who is a trusted servant of Fiona's. We have been discussing various covenfolk who might help us with the quarrying project. Come, look over these candidates, and tell me who you think would make good members of our team; it is my hope that Moire's husband, Seumas mac Torcaill, will be its leader."

Notes to the following effect have been recorded on wax tablets:

Amauri: a sort of jack of all trades, master of none who ended up as a shepherd in the fields after trying several other jobs around the covenant.
Pros: Quite a bit stronger than he looks, experience with many different tasks, clearly committed to staying at Mons Electi.
Cons: Hasn't been particularly successful at any one job, doesn't speak at all.

Dragonse de la Vitesse: part of the turb that came from Astingani.
Pros: Stands out from the turb for his reflexes, commands a small squad and lectures them on loyalty, stronger than average.
Cons: Not particularly comfortable interacting with magi, unclear whether he considers himself adaptable to a different role.

Edward le Grand: an Englishman who came in around 1221 to help rebuild the wall; also helps with whatever needs to be done around the covenant (construction, teamster, brute squad, what have you).
Pros: Large, strong as an ox, has no trouble following orders if he understands them.
Cons: Doesn't seem all that bright, his French is mediocre; ideally, should have an English speaker to help him if it's more complex than "lift this and move it over there".

Gennon des Vers: a sheep shearer who is known to recite poetry to groups of friends when relaxing after the day's labors.
Pros: Knows a fair bit of Latin, considered a man of discretion by friends who confide in him, obviously intelligent.
Cons: Many social ties with other covenfolk, hence a danger of word leaking out; can a shearer be trusted with fine detailed cutting?

Hermessent: a milkmaid who has filled several different servant roles at the covenant as well, including assisting the butchers.
Pros: Strong enough to keep an animal still when slaughtering it, and knows how to dissect the meat from the livestock; has performed several different tasks already.
Cons: Not as smart as some of the others, and it's possible she prefers being a milkmaid over a servant because of a jitteriness around magic.

Jost von Aichstatt: a German carpenter who immigrated from Baden when Apollodorus was first establishing the covenant. There has not been as much demand for his work as he had hoped.
Pros: already knows the basics of carving, just needs to translate from wood to stone; is used to working with magi; vetted by Apollodorus in the first place.
Cons: is an adequate carpenter at best, hopefully will be able to use the tools to do a good job carving the stones; hasn't found another role at Mons Electi despite having little work.

Loys: a thirteen-year-old boy who runs errands and delivers messages for the magi.
Pros: Excellent Latin and communication skills; already comfortable around most of the magi, who count on him to carry out important tasks.
Cons: Has no experience with masonry or related tasks; can someone so young be trusted to keep secrets?

Muirenn ingen Cherbaill: an Irish woman who showed up with her infant daughter Echrad and has been doing odd jobs and manual labour around the covenant every since.
Pros: big and strong, for a woman; has shown a willingness to do whatever she needs to do, within reason, and learns quickly.
Cons: Is a mother of a five-year-old girl, so she may have distractions or other obligations that she might place first; almost never talks about her life before she arrived here, so some questions about her character.

Phelippe: part of the turb that came from Astingani.
Pros: Has already been trusted with certain duties inside the regio, including vis gathering; used to dealing with magi, doesn't need to be taught things twice.
Cons: Has two sisters, one who works in the fields and another who works as a maid, both of whom seem unhappy here; would he consider leaving the covenant if they wished it?

Susane d'Ausi: a daughter of a prosperous family, who came to Mons Electi to work as a seamstress.
Pros: Very used to measuring cuts carefully beforehand, speaks some Latin, respected for the quality of her work.
Cons: Quite physically weak, maintains ties to family in Autun.

211

I sorted the names by her response to them, just to clear confusion from her wordiness.

No
Dragonse de la Vitesse: part of the turb that came from Astingani.
Pros: Stands out from the turb for his reflexes, commands a small squad and lectures them on loyalty, stronger than average.
Cons: Not particularly comfortable interacting with magi, unclear whether he considers himself adaptable to a different role.
“I’m sorry, are you saying he’s dissatisfied with life in the turb? We should bring this up to Alexei and have him talk to thise Dragonse. I’m sure we can find him a more suitable role.”

Loys: a thirteen-year-old boy who runs errands and delivers messages for the magi.
Pros: Excellent Latin and communication skills; already comfortable around most of the magi, who count on him to carry out important tasks.
Cons: Has no experience with masonry or related tasks; can someone so young be trusted to keep secrets?
”Are you serious?” Viscaria is livid. ”We have a young man with such qualifications and this is the best we can think to do with him? Has anyone tested him for The Gift? Does he know how to read? Get this child to our librarian!”

Phelippe: part of the turb that came from Astingani.
Pros: Has already been trusted with certain duties inside the regio, including vis gathering; used to dealing with magi, doesn't need to be taught things twice.
Cons: Has two sisters, one who works in the fields and another who works as a maid, both of whom seem unhappy here; would he consider leaving the covenant if they wished it?
”Again, is this someone looking to leave the turb? Or are you saying he was one of the few Astingani covenfolk that weren’t part of the military? He sounds too intelligent to use for these purposes, but too smart for the job he’s working now, as well. We should point him out to Alexei, possibly make him an established part of our expeditionary forces or something. And what’s this about his sisters being unhappy? That’s simply not to be tolerated. The man’s been trusted to gather vis for us, and we’re not taking care of his family? It’s not to be tolerated."

Susane d'Ausi: a daughter of a prosperous family, who came to Mons Electi to work as a seamstress.
Pros: Very used to measuring cuts carefully beforehand, speaks some Latin, respected for the quality of her work.
Cons: Quite physically weak, maintains ties to family in Autun.
”I’m tempted to suggest that we move her onto my project with Rashid, but then, I suppose she already is. The truth is that between Fiona, Sheelagh and myself, we have such need for quality custom clothing that I’m hesitant to suggest we do anything but leave her where she is. In fact, we should probably give her a raise...” (From this, it is quite obvious that Viscaria is incapable of looking at a painting without adjusting the frame to be sure it is level.)

Yes
Edward le Grand: an Englishman who came in around 1221 to help rebuild the wall; also helps with whatever needs to be done around the covenant (construction, teamster, brute squad, what have you).
Pros: Large, strong as an ox, has no trouble following orders if he understands them.
Cons: Doesn't seem all that bright, his French is mediocre; ideally, should have an English speaker to help him if it's more complex than "lift this and move it over there".
”Sounds perfect. Sounds delicious too. I may have some....evening duties for him." Viscaria giggles devilishly.

Muirenn ingen Cherbaill: an Irish woman who showed up with her infant daughter Echrad and has been doing odd jobs and manual labour around the covenant every since.
Pros: big and strong, for a woman; has shown a willingness to do whatever she needs to do, within reason, and learns quickly.
Cons: Is a mother of a five-year-old girl, so she may have distractions or other obligations that she might place first; almost never talks about her life before she arrived here, so some questions about her character.
”She sounds perfect for this job. What is her daughter like? Is she precocious? I am in need of a new servant for my sanctum. Patience has gone off to learn how to hunt or something. I don’t know. Vin said something about her being quick with a knife, and I tell you, it’s certainly better than having her glaring daggers at her mother all day long, and I swear that man smiles at her when no one’s looking, so I’m sure it’s all for the best. I mean, if only the damn woman would stop drinking so much..."

Amauri: a sort of jack of all trades, master of none who ended up as a shepherd in the fields after trying several other jobs around the covenant.
Pros: Quite a bit stronger than he looks, experience with many different tasks, clearly committed to staying at Mons Electi.
Cons: Hasn't been particularly successful at any one job, doesn't speak at all.
”He sounds good for the job. Perhaps we can even get him to focus on using the work to learn Finesse, and then he’d be very useful indeed....”

Maybe
Jost von Aichstatt: a German carpenter who immigrated from Baden when Apollodorus was first establishing the covenant. There has not been as much demand for his work as he had hoped.
Pros: already knows the basics of carving, just needs to translate from wood to stone; is used to working with magi; vetted by Apollodorus in the first place.
Cons: is an adequate carpenter at best, hopefully will be able to use the tools to do a good job carving the stones; hasn't found another role at Mons Electi despite having little work.
”Quite possibly. How old is he? If he’s young enough, we might consider having him apprentice under Rashid for my new project. If not, we’ll certainly be able to keep him employed and productive with this project.”

Gennon des Vers: a sheep shearer who is known to recite poetry to groups of friends when relaxing after the day's labors.
Pros: Knows a fair bit of Latin, considered a man of discretion by friends who confide in him, obviously intelligent.
Cons: Many social ties with other covenfolk, hence a danger of word leaking out; can a shearer be trusted with fine detailed cutting?
”Hrm....I’m tempted to see if he’d prefer to work with Rashid. It’d be nice to have someone dedicated to just collecting the spider webs..."

Hermessent: a milkmaid who has filled several different servant roles at the covenant as well, including assisting the butchers.
Pros: Strong enough to keep an animal still when slaughtering it, and knows how to dissect the meat from the livestock; has performed several different tasks already.
Cons: Not as smart as some of the others, and it's possible she prefers being a milkmaid over a servant because of a jitteriness around magic.
”Sounds like we might also consider teaming her up with Rashid. Have someone off collecting spiderwebs who won’t be squeamish about what she finds inside those webs..."

Re: Seumas mac Torcaill

"That's one of Fiona's men out in the field, yes? Shepherd? Oh, your husband, yes, of course. Is he looking to change professions? For I doubt that once they get into the swing of things that we are like to lose taste for the stone within a mortal lifetime."

212

((I've reordered the people with dramatic license.))

Amauri: "He sounds good for the job. Perhaps we can even get him to focus on using the work to learn Finesse, and then he’d be very useful indeed...."
[color=magenta]"I agree. I'll approach him to join your quarrying team, and see if I can coax him into becoming skilled in Finesse for its own sake as well as for the task at hand."

Dragonse de la Vitesse: "I’m sorry, are you saying he’s dissatisfied with life in the turb? We should bring this up to Alexei and have him talk to thise Dragonse. I’m sure we can find him a more suitable role."
[color=magenta]"Er, I'll speak to the Imperator about him. But for now we'll omit him from consideration."

Jost von Aichstatt: "Quite possibly. How old is he? If he’s young enough, we might consider having him apprentice under Rashid for my new project. If not, we’ll certainly be able to keep him employed and productive with this project."
[color=magenta]"I believe he's at least thirty - too old for apprenticing. Why don't we add him to this squad as you suggest?"

Phelippe: "Again, is this someone looking to leave the turb? Or are you saying he was one of the few Astingani covenfolk that weren’t part of the military? He sounds too intelligent to use for these purposes, but too smart for the job he’s working now, as well. We should point him out to Alexei, possibly make him an established part of our expeditionary forces or something. And what’s this about his sisters being unhappy? That’s simply not to be tolerated. The man’s been trusted to gather vis for us, and we’re not taking care of his family? It’s not to be tolerated."
Tranquillina starts to get a little agitated. [color=magenta]"It's not something I ... um, I'll look into whatever complaints his sisters have. And suggest to Alexei that Phelippe deserves particular attention."

Loys: "Are you serious?" Viscaria is livid. "We have a young man with such qualifications and this is the best we can think to do with him? Has anyone tested him for The Gift? Does he know how to read? Get this child to our librarian!"
[color=magenta]"I've been here scarcely a season - how am I to have personally vetted every covenant child by now?" Tranquillina explodes suddenly.

Gennon des Vers: "Hrm....I’m tempted to see if he’d prefer to work with Rashid. It’d be nice to have someone dedicated to just collecting the spider webs..."
Tranquillina takes a deep breath. [color=magenta]"I think ... maybe having Gennon work with Rashid is a good idea. His social inclinations would be less of a security concern in that capacity."

Edward le Grand: "Sounds perfect. Sounds delicious too. I may have some....evening duties for him." Viscaria giggles devilishly.
[color=magenta]"Not in front of...!" Tranquillina gasps. With a sideways glance at Viscaria, she turns to Moire and asks what the maid knows about Alexandria the librarian, apropos of their discussion of Loys. While Moire answers, Tranquillina will silently and motionlessly cast Recollection of Memories Never Quite Lived on her, with as long duration as possible, to get her to forget about Viscaria's lascivious comment and her own scandalized reply. ((Sta -3 + Mu 9 + Me 10 + aura 5 - still/silent 15 + stress die 5 = 11/2 = 6, good enough for Moon duration, which in this case means about a season....))

Hermessent: "Sounds like we might also consider teaming her up with Rashid. Have someone off collecting spiderwebs who won’t be squeamish about what she finds inside those webs..."
[color=magenta]"I suppose there's no point in assigning her to a squad that uses magical items constantly, if it would cause her anxiety. Would there be overt magic to her perception should she work with Rashid? Or just the spiderwebs themselves?"

Muirenn ingen Cherbaill: "She sounds perfect for this job. What is her daughter like? Is she precocious? I am in need of a new servant for my sanctum. Patience has gone off to learn how to hunt or something. I don’t know. Vin said something about her being quick with a knife, and I tell you, it’s certainly better than having her glaring daggers at her mother all day long, and I swear that man smiles at her when no one’s looking, so I’m sure it’s all for the best. I mean, if only the damn woman would stop drinking so much..."
[color=magenta]"Good, I'll see if I can get Muirenn to agree to join this team. We should try to find out what she most desires for Echrad, besides the privilege of being a maga's direct servant. Do you have any ideas what we could offer her on her daughter's behalf?"

Susane d'Ausi: "I’m tempted to suggest that we move her onto my project with Rashid, but then, I suppose she already is. The truth is that between Fiona, Sheelagh and myself, we have such need for quality custom clothing that I’m hesitant to suggest we do anything but leave her where she is. In fact, we should probably give her a raise..."
[color=magenta]"Fair enough. I'll see if I can offer her something for her fine efforts - my praise, at the very least...." Tranquillina drifts off for a moment, pondering some unknown plan.

Seumas mac Torcaill: "That's one of Fiona's men out in the field, yes? Shepherd? Oh, your husband, yes, of course. Is he looking to change professions? For I doubt that once they get into the swing of things that we are like to lose taste for the stone within a mortal lifetime."
[color=magenta]"Moire and I have discovered that our ... incentives are aligned towards convincing Seumas to take on a new role."

213

Because typing endquotes is a pain...

Amauri: "He sounds good for the job. Perhaps we can even get him to focus on using the work to learn Finesse, and then he’d be very useful indeed...."
[color=magenta]"I agree. I'll approach him to join your quarrying team, and see if I can coax him into becoming skilled in Finesse for its own sake as well as for the task at hand."
"That's 1."

Dragonse de la Vitesse: "I’m sorry, are you saying he’s dissatisfied with life in the turb? We should bring this up to Alexei and have him talk to thise Dragonse. I’m sure we can find him a more suitable role."
[color=magenta]"Er, I'll speak to the Imperator about him. But for now we'll omit him from consideration."

Jost von Aichstatt: "Quite possibly. How old is he? If he’s young enough, we might consider having him apprentice under Rashid for my new project. If not, we’ll certainly be able to keep him employed and productive with this project."
[color=magenta]"I believe he's at least thirty - too old for apprenticing. Why don't we add him to this squad as you suggest?"
"That's 2."

Phelippe: "Again, is this someone looking to leave the turb? Or are you saying he was one of the few Astingani covenfolk that weren’t part of the military? He sounds too intelligent to use for these purposes, but too smart for the job he’s working now, as well. We should point him out to Alexei, possibly make him an established part of our expeditionary forces or something. And what’s this about his sisters being unhappy? That’s simply not to be tolerated. The man’s been trusted to gather vis for us, and we’re not taking care of his family? It’s not to be tolerated."
Tranquillina starts to get a little agitated. [color=magenta]"It's not something I ... um, I'll look into whatever complaints his sisters have. And suggest to Alexei that Phelippe deserves particular attention."
Viscaria (correctly) fails her Folk Ken roll to notice 'Lina's agitation.

Loys: "Are you serious?" Viscaria is livid. "We have a young man with such qualifications and this is the best we can think to do with him? Has anyone tested him for The Gift? Does he know how to read? Get this child to our librarian!"
[color=magenta]"I've been here scarcely a season - how am I to have personally vetted every covenant child by now?" Tranquillina explodes suddenly.
"Why are you yelling?" Viscaria bellows back excitedly. "This is an amazing find! This is exactly why we needed to create this Officer roles! Don't you see! This is progress!" It is possible that Viscaria is shaking Tranquilina by the shirt collar by the time she's finished talking.

Gennon des Vers: "Hrm....I’m tempted to see if he’d prefer to work with Rashid. It’d be nice to have someone dedicated to just collecting the spider webs..."
Tranquillina takes a deep breath. [color=magenta]"I think ... maybe having Gennon work with Rashid is a good idea. His social inclinations would be less of a security concern in that capacity."
"That's 2 for the squad, 1 for Rashid."

Edward le Grand: "Sounds perfect. Sounds delicious too. I may have some....evening duties for him." Viscaria giggles devilishly.
[color=magenta]"Not in front of...!" Tranquillina gasps.
"That's 3 for the squad, 1 for Rashid."

Hermessent: "Sounds like we might also consider teaming her up with Rashid. Have someone off collecting spiderwebs who won’t be squeamish about what she finds inside those webs..."
[color=magenta]"I suppose there's no point in assigning her to a squad that uses magical items constantly, if it would cause her anxiety. Would there be overt magic to her perception should she work with Rashid? Or just the spiderwebs themselves?"
"Aside from being a job inside the regio, it's unlikely that she'll notice anything magical." Viscaria reassures her non-chalantly. "Especially after Rashid teaches her to plug her ears with wax, so that she won't hear them singing. That's 3 for the squad, 2 for Rashid."

Muirenn ingen Cherbaill: "She sounds perfect for this job. What is her daughter like? Is she precocious? I am in need of a new servant for my sanctum. Patience has gone off to learn how to hunt or something. I don’t know. Vin said something about her being quick with a knife, and I tell you, it’s certainly better than having her glaring daggers at her mother all day long, and I swear that man smiles at her when no one’s looking, so I’m sure it’s all for the best. I mean, if only the damn woman would stop drinking so much..."
[color=magenta]"Good, I'll see if I can get Muirenn to agree to join this team. We should try to find out what she most desires for Echrad, besides the privilege of being a maga's direct servant. Do you have any ideas what we could offer her on her daughter's behalf?"
"That's 4 for the squad, 2 for Rashid. As my servant, she'll spend quite a bit of time working with Chastity, my silversmith. If she has what it takes, this could lead to an apprenticeship. Beyond that just the schooling we offer all the childr....Wait, that was my last covenant. Do we offer schooling to the children here?"

Susane d'Ausi: "I’m tempted to suggest that we move her onto my project with Rashid, but then, I suppose she already is. The truth is that between Fiona, Sheelagh and myself, we have such need for quality custom clothing that I’m hesitant to suggest we do anything but leave her where she is. In fact, we should probably give her a raise..."
[color=magenta]"Fair enough. I'll see if I can offer her something for her fine efforts - my praise, at the very least...." Tranquillina drifts off for a moment, pondering some unknown plan.
"If you talk to her, make sure she knows that I'm very interested in her reaction to the silks coming out of Rashid's workshop." Viscaria comments, as if she's never seen the reaction people have to The Gift.

Seumas mac Torcaill: "That's one of Fiona's men out in the field, yes? Shepherd? Oh, your husband, yes, of course. Is he looking to change professions? For I doubt that once they get into the swing of things that we are like to lose taste for the stone within a mortal lifetime."
[color=magenta]"Moire and I have discovered that our ... incentives are aligned towards convincing Seumas to take on a new role."
[/quote]
"Well, alright, but then that's 5 for the squad, and 2 for Rashid. We only need 4 quarrymen, and I know Rashid's worked with teams at least that large before. Which one do you want to turn into a silk weavers, and which do you want to learning how to use magical tools?"

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((Good to know Tranquillina can be a basket case to Viscaria and it won't even get noticed!))
[color=magenta]"Let's put Seumas, Jost, Edward, and Muirenn on the quarrying team to start with," suggests Tranquillina; [color=magenta]"at the same time, let's give Amauri an opportunity to practice the skill of Finesse that will be new to him (or, better yet, have someone train him in it, if we have a suitable teacher). After a season or two, we'll know who is working out for the best and who might be reassigned. Will Rashid be able to handle such a large team all at once? It might be that Gennon and Hermessent together already form a significant challenge for him."

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((In her youth, she kept tackle-hugging the Ice Monstrosity and then shrugging when asked if that felt cold. And Rashid has Craft 6 and Leadership 4 (apprentices), so he needs 3 and can handle up to 4.5 helpers.))

"Well, if Amauri is literate, there's a book in the library on the subject. Beyond that, I'm not sure how we would train someone. Chastity has been working with me for years, but I wouldn't trust her to aim a wand. I'm frankly more confidant of Rashid's ability to handle a team this size than Seamus. I've never seen Seamus work with other mortals, though, so my opinion counts for naught."

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[color=magenta]"Hmm," Tranquillina ponders. [color=magenta]"Let me describe a plan; its downside, I immediately acknowledge, is that the quarrying would not begin until, say, the autumn equinox."

[color=magenta]"We arrange some private tutoring, by having Otto teach Amauri and Loys how to read - Loys can then be sent to Alexandria to see about helping in the library. By the end of the spring, Amauri should be decent enough to handle Threading the Hermetic Needle, and hence will be ready to actually put that knowledge to the test with the quarrying team. Each member can have a particular role to play; Seumas can be in charge of communicating your instructions to the team, Amauri in charge of the cutting ... and the others?"

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"That would be an excellent plan," Viscaria mollifies. "Had I not already enchanted four greater invested rings so that each member of the team can engage in all the tasks. Each ring allows the wearer to cut a block of dressed stone out of a suitable site, and then either carry it to the excavation site OR convert it into a pillar suitable to support the tunneling efforts. The rings do not require any particular aptitude or subtlety to use. Indeed, they were designed specifically to overcome that need."

She considers.

"We're already agreed on sending Gennon des Vers and Hermessent to work with Rashid. You seem fixed on setting the quarrying team as Seumas, Jost, Edward, and Muirenn. Let's add Amauri to the quarry team so that it is five mortals with four rings. Have them take turns overseeing the work for the first season, and then either elect a project foreman, or determine that one is unneeded and give the team the choice to turn a member of their choosing over to the silk weaving operation, or some other plan of your devising. Perhaps by then, our Military Officers will have some interest in the matter."

218

((Assuming Moire is still at least nominally part of the conversation.))

Moire clears her throat delicately and simply says, "Stutter."

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((Funny piece of trivia: PB and I drew up 10 covenfolk as potential quarriers (not counting Seumas). PB did 3 and I did 7 ... but all 3 of PB's made the team and only 1 of mine! :cry: ))

((I sort of knew this, when I thought about it. But it still seems like fun to get one of them good at Finesse - plus, presumably, skill in Finesse should actually make them do a better job with the rings, even if they could all do adequately without, yes? Maybe there will be some finer stone-shaping at some point that Amauri can specialize in. Also I think some semi-specialization would happen naturally on the team anyway, even if mechanically we don't have to worry about its consequences - just RP texture.))

Tranquillina's brow furrows. [color=magenta]"Oh, dear, I am sorry to have been insensitive to your husband's affliction," she comforts Moire. [color=magenta]"You are right; I will not put him in a position to which he will feel unsuited."

[color=magenta]"Your summary seems wisest. We shall learn more about their particular strengths in the early months of the project."

If this part of the scene is coming to a close, Tranquillina will offer: [color=magenta]"Viscaria, sometime in the next few days, would you allow me to accompany you to the proposed quarry sites? I should be familiar with the location as I direct these covenfolk to their new assignments." ((OOC motivation: discovering the vis source that is part of Tranquillina's build points. Her Magic Sensitivity should come nicely into play here.))

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((I count myself as having selected 8 of them for my various plans. Are you not counting Loys, Amauri and the silkweavers?))

((My understanding is that enchanted items are MUCH more rigid in their abilities than spells, unless you explicitly put a Finesse roll into them. But yes, I think having Finesse specialists sound like a good idea. Mechanically, I see no particular reason to favor Amauri over the others for that choice, but from an RP standpoint, sure, let's separate him out for the training.))

"Certainly. I thought we were headed there now. How are you with heights? The bridge is a bit....unfinished."

Assuming she agrees, Viscaria leads her up a level, then out of the mansion,(see image) and past Fiona's cottage. She points to the stone bridge (just to image right) below which connects to a heavily gardened circular outcropping with a magnificent view.

"When construction is finished, the bridge will connect down there. For now, though, the support lines are stronger than the bridge itself."

As she moves on towards the cliff looming behind the mansion, she adds, "There is also a path from there leading down the mountain, past the entrance to the caves that lead to our chess-playing friends. The path is pretty narrow right now. Making it was part of what led me to my new course of studies. I'm covering the entrance to the cave system with Rashid's workshop, under the premise that many of the spider-sirens live down there. Here - you see this path leading down? That leads down to the garden, and from there to the silkweaver's shop, and then around the mountain several times and all the way down to that river. But we're going up."

She guides Traquinilina up past all the vis sources and up to the caves that lead to her sanctum, pointing out the vis sources along the way. "If we can train him in the Theory of is, then Rashid can collect the silkworm cocoons for us, and then weave them into vis for us....I plan to add a staircase here that goes around the bushes so there's less risk of damaging them...These stones appear to be heavily Muto based, but given the shift in the regio, I suspect there is some underlying Rego to the chaos of it....Careful of these mirrors, I haven't enchanted them yet.....Ooh! Grab that leaf! Grab that leaf! It might be vis! Dammit, I missed! This seisin is stupid and unfair to short people...."

There is nothing Viscaria walks past without her thinking of ways she might improve it. She does not stop to smell the roses, except to sniff out how much fertilizer she could add before poisoning them.

The cave mouth leading to her sanctum has been heavily worked by now, and has a pair of guards stationed here. It's not QUITE a room in its own right, with two very rough doors. Viscaria hastens to assure her that she did not build it.

"So that door leads to my sanctum, though the sigil-point is pretty deep inside. And that door blocks a regio boundary that Tria enters through. I've never used it myself. Supposed to be underwater, and I dunno if there's another boundary in there or if that's where she goes pop. I'll get to it soon. Well, maybe after the Tribunal. And here....is the bridge!"

At first, Viscaria appears to be pointing to the open air opposite the cave entrance. Then Tranquilina sees it -- four thin ropes arranged in a diamond pattern connecting to the walls, ceiling and floor of the guard post. They seem impossibly thin, swaying hard in the wind, quickly blurring into non-existence. Far, far beyond, she sees the plateau on the other mountain. How far away is it? A mile? Two miles across open air?

((I do not actually know how far away the peaks are from each other, but I bet they seem really far away.))