"You're so smart, you figure it out." Cumhachd stands, "I think we're done here." She regards Tranquillina, I can assist you, if you'd like." while making a sweeping motion towards the door.
The following gifts are delivered to the indicated person.
Isen receives a block of unmelting ice.
Alexei, Jacques and Roberto both receive swords. Magnificent swords.
Korvin receives two pair of what appear to be travelling boots.
Stultus receives a book in Greek, it appears to be the genealogy of a family in Greece, the last entries appear to indicate a couple of birth in 1150-1155.
(Am I missing anyone?)
(( Stultus is going to study it for a bit, and then go talk to his Mater to thank her, and ask about a few other things. Can you provide some more information, though?
- No one is going to write a genealogy just because. Is it, like, a family bible with names and family trees written on the flyleaf? Or does it appear to be a work someone commissioned?
- How far back does the genealogy extend? Is there anything noteworthy (to Stultus) about it?
- You mentioned "a couple of births in 1150-1155". What are the names/genders of the children? And is there any indication of a place the family was living at the time?
))
Tranquillina flinches at Cumhachd's gesture (even though the Exemplar of Corpus wouldn't really need to touch her to send her flying off anyway, would she). Hoping to catch Cumhachd off guard, she silently sponts a noise cantrip without moving, creating a half-decent facsimile of the sound of a significant amount of breaking glass inside the villa's antechamber. ((Base 1, +1 Touch, for a level 2 spell. Sta -3 + Cr 6 + Im 10 + aura 5 - words/gestures 15 + stress die 8 = 11, halved is 6. Int 3 + Finesse 2 + stress die 2 = 7.)) "We cannot let people think we might be friends," Tranquillina coos in an overly sweet voice.
Then she storms out of the villa, yelling in Latin to vent her many frustrations (and making sure everyone knows they've argued): "Damned know-it-all is the rudest guest this Tribunal has ever seen! Keep your breath from cursing my air from now on, you hag! You can pin your feet to this plateau for all I care; I hope you suck on the rock until your lips are raw - dried-up biddy of children's nightmares!" She walks past the guards on the bridge and a good fifty paces or so further before Leaping back to her sanctum. Without lighting a lamp or candle, she flings herself onto her bed, lying on her back and covering her face with her hands. She doesn't cry or shake, but she stays there a long time, trying to sort out all of the aspects of the conversation she just had.
Cumhachd jumps at the noise, but quickly recovers with a comment, It is so very unfortunate that you can't be comfortable in your own skin. It is a lesson Stultus absorbed quickly and easily.
((I have a few things left to do here, but I'd rather see how Tranquillina reacts to the events set in motion.))
Now Korvin calls a council meeting. He lets it be known that they will be discussing Cumhachd's request for AoH to be cast on the villa.
Korvin waits in the council chambers with his official robes on. He ordered the servants have taken the wine and beer from the room. Watered wine is still here but not the full strength alcohol. He mentally reviews reports he has heard about the various happenings with their "guest." Ah well. You knew if you allowed the Tytalus in we would get this eventually but we need allies. He thinks. This could be contentious. hehe. The Tytali would love this debate. ... I wonder if that milk maid would be up for a roll. She seems receptive but I must be careful. Can not lose respect of the servants with a favorite... hmmm. I must talk to Fiona about Tranquillina. She is going quite crazy abut all of this. Perhaps i'll send a note to Tria or Petronius to see if they can talk to her...These boots are very fine. I'll need them soon. Must go and thank Cumhachd for the gift....Wonder if I can get a chicken for dinner?
((Goodness. I had no idea Korvin was so crazy! Loved it!))
Marcus shows up, the first to arrive, and he's walking.
"Mind if I watch? he says while grabbing a seat. He has a large loaf of bread with him (think of it as someone who has a bag of snack foods like chips or popcorn) and settles in to watch the action unfold.
((Korvin thinks in a multithreaded manner. This is the best way I can do it in a single threaded context 
))
Please. Gestures to a seat. You may be called on for insight by one side or another. Just a warning.
Korvin waves a servant over and asks if they could have the cook make him a chicken for dinner.
(( Damn you, Jebrick, now I want chicken. 
))
Stultus wanders in, looking unusually harried -- shoves a chair away from the table, perches on the edge of said chair, and starts juggling absently, a simple four-ball shower pattern.
Korvin speaks in a calm even voice. Stulus. A short word before the others arrive. I have heard that you might be a rival of Cumhachd. I understand that can be a term of honor or ... endearment for Tytali. Before many other people enter, can you explain to me the relationship you have with our guest and what it means.
((Can I get a bit of context on the sword and how they're delivered? Alexei is usually carefree, but years of treachery have made him a bit more cautious.)
((Let's see...since you asked... ))
A page comes to Alexei's quarters carrying a sword in a scabbard, and to whomever inquires, be it Alexei or Helmut, "Cumhachd asked me to deliver gifts to the magi of Mons Electi for the hospitality she has received. She's such a sweet, thoughtful old lady." It's tough to tell if he's been ensorcelled, or just pleased to be dealing with a maga with a gentle Gift.
Stultus' eyes never leave his balls. (The ones he's juggling, get your minds out of the gutter.) "We've dedicated ourselves to helping each other grow by challenging each other. The terms of address are a warning to other Tytali, and other magi with sufficient understanding, to bugger off and not jog our elbows."
"Do you juggle things that are on fire?" Marcus muses... and grins a bit wickedly.
"Not recently, Marcus. However, I am getting lots of practice in juggling things that explode, what with Roberto and Tranquillina and all. Why do you ask?"
Marcus claps and laughs, "Point."
(Before the council meeting: picking some flowers, taking a trip up the mountain on the regio side, finding a suitable cleft in the cliff wall beside the path, drawing a circle, acquiring a stone from the location....)
An old woman walks slowly into the room, startling everyone: Her naked, wrinkled body is covered with welts and slashes, as might have been left by a whipping or beating with a strap. Except, her body seems to flow in strange ways, the skin's movement not quite cohering from point to point; those present quickly realize that her "body" is actually a close-fitting gown that has been designed to appear as an old person's skin, battered both by human instrument and by time.
By her face, the woman is impossibly old, and no amount of peering will change that perception. But her bearing is upright, her hazel eyes clear and steely. And, if one looks closely, one can imagine that the two crossing lashes between her sagging, bloody breasts are shaped like keys.
((Finesse roll for Outfit for Any Occasion: Int 3 + Finesse 2 + simple die 5 = 10.
Finesse roll for Disguise of the New Visage: Int 3 + Finesse (Corpus) 3 + simple die 10 = 16.))
(( Dex +1 + Jongleur 6 + roll of 9=16))
Stultus looks over as Tranquillina enters, double-takes, and almost loses the shower he had going, recovering the ball that bounced off his hand while he was gaping with a last-second grab. "That looks... really, really disturbing, sodalis."
So even if the rival brings in another magus into the game, it is good form for this new magus to ignore the actions?