Marcus stops scratching his other stump, and squints at Tranquillina, "What was this hostile spell? Why do you think I care? Are you getting ready to declare a Wizard War?"
Two further notes get carried through the covenant from Tranquillina's sanctum that day; she goes ahead and scribes them herself, since Cumhachd already has an Arcane Connection to her. The one for Gerulf arrives quickly, well before sunset; the one for Stultus is only written well after dark, so he may or may not receive it that day.
To Gerulf: ((a bit of context for the player - we don't have a lot of spare Vim vis - see our inventory))
"Dear sodalis - a time-sensitive opportunity has arisen for me, one for which I need two pawns of Vim vis. I have reluctantly removed them from our stores - reluctantly, because I fear an insult to your responsibility as Aedilis by bypassing you in this way. Be assured that I hold your service in the highest esteem. If it be your judgment or that of our council that I erred, I shall recover the Vim vis by trade or otherwise, or pay the council a suitable fine. Thank you for your understanding. - Tranquillina"
To Stultus:
"Sodalis,
The first draft of this note began with strongly worded invective. It occurs to me that giving you a piece of information you lack might be more effective. Please take the invective as implicit, if you like.
Today I tried to reason with your mater - truly, I meant to engage her without argument. Without warning, she laid hands upon me and teleported me out of the villa, where I fell heavily to the rock. She could just have easily sent me into the air above the valley floor, or otherwise threatened my well-being severely.
I cannot deny that there is emotion behind my actions. But I consider hers an assault upon my person. I submit that this council cannot be seen to sanction her attack, even with an action so small as providing her sustenance.
Tranquillina"
((What happen to the 5 Vim that you already took?))
((I took 4 pawns of Vim in 1226 or 1227, and fixed Arcane Connections with them.))
When Tranquillina checks with Fiona, she finds her at her cottage in her laboratory[strike], along with Sheelagh and her familiar, Paul. (Depending on whether she comes to the north door or the south, which is her laboratory door, she may see something interesting)[/strike].
[color=blue]"Yes, Loys did deliver your message yesterday," Fiona says, then looks at Tranquillina curiously. [color=blue]"Is there anything you'd like to talk about?"
((I'd better wait to respond to Fiona's friendly query: there's still a fair amount of uncertainty over what's going to happen the day of the message, that might well affect Tranquillina's answer to the question of what's up. Feel free to nudge me if I forget.))
"An hour or so ago, to answer your question, I tried to reason with her," Tranquillina describes, echoing the words she will write to Stultus later that evening. "Without warning, she laid hands upon me and teleported me out of the villa, where I fell heavily to the rock. She could just have easily sent me into the air above the valley floor, or otherwise threatened my well-being severely."
"Wizard War? Heavens, no," Tranquillina chuckles. "I am simply trying to gather intelligence about the lines which Cumhachd will and will not cross, where her animosity towards me is concerned. If she is willing to commit a High Crime - then that is valuable information to me. And as for the other ..." she peers at Marcus, trying to gauge his mood. "I have no information about whether or not you care with which to form an opinion. In troth, it is not pertinent: either you will decide to grant me this favor, or not, for whatever reasons you choose. I ask only under the assumption that it will not overly inconvenience you, sodalis."
Marcus begins scratching both stumps vigorously and simultaneously. "There are times I can still feel my feet. I get cramps in what feels like toes when it is cold."
Taking a deep breath, he leans back, "I don't know what your history is, but I can make some guesses. You view her actions towards you as hostile, but consider that they are not quite so simple. I am positive, from her reputation within the House, that should she have wished bodily harm upon you, that is had hostile intent, you would not be here before me now, attempting to gather resources in your plot against her." Marcus's face looks grim, "And were you not so addled you would see the error of your theory. Bitter Taste of Betrayal or some variant that would allow me to cast it at touch range would give me the information that your resistance had been compromised. I do not have the ability to tether spells, either."
"What I'm going to say next is either going to make you run off, or make you stop and think. Your method for resolving this conflict, since you've come to me, is wrong. She seems to be effortlessly bypassing your defenses in more ways than one. Why do you think she cares enough to confront you, so? And why hasn't she been more persistent in this throughout your life? What has happened to bring her into your life? You're asking all the wrong questions, and she has your attention focused on what she wants, but not on what you need."
((Just a comment on the nature of this thread, it seems to be playing out more like an episode of Intervention than I had expected or intended. It also doesn't help that Cumhachd is shouting at me when I'm dealing with her.))
((Yeah, Cumhachd'll do that, won't she? 
It's true that this thread has really given me a satisfying chance to explore Tranquillina's neuroses - but I can also tell that there's an actual story waiting to happen, and that all of her paranoia is delaying that story significantly. I have an idea how to bring it back "on track" in a way that's true to Tranquillina - Marcus's recent words can provide an excuse for her to do so, as well as fixing the Arcane Connection and feeling like she's not as helpless.
Let's work through this Loys business - and then I promise I'll play nice 
Not that I think you were complaining. But we can have our cake and eat it too.))
It seems to Tranquillina that Marcus is playing games with her ((maybe it's Be Your Best Tytalus week!)); it is completely possible, in her opinion, for an Intellego spell to grant a magical sense to someone other than the caster. He must not want to risk error on the powerful spontaneous spell, she tries to mollify herself, but doesn't want to come out and say it, for fear of insulting me. Or something.... In any case, his last words sting her, but in a different way than usual. Maybe it's the Detachment working, but where the criticism would normally evoke instant defense mechanisms to chase it away, today it buries itself deep within her - still away from her conscious thought, for the time, but in a place that will require her to process and deal with the advice later.
For now, she copes by retreating to a familiar topic that's less personal: Magic Theory. "I wonder what would happen if a Corpus spell targeting the lower legs were cast upon a man in your position," she muses. "Such as a spell to reduce sensation in the feet. Or, for that matter, a spell that instantly massaged muscles. Would it relieve the phantom cramps? ..." She certainly doesn't continue the line of conversation if it makes Marcus uncomfortable, but a few idle minutes of speculation might defuse any tension between them before she takes her leave.
((Lingering detail: what did Tranquillina see when she threw open the door to Cumhachd's villa? Any second party visible?))
Tranquillina walks several steps down the hallway away from Marcus's quarters - just far enough so that she can Leap back to her sanctum without seeming rude. Once there, she walks into her laboratory and places the cloth with Cumhachd's saliva on a table, next to the two pawns of vis already sitting there. She leaves them there for the present, since she wants to find out what Loys is doing before the dinner bell would call him back.
Walking past the storage area in the southeast corner of her lab, she opens a door to what is intended as a closet; however, she has hung a curtain across the little room's width, creating a tiny reading and letter-writing nook for herself. She seats herself in the comfortable chair, not even bothering with a candle; a faint halo of light seeps in around the curtain's edges. Once she is calm and ready to concentrate, Tranquillina reaches in to her pouch, palming the kerchief containing the lock of Loys's hair, and begins to chant The Ear for Distant Voices. ((I don't think Penetration is relevant here, but I'll do it by the book. Sta -3 + In 6 + Im 10 + aura 5 + stress die 7 = 25. Penetration 25 - spell level 20 + (Penetration 2 + spell Mastery 1) x (1 + lock of hair 3 + name 1) = 20.))
((I've blown the initial story for this to smithereens, so as far as there being an actual story, well, you might be surprised. Or not. So don't play nice, play Tranquillina! ))
"Hmm." Marcus muses, "I've never thought of that. I'd probably have to be the one who can cast it, since I'm the only one who can sense my lower legs or feet that aren't really there." Marcus chuckles at that, but swings Tranquillina back around to the conversation she brings up and then does what she can to avoid it so deftly "But, you're dodging my questions, and if you're dodging them from me, I can't help but wonder if you were dodging Cumhachd while trying to engage her? Were you in the moment with her, or were you elsewhere? Were I in your shoes, I would take her presence here and now for the opportunity it is. My pater is gone, but would that he were still alive, and a Bonisagus had absconded with me, I would, knowing what I know about my House, appreciate him coming after me to continue to bother and put all the effort he would to be in my life. I'm not sure you realize how lucky you are. Our House has a reputation for starting fights for the sake of the fight, and some of that is deserved. But our greatest fights are with members of our own House, because they push us to grow. Sadly, I'm far enough isolated from the politics of my House to not be involved in any battles, and I have devoted myself to an even greater conflict, the coming storm."
((Neither the servant nor Tranquillina saw anything in Cumhachd's quarters. Marcus's quarters are a cottage just inside the south gate on the mundane side of the regio. If you go to visit him, it's a bit of hike...))
((This thread has a potential to get all wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey, since Tranquillina has invited any and all magi to take some kind of action by sending Loys to inform the magi of how she's handling Cumhachd. Roberto might take this as notice to try and evict her, despite his conversation with Stultus, and anyone else can get involved. They may go to her, they may go to Cumhachd, it doesn't matter to me. Just make sure that there's liberal quoting going on so we know what's being responded to. Magi who go and seek Cumhachd out might get paused in action, until other things get resolved, depending on how much is going on. I'll try and match up the timing of events, so if you're vague about them, it could also be helpful. For example someone could be going to Cumhachd, while she's visiting Marcus, as that represents a relatively significant chunk of time...))
(( I'm trying to stay the heck out of it. I'm very trying. Er... I mean... I'm trying very hard. ))
(( EDIT: humphs at JL. Well, fine, be that way...))
Stultus was going to write a note, he really was. But it occurred to him that he'd have to shlep all the way down the mountain just to find a servant to deliver said note, so he might as well talk to Tranquillina directly and save his right hand for better things. (Drawing thaumic diagrams for the Mentem spell he's designing, of course. Get your mind out of the gutter.)
Accordingly, he shows up at Tranquillina's doorstep and asks to see the maga.
"She's out, sir..." stammers Choiniere. "Visiting master Marcus, I believe."
"That's all right," replies the dwarf, planting himself in one of the chairs in the visiting room and pulling out a wax tablet and a stylus. "I'll wait."
((Cool, a little comic timing thrown in for light relief ... even though Stultus arrives in Tranquillina's suite before she returns, it's already been determined that she used Leap of Homecoming to return directly to her inner sanctum. So she started the whole eavesdrop-on-Loys spell in the back room, not realizing that Stultus was even out there. She'll probably start on fixing the Arcane Connection too ... Stultus might be there until dinnertime ))
Here's what Tranquillina overhears: (Cumhachd in red, Loys in blue)
This is a painful process. Maybe that's why she didn't do it.
I don't care, she was just using me.
People get used all of the time, dear boy. What makes you think I'm not using you?
But I'm choosing to do this, you're not forcing me.
Maybe I've manipulated you into making this choice?
I don't understand, why would you tell me all about this, and then back out now?
Because until now your life has been easy. After we start, it will become much harder, and there will be times you question why you even did this.
It hasn't been as easy as you think it has, Cumhachd.
You can't imagine how hard it is going to get. You think Eskil and Stultus had an easy time of it? Stultus had been kicked around and called names for years, and was toughened up for the process. Eskil had a loving home and came to me well educated, she assumed that what I offered her was access to unlimited knowledge. And it is, but the price for learning is quite high. Eskil found herself unwilling to pay for it in the way I required. From the moment we start this process, I own you for 15 years. You eat what I tell you to eat, you sleep when I tell you to sleep, and you cease to enjoy many of the privileges you have enjoyed as Eskil's lab assistant. I don't require a lab assistant, I require much more than that.
I'm ready. And I realize what I'm doing, and I realize that either she was keeping this from me for her own purposes, or she just didn't care.
Perhaps, perhaps not. Her own desires cloud her observations, but then again, you are naturally gently gifted. I won't have to work hard to give that to you, like I did with Stultus.
I don't understand, but I expect I will.
Indeed, you will come to understand that, and so much more, in time.
A chair being moved and footsteps can be heard then, from what sounds like a different angle coming from behind Loys, Very well. I claim you as my apprentice.
Loys screams in pain as Cumhachd begins opening his Arts.
((How long will Tranquillina continue to listen?))
(( Sure, whatever works. 
))
((this whole post OOC)) Tranquillina's not much good at D: Concentration anyway; I'm pretty sure that this shocking twist will end the spell, possibly even knocking her out of her chair.
This is going to make her ... furious, but that's not exactly right. This is about the deepest humiliation she could imagine: her first mater, waltzing in and in less than a week realizing something crucially important that had eluded Tranquillina for five years. And (in her eyes) then Cumhachd takes the action that would make her look as bad as possible. Yoinking a bright Gifted man out from under her, on the doorstep of her own covenant! This might, to understate the matter, cause a setback to any planned negotiation for a truce between them 
From the player's perspective, I could have sworn I had Loys tested for the Gift back when he was introduced. But I searched the forum pretty thoroughly, and I must be making that up. (Maybe I rolled some dice offline or something....) Viscaria definitely suggested testing him for the Gift. Noting Tranquillina's defensive reaction, I suppose it's consistent to think that she never actually did so. (She's not really ready for an apprentice anyway, looking at her Arts.)
Anyway, clearly there's a dramatic story unfolding now, and there's no reason to derail that. I just feel a little dumb (that's nothing next to how Tranquillina feels!).
In the dark: Tranquillina sits on the floor for a Diameter, than another at least. Her throat is dry and irritated; she has to blink frequently; the sides of her jaw are sore. The stone floor is icy against her knuckles. There's a pounding in her head, as if memories of her own first days as an apprentice, suddenly taking physical form in her bloodstream, are swelling up the veins in her temple. A soft, piteous moan comes from somewhere in the tiny room.
Eventually Tranquillina snaps her head around to the right (not that she can see the cloth with Cumhachd's saliva in her lab, nor the intervening wall for that matter). She stands up swiftly, banging her knee on the reading table. She feels her way to the door into her small hallway, then limps the four strides to the door leading out to her receiving room, which she hurls open. There is a circle inscribed on the floor, the doorway its diameter; bent over low, Tranquillina readies herself to place a ward upon it. As she begins to walk its circumference, she calls out to the servant stationed outside in the hall, her voice loud but shaking noticeably: "Choiniere! Bring a meal here, I shall not go out this eve. Indeed, for the next - "
But at that moment, a small sound or a peripheral sight brings Stultus's presence to her attention. As if thrown back by a spell, Tranquillina collapses against the wall with a yelp. She squeezes her eyes and breathes rapidly in and out, her arms shaking. "What - do you want?!" she yells, her voice pitched high and shrill. With her torso bent diagonally across the baseboard and her gaze darting about wildly, she is the perfect picture of a cornered animal.
Stultus had, of course, spent the time rehearsing all the various ways the conversation could go -- and, of course, Tranquillina promptly managed to knock all his plans into a cocked hat. She appeared from completely the wrong direction, and her appearance startles him quite badly: for a moment all he can manage is an incoherent "What? How the hell did you..."
Thankfully, the door chooses this exact moment to creak open, Choiniere's startled face appearing within, and the interruption gives Stultus the second or so to gather his wits. He looks up at the servant. "You heard your mistress. Bring a meal, please." His voice is level, as if to say 'there is nothing wrong, no reason to panic'.
He turns back to Tranquillina as the door closes again. "I came here," he explains gently, "to tell you what I think Cumhachd's next move will be. I've seen her dance this dance before; I can predict the next pirouette. However, at the moment, all I want is to know is what's wrong, and whether -- and how -- I can help."
((Start right off with a Folk Ken roll: Per 2 + Folk Ken (opinion of her) 4 + stress die 6 = 12. I think that's definitely good enough to read Stultus's sincerity ... even though she's not at her best, to put it mildly.))
Letting her eyes fall shut beneath a troubled brow, Tranquillina leans her head back against the wall. She tries to clear her throat, but it turns instead into a coughing fit that wracks her body. The painful hacking echoes in the otherwise silent room. Eventually she gets her body under control, save for a short series of sniffles. With a heavy sigh, she contorts her torso and moves hand over hand to turn it until her head is farther away from the wall than her legs. For a dismal moment, it almost looks like she is going to crawl across the floor. But she tenses up her whole body and pushes herself up to a standing position; coughing again a few times, she shuffles rigidly over to the nearest chair and places her left hand on the corner of its back. With its support safely reached, she seems to shrink a full inch, her body sagging from the strain.
She squeezes her eyes shut again, panting towards the floor. Then, in a low-pitched voice almost too quiet to be heard, she finally responds: "Start a fire. - please. If you would...."
Tranquillina steers herself around to the front of the chair like an elderly maid, lowering herself onto its comfortable cushion. With a shaky voice and hand, she uses a Rego cantrip to summon a throw from the long couch opposite her; she lifts her legs up onto a footstool and wraps the throw around them. It takes a while for her to stop shivering.