Alexei doesn't say anything, merely nods as they continue their walk.
"I've been out and about lately...I'm looking for a suitable animal for my familiar. Have I missed anything while I was away?" His intense demeanor seems to have calmed a bit during the brisk walk.
((Moving the response to 1228.4 Ob-la-di, Ob-la-dah thread per JL's request, so as not to clutter up this thread.))
(( From 1228.4: The Mistress Always Spanks Twice))
Stultus steadily refuses to be drawn into conversation during the walk, offering only monosyllabic answers.
Once the pair reaches Alexei's quarters, he steps inside, raising an eyebrow at the mess. "Is this what you've brought me here to see, Herr von Kroitzau?" It's plain he doesn't really understand what the mess has to do with him. (Or maybe he's just pretending he doesn't. He's a Tytalus, after all, and everyone knows what those are like.)
Alexei raises a hand to show the various damage, the scope of the mess.
"Yes...this is why. The...hairy little man that you have was seen as was his footprint plainly in the dirt from the plant he knocked over. I keep my door locked, but apparently he is resourceful. I was quite angry when I first saw this...but then I started to think that damage like this might come with owning a willful familiar. Is this the work of your little companion? Do I have this to look forward to should I get my own familiar? This event might be...I hesitate to say lucky, but perhaps fortuitous considering what I'm intending. I rather liked that creature, he seemed charming the few times I've seen him."
Stultus closes his eyes as if in pain. "Oh, Rahere, you idiot. Excuse me for a moment." He communes with his familiar mentally for about a minute, and then looks up at Alexei. "My apologies, sodalis. Yes, it was him. He was angry over what he perceived as you insulting me, and -- with his limited understanding -- decided to take revenge. I promise you that he will be chastised appropriately. Please feel free to take..." He surveys the extent of the mess " two -- no, best make it three pawns of vis from my share at the next disbursal, as reparations for the damage."
Alexei shakes his head and waves off the offer. "No no Sodalis, I was angry. Now I am not so much." Helmut looks rather shocked at this but continues to clean and organize. "I have never owned an animal other than a horse, and while they can be a bit spirited, they also stay in the stable. A magical creature...presumably with some intelligence might be quite a handful. This incident was likely a good warning on what I might expect. If you would like to make ammends on behalf of, Rahere is it? Perhaps you could give me more formal insight on familiars and with your connections to the people in and around the Covenant you might help me to find the one I'm looking for?" he gestures for a table that's been righted and sits down, offering Stultus a seat. "I've been looking for an appropriate animal, I think a dog would suit me. I have heard about some of the giants keep and breed animals and of course there are legends of that. I'm hoping to find then a dog from a giant. Would you be able to provide some assistance with that?"
Fiona stops and turns to face Celestina, looking almost embarrassed. ((Com 2 + Guile (hiding true feelings 3 + die roll of 2 = 7))
[color=blue]"The body I wore last night isn't the only one I've invented recently. I've also invented a variant of The Succubus's Trick that works on someone my size. Korvin doesn't know about that one...you know how men can be sometimes. But...it occurs to me that I have no idea how to actually use it, and I was wondering if you could help."
Stultus shrugs. "About the only advice I can offer about familiars is, don't experiment when binding one. Not really a terrific idea, as you can see. " He is still subdued -- he might be putting a brave face on it, but he's clearly still upset about something. Quite possibly whatever it was that caused Rahere to raid Alexei's quarters in the first place. "That and... remember that the bond goes both ways. Just as the familiar will begin to resemble you, in attitudes and behavior, so will you begin to resemble the familar. Though in your case, I wouldn't expect to see much of a change. Dogs are known for... " his mouth twists "... loyalty and devotion, as well as bravery."
"For giant lore, you'd have to apply to Fiona. But, I do know there are some large, powerful dogs -- very distinctive looking -- bred in Swabia... little town called Rottweil, quite close to Durenmar." He scratches his nose thoughtfully. "And then there are the enormous dogs Charles was telling me about, from Aragon and Castille... he called them Mastín Español. Said they stand three feet tall at the shoulder, and weigh damn near 300 pounds."
[color=blue]"I haven't invented one, no," Fiona says, then does some quick mental figuring. [color=blue]"I might be able to cast a spontaneous spell that can repel wooden weapons for a diameter, depending on the aura." ((Basically a Diameter duration Repel the Wooden Shafts, which would be Level 15; her CT is Sta 3 + Re 10 + He 10 + aura + die roll, halved. She would need an Aura + die roll of 7 to pull it off.))
Fiona purses her lips. [color=blue]"Robe of Impenetrable Linen is all I know, I'm afraid...aside from my Charge of the Angry Winds and Jupiter's Resounding Blow, which aren't really 'defensive'."
((Per 0 + Folk Ken (magi) 2 + die roll of 2 = 4. Dang. Ooc, I'm dying to know, but it looks like Fiona would be clueless.))
Celestina looks at Fiona for a while then lets out a chuckle. I really do feel sorry for people who do not know magi intimately. Their lives must be so boring. She chuckles again. Of course Fiona. I've not broken in a virgin in a ling time. I think you already know many of the finer points but as I've told Korvin, you have to experiment some times.
Now I must be off. Bend down her and give me a kiss.
[color=blue]"I do know the basics, at least from the other side. A lot of grunting, a lot of thrusting, a bit of a mess, and then they sag. And, with luck, they can do it all again before too long. But, yes, magic does make things a lot better...especially when you're my size."
Fiona bends over, not worried in the least about her blouse billowing, and kisses Celestina warmly (if somewhat awkwardly). [color=blue]"Be easier on my knees," she smiles.
I'll have you there soon enough my dear. Give Korvin my love.
She waves and steps through the portal to Harco.
[color=blue]"Before you go...when did you want to get together again?"
((It's easy when you next want her to come visit, just put your lips together and blow. When is this little tryst happening, by the way?))
((This scene is/was the second day after the Summer Council Meeting. Fiona invented her spells in Spring.))
((It would have to be after mid-summer festival in the Greater Alps.))
Alexei nods at Stultus response, it was good to hear. He'd read of some of the difficulties with Familiars, hearing it first hand helped though.
"Well thank you Stultus, I accept your apology and you sincere effort and offer to make ammends. You'll be able to keep Rahere from doing this again? I don't like inadvertently insulting someone...I much prefer it to be intentional. However, I've a bit of a history of either my poor attempts at humor or excessive sense of familiarity leading to an insult without my intent. A protective familiar could surely hear that. We'll consider this closed. With how close you are to the people, if you should hear anything of interest regarding a suitable familiar for me, I would appreciate you sharing it with me."
Helmut brings a cup of wine for each magus.
"If you have the room in your talisman you might consider putting the protective enchantment in it. It could activate faster and concentrate for you for example. I'm transcribing several spells ((check the Seasonal Activities)), the majority are about teleportation and one is useful in combat if you can master it for speed. The problem would again be your size. One of the spells I'm transcribing is for the Wizard's Parry, but you need to master it for speed...and is rather daring. You reach out and parry the incoming blow with your hand or talisman. Circling Winds of Protection might be ideal, but could foul the grog protecting you. I use Shriek of the Impending Shafts, it is subtle and offers near total protection, but you do need to be able to move. It is probably wiser to make sure you are not the target and save some of the power needed to cast the spell. The spells to increase the protection of your clothes is always a good option, plus it won't Warp you, just the clothes. I have spells to produce and enhance armour...but again they'd need to be enhanced for your size."
((Alexei doesn't seem to be shy nor dense, but he does not seem to respond to advances, so he's still a bit of a mystery.))
((Shouldn't be a problem. Mid-Summer Fair is June 3-10, "but spreads a few days either side" (Sanctuary of Ice, p. 24). Summer Solstice in 1228 is Wednesday June 14, so this would be the night of June 15 and morning of June 16.))
((I'll let JL set the time as Celestina's travel in the GA could take a season. ))
Edit:((I'm going to explain this a bit more now that I have time. Celestina will have a route that she will be humping through the Alps with a mule. I'm guessing that it will take some time. THat is why I was looking at some input from JL))
))