1229.3 To Live and Lie in Normandy

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: In the Ruins of Bibracte
41

((It's a Sun-duration spell, and she can also Muto her business robes to fit her mascarade, so she shouldn't have to worry about the Hulk effect on them, unless someone dispels her Corpus spell. And she won't grope him much. In fact, looking at the description, looks like there's enough space between them that Fiona would have to really work to reach him comfortably. Party-pooper :stuck_out_tongue: ))

[color=blue]"Very well," Fiona says with a nod. [color=blue]"Give me a few minutes to change, and I'll be ready to go."

She comes back shortly, in her Mascarade, with her Hermetic robes fitting snugly, and with a bit of a smile. She's decided to pretend to have no interest in the men (or women) she sees, thinking that they might see her as a challenge, just to see what happens. We'll see how long her resolve lasts, though :wink:

42

(( We'll assume this takes place just prior to leaving, so people can give us messages to pass along and such. ))

Stultus looks briefly crestfallen. "Um. Can you make yourself invisible? This thing can't go very high. I can veil myself, and it, but cannot veil you unless you drop your Parma."

43

[color=blue]"Maybe. If I yell and gesture madly, I have a decent shot. I'd be better able to change my appearance...perhaps to a soaring bird? Although..."

Fiona smiles at Stultus. [color=blue]"If your spell is a Touch spell, I can be persuaded."

44

Stultus just shakes his head, grinning. "The range of the spell is Touch. I am certain I could invent a variant with other, more suitable ranges -- such as Fondle, Caress, or Grope -- but I don't have any ... handy, so to speak. I'll have to work on those later."

"I'm just concerned about being seen from the ground, so fllying bird will do. So would flying butterfly, flying ant, or flying dust mote. Or I can veil you. Your choice, really."

45

Fiona thinks for a second, then shakes her head. [color=blue]"I think I can handle this. Thank you anyway." She then casts a spontaneous MuIm spell. ((Base 1 to "change one sensation of an object", R: Personal, D: Sun +2, T: Individual, for a final Target Level of 3. Her CT is Sta 3 + Mu 17 + Im 5 + Aura 5 = 30, divided by 5 = 6.)) When she's done, a song thrush with wings spread wide hovers in mid-air where Fiona had been. Her talisman stands upright, as though it were a large sapling.

[color=blue]"This could be a problem, couldn't it?" Fiona asks. [color=blue]"Let me go secure this in my sanctum, I'll be back in a trice." The staff then floats off quickly, and before long the taxidermic thrush returns and hovers over the rear saddle of the Palindromedary, as Fiona secures the harness as best she can.

46

(( R: Per spells cover your talisman, I thought? Oh well, Fiona knows best, I suppose.))

Two castings of "Veil of Invisibility" remove first Stultus and then the Palindromedary from view. "Got yourself all settled in back there? Good. 'For indeed, women excel at riding, and have a fine, firm seat for the gallop'." Stultus laughs and kicks the item into motion: Mons Electi grows smaller as the Palindromedary gains height, and quickly dwindles in the distance.

(( JL, way I figure it, it's about 6 hours' travel to Eboris, and 6 more from Eboris to Confluensis. So I figured we'd stop over in Eboris, have dinner, exchange news, spend the night, and be on our way the next morning, arriving at Confluensis around dinner-time. So... feel free to pick up the story wherever you think appropriate. :slight_smile:))

47

((The letter sent was an invitation, but didn't include any details on when to be there... I had thought Stultus would notice and write a letter agreeing to be there and either inquiring as to,details or waiting for the response to indicate. For the player, note the timing of the letter and match it to the date of the story :smiley:. Don't think you want to summer at Confluensis.))

48

(( You're right, I'm a doofus. Yeah, we'll travel there in the autumn, then. Can we assume appropriate letters are sent out and received and timing arranged, or do you want those actually played out?))

49

Tranquillina would probably pen a friendly letter to Mathieus and accept Stultus's offer to deliver it to him. (That's assuming the two are talking eventually, after their friendly interactions in 1228.4! :laughing: )

50

((Part of Stultus's back story is that he spent time at Eboris. Helped with the sweated schillings or what not. Although, Tranquillina may not know any of this. And to make it interesting, if Tranquillina heard wind of what was going on and Stultus's plans, and still wasn't speaking with him, she might write to Mathieus on Stultus's behalf anyway, not telling him.))

51

((No, you're right. I was thinking that because the talisman was like two feet taller than she was, that it was too big, but I just checked the rules and all talismans are affected by R: Personal regardless. So I could have a freakin' jousting lance twenty feet long and it would still be R: Personal. :smiley: So, yeah, ignore that whole bit. She'll just balance it on her lap and hope we don't have to squeeze through any alleyways.))

52

(( She does. She had even written to Mathieus right after the tribunal meeting, asking him for an opinion of Stultus. ))

53

((So, how are you going to handle the Eboris layover (arrangements and the like)? I'll presume you've written a note back to Augustina accepting, below is her reply. Since there's a portal between Harco and Mons Electi and one between Harco and Confluensis, mail flies through without effort. I have this image of every portal to Harco also having a mail slot, where you can push your letters through and it goes into a box to be checked and collected by a redcap on the other side...))

Stultus,

It warms my heart to hear that you've agreed to take part in this endeavor. I had figured that Cumhachd's language was a bit over the top, and she was using me to goad you, or something. Since I'm not involved in a rivalry, I can only speculate as to her and your motives with regards to each other. But I digress. You and I shall judge the competitors to determine who will be the second tratior. I have a favorite in mind, and I hope he succeeds, but my bias in this matter is suspect, and so I need your voice, your special and unique skills to see to the heart of things to determine if the favorite is truly the one.

Augustina

54

(( Letters, letters, roly-poly letters... The visit to Mathieus is not all that important: if we go straight to Confluensis from Mons Electi, it's only about a 10-hour trip. Only reason we're stopping is because Stultus rather likes Mathieus and wants to visit with the man. Maybe run the playhouse idea past him.))

"Mathieus,

I hope this letter finds you well. I have a small favor to ask.
Myself and a sodalis (Fiona ex Miscellanea, a great friend of mine and a true giant among magi) shall be traveling to Confluensis on Insert-Date-Here; myself to take part in a Tytalus competition, her to [strike]point and laugh[/strike] observe it. We would like to request the hospitality of Eboris for a night; we would also wish to impose on you further by requesting your presence at dinner, in order to catch up, exchange news, and partake of the fruits of Mons Electi's vineyards. Please let us know whether this plan is acceptable to you.

Sincerely yours,
--Stultus Maximus ex Tytalus"

"Augustina,

Cumhachd's language was probably used in order to goad me, goad you, or both. I wouldn't put either past the woman. Regardless, I shall be pleased to attend and to assist you in your task. It promises to be quite amusing.

I shall be bringing a sodalis with me; she wishes to observe Tytali 'in the wild'. I humbly request accomodations for her, with extra-large and sturdy furniture if possible -- she is quite physically imposing. An extra-large and sturdy bed would be particularly appropriate.

My thanks for the invitation, and I look forward to speaking with you in person.

Sincerely yours,
--Stultus Maximus ex Tytalus, filius Cumhachd

"Gerulf,

During the rather memorable dinner with the residents of Mons Electi, you mentioned your research, and a number of people suggested a deeper investigation of Aristotle's Metaphysics.

I do not remember whether I mentioned it at the time, but I have a friend -- Huguet Zorzi, a Canon at Notre Dame Cathedral. He is thoroughly mundane, and does NOT know that I am a magus. However, he does happen to be an authority on Aristotle's writings, and is a very intelligent man. If you wish to create a mundane identity for yourself, and write to him asking some questions about the Aristotelian view of the world, I shall be pleased to relay the letter when I visit Paris. You may wish to mention a scholar named Jaufre of Barcelona: that is the identity he knows me under.

My regards,
--Stultus"

55

Stultus,

My good friend, you are, of course, welcome to stop by for an evening. I have someone here who will be excited to see Fiona, too. I'm sure I can have a few of the sweated schillings about for you to corrupt, too! Until then!

Mathieus

56

((Okay, we can pretty much fast forward to Eboris/Confluensis as appropriate. I'm assuming Eboris is in the city, but has an Aegis. Stultus will bring the Palindromedary down in some out-of-the-way place just outside the Aegis -- he's spent a while in Eboris, he should be able to remember a dark alley or something, or an outbuilding that Eboris maintains for visitors.))

57

No Aegis. A Divine aura of 4 or five really hinders a hermetic assault.
Post more after my oral surgeon consult.

58

Oh. Then we ought to be able to just come down in the courtyard.

59

Sure.
Do that.
In the middle of Paris. :smiling_imp:

60

We're invisible/masked by Imaginem. What am I missing?