OOC talk for the threads that will happen in 1260
Oh, I wanna hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
I might be a bit out of it, a very good friend of mine has been struck by a mystery illness (they think West Nile) and he's unconscious and they are honestly not sure if he's going to make it.
Take care, and my praryers go out to you and your friend and his family.
Thank you.
Work is stepping on me so I will be slower in posting.
So we are gonna be income poor when our stocks run out. After the tax (8p), and aegis (4p), we only have six left over. And that's if we cast a level 20 aegis, but we'll probably be tossing out a level 40 one. So really its more like two left over. Plus a rego/vim shortage of five a year.
Also in the contract for duties this one seems more than a bit onerous:
It would certainly be for the benefit of the Tribunal if Eve was ordered to hand over close to everything she owns to the Tribunal. Nor would it take more than a season. Similarly there is nothing in this clause to prevent the Praeco from assigning season long tasks in succession. "Spend a season extracting vis from the aura and hand it over to the tribunal" could be assigned four times a year.
I can't see any magi actually signing this if they took the time to read it.
People sign agreements of this type all the time, especially when they acquire a credit card or a new iPhone.
This clause may be in the contract, but it may be rarely employed. Further, it may even be used to force magi from the Tribunal.
Or it's something more similar to working an Alaskan trawler or Gulf oil rig. Work for a couple of months, earn a huge haul and then have several months off to do whatever.
Any player could have used BP on vis sources. That you have chosen not to is not really my problem.
Everyone should be inspired to search for those new vis sources.
Praeco could do all of those things but he will not. That is my cudgel to pry people out of the labs when I need it. No other tribunal would allow that but I can get away with it in Transylvania.
Without a story flaw, there isn't an explicit agreement between a player and SG as to the character of stories the player would be interested in playing.
The narrative of the magus is such that it can be extremely difficult to get characters out of the lab and involved in stories. SGs need tools to do this. The story flaw is that primary tool. It can also come about as a result of personality flaws getting characters in trouble. It's one reason why I allowed multiple story flaws in Bibracte. I almost asked to have a minor story flaw here, in addition to the major one, but later determined I didn't need/want it.
My friend has regained consciousness, which was the big thing. The news we initially had was that they weren't even sure he'd manage that. He's having some hallucinations and lucidity issues, which will pass soon we hope. He's not out of the woods yet, but we're more hopeful. Still not exactly sure what it is, the theory is still West Nile virus.
I have personal vis source. I'll think I'll be just fine.
Yeah, I understand from a meta-game perspective that is what its for, but from an in-game our characters don't. They are going to need a good reason to agreeing to such a one sided deal. The Praeco could assign a task such as "give me a queen of vis", and pay the characters a pawn of it. I understand you want to get characters out of lab, but you can still do that without such a one sided agreement. For example, add:
"Compensation is X per season or task which ever is more"
"If more than one task is assigned per three years these additional tasks will result in compensation."
"Costs shall be covered".
And probably slight changes for other characters. For example, Eve will have a bunch of random requirements from being a Verdi. (Rules for compensation, rules about not giving out mystery writings.) And then a couple more, because I plan on being able to sell my writings. (Giving copying rights to out to one person seriously degrades the sale value, plus it eats up the number of tracti I can write.)
This lets you get us out of the lab as much as you want, but isn't horribly one sided. Otherwise we'll all need a reason why we agreed to this. (We've basically gotten ourselves exiled from every other place, we are horribly ditzy, etc.) Or just say "Okay we know this isn't something most magi would agree too, but we just won't mention it.", but that last one sort of strains my suspension of disbelief.
Good news on the friend! Huzzah! Hope he keeps getting better.
Call it even and move on.
At 2 pawns a year, you're not swimming in it, that's for sure. You'll probably need to help find new sources or get lots of commissions.
I put all my points except for one item into vis, I encourage others to maybe take a look at their points and see if they can spare any from somewhere.
I'm putting points into a vis source. I think. I haven't fully fleshed it out.
I will probably PM it to jebrick, so he can decide whether to make it "public" or whether to use it as a vis hunt.
Ophelia is also, in conjunction with her grogs, at least in theory, designed to take down creatures of might. In practice, this might be wrong...
The reason is to come into the Tribunal. If you do not like it then do not sign it and don't come in. Otherwise accept that the Praeco can ask you do do work for the Tribunal.
Actually that one is a violation of the Code, section 'depriving a magus of his magical power'. Now, 'spend three season extracting vis and hand it to me', that one is legal... even if it's also a good way of scaring magi off the Tribunal, or pushing them to organize into block voting of their own. Remember, legally any Tremere can just announce on the first day of a Tribunal that he is taking back his sigil and will vote for himself, and the only thing the Tremere primus can do about it is quick him out of the House. The ex-Tremere still get to vote at the Tribunal, so House Tremere must keep its members reasonably happy, which includes making sure non-Tremere magi aren't too highly motivated trying to recruit Tremere magi to their side.
Remind me, where are we supposed to go at Héviz ? What directions were we given ? You have me arriving at an inn, but I don't know if it's because I was directed there or if it's just a convenient place to sleep 
Okay, but why? Should I have some reason that Eve is willing to accept such a deal? Should we all? Is it something we are just ignoring? The Praeco is asking for the ability to order us to make a Hermetic Breakthrough, as fast as she can, and then only pay her when she completes it. Assuming she does before final twilight takes her. That is what the clause contains. At the very least it should contain the right to leave the Oppidum and taker her stuff with her instead of performing the service.
"Okay, spend 100 seasons extracting vis and give it to me."
Yes, you should. It's pretty easy, Eve is Driven. Eve has heard rumors of gnostic texts in Transylvania. She's been denied access to investigate for any number of reasons. Been asked to leave the Tribunal, as no one had invited her to visit, or whatever. But whatever you need to have a reason for Eve to be here within the parameters outlined by the SG.
Yes...though it might be unstated by the player for their character
I'm not, Ophelia's story was deliberately crafted as to give her a reason to be here. The character doesn't like it all that much, that she was going to be ostracized, framed by a crooked Quaesitor, etc.
The Praeco is also promising compensation. Any magus can decide that the benefits of the arrangement aren't worth the price they have to pay and leave. In fact, this provision can be used as a club to by the Praeco to eliminate troublesome magi from the Tribunal.