Fabricus shrugs. "I have different methods. My only apprentice was very mild tempered and while I was very strict at first, our humours and moods soon came to complete accord. But..." he sighs. "By the lash and stripe on her back, she grew to knew my temper, though it was not often that I needed to resort to it. I was far more willful and unfocused as an apprentice. My parens had me hold onto hot coals when my studies in Ignem flagged. My own master had his hands and fingers broken underneath a wheel for a particular disobedience as an apprentice. When magic can heal the worst injuries, the punishments can become rather severe...not that I'm advocating it."
In Ambrose's case, I do not think the lash would make a lasting impression. He does seem enthusiastic to learn magic. A thirst to prove himself. Perhaps you should deny him the class if he acts up. Send him out. We could set him to copy lines from a book or such. But his punishment needs to be supervised as he has proven from his time so far.
"He does crave an audience and adulation and it is somewhat impressive the things he's shown. Perhaps ignoring the outbursts or being bored with them might help? I wish to be even handed though. I can't ignore slights to my status from him and then reprimand others that follow his example. Being exempt might be a decent start. Perhaps magical hobbling? Something that prevents his use of magic to ensure some humility?"
"For my part," Catrina says, "I haven't seen anything in Ambrose that makes me think he's a better apprentice than any of the others." She waves a hand. "Oh, he's more familiar with our world, and he's received a bit of early education from his grandmother. But so far as raw talent and intelligence, he seems about on par with the others. I'm sure they each have their strengths and their weaknesses. Not surprisingly, Ambrose has tried to focus on his strengths, but that's mostly because he has a hint of what they are, while the others are still learning. I'm sure by the time a semester has passed, and the others have a little magical knowledge under their belts, we'll see things even out."
"But I think you make a good suggestion, Clement. Denying Ambrose his studies seems to me a good punishment. Not only would it deprive him of the training he wants, but it would cause him to fall behind his peers - something that I think he would consider an even greater punishment. All the better if he's forced to do lines, and observed to make sure he doesn't employ any magic in doing so."
Elizabeth wanders in quietly as Fabricus and Clement are exchanging words. At Fabricus's last comment she says simply, "If you inflict bodily harm upon an apprentice you will be the one paying for the healing. Keep that in mind. And I suspect that his intractable nature is encouraged by his grandmother. It would be a perfect test for a Tytalus to test the school early, and it would be a fitting coup de grace to cause cause such trouble for the school that leads to its ultimate failure if the most recent rumors about her are true."
[color=blue]"Ah yes...dear, insolent, luaidh a seanmhair Ambrose. I don't know much about his grandmother, but it seems that he is, to put it mildly, a brat. The kind of child who things everything should be handed to him not because of who or what he is, but because of who he's related to. The kind of person who's universally despised, even before you factor in the effects of the Gift.
"Now, the question is: how do we correct such behavior? Personally, if he were solely my apprentice, I would not be adverse to turning his skin blue or giving him a head of leaves for a while to give him something to think about. However, we're supposedly developing an entirely new model of apprenticeship, and that may include models of discipline that aren't quite so extreme."
Fabricus is doing some mental calculations as the thought of what to do is considered. "Bodily harm that actually is severe enough to need a ritual healing is far too much.* We would tarnish our repuation and could potentially damage a promising magus, though mild and immediate correction I think is fine. I think a mark of shame, a token to indicate his status as well as hinder what makes him or others special is perhaps a very good idea. What is one of the main things we as magi fear? The loss of power. Once we have tasted it, the life of the mundane is difficult to bear. That is why I gave him the stable mucking chore, though he used magic to undo the punishment. Hampering the magic, shaming him with the wearing of a token, and then a taste of mundane servitude. I think that will make for a good example. And it needn't be so dramatic as the wearing of an item, though I have to say I'd certainly be happy to create one. Simply imposing the Aegis upon them would likely remove any ability at magic. Though...with this new aegis, how would they then be affected by others' Gift?"
*For my part, even though it was no doubt era appropriate, I don't want to write about various corporal punishments for children that someone as devious and vindictive as Fabricus might develop.
I would be a bit cautious about turning his skin blue or hair into leaves at the moment. Although I think those are delightful punishments, it would give children of his age ideas for pranks on other children. But the device might work although I'm not sure when you will get a chance to make it. I would think that any punishment would benefit the school or us. Otherwise, because we must supervise, we will be punishing ourselves as well.
One thing is for sure Master Fabricus. If you know he used magic when you told him not to then he must be punished again.
Fiona scowls. [color=blue]"Had you specifically told him not to use magic during his punishment? If so, then perhaps next time we should make him forget how to do magic until the next sun, to drive the point home."
Fabricus scowls at the memory and nods. "I told the class that they will not use magic without our close supervision and permission. Further when I told Ambrose about his punishment, I said very certainly that he was not to use magic. Valis informed me that he heard him muttering in what sounded like Latin and little whirlwinds of straw cleaned the stables for him." Fabricus shrugs. "But, I must add Valis said the stables had never been so clean. I think servitude without magic should suffice. We could do this now by merely revoking the invitation to the aegis on him."
There are certain mentem spells that can make difficult for him. I think I could make him not understand Latin for a day. Or one that I work on, make him feel guilt for a diameter over any outbursts. That one would have to be quite as I would not want a student to know that the emotion they are feeling is not their own.
It is your decision Fabricus on the punishment. I would not care if the stables were the cleanest ever if my apprentice disobeyed my orders. Right now he thinks he has pull one over on you and he will tell the other students that he did.
But since we are all here, Fiona and I were discussing the classes and what is being taught when. I feel we all need to coordinate our classes better in this new method of teaching apprentices. As I was telling Fiona, I will be teaching the Techniques in this order. Creo first. Followed by Perdo, Rego, Muto and finally Intelligo. I will also be teaching the Magic Theory that goes with each Technique in my class. Does that work for you in your classes soladis?
((Teachers can teach in whatever order they choose. But I want all students to have the flexibility to assign experience points as they desire, so even though Clement teaches Creo first and moves onto other things a character could put all five xp into any of the Techniques. It is inadvisable for any student to not spend some xp in each Technique during the First Year, because the first year is the general instruction in the Techniques and thereafter it will more likely be individual Technique instruction.))
(( This is an issue only with leaping around the seasons. If you have a class that teaches A first, then B and C it follows that in the first few weeks of the class you would have "experience" in A but not B or C as they have not been taught yet. This is why I commented that people were spending end of the term experience and the threads were only "several weeks" into the term. This is only for RP and will not matter one bit at the end of the term. But if people are spending XP in the middle of the term ( especially the 1st term) then they might have to know what they could spend it on.))
[color=blue]"Perhaps, given the unique nature of our situation, we should formally meet more often than is customary for a typical covenant. Perhaps every month, after dinner on the day of the full moon?"
"Alright, I think that is a good idea to coordinate our lessons so that they complement each other. We are learning as we go, what we are attempting has never been done...so we shall improve as we progress. As for the punishment, are we then agreed? We shall punish with magical hobbling, shaming and mundane servitude? If this is so...I can create an item perhaps that will suffice. I believe if we add structure, perhaps giving the students some part of it? Would we be willing to allocate vis from the Covenant towards this purpose?"
[color=blue]"I would have no problem with using the school's vis for such an item. However, I do think that hobbling should be a last resort...as with Ambrose, when he flaunted Fabricus's instructions."
"I have no trouble with regular meetings to coordinate our lesson plans," Catrina replies. "In fact I think it's a good idea. And I also agree with your suggestion about dealing with difficult students. That also sounds like a good idea."
Fabricus overall seems pleased. "Excellent. I have something in mind already, it should not require very much vis, three pawns I think and I could have it in a season. In the meanwhile, when being punished we should impose the Aegis so that they will have their magic reduced. Will that also affect their sense of the Gift? That might be even better as they should feel fear towards us."
Fiona is teaching Flora et Fauna, with a bid of 4 pawns. I'm not sure if PB wants a story thread there or not. PB, if you do want a story thread make one and I'll sticky it. This is lower than everyone else's bid for that class.
The history class is tied between Catrina and Clement. Clement, as a Quaesitor has a bit more clout and wins the tie, or you can Certamen for it.