2.1 Gone...(I) Winter of 1215-16

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Bad Apples
101

When the search party has left, Prometheus puts his attention to the covenfolk.

[ooc I'll put a description next about what he wants to achieve and how he is going to approach it. We can play this out if you want, just roll some dice or handle it any way you think is appropriate.]

His main goal is finding out about the surroundings of Meru Mudi. What are the closest settlements, where do they lie, how big are they and what is the major economy? What is the closest settlement that actually does have an economy other than getting food on the table? Is there anything of worth in the Tymfi region? Are there any outlaws interfering with trade? Is there anyone willing and able to pay for protection? Who is the noble in charge of tymfi? Anyone knows someone in service of the noble? Does anyone know Ioannina? Have relatives or friends there?

Prometheus will use magic. He'll cast 'Aura of ennobled presence' onto himself to get a good starting point.
He will use 'Perception of the conflicting motives' and 'Sight of the transparent motive' to gauge the conversation, 'Posing the silent question' and 'Trust of childlike Faith' to get a grip on something interesting and if there was finally, 'Loss of but a moment’s memory' to make the target unaware of what just happened.

Edit: The magic has of course mainly supportive character, helping with the use of charm, guile, intrigue and maybe leadership.

102

[tab][/tab] In about half an hour, your party has split into three groups; two scouting duos going north and south, and the main party compromised of the magi and two grogs following Dimitris going over the ford to cross the river. The snow has piled up in the relative level banks, making the approach difficult, and though its pristine in its condition due to the snowfall of previous days, there are unusual tracks at the nearest river patches. 'Stoicheia' a guide mumbles, then spits on the side to ward bad luck away, referring to the water fae commonly thought to be in rivers and springs. Dimitris barely hears and plods on, fording the river. This time of year it is in a low point, barely a trickle of ice cold water covering the rocks of the ford. Here and there sheets of ice have intruded into the flow, making fantastic shapes. Despite the low murmur of the water, you discern no life at or around the river, as if everything is absent, a completely different vista than the normally vibrant gorge. High above on the snow-covered Towers you can hear the distant shrill calls of the mountain crows. Anastaj's man and one his followers have reached the other side in good order and are looking for tracks. You will have to cross the river, said to be the home of a host of entities, nixes and pixies and spirits, including the rumored patron of the Covenant itself. There is also the danger of Telonia and wandering Ogres, plus whatever hungry critters are out in this lull of the weather....

[tab][/tab] Prometheus starts his interactions with the covenfolk going strong, and he easily gets what he wants in information. He adeptly manages to start conversations and generally get to make himself known. His use of supportive magic is overcoming the natural suspiciousness of the covenfolk towards outsiders, making them friendly almost gullible. And yet after those bouts of camaraderie they seem more suspicious of the young magus, even those that he had their memories sealed. It is a strange phenomenon that is most puzzling.
[tab][/tab] The general knowledge about the mountain, the folk and the villages around Tymfi is pretty basic stuff, people prattling names and places almost too fast for the magus to retain [Please refer to the posts about Tymfi mountains]. The closest large village that has an economy would be Konita in the north-west. Almost all the villages deal with herding and animal husbandry, except those in the north-east that deal in lumber and Konita itself that mainly deals in agricultural products. No mining or crafts noted, though the economy of Ioannina (the closest town) is a different matter. No bands of outlaws have been heard in the western parts, mainly because of the presence of the former imperial post in Aristi. Lone foot-pads and wild men are always an issue though. There is very little trade passing through Tymfi. Closest trade routes are south of Ioannina and the road north towards Duress and Via Egnatia. This part of Tymfi, the west part, falls under no noble's jurisdiction at this time. The north-western part is rumored to have a new noble as its liege, Konita has a council of elders just as most villages in the mountains. The southern villages fall under the control of Ioannina. Almost every Greek knows of and has been in Ioannina, the largest town in these parts. Most have friends, family or acquaintances. Vlach are mountain people, their peers and friends all live in the mountains and valleys. Slavs on the other hand have a few hidden or segregated settlements here and there, they avoid the towns.

[tab][/tab] [No answer from the other two. So.... I got Pavo, Aristocles, Raven and Scylax with Dimitris. From what I understand Prometheus is staying behind? I'll have to find something for him to do then. I am revising the main story for 4 people then]

103

This phenomenon indeed raises great interest in Prometheus, he is taking that as a challenge.
First, he is thinking hard. Did he ever hear or read about such an effect; a high base suspiciousness, borderline paranoia against outsiders?
Second, he is going to conduct experiments. Based on the assumption that this effect is even increased by either social interaction or the use of Mentem magic, Prometheus will pick someone from the covenfolk and repeatedly interact with him/her using "Aura of ennobled presence" and some of his mental tricks, wiping the memory clean afterwards. The hypothesis being that after a while, whatever causes the suspicion should be the very surface motive of interaction and a "Sight of the transparent motive" or "Perception of the conflicting motives" should reveal more information.
As another experiment, Prometheus tries to approach another one from the covenfolk completely without the use of magic, just his natural social skills. Does the effect wear off after some time?

However bad that might be for a financial base of Meru Mudi, it does not really surprise Prometheus. It's probably still worth to visit the villages, in particular Konita, when the winter is gone. Maybe there is something that can be used to our advantage. Some kind of agent in Konita seems appropriate as well, so that regional news reach Prometheus early.

Prometheus takes a note to himself to visit this new noble as well as acquire some knowledge about members of the council of Konita.

Prometheus tries to figure out if there is anyone that could be a good agent for information in Ioannina?

104

[tab][tab] [No answer from the other two. So.... I got Pavo, Aristocles, Raven and Scylax with Dimitris. From what I understand Prometheus is staying behind? I'll have to find something for him to do then. I am revising the main story for 4 people then]
[/quote]
[Dunno what to answer, from my understanding this was for a small group of magi, last thing I asked was " he tries to find him and the gathering party to ask for their destination and plans and whether they think he will be of service." as an outsider after 3 magi showed their interest I stepped down. My bad then...]

105

[Dunno what to answer, from my understanding this was for a small group of magi, last thing I asked was " he tries to find him and the gathering party to ask for their destination and plans and whether they think he will be of service." as an outsider after 3 magi showed their interest I stepped down. My bad then...]
[/quote]
It's not too late to come along, just join in. All magi welcome I am sure.

OOC I obviously missed a trick here. If I had realised you were making an inquiry Aristocles would have made sure it was clear you were mote than welcome to come along

106

Pavo looks around for any tracks or signs that Anastaj may have been around. He does not fear the water, for he is protected against cold and he knows the water fairies are easily fooled by turning into a peacock.

"Dimitris, have your men any knowledge of where Anastaj likes to go? We will keep a firm eye out for anything unusual" Pavo comments.

Pavo adjusts his footwear to make sure he doesn't slip when they get to the river.

107

Prometheus will spend most of his days - well, his afternoons, evenings and early nights, he is nocturnal - in the covenant's common rooms. As well where the covenfolk meets (probably the kitchen or the like) as where present magi would (the council chamber I suppose).

Supposing Pierrick stays in Meru Mudi as well, they will probably meet. "Sodale Pierrick, maybe you can help me to get some clarity... I am contemplating on the Hermetic Oath, especially the passage about scrying. There we all swore 'I will not use magic to scry upon members of the Order of Hermes, nor shall I use it to peer into their affairs.' I wonder about exceptional situations. Let's suppose I had to leave the covenant for a dangerous investigation, let's further suppose I had to go alone. Now, I had allowed you to 'keep an eye on me', so that you and our other sodales could come to my rescue should that be necessary. If you now indeed kept an eye on me, would you have broken your oath?"

[ooc what Prometheus wants with that? It'd be great to have an agreement with a member of house guernicus, that the code cannot always be taken literally... The logical chain he tries to draw is... There are exceptions to the text, for scrying, consent makes a difference, there can be explicit concent and implicit concent, implicit concent can be hard to assert, it can be assumed when the scryed upon subject does not complain... He will sacrifice (and therefore "loose" the argument) any chain link after "there are exceptions to the literal rules"]

108

Pierrick seems amused by the question.

"A Tytalus acquaintance of mine was quite interested in the matter too."

He grins

"He told me once that truth and justice are two sister's who don't live in the same room. But you didn't ask me for Tytalus parabole."

Taking a more serious tone

" As a preamble, even though I received a training in Hermetic law as expected of a Guernicus, I'm not a quaesitor, nor am I trained as one. My views doesn't carry a lot of weigh and even Quaesitors can't always predict the outcome of a judgement.
Anyway, scrying is a complicated matter. In most tribunals you can rely on legal precedents but I wonder If that's really the case here. I mean no offense, but the local quaesitor are not "professionals". I would expect them to use their common sense and morality more than their deep understanding of Law. That would probably be advantageous in the situation you describe. That being said, If something's clear to me It's that You can't just allow someone to break the law !
Assuming you trust him you can, maybe, rely on him not to ask for justice but usually scrying relies on getting images, sounds or thoughts... All these spells carry the risk of accidentally revealing other members of the Order. That's why even Quaesitor use those Intelligo spells cautiously, even them can be prosecuted if they're not careful enough..."

109

"So, you think it has to be taken literally? And if I give my consent to a scrying spell to be cast upon myself, the caster still has to fear that I have him prosecuted for scrying? Even justice and law appear to be living in different rooms then."

110

What I'm saying is that this specific law isn't only protecting the magus being the target of the scrying spell but the magi interacting with him. Say, your friend is attacked by a magical creature and is being rescued by another magus. He's late at the covenant and he allowed you to cast scrying spell on him. It seems quite benevolent on your part but your're not only scrying your friend but also his rescuer and maybe even the inside of his sanctum.

That's for this kind of loophole that scrying is usually enforced quite literally. Maybe that's a mistake but maybe you asked your friend to fake an attack only to scry the healer whose secret you want to discover...

111

"The third maga is an interesting complication... but a complication indeed. Let's - for the moment - stick to the two magi and the consentfull scrying. Should there be any risk of being prosecuted for the well behaving magus helping a sodales in danger?"

112

"You ask me a question about an hypothetical situation that doesn't occur. If no one is harmed, there's already no trial, because no one else knows.

Is there a risk involved anyway ? Well of course, if you're prosecuted something went wrong : maybe the consenting magus though you used scrying outside of agreed parameters and changed his mind, maybe you botched your spell, maybe you were framed by a crafty magus to involuntary spy him...

Should there be any risk ? Well there are. Should that stop you from acting to save your sodales ? Well, that's up to You ! If you have no other solution to save him, ask yourself What personal risk you are willing to take and remember that dying for It is a possibility."

113

"Now that offers two interesting paths to follow.

If nobody can witness the act of scrying, there will be no trial, you say. In short that would be - do as you please, don't let them catch you?

The other thing you said, if I use magic to scry I should be prosecuted. Neither intention nor consent should play a role? If the sodale I was protecting played a false game, no proof of his consent to scrying and risk of a botch should save me?

I don't like either of the paths, as they lead to the conclusion that justice and law are constantly at each other's throats - to build on the metaphor you brought up earlier."

114

Prometheus finds the suspiciousness of the covenfolk intriguing. [This investigation and experimentation will be a single or multi- seasonal undertaking, falling under laboratory procedures (even though its social interaction outside said laboratory). It is too complicated to sort through through just some talking and magic casting. More on this will be posted when the new seasonal adventures are posted, under optional].
[tab][/tab] Konita is the closest civilization hub to Meru Mudi. The resident magi have not as yet made any official or unofficial contact with the large village, nor do they have agents or informants. Some covenfolk have distant relations there, but nothing major. As stated, Konita does not fall under the jurisdiction of any noble and its governance is unclear. As to its use as a regional news gathering place, things are less optimal. From what Prometheus gathers from the locals, though its the largest village in the western part, its virtually a dead end. The only major road goes south, to the former Imperial post of Aristi, and from there either to Ioannina to the south or Duress to the far north west. There are a few paths through the mountains to north, and a backwater trade way towards the east, but since the collapse of the Empire, trade has stopped from that direction. [Inquires about the 'council' of Konita and the new noble can fall under optional adventures]
[tab][/tab] Ioninna does offer a much more attractive place to gather information, in fact its vital. Being the local seat of regional government, and due to its resent rapid expansion, it is a ripe place to put agents and make contacts. Prometheus can certainly do that (read: attempt), he would just have to find the right persons. Asking around (politely) he gleans that Miklos, a shifty looking man from Duress that gossip says he is a criminal or some such, knows much about the towns in the area. Another place of note would be Arta, the capital of the Despotate. It is a sinister place but still it is the center of the 'Kingdom'. However meddling with politics is forbidden, technically...

[tab][/tab] On the matter of scrying, in this Tribunal (and indeed in most) there is no 'police' to search for scrying crimes. A complaint must be delivered to the Quaesitor and an investigation made, before the complain is taken up judicially. Its very difficult to prove such claims without evidence. However on the example above, 'using scrying' should be replaced by 'using any magic, even supportive, to have another individual spy or meddle in the affairs of another magus'. Its strict, almost paranoid but magi value privacy very much. The penalties are usually not that severe (there is no incarceration or money penalties) and usually centered around magical resources, information, loss of ventures or time. Remember, in this Tribunal there is also the whole Tokens/Shards mechanism, giving a new spin in judicial punishment [For more info pg28 of tTT, if you have it].

[Is Pierrick coming with the group? There is still time :slight_smile: ]

[tab][/tab] Pavo checks the area while he waits for the others. He finds no tracks of Anastaj, but then again he is not a expert in field-craft. Besides, the new snow has covered and wiped out all tracks from two days ago. The shallow water in the river is ice cold, Pavo is glad he wears fur lined leather boots. Dimitris looks pensive, gazing off at the Towers and murmurs: ''Master did not have people come with him during his treks. He is old and knows the mountains very well. Still... I have an inkling where he might have gone, perhaps we would find something to follow in that area''. Stealing a glance at Pavo, he raises his hand and points at the largest side-canyon in the northern face of the rock, a huge steep rockslide affair to the south east of your party on this side of the river (after that cleft where the Telonia ambushed some covenfolk last year). Its an imposing mountain feature, a wound in the mountainface neatly squaring the Towers into a cube and the southern escarpment, making a ramp almost touching the high plateau. [In the map, its the east going canyon in the middle of the gorge, without a river]. ''Up there. He usually goes up there'' then he falls silent and starts crossing the river....

115

[Sure, If that's ok I'd better Join rather than spent the whole advendure at the covenant. I was more or less waiting for the scheduler thread to pop the "new message" icon, but I'm an idiot and didn't notice this was in fact edited in an existing post...]

116

[Yes please. I'll up the adventure for 5 people and Pierrick follows in the main group. Please also add any preparations the character does (he still has the conversations with Prometheus the day before)]

117

[Yes please. I'll up the adventure for 5 people and Pierrick follows in the main group. Please also add any preparations the character does (he still has the conversations with Prometheus the day before)]

Pierrick goes back to his room and packs the travelling gear he just unpacked days ago when he arrived at the covenant. He brings his warmest clothes and his oiled Leather rain cape hoping it will protect him from melting snow. He also brings snow shoes if he finds some at the covenant. He picks up an arcane connection to the covenant (a rock he breaks from a boulder) outside the Aegis, hoping Annastaj will know the leap of homecoming. He also brings enough food for a week : dried fruits, dried meat, porridge, a flask of water. He brings a rope, sharpened rocks he used for his combat spells, his knife, his stylet and wax tablet.

If it works on snow he will cast cloak of ducks feather on himself, he also casts unseen porter on his backpack and maintains it with maintaining the demanding spell (for sun duration ). So it floats on his back and doesn't weight anything.
If he feels danger, he casts wizard's sidestep.

[I'll follow up the conversation on a later post]

118

Raven nods when Dimitris points out where he suspects their quarry might have gone. She follows him when he starts crossing the river

119

I wouldn't advice you to do as you please, but the Hermetic justice isn't actively searching for acts of scrying unless someone's reported the felony or the magus is acting suspisciously.

Justice is a relative concept, Hermetic justice is relative to the Oath and the peripheral code and that's what magus all have to agree on. It isn't Christian justice nor mundane Justice . Most of the time when people feel justice and law aren't aligned they're considering justice with a christian perspective and want hermetic law to provide It ! That's simply not what It's meant to be; unsurprisingly considering some magus aren't Christian...

120

"Oh, I think we have misunderstanding here. I am not seeking legal advice. I don't plan to walk that close to the edge of law - no matter if that law is just or not.

I was rather interested in the theoretical discussion. From what you said I take that the code should be taken literally with the sole exception of a tribunal precedent. Is that correct?
I further take that the code should be standing above concepts like truth or justice. Is that correct?"