In answer, Jaime strides out of the room, and heads to the library. He is clearly expecting everyone to follow him.
Up to the first floor, and through a door that leads to what would be the first room you saw, were you to approach from inside the Regio. Partially shuttered windows (lacking glass), show the overrun gardens and a low wall in the distance. One of the grapevines has come in through the shuttered window, a foot-thick snaking tendril reaching towards the Peasant Hall.
He leads you into the Peasant Hall, or what would be the hall where a landed noble would hold court over his subjects. Here, it is the library and scriptorium.
A disembodied voice, speaking in a bad imitation of an English accent, comments dully, "Hallo, Jaime," which receives a wordless grunt of acknowledgment in reply.
The large hall still shows clear signs of its original purpose, despite the exceptionally intricate, and exceedingly garish, renovations done to it. From the dark oak walls hang large maps, trophies, and several extremely bad portraits of the same man, all from the exact same angle. You think it is a man.
Neatly arranged in rows across the floor are armarii (book closets) and chests, some bejeweled, some exquisitely carved, each carefully labeled with a neatly lettered small signpost, lettered in a fine, sure hand, with many curves, squiggles. The signposts are colored in pinks, purples, lavenders, burgundies, yellows (very hard to read), and bright reds. Though the number and quality of the bookchests are impressive, they become less so when you realize that half of them say things like "Empty" or "I am a Box!" More familiar category titles, like "Perdo" also lose a bit of their august impact because someone chose to shape the E and O to closely resemble a heart.
Three women in their mid-twenties are helping a Moor back into her abaya, ensuring that no loose strands of hair are visible. As the magi enter, the four women leap to attention, standing ramrod straight as if they had been caught doing some naughty. They struggle to maintain looks of innocence for a few seconds, lips trembling, before all four of them burst into shrieks of high-pitched laughter.
Jaime seems to take this in stride. "Sharae, would you be so kind as to fetch the charter?"
This is followed by another round of squeals. Sharae rushes over to a to a massive book and begins to pour through the library catalog. The three remaining girls squeal to each other. "This is just like that time when...." "I know! I was just thinking the same thing! And the way he..." "Oh, and then he...." ~shared sigh of hero worship~ In unison: "He's so dreamy!"
Jaime seems to be taking genuine, if confusing (yet familiar) comfort in the high pitched antics of the four women. "Sodales, welcome to the Phoenix Library and Scriptorium. Allow me to introduce our staff."
You have already met Sharae the Librarian, though her earlier fear seems to have completely vanished now. Is it her companions, or the security of her library walls, which makes her so bold now?
Danielle Castiblanco the Scribe is a short, slightly pudgy girl wearing what appears to be a black and white, frilly maid's uniform, which reveals an indecent amount of her short and stubby legs. A white bow in her mane of black hair almost gives the appearance of cat ears.
Fidelia Castaneda the Illuminator is unnaturally thin, and dressed in a sinful reinterpretation of a nun's habit, with impressive tailoring and artfully placed rips in the fabric. She is wearing an inexpert application of white face powder and kohl, which contrasts unfavorably with her dark hue.
Sandra de los Montes the Book Binder a long limbed, awkward girl, who has banged her elbows and knees on at least four pieces of furniture since the introductions began. Though her features clearly indicate a mix of Castillian and Moorish blood, she is dressed as a Scotsman, complete with tartan kilt. She has dyed her hair a very unnatural color of red.
As an afterthought, Jaime also introduces Charles Edwards Vintner, who is absolutely not to be left alone with any books. "Oh, let up, won't you, Jaime, there's a good chap?" The grapevine just peeking into the library through the front door seems to shiver slightly as it speaks, though you may just be wanting to see some indication of its speech. "That was nearly 20 seasons ago! I'm a new vine! Can't you forgive me?"
Meanwhile, Sharae has found what she is looking for in a polished labradorite chest, whose bright purple sign reads "Blank Vellum." She takes the 3-foot wide scroll to an ornately carved table, and spreads it open for all to see, anchoring the corners open with several loose chunks of rocks which have Rings of Flame on them.
The charter appears to be a hastily scribed copy of somebody else's charter, with notes in the margins. (OOC: Those with OoHLore or CoH can roll vs 6 to recognize this as the Arae Flaviae Charter mentioned in Covenants). These are the notable modifications:
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Every instance of the phrase "majority vote" has been struck through and replaced with "unanimous vote" in a bold, emphatic hand.
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Under Resources Owned by the Covenant, several paragraphs in a feminine script outline what constitutes a "covenfolk," and what their rights are. In particular, they may not be ensorcelled without their full knowledge and consent, or by majority* vote of the Council. They may not be the subject of laboratory activities without the Council's majority* vote. Any member of the Hermetic order who violates the rights of a Phoenix Covenant covenfolk may be fined up to two season's service, or a rook of vis, per violation.
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Under Rights of the Members of this Covenant, there is an addendum written in the margins in a meticulous, tiny script marked Vis Grant. Every equinox and solstice, the Vis Stores are to be divided among the Magi. The Council receives one share per Full or Probationary Member of the Covenant, while each Full member receives a full share and each Probationary Member receives a half share.**
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Under Responsibilities of the Members of this Covenant is an addendum in the feminine script fixing the vis exchange rate between covenant members (1 for 1, 1 Technique for 2 Forms), and another bit that says "The debts of the Covenant are owed by individual Members as well as by the Council Whole."
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"Majority is scratched out and replaced by "unanimous," which has also been scratched out and replaced once again with "majority."
** A section about the Princeps receiving a double share has been scratched out. Upon reflection, the term Princeps doesn't appear anywhere else in the charter, either.
Jaime grumbles, "Will any of you sign now, or must you all take a night to think about the offer you've known about for a month now?
Viscaria protests slightly about the "rights of covenfolk" but then adds, "Well, I have not known about much of anything for the last year, but I have learned the value of having Amicii who might notice you're missing. I'll sign now."
She matches deeds to words. "What now?"
Jaime: "Eh? Go find yourselves some sancta, and take a look around. Cersei's sanctum is...was, down that hall and across from mine. The ones upstairs are all empty now too, and there's all kind of space underground or on the grounds. There's even a few buildings outside the gate which fit inside our Aegis. Vernal Equinox is on the 13th, I guess that'd be a good time to have a proper council meeting. It'd give you three days to look around and find some business to bring up."
With that, he takes his leave of you.
OOC:There is a Save Point(tm) here. If you click on it, your body goes rigid and unresponsive, your vision goes black and you see the words Loading Chapter 2.... appear. In a breath, you find yourself still in the library, but somehow in the next chapter...
Edit: Corrected spelling