While the others are outside Fleur muses aloud "I suppose the only way to really force the issue would be for your covenant to abandon your assets to Andorra, then everyone apply to join. I'm not a quaesitor so don't quote me on that, besides, I suspect that wasn't exactly what you were planning. I think it would be an uncomfortable process to apply for some." she smiles at Vulcanus.
"It seems like an uncomfortable process for everyone," Rika mused openly - as she watched her seniors move to convene in private. "No matter what gets decided on."
Roberto nods to Fredrika and adds
[color=red]"Let them decide what they will. I live in a tower on Ibiza. It was mine before them and is mine with or without them. They created her own political mess with their non-Tribunal status and deciding to form a chapterhouse and a lease. And a major Mercere Quarter on top of all that! I speak my mind boldly, and call me reckless if you will, but I think Sa Dragonera and the Balearic Islands should constitute a covenant unto ourselves and join the Iberian Tribunal.
Pinky tugs Fleur's arm. [color=pink]That one. Who is he? He is like a dark version of our Robert.
Fleur looks over at their Robert, dapper and blond, a knightly Flambeau with the Gentle Gift. He stands next to his daughter, Carmen with raven black hair. Demure and polite and calm.
Perhaps the Andorran magi are the evil twins?
Then Fleur notices the wiked smiles exchanged between Vulcanus and Guiverna, and hopes this is not the case.
"You ever get the feeling that delineating ourselves into our own, territorial tribunals mirrors - too closely? - the feudal patchwork that the nobility adore?" Frederika swirled her wine. "We need some structure (or it'd be a free for all!), but why settle for something above covenants but below the entire Order? Ease? Law enforcement? Never looked into it much really." Not that she'd ever really had the time.
"But then again, I've never been part of a covenant that's prompted these sorts of question."
Guiverna watched the door that the Andorran masters had passed through with an intense, almost predatory stare. It takes a couple of minutes for her to remember that there are others in the room as well, and she turns with a polite, almost Stepford Wife-like hostess smile.
[color=red]"I'm sorry about all of that. Sometimes I forget myself, when it comes to trying to do the best for my sodales. And I truly believe that allying ourselves, or even joining with, Andorra is something that would benefit everyone involved. Some of us," she says with a grin at Vulcanus, who catches her look and grins back, [color=red]"have more...history with Andorra than others. Luckily, I didn't join Bellaquin until after all that went south, but as long as I don't have to deal too often with certain people who I happen to bear a vague resemblance to, I'd be happy with either a chapter house or merging with Andorra. Especially if it means I get to deal more often with certain other people." She smiles at Acutus.
[color=red]"But back to my question that your bellatrix so deftly avoided answering. Does she have the authority to unilaterally veto proposals like that?"
The more she talks, and the more people look at Guiverna, there are subtle differences between her and Vibria. The chief being that Guiverna has a slight French accent, as opposed to Vibria's hint of a Spanish accent.
"Yes." Fleur offer candidly "I'm not sure about the technicalities or if she needs someone else to rubber stamp her decision, but once she has made an utterance like that the covenant will back her."
Acutus returns Guiverna's smile before responding to Fleur's comment, "I'm not so sure about that. That doesn't seem to be how things go down, at least in my experience. And it sounded like Master Solomon was at least willing to entertain the idea."
"Which is entirely interesting, isn't it?" Frederika snapped her fingers toward Acutus. "Regardless of how beneficial (or not) joining together is, the Pontifex was worried about the wider politics. But if a senior Guernicus is less concerned, doesn't that mean there isn't a lot to worry about...?"
Biting her thumb, the youthful maga thought aloud... "Which Lady Carmen would know if she'd had time to discuss it with Meister Solomon. But she hasn't. It's a surprise to her! And this is too big to announce on a whim, isn't it? It should be done in private; properly discussed - so why? Why now?"
Frederika slowly sat up and looked around the room as she muttered under her breath: "What's forcing Valgravian's hand? Or is this..theatre uncessary? Are his ducks already in a row?"
[size=85]Can I roll Intrigue to see if I can catch a whiff of what's going on? Maybe take the temperature of the room: do power-players like Valgravian seem worried, surprised or strangely confident? Or would something like Order of Hermes Lore / Code of Hermes be more applicable here? Whatever the case, I shall roll in advance! 1d10=9[/size]
"They will back her. At best they might propose a compromise that will be far short of what was asked for, which given that the only thing the pontifex ruled out was accepting a chapter house really isn't a whole lot to ensure not giving up. If we did want to merge the covenants there are a lot of other ways to do it, like Bellaquin gifting it's assets to Andorra, or just officially disbanding and leaving their assets as the domain of our property since we are the landlords, then the magi applying for membership, which avoids the situation I suspect she is worried about, which is being forced to accept member magi we have not screened, especially when someone or something is clearly having a hand in things. She may suspect a plot, but if there is one I do not think the duplicates are in on it. I first suspected warping to a pattern, but many of those involved are from Mallorca, so a single pattern would not explain things. Of course many of our so called dopplegangers wouldn't be seen as such in a normal situation, and it may be that the effect only truly applies to a few individuals and the rest we fill in from our own imaginations. For example, Pinky here, I hope you don't mind my using us as an example, might be seen as my doppleganger, or I his, but really we only have a certain degree of flamboyance and a high libido in common, which was likely to happen in any covenant of a reasonable size. Robert and Roberto however seems to be more than simple coincidence.
She pauses for a moment as she turns to Fredrika. "That is a very good point, and if there is some agency behind this doppleganger effect, are they behind this plot that has forced Valgravian's hand?" She seems to be struck by a thought "Does anyone remember Coronado Cortez? Or Antonio or Rodrigo?"
[color=red]"Bellaquin has been a steadfast ally of Andorra for longer than most of our members have been here. I would...it says a lot about our covenants' relationship that our request for a more intimate relationship would be so readily dismissed. We did not ask to join Andorra, to become co-equals in a new Covenant of Andorra. We asked to become a chapter house, under you. We sacrifice a lot in such a proposal, it is true. But we gain far more than we lose. And we honestly believe that such an arrangement is the best for all involved, short of a new Tribunal, or we would not have proposed it."
Guiverna arches her brows. [color=red]"Again, you i[/i][color=red] claim that we are duplicates, or clones, or copies. And I must protest these accusations that we are mere imitations. I am fully as real as Vulcanus, or Acutus, or Carmen. I have memories, some rather detailed, and faith in my reality. I welcome your examination, as detailed as you wish, if you truly believe that I am a deceipt."
Guiverna shakes her head slowly. [color=red]"Coronado was before my time," she says as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, [color=red]"and I can't say that I've ever actually met Rodrigo, but I think I saw Antonio when I was an apprentice."
"I apologize, I should have said apparent duplicates. The oddity is not in the requests, but rather the way these requests were laid out, first as an announcement instead of a request, and primarily in the fact that it was done publicly instead of approaching someone in private. There is much to be gained but also much to be lost given the balance we need to maintain with the surrounding tribunals."
Acutus shakes his head and rolls his eyes at Fleur's 'pronouncements'. He turns to Guiverna but speaks loud enough for everyone concerned to hear should they wish, "Please do not assume that my sodales here speaks in any way for Andorra or somehow has some special insights into the thoughts of our masters and pontifex; she's been at Andorra just as long as I have, and as far as I know, is not an oracle." He then turns to Fleur, "As for what the archmagus presented, it seemed to me as if he was presenting two different proposals that he would like our covenant to consider, not providing an 'announcement' as you put it. That it was presented here at this party vice in a private meeting of masters actually pleases me. It's nice to know this won't be a back room deal made without the knowledge of us rank and file."
Fredrika's reading of the room indicates that the Belaquin magi and other guests are also surprised. Yet they seem (for the most part) to have little to say. They are confused but do not wish to contradict their leader maybe?
When Fleur mentions the name of elders, Kesara speaks what she knows.
[color=brown]All three are former members of Andorra Covenant. Archmagus Antonio was Carmens father and parens, and for a long time he was the only Pontifex. He went into twilight six years ago and we are guessing his warping was so high he likely wil not return. Rodrigo of Mercere was his partner and is the one who first expanded the Mercere quarter. He was also a pontifex but was frequently missing because of many twilight episodes. I think he ended up being transformed into a magic being. Vulcanus knows the details better. Something to do with the Phoenix sword of Valdarius. No one ever followed up on it.
Coranado of Flambeau is from well before my time. He fell in battle some fifty years ago or so. He was parens of Antonio and was Pontifex way back in his day. Along with archmagus Fuego the Flambeau alchemist.
Roberto weighs in, protesting his comparison to Robert.
[color=red]Mine is not an uncommon Christian name, and Flambeau is a large house. If you stick two dozen Flambeau magi in a room, you are bound to get a few with some variation of the name. Roberto, Robert, Robby, Bob, and such.
Blond Robert chimes in with his French accent. [color=blue]I must say I certainly do agree. I heard these tales of duplication and I did some research on my supposed counterpart. I come from the prestegious lineage of Elaine and I was schooled in the arts of chivalry as well as magic. He comes from the imaginary lineage of Delendos and a backround of common mercenaries. In fact, his parens was a criminal that used to war against mundanes!
Roberto looks offened, rolls up his sleeves like he is ready to box, and mutters [color=red]Look here you pompus nancy boy! Come a little closer and say that again! Why I oughtta....
"Rodrigo has been transformed, the other two are deceased or lost to twilight, and this last spring I met all three in a faerie regio. While any single pairing here could be written up to chance, and a few to overactive imagination, the total seems more than chance alone, and I was wondering because it seems there is a certain parallel between a faerie version of Andorra I found locked in ice and the tendancy of Bellaquin and Androan magic to appear to echo each other."
[color=red]"Robert! Roberto! Stop this concours de pissant, now!" Guiverna yells as she steps between them with her arms outstretched.
[color=red]"Not only will this not solve anything, but it harms our chances of accomplishing anything positive at this meeting.
"Roberto, I know that you are a Flambeau of some renown, but I also love Robert like the brother I never had, and I will fight by his side against anyone and everyone if it comes to that. I also know that, from what my frère Bellaquinois is nothing like you, aside from the similar name and same House. I also know that, aside from passing resemblances, I am nothing like that trollop Vibria (for one, I'm better looking), our Carmen is nothing like yours, our Constantius is nothing your Solomon, and so on.
"Now, I grant that this is all quite the eerie coincidences that we have not yet unravelled. But that is no reason to reject our requests out of hand. If anything, it would be quite the opposite.
"When your Carmen and the other Masters return, perhaps we can get off on a fresh foot and present our petitions."
She sighs. [color=red]"Meanwhile, this is supposed to be a dinner party. Can I get anyone anything to nibble on while we wait?"
Fleur bites her lip when Guiverna mentions "getting something to nibble on" and glances at Pinky to see if he realizes what thought she is holding back (she knows her covenmates will)
"Maybe I am seeing plots where there are none, but this is at minimum a very unnerving coincidence, so how about we do something constructive and start analyzing it. First we get a list of pairings, then make a list of actual similarities and differences and see if any pattern emerges beyond a general feeling that there is a bi weird coincidence or conspiracy? We should probably also list opposites or mirror traits, like Robert and Roberto being of what I assume are rival schools within Flambeau..."
"You don't need to convince me that eating is a good idea." Frederika used the chaos of the budding fight to slip closer to Guiverna. She chewed and swallowed.
Valgraivan had announced his plans unilaterally, it seemed. Almost no one in the room had known about the announcement. Not the magi of Andorra and...not the magi of Bellaquin? That's what it looked like. Did that mean that the severity of Bellaquin's issues had been held from its members? Almost assuredly. Was Bellaquin the type of covenant to keep something so important from its members? Rika didn't know. But...to keep an announcement so important from both the leadership of Andorra, and from the majority of Bellaquin's magi itself seemed 'strange'. Desperate?
She needed to find out.
Guiverna seemed like a suitable 'way in':
"I agree, when everyone gets back I think good things will happen. Still, the announcement seems sudden. Were you aware it was going to be made beforehand? I hope it works out for the best."
As Rika sidles up to Guiverna and munches on finger food, Valgravian calls to a servant to see when the roast will be served. The response is in about ten minutes.
[color=green]I do hope your Masters are finished with their private discussion in time for supper. And I apologize if I shocked or surprised anyone with my proposal. I did discuss the idea with our key members, but keep in mind most of us are not current members and were not in on the discussion. Robert and Artemis knew, as did Constantius and my daughter Antionette. The others are all former members of old Bellaquin. Pinky is of Aedes Mercurri now, aka Doisettep. Robert's daughter Carmen is visiting from the Rhine. Vulcanus and Guiverna are new pledges granted provisional member status untill our next formal meeting. There was a Bjornaer magus I wanted to recruit, a Lord Fetherbottom. But he seems to have dissappeared and has legal issues that got him expelled from his House. So I suppose he is technically an Ex-Miscellanea magus.
[color=green]And as for this "doppleganger syndrome" everyone keeps going on about, I just don't see it. My sodale Artemis first brought it to my attention, and others started speculating. But it really seems that people are grasping at straws.