"I am not a trollop, I'm a slut! And you can certainly see me now! If you wanted to see me naked you could have just asked, but you used magic to mess with my mind instead!" She glances back at Solomon, hoping he will use this relatively thin veneer of a reason to pursue this issue.
Solomon does his best not to roll his eyes at Fleur, although her reasoning was disturbingly similar to what he himself was thinking, "Vulcanus, you used Mentem magic in order to bring the base emotions of magi to the fore, thus giving you insight into the inner nature of those magi, as well as potential weaknesses you could use later to your advantage. Utilizing magic to learn hidden information about other magi that may be used for potential future gain is the very definition of scrying. Beyond that, by bringing the baser emotions of those magi to the forefront, you very well may have denied their access to magic, as they would be too emotionally unstable to control their thoughts and thus work their magic. So at a minimum, you have violated two tenets of the Code."
[hr][/hr]
Using Communication + Code of Hermes to try and win the argument...
2( Com) + 5 (Code of Hermes) + 3 = 10 (and I'll throw in a Confidence if it will help)
Not sure if that would work. Vulcanus would never admit loosing an argument, and the player characters have formed their own opinions (mostly in agreement). But your argument does carry weight. No need for spending confidence.
Valgravian of Jerbiton stands up.
Enough! I don't know about these code violation arguments, and it is true we are of the Provencal tribunal here. But what I do know, however, is that these little games have jeopardized the political goals of this covenant! Vulcanus! Your provisional membership is hereby revoked! Begone from my covenant! And take your accomplice Guiverna with you!
Guiverna had nothing to do with any of this, as far as anyone can tell. Guilt by association?
Fleur gets an odd look on her face. "You don't listen very well either. The Andorrn covenant covers all of Andora according to the charter, Bellaquin is renting space inside our covenant, so it is our location which matters, not Bellaquins tribunal." She takes a deep breath and turns "I'm going to go wake up Robert, if you declare Vulcanus marched we probably want to have both Flambeaus here."
Valgravian shakes his head. This is not a march, it is an expulsion from my covenant. And Bellaquin is indeed part of Provencal. We were on the rolls for the 1235 Tribunal just last year, even with this as our sole remaining location. If you have isue with that, I suggest you take it up with Magvillus. There is no Andorra Tribunal, and your status is an unresolved fiction. A dream. I offer to help make that dream a reality, and this is what I get? One of your former members infiltrates Bellaquin to disrupt our harmony. Is he operating under your instructions?
And close your blouse!
"You're welcome to your opinion. Perhaps for some people the effect manifests harmlessly. For me, I struck Fluer with only the slightest provocation, and had someone made an effort to get a rise out of me I might well have escalated to something...just a little bit more serious." Rika underlined her last few words with pointed meaning.
"We shouldn't just let this go, Roberto. A man like that is dangerous, especially if he bears a grudge."
[color=red]Not saying we should let it go. This is just not the right time or place. Planning is everything and victory is in the preparation. I have my eye on Blond Robert. He will get what he is due in good time.
I should mention that Roberto had resisted the emotion effect. His agitation is totally natural and uninfluenced by magic. Neither he nor Rika are aware of the revelations going on inside at the moment either.
Fleur's concentration is off, and she ignores Valgravian as she goes to get Robert.
Wouldn't we be able to over hear the commotion from just outside the room? Not that it matters too much!
"Well said. We should discuss this later. In the meantime, I want to know more of what's going on. Meaning," Frederika summoned her casting circle. "I need a way to go back in there without wanting to kill everyone."
She worked a small amount of magic, and - hoping it would be enough - made to go back into the great hall: "Coming? It would be nice to have someone to drag me out of there if things play out poorly."
[hr][/hr]
Using Equanimity Restoration as a base, I can bump up the duration from Momentary to Sun. This makes the spell a level 5 effect, which I can just (barely!) cast as a non-fatiguing spontaneous magic. The emotional effect will probably still work on Rika, but the only emotion it'll be able to enhance is level-headed calmness.
[color=red]Okay, but keep in mind that I am gonna kick Robert's @$$ if he makes one more insulting comment
What? You've been messing with our minds? You've been messing with our minds? You absolute... I take back everything I've said about you. You're right - we have nothing in common!
One can almost hear Arachné's teeth clamping shut
I had forgotten how much of an ass he was...
Arachné just can't contain herself.
But it's your fault if you're a misogynistic jerk. And maybe a thief.
You may be the inheritor of that sword, but that claim needed to be ascertained. Yet, you took it upon yourself to deprive our covenant or the Phoenix sword, without asking or warning anyone. Thus depriving us of our magic.
Arachné had the same reaction as Fleur, but Valgravian's reply shuts her of.
Antonio... What mess have you gotten us in, this time? This looks very much like a trap, to force Andorra to join provencal tribunal, or at least shift tribunal borders. We've been blind, all this time.
And trust me, that's a good thing for you.
Fools! I have just helped you more than you reaize! Arachne, you sour old hag, come visit me if you dare.
Rodrigo Take my wives home.
Vulcanus' Initiative is 1d10=3, Quik 0, Quick Trigger +3, and +3 for a point of Confidence equals a total of 9.
Though I am not sure you can tell he is trying to activate an item with a Mental Trigger. His goal is to teleport away.
Rodrigo is deliberately slow moving.
[color=green]Well, I guess I have to cart these ladies to the tower that used to belong to his rival. Using my seventh magnitude Might. Yep. The hideout at Wadanzee with a sixth magnitude Aegis.
..
Solomon shakes his head, "Really, now you try and somehow blame this incident on us? I am going to assume that your paranoia is due to Vulcanus' magic, as to accuse us in such a manner is quite unnecessary and detrimental to our future relationship."
Solomon has no intention of attacking Vulcanus or proposing a March against him. Valgravian already pointed out the fact that Andorra is not part of a tribunal, which has always bothered Solomon, and thus doing anything legal would require an appeal to a Grand Tribunal.
(AFAIK, we cannot)
You leaving Andorra was a great boon to us, I agree.
Vulcanus teleports...
And I'm not eager to waste my time on you... says the crone to the wind.
Not blame us. Trying to extand Provencal's influence by eating away at our territory, and trying to force our hand into joining that same tribunal.
When I saw Vulcanus, I knew this was gonna be a bad day. I just didn't expect you'd betray Antonio's trust, Valgravian.
Fleur re-enters the room with a very worn out Robert in tow (she did get her clothes back on however), looks around and asks "What did I miss?"
are the magical effects gone with Vulcanus or does it need to be cleaned up?
"A certain someone running away as soon as they were called out." Whether the emotional manipulation had ceased or not, Frederika's own enchantment seemed to be holding steady. "Sorry about earlier - I know exactly what came over me, but..." She shrugged.
"So, what should we do now? The party seems positively ruined. Call it a day and let clearer heads prevail come tomorrow?"
Fleur smiles wistfully "yeah, that could actually be a very... entertaining enchantment but it needs a more selective invitation list." She sighs "I'm not sure what needs to prevail in the morning, but this issue on the provencal tribunal needs to be resolved. I'm thinking I may have some letters to write."
(I was so focused on Solomon, I forgot to respond to this)
Acutus would have been surprised at the snake, but not overly concerned. Magi had all kinds of interesting familiars, although he didn't exactly understand the connection as a Bjornaer, and having the heartbeast of a great white shark ensured that very few beasts actually scared him.
With the magical effects bringing baser emotions to the fore, Acutus will be more...predatory, than he might otherwise be. He wouldn't be violent or cruel, but definitely take control and be more dominant.
Both effects are ended when Rodrigo departs. The Mood Enhancer (the dominant mood unfortuneatly being doppleganger paranoia) affected the room. The emotion enhancer affected the whole building.