"Waiting some additional informations couldn't be bad. We aren't so busy to don't wait 2 or 3 days more. And that would help us to find the best place to go."
Tastheus though a little about the communication.
"The connections and communications with long distances could be a good thing, yes. In this case, I'm agree to let you some hair, just the time of the expedition, no more."
Letting them even one hair is certainly for Tastheus one of most powerful sign of confidence to his Sodales.
As spring begins you receive a report that the treasury has gone from a reserve of 59 pounds of gold (590 MP silver) to a bit under 58 pounds of gold as a result of the first year's expenses, after including the income from the oasis.
Lares spends a day asking around the covenant, 3 days traveling to the oasis and back plus asking there, and a fifth day looking through his papers to discover that:
(So nothing on the perfectus - no at at the Oasis could tell us where he went?)
Lares reports this information back to the others.
"Seems Aetherius was right about the danger."
"Thank you for looking, Lares. Tastheus, what do you plan to tell House Guernicus?"
As the spring begins, Argentius takes time do a few things:
When they're gathered again, Argentius listens in particular to the report on the treasury, and then asks the others:
"Would it be helpful if I cast the Touch of Midas ritual in my lab and forge the resulting nugget into smaller bars or spheres that you all could take on your travels? It might ease the pressure on our treasury. The vis expenditure may be worth it."
(Ritual Casting Total: 15 (CrTe) + 3 Artes + 3 Philo = 21 + Die Roll, 4 pawns of Cr and/or Te vis.)
This is what I have in my sanctum:
They know he was headed to Cairo, and to southern France after that, but not where in southern France.
Argentius will read The Hungry Desert as he conducts his search for a familiar. (Updated in the records.)
"Yes, I should have my studies completed before we need to depart." ((Finished it at the end of winter.))
Plasmatoris would like to know if we have any possible arcane connections to the departed Cathar perfectus. He also would like to check if connections to the no-longer-present magi are still active (The former selves, if you would). If anyone can use a painting the other Plasmatoris created to locate or communicate to him. I believe we never confirmed that...
While heading to the lands of Provence are the surest bet, we should see if we can locate the missing perfectus or new perfecti as is best suited to the evolving situation.
Zarkut says, "I'm perfectly willing to go to Cairo, in fact I've learned Arabic, but I can't really fly there under my own power. But it sounds like the missing perfectus might be the last of the perfectus. I think we should focus on him and see if we can find any Arcane Connections he may have left behind."
"This is a kind offer, and a useful spell, but perhaps not quite yet. We still have a fair amount of funds left, and this spirit expenditure will hopefully prove to have been of an exceptional nature. Perhaps it would be best to reserve the vis for now, and return to the question if our coffers drain further. One thing to consider, in the medium term, would be an additional source of income."
We already know that the Cathars don't have such a thing. OOC I am also willing to bet Silveroak won't give us a Connection given that this would trivialize the task.
Lares speaks emphatically about this.
"I think our best bet is trying to follow this perfectus' trail - as Zarkut says, it may well be that there isn't any other perfectus anywhere. Given this premise, there is little we can accomplish with letters, unless the perfectus stumbled right into another covenant. I would therefore argue, again, for setting off at once. I do not see what benefit a further investigation could bring. What do you think, Plasmatoris and Zarkut, whom this mainly concerns? We need to decide, so I can inform the Cathars."
"I'm not totally sure. But, at least, that they need to find a new Quaesitor for this tribunal. I've not the feeling that I can assume my function now. The main question is Do we want an help from them to solve the mystery of our sudden rejuvenate ? Because I'm pretty sure that they willl ask and that their first willing will to send someone to inquisite the question.
And so, for French part of our travel, that will be a good occasion to see some members of my familiy on same time."
Argentius nods to Lares and then looks to the others.
"Know it's available if and when we need it." The artificer leans back in his chair.
"I think you're right, Lares: heading out now is wise. We can send out whatever letters we want and if we have a way to communicate remotely, we could alert you should we learn anything useful."
"I agree about following his trail. I think, either way, it starts in Cairo. It's plausible we won't find traces of the Perfecti there, but perhaps we will - who knows if our old selves facilitated his traveling there? If so, maybe the local Mercere House remembers. If not, then he's off to somewhere in southern France. If we have any luck at finding him, we'll need a local guide either way - and a fair bit of luck."
"Another question worth talking about is, well, what do we tell the Order? Zarkut seemed of the opinion we could hold our secret for a while. I'm not so sure. I'm pretty sure there aren't two Aetherius ex Mercere, and I'm pretty sure if we introduce ourselves as the magi of Al Kufra, we'll trigger at minimum questions about why a bunch of almost-archmagi all share a sudden obsession about appearing as if they were 20 year olds."
"The more we start spinning a tale, the more we hang ourselves, on the other hand, if just flat out deny answering, we'll just look suspicious. You would think House Guernicus would have questions about the head quaesitor stepping down as well."
Zarkut sighs. "Firstly, only one person needs to speak to anyone official, so we can avoid the issue of appearing young en masse for a while longer. Secondly, the Code protects us. We have no duty to share what happened with anyone, first of all, so by keeping our secret we're doing nothing wrong. More importantly, if we appear in disguise, or shrouded, or in some other way keep it from being obvious that we're so much younger, it's a violation of the code for anyone to try to pierce that disguise. Even an outright lie is protected, provided it has nothing to do with a Hermetic crime. Making yourself appear to be a younger or older version of yourself is trivial Corpus magic, and that's the easiest solution. Just be cryptic, and don't say a lot. People change due to twilights all the time, make room for that as an obvious explanation. Nobody is going to guess that we found the secret to making ourselves 60 years younger, they're going to be looking for a simpler explanation, so give them clues that will allow them to find one."
"I do not see the need for help. This is not an urgent problem at present, since the situation is stable. We have ample time to find out ourselves. Tastheus should not lie to the Quasitores of course, but he might consider only divulging the full details of the covenant's situation if necessary - if Magvillus directly requests this information, for instance. Of course, he might also consider simply resigning by letter. I am not going to make any demands or suggestions on this front, however - the choice is his, in my view."
"I agree with Zarkut on this. The simple truth we agreed on earlier is still salient: the longer we can keep this from the order at large, the stronger we will be when our enemies - or just plain old greedy bastards - find out. Imagine if an angry archmage had stormed us during this Aegis debacle, for instance."
Lares drums his fingers, briefly lost in thought.
"My proposal is that, notwithstanding Tastheus' visit to Magvillus, only Aetherius engages with the Order for the time being. He does not need to lie, just withhold the information without seeming too grave - 'oh thank you, it must be the daily sand baths, heh' should suffice. Even without spectacular acting, this approach should keep the rumor from being too interesting. Like Zarkut said, stuff like this happens all the time."
"Yes, that's helpful. It could work for a while."
"Lastly, I think, should we take this opportunity to revamp our library? It's cruely lacking of, say, 15 primers... I'm not sure why our old selves assumed there'd never be a young magi at the covenant. Not to mention Finesse, Penetration, Magic Lore, Faerie Lore, Concentration..."
"I'm not opposed to getting a few more books, although I am not in urgent need of any myself. We have some vis to pay with, so if anyone has specific wishes, now would be the time to express them. We can then send inquiries with the expedition to Cairo."
Argentius nods. "I agree. We could use them as well as any apprentices we might take. I think it's a very wise investment of vis."
Plasmatoris will want to talk to his familiar to see if the familiar is interested in travelling, or if he prefers to flutter around the home.
Can we confirm via Lares that arcane connections to the older selves still count for newer, or do they not?
Plasmatoris will definitely need to spend time gathering some basic sculpting supplies if he's travelling.
"I like the idea of seeing what we can add to our library. I feel our home is also sorely lacking in art works, but I also understand that 'thrive' is a lower priority than 'survive'. Unfortunately. We cannot feast with our eyes alone." Plasmatoris frowns thoughtfully. "I do not think anything involving apprentices is a good idea however... It may draw us attention, and I certainly am nowhere near ready to take a pupil."