An early winter conundrum (Winter 1220)

As the weather starts to get cold, some of the vis collected from the cave begins to disappear (where was it being stored? Inside the magic aura or outside?) Meanwhile some of the servants report being pestered by animals as they try to go about their jobs.

Frederic will ask the servants for more details about the pestered where it happened what animals bothered them and how. He will try to find out if there is a hidden place to witness the animals annoying the servants. If there are more than one place where the animals try to bother our servants he will order his shield grog Gustav to assist and monitor the second location. In this case Frederic will cast Gift of the Bears fortitude and Gift of the Wolfs Leg on Gutav.
I would assume the Vis was stored together with all the other vis stocks inside the aegis and inside the aura. Simply because you use vis mostly inside the Lab ant the Lab would be in the aura. I cant see any reason why we should have decided to store the vis outside the aura. But my sodales may have different options.

When he hears about the harassment of the grogs by animals, Talus will take the opportunity to invisibly watch some of the grogs who work near the animals to see if he can spy some of what's happening. I'm assuming as one of the newest members of the covenant, it isn't his job to monitor the vis. So he'll probably be unaware of the loss unless someone tells him about it.

I assume that the vis was being stored somewhere secure inside the magic aura. Probably a stone room with a solid wooden door near where the labs are/will be.

When he hears about the harassment of the grogs by animals, Talus will take the opportunity to invisibly watch some of the grogs who work near the animals to see if he can spy some of what's happening. I'm assuming as one of the newest members of the covenant, it isn't his job to monitor the vis. So he'll probably be unaware of the loss unless someone tells him about it.

I assume that the vis was being stored somewhere secure inside the magic aura. Probably a stone room with a solid wooden door near where the labs are/will be.

Watching one of the afflicted grogs he notices a crow flying about his face as he is beginning a task requiring concentration and the use of both hands, flying away as he manages to get his hands free to swat at it, with a cat appearing moments later to weave between his legs and attempt to trip this same grog.

When Terra hears of this, and gets a summary of the events that happened in the cave she will offer her wisdom. "The vis is probably Faerie, left behind when the creatures where slain by a lightning bolt. And now they are returning to life. We'll have to either ward them off or deal with them. They mentioned something about offerings for annoying someone? Send them at the slavers?

The Flambeau will run over to the attacked Grog to check if the grog is hurt. On his way over to the Grog he will yell over to the “animals”: “Go of him! Leaf him and don’t come back!” Then to the Grog: “Are you hurt? We will go back for now you can finish your work later”
Back inside the aegis Frederic will search Terra and report. She may know best how to deal with this faeries. "The faerie Lord Amenbaal, lord of sea and sky called them shelma'durath."

The grog is unhurt, merely annoyed. You also note that most of those affected are transient workers who are rotated out every couple of weeks because they work inside the aura.

Just to be sure. Does it happens outside our wall and aegis or inside?

Inside the wall, this is before the aegis is cast.

Frederic will ask Talus, Nicolae, and Terra for a meeting. Once everyone arrived he will take the word:

”Shortly there are some animals annoying our Grogs. Additionally some of the vis we collected in the cave in front of the Temple of Amenbaal is missing. I personally had the luck to observe one of the bothering actions and it seems that these actions do not aim on harming the Grogs.
Terra you already mentioned that these faeries might be reborn out of the vis and I think you are right. Also I like your Idea to send them on the slavers but in my option this would need the agreement of all covenant magie. In the meantime I don´t want to wait until something serious happens. This is the reason I asked you Nicolae to come. I know these faerie seem to be interested in you and your shape changing ability. They will talk with you I suppose. Please find out why they are annoying our Grogs, especially those who work inside the aura.
Terra and Talus I like to ask you If you are happy to watch the vis from the cave for some days. Maybe we can observe the (re) birth of one faerie and get a chance to speak to them. We can divide in shifts if you agree.
What do you say to this plan?”

"I agree that we certainly need to figure out what's going on with these faeries," Talus replies. "And if our vis isn't stable, we need to know that too. Either problem on its own is worth investigating. That the two are connected makes it doubly important." He nods his head. "I can certainly spare a couple of days to watch the vis."

"Okay Flavius, I'll try to go and find one of our shapeshifting friend. Maybe if they are not fried by a pompous thunder king this time we will learn something usefull."

Nicolae will spend the following days trying to find a shelma durath and to try to get answers as to why they are pulling pranks on the grogs. He will also try to find out if they are faeries or magical creatures.

(Faerie lore ? Second sight ?)

These Shema Durath are a bit more shifty and less strait forward than the ones in the caves.
"We pester them because they are our people, don't you have a person?"

Fredrick is watching the vis when one of the ivory pieces twists around like a cat in a paper bag and eventually turns into a gecko, which sits there staring at you.

Frederic tries to make a friendly Face. :slight_smile:
“Hello my friend I´m Frederic from the house of Flambeau. I´m here to tell you I will not tolerate any action of you or your kind that bothers me or my people. If you understood what I said please tell me your name, and if there is anything I can do for you. In case you are not sure what I mean with the word bother I´m happy to explain it to you.”
Smile and wait for the answer of the gecko.

The gecko sits there, blinks its eyes, and utters "I´m Frederic from the house of Flambeau"

Frederic takes the carefully and slowly in his hand. Then he walks over to the entrance and waved for a Grog. Once he managed to get the attention of one he will order to bring an empty barrel including a lid. And the Grog should ask if Talus could find the time to come over shortly.

Talus is coordinating the movement of a portable laboratory into his new structure, and can easily step away. Not too long after Frederic sends for him, the Bonisagus magus arrives at the vis storage room.

"Have you discovered something?" he asks the Flambeau.

Nicolae sit on the ground, before responding to the shelma durath, trying to get some more insight on what they do and why they to do

"I don't, but that could be fun. I am somewhat bored today, and you could show me somes pranks you like to pull on people. What would you suggest we do ? I am in, as long as we don't hurt anybody. "

"We never hurt anyone. upset them, frustrate them, maybe slow their work." The cat says to Nicolae. "Watch this" It changes into a bird and flies by the head of 'his' grog, who is carrying a bucket of sand which spills everywhere as the man panics from the flyby.

When Fredrick turns around the creature appears to be gone.