Diego responds well to the conversation starters. In the areas where he's not well versed he states a view and makes his limited exposure clear. He also tends to turn conversations back onto your opinion seeking to understand the why of your views.
A lot like Santiago he is very plain speaking, but far more conversational and friendly in manner.
Axes vs daggers -" it's circumstantial obviously. On open ground I'll take an axe but in close quarters the dagger is far superior. " patting a dagger
Ignem;with the years we have to diversify. It's the nature of how we stay strong.
Frederika catches up with her sodales as they return to Andorra: "So what we have is a missing colleague (Flavia), stolen research, and a Tytaloi (Darius) off his head on the thrill / power of...being an arse." She paused. This was both somewhat less fantastical than Frederika had expected, and also somewhat more complicated. Interfering with another magus always smelt like tricky business...
But she had – foolishly perhaps – already given her word to help. Backing out know would be unseemly. Puffing up her chest, Frederika harrumphed: "Of course you'll need me to get you into Paris university. Yes, you could sneak in or ensorcell your way through the door. But it would be much easier just to be granted passage. And that, for me, is easy. I am a doctor, after all."
OOC: can we get a short summary of the parameters in the briefing? I ask as we're about to start planning a heist, and those are typically all about prep and forethought.
Diego offers "Might I suggest we need a range of approaches?
Frederika your connections will we invaluable if they are discrete as it's unlikely the new arrivals would have been unnoticed. Perhaps you start with a guardsmen while making your enquires?
We certainly need capacity of martial backup at very short notice, and quick communications. If you have the magics I'll hold a token so you may contact me and tokens for our grogs; we are well into trusting each other. Comms can be managed via our familiars, who may also need to be hidden to avoid attention.
We could also use a small group as 'a Duchess'. Create a small spectacle which allows the others to seep in unnoticed. The Duchess feigns some matter and then exits. It's better in smaller places, as the University might be too large though. A donation might be a good enough premise.
Suggest too that we walk among the university is separate small groups. We cover more ground and will get a lay of the land quickly. "
"We should also give some thought as to who speaks French," Lucas adds. "Latin will be good enough for talking to students and professors and other scholars. But the rest of the city will be speaking French. And we'll have to deal with them too, I wager."
"I do not speak French (and do not have the Mentem to fake it). But I do hope you're wrong, Lucas. I have heard things about the ruffians of Paris - none of them good. And their animosity toward students and their ilk is..." Frederika trailed off. "...they're Philistines, is what I'm saying! We should probably make an effort to avoid them."
"When we arrive, I'll do my best to meet with Andreas Forratus." Smiling wryly: "Academics are not known for their lack of ego. He could probably talk about his expertise for hours, and knowing someone wants to listen would be the highlight of his day." How much of that last sentence was Rika projecting onto other academics...well.
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OOC: does Andreas have an academic reputation I might have heard of? Knowing precisely what he studies will make it easier to ask around, and get his attention. So I'll make an effort to find out if I haven't.[/size]
We need to sort out our resource personnel. Who is willing and able to assist? What is the nature of each persons Gift? Who speaks French? What assets do we each bring to the table?
As for myself, I do have the Gentle Gift, but it wasn't always so. And I speak a little French, Not fluently but enough to get by. I will be obvious as a foreigner though. As for academics, well, I suppose that as a magus I am vastly more scholarly that they typical warrior. But it is still not my forte, and an actual scholar would be able to see through that. My magical talents, I do know a tricks pertaining to stealth and infiltration. But I am mostly focused on martial magic. Hey, I am a Flambeau. What do you expect? Sometimes a poison dagger works best, sometimes a battleaxe is the only option.
"I also have the Gentle Gift," Lucas offers. "And I speak French like a native. I might not be able to pass as Parisian, but I could certainly pass as a Frenchman, since I am one. I'm no scholar, but my magics (to the extent that they'll work in the Dominion of Paris) are based on subtlety. I can turn invisible and silent, change my appearance, and make myself easier to believe. I can also cast all of my spells without gesture or incantations, without any hindrance."
Sitting on a bench, leaning on her staff, the spider cackles at that.
Funnily enough, despite being his senior by many years, I must say I'm far less suited to all this than young lucas over here.
Take this one, if he wants to come with you. His help should prove quite precious.
Me... You know me, I need some preparation, and am not much of a combat specialist, nor is my gift gentle, my only specialty being the dispelling of magic. Still, if you need it, I will offer my advice, and the occasionnal enchantment.
Almost any magus is a scholar compared to most mundanes. We may just lack the academic demeanor. Fredrika has it though. What is your Gift like? Lucas, your language skills will be most helpful. No need to sound like a native. Paris is an international city and we are infiltrating a university that could have students from around the world. Language is not so much for disguise. More so, it is to have an edge and understanding of the environment.
Arachne, dispel magics could be very useful. Do you have any of your famous charged items that could help in that? Also, your presence could be quite valuable as backup if we need it.
There is no need. I can dispell most workings on my own, so when I craft something, it's either a trap, a gift, or for something I have no spell.
But yes, I think as much. Although next to useless around mundanes, I still have enough Protective Weavers to quickly set up a warded space against up to 5th magnitude beings*, am probably more suited than any of you to deal with creatures and spirits and, given enough wood, can create a virtually unlimited amount of servants.
This would be affected by the aura, of course, but, since non-divine creatures are at best as penalized as her, everything's fine.
"He's certainly got the talents you need," Lucas replies. "And I think he speaks French. Of course, he's on the outs with Solomon. But that doesn't make him any less competent."
Why is he in the dog house? Don't matter. This is semi-questionable activity, and if things go sour, you guys can use him as a scape goat. And me. I will take full responsibility and back you up in any story you tell.
When Rilcheaux is brought up to date he offers the following. "If there are a group of armed men guarding anything in a Paris university they will stick out like sore thumbs. I should be able to recruit a student who is at the university for such casual information rather easily. If that is indeed the case we can start looking at what their shift schedule is and how to obtain the notes. If, as I suspect, a more subtle form of concealment is being deployed then it is unlikely that they will be in Andreas' office or rooms. The first step will be to gather information about where he has access to and where he goes, especially any changes in his routines that might indicate somewhere he might be working on a more secretive project."
