following the events at Bellaquin Fleur sends a letter to Farusca:
"Maga Farusca, we spoke some seasons ago about your concern regarding the distribution of vis coming from the Sa Dragonna isles. While my experience here has indicated that the distribution remains fair, a new potential threat to our agreement, albeit an oblique one, has arisen and I wanted to be certain it was drawn to your attention. It appears that the covenant of Bellaquin has remained within our borders for some time, paying rent to the Andorran covenant, but while they have been doing so they have also been on the rolls of Provencal. There are those in the covenant who are concerned that this could force Andorra into the Provencal tribunal, and it occurred to me that if this did occur then it could well impact the contract we have with potential interference from the Provencal tribunal, which might wish to declare that all income from Sa Dragona belongs to their tribunal if they do manage to force Andorra into that tribunal. I am not certain of how our status affects our ability to raise issues at the grand tribunal, but I believe supporting a campaign to have Bellaquin removed from the Provencal tribunal as it no longer resides within the Provencal borders would be in the best interests of both our covenants.
Your Soldale,
Fleur"
Maga Fleur,
[tab][/tab]Salve Sodale. It is good to hear from you. I am satisfied with your judgment of the financial situation. I have done some investigation myself and have comfort in the arrangements made. As for your situation with Bellaquin, I am at a loss for good advice. I can tell you that, in the opinion of may other Jerbiton magi, they have slid far from their original focus and are a shambles of what they once were. I do know they dissolved into a series of chapter houses when their original site fell. I did not know one of them was hidden on your land until they recently revealed themselves as the last one. Perhaps therein lies your solution. Help them rebuild and restore their original covenant. As for a political solution, my only advice is poor. If Andorra joined the Iberian Tribunal, that would shelter them from the encroachment of Provencal. But I do not think your seniors would approve of that. Iberia is much more regulated than the liberal Provencal Tribunal.
[tab][/tab]I do wish you good luck and good fortune in your situation, and I also wish to thank you for the work done maintaining vigil at Sa Dragonera. If there is any further help that I am able to offer in either regard, do not hesitate to ask.
[tab][/tab][tab][/tab]Farusca Fracesca filia Gorgio of Jerbiton
Fleur will show this correspondence to Carmen "I don't know if you were aware of the details of Bellaquins situation, but in case you were not I thought you would want to see this. I know I had been under the impression that Bellaquin had been a full covenant, not a chapterhouse, it would seem to me that arguing a chapterhouse in one tribunal is under the rules of it's home covenant's tribunal is a knife that could cut either way with us- if true then we have more liberty on Sa Dragonna, if false, then Bellaquin is at even more of a disadvantage in dealing with us, and if as near to collapse as everyone seems to believe could be quite desperate, and thus either willing to give quite a bit in trade or become quite dangerous. Perhaps we could support them as a chapterhouse of Andorra if they relocate back into the Provencal, giving us a foot in each territory? I'm still not certain about the idea of effectively accepting all those magi in bulk as opposed to individually though."
To Farusca she replies
Dear Maga Farusca Fracesca,
I thiank you for your advice regaring the situation with Bellaquin, though you were quite right about the opinions of my superiors about joining Iberia. Since the islands of Sa Dragonarra are a join venture, I though I might update you on some unusual discoveries I have made there, including a resident ghost and an apparent faerie region on the spot...
Fleur goes on to establish what will hopefully be an ongoing correspondence in magic theory.
Solomon receives the following letter from Valgravian, via Redcap special delivery. He paid extra for it to be delivered directly to your hand and to be notified after you have received it.
Dear Solomon,
[tab][/tab]I deeply regret the fiasco of a dinner party. It was by no means my intention to cause debate or quarrel among you, and I am ashamed at how my guest Vulcanus behaved. And please undertand that I have no designs towards usurping your territorry or forcing you into any Tribunal.
[tab][/tab]My sole purpose and motive is the survival of my covenant. The lease we have, it is not some kind of trikery or foolish thinking on behalf of your Antonio (may he find rest in Twilight). His gift, his foresight, was to create a contingency plan that would insure the survival of Bellaquin if worst came to it. He saw the chaos and havoc the Albigensian crusades were causing. If not for him, Bellaquin would have gone the way of Mistridge and Windgraven.
[tab][/tab]As for the ideas I blurted out, they are not entirely my own. Nor can I explain my lack of elloquence. The idea of a merger is actually an idea of my sodale Constantius. He sees your tribunal status as an advantage that is under exploited. Between he an I, we control a considerable amount of wealth and vis. He wants to transfer his Rhine assets to Andorra and invest with the Mercere.
[tab][/tab]The idea of a Catalan Tribunal originates with Antonio. It was a sound idea at the time, but much has changed since then. But I gave my promise to him to support and advocate it, a condition of our lease.
[tab][/tab]My own wishes, as I have told you, is simply to survive and prosper. I have a considerable amount of wealth and influence in Provencal and I lothe to give that up. But I will, if that is what it takes for Bellaquin to survive. I would rather have spikes driven into my heart than to force Provencal upon you. Bellaquin must survive.
[tab][/tab]We have a history, we have a legacy, and we are still a vital part of the health and function of the Order. Our location matters little. Our influence, our contacts, our temporal prestige. These things are important and the Order has need of them now more than ever.
[tab][/tab]So I write to you not with a plea or to convince you of anything. Rather I write to ask your advice. What should we do? What would you have me do?
[tab][/tab]I write to you specificaly, my sodale Solomon. You demonstrate honor and respect. The youngers, I can forgive their ignorance. Your peers and elders showed no disrespect. Carmen I make exception for because she is an exceptional woman" Very much like her father. But you and you alone went out of your way to show respect. To an old broken magus such as myself, that means the world to me.
[tab][/tab][tab][/tab]Yours truly, Archmagus Valgravian of Jerbiton
...
[tab][/tab]P.S. I don't get this "doppleganger" chatter the juniors were talking about. It seems to have originated from your Vocis. I don't get it