Konrad gets the chance to talk with some of the magi he hasn't met before, though the subjects are for the most part inconsequential. At least it gives him a chance to put faces with names and gain some visibility with those magi. The social gathering have some of the younger magi sharing their evening meal and some wine, an unusual occurence from what Konrad has seen so far.
Eventually, though, all of the magi depart to pursue their own business.
As the slightly inebriated Konrad makes his way to his quarters, he finds a steward waiting before his door. Seeing the magus approach, the middle-aged man addresses him quietly. "Ser magus, master Stentorius would like to speak with you privately."
"Of course," Konrad says with a nod. "Please lead the way." He composes himself, brushes a few crumbs off of his tunic, and tries to remember anything he's heard of master Stentorius. Was he one that he'd met today? Had he asked a question or offered congratulations when he voted on Konrad's status? Or is he currently a mystery? Was he even certain which house Stentorius was from?
After a moment gathering his wits, he remembers that Stentorius is the head of the covenant, a powerful member of House Tremere and an Archmagus to boot. His attitude during the council meeting had been formal and reserved, as is probably expected from the leader of such a large and political covenant.
The steward leads Konrad, not into the courtyard as he expected, but along the curtain wall surrounding the covenant. This late at night, they only cross a few grog standing sentry as they make their way from one tower to another, until they reach one where he leads Konrad inside, to then climbing down a spiraling staircase down into the basement of that tower. This brings them to a close door guarded by a pair of veteran grogs and at this point the steward takes his leave. Seeing him, one of the grogs knocks on the door twice, then three more times, before resuming his post. After a moment, the door swings open and the other grog signals Konrad to enter with a gesture of his head. "He awaits," says the grog in Latin.
Konrad moves through the door with a nod to the grog. Once in the presence of Stentorius, he bows deeply. "Honored archmagus. I have come as requested. I apologize for any delay in receiving your summons."
Stentorius makes a small gesture with his right hand, as if brushing aside the apology as inconsequential. Behind him, Konrad hears the door close. The bearded archamus, dressed in much somber clothing than the elaborate robes he was wearing during the council meeting, bends his head towards the simple benches that are part of the room's furniture.
"Tell me about Helgelund." The words are simple and direct, the stare chilling.
And so the other shoe dropped. It was bound to happen at some point. Better sooner than later Konrad supposes. In fact, there was a strange feeling of relief amid the terror that the issue was out in the open. And so he speaks frankly and honestly about what he knows. This was not the time or the place to prevaricate.
"It's cold and remote," he begins. "battered by the sea in the winter, but comfortable in the summer. The people are insular but not unfriendly, unless riled up. There's little in the way of vis easily accessible, at least of which I'm aware. There are a few minor magical auras, one around a magical tree that produces about three pawns of Perdo vis a year, one out in the ocean a couple of miles from the island around two pillars of rock - I suspect that the rocks may be a source of vis, though I don't know how to extract it, and another in a fen near the local monastery. I'm aware of at least one report of a ghost in the largest port town on the island. I could provide a more detailed report to you in writing about what I know, if you like."
OOC: FWIW, Konrad isn't trying to hide any information. I'm going from memory here, so I might inadvertently be forgetting something.
"How did you end up there and who else was there." This isn't so much a question as a statement that you will tell him what he wants to know. Still, Konrad realizes that the tone is not aggressive, but rather just matter-of-fact.
"There were three other magi there," Konrad replies, "as well as a Redcap who visited us." He supplies the names. "In fact, it was the Redcap who discovered the location. I can't speak for how the other magi ended up there, but for myself, I wanted to go somewhere isolated where I could simply do my experiments and research without all of the overhead of living at a covenant. Naively, I thought that it would be easier living on our own, and that the remote location would insulate us from some of the worst dangers of being a magus. I was wrong."
"I've since come to understand that a covenant provides a valuable service in the protection and support it gives, and that if the cost of obtaining those benefits is paying my dues as a young magus, then it's well worth the price."
OOC: I assume Konrad gives names dates and places. That's why I said he supplied the names the other magi. Do you want me to sift through the old forum and supply all of the relevant details in a post here. As for dates, I have to keep translating those since the dates between the sagas don't entirely match up. It would be far easier for me to simply acknowledge that Konrad supplies the dates.
"I've told you the names of the other magi," Konrad continues. "The name of the port town with the haunted inn is Meden. The oak is located near the village of Ober on a rise above Meden. The fens are in the north of the island near the Buis Monastery. The pillars are off the west coast of Helgelund, about two or three miles from the village of Uceste."
"I arrived in Helgelund at the end of the summer about a year-and-a-half ago, I believe it was August the twenty-seventh, the year of our Lord twelve hundred and six. We departed the island on February seventh, the year of our Lord twelve hundred and eight, just a few months ago."
"I can fill in more detail as you like, Archmagus. Please tell me what points most interest you."
OOC: I'm not sure why he's impatient. Konrad has answered all of his questions immediately, without holding anything back. I think I have the years right. Konrad would know them for certain. I made up exact dates since he wanted them. Assume that Konrad gave the proper dates.
(OOC: Sorry, I missed the fact that he gave the names. That's the reason he was impatient, so scratch that. Am I right in assuming that you also gave the name of the redcap Bernhard?)
"How did you hear of those other magi and the place they were setting up?"
This was something that Konrad was not going to volunteer, but now that he was asked a direct question, by an archmagus, no less, he felt he had no choice. "I heard of the place from Bernhard, the Redcap I told you about. It was Bernhard who originally found the Perdo source and the surrounding aura."
Konrad passes along what information he has. "Japik, the Bjornaer whose heartbeast was a dolphin, never returned from the sea one day. I'm not sure if he went elsewhere, was killed, or what. I know he had some run-ins with a creature from the depths. Perhaps it finally caught up with him. The other two, Prochoros and Herman, went their separate ways the same time I did. Herman said that he was heading to Ireland or England, somewhere that he could get closer to faeries. I'm not certain where Prochoros went. Herman, I assume, is still delivering messages for House Mercere, as normal. I'm afraid that I never did learn what covenant he was based in."
"Indeed," says the elder magus with a nod. "What else can you tell me of this redcap? How did he behave and was it that he discovered this vis source?"
"He acted much like any other Redcap," Konrad replies. "Carrying messages between covenants - or at least he carried messages to and from Nigrasaxa. He was kind enough to stop at our home in Helgelund, in order to allow us to send and receive messages. I'm afraid I was a latecomer to the settlement, so I'm not entirely certain about the vis source, but I believe that he was the one who found it." The magus raises an eyebrow. "If it wouldn't be impertinent, may I ask, did he do something wrong?"
"Not as far as I know," replies the senior magus. "However, the formation of an illegal covenant is not someting to be taken lightly, and the circumstances that led to it are being looked at. It remains to be seen whether the matter will be brought before Tribunal for those involved. Your cooperation may work in your favour should that happen."
"For now, I would advise you against speaking of the matter with anyone else. And should any of the others who were present in Helgelund with you contact you, you should come to me. Personally. Do not involve anyone else, nor commit anything to parchment."
"I should add, sir," Konrad says before leaving, "that Tabanus was asking after the years between my gauntlet and now. I told him that I lived apart from a covenant for a time, though I gave no details, just that I took a seaside cottage, which is all perfectly true. He seemed very inquisitive, though he didn't pry over much."
"I couldn't lie to a quaesitor, of course, though I did not volunteer information."
(OOC: Nah, just working you background into the saga. It is political in nature, so this is simply part of it. Each magus is going to get pulled into the schemes, maneuvers and posturing of various factions at some point. It has already begun with the others, your share is just using what happened in the other saga as a base.)
After a restless night, Konrad is woken up the next morning by his grog, who is coming to warn him that Renatus of Jerbiton seems to be setting up for an early start, contrary to what mistress Dorana had guessed would happen.
It is political in nature, so this is simply part of it. Each magus is going to get pulled into the schemes, maneuvers and posturing of various factions at some point. It has already begun with the others, your share is just using what happened in the other saga as a base.)