Com 5 + gentle gift 0 + etiquette 3 (university speciality not appicable, I assume) + (1 academic reputation, not applicable probably) + roll (simple roll = 1, or 20 if it is a stress roll) + gift bonus x
= result can be either 9 or 28, depending on whether it was a stress roll
Kalliste keeps to her word and sleeps late, enjoying a relaxing rest day. The others can summon her if there is something they need her to do from healing to other activities. If not, come evening, she will arrange for the details of the trip home.
The bishops seems friendly to Nestor and the conversation goes on with some small talk about the weather, the wind and other things before the conversation turn to more interesting topics. After some time it is time to present your errand to the bishop.
Nestor decides it's time to address the bishop, then realizes he has forgotten his name. He opts to use the title instead:
"Your Excellency, we are a group of researchers that delve into the magical branch of philosophy. As you know magic can only be worked with God's permission. We do not deal with devils nor demons and use our knowledge to fight those that do. We do not share our arcane knowledge with the uninitiated to prevent misreadings. We do not accept payment for magic use - greed leads to sin, and do not engage in the politics of the church or the empire if it can be avoided.
Still, people have been led by the forces of evil to confuse magic and diabolism in the past. This has disrupted our studies and slowed our quest for knowledge.
We have come here to ask you to send the parish an open-minded priest, a learned man, one who can tell the difference between magic and the devil's work. Such an individual won't be easy to find, but Mother Church has many exceptional sons.
We ask you to find one who has taken to heart the words of the great Carthagian church father: Audi partem alteram (hear the other side).
For the peace of our hearts and our parish."
When he has finished, Nestor's cheeks are flushed (and he is glad to have found a way to circumvent using the church father's name - St. Austin, wasn't it?)
edit: ooc:
my character is better at theology and more intelligent than I am.
He has theology (magic) 2 + Int 3.
The bishop ponders for a moment. I think I know a candidate that would go well with such scholars as you mention. As soon as I can I will send someone to your home. Is there anything that you wish to tell me about your home?
OOC: Do make a few stress rolls for persuasion (Leadership?) and charm (to make a good impression).
ooc:
Nestor's charm and leadership are both at 2 (and both have the wrong specialisations).
I assume both use presence (which is +1) rather than Communication (which is +5).
The meeting with the bishop takes some time more and when Nestor leaves he gets the promises from the bishop that he will send a new priest as soon as possible. It seems as if Nestor made a good impression on the bishop and that the meeting did turn out really well.
Anything else you wish to do in the city before heading home?
Nestor, driven by an old habit visits the bishop's scriptorium and if there is a Cathedral school or university, he goes there. too. He's interested in hearing about new publications and academic gossip.
He suggests to the others not to linger longer than one more night, and to give a generous (but not completely unreasonable) tip at the inn.
Using his far-speaking earring, he tells his wife that their business is complete and that he will be home soon.
ooc: These visits have no ulterior motive (nothing I hope to "get"). It's just what an academically interested magus might do.
Nestor spends a pleasant afternoon in the city talking to scholars and even gets the opportunity to listen to a disputatio. It was of rather mediocre quality but just being near a center of education is invigorating.
Soon the journey back begins.
Once back at the covenant some time later Polycarpus summon his magi to the council chamber. He announces that a group of priest, both the villages new priest and a few clerks who are there to revise the tithe. The group are meeting the magi over a dinner in the central council chamber.
Kailliste is happy to get to her lab which is half in the cliff face and whose main entrance is through a water tunnel or rope latter over the cliff. It was a good flight home and she really doesn't look forward to the church showing up on her doorstep and wonders what she can do with the other Children of Olympos to weaken the church.
Three magi (Magister Nestor, Shapeshifter Kalliste, and Redcap Odysseus) and their men travel to the bishop's city by ship (Kalliste flies/swims).
They do some scouting and find out that the bishop is rather well-liked and that he likes a certain book, which Odysseus gets. Kalliste doesn't go visiting the bishop because of her obvious gift but Odysseus and Nestor go to the palace the next day and ask the bishop to send their parish a priest that is learned and doesn't cause trouble. The bishop seems to receive their petition kindly and promises to do just that.
After sniffing some more city air for the rest of the day, the characters return home.
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