Tessa’s lab is being left as found in case she returns as per my instruction to the autocrat, so one extra set of lab equipment to be ordered, otherwise seems fine.
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Thom speaks up. "I would also like to discuss how we should recruit some of our covenfolk to move to the Oak Circle. We will need a core group of hearty folks who know how to work and can help establish the chapterhouse there. We should assess aptitudes, skills, and interest so that we can plan for the travel and work starting in the Spring."
Elric pipes in "I know I am new here, and I'll admit I don't know the logistics of starting a new covenant, but I have started organizing the boxes of lab texts and other notes you've fond. In addition to continuing doing that, I would like to raise something else. My parens has specifically taught me the skills to investigate magical items. It is my understanding that there are some such that have come to the covenant's possession. I would like to investigate those, and see if there are any that might be useful to a covenant, so we can put them to good use. Once we know their capabilities, we can decide which location would fit better for them to be used at."
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"See, I told you. Elric is really gifted!"
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Throughout the Fall and Winter, Thom spends an hour nearly every day walking about the covenant, talking and visiting with the covenfolk. Usually in the morning but sometimes late in the day as covenfolks are finishing up their day's work. He often casts Aura of Ennobled Presence before he takes his walk to perhaps ease the burden of the Gift.
Quite often he smuggles little treats he finds in the kitchens or asks to be made for him. Simple treats, nothing fancy, breads and cheeses, dried fruit and nuts. Whatever is to hand and easy to carry. He shares the treats freely with no favoritism unless it's to the children, especially any that look underfed.
When he visits the goatherds and goats, he almost always has some potato peels or carrot peelings in a little sack at his waist. He'll feed the goats by hand and tell the goatherds about his adventures at the Oak Circle, about the magnificence of the King of the Foam and his Otter Guards. If he catches glimpses of the nisse and brownies, he'll bring offerings of cheese and cream for them.
When the goatherds and covenfolk get a little more accustomed to Thom, he'll sometimes cast an Image Phantom or a Phantasmal Animal nearby as a kind of illustration of the story he is telling. But only when he feels like they have grown accustomed to him. For the children, he'll sometimes make one of the otter guards and have it play a game of chase with the kids. Sometimes he'll even turn into an otter himself and frolic in the water of the lake, though not too often with winter coming on.
Thom also talks about the beauty of the Oak Circle, the stately trees and quiet life there away from the troubles. Thom shares stories of the sacred nature of the place, the connection to land and water and air that seems to be there, describing local landmarks and the streams and rivers. He'll talk of the possibility of a fresh start. Thom doesn't attempt to hide or lie about the challenge it will be to make a go of it there, but he shares many of his ideas on harvesting peat, rushes for thatch roofs, the abundance of berries, nuts, and herbs and wild greens. He'll talk about the deer and small game he saw there. The mushrooms ready to be harvested. And the bees. Oh yes, the bees and wild honey.
He pays careful attention when he talks about the bees and honey to see if anyone responds or knows anything about apiaries or honey harvesting.
Thom also takes note of anyone who shows particular curiosity about the Oak Circle area, who might have connections or experience in the Yorkshire Dales. He'll likely ask them questions, curious about what and who they know in that area. When he gets back to the common room, he'll write down his findings in a scrap of vellum he's found lying about. Names or brief descriptions so he can remember any likely recruits for the chapterhouse.
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Thom spends a few days in the Autumn and again in Winter exploring the lake near Ungulus. Before assuming his otter form, Thom will cast a Scent of Nearby Vis spell (Sun duration, L5) and Eyes of the Cat (MuCo 5, Moon Duration) and then turns into an otter.
He'll be cautious in his early exploration efforts, learning the shoreline and what's beneath the shoreline out a reasonable distance and then down toward the bottom of the lake. He's hunting for vis, clever otter that he is, though how successful remains to be seen.
"Indeed," says Thadeus. "That would be a wise course to follow. But I also wonder if we should investigate the ruins of Roma Nova, both to make sure nothing dangerous can fall into the hands of mundanes, and to recover any useful resources left there. From what I understand," he adds, looking at Elric, "you were able to use one of the labs there, and you spent several seasons in the ruins with your familiar?"
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"That is correct. Once my lab is set, I will be more than happy to go with others to see what can be salvaged and/or removed so that mundanes will not be able to find it." He clears his throat "That way, we can also make sure that if we find anything enchanted there, I can determine what enchantments it had, and we maybe who made it, so we can determine what we do with it." Knowing his pater's reputation, he didn't want to seem like he enjoyed stealing another Magi's enchanted items, and if they do find an item that they know the creator's filli, they can give it to them to decide it's fate.
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“Perhaps we have the senior scribe run a class for those who don’t know how to scribe documents to allow a quicker copying of the covenant documents so both Ungulus and the chapterhouse get a copy of everything?” Suggests Janus
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Thom nods to Janus. "That's an excellent idea. Once this war is finally over, I would think that arcane commerce would start up again. Having a few more scribes at hand would help us have lab texts, tractati and summae to trade when the time is right."
"Has anyone seen a Redcap in a recent memory?"
“I was thinking more of our own immediate future. Either site could fall to the enemy and having a copy of everything at both sites makes the permanent loss of material that much less likely.” Re-lies Janus
Elric sighs "I'd be so happy when the war is over, and I can research and get published in the Folio." His face seems kinda lost in that future dream.
“We will all be happy when the war is over and the enemy defeated magus Elric”
"No doubt about it, Janus, but Magi who aren't interested in getting into a fight, let alone a Wizard's War, will sigh a deeper sigh of relief that it's over."
“In the present situation with the Diedne the war may come to anyone in the Order as we are all at war with the denounced house. The question is will you fight, run or die when the enemy come screaming at your door. I, for one, will fight to protect all my sodalis and I hope at least some of you will fight by my side. If you are not one of them then I suggest you work on arts and spells that allow your quick escape” replies Janus
Thom looks between the two and then nods.
"I'll be at your side, Master Janus, though my talent for war is limited. I can at least try to keep them off your flanks. I'll stand with you so that my friend Elric's talents can flourish in peace."
"But that's a gloomy thought to darken this day."
Janus gives a smile, the first Thom can remember seeing on his face “I am honoured Magus and will be proud to face the enemy with such as yourself”
If I understand it correctly, you intend to establish a chapter house of Ungulus at the Oak Circle. That works.
I assume that Betula creates the spell and conjures the manor house as discussed on discord. That should work too. David clarified at some point that rituals can be cast with a simple die when there is no explicit stress factor.
You should be able to recruit the unskilled labour that you need, including teamsters to get the necessary provisions between the sites and from distant markets if required, so relying on conjured silver, there is no pressing concern. That is the strategy proposed so far. Maintaining loyalty and avoiding inflation and/or undue attention may turn into stories in due course.
Thadeus proposed a mission to the Island of Eight. Do you put together a team for Spring?
Any other issues you want to settle before I start Spring stories?
Sionag has the impression to leave this place years ago. But it was only one season to their departure for the oak circle. She goes to take her dowry before join the council. She wants to check her lab texts. Putting her hand on the wooden manor makes her smiling. They could work on their establishment now.
When she joins, the discussion has already started. She confirms that she wants be part of the establishment of the chapter house. This season, letting Betula learns the ritual, she will help to recruit teamsters, servants and other covenfolks for the chapter.
Janus objects to Sionag taking her dowry as it now belongs to the covenant of Ungulus not her. The covenant charter explicitly states such.
No communal assets may be remove on leaving the Covenant without permission of the Council