Chapter 2: Fray's Journey to Nova Castra

Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Base Camp
7

The grogs look back at Fray warily. Gregorius leads him towards the building he originally came out of, talking as he walks. The building itself is a two storey affair, with several other smaller buildings scattered around it.

"There was a covenant founded here previously, about twenty years ago, and several of the buildings date from then, although we've added more since we've arrived." He points in the direction of a couple of buildings that do indeed seem more recent than the others, and Fray realises that he can see a third partially constructed behind them. "The previous covenant was destroyed in a raid three years after its founding. Finding out exactly who by and how is part of why I'm here, although not the only reason. It's a Theban tribunal initiative, and I know my house is in favour of it as well. It's a whole new frontier for the Order to explore and colonize - if we can keep a foothold."

They reach the entrance of the building, which leads onto a central courtyard. There's a fountain in the middle of it, but it isn't working, and Fray can also see the outlines of where several other buildings obviously used to be, although in all case but one to the north the space has been cleared. Close to the door is a metal plate on a stand, upon which stands a tongue of flame. Gregorius opens the door, then leads you up a flight of stairs.

In response to Fray's second question, he says

"Largely the latter, although whilst Tasia's otherwise engaged I'm chiefly the one to meet visitors. Tasia's the covenant's leader, a guernican quaesitor and hoplite. The other member is Viola of Merinita. It may be a while before you meet her, as she spends a lot of time in a regio. We've also got a Tytalus visiting the covenant - "Patrick the Unrepentant", he styles himself."

The two magi reach a room whose door clearly has a slight depression in the wood. Opening it, Gregorius gestures to its somewhat spartan, but clean enough, interior saying

"Not all that luxurious, I fear, but we're still establishing ourselves here. Do you have any luggage or men following you?"

[OOC: MTKnife, what's Tasia's current status? Around, but just an NPC? Off on quaesitorial visit? In twilight? Something else?

Ironboundtome: If you haven't already spotted them, there are some maps of the covenant site here: mtknife.net/Covenant%20Site.jpg. These date to 1226, before the more recent building work.]

8

She's an NPC, and Gregorius will doubtless wish to introduce her to Fray.

Scott

9

[Yes, definitely. I'll just assume she's been working down in her cave lab, if that's reasonable?]

10

Yes, that's fine. I don't have any plans for her at the moment, and so you can assume anything within reason if it tickles your fancy.

Scott

11

Fray looks over the room, and briefly smiles.

"It will be more than enough, thank you Gregorius. Now that I've arrived there will be some personal effects that I'll send for, but not in any rush. I aimed to travel simply. A plain room with no distractions will give me little excuse but to get involved in the activity of the covenant.

I did not intend to bring any man servants or soldiers with me as they can slow down travel, and might also have a harder time in a new place."

Fray removes the outer heavy cloak and mantle, and drops them onto the pallet along with a dagger.

"Perhaps when the Magi next gather I could be introduced and I can turn my hand to helping? Till then I'm more than pleased to walk the grounds".

[OOC - yup found the maps and diagrams]

12

Gregorius nods back.

"I'll leave you to get settled in whilst I go and find an aegis token. I'll also send a housemaid up - let her know if there's anything you need."

[Assuming Fray doesn't hold him back] He leaves, and instructs a grog to find Sophia and send her up. He meanwhile goes in search of Aegis tokens - and Tasia, as they're presumably in her keeping?

A little while later, Sophia (https://forum.atlas-games.com/t/covenfolk-character-sheets/5242/1) knocks at Fray's door.

13

At Sophia knock, Fray looks to her, "Hello". Aware of his appearance, he looks away to find a place for the dagger on a small shelf, and refolds the cloak. "My name is Fray.".

Keeping his face downcast, "all I will need is a basin of water." But then thinking aloud, "... are there any areas within the covenant that are to be stayed away from? Be it dangerous or restricted?"

As she is leaving, or when the conversation runs down, "Was the room declared sancta by somebody? Whom?" while pointing to the marking on the door.

14

Sophia notes that he might not want to move the rocks in the caves, lest he flood them, but that otherwise he can move about at will, and, indeed, help himself to a guest lab.

I'm not sure what you mean by marks on the door.

Scott

15

[Sorry I haven't posted in the last few days - I can handle the marks on the door.]

Sophia nods attentively to Fray's request for water.

"There is a cave system where several of the magi have their laboratories, which also have some blocked off passages - you shouldn't disturb those. Also, the woods around the covenant have some pitfalls, so it's best to go with someone who knows the safe ways through."

"This room used to be used by maga Portia, and she embedded a glass symbol in the door there. She was only here a few days, though, and it was removed after she left."

[If Fray has no further questions, she'll leave to fetch the water, and return with it shortly.]

16

[MTKnife: Gregorius is looking for Tasia at her cave lab]

17

Am I here? Am I at the bar getting drunk? Where are the Cheet-ohs?

18

Oh! I took that as a statement rather than a request.

Yes, Tasia is in the lab. She is though quite excited to greet a new guest, since this is, after all, why the covenant is here in the first place. She hurries up to introduce herself to Fray, and makes she he has everything he needs.

Scott

19

Gregorius will suggest that Tasia brings up an Aegis token and the charter for Fray to familiarise himself with (I am assuming these are both in her keeping). He'll take her up to introduce her to Fray.

20

Tasia does so, greeting Fray warmly, and takes some time to sit with him and talk to him about his background, and what brings him here. She's obviously concerned that the covenant make a good impression in fulfilling its mission.

Scott

21

[OOC: I don't think I've added a description beyond the initial one, so here is how Fray appears when Tasia meets him.]

As the room is almost bare, Tasia would find Fray sitting at a writing desk. As Tasia enters Fray rises, greets her, then asks her to sit.

"I suspect that most of my experiences as a Magus are non-exceptional, especially as a Follower of Bonisagus. I am English born and raised, being apprenticed only sixty or so miles from my birthplace. Master Amilica was very dutiful in my education and was very encouraging of my interest in transformations, even though this was outside her own background. And like many Bonisagus my apprenticeship was a shared responsibility between many magi."

"Shortly after my gauntlet I traveled to a small covenant called Woodenhall in Wales which was recently formed and joined with the Magi there, where I lived until recently. It was a covenant far more volatile than I was used to, and it took many years before the personalities of the Magi adjusted to each other. Being in the middle of the isles meant that resources were scarce, and we had to make do sometimes. I spent most of my time studying and avoiding the banter of the surrounding politics, as I really don't have a good head for it. "

Looking downward, but smiling slightly, "My wife always said that it was a good lesson for Magi to live simply and pragmatically, and I agree."

Fray's tone softens, and he sighs as he continues, "I really wish now that I had understood my brethren more, and perhaps circumstances would be different now.", pausing, "Sorry, I am being unclear."

He looks back up as Tasia, "My reason for coming all the way here is to start again."

"A handful of years ago Woodenhall's founder became embroiled a dispute over both magical resources and political self interest. Callser was the most political and eloquent of all the Woodenhall magi, and we trusted him. Jerbiton tend that way and he'd always been far more interested than I was. Over time I think he was baited by another magus into some sort of ongoing competition. He would tell us about meetings with these wizards and describe in detail his negotiation of the particulars. Callser was effective, and we started to see some benefit from his efforts. He also unfortunately let his pride get the better of him, and the baiting escalated into a very open animosity between Callser and two other Magi. One was a Tytalus from Loch Leglean, and the other a Verditius from Stonehenge."

"I don't know when the Wizard's War was officially declared, only that Callser seemed pleased with himself, in spite of the danger he'd put the covenant in. We all warned him to withdraw from the War or at the very least concede, but he wold not be moved."

"A short while later the Tytalus ambushed Callser on the grounds of the covenant, and attacked. The fight was altogether as violent and brutal as you'd expect, and poor Callser was outmatched. The Tytalus brought his ignem arts and was unrelenting in his attacks, even after Callser was clearly beaten. I was below ground in my lab, and didn't know of the attack until after it was concluded. The resulting fires almost immediately destroyed one of the main covenant buildings, and two of the covenfolk were killed when it collapsed. My wife was one of them."

His hands held tightly together, Fray begins to show tears, "The Quaesitory investigated, and I'm told that eventually Woodenhall will get some form of compensation for the damage. Compensation. I don't know if you have family or not Tasia, but I can assure you that the word is far more insulting than it sounds."

Clearing his eyes, and sitting upright, "I think that if I stayed in England I would seek the Tytalus, and I'm afraid of what that might mean. So I am here instead; as far from home as I could find, and greatly in need of distraction. Master Amilica told me that when she lost her husband her work was all that kept her, and I am hoping that she is right."

"So - I seek to be engaged in starting anew, and to be honest I really don't care as long as I am not idle."

22

Tasia frowns at Fray's tragic story, perhaps a little diplomatically. At loss for a moment as to how to respond, she finally decides on encouragement: "Well, I suppose this is a good place to make a new start. But what will you seek here on the edge of the Order?"

Scott

23

"Broadly speaking I intend to determine what is beyond the Order. "

"The 'edge of the Order' is not so much a real boundary; and not one which should restrict us. Many valuable discoveries and theories were blended into Bonisagus' theorem due to new ways of thinking. I can't help but think that keeping within our borders will also keep us refining and improving what we already have, and miss out on opportunities to truly innovate and change hermetic theory. So more of Trianoma's pathway than Bonisagus's, but both are key."

"So I am more than willing to do whatever will be helpful in developing the covenant as a true launching platform; and then either participate or lead discoveries into the lands and people beyond our 'the borders'."

"Beyond that I really don't know enough about how established you are to know what the next steps might be."

"What needs to be done?"

24

(Since no one responded to my last question, I'll just say that Patrick will return the to covenant that evening around dusk, and Fray can interact with him then.)

25

[Sorry, I missed it, or more probably, read it and then forgot it before I could decide how to respond. Yes, that works for Patrick.]

Scott

26

Tasia genuinely warms to this offer. "We have a covenant to build: we need to repair the buildings, deal with the flooding in the caves, recruit grogs, and explore the area--and right now, we're a bit short-handed. Under our charter, if you maintain your sanctum here for three unbroken years, the Council can make you a member, and we'd appreciate your help even before then."

Scott