Chapter 2: The prince by gold and the prince by blood

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: A New Home
81

Kalliste does have some spells that can offset the impact of the gift some but she is not the best one to deal with Duke so it will be for Nestor to decide the proper approach. She watches the waters for signs of sharks or a dolphin pod so she can get feel for area better.

OOC Only one action. It will bring some immediate gratitude but only small long term loyalty modifier unless things keep going. On the other hand, emotions are more extreme in Kalliste's presence. Unruly air causes panics or fights to get worse, but also celebrations and joyt o be stronger. The calm becomes calmer, the riotous becomes more riotous.

82

Nestor is not too happy about having to deal with the issue since he has an apprentice to teach. But in the evening, before going to bed, he asks around the crew about Naxos, and talks to the captain about the duchy.
He suggests landing at the harbor, under the pretense of trying to buy books and lab equipment. The sailors can then collect rumors in the taverns which indicate how to deal with the duke.

ooc: I agree with ladyp that the long-term modifier should be smaller.

83

These impressions are what you get about Naxos when talking to the sailors and listening to the general public.

  • The duke is wealthy
  • He is bringing law and order to the region
  • He is building a grand fleet
  • He has a few court wizards
84

Nestor seeks Kalliste's advice. He suggests two possible courses. The first is to directly negotatiate with the prince of Naxos in order to learn more about his motivations. Ideally this could lead to a demonstration of our power and a mutual neutrality pact (he leaves alone our pirates and we leave alone his fleet).
Alternatively, we might find out if we can work through a court wizard, offering him membership in the order (Nestor wouldn't mind taking another apprentice) or something else. After all meddling with wizards is allowed by the Codex. This only makes sense if the wizard has enough power to ensure the safety of our ships.

85

"I agree we should do something about these court magicians. We need to know what they are and can do since they are most definately meddling with mundanes and they are fair game under the code. We can talk to them first, we can then talk to Duke if that doesn't work warning him he will lose his court magicians." She is Tytalus. She has no problem with quashing some hedge wizards. Either they survive and grow strong or they die and are no longer a thorn in the order's side.

86

The asking of questions and general investigation take some time. Day turns to night and I assume that the magi take their shelter at some inn that is frequented by scholars and men of the cloth. The ship that you travelled to Naxos is at a dry dock awaiting some repairs.

A group of males has consumed far too much of Bacchus fermented juices and one of the stagger towards Kalliste. I know you from somewhere. He takes a seat at the magi’s table, burping and making Nestor’s apprentice recoil in disgust then he turns again at Kalliste. You remind me of a sweetheart I once knew…

OOC: Do you have any guards or servants with you or do you travell light?

87

Kalliste smiles at the man, "I have traveled far and wide so I might. If I do, she would be like me, come back when you are clean and sober and perhaps we can spend time together. If you smelled decently, I could make your dreams come true." She doesn't mind men and she doesn't need grogs when she can easily defend herself but she does object to the foul smell of alcohol.

OOC before leaving ship for day or as soon as night falls, I would have cast doublet of impentrable silk on my clothing. Immediately after redoing my parma. CT is 16 and should be simple when cast so goes off (since it is done same time as parma)

88

There is nothing wrong with my smell you wench. The man’s voice is increasingly more aggressive. Come over here and I’ll teach you a thing or two. The man licks his lips and reaches for Kalliste.

The other guests attention is drawing towards the magi’s table. Just say the word and Ulvi and Halaku (the sailors that followed to carry your luggage and look out for Nestor’s daughter) will lift this man outside and teach him a thing or two.

89

Kalliste does not want a brawl or public fight so she goes for a more subtle approach. "you are so drunk you can't even control your own movements. Go sober up or get more drinks with your mates. " She then casts a spell very quietly. This should prevent the hand from bothering her. She hopes that will settle it or she might have to call upon the others. Her gift isn't scare him off which means he doesn't know proper level of fear.

OOC: spasms of the uncontrolled hand (ReCo 5)
CT: 17 - 10 no voice - 3 (assume dominion 1) + 3 (roll) = 7 (goes off. Goes off even in dominion 2 or 3 but with fatigue). No gestures thanks to subtle magic.
invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2907876/

90

(ooc max said it was ok for Caput to be in the bar, although at the moment he's just noticing something is happening. On his ship, Caput would have done MuCo5 spell (personal, sun, individual) to tranform himself into a greek-looking person, and a muim5 (personal, sun, individual) version of Aura of Enobled Presence to make him suck slightly less at some social interactions. His casting scores are 3mu+11co+4sta=18 for the first and 3mu+3im+4sta=10 for the second. If the aura at the docks is higher than 1, he might have had to sail out to sea after dusk for a bit to get the second spell cast, as he's working against -6 per point of aura. It's a simple die so he'd retry at 2 min intervals until it worked if in aura 1 rather than sail further out.)

At one table, two older greek men sit at a table alone, even though the table is fairly large and the tavern is crowded. They might be father/son, or at least elder brother/younger brother, but the "youth" must be pushing 40. The elder has put on quite a few pounds compared to the younger, but both still have a hard look. Both have the look of someone who spent the day on the sea, coming in at night for a drink and some food, but their clothes are a bit nicer than you'd wear while working.

The elder jabs the younger in the ribs, taking his attention away from contemplation of his full cup of wine and toward the altercation. As the scene unfolds, the elder is whispering steadily into the ear of the younger, sometimes pointing discreetly at one player or another. The younger has his eyebrows furrowed in concentration, watching intently. Kalliste might or might not notice, but if either Ulvi or Halaku are sharp-eyed they might have noticed the attention. The younger is being obvious enough about it that it should be easy to notice if they think that way. I don't think at the moment they're close enough for the Gift to be felt at that table, but that depends on the size of the tavern. If so, Ulvi and Halaku & the apprentice might be nervous about the younger.

91

Nestor casts "Loss of but a moment's memory" on the man using neither gestures nor voice. Then he tells him quietly: "A woman was there just a moment ago, looking for you." He nods towards the door of the inn.

ooc: He's got deft mentem and knows the spell. Either the man leaves or we will reset his memory again and try new stuff until something works. Everyone (including his daughter can try)...
:smiley: I love Perdo Mentem!

92

ooc - there is no way Caput would recognize Kalliste - she has no hermetic reps, was a child when he was active in this region before, is in the wrong house and probably has never been to either covenant where he's spent the last 22 years. Likewise Nestor's apprentice is a no-go. Nestor himself is another story, he's got a hermetic reputation and it is even along related lines to Caput's (Caput is an unorthodox apprentice, raised at covenant that actually did some odd nonstandard approaches to apprentices, Nestor advocates unorthodox apprenticeships and they're even similar in age. He might have even been asked to visit on the way to Thebes to talk with some of the covenant's more radical magi)) I'll take a long shot at recognizing him.

Hermetic lore 1 (wrong specialty), int 1 = 1d10+2
invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2910561/
I actually got a decent roll - got a 10. Is that enough to spot someone with a level 4 hermetic rep (or possibly have heard of his lower positive reps)? In older editions those rolls got easier the higher the reputation but that's a part of the new edition I haven't figured out yet.

=========================
assuming there is recognition...

The younger greek with the untouched drink suddenly shifts his attention away from the altercation and to the man who just intervened. He shows utter astonishment. The older man next to him is trying to talk to him, but he waves him off.

93

The man looks curious at his hand shaking looks at Nestor. Oh, thanks I must go looking for her. She raises from the chair and walk towards the door. The other bar guests watch as he goes. Some of the more sober ones looks as if it was really strange.

The divine aura here is 2, less than a city but then again it is a drinking hole.

94

Caput will wait until things calm down before approaching Nestor's table himself. At the moment he looks like a wind/sunburned greek with dark, curly hair, a neatly trimmed beard, reasonably good quality but sturdy clothes appropriate for the climate. He does not smell of wine, but rather more like someone who has some dried seawater on some of his clothes, with some older sweat underneath. He is a fit, vigorous looking man just starting to enter middle age. He is not especially ugly or attractive.

He moves well, has calloused hands and no visible weapons. His older companion is talking to the inkeeper, well out of earshot of your table.

He begins by addressing the whole table in Greek: Excuse me, I was a student when the Magester visited my masters and I'd greatly desire a word with him.

He then says in Latin to Nestor: Sodales, you not know me, but we both studied arts not in the usual curricula. Is there somewhere we could talk private, along with other graduates of our sort who might be in town. I not want you plans and my plans to be conflict.

His Greek is a lot better than his Latin, although it is not an educated form of Greek. The Latin is closer to university Latin but has a central-european accent and grammar structures, when he actually gets it right. The Greek is more like the trading argot used by merchants and sailors, with an accent from the east. Maybe he grew up in a small village or rural area.

OOC:
charm (first impressions) 1d10-3(pre)+3(aura of enobled presence)+0 charm
invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2912416/
Caput is on a roll, he managed an 8, or 5+distrust if people at the table are affected by his normal gift.

95

I am waiting for character input here... :smiley:

96

(ooc - I dislike posing actions for other players, but I guess that happens sometimes in play by post if someone can't respond)

Presuming Nestor took the hint and offered to take the conversation to a more private location...

in Greek, addressing Nestor's tablemates generally

"If any of you are of the same rank as the Magester, please join the discussion. The issues to discuss may affect all of us"

(hopefully Kallistae at least also joins us so I'm not introducing myself to only NPCs in Nestor's room)

Once in private, Caput will explain himself. He will present his sigil, identifying himself as a member of the Order of Hermes, Caput ex Flambeau. Given that we're in the Thebes tribunal, he'll continue in Greek rather than Latin.

Before my Hermetic life, I was active in this area as, shall we say, a "Free Merchant". An armed one. Some of my former companions still work here and have recently become affected by the actions of the Prince. As I had wrapped up my business in the Rome tribunal, I decided to come to this area and investigate the problem affecting my business partners. I had intended to make them my turb, and it would be distressing if an overzealous customs official arrested them or sunk their ship.

Imagine my shock when I discovered a nest of court wizards blatantly interfering with mundane affairs! I was in the process of debating whether to take action myself, but I was reluctant to act alone as a mere visitor to this tribunal. I am currently between covenants, and was hoping to find some like-minded magi in Thebes, but until now my attention has been taken up with sorting out my turb. I was delighted to see I am not the only member of the order investigating this serious violation of Hermetic law. The way I see it, they are either of the Order, and in violation of the Peripheral code, or they are not of the order, and must be made the offer to Join or Die.

Perhaps we could join forces Soldales? If, as I assume, you represent a local Theban covenant, I would be interested in an alliance, as temporary or permanent as you prefer. I bring to the table a small but disciplined turb, as skilled at sailing as at combat, some for myself, some small skills in seamanship, wind and wave magic plus mastery of both personal and mass-combat, equally adept against mundane armies or magical monsters. Although you would not know it to look at my disguise, I am actually a Turk, and can operate in Muslim lands as effectively as I can in Christian. I require only a quiet lab with which to study some rituals texts I recently acquired, and the opportunity to help keep the covenant safe from mundane or magical threats.

97

"We are known for your shipping interests and such and we could use someone that is good with shipping. Especially since we are hear in response to hearing about all the new anti-piracy patrols. The question is how they are being afforded and what is behind them, especially with what I hear of the court. The key is that I am not good with court. I can offset my gift with spells but that does not make me good socially. I am better at studying the conflicts after and savoring them." She is tytalus and she doesn't have to give away anything or even be truthful but she would see where this other would take things. "I am Kalliste ex Tytalus."

She waits then to hear what he has to say more about his skills and contribution and perhaps even a plan. Nester though is likely the key with his gentle gift.

98

Caput smiles at Kalliste

"I am afraid I am in a similar situation to you with respect to approaching a palace. I am quite good at interrogations, but am still working to master the softer social arts and to control the aura of fear that I carry with me. It will likely be years before I am done with that effort, and the problem exists now. My ships master has a number of contacts, and I have a sailor or two that are fairly good at making friends, but they are of the wrong social class to get an invitation to see the Prince or his advisors.

The plan we were working on up till now involved trying to get one of my men hired as a servant, the kind that do hauling, cleaning, similar type tasks. The idea was to learn from the servant gossip the movements of the court magi, then find an opportunity to kidnap and interrogate one while he or she was not in the palace itself.

There are a number of risks to such a plan, starting with the fact that we do not know if the magi have any unusual means of detecting spies. I was pondering whether extending my parma would help or hurt matters in this respect , or whether instead we should first just try to find out where the servants go to drink and shop, and try to pick up some of the information we need that way. A hired servant will get a lot more information, people who work in palaces tend to be fairly closemouthed and I'm not yet ready to use harsher interrogations, again because I am not entirely sure that if I tamper with the mind of a servant, it might be detected.

As you people live here, I will defer to your judgment on whether to push a risky plan through now, attempt an approach through the Magester's exalted status or wait on events before acting.

Caput also hopes the Magester will deign to participate.

99

Kalliste considers carefully, "I would think that move servants are hereditary families that have served or known to people in the palace. We instead would have to subvert. It might be worthwhile to see if we can get some of the court gossip in inns and such. If the prince has a mews. I have a way into the palace to at least listen to some of the gossip. Listening on ship masts is also a way to hear things. I do have a way to sneak in but there is a question of what sort of wards there are and if there are enough mice to eat along the way."

100

Caput looks slightly ill at the idea of eating mice, then shrugs.

If you do not object then I will continue our current effort to find which taverns and marketplaces the servants frequent and see how what they are willing to gossip about. If you choose to attempt whatever mice-eating approach you have in mind, I am willing to stand as a reserve, or provide some kind of diversion if we can arrange a method of signaling. I am afraid it is my men who are skilled at tavern work, so I am relatively free at the moment for other things. I would welcome a respite from my "training" in proper tavern etiquette.

(ooc to the GM, I actually do have stats for my ship master and my crew. Two of them are being trained as future ship-masters, so they are somewhat skilled at social things. The Ship Master is pretty good at social skills. I have just not got around to posting anything. If you need the information let me know and I'll make it a priority to add to my character sheet)