Bernhard hands the magi a letter from a Bonisagus apprentice who might be interested in joining the new covenant.
(Trogdor, formulate your exact letter to some unnamed group of magi at an unknown location. The redcap Bernhard was pretty vague as to its exact location, other than point out that they isn't too rremote and that the facilities will be quite basic initially.)
To the magi starting a new covenant at an undisclosed location:
Greetings Sodales,
I have received word through a Redcap of my acquaintance, Bernhard ex Mercere, that you are a group of young magi looking to break away from your covenants to start a new covenant near a source of newly discovered vis. Bernhard has declined to reveal any more details about the arrangement, but he has agreed to deliver this letter to the group of you. I hope it finds you all in good health.
My name is Konrad ex Bonisagus, currently a member of the Stonehenge Tribunal. However, like you, I have a desire to put some distance between myself and the current order of things within the tribunal structure. It's nothing of an unsavory nature, I assure you, but rather my own personal decision. Bernhard has indicated that he would pen a note you to as well, assuring you that I am not leaving the Stonehenge Tribunal unwillingly or with any cloud over my head.
My own studies have focused on Corpus magic, specifically, healing magics. It is my dream, some day, to found a center for healing within Europa. And though I realize that this is likely the work of a lifetime, I nevertheless wish to get my beginning as soon as possible. Now, as I say, I know next to nothing about where your new covenant would be. But wherever it is, I should be most happy to work diligently to establish a hospital at your covenant, however large or small the circumstances allow.
I have also been blessed with a Gentle Gift, which can be quite useful when dealing with the local population, as you know. I am not trained in diplomacy, as such. But I have had more contact with the common man than many magi, and count myself comfortable in their presence. I should also be glad to perform any liaison duties that are necessary with the local population surrounding your covenant.
No doubt you have in your mind a picture of me as a book worm shut up in his tower reading books on healing and the human body. It would be wrong of me to imply that I have never fit this mold, for in the early days of my apprenticeship I was just such a person. But as I moved closer to my gauntlet, I felt the need for more and more practical experience. For while a great deal can be accomplished via study, there are some skills that come only from work in the field. As such, I am pursuing both a knowledge of conventional healing as well as that of magical healing. I assure you that I am perfectly willing to get my hands dirty, as necessary.
But all this is simply by way of introduction. The heart of this missive is a request for me to join your new covenant. I understand that as this is a new covenant, there may be some hardship involved. And I know that the going may not always be easy. But I am prepared to suffer what difficulties will be involved, so long as I have the opportunity to begin work on a local hospital, of sorts, to support the local populace.
To this end, I am content to either meet with you wherever you may wish, or to correspond further via letter to discuss the matter further. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. Currently, I can be found visiting the covenant of Lubeck, where I expect to be for at least the rest of the season.
Yours in friendship,
Konrad ex Bonisagus
Seems like a useful fellow. Not too self-important. What say you, sodales? I say we welcome the man with open arms, wings, and flippers or whatever those are!
Japik reads the letter quickly and then passes it on to the next. "Sure! I say this could be the man we need to break the emotional ice that sometimes seem to build between us and the villagers. The magi of Bonisagus that I have met or heard of may have been the most boring people in existence, but this one is young and seems to be willing to take some time off his books and letters. At least he puts it into writing well." he points at the letter and laughs.
"So Bernhard, does he expect us to write a letter in reply or will you go see him and tell him in person that he is welcome? You will bring him here and we all meet down in the town to sweat him out before showing him the real stuff." He smiles mischievously.
"Well... ah... he... well... probably expect some kind of... of response," replies the redcap nervously. "Hmmm... perhaps... err... one of you might meet him some... I mean... somewhere else? Errr... after all, if... I mean... if it does not work out... that way... I mean... he would not know where the co... covenant is located?"
"Certainly! Where do you propose for us to meet up with him? Anvers and that dreadful inn where we met you before coming here?" he taps Bernhard gently on his shoulder while grinning at him.
"Just kidding! Of course I can go and meet him with you Bernhard. One of us should probably stay here to look after the workers or what do you think?" he looks at Quercus and Prochorus.
"If this fellow is at Lubeck now, Hamburg or Bremen would be closer and then we might go with 'Baltrum' next time they come back from their trading trip."
(OOC: This should be a couple of weeks after the sunken sailor story, am I right? I guess things here may be dependent on what happens there then.)
You take care of him, Japik. I have no wish to visit those pools of filth they call cities, Prochorus says with a look of exaggerated disdain.
"Yes, I can... well... I think... I could arrange a meeting... in Anvers?" He gulps before adding, "In a month's time, maybe?"
As the magi debate his fate, Konrad enjoys a visit with the family he has been away from for the fifteen years of his apprenticeship.
(Wits is away for a week, but I'll post something about pre-meeting events sometimes soon.)
(Any forward motion on this yet?)
(Sorry, had a busy week and trying to find a suitable story for your magus. Will try to post something over the weekend or early next week.)
(Understood. No worries.)
(Trogdor has not reported back. Closing the thread.)