Chapter 4: The Routine of Magi

[Arthur]

@Emelric

((Was there any distribution of vis to our chapter house from the Council Meeting last year? I can't find a mention of it.))

(It was mentioned at the beginning of Chapter 2b. I'll add the info in the Seasonal Activities topic from now on, to be sure we don't miss it.)

@Emelric

((While re-examining the enchantments required for vis collection devices, Ludovicus found that he could not come to a decision on what the best approach would be. He has some concern (well-founded or not) that transferring the gas/flame will render the vis unharvestable. So he tries to field test the two-step collection method in the field. Accompanying Renatus Bjornaer, who he'd asked toward the end of Winter to notify him once a flare was sighted, he tries to spontaneously cast a ReAu transfer of the bog gas (base 2, +2 voice, +1 precision for lvl 5 with CT = (6+0+2+A)/2 = (8+A)/2) into a ceramic jar, the lid of which he'd wrapped with a wet cloth so as to make as air-tight a seal as possible. With the gas in the jar, he then casts a Range: touch version of Gather the Essence (with Flexible Formulaic Magic) to transfer the vis into whatever type of container they typically use. He then casts an InVi spell spontaneously (after some rest), to determine whether the vis was collected successfully.

He's also realized that there's still a possible need for opening the ReVi collection device, even for a touch-range version, since multiple uses per day might increase the level above what he can enchant in a single season. According to his observations of flare frequency, how many uses per day would suffice? So he's not exactly sure what he wants to do here. But he's sure that there'll be a need for the see-through-fog device, and that the best course of action is to ask Dorana for help with it.))

After a bit of experimenting with collecting the flares to harvest the raw vis they contain, Ludovicus comes to a number of conclusions. First is that a Rego Auram spell can indeed be used to bring the flares closer, although an Ignem requisite is needed (Base 2 works, no additional magnitude needed for the requisite). It isn't even particularly tricky (no magnitude for precision needed), but the spell needs to be maintained for some time before one can bring it close enough for the vis to be harvested at touch range. Maintaining the first spell while trying to cast the second one had been a difficult challenge and he'd needed several attempts to achieve it. Finally, he'd also learned that whatever item they enchanted with to harvest the vis at tough range, it would need to be proof against fire. The flares were hot, as the small burns he'd collected proved.

(As for frequency, so far there has been only a few occasion when the magus on watch has been called more than five times in a day and night. Sometimes several days can go by without any flare, then a close succession in the same day.)

@Emelric

Ludovicus responds, "If it's allowed, and not a burden, I would like to travel with you to Fengheld. Not to attend the meeting, of course, just to meet with Maga Dorana and ask for her assistance with the enchantments we've been discussing. My vis request would be for any Arts related to these devices, so Rego, Intellego, Vim, and Auram. Maybe Ignem too, as an alternate. Also, is it not your turn to collect the vis this Spring? Would I need to fill in for you while you are gone and thus not be able to go with you?"

"As a member of the covenant, you certainly have the right to attend the council meeting. We should be back within a week of the equinox, so the loss of vis should be minimal if Renatus," he nods to the Bjornaer magus, "is unable to collect the few flares that happen during that period."