The magi have assembled once again an listen to their supervisors report on how the covenant is recovering from the siege. On the bright side there seems to be an improvement on the re-growth of soil and crop. It seems as if helpful little fae help the farmers if they present small offerings to them. This worries the priest and other pious covenfolk and villagers. Another thing that seems to worry you even more is that Horst your very skilled administrator and head of the villagers seems to have become both older and sicklier. His ages seems to take it toll and there is no clear successor as his assistant is not the sharpest tool in the box and the village is very fractionised. From your information it seems as if the village is split into the following fractions:
The magi’s household, people who works at the covenant and their relatives.
The villagers, the attend father Gerald’s church and keep their work in close vicinity of the village. This is the by far largest group.
The hunters and woodsmen. This is the second largest group.
The militia, young men who make sure that the order is upheld
The silversmith, the silversmith had a not so long ago a fallout with father Gerald regarding the not so pious lifestyle of the good father.
Follower of the old ways. People who follow the teachings of the Pomeranian witches. A small fraction.
Follower of Jumis, this is a recently formed fraction of people who where awestruck by the display of power that lifted the siege. They are even fewer that the Follower of the old ways.
The bourgeois, the rich merchants of the village. They have profited greatly from the silver flowing from the covenant and are supplying the covenant with lab equipment, parchment and other rare materials.
Justus have also received a letter from a old friend of his that wish to live at the covenant, his name is Fumidus and will come to the covenant anytime now. Also they have been notified that the magus known as Priscus Ex Merinita has been marched and that it was likely that he where the magus who assailed the covenant. Mariella has received a formal request if she wishes to pursue the renegade magus and if so then the tribunal will offer a reward. Priscus lived until recently in Irencilla.
Fumidus time as a peregrninator had ended with the turn of the seasons, and now he traveled north-east towards Pomerania. I reflected what he knew about the covenant. He knew Felix, The Pralician, of course, from their days of training for the AAsh Gild. He also knew - from Felix - that the covenant had empty labs, and that they might welcome a new member - if he asked nicely.
Fumidus knew he needed a place to live, since it wouldn't be long now before he would have to create a longevity ritual. A young covenant might be just the right thing for him.
He landed two hours away from he covenant, created a plain brown robe for himself, and started walking. Needles stung his feet, and after warming his feet with a little spell, he decided, he urgently needed a spell to create magical boots.
After his arrival, he asked to be led to the council.
Mariella is still unhappy about the pagan ritual. As to the factions within the village she is of the opinion that there is little she can do unless the council wants one of the factions killed, it looks like a matter for diplomacy and the blatant gift will not be helpful in such matters. As to the possibility of another magus she is perfectly happy to accept a magus who is known to Justus. As to finding a replacement for managing the covenants mundane affairs she has two suggestions although she does not think either is a particularly good solution. The first is that she could see if her brother can recommend someone who has been managing properties for the monastery however this would be both and outsider and someone with dubious loyalties, the second option would be to pick someone from the covenant of proven loyalty to work with Horst and develop the skills and experience to manage the covenant , there are several covenfolk whose loyalty has been proven , both from the militia and the staff including the young women who risked her own life to protect Mariella some time ago, choosing someone from the covenant household has the advantage of not favouring anyone from a faction which is not already seen as having the mages support,
(reference for someone saving mariellas life https://forum.atlas-games.com/t/campaigns-active/203/1)
"I intend to track down this renagade mage, ideally I wish to interrogate them and then kill them to make certain they were involved in the attack on us and determine their motive
Tatiana is active with the followers of Jumis as priestess. She follows the old ways. Still, joining with Jumis must be a concious decision and she forbids acts designed to lure people in or trick them into joining. Rather those that follow the old ways must understand what they are doing and the precepts before fully welcomed. Those welcomed though are fully welcomed with warm arms and mutual support and aid.
As council is called and Tatiana listens to the issues, "There are often families with young sons with little prospect but much talent that could be raised to such a position. We could inquire in the city of the mayor if he knows of such a talented younger son that would not have much future to come live with us for this. Horst could complete the training and we could then someone that will last a long time. As for the renegade, I am all for going with Mariella on this hunt to capture this mage."
The magus who enters with a fluid motion is wearing a gray robe. The first thing one notices about him is the smell of woodsmoke. His hair is grey, his skin is a rather greyish as well and his voice is husky as he introduces himself:
"Salvete sodales, I am Fumidus ex Mercere. I am seeking a place to live and study. I assume that you want"
ooc: I suggest you send him along on a mission as a "test".
"I would ask what you can contribute to the covenant. I do not say we should know everything you can do. The others don't know everything I can do. Still an idea of what resources that we have available to call upon would help." Tatiana says. She really isn't ready to go renegade hunting as her spells are limited in penetration.
OOC: I am assuming that my wounds healed without complication considering the magical bonuses I ahve to recovery rolls.
Justus: I give this man my full confidence but I must say that I am unable to go on any hunting for renegade magi. The ones that funded our covenant are asking for result from my research.
OOC2: Discuss away and draw up plans as I will soon start up Chapter 9: The hunt for Priscus Ex Merinita
Tyrion lingers a discreet distance away from the council meeting, able to be called if summoned, but unwilling to presume he was invited (possibly, his grogs were too busy training their new recruit to remember to give him the message).
Tyrion is a homebody of sorts, and generally uninterested in adventures that take him away from his lab -- assuming he has been given one.
This is the traitor who aided the faerie attack on this covenant, I know little about her , That will be the first stage of the hunt. I will also be travelling to other covenants so I would like the authority of the council to try and trade vis for more books to improve our library. I beleive we will have to travel to Irencilla which probably means travelling across half of the Rhine tribunal and may well give several oppertunities. I suspect we will find she has taken refuge with hell damned disgrace Contantia
OCC Mariella has no real interest in dragging other magi unless they want to come along she would like to have at least one of Ardeth or Tatiana as they know more about faeries than her. However from a game perspective it looks like a good idea for the mages to accompany her, so come up with your own reasons to come along. Or come up with useful companions who Mariella would have some reason to take mage hunting
(Since he's a full member, he'll be at the meeting.)
Tyrion seems deeply troubled by this news.
"I had hoped to suggest to a diplomatic exchange with our neighbors, the supernatural clanfolk I heard of from Justus. My original thought was to send Horst to them for a season in exchange for one of their warriors to train our militia. But if the man is unwell, perhaps we can send someone else?
Horst has seemed an able administrator. I suggest we create a longevity ritual for him so that he may have time to pass on his knowledge to an apprentice of his choosing. While we are at it, I suggest we insist that all our craftsmen and merchants take on apprentices from opposing factions. This should help to unify our society better.
However, this course of action would do nothing to solidify our relations with our nearest neighbors. Given their martial prowess, they would make sorely needed allies.
From what I understand of the adventures you have regaled me with over the last season, we also know of several regio which are currently unoccupied. I believe there are some mortals in the nearby cities who are being persecuted. The Juice, I believe they are called. Perhaps we could invite them to move into these regios and work them for us? This may prove a boon to our finances.
Also, my sodales, during my youth I invented a more circumspect ritual
(Stupid phone interface is killing me)
...during me youth I invented a more circumspect version of The Wizards Tower, which I humbly call The Baroque Peasant Hut. This spell could be used to raise a replacement temple for Joomis, and a temple for Christian as well, had we the vis to spare.
I would also propose that we establish a central feasting hall and kitchen, such as the dwarves use, equipped with magic ovens and cooking fires, such that all the culinary needs of our community are served by a few able cooks. This would free up labor, reduce expenses, and increase cameraderie.
If we travel to seek the one who waylaid me on the road to Ad Fons, then I will happily join you on this venture, provided we keep enough of the blackheart's body that I may practice my newfound interest in necromantic enchantments upon it. To this end, I would like permission to bring the Menem summa with us, that I might bind the traitor's soul and command it to tell us of his defeat on feasting days."
You seem most keen to use vis for tasks which can be handled perfectly well by mundane means. Feel free to waste your own vis on such silliness not mine. I also see no need to dictate to a village full of people how they should live their lives , I suspect that they are quite happy living in their family homes and eating in their family groups so messing with that seems a complete waste of time and a good way to annoy them.
Diplomacy with the locals I leave to Justus if he feels that we should help them then we will, bit I see no need for them to train our militia they are able enough now and if we face a real threat the mages will be needed to deal with it anyway. The local's martial prowess had not seemed very impressive anyway last time they attacked us they were easy enougth to kill.
And pray tell what new hermetic breakthroughs have you made ? I know of no way for hermetic magic to effect a soul and if it could I would not be the one to draw down God's wrath. Further as being somewhat skilled in Mentam I have no understanding how possessing a book on mentam would help you with necromancy, so it seems best to leave it in the library rather than dragging an expensive book through mud and rain but if you can tell me how it would be of use I will consider it. Also we are not keeping animated corpses around the covenant as decorations as that is an act of evil necromantic insanity so your use for the summae would best tell me how it would be useful for some sensible goal.
Tyrion meets Mariella's eyes levelly. "Very well, I withdraw my offer to join you on this quest, and vote against your request to represent us to other covenants in matters of trade. You have rather ably demonstrated how such diplomacy would suffer in your hands. As you have chosen to treat some of my suggestions with silence rather than your usual contempt, I shall assume I have what little as can be construed as your support in those other matters."
"If you wish to study the mentem summae, I suggest that you study here. Traveling on the road is not condusive to study and it risks a valuable book. Having the book is not going to assist you in affecting the traitor and while he might become a ghost, there is no guarantee of that. I do not think that we need to break up the families for communal meals but perhaps some occassional communal feasts and festivals might work well if everyone is given a task to contribute. I would be more than happy to let you organize some things. No need to waste vis though on magical ovens. Magic to keep the library clean and books in good condition might be welcome. Magic to raise defensive walls would serve well. As for the temple to Jumis, the followers of jumis of which I am one will raise it and we will build comraderie and bond over the shared effort and it will be a building resulting of our faith not magic of one that does not believe." Tatiana speaks softly. It is amazing how much she has in common with Mariella even though the two are total opposites on religion and magical focus.
"Good relations are important and you should work with Justus on that including possible development of the regios. Longevity for Horst might be good if his health was not already failing and he was not already faltering. We should perhaps keep it in mind for his replacement though once such is found. The nearby city's mayor, owing us a favor, might be able to recommend someone that good to replace Horst that will fit in with us. He knows we are magi after all."
"Break up the families? Sodales, I fear there is some confusion about my suggestions. I first suggested that we encourage everyone to begin training apprentices so that this issue does not come up again. Next, I suggested that such apprentices need not be family members.
" Thirdly, and seperately, I suggested that we reduce expenses, and increase the labor force by building a communal hall wherein we fed the residents of the covenant and the hunters. Such a location has the added benefit of increased security in times of siege.
"Next, I suggested that we build a temple to honor our ally Jumis, and to be sure not to offend The Divine Ruler by making a place more lavish than the Temple of Christian. Knowing that we are short on funds, supplies and manpower, I offered to raise these buildings magically.
I am not sure where this question of belief comes in. I do not need to believe in the rain for it to water my crops, and I do not need to believe in stone for it to make good houses. Nor do I need to worship my pater just because he knows spells he has not taught me yet. Jumis exists, as does the God which Mariella seems to know well enough to speak on behalf of. Their existence has been proven, as has their value as allies. If a servant of the Ruler of The Divine Realms were to tell me, or any of my associates in The Order, that I will curry greater favor by not using my skills in a particular manner, than I will be glad to obey.
"Show me any proof that such a request has been made, and I will drop this matter. Else concede that you no more understand the plan of He Who Made the Sun and Stars than I do, and let us get on with the business of using the skills He gave us.
"Mayhap the Lady Tatiana has noticed the elaborate moat and stockade walls which I built during my first afternoon amongst your company? Or the ward circles I scribed in strategic places throughout the covenant after I finished that chore?
"Home comforts, such as magic to dust books, are easy enough to create and cost a mere three Terram vis. But while this would save us the work of a servant or two here in the manor, the ovens would save us nearly six pounds a year, for the same cost in Ignem vis, and relieves us of the need to cut trees - an act which would endear us to the spirits of the forest, the wolf clan, Jumis, and the followers of the old ways. If Mariella prefers, the feast hall could adjoin the Temple of Christian, for its greater glory.