We can do it now if you guys want. The portal is right here 
Ok, the third installment of the items Arachné promised to craft for Roberto: Charm of Quickspell. She gives him 5 of these (to go with the 2 Web of Dreams and the 3 Weavers of Dark Webs).
Sadly, I don't think the Patient Spell lets you, say, hold a BoaF to discharge it at a later time (the target just ain't here at casting 
), but I'm sure Roberto will find a use for it, if only in holding Sponted spells for later that day.
I can certainly see some flambeau magi having charged "scrolls" that do a similar thing (Yes, this is me bringing some fantasy "scrolls of spellcasting" into Ars).
She has one last item to do for him. Ideas, whishes, suggestion? The entire list is open.
Afterwards, she'll really have to go back crafting traps and organising those she's got. She's put a few things in her lab, but she's got to think of the covenant and library.
okay, so pretend like you are Q and I am James Bond :mrgreen:
So, what are these items and how do they work?
Some time after the meeting when Acutus joins the covenant(s), which would be sometime during the Summer of 1234, Vibria asks to speak with Arachné.
[color=red]"I've been thinking about what you said to Pere during Acutus's petition, and I must confess that he is not the only one who is sorely lacking in knowledge of my home's history, even as rich and storied as it is. I've looked through the library, and I could find nothing there to remedy my ignorance. I wonder if you know who I can turn to to enlighten me."
WHUMP!!
The orange cat landed square on the back of the rabbit, leaping don upon it from a tree branch twenty feet above. Much larger than most cats, in both size and girth, the fat tom broke the rabbit's back. Then he just sat there, with a sadistic grin. It bore the scars of past battles, missing an eye and ear and the side of his face marred. It made his sardonic smile even more menacing.
The rabbit struggled, a futile effort, and soon realized his doom was upon him. Squeaking, as if begging for clean qucik death, it was to be denied any mercy. The cat cat got up, let the crippled beast struggle, then jumped on it again. This process repeated several times as the feline played with it's victim.
Then it savagely sank it's teeth into the rabbit's neck, severing the spine. Then everything went black, life slowly extinguishing from the frail creature. The cat got up and just left it there to die, grown bored, and seeking new prey for entertainment.
Cidito's Journal
Weekly Planner
Monday - look cute, play with string
Tuesday - MURDER
Wednesday - nap in sunlight, sleep in fireplace
Thursday - look for new places to urinate in
Friday - MURDER
Saturday - sleep, get belly rubbed, go out drinking
Sunday - go to church and hit up on the girl cat living in the basement, latter maybe go out and torture some mice together
Hit List
[strike]stupid rabbit[/strike]
the fast rabbit
those squirrels out back
[strike]Ximina's goldfish[/strike]
Latter that night, as Roberto gets ready for bead, he finds a dead bird on his pillow. [color=red]Cidito! Why do you leave dead animals on my bed?
What? It's a gift
Arachné smiles, proud of her work and ideas.
These charms (she handles him 5 cloth bracelets, woven carefully out of diverse strands) are a trial to overcome some of our magic's limitations. Touch these runes while speaking their meaning, and, if you can keep your power under control long enough, they'll hold any spell of 4th magnitude or lower, for up to Sun duration. This has 2 uses. First, by taking the charm's control under your aegis, you can release it as a fast-cast spell, which may have its uses. More importantly in my opinion, this allow you to cast some exerting spells, delay them and rest, releasing them at a later time, where you might be unable or unwilling to use your personnal energies. Each is good for 3 uses.
These 2 small lested nets are one of your commands. When the command word "Spider's bite" is said and they are thrown, they cast a Touch-range Call to Slumber on a Group they hit. They won't work on anyone with Magic Resistance, though, and only 4 times each.
Last but not least, here are 3 small spiders. When thrown on the ground after the word "Obscure" is said to them, they will suck all the light around it, obscuring all view on a 3 paces radius. Only spells of greater than 2 magnitudes will be able create light in this zone, and the spiders will be fed by 3 such meals. Use them to divide, surprise and confuse.
Arachné sighs
I'd like to, my dear, but I'm currently overstaffed by my work for young roberto. Maybe at a later time?
(ie sorry, I don't have time! 
)
Vocis is bringing back a ton of loose ends from Transylvania. Since we've started to address Antoine's arrival, I need to deal with one of them now. Shortly after he returns (late summer 1234), he arranges for a private meeting with Carmen and Fedora...
While I was in Transylvania, I was contacted by a young magus named Antoine who wishes to join our covenant. He seems to be quite skilled and should be an asset. However, I am anticipating a great deal of resistance from a very specific source. This young man is not only a Verditius magus, he's a Verditius magus who is intensely interested in the Verditius/Valdarian schism and hopes to heal it. Vocis pauses here for groans, eye rolls, and/or resigned laughter. I tried explaining the situation, warning him concerning Vulcanus's...strong opinions on the matter, but he's very determined. He specifically wants to meet Vulcanus and even learn from him. I told him I would sponsor him for membership but offered no guarantees. He hopes to present himself after the solstice. I thought it best to speak to the two of you before mentioning it to the rest of the Council. Carmen, for your part, are you willing to accept the stress on our covenant that this will likely cause? And Fedora...let's just say I have first-hand experience of the influence a wife can have on her husband. Would you be willing to help me persuade Vulcanus to allow this to happen? At this point I'm not seeking his support, just a lack of neverending opposition.
Ever since that la incident a while back, Vulcanus has been quiet and voicing no opinions nor is he inflicting his personality on anyone. I have started to wonder if he is all there, or if he is really himself. But I am sure Fedora has complete control over his decisions. I will also talk to him.
On a side note, Ryu hasn't been around in forever and last we spoke (last week) there was no indication they wish to play Ars in any form currently. Peregrine has spoken to me and has lost touch with Fedora and thus is not interested in playing her much.
Can we safely ship these guys both off as NPC's elsewhere?
No objection here. Is Peregrine continuing with Vibria?
Yes, as far as I know. He is always and ever in tune with Vibria. He just lost touch with Fedora. Which makes sense, for that character was tied in with two others played by Ryu (Tiana and Vulcanus), who has departed a while ago now.
Vibria survived her lab explosion and is healing. Cidito saved some of her valuables.
Yep. That's why I basically ignore Bernhard at this point.
As Trogdor has brought to my attention, I never got around to addressing a request from Lucas. Vocis calls a Masters' Council shortly after Lucas joins the covenant. At least, I assume a Masters' Council is the appropriate place to discuss whether a journeyman has completed a service toward master status. Anyway...
Sodales, our new journeyman, Lucas, has presented me with a proposal. He recently acquired three very impressive summae on the topics of Muto, Herbam, and Corpus. All three are superior to the summae we currently have in the covenant library on those topics. He has offered to donate all three to our collection, but asks that the donation be considered one of the three services a journeyman must complete before consideration for master status. Based on the quality of the summae, I feel the donation should qualify. I've called this Council to seek a ruling on the matter. I've also brought the books for you to peruse if you wish. What are your thoughts, sodales?
I think he is being pushy and presumtious. He just joined and already he is agitating for elevation? Promotion is at the will and discretion of the Masters. When the time is right and one of us brings consideration forth, only then do we consider their deeds and qualifications. Tell him we thank him for his donation and advise him to be patient and not to "keep score".
The covenant charter is written in such a way as to encourage keeping score. The journeymen all see the advantages masters are given, the most significant of which is our vis salary. The best they can hope for is to give up seasons for a few pawns, which is no different from what they could do in their own labs. They aren't permitted to serve as officers and assistant officers receive a salary in silver. We are a very wealthy covenant, even moreso now that we've brought in Sa Dragonera. But the members responsible for protecting and harvesting our new windfall receive none of the vis.
I'm not seeking to change any of this. Our charter is established and all the journeymen agreed to the status quo. But to suggest that a donation worth more vis than a journeyman is likely to earn in a decade is somehow 'agitating for elevation' borders on insulting. The charter spells out the three services structure as the only concrete path to master status. Why shouldn't they pursue it?
This discussion also raises a question about finances. The charter states:
What would this report say for 1235?
Note: this is not Lucas asking for anything special. He's not going to say boo right now. It's only a player request to see what was in the report that was presumably given at the 1235 winter solstice meeting.
Basically, I just want to get a feel for the finances of the covenant.
Arachné listens to both Vocis and Carmen
Sigh... How much more superior are these books?
A priori, this is something that would strengthen us, so I'd agree this can count as appropriate service.
However.
This strengthen us as individual magi, but these come and go, whereas enchanted items stay with the covenant and profit everyone, including future magi. I would tend to favor these as services.
Unless one of you can convince me otherwise, I'll abstain, and return to my sanctum. It is late, and I'd like to get a good night's sleep before working again on my gifts to Roberto.
It is not the charter that says that. It is in our by-laws and resolutions. And they state outright that elevation is at the will of the masters, and the "normally after" part is a suggestion of qualification, and even at that the matter can be debated. It isn't intended to be a point system of encouragement. It is supposed to keep us in check to prevent rapid elevation.
And this sets a precedence that one may "buy" their way into being a master. A donation is not service. Labor to write an original book or craft a unique item, that is service.
"Assuming one doesn't blow up half the covenant in the process," Vibria mutters under her breath.
"I've actually reread the relevant portions of the Charter, for entirely coincidental reasons, and I agree with Carmen. I think the operative word is to 'perform' valuable services. And I don't see how buying a book qualifies as a valuable service. We could give our grogs vis and silver and send them to Durenmar or Salamanca if we wanted to buy books. Now, if he had snuck into a dragon's cave and purloined these books, that would be a different story entirely. Depending, on course, on exactly which dragon's hoard they came from."
I would even say that truly exceptional service may mitigate the suggested alloted time. For example, I invoked emergency powers to elevate several of you to Flamen status, Masters of Andorra and Bishops agreed to perpetually serve the covenant in essential offices. Being an Officer is not a privilege, it is a duty and responsibility.
I am not trying to be unsympathetic Vocis. I do understand House Tremere has taught you to be egalitarian and a champion of the common man. :mrgreen:
But aren't we paying the Sa Dragonera Journeymen some sort of wage or salary for service as Deputies of some sort? Do you think maybe we should? Maybe a pay increase? What would be fair? Seven pawns a year? Four for a personal Aegis and three to keep? Eh?
If these were vain summae or books on mundane topics, I would agree with you. The books in question are high enough quality that they would not be available on the open market. They were also acquired in such a way that they are not bound by the Cow & Calf oath, which means we can put them on the open market or trade them for other favors and considerations. There are many ways to serve the covenant that don't involve risking one's life.
My understanding of the resolutions is that Deputies receive an annual stipend in silver, not vis. As I said, they have no means of routinely acquiring vis beyond borrowing small amounts against 'future earnings'. I'm not certain where those future earnings are to come from given they receive no vis salary. I would definitely be in favor of extending a vis salary to the journeymen, whether as Deputies or simply for protecting and managing the vis source at Sa Dragonera. I also support an allowance for their own Aegis casting. I will ensure they have access to the fourth magnitude casting tablet, assuming they don't know the spell.