"I am researching ancient fertility magic, a way to ensure the conception of children with specific traits, like the Gift." she smiles "I would like to one day have my own child to train."
Fleur stands before the council, "Masters, Mistresses, Guiverna ex Miscelania is about to appear before you to request membership in this covenant. She will of course face a gauntlet of questions before she should be fully considered, but there are a few points I wish to share before hand. We are facing a number of political unknowns when it comes to the Bellaquin covenant. I believe we were all caught off guard that it had registered as being a part of Provencal while residing within and paying rent on territory claimed by us. I do not know the full implications of what is going on there, nor do I know what shoe will be the next to drop. Guiverna is, in addition to being a wonderful person from what I can, platonically, tell." She smiles a bit at that bit "She claims she had been considering requesting membership here before she was rejected by Bellaquin, and I did hear her ask to be assigned as an emissary before being summarily dismissed from that covenant, apparently for having intercourse with Vulcanus before Vulcanus pulled his stunt. I do not believe she collaborated with Vulcanus, from what I observed and gathered it does not sound like Vulcanus is big on collaboration, if he ever was, others here would know of that better than I. What she does have is information about Bellaquin. Not the kind of information which is about betrayal of a trust, but knowledge of what condition the covenant is really in. Financially, in terms of vis, organization, and what things they may have simply assumed we would assume they would do, like register with the Provencal tribunal. Certainly had we asked we could have found that out from our own Merceres, who must make deliveries there, how they were registered. It simply never occurred to us to ask, or to challenge the claim. She sought to come here as an emissary and they responded by casting her out. From both their announcement and what many have said their covenant appears to be in decline, and desperate, and having someone who is familiar with the situation and who is willing to give us her loyalty, can only benefit our covenant, in my most humble opinion. Having had my say, nd probably more than that judging by Felicia and Citco" she nods over at the cats who have found more interest mock boxing with each other than listening to her speech. "I believe if nobody objects we should bring in Guiverna to face the panel."
Solomon had never made any secret as to his opinions about Fleur, and so it really came as no surprise that his response to her was perhaps a bit less than cordial.
“Fleur, I’m curious what Tribunal you thought Bellaquin was a member of? As far as I know, the covenant of Bellaquin has been a part of Provencal for quite some time now; a fact which shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone with a modicum of knowledge of the Order.
That the Archmagus presented the concept of a Catalan Tribunal was a bit surprising, although not overwhelmingly so. He is definitely not the first magus to consider reviving lost Val-Negra and restoring the former Tribunal which Andorra was previously a member of.
As for this Guiverna, I will consider her on her own merits, not on her ability to provide information on another covenant of which we have no reason to be suspicious. The Archmagus presented his proposal without emotional attachment or even a perceived threat; it was members of our covenant who reacted in an unseemly fashion. Luckily for us, we can blame that idiot Vulcanus for our indiscretions and reengage our conversation with the Archmagus on solid footing.
Regardless of what decision this council makes, there is no reason to consider Bellaquin our enemy or the Archmagus a threat; until they prove themselves to be one. Vulcanus is a different matter altogether, and one I believe this council should discuss.”
OOC: Is this the full council or just the master's council?
OOC: I had thought full to vote for membership.
"I was aware they had been part of provencal, but if a covenant were to relocate from Provencal area to Iberia one would not expect them to remain registered as being part of provencal, and certainly I would expect someone in Iberia to challenge the registration. We are between the borders of tribunals, and Bellaquin Is on our lands. I would think they should then register as being outside the tribunals, the same as we are, the same way their registration should change if they moved to Iberia. Elsewise they have declared our lands to be part if Provencal. One need not have hostile intentions to be someone needing to be needing watched. As to the archmagus, while I respect him as a scholar it is my opinion that he needs to find an autocrat to run his covenant before he runs it into the ground and stop laying the blame on others for his own failures. Certainly it was neither my reaction nor Guiverna's which caused Carmen to react as she did to his announcement. To pretend there is no issue when there is one does not lead to a solution."
Lucas sits back and listens for the moment. Having missed the visit to Bellaquin because of a family emergency, he is content to listen at first and see what those who were there have to say.
[size=85]((I'm going to assume this is a full council, and I'm supposed to be here...!))[/size]
“I agree with mesiter Solomon on all counts. Though...” Frederika paused a moment. “I don't think it's possible to discuss Guiverna's application separately from Andorra and Bellaquin's political situation. Archmagus Valgravian expelled Guiverna from Bellaquin precisely because he believed she had mallicously damaged his attempts at statecraft.”
“If we accepted Guiverna into Andorra, while simultaneously acting against Bellaquin's interests...even if we accepted Guiverna on her own merits, and denied Bellaquin because acquiescing would unacceptably damage Andorra in some fashion...”
She steepled her hands, gathering her words: “We would likely to harm our relationship with Bellaquin and, on appearances alone, be painted as the villainous party – a fact Valgravian may use, if he's as desperate as he appeared.”
“I'm not against Guiverna being fairly tried for membership. I just worry – perhaps mistakenly, perhaps despite it not being my place to do so - about the possibility for wider repercussions.”
"If we're concerned about how Bellaquin would interpret Guiverna joining the covenant," Lucas says, breaking his silence, "then the obvious solution is to send an emissary to Bellaquin should she be accepted. The emissary could assure Archmagus Valgravian that no slight was intended upon their covenant, and that Andorra remains well-disposed to them, as always. And, if in the course of such a visit the emissary happened to learn something more about the workings of their covenant or any political developments that they are involved in, so much the better."
"It seems to me that many of our problems with Bellaquin have arisen from lack of communication. The solution to many of them may be simply to keep the lines of communication open with them so that there will be no more surprises or misunderstandings."
"But I get ahead of myself," the magus says with a bow of his head. "We're here to consider Guiverna's application to join the covenant, not discuss relations with Bellaquin. It wasn't my intention to divert the discussion. I apologize."
"The local politics aren't something that interest me greatly, I must admit", adds Antoine. He turns to Solomon: "Which I am aware is remiss of me, sodalis. But I can see that "poaching" a covenant member could lead to ill-will. I support Lucas's plan to send an emissary back, to clear the air. Assuming we accept Guiverna, of course."
"I confess I'm more interested in what Rodrigo - ah - "let slip" about Vulcanus's whereabouts. The man may be an ass, and I despise what he did at Bellaquin, but I still have an interest in his cult."
If there is one distinguishing trait of Provencal, besides being the most regular and normal of all Tribunas, it is that they are unconcerned with mundane geography. The magi there. For the most part they are unconcerned with physical location. A covenant consists of the member magi not their territory or constructions. Membership in that Tribunal simply requires attending a Tribunal meeting. And even if never in attendance, all Redcaps require is a mailing address. And to quit the tribunal requires no formal declaration. Failure to attend three meetings in a row results in being taken off the roll call list until you show up again.
It is the most liberal and most normal tribunal in the Order.
But I am also distracting the conversation. We are here to talk about Guiverna, and consider potentially hearing her petition for membership.
I say let her in. Presuming she passes interrogatorry. That would be a different meeting (and a different thread). If I understand correctly, she desires to be a part of Sa Dragonera. This is good, for we are short a magus there. You may have had rumors, and I am not ready to make an official statement yet. But it seems that, earlier this year, Pere of Jerbiton has absconded and deserted the Mallorca House wherein we have our portal. The Sa Dragonera magi can decide among themselves who resideds where. Just that we have one open spot, one that needs a resident.
Again back to Guiverna. I fee for her. Vulcanus ruins the lives of women wherever he goes. Valgravian is an ass to accuse her of having anything to do with his games. I say we take her in and try to put her on the right path.
...
Solomon shoots Antoine a disappointing look, "I hope I don't have to remind any of you that to invade the sanctity of another magus' sanctum is a serious crime against the Code, and one that will not be overlooked."
He then turns to Carmen, "I agree that we should focus on Guiverna's application. I would like to know what unique talents she might be able to provide to Andorra, but, if Pere has disappeared, then perhaps her willingness to serve at Sa Dragonera is enough."
Lucas looks thoughtful as the subject of Pere comes up. He'd not known his fellow journeyman very well. But he'd hardly suspected him of being a spy. I guess it just went to show that even the most thorough interrogation isn't perfect.
"Just the same," Lucas pipes up. "For the benefit of those of us who didn't get a chance to meet her in Bellaquin, I'd be interested in speaking to her and seeing what she can bring to the covenant. I'm not saying I oppose her application by any means. I'd just like to meet her before making any decision."
Meanwhile, Guiverna waits patiently in the outer room. It's only been a couple of days since she arrived from Bellaquin, and what little bit she's seen of Andorra she likes. She's tried to keep to herself, only flirted with three or four men (one of whom agreed to either celebrate with or console her that night).
She's wearing the same robes as she wore to the dinner party (gold-trimmed green Hermetic robes that fit a little too well). Her eyes are painted (the upper lids black, the lower ones green), and her hair is woven into several braids.
Semsuhfaw (whom I really need to stat out, methinks, before too much longer) rests coiled around her feet.
Guiverna sits in the chair, head down, and turns a glazed green scarab in her hands as she chants softly in French, the word Khépri being repeated fairly often.
Sem raises his head during a pause in Guiverna's prayers. You're too nervous, he hisses. They would be fools not to welcome you in, after what happened to you in Bellaquin...and if they're fools, you're better off without them.
"I'm not too nervous," she replies in Parseltongue. "I think I'm just the right amount of nervous, under the circumstances. If they don't accept me, where do we go? Bellaquin won't take us back. Nor will Beauxbâtons. I don't even know if they've repaired the damage yet from when Set showed up."
Have faith in your gods, my friend. And, more importantly, have faith in yourself. What happens, happens. And, whatever happens, we will see it through together.
Guiverna smiles, then leans over and kisses Sem on the snout before she returns to her prayers, one ear trying to make out if not words, then tones from within the council chamber.
You don't, don't worry. I have no desire to break the Code - nor, truth be told, do I have a deathwish, as breaching the 6th magnitude sanctum of a magus vastly my elder would surely end badly. I merely mean that it is interesting to know where he is.
“Yes! Very interesting. It means I can avoid ever going anywhere near it!” Fuming a little at all this talk of Vulcanis, Frederika folded her arms indigently; the implication of her words suggesting 'never going anywhere near it' meant 'without a means to bury his tower and a small army to immolate to whatever remains'.
Harrumphing, she changed tack: “Regardless of anything else or my own opinions on the subject, I see no harm in letting Guiverna speak for herself. She might not (as unimaginable as this may be) pass muster in the first place: which would certainly decide things for us!”
“Lets see if she's suitable. Decide the implications of that afterwards.”
Agreed. This talk of Vulcanus is a distraction, and I apologise for bringing it up. Shall we have a chat with Guiverna?
Yes. This may be wrong, but I made the same mistake.
This feels very much like a setup to encroach on Andorra, and on this, I agree with Fleur: I do not trust Valgravian one bit. He may have been an ally of Antonio, but he ain't ours.
Not that I ain't wary of Guiverna. This could very well be a maneuver by Valgravian to plant a spy in our midst, or even the beginning of an Entryism strategy. I don't think she is. As far as I can tell, she just happened to have felt into Vulcanus arms, and Valgravian used her as a scapegoat and an outlet for his anger. But we can't discard the possibility.
Which is why I support putting her in Sa Dragonera. At best, it serves our end, and may piss of both Vulcanus and Valgravian. I feel for the girl, too. At worst, we can countain the damage a little, and keep her under observation.
So yes, let her see what she has to say for herself. It might be interesting, anyway.
Master Vocis of Tremere adds his opinion. [color=blue]
As I see it, all the Journeymen of Sa Dragonera each have a role. Acutus and Roberto already lived there, and do well preserving security so far. Fleur found haunted house and Fredrika a watchtower, but with the source secured their only jobs were collection. Pere had the most important role, maintaining the fancy manor where that Portal binding it all together is.
If we take Guiverna on, she is not ready for that role. Another should take the chore. Roberto and Acutus cannot be dislodged. The Flambeau will refuse and point out he was where he was before he met us. The Bjornaer as well, and he lives in conditions another cannot.
So it must be Feur or Fredrika. I would prefer Fleur as she is senior, but Fredrika came with good references.
I say give Fleur first choice to either keep her haunted house or move to the fancy manor. Or even opt to take a tower here at Arans. Help further her research.
If Fleur declines the fancy manor, then politely inform Fredrika to take the fancy manor.
That leaves either the haunted house or watchtower vacant. Put Guiverna in one of those. Select loyal covenfolk to staff her residence and keep an eye on her.
Fleur strokes her arm as she thinks "It would take three seasons (or 2 depending on how the house rules factor in) to move my lab, and I see no practical benefit to moving to the manor, aside from getting away from Mr. Spooky, which would leave him in someone else's lap who doesn't have the history and experience with him. Moving to a tower would give me a stronger aura to work in, but my lab would need to be rearranged to deal with the lack of regio which has helped define my lab setup. In either case the manor would not be my first choice, and since that seems to be the main point here let us see if Fredrika would be interested in the Manor as the first point."
OOC: what size are the labs in the covenant? The regio allows me to put a +3 size lab in a +0 space.