The Vis Lab
Decimus, one of your senior staff members cautions you to think about the matter of the vis lab a little more before you make your decision.
Characteristics: Magic Aura 5, Size +1, Refinement +4, General Quality +3, Upkeep +4, Safety +1, Warping +0, Health +1, Aesthetics +10 Specializations: +4 Longevity Rituals, +12 Vis Extraction, +6 Vim Virtues: +0 Defenses, +0 Superior Construction, +0 Precious Ingredients, +0 Magically Superior Heat & Light, +0 Flawless Equipment, +1 Lesser Feature-Balance, +3 Greater Feature-Still, +3 Greater Feature-Cauldron, +3 Greater Feature-Orb Flaws: -3 Greater Focus-Still, -1 Missing Equipment (No Familiars or Teaching), -1 Missing Equipment (No Items) Magic Items: Vis Scale (just like Lejla’s, Treat them well: They were fashioned by Tullius Secundus over two hundred years ago ), adds +2 Quality, +2 Vis Extraction, and +3 Vim
[OOC: I've decided flying off the handle is more IC. Basically he is still pretty dazed & confused as it were from Abaddon's mind-screwing and isn't sure anything that doesn't add up isn't just a whole new shattering of what is real and what isn't... Likely to go away within a season or so I suppose. i.e. Confidence takes a while to rebuilt I would think.]
Ludovico's anger and confusion boil over and he draws the sword the rest of the way in a single swift movement, turning it over with a roll of his wrist and setting it into a hand that tries hard to be steady... but isn't. His lip curls in his anger and disgust, yet his eyes are wide with the fear that he is not as free as he thought. Stepping forward he holds the weapon threateningly before him, bearing down on the old man to hold it directly against him... yet not attacking him directly for now. [color=red]"Leave? What does it matter, if it is all another of his infernal games?" he says, his voice half-mad, the fear he is feeling undisguised. Who is there to be brave for in a world of illusion?
Then he speaks, a soft chanting, and one hand gestures over himself...
[ OOC: Casting a spontaneous 'Please, by all that is dear to Olympus, tell me I'm not inside another one of Abaddon's toys.' spell. Or something like that. Not that the results matter mind you. Because, if they are in your head... you'll never know right? I'm purely guessing that Intellego Vim 'might' be good for that, either that or Intellego Mentem?]
[OOC: Powerposing slightly with your NPC here for the sake of moving things along a bit. If it is too much feel free to pull me back and pose any differences/changes you like. ]
Ludovico curses in disgust, pushing the old man out the door before kicking furniture and some of other detritus of the shack into the fire... enough to ensure it will go up if there is no intervention, heedless of the man's protests.
Then he comes out of the shack, still warding away the old man with his blade. The man has tears in his eyes now, gesturing wildly as his home begins to go up in flames. One of Ludovico's hands fumbles into his purse, pulling a half piece of gold from within. As the flames begin to consume the decrepit dwelling he tosses the piece of coin to the old man, shaking his head. Likely it is worth more than the shack and all of it's contents by far.
Ludo feels drained, sighing to himself. [color=red]"Damn you Spirit." he mutters to himself. Then he sheathes his blade, no longer looking at the old man, and starts to pick his way about... there must be some path from this shack to the nearest town, even if only the old guy himself uses it, and he intends to find it.
No, no. I like this. Well role played . Maybe this will come back to bite you, maybe Ludovico will never hear from either of them again. I was freeforming a little, but I have a definite idea of what is what.
The path goes up the slope of the next mountain. If you ask a spirit (like the nearest tree, might 5 dryad), you are informed that it is the village of Valnord.
[OOC: Thank you. I've grown to see roleplaying as a collaborative creative effort and I try to do my part to make things a good story. Would Ludo know anything about Valnord? Or be able to glean anything in passing from the local spirits as he walks? And I assume the old man just stays well away from him after making the gold disappear as if by a sorcery all his own? ]
Valnord is in a principality called Andorra. Claimed bby the Count of Urgell and the Count of Toluse, the Andorrans claim that they were granted independant soverignity over their lands by Charlemagne.
Valnord is a sort of resort village popular with aristocrats.
LOL, I meant ehind you as in "that was so five minutes ago". He is weeping where you left him. The Dryad has the faerie power to communicate in every language, but they lack the power to translate. The town is twenty miles up the road.
A resort! Well now. A miracle of the gods to be sure.
Ludo sets out walking briskly, moving at a relatively quick walk but one that can be maintained easily by a man who usually walks in such haste. Twenty miles, on foot... a chore that he would rather fell to another, but it lays before him and he does not shirk it.
After he has left the old man behind a good hour or so in his walking he stops and hastily erects another circle, summoning two spirits of the air and winds of this region one after another. One he sets to the task of warding him from the local weather and it's effects, the other to guard him in a more direct manner as he travels. Then he destroys the circle, concealing it in a rough and not totally caring way, and moves onward... his goal to reach Valnord before dark if he can. A bed. A fire. Wine, food, and a woman... these things and more can be yours in such a place with the right ammount of gold. Why sleep in the snow?
[ He isn't too picky about the air spirits, just scouring for local air elementals and quickly setting them to their tasks in a rather lordly/imperial manner. Actually for now he will use his 'coerce' spell and 'lunar binding' to bind them until further notice... he doesn't like being 'alone' ... so he will hold onto them until he has time and security enough to summon his normal retinue. ]
You make it to Valnord, and despite your Gift, you have a good time there as long as you pay well (you get charged extra, double even if you have the Blatant Gift. But they are used to it. Someone comments that there is another regular customer who just gives off a freaky vibe. But he manages to be popular anyway, and he tips really well and pays tripple normal prices without batting an eyelash.
LOL, and you will stay in Valnord until you recieve the final stamp of approval from the troupe
That should be long enough to recollect your retinue I do believe.
It is Now Spring
I only recently discovered that I am the oddball concerning the start of the year. So, I am fast forwarding to the Spring Equinox. I told everyone to plot their winter activities. Well, let’s have it. What did you all do with the season?
I am also going to push my schedule of events ahead one season. Antonio is going to be gone all Spring also, and won’t return until summer. The Expedition to the Caverns of Entropy is now scheduled for Summer, and the Knights of Seneca come here to meet in Fall. And, as before, these events may be disrupted and changed without notice. Your Winter is good though, done and clear.
So, it is about six weeks after Antonio departs (which I mentioned before was in mid season), and it is now time for the Quarterly Covenant Meeting of the Spring Equinox. Inigo, as the one left in charge, it is up to you to organize the council meeting and preside over it.
Easter is next week and someone has a special surprise gift for each of you
Though I havent gotten even to the Winter Season (1220) yet (too many interruptions) I will have Dragan work on his lab during that season. Try not to rush the seasons any more please. I thought we agreed to be different and stick to a Winter start.
Quite good. Consider him to be engaging in much conspicuous spending and rowdying while trying to plan his next move. Also... since he is here where he doesn't speak the language he'll either hire a mundane interpreter to follow him around or if difficulties don't present themselves dig around for a ghost or spirit in the city that speaks it.
And for me... I'll get back to working on his retinue and further background notes perhaps later today or tomorrow.
You are treated well, and it is good to have the comforts of civilized life once again. You are well rested, most of your coterie has re-gathered about you, and you are feeling fit. However, when you have the Blatant Gift, or even just the Gift, you stick out like a sore thumb. Though you are well taken care of, you can sense the unease you cause people, and you mostly keep to yourself in your chambers.
But one evening you decide to go down to the main hall.
However, one evening as you go down to the main hall for some reason (you wanted to compliment the steward on the wine and perhaps secure a reserve for yourself?), you see a man who is obviously a magus of much audacity. The man, he.. he has crackling sparks in his eyes as he laughs and other twilight scars. If you run a test by suppressing your parma, he obviously has the Blatant Gift. Yet he sits with a group of a half-dozen others, all talking and laughing, and he is the life of the party. How can this be?
Lejla
You need to improve your own Scribe score; these clerks could teach you! However, what you can do is teach one of the scribed Arabic (he currently has a score of 2 and six experience points). It is best to work one on one because that is your strength, and also because one of the Andorran magi has borrowed most of the other Mercere scribes for a special project (you guys borrow each other’s resources all the time).
Note the xp or other accomplishments you gain in Winter on your sheets. Plan for Spring, but I shall table-talk warn you that I plan to wreck that season.
I'm purely guessing that Intellego Vim 'might' be good for that, either that or Intellego Mentem?]
. Maybe this will come back to bite you, maybe Ludovico will never hear from either of them again. I was freeforming a little, but I have a definite idea of what is what.
I've grown to see roleplaying as a collaborative creative effort and I try to do my part to make things a good story. Would Ludo know anything about Valnord? Or be able to glean anything in passing from the local spirits as he walks? And I assume the old man just stays well away from him after making the gold disappear as if by a sorcery all his own? ]