Background
Apprenticeship
The old man was Leonardus of Jerbiton. He did not take the boy as his own apprentice, for the simple reason that he already had one at the time. Instead, he brought the boy north to the first maga he'd trained, Flavia. At the time, she was living at the powerful covenant of Confluensis in the Normandy Tribunal.
During the trip to Confluensis, Leonardus began instructing the boy in how to behave and what to expect from his apprenticeship. He gave the boy one very important command, which he reinforced with magic: "Your name is now Giles. You will no longer use or respond to the name your parents gave you. Do not speak of your home town or family with anyone but me. "
Flavia was not completely happy to get custody of Giles. Though she was ready to take an apprentice, her plan had been to select one from the nobility (like herself) instead of some low-born boy, let alone one whose Gift showed all signs of being unGentle. But she could not deny her pater this request.
Over the course of Giles' apprenticeship, Flavia never asked any questions about his former life – she knew he was low-born and the life of the common people held little interest to her. On the other hand, she encouraged him to develop his artistic side – he could contribute to the beautification of life even despite the deficiencies of his blood.
Like her own pater, Flavia was strong in the Art of Muto, an aptitude she shared with Giles when opening his Arts. She shaped his natural aptitude with fluids into a focus with the transformation of water, while also giving him great flexibility with spells. This came at a cost, however, for Giles would share her inability to expert herself when working spontaneous magic.
After opening his Arts, Flavia set him to the tasks of learning Latin and becoming literate, all the while helping her in her own work. She would often dress him as a page in those early years, instruct him in proper behaviour and send him on errands around the covenant. When she travelled, she brought him along to introduce him to other members of the House and their own entourage of artists.
With such a powerful presence of Quaesitors in Confluensis, Giles could not help but pick up some elements of the laws governing the Order of Hermes, as well as its history and customs. Leonardus visited Confluensis a few times to consult his old friend Augustus Nero of House Guernicus, but also to see the boy and share stories with him. Nero kindly kept an eye on the boy's progress and well-being over the years, suggesting areas of further study and providing advice to the young man.
A few months before Giles passed his Gauntlet, taking the name Quintus Clusius (he uses Quentin amongst mundanes and just Clusius with friends), Leonardus disappeared into Twilight. His passing was declared final and his estate was settled by Nero a few years later.
Characters
Leonardus of Jerbiton was a rich and powerful magus, who recently disappeared into Twilight. He left behind a rich inheritance. He was a Master of Muto magic and a clever negociator. He was a member of the covenant of Triamore in the Rhine Tribunal, but had also established a secondary sanctum in Laimunt valley and discovered several vis sources there. Leonardus trained three apprentices: Flavia, Wilhelm and Eduardus.
Flavia of Jerbiton was Leonardus' first apprentice. She was born from the nobility of Lorraine over eighty years ago. She favors Muto Mentem magic and keeps many contacts with the nobility of France. For several years she was of member of Confluensis, but was offered a place in the prestigious covenant of Valnastium in the Greater Alps (she considers this her crowning achievement) after completing the training of her first apprentice. Confluensis asked another Jerbiton, Jerome, to take her place. She is somewhat disdainful of common-born and feels superior to magi without the Gentle Gift.
Wilhelm Weiss of Jerbiton was Leonardus' second apprentice. He is in his early fifties and lives in Cologne, posing as a merchant and managing Fengheld's chapter house of Rheingasse. He is deeply interested in trade and finances, and how magic can be used to benefit his covenant and the Order of Hermes. He has not yet achieved the rank of Master in the Rhine Tribunal, but expect to do so in the next few years. (See Guardians of the Forest, p.83)
Eduardus of House Tytalus was Leonardus' third apprentice and the reason why he did not train Clusius himself. Eduardus completed his apprenticeship about ten years before Clusius. He is artistically cultured and has the Gentle Gift. He switched House just after Leonardus passed into Twilight and is a member of the covenant of Montverte. (See The Lion and the Lily, p.59)
Augustus Nero of House Guernicus is Clusius' mentor and a long-time friend to Leonardus. He is the one who registered the secondary sanctum and vis sources of the covenant, and settled Leonardus' will. He still lives at Confluensis. He is a crafty old man, only a few years younger than Leonardus was, and an experienced attorney.
