Averell sits in his chair, quiet and patient, listening to the instruction given.
[color=blue]"Yes?" Fiona says gently.
[color=blue]"And, lest I forget: the first term, we will be meeting as a group until I get a better feel for your personalities. In the next term, I will be meeting with you individually for the most part, although there will be times that I will be gathering you all together for various reasons."
Vanadís runs her right hand through her hair, then says, "Miss Fiona? If we need to know people before we talk to them, so we don't betray what we don't want them to know - does that mean we should spy on them? If we chat so we know them better, they get to know us as well."
The longer her sentence runs, the more she nods and seems affirmed of her conclusion. "Kind of like hide and seek. If you know where people will look, you're going to be much harder to find."
She suddenly smiles. "The forest people in Vinland are terrific at that, you know? You never see them until you do, and then they seemed to have been there all along. I bet they knew the rules to all our games, just from watching."
[color=blue]"Good question, Vanadis," Fiona says. [color=blue]"One must be always mindful of what is allowed and what is forbidden under the Oath that you will all swear, and which Professor Clement will teach you in due time. But to answer your question: using magic to spy on other magi is forbidden. It is generally accepted that even accidental spying is prohibited. For example, if I were to use a spell to spy on the glassblower, and he were to speak with Professor Catrina, I am to immediately cease my spell. If Professor Catrina were to learn that I had accidentally spied on her, she could seek actions against me.
"That being said...spying by mundane means is not forbidden. You could stand outside their window and listen to their conversation, as long as no magic is involved on your part. You could have someone spy for you – again, as long as they have no magical aid.
"But spying on someone is rather advanced for this early in your studies. What may be more suited is a technique that I use to great effect: convincing people you're one thing and not another, and thus get them to misjudge you. For example, Vanadis. From things you've said, I assume that you were raised by the fair folk in...Vinland? Quite often, people assume that people brought up by the fae have no idea of what is 'normal' or even 'accepted' in modern culture. And so they will treat you in ways that they would not treat someone raised by a baker in Edinburgh. The trick is to embrace such a façade, so that this becomes all people see, and use their blindness to your advantage. Does that make sense?"
Vanadís listens carefully, her mind running at a thousand miles an hour. She smiles a bit vacantly as she tries to gather all the implications she can. After a while, she gives up trying to think it all through while listening, and just hears Fiona out.
"Miss Fiona? Would it be spying if one of us got lost and we'd use magic to find them? Or if someone gets hurt and we need to find out how bad it is?"
She rubs her chin and seems to get an idea, but keeps mum!
[color=blue]"Under the strictest interpretation of the Code possible, the person you found could bring suit against you at Tribunal. However, as a rule only the person affected could do so, and it's quite likely that he would be grateful that you found him...especially if he were in a bad situation. As far as using magic to see how injured someone is: if the patient is conscious, I would ask his permission before casting the spell upon him. If not...I would likely cast it anyway and explain it to him when he woke up. But, again, that depends on the person in question and what you know of him."
Imric also raises his hand, and when called on asks, "what about if we use a spell - or even a natural ability - to see a magus who's invisible or in a magical disguise? Would that be a violation of the Code? Because I can't turn off my Second Sight. I just sometimes see things the way they really are. I'd hate to get in trouble for that."
[color=blue]"The Oath says, '“I will not use magic to scry upon members of the Order of Hermes, nor shall I use it to peer into their affairs.' Unfortunately, by the strictest possible interpretation of the Oath, there is no difference between Hermetic magic and an innate magical ability such as your ability to see what's hidden," Fiona says.
She takes a deep breath before she continues. [color=blue]"This is why being politically savvy is so important. Remember that, at Tribunal, whether or not your actions are deemed a violation of the Code is not as simple as yes or no. So much depends upon who is being accused, who is doing the accused, and how they get on with others in their Tribunal.
"Let us take two hypothetical magi. Both stand accused, to use your example, of using their Faerie Sight to spot a covenant's sentries that have been rendered invisible by their masters, and indeed both have done so, intentionally, for the purposes of helping their turb conduct a raid upon the covenant's stores.
"Magus Angellicus is a very charming person, handsome, keen of wit. He has bargained with his sodales for aid in various projects, both rendering and asking for assistance. He is known to be fair and just in all his dealings, and even treats his muggles with courtesy and respect.
"Maga Diabolica is a very hateful woman. Every time she is at Tribunal, she levels false accusations at others, and threatens them with Certamen over the most trivial of imagined slights. She has a reputation for wielding a sharp tongue and often plays one side against another.
"Which of these magi will be found in violation of their Oath, if either, and if both, which one will have to pay the higher levy?"
"Of course Maga Diabolica is worse off," Imric replies, taking Fiona's point. "But what if a magus just happens to see the invisible guards, not because he's trying to help with a raid, but because he's visiting and his Second Sight reveals them? Could he be punished for that?" Clearly the boy is concerned about the possibility of facing punishment for doing nothing more than seeing something that he can't help not seeing.
Fiona smiles. [color=blue]"I understand your concern, Imric. The key points in situations like this is whether the magus in question is aware that you have seen through his invisibility, and whether he takes offence to the point that he brings the matter to Tribunal. Remember that, most of the time, scrying on muggles, intentionally or otherwise, is not a crime unless you chance to scry on a magus in doing so. I would think that, in almost all situations, you would be fine. It's only in cases where the other is aware and offended that you could possibly have a problem. Does that help?"