House Mercere has been debating what to do for several months now, but it is time to make a decision. Should the resources kept at Andorra be relocated or should the Mercere House be maintained? What, if any, changes need to be made in terms of security and services directed from here?
Tiana and Fedora have Winter and Spring to figure out what they think should be done and put together their argument. In fall, ten other members of House Mercere will be visiting. Three of them will be magi! That's about a quarter of all magical Mercere. One of them will be Decimus from Harco, a former member here many years ago.
What does Tiana know about those who will be present? Int +2, Hermes Lore 4.
One thing she thinks is important is for Fedora to keep her child around her at all times, and coach the kid to make comments about how much she likes it here and how great the education she's getting here is 
You shoulda rolled a die. But goint off a total of only 6 still is helpful...
- Decimus of Mercere: Magus, former member of Andorra, snob
- Mercuria of Mercere: Magus from Doisettep
- Korvac of Mercere: magus, lecherous
- Lejlia of Mercere: Redcap, another former member, interestsed mainly in writing and the library trade
- Erik the Redcap: Redcap, a generic NPC name I have been using for years in many saga's simply because it amuses me
- Miguel from Barcelona: Redcap, chief in charge of the Redcap lodge in Barcelona (was a member of the old lodge in Burgos)
- Simon of Mercere: Redcap, patterened after a TV personality
- Gordon of Mercere: Redcap, patterned after another TV personality
- four more redcaps that I have not invented names for
I didn't know who I was making rolls for yet 
Now I do. invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4074715/
And a second roll to confirm the exploder for the fourth roll: invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4074716/
- Decimus of Mercere: 13
- Mercuria of Mercere: 10
- Korvac of Mercere: 15
- Lejlia of Mercere: 20 (2x7+6)
- Erik the Redcap: 13
- Miguel from Barcelona: 11
- Simon of Mercere: 8
- Gordon of Mercere: 8
You said "four more Redcaps" but your initial post said ten members total, so I'll invent names for two Redcaps, you can either use them or not, but here's my rolls for them... And if you decide to have two more I'll roll for them later.
- Tanner: 11
- Danika: 14
Fédora is strongly of the opinion that Andorra is the ideal location for a Mercere House. It's situated in a mountain pass with access to not one, not two, but three major Tribunals. (Shut up, Provençal is too major!). On top of that, it already has much of the infrastructure in place, it just needs a little...spit and polish to get it back up to snuff.
The first thing she would do is address the Council to let them know that she intends to resurrect the Mercere House that stood here for so many centuries, but she will need their help.
ahem
[color=blue]"Sodales, thank you for giving me your ears today. I know that, with all this covenant has suffered of late, you all have much on your minds. Many plans to be made. Buildings to rebuild. Old friends to mourn, new friends to celebrate.
"I humbly ask that, in light of all that has happened, we do not lose sight of one of the defining features of the Covenant of Andorra. This covenant has, practically since its founding, served as one of the premiere Mercere Houses in all the world. And, though we may be battered and bruised, we are not broken. If we do not rebuild and restore the Mercere House to something close to what it once was, then we as a covenant will have lost so very much.
"I know that we will have much to do to rebuild and strengthen our defences, and I will see that Mercere contributes to the effort."
She also thinks hard about what she knows of each of the Mercere who will be coming, and may correspond with them in advance (tailoring her words to each of them, to try to sway them to making the "right" decision). Her roll is Int 1 + Order of Hermes Lore (House Mercere) 5 + a die roll of 3 = 9.
I was thinking one roll for them all, but handwaving it. Now I gotta come up with all sorts of new improvised details...
Fedora's roll of 9 was good enough to tell you most everything you need to know. Tiana was a bit lacking in knowledge on Simon and Gordon, but knew a few enhanced details about a few. Especially Lejlia 
The four names I forgot are Tanner, Danika, Tiana, and Fedora 
- Decimus of Mercere: A Gifted orphan, he was raised by Redcaps here at Andorra, until taken as an apprentice of Honoria of Mercere and trained in Rome. There, he became inducted into the Hermetic Cult of Mercury, and after his gauntlet he returned to Andorra with dreams of making it a glorious bastion for his pagan magic traditions. He was quickly disillusioned of these schemes by Antonio, and he eventually returned to Rome to take a post at Harco.
- Mercuria of Mercere: A resident of Doisettep, she was supposed to come along with the initial detachment of Mercere that included Tiana and Fedora, but her mother got sick.
- Korvac of Mercere: A Vagabond magus (the Iberian equivilent to Preginator), Korvac has been a guest at nearly every covenant in the Iberian Tribunal. He spearheads the Portal Project that is part of the Cooperation Pact of 1214, but has knit only a few covenants thus far.
-
Lejla of Mercere: On her travels, a redcap named Miriam fell in love with Hassan al'Benari, the steward of the Muslim rulers of Valencia, and they had a daughter, Lejla. Miriam left her daughter with Hassan, because she had no time to raise the child herself and because she knew that the Muslims treated their women better than the Christians. So Lejla spent her first years at Valencia's court, a charming child that even found the acceptance of Fatima, Hassan's regular wife. But the day Lejla turned seven, her mother showed up at Valencia and laid claim to the girl. Hassan and Fatima, who were unwilling to let Lejla go, said they'd only consent if Lejla wanted to leave. They were enraged when the girl for some reason stubbornly insisted on leaving, and haven't forgiven her since.
Her mother initiated her into the ways of the Milvini Antiquiti, and the girl showed an unbelievable literary talent. During their travels, Lejla quickly picked up all the languages she came across. After her apprenticeship, she continued to travel Iberia for the Order, flirting, collecting stories and writing excellent books. She spent some time at Andorra working under Decimus, but when he went to Harco, Lejla went to work on the Iberian circuit based out of the Burgos lodge. - Erik the Redcap: There is an Erik the Redcap in every tribunal, in every gathering of redcaps, in every saga or story I tell involving someone recieving a message from a Redcap.
- Miguel from Barcelona: Miguel is chief of the Barcelona Lodge, and the first non-Jerbiton to be accepted as a member of that covenant.
- Simon of Mercere: Simon has been here all along, one of the members of the initial Redcap detatchment. He is very picky and thinks almost everything is terrible. He hails from the Stonehenge Tribunal.
- Gordon of Mercere: Simon has been here all along, one of the members of the initial Redcap detatchment. He is cranky and thinks everyone is incompetant. He hails from the Loch Legean Tribunal.
- Tiana of Mercere: Tiana, played by Ryu, is one of the members of the initial Redcap detatchment. She has chosen to take the Oath of Covenant and became a member of Andorra. She looks like Grace Kelly.
- Fedora of Mercere: Fedora, played by P.B., is one of the members of the initial Redcap detatchment. She has chosen to take the Oath of Covenant and became a member of Andorra. She wears a strange style of red hat (a fedora).
As for Fedora's speech to the Council, she has Carmen's full support. Let me know what you need to put on the bargaining table, and I will do what I can to back you up.
Actually, Fédora's hat is an ushanka made of red fur. Kind of like this, but without the Soviet symbol. Maybe a pin with her House symbol on it.
Yeah, that's the one. 'Round these parts, folk call that hat a fedora. Dunno why.
...Tiana wears a fez now. Fezzes are cool.
"I think it would be wise to maintain constant reminders to our cousins that this is our home, so that they must keep in mind that to move the Mercer House is to disrupt our lives forcibly and unpleasantly. To that end, keeping your daughter very visible would help, I think. And perhaps we should marry into the non-Mercere here. What do you think, Fedora?" Tiana says all of that with a perfectly straight face, as she's dead serious.
Oh, and btw, Semyon (Fédora's child) is a son. He would be seven at this point, so old enough to be useful. Haven't statted him up or done much thinking about him, besides the fact that he is a descendent of Mercere (obviously) and that he has either Faerie or Strong Faerie Blood.
I should point out that the others all know you just moved here. Twho of them, the magus Decimus and the Redcap Lejla, used to live here about seven years ago. However, a decent homestead for Redcap children will ring home with both of those two. Decimus was raised here as a child. Lejla has a seven year old daughter [spoiler]is it the child of Decimus? Who knows?[/spoiler]
I used to have a fedora, years ago, a couple of years after Raiders of the Lost Ark came out. I have no idea why I got rid of it.
And now that I know what an ushanka is, I want one. A red one. Even if it doesn't really get cold enough for one here.
((Is this in Council, or just the three of them (Fédora, Tiana, and Vocis) planning for the Conference? I'm thinking the latter.))
[color=blue]"It should be painfully obvious that they need us as much, if not more, than we need them. Andorra and the Mercere House is almost a match made in heaven. But, of course, a few subtle reminders never hurt. After all, I traveled all the way from Three Lakes to be here." Fédora has a mournful smile for a moment as she thinks of what she left behind.
She thinks for a couple of minutes, pondering Tiana's not-quite-question. [color=blue]"I'm still not that familiar with many people here. Are there any unbetrothed girls that you feel may be suitable for my little Semyon?" (She is totally oblivious to what I think Tiana really meant.))
Why Vocis? Just the two of them.
Tiana blinks. "I meant, you and me. Not to each other, of course, but to the other folks stationed here. It will make the House very reluctant to make us relocate."
((I was thinking that, since Vocis is Mercere, he would be involved too. No biggie if he's not.))
[color=blue]"Chto?[sup]1[/sup]" Fédora sounds shocked. [color=blue]"I will never give..." Just as quickly as the storm (such as it is) appears, it dissipates and Fédora stares past Tiana, silent tears running down her face.
[color=blue]"You are right," she finally says. [color=blue]"I may have already given the House a son, but they may appreciate a couple more. It is just like Kiovia. It will not have been the first time I've been betrothed for politics." She sighs deeply. [color=blue]"Ja prosto nadejus', chto on mozhet prostit' menja[sup]2[/sup]," she whispers.
[hr][/hr]((I forgot that Tiana has Gift of Tongues, so here's the translations. If it's wrong, blame Google 
))
[sup]1[/sup]What?
[sup]2[/sup] I only hope he can forgive me.
((Vocis is Tremere. You two are the only player Mercere )
((Man, I must have been tired when I read the cast.))
He's Tremere.
Tiana seems startled, but immediately moves forward and puts her arms around Fedora. She doesn't ask what's wrong, she just lets Fedora cry, and makes soft soothing noises.
Tiana smiles wryly. "Truth be told, I don't particularly want a husband either, but my mother keeps asking why I haven't married yet. As long as it's not a Mercere, I can tolerate it. And just think of it this way-- if we marry for politics now, to men of our choosing, we can't be foisted off like cattle later."
She studiously doesn't ask anything about Fedora's tears. She figures, if she wanted to talk about it, she would; by showing her comfort, Fedora should at least know that Tiana is willing to listen if Fedora chooses to talk about it. (some kind of intrigue or folk ken or something here?)
[color=blue]"It doesn't matter much to me who I marry," Fédora laments. [color=blue]"They will always fall woefully short of Semyon's father."
She thinks for a minute, then shakes her head. [color=blue]"I do not know any of the men, magi or mortal, well enough to choose wisely." She snorts with amusement. [color=blue]"Whoever he is, he must be a good father for Semyon, at least until he becomes someone's apprentice."
She is thinking about Semyon's apprenticeship. He's about seven, so he should be apprenticed to another Redcap before too much longer, I think. Not sure how "kosher" it is for a mother to be her own son's mater. Ideally, she would like it to be someone either in Andorra Covenant (which, I think, limits it to Tiana, at this point) or in Provençal. Barring that, someone in either northern Iberia or southern Normandy, very close to Provençal.
((Folk Ken, probably.))
My character in your campaign is Mercere.