A place for any IC correspondences to be posted.
Spring, 1221
To Magus Attravere scholae Mercandi, salve.
I trust that this letter finds you in good health and spirits.
I am Cygna filia Gruis doctrinae Bjornaeris, of the Covenant of the Phoenix in the Iberian Tribunal. I write to you concerning rumours that I have heard regarding my house-mate Leona.
There are unconfirmed allegations that Leona has entered Final Twilight. While I do not (yet) have more than her passing acquaintance, her fate is of some personal interest to me.
I will be returning to the Stonehenge Tribunal shortly to look into the matter for myself, and with an eye to taking up a new residence in the Tribunal that was my home for much of my life. I have also heard rumours that Gallus Florensis is looking to admit new members, and I hope that that one, at least, has some merit to it.
I and my traveling companions will depart Phoenix immediately following the Iberian Tribunal, and hope to arrive at Gallus Florensis by mid-summer. I will leave word with the Redcaps as to my itinerary so that any reply you send me, if not received by the time I leave,will still reach me.
Regards,
Katerina Cygna filia Gruis doctrinae Bjornaeris Arelie ab Phoenix
((ooc - edited because I'm an idiot and forgot about the Iberian Tribunal meeting which Cygna kinda needs to be at. Changed her departure and estimated arrival times))
To Maga Cygna filia Gruis doctrinae Bjornaeris Arelie ab Phoenix,
Your letter does find me in fair times of mind and body - I trust my reply finds you in continued good state.
The rumors you've heard all bear merit and I would be glad to exchange information with you regarding each of them once you've arrived.
As a gesture of goodwill to a potential covenantmate I offer hospitality at Gallus Florensis for two seasons that you might better decide whether to apply for membership with this covenant.
Further, as some small measure of thanks for bringing a measure of justice to my departed housemate, Bethany, I offer my aid in personnel transportation to Gallus Florensis.
Fair Winds,
Attravere filus Maribus scholae Mercandi
15 November, 1220
Dear Josef,
I hope this letter finds you and your family doing well. I'm sending this letter to your attention, as the last few letters I have sent to the members of Gallus Florensis I knew of have all been returned to me as undeliverable. I've been directed by my superiors in Domo Tremeris to seek membership in my parens covenant of record and conduct an investigation into his disappearance. As I am unfamiliar with any other magi who have taken residence since I was Justinius discipula, I ask you to give my compliments to the magi and maga now in residence and request on my behalf an honor guard to escort me from Libellus to Gallus Florensis. Alpha and his team, if available should be sufficient. This is a rather high security mission as I have requisitioned 350 pounds of silver to be brought with me to Gallus Florensis. In the event you have forgotten, my Gift is gentle, so I can ride, though I am unskilled, therefore a mounted mission is certainly acceptable to me, if the resources permit. It is unfortunate my Arts have not progressed to the point where I could request a rock chip from a nearby boulder and arrive without the difficulty of mundane travel.
Regards,
Sophronia Tremeris, filia Justinius
2 December, 1220
Ah, little Sophia! So good of you to inquire as to my family. Naomi is doing well; she is scribing out the Torah on behalf of a merchant from Dublin. She loves the work, and is thrilled that word of her excellent penmanship has travelled so far. Shmuel is learning so fast... even with Lamentus in such a poor state, the boy spends all his time in the library and learns so quickly it is almost frightening. I couldn't be more proud of him; in fact we are planning his Bar Mitzvah for next spring. Danyael is growing like a reed. He is working as a messenger, and we think someday he may join the turb.
I have informed Alpha of the contents of your letter, and he has insisted that they will leave in the morning. I suppose you'll already know that by the time you read this letter, as I will likely send this reply with him.
350 pounds of silver! Astonishing. I suppose you have your reasons.
I will inform the council of magi of your intentions as soon as they return from their expedition to Wales. Safe travels.
Yosef ben Gavrel
To Attravere filus Maribus scholae Mercandi,
I thank you for you kind and generous offer of hospitality at the Covenant of Gallus Florensis, and especially for your assistance in transporting me and my companions.
I shall be waiting for you at the Mercere Portal in Crintera at mid-day on the Ides of May. That should, barring any unforeseen complication, allow me time to resolve any unfinished business here and to get to Crintera. There will be four of us, and a toddler. I trust that this will not be too much of an imposition on your hospitality.
Yours in service,
Katerina Cygna filia Gruis doctrinae Bjornaeris Arelie ab Phoenix
((edited to change meeting time from Ides of July to Ides of May to account for Attravere picking them up in late Spring rather than mid-Summer))
To Maga Cygna filia Gruis doctrinae Bjornaeris Arelie ab Phoenix,
I shall meet you then at the appointed time and place. I am looking forward to it.
The quantity of your companions should make little difference. It is my pleasure to be of assistance in this matter.
Sincerely,
Attravere filus Maribus scholae Mercandi
To Attravere filus Maribus scholae Mercandi,
My esteemed sodales, Lady Cygna filia Gruis doctrinae Bjornaeris Arelie ab Phoenix, wrote to you on our behalf, and reported back your civility and generosity.
Since it was so evident to us, she forgot to tell you that she would be coming along with a fellow hermetic magus. I thus find it preferable to warn you in advance, since a magus is often a more difficult guest than mundanes, and to ask you formally for your welcome.
Know that, should you be unwilling or unable to host me alongside Lady Cygna, I would depart immediately, after ensuring, of course, that she reached your covenant safely. Know also that, should this be your decision, I shall bear towards you nothing but gratitude for offering a home to her.
Sincerely,
Hiems filius Goliath Ex Miscellanea ab Phoenix
Greetings Hiems filius Goliath Ex Miscellanea ab Phoenix,
Two members of the order should not be much more difficult to accommodate than one, though if there are any special needs you require advance notification would be greatly appreciated.
I beg forgive my forwardness, but I would ask your intentions with this visit. I am aware that Maga Cygna may be seeking membership with a covenant of her home tribunal. It seems strange that more than one magi might travel together in the circumstances she has revealed. Might you also be seeking a new covenant? Or does purpose lie with her other aim?
You're naturally welcome to answer or not answer as much as you like.
Curiously apologetic,
Attravere scholae Mercandi
To Attravere filus Maribus scholae Mercandi,
Please, do not apologise. It is only natural for you to enquire of these questions.
To tell the truth, Lady Cygna and I were both members of Phoenix Covenant, and, due to its fall, are both without a covenant as of now. She decided to come back to her home tribunal, and I choose to come with her, both to help ensure her safe journey and in hope I'll be able to settle there too. To tell the truth, I just want a place in which to live in peace, and this seemed as good a place as any, especially as I have much trust in lady cygna's wisdom.
Although it was not clear, her intent when writing to you was to ask you a living place for the two of us, and I would be very grateful if you'd welcome me here alongside such a wise and learned maga. I'll still be grateful if you offer her, and her only, a haven.
Truly,
Hiems filius Goliath Ex Miscellanea ab Phoenix
(being a letter from Cygna to her mater, Grus, of Duos Flumen)
Dearest mater:
I hope and pray that this letter finds you in better spirits than I am in this day, for it is evident to most if not all of us here that the Covenant of the Phoenix is on its last leg and will very soon rise no more.
I will spare you the tawdry details of what happened(although, if you wish, I will share the tale with you when I see you next).
Suffice it to say that I have been given a new opportunity which will bring me back to the land of my birth. I have been in communication with Ardea, and she has asked that I render service to the House at the covenant of Gallus Florensis, a task that I have agreed to perform to the best of my abiity.
I will be moving to Gallus Florentus shortly, accompanied by Celestria, a maidservant that I was assigned in Phoenix (who is English), a Muslim scholar who is very knowledgeable in Magic Theory, and a French magus by the name of Hiems, a member ex Miscellanea who is as noble of heart as he is fair of face.
I doubt that I will have the opportunity to drop in en route to what I hope will be my new home, but I would be remiss if I did not visit from time to time, as our covenants are but a few days' travel apart. Even closer if I were to fly, but I am still loathe to change where others might see the stigmas of my youthful indiscretions.
And on a final, related note – I am still haunted by the curse that Adorjan Megidézó hurled at me with his dying breath. I hope that the library at Gallus Florensis is of sufficient breadth and depth to give me the knowledge that I need to overcome him at long last.
I hope to see you soon, and until then I remain
Your faithful filia
Cygna
(Delivered in Spring 1221.)
to: sinmoar flambonis
gallis florensus, stonehenge
frm: scintilla flambonis
burnham, stonehenge.
[i]first of all sorry it took so longe to wrte this letter. i have been buzy.
im sure youve heard by now geirlaug rec'd to garus that you be expelled from the house. you probly alreddy knowe that can only be done on recomendation from the seniore flambeau of a tribunal with three supporting letters from other flambeaux, and now that your a stonehenge resident its my call not herz. she sent me a letter asking me to do it for her. i tole the olde bitch to get hersself stufft. she obvsly dosent knowe how things work around hear. and anyways there arent enuff flambeaux in this whole damm tribunal to support that action even if i gave a shit abt geirlags adgenda. well i guess that windbag valten is still hanging around, but he doesnt have any offishal residents so he iznt on my rostar.
she blewe some steem and tole me all about elisant and that investigation. if haff the things elisant is suspected of prove troo, you may face futurr trubble with quisitors. i wuddnt wurry too much were i you, tho, theirs only one quisitor working stonehenge rite now and she wont get to geirlaugs complante for years at this rate.
i hope yer planning to enter the Tournament at next years tribunel. not much competishin cuz their arent much flambeaux, but mebbe thatll change soon.
sorry about my speling. iam too old to give a damm. kick ashlinns teeth in fr me if you ever see her.
Scintilla[/i]
My Dearest Scintilla,
I so thank ye for your concerns and support. I have received precious little from Gairlug, who cast me from her Covenant over a slight at breakfast. Any so-called crimes she claims upon me, she is actually guilty of, not to mention that she routinely crosses into Stonehenge on her various missions; which I believe is illegal. However, she has earned her state through far more years than mine and has garnered far more support. But with Ellisant, that was entirely her affair and I was following orders. I have no love for Ellisant and have certainly not helped her...nor met her either, I am not worried about the Quaesitors, I'm not guilty of anything but maybe bad judgment for obeying that old witch.
Valten...I owe that son of a bitch, sincerely. He scoffed me and my Pater! You know William du Soleil, I should send a letter to him regarding Valten, I doubt he'd be so boastful after getting a roast or two from him!
Aye, the tournament will be a great diversion I look forward to. Regardless of who's coming you can count me in.
Thank ye so much for taking the time and your dear concern. I was always so fond of the times we visited. I'm glad to see you stay above the petty politics, you do our House proud. I shall probably have to write Garus and defend my honor from Geirlaug's efforts, and thank you again for the warning.
Very truly yours,
Sinmore
to: sinmoor flambonis
gallis florensus, stonehenge
from: scintilla flambonis
burnham, stonehenge
[i]girl yoo need to lern yoreself about the code! of coarse hi crimes can always be investagated acrost tribunel boarders. you do knowe that quisitors can deputize other maggi rite? i am sending a tract on hermetic code. ritten by my filius focus. he iz a bettar rider than me. then agin most aprentaces are better riders then me. gotta knowe yore talints and stick to em iz wot i always say. anyway pls read tract. ignorince can get you killt around hear, and rite fast too
valten is harmless. but his pater iz a nasty peace of work. philipis niger haz toremented every aprentace he ever had, thoze that survived are all insuffarable gits. guess they figger nothin can ever be az bad as their childhoods, eh? just considar yoreself lucky you had a propar flambeau as a master instedd of some uppity apromorian lummox
heh i thott i waz losin memry in my olde age, you must be thinkin of some other old woman. i aint nevar met you i aint left burnham but once in the last score of years or so cant hardly see the pointe. thatts why talion is praeco cuz i turnd down the job dont wanna bother with the responsabillity my familier brings me anythin i need wot cant be got brott by the covinfoke. i mite go to blackthoarn for the Tournament next summar just to sho all you damm kidz how itz dun
scintilla.[/i]
(The letter is delivered along with a tractatus on Code of Hermes, Q8, by Focus of Flambeau. It's not terribly thorough-- it mostly details how to keep under the radar.)
To: Cygna Follower of Birna
Gallus Florensis, Britannia
From: Gruis Follower of Birna
Duos Flumen, Britannia
Salve, filia! How are you settling in your new home? I hope that you will come to visit often now that you are back in England again. Let me know if you need anything - lab equipment, any particular experimental ingredients, etc.
David is doing well, though he seems somewhat saddened now that the children are grown and out of the house. So am I, to be truthful. I've considered taking another apprentice, but I feel like I am getting perhaps too old to keep up with a child anymore.
Sorry for not writing more-- just wanted to send a quick note to welcome you home(-ish). Please come for dinner soon.
Yours,
--G
Dear mater,
I am pleased to be welcomed back home with open arms, especially seeing as how my time in Iberia did not go as I had hoped.
I wish I could say that everything here was songbirds and butterflies. I seem to have run afoul of Liliana the Merinita, by the simple virtue of my existing. I do not know if she holds such disdain for all the Bjornaer magi, or simply those she sees as allies of Leona.
I had no sooner unpacked my clothing (Leona has granted me her cottage until such time as I am ready for my Longevity Ritual) then I was tasked with treating with the local noble concerning our taxes. I have no greater temperament for politicking than I did before I left for Iberia, but I feel that I did the best I could under the circumstances.
I have considered taking an apprentice once I have broadened my knowledge somewhat, but I am loathe to do so until I have found a way to neutralize, if not destroy, my tormentor. I fear that, should I take an apprentice before I again dispose of Adorjan, he may turn his attention to her (or him), and I don't know if I could live with myself if that were to happen. If you do decide to take another apprentice, I would be happy to do what I can to help.
Also, one of the mementos I brought with me was a cutting from one of the vines in Cijara (by the name of Margeurita). I had forgotten that Gallus Florensis is almost entirely swamp, and likely not the best conditions for growing a grapevine, intelligent or otherwise. Would this be something of interest to you? I have always been curious as to whether their intelligence was caused by something specific to either Cijara or the regio there, or if it was inherent in the vines and would be manifest in a vine grown elsewhere.
I look forward to joining you and David, and the children if they are still in the covenant, for dinner soon. It would be a wonderful opportunity to catch up and to discuss many things that I do not feel comfortable putting to parchment (and to wear something besides this ghastly yellow).
Your loving filia
Cygna
From: Gruis Follower of Birna
Duos Flumen, Stonehenge
To: Cygna filia Gruis, Follower of Birna
Gallus Florensis, Stonehenge
It is good to hear that you are settling in, even if things are not going as smoothly as you would hope. Things will improve soon, you'll see. The air may still be chill and crisp, but even now the days grow longer and the earth grows warmer beneath the sun's gaze. Even as the flowers in my garden fluorish these coming months, so you shall as well.
I have found Liliana to be exceedingly polite, though strange in the way that Merinita rooted deeply in Faerie tend to be. She shows favour to those of us with Fae blood, so perhaps that explains her kindness to me. The hostility between her and and your predecessor runs deep; I have heard that Leona had taken Liliana's brother as a lover, so that can't have gone over well. Both magae are well-known for their healing abilities, so the scandal of the affair may have tipped over existing tensions to a breaking point. Liliana holds strictly to the laws governing the fae, however; perhaps if you were to gift her with something, which would gently remind her that you are filia of a Countess within the Summer Court, you may be spared any residual hostilities for Leona? If I recall correctly, she is of negligible nobility within the Winter Court; the old way of the People is to view an apprentice as property of the court, so in antagonizing you, she is technically in violation of the Great Treaty.
If you find a likely candidate for an apprentice, and have doubts regarding Adorjan's hold on you, I would be happy to search for him again. The Quaesitores almost assuredly retained an Arcane Connection after the Wizard's March; perhaps we have been going about it the wrong way, searching for his ghost near you, instead of searching for him independently. That scumsucking whoreson certainly was in no danger of going to Heaven, so we shouldn't have much trouble discovering where his soul ended up.
I would love to nurture the vine cuttings you have. If nothing else, perhaps we can grow vis out of them!
We will be having a feast at Beltane; you should come.
May the winds be always at your back,
Your mater
~G.
My Dearest Scintilla,
Thank you again for your kind letters and this helpful tracti. As I seem pre-disposed to running into trouble it will no doubt be a great idea to learn some of the law. William and I travelled so much, but he never bothered to teach much of the laws that we were likely traversing at times.
You have been so kind and gracious in volunteering your support and aid, I so greatly appreciate this, though I am sorry I did not write back sooner. I have been having some grave issues at my covenant and strange occurences related to the moon as well. But among all of the magi I have met since leaving my master you have been so forthcoming and helpful. Please, if there is anything I might do to return the favor, I will do so.
Thank you again.
Truly Yours,
Sinmore.
From: Iorwerth filius Aeron doctrinae Tytalii
Duos Flumen, Britannia
To: Iapetus doctrinae Tytalii
Gallus Florensis, Britannia
Salve, sodalis!
I write to inquire as to whether you are entering the Flambeau-sponsored melees this coming summer. I have not seen your name on the rounds for the advanced melee, and was quite disappointed. You do realize since the two of us are the only Tytalii in the tribunal, we must of course test ourselves against each other!
I look forward to facing you soon, whether you will it or not.
Your brother in adversity,
Iorwerth
From: Cygna filia Gruis, Follower of Birna
Gallus Florensis, Stonehenge
To: Gruis Follower of Birna
Duos Flumen, Stonehenge
Dearest mater,
Thank you for the gracious invitation to come to the feast of Beltane, although I hope you will forgive me if I abstain from the traditional post-feast activities this year.
I will be bringing one of my sodales with me from Gallus Florensis who has expressed an interest in meeting some of the magi of my old home. (It is not Hiems, although I do have much to discuss with you on that front when I see you next).
Give my love to everyone and I will see you shortly.
Cygna