Erat Caecus? Must...maintain...professional...demeanor...
[color=blue]"We will be happy to negotiate on your behalf with Erat Caecus, and I assure you that I will do eveything in my power to get you the most advantageous price I can."
Seeing as how Fédora knows (or at least knows of) Erat, I'm thinking she should get a letter of representation from Joshua to prove to Erat that she's legit, but I don't know if that's acceptable or downright rude. Not sure if that would be Code of Hermes (Redcap) 4 or Intrigue 4, which luckily is the same score, or if it's something else. Her Int is 1, die roll is 3, and the Ability is (probably) 4, for a total of 8. I can dump Confidence or Fortune if I need to.
I would think it would be a standard business practice of the era, and the Redcaps of Mercere are the most business oriented part of the Order. So I presume Joshua would be expecting (and wanting) formal paperwork. He will have his assistant draw up a contract and you can put a stamp on it or something.
I can even imagine a charged item that produces an AC on a wax seal. But leave that aside for now.
As for particulars of the product...
Vis exchange values are always in slight flux at different times and/or in different places. But two things remain constant. Foremost is that Vim has the most stable value, for it is the easiest to obtain and the kind most needed (for casting the Aegis and opening Enchanments mainly). Highest supply and highest demand. Second is that Creo is the most valueable Technique, for with it you can create food and gold and heal people and build towers.
There are many screwball factors and other issues, but these two truisms form the basis of Hermetic Economic theory.
So, each Awesome Orange tree yeilds four to six fruits, each containing 4 to 6 seeds that are pawns of Creo vis.
Andorra has one such tree at the covenant, and is one of their major siurces of vis income and wealth.
Joshua has four of these trees! He produces an average of a Queen of Creo every year. Normally, half of it gets sold at current market rate. Of the rest, some gets stored and some gets traded and some gets reinvested. An Awesome grade seed, if planted, sprouts overnight into a Superior tree. Vis is gone, but the Superior grade fruits are the very best. And seedless.
If the seeds dry out, they are still worth vis but they cannot be planted for bemefit. But an unmarred fruit will stay fresh indefinately.
So what is the value of this fruit? As Creo, the average is 5 pawns. The even standard is two form for a Technique. Creo is more valueable but Vim is stable and always in demand. So the standard apprasial would be about 10 Vim per orange, with a varience of 8 to 12.
Double that for standard wholesale. Like the pawnbrokers do. Or tripple it for full retail like Venditiores do, for it is a product that requires time and labor and has beneficial effects besides vis (preserved food & instant food production.
Joshua feels a fair full retail value is 30 Vim per orange and won't go lower than 20. Erat Caecus desires two dozen, so that is a minimum price of 480 vim, snf he wants as close to 720 as you can get.
Payment will be made through accounts (paperwork) in Barcelona.
A lot of money flows through Joshua's account. He does take some out as vis, but most of it gets sold for mundane currency. Rich knows the current rate is 12.1 Barcelona, 10.5 London, and 14.even Rome.
Joshua obviously lives a wealthy and luxurious life in a one-magus covenant. But where does the rest of that money go?
Later on during the Exarch, Richeaux wonders if these wide "blips" of vis-on-account that are never taken out as physical vis but are instead transfered and sold for other things; so chaotic and unregulated, this could be in part the cause of the misperception of insolvency.
What if the Hermetic Economics system of House Mercere was based on a solid unit of currency rather than the barter of vis? All things; vis, mundane metals, magic manufactured items, hermetic books; all things would have a value based on this new currency. Prices may fluctuate still. So maybe it is not such a great idea. It was something Irish Richard or English Erik said. Or maybe Richeaux has an even better idea.
But here in this scene we have an example of high level Hermetic Economics in action, here in Iberia which is the Tribunal with the most economic activity.
Rilcheaux speaks quietly to Fedora. "Would it be better if I acted as intermediary for this transaction? While I have heard a few things about Ertzat, and you can fill me in on more, he and I have never met."
Just be aware that Erat Caecus is an infamous scoundral. He is mentioned in ArM2 Covenants as a member of Val-Negra and filius of Abaddon. He is also in the ArMs (3.5?) book Houses of Hermes. The information there just confuses matters. But that's the guy.
He is suspected in being involved in the Barcelona Black Market and manages a secret society of assasins and thieves called the Obsidian Ring.
Or so they say. No evidence, no investigations, no accusations or prosecutions. As of yet.
Further, he is recorded as residing and voting in the Normandy Tribunal. But also seems to have been involved in Taglyb/Blackthorn contraversy in Stonehenge some twenty years ago.
Fedora knows a little more about him.
Richeaux can find out a lot more with some well placed questions (I suggest talking to English Erik and El Piroman).
I honestly don't remember what I or Fédora knows about Erat, but Fédora will tell Rilcheaux what she knows.
I seem to remember that he had something to do with what happened in A Covenant of Doppelgangers, but a quick search doesn't show he was anything but namedropped by Carmen.
Regardless, he's still a scoundrel through and through, and he's had some shady dealings with Barcelona (I think). And any shady dealings that impact her can be traced back to her mudák of a husband Vulcanus.
[color=blue]"That is a good idea. I'm sure you've had experience in negotiating, and I would like to see how well you do."
As fot what I can remember, this is what has been established...
Erat Caecus first sapperance n mention in this game was in the(failed) story Christmas in Barcelona. He is supected of the murder of Erus Pavo (or some Jerbiton musician with an odd name like that). It turned out to be a demon trying to frame him. Solomon met him briefly and discovered he is being plagued by the same succubus that plagues him.
Fedora (and FLeur?) witnessed a converation that caused the goofball lech English Eric theRedcap turn allgrim and serious. It had something to do with a conflict between Erat Caecus and his friend El Piroman. Fedora knows (or has since learned) that Piroman works with a few Redcaps in an effort to combat the arcane corruption in Barcelona, said corruption seemingly centered on Erat Caecus and his allies in the Obsidian Ring.
The Obsidian Ring is the name of the fominant organized crime gang in Barcelona.
Grandmaster Vocis Tremere has secret orders concerning Erat Caecus. None of the other characters know this, but it is open knowledge written in the Terror in Transylvania story.
Carmen's outburst at Bellaquin was caused by her being emotionally carried away as a result of the trickster magics of Vulcanus and the botched Aegis at Bellaquin. So it was not something she intended to do, but it was on her mind. Why that was has not been revealed, but it is a safe guess that it may have something to do with her own ties to Barcelona.
All mentions of Barcelona in this recap mainly refer to that city, not the covenant.
It is commonly known (OoH Lore roll of 6+) that Erat Caecus is an excellent example of the Tytalus stereotype. The filius of Archmagus Abaddon, who trained him under the guise of Coracol, Erat was tricked into an extended apprenticeship when he was trapped in the illusionary wolrd of a false Covenant of Taglyn. After escaping, he sought out the real Taglyn and disciovered Blackthorne had taken over. He played there awhile before migrating to Normandy. He allegedly has a secret lair somewhere there, and his suspected criminal influence is dound in several cities. Or so the story goes.
much of the previous comes from patching together fourth edition material, some original invention, and a tad bit of flasehood (eggaeration or underestimate maybe?)
Later on Richeaux will learn that Erat Caecus is named as a member of the renewed Val-Negra and is owed/owns a vast amount of vis on account.
I think that is everything. In order to meet with him, unless he puts it off until The Exarch, Rich will have to send im a message requesting a meeting. His mail goes to a po box at Cunfim or to Blackthorn, then latter it gets forwarded to Val-Negra. Some may know (roll 12+) how to contact him though the Obsidian Ring.
Rilcheaux drops off a letter to Erat Caecus "Joshua has rejected your offer on the oranges but is open to negotiations, and has appointed me as his negotiator to arrive at a workable price. Accordingly I would like to set up a meeting with you on the ground of your choosing."
This will connect into what transpires in The Exarch. Richeaux knows of an on-going Quaesitor investigation into the magus. He knows because, a year or two ago, some of his friends at (some Redcap covenant of Pawnbrokers) came under a lot of scrutiny concerning the vast amount of vis they were changing back and forth between Arts. These accounts belonged to known and suspected associates of Erat Caecus, and serve to obscure the trail of his bizzare trading activities. The suspicion is that he sells magic to mundanes and manipulates their economies through criminal activity.
Rich also knows about the situation a few years ago, where it turned out that a few Barcelona Redcaps and freinds and freinds of friends were making deals with the Obsidian Ring.
So, Joseph will gladly offer yo rest and hospitality and supply you with food for the next leg of your journey. Which is to Estacia-es-Karida still?
Estancia Escarida is situated in a renovated Roman villa, and though much more humble than Andorra or Doisettep, it has a stately grandure and is very large indeed. According to Fedora's notebook, there are a dozen resident magi. This will need to be updated, but the number is still twelve. The list on the wiki is obsolete. Some have passed on and others have joined. There is also a large following of hedge wizards, mostly sufis.
The update on the main members...
The senior is Alarcon of Flambeau. Imagine that. He is a Knight of Seneca, a Sahir, and a student of the Enigma.
Yusef Abdul-Qadir is a Sufi, and Ravas Jugat is a Sahir. Both are Ex-Miscellanea, as is Terril Adan the Alchemist.
Then there is a Criamon who signs his name (-). It turns out he is blind because (-) is branded on his face. He is the filius of Alvar of Criamon, who is lost to Twilight.
Covenfolk call him Blink. It is rude, but they do it. And he pays no mind. The magi refer to him as the filius of Alvar or as the Minster to the Oracle. For he also has the sacred duty of tending to the Eternal Flame of Karida.
And then there is Isa
Isalinad filia Terah of Jerbiton in the Tradition of Larta.
She is the one that initially comes to meet with you.
[color=green]Salve sodales! What a wonderful day, to be both blessed by this fabulous summer sun and the joy of welcom guests.
[color=blue]"It is we who are blessed, to be welcomed by such gracious hosts as yourself," Fédora replies.
[color=blue]"This is Rilcheaux of Mercere. He is new to Iberia, but expects to be spending more time in our fair tribunal, so I am giving him the grand tour and introducing him."
[color=green]The pleasure is all mine. It is good to receivce Hermetic guests and build the bonds of Tribunal. Not so long ago, Iberia was being torn apart by mundane involvment and infernal threats.
Come and take rest. Super wil be served an hour after sunset and you are invited to join us. Alarcon will be glad to speak with you about his latest breakthrough, and he will be presenting a book at this years Tribunal to help spread knowledge of what he has intigrated so far.
[color=blue]"I would be honored to have supper with you, Isalind," Fédora says. [color=blue]"And I look forward to discussing Alarcon's work with him...although, to be honest, the technical aspects of magic are beyond me."
