Acacius ponders for a moment. That would make a good project that we need to take care of… We now have a quite good list of things to do. A levitation device for the shaft, a few sources of light, a excavation spell or perhaps a craft new chamber ritual, something that will make the water flow as we wish and perhaps something that make the air warm and breathable. Does anyone have a wax tablet? We must not forget anything. I have one but I use it for my light spell.
"I've got a tablet back in my trunk with my things. I'll got and get it after we check the last level below us. I don't want to miss being of the first to explore this place. Come. There is only one more floor to go." Bjorn eagerly walks over to the stairway heading down and leads the way with the light from his palm.
Rhodri nods in agreement. "Aye, let's see the rest." he heads to the stairway and leads you down the stairs to the lowest level.
The lowest level is cool and dark, the landing has few embellishments. There are three doorways on this level. Rhodri points to two doorways to the left of the staircase, which has finally reached the bottom. The elevator shaft is just a hole in the ceiling on this level, while the column for the well continues as before.
"Those two doors are two chambers with a doorway connecting them inside, they are adjoining. We felt connected storerooms might be useful. The remaining chamber we weren't certain what it would be used for, but made sure it could serve as a lab if necessary." As light is brought closer you can see that these chambers seem to be fine, no evidence of damage from the spell.
As an fyi, the chambers for the labs are really just a large chamber that can easily have wooden walls or other separations put up to create a sanctum that is divided off the main lab. Ideally as you set up your lab you will construct those partitions, but it's not that necessary. As you refine your lab it's to be expected that you'll remodel heavily, possibly even expanding the chamber. If you have questions or concerns, post them in the Covenant details threads please.
Bjorn moves closer to examine the rooms with the light from his hand, peering around as he notices the latin writing shows itself quite clearly down here as well. "Well, it will definately take some work, but it's a start. Why don't we go get that wax tablet now and get the list started? The Scots need to build thier houses, and we need to figure out where everyone is sleeping tonight."
Rhodri agrees. "Let's return to the surface and start putting together that list of things needed. Might I suggest that this might be the time to hold our first official Covenant Tribunal...or Meeting, or however its called? We can decide on things we need, who will get what labs and maybe get started on a Charter?"
Rhodri starts heading to the stairs and waits for the magi with light.
Siobhan is quick to speak up. "considering the meaning of Tribunal, I think that is a very bad name for it. Covenant council would be a good name for it." She is one of the light sources.
Acacius walks along with the other magi back to the surface. His heart feel like it is about to burst with happiness as he much looks forward to set up his lab and begin to study the arcane arts. He will also construct a garden to grow the herbs he needs. Healing magic will be much cheaper when the herb garden is in place.
Bjorn follows after the others up the stairs and back to the surface. "Is right now the best time for a meeting? Yes, we need to figure out which rooms everyone will be taking, but I would really like to use what is left of the day to move my things in. I don't know about any of you, but I would rather not sleep outside again tonight. It rains in this country way too much."
"Getting everything inside into the first couple of rooms to be sorted and moved down to selected chambers is a good idea for today. We still have hours of casting to get the labs set up. We will have to make a list of rooms on each floor and who will take them. I would like to study the writings so before anyone gets too settled into a lab, perhaps I could spent a season studying the writing on the wall in their lab." Siobhan says. The idea of getting everyone into rooms that can be warmed is a good one. Council can meet once everything is out of the snow and cold.
A brief stop is made on the floors above, to make sure all of the chambers are whole. None of the chambers have collapsed and all of them are sound. The magi emerge from the tunnel and blink in the afternoon light. A wide berth is given to the entrance mound, but the clansmen have not been idle. Gear that you recognize as your own has been stacked in neat piles near the entrance. Cooking fires have been set up and meals are being prepared by the women of the clan while children run about. The men are gathering what animals they have into crude pens and families all around are scouting for where they will build their home. Dermot is directing the activity while Aggie and Maxximianus are seated at a table continuing their arguing and reminiscence.
There are gasps from the people nearest the entrance and children run to their parents and shield them from the sight. Clansmen point at the magi returning from the subteranean halls and put their other hand on their weapons.
Siobhan...they seem to be pointing at you.
As soon as Siobhan is back outisde where she can see in the daylight, she gestures and speaks "perdo vim....." and the light on her fades out and is completely gone. She has no shame for her magic though and the clan will have to get used to it since it will be protecting them.
OOC Int 1, perdo 5, Vim 5 aura 5 = level 16 , divide by 5 (no fatigue, no die roll) for level 3 unraveling form of ignem. This dispels any spell of ignem up to level 13+stress (no botch). Since there is no botch, 13 + 0 or more is more than enough to dispel a level 5 ignem spell of light.
Rhodri has a sheepish grin on his face at the reaction from the people and steps around SIobhan, partly to obscure her and also to be in the fresh air again. Lord Dermot has a scowl on his face at the response, but it's obvious he's seen magic before. He approaches the group, waving off all of his men except for Merry who comes with him.
"The...Covenant has been created then?" he asks in Latin as he struggles to find the word he's heard the magi use. He acknowledges the nods from the group. "I will not ask ye to not use your...gifts, any more than ye'd ask me not to use the title the Good Lord blessed me with. But...subtlety should be the guide...if ye please?" He lets out his breath, it's obvious he doesn't find talking with you much less lecturing very easy.
"We have been busy, and if it's safe we'll start bringing the effects down...there. Aggie and that other one have been awaiting you." he gestures back towards the table they are sitting at. Tessa is serving them stew, the only covenfolk brave enough to be near them except for a young quivering girl who is setting down some additional crockery. Aggie sees your return and waves you over.
The rich stew made of the fish stock picked up last night is inviting. Tessa first directs you to a wash basin at one end of the table.
"So how is the new home? I'm surprised you made it out alive!" quips Aggie.
"Better than you could make!" Maxximianus and Tessa say almost simultaneously, they stare at each other uncomfortably for a moment before Tessa serves another bowl of stew.
"It is easier to affect ourself with magic than other people or objects so I could only light myself." It is true though that is not often a severe limitation that she doesn't mind the villagers know that. It might make the villages more comfortable about the wizards. "However, I will do magic when I feel it is necessary and I will not hide what I am from those that live with us as I am not ashamed of being myself. In this case, providing light while we explored dark halls where we could not be sure about the air being fresh enough for a torch to burn long."
Bjorn blinks as he steps out into the bright light of day, quickly snuffing out his fire spell and lowering his hand. Smelling the inticing aroma of the fish stew sets his stomach to rumbling, and reminds Bjorn that he has yet to break his fast today. He moves quickly over to the awaiting table and takes a seat, putting his item down by his feet. Bjorn graciously accepts the offered bowl, and digs in, taking a few large mouthfuls to first sate his hunger before speaking. "The structure down there is quite impressive, I believe it is your sigil, Maxximianus, that we see inscribed upon every wall. Rhodri cast a spell, and declared all of it safe and sound... exept perhaps one room on the third floor down. It seems to have been a bit unstable, and the roof collapsed. Perhaps there was an unknown underground cave or fault that couldn't be detected from the surface..."
Aggie and Maxximianus stop in mid spoonful and turn to look at Bjorn. Aggie's eyes grow wide, followed by an even wider and mischievous smile. Maxximianus's eyes narrow however, and his mouth turns downwards into a frown. Rhodri was just stepping to the table and sees the sudden change in disposition and winces, but sits down anyway, trying to make himself look smaller while he takes a bite of his stew with a shaking hand. Aggie raises his hand above his head and shakes it in triumph!
"HA!!! And that's why you'll never be an Arch Wizard like me!" crows Agitatus. He actually stands up and does a triumphant and mocking dance, twirling and flapping his hands in a most undignified fashion.
The old Bonisagus's scowl deepens as his face turns red as a beet. His lips quiver at the display. "Maybe...maybe I should accept your challenge then?" he finally forces through his teeth. Aggie laughs still.
"Bah! Y'aint have the spleen for it fool! No one's challenged me, but if ye'r feelin' up to it, there's a full moon coming soon, ye won't even have to pay a Redcap to deliver it!" he jabs Bjorn with his elbow and laughs. "See with my challenge I ken only lose once! Clever eh?"
Aggie calms down a bit and sits on his bench again. "Well that settles it, I'll not be stayin' in that death trap, I'll have a home built up here for me." Maxximianus continues scowling as he eats his stew.
Acacius speaks to whomever of his soldaes that is closest. Perhaps we shall hold our first council meeting and begin to draw up a few plans for our covenant. Acacius tries to get something to eat and thinks about when he will get his next chance to practice playing his bagpipe.
Aggie appears to be more in his cups than usual as he quaffs another mug of ale. He looks over at Acacius with bloodshot eyes and shakes his head. "Bah. Council meetings bore me. I'm sure young wizards will come up with some good rulings. Have your meeting, I'll support it." he pauses and starts patting down his puches. "Where's my Sigil?" Rhodri cautiously reaches into his pouch and pulls out the small wooden rod with a brass hand on top of it, carved into a figo.
"Here...you never took it back after the Tribunal, you'd given it to the Verditius who helped us design the spell." Rhodri holds up the rod.
"Oh! That's where it went. Well keep it, I want to take a nap." Rhodri starts taking the rod back but then sees the positively lethal glare that his former master is shooting at him.
"Perhaps I'd better not." he says sheepishly and puts it on the table.
"What? Oh.." Aggie scowls. "Very well...let the Quaesitor have it, use it if you need to break a tie or something. I'm going to get some sleep."
He walks away leaving his Sigil on the table amid the used crockery and utensils.
The young Magi gather around the table, eating stew and bread as they discuss matters of grave import; how they shall conduct themselves as they live and thrive at their new Covenant. Pages of notes are taken and discarded. Voices rise and fall as do tempers at times. A break is taken to direct the Highlanders in where they should put some of the gear.
It is not until late at night, with candles and floating globes of light are the final strokes of the quill put to paper, and thus a Covenant was born!
Siobhan considers the charter. her hand is cramped since she was doing a lot of the writing. "I look forward to creating my lab as well. I wonder how much control I have over its layout and features with the spell to create it?"
Rhodri seems a bit tired, and possibly has had a few too many. His bloodshot eyes shine as the subject of labs are brought up.
"Well we of course still need to decide who gets what chamber, shall we draw lots? But for your own custimazation, yes it will allow some. However it is built along principals of a Bonisigan wizard, while created by magic it will require a lot of maintenance to keep it at such standards."
Go ahead and roll a die if we're going to randomly determine who gets the first choice of labs. If we want to do a different method go ahead and let us know.