Summer 1237- Rilcheaux begins preparing to invite Ferari to dinner in the castle. He can easily invite him to the redcap section, but would like to make a better impression on his guest. The obvious place to begin is Lucas.
"Sir, I'm not exactly sure how to approach this, but I have a potential source of information, someone local who is well connected, who I would like to impress with a sense of connection for himself within the palace. Aside from those who are Gifted and not gently, I was wondering if you might have any recommendations of anyone who might be wiling to dine with such a man, they need not be magi, just highly placed enough to impress him, who would not find such a request to be an imposition."
"That's a good question," Lucas replies. "The magi are the effective nobility here. They're the ones in charge. Aside from us, there are few enough people in the castle who aren't servants of some sort. Bashir's one. He's a learned man, though he's a Moor, which upsets some people. Excellent conversationalist, but some people just can't get past the color of his skin. Nicasi's also of high stature, but he's taken a vow of silence, so that won't help either. I could ask the castle steward, but your potential contact might not like a servant, however highly placed."
"Really, if you're looking for someone highly-placed to have dinner with an influential local, you're looking at finding a magus or maga. Given that, I think I'm your man. I'm not as highly-placed as some. But you can certainly introduce me as one of the scholars in the castle, and a member of the council that runs it. That's true enough. And I generally make a good first impression. I can also see if Cecilia would like to come as well. She's not an authority in the castle, but a pretty face never goes awry when trying to impress someone."
"And it wouldn't be an imposition at all. I'm looking at relocating to Arans in a few years and I'd love the opportunity to meet some of the locals."
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Unfortunately by 1237 Lucas hasn't moved to Arans yet. Otherwise he'd offer his own tower for the dinner.
Also, Lucas regularly invites the Redcaps out to his villa in Majorca. So he's no stranger to having dinner with Redcaps.
Rilcheuax gracefully accepts, then adds "The man is also a jeweler, I am wondering if introducing him to Antoine would be a good idea. Ferari would have to get accustomed to the Antoines gift... perhaps another time."
"It's up to you about Antoine," Lucas replies. "I'm sure he'd love to meet the local jeweler. But you're right the Gift would get in the way. I tend to agree with you that it would be better another time."
(Just a note, there is still the potential that Rilcheaux is going to be banned from the castle (minus the Redcap quarter) due to the events of A Strange Visitor, and that may play into things here. Also note that Solomon intends to basically blackball Rilcheaux amongst the rest of the magi and make sure they know he can't be trusted.)
(That's a fair point. But I have to consider one major thing - Lucas is the covenant's interface with the Redcaps in the Redcap quarter. It's his job to deal with them and try to keep things civil between them and the magi of the covenant. There's no way he can cut off communication with Rilcheaux, since his office will require him to talk to the Redcaps. And he needs to make sure that this doesn't become a wedge between the Redcaps and the magi of the covenant. So he has to walk a tightrope to get his job done. But what Solomon says in the days after A Surprise Visitor might change the tone of Lucas' response.)
If Solomon is successful in getting Carmen and Arachne to agree to banning Rilcheaux for not doing what Solomon wanted him to. After all Soloman had neither the authority to forbid what Rilcheaux did in Arans (not in the castle) nor had he actually tried to forbid it.
(Yep, my point wasn't really about Lucas' interaction, which as you said is to be expected. It was more to recommend perhaps holding a bit, or at least taking into account what I said, before things like recommending using the Covenant's dining hall, or inviting one of the magi along to support Rilcheaux.)
Either the redcaps have their own dining hall or he wouldn't be able to be forbidden from using the main one... I'm not sure how a ban would work if Lucas were to invite Rilcheaux up to his tower...
(I hadn't thought Lucas' tower would have been a problem since it's in the outer bailey with the Mercere Quarter. But you're right about inviting Antoine. I should hold off on that.)
The Mercere Quarter is mostly self sufficient. And Lucas' tower is in the quarter. So banning Rich from the inner bailey is feasible. But I am not sure it is such a good idea. Mind you, I understand that this is all roleplaying and keeping in character. Which is cool.
However...
I (Mark) have no idea what the Redcap did that upset Solomon so much. But don't explain it to me. Explain it to Carmen and Arachne. But just a few observations (if any of these points are relevant)...
Be mindful of the differences between authority, power, and influence
The magi have no authority over Arans, just a lot of influence
Solomon has little or no authority to tell people where they can go and what they can do outside of the covenant. So if the issue is that Rich went into town against Solomon's wishes, and did stuff he didn't like, there is not really anything he can do about it with authority.
Any member can revoke the Aegis invitation of anyone for any reason, and there is nothing anyone can really do about it. It is also reasonable to forbid any visitor access to private areas of the covenant.
There is nothing in the Code of Hermes that forbids another magus from invading and walking about your covenant as he wills. If he deprives you of magic (takes books) then you can bring up charges. But there is no authorized use of force, unless he enters your sanctum. There is no rule about breaking into the sanctum of another. However, if you used magic to do it then it may count as scrying, and you are totally allowed to kill the guy for doing it. [list]
[]By extension, you could make the claim that you felt your Sanctum was threatened. It is still not justified to use force, but the punishment will likely be less than what you inflicted. Precedent calls it "poor but excusable judgment" (Val-Negra 997, Iberia 1194), and killing him will result in loss of your familiar.[list]
[]Don't do that.
[/:m][/list:u][/:m]
[]Carmen will support Solomon in restricting Rich's movements within the keep just as a matter of course. Solomon is a Pontifex as of 1238, and with that power & responsibility comes perks and privilege. But she won't go further than that unless he can convince her Rich somehow harmed the covenant.[/:m]
[]There are lots of other ways to make life hard on the guy and teach him a lesson [/:m]
[]Roberto doesn't give a rat's ass.[/:m][/list:u]
In any case...
Rilcheaux sends out an invitation to Ferari, in which he is invited to dine with Rilcheaux and one of the council of scholars which runs the castle. He makes the formal invitation as well (obviously with different wording) to Lucas as well, in each case inviting them and their spouses, with the dinner in two weeks time, when he expects to be passing back through in delivering messages (a point not mentioned in the invitations). While he is on his errands he approaches a woman who owes him money and is attractive, and will offer forgiveness of her interest for the year if she will attend the dinner and pretend to be his significant other, as well as remember and relate after the dinner any conversations which might occur while he is away from the table.
Richleaux sends out the invitations to Ferrari and Lucas and receives replies from both accepting.
He then goes about finding a woman to come with him and help gather information. He settles on an attractive serving maid in the castle who owes him money.[sup]1[/sup] Her looks have already gotten her in trouble, as she has an illigitimate daughter. So she's both more desperate and less caring of her reputation - an ideal combination. She is perhaps not as genteel as he might have wished. Then again, the more genteel type would be less likely to accept his offer. He has to twist another arm to get her a proper dress to wear. But given his connections, that's not too difficult.
Soon the night of the dinner approaches.
(Any special preparations?)
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[sup]1[/sup] - The question is how desperate is the woman to have her interest forgiven? She runs the risk (justified or not) of being labeled a whore for what Richleaux is asking. ("You don't think he forgave her a year of interest just to have her as a dinner companion, do you? Why, I hear ...")
I picked someone in the castle since I didn't think you could go too far afield for just a dinner (getting someone to agree to travel from a different village to come to a dinner would be a lot harder). And being as Ferrari knows the town pretty well, you wouldn't want to pick someone there.
. Explain it to Carmen and Arachne. But just a few observations (if any of these points are relevant)...
[/:m]