That's a good point. What would we think the cutoff is for getting some books but not be obvious that we're settling a covenant?
depends on the books, but a mage errant who has a good windfall might buy 2 or 3 books to carry with them and study.
A tome each, I would think, but I am not sure I can pretend to be three magi.
Well, I am carrying three tractatus about already. As a mage errant, I would read those, and then swap them for others I think. I summa, I would read for a long time, so there is little point in carrying more than one at a time. I think.
I see you are here, @silveroak. Are the prices @Plot_Device indicate realistic?
a sound book typically costs a number of vis equal to its level, so a level 15 sound (quality 13-16) book would cost 15 vis. A set of one for each art would cost 225 vis.
That sounds cannon. Thanks. And the roots?
If it's reasonable to carry 3 summae, doesn't mean you really are planning to travel with them, but you can pretend to and it's plausible. Sorry about the prices, I knew they might be off hence the disclaimer.
the roots can be purchased for a pawn or less each, depending on where you get them. the roots have never been under cow and calf, so competition drives the prices down...
of course if you are selling vis for money the Augustinian brotherhood is buying... and probably paying something above order prices...
Right. Do we know where to find the Augustinians, @silveroak ?
@dc444, @Plot_Device. I suggested previously that we buy lab equipment. Do we risk that? Or does it draw too much attention?
Marcus would most desire sound summæ in Creo, Mentem, and Corpus in no particular order. He would also very much like roots/primers in In, Vi, Im (in that order). What would be your preferences?
I think lab equipment is definitely a giveway that we're settling somewhere, unless you take the time to buy things at different places, spread out etc. Archimedes is paranoid about being found, but maybe it's fine? His big fear is that Malta will suddenly be flooded with Magi looking for vis, but maybe all the sources that were too numerous to find was just because of what was in the caves, rather than a lot of sources all around Malta. (He will try to confirm that @silveroak .)
Maybe we don't need to be paranoid? Or just let it be obvious that we're settling somewhere but be very careful going back to Malta to avoid being followed (and be careful about book delivery too). In which case we buy up a library and lab equipment and deal with the fallout, if any?
Au/Aq/He/Ig/Im are the Roots he wants (in no order). Summae in Vim, Rego, and Ignem (in order of preference). (to pick non-duplicative things). Not to say we get everything, of course. Or we could.
lab equipment doesn't have to be bought through the order- one reason so many covenants have a chapterhouse in Venice is their high quality glassblowers (that and their trade routes....)
I had forgotten. We need to go to Palermo as well, to sign the charter. I suppose we can ask what the Augustinians would pay for vis too.
We did that on the way, it was part of the earlier narration from Lesi to Malta.
Oh. Sorry. Missed it.
Marcus could take 35 aq and 35 au too. (15 is arbitrary but I think I a decent minimum number to have in reserve of every form we have.) Maybe buying books from different Venetian chapterhouses, and buying Venetian glass directly, we could avoid immediate notice? People might talk later and figure out that we were settling but it would be after the fact and they couldn't follow Marcus.
@dc444 any thoughts on all this?
Might be noticeable to some but I would recommend using Guccio, Marcus' brother-in-law and Redcap pawnbroker (my companion) as an intermediary.
[EDIT:] The 15 seems a fine amount in terms of a solid reserve. Might want to not bring so much though, unless you want Guccio to purchase books at a slower rate and/or use him to sell vis and earn a profit. That much vis all at once buying up books is sure to make noise.
The gradual thing sounds like a plan. We can only read one book at once (each) anyway 
Since he's Marcus's brother-in-law I assume that Marcus trusts him? (To give us a reason other than the PC flag.)
I sure hope Marcus trusts Guccio, he did leave 7(?) rooks with him. [I have it written down but that's what I remember off the top of my head.[
oh cool. I didn't put two and two together, I thought he left it with an npc.
What books does Taliha want?