need help for quick story

*** belladonna, please don't read ****

Hi all,

tomorrow night's game is going to be mainly a bookkeeping session, since we finished up with our first big story arc last game. Most of the players are new, and I want them to have a session where they get a little into the mechanics of lab time for 3-4 seasons. The next story arc will begin NEXT session, because it'll take awhile, so I'd like to have a little intermediate nothing adventure for tomorrow night....

so far the characters have moved into a winter covenant on the Tagus river in old Castille, and have successfully gotten the covenant back up and running in a mundane fashion, and have liberated some slaves and brought them in for more grogs. I think this can be the source of the role-playing. The former slaves are muslims, who have begun the road of christian conversion due to some incredible role-playing on the part of our pious Jerbiton (not to mention some fantastic die rolls). But many of them do not speak the local dialect, and will not understand much of what's going on in the culture of the covenant. All are suffering from heat stroke, malnutrition, and exhaustion at the hands of a diabolic djinn. So, some healing time is also in order.

I open this up to ideas from all of you as to some situations that might arise that could offer up some role-playing opportunities.

Thanks in advance.
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Hijinks resulting from a mistranslation as the new folks begin to pick up the language could be fun and take place over a very short period of time.

A new recruit believes that the magi have asked him to take a pilgramage when in fact the magi would lie him to go into town and purchase a few chickens for the covenant. Soon the grogs are gone on a road trip, other grogs have decided to retrieve the chickens which they'r certain that the first group has already purchased and the tytalus has a reputation for piety.

A vis hunt:

Once every ten years on the vernal equinox two dozen flowers in a nearby field become infused with muto vis at the break of dawn. But once the transformation of the flowers takes place they emit a smell that is irresisable to the local wildlife. The characters have to collect as many flowers as they can before the rabits, squirils and other creatures consume them. Of course consuming muto vis has unpredictable effects on the wildlife. Some rabbits grow wings, some ferrits grow to the size of horses, a field mouse begins to weave a spider web of mamoth proportions and so on.

A redcap stops buy with news for the "new" covenant.

An offer to make beneficial exchanges for copies of original tractatus in the art of mentem.

An offer to lend the characters an excellent tome on Magic theory if it is returned in two years time along with 2 new commentaries.

A mentor of one of the characters wants to begin a correspondence with a different character and asks the character not to share any details with his former apprentice.

Three letters explaining an issue expected to arise at the next tribuanl arrive each letter paints the situation in an entirely different light.

A magical item is for sale. It belonged to a magus who was marched two decades ago. One of the powers of the device is known, the rest of the powers have not yet been uncovered and have proven exceptionally difficult to unravel. As a result of the unknown qualities of the item and the sinister reputation of its creator it is offered for sale at a price that the new charcters might be able to afford.

Thanks Erik!!

That Vis hunt is a hilarious idea! I'm not sure if it's appropriate for this adventure, but I'm definately filing that one away....

I think I may have one of the more pious coven folk report to the local priest that there are heathens living in the covenant, and allow the hijinks to ensue.

If this is too late for your session, perhaps you can use it later.

Since the religious aspect seems important in your saga:

The Covenant needs to send out a group to a village close by, perhaps they need to contact someone, or to get some supplies. One person knows this village is known for a shrine to a local minor saint. Another has heard of the wicked and sinfull ways of many villagers. A third knows the village has some important resource, produced some goods needed or has a usefull artisan. Arriving at the village, they see it enveloped in a strange mist, and hardly emit a sound. Insode the village, people seem quiet and depressed, moving in trance like states about their business, barely acknowledging any other. Only sound and light comes from the tavern, where drinking, gambling, whoring and fighting is going on in the tavern. Every time the PCs come in there, things escalate. If there is someone with a relevant supernatural ability (Sense Unholiness, Second Sight), he sees it first, otherwise the person most pious: Small, demonic imps flock aorund the sinners, apparently unseen by them, egging them on, whsipering in their ear, manipulating items to cause trouble (spill my ale will you! ). Outside, impa are also seen in the village, often making contact with the depressed people, spurring them to join the "fun" in the tavern or to sin and perform utterly selfish and malicious acts. Trying to clear this out might involve talking directly to the prople, but the sinners are almost too far gone, and the other villagers are in despair. Magic could get rid of the imps, but only temporary. The less pious PCs should start to get tempted, depending on their Personality Traits. At some point, the demon responsible for this corruption, will start to act directly. He will cause minor disturbances (fires, lynch mobs, animals gone berserk), framing the PCs for it and force villagers to violent actions. Eventually, he'll start turning people to stone (hopefully before the PCs get a clear fix on who and what is doing this), to save the humans for a day, where corruption is brought on easier. He might be invisible, just for the heck of it. The story might end tragically, with the villagers turned to stone, and the demon moved along. Many may die, and the vilage could burn down. On the other hand, the situation could be resolved with varying degrees of succes, earning the Village as a place of contacts, resources, workforce or even friends to the covenant/PCs.

Some of this is lightly based on my vague recollections of a Twilight episode for the entire cast of magi, in my first (4th ed) saga. Someone else was running the story, hence my vague memory, it was played perhaps 10 years ago. But it seems like a doable story, i might even run this myself. Demonic corruption is always a good theme, although not in every story.

ope this inspires someone.

You could also have a mystic healer come in the area, which may come in handy with your wounded muslims.
He may be anything, from a sage trying to convert them, a demon in disguise trying to work mischief, or a fanatical who will denounce these infidels to the next bunch of crusaders. What if he actually used unholy powers to heal them? Either with Forsaken duration, or with this... cursed powers thing that make everything go bad