Your description seemed to be packed with hints, and more than one location seemed to warrant further investigation. 
I am still not sure where to start. We might be heading for random, reckless and suicidal quests in 1216 ... we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
I'll follow up on the parens later today.
(Looks at Wandering Isles posts) Oh boy, I am going to do something I don't like doing :S
For 1.2 Wandering Isles:
Poor Ioannes! At least it's just 5 minutes?
"Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger."
Sobering for Scylax, at least.
ST Transfer from Adventure Thread. Originally written by Quite Possibly a Cat
OOC: What's being removed? Stress(5)+3
You did not write anything about Ioannes waiting in the meadow. In fact he was told the magi would be waiting in the meadow.
Even if he was told to wait in the meadow he was told that's where the magi would wait, so he would follow them to the meadow, since they would be going to the same place.
Also what are you using to roll dice?
for Quite Possibly a Cat and Ioannes:
[tab][/tab] Anastaj removes a few minutes that Ioannes had to see Dikitos, thats probably from the moment the donkey came into view of the bend of the river till now. I usually use Coyote code too.
[tab][/tab] Ok, I see where the misunderstanding seems to be: If you see the maps I posted, going downhill from the covenant, N-NE, you arrive at the level of the river. The path turns left, towards NW and eventually the path goes up a hill, down the other side and out of the gorge. It passes through a meadow with a small church next to the Agkstromenis springs (I have posted some pics of that meadow, church and springs).
Thats what the instructions were. However when Anastaj went down he turned right and deeper into the gorge through a rarely traveled trail.
So he takes the magi deeper in the gorge past the second spring, in an area of the river that is deeper. Is that clearer now?
Normally I would clarify and redo the scene but I find it an opportunity to flesh out Anastaj a bit more. Are we ok?
OK. My proposal:
Arni's mater is a seasoned maga, called Swanhildur (also known as Cygni), originally from Gotland. As can be guessed from the name, her heartbeast is a Swan.
She is about 50 years past gauntlet, and looks her age, not so much due to actual aging, but rather disfigured and warped by a number of ordeals in her pursuit of new mystic insights.
She is below average height, even if she were to straighten her back, something she has not been known to do for twenty years, of apparently fragile build. White hair and blue eyes, with an eerie and most penetrating gaze.
Are there any non-bird bjornaer in this saga?
As per page 4 of the general thread, Pavo's plan was head to the coast (Durezzo?) and sail across the Adriatic, walk to Harco, use Hermetic Portals as far as possible, walk the last bit. He will take one shield grog for company and for haggling with mundanes. We worked out this will take a few weeks each way so I will be spending an entire season on the Gathering.
As for my mentor - what details do you need? Is a name, heartbeast and a couple of personality traits enough? (I feel we may end up sketching out the majority of the Ilfetu in existence at this point)
[tab][/tab] Ok sorry I did not remember that darkwing. I will start posting the go12y this weekends.
[tab][/tab]Tormenting Master: Eeekkkk! Choose another heartbeast! Avoid Cranes, Swans and Eagles. Is she german, norse, ''russian''? Yes, there are quite a few non-bird Bjornaer.
[tab][/tab]Mentor: I'll need name, heartbeast, personality and description, please!
Can we say a wolf called Ulfhildur, then? Or is a wolf a poor match for an eagle apprentice?
I was thinking Norse. The name is Norse.
BTW. I have not decided on her covenant, i.e. my former covenant, simply because I do not want to make any presumptions.
My mentor will be Mustella, who has a weasel heartbeast. She is very curious and optimistic. She is a specialist in healing magics and dealing with poison. Her appearance is of a thin, middle-aged woman from northern Germany who favours blue dresses. Her longevity ritual has meant she has only visibly aged a few years since her 35th birthday.
With this plan, Arni decides to go eagle at least most of the way, hoping to get more out of the season, even though he is not certain that he will. Before he leaves he will ask Anastaj about traveling budget. As mentioned in the council, he sees an opportunity to establish Hermetic trade contacts abroad, and would like Anastaj's opinion.
1.2 Wandering Isles
Anastaj did not cast any spell on Ioannes for protection (he lied). He seems adept putting masks on at social situations. It is very difficult to read the old man. The mists were not an effect of his, seems they are the work of your patron. The scene continues with the interactions of the magi (it should wrap up soon, just two things to do)
1.3a Things Left Too Long Buried
Characters can do whatever they fancy during the fair, I will handle it in a fluid fashion. I am also advancing the plot a bit at the end.
1.2 Birds of a Flock: Bjornaer Stuff
Added some stuff for Arni and Pavo in 1.2 the Gathering. There is one encounter I will play for both of you. Also there are some extra stuff Pavo and Arni are going to do? Pavo has 10 mentem Arni has 10 Creo to bargain with for the covenant if they want. Arni will be fully initiated after the Gathering.
A few details and long-term stuff ....
sir Georgios
The book that sir Georgios writes in the Spring is
Epirus lore Tractatus quality 12 in Latin Despotian Horrors (Epirus since the fall of the Great City) by the humble servant of God, sir George the Faithful.
(That's what he writes on the cover sheet anyway.)
The book focuses on the events following the fall of Constantinople, and it is written largely as an apology to the Latin church.
At some point, just before Pavo leaves for the North or just after his return, assuming that Pavo has taken the responsibility of putting a turb together, the knight will need to have a talk with him. What ambitions has he got for the turb? Should Georgios take a season to teach martial skills in the Autumn? He suggests procuring half a dozen short bows, and train a small team of archers. While the knight is happy enough spending his days with his scholarly studies, he has been adventuring with some of these grogs, and they could use some straighting up. But it is up the magus.
If plans are not changed in agreement with Pavo, the book he writes in the Autumn is:
Epirus lore Tractatus quality 12 in Church Greek Noble Lineages (The great families and estates of Epirus) by sir George of Constantinople.
Note! He writes manuscripts. They will need to be bound and illuminated by somebody else, or at a different time.
Pavo would like Sir Georgios to start training a turb. Pavo will get some together at the end of summer when he returns from the Gathering of Twelve Years. In the autumn he only has time for a seven day distraction, so will supervise the turb for one day every two weeks while Georgios handles the rest of their training.
Should he train them with short spear (single weapon) or short bow (bows)? Do we have short bows?
Should he train the core turb, or expand, possibly by training teenage teamsters? Teamsters can be replaced in Ioannina, I suppose.
He can teach a class of five for 12xp (or two for 15xp, a single student for 18xp). Bows to score 3, single weapons to score 5.
BTW. Re 1.3a. Should not the easy factor for area lores depend on how local (specific) the skill is? I am not going to meddle with the die roll at hand, I ask mainly because Arni still has not specified which area lore he learns in the Spring. It could be Tymfi mountains, Pindus mountains, or Epirus. He will study more area lore for Epirus in due course, so it makes sense to put it all into one skill. However, if local lores are better in local areas, it may also make sense to keep several skills.
1.3 Things Left Too Long Buried
Roll results sent by PMs.
1.2 Wandering Isles
Havent heard from the other two, I will push on tomorrow with the story
For 1.2
Scylax is quite surprised at Annastaj's request and at Aristocles's quick response. He will try to gauge both, extremely intently. Folk Ken: Is Aristocles sincere and guileless? What is the weight of this "inoffensive" request in Annastaj's body language?
to Ignes Make a roll plz, vs 6
For 1.3 Perama Caves, Scylax will try to locate auras (and their strength), as well as regios. He will try to take advantage of heights or other likely places. He can do this passively with Comprehend Magic, as well as actively and with more chance of success with Int Vim spont magic.
His InVi casting total is 17, so he can spont without spending Fatigue a 3: Base 1 R:P D:Mom T: Smell (+2). He will do this as mentioned above at likely spots, and open places when the wind is blowing towards him. He will say to the others he wishes to pray, perhaps winking at Arni.
#1He will do this for vis (Base 1 R:P D:Mom T: Smell (+2)); if he detects vis, he will also proceed to #2
#2For Magic and Faerie Auras at various spots (3: Base 1 R:P D:Mom T: Smell (+2)), must cast separately
•If he detects such an aura, he will attempt to use Comprehend Magic actively to locate it (only for Magic Auras/vis though). If CM does not work, or the aura is Faerie, then he will risk Fatigue to cast a InVi10 Base 2 R:P D:Conc T: Hearing; if successful, this will give Scylax its strength, and he should be able to locate it by Hearing.
•If he locates a Magic Aura, he will chance to spont a Regio detecting spell (10: Base 3 R:P D:Conc T: Smell (+2)) If there's a regio, he will immediately cast Piercing the Magic Veil InVi 20Mastery, using a Quiet/subtle Stifle the Spell(Vim) to avoid gestures and voice, to peer inside the regio and note its boundaries. He will note its location, but will not share such knowledge immediately. For a magic aura with no regio, he will enter it, unless it's hazardous or time consuming to do so, and invite Arni, sharing the information. If Perama is visible from this Aura, he will spont an InVi10 Base 2 R:P D:Mom T:Vision to note the strength of its inevitable Divine Aura.
•If he has detected vis, after this whole series of steps, he will proceed to look for it, unless it's hazardous or very time-consuming to do so, keeping in mind Anastaj's instructions of disturbing the least amount of things (Scylax's interpretation!), sharing such a find with Arni, and, depending on amount found, with the Covenant as a whole.
Only if he detects something of interest will he mark the spot in his rough map (a very basic affair, a general description of area, time of day).
This whole series of steps takes him just a few minutes or less, unless he needs to spend Fatigue, in which case about 6 -7 minutes, to recover.
IonianD: I understand this is a boatload of possible rolls, so I am fine if you just roll a couple and take it from there. On the other hand, this is the bread and butter of a Vim magus, and a Pralician even moreso, so this sort of search is central to Scylax and his usefulness to the Covenant. Since anyone can spont low level spells, Scylax is unconcerned if Arni witnesses his spellcasting. With higher level spells, he might be more secretive, or use his MuVi spells to conceal words and gestures. Hopefully in the near future he will get to know his sodales and strike friendships with them.