I don't think the Aegis had gone up at that point, had it? My point was that the risk of them inviting in other people in future was relatively low.
Oh, the Aegis. I mis-read, and thought you were talking about the regio. 
I think they'd be angry if they couldn't get in--and we're going to have to let them in to perform the story.
Scott
Looking at the sources, once we've got the Creo in about 70% of our income is Technique vis. That said, Gregorius will start making enquiries with the Tremere as to whether he can get any better rate of exchange from them than from the Mercere on getting Mentem vis (the Mercere hold technique vis to be worth double form vis, but also make a 100% mark-up - so one pawn of Mentem from them would be one pawn of Technique vis - which is pointless, as he might as well just take the Technique vis in the first place - or 2 pawns of another form vis).
Ultimately, though, the vis he needs is Mentem and/or Rego, and we don't have any Mentem vis.
I would assume they haven't been participating in the Aegis ritual, in which case they'll need to be invited in on an individual basis. They're also not that prone to visiting the covenant unless given reason to - too many bad memories.
I've done a quick search on Tana (as opposed to Tanais), and found the following:
So it looks as though it is Venetians in Tana (assuming they're there yet, but I'll assume they are as I can't find evidence one way or the other). Probably a relatively new thing, though.
If Gregorius explains this, Viola probably won't put up too much of a fight about it--but she wants him to understand that at some point in the future, she'll probably need Rego vis herself.
Where is the bit about the Redcaps' rates? A 100% markup works only if a) the transport is dangerous or expensive, and/or b) the Mercere have a monopoly on the transport. Given the ubiquity of travel magic among Hermetic magi, I don't see either as likely to be true.
(Hermetic travel shouldn't be trivial or completely safe, but 100% markup is kinda pushing it, for something that costs 0 to transport and won't be taxed by the authorities along the journey.)
OK, good point. Mind you, changing Halia's story will likely change that situation.
Scott
The Venetians founded Caffa, on the southeast coast of Crimea, in 1204, right after the Fourth Crusade. The Wikipedia article on Tanais just mentions the 13th century, but I'm guessing it didn't happen long after 1204.
Scott
HoH: TL, Mercere section. Page 85.
For our purposes, let's just say that, given the frequent Redcap visits, it should be pretty easy for Gregorius to arrange a trade with someone else in the Tribunal, though it could take a while.
Scott
On a cheerful note: at one point we had a player, Cuchulainshound, who had to depart before getting his character finished, due to an illness in the family. He PM'ed me a few days ago, and he going to be rejoining us; he should post a draft of his apprentice-hunter magus to "Character Development" shortrly.
Scott
Ah, good to hear it. (I was thinking that the apprentice-hunter concept seemed familiar...)
Gregorius will start putting feelers out for people willing to trade up to 3 pawns of the Form vis we currently have sources for in exchange for Mentem vis, with the possibility of a further trade in future years.
[Should I post this somewhere else? Seasonal activities?]
"Seasonal Activities" probably makes the most sense, yes--that way it's easier to find it later if we need to.
Scott
Hey - just poking my head in to say "hey" (tho' I guess I said that... )
Anyway, just mocking up the draft of my character - still working on post-Gauntlet, and some stuff may need to be retro-tweaked to get where I want to go, but that'll be 99% final, and "good enough" until I post the final PG version.
Great. Are you familiar with the details of the Theban tribunal peculiarites when it comes to apprentices? If not, I can summarise.
Are people up for a grog adventure? Theodoric, Bogdan and Godzimir are being sent to Tana, with instructions to find a storyteller for Viola. Bogdan and Godzimir could easily be played by a single person if necessary.
I know from comments previously that we kicked them around and didn't particularly like them as written, and several "compromises" or interpretations were suggested. "Shards" and communistic apprentices - "from everyone according to their ability, to everyone according to their need" - blech! 
What finally got decided? As I remember it, as written there was every incentive for a mage who wanted anything other than a luck-of-the-draw apprentice to go outside the Tribunal, find an apprentice and open their Arts, then return, and ignore the whole local process. That still the case? 
I actually saw the end result as being quite different - the Theban tribubal allows a master to pick the apprentice out of all the ones that crop up in the tribunal best suited to his needs, rather that just ending up with whatever he happens to find himself. I can't remember if we came to a final decision - will review tomorrow.
I'm keen. And welcome Cuchulainshound.
Thanks IBT!
(And I'm good with "CH" if people want - I'm under no illusions about that spelling.) 
(Got missed, sorry)
Sure - be a good warmup and get a feel for the Saga. Let me know which to play, whatever works best.
Did you want the Autocrat as a Grog or Companion class character?
Was he previously named? I couldn't find a name anywhere.