No, I (Pytheas) had 10 when I left Fudarus
https://forum.atlas-games.com/t/pytheas-ex-tytalus/8213/26
and gained 5 more, plus four pawns of vis, before joining the group.
https://forum.atlas-games.com/t/pytheas-ex-tytalus/8213/28
I never exchanged any, although I did talk about trading (purely from a roleplay standpoint) some found magic items for the vis; basically, I did not find the vis itself, I found some (never described) magic items and sold them for vis, with Bernhard as the middleman.