Sa Dragonera - Vis Hunt (Spring 1235)

I'm not quite ready to actually begin the adventure for this, but wanted to provide the setup so the magi can start planning what they want to do and work through any pre-adventure roleplay/preparations. So the background is this:

  1. A magus scout from Barcelona identified a large (need Marko to define what that means) source of vis on Sa Dragonera. The source was located somewhere below the surface of the largest peak on the island (if you google an image of Sa Dragonera, it's very obvious which peak I'm referring to). He wasn't able to determine the art of the vis, explaining odd "readings" that might be due to the high magic aura of the island or some other interference.

  2. The vis was detected in the early Spring, but wasn't able to be harvested at that time. When they returned in the Summer, the vis was gone. This leads them to believe the vis is some sort of perishable source (like a fruit that spoils) that disappears by the Summer. So, the expectation is the magi conduct the harvest in the Spring.

  3. Harvesting the vis is one of the primary duties of the Chapter House, so it is up to them to determine who should harvest it and how it should be accomplished. Acutus will have some reason to not be involved (because I don't want to deal with playing him as an NPC).

This is one of their primary jobs. Lucas is more than happy to be in the group that harvests the vis.

Fleur would be interested in coming as well. Not only is it her duty, there is potential cave exploration for mystical knowledge!

I think Roberto might be occupied that season.

[size=150]Some weeks or months earlier[/size]

It's late winter, and Lucas and Cecilia have invited Vocis and Amelia to an overnight visit in Mallorca to escape the cold of Andorra for a short time. It's late evening now. Dinner has been had, the children are in bed, and Cecilia and Amelia are chatting over the last of dessert. Lucas has asked Vocis out for a walk in the clastra, and we find the two magi walking around the lemon tree in the center of the clastra.

"I'm glad you two could come for a visit," Lucas says. "It's always so pleasant to chat with both of you. I wish your stay could be longer; but I know that you can't leave your research for very long." He walks a few more paces. "I hardly like to mar such an enjoyable visit with shop talk," the younger magus adds. "But I do have a question that's been running around my head, and I'd like to bounce it off you before I bring it up in Council."

"I don't want to sound mercenary, but as you know, the charter doesn't grant journeymen any vis as a matter of right. We have to earn it through service to the covenant." Lucas knows he isn't telling Vocis anything he doesn't know. But it's still good to set out the basis for the coming question. "Well, I've been told that there's a potential vis source in the regio around here that came up last spring, but apparently disappeared by summer. There's been talk that a group needs to go and investigate, and I wager that it'll be those of us here on the islands who do that."

"What I want to know is whether we'll be considered to be the ones who 'discovered' the vis source, despite the fact that it was identified in general last year. This is obviously of great interest to us, since if we're considered to have discovered it, we'll get the first season of vis harvest."

"Now as I say, I don't want to appear mercenary. But if there's one thing I've learned from being in House Mercere, it's that it's better to settle these things beforehand, rather than argue about them after."

"Oh, and while I'm interrupting your visit with business..." Lucas gets a slightly embarrassed look on his face. "I was also wondering whether the masters had come to any decision as to whether my donation of four valuable books to the library would be considered one of my services to the covenant."

Pere was going to spend that season seeking a familiar, but he can delay that in the face of potential financial gain. For the covenant, of course. :wink:

I'm assuming this conversation happens in winter 1235, after Antoine joins the covenant and the Convocation of Pontifici thread.

And what they're likely chatting about is Amelia getting Vocis to purchase a winter home on Mallorca. :slight_smile:

Vocis laughs off Lucas's concerns about appearing 'mercenary'. Don't worry about it, Lucas. Yes, I expect we'll ask members of the chapterhouse to look into it and it's perfectly reasonable for you to ask these questions. I'd actually forgotten about that section of the charter, since it hasn't come up in my time here.

As for how credit will be given, I'm afraid I can't answer that. The source was technically discovered by a Barcelonan, even if he didn't harvest it. I expect they'll use that fact to negotiate for some level of ownership over the source, perhaps something like the primary source that triggered our current arrangement over Dragonera. Whether their claim is upheld will be up to Carmen and the Council. Our relationship with Barcelona is a delicate balance of goodwill and financial gain.

Still, if ownership is given or split with Barcelona, the journeymen involved would certainly have an argument for compensation from someone for their work. If we share or maintain full ownership, bring it to the Council. If Barcelona ends up in sole possession, you may need to negotiate with them directly.

Ummm.....of course it's been resolved by now. And as soon as it's actually resolved, Vocis will answer. :blush:

"Was it really?" Lucas replies, an artificial tone of surprise in his voice. "Then we shall have to speak to that Barcelonan to find out where exactly the vis is, what Art it's in, what form it takes, how it can be harvested, and what dangers may lurk around it. For surely a person can't claim to have discovered something without at least some basic knowledge about it. One might as well claim to have invented a spell after having seen a lab text for it in a library." He shrugs. "True, you certainly could invent the spell given the lab text. But until you do the hard work in the lab, you're not quite there yet. And anyone would laugh at you if you claimed to know the spell."

Lucas smiles and adds, "and that's an argument I'd take to the Tribunal if I had to."

"You do raise a good point, Vocis," the younger magus replies. "It seems that there might be some argument about the ownership of this vis source. And if there's a chance that Barcelona might win it on a technicality, wouldn't we be better off settling the question of ownership before we spend covenant resources finding the source and harvesting it? I mean, I'm all for friendly relations between covenants. But I think I'd draw the line at harvesting vis for another covenant."

Vocis cocks an eyebrow and says Which Tribunal would that be?

You have a good point as well. We'll need to bring this up before the Council and determine how it will be handled. I would remind you, though, that we're already harvesting the primary source for Barcelona. Or at least they receive a substantial percentage of our harvest. Keep that in mind when preparing your arguments for the Council.

"The Grand Tribunal, if necessary," Lucas replies with a smile.

"Seriously," Lucas adds, "we just need to make Barcelona know that we believe that there's doubt as to the ownership of the vis, and that we're willing to contest it. Then, if we're lucky, they'll agree to some split of the vis rather than go through a long process of formal argument, with the possibility of them losing it all in the end. If this really is a continual source of vis, I'd hate to see Andorra lose all of it, not when we have a colorable argument to some of it." He smiles and adds, "but we don't go in offering to split it. That just gets us a smaller share in the end. We go in with the argument that Andorra is the proper 'discoverer' of the vis source, and only allow ourselves to compromise on a split as negotiations continue. At least that's how I'd approach it if I were in charge of the negotiation."

"I'll raise the issue at the next Council meeting. Heaven knows, I'm no Guernicus. It's probably best to run my idea by Solomon to see if he thinks it has any merit."

Good idea, and your negotiating tactics are sound, in general. My point was that we should expect some push-back from Barcelona and we, as a covenant, will need to ensure our interests are addressed. And we will do so, just as we did with the Sa Dragonera agreement. But keep in mind that there are more aspects to this than simple legal precedent and rights of ownership. Our two covenants have a long history. The negotiations have to allow and account for that history.

"Understood," Lucas replies. "Clearly any negotiations with Barcelona are much more complicated than a single issue. And the covenant has to look to its general well-being with respect to the relationship between Andorra and Barcelona in any negotiation. I guess my point was that I don't see the question of ownership of the vis as quite cut-and-dried, and I don't think the covenant should either. Maybe the negotiation ends up with Barcelona getting all the vis. I'm very poor with divinations." He flashes Vocis a half smile. "But if that happens, I would think it would be in our best interests to let Barcelona know that we gave something up to them, to wit, our potential right to some or all of the vis. That should strengthen our position in a future negotiation."

"In any case, it's food for thought - and something I definitely want to hear Solomon's opinion on."

Vocis returns the half-smile, then turns thoughtful. That...is a possibility. Hmmm. He shakes his head after a moment. Well, aside from that, I have one more piece of advice for you. When you bring this before the council, be ready to argue your points, but don't start the conversation with your arguments. The masters generally, and Carmen specifically, don't respond well to being told their business. Leave the sarcasm and mentions of Tribunal appeals at home as well. Present the topic, let them carry the discussion, and interject as needed. I think you'll find the discussion leads in the directions you intend anyway. None of us are in the habit of simply giving away vis sources.

"I appreciate the advice," Lucas replies. "It's been a bit of a hard adjustment for me coming here, and I could use a little guidance on how to navigate the shoals of covenant politics. Back in Cunfin, I was a covenant officer and a Gifted Mercere magus to boot. That gave me clout. And our covenant was more collegial - more egalitarian. Everyone got their say, and we'd sometimes debate things into the night. It's all more regimented here. The hierarchy discourages too much disagreement with the masters." He leaves the rest of his thoughts unspoken.

"But I'm getting better," he goes on after a moment's silence. "After a few missteps I know now to keep my head down, my mouth shut, and my nose to the grindstone. All the rest will work out in the end."

So, is Lucas going to bring his thoughts to the Council?

Sorry, lost track of this thread. He'll probably approach Solomon about it in private first before talking to the Council - to make sure that he has his ducks in a row. This would be before the vis hunt.

[hr][/hr]
One evening Lucas catches Solomon as he is taking a stroll across the covenant grounds.

"Good evening, sodale," Lucas says, hastening his stride just enough to bring him beside the older magus. "I was hoping I could bend your ear for just a moment about a legal matter." When Solomon proves agreeable, the Mercere magus continues.

"It's about the new vis source in Sa Dragonera - the one that Barcelona found a hint of last year, but never investigated. We're arranging an expedition to look for it and a thought occurred to me. I was wondering who would be considered to be the official discoverer of the source - Barcelona or Andorra. As you can guess, this will have long-reaching implications for the future, as it will determine which covenant gains the benefit of the vis harvest in the years to come."

"Now, Barcelona has a claim that they were the ones who discovered it since they found the first hint of its existence last year. But they never followed up on that lead to pinpoint any detail about the vis, such as its exact location, its type, the form it takes, how it must be harvested, whether it's a repeating source, and the like. Moreover, they took none of the risks that might be involved in securing the location for vis harvest. All they did was make a vague claim that there was some vis in that general direction and let it go at that."

"Assuming we locate the vis source, it will be Andorra magi who determine its exact location, identify how and when it can or must be harvested, and take all the risks involved in doing so. One could certainly make the argument that it was we who found the source, and should therefore be entitled to the fruits of its production in the years to come. After all, as it stands now, Barcelona has nothing more than a vague assertion that they think that there was vis last year in a general location that they never investigated, and that it might show up again - hardly solid evidence, as I see it."

"I raise this question because it's Andorra who's devoting the resources to locating the vis source, and Andorra who's taking all the risks. It seems odd that we should do so if Barcelona would gain the entire fruits of our effort. Oh, I know that Sa Dragonera is a joint venture between our two covenants, and that Barcelona could argue that it's our duty to investigate. But if they're relying on that argument, then wouldn't the vis source fall under the joint venture agreement and be shared 60/40 between Andorra and Barcelona?"

"In the end, I don't want to see Andorra get the short end of the stick, devoting valuable resources to a venture, risking the well-being of its magi, all so that Barcelona can get a new vis source. If the law says that the vis source all theirs because they found the first hint of its existence, then I say they should follow up their lead, not us. But if it's something that we can claim - or at least claim part of - then I say it's worth us looking into it."

"Now, I'm no Guernicus, but if there's one thing that we Mercere know it's that you get the contract set in stone before you perform the services or deliver the merchandise, not after. Arguing the details of the agreement after you've fulfilled the contract is all well and good. But then what's done is done, and often can't be undone. That's why I'm raising this issue now, before we go on our vis hunt."

"In any case, I wanted to run this by you to see what you thought about it. You're our resident expert on the Code, as well as our agreement with Barcelona for the Sa Dragonera chapterhouse. Do you think that Andorra has a colorable argument that we'll be the ones who found the vis source - or at least share in the discovery - and therefore have a right to any of the vis we might find?"

(Solomon doesn't stroll so much...more like hobble/limp)

Solomon takes a seat on one of the benches scattered about the grounds and nods for Lucas to continue.

"It's about the new vis source in Sa Dragonera - the one that Barcelona found a hint of last year, but never investigated. We're arranging an expedition to look for it and a thought occurred to me. I was wondering who would be considered to be the official discoverer of the source - Barcelona or Andorra. As you can guess, this will have long-reaching implications for the future, as it will determine which covenant gains the benefit of the vis harvest in the years to come."

(stuff)

"Now, I'm no Guernicus, but if there's one thing that we Mercere know it's that you get the contract set in stone before you perform the services or deliver the merchandise, not after. Arguing the details of the agreement after you've fulfilled the contract is all well and good. But then what's done is done, and often can't be undone. That's why I'm raising this issue now, before we go on our vis hunt."

"In any case, I wanted to run this by you to see what you thought about it. You're our resident expert on the Code, as well as our agreement with Barcelona for the Sa Dragonera chapterhouse. Do you think that Andorra has a colorable argument that we'll be the ones who found the vis source - or at least share in the discovery - and therefore have a right to any of the vis we might find?"
[/quote]
Solomon raises a confused eyebrow at many times during Lucas' discussion, but waits for him to finish. After taking a deep breath he gives a friendly smile to the junior magus, "Lucas, perhaps you misunderstand the arrangement that has already been agreed upon with Barcelona. The existence of the vis source on Sa Dragonera was the sole reason that the Chapter House was formed and the arrangement made between Barcelona and Andorra. That agreement is that the magi of the Chapter House, who are members of the Covenant of Andorra, will protect and harvest the vis source on Sa Dragonera that was located by a magus of Barcelona. As a result of this agreement, Barcelona will receive 40% of any vis that is harvested, and Andorra will receive 60%. That agreement has already been negotiated, and I would think unlikely to be renegotiated.

I am unclear as to whether you are implying that we should renegotiate this agreement, which I would seriously doubt will happen, or if you were just aware or confused as to what was already agreed upon.

On a separate note, since, as far as this covenant is concerned, the vis source was never "located", any magi who undertake the initial expedition to locate and harvest the vis on Sa Dragonera would be entitled to keep the full amount of Sa Dragonera's 60% from the initial yield per our Resolutions of Charter. If there is an interest in claiming the first year's harvest of Barcelona's 40% as well, then the Charter of Barcelona would have to be consulted."

"That's the vis source that the whole agreement was about?" Lucas says with genuine surprise. "I think I do misunderstand the agreement with Barcelona. I've never heard the full details about it. I knew it was a 60/40 split. But I didn't realize that the only vis source identified in Sa Dragonera was yet unexplored. I thought there was another, known source. When Carmen talks about the budget for the Sa Dragonera chapterhouse, she seems to have more firm numbers about vis amounts."[sup]1[/sup]

"I'm certainly not suggesting we renegotiate an agreement that's already in place. I was just trying to look out for the best interests of the covenant with what I thought was a new vis source. But this does raise another question. If this is the sole vis source about which the agreement was made, what will happen to the Sa Dragonera chapterhouse if the vis source doesn't repeat, or turns out to be very small?"[sup]2[/sup]

[hr][/hr]
[sup]1[/sup] I'm genuinely confused (though becoming less so). I feel like the one of the blind men with the elephant. I'm basing my knowledge of the Andorra-Barcelona agreement on the small bits I've seen of it, and not the whole agreement. Given the numbers Carmen has provided regarding profitability, I had thought that there was some known vis source in Sa Dragonera that was being harvested. (She mentioned that Sa Dragonera was worth a queen of vis a year. How does she know how much it's worth if it hasn't been investigated yet?) I'd also thought that the chapterhouse was in place least year (since the other journeymen were all around then), and would have harvested a round of vis already. But I see now that I may be mistaken. Part of the danger in being the last one to the party. :slight_smile:

[sup]2[/sup] Again, Carmen said that Sa Dragonera was worth a queen of vis a year. Was there some knowledge about the size of the vis source that Barcelona located?

(See the Table Talk - Development thread for some OOC discussion)

Solomon nods, "Yes, this is the vis source the agreement was based upon. So you can imagine how important Barcelona must consider this source, to enter into such an agreement without actually finding the vis source themselves. The Pontifex's numbers regarding the vis at Sa Dragonera are based on the calculations of the Barcelona magus who first "identified" the source. I would not pretend to know what magic he used to determine this, but I feel confident that I could devise a spell to do something similar were I so inclined. Barcelona was also quite certain this was a recurring source. As to why they are so certain, I cannot comment."