Spring 1221 Chapter 1A: Death and Taxes

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Shores of Albion
21

A slight move forward, a hand almost raised in help, and then, he sees cygna's gaze, and feels stupid and inadequate.

Hiems absolutely doesn't notice this.
Not only is he too embarassed to be conscious of his surroundings, but even if he was, he sees himself too much of a monster to be able to conceive that someone might be interested in him, lest alone recognize jealousy.

If he could, though, he would be a lot more embarassed, and quite pained to hurt cygna, though.

His lady love, inspired by her confessor, had some quite harsh words for him, that shattered what precious trust in his ability to be loved he might have had. So, while he might possibly conceive the notion that a woman might be physically attracted to him (and he has difficulties enough with this that he doesn't manage to recognize flirtation most of the time), like one might wish a statue or picture were real, it is clear to him that he can no more be loved than one might love a sentient elemental. At best, someone as wise and kind as cygna might take pity on him and be a friend, but, in his innermost thoughts, there's always the fear that, once she realizes the monster in human guise he is, even she might flee in repulsion.
Which is also why he's cautious and polite with people, even more so with those he likes: He fears very much to lose them.
(The only reason he has Confidence is that he is confident in his magical and non-social abilities.)

Feeling better now, Hiems says
Awesome idea, lady cygna!
If possible, he'll put the robes away.
If not, he'll cast the same spell as Cygna: "Cast aside the robes of Doom", coloring them blue.
Sta 2 + Mu 4 + An5 + 1d10=5 = 16/2 = 8
(Yes, in 5th, spont uses Sta, just like regular spellcasting)

It sure feels great to be free of those, at least momentarily!

Both will take time to recover, of course.

Oh. Silly me, I forgot to die them. I am sorry, I was so used to people being used to it...
Would cast a spell, but far from book so can't tell. He'll thus raise his hood, or put something on his head.

22

Except Arya's House Rule 1 says that "Spontaneous Magic uses Intelligence rather than Stamina." But since Hiems's Sta and Int are the same, it doesn't really make a difference.

Muto Corpus Guideline level 3: "Utterly change the appearance or size of a person" (which is the same base used for Disguise of the New Visage). +2 to up it to Sun duration, and +1 for Part (unless you want to slightly change your whole features including your hair), makes it Level 10. Mu 4 + Co 10 + Int 2 + stress die + any aura = ? ÷ 2.

23

Hair colour changes shouldn't need a modifier for Part. It just doesn't make sense that a spell to make yourself blonde should be harder than a spell to make yourself Matt Damon. Level 5 is sufficient.

No aura here, btw.

24

Hiems and Cygna are now wearing blue robes, and Hiems has a hood over his matching blue hair.

Any other preparations before approaching the gate?

25

((Can't think of any offhand, no. Can Cygna tell if the guard was speaking English or another language, presumably Welsh?))

[color=red]"Much better," Cygna says softly, with a sideways smile at Hiems.

Then, to the guard, she calls: [color=red]"I am Cygna, and this is Hiems. We come from Gallus Florensis and require an audience with the Baron de Montalt." (in Latin)

26

He spoke in English, but it was horribly accented, so the necklace helped :slight_smile:

(I assume you moved closer, rather than shouting at the top of your lungs.) The guard eyes Hiems suspiciously. "Whass wrong wi' that 'un? Summat wrong wi' 'is 'ead, an' pulled up 'is 'ood when I asked, but I ain't so dumb I ain't noticed 'at 'e ain't answered me question."

27

((I was kind of hoping that Hiems would change his hair color shrug ))

[color=red]"It's a long story...he offended a faerie, who cursed him by turning his hair the colour of the sky. He's somewhat embarrassed about it, so please don't make a fuss about it. And the fact that he doesn't speak English doesn't help any.

Now, would you please let His Lordship's major domo* know that we are here to see him?"

*I'm not sure that's the right term, but it's the closest I can think of atm...basically, the person in charge of the baron's schedule and agenda and whatnot.

28

A brief, friendly look. It is good to see her smile, for a change, instead of being tortured by that monster adorjan.

Aaargh!
Should check my books for it... Although cygna's explanation will hold, at least for now.

29

The swarthy guard scowls. "Tha' sounds like a right load o' shite," he mutters, "So I guess i' ye were t' make summat up, ye'd come up wi' summat more, wot's th' word, plorsible-like. Th' Baron ain't 'oldin' court t'day, though. Ye want t' have or-dience, ye'll 'ave t' come back on Friday." (The d8 says it's... the eighth day of the week... facepalm ...and the second roll of the d8 says it's Monday.)

30

...

Muto Imaginem base 1 (Change one sensation of an object, but not its type) + 2 sun, +1 part = lvl 5
Muto 4, Imaginem 5, sta 2 = (11 + die) /2.
Unless botching, I could have cast this simple illusion :frowning: (this is an effect similar to "Disguise of the Transformed Image", but affecting only the sight, and the hair)

31

[color=red]"He's saying that the baron won't be holding court until Friday, and won't see us before then," Cygna whispers to Hiems. [color=red]"Oh, and if anyone asks, your hair is blue because you offended a faerie and cursed you with that colour hair...and you're somewhat embarrassed about it."

She looks the guard in the eye as she sings: [color=red]"♪♫Let the baron know that we are here/Such news will surely fill his heart with cheer♫♪"

[i]((Going for a Rego Mentem spont to have the guard tell (or have told) the baron that we're here to see him. ReMe guidelines look a little vague-ish, so I'm thinking Level 10? It's not as powerful as "Control a human being as long as you can see him" (15)...more in the line of "Imbue all of a person's responses with a particular emotion" or "Control an unnatural emotion."

So, assuming Level 10, +1 for R: Eye, no change for D: Momentary and T: Individual. Any overage on the roll will go to penetration. Just in case.

Re 5 + Me 18 + Int 4 + die roll of 6 = 33 ÷ 2 = 16½ (do halves round up or down?) ))[/i]

32

The guard scowls. "I ain't deaf no more'n I'm blind," he growls.

The spell's duration would need to be long enough for him to complete the task he's given. If you compel him to break the chain of command, only momentarily, he'll inexplicably feel like doing what you've ordered, for only a moment-- once the spell ends, he would just say "No" and wonder why he initially felt like obeying you. :slight_smile:

33

((Drat. I was hoping he wouldn't hear her whispering.))

((And nowhere near enough oomph to make it Sun or something. Ah well.))

[color=red]"It seems we shall have to wait until Friday to see His Lordship," Cygna says to Hiems, more than a little annoyed.

She then turns to the guard. [color=red]"Where shall we stay until the Baron sees fit to give us an audience?"

34

Friday? This is not a good news... I don't like waiting around so many people, especially in an unknown and potentially hostile place.

(The guard, IIRC, can't understand what Hiems is saying, since he's speaking Latin and doesn't have the amulet of translation Cygna wears, so we're safe on that. Or I'm wrong, and the amulet only helps the wearer understand what he's told? Not that this changes anything)

The delay, and the guard's attitude, is almost enough to cause Hiems to do something, but the risks are too great, and he need to be cautious. His otherwordly nature can bring enough trouble as it is, he doesn't need to risk exposing it.
(Yes, he also thinks the "jealousy" results of his Envied Beauty flaw comes from him being who he is. Pretty logical, from his POW)

35

"Back at Mold Castle, place were big enow wot 'ad quarters f' guests an' th' like. 'ere, there's space, but th' risk is too great wot bleedin' Welshmen might try an' infiltrate 'ere.

"There's an inn right on th' t'other side o' th' stables. Not like what ye'd find on th' t'other side o' th' river, nay, but th' straw's dry inside th' mattresses, an' ain't no lice neither."

36

[color=red]"Thank you," Cygna says to the guard. [color=red]"If you'll excuse us for a couple of minutes?"

Cygna gently guides Hiems far enough away that the guard (hopefully) can't hear their whispered conversation.

[color=red]"If we want to go to Mold Castle, which, I think, is about two or three hours' walk, they have enough room and guest quarters for us...but it's likely to be housing quite a few others waiting for an audience with the Baron. We can stay here, but he says it's risky and there might be Welshman trying to infiltrate the place. There's an inn on the other side of the stables, if you want. We can stay in the room, out of sight, until we see the baron."

37

Aaargh!! No way he goes to the castle now!!!

It might be better, yes. Even if I use magic to hide my hair, my magical nature will surely betray me at one time or another, and put us into trouble. And that's even without counting on my gift's effects. At least, in the inn, we can lie low until the moment comes.

38

Your grogs, Timothy and Michiel, will be played by Gremlin44.

39

[color=red]"The inn it is, then," Cygna says quietly before turning to the guard.

[color=red]"We will be staying at the inn here, my good man, should anyone have need for us, or should the Baron decide to grant an audience with the delegation from Gallus Florensis before Friday."

She then turns and starts walking with Hiems and the grogs (Timothy, Michael, and Charles) to the inn. Fuming the whole time. [color=red]"You would think that somebody paying three hundred and fifty bloody pounds a year would be treated with a little more respect than that!"

Once they reach the inn, she will try to get rooms for the party ([color=red]"Hiems, I assume you would prefer your own room?" she asks, with just a trace of disappointment on her face). One for Hiems, an optional one for her, and an adjacent one for the shield grogs. I say "optional" because if there's only two rooms, Cygna will say that she doesn't need a room (with an odd glance at Hiems).

40

He shrugs. "Ain't never 'eard of no towns in Italy 'cept fer Rome. Don't see as 'ow any o' th' nobles'd trouble 'emselves special-like for ye."

It's not so much an "inn" as "an ale house run by a family who'll bunk together for a few extra coins." There's only two bedrooms total (and that's with the whole family sleeping in the common room), one with a double size bed, and the second room with three individual bunks. The innkeeps are an aging English couple, the man with furious red hair and a grease-spatter of freckles across his nose, and the wife with greying blonde hair. Two of their children, a girl and boy of that nebulous age somewhere between 8-11, are helping out in the common room, while twin ginger-haired toddlers are running about outside.