At this point, Iapetus's attention follows Liliana's, setting on the covered lab assistant. He thoughtfully taps his fingertips together as he awaits curiously to her response. Her attire is uncommon, in particular around these parts, and are very reminiscent of Spain.
Sophronia laughs deeply. "Order him? No. That's silly. Understand and then control him. It's obvious that your management style with our mundane lords hasn't been successful, what with the ever increasing rents we pay the Baron and now there are the demands from the Prince. I would rather we had a noble working for us, whereas you seem to want us to work for a noble."
[color=red]"Liliana, you said that Thomas ap Rhodri claims to be Prince of Gwyedd ," Cygna says. [color=red]"Do you have any concrete doubts as to his title, or are you merely leaving yourself some wiggle room? If he is who you say he says he is, then I see little choice but to release his countrymen to him and pray for their safe return."
"I have long served as both a scribe and as a laboratory assistant in the Covenant of the Phoenix," Claudia says nervously. "Pater Salamandrus tought me the Bonisagian theories of magic, which they say I have shown an aptitude for. I have also, they tell me, displayed a talent for penmanship and was often put to use in their library on various projects.
"I very much prefer to work in the laboratory, but I am willing to prove my usefulness and earn your trust, even if it's just in the mundane library for now."
[color=red]"She is also quite modest," Cygna says. [color=red]"I have worked with her in the laboratory, and I believe she can add three magnitudes to whatever project she is assisting on."
"I will, of course, entertain no amount of dismay when I must testify when Quaesitores come sniffing about on investigation charges against you, little Sophia," demurs Liliana. "I did not manage the Baron. Your pater did that."
The Merinita looks at Cygna as though she's an idiot. "I have never met a Prince of Gwynedd, and would not recognize one when I saw one. I cannot say that he is Prince of Gwynedd without having knowledge to that effect." (Anyone with any Faerie Lore would know that this is kind of mentality is very common among fae and those who deal with them.)
"I have long served as both a scribe and as a laboratory assistant in the Covenant of the Phoenix," Claudia says nervously. "Pater Salamandrus tought me the Bonisagian theories of magic, which they say I have shown an aptitude for. I have also, they tell me, displayed a talent for penmanship and was often put to use in their library on various projects.
"I very much prefer to work in the laboratory, but I am willing to prove my usefulness and earn your trust, even if it's just in the mundane library for now."
Shmuel interrupts. "There are sacred texts in the mundane library. It would be a breach of religious and scholarly ethics for any Gentile to work with them. Jos-- I mean, Father--" he gulps a little at referring to someone other than Lamentus as pater, "He tries to be nice all the time so he never says what he means. He won't tell you no outright, but he will never let you in there. Not even if you convert."
Liliana seems annoyed at the sound of Shmuel's voice. "Perhaps we can arrange for some Cow-and-Calf trades that you could facilitate for us, to prove your worthiness as an assistant."
"Said the person who suggests letting our defenses lapse. How is it, Lily, that talking with a prince is interferring? You have a remarkbly fickle nature; on one hand you talk about interferring as if it doesn't matter, and on the other hand you speak of it mattering. Please do make up your mind, because I'm getting whiplash. Regardless, it is irrelevant for now, I just wish to speak to the prince. If there is a concurrence from the rest of the council to not speak to the prince, then I withdraw that request. This is a council, Lily, not your dominion. Do not threaten me. And my name is Sophronia, I expect to be addressed as such, it is how I signed the charter."
"Yes, Justinius did handle the baron, he led while you followed. And when he was gone, you made no efforts to take up the burden of leading the covenant and instead let it fall apart around you. And you wish to continue that path even as new blood comes in. If the circumstances were different, I'd say it's sad, but the circumstances are quite a bit more extreme."
Claudia seems to shrink in on herself at Shmuel's upbraiding. "I'm not a gentile, I'm Muslim, I have studied from the Koran, written by the hand of Allah Himself. I do not do 'unethical.' And I would never convert, even if it meant that I would have a job and a home here!"
"I'm really not much of a merchant, so I don't know if I would be able to acquire any good Cow-and-Calves for you. But I would be happy to copy anything that you do have, to show what I can do."
"It matters if everyone here will be held culpable for your individual foolishness. There is a world of difference between speaking and controlling-- these were your words, not mine."
"I alone spent five years seeing to the covenant's needs, pawning our less valuable texts in order to pay our mounting debts, forestalling what crises could be, and addressing those that could not. One maga, who solely carried the burden now bunglingly shared between eight, who allow one Coeris' wet-behind-the-ears little pet to speak for them all. Do not presume to speak to me of responsibility. You watched your pater's handiwork crumble for SIX YEARS, without any inclination to assist Lamentus and me in continuing Justinius' work. You only stirred yourself from your lover's arms to aid Gallus Florensis when ordered to do so by your puppet masters. Perhaps your self-important cocksure strutting helps balm the sting of being Amphelisia's lackey, but presuming to care more for the covenant that raised you, than the maga who alone carried it for five years? You will fool no one.
"If I should choose to indulge in study now that I finally have a respite, I have more than earned that right. Five times over. There are two magi in this covenant who have earned the right to be self-righteous, and you are certainly not one of them."
(Anyone passing a Folk Ken check of 12 will catch that Liliana really should be angry, and almost seems so-- but the cadence of her words never changes, nor any other normal behaviours that accomoanies anger. It's like she's pretending to be angry.)
Folk ken check: Per 2 + FK 1 + Spec 1 + (2 * Die roll of 8)=20.
"So, why do you still try and retain control over everything? I seek information, and you continually block those attempts. I wish to make a more informed decision. If there is no decision to be made, so be it, let's move on, but don't waste our time by bringing it up as if we have a choice in the matter. If you wish respite, I invite you to retire to your sanctum and allow us to handle it. Answer me this, are you angry because you have to share power, or because you had a burden placed upon you for so long? Your behavior vacillates between the two extremes. Pick one, and let us move forward." Sophronia regards Lilliana coolly. She has not lost her cool despite what she's said.
Pausing, staring at Lilliana, "Our Houses are different, I perform service at the pleasure of our Prima and her agents. I had sought to be placed here for some time when Justinius wasn't able to be found. Indeed I searched for him with my Arts. That the House saw differently as to my domicile until recently isn't a matter for us to debate. Perhaps, if someone from Gallus Florensis had asked for help from Domus Tremeris earlier I would've been assigned, earlier. That's is the past, and what is done is done. I am here now, indeed we are here now. Sophronia indicates all the magi, whether full or probationary, "My offers to help are sincere, but we must be allowed to have a voice in the council, or this council is a sham, and Gallus Florensis will die. This is my childhood home, if you will, and I would not have it die. Call me names, impugn my motives, do whatever you like, but don't pretend for us to be a council if you make all of the decisions and attempt to staunch the flow of information to us."
Sophronia softens, "I've paid off some significant debts with resources from House Tremere and of my own. This is not insignificant. This should be a bold statement to all present that House Tremere considers this covenant important and will do what it can to preserve it. My past actions were governed by instructions from the House and my oath to another covenant. I have since renounced that oath and am here now. My House stands behind me, and I can act with greater latitude than I had before. Please allow me, allow us to do so, Lily[1]."
[1] Use of Lily should be her preferred name, She seeems to change how she refers to herself, so I can't get a firm bead on this.
Cygna just barely makes her Folk Ken roll: Com 1 + Folk Ken (Magi) 3 + die roll of 8 = 12.
She glances quickly at Sophronia, her eyes narrowing and jaw clenching, trying to gauge the Tremere's reaction.. She realizes that the Merinita is trying to either manipulate or goad Sophronia, but she's not sure to what end. Cygna knows all too well how it feels to be both manipulated and goaded, having been both for most of the last twenty-five years of her life.
She looks back at Liliana, and sees Adorjan with his arm around (and partially through) her shoulder, grinning broadly. "I like her," he chortles. "I've been looking for someone for years to help you reach your potential...I think I've finally find my soul-mate!"
Cygna merely pales and hides her face in her hands with a groan.
Hiems nods
I haven't worked with Claudia. Yet, as a librarian, she took great care of my books, and was always ready to help. I'd really advise you to give her a chance.
Hiems (fails the roll), recoils slightly, and watches the exchange in a detached fashion, thinking (I put thoughts in italics)
Okaaaaay... It looks like Cygna and I just landed in the midst of a wizard's war. I hope we don't get caught into the crossfire
Softly, probably covered by Liliana and Sophronia's voices
Lady cygna? What is it? It's him again, isn't it?
And he looks around, searching with his second sight as he did so many times before, in vain, even as he suspects that the demon is not really there but has managed, through an arcane connection, to cast some mentem effect at Cygna. The fact that, despite this constant harassment, she is not going mad and is still a voice of reason is, to him, clearly a testament to her strength of character.
With that good of a result, Sophronia will pick up that Liliana seems to think she's supposed to be angry and is trying to behave accordingly, but lacks the ability to feel that emotion anymore; she has enough Magic Theory to have heard of a magus losing the ability to feel certain emotions as a Twilight scar particularly common to Mentem botches.
"You accuse me of behaviour for which you alone here bear guilt. You do not seek information; you seek to test your boundaries to see if you'll fare any better here than you do within your House. While I may not hold your sigil, you'll find me no more tolerant of your exceeding ambition than your masters at Coeris. Do not seek to grasp that which you cannot hold; any filius of Justinius' should know this inherently. But perhaps the drastic lengths to which your ambition exceeds your capability is precisely the reason my late contemporary was embarrassed to have his name associated with yours. I am not angry for sharing power nor about the burden I have born. Your reach exceeds your grasp, your attempts to exert dominance over this council are ill-advised given your lack of caution and disregard for the Hermetic Code, and your impertinence is unbecoming."
"Everyone does have a voice on the council. You assert that you do not because I refused to put the council meeting on hold at your whim. The princeps has a duty to arrange the flow of council meetings, and that position is mine by rights. No amount of whinging on your part will change that, Sophia. Now, in accordance with princeps duty, I declare that your incredibly un-Tremere-like disregard for order and heirarchy has wasted quite enough of everyone's time. This council meeting will move on, now, or you will be recused from this meeting."
(I refer to her as Lily because most of the NPCs call her Lily. Her proper name is Liliana but only a few people actually bother with her full name.)
"House Tremere paid off significant debts. Likewise, House Tremere cares about Justinius; it does not care one whit about Gallus Florensis. If you believe otherwise, I invite you to get to know your grandparens a bit better; you will not like what you discover. It would suit him quite well if this covenant should fall into winter so that his precious filius would come home. You see, not all Tremere blindly live their lives according to their House's wishes. Your pater knew the difference between a request and an order, and could often turn an order into a request simply with his own peculiar manner." Her expression softens ever-so-slightly, and ever-so-briefly.* "He wished to join his lady love in Loch Leglean; when he was ordered not to do so, he responded by founding this covenant instead. Gallus Florensis stands as a testament to Domus Tremeris' inability to separate your pater from his wife... something which, I daresay, Tremere still wishes to do... assuming that both lovers still live."
*Perception + Folk Ken check of 12 would reveal a bit of wistfulness as she speaks about him... she likely had feelings for him at some point.
"I'm sorry you're dead inside. I will continue to reach beyond my grasp, because it is when we stop reaching that we are dead. Do what you will, you've made up your mind to send the archers without discussion and without interviewing the prince. Very well, I will interview the Prince, myself, before he leaves. And even you can't twist an interview into interfering with mundanes."
Staring at Lily, ""I invite you to have the last word."
She cuts Sophronia off with the first sentence of her retort. (She gets off the nasty jibe, at least.) "Sophronia filia Justinius, you are recused from this council meeting." Sophia's and Lily's eyes both glow for just a moment, and Sophronia finds herself very, very wet, as she's been teleported into the marsh below the lighthouse.* The good news is, from here she can spot the large encampment where the prince's men are gathered.
Liliana turns back to the rest of the table. "It saddens me to have been party to wasting so much of everyone's time. Now, Claudia, if we can arrange a quid-pro-quo trade of copy access, I would like to test your abilities there at some point. But as you say you prefer lab work, and that is a far more valuable asset than scribing ability, I would propose that if any magus has a lab project that is not a matter of covenant security or otherwise requiring secrecy, someone could volunteer to accept your assistance, and vet you should your aid prove satisfactory. Three separate testimonies to your skill seems fair to me, as a statement of dedication and loyalty to the covenant; are there any objections or other ideas?"
*Attravere, Aequi and Sophia have seen Justinius use that ability once, when he and Aislinn started arguing in the middle of a council meeting. (There was a hailstorm for over a week, afterwards, and J never did that again.)
**Actually I have to check my records when I get home; depending on the timing, Sophia may have helped J when he enchanted his chair, in which case Liliana's choice of words (recuse is part of the activation) would have given her a chance to recognize what Liliana meant to do. If knowing the invested abilities of his chair would have changed how she'd reply, we might have to retcon.
(Roll guile (feigned innocence) + Pre +1d10 = invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3345777/ + 3 = 7)
Iapetus certainly tries to ignore, or at least act blase to, the growing and heated discussion as well as the final culmination of magic. When Liliana turns back to Claudia, the Spaniard will lean forwards slightly. "I would be willing to let the young woman assist me when I begin my lab-works, although I am still finalizing some concepts before I actually begin anything... assuming no one else has something already prepared."
The hostile climate doesn't please hiems, nor does Liliana's reactions.
He thus does his usual thingie: He withdraws, watches and analyses
Sinmore saw far worse at her original covenant after her Gauntlet, while her blood rises a bit at the sight, she stays quiet as she's already in trouble.
"If I could add one thing...regarding any kind of military or fighting...it was widely upheld that it's not interfering with mundanes, if there are no traces left and no living mundane witnesses." she shrugs. "I'm no expert on the law but that was thing I learned. If it would be expedient to resolve problems with battling mundanes by one side's forces simply disapearing..." she trails off so as not explicitly say the deed.
Sanno snerks. "Yeah, look how well that worked out for the last short-tempered redhead who said those very words in this council chamber." He reaches out to fistbump Lily, whose hands remain clasped in her lap, as she stares at him blankly. The otter sulks, then moves his extended fist towards the rest of the table. "Come on. Somebody, anybody. I'm not putting my arm down until someone bumps my fist."
Cygna says nothing, but merely nods. She then places her hands in her lap, takes a deep breath, and watches the verbal joust between Liliana and Sophronia.
((she was going to say more to Hiems, but then I checked and he doesn't speak Spanish/Castilian .))
Cygna looks gobsmacked at this turn of events, then raises her finger and opens her mouth, then quickly resumes her prim and proper stance in her chair, her jaw clenched.
Cygna also looks at the otter, with a bemused look on her face, before she tentatively raises her fist and bumps it against Sanno's.