"Right. You've been here for a thousand years for sure. If I had to venture a guess, I'd say closer to 1500 years."
"That seems like a long time. Things don't really change much around here, we manifest vis as we learn and we pay vis for education"
Bartomeus leans in.
"Would it be possible for you to introduce us to one of the teachers?"
"Well." He considers "I could, but I'm afraid they do not speak Latin, so I'm not sure how the conversation would go."
"Oh, interesting. What language do the teachers speak?" asks Bartomeus with a glance at his two Hermetic colleagues.
"I'm really quite curious as well about your comment about manifesting. When you say you manifest vis as you learn, does that vis aggregate slowly over time? Is it episodic precipitation? Is it a consequence of the instruction itself or of your practice and study?"
Bartomeus checks his questions, smiling. "So interesting. My apologies for all the questions."
"I'm not certain of the mechanism, I know that when we finish a class we have vis which we can use to pay for the next class, or use to transform of course. There are other options, some people trade it as well. The instructors speak Raetian of course, though some teach in Celtic."
Kriegeist is attentive, but as his colleagues are asking the questions he would, and he is unsure of the effect his gift will have on these people, he allows the conversation to flow around him and just listens.
Bartomeus furrows his brow as he hears the term Raetian. (7 on an Area Lore Alps check).
That's way short- by at least 15.
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Bartomeus shrugs his shoulders. "I can't say that I have heard of the Raetian language. Is there language instruction classes? Could you be hired to teach us this tongue? Or would the teachers allow the use of the magical arts to understand their instruction?"
He considers "Well, I'm not the greatest teacher, but how much vis would you pay for instruction?"
"That's an excellent question," answers Bartomeus. "I would need to better understand the economics of instructional commerce here beyond what you've outlined already. How do you measure vis here? You indicated ten vis per season is the going rate per class, earlier, but you didn't mention how it is quantified." Bartomeus considers for a moment more.
"I would also be curious to know if receiving instruction from you in the language would also have the consequence you mentioned earlier: manifesting vis. Would we manifest it as a consequence of our learning? It seems such a virtuous cycle of vis consumption and manifestation you have described."
"I don't know, I've never seen the living take lessons. Of course I could teach you outside for a season. We do that when we want to... it's hard to describe, there are some benefits to not producing vis, we seem to learn better, but have to spend vis to learn. I don't think I am being very clear."
"You are most kind in your offer, sir," responds Bartomeus with a respectful bow of his head. "You have given us much to consider and think upon. Perhaps we could call on you again after we have had time to deliberate and consider your offer of instruction. Or perhaps you could guide us to another language instructor should that a better direction." The Bonisagus looks at his two companions for a moment.
"You mentioned the living… Have you seen many of the living here in Helgafjell? We have a colleague who we believe may have come here recently."
"The rock wanderer? He has passed through here many times, never spoke with anyone though. strange fellow, gave people the creeps. Everyone but me, of course."
"Rock wanderer? Why do you call him that? Can you describe him?" asks Bartomeus with interest.
"And no other of the living have visited?"
"He brings rocks into the realms and picks them up, he visited a few of our homes with these rocks as well." He then describes Mingus.
"When was he last seen?"
"He came through here not long ago, a few class cycles at most."
"And the houses are shared by several members of the community, and free to access, I take it?"