(OOC: @silveroak My answer to Plasmatoris assumes things in Sicily have been going roughly as in real history and that Aban's area lore 2 with int 3 is sufficient to know the big picture - correct me if I'm wrong.)
Aban sizes up Plasmatoris.
"Sicily, you mean? I have had occasion to visit recently. You would have heard that the French got what was coming to them? After that, the fighting has been on the mainland, so I think it should be quite safe for us to go."
"An ally, then. Very good. We do have a trading route to Sicily, so we might contact our agents there. Perhaps they can help us make sure that this Cathar actually went to Nice as planned, then follow if they did. Does that plan seem acceptable?"
Essentially correct, although technically the church has declared a crusade against Aragon and Sicilly- it is mostly being fought in Italy and the Iberian peninsula though.
I can see why the elder Plasmatoris was so interested in re-doing imperfect artistic work, he thinks to himself, before the other conversation grabs his notice. The young magus gives Aban a bright smile as his attention is dragged away from whatever minor detail was irritating him. "Ah, my friend. You have such idealistic hopes in a magi's abilities to pay attention to anything going on outside his immediate laboratory," he jests. "No, I think it is safe to say I have not been paying any attention to current events in the world until recent occurrences have forced me into looking up from my work.
Aetherius nods. "Agreed. We can probably handle the Sicily business with House Mercere while you stop in Magvillus. It may let us know more from his trip, including whether he did sail to Nice or elsewhere, and if he had any plans once he arrived in Nice. I think that should be our next stop. For our new friends, we've flown here in kite form. I can shape you while we leave here as well, if you don't have your own flying method that can keep up with a bird."
He turns to the redcap and the Flambeau for an answer while he requests a token from the local Mercere House.
"We are located in a city, in a divine aura. We don't have an ageis, casting it would draw too much attention. There is a covenant a few miles to the south which has one, but it is too far out of the way of the shipping lanes to make proper use of it for our duties" You are given a quizzical look.
"A few miles to the south? That seems like the obvious choice."
To Aetherius, "A bird you say? I do not have a flying method that can keep up. I will need shaping." Atys's eyes light up with the coincidence-but-not-coincidence that these magi travel as birds. This is a sign that he has clearly made the right choice to travel so far.
They all seem so young. Why? What is their mission?
"My vehicle can keep up with most birds. This means we can split up without trouble, as well, for Magvillus or otherwise. It is located a short ways from the city. Would you like me to show you, or is there something more to discuss?"
Aban leads the group out of the city, into the desert, and below a steep, tall cliff. He checks that no one else is near and then starts fumbling around in the sand. After a brief pause, the sand below everyone's feet starts rising slowly.
A fired clay saucer emerges from a shallow depression in the sand and hovers a few feet above the ground. It is about half a pace thick and 5 paces in diameter. The saucer's edges curve upward and numerous sturdy handles are built into its surface. On two sides, rope ladders are attached to its surface.
"I'm pretty sure so long as I don't break the code scrying into your business, meddling with the mundanes and whatnot, and we're talking about personal magic used on myself or other members of the Order consensually - it's actually none of your business and I don't see how being vague makes my request unreasonable."
He shakes his head, "sorry, we made certain we had a lacuna in the building, we didn't map out the rest of the town. The divine aura falls away pretty quickly once you get outside of town especially if you head towards the desert. I suspect the House Seuleman Soldales, the unGifted practitioners might know, I can give you their address."
Aetherius nods. "Gladly." He will take the address but otherwise follow Aban to the desert after, unsure yet whether he'll need the assistance of House Seuleman.
"Oh yes, a group this size should present no problems. We should not need transformation magic for that purpose - but if the group wishes to split up, as I said, that is a different story."