Blinking at Tastheus, Plasmatoris looks on with his typical wide-eyed gaze, as if he was trying to take in the sight of everything. "Of course, sodales. We should definitely discuss things before going onwards." He shuffles along behind the other two.
Atys allows his sodales a private conversation.
Tastheus seems rather uncomfortable, far from the assurance he hinted at at the covenant.
"Sodales... I suppose you remember the discussion we had at the covenant before we left, concerning our ... situation. I am here primarily to deposit my title as chief quaesitor of the court, because I am clearly unable to fulfill my role."
Young Tytalus took a breath.
"But I face a dilemma. Either I betray certain ideals and principles of my House, or I go against the decision of the covenant. If I follow the covenant and keep quiet about why I'm giving up my job, from my point of view, I'm just admitting defeat to whatever did this to us. Sure, I keep the secret, but I lose a big opportunity to ask for help in finding and dealing with the cause of our return to near childhood. If I follow my heart and my principles, I take advantage of being at the quaesitors to file a complaint about the deprivation of our magic and I ask that an investigation be conducted by someone currently competent to find the bastard who caused our return to square one. But if I do that, I'm going against the group's decision to keep our misadventure a secret."
Aban is pleasantly surprised Malachi's usefulness.
"You think ahead. That is a good quality, young one."
When Tastheus and Aetherius step aside, Aban makes sure to fiddle with his luggage on the saucer, so as not to seem as if he were trying to listen - which he isn't.
"I understand. I've never been convinced we could keep up the charade very long. I frankly don't know if I want a quaesitorial investigation in this. But I also know that finding an old effect gets harder with time, and if we don't take the opportunity now, we may lose it and never find out what went wrong. I find it likely it's an accident, not a crime, but we don't know until we look into it. There are risks this could happen again if we don't find out. On the other hand, rejuvenation is a breakthrough I'd happily pursue. I'm torn between keeping it a secret that I can pursue and asking for help knowing I can't figure it out alone. But either way, I need to build my life without pretending to be some century old magi. I'm okay with this if Plasmatoris is as well."
(OOC I feel much less restraint overturning a council decision on the field knowing the players who were most vocally secretive have dropped off the game and won't be NPC'd)
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Plasmatoris scratches at his chin thoughtfully. The young magus has become quite scruffy over the course of the trips, but he seems not uncomfortable - he's generally a bit unkempt. "I'll be honest with you, since we are comrades in this situation. I already prefer to consider myself a different person rather than a re-youthened version of some bitter old magus. I don't actually care about the secret, as much as I care about going against the pact our covenant settled on."
Despite his usual careless attitude, Plasmatoris's eyes are surprisingly clear and aware as he meets Tastheus's gaze. "You do realize as part of your potential plan, you are breaking our contract, and if others come warring for our resources, you will be one of the ones responsible?" Then, he gives a lazy shrug. "Do as you will; You are a Tytalus, and are well accustomed to the conflict from any choices."
The remarks of his comrades only half helped him, offering him a new perspective that he had refused to accept until now. His quaesitorial instinct could not accept the conception that they were no longer what they had been, their sigil remained intact. Was he the only one trapped in this inability to see the situation as it is and not as it was?
"I'm not used to giving up and we've lost a lot in this case. Are you really in the mindset of giving up what we were? Do you want me while I'm here to find out what this change of identity might entail? "
He shrugs, the Jerbiton's eyes returning to their more lazy examination of their surroundings, more focused on the views than the people. "When we discussed it as a covenant, I made my views clear. I am not the other Plasmatoris, but will gladly take the fruits of his labor. There is ample evidence to suggest that I am a physically youthened and mentally crippled version of him, in particular the bonds of familiar and talisman. But I just... don't like that interpretation. I prefer to think of myself as his heir."
Plasmatoris turns half away and steps to look out over the scenery before adding, "And everyone else made it clear that they prefer to think of themselves as crippled versions of older selves. I just want a fresh start. I don't like what that magus became."
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"Whether we believe the same thing or not, I'm not sure if what we want is that different. My preference is to avoid pretending that I'm an extremely wise and powerful century-old magi, when I'm actually a newly gauntleted magi who could definitely use a few penpals his own age and doesn't believe he's ready to even take on an apprentice."
Tastheus took the time to think about what his Sodales had said. Should he abandon what he had been, he who had had everything he wanted, everything he dreamed of? Should he simply give up and rebuild? This way of thinking was so far from the philosophy in which he had been educated. Then there was the question that was always on his mind. What if it was him or one of his sodalese who had caused this? If it wasn't an attack, but an accident, how would he react? Did he really want to know?
With his head still full of doubts and hesitations, he finally stood up, looking at the other two magi with a smile that was more confident than he really was.
"Thank you for your answers, friends. It's time to go."
He looks towards Magvilius and lets out a light sigh before heading there with a step he wants to be sure
As Tastheus looks towards Magvillus he sees a small familiar figure running back from it "hey you seemed busy so I ran ahead to announce your arrival so you wouldn't have to spend a lot of time waiting and they said they are really eager to meet you and have some questions and I tried to answer the ones I could for you but I haven't known you very long and they are waiting to talk to you as soon as you can get there."
Tastheus nods, hearing the young boy.
"Thanks, Malachi. Should you lead us to them ?"
Malachi leads you into the covenant, waving his token as he sips through the front door, down a hallway and into a meeting room where three Guernicus magi sit on one side of a table with a single chair on the other side for you "okay, glad I can help I'll see you later bye bye." He returns to teh other magi to see what else he can do to help.
The magus in the middle, who looks to be the oldest of the three waits for you to sit before beginning, "As I understand it you either are or believe yourself to be Tastheus, lead Quaesitor for the African tribunal, is this correct?"
For his part, Plasmatoris is (predictably) trying to find the place with the best view to look out over the surrounding area.
Tastheus follows the young boy into the covenant to a meeting room. Three magi are already there. Tastheus searchs in his memory, he needs to remember if he knows them, even his first feeling is to be a young magi before a trial.
He must regain some confidence, he's a Tytalus after all,not. After taking a profond breath, Tastheus sits on the free chair.
"Yes. I'm Tastheus ex-Tytalus, magi of Al Kufra, lead quaesitor for the African Tribunal."
(((Does Tastheus recognize the magis ?)))
Tastheus does not recognize any of the magi, and from their aparent ages they may well have been gauntleted after he was.
The two magi on either side stare incredulously while the one in the middle nods serenely "given the unusual nature of this discussion, I hope you will agree to being subject to a casting of the frosty breath."
If Tastheus seems to be only a young magi, and he was in many ways to this day, he was still a Tytalus with some pride.
"Hmm. I suppose I can accept this offense to my status, given the circumstances that bring me here. But, I also think it would be easier to accept if it were cast by magis who had the courtesy to introduce themselves."
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They glance back and forth amongst themselves in reaction to your comment then the spokesman nods, "My apologies, I am Sergius of Guernicus, This," He indicates the woman on his right "Is Ma'at of Guernicus, and to my left is Artistocles, quaesitor of house Bonsiagus. If you would lower your parma for the casting." When Tastheus does so he casts frosty breath of the spoken lie and then takes a breath. "We have obvious questions and at the same time you clearly had reasons to seek out quaestors that your faerie friend was uncertain about, no matter how helpful he tried to be, so let us begin there- what is the purpose of your coming to Magvillus?"
Tastheus takes the time to look at the three magis in detail, not hesitating frankly to stare at them.
"Glad to meet you."
Once the introductions are made, Tastheus makes himself comfortable, legs crossed and stretched out in front of him, as if he were in full confidence. He lowers his parma to let the effect pass.
"Our friend faeri is merely a companion who has joined the journey. He has nothing to do with our group of magi, nor with the reasons that brought us here. Besides, depending on how the discussion goes, I may ask that the two of my Sodales who accompanied me join the discussion. I hope that will not be a problem."
Tastheus is clearly not in the business of being a defendant ready to answer questions, but a lead quaesitor here for his own reasons.
"It would be difficult to know whether that would be a problem at this point, we can address that when the time comes. But that has avoided the question, what purpose brings you to Magvillus?"