Story: The first assebly of the council

Hello

The story will start soon. In the begining of next week I will have a start here.

/Max

Justus Felix looked at the assembled magi who sat around the exquisite crafted table. Magical light illuminated the camber and most of the magi had never seen one and other earlier. The table where covered with all sorts of different foodstuff and wine. Roasted meat and grilled chicken and luxurious wine from the Rihne valley.

Justus tapped gently on the table in front of him so that he attracted the attention of the assembled magi. He begun to speak in a soft and gentle voice, for most people it where difficult to not like Justus even if you didn’t agree with what he said.

[color=red]Soldaes I am pleased to have you here at one place and I am going to declare what my vision of this covenants future is. I have different ideas that I wish to address to this council so that we might come to an decision or at least discuss our different options.

First of all I have an intention that this covenant will be a gleaming pearl wisdom in these dark forests of Pomerania. My intention is to create peaceful relations with our closest neighbours, the witches and werewolves of Pomerania. This might be difficult but I will spend a significant time to recruit potential candidates into our order.

Furthermore in an intention to place our covenant on the Hermetic map of Europe in order to do this we need to spend a significant amount of our resources on improving our covenant. In fact I urge you to approve that we spend half of our covenants yearly resources, after casting the Aegis of the Hearth, on purchasing book for our library. First we gather a good basic library then we must strive to gather information of the latest of magical research. If we purchase books in bulk we will be able to a fair amount of book for our vis. Other then that we need to increase our covenants splendour, for that we need to expand our covenants incomes so that we can increase the living standard both in terms of how we live and the splendour of our surrounding.

I order to archive our goals I need your help, both in terms of sacrifice of our resources and aid with different task that might arise. I order to start our magical work I suggest that each and every one of us takes five pawns of vis from our covenants stores and spend as we wish. Any suggestions from you me fellow magi?

Justus Felix paused to await his audiance responce.

Seated in one of the more shadowed corners of the room, Mariella leans forward and responds in a quiet voice.

[color=red]I am keen to support goal of bring the local hedge mages into the Order although I doubt that my Gift for diplomacy will be of help there unless we are engaging in the diplomacy of last resort. We should do whatever we can to improve our covenant and strengthen it's repuation within the order and securing a better books for our library seems a worthy goal and I will contribute my share of the Vis for this year towards securing those books most useful to my own development as I do not think my demand for Vis will be pressing this year. I would also be happy to travel to secure these books and ensure their safe delivery.
My skills are at the disposal of my Sodales and the Order although I am sure we all hope not to require my specialities often.

Finished she leans back into the shadows

Manius slowly looks in everybody's eyes one after the other. Who falls his/her eyes or looks away? He speaks on deep sound so everybody can hear it.

[color=red]My name is Manius Niger. I'm from the covenant Oculus Septentrionalis.

It seems a good opportunity to found this covenant. Good place in general, and the magical spring is a lucky case. There are a lot of people here and other resources. How were you able to gather these and what obligations you accepted in exchange?

You said about improvement of the library and you said well. However half of the vis income means only a dozen vis. Only a few building a library.
But there are 50 pawn of vis in the stores and I think we don’t need so much to store. Let us keep the vis together and purchase books as a whole group. Let us store the Co vis and the rest, 60 pawns of vis may be spent on books.
As I know little summae cost only 1-2 vis. We can purchase a lot of them. To all Arts if possible.
And we have some vis buying medium and high level summae. Let us vote to which Arts we want better books.
Even better if we lend the books and our scribes work for their bread.

This way the books will be common books what is better to the covenant.

My old covenant is near. If somebody comes with me we can ride there and deal with the leading Jerbitons.

Justus, do you know about a particular magical research you said before?

These were my words. What about you? Who are you and where from?

Well, it seems I do have a gift for diplomacy, so I can help out with that.

Yannick smiles. He turns to Justus:

I wanted to explore the area anyways, I can do some talking on the way and maybe find a couple of useful contacts to improve our income.

Oh, i beg your pardon...
He stands up and bows.
My name's Yannick, pleased to meet you all.

Now, what else can I do?
It's unlikely that I'll be studying the next year, so spend my share of vis as you see fit. We'll need a good assortement of spells. Maybe we should get a copy of "Wizards Communion" at a magnitude we all can handle.
I'll appreciate if you could get hold of some shapechanging spells, Justus, you know shapeshifting is a favorite of mine.

Maybe I should cast some circles of beast warding round our stock rooms to keep the rats out?

Or write down some copies of "shiver of the lycantrophe"?

I'll be ready for scouting in the next few days, so let me know if you want me to keep an eye out for anything special.

He sits back down.

Wher'd you get this extraordinary wine?...

A young man who looks very tired at the head of the table moves

Indeed, it's delicious.

Frederick lowers his glass.

Pleased to meet you too, Yannick. I am Fredrick, and i already feel at home. Very nice to see this enthousiasm and ambition. This is what i hoped to find.

Streched his arms to everyone

As to my contribution, i will write some tractati for the library myself. You will find the quality will be to your satisfaction. As to spell choice i hope for some wards, that we start with a safe haven.
My ability for communication with the locals will be bothered by language, perhaps someone can learn me and others. Is there space for a teaching room? That would be outstanding.

Travel and scouting is difficult for me.

coughs heavily

But i am sure you will do it very well, Yannick

Justus Felix spoke once again. [color=red]Manius your proposal to spend more vis on books sound like a good one to me. I see that you have many questions and I shall try to answer them. I start with the most important. Justus smiles gently as he speaks the last phrase.

[color=red]The wine is made by Peter von Würzburg and was recently purchased from Fengheld. There is more of the wine in the cellar.

I owe lots of favours to different magi around the Rihne tribunal due to the fact that I have funded this covenant. The favours that I owe are tied to me as person but as other covenants might view me as the leader of this covenant they might expect services from the covenant as whole.

I haven’t heard of any special magical research but I feel that there is a potential to develop this covenant to a pioneer among magical research concerning non-hermetic magic, and the possible expansion of hermetic theory by incorporating non-hermetic magic.

Justus Felix poured a other glass of vine for himself.

[color=red] Should you need any assistance in repaying the covenants debts and beleive I could be of assistance you have only to ask

Mariella turns and meets the gaze of Manius waiting till he looks away

[color=red]There are many places we could seek books but perhaps the obvious choice would the the Great Library at Durenmar. Myself I favour the technique of Perdo but would find knowledge of many of the Forms useful . I would also find works on the arts of Penetration and the Parma most useful in my area of speciality.
As I have said I have no skill in diplomacy the strength of my gift causing many problems and see that many here ould make better scouts than myself let me say that should any of you feel that they may need protection or my assistance in dealing with a problem you have but to ask as a Milite of the order my services are at the disposal of any Hermetic magus in need and it would be my honor to assist

Having rested quietly in her seat, observing events and listening the various propositions (her strange, blue faerie eyes having whistood Manius's gaze), ardath leans forward.

[color=red]For those of you who don't know me yet, my name is Ardath filia Konstantin, and I must say I'm quite happy with what I hear. While this covenant may be small as yet, Kalesh did indeed lead me to a fine assembly, and I bow to our host for his wisdom in convincing you all to come.

I heard many sage propositions today, many whom I do agree. But let me explain my point of view.

First and foremost, we should cast an Aegis of the Earth, in order to make ourselves a little more secure. We won't be able to do anything if we can't rest safely within our own walls.
We are also numerous enough that, as Yannick said, learning all a low-magnitude Wizard's Communion should allow us to cast later a greater ritual. Think to what we could do with a simple Magnitude 2 wizard's communion!
Moreso, while our stated goal is to create good relashionships with the witches and werewolves of pomenaria, we can't trust all of them to be peacefull, and don't know what else may be lurking out there. If, despite a strong base, we show no ill will and prove ourselves their friends, they will be much more tempted to listen to us and trust our good will than if we appear weak and fearfull.

Acquiring books is indeed a very pressant task. Knowledge is power, and from power shall come freedom to pursue our other goals. I second Manius's proposition to use most of our vis in purchasing books. We should acquire low to medium level summae in all arts if possible, with more interesting vis in the arts we're interested in. I find it also vital to procure books about the Parma Magica and Magic theory. In fact, acquiring books is so vital a task that I will be happy indeed to accompagny Manius Niger and Mariella on this, to durenmar or elsewhere. I trust they shall be both brave and pleasant companions on this quest [color=black](bows down her head in salutation).

Expanding our material wealth is the next second thing we should do if we are to impress both the witches and the order. I also think we'd all be happier to work in greater laboratories. We should try to see what are the local ressources we may exploit on this. I heard yannick talk about scouting the area, which is a great idea, both on a logistic and a tactical level. Yannick, if you're still intent on doing this, maybe you could look out for anything potentially valuable? If I have some free time and if you agree, I'd like to accompany you a little on this: While I have certain... problems with the wilderness, I should be fine along with you, and I have an easy spell with which to locate any vis sources our host might have missed, which would be a great boon indeed.
It will also provide me with the opportunity to get a feel of the area, in order to find some spirits I might enrole as allies, and, mayve, as helpers to find the witches, if our esteemed host ever needs such help.

On a side note, I am, as our resident bonisagus [color=black](bows down her head and smiles), a stranger, unfamiliar with the local langage, and would like to learn it from someone.
[color=black]Speaking to Frederick, with a smileWhile this is probably currently out of the question due to the numerous tasks ahead of us, I will gladly instruct you in my own magical tradition and the ways of Kalesh, if you wishes so one day. I am sure he would like his teachings to spread far and wide, and welcome most people as his children. I greatly respect your goal and quest for knowledge, and am sure we can learn a lot from each other.

[color=black]'*drinks some wine/
A little words about the Covenfolks:
I think that we should let them appoint a representative before us.
Not someone who we choose to order them, as is the autocrat's role, but someone who they'd choose to talk to us about their wishes and problems, and who would seat with us on matters regarding the mundane aspects of the covenant, telling us about their wishes and problems. Mark my words, I do not intent to give them any power in this concil, but this has multiples advantages. This should please them, and improve their morale, while also helping us to decide on these matters: If something has no importance to us, let them decide, things will come out best this way. Perhaps more importantly, this representative will give us an idea of what the covenfolk want and how they feel. We should not neglect the covenfolk, as we depend on them and their fidelity.
Education is also a good idea, and we should provide at least basic education to them. While this should improve their morale, this will also make them much more usefull servants, and, if some of them prove themselves worthy of more education, a potential source of scribes. Moreso, once we've set up a cadre of teachers, we won't have to worry about it.

Thank you all for listening me on such a long speech. I was really taken by the spirit and the energy here, and this is a good omen indeed: I am sure we will do fine, and then, more than that.

Frederick smiles and answers.
Sounds good, we will certainly be able to learn a lot from each other. As i think we can from the people around us.
I might write a lab text on a wizard's communion, allthough you should know some muto and vim to use it.
And for a bigger house, i believe we have enough space to make a magical one. It is so quiet here, that i do not think locals give much problem when we do so.
If you go to Durenmar, i think it might help if you contact my parens there. It might be best to combine it with a visit to the tribunal. Perhaps i will join you too in that case, despite my physical problems.
But to start with tomorrow, Justus, can you give us a tour of the convenant and its immediate surroundings.

Manius nods and looks at Justus:
[color=red]So you owe favors to some magi. They will surely think the whole covenant owes to them. One magus is not a covenant and you would not have been needed to offer favors settling alone here. If this debt is because you accepted money – even partially – we can repaid it. Gathering money in mundane way is humiliating to a magus. I have learned a spell creating silver. So we can repay the gift immediately and we avoid repaying more serious favors.

Seeing in Mariella’s eyes: <Max, roll something who will look away first. Maybe intimidation? Manius’s total is 10+roll.> He does not do this with everybody. Only if someone obviously likes ‘eye duels’, too. Ardath?

[color=red]Durenmar is a good idea. However I heard rumors it is very difficult to reach their library. I am sure Frederick (gesture toward him) [color=red]knows the best the details. We can go anywhere for books and we must do it. What about your former covenant?
Let us make a longer journey and contact as many covenants as we can. And the last can be Durenmar. It is far enough.

Speaking to everybody:
Material wealth is a good thing I must to agree.

I am sure our foreigner magi will be well teached by the Latin teacher of the covenant. Perhaps a strange task for him but it does not matter. We can help you, too, if we speak only German in your presence.

My vote is for a Mentem book but Parma Magica is needed, too. The history of the Order shows clearly the wizards were convinced to join for this unique skill. If they are not friendly this ability will neutralize their practices. Not to mention Order of Odin is close to us, too.
Who has the appropriate magic casting the ritual of the Aegis? If all are here it must be activated.

[color=blue]

Justus swallowed a mouthful of wine and then begun to speak. [color=red]I have a few suggestion from what I see emerging in this discussion. First of all I suggest that we mount an expedition to Durenmar in the black Forest, thus introducing ourselves to the members of the greatest covenant and we can acquire some of the finest books available.

I say that we bring with us our entire stash of vis and purchase a sound summae in each of the techniques and try to get a many tractate on different subject as possible. If we offer a large amount of vis we can probably get a fair deal of “deal sweeteners” in the process. These surplus books can be in anything we can get our hands on.

I have the necessary skill to cast the Aegis of the Hearth myself as vim is one of my specialities. The casting table should provide us with some protection.

Regarding those favours that I owe other magi. I can only say that I had to give lots and lots of promises of aid in the future in order to start this covenant. As you all know one need the others covenants approval in order to fund a covenant in the Rihne tribunal. Perhaps silver will help but I don’t know for now.

One suggestion that I have concerning the growth of our mundane resources is that if we wish them to grow rapidly without magical assistance we could let people settle the land around us, swear allegiance to us and not pay any tithes for the first five years. There are two major risks with this proposition and the first is that we don’t know what riffraff that come to our land and we might aggravate the tensions between us and our closest neighbours. Any suggestions? Justus took another sip of his wine.

Just a little, to let him know she's not to be triffled with (she's a strong-willed bitch, after all :laughing: ), but then, she just smile, and moves on, as if it were all a game between dear friends and not a duel.

To manius:
[color=red]We must beware with the creation of mundane wealth. Sure, we're in an isolated area and risk little from the quaesitores, but we should take care nonetheless, and be carefull if so we choose.

I agree with you on the debt subject, however: We are all in this together, now, and it wouldn't be fitting if Justus had to bear the brunt of the debts while we benefitted from his efforts without doing nothing in return. On this matter at least, his debts are our debts.

To Justus
[color=red]I like your suggestion about mundane settlement. It might also combine well with my proposition about education.
As per the riffraff that may come to us, it should be a relatively simple matter to deal with it: Some trusted grogs could form a milicia, training some villagers for it, milicia growing in number with the arrivals, and whose stated goal would be to maintain peace and oust troubleshooters and thiefs. We could also slightly enforce them with some useful magic trinkets to help them in their mission. Their efficiency and fidelity should also be relatively simple: All we need to do is to pay them correctly, with slight annual bonuses based on their efficiency, and oust any who leaves himself get corrupted or behaves badly. By keeping the town peacefull and efficient, they would be protecting their families and friends, and gain enough money to support them.

The neighbours is another problem, though, and we'd better find a suitable solution before the problem presents itself. I shall think about it.

Nissa sits in a window sill , her bare legs dangling and the last of the days light turning her hair into a glowing nimbus. Shadows cast into the room sway like willows in a gentle breeze.

[color=red]
Well folks, I certainly agree that we need more books and research materials, Perdo, Creo and Imagenem would suit me best although I guess at this stage we all have some weak arts that could do with some help.

I'm probably not the best choice to go to Durenmar, but I'll tag along if needed.

She smiles at Justus

[color=red]
Now don't you worry about the debts you have landed us with, I'm sure everyone will chip in, this is a wonderful new home for us all and we need to pull together

But I'm concerned about the suggestion to bring in mundanes, before we do that we need to find out who else lays claim to the surrounding area, both Mundane nobility and more importantly the Fay. Early exploration to make friends with our immediate neighbors seems called for.

Tipping the last of her wine back she smiles contentedly and settles back into the corner of the window.

To Manius
[color=red]We cannot rely on the creation of wealth as a newcomer to this tribunal I am unsure of the periphral code concerning such matters here, however I know that many tribunals have greatly restricted the creation of such wealth and the Rhine tribunal may do so. It would perhaps be best to use any created Silver as seed money to establish proftable mundane concerns

More Generally
[color=red]As to creating a larger mundane settlement here It is not something that I will involve myself in as my Gift is strong. Should we wish to find out more about the mundanes of the region my Brother is a member of the Church in the locality and may be able to help us. I will be speaking with him anyway and can see what I can learn

To Nissa
[color=red]I would not overly worry about the mundane nobility we have sufficeint strength here to crush almost any mundane attack , I myself can easily defeat most armed forces, so we need not fear them. It would be wise to learn more of the local Fay and magical creatures as it is possible that we may be able to gain in dealing with them as well as the hedge wizards we are here to study and if we cannot gain from them then as Apromor said "When you know your enemies flaws then the destruction of your enemy will flow forth "

Again more generally

[color=red]I think we are generally agreed that we should seek to improve our library by travelling to Durenmar . It will be a long journey and from my memory of the map it may be that we whould stop off at Fengheld covenant along the route to see what we can trade there

[color=red]We have to calculate the copying time in our purchasing plan. If we can buy everything in Durenmar it is fine. Maybe the magi of Durenmar use some spell to multiplicate books. Maybe not. If not copying takes long time. That’s why I say to attend many covenants. If we order something here, others there the local scribes will work in paralell and so quicker this way. And we can make lists about the purchasing possibilities for the future.
Justus, did you get horses for the covenant? And wagons?

We must decide what good books to purchase avoiding endless discussion. (Two weeks e-mailing.) [color=red] What do you say to the suggestion of Justus and mine? Which sounds better?
Justus said to purchase books to the 5 techniques.
I said we should vote to see the most popular choices.

I found it better to observe what topics we need rather than purchasing summae only say techniques. For example three of us mentioned the importance of a summa about Parma Magica and nobody a summa about Muto.
And I remember well the words of my parens: “Read the basics from the summae before you extend your knowledge from tractatus.”

Speaking about locals: Who owns the site of the covenant? Do we need any permission to settle foreigners? Who are our neighbours?

Is there any ruling creating wealth? I never heard.

[color=red]Great Idea!!! This would allow us both to jumpstart any mundane business and to hide magically created silver beneath the profits we'd make, slowly giving it away.

So, we all agree? Fengheld, then durenmar? I'd also suggest frederick's old covenant if he can assure us our demands will be well met.

Sigh Yannick's face is showing ill-disguised impatience.

It seems we all agree that we need all the books, spells and tractati we can get. So, one or two of us will be in charge of choosing and aquiring these.
Volunteers? Manius?

We all agree that we need more covenant folk and money to properly pay them.
This is a task for those of us speaking german. The covenant folk can help here. Do we have an autocrat already?
Turning to Ardath: By the way, I think having a represaentative for the covenfolk is a good idea!

We all agree that we need to know about our surroundings and and any dangers, resources, vis and allies here.
Justus, you surely can tell us a little about that before we take any further steps?
I'll take a tour flying to get an overview next, so I know where to start looking. Ardath, you would be very welcome for the vis-hunting!

Then there are, erm..., hermetic tasks, like casting an Aegis, doing protective circles and so on. We all can add our specialties here, whenever there is an opportunity.
Frederic, you said traveling was troublesome for you. You may want to concentrate your efforts to the covenant grounds then? What do you think?
The Aegis... tomorrow morning? All of us?

And one point no one mentionned so far:
We need an incentive for the mercere to visit us a little more often than they usually do in such remote areas. Any ideas?

This is what we need to do to have a base of operations here.
Witches and werewolves coming next.

Now, who will take care of what?

Justus turns to Manius and begun to speak. [color=red]I see wisdom in your words, we all mention three subjects that we wish to have books about and we travel to different covenants and try to purchase the most popular choices first. When our supply of vis are running out we return. I suggest that we travel the following route if we need. We start with travelling to Kohlberg then continue to Lübeck by boat to visit Oculus Septentrionalis then we travel south to Hamburg and continue down the Elbe to Fengheld. From Fengheld we travel to Durenmar and lastly to Triamore. The first part of the journey we travel with our resident teamsters as they are our only means of transportation that isn’t by foot. And as I mentioned before if we run out of vis, let’s say that Oculus Septentrionalis has all the books we need we travel back.

Justus turns his head and address the rest of the assembled magi.[color=red] To answer your concern about the land around us, there are at the current no noblemen that have tried to put some claim on this land. We are in the middle of nowhere but the fay folk might give us some problems in some distant future but for now I haven’t noticed anything that seems to bother us. The major concern in our surrounding are our hedge magicians and for everybody’s knowledge they don’t like us but for now it seems unlikely that they will mount an attack upon us. I believe that we can somewhat safely expand into the area around us, there are always risks and as I pointed out earlier I think that the greatest is that we gather the riffraff of the world around us and that in time we will lose our secluded location as a small town forms at our covenant.

[color=red]My choice of book would be books concerning perdo, rego and magic theory. Justus pauses to eat a piece of chicken and continues to speak. [color=red]As Ardath said I think it is a great idea to raise the education level of our covenfolk, if there isn’t anyone opposing that I will give the order to our specialists to start with this endeavour the next morning.
[color=red]Anyone has any different ideas? Justus look at everyone’s eyes as he spoke the last phrase.

to yannick
[color=red]Great! I'm sure we'll be a good pair. I'm sure we'll find some usefull vis out there.

You're right about the redcaps. Let me think... At least for starters, we can receive them well, and make them feel at home. When we have more books or when the news come out that w trade books for vis, they'll be more than happy to visit us.

A also agree about a casting of the aegis tomorrow morning. This is an important matter, and we shouldn't wait. The same goes for the protective circles. I'm wondering... Perhaps, with suitable gifts, I could manage to convince some spirits to watch over our covenant's surroundings, or assist us if need be.

To Justus
[color=red]I agree with your proposals. My 3 choices for books would be, for now, Parma Magica, Rego, and either terram or vim.

We should be wary about the Fair Folk. I have more than passing experience of them, and I don't trust them. Neither should you: They are, quite litterrally, and whatever they may seem, inhuman beings, and can be as easily allies than foes. Hopefully, I have some means to deal with them if need be, although I'd advise against attiring their enmity.

[color=black]Drinks a little

As you pointed out, hedge magicians should be a minor problem once we've erected our aegis, but let's not underestimate the indirect damage they may cause by striking us outside of it.
I suggest that, for now, we don't bother with them, but we should try to establish peacefull contacts while preparing for an eventual war. Let us be the best of friends with those who proves themselves willing to live in peace with us, and the worst of ennemies with those who would dare to strike against us. This way, we shall be respected as powerfull and valuable allies.

The eventual rabble may still be a problem, but I trust my militia shall be up to the task.
We'd train them to use very basic and inexpensive weapons, such as knives or clubs, so as not to increase our costs too much, but they could serve as an additionnal force should we ever get attacked. If you all agree, I shall speak about this to my shield grog, and we may begin recruiting and training the first recruits once the first arrivals begin, at the rate of one milician per 20 new villagers.

I think everything's covered by now, we just need to continue with the books vote.