Iapetus sighs. "I admit some modest level of worry that nobody argued against that statement."
[color=red]"I feel my amicus is right," Cygna says. [color=red]"I take full responsibility for my own sins and transgressions against my family, the Order, and God. But in my moments of weakness, I wonder what would have happened if anyone, seeing what I was becoming, had taken the time to step in and talk to me, to try to help me see the errors of my ways. If the Order is to survive, let alone thrive as we all know it can, we cannot do so as a collection of disparate individuals. We must become a family."
"We are a family, though. I had an uncaring and apathetic pater who cared nothing for what he did to his filius. Sometimes a family can be worse than no family."
"Think of the history of our order, hermosa. We were founded by men rare in quality, forging the order from the scattered cults. Most joined for the purposes of defense and empowerment. Rare were the magi who were here to build bonds for human betterment. I am guessing the bonds of covenant, where a small group aids each other, is not seen outside of covenant..." Iapetus pauses and frowns. Then he shakes his head with a sigh. "That sounded foolish out loud. Anyway, Magi are often self-centered and competitive at best."
Hiems looks at Tektonius
Yet you showed generosity towards strangers, proving yourself better than your pater. I have no doubt that, should you take an apprentice, you would care for him more than your pater did for you. From what you say, you are a better man than him.
I am not saying it's easy, nor that it can be done. But, just like our magical knowledge grows with each generation, so should our willingness to discuss, to work together, to protect each other. Or else, sooner or later, we shall fall, either prey to our internal divisions or to some outside force. What was the saying? "Together, we shall grow", I believe.
"Perhaps. Or perhaps my generous nature is a self-protection mechanism. Spells that most know by rote escape me. The ability to handle vis outside the lab is another area. These are significant problems for a magus to have. At least I can turn to research and I am willing to do tasks that some magi wouldn't find interesting or rewarding."
"Those are fine sentiments, but it is unlikely that most magi would agree with it. We are a stagnant order, we have not expanded in a hundred years or more. And like all great empires we are devouring ourselves from within and no longer interested in growth." Tektonius's features cloud over as he says the last, "I'm sorry to sound so pessimistic, but I believe we need to explore new frontiers."
Well, you have nothing to fear from me, for once. So this should prove more productive for us, both separately and together, that if we were at each other's throats, like our forefathers were before the Parma Magica.
But you are right about expansion. We need an outlet for the more violent and bullying members of our order, something through which they could channel their energy constructively instead of turning it towards each other. But this is but a temporary solution. Sooner or later, we'll have to be able to live with each other, lest we crumble from within. Sadly, the suspicion and paranoia the gift engenders under an hostile aegis doesn't help, which, like you, makes me quite a pessimist.
[color=red]"Like Thule?" Cygna asks.
"Perhaps. Or go further east, follow Alexander's example. I don't know. I see an Order that is impressed with itself and inwardly focused. Our enemies are own sodales, and not external threats. Perhaps it is because I am focused inward due to the nature of my Gift and my pater's ineptitude that I see it so clearly. What friend casts a spell on us to compel loyalty? i regret recommending we follow Blackthorn. Though I have little taste for politics and thought it to be the most expedient method, their actions have reinforced my view of the Order. It is rotting from within.
[color=red]"I'm going to talk to my cousin this afternoon," Cygna says, [color=red]"after the Tribunal adjourns, and see if I can find out just what happened to us in there. I don't know what they tried to cast on us, but I very much doubt that it was the least bit necessary."
"If you get any clues, come see me after the summer, and we can discuss how to investigate and possibly break the spell." ((While Cygna will be at Schola, Tektonius, at this point in time, thinks he's going to be doing Sophia's LR.))
As soon as those words leave his mouth, Tektonius becomes violently ill, retching up meals he hadn't seen since the summer of 1203. No sooner has he emptied his stomach, but he feels it on the other end, and barely has time to make it to a chamber pot before his bowels erupt. His body pours sweat from every pore, despite that he feels freezing cold, and he shakes uncontrollably.
He will be incapacitated with illness for the better part of a week.
Cygna looks at her sodales. [color=red]"I think I've figured out what the spell does," she deadpans.