Table Talk (OOC)

Preparing and running stories tailored to the other characters is just one way of contributing to the saga. There are also vis sources to detail, places to describe, etc. So you can look at the maps () and decide to lay a claim on a specific place and develop it. This will come, of course, with some stories that could happen there. The same can be with people.

As the Alpha storyguide, I am the final resource to balance things out. So if some specific reward and impact of some event is too much (or not enough), I will discuss with you ways to bring it in line with the power level of the saga.

That doesn't mean I need to know all of the details. I want to play in some stories as well, so some things can be kept secret. But establishing with me the broad outline of an area, or people, before fully developping it help keep things safe. Some things can be simply discussed with the troupe.

Let's take an example. As part of the background of the covenant, there was an arragment reached with the Telsberg family head by Leonardus for the use the small valley. Since Leonardus is gone, Clusius will have to go meet the Telsberg to present himself as Leonardus' heir. Since this is a story that my magus will need to be heavily involved in, I asked if one of the players was interested in developping the Telsberg family based on some thoughts I had on the subject. Houlio offered to do that, and also prepared his own companion to be from the Telsberg. So he has a "claim" on the Telsberg family, as indicated in this Notes and Claims post.

So there are plenty of opportunities around if you want to work on something while you complete your character! Take a look at the maps, take a look at the proposed vis sources. Share your ideas for stories, interesting locales or people. Tugurium is a place where Leonardus gathered people that didn't fit well in medieval society, so some of them, while not "playing" material, can add color to the saga. After all, the steward isn't even alive (note to self, finalize Julius' character sheet). :slight_smile:

As a final note, many of the posts in The Covenant of Tugurium, Grogs and Covenfolk, as well as Notes and Claims are set up as wikis, so that anyone can edit them. So when you create a new character, or a new place, you can just add them in the right place and create links. If you have trouble doing it, don't hesitate to ask!

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Cool, then let me start by doing the oak vis source. If that goes well, I can tackle the next one.

Can I also make a turb captain?

Where do you want me to post them (for review)?

Any character can be presented in your personal character creation topic. Vis sources should probably be presented and discussed in Covenant Discussions (OOC).

Had a weekend that was a bit unexpectedly away from home. I'm back now, and will look at getting a story post up tonight. Nice to see the new people here too!

Maybe I just haven't found it yet, but I think it would help to have a "character in a nutshell" thread (or maybe add such a text to an existing thread?):

It would be a short paragraph about what would be immediately known/seen. This might help to refer to another player's character.

Example:
Eikona ex Jerbiton is a small, woman with long gorgeous golden hair that is held by a lace scarf, but cascades down her back. Her dress looks expensive and is tailored to reveal her curves. With deep blue eyes and ruby lips, she is a true beauty. Her accent betrays her Burgundian origins. You have heard that she likes men and that her magical interests are focused on the Art of Imaginem, particularly the visual capturing of species.

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The closest thing we have is the list of inhabitants of the covenant. It is currently much shorter and concentrates on concept rather than physical appearance, but we could simply those elements there.

Does anyone have any preferred way to format in-character posts? Or do people just prefer to write them out more or less as is?

A distinctive layout would be cool. I'm marvelling at the things you guys are doing with your sheets layoutwise, but I'm no good at layouting on this forum (yet).
There is one caveat though: From another forum, I know the idea of giving each plaer a distinct color for direct speech. That looks garish more often than good.

I'm not asking for any specific format. Just make sure it is easily readable, for example by avoiding huge blocks of plain text mixing (without differenciation) descriptive information, in-character speech and out-of-character directives.

Cool, I figured now that we started a couple it would be wise to check.

@Lacnunga I've seen the colored text for different character's speech too. I think it makes it easy to read at a quick glance, but I think an ars game will have too many characters to make that viable.

Just to let you know that with the flurry of posting, and me being less active on the weekends, I'll be catching up over the next few days. My first priority will be to keep the in-character story flowing, so don't worry if you see me responding to more recent posts there and not yours. I'll get to them! :smiley:

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Should I assume the early "fork" of the intro thread is done, or is there more to say? I wasn't sure if it was going to be assumed that the magi were joining the covenant, or if there should be a conversation about terms and the signing of the charter.

That is up to you. This is a "give a tour of the covenant" type of story for the moment, with each magus discovering some of the features of the covenant. I'm trying to show different features with each of the arriving magi, so that everyone can get a feeling of the place and people.

It is also the time for each magus to express his preferences for the best place for his sanctum, as well as other things he's interested in. I'm assuming Wolfgang wants one of the caves, but if that's not the case we'll put him elsewhere.

Since Wolfgang arrived first, we can also have him join the discussions with Perion.

I have just sent a private message to callen, who hasn't posted anything since February 26th. I hope we haven't lost him! But if he only resurfaces in a few weeks, his maga may have to join the second wave.

Makes sense. It's been several days so Wolfgang will have probably started setting up his lab, and yes, in a cave as you say.

As a player I don't know the terms of membership, but that may just be that I was lazy or inattentive with reading. (if so, please direct me where to look). That's what I was after with the discussion Wolfgang was proposing, I'm happy to have that conversation in posts, or for it to have happened narratively off-screen, whichever you prefer. I don't want to drag things out too much, and Wolfgang is pretty agreeable about that sort of thing anyway, so won't exactly be a "negotiation".

I think it's best to get some details figured out here out-of-context. I don't mind if we want to jump ahead in-character to something next, but if we are still waiting for other people to finish up their magi or other characters, I also wouldn't mind doing some in-character posts talking about it.

Perion would be interested in having a lab in a few places: the thin tower on the cliff above the manor house, some weird and large chamber inside the manor house, or in the caves. Perion would like the remote tower the most of these options, but if the aura there is at a lower level, he would try to find an interior chamber of the manor house. If he can't find one that works right for him, then Perion would look at the caves. If the caves are too small for two magi to have their labs there, then he would look back to one his the other earlier choices.

About the charter, most of the details will have been discussed beforehand by letters. There was relatively few things that were negociable by the prospective members, because of the peculiar nature of the covenant. See the topic Charter Discussions (OOC)

But if you have questions about it, well, that's what that topic was all about! :smiley:

The small tower is basically just to keep watch over the valley -- much too small for a sanctum and not a defensible structure. Just large enough for ladders leading to the top, which is made of wood and just large enough for two grogs to stand watch.

As for other potential places for a sanctum, you have essentially your pick. Small or large (-1 to +2 in Size). Round, square or rectangular. Ground floor, upper floor, basement or cave. From no windows at all to almost completely open to the elements. In the main structure or in its own building. Essentially, the covenant has it all.

Based on the description of what kind of sanctum you want, we will negociate what Virtues and Flaws your lab has. And if the covenant cannot pay the Upkeep for it, then l will add a few more flaws. :smiling_imp:

Due to the peculiarity of the aura, any room which is not occupied on a permanent basis tends to change its shape and location. The way between two specific rooms can change from one week to the other. :laughing:

Cool! I was hoping to end up doing something along those lines. if we are going to spend time talking about the covenant itself more in-depth now, I am going to move this talk over to the covenant discussion thread.

Either there, or in your personal character discussion topic. The laboratory is, after all, a part of your magus.

I'd like to keep the covenant discussion topic for covenant-wide decisions, like vis sources, library stuff, etc.

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Are we dragging our feet a little bit so Eikona can get in the first wave?

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That's not my intention. I will integrate Eikona when she's ready.