[color=red]I think we would hear much news in inns where other travellers put up. Then let us take a ship to Lübeck.
To the soldiers:
[color=red]My skin changes sometimes but do not bother with it. It is strange but I got used to it already. You will, too. If I concentrate strong enough I can regain its old color. I will do it in the town.
I get in the wagon. To the magi:
[color=red]I will soon use a spell. Justus, do you want to speak to the people?
After we leave the guards I will use my spell with to recolor my skin to the skin Germans have as I really did it sometimes. I suppose there will be loud sounds outside so I will use normal voice.
[color=blue]You are the SG ! I do not want to do here any special.
Mariella will meet with her brother to talk but unless something signifigant is going to be said whe will be just making small talk about events since they last met and the local area otherwise I am happy to move on
The party spends the night in the town of Kolberg and listens to the tales of the townsmen. One story is more hideous than the next but all seems to have one thing in common, the forest. In the morning you load onto a merchant ship and travels to Lübeck.
The sea passage is easy on most persons in the group, those suffering from seasickness far far worse than the others. Upon arriving in Lübeck you manage to get a swift invitation to Oculus Septentrinalis and are invited to join their magi on a welcoming banquette. The banquette is held at Henri de Tours home and you are joined by Gunhilda Henrasdottir, Estrid Danesson and Imamitos Mendax.
The banquette in as grandiose as one can expect when Jerbiton magi host the party and full of the usual etiquette rules that such events require.
[color=blue]<Check your character sheets for etiquette, those who don’t have that skills probably won’t enjoy the banquette>
Henri de Tours asks the questing magi how their journey has been.
[color=red]The journey has not been a great problem so far, there where some rude mundanes but we avoided conflict. Unfortunatly the bandits avoided us so there was not much excotement
Henri de Tours seems to listen with great interest to the tales from his guests and the hosts seems to disregard any non-blatant breeches of etiquette. Heasks another question in his soft voice.[color=red] What brings you here and where have you come from? As Henri await his answer the servants keeps the wine flowing and the meat in plenty on each persons plate.
[color=black] Mariella is careful not to consume wine in Excess
[color=red]We have travelled from the covenant of Ad Fons newly founded by Justus, we are travelling to introduce ourselves to mages from other covenants in this tribunal and also investigating the potential to trade for books to help improve the library of our covenant
Henri de Tours replies, [color=red]We have several good tomes in supply and if you wish to end your travels here we can arrange for other copies to be brought to you for a small fee. That is if you are not interested in going further with your travels. Manly mundane tomes fill and we have books on all magical subjects, any particular that interests you?
After pausing to see if any of her colleagues wish to say anything Mariella responds
[color=red]We intend to trravel onto Fengheld and Durenmar but we would certainly be interested in seeing what your covenant has that we could trade for. Sadly given the age of our covenant and the nature of our magi we are most interested in books covering the hermetic arts particularly anything you have on the Parma Magica ,Perdo , Rego or Magic theory which we beleive would be most useful un our endeavors to deal with the hedge wizards and Were wolves of Pomerania
[color=blue]Manius doesn't have etiquette.
[color=red]...and maybe Creo. I left the covenant some days ago and did not think we see each other again with you so soon. But I am sure we will have a lot of time to business later. We do not want to disturb the banquette.
[color=red]As Manius says we should discuss any details of business after this fine banquet. Although I would prefer to spend as little time as possible in your fine city as I find that my gift disturbs mundanes and I would prefer to avoid risking stirring up trouble for your covenant
[color=blue]Henri de Tours agrees with Manius and he urges the banquette to continue without any talk of business. The banquette continues and is a quite pleasant evening. It’s a sharp contrast to the hard boiled pig of Ad Fons covenant. The food is excellent and seasoned with spice from far away, the wine is an elegant red wine from Burgundy and the entertainment in form singing mistrals and the odd tall tale that are told. As the evening pass onto night the banquette comes to an end. The magi are taken care of and each gets a separate room in Henri de Tours townhouse.
[color=blue]In the morning you are invited after breakfast to Henri de Tours private audience hall, outside his sanctum, where he asks the magi to take a seat. When all magi have taken their seats Henri de Tours call upon his servants. Four servants come into the chamber each of them carrying a tome, they place the tomes in front of the magi. Here are some of the covenant finest tomes, Henri says as the tomes are placed in front of the gusting magi. Henri continues to speak, it is Gregorius Ex Bonisagus work “The metaphysics of the human mindâ€, “Rule and order†by Octavius Ex Tremere, “The bright shadow of Arcadia†by Semifractus Ex Merinita and “The metaphysics of the human body†by Gergorius Ex Bonisagus. All magi recall these titles as good works on the arts of Mentem, Rego, Imaginem and Corpus. We also has a list of other tomes in our libraries that could be available on demand, Henri pauses and continues. I have a work on the art of Mentem that is being written and if you wish there could be a copy made up for you. We have several tomes but Mentem, Rego, Imaginem and Corpus are our specialities, be assured that theses are not the only good tomes available. Henri looks each of the assembled magi in the eyes as he speaks the last words.
[color=red]May I examine the books?
Mariella asks
[color=blue]If allowed to she then examines the books and attempts to determine their qualities levels and types
She then looks at Henri de Tours and asks him
[color=red]What would you be asking from us for us to have access to copies of these fine books
[color=red]Please look in theese tomes if you wish. Henri speaks with a soft voice. When you look at the texts you know that they are excellent works in their fields. Henri continues to speak, [color=red]all of these tomes that I have displayed in front of you are subject to the cow and calf oath and I know for a fact that Octavis has a reputation for enforcing that particular oath. Concerning the tomes written by Gregorius Ex Bonisagus are subject to the rules of Durenmar that says that one copy can be made at a time and Duremar chooses who will have the right to copy the text. Of Semifractus little is know other than her skills in Imaginem. I could be seen as an insult to the authors to sell the books for a price in vis, but there are other ways of payment. I depends… what did you have in mind to offer for the tomes? Henri looks at the assembled magi to discern what they are thinking.
[color=red]Lesser tomes from our library could be available in a season or two for a few vis. We have books in all arts and skills of the magical trade. Henri displays a list of books that are in the library as he speaks.
[color=red]For sound works we would have to charge on a average 10 pawns of vis for a summae and two or three for a tractate. We have up to a dozen book in each of the following arts mentem, imaginem, corpus and rego. About half of the titles are tractate. In every other knowledge or art that could be interesting we have at least one sound summae written by skilled authors.
Mariella pasuses obviouly considering her words carefully before answering
[color=red]At the moment our covenant is fairly poor in resources except for an adequate supply of Vis certainly we have no books of our own to trade. However it is possible that our covenant may be able to provide assistance or aid to your own covenant in its dealings as while we are younger than your covenant our wilderness location allows a wider range of talents amongst the magi of our covenant so we may possess skills which would be useful to you.
I feel that we are constrained in decideing which books to trade for vis at the moment as we would be wise to visit the other two covenants we have to visit and see what may be available. Particularly as we would be returning via this city to get a ship back towards our covenant and could reach a fnial decion then but ither arrangements would readily finalsied now. Is there anything we could do to assist yoru covenant in it's endeavors?
Manius takes part on the banquette looking for possibilities to chat with the people. He knows the resident magi so he asks about guest magi in the banquette if any. He wants to pick up gossips about magi and not interested in mundane ways much. If there are fast women he tries to get one but will not use magic. If there are no occasions he goes to his former mistress to spend the night.
To Henri:
[color=red]We are interested in the other books, too so we want to investigate the list and even the books if possible. Do they have any limitation like caw and the calf?
If we want some books, summae or tractatus do we get a copy promptly or do we have to wait some time?
Manius examines the books, too. And reads the list very slowly and carefully knowing he wants to remember well the titles later.
Are the tractatus of our covenant in these list?
Henri replies, [color=red]The books on the list are not a subject to the Cow and Calf oath but the masterpieces displayed in front of you are.
[color=blue]The books that you have in your library are present in the list, and they have the full collection of “The apprentices primer in …â€. Justus where given common titles when he started the covenant.
Nothing important are learned in the ways of gossip, the Jerbition magi are a bit cautious.
Amberich profits of his status to wander somewhat, explore the covenant, and get an idea of his strengths and weaknesses. Just professionnal curiosity.
He doesn't care about the books, this is not his job)