Derp. I had forgotten that. (It's been a while since I've actually done anything with the rules, so apparently I'm a little rusty.) And I'm still trying to avoid House Rules as much as possible, so let's just keep going with the "Need the Gift except for these cases..." thing.
I'd have to check again, but I seem to remember that a Familiar whose bond is severed basically pines to death. And the magus suffers from severe Depression for a long time.
ArM 5 Core Rules, p. 105:
So not guaranteed death. But one wonders whether it would be in any condition to assist in a lab after losing its master.
(OOC - OK, looks like we're in agreement now. The rules allow for anyone with Magic Theory to work on a lab, just not to be an assistant. That is why Lili is trying to get hired to do lab construction. Later she'll also try to be hired to instruct beginning apprentices. )
Beatrix smiles at the new woman and replies, [color=blue]{Hermetic Latin} "Thank you both for the welcome. We will get settled in. Would it be possible to read the charter before the first meeting?"
(OOC - This reading of the charter was anticipated in the other thread.)
Beatrix leads her family to follow Saundra, explaining to them in Saxon that this is their new home but they will be in temporary quarters while there new house is built.
While not reading the charter or taking care of her family over the next days, Beatrix roams about to get familiar with the covenant's layout and to get a chance to chat with the other magi.
Gavin is also present and welcomes any opportunity to chat with his new sodales.
Bea introduces herself to Gavin in accented Latin, [color=blue]{Hermetic Latin} "Greetings. I take it you are one of the newly arrived magi, like me. I am Redcap Beatrix ex Mercere, Filia August, though I usually go by Bea. Was yours a long journey to get here?"
Bea is actually somewhat similar in description to a feminine version of Gavin, being pretty, small, not particularly strong, and much younger appearing than she actually is. Also, with his Strong Faerie Blood, his eyes are someone different; and Bea's eyes look a little glassy, not quite as though she is dead but getting there.
Gavin also replies in accented Latin. "I am," he replies. "Gavin ex Miscellanea, of the Society of Alchmists. It's a pleasure to meet you, Bea." He smiles and offers his hand. "No, I didn't have that long a journey, not compared to some. I'm a local to Loch Legean, you see, born and gauntleted here. And you? Didn't I see you arrive on top of a that large dragon?"
OOC: Isn't the term "Redcap" reserved for non-Gifted members of the House? That seems to be the standard used in all of the source material. (See, e.g., p. 81 of HoH:TL)
(("Redcap" refers to all members of Mercere. The Redcap vs. Mercere Magi/Gifted Mercere distinction was one that they used in that book to differentiate Gifted from Ungifted.))
(OOC - Yes. And in the book they specifically note that Gifted Mercere make efforts to not be considered differently than non-Gifted Mercere. Gifted Mercere also carry out duties of Redcaps, just not as frequently.))
Bea takes the offered hand. [color=blue]"Ah, quite local then. We are from further away, from Fengheld and more recently Durenmar in the Rhine Tribunal. And, yes, Günther, my familiar, flew us all here from Durenmar. You needn't worry about him, as much as he may joke about eating you. Mostly he just eats anything holding vis that he is allowed. If you want to earn his friendship quickly, put a pawn of vis in a tasty, recently dead lamb or cow and deliver it to him." She smiles. [color=blue]"This Society of Alchemists of yours... does this mean you mostly work with transmutations? And is that what differentiates your eyes?" Bea seems to be sizing him up as she speaks, though on what scale is hard to say; she sounds interested, not competitive.
OOC: I'd forgotten that the core book referred to both Gifted and unGifted as Redcaps. I was just used to the later books, which fall into using "Redcap" as a shorthand for unGifted Mercere magi. Funny, I'm playing a Mercere magus in another saga and have never called him a Redcap. I'll have to remember that.
"Fengheld and Durenmar," Gavin says. "I've heard of them, of course. "But I've never actually been there. It must be quite a shock to move so far, what with the difference in culture and language - not to mention weather. I hope you're ready for some cold winters. That was a shock for me. And don't worry, Günther hadn't put me off. I know how overeager familiars can be sometimes. My own, Groot, gets into all sorts of trouble, don't you, Groot?" A black and white cat sits lazily nearby. It looks up and dryly notes, "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"The Society of Alchemists is a division within House Miscellanea. We work on techniques of distilling vis as well as making other alchemical concoctions. We're quite focused on lab work, potions, items, that sort of thing."
"And my eyes," he adds, lifting his hand to his face. "Yes, those. Well, I spent a great deal of my life living in Faerie. As best I can understand, it changed me somehow. Made me part faerie, or at least faerie-like. That's one of the outward signs. Very convenient, actually. I can see quite well in the dark and notice things that are unseen. I've been told that's not true for most people. My blood is also rather more blue than red. And near as I can tell, I'm aging slightly more slowly than a normal person would."
"I see you have a family,", Gavin adds. "That must be a great comfort to you. I only ever knew faeries growing up. And then I was in my apprenticeship. After gauntlet I've been in the lab, mostly. I applaud you being able to start and maintain a family. Groot here is the only family I have, well, at least on this side of the faerie veil. I have an original family too, on this side of the veil, or so I'm told. But I've never met them."
[color=blue]"I will adapt to the weather. I don't expect it to bother me. I happen to be most skilled at Rego, so wards are quite familiar to me. Wards make heat, cold, rain, snow, etc. easy to handle."
Bea's curiosity about Gavin seems to increase when he talks about being changed. [color=blue]"Interesting... So you have a lot of magic, or faerie, in your blood. And you have not yet taken a longevity ritual, presumably, from the way you talk about aging? I also age slowly, though I have no faerie in my blood that I know of."
Bea replies openly about her family. [color=blue]"Yes, I do enjoy having my children with me, though I also spend a lot of time in the lab. Like other Mercere, I have deliberately had children before taking a longevity ritual. I have a son, a little younger than Lili, who is not her with us, as well. He has begun his apprenticeship as a Redcap in the Rhine Tribunal. And, like with you two, Günther is part of my family. My children really do seem to love playing with him, sliding down his wings more than anything else. Have you ever thought of having children?"
"I'm not sure what you consider 'a lot' of magic or faerie," Gavin replies. "I certainly have more than most people. So yes, I'd say I have a lot. And you're right; I haven't started on a longevity ritual yet, even though I'm past the age when a magus normally would. I just haven't felt the need yet. Maybe in another ten or fifteen years."
"Have I thought of having children?" He twists his lip curiously and tilts his head to the side. "I suppose in an abstract sort of way. But I doubt it's something that'll happen. I'd have to meet someone who wanted to have children with me and who I'd want to have children with as well. And the Gift doesn't help with that, nor does my lab schedule. I'm impressed that you managed - though I suppose it's easier in House Mercere with your more liberal attitudes."
Bea smiles; it's sort of an acknowledging smile but also somewhat a pleased smile - a little hard to figure out. [color=blue]"I'm not sure I could define what a lot of magic in one's blood is, either. But clearly some have more inherent magic, some accomplish by working hard, etc. The best would be to have a lot of magic in your blood and work hard, too. Clearly you and I each have more magic within us than just our Gifts."
[color=blue]"Well, if you don't need a longevity ritual for another decade or more, then you certain have time to sire some children. Yes, we Mercere have more liberal attitudes. We really must. It is expected of us to have children to continue the bloodline. Yet we all take longevity rituals, too. So we must have children before we get too old. Myself, I expect to bear one or two more children. Having a nursemaid with me is what makes it possible alongside the lab work, though there have certainly been seasons where it has been far easier to study than to work in the lab. Procreation need not stop you from being a productive magus."
"True," Gavin concedes. "And I'll have it easier, not having to worry about the physical confinement. But there is that awkward part about finding a willing and suitable mother. And then there's the whole question of marriage. I'm not sure I'm ready to get married. That seems to be important to women before they have children." He shrugs. "But as you say, I have a decade or more to consider the issue, so it's not a decision I have to make immediately."
"I can see the need for a nursemaid," he adds. "It would be impossible to get any lab work done otherwise. But how does the Gift effect you with them. I'd imagine it would be hard to bond with a child when you have the Gift. I'm sure you can extend your Parma from time to time. But that's not a perfect solution."
[color=blue]"Who knows. You may be fortunate enough to find a woman who can accept your Gift and isn't insistent on being married."
[color=blue]"Well, the Gift can be troublesome for sure. It can be dealt with. But dealing with it magically gives the children less time to get accustomed to it. At the very beginning it can be really handy, though. But at some point you have to go through an extended rough period. Having a larger family helps. I would say my children are closer to each other than to me. But then Lili is fairly used to my Gift, so if she accepts me and the other children are close to her, things get easier. Getting Lili there was... harder..."
"I can but hope," Gavin replies when Bea suggests he may yet find someone. "And should the time come, I shall most certainly come to you for more advice on how to handle the situation. You seem to have managed quite well with your children despite the challenges you faced. I can only hope that I would be up to the task as well."
"And how are you settling into the covenant?" he adds. "I understand that you're going to be taking one of the new houses. When do you suppose those will get created. It looks like I'll be fortunate to get one of the older ones, though I'll need new furniture at some point. Fiona was quite large, I gather, and all of her furniture is a bit big for my tastes."
[color=blue]"Please do come to me. You would be quite welcome." Bea smiles warmly at him.
[color=blue]"Right now it's an adventure for the little ones and an opportunity for Lili and me. The new houses should be made soon. I'll have to ask for some furniture to be made, but otherwise we should move into the new place quickly. With Günther's size and the size of my family as a whole, we just couldn't move into a typical-sized place."
"Well, if you need a place to stay until the house or furniture is complete," Gavin offers, "please feel free to make use of my living quarters. Cory and I can set up pallets in the lab to sleep, and take our meals at the revel hall until things settle down. I don't have room for Gunther. But the rest of you could manage quite nicely."
Beatrix may take 4 XP; Gavin, 1.
Carry on.
OOC: I goofed in a comment that Gavin made and wanted to correct it. I forgot that Gavin was born, apprenticed, and gauntleted in Stonehenge. He's spent the last seven years in Loch Leglean, however.
You mean when Gavin introduced himself to Beatrix? Did you want to take a mulligan on that, or just pretend that he said he was from England/Stonehenge and that Beatrix responded appropriately?