"True," Isobel replies. "Yet many who have reputations have earned them through and through. They don't come from nowhere."
[hr][/hr]
Yes, a reputation doesn't bring certainty. And yes, as a player, I can see (OOC) that this is likely a case of a reputation being false. And it would make Isobel perspicacious indeed if I had her realize that right away. But for the Infamous Flaw to mean anything, Seamus has to suffer from a bad reputation at least for a little while. 
"Darn true on both counts. Time will tell." Then handwaving at the grimness of the discussion Corbin says "Well let's not let an absent man ruin our evening. I'll find another round of drinks and get some more food over here too." He pushed away from the table and goes to get another round for their bench.
As the player of Seamus I've given thought to his history and the truth of his rep, but would like to leave it totally unknown to others and have the character have to deal with it in story. If somebody SGs something for him I'll put it in a post.
Arthur shrugs "In my experience the ones who are truly twisted manage to conceal their deeds and gain no reputation. At the same time I have seen such a man besmirch the reputation of a rival in order to destroy him. So while a reputation may not come from nowhere, that does not mean it comes from their actions. I put little value in whispers, rumors, and lies that reputations are made from." He walks up to Seamus "Mind if I join you for a drink?"
Seamus looks down at Arthur and his scowl turns to a blank face, "Training outside men. Join us." (his Latin is limited 3 and his English is worse 1) He puts in the sword belt again as he leaves the hall, the keg not really bothering him.
Outside a scruffy looking grog stands a bit straighter and speaks something quickly in gaelic, to which Seamus curtly replies. The man places a lantern down on the ground and leaves at a trot. Seamus picks it up and begins walking slowly after the grog "what do you do young man?"
Yes, Lili would likely have found him there. [color=green]"Greetings Magus Corbin." [strike]The small teenager seems a little hesitant and worried, probably due to his Gift, she pushes onward anyway.[/strike] [color=green]"My mother is Beatrix ex Mercere, and that is how I have come here. I have spent my life training in Magic Theory, specializing in the construction of labs. Well, looking after my siblings, too. Anyway, I would be quite willing to work on your laboratory if you want to improve it... for a modest fee, small enough to be quite worth your while." She smiles at him with hopeful eyes.
I don't see Latin listed as one of Seamus' languages, nor do I see any Virtue that would allow him to take Academic abilities. Am I missing something?
Gavin joins the festivities, though he remains at the end of a table, sipping a drink alone, save for a cat that sits purring on his lap. He understands that the Gift makes him difficult to approach. But he still wants to get to know some of the covenant members, if only from afar, and let them know who he is.
(OCC: Corbin is gentle gifted, so Lili probably wouldn't be unnaturally hesitant, well not anymore than normal when meeting a stranger. )
Corbin don't need to think long, and smiles a broad smile. "Well then yes! I need to get myself settled and plan my work.." He wipes the grit and muck from his hands on a cloth and continues, "but as I think about it an extra set of hands would be very useful in some projects and making the lab better once the basics are done. "
"Let's talk rates later. For now let me get some water for us and banter about magic - if you have the time"
"What work have you done in perception through arcane connections?"
(..and if she has a little time Corbin is trying to see how skilled she is, how she approaches lab challenges, and her personality. Recognising that she maybe stronger in Magic Theory than he is)
I need to fix his sheet because of the interaction of the three related languages he has, I had another Version in MC but you're spot on for the Latin requirements. At worst I'll just up his English a little more.
"I assist magi in their lab work."
(OOC - I struck that bit. I keep confusing who is who at the moment.)
Lili is quite happy to expound what she knows. [color=green]"I have not done a lot of work yet, mostly studying and learning from others as they work. But now that I'm old enough, Mom said I can make my own choices. I know she plans to employ me soon, giving everyone some time to get to know me." She is intelligent and really good at communicating her ideas. (OOC - Her Magic Theory is 4 with a specialty in laboratory construction.) She is able to perceive magic (Magic Sensitivity), though she is not really skilled at it so far. If Corbin shows her some magic of different magnitudes and types, she'll happily tell him what she can see an identify, which will be quite far from all of it.
Corbin is impressed with Lili's skills. "You've a talent Lili, perceiving magic the way you do is better than most and far better than I can. I'd love you to help get my lab setup once I figure the guts of it. Time permitting, your mother probably wants your help too and family is family. "
"Is that all?" He looks perplexed.
Arthur stares at the floor for a second "I was once an apprentice, but my Gift was lost. Me former master kept me as a lab assistant and, well, slave, until recently when I was freed. So yes, that is pretty much it at the moment, though I... may come to do more."
"You should do more. You be smart cause the wizards keep you. And you're small, " you're both approaching an open clearing where armed men are practicing fighting, but not with big weapons. Daggers and wrestling from what Arthur can see, it's hard to make out as the area is poorly lit by small lanterns. Seamus points "Jaco here is smart and small, good man for raiding. Thinking man live longer. " he is struggling a bit with English to find the right words. You stop and he places the keg down next to you both, and opens a small flask from within his kit, takes a short sip and hands it to you, and looks at the men. "If you can't fight we will teach you. Live longer. "
(The water flask has a bitter and strong spirit in it)
Arthur smiles "Some would say you live longer by not fighting, but from my past experience, I would rather learn, so if I need to fight I know how. I would have to fit training in between my scholarly duties for now, but I certainly appreciate the offer, and I'll make it for training when I can."
"Knowing some is better than none. Your choice. " he shrugs and speaks more short institutions in Gaelic. The change weapons and men pair off three to one.
Lili's Hermetic Latin is good - rather impressively so for her youth - though accented like her mother's. [color=green]"Yes, I'll spend some time looking after my siblings. And Mom will hire me to work on her lab, too. But she wants me to learn to earn for myself, and she has promised to hire me for the work I do for her. That way I can earn my own longevity ritual and buy my own magical items. I expect she'll want me working for her for the first two seasons we're here so she has a functioning lab. But I know she is picky and will want more done, so she may well be flexible on that, too. Let me know when you have some ideas, and I'll put together some plans for you. If you like them, I can implement them."
One of the following days Bea swings by. Her Hermetic Latin is also accented by her native Saxon. [color=blue]"Greetings, Corbin of Merinita," she says a bit formally at first as she settles into a crouch and displays far less formality in her face and body. [color=blue]"Thank you for being so welcoming to my daughter, Lili. She is just starting to step out on her own. I appreciate it. She also said that you are not so disturbing as most magi. That is a great talent." Bea seems to be sizing him up as she speaks, though on what scale is hard to say; she sounds interested, not competitive.
"Lili has a bright future. Well spoken n' brave to seek out the magi by herself. I admired that when we met although I didn't realise that till a while later. She's lucky to have such a sensitivity for magic too." He takes a seat after offering Bea some water and taking a cup for himself, and also moves the seat around a bit before sitting "If you can spare her then I think she can really help now and then, once I decide what I might do. Great child."
"I'm not sure that my gentle gift is too much of a talent, its just the way its been. Perhaps more powerfully gifted people don't have the same interpersonal distractions as I do? I would find it hard to live without a bit of socialising now and then. " Now shifting a wax tablet with miscellaneous scratches away onto the floor. "But studying some things was such a tiring push when I was younger, even when it was magical it was sometimes a push to stay focused. Since traveling away from my old home in the south I'm finding this break from study to be very welcome and a great way to recharge."
"I ponder what I'll do and what I might be doing a decade or so from now. Apprenticeship was all pressure, but it gave focus. My Master was all about her work, and lost touch a bit. I've a thought to fuss about with non-traditional species as a start, but could just as easily get right into build some interesting scrying solutions that are not readily available now." he reaches for an apple from a small basket of them on a side table, "Gawen dropped some off, they're great". He offers the basket to Bea, and then places it down to eat one. "I'd like to do an illusion to have a huge garden vista or scenery from a mountain top too".
"Whats your niche interest in the art Bea?"
She tries to hide it, but there is a chance Corbin will notice her interest in sizing him up wanes when he comments about more powerfully Gifted people. She is still interested in learning about him, though, so it is not a major shift in her demeanor. She takes an apple with an appreciative thanks.
In reply to his later comments she says, [color=blue]"It seems you would be a great artist of illusions then? That is far from my expertise. I would be happy to help turn the whole covenant into a idyllic vista, beyond what it currently is. But that would be for real, and not an illusion. Myself, I am currently working on a new approach to providing Redcaps with enchantments. I will likely end up making longevity rituals for a few local Redcaps as well. My personal talents lie within necromancy, of which you may have heard and which likely explains to you my revenant familiar and the horde of owl corpses scattered outside the covenant."