Should anyone be interested, my last session was the first session of the reformed Lotharingian Tribunal. It was hosted by Florum's chapter house near Brugges somewhere convenaient for everyone to attend, and it is taking place the day after Saint John's.
The Lotharingian Tribunal of 1232
Location: a large field between Bruges and the sea (about an hour’s walk inland from the lighthouse of Blankenberger), the local Church is that of Sint-Jan-op-den-Dijk.
List of Lotharingian mages in attendance:
To give more info:
- Peter von Wurzburg ex Verditius came from Fengheld to both see his Gild-buddies and also to show off his wares
- Duodoma is a Covenant of two Tytallus who have set up shop near the town of Bad Kreuznach, with as main objective to "help the Lotharingian reach it's full potential", meaning that they go around trolling the players, finishing the quests that can be wrapped up for Vis, and being nuissances, both to the players and to the chapterhouse in Trier.
- Bernard ex Misc is soon to be the last of the Donatores in Requies Aeterna
- The Covenant of Trevorum was resurrected by 3 young mages as a chapterhouse of Triamore. The present magys was kicked out of house Bonisagus, and after joining house ex-Misc was also informed that he had proved himself worthy of House Tytallus.
- In this timeline, Marcus ex Verditius moved not to Lubeck but to Waddenzee, as the Verditius player wanted to be from the Frisian islands.
- Waldheim is the party
Day 0: Pre Tribunal shopping
Verditius shopping
Peter von Wurzburg (He)
- The horseless cart (9 pawns + 2 pounds)
A well-made cart carved out of a single huge tree trunk, with space for a horse, ox or donkey in front. It moves as normal cart would, but without the need for animals. There is a branch un a strange cross shape, used to control the cart. (nb. the players have seen another version of this being used, as both Peter von Wurzburg and Wilhelm Weiss have one and go around with the back of the cart normally filled with wine barrels)
Level 10, +2 Concentration, +1 Touch = level 25
Item maintain concentration +5 = 30
- The Brewer’s Barrel (9 pawns + 1/8 pound)
An ordinary barrel decorated with images of vintners and brewers working their crafts, and their tools.
Rego Herbam 30 24/day R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Group
Placing a selection of food (vegetables/fruits) inside this pot and closing it, the user describes the recipe they wish applied to the food, which is instantly processed and transformed into the corresponding (fruit)wine/beer. The resulting dish is as described by the user, and limited by his knowledge (or imagination) and quality of description. The user must make a Communication + Finesse roll or a Craft: Wine or Beer roll (at +3 Ease Factor). The drink will be at least technically edible (if edible materials were placed within), though a poor Finesse roll may result in a less tasty drink than hoped for. (Base Level 5, +1 Touch, +2 Group, +1 flexibility, +5 for 24 uses)
Rhesus of Florum (An)
- The lordly shirt (3 pawns + 3 pounds)
A beautifully made shirt, it is made out of the absolutely finest silks and would not look out of place on the highest nobles. Two main colours are available: Aquamarine blue or Imperial Purple.
Aura of Enobled presence, level 10, 1/day (p145 main book)
- The friendly traveller’s cloak (3 pawns + 1/4 pounds)
A riding cloak made of excellent wool and dyed red in the manner of ancient legionnaires. Only one colour is available right now, enquire for more.
Aura of Beguiling appearance, level 10, 1/day (p96 societas)
- The Skirmisher’s Armour (6 pawns + ½ pound)
A metal reinforced leather armour, whose studs are gleaming brass. Only the chestpiece is enchanted, but it comes with matching helmet, greaves, vambraces etc
Double of Impenetrable silk, level 20, 1/day, (p118 main book)
Marcus Navicularis (Te/He)
Isn’t selling anything, has a massive order list of waiting covenants. Will show anyone the Nebelkoenigin, for the sake of showing off. States that both of the Primii in Fuldarus have ordered ships from him, as have the Tremere in Stonhenge.
Mercere Ordering
Maria has a steward ready and available to book transactions in vis, currency, raw materials, text…
House Jerbiton special announcement
The news is relayed by several of the Jerbitons. Under the sponsorship of their domus magna (Valnastium), to whom all orders should be addressed, House Jerbiton offers any Covenant in the HRE who wants a copy of the Sachsenspiegel, the new lawbook, for 2 pounds. They assure that it will be a comprehensive summa of relevant Laws. It will be available in both Latin and Low German (Saxon).
Random weirdoes
A number of weirdoes, magic/faerie touched people, never-do-wells, out of work mercenaries are available for hire. Parents trying to pass off their “weird” children to the mages.
Specific examples: three Flemish halberdiers who got kicked out of the blacksmiths-militia, two Welsh longbowmen, Dan the Dowser from Picardie, an incomprehensible lost sailor from Frisia, Jute&Gerrit two mummers from Utrecht, a lawyer named Simon… (Lots of Grogs)
Day 1, Morning
Welcoming new mages
- Sophiae ex Jerbiton, filia Calvinus ex Jerbiton (Florum): CrImMe. Will join the Occulus as a peregrinator for the next 3 years.
- Alroy ex Flambeau’s apprentice Thomas is deemed to have failed the first try at his Gauntlet, he will be travelling around seeking to prove his magical mettle and try again next year
New Covenants being founded
The Duodomus of Rollo and Ophelia ex Tytallus are welcomed to the Lotharingian Tribunal
Lunch break for socialising
Day 1, Afternoon
The question of Gilds
Whether to keep the Gilds systems in this new Tribunal?
- Daria and Wilhelm are in favour, as joint head of the Lotharingia branch of the Apple Gild. They invite all their fellow Apple Gild member to vote in favour.
- Prunelie ex Misc states that as Praeco it would be unseemly for her to be part of a Gild, and that she sees her offices as above such politics.
- Hygwald Veritas ex Tremere, says that the same applies to his position as Quaesitor and that while he sympathises with her fellow Oak Gild members, he sees no reason for him not to follow the example of Prunelie ex Merenita.
Result: aside from a few abstentions, all vote in favour
The question of mundane ressources
Calvinus ex Jerbiton: Florum was unfairly penalised by the Normandy Tribunal in the 1081 Tribunal ruling which forced the closure and dismantelement of their linen manufactor, which brought the Covenant to near ruin. Mages are a part of Europe and cannot be expected to only live off the land like farmers of yore. Restrictions on the use of magic to sustain the Covenant, so long as it does not contravene the Oath of Hermes, should be lifted.
- Henri de Tours ex Jerbiton: Fully in favour of this. So long as the unregulated sale of magic items does not lead to problems for the order, Covenants should be allowed unimpeded trade with the mundane world, the nobility and the clergy.
- Maria ex Mercere, in a bad latin, suggests that House Mercere could be operating a more efficient banking system, much like the Templars and other orders, but run for the profit of the Order.
- Rhesus ex Verditius, demands that no limit be put on the trade of magic item, but those imposed by the House and the Order as a whole.
- Wilhelm Wiess ex Jerbiton manifests great enthusiasm for this and calls upon all his Gildmates to vote in favour.
Result: aside from a few abstentions, crushing vote in favour
The question of voting and Sigil holding
Who gets to vote?
- Wilhelm Weiss proposes the wholesale abandonnement of the Rhine-style sigil holding. Only mages confirmed to be alive may vote in the Tribunal.
- What constitutes being alive? (Erik Ribecus ex Tytallus)
- Imanitos Mendax ex Jerbiton suggests that a twilight of up to 49 years should not preclude the use of an entrusted sigil. But no longer.
- Garrinchus suggests a non-transferability of held sigils
- Daria suggests that the Rhine-style system be abandoned, however the traditional Tremere holding of sigils by the Wiser mages should not be infringed upon.
Result: Everyone in favour of abandoning Rhine sigil holding.
Accusations of mundane meddling
Rollo ex Tytallus, of the Covenant of Duodoma also called the Cave of Inner Enlightenment, would like to take the floor to bring up some issues that he and his Sodales Ophelia of the same house have born witness to or been made aware of.
-They humbly suggest for an investigation into the Chapter house of Trevorum, who, some might say, have been interfering with mundanes, in particular giving undue help to the Baron Arnold the lord of the castle of Elz against the Count Gerlach of Veldenz and in hindering the tax collection of the Archbishopric of Trier. While no formal complaint has been made by the archbishopric to date, it would be better to investigate this before the church gets involved.
Result: Daria volunteers to investigate her chapterhouse and make a full report
-Specific crimes committed by the party Covenant
he island on the Rhine commonly known as Pfalz belongs to the barony of Oberwesel, the heiress of which has been recently roused from a supernatural slumber. She was plunged into such a slumber around the year of our lord 1222 by an agent of the Winter Court, which resides just north-east of Koblenz. They can attest to this, having both attended such a court once and broken this curse. Coincidentally, this is the year that the Covenant of Waldheim begun, in collaboration with said Winter court, located within walking distance of the Covenant. Surely this is too much of a coincidence to not investigate. This alone while not fae molestation is probably meddling unduly in the affair of nobles.
Now, this island has been the victim of suspicious magical activities: on two occasions it was attacked in the dead of night with weird screaming and noises witnessed by the villagers of Kaub. After the first assault, all the inhabitants of the island were found dead, either killed with weapons or in some cases seemed to have had their faces crushed with great force but not in a way usual for a weapon. After the second assault, a new lordling was put in charge of the island, and the known bullfighter of Bacharach, a known local party goer, a foreigner by the name of Babel was observed to dwell on this island. This is quite serious; do you not believe?
I could scarce imagine that such an esteemed member of our Order would stoop to such blatant meddling, and additionally, deny the Baron of Oberwesel and his line of the island and castle that has belonged to his family for generations. I must suggest that our Quaesitor investigate this, without haste but with discerning.
- Daria most of all, but also the other members of Triamore/Trevorum glare at him.
- Prunelie ex Merenita regretfully must confirm that a not so specific letter of grievance has been sent to her from the Rhine Tribunal who have received word through the Archbishop of Cologne Heinrich I von Müllenark, acting on behalf of the count von Sayn whose “loyal man” has been vexed regarding the rights to his fief. I had hoped that this would be nothing and that we could ignore it, however...
Result: the Quaesitor will go investigate Waldheim
The border drawing Commission
- Daria reports that a border with Normandy has been agreed upon. Negotiations are still underway regarding the Rhine.
VIs ownership
- Calvinus ex Jerbiton asks that House Mercere keeps secret and accurate records of Vis source ownerships throughout the Tribunal as opposed to the Normandy tournament style.
Result: unanimous acceptance, no one wants a Normandy style tournament.