About a month into the spring season, after messages to Silviatos and Jonah go unanswered, Apollodorus goes hunting for them. While hunting for Silviatos, he sees Uhlrich, alone in the public area of Silviatos sanctum. "Where is your master, boy."
Ulrich scrambles to his feet and bows respectfully, if not warily. "I do not know, magus. He said that he had some affairs to attend to and that he would be back before too long."
"It's alright, lad, you can speak German. Master Silviatos has been most secretive, even more than I am." He first spoke to you in Latin, but after hearing your Latin he switched to Hoch German. When he talks about being secretive, he gives you a wink. "Your master teach you the fundementals of Magic Theory yet? Your Latin is barely passable, so I figured he must've concentrated there."
"He did give me some instruction while I was helping in the laboratory a few months ago. He has not taught me, though."
Apollodorus mutters under his breath in Latin, about the best Ulrich can capture is opening arts too soon.
"What is your name, boy? My master called me boy for 10 years, I'm sure you hate it as much as I did. I'll try and keep from doing it in the future. Did a month seem like too long when your master told you'd be gone?"
"My name is Ulrich, sir," he says nervously. "And he didn't say how long he would be gone, sir, but I got the impression that he would be gone only a couple of weeks. He did give me a book to study from, sir." He turns and shows Apollodorus a copy of Unifying Principles of Our Magic by Arturo ex Bonisagus, which the lad is barely into.
"Not a bad book. If you don't mind, I'd rather you take up another task. I need you to finish building a lab out, if you think you're capable enough to do it. When Master Silviatos comes back, I'll intercede with him on your behalf. And if he gives you trouble about it, I insist you come and tell me. I'll brook no abrogation of his responsibilities in keeping an apprentice busy. Studying books, without the insight of a more experienced intellect is not keeping one busy. I'll bet you just look and stare at the words on the page without any real understanding..." Apollodorus invites you to follow him.
Ulrich looks quite uncertain. "I will do my best, sir"
"I did just learn my letters last year, sir...and the words, most of them are quite strange, even sounding them out like I'm supposed to." The lad follows Apollodorus obediently.
"Tell me, do you know about..." he then asks you a question which you hapen to know the answer and other things about the standard size of the Hermetic lab, and standard equipment, which you know, as well.
Ulrich answers Apollodorus's questions as best he can.
"Excellent! You know more than you think, b-. I mean, Ulrich." They come to a suite within the main castle, which has a partially assembled lab, the same size as Ulrich's master, but without any of the specializations put in place. "You may sleep wherever you prefer, here or your master's lab. I think you can have this lab completed within a season. I'll check your work occasionally, and if you need me, have a page fetch me."
All the equipment that Ulrich needs to finish the lab appears to be present, once he begins an inventory Apollodorus mutters to himself, but loud enough for Ulrich to hear"Now I wonder where Iosephus is" and wanders off.
Ulrich spends the rest of the season putting the lab together, to the best of his ability, and sleeps in his master's sanctum - at least, he will consider Silviatos his master until all hope is gone for his return. He will only send a page to Apollodorus if he is absolutely stumped by what he's supposed to do next.
Other than that, he doesn't spend much (if any) time out of either place. People still intimidate him, as his whole life it was just him and his father (except for the infrequent visits to the village, when he spent most of his time hiding behind his father), and he is content to sit and watch them from a safe distance.
Apollodorus checks in twice a week to watch the progress, and advises changes. [OOC: I'm doing this and ruling in this one instance only that it will allow a lab to setup without having a negative refinement because the person doing the work has a Magic Theory less than 3].
Once all the work has been complete, he praises Ulrich, "You've done extremely well, I'm impressed with your capability for so little experience. In exchange for doing this, I'm going to teach you the art of Rego."
Ulrich pays close attention when Apollodorus speaks, and questions all the changes that he suggests. Not in a rebellious-teenager kind of way, more of a "why is it done this way and not the other" wanting to learn kind of way.
"Thank you, magus," Ulrich says with a gleam in his eye, "I'm looking forward to learning."
Everyday during the Summer, Apollodorus and Ulrich meet in the lab Ulrich had finished up. Apollodorus provides instruction on the art of Rego.
At the end of the summer, Ulrich can cast a spontaneous version of Repel the Wooden Shafts when he combines the knowledge Silviatos had taught him about Herbam and Apollodorus taught him of Rego.
(ReHe CS in the regio is 8+7+3+1+5=24. Just a bit short of an effortless Dance of the Staves, unless using cermonial casting, but that's 15 minutes of work, too.)
Just short? 24÷5=4.8. Is Casting Total an exception to the house rule on rounding, or do Spontaneous Spells have to match the desired level of effect before rounding? (Just curious...might be vital someday)
Ooo, this is throwing one of my rulings into question.
Since I hate going back on what I said (but I'm not afraid to do this if it's generally abused), I'll say it does get rounded to five. How about in a case like this we need to do a roll, to check for a botch, since not all the power is there? Sound like a reasonable compromise?
Consider he could do it without a roll if he shouts or moves his arms about with exaggerated motions.
Sounds good to me...one of those (rare) cases where he actually has to use words/gestures to get a spell off.
I can just see him down the road (when he actually has Finesse and Quickness), and somebody shoots an arrow at him...and he just stands there with his arms crossed with this "Bitch please" look on his face as the arrow veers off wildly.
I updated the HR.