Acacius looks at Björn. [color=red]I’ll go to the building site, I look forward to see what the flora there holds for me. Is there something special you wish that I look out for? I will try to draw up some maps so that we can get a good look at the surroundings. I am thinking of using levitation to draw good maps from the bird eyes view. Now there are a few things I want us to consider. Should we use magical means to perhaps create a good road to the nearest town? Now terram is not my speciality but it has its uses.
Acacius speaks to the other magi as a group. [color=red]Also try to recruit some people when in London, disgruntled guild master and other useful personnel. Also I am thinking of attempting to start some herb growing at the location so a few young men with swift minds would not be useless. I see the growing and sale of herbs as a potential income source is these frigid lands, both for magi and their mundane servants. There is also the possibility of finding scholars that could assist us with experimental philosophy, there are really some exiting possibilities there. Acacius looks really exited when he thinks of the covenants future.
Acacius takes a deep breath. [color=red]Now I could leave to morrow to our covenant location but is there someone who wish to go with me? If non of you my soldaes and especially if we are more then one magi we need some servants to take care of our needs or we could perhaps rent a few beds at some locals.
Julia nods at the impressive list. "And that's just off the top of your head?" she smiles. "Well...I'm not here to actually build your Covenant for you. Though I do wish to see this fair handled well. I don't agree with the decision to put it in your hands, but I am not so petty as to wish your failure. Why don't you come to an agreement on...three things that you'd like to see the Tribunal assist you with. I have already written up one of the things that you will no doubt need." she motions for a robed scribe who comes forward with a leather satchel. She digs through the papers and sorts through them until she finds the one she sought. She glances at the vellum and hands it over. "Silver. This is a proposal for an annual allotment of silver, a tithe from the rest of the Covenants. It's more than a modest allowance as you can see." she hands over the document. "And I know I can get it approved."
This is the Minor Boon that you get for taking the Dedicated Covenant options. This is in addition to anything else you can finagle for the Major Boon of Dedicated Covenant. It counts as the Secondary Income minor boon, and provides an additional 100 pounds of silver per year. You have one regular source of income as well, which is yet to be revealed, as well as how much it is. But remember you did take the poor option.
Old Aggie doesn't seem to care for the piece of parchment being ogled right now by the young magi. He turns to Acacius.
"You there...you want to go on the expedition? Are you sure? It can be dangerous. You'd be clearing the way so to speak, finding a suitable spot, examining the aura, finding a vis source or two maybe, and checking the standing stones. There could be a variety of dangers theres, mundane and magical.
"If you're up for it though, I can give you the pick of grogs to accompany you." he turns to the group.
"Are we decided then? Shall we have Acacius scout ahead of us?"
This will be the Winter Adventure, it requires one Magus, one Companion/Custo, and the rest Grogs. If you want to settle who shall go in the OOC thread feel free. The Fall Adventure (the conclusion of the Tribunal) needs to be finished first, and XP given for it.
Acacius nods. [color=red]I can take that responsibility. However if one of you my soldaes think that you are more suited for this kind of expedition then I shall step aside. Now please tell me if you think that there is something special I shall look for, otherwise I just settle for the most ample location I can find.
Björn listens to Acacius, thinking over his words before responding. "We will need a decent amount of flat space to hold the fair upon, so be on the lookout for some place that would work, or that would be easily turned into a clear, flat area. Other than that, just the usual stuff: locations of rivers, forests, and so forth. I think the location for our main covenant building will largely be determined by where you find an aura."
"I like your idea for trying to grow herbs for income. With magic at our disposal, we could even put together a system that would grow warmer weather spices as well."
Björn looks over the document Julia has with her. "Well, this would certainly be a start. I don't think we have decided quite yet what we would ask from the Tribunal."
Björn nods to Agitatus' question about nominating Acacius scout out the lay of the land. "He sounds like he knows what he is doing. I'm fine with letting him go."
Drinking the last of his ale, Jaen nods at Bjorn's suggestions. He turns to Acacius. "I also have some interest in gardening for my work. I'll keep an eye out for any useful equipment in London. Be safe on your journey."
Julia waits while the document of the tithe is examined. "So...please think of perhaps three things that you would have me go to the Tribunal for. What would be the main goals you have? I advise you to think of needs for both your Covenant and the fair. If you only ask for things that will build the Covenant, the Tribunal might think you are abusing its generosity. On the other hand, you will be cheating yourself if you only ask for things for the fair. I heard you mention lab equipment? That can be provided. Blackthorn has an abundance of laboratory equipment, some not in use that could be donated for the cause. Other equipment could perhaps be donated as well from other covenants."
Agitatus glances at the paper and passes it on. "So Acacius'll investigate the site. Aye, we'll make sure you have a proper turb of Grogs and a Custo to see to your needs. Now then...what about Julia's offer?"
Björn thinks for a moment, and then replies to Agitatus. "I think we should get our lab equipment from the Tribunal. It's not going to be cheap buying supplies for all of us, and I have no clue if you can even get all we would need in England, or where we would find it."
"What about the covenant building itself? If we want to go underground, how long would it take us to invent the spells we need? Do you think it would be worthwhile to ask around the Tribunal to see if anyone already has what we want?"
"I think having the Tribunal coughing up the silver and vis is a grand idea for the lab equipment."
Rhodri clears his throat. "Um...Libellus arguably has the greatest library..." he coughs as Julia levels her gaze on him "Of lab texts" he ammends "In Stonehenge. We might be able to find spells that can answer both of those questions. I know of one spell that actually creates lab equipment with a ritual, my master keeps a casting tablet of it. There may be a spell that creates a tower or covenant underground, we'd have to find it...or perhaps it could be created. My master, with my assistance might be able to make one in short order. Perhaps...a Season? It might be ready by Spring. Of course...that would not be done for free, either of these requests. He has already donated to this Covenant. He could likely be convinced to do this, but only if it would abdicate Libellus's contribution to our Dedicated Covenant for some time."
Agitatus shrugs his shoulders. "Your master is pretty generous, if he'd do this I'd say Libellus is off the hook for a long time. I know of that spell for the lab. Makes wonderful equipment, but very expensive to maintain."
Rhodri turns to the Verditius magi. "It is marvelous equipment! My master used it for his and my lab! It is focused on creation of spells and magic items, and well worth the extra silver to maintain it!" Rhodri's eyes gleam with avarice.
Björn's eyes light up with interest at the mention of starting off with better than average lab equipment. "If we go that route, we will definately need the extra silver every year. We would also need the vis to cast the spells initially, which is no small amount when we are talking about nine labs. How much vis does it cost to cast that spell once? Do you know if the spell creates everything a lab needs to start, or just the equipment, and we would still have to purchase the supplies?"
"If you and your pater can create a spell to cast the towers underground in a season, that would be great. Acacius has to go survey the site anyway, and that will take time. Spring will probably be the earliest we would be able to get over there."
"I don't mind letting Libellus 'off the hook' with the tithe for a while if they are willing to let us use some of their things. It is only fair."
Björn looks around the group. "What else do we need from the Tribunal? Should we try to get more silver, since we will need it for the better labs? What about vis sources? Are there any already claimed in the area, or will we need to go hunting ourselves?"
Jaen voices his opinion. "Vis. Acacius might find a land dripping with milk and honey Vis, but you can't ever have enough. You can always find ways to gather silver."
Rhodri seems deep in thought for several moments. "I...don't think my master and I alone would be able to create the spell in a single Season. By my calculations the modified spell would probably be the 9th magnitude. A second assistant in the lab would likely ensure that we can complete it in one season. Would someone care to join me in my Pater's lab? He keeps a special lab for when others attend him so that there is no fear of entering a foreign sanctum." Rhodri looks first at Agitatus.
"Sorry lad...your Parens and I are Amici, but he swore there would be war between us if I ever set foot in his lab again. I'm not about to have that." Agitatus says and goes back to draining his mug.
Rhodri turns to the rest of you. "Would one of you care to assist? It would be an honor to assist such a distinguished Bonisagi as my Pater."
Björn nods to Jaen when he mentions vis. "Yes. I don't know about you, but I intend to be making some magic items." He grins impishly. "And I guess we should make sure there is some left over for everyone else. So should we request vis from the Tribunal along with the silver?"
When Rhodri asks for volunteers for lab assistants, Björn's grin fads a little. "I think I might be of more use purchasing some supplies. Mundanes don't seem to be as affected by me as they do most magi, and there are some special things that I will need for my craft that I don't want to ask others to get for me."
"That spell your pater has to create a lab. Does that make all the supplies as well, or just the equipment?"
Rhodri nods. "The equipment and all. Usually it takes at least two Seasons to set up a proper lab, and then many more to improve upon it. With the casting of the Ritual and a Season of attuning yourself and it to your own Gift and methods, and you will have a vastly superior lab to any other beginning lab, ready to perform any work you desire in the next Season. It is very expensive to maintain though."
"Is there anyone that would help me? There are so many of us, with one more person we could have the spell designed. Casting it is another thing entirely. We'd either have to take the time to make it into a Tablet, or have Maximianus cast it. Then of course there's the Vis, at least 9 pawns. We should have that I think."
Björn's perpetual grin gets bigger at the talk of labs. "I like this idea of conjuring up good labs. But unless one of us is hoarding a lot of Terram or Creo vis, we are definately going to need to petition the Tribunal to pay for both the labs and the underground towers."
"Is this what we want from the Tribunal; Vis, Vis sources and silver?"
Agitatus smiles. "Ach lad, I do happen to be hoarding vis. A lifetime of Wizard Wars tend to get you a lot of nice loot. But, aye...if we want to conjure all of them we might need more. Is this what we want? It sounds like it'd be done a lot sooner this way."
Julia enters the conversation. "That sounds like a very interesting idea, very ambitious. It also sounds like Nigrasaxa would be doing most of the work, as that's the case if you would have so much done by them, then I would likely have to arrange the Tribunal to pay them for the service they are offering you. Rhodri...are you sure your Pater will do all this?"
Rhodri's smile fades as he looks around the group and then seems to be thinking hard. "I...believe he would. It might take some convincing I suppose."
"If he will then; the creation and casting of the new spell, and the tablet for the labs, I will have the Tribunal pay for the vis for the casting of the Rituals. That would be stretching the Tribunal's generosity no doubt. I would not expect much more aid to be forthcoming after that until at least the fair was actually held. Though the silver stipend is still part of the arrangement. Is this what you want?"
Siobhan slowly returns to the group with a thick tome and a number of scrolls in hand. She fears she is going to have to request hospitality for the seaons at Blackthorn since the covenant is not likely to be created yet and travel in winter is hard.
As she returns, she moves to position herself next to Julia. Her discussion with the maga can wait until the initial discussion here for the night is resolved.
Elysia watches, bemused, as the magi debate the construction of the covenant. She appears to be unconcerned for problems of politics, or the physical realities of covenant building, but perks up excitedly whenever the idea of a Fair is discussed or the covenant's future is mentioned.
Julia looks to Siobhan as she arrives. "Ah, Quaesitor. I see they have given you plenty to read. I have more tomes of a similar nature at my Covenant's library should you ever need to acquire further studies. They are mulling over some of the options I have presented, while they are doing that, shall we conduct our little interview? We can do this here, I have nothing to hide." she gestures to a servant who brings another leather satchel which she opens and pulls out vellum documents.
[color=blue]"Very well." Siobhan says softly, [color=blue]"I need to know exactly what contact you have had with this so called monk, everything you know of this Nerius, what contact your coven mates have had with this monk or anyone else involved Nerius. What steps you have taken since you first heard of the monk and his tale especially those towards a feast in this person's honor and who it was mentioned to." She asks those as just the starting.