"The matter of our mundane finances far exceeds that which we could generate magically. We owe a sum of £175 per year to our dear overlord. As you know, the Peripheral Code limits the creation of mundane wealth per magus-- and in any case, the vis required to do so is far more dear than silver.
"Regarding the vis sources, however, ever since the Schism War, allocation of vis sources has been strictly governed by Stonehenge. Here, all vis sources belong to the Tribunal and the rights to harvest may only be granted by the Tribunal to a covenant. To limit the amount of Britannian vis sources claimed by opportunist Flambeaux and Tremere on the mainland, the Tribunal declared that at least three magi were necessary for covenant status."
"Very well, then, if that is the covenant's will. There are no shortage of other ways I can contribute to the covenant. I should probably start with improving the turb and by helping reclaim vis sources. Let me know of anything else." Some time after everyone departs the meeting Rhodri will pay Elysante a visit.
"£175 is a lot but as I said I wouldn't worry too much about that problem. I will speak to the Baron and ease his demands at least until we have been able to set up new ways of gaining increased mundane income. Between the five of us I'm certain that we will find plenty of new and innovative ways to gain money without breaking the Peripheral Code, Rhodri has already suggested his smithwork which is wonderful."
"The lack of vis sources is of course much more problematic and I think this needs to be addressed immediately so that we can make our rightful claims at the Tribunal in 1222. We need to inform the rest of the covenants of Stonehenge that Gallus Florensis is once again thriving and quorable. I am sure Attravere will see to that together with his fellow Mercere", she turns to Attravere and smiles charmingly at him.
Liliana stands and bows graciously with a smile. "In that case, it seems this meeting is adjourned. I must leave in the morning, but Josef can get you any information you need regarding our resources, and if you need anything mundane in nature, you'll find our butler, Stefan the Moor, to be quite helpful as well."
((At this point we can conclude the roleplay portion of this chapter. We can still use this thread to discuss what you want to do first, and I'll start a new chapter when a course of action is decided.))
Clearing his throat quite audibly, Attravere asks Liliana before she can depart, "If you'll be leaving for more than a few days can you tell us where will you be off to? It would be nice to know where you might be or how to contact you if other issues arise."
"I must attend to the duties of my House... certainly a Merceris would understand such obligations are unwise to delay. I will leave an Arcane Connection with the covenant, though I may be within regiones for some time. Time flows differently where I will be, so it is difficult to gauge when I might return." ((Tabanus gets a sense that Liliana is not being completely honest here.)) "If you would be so kind as to excuse me." With that, she leaves the council chamber.
((So, do you want to investigate the abandoned sancta to find suitable labs for yourselves, or start straight in on working with the nobles, or checking in on our vis sources? You can decide this in character if you wish, once you have a plan, I'll start the next thread. Or threads, if you decide to split up.))
"Oh, Liliana, one last question before you leave: where are the covenant's records of its vis sources? If we are to reclaim them, it would help significantly to know what they are."
After Liliana departs Rhodri says"Well, it looks like for a while we'll be the senior-most magi in residence. That was quick. I think income is our first order of business since we'll be in much worse shape shortly if we don't deal with it. I would expect that Elysante can handle the issues with the baron herself; most of the rest of us would probably get in the way. Meanwhile, it seems as though re-staking our claims to those vis sources is our first priority and the rest of us should attend to that."
Elysante nods at Rhodri when he speaks of what to do next "I agree with Rhodri. Reclaiming the vis sources is most important and I think if you go ahead with that I can discuss our monetary problems with our dear Baron, and also see what other types of income we can exploit."
"We should talk more about your smithwork, Rhodri, before we both head off from the covenant."
You don't catch her on her way out the door, but you do recall she'd said to ask Josef any questions regarding the covenant's resources; vis sources are probably included in that category.
Josef (pronounced YOH-seff) is the covenant autocrat; he lives in the manor house with his family.
((Oops. Somehow read about Stefan and forgot about Josef.))
"I guess I'll have to talk to Josef. Anyone care to join me? I think I'll see Stefan after to inquire about meals... Or would everyone like to take a look at the labs first? Rhodri finishes off his food and gets ready to head out the door.
Tabanus spoke up: "I suppose we ought to investigate the labs first. Their contents may yield some clues as the fates of the former inhabitants and even harbor unused Vis." he suggested to the other magi, not wanting to visit the Baron or any other nobles until he had a chance to brush up on his Etiquette...
Josef is a kindly, middle-aged Jew. He gives you the following information:
Laboratories:
Maribus' sanctum is a wooden hut built on stilts, out in the marsh. He had a skiff he used specifically for going to and from his lab and the mainland, but it's currently tethered to the dock at the sanctum. You can borrow a boat from any of the fishermen-- they recognize the authority of the "scholars" as their lords. Josef recommends that you consult with Sanno, Maribus' otter familiar. If there are any traps or safeguards on the sanctum, Sanno will likely aid you so long as you convince him that you're trying to help find his friend.
Leona's sanctum is somewhere in the woods. None of the covenfolk know exactly where, but they do know that she was very good with Mentem, and used some kind of magic to keep people from finding it. Josef tells you that he suspects it's probably to the north, as to the south are the Earl of Chester's private hunting grounds (and he does NOT like poachers). To the north, it is faerie forest, and Leona had some kind of weird love/hate relationship with the fae. They might protect her sanctum for her, or they might simply hamper you to amuse themselves.
Justinius' lab is on the fifth floor of the tower, and has no known entry from below. The top floor is Aislinn's laboratory, and the lighthouse's actual light is the radiance cast off from the lab's huge fire elemental guardian, magnified somewhat by the lab's glass (or possibly crystal?) walls. The sixth floor was living quarters shared by Aislinn and Justinius, and that floor ostensibly connects to the two labs on either side of it. Josef can tell you that Justinius was very good with Terram (he created the tower in the first place, after all) and would move through the stone itself. Conversely, Aislinn could take the shape of a hawk, and would enter and leave her laboratory by way of one of four balconies facing each of the four cardinal directions. The two magi have trained apprentices, but they are all full magi now; if you have trouble gaining access to their laboratories you could seek advice or aid from Justinius' filia Sophia Tremeris of Libellus, Aislinn's filius Lucanidus Tytalii of Crun Clach, or their daughter and... shared filia, Anemone of Durenmar. (If that raises eyebrows, Josef will say little more other than "Ask for Euclea.")
Regarding vis sources... I think I need to revise your vis sources first, because the vis distribution isn't going to be as useful to the PCs as it was to the missing NPCs, so I want to change some of them and make them more diverse. So if your characters want to check out vis sources before scouting the sancta, I may need a day or two to get ready first. (Sorry!)
((I'm fine investigating the sancta first. We probably need to get settled this season anyhow and then start dealing with the vis. How high are the balconies above the ground?))
Well, the tower has seven above-ground floors, and I'd say each floor has 10' ceilings, and there's perhaps 2' of stone for the floor/ceiling on each level. So, seventy-five, eighty feet?
"We seem to be in accord - investigate the sancta until more information can be obtained regarding the vis sources. I shall ask one of my associates for a listing of our registered covenant vis sources, their locations, typical yields as well as any other particularly relevant information, possibly who has been claiming the sources since the lack of quorum, and get that to each of you within three days. That should give us time to investigate the covenant sancta." Attravere proclaims.
"I don't suppose you've an idea of how long it might take to bring the baron to... see our side of things, Elysante?" Attravere inquires. "I'd appreciate your company, as well as your's Rhodri and Tabanus, when the vis source collection comes around. Particularly if there are any approaching this season."
"Well then maybe you", she is looking at the all the others present, "can investigate the sancta and laboratories while I travel to see our Baron. I don't know how long time it will take, but if I meet him I will try to make him understand we need to get some more time to be able to pay his lease for this year. I shall convince him that we will pay him as soon as we can though. It's also important we start working on the mundane incomes to actually get the money to him. He will not have an eternal patience with us, even if I do know how to treat him."
She then turns towards Rhodri. "Maybe we should try to find a proper merchant instead and see if he can handle the mundane business for us. If we need an extra push to gain interest among nobility I can help."
Turning to Attravere she continues "I agree we should all go together to investigate the vis sources. But let us wait a little while with that until you have searched the sancta and I have tried speaking to the Baron."
((OOC - Elysante will not travel alone whereever she goes. She will at least bring her companion knight (a cousin of her) that joined her when she fled from France. She will travel as befits a noble lady.))
((Elysante knows she can't just show up at the Baron's doorstep; the appropriate protocol for meeting with him would be to send a messenger to request an audience, and then wait for him to invite her to court.))
(( Yes I was thinking that was probably the way to go, so she will immediately go to her chamber and pen a message asking for audience with the Baron and then call someone at the covenant who can carry the message, preferably by horse, to his castle at Flynt. What do we have in terms of mundane messengers? Would that be the grogs? Also how many horses does the covenant own? ))
The de Montalt family lives at Mold Castle in Flintshire. Elysante knows that the castle is currently held by Welsh forces, and the Baron himself is currently in the town of Flynt, right across the estuary from you. It would be faster to send a messenger by boat, though the estuary is approximately two miles across here. The covenant has no horses of its own at this time, though the Mercer House has a stable for Mercere business. We do not have a designated messenger of the mundane variety, but you could send a grog. It would take a few weeks to journey by foot (nearest river crossing is at Chester) or you could try to find a way across the river.
Well then Elysante will ask Stefan to get a boat (from the local fishermen i guess?) that could take the grog messenger across the estuary to Flynt. Going by foot is out of the question as it will take too long time.
((Hmm, so the Welsh has occupied Baron de Montalt's castle? Did this happen recently or what do Elysante know about it? I'm thinking it might be used in our dealings with him. Maybe helping him in some way for a reduction of the tithe. As always it will be a fine line to tread not to break the Code, but she is a Jerbiton after all.))