George the Scribe approaches Tobin as they are working together to organize the library. "If I could learn this magic theory that you seem to know, I could be more useful to the masters. Could you teach me? Or recommend how I could learn?"
Giovanni the Merchant has been hanging around the area of the Covenant that is not within the Aura. When he sees Kriegeist moving with purpose after the counsel meeting, he catches up to him.
"I have been helping Mingus acquire those things he needed for this 'colony.' Mingus was running low on funds to support this covenant. He always seemed to come up with more silver coins to pay for things, but all the coins were exactly the same. And I don't think that many silver coins were minted in Sicily. Have you found more of these coins?" Giovanni shows Kriegeist one of the coins.
Is Schwartz still planning to explore the magic realm in the spring, and if so will anyone else join him- this will be an adventure give the nature of the realm.
From Schwartz: Yes, I am still planning on it. I would welcome all who wish to join in. Having Jaegar the hunter along would be helpful. Once he decides to go, I will take him aside and tell him how to distinguish me from other animals. No need for a friendly fire episode!
Jaeger can probably tell, animals are his specialty. But he will listen and maybe learn something.
Kriegeist shrugs at Giovanni. "I haven't seen any, I can look. Do you have an example of what would be a acceptable and spendable gold coin? Or is simple bullion frangible enough?"
Giovanni responds to Kriegeist, "The only gold coins in regular circulation are Bezants from Constantinople. Most of them are seriously debased, but they are still exchanged. I can move Bezants, and even get you an example. Raw gold is harder to exchange without serious questions."
"Having large amounts of raw gold would definitely attract attention. If I could find a discrete goldsmith, it could be turned into gold chains and jewelry, that would be marketable. Probably would need to be Jewish, they know how to keep a secret."
In some spare time that shouldn't impact the lab season, Anastasia will inspect the covenant to see whether we have magical items incorporated within its area. She is obviously looking for the source of the illusion covering the covenant, and anything else that might be part of its defenses that Mingus didn't bother to brief the covenant about. With Comprehend Magic, the difficulty to assess an item is 18 - magnitude of strongest effect, and she rolls at stress die + 12 + aura which should make identifying magic items a relatively routine check while on covenant ground. The information revealed by the virtue includes whether the device is hermetic (or the type of magic), approximate function and approximate magnitude. Incidentally, vis produced on covenant ground should be relatively easy to identify as well for Anastasia if she's on covenant ground when the vis manifests.
Anastasia is interested in exploring the magic realm as well, and would be interested in making a first venture in the magic realm along with a partner. However, this would take away a season she would need for the lab project. And this would mean the surrounding area haven't been explored over a full yearly cycle. Her preference would be to wait on exploring the magic realm to winter 1229, but she won't convince Schwartz not to go if he believes this is where he's most useful. She will however suggest not to go alone, or to prepare the trip by reading the material in the library.
Schwartz responds to Anastasia: "Proper planning is a good idea. I could use Spring to learn something about this part of the Magic Realm, at least read up about it. Then, once we get back from the Tribunal Meeting, we can go into the Magical Realm, for the first time."So, planning on the Summer, if we get back from Tribunal in time."
Meanwhile, Schwartz will study the Map of the Archipelago, that should be a beginning. If George can learn Magic Theory from a book, he will Study the Correspondences between Bonisagus and Didne. If George has to be taught MT, he will try to read Beastia Fabulosa, so long as no mage is reading it.
Giovanni will spend his Spring taking care of his business interest. Before he goes, he will ask the Redcap if he could go to the Tribunal, or would he need a specific invitation? If he was allowed to go, he will do so, out of curiosity more than any specific reason. And who knows, commerce springs up in the most unlikely places.
Tobin considers "You should be able to read one of the books, Deep magic principles isn't a great book, but you should learn enough in a season for use in scribing, and it keeps options open for later learning. I expect the magi will either get or write a better book somewhere along the line. I doubt Kriegest would give me the time to teach you, and if I do have the time I'm thinking I might read up on philosophae."
The tribunal has no restrictions on which soldales or covenfolk can attend the tribunal. Technically they need to be vouched for by a magus of the tribunal, but they will likely be allowed in this circumstance since Mingus can't exactly vouch for them.
OOC - I just realized something. The info I had was that the Grand Tribunal was in Summer 1228. Which means we should have Fall 1228 for actions at the covenant? For sure, I didn't advance that season in the pre-game.
No, fall was spent with arrangements getting to the covenant in time for the winter solstice Aegis ceremony- the activities at the covenant began in winter.
So what kind of experience should be put for Fall advancement? Travel?
The characters were made to start in winter, not summer.
okay, I misunderstood then since I advanced until the Summer for the tribunal, but did not advance Fall. I'll move Fall 1228 to the pre-game log and add a season of pre-game study on Creo.
The 8th Magnitude Touch of Midas will take Elia Winter and Spring and Summer to research.
[I realized now that I had her advanced till Winter 1227, so will add 3 seasons]
6th mag is plenty if it saves you a season. that's 8000 pounds of gold which will last us decades.
If I had a lab in a forest, and it was Spring or Summer, I could to a 6th magnitude in 1 season. Otherwise, it would be down to 2 Seasons, so Winter and Spring.
Well it will be spring, what does forest give you?
+3 to all rolls in forest, -3 to all rolls outside forest. (It probably doesn't apply to Lab Totals, but she does feel better inside a forest. It's why she'll work on growing tress around.
Winter 1228: Aging done. Seasons declared and advancement made on Anastasia, Guida, Lena.