Tantalus (formerly Angus) walls around simply observing. He has more resources than he expects he will be able to use in the next seven years at the covenant, and nothing of value besides vis to trade. What he is interested in is getting a lay of the land, getting familiar with his environment before any potential conflicts show up to negotiate, hopefully, with. He also wants to listen to conversations between magi to get an idea who best to start conversations about Nocturnus and who his friends, if any, might be as well as enemies who might object to him being removed from play in the way or at the time he was.
The Tribunal kicks off unofficially about 7 am (roughly three hours after sunrise) with a grand pancake breakfast, which also includes porridge, bacon, sausage, milk, ale, and magically cleansed water. The meal is served in the grand hall, which is also where the meeting takes place during the day and the social gatherings in the evenings.
There doesn't seem to be any assigned seating, although a few people are seated at a table on the dais at the front of the hall. One is the Quaesitor, Whitburh Frithowebba. One is a young woman, or maybe a girl, who looks to be in her early teens, with light red hair swept back and held in a headband. Next to her is a handsome man who looks to be in his late twenties or early thirties, clean-shaven with dark hair. The last, seated on the end opposite Whitburh, is an older man with light hair and a short, full beard.
Once most, if not all, those in attendance have finished eating, the girl on the dais stands up, and the conversation dies down almost immediately.
"Thank you, sodales, for coming to sixty-second meeting of the Loch Leglean Tribunal of the Order of Hermes," she says in Gaelic.
"I know that our tradition has been for the meeting to commence as soon as the dishes have cleared. However, as Brother Innocent of Jerbiton has thoughtfully reminded me..." At the mention of his name, a lanky magus seated near a wall, with his hair in a tonsure and wearing what looks like a monk's habit, waves. "this year, Lammas falls on a Sunday, which is supposed to be a day of rest. We have reached a compromise. He will be holding a liturgy in the field across the river from us so as not to affect the covenant's aura, for all who wish to attend. The meeting will officially commence this afternoon."
She sits down, and after a long moment the older man at the end of the table gets up and translates into Latin for anyone who doesn't speak Gaelic.
Corvus will ask around for Ciarán of Merinita to see if he is at the Tribunal and if so, be pointed out to Corvus.
Yes, he is. During the breakfast, he's seated at a center table, kind of towards the front. He's a middle-aged man with dark hair, a full beard, and weathered skin.
Btw, at the breakfast, does Beatrix sit with her covenmates (assuming they all sit together) or with the Redcaps, who are all seated at the same table?
Hope/Tia will certainly be seated at the table. Tia is still driving this whole thing. Tia will keep a watchful eye on their food. Tia asks, in a somewhat flatter tone than Hope normally uses, "Hello, any news?" to the table of people, but no one in particular.
Tantalus will certainly be seated with his covenmates, since they are the people he can best trust.
Corvus will walk up to him while he is eating. I am Corvus filius Peragro and I wish to learn the mysteries.
She'll sit with her covenmates. She's spending so much time with the Redcaps that she'll need a little bit of time to socialize with her own covenant to maintain a little bit of balance.
Also, she'll be asking the Redcaps who are also in the Cult of Heroes if there is a copy of Mercury's Blessing in the tribunal (TL p.103). (Unless she already spent BP on this - I can't find the expenditures right now; still searching.)
Ciarán gestures to a spot on the bench across from him as he sets his food back on the platter.
"You are?" he says with a definite Irish accent as he wipes his hands. "Where have you gone so far?"
Isis of Mercere thinks hard for a minute before she shakes her head. "If there is, I'm not aware of it. Fithich Spòg would have a copy if there's one to be had."
Sunday, after lunch, the Tribunal meeting officially kicks off in the Meeting Hall. The Meeting Hall is laid out similar to the Dining Hall, except that the tables are smaller (seating two comfortably, for the most part), there are more of them, and there are wax tablets and styluses at every one. While there's not assigned seating, traditionally the older covenants tend to sit toward the front and the new ones toward the rear, with the aonaranan sprinkled throughout the hall.
There are hundreds of candles hanging from the ceiling, and torches in sconces along the walls. None of them are lit, however, but rather glow magically. The net effect is that the hall is very well lit. There is also a gentle, fragrant breeze that blows throughout the hall.
Like the dining hall, there is a dais at the front of the hall, with three throne-like chairs, seating (from viewer's left to right), Whitburh Frithowebba, the young red-headed girl (who those who have lived in the Tribunal a while recognize as the Praeco, Caitlin Suil Uaine), and the older light-haired man with the beard (who some would recognize as Guy Clavius, the head redcap).
Once it looks like most everyone's settled in, Caitlin stands up and raises her arms for attention.
[color=blue]"Thank you, my friends," she says in Gaelic, [color=blue]"and welcome to this meeting of the Loch Leglean Tribunal."
[color=red]"Praeco, we must object," a woman says, in Latin, from the back half of the chamber. [color=red]"The Grand Tribunal has asked that we conduct our business in Latin, at their last meeting. I'm sure you were there, and understand their reasons for that request."
[color=blue]"Yes, I was," Caitlin replies, again in Gaelic, [color=blue]"and I recall that they did not demand that we speak only Latin."
There's a definite pause before the woman replies. [color=red]"But they did point out that the Quaesitores must conduct our business in Latin".
[color=blue]"And when the time comes that we must conduct Quaesitorial business, I will happily speak Latin. Until then, I will speak the language of our home."
After another long pause, [color=red]"I move for a vote, that we conduct our business in Latin."
A voice from the same area almost immediately seconds the motion.
Caitlin turns to Whitburh. [color=blue]"Do we have a quorum? she asks.
"Yes. Under the rules of the Order of Hermes, we are a legal meeting."
[color=blue]"Very well," Caitlin says, still in Gaelic. [color=blue]"The motion has been made, and seconded, that the Tribunal meeting be conducted in Latin. All those in favour, hold up your sigils." She then repeats herself, in unbelievably strongly accented Latin. (Picture Groundskeeper Willie.)
Given that Tantalus still has not picked up any Gaelic, he will vote for Latin.
Corvus will vote for Gaelic
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[color=Blue]"Thank you. I will have to look into it."
Are there any Cult of Heroes magi from Fithich Spòg at the tribunal? If so, Beatrix will want to approach him/her/them.
Beatrix watches the other Redcaps. She would not normally vote. But if the other Redcaps vote, she will join with them.
Corbin abstains from the vote, he's not fussed.
Corvus sits rather stiffly. Crone jumps down to the table and tries a pancake.
I have Quisque Semita but I do not understand it all. I have traveled with Peragro to the other lands. I wish to understand more.
[hr][/hr]
Quisque Semita - House Merinita Lore Summae L8Q11 - Written in strange characters and perhaps another language, this book has much of the knowledge of House Merinita. The reader must have House Merinita lore of at least 3 to gain full use of the information. The quality of the book drops by 5 for each point below 3. A character with Merinita House Lore of 2 treats this as a quality 6 book.
All four magin from Fithich Spòg are at the Tribunal. But, as far as anyone knows, none of them belong to the Cult of Heroes.
None of them vote.