Ars Magica 5e, Rhine Tribunal, 1220

[Yair]

"Perhaps", Leo concedes to Ilshana's suggestion, "but why us, and not others? I feel there is more than that here".

His mind is already whirling with possibilities, but none appear sensible. He keeps with the conversation, although his mind is already half elsewhere, contemplating Thomas' erronous understanding of animal nature and the limitations of Hermetic shapechanging spells.

 

[Walking Dad]

Thomas becomes more quiet each passing minute, looking through the windows at the woods with a longing.

 

[ArghMark]

OOC: If you wish to continue the conversation, please do so. Otherwise I'll move on.

The rest of the day is interesting in that you find that none of you can gain access to the magical books of the Great Library without payment of some kind, excepting things such as notes from tribunals and laws.

Night approaches quickly enough and after dinner Heidi appears again, curtsying to you all. She speaks in clear Latin once again.

'Greetings again, Magi. I am here to ask that you follow me to the Prima, Archmage Murion of Bonisagus. She wishes to make you welcome to Durenmar, and so wishes you to come to the standing stone at the center of the vale.'

Assuming everyone comes, you make your way to the standing stone that stands eerily lit under the half moon and the torches that light the magical village of Durenmar.

Next to the standing stones stand three magi; a lady looking to be towards the older end of middle age with a cloak of pure white feathers that seems to drift and change through a thousand colors with a single look with a large dark raven on her shoulder, a very elderly man with a long beard who clutches an elaborate wooden staff next to a powerful silver wolf, and a much younger maga with a 'I'm not certain what is going on' expression on her face.

As you approach, the three stop their conversation; that is to say, the two elderly magi stop their conversation and the third remains silent. The three look you over for a moment, before the older lady with the cloak of feathers opens her mouth, and with an imperious and brooks-no-fools expression begins to speak.

'Greetings, young Magi. I am the Archmage Murion, this is the Archmage Caecilius, and this is Winfreda of house Guernicus. We would first like formally welcome you to Durenmar.'

Winfreda walks forward and gives each of you a small token.

Murion continues. 'Now, the Aegis no longer affects you. On to my second business of the evening. I wish you to form a covenant in the Rhine valley, and I feel you may enjoy the opportunity this gives you. The Rhine valley has no covenants currently active, as the twenty year ban on Hermetic activity in the area has been lifted. I want you all to find and establish an independent covenant.' She looks you all over imperiously, her eyes judging. 'If you make it through the next year Durenmar will support your claim at tribunal. That is all.' Murion waits for a hearbeat, before vanishing instantly. The raven that was on her shoulder hops on to the standing stone, however.

The other elderly mage smiles at all of you. You see his eyes are in fact mirrors, and his hands and skin seem more like cracked glass than wrinkled skin. 'Careful, young ones.' He says, and in a quick flash like sunlight on a mirror, he, too is gone. His wolf pads off.

Winfreda looks left, then right, and then sighs. 'I suppose you have questions.' she says in a long suffering voice.

 

[Strahd_Von_Zarovich]

"They haven’t categorize their choice by presence"
Gorgamesh add some humor to the table and begin to cough loudly. He wipes saliva from his lips using his sleeve.
"Ilshana may be right. Sometimes, being without experience and without knowledge can be beneficial ... why you ask? ..."
Gorgamesh take a sip from the blanching he made for himself.
"...New ideas to counter old problems."

**********************************************

At the meeting...

Gorgamesh stares to the spot where the archmages stood a moment ago.
He says nothing, waiting for the other to ask first.

 

[Shayuri]

Back then, in the inn...

"That," Ilshana agrees with Gorgamesh, "and it's lot safer to push NEW mages around than it is to push old, wise, experienced mages around." She says this with odd cheerfulness though. "Whatever it is, it's got to be important coming from Murion...and probably not for the reason that we'll be told it is."

Later, at the Standing Stones...

Ilshana purses her lips and peers at the token, turning it over in her hands a few times. The token, she decided, was kind of like this whole situation. The illusion of choice. The token gave them the option of using magic...in the middle of a vast sea of Parma Magicas. They had more freedom here with the tokens than they did without, but it was freedom within narrow constraints; freedom to pick the color, but not to go outside the lines.

This covenant thing was probably the same. They were being offered a chance to 'go find a covenant to start.' In her heart, she felt that they were being offered the illusion of choice about covenants. How many had there ever been in the valley? How many would be even partially recoverable?

She eyed Winfreda. "I guess we'll just need to know where we can find maps that show where the old covenants were. You've got records of all that stuff, right?"

 

[Yair]

At the Standing Stones...

Leo suppresses an inner sigh. Setting up a covenant? With this lot? Well, there goes my future plans... And still no idea why us, or how she even knew of me... Determined to obey Murion's instructions, he focuses on the more pressing questions.

He nods at Ilshana's request, but quickly piles some of his own. "Another thing - what is this 'twenty year ban' Murion has been speaking of? Why was it imposed? Also - why won't we last a year, and would we have some support beyond the tribunal, like in access to books on magic?"

 

[ArghMark]

Facing Ilshana, Winfreda nods. She speaks quietly, and without any force behind her; she seems a nervous woman. 'Yes. Almost anything is available in the Great Library. Chances are high in the Tribunal records there will be something; it may take some time though.' She turns and nods at Leo. 'Well... I'm not entirely certain, as it was integrated just as I came here for the first time. I believe a number of covenants were destroyed by angry mundanes and for the interests in letting time settle issues, the policy was placed.'

 

[Strahd_Von_Zarovich]

"Can we go and have a seat somewhere to discuss the matter"
It is hard for Gorgamesh to stand a lot of time so he shifts from leg to leg.
"First thing are recruited grogs to protect the area, build, gather equipment and food and to spy after hostile activity."
The magi begin to list things in his memory

 

[ArghMark]

Winfreda interjects 'Hold a moment, Gorgamesh. Before I go, I should mention to you a few things first. Before you can legally be recognised as a tribunal in the Rhine, you must have the support of at least one mage from each of the other covenants. Each is required by tradition to give a gift of some sort. As well as that you are required to be a member of one of the gilds by the time of your second tribunal. Tribunal is summer next year, so you have some time to have a look about.

Due to not having a covenant, you are all effectively perigrinators, which means that you may stay at any covenant up to three years, and none may refuse you. Due to many reasons, the majority of the Rhine and especially in this area you will find people will be wary of allowing a new covenant to form, though settling in the Rhine valley may lessen that.

And unless I miss my guess, the mundane matters of hiring Grogs and the like may be something that you'll need to sort out once you have a place, unless you want them all traveling with you.

And before I go, I have been told that there are three labs available to use here in Durenmar if you wish to claim Peregrinator status, and I believe Fengheld House has an opening also.'

She fiddles about in a small sack for a moment. 'And Murion has given you two Mythic pounds for your expenses.'

'Now, if there aren't any more questions?'

 

[Yair]

"One more question" says Leo. "Maps and books and so on are nice and all, but a wise guide is irreplaceable. I was wondering if there was any person you could recommend that actually knows this 'rhine gorge'? Perhaps a redcap, or a former member of one of the destroyed covenants?"