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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nzld" data-source="post: 2680888" data-attributes="member: 37407">"If this Instantus were merely to pay us a brief visit and then be on his way, then yes, we could extend the same courtesy and hospitality toward him that we would extend toward any other person of status who visits us," Valeria says, "but Stentorius's letter clearly indicates he is coming as a pereginitore. The Peripheral Code, I remind you, requires all covenants to formally publish the Conditions of Hospitality with which any wandering magus may claim our hospitality in this manner. This is no trivial matter. Nor one to be handled off the cuff.""If we impose no limit of duration, and allow this Instantus to stay as long as he likes, then any magus may call upon us, staying as long as he likes, while burdening us with his comfort and sustenance. If we charge this Instantus no fee, then any magus could call upon us, free of charge, draining our resources - of which there are currently precious few - with no recompense to ourselves.""Nay, Titus, Conditions of Hospitality are very much a necessity."Valeria pauses a moment, seemingly about to eat another sliver of fruit, but seems to become disgusted with it and tosses it back onto her plate."Still, time enough to draft those, I suppose. Back to the matter of this expedition, which presses us more urgently. I see Volkmar over there even now is assembling men and supplies together. And look!" she exclaims, her eyes coming upon something unexpected, "I see an odd couple hath followed after me from Durenmar. Note the ragged youth yonder - do you see the one? - the boy with the wild look about him. Him they called Pavel, if I recall correctly. He must have followed that charming minstrel Malloc. The boy, I'm told, has a fondness for the troubador's soothing ballads.""And there," she says, pointing into the treeline, where a cloaked dimunitive figure can just barely be made out. "I am thinking that to be that most peculiar little dwarf. A Faerie-thing, I am told, with hair as white as snow and skin of blue like a goblin. Puck, he is called. If Volkmar has noticed his presence - and it would surprise me if he has not - then I am certain he will be accompanying this little endeavor.""That leaves but one question unanswered," she says, letting the unspoken question hang in the air. "Who amongst us shall lead this expedition? Were it a simple matter of scouting the region and visiting the villages nearby, I would say let the grogs handle it, for surely they are capable of doing so unsupervised, and they have that local-born gardner to assist them. But they, of course, cannot pursue this stag alone, nor expect to be able to contend with it when, and if, they succeed in finding it. For that, a magus must go.""Shall you lead this expedition, Titus?" she asks, curiously.</blockquote>

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