1/1/17

c'thinker (GM): cumthinker here.

johns (GM): cumthinker there

Joshua S. (GM): doth mine ears hear stones

johns (GM): [Ultima IX] - Stones

stanes

Darvin: Greetings

c'thinker (GM): my fan is fucked up but hopefully i can pretend to be a wizard for a while without blowing out my ear drums

johns (GM): blowing out a dog's ear drums

Joshua S.: lol

Beardbeard: Loser is "nigger"

johns (GM): shocking what happens when bowser players certamen

c'thinker (GM): protective headphones made from dog skin

Endrite (GM): Sorry I'm late, someone move my cheese.

I mean, "Someone moved my cheese."

johns: but... who

c'thinker (GM): Blobber fans are really concerned if that means companies don't see blobbers as commercially viable anymore, because it was tried and failed. Would Obsidian ever consider the idea of making a blobber?

lol

dys: im not suggesting that someone at rpg codex, the forum that has 14 badges for users with various images of rope kids face, would invent a word mid-interview simply to torment him

well, actually i am suggesting it

johns: rpgcodex are psychos but funny psychos

Endrite (GM): Is everyone here?

c'thinker (GM): johns: rpgcodex are psychos but funny psychos

sounds like a step up from badgame!!!

johns: hehe

I think this is everyone? dfd said he couldn't make it

Endrite (GM): A full slate today.

c'thinker (GM): ill have to leave in half an hour probably

Endrite (GM): Then I propose we hit the ground running!

So, a couple months ago you sent a message to the (temporarily) mysterious Jeanne de Ys, a hermetic maga who contacted you via your dimwitted servant Pugnalo.

Aristocritus Bonisagi: did we end up getting rid of pugnalo

Endrite (GM): DID you?

Joshua S.: no i think the enchantment just wore off of him

johns: hey it's not his fault he lacks high level magic resistance

Aristocritus Bonisagi: start a mystery cult so we can give our grogs the parma magica virtue

Lavinia of Jerbiton: Such a thing would destroy the Order of Hermes from within. That's terrifi- terrible.

Endrite (GM): Code Breach Alert!

Joshua S.: lol

Endrite (GM): Can anyone hear this music playing?

Joshua S.: i hear no music

but i did hear the siren

Lavinia of Jerbiton: I hear it, it's soft

Endrite (GM): Hmm.

Aristocritus Bonisagi: i hear it

oh it's the dhafer youssef thing i uploaded

Joshua S.: i see "lively cafe" in the music tab but don't hear anything

Endrite (GM): Alright we'll go with this.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: works on my machine

Aristocritus Bonisagi: what's the jeanne de ys news

Endrite (GM): So, after many months, you get a reply from a well dressed courtier from the Pamphili Estate, the one you got kicked out of, next to the magic wolf forest.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: love me some magic forests

Squire: "The gracious and honorable Lady Jeanne de Ys accepts your invitation and wishes to inform you that she will attend to you here, in the Eastern Ear Inn in three days time."

It's December.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Oh well it will be nice to meet her."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I hand the squire a mug of the strongest alcohol the inn serves.

Squire: The courtier nods, "She has been a guest of my lord for some time, I'm sure she is excited to... take the air in the city, away from the Estate."

It's Rome, the Eastern Ear Inn mostly serves wine.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "The fresh Roman air is lovely" (takes a deep whiff of swamp gas, human decay)

Malachiasz of Tytalus: the strongest wine then

Ferris of Bonisagus: ha

Aristocritus Bonisagi: we probably have some aqua vitae lying around

Squire: He takes the drink from the horrifically scarred, Gifted giant, but you never see him take a belt.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: coward

Squire: "Do you have a message for the Lady, or shall I tell her that you have recieved her message?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Yeah, here's my message for her." I hand him another mug.

Squire: "Ah, um... very good, my, uh... lord."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "We look forward to her arrival."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "It's not that great far as drink goes, but it's better than most."

Squire: "I'll deliver your, uh, gift immediately, my... my lord."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Aye, do so."

Squire: He scuttles out with both mugs, unless you have anything else you want to tell him.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: nah

Ildebrando: I sigh and make another note to buy more mugs.

Endrite (GM): Any preparations you want to make for her arrival?

Aristocritus Bonisagi: is there a lab between mine and potom flos's

Lavinia of Jerbiton: Pretty up the place

Put up some streamers, confetti, etc

Aleseta of Bonisagus assists with the cleaning up, magically.

Endrite (GM): No, it's an empty room.

FOR NOW!

Aristocritus Bonisagi: i think it's customary to have a guest lab

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I head down to the basement and prepare more rock mugs.

Ferris of Bonisagus: How well made are these rock mugs?

Aristocritus Bonisagi: i head back to my lab and devise some more blatantly illegal uses for elemental magic

Lavinia of Jerbiton: the most illegal move in hermetic arts

Endrite (GM): Alright feel free to pretty up the place.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: They look like someone made a mug by pressing their fist into a very big lump of clay, but it's rock instead.

Endrite (GM): Alright, the days slip by as they often do.

Jeanne de Ys arrives on a particularly cold evening. She is quite well dressed, but is not accompanied by the usual noble retinue. In fact, she's entirely alone!

She is a woman of regal bearing, nearing middle age but still possessed of dignified beauty.

Ferris of Bonisagus: "Greetings Jeanne de Ys, how was your journey?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I hand her a mug of wine.

Jeanne de Ys: "Ah, sodales, thank you for your hospitality on such a dark and wintr'y evening."

"Thank you for your hospitality, but I am afraid I do not drink... wine."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: lol

Ferris of Bonisagus: "Of course. Did you travel with any company?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I glare at her and head into the back.

Jeanne de Ys: "After all, would it not be more customary to conclude negotiations with a toast than to open them?"

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "Negotiations?"

Archibald of Guernicus: "Aye, 'tis, depending on them."

Jeanne de Ys: "I trust the magi of Vardian's Tomb are honorable enough to not assault a fellow maga."

Archibald of Guernicus: "That goes without saying."

Lavinia of Jerbiton: Maga yes, magus no

Jeanne de Ys: "Oh yes, I wish to apply to join your covenant as a vagrant, though I find such a vulgar term distasteful."

Ferris of Bonisagus: "What has led up to this desire?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: what house is she

Jeanne de Ys: "I have come to Italy in search of what can only be called the treasures of the ancient world."

"Rome was, after all, the crossroads of the world."

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "Naturally all civilized people are drawn to it"

"Why do you come to us for patronage, of all covenants?"

Jeanne de Ys: "I am of House Jerbiton, late of the Normandy Tribunal."

Archibald of Guernicus: "Ah, same as Lavinia here."

Jeanne de Ys: "I believe that you, more than most Roman covenants, would accept some of my less than orthodox methods."

Lavinia of Jerbiton: I bow.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: less than orthodox huh

Ferris of Bonisagus: "And what would those methods be?"

Lavinia of Jerbiton: not orthodox? hell we're all catholic

Aleseta of Bonisagus: murder ftw

Archibald of Guernicus: I keep my comments about them all being a pack of court wizards one errant comment away from marching to myself

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Not drinking a perfectly fine mug of wine, for one." I shout from the back.

c'thinker: uhh excuse me

Jeanne de Ys: "Many of the treasures of the Roman Empire do not lie buried in a dragon's hoard, but rather in the hands of worthy and honorable nobles."

Aristocritus Bonisagi: SOME of us are orthodox catholic

Orsu Paganacci wanders into the inn to check this lady out.

Jeanne de Ys: "Therefore, I must sometimes 'interfere with mundanes' in order acquire what I want, as you do."

She's very checkoutable.

Archibald of Guernicus: "Depends how far interfering stretches."

Orsu Paganacci: "I'm a mundane. Would you interfere with me?"

Lavinia of Jerbiton: lmfao

Archibald of Guernicus: lmao

Malachiasz of Tytalus: he has the gift where it counts

Ferris of Bonisagus: great

Jeanne de Ys: "Do you have any Roman artifacts, little one?"

Lavinia of Jerbiton: orsu offers to show her a very special rod to check out

Orsu Paganacci: "I think we have a few around here somewhere... "

mm haha

Jeanne de Ys: "Certainly I would not be above interfering to help my friends, as you helped Marco the Redcap in Venice."

Archibald of Guernicus: "Him and his big bloody mouth." I mutter quietly

Ferris of Bonisagus: "Well, if we harbor you, what usefulness would you bring to us?"

Jeanne de Ys: "Perhaps we could work out an arrangement, in that case, my little one."

Archibald of Guernicus: "Aye, well, ultimately it comes down case by case, ye know."

"What matters is the order first and foremost."

Orsu Paganacci: "Well, I trust her."

Jeanne de Ys: "I am but one maga, I can't personally acquire every artifact that I discover."

"For example, I have learned of a certain archstone that you may be interested in."

Lavinia of Jerbiton: whoa

Orsu Paganacci: "Nice."

Archibald of Guernicus: "Go on."

Jeanne de Ys: "I am willing to exchange it's location, as well as the location of certain items I may discover in the future, for membership in your covenant."

"I will, of course, be staying with Lord Pamphili, he is such a gracious host."

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "What's the nature of your arrangement with Lord Pamphili?"

Orsu Paganacci: lord pampy

Jeanne de Ys: "Certainly you know that a woman never reveals her secrets where men are concerned."

Orsu Paganacci: "Mm haha." audibly

Lavinia of Jerbiton: lol

"I would never keep secrets from my sodales, of course."

Jeanne de Ys: "Ah, very well."

"Lord Pamphili was in need of a court physician and I, as an alchemist of some account, have gladly sought his patronage."

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "You are trained in Medicine?"

Archibald of Guernicus: "Seems reasonable."

Too reasonable for a jerbiton, there must be a catch

Jeanne de Ys: "Yes, I am well versed in the creation of tinctures and theriacs."

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "You must have studied at Salerno, then."

Jeanne de Ys: "I cannot say I have had the pleasure."

Lavinia of Jerbiton frowns

Jeanne de Ys: "If it would motivate you, I am also a skilled tutor. I would be glad to teach you the fruits of my research into the human body."

Ferris of Bonisagus: "Wonderful."

Orsu Paganacci: "It's an area I have a great deal of research on, as well."

Lavinia of Jerbiton: hehe

Archibald of Guernicus: "Well, technically, the leader of the covenant needs to okay it, and that's Venator. He's currently off tae who know's where though."

Who is our Archon

Lavinia of Jerbiton: oh god cthinker's gone

who will lead us now

Ferris of Bonisagus: (throws some dice on the ground to make decisions)

Archibald of Guernicus: Without aristocritus and his firm hand, the covenant will be doomed

Jeanne de Ys:

rolling 1d5

(

4

)

=

4

Looks like it's Archon Aleseta!

Ferris of Bonisagus: Long live the Archon

Archibald of Guernicus: Aleseta shuffles in from offscreen

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Oh, well this is a first. I suppose Archibald is right and each potential interference needs to be taken on a case by case basis. Still, we could use your help, especially with that archstone. Why not?"

Jeanne de Ys: "Ah, excellent. I can see that you are reasonable people, though a bit rough around the edges."

"Perhaps the study of alchemy will congeal those impurities out."

Archibald of Guernicus: "Ultimately what matters is reclaiming arcane property where it should be, without causing enough distress to mundanes that they launch a crusade against the order."

Jeanne de Ys: "Of course, of course."

"Rest assured that I would never be so crude as to rob a noble house."

Archibald of Guernicus: "Ah, it's in some nobles place?"

Jeanne de Ys: "Usually they are the only people wealthy enough to have an interest in antiquities, though all the wealth 'accumulated' by the Pope sees Churches in possession of some pieces."

"So, shall we 'seal the deal' so to speak?"

"I have brought a document that I would like you to sign, to present to any overeager Quaesitors."

She reaches in her dress and unfurls a short scroll.

Ferris of Bonisagus: Whose our lawyer?

Jeanne de Ys: It's a pretty standard contract.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: neither of my characters has any law :cool:

Lavinia of Jerbiton: i got civil law, i'll look

Jeanne de Ys: It says, "I, the undersigned, do swear on my authority as leader of the undersigned covenant, that the undersigned bearer of this document is a member of the covenant in question, with full rights of vagrancy."

There are three places to sign, but Jeanne de Ys has already filled her name out.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: thanks for the arcane connection, sucker!

Jeanne de Ys: In the appropriate place.

She keeps the document.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "This would require Venator's signature, and that would require our endorsement, which requires you demonstrate your claims have merit."

"If we can find and authenticate this archstone as what you say it is that would lean in her favor, correct sodales?"

Archibald of Guernicus: "I'm sure Venator will be back any day now." I laugh mirthlessly

Ferris of Bonisagus: "Proof would be helpful to convince Venator."

Archibald of Guernicus: "Aye, he's never been the sort to turn a magus away, without good reason."

I think on the magi he has allowed to stay here, and currently does

Jeanne de Ys: "You have been nothing but gracious, so I see no reason not to provide the location of the archstone, as a gesture of good will."

"It is currently buried in the rubbish heap that used to be the Forum."

Archibald of Guernicus: not a nice way to talk about badgame

Aleseta of Bonisagus: lol

Lavinia of Jerbiton: haha

Jeanne de Ys: "The archstone was taken from its place on the Temple of Mercury and installed in a home of some repute, which fell to ruin during the Fall of the Roman Empire."

"It still rests there, buried under the weight of centuries. I am not a skilled digger, so I have been unable to acquire it."

She updates your map with the location.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I hear the words skilled digger and slide into the scene again.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: lol

"Well then, we should try to locate it as soon as possible!"

Archibald of Guernicus: "Aye, nae time like the present."

Jeanne de Ys: She put it on your map!

Lavinia of Jerbiton: did she point out the exact spot in the forum

I'm not seeing the map

Jeanne de Ys: Yes, roughly.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: is that really where the forum is???

Archibald of Guernicus: I have The Miner's Keen Eye, which could help find the entrance

Malachiasz of Tytalus: forum surprisingly far from jewish slum

Archibald of Guernicus: and yet the fences keep getting knocked over

Jeanne de Ys: I think I put it slightly further east than in reality.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: remember this map is oriented with North to the left

Jeanne de Ys: Exactly.

Ferris of Bonisagus: neato

Lavinia of Jerbiton: ill go on the expedition with sir oak and a copy of the aeneid

Archibald of Guernicus: I'll take my sword and my terram score

Endrite (GM): Jeanne de Ys will wait here for you.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: aleseta is going and will take napolito

Endrite (GM): Drag yourself onto the map if you're going.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: And my shovel.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: and my axe

Endrite (GM): Alrighty then!

Area Lore (Rome) for any intel on the Forum.

Aleseta of Bonisagus tumbleweeds

Lavinia of Jerbiton: Can I ask Ildebrando

Endrite (GM): You may.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "Ildebrando, we're going on an expedition to the Forum. What should we know?"

Ildebrando: "The Forum is Annibaldi territory, but they've been struggling to hold on to it lately."

"The Colonnas have been collecting grazing fees from the peasants who take their cattle there."

"Naturally, no one can afford to pay tax twice, so the Annibaldi have been collecting in force."

"I think they think the extra men will keep the Colonnas from sticking their noses in, but after they crowned the Emperor, they've been acting like they run the whole city."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: actually, i'll swap out aleseta for orsu if that's okay

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "The Ghibellines running the whole city... Ah, if only.."

Ildebrando: "Naturally not everyone thinks the same way you do."

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "What persons in Annibaldi and Colonna would be likeliest to care about us digging up the forum?"

Ildebrando: "I couldn't say, but whoever they have collecting there is sure to take notice, unless m'lady has some way to dig in secret."

Orsu Paganacci: before going out, orsu uses a charm of great presence, charm of charm, and charm of guile on himself. ~*

Archibald of Guernicus: I have a plan for how to possibly dig in secret.

Endrite (GM): Cold be good.

(To Orsu Paganacci): At some occasion Lavinia confides to Orsu her suspicions that Jeanne is lying about her background

Endrite (GM): Well you should lay it out before we go.

(From Orsu Paganacci): "Oh? Other than her fictional city of origin, what else is tipping you off?"

Archibald of Guernicus: We find a spot to dig, and put a stone wall over it. Then I open it up, with my spell to do so, and we dig underneath it. There'll be no visible hole.

Endrite (GM): Uh, there will be a visible wall.

(To Orsu Paganacci): What noble would take a lady physician who wasn't a University graduate?

Archibald of Guernicus: It's a ruin, isn't it

Lot's of fallen walls

Lavinia of Jerbiton: let's tell the annibaldis we're prospecting for oil

Endrite (GM): I don't think they'd be happy about you planting an orchard on their territory.

What do your walls look like Archibald?

(From Orsu Paganacci): "It does sound odd. But if she produces results, a desperate man might employ her, no?"

Archibald of Guernicus: I meant we find a wall somewhere and move it, I wouldn't be making one.

I just have a spell to open up a door-shaped hole in a stone wall

That seals behind it

Endrite (GM): So you'd knock down a wall?

Wouldn't that turn it into a floor?

Orsu Paganacci: img-wee-bey

Malachiasz of Tytalus: put the hole in the wall and then knock it down

Archibald of Guernicus: I don't think the art of terram minds if its a wall or a floor, if the thickness is the same.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: its a flawless plan

Lavinia of Jerbiton: We could tell them about a ruined temple there, remind them that temples often contained treasuries of gold for safe-keeping, and let them dig it up themselves, then steal the archstone

Malachiasz of Tytalus: we could also kill them

Lavinia of Jerbiton: yeah! yeah!!!

wait,

Archibald of Guernicus: Yes. Let's alert them to our plans, and also commit robbery.

Hell, a plan with zero drawbacks.

Orsu Paganacci: don't forget murder

Endrite (GM): You could murder them OR kill them.

Archibald of Guernicus: Now it's just getting too spicy to say no to

Lavinia of Jerbiton: let's scope out what the place looks like first

Endrite (GM): Your weapon is choice.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: just dig and if anyone comes to investigate kill them

Archibald of Guernicus: We would have a very convenient place to dump the corpse

Endrite (GM): Alright, do you want to go out at night or wait a day?

Malachiasz of Tytalus: no we wouldnt, because then we would need to dig through dirt AND person

think, archibald!!

Ferris of Bonisagus: How loud is this all going to be?

Orsu Paganacci: brb

Archibald of Guernicus: We have Eyes of the Cat, so there's zero reason to do it during the day, I think

Endrite (GM): Good question.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: night would be better so theres less witnesses to us killing a man

Endrite (GM): Who is the best at digging?

Malachiasz of Tytalus: me

Archibald of Guernicus: Malachiasz has, to my knowledge, a minor magical focus in digging holes

Lavinia of Jerbiton: he's a digger he's a digger, throw his ass out

Archibald of Guernicus: A focus that will finally be the star of the show

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i also have a shovel!

Endrite (GM): You should nail down a plan before we head out.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: did we get an exact location on the archstone

Lavinia of Jerbiton: i want to see what the place looks like before we make a plan

Malachiasz of Tytalus: or just the forum in general

Endrite (GM): You got a very accurate location.

Orsu Paganacci: back

Endrite (GM): In fact, if it was hundreds of years ago you'd have an exact location!

Malachiasz of Tytalus: excellent

Archibald of Guernicus: Ah, it's simple then.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: wait

Archibald of Guernicus: We just break the hermetic limit of time.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: the archstone is made of stone

oh no

Endrite (GM): It is.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i cant do this the easy way

or ill delete it

Lavinia of Jerbiton: What was the location hundreds of years ago?

Endrite (GM): It was on a judicial office.

Archibald of Guernicus: I think first we track it down, so uh

Lavinia of Jerbiton: Maybe there's buried parchment

in case you want to InAn

Archibald of Guernicus: Forum buildings were marble right?

Endrite (GM): Some of them.

Archibald of Guernicus: We could use Miners Keen Eye to find it under the ground if so

Are archstones a special sort of stone, actually

Ferris of Bonisagus: In what way?

Endrite (GM): It depends.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: archstone:stone archbishop:bishop

Endrite (GM): Usually you make them out of whatever the arch is made out of.

Archibald of Guernicus: Oh, just to spont a Probe For Pure Silver that lets you sniff out the archstone, was an idea.

Endrite (GM): That's a free architecture tip.

Sure you could go for that.

Archibald of Guernicus: Well, I think we should try marble as a start.

Boy if only we had someone who loved architecture

Endrite (GM): Unfortunately Proclus is busy at the moment.

(To Endrite): are we supposed to be on the forum map screen now, im still seeing map of rome

(From Endrite (GM)): Whoops!

Lavinia of Jerbiton: whoa

Archibald of Guernicus: Well I think our plan right now is: go at night with cat eyes up, snoop around, use some InTe to try and find the general location then bust in?

Endrite (GM): Wait it's night time.

There we go.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: damn, thats a lot of enemies who will have to die

Orsu Paganacci: rip

Malachiasz of Tytalus: along with two peasants

Endrite (GM): You see a large number of armed men, along with a local notable arguing with a peasant.

I guess "threatening" or "berating" it more accurate.

Otherwise, there aren't any cattle or peasants around, it being night time.

Don't forget about the aura.

Orsu Paganacci tries to listen in.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: glad he's reminding that peasant of how the natural order of feudalism is supposed to work

Endrite (GM): Roll Awareness if you want to listen in from far enough away that they can't see you.

Orsu Paganacci: okay. this should be great!

Archibald of Guernicus:

rolling 1d10+3+5

(

3

)

+3+5

=

11

Orsu Paganacci:

rolling d10!+0-2-3 Listening

(

2

)

+0-2-3

=

-3

mm yes. i see.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: pressing ear right up to guy's mouth "What? What?"

Archibald of Guernicus: A serial adulterer that can't hear the husband coming

Malachiasz of Tytalus:

rolling 1d10!+5

(

9

)

+5

=

14

Archibald of Guernicus: Dangerous game to play

Orsu Paganacci: that's why it's so funny!!!

Lavinia of Jerbiton patiently waits back while the others eavesdrop

Endrite (GM): If I didn't whisper you you couldn't make anything out.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Ah, the noble there seems to be trying to make the peasant pay taxes twice."

Archibald of Guernicus: "Well, not our problem. Let's just hope they move on after they finish."

Endrite (GM): So what's the plan?

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I head over to the noble.

Endrite (GM): Alright that's the plan I guess.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Ah, hello my friend. Why are you attempting to collect money on my land?"

Orsu Paganacci: lol

Archibald of Guernicus: Everyone please prepare your initiative rolls.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: quick who were the other people laying claim to this land

Lavinia of Jerbiton: colonna

Paolo Annabaldi: "Who do you think you are?!"

Lavinia of Jerbiton: I'm the ugly Colonna no one talks about

Paolo Annabaldi: "This is our land, we won't be pushed around by some Colonna freak!"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Why, I'm surprised you wouldn't know the Head Enforcer of Colonna."

Paolo Annabaldi: "And foolish enough to come on your own?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "On my own?"

Paolo Annabaldi: "Get out of here before we send you back to your masters in a coffin."

Ferris of Bonisagus puffs his chest meakly

Paolo Annabaldi: "Or maybe they never find you."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I look around at the thugs. Do they look like particularly brave men?

Archibald of Guernicus: Justifiable self-defence.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: or just anyone who could hold a sword and look scary

Paolo Annabaldi: They outnumber you 13 to 1, so they look pretty confident.

Orsu Paganacci: lol

Lavinia of Jerbiton: Never tell me the odds.

Archibald of Guernicus: That just means 13 graves.

Ferris of Bonisagus: 13x* graves

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Hm, you may seem to have the superior presence aboveground, my friend. But Colonna is much more subtle."

Orsu Paganacci: Archibald arrives and graves POUR from le forum.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I shout something that could be discerned as a code word and cast Pit of the Gaping Earth under him.

Paolo Annabaldi: Ok.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: oops

Paolo Annabaldi: Reminder that casting hermetic spells is pretty obvious unless you do it silently and without gestures.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: we're so loopy we can't help but murder nobles

Malachiasz of Tytalus: thats why i shout

so it could be discerned as some kind of code

it is a Deception

Lavinia of Jerbiton: If you start a fight i'm not backing you up just fyi

Paolo Annabaldi: It involves words of power and so forth, they'd know what's going on.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: this seems a pretty blatant code violation

Archibald of Guernicus: I think voice range stuff requires the incantations, yes

Paolo Annabaldi: Roughly.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: ah

hm

Paolo Annabaldi: All spells do.

Archibald of Guernicus: Not if you have 2 ranks in quiet casting

Paolo Annabaldi: Well sure.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: here's a better idea: cast the pit of gaping earth somewhere else to prove how badass you are without hurting him

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i do that

that is a better idea

i will do it about a foot away from him

Paolo Annabaldi: Alright.

Go for it.

Archibald of Guernicus: Cast it on yourself, making you the winner.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: lol

Malachiasz of Tytalus: whats the aura here

Orsu Paganacci: probably not great

Paolo Annabaldi: Good question!

Probably should have checked before you started threatening people with magic.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: haha

Malachiasz of Tytalus: yes

Paolo Annabaldi: Roll to cast the spell and I will adjust it based on the aura.

So you'll also need to tell me the spell level.

Malachiasz of Tytalus:

rolling 1d10!+2+12+18

(

10

+

8

)

+2+12+18

=

50

Ferris of Bonisagus: Jesus

Malachiasz of Tytalus: its a level 15 spell

Paolo Annabaldi: Great job.

Archibald of Guernicus: Now, we may currently be in Hell, where it probably still succeeds,

Ferris of Bonisagus: Dominion 20 aura, get wrecked

Orsu Paganacci: lo

l

Paolo Annabaldi: Alright, you open up a hole in the Earth (I don't know what your sigil is so it'll have to be this generic).

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i should come up with a sigil

Paolo Annabaldi: "Merda! Another sorcerer!"

Lavinia of Jerbiton: another??

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Aye. And perhaps your archers there could eventually bring me down. But you and a good portion of your men would die."

"And that's if you're just fighting me."

Paolo Annabaldi: "How much is Colonna paying you?"

"We can double it."

Ferris of Bonisagus: "We could use something other than money" I chime in from the back

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I smile. "Those are some good words, my friend. I will, however, take payment other than coin. Are you the only force from your master here tonight?"

Paolo Annabaldi: "What kind of fool do you take me for?"

Orsu Paganacci wonders if this guy wants a real answer.

Paolo Annabaldi: Paolo's men are looking a little unsteady, since you cast that spell.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "I figured as much. I just wish for you and your allies to pay no mind while my associates and I conduct some business here. And, of course, to keep quiet about what you do witness."

"Rest assured that no harm will come to you if you stay out of the way."

Paolo Annabaldi: "There's the little matter of the money your masters have stolen from these poor peasants," he elbows the peasant, "If you compensate them for this grave injustice, then maybe all of us were somewhere else when you showed up."

Archibald of Guernicus: "Sodales, does anyone, out of curiousity, want Disguise of the New Visage cast on them before we go out?"

Orsu Paganacci: "Nah."

Paolo Annabaldi: Folk Ken here, Malachiasz.

Ferris of Bonisagus: "Sure, make me look like that one (pointing at Paolo)"

Malachiasz of Tytalus:

rolling 1d10!

(

10

+

6

)

=

16

Paolo Annabaldi: He's asking for a bribe.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: what would be an appropriate amount

is there a skill for that

Archibald of Guernicus: It's peasant money, so not much probably

Just ask him how much

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "If that's what it takes to waste less of my time, then fine. What's your price?"

Archibald of Guernicus: In the meantime I take Ferris somewhere out of this aura and go apply Disguise of the New Visage to us both.

I don't make him look like Paolo as we've interfered enough already

Ferris of Bonisagus: What do I look like?

Paolo Annabaldi: "An equivalent amount of scudo that you took from us." The Scudo is the currency of the Papal States. He asks for about 30 Mythic Pounds worth.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: hm. interesting

Ferris of Bonisagus: That doesn't seem like peasant money

Orsu Paganacci: wtc

why don't you "scudo" on out of ... here?

Lavinia of Jerbiton: if he thinks you're Colonna he probably thinks you have Colonna money

Archibald of Guernicus: You look like a man with a unibrow, ferris

Orsu Paganacci: his brow is actually made of a waiting retinue of spiders

Ferris of Bonisagus: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/55/73/d9/5573d932076aec21bb3b236851344653.jpg

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I raise an eyebrow. "Quite a bold request, but I like that in a man. I will give you (10 mythic pounds worth) tonight. A messenger from Colonna will seek you out with the rest tomorrow."

Paolo Annabaldi: "In that case, we won't be here tomorrow."

"But tonight, it looks like we're all here, doesn't it."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "My friend, I am an incredible man. But even I need a bit of preparation to make that much go unnoticed by Colonna. I would recommend you do not try to make your reach exceed your grasp."

Ferris of Bonisagus: The temptation to just go around and poke them with paralyzing death is very high

Malachiasz of Tytalus: do it

kill them

he fucking demanded 30 mythic pounds

Orsu Paganacci: dark ferris

Paolo Annabaldi: They're pretty aware of threats at the moment, just FYI.

Any attacks are going to put you into Combat.

Ferris of Bonisagus: I forgot, can familiars deliver touch attacks?

Lavinia of Jerbiton: i think you're thinking of talismans

Ferris of Bonisagus: Mostly likely dnd 5e

Paolo Annabaldi: Also drag yourselves onto the map please.

Archibald of Guernicus: What if the spider, was made invisible

Ferris of Bonisagus: I can cast Veil of Invisibility on myself...

Screw it, I'll go around a corner and cast Veil of Invisibility on myself

Lavinia of Jerbiton: i vote we do not kill all these people

Malachiasz of Tytalus: the vote is up to them, actually

Lavinia of Jerbiton: it could be useful to befriend a noble, actually

Malachiasz of Tytalus: they could take the kind fucking offer of 10 mythic pounds or they could die

Ferris of Bonisagus: I'm fine with paying them off or paralyzing them for a moon duration, whatever the group wants to do

Paolo Annabaldi: How many people can you paralyze at once?

Archibald of Guernicus: i think if we have a path open where we dont murder a nobleman, we should at least consider it

Malachiasz of Tytalus: indeed. its good to consider what the wrong choice would be every now and then

Ferris of Bonisagus: One at a time, I would start from the back, all sneaky peaky life

like*

Paolo Annabaldi: Do you have silent casting?

Ferris of Bonisagus: Yea

Paolo Annabaldi: Alright, you can try for it.

But if you get noticed you'll probably kill your friend.

Ferris of Bonisagus: Seems like most of the group is for plan not-murder. So do we just want to pay them off?

Lavinia of Jerbiton: malach's life is worth 30 mp imo

give or take

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i do want to pay them off

Archibald of Guernicus: Silent Assassin rating is possible ferris

Malachiasz of Tytalus: but they do not want to take the money

if everyones alright with spending 30 mp then ok

Paolo Annabaldi: Sure they do.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: but i figured no one would be

Paolo Annabaldi: They just want all of it.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: just pay up

Orsu Paganacci: orsu thinks it's dumb to pay 30 mp to these idiots

but he's not a member of the cov officially ~*

Lavinia of Jerbiton: What would you suggest instead

Archibald of Guernicus: You could play the Good Noble to his Bad Noble

Youve got the guile for it

Orsu Paganacci: sure

Orsu Paganacci strizzols on up.

Paolo Annabaldi: "Hey, who are you?"

Orsu Paganacci: "These negotiations certainly seem to be taking a long time."

Orsu Paganacci points to Malachiasz.

Orsu Paganacci: "An associate of his."

Paolo Annabaldi: "I've never seen you before."

"Some new Colonna hireling?"

Orsu Paganacci: "No shit. Seems like a lot is getting by you Annabaldis lately."

Lavinia of Jerbiton: lol

Paolo Annabaldi: "Fuck you! Porca putana!"

Archibald of Guernicus: I open combat on whoever wrote in that speech bubble

Lavinia of Jerbiton: hehe

Paolo Annabaldi: Sorry it's canon.

You're thinking about that juicy Mel meat.

Archibald of Guernicus: Anachronisms can be canon now? Interesting.

I'll remember this.

Orsu Paganacci: "You're very charming. I can see why the bosses put in you in charge of negotiations. Here's the thing: there's no way our people will authorize paying you clowns a Scudo. You can go away empty handed, no-handed, or with 10 lira. It's your choice."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: malach happily making potato vodka

Paolo Annabaldi: Hmm.

Give me a Bargain roll.

Orsu Paganacci is trying to act cool as a cucumber!!!

Paolo Annabaldi: Opposed, of course.

Orsu Paganacci: hmm. i have no bargain!! what characteristic?

Paolo Annabaldi: Perception.

Orsu Paganacci: ???

Paolo Annabaldi: Wait sorry, presence.

I confused PRE with PER.

Orsu Paganacci: okay ~*

rolling d10!+0+6

(

5

)

+0+6

=

11

Paolo Annabaldi: Also it should be stressed.

rolling 1d10! + 8 +1

(

2

)

+8+1

=

11

Orsu Paganacci: conf

Paolo Annabaldi: Go for it.

"Fine, so be it."

"This won't make us even, Colonna dog."

Ferris of Bonisagus: no-handed it is

Orsu Paganacci: lol

Orsu Paganacci shrugs.

Paolo Annabaldi: "Come on men, I think I heard someone prowling around those columns."

Endrite (GM): Alright, they warily walk away.

With the peasant in tow.

How do you want to dig for this archstone?

Lavinia of Jerbiton: let's assess the aura

Endrite (GM): Alright, go for it.

Archibald of Guernicus: I'm sure it's not that bad

Lavinia of Jerbiton: uh I mean, someone who has Vim, assess the aura

Lavinia of Jerbiton looks at Archibald

Endrite (GM): Heh.

Someone do it though.

Ferris of Bonisagus: I got nothing

Lavinia of Jerbiton cough

Endrite (GM): Well we'd better just get to the excavation, in that case.

Archibald of Guernicus: What's the spell to Assess The Aura

I dont have any formulaic magic like that, but I have good intellego vim

Lavinia of Jerbiton: it's like l1 invi

Archibald of Guernicus: Oh, cool.

Well then

Here comes a special botch

Endrite (GM): Level 2 actually.

Archibald of Guernicus:

rolling 1d10!+3+9+10

(

8

)

+3+9+10

=

30

"Oh shite. It's a second strength infernal aura."

"Best be careful."

Orsu Paganacci: mm

Archibald of Guernicus: I have an idea about Miner's Keen Eye though

Endrite (GM): Do tell.

Archibald of Guernicus: I walk outside the aura

And use flexible formulaic magic

To make it sun duration

Instead of conc

Then walk back in

Lavinia of Jerbiton: pwnd, the Devil and his works

Archibald of Guernicus: This virtue is ridiculously useful

Endrite (GM): Wouldn't that make the target level higher than the -2 penalty?

Malachiasz of Tytalus: second strength infernal aura? that noble is a bigger fag than i thought

Archibald of Guernicus: Target level?

Endrite (GM): Yeah the spell level.

Well, it's night time, so most Divine Auras swap to Infernal.

Archibald of Guernicus: I just walk outside the aura to a neutral one, cast it with my obscene InTe casting level, then the sun duration spell continues even after I walk back in

Lavinia of Jerbiton: he could cast it back at the covenant

Orsu Paganacci: ?? divine auras don't swap to infernal at night, iirc, it's just that infernal auras get stronger at night

Lavinia of Jerbiton: Divine auras all weaken by 1 and infernals increase by 1

Endrite (GM): Low level Divine Auras will.

In any case, do what you think is best.

Archibald of Guernicus: Well, I do that, and set it to look for marble so I can see any marble buried underneath the ground through up to 3 paces of intervening material.

Endrite (GM): Roll it up.

Archibald of Guernicus: Well it's formulaic, my casting total is higher than the spell

Endrite (GM): You're only like 10 minutes away from the Covenant.

Alright.

Roll for it!

Rolling is fun.

Archibald of Guernicus:

rolling 1d10+28

(

3

)

+28

=

31

Level 25 effect

Endrite (GM): Nice.

Ok, you make your way back to the Forum.

You can spot the archstone in question pretty easily.

It's only about 8 feet underground.

Archibald of Guernicus: "Perfect. Dig here, I've found the thing."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: excellent

my pit goes 9 feet

Orsu Paganacci: it's miller time

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i cast the pit upon the stone's location

Endrite (GM): Alright, be a little careful.

You don't want to destroy the stone, after all.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: pit says it only destroys dirt

by default

Endrite (GM): And with that I've run out of warnings!

Alright great.

Roll it.

Keep in mind you're at -2.

Orsu Paganacci: turns out this arch was made of dirt

Malachiasz of Tytalus:

rolling 1d10!+2+12+18-2

(

1

)

+2+12+18-2

=

31

Lavinia of Jerbiton: woot

Archibald of Guernicus: Oh god

Endrite (GM): Alright!

Archibald of Guernicus: I would like to point out I am not standing directly next to this man as he explodes

Endrite (GM): That's 3 botch dice I believe.

rolling 3d10

(

9

+

5

+

4

)

=

18

Phew!

Malachiasz of Tytalus: ah

Endrite (GM): You did it!

You dug a pit and didn't explode!

Malachiasz of Tytalus: excellent

Endrite (GM): The top of a classical building is visible.

The archstone is right there, you just need to pry it off!

Malachiasz of Tytalus: Does it look particularly fragile?

Endrite (GM): A little.

Orsu Paganacci: hmm

Endrite (GM): Roll Profession: Architecture to find out more.

Archibald of Guernicus: [sweating] Who has the highest finesse

No. NO

You deliberately made this adventure to upset us that Proclus isn't here

Lavinia of Jerbiton: ill try divining how fragile it is

Learn one visible property of a stone, earth, or metal object (a property that someone with appropriate skills could determine just by looking)."

back at the covenant

(From Endrite (GM)): A little. Don't hammer it too hard.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: magi running back and forth from the forums to the catacombs

Lavinia of Jerbiton: hehe

if only I could mitigate auras like SOME people

Endrite (GM): This is practically your back yard.

Archibald of Guernicus: Is that a formulaic spell youve got? If it doesnt work out I could spont it.

My InTe is very large, and powerful

Ferris of Bonisagus: It's only a 10 minute stroll in this wonderful city

Endrite (GM): Heh heh heh.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "It is not strong like the walls of Troy. Move carefully, sodales."

Archibald of Guernicus: Wait, archstones were for the uh

Mercurian portals right?

Endrite (GM): Specifically, the Temple of Mercury archway.

Orsu Paganacci: "How should we go about removing it?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: who has the best finesse

Archibald of Guernicus: +4 here

Malachiasz of Tytalus: same

Lavinia of Jerbiton: let's hire a mason

Malachiasz of Tytalus: im sure theres plenty looking for work this time of night

Archibald of Guernicus: We could take out the surrounding arch and take it home with us, then work out what to do from tehre

* there

Orsu Paganacci: "That sounds more complicated than just taking the archstone itself."

Archibald of Guernicus: "Aye, but less complicated than breaking it by accident in this infernal aura."

Ferris of Bonisagus: More complicated by safer is my vote

Archibald of Guernicus: What is the roll to remove the archstone, Endrite?

Maybe someone will have the appropriate skillset already

Endrite (GM): Well you have a lot of options.

You could just use a chisel and pry it off.

You could lift the whole roof off with a spell.

You could try turning the stone soft and prying it out.

There's a lot of options!

Archibald of Guernicus: Yes... just keep casting in the infernal aura, players

Lavinia of Jerbiton: No Pain, No Gain.

Rest assured, if I could spont cast, I would. I'm a team player.

Endrite (GM): Unless you have a magical chisel that would be a safe move.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: can i use rock of viscid clay to turn just the stone around the archstone soft, endrite?

Endrite (GM): Sure.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: alright, i guess ill take the chance of being the retard that breaks the rock as no one else will

Lavinia of Jerbiton: That's called leadership

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i head down and use the viscid clay spell

rolling 1d10!+21

(

3

)

+21

=

24

Archibald of Guernicus: With Aristocritus gone, someone has to

Oh he didnt break it

Phew

Malachiasz of Tytalus: ok ive done it

Endrite (GM): Great job.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "I never doubted you for a minute, Malachiasz."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i carefully remove the rock and head back up

Archibald of Guernicus: "Amazing. Mission complete, and how."

Endrite (GM): The archstone comes free with a soft "Schlorp."

Archibald of Guernicus: We did it everyone

Now let's blow this joint

Orsu Paganacci: nice

Malachiasz of Tytalus: the archers return and all take aim at the rock were carefully cradling

Orsu Paganacci: lol

Endrite (GM): They don't do that.

They respect the bribe.

Alright, so you head back to the covenant?

Ferris of Bonisagus: Honor among peasant opprosers

Orsu Paganacci: yes

Archibald of Guernicus: Immediately, before something ruins everything we did

Orsu Paganacci heads back but scopes for ladies along the way.

Endrite (GM): It's night time, not too many ladies.

Orsu Paganacci: UGGHHGHG

Lavinia of Jerbiton: all the prostitutes are happy to see orsu

Archibald of Guernicus: You keep going around women asking for their horoscopes

Ferris of Bonisagus: The right kind of ladies

Orsu Paganacci: from now on missions only at ~10 am when men are at work and women are going about their daily routines.

Jeanne de Ys: "Not just back for a visit, are you?"

Ferris of Bonisagus: Well a few of us have been back during all of this

johns: "I live here."

Orsu Paganacci: "He lives here, among the casques."

"She, rather."

Jeanne de Ys: "Did you find what I told you to find?"

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "May I ask, Jeanne, how you came to discover this item's location, and that we were searching for it?"

Jeanne de Ys: "Meticulous research, of course."

Archibald of Guernicus: "Thought ye might say it was secrets from Ys for a moment there." I say jovially

Jeanne de Ys: "Wouldn't that have been silly of me?"

"But, if you found what you were looking for, I have proven my worth to you."

"Please, sign here so I can go back to my studies."

Archibald of Guernicus: Time to install this bad boy in the temple of mercury

Ferris of Bonisagus: O Archon our Archon, are you going to sign?

Archibald of Guernicus: If only we had a greek, or an architect.

Ferris of Bonisagus: Or a philosopher

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "The contract will have to wait until Venator returns, but rest assured we will speak on your behalf to him."

"And we know where to reach you in the meantime."

Jeanne de Ys: "I will need certain assurances that I won't be harassed in the meantime."

Ferris of Bonisagus: "What were you thinking?"

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "On my honor as a Jerbiton, I say that anyone who opposes you will have to deal with us."

Archibald of Guernicus: Who was harassing her again. Did she say before?

Orsu Paganacci gets kind of too close.

Orsu Paganacci: "Who would harass you?"

Jeanne de Ys: "Why, anyone who would seek to persecute a maga who knows things that they do not."

"Of course."

"When will this Venator return?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: we could have orsu guard her until venator returns

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "Are you in a hurry?"

Orsu Paganacci: mm haha

Jeanne de Ys: "I am interested in maintaining good relations with this covenant."

"But I can't wait forever."

Archibald of Guernicus: "The problem is that Venator, though he cares for the covenant in his own way, is basically like a cat in that he just arrives and leaves arbitrarily."

Ferris of Bonisagus: "But one of our members could stay with you while we wait..."

Jeanne de Ys: "But I do have your assurance that he will sign?"

"Oh?"

"Well, I do have some spare time, I'd be glad to tutor an interested seeker of knowledge," she winks at Orsu.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: shes going to kill him

Ferris of Bonisagus: Orsu?

Orsu Paganacci smiles.

Orsu Paganacci whispers to Malachiasz.

Orsu Paganacci: "Just a little death..."

Archibald of Guernicus: "Well, that's perfect."

I whisper to Ferris "A whole season or two with him away, good work sodales."

Jeanne de Ys: Heh,

Orsu Paganacci: wow maybe they should change the name of this covenant to haters' tomb

Lavinia of Jerbiton: I covertly ask Orsu to keep an eye out for the Maga's real purpose.

Orsu Paganacci nods sagely at Lavinia.

Ferris of Bonisagus nods at Archibald happily.

Endrite (GM): Alright we can deal with that now OR we could go open the Temple of Mercury.

Archibald of Guernicus: We're just trying to research the arcane and every time a female magus, noble, traveller, jew, etc arrives Orsu manages to comically slide in like pepe le pew.

I'm fine to stay up later and rope kid usually leaves earlyish, so Orsu first imo

Orsu Paganacci: nothing to be done

sure

Endrite (GM): Well with Orsu it's JUST him.

Obviously you guys don't have anything to do with it.

Orsu Paganacci: yeah i can wait tbqh

i have no rush tonight

Lavinia of Jerbiton: orus could bring some comical grog servants iwth him

Archibald of Guernicus: A collection of grogs, each more blundering than the last

Malachiasz of Tytalus: lets go, to the temple

Lavinia of Jerbiton slides out of frame, johns (GM) appears

Ferris of Bonisagus: I'd go for Orsu and the collection of bumbling grogs

Malachiasz of Tytalus: more like pee m lol

Archibald of Guernicus: That's a good system actually. People can have solo adventures but as soon as you do, everyone else gets to join you as medieval Oliver Hardy

Endrite: Well we can do that next week, I didn't really have too much planned.

Orsu Paganacci: for which?

Archibald of Guernicus: Fine, looks like we're going to the temple.

Endrite: Orsu and the Comical Servants Go To the Pamphili Estate.

Orsu Paganacci: cool

johns (GM): Setting up, 1 minute

Endrite: Wow!

johns (GM): It would take a team of masons about a month to restore the arch and install the archstone

So let's say that we're in 1330 now.

Proclus of Rome: Oh no, time for everyone to do their Winter Phase.

Orsu Paganacci: brb

johns (GM): The workmen construct wooden cranes all about the arch and get to their work without questioning its purpose. The archstone is lowered into place and plastered in. The scaffolds deconstructed, and the foreman lets you know the tasks is done, with a "well what was the point of that" tone of voice

Proclus of Rome: "Historical restoration."

johns (GM): The expedition awaits. Who wants to go forth?

Archibald of Guernicus: "Aye, isn't history great."

Do we have any idea what's on the other side?

Aleseta of Bonisagus is going.

johns (GM): Not until you go through!

Proclus of Rome: Sure, why not?

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I go

I walk in first

Ferris of Bonisagus: I'll go

johns (GM): You all see Malachiasz step under the arch, and disappear!

Zita of Mercere: I'll have Archie do labwork this season, and bring someone else along instead.

Aleseta of Bonisagus goes!!

Proclus of Rome: Let's do it!

Zita of Mercere: I stroll in after

Proclus of Rome: I'll walk through!

johns (GM): You step through...

From the empty fields, you emerge onto a road in a sprawling, built up area.

The sky is bright blue, the aura feels magical.

Proclus of Rome: Hmm.

Interesting.

johns (GM): The buildings are all of an ancient style, white painted stucco.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: nice! i love magic!!!

Proclus of Rome: But just HOW Magical?

Also if the sky is bright blue why is it so dark?

johns (GM): Because i'm fiddling with fog of war & dynamic lighting

The aura is Magic 4.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: mm

i'll walk down CUM ANUS street

Proclus of Rome: What are these squares?

Buildings?

Wow!

johns (GM) turns on the lights

johns (GM): The Insula are small, 1 or 2 story apartment houses.

Ferris of Bonisagus: Nice

Zita of Mercere: "Fancy. Wonder if anyone's around?"

Proclus of Rome: Is there anyone around?

johns (GM): Walking forward, you come closer to the crossroads, and see larger houses-- opulent mansions.

Proclus of Rome: Hmm.

johns (GM): There is no sign of life.

Proclus of Rome: Why are we living in a hole in the ground, again?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: good q

Proclus of Rome: Is there water in the aquaduct?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: same question, but watar.

johns (GM): At the crossroads, the part of the aqueduct that should pass to the west is missing. The part in the east is dry.

Zita of Mercere: Declare independence from Venator and take this place for ourselves.

Proclus of Rome: Oh no.

Aleseta of Bonisagus goes into the temple itself.

Proclus of Rome: How missing?

johns (GM): Like, completely missing.

Proclus of Rome: Like just broken or is it something stranger?

Ok.

Temple time.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: we should definitely set our covenant up in a strange portal land, whos portal is made of crumbling stones

johns (GM): Aleseta enters the temple.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: sick!! this is dope!!

Proclus of Rome: Pretty nice.

johns (GM): The temple is in fine condition, save for the statue of Mercury itself-- missing its head.

Proclus of Rome: I bet we could demolish all of these pagan statues pretty easily.

Were we to move in.

Zita of Mercere: What Malachiasz said but without even the slightest trace of irony.

Proclus of Rome: Hmm.

Where could the head be?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Where is the head, do you think?"

Ferris of Bonisagus: I prefer our damp dark cave, but that's just my opinion

Proclus of Rome: Any signs of, like, a laboratory created by the founder of the Order of Hermes?

johns (GM): Within this temple itself, you see nothing of the sort. But there are many buildings in this complex.

Zita of Mercere: "Could be anywhere, can't hurt to go exploring."

Ferris of Bonisagus: What's the worst that can happen?

Proclus of Rome: "It could."

"We don't know what kind of defenses there are in here."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Perhaps in one of these homes."

Zita of Mercere: "Good idea. We should investigate the mansions. They could have all sorts of clues to liberate."

Proclus of Rome: "The Ampitheater mighthave something in it."

Is there anything in the Forum?

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "We should check out the bath house, I feel."

johns (GM): The Forum is empty and abandoned, but undamage.

Proclus of Rome: Hmm.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: enough about SA

Malachiasz of Tytalus: actually SA is far from empty, unfortunately enough

johns (GM): Malach wanders to the baths. Educated people might recognize the different functions of each room in there. At present, there is no water.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: check your Bath Lore

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I look for the hidden bath lab.

johns (GM): Per+Awareness!

Ferris of Bonisagus: Just start smashing walls

Malachiasz of Tytalus:

rolling 1d10!+5

(

2

)

+5

=

7

ah

johns (GM): You find nothing but frescos depicting scenes that make your medieval sensibilities blush

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I examine the frescoes to see how feasible it would be to liberate them and install them in my lab.

Proclus of Rome: Hmm.

Zita of Mercere: I pick a mansion and wander in

johns (GM): Zita, you note that a few mansions are flattened and burned completely.

Proclus of Rome: I'll head to the Basilica.

Roman Villa GO.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: hey look, people

johns (GM): The one you wander into is still furnished and feels quite opulent (though there's no one here)

In the center of its courtyard is a fountain (dry), in the stone is inscribed an ornate symbol sort of like a sigil.

Zita of Mercere: I'll take, as a service to my sodales, a look for the statue head

Aleseta of Bonisagus: sigil of tane

johns (GM): No head around here!

Zita of Mercere: And then a much more in-depth look for the most valuable objects in the place

johns (GM): Proclus enters the Basilica.

Zita of Mercere: Oh, is Magic Lore sufficient to examine the sigil?

Proclus of Rome: Here I am, in the Basilica.

johns (GM): It is a 2 story building containing many smaller rooms. Written in red chalk are labels next to some of the open door ways -- "Salary Office" -- "Correspondence Office" -- "Scrying Pool" -- "Library" -- "Tax Office"

Proclus of Rome: If it's a sigil, wouldn't it be Order of Hermes Lore?

Hmm.

Zita of Mercere: Depends if its hermetic or not

johns (GM): Next to the library is a red "X" in chalk as well

Zita of Mercere: Was my assumption

Aleseta of Bonisagus: hmm

red x???

Proclus of Rome: Hmm, I'll head to the Correspondence Office.

I know better than to mess with a red "X".

johns (GM): The walls of the office are lined with cubbyholes, many full of parchments. You could spend days sorting through the items here.

Proclus of Rome: I'll pick a parchment at random and read it.

johns (GM): You find a stack of correspondences stuck together ...

Proclus of Rome: Unless it's in a language I can't read.

What, with glue?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: hmm

Proclus of Rome: VERY interesting.

Zita of Mercere: Roman stuff would predate the order I believe

Aleseta of Bonisagus: pit boys

Proclus of Rome: But also mysterious.

johns (GM): It's all Classical Latin, I assure you

Proclus of Rome: Hmm.

I'll go tell everyone what I found in here.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: so how big are these frescoes in the bath house

Zita of Mercere: Oh, Johns, can I understand anything from the sigil?

Before I go reconvene with my sodales

Proclus of Rome: "I find it particularly strange that there would be Centurions stationed inside a regio."

johns (GM): They cover entire walls

Malachiasz of Tytalus: fuck

johns (GM): Moving frescoes is delicate work, since they crack easily

Proclus of Rome: "What were they defending it from?"

johns (GM): Oh, Zita, you don't recognize the sigil

Proclus of Rome: There's a spell in Ancient Magic that can do it.

johns (GM): Aleseta/Ferris, where are you while everyone spreads out on their own

Proclus of Rome: It's a regular Hermetic spell though.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: i was looking around a home

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i shed a tear at not being able to take one of these fine indecent frescoes home with me

at least for the moment

Zita of Mercere: Alright, then I take everything of value that isn't nailed down and stuff it in a sack. I'm carrying a large sack of loot now.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: if others were looking around home, she was probably with them

johns (GM): Okay, you're with Zita going through houses

Zita of Mercere: "Aleseta, can you carry this pottery, I'm running out of room. Look at the craftsmanship, it's amazing. Probably."

johns (GM): In one of the houses, you find a wooden door that resists your attempts to open it.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "I suppose I can carry some, but isn't there anything of greater value here... say, what is this door?"

Zita of Mercere: "Isn't budging, soooo... must be magic, yep."

"Definitely."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: the magic of a lock

Zita of Mercere: A what?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: lol

Malachiasz of Tytalus: oh right...

fuck...

Zita of Mercere: Do you think they locked up their potatoes in there

Malachiasz of Tytalus: ill kill you

johns (GM): Ancient talking cats? Yeah sure. Locks? Oh buddy you're in for it now

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Hmm. Just a moment... "

Zita of Mercere: IT makes sense that an ancient mechanical cat would talk

Proclus of Rome: What exactly is going on in this room?

Zita of Mercere: Roman hedonism

johns (GM): which room

Aleseta of Bonisagus:

rolling (d10!+9+5+2+4+1+1)/5

(

(

3

)

+9+5+2+4+1+1)/5

=

5

johns (GM): romans ate their meals reclining on a couch

Proclus of Rome: I see.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: that's a perdo herbam on the door

curse of rotted wood

Proclus of Rome: Hmm.

HMMM.

johns (GM): The door disintegrates.

Zita of Mercere: "The gift sure is useful." I peek my head inside

Aleseta of Bonisagus:

(To GM) rolling d10!+2+7 Conc

(

7

)

+2+7

=

16

(From Aleseta of Bonisagus): passed

johns (GM): This house is the same floorplan and construction as the last one you looked at. There, this room was a sitting room. Here, you see desks, glassware, alchemical tools, books, vellum, quill pens..

The makings of a simple Hermetic lab.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: w00t

Zita of Mercere: "Ooh."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Perhaps this is the laboratory of Bonisagus himself!"

Aleseta of Bonisagus searches for shit

Zita of Mercere: "Oh yeah, the founder of your house."

johns (GM): On the desk is a work in progress. An ancient vellum scroll weighed down by paperweight, and next to it, a half-finished scribed copy.

Zita of Mercere: "Weren't the portals Mercere's work? I know people that'd give anything to get their hands on stuff from him."

johns (GM): The scroll is a ritual of some sort-- non-Hermetic but strongly resembling Hermetic magic. It seems to empower the magical abilities of its target if cast in a dedicated temple of Mercury.

Proclus of Rome: Oh man.

johns (GM): You also find a diary of astrological observations and inceptions.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Amazing!"

"We must secure these as soon as possible."

Zita of Mercere: "I've got a second bag here, for the actually valuable stuff."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "I'll just carry these out myself."

Zita of Mercere: "Suit yourself, you going to carry all those books too?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: that means theres only one other noteworthy part of the map to check

i head to the granary

Aleseta of Bonisagus looks at the books, unsure.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Yes."

Zita of Mercere: "I'm not going to take them, I'm just offering an easy way to transport them."

johns (GM): Part of the roof of the granary is collapsed. A large chunk of stone, as if dropped on it, lies half stuck into the floor. Empty cracked vases and baskets litter the rooms.

Proclus of Rome: The poor corn...

(To Proclus of Rome): Want to check out any other offices?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: fffff

(From Proclus of Rome): Yeah, but I want to tell everyone about the Library first.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i examine the big rock

johns (GM): It's plain stone, like construction material

Nothing fancy

Malachiasz of Tytalus: is there anything outside that it could have feasibly fallen from?

johns (GM): You look around.

You notice similar damage on buildings to the west.

The trail leads you towards the Ampitheatre..

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i follow the trail

Zita of Mercere: Must have been one hell of a show

johns (GM): No art, but imagine a smaller version of the famous Coliseum

except

The seating on the eastern end has been shattered and the debris splattered about the town

Proclus of Rome: Ah, filled with Colonnas.

johns (GM): Int + Magic Theory

The floor of the arena is a wooden platform that has mostly collapsed, revealing a maze of passageways beneath.

Malachiasz of Tytalus:

rolling 1d10!+8

(

3

)

+8

=

11

ah

johns (GM): It makes you think of "The Earth's Carbuncle" on a really big scale

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i have that spell

Aleseta of Bonisagus: hmm

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I admire the fine work of whatever lover of Terram committed this act.

johns (GM): What's Ferris up to?

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I take the most interesting looking piece of debris with me for use as lab decoration.

johns (GM): Alright

You obtain a piece of stone

Proclus of Rome: I'll tell everyone what I found in the Basilica.

Especially the library with the red "X" next to it.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "The X is in chalk?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: oh right, i will also take a look at the passages

Proclus of Rome: "It could be dangerous or it could just be empty."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "What could it mean?"

Proclus of Rome: "Yes, all the directions were."

johns (GM): Do you want to drop down into them? It is easier to go down than to come up

Zita of Mercere: "Sounds like a trap."

"There must be some way around it, though."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I take a look and a listen for anything dangerous.

johns (GM): You hear rough, snorting breathing.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: Does it sound human?

johns (GM): Nope!

Proclus of Rome: Where?

Malachiasz of Tytalus: ampitheater

Proclus of Rome: Ah sure.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: mazes under it

probably the minotaur

Proclus of Rome: "I think we should all investigate the library together."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: please this is rome, not greece

Zita of Mercere: Solve the maze by blowing up the walls and open a pit under the minotaur

Aleseta of Bonisagus: yes

Malachiasz of Tytalus: does it sound like active breathing or sleeping?

Proclus of Rome: What if you could talk to the monsters?

johns (GM): Active

Aleseta of Bonisagus: we have an active breather

Zita of Mercere: Well, then you'd taunt them before killing them

Just like in the hit indie game, Undertale

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I throw a chunk of rock at a clearly visible part of the maze and back up to observe.

johns (GM): Heavy footsteps resound from the darkness towards your location..

You hear a very plaintive bellow, and a giant bull headed creature dragging a massive axe comes into view.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: see

i called it

Proclus of Rome: "Hmm, is this a violation of the Code of Hermes?"

Zita of Mercere: "Is what?"

Proclus of Rome: "It's possible that we're trespassing in a sanctum."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i pit it

johns (GM): Silently?

Zita of Mercere: "I guess it depends if there's other entrances, this place looks really really old."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i mean im standing above the maze so i dont feel too threatened by it

Zita of Mercere: "Whoever used it's probably long dead."

johns (GM): It looks at you

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I wave.

Maze Beast: It bellows

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "If it's a sanctum, it's the sanctum of Bonisagus and I don't think he's around to do anything about it."

Maze Beast passes a note to a player

(To Malachiasz of Tytalus): What is your MR vs. Mentem?

(From Malachiasz of Tytalus): thats a good question

(From Malachiasz of Tytalus): how do i find that

Proclus of Rome: "Maybe, but it's never been conclusively proven that he's dead."

(To Malachiasz of Tytalus): It's your Mentem Score, Plus 2*your Parma Magica score

Zita of Mercere: "Well he was all about sharing knowledge, wasn't he."

"I don't think he'd object to this."

(From Malachiasz of Tytalus): 10

Maze Beast: Malachiasz, the beast's anguished and lonely cry chills, dims, and quiets your mind. You feel slow and distracted.

Zita of Mercere: "It's being raid- investigated by one of his very disciples."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: oh shit

Malachiasz of Tytalus: haha. good thing im up here, on this wooden platform. the fucking bastard cant get me here!

aha

Maze Beast: Alright he moves back into the underground passages

Zita of Mercere: I'm sure your next character sheet will have better mentem

Aw

Malachiasz of Tytalus: that was unexpected

Maze Beast: Alright, what next Malach

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i decide that finding the rest of my useless team is a good idea before coming back

Maze Beast: You find them debating a library

Malachiasz of Tytalus: brave hero malach: taunting a minotaur

Maze Beast: Also you move very slowy. -6 to all quickness rolls

Aleseta of Bonisagus: oh shit

Malachiasz of Tytalus: several powerful mages: debating whether they should open a door

Aleseta of Bonisagus: i didn't know we were debating that

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Hello, sodales. What's behind this door?"

Zita of Mercere: "Look, it's Mally. He's very slowly approaching us."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "I hope it's a weapon that can kill a giant bull with an even more giant axe."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: idk what door anyone is tolkien about

i've only heard of one and i disintegrated it

Proclus of Rome: "I believe I may have found a library, but it might be protected magically or legally."

Zita of Mercere: I think there was a trapped library door, but it might not be a door

Proclus of Rome: Let's check it out!

Aleseta of Bonisagus: oic

Maze Beast: It's a doorway

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Let's go see it."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I step inside.

Proclus of Rome: "It's in the basilica, right here."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: Very slowly. As one with a -6 to his quickness rolls might.

Proclus of Rome: Past that naked tyke.

Maze Beast: in red chalk, in latin, scrawled next to it is "bibliotecha," then a red X

Proclus of Rome: "I'll go in, but if anything happens, please help me."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: bible technology. be careful

Aleseta of Bonisagus nods.

Proclus of Rome: I go in!

Maze Beast: great

First, what's your MR vs. Vim

Malachiasz of Tytalus: 10

Aleseta of Bonisagus: what's your MR vs RIP

Malachiasz of Tytalus: ah, what a shame. proclus actually beat me due to my slowed speed

Proclus of Rome: 7

Malachiasz of Tytalus: well i guess well hae

Zita of Mercere: This magic resistance thing seems useful

Malachiasz of Tytalus: how

Proclus of Rome: +2 form bonus

+5 Parma Magica.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: isnt it double your parma

Maze Beast: You use your total Vim score, not the forum bonus

Proclus of Rome: OH.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: double your parma

Proclus of Rome: Then it's 14.

Oh, 19.

Maze Beast: still not enough! bwahaha

Next, what's your MR vs auram

Proclus of Rome: 10.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: ill forever remember you as a brave man, proclus

Maze Beast: Make a Stamina stress roll, Proclus

Proclus of Rome: Weak Elemental Resistance.

rolling 1d10! + 2

(

8

)

+2

=

10

Maze Beast: and then a Size Stress roll

Proclus of Rome:

rolling 1d10! + 0

(

5

)

+0

=

5

Maze Beast: Sick.

Zita of Mercere: Stand back everyone. I shall investigate. Then the person with the next worst MR, then the next worst after them, until one of us lives.

Maze Beast: Here's what happens: Proclus steps through the doorway. There is a tinkle like broken glass, then immediately the deafening sound of a thunderclap, and a rush of wind.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: oic

Maze Beast: Proclus is knocked backwards onto the ground, and the winds dissipate.

Proclus of Rome: Oh no!

Maze Beast: He is not deafened.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: whats the building made of

Proclus of Rome: Something.

Maze Beast: Brick & Marble

Malachiasz of Tytalus: ok

Proclus of Rome: Hmm.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: wait archi isnt here

never fear

Zita of Mercere: The person with the best vim MR is absent, yes

Proclus of Rome: "Malachiasz, you should try going in. After all, you won't be hurt by the fall."

"If you wear ear protection you might not even be deafened."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: if the walls are a foot or less thick, i use Obliteration of the Metallic Barrier on them to open a better door.

Maze Beast: Easily done

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I make a careful note of which of these doors will embarass me, and step through the one which will not.

Maze Beast: You send stone and plaster flying into the library

Malachiasz of Tytalus: Excellent.

Proclus of Rome: No!

Oh well.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i doubt it would really cause major damage

Zita of Mercere: I whistle

Proclus of Rome: You damaged the Basilica!

Maze Beast: Also, Int+Magic Theory rolls for an insight here

Aleseta of Bonisagus: anyone?

Zita of Mercere:

rolling 1d10-1

(

8

)

-1

=

7

Maze Beast: Yeah.

Aleseta of Bonisagus:

rolling d10+3+18 MT

(

4

)

+3+18

=

25

Malachiasz of Tytalus:

rolling 1d10!+8

(

9

)

+8

=

17

Proclus of Rome:

rolling 1d10 + 2 + 12 MT

(

3

)

+2+12

=

17

Maze Beast: The library is lined with shelves, mostly empty. Papers and such sprawled on the floor, tables tipped over. In one corner someone has vainly attempted to stack items together, but flying stone has knocked the pile over.

Proclus of Rome: Dang, 18 Magic Theory.

Pretty good.

Zita of Mercere: Bonisagi always got the theory

(To Aleseta of Bonisagus): It occurs to you that what you just witnessed Proclus move against was a Watching Ward

Aleseta of Bonisagus: bonisagus get puissant bonus automatically ~*

Malachiasz of Tytalus: pissant

Aleseta of Bonisagus: @_@

Zita of Mercere: That's +5 in this isnt it

With the houserules

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I look for tracts on Terram.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: oh yeah i guess it would be +5 so 27 lmao

Maze Beast: Among the items, you find a complete copy of The Annals of Mercury (the book that lead you here in the first place)

and in the stack, several parchments of rituals like the one you saw in the lab earlier.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "That appears to have been a Watching Ward, Proclus."

Zita of Mercere: "Wow, what a find. I think."

Proclus of Rome: "Why would there be such a harmless ward here?"

Maze Beast: Clarifying: they are different rituals than what you saw before but are similar pre-hermetic makeup

A question worth pondering, Proclus

Malachiasz of Tytalus: Any of them Terram?

Proclus of Rome: "It clearly can't keep out a determined plunderer."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Perhaps for a time when someone could respond after it activated."

"In any case, most Watching Wards fire once and then are finished, so traveling through the doorway should not be a problem anymore."

Maze Beast: They seem mostly Vim, one spell about scrying, some about bolstering people

Aleseta of Bonisagus tries walking through.

Maze Beast: Nothing happens, natch

Proclus of Rome: Nice.

Way to go Malachiasz.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: vim huh. well. too bad theres no one here who cares for that

Zita of Mercere: Is this it?

Maze Beast: lol

Malachiasz of Tytalus: perhaps the Theory Lords should have told me that the spell was gone

Zita of Mercere: The fabled Something More About Vim?

Maze Beast: christmas is cancelled!!!

Proclus of Rome: What about the Municipal Office?

Maze Beast: The city records contain

maps of the city and a map of the aqueduct

system both within the city and

the route taken by the aqueduct to reach

municipal records also contain taxation information for the merchants entering

the source spring. The

Maze Beast: the town. Goods from all around the empire

made their way to the town, including

wool from Britain, olive oil and wine

from Greece and Italy, and ivory from

North Africa. These records indicate that

the town had a fairly stable population of

Maze Beast: several thousand between 3 AD and 192

AD. The records after 192 AD are poorly

documented and rather haphazardly kept.

The accumulated city records can be studied

as an Organization Lore: Roman Empire

Ability tractatus of Quality 7.

Zita of Mercere: "I wonder what's in that maze. If there's some big beast in it, got to be something worth guarding."

"If he had his spells and books guarded by a wooden door and a simple ward, just imagine what's in there."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Perhaps. Or maybe it is released at certain times."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "If nothing else, we could take it with us and sell the head to some wealthy noble."

Zita of Mercere: "Sell vis to a noble?"

Proclus of Rome: "Why are there records of a real town here?"

"I was sure this was a regio."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Sometimes real places become regios."

Zita of Mercere: "Maybe it was a town then stopped being one?"

"Yeah, what Aleseta said."

Maze Beast: as for that map of the aqueduct, I added it to our area map a bit ago

Proclus of Rome: Ah.

Hmm.

"When is the last record dated?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: we should go check the aqueducts source back in the real world, when we finish here

im sure there is Value there

Proclus of Rome: I guess I could just look it up.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: did someone find the head?

Maze Beast: It would take some time to go through everything, but you can't find anything with an emperor's name later than Constantine

Zita of Mercere: It's obviously in a bath and malaschiasz failing his awareness roll is why we havent restored it

Or it's in the maze

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Or perhaps it's in the pit mentioned in the centurion's letter."

"Where is Aesernia?"

Maze Beast: any1 got area lorez?

Zita of Mercere: Area Lore: Rome?

johns (GM): Yeah

Proclus of Rome: I have Area Lore: Rome (Supernatural)

johns (GM): Or Italy, I consider them effectively the same

Zita of Mercere:

rolling 1d10-1+8+5

(

4

)

-1+8+5

=

16

Proclus of Rome:

rolling 1d10 + 2 + 9 + 2

(

6

)

+2+9+2

=

19

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Many of the lab notes I recovered suggest the possibility of powerful boosts to spellcasting in a dedicated Temple to Mercury. I believe the head would be required for it to work, though."

johns (GM): Sounds like this place https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isernia

Aleseta of Bonisagus: cool

Zita of Mercere: "Sounds like another adventure, after we find out what's in that maze."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Agreed."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: with the arch restored does that mean any peasant who steps through on a whim gets sent here

Aleseta of Bonisagus: has anyone looked at the scring pool

johns (GM): Yeah, you didn't have to do anything special to go through

You just passed under it and you were here.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: oh boy

Proclus of Rome: Nope.

I assume it's an empty pool.

Aleseta of Bonisagus peeps the scrying pool.

johns (GM): Yup! It's a simple room, connected to the aqueduct network. You recognize the design as an illustration on one of the parchments you just picked up.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: does anyone have sense of lingering magic or similar?

probably not because it's insanely high

"Well, should we try to best the beast of the maze?"

Zita of Mercere: "Sounds like a challenge."

Proclus of Rome: "Why?"

"I'm sure it could tell us a lot about this town."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Zita suggested it may be guarding something."

Proclus of Rome: Wait, what about the salary office?

Any salt?

Zita of Mercere: "Yeah, so ask it. I didn't say kill it."

"Though I did assume it, Proclus is pretty nasty with those darts."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "I will say that it made no effort to speak with me when I met it."

"It simply cursed me and walked back into the shadows."

"Also, if we kill it I want its axe."

Zita of Mercere: "It's dark down there?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i think it was

johns (GM): No salt, just more parchments :( It looks like between 100 and 1,000 legionaries have been stationed at this place at any given time. The largest numbers are around the beginning of the 1st century and the end of the 2nd century.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i assume it was

"Yes."

johns (GM): The accumulated records can be studied as an Organization Lore: Roman Empire tract, Q7

Zita of Mercere: "Well, surely someone knows a spell to deal with that. The cat eyes one."

Proclus of Rome: Hmm.

None of them mention a maze?

johns (GM): Nope

The map of the complex you found in the Municipal office only notes the Ampitheatre as an Ampitheater

Proclus of Rome: Interesting spelling divergence.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Perhaps this shifted away to a regio at a specific point in time and that explains why none of the correspondence mentions anything unusual about the place that may have changed later."

Darvin: Back, sorry, sudden baby appeared

Proclus of Rome: "That seems like the most likely scenario, but why would someone who puts a mildly embarrassing Watching Ward on the library have a maze with a deadly monster?"

Zita of Mercere: "Well, this was pre-hermetic stuff, so that'd be his younger days wouldn't it?"

"He probably just wasn't that good at the time."

johns (GM): Ferris was silently going through the stacks of parchment

(From Ferris of Bonisagus): sorry about that again

Zita of Mercere: "Must have been a lot harder to learn before all that magic theory and parma."

johns (GM): He finds an interesting one

CrVi(Co) 75

R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Individual,

Ritual

This ritual may only be cast in a consecrated

temple dedicated to Mercury (see Consecration

johns (GM): of Mercury’s House).

The target of this ritual gains The Gift.

Unfortunately, this ritual does not work

Proclus of Rome: "It was a single use ward."

Zita of Mercere: Unfortunately, this ritual does not work

THEN WHATS THE POINT

johns (GM): Glad you asked

Ferris of Bonisagus: How do we know it doesn't work?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: ol

Zita of Mercere: Level 70 ritual (note: does absolutely nothing)

johns (GM): You know because you find notes by the Mercurians.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: yes!!

yes!!!

johns (GM): Commentary on the ritual indicates that is began to fail in the early first century AD and seems to have been total unusable by the fourth century.

Proclus of Rome: "So unless no one broke into it this whole time, which given the state of the library I don't think is the case, the ward and the maze were created by two different people."

Hmm.

johns (GM): This problem did not just affect priests at the temple, but across the empire. (Notes to this effect exist in the Correspondence office)

Aleseta of Bonisagus: fucking christianity!!!!!!

Zita of Mercere: Wasn't Bonisagus working on restoring Mercere's gift

Proclus of Rome: "That makes a lot of sense, since God proved Mercury to be a mere trickster."

johns (GM): however................... The player characters may decide to attempt

to repair the ritual for the Age of Pisces.

The pay-off for doing so is fantastic,

both in terms of power and Hermetic prestige.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: its simple

Zita of Mercere: MMmm ha ha ha

Proclus of Rome: Why bother?

Malachiasz of Tytalus: kill god and fix the ritual

Aleseta of Bonisagus: dsounds epic

Proclus of Rome: You can just give the next generation the Gift for 3 vis.

johns (GM): The Mercurians blamed the ritual's failure on the movement from the Age of Aries into the Age of Pisces

Aleseta of Bonisagus: oh nice

Zita of Mercere: It's not that simple. Killing a demon of that strength is incredibly powerful.

Proclus of Rome: God isn't a demon!

What is the matter with you?!

Zita of Mercere: Oh for sure my man

Ferris of Bonisagus: Could be

Aleseta of Bonisagus: he's a daemon

johns (GM): he's a faerie

Aleseta of Bonisagus: as his hope

Malachiasz of Tytalus: we must fix the ritual

Aleseta of Bonisagus: pope

Malachiasz of Tytalus: and turn muzio into a mage

johns (GM): fairy pope

Zita of Mercere: [divine aura suddenly turns infernal when no-one is looking] well the fact that both these auras also function identically means nothing

Ferris of Bonisagus: I'll pocket the ritual and have ole Potem make a copy for everyone

johns (GM): Anyway. These rituals take a little work to make usable, but have some interesting applications-- you'll get a full description in the thread.

Zita of Mercere: Hell yea

Proclus of Rome: VERY interesting.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: cool

COOL

Ferris of Bonisagus: very cool

Malachiasz of Tytalus: ill fix it by making it perdo terram

Zita of Mercere: It's time to ruin mythic europe

Aleseta of Bonisagus: this is like when we found the marriage of helios, but cooler

Malachiasz of Tytalus: archibald declares that he has finally figured out how to make the ritual work

Proclus of Rome: Do the Mercurian notes note who wrote them?

Malachiasz of Tytalus: days later, the black plague begins

Zita of Mercere: I jump down into the maze below the ampitheatre

Proclus of Rome: The what plague?

johns (GM): Hang on hang on

Zita of Mercere: Gamer if I could cause the black plague, I would.

Just for bragging rights

johns (GM): First, Proclus sees various symbols that look like sigils on some pages. If Zita described the pool he might recognize one of those sigils.

Zita of Mercere: I'll describe them yeah, since I didnt understand them myself

Proclus of Rome: The scrying pool?

johns (GM): Second, Zita leaves the basilica. Out in the middle of the road is 9 foot tall minotaur carrying a giant axe.

Zita of Mercere: Aleseta saw those symbols too

Proclus of Rome: Ah.

Zita of Mercere: Lol

"Hey."

Proclus of Rome: Excuse me, the minotaur is Greek.

We're in Italy.

Zita of Mercere: I activate the charm Orsu gave me

To defend against enchantments

Malachiasz of Tytalus: well

i guess theres a second entrance to the maze

Proclus of Rome: "Greetings."

johns (GM): Okay, Proclus is there too

Proclus of Rome: Seems like it makes sense.

Zita of Mercere: Rope Kid I have realised I could probably get as many of those charms off of Orsu as I want, since Zita has blessing of venus

Proclus of Rome: Well I think we just about covered the Basilica.

Heh.

johns (GM): A difficult folk ken roll will allow you to read the beast's expression

Ferris of Bonisagus: Venus V Venus

Malachiasz of Tytalus:

rolling 1d10!

(

3

)

=

3

Zita of Mercere:

rolling 1d10!+1+3

(

5

)

+1+3

=

9

Aleseta of Bonisagus: what's required to recognize the symbol?

johns (GM): Nothing, you just recognize one of the symbols in one of the houses matches one of the sigils one of the Mercurian priests signed notes with

Proclus of Rome:

rolling 1d10 + 5 + 0

(

7

)

+5+0

=

12

Aleseta of Bonisagus: cool

Zita of Mercere: "Okay, it's fine."

"Hello!" I greet it

johns (GM): What language?

Zita of Mercere: I have the gift of tongues!

Aleseta of Bonisagus: nice

Proclus of Rome: Latin.

Zita of Mercere: Redcaps ftw

johns (GM): It stares at you, breathing through its snout heavily. It doesn't seem to move. Do you approach or stay where you are?

Proclus of Rome: I don't.

Zita of Mercere: "Can you talk?"

I wonder what language my sodales hear me speak

johns (GM): It gives an anguished bellow.

Ferris of Bonisagus: Sounds friendly

Proclus of Rome: Ah, a German.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: lol

Proclus of Rome: Does it do anything if we just stay here?

johns (GM): After a few moments, it starts backing away

Zita of Mercere: Now I almost feel bad for it

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Hm. Seems non-hostile."

johns (GM): It ducks into one of the insula alleyways and moves off.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: lonely man theme

Proclus of Rome: "Excuse me, do you know Bonisagus?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Try convincing it to come live with us."

Proclus of Rome: No.

Zita of Mercere: "That basement is weird enough as it is."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Or perhaps it wants to show us something?"

"We should follow it."

Ferris of Bonisagus: ^

Proclus of Rome: "Oh, good idea."

Zita of Mercere: "Venator, Prudenzio, you, that devilish rogue Aristocritus."

Proclus of Rome: I'll follow it.

johns (GM): You round the corner

Zita of Mercere: I assume he heads back to his maze

johns (GM): The beast is about 30 paces down the alley from you

It looks back at you and bellows again, angrily.

Proclus of Rome: "Hello!"

Aleseta of Bonisagus: oh shit

johns (GM): It ducks into the alley to the west.

Proclus of Rome: I'll follow it some more.

Zita of Mercere: "You're just upsetting him Proclus."

johns (GM): Okay

Anyone besides Proclus?

Zita of Mercere: "Try to upset him in a direction away from the maze."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "That proves that it's a sensible creature, then."

Zita of Mercere: I sneak by it along this path here

Ferris of Bonisagus: I'll hang out in the center for now

johns (GM): Roll sneak

Zita of Mercere: Does this count as a town?

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I'll stay out of its sight and just watch Proclus in case he gets killed.

johns (GM): Hm, actually yes

Zita of Mercere:

rolling 1d10!+4+11+3+5

(

10

+

2

)

+4+11+3+5

=

35

Aleseta of Bonisagus: looooooool

Proclus of Rome: Nice.

johns (GM): Okay. Aleseta and Ferris are holding back. Malach can see Zita and Proclus, Zita can see the beast, and Proclus can see the beast.

Proclus you round the corner. The beast has stopped at that crossing of alleys and is looking in your direction now. It bellows very angrily at you.

Proclus of Rome: "Have you met Bonisagus?" I ask again.

Zita of Mercere: If it stops moving, I'll wander along the street, then up into the amphitheatre while it's distracted.

johns (GM): You slip by easily.

The beast charges Proclus.

Proclus of Rome: Hmm.

johns (GM): Maze Beast Initiative: 45

Proclus of Rome Initiative: 68

Malachiasz of Tytalus Initiative: 34

Ferris of Bonisagus Initiative: 62

Aleseta of Bonisagus Initiative: 96

Aleseta of Bonisagus: yikez

johns (GM): Well, there's a raging beast running at you Proclus. You get a turn to react before it reaches you.

Proclus of Rome: Alright.

I'll cast Hands of Grasping Earth on it.

johns (GM): Roll it, stressed

Proclus of Rome:

rolling 1d10! + 2 +4 + 9 + 7

(

7

)

+2+4+9+7

=

29

johns (GM): Penetration?

Proclus of Rome: 14 over.

johns (GM): Actually

Proclus of Rome: So that's 2 + Penetration 5.

johns (GM): I don't think this spell needs to penetrate

You're moving the stone not the target

Any other opinions?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: finesse?

Ferris of Bonisagus: Seems reasonable to me

Aleseta of Bonisagus: clarity in ars magica rules?

johns (GM): Heh

rolling 1d10!>9 qik save

(

1

)

=

1

Spell successful.

Zita of Mercere: Phew. Fight averted.

johns (GM): Ferris you hear the shouting and spell casting, any action?

Ferris of Bonisagus: I'll cast some butterfly wings and try to get a vantage on what is happening

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Proclus, try to get closer to me so I don't risk angering it by retrieving your corpse."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: did i get skipped?

Proclus of Rome: It can break free with a Strength stress roll of 15+ OR by beating a +25 soak roll (hacking weapons do double damage).

johns (GM): Nothing had happened on your turn yet Aleseta so there was nothing to react to

Aleseta of Bonisagus: oo oh

when the initiative too fast

Proclus of Rome: I know that you guys don't like to intervene in combat but this is pretty serious!

johns (GM): Okay, the Maze Beast hacks at the stone with its axe

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i dont really want to kill the thing

johns (GM):

rolling 1d10!+17+17 double damage

(

7

)

+17+17

=

41

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i mean

Proclus of Rome: Just drop it in a pit.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i guess it might survive a 9 foot fall

(From Ferris of Bonisagus): just checking if i botch my butter wings

Ferris of Bonisagus:

(To GM) rolling 1d10!

(

8

)

=

8

Proclus of Rome: But then it will be stuck in a pit.

(To Ferris of Bonisagus): Okay, you'll be up in the air and seeing next round

johns (GM): Malach, you can't see the beast yet but you saw Proclus cast a spell

Malachiasz of Tytalus: can i move up to a position that i can see it from while cursed?

johns (GM): The curse has worn off by now, it was only Diameter

Malachiasz of Tytalus: oh

whats this white dot following me

johns (GM): oops

Malachiasz of Tytalus: anyway i drop it in a pit

johns (GM): I forgot to turn off the tokenpath API

Proclus of Rome: Pwned.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: it should be simple since it cant move at all

johns (GM): it got free on its turn

Malachiasz of Tytalus: oh

johns (GM): anyway, it'll take you a full turn to get to proclus' location

Malachiasz of Tytalus: ok

johns (GM) just remembered we were supposed to do simulatenous player action

johns (GM): Aleseta/Proclus/Malach/Ferris/Zita, your turn

Proclus of Rome: Oops!

Aleseta of Bonisagus: can i see it?

Proclus of Rome: I'll drop another hand grasp on it.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I apologize to it in Latin.

johns (GM): Not from your vantage

Proclus of Rome:

rolling 1d10! + 2 +4 + 9 + 7

(

9

)

+2+4+9+7

=

31

Aleseta of Bonisagus: move to be able to see it

can i do that and cast?

johns (GM):

rolling 1d10!>9 qik save

(

5

)

=

5

Malachiasz of Tytalus: could any of us tell what language zita was speaking to it in?

johns (GM): You were sorta in between blocks so I will say yes, Aleseta

Aleseta of Bonisagus:

rolling d10!+9+12+2+4+1+1 Blunt the Viper's Fangs L20 PeAn Hoot n Holler

(

5

)

+9+12+2+4+1+1

=

34

johns (GM): Penetration?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: 14 + 4 = 18

Proclus of Rome: Isn't the giant axe more worrisome?

johns (GM): Your spell rolls off the creature.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: ffff

johns (GM): Proclus, you successfully grasp it with the earth.

Proclus of Rome: Grasp't.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: pit

johns (GM): Roll it

Malachiasz of Tytalus:

rolling 1d10!+32

(

9

)

+32

=

41

(To Malachiasz of Tytalus): Is that one of the base spells in the book?

Ferris of Bonisagus: Stupid question, can you both move and cast a spell in Ars on the same turn?

(From Malachiasz of Tytalus): yeah, just pit of the gaping earth

Proclus of Rome: Here's the question, would it be dangling above the pit since it's being grabbed?

Malachiasz of Tytalus: well its hands of grasping earth

presumably the hands are destroyed

Aleseta of Bonisagus:

(To GM) rolling d10!+3+7 vs. 10 but this formula doesn't make much sense

(

2

)

+3+7

=

12

johns (GM): So we haven't really settled on that Ferris, but when it was grid combat my idea was: you can move a few tiles and cast, or you can move a bunch of tiles and not be able to cast without making a fast casting roll

Proclus of Rome: Not if we're moving simultaneously.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: hmmm

Proclus of Rome: SimulTANEously.

johns (GM): If it's simultaneously Malach either destroys the grasping hands or your grasping hands fail

Proclus of Rome: It could be grabbed at the bottom of the pit.

(From Aleseta of Bonisagus): actually, the formula works if i halve conc, so she fails by 1.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: id probably need to pit it twice as well

how tall did you say it was, 9 feet?

(To Aleseta of Bonisagus): Great... That means you need to keep casting?

johns (GM): Yeah

You can still see its horns sorta poking out of the pit

Malachiasz of Tytalus: thats exactly as deep as the pit goes

(From Aleseta of Bonisagus): yes

Proclus of Rome: Can you talk to animals, Aleseta?

Malachiasz of Tytalus: only 6 paces wide though so its a bit tight for it to easily climb out

Aleseta of Bonisagus: Not naturally, no.

Proclus of Rome: I mean with a spell or something.

Oh right you'd never be able to penetrate it's high MR!

Aleseta of Bonisagus: Only if I charm them.

Proclus of Rome: Hmm.

This is quite a pickle.

Ferris of Bonisagus: Well, I'm also going to Web Restraint the beast.

After moving as much as I can towards it

johns (GM): now that I think about it grasping hands does need to penetrate or else it needs a targeting roll. oops.

no going back now

Ferris you're up in the air right?

Ferris of Bonisagus: Yeah

johns (GM): K, roll it

Remember +4 from aura

Ferris of Bonisagus: If I can poke him, Imma poke him. I assume I'm not that close though

johns (GM): Oh, it's touch?

Aleseta of Bonisagus begins laughing wildly from blocks away.

Ferris of Bonisagus: I have a touchy feel spell I want to cast, I just don't know if I can move that close

and still cast

johns (GM): Well, you'd have to make a brawl check on it to cast it

Malachiasz of Tytalus: please do not fuck the minotaur, ferris

johns (GM): and then you'd end the turn right next about it

Ferris of Bonisagus: Alright, nah

rolling 1d10! + 11 + 12 + 11 + 3 + 4 (Cr+An+Focus+STA+Aura) Casting Spilio’s Webbed Restraints - Spell Level: 20

(

5

)

+11+12+11+3+4

=

46

That spell is voice

johns (GM): Penetration?

Ferris of Bonisagus: 26 overcast + 5 penetration skill

Zita of Mercere: brb

Proclus of Rome: Isn't it +1 for every 5 you get over the target?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: halve the pen

Ferris of Bonisagus: So 5 + 3?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: pen skill, i mean

i believe we are using RAW except halving the pen skill's contribution

johns (GM): No, proclus is talking about some old houserule of br's I never mssed with

Okay, it is restrained

(From Ferris of Bonisagus): (Success) The target is caught in tangle of webs that bind their arms to their side and feet together. Getting free requires a Strength stress roll of 12+, or someone else may use an edged weapon to free a victim in three rounds. Fire is not effective against these webs.

johns (GM): Beast attempts to break free

rolling 1d10!+6 strength

(

2

)

+6

=

8

Fail!

Aleseta of Bonisagus: nice job you fucking failure no wonder you cry in a maze all millennium.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i pit it again

Proclus of Rome: Doesn't it take falling damage from falling into the pit?

johns (GM): It falls out of its webbing

Ferris of Bonisagus: I'll web it again

johns (GM):

rolling 1d10!+4

(

3

)

+4

=

7

Aleseta of Bonisagus:

rolling d10!+10+12+2+4+1+1 Beast of Miniscule Proportions Hoot & Holler MuAn L20

(

2

)

+10+12+2+4+1+1

=

32

johns (GM): No damage from fall

Proclus of Rome: Why?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: fff

johns (GM): Etc.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: pen is lower this time

johns (GM): How long do you want to keep doing this

It soaked it

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i think 2 pits is enough

Proclus of Rome: I think we should just leave it in the pit.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: to make sure it cant easily get out

Ferris of Bonisagus: We tunnel through the earth obviously

Aleseta of Bonisagus:

(To GM) rolling d10!+2+4+3 vs. 10

(

4

)

+2+4+3

=

13

Malachiasz of Tytalus: we can sit here until our brave redcap returns

Proclus of Rome: We could start burying it.

johns (GM): Anyway, over at the ampitheater

Malachiasz of Tytalus: with a large sack of money

Zita of Mercere: I'm here and ready to commit plunder

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i dont want to bury it!

i have found a kindred spirit

Zita of Mercere: We should deal with the minotaur before we move the covenant here, obviously

johns (GM): Zita doesn't find anything interesting in the underhalls of the ampitheater. Lots of animal bones, some for beasts she can't recognize, plus a few rusted and chipped bits of armor and weapon that are worthless

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i still say we find a way to properly communicate with it and recruit ti

Ferris of Bonisagus: Pit Minotaurs aren't dangerous

Zita of Mercere: So the minotaur wasn't guarding anything? Wooow.

I've never felt so robbed

johns (GM): It's a bit tough to overcome this bad first impression but it's definitely possible Malach

Ferris of Bonisagus: If I got close enough, I was going to turn him into a spiderbro

(To Joshua S.): Can you humor me and ask about the astrological diary you found earlier

Malachiasz of Tytalus: in fact johns, it should fit in just fine with us

its reaction to proclus shows that its a sensible creature

Aleseta of Bonisagus: what was up w/ that astrological diary we found

was that in the house??

Proclus of Rome: Wait.

johns (GM): It was in the hermetic lab you found

Proclus of Rome: Where's the other exit from the underhalls?

johns (GM): There are exits all on the ground floor of the ampitheater, it's where the beasts and gladiators would emerge from

Aleseta of Bonisagus: what is in the diary?

Proclus of Rome: You mean do emerge from.

johns (GM): The diary contains a bunch of star charts and dates

Aleseta of Bonisagus: anything of note?

johns (GM): Last date is around 1328 AD

Aleseta of Bonisagus: wtf???

Proclus of Rome: Dun dun dun!!!

Malachiasz of Tytalus: the minotaur wrote these

Zita of Mercere: okay, now let's not make assumptions

Malachiasz of Tytalus: the minotaur is bonisagus

Aleseta of Bonisagus: lol

Zita of Mercere: yes

Ferris of Bonisagus: Yes

Zita of Mercere: the minotaur is obviously a magus, however bonisagus is clearly pre-hermetic so throwing him in a pit is fine

im sure theres some laws about being a covenantless vagrant

Proclus of Rome: How would the minotaur be able to concoct star charts from inside a regio?

Zita of Mercere: very carefully

Aleseta of Bonisagus: are there any names in the diary??

Proclus of Rome: Is the minotaur trying to climb out of the pit?

Wait where did the minotaur get beast bones?

johns (GM): No names

The minotaur is trying to climb out, yes

Zita of Mercere: in lieu of a proper reward, ill take back a bunch of the unidentified beast bones to the party

johns (GM): It's slow going

Proclus of Rome: I think we should try to bury it OR leave immediately.

Ferris of Bonisagus: Everytime it makes any meaningful progress I'm going to web it

It needs to be house trained

Zita of Mercere: "Hey, Aleseta, got any ideas what sorts of animals these are from?"

"I couldn't come back empty-handed, everything else in there is junk."

Aleseta of Bonisagus:

rolling d10+3+4 Animal Handling??

(

1

)

+3+4

=

8

nice

johns (GM):

rolling 2d10

(

3

+

3

)

=

6

You recognize some dogs at least

Zita of Mercere: I thought there'd be some manner of InAn spell that covered it, lol

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Dogs, I think."

Zita of Mercere: If you botch animal handling do you snap it in half

Aleseta of Bonisagus: i didn't roll stressed since i didn't think the situation warranted it

Proclus of Rome: Well a minotaur is trying to climb out of the pit and kill us.

johns (GM): oh

Zita of Mercere: I'll toss it the bones and see if it likes them

johns (GM): I just see the big red "1" and get excited to roll some botch die

It throws the bones back at you

Malachiasz of Tytalus: perhaps the redcap should try communicating with it some more

Ferris of Bonisagus:

rolling 1d1

(

1

)

=

1

Zita of Mercere: "Ow."

johns (GM):

rolling 100d10

(

4

+

1

+

4

+

1

+

8

+

10

+

9

+

4

+

3

+

5

+

2

+

5

+

5

+

9

+

4

+

9

+

6

+

3

+

8

+

6

+

3

+

9

+

1

+

5

+

8

+

5

+

1

+

1

+

4

+

3

+

7

+

2

+

7

+

6

+

4

+

5

+

9

+

8

+

9

+

4

+

10

+

1

+

1

+

4

+

3

+

7

+

5

+

9

+

4

+

6

+

3

+

9

+

7

+

3

+

1

+

1

+

9

+

3

+

7

+

3

+

2

+

5

+

3

+

3

+

6

+

7

+

10

+

5

+

7

+

3

+

6

+

7

+

3

+

6

+

7

+

4

+

8

+

4

+

10

+

9

+

10

+

5

+

5

+

2

+

6

+

6

+

6

+

7

+

7

+

4

+

4

+

10

+

5

+

9

+

1

+

8

+

1

+

8

+

4

+

4

)

=

530

Zita of Mercere: Don't be hasty.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: i'll try to calm this dude down

Zita of Mercere has vietnam-style flashbacks to campaigns where people rolled 10000d10000 constantly when bored

Aleseta of Bonisagus:

rolling d10!+8+12+2+4+1+1 Calm the Ferocious Bear H&H

(

5

)

+8+12+2+4+1+1

=

33

soothe the ferocious bear. pen is 27

johns (GM): It lands

Does that spell work on Magical creatures?

(From Ferris of Bonisagus): brb, baby walkin time

Aleseta of Bonisagus: if it works on animal, it should work

Proclus of Rome: Don't you mean Magical (?)

johns (GM): OK. I know there are different wards for mundane and magical beasts so I forget if they all get separated

Aleseta of Bonisagus: the pen roll is for the magic

johns (GM): The creature locks eyes with you. It stops scraping away the walls of its pit.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Everyone please be calm around it now and do not agitate it." she says, mildly.

Zita of Mercere: I'll keep a nice happy expression and back away slowly from the pit

Proclus of Rome: "What are we planning to do with this thing?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I rub my chin and look at it, then say "Bonisagus."

any reaction?

c'thinker (GM): salve.

Zita of Mercere: Look who decided to finally come out his sanctum!

c'thinker (GM): lmao

Malachiasz of Tytalus: there he goes

there he is

if no one can think of anything to do with the minotaur i just dig a path out of the pit for it

Aleseta of Bonisagus:  some distance away  "Maybe Proclus or Orsu could find some deeper meaning in these charts. Who could have found there way here in the last year?"

their way

Proclus of Rome: "Anyone."

"It's possible that the archway isn't the only way in."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "I suppose that's possible, but then the question is, where are the other entrances?"

c'thinker:  from inside the covenant  "Hello? Where did everybody go?"

Zita of Mercere: "Well, that's simple. Just find the other exits."

"Obviously."

"Unless they're sealed up, which they might be."

Proclus of Rome: "Perhaps there's some place underground, or you can just walk past the edge of town or any number of things."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "I'll check."

I walk past the edge of town.

Proclus of Rome: It's ALSO possible that whoever wrote that came from a higher regio level.

johns (GM): Which way, Malach

Malachiasz of Tytalus: West

johns (GM): You emerge on the Cardus road from the East

Malachiasz of Tytalus: Hm.

Proclus of Rome: Hmm.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: How about North?

johns (GM): Likewise, the Decumanus loops around (except the south side, which exits the regio)

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "I have one more idea."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: cool bard's tale level

Malachiasz of Tytalus: I jog over to the south side, exit, and then cross the arch from the other side.

Zita of Mercere: Do NOT Dig straight down

johns (GM): Back in the mundane world, nothing happens

Malachiasz of Tytalus: Oh well.

I head back in.

Proclus of Rome: If we bring Archibald he might be able to find another entrance with Second Sight.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Nothing on the edges."

Zita of Mercere: Oh, true.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "So, any plan with the beast or shall I just let it out?"

Zita of Mercere: He's now the only person with it I think, unless a companion has it

johns (GM): I just posted a huge textdump about the Rituals you've recovered in the thread

Zita of Mercere: "Well, it'll kill us if you let it out."

"So at least give me a headstart."

johns (GM): I made translating them a bit easier than my source suggests because I think they are cool

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "I doubt that. It was only provoked by us following it."

Zita of Mercere: "I think you dropping it in a pit provoked it even more."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "If it's calmed down now it should leave us alone."

Aristocritus Bonisagi: whoa

those are some sick rituals

Malachiasz of Tytalus: well

Zita of Mercere: I'll leave this ancient city carrying a big sack of loot.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: if everyones done here i use the incredible power of perdo terram to free it

by making a ramp

Proclus of Rome: UhhhhhHHHHHH what the heck?!

Removing decrepitude?

johns (GM): :D

Aleseta of Bonisagus: awwwww yisss

Zita of Mercere: That's terror

johns (GM): Also

Aleseta of Bonisagus: thank you based bonisagus

johns (GM): Fixing Wizard's Initiation is a possibility, but is almost a saga seed in of itself for the ramifications it would have

Aristocritus Bonisagi: cant believe i missed the mercurian temple

johns (GM): (then again, Fertility Magic sorta does the same thing so it's not too awesome)

Zita of Mercere: That's what you get for... doing whatever you did for 5 hours

johns (GM): Well, the temple's not fully resolve

I mean you've explored it all

But what do you do now?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: we need the head!!!

johns (GM): bring me the head of alfredo mercury

Aristocritus Bonisagi: isn't fertility magic fully integrated now

johns (GM): Yes.

And there are people you can hire to make you Gifted babies if you plan ahead a bit.

Proclus of Rome: Transformation of Flesh to Spirit

CrVi(Co) 60

R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Structure, Ritual

At the climax of this ritual, which must be cast within a consecrated temple of Mercury, the caster kills herself and if she is powerful

enough the aura permanently increases by 1 (to a maximum of 10). To determine whether the aura increases two criteria must be met: the caster must

have no Art Score with a value less than twice the current aura level, and the Penetration of the ritual must exceed five times the current aura value.

Proclus of Rome: If this ritual is cast using Wizard’s Communion then only the leader of the ritual must kill herself, and only the values of her Art Scores

are significant. If a character learns of this ritual it may occur to her that the reputed sacrifice of Trianoma to increase the aura of Durenmar may have been a version of this ritual.

Wow, what a waste!

Aleseta of Bonisagus:  to the tune of muppet babies theme song  gifted baaaaa-bieeees

(From Zita of Mercere): The unaging virtue, which Zita has, means the only thing that can kill you is decrepitude points hitting 5. This ritual might mean genuine immortality if we get it working. Ahaha.

Proclus of Rome: Hermetic Architecture wins again!

johns (GM): Malach, you ramp the beast out of there. It fearfully retreats to its home lair under the amiptheater.

(To Zita of Mercere): Yup, though you do rack up warping points

johns (GM): To summarize

You've found some very interesting items here. You've opened the main entrance. However there are signs others have been here. A recently composed diary. A hermetic lab. A Hermetic watching ward on the library.

(From Zita of Mercere): Warping is far less dangerous if you don't actually cast spells, isn't it? Since no risk of final twilight you just become a cool magical monster slowly over time. Which owns.

(To Zita of Mercere): You start racking up Major Flaws at high warp

(From Malachiasz of Tytalus): unless otherwise occupied i try to visit the temple every few days and set some food near its maze

Proclus of Rome: It's very possible that we haven't found all the rituals, in that case.

johns (GM): What should be done about this discovery?

Proclus of Rome: These rituals are potentially very dangerous and deeply pagan.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "What if our new guest wanted us to enter this place and find these items?"

"So is most of Hermetic magic."

Proclus of Rome: "It's possible."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "I am concerned about the security of these items should we bring them back to Vardian's Tomb."

Zita of Mercere: "Well, you're just spreading knowledge, recovering old magic. That's what bonisagus would probably want."

Proclus of Rome: "I don't want that."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "I do."

Zita of Mercere: "Don't we have a vault now?"

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "We have a vault that I believe 100 lira was stolen out of inexplicably."

Proclus of Rome: "A vault that was robbed with no clue as to the miscreant."

Zita of Mercere: "Wow. That's one shoddy vault."

johns (GM): Ah

Aleseta of Bonisagus nods.

johns (GM): Yes, we did sorta drop the mystery of the theft, and never found the real Conti spy

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Worry not, I am willing to store the texts in my lab.

"

Zita of Mercere: We got sidetracked by those cats

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "How secure is your lab?"

Zita of Mercere: "I thought you said vim and corpus were for hungarians?"

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Hungarians?"

Aristocritus Bonisagi: jesus.

Zita of Mercere: OH shit

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Probably less secure than our vault, but the last place that anyone would look for valuable items unless they're highly interested in Terram."

Zita of Mercere: No NO

I should have googled 14th century polish rivals

johns (GM): Hungarians aren't potatos, Zita. they exist

Aleseta of Bonisagus: lol

Zita of Mercere: Phew

johns (GM): Hungary is one of the big powers in the HRE at this time iirc?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: hungary is pretty powerful around now, more next century

johns (GM): Stay tuned for that, Arsketeers

Proclus of Rome: I think it's clear that the vault isn't safe.

Aristocritus Bonisagi: hungary is mining a ton of precious metals at this point i tihnk

Proclus of Rome: What about just leaving the rituals here?

Malachiasz of Tytalus: wait

one of the rituals says theres an aqueduct entrance

aha!!!

johns (GM): oops

Aristocritus Bonisagi: lol

johns (GM): hahaha

Zita of Mercere: Well, I don't think the vault was proven to be unsafe. In fact it doesnt seem like there's any logical way to open the vault in the way that they supposedly did.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "In my opinion, these rituals should be taken to Durenmar. I can take them, make copies of them, and bring the copies back. I believe they would be safest there."

Zita of Mercere: My theory is still that the gold was already gone

And it was an illusion or creo-d gold

Proclus of Rome: "The ritual to imbue a person with the Gift should be destroyed."

johns (GM): Yes, let's let Aleseta take the rituals and then get all the credit when they get pubslihed.

I see right through your scheme, Bonisagus!!!

Aristocritus Bonisagi: how about a compromise:

Zita of Mercere: "Easy to say that when you're already Gifted."

"Ahh, I'd love to be able to do this all too."

Aristocritus Bonisagi: my name and ferris's name also go on the rituals

(To Aleseta of Bonisagus): Apologies if that was actually your scheme and I blew it

Zita of Mercere: Fucking bonisagi

Proclus of Rome: "What about this ghastly ritual involving human sacrifice?"

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "I have little interest in whose name goes on the rituals. They were made by Mercurians and we discovered them as a covenant."

"I will disclose all of this to the archmagi."

Aristocritus Bonisagi: i'm not even here probably

Proclus of Rome: "Someone already found these two years ago, as well."

johns (GM): as a reminder, do you recall someone else interested in the Annals of Mercury

Aleseta of Bonisagus: mar... co??

johns (GM): aristocritus got lost in an interesting looking Insula

Aleseta of Bonisagus: aurora?

johns (GM): back at the Auction

Aleseta of Bonisagus: oh yeah angry man

Aristocritus Bonisagi: i have to go now. my empire needs me

Aleseta of Bonisagus: i don't remember him clearly

Aristocritus Bonisagi levitates out of the frame

Zita of Mercere: Well, if you want somewhere to store them before durenmar, Archie has the safest lab.

It has no entrances and he lives in it

Malachiasz of Tytalus: too bad archibald is not here, to offer his services

johns (GM): He offered to buy the copy of the book from you for vis. Archibald (iirc) twisted his memory and then Aleseta spied on him making a dead drop in Ostia Antica.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: fortunately good old malach is

Proclus of Rome: I ALSO do not like that these rituals only work in consecrated temples of Mercury.

That is simply not acceptable.

Zita of Mercere: Mercury ftw

Proclus of Rome: He isn't!

Aristocritus Bonisagi: mercury is a saint now

Aleseta of Bonisagus: he is

Proclus of Rome: The PLANET Mercury.

Zita of Mercere: Hmm. God lowers my casting totals, mercury gives me insanely cool rituals

Wonder which one I should side with

Proclus of Rome: You don't have any casting totals, you should be grateful for God's protection.

johns (GM): proclus is right, the Planetary Dieties were a separate being from the Mercury worshipped here

Proclus of Rome: *Planetary Saints

johns (GM): ahem. right

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Does anyone object to me taking these to Durenmar and bringing back copies?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "I believe it should be discussed amongst the entire covenant, and stored until the issue is resolved."

Zita of Mercere: Transformation of flesh to spirit is pretty interesting

(From Ferris of Bonisagus): back

Zita of Mercere: Isn't Aristocritus a Trianoma?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Do we have a quorum of members present?"

Proclus of Rome: "The pagan requirements make these rituals unusable."

Zita of Mercere: If a character learns of this ritual it may occur to her that the reputed sacrifice of Trianoma to increase the aura of Durenmar may have been a version of this ritual.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Unusable by you."

Proclus of Rome: "The use of human sacrifice is outmoded and disgusting."

Ferris of Bonisagus: I'm in favor of learning as much as we can, even if it isn't used

Proclus of Rome: "Hermetic architecture can already improve an aura, quite easily."

Aristocritus Bonisagi: "Welcome."

johns (GM): just swapping around spots so all quorom members are on the top floor

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "It's also outlawed by the order, but thank you for the reminder, Proclus."

"Integration of non-Hermetic magic into our corpus of knowledge allows us to then alter it, potentially removing those elements you find so odious."

johns (GM): so we definitely have quorum

Zita of Mercere: "Does it count if it's killing yourself, anyway?"

Proclus of Rome: "Yes, suicide is a terrible sin."

Zita of Mercere: "Here here."

Proclus of Rome: "Especially in some debauched, pagan ritual."

"This spell to contact Mercury is also quite troubling."

Zita of Mercere: Are we back at the covenant debating this?

johns (GM): Sure.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: i'd like to, if possible.

"I am calling a vote. I propose to take these rituals to Durenmar to give to the great library, after I have made copies. I will then bring those copies back to our covenant. I will let all at Durenmar know it was the entire covenant who recovered them."

Aristocritus Bonisagi: "The Merceres would be eager to get their hands on copies of these rituals, I imagine."

johns (GM): That regio isn't going anywhere.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "All in favor?"

Archibald of Guernicus: I cart my considerable bulk into our discussion chamber

"Aye."

Aristocritus Bonisagi: "Aye."

Ferris of Bonisagus: "Aye."

Proclus of Rome: "Certainly, the Scrying Pool should be withheld if you want to keep the existence of the regio a secret."

Aristocritus Bonisagi: welcome to the Bonisagus Bloc archibald.

Proclus of Rome: "Nay."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Why must the copies be taken there? Leave them here."

Zita of Mercere: "Safer there, that big library."

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "Have you established you have the right to publish them?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "But the copies would be brought back afterwards. So where's the reason in taking them there in the first place?"

Ferris of Bonisagus: "And buys us favors."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "So they are not lost."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "They can have the originals."

Zita of Mercere: "Prestige, security, all that stuff."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Well, I'm also in favor, obviously, so I believe that passes."

johns (GM): Cool

Zita of Mercere: "Do you want me to ask around back at Harco, see who's interested in this sort of stuff?"

johns (GM): "Cool," says the GM, steepling his hands ominously

Aleseta of Bonisagus: lol

johns (GM): Are you including the ritual you found inside the Hermetic lab in the mix?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "If you'd like, as long as you don't disclose my immediate plans."

which one is that?

Aristocritus Bonisagi: which one was that

Ferris of Bonisagus: The give-people-the-gift one I assume?

johns (GM): Blessing of Mercury

Proclus of Rome: "Please leave my name out of any relation to the discover of these shameful rituals."

johns (GM): the one that gives +3 to casting/lab for a year

Proclus of Rome: I mean "discovery," obviously.

johns (GM): all the others you found in the stack in the library

Zita of Mercere: "Ooh, include mine, I found the door."

"Always good prestige to have, that."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: i was planning on taking all of them, and didn't exclude any in the vote.

(To Aleseta of Bonisagus): mm hahahaha

johns (GM): OK.

So Aleseta is going to head out right away to Durenmar?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: that's her plan

johns (GM): Did Zita want to stop at Harco in the meantime? It's closer so you would get there before she reaches Durenmar

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i thought we were making copies first

johns (GM): Oh

Yeah you should clear that up

Aleseta of Bonisagus: no, she said leave immediately, make copies, come back.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: the vote was to make copies, then take the originals and the copies to durenmar

Aleseta of Bonisagus: nope.

Zita of Mercere: Depends what we want them to know, this is just all part of being friendly with a local covenant that it's always a good idea to be friendly with

Aristocritus Bonisagi: i thought the copies were being made at durenmar

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "I am calling a vote. I propose to take these rituals to Durenmar to give to the great library, after I have made copies.

thats the vote

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Yes, to give them after I have made copies. I'll make the copies there."

Ferris of Bonisagus: "Why there? Why not here?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i doubt well be allowed to have copies of all of these

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Because this place is not secure and it will take seasons."

Proclus of Rome: "It is definitely safer in Durenmar than here."

Ferris of Bonisagus: "If all you want is a scribe and not to waste your time, just have Potom help you with the copies."

johns (GM): potom ftw

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "The issue is the security of the originals while they are being scribed."

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "I believe them to be safe here as well, safe enough to finish copies at least."

Aristocritus Bonisagi: wotod

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Of course you do, which is why you voted no in the first place."

Proclus of Rome: "It is a fact that there is at least one vulnerability here, since someone stole 100 Libra from us."

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "Someone stole money from us?"

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Simply have Archibald store them when they are not actively being copied, I doubt his lab will be broken into without him being aware."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "I'm taking them to Durenmar."

Proclus of Rome: "Yes, 100 libra went missing last year and we never found the culprit."

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "First I'm hearing of it."

Archibald of Guernicus: "Nah, they're safer at Durenmar. I'll attend with ye, Aleseta, I've got an interest in the rituals too and I want to see them safe."

Aristocritus Bonisagi: "I would like to look over the rituals before you leave."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "Why?"

Archibald of Guernicus: "Well we tracked the spies, and we found out we had a different set of spies, and we got a bit sidetracked."

"For a year. Anyway we'll find him sometime soon."

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "Did you investigate the vault for traces of magic?"

Aristocritus Bonisagi: "House business."

Archibald of Guernicus: I... think we did?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "We are in the same house and I am taking them to our domus magna."

(To Proclus of Rome): Could I try divining the current location of the gold?

Archibald of Guernicus: [from the back] cer-ta-men! cer-ta-men!

Aristocritus Bonisagi: that would be rude.

Archibald of Guernicus: Isn't that the point?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: "I am leaving."

Aleseta of Bonisagus leaves.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: "Don't come back without the copies."

Aristocritus Bonisagi grumbles

Lavinia of Jerbiton retreats to her lab and consultes the Sortes

Archibald of Guernicus: "I'll make sure we get the copies, don't ye worry."

I'm heading out to Durenmar too, for Quaesitorial support

Lavinia of Jerbiton:

rolling 1d10!+13+2+3

(

3

)

+13+2+3

=

21

Archibald of Guernicus: Making sure we get to keep our copies

Lavinia of Jerbiton: Can't even conf it. bleh

Archibald of Guernicus: What effect? Well I just left, too bad.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: endrite the ease factor is 30, I could keep trying each day until I get a failure or botch

Endrite: Go for it.

Lavinia of Jerbiton:

rolling 1d10!+18

(

6

)

+18

=

24

rolling 1d10!+18

(

1

)

+18

=

19

bazinga

rolling 1d10!

(

4

)

=

4

rolling 1d10!+18

(

5

)

+18

=

23

rolling 1d10!+18

(

1

)

+18

=

19

Lavinia of Jerbiton:

rolling 1d10

(

3

)

=

3

Aristocritus Bonisagi is on the edge of his seat

Lavinia of Jerbiton:

rolling 1d10!+18

(

2

)

+18

=

20

rolling 1d10!+18

(

7

)

+18

=

25

ok

Archibald of Guernicus: Phew

Lavinia of Jerbiton: I can conf that

Is that alright with you Endrite?

Endrite: Alright, shall ye?

Sure, why not?

Lavinia of Jerbiton uses his last meager conf point

Archibald of Guernicus: What is Johns doing

Lavinia of Jerbiton: I am attempting to divine the location of our missing money.

sorry, I got distracted. So Zita's off to Harco, Archi & Aleseta to Durenmar?

Aristocritus Bonisagi: when johns's actions are not on screen every character should be asking "what's johns doing?"

(From Endrite (GM)): One of the pieces, a golden chalice of meager workmanship, is in Forli.

Aristocritus Bonisagi: that sounds right to me

Lavinia of Jerbiton emerges from her lab, a week later

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "The golden chalice is in Forli."

(From Endrite (GM)): Specifically, in a strange tower near Forli.

Lavinia of Jerbiton: "A strange tower near Forli!"

(From Endrite (GM)): If you can detect regionnes it's in an Infernal one.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: yes aleseta's going to durenmar

Lavinia of Jerbiton: oh

uhh

it's in an infernal regio :(

Malachiasz of Tytalus: lets go there

Lavinia of Jerbiton: OK.

Endrite (GM): Next adventure ho!

Lavinia of Jerbiton: Zita gets to Harco first (no art yet)

Aurora is there, as well as another redcap you have met on occasion, Diana

Aleseta of Bonisagus: aurora ftw

Aristocritus Bonisagi: we should do ponza soon too

Endrite (GM): Well, do you have any ideas on how to defeat the genie and the pirates?

Ferris of Bonisagus: Wishing them away

johns (GM): Water pits?

Aristocritus Bonisagi: i have a great idea on how to defeat the genie

Archibald of Guernicus: Oh yeah, did the bonisagi agree on how much we want to disclose right now

Aleseta of Bonisagus: i forgot about water genei

Aristocritus Bonisagi: which will become extremely obvious as soon as i spend my seasons.

Zita of Mercere: To the Harco magi

johns (GM): water genie is a magical creature who is bound to service, which is why he pointed out a loophole for you to get on the island by landing on the island to the north first

Endrite (GM): Maybe you should tell us so you don't waste your seasons on something that one of us can already do.

Aristocritus Bonisagi: ReVi to command an airy spirit of magical might, plus sympathetic magic for penetration

Aleseta of Bonisagus: is the sesh over more or less

johns (GM): Yeah

Endrite (GM): Looks like it.

johns (GM): I was just going to give a little lore

if zita asked

Aleseta of Bonisagus: c00l

Endrite (GM): You betrayed the lore!

Aleseta of Bonisagus: thx endrite/johns

Zita of Mercere: I love lore, I was just busy replying to the rituals with vince mcmahon gifs

Aleseta of Bonisagus: oh shit

Malachiasz of Tytalus: wheres durenmar exactly, will we know if they let us have the copies by the end of the season

Aleseta of Bonisagus: wilkommen

Aristocritus Bonisagi: lol

Aleseta of Bonisagus: it's in the black forest

Malachiasz of Tytalus: oh

Zita of Mercere: Oh neat. I've actually been here.

Aristocritus Bonisagi: dys was tagging along, not me

Ferris of Bonisagus: Yeah, thanks Johns/Endrite

Aleseta of Bonisagus: a little south of stuttgart irl IIRC

Zita of Mercere: I was tagging along to keep our precious, precious rituals safe

Aristocritus Bonisagi: they are really specific about the location of durenmar

and there is actually a medieval walled town right on that spot.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: nice

johns (GM): So what does Zita tell Aurora???

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i think im gonna start looking at magic thats not terram because i have to start reading tracts to get it any higher

vim would be a good choice probably

Zita of Mercere: I was asking if people had stuff they specifically said 'please dont pass this along' but since they didnt

Aleseta of Bonisagus: that is a good idea! generalism ftw!!!!!!

Aristocritus Bonisagi: for a fee i will induct you into the mystery of elementalism.

johns (GM): You can study Vis to increase your arts too

We have a shitload of Terram

Aleseta of Bonisagus: oh yeah

Malachiasz of Tytalus: hmmm

(From Malachiasz of Tytalus): would experimenting on one of the mercurian rituals allow me to change them to terram, or is that to big of a change

johns (GM): as of 1329: 15 terram, 20 herbam, 19 animal, 16 intelligo

Aristocritus Bonisagi: i trust zita's judgment.

(To Malachiasz of Tytalus): Too big a change, it'd be a whole different effect

Zita of Mercere: "We discovered an entrance to an old regio, it looks like Bonisagus used it. There's a lot of stuff from Mercury, rituals and so on."

(From Malachiasz of Tytalus): ah well

Aristocritus Bonisagi: even though all she does for us is burgle.

Zita of Mercere: "It's being scribed and copied now, if you want to get copies later."

Burglary is a noble art

Malachiasz of Tytalus: how much vis does it cost/how much exp does that give

Aleseta of Bonisagus: bulgar-ry

Aurora of Mercere: "Dear Zita.. Who else knows of your part in this, outside your covenant?"

Aleseta of Bonisagus: it takes as many pawns as (art/5) rounded up

Zita of Mercere: "No-one, unless they've gone and said, why?"

Aleseta of Bonisagus: and it gives as much XP as a stressed die + aura

Malachiasz of Tytalus: so just 1d10!+3?

Aurora of Mercere: "Are you familiar with the Neomercurians?"

Aleseta of Bonisagus: in this aura, yes

Malachiasz of Tytalus: neat

Aleseta of Bonisagus: are they like neonazis

Aurora of Mercere: ropekid, do you need a lab to study vis?

Malachiasz of Tytalus: how much terram vis do we have exactly

Aleseta of Bonisagus: you do not

Aurora of Mercere: If not, he could go inside the Temple of Mercury (magic 6) for extra xp

15 pawns and we gain 1 a year

Malachiasz of Tytalus: oh yeah i could

Aleseta of Bonisagus: venzi studied vis in the middle of a big magic tree for literally a decade

Malachiasz of Tytalus: since im gonna be going to the temple regularly anyway

Zita of Mercere: "Nope! Only Mercere cult I've ever dealt with is the cult of heroes, on account of my heritage."

Endrite (GM): Good guy Venzi.

Aurora of Mercere: Malach is buddying up with the maze/pit wizard

Malachiasz of Tytalus: yeah im gonna bring food for it every few days

Aurora of Mercere: "The Neomercurians like to consider themselves the successor to the Cult of Mercury of old."

Zita of Mercere: Venzi practicing cultivation for a decade is insanely badass

Aristocritus Bonisagi: wait the minotaur was a wizard?

Malachiasz of Tytalus: im convinced that its the one who wrote thos diaries

Aurora of Mercere: "Would you believe they once extended an invitation to me? I turned them down as gently as I could."

Aleseta of Bonisagus: venzi snorted probably a queen's worth (100+) pawns of vis in his career.

Zita of Mercere: "Are they bad news, then?"

We dont even have that much vis in our stores, what a decadent

(From Malachiasz of Tytalus): was the adventure this season disruptive enough that i couldnt eat vis to get exp?

Aristocritus Bonisagi: venzi the profligate

Aurora of Mercere: She shrugs and smiles. "Anyone who tangles with one of my Mercere sodales tangles with me."

"The others at your covenant.. Well, that's on them."

Aristocritus Bonisagi: [looks up from newspaper] I should join the Neo-Mercurian cult.

(To Malachiasz of Tytalus): Nah, eat away

Aurora of Mercere: you'd love em aristocritus. they are just roman cosplayers

Malachiasz of Tytalus: rolling for vis research this season

Aristocritus Bonisagi: with the promise of incredible death attached

Malachiasz of Tytalus:

rolling 1d10!+6

(

10

+

10

+

1

)

+6

=

27

Zita of Mercere: "I'll let them know, then, soon as they get back."

johns (GM): holy shit

Malachiasz of Tytalus: tremendous

Zita of Mercere: Holy shit

johns (GM): piss

Aristocritus Bonisagi: iesus

Aleseta of Bonisagus: yes!! yes!!!!!!

Endrite (GM): Nice job.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: YESS!!!!!

Zita of Mercere: Malach snorts vis and goes on a vision quest

Malachiasz of Tytalus: the minotaur teaches me the secrets of Great Terram

Endrite (GM): Do stress dice explode more than once?

Aleseta of Bonisagus: exploding vis study is the best

johns (GM): I  am  the Terram.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: yes

Zita of Mercere: Yes

Aristocritus Bonisagi: This guy must have incredible good fortune, to receive such experience!!

Zita of Mercere: Exploding dice ftw

If our terram was the earth, his terram... was also the earth, but better!

Malachiasz of Tytalus: 14 terram now

johns (GM): Okay, aleseta and aristo don't get ambushed and killed or anything

Malachiasz of Tytalus: woo

Aristocritus Bonisagi: archibald was going to durenmar

johns (GM): I didn't quite catch, are you publishing this stuff to include in the great durenmar library? or just copying it

OK

Archibald of Guernicus: Rip.

Aristocritus Bonisagi: i just wanted to attach a secret trianoma note

johns (GM): lmao at that post dys

Aleseta of Bonisagus: aleseta's plan was to make copies and donate the originals to durenmar's great library.

johns (GM): OK.

Malachiasz of Tytalus: what season is it, right now

johns (GM): Spring 1330

Malachiasz of Tytalus: ok

johns (GM): Adventure XP 8

Proclus of Rome: Don't forget to keep my name out of it.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: aleseta keeps proclus' name out

(From Endrite (GM)): Don't forget to mention that 100 Mythic Pounds are missing again.

johns (GM): (From Endrite (GM)): Don't forget to mention that 100 Mythic Pounds are missing again.

Aleseta of Bonisagus: also johns i'll probably hit you up on steam for MASSIVE kickbacks from the library

Zita of Mercere: I asked for my name to be included, and now I find out there's psycho neomercurians out to get us, possibly

Well they'd have to be nuts to attack Durenmar

Endrite (GM): They wouldn't have to because SOMEONE made cpies!

Aleseta of Bonisagus:  in short round voice  They not nuts. They crazy!

Endrite (GM): I mean copies.

Zita of Mercere: Well, I assume they wanted to hoard the knowledge

If it's out in the open they can just politely ask for a copy

Aristocritus Bonisagi: if you were submitting your dang lab texts to the house like you're supposed to then everyone writing secret trianoma notes on your stuff would be a routine thing!!

Aleseta of Bonisagus: to do so is antithetical to the desire of bonisagus, ergo, they can suck it.

Zita of Mercere: QED

Aleseta of Bonisagus: okay c u all in thrad

thx again johns/endrite.

Endrite (GM): See ya.

johns (GM): what is the secret trianoma note that aristo sends

Malachiasz of Tytalus: i cant wait to be able to play another session in a month

dys: a great session all around

Endrite (GM): Sounds like a SECRET.

Aristocritus Bonisagi: i didn't get to write the secret trianoma note

dys: are all trianomers like this

Aristocritus Bonisagi: all of my schemes have been undone

dys: do you just write 'trianamo wuz here' on them

Aristocritus Bonisagi: sometimes.

i was just gonna include a little summary of the circumstances

dys: im very much for getting this breakthrough up about the gift, because the people who stand to gain the most are redcaps

Endrite (GM): Aight see ya.

dys: who are already in the order, but lack the gift

johns (GM): why not just make a pact with satan?

it's ez

Aristocritus Bonisagi: 1000 year old magus: Deadcaps.

dys: because diabolists are chumps who live in sewers and eat rats

Aristocritus Bonisagi: same.

johns (GM): actually according to the CANON tribunal sourcebook they are the pope and emperors

Aristocritus Bonisagi: the church should be full of priests and bishops practicing goetia

johns (GM): goatia

Aristocritus Bonisagi: i sent you a steam message

i guess i could have just asked here. what is the item inspection houserule right now, i forgot

johns (GM): yeah 1 sec

man im glad tomorrow is a holiday

http://badgame.net/index.php?topic=26550.msg9964248#msg9964248

Aristocritus Bonisagi: thus

johns (GM): oh it's on houserules page too

Investigating Enchanted Items: Each effect investigated takes 1 month of lab time. In that season lab work and craft work are impossible, and Study Totals are reduced by 1/3rd.

Aristocritus Bonisagi: really? i looked but didn't find it

oh i was looking for "inspection" instead of "investigation"

whoops!!

well, i posted my alternative in the thread

johns (GM): i have replied

wow it's really been 7 hours of ars

Aristocritus Bonisagi: needs some caveats so you can't just fail to investigate the same item for a decade

johns (GM): not too big a deal even so

since we rarely encounter issues where people want to study vis but there's none around

well

yeah you're right

Aristocritus Bonisagi: what kind of xp would it give, too

tied to the effect, or player's choice of intellego or vim?

johns (GM): the effect

Aristocritus Bonisagi: makes sense

rolling 1d10+1 experimenting with risk

(

2

)

+1

=

3

rolling 1d10+1 experimenting with risk

(

5

)

+1

=

6

rolling 1d10 side effect

(

3

)

=

3

Mystical greetings.