[2026/01/13 14:19] Sapphire: Good evening my young witches, we find ourselves gathered for an evening of illusion, plotting, and alcoholic fruit cake. How does that sound for a night?
[2026/01/13 14:20] Mecha: Sounds good.
[2026/01/13 14:20] Sapphire: Ah, it would appear that chapter 5 is not yet up on the logs. In the meantime I will include the campaign link: http://81.133.27.194/Dungeons&Kittens/logs-2025arm.html
[2026/01/13 14:21] Sonja Bikergrrl: /me is not a young bitch these days
[2026/01/13 14:21] Sapphire: that just enhances your skill level at it
[2026/01/13 14:22] Sonja Bikergrrl: so, no need to go back to bitch school
[2026/01/13 14:24] Sapphire: So! Last time the tournament wrapped up, with our dear mages coming in second and third, losing only to each other and the insipidly confident triangle lass.
[2026/01/13 14:24] Sapphire: The day pivots closer to dinner, people free to wander in and out of the main through the various parts of the castle should they wish to slink away. But the main event of the more practiced magi throwing their own spell duels are a main attraction.
[2026/01/13 14:24] Sapphire: As well, there is a rich dessert being planned to be broken out just after sunset, once everyone involved will have had the chance to refresh their *Parma Magicas*.
[2026/01/13 14:25] Mecha: refreshed and off in the corner reading the new book
[2026/01/13 14:26] Sonja Bikergrrl: plotting that bitchs' downfall
[2026/01/13 14:26] Sapphire: The various young magi are indulging in gossip adn plotting, much of it focused on events outside the castle. It seems *another* mage tower has been... disrupted by wandering knights, suggesting it's supplies and structures are now defended only by crusaders, if that. And tales of monsters prowling the roads and woods abound. Something called the Sllithering Horror of Bordeux is the newly arrived rumor.
[2026/01/13 14:27] Mecha: *Which bitch?*
[2026/01/13 14:28] Sonja Bikergrrl: ....mmm.... good question....
[2026/01/13 14:28] Sonja Bikergrrl: one, then the other
[2026/01/13 14:29] Sapphire: (both are plotted to end up horizontal, but different plans for what they land on)
[2026/01/13 14:30] Sapphire: Are you seeking to learn more about any rumors? Wandering off? Inspecting in detail your prizes? Trying to talk people into our out of fancying you?
[2026/01/13 14:30] Sapphire: *or
[2026/01/13 14:30] Sonja Bikergrrl: I won first prize?
[2026/01/13 14:31] Mecha: My prize was a book, I am reading that.
[2026/01/13 14:31] Sapphire: Second prize, an enchanted chainmail cloak
[2026/01/13 14:32] Sapphire: 3rd place prize - *Selected Cantations*
[2026/01/13 14:32] Sapphire: Spell Texts:
[2026/01/13 14:32] Sapphire: > Aegies of the Hearth ReVi 20
[2026/01/13 14:32] Sapphire: > Invisible Sling of Vilano ReTe 10
[2026/01/13 14:32] Sapphire: > Wizards Sidestep Reim 10
[2026/01/13 14:32] Sapphire: > Bind Wounds CrCo 10
[2026/01/13 14:32] Sapphire: > Scales of the Magical Weight InVi 5
[2026/01/13 14:33] Sonja Bikergrrl: I'll listen to rumours
[2026/01/13 14:34] Mecha: Reading now, will practice later
[2026/01/13 14:35] Sapphire: 2nd place prize - *The Cloak of Heartbeats*
[2026/01/13 14:35] Sapphire: Enchanted Item, Constant Effect when worn.
[2026/01/13 14:35] Sapphire: > ReIm effect similar to *Wizards Sidestep*, the position of the wearer appears to be where they were 30 heartbeats ago, greatly complicating attempts to hit the wearer with an attack. Furthermore counts as Partial Metal Scale (Protectio 4) for the purposes of armor, lightened to half such load (2 instead of 4)
[2026/01/13 14:38] Mecha: Sarah looks at Syrah and whistles softly."Nice prize." the compliment genuine before Sarah goes back to her book
[2026/01/13 14:40] Sapphire: Alright Syra, listening in, you hear First Frost talking about his plans to find a hidden canyon rich in magic, following the lore of a book his father knew of. His blood father rather than his *paren*. Pythagora apparently plans to head into the city of Toulouse and inquire with the magi there about their coven. But the juciest rumors might be about the various monsters in the forests to the east, where it is said that a phoenix was sighted alighting upon injured pilgrims who stopped by the shrine to St George, healing broken limbs. This is the same road that the Sliterhing Horror apparently frequents now, having evaded the pack of knights sent to slay it, wishing themselves to follow the footsteps of St George.
[2026/01/13 14:41] Sonja Bikergrrl: St George, you say?
[2026/01/13 14:41] Sapphire: Sarah, it quickly becomes evident that properly testing out these spells well enough to learn them will require establishing a magical laboratory, so you can test-fire them and account for the various seasonal flows of magic to keep a spellform stable.
[2026/01/13 14:41] Sapphire: I do say St George! Are you familiar with them?
[2026/01/13 14:42] Sonja Bikergrrl: Mmhmm. Patron Saint of England
[2026/01/13 14:42] Sapphire: And slayer of dragons.
[2026/01/13 14:44] Sonja Bikergrrl: Less of the layers-ey of ragonsd-ey
[2026/01/13 14:44] Sapphire: Saints can be prone to accumulating many stories
[2026/01/13 14:45] Sonja Bikergrrl: Main thing is up with St George, Britannia, HRH Queen Elizabeth II and down with everyone else
[2026/01/13 14:46] Sapphire: ooooh
[2026/01/13 14:48] Sapphire: Not much longer and Dinner comes out for an event of feasting, sevearl roast chickens and several loaves of garlic-rich bread, plus the wine is starting to be broken out. And the star of dessert, a tall and deep fruitcake of bread,, peaches, apples, hearty nuts, and cranberries, that has been moistened with brandy to keep it in good condition all winter long, increasingly steeping in flavor.
[2026/01/13 14:49] Sonja Bikergrrl: ...fruitcake....
[2026/01/13 14:49] Sonja Bikergrrl: /me eyes narrow
[2026/01/13 14:51] Mecha: Sarah looks up."Oh that looks amazing." As she puts the book away, an idea forming in her brain
[2026/01/13 14:51] Sapphire: *good* fruitcake, moist and fruity, not whatever dessicated molassas construction Mistress drowned us in last Ctirmas
[2026/01/13 14:51] Sapphire: Critmas*
[2026/01/13 14:52] Sapphire: "Oh?" First frost leans over to Sarah. "You seem like you just had an interesting thought. What comes to mind?"
[2026/01/13 14:54] Mecha: Sarah is lightly startled as she was deep in thought, plotting and planning."I umm, I would prefer not to say until I have a more solid plan."
[2026/01/13 14:55] Sapphire: "You sure? Could help bounce ideas around." He adds.
[2026/01/13 14:57] Mecha: It's not so much a slew of ideas to...bounce, but I was thinking of sharing my prize. Keep the book myself but write out the contents for others."
[2026/01/13 14:58] Mecha: *Be right back*
[2026/01/13 14:58] Sapphire: "Ah, a classic. A good spell tome is quite the prize...." he leans in, "Though letting people stay at your covenant and read it for a fee is also a popular solution." He suggests.
[2026/01/13 14:59] Sapphire: Vortex finds himself sitting next to Syra. "So... you know any good rumors going around? I'm still thinking where I want to head to after all this."
[2026/01/13 15:01] Sonja Bikergrrl: yeah. I heard Pythag has clooties. There's a quest to find the holy grail so she can be clensed of this most unfortunate of maladies
[2026/01/13 15:02] Sapphire: "Really? Where did she get those?" At the other end of the table triangle lass is pretending not to hear, you can tell by the way her nose keeps rising in annoyance.
[2026/01/13 15:05] Sonja Bikergrrl: /me snickers and leans in to whisper... keeping her voice -just- low enough that nothing can be overheard with clarity, but, just loud enough so a few words can be picked up.... words like: "clooties", "village boy", "holy water" and "cousins"
[2026/01/13 15:08] Mecha: Sarah looks at him."I had not thought of inviting in to read but copying the information to parchment to give out. Knowledge is power, to share that power seems beneficial to all, no?
[2026/01/13 15:09] Sonja Bikergrrl: /me finishes her torrid tale with a final, loud, "...and the healer said if she didn't keep sticking quills up there, she'd have less nosebleeds."
[2026/01/13 15:09] Sapphire: Vortex snickers and grins, glancing across the table and hiding his smirks behind a forkful of chicken. "Oh my! I wouldn't have guessed..."
[2026/01/13 15:10] Sapphire: First Frost nods. "It does! Do you plan to do all the copying by hand? I feel like I've had enough of that for a while...."
[2026/01/13 15:12] Mecha: I would have to. I have heard rumors about presses but... that is not my area of knowledge
[2026/01/13 15:13] Sapphire: "Hmmmm. Perhaps a spell for that... which seems like something Vortex might know, huge nerd that he is."
[2026/01/13 15:15] Mecha: There is no harm in checking.
[2026/01/13 15:15] Mecha: Asd she looks over and sees Syra and Vortex talking."They seem to be having a good time."
[2026/01/13 15:18] Sapphire: He looks over, blinking. "Huh. Not what I would have expected."
[2026/01/13 15:21] Sapphire: Pythagora huffs and casts a small mist spell so she doesn't have to look at Syra while finishing up her food.
[2026/01/13 15:22] Sonja Bikergrrl: "See? That cloud of clooties."
[2026/01/13 15:22] Mecha: Sarah shakes her head."People are weird."
[2026/01/13 15:27] Sapphire: Vortex snickers, casting a small wind spell to try and blow the mist up towards the ceiling, prompting a rather severely annoyed frown from Pythagora, who then replies. "You two. Will *cease* harassing me for the rest of tonight."
[2026/01/13 15:27] Sonja Bikergrrl: /me looks surprised. "What? What did I say to -you-?"
[2026/01/13 15:28] Sapphire: "Oh? Have you been speaking of someone else then? Perhaps one of our esteemed hosts?"
[2026/01/13 15:29] Sonja Bikergrrl: /me just looks at Pythag. "Who I was talking -about- is my business and who I was talking to, and that wasn't -you-. Must you eavesdrop and cast spells?"
[2026/01/13 15:31] Sapphire: "We are Magi of the Hermetic Order. I daresay it is part of our culture," she retorts, gesturing circles with her fork.
[2026/01/13 15:31] Mecha: Sarah sighs and shakes her head."Maybe sharing this knowledge is not such a good idea." She mutters before taking a bite of her meal
[2026/01/13 15:31] Sonja Bikergrrl: /me nods. "Good for you."
[2026/01/13 15:32] Sapphire: Any additional goals for the evening?
[2026/01/13 15:32] Sonja Bikergrrl: I've achieved mine ;-)
[2026/01/13 15:32] Mecha: fruit cake
[2026/01/13 15:33] Sapphire: and yes! soon the fruit cake is pulled out, rich thick slices cut out and distributed
[2026/01/13 15:34] Sapphire: Do you have plans for the morrow and the next week?
[2026/01/13 15:34] Sonja Bikergrrl: I'm easy
[2026/01/13 15:35] Sapphire: Loosly the general question is "Explore for ruined sites or go monster hunting?" with a followup of if you have specific targets
[2026/01/13 15:35] Mecha: Study, writing out the book contents and trying to establish a laboratory to work some of these out. Even a loaner laboratory
[2026/01/13 15:36] Mecha: Since Sarah wasn't paying attention she might have to be sent out to do it
[2026/01/13 15:36] Sapphire: so Sarah is interested in finding a place to set up shop. Which i suppose offers the plan of ask for a spot at Castra Solis
[2026/01/13 15:38] Mecha: Figure Sarah would find the headmaster/ mistress / One in charge to ask
[2026/01/13 15:40] Sapphire: Can do, theres Garus, Primus of the house around at the party. Robert Vasquez will also mention that the covenant of Bellaquin down south is interested in new blood. But staying local is a nicer castle and the occasional effort to collect magical reagents and get embroiled in more politics.
[2026/01/13 15:41] Sapphire: Syra has also lived in the caste for years now and may or may not be interested in getting out and about
[2026/01/13 15:43] Sonja Bikergrrl: /me will go with Mecha on this one
[2026/01/13 15:43] Mecha: I approach Garus passing by Syra. Smiling politely to her."Congratulations on your prize."
[2026/01/13 15:46] Sapphire: Garus, the oldest Archmagi in the castle at the moment, looks up from his discussion about the recently commong Oaths of Chivalry and what a similar oath would mean for mages. "Ah, the promising youths! Very good showing in the tournament, both of you."
[2026/01/13 15:49] Mecha: Greetings. As you know I won the cantations book and am in need of a lab to work with them and thought to ask you about it."
[2026/01/13 15:52] Sapphire: "Ah, seeking to loan the guest labs? We could arrange such a thing. A moderate favor, and then the remainder of the season to make use of the space? Would you be in agreement with such?"
[2026/01/13 15:52] Mecha: Sarah nods in agreement
[2026/01/13 15:55] Sapphire: Alright, that's a good capstone there
[2026/01/13 15:56] Sapphire: we can sort out downtime nextime and then the big favor favor
[2026/01/13 15:56] Sapphire: perhaps a season of downtime, relevant xp, and then chasing down the Problem they need you to deal with
[2026/01/13 15:57] Sonja Bikergrrl: cool