Story : Supper in the West Room

From Ars Magica

Revision as of 16:27, 20 March 2006

A map of the Three Lions Inn

A map of the ground floor of the main building. None of the parts are to scale. Brown squares are doors, and the stairs begin at the right, and go up to the left.

The Company of Strangers, or the Convivium Sodalum?

The wooden shutters had been closed and latched as dusk fell, and like the patrons in the main room, the magi had almost unconsciously rearranged themselves according to the availability of light in the room. A large fireplace occupied the center of one wall, and a number of logs were well ablaze within creating a tempting semi-circle of warmth and light.

Shortly before the main course was to be served, Roan entered the room with a bowl of freshly chopped herbs, which she began to strew up and down the long table. The flickering flames of two candlesticks illuminated the table, but little else.

Not long after the scent of cooking food began wafting through the whole building, a large, silent man entered and placed a hand protectively on Eirlys' shoulder. "Ah, sodales, I'd like for you to meet Sandor. He can't speak, but I'm sure he's very pleased to meet your acquaintances." Eirlys smiled warmly, though Sandor maintained a facial expression which was as brooding as his companion's was inviting.

When Roan next disturbed the assembled strangers a few minutes later, she was carrying a large, heavy looking pot. Behind her stood Lucia, who bore a tray stacked with bowls and a large ladle. "If you could all kindly be seated, I'd like to serve this while it's good'n'hot." As she waited for them all to take places, or not, at the table, Lucia timidly emerged from the relative safety of Roan's shadow, and began to place finger bowls along the table.

Longinus rose, moved to the table and claimed the place reserved for him by his knife. Carefuly staying clear of the serving girls bustling work, he nonetheless smiled his thanks.

A moment later, Alicia rejoined the party, stopping short at the door when she saw that several more magi had arrived, then moving quickly over to Ambrosius.

After supper in the West Room

Once everyone had eaten and drunk their fill of the rather tasty food the innkeeper had provided there was a general feeling of relaxation which usually went with a good meal after a long journey. It was well after sundown now and the lights were beginning to burn down low giving the room a more intimate feeling.

Mnemosyne suggested that those who not members of the Order should be free to retire to the common room, bed or whatever took their fancy. Her tone made it clear it was more of a directive than a suggestion. It was time for the magi to discuss their plans for the all important days ahead which could in turn affect all of their futures for many years to come.

[Presuming here that all non-magi leave at this point - if any grogs or companions do not leave, please make this clear here and if it is at their own choice, or if they are asked to stay by a member of the Order]

"So sodales," Mneomsyne began. "I imagine that we are all keen to determine if this venture will proceed quickly. It is spring now, but if we are to join together and bring our goals to fruitition before the claws of winter find us unprotected, we should act with alacrity. I think the first thing we should do is determine if indeed there is a suitable location for our proposed covenant in the area. Marcus has already turned up some interesting information regarding the Long Mynd, a region of hills adjascent to this vale." Mnemosyne summed up the rumours he had told her earier regarding the Long Mynd for those who had not already heard them and asked Marcus to elaborate.

[Place for Marcus to add any info or opinions or what not]

Next Mnemosyne called on Longinus to speak. "Longinus, leaving aside the issue of gaining acceptance in the Stonehenge Tribunal for the present, you intimated to me in your first letter that a place which is both secure and safe to live and study were of paramount concern to you. You also mentioned that your parens, Mercantus ex Mercere suggested to you that the area of west Shropshire, which we are now in might prove to be likely spot. Would you care to elaborate at all?"

[Place for Longinus to jump in with any background info he wants to share, comments or the like]

Mnemosyne then went on to ask the rest of the assembled magi if they had anything to add, any local knowledge of the area or tidbits of information they thought would be relevent to the discussion.

[Place for Ambrosius, Bedo, Eirlys and Phaedrus to chip in]

Bedo, having listened carefully to the details given so far, puts down his goblet, clears his throat, and starts to speak. "Well, Sodales, I am both encouraged, and discouraged by what has been said so far. Encouraged by the group of people that have come together here, and the open way in which we are trusting each other, and helping each other. Discouraged in that there is so much less here in the way of any concrete plans to form a covenant than I had hoped for."

"I had hoped that at least some possible locations would have been identified, places at which the power of magic was strong, and the divine did not reach - but as I understand it nothing has yet been done this way. This need not be a problem though, I am sure we have the powers between us to do this work, but as Mnemosyne has said, we must start soon. For that reason, I would beg that we do not tire ourselves yet with taking our days in planning how we shall operate, but rather concentrate on deciding where we shall do so. As we do this, we shall geet to know each other, and I am sure we will better then be able to make plans for our governance. Although it is barely a moon since the spring equinox, six months hence and the chills of autumn will lie over this land. These are ot the hills that I know best, but they are not that different from the Clwydian hills to the North West, where I grew up, and I know that we must have a place established by then."

"So, what do we need? We need shelter, water, and a place of power. The hill-tops will not provide us with the first two - any water that lies there will be brackish, and will attract marsh-spirits, and only the ancient ones who built their earth-forts there would choose to stand in those winds that wear away even the rocks. I have climbed to Moel-y-Gaer, and Moel Famou, that stand over Offa's old wall, and I tell you we cannot live in those heights through the winter. Even the sheep farmers have their Hafod and Hendre - summer and winter holdings high in the hills and low in the valleys"

"And do, I offer my time for the remainder of this season of spring, to the search to find somewhere where we may build and be set for the winter. I offer my skills to help determine a place of power that we may prosper there in the years to come. In the mean time we must find somewhere that we can live in the short time, and we must ensure that we stay safe in this land where we are mostly strangers, and in some minds threatening ones. I propose to contact Geoffrey, an old friend of mine via Prees, the carter when he returns to Chester, and ask him to come here to aid in our search. He knows I have returned to these parts, and may well be a friend who can help us in our dealings with those that live around here. I trust that does not cause disagreement."

"So, that is all rather interesting," Mnemosyne said once everyone who wanted to had had their say. "It seems that the best thing for us to do is investigate some possible locations in the area and judge their suitability. I think that we can all agree that the most important factor for us all is the presence of reasonably strong magical aura to place the covenant itself in order to aid our research and contribute to our own powers. Other than that... well, everywhere has its advtantages and disadvantages. We shall have to assess each location based on its own merits. In the interest of maximising our time and effort, what do you think about dividing into two or three groups to survey some likely locations, starting on the morrow?"

"There is one other thing," said Marcus. "If we are to live here or near here, even in the short term, it would be best if we did not alienate the inhabitants here. In this spirit, I would like to ask that the more ... flamboyant ... among us refrain from taunting the locals or otherwise antagonizing them? With no disrespect intended, I would also suggest that if we can find lodgings a bit further away from town that most of us would be best served by relocating out of these environs. We all know the effect that the Gift has, and the less chance it has to work on the minds and hearts of these good people, the easier things will be for us in the long run."