Prospectus Logs #15: A Visit to Valencia +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Wherein it is discovered that wars have repercussions, and these are | | examined in depth. Also, traitorous merchants, fixed auctions, | | annoying Flambeau, and occupying armies. Finally, the training of the | | next generation. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Dramatis Personae: Albus of Tytalus Magus (Shannon Appel) Berengarius of Criamon Magus (Eric Rowe) Catorse of Quaesitor Magus (Kevin Wong) Docilli of Bonisagus Magus (Eric Rowe) Fabricarious of Verditius Magus (Chris Van Horn) Viator of Jerbiton Magus (Dave Pickering) Aubrin Elder Magus Amador Ship Captain Arnau Grog-in-training Iohannes Scribe Lucindia Seneschal (Chris Van Horn) Tara Albus' Apprentice Francis Provencal Grog Jean-Claud Provencal Grog Jean-Patrice Provencal Grog Michelle Provencal Grog Leader Xavier Iberian Grog Abenimer Moorish Healer Cala Moorish Merchant's Wife Dabir Moorish Merchant Faruq Moorish Merchant's Son Fayez Egyptian Templar Halim Moorish Guard Captain Harith Moorish Noble Intentio of Flambeau Hermetic Wizard Independent Jelel Egyptian Father Omar of Tremere Hermetic Wizard of Plateau Reyhem Moorish Bureaucrat Yazid Moorish Sorcerer Baron Zelipe Christian Lord Story Guide: Bill Filios - * - The Council Records as recorded by Lucindia the Seneschal September 1, 1215 In attendence: Albus, Aubrin, Catorse, Docilli, Fabricarious, Forticulus, Frangere, Lorum, Risus, and Viator; also myself, Lucindia the Seneschal. Absent: Drake and Xanti, both away on personal business. Quorum was achieved and Aubrin called the meeting to order as elder. Points of Information: * AUBRIN began the meeting with the introduction of Berengarius of Criamon, a magus of Hermes seeking entry to our covenant. As per Viator's suggestion of July 3, 1214, Berengarius' membership status shall not be voted on for at least a week. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "I have chicken feet." | | -Berengarius, on chicken feet | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ * AUBRIN suggested that many of our recent problems have been due to our covenant being reactive, not proactive, and he stated that he wishes to change this. He suggested that the covenant begin to take a more active stance toward dealing with problems and suggested the following areas as those of the most interest: 1. THE FAERIE-TRODS. As was discovered earlier this year, Prospectus Locus' magical aura comes from the fact that it was once a site of faerie convocation, and that, as a result, it is a nexus of faerie-trods. Although this system is currently blocked by ancient Mercurian magic, Aubrin expressed a desire for a more permanent solution. He plans to investigate this problem as time allows. 2. THE WATERWAYS. The importance that both the Arabs and the Christians place upon our location in the Ebro delta put the covenant at some risk in recent months. Aubrin would like this changed. Two suggestions were put forth: a. When Drake returns he shall work to deepen some of the Ebro tributaries, to make our locale less strategic. b. Aubrin shall leave immediately for King Jaime's court to push the idea of a Royal fort being constructed upriver from us, beyond the Delta. 3. THE RELIC. The recently discovered relic of Joseph of Arimathea has caused undue church interest in this area. It should be examined then dealt with. Albus states he plans to look into this topic early next year. 4. THE DEMON. It has been a year and a half since a demon plagued Risus and apparently impersonated him. We should do something before it attempts to strike again. 5. THE MOORS. The recent attack by the Almohad Caliphate under our covenant created some doubts with regard to our old peaceful relations with the Arabs of Iberia. To look into this issue, Fabricarious has volunteered to lead an expedition to Valencia immediately. They will speak with our merchant contacts there, speak with the city leaders there, and in general discover the state of the city after the recent advance then retreat of the Almohad army. Points of Debate: * VIATOR suggested that we create a regular training program for our grogs, where they train for one year out of five, now that we have sufficient warriors to man Prospectus Locus. There were no objections; Viator shall coordinate this will Lucindia. * LUCINDIA stated that after initial investigations she no longer believes that a paper plant is a viable option, because our land is too marshy for the cattle, and thus the people inland would have a significant economic advantage. It was decided that the covenant would abandon its own paper mill and instead invest in a foreign paper mill. * LUCINDIA queried whether we should resettle burnt out outlying villages but this measure was voted down due to the current turbulence of the area. It shall be revisited when the royal fort is built. * DOCILLI suggested that there be a special seat for associate members below the foot of the council table. This measure was passed. * DOCILLI suggested that associate members have the right to vote, but that their vote simply not count. This measure failed. * DOCILLI suggested that we organized a better civil defense plan for the covenant, and that it be overseen by a magus. This measure was not seconded. * DOCILLI suggested that all new members should be required to show their feet. This measure failed. With all points of information and debate completed, Docilli announced that he was leaving the covenant due to the increasing number of conflicts surrounding it. The council was then concluded. Addendum: * FRANGERE has been given Docilli's old lab. If Berengarius is accepted as an associate member next week, he will be given the lab that is currently under construction, on the second floor of our new lab building. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "Lab?" | | "You just like to wander around the yard?" | | -Berengarius and Viator, on what magi do | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ - * - Albus' Dialogues September 1, 1215 Late Evening It looks like Tara and I are going off to Valencia in a few days. We're right in the middle of her first season of training, but I've been assured this whole expedition should take less than a week. So, it should offer no significant interruption to her studies. Thus I have opted to go. It will be good to teach her that lab is not everything. Further it will serve to introduce her to Moorish culture. A well-rounded magus is a successful one. We will leave in three days when Viator is ready. Currently he is working when the children of Bercula to discover which will make good grogs in the future. Our whole trip to Valencia was decided at council. There was another matter that came up too. It was much more disturbing. Docilli has decided to leave due to the increasing conflict in our area (and with him go Juan Moralez and Boy). Aside from the fact that his attitude is entirely wrong-headed, Docilli's departure disturbs me greatly. He has been my mentor in how to teach an apprentice. I do not know what I will do when he is gone. Persevere, I hope. And succeed. - * - Albus' Dialogues September 4, 1215 Early Evening I write this today aboard The Celestine. We are on our way to Valencia. Of course. We are a large and assorted group, many of whom I do not know well. I have written my impressions of my many fellows here. There are myself and Tara for a start. Xavier is with us as well. I have adopted him as my personal grog. He is a older family man with children of his own. He was quite helpful with Tara when we were up in Barcelona. She is still very much a child and will be for many years. I would not know what to do with her without Xavier. Tara is not the only youngster with us. Arnau is here too. He is one of the children from Bercula that Viator is training to be a grog. I think Viator has his eyes set on Arnau to be his personal grog. Arnau is 12 or so. He stays well away from Tara, who is still a child to him. A good assortment of magi are here. I have already mentioned Viator. Fabricarious is leading. They are the only two among us who can speak Moorish. Then there is Catorse and finally Berengarius. I do not know what to make of this new magus with the chicken feet. He is painfully eager. Annoying. He made Tara cry with some Criamon nonsense this afternoon. Yet when he showed up on the boat today he was dressed in full armor under his obscuring robes. Carrying a maul. A magus who does not depend on spells alone wins a measure of respect from me. We brought four of Lucindia's new grogs with us. Michelle is their sergeant. We also have Jean-Claud, Jean-Patrice, and Francis with us. Our new grogs are all Frenchmen from Provencal. They are intelligeble only because of the common roots of Provencal and Catalan. They are secretive and standoffish. Yet I have seen them train out in the main yards. There is no question that they are very confident. So this is their trial by fire. Speaking of trial by fire, we also brought Iohannes. He is Lucindia's new assistant and scribe. He seems overawed by the responsibilities we place on him. But, he needs to learn them rapidly, for Lucindia is away too much currently. And then there is Amadar--the captain--and his crew. It has been almost two years since I have sailed with them. Not since Miracle was kidnapped and we met Aquil. That is our merry little band. We should be in Valencia tomorrow. - * - Albus' Dialogues September 5, 1215 Late Evening My first impressions of Valencia are bad. But then I have yet to see more than the docks. The harbor is filled with Moroccan war ships. Military personal seems to be overruning the town. All members of the army that so recently sieged Mantiun. When we tried to disembark this afternoon we were stopped by a guard captain become harbor master named Halim. He demanded numerous documents and proof that we were traders. The man was very rude as well. I tried to talk to him about the wonders of the city. I wanted Tara to learn about them. He turned his back and walked away. Viator and Iohannes went off--under guard--to talk with our merchant contacts. This would offer proof to Halim of our mercantile intentions. They returned with that after an hour or so but also brought ill-tidings. Dabir--who is the main merchant we work with here in Valencia--has been arrested for spying. His business is being run by his wife and eldest son. Cala and Faruq. It bodes ill. We have been told that we can't enter the city until Halim's men finish their inventory of our goods. That will be tomorrow. Until then we wait, watching the docks. - * - Albus' Dialogues September 6, 1215 Late Evening A busy day. Numerous threads are unraveling but I think we are managing them well. We got permission to leave The Celestine today. We also found that the covenant's goods will be taxed at ruinous rates. Twenty percent! This is the cost of the Almohad army occupting Valencia. We were warned that we could not enter certain parts of the city. The Jewish quarters and the richest areas of town are off-limits. Still we pressed on. Our first stop was the governor's office. We had hoped to see a member of the Ibn 'Iyad family. They are old friends of the covenant--good allies. Their patriarch is the _ra'is_ (chief) of the city. The family has been in power since 1145 but that now may be at an end. We did not meet with a member of the Ibn 'Iyad family today. Instead we spoke with a man named Reyhem. A bureaucrat and a member of the Almohad army. That meeting went well enough. Fabricarious proved his skill as a trader. He bargained the tax on our rice down to 10% when we agreed to sell it to the army. We sold our alcohol directly to Reyhem and he graciously eliminated the tax entirely on that. I sometimes forget what a good fellow Fabricarious is. The magical skills of a Verditius. The temperment of a Flambeau. The mundane skills of a blacksmith and trader both. If only more magi could aspire to that type of breadth. We also talked to Reyhem about Dabir. Apparently Dabir is accused of spying for Baron Zelipe! Viator expressed concern--feigning worry that we had been betrayed to Zelipe too. He was hoping to get to talk with Dabir, but he was not successful. In any case, we were told it would not be held against us if we continue to trade with Dabir's sons. So, we will. Before we left we tried once more to set up a meeting with the old city rulers. Reyhem said they were busy, but that he would do his best. So we left the city center. That was when things turned intresting. On the way back to The Celestine we ran into Abenimer. I have written of him before. Almost two years back now. He is a young Moorish doctor who helped to diagnose Zilia's shaking disease. He stayed with us at the covenant for a time following that occasion. When we saw him in the streets of Valencia we at once greeted him and then sat down in a local eatery and talked. We learned that Abenimer was in the city on behalf of Intentio. Intentio is a Flambeau who has tried to cause the covenant problems in the past--due to some old grudge. On Intentio's behalf, Abenimer was bidding on a Sufi Meditation book that a local Moorish sorcerer was selling. We soon discovered that Intentio had given him 8 pawns of vis to bid with. Now, I really don't know Intentio. All I know is that a few years ago he sent a fellow Tytalus to cause us problems--Furfures. I took that as a challenge and I took it very personally. Here I saw an opportunity to send a message to our tormenter. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "And the message being..." | | "We beat up your messenger and took your vis... neiner-neiner-neiner." | | -Berengarius and Albus, on correspondence | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ So, we negotiated with Abenimer. In the end we agreed to give him two pounds of silver--a very goodly amount. In exchange he would hand over Intentio's vis to us. Berengarius would then erase his memory and we would all go happily on his way. In Abenimer's knapsack would be those two pounds of silver and a note telling him to leave the area quickly. After we were all agreed, we did as we had decided. I think everyone was happy in the end. I put great stock in meditation, so afterward we decided to look into this auction that was going on. The Moorish sorcerer unfortunately lived in the forbidden Jewish quarter. Lucky for us Abenimer had been able to tell us a secret way in--avoiding the guards. We had no problems reaching the sorcerer's abode. Yazid seemed a nice enough fellow. The book is his own writing--based on studies in the East. It is in Arabic--unfortunately--but we have tomes describing that language back at home. We put in a bid of four pawns of vis for the book. Yazid was quite talkative and we learned a little bit about the others who were bidding. Intentio (though--we knew--no longer). Some Moorish sorcerers. A magus of Sader. The last was disturbing to us for Yazid revealed that the Sader Magus--Omar of Tremere by name--had been with the Almohad army that so recently marched north. I would never have suspected Sader's reach extended so far. Aubrin must be notified of this upon our return. I talked about the Sufi for a bit with Yazid while Fabriacarious browsed the book. Before we left we arranged for a contact outside of the Jewish quarter. Yazid offered us a name; we can get updates of the auction and offer bids to him rather than having to keep treading through the forbidden Jewish quarter. Then we were off. Back to the boat, finally. Tara was very tired by this time, so I did not go with Amador and Viator when they visited the merchants again for dinner. Viator later told me that Cala and Faruq were eager to continue trading with us. They also wanted help. They claimed that the charges against Dabir were false--that he had simply been sending an itemized request for livestock to Zelipe. They hoped we could give them monetary or political aid. Viator made no promises but rather returned to the boat to speak with myself and the others. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "None of the other mages will know; just do it this once." | | -Viator, on what Aubrin might suggest | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ I knew that Aubrin would suggest we help Dabir. Dabir is not exactly covenfolk, but some sort of associate covenfolk. Aubrin would feel loyalty to him. So, I suggest we offer help threefold. First, that we give all of our pipes intended for trade to Dabir's family on credit. They are worth perhaps five pounds of silver to us, maybe double that to Dabir's family. If they can quickly turn them around they should have enough money to offer the right bribes to set Dabir free. Further, we'll eat the taxes ourselves and let them delay their payment until sometime after their father is free. Second, that we make a real effort to talk to the city leaders and put in a good word there. Third, that we reveal to Dabir's family our secret route into the Jewish quarter--so that they can get in and make certain necessary contacts to borrow additional funds. Viator will return to them tomorrow. Curfew is already up. - * - Albus' Dialogues September 7, 1215 Late Afternoon A day spent waiting for shoes to drop. We chatted with our auction-contact this morning and discovered that Sader had upped our bid. They are now winning at 5 pawns of vis. Viator was ready to bid again until I called him aside and suggested an alternative. I told him that if we could track down Omar of Tremere we might offer him a few pawns of vis for a copy of the book. Viator agreed it was a good idea. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "Being an elder wizard he may do a little | | dance or he may set us on fire." | | -Fabricarious, on elder wizard views of conspiracy | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ We then returned to the Moorish trading family and offered our help to them: information, contacts, and pipes on credits. They were overjoyed; the piping was unloaded within the hour. Even better, our Moorish guards vastly underestimated its value. We paid less then half-a-pound of silver in taxes. While speaking to Cala and Faruq I asked them to put out feelers for where our Saderite friend might be. I will return tomorrow for results. Finally we talked with Rayhem again and bribed him a quarter pound of silver to ensure that appointment to speak with the city leaders. It is to be tomorrow. I returned to the boat then. Tara was tired. Viator spent the rest of the day staking out our auction contact, hoping that Omar might appear there. No luck. - * - Albus' Dialogues September 8, 1215 Early Afternoon The shoes all dropped today. I am quite pleased. Early this morning I headed out to the merchants. They had discovered where Omar was staying. Unfortunately it was in the forbidden rich district. I had a plan though. Carefully working through a map of the city I figured Omar's most likely route if he went from his residence straight into the forbidden Jewish district. There was a very likely plaza he would probably have to pass through. I descended to spend the day keeping a look-out there. Viator returned to his post near our own auction contact, outside of the Jewish district. After agreeing to reunite in the city center for our meeting with the city leaders, we split up. I won. Mid-morning Omar walked through the plaza just as I had expected. I shouted out his name and offered the hand symbol for Intellego. Omar nodded and came over to sit with me. I explained who I was, that I represented Prospectus Locus, and that I was interested in the book. I offered to drop out of the bidding and instead offer him a payment for a copy of the book. We came to a very amicable agreement. If Omar wins the auction we will pay him three pawns of vis and be allowed to make a copy of the book within the year. I can only thank Fabricarious for the lessons he taught be in barter before I was forced to engage in it myself. After that was the meeting in the civic center. We were greeted first by Rayhem. He announced to us that Dabir had been released. He stated it had all been a mistake and that it had been a coincidence that certain numbers in Dabir's purchase order to Zelipe had matched certain numbers related to the Almohad army. He gave me the purchase order that had been confiscated and then wisked us off to meet with a member of the Ibn 'Iyad family. I looked at that purchase order later and everything became crystal clear. Dabir had used a request for certain numbers of livestock as a cipher to transmit military information to Zelipe. It is a pity the information never did get to the Baron. Clearly, Dabir's wife and son had been able to use the information and resources we gave to them quickly and efficiently. So they had secured Dabir's release despite his guilt. Rayhem gave the letter to me so that the proof would be lost. Our main reason for meeting the Ibn 'Iyad family had been to secure the release of Dabir. With that done we had no real goal in our meeting. That was probably a good thing. Aubrin had told us to expect to meet the patriarch of the family. Instead we met a young man named Harith. A nephew of the ruler of Valencia. He was surrounded by military guards. It became immediately obvious that he was being held hostage and that the Almohad army was really in control here. Viator's skill at etiquette is unbounded. He gave a long speech saying nothing. There were kind words to the Ibn 'Iyad family and at the same time kind words for the occupying army. We seemed to make everyone happy. Then we left. In two days Omar will confirm that he has won the book. Then we can offer our payment and be off. - * - Albus' Dialogues September 9, 1215 Mid-day Went by and talked to the merchants today. Dabir was indeed back home, but in bad shape. He had been beaten while he was imprisoned. There is word of some healer outside the city and the family plans to take him there. Having learned everything I wanted to know I returned to The Celestine with Tara. - * - Albus' Dialogues September 10, 1215 Late Evening Back at sea. As promised, Omar returned today. He had won the book for 6 pawns of vis. We paid him 3 pawns of Intentio's auram. In 9 months we will send Iohannes down to make a copy of the book. And then we left Valencia. We will have to report to Aubrin when we return. If he is back already from the Aragon court. I so collect my thoughts here. First, the Ibn 'Iyad dynasty is clearly out of power in Valencia. Our old allies have no more power. Second, the Almohad Army is the de facto new power. They seem to have most of the city under martial law. Third, despite this all, trade has not been utterly disrupted. It will be somewhat disadvantageous for the near future, but not terrible. I suspect Lucindia will be somewhat unhappy when we return. We went with perhaps 12 pounds of silver in goods and turned only a quarter of that over. Another quarter went to bribes and the purchase of Intentio's vis. The other half--all piping--has been given to our merchant allies as credit. I can only shrug. We did our best given the circumstances and were very successful. For the cost of 3 pounds of silver and an additional 6 pounds of silver loaned we have won 5 pawns of vis, a book on Sufi Meditation techniques, and have managed to save our main merchant contact in Valencia, who also happens to be a spy for Mantiun. Cheap at twice the cost. - * - Albus' Dialogues September 11, 1215 Late, Late Evening Back home! Too late to hold that council meeting to induct Berengarius. I think he proved his mettle in Valencia with his Mentum magic. We should be able to make him an Associate Member tomorrow. I found a letter waiting for me upon my return. Delivered by Mundane means. It was scribed by a man named Jelel--a member of the Coptic Church in Egypt He had heard of my queries concerning his son, Fayez. He wrote because he was very concerned. He had not heard from Fayez in a year. He was last seen heading for Carthage. I worried for some time over what to do. Last year I would have headed straight for Carthage. It seemed obvious that Fayez's death was now in the past, and so I could try and recover that soiled silver. But now I hae responsibilities. I need to finish Tara's first season of teaching, then improve my Creo so I can teach her that next year, then go and do some studying of our nearby relic--for the good of the covenant. My next 7 or 8 months are filled. Responsibility. So I decided to take another tact. I wrote a letter to Fayez. It was open and honest. I expressed hope that he could pass information on to me concerning the pouch of silver. I hope in this way that he can do some of the initial investigations for me. I did one last thing--something odd. When the letter was sealed I rested it on the night stand next to bed. I will go to sleep and if She brings me no dreams tonight then I will send the letter off in the morning. - * - Letter from Albus to Jelel Scribed September 11, 1215 Sent September 12, 1215 Jelil, I fear that I may bring ill tidings. My letters last year were written due to a pair of visions I experienced which I believe were divine in origin. The following is what I wrote in my diary of the first vision: I was in a pit, digging. Above me stood a Templar. He looked down. As I dug I uncovered a sack. It was what I had been seeking. I pulled it free and handed it up to the Templar. Then I climbed out of the pit. Suddenly we were beset by Moors. I despaired. If only we had stayed in Carthage, I thought. I saw the Templar fall. Then a blade cut across my back, and I too dropped to the ground. My life bled out of me. I died. It grieves me greatly to tell you that the Templar I saw in my vision has been identified to me as your son, Fayez. I suspect now that this was a vision of the past, and that your son may have died even as I experienced that vision, on September the third of last year. A few days later, I had a second vision. Here is what my diary says of it: I was a Roman solider this time. Standing in the garden of Gethsemane. I saw Judas, the Christian betrayer. Nearby stood our savior, the Christ. And upon Judas' belt was the very bag I had seen unearthed. Judas moved forward to embrace the Christ, his betrayal just an instant away. It seems to be that your son managed to unearth a bag that once belonged to the betrayer Judas. It is my suspicion that it held the thirty pieces of silver he was paid to betray the Christ. This is what I know of your son's circumstances. Carthage is a long trip and I do not feel able to leave for there this very moment. Perhaps next year. In the meantime I would appreciate any light you can shed on this mysterious incident. I will of course be happy to share with you all I learn. If you can tell me anything about why your son may have been looking for this relic, or how he might have discovered it, or who it might have been that attacked him in my vision, or where he might have been, near to Carthage but not in it, I would greatly appreciate it. It would help me greatly if I make a trip to Carthage next year. Your son may be dead, or maybe he is only being held captive by these Moors that I saw. When I journey to Africa I will do my best to find your son or avenge him while conducting my own religious journey. Peter, Scholar and Warrior of the Ebro delta PS: Do you have any token of your son? A lock of hair perhaps? A favorite tunic? When I meditate upon this incident and ask for further guidance such an item might help me connect to him.