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John looks out the window, it was still late afternoon, and starting to get dimmer out there, {e}If you want test me it need to be soon before sun goes down. We put mark on tree and see who get close with 3 shots. Any or all, you choose.{e}

His halting English does little to convey his confidence, but his body language does that well enough.

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Victor looked up, as if coming out of a thought, then laughed as Michael reminded him of the worst form practice for Animal magic he'd been subjected to as a punishment.

"Yes, it is as you say. I vastly prefer them to walking, despite having to minister to their care now and then. I was in possession of a beast late in my apprenticeship that would be the envy of every other I've seen on this island..."

Victor's eyes sparkled a bit as he spoke of horses, a pleasure of his that he'd not truly had a chance to engage in since emerging from Faerie.

"...Though you haven't truly mucked stalls until you've been forced to practice Animal that way..."

Despite his previous darkness, something about discussing horses had a knack for cheering him up.

"I don't suppose any of you have been to Petn anlaz, and seen if there are good stables there?" He asked.

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Micheal answers as he wipes a heel of bread around his bowl to get the last of the stew, "I remember my Parens saying something about it being known for a Great Menagerie, so it may well have a good stable building as well."

He turns to Caligus, "I hear they had a tree that grew golden apples as well."

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Victor finished the last of his stew and pushed his bowl forward.

"It would be difficult to imagine a covenant that would have a Menagerie but not a stable. It would be a difficult eccentricity to parse."

Victor nodded at the idea of Golden apples, "I would like to see that."

And to Sahra, "Winter covenants rarely leave tourguides, I suspect. In truth I know little about it either. I'm in this for something of a new begining..."

Victor trailed off a bit.

"That in mind, I apologize if I was rude to the two of you earlier. I hope we can share water as sodials later," with the later part directed at Sahra.

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Andrew shifted and cleared his throat. "Perhaps I should start to avoid any misunderstandings caused by myth and rumor."

He took a breath and exhaled as he gathered his thoughts together. "The design of the covenant is somewhat unusual actually. It was built in the style of a nobleman's manor house however it is nuch, much larger. If any thought had been given to defensibility you would have to call it a castle," He smiled at that and continued. "The main house is three stories high and can house over a dozen poeple, has an enourmous kitchen, dining room, and council chamber."

"The library is a separate building and is two stories high, with one basement. The first floor is the library proper. The basement holds the labs and the second floor has a bookbinding workshop with an attached bedroom and storage space. Unfortunately we do not yet have a bookbinder or scribe living at the covenant."

"The other major building is the Menagerie a big single story building, although I don't have much more information about it. I know it's in the worst shape of the three main buildings and that it housed a sanctum as well as animal pens; however, I haven't been able to convince our stonemason to go near it. Apparently he thinks it's haunted," Andrew pauses long enough to pour himself some wine and takes a long drink before continuing. "Those are the primary buildings and are all made of solid stone. There are numerous outbuildings, all made of wood. Besides the barracks, covenfolk housing and the stables, there is also a carpenter's shop, a smithy, a weaver's shop and a small brewery. Are there any questions so far?"

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"That was my hope," andrew said. "About half the covenfolk are from the Covenant of Five Oaks near Lincoln and the other half are Cornish decendants of the original covenant. While the English speaking covenfolk have been around Magi and will acclimate to all of you faster, they are still as superstitious as our Cornish fellows."

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Victor absently wondered if that was a problem around here. It had been some time since he had caught up with the goings on of the Catholic church.

"I should like to look into it, I think. ...Do any of you know what the order's standing with the church there is?" he said, though primarily looking at Andrew.

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Andrew rubbed his temples as the Magi went off on their tangent. His father had warned him that they would not be the most practical of people and he was seeing for himself that his advice was correct, again. "Pehaps, gentleman, you should allow me to finish before you start making any plans," He said. "Quite frankly the we cannot afford to employ a scribe at the moment so you will just have to suffer the irretation of penning your own letters and manuscripts for the forseeable future." There was a slight bit of irritation in his voice, but he quickly recovered his comosure.

"Forgive me, That was uncalled for." He said wearily. "To be honest, I don't know much about local superstitions and myths as I have been too busy with getting everything ready for your arrival. Our standing with the both the local parish and the local nobles is basically non existant. They don't really know about us. Every Sunday the covenfolk do travel Lanust to attend service at the church there but other than that there is no relationship."

"As for the apple tree; yes, it exists. It is in a small garden behind the manor house and I have forbidden the covenfolk to enter the garden or disturb the tree."

"The main concern right now is financial. Currently, the cost of maintaining the current status of the covenant is around 100 silver pounds a year. Our income, however, is significantly less than that."

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Andrew inclined his head to the woman as said. "With the little income we have? A year and a half. Perhaps if we are very frugal we can stretch that to two years, but they will be two very lean years indeed."

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"We were given a small allotment of silver from the Tribunal and we tithe approximately 40 silver pounds from a farming community not far from our location. The hamlet was started by ancestors of the former covenant and their decendants were eager to renew their accociation. Apparently the other Magi treated their ancestors well," Andrew answered the Bulgarian magus. "As for our most significant expenses, it's hard to tell without my legerbooks in front of me. Certainly the rebuilding and rapairing of the covenant itself has been costly although having our own stonemason has certainly reduced costs."

He looked strait at Victor "I know what you are thinking," He said. "You think there is somewhere we could cut costs. Believe me, I have cut every cost I could find. Short of letting some of the covenfolk go there is not much we can do besides find other means of income."

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"So it would seem," Victor agreed with Sahra.

"But the expenses are nothing outrageous. That's all I was asking. I'm happy to leave the ledgers in your hands, Autocrat. Do we have mundane options worth exploring on covenant land? Fish? Fur? Quarrey? Honestly I'm not very familiar with the island."

Victor stroked his beard thoughtfully.

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"While there are mines north of the covenant, there are none that I know of anywhere near us. I'm sure your magic could find sutible veins of ore for mining but the startup costs for such an operation are well out of our means at the moment."

Andrew paused for a moment. "There is another corcern that is pressing," He said finally. "I received a scroll not long after We arrived at Pedn An Laaz. It was from Iradellus. In it were instructions for me on the preparation of the covenant for you and another letter to remained sealed until tonight, whereupon I am instructed to read it to you."

He coughed lightly and slipped a small rolled parchment from his vest. He showed them the unbroken wax seal, snapped it open, and unrolled it. "Greetings fellow Sodales," He began. "By now you have some idea of what awaits you at Pedn An Laaz. There is much opportunity and much hard work ahead of you. Unfortunately I must place another burdon upon your shoulders. the original covenant of Land's End did not fall peacefully. Pedn An Laaz came to an end in one night, when every living person and much of the covenant's resources disapeard without a trace. To this day we in the Order of Hermes have no idea what happened."

Andrew paused and took a drink of bad wine before continuing. "And so here is the task I put to you. Investigate what happened that night and report to me your findings at the next Tribunal. That gives you 7 years to solve this mystery for the Order. Good luck my Sodales, Iradellus." Andrew put the letter on the table and watched the reactions of the Magi before him carefully.

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Micheal grins as he looks to the other magi, "Well that explains why the Covenant is so poor in resources, and also adds extra weight to solving the riddle as quickly as possible. I assume that since a lone mage survived until recently the Order was unable to carry oout much of an investigation while he still lived? Unfortuantely that means there will be few, if any, living sources of information for I assume that this event occured some years ago?" He looks to Andrew for confirmation before continuing.

"No matter, I feel sure that we will be able to overcome these initial problems to restore the Covenant to it's former glory. As far as I can see it seems we should investigate the 'haunting' of the menagerie first, so that the mason can continue his duties. Next we should see to acquiring some additional resources so that we are closer to being balanced with our outgoings. And finally, although linked to the latter task, would be to find out what happend that fateful night."

He appears genuinely positive of their success, and eager to get started.

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Micheal looks at Victor with some surprise, "I believe he is the current head of the Tribunal, and as such was one of those who decided how this Covenant was to be investigated and regenerated. It was they who decided it should go to the like of us, recently Gauntleted magi from all the Covenants of the Isle, rather than being handed over to a single Covenant to exploit."

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Caligus, who'd be silent for a while looked at up at both Michael and Victor. "More accurately, He is the head Quaesitor of the Tribunal. It's a small but important distinction," He said.

Caligus continued. "I find the manor in which this task was revealed to us somewhat suspect, but as I am in no position to question the motives of Iradellus, I feel I have no choice to comply. I feel that our first priority however, should be securing the financial stability of the covenant and becoming familiar with the territory around our new home and just what resources are available there."

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Michael shrugs, "So a tour of the area and discuss with the local what we might be able to do to raise some funds, then the ghost and the mystery of what happend?"

He turns to Andrew, "Is there anything else you had to raise with us this evening?"

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Andrew smiled to himself. These Magi seemed to be self starters and he liked that. It meant he wouldn't have to hold their hands too much through the next few months.

"I'm sure Iradellus will fine some suitable measure to let you know of his...dissapointment, should you not meet your seven year deadline," He said towards Victor. To everyone he said. "The only other buisness that I'd like to put forth is my status as Autocrat."

"As the Magi of Pedn An Laaz you have the right and the responsibility to choose your own Autocrat. I have been performing the role since the decision to re-establish the covenant was made and indeed it is what I have been trained since I was very young to do. If, however, you would like me to step aside for someone of your own choosing I would certainly understand and willingly step aside."

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Sahra regarded Andrew with her tawny yellow eyes and shook her head. "We'd be fools to sack you without even seeing for ourselves what you can do. Besides, your report here has shown good organization, and solid management skills. Exactly the sort of man we need, if we are to focus our attentions on matters magical."

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Victor brooded over a few deep issues that he was beginning to see within the issue of their commission, but kept the rest of them to himself.

"You seem qualified enough, certainly. Serve loyally and earnestly and there should be no problem continuing to fill the position."

"Though the limit of the resources available that concerns me about this entire matter."

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  • 2 weeks later...

Michael nods, "Yes, you are right, that must be our first concern. Otherwise we will not be here long enough for anything else we may do to make any difference."

He turns to Andrew, "If there is nothing else of importance for tonight, perhaps you could show us to our rooms, then those who wish to can turn in at the leisure."

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