La Maison Soloumbre: Morning of April 10th

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Rotipher of the FoS
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Post by Rotipher of the FoS »

So, ponders Crow, as he joins in the mild applause at Mikkelson's opening remarks. Shadowcloak really is in attendance...

The bard hadn't intended to join the others quite so late -- he'd arrived at the Maison a good half an hour ago, and 'idled away' the intervening time in ooohing and aaahing over the plantation house's architecture; knowing its layout in greater detail could be critical if his luck went sour -- but he'd spotted Buchvold entering the ballroom as he'd approached, and being seen in the Borcan's company wasn't desirable at this stage of the game. He'd paused on the threshold, in pantomimed search for a pen, to give his illusionist "ally" time to get clear, before entering to stand unobtrusively beside the door.

Now, as the dark-skinned Father cedes the podium to Lacomte, Crow is well aware his slight tardiness in claiming a seat may have drawn some uncharitable attention to himself. He doesn't let it worry him, however; being deemed an undisciplined dilettante is appropriate and only to be expected, given what last evening's events had confirmed of the wider membership's low regard for bardic practitioners. Slipping up to a vacant seat at one end of the back row, he turns the chair sideways before settling into it, to watch Lacomte's recitation of accolades, much as he'd done during the blood-test upstairs.

In accordance with his FoS persona's casual mannerisms, the VRS spy shrugs aside any chiding glares the other attendees might see fit to direct a latecomer's way. He briskly scans the seated crowd, making no effort to be unobtrusive -- "Brother Crow" is a people-watcher -- and notes the presence of those whom he recognizes from the Manoir or from events of the previous day. Spotting his fellow bards, he nods slightly; catching sight of Kingsley, he permits himself a flicker of a smile. To Buchvold he wrinkles his brow slightly, as if in aversion, and upon spotting Draxton Serd he doesn't even blink, let alone permit his gaze to linger.

And even as he peruses the rank-and-file, noting the presence of many and the conspicuous absence of others (So what did happen to Conrad, anyway...?), his nerves covertly quiver like strummed strings at the undiluted menace upon the dias. Granted, Mikkelson is there also -- an audacious, self-satisfied presence that looms enormously in the room -- but the gloom-blotched figure beside the Valachani bears an understated, yet potent malignance, of an intensity Crow has never before experienced ... at least, not in the life he yet remembers.

The bard avoids looking at Tarnos Shadowcloak, and tries hard not to feel afraid.
"Who [u]cares[/u] what the Dark Powers are? They're [i]bastards![/i] That's all I need to know of them." -- Crow
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Post by Nathan of the FoS »

Lacomte's recitation of honors is quite succinct, consisting in the main of simply reading out a list of those brothers who have secured advancement in the Fraternity and their new titles. Those present who have been so honored are invited to stand, and a polite round of applause echoes through the ballroom as Lacomte draws his congratulations to a close. He follows with a list of other notable academic honors extended to various Fraternity members, and then, growing quiet, he says, "And, of course, no mention of such honors would, or could, be complete without considering those who are no longer with us; especially those who fell at our side on the last night of October in the past year. Please, brothers, a minute of silence for those who are no longer with us."
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Post by Pamela »

Gertrude listened to the account of promotions, recognising a few of the names. She didn’t bother to look about in her round of applause unless she’d actually read the Brother’s works and enjoyed it.

At the minute of silence, she bowed her head, closing her eyes. She saw too clearly the corpses which had littered the Manoir at her departure; indeed, they’d visited her the night before yet again in her dreams. Her thoughts turned ing into a silent wish that a second, greater wave of death would be averted in the near future.
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Post by Moral Machivelli »

Buchvold takes down the list of promotions in his notebook. When Lacomte requests it, he bows his head along with the others.

OOC; Buchvold still has that list of Manoir loyalists. Are they in the list of promotions is either lesser or greater quantaties than would have been expected? (If less, It might be due to corruption of the members judging them, that is why he'd compair the two.)
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Post by Nathan of the FoS »

OOC: If there's any pattern in who got promoted or didn't get promoted, it's not apparent; keep in mind, it takes a while to gain promotion anyway, so six months might not be long enough for any such effects to be apparent.

IC: "Thank you for your respectful attention," Lacomte says after the minute is up. "While we are in mind of that sad day, I think it is only right that we note that many of us here present did good service in our cause that day. Esteemed Brother Hazan, I continue to hear great things of your spirited leadership of the defense; Brother Buchvold, your ingenious defensive actions were noted, as well--as were those of Brother Serd. Brother Crow, your defense of the library with Brother Conrad proved timely and highly necessary. Professor Kingsley demonstrated by her bravery that the gentle sex is by no means contemptible in the fray. To each of you, and to others not here present--I am in mind of Brother Hartley and those members of the former Richemulot cell who have not been able to come--we owe a debt of gratitude, and many thanks for the service and example which you have rendered us. On behalf of the Fraternity of Shadows, I thank you."
Last edited by Nathan of the FoS on Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Pamela »

Gertrude raised her head when Lacomte resumed speaking, and smiled when Hazan’s name was mentioned, returning in its fullness at Crow’s name. She blinked when her own name was mentioned- she had not expected that. This was not due to some sense of humility; merely the politics of their society. She wondered hopefully if this was a sign of things to come, not only for herself but for women in general.

She nodded in thanks to her companions who murmured their low congratulations- after all, she was fairly easily identifiable- for now… She did take note of Hartley’s mention, and planned to write him of the honour and the sign that his previous inquisition was not being left to stand as a quiet stain.
His only real danger is if stupidity is contagious and lethal. In which case, we’re all dead…-Gertrude
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Post by Joël of the FoS »

Hazan doesn't flinch when his name is mentionned, and doesn't return the gaze of people turning to look at him. However, he applauds when other people are named.

When a minute of silence is requested, he lowers his head, but also tighten his fists. His toughts are not at all to the fallen, but to the Fraternity's traitor. We can't change the past, and raise the dead, but let's make sure it neverhappens again.
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Post by Nathan of the FoS »

"And now, let us turn our attention to a more pleasant and informative subject; rather than bewailing what is lost, let us consider what we have gained. Esteemed Brother Hazan has prepared a report on Souragne which I believe will be very much to our edification. Brother Hazan, the floor is yours."

Bowing very slightly, Lacomte retires from the podium.
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Post by Joël of the FoS »

Viktor walks to the podium, still clutching his papers. He smiles at the audience then checks his pile of papers.

“Ladies and gentlemen, all esteemed members of this Fraternity, I wish to present you The Survey on the Souragne Expedition. This lengthy report will be available at the end of this meeting. I believe Mr Mikkelson will be waiting to give a copy to all Fraternity members.”

His next first minutes or two of speech are a little confusing, as Viktor appears to be searching through his papers for the first page of his speech…

Then it really starts… Viktor explains the first rule of arcane survival in Souragne: “As I said in the letter I send you a month ago, do not cast spells in public, under no considerations! The … lord ruling on this island hates magic and, believes me, this person - who’s name shall remain between us - has the means to quickly destroy this place as if it was a castle built of cards.”

“The most seniors of you will be able to read my introduction and prologue to the Souragne report, while the others have to take my word for it. For you see, the person ruling this land is not to be taken lightly. That would be a terrible, and last, mistake.”

Then the next hour and a half is spent by Viktor explaining in length what they found in this Souragne inquiry: who to trust, who not to trust, who to ask for forbidden goods, who to keep an eye on, etc. A long list of research hooks is also presented, and a list of interesting Souragnien mysteries, as well as a sociological portray of the locals, and of the special ties anchorites have with the place. He presents all authors that worked on this document.

During the presentation, in order to present maps and images of people and monsters of Souragne, and the hazards of this lands, Viktor often uses silent image spells, while watching again all the faces in the audience to make sure everybody is a registered member of the Fraternity. After his mise en garde about arcane casting, Viktor wants to make sure his “forbidden” magic won’t be out in the open because of a stool in the room.

“This summary of swamp hazards, with of course an aparté on the great experience of fishing found in this humid place, concludes this presentation of our Souragne report. I’m available to answer any question you might have …”
"A full set of (game) rules is so massively complicated that the only time they were all bound together in a single volume, they underwent gravitational collapse and became a black hole" (Adams)
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Post by Pamela »

Gertrude’s applause was genuine at the end of Viktor Hazan’s presentation. His teaching style was personable yet informative, and she saw that his popularity with his students was well-deserved. She waited a moment, and then rose to her feet. "Thank you, Brother, for your fascinating presentation. I do have one question. Have you any opinion as to why there is such a taboo against all forms of arcane magic except that which is most feared and prohibited in so many other lands?"
His only real danger is if stupidity is contagious and lethal. In which case, we’re all dead…-Gertrude
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Post by alhoon »

Interesting. Victor Hazan has done a throughout research. This patch of swamp had many secrets it seems. The decadent nobles here thought they were the match of the finest of the Core in intrigue, resources and manners. This will certainly prove useful.

So Crow and Conrad were defending the library... one of them is the thief then or they are both idiots.
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Post by Moral Machivelli »

Enjoyable was Buchvolds opinion on Hazan's talk. He did not bother to take notes (as the report was avalible) Yet he applauded along with the others.

If only all the talks will be as well written as Mr. Hazan's.
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Post by Joël of the FoS »

Llana wrote:Gertrude’s applause was genuine at the end of Viktor Hazan’s presentation. His teaching style was personable yet informative, and she saw that his popularity with his students was well-deserved. She waited a moment, and then rose to her feet. "Thank you, Brother, for your fascinating presentation. I do have one question. Have you any opinion as to why there is such a taboo against all forms of arcane magic except that which is most feared and prohibited in so many other lands?"
Hazan seems at first surprised by the question. He looks at the ornate ceiling for a short moment, thinking.

“We do not know for sure”, he said slowly while still thinking, “The lord of this land nurtures a deep distrust of all kinds of arcane magic, except healing and necromancy. That includes most illusionary magick as well. You’ll see more details in a letter with additional information accompanying the report. So in all our researches and interviews, ahem”, Viktor seems for a moment to have started something he preferred not to discuss, but quickly continued: “We haven’t been able to learn more on the reason of this arcane ban. For me, I can’t guess if it’s distrust of other arcane schools, or his own tastes for his island.”

“But again, do not breach this ban in public, as I explained in the presentation. Does that answers your question? Other questions?”, ViKtor asks.
"A full set of (game) rules is so massively complicated that the only time they were all bound together in a single volume, they underwent gravitational collapse and became a black hole" (Adams)
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Post by Rotipher of the FoS »

The bard suppresses his impatience with the museum-curator's interminable recitation of FoS achievements -- while the gist of Lacomte's words is worth taking notes on, Crow rates administrative blather near the bottom of his roster of enjoyable listening-material -- and of promotions within the organization's own ranks. Though slightly put out by the hypocrisy of the "moment of silence" (which, after all, commemorates a tragedy that was the Fraternity's own wretched fault), he bows his head with the others, wishing peace to the unsung victims -- Reuland's hapless servants, whom Van Rijn's enchantments had reduced to unwitting cannon fodder -- of that dark night.

Hearing his own name among those credited for defense of the lost Manoir is gratifying: like the allegedly-psychic Perrison's failure to spot him out, it suggested that his 'cover' was not directly under challenge ... plus, it's not every day that his targets actually thank him for his work! The spy does curse inwardly that Lacomte's remarks place him in the Library, while omitting the fact that Buchvold had also been left alone there -- shielding a potential future protege's reputation, perhaps? -- but at least Conrad's name (so where the Devil was the Dementlouise alienist?) had been linked to the rifled chamber as well. If any of the attendees have a yen to track down the book-thief, he still has at least one unallied scapegoat to divert blame toward ... though if he'd had a choice, he'd far rather have pinned his pilferage on Buchvold than Conrad. Outwardly, he claps formally for the other men and appreciatively for Kingsley, acknowledging the modest applause his own deeds receive with a grateful grin and a lazy, Glad-To-Have-Been-Of-Service mock-salute.

As Hazan takes center stage and prefaces his discourse on Souragne, the bard resumes his note-taking: his customary phonetic shorthand, though he's begun experimenting with adding "Pig Balok" modifications to his usual language-choice of Nidalan with a molasses-thick Verbreker accent. Viktor's opening remarks catch his attention immediately, for they confirm what he already suspects. In speaking of Souragne's true ruler as a "person" -- and not an alliance of seigneurs, on the mundane hand, or a loah-spirit, on the mystical -- the professor verifies that the exiled Richemulouise must have come to an accommodation of sorts with this entity. The warning to follow, that forbids overt spellcasting, suggests such a compromise was hardly in the Fraternity's favor; still, he doubts if the FoS would have chosen to remain in the bayou-realm at all, had some concessions to their needs not been made. Hazan's coy hint that the Souragnien sovereign's name is known to him and to the upper FoS echelons doesn't tempt Crow unduly: playing "Spot-the-Darklord" isn't what he's here for.

Nor is he here to learn about Souragne, but he fills a few pages of notes, nevertheless ... just not with notes about the domain. Rather, the VRS spy sifts through the superficial content for intelligence on the Frat itself -- whom it trusts or suspects or monitors; its present operations and proposed objectives whilst in exile; which members seem to have been too tied down by local research to function as Van Rijn's agents -- as well as those details of potential interest to his Society's own monster-experts. He takes notice of Viktor's wary attentiveness to the crowd, while employing Images for demonstration-purposes, and he keeps a running tally of the number of times the speaker calls up such figments. (Crow is no wizard, but he knows other arcanists' number of spells are limited, just as his are; a wizard's daily allotments are far more generous, yet the bard won't let envy balk him from seeking clues to Hazan's capabilities.)

Apart from a lamentable dearth of cultural flavor and an excess of fishing anecdotes, it's a rather good presentation, by the bard's standards. A bit relieved that Hazan's engaging classroom style translated so effectively to an audience of peers -- concerns for his cover aside, it would have been bloody embarassing, if Crow'd started snoring during the very first lecture! -- the spy joins enthusiastically in the applause, then leaves off his scribbling to watch Kingsley (So bold in your own scholarly bailiwick, madam? Good for you!) offer up the first of the queries from the audience.

So, Crow-my-lad, this is how the Fraternity operates when it isn't engaged in open battle or blowing its own headquarters to bits. Best get used to it; there's a long three days of this ahead, and plenty more to find out ... with or without Buchvold's approval.
Last edited by Rotipher of the FoS on Sun Sep 10, 2006 5:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Who [u]cares[/u] what the Dark Powers are? They're [i]bastards![/i] That's all I need to know of them." -- Crow
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Post by Pamela »

Gertrude listened attentively to Hazan’s reply, then nodded as she remarked. “I understand, Brother, and thank you; that is all.” She then took her seat, leaving the floor open to anyone else’s questions. She’d asked the question years ago of the locals, and had been informed that it was due to the Lord of the Dead’s popularity. Yet other loas were venerated, and there were surely areas of magic in the arcane realm that would suit their followers’ needs and desires. She had not pressed the matter.

The mention of the lord was unexpected, but made a great deal of sense. It also made it clear that this lord- was he an avatar of the Lord of the Dead, or a wizard who’d assumed that persona to attract worship?- would keep a careful eye not only on those who practiced other forms of magic, but also those who might be challenges in his own specialty. She sat back, waiting to hear any other questions.
His only real danger is if stupidity is contagious and lethal. In which case, we’re all dead…-Gertrude
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