Pulse: Founding the covenant

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=Construction Pulse=
==Declared Actions==
Declared actions for Construction Pulse	Declared actions for Construction Pulse
===Ambrosius:=== 	
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First and foremost, Ambrosius seeks direction from Marcus as the Princeps. He's a big fan of the established order, and as he has to provide for both Alicia and Llewys, he is keep to see that order followed and not make waves. Beyond that...
As with Phaedrus, Ambrosius is keen to put his terram magic and math skills to use, so his first priority is the prep of the covenant site and the construction of the buildings. Comments on the where and how will be made in the appropriate threads.
He is also very keen to explore as much of the regio as possible, as he believes the next layer will have an even higher aura. The higher the aura the better, and the covenant should be built in the highest aura.
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===Bedo:=== 	
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Bedo has few skills which can directly aid in the construction of the covenant, apart from a logical mind which may help the others with decisions. The one area where he may be able to help magically is in the use of Intellégo Terram magic to examine the areas of land where structures are to be built to ensure that it makes a solid foundation.
He therefore will want to spend most of his time examining the rest of the area of the Regio both in the way that Mnemosyne is, with regard to the higher boundary, but also investigating and marking the other boundaries between layers so as to gain a more complete understanding of how the covenant may be affected.
Beyond that, he will use his remaining time to make good copies of his notes of spells known from apprenticeship, having first asked around the other mages to see which of the spells he knows they would most value. (Please let me know!).
: (Longinus) That InVi thing for seeing across boundaries seems useful, given our location. Although it may be several years before I can even learn it, it will be much longer than that before I can research something similar for myself. 
When work is being done on the tower which he'll be inhabiting, something he'll not be pushing for until the others have been built, he'll want quite a lot of involvement in the design. 
As to the post of Seneschal - he has an idea. He'll contact his old friend Geoffrey of Chester. He's not the brightest spoon in the drawer, he's no real experience in running an estate, but if paired up with a decent administrator he might make a decent leader for the mundanes within the covenant.
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===Longinus:=== 	
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in order of priority...
Any task allocated by fellows (particularly constructing or preparing construction), teach scribe (once he turns up) magic theory, secure/harvest vis (in particular Creo (for towers) and rego and vim (for aegis)), dictate lab notes of apprenticeship spells to MT-taught scribe, read books (Rego, Muto, Vim) 
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===Marcus:=== 	
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Arranging for our mundane security and comfort, including in no particular order:
*making sure we have the necessary rights, permissions and such for any visible construction we decide to undertake
*recruiting covenfolk from among the weirdos in the neighbourhood
*recruiting students from among the local gentry, nobility, clergy and so on. (See detailed notes for some further ideas on PR as well.)
:: In so far as this step, and if Magus Marcus is willing, Warren would like to assist, using what knowedlge he's gained since parting ways with the Covenant to assist Marcus in the school setup, politically speaking. --Tim 15:36, 24 January 2007 (UTC)
:::Fine with me, Marcus could probably use the help. JBforMarcus 12:59, 25 January 2007 (UTC)
*lining up suppliers for our various needs both mundane and esoteric
It occurs to me that we could put ourselves into an interesting position down the road if we make sure that some slots at the school are made available to poor children, even better would be orphans. We could essentially run a small orphanage, gaining goodwill and perhaps funds from the nobility and/or church for our good deeds, as well as training them up as clerks and the like, that we could then send out into the area as our own little network of spies and the like.
Alicia will continue schooling Llewys, of course. She'll also help with scouting in animal form, where applicable. If we do start to get some students, then she will start classes for them as well.
Blathmac and Emma (if she arrives) will concern themselves primarly with arranging for the livestock -- making sure there is stabling, pasturage and the like.
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===Phaedrus:=== 	
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Moving earth and stone around is work for Phaedrus.
Any unclaimed time will be spent reading; animal, rego or vim, or all three at once.
Phaedrus will probably spend lots of time together with Ambrosius happily discussing various contraptions for making construction, living and working easier. (and implementing them...)
When we have a lab ready I expect a lvl 17 (or higher if he gets some vim or rego studies done) ReVi Ward against magical creatures, will be one of his first regular services to the covenant.
Phaedrus personal short term priority is reading up on the Rego summa.
He'll do most of the grunt work on preparing the sites and buildings, since it is within his speciality.
The interesting part of building the new covenant from Phaedrus point of view is what can be done with Rego, Ring-duration, Archimedes ideas and gears from wind-mills.
Past the first season, writing some tractati to trade for good mid level Intelego and (secondarily) Aquam and Herbam summae is of some priority.
Of course he'll invent spells and lesser enchanted devices in his speciality if/when needed.
Device and contraption ideas later...----
===Mnemosyne:=== 	
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# Investigate the highest boundary layer of the regio. Can we get? If so, how? What's on the other side? Will it be useful when considering the exact location of the Covenant and its positioning within the layers? What ways back are there? Are there denizens? What are their natures? Are there any other features of interest? Determine as much of this as possible as a priority.
# Once the site of the Covenant has been decided on, aid in securing any mundane help necessary. This could include supplies, labourers, skilled craftsmen or resources. Mnemosyne's 'jedi mind powers' can be most effective in securing low priced but fair costings for goods and labour, as well as avoiding people who wish to cheat us or wish us harm. She can also use her abilities to 'encourage' the workers to do the best job they can and put in 100% effort. She can also edit the memories of workers as well, to help preserve certain of our secrets, or possibly even the fact that the mundane workers were working in a regio - or at least make that fact irrelevant to them. Oh yes, there are so many ways to melt a mundane's mind. She does have some ethics though, and will insist on at least basic fairness for those she deals with in good faith - for example she wont force people to work for nothing (unless they deserve it as some kind of punishment, perhaps).
# Help supervise any tasks which need more than grog supervision. Keep people building walls in a straight line. Lay foundations in the right place... Whatever. Basic overseer role.
# Assist the other magi in whatever limited capacity she can, given time and need.
Gruffydd and his kids will spend the season provisioning and getting to know the ways in and out the regios and on and off the Mynd. I imagine they will probably make several trips back and forth depositing their provisions when appropriate.
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==Results==
Results for Construction Pulse	Results for Construction Pulse
Actions undertaken 	
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*Ambrosius:
:explore regio (1), prepare site (1), construction (1)
*Bedo:
:explore regio (1), site survey, recruit Geoffrey (1), copying spells (1) 	
*Longinus:
:erecting temporary structures (1), securing vis sources (1), construction (1)
*Marcus:
:locating resources (1), recruiting covenfolk (1), maintaining disguise / spying (1) 
*Phaedrus:
:erecting temporary structures (1), prepare site (1), construction (1)
:: Phaedrus will be found reading assorted books from our library, possibly not enough to be of any use from a rules perspective, but the others will find him leafing through books during odd hours. (Remember he can see in the dark...) --Samuel<Talk> 21:57, 28 January 2007 (UTC)
*Mnemosyne:
:explore regio (1), recruiting covenfolk (1), supervise covenfolk during construction (1)
* Alicia: Teaching (2), scouting (1)
* Gruffyd and the kids: provisioning (3)
* Llewys: Studying (2), playing (1)
* Blathmac: Exploring (1), farming (2)
* Emma: Unrecruited (1), exploring (1), farming (1)
* Warren: Assisting Marcus (3)
While this indicates the order in which the activities are undertaken, some of them occur concurrently, such as Marcus maintaining his monastic facade and keeping watch on the mundanes occupying a little of his time at regular intervals.
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Month 1 	
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During this month the first and second levels of the Mynd regio are thoroughly explored by the magi, sites are chosen, and plans are made.
The investigation focusing on the summit boundary yields fruit. By spying upon the goats, the method of entering into the third level is discerned. 
No great attention was paid to the monument boundary, and that continues to befuddle those who pay heed to it. The investigations lead to the creation of a rather good map with regio boundaries and notable features marked upon it.
The magi/covenfolk can have planted a series of stone boundary markers along certain boundaries if they desire.
Marcus, ably assisted by Warren, continues his friarly ways, and wanders the local area espying sources of useful resources that can somehow be procured for the construction and maintenance of the covenant. He even happens upon a source of vis in his travels, though that is not entirely surprising in this area.
(A non-portable annual vis source of a type as yet undescribed from the bought sources on the covenant record sheet which Marcus might have encountered which is not terribly convenient for the magi location-wise can be designed by Jeff if he likes. Dominion vis is also fair game. :D). 
:(I don't quite follow this. I thought I did, but the Dominion vis reference throws me off. The Covenant list shows the Vis sources we bought and there are a couple of Rego sources and a Corpus source unallocated. So this source is one of those, right? JB)
::The vis source is any of the purchased-and-unallocated sources. As Marcus hangs around in religious locales, the vis source can be of either the magical realm or the dominion realm, I mind not which. :D Your sodales might mind, but I don't - it is a paid for source, so no ill will come of it, just story flavouring.--James 01:22, 22 February 2007 (UTC)
Llewys recieves lessons from Alicia and spends a little time each day looking for a magus to practice his latin upon, and otherwise plays. Alicia takes to the skies and explores the second level of the regio.
Gruffyd attempts to repay his debt to the covenant by taking off with his little band on a mission to acquire such provisions as are available. The covenant is clearly in need of this service, and the little half-faeling is only to pleased to oblige.
Blathmac spends the month thoroughly taking in the land of the first and second levels.
He views the land with the eye of a farmer with livestock to feed and watch out for.
Blathmac chooses a spot on the first level of the regio where a cottage would be convenient for those tending the livestock
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Month 2 	
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The proposed sites undergo a thorough survey, and the best sites are then assiduously prepared for construction. Halfway through the month, construction begins in earnest.
The earth from excavating down to the bedrock is pushed aside and used to form a bank about the village site which is highest on the windward side. The bank forms a clearly boundary target for the Aegis spell. The bedrock lies half a metre beneath the surface at the deepest point. Space is left for the building of the library, and the buildings of those magi who wish to reside on the second layer. 
The magi construct a village of simple stone buildings on the second regio level. The buildings for the grogs are small and with low-ceilings, providing cosy quarters for chilly grogs. The first building erected is a modest hall, which serves as temporary communal accommodation for the grogs and storage til the other quarters are built, and thereon serves as a place to share meals, have meetings, and socialise. Some of the craftsmen's accommodations will really be just a workshop with a space for a bunk in the corner.
: Some time after use of the mundane buildings have been established Phaedrus will put ring duration wards based on some durable substance (think Hookstowe), against magical creatures and against deamons, around a few selected houses. (ReVi 21 + stm 2 + Cermonial 2 + aura ? = 27? /2 = 13 + die roll/2, should keep out any pests at least.) --Samuel<Talk> 21:57, 28 January 2007 (UTC)
:: will need a lab first surely?--Corbonjnl 06:40, 9 February 2007 (UTC)
::: Knotted leather thong would be sufficient. It would take years to rot through, they will be replaced as his arts rise, no doubt. Why is a lab necessary? --James 16:13, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
:::: Habit in my case. Unless something is actually enchanted properly (in this case, the circle) it will inevitably break, in one way or another, probably without any warning. A leather thong that 99% maintained integrity out in the open for even a season would be a surprise. Not to mention the effects of mice, a stumbling grog, etc etc. Since the spell isn't enchanted _into_ the thong, it just uses the thong to maintain the circle, so burying the thong, dragging it out of shape, possibly even just dropping a stick/leaf across it or stepping on it could all break the enchantment, and no-one would even notice. Murphy is a b*st*rd. A ring spell isn't cast on the ring (ring is a duration right?), it just uses the ring. But it could be enchanted _into_ the circle, using the circle as an invested device...
:::: Unless my worldview is completely skewed here... But otherwise, why would anyone ever bother with spending vis to enchant things (that aren't intended to change location) or on wards? Circle/Ring is so easy and so useful. The reason they do is because it is also unreliable, unless you actually enchant the circle itself to hold the spell (and then if you are smart, enchant the circle itself to be stronger than natural). 
:::: some examples to explain what I think... A summoning circle of chalk could be broken by a candle falling across it - but the candle hasn't rubbed out the chalk at all, just covered up part of the circle, thus breaking the ring. The magic isn't bound into the circle of chalk, just using its mystical ring property. However an enchanted warding circle of silver wire surrounding a possessed dagger could be locked in a box, buried under a floor and the magic doesn't stop. Because the enchantment is enchanted into the silver circle, which remains unbroken even though it has been covered up, the magic remains. 
:::: (This is all off the top of my head BTW, I haven't gone back to the books to check it out, so there is a high chance I'm completely wrong). --Corbonjnl 02:42, 16 February 2007 (UTC)
:::::While this is certainly the way it is in most of the fiction books I read, I think Ars is different. Under "Ring Duration" the book says that the spell lasts until the ring is "physically broken". Additionally, in this saga, it has already been demonstrated that this is the case, since multiple creatures of magic crossed the ward in the Hockestowe without causing it to cease function. That said, the book does indicate that particularly large circle is rarely worth the effort. --Tim 13:58, 16 February 2007 (UTC)
::::::Hockestowe is irrelevant. It supports exactly what I wrote as the wire would have been an invested device, enchanted _into_ the wire, not just cast using it. That is supported by the fact it was buried. But either interpretation could be argued. As it happens, after examining the books, and the exact wording used in several areas, I am disappointed to agree with you that Ars is different. It makes it ridiculously effortless and costless to ward against any but highly powerful supernatural or mundane forces for long periods of time - story wise (ie, within a single story) indefinitely. However Covenants explicitly supports this on Pg 104. The good news is that this makes Superior Lighting and similar effects a free (and safe) lab virtue with a little thought. --Corbonjnl 15:23, 16 February 2007 (UTC)
::::::: I agree, but I am at a loss as to a viable solution. In the Dresden Files books by Jim Butcher, the ring can be broken if something other than what it was warded against crosses the ring. That sould make any ring wards in Ars useless though. Maybe the solution is simply to determine a "wearability" rating for any given ring, then roll once a month or so to see if the ring is accidentally broken or simply wears out? --Tim 16:11, 16 February 2007 (UTC)
They begin work on furnishing and equipping the houses of the grogs, and on constructing a building suitable for use as a communal laboratory. The accommodation, utility buildings, wagon house, meeting house, store houses, workshops, etcetera are finished during the opening weeks of the month.
: Here's where Phaedrus (and Ambrosius?) gadgets come in... --Samuel<Talk> 21:57, 28 January 2007 (UTC)
::When someone sets up a lab so they can be enchanted... --Corbonjnl 06:40, 9 February 2007 (UTC)
::: No, the gadgets and wards get's done at once, they are based on sponts and mundane items. --Samuel<Talk> 20:56, 11 February 2007 (UTC)
A nobleman named 'Geoffrey' arrives in the company of Bedo, and his presence begins to undermine the out-of-the-way, pioneering and oddly liberal air of the place, acting as a foundation stone for the covenfolk's sense of hierarchy, into which the magi do not strictly fit (barring Marcus).
Longinus returns toward the end of the month with news of his trip in search of vis, and the magi listen eagerly to the report of his travels. Such vis as was ripe for harvest and readily portable is produced from various pockets to the delight of the gathered magi.
With the help of the engineer, the magi learn how little they really know about structures, and are able to put up buildings faster, and avoid making some catastrophic mistakes such as poorly supported ceilings, wrongly buttressed walls, and the like. After dealing with mundane concerns, the magi manage to erect four buildings designed by and for specific magi.
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Month 3 	
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This month, the construction of all buildings, bar the library and Ambrosius's tower, is accomplished. Supplies start to trickle in, but money still remains an issue for the magi.
Having already gone through the design and construction of his tower the previous month, Bedo is at a loose end for something constructive to do, He begins to work on furnishing the other magi with legible lab texts. (Latin x 7 (=35) levels of lab text completed this season: Piercing the Magical Veil (InVi 20), Scales of the Magical Weight (InVi 5), Sense the Nature of Vis (InVi 5) & Physician's Eye (InCo 5)). 
Marcus continues his travels and intermittant visits, recruiting covenfolk and seeking out resources needed for construction. Many of the problems he tackles relate more to transporting a resource discretely, rather than locating it in the first place, but by hook and by crook, he manages to find a way to largely fulfil the demands of the builders with the able assistance of Warren.
The rest of the magi are in some way occupied by construction work for the rest of the month. The final magi buildings are assembled, with the exception of the library. Given that the library extant can fit inside Mnemosyne's travel trunk, there seems little reason to build an entire tower to house it at this stage. Instead, the library resides amongst the magi residences of level 2 (as decided by the players).
: Given the rate at which the construction goes, and that Ambrosius is supposed to spend NEXT season setting up the basic lab, he will instead spend next season setting up the lab in his tower to the basic level (still suffering a -3 for basic lab). So season 4 will be lab set up, and season 5 will be construction of the first enchanted item (Jeff and Sam - you guys have yet to vote in the poll). --Tim 21:13, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
The paths used by the grogs to bring carts up to the settlement are improved, a wall is constructed about the settlement as symbolic gesture than an attempt at keeping livestock - whenever they arrive out.
With her beady, and unnervingly persuasive stare, Mnemosyne keeps the covenfolk working in accordance with the plans designed by the magi, and smoothes relations within the fledgling community.
Gruffyd returns with his band. They hand over a selection of cheeses, salted meats, and even some wine. Before heading back out of the camp again, they spend a few days erecting, with help, a small building to call home within the settlement walls.
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Month 4 and 5 	
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As the days start to grow longer and the nights a bit chillier, the rather empty storehouse and coffers motivate the covenant to work as one to ensure that winter does not find them scrabbling in icy ground for roots to chew upon.
The magi oversee the planting of a copse of trees upon the second layer, and with a little magic, the seedlings become small saplings able to withstand the winter.
Silver is procured. Pooling their personal savings, gifts from concerned parens, and trading a little of the less desireable vis, and a little trading, the covenant is able to acquire 50 pounds of silver (3 build points deducted). Most of this silver is immediately invested in methods of producing food, wages, and earning money for the covenant.
Twenty sheep, twelve cows and a young bull are traded for (from various different places in the area and at different times), along with a goodly quantity of wool. The weaver begins working upon the production of warm clothes for sale, but it soon becomes obvious that these articles are also needed by the grogs. The herd produces milk and much of the milk is turned to cheese for the winter stores. With an eye to the weather, a barn with a hayloft is constructed.
With showy displays of Rego Terram, some fields are created, and all the loose stone removed from the soil is turned, with Blathmac's help, into dry stone walling around one of the fields, and this is used to hold the flock and cattle when they aren't being overseen.
Additional farm hands and labourers are recruited. A second cottage is raised on the first layer. With agriculture on both levels of the Mynd, the magi have enough agricultural activity to be equivalent to "Two or three Scottish hamlets with rye and field crops" and thus qualify for a lesser agricultural income source of 40 pounds of silver per year. The livestock are only just getting going though, and through magic and trading in spring, a herd of equivalent size to "a village of Alpine goat-herders" should produce livestock income of 20 pounds of silver per year.
The school, once it is built, staffed, and filled with young minds will be able to generate a modest income from boarding fees, tuition charges, and charitable donations.
Marcus secures donations from local nobility by all the usual methods including naming things after them, employing their younger brothers, discretely caring for deformed offspring, etcetera. This generates a charity/service/hospitality income of twenty pounds per year initially.
The craftsmen that the covenant has accrued to furnish it with necessary sundries are able to turn their arts toward producing wares for sale in the following year. "Six craftsmen generate a manufacturing income of twenty pound of silver per year.
This brings the covenant up to the 100 pounds per annum base-line income. Any monies remaining at the end of the year will go into the covenant funds. I will do the accounting once you are all happy with things, I have updated the covenant roster, and you have provided details of the village.
Gruffyd visits the covenant a three times toward the end of the November. He returns with more provisions, including various foods, two fiddles, an Irish drum, a pipe, three skeins of fine wine, a sack of flour, a small barrel of vinegar, and a donkey with cart.
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