Spring 1237:
The Letter actually arrives!
Gunther and Orlaith and Vincent discuss the implications, and Gunther decides to research some spells to make Someone have and idea, and then think that it was a good idea (One to affect the mind, the second the emotions) The idea is, when they eventually get round to telling the locals of the threat to cast deftly on the leader of the Viktir (Arnor Arngeirsson) so as to make him think of applying to join the EU Order of Hermes.
Meanwhile Vincent and Orlaith sail to Lubeck and thence to Riga via Visby.
In Lubeck they are met by Imanitos Mendax, the freindly Jerbiton of Oculus Septentrionalis. He directs them to the local theatres and they go and see the Mystery of Adam. Imanitos arranges for a grog to see them back to the covenant after this treat.
Vincent tries to sell a sail but gives up when he discovers that the covenant's Verditus is Marcus Navicularis, a shipwright.
Imanitos chats about the crusades, both the Hermetic one against the order of Odin. Oculus has also received an invitaition to Riga in two years time to discuss the Hermetic Crusade. Orlaith wonders how information of the Order of Odin came into Lavinia's hands as Aiode has been there for years and hasn't seen a hint of any Order of Odin. Iminatos offers to have some tractatus on Area Lore copied so that she might more readily understand their knowledge.
He informs them that Pope Gregory IX has just declared a crusade against the Latvians, who last year rose up in rebellion against the Livonian order (A christian order that conquered this pagan region about 40 years ago). It has cast out all of the christian rulers at the Battle of the Sun in late 1236.
They then proceed to Riga following the instructions on the invitation for two years hence to a place two days walk outside Riga, and Vincent and Orlaith are completely fooled by a Shrouded Glen effect. Gunther, who Leapt to them when they reached Riga was able to see through it though.
They are received frostily by the Autocrat: Sula, and even more dismissively by Julius a Flambeau in residence. They are singularly unhelpful about locating other covenants, but he does agree to buy one of the sails for sale. After that he doesn't even wish them good travelling.
Gunther (on an amazing OoH:Lore) has detailed accounts on how every group of hedge wizards was induced into Ex Misc, and there is no pattern at all. He leaps to Harco to ask the redcaps for maps. They demure initially but a combination of the goodwill already accrued and the urgency of the problem, overcomes this problem, and a sketchy map and roster is obtained. (The details are only really known to the local redcaps)
We will start again in Summer 1237, when the Regio to the Glittering plains opens.
At this time Valeri also informs the Covenant of the Vis Sources and Aura's he found a few years ago. There is a lake Askja (Noth east of island, but still quite central) which is a geothermal lake, covered by an Aura of 6. There is a smaller circular lake quite nearby linked to the main with an Aura of 8, with two (found so far) regions of Aura 9. He found a moveable Source of Intellego Vis(4/year) there, and the salts are a Vim source(5/year).
Now he has to clear out his lab to fit his Orca in he hasn't got the space: is there any where he can store them in the covenant? Maybe we should have some sort of central stores?
[I have edited the sources and stocks so that they are up to date] The lake is very isolated and probably (Valeri assures you) safe to study Vis in.