Precept practice

[Chambers]

He should have expected that to be perfectly honest, it was know not him the Shaman was the one responsible for the bond between the enchantress and her crow spirit companion. "That is an interesting one." He sits in quiet contemplation weighing over what he knew. "Usually rotes are some of the easiest to balance. Rote for rote of the same level. A little variation if the rote is rare." But this was not that. "She has not gained any direct knowledge from you however, simply a service." And that's what it tricker for the Moros to settle. "Your knowledge of adept levels of spirit to provide a boon." The familiar itself. "In exchange for knowledge of a cantrip." Plus whatever knowledge the talkative bird might impart. But then again if the bond had taken Thirteen had already been on good terms with the spirit. "Is this rote one you can use or benefit from as Thirteen benefits from her familiar?" The question would hopefully add some context and give him a little longer to think this one over.

[Aurora]

She listened, taking in what Chambers said.

“Jinx had found her in spirit form and she had called me, thinking her place was haunted. Upon looking, I found the spirit of a a crow, who had grown rather fond of her and how she cared and looked out for the crows at the park. Of course, there was no way for them to communicate together, and after a bit of back and forth, it was decided that the crow spirit, Jinx, would like to be a familiar to her. Had the spell caused me to take backlash from a Paradox, I would have requested something a bit more,” pausing, “in line with that. But the spell went off without a hitch.” As to his question. “I believe it’s one I can use. I’ve been debating adding Time and Fate back into my studies, and it is a useful to have in a couple situations I can think of.”

[Chambers]

Well that was an important correction. "The exchange should be agreed before anything is done, the risk a factor yes but charging a greater price if it happens is bad faith." It was risks taken and should be accounted for in the agreed exchange. "I am inclined to say Adept for Novice is a bad exchange all in all." His question it seems had been misunderstood. "I meant is it a rote you could utilize at the time of the exchange. It would make it closer to a service for a service." This was a proving tricky in all his experience right exchange had focused around the trading of knowledge.

[Aurora]

Nodding, “It was decided upon before I performed the spell. I seem to have a habit of being bad at how I word things, my apologies.” Making sure it was clear. “But I wasn’t going to perform such a spell without knowing what I was getting in return.” Lets make sure that was understood. “It was asked if I had a spell in mind, and I didn’t, so perhaps a mistake on my part. Like I said, this was a first on my part, I had never been in such a situation. As I understand from what you are saying, she got the better end of the deal in this situation, and I undersold my services.” Another nod, “A mistake on my part, and one I would not like to make again. So I would like to learn how to not make it again.” Clearly eager to learn, which should come as no surprise, the Shaman was always eager to learn from her mistakes and grow.

[Chambers]

Okay seems he had misunderstood or made an incorrect assumption somewhere along the way with this scenario. "Okay well that then is good. No one can accuse any the deal of being underhand, or done in bad faith." Which was something the free council liked to state about right exchange in his experience, even though it was completely fair. He actually grins a little, not mocking but because he can sympathize. "Aurora if we all gained a perfect understanding of right exchange the moment we joined the mysterium, well that would be helpful but yeah we don't" And his own teachings didn't go much beyond what he would call the basics honestly. "It's through trial and error and learning that we get better at it." Hence practice was important. "And nearly every mage even those in the mysterium will be be more then willing to strike a deal that gets them more for less." But some were worse then others. "Outside our own order the ladder tends to treat most fairly with us while the libertines and guardians almost compete for who can wrangle the most from us while giving the least in return." For vastly different reasons if he understood the stereotypes correctly. "I like Thirteen well enough as libertines go." He actually respected the Scottish enchantress which was more then could be said of most members of the council of free assemblies. "But I am not surprised to learn that in letting a libertine name the price you got a token gesture at best." It was worth remembering that was how she had chosen to conduct herself in matters like this. "So lets us consider this exchange, from you the application of an adept spell that Thirteen will likely actively benefit from for the rest of her life." Eve if she couldn't cast it herself. "What do you think would be constitute a fair exchange for a service like that?" They had established a single novice rote was not going to balance the scale, so he was curious to see were Aurora's mind went next.

[Aurora]

“I need to work on how I word things as well.” She had a tendency to think she worded things well, and then realize she didn’t. A shake of her head, “No underhanded deals with me, everything upfront and on the table before hand. No accusations when it comes to deals with me, you know what you are getting. If you don’t like it, then we don’t make a deal and move on.” And that was that to her. A small sigh of relief, “That’s good to know, because like I said, first time in such a situation. Would be great of there was a users manual with a flow chart.” But, life didn’t work like that.

“I suppose more for less makes sense. But I’m not sure if I would want to do that among the Circle, with those I work with. As to Guardians and other Orders, I would think it would be based off who is the easiest to work with. If someone comes to me with attitude thinking I owe them something, then make them pay for it. But it it someone who has always been fair, then why not be fair?” Then a nod, “I enjoy working with Thirteen, she has a good head on her shoulders.”

Now the question. “Looking back on it, if I was looking for a Rote, then a Rote of equal Quality that I, or the Order could get substantial use out of. But I’m not sold on it having to be a Rote, I went with Rote for the simple fact of what I am trying to build. Knowledge and Lore are also acceptable if the knowledge is as valuable as the service, or more valuable, not everyone has Rotes at that level after all.”

[Chambers]

Didn't they all. "Pancryptia is always at work to muddle, obscure and misdirect information. Be from interpretations of history, the dissolution of myth even down to what we say and record in the here and now." But otherwise that seems settled. "Well do leave a little room for negotiations but otherwise yes nicely said." Right exchange had an art to, a skill all of its own, one he had barely scratched the surface of. "A flow chart would be either very helpful or so convoluted with possibilities it would border on useless." The idea does make him chuckle slightly though.

And it seems it was his turn to have spoken poorly. "Now Just because mages, including some in the mysterium do try to deal More or less It doesn't mean we should." It was bad practice as far the precepts were concerned. "Right exchange tells us everything has right amount to be exchanged for, an equivalence that balances the scales fairly. That's what we should aim for." Not giving or receiving more or less then what the knowledge in question was worth. "And that applies to anyone we deal with. It's the knowledge we value not the person." But of course that did have exceptions. "Nothing requires to engage in a deal of course. So if a person has wronged you or you just don't want to that is of course your prerogative." But if the deal was struck it must be right, it must be fair. "The free council harps on about everyone being equal but the moment we try to engage them in some actually equality they try to wriggle and scrap as much as they can out of it." Shaking his head almost sadly. "It's that kind of hypocrisy that makes their ideology seem so very hollow and self serving." And as much as he did like Thirteen it would seem she was no exception to that particular libertine failing.

Expanding the topic to such wide proportions would surely end in confusion for them both the countless possibilities. "If we keep the conversation in talk of rotes for the moment, we can explore other exchanges in due course." There were plenty of possibilities. "So for your adept level service, what would need to be exchanged in terms of rotes to constitute a fair exchange do you think?" Speaking a little to confidently perhaps never having partaken in such high level exchanges himself.

[Aurora]

Smirking, “I can just see it now, we all ask for a pause in negotiations to take out this flow chart like in a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Something we keep neatly rolled up in a pocket or something, or even have tucked away thanks to a space spell.” Chuckling to herself.

Nodding, “Oh, of course, I always try and be fair. One doesn’t want to gain a reputation for being unfair in such dealings.” Bad business and all that. “I’m sure it also sets apart a respected Curator from a non-respected one as well, knowing the right amount and making sure someone is getting the fair amount in exchange.” Another nod, “It is ones prerogative, yes. But sometimes it’s about putting those differences aside to get something for the Mysterium. I mean, I can swallow my pride if it means securing a Tome or Artifact.” Have to do what you have to do.

“I haven’t come across that yet, but I also haven’t tried to really make any deals outside the recent one yet. I’m curious to see what happens when I encounter it first hand, experience this logic they seem to have.” The Shaman was just someone who liked to experience things first hand.

“In terms of Rotes? Technically, I cannot read any Rotes I would receive right now. But that doesn’t mean I cannot have them on stand by. There’s no reason I can’t ask for lets say an adept Time Rote, a spell that I would be able to get continuous use out of. And with Time, there are quite a few, though I personally never made it to adapt. But I would think adapt for adapt would be fair.” Thinking again, “Then I find myself wondering, what if who I’m trading my service with, which sounds weird, doesn’t have lets say the same level arcana as I do. Then does the exchange shift to something else? Artifacts are a bit tricky, so what does one do?”

[Chambers]

The image also gets a good natured smile from the Moros. "It would of course need to unfold a utterly impractical number of times of course." No stranger to the loony toons logic of cartoons from his youth.

That was indeed a solid insight from Aurora. "Yes I don't think you can make curator if you aren't skilled enough at the precepts, right exchange included, but as you say there are curators and curators." Those particularly skilled in those areas and those who were simply good or efficient. And another good reason to get the practice in. "Being able to swallow pride is a very good thing, but we also need to be careful, as not all information, not all knowledge is for exchange." That was another good topic to explore today. "Keeping to general topics what do you think such information would be?" Just because someone asked that didn't mean they had to deal for it. "And how would you go about denying or turning down such a request?" Did Aurora know how to turn down offers of exchange while still respecting the knowledge itself?

An eyebrow quirks, Chambers seems to think that kind of logic is precisely what Aurora had encountered in her recent deal. "Well around here at least the mages daring enough to risk earning your ire are few and far between I would wager." Aurora was after all both highly respected and hands down the most powerful of the Consilium mages.

Can't read rotes? That gets a quizzical glance. "You can cast mage site, you should be able read rotes, of the arcana you are proficient in anyway." But yes he would otherwise agree. "Adept for adept is indeed fair. But then as you say what if the other party can't offer a rote of adept proficiency? What if they only disciple or apprentice rotes?" This where it got tricky was for example were four novice rotes the equivalent of one adept rote?

[Aurora]

Nodding, “Oh, of course. And like maps of old, it has to be impossible to put back together to put away and take way too long.” These were requirements.

“I hope I’m skilled enough, I’ve been going over the precepts with someone in the Order, a mentor if you will. I still have a long ways to go, but I like to believe progress has been made.” But it was just something else added to her ever growing plate.

A smaller nod, “From my understanding, and what I’ve been being taught, some knowledge is kept how it is because it simply not meant to be known. Too dangerous to be known if you will, we keep it safe.” Pausing, “If we have it of course.” A hint of a smirk.

“What such information would be? Like what information would not appropriate for Right of Exchange? The simple answer is exchanging knowledge for wealth and power, that is highly discouraged and looked down upon and not one a Curator would approve of. Then of course there is the knowledge I mentioned before, which is a more complex discussion.” And not one she thought he was getting at. “Now this is a bit of a difficult one, I’m not known for being one to sugarcoat things. So it’s something I’ve been working on. When presented with the request, if the exchange is not a fair one, and one party is getting more than the other, each needs to be made aware of the unfair balance. An unequal exchange is not occurring and as such, it is not a Right Exchange. I deny the exchange, but offer to help the parties involved go back to the table and rework the deal if they wished, ensuring each gets a fair deal.”

Shrugging, “I don’t know. I don’t go wielding my power to wield it, or bragging about it because I have it. I save my ire for the Seer’s and those who dare attack what we’re building here.” She liked to think she wasn’t as quick tempered as she used to be.

“I mean the Grimiore. I can read rotes, but I cannot read the one I have in the Grimiore right now.” At least the Order says she cannot and she respects that, hence why it was wrapped in the cloth.

Nodding, “That’s where my mind has been thinking it over. Should I have requested her highest Rote? Or should I have used Guanxi? Which I was on the fence about, not being completely sure if it applied to this situation or not.”