The Wedding
ARS MYSTICA
Erik Hansen talked about starting an Ars Magica campaign. Since Josh liked the idea, but not the magic system which is the heart of the game, the campaign has been dubbed Ars Mystica. Magic exists, but powerful Magi are rare and mysterious.
GM: Erik Hansen
Players:
Joshua Kronengold: Ippolito Sforza, a 12 year old noble
Lisa Padol: Roggerio, a wandering musician
Matt Stevens: Rafael, a Jewish Cabbalist, advisor to Ippolito. In true gaming fashion, I believe Matt is the only non-Jewish person in the game.
The setting was a wedding. Erik used a blackboard in the Columbia classroom we'd borrowed to help us keep track of the principals.
NPCs
Groom: Marcantonio Gradenigo
His Father: Domenico Gradenigo
Bride: Maddalena Dandolo
Her Aunt: Bice Dandolo, pronounced BEE-tchay. She may be the woman from whom the word "bitch" was originally derived, at least in its pejorative use.
Angry Father: Agostino Foscari
His Daughter: Alessandra Foscari
Roggerio, a wandering minstrel with a dubious past, had been hired by Maddalena to play at her wedding. He had also been hired by her to keep an eye on the groom in the weeks before the wedding.
The couple actually loved each other. Maddalena was aware that Marcantonio had led a life of wine, women, and song, particularly the first two. His fiance did not expect Roggerio to get killed trying to keep Marcantonio out of trouble. She just wanted to be informed of any trouble he -did- get into so she could do damage control.
Marcantonio had stayed out of trouble throughout the period Roggerio had been watching him. And now, the day of the wedding, Roggerio took his place with the rest of the musicians.
There was a stir when young Ipolitto Sforza entered the church with his entourage, fashionably late, as he'd wanted to make sure he and entourage were impeccably dressed. There was a brief delay as his junior astrologer, Rafael, refused on Halachic grounds to wear wool and linen together. Josh explained this to Matt, who may be regretting deciding to play an observant, if odd, Jew. It's unicorn trouble; Josh and I keep telling him stuff his PC would know. I fear we risk information overload, and we don't know nearly as much as our observant friends.
Rafael had agreed to attempt an experiment as a sort of scholarly wager with a mystical Christian friend. Supposedly, if a couple who truly loved each other were married in this church, and the ceremony ran start to finish without a hitch, water carried into the church would turn to wine. Rafael had a sealed flask of water on his person.
Ippolito was bored by the crowd of minor nobility trying to suck up to him, and he was trying not to show it. He had another problem as well: Perfect pitch.
As Josh explained, this is not an advantage . It means one can recognize the slightest discord in the music, which puts a damper on one's enjoyment. Josh intended for Ippolito to hear that all of the musicians were out of tune, being all tuned to the same, wrong note.
This made the young noble's teeth grind, frightening the man he was listening to, who became convinced he was boring the Sforza.
Josh: Which, of course, he is.
Excusing himself from the befuddled man, Ippolito found Rafael, who was watching the women to see if any even approached his lost Rebecca in beauty.
GM: They aspire to become but her shadow. And what a lovely shadow it was!
Rafael was distracted from his brooding by Ippolito, who told him to ask the minstrel in blue, aka Roggerio, either to play his notes on key or to play fewer of them. While Josh intended that all the musicians be subtly out of tune, Roggerio was singled out because he was trying to stand out among the musicians.
Roggerio saw a menacing black-clad figure heading his way, and hastily led his fellow musicians into another song, figuring the man would not bother him while he was playing. He was wrong. Rafael came up behind him and relayed his master's message. Upon discovering whom Rafael's master was, Roggerio paled and asked one of his fellow musicians if he were indeed out of tune.
I'm not sure whether Erik thought Josh meant for that to be the case or whether he was running with the idea, but careful checking revealed that Roggerio was ever so slightly off. He corrected his tuning and went back to playing.
It made sense. Roggerio had first picked up an instrument mere months ago, in a strange castle which, unknown to him, was inhabited by the Good Folk. His instrument may be enchanted, and his natural talent enhanced, but his grasp of the formal rules of music is rudimentary.
Bice, the bride's aunt, demanded to know what the fuss was about. Roggerio gave her an abridged, but still foolishly honest answer. She told him that she didn't know why her niece had hired a musician who didn't know how to play his instrument and that he'd better not ruin the wedding by angering the Sforza.
The Sforza in question was now enjoying the music. He asked Bice who'd hired the musicians. Roggerio was nervous to see the two talking together. Bice referred Ippolito to her niece.
Maddalena was happy to praise Roggerio's good qualities as musician and gossip.
Ippolito: Gossip or spy?
Maddalena: Gossip. He'd need training to be a spy.
Maddalena assured Ippolito that Roggerio was only in her service until after the wedding, whereupon he had no further obligations.
Marcantonio praised the musicians in general and Roggerio in particular. He told Roggerio that he wanted the music to strike up as soon as the wedding ceremony was concluded. First, Roggerio would play a solo; then he would lead the musicians in a grand number that would launch his career.
Marcantonio: No one will ever forget it! All eyes will be upon you!
This was something Roggerio would have looked forward to not a quarter of an hour ago, but which he now dreaded. He told the other musicians to keep playing, took a glass of wine, and tried to figure out if following the groom's instructions would offend Ippolito. But not following them would displease the groom.
As he wondered what to do, he thought he heard snickering behind him. Spinning, he saw no one. He put his drink down, deciding he'd had enough. Then he looked for the man in black. Finding Rafael, he explained his dilemma, and asked the other man to find out if Ippolito would be displeased if he did as Marcantonio asked.
Rafael did this, and Ippolito was intrigued. Why call for music after the ceremony? As a distraction while the groom slipped away? He spoke with Marcantonio.
It became clear that Maddalena had picked Marcantonio as her husband and gently pushed until he proposed. It was also clear that he loved her. Ippolito asked why he wanted the musicians to play after the ceremony. There, the waters got muddy.
Marcantonio said he had done no such thing, but it was a magnificent idea! He would do it at once. He went over to the musicians, leaving Ippolito and Rafael baffled. They heard snickering and turned. Many people were there, hoping for a word with Ippolito. It did not look as though anyone had been snickering.
Marcantonio told Roggerio that he was to play a solo immediately after the ceremony then lead the other musicians
Marcantonio: It is the Lord Ippolito's idea. Oh, he pretended it was mine -- he wants to honor me!
Roggerio: But it -was- your idea, milord.
Marcantonio: What? (catching on, or so he thinks) Oh! You wish to honor me too!
Roggerio was smart enough to play along. Then, he went to find Maddalena.
He told her that he thought Marcantonio must have been drinking. He explained the groom's request, and that it had been made twice, the second time with Marcantonio crediting Ippolito Sforza with the idea. On top of that, Roggerio knew that Ippolito had found fault with his playing earlier, and he'd sent the lord's man to ask for advice and still didn't know if his playing would offend, and he didn't want to ruin the wedding.
Maddalena listened to all of this, and proceeded to set matters straight.
Maddalena: Did you actually -see- Marcantonio drinking?
Ruggerio: Well, no. That is, yes. But not to excess, I am sure of it.
Maddalena: Roggerio, you have been flustered by the Lord Ippolito. This is understandable. But you forget that if he is angry with you, he must go through me. And I shall protect you. All you must do is to watch Marcantonio. And play well, of course.
This calmed Roggerio, and he went back to work. As I told Erik, all three ArsM personality traits I'd assigned the PC came into play here:
1. +3 beta male, happy now that he knows his place in the scheme of things
2. brave
3. charming, as he assured his fellow musicians that all was well
Meanwhile, Ippolito intercepted a noblewoman about to accost Rafael. She apologized, but explained furiously that Ippolito's man had whispered lewd suggestions in her ear, and when she didn't take him up on them, did something she declined to mention. However, she said that she would slap Rafael if the offense were repeated.
Ippolito agreed, and, to Rafael's chagrin, made it look as if he were taking his man aside to chastise him. He wasn't, of course, for he knew Rafael had been nowhere near the woman. But clearly something in his shape had been. Rafael tried to detect any hint of supernatural evil, but found none. Since his method of detection involved muttering Hebrew prayers and staring at people, folks were starting to avoid him.
The procession began. Roggerio was near the back, so he was the first to see an armed group of men approaching the church, led by a minor nobleman, Agostino Foscari.
He left his sword outside, but brought his daughter, Alessandra and his grandson, who had been born that very day. Roggerio was a bit confused, because I was, but I finally figured out the sequence of events.
1. Agostino's daughter is clearly pregnant, and she names Marcantonio as the father to her own father.
2. The wedding of Marcantonio and Maddalena is announced.
3. Invitations are distributed. Agostino does not get one. Up to this point, Agostino was willing to swallow the insult and his pride.
4. The day of the wedding, someone matching Rafael's description delivers an invitation to Agostino. This is the last straw, and he marches to the church.
Maddalena looked hard at Marcantonio, who started to sweat. He'd been on his best behavior since the marriage was announced, but before? While didn't remember sleeping with the woman, given his propensity for wine, that proved nothing.
Roggerio, still confused, pointed out that Rafael was the Sforza's man, and not likely to be sent to give out invitations to this wedding. This was actually a mistake on Erik's part, but we needed to end the session soon. Besides, the true culprit was a bit overconfident.
By now, Ippolito and Rafael guessed that this was one of the Good Folk, and Ippolito ordered that the church doors be shut. He, Rafael, and Roggerio heard a small, but distinct, "Uh-oh."
Rafael, scanning for anything unusual, pointed to an apparently an ordinary nobleman, who happened to be identical to another, quite startled, nobleman. The first turned into a mouse. Roggerio blocked the door, while Ippolito took advantage of his size, and dove through the crowd in pursuit of the mouse.
At this point, we needed to end the session, and Erik figured we'd been on the ball enough not to roll dice. The mouse was captured, taking its true form as an ugly- but-charming little man. He acknowledged having taken Marcantonio's shape to seduce Alessandra and agreed to marry her. Agostino was appalled, but also determined to have the child born in wedlock. The little man assured Agostino that he'd take a more pleasing shape for the wedding, and whispered something to Alessandra. The PCs didn't hear, but Erik says it was "Remember the story of the frog prince." Alessandra looked thoughtful, and made no objection to the new groom.
The first wedding now began and proceeded without a hitch. To Rafael's chagrin, the water did indeed turn to wine.
Roggerio diplomatically, if not entirely truthfully, told the little man that his appearance was not displeasing. Actually, it was honest as far as it went, as he didn't look repulsive and Roggerio wasn't the one marrying him. Roggerio asked why the man wanted him to play a solo and lead the musicians. He was told, "You have to show off our gift. It will last a very long time." Roggerio remained clueless, but played well.
After the wedding, Maddalena arranged for Roggerio to speak to Ippolito, who asked if his duty to Maddalena had been concluded and if he had other obligations. Roggerio tried to figure out the correct answer, but Maddalena firmly announced that he was available. Ippolito told him to show up at the Sforza's home the next day.
