Iberia Campaign

Reservo Scientia

More recently, however, it has become increasingly popular once again for magi to train their own individual apprentices, rather than having them trained at special institutions such as Reservo Scientia.  Fewer and fewer Gifted individuals have been referred to the covenant's magi for training.  While still a respected institution due to its extensive library and instructional capabilities, Reservo Scientia is no longer considered as crucial to the Order as once it was.  Funding from the True Lineage Houses has been reduced, and the magi of Reservo Scientia have had to adjust in order to maintain their covenant and continue its traditions and maintain their facilities.  Exactly how this affects the magi, companions, and grogs of Reservo Scientia will be discussed in the appropriate sections below.

Magi

At one time the covenant of Reservo Scientia served to train magi of the True Lineage Houses only.  Magi of the True Lineages would send Gifted individuals to the covenant in exchange for use of the covenant's extensive library and laboratory facilities.

Over the last hundred years this has become less true, however.  The covenant has received fewer referrals, and magi of the covenant have had to begin searching for their own apprentices.  Over time, the covenant has had to adapt to this change and find a new niche for itself within the Order.  Today Reservo Scientia accepts several types of Gifted individual as apprentices.

1. True Lineage magi still bring a certain number of Gifted individuals directly to Reservo Scientia.  These magi are usually graduates of Reservo Scientia who have an interest in "preserving the tradition.
2. Reservo Scientia now accepts a small number of Gifted individuals brought to the covenant by non-True Lineage magi.  These are offered to the covenant in exchange for research rights at the covenant library.
3. True Lineage Houses will sometimes foster to the covenant apprentices whose masters die, enter twilight, lose the Gift, or for other reasons cannot complete the apprentice's training.  Very rarely (perhaps twice in the last hundred years) other Houses have also fostered young apprentices to Reservo Scientia, on the understanding that those apprentices would become a member of one of the True Lineage Houses.  House Mercere does not accept such apprentices.
4. Because of the covenant's good reputation, it is becoming increasingly common for House Guernicus to forward to the covenant apprentices who have been taken from their original master by quaesitorial ruling due to neglect or cruelty.  House Mercere accepts such apprentices only if they come from a member of House Mercere.
5. House Mercere also fosters a fair number of its non-Gifted members at Reservo Scientia.
6. Duresca, a Quaesitorial covenant located in the Iberia Tribunal, often sends its apprentices to study at Reservo Scientia for 6 months out of every year.  These apprentices are still beholden to the covenant of Duresca, but do spend a lot of time at Reservo Scientia.

In addition to a teaching facility and a reserve of knowledge and lore, Reservo Scientia also serves two other official functions for the Iberian Tribunal.

• The Iberian Tribunal Mercer House is located at the covenant.  (A Mercer House is the headquarters for non-Gifted House Mercere members within a given tribunal.  House Merecere conducts much of its business through the Mercer House, including the vis exchange, money lending facilities, and records.)
• House Tremere maintains its storehouse for the Iberia Tribunal at Reservo Scientia, and also oversees the maintenance of the covenant defenses.  Though there are no Tremere Exarches in Iberia, there are several experienced Tremere magi on the teaching staff of the covenant.

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