Fraa Arsibalt

Fraa Arsibalt is a Tenner‑level avout within a Decenarian math at the Concent of Saunt Edhar. A peer of Fraa Erasmas, he serves on the small team that winds the great clock during Provener.

First Appearance and Context

Arsibalt is first noted among the Tenners preparing for the aut of Provener in the Mynster. Near the southwest Tenner corner, he is already robed while a peer sorts garments; when the rite begins, Arsibalt takes one of the four poles at the capstan‑like hub in the chancel, helping to set the meteorite weight in motion alongside teammates such as Fraa Lio.

Roles/Actions and Affiliations

• Tenner in the Decenarian math; participates in daily timekeeping by winding the clock during Provener.
• During an Apert day, walks outside the walls en route to his pater’s basilica and is set upon by a group traveling by vehicle; returns with injuries and still pushes hard at Provener. Afterward he answers questions from a warden concerned with the outward watch.
• At a service, he is the first to recognize two visiting hierarchs by their distinctive hats, identifying them as Inquisition officials.
• Assists with preparations for the communal supper at the close of the opening, hauling and deploying accumulated folding tables and chairs across the meadow.
• In discussion, he offers procedural context that the Inquisition functions as a bureaucratized oversight mechanism across concents, that Wardens Regulant are technically part of it, that consistent standards justify inter‑concent inspections, and that in rare circumstances a Primate can be deposed; he adds that traveling Inquisitors would likely move extramuros in ordinary attire.
• Is cautioned to stay alert for a small group of slines believed to have assaulted him and a peer earlier.
• Voices Edharian‑leaning expectations that many in his crop may choose that order.
• During ongoing Eliger, he chooses the Reformed Old Faanians; he is later seen serving dinner on that chapter’s night and greets Erasmas warmly.
• More recently, he spends most of his days at Shuf's Dowment, an ivy‑snarled ruin used as a retreat; he has been urging Erasmas to come out and visit him there.
• At Shuf's Dowment, examines preserved artifacts from the Dowment’s earlier days and, during a visit, gives Erasmas a brief, discreet tour; he is also seen reading a very old book so fragile he handles its pages with tongs.
• When discussing avocations, says he is trying beekeeping; at this season he treats it as indoor work on dead things and notes he may feel differently once the bees emerge from hibernation.
• Joins a lively dialog led by Fraa Orolo on how minds filter implausible hypotheticals; cites Evenedric and presses a theorical framing, sparring with Fraa Jesry.
• Helps wind the clock alongside Lio and Erasmas when another teammate is absent.
• After the aut of Anathem that expels Orolo, gathers with peers to reason about what he might have seen; argues that a routine Sæcular reconnaissance satellite would not warrant his actions under the Discipline; offers a discreet dark room beneath Shuf’s Dowment to view a photomnemonic tablet; emphasizes fidelity to vows during planning.

Relationships

• Peers: works closely with Fraa Erasmas and Fraa Lio on the winding team and in communal duties; he has recently been inviting Erasmas to visit him at Shuf's Dowment.
• Family: identifies himself as the bastard of the local Bazian arch‑prelate; he went to the basilica to learn whether his father would speak to him. On a later visit he reached the basilica unmolested, but his father refused to talk to him unless his purpose was to repent and be consecrated into the orthodox Bazian faith.
• Cord and Rosk: at the Apert feast he ensures a seat across from Cord and does not appear to register Rosk’s relationship to her.
• Others: checked on by suurs and peers during the opening when he was brooding; later, after a peer’s release from penance, he offers a warm greeting over supper and agrees to talk.
• Dialogues closely with Fraa Lio, Suur Tulia, Suur Ala, and Jesry; in the wake of Anathem he presses Erasmas to weigh fidelity to the Discipline when considering any covert analysis.

Descriptions/Characteristics

Big and portly, he cultivates a beard to look the part of an older fraa. Methodical rather than vain, he wants things done correctly and prefers secure, proper wraps. He uses elevated, formal diction (e.g., “set upon,” “rapscallions”) and, around this time, is about nineteen years old, prone—when agitated—to long, structured paragraphs in Middle Orth with asides in older forms. He is high‑strung yet physically strong (“beneath the fat he had the frame of an ox”); he invokes analytic turns of phrase (e.g., “selection bias”) and shows dry humor (quipping about someone finally inventing “the wheel” while wrangling surplus tables). He clears his throat in a resonant, attention‑getting way and signals when formalities are beginning; he can be a little huffy when correcting misapplied terms and displays a conscientious sense of hostly duty. Discreet about propriety, he will hush loose talk about sensitive topics and luxuries in retreat spaces. In debate he is comfortable invoking Saunt Gardan’s Steelyard when comparing hypotheses.

• Shows a strong preference for rigorous, formal reasoning in everyday conversation, readily invoking classical theorics (e.g., Evenedric, Hemn spaces) and the Discipline; can redden when provoked but remains conscientious about propriety.

Current Status/Location

Active among the Tenners at the concent. During the current opening he ventured extramuros, suffered a nosebleed and bruising after an attack, then returned and contributed strongly at Provener; he recognized visiting Inquisition members at a service, later helped prepare the meadow for the communal supper, attended the Tenth Night dinner under the canopy, and remains engaged in regular duties. Following his choice at Eliger, he is affiliated with the Reformed Old Faanians and participates in their service duties. Lately, he has been spending most of his days at Shuf's Dowment.

More recently, he remains active after the Anathem that removed Orolo, continuing routine duties while participating discreetly in peers’ efforts to review a photomnemonic tablet in a controlled setting.