Session 7: Winter Comes

Note: This is an advancement session; roleplay is intended to be sparse.
N.B.: Poor Fred.

We're sitting around doing advancement, and Fred has the various character themes playing on his laptop. The Arbiter's theme from Chess begins to play and a little alarm goes off in my head. Unfortunate things you deliberately forgot:

Deborah: "Chess!"
Fred: "Yes! It's Osric's theme."
Deborah: "Oh god. I'd forgotten that."
Jarrod, in Osric's voice: "What?"

More advancement. More accusations:

Deborah: "Don't smile at me innocently when I'm gesturing in frustration at you!"
Fred: "Oops?"

Let's you go beat up the GM or Whaddya think, I'm stoopid?:

Deborah: "Honey, I need you to do something for me -"
Rob: "No."

Benedict bought his sword skill up to Legendary +1 from Legendary. On diminishing returns:

Rob: "Yeah, from our perspective down here, it doesn't make much difference. You kick our ass in one second instead of two."

Picard rarely said it this way:

Jarrod: "Yeah, you go do that. You go kill."
Deborah: "Make it so. Make it squished, sliced, diced -"
Jarrod: "You go do that. Over there."

On the relative merits of sword vs spell with practical examples:

Lydia: "Cyrus was like 'you're casting a spell? well, I'm just going to HIT you!'"
Fred: "Yeah, he was going to have a water elemental sitting in his hand just for that, to get some distance, and buy a round, and do blah blah blah -"
Deborah to Lydia: "Didn't you run him into a tree?"
Lydia: "Ah." She smiles, "Yes."

Random announcement from the Good Doctor:

Jarrod, staring at his sheet: "I can't count... "

On methodology:

Scott: "How do I kill a sorcerer? I put a sword through his heart, just like anyone else."

Jarrod is working on his sheet:

Jarrod: "I'm trying to decide what to do with this -"
Rob: "THIN-KING!"
Deborah: "Let's go shopping."
Jarrod gives Deborah an Osric look.

Random, wariness inducing noises from your local GM:

Fred: "Heh heh heh."

He's going to kill me for including this:

Jarrod: "I'm just having a complete inability to count!"
Shai: "One plus one is two."
Jarrod: Thank you."

Cyrus has a self destructive nature (hence his tendency to charge /through/ twelve men, headbutt sixty foot walking trees and tackle lake-sized water elementals. On creativity:

Jarrod: "He [Cyrus] hurts himself _and_ others."
Lydia: "But he does so in a variety of ways!"

You take the good with the bad:

Shai: "He [Cyrus] is very competent. Insane, but competent."

There's something in the coffee. Or the bathwater. Or something:

Jarrod: "Nine out of my sixteen skills [on his character's sheet] I have never used."
Deborah: "Are you sure you counted that right?"
Jarrod amiably flips her the finger.

It's 2:15 pm. Relative definitions (see, Matt, it's /not/ just you):

Jarrod: "I don't need abuse this early in the day!"
Scott: "This _early_?"

Look, I wanted to order /pizza/:

Lydia: "Doom delivered to your door, hot, in fifteen minutes or it's free."
Shai: "Mmm, hot doom."
Jarrod: "Three dollars off your next order of doom."

Jarrod is satisfied with his additions to his sheet. The consequence of having Pointy Hair:

Jarrod: "That would have gone much more quickly if I could count. I've lost the ability to do basic arithmetic."

On Zen, or Not-Zen:

Lydia: "What is Osric's take?"
Jarrod: "What is Osric's take on WHAT?"
Lydia: "Life, the universe and The Pattern."
Jarrod, in Osric's voice: "God, this sucks!"

Reality's Return Policy:

Lydia: "Dear God, I wish to return this life, for it is broken- "
Jarrod: "I need an RMA number for this life."
Shai: "I need your FedEx acct. number to ship it back."
Lydia: "- please ship soon."

Osric's perspective, edited for children:

Jarrod: "It probably wouldn't suck this much if Dad wasn't such an asshole!"
Fred, innocently, surprised: "What?"
Jarrod, dripping sarcasm: "No, I really like him."

Osric will have the lovely task of explaining Pattern to Cyrus. Lydia has been asking Jarrod about Osric's take on the Pattern, because, well -

Lydia: "It has very interesting implications about the structure of the Universe."
Everyone laughs.
Fred, too eagerly: "Does it now."

Questions to which you should /never/ get an answer:

Lydia: "For example, do these universes exist, or did you just create them? Is the Universe not just your personal suckage?"

It's all in what you bring to the table:

Jarrod: "Cyrus' universe - the trees would headbutt YOU!"

Or in how you look at it:

Lydia: "Lucan's universe would be a John Norman novel."
Fred: "A what?"
Shai: "Yes it would." She adds for Fred, "Gor."
Fred: "Not ENTIRELY!"
Shai: "Not... entirely."
Jarrod: "It might if you told him it COULD."

Just Add Frippery:

Shai: "Yeah, right, Sonnet on a leash."

Random violence, exaggerated:

Lydia: "Yes, Cyrus's universe would be very neat and orderly. Occasionally, for no apparent reason, someone would take you out and beat you. You know, very neat. And here is your random -"
Fred interrupts by abruptly beating loudly on the desk with both fists.
Lydia: "Yes!"

Geeks think in Books:

Shai: "Sonnet's universe would be very dazzling and pretty and you'd always be a little bit paranoid."
Lydia: "An Edward Rice Borroughs novel."

Convenient arrangements:

Jarrod: "I think in Osric's universe, everyone would be really really really gullible."
Fred: "Uh huh. Yeah. Yeah it would!"

Disturbing thought, how-to:

Deborah: "How do we know we're NOT in Osric's universe?"
Fred grins. "Of COURSE you're not in Osric's universe."

We are waiting to start roleplay. Never Assume:

Scott looks impatient to start play.
Fred: "Sorry, Finndo does need you to be here to burn people up on The Pattern."
Scott, genuinely surprised: "WHAT?"
Fred: "You don't know what he's planning?"

Somehow, we neglected to explain this (cf. session 6) to Scott (the person least likely to go along with experimenting with innocents and deadly Sigils). No, really, we didn't /mean/ to neglect to - allright. So. On obligation and knowing your players' limits:

Fred explains.
Scott: "And I have to be there?"
Fred: "No, Finndo has to be there. It's Finndo's plan."

Reminiscence, differing styles of:

Deborah: "Poor Cyrus."
Jarrod: "Mister Spock, why aren't you dead?"

Too much Michael Jackson as a child can scar a man permanently for life:

Scott: "Moonwalk across the Pattern! Ow!"

From Way Back Over Here:

Shai: "Cyrus charges! Okeydoke!"
Jarrod: "Allrighty then!"
Scott: "We support him!"

The 'Indy, you go first' tactic:

Scott: "Benedict's starting to get very fond of that strategy: send Cyrus in first!"
Shai: "Clean up the mess after him."

We discuss Rob's Clever Plan, which involves taking two rats and two condemned prisoners and seeing if random vermin or men can, after all, walk The Pattern. The GM has a simple question:

GM squints: "You're just going to take a random rat and expect it to follow the glowing line?"

Take your pleasures where you may:

GM: "You can in fact have Arf ferret out some rats; they won't be in great shape, but.."
Lydia: "Look, my dog is useful!"
Jarrod: "Oh, that's what it's all about; it's all about finding a use for your dog!"

On Logistics, and puzzled players. Not 'does Oberon have a problem with our approach to the Scientific Method' but 'Is Oberon actually worried about hurting _people_?':

Rob: "And just make sure the second man can't see the first man walk."
Lydia: "And Oberon is squeamish, or ..."

Class participation:

GM: "Who IS watching this experiment?"
Jarrod: "Oh, Osric is so there."
Lydia: "Cyrus is there."
Scott: "Benedict is not. He's training."
Deborah: "Sybil is off doing... anything else."

Rob has hit on the notion of keeping a noose about the prisoners' necks as they attempt to walk the Pattern. That way, should they succeed, we can yank them back and kill them (if nothing else, by halting their walk or knocking them off the path they must follow to live). Two men will hold the rope to ensure that it stays taught (so the Pattern won't disintegrate it, which would happen if it were to actually come in contact with the Pattern), and one of them will have a crossbow, Just In Case. On repeating past mistakes:

GM: "Who's holding the rope?"
Rob: "Cyrus AND Finndo."
GM: Who's closest to the Pattern?"
Finndo: "Cyrus can be closer to the Pattern. That's fine with me."
Osric: "He's so fond of it after all!"

So that experiment failed:

GM: "The rat makes it about one or two inches of scurrying before fffft!"

Wisdom handed down:

Osric to Cyrus, on the rat's demise: "So. Yes. Don't do that."

Being Thorough:

Finndo: "Osric, could you be so kind as to have a knife on hand to cut a throat if we have to drag someone back -"
GM: "If you have to drag someone back -"
Finndo: "Yes, presumably, but we like to plan ahead."
Osric: "Officer thinking, brother!"

Sympathy for the Damned:

GM: "The first guy you bring into the room with this thing is squinting at it, and his breathing is absolutely out of control."
Finndo: "That's why we have pointy things at his throat. We explain that his one hope of life is walking that thing."
GM: "But you have a noose around his neck."
Lydia: "Life is difficult sometimes."

Before you laugh, Lydia _did this_ to Fred in a game of hers. The things that leave lasting scars:

GM: "But that's obviously some power thing and you could just be sucking his soul out through his feet!"

The Scientific Method, somewhat barbarized:

GM: "The guy steps on. He doesn't IMMEDIATELY disappear in a shower of sparks -"
Finndo: "I Speak encouragingly -"
GM: "He does, however, stagger somewhat and is struggling to stay on the line. He manages to make it around a few curves, starts approaching the first veil, and you aren't quite sure through some of the sparks coming up, but it looks like his flesh is on fire - and then the rope goes slack."
Finndo: "Well, keep an eye out and see if something comes out the other side."
GM:" Nothing comes out."
Finndo: "Excellent."
Cyrus: "I haul the rope back in."
GM: "It is shorter. And smoking."
Finndo: "I am satisfied with this experiment."

Clinging to those last shreds of hope:

Cyrus: "I don't suppose this thing just breaks for a few days now and then?"

Compassion is also relative:

Finndo: "Unless you are particularly inclined to see another one dance, we can dispose of that other one."
Cyrus: "Do they all end at that point, do you think?"
Finndo: "I suspect so. It's far more your bailiwick than mine, brother, but it does not look like a pleasant way to die."
Osric: "There are worse."

Everyday applications for your local Sign:

Finndo: "Cyrus, deal with the other one, and make sure the body is not found."
Cyrus: "This does seem to be a very efficient disposal mechanism, I must say."
Finndo: "... No."

Everyday applications for your local thermonuclear device:

Cyrus: "Ah, well. And we haven't invented the incinerator yet."
Finndo: "You could talk to Lady Sybil."

Oh, yeah, it's /Lady/ Sybil when you want things charred:

Finndo: "Finndo does it himself, quickly and efficiently, but leaves the body to Cyrus."
Cyrus: "I go find Lady Sybil. I take the body -"
Finndo: "Lady Sybil does NOT come down here."
Cyrus: "I take the body, then."

Murder through Zen (they eventually settle on dumping the body in a hole, the old fashioned way):

GM: "You're going to actually drag a bloody body through the castle -"
Finndo: "I actually strangled him."
GM: "Fine, a DEAD fucking BODY - but getting it up the stairs is going to be -"
Finndo: "Life presents challenges."

On sparring:

GM: "Sonnet and Benedict, what are you doing?"
Scott: "I suppose we've been having some lively training sessions."
Shai: "_Lively._"
GM: "... Lively. Do go on."
Shai: "Let's see. Innuendos fly."

On learning curves:

GM: "Cyrus, at any point do you go down to the Pattern chamber by yourself?"
Cyrus: "_No_."
Deborah: "He's not stupid."
Jarrod: "Had enough fucking weirdness for one week."

Benedict is training Sonnet with her cutlass. Disciplining Young Ladies:

GM: "Sonnet's ambitious."
Shai: "And focused. She actually listens for a change."
Benedict: "Benedict gives appropriate commentary and any time you piss him off, your sword goes flying out of his hand."

Helpful, helpful teacher:

Shai: "No, the training outfit's complete."
Scott: "In every detail."
Shai: "Every detail."
Scott: "EVERY DETAIL."
Deborah: "Am I missing something here?"
Shai: "No, Benedict's just thorough."
Deborah: "He picked her underwear, didn't he?"
Scott: "Every detail."
Shai: "Trimmed with sapphire ribbons."

The luxuries of the affluent:

Lydia: "What is your body disposal mechanism anyway?"
Rob: "I have staff for that sort of thing."

Benedict also works with Sybil on the sword. On the reputation of the party's women:

Deborah: "Sybil pays attention. She does."
Scott looks confused.
Deborah: "It's just that she's never held a sword. Ever."
Scott: "No, I've got BOTH of them listening to me now - what... what - how ...?"

Finndo has hired stonemasons from Shadow and brought them back to Amber to work on the great big hole and tunnel that Osrat's earth elemental carved in the mountain (leading to the Pattern chamber). Naturally, he intends to kill the masons once the work is complete. On expectations and fair play:

Lydia: "You're asking BENEDICT to murder somebody?"
Rob: "Yes."
Lydia: "Oh, that's fascinating."
Scott: "Yes, interesting. We'll have to play them out. You want me to What?"
Finndo: "We can arm them if it makes you feel better."
Lydia: "Daddy, can't you get somebody else to do that? I don't wanna mow the lawn."

The test is not in the deed. The test is in who does the deed:

Finndo: "If it is not a matter you wish to stain your hands with, do not concern yourself. I can find alternatives. I do not wish to trouble you overly with it."
Benedict: "Get someone else." He walks out at that point.
Rob: "And Finndo goes to Cyrus."

The right tool for the right job:

Cyrus: "I thought you were capable of slitting throats on your own."
Finndo: "I am only so fast. I wish to be as efficient as possible."
Cyrus: "I see."
Finndo: "I intend to poison the wine they'll drink in celebration, but that is only so fast. I wish to be sure."
Cyrus: "Ah."
Finndo: "I can kill 6 men, but only so fast. You, on the other hand, I do not think it will take so long."
Cyrus: "Allright."

Be creative in your work:

Lydia: "We can always do the cask of Amontillado thing."
Finndo: "I have a thought or two on that."

Sybil has an unfortunate tendency to want to involve elementals in her sword practice. Dealing with vain, pyrotechnic fae:

Benedict: "Yes, but that's for later. You have to defend yourself by practical, normal means first."
Sybil: "Oh."
Benedict: "Sorry. And you stand THIS way."
Sybil: "But I look better the other way!"
Benedict: "You stand THIS way."

Get in the details:

Shai: "So the training sessions go so that when Sonnet's practicing with Sybil, she looks amused. And when she practices with Benedict -"
Deborah: "She looks less amused."
Shai: "She looks less amused. And she's not showing any cleavage."
Deborah: "It's important to note that."

_Now_ Jarrod notices:

Finndo: " ... get that done, and in the food and drink that's part of their payment, I poison them. Cyrus is on hand just in case."
Jarrod: "He's got a nasty streak on him, don't he?"

Enthusiasm:

GM: "How do you want them to die?"
Lydia: "Yes!"
GM: "HOW do you want them to die? I am quite clear /that/ you want them to die."

The canary asking the cat for advice:

Scott: "I do need to talk to you at some point."
Jarrod: "Oh good."
Scott: "Moral crisis of a sort."
Jarrod: "A what?"
Scott: "Moral crisis of sorts."
Jarrod bursts out laughing.
Scott: "He asked Ben to do it and after struggling, he said no."
Jarrod: "Oh, that's going to be a fun little chat."

One man's morality:

Rob: "Finndo asked Benedict first, and when he said no, Finndo went to Cyrus."
Lydia: "Cyrus is like, 'oh, yeah, sure.'"
Jarrod: "Oh, yeah, I'm free; whatcha want?"

Finndo gave a copy of Ruustro's notes to castle translators. They have finally finished their work, and report back. Add information, dash on worry, fold in lightly:

Finndo: "I send that to Osric, as bullet points."
Osric: "Ooookay."
Rob: "Feed it to him as a letter to allow him to worry about it."

A man knocks on Sybil's door. The GM describes him as gaunt of face, greying at the temples, appears fiftyish, with one eye missing and replaced by a gem. At this description, alarmed murmurs make their way around the room. Slow on the uptake:

Deborah: "Why is everyone else alarmed?"
Piero: "Sybil, is it?"
Sybil: "Who are you?"
GM: "Piero."
Deborah: "Oh shit."
Jarrod and Shai and Rob and Scott and Lydia: "THAT's why."

Getting to know you:

Piero pats a fire elemental on the head.
Sybil stares.

Then Piero pays Cyrus a visit. (Their respective holdings, it should be noted, are close to each other.) The Unwelcome Attention just keeps rolling downhill:

Piero: "You're new."
Cyrus: "May I help you?"
Piero: "You're new. You've lived next to me for so long, and yet - you're new. This is interesting to me."

Doctor, I need a prescription:

Piero: "Somehow I expected the /fae/ to be less talkative."
Cyrus: "The fae is always a surprise."
Piero sounds surprised: "Thank you. "
Cyrus: "I stare at him."
Piero: "I'm not giving you annnything mooore."
Cyrus: "I shut the door. I look longingly at my liquor cabinet."

Let's get the pain started:

GM: "I believe you had a particular goal that you wanted to discuss with someone."
Scott: "I'm going to try to talk to Dad first."

Benedict arranges a private audience with Oberon. Like picking wings off a fly:

Scott: "He [Benedict] seems to be actually struggling a little bit."
GM: "Oberon's not helpful."
Jarrod: "Because he's so helpful."
GM: "Obviously!"

The warm, supportive face that Oberon shows his youngest son:

Benedict: "These past few weeks have been educational -"
Oberon: "Festive."
Benedict: "In more ways than one. And in some areas I have been successful, in some I have been lacking - "
Oberon: "Such as?
GM: "You have a distinct feeling he has a list he could share."

Getting to the point:

Benedict: "So far, when I have dealt with things, all I have needed," and *whooooshik* he draws the sword and levels it at his father, "has been this." He sheathes it. "I would life -"
Jarrod: "If I may -"
Benedict: "- to learn ways of dealing with that which is magic, tho there have been several different types of magic that I have seen. I have been reading in the library upon the theories of such. However, only reading books only takes me so far."
Oberon: "You'll find the books that tend to be particularly instructive tend to be in private collections, closely guarded. Sounds like you're looking for a spellcaster."
Benedict: "That I am. I wondered if you had any suggestions."

Here is this lovely orange carrot. Will you not hop for this lovely orange carrot? What about on the other foot, too?

Oberon: "What makes you think I'm the person to come to?"
Benedict: "You've performed some interesting tricks."
Oberon: "Oh, you mean the circle?"
Benedict: "Yes."
Oberon: "That's not sorcery."
Benedict: "Well, you were also the one to carve this kingdom out. You have much more knowledge about its inhabitants and capabilities."
Oberon: "I brought the best I knew."
GM: "He looks like he's waiting for you to respond to that."

There's an airshow going on overhead that tends to drown out the session now and then. Very Loud Jets:

GM: "Sybil's testing the air elementals."
Jarrod: "They're getting bigger."
GM: "And metallic."

Speaking of drawing attention:

Oberon: "There are other talents, of course, but I'm the wrong person to ask."
Benedict: "I wasn't expecting you to teach me. I wondered if you had advice on who would be the best."
Oberon: "I have a feeling you'll run into him shortly. Considering that this conversation has happened, he has a way of showing up shortly on the heels of such things." There's a knock on the door. "Ah, yes."
Benedict opens the door. "Lord Piero."
Piero: "It's been a while since I've seen you this close."
Benedict: "Several years I imagine."
Piero to Oberon: "Yes. There's a reason I'm here, isn't there?"

I wish you no harm; I wish you no ill. I only wish upon you a child like yourself:

Oberon: "Talk to him."
Piero: "Very well."
Benedict: "Thank you, Father."
Oberon: "Uh huh."

How heartening:

Piero: "I had a feeling I was needed."
Benedict: "Strange, that."
Piero: "One learns how to open oneself up to such things."

Please sign in triplicate at each x. We appreciate the use of your own blood:

Benedict: "Well, to be blunt, I'm looking for some instruction."
Piero: "What are you willing to give up for it? Magic is sacrifice. Some choose to sacrifice with every act; some choose to sacrifice beforehand to take care of the debt; others merely acquire artifacts that take care of it by having someone else take care of it a while ago. These are your paths."
Jarrod: "Choose the force."

Keeping your hand on your wallet:

Benedict: "The third one is..." He shakes his head. "No. Whatever sacrifices I make, I will be the one to make them."
GM: "He looks at you long and hard at that one."
Piero: "That's odd. I thought you'd go with that one. It is good to be surprised."
Benedict: "Perhaps I don't like the idea of someone else doing my dirty work.
Piero: "Or something which you might lose."
GM: "He seems to know more than he should when he says that."

Dealing with it head on - but later. Much later:

Piero: "So. You wish to lose it up front, then."
Benedict: "Yes."
Piero: "Pardon me." He swaps the gem in his eye to somewhat smoky crystal, "You have a great deal of passion about you. How much does it mean to you?"
Benedict: "A great deal."
Piero: "Hm. What passion would you willingly set aside for power? Understand that while I am enjoying this conversation, you may answer this on your own time. I do not need to instruct, nor to receive response at the present moment."
Benedict: "Will you be available later?"
Piero: "I am in residence now."
Benedict: "Excellent."
Piero: "Winter court."
Benedict: "I shall be calling upon you."
Piero: "Very well."
Benedict walks away troubled.

To put it succinctly:

Scott: "Disturbed. Troubled. I am both."
GM: "Allright."
Scott: "Crap."

Cyrus is married to Cynthia Boyd, daughter of Admiral Boyd. Boyd, having lost a war and then been beached as Governor of the Southern Isles, has turned into an obese alcoholic. And, having lost the Governorship, he has been sent home to his daughter. When you take a wife, you take her family:

GM: "At the end of that week, a couple things happen. One, Cyrus's family shows up."
Cyrus: "Boyd is immediately escorted away to a private liquor cabinet."
GM mimics Boyd, weaving drunkenly, "Argh - I'll shust have a drop - ayrep."

On courtesy:

Cyrus: "Good morning, Admiral. I have a place prepared for you. Please go there."

A good GM completes the overall air of impending doom:

GM: "Cyrus' wife Cynthia greets Cyrus very formally. Crossed hands, distance, all the correct forms. His daughter, four, is this little redheaded moppet with owlishly large eyes. She's taking in everything; this is the first time she's seen everything -"
Scott: "Overwhelmed?"
GM: "You'd think that, but if you watch her, she's taking in EVERYTHING. Very observant kid. If any of you talk to her for a while, two impressions: she's CUUUUUTE, and boy she's smart for her age."
Rob: "Delightful."

And then he enjoys it:

Shai: "Oh, shit. Sonnet's getting bad flashbacks to childhood."
GM: "Ooooh yeah."

Baron Rast is the Strongest Man In The Kingdom. This is a man who fights in what amounts to an iron woodstove. He's a nice guy, actually: works on personal loyalty, very friendly, extremely enthusiastic. On being greeted by mountain-sized mastiffs:

Rob: "And of course Baron Rast arrives as well. The Princes get HUGE Manly Greetings."
Fred thumps around the room, making a square of his body (no, REALLY) and clapping furniture on the back.

On strategy:

Scott: "Benedict does actually try sparring with Rast."
Everyone stares at Scott.
Scott: "To see how long he can stay out of his grasp."
GM: "Yes. Your hands have not hurt like that in YEARS. You have determined that if you need to strike at this man, strike at him in such a way that parrying is _not_ an option."

Giving the fae ideas:

GM: "Rast's beard goes to his knees."
Deborah: "Temptation goes across Sybil's face like a banner."
Shai: "Oh God. Don't even think of stepping on his beard because you'll be in his grasp."
Deborah: "She still looks tempted."

Folks are arriving early for Winter Court. Among them is the Baron Selm, a man very well known for being dangerous with a blade.

GM: "Selm notices Sonnet."
Sonnet: " An eyebrow goes up, she gives him a little smile."
Scott: "Target acquisition."

Knowing your opponent:

Shai: "And at some point get Sybil to a hairdresser."
Deborah: "Oh God. We have to talk about that."
Shai: "Sonnet's already tried to enlist Benedict's help."
Deborah: "Why?"
Shai: "She thinks it's going to be a combat situation."

Benedict brings his concern about Finndo to Osric. He does not get the response he's looking for. Mistake one: asking an Amberite for moral indignation:

Benedict: "He tested for a reaction."
Osric: "I take it he got one."
Benedict: "Yes."
Osric: "He is quite capable himself."

Ask for advice. Get pumped instead:

Benedict: "It bothered me."
Osric: "To be asked? or for what the task was?"
Benedict: "Both."
Osric: "Why did it bother you? Not much for the blood of the innocent?"
Benedict: "Not in that respect, no."
Osric: "What respect are you?"

Selm looks up Sonnet. Inevitably, the innuendos fly. They take about 10 seconds to start flying, in fact:

GM: "Selm enters the training area."
Sonnet: "Good morning."
Selm: "You're Sonnet Karm, aren't you?"
Sonnet: "I believe I am, yes."
Selm: "Excellent."
Sonnet: "Oh bother, have I offended you in some way?"
Selm: "Do you wish to?"
Sonnet: "Not yet."
Selm: "I assure you I am not easy to offend."
Sonnet: "Pity."
Selm seems pleased with that response.

A lady's reputation precedes her:

Sonnet: "Is there something I may assist you with."
Selm: "I hear you're quite talented."
Sonnet: "One must open oneself up to all sorts of alternative viewpoints."
Selm: "What weapons today? I am quite flexible."
Deborah: "Isn't the chick the one who boasts about flexibility?"
Sonnet: "Perhaps the foil."
Selm: "Appropriate."

Take two, call me in the morning:

Osric: "Sleep on it, come talk to me tomorrow."
Benedict nods.

Troubling implications:

Scott: "Double entendre! Woohoo!"
Sonnet: "LOTS of double entendre!"
Rob: "_Finndo_ thinks that Selm is a pleasant man."
Sonnet: "Oh jeesus."

Giving the rest of us Issues:

GM: "It concludes with him asking if he might have the pleasure of a second session."
Sonnet: "I don't see the harm in that."
Selm: "Oh good."
GM: "And with that he disarms you."
Lydia: "It's almost like dark Zorro."
Deborah: "Oh, I wish you hadn't said that."

When the GM has to ask this question...

Rob: "Finndo is making a point of doing high tea or something formal with Cyrus's wife and child."
GM: "Is Cyrus invited?"

Double booking your obligations:

Rob: "Cyrus is of course invited, but the invitation is timed for an hour when Cyrus's schedule is unfortunately full."
Lydia: "I seem to be scheduled to kill someone at ten o'clock, how unfortunate."

Finndo has his tea with Lady Rosewood, Cyrus' wife. Agendas and Foyers:

GM: "Cynthia in a lot of ways is a very attractive piece of stone. She is all surface. You never see past the surface, but the surface that is presented is the most pleasant and appropriate for the occasion. Might occasionally get a glimmer or glint of sadness. Aine, on the other hand, speaks when spoken to, and otherwise, is INTENSELY observational. Oh my /god/ this kid is going to be interesting when she's older."
Rob: "Finndo is charming, and makes a point of pointing out some of the opportunities available for a young child, things that get meeting and interacting off to a good start."
GM: "You get a feeling that she's curious abut a few things but is too polite to ask."

We all have our little buttons:

Rob: "One of the things he makes sure to squeeze into the convo is Aine's education."
GM: "Cynthia's notions seem to be entirely along the lines of raise her properly, don't raise an idiot, and marry her off in a way that is an advantage to her situation."
Rob: "Finndo puts forward that he happens to know some tutors of quality."
Lydia: "Future servitude to the Crown."
Rob: "No, this is Finndo's /niece/. Nothing is more important."
Scott: "_Family._"

Don't call us. We'll call you:

Shai: "Give her to Sonnet."
Rob: "NO."
Shai: "Give her to Sonnet!"
Rob: "_NO_."

Speaking of which:

GM to Osric: "What are your plans this week?"
Osric: "Test the waters with Mom."
GM: "Interesting. She's not behind the magic eight ball. You can find her. Not too hard."

So _that_'s where he gets it:

Cymnea: "Osric. Pleasure to see you. You don't visit often."
Osric: "Yes, I thought I'd remedy that. Especially now."
Cymnea: "I am most open to this. Please have a seat."
GM: "You take after your mom."

Gravity, death, taxes and Osric:

Jarrod: "His objective - he's not going to do any mojo. He's just going to have a nice evening chat with mom."
GM: "She clearly knows about Osrat and she can't tell whether to be disturbed or distressed about that."
Jarrod: "Osric has some ideas on that front. He'll make some appreciative comments about the magic eight ball."
Cymnea: "I have to take care of myself sometimes."
Jarrod: "Appreciative in an 'I'm interested' sort of way."
GM: "You're not going to get past that on the first chat."
Deborah: "So he has another motive afterall."
Jarrod: "Osric ALWAYS has another motive."

Appreciating the finer qualities of a man:

Jarrod of Piero: "At least he knows how to accessorize."

On flirting, and the styles of:

GM: "Selm is good at stopping just short of where you can take offense."
Shai: "Bastard's been taking lessons from Lucan. Wait, Lucan never stops."

Jewish, Irish, Italian, New York, Rosewood:

GM: "Cyrus, Are you fine with that, or are you managing your wife?"
Cyrus: "Depends on what his wife is doing."
GM: "She's taking direction from her husband, since _you_ summoned her, /dear/."
Cyrus: "Oh. Right. Yes."

On definitions:

GM: "Lucan is shaved. He's gotten a haircut. He's wearing a decent outfit in House Karm's colors."
Deborah: "It's a Not-Lucan."

Lucan shows up at the castle to report on the progress of Lady Alyra of Homewood (Benedict's fiancee). On knowing what's important:

Lucan: "How's it going?"
Finndo: "Interesting enough. You're looking clean."
Lucan: "Figured I'd get noticed more. Figured I'd get noticed more outside her door."
Finndo: "Good."
Jarrod: "_That's_ Officer Thinking."

And on respect:

Lucan: "How's Blondie getting on?"

Summing up:

Rob: "Finndo knows all about everything [Sonnet and Selm], and he Lets Lucan Know."

Locking down the important concerns:

Finndo: "I think Baron Selm has set his cap for her. She's been training with Benedict, but in his absence, she's been ... sparring."
Lucan: "Not to presume or anything, but how far away are we going to be when the fireworks go off?"

Queen Cymnea has two sisters. One is a sweet, deluded younger thing who doesn't understand why Cymnea doesn't better appreciate such a marvelous and sweet and thoughtful husband as Oberon (ya know, the guy responsible for the downfall and death of her father and brothers). The other is Wendra, who is still wearing mourning for her father and brother a century after their deaths. She is tall and plain and can boot head. Rast thinks she's a goddess and he persistently tries to woo her. The Not So Subtle or Shy Way:

Rob: "There is at least one night when the entire castle is woken by Rast serenading Wendra. Or it could be called serenading."
Sonnet: "That bed's shaking and I'm the only one in it!"
GM: "He's got a great bass but it's not entirely on key."

Cyrus explains to Lady Cynthia the arrangements made for her father, Boyd. A fine reflection on what each of them considers relevant:

Cyrus: "He can have the townhouse."
Cynthia: "You're just giving it to him?"
Cyrus: "At least temporarily."
Cynthia: "That should keep the embarrassments to a minimum."

Lucan happens to talk to Osric about the combination of Selm and Sonnet. Going to the Master:

Jarrod: "The Loki side of Osric will come out."
GM: "Lucan seems very appreciative of this side of your mind."

On being predictable:

GM to Sonnet: "That evening, when you get back to your rooms, the bed has been made, perfume has been misted, and an outfit has been laid out to... receive a guest."
Sonnet: "LUCAN!"

On motivation:

Sonnet: "He WANTS something!"
Jarrod snickers.
Lucan smirks.
Sonnet: "No, he wants something!"
Lucan: "I though it was more he WANTS /something/."

The thoughtful touches of a good manservant:

Sonnet: "This isn't really my color."
Lucan: "I figured it would go with his mask."

On timing:

GM: "There's a knock at the door."
Sonnet: "Yes?"
Lucan's stepping into the wardrobe: "You know, you really do give me an awful lot of letters in your handwriting."
Sonnet beats her fists on the wardrobe.
Selm, outside, "Is there something amiss?"
Sonnet kicks the wardrobe: "No!" Hissed to the wardrobe, "Fucking bastard."

Worrisome word choice:

Sonnet: "Yy-y-yes?"
Selm: "You seem to be having an argument with your furniture."
Sonnet: "It serves me sometimes. May I help you?"
Selm: "I thought you wanted me here."
Shai: "Fuck fuck fuck." She tears at her hair.
Sonnet smiles: "Perhaps not tonight. Something has come up."

On retribution:

Selm: "Very well; this part of our training can commence whenever you wish." He departs.
Lucan opens the door and snickers.
Sonnet: "OH YOU SACK OF SHIT!"

On appreciation:

Scott walks over and shakes Jarrod's hand.
Shai is still whispering: "Sack of _shit_..."

On Being Helpful:

Jarrod: "I think Osric has plenty of ideas on how to make Sonnet's life Interesting with a capital I."
Rob: "He's a giver."

Benedict and Piero ride up to Eagle's Peak, where Sybil has spent the day studying the three stone steps at the summit. On explicit explanation:

Piero: "Very well. What's your choice?"
Benedict: "Oh, I actually have to tell you."
Sybil: "Yes, that's the part were he eats your soul, dear."

Piero tells Sybil that she doesn't have Earth; Sybil challenges that she does and Piero suggests that she reconsiders. So Brilliant Sybil summons an earth elemental - a Great Big One. The Mountain, really. As in Kolvir. On pithy replies:

GM to Benedict: "You're not quite sure if an avalanche was triggered."
Sybil: "Ooops."

Al, Where Are You!? Al? Ziggy?!

Kolvir: "What would you know of the eldest?"
Sybil: "Oh boy."
Scott: "Even Benedict's going 'meep'."

Tart replies to mountains:

Kolvir: "You are too temporary."
Sybil: "Condense it."

How do you spell 'bloody unlikely'?

Sybil: "I bind it. Legendary +5."
GM: "You woke the mountain."
Deborah: "That's Legendary +5. How much do I NEED?"
GM: "You Woke The Mountain."

Arguing with the mountain, now:

Sybil: "I bind it."
Kolvir: "You are too temporary."
Sybil: "I come from non temporary stock."
Kolvir: "You are too temporary."
Sybil: "You will be permanently mine."
Kolvir: "No, you will permanently be /mine/."
Sybil: "Allright, we may be bargaining instead."
GM: "A great stone hand reaches up and swoops down and - swallows you."
Deborah: "Or not."

Sybil gets eaten by the mountain. Quick to understand the ramifications:

Deborah: "About that problem of Dressing Sybil - it's solved, really."
Jarrod: "Looking on the bright side."

The joys of being eldest:

Benedict to Finndo: "We have a problem."
Finndo closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. With reluctance: "Please continue."
Benedict: "I think Sybil woke Kolvir."
Finndo looks pained.
Benedict adds: "I think it ate her."

The castle has been shaking and shuddering again. Osric, on his way to the library to find Finndo, passes his mother's corridors.

GM: You notice that Cymnea has her black sorcerous magic eight ball up again."
Osric: "Thanks, Mom!"

Pessimism:

Finndo: "I will trump Sybil."
Lydia: "Are you now!"
Deborah: "Oh, that's going to help."

Your kid threw a baseball through my window, didn't apologize, and tracked mud in my house:

Finndo: "Good evening."
GM: "Sybil answers, but that's not Sybil behind her eyes. Very grey. Very stone. It says 'Hello'."
Finndo: "You're Kolvir, I take it. We'd like the girl back now."
Kolvir: "If she disturbs me again, like she has -"
Finndo: "Oh I'm sorry, did she disturb your rest?"
Kolvir: "She presumed to bind."
Finndo: "AH. I am reasonably sure that this shall not happen again."
Kolvir throws Sybil through the trump to Finndo.

Sybil, released by Kolvir, collides into Finndo. She pounds on him ineffectually. Cyrus and Sonnet walk in on this. On allowing privacy:

Finndo: "Ow. Ow. Sybil! Ow! Sybil! Ow!"
Cyrus: "I believe this is one of those things that I don't need to know about."
Sonnet: "What?"
Cyrus, turning around: "We don't need to know about this."

They're still watching Sybil beat on an unresisting Finndo. Knowing The Right Answer:

Cyrus: "I guess he likes that sort of thing."
Finndo: "Shut up, both of you!"
Sonnet: "Yes, your highness!"

Osric Trumps Finndo during this. The image comes through with, well:

Deborah: "Pound, pound -"
Finndo: "Busy! Found her!"
Deborah: "Pound, pound..."

Rule #1: Don't Get Caught:

Finndo: "I pinch her nose."
Sybil blows out trough her nose. But she stops.
Finndo: "Lady Sybil!"
Sybil, meekly: "Prince Finndo?"
Finndo: "I understand you attempted to bind Mount Kolvir."

Keeping up on terminology:

Sonnet: "So that's what they're calling it these days."

Wash your hands before meals, stand up straight, respect your elders... Establishing the Rules:

Finndo: "Lady Sybil, Please do not in the future, wake - or, if you do wake, most specifically do not attempt to bind the mountain."

Reasonably enough put:

Finndo: "And, Lady Sybil. Next time Piero has a clever idea, please let me know."
Sybil: "Why??"
Finndo: "Because he's insane."

Bringing Up Inconvenient Logic:

Sybil: "But it was a clever idea!"
Finndo: "Except for the part where you were eaten by the mountain."

Being helpful:

Sybil: "Piero tried to buy your brother Benedict's soul tonight. He succeeded, I think. This may be of interest to you."
Finndo: "Yes. Yes it is."

Looking in the mirror:

Benedict: "Do I ever know what I'm doing?"
Osric: "Ow." Pause. "This is a bad way to remedy that."

Fraternal curiosity:

Finndo: "Yes speaking of which, what phenomenally stupid thing is Benedict about to go off and do?"
Piero: "He appreciates art. He wishes to learn how to do it."
Finndo: "Where?"
Piero: "Eagle's Peak."

Sonnet confides her concerns about Lucan and Selm in Cyrus. Finding out what your accomplices think of you:

Cyrus: "Why are you telling me this?"
Sonnet: "Because ordinarily I would tell Lucan -"
Lydia: "Oh that's so not a good association to make."

It's bad when you have sufficient problems that you start to measure how much alcohol you have left:

Cyrus: "Brandy?"
Sonnet: "Brandy would be lovely."
Cyrus: "I pour brandy into Sonnet's tea and look longingly at the bottle."

Osric confronts Sybil. Sybil is succinct. Osric is more succinct:

Osric: "What did you DO?"
Sybil: "I had an argument with the mountain."
Osric: "You lost, didn't you?"

This just can't go anywhere good:

Osric: "What possessed you to do this?"
Sybil: "Well, there's this lovely gentleman named Piero -"

Benedict and Sybil are going /back/ to Eagle's Peak for Benedict's initiation (thus proving that learning curves are, well, awfully flat sometimes). Benedict is going to sacrifice some part of himself in return for power; Sybil is going to complain to Piero. Fond farewells:

Finndo: "Eagle's Peak?"
Benedict: "Yes."
Osric: "This is a bad idea."
Finndo: "This is a bad idea."
Osric: "Just... don't wake anything."
Finndo: "Lady Sybil, have a pleasant complaint. Brother, good luck."

Sybil approaches Osric to gain an opposing influence to Finndo. Like manna from heaven:

Sybil: "I need someone who is Not Finndo to be non-Finndo. Do you understand?"
Osric: "Oh, I hear you loud and clear."

An unfortunate choice of words:

Benedict: "I have no objections."
Sybil immediately draws on him.
Osric: "Sybil... do not shoot at my brother."
Sybil watches Benedict.
Osric: "Sybil... I'm not kidding."

You chose... wisely:

Sybil: "You go on without me. And take some objections with you."
Benedict: "Oh, I will."
Sybil: "Do you /have/ objections?"
Benedict: "Yes."
Sybil, hopefully: "You do?!"
Deborah: "She looks like she wants to... hug you."

Meanwhile, Sonnet has Other Problems. Namely, Selm is coming for a visit. It's nice to know the man is organized:

Sonnet opens the door. "Good morning."
GM: "Selm is dressed in clothes that are easy to get out of."
Lydia: "What type of clothes?"
Deborah: "Easy access."

Social concerns:

GM: "Full mask."
Finndo: "That will make breakfast difficult."

Sonnet, in her rage after Lucan's stunt yesterday, has trashed the room. Broken furniture, chaos, destruction - it's a mess. Making himself at home:

Sonnet: "Good morning. What would you like for breakfast?"
Selm just looks at her.
Sonnet: "I'll be the best judge - have a seat - just pushes something broken off a chair."
GM: "Selm nudges something lacy off the chair."

The importance of knowing whom you married:

Sonnet: "Sonnet summons breakfast; doesn't shut the door yet."
Selm looks at her expectantly.
Sonnet perches on the dresser: "I hope you rested well."
Selm: "Of course; did you?"
Sonnet: "No."
Selm: "Hrm. I thought that might be the case. My apologies for any participation in your frustration."
Sonnet: "Oh, believe me. The, uhm, I would not have that sort of frustration between us."
Jarrod: "No, not southern at all."

Now, Lucan has been forging the letters that Selm has been receiving. Dodge, dodge, dodge:

Selm smirks just with his eyes.
Sonnet: "I understand you've been receiving some letters from me."
Selm: "It would be impolite to admit to it."
Sonnet: "Well I hope every word was spelled correctly."
Selm: "Proofreading is not my usual pastime."
Sonnet: "It's very rare that I find myself without words; you will forgive me for that."
Selm: "Words are not always necessary."
Sonnet: "In this case I believe they are."

When all else fails, look uncertain in a maidenly fashion and then question his honor. Er. Or don't. Uncomfortable revelations:

Sonnet: "I am tempted, but I question your intent."
Selm: "I see. There's very little in this world that scares me."
Sonnet: "I would imagine."
Selm: "I find it somewhat intoxicating."
Sonnet: "To be frightened?"
Selm: "Yes."
Sonnet: "Oh please, I find it so rare to be frightened. I'll go see about breakfast."

Just when it couldn't get worse:

GM to Sonnet: "You're going out the door and you see your dad walk past."

Diving for cover:

Sonnet: "Good morning, Papa!"
GM: "You think you hear Selm stand up in your room."
Sonnet: "I've just gone for breakfast; would you care for some?"
Karm looks past you to the door, back to you, "Yes."
Sonnet: "Very well; I'll see if I can intercept that servant. I'll be but a moment."
Karm: "Right."

Oh, no, wait, it can get MUCH worse:

GM to Sonnet: "You're about twelve paces down the hall when you hear a raised voice, distinctly your father's, behind you."

If it worked on Benedict:

Sonnet, talking to herself: "Lucan, if you engineered this, I shall kill you."
Lucan pops up: "What?"
Sonnet: "You didn't go tell Papa about this, did you?"
Lucan: "Yeah, cause I like talking to him so much."
Sonnet: "Go find the servant. I need to intercept this before I get packed off or married to someone."
Shai: "Then she kicks him in the ass."

One _does_ has to ask; it's only polite:

GM to Sonnet: "Selm is backing up out of your room."
Sonnet: "Barron Selm, you will not be staying for breakfast?"
GM: "As you get close enough to say that, he catches the gauntlet thrown at him. He kisses it, and throws it back into the room. "Day before court, then?"
Karm: "YES."
Selm bows. Looks at you. Sighs. Walks down the hall passage.

Where are the simple joys of maidenhood?

Deborah: "He was nice, too, and had a quick wit."
Shai: "And he didn't lay a hand on me, either, which is a shame. This is what's going through Sonnet's head."

The voice of authority. On hopping:

Karm: "SONNET."
Sonnet: "Yes Papa!"
Karm: "Attend me."
Sonnet: "Yes Papa! Should I cancel breakfast?"
Karm: "We will eat it cold or hot. Come in. Close the door."

'Just wait till your father gets home!' indeed:

Karm: "Tell me about this sister of yours."
Sonnet: "The fiction?"
Karm: "I wish to appreciate my understanding of my other daughter."
Sonnet: "It was necessary to explain her in terms that she'd understand for the Princes' benefit."
Karm: "I see. And Selm?"
Sonnet: "He chose to train me."

On black and white viewpoints:

Karm: "Did he."
Sonnet: "Though ONLY with the sword."
Karm: "Did he."
Sonnet: "He stepped in for Prince Benedict. He made himself absent." Pause. "With the SWORD, Papa."
Karm: "He'll die quickly enough."

Don't lie to me, no male visitors I haven't met, clean up your room. And don't argue. On having Karm for a father:

Sonnet: "So should I be prepared to be sent elsewhere by His Majesty?"
Karm: "I'm afraid he hasn't returned you to me yet."
Sonnet: "True enough."
Karm: "I don't know the King's mind. Your room's a wreck."
Deborah: "Oh god he's not going to add that in."
Fred just looks at her.
Sonnet: "Philosophical discussion got a little out of hand. I shall attend to it."

On limiting options:

Karm: "Arrange lunch with your sister."
Sonnet: "If she is available, yes? Or shall I make her, Papa?"
Karm: "She will be available for lunch."
Sonnet: "Yes, Papa."
Karm tugs the glove back on. "I'll see you then."

Time is also relative, it would seem:

Cyrus knocks on Osric's door early for once.
Jarrod: "How early?"
Lydia: "Quite early. Not obscenely early. But early. Normal early, as compared to Cyrus hungover early."

Finndo told Cyrus to seek Pattern instruction from Osric. Cyrus therefore approaches Osric. On knowing better:

Osric: "Cyrus, how good to see you. Bit early for you."
Cyrus: "Cyrus looks sober for once. And not hung over."
Osric: "Early indeed. Come in."
Cyrus enters.

Shocking discovery:

Osric: "What can I do for you?"
Cyrus: "Prince Finndo instructed me to speak with you."
Osric: "Of course he did. About what?"
Cyrus: "Not accidentally killing myself."
Osric: "Oh yes. We should talk about that. Right. Have you - tried to do anything since, uhm, 2 weeks ago?"
Cyrus: "No."
Osric: "Right. That's fortunate."
Cyrus: "I do occasionally have a sense of self preservation."
Osric: "Excellent. That'll be quite handy."
Rob: "We'll be tapping that vein then."

Before and After Cyrus mentalities for Osric. Before:

Osric: "In light of that, we'll begin with some discussions about how to preserve yourself. Say, mid-afternoon today."
Cyrus: "Where?"
Osric: "In the courtyard. Tea?"
Jarrod: "No, the tea does not have brandy in it."

Accurate assessments:

Finndo: "Good morning, Lady Sonnet. You look so cheerful that I cannot but think that something has gone horribly wrong."
Sonnet: "You are correct."
Finndo: "Excellent!"

A girl's regrets:

Sonnet: "Father is going after Selm and I need a dress for Sybil. By lunch."
Finndo: "Difficult, but I shall arrange it."
Sonnet: "The conversation will happen day before court."
Finndo: "Excellent."
Sonnet: "He did not lay a hand on me. It's a pity."

Selm drops by to see Finndo. On positioning:

Finndo: "Good morning Selm! I hear you've arranged some entertainment for yourself."
Selm: "In case it goes poorly, I've deeded the circumstances of our debt to you."
Finndo: "I assume this is what you were aiming for?"
Selm grins.
Finndo: "You're a fool for a challenge, Selm. I hope this does not go poorly for you."
Selm: "If it does, you're the better for it."
Finndo: "If it goes either way, I'll be the better for it."

Understandings:

Finndo: "You think you're a safe wager?"
Selm: "I was most pleased to hear of your return."
Finndo: "Excellent. I shall make arrangements."

Finndo has arranged a tutor for Cyrus' daughter, Aine. The tutor is excellent, and has been instructed to be thorough. On geometry:

Cyrus: "I have a somewhat blunt question to ask."
Finndo: "Excellent."
Cyrus: "Why the hell is your tutor teaching my daughter how to use a sword?"
Aine: "Pointy stick!"
Finndo: "He's mostly there to teach her to read and write but I did not want her to remain ignorant of such matters."
Cyrus: "Why?"
Finndo: "Because she should have a well rounded education."
Cyrus: "This seems a pointy education."

On Communication (and that Legendary Graces):

Lydia: "Cyrus is trying to think of a polite way to say 'I don't want my daughter to turn into Lady Sonnet; that would be most disturbing' but he can't think of a polite way to say that."
Finndo: "The point is to bring her up cultured, not savage or surrounded by pirates."

No, _Karm's_ efficient. Corrections:

Cyrus: "You're very efficient, aren't you."
Finndo: "Thorough."
Jarrod: "Thorough."

Back to Benedict and Piero on Eagle's Peak, about to send Benedict off to his sacrifice:

Piero: "Are you ready?"
Benedict: "Yes."
Piero: "Are you willing to go far enough?"
Benedict: "We'll find out, won't we?"

Benedict goes up to the peak by himself and waits. When your own soul pokes at you:

GM: "Your voice says behind you, "You're gonna fail. You're NOT going to be good enough." It's Benerat."
Benedict: "No, you were the one that failed."
Benerat: "Pride goeth. We both know that we're not made for chasing down magic. Hell, I was barely able to control what I had. Tasty, tho."
Benedict: "Benedict turns away from it at that point. Aware, but he's angry - 'tasty'."
Jarrod: "That would be the large candy-like red button."

More things come out of the darkness. More buttonsome goodness:

GM: "Someone else, ponderous steps, large - well, no shadow being cast. He sits down beside you, sighs."
Benedict looks.
GM: "It's your dad."
Oberon: "You gonna lose this too? What are you throwing away this time?"
Benedict: "You never did understand me, did you?"
Scott: "He turns away at that point. But the anger has been turned up another notch."
GM: " 'You hurt me.' It's a girl's voice."
Deborah: "You're a bastard. You're a rat bastard."
Jarrod: "Funny you should put it that way."

Audience appreciation:

Benedict: "I turn."
GM: "It's Alyra, looking very shaken, very pale."
Benedict: "It wasn't me, but I /am/ sorry."
Alyra: "It was a part of you. You may hide it from yourself, but it was a part of you. We will never be happy."
Deborah to Scott, of Fred: "I want to hit him."
Lydia: "Oh, twist the knife."
GM: "There's a reason people come back form Eagle's Peak mad, and I don't mean angry."

Maid, Matron and Hag:

Benedict: "I cannot change what has happened. Tho - I wish to."
Alyra: " 'You could change your choice,' and she turns into Sonnet. 'There are always possibilities. You want more?' And she seems to be offering herself when she says that."
Benedict turns away at that point.
Scott: "Benedict Defcon level 2."
Shai: "Cleavage too, I bet."
Scott: "Oh of course."
GM: "' So what will you give up?' This is your mother's voice. 'What sacrifice are you here for?' "
Benedict turns and looks: "Not that you ever cared."
Cymnea: "Try having your father ripped away from you sometime and see how you feel."
Lydia: "Delighted!"
Cymnea: "You come from his seeeed."
GM: "There's contempt, raw contempt, in her voice."
Benedict: "You can't choose your parents."
Cymnea: "I could have chosen not to have you."
GM: "There's a flash and you can see Oberon and Cymnea arguing. He's jabbing a finger at her and saying, 'You need to show you're still in this; I need another son.' Your mother is looking at you: "You were a bargain. Don't ever think otherwise.' "

You pays your dollar and you takes your choice:

Scott: "Yeah, Benedict's got that seething boiling anger look on his face and he's about to hit Defcon 1. Turn away from her."
GM: "And Piero. Something that looks like him. 'Your choice. Are you ready? There's a door.' And there's a door."
Piero: "Know what you are giving up when you pass through , and it will take it."
Benedict: "And what will it give me in return?"
Piero: "Itself. Through doors come things. Power. Knowledge. Spirits. Demons. Friends. Enemies. Life. Death. Especially Death. At least with mine."
Benedict chuckles.

Echoes:

Shai: "Do you know who you are? Who are you? Do you have anything worth living for?"
Lydia: "What do you want?"

Is it me, or do Amberite Princes go through life looking like dinner to reality?

Piero: "As I said, the madness will take you, or you will pass through the door. There are not returns. There is no turning back. And we are hungry for you."
GM: "There's a glimmer at that point of something, and you have no idea what the hell you're talking to, but it is nothing you can ever approach understanding."

Choices made:

Piero: "Time's almost up!"
GM: "And he seems to be looking up at the sky for his measure of that."
Scott: "Benedict gets up, sword still naked in his hand, and ..."
GM: "Benedict reaches for the door; the door falls open. He steps through it. As you step through it, you feel a certain measure of warmth for your family die. Something points at him, 'I name you Unraveller', and someday you, too, will be undone. And you start to fall."

No one appreciates a good curriculum anymore:

Piero: "Fantastic; you were ready."
Benedict just kinda walks on by.
Piero: "Ah, students."

On soul selling:

Jarrod: "Basically you can pay now or pay later."
Deborah: "Karma credit plan: buy now, pay forever."

On Piero:

GM: "He kinda likes you."
Scott: "Oh, great. I've provided amusement and entertainment."

Sonnet convinces Sybil to try glamour - being Melody, in other words - before lunch with Lord Karm. It sorts of works. Elated things Rob didn't want to hear out of his wife:

Sybil: "I'm /blonde!/"

The dress Finndo arranged for Sybil has Finndo's heraldry on it. Even worse than that:

Shai to GM: "I did nothing about the sigil embroidered in her gown, because I Have A Plan."

Sybil thinks Karm's great. Karm thinks Sybil should be in a circle (he walks one around her). In return for using his name, he wants Sybil to be on call for the needs of House Karm. Upping the ante on 'worse than that':

Sybil: "How would you like a pet, Lord Karm?"
Karm: "A pet?"
Sybil: "Would you prefer air, earth, fire, or water?"

New vocabulary:

Sonnet: "What would happen if you should lose, Papa?"
Lydia: "Lose? I do not know this word."
Jarrod: "Lose? Me?"
Karm: "I will entertain that question, for you are my daughter."
Rob: "And now I will laugh at you."

Osric has told Cyrus about shadowwalking, and then invited him to give it a try. A look into his private delusions:

GM: "Cyrus has a somewhat idealized version of Rosewood, so he walked to that, rather than the actual Rosewood."
Osric: "It's, uhm. Very pretty."
Cyrus: "I thought so."
Osric: "Where is this, pray?"
Cyrus: "Home."
Osric: "Oh." Pause. "No."

Understanding our relationships:

Sonnet, quietly: "I love my father, but he scares me shitless."

Making the world work for _you_:

Lydia: "Cyrus's take on shadow is that it's your private insanity, that you can share with others."
Rob: "It's insanity with luggage."

Let's clarify how much Cyrus does not see the reality of his life:

Jarrod: "He went to DisneyRosewood."
Rob: "Remember FairyTale Amber, Deborah."
Deborah snarls.
Rob nods: "Right."

Cyrus's DisneyRosewood is full of very happy people working the fields, accepting their role in life; it's all very cheerful and orderly. How to break Osric in one shadow-walk or less:

Osric: "And the... indigenous happy people?"
Cyrus: "Yes?"
Osric: "Are they always like that?"
Cyrus: "Of course!"
GM: "Osric is attempting to convince Cyrus of the reality of things."
Shai: "Oh that's gong to take a hell of awhile."
Jarrod: "Yes. Especially because he can't get through half a sentence through all the singing"

Sybil gives Karm his elemental, which she has wrapped in a nice, masculine blue glass cologne bottle with the raised seal of Karm on it. Helpful warning labels:

Rob: "Do not open pointed at your face."

Having apparently bought in like a good girl to Karm's expectations, Sybil demonstrates why you get /explicit/ with the Fae:

Sybil: "And then I promptly go warn Prince Finndo that there's an elemental in the hands of Karm, because Karm did not get a promise of silence from me and that man is /not/ walking around with an elemental unchecked."

Piero, having been lent a copy of Ruustro's notes, comes back with some alarm to Finndo. He is sufficiently alarmed that he is going to perform a rite on himself to avoid remembering anything he's read, whatsoever. On appropriate responses:

Rob: "Finndo goes around then and tracks down every copy and burns it to ash."
GM: "Excellent."
Rob: "Finndo's dutiful."

Needing a little grey in your life:

Lydia: "I think Cyrus' reality is a little black and white."
Jarrod: "It's Disney or it's death. Take your pick."

Finndo approaches Lucan to see about Sonnet's protection should Karm die in the duel with Selm. On knowing your role in life:

Finndo: "I have no desire to see the lady or yourself forced into hiding."
Lucan: "That'll be tough. Hiding's what we do."

The consequences of working with Cyrus' brain:

Jarrod: "Anyone paying attention will notice Osric's drinking quite a lot lately."
Lydia: "Now you understand Cyrus's universe."
Jarrod: "Don't wanna!"

The rules of the duel:

Benedict: "This is first blood, right?"
Finndo nods.
Deborah: "Define first blood?"
GM: "First person who bleeds. First blood and to the death are pretty much indistinguishable for Karm, honestly."

More manipulation via letter:

Benedict: "Lord Karm, are you ready?"
Karm: "Oh yes."
Benedict: "Lord Selm, are you ready?"
Selm looks up towards Sonnet. He looks over to someone else. Nods. One of the guardsman goes over and hands Sonnet a letter:

'Lady Sonnet,
I wish you to understand there are no debts lingering between us.
Signed,
Selm'

Selm: "I am ready."

That moment when the pedestal shatters and the parent has clay on his feet afterall. Or, even worse, the possibility that there might be clay there. When the invincible and the omnipotent does something you /know/ is stupid. On disappointment:

GM: "Selm starts walking forward very slowly; Karm stalks forward rapidly, still, he's cautious enough that he's not making it into a full charge. Selm stops, watching him come on; Karm's not patient enough to wait. He stalks forward. They trade blows for a while in the sense that Selm keeps doing a gradual steering, turning him..."
Sonnet: "Papa, he's mapping you - he's _mapping you_..."
GM: "Selm says something low, and Karm comes at him hard, and Selm is driven back across the length of this area, Karm makes a quick cut for Selm's throat, Selm ducks, Selm gets over to the other quarter, Karm wheels, there's a flicking blade, Selm continues to break away, Karm starts towards him, stops, feels his cheek. Blood trickles down it."
Sonnet: "Stupid! STUPID!"
Benedict: "Stop!"
Benedict: "And I put myself into position between Karm and Selm."
Karm: "Fine." He throws his sword at your feet.
Benedict: "I declare this duel ended."

Assessing your opponents:

Benedict: "From watching that, I think I could take Karm - could I take Selm?"
GM: "If Selm had time to study you - you think not."
Deborah: "That's why you take Selm from behind, with - I don't know - something with range -"
Lydia: "A rock."

Selm comes to collect his winnings from Finndo. The price of curiosity:

Selm: "How much is it worth to you to know what I said?"
Finndo kicks the chest forward.
Selm: "It was innocuous - I said 'she's a pretty one; all over'."

Mutual blame and accusations as comfort:

Lucan: "If it helps, I'm still scared of him."
Sonnet: "Are you happy that you caused this?"
Lucan: "I haven't caused anything."
Sonnet: "You wrote the notes."
Lucan: "You were flirting."

And the real comfort:

Lucan: "You weren't brave enough. You haven't had any fun since you got back."
Sonnet: "No, I haven't."
Lucan: "See about that."
Sonnet: "Can't really kill him."
Lucan: "No, probably not. How about that - finally Someone Worthy."
Sonnet: "Oh blow me."
Lucan: "You aren't equipped, and neither am I."
Sonnet: "If you did this side of the goodwill gesture - never mind. I want to be alone for a while."

Understanding the political ramifications (a.k.a. Why We Love Rob):

Rob: "Finndo's going to make arrangements for half a dozen dangerous men to cross paths, offend, and end up in duels with Karm as soon as Court is done."

Selm and Karm as *boys*. Definitions needing work:

Oberon: "Selm has always been much more studied and measured than Karm. If I were to bet on it, which I didn't, I would have bet on Selm. I wasn't too surprised."
Osric: "The question is are you pleased by the result."
Oberon: "No. But boys will be boys."
Osric: "Fair enough."

Farewell, fair lady:

Selm: "Do you wish additional instruction or is Benedict sufficient?"
Sonnet: "Benedict is very skilled."
Selm: "I would never dispute that."

Winter Court ensues. At midwinter, gifts are exchanged. Some are inevitable:

Lydia: "So no Lady Ismerelda."
GM: "She sends her regrets. And she does send some gifts."
Scott: "Jewelry, no doubt."
Deborah: "Rubies."

Cyrus, before Midwinter, is promoted to Baronet (although his heritage is /not/ announced). Credit where credit is due:

Finndo: "The rumor around court is that the promotion to Baronet comes from Finndo."
Deborah: "Which of course Finndo leaks."
Rob: "Of course."

The dutiful son:

Rob: "Finndo gets both his parents magic eight balls."

Parental obligations:

GM: "Cymnea gives Osric a silver and onyx ring with 'remember me' engraved inside. Do you wear it?"
Osric: "Oh why not."
Deborah: "Oh you're evil. That's - she's evil. I like her."
Osric: "Of course. She's mom."

Boyd gave letters to Cyrus and to Cynthia. Cyrus' letter is actually a letter written to Boyd containing a description of a promising young sailor who looks like officer material. The description does not match Cyrus. Cynthia's letter is simply 'I'm sorry'. That final 'fuck you':

GM to Cyrus: "Not too long later, you receive news that he hanged himself."
Lydia: "At least he didn't leave a mess."

Gifts:

Oberon gave his three sons a silver horse each: Osric's is the nimblest, Finndo's the strongest, Benedict's the swiftest.

Cymnea gave Finndo a high quality tarot deck.
Cymnea gave Osric the onyx ring.
Cymnea gave Benedict a small granite mallet with a note reading 'If a jewel doth offend thine eye, strike it thus'.

Osric gave Oberon a puzzle.
Osric gave Sonnet and Sybil matching schoolmarm gowns.
Osric gave Cyrus a sextant.
Osric gave Finndo three bottles of wine from Osric's vineyard and a felt lined mahogany poker table with clay chips and all the fixings.
Osric gave Benedict a staff with a blade in it.
Osric gave the Vell brothers black iron gauntlets.
Osric gave Cymnea fast growing crystals.

Finndo gave Sonnet a mini catapult, rolled up to her window.
Finndo gave Sybil a huge bathtub with all the trimmings.
Finndo gave Cyrus serious combat boots with hidden blades.
Finndo gave Benedict a scabbard with a space to put trumps with the note 'Because I know you'll never go without'.
Finndo gave Osric a trump to his chambers in the castle with the note 'Because you can keep a secret'.
Finndo gave Rast a sledgehammer from Home Depot.
Finndo gave Aine a menagerie of stuffed animals.
Finndo gave Selm one of those perpetual motion machines with the balls.
Finndo gave Lady Cynthia a proper painting.

Benedict gave Sonnet and Sybil each a very fine sword. Sonnet's has a sapphire in the pommel; Sybil's has elemental symbols engraved in it.
Benedict gave Osric a pair of sneaky ranger boots.
Benedict gave Finndo an ivory card case.
Benedict gave Cyrus a head-dunking tub.

Cyrus gave Finndo a case of drugs.
Cyrus gave Sybil a break resistant padded case of small glass bottles.
Cyrus gave Sonnet a book of naval charts showing good places to hide.
Cyrus gave Osric a spyglass.
Cyrus gave Benedict an ornate sap.
Cyrus gave Cynthia a bottle of Granlibakken oil, plus something formal and expensive.
Cyrus gave Aine a small rat-dog named Arf in a red bow and bells, plus assorted toys.

Sonnet gave Karm a hound from Fjelstad.
Sonnet gave Osric a pointy hat.
Sonnet gave Selm a handkerchief stitched in silver.

Sybil gave Osric a great big ball of string.
Sybil gave Cyrus a piece of paper with the word 'Silence' drawn on it.
Sybil gave Benedict an herb satchel with a button on each packet, complete with herbs ranging from St. John's Wort to poison.
Sybil gave Sonnet a spring release push-knife, with optional poison and the antidote.
Sybil gave Lucan many many feathers with suggestions.
Sybil gave Karm butterflies trapped in an air elemental.
Sybil gave Finndo four minor elementals in a very badly embroidered and sewn satchel.

Karm gave Sonnet a suit of chainmail with a helm that bears the hawk of Karm.

There is much, much more. :) Additions are welcome.