Session 8: Dry Spirits

Players and Characters:

Lydia ........ Cyrus
Shai ........ Sonnet
Scott ........ Benedict
Jarrod ....... Osric
Rob ........ Finndo
Deborah ...... Sybil
Fred ........ GM

Quick recap:

Winter court in Castle Amber is just concluding. The party has stayed over the unusually long winter season, retaining rooms in the castle.

Ominous ways to begin a session:

GM: "Lydia, there is a knock on your door in the castle."
Lydia: "Who is there?"
GM: "Do you call out?"
Lydia: "No, I look out the peeophole."
GM: "No one there."
Lydia: "Greeaaaaat."

Do Not Anger The Short:

Lydia: "I call out."
GM: "No one answers."
Lydia: "Oh dear. I look out.
Rob: "Damn, I was thinking the King of Fjelstaaad."
GM: "No, it's not Kord. What? Make your peephole lower! No, he'd be on stilts."

Cyrus finds an envelope pinned to his door that summons him to the city. Upping the ominosity:

Cyrus: "Apparently, I'm going to the city! I change clothes to something nondescript - oh, and I'm checking that I'm not being followed."
GM: "Out of the castle?"
Cyrus: "Yeah."
GM grins: "I'll get back to you."

A boy's love for his mother is a touching thing:

GM: "And, ah, Osric -"
Osric: "Yeeessss."
GM: "Are you continuing to have your occasional lunches with Mother?"
Osric: "Yes. Mother's so niiiiice."

On habit:

GM: "And Benedict. Do you brood?"
Benedict: "Yes! No. Well. 3 things..."

On helpful suggestions, shooting down:

GM: "You could try to unbind a trump!"
Benedict: "No. NO."
Osric: "Cause that's safe! C'mon. It'll be fun!"

Wistful thinking (and Savoy is _still_ resented (cf. Session 3):

Benedict: "Do I find any rubies?"
GM: "Ah. No."
Benedict: "Happily practice on those..."

Osric has continued to lunch with his mother, Queen Cymnea, over the course of the winter season. When the GM has to ask these questions:

GM: "One lunch in particular, Osric, focuses on the topic of Cyrus."
Osric: "Uh huh."
GM: "What are you telling her about him ?"
Osric: "Uhm. I'll tell her the truth."
GM: What truth is that? What do you wish to disclose?"
Osric: "That his background is somewhat confused at the moment."

Denial's not just a river in Egypt anymore:

GM: "What details?"
Osric: "That I don't know any specifics."
GM: "Do you admit to him having the blood?"
Osric: "I don't, really -"
GM: "She doesn't admit to it."

If you prick me, do I not bleed:

Osric: "Well, the rat doesn't have blood -"
Scott: "That we know."
Jarrod: "He has bathwater."

On reading into things:

Osric: "I'll tell her that there is much that is hidden, regarding him."
Cymnea: "Mmm. So he keeps things in the closet, does he?"
Osric: "I haven't looked in his closet."
Cymnea: "That's not quite what I meant, but that's fine."

It's good to be Crown Prince:

Rob: "Meanwhile, Finndo concentrates on knowing everything with zenlike efficiency."

Or not:

Rob, speaking of Finndo's relationship with his mother: "Finndo is the charming, dutiful son; he puts in his 8 hours, so to speak."

Sonnet, at some point, hauled poor Sybil to the poor hairdresser's. On establishing the basic guidelines:

Deborah: "And you will Get Her Back for the first time at the hairdresser's."
Shai: "Oh, god, the scissors fly across the room at Sonnet?"
Deborah: "Never at Sonnet, no. Nothing at Sonnet; Sonnet's fine. The hairdresser, on the other hand..."
Shai: "No Setting The Establishment on Fire!"

Osric rolls observation:

Jarrod: "Well, I know my name... Great."
GM: "Nothing. Sorry."
Jarrod: "Oh, well, what else is new?"

On attention, welcome and not, encouraged and not:

GM: "Cyrus, over the next week, you become aware that the Queen is expressing an interest in Aine's education as well."
Cyrus: "FUCK. How does this interest manifest itself?"
GM: "It seems that while you were out in the city, she had a conversation with Cynthia. And Cynthia is extremely pleased, and insists that they maintain a residence at the castle."
Rob: "Ooooh, Mom's fucking with me."
Jarrod: "I love Mom! I may have to send her a card."

On instinct:

Cyrus: "What is the nature of her interest?"
GM: "Supplementing Finndo's educational assistance."
Cyrus: "Cyrus knows somehow that this is not a good thing."

Editorials and commentary:

Finndo: "I send my mother a ham."
Jarrod: "I hope Osric's there when that arrives. 'Always a thoughtful one.'"

The GM explains that Her Majesty is not directly intervening with Finndo's tutours or getting in their way; she is simply supplementing. Kwality control:

Rob: "Finndo understands that, and Mother needs to work on her subtlety."

On friends, supportive and not:

GM: "'Mother' also summons Sonnet at one point."
Sybil to Sonnet: "I don't have to gooo, I don't have to gooo, neeener."

Cymnea and Sonnet chat. Everyone has their price; it helps if the buyer knows it:

Cymnea: "You aren't much looking to get married, are you?"
Sonnet: "Not too much, no."
Cymnea: "How can I help you in that?"
Sonnet: "I imagine you have something else in mind already, Your Majesty."
Cymnea: "You are perspicacious." She hands Sonnet a scroll.
GM: "You have been named Osric's protector."

Future's so bright, I gotta wear shades:

Sonnet: "I admire your sense of humour, Your Majesty. A great deal. I trust this shall be quiet."
Cymnea: "It shall be quiet, but it is usable, as you wish, to insist upon your obligations elsewhere. I would like you to drop by, occasionally, when you are in town. I assume you shall be traveling?"
Sonnet: "I assume I will. I have not yet been released to the custody of my father."
Cymnea: "That seems... unlikely."

Did we mention the sense of humour?

Sonnet: "I believe I will drop by."
Cymnea: "Excellent."
Sonnet: "I assume this shall be kept quiet from the Prince?"
Cymnea, sweetly: "Oh, no, do tell him."

Every man on the road has his reasons for being there:

Rob in Finndo's voice: "I have spent too much time traveling; I had forgotten what Mother was like."
Scott: "Or maybe you haven't spent enough time traveling."

Piero visits Finndo; today, Piero is wearing a ruby in his eye socket. (Ah, fashion.) Piero, last session, finished reading the sorcerer Ruustro's notes. (Ruustro is the fellow responsible for making the party's dopplegangers out of de-civilized bathwater and who bound the party in a dream until they pledged to help his desert city.) After reading the notes, Piero destroyed every copy and then erased his own memory of them. The trouble with leaving clues about, sheesh:

Piero: "I have this note; it is addressed to myself."
Finndo: "Interesting."
Piero: "It comes from myself."
Finndo: "Ah. I imagine this perhaps has something to do with a gap in your memory."

It's good to have your excuses lined up:

Piero: "I wish to inform you that I have since been probing out the border between us and the desert since I read this note; something is interfering with my scrying."
Finndo: "That is troubling."
Piero: "Yes, and as I do not like desert climes, and in view of this note, I thought I would inform you and then absent myself."

The diplomat compliments the little accessories that matter so much:

Finndo to Piero, about the ruby: "The choice of gemstones seems appropriate for the matter at hand."

Finndo and Piero continue to discuss Piero's memory gap. Arming your large thermonuclear device (as compared to the small one):

Finndo: "As the second, there is a name I would like you to remember: Ruustro's."
Piero: "He is not familiar to me."
Finndo: "As far as I can determine, he is a wizard and an alchemist of probably Gheneshi origins whose experiments were the reason for the ritual."
Piero: "I turn custody of this information over to you; I have not brought this up with your father as I do not know if that was part of what I have forgotten."
Finndo: "Do check in on Benedict, Piero; he has been somewhat... surly since Eagle's Peak."

Benedict, last session, went to Eagle's Peak with Piero and exchanged his right to the throne for power. An effect of this exchange manifests in a detachment on Benedict's part. Discussing this detachment:

Scott: "Yes, well, all that familial good will -"
Rob: "Yes, that vast array of familial good will -"
Scott: "There was some!"

Establishing lines of credit:

Sonnet: "Sonnet's in a good mood again!"
Deborah: "Good! I encourage this - Sybil's not stupid."
Sonnet: "We go shopping!"
Deborah: "Sybil develops an intense love of shopping - particularly since it's not her money."
Sonnet: "It's Prince Finndo's money, right."

Oberon takes Finndo aside for a meeting. The ominosity meter clicks up a notch or two:

Oberon: "Three guesses: Why would Ismerelda be coming here?"
Finndo: "I can get it in one."
Oberon: "Excellent."
Finndo: "Piero can't see into Ghenesh."
Oberon: "How do you know this and I don't?"
Finndo: "Piero came to me about it. I was just laying cards to contact you."
Oberon: "Right."

Desperate measures (and it's nice to know Oberon has _some_ scruples when it comes to true cruelty):

Finndo: "I don't suppose we could convince Rast to be courting her?"
Oberon: "No."
Finndo: "No."
Oberon: "I like Rast too much."

Making the situation sound better and better:

Finndo: "I do not know what any of this entails. Piero himself has a gap in his memory, which is why he came to me."
Oberon: "Memory just flew out of his ears or something?"
Finndo: "No, Ruustro's notes, it turns out, were quite dangerous."
Oberon: "Oh, good."
Finndo: "Sufficiently dangerous that all copies have been destroyed, and the memories erased from his mind."
Oberon: "He always was thorough. Too creative, but thorough."
Finndo: "Thorough, yes."

We last met Ismerelda, Regent of Savoy, when her son (who is actually a daughter, and therefore a Witch, and therefore not the boy that would be Ismerelda's only legitimate claim to the Regency of Barony of Savoy) ran away from home and nearly got sacrificed by druids in Tanauril. Not that we're bitter, and not that the situation isn't rife with enough complications:

Oberon: "Don't hate me, but you're going to be receiving her."
Finndo: "Yeess. Is she bringing the Baron?"
Oberon: "I didn't think to ask."
Finndo: "Right. How do her and Mother get along?"
Oberon: "I have never had a chance to find out."
Finndo: "I am somewhat afraid to find out. Thanks a lot, Dad."

When last we visited Savoy, we left with an impressive number of rubies stashed on our person. It wasn't generosity; Ismerelda was using the rubies as tracking and eavesdropping devices. Naturally, we buried them in Homewood. On giving a man ideas:

Rob: "Finndo is going on a jaunt to Homewood, where he will dig up that entire cache of rubies we buried."
Scott: "Do you REALLY want to give those back to her?""
Rob: "Yes. Of course."
Scott: "So she can dole them out here?"
Rob: "No, I'm going to give them back to YOU to give them back to her."

Timing is everything. Timing, and distance:

Lydia: "Handing the rubies back to her after she's departing, presumably, as opposed to when she's arriving."
Shai: "By courier. Yes."

The Lady Ismerelda's party draws up to Amber Castle. On grasping the situation:

Cyrus: "Ah, yes, she's arriving; how not delightful!"

Timing, and style, rather:

Sybil: "Can we go shopping? Nonstop? Never coming back to the castle - Why Can't We KILL her?!"
Sonnet: "She is coming for a diplomatic visit; it is TACKY to kill people on diplomatic visits. After they leave, however..."

Finndo corners Cyrus. On honesty, relative definitions oof:

Finndo: "Did your trip to the city go well?"
Cyrus: "Yes."
Finndo: "Anything I need to know?"
Cyrus, brightly: "No!"

On allies:

Finndo, of Ismerelda: "There is no intended slight in greeting her; as far as Finndo is concerned, she may be a bitch but she's on the team."

Sybil and Sonnet are watching Ismerelda's arrival from a balcony. On assessments of allies:

GM: "She is traveling with a very small party - three others..."
Sybil: "Her ass got kicked by her kid again."
Sonnet: "Possibly. And she's run here for help."

Sorcerers saying hello, don't piss in my catbox, and other pleasantries:

GM: "Piero and Ismerelda exchange in a duel of faint expressions at one another. Few words are said, if any, but there is a conversation going on."
Finndo rolls a sense motive to follow the exchange.
GM: "There is very much a 'you will be watched you are in my territory don't think you have any surprises.' There was a certain amount of respect, but it ends with the last bit with her being miffed."

Define 'fun', and other amusements:

Sonnet: "Let's go shopping?"
Sybil: "No, I want to watch. Let's go see what the boys are up to."
Sonnet: "Which boys?"
Sybil: "The fun boys."
Sonnet: "Oh, yes. Let's go find them."

Osric is lunching with Cymnea when Ismerelda arrives. It's good to know how one responds:

Cymnea sets her fork down for a moment.
Osric: "Something?"
Cymnea: "Guests."
Osric: "That would be Ismerelda, I imagine."
Cymnea: "Yes. I just - didn't quite expect that exchange."
Scott: "Mom's starting to really scare me."

And the Karm response:

Osric: "Exchange?"
Cymnea: "I think Piero was around spraying the walls or something. "
Sonnet: "Ah, Mom. Sonnet really likes the queen."

Back to that sense of humour:

Cymnea: "I should do my best to avoid her."
Osric: "Yes."
Cymnea: "Talked to Sonnet recently?"
Osric: "No. Should I?"
Cymnea, sweetly: "No."

I'm not sure that's what the GM was asking for, but hey, thanks for sharing:

GM: "Cyrus?"
Lydia: "Lady Ismerelda scares the shit out of me."

... but why waste an opportunity:

GM to Finndo: "How far away from Cyrus did you put her [Lady Ismerelda]?"
Finndo: "Honestly, Cyrus was not a concern when she was placed [in a room in the castle]."
GM: "She is at least not adjacent."
Cyrus: "Lovely."
GM: "Does this mean that you hide?"
Cyrus: No, it merely means that I am unobtrusive."

On coping mechanisms:

Sonnet: "You could come shopping with us!"
Cyrus: "No."
Sonnet: "Sybil shopping is a sight to behold."
Cyrus: "I believe I will become Finndo's shadow."

Finndo informs Oberon that the Lady Ismerelda has arrived. On enthusiasm:

Finndo: "She's here."
Oberon: "Oh good."
Finndo: "And unsurprisingly, she wants an audience."
Oberon: "Better."
Finndo: "When's good?"
Oberon rubs his eyes: "Hang on, I'm throwing out a few answers."

Oberon did say 'don't hate me'. Always happy to oblige:

Oberon: "Good. Better get it over with."
Finndo: "Excellent. Shall I arrange dinner?"
Oberon: "What the hell, I can lose my appetite for an evening."
Finndo: "Shall I make it public enough to include Mother?"
Oberon: "Do you HATE me?"
Finndo: "I thought it might prove a distraction."
Oberon, flatly: "No."
Finndo: "Just considering the possibilities. I'll make arrangements."
Oberon: "Good."

A good host considers the feelings of his guests:

GM: "Who is invited?"
Finndo: "Cyrus is informed, so he can make an appearance or hide as he sees fit. The Lady Ismerelda, her entourage..."

Dinner plans and hospitality, personalized:

Cyrus: "I'm eavesdropping."
GM: "Okay. How?"
Finndo: "Finndo will actually set it up to allow him to - we know the places used. Cyrus' job will be to watch the eavesdroppers - and make sure no one else eavesdrops."

We had not yet explained to the GM about the Shopping Expeditions. Philosophical finances:

GM: "Ladies?"
Sonnet: "We have a nice dinner and discuss the day's purchases - Sybil's purchases."
Sybil: "It's Finndo's money, see."
Finndo: "Technically, it's Selm's money."

And every man 'neath his vine and fig tree:

Osric: "It might be terribly gauche to skip it [the dinner with Ismerelda]."
GM: "You could seek your brother's [Finndo's] advice on that."
Osric: "I'd rather chew glass."

Be careful what role models you ask for:

Sonnet: "Lucan of course recommends the scandalous undergarments."
Deborah: "Do you explain about underwear and scandal?"
Shai: "No."
Deborah: "Oh, /god/."
Sonnet: "He wants you to try some on."
Sybil: "I don't want to be that much of a Karm!"

Ismerelda's dinner happens... efficiently. It turns out that Ismerelda is, in fact, in Amber castle due to the fact that she cannot see into Ghenesh. Advantages of a closed border with Ghenesh, afterall:

Jarrod: "She gets her rubies from Ghenesh, doesn't she?"
GM: "She doesn't bring that up, but it's a concern, yes."

After the dinner, Finndo and Osric and Benedict have a debriefing meeting with their father. When one plans, one mustn't forget to set up the blame:

Finndo: "So the question is do we wish to investigate this surreptitiously or openly? It's a good time of year for caravans to be going over the mountain."
Oberon: "Certainly."
Finndo: "If the problem is a simple or mundane one, then it could be acted out."
Oberon: "I do know of several in Savoy who could act as guides. I'm certain I could put the task of selecting them on her shoulders, make her invest some -"
Finndo: "I'm sure she's willing to invest; I think that we should go, if this is Ruustro's work..."
Oberon: "If that wall has gone up, there's a lot of things it could potentially prevent, like, oh, I don't know...." He looks pointedly at Osric (the implication being that Osrat is responsible for the wall, and Osric is responsible for Osrat.)

On cue:

Finndo: "I would suggest that should this have impact on certain powers, Osric's expertise would be of quite some use, and Benedict is the future warden of the north."
Benedict: "I would suggest reinforcing the northern borders."
Oberon: "Yeah."

Providing motivation for cooperation:

Finndo: "If nothing else, it would give the northern brothers something to focus on. Very well." He raises his voice to bellow, "CYRUS, YOU'RE COMING ALONG."
Oberon: "Had him watching did you?
Finndo: "Better him than someone else. And Mother has taken quite an interest. It couldn't hurt to get him out of the castle for a while."
Oberon: "YES."

Everyone has their special quality that makes them a necessary addition to the party:

Finndo: "I think Sybil would be an excellent choice, because I am leery of letting her out of my sight for a while."
Scott: "She'll try to wake the mountain again."

The one, the original, source of oblique remarks:

Finndo: "And Lady Sonnet- I do not know what her disposition with her father will be..."
Oberon: "You should ask her about that."
Finndo: "Interesting."
Oberon: "Lady Ismerelda?"
Finndo: "Let me tell her."

The Darth Vader School of Personnel Management:

Finndo: "Osric, I understand you have a small number of trained men not far from here?"
Osric: "Yes."
Finndo: "How would they feel about caravan guard duty?"
Osric: "It's not really up to them, is it?"
Finndo: "Well, I assume you would prefer men you trust and know."
Osric: "All 100 of them?"
Finndo: "Well, a dozen armed men- "
Osric: "I know just the twelve."

On requirements:

Finndo: "I think I have some ladies to have discussions with."
Cyrus: "You are intercepted on your way out: 'What kind of merchants do you want to be?'"
Scott: "Benedict walks by, "NO FISH!" keeps walking."

Starting out with good intentions:

Cyrus: "Do we want to be legitimate merchants or less than legitimate merchants?"
Finndo: "LEGITIMATE merchants. Let's cause no more trouble than we have to."

Finndo: "Metals I don't like because I don't wish to ship them weapons."
Cyrus: "Tapestries I like because we can set them on fire if necessary."

Finndo, dutifully, meets with Ismerelda to get her buy-in and guides. Charming woman:

Finndo: "Lady Ismerelda."
Ismerelda: "Yes."
Finndo: "I hope that the trip found you well and that Ivan is in good health."
Ismerelda: "He is."
Finndo: "Excellent. I hope that your departure does not put too much strain on him or the realm."
Ismerelda: "No, he's well looked after."

Did we mention that you actually had to invest:

Finndo: "Excellent. We share many of your concerns about potential difficulties in Ghenesh -"
Ismerelda: "That's heartening - "
Finndo: " - and are making arrangements to visit ourselves."
Ismerelda: "Very well."
Finndo: "We will in all likelihood be traveling incognito; if this is the time for caravans going over the mountain, then one more should allow us insight. I hope that we can depend upon you for guides."
Ismerelda: "I can spare a few."
Finndo: "We shall be departing in a few days."
Ismerelda: "Shall I accompany you?"
Finndo: "If you wish, your company would be a delight."

Finndo next seeks out Sonnet. He finds her in her rooms, accompanied by Sybil; the women are discussing that afternoon's purchases. Why you do not leave bored women unattended with your credit account and access to the milliners and dressmakers of Amber City:

GM: "Are there boxes?"
Deborah: Remember that window she [Sonnet] had? It's a wall of boxes."
Shai: "The ones that didn't fit in her room."
Finndo: "Lady Sybil, will you excuse us a moment?"
Sybil: "Certainly; I'll go check on the boxes."
Finndo: "In your room?"
Sybil smiles brightly: "The ones in the hall. They didn't fit."

On knowing who to thank:

Finndo: "I take it you helped."
Sonnet: "She wanted some suggestions."

Poor Finndo; the calendar just keeps filling up:

GM: "Are any of the boxes open?"
Sonnet: "Yes."
GM to Finndo: "Looks like some of the suggestions were Lucan's."
Sonnet: "She didn't try any of them ON - "
Finndo: "Another talk I have to have this evening."

Establishing the facts and being reassuring, Amber Style:

Finndo: "My father made an oblique comment."
Sonnet: "Royalty does that."
Finndo: "Yes, but in this one, he rather specifically directed me to you."
Sonnet: "Should I be afraid?"
Finndo: "I am not certain, but the answer led the question to you and so I must ask: what is your status, Lady Sonnet?"
Sonnet: "I am not certain, Prince Finndo."

Volunteering:

Finndo: "I thought I would leave it to you to provide appropriate answers."
Sonnet: "Those answers seemed appropriate - I could provide others."
Finndo: "That won't be necessary."

The requisite moment:

Finndo: "At the moment, there is the matter of your status with your father."
Sonnet: "I am his daughter; he is my father."
Jarrod: "You dumbass."

The importance of personal investment:

Sonnet: "Would you like some wine?"
Finndo: "No, thank you."
Sonnet: "I was told it was your favorite."
Finndo: "Yes, I imagine that vendor also charged you twice what he should have -"
Sonnet: "Well, yes, but it was your money."

The consequence of all these lovely conversations:

Sonnet: "I am very sorry; what have you been drinking this evening?"
Finndo: "Cynicism."
Lydia: "Does that taste better aged?"

On Sybil:

Sonnet: "She has become quite delightful."
Finndo: "I am afraid that I would not feel comfortable leaving Lady Sybil unattended in the castle -"
Lydia: "Or anywhere else."
Sonnet: "She can be quite useful, can she not?"

Quid Pro Quo:

Sonnet: "When are we traveling?"
Finndo: "I can answer that when I know your status."

Sometimes, less is more:

Finndo: "Lucan."
Lucan: "Yeah?"
Finndo: "I notice that you helped in picking out many of Lady Sybil's purchases."
Lucan: "Only a little."
Finndo: "Less, in the future, please."

Finndo then informs Sybil of the plan. Interpreting the data:

Finndo: "Lady Sybil, we will be traveling soon."
Sybil: "Lovely."
Finndo: "To the north."
Sybil: "Even more lovely."
Finndo: "We will be traveling to Savoy."
Sybil: "Prince Finndo, have I upset you recently?"

The employer/employee relationship founded on polite lies:

Finndo: "Not at all. We will be visiting Lady Ismerelda."
Sybil: "How delightful. I look forward to enjoying her company."
Finndo: "I will also be enjoying her delightful company, even more so."

On desperation:

Sybil: "If necessary, I will apologize for the mountain again."
Finndo: "No."

On advice:

Benedict: "May I recommend taking men who can shoot bows well?"
Rob: "Well, I was planning on taking the men who shoot poorly..."

Marital warmth aka A fine demonstration on why Cyrus /is/ leaving:

Cyrus: "Cyrus informs his wife he is leaving."
Cynthia: "Oh, I'm sorry."
The Peanut Gallery: "Oh, how lovely!"

Sonnet at last goes to see Osric. It's good to know that one's gifts are not wasted:

Osric: "Osric is in his dressing gown; he is wearing the pointy hat."

Sonnet gives Osric the scroll Cymnea gave her; the seal is broken. The scroll names Sonnet as Osric's protector. It's the small joys in life that keeps one going:

Osric: "I see someone else has a sense of humour."
Sonnet: "It appears Her Majesty doesn't care if your brothers fall flat on their face but she wants someone to look after you; is this agreeable to you?"
Osric: "Oh yes."
Sonnet: "Prince Finndo is running about trying to ascertain my status; I would appreciate it if you would mention something to the Prince about your desire to have me accompany the party. It is your decision to tell him of the arrangement, of course. I have not mentioned it to the Prince."
Osric: "Amusing."

Showing appreciation:

Osric: "I'll leave the pointy hat at the castle, so it won't be damaged."
Sonnet: "I'm touched that you like the gift."

Benedict, meanwhile, visits Homewood to check on Alyra and warn Logan. He explains that they cannot see into Ghenesh and will be taking a party to investigate. Summing up the tactical angle:

Benedict: "We don't have any information; we're going to rectify that."
Logan: "I'll make sure my ass to the west is covered."

Reputation precedes a lady wherever she goes:

Benedict: "My brother and Lady Ismerelda will be along."
Logan: "Ah." Long pause. "Homewood is big; I can hide anywhere."

Wacky, wacky people:

Benedict: "How's Alyra?"
Logan: "She's eating."
Jarrod: "She is in the bathroom and she is not coming out until it can be conclusively proven that she is not a fish."
Everyone stares at Jarrod.

Sonnet and Sybil discuss Finndo's interest in Sonnet's status. On methodology:

Sonnet: "For some reason, if he was fishing for information -"
Sybil: "Finndo doesn't have to fish."
Sonnet: "Oh true. He just clubs it out of people."

Sybil has been helpfully suggesting that Sonnet employ Lucan on Cyrus. (Waaaaaay too much time spent around Sonnet.) On innocence:

Sonnet: "I never did give Lucan his midwinter gift."
Sybil: "I did."
Sonnet: "Oh? What did you give him?"
Sybil, sheepish: "Feathers."
Sonnet: "How did you know I was ticklish?"

The trouble with coming in on the middle of the conversation:

Deborah: "You can see her [Sybil] check off a note: ask Finndo 'what's ticklish'?"
GM _stares_.
Deborah to GM: "You _don't_ want to know."

It gets more oblique with each new involvement:

Osric: "I understand you have been inquiring about the Lady Sonnet's status."
Finndo: "Yes, I have been. Oberon made an oblique comment that I should ask her."
Osric: "It has come to my attention that her status is at our disposal."
Finndo: "Interesting."
Finndo gives Osric a Finndo look.
Osric: "Let's just say that Mother has got a hand in it."

Twisting the knife:

Osric to Finndo (about Sonnet's status): "Better you not know the exact reasons."

Finndo speaks with Cyrus about the educational provisions made for Cyrus' daughter, Aine. Honor thy father and mother:

Cyrus: "The Queen has made arrangements for my family."
Finndo: "I love my mother dearly, and I would love her NOT to be the sole influence on your family."

Finndo arranges for Lady Cynthia to manage a portfolio of holdings for him. The merit of a flexible outlook on ethics:

Finndo: "Finndo is not worried about that because he cannot imagine her being less honest than her husband."
Cyrus: "I am completely honest!"
Finndo: "For certain values and from a certain perspective."

Speaking of Cynthia. Learn something new every day:

Fred: "She's a starfucker."
Deborah: "A _what_?"
Fred: "A starfucker."
Deborah: "I don't get it."
Rob: "She's a groupie."
Scott: "She just got taken backstage to see Van Halen and they said, 'hey, wanna be our manager?'."
Deborah: "Oooohkay."

Osric says goodbye to Cymnea. You can bask in the warmth's afterglow:

Osric: "Wish me luck, then."
Cymnea: "Of course."
Osric: "Preferably good."
Cymnea: "Oh, yes."

Give an artist range for self expression:

Finndo: "And having spoken with Osric, Finndo makes arrangements with Lucan. Do Not Pack Anything Stupid. Make sure everyone is ready."
Lucan: "How do you mean ready?"
Finndo: "We will be going north, it will be cold. We will be going over the desert, it will be hot. And cold at night. We will be going over mountains, it will be high."
Lucan: "Neat."
Finndo: "Feel free to pack as sarcastically as possible."

No dumb boy, he:

Cyrus: 'I do my OWN packing."

The party sets out with Lady Ismerelda on tow, whom they are taking back to Savoy. It's useful to know what you can count on your family for:

Finndo: "Finndo will continue to be INCREDIBLY cheerful and charming with Lady Ismerelda."
Osric: "And Osric will continue to let him."

They use Pattern to speed up travel. The hazards of randomly displeased vegetation:

Finndo to Osric: "Please do ensure that nothing untoward happens to Lady Ismerelda."
Sybil looks crestfallen.
Osric: "Finndo will be hit in the head by one branch, but other than that, he'll be subtle."

We go through Savoy a bit hastily. The GM's desire to accommodate the party's mood (when it comes to Savoy) leaks into his descriptions. On clarification:

GM: "Ravenloft, misty mountains, blah blah blah -"
Scott: "I can tell you this; he can set a mood."
GM: "You guys have been in Savoy before; I know you don't like it -"
Lydia: "It's not Savoy; we don't like HER."

Good as his word, he is. Enthusiastic suggestions, we have:

Finndo: "I return her [Ismerelda's] rubies to her and ask her if she would like to keep one."
Sybil to Sonnet: "Shoved somewhere innappropriate?"
Osric: "Yess."

Finndo asked Ismerelda to provide guides into Ghenesh. Once in Savoy, Ismerelda does. Trending in Savoy never varies:

GM: "The people Lady Ismerelda brings to you are a couple. He's older, used to run caravans, hasn't in a while, speaks the language. His 'wife' - feels wrong to you - is fluent, can tell stars..."
Finndo: "Great. We've brought a witch."
GM: "Right."
Finndo: "Finndo makes that clear to everyone at some point or other."
Scott: "We all look surprised."

Taking the metaphor a bit far:

Sybil: "Prince Benedict, may I please retain a small flask of water? I need a focus for the water elemental."
Benedict: "Certainly."
Scott: "You keep the thermonuclear weapon happy."
Deborah: "She just wants to be armed. Just give the weapon her key."

Some people just don't have their mother's sense of humour:

Benedict: "Don't wake the mountain range."
Sybil, with a completely straight face: "I was thinking about the desert."
Benedict: "NO."
Sybil blinkblinkblinks.
Benedict: "NO."

On contributing:

Finndo: "... and the ladies are along for those reasons ladies are along on such tings."
Sonnet: "So we're camp followers."
Finndo: "Cooks."
Sybil: "Sybil looks confused."
Finndo: "And Lady Sonnet, please be sure Sybil does NOT cook."
Sybil: "That's not fair!"
Finndo: "Very well, you may both cook."

Instructions, somewhat modified for the audience, on persona generation:

Finndo: "We are from Homewood, or at least the caravan is; please feel free to invent your own fictional histories. Please share so that we do not inconveniently tell the wrong lies."

The party has been trying to learn the language of Gheneshi on the road to Ghenesh. The results are not exactly fluent, and, well, the choice of phrase says a lot:

Fred: "You can ask where the bathroom is."
Deborah: "Do we learn 'we'll kill you if you don't cooperate'?"
Lydia: "Useful phrases like surrender, you're surrounded... Death."

We all have our reasons:

Finndo: "Lady Sybil, you are my niece."
Sybil: "Can't I be Sonnet's sister?"
Sonnet: "Well, since we're from Homewood..."
Sybil: "If you _prefer_, Prince Finndo."
Scott: "Boxes. Buttons."
Lydia: "Paranoia."

The GM explains that we are crossing through dessert, surrounded by sand. On pattern recognition, merits of:

Deborah: "Oooooh, I have an idea."
Scott squeezes his eyes shut and rubs at them in a distinctly pained fashion.
Jarrod: "Noooo."
Deborah: "What?"

Apron strings wrapped around throats have their uses:

Sybil: "Sybil keeps murmuring to Sonnet what she could do with all that sand."
GM: "Do you do anything?"
Sonnet: "Not a good idea. Not nice. I wouldn't. Not a good idea. Remember, you're a simple girl from Homewood..."
Sybil deflates.
GM: "Apparently not."

Inevitably:

Cyrus: "I grow more and more paranoid."

The party trades in their horses for camels to cross the desert of Ghenesh. Encouraging the learning process:

GM: "The camel bites Benedict."
Benedict: "I turn around and slug him."
Sonnet: "It's the nature of the camel, I suspect."
Benedict: "Now he won't try to bite me anymore."

Use what you know:

Lydia: "They have big sticks for hitting camels with."
Jarrod: "He's more of a hands on kind of guy."

Once burned, had your castle shaken, twice shy:

Sybil: "We could send air elementals on ahead -"
Sonnet: "You're from Homewood, remember?"
Sybil: "If we were quiet about it -"
Benedict's camel clop clops up: "NO." He clop clops past.
Sybil: "That's all he says to me anymore."
Osric: "You noticed that, did you?"
Sonnet: "You'd think you were married."
Sybil: "Not to Prince Benedict."

The party at last arrives in a major city in Ghenesh. It's a city teeming with people, disreputable urchins - the sort of place where people habitually sleep physically holding onto their stuff. On literalism:

Sonnet to Sybil: "Watch your pockets."
Sybil: "Sybil looks down."
Sonnet: "Without looking at them."

Twitchy thermonuclear device, problems with controlling:

Sybil: "I really don't like this..."
Sonnet: "I know..."
Sybil: "I could make a great big path with just one elemental..."
Sonnet: "Don't Do It."

When even the fae recognizes the pattern, you can call it safely established:

Benedict turns to Sybil.
Sybil: "Let me guess: 'No'."
Benedict silently applauds.

The call home to say we have safely arrived goes unusually well:

Finndo: "Dad?"
Oberon: "Finndo?"
Finndo: "There's some interference, it seems."
Oberon: "Uh, yeah."
Finndo: "But we're in Mekesh."
Oberon: "Nothing's eaten you yet?"
Finndo: "We're good."
Oberon sounds surprised: "Oooohkay."

Cyrus wants to go out and about town. Finndo has a problem with that. Friends don't let friends travel and murder and drink:

Finndo: "I need to make sure you will neither drink nor get in a fight."
Cyrus: "I could take Lady Sonnet with me."
Finndo: "That would do nothing to reassure me. Instead, I myself will be going out, if you will accompany me."
Cyrus: "I see. Very well."

Fifteen minutes of pity, somewhat aborted:

Lydia: "I can't drriiiink!"
GM: "My eyes are bleeding."
Scott: "World's smallest violin."

Sometimes you just can't win:

Cyrus: "Not even a drink? Just one?"
Finndo: "I'm not sure what one will buy you."

The women are left alone at camp, largely, with Osric's dozen men. Too much time spent with, well, everyone:

Sybil: "We could play tag with them [the guards]."
Sonnet: "We shouldn't damage them. They could be useful later."
Sybil: "Oh."
Sonnet: "They're not ours."
Sybil: "Your point is what?"

Different means to the same end - well, slightly less soggy end:

Finndo: "We are not searching for a tavern, we are searching for a merchant, from which one drink may be purchased and brought back to the camp and consumed, out of the public eye, in MODERATION."
Cyrus: "But you're missing all the opportunities to talk to people."
Finndo: "Perhaps you have noticed that I am talking to a great many people."
Cyrus: "But they're not sufficiently seedy!"
Finndo: "I assure you I am quite good at this."

Cyrus gets his one drink in the form of a gourd of some liquid, which they take back to camp. Why Prohibition failed:

Cyrus: "Is the gourd of stuff any good?"
GM nods, smiling.
Shai: "You don't remember."
GM: "You're not sure it's alcohol, but it's got a kick. You really wish you had more."
Finndo: "Noooo."

The Savoy Witch, who has stayed up till all hours all the previous nights, retires quite early. Sonnet is suspicious of the woman's intentions, and Sybil convinces Sonnet to allow her to try spying on the Witch. Now, Rob once ran a game where Fred had to negotiate with the elementals he summoned. On the application of karma:

Sybil: "I summon an air elemental."
GM: "He's wearing a fez." The GM smiles a broad, squinty smile and spreads his arms expansively. 'Salaam!'"
Sybil: "... What?"
GM: "He's wearing a fez. 'You have summoned Abdul!'"
Sybil: "He's wearing a _fez_."
Rob: "And Fred gets his revenge."

On greed:

Sybil: I want you to spy on the tent.
Abdul: I require gold!
Sybil: You /what/? I bind you. You're an elemental. That's how it works.
Abdul: Bind? I do not /bind/. I want gold!

Sybil agrees to a price with Abdul and sends him off to spy on the Witch, being anal about her instructions. Culture conflict revenge:

Sybil: "Describe the candles, describe what she says what she's wearing, be very explicit and subtle. Go."
Abdul, disgusted: "Easterners."

Karma cubed:

Abdul: "Abdul is here to tell you that the woman with the candles is gone."
Sybil: "Gone? How did she go?"
Abdul: "Abdul will tell you." Smiling broadly, arms out, "Abdul went to look. The tent was there." He turns slightly to the left, arms out. "The tent was not there."
Sybil: "What do you mean not there? Did you see it go? Describe what happened."
Abdul: "Abdul has done just this. Where is my gold?"
Sybil stares.

Shoot for the stars:

Cyrus: "I decide it is probably that there will be alcohol outside my tent."
GM: "Thought you'd try that. Nope. No alcohol."
Rob points to Lydia's sheet: "It takes two of the little dots next to Pattern for that."

As it turns out, the Witch's tent has indeed vanished. As have the caravan wagons, the guardsmen on them, the horses related to them - poof gone not there. Finndo and Cyrus return to camp to discover this turn of events. Explanations rush out - well. Passing the buck rushes out, actually:

Finndo: "Perhaps you should begin at the beginning."
Sybil: "Lady Sonnet would be pleased to begin at the beginning."
Cyrus: "I left my tent and there was no alcohol."
Finndo: "At least /someone/ is honest."

Sonnet explains the order of events. The benefits of extreme paranoia and anal retentive packing:

Sonnet: "Do we have iron left?"
Sybil: "THANK you, Sonnet."
Finndo: "The iron was primarily on the wagons but we retain a small amount on our persons."

Benedict searches the ground for evidence of the existence of the wagons in the first place. Who wants to bet on two or more dots of Pattern?

Finndo: "Osric, does it look very much to you that they were subtracted?"
Osric: "That's a possibility."
GM to Benedict: "It looks like the wagons were never /here/. You look hard."
Benedict: "I do."
GM: "They were never here."

Sonnet asks the neighbors about the party's vanished wagons. She comes back with disturbing news. So the brothers are going to ask reality. On using the resources you have:

Sonnet: "I have learned two things from our neighbors. 1) They are all Gheneshi. 2) They all believe we didn't have wagons to begin with."
Finndo: "Yes. Osric?"
Osric: "Yes, brother, are you looking for yourself again?"
Finndo: "Up for a short walk?"
Osric: "Well, let's see, shall we?"

Hey, who ya callin' scruffy?!

Sonnet: "I'm pretty sure I did not do this. I am pretty sure Sybil did not do this -"
Sybil: "Thank you."
Sonnet: "Though I do not trust her friends -"
Sybil: "He's not my friend, he's a scummy little hat wearing thing -"
Sonnet: "Find, I don't trust your scummy little hat wearing thing."

Finndo tries using the trump of Ruustro's city. It knocks him out pretty swiftly. He comes to. Blood is thicker than water:

Finndo: "I appear to be on the ground."
Cyrus: "Yes."
Finndo: "Oh dear oh dear oh dear. That didn't work." Pause. "I could try something MUCH worse."
Osric: "Oh, dear, he's got to THINKING again."
Benedict: "Now you're starting to scare me the way Sybil scares me."

Geeks, gotta love 'em:

GM: "Are you actually going through?"
Finndo: "I will ping it for trumpiness."
Shai: "Ping for connectivity."
Deborah: "3 ms 4 ms 2 ms."

Same thing, different ways to see it:

GM: "Finndo is trying to concentrate on the card and he's sinking into the sand."
Cyrus: "I grab him."
GM: "He's still sinking."
Benedict: "Grab him."
GM to Finndo: "You're calf deep in sand."
Finndo: "Most interesting possibilities."
Cyrus: "Death?"

It's good to accept your life for what it is:

Cyrus: "So we have a problem."
Finndo: "This is not new."

'Good afternoon. As part of our ongoing mission of customer service, we enjoy the opportunity to keep our customers up to date with pertinent information. As of today, the network is on fire. Thank you for calling.':

Finndo: "Finndo taps on the ruby dingdingding to get her attention: 'I have no idea if you can see this or not, but your witch has disappeared as has your caravan and your man as if they never existed. So, I just thought you'd like to know."

Magic, AOL style:

Sybil: "I listen to the ruby; what's it say?"
GM: "I've got a message for you, I've got a message for you - "
Sybil: "To /me/?"
GM: "No, in general."
Sybil squints.
Scott explains: "Broadcast traffic."
Deborah: "You've got Mail!"

On metaphors:

Finndo: "Finndo takes out his trump of Ismerelda."
GM: "Are you trumping her?"
Finndo: "No. I'm placing the ruby on her trump and ... encourage it. I leave it there for twenty minutes, and see what it does."
Sybil: "When that's done, I listen to the ruby. What's it say?"
GM: "Awaiting further instructions."
Finndo: "Well?"
Sybil: "Now that you've got console port access, it wants to know what you want to do. You've got a prompt."

On personality:

Finndo: "Very well, we have a couple of options. Now that we no longer have trade goods, we could set ourselves up in an inn."
Cyrus: "However, with the inns around us, that's two stories from which to fall."
Osric: "You have such a positive outlook."

Know your enemy. Then form an appropriate strategy with all due speed:

Cyrus: "An interesting question is, if we ask the merchants, whether they remember the /other/ caravans."
Finndo: "Since they didn't remember them anything more than vaguely -"
Sybil: "Then that would tell us if we were dealing with something already here or Osrat."
Finndo: "If it's Osrat, it's already very dangerous."
Sybil: "Yes, but that would tell us to start running."
Cyrus to Osric: "Could you do this?"
Osric: "Possibly, yes."
Sybil raises a hand: "Allright, then. Who's for running?"

Sybil, looking for Ruustro's city under the sand (since the topology, if nothing else, looks right), summons an earth elemental. Used car sales elementals:

GM: "And there's a sandy figure there, with a vest. Rajid has been summoned. How may Rajid assist you?"
Sybil: "I wish to know what is under the sand."
Rajid: "That is easy; the sand is under the sand."
Sybil shows him the drawing of Ruustro's city: "I am looking for this under the sand - or, better, where it is."
Rajid: "How much gold do you have?"

Some things have too high a price to pay:

Sybil: "I am sure what little coin a humble girl like me has would be insufficient."
Rajid: "For a task of this magnitude, I am sure you are correct."
Sybil: "That is a pity. I was going to pay a gold coin for this service, but if it is beyond your ability, I will not trouble you."
Rajid: "You should not ask such questions."

Acceptable losses:

Finndo: "We could make ourselves known, and pay a diplomatic visit; we could explore the city -"
Benedict: "By then, we may have lost the rest of our party."
Finndo: "That's the risk we'd take."

Sonnet brings Lucan up to date. Karm servants are so adaptable:

Lucan: "So weird stuff happened."
Sonnet: "Yes, but we're still alive."
Lucan: "So status quo."

Sybil asks Finndo for expense money in order to deal with the greedy local elementals. Finndo pulls Lucan aside. I don't know why the man is surprised:

Finndo: "Ah, Lucan. Good morning, Lucan."
Lucan: "Good morning, Prince Finndo."
Finndo: "I'd like to add something to the list of things not to discuss with Lady Sybil."
Lucan: "Huh?"

Bzzzzt, wrong answer:

Finndo: "I'd like you to not discuss finances with Lady Sybil."
Lucan: "You should have seen the way she was spending your money."
Finndo: "She hit me up for a cash advance."
Lucan: "Good for her!"

Addressing a man's strengths:

Finndo: "I would like you to not be a negative influence on the Lady Sybil."
Lucan: "I'm not a negative influence; she just asks questions and I say stuff to get her to shut up."
Finndo: "You have my sympathy. You might want to ask Lady Sonnet about lying more creatively."
Lucan: "You want me to lie?"
Finndo: "No, I want you to be more creative."

It's a sad thing when you no longer look forward to your life's work:

Finndo: "Lady Sybil, could this fountain be encouraged to water?"
Sybil sighs: "I suppose."

Money talks:

GM: "I am Azul! You wish water to come from this thing?
Sybil sighs: "It might be of interest to me."
Azul: "It might be of interest. I see. This could be a wishing fountain, with many coins in it."
Sybil: "I would not be averse to that."
Azul: "I think it could be started with some coin."
Sybil: "I throw in 4 copper."
GM: "Glub glub glub."
Finndo: "I toss in a gold."
GM: "WHOOOOOOOSH."

Cyrus attempts to research the local history and fairy tales. Ask a question, get an answer:

Cyrus: "What happens here?"
Man: "The sun rises, the sun sets, there is trade, people die in the streets. It is hot."

Sybil tries to find the city again, using another earth elemental. This one is willing to deal. Osric is not. Sometimes, they don't even have to hear both sides of the story:

Sybil: "I wish to find this city under the sand."
Hakim: "No."
Sybil: "Why not?"
Hakim: "It would go against my grain to do such things."
Sybil: "How expensive is your grain?"
Hakim: "Your first born child."
Sybil: "No."
Hakim: "Then-"
Sybil: "Does it have to be my child? What about someone else's? Does it have to be blood?"
Osric to GM: "Can I hear this?"
GM: "You can't hear him but she just started talking about blood."
Osric, firmly, to Sybil: "NO."

Finndo and Benedict are set upon by thugs while in the city. On impressively bad target selection:

Finndo: "Which one of you had this smart idea?"
GM: "The babbling Gheneshi points to the unconcious man Finndo just kicked."
Finndo: "You just lied to me. Benedict, please slap him."
Benedict slaps him.
Finndo: "Which one of you had this smart idea?"
GM: "He smiles. He has really bad teeth. He raises a hand slowly."

On resourcefulness:

Finndo: "Excellent. And your friend in the alley?"
GM: "He says 'He just beats people up for me.' "
Finndo: "Excellent. You will come with me."
Jarrod to Deborah: "Well, we got your life for you."

On needing to buy a 'Fair' in 'Lying Sonnet Style':

Finndo: "Anything interesting while we were away?"
Osric: "Well -"
Sybil: "No..."
Finndo: "Oddly, I don't need to roll sense motive."

Multitasking badly behaved cohorts:

Finndo: "You are going out to cause trouble, Sir Cyrus?
Cyrus: "No."
Finndo: "Trouble will be caused, I imagine."
Cyrus: "No."
Finndo: "How much do you intend to drink, Sir Cyrus?"
Cyrus: "I will bring it back."
Finndo: "I suggest you do. My apologies, Lady Sybil. Please continue."

Keeping the hooks in:

Osric to Benedict: "We never talk anymore..."
Benedict: "I've been busy."
Osric: "Yes."

Cyrus is not going out to drink but to, ah, sample product (cf. session 1, and no, I'm not explaining it). He is provided with a 14 year old boy. When you shock the degenerates, time to re-evaluate:

GM: "He tries to tickle you with a feather."
Cyrus: "That's not what I want. Cyrus explains."
Boy: "Why on earth would you want to do that!"
Lydia: "You don't want to know!"
Rob: "It's a house of ok repute."
GM: "I'm sorry, there must be some misunderstanding, we're terribly sorry, here is your money please leave."

Disappointment can be hard to swallow:

Cyrus: "I buy a lot of cheap alcohol and return to camp."
Finndo: "Take it inside, Finndo."
Lydia: "The worst thing is that he can't explain to Finndo!"
Rob: "That is only the worst thing from a certain perspective."

Poor Lucan. Everyone keeps using him for their shows of comradeship and other Clever Ideas:

Cyrus: "I would like you to take Sonnet to a brothel."
Lucan: "You sure Finndo wouldn't kick my ass for that?"
Cyrus: "I am sure Sonnet would find it very instructive."
Lucan: "Dude, what are you /on/?" He tries Cyrus's drink. "Wow. Hey Sonnet! Got an idea you want to try out!"

Just for the record:

Rob: "Have I mentioned that no good can come of this?"

Sybil, meantime, has explained to Finndo her dilemma. She has told Hakim (the earth elemental who wanted blood) to come back in three hours while she reached a decision. The issue, from her perspective, is that Osric does not want to give Hakim anything of that much power, and Finndo is likely to get ethical on her. The trouble with not being trusted with stupid ideas:

Jarrod: "Did you discuss this with Finndo in earshot?"
Deborah: "Oh yes, she wasn't secretive - they want blood, you're going to be difficult, do we give them blood -"
Osric: "Right. NO."

Meanwhile, the GM has pulled Sonnet's player into the kitchen for the brothel expedition scene. From the kitchen, Shai starts squealing and squeaking. On picking your victim carefully:

Rob: "Oh, god, they went. Oh, the beating that Finndo is going to give Lucan."
Shai is growing incoherent with mirth.
Deborah: "Lucan or Cyrus."
Rob: "Lucan."
Jarrod: "Cyrus would be more difficult."
Lydia: "Cyrus is sufficiently drunk, tho, that beating him would not be difficult."

Eager to assist:

Rob: "No, Cyrus is sufficiently drunk that he would be hung upside down and left there."
Benedict: "Okay!"

The earth elemental has come back on time. On diplomacy:

Hakim: "Hakim has returned as promised."
Finndo: "Please extend to Hakim our warmest thanks for deigning to return."
Sybil: "I have brought my master to meet you. He wishes to extend to you our warmest thanks for deigning to return."
Hakim: "He is your master?"
Sybil: "Yes."
GM: "Sybil, you can no longer understand them."

The long negotiation:

Hakim: "What terms?"
Finndo: "I understand the task is a strongly significant one."
Hakim: "It is very possible there would not be a Hakim if Hakim tried it."
Finndo: "Then let us begin somewhat earlier. Rather than risk Hakim, would Hakim be so inclined to tell us a tale of this place? I am sure the jingle of coin would accompany his voice most eloquently."
Hakim: "It would have to be a lot of coin."
Finndo: "To merely speak of this place?"
Hakim: "Yes."
Finndo: "Finndo plunks down 20 coin. 'Simply to talk.'"
Hakim: "That is very rich."
Finndo: "Yes."
Hakim: "Very well, I will speak briefly. Some time ago, this city diverged."
Finndo: "Interesting."
Hakim: "Hakim was not party to the particulars of why; a bargain was struck in it, most likely. This is not the city."
Finndo: "Interesting. Are there those that travel between the cities?"
Hakim: "Oh no. They are prisoners, those in the other."
Finndo: "And I presume that those that they are prisoners of are those that you do not wish to cross."
Hakim: "Hakim exists at their sufferance."

Upping the ante. We all have our dreams:

Finndo: "Suppose one were mad enough to wish to speak to them?"
Hakim: "I could not take you that far."
Finndo: "How would one find their way?"
Hakim: "If I tell you who or where they are, they will know me."
Finndo: "Then allow me to sweeten the price."
Hakim: "Hakim is listening."
Finndo: "Would Hakim prefer to be a spirit in the lands of rain."
Hakim: "Raiiiiin. I have heard tales of rain. I do not know how it would sit with Hakim to be wet."
Finndo: "They are rich, vibrant places. There are places we could take Hakim where he could be the SOLE spirit of the desert."
Cyrus: "We can keep him in a bucket."
Hakim: "The empire of Hakim...."
Finndo: "It is well within our power."

The journey down the Thames to the Tower was never quite done like this:

Hakim: "Why would you place me there after I tell you?"
Finndo: "If you wish, we could place you there before we tell you? Osric, are you up to a journey to an isolated desert?"
Finndo: "We will have to carry you, I'm afraid. Will it be acceptable to travel in this?"
Jarrod: "It's a plastic yellow bucket."
Hakim: "So long as the journey is brief."

Sonnet returns from her visit to a brothel. Passing the hot potato of blame:

Cyrus: "Lady Sonnet, did you have an interesting evening?"
Sonnet: "It was an interesting visit. It was quite educational."
Lucan: "What?! I was following his," he looks at Cyrus, whispers, "suggestion."
Benedict: "WHY?"
Cyrus: "I thought it would be an educational experience."
Benedict: "No more suggestions, please, Lord Cyrus."
Jarrod: "I was just bein' helpful!"

Considering the source:

Benedict: "Come here."
Lucan: "What?"
Benedict: "Next time Lord Cyrus gives you a suggestion, run it by Prince Finndo, Prince Osric or myself."
Lucan: "Sounded like something she'd do!"
Finndo: "And _that_ makes it such a good idea."

Prince Benedict, Nike Spokesman:

Benedict: "Just run it by us first."
Lucan: "I'll try!"
Benedict: "Don't try. Do."

Finndo and Osric bring Hakim to an empty desert. The benefits of solid customer service:

Finndo: "Welcome to the empire of Hakim."
Hakim: "You seek the... palace."
Finndo: "Very well. I thank you very much; I wish you well in your empire."
Hakim: "Come visit Hakim some time!"

Osric and Finndo return to discover that Sonnet has been shopping and is now dressed in local finery - which involves bells, wispy veils, and harem pants:

Osric: "We're gone FIVE MINUTES."
Cyrus: "I am NOT RESPONSIBLE for the outfit."
Finndo: "If this happens again, there will be a beating."
Sonnet: "No one was killed!"
Finndo: "How unusual!"

TMI:

Finndo: "What manner of establishment, may I ask -"
Sonnet: "They tickle you with feathers!"
GM to Finndo: "You had assumed tickling was a metaphor."
Sonnet: "I would be happy to show you."
Finndo: "No, the houses of joy are not to my taste."
Jarrod facepalms.
Fred to Jarrod: "Yes?"
Finndo: "I am going to my room to exercise my powers of denial."

Finndo gets around to intimidating the little man who tried to mug him. Getting things off on the right foot:

Finndo: "Ah, yes, little man! I had forgotten you! I assume that you are familiar with my friend with the blade and that this is not the first time you have done this?"
Little Man: "Yes?"
Finndo: "You are, therefore, familiar with the idea that you are a gnat beneath my feet."
Little Man: "I would be honored to be so great as to be a gnat beneath your feet."
Finndo: "Yes. As such, you now work for me." Finndo gives him a gold. "I wish to know if a caravan arrives."
Little Man: "Yes."

Be specific:

Finndo: "Osric, I would like a King's ransom."
Osric: "Which King?"

Be _very_ specific:

Finndo: "I imagine you can figure that out; we are going to attract a lot of attention."
Sonnet: "Oh, I know how to do that."
Finndo: "With an ungodly amount of money."

It all comes down to shopping, you see:

Finndo: "Finndo is going to sponsor the biggest festival this city has even seen. He is going to work trough his little buddy, the idea being that he is going to be a very wealthy foreigner."
Lydia: "Who should be invited to the palace."
Sonnet: "Oh, lovely, so we do go shopping."

Having fun no matter where you are:

Shai: "And we ride through the city on a palaquin carried by oiled men."
Deborah: "We discuss how fast or slow they are!"

The Clever Plan that actually _worked_:

GM: "Over the course of three or so days, Finndo becomes the favorite of a number of, well, bootlickers, but very rich bootlickers, who are all too interested in seeing that he throws even more money over to their area of town so they can profit even more. And one of them can see if he can use his influence to get a private tour of the gardens."
Rob: "Excellent. And Finndo has made oblique references to having backers, who would be interested."

Plan B:

Shai: "Sonnet and Sybil are shopping, riding around in a palaquin carried by oiled men. Finndo wants to get attention?"

One of Finndo's new 'friends' arranges a palace tour for Finndo. The things a fae education does not teach you:

Bootlicker: "The Grand Advisor Azu, the Vizier, advisor to Sultan R_________ will be personally conducting your tour."
Finndo: "Excellent. I throw plenty of money his way."
GM: "He is most pleased. He shows up around noon."
Finndo: "Finndo introduces everyone: my backers, my guards, my consorts."
Sybil: "What's a consort?"

So the party luncheons in the garden during their tour. The Vizier is called away, and the GM has us roll alertness. There is subtle and then there is subtle:

GM: "Superb plus: you two distinctly hear a faint cry for help somewhere in the gardens."
Sybil: "Oh no."
Osric: "Subtle, tho."
Cyrus: "Should I go look?"
Osric: "Maybe."
Cyrus: "I /sneak/ off."
Finndo: "Lady Sonnet, you appear faint from the walking. Gentlemen, if you could be so kind as to find water for the Lady Sonnet."
Sonnet: "I would appreciate it, thank you."

Cyrus is sneaking off through the gardens, orienting on the faint cry for help. He comes up on a corner around which the sound it carrying. Why there are no hydrangea-in-distress in fairytales:

GM: "You round about it and there's no one there and why is this bush asking you for help?"
Cyrus: "I haven't even been drinking!"
Bush: "Don't let them weed me; you've got to get me out of here!"
Cyrus: "How do I get you out of here? I'm talking to a BUSH!"
Bush: "How do I know? I'm just a plant! No one's ever responded before."
Cyrus: "What do I get?"
Bush: "Undying gratitude, of course!"
Cyrus: "Stay here; I may return."
Bush: "Of course I'm going to stay here; I'm a /plant/!"

Back at lunch, defining 'unusual':

GM: "Now there's some shrieks from over there, and Azu returns. 'Oh, pardon me, there was some sort of unruly vegetation.'
Finndo: "Most peculiar."
Azu: "Of course, there are most unusual things that grow here."
Finndo: "Things that shriek?"
Azu: "Most unusual."
Finndo: "Things that sing and talk as well."
Azu: "Only Royals, I am afraid."

When this is a complaint, you've got problems:

Benedict: "Did we actually learn anything in there?"
Cyrus: "Yes, a bush asked me to rescue it."
Benedict: "Great, talking plants again."

Go with what you know:

Finndo: "I am more intrigued by what it is like at night."
Benedict: "Why?"
Finndo: "The garden may be in both cities."
Benedict: "Getting in there may be a bit tricky."
Finndo: "No. No it's not."
GM: "And Finndo sets about sketching."

The advantages of a good pair of tree loppers:

Cyrus: "There is the interesting problem of being given away by the talking plants."
Finndo: "Life is full of interesting challenges."
Lydia: "Do we have a - I don't have the terminology for a weedwhacker."
Benedict: "Your sword."
Cyrus: "Do we have a machete?"

We all trump in a day later at night, before the moon has properly risen. On bright ideas, living through:

GM: "It is dark, quite dark, except for the moon which is just starting to crest over."
Lydia: "So there's actually a bit of light."
Finndo: "There will be, when it gets over head."
GM: "Are you going to spend a hushed half hour there?"
Finndo: "Yes."
GM: "Moon continues over, and moonlight sweeps deeper into the courtyard, approaching where you are." He snaps his fingers. "You thought you had a moment of the garden not being there."
Lydia: "What's there when it's not there?"
GM: "Sand."

Do Not Ask These Questions:

Finndo: "Is it intensifying?"
GM: "Yes."
Finndo: "Grab everyone."
GM: "You see something out there? Something is moving."
Osric: "Join hands, mmmm?"
Deborah: "I don't have a good feeling about this."

Sixpack of whupass, at your service:

GM: "Things start coming at you out of the garden, multi-armed things with swords -"
Finndo: "Benedict, Cyrus -"
Benedict draws his sword: "Whooosh."
Sonnet: "I put my sword up and swing the grappling hook."
Sybil: "Do we have to be quiet now?"
Sonnet: "No."
Finndo: "No."
Sybil: "I haul out one of my larger fire elementals from the ones I brought along in Cyrus' bottle case."
GM: "They pull back at that."
Sybil: "And Sybil smiles."

Par for the course:

GM: "The swirl of fire grows stronger, stronger, and then gathers towards her [Sybil's] bottle and whooosh, corks up."
Finndo: "Bravo."
GM: "And that's when the arrows start coming down."
Finndo: "Excellent."

GM: "You know, from another vantage point, this city looks an awful lot like a drawing you had."
Finndo: "Excellent! We've found the city."
Cyrus: "How do we find home?"
Finndo: "We'll worry about that later."

Finndo finds Ruustro's workshop in the hidden city. Our luck, plotted, would look like a sine wave:

GM to Finndo: "You find the shop you were looking for."
Finndo: "Excellent."
GM: "And there's a scream in the background."
Finndo: "Crap."

Still working on that scream connosieurship:

Lydia: "It's not like a plant scream."
GM: "How would you know?"
Benedict: "Good point."
Lydia: "Do they have particularly planty voices?"

Skillsets good:

Finndo: "Anyone good at jimmying doors?"
Benedict: "I am."
Sonnet: "I am."
Sybil: "We can't just tear it off the hinges?"
Finndo: "Not yet."
GM: "Benedict walks over, gestures at the lock, the lock falls apart."
Sonnet: "Outstanding."
Osric: "You've been busy. We definitely need to talk."

Inevitable Start Trek Reference:

Finndo: "Excuse me, I'm looking for a Mr. Ruustro's?"
Deborah: "John Luck Piccard?"
Jarrod: "Candygram!"

'All of our other people are unconcious; please hold and someone will be with you once she's done reading Osric's Training Manual For the Especially Gullible':

GM: "Everyone who did not roll a better than Superb have been knocked flat, unconcious."
Shai: "So the only people are Sybil and Sonnet."
GM: "Yes."
Sonnet: "Sword out. Sybil!"
Sybil: "Oh boy."
Sonnet: "Sybil! I hope you have a plan!"
Sybil: "Working on it!"

Sybil pulls the cork on a fire elemental. Sonnet tries to charge in:

GM: "Lucan pulls Sonnet back."
Sonnet: "Goddamnit we're supposed to be fighting it!"
GM: "And the fire arcs over you."
Sonnet: "OH!"

Cliffhanger goodness:

GM: "You're coughing from all the smoke, staggering back - Sonnet, you pass out from the smoke. Lucan seems out there too. Sybil, you were far enough back..."
Sybil: "I uncork a smaller air elemental to keep the air going, and I go in after them."
GM: "You -"
Sybil, firmly: "I go in after them."
GM: "And that's where we end the session."

After session:

Lydia: "And now the smackdown begins."
Scott: "Unfortunately, we're the ones getting smacked."

Lydia: "Remember, Cyrus' wife is in Amber. This encourages Cyrus to be elsewhere. Anywhere elsewhere. Is there a war going on, sure I'll volunteer for that."

Deborah to GM: "I hate you."
GM: "You're welcome."

Fred: "Adventure and food should not go together."