- An interesting session as David (Lurker37) decided to take my thoughts from Session 27 Part 1 on Wayfinding literally, basically asking if Grant was able to find the next plot hook just by using Wayfinding….. hmm… now that’s a slippery slope if I’d allowed that. In terms of what I actually did, you’ll have to read on….
- The other thing which I threw in was a bit of romantic development. Let’s just be candid about this - you can either include love/sex in the game or you can just exclude it. It depends upon the type of game that you’re running and the maturity level of the players. Ethan is a bad-stuff character - I fully expect any romantic interests to be deranged (e.g.: Galatea) or enemies (e.g.: Arana). If Ethan gets a break, the love interest will probably be a ‘Muggle’ like Marie (from Versais) which doesn’t work out anyway. In contrast, Grant is a good-stuff character - but that doesn’t mean that he gets an easy happy ending. No way, not when I’m GMing. Grant is having a relationship with a native Marindan, and Marindar is not Earth. I could have just had some of the action happen off-camera and say it wasn’t important, but this game boils down to two things - information, and relationships. I could have left Grant alone and said that all was well with Sophia, but that wouldn’t be any fun …. I had an opportunity to introduce some further depth to her character, illustrate the complexity of Marindan society and give David an inkling of the disturbance his presence creates to Marindan society. David is a mature player and he took it well. If there’s sex, we’ll just fade to black. If we’re talking romantic development, I personally always use the third person “Sophia says … Sophia does” otherwise that’d just be weird. That’s just how I handle this….. am fully aware that some folks have written whole books on this topic, but I don’t care to spend more than a paragraph on this topic.
Realm 15b - True Marindar (Grey Door)
Before the Royal Ball
- Grant returns to Central. It is early afternoon and he heads back to Sophia’s residence which is still being shaped. He enters the property and begins looking for her (GM’s note - using Wayfinding). He finds a new section of the residence that he has not been before, still with Marindan columns and marble floors, but it is very quiet and there are no tapestries or cultivated plants. This area looks new. He finds her relaxing in a tepidarium (GM’s note - that’s a warm bath), ringed by Marindan columns but apparently open to the elements above. Sophia notes Grant’s arrival and welcomes him back. She leaves the bath and dons a robe. Grant embraces her, but is surprised by the cordial kiss that he receives in response. It makes him feel that something is wrong and he asks her if everything is all right.
- Sophia reassures him that all is well (which doesn’t convince Grant) and reminds him that the Royal Ball is in six days and that he should prepare himself, noting those who are important in Marindan society will be there. Grant at first thinks that he needs to learn to dance, but then he asks if Sophia will accompany him. Sophia gently tells Grant that it would not be advisable, at which point Grant asks more questions to understand her reasoning.
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- As Sophia explains, Grant starts to understand that things are very different here. Sophia tells him that his presence in Marindar is of extreme importance to the Marindan people, and there will be many who will seek to court his attention. She considers it an honour that Grant wishes to spend time with her and says that she enjoys his company, but she is under no illusion that as he comes to understand his place in society that there will be others who are also deserving of his attention. Sophia assures Grant that she will help guide him now and in the future. The conversation evolves and Sophia explains that she cannot have children, but there are others amongst the ‘Bloodlines’ that can. She stresses his importance and that both Marindans and Lords of Gossamer are exceptionally long-lived. She encourages him to think strategically and not to limit his options. (GM’s note - I’ve decided that I want Sophia to be a constant between this campaign and the next. She is much more mature and worldly than Grant, and much more comfortable with and certain of herself.) Grant of course reiterates his devotion to Sophia. (GM’s note - remember that Grant is only nineteen years old - he is still young enough to think in simple terms of boy meets girl = happy forever). They make love. Fade to black.
- Over the next few days, Grant continues his tuition with Cromwell in the ‘Danger Room’ and Sophia begins briefing Grant about those whom he will meet at the Royal Ball. She also gently encourages him to consider his positioning at the Ball. If he goes alone, it sends one message. If he takes someone, it sends another message. He accepts her suggestion to be introduced to some of the nobility, and to find a suitable partner from whom he meets. Sophia also gently introduces the topic of who would make a suitable amour (lover) for him if a favourable situation became available. She reasons to him that it is better if he has the benefit of her advice than no advice at all. (GM’s note - again, Grant is taken aback by these new ideas. He is used to proper English behaviour and etiquette, and the idea of his current ‘girlfriend’ making suggestions as to who else he should potentially woo is a very alien concept to him.)
Galatea Unannounced
- Galatea arrives unannounced at Sophia’s residence and asks where Lord Ethan has gone. She appears distressed but Sophia calmly answers that Ethan was in residence, but is no longer in residence. She refuses to say where Ethan has gone, leaving Galatea frustrated. Upon her departure, Sophia notes that Grant has listened in on the conversation. They have both noted Galatea’s behaviour but do not speak of it.
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Marius and the search for Theros
- The training sessions with Cromwell are getting harder. Cromwell’s simulated threats are becoming much stronger, and Grant is starting to be pushed. One evening after many hours of training, Grant slips out of the residence and goes looking for Theros. He doesn’t know where to start, so he wanders, hoping Wayfinding will show him the way. (GM’s note - this is a wild leap of faith but I decided Wayfinding would work in a limited form, partly because Grant has a lot of Good Stuff. It would not take Grant directly to Theros, but it would take him to someone who knew of him.
- Grant ends up in a quiet part of Central close to the South Wall where there are a number of eateries with booths under the stars. He notes that none of the places seem to have signs with written words on them - there are no street names, no names of restaurants. It just doesn’t seem to be needed in Marindar. Grant enters a tiny bar which smells of charcoal burning and he is greeted by a moustached fellow with a red and white hat called Marius. Marius is the first Marindan that Grant has met with a beard or moustache and he is taken by surprise by this. He orders a wrap containing spiced meats (a local dish); and Marius offers him a drink which he ‘fizzes up’ with minor magic. Again there is no currency exchanged, and Grant wonders about this place and where the spices came from. He tries to use Wayfinding once more, just to find out ‘if he is in the right place’, but he doesn’t get any sense of direction at all. (GM’s note - I was deliberately vague here, as I didn’t want to tell David exactly how I was interpreting Wayfinding. Was he in the right place or not? Had Wayfinding led him to an opportunity that he had missed? I wasn’t going to tell David which)
- Finally Grant asks some questions of his host, and Marius tells him that he’s a colonist who has ‘come home’ back to Marindar. Some of the spices are from off world. Grant marvels at this situation that the man has colonised more than one distant world, who has had lifetimes of experience, and yet appears to be in his late 40s or early 50s. With the last of Marius’ other customers finishing up for the night, Grant asks about some of the other Lords of Gossamer, starting with Mordecai, and at that point Marius recognises him for who he is. In his excitement, Marius brings out a bottle of Arcadian nectar to share with him. Grant knows that the Arcadians don’t trade and generally keep to himself, so clearly there is more to Marius than meets the eye. Grant surmises that Marius has actually been to Arcadia, and Marius does not deny it. He hints that he has had elvish friends in the past, but doesn’t shed any light as how he made such acquaintances. Grant suspects that Marius may know Mordecai but he doesn’t ask directly. He doesn’t see any obvious or subtle raven markings which might give him a clue.
- Grant decides to ask about Theros, and Marius is familiar with the name. He identifies it as being the birth name of one of the Shapiro Bloodline (descended from Bastiano) who now calls himself Morlan (GM’s note - see Session 18)and is one of the Marindan Defenders.
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- Marius knows a little about Theros and says that he changed his name to break from the past and start a new chapter. Grant knows that he can find Theros’ location using Sophia’s connections but he pushes a little further and learns that Theros has a small house in Central which overlooks the sea. Otherwise he will be with Morrison and the other Defenders.
- The two of them enjoy the elven brew and Grant happily makes his way back home. He feels that he has made a friend in Marius.
(GM’s note - on a sadder note, I realised after introducing Marius that I’d used an old friend’s pseudonym whom both David and I knew well. The poor fellow died many years ago from an overdose of legal medication which was probably accidental. I don’t know if David picked up on it, but I certainly did. Rest in peace James.
A Conversation with Ethan
- Ethan also contacts Grant via Icon during the few days after his return to Central (GM’s note - this concludes the conversation that was initiated but not completed as part of Session 27 Part 2) Ethan explains that he has done something ‘big’ in the Earth realm. Grant is initially concerned but is relieved when Ethan says that he has healed a number of people (he was expecting worse). Ethan changes the topic and tells him that he has some new music tapes - this puts a smile on Grant’s face. Grant asks if Ethan plans to return for the Royal Ball and Ethan shakes his head. He says that he didn’t feel very welcome on Marindar. The contact ends, and Grant has not mentioned Galatea and her odd behaviour.
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