Feedback from BelleSorciere

This is a great AP. Thanks for typing it up for us. 

Feedback from Sovem

 Interesting... Very interesting! I like how you are using the NPCs presented in the book, but assuming a number of years (and betrayals!) in the future. 

I'm excited to see what you have in store for Lucien, and am curious as to whether Vala is really dead!

Session 24 - Unlocking the Puzzle Box

GM Observations
- In a game such as LoG&S where there are few boundaries for the PCs, the GM needs to be very well prepared because sometimes there is sudden acceleration of events, or removal of barriers such that the PCs make large strides. It has been a long time coming as Grant is a relatively careful character, but he finally decided to follow through on some of the plot threads and see where they lead. 

Realm 15b - True Marindar (Grey Door)
The Ambush in Central
- Whilst Grant remains at Meliander’s house, Ethan talks with Sophia about whether to seek out Morrison directly or to head to Arcadia in response to the Queen’s invitation. He re-reads the Queen’s letter to him and he feels there is an undercurrent of ‘need’ in her message. Ethan decides to head out into the rain and head to the Arcadian gate. Sophia goes with him.
- Just before the Arcadian gate, they are ambushed by a group of assassins dressed in water-repelling body armour. Their firearms discharge with a plastic clacking sound, and Ethan is hit. Whilst Sophia stands dumbstruck as her umbrella-shaft is shattered and the bullets whiz past her, Ethan runs for cover, catches his breath, and uses Sorcery to wrench his assailants off rooftops and pull them down to street level. The battle on the ground is brief and Ethan is ruthless in his response, leaving Sophia surrounded by bodies whom Ethan has cut to pieces with his lightsaber. (GM’s note - he still has the lightsaber as a 1 point item at this time) Ethan gives Sophia a moment, and he inspects the bodies. Sophia is able to identify them as offworlders, not native Marindans, but beyond that she doesn’t know. Quite shaken, she calls for assistance and some of her household arrive to clean up the bodies before anyone notices. Ethan asks about notifying Morrison’s group and Sophia says that she will inform the Defenders after Ethan has safely made it to the Arcadian Gate. Sophia asks that Ethan not mention anything to Grant about this (as she says that it would make him worry) and Ethan agrees.
- Ethan and Sophia arrive at the Arcadian Gate. There are two elves waiting for him. Sophia offers him the Key to the Door but Ethan refuses, saying that he doesn’t need a Key. He departs promptly, before she realises that he has in fact been shot.

Grand Stairway Section 5 - The Approach to Arcadia
- The section of the Grand Stair is ornate and decorative, almost like the corridor is inside a carefully hollowed tree. There are few Doors but one leads to Arcadia. The elves show Ethan the way. Both of them carry a talisman on their chests which Ethan can tell is giving them the ability to open these Doors.

Realm 18 - Arcadia (Green Door)
The Arcadian Door
- The Door to Arcadia opens on the side of a valley, looking down over a great forest. There is a small detachment of elven guards by the Door, but they show great respect and deference to Ethan. One of the elves tactfully asks about Ethan’s wound, and he accepts some aid. The bullet-wound is painful but Ethan does not think the wound is serious. However, he is quickly corrected - the bullet itself has fragmented and is already being absorbed into his body. Ethan suddenly does not feel very well and he asks if the Arcadians can help him. The elves advise him to travel to the Citadel with all due haste to see the Queen’s physicians.
- It takes hours to reach the Citadel on elvish steeds. The Citadel is in fact a great castle made of transparent crystal, like glass. It towers over the surrounding forests and is almost as high as the ice-capped peaks in the nearby mountain range. By time he has arrived, Ethan is feeling much better. He has used some ‘Jedi meditation’ (i.e.: using Eidolon on himself) to cure his affliction. Nevertheless, a trio of white-clad elven physicians inspect him and advise him to take a herbal remedy to help with his recuperation. His clothes are mended, the bloodstains removed, and he is offered wine, nectar, fruit and honey. 

The Queen of Arcadia
- It does not take long before Ethan meets the Queen of Arcadia. (GM’s note - the template here is Aglaranna from the R.E.Feist’s Magician novels - I haven’t given her a name but I’m tempted to call her Aglaranna) She is beautiful and austere, but Ethan also senses a sadness and longing about her. Ethan treats her with deep respect, and they talk for some time. Ethan senses that she is holding back.

- The Queen invites Ethan to stay as her guest and he accepts. It quickly becomes clear that although there is a King of Arcadia, the King and Queen are not a happily married couple. The King offers Ethan no greeting, and is noticeably absent when Ethan is formally greeted by the Arcadian court. 
- Two days after Ethan’s arrival, the Queen’s tone changes. She asks after Lucien, Lord of Gossamer, and when Ethan says that he has not met Lucien, she begs Ethan to find Lucien and ‘bring him back to Arcadia’. It becomes obvious to Ethan that the Queen is in love with Lucien, and is genuinely heartbroken by Lucien’s disappearance. The arrival of Grant and Ethan to Marindar has given her hope that another Lord of Gossamer could help her find Lucien once more. Ethan offers to help, which brings tears to the Queen’s eyes. She says that she has some keepsakes which were once Lucien’s, which perhaps Ethan could use to find him.

Realm 15b - True Marindar (Grey Door)
Many Gifts
- Meanwhile, while the rains continue in Marindar, Grant and Meliander spend a number of days talking. Grant is amazed by the clever use of spell craft as part of the normal household routine, and Meliander teaches Grant some simple Marindan tricks. Grant encourages this, and Meliander finds that he quite enjoys teaching Grant. Clarabelle also notices the difference in her husband as Meliander teaches the basics of magic to his new friend. Meliander is an excellent sorcerer - like a professional violinist, he makes it look very easy. Meliander also shares a lot more about ‘the old days’ when the Lords of Gossamer were more active in Marindar, and Grant is left with the impression that the current political scene has become more activity as the Lords have been less involved. The balance of power has changed. Grant learns a lot more about the noble houses, their blood ties to the Lords and their interests. They also speak about Shimrod and his traitorous betrayal to the Great Enemy. 
- Sophia occasionally checks on Grant. She is polite and asks about Grant’s welfare. On the third day she notes that Ethan has departed but does not say where he has gone, but that Ethan said he would be in contact shortly. When the storm passes, Grant decides to return to Central but he thanks both Meliander and Clarabelle for their hospitality and urges them to stay in contact.
- Returning to Central after the rains have cleared, Sophia presents Grant with a long list of parties wishing to meet him. Nobles, merchants, elves... the list is very long. There are a number of gifts, some magical, some ornate. The Heldonian Puzzle Box attracts his attention. About the size of a tea chest, there are a number of pop-out chambers which are easy enough to find, but the more Grant explores it, the more cavities he finds, to the degree that the interior must be much bigger than the exterior, and there are sections which should technically overlap and hence be impossible - but they seem to exist. Sophia comments that Heldonian relics are very rare. She notes that the sender is related to House Shapiro which has blood-ties to Bastiano. Sophia knows the individual who sent the box. She appears a little withdrawn, bothered by something. Grant can tell that she is distracted but she does not reveal what that is.
- Reviewing the rest of the gifts, he is intrigued by silver-bladed cutlass from a Kargan noble named Valaya, and by a simple pocket book from the Arcadian Queen which is clearly not of elven make. (GM’s note - Grant had paid points for an ‘ATM wallet’ similar to what Cal carried, but there was not an opportunity for Grant to craft it, or to have it introduced until now. In this case, the Arcadian Queen is presenting Lucien’s wallet to Grant - which had the desired result of getting his attention)
- Grant becomes quite distracted by the Heldonian Puzzle Box, and sets to work cataloguing all the compartments and the myriad configurations. However, during a break Grant notices that the interior of the residence is changing, and Sophia explains simply that the house is being extended to suit Grant’s needs. She takes him outside to make the point, and the residence is slowly expanding, pushing the nearby structures further away. Grant realises that even with the expansion that the interior is bigger than the exterior (GM’s note - Grant thought of the Tardis from Doctor Who, which is a plausible association to be made given that Grant comes from 1985 which was still the Tom Baker era)Sophia admits that some contemporary Marindan magic is based on Heldonian, but she notes that the Heldonites are long extinct. 
- Grant becomes determined to solve the puzzle, and he uses Umbral Sight to accelerate the process. He reaches a point where the Puzzle Box reconfigures from a rectangular structure to a sphere, unlocking a second level of the puzzle. Grant begins again, but by this time more and more of the internal cavities are empty. Grant surmises that those of House Shapiro who gave him this gift have never delved this deeply into the puzzle. After more hours of unlocking, the Puzzle Box reconfigures into a pyramid, unlocking a third level. This time Grant moves more quickly and at last one of the points caves in and he is able to reach into the core interior. Inside, he finds a ebony black dagger, the hilt strapped in black leather (or something like leather). The pommel has a crest of a black raven on it on a blood red background. The instant Grant sees it, he feels silence descend on the area as if the blade is whispering to him that he should not share this with anyone. Grant can tell that the weapon is Umbral, and he decides that it is an assassin’s weapon. Grant decides to put it back in the Puzzle Box for the time being. He is both intrigued and perplexed by the dagger.

Investigations in Central
- Grant returns to the Central Library to find out more about the raven symbol on the dagger, and he finds that this is Mordecai’s symbol. Mordecai has been missing for over 20 years, but he is mentioned favourably in the texts, always one of the key Lords who has defended the realms against the Dwimmerlaik threat. Mordecai leads the Raven Legions, a fighting force which comes and goes as needed. The narratives speak of Mordecai as being a capable warrior and general.
- Grant also looks up Heldonian culture but finds that their realm was destroyed long ago. Nevertheless there is a puzzle box in the museum (but one which is much smaller than the one given as a gift to Grant). 
- Grant investigates Mithrandir, and finds him referred to as a meddler, but a well regarded one. Frequently absent, he has a knack for being in the right place at the right time, and the accounts speak highly of him. He also seems to be a bit of a storyteller - Grant finds fragments of text which are attributed to Mithrandir’s stories in which he tells tales of Hobbits and Servants of the Great Enemy. At this point, Grant forms the opinion that Middle Earth could well be Mithrandir’s favourite place and he resolves to go back to Middle Earth in the near future.
- Finally, Grant looks into Bastiano and he finds that Bastiano used to take a keen interest in the House of Shapiro. He has sired many offspring over the last few hundred years with those of House Shapiro so the House is a collection of multiple bloodlines rather than having a single key bloodline. Bastiano is recognised as being shrewd, canning, and charismatic. Grant gets the impression that Bastiano takes a keen interest in being seen in the best possible light.

Contact with Ethan
- Two days after arriving back in Central, Grant receives an Icon contact from Ethan. He is well. He says he is with the elves in Arcadia. They have received him well, and he has spoken to the Queen at some length. He does not wish to say much, even via Icon, but he thinks he has a way of finding Lucien. However, he also says that he thinks that not everyone in Marindar is happy to see the Lords return - he admits that he was attacked when he left Grant's residence for the Arcadian portal. Even though the ambush was a poor one, it has made Ethan wonder if someone is testing him. Ethan also says that last night there was a bright red shooting star which streaked across the Arcadian sky and landed in the mountains. He’s almost certain that it’s landed somewhere near the Door on the Arcadian side and that surely cannot be a coincidence. The Queen has sent scouts to investigate, but Ethan has a bad feeling about what they will find. He asks Grant not to approach the Arcadian Door, but instead to keep in contact via Icon.
- On a more cheery note, Ethan says that he has a surprise for Grant when they next meet. He does not say what it is, but says that Grant is sure to like it. On that note, the contact ends.

Cromwell and the Danger Room
- That afternoon, Grant’s new military advisor arrives. Cromwell is clearly not Marindan, appearing more like some of evil-eyed wolf, but Sophia explains that he has been her ally for a long time and he is both a capable warlord and an able tutor for a young Lord of Gossamer. 

* Image by OchreJelly on DeviantART
- Cromwell is grouchy when Grant first meets him, and seems more interested in inspecting the facilities than spending time with him. Sophia shows Cromwell to a newly constructed chamber which appears to be open to the elements (but Grant can tell is not), and is flanked on all sides by pillars and steps leading down to an arena floor. In the room there are two gladiators practising with wooden swords and bucklers. Grant guesses that it is a training room, and Sophia illustrates what the room is capable of by summoning a black cat. The black cat appears from behind a pillar, leaps down the dais to the floor and runs over to Grant. Grant picks up the cat and strokes it - the cat purrs. It feels like a real cat. Sophia then dispels the spell and the cat vanishes, leaving Grant astonished. (GM’s note - David badly wanted to say the word ‘holodeck’ but couldn’t do so in character as Star Trek The Next Generation wasn’t released until 1987, and in the current timeline it’s only 1986. So he settles on calling it the Danger Room (based on the X-Men comics of the time) He realises that the cat, the gladiators and the pillars are made from the same material (he can tell with Umbral sight) but there is a powerful enchantment on the room.
- Grant asks if he can fight the gladiators, and Cromwell signals for them to stop their private sparring and engage him. Despite being weaponless, Grant easily takes them both and recovers a wooden sword. Cromwell releases more gladiators, who appear from behind each of the pillars, but Grant easily defeats more than a dozen of them, demonstrating that he has both aptitude and skill with a weapon. Grant points out that he is having to hold back because otherwise the weapon would break, and Cromwell acknowledges this with a stroke of his wispy beard. Cromwell sends in another fighter, this one more experienced who is not felled with a single blow, but Grant still takes him. This continues for another two hours, with Cromwell sending a variety of opponents against him. Some use different weapons, some use different styles. In the end, Cromwell ends the session and says that he is tired from the trip. Grant asks Cromwell his opinion, and Cromwell admits that he is good, but could be better. He makes it clear that his aim is to improve Grant’s survivability, and that extends beyond simply being better in a fight.

The Raven Dagger
- Feeling good about his first training session with Cromwell, Grant showers and changes, then sits down with Sophia for a good evening meal. But he is distracted. Grant has decided that he will take the dagger from the Heldonian Puzzle Box and test it out in the Danger Room. After dinner, he excuses himself and returns to the room where the Gifts have been laid out for his perusal.
- Opening the Puzzle Box is easy once you’ve opened it once, and it takes Grant only a few minutes to reach the Raven Dagger. Immediately feeling a blanket of silence descending over him, he wraps it in a blanket and heads back to the Danger Room. He avoids being seen, but notices that there is a time distortion in carrying the dagger. The walk should take him 5 minutes to reach the Danger Room, but he covers the distance much more quickly than that.
- In the Danger Room, he pulls out the dagger from its sheath. The Umbral weapon gives him the creeps. It feels cold, and he can tell that the sheath is creating a spell effect around him. There is a strange feeling like being close to the sea, with the waves crashing against the shoreline - a shoreline that he cannot see. With the blade in his hand, Grant can tell now that the dagger is in fact an Icon, and he concentrates to make contact.
- The Raven in the pommel shifts against the red background, looks at him, and asks him to identify himself. Remembering the advice given to him earlier by Sophia and Meliander, he introduces himself as Grant, Lord of Gossamer. He can feel a powerful presence on the other side. At first it is surprised by his answer, but then it begins testing the strength of his mind - to test the truth of Grant’s claim. Grant asks who is he addressing and, speaking through the Raven, the presence identifies itself as Mordecai, also a Lord of Gossamer. Grant is now both excited and surprised - he has finally met one of the greater Lords of Gossamer.
- The conversation is brief but fruitful. Grant wants to know what happened to Shatterlight, and he explains that Marindar that has come under attack from Narsaug, one of Drake’s servants, who was himself duped by Bastiano. Grant also explains that he has met and slain a Dwimmerlaik who was looking for Mithrandir. Mordecai is very interested, but also concerned by what Grant has to say. He says that Shatterlight was brought down by a betrayal ‘most foul’, and that Marindar is neutral ground and that no Lord of Gossamer would violate that by bringing conflict to it. Grant explains that things are not well in Marindar and the Doors have ‘stopped working’. Mordecai wants to hear more and suggests that they meet. Grant agrees, but before Mordecai commits, he asks for Grant to swear to him that he has not spoken to any other Lord of Gossamer about this. (GM’s note - Grant is young and doesn’t see the danger in what Mordecai is asking) Grant admits that there is another who became a Warden at the same time. Mordecai asks where the other Warden is, but relaxes when Grant tells him that Ethan is in Arcadia. Grant agrees to contact Mordecai again.
- Cutting the Icon connection, Grant realises that the sheath not only silences the conversation but also makes him invisible so that the conversation can truly be held privately. He finds this interesting.

Departure from Marindar
- Despite it being late in the evening, Grant speaks briefly with Sophia as she is about to retire for the night and explains that he will be back in a few days. Sophia is concerned and encourages him to take some guards with him. Grant is surprised by this, and Sophia reveals that she was present when Ethan was ambushed. She admits to having to ‘clean up’ the mess that Ethan left behind, making Grant wonder how much Ethan has not been telling him. Finally Grant reassures Sophia by telling her that he will use shapeshifting to reach the nearest Door, and he will not be easily caught. Sophia wishes him well, and lets him go.
- Grant heads to the Ineswitrin Door in a variety of forms and is not ambushed. He heads through the Door and out onto the Stair.

Grand Stairway Section 6 - The Approach to Ineswitrin
- This section of the Grand Stair is one giant circular stair with no apparent bottom or top - both up and down lead to darkness. The Doors here are old wooden doors, their paint cracked and peeling. Grant does not linger here - he takes out the Raven Dagger once more and contacts Mordecai.
- Again the Raven speaks to him and he accepts the connection to be pulled through the Icon to Mordecai’s location.

Realm 19 - Nebraeska (Brown Door)
Enter Mordecai
- Grant finds himself on a hillside, looking down across open fields filled with modern battle tanks bearing the standard of the Black Raven on a Red Circle. Behind him is a canvas tent, and the old soldier Mordecai waits to meet him.

* Image by Dennis Darmond
- Mordecai does not waste time. He invites Grant inside and offers him a drink and a seat. They talk.

The Fall of Shatterlight
- Mordecai says that Shatterlight was betrayed by Drake. He uncovered evidence that Drake was colluding with the Dwimmerlaik, but even when he presented that evidence to Vala herself, she refused to take action. He does not know the reasons why, nor why Drake would seek to engage with his most hated enemies. Nevertheless, Mordecai is convinced that Drake is a traitor and the reason for Shatterlight’s fall. Mordecai tells Grant that he was not there, but from his agents on the ground, the fall was sudden and brutal. Vala is gone, and he holds Drake responsible for her death. Mordecai makes no secret that he wants Grant with him in seeking revenge on Drake.

Attacks on Marindar 
- Mordecai cannot fathom why Bastiano would endanger Marindar by attacking it. 


The conversation with Mordecai continues …..

GM Commentary

 Half written up. I'll post the full account of Session 24 tomorrow.

GM Commentary

Well Session 24 was run this evening and .... yippee! .... finally Grant has met another Lord of Gossamer who is part of the larger plot - Mordecai. I'll do the writeup Tuesday or Wednesday but we have just had a major step forward. Grant now knows why the Lords are absent from Marindar. He also has information to trade (about the Dwimmerlaik that he and Ethan faced in Session 8), and he knows where Mithrandir (Greywalker) is.... 

As a GM, I'm relieved that we have had a breakthrough. David has gathered lots of information and lots of clues but hasn't followed through some of these threads to their ultimate conclusion. Grant is no longer skating around the main plot - he's now literally surrounded by it (more on that cryptic quote when I do the writeup).

GM Commentary

Okey dokey, it has been two weeks.... so what's happening?

Firstly, David/Lurker37 and I will be playing Session 24 tomorrow night (Monday night) so hopefully I'll have a session posted up on Tuesday or Wednesday. The story is continuing. There have already been a series of emails but we now need to go over that content and see what Grant does next. Ethan is already in Arcadia with the elves, and things aren't going so well. (GM's note - he is a Bad Stuff character after all)

Secondly, Adam/Lost-in-Transit and I will be co-GMing a new Lords of Gossamer and Shadow game over the next few weeks. Session 2 will be this week, and we already have a number of local players very keen to play.

Thirdly, Adam/Lost-in-Transit is already planning a third Lord of Gossamer and Shadow game with a limited three-session story arc. The premise is that we are the gods/incarnations of a particular realm, but time has advanced sufficiently such that it is now an "Age of Reason", and the locals have had enough of us and our bickering and used 'science' to expel us from our home domain onto the Stair. Adam is using Tarot cards to find out what archetype we start with. The whole point of this game is to introduce the local players to Lords of Gossamer and Shadow before we go for the above game which would be a continuing story-line.

Feedback from Sovem

That seems an odd choice... Given how much ability a Lord of Gossamer has to change the setting. What led you to that decision? And if Lurker37 is not playing, then who?

Feedback from Songtress

 Oh boy..

GM Commentary

And ..... the breaking news is that another LoG&S Campaign has just started, based on this same campaign world but set 30 years in the future (so on Shadow Earth it will be 2016). There will be a second thread created shortly .... and yes, I'll have to be very careful that events in the present Grant/Ethan campaign don't create a paradox in the new campaign setting. There are two of us co-GMing, but I'm the 'lead' GM who will maintain the rankings etc. More on that in a separate thread ....

Does this mean that you'll see Grant and Ethan in both campaign settings? I have yet to discuss with Lurker37 as to whether he wants to contribute into the new game, but it's certainly possible that Grant and Ethan are still around. Personally I reckon David will want to chip in and influence the new campaign a bit - we'll see!

I'll be writing up Session 1 for the new LoG&S Campaign very shortly.  

Session 23 - Meliander

GM Observations
- In many ways this was a short session. A lot of a discussion but not much movement, hence I’m tacking on ‘what happened to Ethan’ to move the plot along (effectively I’m GMing my own character, but this is often what happens in Amber… ahem, Lords of Gossamer)

Realm 15b - True Marindar(Grey Door)
Conversations with Meliander
- Grant and Ethan politely excuse themselves while Meliander and Clarabelle adjust to the reality that Meliander is back. Meliander is physically weak and he tires easily so he takes matters slowly.
- Grant decides to contact Lucien via his Icon but is unsuccessful. The contact is different to anything Grant has seen before though - it is as if Grant is touching smoke or a mist - the connection is made but there is nothing to latch onto. Grant is somewhat disappointed. He shows Ethan the fake Icons that he was given by the Queen, and Ethan studies them. (Grant has previously shown Meliander the fake Icons and Meliander has said that all enchantments and magics have a signature pattern on them) Grant asks Ethan if the enchantments on the fake Icons match any patterns on Galatea. This surprises Ethan, and he deflects, saying that he hasn’t studied her that closely. Ethan says that he will consider it.
- Clarabelle advises Ethan that if he’s still planning to leave that he should leave immediately before the storm hits. Ethan takes her advice and leaves in an airspeeder. Shortly after, the storm front hits. It is a torrential downpour, with lightning and thunder but little wind. Each raindrop that hits the window sets off a small sorcerous bloom as the shield deflects it. Clarabelle is able to precisely gauge how long the rain will last and it becomes obvious to Grant that the Marindans use powerful magics to control the weather and insulate themselves accordingly. Clarabelle serves him some hot soup which is plain and earthy. It is very different from the more elaborate meals that he has been served in Central but the simple meal gives him a different perspective of life on Marindar. Meliander, Clarabelle and Grant talk over dinner and into the evening. Gradually they fill Meliander in, and Grant listens to what Clarabelle tells him about how life has changed in the past few years. He becomes even more convinced that whatever has happened to Marindar has happened gradually, not suddenly - it has happened so slowly that most of the locals have not even been aware of the change until very recently.
- The next day the rain continues and they talk further. Meliander’s strength is returning. Grant tells him of his story, and Meliander confirms that the Red Wizard that Grant ‘killed’ in the Middle Kingdom was Shimrod, and it was Shimrod, his old mentor, that incapacitated Meliander. Meliander says that he should advise the Queen of his situation, but Grant easily convinces him to delay advising her until he feels up to it. Grant gets the perspective that Meliander was once respected in the Queen’s Council as a prominent advisor. Grant asks if Meliander would be willing to help him to contact Lucien (using the Icon that he has) - Clarabelle is immediately concerned and Meliander refuses, saying that he isn’t suitably recovered to make the attempt. Meliander looks over the Icons that Grant has, including those which Grant acquired from the Dwimmerlaik, and Meliander indicates that all but one are Shimrod’s work (which astonishes Grant).
- Grant and Meliander talk at length about the present situation, and particularly about Morrison. Meliander knows Morrison as a patriot, fiercely protective of Marindar - he thinks it unlikely that Morrison is a traitor, but he is likely to either be part of the plot, or strongly reacting to it. Grant resolves to attempt to contact Lucien, but he also considers following Mithrandir back to Middle Earth to attempt to find him.

Ethan’s Return to Central
- The black storm front moves swiftly behind Ethan as he speeds to Central, and he returns to Grant’s residence only a few minutes ahead of the rain. Sophia welcomes him back, but he distances himself from her. He watches the rain for a long time from a balcony, watching the lightning flash across the sky. Ethan has seen many wild storms before off the shores of Wodenland, but he finds this particularly interesting. Using Eidolon, he can see the magical structures within the wild weather and he ponders it. As the sun sets, he decides to leave the residence and go for a walk. Sophia recommends that he stay indoors until the rain passes, but he refuses. She asks him why he doesn’t trust her advice or her help. Ethan says that she is mistaken and he does trust her, but he’s still going out. Sophia is left puzzled as to why Ethan is behaving so strangely.
- The rain is coming down hard as Ethan steps outside, and he is quickly drenched. He is the only one on the streets, and it becomes obvious why no one goes out and no doors are open. It is as though the whole place shuts down when it rains. Ethan wanders through the streets until his boots are full of water. After hours of wandering, it is Sophia who finds him. She carries a simple stick which wards off the rain like an umbrella, and asks if he needs any assistance. Ethan again refuses, and Sophia tells him that he is not being rational. She calmly tells him that he is clearly disorientated and he needs help. She says that if he does trust her, then he should let her help. Ethan again refuses (GM’s note - we’re talking about a mixed up 18/19 year old here) and she firmly tells him that he is a Lord of Gossamer, not some petulant child. She tells him matter-of-factly that there are things in this universe who would kill him just because he is a Lord of Gossamer, and to survive he needs friends and allies whom he can trust. She tells him to choose wisely, and then she leaves.
- The streets are still empty. Ethan uses Sorcery to leap onto the roof of one of the houses, and he calls out for Galatea. Fully expecting her to be listening somewhere nearby, he is somewhat disappointed when she is not. He sits down on the roof and looks towards the floating constructs that hold the Doors; then towards the Central Museum, and decides what to do.
- As Ethan crosses the doorway back into Grant’s residence, the water is instantly stripped off his clothes. Only his hair is wet. Sophia politely welcomes him back and closes the Door. She asks if he has had a pleasant walk, and Ethan asks if she will tell him more about the Arcadians, and Morrison. Sophia gives a thin smile, and nods. They talk a little over a hot cup of tea, and Ethan admits that he doesn’t know where to start. On the Stair he was confident that he could escape if the situation was dire. On Marindar it seems to be common knowledge that he is a Lord of Gossamer, and he feels that this puts him at a disadvantage. He doesn’t know enough about being a Lord of Gossamer to know how to approach the situation where everyone knows him to be a Lord. He also admits that he finds Sophia’s company uncomfortable as he finds her very attractive. Sophia acknowledges the compliment but says that Ethan should not even be trying to impress her. She simply advises that Ethan should learn all that he can from her. She reasons that they may both live a very long time and have a very long association but the best way that she can help him now is to provide him with enough information and education to help him to survive. Ethan listens carefully to what she says and he can see the sense in it. He agrees to heed her counsel. (GM’s note - and that’s where I have to leave it, otherwise it would become a spoiler for David)

GM Commentary

David and I both got very busy with work. We ran Session 23 last week but I haven't had a chance to type it up. It'll pick up again shortly.

Feedback from Sovem

It's been a month since the last update... I hope y'all haven't given up!

Session 22 - Queen's Council

GM Observations
- Session 22 was an example of PBeM (Play By eMail) gameplay which took place over about 8-10 emails, each email taking about an hour to write. In PBeM gaming, you simply have to make assumptions (both player and GM) in order to keep the game moving, and rework the plot if the assumptions prove false. A lot of these emails overlapped so trying to produce a coherent narrative without leaving important bits out was challenging.
- Lurker37 is still working through how Umbra can be practically applied without another power like Sorcery. I need to have some further conversations with him in real-time so that we can discuss this. I see Umbra as enabling the character to 'change stuff', normally in a destructive way, but this isn't mindless chaos because there is a controlling character directing the change. Anyway, we need to discuss this because otherwise the game will be political/intrigue based without exploring the powers, and the whole point of this mini-campaign was to explore the powers.

Realm 15a - The Gateway to Marindar (Grey Door)
The Fallout from the Mind-Probe
- As Session 22 opens, the warglord Narsaug remains in his undersea prison, unconscious and under guard. The characters must now deal with the consequences of what Grant and Ethan have discovered - that Narsaug was apparently sent to invade Marindan via the Approach by the Lord of Gossamer, Bastiano. Morrison, Galatea and Morlan return to the surface. 
- In the two hours that follow Ethan's 'mind probe' of Narsaug and discussion of what is revealed there, Morrison advises that he has received direction that they have been directed to leave the Gateway and return to Marindar. Lords Grant and Ethan has been asked to accompany them as well as the Lady Sophia. The Queen is convening a special council to hear what Ethan has seen. Sophia is also requested to return to True Marindar to answer questions (by order of the Queen). The Defenders of Marindar are very concerned about the number of messenger birds that Sophia has sent out onto the Stair over the years and the Gateway is in no position to receive new arrivals. It is clear that Morrison wants to return swiftly, but he is dealing with two Lords of Gossamer and can only relay what he is being asked to do. The other Defenders (Morlan and Galatea) are somber. 
- Morrison suggests that he escort Lord Grant back to Sophia's residence, while Lord Ethan travel directly to True Marindar with Galatea. Ethan is invited to journey to True Marindar (by Morrison, who has received instructions from the Queen herself). Morrison notes that there is likely to be considerable interest in his arrival. Grant would realise that his arrival to True Marindar was dealt with quietly by Sophia. It sounds like the situation will be very different when Ethan arrives. 
- Grant, Morrison and Morlan travel back to the Gateway in a green force bubble. Upon arrival, Morlan splits off from the group. He has been ordered to retrieve the Key from the Guardian, effectively preventing someone from entering the Gateway via the Approach, then he will remain and guard the Marindan Gateway in case the Door is somehow opened without the Key.
- Morrison and Grant walk to Sophia's residence. Morrison relays his instructions but Sophia has already been informed. Morrison then offers to escort both Grant and Sophia and Sophia declines. At this point Grant asks what is likely to happen and Morrison clams up. Sophia admits that she does not know what will happen - nothing like this has ever happened before and the Queen will be required to take action. She seems a bit low even though she retains her poise, and Morrison excuses himself, saying that he will return to True Marindar. Morrison is sensitive enough in his dealings with her not to push the point. 
- Grant is openly concerned about Sophia, and she explains quietly that the Queen will not be able to ignore this attack and her advisors will demand action. This is not something that she has control over, and her ability to influence is relatively low. She admits feeling powerless in the current situation which has unfolded very quickly.

Private Time
- Sophia suggests that she and Grant go for a walk, and they share some private time together. At first the conversation is 'shop talk' - Sophia asks what Ethan saw, and whether Ethan's account can be trusted. When Grant defends Ethan, she says that the is likely to be division in the Queen's Council as to how to respond to the matter. The Houses of Shapiro and Hyndrake have bloodline links to Bastiano and Drake respectively. Both are represented on the Council. There are many others that will take notice when Ethan is presented to the Queen. The defence of the realm will be discussed, but also there will be considerable interest in the newly discovered Lords who have found Marindar. Grant asks Sophia for her insights as to how the Queen and the Council will respond, and also what she is likely to ask of him. They talk at length about this and Grant understands more about the political landscape of Marindar.
- As the day wears on, it becomes clear that neither of them want the day to end. It becomes clear that Sophia likes Grant (he has loads of Good Stuff) and she believes, correctly or incorrectly, that nothing will be the same when he leaves the Gateway, so she decides to seize the moment. Sophia knows that the phase gate between the Gateway and True Marindar are only opened at certain times so this works in the couple's favour. They share a romantic candlelit dinner, some intimate moments and then the time has passed all too quickly.  
- At last the two sadly depart the Gateway and Sophia is once again operating in her capacity as a professional diplomat.

Realm 15b - True Marindar(Grey Door)
The Attaché
- The trip to True Marindar is over quickly and a handsome young man named Valerian greets Grant on arrival. He claims to be Grant's new attaché and he explains that the Queen is expecting him. 

* Image by Kir-tat on DeviantART
- Valerian also that a delegation from Arcadia is waiting to see him, as well as requests from more than one Council member for an audience. The Lord Chamberlain, under direction from the Queen, has also organised a dinner in honour of Lords Grant and Ethan for their service to Marindar. That dinner is two weeks away. Valerian judges Lord Grant's attire as suitable and says that he will notify Her Majesty that he has arrived.
- As they walk, Grant asks about Ethan's meeting with the Queen's Council (knowing that he has missed it by staying in the Gateway to spend additional time with Sophia). Valerian admits that the audience did not go smoothly. The representatives from Houses Shapiro and Hyndrake in particular were quite hostile towards him. (GM's note - just a reminder that Ethan has Bad Stuff, but Grant has the maximum allowable number of points in Good Stuff) Before meeting the Queen, Grant asks Sophia to wait for him in one of the waiting rooms. Valerian confirms that the wait will be short - the Queen is very busy and private audiences are rare.

A Private Audience with the Queen
- Grant's audience with the Marindan Queen is held in one of the private chambers in the palace. It is an exquisitely decorated room with no obvious guards or attendants present, except for a plethora of bluebirds that are perched here and there (similar to Sophia's robins). The Marindan Queen appears to be alone. Grant knows that her formal name is 'Constancia', but she is more commonly referred to as 'Constance' by the local population. She is dressed more plainly than Grant expects but this just enhances her beauty as it contrasts. Like Sophia there is a pristine and ageless quality about her. 

* Image by Mictones on DeviantART
- Grant greets her in a manner befitting her rank and station and she speaks softly and politely to him about how he has been received in Marindar, what happened recently in the Gateway realm, and also whether Ethan's account can be believed. Grant answers these questions diplomatically and builds trust with the Queen. 
- The Queen makes clear her intentions to recognise Grant's and Ethan's contribution to the defence of the realm. She asks whether land and titles would be suitable, and Grant says that he would like to stay in Marindar. He formerly asks that Lady Sophia form part of his household. The Queen is faintly surprised and accepts provided that this appointment does not interfere with her royal duties. She does say how ever that the Gateway Key has now been removed from the Guardian which should negate the need for Sophia's services in that domain for the time being. The Queen leaves Grant with the impression that decisions have been made and things are in motion, but the Queen does not reveal what has been decided and Grant deems it inappropriate to ask.
- Grant outlines to the Queen that he wants to contact the other Lords and requests Icons to do so. The Queen considers the request and agrees to it. She says that some Icons were held in the Central Museum, and others are in her personal care. She says that she will organise to have these delivered to him. When asked if anyone in Marindar can construct Icons, she hesitates. She says that there are 'none among us' but the answer is evasive enough that Grant decides to park it and ask Sophia later.
- Grant spends almost an hour talking to the Queen. The time flies. Valerian arrives when the time is up and Grant is led away.
- (GM's note - Incidentally the picture of Constance is by the same artist who drew/painted Sophia. That is quite deliberate as I wanted there to be a similar look to the characters, indicating related bloodlines. Grant knows from the library that there is a relationship but not a close one.)

Grant, Lord of Marindar
- Grant goes to meet Sophia who has been waiting for him. When she hears that Grant has asked her to be part of his household, she is a little taken aback but she accepts. She remains professional and says that she'll discuss with him later.
- Grant asks Sophia about what the Queen meant when she said that 'none among us' can construct an Icon, Sophia explains that there was a sorcerer named Shimrod who was once of Marindar, but betrayed the Lords and instead joined the Great Enemy. He had an apprentice, Meliander, who also had the knowledge and who maintained allegiance to the Lords but he was struck down only a few years ago. He still lives, but his mind is all but shattered. No one really knows what happened to him but Meliander was actively trying to reach the Lords of Gossamer to find out what had happened to them. (Grant remembers Shimrod as one of the four servants of the Dwimmerlaik, and had read about him in the Central Library)
- Sophia is able to fill Grant in on much of what has happened in their absence. She has not been idle during Grant's meeting with the Queen. The Council heard what Ethan had to say but found it hard to believe. Four houses have petitioned the Queen to bolster the Marindan Defences, such that Morrison has now been given direct access to all artifacts contained within the Central Museum. The Queen has also put the 151st Battlefleet on standby - that is significant as it contains the last battleship from the Great War. It's a powerful artifact in its own right. The 151st have been deployed to the Outer Rim for centuries. The Lord Chamberlain is organising a ball in the honour of Grant and Ethan for two weeks time. Ethan seems to have upset the council by ignoring their requests for further meetings and instead has met an elven delegation from Arcadia. Ethan has not yet left Central - Sophia locates him in the museum using minor magic.
- Temporary quarters fit for a prince or lord are made available for Grant and Sophia. Sophia dismisses Valerian - he was only temporarily assigned to Grant and now that Grant has been formally recognised by Queen Constance he is now free to choose who represents him/works for him. Sophia organises to bring in her own staff whom she can trust for the time being. She also makes some recommendations as to who Grant should enlist. She also talks a little with Grant about his decision to ask for her. She thinks that Grant may have acted with his heart, not his head. But she is grateful and wants to be there for him. When Grant says that he needs help to make sense of this brewing storm, someone who he trusts and understands the inner workings of Marindar, Sophia can see the sense of it. She says that she will be there but asks for his trust in doing what must be done. She strongly suggests that they keep their relationship private and discreet - something that she was not prepared to mention in the palace. Once that relationship is revealed, it cannot be unrevealed. Grant agrees to keep their relationship a secret and he says that he trusts her completely in her decisions as to how to run the household.

The Icons
- The Icons arrive in a small box, sent by the Queen. Each Icon (there are 5 of them - Drake, Vala, Lucien, Mordecai, Dayle) resonates power but when Grant handles them he recognises all of them as fakes. None of them are real Icons. They've been enchanted to appear like Icons but none of them truly are Icons.
- Grant shares this revelation with Sophia, and Sophia remarks that the Queen probably does not know as they have been in her safekeeping for a long time. Someone must have switched them - someone who knew enough about Icons to make a clever fake. Sophia says that the Queen's most trusted servant was a older man named Falini, but he died a few years ago. Sophia doesn't know the details but she offers to find out.
- Grant heads over to the museum rather than wait for the Icons to be delivered and he finds a task force in the process of looting the building of useful valuables. Bethany and Morrison seem to be leading the group. Grant asks Morrison about the museum's Icons and Morrison finds some Icons of Drake and Gessimir (a Lord that Grant had not heard of before) and he dutifully offers them to Grant. However, both are fakes. Grant can tell as soon as he picks them up. However, he says nothing of this to Morrison.

Ethan in Marindar
- Locating Ethan is easy. Grant finds him working away in the Central Museum which has fabrication chambers for pulling apart and reassembling complex components. It's the closest thing to a forge that exists here in Marindar and Ethan is using it. Galatea is with him, watching him work. When asked what he's doing, Ethan says that he's realised that defence is preferable to offence and it's hard to block a bullet with a sabre. He's currently using Marindan technology to reverse engineer Yoda's light sabre, before he heads off to see the elves. He has only just started (<1 hour worked) when Grant arrives. Before then he'd been exploring the museum but then Morrison showed up and started pulling the place apart. He says that Galatea wants to be his bodyguard. She shakes her head at this but doesn't leave. Grant wants to tell Ethan that he's very wary of Morrison, but decides not to say anything in front of Galatea about his concerns. Instead he tells Ethan about his conversation with the Queen and his intention to stay in Marindar. Ethan listens politely and remains friendly but he is not completely open in front of Galatea. Grant has known Ethan for a long time and can tell. Ethan was clearly not impressed by the Queen's council. He says that he plans to visit Arcadia at the request of the elven Queen. In the meantime he's familiarising himself with Marindar and Galatea has kindly agreed to show him around. She nods obediently at this one.
- Grant leaves Ethan to his work and returns to his temporary lodgings to speak with Sophia. During this time, she establishes basic sorcerous communications with him (like a telephone - voice only) so that they can talk over distances. She also explains to Grant that there is other information that he should tap into when he has more time, but Grant is more interested in what she could uncover quickly about Falini and Shimrod's apprentice.

The Death of Falini
- Sophia is able to search Royal records and finds that Falini died 3 years ago. He was buried on the family estate. The cause of death is listed as accidental - he died at home from a heart attack, however he was apparently in good health (although he was quite old). Sophia decides that she has no confidence in the records. The records look to be in perfect order but she still doubts them. She decides to inquire upon the doctor who signed the death notice. Incidentally, Valerian took over Falini's place in the Queen's court which could be suspicious. She's not sure based on her initial investigations.

Shimrod's Apprentice
- Meliander is staying at his family estate in a wooded region to the east. He is being cared for by his wife. As it is only a short trip via one of the Marindan aircraft, Grant decides to take the journey immediately. He finds Meliander is in the Marindan equivalent of a wheelchair (it floats). His wife looks tired. The wizard himself looks quite young (in his 20s) but his eyes have a faraway look and he does not respond to conversation. Grant can see with Umbral sight that Meliander's mind is badly damaged but otherwise he's okay. Physically his body has been weakened by inactivity but there are no other maladies. Grant believes Ethan to be a superior healer, and so he contacts Ethan via Icon and asks him to help. Ethan agrees but he says that he will need about an hour (it is unspoken, but he means to ditch Galatea). Meliander's wife offers tea and Grant waits for Ethan to contact him.
- Ethan arrives alone (without Galatea) and he says that he's advised the Arcadians of a short delay. Ethan goes to work on Meliander and is able to repair his mind over the course of a day (GMs note - the power of Dominant rank Psyche). Every few hours there is noticeable improvement until at last Ethan says that he is done. Meliander's wife Clarabelle is overjoyed. That night there is a meal of celebration in the tiny house. Meliander will take time to adjust, but he is once more whole again. Meliander is able to say that Shimrod contacted him, and mentally attacked him, leaving him in his former state. (GM's note - This is the first evidence the PCs have seen of mental attack, via Icon)Meliander is able to construct Icons, and can also identify the fakes that Grant has brought as fakes.

Conversations with Ethan
- Over the course of the healing process, Ethan takes a number of rest breaks and Grant talks with him. Ethan says that he senses allies amongst the Marindans but also some deceit and he has no particular interest in playing such political games. Ethan offers to stay for awhile if it is important to him. Ethan seems amused that he's adopting Lady Sophia but doesn't chastise him. He just says that something has clearly changed in Grant to have taken to a place and a girl so strongly.
- The conversation shifts to Galatea, and Ethan remarks that she is totally smitten with him, but it makes no sense at all. He points out that he is not himself (he is still abnormally gaunt), and has only been back in civilisation a few days, and yet she still clings to him. At first he thought she was merely following orders, operating under instructions, but he's now certain that it is more than that and Ethan doesn't think that she's faking it. He doesn't think she's that bright. Ethan thinks that she is relatively young, like one of the Replicants from Bladerunner, without the emotional maturity that an adult should have. But there are so many enchantments laid on her that it's hard to know if she's being manipulated. Ethan assumes that she is, and it's some sort of 'love potion'. Ethan suspects it's some sort of honey trap, but he's not quite sure why. Certainly she seems to think of Morrison as her father, but there is little resemblance. Ethan wants to know if Grant is capable of breaking the enchantment which is affecting her emotionally. Ethan thinks he can do it himself with a combination of seduction, putting her to sleep, and then some sorcerous manipulations but he isn't completely sure. Grant offers to help, and Ethan thanks him, but parks the idea. He's not sure if tampering with someone like this is a good idea.

GM Commentary

We're into Session 23 but trying to edit Session 22 into a coherent narrative from PBEM emails on a tablet in order to publish here is proving time consuming. Will try to get Session 22 up before Xmas.

Feedback from Lurker37

"Hmmm....." indeed. After all, there's no way this could possibly end badly...  

Feedback from Sovem

I love that y'all've started to introduce characters from the core book. Can't wait to see how that goes down, and if they know about the recent incursions of Dwimmerlaik...

GM Commentary

Can't wait for the next installment!

Thanks Sovem, David and I didn't manage to catch up last week and I ended up working until midnight every night. Am now on the other side of the world (in the UK) and the game is now PBeM although we're still chatting via Google Hangouts. I will post further when we've completed Session 22. Things in Marindar are about to get messy. Sophia handled Grant's entrance discreetly. Now that is blown open with the invasion into the Gateway realm, the arrival of Ethan etc. Also David tells me that Grant is after an Icon of Drake. 

Hmmm.....

* Image by Jason Rainville (cropped) 

PS hope nobody minds me putting up a lo-res picture like this which is out of the LoG&S rulebook. If it is a problem I'll take it down but I can do a Google Images search and find this pic.

Feedback from Sovem

 Can't wait for the next installment!