Session 43 - The Dragon Army

GM Observations
- This session is a compress for Grant, building on Session 38 and accelerating such that Grant and Ethan can get back to the same point in time. The Session was run for Lurker37 via email and via Google Hangouts and then iterated via email exchange before publishing on the forum as ‘canon’. The writeup is not as detailed as some of the sessions as this is a compress.

Part 1 - The Lords of Gossamer
- Drake holds a council of war aboard the Vala’s Pride, a warship captured from the Dwimmerlaik during the Great War. Grant is present, along with ‘Benjamin’, Narsaug, Turadok, Cromwell, Queen Constancia and two other Lords of Gossamer that Grant has not met before: Lords Harrison, and Taltos. Professor Morrison is also present, but he is frozen in ‘carbonite’ (Han Solo style). There is much discussion, and Turadok is instructed to return to Marindar to bolster its defences (which he willingly agrees to). There is mention of an enemy fleet in Peladon (this is reported by ‘Benjamin’) and Drake resolves to deal with this threat before Heldon’s Pass thaws. The Lords appear disappointed that there are no other obvious targets with the exception of Mythlade, a realm conquered by the Dwimmerlaik that the Lords prefer to observe rather than directly engage. Narsaug suggests seeking the aid of ‘Mandragora’, and Drake considers this, eyeing up Grant as he does.
- The group disbands with Benjamin, Harrison and Taltos deciding to return to Heldon’s Pass to prepare before the ice melts sufficiently for the Dwimmerlaik to open the Door. Grant is able to deduce from the way that the Lords speak about Heldon’s Pass that it is a world which is a junction between Enemy controlled realms and the ‘free realms’ - and that the Enemy is only able to open the Door during high summer when the ice-wall is sufficiently melted to enable access. Narsaug agrees to travel with Drake to deal with the Enemy threat in Peladon. Queen Constancia and Cromwell are given permission to leave Vala’s Pride and return to Marindar.
- Sensing that Drake wishes to speak privately with Grant, Grant remains. They talk. Grant explains that he is interested in helping Drake where he can to protect Marindar from the Dwimmerlaik threat - he has grown quite fond of the place. (GM’s note - Cromwell is in Drake’s service and has already briefed Drake - hence Drake is well prepared for the conversation with Grant in order to convince him to work together. Drake is most persuasive) Drake asks if Grant is prepared to come to Peladon with him, and Grant agrees, although he also expresses his disapproval of Narsaug and his methods. Drake accepts this - he comments that Narsaug has also disappointed him, and Drake says that he will make an example of him. Grant asks what will be done with Vala’s Pride, and Drake gives a wry smile. He says that Vala wishes to meet with Grant, and Grant accepts.
- Grant is taken to a glowing sphere onboard the vessel, which Drake refers to as ‘The Shatterlight’. As Grant looks upon the sphere, he feels strange as if he is falling. Then he is gone.

Realm 22 - Shatterlight (Gold Door)
- In the pristine gardens of the eternal city, Lady Vala greets Grant. She has been waiting for him. She is barefoot, and dressed simply in a flowing robe. She is young, but somehow ageless. Grant senses something most unusual as she talks to him - she knows him, even though he does not believe they have ever met before. 

* Image by Jason Rainville
- It is a surreal feeling as they talk, and Grant can tell that she is many times more powerful than Ethan. Even the natural gnawing/transformative pulling of the Umbra is still here in Shatterlight - Grant feels at peace here. 
- They talk. Time passes. The clouds move but the sun does not set here. There do not appear to be any other people here. Vala asks him many questions, about Marindar, about himself and his travels, and even about Ethan and Lady Sophia. Grant asks how she knows how much about him, and she says plainly that they have met before. When Grant presses, she gives him an answer that he does not expect. She tells him that they met briefly during the Great War - something that seems impossible given that this was over six hundred years prior and it has only been in the last two years that he has been a Lord of Gossamer. She explains that there is a place called Skamino (GM’s note - Skamino has been mentioned before, as a world ‘off limits’ but accessible from Marindar) in which a terrible battle was fought, shattering the fabric of reality itself and plunging much of the realm into oblivion. Vala says that she remembers Grant from that terrible battle - an older and battle-hardened Grant, but she says that he is the same person. 
- Grant finds that this is difficult to take in, but he resolves to stay awhile in Shatterlight once he learns that this place is outside normal reality and that time does not move in the same way. He finds that there are many Doors from Shatterlight, but all of them are held, as if on the cusp of opening. There are also many pools which catch the sunlight, and in these pools Grant catches glimpses from his past, and the near present. In one he swears that he sees himself carrying a black-bladed sword. He finds it hard to know whether he is dreaming or not, and resolves to leave Shatterlight.

* Image by Jason Rainville
- Vala wishes him safe travels and offers him an Icon of her (a small coin with the image of an owl on it). He asks her if Shatterlight will always be this way, and she replies cryptically that the moment will always be this way. (GM’s note - this bit is a little homage to The Never-ending Story, in which Bastion wishes that things could last forever, and the Childlike Empress tells him that the moment is forever.)

Part 2 - Dragon Army
- Returning to the Dwimmerlaik ship, Grant finds that no time as passed at all. It has only been a moment for Drake, but many days for Grant. Curious, Grant asks if they have ever met before and Drake says that they have not (but Grant remains unsure as to whether Drake is telling the truth). Grant is resolved - he asks Drake to show him more of the Enemy, and Drake agrees. Drake leaves one of his generals, a blue-skinned elf named Tywin in charge and the two of them leave via Icon.

* Image by Apneicmonkey on DeviantART

Realm 28 - Ineswitrin (Wooden Door)
- Drake and Grant arrive on the battlements of a castle overlooking the sea. To Grant’s surprise, he comes face to face with Vidaniel, whom he met previously and Sophia referred to as her closest friend. Grant did not expect her to be anywhere but Marindar, and he wonders how many others from Marindar are using the Doors without being noticed. Drake introduces Grant to Ineswitrin, which he refers to as ‘his home’. Flying from the battlements are blue pennants with three golden crowns on them. The realm appears to akin to the Middle Ages, but Grant also finds technology which is anachronistic to the time period. Some of the soldiers carry short lance-like weapons with hollow tips, suggesting that they are in fact ranged weapons. Grant senses more than one Door in Ineswitrin.

* Image by Smilika on DeviantART 
- Grant is formerly introduced to Vidaniel as the Steward of Ineswitrin. It is explained that she looks after the realm when Drake is away, which is frequent. Drake and Grant share a fine feast, and they talk long into the night. Drake encourages Grant to rest while he can, and that he will contact him ‘when the fleet is assembled’. 
- The next morning Drake is gone and Grant explores the knightly society, complete with lumbering tank-like automatons. The entire society appears to be geared towards lords, soldiers and serfs and there is little or no merchant-class to be seen. Vidaniel is the only non-human present, but she appears to be a key organiser within the community. Grant watches the soldiers and finds them to be of high calibre.
- At last Grant is summoned to join the fleet, and finds himself transported to a space vessel - one amongst many many others. Drake is clearly in command, but he takes time to explain the fleet’s function and composition. The battlefleet, dubbed the Dragon Army, will be transported to the Peladon system and destroy the Dwimmerlaik invaders. Grant asks how the Dragon Army will get to its destination, and Drake says simply that they have the coordinates. (GM’s note - Grant has seen armies transported before - by Mordecai - but says nothing)

Part 3 - Attack on Peladon
- Grant spends three days aboard Drake’s flagship, learning swiftly. He has already learnt a considerable amount from Cromwell, and he easily absorbs the intricacies of his new environment. When the last of the Dragon Army has arrived and Drake is satisfied that the fleet is ready, the fleet performs a dimensional jump. There is a flash of light, a sudden arrival and the systems need to recalibrate based on their new positioning. Drake has positioned the fleet far away from the Enemy fleet, in order to avoid detection.

* Image sourced from Google Images (from Eve Online)
- The Enemy fleet is holding position as if waiting for a signal, a signal that Grant guesses will probably never come. The Dragon Army executes a short jump and engages the Enemy Fleet. There are dozens of Enemy warships, most over a mile in length and with hundreds of thousands of warriors onboard, but this only represents a small fraction of the Enemy’s overall might. Narsaug is sent to lead the fighter attack (as punishment), while Grant is given command of a squadron of dreadnoughts. 

* Image sourced from Google Images (from Robotech)
- The fighting is fierce, and the Enemy is determined to stand and fight rather than withdraw or surrender. Casualties are high on both sides. Grant uses Umbra to look for weaknesses in the Enemy’s strategy, which he finds reasonably effective when he can dedicate enough time to observe and analyse. Drake’s Dragon Army is victorious but there are many ships lost. In the aftermath, Grant notes the number of giant-sized bodies floating in the void - the Dwimmerlaik are using humanoids who are over ten metres tall, with giant armour and weapons to match.
- In the aftermath, Drake admits to Grant that the fleet appears to have been abandoned by the Dwimmerlaik as there was no significant counterattack and no ‘warping of reality’. He is a little disappointed, but not surprised. Drake offers Grant no praise for his efforts in the battle, but no criticism either.

Part 4 - The Warcasters
Realm 42 - Immoren (Metal Door)
- Grant expresses interest in learning more, and he is taken to Western Immoren, a realm that has been heavily influenced by Drake. It has a knightly order, but there are specialist sorcerers called Warcasters who employ steam-punk style automatons called Warjacks. Drake introduces him to a Warcaster called Trajan whom he asks to educate Drake on the use of Umbra. Trajan is not a Lord of Gossamer, but he has experience in using transformational magic. Drake says a brief farewell, and leaves Grant. 

* Image by Xiaoxinge on DeviantART 
- Over the next three weeks, Grant learns more about the magic of the Iron Kingdoms and the potential applications for Umbra from Trajan and some of his fellow casters. Grant is very strong, able to wield considerable large-scale destructive power but has little experience in more subtle uses. He learns quickly from Trajan, and finds that he is able to mould gossamer reality, transforming both matter and energy using Umbra. The outcomes are not always what Grant intended as Umbra is a slippery tool to use. Umbra wants to continue changing things - it is easy to start but hard to guide and stop. Grant practices and practices. In his experiments, he even manages to bring a Warjack ‘to life’ and it begins behaving with basic intelligence, following him around and growling like a full metal bear - this is something that the other war casters have never seen before.

* Image sourced from Google Images
- Before Grant can explore further, Drake suddenly reappears on the scene, and they have dinner together. Grant asks more questions and Drake agrees to show Grant a world controlled by the Dwimmerlaik.

Part 5 - The Conquered
Realm 43 - Mythlade (Black Door)
- The next day, Drake sends Grant via Icon to a ragged man who looks like a beggar. The man says that his name is unimportant, but he agrees to show Grant of the world that he lives in - a world which is under the control of the Enemy. In this world the major powers have all but fallen, although scattered resistance remains. There are few of the Dwimmerlaik, however the core of the native population is now loyal to them, and the rest are either enslaved or hunted as traitors. Grant is able to tell that there is more than one Door in this realm, but they are guarded. The ragged man tells Grant to watch his step, as the Enemy has servants that can sniff out ‘his kind’ - and Grant uses Umbra to change himself sufficiently so that he can investigate this strange land.
- Grant finds that much of society is as normal as any other place, but there is a strange bias present. Even normal people appear to have strong opinions about those who do not serve ‘The Masters’ - it is not that they are afraid of ‘The Masters’ - they seem to belief in their way of life to such an extreme that anything else is an abomination. Grant wonders how long it has taken to achieve this level of brainwashing.

* Image sourced from Google Images
- Amongst the spires of Kairos Obsidia, the nearest major city which Grant visits, he spies a familiar Dark Tower amongst the structures. It is the same one that Arana owns. (GM’s note - way back from Session 8) Grant is intrigued but chooses not to venture too closely. Here and there there are the Acolyes, proudly dressed in blood red and silver, who enforce the will of the ‘Masters’ and root out traitors and heretics. They travel with strange panther-sized felines which have blood red eyes and seem to sense when Grant is near.
- He finds the experience a little perplexing - the people seem content enough (at least those who are not hunted), and there is no clear target to hit. It is almost as though the Dwimmerlaik have a different ideology from the Lords of Gossamer, and there is a clash of cultures. Grant contacts Drake via Icon and leaves.

Part 7 - Only War
Realm 44 - Antenar (Black Door)
- Grant finds Drake preparing for yet another battle, this time against a living tide of bio-organic lifeforms that have recently made planetfall on Antenar. Grant asks whether the Enemy is behind this attack, and Drake curtly tells him that the battle is only ‘for practice’. 
- Drake spares Grant a few minutes, in which Grant asks more about the Enemy. Drake tells him that the Enemy holds significant sections of the Grand Stair, and there are contested domains and choke points on the Stair that are fought over. Aside from that, the Enemy is difficult to find - like finding a needle in a haystack - the Stair is vast and the Dwimmerlaik are not everywhere. Drake uses scouts to find the Enemy. These scouts act as pathfinders to tell the rest of his armies where to strike. Grant muses over this - it sounds much like the way that Mordecai operates, although he cannot admit this openly to Drake.
- Grant decides to join the battle and Drake gives him a command. Departing, Grant uses Umbra to re-weave his clothes into the military garb of a general and he joins the troops. What follows this is three weeks of hell. The aliens come in near endless waves, the constant rain turns the earth into mud and the only thing which keeps them from being overrun is the near constant use of heavy tanks and artillery. The body count on both sides is extraordinary, and Grant finds it a sobering experience when the guns finally fall silent, the smoke of battle lifts and he finds the fields are choked with charred and ruined bodies from both sides. Grant can scarcely believe that nineteen days have passed - he knew that he’d been on his feet a long time, and that the fighting had been almost continuous - but the scale of the destruction is mind-numbing for him.
- In the aftermath, Drake finds Grant sitting amongst the ruins of a gun emplacement and he tells him to take one last look around over the battlefield before they leave. Grant doesn’t argue - and Drake uses an Icon to leave. 

Grand Stairway Section 13 – Palace Corridors
- Still caked in mud, the two of them appear in an ornately decorated section of the Grand Stair that reminds Grant of some strange palace. In front of him is Benjamin, the mad elf. Benjamin looks Grant up and down but says nothing and begins to lead the way.

* Image sourced from Google Images

Realm 45 - Jungle Kingdom (Black Door)
- Drake and Grant follow Benjamin through one of the Doors, and they step out of a ruined structure into a tropical world. The heat is intense, and the humidity is close to 100%. Grant asks what has brought them here and Benjamin tells him that Drake has lost one of his scouts here. Drake doesn’t like the place - it feels hostile. Grant wearily puts up an Umbral shield to protect them, and the three of them follow their ‘Wayfinding nose’ in pursuit. It is not long before they run into trouble - an group of lizard-like creatures attacks them, almost like they were expecting their arrival. They are no match for three Lords of Gossamer.
- Suffering from the intense heat, Grant shape shifts into a more comfortable form. Drake instead uses Eidolon to withstand the temperature, while Benjamin strips down to little more than a loincloth. Exploring further, the trio find that most of the flora and fauna is toxic or predatory to warmblooded creatures like themselves. Drake says that the realm has most probably been shaped by the Dwimmerlaik, and they carry on. As the days wear on, Drake uses Icons to acquire provisions. The trail leads them high into the mountains to a great city perched on the peaks. The city is crawling with the lizard-like creatures, and at night-time Grant takes to the sky in the form of a native flying reptile to get a better view. He decides to land in their temple, and then uses an Icon to pull Drake and Benjamin through. As they skulk about the place, they find evidence that this society has been to other worlds as there are treasures and trophies which are anachronistic for this society. At last, Drake finds a human skull with shattered teeth and he acknowledges that they have been too late. At this point there is a disagreement between them - Benjamin wants to cut loose and start killing them, but Drake suggests that it would be wiser to withdraw before they realise that they are here. Grant finds a black pool of strange ichor in the temple, and points this out to the others. Drake inspects this and advises them that it is indeed a portal, but he’s not sure where it leads.
- Following Drake’s advice and despite a black look from Benjamin, the trio withdraw, taking only the skull with them.

Part 6 - Return to Marindar
Realm 15b - True Marindar (Grey Door)
- Weary and tired, Grant returns to Marindar. He is disappointed to find Sophia absent, apparently due to some conflict between the Elarans and the Kargans that requires mediation. Turadok seems to be working on a new structure within Central, but Grant is not interested in talking to him. He learns from his staff that many of the Defenders (such as Morlan) have returned to Marindar and have been shoring up the defences, but Galatea has left Marindar through the Arcadian Door. A bit saddened and feeling a long way from home, Grant wonders if he should contact Ethan. He looks over Ethan’s Icon but is interrupted before he can initiate contact.
- It is Raine who breaks his melancholy. She is pleased to see him and his staff notified her upon his return. Grant’s mood brightens temporarily, and they spend some time together. However, things aren’t quite the same - Grant finds that Marindar feels empty without Sophia, and Raine gives him some space to figure out what he wants next. Grant muses over travelling to Elara, and he spends some time learning more about the place before heading to the Door.

Part 7 - Elaran War
Realm 23 - Elara (Blue Door)
- Grant’s arrival in the Elaran capital is not expected, but he is warmly welcomed by the Elarans. He quickly finds that Elara is in a state of limited war against the southern nation of Karga as a result of some territorial disputes. There have been a number of limited engagements and deaths on both sides. Lady Sophia is not in the Elaran capital but has travelled to Karga to attempt to find a diplomatic solution to the problem.
- Finding it difficult to leave Elara without offending Prince Kavaine and his sister Ariel, Grant finds himself an honoured guest and decides to stay a few days until he can learn more about the place. He is intrigued by the war machines that they use (man-piloted giant robots) but memories of Antenar and Peladon are fresh in his mind and he is keen to avoid conflict at all costs. Grant senses that the Elarans are keen to enlist his support in whatever capacity he is prepared to offer - they have long had dealings with the Lords of Gossamer via Marindar and understand what power they can bring to bear. Grant finds that he enjoys Kavaine’s company - a true prince of the people who cares deeply about the people, not just his own. He learns that Kavaine has served in the Royal Army, however he (like Grant) has seen much bloodshed and would prefer another way. 

* Image by PeachPlums on DeviantART 
- Ariel however is a different matter. She is young, intelligent and quite wilful. Grant remembers hearing from Sophia that she had learnt something of Marindan magic which was atypical for Elarans. Ariel shows considerable interest in Grant which he finds somewhat uncomfortable.

* Image by Liangxinxin on DeviantART 
- After two days, Lady Sophia learns of his presence in Elara and she contacts him. Grant asks simply how he can help, and Sophia seeks permission from the Kargans for Grant to travel to the Kargan capital to join her for ‘negotiations’. The Kargans quickly agree to this, and Grant travels in an Elaran shuttle across the oceans between the two great nations to the capital at Korthad. There are multiple mecha from the Kargan Imperial Army to receive Grant’s shuttle and he is received with great pomp and ceremony by the the Kargans. 
- To Grant’s surprise, the Kargans are very interested in hearing what Grant has to say. Stories of his battles on Arcadia, Marindar and even Peladon have reached Kargan ears and the Kargans greatly respect military prowess. The Kargans take time to show Grant their own military strength, showing off what their best pilots can do. Grant is introduced to the Kargan version of chess and he watches the game being played between two Grand Masters, one of whom is the retired General Valaya, whom Grant recalls presented him with a silver blade as a gift when he first arrived in Marindar. (GM’s note - way back in Session 24) Grant is even taken to the Imperial Military College at Tarkas to see the next generation of Kargan officers being trained. Grant agrees to all of this as his mere presence seems to have stopped the hostilities cold, and he is rather interested in Kargan society. Grant receives an Icon contact from Drake, but is relieved when Drake does not call upon him and instead leaves him be.
- A few days pass by and Grant senses that a diplomatic solution will indeed be possible. The Kargans are a proud race, but they are also pragmatic. Following Lady Sophia’s advice as to how to deal with the Kargans (both the nobility and the military structures), Grant proves to be quite adept at dealing with them. He does however find it very difficult to be so close to Sophia and still conceal the affection that he has for her - he is under no illusion that the Kargans are watching them both. In spite of this, Grant notices a shift in the way that the Kargans interact with Sophia - Grant’s presence is giving further traction to Sophia’s negotiations.
- However, before the negotiations can be concluded, Grant receives an Icon contact from Ethan. (GM’s note - this ties in with Session 33, Part 3). Ethan explains that he is travelling and has uncovered a Dwimmerlaik who is travelling ‘incognito’. The Dwimmerlaik, named Bresh, is aware of Ethan but does not seem to have a method of calling in reinforcements. Ethan plans to leave the airship at the next port, but asks whether Grant would be prepared to come through to the Sparrowhawk and find out what Bresh is up to. Grant hesitates for a moment, and then agrees.

Feedback from BelleSorciere

Excellent.

GM Commentary

Session 43 took me longer to write up than expected. It'll be up tomorrow night (12th December) - Lurker37 just needs to review it first in case I missed anything. The next session, Session 44 is planned for 14th December.

GM Commentary

Session 43 was run on Tuesday. It'll take me a few days to write up. Session 44 is planned for Tuesday 2nd December - we're up to the bit where Ethan contacts Grant via Icon to pursue Bresh (the Dwimmerlaik) but where did it lead Grant?... need to play out the session, then I'll then need a few days to write up.

Hopefully Grant and Ethan will be teaming again on 'the long walk' by Xmas.

Feedback from BelleSorciere

Re "dense" I mean information dense. Lots of stuff communicated in a tidy space. A good thing, not, uhm, dense as in hard to read through. Sorry about that.

As far as the solo question, thank you for clarifying. That's not dissimilar to stuff I did when I was playing Amber Diceless with one other person - we'd spend a lot of time working stuff out with feedback but without actual play. And then of course there's "bluebooking" from the old Aaron Allston's Strikeforce, which sort of wanders in that direction.

Mythic GM Emulator is a game book that helps generate plots and such. Essentially you can have it stand in as a GM or as a GM's aid with one or multiple players. I haven't tried it but a friend of mine finds it useful for inspiration. Mostly I prefer to have human GMs. 

GM Commentary

BelleSorciere wrote:The writeups are very informative and dense, takes a bit to process them. 

When you ran a session for yourself, did you write it up as fiction or did you use a solo GM tool like the Mythic GM Emulator? Just curious. Also was interesting that turned out to be one of the roughest days yet for Ethan.

Dense? Is there anything that I can do to make the narrative easier to read? I've attempted to break up the narrative into sections and insert graphics where I can.

Running sessions for myself? That's not quite how it works but I can see how it could appear that way. When it's clear that there is a gap in the narrative, either because 'time passes', or because of travelling from A to B, I work with Lurker37 to fill in that gap. In a movie or novel normally the story just skips forward, but given that Ethan and Grant are still learning it makes sense to define at least to some degree what happened. So what happens is that I ask Lurker37 for ideas - sometimes he has some, other times he doesn't. I then weave a skeleton plot as to what should happen, and then go back to Lurker37 to talk some of it through. For example, sometimes I think X should logically happen, but he has a better idea so it becomes Y. This is particularly true now that Ethan is travelling with Isabelle. I don't control Isabelle so I always need to check with Lurker37 as to how she is likely to behave and react. Once we have an agreed skeleton, I then start fleshing it out. Then we'll normally play it through as a Session, talk through the points and then expand/tweak as we go.

So right now it's the same process in reverse. Grant needs to accelerate by about 2-3 months of game time. I've sent about 15 points which would logically happen to Grant, and then have asked for input from Lurker37. He responded the other day, and now I need to refine/rewrite that into a sequence. Even then it's not cast in stone - we'll run that as a proper game session but then we'll talk through the narrative and make amendments to it as we go. Currently I'm thinking that Grant will interact with Drake and a number of the other Lords of Gossamer, there is the opportunity for some side-plots in near-Marindan realms, spend some quality time with Sophia/Raine etc, do some more side-plots before he receives the Icon contact from Ethan while Ethan and Isabelle are on the Sparrowhawk (Way back in Session 33 Part 3) asking Grant to help him tail a Dwimmerlaik. That's Session 43.

Session 44 will no doubt be a second acceleration between the plotline with Bresh, through to more side plots, more time on Marindar and elsewhere, before he gets contacted again by Ethan asking for help to look after Isabelle, Yolanda an Stefan. Again, I'll provide a skeleton to work through with Lurker37 but it'll be an iterative process, and then played through as a session. 

Hope this helps, and I have no idea what the Mythic GM Emulator is. I use lots of cookbooks for ideas, but there is no recipe.

Feedback from BelleSorciere

Definitely yes on the inspiration.

I stopped keeping up for a bit when things got too busy for me last summer, and so it was nice to have lots of stuff when I remembered to come back.

The writeups are very informative and dense, takes a bit to process them. 

When you ran a session for yourself, did you write it up as fiction or did you use a solo GM tool like the Mythic GM Emulator? Just curious. Also was interesting that turned out to be one of the roughest days yet for Ethan.

GM Commentary

 BelleSorciere wrote:

I am glad this is still going. 

Thanks BelleSorciere. I see the Number of Reads slowly incrementing so I hope people are enjoying the writeup, getting ideas for their own games, and what I'm sharing is generally useful to others. (I assume it's not bots pinging the page but one never really knows) It's lovely to have someone provide some feedback that they are reading it.

David and I are working out the next session. There is some acceleration and interweaving of plots required. We last saw Grant back in Marindar on Vala's Pride, but we've also seen a future conversation where Ethan contacts Grant via Icon and asks him to pursue a Dwimmerlaik called Bresh.... so we're busy tying all the threads together so that we get Ethan and Grant back together.

Feedback from BelleSorciere

 I am glad this is still going. 

Session 42 - Lucien’s Compass

GM Observations - Part 1
- This session was the end of the story arc for Ethan to find/assemble Lucien’s Compass, and leads into the next story arc. Lots of fights, and a variety of action. More at the end of this post…..

Realm 40 - Orlano (Brown Door)
Part 1 - Temporary Withdrawal
- Ethan carefully surveys the thugs that followed them into the tavern - Ichabod has left them with a bag of gold coins and they are both drunk and distracted. Ethan and Eigen quietly leave their table and slip out of the tavern. Eigen is astonished that they managed to avoid a fight. In the cool of the afternoon as they walk back to the Golden Crescent, Ethan casually asks Eigen if the festival will continue that evening. Eigen confirms that the celebrations will continue for another two more days.
- Only about two hours have passed since Ethan sent Yolanda, Stefan and Isabelle through to Marindar via Icon and Ethan does not feel like contacting Grant again so soon. He asks Eigen if he will return to his own residence but Eigen says that Ichabod badly damaged it, so he plans to lodge at the Golden Crescent until he can make repairs. Ethan politely excuses himself and says that he’ll return in a day or so. Eigen bids Ethan farewell.
- Ethan makes his way back to the Door. He suspects a possible ambush but decides that it is better to make a run for it - the only other alternative would be to contact Grant and return to Marindar himself - but he has travelled a long way from there. At the entrance to the alleyway, Gorgorin begins shaking on his hip. Ethan grips the hilt firmly and makes sure that his shield is securely fastened to his back. Then he bolts for the Door, even as some of the cobblestones explode. He isn’t sure whether he is under fire or whether the stones are booby traps - he doesn’t stop to find out. Ethan flings open the Door and dives through. The Door shuts immediately behind him and Ethan feels a detonation on the other side even as he mentally bars the Door.
- Ethan wastes no time and heads away from the Orlano Door. As he walks he searches for a nearby (but not immediately proximate) safe haven where he can rest. He ignores the Wayfinding pull to return to Orlano and instead begins climbing the Stair. After about ten minutes he settles upon a worn wooden Door that feels right.

Realm 41 - Cassia (Brown Door)
Part 2 - Temporary Reprieve
- Ethan steps out of a barn. It is a warm spring day and there is a nearby stone farmhouse with a slate roof. There is a slight breeze which makes the fields sway. Ethan isn’t sure if it is corn or wheat. He hears laughter nearby. 
- Strangely, Ethan feels remarkably good here. Gorgorin is silent and he realises that the blade has been dragging upon him. In this realm, magic including Eidolon-based and Umbra-based sorceries seem to be weak. 
- Ethan heads around the side of the house, calling so as not to frighten anyway. He meets three small children who are playing a variation of hopscotch with three circles. Their clothes are home-made fabric smocks and there is no sign of any mechanisation on the farm. The children speak English and Ethan is introduced as a ‘Venturer’ to their mother, Tandra. She does not appear surprised to see him, and the children quickly confirm that he came ‘from the barn’ even though it was locked. Ethan realises that there is a possibility that Lucien has used this place before as a sanctuary. He offers some coins to Tandra who accepts them. She offers him a guest room with a large feather mattress which Ethan gratefully accepts.
- Ethan puts Gorgorin away and sleeps soundly. The next morning he refrains from contacting Grant and spends the day resting. It is only on the morning of the second day that he decides to head back to Orlano. 

Realm 40 - Orlano (Brown Door)
Part 3 - Ambush
- Expecting trouble, Ethan opens the Door. With the dragon shield in front of him and his sorcerous defences up, Ethan steps into the alley. Almost immediately there is the sound of a crossbow bolt being loosed and it shatters upon Ethan’s shield. Ethan spots the sniper on a rooftop above, and the sniper withdraws. 
- Rather than chasing his assailant, Ethan uses Eidolon-sight to ‘sense’ for others. He finds two more waiting for him just outside the alleyway - if he had charged blindly after his first assailant he would run straight into the other two. Steeling himself, Ethan draws Gorgorin and heads into battle. 
- The two warriors draw steel as soon as they see Ethan. Both look human, but they are very strong - much stronger than a normal person and very highly skilled. Ethan underestimates their skill and takes a few wounds before he is finally able to slay one with Gorgorin and then the other. The bodies themselves disintegrate upon contact with Gorgorin, leaving only a scattering of black blood and grey ash on the paving stones.
- Using ‘the Force’ once more, Ethan tries to locate his original assailant and to his surprise is able to do so. However, he realises that to pursue his opponent would probably end up with him charging into the streets with sword drawn which would attract the attention of the city guard. He decides to head back to the Golden Crescent with all due haste.

Part 4 - Yolanda and Stefan
- To his utter surprise, both Yolanda and Stefan greet him when he arrives at the back door of the tavern. Ethan didn’t expect them to be back given that they were supposed to be in Marindar being looked after by Grant. Before he can ask further how they got here, their forms start melting and Ethan is hit by a Power Word (GM’s note - Ethan has only once been on the receiving end of these before) which dazzles him. He quickly draws Gorgorin and then sees that one of the creatures (which has grown Dwimmerlaik-like horns) is summoning up a ball of black tentacled energy. The other carries a sword in one hand and carries a coiled, barbed weapon in the other.
- Ethan goes on the offence and hacks into the nearest morphing Dwimmerlaik. The space at the back of the house is cramped, barely enough space for the three of them to fight at all, let alone get a decent blow in. The Dwimmerlaik sorcerer continues to summon energies whilst Ethan engages the other one in close combat, trying to keep the other Dwimmerlaik between him and the sorcerer. Ethan’s opponent is too skilled for a quick victory, and in the Enemy’s hand the weapon is now uncoiled with each fingertip sprouting razor-sharp but barbed metal tendrils. Ethan blocks a blow with his dragon-shield and then unleashes a Force Push (GM’s note - Cantrip on steroids) which hurls his adversary straight into the mass of chaos energy. The warrior screams and the sorcerer loses control of his summoning, blasting all three of them in opposite directions. 
- Ethan is up first and he leaps upon the warrior, cutting him down with Gorgorin (as he does so, he notes that much of the warrior’s back has been blasted asunder from contact with the summoned chaos storm which the sorcerer was building). Ethan whirls and notes the sorcerer getting hurriedly to his feet. At that moment, Ethan unleashes an even stronger Force Push, putting the full weight of Sorcery and his formidable Psyche behind it. To Ethan’s surprise, the Dwimmerlaik goes clean through the solid-wood ceiling to the upper level with an almighty crash.
- Frowning, Ethan climbs the stairs to the upper floor but the Dwimmerlaik is gone. He shuts his eyes, calms himself and ‘feels’ for his Enemy. He also heals his wounds using Eidolon and reinforces his body, expecting further combat. The Dwimmerlaik is back downstairs, and Ethan can hear him. There is a strange clicking sound and Ethan knows that the Dwimmerlaik is transforming into some sort of battle form. Suddenly Ethan doesn’t feel so brave, and he considers bailing. He doesn’t know how many assassins remain, and if he defeated one group then this group must surely be more experienced and better prepared. Before he can reach for his Icon, Ethan hears a muffled cry from one of the bedrooms. It is Eigen - bound and gagged. Ethan finds his courage and waits on the upper floor for the monster to reach him. He can tell that it is big with many legs. 
- Breathing deeply to calm himself, Ethan waits until it is on the stair and then he brings down a full strength telekinetic blow onto the staircase. There is a tremendous crash as the stair is sundered. Ethan wastes no time and leaps down to strike at the creature while it is stunned. The Dwimmerlaik is in the form of a huge black centipede, but its many legs are like that of a spider and it has more body parts than a creature of this kind should. Each leg ends with blades and its mouth is fanged. Flipped onto its belly by the fall, Ethan cleaves into it once, twice and then it is suddenly still. The body disintegrates into dust, leaving only green venom behind on the shattered steps.

Part 5 - Counterattack
- Ethan levitates back to the first floor, and goes to release Eigen. He is delirious and suffering from some sort of mutagen. Ethan realises that it will take time to heal Eigen. He also knows that there are other Dwimmerlaik present so he decides to remove Eigen to safety. Ethan contacts Grant via Icon. He notes that Grant’s image is wet, so he makes polite conversation (which is quite out of place considering the destruction around him) asking how Yolanda and Stefan are enjoying their vacation on Marindar. Grant has taken them to the beach - a beach with glorious sand. Ethan can tell that Grant is having a good time, and when Ethan asks if he’s looking after Isabelle, Grant gives him a response which makes Ethan wonder if Grant is enjoying Isabelle’s company a little too much. Ethan feels a touch of envy, but then asks what Marindan women wear on the beach. Grant laughs and tells him ‘not much’, which makes Ethan chuckle and wish he was also enjoying the sun and beach. His mind wanders back to the time she almost went skinny-dipping and he persuaded her not to. Ethan snaps himself out of the polite conversation and asks Grant to look after Eigen. Grant agrees to this, Ethan leads Eigen through and then cuts the connection. Shelving thoughts of Isabelle, Ethan decides to go on the offensive and he blasts a hole in the ceiling (through the roof), much to the shock of a large black bird on the roof. Ethan races up into the sky to get a better view of the town.
- Using his Eidolon senses, Ethan looks for any remaining traces of Umbra and is surprised to find that the departing crow is actually a Dwimmerlaik. Ethan does a ‘Superman’ and charges after the bird. It is a short flight, and the bird dives down the chimney of a house in the poor quarter. Ethan lands on the street to the surprise of the locals, and then kicks the door of the house in. He’s confronted by an elderly lady and a roomful of cats who look very surprised to see him. “I’ll pay for that,” Ethan remarks as he scans the room. At last he spots a black cat and Ethan says “I want to buy that cat.” The cats suddenly hiss and leap at him. The old lady faints. Ethan throws them off with a Force Push, scattering them all. The cat shifts suddenly into a slender Dwimmerlaik with a silvery rapier, whilst another cat grows to enormous size and his fangs grow long enough to be considered a sabre tooth. Before Ethan can even attempt to negotiate, the Dwimmerlaik leaps at him. The bastard is exceptionally fast, and Ethan doesn’t get his shield up in time. Cut by the first blow, Ethan backs off but is conscious of the giant kitty-cat behind him looking for an opening. Turning his attention momentarily to the giant cat, Ethan commands it to “Sleep Now” (GM’s note - again using a Power Word). The cat immediately falls to the ground, fast asleep. As Ethan turns back to face the Dwimmerlaik, he is hit from behind and sliced across the back. The Dwimmerlaik sneers and begins fencing with Ethan, scoring another few blows. Ethan goes on the defensive and manages to match his opponent’s speed, and prevent him from leaving.
- An hour later the battle is still going. Ethan is trying to wear his opponent down. He has been cut a number of times but the Dwimmerlaik is getting tired. A second hour wears on, and Ethan puts on a brave face. He’s hurting, but his opponent is far worse. A little way into the third hour, at last Ethan seizes the Dwimmerlaik’s arm, wrenches the blade out of his hand and knocks him out cold.
- Confident that this is the last of his opponents (given that the duel had been going for over two hours), Ethan does a little dance. (GM’s note - he would have been singing Michael Jackson’s “Bad” but this was produced in 1987 and I think Ethan last left Shadow Earth (Realm 0) in late 1986 so maybe he was instead grooving to “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen) Anyway, the grandmother is still out cold, and Ethan puts the big cat back to sleep as it starts to stir. With the Dwimmerlaik unconscious, the giant cat starts to diminish in size.

Part 6 - Ethan and Isabelle
- Ethan happily pulls out an Icon for Grant and contacts him. Grant is still wet from the beach, and Ethan asks about Eigen. Grant says that he has managed to control the Umbra-based venom that was running through his veins, but admits that the wolf-man is not particularly fond of the beach. Ethan asks if Grant would like to interrogate a Dwimmerlaik, and Grant enthusiastically agrees. Ethan proposes that he give Grant a chance to get off the beach but Grant convinces Ethan to hand across the Dwimmerlaik there and then. Then, almost on a whim, Ethan hands Grant his sword, Gorgorin. The sword purrs with delight as it leaves Ethan for Grant’s hands. Instantly, Ethan feels a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. Grant thanks him and says that he’ll be in touch in a few hours when his guests are ready to leave. Ethan agrees as this gives him a chance to repair the Golden Crescent.
- That evening, Yolanda and Stefan return to the repaired tavern. They embrace Ethan, and offer him a tankard of ale and Yolanda offers to make a very special pie to celebrate. (It is the last night of the Orlano festival) Ethan feels much better, but he does not tell his hosts about his encounters with the Dwimmerlaik. Ethan and Isabelle share a little smile, and they wait for Yolanda and Stefan to retire so that they can talk.
- Ethan asks Isabelle whether she liked Marindar, and Isabelle says that she loved the beach. She spent the last few years in Nexopolis where there are no beaches. She also gushes about Grant, to the point where Ethan isn’t quite sure whether she is genuine or whether she is trying to provoke a reaction. Ethan is polite, but he then changes the topic to Ichabod. Ethan explains that he cut a deal with Ichabod, so there was no violence. This surprises Isabelle and she listens intently. Ethan explains that Ichabod wanted him to hand her over, but he refused. Ichabod wants Isabelle to stay out of his affairs in Nexopolis in future, and Isabelle swiftly agrees to this condition, citing that she has no intention of ever returning there. Then very delicately, Ethan explains that Ichabod wants an apology - whether right or wrong, he believes that Isabelle doesn’t understand the consequences of what she has done. He asks her very gently to think about it, for to avoid it would likely end in Ichabod hunting them down again. Ethan manages to convince Isabelle to consider it, at which point Ethan produces the missing piece of the compass. 

Part 7 - The Map
- At this point Isabelle’s jaw drops. She can’t believe that Ichabod had handed it over so easily. Ethan shrugs and says that he was very persuasive (which was true). He explains that Ichabod is concerned that the Lucien’s compass, once completed, could fall into the hands of the Dwimmerlaik and that would be a ‘game-changer’. While Ethan explains, Isabelle adds the missing piece to the others and the Compass is finished - once more fully operational. This is a surprise to Ethan as he didn’t realise that they were only missing this one piece. Ethan asks her where Lucien is, at which point the Compass ’shows them’ (whether via projection or mentally he is not sure) a map of the Stair and the most direct route, through realms, along stairways, back ways and so forth. Some legs are short, and others so long that it would take months to traverse them. Lucien is nowhere nearby, but they now know the exact route as to how to get there. Ethan knows the route just by looking at the map (GM’s note - a Warden should be able to remember such a map as if he/she had a photographic memory).
- Stunned, Ethan then asks about breaking up the compass so that no one else can use it this way, but Isabelle does not know how. Even if it were possible the break up, the pieces clearly want to come together, so separating them may not help. Ethan muses over Grant’s abilities but decides to say nothing. They decide that it might be best to send the Compass back to Marindar and Grant’s safekeeping in the near future - but for now, they will use it to start their journey. 
- Ethan asks Isabelle whether she still wants to find Lucien given it would be months, possibly even years of travel. Isabelle grins enthusiastically, and affirms that she wants to find Lucien, but says that they should start on the journey tomorrow. She reminds him with a twinkle in her eye it is the last night of the festival. Ethan looks a little sad, and tells her that he would very much like to, but admits that he’s already slain either three or possibly five Dwimmerlaik today and he would prefer not to be in Orlano when they try again. He admits to being injured, but says that his wounds are relatively minor. He persuades Isabelle that they should leave, but agrees to celebrate a little on their way to the Door. 

GM Observations - Part 2
- And so Ethan and Isabelle prepare to depart. Now for the upcoming stuff:

• Lurker37 and I have agreed that the next few sessions will be on Grant, beginning with an abridged/accelerated storyline of the aftermath of the last story arc. I’ve already written about 14-15 things to him as to what should happen, and we’ll play that out. Then Grant will begin his next storyline. We are going to combine the story arcs very soon, and Grant will be joining the hunt for Lucien, but currently Ethan is 2-3 months ahead of Grant so we need to give Grant some air-time to catch-up.
• Shortly we’re going to boost Grant and Ethan to 200 points each. They have been roughly 140 points for a long time, but we always agreed that we would earn roughly 2 advancement points per session. After 42 sessions we should be close to 200 points, so we’re going to make the jump. I’ll publish those stats shortly.
• Lurker37 and I are supporting the Lords of Gossamer Icon Deck for NPCs Kickstarter. We’re about to commission cards for Grant and Ethan because this game will continue well into 2015. Huzzah!
• The Lucien story-arc is going to be peppered with ‘villains of the week’ - i.e.: lots of shorter story arcs of 1-2 sessions apiece some of which will be standalone and others will be part of the “Finding Lucien” story arc. Some of those sessions will be GMed by me and then Grant will be at the forefront of the action with Ethan playing a lesser role, and some will be GMed by Lurker37 and Ethan will be at the forefront with Grant playing a lesser role. We’re going to tag-team it. It’s worked so far, but we miss having both characters together in the same narrative. We’re losing the interplay between them, and the plot-lines slow down when we’re running two narratives in parallel.
• So what’s going to happen between Ethan and Isabelle? If they’re going to be travelling for a long time together, there has to be some evolution in the relationship - either they become friends, or at least come to an understanding, or become lovers, whether that lasts or not is another matter….etc etc. Lurker37 and I had a chat about this as I think development is important, but I don’t really mind which way it plays out. So Lurker37 flipped a coin. Ah, the irony of doing such a thing in a Diceless system, eh? So what was the outcome…. well, you’ll just have to wait and find out….. Heh!

The search for Lucien continues ....

EDIT: one spelling mistake, also a correction that Ethan did not tell Yolanda/Stefan about his fights with the Dwimmerlaik (I missed a "not" in the writeup), and a correction to the way that I described Lucien's projected map and how a Warden would remember it.

GM Commentary

Session 42 was run this evening. More Dwimmerlaik, a conclusion to Ethan's current story arc (assembling Lucien's Compass) and beginning the next story arc to find Lucien (Ethan now knows where he is). Lurker37 and I have also discussed how we take the game forward into 2015 and we have a way forward. Basically there will be 1-2 major arcs, but then we'll run smaller arcs (1-2 sessions long) under that umbrella major arc. The Grant and Ethan story lines are going to merge. But I'll not spoil the Session 42 write-up. I'll need 1-2 days to write it up, then I'll post. 

Session 41 - Ichabod Returns

GM Observations
- David has me stumped here as to how Ichabod has managed to track Ethan/Isabelle from Nexopolis to Orlano - I’m really interested in how he has managed this but this is part of the game’s charm - it many ways it’s fun not to know - it makes Ichabod scary/spooky not to know how he did it. Of course, I returned the favour by surprising David with Ethan’s response to Ichabod…. but to say more would be a spoiler… read on!
- Oh, one more thing - this session included a very judicious use of an Icon contact and how useful these things can be to put objects (or people) out of harm’s way.

Realm 40 - Orlano (Brown Door)
Part 1 - Finding Eigen
- Having failed to find Eigen and reassured that Isabelle is safe, Ethan speaks with Heinrich. He asks if the Dwimmerlaik could behind this and Heinrich is doubtful. He seems surprised that Ethan was attacked by them on the previous night. Ethan feels quite tired and unsure as to what to do next. He goes downstairs, puts Gorgorin aside and sits down in an armchair. Surveying the place with fresh eyes, and perceiving the Eidolon more easily without bearing Gorgorin, he is able to feel some of the strong impressions left upon the place by those who fought here recently. He wanders about the Golden Crescent, and decides that the fight did not start in the kitchen, nor did it start in any of the back rooms. There was a confrontation in one of the front rooms in the tavern - Ethan feels another presence other than the Eigen-wolf. The presence has left a strong impression here and it feels both cold and alien. Ethan can sense traces of some power at work here, but it does not resemble either Eidolon or Umbra - it feels odd and mutable.
- Ethan goes into the kitchen and prepares a meal for both himself and Heinrich. While it cooks, he continues to study the area, looking for clues and anything else that he might have missed previously. At last he heads upstairs and offers Heinrich a bowl of food. They talk for awhile but Heinrich doesn’t have any other ideas as to where Eigen might have gone. 
- During the meal, and with Gorgorin away from him, Ethan concentrates on Eigen using Wayfinding and feels that he is some distance away but can keenly sense which direction to go. (Ethan has a strong feeling for where Eigen is because he has already been to more than one place where Eigen has recently been - like a bloodhound, Ethan now has ‘the scent’) Ethan asks some questions of Heinrich as to what could be in that direction and Heinrich gives him some directions.
- Heading out once again, Ethan enters the financial district but many of the buildings have fallen into disrepair and there is the strong smell of decay. The financial district borders on an even poorer district which is little more than medieval slums, but as such the houses have been reinforced, even fortified in some cases. Ethan is drawn via Wayfinding to his target. He takes a deep breath and kicks the door down, marching in with Gorgorin drawn.
- The ground floor of the structure is empty, but there is another door inside that leads down into the basement. Ethan can tell that there are magical wards on the door, but Gorgorin makes short work of both the door and the magical defences. Again, Ethan marches on in spite of his fatigue.
- In the basement there is a third door. A massive vault door with a clockwork mechanism. Ethan plunges Gorgorin into the door and it begins to buckle and warp, then finally explodes, showering Ethan with pieces of the mechanism and throwing him back. Bloodied, Ethan gets back to his feet and marches on, to find Eigen standing between him, Yolanda and Stefan. They appear to be ruffled, but not hurt. Eigen growls a warning, and Ethan realises that he has been followed to Eigen’s bolt hole. It never even occurred to him that Eigen might be protecting them, nor that someone would be watching him for him to locate Eigen.
- It is Ichabod, whom Ethan last saw in Nexopolis.

* Image by Santani on DeviantArt, model: Aleksiy Chumakov, photographer: Diana Serejkina 

Part 2 - Ichabod’s Threats
- Ichabod bows respectfully but his tone is icy cold when speaking to Eigen, Yolanda and Stefan. He apologies for the misunderstanding, but says that he has the box and now he wants the locket that Yolanda has. Ethan senses that Ichabod isn’t really present and that this is some sort of sorcerous projection - he doesn’t know how Ichabod has found him but he knows that he isn’t fit for any battle against a sorcerer of this quality. He steps back and listens to the exchange. He notes that Ichabod is able to see through the projection - it is as if he is really here - and Ethan wonders how much sorcerous power is being channeled here for such a spell. 
- Yolanda refuses to give Ichabod the locket, at which point Ichabod begins to threaten them. The building around them begins to shake as Ichabod demonstrates his control over the area, and Ethan takes a swipe at him with Gorgorin - this disrupts the spell, but instantly a second spell is triggered and the projection resumes. Ichabod returns with more threats against them and dust begins to fall from the ceiling as it seems that Ichabod wants to shake the building apart. He also targets Eigen directly with his taunts, claiming that the acid that he used (which is countering Eigen’s regeneration) was only a low dosage and next time he will use a more powerful acid. Ethan then triggers his spell, using ‘The Force’ to hold up the building long enough for the four of them to leave. Ichabod winks out. Clearly this isn’t over.

Part 3 - Preparing for confrontation
- Ethan, Eigen, Yolanda and Stefan head back to the Golden Crescent. None of them consider it to be a particularly safe place, but Ethan insists as he is concerned that Ichabod may attack there next. On the way, Eigen laments that his sanctuary was compromised by Ethan, and Ethan is unsympathetic given the injuries to Isabelle. Luckily Eigen is injured which enables Ethan to conceal just how battered he is feeling. As they return, they found some of the city guard at the Golden Crescent and Ethan persuades them to let Eigen pass. Ethan can tell that some sort of corrosive element is working within Eigen’s body and over time, it will probably kill him. Ethan asks Yolanda and Stefan to check on Isabelle, and then expends some of his remaining energy to gently remove the foreign agent from Eigen’s body and accelerate his healing. He encourages Eigen to rest but he refuses - he says he has the scent of Ichabod’s ‘soul’ and as such can find him anywhere. Eigen appears eager for a chance to even the score against Ichabod. Ethan asks Eigen why Ichabod wants a locket, and Eigen says that it belonged to Lucien. Eigen encourages Ethan to work with him to find Ichabod, and Ethan firmly says that he has no wish to kill Ichabod. Eigen appears disappointed.
- Yolanda calls out from the floor above the happy news that Isabelle is awake. With that, Ethan presses Eigen for him to return the compass which he took from Isabelle. Eigen sees the look in Ethan’s eyes and he hands it over. Ethan heads upstairs and returns it to Isabelle. She is relieved and pleased. Heinrich also seems pleased to see that she is recovering.
- Ethan waits patiently for some time to talk privately with Isabelle and he wonders how to deal with Ichabod given the number of people that he might target. Ethan is extremely tired and doesn’t feel that he can protect them all. At last he has his chance to talk with Isabelle, and he asks if she would prefer to continue on looking for Lucien and simply leave. As expected, Isabelle doesn’t feel that she can leave Yolanda or Stefan while they are in danger. She also uses Lucien’s compass and the compass gives an indecisive answer as to where they should go next, suggesting that the answers are here in Orlano. Ethan is not surprised. He asks her why Ichabod seems to be following her, and she admits to a misunderstanding with Ichabod for which he has held a grudge. 
- When Isabelle finds out that Ichabod is after Yolanda’s locket, she asks for it and attempts to open it using a lock pick. Shaking his head, Ethan takes the locket and gently opens it (GM’s note - Wardens of the Stair can open any lock). Inside is a key which would fit a small music box. Lucien’s compass points to the small key, then away to another location, then returns to the small key, then away again. Clearly this key is one part of the next step in the journey.
- Ethan decides upon the next course of action and contacts Grant via Icon. He finds Grant still in Marindar, and Ethan asks if he could look after some people for a few days, show them the sights of Marindar and generally look after them. Grant agrees, and Ethan quickly convinces Yolanda, Stefan and even Isabelle to ‘go on vacation’ for a few days. Before Isabelle has a chance to protest, she has stepped through the Icon contact and Ethan has suddenly cleared Orlano of any potential targets (with the exception of Eigen who refused to go). (GM’s note - this was a very deft piece of negotiation on Ethan’s part and a really good use of an Icon) Ethan even considers giving Grant the sword Gorgorin (and Gorgorin likes the idea) but given how badly he got his butt kicked the previous night and how exhausted he is feeling, he decides to keep it for the time being (Gorgorin growls at this).
- Ethan doesn’t want to fight Ichabod - he doesn’t feel up to it - but he does sense that danger is coming, and that Ichabod has brought others with him.

Part 4 - Two men walk into a bar ….
- Ethan decides that the Golden Crescent is not the right place for a confrontation, so he persuades Eigen to leave via the back door, even though Eigen is itching for a fight. They head back towards the section of town where are lots of people still about in the aftermath of the festival. Ethan can tell by this point that Ichabod is following, along with about a dozen locals who are ready for a fight. Seeking to diffuse the situation, Ethan decides to enter a tavern. In the worst case situation he figures that they will struggle to use weapons in a confined space. 
- To Eigen’s surprise, Ethan buys a round of beer with a gold coin and sits down with him.
- Some of Ichabod’s men turn up. They seem surprised as they were expecting to fight, but they quickly decide to copy Ethan and Eigen and try to look inconspicuous until they can figure out what to do next. Ethan buys a round for all of them, and settles down for the afternoon. The men begin to relax, and Ethan chats quietly with Eigen. Ethan can sense that Ichabod’s hired help like this particular tavern and have no wish to trash it. While they are in the bar, it seems that Ethan and Eigen are safe.
- A quite irate Ichabod enters the tavern and congratulates Ethan on his strategy. Ethan firmly tells Eigen to keep quiet and Ethan buys Ichabod a beer as a peace offering. Ethan apologises for what happened in Nexopolis and would like to start afresh. This stuns Ichabod. He sits down, and they start to talk.

Part 5 - The terms and the Enemy
- Ichabod is old. Very old. He remembers the Great War although he doesn’t say that he fought with the Lords of Gossamer. He is very concerned that Lucien’s Compass may fall into Enemy hands and has been working very hard to prevent Isabelle from re-forming it for exactly that reason. Ethan asks if Ichabod knows where Lucien is, and Ichabod tells him that Lucien is trapped, even though he may not realise it. The Enemy has him. He counsels against trying to find Lucien, because this would be delivering the Compass to them. Ethan asks why the Enemy would want the Compass, and Ichabod explains that it can find anything, including the Heart of the Stair. He explains that in the dying days of the Great War, the Stair itself turned against the Dwimmerlaik, and the Dwimmerlaik have not forgotten that. They want to find the Heart, and the Compass is a way of doing so. Ethan asks how Ichabod knows this, and Ichabod explains that the Dwimmerlaik attempted to recruit him.
- Ethan asks about the nature of Ichabod’s grudge against Isabelle, and Ichabod tells him part of the story. Isabelle and Ichabod worked together in Nexopolis some time ago, but Isabelle’s actions led to the death of two of Ichabod’s immortal kin. Ichabod is still furious with her for that, but he acknowledges that she probably sees things quite differently and may not understand the consequences of her actions. At this point, Ethan asks if it is possible for him to repair the situation. He explains that he is helping Isabelle to find Lucien, but not for Isabelle’s sake. Ethan makes it clear that he will not ‘offer up’ or sacrifice Isabelle to Ichabod, but he does not want Ichabod as an enemy either. If there is some way to resolve their dispute, Ethan will do his best to assist. Eigen watches the exchange nervously as Ethan steers very close to selling Isabelle out to Ichabod, before pulling back. Again it is Ethan’s force of will that keeps Eigen silent and under control.
- Ichabod advises that it is not wise to seek out Lucien for the reasons that he has already outlined. He describes a Dwimmerlaik with a blood red-eyes who is seeking the Compass. Ichabod does not give his name, but says that he is a master of Umbra. Ichabod acknowledges that Ethan is a Lord of Gossamer, and a strong one, but warns him of the Dwimmerlaik who will most certainly snare him. Ethan acknowledges this, but says that he managed ‘last night’. Ichabod nods and then speaks of Gorgorin. He recognises the weapon and says that it “belongs to the Enemy’s”. He has seen it wielded by two different Lords of Gossamer during the Great War, but both fell. He tells Ethan that it is folly to ever think that Gorgorin belongs to him. The weapon will betray him when he needs its help most - it wants to return to its Masters. Ichabod’s description of Gorgorin unsettles Ethan but he tries hard not to show this.
- Ethan suggests that when they know where Lucien is that the Compass be hidden somewhere, so that the Enemy cannot take it from them if they fail. Ichabod warms to this idea but asks if Ethan knows of a place that he would consider ‘safe’. Ethan nods, thinking of Grant, and says that he knows someone who would keep it safe. Ichabod is surprised by this, and his tone softens. He decides that he likes Ethan, and is willing to help him to an extent. He offers to return the music box to Ethan, but he wants some things in return. He wants an apology from Isabelle - a real one. He wants a promise from her to not interfere again in his affairs in Nexopolis. Ethan thinks on this and asks if there is anything else. Ichabod then says that if Ethan attacks the Dwimmerlaik who have cornered Lucien, then there must be no survivors to report back to the Empress. He stresses the importance of this. Ethan considers, and then says that he will do his best but can’t make any promises on behalf of people who aren’t present (referring to Isabelle). Ethan asks how to contact Ichabod and Ichabod offers him an old Icon card, made of thick card stock which has been hand painted. The Icon looks ancient and Ethan is quite astonished to be given something so precious. Ichabod says then that he will withdraw for now, but thanks Ethan for the hope that these matters can at last be resolved without further bloodshed. 
- Ichabod then leaves, and Ethan wilts a little in his chair. He had been faking his strength for some time during the conversation, and can’t believe that he managed to deal with the situation without having to fight.


Onto Session 42….

Session 40 - The Day After the Festival

GM Observations
- Apologies for the delay in writing this up. We are still gaming. This session was run by Lurker37 over a month ago.

Realm 40 - Orlano (Brown Door)
Part 1 - The Mad Doctor
- Early in the morning Ethan is found by two guards. Seeing the state that he is in and the amount of blood on the street, they assume he’s been mugged. Ethan is woozy from loss of blood and used a lot of his reserves in wielding magic and Eidolon. He can’t stand without assistance, but he insists upon taking his sword (Gorgorin) with him. They half-carry him to an apothecary and ring the bell for assistance. A voice from upstairs booms - the doctor is very irate at being woken up so early. 
- The doctor is less than impressed with the guards - he assumes from the amount of blood on Ethan that they’ve brought him a corpse rather than a live man. He’s faintly surprised when he notes that there are no open wounds on Ethan (as a result of Ethan using Eidolon). He demands Ethan’s name and Ethan refuses. This makes the doctor even more mad and he pokes and prods Ethan, sticks foul-tasting syrup into his mouth and then feeds him some chicken broth. The guards leave as soon as they are sure that the doctor isn’t going to throw Ethan into the street - they seem scared of the doctor’s temper.
- The doctor helps Ethan into a cot in a second room at the back of the infirmary, and grumbles about his patient going to take up space for a week or two to recover. The doctor also complains about the limited medicines at his disposal and how things were never this bad ‘at the Academy’. Ethan offers the doctor a gold coin (his last gold coin) to compensate him for his trouble, and the doctor expresses further surprise. He takes the coin after testing its authenticity with a bite.
- Ethan rests, but he doesn’t feel that he can sleep in such a place. The soup has helped a little, but he’s exhausted and Gorgorin is making it almost impossible in his current state to use Eidolon. He is so tired that he can’t even use Eidolon to repair his clothes.
- Ethan takes out his Icon of Grant and asks for assistance. He asks for Marindan gold and a fresh change of clothes. He also tells Grant (who is still on Marindar) that he has been attacked by the Dwimmerlaik. Grant offers to come through and assist, but Ethan politely declines. They share a little about their adventures and each listens to the other, but it is not a lengthy conversation as Ethan feels that he could still be danger from the Dwimmerlaik and he does not know where Isabelle is. They cut the contact and a few minutes later Grant contacts Ethan again and passes through the gold and a change of clothes.
- Ethan ditches his ruined clothes and changes. He then attempts to slip out of the building but the doctor spots him. The doctor is at first astonished and then angry with Ethan. He yells a series of foul insults as Ethan leaves, telling him not to come back.

Part 2 - A Place to Rest
- Ethan feels a little better in the morning sunshine. He uses “The Force” (i.e.: Wayfinding) to gently feel the right direction for Isabelle. He wanders through the small town of Orlano, past the stalls and the markets to where the decorations stop. He finds the back door of a townhouse which leads into a double-story tavern and knocks on the unvarnished door.
- A middle aged plump woman answers the door. Ethan explains who he is, and the lady introduces herself as Yolanda and draws him inside. She calls out to Isabelle that her ‘man-friend’ has arrived, and Yolanda’s husband Stefan comes out from the kitchen to meet Ethan. He is a portly fellow with a big bushy moustache. Stefan smells of beer. Isabelle appears pleased to see Ethan but is smart enough to realise that Ethan is putting on an act and he’s not 100%. Yolanda offers him brunch and Ethan accepts the opportunity to sit down and rest. Ethan learns that Yolanda and Stefan are friends of Isabelle, and they are the proprietors of the “Golden Crescent” tavern. Both of them have large personalities, and Isabelle seems interested in how Ethan responds to them. Both Isabelle and Ethan tell them a little about their adventures together, and then Ethan offers a yawn and asks if there is anywhere that he might rest. They offer him a quiet bedroom upstairs, and Isabelle shows him the way. 
- Alone for a moment, Ethan confirms that Isabelle is okay, and then admits that he was attacked overnight. He asks her to be on her guard as he needs to sleep. Ethan falls asleep almost as soon as he lies down in bed, however he does not sleep well. He has terrible dreams about using Gorgorin to cut and burn people, including Grant and finally Isabelle. He wakes in a cold sweat and notes that the sword is vibrating nearby. There is something wrong.

Part 3 - The Abduction
- Ethan heads downstairs to find that the kitchen and living area at the back of the house have been trashed, and the door has been broken outwards. He can see no remaining threat, but finds Isabelle in the kitchen, pale and unconscious. Her arm has been slashed but it looks like she has also hit her head and is suffering a concussion. Using Eidolon (despite the strain), he puts her into a restful sleep and assesses her injuries. Her collarbone has been broken, her ankle snapped and some of her ribs have been fractured. She’s also been cut across the arm as if by a clawed hand. Ethan puts the sword to one side and heals the worst of her injuries. Ethan then realises that Isabelle’s compass is missing.
- Ethan quickly looks for Yolanda and Stefan but they are both missing. Whatever left the Golden Tavern must have taken them with it. 
- Ethan contacts the city guard and reports the attack. He then puts Isabelle upstairs in a comfortable bed and begins repairs on the back door. It is then that the same doctor that treated him earlier in the day turns up at the house. The doctor is not pleased to see Ethan, but changes his tune when he realises that Isabelle has been hurt. He knows her. He produces a stethoscope with a blue crystal in it which he uses to check on her. Ethan asks him if he knows Lucien. The doctor doesn’t seem surprised by the question, and confirms that he knows Lucien. He helped Lucien to map part of the stair a long time ago, but he says that he has very few of the medical supplies left from his travels.
- The two start over and Ethan gives his name. The doctor introduces himself as Heinrich. He is not surprised that Lucien’s compass is missing - according to Heinrich, the device can be used to find anything that one desires - and that is a powerful artefact which many would covet. The last time he saw Lucien was many years ago, but there were old, ancient things following him. Some of the locals of Orlano had travelled with Lucien in the past, the remnants of his various expeditions out onto the stair. One picked up a parasite, others have stopped ageing, one even becomes a wolf-creature when stressed. Ethan asks if any of these could do this and Heinrich guesses that only Eigen, the wolf-creature, would have the strength to break into the house and bodily carry off two people. 
- Ethan asks if Heinrich will stay and protect Isabelle while he goes to find Eigen. Heinrich agrees and Ethan heads out into the streets of Orlano to find Eigen.

Part 4 - Dead End
- Following the directions provided by Heinrich, Ethan heads to Eigen’s house, however the door has been smashed outwards. Inside the place is a mess - it is clear that there has been a fight. There are claw marks which Ethan assumes must have come from Eigen, but he was fighting someone that used a thin blade coated in something resembling acid. Ethan figures that Eigen was himself attacked and fled from the house. 
- With no obvious clues, Ethan searches the place and finds a hidden basement. He finds a series of practice dummies that Heinrich has used to spar with, but oddly there are no claw marks on them, suggesting that he has learnt to fight without causing grievous injury. Ethan also finds a velvet lined box but whatever was in it has been removed. 
- Ethan decides to head back to the Golden Crescent via the fruit market. He buys some fruit and heads back to check on Isabelle. Heinrich remains standing on guard, and he finds Isabelle sleeping soundly. There is a herbal smell in the room.

Session 41 was run about 2 weeks ago. I’ll do the write up in the next few days.

GM Commentary

Session 40 was run this evening by Lurker37, following on from Ethan's bloody night (see Session 39). Give me a day or so and I'll post up the write-up. Ethan is learning not to rush headlong into things - he's been nearly pasted on two occasions.