- GM’s note: This session writeup is a bit shorter than usual because David (playing Grant) followed up on a plot thread that I wasn’t expecting. Hence I ended up calling a halt to the session earlier than anticipated.
PS: I need to find a decent picture of Eric (Drake’s son). I can’t seem to find one.
- Lady Sophia is distraught. Grant has never seen her like this. He offers to comfort her but she is clearly upset and unwilling to discuss the matter further. After telling Grant a little about her ‘daughter’, she leaves and makes it clear to Grant that he should not follow.
- A little stunned, Grant gathers his thoughts and decides to give her time and space to process her daughter’s arrival.
- As he frowns and thinks it over, he hears the sound of a flute playing in the distance. He wonders if it is the lady with the pink hair whom he saw in the marketplace.
- Grant decides to go and visit Eric, Drake’s son. Drake was upset with Grant when he revealed that there were Dwimmerlaik emissaries in Marindar. He wants to seek Eric’s advice as to how to approach Drake. Knowing that Eric is in Nexopolis, he decides to visit rather than contact him via Icon.
- Grant heads out onto the Stair via one of the Doors in the octahedral structures that float above Marindar. Nexopolis is relatively close. It does not take him long to reach his destination. He is met by soldiers clad in Drake’s livery at the Door but no one stops him. Nexopolis is in the process of being rebuilt but there is still a lot of visible damage. There are many soldiers here but the numbers are much fewer than he remembers.
- Grant makes his way to Eric’s command centre – stretched over two levels of one of the mid-level structures which used to be corporate offices. Grant is recognised by some of the soldiers and ushered through although he detects a note of reluctance when he gets close to Eric himself.
- He finds Eric in a corner office that looks over the market district known as the Golden Circuit. Eric is fast asleep, his head lying on the desk. There is an almost empty whisky bottle beside him and many empties in the bin. He is fast asleep and snoring.
- Grant takes a seat and decides to wait. It is some time before Eric wakes up. The afternoon passes slowly and the sun begins to set before he wakes. Tired, bleary eyed, Eric wearily regards Grant. He is at first surprised that his soldiers let Grant in, and then he sharpens up and asks if there is a problem that requires his attention.
- Grant settles him down and explains that he came to ask Eric’s advice. Eric pours each of them a drink and they talk. Grant explains about the Marindan games and that there are Dwimmerlaik representatives on Marindar. He doesn’t feel that he can kick them out and Drake was upset when Grant told him. Eric downs another drink and tells Grant not to worry about it – he expects that his father will get over it in time.
- Grant nurses his drink and does not attempt to keep pace with Eric. They talk about the next poker game. Grant gets the impression that Eric isn’t happy with his command – he’s bored. Then Eric asks Grant an uncomfortable question. He asks if it is true that Grant took on the form of a Dwimmerlaik and lived amongst them. Grant evades the question and asks who told him that. Eric says that someone told him – Yaeger, he thinks. Grant admits that he has impersonated Dwimmerlaik before but stops short of saying that he lived amongst them. He advises Eric that the line of questioning is very dangerous. If the Dwimmerlaik think that a Lord of Gossamer impersonated one of them and brought the Empire to its current state, it might end up being ‘messy’. Eric takes the hint, pours another drink and changes the topic.
- The rest of the conversation is pleasant and Grant heads home well after the sun has set. He returns to his home in Marindar and finds Julius waiting for him. He asks about Lady Sophia and is advised that she has gone for a walk.
- Disappointed to return home to an empty house, he finds a red robin (messenger bird) waiting on her desk, calmly waiting to be attended to. A little worried about this uncharacteristic behaviour, he decides to check up on her with a gentle use of Marindan sorcery. Lady Sophia is safe and well. She is still in Central. But she is inebriated. She doesn’t answer when Grant attempts to hail her with a spell. Grant goes to make himself a cup of tea and think over the situation. He doesn’t remember her ever being drunk before.
- Meanwhile, Ethan receives an Icon contact from Abbie. She is positively glowing with enthusiasm when she speaks with Ethan. Apologising, she asks if Ethan can look after Hilda for a little while. Ethan readily agrees and Abbie comes through with Hilda. Ethan is quite astonished. Abbie is dressed in a stylish dress and wearing make-up. He can’t remember the last time he saw her wearing make-up – perhaps when she was last on stage. Hilda is immediately enraptured by the prospect of exploring the new house and she asks Macavity to show her ‘everything’. Meanwhile, Abbie seems very excited. She thanks Ethan profusely and promises to ‘make it up to him’. She kisses him to say goodbye and then reaches for an Icon to leave. Ethan is left with the feeling that he seems to finally be in Abbie’s ‘good books’ but he doesn’t understand why she is in such a good mood.
- Ethan continues working away on his plan to reach the entity on the other side of Boraelis gate but he is distracted by thoughts of Abbie and the occasional interruption from an overexcited little girl (Hilda) who has found oh so many places to explore and hide.
- Hours pass. It is late and Lady Sophia has not returned. Grant mulls over the message which was signed ‘M’. The message says that his (or her) world is under attack by the V’sori. Grant decides to take the bird that returned with that message and find out which world is under attack. He heads onto the Stair and starts looking for it, leaving a message with Julius that he will be back by morning…..
Grant and Ethan
Grant (left) and Ethan (right), with Macavity the Cat
Tuesday, 27 August 2019
Sunday, 25 August 2019
Session 185 – All of the children come back home – 1st August 2019
- GM’s note: A lot of events and things going on over the next few sessions. Grant has chosen to oversee the Marindan games and not to compete in them. Hence he is ab observer of many events and he chooses which events to follow up on and which to ignore.
- It is springtime in Marindar. The invitations to the Marindan games have been sent via robins and preparation are underway. Soon the first qualifying events will commence to select those who will represent Marindar.
- The first response is received three days later. The letter is insulting and signed ‘Yun, of the Hadashi’. Lady Sophia shows it to Grant. It is odd that the birds have found someone who is worthy to compete and ‘heroic’ in nature but would respond in this way. Grant wonders if the bird was somehow intercepted. He considers following up but parks the thought for the time being. He decides to mobilise people via a volunteer system to help with the many tasks surrounding the games.
- Grant notes that Lady Sophia has been trying to find someone to take charge of Ethan’s affairs when he is in Marindar. He spies a short list of three names, one of which is crossed out and then re-added. He recognizes one of the names on the list – Leyla. It takes him a moment to remember the name – it comes from the alternate timeline. In that timeline, Ethan had a Marindan girlfriend named Leyla whom Grant never met.
- Curious about what sort of person might end up managing Ethan’s household, Grant decides to investigate the names on the list. According to records, Leyla is a baker in Central. The picture of her is that of a messy haired girl with a relaxed smile. She appears very ordinary. The second name on the list is Julia. She is a diplomat currently assigned to a post in the Eastern Empire. She speaks multiple languages and is a trained stateswoman. The third name on the list is Antigone. Antigone’s record is long. Very, very long. There are artifacts associated with her in the museum. She is thousands of years old, older even than Sophia. She comes from a time where Marindan society was divided into smaller city states. According to records, she isn’t even in Central and hasn’t been in Central in a long time.
- Grant has a chat with Lady Sophia about the three candidates. Sophia admits that Leyla is a bit of a random choice but her father was a diplomat long ago and Leyla would likely be good at organizing Ethan. Grant doesn’t tell Sophia about Ethan’s connection to Leyla from the alternate timeline but he asks her if she is trying to connect Ethan with a compatible Marindan woman. Sophia answers simply that if she wanted to do that, there are other ways that she could accomplish it. Grant believes her.
- They discuss Julie’s credentials. Julia seems like a reasonable possibility. Grant asks about Antigone and Lady Sophia explains that Antigone is mature, experienced and would provide structure. However, she isn’t sure how Antigone would respond to a request. She’s been away from Central for a long time. Grant again comments that Sophia appears to have chosen three females for Ethan’s staff. Lady Sophia brushes this off and says that her list were just initial thoughts. When challenged as to why she had removed Antigone from the list and then re-added her, Sophia explains that she’s been outside of Marindan society for a long time and reintroducing her could be good, or bad. But it would give her a job and a purpose.
- Sophia sighs and admits that the games have a way of ‘bringing all of the children back home’. Her words end up being prophetic in more ways than one.
- Grant quickly works out where Antigone is based – she is many days away on foot. She lives in a heavily wooded part of the countryside, just at the edge of the mountains. Lady Sophia counsels Grant if he goes to meet Antigone, she will probably have no idea who he is. Lady Sophia writes a letter to Antigone, offering for her to manage the household of a Lord of Gossamer. Grant takes the letter with him.
- Grant flies north-west in bird-form, arriving early in the morning. There he finds a traditional log cabin with chopped wood nearby, but no sign of any missing trees. There are no animals nearby and the leafy canopy is thick overhead. It is a little chilly as the morning sunshine doesn’t penetrate far through the leaves above. He knocks on her door but a female voice answers that she is not at home. It sounds like a recorded message.
- He decides to go looking for her, figuring that she cannot be far away. Using Wayfinding, he finds her upstream, fishing from a calm lake. She appears similar in age to Sophia, dressed simply in Marindan garb but the fabric is thicker. Her hair is honey brown. She wears sandals. She fishes with a simple rod made from a branch.
* Image sourced from Google Images
- She asks Grant what has brought him out to see her. He hands over the invitation and she starts reading it. She comments that she didn’t hear his approach. Grant remarks that he ‘flew’ but she doesn’t ask further about it. Antigone reads the invitation twice and its offer of a position. Then she asks about the Lord of Gossamer that she will be serving. She asks what sort of man he is.
- Grant answers as best he can, describing Ethan as a young Lord of Gossamer and a man who is trying to be a good man. He explains that the first Marindan games in many years will be run shortly and Ethan is likely to be contacted by representatives from many worlds. He needs her help in preparing Ethan’s household for those interactions. Antigone accepts Grant’s explanation and says simply that she’ll accept the position. Grant is a bit surprised that she accepts so easily. She asks if there is anything further and Grant asks her if she requires transport to Central. She thinks for a moment and then decides that she will accompany him.
- Returning to Central in a Marindan aircar, they reach Grant’s residence. Upon arrival, they are greeted by Julius, the head of Grant’s household staff. He remains professional but Grant can tell that Julius is not pleased to see Antigone.
- Antigone is introduced to Lady Sophia. Each is respectful to the other. Conversation is pleasant but to the point. Antigone is asked to help establish the household at Ethan’s residence in Central. Ethan has been an occasional resident of Marindar for some time but she is expecting that he will spend more time in Marindar leading up the games and there will be many people wanting to meet with him. She offers Cirian (the engineer/fabricator) to help with reorganizing the interior of his house. Antigone remarks about how the people of Central will likely react to her and Lady Sophia assures her that Lord Ethan will not have those prejudices.
- Grant offers to escort her to Ethan’s residence and she agrees. As they walk through the streets, most people don’t recognize her. But those who do appear shocked. Incredulity. Fear. Even a touch of anger. Grant is surprised to see the reaction from the locals.
- Ethan is not at home but Antigone quickly looks over the property and agrees to get started. She asks for help given that she cannot move freely around the city and Grant organizes for his friend Olin to help her – as a gopher.
- Olin has become a defacto part of Grant’s household. They are often playing music together. Olin is learning to play the keyboard. Grant has recently acquired a violin from Earth and is learning to play the instrument.
- The next day is the event which marks the beginning of the games. It is a foot race for Marindan children which is often seen as the opening event. The children come from far and wide. They are aged from 5 to 16 years old. Grant knew that the birth rate was low on Marindar and that children are rare but seeing the actual number is still quite a shock. There are less than fifty children in all from all of the Marindan settlements, both on-world and off-world.
- The children have a great time and are cheered on by all. Nevertheless, it leaves Grant deep in thought about this place that he has made his home. Even in Central, many buildings are unoccupied and a city that is built for many is home to only a few.
- His musings take him to a bakery. He knows where Leyla resides and he is curious about what sort of person she is. He has been to this bakery before but normally Alani, her business partner, is serving. This time Alani is out the back, singing. He has a good voice. Leyla is serving. He orders stonebread and sits back to eat it. As he eats, he sizes up Leyla and figures out what must have happened to Ethan in the other timeline. She seems to be a vibrant and bubbly person. It probably wasn’t any special connection between her and Ethan. She just seems to be a really nice person with a zest for life. She and Alani seem to take a great deal of pride in the food that they make. Grant enjoys his meal.
- Back at his residence, Fast Jack is waiting for him. He is clean shaven. He has scrubbed up but he still refers to Grant as ‘Mi Lord’. He explains that he has managed to get four entrants for the race but he wants to publicise the event more widely. Grant gives his permission.
- Another robin returns with a message. The writer thanks Sophia for the lovely invitation but respectfully declines given that his home is under attack by the V’sori. It is signed ‘M’. Grant frowns and wonders if he should follow that one up.
- Grant goes to talk to Julius and asks why he has a problem with Antigone. Julius refuses to discuss his personal opinions but says that he will continue to perform his duties professionally. Grant expresses concern and Julius thanks him for it.
- Grant discusses the Marindan reaction to Antigone with Lady Sophia. He tries to understand why they would react negatively to her. Sophia nurses a drink and mulls over how to respond. She admits that Antigone is a relic from a barbarous time that most Marindans would best forget. She is one of the few alive from that time period. She suggests that Grant will find exhibits from Marindan proto-history in the museum. Grant realises that Antigone predates the Great War between the Dwimmerlaik and the Lords of Gossamer. He asks whether she would remember the first Lords of Gossamer coming to Marindar and Lady Sophia confirms that she would have been there. He asks why there aren’t more Marindans that remember those times and Sophia explains that most are dead. Marindan society used to be far more warlike and even Marindan long lifespans can be cut short if they are put in situation where is war and conflict. Grant remembers Heimloch telling him (long ago) that some Marindans don’t like the Lords of Gossamer because of how many Marindans have died for them over the centuries.
- Grant asks some further questions of Sophia but there is a limit as to how much she is prepared to tell Grant about Marindan history. She encourages him if he is curious to explore further at the Central Library. She also mentions that there are artifacts from the period in the Museum, including an item belonging to Antigone herself. She believes it is a shield.
- The conversation draws to a close but Grant remains quite interested in the history of this realm that he has made his home. He realises that there is still much to learn. Given that things are quiet, he decides to follow Sophia’s counsel and he starts to research more about Antigone and Marindar’s bloody history. There is no concise narrative but there are many accounts and many fragments. The Marindan history that Antigone came from appears to be full of bloodshed. The different city states were often in conflict with one another. Antigone only rates a minor mention in the earliest accounts from the period but she became a warlord, albeit a minor one, in later periods when her brother died. She came from a city-state called Athlia which apparently no longer exists – the city was attacked many times during the late ‘Hallic’ period and abandoned centuries later. Sophia’s recollection is correct – Antigone’s bronze shield is on display in the museum. She is identified as being an Athlian Warlord from the late Hallic period.
- Even more curious about this, Grant starts delving into how the Lords of Gossamer first came to Marindar, when and how Central was formed. He spends many hours going over the information and finds that the Lords of Gossamer have been active here for hundreds of years. He finds names in the accounts that he knows were active during the Great War (with the Dwimmerlaik) but did not survive. He finds reference to both Drake and Bastiano in the accounts but they were not the first Lords of Gossamer to visit. Central was not always called Central. That is its modern name. The original settlement’s name was Kalis. It was not a large or strong city-state but its importance grew when the first Doors were opened.
- Grant spends almost two days going through all of the information he can find. There is a great deal of information but it is not a coherent narrative. He spends some time talking with Meliander about it.
* Image by DeivCalviz on DeviantART
- Upon returning home on the second evening, Sophia remarks to him that the renovations on Ethan’s household are complete. (Cirian reported it) Grant and Sophia talk over dinner about what he has learnt. Grant contacts Ethan via Icon after dinner and shares with him that his house on Marindar has been renovated and that he will have ‘staff’. Grant tells Ethan a little about Antigone, who will operate as his attaché, and says that Olin is also keen to help. Ethan is surprised but Grant explains that they expect Ethan will need help when guests arrive in Marindar for the games. Ethan agrees to come through to look at what has been done. He brings Macavity with him (but not Hilda as Hilda is currently with Abbie).
- Ethan goes to inspect his house and finds the interior has been totally transformed. What was once simple and functional, with only a few rooms has now become a classical house with many many rooms. In the entry hall there is a beautiful tree which gives off a faint glow. It is like nothing Ethan has ever seen before.
- Ethan looks around, trying to find Antigone and worried about his music collection (and in particular, Abbie’s recordings). He quickly locates his personal positions – they have not been discarded. Antigone is nowhere to be found. Olin tries to help as best he can (he is pleased to see Ethan). Olin chuckles at Ethan’s surprise – he remarks that Ethan will never ‘run out of rooms’. Ethan has no idea what he will do with such a large house. There are so many chambers. Olin suggests that he talk to Antigone about this – he remarks that she seems to be a good organizer.
- A bit overwhelmed by the house renovations, Ethan takes Macavity out for lunch. They find a fish restaurant and enjoy lunch in the sun.
- Grant is notified by sorcerous contact that a competitor has arrived. He stops what he is doing and returns to his house to greet the newcomer.
- Outside Grant’s front door is a convoy of people and beasts of burden. A man with bronzed skin, bright eyes and a waistcoat of gold greets Grant. He is Takir and he would like to join this ‘noble competition’. Grant offers Takir a gift and the man happily offers Grant two slaves in return. Grant is initially uncomfortable but he quickly realizes that the people he meets will have different cultures and values – he decides to accept the slaves and free them when he can.
- Takir is invited in. The conversation is very enjoyable. Takir is an enthusiastic and positive fellow and he talks expansively about the wealth of his realm and the many gifts that he has brought. He appears to be a genuinely happy and generous person, even though his values are different to Grant’s. They get along well, and Ethan is invited over for dinner to join them.
- During the evening meal, a case of Ternian nectar is brought in (another of Takir’s gifts) and glasses are poured. The liquor is divine to the taste and Grant accepts the gift. There is a slightly awkward moment when Takir says that in his country, the women should dance for the men, indicating that Lady Sophia should dance for their pleasure. However, Lady Sophia deftly deals with situation, reminding Takir that they are not in his country and she uses the opportunity to discuss cultural differences in a positive way. Takir is not slighted – he takes the rebuttal gracefully and the conversation remains positive. Grant becomes a little worried when it is getting late that Takir will stay all night and he is unsure how to end the evening without offending his guest. However, it is Takir who senses that it is time to leave and he thanks the Lords of Gossamer and Lady Sophia for their hospitality and he departs amicably.
- Grant is relieved by the encounter. It went better than it could have gone. Lady Sophia praises him for doing well. Ethan and Macavity leave and head back to their house – they both wish to inspect ‘the tree’.
- Returning to Ethan’s estate well after dark, the tree is glowing faintly. The two talk about this – there is no way that this tree is natural. It’s not an illusion or a projection. It is real but it is not an ordinary tree, nor is the magic emanating from it normal Marindan sorcery. This is something else entirely. Ethan thinks that the tree is some sort of guardian but he has never seen anything like it on Marindar. The closest he’s seen is on Arcadia.
- The next day Grant returns to the library. He learns more about the period when the Lords of Gossamer were first active on Marindar. They clearly interfered in Marindan society, tipping the balance between the city states, leading to the rise some of some and the extinction of others. Many Marindans were recruited by the Lords of Gossamer, promised positions of power and taken onto the Stair to serve the Lords’ needs. Some returned but many did not. The removal of so many Marindans created more imbalances in Marindan society. There was more bloodshed, eventually leading to the destruction of the other city states and consolidation of Marindan rule from ‘Central’.
- As Grant mulls over what he has learnt, he receives a sorcerous contact from Julius. He indicates that two travelers are seeking His Lordship’s sanctuary and hospitality. They could be mistaken for beggars given the wear and tear of their clothes. Lady Sophia has offered them hospitality but they are most insistent that they speak with Lord Grant. Perplexed, Grant leaves his studies and returns to his home.
- There he meets an old fellow named Mavron and a younger man named Elix. Both are dressed in worn travelling clothes. Their sandals are worn and weathered. Their skin is tanned and weathered as if they have been travelling a long time. Lady Sophia stands silently to one side, watching as Grant arrives. Mavron greets Lord Grant and tells him that he and his son have travelled a long way to Central to meet his Lordship. They have been travelling for months.
- Doing quick calculations, Grant realizes that they have come over the mountains which are at least two weeks away on foot. They have come from a settlement on the other side. It hardly seems possible and yet the travelers seem genuine. They claim that they ran out of food three days ago but carried on despite their weariness. They ask for Lord Grant’s hospitality.
- There is a pause and all eyes turn to Grant. Sophia says nothing – she remains inscrutable. Julius awaits His Lordship’s instructions. Grant decides to welcome them and offers them food, water, lodgings and the opportunity to refresh themselves. He asks Julius to show them to the baths and provide them with fresh clothes should they wish it. Mavron and Elix are pleased with this. Grant follows up and suggests that they join him and Lady Sophia for dinner to tell them of their journey over the mountains.
- They depart, leaving Grant and Sophia alone together. Grant asks what she thinks and Sophia explains that she offered them hospitality but they wouldn’t accept it until the ‘Master of the house’ approved it. She didn’t feel that it was right to say anything. She finds their claim of travelling across the mountains quite remarkable because it is such a long distance and very few would travel on foot as these two have. There is a great deal of wilderness between the communities that these two claim to have come from and Central. Despite this, she is inclined to believe them – that they have truly travelled all of this way to meet him. She is intrigued.
- A little while later the two travelers return. They look more presentable and relaxed. They sit down at the table to eat when invited and Lady Sophia checks with Lord Grant that she is also invited. There is a formality involved that reminds Grant of the laws of hospitality seen in other realms.
- Both Mayron and Elix are clearly tired and hungry, however they are exceptionally polite. Mayron tells his story about travelling for more than forty days, over hills and mountains, and braving many dangers to visit Central to see if the stories that are being told are true. When Grant asks about the stories that are being told of Central and him, Mayron asks for a little wine and then proceeds to tell Grant what he has heard of His Lordship. The tales he tells seem to be based on fact and are only slightly embellished. As the meal carries on, Mavron’s tale comes to a close and Elix takes over, telling Grant and Sophia more tales as to where they have journeyed and the wonders that they have seen. Grant realizes quickly that these are not normal people. They are not Lords of Gossamer but they are something else. The conversation is jolly but Grant is not completely relaxed. Julius points out to Grant discreetly that the wine jars are still full despite being used liberally for many hours.
- The evening rolls on and Grant has wised to who these travelers might be. He raises the topic of Mayron’s familiarity, feeling certain that they have met somewhere before. Mayron smiles innocently and a game of riddles begins. Grant is almost certain as to who Mayron is but he is not so sure about Elix. The two travelers seem to enjoy the challenge and their language becomes obtuse and cryptic, teasing Grant to figure out who they really are.
- Of course, Grant figures it out quickly but he plays gracefully through the verbal challenges presented to him. This pleases Mayron and Elix, who are looking less like weary travelers as time passes. At last, Mayron ends the charade and confirms his identity as Zeus. His travelling companion is none other than Hermes, who has travelled far and wide for many centuries.
- The Marindans, including Lady Sophia, bow and do homage to the Olympian gods. Grant follows their lead, wary of offending these great beings. He knows the stories of the Greek Gods and how they can behave when slighted. Zeus beams at them. His face is more rounded out now and more like Grant remembers. (GM’s note – Grant met Zeus in his godly form back in Session 57) Zeus thanks Lord Grant and Lady Sophia for the hospitality offered to him and his son, Hermes. The Lord of Olympus explains that he heard whispers of this new Marindar and the first Games in an age. He is pleased with what he has seen and offers a blessing to the Master and Mistress of the household.
- Grant begs Zeus’ leave to confer with Sophia. They talk briefly. Grant knows not to ask too much of these gods. Returning to Zeus and Hermes, Lady Sophia’s voice wavers as she says that the Marindans have suffered much over the last thousand years. What is left of Marindan society is but a shadow of what it once was. She would like to see more children on Marindar and a rebirth of her people. Grant adds that he would like to see the Games being successful, improving peace and prosperity to all who attend.
- Zeus gives a laugh and slaps his knee. The requests please him and he declares Done! He tells them that he will be watching but that Hermes has elected to stay awhile. Grant asks whether any of the Olympians would want to compete in the Games and Zeus roars with laughter. He says that if a task is set, some of ‘us’ will call. But he warns Grant that some who fail may not be pleased with failure. Grant thinks carefully over Zeus’ warning.
- The evening ends. A house is allocated to Hermes (who will remain in the guise of Elix) and Julius leaves to help him to settle in. Zeus wishes Grant well and he leaves in Mayron’s form.
- Lady Sophia is very pleased with the gods’ blessing but Grant is more cautious. He points out that he doesn’t know exactly how the gods will deliver upon Zeus’ blessing – it could be in a way that they are not expecting.
- Grant receives an Icon contact from Drake. Drake has heard about the Marindan Games and he invites Grant to a joust in Ineswitrin. Grant uses the opportunity to tell Drake more about the Marindan games and mention that there are Dwimmerlaik emissaries in Marindar enjoying Marindan hospitality. Drake is immediately angry. He refuses to speak further with Grant and cuts the contact.
- Grant wonders how to deal with Drake. He wonders if he should speak with Eric (Drake’s son) to get some suggestions.
- The next day, Turadok arrives. It has been some time since he has been on Marindar. Grant goes to welcome him at the Door as a fellow Lord of Gossamer. Turadok hasn’t changed much but he now wears armour and gauntlets made of darksteel, similar in style to those which Grant encountered on ‘Ninjaworld’ (Session 141). Grant asks about the gauntlets and Turadok admits that he made them in ‘his realm’. Grant is intrigued by this, welcomes him to Marindar but asks his security forces to keep an eye on him.
- On his way back to his house, he spots a pale-skinned lady with pink hair who is entertaining the crowd with her music. She plays a silver flute.
- He is almost back to the house when he is informed by Lord Morla’s adjutant that the Dwimmerlaik will be sending a ‘Go’ master. ‘Go’ is a strategy game which is many times more complicated than chess. Grant tells Morla’s adjutant that the master will be welcome.
- Grant is standing in his own doorway when he receives an Icon contact from Ethan. He accepts but is becoming irritated by the many interruptions. Ethan asks if he has seen the ship in the bay yet. Grant says that he has not. Ethan tells him that it’s a three-masted sailing ship and flying a red flag. He didn’t even know that the Marindans had those. Grant says that he’ll look into it and he cuts the contact.
- Back in his house, Grant goes looking for some food. Then he settles down to read a book, grateful for a few minutes’ peace. After an hour, he wonders where Sophia is and goes looking for her. He finds her at her desk but she looks unlike her normal self. She appears shell-shocked. When Grant asks what is wrong, she doesn’t want to talk about it and she bristles when Grant pushes a little.
- Grant attempts to change the topic and he mentions the sailing ship in the bay. To his surprise, tears start rolling down Sophia’s cheeks. Grant comforts her and Sophia starts brokenly telling him fragments of what is worrying her. The ship is known to her. It belongs to Constance’s daughter, Tressa the Red. However, Constance didn’t raise her daughter, Sophia did. Sophia weeps as she reminds Grant of her prophetic words about the games ‘bringing all of the children back home’. She didn’t expect this woman that she thinks of as her own daughter to return to Central. Tressa the Red has ‘come home’.
- It is springtime in Marindar. The invitations to the Marindan games have been sent via robins and preparation are underway. Soon the first qualifying events will commence to select those who will represent Marindar.
- The first response is received three days later. The letter is insulting and signed ‘Yun, of the Hadashi’. Lady Sophia shows it to Grant. It is odd that the birds have found someone who is worthy to compete and ‘heroic’ in nature but would respond in this way. Grant wonders if the bird was somehow intercepted. He considers following up but parks the thought for the time being. He decides to mobilise people via a volunteer system to help with the many tasks surrounding the games.
- Grant notes that Lady Sophia has been trying to find someone to take charge of Ethan’s affairs when he is in Marindar. He spies a short list of three names, one of which is crossed out and then re-added. He recognizes one of the names on the list – Leyla. It takes him a moment to remember the name – it comes from the alternate timeline. In that timeline, Ethan had a Marindan girlfriend named Leyla whom Grant never met.
- Curious about what sort of person might end up managing Ethan’s household, Grant decides to investigate the names on the list. According to records, Leyla is a baker in Central. The picture of her is that of a messy haired girl with a relaxed smile. She appears very ordinary. The second name on the list is Julia. She is a diplomat currently assigned to a post in the Eastern Empire. She speaks multiple languages and is a trained stateswoman. The third name on the list is Antigone. Antigone’s record is long. Very, very long. There are artifacts associated with her in the museum. She is thousands of years old, older even than Sophia. She comes from a time where Marindan society was divided into smaller city states. According to records, she isn’t even in Central and hasn’t been in Central in a long time.
- Grant has a chat with Lady Sophia about the three candidates. Sophia admits that Leyla is a bit of a random choice but her father was a diplomat long ago and Leyla would likely be good at organizing Ethan. Grant doesn’t tell Sophia about Ethan’s connection to Leyla from the alternate timeline but he asks her if she is trying to connect Ethan with a compatible Marindan woman. Sophia answers simply that if she wanted to do that, there are other ways that she could accomplish it. Grant believes her.
- They discuss Julie’s credentials. Julia seems like a reasonable possibility. Grant asks about Antigone and Lady Sophia explains that Antigone is mature, experienced and would provide structure. However, she isn’t sure how Antigone would respond to a request. She’s been away from Central for a long time. Grant again comments that Sophia appears to have chosen three females for Ethan’s staff. Lady Sophia brushes this off and says that her list were just initial thoughts. When challenged as to why she had removed Antigone from the list and then re-added her, Sophia explains that she’s been outside of Marindan society for a long time and reintroducing her could be good, or bad. But it would give her a job and a purpose.
- Sophia sighs and admits that the games have a way of ‘bringing all of the children back home’. Her words end up being prophetic in more ways than one.
- Grant quickly works out where Antigone is based – she is many days away on foot. She lives in a heavily wooded part of the countryside, just at the edge of the mountains. Lady Sophia counsels Grant if he goes to meet Antigone, she will probably have no idea who he is. Lady Sophia writes a letter to Antigone, offering for her to manage the household of a Lord of Gossamer. Grant takes the letter with him.
- Grant flies north-west in bird-form, arriving early in the morning. There he finds a traditional log cabin with chopped wood nearby, but no sign of any missing trees. There are no animals nearby and the leafy canopy is thick overhead. It is a little chilly as the morning sunshine doesn’t penetrate far through the leaves above. He knocks on her door but a female voice answers that she is not at home. It sounds like a recorded message.
- He decides to go looking for her, figuring that she cannot be far away. Using Wayfinding, he finds her upstream, fishing from a calm lake. She appears similar in age to Sophia, dressed simply in Marindan garb but the fabric is thicker. Her hair is honey brown. She wears sandals. She fishes with a simple rod made from a branch.
* Image sourced from Google Images
- She asks Grant what has brought him out to see her. He hands over the invitation and she starts reading it. She comments that she didn’t hear his approach. Grant remarks that he ‘flew’ but she doesn’t ask further about it. Antigone reads the invitation twice and its offer of a position. Then she asks about the Lord of Gossamer that she will be serving. She asks what sort of man he is.
- Grant answers as best he can, describing Ethan as a young Lord of Gossamer and a man who is trying to be a good man. He explains that the first Marindan games in many years will be run shortly and Ethan is likely to be contacted by representatives from many worlds. He needs her help in preparing Ethan’s household for those interactions. Antigone accepts Grant’s explanation and says simply that she’ll accept the position. Grant is a bit surprised that she accepts so easily. She asks if there is anything further and Grant asks her if she requires transport to Central. She thinks for a moment and then decides that she will accompany him.
- Returning to Central in a Marindan aircar, they reach Grant’s residence. Upon arrival, they are greeted by Julius, the head of Grant’s household staff. He remains professional but Grant can tell that Julius is not pleased to see Antigone.
- Antigone is introduced to Lady Sophia. Each is respectful to the other. Conversation is pleasant but to the point. Antigone is asked to help establish the household at Ethan’s residence in Central. Ethan has been an occasional resident of Marindar for some time but she is expecting that he will spend more time in Marindar leading up the games and there will be many people wanting to meet with him. She offers Cirian (the engineer/fabricator) to help with reorganizing the interior of his house. Antigone remarks about how the people of Central will likely react to her and Lady Sophia assures her that Lord Ethan will not have those prejudices.
- Grant offers to escort her to Ethan’s residence and she agrees. As they walk through the streets, most people don’t recognize her. But those who do appear shocked. Incredulity. Fear. Even a touch of anger. Grant is surprised to see the reaction from the locals.
- Ethan is not at home but Antigone quickly looks over the property and agrees to get started. She asks for help given that she cannot move freely around the city and Grant organizes for his friend Olin to help her – as a gopher.
- Olin has become a defacto part of Grant’s household. They are often playing music together. Olin is learning to play the keyboard. Grant has recently acquired a violin from Earth and is learning to play the instrument.
- The next day is the event which marks the beginning of the games. It is a foot race for Marindan children which is often seen as the opening event. The children come from far and wide. They are aged from 5 to 16 years old. Grant knew that the birth rate was low on Marindar and that children are rare but seeing the actual number is still quite a shock. There are less than fifty children in all from all of the Marindan settlements, both on-world and off-world.
- The children have a great time and are cheered on by all. Nevertheless, it leaves Grant deep in thought about this place that he has made his home. Even in Central, many buildings are unoccupied and a city that is built for many is home to only a few.
- His musings take him to a bakery. He knows where Leyla resides and he is curious about what sort of person she is. He has been to this bakery before but normally Alani, her business partner, is serving. This time Alani is out the back, singing. He has a good voice. Leyla is serving. He orders stonebread and sits back to eat it. As he eats, he sizes up Leyla and figures out what must have happened to Ethan in the other timeline. She seems to be a vibrant and bubbly person. It probably wasn’t any special connection between her and Ethan. She just seems to be a really nice person with a zest for life. She and Alani seem to take a great deal of pride in the food that they make. Grant enjoys his meal.
- Back at his residence, Fast Jack is waiting for him. He is clean shaven. He has scrubbed up but he still refers to Grant as ‘Mi Lord’. He explains that he has managed to get four entrants for the race but he wants to publicise the event more widely. Grant gives his permission.
- Another robin returns with a message. The writer thanks Sophia for the lovely invitation but respectfully declines given that his home is under attack by the V’sori. It is signed ‘M’. Grant frowns and wonders if he should follow that one up.
- Grant goes to talk to Julius and asks why he has a problem with Antigone. Julius refuses to discuss his personal opinions but says that he will continue to perform his duties professionally. Grant expresses concern and Julius thanks him for it.
- Grant discusses the Marindan reaction to Antigone with Lady Sophia. He tries to understand why they would react negatively to her. Sophia nurses a drink and mulls over how to respond. She admits that Antigone is a relic from a barbarous time that most Marindans would best forget. She is one of the few alive from that time period. She suggests that Grant will find exhibits from Marindan proto-history in the museum. Grant realises that Antigone predates the Great War between the Dwimmerlaik and the Lords of Gossamer. He asks whether she would remember the first Lords of Gossamer coming to Marindar and Lady Sophia confirms that she would have been there. He asks why there aren’t more Marindans that remember those times and Sophia explains that most are dead. Marindan society used to be far more warlike and even Marindan long lifespans can be cut short if they are put in situation where is war and conflict. Grant remembers Heimloch telling him (long ago) that some Marindans don’t like the Lords of Gossamer because of how many Marindans have died for them over the centuries.
- Grant asks some further questions of Sophia but there is a limit as to how much she is prepared to tell Grant about Marindan history. She encourages him if he is curious to explore further at the Central Library. She also mentions that there are artifacts from the period in the Museum, including an item belonging to Antigone herself. She believes it is a shield.
- The conversation draws to a close but Grant remains quite interested in the history of this realm that he has made his home. He realises that there is still much to learn. Given that things are quiet, he decides to follow Sophia’s counsel and he starts to research more about Antigone and Marindar’s bloody history. There is no concise narrative but there are many accounts and many fragments. The Marindan history that Antigone came from appears to be full of bloodshed. The different city states were often in conflict with one another. Antigone only rates a minor mention in the earliest accounts from the period but she became a warlord, albeit a minor one, in later periods when her brother died. She came from a city-state called Athlia which apparently no longer exists – the city was attacked many times during the late ‘Hallic’ period and abandoned centuries later. Sophia’s recollection is correct – Antigone’s bronze shield is on display in the museum. She is identified as being an Athlian Warlord from the late Hallic period.
- Even more curious about this, Grant starts delving into how the Lords of Gossamer first came to Marindar, when and how Central was formed. He spends many hours going over the information and finds that the Lords of Gossamer have been active here for hundreds of years. He finds names in the accounts that he knows were active during the Great War (with the Dwimmerlaik) but did not survive. He finds reference to both Drake and Bastiano in the accounts but they were not the first Lords of Gossamer to visit. Central was not always called Central. That is its modern name. The original settlement’s name was Kalis. It was not a large or strong city-state but its importance grew when the first Doors were opened.
- Grant spends almost two days going through all of the information he can find. There is a great deal of information but it is not a coherent narrative. He spends some time talking with Meliander about it.
* Image by DeivCalviz on DeviantART
- Upon returning home on the second evening, Sophia remarks to him that the renovations on Ethan’s household are complete. (Cirian reported it) Grant and Sophia talk over dinner about what he has learnt. Grant contacts Ethan via Icon after dinner and shares with him that his house on Marindar has been renovated and that he will have ‘staff’. Grant tells Ethan a little about Antigone, who will operate as his attaché, and says that Olin is also keen to help. Ethan is surprised but Grant explains that they expect Ethan will need help when guests arrive in Marindar for the games. Ethan agrees to come through to look at what has been done. He brings Macavity with him (but not Hilda as Hilda is currently with Abbie).
- Ethan goes to inspect his house and finds the interior has been totally transformed. What was once simple and functional, with only a few rooms has now become a classical house with many many rooms. In the entry hall there is a beautiful tree which gives off a faint glow. It is like nothing Ethan has ever seen before.
- Ethan looks around, trying to find Antigone and worried about his music collection (and in particular, Abbie’s recordings). He quickly locates his personal positions – they have not been discarded. Antigone is nowhere to be found. Olin tries to help as best he can (he is pleased to see Ethan). Olin chuckles at Ethan’s surprise – he remarks that Ethan will never ‘run out of rooms’. Ethan has no idea what he will do with such a large house. There are so many chambers. Olin suggests that he talk to Antigone about this – he remarks that she seems to be a good organizer.
- A bit overwhelmed by the house renovations, Ethan takes Macavity out for lunch. They find a fish restaurant and enjoy lunch in the sun.
- Grant is notified by sorcerous contact that a competitor has arrived. He stops what he is doing and returns to his house to greet the newcomer.
- Outside Grant’s front door is a convoy of people and beasts of burden. A man with bronzed skin, bright eyes and a waistcoat of gold greets Grant. He is Takir and he would like to join this ‘noble competition’. Grant offers Takir a gift and the man happily offers Grant two slaves in return. Grant is initially uncomfortable but he quickly realizes that the people he meets will have different cultures and values – he decides to accept the slaves and free them when he can.
- Takir is invited in. The conversation is very enjoyable. Takir is an enthusiastic and positive fellow and he talks expansively about the wealth of his realm and the many gifts that he has brought. He appears to be a genuinely happy and generous person, even though his values are different to Grant’s. They get along well, and Ethan is invited over for dinner to join them.
- During the evening meal, a case of Ternian nectar is brought in (another of Takir’s gifts) and glasses are poured. The liquor is divine to the taste and Grant accepts the gift. There is a slightly awkward moment when Takir says that in his country, the women should dance for the men, indicating that Lady Sophia should dance for their pleasure. However, Lady Sophia deftly deals with situation, reminding Takir that they are not in his country and she uses the opportunity to discuss cultural differences in a positive way. Takir is not slighted – he takes the rebuttal gracefully and the conversation remains positive. Grant becomes a little worried when it is getting late that Takir will stay all night and he is unsure how to end the evening without offending his guest. However, it is Takir who senses that it is time to leave and he thanks the Lords of Gossamer and Lady Sophia for their hospitality and he departs amicably.
- Grant is relieved by the encounter. It went better than it could have gone. Lady Sophia praises him for doing well. Ethan and Macavity leave and head back to their house – they both wish to inspect ‘the tree’.
- Returning to Ethan’s estate well after dark, the tree is glowing faintly. The two talk about this – there is no way that this tree is natural. It’s not an illusion or a projection. It is real but it is not an ordinary tree, nor is the magic emanating from it normal Marindan sorcery. This is something else entirely. Ethan thinks that the tree is some sort of guardian but he has never seen anything like it on Marindar. The closest he’s seen is on Arcadia.
- The next day Grant returns to the library. He learns more about the period when the Lords of Gossamer were first active on Marindar. They clearly interfered in Marindan society, tipping the balance between the city states, leading to the rise some of some and the extinction of others. Many Marindans were recruited by the Lords of Gossamer, promised positions of power and taken onto the Stair to serve the Lords’ needs. Some returned but many did not. The removal of so many Marindans created more imbalances in Marindan society. There was more bloodshed, eventually leading to the destruction of the other city states and consolidation of Marindan rule from ‘Central’.
- As Grant mulls over what he has learnt, he receives a sorcerous contact from Julius. He indicates that two travelers are seeking His Lordship’s sanctuary and hospitality. They could be mistaken for beggars given the wear and tear of their clothes. Lady Sophia has offered them hospitality but they are most insistent that they speak with Lord Grant. Perplexed, Grant leaves his studies and returns to his home.
- There he meets an old fellow named Mavron and a younger man named Elix. Both are dressed in worn travelling clothes. Their sandals are worn and weathered. Their skin is tanned and weathered as if they have been travelling a long time. Lady Sophia stands silently to one side, watching as Grant arrives. Mavron greets Lord Grant and tells him that he and his son have travelled a long way to Central to meet his Lordship. They have been travelling for months.
- Doing quick calculations, Grant realizes that they have come over the mountains which are at least two weeks away on foot. They have come from a settlement on the other side. It hardly seems possible and yet the travelers seem genuine. They claim that they ran out of food three days ago but carried on despite their weariness. They ask for Lord Grant’s hospitality.
- There is a pause and all eyes turn to Grant. Sophia says nothing – she remains inscrutable. Julius awaits His Lordship’s instructions. Grant decides to welcome them and offers them food, water, lodgings and the opportunity to refresh themselves. He asks Julius to show them to the baths and provide them with fresh clothes should they wish it. Mavron and Elix are pleased with this. Grant follows up and suggests that they join him and Lady Sophia for dinner to tell them of their journey over the mountains.
- They depart, leaving Grant and Sophia alone together. Grant asks what she thinks and Sophia explains that she offered them hospitality but they wouldn’t accept it until the ‘Master of the house’ approved it. She didn’t feel that it was right to say anything. She finds their claim of travelling across the mountains quite remarkable because it is such a long distance and very few would travel on foot as these two have. There is a great deal of wilderness between the communities that these two claim to have come from and Central. Despite this, she is inclined to believe them – that they have truly travelled all of this way to meet him. She is intrigued.
- A little while later the two travelers return. They look more presentable and relaxed. They sit down at the table to eat when invited and Lady Sophia checks with Lord Grant that she is also invited. There is a formality involved that reminds Grant of the laws of hospitality seen in other realms.
- Both Mayron and Elix are clearly tired and hungry, however they are exceptionally polite. Mayron tells his story about travelling for more than forty days, over hills and mountains, and braving many dangers to visit Central to see if the stories that are being told are true. When Grant asks about the stories that are being told of Central and him, Mayron asks for a little wine and then proceeds to tell Grant what he has heard of His Lordship. The tales he tells seem to be based on fact and are only slightly embellished. As the meal carries on, Mavron’s tale comes to a close and Elix takes over, telling Grant and Sophia more tales as to where they have journeyed and the wonders that they have seen. Grant realizes quickly that these are not normal people. They are not Lords of Gossamer but they are something else. The conversation is jolly but Grant is not completely relaxed. Julius points out to Grant discreetly that the wine jars are still full despite being used liberally for many hours.
- The evening rolls on and Grant has wised to who these travelers might be. He raises the topic of Mayron’s familiarity, feeling certain that they have met somewhere before. Mayron smiles innocently and a game of riddles begins. Grant is almost certain as to who Mayron is but he is not so sure about Elix. The two travelers seem to enjoy the challenge and their language becomes obtuse and cryptic, teasing Grant to figure out who they really are.
- Of course, Grant figures it out quickly but he plays gracefully through the verbal challenges presented to him. This pleases Mayron and Elix, who are looking less like weary travelers as time passes. At last, Mayron ends the charade and confirms his identity as Zeus. His travelling companion is none other than Hermes, who has travelled far and wide for many centuries.
- The Marindans, including Lady Sophia, bow and do homage to the Olympian gods. Grant follows their lead, wary of offending these great beings. He knows the stories of the Greek Gods and how they can behave when slighted. Zeus beams at them. His face is more rounded out now and more like Grant remembers. (GM’s note – Grant met Zeus in his godly form back in Session 57) Zeus thanks Lord Grant and Lady Sophia for the hospitality offered to him and his son, Hermes. The Lord of Olympus explains that he heard whispers of this new Marindar and the first Games in an age. He is pleased with what he has seen and offers a blessing to the Master and Mistress of the household.
- Grant begs Zeus’ leave to confer with Sophia. They talk briefly. Grant knows not to ask too much of these gods. Returning to Zeus and Hermes, Lady Sophia’s voice wavers as she says that the Marindans have suffered much over the last thousand years. What is left of Marindan society is but a shadow of what it once was. She would like to see more children on Marindar and a rebirth of her people. Grant adds that he would like to see the Games being successful, improving peace and prosperity to all who attend.
- Zeus gives a laugh and slaps his knee. The requests please him and he declares Done! He tells them that he will be watching but that Hermes has elected to stay awhile. Grant asks whether any of the Olympians would want to compete in the Games and Zeus roars with laughter. He says that if a task is set, some of ‘us’ will call. But he warns Grant that some who fail may not be pleased with failure. Grant thinks carefully over Zeus’ warning.
- The evening ends. A house is allocated to Hermes (who will remain in the guise of Elix) and Julius leaves to help him to settle in. Zeus wishes Grant well and he leaves in Mayron’s form.
- Lady Sophia is very pleased with the gods’ blessing but Grant is more cautious. He points out that he doesn’t know exactly how the gods will deliver upon Zeus’ blessing – it could be in a way that they are not expecting.
- Grant receives an Icon contact from Drake. Drake has heard about the Marindan Games and he invites Grant to a joust in Ineswitrin. Grant uses the opportunity to tell Drake more about the Marindan games and mention that there are Dwimmerlaik emissaries in Marindar enjoying Marindan hospitality. Drake is immediately angry. He refuses to speak further with Grant and cuts the contact.
- Grant wonders how to deal with Drake. He wonders if he should speak with Eric (Drake’s son) to get some suggestions.
- The next day, Turadok arrives. It has been some time since he has been on Marindar. Grant goes to welcome him at the Door as a fellow Lord of Gossamer. Turadok hasn’t changed much but he now wears armour and gauntlets made of darksteel, similar in style to those which Grant encountered on ‘Ninjaworld’ (Session 141). Grant asks about the gauntlets and Turadok admits that he made them in ‘his realm’. Grant is intrigued by this, welcomes him to Marindar but asks his security forces to keep an eye on him.
- On his way back to his house, he spots a pale-skinned lady with pink hair who is entertaining the crowd with her music. She plays a silver flute.
- He is almost back to the house when he is informed by Lord Morla’s adjutant that the Dwimmerlaik will be sending a ‘Go’ master. ‘Go’ is a strategy game which is many times more complicated than chess. Grant tells Morla’s adjutant that the master will be welcome.
- Grant is standing in his own doorway when he receives an Icon contact from Ethan. He accepts but is becoming irritated by the many interruptions. Ethan asks if he has seen the ship in the bay yet. Grant says that he has not. Ethan tells him that it’s a three-masted sailing ship and flying a red flag. He didn’t even know that the Marindans had those. Grant says that he’ll look into it and he cuts the contact.
- Back in his house, Grant goes looking for some food. Then he settles down to read a book, grateful for a few minutes’ peace. After an hour, he wonders where Sophia is and goes looking for her. He finds her at her desk but she looks unlike her normal self. She appears shell-shocked. When Grant asks what is wrong, she doesn’t want to talk about it and she bristles when Grant pushes a little.
- Grant attempts to change the topic and he mentions the sailing ship in the bay. To his surprise, tears start rolling down Sophia’s cheeks. Grant comforts her and Sophia starts brokenly telling him fragments of what is worrying her. The ship is known to her. It belongs to Constance’s daughter, Tressa the Red. However, Constance didn’t raise her daughter, Sophia did. Sophia weeps as she reminds Grant of her prophetic words about the games ‘bringing all of the children back home’. She didn’t expect this woman that she thinks of as her own daughter to return to Central. Tressa the Red has ‘come home’.
Wednesday, 24 July 2019
Beginning Year 7 on the Grand Stair
Hi folks,
David is sick so we're not playing on the actual 6 year anniversary. Oh well, it's only deferred until tomorrow.
And without further delay .....
* Image by Dashinvaine (Gordon Napier), commissioned for us as part of the original Lords of Gossamer and Shadow kickstarter
In case it isn't obvious, Grant is on the left and Ethan is on the right.
The character of Grant was modelled off a younger portrait of David, whereas I didn't want Ethan to look anything like me. I wanted something between Callum Worthy and a musketeer. And this is what I got.
David is still in Melbourne and I'm still in Canberra. We talk every week on Google Hangouts and I pop down to Melbourne from time to time.
In case you're wondering what we actually look like, here's a photo from May (this year).
David on the left, Bruce on the right.
Anyway, we're catching up tomorrow. And I promise to get some more LEGO Lords of Gossamer very soon.
Happy exploring the Stair and thanks to those who do read this and give us some encouragement from time to time.
All the best,
Bruce
David is sick so we're not playing on the actual 6 year anniversary. Oh well, it's only deferred until tomorrow.
And without further delay .....
* Image by Dashinvaine (Gordon Napier), commissioned for us as part of the original Lords of Gossamer and Shadow kickstarter
In case it isn't obvious, Grant is on the left and Ethan is on the right.
The character of Grant was modelled off a younger portrait of David, whereas I didn't want Ethan to look anything like me. I wanted something between Callum Worthy and a musketeer. And this is what I got.
David is still in Melbourne and I'm still in Canberra. We talk every week on Google Hangouts and I pop down to Melbourne from time to time.
In case you're wondering what we actually look like, here's a photo from May (this year).
David on the left, Bruce on the right.
Anyway, we're catching up tomorrow. And I promise to get some more LEGO Lords of Gossamer very soon.
Happy exploring the Stair and thanks to those who do read this and give us some encouragement from time to time.
All the best,
Bruce
Tuesday, 23 July 2019
Session 184 – Invitations to the Games and Hiding the Forbidden Library – 4th July 2019
- GM’s note: This session was split between Grant and Ethan.
- On Marindar, Grant and Sophia are busy organising the Marindan Games. Sophia is doing most of the work but Grant is busy with security to make sure that the events are safe and stable. She is organising many events to test the competitors physical, mental, inventive and magical capabilities. The Games themselves are six months away and there will many local events in the months leading up to them.
- The invitations are sent with a flurry of red robins which head out onto the Stair to the nearby realms which trade with Marindar and to also hunt out worthy parties for inclusion on the Stair. The robins know which way to go. (GM’s note – they were first seen in Session 13!)
- With the invitations sent, Sophia spends the bulk of her time working out the logistics of the venues. The Marindans have no large arena so all of the events will be held in smaller natural venues or even in empty pastures. In her spare time, she models the expected aftereffects. She is expecting a baby boom. Grant thinks she is even a little ‘clucky’. She spends time humming to herself as she studies the longer-term social implications and potential demographic shifts.
* Image by Mictones on DeviantART
- Sensing that Grant is looking to take onboard more responsibilities, she suggests that he organise the supporting activities. The events only last for relatively short amounts of time and there will be many visitors. Grant is asked to organise entertainment, markets, food and lodgings. Perhaps some cultural exchange – for example, displays or art and craft or music. Grant agrees.
- He has some early success. He organises an alien jazz band from one of the Marindan offworld colonies called Snarflurfle. A circus group practically drops in his lap – Doctor Trundles (last seen in the Legendary Realm in Session 107) offers his services and he promises that none of his acts will escape ‘this time’. Heartened, Grant heads off to the Agora to get more ideas. There he is met by a tramp-like fellow called Fast Jack who convinces Grant to organise a sky race above Marindar. Fast Jack appears to be genuine – he’s done this before but most of the competitors have moved on because of a lack of interest and his fortunes have faded over the years. He refers to Grant as ‘Mi Lord’. Grant discusses the idea with Sophia and they are quickly sold on the idea.
- Grant organises elven music to be played in a park, courtesy of the Arcadians.
- He organises jugglers.
- He talks to Lofwyr about organising a band from Agenor. He gets ‘Triumph’ – a Heavy Metal rock band which includes a Troll on bass guitar and an Orc on the drums.
- He sits down with Lord Morla to discuss his plans for the Marindan Games. He invites the Dwimmerlaik to participate if they wish. Lord Morla is unmoved and gives no indication that his people will compete. Grant changes tact and observes that Dwimmerlaik music is a wonder to behold when played by a master. This idea is more appealing to Lord Morla and he says that he will think on it.
- With the robins out, focus then turns to organizing the local events to find out who will represent Marindar in the various events.
- Meanwhile, Ethan has enjoyed spending time with Isabelle but it has also gotten him thinking. If the creature he met on the Stair was not the real Grimples, then the real Grimples is in need of a rescue and he’s not convinced that the Red-Eyed Dwimmerlaik will be trying to help the poor Cat. He also has been thinking about the creature on the other side of the Boraelis gate. And the Forbidden Library – how long will it take before someone finds it?
- Ethan makes the excuse that he needs to check on something back in Westgate and he promises to return in a few hours. He then returns to Westgate. On a whim, he contacts Abbie via Icon and checks that Hilda is okay. She is but Abbie doesn’t think it is a good idea to stay too long in one place. She still feels that something is lurking out there. She mentions that even Lofwyr thinks that she shouldn’t stay long in Agenor at the present time. Ethan offers for her to come through. He believes Westgate or the Legendary Isle would be safe enough. But Abbie refuses – she has too much work to do. She asks for a few days. Perhaps a week. Besides, she remarks that she has Macavity with her.
- Alone in Westgate, Ethan takes a piece of paper and writes down that he promised Isabelle that he promised to return in a few hours. He makes a copy of the paper and leaves it in Westgate. He then records the same information on a memory core and then breaks that and leaves it in Westgate alongside the paper. He writes on a third sheet of paper some instructions, directing himself to reassemble the memory core if the sheet of paper is blank. He writes an instruction to himself on a fourth piece of paper, telling him to return to Westgate when he leaves the Forbidden Library.
- Ethan then travels to the Forbidden Library to deposit the first piece of paper. When he leaves the library, he has forgotten what he promised Isabelle. He reads the paper in his pocket which tells him to return to Westgate and he travels there. Back in Westgate manor, he finds the second piece of paper is blank. Following the instructions from the third piece of paper, he reassembles the memory core and finds the information that he promised to return to Isabelle in a few hours.
- Ethan returns to see Isabelle and help her with her invention. He asks her if she recalls when he said that he would return and she confesses that she doesn’t remember. Ethan mulls this over. It could be just chance that she doesn’t remember, but if not, then storing information in the Forbidden Library is even more powerful than he thought. He gives some thought to how to hide the library by erasing its location.
- Ethan spends the next week with Isabelle, refining her invention. One night over dinner, she asks him to tell her a story about himself. Something that she hasn’t heard before. Perhaps something where he had a win. Ethan takes a moment to think – he doesn’t feel that he’s had many victories, mostly losses. He settles upon last Christmas and tells her that he’s proud of the work that they did in saving the space vessel and the numerous passengers onboard. Isabelle seems surprised – she expected something bigger. Ethan shrugs and admits that he likes working with her. This pleases her. He thinks back to the letter but he decides not to show it. Why spoil things?
- At last Ethan says his goodbyes and returns to the Legendary Isle. It is still a while to the next full moon when he needs to return to Boraelis. He contacts Abbie to check that she is okay. She is fine and she believes the threat level has subsided a little. He tells her that he plans to return to Boraelis for the next full moon and Abbie agrees to join him there with Hilda. He offers to look after Hilda for a few weeks but Abbie says that they have already made plans for ‘next weekend’.
- Ethan then contacts Macavity and finds the Cat relaxing with dark sunglasses on. When asked if he wants to join Ethan, he refuses at first, declaring “I’m cool” but then he changes his mind and comes through, asking Ethan what the plan is. (Macavity seems disappointed that Hilda isn’t with him)
- Ethan says that he’s going to make the Forbidden Library ‘disappear’ but first he wants to rescue Grimples. Macavity licks a paw and thinks it over. He’s not very interested in helping Grimples but he’ll lend a ‘paw’ if Ethan needs it.
- Ethan sits down to make an Icon of Grimples. A crude one takes a few hours work. He then attempts to contact Grimples while both Ethan and Macavity use sorcerous spells in an attempt to trace his location. Grimples doesn’t actually accept the contact because he is sedated however Ethan can determine that Grimples is alive, sedated and in poor health. Grimples can’t accept the connection in order for Ethan to bring him through but at least they have a vague indication as to where to look for him on the Stair. He’s inside a tube made of glass or crystal. He’s floating in semi-transparent liquid. There is no way to transport him out using sorcery – not with this crude Icon. Wayfinding should work but it will be slow to locate him.
- Ethan then starts working on the second part of his plan – to hide the Forbidden Library so that only he and Macavity recalls that it exists. Ethan crafts three memory cores. On the first, he records information as to the Forbidden Library’s existence. On the second, he records how to get access to the Forbidden Library. On the third he records Lucien’s Journal and all of the secrets that Lucien has forgotten by placing his journal in the Forbidden Library.
- Ethan then tests the retrieval process. He returns to the broken memory cores and reassembles them in Clockworld. He has done it. He has removed the knowledge from all places except for the memory cores. He stores the memory cores in Clockworld along with his letter from the alternate timeline.
- Macavity and Ethan share a large serving fish and chips at the Tipsy Elephant pub in Fiveways. They talk over what they have learnt. Effectively they are now the keepers to innumerable secrets which lie within the library – secrets that no one else can access. Furthermore, they have learnt that it is possible to remove people’s memories by placing the information in the Forbidden Library. Macavity is a little suspicious of Ethan, wondering if Ethan might be tempted to do some editing on him. Ethan tries to reassure Macavity that he needs someone to watch his back. Finishing off the fish, Macavity warns Ethan not to try manipulating anyone he knows (he cites Abbie and Hilda) using the Forbidden Library. Macavity reminds him that he shouldn’t try to ‘fix’ everything. Some things shouldn’t be ‘fixed’.
- Ethan shares information with Macavity about the letter from the alternate timeline. Macavity is interested in the ‘letter that should not exist’ but is quickly bored when Ethan wonders what to do about it. Macavity tells Ethan to simply make a decision and not to dwell too much on it. Ethan asks Macavity why he’s never mentioned any ‘lady Cats’. Macavity glares at Ethan and dismissively says that he’s not interested in offspring. If he had any, and he hopes that he doesn’t, they’d grow up to be a nuisance or even a threat. Ethan is astonished by Macavity’s attitude.
- On Marindar, Grant and Sophia are busy organising the Marindan Games. Sophia is doing most of the work but Grant is busy with security to make sure that the events are safe and stable. She is organising many events to test the competitors physical, mental, inventive and magical capabilities. The Games themselves are six months away and there will many local events in the months leading up to them.
- The invitations are sent with a flurry of red robins which head out onto the Stair to the nearby realms which trade with Marindar and to also hunt out worthy parties for inclusion on the Stair. The robins know which way to go. (GM’s note – they were first seen in Session 13!)
- With the invitations sent, Sophia spends the bulk of her time working out the logistics of the venues. The Marindans have no large arena so all of the events will be held in smaller natural venues or even in empty pastures. In her spare time, she models the expected aftereffects. She is expecting a baby boom. Grant thinks she is even a little ‘clucky’. She spends time humming to herself as she studies the longer-term social implications and potential demographic shifts.
* Image by Mictones on DeviantART
- Sensing that Grant is looking to take onboard more responsibilities, she suggests that he organise the supporting activities. The events only last for relatively short amounts of time and there will be many visitors. Grant is asked to organise entertainment, markets, food and lodgings. Perhaps some cultural exchange – for example, displays or art and craft or music. Grant agrees.
- He has some early success. He organises an alien jazz band from one of the Marindan offworld colonies called Snarflurfle. A circus group practically drops in his lap – Doctor Trundles (last seen in the Legendary Realm in Session 107) offers his services and he promises that none of his acts will escape ‘this time’. Heartened, Grant heads off to the Agora to get more ideas. There he is met by a tramp-like fellow called Fast Jack who convinces Grant to organise a sky race above Marindar. Fast Jack appears to be genuine – he’s done this before but most of the competitors have moved on because of a lack of interest and his fortunes have faded over the years. He refers to Grant as ‘Mi Lord’. Grant discusses the idea with Sophia and they are quickly sold on the idea.
- Grant organises elven music to be played in a park, courtesy of the Arcadians.
- He organises jugglers.
- He talks to Lofwyr about organising a band from Agenor. He gets ‘Triumph’ – a Heavy Metal rock band which includes a Troll on bass guitar and an Orc on the drums.
- He sits down with Lord Morla to discuss his plans for the Marindan Games. He invites the Dwimmerlaik to participate if they wish. Lord Morla is unmoved and gives no indication that his people will compete. Grant changes tact and observes that Dwimmerlaik music is a wonder to behold when played by a master. This idea is more appealing to Lord Morla and he says that he will think on it.
- With the robins out, focus then turns to organizing the local events to find out who will represent Marindar in the various events.
- Meanwhile, Ethan has enjoyed spending time with Isabelle but it has also gotten him thinking. If the creature he met on the Stair was not the real Grimples, then the real Grimples is in need of a rescue and he’s not convinced that the Red-Eyed Dwimmerlaik will be trying to help the poor Cat. He also has been thinking about the creature on the other side of the Boraelis gate. And the Forbidden Library – how long will it take before someone finds it?
- Ethan makes the excuse that he needs to check on something back in Westgate and he promises to return in a few hours. He then returns to Westgate. On a whim, he contacts Abbie via Icon and checks that Hilda is okay. She is but Abbie doesn’t think it is a good idea to stay too long in one place. She still feels that something is lurking out there. She mentions that even Lofwyr thinks that she shouldn’t stay long in Agenor at the present time. Ethan offers for her to come through. He believes Westgate or the Legendary Isle would be safe enough. But Abbie refuses – she has too much work to do. She asks for a few days. Perhaps a week. Besides, she remarks that she has Macavity with her.
- Alone in Westgate, Ethan takes a piece of paper and writes down that he promised Isabelle that he promised to return in a few hours. He makes a copy of the paper and leaves it in Westgate. He then records the same information on a memory core and then breaks that and leaves it in Westgate alongside the paper. He writes on a third sheet of paper some instructions, directing himself to reassemble the memory core if the sheet of paper is blank. He writes an instruction to himself on a fourth piece of paper, telling him to return to Westgate when he leaves the Forbidden Library.
- Ethan then travels to the Forbidden Library to deposit the first piece of paper. When he leaves the library, he has forgotten what he promised Isabelle. He reads the paper in his pocket which tells him to return to Westgate and he travels there. Back in Westgate manor, he finds the second piece of paper is blank. Following the instructions from the third piece of paper, he reassembles the memory core and finds the information that he promised to return to Isabelle in a few hours.
- Ethan returns to see Isabelle and help her with her invention. He asks her if she recalls when he said that he would return and she confesses that she doesn’t remember. Ethan mulls this over. It could be just chance that she doesn’t remember, but if not, then storing information in the Forbidden Library is even more powerful than he thought. He gives some thought to how to hide the library by erasing its location.
- Ethan spends the next week with Isabelle, refining her invention. One night over dinner, she asks him to tell her a story about himself. Something that she hasn’t heard before. Perhaps something where he had a win. Ethan takes a moment to think – he doesn’t feel that he’s had many victories, mostly losses. He settles upon last Christmas and tells her that he’s proud of the work that they did in saving the space vessel and the numerous passengers onboard. Isabelle seems surprised – she expected something bigger. Ethan shrugs and admits that he likes working with her. This pleases her. He thinks back to the letter but he decides not to show it. Why spoil things?
- At last Ethan says his goodbyes and returns to the Legendary Isle. It is still a while to the next full moon when he needs to return to Boraelis. He contacts Abbie to check that she is okay. She is fine and she believes the threat level has subsided a little. He tells her that he plans to return to Boraelis for the next full moon and Abbie agrees to join him there with Hilda. He offers to look after Hilda for a few weeks but Abbie says that they have already made plans for ‘next weekend’.
- Ethan then contacts Macavity and finds the Cat relaxing with dark sunglasses on. When asked if he wants to join Ethan, he refuses at first, declaring “I’m cool” but then he changes his mind and comes through, asking Ethan what the plan is. (Macavity seems disappointed that Hilda isn’t with him)
- Ethan says that he’s going to make the Forbidden Library ‘disappear’ but first he wants to rescue Grimples. Macavity licks a paw and thinks it over. He’s not very interested in helping Grimples but he’ll lend a ‘paw’ if Ethan needs it.
- Ethan sits down to make an Icon of Grimples. A crude one takes a few hours work. He then attempts to contact Grimples while both Ethan and Macavity use sorcerous spells in an attempt to trace his location. Grimples doesn’t actually accept the contact because he is sedated however Ethan can determine that Grimples is alive, sedated and in poor health. Grimples can’t accept the connection in order for Ethan to bring him through but at least they have a vague indication as to where to look for him on the Stair. He’s inside a tube made of glass or crystal. He’s floating in semi-transparent liquid. There is no way to transport him out using sorcery – not with this crude Icon. Wayfinding should work but it will be slow to locate him.
- Ethan then starts working on the second part of his plan – to hide the Forbidden Library so that only he and Macavity recalls that it exists. Ethan crafts three memory cores. On the first, he records information as to the Forbidden Library’s existence. On the second, he records how to get access to the Forbidden Library. On the third he records Lucien’s Journal and all of the secrets that Lucien has forgotten by placing his journal in the Forbidden Library.
- Ethan then tests the retrieval process. He returns to the broken memory cores and reassembles them in Clockworld. He has done it. He has removed the knowledge from all places except for the memory cores. He stores the memory cores in Clockworld along with his letter from the alternate timeline.
- Macavity and Ethan share a large serving fish and chips at the Tipsy Elephant pub in Fiveways. They talk over what they have learnt. Effectively they are now the keepers to innumerable secrets which lie within the library – secrets that no one else can access. Furthermore, they have learnt that it is possible to remove people’s memories by placing the information in the Forbidden Library. Macavity is a little suspicious of Ethan, wondering if Ethan might be tempted to do some editing on him. Ethan tries to reassure Macavity that he needs someone to watch his back. Finishing off the fish, Macavity warns Ethan not to try manipulating anyone he knows (he cites Abbie and Hilda) using the Forbidden Library. Macavity reminds him that he shouldn’t try to ‘fix’ everything. Some things shouldn’t be ‘fixed’.
- Ethan shares information with Macavity about the letter from the alternate timeline. Macavity is interested in the ‘letter that should not exist’ but is quickly bored when Ethan wonders what to do about it. Macavity tells Ethan to simply make a decision and not to dwell too much on it. Ethan asks Macavity why he’s never mentioned any ‘lady Cats’. Macavity glares at Ethan and dismissively says that he’s not interested in offspring. If he had any, and he hopes that he doesn’t, they’d grow up to be a nuisance or even a threat. Ethan is astonished by Macavity’s attitude.
Monday, 22 July 2019
Session 183 – Not Grimples – 27th June 2019
- Ethan senses that there is someone coming on the Stair well in advance. Macavity senses something too – he puffs himself up. A little surprised by Macavity’s reaction, he whispers a warning to Abbie to be on guard.
- Grimples strolls into view.
* Image sourced from Google
- Ethan greets the Cat and asks him where he is off to. Grimples explains plainly that he’s out looking for fish. Ethan thumbs a direction back the way that they came and suggests that he can find good fish on Marindar. Ethan has an odd feeling talking to the Cat. He can’t quite place it. Grimples asks him why he has left Marindar if the fish is so good. Ethan says that he left because he had a bad feeling and he doesn’t like waiting to be attacked. He asks Grimples if he’s seen anything on the Stair that might give him a clue. Grimples says no but asks Ethan where he is going. Ethan lies and says that he doesn’t really know. He changes the topic and asks about the audience that he requested with Grimples’ master. Grimples says that he passed on the request but that his master ‘laughed a lot’. He implies that the Red Eyed Dwimmerlaik was aware of the battle in the Legendary Realm and that he was unpleasantly surprised by the result. They part ways – Grimples continues on.
- Ethan’s group walks on in silence for a good distance before Ethan asks Macavity about what he thought of Grimples. Macavity says bluntly that the creature that they just met wasn’t the real Grimples or even a real Cat. It didn’t smell right. It’s breath was wrong. Ethan knew that something was wrong by the way that ‘Grimples’ spoke but wasn’t sure what. They leave the Stair and find a nearby Door which has a modern café nearby. The establishment sells bready products which are not quite scones and a lavender-style herbal tea. Abbie asks why they have stopped here and Ethan explains that he’s just sent a creature masquerading as Grimples to Marindar so he needs to warn them what is coming.
- Ethan decides to contact Lady Sophia rather than Grant. She accepts the contact and they have a pleasant conversation. She explains that the Marindan games will be running later in the year – invitations will be extended to many nations and realms. The Dwimmerlaik will also be invited (through Lord Morla, their representative in Marindar). She invites him to attend and compete if he wishes in the ‘Open’ events. There will be medals and laurels given to the victors. She starts to explain the types of events – sport, art, music and even magic. Ethan is quite interested in this. He asks when the games were last run and she confesses that it has not been for over a century, but the Doors have been open for some time now and Lord Grant has agreed to it. Ethan likes the idea based on what he knows of the Olympic games for fostering friendship across nations. He says that he will be there. He then tells Lady Sophia about the creature that is coming to Marindar and she promises to alert the guards.
- At the end of the contact, Ethan talks with Macavity about how he detected so easily that the creature was not the real Grimples. Macavity explains that the scent of the breath was wrong – it was almost as if the creature was hollow. Ethan listens to Macavity’s description and it sounds like the mannikins that Ethan has encountered before. Could they be the threat that is ‘coming’?
- They continue on to Boraelis in order to prepare for the next exchange. Abbie quickly realises where they are and she offers to help. They plan to charter a vessel and go on a vacation after the next exchange. In the days leading up to the next full moon, Ethan, Abbie, Hilda and Macavity spend time together. They go to the market together. They go to see some of the local performances. They enjoy each other’s company. Ethan talks to Abbie about the Marindan games – Abbie is also intrigued by the idea but a little unsure about competing against the athletic Marindans. Hilda encourages her – she wants to watch the games.
- After a while, Ethan contacts Grant and asks him about the mannikin that was impersonating Grimples. Grant tells him that it blew itself up when confronted by Marindan guards – it somehow knew that its cover was blown. They discuss Macavity’s observations and Grant believes that these creatures are branching out. Self-destruction is new. The conversation turns to the Marindan games and Grant encourages Ethan to compete in them. He also says that he’s worried about security and crowd control given that Central isn’t a very big place and he’s expecting many visitors. Finally, Grant mentions that Lady Sophia is assigning him an attaché. Ethan asks him why and Grant explains simply that Ethan is a Lord of Gossamer and if he spends any time on Marindar in the near future, there will be many people wanting to talk to him. Lady Sophia is convinced that Ethan ‘needs staff’. She’s also taking charge of renovations at his house in Marindar – she’s enlarging it. Ethan doesn’t know how to respond to that. He finally offers a weak thank-you and the conversation ends.
- When the moon is nearly full, Ethan finds that the Icon that needs assembly can be used once more to contact the alien intelligence on the other side. It feels very large and reasonably strong. A big, ponderous mind. Simple conversation occurs. Greetings. Questions and answers but the meaning of the answers is unclear. With no clear way of improving the quality of the communication, Ethan promises further contact ‘at the regular time’. (referring to the time of the month when the moon is almost full).
- At the full moon, Abbie and Ethan head out with Tess and Old Sam to exchange the food for the next consignment of ghostly cannonballs. Macavity remains onshore looking after Hilda even though Hilda would very much like to see the ghost pirates. They head out onto the seas. Tess tells Abbie that the weather always changes on the night of the full moon. It is always a cloudy night, but at the right time the clouds part, the full moon is revealed and the ship comes up. Ethan watches the trade and records the spot where the ship came up, marking it with a sorcerous marker.
- Everything goes smoothly. They return to port and the ghostglobes are offloaded. They are stronger when fresh. The Icon is assembled and the warded boxes are sent through. Empty boxes are returned. Ethan uses psychometry on the recently returned boxes and he can tell that the place on the other side is not a hospitable place. The air is not breathable. There is a choking acrid dust there. He’d need his own oxygen supply. There is also a pressure difference.
- At last the job is done and everyone is relieved. Ethan and Abbie walk back to the inn by using the rooftop walks, avoiding the ghostly ‘walkers’ on the street. Abbie thanks Ethan for sharing this with her. They arrive back at Hilda’s bedroom and find her fast asleep with Macavity clutched like a soft toy in her arms. Macavity looks embarrassed but it’s clear that he can’t escape without waking her up. It’s late and they bid each other good night. Both are looking forward to the vacation.
- The next day they leave Harbourtown on board the Serendipity, a two-mast schooner that they have chartered for a pleasure cruise to the Kalimos islands. The vessel is small with a crew of five. Ethan, Abbie, Hilda and Macavity enjoy themselves (Macavity reluctantly accepts that he is having fun on a boat). The waters are warm and they are able to swim and explore nearby reefs. Ethan relaxes onboard – he tries to be himself and enjoy company with his ‘family’. The relationship with Abbie isn’t what it was. They make some progress. Abbie admits that there are many things that are bothering her. She tells Ethan about her homeworld, Meridian, and about a man whom she loved and who was almost certainly killed when the Rhan attacked. Then she met Ethan, quite by accident (GM’s note – see Session 48). She moved on from that but when Ethan undid her world’s destruction and the Rhan attack never happened, he created a new version of Meridian where the man she loved never died and the connection that she made with him was never made. She admits to feeling quite lost and she needs time to work some of this through. She doesn’t know how to feel about anything given that nothing seems to be permanent. Even her ‘survivor’s guilt’ isn’t really valid anymore because the world was never destroyed. And even though Liliana wiped out the Bloodstone army, Ethan somehow brought them back too. Abbie finds it hard to know if this is the real her, or whether Ethan has somehow tampered with her somehow. She knows that he loves her, but she fears him too. His love is so blind that he’d do anything for her. She accepts this but she’s not sure if she wants it. She remarks that Ethan is ‘like a god’, capable of doing anything, and it’s a little intimidating. She knows that Ethan would leave her if she asked him to but she’s not sure what she wants. She asks for time. Ethan listens and agrees to give her time.
- After that conversation, the relationship improves a little. Abbie relaxes. Ethan relaxes. Near the end of the trip, Abbie and Ethan snuggle on deck watching the stars and talk about the future, looking after Hilda and entering the Marindan games. They part as close friends but Ethan is hopeful that it will one day be as it was.
- Returning to Harbourtown, Ethan contacts Archer to find out how things are on the Legendary Isle. There have been some minor disturbances but nothing that Archer has not been able to handle. Hilda goes with Abbie and returns to Lofwyr’s estate, and Macavity goes with Ethan back to the Legendary Isle. Macavity asks Ethan about Abbie. He sounds disappointed that they are not back together. He promises to give Abbie ‘a good talking to’ when he has an opportunity.
- Ethan spends time on the Legendary Isle trying to get a feel for how things are progressing and the challenges. There are definitely some creatures on the island that he didn’t bring here. There are too many instances of shipping disruption which suggest a sea monster. There are a lot more fey here than expected. Ethan starts making plans to properly organize the people here and also bring the other communities from the Legendary Realms who are elsewhere on the Stair to the Legendary Isle. The other odd thing is that the island seems to be growing.
- He also looks through an events calendar for the Marindan games which Lady Sophia sends to him. He is interested in the Decathlon.
- After six days on the Legendary Isle, Ethan receives an Icon contact. It is Isabelle.
* Image by jas-tham on DeviantART
- Ethan is pleased to hear from her. She explains that she’s working on a ‘project’ and she would like Ethan’s help. Ethan agrees immediately to come but says that he needs to get a few things first.
- Leaving Archer in charge, Ethan heads to Westgate to get some things. Macavity is only too glad to leave the Legendary Isle as he has discovered a community of ‘giant rats’ that are much bigger than he is. They head to Westgate to get some tea, a bottle of wine, cheese and food. Some snacks for Macavity. Then Ethan contacts Isabelle via Icon and they head through.
- Isabelle’s workshop is heavily influenced by Eidolon. It is neat and ordered. They sit down to eat the hamper that Ethan has brought. Macavity declares dibs on the fishy treats that Ethan has brought and he moves them a safe distance from the others so that he does not have to share.
- Isabelle explains that she’s building a device which should enable someone to scry on the other side of a Door without opening it. The device is designed to be clamped to a Door on the Stair. She’s developed it to the point where it can scry onto the Stair from her own Realm, but it doesn’t seem to work anywhere else.
- Ethan agrees to help and they have a pleasant time together. They’ve worked many times together in the past and they quickly find a working routine. Ethan has some ideas as to how to achieve the outcome but he offers suggestions and pointers without taking over.
- During their time working together, the topic of the Marindan Games comes up. Isabelle seems interested in attending. She is surprised that Grant has allowed two Dwimmerlaik to remain on Marindar and even invite them to the games. She wonders if Drake knows that they are there. Ethan tells her about the Olympic Games on Earth and how they are friendly games meant to foster fellowship between different nations. He assumes that the Marindan Games will be similar, though he does mention that musical composition and magic are not part of Earth’s Olympic Games.
- Ethan expresses interest in the Decathlon, although he notes that the events are not quite the same as he is used to. He doesn’t expect to win anything but he wants to give it a shot. Isabelle pokes fun at him, pointing out to him that the Marindans are likely to get a bit ‘frisky’ around the time of the Games. She remarks that it’s probably a way of adding some more quality to their gene pool. Ethan chuckles at this and admits that she’s probably right. He admits that Lady Sophia has upgraded his house and he now has ‘staff’. Isabelle laughs hard at this, leaving Ethan a little embarrassed.
- After two days of work, Ethan and Isabelle have a device that is about the size of a hubcap which seems to work. With the main unit still in Isabelle’s domain, the hubcap works as a relay unit, enabling the device to work elsewhere. However, it still operates as a kind of beacon, broadcasting the location of the main unit when in use. It works but it isn’t quite right though. Nevertheless, they decide to celebrate their success over a bottle of wine.
- The topic of conversation turns to the next poker game which is only two days away. Macavity seems bored – he says a brief farewell and decides to go and check on Abbie and Hilda. Ethan shrugs and goes off with Isabelle to find some suitable loot which can be used as a stake in the poker game.
- They have so much fun that they almost lose track of time. But after two days of misses and near misses, they find some interesting trinkets and knick-knacks that can be used.
- The poker game is in the same place as always. Ethan is relieved when Yaeger doesn’t show up. Grant, Cal, Jessamyn, Isabelle and Ethan are there. Eric sneaks away from his post on Nexopolis to join them and there are six players for the evening.
- It is a pleasant evening. Jessamyn and Grant come out slightly ahead but both Ethan and Isabelle have disastrous luck and their stakes are wiped out. This doesn’t seem to bother them – they go out to cheer themselves up and end up in the night market of the Agora listening to pop-up bands and eating food which is vaguely Middle Eastern. They end up dancing a long time, and then relaxing over cups of herbal tea which smells of cinnamon.
- Isabelle asks Ethan to stay with her a while longer to finish her invention. He agrees but says that he needs to check on something back in Westgate. He promises to return soon.
- Grimples strolls into view.
* Image sourced from Google
- Ethan greets the Cat and asks him where he is off to. Grimples explains plainly that he’s out looking for fish. Ethan thumbs a direction back the way that they came and suggests that he can find good fish on Marindar. Ethan has an odd feeling talking to the Cat. He can’t quite place it. Grimples asks him why he has left Marindar if the fish is so good. Ethan says that he left because he had a bad feeling and he doesn’t like waiting to be attacked. He asks Grimples if he’s seen anything on the Stair that might give him a clue. Grimples says no but asks Ethan where he is going. Ethan lies and says that he doesn’t really know. He changes the topic and asks about the audience that he requested with Grimples’ master. Grimples says that he passed on the request but that his master ‘laughed a lot’. He implies that the Red Eyed Dwimmerlaik was aware of the battle in the Legendary Realm and that he was unpleasantly surprised by the result. They part ways – Grimples continues on.
- Ethan’s group walks on in silence for a good distance before Ethan asks Macavity about what he thought of Grimples. Macavity says bluntly that the creature that they just met wasn’t the real Grimples or even a real Cat. It didn’t smell right. It’s breath was wrong. Ethan knew that something was wrong by the way that ‘Grimples’ spoke but wasn’t sure what. They leave the Stair and find a nearby Door which has a modern café nearby. The establishment sells bready products which are not quite scones and a lavender-style herbal tea. Abbie asks why they have stopped here and Ethan explains that he’s just sent a creature masquerading as Grimples to Marindar so he needs to warn them what is coming.
- Ethan decides to contact Lady Sophia rather than Grant. She accepts the contact and they have a pleasant conversation. She explains that the Marindan games will be running later in the year – invitations will be extended to many nations and realms. The Dwimmerlaik will also be invited (through Lord Morla, their representative in Marindar). She invites him to attend and compete if he wishes in the ‘Open’ events. There will be medals and laurels given to the victors. She starts to explain the types of events – sport, art, music and even magic. Ethan is quite interested in this. He asks when the games were last run and she confesses that it has not been for over a century, but the Doors have been open for some time now and Lord Grant has agreed to it. Ethan likes the idea based on what he knows of the Olympic games for fostering friendship across nations. He says that he will be there. He then tells Lady Sophia about the creature that is coming to Marindar and she promises to alert the guards.
- At the end of the contact, Ethan talks with Macavity about how he detected so easily that the creature was not the real Grimples. Macavity explains that the scent of the breath was wrong – it was almost as if the creature was hollow. Ethan listens to Macavity’s description and it sounds like the mannikins that Ethan has encountered before. Could they be the threat that is ‘coming’?
- They continue on to Boraelis in order to prepare for the next exchange. Abbie quickly realises where they are and she offers to help. They plan to charter a vessel and go on a vacation after the next exchange. In the days leading up to the next full moon, Ethan, Abbie, Hilda and Macavity spend time together. They go to the market together. They go to see some of the local performances. They enjoy each other’s company. Ethan talks to Abbie about the Marindan games – Abbie is also intrigued by the idea but a little unsure about competing against the athletic Marindans. Hilda encourages her – she wants to watch the games.
- After a while, Ethan contacts Grant and asks him about the mannikin that was impersonating Grimples. Grant tells him that it blew itself up when confronted by Marindan guards – it somehow knew that its cover was blown. They discuss Macavity’s observations and Grant believes that these creatures are branching out. Self-destruction is new. The conversation turns to the Marindan games and Grant encourages Ethan to compete in them. He also says that he’s worried about security and crowd control given that Central isn’t a very big place and he’s expecting many visitors. Finally, Grant mentions that Lady Sophia is assigning him an attaché. Ethan asks him why and Grant explains simply that Ethan is a Lord of Gossamer and if he spends any time on Marindar in the near future, there will be many people wanting to talk to him. Lady Sophia is convinced that Ethan ‘needs staff’. She’s also taking charge of renovations at his house in Marindar – she’s enlarging it. Ethan doesn’t know how to respond to that. He finally offers a weak thank-you and the conversation ends.
- When the moon is nearly full, Ethan finds that the Icon that needs assembly can be used once more to contact the alien intelligence on the other side. It feels very large and reasonably strong. A big, ponderous mind. Simple conversation occurs. Greetings. Questions and answers but the meaning of the answers is unclear. With no clear way of improving the quality of the communication, Ethan promises further contact ‘at the regular time’. (referring to the time of the month when the moon is almost full).
- At the full moon, Abbie and Ethan head out with Tess and Old Sam to exchange the food for the next consignment of ghostly cannonballs. Macavity remains onshore looking after Hilda even though Hilda would very much like to see the ghost pirates. They head out onto the seas. Tess tells Abbie that the weather always changes on the night of the full moon. It is always a cloudy night, but at the right time the clouds part, the full moon is revealed and the ship comes up. Ethan watches the trade and records the spot where the ship came up, marking it with a sorcerous marker.
- Everything goes smoothly. They return to port and the ghostglobes are offloaded. They are stronger when fresh. The Icon is assembled and the warded boxes are sent through. Empty boxes are returned. Ethan uses psychometry on the recently returned boxes and he can tell that the place on the other side is not a hospitable place. The air is not breathable. There is a choking acrid dust there. He’d need his own oxygen supply. There is also a pressure difference.
- At last the job is done and everyone is relieved. Ethan and Abbie walk back to the inn by using the rooftop walks, avoiding the ghostly ‘walkers’ on the street. Abbie thanks Ethan for sharing this with her. They arrive back at Hilda’s bedroom and find her fast asleep with Macavity clutched like a soft toy in her arms. Macavity looks embarrassed but it’s clear that he can’t escape without waking her up. It’s late and they bid each other good night. Both are looking forward to the vacation.
- The next day they leave Harbourtown on board the Serendipity, a two-mast schooner that they have chartered for a pleasure cruise to the Kalimos islands. The vessel is small with a crew of five. Ethan, Abbie, Hilda and Macavity enjoy themselves (Macavity reluctantly accepts that he is having fun on a boat). The waters are warm and they are able to swim and explore nearby reefs. Ethan relaxes onboard – he tries to be himself and enjoy company with his ‘family’. The relationship with Abbie isn’t what it was. They make some progress. Abbie admits that there are many things that are bothering her. She tells Ethan about her homeworld, Meridian, and about a man whom she loved and who was almost certainly killed when the Rhan attacked. Then she met Ethan, quite by accident (GM’s note – see Session 48). She moved on from that but when Ethan undid her world’s destruction and the Rhan attack never happened, he created a new version of Meridian where the man she loved never died and the connection that she made with him was never made. She admits to feeling quite lost and she needs time to work some of this through. She doesn’t know how to feel about anything given that nothing seems to be permanent. Even her ‘survivor’s guilt’ isn’t really valid anymore because the world was never destroyed. And even though Liliana wiped out the Bloodstone army, Ethan somehow brought them back too. Abbie finds it hard to know if this is the real her, or whether Ethan has somehow tampered with her somehow. She knows that he loves her, but she fears him too. His love is so blind that he’d do anything for her. She accepts this but she’s not sure if she wants it. She remarks that Ethan is ‘like a god’, capable of doing anything, and it’s a little intimidating. She knows that Ethan would leave her if she asked him to but she’s not sure what she wants. She asks for time. Ethan listens and agrees to give her time.
- After that conversation, the relationship improves a little. Abbie relaxes. Ethan relaxes. Near the end of the trip, Abbie and Ethan snuggle on deck watching the stars and talk about the future, looking after Hilda and entering the Marindan games. They part as close friends but Ethan is hopeful that it will one day be as it was.
- Returning to Harbourtown, Ethan contacts Archer to find out how things are on the Legendary Isle. There have been some minor disturbances but nothing that Archer has not been able to handle. Hilda goes with Abbie and returns to Lofwyr’s estate, and Macavity goes with Ethan back to the Legendary Isle. Macavity asks Ethan about Abbie. He sounds disappointed that they are not back together. He promises to give Abbie ‘a good talking to’ when he has an opportunity.
- Ethan spends time on the Legendary Isle trying to get a feel for how things are progressing and the challenges. There are definitely some creatures on the island that he didn’t bring here. There are too many instances of shipping disruption which suggest a sea monster. There are a lot more fey here than expected. Ethan starts making plans to properly organize the people here and also bring the other communities from the Legendary Realms who are elsewhere on the Stair to the Legendary Isle. The other odd thing is that the island seems to be growing.
- He also looks through an events calendar for the Marindan games which Lady Sophia sends to him. He is interested in the Decathlon.
- After six days on the Legendary Isle, Ethan receives an Icon contact. It is Isabelle.
* Image by jas-tham on DeviantART
- Ethan is pleased to hear from her. She explains that she’s working on a ‘project’ and she would like Ethan’s help. Ethan agrees immediately to come but says that he needs to get a few things first.
- Leaving Archer in charge, Ethan heads to Westgate to get some things. Macavity is only too glad to leave the Legendary Isle as he has discovered a community of ‘giant rats’ that are much bigger than he is. They head to Westgate to get some tea, a bottle of wine, cheese and food. Some snacks for Macavity. Then Ethan contacts Isabelle via Icon and they head through.
- Isabelle’s workshop is heavily influenced by Eidolon. It is neat and ordered. They sit down to eat the hamper that Ethan has brought. Macavity declares dibs on the fishy treats that Ethan has brought and he moves them a safe distance from the others so that he does not have to share.
- Isabelle explains that she’s building a device which should enable someone to scry on the other side of a Door without opening it. The device is designed to be clamped to a Door on the Stair. She’s developed it to the point where it can scry onto the Stair from her own Realm, but it doesn’t seem to work anywhere else.
- Ethan agrees to help and they have a pleasant time together. They’ve worked many times together in the past and they quickly find a working routine. Ethan has some ideas as to how to achieve the outcome but he offers suggestions and pointers without taking over.
- During their time working together, the topic of the Marindan Games comes up. Isabelle seems interested in attending. She is surprised that Grant has allowed two Dwimmerlaik to remain on Marindar and even invite them to the games. She wonders if Drake knows that they are there. Ethan tells her about the Olympic Games on Earth and how they are friendly games meant to foster fellowship between different nations. He assumes that the Marindan Games will be similar, though he does mention that musical composition and magic are not part of Earth’s Olympic Games.
- Ethan expresses interest in the Decathlon, although he notes that the events are not quite the same as he is used to. He doesn’t expect to win anything but he wants to give it a shot. Isabelle pokes fun at him, pointing out to him that the Marindans are likely to get a bit ‘frisky’ around the time of the Games. She remarks that it’s probably a way of adding some more quality to their gene pool. Ethan chuckles at this and admits that she’s probably right. He admits that Lady Sophia has upgraded his house and he now has ‘staff’. Isabelle laughs hard at this, leaving Ethan a little embarrassed.
- After two days of work, Ethan and Isabelle have a device that is about the size of a hubcap which seems to work. With the main unit still in Isabelle’s domain, the hubcap works as a relay unit, enabling the device to work elsewhere. However, it still operates as a kind of beacon, broadcasting the location of the main unit when in use. It works but it isn’t quite right though. Nevertheless, they decide to celebrate their success over a bottle of wine.
- The topic of conversation turns to the next poker game which is only two days away. Macavity seems bored – he says a brief farewell and decides to go and check on Abbie and Hilda. Ethan shrugs and goes off with Isabelle to find some suitable loot which can be used as a stake in the poker game.
- They have so much fun that they almost lose track of time. But after two days of misses and near misses, they find some interesting trinkets and knick-knacks that can be used.
- The poker game is in the same place as always. Ethan is relieved when Yaeger doesn’t show up. Grant, Cal, Jessamyn, Isabelle and Ethan are there. Eric sneaks away from his post on Nexopolis to join them and there are six players for the evening.
- It is a pleasant evening. Jessamyn and Grant come out slightly ahead but both Ethan and Isabelle have disastrous luck and their stakes are wiped out. This doesn’t seem to bother them – they go out to cheer themselves up and end up in the night market of the Agora listening to pop-up bands and eating food which is vaguely Middle Eastern. They end up dancing a long time, and then relaxing over cups of herbal tea which smells of cinnamon.
- Isabelle asks Ethan to stay with her a while longer to finish her invention. He agrees but says that he needs to check on something back in Westgate. He promises to return soon.
Tuesday, 9 July 2019
Session 182 – Decoding the Records – 6th June 2019
- Ethan shares what he has found about the Red-Eyed Dwimmerlaik with Macavity and Hilda. Hilda is very interested in the journal that Ethan found. Although he cannot remember what was written in it (part of the magic of the Forbidden Library), she believes that a sample of the handwriting alone will tell her a great deal.
- Ethan has the gnawing feeling that he has found something extremely valuable in this Library – knowledge that others would kill for. He uses Divination to look for potential threats on a regular basis and finds that even though he is not directly being threatened, the people around him are being targeted by something or someone. It is not proximate but it is coming. It is not the RED. It is something else.
- Ethan still has an Icon of Grimples. He uses it as a focus and tries to determine his whereabouts. Grimples is somewhere dark. He is surrounded by water and there are no fish. Ethan believes that Grimples is in danger, but not being immediately threatened.
- He turns his mind to the problem of being able to recover knowledge from the Forbidden Library. He assumes that Wrighting can be used to hold the information – to create a copy that is not a book. Perhaps music or some other method of encoding the information in a different form. Ethan spends time in Westgate manor thinking over the problem. Abbie joins him for a while and keeps him and Hilda company. After due consideration, Ethan travels to Clockworld to work in one of the many workshops and try to leverage some of the technology. After all, Clockworld has many ways of storing information as part of the machinery that makes up the place. He figures that he can take a piece of it and adapt it.
- Ethan starts working on building his own recording device, but a recording device that can be split apart before leaving the Forbidden Library and then reassembled on the other side. He thinks that this mechanism would be faster than using a Memory Orb from the Agora (which he considers).
- After two days of work, Ethan makes an unexpected discovery in the Clockworld workshop. Hidden away, he finds a letter and two Icons – one of himself and one of Isabelle. He doesn’t remember writing a letter or making this Icon of Isabelle. (GM’s note – because they were placed there as part of the alternate timeline in Session 151) He is quite astonished as he reads his own handwriting. The letter tells him that Isabelle is a very special person and that if he hasn’t met her that he should use the Icon to make her acquaintance. Ethan can tell (using psychometry) that it was written by him. It is not a forgery. He can also tell that in that timeline, there is no confusion in his other self’s mind regarding Abbie or Isabelle. It is Isabelle, plain and simple. Ethan pockets the letter and thinks over the message. He had already made up his mind to pursue Abbie, not Isabelle. The letter makes him think twice.
- Ethan keeps working on the memory device. It takes time to figure out how to create a device that can be one-way disassembled, the captured information destroyed and can only be restored using Eidolon.
- In his first attempt, he manages to record ten pages of the journal then runs out of space on the device. The concept appears to work but the process needs more refinement. He tries again. The second attempt works well and he captures a larger section of the journal. It is all in the Dwimmerlaik tongue but it has been captured.
- Ethan heads to Agenor, Lofwyr’s base of operations to see Abbie and Hilda. Abbie is pleased to see Ethan as is Hilda. Hilda is fascinated with the journal and she begins translating it. Ethan spends time with Abbie. She appears to be far more settled down but the old spark between them is distant. They enjoy each other’s company as friends.
- Ethan continues to check for threats using Divination. Something is still coming. Something is closing in. He doesn’t know what it is.
- Ethan continues to work on the recording device. He spends time in his workshop on Clockworld. He spends time on the Legendary Isle helping the people of Bloodstone to settle. He spends time with Hilda, looking after her (she loves the gnomes on the Legendary Isle). Talking to Grant via Icon, he is told that the next friendly poker game is only a week ago. He avoids going to Marindar as he worries about running into his brother Marc (he still hasn’t dealt with him since his parents were killed). He thinks hard about the ghostglobes of Boraelis and decides that he has to deal with those weapons of mass destruction soon before someone else finds them.
- Ethan contacts Isabelle. She is a little guarded, treating him as an old friend but someone that she can’t quite gauge as Ethan has changed. He is not the same person that she knew. Ethan decides not to tell her about the letter than he has found. The conversation is short and Isabelle is clearly cautious about this new Ethan.
- Returning to Boraelis, Ethan inquires after Tess and Old Sam and finds that they are completely oblivious to what has happened in the Legendary Realm. Old Sam is sick (he’s getting old) and Ethan helps restore him via Eidolon. They talk about where the ghostglobes come from but no one really knows. There is no scuba gear or submarine here for Ethan to investigate. There might be a wreck on the ocean floor producing the ghost ship but they really don’t know. They last offloaded the ghostglobes a week ago so the next full moon is three weeks away.
- When the ghostglobes are sent to another world, an Icon is assembled. Ethan figures that there must be a living mind on the other side. He prepares a ghostglobe chest and places a sorcerous marker on it. The chest is passed through – a chest comes back but it is not the same chest. Ethan can sense the presence of the sorcerous mark that he has placed but it is very faint and fading fast. He tries sending a chest with apples, a chest with coconuts. A chest is returned, sometimes with different contents. There is definitely an intelligent mind on the other side.
- Ethan decides to mull over the problem and takes Tess and Macavity with him to Realm 0. They visit the Legendary Isle, then head to Britain and finally to London. Tess is blown away by London. He takes her to see a musical production. They watch ‘Cats’. Macavity seems to enjoy the show, particularly the song about his own namesake. Ethan is recognised when walking through the streets by the locals.
- On Earth, Ethan checks as to how the various nations are going with the samples of High Technology that he has provided. They have made limited progress in reverse engineering the pieces in order to replicate them. He notes that the sorcerers around the world who are good at healing magics have been hard at work. Magic is starting to be accepted in this world and generally the sorcerers are doing positive things for the people of Earth.
- One evening, Ethan contacts Abbie to find out how she is. She is pleased to hear from him but comments that Hilda is running out of material to read. Ethan takes this a cue to return to the Forbidden Library and get the rest of the journal.
- Leaving Tess in Macavity’s capable care, Ethan returns to the workshop and creates a new device. He experiments in the Forbidden Library as to whether it is possible to capture a page, put the recording in his dimensional cube and retrieve it – this does not work. He has to using Wrighting to store the information (copy it) whilst in the Forbidden Library, then break the device in such a way that the information is effectively lost. Only once outside the Library can the device be reformed and the information be recreated without being immediately wiped by the Forbidden Library’s magics.
- Ethan successfully copies the journal and the other two works relating to the RED onto a series of disks that have been crafted with Wrighting. He then breaks them. He keeps one broken set in Clockworld as a backup and takes one to give to Hilda. In returning to Agenor, he finds that Lofwyr has posted guards. Abbie explains that there is something coming. Magic is being used by people who are known not to be sorcerers and they are doing a lot of damage. One of Agenor’s nine global council members was killed by a lowly accountant who should have had no such powers. It has Lofwyr spooked.
- Hilda is very pleased to see the information that Ethan has brought her. Ethan restores the broken disks and she starts work on them immediately. Ethan spends time with Abbie but they are both distracted. Both sense that something odd is going on – that there is an unknown threat here.
- Suddenly the Divination signs worsen, suggesting that Abbie and Hilda are directly threatened and the threat is more urgent. Ethan decides that they can’t stay here as he has no idea what the threat is. Abbie seeks leave from Lofwyr for a leave of absence and he agrees.
- They leave to go on a trip. Ethan heads back to the Legendary Isle with Abigail and Hilda where they pick up Macavity and Tess, then head to Boraelis. However, along the Stair they walk into …. Grimples.
- Ethan has the gnawing feeling that he has found something extremely valuable in this Library – knowledge that others would kill for. He uses Divination to look for potential threats on a regular basis and finds that even though he is not directly being threatened, the people around him are being targeted by something or someone. It is not proximate but it is coming. It is not the RED. It is something else.
- Ethan still has an Icon of Grimples. He uses it as a focus and tries to determine his whereabouts. Grimples is somewhere dark. He is surrounded by water and there are no fish. Ethan believes that Grimples is in danger, but not being immediately threatened.
- He turns his mind to the problem of being able to recover knowledge from the Forbidden Library. He assumes that Wrighting can be used to hold the information – to create a copy that is not a book. Perhaps music or some other method of encoding the information in a different form. Ethan spends time in Westgate manor thinking over the problem. Abbie joins him for a while and keeps him and Hilda company. After due consideration, Ethan travels to Clockworld to work in one of the many workshops and try to leverage some of the technology. After all, Clockworld has many ways of storing information as part of the machinery that makes up the place. He figures that he can take a piece of it and adapt it.
- Ethan starts working on building his own recording device, but a recording device that can be split apart before leaving the Forbidden Library and then reassembled on the other side. He thinks that this mechanism would be faster than using a Memory Orb from the Agora (which he considers).
- After two days of work, Ethan makes an unexpected discovery in the Clockworld workshop. Hidden away, he finds a letter and two Icons – one of himself and one of Isabelle. He doesn’t remember writing a letter or making this Icon of Isabelle. (GM’s note – because they were placed there as part of the alternate timeline in Session 151) He is quite astonished as he reads his own handwriting. The letter tells him that Isabelle is a very special person and that if he hasn’t met her that he should use the Icon to make her acquaintance. Ethan can tell (using psychometry) that it was written by him. It is not a forgery. He can also tell that in that timeline, there is no confusion in his other self’s mind regarding Abbie or Isabelle. It is Isabelle, plain and simple. Ethan pockets the letter and thinks over the message. He had already made up his mind to pursue Abbie, not Isabelle. The letter makes him think twice.
- Ethan keeps working on the memory device. It takes time to figure out how to create a device that can be one-way disassembled, the captured information destroyed and can only be restored using Eidolon.
- In his first attempt, he manages to record ten pages of the journal then runs out of space on the device. The concept appears to work but the process needs more refinement. He tries again. The second attempt works well and he captures a larger section of the journal. It is all in the Dwimmerlaik tongue but it has been captured.
- Ethan heads to Agenor, Lofwyr’s base of operations to see Abbie and Hilda. Abbie is pleased to see Ethan as is Hilda. Hilda is fascinated with the journal and she begins translating it. Ethan spends time with Abbie. She appears to be far more settled down but the old spark between them is distant. They enjoy each other’s company as friends.
- Ethan continues to check for threats using Divination. Something is still coming. Something is closing in. He doesn’t know what it is.
- Ethan continues to work on the recording device. He spends time in his workshop on Clockworld. He spends time on the Legendary Isle helping the people of Bloodstone to settle. He spends time with Hilda, looking after her (she loves the gnomes on the Legendary Isle). Talking to Grant via Icon, he is told that the next friendly poker game is only a week ago. He avoids going to Marindar as he worries about running into his brother Marc (he still hasn’t dealt with him since his parents were killed). He thinks hard about the ghostglobes of Boraelis and decides that he has to deal with those weapons of mass destruction soon before someone else finds them.
- Ethan contacts Isabelle. She is a little guarded, treating him as an old friend but someone that she can’t quite gauge as Ethan has changed. He is not the same person that she knew. Ethan decides not to tell her about the letter than he has found. The conversation is short and Isabelle is clearly cautious about this new Ethan.
- Returning to Boraelis, Ethan inquires after Tess and Old Sam and finds that they are completely oblivious to what has happened in the Legendary Realm. Old Sam is sick (he’s getting old) and Ethan helps restore him via Eidolon. They talk about where the ghostglobes come from but no one really knows. There is no scuba gear or submarine here for Ethan to investigate. There might be a wreck on the ocean floor producing the ghost ship but they really don’t know. They last offloaded the ghostglobes a week ago so the next full moon is three weeks away.
- When the ghostglobes are sent to another world, an Icon is assembled. Ethan figures that there must be a living mind on the other side. He prepares a ghostglobe chest and places a sorcerous marker on it. The chest is passed through – a chest comes back but it is not the same chest. Ethan can sense the presence of the sorcerous mark that he has placed but it is very faint and fading fast. He tries sending a chest with apples, a chest with coconuts. A chest is returned, sometimes with different contents. There is definitely an intelligent mind on the other side.
- Ethan decides to mull over the problem and takes Tess and Macavity with him to Realm 0. They visit the Legendary Isle, then head to Britain and finally to London. Tess is blown away by London. He takes her to see a musical production. They watch ‘Cats’. Macavity seems to enjoy the show, particularly the song about his own namesake. Ethan is recognised when walking through the streets by the locals.
- On Earth, Ethan checks as to how the various nations are going with the samples of High Technology that he has provided. They have made limited progress in reverse engineering the pieces in order to replicate them. He notes that the sorcerers around the world who are good at healing magics have been hard at work. Magic is starting to be accepted in this world and generally the sorcerers are doing positive things for the people of Earth.
- One evening, Ethan contacts Abbie to find out how she is. She is pleased to hear from him but comments that Hilda is running out of material to read. Ethan takes this a cue to return to the Forbidden Library and get the rest of the journal.
- Leaving Tess in Macavity’s capable care, Ethan returns to the workshop and creates a new device. He experiments in the Forbidden Library as to whether it is possible to capture a page, put the recording in his dimensional cube and retrieve it – this does not work. He has to using Wrighting to store the information (copy it) whilst in the Forbidden Library, then break the device in such a way that the information is effectively lost. Only once outside the Library can the device be reformed and the information be recreated without being immediately wiped by the Forbidden Library’s magics.
- Ethan successfully copies the journal and the other two works relating to the RED onto a series of disks that have been crafted with Wrighting. He then breaks them. He keeps one broken set in Clockworld as a backup and takes one to give to Hilda. In returning to Agenor, he finds that Lofwyr has posted guards. Abbie explains that there is something coming. Magic is being used by people who are known not to be sorcerers and they are doing a lot of damage. One of Agenor’s nine global council members was killed by a lowly accountant who should have had no such powers. It has Lofwyr spooked.
- Hilda is very pleased to see the information that Ethan has brought her. Ethan restores the broken disks and she starts work on them immediately. Ethan spends time with Abbie but they are both distracted. Both sense that something odd is going on – that there is an unknown threat here.
- Suddenly the Divination signs worsen, suggesting that Abbie and Hilda are directly threatened and the threat is more urgent. Ethan decides that they can’t stay here as he has no idea what the threat is. Abbie seeks leave from Lofwyr for a leave of absence and he agrees.
- They leave to go on a trip. Ethan heads back to the Legendary Isle with Abigail and Hilda where they pick up Macavity and Tess, then head to Boraelis. However, along the Stair they walk into …. Grimples.
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