May 2018 Report

May has been a tremendously busy month. I seem to be having more busy months this year than expected. And that's a good thing.

Worked on two projects for 7th Sea 2nd edition Kithai and I'm eager to know how the people will find them. The first is a take on the islands of Kiwa, which is the setting's take on the Polynesian Islands + the Philippines. While I personally would have wanted to have the Philippines as a standalone location in the setting, there is research that backs up a connection between both the Philippines and aboriginal Taiwanese, as well as with the Polynesian wayfarers. I hope I did the write-ups justice in allowing enough familiarity to exist but at the same time inject a creative dose of awesomeness that would be perfect for Kithai.  The second project is an adventure that will find some play at an upcoming major convention. I won't be able to fly over to attend it, but it does kinda sound insanely super that some adventure I wrote will be played at that event. If I'm lucky, maybe some reviews might come out regarding it.


Then, there's a lot of projects from other companies. I've got some writing to do for Familiars of Terra, the Elizabeth Chaipraditkul role-playing game where everyone in the world has an animal familiar. It's like next level Pokemon, which really works and offers so many roleplaying opportunities.

There's a project with Eloy Lasanta's upcoming Sins of the Father book. I don't know how much I can say about it, but I will say I'm a bit nervous working on this one as I feel I really need to brush up on my familiarity with the product line to give it my best. I have been doing my reading, of course, but there's always that fear of nothing doing something good enough that can make things feel harder to do. I know I had that failing with some games already, so I hope I make up for it soon enough.

Then there's Josh Jordan's John Silence which is a game unlike anything I've ever worked on before. It is kooky and sublime and I'm hoping I am able to craft the kind of confrontations he's hoping to have for the game. 

There are a few more stuff in the pipeline, but I think I'm spending too much time writing this post that I should be getting back to work.  With June came the end of our duo-campaign, 7th Sea: the Guissola.  The duo-campaign was the stories of two groups, Alas such Fates and The Nisab Diaries. The campaign was inspired by an Italian painter and Fringe, and the whole story reached its finale with all seven players having one joint session.  There were deaths, there were victories, and in the end, there were Heroes.

It is officially also a year since my trip to Strategicon where I got to hang out with more friends. My other geeky family across the sea. On nights like tonight when I can see shadows of those who very calculatedly bullied me once more proudly talking about acceptance and diversity and respect (despite never truly offering me the same), I find myself wishing I was there instead of here again.  They've successfully traumatized me enough to be afraid of engaging online or of participating in a lot of the local gaming community events and I hate how that victory seems to be one I can't easily overturn. Each year is that feeling that people are getting away with what they did to me, and I think its about time I just accepted the fact that justice really won't come. 

So yeah, there are wins.
There are losses.
All I can do is write.

The Nisab Diary ep10 : 7th Sea

11/23/2016
The Nisab Diary

"Sewers"

Episode Ten - 7th Sea

The Heroes still attempt to comprehend the events that surround the recent events here at the wedding of Thomas and Maddie, old friends of Jan Volta.  The group also reunited with Valderamas, Veronique Soledad, Finn McKeelan, and Lena Damaske; Heroes whom they had encountered and worked with in the past. Elena Grigorii, whom they know to be connected to the Novus Ordo Mundi in some way, is present as one of the aunts of the bride and former paramour of Jan Volta. In addition, Reikion has started to see proof that his clanmates have gone missing with many of their camps empty of any members.  Finally, they met a man who had lost his Porte magic after being a patient of Nisab Guisolla.  As they consider interrogating Samo Sokolof for answers, they also secretly consider options on how to use the fact they know Elena Grigorii is tied to the NOM to their advantage, especially since as of now she does not know they know.

Reikion uses the gifts Matushka has given him to summon a Raven to watch over Grigorii while the others consider ways to find the missing Prince. They eventually opt to explore the sewers and encounter a number of hybrid creatures that have tails, regenerative abilities, and vicious teeth. During the search, Elena Grigorii uses the distraction to raid the morgue as the Ebon Doctor. With Reikion's spy alerting him to her motions, the group splits up with Reikion attempting to intercept her while Walden and Jan ask the four others to help them focus on the missing Prince.

Unfortunately, Grigorii was not working alone. Valederamas turns out to be working with the enemy and with the use of horrible shadow powers granted to him by his dievai, Veronique and Finn are terribly injured.  The hybrids renew their attack, and while Lena and Jan combine their efforts against the creatures, Jan is forced to work his miraculous hands to save her from dying. Walden finds the center of the underground lair and discovers the stacks upon stacks of notes and pages regarding the plans of the villain of this scheme.  And the unconscious body of Prince Aleksy Gracjan Nowak strapped to a table.  But when Valderamas reveals his hand in the matter, he causes the entire place to flood with water.  Walden and Jan are forced to act fast, saving the Prince and the scant pages they could from the rising waters.

Back at the morgue, Reikion spies on the Ebon Doctor, finding her extracting marrow from the deceased and storing them in tiny glass vials. He watches as she communicates with someone unseen in the room, explaining she has successfully gathered more "stock material" and then injecting herself with some glowing serum using a vile device. The device allows her to catch Reikion's presence, and she confronts him directly, warning him that they do not know whom they are dealing with.  To the hero's surprise, the Villain asks the very air to make him "forget" and suddenly, Reikion realizes he is standing alone in the morgue, oblivious to how much time has passed.

GM Notes:
At this point in the story, the players are starting to realize the extent of the NOM's influence. Valderamas, an NPC, switching loyalties was accomplished using the Villain Danger Points system that exists in 7th Sea. What made it extra painful was the fact these characters were played by the same players in a one-shot game in the past. 

The Nisab Diary ep09 : 7th Sea

11/16/2016
The Nisab Diary

"Wedding Interrupted"

Episode Nine - 7th Sea

The group finds themselves crashing a wedding. And the wedding happens to be that of Maddie, an old childhood sweetheart of Jan Volta who still has feelings for him, to his other friend, Thomas Aorsi. Jan finds his mind racing back to the memories of his friendship with Thomas, Maddie, and a fourth friend, Christie. How they made promises between them to never be apart and to never forget each other. How years later, at the Lyceum, they make the promise again.  And even more years later, at the Academy, they still hoped to maintain their friendship. Jan smiles at Maddie. Maddie smiles at Thomas. Thomas smiles at Christie. "Jan Volta," a voice calls out to them. Reikion and Walden Reichart realize the people at the wedding recognize their companion.  The bride, Maddie, stands up and Jan stares at her, remembering those years they were falling for each other before he disappeared from the group. Thomas rushes to Jan and gives him a tight hug, overwhelmed with joy to see his old friend again. Both Reikion and Walden stay silent, leaving Jan to take the lead and explain why they have suddenly appeared out of the shadows. Thomas introduces them to old friends of theirs, Valderamas (another Zynys), Veronique Soldead (a Fate Witch), Finn McKeelan (duelist and charmer), and Lena Damaske (Eisen Pirate turned Privateer) who are also in attendance. Maddie exits the reception, clearly taking Jan's reappearance in a negative way. Jan's disappearance for twenty years is clearly remembered by all and Jan knows the reason it happened was his encounter with his Dievas. Walden approaches the closest fireplace to dry himself from the rain they had come from. Reikion finds a few fascinated women in attendance asking him to share more tales of the foreign lands they have never visited. Reikion connects to a Raven through Matushka's blessings and has it approach. Finn, Lena, and Veronique remind Thomas that Maddie has left the reception and nudge him to bring Jan with him to the back areas and look for her. Thomas was so excited he completely forgot to mention Maddie. Jan, however, suspects she walked out due to the "relationship" they once shared.   Among the guests, Reikion and Walden meet include a Montaigne named Merrit Borgen, who they soon learn once had Porte and practiced using it but now no longer has any ability to use it. He used to visit a doctor to find out why his gift had gone awry, but the late Doctor Nisab Guissola never figured it out. Walden confirms that Merrit was her patient for five years although he has confusing times of thinking she visited her to offer her his abilities.. which would be odd since he remembers losing them much earlier.  Walden sees a long stitch at the back of the man's head, from ear to nape. He wonders if Nisab had somehow taken something from him that allowed him to use his sorcery.

Reikion closes his eyes and mentally connects to the raven flying outside.  He guides it to fly off and check on his fellow Eventide clansmen. Frighteningly, he seems to find proof matching the Inquisitor's claims as he finds the camps empty of his fellow clansmen. He visits another safe house and finds it still occupied, but as he descends to check he realizes those present are not of his clan, but people who have squatted in the location.  Snapping out of it, Reikion opens his eyes and hears the people around him talking about the Ebon Doctor, a villain supposedly from another world with the ability to travel wherever he desires.  Walden joins the conversation, admitting that sounds like Porte. No one, however has seen the Ebon Doctor but supposedly he stalks the streets of Vortua at night, abducting people for his hellish experiments as corpses have been found missing body parts come morning. Walden confirms they currently are at Vortua, at the Sarmatian Commonwealth.

At the back area, Jan admits he had to handle a problem which leads to his disappearance. Thomas mistakes it to mean Jan had gotten someone pregnant. He even thinks Jan ran off and did not bother to raise the child. Jan decides its best to not dwell on the past and focus on finding Maddie. They find Christie smiling at them, asking if this is who she thinks it is. Jan greets her and Thomas admit how in the past he used to wonder why he barely spoke to Christie and spoke only to Maddie. Thomas wondered if he and Christie were hiding some secret. Christie teases she can see Jan is no longer alone. Jan realizes in horror that Christie was never Thean like they were. Christie is a dievas, and she has been Thomas' dievas ever since those earlier days. Jan is taken aback when his own dievas motions for Christie to step back, claiming Jan is already "taken." Christie admits, "Not all of us stay in the shadows."  Jan realizes Christie was always talking to Thomas and the two used to have these little dares as games, with Christie challenging Thomas to do small things like getting her a drink, or a kiss on her cheek, for answers to questions he may have.  She, like his own dievas, was a demon of Knowledge.

Walden and Reikion confirm that among the guests is the son of the King himself, Aleksy Gracjan Nowak who meets with them and reminds them they are all equals here despite his title. They talk about how many guests were shocked at seeing sorcery, being used to the old ways. Aleksy even assumes Jan had asked his dievas for assistance to arrive here. Walden and Reikion ask questions to him, realizing they have no idea how Jan does accomplish things that seem impossible. Aleksy explains the concept of the old gods, the dievas, who have shaped the lands of Sarmatia and are the muses of knowledge, the lords of cold and fire. Reikion realizes this is why Jan keeps talking to himself! Aleksy admits their line has never had dievas, and some stories claim theirs were stolen away. The tales do claim they can be destroyed, however, although there are no actual documents of the dievas ever being freed. He suggests there is an organization that maintains or keeps watch of those who have become Zynys, and that they would interfere when necessary. They are warned that not all forms of sorcery are accepted in this country. The belief in the old ways is still strong however, enough that the Vaticine Church and their Inquisitors do not have a strong grasp of power here.  Their discussion then shifts to talk about the Ebon Doctor and the man from Montaigne, Merrit Borgen. Walden wonders if the Ebon Doctor is some kind of vigilante. Walden and Reikion are offered clothes to wear to change from their wet clothes. Prominent on their change of clothes are the cloth belts they are asked to wear, a fashion highly influenced by the Crescent Empire.

The group meets Alexsy Nowak and his wife, Domenica Vespucci.  They learn of the troubles plaguing the Sarmatian Commonwealth and the significance of the sash they wear.  The concept that in this land, "Everyone is a noble," shocks Reikion and Walden more so at the thought that a piece of cloth can mean so much. At the distance, the bride seems to be crying over something. She turns and sees Jan Volta, who greets her as if they just met the previous night. As she tries to walk out, he grabs her arm and tries to start a conversation. She spits back that better men could have started with an apology. Apologies come, though they are twenty years too late. He asks if she is happy to be wed to Thomas. They shake hands and Jan's mind flashes back to when he held her hand that time in the past they were at the Lyceum and she was having second thoughts of staying in it.  He recalls as they hugged, that was the moment he liked her.  She questions him showing up now after twenty years and Jan, back focused on the present, tries to explain why he had to leave and he realizes she keeps talking about how she thought the three of them would live a life where they were together. Jan corrects her each time and reminds her she means four. She tries to walk out again but he follows her and explains he found... someone. Jan tries to correct it by saying, "Someone found me... No wait.. I mean I am not alone.. No... " he scratches his head, unsure how to say things. A voice asks if they are okay and Jan turns to see a woman dressed in black whose presence has so much dignity and discipline that Jan feels like he already wronged her despite meeting her for the first time. Maddie calls the woman her auntie and explains she is just talking with an old friend. The aunt smiles and Jan cannot ignore how he finds her to feel like a predator.  Maddie introduces her auntie, Elena Grigorii, to Jan Volta. Jan realizes the name is one of the names he saw on the wall. Elena, however, notices Jan recognized her name. She tells Maddie her husband is looking for her and ushers her away. "It is all right, darling, it is just a wedding." Jan tells Maddie she has a dievas. He reminds her whatever happened to them happened and that will never change. Maddie admits life is different now.

Back in the ballroom, the people continue to socialize and schmooze with the others. Valderamas notices the husband seems to be uncertain as he tries to explain to the guests that his wife will be back soon. She's just prettying herself a bit more. Walden and Reikion talk about their encounter back in the city and that confrontation with Julianna Onestra. Reikion worries about his brothers and their safety, given Julianna's claims of placing them in danger. Glass shatters. The two turn towards the sound, the people in the event begin to scream as two dark misshapen figures. Walden tries to study it  while Reikion rushes to the nearby people and tells them to hurry out. The two figures are covered in some kind of glow. There is laughter in the room, and to their surprise, Finnegan McKeelan leaps onto a table and yells at his companions, "My sword!"  They yell back instead for him to get it himself! A larger shape tramples forward, crashing through tables. Walden yells at the thing, attempting to lure it towards himself. He makes a show of drawing his blade to try to pressure the horrible thing to focus on him. The horror gasps out in its throaty maw, "Eeeeeehhhhbooooon" and then suddenly swings at Walden with a tentacle like form. The people scatter and begin running. Reikion hears someone call out a warning for him and he turns to see another monstrous thing leap at him! Reikion is knocked back and his sword skitters across the floor.  Walden yells out to warn them the thing is strong! Reikion rolls on the ground and manoeuvres to land where the blade it, grabbing it back as he growls at the horror.

Back inside, Maddie complains to Jan about how he and his friends have complicated things once more, especially on her wedding night. "You made me hope, you ruined my life, you left me alone, and after I spent years relearning to live again and start to think Thomas is the guy for me, you show up on my wedding night to ruin it barely after we just got proclaimed as a couple!" Jan shakes his head is frustration, drawing his pistols as they try to bust through the doorway to the unfolding battle.  But the door rattles and does not open. Maddie lifts her skirt and tries kicking it as well, but it still does not open. Both stare at each other, surprised.

At the other side, Walden dodges as the thing flings a table at him, and it smashes against the door which Maddie and Jan tried to step out of.  Reikion snarls at the monstrous forms and waits for an opening. Walden hears Reikion guide him to strike at the perfect moment to slam a chair at the thing. Reikion realizes these unnatural things are somehow amalgams of various things and before he can cry out another warning at Walden, the monster knocks Walden once more across the room, smashing into the wedding displays. Reikion leaps onto the monster, picking it up, and throwing it across the room into the smaller one. The smaller one bursts apart, like a broken fleshy toy.  The larger one starts to rise again, getting ready to recover.  "High or low?" a voice calls out to Reikion, and he responds with, "High!" As he jumps up to strike at the horror, Lena Damaske appears sliding below him to strike the beast with her own blade. Reikion twists into a somersault to recover and land beside her. The monstrosity, however, takes the strikes, picks them both up and slams them into each other.  They hit the ground, rolling away in pain.  Someone calls out, attracting its attention.  Veronique Soledad starts backing away, telling them that the thing can't look away from her so long as she has drawn its attention.  The others consider their options.

Maddie and Jan wonder if they should pull the door instead when it suddenly slams inwards, bouncing off the hinges, then smacking into Finnegan, who was about to reach for it as well. Walden kicked the door, hoping to open it up and accidentally hit Finnegan instead. They see a dark figure staring at Elena Grigorii and it darts away down a doorway as another window shatters open. A new monster lands where Elena stands. Valderamas motions towards the panicked guests and winds begin to blow, guiding them to the exits.  Finnegan shakes his head, recovering from the fluke accident. Walden sees the smaller monstrosities harassing the guards and feels divided on whom to focus on.  Realizing the guards might not be prepared for this, he screams out and charges at the smaller beasts to recklessly take them down!

Lena and Reikion consider striking between the scales of the horror.  They rush forward, training their blades to strike between the monster's scales at the same moment.  With Lena wrapping her legs around the waist of the horror, Reikion leaps up and slides his blade into the area where Lena pries the scale away from the body. A torrent of black blood gushes out as the creature howls in pain! But somehow, the wound begins to stitch back closed as they realize the horror regenerates! Reikion twists the blade, hoping to see a peek of what is inside.

Jan sees the horror try to attack Elena, he rushes to help. Elena dodges in time as the horror clips the ground she was standing at. Jan rushes through the doorway after the figure and sees the servants ducking out of the way. The dark figure continues to run, rushing through another door. Jan raises his pistol and fires at the figure's foot to disable him. Jan times the shot perfectly to avoid hitting any of the bystanders nearby.

A tentacle wraps around Lena, flinging her across the room. Reikion finds the opportunity to rip the thing's chest open, revealing two pumping hearts stitched together with strange fleshy threads. Realizing the wound is closing again, Reikion reaches in to grab the hearts and rip them out!

"Who are you and why are you here?" Jan yells at the figure, pinning him to the wall with his pistol after the shot he fired forced the man to stop running. The man claims he's a friend and Jan realizes the man's face is twisted wrong. He has a second pair of lips beneath the bearded face and the flaky skin. He grabs the face and rips it free, revealing an older tired looking fellow. The man raises his hands in surrender, claiming he is, "My name is Samo Sokolof.. I am a friend!"  A servant cries out as he recognizes the old man and points out a hanging flier on the wall showing a likeness of the old man drawn on the sign: Wanted. Inform the City Watch of any sightings.  "An associate of the Ebon Doctor," the servant gasps out, "That is him!" Jan forces the man to surrender, promising him a chance to talk later. Not wanting him to have a chance to escape, Jan gives his Dievas a signal and Sokolof is wrapped in ice to keep him in place.  Elena Grigorii steps into the kitchen, seeing the man frozen in ice.  She thanks Jan for capturing the old man as she always wondered when the Ebon Doctor and his associates will ever be captured. "Maybe this time we can know the truth about the Ebon Doctor." Jan tells them he has to go and save his other friends. Elena smirks she sees now why her niece Madelyn was madly in love with him.  "Or at least.. why she still is."

Outside, Walden drops to the ground, exhausted. The horrors are twitching in their death throes. Some of the guests emerge from their hiding places, cheering their victory. Reikion drops to the ground, tired as well.  His hands are blackened by the hearts he had torn out, but the thing somehow still was strong enough to act and ran for the window, shattering it as it ran to escape. Reikion grabs hold of the horror, not wanting it to escape. He holds on as it leaps across the street and hurries to try and escape. It leaps from rooftop to rooftop, tries to get further and further away, Reikion realizes it might be better to try to see where the thing hopes to escape to. He lets go, but watches as the horror leaps towards the nearest bridge area and tries to escape by moving beneath it. Reikion moves quickly, dealing a final blow at the thing before it can make its way into the canal.  The horror collapses, dead.  Reikion sees the blood flowing into the canal, marks the entryway, and transforms into a raven as he flies in to investigate. He finds the winding passageways and studies which direction in the catacombs might be the best direction to take.

Maddie is sitting on the ground. Valderamas tries to console her.  Lena and Veronique continue to gaze out the window for any sign of where Reikion had gone. Veronique admits she can try to find him but she isn't certain her sorcery would work. Walden admits this all feels like home in an odd way - with all the monsters and stuff. Among the guards, Thomas emerges. Maddie calls out to him, asking if he is okay. He admits he is but states the unthinkable: Aleksy has been abducted. Jan declares he believes this is the work of the Ebon Doctor and that he captured one of his associates in the kitchen. Maddie wonders what such a person would want to do with the Prince. Elena admits that if it were not for the heroes, there would be more casualties. Maddie ushers the guests home. Thomas sends his friends to scout around for any signs of the missing Prince. Elena asks Jan, and Walden to work with her to try to uncover any information about the Ebon Doctor, given his ability to create monsters using parts of the dead. "What sort of person brings things back from the dead?" Walden silently admits he has an idea.  Elena promises to do what she can to help them. Jan and Walden glance at each other - remembering seeing Elena Grigorii's name before among those working with the enemy.  They wonder if they can keep up apperances of pretending not to recognize her and use that to their advantage.

Elsewhere, Reikion cannot find a good trail down at the catacombs.  He flies back out and wonders if the group knows of anyone who might recognize a way down below. He sees the blood staining the ground but notices the body of the horror is gone. Probably sunk into the depths of the canal. At least that was what he thought at first until he realizes he sees tracks.  And the tracks suggest the thing had walked away.

It still survived despite not having its hearts.

Alas, Such Fates ep06 : 7th Sea

1/28/2017
Alas, Such Fates

"Failure"

Episode Six- 7th Sea

Astrid Ivardatter had returned to Castille, to the tiny town of Penitence, after learning that the Vaticine Church had attempted to retake the land which she had claimed to form her new Guild, the Scarlet Stockings.   In some secluded room with heavy curtains covering the windows and cloth covering the furniture, a woman sits across from Astrid, with a heavy veil covering her face.  The woman's hands shuffle a Sorte deck, the cards used by the Vodacce Fate Witches.  Astrid is meeting with one of Sophia's Daughters and they talk about how she had hoped to find the Cardinal to convince them that she had gained the support of the Queen of Avalon in bringing her Guild to Penitence. Astrid shares how she found the men of the Church in the act of attempting to evict the Jennys despite their success in the bloodless revolution of walking around topless to discourage the clergymen from entering their grounds.  The sister draws a card and lays it on the table: The Hierophant.  This lead to her meeting with the Bishop Victor Heckt, a man from Rimbaldi whom Astrid first though was here to attempt to reclaim the land once more. To Astrid's surprise, the Bishop was not here for the land. The Bishop asks Astrid if she knows of Reikion of the Eventide, Jan Volta, Walden Reichart, Tassine Bullet, and of Nisab Guissola. Astrid admits she knows of Nisab and of Tassine, and the Bishop explains Nisab has died, having leapt off the cliffs of Rimbaldi. This place was mentioned as a place to find the others. When Astrid admits she does not know the others, the Bishop explains the property the Jenny's have now was owned by Guissola.  The Sophia's Daughter draws another card and reveals it: The Tower.  "We women know of Towers that exist beneath the ground."  The Bishop asks to inspect the grounds, claiming it to be the last will and testament of Nisab Guissola.  Astrid allows him, and the Bishop draws out a Syrneth device from his robes and uses it to detect shifts in temperature in the area. The two discover the presence of a hidden chamber beneath the Scarlet Stocking's Guildhouse.   The Sophia's Daughter reveals a book and asks Astrid if the device illustrated on it is the same device the Bishop had.  Astrid admits it is the same one.  The Bishop and Astrid inspected the chamber and find it to be completely empty.  Astrid asks the Daughter what could have been inside.  "What indeed," the daughter muses, "I hope you forgive the deception," she adds as she withdraws her veil to reveal her face, "My name is Adeliadis Fasequelle, and I am a friend. I have worked with your friends before, Maurice and the others. We were all at Montaigne when we fought a young boy who had gone transformed." She confesses to Astrid she needs her help.  Astrid has dressed up as one of Sophia's Daughters in hopes of finding them, but she realizes now she cannot reach them without making contact with another who truly knows of them.  Astrid agrees to help.  Adeliadis admits the Novus Ordo Mundi has formed and with a membership of seven, she believes they are using the inventions of Nisab Guissola to change the very world. Gabriella Angelo is believed to be one of their number as well. Astrid wonders if Gabriella is the sister of Gasparo Angelo. Adeliadis is uncertain, but she needs Astrid's help to contact the Daughters, and to ask them a question.  Astrid however notices Adeliadis glancing to her side and whispering, "Not know." Astrid wonders if Adeliadis is just like Maurice, self-absorbed.  "Of course not," she replies as if she could read her mind, "But you haven't asked that yet aloud have you."  Adeliadis gives Astrid the Sorte deck, admitting the cards are not hers, but those of an Inquisitor named Julianna Onestra. Astrid draws a card out and looks at the first card she saw and it turns out to be The Maiden.  Astrid thinks the Secret Society owes her favors, so the deck may prove useful later on.

Elsewhere, at the Manor with the Red Door, Hans Leopold Glick is standing at the burnt ruins of the tower.  The only remnant of the tower is the design on the floor. The Duchess Sybil stands at the shadow of the door. Hans realizes this is the first time he's seen her during the day and she admits it helps that it is overcast. Sybil shares with him that she suspects the Duke, Maurice, plans to leave soon. Hans admits he goes where he is needed. The servants have stressed to Sybil Hans is a man devoted to helping others. Hans warns her in believing what the servants say. They do say as well he is devoted to killing monsters, and Hans admits that may be more true and that it was only probably was not accurate when he was really small. Sybil eventually shares that she has a condition that forces her to avoid the sun - a side effect of when she was younger and her first husband had insulted one of the Sidhe. In retaliation, the kind one had cursed her, which Hans finds to be very unkind. The owner of the tower, Nisab Guissola, offered Sybil an opportunity to recover from the curse and while her science had worked to some degree and returning her to normality, back then the barest hint of sunlight would burn her skin.  Hans admits they have noticed she has not joined them for dinner. He admits she does not look like a ghoul, nor seem like a spectre as she seems much alive. Sybil even teases perhaps she becomes a wolf when the moon is full and has passed the curse on to Maurice. Hans admits Maurice is no stranger to illnesses passed on nor intimate contact, which Sybil takes as a crack as his being from Montaigne. Sybil admits Nisab may have played god in that tower and that she has many patrons all over Theah and that she trusted very few, even in this Manor. Only the Seneschal had a key to the tower.  Sybil shares there were two other patrons, a man who hails from the lineage of the legendary Eadric Croft.  Based in Inismore, near Coldwater Bay.  The second a seamstress, whose shop has a golden spindle not far from the castle of the Queen Elaine herself.  Sybil gives no name as the seamstress is hiding from the Kind Ones.  They head back inside upon being informed by a servant that the Duke has awoken.

Elsewhere, also in Avalon, Lady Cassandra is at a tavern. She is having breakfast and considering her options given the many events that have transpired.  She hopes to find other knights to talk to, but has dressed down to hide her relationship with the Glamour Knights. A heavy cleaver showing marks upon its blade slams down beside her.  Cassandra turns and sees a scowling woman sit on the chair beside her, with helps herself to Cassandra's eggs.  The bartender returns and is clearly shocked to see the woman who owns the cleaver. Cassandra shares her tea with the woman, who complains about her drink having leaves floating in it. Despite her rude and uncouth behavior, the woman finds herself receiving Cassandra's generosity and admits she had met a man in the woods who promised her she would meet someone interesting today. Cassandra suspects the man might have been the strange fellow, Flynn.  "So you're the one who wants to kill the Queen?" the woman asks aloud.  Cassandra asks her not to say things so loud. The woman introduces herself as Mary Galloway and Cassandra realizes she's heard of the woman's story and how she was changed by her events at sea.  Mary admits she's looking for someone to help her kill the Queen and Cassandra considers riding along with her to know what she had in mind.

Maurice le Blanc watches Hans as he stuffs bread into his bag.  Maurice and Sybil discuss their plans, and the plans of his companions, with Maurice apologizing for the abruptness of this visit. Sybil asks where Maurice's former consort is and Maurice insists nothing has happened between him and that Jenny (Astrid). Maurice however stresses he has proven to her he has not been with anyone else in quite some time. Maurice asks Hans where he is headed and he mentions he is seeing a seamstress. Hans stresses there's nothing to be concerned about as he merely plans to have a hole in his pants darned. Maurice groans about how Hans is burning a hole in his goods. Maurice asks Hans to show him his axe, which Maurice then marks with his blood to easily find him later. A clatter. Both turn to see Sybil dropping a tray and suddenly withdrawing from the room - seemingly due to Maurice's tiny wound. Hans excuses himself.  Maurice asks the staff for Lady Cassandra's whereabouts and chooses to go check on her.

Adeliadis admits to Astrid she never learned how to use the Sorte deck. As they discuss things, Astrid continues to share the story of her encounter with the Bishop Heckt.; Julianna Onestra becomes their topic of conversation as Heckt tells Astrid about her desire to reshare the Malleus Maleficarum is to be shared with everyone, she is called the Hammer as she hunts down sorcerers.  Adeliadis tries to explain the mystery of Gasparo Angelo and Gabriella Angelo and how they are actually the same person but not... When Astrid tries to press Adeliadis to explain, she admits she cannot.  "Spoilers."  Astrid contacts the actual Sophia's Daughters and introduces Adeliadis to them. They sense the War in Astrid and know she has come in friendly terms.  They recommend bringing the two to a true member of the Daughters.

Hans finds the seamstress soon enough and after explaining that he came from the manor with the red door, he admits he's here to learn more about Nisab, sharing that the inventor committed suicide. She nearly faints and Hans leaps across the barrier to catch her as he pulls a chair nearby with his extended foot.  He learns she has been a friend of Nisab Guissola for a long time. Nisab even left her a gift, a machine which functions as a more efficient loom. She claims someone was to come for something left in her care and Hans claims that be him.  The password is the name of three places where she left the key. Hans realizes it definitely isn't him, but he admits it probably wasn't meant for him.  When the seamstress excuses herself to get some air - still affected by the news of Nisab's death - Hans pokes around underneath the mechanical loom to study it and search for anything of import. While under, a newcomer arrives and the man asks Hans if this is his shop by any chance.  The man claims he is here to collect something left many years ago.  Hans asks for a receipt and the man responds saying, "Sarmatian Commonwealth, Ussura... and I cannot read this.. one moment, Tassine should have written this better."  He leaves and Hans slides back out and realizes he just heard of two of the three possible keywords. The seamstress returns and asks Hans why he is here, and he gives his word to her that he was not associated with Nisab's death.  The door opens again and a man returns, the man from earlier. He gives the keywords, adding the last one, ".. and Eisen." The Seamstress nods and heads to the loom.  Hans realizes the man is Montano le Blanc, the uncle of his friend Maurice. Montano asks Hans to tell his nephew not to get involved in this.

Back at the tavern, people hurriedly leave as Lady Cassandra has breakfast with the woman called Mary Galloway, the Butcher. Mary explains she has plans to punish the Queen Elaine for all her transgressions.  Mary even proudly exclaims that Elaine's Knights have all proven to be easily corruptible and turned - whether via rum, wealthy or sex. Mary, however admits she does not understand why she it telling Cassandra all this. She ponders if that man in the woods has caused this to happen.  Mary asks Cassandra to show her sword. Cassandra tries to keep her sword hidden as she realizes her sword still shows the markings of the Elaine Knights.  Mary admits tonight is the night she will assault the castle.  Suddenly, Cassandra smells something familiar.  A man arrives and announces his arrival.  Lady Cassandra sees it is Maurice announces himself and greets Lady Cassandra. Mary claims to recognize Maurice as one of the men on the ship that evaded the Mawth. Mary reveals a harpoon and holds it before Maurice, asking if he finds it familiar.  It is marked with blood.  "A friend of mine says hello," Mary grins, "I am Mary Galloway, Captain of the Sweetbread." Mary realizes Maurice called Cassandra by name however, and questions if they know each other.  Cassandra asks Maurice if he is looking for a "Knight" who isn't here. Mary hurls the harpoon at Maurice, who dodges the weapon with a side-step, then kicks it to land onto his hand.  He thanks her for the gift. Spying a nearby flagon of ale, Maurice dips the harpoon into it to clear away the blood mark on it.  Mary tells Cassandra they can take him, bring him hostage, and bring him to the queen.  As Mary attempts to grab Maurice, but Maurice evades the grab with well-placed panache, questioning Mary for daring to touch him. Cassandra takes this opportunity to drag the bartender out of the tavern by the back. Mary and Maurice yell at each other, as they both grab, and ungrab, each other with a flip flopping of claims of who they are and why the other has no business grabbing them. "I am a Duke of Avalon, and more importantly Friend of the King of Montaigne!" Maurice yells at Mary as she tries to pin him to the ground.  Mary falls silent and with his last statement, she realizes this man is more stress than original worth it. Mary yells at Cassandra to toss her a blade, stating it might be better to sever his tongue. Cassandra feigns having been intimidated by Maurice's words. Mary decides she's wasting time with this man and tells Cassandra it is time to head for the queen. Maurice picks up on Cassandra pretending to be someone else, but he realizes she's doing a terrible job of claiming to be no longer among the Elaine Knights, especially when she has such a sword.  As Cassandra stands up, her sword hits the nearby chair and they all end up looking at it. Cassandra tries to claim she just picked the sword up and that they might need more weapons. Mary seems unconvinced however, whispering she is starting to think she's feeling a bit more hungry.

Astrid remembers the chamber under the Jenny's guild which Bishop Heckt uncovers, and it seems large enough to contain a galleon.  Astrid grabs a torch and invites the Bishop to head down with her to look around.  She reassures him she's used to such adventurous positions in her time. The Bishop admits all he's done most of his years is kneel.  Her story is interrupted for now as Astrid and Adel learn the Sophia's Daughter has lead them to their destination. The room is filled with shelves and candles. They are all handed a veil to wear. They soon realize there are others in the room. The seeming leader of the group asks Astrid if Adel can be trusted. And the same of Nisab Guissola. Astrid shares she has a personal interest with Nisab having encountered her work in her travels. She simply feels it is her duty to see it through. The Daughter's scrying tells Astrid the trail leads to Avalon, however. Sophia's Daughters primarily concerns itself with the protection and safety of Fate Witches in Vodacce and other nations but they are willing to help with a price.  Adel reminds Astrid she has a Sorte deck.  The woman raises her hand and a card flies out of the deck into her hand.  She stares at it and gasps. "That is the deck of the Hammer!"  The leader cries that it is an abomination. She reminds Astrid it might not be wise to hold onto the deck, as the deck calls its owner.  Every person is one of the Arcana, she explains, or at least is shaped by both. Adel, however, cannot be read.  They cannot, however, read Adeliadis. "It is as if your Fate.. is not one we can perceive." The leader agrees to speak with the Fate Witches to find Nisab, but tells Astrid to keep the Sorte deck as they want nothing to do with the Inquisitor, Julianna Onestra. Adel admits it isn't everyday a person is told one is not Thean.  She is amazed, however, that Astrid and her friends are Heroes. "The world is filled with three types of people: Heroes, Villains, and Victims." Astrid offers to have Adel stay with them although she needs to consider how to get to Avalon soon enough. Astrid continues her story about the Bishop and tells Adel about the Blessure in the chamber. The Bishop wonders if they should send the girls away or board it up and tell the girls that they're living above the very door to the underworld. Astrid confesses not knowing any place to bring the women.  The Bishop offers to grant sanctuary to the girls from Astrid's guild to protect them from the Blessure, but that means not continuing business while there.   Astrid admits she's not certain yet what to do. Adel offers to help send her to Avalon but she has to promise not to tell anyone.  When Astrid agrees, she sees Adel talk to the air beside her to "send Astrid to Avalon, to the Duchy of Pontefranc".  Astrid sees a shadow expand beneath her, and she falls through.

Maurice sees the drama regarding Cassandra's sword.  Mary slashes at Cassandra with her cleaver, cutting the knight on the cheek and tasting her blood.  Mary mutters about needing to do the chopping herself. Cassandra convinces Mary she's a villain by claiming she used to be one of the Elaine Knights, which is why she still has her old sword.  She claims to have been disgraced by the Queen. Maurice slams the door open, pulling all attention to him. He claims the sword is his now and he dashes across the room towards the two.  Trailing his sword at a dramatic angle to catch the glint of the light, Maurice swoops the sword from Cassandra's side and allows his cape to drape over him gently.  Mary and Cassandra rush off, after Mary decides the man is too much trouble.  Cassandra, having won Mary over, runs with her, leaving her blade with Maurice.  "Villains!" Maurice grins, "I'll get you yet!"  The two leave the tavern and Mary mutters how for now they have a queen to kill.   Avalonian guards arrive at the tavern, and Maurice declares his name and tells them to stand down. They see him holding the Sword of an Elaine Knight and they ask them to forgive their impertinence. Maurice hopes that he helped. The guards ask if they should alert the Queen, and Maurice tells them they shouldn't bother her. The Knights of Elaine have been recalled to the castle for her safety as there are rumors of an attempt on her life.

Hands cup over Hans' face from behind, and a voice barks demanding that he explains who sent him and what he knows. The voice even asks if Hans was sent by the woman with the red parasol. Hans does not quite get why Montano would be acting this way. Montano pulls out a deck of cards and they happen to be razor tipped. He threatens Hans with it. The seamstress draws out a glass box and as she offers it to them, Hans uses the distraction to disarm the man of his razor tipped cards.  Hans then trips Montano to shove him to the ground. Hans asks him the same questions, asking who the woman in the red parasol is. Montano admits he is just doing what he was told to do.  The man claims he is doing this to keep it safe as "they" are watching Maurice. Hans asks if Maurice is in danger. The man claims to have been sent by the Invisible College and he shows the tattoo hidden between two fingers.  Montano claims he was told to get the artifact, but he has no idea who gave the order since the college works through dead drop messages. He does know the contents of the tower were not retrieved and so the item here was to be retrieved instead. The College is attempting to retrieve everything of Nisab's. Hans shows his own marking.  The seamstress asks then if its alright, that they are both allies.  Montano admits they aren't. Hans takes it from the seamstress despite Montano's cries that Maurice is in danger. "They've been watching all this time! Don't you understand?" Hans simply states he does not trust Montano and opts to take charge of the item.  "But they're watching us right now," Montano gasps.  When Hans looks around to check, he fails to see anyone else in the room but he does now sense there is someone else in the chamber.   Montano admits he was to claim the package, close the shop, and head for the southern gate. Hans tells the Seamstress that it might not be safe to stay here.  The seamstress however notes there seems to be a man in front of the door, despite it being empty. Hans looks and sees nothing. Hans tells the seamstress to head out now.  Montano begins to choke, as he claws and grabs at something that cannot be seen.  Hans realizes the assailant must be invisible. As he reaches forward to check, he feels something that undulates organically against his skin.

Then Hans is airborne as the impact throws him across the room.  As he slams against the nearest wall, the dust particles in the air outline the thing for a briefest of moments. Humanoid in shape, but bent over since it is too tall for the chamber.  Hans seems to glimpse at least three arms. Hans looks down and sees the glass box on the ground.  The thing picks it up.

Mary and Cassandra are on the Sweetbread.  Mary is grateful that Cassandra is one of them and admits she plans to strike at midnight. When Cassandra asks if other Knights are with her, Mary admits she's bribed other Knights to gain safe passage. Cassandra internally hates the truth revealed that some Knights have indeed betrayed the Queen.  They make plans, with either the two attacking in unison to kill anyone in their way, or to have Cassandra walk in pretending to have captured the Butcher. With the remaining time, Mary suggests they relax on the boat for now and just eat. She shares with Cassandra the story of how her former crew attempted a mutiny. Mary explains this better not happen on this ship. She calls for her first mate and when a man comes forward, Mary slashes the man with her cleaver and allows him to bleed out on deck. She tells the crew that Cassandra is now the new first mate.  Cassandra realizes playing villain shouldn't be something she pretends to do too long or too many will suffer.

Astrid realizes she's back at the massive chamber of the Duchess.  She asks the servants for the Duke and finds the Duchess Sybil at the top of the steps of the winding staircase.  Sybil tells her that her friends have all gone off to handle things. Astrid doesn't feel comfortable staying alone at the manor especially after the destruction of the tower and the loss of some of her vassals. Astrid stares at the portraits on the walls and mumbles about not wanting to see any ghostly children running around. Sybil insists there are no children in the castle. Astrid raises it is believed to be a symptom of the "plague" which should have been dispelled with the burning of the tower. Sybil asks Astrid to walk with her upstairs.  Sybil brings Astrid to an observatory with a darkened dome. Sybil admits she goes here when she wants some privacy and asks Astrid to close the door behind her, but she keeps her hand on the handle. Sybil asks Astrid to explain how she "popped out from nowhere," inquiring if Astrid is a master of Porte like Maurice or if she's from the Sarmatian Commonwealth with deivas that sent her across far distances. Astrid insists she's just a resourceful jenny from Vesten. Being in pitch black darkness, Astrid confesses not feeling safe but Sybil insists she had recently fed so she is in better spirits. She ignores Astrid's question on what she had eaten. Astrid explains she and Hans had seen children running around and Sybil admits she has seen them too.  The two discuss the children a bit more and Sybil admits she's seen these children here in the chamber most frequently. She's wondering if they will see the children again tonight. Sybil wonders if they are ghosts and she shares her story of having fallen asleep in the observatory when the boy appeared. The boy asked if she's a ghost and ran off when she tried to touch him.

Maurice arrives and the staff informs him his personal jenny and consort is here. He corrects them that she's an adventurer and in no way his consort. They tell him she appeared out of nowhere in the gallery. He asks to have them tell her to meet him at the gallery.

Reunited, Astrid finds Maurice examining the room.  She tells him she needs his help and he asks how she got back. She expresses she can't or won't answer. When Maurice presses, she ends up replying, "spoilers" as she realizes that answers allows her to say who helped her without saying who. She reports to him that there's a blessure at her home in Castille. Maurice shares his news of Cassandra having become a brigand and he hands her a harpoon.  Astrid gasps at the harpoon and its implications that a certain insane pirate is back.  Maurice insists however they cannot help Cassandra as she's intent on handling things on her own despite making a dreadful attempt at lying that she's no longer a knight. Astrid implores he find a way to close the blessure in her home. Maurice asks her how she intends they go there when his sorcery cannot go straight to that destination.  He cannot walk to places he has not marked. The two decide it might be best to focus on the matter of Lady Cassandra. "She was trying to dismiss me. It was terrible. She has no ability to lie. Her sincerity is far too strong. If it were not for my dashing display of stealing her sword, I doubt her most feral companion would have believed her."  Astrid wonders why she'd do that and Maurice admits he did not overhear anything about what the two have in mind. Astrid takes a deep breath in frustration.

Hans rolls against the second wall he slams into. The dust reveals the creature once more. Hans leaps to his feet and charges for the monster, ignoring the glass box  on the ground as he focuses on stopping the creature from suffocating Montano. Hans slashes with his axe at the air where the monster stands and the steel meets invisible meat! The sudden spray of black liquid makes the monstrosity more visible.  Hans begins to see more how inhuman the thing is, a mishmash of different things seemingly sewn together.  Another swing strikes Hans and hurls him out the window. Hans hits the gravel outside with his face in front of a black skirt and formal traveling boots. He looks up and sees the regal woman standing in all black, with her short blonde hair framing her square face.  "You're not supposed to be in there, are you?" she smirks.  Hans sees her holding a doctor's bag on her right hand. On her left hand, a strange device with a glass cylinder filled with a strange viscous fluid.  Hans gets back onto his feet and charges back towards the window to leap in and fight the monster.  His next slash severs the tentacle around Montano's neck and frees the man from its grasp. The thing screeches noiselessly, and suddenly the glass shatters in the room. It entangles Hans with its remaining limbs and lifts him off the ground.  The woman who was outside now enters.

"Montano, did we really have to get to this point? All you had to do was give the key," the woman sighs.  Montano coughs out a plea, but his words are broken by gasps for air. She asks who Hans is and Hans growls he is exactly where he is supposed to be.  The woman lifts the steampunkish syringe with pulsing violet fluid and tells Hans that she does not see the need to concern herself with him. She then injects the fluid into her own neck as she warns him that he shouldn't get in their way.  As she replaces the syringe into the bag, she then starts speaking in the language of the Sarmatian Commonwealth as she tells the thing holdings Hans to "break him, but not kill him."  The woman reaches down to grab the glass box.  With a twist, Hans severs the two tentacles holding him to break free.  The thing thrashes backwards in pain and it becomes visible in a split second.  Hans recognizes the hairy fanged maws they had faced in the woods in the past!  The monster withdraws and the severed limbs begin to regrow themselves back.  The woman places the glass box in her doctor's bag, then rubs her neck as if to check if the substance has been absorbed properly.  She then turns to the empty air nearby and smiles as she greets an unseen newcomer with a smile.  Hans lunges for the bag, knowing its contents will answer more questions than they currently know.  Realizing he can't grab it before she acts, he kicks it instead out the window.

The woman, with anger in her eyes, hisses in the language of the commonwealth, "Freeze him!" Hans feels ice suddenly wrap around him, imprisoning him in a sheath of ice that immobilizes him to the ground.  People stare from the streets as the woman emerges from the doorway.  Hans feels the ice continue to grow around him, but with his free hand, Hans points his axe at her.  She tells him he is lucky that she is running on a time table.  She introduces herself as Elena Grigori, the Ebon Doctor, and that she will come back for him.  She takes the doctor's bag on the ground and whispers to the air beside her to take her to the Red Parasol.  A shadow spreads at her feet and she falls through.  Hans sees Montano crawl out from the doorway, thank him, but before he can say more, the monster slams into him from behind and runs away.  Hans shatters the ice with his axe.  He crawls to Montano and he thinks hopefully Montano can give them answers.

Back at the Duchy, Maurice and Astrid are considering their course of action when the door slams open and Hans emerges with Montano in tow.  The servants profusely beg for forgiveness at the unannounced arrival. With Montano's "being alive" a surprise, Hans quickly updates the two on what happened, including how the woman whispered into the air and vanished in a shadow on the ground for a woman in a red parasol. Astrid stays quiet about the shadow travel, despite having traveled in a similar manner. They try to wake Montano up while Astrid updates them on the Nisab chamber under her brothel and the blessure still present there. Maurice laments how everyone keeps thinking Astrid is his consort. Sybil emerges from the doorway with a rifle asking Maurice if he is still her husband, as that should mean his uncle Montano should have died.  Maurice thanks her for "bringing the vintage piece down" and asks her to let go of it. Sybil agrees and walks away, proclaiming she did not see him.  To wake Montano, Maurice waves a bottle of his perfume near the unconscious man's nose.. and it wakes Montano thinking it was the l'Emperuer having shown up in his vicinity - a trait Maurice seems to share with his uncle.

Mary Galloway prepares a feast for the upcoming slaughter. Lady Cassandra wonders if Mary plans to kill someone else for this feasting. So far, however, all of the crew see Cassandra as a vicious villain just like Mary. Cassandra asks for the meat of a pig, asking for it to be cut into smaller pieces.  She had ideas of using the meat and preparing it to look as if it were the murdered former First Mate's body.  She instructs the crew to get that and spices and vegetables for her, and to leave the body of the former First Mate at the steps of the nearest church.  Mary checks on Cassandra, and she informs her the crew was instructed to get the spices she needs. To Cassandra's surprise, Mary tells her that Mary will be prepping the dinner instead of her.  She asks Cassandra to watch over the crew and keep them in their place. The two do confirm they sail for the Queen by midnight. Mary notices Cassandra's worry and asks if there is something amiss.  Cassandra lies and claims everything is fine. Her lies don't convince Mary, however, and Mary asks if her anxiety has anything to do with the prisoner below the deck... the one from whom she retrieved the harpoon.  Cassandra realizes the man pirate they faced at The Maw is most likely that same man she mentioned before. Cassandra decides to head downstairs and Mary asks her to give the man a good "smack" for her. Mary asks if Cassandra prefers "knuckles" or "tongues" and Mary hears Cassandra just remark that she prefers the belly.

Down below, Cassandra is escorted by the other men to the brig.  Once there, the two leave Cassandra behind and allow her to visit the man by herself. She finds the man chained and manacled in the brig, inside a makeshift cage that has been locked closed. The man seems to be talking to himself, muttering about not supposedly being here and how his marks are all gone.  Cassandra confronts the man and he muses knowing or recognizing her. She asks him who he is speaking to and he mutters he's talking to "the sea." The man still insists he is the Captain Reis of legend, though Cassandra has her doubts. She tells him she's heard of how Reis perished from the mouth of a great sea monster, and how he is probably just thinking he is the terror of the seven seas.  His response however does confirm Cassandra's fears that this is the same man who attacked them at The Maw.  The man's eyes widen as he mutters, "The soup," confirming that he does remember Cassandra! Mary returns that moment asking if there is anything wrong. Cassandra quickly strikes the metal to the cage to try to muffle his cries of knowing something others don't.  Cassandra reaches through the bars and slams the man against the bars to knock him out.  Mary asks Cassandra to come with her as she realizes something... Cassandra should get some rest as tonight there will be no sleep. Cassandra is relieved for there was a moment she feared Mary overheard what the man knew of her. Mary however lops off one of the unconscious man's fingers, admitting she also came down here because she needed a little bit more flavor.  For what, Cassandra dreaded to even dare imagine.  Cassandra realizes she has to either act before midnight comes, or try to find a way to contact her friends.

Back at the Duchy, Astrid shares her anxiety on where Cassandra has gone to. Maurice however focuses his attentions on Montano, who seems panicked to realize where he currently is. Maurice shows the rifle in his hands. Montano begs him to help him get out of here, even throwing promises to give them more titles or share in wealth.  But none of them agree to help him. Astrid casually stands by the door to block any exit. Hans states Montano claimed he was doing all this to save Maurice, and that they were being watched. Montano admits Maurice was not supposed to have seen him, nor was Hans supposed to have seen him there, and he explains the elaborate ruse to give Maurice the title he was already holding was because he had already accomplished what he needed to do. Astrid alludes this was in relation to Nisab's works. Montano is aghast that everyone seems to know about her and asks why Hans was at the Spindle, asking for the package. Hans admits he learned of the place through Sybil, which is related to the blessure under Astrid's brothel in Castille. Astrid admits the location of her brothel also once belonged to Nisab. Montano admits he is a member of the Invisible College and Astrid notices Hans seems to not be surprised by its mention. Montano continues and admits he was sent to fulfill the marriage in hopes of gathering material in the tower, but he was unable to access them due to some kind of threat within it. He informed the college there was nothing to be found and had Maurice take his place. Maurice admits the tower has been destroyed now which surprises Montano since he knows another agent of the College was sent to try to infiltrate the tower and even claimed to have a contact within the house hold. Hans realizes Monstano might mean him. Maurice thinks however it was the butler who was very shady with the mill by the river. Montano was then informed of a new task to fulfill the duty at the Spindle, which used the names of three locations which was some form of password gathered by Tassine Bullet - a woman she has no knowledge of. They explain she's an author of Penny Dreadfuls and has passed on. Montano mocks vomiting at the thought of reading. Hans asks who then is this Ebon Doctor and Montano claims he recognized her from the Sarmatian Commonwealth. She was recently present at the marriage at the Prince or the son of the King or something like that. Hans realizes he's heard this name a few times. The package Montano was to retrieve was to be handed to a contact later on. Astrid wonders why there are so many people looking for this Nisab Guissola, including a bishop who pretended to be a member of the Vaticine Church. Maurice however presses and asks him about the sizeable wealth missing from the property since his "demise." Montano feigns not recalling anything due to the concussion received in the fight. Astrid reminds him not to run, and offers the doctor of the duchy who specializes in lobotomies. Montano surrenders.

The discussion shifts to finding Cassandra, but not knowing where she is Astrid suggests they head straight to the queen. Maurice believes he can head straight to Cassandra, but he's not in the mood to bring them all within him. Astrid carries Cassandra's sword with her and has Hans accompany her to the castle. Maurice grants them permission to use the cart as he realizes Cassandra and that woman with the cleaver probably have plans to head there tonight. He has them use the "other carriage" which is actually the shopping cart the servants use. Maurice however insists they do not own carts. Only carriages.

Astrid and Hans arrive at the castle and the guards stare at them, amused that both have arrived to visit while riding a cart. The guards ask them to wait as they check if the two will allowed in. Hans studies the walls and the moat, checking if there would be alternate ways to get in. Thankfully they are allowed in by one of the senior guards who recognizes the cart to belong to the Duchy on Pontefract. However, they are told the queen is not seeing guests given complications with her schedule. They are shown to a receiving room and await the man who will see them. Astrid can feel they are being watched.

The seneschal that meets them informs them of the Queen having obligations that require her attention. Astrid asks to see her this night and this night alone, given the urgency of the matter.  She explains she believes their friend Cassandra might have met with some ruffians who may have plans against the Queen tonight. Astrid presents the blade of the Elaine Knights. The Seneschal assumes Lady Cassandra is dead, given her blade is no longer in her hands. Astrid explains that concerns her as well. The Seneschal explains a knight would only lose one's sword if the knight was dead or had betrayed the knight. The seneschal asks her to wait, closes the fan in her hand, and asks to be allowed to speak in Montaigne once more as she cannot deign to speak in such boorish tongues for so long. She mutters a few curses, and shifts back to Vesten to continue the conversation. The seneschal, Adeliadis, listens to the two explain.  Astrid mouths, "Spoilers?" suggesting she knows others are listening. But Adeliadis does not seem to grasp it. She merely leaves and rejoins the room after an off-camera vomiting sound.  When she returns, Astrid realizes based on her body language, Adeliadis really does not recognize them. When Adeliadis asks them to summarize their purpose of coming to the castle, Astrid states she merely wishes them to allow her and Hans to be near enough to protect the Queen if something happens. Adeliadis has an outburst, rattling off in angry Montaigne how this whole conversation has been an utter waste of her time. She harshly tells the two off, stating neither of them even deserve to be anywhere near the Queen. Adeliadis leaves the two and slams the door shut behind them. Hans however tells Astrid, "We're already in. We just need to find the Queen."  To their luck, the painting slides open and Adam Vide emerges and motions them to step inside.

Adam explains the seneschal has the political title but neither the temperament or patience to play the role. He asks them to wear cloth masks and escorts them through the secret passages to make their way to the Queen. Astrid and Hans comply. Adam explains the Daughters of Sophia informed her that there has been some crossing of paths between Astrid's group and the late Nisab Guissola. The two choose not to admit anything to Adam. Adam believes their warning however and admits a belief in Cassandra's actions, admittedly he does not agree with Fasequelle's appointment as seneschal in the last four month and hates the fact they have to respect that role. Astrid admits feeling unease. Hans worries things will get more complicated in the coming hours.

Back at the Duchy, Maurice and Sybil discuss the complication of Montano being alive. Avalonian law states since Montano is still alive, then Sybil would still be married to him. Worse, this means she had acted with "infidelity" given her actions with Maurice. Maurice believes the mitigating circumstances can still be in their favor. "Every kingdom has its secrets. No household does not have them." Sybil feels they must deal with Motano. She suggests two words, "La Bucca."  If they were to send him there, he will be "forgotten." Maurice admits no island will take him for long. Sybil does share that if he allows himself to be seen, he will be forced to fulfill his role in marriage. So Montano may be interested in playing along. Sybil shares that Catalina Morta can bring him to La Bucca. The two flirt a bit, but then are informed that the carriage man has returned. Maurice is happy the horses are safe. Sybil tells Maurice to talk to Montano. If he doesn't agree to the terms, she admits she knows a man who can make a mask of iron that he can be locked into to wear.

Montano admits he was at the Sarmatian Commonwealth and he had no plans of going back here. His appearance here was supposed to be hidden, but one of Maurice's friends dragged him into  this whole mess. Maurice insists he cannot be in Avalon again even for clandestine matters. Montano admits he cannot make such promises but he understands this has complicated the dukedom and places Maurice's role in jeopardy. Montano suddenly suggests they threaten Sybil with ideas of her infidelity being called to question so they can both claim the land. Maurice draws his sword and tells Montano that it might be best to just send him away. Montano wounds himself on Maurice's blade and warns his nephew that bars will not hold him. Maurice promises to send him to a land of opportunities and options. Montano swears on his blood he will not return to Avalon.

Back at the ship, Cassandra sees the sun setting on the horizon. She is searching for a way to start a fire and sneak away from the ship. She steals a bit of burning coal and heads down to the part of the ship where the gunpowder would be intent to make the ship explode. But she sees the Avalon ship markings on the wood and realizes she isn't certain if she wants to destroy a ship of her people. She invites one of the crew members to join her and head out of the ship for something to eat. But as she tries to convince the guy to leave, they smell the sweetest smell of something cooking on the ship.  Cassandra heads to the smell, ushering the guy to head off, and finds Mary Galloway there, offering to have her taste what she had prepared. Cassandra is told to close her eyes and focus on the taste. Cassandra's mind races, worried that she's being asked to try human meat, but finds the food to be the most marvelous mix of flavors she ever had. The meat melts in her mouth. To her joy, Mary explains it is goat meat and the rich spices made it as good as it tastes.  Mary had no plans to have others eat the same things she prefer, insisting she is no monster. Cassandra just smiles, remembering how this same woman just killed a man earlier that day without hesitation.

Hans and Astrid continue to wait, wondering if they will actually meet the Queen herself. The Queen does meet with them, in fact she states she met with Astrid before.  Astrid realizes they have... and that was when she petitioned for her help regarding her brothel. Astrid explains the situation regarding the Lady Cassandra, and the Queen responds instead by asking if her mission is successful. As it turns out, she kept it even from her friends. The Queen shares the plan for Cassandra to pose as one of the villains to lure out the ones who tried to have the Queen killed.  The Queen shares she even took actions that would cause Cassandra to gain anger towards her, to help her achieve her goal. The knights arrive, informing them of a monster having been sighted and the need to send the knights there. The Queen sends the knights away and admits she has her doubts of the monster being a true threat. The convenient timing of it happening tonight bothers her. The Queen asks Adam to stay with her and gives both Hans and Astid to stay at her side. She then directs the Knights to leave to help the people against the horror that has surfaced.  "Even if the Queen dies, the Queendom must survive. The people need the Knights of Elaine." Despite there being more secure rooms, Adam admits to Hans that asking the Queen to move more would be too much to ask of the Queen. Adam reveals the whip he has, which he claims is the only weapon he ever learned to use. Astrid admits Adam can teach her to fight better with the whip someday. Astrid suggests they give the servants a "day off" to lessen the chances they are caught in the trouble. The Queen turns to her and asks, "What is a day off?"

A visitor arrives at Maurice's duchy. The man is Valderamas, supposedly a friend from the Sarmatian Commonwealth. Maurice asks Sybil to rest and she admits with night coming, she feels she is getting stronger. At the foyer, Maurice meets the man and asks what business he has with them. Valderamas admits they have not met and he has come with his associate which Maurice cannot see. Maurice admits he is totally aware of this, although then asks if they are like... "you know." Valderamas admits he felt the need to inform Maurice he comes with a companion out of respect and to represent the Novus Ordo Mundi. Maurice is a bit shocked he'd so openly talk about this. Valderamas reminds Maurice not to be overly alarmed as this will probably be their last meeting.  He commands his deivas to unleash the darkness and it spills out like a black flood that crawls into every corner and every street and every room and every road.  The sounds are muffled in the darkness as it spills out more and more, spreading further out of the manor, down the hills, down the rivers.  It spreads towards the castle. Maurice cuts his finger, and as he prepares to create a Porte, Valderamas shoves against him and mutters to his face, "Novus Ordo Mundi will NOT be stopped!" Maurice creates the porte and leaps into in, dragging Valderamas into the open portal. The man falls inside with his eyes open and he begins to scream in panic as things close in on him and pull him apart.

At the Sweetbread, Cassandra hears the screaming outside as well, but then hears them get abruptly silenced by something outside.   Back at the castle, Adam, the Queen, and Hans approach the door and shove it open to see the hallway leading to the balcony. The roar of screaming people gets stronger. Astrid hurries to check what is causing it. Adam can hear the Queen muttering about hearing the fear of her people growing. The Queen stumbles towards one part of the room. Hans follow s her. She reaches the far side, cracks open a panel on the wall, then unlocks the second pair fo door to expose a brilliant burst of light. Even with his eyes closed and a hand over his eyes, Hans can still see it.   The grail. Astrid hurries back to the others after seeing the darkness closing in.

Cassandra heads to the castle with Mary Galloway and the other crew. The darkness rolls after them.  Cassandra screams and she hears her voice as if they were underwater.  Mary grins, excited at this turn of events. Cassandra isn't sure why this is happening.

Astrid.  Adam.  The Queen. They all feel the Grail speaking.

You.
Have.
Failed.
Me.

Sybil can see despite the darkness. An offshoot of the curse she was once afflicted with. Maurice stresses they must find a way to get to the Queen. Sybil however confesses she cannot step on hallowed ground.

In the darkness, Cassandra smells something that smells of sweat and saltwater. Realizing it is the man, she is unable to call out in time before the man pins him against the wall. The man begins to crush her throat to shut him up. But Cassandra tries to fight back but he is too strong it seems. Or is she just too afraid. The man hisses into her ear a thanks, given the injuries he sustained allowed him somehow a chance to leave.  He laughs and drops her to the ground, leaving her behind.  Cassandra crawls away, finds the wheel of the ship, and steadies herself in the darkness.  The ship is moving. It is moving and hits into things as they move. But it continues to move faster and faster following the river.

Astrid tries speaking back to the grail but it gives no response. Hans tries to find the Queen but the blinding light of the grail, where the queen last stood, blinds him from seeing her whereabouts.  They see the darkness has reached the doorway, but it does not spill into the chamber.  They all hear in their mind the grail speaking.

I have chosen another.
Another to keep me safe.
She comes.

Cassandra realizes she can see a light in the end of the darkness.  A glow despite the black. She trains the ship to sail towards it. She focuses on the light and nothing else. Sybil and Maurice continue through the World Between the Worlds.  The voices whisper around them, speaking to Sybil of welcoming her among them. Of their worlds being closer and closer with each journey. Sybil weeps, not wanting to see or hear more. Maurice brings them through, exiting from the World Between Worlds, and they emerge on Cassandra's location, the Sweetbread. Cassandra smells Maurice's perfume and knows it is him. She asks them to carefully stay behind her and tells them she is steering them to the grail.  But neither Maurice nor Sybil can see this golden light. Sybil guides Cassandra to steer in the darkness as her dark gift proves to be a boon in this journey.

From the darkness, a woman steps out of the darkness and into the Queen's chamber, with high stockings, coat tails, and short pants. She smiles as she comes into view and admits she's surprised to see body guards despite everyone else having run off in fear. Hans warns her to stay back. She shows her arms and tells them there is nothing up her sleeves. Then she brings them both behind her back. Hans demands she reveals both her hands. Gabriella Angelo brings them into view and shows him they are empty. "No hard feelings, it is all part of the show," she laughs then flicks at them a bunch of throwing cards!  Hans hurries to block them, flicking the nearest table cloth to deflect them away. Astrid plants a comforting hand on the Queen to calm her down.  She asks the Grail to help repel the darkness, but the grail still gives no reply. Only the Queen speaks and her voice suggests she cannot find the grail or see any sign of it. She only sees the darkness.

The card tear through the cloth Hans uses to deflect them. Thankfully, they miss their targets. Hans rushes forward, keeping an eye out for others who may show up in the chamber. True enough, a second figure enters the room. Astrid guides the Queen to the Grail, but she refuses to reach for it. She pulls back. Astrid realizes the Queen might be compelled not to reach for the Grail.

They.
Must.
Learn.

They.
Must.
Unite.

They.
Must.
Become.
One.

Astrid asks the Grail to explain. To help them force back the darkness.  But the Grail gives no reply. Hans lunges at Gabriella with his axe and he tries to take her out without killing her. He swings the blunt side of the axe onto the side of her head. But she pulls her head back in time to avoid it, whipping her hair onto his face to distract him. She suddenly blows a powder onto his face, which he resists despite it having special properties.

Outside, the Sweetbread closes in on the castle as Cassandra steers it with the Duchess Sybil and Maurice's help. As they sail down the channel heading straight for the castle, Maurice insists they stick together as long as they can given the darkness. Cassandra asks him if he can swim in case they fail to dock safely.  Thankfully, Cassandra brings the ship to port successfully despite the darkness. She chooses to jump to the castle, despite the thoughts in the back of her head wanting to do deal with Mary Galloway and the man they mistook as Reis first.  Maurice bids Sybil goodbye for now. She promises him she will be alright, because she will be going with them.

As Astrid and Hans try to deal with the incoming intruders, a whip cracks and Adam reveals his skill with the Mantovai dueling style. It becomes clear that the Grail calls for a Quest and is calling for its bearer to come forward.  Maurice, Sybil, and Cassandra continue moving through the castle, making their way towards the glowing grail. They encounter other knights along the route and Cassandra realizes she can no longer just announce herself to gain passage as most know her as Cassandra the Traitor. Maurice calls out to them, identifying himself as the Duke of Pontefract and tells them to move aside. Sybil continues to guide them through the darkness and the knights stand aside as they make their way past them. Adam Vide admits he can barely see their foes due to the darkness. Hans knocks out Gabriella Angelo from behind and settles her to the ground. Astrid whips at the other associate of Gabriella, pinning him to the wall. She realizes it is the man who was announcing the guests earlier. He snarls that the new order that will take over will now gain control of Avalon. Astrid knocks him unconscious too.  Sybil eventually admits she cannot go further, sensing the area is now hallowed ground. Maurice gives her a kiss and tells her they will meet back at the Duchy.

Another figure steps through the doorway. Astrid reaches for the Grail. Hans moves to stand before Astrid to protect her back. The newcomer turns out to be none other than the horror they had encountered with the Imperatrice.  With his mouth now sewn shut, Perrote bows and with puppet-like motions, stumbles into the room. Hans extends his sword to force Perrote back. Astrid pulls back her hand when a fiery burst  erupts to stop her from touching the Grail.

My bearer comes.
She shall care me.
To the one true lord.

Hans rushes forward and breaks Perrote's arm with a hammering strike of his axe's blunt end to force him to drop the shard of glass in his hand. But from the outside, another figure charges in straight for Hans! Maurice and Cassandra are reunited with the others as they stumble into the room. Astrid tells Cassandra to reach for the Grail. She hears the Grail speak to her.

Take me.
Hide me.
Keep me.
Until the three Unite and deserve me again.
Let Avalon fall until it deserves to rise again.

The group stares in shock. They cannot believe that's the Quest that has been given. Maurice worries of the innocents that will be pulled into this chaos. Cassandra realizes she has to find this person.

A gun shot rings out. They all turn to see a new person stepping through the doorway. Cassandra drops as the gunshot strikes her in the chest.  The shooter holds a red fan, which she uses to cover her mouth. "I would like to take that now, if you so pleases."  She fires a second time at Cassandra, and the shot slams Cassandra to the ground.  She calls upon the Endless Vigil to keep her alive despite her wounds. Astrid and Hans hurry to stand in front of Cassandra, to protect her. Maurice addresses the woman, "Lady Adeliadis, what are you doing?"

She asks for the cup.  Hans reaches to grab his musket, which distracts Adeliadis long enough for Astrid to hurl a knife at the woman's arm. Hans feels the shot strike at his arm. The knife impales into Adeliadis' arm! Rapier draw, Maurice rushes forward and bats the fan away from Adeliadis' face as he asks if she is really, "Adel?"  The woman hisses at Maurice for daring to shorten her name. Hans raises the musket, but Adeliadis mutters a word in the language of the Sarmatian Commonwealth.  She tells them to stop and they all halt as some power freezes them in place.  She tells someone unseen to take them all away and they disappear.   Cassandra looks up, protected by the Endless Vigil, and discovers for some reason none of her companions can touch her either. Perhaps the Vigil was empowered by the Grail?

Maurice shakes his head, recognizing the Vigil as Cassandra has used it before.  Astrid retrieves her throwing knives.  The Queen is speechless, weeping in the side. The Knights are calling for the doors to be opened, but Adam Vide is keeping them closed with Hans' help. The group is uncertain if they will let the other see that the Queen no longer holds the Grail.  Astrid wishes there was a means to help Cassandra while she's stuck in her Vigil. Adam tells them like it or not, they will be the ones to decide on the future of Avalon.

"What do we let them know?"

Adam looks at them all and admits that he does not think Queen Elaine is still the Queen of Avalon.  Cassandra has the quest now to find the need for a new ruler. Astrid fears the wars that will spark from this.  The group argue on what would be best to do. Or to say to the knights banging at the doors outside. Cassandra suddenly speaks.  She tells them all that they have to tell them Elaine is no longer Queen.  She believes that if war will break out, that is what needs to happen.  Maurice asks Cassandra to try to drop the Vigil, but she feels uncertain if she is able to do so.  The Vigil was never this... powerful before. Astrid is uncertain if she can distract all the knights by herself.  Cassandra risks worsening her wounds as she crawls and tries to leave the ten-foot radius of the Vigil. The group watches in awe at Cassandra's determination. Astrid reminds them they need a doctor. Maurice tells them they can return to Pontefract, but Astrid reminds them his doctor nearly operated on her brain. Now beyond the Vigil's radius, Cassandra falls to the ground. Hans and Astrid pick Cassandra up. Hans wonders if they should place her on the cart they took earlier. Maurice asks Adam for any alternate way out.  Of the Queen, Adam decides to handle telling the Knights that the Queen was assaulted, but she has survived it. The group hurries through the secret passage Adam opens for them to use. Astrid closes the door behind them.

Adam stares at the door and realizes the knights will break into the room, see someone from Montaigne beside their broken Queen.  "This will not bode well."

***

The group exits the castle and moves unmolested back to Pontefract.  People in Avalon are far too preoccupied by panic and fear to pay attention to the streets. The group, however, realizes the Novus Ordo Mundi has shown its face today and has successfully disabled a Nation in a single day.

7th Sea meets Hamilton's King George

My gaming group has been having an awesome duo-campaign of 7th Sea for the last few months, and one of the recent events was the rekindling of a war between Avalon and Montaigne.  In relation to this, we really got into Hamilton as of the late and we all found ourselves loving the King George songs to the point of singing them often out of nowhere.

Then I realized since I usually use actors/images to represent my non-playing characters in the game, I decided to make the King of Montaigne match that likeness just for the fun of it.  I know, accuracy aside, I loved the idea that the players now had a visual to connect to him.

Today, I opted to go an extra step.  My partner Rocky's player character, a Porte Sorcier named Maurice le Blanc, prides himself in being the "only" L'ami Du Roi in the world (which clearly isn't so) but we love how he plays that illusion of himself to the hilt.  With the recent war unfolding, Maurice was with another friend's player character, Lady Cassandra, at Avalon attempting to help her best this Sidhe trickster that has challenged her to be wed before the day ends.  But with our next session happening with Rocky sadly out of the country for a business trip, I had to make adjustments for him to make an exit.  Thankfully, Porte makes it so easy.  And so while chatting on how we're to handle that shift, inspiration struck and suddenly I wrote this in one sitting.  Be sure to let me know if you sung along.

So Maurice le Blanc is currently with Lady Cassandra at Avalon but then...

A message from the king!

A message from the king!

You say.. the price of this war is a price Avalon's unwilling to pay.

Insane.. we ended our war and attacked instead Castille (that not-Spain).

I'm so mad. I thought we had an arrangement but you went away.

And you're making me mad. And so despite our engagement... I'm still glad...

You will burn. You will see.

Montaigne will always be who you'll envy.

You will burn. Time will tell.

You will see how Porte serves us well.

Oceans rise, empires fall.. and Montaigne has been your friend through it all..

But then push, has come to shove...

So I'm sending a full armed armada through Porte to show my love...

Da da dada't da.... da't da da da daaa dada...

Da da da't da.. da da...

Da da dada't da.... da't da da da daaa dada...

Da da da't da.. da da...

You say our love is straining, and you can't go on...

Your Queen shall start complaining once I am gone...

And no, don't change the subject. Cause you're my royal subject...

My sweet submissive subject.. My loyal royal subject...

For ever... and ever.. and ever and ever and ever....

You'll be back. Time will show.

You should have bowed to us from long ago.

You'll be back, and I'll laugh.

I'll shatter your Grail and snap your staff.

Oceans rise. Empires fall. And you'll see no matter what Glamour you call..

Now that push has come to shove, I shall Porte my armies into your land.. Theus yes this will be fun...

Da da dada't da.... da't da da da daaa dada...

Da da da't da.. da da...

You will all burn.

*messenger exits*

So yeah, Maurice realizes he has to go back and convince the King/l'empereur to stop his plans.

But yeah, that was a fun quick song hahaha!

Alas, Such Fates ep05 : 7th Sea

11/19/2016
Alas, Such Fates

"Mirrors and Shut Mouths"

Episode Five - 7th Sea

Astrid Ivardatter has left the group to visit on the Scarlet Stockings at Penitence.  Having heard reports of the events there regarding the arrival of a bishop who supposedly tried to take the land from her people, Astrid hopes to settle the matters now that she can claim support from the Queen of Avalon, Queen Elaine, herself.

The rest of the group find themselves reuniting at a celebratory gathering which the Imperatice herself, Morella Alouse Giacinni, a Vodacce Fate Witch and l’Empereur’s third wife has set up at Montaigne. In attendance are a Hans Leopold Glick, Lady Cassandra, Duke Maurice le Blanc of Pontefract, as well as a host of luminary guests which include Adam Vide, Adeliadis Petronilla Fassequele, Sir Leo Aurele Gilbert, and Quinn Leroy. 

A few days have passed since the party began and Hans Glick stands at the balcony overseeing the hedge maze at the garden.  He always felt out of place in these grand parties but he understands it comes when one is close to the friend of the king.  Not too far away, Hans stares at the man who has been annoying him the whole night:  Sir Gilbert. The man is in charge of one of the towns and carries himself like a proud dirty politician, boasting about having connections, lascivious expenses, and he has been quite direct in talking about how some people - Hans included - seems out of place given they don't look wealthy enough.  To his surprise, neither Cassandra nor Maurice have left the table.  To his side, he catches sight of the two entertainers worrying over something.  The younger man looks to be in his late teens seems to be panicking over the boxes they have brought with them since the guards insisted they had to be checked.  He seems to be worried that the contents, which seem to be mostly glass and mirrors, may have been broken.  The father too is worried, but carries himself with much more dignitas and calm.  They two are confused on where they are to set up as well. Hans slides closer, hoping to peek at what they are concerned with and sees the lavish and ornate picture frames in their boxes.  He opts to approach them, offering to help, and the two quickly cover their things and explain it is too soon to look at things as they are not set up yet. The father identifies himself as Damien Eglentier and his son is Perrote and they explain they are presenting a performance based on their mastery of Porte. They stress they are performing this art with the explicit permission of the Imperatrice. As the two hurry off, Hans feels someone touch his shoulder.  The woman in a large dress offers a cheerful smile as she introduces herself as Miss Leroy.

Quinn Leroy and Hans converse, about how he is not one for parties, and about how they both share a distaste for Gilbert and his viewpoint towards things. They talk about the "recent" marriage of the Duke Pontefract and Leroy mistakes Cassandra as the Duchess Pontefract.  Hans however does correct Cassandra... was a Knight of Elaine. Leroy is shocked at the thought that once can cease being a Knight. It becomes apparent quickly that Leroy has issues with Gilbert that are more than skin deep, even to the point of expressing that "Wisdom makes one trust the wrong people. Horrible people who get you where you end up some times." Leroy suggests they return to the table, and Hans agrees.

There, the woman with the tallest wig in the room and turns towards Leroy and congratulates her for succeeding in her challenge: to bring Hans back to the table. All note how the woman, Adeliades Fassequelle, never speaks in any other language but Montaigne. She tells Maurice how her friends bring a smile to their faces and that the Imperatrice would be glad to know tonight would not be a boring night indeed. The conversation then shifts to how Cassandra is still a Lady but no longer a Knight, given the recent events in Avalon.  They meet Adam Vide, another one of the guests, who tells Cassandra that women tend to insult those that make them feel inferior, insecure or uncomfortable. Cassandra admits she feels uneasy here at the luncheon table. The conversation shifts in focus as Gilbert shares how the town under his eye continues to prosper despite all the rumors of a drought afflicting the area.  He shares how the raised taxes ensures the town will have the funds it will need to survive the adversity of drought.  The starving people will learn to be stronger.  "We do not coddle our children. Money cannot be eaten. Better they be given as taxes so the government can continue to function."  Cassandra warns him that using the money from the drought for his laving lifestyle is certain to cause trouble with the people. Maurice and Adeliadis break into laughter as Gilbert claims to take insult from Cassandra's words.  Maurice immediately speaks up, excusing Cassandra's words and both she and Gilbert nearly come to a due had it not been for Maurice's penchant for noticing An Honest Misunderstanding. Leroy is staring at Hans, and then glances at Gilbert, then back at him.  Hans chooses to stay silent.

The gallery is set up and the group has dinner as they talk various topics that often brush close into moments of insult.  Hans speaks with Leroy, who confesses to have personal motivations driving her presence in the evening's affairs.  The Imperatrice remains absent, sadly, despite being the person who invited them all.  The entertainers begin to hang framed glass onto the gallery walls which have been curtained closed.  Gilbert begins to flirt with some of Adeliadis' ladies in waiting, who clearly find his attentions undesired.  Adeliadis catches Maurice watching her and the two talk, admitting they've been observing each other.   She identifies Maurice as the Hero she has heard about who helped the Crisostomo family in Buche. She reveals a small book where she keeps her notes of things she has learned, confessing her memory is not what it used to be.  They discuss Nisab Guissola and how her works are scattered through-out Theah. Maurice claims not to know her and asks if she's a musician. Adeliadis is frustrated, wondering now if they've ended up meeting at the wrong order and she suspects the night shall end with her kissing him.  In the hedge maze, Cassandra finds Adam Vide and the two share the challenge to find the center.  Cassandra uses her strength to leap to the top of the hedges and keep making her way to the center. Adam sticks to his wits. In the end, they reach the center and find the Dragon, the Serpent, the Kraken and another beast cut from the bushes.  Defeated, Adam admits the appearances of things are important in getting what one wants.  Adam confesses his secret to Cassandra - he is actually a woman.

Adam Vide
(Janet Mcteer)

Adam Vide shares his story of his relationship with his brother, how his existence hurt his brother, and in the end, he created the identity Adam, that of a traveling storyteller, and embraced his new identity as a chance to begin anew.  His parents vanished from a secret diplomatic mission of which he was to never see them again, and his new identity allowed him the chance to try to discover what happened to his parents and move about in court unnoticed.  Adam shares how he needs Cassandra's help as he suspects Adeliadis is aware of something.  He wants Cassandra to see if she can get Adeliadis to reveal what she knows, if anything. In exchange, Adam feels he can help Cassandra in her... lie about no longer being a Knight of Elaine. He fells she doesn't show her "hatred" of her role in the past in a convincing way enough to convince others. Cassandra does express her distaste for people who impose a distinction between the masses and those who call themselves Noble, especially when they act the least what they claim to be.  The Nobility should treat their subjects better. "Perhaps only the deserving Nobility would remain."  Adam however asks who makes that choice. They agree though, that a single person can begin a revolution.   Adam asks Cassandra what drives her to do what she does, as he does things to find his parents.  Cassandra admits the word investigate appeals to her. She's all for the pursuit of knowledge.  There is nothing to lose by learning more. When Adam admits he's curious more of the bigger picture, Cassandra starts to find it suspicious that Adam is so concerned about her.  Adam shares its cause he believes true performance works with emotional truth, by drawing from the root of a true emotion inside oneself to make the lie more convincing. "Unless you draw from something true, your attempts to pass off your rebellion will be seen as false."

The Imperatrice Morella Alouse Giancinni
(Mallory Jansen)

Night stretches on and they soon find themselves to be entertained by the father and son from Montaigne.  The Imperatrice's arrival is quite low-key without any pomp and circumstance of her arrival.  She walks up straight to Maurice and addresses him as the Duke of Pontefract, and apologizes that the Emperor cannot make it tonight.

Hans and Quinn Leroy were playing a challenge of catch, with a glass bowl filled with fruit.  But when she sees Imperatrice, she puts the basket down and tries to say hello. However, the Imperatrice focuses instead on Maurice who admits, "It is not a party unless you are surrounded by people you want to avoid."  The Imperatrice gives Gilbert a scowl as well.   Leroy returns to Hans and the two begin their game.  With each fruit tossed, they throw questions at each other then take a step back.  Hans learns how Leroy hates Gilbert and how he runs things in the town.  Leroy learns Hans is traveling with the others due to common interests. Hans throws Leroy a pineapple as he asks her of her plans.  She admits she might want some kind of prank to make him lose face before the Imperatrice. Leroy then asks if Lady Cassandra is truly an Elaine Knight.  The fruit splatters on the floor as Hans flusters and admits he does not think one can stop being an Elaine Knight.  Leroy hurries close and thinks she can ask Cassandra to help her. "Lady Cassandra seems to find way to help people regardless of whether or not they ask."  Leroy admits she fears Gilbert might call for a duel. They agree the man needs to be punished for increasing the taxes four times since the drought.  The people have tried to take matters in their own hands, but they can't do more than complain. Hans wonders why Leroy can't come forward on behalf of them.  Leroy finally admits she is not supposed to be here. She had just snuck inside using the invitation for Quinn Leroy.  Quinn Leroy is her sister, and she has been siding with Gilbert - so the woman drugged the real Leroy and attended in her stead. She was hoping the Imperatrice would hear her out, but clearly she is being ignored.

The Imperatrice talks to Maurice about the many plots of land that she has gained in various nations, including Avalon and Vestenmenavejar, and her plans to raze them all down then have them build a new manor in each one. Maybe even have a swimming pool to relax in and the like. "But it must have fish. The kind you can crush when you're bored." Then she retracts that statement, claiming it is just a joke. They talk about the title shift, and she admits she's not too keen about it. As she calls for everyone's attention, people turn to them and listen. She thanks them for their arrival and claims to have an announcement to make.  Like her husband having her own circle of friends, she is formally declaring that they are all here to spread the word that the Imperatrice will be announcing her list of friends, "L'ami de la Reine."

With that, the gallery is opened.  The man, Damien Eglentier, shows an empty frame in his hand and explains in the gallery, the frames shall have a curtain covering the glass of each one. He reminds them of the following rules: a) Never give your names, b) You cannot be harmed, c) So do not touch the frames or glass, and d) You do not look away before you close the curtain.   The others wonder if it is a puppet show or some kind of magic trick.  Gilbert reprimands the man for talking to the Imperatrice directly and reminds him to know his place.  Damien is rebuked.  Hans comes forward, offering to be the one to handle the talking. Damien asks Hans to invite the Imperatrice to begin.  Not certain if they trust the man, and knowing the gallery supposedly uses Porte, the Imperatrice asks Hans to go first.   The Imperatice looks at Maurice, admitting she finds the man ruggedly exciting.  "Tighten my corset, Maurice.."

As they slowly step inside one by one, they are given white gloves to wear and are reminded not to give their names.  Inside, they find the frames of glass and upon lifting the curtain, they find faces looking back at them.  Hans asks the son, Perrote whom he finds inside, what happened to the frame the broke.  Perrote runs away in fear.  Each of them find interesting interactions with the Deceased, people who did not survive horrible circumstances in their lives.  "People who did not move on. Souls."  Hans hopes to speak with a historical figure.  Cassandra asks if there is any former Knight of Avalon.  Maurice wonders if they are trapped souls and Damien confesses they are willing volunteers. He examines the closest one and finds the frame not connected to the rear.  He can, however, sense Porte magic at work!    As they speak to the face in the glass, Damien wears a veil over his face - claiming it is a necessary part of the ritual that only one face can be seen.

Hans speaks with the historical figure, and the face with red vibrant hair, cracked dry skin, claims to be the soul of the Captain Reis.  He claims to be lost in the depths and that it was not the sea that took him but the great beast, a Maw unlike any other. He claims Hans is the ghost in the frame and that he is alive and well, although he misses the sea and his freedom. He claims to have seen strange white mountains rising from the sea then the waters churning and endless darkness until a voice lured him away, and promised him peace in exchange for a few questions. He was told he would be allowed to leave when there have been enough.  He claims to recognize Hans, finding him familiar as someone who has been to the sea.  He asks if he is known among the people.  Hans admits it is remembered by those whom have been victimized by him.  This Captain, however, does not seem to understand what that means.  He tries speaking to a new face and asks for a woman who is from Eisen.  The woman in the frame speaks to him in Eisen, and looks around worriedly.  She claims to have been a victim of the Ebon Doctor one late evening. Something was forced into her throat, making her numb and the Ebon Doctor took her away. The woman suddenly proclaims she made a mistake and now claims it was the Schattenmann who hunts for her.  Hans wonders if the woman just ended up reading the wrong script. Hans asks her, in Eisen, to blink twice if she's being held captive.  The woman does not do so however.  She does tell Hans the time is up and that he must go.

Cassandra speaks with a bald man with an eye patch and a full growth of a beard. He wears a high collar and gives a sinister feel. He claims to be Eadric Croft, former Knight of Wilfrith, and asks how he can be of service. He claims to not know how he died as he was Blessed with the Endless Vigil and has always - each time he dies - been reborn. He does not know why he is here, but senses it may be because she has questions that only he can answer.  The face claims to be comfortable, but he feels slightly distressed to be uncertain where he is. He talks about Cold Water Bay and his desire to be there again.  Cassandra asks if he knows how to get out, and if he knows who has entrapped him, but he seems calm despite the confusion.  He does not believe himself to be trapped. He recognizes her to be one of their rivals, as she is not of Inismore nor the Highlands. He does not believe the King of Inishmore, Jack O' Bannon would be amused to see him speaking to her. He claims to be loyal to King Elilodd and Cassandra realizes that is the King that ruled before Elaine. He shares his life story and how he embraced his duty as a Knight of the Grail despite the trials he was made to face in his years. For years, Eadric protected Cold Water Bay from raiders, as a "ghost" in the water that fought any that came. He does not recall the final blow that ended his life, but he can remember the feeling of the Grail withdrawing its Blessings upon them. All twenty of them knights sensed the Grail's power deserting them.  Cassandra asks who taught him to fight. Eadric tells him Death was what taught him to fight. "Each failure allowed me to learn from my mistakes and rise up again ready to fight." These stories seem to connect with the stories Flynn has told her, that the Knights are of the Grail, not of Elaine.  And that one must stay true to the tenets of the knighthood.

Maurice realizes all the frames are possibly Blooded.  He wonders if they are all open portals.  He asks for a Sorcier trained in the Arts of Porte. Damien leads him to one and he sees a man looking around.  The man gasps and calls out, claiming to be lost and hoping someone can see him.  He states he is not sure if he can trust them, and begs Maurice to find a vault where he left a Blooded pen.  He asks Maurice to help, believing if he answers enough questions, he will find his way out.  He claims his last Mark is the pen, locked in the vault.   Maurice rips the veil off Damien's face and demands he explain what is going on here. Damien closes the curtain at the frame and the voice goes silent with the curtain returned.  Maurice rushes out to head to the Imperatrice, but Damien runs alongside him trying to explain it is merely a show... an illusion... an entertainment meant to frighten, then amuse.  Maurice feels it is a twisting of the Noble Art of Porte.

Cassandra asks Eadric what one does if one slips into Corruption and he reminds her there is always Confession.  To draw strength from fellow Knights.  To do penance.  And as he leaves, fading, to her surprise, a face stares at her from inside the frame and proclaims, "Hello? You were looking for a knight? I am a knight of the Queen Elaine, Sir... Annenor."  The man claims to be the greatest knight among them and that only the knights know the truth.  Cassandra wonders however who was the one he was talking to earlier.

Damien confesses to Maurice that the faces are all well-trained actors.  That even his son does not know the truth yet.  Damien explains there is a place where the sixteen actors play their roles and when Maurice insists he be shown this room, Damien decides to allow him a glimpse. "Please never reveal our secret to anyone."   Damien pulls out a book, and on its cover, "The Magician's Tome" is embossed. He opens it to a bloody mark and they are Porte'd away.   True enough, the room exists.  Damien does not lie.  Sixteen actors prep and stand ready to hear what the next person asks for.    Maurice hears one actor frustrated with herself that she read the Sarmatian script rather than the Eisen one.  He overhears another who seems spooked that his "client" seemed to already be talking to someone even before he began. He searches for the Sorcier who spoke with him and finds the man drinking tea and looking at him guilty.  The man apologizes profusely for the ruse, claiming he always wanted to be Porte but never learned it.  Damien tells him they all have scripts they follow for the most dramatic effect - especially those based on authentic tragedies that have happened for more realism.    They all go silent as they realize another client has arrived and await to hear what role they must quickly perform once the curtain rises.

Back at the party, the people excitedly share their stories. The Imperatrice quietly waits for Hans to return, and after finding it too long, she announces her desire to go in.  Hans checks on Leroy and Gilbert and finds them preoccupied with their stories.  Adeliadis gets more wine, unwilling to step inside. The Imperatrice insists to go inside, claiming she will be safe as her "dear friend" Maurice is inside.  But before she can step inside, Perrote yells at her to wait and explains only one person can go in at a time. The Imperatrice complains, stating she knows this is all just for fun.  Cassandra warns it might be more than that. Seeing Cassandra's reaction, she asks her if it is really that good. She asks for Hans' axe, and Hans hands it over without hesitation.  But she realizes how heavy it is and hands it back to him.  As she steps inside, she asks the boy for the rules.  Adeliadis hisses out that the boy should let her scare herself silly!  Cassandra offers to go inside to get her companion out, and ducks inside after the Imperatrice.

The raised curtain has an actor quickly sit before the portal to pose as the ghost. They see the Imperatrice at the other side, asking if anyone is there. Maurice is disturbed at how they have accomplished this mockery of Porte, and the dangers of having so many portals open at the same time.  They remind him there is only two portals open at a time, creating a window to look through.  They claim to have never accidentally created Blessures.  The Imperatrice declares she's the Imperatrice and without her gloved hand, she touches the glass and tells Cassandra not to worry as she didn't say her name is Morella.  Cassandra shuts the curtain and tells Imperatrice that she needs to knows the rules before they proceed.  Gilbert joins inside and tells Cassandra to know her place, but Cassandra reminds the Imperatrice that Gilbert doesn't know the rules.  Gilbert is forced to step back outside.  Cassandra is tasked for find a pair of gloves the Imperatrice can use, then Hans is asked to bow and kiss the Imperatrice's hand before allowing him to leave her side.

At the room, they panic as they were all planning to pose as the spirit of the Emperor's ex-wife, and none of them prepared for it. Maurice doesn't feel right at the thought of maintaining this ruse.  And when a different curtain is raised, the same actress is revealed.  The actress claims she recognizes the Imperatrice as the woman who has stolen her husband.  The Imperatrice asks who the woman standing beside her is.  The actress claims she does not know who she is.  Then the Imperatrice begins asking more personal questions as if to test her veracity.  Hans, however, has walked the length of the gallery and realized Maurice is missing.  Neither is Adeliadis.  Quinn is peering into a door nervously, and shoves against it as a muffled scream suddenly erupts from within!  Hans rushes to Quinn's side and Quinn explains she saw the young boy, Perrote, enter the room, and the sound of shattering glass came from here. Adeliadis ran inside to check.   Hans tells Quinn to move aside and steps inside to see glass shards on the floor, Adeliadis not too far, pinning down Perrote with her own weight.  The boy's body, however, is impossibly arched that his head and his ankles are the only things touching the ground under Adeliadis!  Adeliadis sees Hans and yells at him in Old Thean to help her! She claims the boy was convulsing on the ground and she's been trying to hold him steady to use her medicine skills, but she does not know how the boy is doing what he is doing that moment.

Hans rushes forward to try to hold the boy down, but the boy's strength seems unnaturally strong. Adeliadis shoves the boy's mouth open to try to find if there is anything in his mouth, but it seems all clear. The boy, whose eyes are open the whole time, begins to yell out, "Hell..." as his wrists swing at Hans. Hans plants his entire weight to try and keep the boy down, despite the battery. But Hans begins to realize at that point the boy's screams are actually saying, "HELP ME!"  The boy whips Hans back and starts to stagger and stand.  The boy cries out beginning for them to find his father, to help him, but then the boy's own hand clamps down to shut him up.  It is as if the boy was being possessed by something that cannot control his mouth.  Hans tears off the curtain nearby and whips it around the boy to restrain him.  Adeliadis draws a pistol out from under her skirt, but Hans waves her down from firing it. But suddenly, the cloth drops to the ground, empty.

And a scream erupts from outside the room.

The Imperatrice, unawares of the events, continues to ask the mirror about her fortunes.  The woman in the mirror continues to panic, wondering how to answer her questions.  Cassandra tries to distract the Imperatrice as the noblewoman wonders if the face is truly the ex-wife. Maurice whispers to the actress to tell the Imperatrice that, "It will be fabulous.  It will be something they have not tired."  The Imperatrice wonders if it will be more unique than the time with the peacock feathers, or the time with the squid, or the time with the piranha in the barrel.   That moment, Cassandra and Maurice both hear a scream erupting not too far away.  The second scream erupts from the very room just outside  the gallery! Cassandra and Gilbert both draw their swords.  Maurice demands to the father that he take him back.  Damien insists his son can bring him back.. but then he realizes his son is missing!  Maurice now worries how he can get back.

Gilbert points his blade at Cassandra, demanding she sheath her weapon before the Imperatrice.  Cassandra admits he does not trust her.  Gilbert declares her unworthy to stand in her presence.  The Imperatrice sends Gilbert out, and admits she feels safer alongside this Knight of Elaine. The Imperatrice touches Cassandra's arm gingerly, whispering she is good with keeping things secret. Maurice creates a portal to head back, dragging Damien with him.  He emerges before Cassandra and the Imperatrice, using the Blood mark he has upon Cassandra.   Then a gunshot rings outside!

They rush outside to see one of the larger tables shattered in pieces, with the debris all upon the door, pinning it closed.  Inside, Hans hurries to find another way out of the room.  Perrote spins, arms flailing like a unthethered puppet, as he strikes down Gilbert with his dead weight fists.  The whole time, Perrote keeps screaming, "Please! I cannot see anything! I cannot feel where I am!  Help! Father!!!" The heroes feel the supernatural Fear emanating from the boy. Leroy Quinn is nowhere to be seen. Hans emerges from another corridor, having found a way out, and he charges forward to tackle the boy from behind.  Cassandra, hearing the boy's voice, yells at Hans to help her hold the boy down.  Cassandra is unable to hold him down, however, as the boy plants a wild elbow against her face. Hans tackles the boy mid-air, but the boy suddenly spins and strikes across the monster hunter's chest with the shard of glass in his hand, raking open his skin.  Maurice sees Hand drop to the ground, bleeding from the slash.  He tells the Imperatrice to stay in the gallery, to stay safe, and they back away from the room. Damien hurries out and sees Perrote and as he calls out, Perrote turns to face him with the bloody shard still in his hand.  Perrote starts screaming, calling for his father to help him as Hans tries to lock the boy in a chokehold.  Cassandra asks the father what is happening, and Damien admits he himself has no idea what has happened. Hans runs Perrote against the wall, to try and prevent him from escaping. The head turns to face Hans, with the bones under the skin straining against the flesh as it stares at him, and the body clambers up the wall to jump over Hans and land on the ground. Cassandra fights against the fear and using the bowl of fruit, she begins hurling the fruits at the boy to try to distract it. But even with the fruit assault, the boy cartwheels to land where the father it, and in a single stroke, a red line emerges across his throat.  Cassandra screams, and she yanks off her sash to try to stem the bleeding. Perrote continues to scream, "Dad! Where are you? Father!!!" completely unawares his body has just murdered his father.  Cassandra calls out, "LeBlanc!"

The cries reach Maurice, who has been bringing Imperatrice towards the nearest exit to get out safely.  As he returns, he sees Cassandra on the ground, holding the weakening father even as Perrote closes in from behind.  She activates the Endless Vigil to better defend the man. Hans grabs the metal bowl and he rushes up and swats down with the bowl at the boy's hand to disarm the glass shard. Maurice rushes back in with his sword drawn. The glass shard shatters upon impact as Hans times the strike perfectly.  Perrote turns his head to face him, rising back up to a standing position despite the impossibility of his motions.  "Find me.. father... where are you all? Why can't  I hear any of you? See any of you?" the boy continues to scream in panic.  A hand reaches up to claw at the face to shut the mouth again.  The figure faces Maurice, then gives an almost royal bow, but suddenly a rip strikes the sky and blood tears upon into a Blessure!  Maurice gasps, "No no no no!" but the boy then cartwheels backwards into the Blessure.  Maurice runs after him!  Hans tries running after him too, and shuts his eyes knowing he shouldn't keep them open.  Adeliadis knees beside Cassandra, asking her to make a Pinky swear for her. "This never happened," she tells Cassandra and she runs her hand across the father's neck.  The wound suddenly just closes.  Adeliadis then mutters back in Montaigne, "Well, this was a very interesting party."  She steps back as if she had done nothing.  Cassandra sees Maurice and Hans leaping into the Blessure and vanish. Leroy appears from under a table, and she worriedly asks Cassandra if more will come.  The door then slams open as the armored guards march in and demand all drop their weapons.  Cassandra realizes they are the Imperatrice's guards.  She closes her eyes and leaps into the portal after the two.

The three land in the other place. Like before, Maurice risks opening his eyes and sees the world as a dance of heat and light.  He searches for the source of the Blessure and finds Perrote cartwheeling away.  Hans suddenly emerges through the Blessure and Maurice grabs hold of him and pulls him to him.  "You fool!"  Holding him close, he sees Cassandra closing in as well so he tries to shut it closed before she gets through.  But she stumbles inside before he closes it completely.  "Why are you both here..."  At the distance, all three can hear voices of other things moving closer.  Maurice berates them for jumping inside and tells them the boy has vanished somewhere in the Walkway.  They instead have to get out.  The silhouettes and shadow figures begin to close in.  Perrote tears open another Blessure and exits.  "What is the point of all this if we don't go after the kid?" Cassandra cries out.  Estimating the distance, Maurice yells at them to stay in place and he starts running with his eyes closed.  Cassandra and Hans stay close to each other, hearing the voices get closer and closer. They begin to feel other hands tugging at them. Holding them. Whispering to them that it is safe. That it is alright to open their eyes. Hans wishes there was a secret word they shared to truly inform the others it is really safe.   Maurice reaches the Blessure, feeling its presence near him, and he tears open another vein to seal the Blessure upon the world.  A silhouette close to Maurice whispers, "We've met before. We know your face. We know your name."  Maurice turns around and runs back, hearing the voices attempting to convince him stay with them. "We will find her, bearer of the Cross, we will find her and remind you how you did not help us. Wear already among your society."

Another voice reaches Cassandra's ear. "You have been chosen to embody me.  Will you accept this honor and role? Will you live up to this Gesa?"  Cassandra keeps silent, not wanting to trust the voices.  "It is all right Cassandra, your fear is understandable. Elaine's fear is understandable." She realizes the voice was of the man in the mirror, "The Grail has been abused and things shall be righted. It is time for Glamour to change. "

Maurice gets back to the two, and the shadows are all around them.  Without any time to waste, Maurice tears open a portal to head home.  He grabs hold of the two to guide them as they Walk through.  The shadows yell and cry for them to wait.  To stay.  And others beg for help.  Not to be left behind.  Hans and Cassandra emerge at the Blood Mark at Avalon, being the only Blood Mark Maurice remembers to use that moment: The blood mark on his "wife,"  the Duchess Sybil.  Maurice passes out as the others realize they're in the waiting chamber of the Duchess.  She recoils upon seeing Maurice's bloody body and calls for her servants to care for him.  Maurice mumbles a reminder to his friends to never walk into a Blessure.  "Especially you... because you are my Mark."  Cassandra tells him to just rest. Hans hurriedly writes a report for Die Kreuzritter.

*

In the nights that follow, a letter soon arrives from the Imperatrice.  She narrates how the events of the previous month were disturbing to say the least. She has raised an alarm about Perrote.  The boy's father has no explanation for what happened, and admits this has never happened before in any previous experience.  The father does raise there is a picture frame that was among the props used, but did not match with any of those they usually use. They return to Avalon, and learn Maurice needs to recover.

There are no signs of the entertainer returning.  The father, Damien, continues to recover.  However the Imperatrice now has second thoughts of holding such events in the near future. Gilbert was once again attacked by the same creature, however, and has a scar now across his face.  This has traumatized him enough that he's gone... kinder... in managing the town.

*

Cassandra meets a fisherman along the road, who then tells him of things changing very soon. Some Elaine Knights have  reported the fading of their powers.  The fisherman was more surprised however to see her, given the rumors of her acts against the Queen.  He thought she had fled Avalon.  But suddenly, bandits attack, and Cassandra gets injured in the fight.  But then she finds herself able to tap into her Glamour and causes the Wounds to fade away.

"So I see you are still with us, Wilfrith," the Fisherman grins.  He asks her if she found the people behind the attack, and she admits she hasn't.  Cassandra realizes the man is Flynn he teases her that she should realize she could always just call him when she needs him.  But he simply leaves without explaining how and when she chases after him into the woods to ask, he is gone.    On her way back, she finds a fisherman walking around in a barrel.  He claims he had fallen asleep by the lake and that he suspects the wee folk had stolen all his things to have fun with him.  Cassandra, however, wonders if the items were stolen instead by Flynn.

She remembers Adam Vide's words, "The best lies are set in a truth.  That way they aren't really lies."

*

Maurice eventually pens a letter for the Imperatrice, a Blood Marked letter for her to be able to visit her in the future.  At night, however, he hears the laughter of children and the shadows dance in the doorways.

*

Hans tries to rest, but often hears the same weird sounds at night.  He tries sneaking out to find what they are and spends the night hiding behind a curtain.  Soon enough, he catches the sound of laughter and peers.  He sees a young boy in a heavy coat, followed by another.  The two peek at the door checking if Hans is still awake, then hurry off.  Hans quietly follows them, watching as they avoid servants and secret themselves to the library.  One opens his coat, pulls out a book, and slides it back onto the shelf.  He gets the next one, slides it back inside his coat, then they move to another shelf where they collect specific books.  "We have to worry.  That Eisen guy wakes up at weird hours."  They wonder if the group, the heroes, are back to burn the manor, like they had burned the tower.

The children hurry off.  Hans mentally notes which shelves the kids were interested in, and follows them to the wall where a hidden panel opens for them to head inside.  Hans rushes and snags the last one before he ducks inside the hatch as well.  He realizes they're too heavy to be kids as he tumbles into the chamber.   They turn out to be little people. One uses a device to knock Hans unconscious as it launches something that zaps him with a bolt of electricity.

When he comes to, the figures talk to Hans - whom has been strapped down - and they claim the chamber to be soundproof.  "Guissola made sure of that."  Hans claims he's trying to find out who killed her, and the three are shocked to hear that she is dead.  They only though she was busy at another research station.  Hans informs them that Maurice is now the Duke, and they admit they don't know anything about the household's activities as they been focused on other tasks. They wonder if they should continue the experiments, and they think the ties with Avalon are still standing.  Hans claims the burning of the tower was an accident.  The dwarfs decide they need to keep the secrets of their Society never spread, so they're going to kill him.  One pulls out a syringe which contains a potent poison which should kill him without any pain.  Hans recognizes it and recognizes it but also notes that as one holds it, the symbol of his secret society is exposed: The Invisible College.  Hans identifies it, claiming it to be very popular among members of the Invisible College. Hans reveals his own membership to it, and they confirm it when they see his own collegiate mark. They admit Nisab was working on a lot of things and they were only allowed to know parts of each puzzle to avoid information spreading.  She had a lot of journals written in code, a code called Guisollialia.  And she even created this light that allows one to see the hidden meaning in the code.

The stun gun works only because it is in the house and not quite portable yet.  Hans is fascinated by it, however, and wished he could own his own version of it. The dwarfs turn out not to even know about the place at the Mill (which the heroes had destroyed). Hans forms a connection with the dwarfs, seeing them as direct contacts to reach the Invisible College in the future.

*

Another letter.
Damien Eglentier is dead.
The witnesses claim a young child descended from a hiding place, and with a swift spin, sliced Damien's throat from the front and behind.  Witnesses noticed even more the terrible sight: the boy's mouth had been sewed shut.

*

A massive vault has been set up in Montaigne.  The Emperor and Imperatrice then use one of their vaults to securely keeps things locked up - in particular, the mirrors that were used by Damien Eglentier and his son at the gallery.  The only surviving member of the family, it seems, was the bedridden mother.

But news will soon enough reach them that Perrote pays her a visit.  Biding his time.