[Changeling IC] Time's Wings: Dark Omens

[Thanqol]

"Ooo, this divorce is getting messy," said Longarms, scrolling rapidly through Facebook. "She's in the right, though. Obviously."

"We'll just go about the same approach as before then -"

"No!" said Longarms sharply. Mercia looked at him. He had that same unpleasantly cold sweat about him, the twitching eye of an addict who hasn't had a fix in long enough. Unstable. "Look. She's got too much on her mind to worry about cops. And her lawyer's a moron. I need to be her new lawyer. I'll get her a win. And then she'll be my friend and tell me absolutely everything out of gratitude."

"Hmm," Mercia said tersely. But maybe, maybe sacrificing something that was meaningful to her to help someone else get what they needed was what someone who was in love would do?

Lily paused and glanced over her shoulder as she noticed Bigby's attention wandering. When she saw Isaac there she froze for a second, both intimidated by his attention and glad for it.

"It's your choice, of course, Mr Moon," she added, casting her eyes down. With that she gave a quick curtsy and moved to walk over to the next member of Winter lurking around on their own.

Organizing this is eminently within your abilities; roll manipulation+socialize. If you get an exceptional success they'll even talk to each other unprompted!

"So, if it was someone else being judged ..." he trailed off, looking again towards Lily. He leans a little closer to lower his voice, and to show her something like what he had in his mind - surely someone has a phone, everyone has a phone, even changelings fresh out of the hedge, even if it might have been someone else's phone. "I can make her into a Dancer," the word was loaded with more meaning than the everyday usage, "but I can't give her the experience or the stage presence. Do you think you could make her look stunning enough on a stage to win? Make everyone look at her and say ooh and wow? All anyone has to see of you is your shadow, dancing with her." Jack knew about shadows.

She looked intrigued by the video - when you're that good at something every novel twist is a breath of inspiration. "I could do that," she said. "The break in precision opens a lot of doors... I'm April, by the way. Thank you."

Ah, so not even the vaunted magics of the fairy wizards of the most arcane of all eldritch associations can make the Pilgrim seem any less than he is. There once was an ogre who could do that, I hear, until a cat tricked him into becoming a mouse. Nevertheless, he shall be the tent pole, the axis around which the wings of Autumn turn.

(The eye imagines voluminous dark robes, edged in gold, each one bearing a hood with a pointed tip. Thank goodness the tailor made them in black, not in white, or we would have quite the distressing visual up on the stage, and a burning cross to bring the meeting to order.)

The magic of making the large small is illegal these days, as part of the peace negotiations of a strange war in the Market; this knowledge flows through the whispers to you in response to the question unspoken. As with most things of the Market, the Goblins take an extremely pre-emptive approach to dealing with potential violations, so little do they trust each other. Holding such magic can be dangerous.



And then there is the roar of engines, and the crash of glass, and Summer has arrived.

Bedraggled, thorn-stuck, angry, coated with dust they have been made to eat. Armed with chains and tire irons and stomping their way in the straightest of straight lines, knocking away chairs in their path, moving in a united and holy host - distinct as individuals but alike in the same frenzy of activity, a unity of wrath as fearsome as Spring's eerie normality and Autumn's shadowy cloaks. The secondary theme that runs through their meins is that of vines, and growth, and green and vibrant things.

They bring with them music. Their ogres stomp the ground so hard the entire building quakes. A dwarf violinist prances ahead of the storm, and a shaggy moss-man blasts on an array of trumpets, and a circus-clown wears an entire one man band and her eight arms each play a different part to it. They herald a palanquin held aloft by proud warriors armoured in wood with the teeth of dragons on their necklaces.

And from this lofty perch leaps the King of Summer, landing atop the stage with such force and flame that the entire Court of Autumn shrinks back a little, clustering closer to and behind the Pilgrim. The horns howl with every step. He is a handsome man in the way that only one who has done time as a handsome prince can be. Behind his eyes glints boldness set with fury. In his hand he grasps the thyrsus, woven from sugar-cane and banksia. Across his left eye he wars a monocle of iron and glass, and though it burns and scars his otherwise perfect features and condemns him to agony, it grants him the all-sight of Odin.

And then he roars, and the sound is a hurricane. The meaning is simple: Get off the stage. I am king here.

Everyone, make a resolve+composure roll to remain unflinching, with a bonus equal to your Mantle and a penalty equal to his (-5).

As soon as the Huntsmen are out of sight, Abigail is sending blaring parallel lives warning beacons to Aelas. She can't really send a detailed voice message, but as much of Hunters, aaaaaah, know where I live!!111! as can manage to translate via parallel lives is going to Aelas (the ones are intentional, Abby absolutely thinks in text message).


Aelas' original plan had just been to hope that Static got bored and left first and then catch a ride back to town. But, it's during this absolutely fascinating history of Newcastle that panic bells go off in her brain and she gathers that her Fetch is flipping out. She considers diving her Abby's eyes, but she doesn't want to take leave of her own sense with Static around, so instead she looks for an opportunity to slip out unseen. She'll hail a cab if she can, she'd rather spend money than glamour right now, but if there's nothing and she needs to make this escape very quickly, she'll call Butterfly back again.

Getting out unseen is a wits+stealth roll, +2 for the distraction, -3 because Static is exceptionally vigilant and used to extremely long periods of boredom. There won't be a cab waiting around in a rural town like this, in a situation someone here would need a cab they'd just call their mum.

[Anarion]

Getting out unseen is a wits+stealth roll, +2 for the distraction, -3 because Static is exceptionally vigilant and used to extremely long periods of boredom. There won't be a cab waiting around in a rural town like this, in a situation someone here would need a cab they'd just call their mum.

[Wits+stealth-1=3d10. 1, 10, 8. 9. We're good.]

Aelas sighs. She's going to wind up creating quite a stir later, she's quite certain. Can't go running around with no glamour at all, and she was feeling quite hungry. But she needed help, and as soon as she had slipped Static's watchful gaze, she whistled for Butterfly and was in the car zooming away from Newcastle as fast as she could. "Hurry, Butterfly! We need to go see Abbey right away!" Her foot is on the peddle, and the car is zooming down the freeway, as fast as it can go. She'll careen her way into the city proper, though she'll slow down a block or two away from Abbey's house. She doesn't want to cause a scene after all.

If nothing's in the way when she arrives, she'll grab her phone (because surely in a week's time everyone's got a phone) and shoot Abbey a text message. "Hey, got your note. I'm here" and then go to the house and knock on the door for her Fetch.

Glamor 2/10
Clarity: 5/6 (mild damage)
Health: 6/6
Willpower: 6/6

[Raz_Fox]

[2 Successes because apparently the Pilgrim gives no shits about God or man.]

This moment is awesome, in the sense that it inspires awe, in the sense that the wild verdant heat of summer has come roaring in- summer somewhere where the sea blows cool and the flowers bloom, where high summer doesn't mean baking to death in a car without air conditioning. It is glorious in the same way that an army on parade is glorious; it is terrible in the same way that an oncoming traffic accident is terrible. And left to his own devices, the Pilgrim would give way.

But, as ever, he cannot take a step back. He is standing in front of others.

So here he stands, unmoving, unmoved. A terrible stillness, not the stillness of a corpse but the stillness of a mountain ready to break into full avalanche, the stillness of a predator about to spring. Not even a groove dug into the stage. Around him, the Autumn court sways and ripples, falling into the lee. The handsome king, marred only by his own hands and his own heart, stands and awaits the obedience of the fearful, and yet the Pilgrim still stands.

Part of him expects the trumpets to sound and for the ceiling to come caving in, for freezing light to strike the stage between them and splinter the earth into bitter shards, for him to have to rush forward and seize the King of Summer by the neck and strike him against the ground again and again until he can be tossed aside for retrieval. Could it be done? Possibly. Careful of the weapon, it levels the playing field as far as reach is concerned. He will not feint, he will attempt to maim, to delay a return to the field. Keep him disoriented, unable to find an opening, break his spine as quickly as possible- but no, we are not doing this. He will not ever do that again. The games are over for him. He was found worthy.

Perhaps this will be mistaken for pride, or a sense of contempt, which is the farthest thing from the Pilgrim's mind right now. This is not intended as a show of strength, though it may yet be taken for one. It is simply a refusal to yield when called upon to act as guardian.

Let the leadership of the Court take charge. Isaac has nothing to say. He simply stands, and will not yield an inch until Autumn retreats and allows him the grace to stand down.

Health 9/9
Glamour 5/10
Willpower 5/6

[Elanorin]

Organizing this is eminently within your abilities; roll manipulation+socialize. If you get an exceptional success they'll even talk to each other unprompted!

[Rolling Manipulation+Socialize: 4+4=9, 3, 8, 9, 9, 9, 2, 9]

Lily slowly but steadily gathered the Winter Court around herself and Jack, but it was not long before the spectacle of the arrival of Summer claimed everyone's attention. She stared at it- at them- at him, with shock, amazement, excitement and a helping of intimidation. She held out her arms a little as if to reassure the newly gathered Winter Court, and keep it from dispersing in the summer wind and undoing her work.

[Rolling Resolve+Composure+Mantle-5: 2+3+3-5: 3, 1, 10 (ten again: 9]

[stveje]

She looked intrigued by the video - when you're that good at something every novel twist is a breath of inspiration. "I could do that," she said. "The break in precision opens a lot of doors... I'm April, by the way. Thank you."

"Jack," said Jack, satisfaction in his smile at having arranged a plan. "Now we just have to get Lily ready." And suddenly everyone were there, not only Winter gathering around him, but Summer bursting in.

And then he roars, and the sound is a hurricane. The meaning is simple: Get off the stage. I am king here.

Everyone, make a resolve+composure roll to remain unflinching, with a bonus equal to your Mantle and a penalty equal to his (-5).

Resolve+Composure+3-5 = 2 : 4, 2

Jack flinched. How could he not? He could no doubt appreciate on some level that Summer at least were what they were, no hiding behind masks or pretending, but ... well, they were what they were, and what they were was awesome and terrible to behold. Like a swarm of police bursting into the room when you've got your fingers stuck where they shouldn't be. Suddenly Jack was glad that he was surrounded by others. A crowd was a crook's best friend, somewhere to blend in, to be just another face in a hundred. Even if a hundred was more like five, here.

[Thanqol]

"Hey Longarms," said Merica, "why did you make a contract with bats?"
"Bats are terrifying," said Longarms without hesitation.
Mercia laughed. "And your enemies should feel that fear?"
"What?"
"I was - do you not -"
"That's a good line actually," said Longarms.
"Have - have you never seen Batman?"
"That sounds terrifying," said Longarms, not a flicker of comedy on his face. Mercia stared at him, trying to figure out if he was having her on.
"Batman? Man dresses as a bat and fights crime?"
"That sounds even more terrifying," said Longarms with a shudder. "This is a movie, right? Not a real guy?"
"Uh, yes -"
"What kind of sick mind comes up with that kind of sh*t?" said Longarms. "Bats are horrifying. They're blind, swarming, vampiric, diseased rodents. Did you know that bats carry rabies?"
"I uh -"
"And their poop makes explosives?"
"Well, not really on a timeframe that's threatening -"
"They're monsters. Do you know why I wear sunglasses at night? Because if a bat spits in your eye - and that's something they do - then you can get rabies."
"I didn't know that."
"Well you should," said Longarms edgily. "But it makes sense that you don't know that. You're apparently a sicko who likes 'bat man'."
"He's actually the most popular superhero around," Mercia commented mildly.
"Man, he's a superhero? And he's popular? Hells bells! Whatever happened to wholesome comics? Like Squirrel Girl?"
"You know who Squirrel Girl is but not Batman?" said Mercia.
"I don't have time to keep up with every horrifying fad or act of moral degeneracy society collectively engages in," sniffed Longarms. "I gravitate towards the timeless classics."
"Like Squirrel Girl?"
"Are you talking sh*t about my lady Green?"
"No, no... I'm sorry I brought it up.

They continued in silence, broken only by Longarms scoffing and muttering about degenerate bat-based lunatics under his breath.

[Wits+stealth-1=3d10. 1, 10, 8. 9. We're good.]

Aelas sighs. She's going to wind up creating quite a stir later, she's quite certain. Can't go running around with no glamour at all, and she was feeling quite hungry. But she needed help, and as soon as she had slipped Static's watchful gaze, she whistled for Butterfly and was in the car zooming away from Newcastle as fast as she could. "Hurry, Butterfly! We need to go see Abbey right away!" Her foot is on the peddle, and the car is zooming down the freeway, as fast as it can go. She'll careen her way into the city proper, though she'll slow down a block or two away from Abbey's house. She doesn't want to cause a scene after all.

It occurs to you after you've left that Static has no money so she'll have to spend the next four hours walking home.

If nothing's in the way when she arrives, she'll grab her phone (because surely in a week's time everyone's got a phone) and shoot Abbey a text message. "Hey, got your note. I'm here" and then go to the house and knock on the door for her Fetch.

A bat hanging from a nearby tree turns to angle its head at this conversation. It's not the brightest bat but it can tell that there are now two people with the exact same stance and voice standing around.

Now just to come up with a Cunning Trick that'll let it exchange this information for fruit treats instead of getting fooled by the Longarms.

[Did you want me to play the Fetch in this scene? Let me know when your decision changes]

Perhaps this will be mistaken for pride, or a sense of contempt, which is the farthest thing from the Pilgrim's mind right now. This is not intended as a show of strength, though it may yet be taken for one. It is simply a refusal to yield when called upon to act as guardian.

Let the leadership of the Court take charge. Isaac has nothing to say. He simply stands, and will not yield an inch until Autumn retreats and allows him the grace to stand down.

It does not come to blows; perhaps it never would have. Meetings like these have their own laws and it is the nature of the Fae-touched to obey oaths as they obey gravity even as passion overwhelms them.

Bargains themselves are the domain of autumn, though. The way of the court is not to meet wrath with defiance; it's to accommodate on terms that seem just but they grip the blade to. The decision comes in whispers and the court steps back - not leaving the stage, but standing to the edges of it, leaving the centre to Summer.

The catch: Now the King of Summer has his prize, but he is surrounded on all sides by shadowy figures of Autumn. Rather than appearing powerful he seems isolated and weak. Perhaps an even more powerful image than the one they began with.

At this point you have tasted enough of Autumn's unique magic and the new Kith you were blessed with to gain an understanding of its power. You can hit an exceptional success on Subterfuge rolls on three rather than five, and freely you can communicate through whispers so subtle they are almost telepathy. No one may listen in on your words or even be aware that you are speaking them, and you can hear their replies in the same way. Further, for a point of glamour, you may open a whispered conversation to anyone anywhere, even across the bounds of the Hedge.

[Rolling Manipulation+Socialize: 4+4=9, 3, 8, 9, 9, 9, 2, 9]

For a moment it's a bunch of loners who happen to be lonering at each other, and then someone cracks a joke, everyone laughs, and suddenly it's a group. Conversations start happening unprompted. The ice, as thick and thematic as it is, is broken.

Lily slowly but steadily gathered the Winter Court around herself and Jack, but it was not long before the spectacle of the arrival of Summer claimed everyone's attention. She stared at it- at them- at him, with shock, amazement, excitement and a helping of intimidation. She held out her arms a little as if to reassure the newly gathered Winter Court, and keep it from dispersing in the summer wind and undoing her work.

[Rolling Resolve+Composure+Mantle-5: 2+3+3-5: 3, 1, 10 (ten again: 9]

They stand strong with you - shockingly. It was like herding cats to get them this far but cold blood does not change quickly. It feels good to be a part of; these folks have your back at this point.

Resolve+Composure+3-5 = 2 : 4, 2

Jack flinched. How could he not? He could no doubt appreciate on some level that Summer at least were what they were, no hiding behind masks or pretending, but ... well, they were what they were, and what they were was awesome and terrible to behold. Like a swarm of police bursting into the room when you've got your fingers stuck where they shouldn't be. Suddenly Jack was glad that he was surrounded by others. A crowd was a crook's best friend, somewhere to blend in, to be just another face in a hundred. Even if a hundred was more like five, here.

It feels like the King's eye fixes on you directly for a moment; he's marked your face amidst the crowd, he smells your weakness amongst everyone here and he will remember that fact.

He takes the stage. Someone tosses him a chrome microphone which he catches perfectly and starts talking into. He doesn't roar, he talks low and fast, like a motivational speaker having a really bad day. "We are infested. We are betrayed. The Wyld Hunters have come. They have traitors working for them. In defiance of Summer they fled the field and they kidnaped one of our own as they did. I propose an inquisition. I propose a witch hunt. I propose grinding down every soul here until we find who has crossed us and bring to them the seasons' justice."

Autumn's basic instinct, Pilgrim, is to agree with this. It suits their purposes and eases the transition of seasons. Perhaps this is even the King's way of gracefully ceding power. Do you concur?

Lily, Jack, how do you act to sculpt the opinion of Winter?

[Raz_Fox]

The Pilgrim does not close his eyes. He cannot. But the lights that burn within those deep pits dim, attenuate, become nothing but the faintest hint of vivid royal blue. (This cannot be seen regardless, as he wears the Autumn black, but we are privileged to glance beneath even its magic for a moment.) He lets out a single shallow breath, and it disintegrates into vapor and mist as it leaves his lips, which are thick with scarred tissue and dry in the presence of dwindling Summer.

“Aelas.”
“Accused of kidnapping by Summer.”
“Huntsmen roaming. A bad day for traitors.”

The question hangs between them, miles apart and yet, in the darkness of Autumn’s kind shadow, close enough for the Pilgrim’s breath to tickle Aelas’s ear, hot and hoarse. What happened, Aelas? Is this another misunderstanding?

He already knows what he is going to do. It looms before him, inevitable, vast. Like a falling star. Like a chain. Like heaven.

Health 9/9
Glamour 4/10
Willpower 5/6

[Anarion]

It occurs to you after you've left that Static has no money so she'll have to spend the next four hours walking home.

Aelas feels extremely bad about this. However, she also doesn't have a good way of finding out where Static is right now or in the next few hours. But if she runs into her again, she'll apologize a lot and offer to buy the gargoyle a very nice free meal.

A bat hanging from a nearby tree turns to angle its head at this conversation. It's not the brightest bat but it can tell that there are now two people with the exact same stance and voice standing around.

Now just to come up with a Cunning Trick that'll let it exchange this information for fruit treats instead of getting fooled by the Longarms.

[Did you want me to play the Fetch in this scene? Let me know when your decision changes]

[Yep. You should take over Abbey anytime she's on screen with Aelas.]

Ugh, Abbey was being careless. She was supposed to open the door and let Aelas in without letting any of the neighbors see! She probably thought the whole thing was a cool joke. Or maybe she didn't even think they looked the same since it seemed like she could see Aelas' glowy form from when they had talked before.

Either way, Aelas rushed inside and hugged her Fetch, long glowing hair whipping around to entangle them with the speed of the embrace. Abbey, looked entirely unharmed and still dressed in her casual sweater that didn't really fit, and nothing had seemed weird when she drove in. That panic had been pretty major. Aelas puts one hand on her hip when she releases the embrace, and looks just a little bit pouty as she looks Abbey over. If she'd had to abandon that very nice Gargoyle and drain herself dangerously low to rush here for nothing, she'd be a little peeved. Maybe she could get Abbey to kiss a really sweet boy while she was nearby and eat that up though, that would be fair.

She realizes she's probably zoning out while looking more than a little huffy and settles on "Hey, what happened? What was with the whole panic thing?" Yeah, that didn't seem weird...er than normal. Good job, Aelas, mental pat on the back.

The Pilgrim does not close his eyes. He cannot. But the lights that burn within those deep pits dim, attenuate, become nothing but the faintest hint of vivid royal blue. (This cannot be seen regardless, as he wears the Autumn black, but we are privileged to glance beneath even its magic for a moment.) He lets out a single shallow breath, and it disintegrates into vapor and mist as it leaves his lips, which are thick with scarred tissue and dry in the presence of dwindling Summer.

“Aelas.”
“Accused of kidnapping by Summer.”
“Huntsmen roaming. A bad day for traitors.”

The question hangs between them, miles apart and yet, in the darkness of Autumn’s kind shadow, close enough for the Pilgrim’s breath to tickle Aelas’s ear, hot and hoarse. What happened, Aelas? Is this another misunderstanding?

He already knows what he is going to do. It looms before him, inevitable, vast. Like a falling star. Like a chain. Like heaven.

And then while she's still standing in the living room in front of Abbey, she just starts whispering to the Pilgrim. Because hey, that's not weird or anything, right? Just whispering to somebody that only you can sense? Maybe Abbey at least has the good sense to tell there's magic going on, that would help with explaining this later, like, so much.

"Um...kinda? They jumped on Butterfly after we parted, and one of them, her name was Static, she wouldn't get off even after I put her to sleep, and we um, kinda drove all the way to Newcastle and then I...um...kinda sorta ditched her because she kept trying to paralyze me. So it's not my fault! She's fine though, totally fine, like, maybe she'll be a little tired after her walk, but definitely fine. Also, there's something else freaking out my...uh...friend that I'm looking into. Like...did you say Huntsmen?" She turns to Abbey, still with the line open (does that work, can you have a magic whisper line open?) but anyway she turns to Abbey and says "hey, was it Huntsmen, is that what happened?"

[Raz_Fox]

“Be safe. Find Lily.” With those words, Isaac closes the connection that binds the two together over the vast distance, and raises his head. He has a responsibility.

“He looks for me,” Isaac says to Autumn. “For Aelas. The star-child. Dogs chasing a hare because it bolts. Static clung to Aelas in flight.”

Summer needs to vent its wrath. Autumn needs to display its wisdom, its knowledge of all things. Aelas needs to be protected. “She is no traitor. I offer myself up to sate Summer.”

This he leaves to the King of Autumn. Another bargain. Better than letting the hunters and witches of Autumn find Aelas on their own and turn her over to Summer.

He knows the fire as an old friend.

[I’m calling for a Protector regain here. He’s trying to put himself in danger in order to protect Aelas from the consequences of her actions.]

[Elanorin]

For a moment it's a bunch of loners who happen to be lonering at each other, and then someone cracks a joke, everyone laughs, and suddenly it's a group. Conversations start happening unprompted. The ice, as thick and thematic as it is, is broken.

They stand strong with you - shockingly. It was like herding cats to get them this far but cold blood does not change quickly. It feels good to be a part of; these folks have your back at this point.

A surge of relief and pride rises within and for the first time in too long Lily felt a moment of Home. This was it, this is what she was here for. This is why she came back. To belong, to be safe, to not be alone. Here she belonged, here she was safe, here she was not alone. To keep this moment, to solidify this feeling and unity instantly became a keen need.

He takes the stage. Someone tosses him a chrome microphone which he catches perfectly and starts talking into. He doesn't roar, he talks low and fast, like a motivational speaker having a really bad day. "We are infested. We are betrayed. The Wyld Hunters have come. They have traitors working for them. In defiance of Summer they fled the field and they kidnaped one of our own as they did. I propose an inquisition. I propose a witch hunt. I propose grinding down every soul here until we find who has crossed us and bring to them the seasons' justice."

Autumn's basic instinct, Pilgrim, is to agree with this. It suits their purposes and eases the transition of seasons. Perhaps this is even the King's way of gracefully ceding power. Do you concur?

Lily, Jack, how do you act to sculpt the opinion of Winter?

Lily frowned, as much as she did not want to cross the Summer King, or test this new and fragile unity of her own Court, a witch hunt was not something she felt you just announce and do. A kidnapping was of course a serious concern but they knew nothing but the Summer King's opinions on it. A witch hunt could go so very wrong and if they found out that there was a misunderstanding at the root of it all it could all go horribly wrong horribly fast.

Lily frowned and reached a gentle hand to Jack's arm. "I do not think this is something His Grace would condone," she whispered softly, leaning to his shoulder. "Why doesn't each court investigate their own?"

[stveje]

Lily frowned, as much as she did not want to cross the Summer King, or test this new and fragile unity of her own Court, a witch hunt was not something she felt you just announce and do. A kidnapping was of course a serious concern but they knew nothing but the Summer King's opinions on it. A witch hunt could go so very wrong and if they found out that there was a misunderstanding at the root of it all it could all go horribly wrong horribly fast.

Lily frowned and reached a gentle hand to Jack's arm. "I do not think this is something His Grace would condone," she whispered softly, leaning to his shoulder. "Why doesn't each court investigate their own?"

"We should at least investigate," Jack replies, in agreement. Although he's not brave enough, under the circumstances, to say it loud and clear to the room, to the King of Summer's face, no doubt it's loud enough for plenty of people outside of Winter's little circle to hear unless they're willfully not listening. "But if a traitor exists among us, can we be sure they are not in the room as we speak? Any plan we agree on must only be discussed among the most trusted, lest the traitor knows where not to be."

If there was a traitor hiding among them, who better to root them out than Winter? They who knew hiding. It would be a waste to simply hunt them down, but so typical of Summer. Better to devise a plan that would see a traitor turned tool. A subtle investigation to identify the traitor without them finding out so they could be fed false information. This he did not say, openly.

[Thanqol]

"Alright, here we are," said Mercia, slowing to a stop.
"We really need a car," said Longarms, leaning down to catch his breath. "This is taking forever."
"There's a junkyard outside town if you know anything about jury rigging?" Longarms made a face and shook his head. "Well, I'm fairly sure that the car dealership is run by Changelings, and the town is too small for a car to go missing without being noticed."
"Can't we, like... mail order a car?" said Longarms.
"Doubt it."
"What about the Market?"
"We'd need to get something to bargain with," said Mercia.
"And a vehicle won't be cheap," sighed Longarms. "Fine. Just give me a sec'. Let me think."

They sat for a minute in the cool autumn air.

Either way, Aelas rushed inside and hugged her Fetch, long glowing hair whipping around to entangle them with the speed of the embrace. Abbey, looked entirely unharmed and still dressed in her casual sweater that didn't really fit, and nothing had seemed weird when she drove in. That panic had been pretty major. Aelas puts one hand on her hip when she releases the embrace, and looks just a little bit pouty as she looks Abbey over. If she'd had to abandon that very nice Gargoyle and drain herself dangerously low to rush here for nothing, she'd be a little peeved. Maybe she could get Abbey to kiss a really sweet boy while she was nearby and eat that up though, that would be fair.

She realizes she's probably zoning out while looking more than a little huffy and settles on "Hey, what happened? What was with the whole panic thing?" Yeah, that didn't seem weird...er than normal. Good job, Aelas, mental pat on the back.

"You'd have panicked too if Ms. Ren Faire and SWAT-with-a-sack showed up at your door!" said Abbey. "They told me you were an identity thefting crime lord murderer from Europe! We need to leave town forever."

"Um...kinda? They jumped on Butterfly after we parted, and one of them, her name was Static, she wouldn't get off even after I put her to sleep, and we um, kinda drove all the way to Newcastle and then I...um...kinda sorta ditched her because she kept trying to paralyze me. So it's not my fault! She's fine though, totally fine, like, maybe she'll be a little tired after her walk, but definitely fine. Also, there's something else freaking out my...uh...friend that I'm looking into. Like...did you say Huntsmen?" She turns to Abbey, still with the line open (does that work, can you have a magic whisper line open?) but anyway she turns to Abbey and says "hey, was it Huntsmen, is that what happened?"

"What's a huntsmen?" asked Abbey. "Do they, like, have a logo?"

“Be safe. Find Lily.” With those words, Isaac closes the connection that binds the two together over the vast distance, and raises his head. He has a responsibility.

“He looks for me,” Isaac says to Autumn. “For Aelas. The star-child. Dogs chasing a hare because it bolts. Static clung to Aelas in flight.”

Summer needs to vent its wrath. Autumn needs to display its wisdom, its knowledge of all things. Aelas needs to be protected. “She is no traitor. I offer myself up to sate Summer.”

This he leaves to the King of Autumn. Another bargain. Better than letting the hunters and witches of Autumn find Aelas on their own and turn her over to Summer.

He knows the fire as an old friend.

[I’m calling for a Protector regain here. He’s trying to put himself in danger in order to protect Aelas from the consequences of her actions.]

[Thumbs up for the regain]

Autumn confers. On the one hand, they like the fear and paranoia an inquisition would bring. Further, if the true culprit was of Spring it would undermine Autumn's greatest rival. Offering one of their own as a scapegoat would be a powerful move but it would weaken them and strengthen Summer.

The Court is inclined against your request. If you want to convince them, roll manipulation+persuasion(+Mantle of course) at -1.

Lily frowned, as much as she did not want to cross the Summer King, or test this new and fragile unity of her own Court, a witch hunt was not something she felt you just announce and do. A kidnapping was of course a serious concern but they knew nothing but the Summer King's opinions on it. A witch hunt could go so very wrong and if they found out that there was a misunderstanding at the root of it all it could all go horribly wrong horribly fast.

Lily frowned and reached a gentle hand to Jack's arm. "I do not think this is something His Grace would condone," she whispered softly, leaning to his shoulder. "Why doesn't each court investigate their own?"

"We should at least investigate," Jack replies, in agreement. Although he's not brave enough, under the circumstances, to say it loud and clear to the room, to the King of Summer's face, no doubt it's loud enough for plenty of people outside of Winter's little circle to hear unless they're willfully not listening. "But if a traitor exists among us, can we be sure they are not in the room as we speak? Any plan we agree on must only be discussed among the most trusted, lest the traitor knows where not to be."

If there was a traitor hiding among them, who better to root them out than Winter? They who knew hiding. It would be a waste to simply hunt them down, but so typical of Summer. Better to devise a plan that would see a traitor turned tool. A subtle investigation to identify the traitor without them finding out so they could be fed false information. This he did not say, openly.

The King of Summer leapt from the stage, cleared for rows of chairs, and landed in the midst of Winter. Everyone recoiled from him as he surged towards Jack, still holding the microphone to his lips.

"Ah, so you're Kent's proxy," said the King of Summer. The air vibrated as he spoke, distorted like a mirage above a hot road. "You want to work in the shadows, do you? To skulk about in the dark rather than putting feet to flame and seeing who lies first? So who would you name as the 'most trusted' in this gathering?"

[Raz_Fox]

“I will be found and found,” the whisper carries, curling through Autumn. Summer will remember him - and more importantly, they will remember Aelas. Her steed, her laugh; the alternative is Aelas returning and being swallowed whole by the fire. And if Autumn carries out their inquisition, they will prove Summer’s accusations blameless (or so he hopes, desperately, an attempt to thread the needle between his loyalties, between his duties). A contract, a catch: Summer flares, but Autumn ultimately proves their patience, their knowledge, their strength. “Let them burn. I will stand yet.”

And yet, he resigns himself- if they fear his loss, fear the immediate loss of prestige- he will simply have to go help Aelas in person. Or die in the trying.

[And that regain immediately gets turned around to make the roll. 0 successes, unfortunately.]

[Anarion]

"You'd have panicked too if Ms. Ren Faire and SWAT-with-a-sack showed up at your door!" said Abbey. "They told me you were an identity thefting crime lord murderer from Europe! We need to leave town forever."



"What's a huntsmen?" asked Abbey. "Do they, like, have a logo?"

"Um, maybe whoever you met? Ren and Stimpy or whatever? I dunno. In the Dragon's galaxy, there were like, hunter things, but they were always these crazy screaming cosmic entities that looked like big rainbow monsters with swirling tentacles and like, ten different mouths, and they knew to leave me alone cuz the dragon woulda gotten mad at 'em." Aelas makes a little fist to make her point, but then looks distant and wistful. "Still, I wonder if they, like, look more human when they come here, tentacle beasts probably wouldn't blend in that well...hmmm"

It's about this moment that the whole leave town thing clicks in place in her brain and she comprehends what Abbey said. "Woah, wait, what, we can't leave town, you can't leave town! This is our home. I, I need you here, living my life. I mean, you can go to college and stuff, I don't mean like you can never leave or anything, but, but, you can't just give up everything here. It's important, it's like super important. Besides, if they are Hunts-tentacle beasts, they're here for me, not you, so you don't have to worry."

[Elanorin]

The King of Summer leapt from the stage, cleared for rows of chairs, and landed in the midst of Winter. Everyone recoiled from him as he surged towards Jack, still holding the microphone to his lips.

"Ah, so you're Kent's proxy," said the King of Summer. The air vibrated as he spoke, distorted like a mirage above a hot road. "You want to work in the shadows, do you? To skulk about in the dark rather than putting feet to flame and seeing who lies first? So who would you name as the 'most trusted' in this gathering?"

Lily froze to the spot when she realised they'd brought the full heat of the Summer King's focus down upon them. She clutched Jack's arm tighter, both to steady her resolve and to reassure him that she was still at his side. She felt more than a little responsible for Jack being face to face with the King like this and forced herself to speak,

"Our common interest, Your Grace" she said diplomatically, eyes cast down. "Each court is individual and is made up of individuals. At any given moment every one here will be holding a secret of some form or another. To appoint any one person to lead the search for the one secret you are looking for is a game of chance. But none of us are safe with a traitor in our midst, so let all Courts work together to find them."

[stveje]

The King of Summer leapt from the stage, cleared for rows of chairs, and landed in the midst of Winter. Everyone recoiled from him as he surged towards Jack, still holding the microphone to his lips.

"Ah, so you're Kent's proxy," said the King of Summer. The air vibrated as he spoke, distorted like a mirage above a hot road. "You want to work in the shadows, do you? To skulk about in the dark rather than putting feet to flame and seeing who lies first? So who would you name as the 'most trusted' in this gathering?"

If not for Lily and the rest of Winter, Jack might have fled. Or at least been inclined to it. Thankfully, he manages to not vanish in a puff of smoke.

"Myself?" Jack says. "I am the only one I trust completely." It's true, and Jack imagines it's a universal feeling, unless you don't even trust yourself. Alas, far too many have far too many good reasons not to.

He throws a glance at Lily and nods. "But since no one but me trusts me," it's probably true, "I suggest the King or Queen of each Court, and their choice of right hand. If we can't even trust these enough to not be traitors, we're doomed anyway."

[Thanqol]

"Oh, hello there?" said Emily Fairchild, opening the door.

"Dirk Uppercut, ma'am, attorney at law," said Longarms, getting his foot in the door and bulldozing his way inside before anyone could react. "And I must say, ma'am, you have a bee-yuteiful house you got going here. Can certainly tell where you got your sense of taste from. One hundred percent. Mercy! Take a photograph!"

He tossed a disposable camera over his shoulder which Mercia fumblingly caught, and then awkwardly tried to figure out the mechanism for while Dirk kept talking like a steam train.

"Truly lovely place, shame about the whole dispute, shame, terrible shame, imagine if you'd be losing it? I sure can't! But it seems pretty inevitable because even if you win the case a fifty percent equity stake wouldn't be enough to keep the place. Wouldn't that be a shame, Mercy?"

"Uh -" said Mercia.

"Exactly!" Longarms went on. "But that's only to say if this case goes without cause and what kind of man is this Ryan clown to pre-nup what should have been true love? And you know what really gets my grill? That he broke the compact first! Whack-chow!" Longarms produced and dropped a folder full of photographs of Ryan Banks with another girl. "See, my friend here is a gumshoe but that's just really a cover for the fact that she's a huge pervert, isn't you Mercy, ha ha!" Longarms punched Mercia in the arm. "So I just go through her porn reel and find folks who aren't banging the right folks and who might have cause for righteous irritation on the topic, and then I get them deals! So here's the case - ditch your barcode-hair shyster for a real lawyer and I'll toss in the salacious photographs and guaranteed unravelling of that haughty little pre-nup for free. Here's my card, here's a sampler photograph, here's a proposed contract , here's a red rose just for you - Mercy wanted to give it to you but she's too shy to talk to anyone not through a camera lens. Think it through and let me know what you decide. Love-erly house, by the way. Exquisite. Have a good evening, you hear?"

And Longarms walked outside with the same flawless grace as he'd entered with.

“I will be found and found,” the whisper carries, curling through Autumn. Summer will remember him - and more importantly, they will remember Aelas. Her steed, her laugh; the alternative is Aelas returning and being swallowed whole by the fire. And if Autumn carries out their inquisition, they will prove Summer’s accusations blameless (or so he hopes, desperately, an attempt to thread the needle between his loyalties, between his duties). A contract, a catch: Summer flares, but Autumn ultimately proves their patience, their knowledge, their strength. “Let them burn. I will stand yet.”

And yet, he resigns himself- if they fear his loss, fear the immediate loss of prestige- he will simply have to go help Aelas in person. Or die in the trying.

[And that regain immediately gets turned around to make the roll. 0 successes, unfortunately.]

A counter-offer: Autumn will give you your martyrdom and not take the opportunity to secure their power, establish an inquisition, and freeze out Spring's senseless blindness. But we consider these outcomes to be a favour we are extending you and not a self-interested move; accordingly, you shall owe us.

This is a good deal, comes a strange voice that you imagine must belong to the King. If you owe us, we must preserve you else we will be unable to collect our due.

Lily froze to the spot when she realised they'd brought the full heat of the Summer King's focus down upon them. She clutched Jack's arm tighter, both to steady her resolve and to reassure him that she was still at his side. She felt more than a little responsible for Jack being face to face with the King like this and forced herself to speak,

"Our common interest, Your Grace" she said diplomatically, eyes cast down. "Each court is individual and is made up of individuals. At any given moment every one here will be holding a secret of some form or another. To appoint any one person to lead the search for the one secret you are looking for is a game of chance. But none of us are safe with a traitor in our midst, so let all Courts work together to find them."

If not for Lily and the rest of Winter, Jack might have fled. Or at least been inclined to it. Thankfully, he manages to not vanish in a puff of smoke.

"Myself?" Jack says. "I am the only one I trust completely." It's true, and Jack imagines it's a universal feeling, unless you don't even trust yourself. Alas, far too many have far too many good reasons not to.

He throws a glance at Lily and nods. "But since no one but me trusts me," it's probably true, "I suggest the King or Queen of each Court, and their choice of right hand. If we can't even trust these enough to not be traitors, we're doomed anyway."

"Of course," says the King, lips twitching. "Of course you seek equality. Of course you greedy parasites lunge on the first moment of perceived weakness to attempt to seize power. You aren't interested in solutions. You only see a chance to undermine the reign of Summer. And it is still Summer! It is still my time! I am still King here -" his crown flares atop his head like a wild fire, "- and you are my vassals, and not my equals!"

"Um, maybe whoever you met? Ren and Stimpy or whatever? I dunno. In the Dragon's galaxy, there were like, hunter things, but they were always these crazy screaming cosmic entities that looked like big rainbow monsters with swirling tentacles and like, ten different mouths, and they knew to leave me alone cuz the dragon woulda gotten mad at 'em." Aelas makes a little fist to make her point, but then looks distant and wistful. "Still, I wonder if they, like, look more human when they come here, tentacle beasts probably wouldn't blend in that well...hmmm"

It's about this moment that the whole leave town thing clicks in place in her brain and she comprehends what Abbey said. "Woah, wait, what, we can't leave town, you can't leave town! This is our home. I, I need you here, living my life. I mean, you can go to college and stuff, I don't mean like you can never leave or anything, but, but, you can't just give up everything here. It's important, it's like super important. Besides, if they are Hunts-tentacle beasts, they're here for me, not you, so you don't have to worry."

"Oh my god, Aelas! If you've brought hunting tentacle monsters to town then we need to go right now. I've seen anime, I know what happens, and you're really mistaken if you think going to college is going to help us against that," at this point Abbey was pulling out suitcases and panickedly starting to pack.

[Anarion]

"Oh my god, Aelas! If you've brought hunting tentacle monsters to town then we need to go right now. I've seen anime, I know what happens, and you're really mistaken if you think going to college is going to help us against that," at this point Abbey was pulling out suitcases and panickedly starting to pack.

"Okay, alright, we all just need to calm down, calm would be good. There are no hunty tentacle beasts here. It's fine. The magicy people who knocked on the door didn't do anything bad, right? It's okay. It's fine. Um...uh...how was your day today, I mean, besides the last half hour? Um...we could, like, play a board game? Oh, or tea, let's make some tea. Tea is good for calming down, right?"

[stveje]

"Of course," says the King, lips twitching. "Of course you seek equality. Of course you greedy parasites lunge on the first moment of perceived weakness to attempt to seize power. You aren't interested in solutions. You only see a chance to undermine the reign of Summer. And it is still Summer! It is still my time! I am still King here -" his crown flares atop his head like a wild fire, "- and you are my vassals, and not my equals!"

Case in point.

"You're right, your Grace. I misspoke," Jack says and bows, quickly adjusting his strategy. "You are indeed wise to point out that fewer are better when one is dealing with traitors. I'd be happy to ... advise the King, of course. In private, so that no traitorous ears will hear your plan. They won't see you coming." He reminds himself that apparently there's a law in effect against fighting, hoping it's true, and gets up very close so he can whisper in the King's ear: "If the plan works, everyone will know it was your idea, and yours alone. And if it fails ... well, then it was my idea, of course."

[Thanqol]

"Okay, alright, we all just need to calm down, calm would be good. There are no hunty tentacle beasts here. It's fine. The magicy people who knocked on the door didn't do anything bad, right? It's okay. It's fine. Um...uh...how was your day today, I mean, besides the last half hour? Um...we could, like, play a board game? Oh, or tea, let's make some tea. Tea is good for calming down, right?"

Case in point.

"You're right, your Grace. I misspoke," Jack says and bows, quickly adjusting his strategy. "You are indeed wise to point out that fewer are better when one is dealing with traitors. I'd be happy to ... advise the King, of course. In private, so that no traitorous ears will hear your plan. They won't see you coming." He reminds himself that apparently there's a law in effect against fighting, hoping it's true, and gets up very close so he can whisper in the King's ear: "If the plan works, everyone will know it was your idea, and yours alone. And if it fails ... well, then it was my idea, of course."

I believe both of you are rolling manipulation+persuasion. Jack, you actually suffer a penalty equal to your Mantle on this roll, but you do get a +2 for playing to his paranoia; consequences of success and failure are pretty straightforwards. Aelas, while you don't think Abbey really will leave town forever-forever, if you don't convince her to chill right now she will make some sort of bad move in her panic.

Do keep in mind, though, that you do have the option to voluntarily drop any failures to dramatic failures. While that won't win you a beat because we're not using those, I will account for those come XP time.

[stveje]

I believe both of you are rolling manipulation+persuasion. Jack, you actually suffer a penalty equal to your Mantle on this roll, but you do get a +2 for playing to his paranoia; consequences of success and failure are pretty straightforwards. Aelas, while you don't think Abbey really will leave town forever-forever, if you don't convince her to chill right now she will make some sort of bad move in her panic.

Do keep in mind, though, that you do have the option to voluntarily drop any failures to dramatic failures. While that won't win you a beat because we're not using those, I will account for those come XP time.

Manip+Persuasion-3+2 = 3 : 4, 9, 9, Jack is lucky this time

[Anarion]

I believe both of you are rolling manipulation+persuasion. Jack, you actually suffer a penalty equal to your Mantle on this roll, but you do get a +2 for playing to his paranoia; consequences of success and failure are pretty straightforwards. Aelas, while you don't think Abbey really will leave town forever-forever, if you don't convince her to chill right now she will make some sort of bad move in her panic.

Do keep in mind, though, that you do have the option to voluntarily drop any failures to dramatic failures. While that won't win you a beat because we're not using those, I will account for those come XP time.

[Manipulation+Persuasion 7d10: 8, 7, 1, 5, 2, 6, 9. Two successes.]

[Thanqol]

"That was definitely a thing," said Mercia.
"Longarm charm," said Longarms, chirpily walking down the street.
"Does that work?" said Mercia.
"Maybe not immediately," said Longarms. "But it's the kind of thing that people push on the next time they feel angry or frustrated. It's a card in their back pocket. Gives them an option rather than feeling helpless. Gosh, I really wish we had a car."

They kept walking.

Manip+Persuasion-3+2 = 3 : 4, 9, 9, Jack is lucky this time

The King sniffs. His eye seems crazed behind that cruel iron monocle - bloodshot and watering slightly with constant pain.

"Investigate your own Court," said the King. "And be swift with it. I will delay the day of reckoning until I have gone through my own people. After that point if the traitor is not found I will expand my search."

[Manipulation+Persuasion 7d10: 8, 7, 1, 5, 2, 6, 9. Two successes.]

Abbey bustles about in a panic for a little while but the edge of it goes out when she is forced to start making hard decisions about which shoes she can fit in her luggage. She hems and haws for a little while but eventually the creeping realization comes that it's much less effort to not leave town forever.

She sighs and buries her face in her hands. "Well, you're right. They're not after me at all. I mean, I guess, the reason I exist is so that nobody suspects that they do - and if I run away they'll just make another copy of you to do what I do now and then I'll be you and you'll also be you and -"

She takes the tea.

"I guess I'm not the one they're after. So long as I don't do anything."

[Anarion]

Abbey bustles about in a panic for a little while but the edge of it goes out when she is forced to start making hard decisions about which shoes she can fit in her luggage. She hems and haws for a little while but eventually the creeping realization comes that it's much less effort to not leave town forever.

She sighs and buries her face in her hands. "Well, you're right. They're not after me at all. I mean, I guess, the reason I exist is so that nobody suspects that they do - and if I run away they'll just make another copy of you to do what I do now and then I'll be you and you'll also be you and -"

She takes the tea.

"I guess I'm not the one they're after. So long as I don't do anything."

Aelas sips her own tea. Unconsciously, she had grabbed the old Peter Rabbit mug that she used to use as a kid. It had always been one of her favorite little stories, and she had sympathized with Peter, who she thought had gotten rather the poor end of the deal all things considered. The lesson she had taken from it was that it was important to be fast and sneaky when exploring, so that you didn't get into trouble, and Daddy had been far more forgiving through the years than Peter's mother ever was.

She looks at the mug now, brings it level with her eyes as she sips the hot tea lightly and the light glow from her hair swirls and mixes with the steam rising to the ceiling. Abbey, who had obviously grown out of such things in a way Aelas never would, was living the right life. She knew that, knew that her old life wasn't for her, that it was good Abbey was in it. "You know, I drove all the way down to Newcastle today" she says conversationally. "Went to see some Alpacas and maybe even met a new friend. I had to leave her to walk back though, when you shouted, but gosh I should have left her some money, huh? That was silly of me, she'll probably be out all night."

She pauses, sips at the mug, glimpses over it shyly to meet Abbey's eyes (oh gosh, was Abbey taller than her now too?). "I know the Huntsmen were probably scary, but do you like all this, the, um, the people like me? Should I ever bring any of them over? I'm sure some of them are pretty friendly, I even got to ride on top of my one friend, he's kinda a big blue monster guy, but like super nice, y'know, and we got to turn into smoke together today and it was really fun."

That reminded her of Summer. She's going to have to go to that meeting that was supposed to happen after she's done here, if it's not over already. Isaac had told her to find Lily though...so maybe something had already happened. She'd have to tell them about the Huntsmen too, what they looked like. And she really, really needed to go out clubbing because she was starving in that way only Changelings can starve. There had to be some place around here where people were just letting loose, right? Maybe she'd stop there first and then find Lily when things had calmed down and explain around the same time that Static got back. She was sure the Gargoyle wouldn't lie about what happened.

She sat lost in her thoughts and waited for Abbey to answer, the light around her hair settling into a muted blue that mixed with the twilight from the windows in a soft glow.

[Elanorin]

"Of course," says the King, lips twitching. "Of course you seek equality. Of course you greedy parasites lunge on the first moment of perceived weakness to attempt to seize power. You aren't interested in solutions. You only see a chance to undermine the reign of Summer. And it is still Summer! It is still my time! I am still King here -" his crown flares atop his head like a wild fire, "- and you are my vassals, and not my equals!"

Lily froze on the spot at the King's sudden outburst. Bloody hell that man scared her, it took all her willpower to not crumble on the spot in to a heap of apologies and then run for the horizon. There were just too many flashbacks swirling in her mind, mingling together in to a chaotic whole of a beast snarling and roaring before her, with terrifying fangs, sharp claws and blood in its fur. Was it getting unseasonably cold in here? Or was it just her?

Case in point.

"You're right, your Grace. I misspoke," Jack says and bows, quickly adjusting his strategy. "You are indeed wise to point out that fewer are better when one is dealing with traitors. I'd be happy to ... advise the King, of course. In private, so that no traitorous ears will hear your plan. They won't see you coming." He reminds himself that apparently there's a law in effect against fighting, hoping it's true, and gets up very close so he can whisper in the King's ear: "If the plan works, everyone will know it was your idea, and yours alone. And if it fails ... well, then it was my idea, of course."

Lily held on to the sound of Jack's voice. How could he sound so... not-terrified? When he moved forwards, to close in on the King there was a slight tug at the arm that Lily held, warning him not to get too close.

The King sniffs. His eye seems crazed behind that cruel iron monocle - bloodshot and watering slightly with constant pain.

"Investigate your own Court," said the King. "And be swift with it. I will delay the day of reckoning until I have gone through my own people. After that point if the traitor is not found I will expand my search."

Lily was utterly astonished at hearing the King agreeing to their suggestion. That such a man would ever agree to anything other than his own mad whimsies and ideas seemed impossible. She still managed a quick curtsy in thank you to the King before pulling on Jack's arm to step back. "Your Grace," she added by way of leave to the King, with a nod as she withdrew.

[Thanqol]

"So, we've also got... Jack Gladwin on the list?" said Longarms.
"Hoo," said Mercia, picking a police file out of her handbag. "I've known about this one for a while."
Longarms took it and leafed through. "Good god, this thing sounds like an animal,"
"It is," said Mercia. "Dog skeleton tied together with red ribbons and sorry-for-your-loss greeting cards."
Longarms winced. "Yikes."
"Yeah," said Mercia.
"Did our Kindly Lord happen to know what that builds, or was it all just a really unhappy coincidence?"
"We can only hope for ignorance, but malice is constantly a more accurate yardstick," said Mercia.
"And you've survived it before?"
Mercia made a face and made the so-so hand gesture.
"Sounds like a good story," said Longarms.
"Well, the Mr. Sutherland never got a Fetch, and Mr. Johannesen left town, so we're pretty much at the end of the evening's duties," said Mercia. "I suppose I could take the time for a brief story."

Aelas sips her own tea. Unconsciously, she had grabbed the old Peter Rabbit mug that she used to use as a kid. It had always been one of her favorite little stories, and she had sympathized with Peter, who she thought had gotten rather the poor end of the deal all things considered. The lesson she had taken from it was that it was important to be fast and sneaky when exploring, so that you didn't get into trouble, and Daddy had been far more forgiving through the years than Peter's mother ever was.

She looks at the mug now, brings it level with her eyes as she sips the hot tea lightly and the light glow from her hair swirls and mixes with the steam rising to the ceiling. Abbey, who had obviously grown out of such things in a way Aelas never would, was living the right life. She knew that, knew that her old life wasn't for her, that it was good Abbey was in it. "You know, I drove all the way down to Newcastle today" she says conversationally. "Went to see some Alpacas and maybe even met a new friend. I had to leave her to walk back though, when you shouted, but gosh I should have left her some money, huh? That was silly of me, she'll probably be out all night."

She pauses, sips at the mug, glimpses over it shyly to meet Abbey's eyes (oh gosh, was Abbey taller than her now too?). "I know the Huntsmen were probably scary, but do you like all this, the, um, the people like me? Should I ever bring any of them over? I'm sure some of them are pretty friendly, I even got to ride on top of my one friend, he's kinda a big blue monster guy, but like super nice, y'know, and we got to turn into smoke together today and it was really fun."

"No. No, no, they are not cool or friendly people. God, I thought I was going mental," Abbey said, "seeing these nightmare people in hoods and cloaks shuffling around, and the insanity that is that road gang, and whatever the hell is going on at the car dealership," she shuddered, bit her lip.

"It's not safe. None of them are safe. None of this is right or normal but these things are everywhere and at least while I'm here I knew how to avoid them and they didn't come knocking on my door."

Lily froze on the spot at the King's sudden outburst. Bloody hell that man scared her, it took all her willpower to not crumble on the spot in to a heap of apologies and then run for the horizon. There were just too many flashbacks swirling in her mind, mingling together in to a chaotic whole of a beast snarling and roaring before her, with terrifying fangs, sharp claws and blood in its fur. Was it getting unseasonably cold in here? Or was it just her?

Lily, this sounds close enough to a flashback to Arcadia that that I'm going to ask for a Clarity check. Only two dice because it's not aimed directly at you, but any success means you take one point of temporary Clarity damage. If you fail the roll you can keep your sh*t together without having it overwhelm you.

[Raz_Fox]

Well, here's what a moment of hesitation buys you: a friend forestalling the proverbial day of reckoning. A new string on the sword dangling over the chair. The chance to go find Aelas yourself, and hold her tight.

"When the time comes," Isaac whispers. "Until then. I keep my debts."

Because that's how survival works in the wilderness. You remember what others have done for you, and you repay in kind. You accept what they give you, and in turn, you push yourself to give more, you turn the debt into a fire burning at the center of yourself, you use it to keep moving when the wagon's sunk in mud and there's no one to push it but you yourself, huge and thick-armed, and everyone else will remember that, and they'll use it when the time comes that their own hearts are out of fuel.

Debts make the world spin. And he owes these cunning, calculating folk. They respect his need to suffer in the stead of those he protects. That is worth a debt.

[stveje]

The King sniffs. His eye seems crazed behind that cruel iron monocle - bloodshot and watering slightly with constant pain.

"Investigate your own Court," said the King. "And be swift with it. I will delay the day of reckoning until I have gone through my own people. After that point if the traitor is not found I will expand my search."

Lily was utterly astonished at hearing the King agreeing to their suggestion. That such a man would ever agree to anything other than his own mad whimsies and ideas seemed impossible. She still managed a quick curtsy in thank you to the King before pulling on Jack's arm to step back. "Your Grace," she added by way of leave to the King, with a nod as she withdrew.

Jack bowed and stepped back with Lily's tugging. He dared not say or do any more, at least not here. There would be a time and a place, somewhere more private, for the plans to be discussed and carried out.

[Anarion]

"No. No, no, they are not cool or friendly people. God, I thought I was going mental," Abbey said, "seeing these nightmare people in hoods and cloaks shuffling around, and the insanity that is that road gang, and whatever the hell is going on at the car dealership," she shuddered, bit her lip.

"It's not safe. None of them are safe. None of this is right or normal but these things are everywhere and at least while I'm here I knew how to avoid them and they didn't come knocking on my door."

Aelas sighs, her teacup already halfway finished. Peter glares back at her accusingly. "Well, I mean, like, you and me are cool. And I know we've got a special connection so that's not fair, but it's different if somebody makes an introduction. But sure, I can try and keep the other folks far away, best as I can." Aelas' hair bobs and sparkles as she nods to herself, and she smoothes down her shirt past her jeans nervously. That was one of those things where you could only say I'll do my best because it would be a capital B Bad Idea to make a promise about it. Her mind then caught up to the rest of what Abbey was saying.

"Wait...so what's happening at the car dealership?"

[Thanqol]

The Flower Knight's Tale

"Did you know that I've come to enjoy the hunt? I hate all the stuff that goes along with it - the crazy emotions they stuff you full of, the whiplash when you go into the Hedge, the screaming, even the getting paid. But the actual hunt - when I don't have to think, I can just follow and watch and react - it's nice. It's fun. It's unpredictable - everyone has so many tricks up their sleeves and it's just a case of whittling them down, one after another. By the time you've cornered them you know everything about them, you've exhausted all their other options, and in those moments it... I wouldn't say it's a rush, I can't get rushes without my heart, but it's this deep, contented feeling of satisfaction.

"So I'm getting close to that phase with Antony Boderick. Little mosquito guy. He could walk down the highway in the wrong direction and dodge every oncoming car without blinking so my usual method of knock 'em with the flat of my sword wasn't going to be particularly helpful for this one. I didn't want to negotiate a whole new Contract just to slow him down enough to get my hand around so instead I started scoping out this swampy lake where they were going to build a carpark. Slippery, sticky, sucking - it was perfect. If I could draw Antony there the ground would betray him and he'd be easy prey..."

Well, here's what a moment of hesitation buys you: a friend forestalling the proverbial day of reckoning. A new string on the sword dangling over the chair. The chance to go find Aelas yourself, and hold her tight.

"When the time comes," Isaac whispers. "Until then. I keep my debts."

Because that's how survival works in the wilderness. You remember what others have done for you, and you repay in kind. You accept what they give you, and in turn, you push yourself to give more, you turn the debt into a fire burning at the center of yourself, you use it to keep moving when the wagon's sunk in mud and there's no one to push it but you yourself, huge and thick-armed, and everyone else will remember that, and they'll use it when the time comes that their own hearts are out of fuel.

Debts make the world spin. And he owes these cunning, calculating folk. They respect his need to suffer in the stead of those he protects. That is worth a debt.

Jack bowed and stepped back with Lily's tugging. He dared not say or do any more, at least not here. There would be a time and a place, somewhere more private, for the plans to be discussed and carried out.

"It seems the matter of infiltrators has been decided," came the anonymous rustle from the Autumn Court. "Each court shall investigate its own and the matter shall be raised again at the next meeting. The next item on the agenda concerns the Goblin Market."

That actually gets everyone in the rooms' attention.

"As you may know, in previous years the town of Prosperpine was lost in a game of chance with Marshal Overdibas of Overdibs Emporium. The Autumn Court of Prosperpine saw this as an opportunity to rent the town from the Goblins - which in a practical sense, means that neither the Kindly Folk nor their servants can neither own nor rent real estate within the town's borders. The Market's rules mean that every year the town goes up for auction. We will be passing around a collection plate. Please contribute whatever you think a year without neighbours from Faerie is worth to you. Any excess funds from the auction will go towards the Royal budget."

The plate goes around smoothly. All kinds of things are added to it - from huge wads of cash, to socks, to keys, to glowing knives that chatter and wurble.

Each of you, what do you place upon the plate, if anything? And particularly to the thief Jack Gladwin, do you steal anything when it passes through your hands?

Aelas sighs, her teacup already halfway finished. Peter glares back at her accusingly. "Well, I mean, like, you and me are cool. And I know we've got a special connection so that's not fair, but it's different if somebody makes an introduction. But sure, I can try and keep the other folks far away, best as I can." Aelas' hair bobs and sparkles as she nods to herself, and she smoothes down her shirt past her jeans nervously. That was one of those things where you could only say I'll do my best because it would be a capital B Bad Idea to make a promise about it. Her mind then caught up to the rest of what Abbey was saying.

"Wait...so what's happening at the car dealership?"

"It's terrible! All the flowers bloom out of season and they've got a mosque operating in the break room and the contracts are four-dimensional labyrinths with all kinds of batsh*t clauses hidden inside full stops and I'm pretty sure the owner is literally the fallen angel Lucifer," said Abbey. "And I'm ninety percent sure that all the cars have either animals or people or whatever trapped inside them, partly like a possession thing, or maybe a human smuggling thing, and Lucifer sent me a Valentines Day card and even though I threw it in the trash it keeps winding up on my shelf!"

She pointed at the cute pink card that read "I can't BEAR to be without you".