11 February 2007 session notes--

18th Anticipation (cont’d)

Murry decides to send Mitahaffi to do whatever it is Abakoshi wants. I don’t think I’ve punished you enough for the thing with Magus’ Gi’s bed. Sir, my wrists haven’t healed yet! Now I have to punish you for being a whiner, says Murry. Sir, I’m proud of my wounds! They remind me of you. Well, it’s time for more punishment. Go to Perdix’ rooms and do whatever is required.

Mitahaffi knocks on the door; Ishkin opens it, and tells him to go to the castle. Mitahaffi looks down at the little castle. Go on, says Ishkin. It’ll make sense. Mitahaffi starts walking and when he passes the rhododendron tree he shrinks. Startled, he looks back to see a giant Ishkin grinning malevolently at him. He scampers for the castle. Hello? Hello? He wanders upstairs, where he finds a weird fire burning in the hearth. Put on that robe, says Abakoshi, and sit. He does.

The Princeling’s guard meets to discuss the reports that the heavy rains have washed out the road up to the covenant. Calvus speaks to Murry briefly about it. Then he goes to speak with Aponta. Aponta tells his siblings not to have too much fun while he’s gone. They were thinking of hunting wyverns in the basement. I see, says Calvus. That would have been extremely dangerous. At least one of you would have been eaten. He takes Aponta to his rooms. Calvus opens a box and takes out some dirt and dumps it on a map. Can you move that dirt? Aponta shrugs. Do it, says Calvus. The dirt wiggles and shivers and rolls up into a small mountain. With a final burst, the top of the mountain explodes. So you are good with elements, then? says Calvus. Well, air and water and dirt. Fire? Oh, says Aponta. I never really thought of it. I mean, you have to build a fire. It isn’t just there. You know? —Some discussion of his early experiments. His sister, it seems, can make wish people away. She can make people disappear? It’s more like she doesn’t recognize them. There was this maid and and she didn’t like her and one day the maid just didn’t show up and she didn’t listen whenever we’d talk about her, the maid. But she’s really good at making adventures. My sister. She tells good stories. And she talks to our mom. And it’s not like she makes it up. Our mom always tells Ishtaalhlhi’ that he’s special in his own way. He’s the glue. So that makes him feel good. Well, I need to talk to the other mages now, says Calvus. Sighing.

Calvus goes to talk to Sonata, who’s sulking, because the rain keeps her from flying. He explains that the boy isn’t really a weather-mage. He’s good with the elements in general, though he hasn’t explored ignem. Calvus explains that Lhimpat can speak with the dead and has wished people out of her existence. She seems to have her own reality. I’ve heard a rumor that she should be sent to Somnex, but I’m dubious, as Aponta isn’t a weather-mage; he’s an elementalist good with those elements best suited to seige-craft. Ah, says Sonata. But can we be so bold as to take both of them? If I were to take this boy, says Calvus, I would be removing him from the covenant for the summer, for the upcoming campaign. That would distance them in their early training. As well, other measures could be taken. Nil was speaking of them being taught together, in the dream-realms, with Somnex. Though doing something like that would strengthen their sibling bonds. Well, says Sonata, one either wishes to use their sibling bonds, or disband them entirely. If they do have sibling bonds, says Sonata, presumably the third is also involved. The one without magic. If we’re going to be training them separately, we should send that one away. Don’t you think? To Manu Tenére, or Bethelion. Except Bethelion only trains foreigners if they are magi. Manu Tenére, then. But only if we decide to break their bonds.

At the party, says Calvus, I seem to have heard the little girl saying something very emphatically— Yes! says Sonata. She wants to be a mage in ten years. Which is why we thought of Somnex. He could train her in dreams as well as the real world. Who will take the girl, then? says Sonata. Which of you is interested? says Calvus. Since she is a girl, I hadn’t been paying attention. I’d entertained the thought of taking both of them, says Sonata. The master of my branch has been exploring reviving the practice of taking multiple students simultaneously. It is an art which has largely been lost since the days of the Founders. But the Purpureans have begun reviving it. But I rather imagine it’s a passing fancy. Not to be undertaken in the current circumstances. Considering the twins we have currently, says Calvus. We shouldn’t abandon one in the capital city, says Sonata. So they should both be trained, says Calvus. But that’s the problem of the third sibling, says Sonata. They will have the example of familiarizing their unmagical sibling—considering it further, it must be the case that Abakoshi was gifted! One can’t familiarize a non-magical... animal. We should investigate the third more fully, says Calvus, to make sure he isn’t silently gifted. We could give him to Tully, says Sonata. I think the Academy would be a better choice. Though they have taken an inordinate number of apprentices, says Sonata. So we should send him away. It will be good for the others’ understanding of discipline.

So who will take the girl? says Sonata. Gi’s taking the Wolf-boy, what’s his name, Yip-yip? Which leaves you, and Nil, and Tully, says Calvus. Nil isn’t a member of the covenant. Weren’t we going to address that? says Sonata. When we have a council meeting, says Calvus. Which is when, presumably, we’ll distribute the apprentices. Having a student here would ground him, says Sonata. And it would be unfair to Cameron for me to take on a new student at this time. Should we wait for Knowledge to hold the council meeting, or should we hold it before then? Well, I haven’t had the chance to kill that horrid little thing, says Sonata. It will come up, if we have a council meeting, and I haven’t killed it yet. You should do that soon, says Calvus. They seem to have protected it, says Sonata. Who? Tully, or Illuminata? It must be Tully.

Cameron, soaked, knocks on Honey’s door. Hello, he says. I understand a doll broke its arm here. Where, exactly, did that take place? About two feet to the left. Cameron plops to the ground and with his nose to the step begins peering at every crack and crevice. Might I ask what you’re doing? You could ask, says Cameron, but then, if I told you, you’d know something you shouldn’t, and that would be bad. How did it break, the arm? It was beaten with a rolling pin, says Honey. Can I see the rolling pin? —His search turns up nothing. He pulls pen and ink from his satchel and begins writing a story about how he was disappointed not to find a sliver of glass and then he thought of casting a spell and so he did and he found a sliver of glass—aha! Cameron kneels down and plucks up a sliver of glass with tweezers. (It isn’t a piece of Marzipan. It’s from one of the covenant’s light globes that broke.) Tishkilla walks in. Can you believe the rain— She stops dead, looking at Cameron. Who was that boy? cries Cameron, who leaves.

There’s a pounding at Ishta’s door. It’s Gieron. How did you get past the guards? You remember that little restaurant saloon you own part of? You want to come do something about the basement that’s flooding? Oh, Nishoba... says Ishta. —Some discussion of what could be done about the weather. Nishoba goes to fetch the mop from Tully, to use in the Scarecrow King’s basement.

Calvus talks to Nil about the triplets, relaying the particulars of his meeting with Sonata.

Ishta goes and knocks on Gi’s and Sonata’s doors simultaneously. She asks if they’ve noticed the torrential downpour? It’s causing damage to the village stores. I need help from you both to effect around the walls, where the observation grid is, a Water off the Duck’s Back. That requires a ritual, says Gi. We need to dispell the storm! says Sonata. That would be less disruptive. The erosion at the foot of our walls would be substantial, if we dumped all our rainfall over the edge like that. Dispersing the storm or destroying the rainfall makes more sense. Could we send for Lætitia? She’s a weather mage. Oh, but that would be embarrassing. Perdix is quite good at dispelling things, says Sonata. But we need to do something for the villagers. —Nil and Calvus step into the hallway. We’re concerned, says Sonata. About the rain. It isn’t natural for this time of year, says Calvus. Is this more monstrous trouble? says Sonata. No, says Gi. It isn’t normal, says Gi. But flooding happens. Maga, says Nil. If you have a moment? I was going to seek out Perdix, says Sonata, but if it’s only a moment? Perdix? says Nil. We could go together.

Cameron finishes writing his spells on the body of the doll he’s kidnaped and activates the magic by putting it in a pillowcase and smashing it. The lights in the covenant flicker.

What’s your agenda in giving the girl to me? says Nil. Who else could teach her? says Sonata. You are a Derlethian. Were you perhaps thinking of bringing up a student in a university environment? I’m not talking about my reasons, says Nil. I’m asking for yours. Sonata spreads her hands. Is this a favor? says Nil. I suppose so, says Sonata. But I’m not asking for anything in return. I just think you should take an apprentice. The girl’s a bit strange, granted. I’ve spoken with her, says Nil. Do you think you could keep her properly separated from her brother? That’s my only concern. You’d keep them both apart? says Nil. I understand the third would be sent away, but the other two, as well? It’s customary, isn’t it? says Sonata. I mean, I don’t think that Calvus will find it acceptable for there to be cross-pollination, between Houses, of his House and yours. And he will be training the other student. Frankly, I think it’s disappointing Savacions don’t take female students, says Nil. She’d be an excellent candidate. Yes, says Sonata. —They head to Perdix’ room.

They shrink down and slog through the slowly growing lake that was the reflecting pool and unplanted gardens. Sonata turns into birds; Nil dodges raindrops. They go into the castle. Why did they leave the roof off? says Sonata, and then she answers herself: Because they wanted a garden. Perdix is a poet, but not very pragmatic, says Nil. —Had you noticed the rain? Were you thinking of doing something about it? Lætitia’s water has broken, says Perdix. Lætitia’s pregnant? says Sonata.

Gi and Jerry talk about how horrible it is, and how it never flooded before the dragon-wizards came.

There’s smashing noises coming from the hallway. —Sonata agrees to go find Gi, perhaps he can speak with Tansie, so they can figure out if the storm stretches all the way out to Manu Tanére, and if it’s connected to Lætitia, and if dispelling it will harm her pregnancy, if in fact that is the case. Abakoshi will write a note and send it by pigeon, as a backup. Nil and Abakoshi speak briefly after Sonata leaves; how is she doing? What is she doing? Mitahaffi speaks up, and Abakoshi tells him he’s getting it all wrong. But he’s better than the other one was. Where are your glasses? says Abakoshi. I can’t wear them in here, says Nil. She grabs his hand (sparks, from the intellego auram spell) and drags him outside, Duck’s Feathering them, then sighing at the mud and levitating them across the drowned gardens and outside.

Why are all the lights out? says Abakoshi.

Palpebra comes into the Great Hall and says hi to Ishta, and checks in with her about the weather. As they’re trying to figure out what to do next, one of the dolls runs in with a broomstick, smashing the light globes. More noises from the kitchen. Ishta pulls out her deadswitch and shuts all the dolls down so she can figure out what’s going on.

In Tully’s lab, Marzipan falls over. Damn, says Tully. I knew she was good, but I didn’t know she was that good. He peers at Marzipan and determines that yes, Marzipan is still in there.

Cameron’s boiling the doll pieces, along with a piece of parchment on which he’s written a narrative confusing who cast what where and when.

Ishta’s poring over the doll that was in the Great Hall, trying to figure out what’s what. She can tell a spell was cast—a perdo spell, of all things—but she can’t tell who cast it. She gropes through her connections for the doll that was the focus of the spell; it’s gone. Tully appears, carrying Marzipan on his leather thing. He determines Ishta was the one who shut the dolls down; after making sure the spell’s gone, and taking Marzipan’s fire and knife rings off, Ishta turns the dolls back on. Marzipan gasps for the breath he doesn’t need.

Sonata and Gi appear. What’s wrong with the dolls? asks Sonata. And why are the lights out?

Abakoshi and Nil come down from the pigeon-coops to see Lhimpat by the library doors. When can I use the library? she wants to know. Does anyone know where you are? says Nil.

Calvus comes down to ask why the dolls were smashing lights. They were trying to kill me! says Marzipan. Kill you? says Ishta. They make the dolls go crazy and then you turn them off and you turn me off. I think they’ll have to be more direct, says Tully. Marzipan holds up his be-ringed fists. Shh, says Tully. Gi’s looking at Marzipan. I’ll hit them with my fists, says Marzipan. I’m indestructable. —I’m uncomfortable being in a place where mages destroy other mages’ work, says Palpebra. But perhaps it was an accident, says Calvus. Indeed! says Sonata. Much like the wolf-elf corpse. This is a high-mana place. After all, the founder of Manére walks the halls as a sentient ghost sometimes! —Ishta protests that her dolls aren’t unstable; Sonata points to Marzipan as an obvious exception. The dolls are clearly open to things like that, says Sonata.

The rain’s stopped.

Nil and Abakoshi lead Lhimpat down the hall to Nil’s room; a branch smashes into the window at the end of the hall, spidering the glass. The rain’s stopped, yes, but the wind’s picked up.

Gi and Sonata head up to Nil’s room; Ishta decides to work more on who did what to her dolls, with Palpebra’s help. —Where’s Cameron, by the way? says Gi. Oh, says Sonata. In my labs.

After some discussion, Gi agrees to contact Tansie, and get her to find Circumcessor so Abakoshi can speak with him. As she does so, Nil’s checking the storm’s extent. It isn’t raining at Manu Tanére; it had been, this morning, but it isn’t now. How long has she been in labor? asks Abakoshi. Circumcessor blinks. How is that your concern? We’re in the middle of a storm, see, and she’s the most powerful weather-mage around? The only question is why the storm is centered here and not there— It’s a ring, says Nil. I know, says Abakoshi. No, says Nil, it’s a ring, and the center is there. Oh, says Abakoshi.

Circumcessor lets them know it won’t be held against them if they do any harm to Lætitia, in attempting to mitigate this storm. Somnex is sent to speak with Lætitia, to see if she can make it stop; she can’t. Circumcessor lets Tansie know that they’ll have to speak about her link with Gi; Gi tells Circumcessor that it’s something he cleared with Lætitia.

So. Now what? —Abakoshi and Sonata head to the library, looking for weather spells. Nil’s speaking to Gi about Lhimpat in the hallway. Lhimpat’s sitting at the table, reading a Gætani book, playing with Omphale, letting him slither about her wrist. Abakoshi goes to her rooms and tells Ishkin to send that gentleman over to the library.

Shotik looks up as a branch hits the window; he gestures, then glares, then looks at Angelique, then glares again, then looks at Ilba. I don’t suppose you can do anything. She looks at him. We’d better go to the hall, says Shotik. What’s in the hall? says Ilba. Less glass, says Shotik. Unless you have a way of getting safely and quickly to the Great Hall? I have to stay here.

Abakoshi and Sonata flip through books, discussing the pros and cons of perdo vim versus perdo auram versus rego auram. The Horreum, says Abakoshi. There’s weather-magic in there. —They find a spell. They need a seive that won’t leak, rainwater from the storm, an oakbranch peeled. Abakoshi points to a line. Do you know the meaning of this? she says. Sky-clad? Sonata cocks an eyebrow. We can skip that, she says.

The triplets are sent out for an oaken stick and a stone bowl and a bucket of rainwater. —We’ll make wizards of you yet, says Abakoshi. Not me, says Ishtaalhlhi’. Don’t you have to be magic already? I wasn’t, says Abakoshi. You weren’t? We were just speaking about this, says Sonata. To be a familiar, don’t you have to be gifted? You just need to anchor the three cords, says Abakoshi. I was magical, but I wasn’t, and then she seems overwhelmed by the conversation. —Abakoshi goes up to the pigeon-coop to prepare. Mitahaffi’s sent up to be with her. It’s loud up there, with the wind; hard to speak. Hey, he yells. She hugs him and lays her head on his shoulder. He pats her head. She knocks his hand away.

Are you doing something? asks Ilba. I’m sure, says Shotik. I feel helpless, he says. I’m sorry you’re helpless, says Ilba. I’m trying to explain why I’m so curt, snaps Shotik. Well, I’m not sorry, says Ilba. So don’t apologize, says Shotik. Angelique giggles. Say something or be quiet, snaps Shotik. Don’t laugh. So only one of you has magic, when you’re apart? Yes, says Shotik. Just like us, says Ilba. Is it always her? No. Not like us, she says. Have you done this before? This is the longest we’ve ever been apart.

Abakoshi begins to speak the spell, but something isn’t right. You, she says to Mitahaffi. Say the words after me. Go on. She begins again, and when the spell is cast, collapses into the big stone bowl. Gi lifts her out and carries her downstairs, with Nil and Mitahaffi, and they give her melos and a fire and dry her robes.

How was your day? asks Sonata, when she returns to her labs. Eventful, says Cameron. Why do you ask? —Sonata decides she must begin a whispering campaign among the other magi to get them to agree it must be destroyed. I’d hoped for a mishap, and no discussion, but. If this had worked it would be a pile of dust, says Cameron. It’s the strangest spell gone awry I’ve ever cast. —You know, it’s possible, says Cameron. How can we trust this intelligent doll whose intelligence comes from Reason knows where? It could control the other dolls. Perhaps it made them do destructive things.

Sonata goes to speak with Calvus. I think, she says, we shall be forced to bring the question of the doll to council. It’s entirely possible some other issue will be brought up at council in opposition regarding the doll. And if we bring up our issue, that will certainly bring the other issue to a head. Yes, says Calvus. We should bring up the fact that, since it contains a fragment of you, essentially, that it poses a threat to you, and should be destroyed. This seems the strongest case for its destruction. It’s the strongest case for my concern, says Sonata. But I feel it should be dealt with as— An outside force? says Calvus. Yes. On the simple basis of its montrousness. Yes, says Calvus. Illuminata, who is very much in its defense, was on the offense against the insects. Who did kill someone. Of course, the doll has attacked a priest. The problem with that argument, with things monstrous, we have both— Yes, says Sonata. And a great deal of leeway must be left for others’ research. But I do not wish to claim it. Then I don’t see a strong argument we can broach, says Calvus. No, says Sonata. If I’d had my hammer earlier, says Calvus. —Some discussion of Palpebra’s possible involvement in investigating on Ishta’s behalf. I’ll speak with him, says Sonata. Considering his vim requirements, says Calvus, it would be a problem if he were to make enemies. You should mention the Finger’s concerns because perhaps someone, for instance, someone running the treasury, or perhaps the library, would take offense if you did not mention it, and call another council meeting to discuss it. If you mention it at that time, perhaps at the end, when they’re tired, or bored to tears...

Ishta and Tully agree that it was sabotage, sabotage of works they’ve done for the covenant, so they should hold off on fixing anything until it’s investigated, or who’s done it is determined. Tully tells her not to hold out for something the covenant can’t deliver. Tully reveals his theory: Sonata was trying to influence all the dolls to attack Marzipan. But why? Because whatever he is comes from something she botched, that’s part of her. Why didn’t you tell me that? says Ishta. I thought you’d figured it out, says Tully. —They think about how Sonata could have tried to get part of Marzipan. The arms were broken off on Honey’s steps, but the pieces were collected and are in my lab. She couldn’t get in there. Not even as a hummingbird. So they went to Honey’s house, and somehow through some incredible sequence of events a piece of globe was down there, and she or Cameron or someone found that instead. —Ishta says she’s going down to the village. Don’t tell anyone.

meta

“Somnex would totally pee for joy.”

“Here, take something you really don’t want. You owe us, now.”