names
Fæx Aurantius Bovis (“orange bullshit”), L77, a Lemmite paranoiac, deceased;
Kline, a servant in charge of the triplets, played by Charles;
18th Anticipation (cont’d)
The council meeting, cont’d. Apprentices! There are three: the two that Ishta’s uncle brought, and the Wolf-cub, Yem. Yip-Yip? says Sonata. Yem, says Gi. Iam? says Sonata. Yip-Yip could be his mage name, says Calvus. Yip-Yip the Ægidian? I’ll have to think of something else, says Gi. Filius Bestiæ, suggests Perdix. It’s decided that Nil will get the girl; Calvus will get the boy; Gi, of course, has already claimed Yem.
What else? Taxes! But first, they hare off after the Light Globe Incident. Perhaps it was a spell cast by Palenti, says Sonata. Much as that wolf-elf episode. Oh, right, says Perdix. We did decide that was Palenti. Ishta reveals that she and Tully have ascertained (believe) it was a spell intended for a specific doll. Tully brings up the idea of familiarizing Marzipan, but of course, familiarization is not something to rush into, especially with unusual combinations.
Some discussion of reparations from Manu Tenére for the damages caused by the rain. Ishta’s pissed that no one who knows what happened will tell her what happened but instead are making her wait for Manu Tenére’s official statement, but generously agrees to move on for the sake of the meeting.
Taxes! Calvus has charts. And maps. Gi and Nil take copious notes. I was supposed to be keeping track of all this? thinks Perdix.
Nil is made secretary; some discussion of what Palpebra will do. He wants to teach, to make lives easier for the covenfolk, so they might in turn make the magi’s lives easier. Adult education, in addition to the school Calvus will open for the children. He brings up the dead towns he’s seen from the air. Education will help change possibilities for the population of the valley, revitalizing the remaining towns. Palpebra will handle outreach, it’s decided.
The council is then adjourned. Nil wakes Ishta. Sonata and Gi discuss Palpebra’s ideas. Sonata’s worried about the Secret Eleanoréans. Discussion segues into Gætani demonology and monsters and Love and Reason. Nil, Calvus, and Ishta discuss what’s to be done with the third triplet, the unGifted one.
Calvus discusses apprentices and potential apprentices with Ndapé. The subtext—when you graduate and go off to play Sun God Resurgent in Picardia, you’ll have a source of monstrous Gifted children that will need to be raised far from Gætan—is clear. Calvus and Ndapé head across the hall to wait for Nil, and they all go to meet the children together.
The children are in the basement, looking for bugs. The two Gifted kids are sent upstairs. Ishtaalhlhi’s asked what he wants to do. Where will he go? Do I have to decide now? says Ishtaalhlhi’. Soon is best. But he’ll be away from his siblings. They’re beginning their education as wizards. You’ll see them again.
Nil takes Lhimpat to the library; Calvus and Ndapé take Aponta to Calvus’ quarters. Nil tells Lhimpat to grab a book; she picks Illæ benignæ, but Nil steers her toward Linea Zecchius, instead. Lhimpat shows Nil a list she’s made of Cholæic words she didn’t recognize, the last time Nil left her to read. Nil is impressed. But when she sleeps, she dreams of faceless figures in red and black robes.
Calvus meets with the Finger and Nipi, where once again the indignity of being kept from council meetings is aired. Magical events can have effects on nonmagical people. This storm for instance. Calvus discusses his theories about the cause of the storm: Green Moon priests. This alarms the Finger. —When he leaves, Nipi suggests it’s time for the Finger to set up his own council, to do things at the covenant. With the priests, muses the Finger. Some discussion of what might be up with the Finger’s cousins; the brothels in the town; Ishta’s mannish sense of dress; their spymaster’s plans for disguises, perhaps involving a mustache, or a hat.
Ishta and Calvus discuss the horrible secret the other magi are keeping from them, re: the cause of the terrible storm. The nature of Plenilunial covenants in general is also discussed: covenants intended to be open and sharing maintained by lies and deceit.
19th Anticipation
Aponta’s awakened obscenely early for prayers and then sword lessons before breakfast, which is before dawn. Nil brings Lhimpat down for breakfast before fast, too. A messenger is sent for Ishtaalhlhi’. They talk about what they’ll do now. Ishtaalhlhi’ reports on Kline, who beat him last night, now that he no longer has magical siblings. Lhimpat and Aponta will research “arcane connections” to figure out how to make a telephone network, and they promise to kill Kline and whoever else is on Ishtaalhlhi’s list when they’re magi.
Palpebra seeks out Nil to speak about his survey of the covenfolk.
At Manu Tanére, Lætitia awakens to the true extent of her labor. She summons Circumcessor, who’s concerned about damage to their relationship with the Prince’s court (she is fine with being blamed for the storm), and who informs her that Nemus Animæ knew (how? she wants to know). She’ll send letters.
Lhimpat and Nil discuss the nature of House Cristofér. Lhimpat’s excited to learn she’ll be going to Picardia, too. Nil shows off his magical map.
Shotik sends Ilba to the Great Hall with a sheaf of papers for Abakoshi. She reveals that Mina was talking to herself last night. She wrote it down. She hands a piece of paper to Shotik, who reads it, then slips it into the sheaf for Abakoshi. Before she leaves, she takes off her parma ring and holds it out to Shotik. What will you do? he says. Walk fast. He takes the ring, and shivers. A few minutes later, his ears ring.
Ilba delivers the papers to Abakoshi, who asks how they’re doing. Ilba asks for another parma ring. Is something threatening? You have it, says Ilba. I know, says Abakoshi. Is something threatening? Abakoshi attempts to explain once more what they’re doing. She says they’re going to try the intellego spell again this afternoon. If it works well, the experiment could be over today. She points to the paper. You wrote this? Yes, says Ilba. She was saying that, last night. If she says anything else, says Abakoshi, write it down. And tell me. And tell me I want you to tell me. —Ilba heads down to Nishoba’s room, gets him to score another parma ring, makes out with him, and heads back to Shotik.
The whole time Ilba’s out without a ring, Heshe can feel her, bright and shiny and ready to be smited.
Calvus teachs Aponta his first lesson in Cholæic magic.
meta
“Someone keyed my horse!” “Oh, Palenti.”
“Savacions wage war, but sometimes they need help organizing them.”
