SESSION SIX (7-21-97)

SHADOW TELLA (my place)

Dad Trumped me about the time I was putting the finishing touches on modifications to Tella. (Now I wanted Kilrae to come visit, please.) Random invited me to the family Regency meeting, if I was interested. I didn't know; was he? He said he would sail with the wind. Why not? He pulled me through to the Castle wine cellar. He selected a bottle, I took two; it might be a long wait.

In the library meeting site Syric was twitching and trying to fade into a corner. Not, I thought, a good time to be seen associating with him. I talked to Faiella a bit; she was all for one of her kids being Regent. She was worried about Eric. I asked about his rooms; she said there had been no sign of a struggle. Interesting, damned few could take Eric at all, but without a struggle? More likely a voluntary disappearance. Gerard said he was mostly healed. He wasn't interested in a Backside trip, suggested I try someone who hadn't been there. I asked if Benedict had shown an interest. He said no, Benedict was probably off sulking in Shadow, did that for up to a century at times. I tried to Trump Benedict: no luck.

Finally all but Benedict were assembled. Bleys gave a speech touting his godlike Regently qualities. Corwin disagreed and claimed he had NOT nailed Eric. Deirdre promoted herself in view of the cloud our suspicion over Corwin. Brand stated that Eric would return but gave no details. Speak of the Devil, Eric burst into the room and tried to dismiss us. He was Regent, case closed, he'd been off on a mission for Ambre, successful of course, dismissed. No way. Argument. Dee withdrew. (I popped the second bottle and poured some for Dad.) It gradually worked out to Eric versus Corwin. On Eric's side: Caine, Flora, reluctant Llewella, Syric, Gerard (at Caine's nod), Cara and Ambrose. For Corwin were Fiona, Octavian, Bleys (after a talk with Draco!), Deirdre, Consuela, Dorothea, Dad... Nobody unaligned but Mirelle, Julian and me when Draco Trumped Benedict in. Benedict looked us over, "I am Regent."

Fiona asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I can't have half the family killing the other half."

Eric stormed off. Ben let him go but told the rest of us "Sit down. Brand, stick around; I'll talk to you later." He gazed around the room. "Oberon in missing. I think one of the family did it. I'll find Oberon, return him and make sure the person responsible regrets it. I'll question all of you. Stay in the Castle for twenty four hours."

I thought I would be way down the list, so I arranged to spar with Lord Danesh using the exotic weapons he likes so much. Jessie Trumped me while I was in the armoury. Her pupils were huge and she wanted to be sure I was really me, that Flora and Gerard looked like me!? (Drugs?) Assured, she asked to borrow my Trump of Kilrae. I agreed and also gave over the Trumps of Draco and Octavian as arranged earlier.

Strangely, she was in the salle d'arms when I arrived, frantically and happily beating practice dummies to bits, chortling and calling them "Dad", until exhausted. DEFINATELY on drugs. Bleys was watching with a practice sword in his hand, bemused. He had Jessie carried off, then fenced Draco. Both were a pleasure to watch. Danesh and I went next, switching weapons every so often. I thought I had narrowed the gap since our last session. After, bruised, battered, tired and pleased, we drank wine with Bleys and Draco. We talked about my vendetta, I told Bleys that it was Kilrae he had contended with in Xedara. Draco mentioned the cutting of the Black Road (shit!), Bleys was surprised and interested so I had to show him Windfall (lest he become really interested and acquire it) and tell him where I got it (he would find out easily enough). I told him that Jessie had Finndo's other sword. I said I was exceedingly fond of the sword, considering Kilrae. He offered to help against Kilrae in some indeterminate way and I accepted gladly and (secretly) skeptically.

Benedict didn't have much to question me about. I told him about Kolox, showed him the Trump of K I'd made. Ben wanted me to capture Kolox alive. Fine. I rode out to the Grove, passing Octavian on the way, and studied the place for a Trump.

I learned some things at Random's poker game with Iago, Octavian, Draco, Ambrose, Dorothea, Syric and Mort. 1) Everyone but Mort, Dori and I knew about "Mr. X", also called the "Man In Black" and refused to tell us, saying we did not want to know.2) Ambrose saw Iago acting crazy in Tir-na Nog'th. What was a retainer doing there?3) Someone had been spreading rumors about Eric's parentage that annoyed Ambrose.4) Dori says Cara had a crush on Draco, and Consuela on Octavian.5) Syric claimed that Dworkin knew where Oberon was and might be his jailor.6) Syric and Octavian both claimed that Oberon's imprisonment(?) was for the good of Ambre.

I recruited Ambrose to hunt Kolox with me, then, just in case K wasn't warded, got Octavian to Trump him. It worked! We snagged Kolox and another guy. Fiona handled the interrogation, which Benedict also attended. Results:1) The Charybdites were not responsible for Oberon's disappearance. 2) They had worked with Finndo and his ally, another family member. 3) They had had the Torc and intended to use it but had been doublecrossed and the traitor killed by Brand. 4) Kilrae had agents all over, even into the Golden Circle. Shit. 5) They used four Broken Patterns that he knew of, but did not control them. Local wizard organizations did, who did not approve of the Charybtites. 6) Benedict mentioned that Ambre could take any one or two BPs but not all at once. These wizards were tough on their home ground. 7) They had five or six construct makers but had stopped production when they became ineffective. 8) They used an excellent cell organization and were scattered about Shadow.

Syric, after some waffling, agreed to give me a Jailor cell sample.

I now controlled Tella as completely as I wished. Hot and cold running yamabushi and Jaguar Knights, a cabal of monstermaker wizards to research Jailor and Oberonid regeneration, anti Chaosmeasures, etc. Sort of sad. To reliably preserve it I had to enslave it, at least potentially.

SESSION SEVEN (5-7-97)

TIR-NA NOG'TH

Benedict had established a guard post near the Stairway to Tir-na Nog'th. Come winter that was going the be the worst punishment detail in the Guard. The guard shack was solid stone, with an iron stove-fireplace in the center but still on top of the mountain.

The ghost castle seemed to be mostly empty but that was due to so many of the family being pent in the dungeons...*Benedict, *Julian and *Fiona were free in the castle. I talked to *Auntie and learned (as *I should have known) that *Draco was dead, slain by *Bleys' minion *Jessie, and vice versa, after *Jessie ran me through with a Logrus blade. Ouch. Nobody knew why she had attacked *me. Further conversation, with me pretending Logrus-induced memory loss, revealed that *Bleys, and others were imprisoned below.And indeed there were: *Bleys, *Corwin, *Fenris, *Ambrose, *Llewella and *Flora! What the Hell? Evidently, *Benedict was not a comfortable regent. *Bleys didn't tell me any more about *Jessie's attack, claiming total bafflement. Damn, why would Jessie attack me? I gave her Finndo's sword, I was useful, helpful and polite. Sure, I stopped flirting after I found out she had Black Widow tendencies, and I was now convinced that she was hallucinating much of the time... Maybe that was it. Who knows what *she was seeing when *she attacked *me. Could be anything, though. There was usually some truth to the visions in Tir-na. Now I knew how Draco felt.

I Trumped home to Tella to check on things. Apparently one Logrus user had come in and then departed, badly hurt. Good. After careful consideration, I spent hours subtly implanting a hatred of Logrus wielders and Chaosians in general in all the Tellan gods. This intruder might have been merely a spy, keeping an eye on me for Kilrae or his successor, but it could have been another assassin. For that matter, our vendetta might be attracting attention in other Courts. If they want to contact me they can post a letter from the Golden Circle.

I Trumped back to Ambre and heard that both Corwin and Eric were under house arrest. Someone had made an attempt on Benedict's life and left evidence pointing at them. Nobody believed that they would be so clumsy as to leave evidence. I sure didn't. I went to my room, locked my door, cleared my mind and did a Tarot spread aimed at my own future, using only cards I had made myself. Then I repeated it twice. Each time I got similar results: Random dominated my past; Draco, Fenris and Jessie were prominent in my future, in which strife and opportunity would play their parts. Jessie was pivotal, balanced precariously for good or ill.

Interesting. A second warning concerning Jessie, giving both more weight. Clearly, I should strengthen my friendly ties to Draco, forge some with Fenris and work harder on Jessie, both in friendly fashion (maybe I could help with those hallucinations, perhaps recommend better narcotics) and to keep an eye on her -and never turn my back on her.

Fenris was upstairs working on a portrait of Florimel, who was posing (clothed, unfortunately), in an Impressionist style. He agreed to meet me for a chat. I checked the library for references to the Hall of Mirrors (which Jessie had once employed for transport, supposedly) and found it listed as a legend, noted for superior divinatory experiences.

I was reasonably frank with Fenris, mentioning the prognostication of our future usefullness to one another. He answered some questions about the Kingdom. The Hendrakes were inclined to be vengeful but might feel bound by Draco's agreement with them. Kilrae's greatest enemies were the Hellgrams (sorcerers, mostly), who hated Ambre and its rulers with passion.

Good news continues to come in from all over. I promised to do what I could to help him.Fenris' painting put me in the mood to paint something merely for pleasure. I'd done nothing but Trumps for a while and was tired of them. Faiella, perhaps, if she was willing.

I had failed to interest anyone in visiting the Backside with me, so I Trumped there alone from the Grove of the Unicorn bearing a large keg of fine wine as a guest gift. I found Connor drinking, no surprise, and joined him. He appreciated the vintage (a vigorous red) and pressed me on helping them get Out. I told him I didn't dare unless Benedict should clear it --then I had to explain about Ben. I remembered to ask about any continuing threats from Chaos: none. Connor thought they didn't have the balls. Eventually I passed out.

I woke painfully the next day, glad only that I had drunk mostly the wine I had brought with me. I dismissed the cute but smelly bedwarmer and rode out into Backside's Shadow intent on producing a gift for my uncouth kin. I sought out bands of the very fast shadows common there and created the best Italian Renaissance shadow, sans guns, that I could manage. (I shuddered at the idea of Connor and Sean with firearms or cannon.) "Napolia" was abit underpopulated, people are hard to do, Backside, but full of good food, drink and more pleasant and sophisticated living arrangements. Tailoring, baths, women that smell good, masseurs, etc. I enjoyed these myself for a couple of days, then moved on. In another another fast band I made the best hunting shadow I could, "Shikari", full of dinosaurs, mammoth, big cats, wyrms, etc. on a series of island-continents. Connor had mentioned that he and his brother had hunted the area out. I suppose I wanted to show them they could have comforts and manly pursuits (in the barbaric sense) too.

I returned, let Connor know what I'd done, and where, visited their Dark Oak Grove, studied it, and Trumped to our Grove.I hellrode out to find a Broken Pattern and its wizardly owners. Found it but not them. Interesting place, though: a huge (20 mile diameter) ruinous city in three rings with a little village of treasure hunters outside. No one, they told me, survived trips to the center. Worth a trip later.

Jessie Trumped me, looking undrugged but pale. She said that Kilrae probably wouldn't attack me personally and that she had a plan we should discuss in person. She asked after the news and I told her about the Charybdis raid and the attempts on Benedict. Also that some Chaos lord got scorched in Tella (looking at her carefully: no reaction).

I joined the stupid raid on one of the Broken Patterns with Corwin, Draco, Octavian and Syric, plus five hundred troops, mostly Benedict's. They gave me the impression that the Charybdites had taken it over but it was just the usual operative in place. We slaughtered them for no good reason. Syric was incensed that they had bewitched some troops he had naively stationed there. Well, of course they did. The one Charybdite did lead us to more, an actual base and a town. We smashed them, Benedict's men looted the place -I was surprised- and Draco and I ran down fleeing wizards and captured them more or less intact. Draco terrorized the local mage association. We found Trumps; the subjects were not taking calls but I got good Seeking impressions from the cards. I think I might have been the only one, besides Corwin, capable of Seeking people, which surprised me.Two days of Seeking Oswaldo -the Charybdite boss- brought us deep into Shadow to a region where even bows did not function. Our target was in a two mile long primitive stone keep containing, Syric said, a very weak Broken Pattern. Syric nixed the local magic and Broken Pattern flow. I tried to convince Corwin to help me start an earthquake. Then half the fortress collapsed -partially held up by magic, it seemed. We went in and found Oswaldo on the BP, working to restore the power. Draco and I shot him through the legs (Syric had made the bows operable) and Draco approached him --too close. Oswaldo shapeshifted his arm and hand to more than simian length and managed to touch Draco's chin. Draco went stiff. Before I could cut the shifter's arm off, Syric hit him with a big blast of Pattern-tasting energy, toasting him. Syric swayed as he stood, exhausted; Draco staggered, suffering a triple-strength migraine.

The compassionate Octavian convinced Corwin to lend the troops to helping with disaster relief. Maybe Otto really is a nice, caring guy; maybe he is merely thorough. I Trumped Syric to his home. The local king was dead of falling masonry and had no heir. Oswaldo had been an advisor. We found coded papers and gadgets in Oswaldo's office. I snagged the gadgets for analysis by Tellan mages.I had learned enough of the Broken Pattern wielders' powers to realize I had nothing convenient to bribe them with, in my vendetta against Lord Kilrae. Also that exposing Tellan mages to the BP would get most of them killed and others turned. Forget it.

SESSION EIGHT (7-19-97)

--ORTYGIA, MY PALAZZO

I distributed the magical gadgets I had inherited from Oswaldo the Charybdite to my mage employees for analysis. Then I tried to make a Trump of Finndo's Logrus sword. Normally, one cannot make working Trumps of objects; they lack sufficient individuality. A powerful Logrus sword, though... No. Damn.

I trumped to Ambre to consult Random on divination techniques. He thought that the visions of Tir were generally a crock but thought that Tarot spreads were pretty good IF you had the necessary cards. I did another spread and found that Kilrae had replaced Jessie as my primary threat. Interesting. Of course, Jessie was unstable.

I got a few minutes with the Regent to let him know that all seemed calm on the Backside. As promised, I told him that Sean and Connor wanted out; also something of their apparent characters. Benedict said he would like to borrow the necessary Trumps and check them out when he could find the time.

I headed out into Shadow to find the agents of my desire. Even if Kilrae dropped dead tomorrow, his Golden Circle agents would keep working for his successor. I wanted to find them, find their contacts and eliminate them all. I had been impressed by the difficulties Syric and others experienced trying to keep their agents from being altered by hostile mages. I intended to avoid the issue by locating magic-resistant agents. I found (or made) them without much trouble: magic resistant but magic savvy high-calibre counterintelligence agents. They were victims of their own success --their side won completely-- and looking for other work. I set them up in Tella studying two problems: Tellan security and the elimination of Kilrae's Golden Circle network.

They had carte blanche to devise programs and the promise of the greatest possible reward --worlds to order. While Shifting around I also found some material to mask the presence of Trumps to be carried by undercover agents.

Back to Ambre, where the big news was that Benedict had allowed Syric to bring in 250 troops and had been appointed chief of city police. Was Syric suicidal? I automatically started working on ways to kill, subvert or neutralize them. Everyone else was doubtless doing the same. How the hell had Benedict bought into this?

I found Bleys and asked how Jessie was doing. Mentally. He admitted that her problems were due to Logrus initiation, which, he said, entailed a period of madness. Whoa! Jessie is definitely his daughter or granddaughter. Bleys wouldn't bring a crazy Logrus master to Ambre Castle if she were merely an ally or girlfriend.

I spent an afternoon paint a portrait of Faiella. Not bad. We were both pleased.

Random Trumped me --I quickly said I was in CA and he pulled me through without further monitored conversation. He introduced me to a man named Parsifal and recommended I participate in a plot of Jessie's (!) that should give me a shot at Kilrae. She had arranged for Parsifal (a younger son of Finndo Hendrake, at odds with his brother the heir) to kill me. Instead we would fake my death, I would hide out for a while and Jessie would call us in to nail Kilrae. Dad chuckled at my expression and said he had MADE SURE of her veracity and basically benign intentions towards me. He said the Trump reading was fairly clear now. He was leaving some things out. Obviously she had cut some sort of deal with him. I said I had always suspected her after that ridiculous Hall of Mirrors story: he laughed and replied that the story was true. Parsifal said the that the Hendrakes were not after me, that it was just part of a Kilrae deal.

Random took us to Texorami to spar and plan choreography. Parsifal was stronger but I was easily his master at the martial arts. We decided he would "kill" me in Begma (I was sure Kilrae had agents in Begma and his son died there. He might see it as an elegant touch.) with spells and teleport me away. I would Trump to the Backside and go far enough out that all Trumps of me would go warm and inactive. Parsifal would vet the spell with me and my sorcery advisor. (Octavian, I think.)

Parsifal said he wanted to divorce himself wholly from Hendrake and Chaos in general. He had not taken the Logrus and wanted to walk the Pattern. Dad acted as if he thought this was a fine idea. I thought that I wanted Parsifal as friendly as possible, so I arranged for him to walk the Pattern at Erbma. Queen Moire insisted I personally vouch for Parsifal, in writing. Parsifal agreed to a Psychic contact --if I'm swearing to something I damned well check it personally-- with Dad backing me up. Parsifal is STRONG, stronger than Random, but he was not lying. I picked up a flood of information about the Courts and Hendrake, he got more about my life, I'm sure. He lost some unrealistic expectations of Ambre.

Random cleared things with Benedict first, filling him in and introducing Parsifal (a little awed) as we rode a ways into Arden. Benedict seemed to be happy to meet his nephew and approved his initiation. Benedict told us several things about the Man In the Pantry: he could cut us (even Fi) off from the power of the Pattern, he had managed to land a blow on benedict, he had been around for decades, he had cleared Corwin and Eric and he was behind the deal with Syric's troops. Benedict claimed the MIP is not Dworkin or Oberon. (Against whom, he assured us, measures had been taken.)

Parsifal walked the underwater Pattern while shapeshifting wildly. After, I Trumped us to Shadow Deiga and took him on a shadowwalking lesson and road trip, doing my best to make friends. I stuck to the faster bands of Shadow. I thought it went well.

Draco Trumped me while Parsifal and I were returning. He wanted help tracking down some Charybdites, always a worthy cause. I gave P. a Trump of Dad, pled family vendetta and joined Draco and Octavian. I got an impression of one Zoltan from his Trump and Found him in Pergamon, in King Parvus' castle. Our ambassador helped us sneak in and murder the king's new, anti-Ambre advisor.

Draco snagged Z's Trumps. We left some signs that a demonic attacker might have been involved.

On reflection, I doubt the the Man In the Pantry could do all those things. More likely he is one hell of an illusionist.

I returned to Ortygia for some serious Trump production: the Unicorn's Grove, the Dark Oak Grove, Parsifal, two of me. Interspersed with considerable personal indulgence, of course.

SESSION NINE

--MY PALAZZO, ORTYGIA

My new Counterespionage team needed gold for bribes and such. I shadowwalked to a suitably empty but ore-rich mining camp and sent it home, arranged for smelting and coining. Later I slowed my shadow's time flow to match Ambre's and suggested to Oriana that it would be a good time for her to visit Ambre.I Trumped Random and joined him, and Iago, in Arden. I congratulated Iago on his coup in helping free the King. I gave Dad Trumps of the Dark Oak Grove and the Unicorn's Grove and asked after Parsifal. Random said that Parsifal was meeting with Oberon at Oberon's insistance.Parsifal Trumped me a little later and we went to work. I found an evil (cruel and stupid) shadow of me in an S&M bordello and Parsifal blew a fist-sized hole through his chest and then put a stasis spell on the corpse. (As we left I announced, "The Devil reclaims his own.") I rented a room in Begma, Trumped Parsifal and the corpse in and helped him arrange ropes to hold it in position. We faked an altercation near the alley where Killrae Jr. died, Parsifal faked killing me and switched me with the corpse. I Trumped to the Grove of the Unicorn, then the Dark Oak Grove. Done! Safely dead.

I shadow walked to the Italiante shadow I had created weeks ago (Ambre) or years ago (local). It was in sad shape, shabbier than even the attentions of my loutish uncles could account for. Some nasty property of the Flipside continuum? I spent an itchy night despite my efforts with probability.

In the morning I bought a side of beef, the biggest I could find, and Trumped to Cerberus' cave. I spent the day making friends with the beast and was thoroughly slimed --think of three big, friendly, slobbery mastadons. I couldn't even shift to a perfect glade to wash up in. Bugs. Leeches. Damn. I slept on a rock shelf Cerberus could not reach.

I was bored. I tried the Italiante shadow again. While eating a mediocre meal I felt the stench of the Logrus and sprayed beer all over the wall. Shit! There should not be any way Kilrae could get agents over here. Was I willing to bet my life on that certainty? No.

I spent a day at Cerberus' cave waiting for an attack. Half of the time I felt silly; like Kilrae was starting to get to me. Then I remembered the oyster fork. Eventually I broke down and went for help.Sean and Connor were happy to come along on a Chaosian hunt. We ended up back at the bordello (a place very well known to both of them) but could find nothing amiss. I had the girls and bouncers line up and walked down the line touching each one with Pattern all around me. The prettiest girl broke away before I touched her and jumped out a window. I jumped after, chased her down, netted her legs and held Windfall to her throat. She claimed to be a Hendrake named Dana, cousin to Duke Roland (and, therefore, Parsifal) stranded there since the disastrous foray with Finndo.

Damn, now what? Chivalry was a pleasant myth in my Italia but I thought of myself as a sort of mythic demigod (by Earthly standards), well able to indulge in such things. Draco's treaty with her compatriots did not concern me much, but it was just possible that Parsifal liked this woman. While I dithered, Sean and Connor decided to take her home with them. It seemed that she was one of their favorite whores and the idea of having her right at hand was irresistable.

At Castle Odious Sean and Connor started pressuring me to Trump them to Ambre. I explained that Oberon was back, that they would be in deep trouble, that I didn't dare. No luck. I expected them to lay me out at any moment and leave me lying there naked with a concussion. I geeked and gave them Lora's Trump, saying she could tell them about conditions in Ambre. As soon as their eyes left me I Trumped out to the Dog. The last thing I heard as I left was Sean saying, "Pull us through you stupid tramp!" Great.

While I brooded on the possible repercussions of that incident, Random Trumped me. Time to go! We waited on Jessie for hours with me in full armor, Dad Trumping her periodically. Finally Jessie pulled me through to an armoury full of odd weapons and odder armor. She gave me a darter whose darts, she said, were coated with a drug that inhibited shape shifting. Useful. She led. We approached a huge guarded doorway as innocently as possible and killed the guards easily --our speed surprised them.

Jessie quietly entered while I maintained a light Trump contact. She talked her way to within a few feet of Kilrae and two others and pulled me through. Jessie attacked one lieutenant and the other delayed me by sacrificing his own life; I broke his neck. Kilrae was concentrating and I felt that nasty Logrus stench building. I ran up and Snuffed his efforts, so close then that he had to defend himself. He was better than I had thought he would be but not good enough. I took a few minor cuts while fencing tossing darts, then pressed him (noises told me: reinforcements coming) hard. He made a mistake, I thrust through his nose and he went limp. I beheaded him and quartered the body, which burned nicely.

Jessie was frantic: go, go, Go! Time to leave. I Trumped Random, who was, I think, holding a Trump Gate open. He dropped it and pulled me through as Lord Rem and others entered Kilrae's war room and I snarled "Dammit! I couldn't get the bitch too!"

Jessie soon Trumped Random and "negotiated" an end to the Ambre assault (?!!) in return for an end to the vendetta. Deirdre, Llewella and Draco were leading an assault on House Kilrae to avenge my death. I was touched. Fortunately, they didn't hold my deception against me. Dee and Llew hugged and kissed me and said that if I did it again they'd beat me senseless. Dad made another Trump Gate and we returned to Ambre

SESSION TEN

--CASTLE AMBRE

I accomplished a couple of things before the party. I Trumped Parsifal to report success, to thank him, and to ask his opinion of his cousin Dana. He despised her with the rest of the Hendrakes. Fine: I wouldn't have to go retrieve her from Castle Odious.

I ran into Octavian after consulting with Flora's tailors and went for a walk (away from Pantryman) in the City. I asked him if I could help him with anything and he haof-seriously asked me to aid him in breaking into Fiona's rooms. I laughed. No, no need for two stains at her door instead of one. He complained about "psyche-null" agents harrassing him; something like the magic resistant ones I employed. I suggested that, one, he needed some blasting spells hung to deal with groups of attackers and that if he was really worried about these "null" agents, he Find a shadow where the Null power could not work, study the conditions and make a spell to duplicate them. He said he would try it. On another subject, he claimed that it was Caine blacking his reputation. He also claimed that Fiona had grown a full "Jailer" and employed It to slaughter all the mages that we had spared at that Broken Pattern.

My Welcome Back From the Dead party went well. Most of the family at least made appearances and many seemed to be genuinely happy to see me alive. Some notes:--Oriana was glad to see me but there were indications that she has another lover, perhaps Bleys. Exclusivity was never my assumption, nor hers, I thought. If she were to break off our affair, then losing out to Bleys would do the least damage to my ego. Caddishly, I began to think about what sort of lover I was in the mood for. Someone more inclined to hunting and fencing, perhaps. Or an artist. It was... irritating... disappointing. Maybe I'm not Ferrarante enough any more.

--Julian invited me out hunting, which hadn't happened before. Killing a Duke of Chaos attracted notice from odd quarters. He suggested (I asked) I mount Kilrae's head on my bed-post and eventually make a set from dead enemies. He also said that Syric had been making wild accusations and was experiencing some difficulties.

--Mirelle gave Dad more crap about paying his debt to her. The same one?

--Lord Rein played some odd old ballads for some reason.

--Parsifal made his public debut and told his part in faking my death. Most seemed to accept him.

--I overheard a guard report to Oberon that Dworkin (!) was in the Castle. I followed --the jakes were that way-- and saw the King with a hunchbacked dwarf and some young man. I couldn't spy further without being obvious.

--Rein's Niccolo's Revenge was surprisingly accurate; he must have consulted Random. Several stories circulated to fill in the gap in my tale of revenge

--how I penetrated Kilrae's fortress’ defenses. The most outrageous said I went in disguised as a female demonic whore.

--Consuela was jealous of Octavian's companion, a rather plain woman named Andrea.

--Some enemies attempted to enter the Castle via the caverns and were blown up by a spell, their own or someone else's.

Widening interests or not, Oriana was quite affectionate.

In the morning I joined the tour of the cavern. The only interesting thing was that the infiltrators had had an accurate and recent map of the shifting caves.I found Fiona doing autopsies on our invaders. Three of seven were lycanthropes, she said, but links to Syric were far too obvious to be credible. I asked about the wizard slaughter, saying that it looked like Family --Eric, Corwin, Julian-- had done it and implying that she, the top mage among us, might know why. She said that sometimes, some pruning was necessary.

I Trumped to my alley in Begma and checked around on my missing agents. In the river. I met with Ambre's ambassador there but he knew of nothing amiss but Octavian's recent drunken rampage in bars. I tried to assure him that Octavian was the victim of character assassins and suggested that he Trump Ambre for Otto, or me, should he get a really fresh report. Octavian would love to confront the bastard.