His troops in Chaos: elite Rangers of all the usual types. He has some stormhounds and hawks along too.

Andre:
Goes back to his worms, experiments with his shape changing abilities and makes his own version of the worm from his own blood. Takes it to Fionna, and they both experiment with it and the originals,

Mykal:
Heads for Flora and reports his activities, She has mixed reactions to the rescue. He then heads for ShadowEarth Paris to begin setting up defenses for the entry to Argent. Recruits a local defense force, and since it’s on the split of Earth that he is responsible for he begins to create a network of his own people. He begins plans to set up advanced medical (using his Mothers shadow Clinic as a model) and other shadow perks to recruit good people and encourage loyalty.

Jade:
Gets some pampering and healing… doesn’t sit still very long. She brainstorms on how to achieve some type of ranged attack in Rebma without lugging around heavy equipment. She contacts Tyler to intercede with Dierdre for information; she wants Dierdre’s expertise in warfare to help figure it out. Also wants advice on how to face down an elder, without getting thrown through a wall. Goes back to Rebma, experiments with Sonic attacks, Power Words, stuns, etc. Finally comes up with a needle thrower that she can conceal IN her arm with shape changing. Goes out to Shadow to “practice” on live targets.

Andre:
With Fionna testing the bugs, they go out to Bleys encampment in shadow (Courts side) and test the stuff on a black road nearby in shadow. Testing is successful and they return to the encampment, Andre is asked to create more of the bugs, for Bleys as well as for the King. Andre does so, and returns with Fionna to Amber to brief the King. Fionna is tasked with finding fanatic “hosts” for the blood creatures to begin a breeding program.

Mykal:
Trumps Gerard, discusses rescue, does some fishing (Gerard style), rests a bit. Later he takes his leave. Returns to Amber and contacts Lady Saithryn for assistance in acquiring a coronation gift for his cousin Melisandre. He wants a weapon similar to his Katana, but she advises some modifications and a Rebman short sword as a base instead of a katana. Strong Earth and Water elementals will have to be acquired, she can do it but it will take a bit of time. As payment she is interested in a Trump, subject to be decided later, Mykal agrees and goes to Rebma to acquire the best Sword he can find. Admitting who/what he is getting it for gets him to see the BEST swords in the realm, choosing one he arranges delivery to Saithryn, and payment. Saithryn wont let him stick around to watch the enchanting, claiming his amber blood interferes. So he departs for Naipon for some Meditation.

Jade:
Off in shadow Randomly Target practicing till she feels comfortable with the design and range of her creation.

Andre:
Goes to check on his Bodyguards and their Training

We trumped out to Rebma and Aunt Llewella gets Jade to the healers, and then starts to work on removing the strange spell or whatever on Aunt Dierdre while Andre and I watch. She gets it off and Dierdre nearly goes berserk, enraged nearly to the point of loss of control, she barely keeps it in check… I wouldn’t want to be in Uncle Corwin’s shoes when she catches up to him. Aunt Dierdre is thankful but still barely in control. I pass Aunt Llewella my trumps of the Exit Area in Argent and another I’d made out in a shadow of Argent, to pass to Dierdre when Llewella thinks she is ready for that. Then she and Aunt Dierdre go off, I’d suppose to try and calm down a bit.

Andre and I depart for Amber, I try to persuade Andre to hold off a bit on reporting this to King Random, to give Aunt Dierdre time to calm down more, and report it herself… but he’ll have none of it, so I accompany him to the King. Waiting on the Kings pleasure, we get to witness Himself drumming, he’s very good. I guess even the King has to have a hobby, to wind down a bit. Once he has finished Andre reports that the Argent situation has “resolved” itself and that Aunt Dierdre is free and cognizant, if pissed like nothing we’ve seen before. Random of course wanted to know if we were involved, (since my rescue of Tyler, and Andre’s rescue of Selene.. its kind of obvious) and seems grateful the situation resolved itself without “official” Amber sanction.

Andre heads off on his own errands…and I head for Mom’s suite, I brief her on the events, and remark on how strange fate is, I have rescued both Dierdre and her son Tyler, and now they both owe me , especially Dierdre.. who was the influencing factor in my father’s death.

I then head for Shadow Paris to start setting up a defense of the local end of the Argent gate, assuming that Corwin WILL find it, and assuming that Corwin WILL be coming for me. I set up unobtrusive guards then brainstorm the best way to guard that area. I begin recruiting for my own network on this shadow, since it’s the one I am in charge of anyway, I begin making plans to set up a network similar to my mothers, with a high-tech clinic out in shadow for myself and my employees, to encourage loyalty.

For a change of scenery, and remembering something, I Trump Uncle Gerard for clarification of a remark he started to make and then stopped because of the company we were in. (Lady Margali). He invites me through and we discuss the comment, nothing important since the intervening weeks have annulled the usefulness. He has heard of my assistance in rescuing his sister, and wants to wine and dine me…I have no objection to that and we spend the day eating, fishing (Gerard style..very interesting) and talking.

I take my leave later that evening and head for Amber, I catch up to Lady Saithryn and inquire as to having a blade made as a Coronation gift for my cousin Melisandre (which may be coming up soon as I hear she walked the Rebma pattern). I know Lady Saithryn is one of the most powerful Conjurors available and indicate that I would be honored to have her imbed the elementals needed to power a blade worthy of a Queen. We discuss powers and capabilities, and she agrees to do this for me. She seems a bit squeamish about bringing up price, so I inquire as to what she would take in payment… surprisingly she wants a trump… Subject to be determined later… I agree, with the stipulation that it cannot break my oaths and responsibilities to Amber. I then head for Rebma to aquire the blade itself, visiting the master bladecrafters of Rebma, I find that mentioning the fact that is a conornation gift for my cousin, their soon to be Queen, gets me in to see the best blades much quicker. Choosing an appropriate blade (best I can find and of the right length/weight ratio for Cousin Mel) I arrange to have it delivered to the Ap-Morgwnn estate, and I also arrange for payment to be made.

Checking in with Lady Saithryn gets me chased off, since my Pattern blood would make her job harder, I decide to head for Naipon for some relaxation. Once there I get cleaned up, massaged, and head off to meditate. Sitting in my peaceful garden, viewing a small shrine to Bushido kept there, it hits me… I have dishonored myself; I have dishonored the way of Bushido, my own ethics, and all my teachers. By using an innocent bystander as a shield to protect myself I have committed a heinous act, which there may be NO acquitting myself of.

She has SSParts, sufficient to attach muscles to it to operate it -- squeeze it forward through the flesh & set off the air charge. She'd need to shove it back in or pull it all the way out after use or put up with it being interfering with wrist movement. Needs to be replaced rather than reloaded anyway, at least for the simplest version. Reloadable... well, cleaning blood out isn't a problem, not with her blood. She'd need a hand pump to reload the air charge. (A small, heavy, surgical steel, grip-action thing -- good old strength of Amber.)

Assume she's also spent some time finding a coating for the needles that will resist fast movement through salt water but ablate off when passing through flesh, thus delivering the toxin/narcotic on target.

Selene had been sent there before my enlistment into the family ranks, so she will not know me. If possible, I intend to complete her mission if she is dead or unable to continue.

3. I made contact. I was informed Selene had insinuated herself into the staff of a courtesan in Bley’s favor and had left the shadow with her retinue. My trail leads to another Avernan world and I must pick up the trail anew there.

4. Found her. She was engaged in an unfortunate death and is being held in the palace under guard. It does not appear that Bleys has been able to question her yet, so there is still time to affect a rescue. I have identified a winesteward’s assistant whom I feel I can impersonate. We shall see how it goes….

5. Mission accomplished. It took two days, but I was able to gain access to Selene and trump out of there with her alive and unidentified. Bleys appears to be on the up and up for the moment, raising troops for his Chaosian campaign. Selene seems to be acting strangely around me once she learned who I was…. Very odd. Perhaps she has some reason to dislike the royals in general. Food for thought.

Andrade is in castle Amber. He is avoiding trump calls like the plague. Since his adventure with Brand, everyone has been trumping him. He is working with the secret service of Amber. Some of the agents want the glow power. He says they have to take that up with the King. Andrade goes to Random and says that Seline is overdue. Random does not seem to be concerned, but Andrade volunteers to go look for her to get away from the trump calls. Random suggests that he take Caine’s trump call or at least go see him at the top of the battlements. He is with Julian. Andrade goes to them and they discuss Brand. Caine gives Andrade a card, and asks him if he is interested in overseeing his business for a while.

Mykal continues working with his troops and on defining his trumps.

Caine tests Melisandra and decides after a time that she is ready to walk the pattern. Llewella is pleased with this and escorts Caine out of the room and into the arms of a very seductive maiden who gleefully volunteers to give Caine a tour of Rebma. Llewella informs Jade and Melisandra, that Gerard, and Martin should be present for the big lunch extravaganza that Melisandra has planned.

Mykal continues to work on his trump tricks. He picks up Tyler’s trump and tries to get a feel on it. He senses that its pulling him south towards chaos. Mykal heads towards chaos via trumps. He contacts Merlin who in hung over and agrees to help find Tyler in chaos. They work on a plan to find him. They eventually find Tyler. He is nailed to a cross and a huge fight breaks out. Mykal manages to take the girl out, and after Mykal is freed, trumps her out with them, as she is their prisoner. Caine is given the prisoner, they report to Random.

Andrade makes contact with Caine’s man and is given the grand tour of how the underworld works in Amber. They talk about what has been going on in the streets. He says that some of the people have been infected by parasites. They go to a lab and decide they need a better shadow with tech and magic. An expert says they can’t figure out how the bugs are coming in, possibly through Arden. Julian Hawks can’t track them, and some of the Hawks end up dead. Andrade is also told, that the gangs on the streets of Amber are to be fragmented and not is to become too powerful. It keeps the balance.

After lunch in Rebma, Melisandra reassigns two thirds of her staff to out posts far from Rebma. Then Melisandra decides to see the pattern. Vialle, Gerard, Jade, Llewella and Martin go with her. Once in the pattern room, Jade shuts the door letting no one in. Melisandra steps on the pattern and begins her walk. Once in the center, Jade allows Lady Teleri in so she may see Melisandra has completed her walk on the pattern. Melisandra trumps to Jade’s side and smiles at Lady Teleri saying that she could not resist the urge to walk and could not wait. Lady Teleri, does a small ceremony, but knows that Melisandra has won this round. As Melisandra heads up the stairs she states that a battle master will be chosen tomorrow. Jade then shifts into a common Rebman and finds out that the people of Rebma like Melisandra and know she is strong because she has walked the pattern at her young age. They also like seeing Llewella around again. Satisfied, Jade meets Martin and they go to Avalon, so Martin can take out his frustrations on Jade’s hide. After several hours, Martin asks if she can have Llewella train him in magic so he can fight Brand. Jade tries to talk him out of it, but reluctantly agrees.

Mykal is back at home in Nai Pawn settling his guards. A glowing salamander approaches saying Lady Margali wants to meet with him. He trumps her. She says that her house wants to make contact with Amber and that she is to be the envoy. King Swavel is dead and there are lots of problems in chaos. House Crane wants peace with Amber. She can’t speak for other houses. Mykal agrees to pass a message to King Random. Random agrees to see her and says that he will give her 24 hours safe passage and safety as long as she behaves and is not insulting. Gerard, Fiona, Vialle and Julian are there. Lady Margali says that Dara’s husband is also dead. They believe that this all has to do with Benedict’s curse. House Crane wants to establish that they are not hostile to Amber, nor were they party to the pattern fall war or Benedict’s assassination. They want to avoid a dozen death curses, even though they feel chaos could defeat Amber.

The family meets to decide what to do. It is decided that they will have family members take turns keeping watch over her. Lady Margali wants to know what the exact wording of the death curse was. She is left to ponder that. She is assigned a servant’s room with no windows and one that can be easily guarded. Mykal gets the honor of first watch.

Per Llewella Mandor as Despal killed Swavel. She said that Vramine is avoiding being asked to be Duke. There are all sorts of assassinations and mysterious deaths going on in Chaos right now. It seems to be only those that Benedict knew or met. They believe that Dara was convinced to die for the family in chaos. They believe that the black watch is behind it.

In Rebma, the debate for battle master is long, but in the end Llewella is overwhelmingly chosen.

I head back to Rebma, shifted as a local person and check out all the taverns. I want to find out who is behind the death of Peldyryn. I get a few leads, but nothing that pans out. Frustrated, I see my mother, and ask about the details of the assassination. She agrees to help, but says that I must see Melisandra first. Melisandra has appointed me her special attendant. For the most part this means I have free reign to do what I want and I have her backing. Of course, I know that I cannot abuse this. I thank her, and return back to my mother. Still OK.

I now know about this type of sword more than I ever imagined I could. I have accounted for all of them except for about 6, which were sold privately. Some were lost in battles; others serve as tombstones on the reefs for fallen soldiers. The rest are with their owners. None of which is the one used to kill Peldyryn. I was almost convinced to go in shadow and search for it, but mother said she had a hunch that the sword is still here, along with the one who wields it. I should have rested and regrouped

Instead, I get clumsy. I shift into a commoner and started hanging out in taverns again. Word is already out on the street that Jade is turning Rebma upside down looking for a sword that killed Peldyryn. If the person who killed Peldyryn is still here they are going to be running scared, and it is doubtful that they have a trump or they would have been long gone. Eventually, I run into someone that is watching me. I can’t see them, I just feel it. I grow some eyes to watch behind me, and I spot the mystery man. He too is a shape shifter and has eyes like I have grown. This is not someone from Rebma, but more than likely someone from chaos. In the excitement, I forget that I am in Rebma, and the rules of gravity are different. When I charge for this person, I am slowed down. They are chanting something, and after throwing a dagger, I realize how foolish that was. I should have used a power word. They cast a darkness spell, and shifted into a commoner and escaped. By the time that I realized what had happened, it was too late. Frustrated I go to my room. I hope I did not ruin my only chance.

Mykal then trumps me. He wants my help in rescuing Deirdre. I enlist my mother on this quest. She and Deirdre have always been somewhat close. Mykal, Mother and I go to Paris, and mother finds the magical entrance. Mykal wants his armor, but I convince him that we are on a reconnaissance mission. Mykal wants to test the trumps, but I advise against it, just because we are in Corwin’s world and we have no idea how the rules work here. What I do know is how to sneak around, and the best way to go unnoticed is to look and act like a commoner. Mother and I put the make up on Mykal so his eyes are not so obvious. Mykal and I make are way in. We manage to get up to the castle, and realize this is going to take longer than we expected. We head back to the magical portal to tell mom we are going to have to think about this before going back in. This is going to be ugly. I am going to have to find a way to poison Deirdre, and get her out before Corwin has a chance to catch me, and before Deirdre wakes up. However, if I do pull this one off, it is going to be a story told for a long time.

Vialle shows up for lunch with Gerard. Mother and Martin are also present. After lunch, several maids have been reassigned to new out posts, away from Rebma. Melisandra then casually says that she would like to view the pattern. Vialle, Gerard, Mother, Martin, Melisandra and I all head towards the pattern room knowing that Melisandra will be walking the pattern in a few moments. Some of the guards start to oppose us, then look at Martin and I and decide it’s not worth it. Once in the pattern room, mother and I close the door and do not let anyone in. Screams of outrage on the other side of the door I find truly amusing, especially when I notice one of them is from Teleri. I do not let her in until Melisandra has reached the center of the pattern. Teleri does her best to hide her anger disguised behind a fake smile. Melisandra teleports next to me telling Teleri she just couldn’t wait. Teleri does a small ceremony and we all head up the stairs. Melisandra also announces that a battle master will be chosen tomorrow. Teleri has no idea that my mother has already been chosen by Melisandra.

I shift into a common person and check out the attitude of people towards Melisandra. All and all they like her, and even though she is young, they feel she is strong, especially since she has walked the pattern. They are also happy to see my mother around and in a power position. Satisfied, I meet up with Martin so we can spar. He obviously needs to get something off his chest, and wants to use me as his personal punching bag. We go to Avalon and beat the crap out of each other. Hours later we enjoy a meal in one of Benedict’s shadows. I’m going to have to find a way to snag that box of trumps that Benedict left him. Anyway, Martin also wants my mother to work with him in using sorcery to fight Brand. I try to talk him out of it, but Martin’s mind is made up. Eventually, I agree to ask mother.

The next day, there is a debate about the battle master. As much as Teleri tries to gain favor for another of her people, my mother is unanimously chosen.

Jade visits her good buddy Spengler to get an update. He tells her the various gangs are all keeping a low profile after the Chaosian trouble. She gives him her trump with instructions to keep her informed of any new developments. She then heads to Rebma and begins hanging out in various dives to get a feel for the local underworld there. Eventually she gets bored and goes to talk to her mother about the murder investigation. Llewella tells her to go see Melisandre for her “special assignment”. Doing so, she learns she has been granted the office of “Special Intendant” reporting only to Melisandre with an ambiguous mission.

Mykal decides to check on Merlin and finds him about to “chase the dragon” in Chinatown. Mykal warns him that his presence is known in Amber and there could be some danger if anyone decides to seize him in return for Dierdre. He gives him Caine’s intelligence about House Channicut before returning to his duties escorting Margolis around Amber. He spends the rest of the day in her company until he hands her over to Julian. She pumps him for political background information without offering much in return. After his shift, Mykal talks to Merlin again and they discuss the degree of Corwin’s control of Argent. They amuse themselves with flying while discussing ways to get into Argent unnoticed.

Andre:

Andre begins his search for Selene by infiltrating Avernus III in the form of a female inhabitant. He takes a cover story of a middle aged woman seeking employment with distant relations. He gets into the city after passing the “chaosian blood test” at the gate and eventually contacts the resident safe house for information. He learns Selene had secured a position as a maid to a courtesan close to Bleys and had left for a different Avernus with the court. He books passage on a ship to the other Avernus to pick up the trail.

Jade:

Jade continues her investigation into the Battlemaster’s assassination. Looking at the physical evidence, she notices that there is a cut across one of the Battlemaster’s bracers. It has been scrubbed clean, but she enlists the aid of Saithron to examine it more closely. She learns that traces of metal can be traced to a particular swordmaker in Rebma. She visits the swordmaker to get a customer list and they narrow it down to a list of about 50. By a process of elimination, she gets it further narrowed to one of 4 missing sword owners or 18 lost in battle.

Andre:

Andre successfully infiltrates Avernus and learns that a couple of the courtesan’s maids are being held on suspicion of murder after the courtesan was tossed out an upper story window. Apparently she had lost the favor of Bleys and took to beating and killing her maids in a fit of anger. At least one of the maids took issue and pitched her out. Andre decides to sneak in and spring her. He learns the shape of a wine-steward’s assistant and gains entry to the castle. He snoops around and finds the closet where she is being held. It is guarded by a pair of soldiers, so Andre decides to chat them up a bit. He learns that a chamber pot is brought to them every morning by another servant, so Andre leaves for the day. The following morning he takes a servant’s shape and gets access to the two women. He trades code words with Selene and trumps out with her to Mykal’s townhouse. Selene is grateful at first but becomes very guarded after she detects some difference in Andre. They change clothes and go to report their findings.

Mykal:

Mykal relaxes a while working on various paintings and trumps. He talks to Taylor for a while about his mother’s situation and offers help in springing her. He then bones up on Chaosian etiquette with the book provided by Caine in case he needs to enter Argent through Chaos. Eventually he talks with Flora who reveals her ability to monitor Earth and it’s nearby siblings for the presence of Pattern/Logrus etc. It becomes clear how she so quickly learned of Merlin’s presence.

Jade

Jade continues on her bar hopping and encounters a potential chaosian agent in one particular bar. Her effort to capture the shapeshifter is unsuccessful, but at least now it is clear the chaosians still have a presence in Rebma. She soon gets a trump from Mykal asking for assistance in infiltrating Argent. Always willing to get into the shit, she agrees and soon she joins Mykal, Llewella and Taylor in Paris. They find a hidden entrance to Argent near the Arch de Triumph and penetrate as carefully as they can. They find out Dierdre is enthralled with Corwin by some unknown means and is not likely to leave of her own volition. Plotting ensues.

Later I take my leave and Trump to the fast-time shadow where I have my studio, I rest, recover a bit and do some trump work. I build a trump of my trump-case, so I can retrieve my case from shadow, hopefully intact with my trumps. And also trumps of; a second cabinet with high tech level weaponry in it, my “famous” red armor, and my katana... Spring Breeze. I spend two days here, equaling a half-day in Amber. Then trump back to ShadowEarth to check on Tyler.
He is recovering well and is impatient to be out and about, I dissuade him from pounding Merlin, (at least for now) and we discuss possibilities for a rescue and what that would entail. I leave him with the task of thinking of what tactical plans it would take to attempt a rescue. And I head for Amber.
Once back I present Lady Margali with a painting of the Meeting Room (Throne room?) and her facing King Random. (the viewpoint would be from the side of the room and a bit toward Random’s side, allowing Margali to be mostly frontal while Random is a bit…indistinct) She acts honored that someone would commemorate such a meeting, thanks me, and I take my leave. I do stop to chat with Gerard who is in charge of Margali today, and he starts to say something then stops, glancing at Margali’s (room? We in hallway?) and says to get with him later.

I head to my Townhouse and begin to read up on the information that Uncle Caine retrieved from the prisoner we got from chaos. A bit later Mom trumps me and invites me to come to ShadowEarth. She shows me her detection station and admits that this is how she found Merlin so fast; she has a network of sensitives and equipment throughout the 3 ShadowEarth’s and she begins to make arrangements for transferring responsibility for the one I’m in charge of to my network of people. I do question her setup and we discuss how blocking detection would work, also theoretically blocking any type of detection of trump use, or pattern use, or just presence.
No real breakthroughs though, no epiphany which allows me to avoid all detection of all my family, no matter where I go, darn. Have to do a bit more studious research into such things…later.

While smoothing the transfer in ShadowEarth later I get a trump from my Major-domo in Amber, seems some strangers have appeared in the townhouse, right where I appear from when I pop in. only other trump I have out is held by Andre, better go check. So I pull myself through (he isn’t that strong in trumps yet). It is indeed Andre with another face on, and a young lady friend; both dressed as servants, female servants. I must say, Andre the fishmonger does look strange in a dress. Ahh..for a Kodak that works in Amber, one that shows his true face!!

He states he was on a mission for the crown and had to return on this trump then requests clothes and I accommodate him (not seeing how I could get him to report directly to King Random as he is, drat it) He and his lady friend (never introduced, she was rather attractive, and showing a lot of skin in that outfit, lucky bugger gets all the pretty ones) then depart for debriefing and I calm the household back down, seems Andre appeared as a woman then changed into a man, the guards were a bit shook until I passed it off as magic, making him Appear to be a woman. These guards are a bit more sophisticated and worldly than some of my other retainers in Naipon; magic they have seen a bit of and can understand that a lot of what goes on around Amber is strange, especially around the Royals.

Thinking of my discussion with Tyler, I decide to trump Jade (I pull her through? She pulled me?) and we chat about some stealth requirements of a possible infiltration of Argent. I have to lay out my tentative plan, and we begin serious discussion of the possibility. We trump to ShadowEarth Paris and begin to look for the portal. We do have to use her mother to find the opening for us but between the 3 of us we discover the connection between ShadowEarth’s Paris (one of them) and Argent, Llewella is fascinated, and I know Mom will be getting a report shortly that we are here, even if I am here too. We decide that there is no time like the present, and Jade and I head for Argent to test the waters. We are not detected on entrance (luckily) but there is no telling what will trip whatever defenses Corwin has here. I make a mental snapshot of the entrance here for a later Trump and we move off. We utilize the shadows-will-lie effect and posing as tourist we wander around asking nosy, touristy questions of the locals. Deciding to stay for a longer surveillance we return to the portal, pass back through and brief Llewella on our plans.

So much for a secret entrance to Argent, more than 3 people know it now, it isn’t a secret. I tried to be cagey about where I heard of this entrance from, but I’m sure its not too hard to discern where I got my info, I’ve been in contact with Merlin too much lately for it to be a secret. I’ll just lead them to believe that Merlin let it slip in an effort to support a rescue attempt, but not actively betray his oaths to Argent (as I presented to Tyler).

Who is Serilda Chanicut?

She is a middle ranking member of the Chanicut family, one without a lot of support or friends. Chanicut is one of the Great Houses of Chaos – the ones with access to the Logrus. Chanicut is, according to her, the most honorable, ancient, wisest, etc, etc. House.
The other great Houses are:
--The Royal House of Swayvill
--Helgram, think mages as Scientists and Mad Scientists, led by Duke Loraan
--Hendrake, the largest and most military House, led by Duchess Belissa Minobee
--Sawall, a house known for style and cleverness, led by Duke Gramble
--Jesby, a house known for wisdom and mysticism and personal combat, led by Duke Aerix
--Barimen, the house of Trump Artists, known for careful neutrality and costly agreements, led by Duchess Zenya
--Crane, a house of duelists, diplomats and artists, led by Duke Meliash
--Varda, a house of devious illusionists, led by Duchess Fevera
Lesser Houses number in the dozens. Minobee is one of the most powerful, nearly a Great House, and is known for skill and joy in personal combat.
Serilda hasn’t bothered to check up on current events for some weeks.

Who and what are the Black Watch?

An ancient and generally independant group of powerful meddlers who claim to act for the good of the Courts. They have many agents and contacts, powerful connections and great personal powers. They have acted to weaken kings who have grown too powerful and to strengthen those who are too weak.
--The Adept, Sagramor Loc of House Yrvael ("ire-vah-ell"), of which H. Varda is the surviving fragment.
--The Traveller, Thrann of H. Yrvael
--The Hunter, Alatar of H. Chanicut
--The Seer, Pallandor of H. Helgram
--The Master of Beasts, Gwynn of H. Nith (possibly extinct with his death)

Tyler ignored the magical wards that should have told him he was trespassing into her territory. He should have stopped and signaled for permission to visit or gone around. By not doing so he was seen as offering insult. Chaosian custom expects traveling lords to either know magic or carry the proper equipment. Lords can do nearly whatever they wish to captive intruders. Serious maiming and death will attract the ire of the victim’s family. And, speaking practically, it’s poor practice to create a bad, live enemy.

Serilda views Tyler’s wounds as trivial. The rape, per se, is also trivial but drugging him into cooperating with it and giving up his genetic material is a moderately humiliating stroke. She’s aware he didn’t mean to offend but meant to be sure that she wouldn’t be seen to be weak. Also, some potential Pattern-walker spunk could have value to somebody later on. (She meant to make one kid, on spec, and store the rest.)

Why didn’t she take more precautions against Trump contact?

For the Chanicut and all Houses but that of Barimen, they must get their Trumps from outsiders. Normally one has only place Trumps, of securable points, and Trumps of lackeys made. Only Chaos Lords capable of altering their auras deal with Barimens knowingly. So most LoC’s have limited experience with Trumps. Tyler’s lackeys – his crew—were all dead and she’d taken his cards, so she thought she was safe enough.

What about Tyler’s Trumps?

Caine cut a deal to get them and Tyler’s genetic material back, plus a variety of Courts commonplaces: maps of the Courts (the Black Road network), an etiquette book, a copy of her own peerage guide, copies of amulets for detecting border wards and for answering them. Caine has printed copies of the maps and the books for everyone, handsomely bound in tough leather with his crest on the cover. The amulets are in Random’s hands; Vialle and Fiona are checking them out.

What makes him think she’ll follow through?

Serilda refused, under torture, to reveal any family secrets or break her word. A LoC’s personal word is very important in the Courts. She could be broken, he estimates, but she wouldn’t be useful afterwards. She seems to regard Caine’s torturing her as just business; not quite trivial but not anything worth resenting.

What are House Chanicut’s intentions towards Amber?

So far as she knows, they don’t have any. Amber is an exiled House gone native, barbaric, far away and very dangerous. (In confidence: Good on Amber for kicking Hendrake, Helgram and that would-be despot King Swayvill good and hard.)

How did she take out Tyler and his ship?

He was sailing in the Sea of Blood, which stretches across a whole region of shadow in mostly Chanicut territory. One of Serilda’s strengths is in Blood Sea Elementals. Tyler was hit with, effectively, a sea serpent bigger than his boat.

What about reparations for Tyler’s crew?

Serilda doesn’t really understand the question. She’s willing to pay for them. She’ll replace them with twice their number in trained slaves or some other sort of livestock. She can’t see that they were in any way important.

What is her reaction to the results of Benedict’s Curse?

She’s been out of touch. She felt something strange ripple through and went to a higher stage alertness for a couple of days, but that’s all. Caine didn’t see any point to telling her.

The next day I made it easy to be contacted, strutting around town with my retinue. He contacted me and we had a long private discussion of goals, capabilities and vulnerabilities. He seems a good man and I will undertake to discharge my new duties with efficiency and effectiveness.

One last note…I have learned that one of the King’s agents assigned to watch over Bleys has gone overdue I shall undertake a reconnaissance to locate her without blowing her cover if possible. This should be fun! I get to try a new form or two and put some of my recent training to use.

Martin received the lion’s share of the inheritance, though most of the family was left something of a personal nature. Myself excluded of course, and I do not resent that fact. Keeping a low profile will become increasingly more difficult as time goes on. I am spending most of my time learning the tradecraft of my new occupation. I have much to learn and never enough time to learn it.

As if things were not interesting enough, today I learned Brand is alive and roaming free. I had noticed Fiona and Bleys acting restive at the service for Benedict so I kept an eye on them. After a while, I discovered they had detected an intruder and were intent on stalking him. I poked my nose into it to watch and found myself temporarily abducted by their target, who turned out to be Brand. He exhibited quite impressive control of Pattern during the abduction and at length I found myself having a discussion with him.

He seemed lucid and not at all happy with his current status. He was being hunted and not just by the family. He could have been playing me for a tool, but I sensed he actually did have some regret about Benedict’s passing. He declined to promise any help against Benedict’s killers, but allowed he would take revenge if an opportunity presented itself.

After a short while Fiona and Bleys drew close so Brand left me behind. I was interrogated by the newcomers right away. Life is going to be interesting for a while…

I trump to mom where she is caring for my incapacitated father. We both search him and find 3 trumps, 1 rock and a few magical defensive items. Nothing all that interesting. Mom says he needs a blood transfusion, and I reluctantly agree.

Melisandra and I head off to shadow earth. Flora gave me a trump of one of her men there. I think I need to keep Melisandra out of Rebma for about a week. I go back to my apartment and am escorted by these pathetic excuses for bodyguards. I refuse to let them in. The head of them all is having a fit, so I bring him in and teach him a lesson. Melisandra has fun as well and he agrees that we can take care of ourselves inside, and that they will guard the outside. During the week, I full around by taking acting classes, learning to practice swordplay on the tight rope at the circus along with a few other things. I also sneak into a military facility and play around with a few of their weapons. I check out the mob scene and am not really all that impressed. It’s time to go home.

When Melisandra and I return to Rebma, we discover that Teleri has taken full advantage of our disappearance. Mother is not happy, neither is Melisandra. Teleri has all but placed her own person as the new battle commander. Everything is in chaos. I creatively assassinate Teleri’s person. All think it was done from someone in chaos, thanks to some advice from Vramine. Mother and Melisandra know differently and our pleased, but keep their mouths shut. Now to just get Melisandra to walk the pattern.

A very eventful few days…where to begin? First of all, I undertook a sea voyage as part of my task to act as bait for the chaosian agent. He showed up alright, using glamour to evade detection. I had made prior arrangements with Gerard to trump him in, which I did. Not much was accomplished except that I learned the spy wished to interrogate me and Gerard managed to wound him. He took retribution later by kidnapping Vindalf, whom I presume is now dead. His sister is trying to put up a brave front, but she has obviously been deeply affected.

Of more serious consequence is the imminent demise of Benedict. He was lured into a clever trap by the chaosians and dealt a Pattern death curse that renders him incapable of healing. His death is certain unless some workaround is found. I have volunteered what help I can offer, but I do not expect it to help much.

Postscript: Benedict has perished. Our efforts to heal him were ineffective and he tried to use the Jewel to correct his problem. He failed, and used his last efforts to send forth a curse of his own, simply voiced as “Justice”.