A Rose In The Wind: A Saga of the Halmae -- Updated June 19, 2014
- Thread starter ellinor
- Start date
ellinor
Explorer
19x01
“So,” Kormick began, “last night’s service. That was a bit more. . . rape-y than I expected.”
A warm morning breeze ruffled the window-silks of the sitting room at the Inn of Comfortable Repose, carrying with it the sulfurous aroma of Cauldron—what Nyoko thought of as the aroma of home. Nyoko stifled the urge to explain, once more, the differences between Sovereign and heathen theological history. “It must have seemed. . . . stern . . . to you,” she replied, “although not entirely unexpected, considering who was speaking.”
“The Mother Superior,” Savina replied, making no attempt to contain her contempt.
“Well, I, for one, made an Ehkt’s Rising resolution anyway,” said Twiggy. As Twiggy continued, Nyoko absently touched the newest tattoo on her shoulder, still raw from its inking the night before. It depicted a water lily, symbolizing her experience of being enslaved by the derro and experiencing the Godling’s prophecy at the Spring. For Nyoko, Ehkt’s Folly was a day of dedicating oneself to the law of Kettenek . . . but this year, after the adventures she had personally faced, her celebration did not seem so different from the heathens’ version.
Kormick was talking. “—that’s . . . five bureaucratic leaders, plus four priests . . . in complete secrecy. And Ono is determined that this be done before Sedellus Rising.” He counted on his fingers. “Thirteen weeks. A luxury of time," he said, with only the faintest twist of skeptical sarcasm in his voice. “That’s more than one whole week per co-opting.” He shot a glance at Nyoko. “Co-opting, cajoling, convincing . . . you pick the word.”
“Don’t forget, we still have to research the prophecy,” Twiggy chimed in. “And keep investigating the Tide.”
“No danger of forgetting that,” Kormick replied.
“And don’t forget, no one’s ever actually done this before,” Tavi pointed out.
“Just because it hasn’t been done,” Savina insisted, “doesn’t mean it can’t be.”
Kormick smiled incredulously. “The reason I love you, Savina, is that you see that as a good thing.”
“So, where do we begin?” Tavi asked the group.
“Where one always begins,” suggested Mena. “With research.”
“Aah, Dame Mena, we are not cut from such different cloth,” nodded Kormick. “I agree, research first. True persuasion requires knowing the target’s deepest secrets and weaknesses.” He shot another glance at Nyoko. “Or just their . . . hobbies.”
“So, Nyoko, what can you tell us about the leaders of Cauldron?” asked Tavi.
“Not much, I’m afraid. You know Lord Ono, head of the Inquisition, and you have met Lord Masa, head of the Adepts. The head of Borders is Lord Endo; the head of the Peerage is Lady Chinatsu; the head of the Military is Lady Mochizuki; and the head of Lands is Lord Tanaka. And of course there’s the Mother Superior.”
“And the Synod?”
“There, I’m afraid, I know even less. Sister Sweet Scent leads the Sedellan church, and Brother Funaki Saburo leads the Ehktians. There is no formal Alirrian church in Cauldron, so the Synod member was appointed by the Mother Superior—he’s another Kawazu, Brother Kawazu Isao. And Brother Ono Arato is the Kettenite representative on the Synod; he is the Mother Superior’s Second.”
“Ono?” Tavi asked. “Is he related to Lord Ono?”
“Distantly, I believe, but if they were close, I am sure Lord Ono would have mentioned it.” Nyoko was frustrated that she could only offer scattered pieces of information rather than a complete dossier on each subject, but she knew her lack of knowledge was forgiveable: she had never been involved in politics, and had never had the opportunity to learn about their subjects. But she did know something about the political system itself. “If I may suggest," she said, "it makes sense to take the Rings one-by-one, in order. It will be all the more difficult to convince a leader without having the consent of both rings directly above. We know we act for the Inquisition. If we wish to convince Borders, we should first approach the Adepts.”
“We may not all have to work on the same thing at once,” suggested Mena. “I would like to become familiar with the Ehktians in this city. Heathen Inquisitors getting to know the various local worshippers is a good way to catch the attention of the heads of the Churches… and to assure them that we mean no harm.”
“Young Master Tavi and Mistress Savina should ingratiate themselves to the Peerage as early as possible,” proposed Kormick.
“I might be most useful in the Library researching the prophecy,” said Twiggy, “at least for now.”
“So what are we waiting for?” Kormick gulped the last of the tea in his cup, slammed it down on the table, rose awkwardly from the pillow on which he sat, and lurched toward the sliding door as if to push his way through it.
Nyoko raised her hand in warning, fearing for the lovely rice-paper door panels. “We won’t get very far with any of the leaders unless you spend some time educating yourselves in Sovereign customs,” she said. “I can arrange lessons for you at the Adept House.”
###
Week 1, Monday
“Suki, back straight, chin down. Signor Octavian, use your left hand.”
Tavi was sitting cross-legged on the floor, in a circle with about ten five-year olds dressed in the garb of Adept trainees. Savina sat at Tavi’s left, Kormick at his right. Together, they were learning how to hold a cup of tea.
“Place your thumb in the center of the back of the brush, and stir in a small circular motion, pressing steadily with your thumb.”
“Just like crushing a windpipe,” Kormick observed to the little girl sitting next to him.
She raised her eyebrow.
###
Tuesday
Arden wove through the marketplace, laden with bolts of rich cloth and chiming vials of perfume. “For my mistress,” she said, curtsying to the last in a long line of shopkeepers and darting out a hand to catch a bouquet of ribbons that the movement jostled from among her parcels. “Yes sir, she’s Signora Savina di Infusino. She’s staying here in Cauldron for the summer, with Signor Octavian di Raprezzi and Signora Roseanna di Raprezzi. Yes ma’am, they’re staying at the Inn of Comfortable Repose. The di Raprezzi family is one of the leading families in Pol Henna, you know; they run the teleport network. And the di Infusinos are on the Council there as well. They’re honoring the city with their presence this summer.”
By the time she arrived back at the Inn, she was satisfied to learn that there was already a note inviting Savina to tea the following week.
###
Wednesday
Mena concentrated and tried to settle her nerves. The temple of the Keepers of the Light was a small building, with an Ehktian symbol over the door and a torch burning outside despite the summer sun overhead.
Mena and Rose arrived at noon, in time for prayers. About two dozen people were there for the service, which was led by a Sovereign man in simple garb. Mena was nervous. Was it easier, now, to be in the Keepers’ temple, than it had been in Lord’s Edge? Should it be? The service did not wait for her answer. It was both familiar and strange, and Mena participated in the parts she knew.
After the service, most of the people filed out, leaving the leader and a few others—some Sovereign, some not—in a room lined with books and scrolls. The great Histories, Mena knew. But everyone was staring, eyes focused on the wakizashis that hung at the visitors’ hips. Imagine, if we'd worn our Inquisitors’ robes, thought Mena.
Mena introduced herself. “Greetings to you in the Season of Ehkt. I am Brother Spark, and this is my student, Roseanna.” It felt good to say, she thought, and good to be surrounded by Keepers. Unsettlingly good. But she was not here to feel good. She was not on this earth to feel good. “As you can tell, we are new to Cauldron. We are assisting the Inquisition, here, in implementing the Affirmation.”
The faces in the room were skeptical. Mena would have been skeptical, too. She dug in her memory for a tale from the Histories, one applicable to the current situation. “It is . . . a great challenge, and part of Ehkt’s great tradition of education in adversity, as when Brother Flicker built the library in Pol Thane.”
“Although there, of course,” one of the parishioners said, “the Thaneans already had a thriving Ehktian faith.”
“Yes, but the Keepers of Light were virtually unknown there at the time,” another chimed in. “The Keepers of Flame had all but bullied them out.”
“It’s not the same thing at all,” the first one said, dismissively. “A much better example would be Saint Miles’s debate with Ossified the Just.”
“I considered that,” Mena said, “but given the way that tale ended, I thought a more uplifting story would be preferable.”
“There is the story of the Questor, the Sunblade, and the Keeper of Light, who had to escort a Waterwalker across the desert with the mail…” mused another.
The Thaneans aren’t the only one with a thriving Ehktian faith, thought Mena, you’ve just proved that.
As the Ehktians behind him debated back and forth with one another, the man who had led the service stepped forward with a small smile. “I am Brother Ember. You and your student are welcome to study here.”
###
Thursday
As Twiggy laid out Rose’s wardrobe for the day, her mind was elsewhere—the library of the adepts. This would be her fourth day in a row of wandering the stacks, reading scrolls with Ahiko-san, sorting out what might be the most fruitful lines of research for deciphering the prophecy. Her mind swirled with options for what to look up next. Maybe today we’ll find something we can really use, she thought.
###
Friday
At the end of the week, as they walked to their meeting with Lord Masa, Nyoko had to admit that the heathens’ manners had improved markedly. The sash on Kormick’s robe was tied correctly; Savina walked with the gait of a Sovereign noblewoman; even Tavi’s hummingbird seemed more appropriate, hovering above Tavi’s ear like an origami crane instead of jerking and swooping like a child hiding from his own shadow.
This was to be the first of their meetings with the Heads of the Rings. And, hopefully, it would be met with success. As one of the two Rings up-Circle from the Inquisition, an unfavorable response from the Adepts could hobble their efforts before they even began.
Lord Masa welcomed them with a small bow. “Lord Ono has informed me that you were able to resolve the matter in Hillside District.”
“We were glad to be of assistance,” Savina replied.
“And now we find ourselves in need of your assistance and close counsel,” began Tavi, demonstrating what he had learned with a small, appropriate bow. One by one, the rest of the party followed suit.
“The situation is this, Lord Masa-san,” continued Kormick, more earnest than Nyoko had ever heard him before. “When we came to this city, we did not know what lay before us. Now we have learned that Kettenek needs us here in a way we could not anticipate. You have no doubt heard of the Restless Tide of the One True Path.”
Lord Masa nodded, slightly.
“On our travel to the Hillside District, we learned, most distressingly, that the Tide is active here in Cauldron, betraying the orders of the Lord High Regent and undermining Kettenek’s will. You understand, this goes beyond mere politics. It is a matter of public safety with divine import. We have credible testimony that the leader of the Tide in Cauldron is none other than the Mother Superior. We need your help. We are seeking the support of all of the Rings, and of the Synod, to enforce the will of Kettenek that the Affirmation be the law.”
Lord Masa was silent, and then looked to Nyoko.
“I have Witnessed it, Lord Masa-san,” she said. “Kormick-san speaks the truth.”
A ripple of concern flickered almost imperceptibly on Lord Masa’s face. “Your cause is reasonable,” he began, “and your arguments persuasive.” He paused. “When the Circle is at war with itself, however, it is all the more important for the Ring of the Adepts to be impartial. Therefore, I can tell you with certainty that if you obtain the consent of the other five rings, the Adepts will stand with you, and the Circle will remain complete. For now, we remain neutral.” He took a deep breath. “Thank you for conferring with me.”
Nyoko wished for something more—an “I wish you the best” or an offer of aid. But she knew it would not come.
“One down, eight to go,” said Kormick, as they filed out into the summer sun.
“So,” Kormick began, “last night’s service. That was a bit more. . . rape-y than I expected.”
A warm morning breeze ruffled the window-silks of the sitting room at the Inn of Comfortable Repose, carrying with it the sulfurous aroma of Cauldron—what Nyoko thought of as the aroma of home. Nyoko stifled the urge to explain, once more, the differences between Sovereign and heathen theological history. “It must have seemed. . . . stern . . . to you,” she replied, “although not entirely unexpected, considering who was speaking.”
“The Mother Superior,” Savina replied, making no attempt to contain her contempt.
“Well, I, for one, made an Ehkt’s Rising resolution anyway,” said Twiggy. As Twiggy continued, Nyoko absently touched the newest tattoo on her shoulder, still raw from its inking the night before. It depicted a water lily, symbolizing her experience of being enslaved by the derro and experiencing the Godling’s prophecy at the Spring. For Nyoko, Ehkt’s Folly was a day of dedicating oneself to the law of Kettenek . . . but this year, after the adventures she had personally faced, her celebration did not seem so different from the heathens’ version.
Kormick was talking. “—that’s . . . five bureaucratic leaders, plus four priests . . . in complete secrecy. And Ono is determined that this be done before Sedellus Rising.” He counted on his fingers. “Thirteen weeks. A luxury of time," he said, with only the faintest twist of skeptical sarcasm in his voice. “That’s more than one whole week per co-opting.” He shot a glance at Nyoko. “Co-opting, cajoling, convincing . . . you pick the word.”
“Don’t forget, we still have to research the prophecy,” Twiggy chimed in. “And keep investigating the Tide.”
“No danger of forgetting that,” Kormick replied.
“And don’t forget, no one’s ever actually done this before,” Tavi pointed out.
“Just because it hasn’t been done,” Savina insisted, “doesn’t mean it can’t be.”
Kormick smiled incredulously. “The reason I love you, Savina, is that you see that as a good thing.”
“So, where do we begin?” Tavi asked the group.
“Where one always begins,” suggested Mena. “With research.”
“Aah, Dame Mena, we are not cut from such different cloth,” nodded Kormick. “I agree, research first. True persuasion requires knowing the target’s deepest secrets and weaknesses.” He shot another glance at Nyoko. “Or just their . . . hobbies.”
“So, Nyoko, what can you tell us about the leaders of Cauldron?” asked Tavi.
“Not much, I’m afraid. You know Lord Ono, head of the Inquisition, and you have met Lord Masa, head of the Adepts. The head of Borders is Lord Endo; the head of the Peerage is Lady Chinatsu; the head of the Military is Lady Mochizuki; and the head of Lands is Lord Tanaka. And of course there’s the Mother Superior.”
“And the Synod?”
“There, I’m afraid, I know even less. Sister Sweet Scent leads the Sedellan church, and Brother Funaki Saburo leads the Ehktians. There is no formal Alirrian church in Cauldron, so the Synod member was appointed by the Mother Superior—he’s another Kawazu, Brother Kawazu Isao. And Brother Ono Arato is the Kettenite representative on the Synod; he is the Mother Superior’s Second.”
“Ono?” Tavi asked. “Is he related to Lord Ono?”
“Distantly, I believe, but if they were close, I am sure Lord Ono would have mentioned it.” Nyoko was frustrated that she could only offer scattered pieces of information rather than a complete dossier on each subject, but she knew her lack of knowledge was forgiveable: she had never been involved in politics, and had never had the opportunity to learn about their subjects. But she did know something about the political system itself. “If I may suggest," she said, "it makes sense to take the Rings one-by-one, in order. It will be all the more difficult to convince a leader without having the consent of both rings directly above. We know we act for the Inquisition. If we wish to convince Borders, we should first approach the Adepts.”
“We may not all have to work on the same thing at once,” suggested Mena. “I would like to become familiar with the Ehktians in this city. Heathen Inquisitors getting to know the various local worshippers is a good way to catch the attention of the heads of the Churches… and to assure them that we mean no harm.”
“Young Master Tavi and Mistress Savina should ingratiate themselves to the Peerage as early as possible,” proposed Kormick.
“I might be most useful in the Library researching the prophecy,” said Twiggy, “at least for now.”
“So what are we waiting for?” Kormick gulped the last of the tea in his cup, slammed it down on the table, rose awkwardly from the pillow on which he sat, and lurched toward the sliding door as if to push his way through it.
Nyoko raised her hand in warning, fearing for the lovely rice-paper door panels. “We won’t get very far with any of the leaders unless you spend some time educating yourselves in Sovereign customs,” she said. “I can arrange lessons for you at the Adept House.”
###
Week 1, Monday
“Suki, back straight, chin down. Signor Octavian, use your left hand.”
Tavi was sitting cross-legged on the floor, in a circle with about ten five-year olds dressed in the garb of Adept trainees. Savina sat at Tavi’s left, Kormick at his right. Together, they were learning how to hold a cup of tea.
“Place your thumb in the center of the back of the brush, and stir in a small circular motion, pressing steadily with your thumb.”
“Just like crushing a windpipe,” Kormick observed to the little girl sitting next to him.
She raised her eyebrow.
###
Tuesday
Arden wove through the marketplace, laden with bolts of rich cloth and chiming vials of perfume. “For my mistress,” she said, curtsying to the last in a long line of shopkeepers and darting out a hand to catch a bouquet of ribbons that the movement jostled from among her parcels. “Yes sir, she’s Signora Savina di Infusino. She’s staying here in Cauldron for the summer, with Signor Octavian di Raprezzi and Signora Roseanna di Raprezzi. Yes ma’am, they’re staying at the Inn of Comfortable Repose. The di Raprezzi family is one of the leading families in Pol Henna, you know; they run the teleport network. And the di Infusinos are on the Council there as well. They’re honoring the city with their presence this summer.”
By the time she arrived back at the Inn, she was satisfied to learn that there was already a note inviting Savina to tea the following week.
###
Wednesday
Mena concentrated and tried to settle her nerves. The temple of the Keepers of the Light was a small building, with an Ehktian symbol over the door and a torch burning outside despite the summer sun overhead.
Mena and Rose arrived at noon, in time for prayers. About two dozen people were there for the service, which was led by a Sovereign man in simple garb. Mena was nervous. Was it easier, now, to be in the Keepers’ temple, than it had been in Lord’s Edge? Should it be? The service did not wait for her answer. It was both familiar and strange, and Mena participated in the parts she knew.
After the service, most of the people filed out, leaving the leader and a few others—some Sovereign, some not—in a room lined with books and scrolls. The great Histories, Mena knew. But everyone was staring, eyes focused on the wakizashis that hung at the visitors’ hips. Imagine, if we'd worn our Inquisitors’ robes, thought Mena.
Mena introduced herself. “Greetings to you in the Season of Ehkt. I am Brother Spark, and this is my student, Roseanna.” It felt good to say, she thought, and good to be surrounded by Keepers. Unsettlingly good. But she was not here to feel good. She was not on this earth to feel good. “As you can tell, we are new to Cauldron. We are assisting the Inquisition, here, in implementing the Affirmation.”
The faces in the room were skeptical. Mena would have been skeptical, too. She dug in her memory for a tale from the Histories, one applicable to the current situation. “It is . . . a great challenge, and part of Ehkt’s great tradition of education in adversity, as when Brother Flicker built the library in Pol Thane.”
“Although there, of course,” one of the parishioners said, “the Thaneans already had a thriving Ehktian faith.”
“Yes, but the Keepers of Light were virtually unknown there at the time,” another chimed in. “The Keepers of Flame had all but bullied them out.”
“It’s not the same thing at all,” the first one said, dismissively. “A much better example would be Saint Miles’s debate with Ossified the Just.”
“I considered that,” Mena said, “but given the way that tale ended, I thought a more uplifting story would be preferable.”
“There is the story of the Questor, the Sunblade, and the Keeper of Light, who had to escort a Waterwalker across the desert with the mail…” mused another.
The Thaneans aren’t the only one with a thriving Ehktian faith, thought Mena, you’ve just proved that.
As the Ehktians behind him debated back and forth with one another, the man who had led the service stepped forward with a small smile. “I am Brother Ember. You and your student are welcome to study here.”
###
Thursday
As Twiggy laid out Rose’s wardrobe for the day, her mind was elsewhere—the library of the adepts. This would be her fourth day in a row of wandering the stacks, reading scrolls with Ahiko-san, sorting out what might be the most fruitful lines of research for deciphering the prophecy. Her mind swirled with options for what to look up next. Maybe today we’ll find something we can really use, she thought.
###
Friday
At the end of the week, as they walked to their meeting with Lord Masa, Nyoko had to admit that the heathens’ manners had improved markedly. The sash on Kormick’s robe was tied correctly; Savina walked with the gait of a Sovereign noblewoman; even Tavi’s hummingbird seemed more appropriate, hovering above Tavi’s ear like an origami crane instead of jerking and swooping like a child hiding from his own shadow.
This was to be the first of their meetings with the Heads of the Rings. And, hopefully, it would be met with success. As one of the two Rings up-Circle from the Inquisition, an unfavorable response from the Adepts could hobble their efforts before they even began.
Lord Masa welcomed them with a small bow. “Lord Ono has informed me that you were able to resolve the matter in Hillside District.”
“We were glad to be of assistance,” Savina replied.
“And now we find ourselves in need of your assistance and close counsel,” began Tavi, demonstrating what he had learned with a small, appropriate bow. One by one, the rest of the party followed suit.
“The situation is this, Lord Masa-san,” continued Kormick, more earnest than Nyoko had ever heard him before. “When we came to this city, we did not know what lay before us. Now we have learned that Kettenek needs us here in a way we could not anticipate. You have no doubt heard of the Restless Tide of the One True Path.”
Lord Masa nodded, slightly.
“On our travel to the Hillside District, we learned, most distressingly, that the Tide is active here in Cauldron, betraying the orders of the Lord High Regent and undermining Kettenek’s will. You understand, this goes beyond mere politics. It is a matter of public safety with divine import. We have credible testimony that the leader of the Tide in Cauldron is none other than the Mother Superior. We need your help. We are seeking the support of all of the Rings, and of the Synod, to enforce the will of Kettenek that the Affirmation be the law.”
Lord Masa was silent, and then looked to Nyoko.
“I have Witnessed it, Lord Masa-san,” she said. “Kormick-san speaks the truth.”
A ripple of concern flickered almost imperceptibly on Lord Masa’s face. “Your cause is reasonable,” he began, “and your arguments persuasive.” He paused. “When the Circle is at war with itself, however, it is all the more important for the Ring of the Adepts to be impartial. Therefore, I can tell you with certainty that if you obtain the consent of the other five rings, the Adepts will stand with you, and the Circle will remain complete. For now, we remain neutral.” He took a deep breath. “Thank you for conferring with me.”
Nyoko wished for something more—an “I wish you the best” or an offer of aid. But she knew it would not come.
“One down, eight to go,” said Kormick, as they filed out into the summer sun.
I can only echo what others have said -- this whole Skill Cascade idea is brilliant, and I can't wait to see how it works out. (Although if it took 14 sessions, that'll take a while... 
)
Meanwhile, I've now updated the Collected Story Hour site up to the end of session 18. I've also taken the opportunity to reorganise the files so that rather than lots of small, individual chapters, the story is now gathered into somewhat larger chunks. And I've added a link to the complete Story Hour in one file for those who want to download the whole thing at once.
)Meanwhile, I've now updated the Collected Story Hour site up to the end of session 18. I've also taken the opportunity to reorganise the files so that rather than lots of small, individual chapters, the story is now gathered into somewhat larger chunks. And I've added a link to the complete Story Hour in one file for those who want to download the whole thing at once.
ellinor
Explorer
19x02
On Sunday night, Nyoko lay awake on her mat at the Inn of Comfortable Repose, cataloguing the events of the last week in her mind and dreaming, ever so slightly, of the dormitories in the Adept House. Here at the Inn, the others had turned in for the evening. The Adept House would still be bustling, she knew, as no one went to bed before the Midnight services. But she was needed here, to Witness the heathens’ inquest and, in the end, to Testify.
To say this inquest was unusual was understating the matter considerably. Not just because of its ambitious nature, but also because of the shortage of information at hand. Gradually, the Inquisitors were remedying that. Kormick had volunteered to investigate the Military; Savina had—fittingly—volunteered to find out more about the Alirrians. Tavi would work toward establishing himself in Cauldron society, as Savina had begun to do, which would give them access to information on a variety of topics. Mena would continue making friends with the Ehktians; and Twiggy would continue her library research. So far, they knew little. By this time next week, Nyoko hoped, they would know more.
The prayer bells rang their call to services. Nyoko heeded them.
Week 2, Monday
I know a cop bar when I see one, thought Kormick, and that’s a cop bar. Let’s see what we can learn.
Inside The Inn Of Temporary Respite, a few men and women—some in military uniforms, some in civilian clothes, but with the formal bearing of those for whom “off-duty” had little meaning— sat at low tables, drinking rice wine and laughing. Kormick plunked down at an empty table and ordered “some of that clear rice wine and some of those salty, crunchy things, what are they called…”
“Wontons,” said the barman.
“Yes, those. And some rice wine,” he repeated.
After a few drinks—and after realizing, not for the first time, This Sovereign rice wine is really quite a fascinating beverage—Kormick slid toward the table beside him and listened. The foursome was chatting about their commanding officer, who had apparently reprimanded one of their number with, Kormick gathered, debatable cause.
“Sergeants,” he interjected. “They’re the same everywhere. I’m from Dar Und, and I bet your stories and my stories are exactly the same.” He bowed in the slightly-drunk version of what Nyoko’s colleagues had taught him. “Kormick.”
They introduced themselves, with looks that said “this man is genially crazy.” Just so, thought Kormick.
“But the big bosses,” Kormick continued, “the big bosses are the ones you really have to look out for. Less likely to yell, more likely to stab. And never as smart as they think they are.”
“There is where we differ, Kormick-san,” said a young man who had introduced himself as Chibu. “Our ‘big boss,’ Lady Mochizuki, is smart beyond telling. She is a wise commander, and a strategic expert. They say she is the best at playing Go since Rikitaru himself.”
“Playing Go? Does she go, or does she stay?”
They rolled their eyes with the “genially crazy” look again. “Go is a game of strategy, played with pieces on a board. People play it in their homes, at gathering places, and in tournaments. Lady Mochizuki has won many tournaments. She is favored to win the tournament on Ehkt’s Judgment,” Chibu continued.
“Tournament?”
“Yes.” Another of the soldiers jumped in. “On Ehkt’s Judgment there are all sorts of competitions. Wrestling, arcane wrestling, feats of strength, feats of endurance . . . and Go. It is a great festival. You will still be in Cauldron for Ehkt’s Judgment, then?”
“Without doubt,” replied Kormick.
###
Tuesday
Mena walked into the Temple of the Keepers of the Flame. Like the Temple of the Keepers of the Light, it bore an Ehktian symbol on the doorframe and a torch outside.
In all other respects, they could not have been more different. The athletic aromas of sweat and exertion hit Mena as soon as the door opened. A few Sovereign men gathered inside; some were doing calisthenics, others were wrestling in a style Mena had not seen before.
“I am Brother Spark,” said Mena to one, after he had grasped his opponent’s belt and pushed the large man down just outside a circle inscribed on the ground. “Can you show me how to do that move?”
###
Wednesday
Tavi looked out onto the courtyard of the Adept House. It was a lovely summer afternoon, and a brief but welcome respite from his rigorous program of training in Sovereign etiquette and spreading rumors about himself.
A necessary respite, Tavi thought, as he put down his pen, sealed the envelope with a small ball of wax, and wrote “Diego di Raprezzi, di Raprezzi estate, Pol Henna” in neat letters on the front. I would have liked to write this sooner.
Tavi envied Kormick’s ability to send letters via the teleport network—nearly every day, the Justicar teleported missives to Brother Scribe and, Tavi assumed, whomever Kormick reported to in King Four Fathom’s cohort—but that was not an option for Tavi. His mother would certainly be intercepting anything that came through that way. But, teleport or not, this had to be sent now: Tavi could not depend on his brother returning to Cauldron, and this was a matter of some delicacy, requiring that groundwork be laid before Tavi returned to Pol Henna. He would have to entrust the note to the Water Walkers’ mail system. After all, that was how Savina posted letters to her father—Tavi had seen her do so just the day before. And Mother probably hasn’t co-opted the Water Walkers . . . Tavi thought.
###
Thursday
Savina put on a new dress, made of lovely new Sovereign silk, and went to Tea. Parties in Cauldron, she soon learned, were different from parties in Pol Henna—quieter, and with different beverages—but also the same. As in Pol Henna, the servants and slaves stood in the corners, quietly gossiping with each other. Arden was there now, watching, listening, smiling a little at one point, frowning and murmuring something else at another. I wonder what they talk about, Savina thought idly, as she introduced herself to their host.
And as in Pol Henna, the partygoers sipped beverages and discussed matters of the day. Today, the matter was Savina. Where was she from? What had brought her to Cauldron? Where was she staying? What did she expect to do with her time here? Savina answered, happily. The partygoers were lovely people, and their interest was genuine. Savina felt comfortable with them, with high society. She could get used to this, she thought.
“Where are all the Alirrians?” she asked, when it was her turn to ask questions. “I mean, since the Affirmation, I would think there would be Alirrians. Where are they?”
The room was quiet.
Finally, one young woman explained. “It’s not that there aren’t any, it’s just that . . . there aren’t any. Because of that unpleasantness years ago, you know. There are rumors of Alirrians who call themselves the Underground River, but there are no Alirrian temples, so they’d have nowhere to go.”
“But . . . what about the leader of the Alirrians, in the Synod? Where does he worship?”
“Brother Trickling Fountain?” the girl smiled, clearly amused by Savina’s question. “There weren’t any Alirrians available, so the Mother Superior appointed one of her nephews. Kawazu Isao.”
“Oh.” Savina bit her lip. “Who does the healing in Cauldron, then?”
The partygoers explained that several groups shared responsibility for healing in Cauldron. Many Adepts were skilled at healing and massage; the Extinguishers of the Flame also concerned themselves with health matters, and of course there were the Twilight Sisters, who dealt with the seriously ill. Savina nodded and listened politely, but on the inside, she felt cold.
I was wrong. I can’t get used to this, Savina thought.
###
Friday
Twiggy stood up to stretch out the crick in her neck. The cushioned benches in the library were remarkable—Twiggy’s back felt better than it should, after two weeks of daily study in the Adepts’ library—but the only cure for this stiff neck would be an answer to something in the prophecy, and so far, the books were not forthcoming. She had been focusing on histories that might shed light on the Sheh, or the madwoman who had been killing baby girls 75 years ago, whose ravings had sounded like the prophecy . . . but all she had really learned was that the Sheh was a tribe that had lived in the Ketkath, that had, with much effort by the Inquisition, ultimately been eradicated. It didn’t feel like much of a research victory. And Twiggy’s neck hurt.
The loremaster, Ahiko, returned with yet another tome as big as his torso. Twiggy couldn’t stand it. “Ahiko-san,” she asked, thinking of Kormick's news about the head of the Military ring, “are you familiar with the game of Go?”
The loremaster’s wizened face brightened and grew a grin. “My dear heathen lady,” he bubbled, “have you been experiencing our pastimes?”
“No,” Twiggy offered, “but I think I would like to.”
Ahiko pulled a wooden board and a pouch of white and black pebbles from behind his desk. “You’ll be a natural, Twiggy-san,” he said, placing the board on the library table to reveal a scored grid-shape on its face. “I’m sure of it.”
###
Saturday
As the second week of summer drew to a close, Tavi assessed the group’s progress. Everything was groundwork, he thought. No measurable progress on the Tide or the Prophecy. He was musing about how he might speed up the process of making contact with Borders when the party was summoned by Lord Ono.
Ono looked even more exhausted than he had before. Rucksacks under the eyes, Tavi thought. Not a good sign.
Nyoko offered Lord Ono a pouch of high-quality tea from the Adept house. Ono opened the pouch and took a deep, satisfying sniff. “Bless you,” he said, with a deep sigh, and set the tea atop a precarious mountain of papers, touching it gently as if willing it to stay in place.
“More problems,” he said. “There was an incident last night. The Clerk’s office was broken into, and the files on our prisoner were ransacked. The man is buried in paperwork and dungeons . . . but some way, somehow, someone knows he is here."
On Sunday night, Nyoko lay awake on her mat at the Inn of Comfortable Repose, cataloguing the events of the last week in her mind and dreaming, ever so slightly, of the dormitories in the Adept House. Here at the Inn, the others had turned in for the evening. The Adept House would still be bustling, she knew, as no one went to bed before the Midnight services. But she was needed here, to Witness the heathens’ inquest and, in the end, to Testify.
To say this inquest was unusual was understating the matter considerably. Not just because of its ambitious nature, but also because of the shortage of information at hand. Gradually, the Inquisitors were remedying that. Kormick had volunteered to investigate the Military; Savina had—fittingly—volunteered to find out more about the Alirrians. Tavi would work toward establishing himself in Cauldron society, as Savina had begun to do, which would give them access to information on a variety of topics. Mena would continue making friends with the Ehktians; and Twiggy would continue her library research. So far, they knew little. By this time next week, Nyoko hoped, they would know more.
The prayer bells rang their call to services. Nyoko heeded them.
Week 2, Monday
I know a cop bar when I see one, thought Kormick, and that’s a cop bar. Let’s see what we can learn.
Inside The Inn Of Temporary Respite, a few men and women—some in military uniforms, some in civilian clothes, but with the formal bearing of those for whom “off-duty” had little meaning— sat at low tables, drinking rice wine and laughing. Kormick plunked down at an empty table and ordered “some of that clear rice wine and some of those salty, crunchy things, what are they called…”
“Wontons,” said the barman.
“Yes, those. And some rice wine,” he repeated.
After a few drinks—and after realizing, not for the first time, This Sovereign rice wine is really quite a fascinating beverage—Kormick slid toward the table beside him and listened. The foursome was chatting about their commanding officer, who had apparently reprimanded one of their number with, Kormick gathered, debatable cause.
“Sergeants,” he interjected. “They’re the same everywhere. I’m from Dar Und, and I bet your stories and my stories are exactly the same.” He bowed in the slightly-drunk version of what Nyoko’s colleagues had taught him. “Kormick.”
They introduced themselves, with looks that said “this man is genially crazy.” Just so, thought Kormick.
“But the big bosses,” Kormick continued, “the big bosses are the ones you really have to look out for. Less likely to yell, more likely to stab. And never as smart as they think they are.”
“There is where we differ, Kormick-san,” said a young man who had introduced himself as Chibu. “Our ‘big boss,’ Lady Mochizuki, is smart beyond telling. She is a wise commander, and a strategic expert. They say she is the best at playing Go since Rikitaru himself.”
“Playing Go? Does she go, or does she stay?”
They rolled their eyes with the “genially crazy” look again. “Go is a game of strategy, played with pieces on a board. People play it in their homes, at gathering places, and in tournaments. Lady Mochizuki has won many tournaments. She is favored to win the tournament on Ehkt’s Judgment,” Chibu continued.
“Tournament?”
“Yes.” Another of the soldiers jumped in. “On Ehkt’s Judgment there are all sorts of competitions. Wrestling, arcane wrestling, feats of strength, feats of endurance . . . and Go. It is a great festival. You will still be in Cauldron for Ehkt’s Judgment, then?”
“Without doubt,” replied Kormick.
###
Tuesday
Mena walked into the Temple of the Keepers of the Flame. Like the Temple of the Keepers of the Light, it bore an Ehktian symbol on the doorframe and a torch outside.
In all other respects, they could not have been more different. The athletic aromas of sweat and exertion hit Mena as soon as the door opened. A few Sovereign men gathered inside; some were doing calisthenics, others were wrestling in a style Mena had not seen before.
“I am Brother Spark,” said Mena to one, after he had grasped his opponent’s belt and pushed the large man down just outside a circle inscribed on the ground. “Can you show me how to do that move?”
###
Wednesday
Tavi looked out onto the courtyard of the Adept House. It was a lovely summer afternoon, and a brief but welcome respite from his rigorous program of training in Sovereign etiquette and spreading rumors about himself.
A necessary respite, Tavi thought, as he put down his pen, sealed the envelope with a small ball of wax, and wrote “Diego di Raprezzi, di Raprezzi estate, Pol Henna” in neat letters on the front. I would have liked to write this sooner.
Tavi envied Kormick’s ability to send letters via the teleport network—nearly every day, the Justicar teleported missives to Brother Scribe and, Tavi assumed, whomever Kormick reported to in King Four Fathom’s cohort—but that was not an option for Tavi. His mother would certainly be intercepting anything that came through that way. But, teleport or not, this had to be sent now: Tavi could not depend on his brother returning to Cauldron, and this was a matter of some delicacy, requiring that groundwork be laid before Tavi returned to Pol Henna. He would have to entrust the note to the Water Walkers’ mail system. After all, that was how Savina posted letters to her father—Tavi had seen her do so just the day before. And Mother probably hasn’t co-opted the Water Walkers . . . Tavi thought.
###
Thursday
Savina put on a new dress, made of lovely new Sovereign silk, and went to Tea. Parties in Cauldron, she soon learned, were different from parties in Pol Henna—quieter, and with different beverages—but also the same. As in Pol Henna, the servants and slaves stood in the corners, quietly gossiping with each other. Arden was there now, watching, listening, smiling a little at one point, frowning and murmuring something else at another. I wonder what they talk about, Savina thought idly, as she introduced herself to their host.
And as in Pol Henna, the partygoers sipped beverages and discussed matters of the day. Today, the matter was Savina. Where was she from? What had brought her to Cauldron? Where was she staying? What did she expect to do with her time here? Savina answered, happily. The partygoers were lovely people, and their interest was genuine. Savina felt comfortable with them, with high society. She could get used to this, she thought.
“Where are all the Alirrians?” she asked, when it was her turn to ask questions. “I mean, since the Affirmation, I would think there would be Alirrians. Where are they?”
The room was quiet.
Finally, one young woman explained. “It’s not that there aren’t any, it’s just that . . . there aren’t any. Because of that unpleasantness years ago, you know. There are rumors of Alirrians who call themselves the Underground River, but there are no Alirrian temples, so they’d have nowhere to go.”
“But . . . what about the leader of the Alirrians, in the Synod? Where does he worship?”
“Brother Trickling Fountain?” the girl smiled, clearly amused by Savina’s question. “There weren’t any Alirrians available, so the Mother Superior appointed one of her nephews. Kawazu Isao.”
“Oh.” Savina bit her lip. “Who does the healing in Cauldron, then?”
The partygoers explained that several groups shared responsibility for healing in Cauldron. Many Adepts were skilled at healing and massage; the Extinguishers of the Flame also concerned themselves with health matters, and of course there were the Twilight Sisters, who dealt with the seriously ill. Savina nodded and listened politely, but on the inside, she felt cold.
I was wrong. I can’t get used to this, Savina thought.
###
Friday
Twiggy stood up to stretch out the crick in her neck. The cushioned benches in the library were remarkable—Twiggy’s back felt better than it should, after two weeks of daily study in the Adepts’ library—but the only cure for this stiff neck would be an answer to something in the prophecy, and so far, the books were not forthcoming. She had been focusing on histories that might shed light on the Sheh, or the madwoman who had been killing baby girls 75 years ago, whose ravings had sounded like the prophecy . . . but all she had really learned was that the Sheh was a tribe that had lived in the Ketkath, that had, with much effort by the Inquisition, ultimately been eradicated. It didn’t feel like much of a research victory. And Twiggy’s neck hurt.
The loremaster, Ahiko, returned with yet another tome as big as his torso. Twiggy couldn’t stand it. “Ahiko-san,” she asked, thinking of Kormick's news about the head of the Military ring, “are you familiar with the game of Go?”
The loremaster’s wizened face brightened and grew a grin. “My dear heathen lady,” he bubbled, “have you been experiencing our pastimes?”
“No,” Twiggy offered, “but I think I would like to.”
Ahiko pulled a wooden board and a pouch of white and black pebbles from behind his desk. “You’ll be a natural, Twiggy-san,” he said, placing the board on the library table to reveal a scored grid-shape on its face. “I’m sure of it.”
###
Saturday
As the second week of summer drew to a close, Tavi assessed the group’s progress. Everything was groundwork, he thought. No measurable progress on the Tide or the Prophecy. He was musing about how he might speed up the process of making contact with Borders when the party was summoned by Lord Ono.
Ono looked even more exhausted than he had before. Rucksacks under the eyes, Tavi thought. Not a good sign.
Nyoko offered Lord Ono a pouch of high-quality tea from the Adept house. Ono opened the pouch and took a deep, satisfying sniff. “Bless you,” he said, with a deep sigh, and set the tea atop a precarious mountain of papers, touching it gently as if willing it to stay in place.
“More problems,” he said. “There was an incident last night. The Clerk’s office was broken into, and the files on our prisoner were ransacked. The man is buried in paperwork and dungeons . . . but some way, somehow, someone knows he is here."
ellinor
Explorer
And a DM's Note
From Fajitas:
As an example of the Skill Cascade mechanics at work, the information that Kormick obtained about Lady Mochizuki at the Inn of Teporary Respite opened up a new Skill Challenge in the Cascade: “Learn Go”.
By learning to play Go, one PC could attempt to draw the attention of Lady Mochizuki, the Head of the Ring of the Military, hopefully enticing her into challenging them to a one-on-one game that would serve as the perfect cover to secretly talk to her about going the Long Way around the Circle. This was a multi-step challenge: the PC engaging the challenge would first have to learn Go, and then during the games at Ehkt Rising (or to Sovereigns, "Ehkt's Judgment"), would have to *play* Go well enough to draw Lady Mochizuki’s attention…
From Fajitas:
As an example of the Skill Cascade mechanics at work, the information that Kormick obtained about Lady Mochizuki at the Inn of Teporary Respite opened up a new Skill Challenge in the Cascade: “Learn Go”.
By learning to play Go, one PC could attempt to draw the attention of Lady Mochizuki, the Head of the Ring of the Military, hopefully enticing her into challenging them to a one-on-one game that would serve as the perfect cover to secretly talk to her about going the Long Way around the Circle. This was a multi-step challenge: the PC engaging the challenge would first have to learn Go, and then during the games at Ehkt Rising (or to Sovereigns, "Ehkt's Judgment"), would have to *play* Go well enough to draw Lady Mochizuki’s attention…
Waitaminute.... am I remembering the Sheh from Welcome to the Helmae? Were they the undead behind the kingdom of skeletons thing? (I loved the kingdom of skeletons - skeletons farming and skeletal chickens!)
ellinor
Explorer
Thanks, Seonaid!
And ooh, Rughat, that's a great question, to which I don't know the answer. The original inhabitants of Bountiful were a tribe of Go'nah-li (that is, Old Ones) and so was the Sheh -- but I don't know whether they were the same tribe of Go'nah-li. Somehow I suspect not -- but only Fajitas knows for sure
Regardless, the PCs certainly don't know. Dona Giovanna was quite sparing in her descriptions of her adventures in the Ketkath. It was pretty much bedtime stories and the occasional threat. So we only know the broad swathes, not the details.
As a side note, one of the broad swathes that we *do* know is the basic truth that Inquisitors=Bad Guys. We can only imagine her apoplexy at learning from Diego that her son and daughter, their servant, and their teacher are now working for the *Inquisition* in Cauldron. That is...if Diego told her.
And ooh, Rughat, that's a great question, to which I don't know the answer. The original inhabitants of Bountiful were a tribe of Go'nah-li (that is, Old Ones) and so was the Sheh -- but I don't know whether they were the same tribe of Go'nah-li. Somehow I suspect not -- but only Fajitas knows for sure
Regardless, the PCs certainly don't know. Dona Giovanna was quite sparing in her descriptions of her adventures in the Ketkath. It was pretty much bedtime stories and the occasional threat. So we only know the broad swathes, not the details.
As a side note, one of the broad swathes that we *do* know is the basic truth that Inquisitors=Bad Guys. We can only imagine her apoplexy at learning from Diego that her son and daughter, their servant, and their teacher are now working for the *Inquisition* in Cauldron. That is...if Diego told her.
Similar Threads
