Session 86 (April 5, 2017)
28 Tar Skard
In the morning, Alistair and Kit sleep in to a reasonable-ish time, at which point Dame Brionna wakes them.
Dame Brionna had a briefing from one of her sister’s functionaries, the Underminister of Protocol. She did a great deal of research into previous visits.
Traditionally, the entourage is mostly composed of layfolk but includes clergy; at least one bishop, but not the Archbishop; Canberry wants to convey respect but not be ostentatious; guards should be Dame Brionna plus 4 to 8 knights. (4 would imply unconcerned and confident; 8 would imply active protection.) The lay members should include precisely one of an allied faith. At least one of the lay members should be extremely devout, especially if others are not sufficiently devout. At the first religious service, Alistair should offer the Intention—which should be general and spontaneous, but pointed and political, but not focused. There will be a number of meals; Kit and Dame Brionna will attend. Alistair's portions will be served from the Patriarch’s platter; the Patriarch’s taster will taste those, so Alistair's won’t but will still taste his drinks. At meals, the Council can’t discuss serious issues, but can use double entendres. Private audiences with the Blessed can be completely candid and honest.
Alistair raises the question of whether the Queen should attend--they resolve to ask the Underminister of Protocol.
They also discuss that they should make sure that Kit’s membership in the Church is perfectly regular; Bishop Waters will take care of it.
They speak to the Tree and the fey about the connection to the Land. The Tor is speaking to other Tors; the other Tors agree. The Tors are tied to the land, and the connection to the land can only be spread with the agreement of the Tors.
"Could we bring the protection with us when traveling abroad?"
"Depends on where you are going."
"The Isle of Light, on Zest'qua."
"The land is dead. There was an ancient Tor there, but they have been long forth driven away and slain and the Tor destroyed. With no Tor to appeal to, there is no way to extend the protection."
The Tree and the fey produce a talisman that will, for 2-6 weeks, provide a +10 stamina bonus to protect Alistair. Bringing food from Canberry will help, but it will only help, and the protection will fade with time.
Kit briefs the Council on a message she received [attached]: "We have some agents in Parton; we share information from those agents to the Holy See. The representatives of Sytry and Whimsy are both jockeying for power; it seems like there is greater animosity between them than previously. There have also been two attacks on the offices of the Temple of Gunnora; we don’t know who launched the attacks, although the Gunnorans trapped some of the attackers in the basement. There have been reports of poisoned salt; also, poisoned vinegar. The city authorities found the culprits; they hanged three merchants. A lot were passing tainted goods without knowing what they were doing. There was also a spy in the embassy of Light. One of my people has a lens of true seeing, and saw an invisible intruder. They tried to capture the creature, couldn’t take it alive, body disintegrated into a mass of acidic goo (consistent with killing a Seen-Unseen). They found its hideout, with a psionic recording crystal. Nobody on staff there is powerful enough to retrieve the information."
The Council talks with the Archbishop, and conclude that Bishop Simmons needs to be reassigned from his position as ambassador to the Ecumenical Council; they plan to recruit the Proctor General of the Order of the Misty Dawn to make the case that Bishop Simmons is needed as the chief of supply for the martial orders, because Bishop Simmons is talented at logistics but not at politics.
Bishop Simmons is the third son of the former ruler of Tarkenia. So as he advanced, he became a bishop and received a highly honorable and public position. The high ranks of the Church of Glor’diadel are filled with nobles, and largely advanced from positions within the curia. The Council remains two-thirds members of the curia; most of the archbishops are not on the Council, and diocesan bishops are considered undesirable for nobles, because they do not advance, even to archbishop. The Patriarch was selected because he was pious, and expected to be ineffective. He has been more effective than expected, but most of his best privy councilors die on travel. The Archbishop offers to make an introduction between Kit and the Minister of Security, who he assures us is reliable.
The Archbishop also tells us that anyone that the Patriarch introduces their his first name can be trusted; any who are introduced by their full title should be treated with extreme caution.
[cont'd]
28 Tar Skard
In the morning, Alistair and Kit sleep in to a reasonable-ish time, at which point Dame Brionna wakes them.
Dame Brionna had a briefing from one of her sister’s functionaries, the Underminister of Protocol. She did a great deal of research into previous visits.
Traditionally, the entourage is mostly composed of layfolk but includes clergy; at least one bishop, but not the Archbishop; Canberry wants to convey respect but not be ostentatious; guards should be Dame Brionna plus 4 to 8 knights. (4 would imply unconcerned and confident; 8 would imply active protection.) The lay members should include precisely one of an allied faith. At least one of the lay members should be extremely devout, especially if others are not sufficiently devout. At the first religious service, Alistair should offer the Intention—which should be general and spontaneous, but pointed and political, but not focused. There will be a number of meals; Kit and Dame Brionna will attend. Alistair's portions will be served from the Patriarch’s platter; the Patriarch’s taster will taste those, so Alistair's won’t but will still taste his drinks. At meals, the Council can’t discuss serious issues, but can use double entendres. Private audiences with the Blessed can be completely candid and honest.
Alistair raises the question of whether the Queen should attend--they resolve to ask the Underminister of Protocol.
They also discuss that they should make sure that Kit’s membership in the Church is perfectly regular; Bishop Waters will take care of it.
They speak to the Tree and the fey about the connection to the Land. The Tor is speaking to other Tors; the other Tors agree. The Tors are tied to the land, and the connection to the land can only be spread with the agreement of the Tors.
"Could we bring the protection with us when traveling abroad?"
"Depends on where you are going."
"The Isle of Light, on Zest'qua."
"The land is dead. There was an ancient Tor there, but they have been long forth driven away and slain and the Tor destroyed. With no Tor to appeal to, there is no way to extend the protection."
The Tree and the fey produce a talisman that will, for 2-6 weeks, provide a +10 stamina bonus to protect Alistair. Bringing food from Canberry will help, but it will only help, and the protection will fade with time.
Kit briefs the Council on a message she received [attached]: "We have some agents in Parton; we share information from those agents to the Holy See. The representatives of Sytry and Whimsy are both jockeying for power; it seems like there is greater animosity between them than previously. There have also been two attacks on the offices of the Temple of Gunnora; we don’t know who launched the attacks, although the Gunnorans trapped some of the attackers in the basement. There have been reports of poisoned salt; also, poisoned vinegar. The city authorities found the culprits; they hanged three merchants. A lot were passing tainted goods without knowing what they were doing. There was also a spy in the embassy of Light. One of my people has a lens of true seeing, and saw an invisible intruder. They tried to capture the creature, couldn’t take it alive, body disintegrated into a mass of acidic goo (consistent with killing a Seen-Unseen). They found its hideout, with a psionic recording crystal. Nobody on staff there is powerful enough to retrieve the information."
The Council talks with the Archbishop, and conclude that Bishop Simmons needs to be reassigned from his position as ambassador to the Ecumenical Council; they plan to recruit the Proctor General of the Order of the Misty Dawn to make the case that Bishop Simmons is needed as the chief of supply for the martial orders, because Bishop Simmons is talented at logistics but not at politics.
Bishop Simmons is the third son of the former ruler of Tarkenia. So as he advanced, he became a bishop and received a highly honorable and public position. The high ranks of the Church of Glor’diadel are filled with nobles, and largely advanced from positions within the curia. The Council remains two-thirds members of the curia; most of the archbishops are not on the Council, and diocesan bishops are considered undesirable for nobles, because they do not advance, even to archbishop. The Patriarch was selected because he was pious, and expected to be ineffective. He has been more effective than expected, but most of his best privy councilors die on travel. The Archbishop offers to make an introduction between Kit and the Minister of Security, who he assures us is reliable.
The Archbishop also tells us that anyone that the Patriarch introduces their his first name can be trusted; any who are introduced by their full title should be treated with extreme caution.
[cont'd]