NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="gideonpepys" data-source="post: 6233846" data-attributes="member: 79141">Session 96e - Tyger, TygerThis was a one on one epilogue to the session involving only me and Malthusius' player:Malthusius rode back to the Governor's Mansion in Stanfield's official carriage. The Governor busied himself instructing his aides how they should deal with the morning's events.  It wasn't possible to discuss sensitive matters until they reached the privacy of Stanfield's office.  Even when they reached the mansion, over an hour after they set off, there were countless distractions and duties that left Malthusius hanging around like a spare part.  Stanfield apologised for keeping him from his important work, and even suggested they talk 'at the Opening of Peace Conference'.  (Odd, thought Malthusius, as he would not be in attendance at the event. In fact, they hoped to be moving on the Ob on the night of the 13th. Stanfield was clearly distracted.) But having lost so much time already, he decided to wait.  Four hours after they left the subrail station, Stanfield's closest aide, a intense little man nicknamed Grimalkin, showed Malthusius into the Governor's huge study.The  room was the most impressive in the whole mansion, filled with warm, yellow light from gas lamps.   Stanfield sat at his desk and apologised once again for the delay. Malthusius quickly brought him up to speed on the Kell initiative and told him what Augst had revealed about the rusted iron rings in the Stanfield Canal. Stanfield was horrified. Malthusius asked for permission to scour the records of the canal's construction for any clues.  Stanfield acquiesced at once and nodded for Grimalkin to make the necessary arrangements.  Then he stood and paced over to the enormous window that looked out over the city. "That canal was the first great public work to bear my name. It is an offense," he said, as he turned back, "that something intended for the public good should be tainted in such a way." Something in those words broke Malthusius' visions. Suddenly he realised that it was possible for someone to become morally compromised even as they strove to do good.  Stanfield was an idealist, which was why Malthusius had always trusted him.  Now, for an instant, he saw his calm, beatific  face replaced by the snarling visage of a tiger - the tiger of his vision in the Ziggurat of Apet, a beast that had haunted his dreams ever since - and he flinched imperceptibly.  Everything fell horribly into place, and Malthusius realised that his old friend was lying to him, and had been lying to him all along.  His heart began to beat heavily and his first thought was to escape - to leave as quickly and discreetly as possible and warn Korrigan.  If only he hadn't given his messenger wind to Dester Rathtine!Before he could make his excuses and rise, he realised Stanfield was speaking to him, asking him if he was all right. The Governor had come to sit on the edge of his desk, just inches away from where Malthusius was sat and now leaned forward and placed a friendly hand on his arm. "I've  tried to avoid this, old friend," he was saying, "believe me, I have tried. But it's no use. You always were too clever for your own good."   Malthusius tried to move, tried to speak, but he could not.  "I want you to know that I do not bear you any malice. This has been exasperating, but it's not your fault.  You are on the wrong side without even knowing it.  Trust me when I say that everything I have done is for the best."Grimalkin had not left the room at all, but had lingered by the door.  Stanfield spoke to him now:  "I don't have the heart for this. Please arrange for the inspector to be taken to Cauldron Hill at once.  Let Quital deal with him."</blockquote>

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