"One of these Nicholases is not like the other."

Wednesday, November 23, 4

Ariana Trumps Meander and asks him to come through. He does. She asks him to reapply her geas, since walking the Pattern removed the old one. He is able to do so. Ariana gathers up her children and brings them back to Amber for dinner.

After the children go to bed, Ariana spends some time learning how to shapeshift to a faerie form, trying the form Lucien shifted her into when she went to Faerie for the first time. It's slow going, and Lucien thinks it will take her about a week of practice to get it down. She asks Lucien if there's anything she can do to better protect against getting hit over the head. Grow a thicker skull. Not that this will help her against someone on Gérard's scale, of course. She'll work on it.

Thursday, November 24, 4

Breakfast at the castle. Reeshau is there. Not Reeshau in control of Alex's body, but actually looking like Reeshau. He makes comments about being wise to Ariana's witch ways. Ariana introduces him to Flora. He quickly leaves before she can get him all hot and bothered.

Ariana spars with Ishmael. He makes comments about her being out of practice. She asks him how Nicholas is doing. Ishmael says they've come to an agreement. Ariana offers her help, if he needs it. She also asks if he might be able to help her make Alastor Takaran. Nicholas was going to help her, but he's obviously distracted now. Ishmael will think about it, but there are a lot of demands on his time. That's OK, she wants to make sure she can re-enchant Alastor first, anyway. She asks if his sword was affected by conjuration vanishing. Nope. Ariana looks smug and says she knew it. Knew what? That it wasn't him at the Pattern, it was Lucien. Ishmael tries to convince her otherwise, demonstrating that he has the memories of what happened there and pointing out that he was all cut up, but Ariana still doesn't buy it. Ishmael simply pounds on her for a while, claiming her mind isn't on the lesson. After putting up with this for a bit, she shifts to her armored form. Ishmael works on hardening his own skin. This takes a lot of his concentration, allowing Ariana to get several good hits in while he's distracted. He resumes pounding on her when he's finished. Eventually he decides he's made his point, relents, and resumes teaching her again.

Ariana spends the rest of her morning teaching her usual classes and working on a Trump of Tallefellow's.

Ariana stops by the hospital in the afternoon. Gavin and Jessica come by while she's there. Gavin is looking for Florian, who isn't there. Jessica stares at Ariana. Ariana stares back. As they are leaving, Ariana's dress catches on fire, and she smells sulfur. She puts out her dress and brings the matter to Gavin's attention. Gavin isn't pleased. Jessica argues that she didn't set Ariana on fire, only the dress. She adds that Gavin let her set that woman on fire last night. Gavin says that woman was bad. Ariana asks what she's talking about. Gavin explains that he set off one of the vampires' traps last night, by walking into it. He thinks he got one of them, though. He needs to talk to Shard to be sure. How many vampires were there? Several of them. Probably more now. Ariana suggests he tell Random about this.

Ariana changes her dress and writes a note to Nicholas, asking him to rescind his edict that prevents Shard from speaking to her. She points out that with the recent vampire activity, it may become necessary for them to talk to each other.

Ariana spends the rest of the afternoon with her younger children. Eventually, she receives a response to her note, saying that she can speak to Shard as long as she keeps her knees together. The note is written in Caine's hand.

Ariana gets a Trump call from Meander, who says he's found a tutor for her. The woman is with Whimsy right now. Will she teach both of them? If she's offered enough gold. He adds that it was difficult finding someone willing to teach outlanders. What is her name? Granny Witherall. Ariana says she'll get in touch with Whimsy. Meander says good luck, and breaks the contact.

Ariana has dinner with her family. During the meal, a servant comes and tells her that Whimsy is at the door. Ariana goes to greet her and finds that she's stepped inside. Whimsy introduces Ariana to her companion, Granny Witherall, an ancient woman with a pointed hat and a broom. Ariana says that Meander had mentioned her. Granny says she won't teach Ariana. Why not? She smells like an elf. Whimsy says she's a good friend. Granny doesn't think much of Whimsy's taste in friends. Ariana asks why Granny thinks she smells like an elf. She reeks of faerie magic. Ariana admits that she knows it. Granny says that no witch will teach her unless she rids herself of faerie magic. Why not? It just isn't done. Ariana opts not to push the matter, lest she jeopardize Whimsy's chances of getting lessons as well. Whimsy gets around to the original purpose of her visit, which was to borrow some herbs. Granny says she'll wait outside. Ariana warns her to watch out for the vampires. Granny isn't worried. Ariana gives Whimsy the herbs she needs, along with some seeds so that she can grow her own.

Ariana gets a Trump call from Random shortly after dinner. He says it's time. For what? Oops, guess he forgot to make that Trump call earlier. He explains that they've caught a vampire, and he thought she'd like to be in on the interrogation. Yes, she would. She gathers some wooden implements and a torch, tells Lucien where she's going, and comes through.

Random pulls Ariana through into the dungeons. Gavin, Ishmael, Shard and the vampire prisoner are also there. The vampire is bound and blindfolded. Random leaves the interrogation up to Gavin, since he's the most involved. Shard assures them that the vampire, whose name is Alfred, will answer their questions. Alfred admits he was attacked on his way to the castle. The master vampire is named Lasker. Gavin asks why he was targeted. Because he's the richest man in town. If they took him and his organization, they'd be able to live quietly for a while. Now, of course, they will have to seek other avenues. How many of them are there? 20, as of last night. They grow in number every night. Who have they been targeting? Mostly Gavin's people. There are a lot of them. Ariana suggests it might be wise to implement a curfew. The trick is how to do so without causing a panic. Alfred doesn't know who the other vampires are, where they are, or what Lasker's other plans might be, of course. He was just there for bait. Ariana, Ishmael and Gavin leave, but Random and Shard remain in the room with Alfred. Ariana and Gavin talk outside the room for a time. Both agree that people need to be warned, but both are stumped as to how it can be done without causing a panic. Eventually, Caine walks past them and enters the room. Ariana decides they won't learn anything more tonight and goes home.

Ariana fills Lucien in on her talk with the vampire. None of it surprises him, since they'd pretty much already concluded it was Lasker who was behind the whole thing. Ariana practices shapeshifting into her faerie form for a while, then goes to bed.

Friday, November 25, 4

Granny and Alex talk at breakfast. Granny says that she's seen the error of her ways, and she won't do anything to Alex unless Reeshau attacks her first. Which he will, so Alex had better keep an eye out. Alex asks her what the flowers did. She says he should ask Whimsy, then walks away mumbling, "That poor, poor boy."

Ariana stops by Whimsy's quarters. Elaine lets her in. Ariana asks if Whimsy is all right. Elaine just got back from shopping, but offers to check. Whimsy emerges a short time later, having obviously just finished a bath. She looks exceptionally cranky, but insists that she's fine. Ariana tells her of Granny's conversation with Alex at breakfast. Whimsy wants a word for word accounting. Ariana provides her with one, and asks what the flowers did. Whimsy claims they had an inebriation spell on them, and it caused her to say something nasty to Edwin. She asks if Ariana would get rid of the flowers, before they harm anyone else. Ariana says she'll try, so long as she can avoid getting affected herself.

Ariana goes to Alex's quarters, holding her breath when she gets near his door. She finds a page outside of his door, holding the flowers. When he sees her, he reacts as if she's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen, tossing the flowers aside and moving towards her. The vase shatters when it hits the ground, and the pollen sprays everywhere. Ariana heads for Random's office, but the page pursues her. She casts Earth Passage and drops through the floor to escape him. Random is not in his office and doesn't answer when she Trumps him. Ariana Trumps Flora next. Flora answers and pulls her through. Ariana explains the problem. Flora asks if she has any wind spells. Nope, just a dispel, which may or may not work on witchcraft. Flora asks her to try it, figuring it can't make things worse.

Quotables:

"The vampires are draining (Gavin's) resources." -- Sean to George

"I keep forgetting that (Whimsy's) your younger sister." -- Jack to Alexandra
"Because you act so immature." -- Kris, speaking for Jack

"I've always been able to whammy (Nicholas)...not that I do." -- Whimsy to the group

"Don't dice me, I'm fragile!" -- Alexandra, while shapeshifted into Nicholas, to Ishmael

"One of these Nicholases is not like the other." -- Ishmael to Nicholas and "Nicholas" (Alexandra)

"You beat on my sister and don't even invite me?!" -- Whimsy to Ishmael

"As Fiona's children continue their tradition of entertaining the family." -- Sean to the group

"I don't know what was worse, me being naked or Nicholas being in a dress." -- Maddy to Ishmael

"Damn you Mother, you gave me a conscience!" -- Alexandra
"She figured that was about the worst thing she could do to you." -- GM

"I'm trying not to push fate, I'd prefer to have the wedding before I die." -- Whimsy to Flora

"Eric's an idiot, which is why there's a certain appeal to him being on the throne." -- Caine to Whimsy

"I tried to set off one of the vampire's traps last night." -- Gavin
"By walking into it?" -- Ariana
"That's the best way to set one off." -- Gavin

"Last night you turned up as Nicholas wearing a dress!" -- Whimsy
"Get a sense of humor. It was funny!" -- Alexandra

"If my brother's in there, I can't trust you." -- Granny Witherall to Alex
"Even if he's not in there, you can't trust him." -- Kris

"Outrageous Fortune"
Game Logs for Sessions 1-115 | Character Logs for Sessions 116+

All text on this page is © 1999 by Kris Fazzari, with the exception of the attributed quotes.

Last modified on July 25, 1999 by Kris Fazzari.