DRAFT Run Log for 980602 Present: Dave R - Malachai Andrew - Osric Dave K - Ilk, logging Sam - Jean Barb - Cathryne Tia - Damia Lori - Celeste Ken - Norton ----------------------------- Major Events: * Cathryne Catches up to Time and Arrives at the Party ----------------------------- Cathryne Catches up to Time and Arrives at the Party Cathryne was contacted by her mother and Logrus-pulled out to Chaos, Pattern-walking through the Logrus block. She is met by her mother on the far side of the Abyss from Chaos - there's not too much room on the other side. Bella says that she needs Cathryne's help with the Shapeshifters' Guild. Bella and Cathryne have begun their penetration into the Shapeshifters Guild when Cathryne gets a trump call. She takes it; it's Random. He appears to be at some sort of party. "Does that mean that you have the staff back?" "No - I'm at a party in some place called Cerillian or Cobalt or something blue." Random - "I now have proof that she's my mother." Cathryne - "What?" Random - "I've met the rest of the family." Cathryne - "What?" Random tries to explain that seeing the rest of Damia's family clarified a number of his doubts about her legitimacy. Random - "Unfortunately, she's dead." Cathryne - "Then the problem is solved." Random - "No, she's walking around dead." Cathryne - "Is that Norton character involved in this?" Random - "It's all his fault." Cathryne - "He stole my sword, too." Random - "Then you should ask for it back." Cathryne - "So do you want her alive, do you want her dead, or do you not care?" Cathryne rants at Random about his mother. Random says that he has found out why she abandoned him, not from Damia, but from the others here. Cathryne rants some more. Random - "You should meet this side of the family - it's much more civilized than Amber. Your grandmother is the black sheep of the family." When Random finds out that Bella is with Cathryne, he hands Cathryne a jewel-encrusted cup filled with a fluid through the trump link for Bella. Cathryne hands it to her mother, warning her that it was from Random. Bella takes it, sniffs at it, sips it, then drinks it. "Not bad" They continue penetrating into the Shapeshifters Guild. They meet a few people who are fixing it up, and some others who are defending it. Nobody knows where the Guildmaster it, but he is rumored to be in the center of the guild. They continue to look for the person in charge, whom her mother has not yet specified. There are times of danger and distraction that require the efforts of both of them to penetrate. Cathryne gets a trump call. It's someone she doesn't recognize. "Who the hell are you?" "Who I am is not important right now..." "I think that it is." Random joins the trump contact. Random - "I need you here." Cathryne - "Mom needs me here." Random - "Both of you would be just fine. Formal court." Cathryne - "Who's convening formal court? Oberon has disappeared." Random - "Clarissa." Cathryne blinks. Random - "Queen Clarissa." Blink. Blink. Cathryne - "I've missed a lot, haven't I?" Bella: "Is Flora there?" Cathryne: "Yes, she's throwing the party." Cathryne: "Is she still in chains?" Random: "No." Bella: "Then we can go through her... she might know where the head of the Shapeshifters guild is." Cathryne has a brief sensation of being bathed in spiritual fire on the way through the contact. Bella does not seem to react. The trump that Random is putting away does not look like Bella - the trump is moving. "Let me see that!" Cathryne looks at the card. The face is covered with moving colors. "How does that work?" "Only when the colors are aligned properly and your mind is concentrating - I have to be sober to use this." Random, regarding Benedict: "He wanted everyone here, but then took off." Cathryne shifts to formal clothing for court, then shifts into casual clothing for the party. Cathryne, Random, and Bella enter the party. Cathryne notices that the servants are in Flora's colors but aren't wearing the usual patch as a concession to Oberon. There are gargoyles and a band playing highly ordered music. Almost none of the food is moving, and there are a few Chaosians in the room. She recognizes the few bits of moving food as catered from Chaos. There are four gentlemen in House Helgram colors present and a lot of people from this end of the world, as well as Malachai, Random, Vialle, Flora, Ilk, Jean, and Martin. -------------- Getting Dressed Celeste and her companion are approaching the party. They head to Fiona's rooms to look for clothing, but can't get in. Celeste trumps Flora and asks if she could acquire clothing from her. "What you're wearing is fine, dear." Celeste worries to Flora that someone might unconjure her clothing, since it was just conjured. ----------------- How was I supposed to know that the Unicorn wore Brut! Norton sends a tendril to Ilk. They chat via bone vibrations. Norton asks, "Would you classify unicorns as magical creatures?" "Yes." "Note: watch fish around unicorns." Ilk is floored, but manages to respond. "Check." Norton, being sarcastic, we hope. "That would make us very popular." ----------------- The Party Continues When Bella first entered the room, she gave Ilk an informal nod, between associates. Ilk responded in kind. Neville recognized Jesby. Celeste and Brand walk into the party. Cathryne complains to Random. "Isn't Brand dead?" Random tries to rationalize. The roasted undead pig is on a table of its own, serving slices of itself to anyone nearby. The table is labeled "Piggus Nortonus". There is a warning beneath the table recommending that people accept food if offered - Benedict's silver arm, which is attached to the pig, has apparently taken umbrage at people refusing pig slices. Celeste and Brand head to the food table. They avoid the pig, and avoid the Chaosian food which is wandering around in the corner. Blaze, Theresa, Natasha, and Maria are also at the party. There is a fairly powerful mage stocking up on power over by the food table. He's in House Helgram colors. Caine arrives, along with two drop-dead gorgeous women and three well-muscled sailors wearing his colors. They head directly to the bar. Suhuy, Dworkin, Ilk, and a ghost with non-local Pattern who looks a lot like Suhuy walk into the room. Neville doesn't recognize Dworkin. Neville goes over to Roderick and tugs on his sleeve. Roderick points over towards Celeste and Brand. Neville points back at the new arrivals. Roderick looks. Neville points towards the other Ilk. Roderick looks, then starts looking back and forth between the two Ilks. "One of them must be an illusion. I'll dispel the illusion!" "No messing around here." They speculate that the Ilk next to Suhuy is the real one, because the Old Lord would dispel the illusion himself. Notes are passed between player and GM. Neville decides that he's screwed. Flora, Cathryne, Bella, Neville, the Etiquette Guild member, and Ilk head towards the cluster of Old Lords. Ilk greets Ilk, shakes hands, and does a more careful update. Flora greets the newcomers and welcomes them to her party. Jean waves. "Hi, Mr. Suhuy. Hi, Mr. Suhuy. Hi, Mr. Crazy Guy." Dworkin looks at Jean. "Are you one of mine?" Jean gives Flora an inquiring look. "Yes, dear." Dworkin looks at Flora. "You aren't old enough to have children!" "I've been old enough for several years now." Bella greets Suhuy formally. Cathryne notices that her mother is bowing more deeply to Suhuy than she would expect. Cathryne bows appropriately to Suhuy as the heir to a major House, and notices that the five-year-old kid has local Pattern. Cathryne bows to Dworkin as an Old Lord. Neville notices. "Lord Dworkin! I think that I left a small red bauble with you for safekeeping." "One of these?" Dworkin pulls a bundle of Jewels of Judgment over his neck and displays them. "Yes, it was one of those." "I'm taking them back. They're causing trouble. Suhuy said so." All of those nearby can see a large bulge under Dworkin's shirt. The Ilk that didn't arrive with Suhuy bows to Suhuy as from apprentice to master. Both Cathryne and Neville notice. Cathryne leans over to the closest Ilk. "Don't you know that it's tacky to have more than one of you in the same room? Hasn't the Etiquette guild told you that?" The Helgramite member of the Etiquette guild blanches for a moment. Neville bows to Suhuy as from a member of a House to an Old Lord. Corwin, Damia, and Norton walk in. There's a very small cat who looks a lot like Snarsht with them. The cat is alive. Celeste moves from the sandwiches to the fruit. She notices Corwin, and checks her weapons. Brand wants to mingle with his beloved family. Celeste is nervous. Norton greets Suhuy. "Good to see you looking well." "As opposed to?" "Not well." "I'm always well." "Good." "Do you know my good friend Dworkin?" "We've met." Norton asks Dworkin if he can tell if he is descended from him. Dworkin shoves his hand into Norton's head and starts rummaging around. Various parts of Norton's brain scurry around inside his skull, avoiding Dworkin's grasp. Dworkin moves his hand around lower in Norton's torso, and says, "You must be one of mine! Here's where you were using it, and here's where you were using it..." Dworkin suggests that Norton has some of Eric in him. [I am a Prince of Amber! *Boom* ] Cathryne remembers her missing alternate Greyswandir, and confronts Norton. "You have a sword of mine." Norton turns towards Dworkin. "Did you find a sword in there?" Cathryne continues. "You took it from me some time ago." Dworkin responds, "No. Hey! Those are mine!" "I found them lying in the castle hallway." "Give them back!" Norton pulls out Dworkin's trumps and hands them over. "Excuse me for a moment." Dworkin walks off and disappears into a wall. Cathryne ignores the interruption. "It was a Pattern blade." "Corwin gave it to me." Malachai is getting a trump call. It's Cassandra. They chat. Cassandra decides that she should come through for the party and formal court. Norton sticks a physical tendril over to Ilk and asks him about formal protocol via bone conduction. Norton receives an answer and bows to Suhuy appropriately. Neville notices that Norton must be Chaosian, and high ranking. Cassandra and two guards in Sith regimentals come through the trump contact to Malachai. Neville notices three high-ranking members of the Assassins Guild arrive. Celeste continues chatting with Brand. Cassandra looks around the room and takes note of those present. Norton shows off his cat to Ilk. Ilk picks up the cat and scratches it behind the ears. It purrs. Ilk hands it back to Norton. "Very nice." "Thank you" Suhuy bows to the cat as an equal. Dworkin is trying to get the cat to accept kitty treats. The cat is ignoring Dworkin. Neville notices the by-play around the cat, and isn't sure what to think. Neville cannot tell if the is really Snarsht. It looks like Snarsht, but it's so small. Malachai and Cassandra head towards Corwin and the mob. Malachai is greeted as regent by many of those present. It takes him several minutes to make it across the room. Norton chats with Neville. Cathryne chats with Flora about a business proposition, and discovers that her deals were with a different Flora. Cassandra arrives at Flora's and Cathryne's location. Flora hands an invitation to Cassandra; Cassandra hands it back. Cassandra and Cathryne chat. Cassandra mentions that someone apparently tried to take out a contract with the Guild on a member of the Guild, which is illegal, and results in the contract being reflected on the one who took it out. Cathryne is not apparently disturbed by that remark. They continue to chat. Jean notices that the Helgram shapeshifter is pumping people for information. He follows the shapeshifter around, eavesdropping. Random greets Celeste and Brand. "It's good to see you and your... companion? Cousin?" Celeste and Brand are both wearing Brand's colors. Celeste tries to convince Random to acknowledge that Brand is Brand, with no success. Norton scratches at Celeste's shields. They chat. Malachai reaches Corwin. "Don't look now, but a certain red-headed brother of yours is here." "And he's alive?" "He doesn't look dead." Random pops a couple of pills. He is now visibly radiating sobriety. Cathryne turns and stares at Random. Random is staring, face-to-face, at someone that looks like Brand. Celeste tries again. "Random, I think that it's been a long time since you've seen your brother Brand." Cassandra and Celeste reach the mob. Random turns to Damia and says, "It's a Brand. "Yes." "It's alive." Random turns to Cathryne. "Meet your uncle Brand. He's the one that..." "Went crazy and tried to destroy all of reality? Glad to meet you." Cathryne and Celeste chat acidly. Martin is wandering towards Celeste and company, notices Brand, then turns and walks away, putting a crowd between him and the group. Celeste does introductions. "Random's little girl, Cathryne." Brand turns to Random. "You had kids!" Random fails to kill Brand. It appears to take some willpower. Damia asks Random to excuse her so she can talk to Celeste alone. Brand and Random excuse themselves and go off to meet Vialle. Damia takes Celeste off to chat. The conversation happens out of the logger's earshot. ------------- Angstful Interlude Damia informs Celeste that Brandt was killed, that Damia was pregnant when she was killed. Her grandchild is going to be born anyway. Celeste was horrified during the entire thing, apologizing and offering reparation, and Damia said she didn't blame her. Celeste offered to come to the court of Cobalt and make reparations for her actions, under the law of Cobalt. Damia said that was not necessary. Celeste fainted when Damia told her that Brandt died - unrevivifiably dead, not walking-around dead. They couldn't bring him back. ------------- Back to the Party Cathryne goes off to find her mom. Bella is talking with the Logrus Jean. Jean pipes up. "Hi, Cathryne." Cathryne is confused. Jean introduces himself. Cathryne asks him if he is shapeshifting. Jean: "I can't shapeshift any more." Cathryne: "You can't?" Jean: "I tried and I died and I forgot." Cathryne: "You died?" Jean: "It's Norton. He's bad. He killed me." Cathryne checks at some point, confirms that the other Jean is still where she left him, and gestures towards him. Jean: "Nobody was using this body, so I moved in." Logrus Jean says, "Hey! This body has all of these cool spells." "Such as?" Jean opens the toy box and pulls a spell out. From across the room, Celeste notices that Logrus Jean just started to unrack a destructive whirlwind spell. She drains the power from the spell. Almost nothing happens. Jean is very disappointed. He apologizes to Cathryne, and starts to pull out another spell to see if this one works better. "Why don't you just tell me about them, dear?" Jean closes the box, and starts describing the chaos storm he unracked in Garnath. He then mentions Norton's mountains of spam. Cathryne comments, "I think he's in trouble." "Good." About a minute and a half after draining the spell, Celeste collapses as Damia is reaching out to hug her. Damia catches her. Brand kicks off a spell, disappears from where he was, and reappears next to Damia and Celeste. Brand appeared in the proper place to assist in taking Celeste the rest of the way to the room. Jean pipes up again. "I wonder what's wrong with Celeste. I hope she doesn't start gibbering again." "She already did that earlier." Brand has Celeste's head cradled in his arms and is stroking her hair. Corwin is deliberately not looking in that direction. Damia is shocked and tries to convince Brand that this is a bad idea. She has no more success than Celeste has had. Cassandra is staring at Corwin. Corwin mentions that Cassandra seems to have followed his advice and added a few bodyguards. Jean tells Cathryne that Osric got his mom out of the bonds. Malachai and Cassandra chat. Brand congratulates Vialle on her daughter, indicating Cathryne. Random and Vialle indicate that Cathryne is not Vialle's. Brand seems to be worried about the faux pa. Vialle and Brand chat. They fail to alleviate Brand's worries. Random has gone through the other end of sober. Norton wanders off to chat with Dworkin. Norton asks about the bodies on the shelves, and is told that they were put there especially for him. Norton appears to be thrilled, and delightedly tells Ilk of his revelation. Clarissa and the ghost Suhuy have walked off, arm in pseudo-arm. The cat is still chatting with Suhuy. The cat has jumped onto the head of the Ilk that scratched it behind the ears. Cathryne wanders over to chat with Ilk. She asks for her gifts back. Ilk says that most of the gifts are stored in House Cara, and starts handing over the wine. Cathryne counts the bottles. It's all there, along with a couple of bottles that she didn't realize that she had been given. She walks over to Random, uncorks a bottle of good stuff, and offers him a glass. Random tosses it back. She refills it. He tosses it back again. She offers a glass to Brand and Vialle. Vialle sniffs at it and declines, saying that it would affect her too strongly. Cathryne is annoyed that Random is gulping down the good wine, uncorks something cheaper, and refills Random's glass. Random sips at it, and complains about the lack of strength. "This won't do anything for me. I could brush my teeth in it!" Random goes off to deal with the problem of getting high on his own. Neville notices that Random has pulled out a standard Poisoners Guild set. Ilk notices that Random has pulled out something that looks like something he has seen poisoners carry. Cathryne sees Random pull out his drug kit. Cathryne suggests that Jean tell his mother that he can cast spells. Jean Prime finds Flora. "Hi, Mom. did you know I could cast spells?" Jean explains. "Not at my party, dear. It's not very polite." Jean says "Oh", looks vaguely guilty, and decides to go wander off somewhere else. Just before he escapes, Flora adds, "Oh, and not at court, either." Damia drags Celeste off again to converse farther. Neville wanders over to his mage. The mage is sitting in a corner muttering softly. He looks green, as if he has eaten something that does not agree with him. "I am so outclassed..." "Can you deal with just protecting us if something breaks out?" "I am so outclassed..." "What if we're not the target?" "I don't know. There are Old Lords here." "They probably won't be swinging at us." "Splashes hurt." "Can you get us out of here?" "I think that I could get us out of here on a moment's notice." "I don't expect things to break loose here, but in court, it might be more likely." "I'll be ready. I am so outclassed...." [Wait till I tell everyone where we've been invited...] [There are servants here more powerful than me] Clarissa moves over towards Cathryne. Cathryne pours her a glass of wine. Clarissa accepts it as her due, and drinks it. Norton heads towards them. He reaches Brand, Random, Vialle, Cathryne, and Clarissa. One of the Jeans follows Norton. After her conversation with Damia, Celeste heads towards Brand. She notices the company and starts to change direction, but is summoned over by Clarissa. She joins the group, and chats with Cathryne. Celeste notices that the wine is excellent. If this was a peace offering, it's a wonderful peace offering. This is the kind of wine that you find once in a millennium. [At some point before this, Cassandra acquires protocol tips from Ilk. Namely, that she, as an apprentice to an Old Lord, is only outranked by Old Lords, Guild Heads, and Guild Seconds. She is also told the proper inclination for the individuals present] Cassandra goes over to Corwin, apologizes for neglecting the niceties earlier, and bows to him as from apprentice to an Old Lord to a Guild Second. Corwin is confused, never having been filled in on these formalities himself. When Cassandra explains it, Corwin pooh-pooh any Chaosian titles relative to his great and all-encompassing love for her. Cassandra tells Corwin that she came here to report to Benedict, but he's not here, so Malachai suggested that she report to him. Corwin tells Cassandra to report to Clarissa instead. Cassandra obtains Corwin's notebook and starts writing out a report. Celeste comments on Clarissa's ascension to the throne. The Ilk without a furry hat heads towards Clarissa and company. Norton greets Clarissa, and apologizes for leaving her hospitality so suddenly. Clarissa greets him, and indicates that their venture must have been successful in returning a lost one. She glances at Brand. Ilk sends a tendril over to Norton and mutters, "Go with it." Celeste notices a thin line that is her screaming over the god channels. She asks Clarissa. Clarissa can't hear it. Celeste is certain that the screaming is definitely her. [It's another me? Yes. Screaming out in shadow? Yes.] Celeste explains over the channel to Clarissa. Celeste opens to Clarissa. Clarissa intensifies the contact. For a brief flash, Celeste is in contact with herself in Faythe's mind, then it goes away. Clarissa claims to not have heard anything. Norton asks Clarissa's group who he should check in with. There is a discussion going on about candy making between two ambassadors. One of the Jeans listens closely. Celeste is walking towards Cassandra. Suhuy ignores Celeste. The cat on Ilk's head ignores her. Ilk greets Celeste. "I see your ventures were successful." "Yes. thank you." "Thank you for your aid as well." Cassandra gives Ilk a look. Occasionally Cassandra's bodyguards are noticeable as bodyguards, but rapidly disappear again. Celeste reaches Cassandra. "Cassandra... I'm sorry that our previous conversation was interrupted. If you had a few moments to resume it..." Cassandra turns to Corwin and asks him to excuse her. Corwin comments on Cassandra adequate protection, glancing at her sword and two bodyguards. "Father? Better than before." "Adequate. I knew your prior protectors." "You're entitled to your opinion." "I'm glad that you feel that way." Cassandra excuses herself from Suhuy, bowing. Suhuy bows to her as from someone massive-toastin to someone not so massive-toastin. Cassandra excuses herself from Ilk. Ilk fails to nod, glancing up at the cat. Cassandra excuses herself from the cat. The cat nods to Cassandra as a Old Lord of Chaos, Head of Guild, to an Apprentice. Various freaking out happens. Politely. Quietly. ["Unless I die, in which case, touch me all you want. Reinflate me!" - Celeste's player] Norton, Cathryne, Bella, Clarissa, Vialle, Random, and Ilk are in a clump. Norton is chatting knowledgeably about the wine they are drinking, although he was never offered a glass. Cathryne is audibly worried, and Ilk reassures her that Mandor is quite alive. Cathryne notices Ilk, and offers him a glass of wine. Ilk notices that the wine is modifying his receptors on the way down so he can enjoy it more. Norton is fairly certain that that is his cat sitting on Ilk's head. He still has his link up to it. Norton chats with the cat. The cat says that he's having fun confusing people. Suhuy's helping. The cat likes Suhuy. He's nice. Cassandra and Celeste step into an unoccupied corner and chat. The conversation happens out of the logger's earshot. ------------- Another Angstful Interlude Celeste pulls Cassandra aside to talk. Cassandra wanted to talk outside the party, but Celeste claimed that she couldn't leave, so they find a quiet corner. Celeste started off by trying to apologize to Cassandra for killing her father, saying it was unintentional and so on. Cassandra replied by saying that there were only two people that she cared about and that that Corwin wasn't one of them. Celeste tried to explain to Cassandra that that isn't really Brand, at least not the Brand that caused Patternfall. Cassandra was doubtful, and told Celeste to convince her father first. Celeste persuaded Cassandra to talk to Corwin about it. Celeste told Cassandra that was the whole story. Cassandra: "People won't give you enough time. They're going to kill him. Get used to it." Celeste: "If Corwin kills Brand and he cannot be brought back, and he's permanently gone, then kill me yourself." Cassandra: "What?" Celeste explains that if Brand is dead and not coming back, she won't have any reason to live. Cassandra: "If Brand is killed and can't be brought back, I will take out a contract on you and hope I get it." ------------------- Back to the Party Caine is talking with the people that arrived with him. One of the sailors resembles Caine strongly - it's Raven. Norton excuses himself from Clarissa's presence, mentioning that he would be willing to help clean up any mess left behind from his previous visit. "We'll chat later, dear." Natasha wanders over and asks Norton how well the corn-dogs are holding out. They chat. Natasha asks if Norton has thought over her offer to become his apprentice. Norton claims that he has been a bit busy recently, and still needs to talk with Snarsht to find out if it is okay. Norton animates a haunch of deer, and starts adding bits. He starts instructing Natasha in how to add things as well. She's not very good. They animate dead rabbits out of the rabbit stew. Norton goes over to the buffet table to stroke the food and try to make it alive. On the way over, he encounters Flora, who asks him not to modify any more food. He agrees to do so, and agrees to move the undead food over to the table with the pig. The haunch walks over to the table, vies for dominance with the pig, and loses. The undead rabbits reach the table, but scatter once Norton stops paying attention to them. [It's tough in the undead food chain] Jeans mutter, "It's a bunny. Kill it!" Someone nearby pulls out a dagger and pins the bunny to the floor. The bunny continues to move. The dagger-tosser apologizes. "Sorry - that should have killed it." "It's a Norton bunny." "What's that?" "It's like a bunny, but dead." That person goes over to his ambassador and tells him about the rabbits. Rumors spread. Norton hears a rumor that he has competition - someone in the Golden Circle is breeding unkillable bunnies. Also, there was a valiant knight that almost slew the Norton, but left it twitching on the end of the pike. They weren't sure what the Norton is, other than a strange monster, or when this happened. Norton sends a tendril over to Ilk. They chat about the rumors and moving bunnies. Norton passes Ilk some shapeshifter virus antidote. Cathryne notices Norton ooze something into a bottle and hand it to Ilk. She notes not to accept anything from Ilk. There is only one bunny still on the table. The pig's silver arm is holding it in the air. Norton uses the dead bunnies as raw materials to make living bunnies. They blink in unison. Jean Prime wanders over to Caine and does a double take. "Do I know you?" "I don't think so." "I walked by when you were fighting the bugs." "Whose are you?" "I'm Flora's. And Rainbow's." "I should go congratulate her... You're five. And you walked the Pattern. Do me a favor?" "Sure." "Drink this." Jean becomes much more random across all five Jeans. The flying saucer Jean becomes more erratic, and Ilk takes over directional control. The Jolly Jean Giant collapses face-down on the table. [The bigger the brain, the drunker you are] Jean sees candy. Jean tries to catch the candy. There are now Logrus tendrils twitching randomly over in the corner by Logrus Jean. Cathryne goes over to him. Cathryne - "Jean, dear? Are you doing that?" Jean - "Doing what?" Cathryne - "...Logrus..." Jean - "I don't got Logrus... It's icky, like castor oil." Cathryne - "No, you're definitely reaching around with the Logrus." Jean - "I've got Logrus?" Cathryne - "I guess so." Jean - "Wow. Neat." Cathryne Logrus-pulls some candy over from the buffet tables. Jean sees candy approaching and grabs it from Cathryne's tendril. Cathryne is surprised. Jean tries harder. Ilk joins Cathryne and Jean and plays damage control. He's had plenty of practice while working with Norton. The cat on Ilk's head runs across the room, jumps onto a table, grabs a fish, then runs back and jumps back on Ilk's head. Ilk raises an eyebrow at Suhuy. Suhuy suggests that Ilk could ask for a slice. Ilk does so, vibrating his head to transmit the question in Thari to the cat. The cat neatly cuts off a piece of fish and dangles it in front of Ilk's mouth. Ilk takes it with a hand and pops it into his mouth. Caine is watching Jean get drunk and says, "Impressive". Celeste feels something pulling at her hair. She looks up, but can't see anything. Jean sees red candy in the distance. He wants it. There's definitely something tugging at Celeste's hair. Celeste chats with Brand, explaining her paranoia. Ilk tries to take advantage of the opportunity to give Jean lessons in Logrus use, by conjuring candy, tossing it into the air, and telling Jean to grab it. Ilk and Cathryne chat. Cathryne is not okay with the experiment, despite Ilk's explanation that he is keeping Jean from accidentally ripping anyone's head off. Ilk walks over to Random, acquires two sober-up-fast pills, shows them to Cathryne, is told that the proper dosage for a five-year-old would be one pill, and conjures a candy shell around one of the pills. He walks over to Jean. "Hey Jean - want some candy?" Jean swallows the pill. Caine glares at Ilk and tells him that disrupting experiments can have dire consequences. Sobriety flows slowly over Jeans. Ilk mentions that the experiment was disturbing Cathryne, "and you know how she is." "I'll deal with Cathryne." Caine walks over to Cathryne. He tells her that his experiment was not intended to disturb her, and offers her a bottle containing liquid in recompense. "This only affects those who have walked the Pattern. I wanted to see if he was Real." Norton and Ilk follow Caine back to Cathryne. Ilk puts the pill inside him, and notices that it is trying to interact with him. Ilk puts it into a glass sample jar, and notices that it is trying to interact with the jar. Ilk hands the pill to Norton. Norton plays with the pill. The bunnies have all left the table and headed towards Norton. Logrus Jean notices the approaching rabbits and relocates. Caine discovers that the Neanderthal is another Jean. "Hey, wait..." Caine follows Logrus Jean. Cathryne suggests to Norton that he might want to make the bunnies individuals by giving them some diversity. Ilk follows Jean. --- alternate order: Caine lies to Cathryne about Jean identifying himself as Flora & Rainbow's kid. Logrus Jean is sober enough to catch this, and says, "Nuh-uh! I did so!" "Who are you?" "I'm Jean!" Caine shakes his head. Bunnies show up. Jean relocates. Caine is still curious/ wanting to apologize/talk/dissect Jean, and follows. --- Cathryne goes over to Flora. "Flora, dear - I thought that you might like to know that Caine is experimenting on your son." Flora beacons to Jean, who makes a bee-line towards her, Caine and Ilk following. Jean places Flora between himself and the bunnies. Flora - "Young man?" Caine - "Yes, younger sister." Flora - "My party, my child." Caine - "So?" Flora points over at Raven. Caine - "Ah, I see." Caine turns and walks off. Cassandra goes over towards Corwin, then turns to Malachai and says, "I guess not." Norton sends the bunnies to Celeste. All but one of them have been modified to make them individuals. They still blink in unison, however. Celeste looks at Brand. "I think that Norton is sending a hello." Celeste picks up the unmodified bunny. She pats it. She kneels down and plays with all of them. One of the bunnies has "Bunnycorn of Amber" written on it, along with an arrow pointing towards the bunny with a horn sticking out of its forehead. Celeste is horrified when Norton mentions that he made the bunnies out of rabbit stew. She seems somewhat more accepting when Norton says that he is sure that he is on the wrong track - these are not the same bunnies that they were before they were in the stew. "There are more bunnies in a closet... I gave them to Jean and he locked them into a closet." Norton asks a servant to go to a particular closet and let out the bunnies. The servant comes back with a horde of bunnies and some bunny bits. Jean hides behind Flora. "It's a bunny. Kill it. It's a bunny. Kill it." Norton feels someone staring at him. It's Flora. He quickly redirects the bunnies away from Jean. The servant opens a magical gate. Ilk tosses a probe through. It's a beautiful grove out in shadow filled with herbivores. When the wind flows over the rocks, they make beautiful music. Ilk brings up a view screen. Norton shoos the bunnies through the gate. Norton makes a note explaining and apologizing for the bunnies, and passes it to Flora. She receives the note, looks at Norton, and nods. Celeste convinces Brand to make a gift for Jean. A box appears in Brand's hands, and he hands it to Celeste. Celeste hands it to Jean. Jean - "It's a cool box. Is it like Fred?" Celeste - "There's a present in the box." Jean - "Is it like Fred?" Celeste - "Fred?" Jean - "Fred the box." Jean decides that the box is like the box with no name. Celeste reassures him that it isn't from Norton. Jean shreds the wrapping paper, and carefully cracks the box open. It chirps. "Are you sure it isn't from Norton?" "It's from myself and ... Brand." Jean is reassured that it is from someone safe like Brand. Flora is less reassured. She looks at Celeste, Brand, the bird, and back again. Jean opens the box, grabs the bird, and starts shaking it. It doesn't seem to mind, but the chirps Doppler-shift. The bird seems to be made out of metal and gears. Jean greets the bird. It doesn't respond. Jean greets the box. It doesn't respond, either. Jean hands the box back. "I've already got a box that doesn't talk to me." Jean ignores the wrapping paper - it never talks, except when it screams. The other Jean comes over, and they play catch with the bird. They notice that the bird is willing to fly between the two of them. They move apart and play catch across the length of the entire room. Norton notices that there is a not-living thing flying around and chirping. He decides not to alter it. Norton approaches Caine. Ilk comes along. Norton asks Caine if he could help determine his parentage - he lost some memories. Caine asks Ilk to make sure that they are undisturbed for a few minutes. Caine's Pattern level bubbles upwards from its starting level at that of a recent Pattern initiate. The Pattern reaches out and wraps around Norton. Norton becomes sane again. Norton takes notes. Ilk notices Norton get cut off from the Logrus. Mandor is currently trying to hide from Caine. Caine pulls back. Norton watches his sanity slip away. "Anything?" "Very interesting. I'm going to have to do some research." "You definitely have traces in you... of four or five Amberites, though." Caine invites Norton to come back and visit him any time. Ilk discusses the experiment on Jean with Caine, and mentions that it seems to have given one of the Jeans access to another power that he didn't have before. Caine asks Ilk to test the theory that the substance only effects those with Pattern. Ilk declines. Caine waves his arms around, and Ilk notices a dart sticking out of the side of his neck. There's a substance on it that seems to be inert. Ilk expels the substance back onto the dart and returns the dart. Caine thanks him. Norton sticks a tendril over to Ilk and asks him to keep some of the substance. Ilk notices that there is a dart in Norton as well. He points it out. Norton bottles the substance away and returns the dart. Ilk checks for more darts, but can't even find the ones in him and Norton with Logrus. He chats about esoterica briefly with Caine before heading out. --EORun-- [The GM is a liar]