[20:08] 14Piu: "We'll need to keep him away from the new arrivals." [20:08] "Which shouldn't be too hard, given their focus on me." 15[20:09] This refers, to those who may not hold what she said mere moments ago in their minds (as if a week had elapsed) to the Immaculate who claimed to be attacked by Vice Admiral Peleps Furia, whose quixotic quest for the Empress is what brought them all together in the first place. 15[20:10] Caxi: "You do so love to draw the eye." [20:10] 14Slightly malicious grin. "Might have overdone it this time. Really just poor timing. [20:11] " 15[20:12] Sadako sits impassively in the corner of the room; mere moments before she had vomited whatever ghost remains of the late Cynis Lena into a cocktail shaker converted by Caxi into an ersatz binding vessel. In the dressing-room behind Piu's bed is Lady Garnet, who alone among the people in the suite has something like privacy behind that closed door. [20:14] 10Daizo: "Haha. I provided moral support and held him down while Caxi did all the hard work." 15[20:15] Caxi, mildly: "The hard part will be dealing with him tomorrow, if the man's reputation holds up." [20:15] 6Is Sadako doing okay? Zhangyu feels moderately responsible for her and that's... incredibly weird to him. [20:16] 10Daizo: "A fair point. Deled was always… such a very intense person." 15[20:17] Sadako is just sitting there with a dull, checked-out expression on her face. It's not obvious if she's paying attention. Perhaps Zhangyu was similar when he was her age? [20:17] 6...yes, and that was considered by his tutors to be 'not good.' 15[20:18] Caxi: "Not every man who took down an Anathema can be as charming as you." [20:19] 6He'll sit down near Sadako. If she wants to talk, she can; if she doesn't, he won't make her. 15[20:19] She looks up when he sits down, but when he doesn't say anything to her she settles back into her previous state. [20:19] 6Regardless, he is a very large presence she can lean on. [20:20] 6After a minute: "...doing okay?" 15[20:21] Sadako looks over at him. "Weird night," she mutters. [20:22] 10Daizo cracks a smile. "If you butter me up any more I'm liable to turn into a pastry." [20:23] 14Tephen had better appreciate her speed in closing the contract. He and whatever operation he's running here had no exposure whatsoever, and as long as they can provide a cutout dealer, Piu should have a story that the necromancers will have full cover to accept politically, even if they know it happened differently. [20:23] 6Zhangyu, to Sadako: "Yeah. Real weird. Not sure I'm a fan." 15[20:24] Sadako: "It'd be rude to boo." 15[20:24] Then: "Heh. Boo. Cause I had to hold a ghost in my mouth." [20:24] 10But he stands up and claps his hands. "However… I do think we need to have a brief discussion. Just the four of us Fangs, as a Hearth." [20:24] 07Dryas: "By the Dragons. And the Keystone is arriving tomorrow morning. Should we try to steal Deled out and make a break for it?" [20:24] 6Zhangyu: "I'm pretty sure that gives you rights to boo whenever." [20:24] 07Dryas' tone indicates she does not necessarily think they should. [20:25] 14Piu: "I've heard worse ideas," 14to Dryas before Daizo speaks. 15[20:25] Caxi: "...of course. Come, Sadako. I will fetch Lady Garnet." 15[20:26] Sadako says, "Have fun." to Zhangyu before getting up and meeting Caxi, now holding the bag with the har, and Garnet, who meets no one's eyes behind her veil. Then the hearth is alone. [20:26] 10Daizo: "Thanks, darling. It won't be long. And I'm sure Lady Garnet will be glad to get out of that washroom." [20:26] 6He'll wave her off. Well, he tried. 15[20:26] But Caxi's eyes twinkle when Daizo calls her 'darling'. [20:28] 10Daizo takes a deep breath. A tumult of emotions roils in the back of his head, but for just a few minutes, he can put the clamps on it. Ice cold diamond ones. 15[20:29] They say diamond is unbreakable. [20:30] 6Who says that? Probably a total geek. [20:31] 10Daizo jabs a finger at his Hearthsister. "Piu. Did you have to pull this shit today? In the middle of the party? Without warning us?" [20:32] 14Piu: "No. But I did. And I apologize for not warning you but things moved quickly. Especially after she asked what kind of whore I was." 15[20:32] In retrospect, the price may have been too high. [20:32] "I can deal with being called a slut. I have problems being called a slave." [20:33] "Either way, we may have been able to stop her from sending for reinforcements." [20:33] "I hope it was worth it, because right now we're all on the razor's edge from being totally fucked." 10An even and measured tone throughout. Even the inflections are calculated. [20:33] "I found a letter in her effects; she was to send for her mother as soon as we arrived. Our ship was named." [20:34] 6Zhangyu: "Didn't send fast enough, then." [20:35] 07Dryas: "Wrong. The court magician - the Abbott - sent her a message an hour ago." [20:35] 14Piu: "Well, shit." [20:36] 07Dryas: "She might have just been looking after two of her House's daughters. But now one of her trueborn daughters is dead. Lena was always on the edge of being a disaster but nothing like this." [20:37] 14Piu won't editorialize. [20:37] 10Daizo: "Okay. That's a longer-term concern that we need to keep in mind. But what we need to focus on right now is how to get out of this mess and how to make sure it doesn't happen again." [20:38] 07Dryas: "Everything about this place is wrong. Brightworks is supposed to be part of the Threshold. But these necromancers disrespect Dynasts to their faces. And you know what I think about their greater plans. We can't beat them in a fight, but maybe we don't need to." [20:38] 6She earned it. Though I feel that is not actually a legal defense. "Running very fast?" [20:40] 14Piu: "...I'll inform the three of you of any future freelancing I do. And you'll have veto power over it if it's a dynast. If it's some fucking Threshold slaver captain, that's my business." [20:40] 6Zhangyu has no objections to just murking every slaver. [20:40] 14Well, that might make him a hearth-breaker. [20:41] 07Dryas: "That will do for now. We will ahve to discuss the deeper repercussions when we put to sea - or, Dragons forbid, if Falen shows up here." 07Her tone indicates she dreads the latter possibility, possibly as much as the necromancers. [20:41] 10Daizo: "That's a very generous offer, and I was about to propose something similar myself. But even if it is a Threshold slaver captain, we need to know about it. And gods know I've been a fucking idiot myself about running my mouth, so we need to decide who on the ship needs to know what going forward." [20:41] 6Boys, they like a little danger. [20:42] 14Piu: "Yes, I suppose I have lost the right to demand discretion...but we can't have another Caxi situation, but this time with Ratel." 15[20:42] Don't say I didn't warn ya. Wait, wrong song. [20:43] 10Daizo: "That's a fair evaluation. Nothing about your side activities will pass my lips again, unless it's between the four of us in confidence. Or if you choose to widen the circle yourself first." [20:45] 07Dryas: "To bring the discussion to my own... indiscretions... The unfortunate business entanglement I ended up with Nn Tloc comes to a head before we leave this island. I will have run out of time the moment Moray Starving in a Prison of White Coral arrives." [20:46] 14Piu: "Then perhaps it's good you're now the de facto head of Cynis affairs on the island." [20:47] 07Dryas: "I see three options. The first is, I hand over his prize, accept the money, and we move forward with the mission. I prefer to avoid this if at all possible." [20:47] 07Dryas: "The second, I refuse the deal. Given what little I know of Moray's character, this is likely to end in lethal violence that I, at least, would be lucky to survive." [20:48] Dryas: "There may be a third option: deceit and trickery." [20:49] 07Dryas: "There may be a third option: deceit and trickery. This would also result in lethal violence, without a doubt, but perhaps we could redirect it or avoid it for a time." [20:49] 14Piu: "Options three and two, in that order, sound appealing. Given what I assume the prize is." [20:49] 6Zhangyu: "Out of the options presented, I have to prefer deceit and trickery. Just, in general." [20:50] 10Daizo: "Do you already have a plan for how you're going to deceive him?" [20:50] 07Dryas: "The prize is songbird in an enchanted cage, destined for Skullstone." [20:50] 14Piu: "...Hmmm." [20:50] 6If Skullstone wants it, they shouldn't get it. [20:50] 07Dryas: "I've spent an enormous amount of time thinking about it, but without any idea of where we were going I could never be sure of a plan. Now we are here and some options present themselves." [20:53] 10Daizo: "Is it the cage that's important, or the bird?" 10The icy diamond feeling is starting to recede, but it's leaving calm in its place instead of the turmoil flooding back in. [20:55] 07Dryas: "The bird. It's a silver Anathema. I am all but certain, anyway. I think we could try to defraud him by offering another in its place, or try to steal the real one back. Or, perhaps, some sort of sabotage of its prison to allow her a chance at desperate escape." [20:56] 07Dryas: "I assume the cage is magical because it hasn't escaped otherwise, but asked me to be released." [20:56] 14Piu: "The latter option sounds most promising. Is this official Garden business?" [20:56] "Well." [20:56] "'Official.'" [20:58] 07Dryas: "I think this is all part of the same smuggling ring we organized the Garden, in part, to defeat. I suspect I am not the first Dynast to participate -- I also saw Ragara Takoye visiting Nn Tloc and suspect he may have been a participant. But without evidence..." [20:59] 10Daizo: "More and more Anathema. If all else fails there's a very certain option to keep this one out of Skullstone's grasp." [21:00] 14Piu frowns. He can't possibly mean calling a Hunt...? [21:01] 07Dryas: "Functionally the same as breaking the deal. Maybe I would have had more cover if I had been busted in Abalone, I could blame someone else. But it's too late now." [21:01] 14Piu: "Can the hearth take Moray?" [21:01] 10Hell no. Pound it flat or drown the damn thing in its cage.  [21:01] "The four of us together." [21:03] 6Zhangyu: "We can take anything." [21:03] 07Dryas: "Nn Tloc didn't believe so." [21:04] "Nn Tloc is an asshole." [21:04] 14Piu: "He has reason to lie." [21:04] 10Daizo: "There's an option that might allow us to avoid a stand-up fight, satisfying as that might be. But it relies on some preparation time I'm not sure we'll have." [21:05] 07Dryas: "We certainly can't do it here, in unfamiliar if not hostile territory, with all these necromancers standing as one. They are a cracked bulwark but if pushed, they'll defend each other. At least for now." [21:07] 10Daizo: "If we know, or can guess, when his ship's coming in, we could intercept it well offshore." [21:07] "And then I have Current hole it under the waterline." [21:07] 14Piu: "We'd better get out there, then. With our recent luck he's pulling in now." [21:07] "Swoop in and grab the prize from the ship before it sinks." [21:10] 07Dryas is skeptical. "Even if we beat him - the legendary pirate - at sea, where would we go? We couldn't very well return here." 07She shakes her head. "Trickery and deception. If he believes one of these other clammy blackguards has betrayed him, or is working against him, then we have a chance. And perhaps we can undermine this beastly farce of a wedding while we are at it." [21:11] 10Daizo, mildly: "It's a tactic I was also considering to make a quick exit from Brightwork. Just drill any vessels capable of pursuing us." [21:11] 14Piu: "I'll reach out to certain corners once I'm no longer under room arrest. Forewarning: if they try to actually arrest me, I'm just going to go to ground." [21:11] "Don't worry, I'll turn up again before we leave." [21:12] 6Zhangyu: "Is it better or worse that I'm no longer concerned when you say things like that?" [21:12] 07Dryas: "You had best pray they don't take out their anger on any hostages. Like Seiri, or Sadako, or all of the rest of us." [21:12] "They won't touch a finger on Seiri or Sadako." [21:13] 14Piu: "Did you get the impression from your meeting with him that the Skullstone monster cares very much about a Dynast woman dying?" [21:13] 14Ah, a hands guy. [21:13] 10Daizo: "We are going to get out of this in one piece even if I have to crawl through hell to get us there." [21:13] 10Literally. [21:14] 6Please do not literally crawl through hell. [21:14] 07Dryas: "The good Ser Groom cared enough to wake the Abbott from his repose, and the Abbott cared enough to listen to him. It's great leverage over all of us." [21:17] 10Daizo: "Which brings us back around to Peleps Deled, a card that no one else knows we're holding." [21:17] 07Dryas: "How can we play him?" [21:19] 10Daizo: "The hard part will be stopping him from marching out of that temple and trying to slay anyone in his path even vaguely associated with necromancy." [21:20] 14Piu: "He could swing a decisive fight in our favor. Or we could simply let him go kill himself like that as a distraction." [21:20] 6Zhangyu: "That's messed up." [21:20] 10Daizo: "But he owes us—well, Caxi and I—an immense favor. If it wasn't for us he'd still be a limbless torso in bed." [21:20] 07Dryas: "Then we set them all at each other's throats and give Deled that gunzosha suit to see what a master can make with it... Look, this general plan, we do this all the time to barbarians, right? They teach a whole course on it at the Spiral Academy. Divide et impera. These are just... tougher barbarians than normal." [21:21] 6That is also messed up but he doesn't reiterate that. [21:22] 14Piu: "Well, I'll get to work on the Abbot when he visits." [21:22] 6Zhangyu: "Let me know when I need to break someone." [21:24] 07Dryas: "Zhangyu, find someone big and burly and get them to respect you enough to help keep their home free of domination by undead monstrosities. A local, maybe? Someone in the Watch? The friendlier the locals the easier it will be to unsettle the Skullstoners." [21:25] 14Piu: "Bodease might be helpful here, in finding someone." [21:25] 10Daizo: "You want backup, Piu, or should we let you have a tête-à-tête with this creep by yourself?" [21:26] 14Piu: "I think it would make sense if you remained, Daizo, unless you have other things to take care of." [21:29] 07Dryas provides some general advice: "Find out what they value. Or who. If someone or something goes missing, if we can frame one for the acts of another, we should be able to quickly unravel them." [21:30] 6Zhangyu: "I'll make it happen. See you in a few hours." [21:30] 10Daizo folds his arms and, unconsciously, pulls in his wings. "Right. Well, as Caxi said, Deled's not likely to wake until morning. I'll play guard in the meantime, sure." [21:38] 10If there's time before the Abbot gets here, Daiz will summon a servant for tea. Somewhere in there his crimson clothes caught fire again, although now with the glow of slowly dying embers instead of a roaring bonfire. 15[21:41] A chattering skeleton shows up within minutes rolling in a tea service on a little cart before leaving the two of them alone. Meanwhile, Zhangyu leaves in search of some local toughs. But there are guards at the only gate in or out of the Inner City, and they're not letting anyone through. Guess he should just give up and lie down in the dirt until bugs eat him. 15[21:41] What about Dryas? [21:41] 07Dryas seeks out Caxi. [21:42] 07Nobody impedes her movement through the palace? [21:42] 6Uh, have you seen him? 15[21:42] Yes. Mmmm. But what's he do? 15[21:43] No one stops Dryas, although pretty much everyone she passes, living and dead, servant and dignitary alike, turn and watch her as she goes. 15[21:44] Caxi is in the suite being shared by Seiri, Sadako, and Garnet. Seiri and Garnet are sitting on the bed with a book between them. Sadako is sitting dully in the corner, like she was in Piu's suite, though she's visibly paying attention to the bed. It's Caxi who acknowledges her cousin. "Ah! Good talk?" [21:46] 6He can just leave? Then he absolutely will do that and give a BIG hug along with a whispered "don't fucking ruin this for me" thing to the first person to meet him. [21:49] 07Dryas just sighs, tiredly. "Thank you, Sadako. And thank you, Caxi, for your quick thinking to keep Lena's ghost out of the hands of these monsters." [21:51] 07Dryas: "This is not how I wanted tonight to turn out." 15[21:51] Meanwhile, Piu and Daizo have scarcely begun to sip their tea when there's a rhythmic seven-beat knock on the door. [21:51] 4Well, here we go. 15[21:52] Caxi: "I don't think anyone wanted tonight to turn out like this... I imagine your kinship has agreed the line they intend to take with Falen in the if-and-when?" [21:55] 07Dryas: "The particulars need some work. Perhaps when we are back at sea..." [21:57] 6He hugs Sadako before he leaves - sorry Seiri - but he's on his way to see his sister, who is in town, golly, it's been so long since they've met, [21:57] 6He tries very hard not to glare at any guards. [21:58] 07Dryas: "How are the rest of you doing? I must immediately confess, I have never seen a place like this." [21:58] 4Weakly: "Come in." 15[22:00] Seiri: "Oh, you're very kind to ask, Lady Dryas. I'm terribly sorry about Lady Lena - but at least Lady Piu is alright. Thank Heaven for that. I was just showing Lady Garnet this album the wedding singer gave us." 15[22:01] Garnet doesn't look up. She seems preoccupied with the album - which from a distance appears to be of very fine quality in both make and design. 15[22:01] Sadako grunts. [22:02] 10Daizo: "Just a moment." 10He'll get up and open the door, just to get a good look at this guy. [22:03] 13Does she like it? Though I suppose it's difficult to hear what it sounds like. 15[22:05] The door creaks open and an absurd little man starts to waddle in before he stops dead and cranes his neck up at Daizo. The Abbot is robed in sumptuous black and silver, hair still wet from what smells like a bath in lye. He's got a metal box in his unfree hand. "Sweet Jesus. What'd they feed you, guy? Was there any left for anyone else?" [22:05] 4This little creep's more dangerous than he looks. [22:06] 6Is he on your list? Or did he just find his way onto ours? 15[22:07] Zhangyu might not glare, but the vibes he gives off are sufficient that even the stalwarts holding the gate convince themselves to let him through. What's his plan? Off the top of his head, there a couple obvious angles to take. One is to try and meet with the Watch, who are the law here, and one is to try and find an in with the restive and riotous sailors. [22:08] 10Daizo peers down at the impertinent little weirdo. "Why, are you in the market for a workout plan?" 15[22:09] It's hard to tell what Garnet's emotional reaction to the album is with her face veiled like that. But it seems to consume her attention. [22:10] 6Sailors are a good time. Even if the Watch is, strictly speaking, the better idea. [22:11] "You want gains, I can get you gains. No shortcuts, though." [22:11] 6They're extremely fun, though. Here for a good time, not a long time. 15[22:12] Abbot: "I'll keep that in mind. Right now, I'm just hungry. Hope you don't mind, I brought lunch." He holds up the box for emphasis. "This Lady V'neef Piu's suite? I'm the Abbot, I was told I was expected." [22:13] 4Faintly: "It is." 15[22:14] Does Daizo bar the Abbot's way? [22:14] "Indeed you are. Tepet Daizo, by the by. A pleasure to meet you." 10It's a complete bald-faced lie. But he stands aside.  [22:15] 10Well, at least he bothered to put some clothes on since Dryas met him.  15[22:16] Now the Abbot waddles in unimpeded, making room on the tea cart for his lunchbox. He gives Piu an appraising look. "First off: how are you feeling? Arrow frog venom hurts like hell." [22:18] 10Once the Abbot's attention is occupied with Piu, Daizo will politely push all of their tea service as far away from the lunchbox as possible without shoving it onto the floor. [22:21] 07Dryas looks over the room and then remembers some things that were going on at the party, before it was interrupted by a murder. And that were going on on the ship, before it was interrupted by a mission to save the known world. "Lot to unpack... Caxi, if you want we can discuss what to do about Lena alone. I don't know anything about what you've managed to do, though. All I know is I don't want her falling into their hands. [22:21] I don't want anyone else falling into their hands." 15[22:22] Zhangyu has to poke around a bit and pass a couple of Watch checkpoints before he finds a crowded teahouse. But there's no tea, or wine, or liquor here - just a gently simmering cauldron full of some thin liquid, and people huddled everywhere there's room to sit with variably-full wooden bowls. People were chattering before he entered; his arrival causes the room to fall silent. 15[22:22] Caxi: "Let's take her to my room. The girls will be alright. Won't you, girls?" 15[22:23] Seiri nods; Garnet waves a hand without looking up; Sadako grunts again. 15[22:23] Caxi: "Beautiful!" 15[22:23] A minute later the two and two-thirds Cynis are alone. 15[22:24] Caxi doesn't mince words. "We should decide what to do about Lena's remains. Both spiritual and temporal. Obviously custom demands her body be prepared for interment in the House tomb... but her ghost is a complicating factor. Not only is she the only witness to what really happened, but as long as necromancers walk these halls having a ghost in the cupboard is worse than bait." [22:25] 4Piu: "I'm still weak. It was touch and go there...I dunno if they knew they were cutting it for a dynast." [22:25] 07Dryas: "These fucking necromancers refused to return her remains until they are 'satisfied,' whatever that means. It's unacceptable. And of course, you are right about the rest. What can we do about it?" [22:26] "It shouldn't have killed Lena either, but..." [22:26] 4She looks away. [22:27] 6Zhangyu pretends not to notice how upset everyone is with him being present. Just takes a seat and hopes that no one bothers him. 15[22:27] Caxi: "I suppose the simplest thing to do would be to satisfy them." 15[22:28] "What do you make of them? What do they want?" 15[22:28] Zhangyu's plan has some flaws, like being huge and scary and visibly not from around here. But being huge and scary means the pushback is fairly polite. "Can we help you, boss?" [22:29] 07Dryas: "For some reason they seem to care about conducting an investigation. I don't know why - blackmail?" 15[22:31] "She took a nasty header. Hard to eyeball a cut that'll stand up to pavement." The Abbot opens his box, and a melange of unpleasant smells emerge - raw fish and the briny, slightly sulfury smell of-- "Egg?" he asks, holding out a pickled one for Piu. [22:31] 6Zhangyu: "Coffee? I'll tip." [22:31] 10Daizo wrinkles his nose. Is it actually pickled, or just rotten? 15[22:32] "That supposed to be funny?" asks one of the sailors. 15[22:32] This food is fresh! Or, well, as fresh as fish and eggs in a metal box can be. [22:32] 4Piu's eyes flutter. "I'm sorry...I don't think I could keep it down in my state..." [22:32] 6Is that to Zhangyu or to someone else? Because he does not look like a joker. 15[22:33] "Say no more." The Abbot pops it into his mouth whole. "Tell you what," he says, chewing, "Why don't we start by you telling me what you remember. Don't force it - just say what comes naturally." 15[22:34] That's to Zhangyu. He might not look like a joker, but it doesn't look like there's coffee, either. He gets the sense they're probably used to people from the Watch mocking their starvation. [22:37] 10Then again, any decent fish sauce dances right on that razor's edge between delectable and rotten. It's a very liminal condiment.  [22:37] 07Dryas: "Perhaps their investigation will conclude soon. So what do we do about her ghosts? What can we do? Ask Daizo to conduct a field funeral?" 15[22:37] Caxi: "Well... if we don't know what they want, we should think in terms of what we're willing to part with. Suppose they want Piu, for instance. Out of the question, obviously... but we know that she's an assassin, and we know that she's blindly devoted to Samperson. Suppose we offer them him? Say he's the real mastermind. It might even be true." 15[22:38] "Lethe is by far the safest place for Lena's ghost, yes. For both her and us." [22:39] 6It turns out he is the joker. No coffee? They have rum? 15[22:40] They have seaweed boiled in seawater. [22:40] 6You know what, okay. [22:41] 4Piu hesitantly and then, either with gentle urging from the Abbot (hah, unlikely) or the young woman finding her strength to describe such a traumatic event, goes through the steps of the careful dance they've laid out to cover everyone's asses, from buying the bad coke from the street dealer that Tephen and Caedus are currently throwing together to trying to impress Lena to Lena [22:41] 4'stealing' her poisoned coke to the whole stumbling out the window thing...very tragic. Piu is horrified by the mistakes she's made. 15[22:43] "You with the Watch, stranger?" The same gently confrontational dockworker asks as Zhangyu gets up for a ladleful of broth and kelp. It's not *unappetizing* - it's just some dried fish flakes away from dashi, which is the base of pretty much every soup in Realm cookbooks - but it's clearly thin and likely not very nutritious. It fills bellies more than it feeds. [22:43] 07Dryas: "Samperson... now that's an interesting idea. Could be an ideal fall guy." [22:45] 6Zhangyu has eaten this. It's fine. "Close as." 15[22:45] Caxi: "And the fewer people Piu has to conspire with, the less likely she is to spontaneously decide to murder people without your support." 15[22:46] The dockworker: "Well, we told the Northern Cross our demands. We've told her every day for a month. So unless you're here to tell us she's found a conscience..." [22:46] 4Caxi should be careful with this line of reasoning; it makes her next to go. 15[22:47] Better next than first, eh? [22:48] 6Does Zhangyu need to go yell at her? 15[22:49] Does he *need* to do anything? Why not just go for a relaxing swim? 15[22:49] The Abbot: "Yeah. That all sounds like a real shame." [22:49] 6A relaxing screaming session is fine too. 15[22:50] If he wants to find the Captain of the Watch, that's probably even easier than getting here was. 15[22:52] The Abbot: "So what brings you all to Brightwork?" [22:53] 4Mournfully: "We were just here to deliver some food. Then they said we had to go to this wedding..." [22:54] 14No reason lying. It's not like this guy doesn't know precisely what the guest list is, and that they're not on it. [22:54] 07Dryas: "It might be a necessary sacrifice... but maybe that's their plan. Start setting us against each other, see who cracks and who starts giving each other up to the foreigners for justice. Next thing you know, they're the ones in charge." 15[22:55] The Abbot: "Yeah. Do you think you'll be staying? This is as good an excuse as you'll find to just ship out in the morning." [22:55] 4Does Dryas want to field this one? Piu's supposed to have been in convalesence the past few hours, not debating the merits of their itinerary. [22:56] *4Daizo [22:57] 10Daizo: "That decision isn't ours to make. It's up to the Commodore. But we can certainly relay your suggestion to her." 15[22:57] Caxi: "Mmm... I don't imagine he's in any danger, unless for some reason they actually care about the crime that's been committed. It doesn't sound like they do, from the way you describe them. But it makes it seem as if we do, and it's not as if the man doesn't endure greater indignities. Did you see what Ratel has him wearing? Admirably shameless. But not admiralably so." [22:58] "But, mm, how to put it… our commander loves her parties." 15[22:59] The Abbot: "The pearl diver? With the blue hair?" [23:01] 4Damn, this guy's filthy. [23:01] 10In a "this-always-happens" voice: "That's the one. Now that we're here, I think the may intend to stay for the wedding. But I can't imagine we'd remain for much longer afterwards." [23:02] 07Dryas: "You think she should start cracking down, learn some of the old naval discipline?" 15[23:03] Caxi: "I think if she doesn't, it's only a matter of time before she looks up and realizes she's not in charge anymore." 15[23:03] "Of course... maybe that's what we want." 15[23:10] The Abbot: "Your other friend, the Haltan - is she Lena's sister or cousin or what? She seemed pretty broken up. Not as broken up as Lena, obviously." [23:10] 07Dryas looks into her cousin's eyes. "Maybe." [23:11] 4Piu: "Something like that. Everyone's someone's cousin in the big houses. I don't know if they were close..." 15[23:14] Caxi: "Another point in favor of putting pressure on Samperson. The whole crew is in the palace right now. If they see her stand in his defense - risking both the wider mission and the rest of us - that's the seed of something whose roots could split the stone foundation of her relationship with the crew. And she will take that risk, I'm sure of it." 15[23:14] "Otherwise she'd need to find a new piece of furniture." [23:14] 10Daizo: "Took the words out of my mouth. But it's Cynis—for all I know, Lena was going to gift her ten talentweights of Wu-Jian White." [23:15] 10Sorry for talking shit about your House, Dryas. 15[23:15] The Abbot: "She the grudge-holding type? The powers that be have not been very respectful." 15[23:16] "I'd like to smooth this over if possible." [23:17] 07Dryas: "Without something to replace it? Could be a mutiny waiting to happen. And in a place like this? I guess I need more friends in low places..." [23:18] 6Zhangyu, to the Watch: "Sorry. I - Normally I just let stuff like this pass by. You guys doing okay?" [23:18] 10Daizo: "Mm, I think once the shock wears off she'll be amenable to discussion. If you're worried about a blood feud or something, don't." 15[23:19] Caxi: "This is a far slower-acting poison than the one that brought poor Lena low. The crew is deeply loyal to Ratel and Samperson both. One diplomatic incident won't shatter that." 15[23:19] "But it will make the next insinuation burrow a little deeper." 15[23:19] "Eventually you'll reach the fault line." 15[23:20] "Oh, that was a mixed metaphor. Please accept my apology, Cousin - a bit too much wine, I think." 15[23:21] The dockworker: "We've got each other, and that's a lot." 15[23:21] There's a murmur of agreement - they seem too tired to cheer. [23:23] 6Could be worse. "Get in touch if that changes." 6They uh. They can, right? 15[23:24] The Abbot takes a whole, intact mackerel and pops it into his mouth, holding it delicately by the fin. There's a gentle sucking sound and he gently pulls a totally clean little fish skeleton free by that same fin. He chews contemptatively. [23:24] 07Dryas: "Accepted. And who can see Lena's ghost to Lethe? This little setup won't interfere with that? Reincarnation from a martini glass?" [23:24] 4Hah. 15[23:25] After a remarkably demure belch: "Listen. It's not my job to arbitrate the right and wrong of things. But if there's something we can do to make her feel better -- to put her at ease -- I think I could, within reason, get that done." [23:25] 10Daizo: "Damn. Maybe I should be asking you for workout tips instead." [23:27] 4Piu, guiltily: "You might have to take that up with her...I'm not her favorite person right now." [23:27] "But we appreciate the thought!" 15[23:28] The Abbot: "In my experience, people take things like this less personally than they think they should. As long as you don't offend her pride on top of everything else, you're probably fine." [23:30] 10Daizo: "Hmm. Might it be possible for Lena's mortal remains to be released to us, as a gesture of goodwill? She did seem a little distraught that the proper rites might not be conducted in time." 15[23:31] He wipes his hands off on his robe and deposits the fish skeleton in the box. "Sure, sure. I think we've established that no one here had provably nefarious intent. And I know how it is with coworkers. I mean, you've seen what *I* have to deal with." [23:31] 4Piu just gives him a guileless, wide-eyed look. 14Because she hasn't, of course. But she can imagine. [23:32] 10Daizo: "Your employer certainly makes a striking impression. Uh, is he your employer? Or is it a more complicated relationship?" [23:32] 14Well, she's seen the creature up close, but she was unconscious for that. [23:32] 14Arguably. 15[23:32] Caxi: "Daizo can do it, certainly. Anyone who's spent a day in the Cloister can." 15[23:33] "I think it would make him feel good. It's a simple thing, one he can control. And we've precious few of those lately." 15[23:33] The dockworker: "Where can we find you? What's your name, stranger?" 15[23:34] "I'm Tomi," he adds. 15[23:35] The Abbot: "We have the same boss." [23:36] 10Daizo: "It's one of those things. All right." [23:36] 07Dryas: "Do you know anything about these necromancers, anyway? All I know is what they used to say about Thorns... and what they say about it now, after Lookshy debased itself." [23:37] 10It's weird, but Daizo actually finds himself warming up to this strange little man. 15[23:38] Caxi: "No... Piu might. She was the one giving lap dances to the Skullstoner back in Abalone. Though it was easy to see why." [23:39] 10After a little introspection, Daizo puts his finger on it—the weird waddling man out of every element is shockingly reminiscent of Tsunome Dorei.  15[23:39] The Abbot: "Alright. I think I've heard enough. I think we've all learned a valuable lesson about what's a good and bad idea to stick our noses into." [23:40] 4That gets a weak laugh. Well, a bit stronger now. Appropriately so, though, she's not going to stop the act. [23:40] 10Pfffthaha. [23:41] 14Now the big problem is what happens when Cynis Falen gets word. Even if she buys the cover story, the cover story still widely faults Piu. 15[23:41] The Abbot stands with a groan. "I'll let you get some rest. Take it sleazy." [23:42] 14But, that's for another day, and another round of apologies, because Piu knows what she'd like to do alone in a room with one of the most powerful women in House Cynis. [23:42] 4Chuckling: "You too, Abbot." 15[23:42] He shuffles out. [23:43] 14When they're alone, Piu sits up and stands. "Alright, I think we're clear to begin operating again. Do you need help with anything? I need to find Samperson and check up on how he's doing with the 'dealer.'" [23:44] 07Dryas: "Do you want me to take the... 'container' back to Daizo? Or are you looking for the excuse?" [23:45] 10Daizo: "I don't really have plans for the rest of the night. I'll meet up with Dryas and let her know the Abbot's agreed to let us have Lena's body. In the morning I can send her on her way." [23:46] 14Piu: "Sounds good." 15[23:46] Caxi: "Daizo and I have ample time to bond. I think you should do it. I do have one favor to ask, however: you should suggest to him that, when you go to question the shikari tomorrow, it's more parsimonious if he doesn't mention my role." [23:47] 10Daizo: "You need someone to cover for you, though? Pretend we're still watching over you while you're sleeping it off?" [23:47] "...I'm sorry, again. Dryas and I had a plan, a very baldly rudimentary one, to get Lena removed in a deniable way. But the opportunity was there and she was a slaver and she reminded me of that." [23:48] "And even a perfect kill is ruinous at the wrong time." [23:48] "...That would be nice." [23:48] "I can go out through the window." [23:48] 10Daizo: "…yeah, I was a little harsh back then." [23:48] "I don't think you were." [23:49] "But you didn't need to be harsher, either. A perfect balance." [23:49] "Give my regards to Caxi. I bet she's been scheming." 15[23:49] Perish the thought. [23:49] 14That's the job, and the work continues. [23:50] 14Unless Daizo has more, Piu will duck out and beeline for Tephen. [23:50] 10Daizo: "Well. It's what she does. And I'm starting to do it too. All right, I can fake up someone under the covers with pillows as well as anyone. See you later." [23:51] 07Dryas: "A very good idea, from what I've heard about Deled." 15[23:51] Caxi's eyes twinkle again. 15[23:52] Caxi: "I suppose I should see to the girls. Who knows what foul ideas that Anathema music is putting in their heads?" She sounds mock-scandalized. [23:56] 07Dryas simply humphs. As if Anathema music would be any good. [23:57] 14Babe you need to live a little. 15[23:57] A little more than Lena, at least. [23:58] 14Get busy living or get busy dying, the poets said. [23:58] 10Once Piu's out the window, Daizo rounds up a human servant and well, frankly, just browbeats them into prohibiting entry to Piu's suite until he returns. That finished, he heads off to give Dryas the good news… and then try to think of a way to explain to Peleps Deled how his arms and legs grew back without mentioning Caxi.  [23:58] 10That keeps him up a while. [23:58] 07Dryas: "...Although, I should speak with Sadako briefly." 07Jealousy is not an herb to cultivate in that one. 15[00:00] NEXT TIME: Get Deled Out 15[00:01] Piu has to duck and weave to stay out of the view of servants, living and dead, and the odd sleepless courtier. But she's able to find Tephen and Caedus in their matching outfits up in Tephen's tower office. 15[00:02] Caedus is faintly alarmed to see her. "Did something happen?" [00:02] 14After closing the door: "Are we alone?" 15[00:02] Tephen: "We are." [00:04] 14Piu: "Skullstone is accepting the accident version of events. The Abbot just settled up affairs; they don't have the interest level in inter-dynast politics or the sentiment for Lena personally to bother otherwise. They clearly know what happened but are content not to care. Obviously, we should still go through with the dealer cutout for Falen, but given the cover story, V'neef [00:04] Piu's due to get rung up by her regardless." 15[00:04] After speaking with Daizo, Dryas checks in on Garnet and her handmaidens. Garnet is curled up on the chaise with a blanket, looking at the book. Sadako is spread-eagled on the bed, still in her traveling clothes, staring at the ceiling. It sounds like Seiri is cleaning up in the dressing room. [00:04] 14She pauses. "Just a bad bit of luck on the timing, the necromancers showing up. But we took care of the ghosts." [00:05] "My exposure to my hearth is likewise about the best we can expect. I have to clear kills through them from now on." [00:06] "At least for the next little while." [00:06] "Lady Garnet. Seiri. ... Sadako." 07Dryas greets the others. 15[00:06] Caedus: "That was bound to happen sooner or later." 15[00:06] Tephen: "We've got a fall guy lined up. I'm impressed. Very clean for such quick work." [00:07] 14Piu nods. "They're not fools. Most of them are onto you," 14speaking to Caedus, "but think you're a V'neef go-between. The House remains clean." 15[00:07] Caedus: "All according to plan." [00:07] 14To Tephen: "Thank you. Lucky this architectural style has so many windows, for the view." 15[00:08] Tephen: "Is your Cynis in a position to keep the business rolling?" [00:09] 14Piu: "So, additional business. 'Moray' is headed in to pick up a package from Dryas on behalf of our old friend Nn Tloc, whom Lao is warring with. Dryas wants to start an in-house fight between 'Moray,' who is a necromancer, and this Knight asshole." [00:09] 14To Tephen: "She is. Lena's burial is sunrise tomorrow, and after that the boxes have been ticked for her to assume direct control." [00:10] "Both of legitimate Cynis holdings and Guild contacts, and business through the Garden." [00:10] "Which is our competing interest." 15[00:10] Tephen: "Works for me. Don't suppose you're in a position to reopen the trade route?" [00:10] 14Piu: "Depends what that entails." 15[00:11] Tephen: "Piracy's the main problem in these waters. Without the Navy keeping the peace, it's open season on traders. S'why half of Brightwork went to bed hungry tonight." 15[00:12] Sadako: "How'd it go?" [00:13] "We can run blockades all day long but we're currently on two ships of any note, one commanded by a captured admiral with a mission of her own and one Dryas's personal flagship. Reopening trade requires, if I'm not wrong, either Skullstone or the Realm ascendant -- they're the only one with the navies for it." [00:13] "The Garden is growing, but even doubling our fleet just gives us four two-masters instead of two." 15[00:15] Tephen: "Any idea what happened to the fleet? Did they eat shit Tepet-style?" 15[00:15] Caedus: "No clue." [00:15] 07Dryas: "We'll have to see. Can we talk for a second?" 15[00:16] Sadako turns to stare at Dryas without getting up. A beat passes before she realizes Dryas means privately, and she stands. Where does Dryas lead her? [00:17] 07Good question. Is there another chamber, associated with the crew or officers, quite nearby? 15[00:18] Everyone's got their own suite, though a few people (Piu and Samperson, Caxi and Daizo, Garnet and her handmaidens) seem to have grouped up voluntarily. The easiest option is Dryas's own suite, which she might not even have unpacked in yet. [00:19] 14Piu: "There's been another development." 15[00:20] Tephen: "Go on." [00:20] "Peleps Deled is alive, in Brightwork, and one good night's rest away from resuming the good fight." 15[00:20] Both Iselsi men, in unison: "What the fuck?" [00:22] 07Her own suite it is, then! It hasn't been ransacked, has it? [00:23] 14Piu: "Like I said, I didn't just join my hearth because I'm fond of them. They represent the most useful aspects of what we can salvage from the oppressor Houses. They are quite remarkable. Deled was apparently struck down by Peleps Furia herself." 15[00:24] Tephen: "The Fleet Admiral? What the hell turned Peleps Deled, as mean and loyal a son of a bitch as you'll find in the Realm, renegade against her Navy?" 15[00:25] It hasn't been ransacked... in the sense that nothing has been taken. It does look like someone's been through here looking for something. [00:25] 14Piu: "We'll try to ask him before he starts a fight." 15[00:25] But they put back all of Dryas's things pretty much where they found them. 15[00:26] Tephen: "Put your whiniest tightass on point for this one." [00:27] 14Piu: "Our whiny tightass has loosened up significantly recently, but we might have someone for the job." 15[00:29] Tephen: "Well shit." [00:29] 07Dryas grimaces appreciatively as she runs her eye over her belongings. An experienced traveler has certain habits, and it is clear when they are disarranged... "And of course, someone's been through my luggage. At least they didn't take anything. Couldn't say the same about most of the better palaces in Chiaroscuro. But look, I wanted to check in with you, see how things were. Did Seiri say something?" 15[00:29] Sadako: "About what?" [00:30] 14Piu: "At this point, I think our angle is to trust in Dryas, Daizo, and Zhangyu -- who I think is stirring up labor trouble down at the docks -- turning this wedding into chaos, and playing our angles to support them and profit off of it." [00:30] 14Piu: "The Knight of Cups or whatever he is made a very poor first impression." [00:31] 07Dryas: "I don't know. You're on edge, though. I don't think it's because of our hosts. Was it something at the reception?" 15[00:32] Tephen: "He tends to. No one's hand a kind word for him since the pretty one stopped showing up." [00:32] 14Piu frowns. "The Abbot mentioned that he and the Knight share a boss. That her?" [00:32] "Or him, I suppose." 15[00:36] Sadako closes off immediately. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it." 15[00:37] Tephen: "If he was their boss, they didn't act like it. Knight and Abbot both gave him no end of shit. A necromonger, like them, but I think they jumped in front of his alloted whacks with the ugly stick. Pretty enough to be the belle of the barracks. They call him the Eye." [00:38] 14Piu: "The Eye. Not very auspicious." 15[00:38] Piu has a reasonably educated guess as to who that might be. 15[00:39] Or more accurately, who that might have been. [00:41] 14She grimaces. "That's helpful, though. Not sure how, yet." [00:41] "See, the Eye's dead." 15[00:41] Tephen: "You?" [00:41] "No. Heaven killer." [00:41] "Some guy with a number for a name." 15[00:41] Tephen: "Oh, fuck." [00:42] "We were lovers, though. And for bringing that killer to heel, he gave me his mark." 15[00:42] "I fucking knew it." 15[00:42] "Not the fucking. The Heaven." [00:42] 14She lights up the True Rune. 15[00:42] Tephen's eyes narrow. "That a curse?" [00:42] "It's a weapon." 15[00:42] Tephen grumbles in satisfaction. [00:42] "But it also means the first time the necromancers see it, they'll know I was there when the Eye died." [00:43] "So. Useful. But hard to say in which direction." 15[00:43] Caedus: "The Eye put an arrow through the breast of Abalone's watcher-god, cursed so he could never rise again." 15[00:43] Tephen: "Explains Heaven, I guess." 15[00:44] "Keep your eyes peeled, though - those fuckers are buried even deeper into the Big Ten than we are." [00:44] 14Piu grimaces. "We know. We've talked to a couple." 15[00:45] Tephen: "Then you know that under no circumstances are they trustworthy." [00:45] "Well. There's the one circumstance." [00:45] "Pity we had to release him back to the governor." 15[00:45] Tephen snorts. "Fuck's probably ten bodies deeper by now, then." [00:46] 07Dryas leans back a little and goes in gently. "Let me just say, I am really very happy for you to have found each other. And I would not normally pry about this sort of thing. But I can see it is really bothering you. And I still feel responsible for you, whether or not you still feel that I should be. I would be derelict if I didn't let you know that you can talk to me about it." [00:46] "If it's Realmers and Guilders, then it's for the best. He said he'll be back, though. And I believe him." 15[00:47] Sadako crosses her arms and doesn't meet Dryas's eyes. "...and say what? That you might as well just toss her to a siaka?" [00:47] 14Damn, girl. 15[00:48] Tephen draws in a deep breath through his nose. "You-all are deep into some shit. What the fuck's going on?" [00:49] 14Offhandedly, to Tephen: "You know, I thought you might be one at first. Right position, right amount of invisibility, right hands on the right levers. But then I remembered our org chart out here." [00:49] 14This is intended as a compliment, though it might not be received as one if he's real worked up. [00:49] 14Hollerin' about the agents of the new world order. [00:51] 07Dryas: "Sure, why not start there. Siaka, why not a tyrant lizard?" 15[00:52] Tephen: "I fuckin wish. I bet they get paid in the hopes and dreams of little kids. Fuckin interdimensional pedophile spy lords. It fits. It all fits! They've been at it since the beginning of the Realm - since before! You know the Empress was one? She had all her kids indoctrinated and now all the matriarchs and the patriarchs take subconscious directives by passphrases, just waiting 15[00:52] for the power word to kill on Heaven's command." [00:52] 14Piu blinks. [00:52] "Say that again?" 15[00:54] Tephen: "The Empress was one of Heaven's assassins. She had all her children indoctrinated from Mnemon to V'neef and they're all one code word whispered in their ear or passed on a slip of paper away from deeply etched psychic commands." 15[00:55] "Come on, everyone knows this! Do your damn research." 15[00:55] "Who do you think took down Iselsi in the first place? The Empress? Not fucking likely." 15[00:56] Sadako: "Where are we going to get a red wig that size?" [00:56] 14Piu, ignoring the last bit: "On Old Mionzi there was access to a pre-Realm, like, superweapon. The manse was this great earth energy...cannon, I guess, and it had just been building up and poisoning the isle. We've got a facsimile of the Empress on our crew, from just before she was Empress, and she was able to use the manse...but couldn't unlock certain parameters. They were sealed [00:56] by supervisors. They needed like, a job code. I didn't make the connection before about who those supervisors were." 15[00:57] Caedus breathes in sharply but he doesn't contradict Piu. His eyes are on Tephen. 15[00:58] Tephen: "A-ha! You see? You see?! The Sword of Creation was never the Empress's to wield. She was just the patsy. A fancier version of the guy we're feeding the necromongers." 15[00:58] "All of it, everything you were ever taught - it's a lie." 15[00:58] "A DAMN lie!" [00:59] 14Piu: "That's not the point. I mean, yes, but not the point." [00:59] "The point is that if it's checking supervisors, there's something it's checking it against." [00:59] "Something up in Heaven." [01:00] "Something that someone maybe of a little higher pay grade than a yeoman hitman is watching." [01:00] "So we need to run really carefully from now on." 15[01:01] Tephen: "Whoever it is, you're bound to be in her sights now, if one got away already." [01:03] 14Piu: "Yeah. This never gets any easier." 14She sighs. "What assets do you have that you need to either lock down or call up? What are we working with here?" [01:03] "The best way to keep you safe is cause a Creation-grade disaster at this wedding and slip away [01:03] hoping that whoever's tracking us follows us, instead of sticking with you." [01:04] 07Dryas: "Well, she's got a lot of things - including all that red hair, but there's one thing she doesn't have." 15[01:04] Tephen: "I've got an apprentice. Outcaste. The Overseer knows about her. I don't think anyone else cares. Yet." [01:04] "She ready for the big time?" 15[01:04] Sadako: "Yeah?" 15[01:05] Tephen: "No one's really ready until they're in it. But she's learned all she can learn safely." 15[01:05] "If you hadn't come along, Lena would've been her first test." [01:05] 14Piu nods. Glancing at Caedus: "If I've got clearance, I'd like to set up a meet and maybe get her inserted into the wedding staff. [01:06] " 15[01:11] Caedus: "If Tephen says she's ready then I trust him. Boghadairean a ’losgadh." [01:12] 14Piu remembers the wall of Tephen's office. "She draw whales?" 15[01:12] Tephen: "That was her, yeah." [01:12] 14Piu nods. "I'll take personal responsibility bringing her out the other side." 15[01:13] Tephen: "I'll set up the meet. Where and when?" [01:14] 14Piu: "Mid day tomorrow, after Lena's sending, somewhere that makes sense for her cover. Pass it along through Lao's men to Caedus; I'm going to be watched directly until I slip the hook for the meet." 15[01:14] Tephen: "Got it." [01:15] 14Piu: "Alright, gentlemen. I've a sick bed to get back to. And then a bath." [01:15] 07Dryas: "Garnet isn't you. I don't talk to Seiri as much as Daizo does, but I can see how she looks at you. That's real. I guess the fact that she has to carry around Garnet's little jar all day makes it harder for you two to have time to yourselves?" 15[01:17] Tephen: "Alright. Get some rest." 15[01:17] Caedus: "I'll join you in a bit." [01:18] 14Piu nods to both, and when excused, vanishes into the settling night. 15[01:19] Sadako rolls her eyes. "I don't think she's gonna fuck her. I think you're letting her soak up all of Garnet's bullshit so you don't have to. And it's driving her crazy and I can't do anything about it but watch. Because no one else cares." 15[01:19] "She's not a person to the rest of you. She's just a bigger jar." 15[01:20] "And fine, whatever. Why should you? But if Garnet was sitting on her face at least you'd believe me when I said she was suffocating." [01:25] 07Dryas' expression curdles as she realizes the tables are about to flip in this discussion on getting over insecurity, the importance of good relationships and matriarchal piety. "Ah. Well," 07she stammers, tongue-tied for a moment. 15[01:26] Sadako: "It's fine. Don't worry about it. We're all doing the best we can." 15[01:26] "I think we all wish things were different." [01:27] 14Well it seems like Sadako has given the various scenarios serious thought. 15[01:28] She's got a lot of free time. [01:29] 14Piu's definitely around to listen to Garnet's bullshit if we want to address this situation head on and give Seiri a break, which we certainly do at this point; the problem is Garnet kiiiinda loathes her. And fair enough. 15[01:30] Ultimately, things are the way they are because that's what's easiest for everyone. Much of history, perhaps all, can be described this way. [01:30] 07Dryas: "Yes. But you're right. I have avoided Garnet because who she is isn't who she was, isn't who she would have been, and may not be who the world needs her to be. So... I guess... I will try to stop doing that, and stop leaving it all up to Seiri." [01:32] 14Oh god. Hand Garnet off to the twins. Give her a couple weeks of that. 15[01:32] Sadako: "...thanks. I shouldn't have snapped at you. You've never been anything but good to me." [01:32] 07At least she'd get laid 15[01:34] The Cathak Itos are the only Blooded on the ship who haven't been told anything about Garnet's true nature. Then again maybe they wouldn't object to a stipulation that the veil stays on. [01:35] 14We will at some point have to deal with their resentment of being left out of basically every big decision and nine of ten of the small ones. Bringing them into the circle wouldn't be the worst thing in the world; we're all trending towards being marked for death. [01:37] 07Dryas: "You were honest, and standing up for your beloved. People kill and die for less. What is there to apologize for?" 15[01:39] Sadako: "Caxi likes to say that manners make the monster."