• Aurelia comes to Jack's room that evening if he's in.
• Jack_C lets her in. "Ay, Aurelia. What's up?"
• Aurelia stands just inside the door. "I would apologize, for harming you."

<Jack_C> "It's alright. I doubt you knew. I only vaguely knew myself."

<Aurelia> "If you again call that song forth, I will not resist."

<Jack_C> "Thanks. I won't, unless you want me to. But you dance pretty well. You may not need it."

<Aurelia> "I do want. It will help. I was not prepared..."

<Jack_C> "Want me to take you through it right now?"

• Aurelia bites the corner of her lip, then nods.
• Jack_C nods, then goes to get his small bass. As he picks out a background melody, he starts telling a story about the concert where he first played Dues to Deserel.
• Aurelia watches quietly.

<Jack_C> It quickly becomes a hypnotic induction. You are there.

<Jack_C> and feel the rush.

<Jack_C> after a bit, he stands up and dances with you as if it were on stage.

• Aurelia sways a touch at first, but aside from that and perhaps some brightness in her eyes, she doesn't react externally. "Now-?" She smiles when you initiate that, and follows.

<Aurelia> I miss anything here?

<Jack_C> * Aurelia sways a touch at first, but aside from that and perhaps some brightness in her eyes, she doesn't react externally. "Now-?" She smiles when you initiate that, and follows.

<Jack_C> Jack_C "There you go."

<Aurelia> When the dance ends, she again stands still a moment, then says quietly, "Thank you."

<Jack_C> "Any time." smile, bow.

• Aurelia curtsies and turns to go.

---

Aurelia Gah. Poor Martha.

Dionysus She comes to you that night, with Hyun.

• Aurelia is available outside of band practices, not having the chance to benefit much from cramming as some of the others are.

Dionysus "We're ready, if... if your offer still stands."

• Aurelia smiles and steps outside of the room she shares with Bartleby to lead them to the spare she uses as a studio.

Dionysus They join, hand in hand. Hyun feels... scared, more scared than Martha, who feels calm.

Aurelia In the studio, Aurelia takes the cover from the piece she's been working on, the nude of woman-Martha. "It is nearly complete, but there remains room for any changes you would ask."

Dionysus She shakes her head, "What changes?"

Aurelia "This is as you are in my mind. If any detail is other in yours, it can be changed."

Dionysus Describe the painting in detail for me so I might answer?

Aurelia It's a painting of Martha. Face, arms, anything normally exposed is as it really is, with no refining of features. Anything that has been under clothing is based on extrapolation from the figure that Martha tries to create, and any birthmarks or scars or what have you are obviously missing.

Dionysus She shakes her head, "it's... fine."

Aurelia Does she feel that it is?

Dionysus She feels awed at its accuracy

• Aurelia takes a slow breath, then turns black ender. "Let your heart sing your desire for change."

Dionysus She... slowly dares to hope.

Dionysus Hyun trembles, but fights his fear.

• Aurelia lets the hope and want rise, letting herself feel them fully before pushing them through ring and brush to fill in the last lines of the painting.

Dionysus She trembles, then gasps. For a moment, there is pain... then she's gasping and grasping herself.

Dionysus Hyun is holding her, gingerly, scared

Dionysus She feels... awe, happiness, terror, uncertainty.

• Aurelia changes back to ender, and watches the two silently.

Dionysus Martha eventually straightens, tears in her eyes. She feels a flicker of gratitude amidst the swirl of emotions, then whispers, "thank you," before collapsing in Hyun's rather weak arms.

Aurelia Do they want privacy?

Dionysus Hyun just doesn't know what he feels right now, and Martha is unconscious, overwhelmed

• Aurelia smiles slightly at the thanks, and otherwise waits, then.

Aurelia Do they return to their rooms or Hyun ask to use this one eventually?

Dionysus Evetnually, he asks help getting her to the room, as when she comes to, she's dazed

• Aurelia gladly does. She also tentatively suggests that he might talk to Bartleby, if the chance arises and he needs to. And that she herself will remain available as much as possible.

Dionysus Hyun nods, "We'll need some time..." is all he says

• Aurelia bites the corner of her lip and nods.
• Aurelia prays for them when she returns to her room.

Dionysus To Thamia?

Aurelia Yes. Well, to SJ.

Dionysus Nice

Dionysus What's the pryaer?

Dionysus prayer?

Aurelia That their love be able to endure this.

---

Dionysus Bartleby says, "Let's find Darion, first. He's... not my first choice, but he's on okay terms with you." He feels urgent

• Aurelia nods. We both know where his room is, so that's a starting point.

Dionysus When you get there, it's slightly ajar.

• Aurelia responds to the urgency with a faint swirl of confusion, anxiousness, and more protectiveness.
• Aurelia looks at Bartleby, knocks, and opens.

Dionysus The room has been ransacked. No one is in it.

Dionysus Which you felt before you got there.

Aurelia Concern.

Dionysus Bartleby looks around, briefly, then swears. "Damn. He might be on the grounds somewhere, but his room... wasn't it neat before, really well kept?"

Aurelia "He bows to Order."

Dionysus He nods, "Right. Do you think we should look for him, or find another of my cousins?"

Aurelia Were any of the others in bands?

Dionysus I don't think so.

Aurelia Have I met them all?

Aurelia At least fleetingly?

Dionysus You didn't specifically seek out any, but you do know Rubella, of course.

Dionysus You've heard of Eliza, I think, and of course, Henry.

Aurelia Could I identify them empathically?

Dionysus Not really.

Dionysus Not unless they were much closer related.

Aurelia "Do you know the rooms of the others?"

Dionysus "No, but each door has the person's name on it..."

• Aurelia bites the corner of her lip and nods. "Search here for all, then elsewhere..?"

Dionysus He nods.

• Aurelia pauses. "Kashaji may be able to follow scent..."

Dionysus He smiles, "Let's try that."

• Aurelia looks for something that'd carry it strongly. Worn clothing, his sheets if need be.

Dionysus Sheets and clothing are available.

• Aurelia offers them to Kashaji and asks, hopefully, "Follow this scent?"

Dionysus He sniffs.

Dionysus He starts tracking.

• Aurelia follows.

Dionysus He heads out of the quartering house, down through the crowds a bit, then stops, confused, near the gate area.

• Aurelia pauses with him, frowning toward the gate. "Has he gone..?"

Dionysus Kashaji whines, uncertain.

• Aurelia hugs him. "Thank you."

Dionysus He licks her.

Aurelia "The trail stops... Do we seek the others?"

Dionysus Bartleby considers, "Yeah. If he left, we shouldn't risk leaving right now."

• Aurelia bites the corner of her lip again and nods.

Dionysus Pushing through the crowd back to the quartering house takes a bit of time, but you manage with you and Kashaji, especially. You sense and see no messianic scions so far.

Aurelia Can we find their rooms?

Dionysus Yeah, if you go up each floor, you can spot their rooms. Each one is the same: ransacked, empty of people, including Bartleby's, though his is less dramatic: he never stayed in it. Still, someone went through it.

• Aurelia was using it as a studio.

Dionysus Your stuff is thoroughly gone through, and some expensive paints are missing.

Dionysus Darion Bumblebee, Eliza Hawk, Joya Canary, Henry Cockrobin, Rubella Crane, Jack Crane and Bartleby Thrush are the messianic scions you know of, but there's one room you notice that is the same condition as all the others. One belonging to a bodyguard of the Ocean of Sound--Carlos Codornices.

• Aurelia frowns, with a swirl of vague anger and... violation. Background, not enough to really touch her focus.

Aurelia "Do we seek the Ocean?"

Dionysus Bartleby nods, "Yeah, I saw some of them in the crowds outside."

Aurelia We seek them, then.

Dionysus It doesn't take too long to pick out a few of them: Rella, Tracey, Kingsley, and Katerina are in a group in line.

Aurelia Do they feel upset?

Dionysus Tracey feels calm, poised. The others are all in varying degrees of hungover.

Aurelia We approach them.

Dionysus Kingsley grins, through his pain, and says, "Inviting us to play with ya? I knew you'd come begging for our help."

• Aurelia blinks, then shakes her head. "Carlos Codornices..."

Dionysus Katerina frowns, "What about him?" Suspicion flows through the three hungover members. Tracey feels the same poise.

Aurelia "Eight rooms were ravaged in the night, Carlos Codornices's among them."

Dionysus Tracey feels a sudden twist of surprise.

Dionysus Katerina and the others feel concern now, heavy concern. Rella says, "By the spitting spirits. Is he all right? Do you know where he is?"

• Aurelia shakes her head.

Dionysus Katerina looks to Kingsley, who says, "I'll go and get some his clothes. Obsidian and I will track him."

Aurelia "We followed Darion Bumblebee's trail to the gate. He is also missing."

Dionysus Tracey says, "Katerina," and anger sparks in her, "You hid this from me." Katerina sighs, "You didn't need to--" Tracey says, "When will I prove myself to you?" Tracey turns to Aurelia, "The Priest of Order?"

• Aurelia nods.

Dionysus Tracey says, "Who were the others?"

Dionysus Kingsley, meanwhile, ignores your assertion about following trails and goes off to do some of his own.

Aurelia "Jack Crane is missing. The rooms of Eliza Hawk, Joya Canary, Henry Cockrobin, Rubella Crane, and Bartleby Thrush were also ravaged."

Dionysus Bartleby says, "And other than me, we've seen none of those this morning."

• Aurelia would have said Bartleby the Rogue, actually.

Dionysus Tracey nods, "My father's insistence once again protects me. I trust you both shall understand if I tell you my mother was a Swan?"

• Aurelia tilts her head, then nods.

Dionysus Bartleby grins, "Nice to meet you."

Dionysus Tracey says, "And you. I should think there might be more of us in this tournament. I believe the Champion is fond of the Holiest Blood."

Aurelia "Holiest Blood..?"

Dionysus "Messianic Blood."

Dionysus Katerina says, "Carlos had been drinking as heavily as any of us last night. Did he even make it back to his room?" You feel a twinge of emotion from her, and realize--she didn't make it back to hers.

• Aurelia nods again, with a distracted, again background, sort of disappointment.

Dionysus Bartleby says, "What now?"

Aurelia "Do we speak to those who judge?"

Dionysus Katerina pauses, conflicting emotions: help or no? She choses help, then says, "I wouldn't. They're judging you on how you handle things. This might be a test to see how resourceful you are."

• Aurelia bites the corner of her lip and nods.

Dionysus Bartleby curses, "Well, if they've hurt my family, they'll find out their game's not gonna do much to stop me from showing them what's what. C'mon, Aurelia, let's go see if that werewolf found anything."

Dionysus He's angry

• Aurelia nods.

Dionysus Katerina sighs, and tells Rella to join you.

Dionysus As you push through the crowds to where you can sense the werewolf and his nightwolf, assuming you follow your heart, you also feel a wave of frustration and sorrow from above, and if you look up, you see Venuvea crying, flying in circles.

• Aurelia looks up at her, then frowns and bows her head a touch.

Dionysus Bartleby follows your gaze, then frowns, too, "I guess she got the news. Should we hail her, or let her be?"

• Aurelia looks up again, then raises a hand toward her to try to get her attention.

Dionysus She doesn't pick you out of the crowd.

• Aurelia touches Kashaji's shoulder lightly. "Call?"

Dionysus He barks a call, and she slowly swoops toward you, landing as the crowd parts for her.

Dionysus She falls into your arms, Aurelia, crying, "Where is he?"

• Aurelia hugs her, awkwardly. "We seek him."

Dionysus She's hysterical, "Where /is/ he?"

Dionysus "Who has done this?"

• Aurelia bites the corner of her lip yet again, then burns white to try to do something like soothing for her.

Dionysus Rella is off a bit, talking to Kingsley, who has returned to human form. In wolf form, he looked steel blue in hue, and arced lightning constantly. He walks up, the night wolf at his side, "The trail stops cold near the gates. Just vanishes."

• Aurelia leaves it to Bartleby to explain that we found the same while she tries to help Venuvea.

Dionysus He makes a comment about Kashaji stopping at the gates, too. "I'm gonna sasy we go back to their rooms and look around to see if there's any other clues. It's not perfect, but it;'s the best I got. And someone should go find the rest of our band and tell them."

• Aurelia distinctly fails to volunteer to separate from Bartleby at this point.

Dionysus Tracey nods, "I will seek out other Holy Bloods." Rella says, "I'll find your band."

Dionysus Kingsley says, "I'm gonna follow the trails of all the others that went missing, just in case."

Dionysus Katerina says, "I'll find the rest of our band."

Aurelia Does Venuvea respond at all? Am I able to do anything for her?

Dionysus She just weeps, incoherently. She calms a little from hysteria, but is still useless, emotionally overwhelmed with fear and worry and a certainty that evil has befallen Jack.

Aurelia I can't do anything with greater empathy without resorting to force?

• Aurelia is trying to do something vaguely like soothing. Force would be deliberately shaping them into something rather than trying to help them resolve.

Dionysus You can send reassuring emotions gently, and she'll calm reasonably.

• Aurelia asks, then, then the jobs start being distributed, "Will you join us, or seek from above..?"

Dionysus She catches her breathe, "I will stick to the skies."

• Aurelia nods and lets go of her, rejoining Bartleby.

Dionysus He and Kashaji go to the quartering house, then, to search the rooms of each.

Dionysus Room 228: Joya Canary. Roll awareness?

• Aurelia helps as she can.

Aurelia Perception?

Dionysus Yes

Aurelia r per 17+3

Eklem Aurelia [per: 17+3=20] 22 26 30

Dionysus r diff 16

Eklem Dionysus [diff: 16] 18 20 23

Dionysus There's a mark on the corner of the door, as if it was kicked hard.

Dionysus And there's signs of some delicate work on unlocking one of her chests.

Aurelia Outside or inside?

Dionysus Kicked on the outside.

Aurelia Is the bolt damaged?

Dionysus No.

• Aurelia indicates these as she finds them.

Dionysus Bartleby considers, "Okay. So we're dealing with a thief who barges in and has a hell of a kick. I've not much experience picking locks as I should, but I can tell that's no simple lock on that chest, so our thief is good at it, too."

Aurelia "What did he seek?"

Dionysus He looks around a bit, "I think she's missing some jewelry. This box looks used and it looks like someone broke the lock to get it open--see here? Easier to break than to pick, this one."

Dionysus He shrugs, "I'm not sure. Our kidnapper is a thief as well?"

Dionysus "A crime of opportunity, while on his kidnapping run?"

Aurelia "The paints gone were costly ones."

• Aurelia nods agreement.

Dionysus "Or maybe there's more than one of them. Considering how many people they got..."

• Aurelia frowns slightly and nods again.

Dionysus "Next room?"

Aurelia "Yes."

Dionysus 235: Henry Cockrobin.

Dionysus Roll perception.

Dionysus r diff 16

Eklem Dionysus [diff: 16] 17 18 26

Aurelia r er 17+3

Eklem Aurelia [er: 17+3=20] 22 26 27

Dionysus You note the room was probably sloppy before it was ransacked.

Dionysus Nothing seems to be missing except the individual and his instrument.

Dionysus There are no signs of struggle.

Aurelia Is there anything valuable that wasn't taken?

Dionysus There's nothing of value in here at all.

Dionysus But there's no spots where anything was obviously taken

Dionysus There's nothing with a lock on it in here.

Aurelia Alright.

Dionysus Move on?

Aurelia Yeah.

Dionysus 404: Eliza Hawk.

Aurelia r per 17+3

Eklem Aurelia [per: 17+3=20] 26 26 30

Dionysus r diff 16

Eklem Dionysus [diff: 16] 19 20 20

Dionysus You note no signs of a struggle here, but a lot is missing: her armor, her weapons, her instrument, her lioness, her money (her money pouch lies empty and inside out), her nice clothes (her travel clothes are all over the floor), etc.

Aurelia "She was not here, but..."

Dionysus Bartleby says, "But someone robbed her. Maybe she's around somewhere, yet to be gotten."

Dionysus "Or maybe she was gotten somewhere else, and they came here later to get her stuff."

Aurelia "Do we track her?"

Dionysus "Kingsley said he was doing that anyway. We'll meet up with him later to find out. Let's hit the other rooms first."

• Aurelia nods.

Dionysus 441: Darion

Dionysus r diff 16

Eklem Dionysus [diff: 16] 23 24 25

Aurelia r per 20

Eklem Aurelia [per: 20] 24 25 28

Dionysus The room is as you saw it before: messy where it was once fastidiously well kept. You do note this time that his white hammer is not still here.

Aurelia "His weapon is gone..."

Dionysus There are no signs of a struggle, but a few telltale clues in the mess suggest he might have left hurriedly: there's a journal sitting open to a sentence unfinished.

Dionysus The entry is about the fall of Orogrim.

Aurelia What's he have to say about it?

Dionysus He details his involvement with modesty, but recites with pride that Orogrim was taken by a joint effort of good and noble souls, and some whose path would surely eventually bring them to the light. He's in the start of saying something about the Guardian when he stops suddenly

Aurelia Very nice.

Aurelia "No struggle. He left..."

Dionysus Bartleby nods, "He ran out in a hurry. And look, here," he points to a book, "This is valuable, but our thief left it. It's from First Shem."

• Aurelia frowns a touch and bites her lip, nodding.

Dionysus He touches it, then nods, "It's powerful."

Aurelia "Powerful?"

• Aurelia looks at it.

Dionysus "Holy."

Aurelia Order holy book?

Dionysus You can't read it to tell.

Dionysus Could be though

Aurelia Can I perceive meaning with the sword of systems? Languages are systems, yes?

Dionysus The Book is another piece of the Sword.

Dionysus You see immediately as you wield the sword.

Dionysus You also see the systematic chaos of the mess in this room is that of someone doing a general search.

• Aurelia reaches toward it, then stops, staring in surprise when she brings that awareness to bear.

Dionysus The way the book was laying when you found it indicates whoever touched it last was repulsed from touching it, and dropped it.

Aurelia "They tried to take the book. It rejected them..."

Dionysus Bartleby nods, "Makes sense."

Aurelia "It is a piece of the sword. Of the Father's flesh."

Dionysus Bartleby blinks, "Ahh. I, uhh, I'm gonna just leave it be, then."

• Aurelia finishes her movement to stroke it with her fingertips, curious as to what it feels like, then stands and nods. "It will protect itself until his return."

Dionysus When you touch both

Dionysus You feel the Rightness of them. You know you could never wield them both, nor are you truly the one to wield the sword--you are merely its bearer. You feel the Father of Order's shame and misery, for a moment, his regret and sorrow, and you feel Darion's justice and modesty. You feel a thrax, somewhere, who is lawfulness, and you feel a gnome who is systemic. You feel... a god, who is Lawfulness, and you feel an aegis who is routine. Y

Dionysus ou feel other order beings, and you feel something else: a crown, somewhere, the third part of the Father of Order.

Aurelia Can I feel where Darion is, or whether he's the one who should have the sword?

Dionysus You can feel neither of those.

Dionysus Location isn't really conveyed, and who is Right for the sword... can be any of those you felt.

• Aurelia pulls back sharply from the book.

Dionysus Bartleby looks to you with concern.

Dionysus Morgana approaches from the hall, squawking.

• Aurelia is surprised. Troubled. "I saw... too many other pieces of Order's puzzle." She looks toward Morgana.

Dionysus She squawks, "Arlie!"

Aurelia Does she clearly want us to follow?

Dionysus Yes.

Aurelia Then we do.

Dionysus She leads you to the practice room

---

Aurelia So Tracey's room.

Dionysus It's pristine.

Dionysus Untouched.

Dionysus There's no sign of struggle, ransacking, or anything here.

Aurelia "They may come here still..."

Dionysus Amidst the meager possessions are simple clothes, food, water, travel gear, and a small doll that a 12 year old girl might have

Aurelia Pain.

Aurelia Loss.

Aurelia Longing.

Dionysus A holy book of light, well thumbed, and a vial of holy water, a platinum necklace that is clearly a family heirloom, and a locket with two older people's pictures in it: parents or grandparents.

• Aurelia pushes the hurt back to look over the other items. Bartleby would recognize her loss of Marilyna having been evoked.

Dionysus Bartleby moves to hold her.

• Aurelia leans against him for a moment while putting her focus back together.

---

Dionysus Aurelia, Arlie and Arsul enter. Arsul and Arlie, you find her in Bartleby's arms in Tracey's room. A little doll and a holy book of light are lying nearby, a bit of travel gear, some old clothes, a necklace of fine quality, a locket...

• Aurelia looks at the two.

Arlie_B "Aurelia, are you alright?" (unless I mis-interpreted "in his arms."

• Aurelia nods, expression placid.

Dionysus Bartleby smiles gently.

Dionysus "It's been a long day." he gently untangles himself from her, kissing her cheek. "Tracey wasn't robbed, we don't think, like the others were."

Arsul "What did they take from everyone else?"

• Aurelia smiles faintly at Bartleby, not fighting the disentanglement.

Arlie_B "Was Darion robbed? Was Jack?"

Dionysus "Mostly normal valuables. We didn't get to Jack's room, actually, but Aurelia's studio--my room-- was missing expensive paints. Others lost jewelry, that sort of thing. Darion lost some stuff, but his holy book was still there, even though it looked like it was from first Shem."

• Aurelia tries looking through the sword again while the others talk.

Arsul "Perhaps they can't touch Holy symbols of white faiths."

Dionysus You see the holy book as a direct link to the Promised Land, Aurelia, and the locket as a link... to Tracey, and her family.

Aurelia A followable link?

Arlie_B "Or they aren't interested in the holy books. Or the holy books would burn them."

Dionysus Not in the phsyical world, Aurelia, but you can follow her ancestry back.

• Aurelia says, slightly distracted, "The book rejected them."

Aurelia Interesting.

Dionysus The necklace is linked to ancient Dhun, to nobility there. And the doll is linked to innocence itself.

Aurelia Gods. We have to help her.

• Arsul is frustrated

Arlie_B "Arsul, can you track Jack's good pants, or any of the other stolen items?"

Arsul "I can try. We don't know Jack's things are gone but I'll try Aurelia's paints."

Arsul r pro 25

Eklem Arsul [pro: 25] 31 33 35

Arsul Who took Aurelia's paints?

Dionysus You see the Sather, sitting on a hoard in his room. 1040.

Arsul Why hasn't he stolen from Tracey

Arsul ?

Arsul r pro 25

Eklem Arsul [pro: 25] 26 29 33

Dionysus One sec, gotta figure out how to depict that

Arsul sure

Dionysus You see the Sather in his room, sitting on a hoard in his room, while you all are in her room.

Arsul Is he part of the conspiracy against The Sound and the Fury?

Arsul r pro 25

Eklem Arsul [pro: 25] 27 30 34

Dionysus You see him trying to rob Gryfyn's room, the Balladeer's room, Monir's room, your room, judges' rooms...

Arsul Who is part of the conspiracy against us?

Arsul r pro 25

Eklem Arsul [pro: 25] 32 35 35

Dionysus A blinding light, a thorn, yourself as a child being chased by morags, a sword, the bannoch dwarf, the thin dragon, a Jordendish skiff, a bow and arrow, a woven song, a raft on an imaginary river, a bad note, a business deal, and a distinct blocking of vision

• Arsul comes out of the vision

Arlie_B "When Arsul gets out of this trance, we should go seek out the Sath---"

Arsul "The Sather is stealing and he would've stolen here he's waiting for us to leave."

Aurelia "He is part of this?"

Arsul "I looked into these conspirators and this si what I saw." he ecplains the last vision.

Arsul "Mark is the light, Gryffin might be the thorn."

Arsul "Something involved with Nightmare is my fear."

Dionysus Bartleby says, "Gratacranastas and Waudan are the dwarf and dragon. A sword is a bit vague, though, and a bad note? Any number of these music-faithful might be traitors. A woven song? What does that even mean?"

Arsul "I'm not sure who the sword, bow and arrow, the woven song, bad note, business deal or either of the ships are."

Arsul "A song of many pieces or styles brought together?"

Dionysus "Could be a whole band, then?"

Arsul "A magic user who spell sings?"

Arsul "Perhaps."

Dionysus "Well, there's only one Jorgend in the Contest."

Arsul "I think there is endless speculation in some of these but things to keep in mind while we go along looking for Jack."

Dionysus He says, quietly, "Conell was music faithful. He could be the bad note."

Arlie_B "Which one is the servant of Oblivion?"

Arsul "It could also be the Devil. He always plays one note badly."

Arsul "However I doubt it. He is usually blocked from my visions."

Dionysus Bartleby says, "You said the last part was distinctly blocked..."

Arsul "Yes. But that's been happening since I started looking for Jack. There's something blocking me. I think whoever that is, it's the blocked one."

Arlie_B "Roberto has the Sword Skin."

Arlie_B "The limey bugger."

Dionysus Bartleby frowns, "Limeys are Dhunics, Arlie. He's Maraddonian. I think the term is 'baby-killer' or 'hypocrite.'"

Aurelia "A raft was in the stables..."

Arlie_B "It was? Who owned it?"

• Aurelia shakes her head.

Arlie_B "I say we find that out next."

Dionysus Bartleby shakes his, "I never paid much attention."

• Arlie_B leads the way out of the room?

Dionysus To where?

Arsul the stable?

Arlie_B "Take anything with us that the Sa-- that the ferret shouldn't take."

• Aurelia follows, pausing in the doorway to glance back into the room once more, then turns back.

Dionysus Bartleby shakes his head, "He's a weasel, Arlie. Why insult ferrets, when he's got a perfectly dispicable racial stereotype to work with? You're zero for two now."

• Aurelia quietly collects the doll, locket, necklace, book, vial.

---

Dionysus Arlie, you find the crowd at the trianing grounds.

Arlie_B what's the nearest climbable object? "Fitz, I need to make an announcement. Start getting people's attention."

Dionysus Aurleia and Bartleby are behind you, due to their going to the quartering house behind them.

Dionysus Fitz says, "Before you do, you should know... the Wild Wanderers and their entourage are all dead. Poisoned."

Arlie_B "But not Mirot."

Arsul Arsul is with Bartleby and Aurelia

Dionysus Fitz nods, "You heard, or..?" He glances to Arsul.

Arlie_B "We've heard of him already, but not that. We might not have much time, I need to say this quickly."

Arlie_B "And then get dressed for battle."

Dionysus He nods, then turns and quietly asks for attention. He gets it, in a wave.

• Arlie_B finds the nearest climbable object and climbs until he can be seen by all.

Dionysus The wall is probably climbable.

• Arlie_B picks himself onto a ledge and sits. Typing....

Arlie_B "Friends of Music, and those who would see the world put Right! We seek your aid in our quest. There are those here that would seek to destroy that for which we stand! The Scions of light, my friend Jack, the child Tracey, the paladin Eliza, all have been taken and are being tortured by Mark Goodrich and Monir the Unseele, among others still in the competition."

Dionysus They listen.

---

Dionysus Where does Aurelia take Bartleby?

Aurelia Tracey's room.

Dionysus You find most of the Ocean there crowding it, talking to her

Aurelia Is she alright?

Dionysus Her unwellness feels emotionally like Jack's, but she seems much more cheerful than he did upon waking.

Dionysus Acceptance flows from her, of her lot, and understanding.

Dionysus Her innocence is less, now, but still there.

• Aurelia is relieved, though still concerned and a touch hurting for the loss.

Dionysus She greets you with a smile, taking each guest in turn. Kingsley hovers nearby like a protective older brother.

• Aurelia smiles back, a little.

Dionysus More guests come for her, and word is, there's been a lot going on with the rescued scions today.

• Aurelia looks around at the others present uncertainly, but starts forward when she gets a turn, to return Tracey's things from her bag.

Dionysus Tracey looks on curiously, "What...?"

• Aurelia sets them beside Tracey. "The scions' rooms were ravaged after they were taken. Yours was not yet touched when we came here, but... The chance to prevent this loss..."
• Aurelia abruptly hugs Tracey and turns to go, intending to return to Jack.

Dionysus Tracey hugs back.

Dionysus She feels understanding and gratitude.

Dionysus Well, you'll walk in on the convo that just got halted when you go back to Jack's room

---

Aurelia Well... it couldn't hurt to check in. We can't watch the dragon from his room anyway, but I'll keep a beat on him.

• Aurelia approaches Martha's door and, barring objection, knocks.

Dionysus She opens, smiling. "Aurelia."

• Aurelia smiles. "Martha... Your heart sings in the halls."

Dionysus She smiles, slightly, "I am... happy."

• Aurelia 's smile brightens a touch. "Yes." She doesn't press (yet), but rather steps slightly aside to introduce Leia.

Dionysus Leia looks curious, and steps forward.

Aurelia "Leia Bantae, of the Sound and Fury. Martha Mellaus."

Dionysus They greet each other.

Dionysus Martha says, "Why aren't you all watching the matches?"

Aurelia "We watch one who conspires instead."

Dionysus She immediately feels shock, confusion, and fear: "What? I...?"

• Aurelia blinks in open and honest bewilderment, then shakes her head quickly. "The dragon." She tilts her head toward his room for a moment.

Dionysus Martha stares a moment, then calms. "Oh." Relief. "I thought you were saying I was... How do you watch the dragon from here?"

Aurelia "His door is closed, but his heart open. Anywhere on this floor I will know if he stirs. And your heart sang so beautifully..."

Dionysus She blushes, "Please, come in."

• Aurelia does.

Dionysus She lets all three of you inside.

Dionysus There's no one else in there right now. She offers refreshments

• Aurelia accepts a drink gladly.

Dionysus Leia and Bartleby do, too. "So you just are going to wait here and track him?"

Aurelia "There are empty rooms on the floor also, if we intrude."

Dionysus The Ticket glows: http://www.merukis.net/wiki/index.php/Shem/TheGoldenTicket

• Aurelia glances at her bag, then takes out the ticket.

Dionysus You see the changes. Martha checks hers as well.

• Aurelia shows Bartleby and Leia.

Dionysus You sense... a sudden energy to the dragon. He's... plotting, working now.

• Aurelia 's looks sharply at the wall.

Aurelia "He is roused. He plots, though he remains alone."

Dionysus Bartleby frowns, "Should we... do anything?"

• Aurelia probes the plotting.

Dionysus You feel him start to leave.

Aurelia "He moves."

Dionysus Leia stands, as does Bartleby. Martha does, too, after they do. Bartleby says, "So we follow... Tell us when he's at the stairs.

• Aurelia stands.

Dionysus "

• Aurelia moves to hug Martha and smiles. "We will speak soon..?" She nods to Bartleby.

Dionysus Martha nods, and smiles.

Dionysus Bartleby waits. Gratacranastus vanishes from emotional range, signalling he reached the stairs. Bartleby feels your feeling it and starts to move even before you speak

• Aurelia smiles faintly and follows him.

Dionysus Leia feels frustration at the lack of verbal communication, and follows a heartbeat later.

---

Dionysus Assuming they don't follow you, the dragon flies to the northern side of the arena, where the temple building is. You can't keep up, but there's nothing else over there. You go there?

Aurelia Yes.

Dionysus When you get there, there's no sign of him outside. Inside, there are three wings, each with curtained off large halls for temples. Which do you try?

Aurelia How far can I feel in here?

Dionysus Each temple is generally an overwhelming aura of its representative emotion, and thus, only in the halls, until you are in the temple.

• Aurelia pauses in the foyer. "The temples are walls to his song."

Dionysus Bartleby says, "Famine. He's faithful to famine."

• Aurelia nods. She pauses. "If I view him with the sword, I may see the others also..."

Dionysus "Can you do that from here?"

• Aurelia draws the sword.

Aurelia Can I see anything of that system without seeing him or another part directly?

Dionysus You see the interconnections of the temples, which are myriad, but no trace of those who have passed through here.

Aurelia "I must see him, or another part of his web to follow the threads."

Dionysus He nods, "Try the famine temple, then?"

• Aurelia nods. We head there, quietly?

Dionysus Bartleby and Leia certainly don't trumpet their way

Dionysus The dark hall is... interesting for an ender: malice, the feel of a mind break, the feel of sickness, hatred, the nulled zone for void, denial, despair, corruption, envy, the empty ice zone...

• Aurelia doesn't fight her reaction to those which affect her, letting them roll pleasantly through her, though she doesn't let them distract her from continuing carefully toward famine.

Dionysus Do you enter the famine temple?

Aurelia Not unless we have to. The door is closed?

Aurelia Can I feel anything trying to focus on that area?

Dionysus It's just a curtain

Dionysus You feel presences, but nothing distinct within, without going inside: Gratacranastus is in there, along with a harpy

Aurelia I'll shift the curtain to try to glance surreptitiously.

Dionysus He's in male harpy form, the harpy is talking with him, but you can't hear them

Aurelia Can I see what he's part of?

Aurelia And can I see the meaning of their conversation?

Dionysus With the sword, you see him connected to the priestess, the church, and strands connecting him to the Conspirators, which appear as a big thorn surrounded by smaller thorns. The language appears: "...By sunfall, of course." she says. He says, "And how many will there be?" "Several hundred." "And you've all you need?" "Save your blood." He nods, then says, "Then let us take care of that now."

Dionysus And they head toward the back room

Aurelia Quietly, "He goes to give the harpy his blood."

Aurelia The priestess is not a conspirator?

Dionysus Bartleby says, "Damn. Why?"

Dionysus She's connected to the dragon, but not directly to the thorn.

• Aurelia seeks an answer, then simply repeats the conversation fragment.

Dionysus "A hundred what, I wonder. Do you want to try to sneak in?"

• Aurelia bites the corner of her lip, then nods.

Dionysus Leia says, "I'll be lookout."

• Aurelia nods, then shifts the curtain further to slip in. She quietly asks Kashaji to stay with Leia.

Dionysus He does. Bartleby follows.

Dionysus r rog 26 percep 22

Eklem Dionysus [rog: 26] 30 33 36

Eklem Dionysus [percep: 22] 24 29 31

Dionysus Roll rogue

Aurelia r rogue 19

Eklem Aurelia [rogue: 19] 24 25 29

Dionysus Karma?

Aurelia Bartleby karma.

Aurelia She's drawing on his lead.

Dionysus You two sneak through the main room, his cloak hung over him carefully. You come to a small simple door just off the apse. It is slightly ajar, leading to a dark stairwell

• Aurelia continues forward if he does, continuing to watch as well as she can with empathy and sword, and trying to keep a beat on Leia before she gets lost in the push of this place.

Dionysus As you go downstairs, Leia and Kashaji fall out of empathic range.

Dionysus It's very dark down here. Very. And the force of denial comingles with all the dark emotions, even those not represented as a primary of a sphere.

Aurelia Damn. Alright.

Dionysus You smell sulphur and rot, dust and ice.

Dionysus You smell void and feel shattered glass crunch under your feet.

Dionysus And you come to the bottom of the stairwell

Aurelia What is at the bottom?

Dionysus The sword indicates that there is a connection here to all the evil forces, and that there is also a system of magic here at work, connecting to the Hells.

Dionysus Within, Gratacranastus is in dragon form in a massive cavern, allowing them to siphon blood from his upper left rear leg, into a cauldron. A harpy and a doppleganger are working it.

• Aurelia frowns and bites the corner of her lip.
• Aurelia glances at Bartleby.

Dionysus Bartleby says, "That's a summoning circle there," he points to the point of magic connected to the Hells. "Let's get the fuck out of here."

• Aurelia 's frown deepens, but she nods.

Aurelia She agrees with him, but the frown is for... desire to act on this here and now. Still, she moves back upward.

Aurelia Once partway up, quietly, "The circle was linked to the Hells."

Dionysus His emotional response to the wish to act is a sorta 'we're not ready'

Dionysus "That's not surprising, but it's good to have that confirmed. We can handle demons, as long as we're not in their unholy sanctum."

Aurelia "Do we bring this knowledge to the white branch?"

Dionysus He shakes his head, "I... yeah, that's probably a good idea. I was just gonna say we need to tell Arlie..."

Aurelia "Both."

Dionysus "Right. Let's go."

Aurelia We go.

Dionysus To the white churches?

Aurelia Yes.

Dionysus Benevolence, satisfaction, earnestness, harmony, love, peace, hope... etc.

• Aurelia looks to Bartleby. "Which to begin, for this..? Light?"

Dionysus He pauses, "Music."

Aurelia Were Leia and Kashaji alright?

• Aurelia tilts her head, then nods.

Dionysus Oh, yes, they followed you when you left

Dionysus He feels a certain loyal obligation when he says that

Dionysus You start spreading the word to the churches?

Aurelia Yes.

Dionysus They each react first with surprise, then explain that they can't do anything about it until something acts to desecrate the temples directly.

• Aurelia frowns, not happy with that though she doesn't say anything till they're all aware, when she simply says, "Arlie?"

Dionysus Bartleby nods. Leia is very unhappy with the temples.

Dionysus Bartleby is resigned

Aurelia We head baseward.

---

Dionysus What do you ask Martha?

Aurelia First, what had made her happy.

Dionysus "My new life, the one you gave me. And my voice..." She sings.

Dionysus r 25+5+6

Eklem Dionysus [25+5+6=36] 40 42 46

• Aurelia listens, entranced.

Aurelia And when the song is finished, she hugs Martha happily.

Dionysus Martha hugs back.

• Aurelia steps back after a moment. "Hyun Boxmaker?"

Dionysus She smiles, "He's trying, Aurelia. We'll work things out."

• Aurelia smiles back. "I am glad. I prayed..."

Dionysus She just hugs back

• Aurelia after a few moments, says quietly, "There will be danger tonight."

Dionysus She feels worry a moment, "The dragon?"

Aurelia "And others. The shadows behind those who stole the scions."

Dionysus She shudders, "I will try to remain safe."

Dionysus She pauses, "I've been... approached."

• Aurelia looks at her, questioning.

Dionysus "Conell Colzayre came to me today."

Dionysus "He... he said that I should keep this secret, but I owe you..."

• Aurelia watches her, listening to word and heart.

Dionysus "He has told me that a judge told him that the winner could not be a solo player. They would have to have a band. If he defeats Deepa tomorrow, he will have to build a band for the final round. He wants me to sing for him."

Dionysus She feels... a touch of guilt, but also hope. She wants so much to have another shot.

• Aurelia smiles a touch. "You will sing again?"

Dionysus She smiles, "I hope so."

Dionysus Bartleby says nothing, but you can tell he is... interested in this information

Aurelia "I will be happy to hear you again, tomorrow."

• Aurelia means it. She's glad for Martha to have another chance.

Dionysus She shakes her head, "No, the day after, if Conell wins. Tomorrow, he's still solo. If he wins, though, we will face each other."

• Aurelia smiles. "The day after, then."

Dionysus Martha feels relieved to see your acceptance. "Thank you." She hugs you

• Aurelia hugs back tightly, then steps back. "We should return..."

Dionysus She nods, "I am going to seek out sanctuary."

Dionysus As for hunting out conspirators with the sword, they seem to be lying low. You don't note any before time comes to get ready.

• Aurelia pauses, then hugs her once more. "Be safe."

Dionysus "You, too."

---