Shadow Accord - May
Edith to Sofia, Sunday morning: "I'm sure it's not going to last as soon as I go check on Sheppard in a few minutes and determine he's fine, but... ENFANT REGENT!" She throws her hands up in the air in triumph.
I’m still anxious over Telorn’s disappearance. It says he’s abandoned his no-good enfant. I can’t think like that, I need to keep moving forward, and if he is gone then... I talk to Novellus; I know I’m not quite ready to go on my own, I don’t know enough about Stygia. He agrees to act as my faux-Reaper until some more permanent arrangement can be made.
Sheppard finds me next, all serious. No Telorn, no Issiri, no Octavia, no Minerva, no Art. Sheppard wants to claim leadership of the Circle. He wants me as his Second. After having just had a talk about how I am not quite ready to take care of my own self, being asked to help lead others hurt my brain. I offered several excuses - I am an enfant still, I have never held authority. Sheppard will not take them. I agree to try, because we are few in number this market and need organization and leadership.
In the loft I try to sleep, but every time I try to lay down again someone else comes. A scroll merchant. Corvus comes and brings Anzety. Gwendolyn, a recently released lemure who was a baker in Esh Winning. I put on my competent leadership face and greet them. It’s not as hard as I had been expecting, but it does mean a late night and I don’t truly get rest until dawn.
In the morning I am talking to Fionn outside the Cook’s Cabin and Zakiya invites us both in to witness something. A trial. A trial of garou for the death of a human. The garou in question is already dead, having confessed. This is the trial for the rest of his pack. I don’t even have a name for the emotion that is slowly overwhelming me. Does Zakiya even remember that it is today? One year to the day? But there is justice for this other woman? Mirah notices me carefully not freaking out. I don’t even know if my shadow is helping push this along or just sitting back and watching me wind myself in knots. Fionn notices Mirah noticing, and as the pack files out shamefacedly, Zakiya notices. She comes over and says something about how this sept can do justice. Just not for me. I have to go. I have wraith things to do. I have a circle to help.
Abandonment. This theme keeps appearing. Telorn. Sept justice. Talking with Arwyn about Abrianne, I find no one has made arrangements for Abrianne’s baby. I tell Arwyn in no uncertain terms that she must find him and ensure he is safe and in good knowing hands. And my own nephew? My nieces? I have to trust that they are safe.
I ask to speak with Sheppard as a Pardoner. His methods are… not for me. I might have to return to the guild house and make use of the staff pardoners there if things get worse. Sheppard has me so twisted up, I find myself at my tree. I find myself wearing a short tunic and trousers, dressed for fighting. I do not aim to transcend, not yet. We fight. I win.
Novellus and Sheppard say I need to learn how to use rituals. Sheppard demonstrates how to set up the forge, Lily demonstrates how to ward against the living, while Novellus explains some of the finer points. Wraith meal goes with hardly a hitch, beyond perhaps the priest wishing for a cup of tea from a warded building. I know why they want me to learn. Rituals are a part of leadership, but more than that, they want me to be emergency back-up artificer. I’ll have to talk to Peter, obviously, but I want to talk to Octavia first.
After dinner the word comes down to expect trouble. Sheppard says we must head to the cairn. I’m not surprised but I am disappointed he did not consult with me first. I dutifully grab a few things, but we are down there for only a few minutes before I feel the pressure and agitation. No, I can’t stay here the night. I can’t fight here. I can barely control myself here, let alone It. Sheppard walks me back to the tavern. I help Reynard and Hannah clean up and close early then go down to the Merchant’s Common. I know Trey is down there and I check in with him. I make sure everything is quiet and in town and end up back at the cairn, a little better prepared.
Talking with Fionn at the rock, there are screams in the distance. Fionn races off into the night and my feet follow him. He calls back for me to stop and I pause. A few moments of silence. A few steps forward. The clang of weapons. A few more steps forward. Fionn comes running back. A few more steps forward. Sheppard and Lily are under attack, he says. A moment’s pause - stay and heal Fionn, or go and see to my own? The sept is full of healers. I go to my own.
Attacks continue late into the night. Sheppard is attacked again, knocked unconscious and blood-oathed, the rituals he carried stolen and destroyed. We do not have the ritual to remove the oath, but we can put another on top of it. Lily is still not happy with this, obviously, and while I am trying to calm her... Gwendolyn. Drat. I’d forgotten. We could have used usury earlier as well. Gwendolyn and Lily start arguing, both of them frustrated at other circumstances, but going for the easy target in front of them. Both Anzety and I step in at the same moment, and we almost have an argument about who is breaking up the other argument. We’re all tired and cranky. I talk to Gwendolyn, apologizing. I need sleep.
In the morning, I count heads. All in the loft are accounted for, all in the new king’s trust are accounted for. Sheppard has been dreamshaped on top of the second oath, and seems to be himself again. Good.
I have errands to run at the merchants’ common. In the realm I shake hands with a cloth merchant. After my errands I lay on the rock in the sun until I get too hot. Lily and Sheppard had a blanket in the shade by the tavern. Its hard to get up, walking is like the air is thick. Something is not right. “Sheppard!” my voice has an edge to it. Taint he says. Others at the commons were not quite acting themselves, others go to check on them. Cleansed, a sip of water, and back to the blanket where I meet our new tax collector.
She says I must either prove I am lemure or find a new reaper, soon, now. I speak to Novellus. “Am I ready?” “The fact that you are asking means no, but also that you will be ready soon.” He agrees to be my reaper. The new tax collector suggests a task I must complete to prove I am ready. It will take time, it will take effort - but I will grow from it. The events of this market have already started me a step or two down this road. I agree, Novellus agrees. I feel different already.
I’m still anxious over Telorn’s disappearance. It says he’s abandoned his no-good enfant. I can’t think like that, I need to keep moving forward, and if he is gone then... I talk to Novellus; I know I’m not quite ready to go on my own, I don’t know enough about Stygia. He agrees to act as my faux-Reaper until some more permanent arrangement can be made.
Sheppard finds me next, all serious. No Telorn, no Issiri, no Octavia, no Minerva, no Art. Sheppard wants to claim leadership of the Circle. He wants me as his Second. After having just had a talk about how I am not quite ready to take care of my own self, being asked to help lead others hurt my brain. I offered several excuses - I am an enfant still, I have never held authority. Sheppard will not take them. I agree to try, because we are few in number this market and need organization and leadership.
In the loft I try to sleep, but every time I try to lay down again someone else comes. A scroll merchant. Corvus comes and brings Anzety. Gwendolyn, a recently released lemure who was a baker in Esh Winning. I put on my competent leadership face and greet them. It’s not as hard as I had been expecting, but it does mean a late night and I don’t truly get rest until dawn.
In the morning I am talking to Fionn outside the Cook’s Cabin and Zakiya invites us both in to witness something. A trial. A trial of garou for the death of a human. The garou in question is already dead, having confessed. This is the trial for the rest of his pack. I don’t even have a name for the emotion that is slowly overwhelming me. Does Zakiya even remember that it is today? One year to the day? But there is justice for this other woman? Mirah notices me carefully not freaking out. I don’t even know if my shadow is helping push this along or just sitting back and watching me wind myself in knots. Fionn notices Mirah noticing, and as the pack files out shamefacedly, Zakiya notices. She comes over and says something about how this sept can do justice. Just not for me. I have to go. I have wraith things to do. I have a circle to help.
Abandonment. This theme keeps appearing. Telorn. Sept justice. Talking with Arwyn about Abrianne, I find no one has made arrangements for Abrianne’s baby. I tell Arwyn in no uncertain terms that she must find him and ensure he is safe and in good knowing hands. And my own nephew? My nieces? I have to trust that they are safe.
I ask to speak with Sheppard as a Pardoner. His methods are… not for me. I might have to return to the guild house and make use of the staff pardoners there if things get worse. Sheppard has me so twisted up, I find myself at my tree. I find myself wearing a short tunic and trousers, dressed for fighting. I do not aim to transcend, not yet. We fight. I win.
Novellus and Sheppard say I need to learn how to use rituals. Sheppard demonstrates how to set up the forge, Lily demonstrates how to ward against the living, while Novellus explains some of the finer points. Wraith meal goes with hardly a hitch, beyond perhaps the priest wishing for a cup of tea from a warded building. I know why they want me to learn. Rituals are a part of leadership, but more than that, they want me to be emergency back-up artificer. I’ll have to talk to Peter, obviously, but I want to talk to Octavia first.
After dinner the word comes down to expect trouble. Sheppard says we must head to the cairn. I’m not surprised but I am disappointed he did not consult with me first. I dutifully grab a few things, but we are down there for only a few minutes before I feel the pressure and agitation. No, I can’t stay here the night. I can’t fight here. I can barely control myself here, let alone It. Sheppard walks me back to the tavern. I help Reynard and Hannah clean up and close early then go down to the Merchant’s Common. I know Trey is down there and I check in with him. I make sure everything is quiet and in town and end up back at the cairn, a little better prepared.
Talking with Fionn at the rock, there are screams in the distance. Fionn races off into the night and my feet follow him. He calls back for me to stop and I pause. A few moments of silence. A few steps forward. The clang of weapons. A few more steps forward. Fionn comes running back. A few more steps forward. Sheppard and Lily are under attack, he says. A moment’s pause - stay and heal Fionn, or go and see to my own? The sept is full of healers. I go to my own.
Attacks continue late into the night. Sheppard is attacked again, knocked unconscious and blood-oathed, the rituals he carried stolen and destroyed. We do not have the ritual to remove the oath, but we can put another on top of it. Lily is still not happy with this, obviously, and while I am trying to calm her... Gwendolyn. Drat. I’d forgotten. We could have used usury earlier as well. Gwendolyn and Lily start arguing, both of them frustrated at other circumstances, but going for the easy target in front of them. Both Anzety and I step in at the same moment, and we almost have an argument about who is breaking up the other argument. We’re all tired and cranky. I talk to Gwendolyn, apologizing. I need sleep.
In the morning, I count heads. All in the loft are accounted for, all in the new king’s trust are accounted for. Sheppard has been dreamshaped on top of the second oath, and seems to be himself again. Good.
I have errands to run at the merchants’ common. In the realm I shake hands with a cloth merchant. After my errands I lay on the rock in the sun until I get too hot. Lily and Sheppard had a blanket in the shade by the tavern. Its hard to get up, walking is like the air is thick. Something is not right. “Sheppard!” my voice has an edge to it. Taint he says. Others at the commons were not quite acting themselves, others go to check on them. Cleansed, a sip of water, and back to the blanket where I meet our new tax collector.
She says I must either prove I am lemure or find a new reaper, soon, now. I speak to Novellus. “Am I ready?” “The fact that you are asking means no, but also that you will be ready soon.” He agrees to be my reaper. The new tax collector suggests a task I must complete to prove I am ready. It will take time, it will take effort - but I will grow from it. The events of this market have already started me a step or two down this road. I agree, Novellus agrees. I feel different already.