Session Seventy Seven: Magical Secrets

General Summary

A night on the town

  In the evening after Silmer and Chantilly’s exam at the Hunter’s Guild, Vence is preparing to head out to meet up with Briar as agreed. On his way out he is briefly stopped by Tristan, who cautions him to be clear to Briar about his intentions, whatever those may be. He doesn’t want to see his friend get hurt over crossed wires. Vence assures Tristan he will be, and heads out.   He finds Briar at King’s Bridge as agreed, and she is all dressed up, even having put on heels and lipstick. As Vence is not dressed up she realises her mistaken assumption and, embarrassed, tries to leave. Vence manages to convince her not to run away by explaining a little about being limited in his ability to commit to anything serious. He also changes his outfit to match hers better. It’s enough to convince her to at least have some drinks and try some dancing.   They head over to the ‘Flying Jellyfish’. Upon entry they are sprayed with glow-in-the-dark Fairy Fire. It’s pretty quickly clear that Briar isn’t a great dancer, but Vence manages to lead them into a dance that isn’t too disastrous. After the dance they get some drinks and, finding a quieter place to talk, Vence explains in more detail why he is limited in his freedom. Aside from the traveling he’s doing, he’s a Changeling with three ‘roommates’, some of whom are in relationships, and he already sees how difficult those are to navigate while they’re stuck together.   Briar appreciates his honesty, and muses on how this is really not fair on Vence at all. Is there a way for him to be free? Vence hopes so, he’d really like to be his own person. The mood having shifted after this frank conversation, Briar invites Vence back to her place. While Vence flies them there, they discuss the Eyes prisoners that were taken in when the party first arrived in Wroat. Briar tells him those were taken away by the Shields almost immediately. Vence explains to Briar what we’ve learned about the Shields’ involvement with the Eyes. Briar says she’ll inform her people of this news. Arriving at Briar’s, the handcuffs come out...  

They say the first time’s the hardest

  After Vence’s departure, Edward, Malak and Tristan are left wondering how to spend the rest of their evening. Edward suggests they just have a nice night off and to go get some drinks somewhere. The other two agree, and so he leads them to ‘Spill the Ink’, a fancy hipster place in the better parts of the city. The place is decorated with mismatched yet expensive wood and lots of plants, and there is a stage on which slam poetry is performed. While Ed orders ‘Spilled Ink’ shots for them, Tristan comments on how the ‘poetry’ sounds like butchered song lyrics and the finger snapping instead of applause is pretentious. This quickly escalates in him getting (very reluctantly) shuffled onto the stage by the other two and some of the other patrons.   Taking a moment to gauge his audience (young, wealthy and pretentious), he opts not to try his hand at poetry but instead starts up a gentle, soft song called “Sun and Moon’. To his surprise the crowd is awed into silence when he finishes, before erupting into a proper applause. Several people come up to ask for his autograph, and he is asked to give the proprietors of ‘Spilled Ink’ advance warning if he intends to perform again so they can spread the word.   Returning to the table and taking his friends’ compliments as well, Tristan explains this was one of his sister’s songs, it’s about their parents. Because of his current ‘daddy issues’, which he explains in a little more detail for Edward’s sake, he feels kind of awkward about having sung it. This conversation leads to a broader conversation about the lack of knowledge Tristan has about the Solis side of the family, and the potential of reaching people via the Dream spell or not. A decision is made to do an experiment once they return to the inn.   On the way out, Tristan mentions to Edward that he has noticed he has been sneaking nuts into his pockets here and there throughout the evening. He wonders if this is practice or if he still feels a need to grab any food he can get due to his experiences. Edward knows he’s fine now and has money to get food whenever he’d like, but he’s been in the habit for so long now that it just happens without him really thinking about it. He mentions the nuts are also great for flinging, and proceeds to demonstrate his skill by bouncing a nut between several objects with ease. Tristan is impressed.  

Apparently it *can* hurt to try

  Back at the Gold Dragon Inn, Tristan explains that his father had an identical twin brother named Mason. The man is supposed to be long dead, but then so was Franklin; Tristan wants to show Malak what Franklin looked like, and then to try to send the both of them into Mason’s dream. It might not work, especially if Mason is actually dead, but he figures it can’t hurt to try.   Malak successfully sends Tristan and himself into a dream, a misty landscape with a red-haired figure off in the distance who calls to them asking who they are. Tristan tries to get the man to identify himself first, but Malak ends up introducing the both of them, which has the man jogging over. Malak creates a comfortable place with a fire for them to all sit around.The man whose dream they entered turns out to be Franklin. He looks much like Tristan and Elizabeth do in terms of general features and eye color, his hair however is red and his complexion less pale. Tristan is fairly unhappy with this turn of events.   Franklin is interested to learn one of his ‘guests’ is the father of Myranna Ishim. He also questions what they are doing in his dream, and upon being told they were trying to reach Mason instead wonders why Tristan would want to talk to a man he’s never met. With Tristan hesitant to speak, Malak informs him that they were trying to see if Mason was still alive. He then asks what life is like ‘at the end of the rainbow’. Franklin says there’s a lot of waiting, to which Tristan snaps back he could have traveled and visited people while he was waiting. His father responds that he has regrets about being away from them.   Tristan makes a comment about understanding how he might have chosen to stay away as his mother theorised, but that the twins haven’t been safe for two years anyway. This confuses Franklin, leading to it being explained how Tristan was able to speak to his mother at the Silent Fane. With the tensions lowering, Malak checks if Tristan will be okay on the ‘not trying to kill his dad’ front, after which he excuses himself. Both Solises thank him.  

Hate is entirely too strong a word

  Upon being asked why he hasn’t reached out, Franklin admits he wasn’t sure how Tristan would react; he has changed many times over the years and can be unpredictable. Tristan blames their ancestors for that. When Franklin asks how much Tristan knows about that, he explains how he recently learned Elizabeth has been bit by a lycan, which shocks his father.   Tristan asks how far back it goes. Franklin isn’t sure, as this was more his brother’s interest, but knows at least that it goes back quite far. All the way to the ‘Lady in Red’, a Karrnathi fairytale figure.   Franklin understands Tristan is angry with him, he regrets staying away as long as he did. Tristan asks about why he didn’t come forward ten years ago when they needed him, but his father explains he couldn’t have stayed, or taken them with him. It would have just added another wound. Tristan says he can at least respect Franklin’s decision to protect his children by staying away.   Upon talking more about Mason, and learning his uncle has published some works on their ‘condition’, Tristan asks what became of him. It turns out Franklin isn’t really certain. They fell out of contact when Mason headed ‘towards the war’, and he’d been waiting for his brother to make the first move in making contact. This stubbornness pisses Tristan off, and he ‘strongly suggests’ his father should try to reach out to his twin.   In telling his father that he’s engaged, Tristan learns that people have been keeping an eye on him and his sister and keeping Franklin informed. He also asks why his father left him not one but two verses of ‘Flight of the Silverbird’. Rather than the intelligent plan he had expected, it turns out Franklin simply screwed that part up.   Franklin asks his son if he still hates him, to which Tristan says he never hated him, he’s just angry with him. Perhaps with time he can get past that. Franklin insists he has every right to hate him, but Tristan responds saying that while he wanted to, he was raised better than that.   Rounding the conversation off, Franklin (on further urging) promises to reach out to both Elizabeth and Mason. Tristan also tells him to not be a stranger; reach out from time to time or he’ll hunt him down. They exchange a hug and some hesitant ‘love you’s before the spell fades  

This is your wake-up call…

  The next morning, Malak and Tristan catch Edward up on how their experiment went. Tristan also tells them his uncle may in fact still be alive. As the group realises Vence never came home, Edward suggests they go wake him up. After stating that that is a terrible idea, Tristan enthusiastically agrees to go do just that. Edward makes certain enough muffins are brought.   They arrive just as Vence and Briar are in the process of waking up. Briar needs to leave for work, and leaves the group behind in her apartment. Vence notes that he’d very much like for someone to learn Sending, so he can wake up in peace in future. He then informs the group of what he’s learned from Briar. In return the others catch him up on their previous night as well, which prompts Vence to talk about his own first performance and why he’s been referred to as the ‘Penny Bard’. Turning their attention to the current day, the group decides it’s finally time to go see Asir.....  

Testing 1, 2, 3, 4

  Arriving at the palace, the group is led to Asir’s quarters. They have to wait there for a good half hour before Asir deigns to join them. He leads Vence to the music room (the others trail along) and explains the test: All four of VETT will need to perform for him and all four need to pass before Barracus can continue to the next step. The assignment is ‘Impress me with your musical ability’.   All four take their turns to perform for Asir, who shows little in the way of reactions to it. Vence performs ‘Swallowtail Jig’ on his own viol, Lady sings ‘Twiddles’, Emir takes out Crystallini to play ’Der Erlkonig’ (during which Tristan keeps an eye out for Lucy, but is unable to see her), and finally Thaen borrows some bagpipes to play “Celebration’. Asir notes that there was no cheating this time, confusing Thaen, before stating that all four have passed.   Upon Asir’s invitation, Lady shifts in to sing the first three verses of ‘Flight of the Silverbird’, to which Asir then adds the fourth.   “When I, laid eyes upon the Silverbird ‘twas like time became a meaningless word Her beauty and power, radiating from within This warrior, the fiercest who’s ever been   Silverbird defied her parents, signed up for the fight Left home, didn’t know which way was right It seems like hope was thrown in a bin Then at great cost, she found the power from within     Emerald walls surrounded by hostility The Silverbird declared this not the way So her arrow struck with virtuous divinity The greens eclipsed by ashy black and gray     Warfare stained the gates of Inspiration as their cloaks of color were all drenched in red But behold! A bird of silver soared across the battlefield and not another drop was shed”   During the new verse, Malak’s necklace gives off a warm glow. Tristan also takes off the ribbon around his forearm to see the new color change to the Sickle Mark, which now goes from Red to Green to Blue to Purple.  

A stick up his Asir

  Lady reminds Asir he still needs to tell them where to go next. Asir boredly responds they already know they need to go see Pavo. Edward asks how long Asir’s been the Bird of Breland. Learning that he’s been here longer than a human life, Edward asks if he’s ever met The Panic. Asir has no idea who that is and really doesn't care either. Sensing Asir’s disinterest in this topic, Tristan tries to dissuade Edward from continuing this line of conversation, but to no avail.   Edward continues explaining, and tells Asir that he features in one of the books, The Panic steals a girl away from him at a ball. Asir finds the scenario highly unlikely. Malak notes maybe the lady preferred someone without a stick up his ass. Edward asks for book recommendations. Asir, disinteredtly, suggests a book about Birds.   Vence asks why Asir seems to not care about anything, including the Trail. Asir says it’s none of Vence's business. He’s here to do a job, that’s all. Vence also asks how Elizabeth did on her test, which Asir is unwilling to disclose.   When Edward asks if Pavo is more like Asir or more like Phoenix, Tristan tells him that Pavo is a nice guy (even if he is a little mad at him), and has a nice big library he’s sure Edward will be very welcome to peruse. He expects they’ll get along. Meanwhile, Asir finds Edward's question odd. Every Bird is an individual with their own feelings and thoughts. Of course they are not all the same...  Tristan knowing Pavo well piques Asir’s interest. Briefly. After which he requests the group finally leave.   Before they do though, Asir warns Lady to stay away from the Soft One; Baracus is a target, and it would be bad if Asir is associated with them. VETT, remembering that Asir protected the group during the parade by distracting the Soft One, thanks him for his help and says that they will be cautious. The Soft One being mentioned prompts Tristan to ask if Asir has ever gotten a good look at his weapon. As such things don’t interest Asir, he hasn’t. Malak asks if Asir has any Mayasha Wine to share, which he doesn’t, and Vence asks if he can take the bagpipes, which is fine. Asir is finally left in peace as the group departs.   On their way out, Tristan keeps an eye out for the Soft One. He doesn’t spot him, but overhears some people talking about him, probably being on their way to see him. Tristan decides against following them. Edward asks if the tests are always this easy. While so far they seem to have succeeded on the first try, Vence tells him that that doesn’t mean they’re ‘easy’ per se. He considers that Cissa’s is probably the hardest one.