Session 46: "It's kind of sad when Corwin is the humanitarian in the group."

	Corwin is recruited into Claudio's "Let's frag Melanie's Shadows"
group.  Corwin then proceeds to recruit Sky.

	Caitlin updates Archi on the results of her search for Aelle, and
the Trump that Kaedric is drawing.  Archi suggests that she might have an
easier time Trumping Aelle from out in Shadow.  Caitlin then finds
Benedict and gives him the same information.

	Archi asks Laughter if she can do something about this whole
absinthe thing.  Well, according to her book on Faerie magic, wearing
amethyst will protect you from strong drink.  Purple really isn't Archi's
color, though.  Laughter goes to sleep while Archi stays up with the kids.

	Ulysses chats with Beauty about something.

	Sandr drops Nadine off with Melanie to baby-sit.  Melanie and
Kaedric argue back and forth over her choice of dress, which is her
standard black dress with corset.  She's still mourning Maron's death,
after all.  He conjures her a green dress that you just can't wear a
corset under, along with a black armband.  After more bickering, she
agrees to wear it.  Ah, love.

	Archi Trumps Corwin, and asks him to oversee the guarding of the
Pattern.  Corwin accepts, once he's back from the "bitch hunt" for
Melanie's Shadows.  Next on tap is Bleys, who is given the Primal Pattern
to watch over.  The King of Mime accepts this honor.

	At breakfast, Kaedric whispers something to Laughter, which causes
her to smile.  Melanie frowns.  Laughter tells Archi psychically that if
anyone asks, they are to claim that there is a constellation in Foil
called 'the Lovers.' It has something to do with Kaedric's seduction
attempt on Melanie.  Archi smiles.  This makes Melanie even more paranoid,
and she bickers with Kaedric for a bit.  Claudio frowns at this.  Caitlin
feels sick, but only Sylvie notices.  Corwin joins the breakfast group. 
Claudio asks him how "this" happened, meaning his miraculous recovery. 
Corwin mistakenly figures he means Nadine, and explains that she's Sandr
and Anton's child.  Claudio finds the idea of two men being married
repugnant.  Corwin explains the Unicorn story, which distresses Claudio
even more.  He leaves to kill Christians.  Kaedric leaves to clean up
Nadine.  Corwin sits down next to Sky and hits on her, by asking her to
spar with him.  Merlin looks impervious.  Sylvie moves over to Caitlin and
observes that she's unwell.  Caitlin blames it on bad dreams.  Sylvie
moves to Ulysses, and asks him to reassure her that he didn't sleep with
Caitlin.  Nope.  Sylvie asks what he's doing for birth control.  Er, none
of her business.  Sylvie reminds him that Archi's been using the Jewel a
lot lately, and asks how many brothers or sisters she may have out in
Shadow.  Oh, up 4,000 are possible.  Sylvie is less than thrilled.

	Melanie leaves breakfast, tries to Trump Eve again, and fails once
more.  She's not in this universe, which means she's either in the Abyss,
the Badlands, or one of the other universes.

	Archi summons Bill Roth, Vain, Flynn, Laughter, Ulysses and Flora. 
It's about the succession.  He points out that Amber has a hereditary
monarchy, and Vain is his first- born, which means that the Crown Prince
will go to him, if he wants it.  Otherwise, it goes to Flynn.  If Flynn
doesn't want it, it will be held in trust for Alaric.  Vain has no
interest in the position whatsoever, and happily passes on the job.  Flynn
wants time to think about it, since he doesn't think he was all that great
a leader to his own people.  Archi grants this, and Flynn leaves.  Archi
asks Ulysses and Flora to be witnesses to this, and Bill draws up the
legal documents.

	Archi Trumps Melanie and asks for a blood sample.  He wants it to
create an anti- shapeshifting poison to use against Eve, if it becomes
necessary.  She explains that she is not a Halybard, so her blood won't be
of use, but the poison which was once used on Laughter should be equally
effective on Eve.  She updates him on her lack of progress in contacting
Eve.

	Claudio returns, rounds up Sky and Corwin, and hunts for a
Christian Melanie.  This takes a while.  He eventually finds one, asks if
she knows of Abigail and Amber, then draws and quarters her.  This is his
idea of mercy.  Corwin simply beheads the next one, and points out that
his way is much more efficient.  They kill until dinner time.

	Archi works in his lab, making some of the Halybard poison.

	Melanie Trumps Eve from Ygg, but still can't get through.  She
sets up a spell to let her know if Eve passes by Ygg, then Trumps to the
hotel where Anton disappeared, and asks the man who was on duty that night
what he knows about it.  He won't say, unless she has the official license
from the King.  Melanie Trumps Archi and asks for a license.  This is news
to him.  He comes through, and learns that Sylvie set this up.  He Trumps
Laughter, who comes through and tells him that this is the hotel that the
Cultists were at.  Archi tells the man to answer Melanie's questions about
Anton.  The questions reveal that Anton entered his room and never left
it.  The door was locked, and Melanie notices nothing out of the ordinary
it, so she Trumps back to Amber.  Kaedric is teaching Nadine how to pick
pockets.  Sandr will be so pleased.

	Sand interrupts Claudio's fun, and tells him to stop.  She figures
any Shadows of Melanie that Abigail was in contact with would be in
Inter-Shadow.  Claudio wants to find Eddie or Ghostwheel and continue the
hunt.  Maybe after dinner.

	Caitlin Trumps Kaedric, and asks how the Trump is coming.  Um,
well, he kind of forgot about that.  He suggests that Caitlin come watch
Nadine with Melanie, to free him up to do this.  Caitlin has to spar with
Benedict first.  She does this, but feels too sick to continue.  Benedict
is not pleased.  Caitlin Trumps Kaedric once more and comes through to
Melanie's quarters.  Kaedric leaves to work on the Trump, while Melanie
and Caitlin discuss Chaos and Caitlin's mother.

	Ulysses and Lisandra see Belan of Amblerash, one of the Houses
that drew their own Pattern (yes, the GM originally said it was Jesby, but
she changed her mind).  Much talking occurs.  Then Ulysses tells Archi of
the developments.  They want a share of the Jewel.  Archi likes this not
at all.  They set up a meeting for the following day.

	Melanie tells Archi of the spell she set up around Ygg, and
suggests that Fiona might be able to set up a better one.  She also tells
him that Maron is dead, and of his posthumous apology to the Crown.  Archi
suggests she speak with Fiona about Anton's strange disappearance. 
Melanie doubts Fiona will talk to her.

	Sky brings Corwin and Claudio to her Shadow.  Claudio goes to town
with an AK- 47, then seeks out the designs for it.  With these in hand, he
Trumps to Mazadan, shows him the designs, and demonstrates the weapon. 
Mazadan thinks this is sorcery, and backs away.  Claudio attempts to
convince him that this is not true.  His argument that he knows sorcery,
and this isn't it, doesn't help matters.  Taking Mazadan to the man who he
got the designs from works much better.  He warns Mazadan to give them to
Sand if she asks for them.  Then he Trumps Sky, interrupting Corwin's
continuing attempts to hit on Sky.

	Archi Trumps Fiona, and relays Melanie's info.  Fiona thinks Eve
is in the Badlands, but Benedict is close behind her.

	Kaedric returns with three gift-wrapped boxes.  The one for Nadine
contains a bear, whose head she happily rips off.  Caitlin's contains a
blank Trump, which Kaedric says will reach Aelle, whatever her form. 
Melanie studies it, but can't figure out how he drew it.  Caitlin asks
Kaedric and Melanie to keep an eye on her, but she's willing to wait until
after Melanie opens her present.  Uh, no, Kaedric will wait on that. 
Caitlin tries the Trump, and reaches a woman in green robes, who resembles
Gillian.  She does not look up, but answers psychically.  She confirms
that she was once known as Aelle, and she's never heard of Caitlin. 
Caitlin says she's Aelle's daughter, and Aelle admits that this is
possible.  She gave up her daughter shortly after the girl was born.  She
is a servant to Wickling.  Caitlin asks to talk to her again.  Aelle does
something with her hands, and a bug flies through, turning into paper. 
Caitlin breaks the contact, and reads the paper.  It says that Aelle is an
unwilling servant, and if Caitlin contacts her again, it had better be a
rescue attempt, since she will be watched now.  Caitlin shares the note
with Kaedric and Melanie.  She wants to tell Archi before trying to rescue
Aelle, and asks Kaedric and Melanie to come with her.  Nadine, having torn
up her bear and found no present inside, is brought along.  Archi is found
in his quarters, and grants Aelle asylum if they bring her to Amber. 
Kaedric explains how the Trump of Aelle works, and suggests that Archi
have one made for Laughter, so he can contact her in her other forms, like
her wolf form.  Archi asks Kaedric to remain behind, and asks how he knows
of Laughter's wolf form.  Kaedric claims that Melanie told him of it.

	Melanie leaves Nadine with Laughter, then Trumps Caitlin, Kaedric
and herself outside of Amber, so Logrus will work, if they should need it. 
They Trump Aelle, but the Trump is blocked by a large wall of Logrus. 
Melanie suggests getting Fiona's help, but she doesn't answer Caitlin's
call.  Melanie suggests Bleys next, who answers without speaking.  Caitlin
pulls him through and explains the situation.  He looks uneasy at the
mention of Logrus, but takes Aelle's Trump and Caitlin's swords.  He
activates the contact, stabs through it, and pulls Aelle through.  She is
unconscious.  Bleys leaves, and Melanie Trumps the others back to the
infirmary.  Kaedric examines Aelle, looks puzzled, and figures they'd best
let her wake up on her own.

	Kaedric leaves on his own business, while Melanie retrieves Nadine
from Laughter.  Laughter observes that Melanie and Kaedric seem to be
getting along.  Melanie is noncommittal, but asks Laughter about the
constellations in Foil.  Laughter confirms, indirectly, that Kaedric made
up the name of that one particular constellation.

	Archi locks himself in his lab, cuts his arm, and watches it
bleed.  It hurts, and he feels dizzy from the blood loss.  It doesn't heal
any faster when bound, either.  Done testing this soulless thing, he finds
Laughter, who is sparring.  He joins her.  She promises him something nice
if he doesn't make her look bad.  A night in Rebma, to be precise.  Archi
lets her win.  She gives him a Trump and leaves.  He goes through and
arrives alone.  Laughter appears a little while later, wearing a Rebman
dress, which is to say, not much at all.  Archi is most appreciative. 
Laughter soon sees the merit to wearing dresses.

	Sandr retrieves Nadine from Melanie.  Melanie tries to Trump Eve
again, then Fiona, but both are unreachable.  Kaedric returns, and tells
Melanie to look in her pocket.  The gift is there, a silver bracelet,
which she tells him is lovely.  She mentions that Caitlin may be pregnant
by Sandr.  Kaedric figures Sandr had better find another universe to hide
in, if that's the case.  Melanie also mentions her concern over the
Jewel's affect on fertility, but Kaedric doesn't think it should affect
them, seeing as how he doesn't have Pattern, and is a skilled enough
shapeshifter to prevent such things from happening.

	Ulysses spends quality time with his family, seeing as his plan
needs Perseus to work, and Perseus is undergoing Chemo.  *sigh*

	Claudio and company manage to find a Shadow near Ghostwheel.  A
manifestation of a young man appears and says "You have reached the first
barrier, what is the password?"  Claudio says "Sky," and they are allowed
to pass.  For the second barrier, Corwin suggests "Frakir," which works. 
They aren't sure of the third one, so Claudio Trumps Merlin.  Merlin comes
through, and gets them in through clearance level 30.  He can't go any
further, because of the automatic shutdown, but this is just a Shadow,
anyway, the real one having been destroyed.  Claudio addresses "Jim," who
says that Inter-Shadow is classified, but no one is in there.  It can find
all of Melanie's Shadows, but whether they are powerful enough to become a
threat is classified.  It does whisper the info to Merlin, though.  Merlin
catches Ghostwheel with the Logrus, and they both disappear.  Corwin is
unable to reach Merlin.


Quotables:

"Oh, yeah, Claudio will make up for the missing mother-figure in
(Daegan's) life." -- Kris to the group at large

"What's my relationship with Corwin?" -- Claudio to GM
"Strictly platonic." -- Dwinn

"Has Sky ever seen your horse?  I bet she'll like it." -- GM to Claudio

"The metaphysics have troubled many.  We try not to think about it." --
Corwin to Claudio, referring to how Dworkin and the Unicorn produced
Oberon
"We're pretty sure that a step-stool was involved." -- Wendi

"Excuse me, I'm going to go kill some Christians now." -- Claudio to Kaedric

"Then we slay (Melanie's Shadow) by drawing and quartering her." -- Claudio
"I thought you only had three horses?" -- GM

"It's kind of sad when Corwin is the humanitarian in the group." -- Dann
to the group at large

"Perhaps we could broaden out horizons." -- Claudio
"You wish to eat in a gay bar?" -- Corwin

"What is a tactical nuke?" -- Claudio
"Perhaps we should start with guns." -- Corwin

"There are many things that are far more natural then Sandr." -- Archi to
Claudio

"I'm the only who's safe from the GM, since I never had sex with anyone
who's alive." -- Claudio to the group at large