Session 77:  "I'm not even capable of making something like this up.  It's
too complex!"

	Ragnar recovers then returns to the bar.  The people who attacked
him are not there.  He plans upon prowling around to find them for a few
nights.  He returns to the castle with the dawn.

	Ulysses is changing his daughter.

	Killian has seen Cordelia off.  He wants a Trump of Assyssla to
visit Cordelia.  He looks for Archimedes.

	Morning finds Archimedes in his office.  A page announces Killian. 
Killian wants a Trump of Assyssla.  Archimedes gives Killian Ulysses'
Trump.

	Killian Trumps Ulysses.  He asks Ulysses for the Trump of
Assyssla.  Ulysses wants to know what's in it for him.  Killian doesn't
know.  Ulysses suggests a boat.  Killian says it's too slow.  Ulysses
offers no sympathy.

	Archimedes gets a message from Random.  He goes there.  There is a
small problem.  Random takes Archimedes to Bleys' room, where Bleys is
frozen in an energy field.  Fiona is unreachable.  Random wants
Archimedes' opinion.  Archimedes suggests Mandor.  Bleys' book of the
Strangeways is gone.  Random wants Archimedes to check on Ulysses' copy. 
Archimedes Trumps Ulysses but doesn't get through.

	Ulysses Trumps Archimedes back.  Archimedes asks him about the
book.  Ulysses checks and it's still there.  Ulysses wants to know why
Archimedes wanted to know this.  Archimedes answers that Bleys' book is
missing.  They discuss Killian.

	Killian knocks on Archimedes' office door.  Archimedes is gone.

	Ulysses and Archimedes end their conversation.

	Killian Trumps Archimedes.  He wants to know what Ulysses wants. 
Archimedes doesn't know, but suggests breakfast.

	Killian Trumps Ulysses and offers him breakfast in trade for a
Trump.  He doesn't quite ask it right, so Ulysses agrees.  Killian asks
him what he wants for breakfast.  Ulysses is uncooperative.  Killian cuts
the contact.  He grabs a page and asks for something of Ulysses.  He has
the page take him to Ulysses' room.

	A page finds Archimedes.  He is told that Killian is breaking into
Ulysses' room.

	Killian breaks in and takes a shirt.  He then heads for the docks. 
He buys a large fish and has the hounds sent the shirt.  The hounds lead
him off through Shadow.

	Mok is in Gaia waiting for Caitlin.

	Claudio is waiting for Graham to arrive.  They then go to his Ways
and check on the gossip.  Thelbane was attacked by Finndo's troops.  They
currently have Thelbane under siege.  The King, the Crown Prince, and his
wife are all missing.  Kaedricways is not under siege.  Alora is not known
to be missing.  Claudio heads to Kaedricways.  He grabs his armor first. 
He leaves his sword behind.  He is allowed in.  The children are there. 
Alora is with the Chaos imperial troops.  Ian is available.  Ian is
wearing goggles.  Claudio lets slip that Ian's parents are missing.  Ian
didn't know about it until Claudio told him.  Alora didn't tell him.  Ian
excuses himself.  Ian yells for Alora and interrupts the meeting, leaving
Claudio in the hall.  Claudio follows and wants to see Alora now.  He
doesn't care that he is talking to the Head of House Hendrake.  Hendrake
will not let Claudio pass.  Claudio goes to Thelbane by air.  There is a
large army present.  The have siege implements.  Both demons and Shadows
are present.  He does not see Finndo.  The lines are sound.  There are
many spells placed against nonconventional entry.  There are 35,000 troops
making the siege.  Claudio returns to Kaedricways and sketches the
battlefield.

	Archimedes and Random discuss Bleys' predicament.  A guard is
posted.  Archimedes leaves to talk to Laughter.  Archimedes gets a Trump
call from Alora.  He pulls her into a sitting room.  Alora tells him that
Thelbane is under attack and that the King and her parents are missing. 
She wants him to watch Ian.  Alora Trumps him back and hands Ian through. 
Ian thanks Archimedes for his hospitality.  Archimedes gives Ian a tour of
Amber and is unimpressed by the child's strange intensity.

	Caitlin is with Mok.  A council meeting has been called for later
today.  Mok asks her what instrument she plays.  None.  She will watch. 
They are very loud.

	Caitlin gets a Trump call.  It is Orrin.  Orrin reminds her of the
Council meeting at 2 p.m.  (It is 10 a.m. in Chaos.)  He also informs her
of recent events.  Orrin wants no part of the music.  He tells her that
Thelbane is under siege.  No news from Swayvill or the Crown Prince and
Princess.  The agenda of the council meeting will be changed.  Alora will
likely be made regent.  Orrin doesn't know if she is capable, in answer to
Caitlin's question.  Caitlin wants to check up on Swayvill.  Caitlin will
be with Orrin shortly.  Caitlin and Mok continue talking.

	Caitlin returns to Chaos.  She Trumps Orrin for a report.  Nothing
has changed.  Hendrake is massing armies.  Halybard's forces are at the
ready.  Alora has created a headquarters in Kaedricways.  None of the Ways
are under siege.  Their positions are secure.  Merlin had Caitlin's
children in Assyssla.  Caitlin Trumps Merlin.  She wants to get in touch
with Alora and asks him for a sketch.  They have no recent images of her
so Caitlin will have to send a messenger.  She asks how the children are
doing.  A page is sent to Kaedricways.  Caitlin and Orrin have a
discussion.  Orrin is dismissed in the end.

	Mok goes to his girlfriend's house.  She wants to know where he
has been.  She lets him in.  Mok tries to explain.  He has been gone for a
week and a half.  His girlfriend isn't buying it.  He pulls out his Trump
of Amber.  He wants to take her through to Amber.  He steps through the
Trump and arrives in Amber.  He then finds someone; Laughter.  She is
pacing and looks furious.  She knows him.  She guesses that he is new to
Amber.  He doesn't know her from the future.  He asks her for a Trump of
Gaia.  Laughter suggests Caitlin and mentions his past relationship with
Caitlin.  Mok wants the details.  They weren't *that* close.  He asks for
a Trump of Caitlin.  She let's him have the Trump.  Mok Trumps Caitlin.

	Caitlin accepts the call.  Mok asks for a Trump of Gaia.  He wants
to borrow it.  She gives it to him.  Laughter asks if he's ridden a horse. 
He has.  She says darn.  He asks to borrow Ulysses' Trump.  She says she
doesn't have one, but is lying.  He eventually talks her out of it.  The
Trump bursts into flames.  Mok assumes it's broken.

	Ulysses is beginning to feel very flushed and fevered.  He faints.

	Laughter Trumps Archimedes and it bursts into flames as well.  She
tells Mok of Ulysses' Shadow.  Mok mentions that she is very pregnant. 
Mok promises to replace the Trump.  He Trumps Gaia, but the Trump of Gaia
bursts into flames.  Mok wants to go to the stable.  Laughter sends a page
after Archimedes.  Laughter sends a page after Killian, as well.

	Melanie wakes up but is very groggy.  The place is dark.  She is
clothed.  She hears raspy breathing.  There is no light at all.  She
cannot feel the walls.  There is no breeze.  She heads over to the raspy
breathing.  There is a wall there.  It is a body.  She uses her ring to
verify that this is Kaedric.  She makes psychic contact.  He is having a
horrible nightmare; sex with serpents.  This makes her break the contact. 
She wakes him up.  Her shapeshifting is still working.  She can not tell
with shapeshifting whether or not she is pregnant.  Kaedric wakes up after
a few minutes and calls her name.  His head hurts.  Kaedric wants a light
to be made.  Melanie attempts to do this with sorcery.  Casting a spell is
harder and less effective than normal.  It also takes more energy.  It
only lasts 30 seconds.  They see that they are in the same room and there
are torches on the wall.  Melanie collects one.  She lights the torch. 
Kaedric is in bad shape.  He is slowly starting to heal.  Melanie checks
the door.  It is open.  She thinks that Trump might be working.  Kaedric
needs a little time before walking.  Melanie investigates the hallway. 
She cannot see an end to it.  She gives a torch to Kaedric and steps into
the hall.  She explores for ten minutes, not finding anything in the hall. 
Melanie brings the Logrus up, and it is strange and uncontrollable.  She
tries to Trump back to Kaedric.  This makes her feel very, very hot.  She
tries using magic.  The spell is worthless.  She walks back in the end. 
Kaedric is a little bit better and she gives him a report.  Melanie is
able to conjure and hands Kaedric a drink.

	Killian gets to the edge of Ulysses' Shadow and can't get in.  He
rants and throws the fish in the general direction.  Ulysses is not
answering his Trump.  Killian contemplates homicide.  He Trumps to the
steps of the Tir with the pack.  He then heads to the castle.

	Killian finds Archimedes.  He explains his trouble with Ulysses. 
Archimedes gets the key from Random and mentions that there are no Trumps
of Assyssla in the standard deck.  Random has a card and lets Killian have
it.  The pages arrive at this time.  They go to the stable.  Archimedes
leaves Ian in the library.

	Mok and Laughter are there.  Laughter explains to the new arrivals
that Ulysses is missing and the Trumps are flaming.  Archimedes tells
Killian to hold off on using the Trump of Assyssla.  Killian fumes
quietly.  Laughter wants Killian and Mok and Archimedes to go looking for
Ulysses.  Archimedes outlines this in a note to Random and Random quickly
joins them.  He hopes Archimedes isn't serious.  Archimedes isn't.  The
only experienced Shadow walkers around are Sky and Isaac.  Archimedes
sends pages after them.  He explains the situation, after they arrive, and
that they need someone experienced with Shadow to lead.  Sky says that
Isaac will stay and she will go.  Mok won't look at her, as she is wearing
only buckskin pants.  Sky says he's weak.  Killian and Sky prepare.

	Melanie and Kaedric leave the room and enter the hallway in the
opposite direction from the way Melanie explored before.  They hear the
whistling again down a side passage.  They won't go that way.  Melanie
marks the walls as they go.  Kaedric would do better with more rest. 
Melanie stops so he can rest.  Kaedric says they are somewhere underneath
the world.  He thinks they are close to the Abyss.  He believes something
has happened.  Melanie waits until Kaedric has rested, then they continue. 
Hours later, they reach stairs.  Melanie conjures food.  There is a long
passageway upstairs.  Melanie follows behind Kaedric.  There is a door at
the top.  Nothing is heard on the other side.  It is an irregularly shaped
door.  Melanie uses sorcery to scry behind the door.  There is a field and
a tree behind.  She tells this to Kaedric.  They rest, then she shifts to
demon form and opens the door.  She has stepped out through the tree. 
There is no one in the meadow.  A forest lies beyond.  Logrus still feels
weird.  Sorcery is still hard.  It is late afternoon.  Kaedric is asleep. 
Melanie lets him nap and wakes him up as the sun is setting.  They don't
know where they are.  She is still in her demon form.  They cannot use
Logrus to shift Shadow far.  Trump still burns.  They slowly head back
toward Kaedricways.  They notice a lot of bats flying overhead at one
resting point.  They mill about in the dusk.  Melanie and Kaedric keep
moving.

	Claudio speaks to Alora.  He offers her troops.  She informs him
that Trumps are down.  He offers her his allegiance.  There has been no
proof of deaths.  She knows nothing of the missing ones.  She has sent Ian
to Amber.  She believes that Amber is the safest place for Ian.  They will
attack after the council meeting, as she doesn't have the ability to
command at present.  Claudio goes over the plans.  They tally up the
troops.  Vertix provides information instead of troops.  There are no
houses against them that they know of.  Wickling has sent no troops as of
yet.

	The Council meets.  Alora convenes the council as heir apparent. 
She will assume the regency until the King or the Crown Prince returns. 
Her announcement is not unexpected.  Wickling abstains.  She is approved. 
Alora announces the attack.

	Archimedes finds Ian in the library reading Pattern theory and
startles him.  Archimedes conjures him a snack.  He wants bats. 
Archimedes provides but doesn't want to share.  Archimedes stays in the
library with Ian.

	Sky is leading the expedition through Shadow.  She stops and says
that the Pattern is fluctuating.  Sky looks stymied.  Killian follows the
trail to Ulysses that he took the last time.  Killian sets the pack on
Ulysses.  Sky insults Mok.

	Everything starts to fade away as the oxygen leaves.  Killian
calls off the pack and the party turns to better oxygen.  They hit a
barrier and experience whiteout.  Killian goes unconscious.  He wakes to
Mok, Sky and lots of naked people.  Mok and Sky are still unconscious. 
Sky wakes up fast when he nudges her.  He then wakes up Mok.  The
characters are still clothed.  The horses and dogs have been turned into
naked humans.  They attempt to leave.

	Ulysses wakes up sopping wet.  Someone had dumped water on him to
help with the fever.  Beauty is packing him in ice.  She informs him that
he has a bad fever.  She says that Laughter's Trump burst into flame when
she tried to use it.  She wants to know what's going on.  Ulysses tries
Pattern and notices that it is fluctuating rapidly.  He tries to Pattern
teleport to Amber.  He ends up thirty feet off of where he wanted to land. 
He brings the tub with him.  A page notices him and goes to tell
Archimedes.

	Archimedes heads to where Ulysses is and comments on the Trumps.

	Once out of the Shadow, the animals turn back to their true forms. 
They soon discover themselves back in Amber.  Mok tries to point out the
good in this.  Killian hits him.  They head into the Castle.  Killian
finds Ulysses in a tub in the middle of the hall.

	Archimedes conjures ice.

	Ragnar arrives.

	Mok asks Ulysses for Trump, in the future.  Dynamite is mentioned
and Killian wants to know what it is.

	Ragnar prowls that night.  In the second night he is being
followed by at least one, if not two people.  One is very good, the other
is so-so.  They are not cooperating.  The one that is good notices the
other one and avoids them.

	Killian is hunting in the city randomly that same night.  He
crosses Ragnar's path occasionally.  No one is using magic.  Ragnar
attempts to ambush the least competent guy, not using his full
capabilities.  He wants to see how the other pursuer reacts.  Ragnar
attempts to scare the shit out of him.  Ragnar steps out of the shadows
and puts a knife to his throat.  Ragnar asks him who he works for.  A
lady.  He doesn't know her name or her face.  He gets orders from a guy at
the bar who wears a double-headed ax insignia.  He was supposed to follow
Ragnar until he was caught and then tell him what he did.  Ragnar kills
him for working for too clever a boss.  He loses the second follower,
picking up only a vague trace later on.

	Ragnar looks for the third party but cannot locate him.

	Killian noticed the two people following Ragnar.  He sees Ragnar
jump the one guy and Killian sees the other follower, a woman, melt into
the shadows.  Killian attempts to sneak up on the woman.

	Ragnar creates a spell to damage all people in hiding places.

	Killian is trying to take the woman such that Ragnar can't see it
happen.

	Ragnar casts the spell.  He gets an alley cat.

	Killian binds the woman.  The woman is very irritated.  She has
been gagged as well.

	Ragnar sees Killian ahead of him with a prisoner.  The woman has
short brown hair.  She is wearing a cat insignia.  It is the symbol of the
Hellmaids for House Vertix.

	Ragnar speaks with Killian, complementing his work.  Killian says
it was not challenging.  Ragnar identifies her.  She is Shallari.  Killian
says that she was following Ragnar.  Ragnar wants to take her to the
castle.

	The castle guards are nonplused when the two of them arrive.  The
woman is to be taken to the dungeons.  Killian wants Archimedes to know
about it.

	There is a knock on Archimedes' door.  The page tells him that
Killian has brought a Chaosite in.  Archimedes grabs Song and heads down
that way.

	Arrangements are made for storing the Hellmaid.  Benedict's name
is brought up.  Ragnar paralyzes the woman with shapeshifting.

	Benedict is sent for.

	Archimedes arrives.  Ragnar asks him about the double ax symbol,
but Archimedes does not know about it.  Archimedes gets an idea and heads
back upstairs.

	Gerard moves the tub into Ulysses' room.  Ulysses and Beauty
discuss sex at awkward times.  Gerard wants him to drink plenty of fluids. 
Ulysses spends an unpleasant night.

	Melanie and Kaedric finally arrive in at Kaedricways.  Troops are
moving away from it.  Melanie does not see Alora.  Kaedric needs further
rest.  Melanie puts him to bed.  Melanie asks after her children.  Ian is
in Amber.  Alora is leading the attack on Thelbane.  Alora is leading the
attack because she is regent.  Swayvill is missing.  Melanie is exhausted. 
It is night.  Melanie paces and checks on Kaedric.  Melanie takes her
Jewel ring off and puts it back on.  Archimedes in is Amber.  Ian is not
with him.

	Archimedes leaves the dungeon and wakes up Laughter and Random to
go to Bleys' room.  He wants Laughter to see if there is sorcery involved. 
It is Jewel energy.  Archimedes can't quite figure it out, so he tries to
move the item holding Bleys, which is a ring.  This knocks him out.

	Killian asks Benedict how to kill a Chaosite and Benedict tells
him.  Benedict will not tell Ragnar anything about the double ax symbol.