Session 3

Miranda goes to see Brand. He's working out the details of a new land deal with Amblerash, so she has to wait a short while. After about ten minutes or so, she is shown in and tells her story of finding the valise. Given that Amblerash was supposedly behind the scholar's death, Brand wonders if this is related to their negotiations for land from Barimen. The land they want is farmland. He decides to build into the contract the option to terminate the lease after a certain period of time. They speculate on why Amblerash isn't establishing trade routes with Shadow. Brand wonders if maybe the cold is more than just a localized effect. He asks if anyone knows of her involvement in this. Only the scholar. It's possible the guards who killed him might know if they interrogated him. Brand asks if she wants him to hire a bodyguard. Miranda thinks that wouldn't be a bad idea, so long as they're discrete. Brand empties out the valise then has a servant burn it. Brand informs Miranda that Jasra wants to speak to her, so she should be sure to find her before she goes to bed. They chat for a bit longer and then Brand has to get back to work.

Miranda seek out Jasra, who's in her lab. No one is ever allowed in Jasra's lab. A servant informs Miranda that she should be out in about ten minutes, so Miranda waits. When Jasra emerges, she looks at Miranda for a moment, then gets out a dagger and hands it to her. She also gives her a harness to conceal the dagger. Miranda asks what's going on. Jasra explains that she had a dream where Miranda was in darkness, surrounded by enemies. She wants Miranda to be careful over the next four days. Miranda notes that she has an Assembly meeting in two days, and asks if she should still attend. Jasra thinks so, yes. She doesn't want to disrupt things too much over just a dream.

Miranda eats breakfast in her room the next morning, then goes to work out with Kail, her arms instructor. She shows him the dagger she received from Jasra and says she wants to become comfortable with it. He appears to recognize it and asks if it came from her mother. Yes. He doesn't think they should practice with it then. Why? He takes the dagger and sticks it easily through a shield. Oh. He finds her a practice dagger of about the same size and weight to use instead. He also suggests the best place to conceal it, namely strapped to her outer thigh. She explains how her mother is concerned about her right now. He says he'll keep his ears open. There's a lot going on right now. Why? He explains that Countess Amaranthe of Kirov-Rost was assassinated, supposedly at the instigation of Hector Hendrake. Why? There are rumors that she was blackmailing him. Miranda figures it would have to be some blackmail for Hector to risk ruining his chances of ruling Hendrake. One rumor says Hector had a bastard child. Well, that would do it. Kail is hoping to find out more from his friend Driscoll, who is part of Kirov-Rost.

Miranda has lunch with Jasra, Rinaldo, Sand and Delwin. There is more talk of the death of Countess Amaranthe, as well as news that Benedict is rumored to have been sighted off to the west. Way off to the west, out in the boonies, as it were. Good place to raise an army. And given that he'd have to go through Thelbane to reach Amber, Miranda figures he's planning on attacking Chaos. Jasra reiterates that Barimen is not to get involved in this matter - let Hendrake pursue him if they must. Rinaldo says it's a matter of honor to the Hendrakes. Why? Because he's the best. Miranda makes a comment about most people who seek the bounty settling for easier opponents, which gets a bit of a frown from Rinaldo. Given that he did just that, he can't come up with a good response.

Miranda spends the afternoon painting. There's a bit of a thaw happening, so it's wet and muddy outside. Not a good time to do landscapes.

Brand is at dinner, and mentions that the land deal with Amblerash has been concluded. They have a two year lease, at which point either party can choose not to renew. Miranda and Brand share a knowing look at this. Rinaldo is in a much lighter mood than has been normal for him recently...almost like he used to be. Miranda talks to him a bit. He mentions having seen something strange during Miranda's party...three women clad only in chemises frolicking in the fountain. They nearly drowned a young man, but his other companions, one male and one female, were able to revive him. The women had vanished by then. He couldn't really see the victim or his friends well, but he's sure he didn't see the women at the party. He describes them to Miranda, who doesn't recognize them either. It's possible they were simply the servants of one of the guests, but they might also have been assassins sent to kill the young man. Miranda thinks someone needs to be told. Rinaldo doesn't want to tell Jasra, since, among other things, she'll ask why he was watching the women. He decides to tell Sand, instead. That way, if Jasra has to be told, the news won't come from him. Rinaldo also mentions Jasra's concern for Miranda. Miranda thinks the biggest risk will be tomorrow, at the Assembly meeting. Rinaldo says that the best chance of surviving a trap is if you know when it's going to happen, and offers to keep an eye out for her, remotely. He can do that now. He looks pensive when he says this, but she is unable to get him to explain what prompted this look.

Miranda meets her bodyguard in the morning. The woman's name is Evangeline, and she is almost fragile looking. Not what you'd picture in a bodyguard, but Miranda figures her father wouldn't hire anyone incompetent. Miranda prepares for the day by separating her Trumps into two packs wrapped in oilskin. She leaves one strapped to her left leg as an emergency out, and straps the dagger to her right leg. The trip to the Assembly is uneventful, as are the Assembly meetings. Everyone is gossiping before and after about the death of Countess Amaranthe. It looks like her advisor, Tomas, will be proposed as her replacement. In fact, during the Greater Assembly meeting, the Kirov-Rost representative proposes a vote be taken at the next meeting on that very thing. Hendrake also proposes the setting up of a neutral committee to investigate Hector's involvement in Amaranthe's death. The Lesser Assembly meeting is rather short, and during the mingling afterwards Roderick, the representative from Deskant, almost looks like he's going to he's going to call her over to him, but changes his mind. Miranda also notices that Evangeline is always looking around, and somehow manages to be in-between Miranda and whoever is closest to her.

Miranda eventually leaves the Assembly building and heads back towards the carriages. As she crosses the bridge over the river, she hears a voice call her name from behind. Evangeline stiffens and then relaxes. Miranda turns and sees Roderick. He asks if she remembers the scholar who Deskant wanted to speak at the last meeting. Vaguely. Did he speak to her, by any chance? He did not seek her out, no. Well, he suffered an accident and they're trying to find his valise. He looks a bit awkward, then tells her that he did an augury on how to find it, and was told to find the woman in a green dress at the Assembly meeting. Miranda realizes that she is wearing a green dress. She tells Roderick that if he would care to describe the valise, she could keep an eye out for it. He does so, and pulls out a card, asking her to contact him if she learns anything. As he hands the card to her, he suddenly stiffens, and Miranda's hands go numb. Then the bridge collapses beneath her, plunging her to the icy, swift-flowing river, swollen from the thaw. As Miranda struggles to stay above water and swim towards shore, she sees Evangeline trying to reach her. Something seems to be wrong with Evangeline's side, however. Then the current pulls Miranda under. Miranda struggles to get to her Trump, but can't manage it with her numb hands. When she surfaces, there's no sign of Evangeline, and she realizes she's getting hypothermic. Lacking any other options, she's tries a broken Pattern shift, attempting to make the water warmer. This works, although slowly at first, and the water becomes a bit fouler as well. As Miranda keeps concentrating, she feels a pop, and the water suddenly becomes much warmer. Her head also begins to pound and a trickle of blood comes out of her nose. She manages to shift to reduce the speed of the current as well, and with the last of her strength she swims to shore and pulls herself out of the water onto a cinder beach. Then she collapses of exhaustion.

Miranda wakes up to something splashing water on her face. She opens her eyes to see a hideous face, which is looking off to one side. She closes her eyes again, opting to play unconscious for now. She hears the one she saw asking another if she's an angel. He hopes so, then they can sell her for a good price. She can tell that her dress (and the Trumps in its pockets) is missing, although she's still wearing her undergarments, and the dagger is still there. One of them touches her thigh and says it's smooth. The hand moves down, but just before it encounters the dagger, it's pulled away, and the other argues that if she is an angel, he can't touch her. They decide to bring her inside, and hope she doesn't get sick, since that will make her less valuable. She's lifted into a cart, and by peeking can make out that the other one is carrying her dress. Still exhausted by her ordeal, she falls asleep again in the cart.

Miranda wakes up in a comfortable bed, in a large, if somewhat roughhewn, room. She feels much better now, and is able to get out of bed and look around. Seeking to change out of her wet underclothes, she finds an armoire. All of the clothing was obviously made for someone taller than her, but she is able to adapt a chemise to wear. She hangs her underclothes near the fire to dry, then moves the drapes aside to look out the window. The window is barred and looks out onto a disturbing scene. She is in a keep on a mountain. There is a city below, with tall buildings crowded close together. A river of molten lava flows alongside it. Hearing footsteps approaching, Miranda moves back to the bed, but doesn't bother pretending to be asleep, figuring her change of clothing will make it obvious that she woke up already. A demon woman enters, carrying a tray of meat and vegetables. She hopes Miranda will be able to eat some of it. Miranda asks where she is. Pandemonium Keep. The woman asks if the ones who brought her in did...anything. Miranda doesn't think so. The woman says she'd know if they had. She asks what Miranda's name is. Miranda tells her, and the woman seems surprised that she can remember. She was found by the side of the River Lethe, which makes demons forget. Did she come here intentionally? No. Then she isn't one of the Fallen? But she isn't mortal. Miranda asks if she's a prisoner. They aren't certain yet. She asks if there's anything Miranda needs. Well, she's noticed her clothes are missing. And her things, the woman adds. Yes, those too. The woman fetches the clothes and then leaves Miranda to eat.

After finishing the food, which is filling but bland, Miranda puts on her now dry underclothes and her dress. The dress appears to have been stitched up where it was ripped, although it's not the finest stitching she's ever seen. Her Trumps are still there, although the holdout is a total wash (no pun intended). She tries to Trump home but can't...it feels like she's being blocked. The source seems to be somewhere in the Keep. Broken Pattern, on the other hand, seems stronger than ever. Curious about where she is, she tries the door, and finds it unlocked. Since there are no guards outside her door either, she opts to go exploring. A servant she encounters in the hall bows low and moves out of her way, and she detects a trace of fear in it. She traces the source of the Trump block to a pair of great doors off of a large room which appears to be a waiting area. The doors are closed, and there is no one to announce her. She explores some more, and soon finds the kitchen. She asks for some stew. A demon brings her some in a fine bowl with fine utensils. It even places a linen cloth on the chair before she sits. After eating, she continues exploring, finding the main entrance to the keep, which is guarded. Then she returns back to the great hall outside of the room with the power source.

Miranda knocks on one of the doors, and when there is no answer, opens it. She finds herself in a dark room with lots of shadows. Off to one side is a pedestal which contains a twisted mass of rock and a silver metal with symbols on it. This is the source of the power that is blocking Trump. As she walks around it, continuing her examination, she feels the block suddenly disappear. Apparently the blocking affect is only in certain directions. Miranda reaches for her cards, preparing to leave, when a voice speaks from the shadows, commenting on how fascinating the object is. Miranda conceals the cards and says she didn't mean to intrude. A woman emerges and says that those who are called cannot be intruding. Miranda asks what the object is. A piece of a god that fell long ago. What was the god's name? Komnate. The woman asks what Miranda's name is. Miranda tells her and asks for her name in return. Solange. Miranda recalls that this is the name of the Goddess of Ice and Sterility, but she doesn't sense any feeling of godly awe in the presence of this woman. The woman tells her she's free to go if she wishes. Miranda would like to depart, yes. The woman removes a necklace she was wearing, a silver snowflake, and gives it to Miranda as a reminder of her trip here. Miranda takes it with some inward trepidation. After Solange leaves, Miranda finds a shadowy alcove and uses her Trump of one of Barimen's eastern estates.

As soon as Miranda goes through the Trump, her Trump cards crumble into dust. She recognizes this as the destruct spell set on the cards, but is puzzled, since normally it can only be set off if she speaks the right word, or Jasra does it, which isn't done unless a deck's been missing for seven days. She speculates on the timing of it, and suspects that perhaps magic was somehow being blocked where she was. So the command could have been issued some time ago, but just couldn't reach the Trumps until now. This would seem to indicate she's been missing for longer than a week, even though to her it seems like it hasn't been all that long since she fell into the river. Still, she doesn't know how long she lay unconscious on the river bank, or how long she slept in the cart. She doubts it was more than a day, though. She cleans up and changes into a less damaged dress, then finds her spare deck and Trumps back to Barimen's main estates, leaving the necklace behind. When she emerges from her rooms, a servant is so startled that he drops his tray. Miranda asks him to fetch her parents. Jasra shows up first and hugs Miranda tightly. They'd feared that she drowned in the river with all the others. She's been missing for three weeks. Miranda explains that she used broken Pattern to escape. Brand arrives at this point and hugs her as well. Miranda explains that to her she hasn't been gone for all that long. Brand looks surprised and says he thought that couldn't happen anymore. Miranda says she discovered a few interesting things that she needs to discuss privately with them. Brand asks if she's seen Rinaldo. No. He went looking for her a week ago, and hasn't been seen since. Brand is sure they can find him, though.

Miranda's Page | Miranda's Logs

Last modified on May 23, 2001 by Kris Fazzari.