Damage Control

Raj lurked in Rebma and eventually found himself, in a completely non-metaphysical way, at Llewella’s estate talking to her daughter Rowena. Raj made small talk and attempted to counteract the effect that Magni and Aedan had made on the woman. Unfortunately Raj’s effort backfired because Rowena was secretly infatuated with Magni because everyone knows that avant-garde, gorgeous women can’t resist exotic violinists. Raj made arrangements to send her a bucket of flowers then returned to Amber and exchanged his scaly speedo for his usual toga and fur cap.

Next Raj trumped Benedict and attempted to counteract the effect that Gregory, Giselle, Gabriel, and Julian had made on him. Uncle Professional Killer was cowering in a cold cavern, trying to speak even less than he usually did, with scratches on his face and one nasty abrasion. Raj couldn’t manage to pull Benedict through to Amber, so he went through to the cavern. Gabriel, Magni, Gregory, and Aedan followed.

Magni scouted out the immediate area and discovered that the cavern was located in the Perma-Winter Shadow near the Keep of the Four Weirdoes (Brand, Gabriel, Magni, and Lippy the Wonder Ape). Gabriel and Gregory penetrated Benedict’s brain in a metaphysical way and worked to eradicate it of the Trump infection and irrational longings for tapioca pudding enemas. Raj physically restrained Benedict while Aedan and Magni tried not to fight each other. Benedict burped and Raj flew up into the air. Aedan jumped in and knocked Benedict unconscious just after Raj got stabbed by Benedict’s hidden dagger. In the meantime, Gregory and Gabriel succeeded in their cerebral surgery and gave each other mental high-fives.1

Everybody went back to Amber. Aedan healed Raj and helped him to his room. Gregory and Gabriel carried Benedict to his room. Magni smoked cigars, drank brandy and went to the stables to bond with his horse in a completely non-metaphysical way. Then he sat up all night watching Benedict while Gregory snored. Everybody else slept well.

In the morning, Magni left summons for his cousins and set up camp in the Library. Gabriel, Gregory, Raj, Aedan and Martin showed up to Magni’s Celebratory Breakfast: Eggs Benedict. In his sleep-deprived state, Magni was easily interrogated. His father’s name was Alunim; his mother’s name was Teresa. He wanted a pony for his birthday. He used to live in Shadow called the Realm of Five Winds until the whole thing was destroyed by the evil Chaosians in the Pitter-Patter War and Magni’s parents became stains on the carpet. Magni’s Grampa was a mysterious man, probably an Amberite, known only as “Da Wanderuh.”  Ooooh, creepy.

Drool + Alcohol  = Unstoned Fey

Giselle wandered by despite Sara’s absence. Gregory and Gabriel spoke with her. Gregory gave her the only known trump of Ailill, that Unseelie Aedan-wannabe guy2. Aedan trumped Flora. The statues were awake and arguing. Yes, Flora and Giselle had rescued some of Finnvarra’s stony court. So Aedan and the gang went through to Flora via a return Trump contact five minutes later.

They appeared in the courtyard where five statues remained to be fleshified: Finnvarra; his consort that looked a whole lot like Deirdre (in that stunningly attractive sort of way that her family has); Daerga, the owner of the Inn at the Crossroads; a handsome guy we didn't recognize; and a woman lacking her right arm. Flora informed us that Daerga had an arrow shaft inside his torso. Magni studied the one-armed maiden and thought that he could fix her. Flora, Magni, and Aedan poured forth their wills in a semi-metaphysical sort of way and brought the woman back to life avec arm. She had white hair and a mischievous glint in her eye and a name that sounded like Alluravel. One swallow of Magni’s whiskey made her look disturbingly more attractive. Gabriel drooled  flirted.

They revived the next guy: Cian, Lugh’s younger brother and also a recognized son of Finnvarra. He was exceptionally slim, pointy-eared, and fey. Gabriel drooled  flirted connected with Cian in a completely non-metaphysical sort of way. Conversation, such as it was, occurred between the cousins and the fae. According to Alluravel,  the last thing she remembered was Finnvarra meeting/masquerade ball with the Ruler(s) of Tir Na Nog’th to forge an alliance.  Strangely enough, Aedan remembered it too, making it entirely likely that, in addition to being King of Chaos, he is also the High Lord Emperor of Tir. Aedan recounted his recent journey to the City in the Sky and Gabriel divulged his nefarious role in the whole affair. Curiouser and curiouser….