Brief (-ish) OOC Summary from one Storyteller's Perspective

(Author's note, May 10, 2001: I began the following a few days after the game in June 2000, and got only as far as you see here. Fortunately I left a rough outline of the events I didn't describe in full, so that in the next few weeks I can fill in more detail as I remember it, especially if you jog my memory. --Eric)

This is almost in the form of a "chron," although from the point of view of a storyteller, since that's the easiest way to do it.  Perhaps some day this will be written in a more story-like fashion, but then again maybe it won't. My goal at present is to get the details down while they are still kinda fresh in memory; the level of detail will vary depending on what I remember. Some stuff, obviously, I didn't witness or hear about and thus I haven't remembered it at all. So if your character had some devastatingly clever but nonetheless quiet-in-a-corner conversation with a rival, or saved the Dreaming while I wasn't looking, or whatever, I don't have it here.  I'd be interested in hearing about what else happened. If I ever get the message board working again, that would also make a good place to discuss it. There's the Guestbook, but I'm not sure how much text you can enter in it...

The day began with a "televised" introduction by Moog the Satyr. Next came about 15 minutes for people to get in character and start interacting before Court began. As Todd the redcap I wandered around talking to people, having a long conversation with Matthias Scroop about how annoying it was that so many commoners had titles nowadays. There was also some discussion among the populace about the mysterious Sir Ashe the Grey, mysterious, at any rate, because he was obviously Tyr the troll but didn't seem to recognize anyone.

Soon it was time for Court. Sir Jon-Jon the reeve did a rip-roaring pro-wrestling style announcement, complete with chimerical special effects, of the lead court figures, introducing Lady Andrea the Guard Captain, Sir Daniel the Chamberlain, Lady Sorana, and finally Count Dumas himself. The Count called for petitions before the Court. Mary the Bed demanded knighthood, and received it, much to the disgust of Matthias Scroop, who asked if his chair could be ennobled.

At this point the door burst open and in entered an eshu, Sir "Big" Dick McGee, who introduced the satyr Baron Nicholas Riley ap Balor. Baron Nicholas, wearing a feather boa and an iron coronet, entered to the lilting strains of "All-American Badass," followed by the unseelie childlings Eloise the troll and Bobby the redcap. "Hello everyone," the satyr said in his broken voice. "I'm home."

Count Dumas looked pained but did not reprimand the latecomers, and asked if there were any more petitions. Moog the satyr asked to be made a baron, but was put off. Rose the troll, formerly a Baroness and once Captain of the Guard, apologized for her long absence and asked to be made a regular guardsman, which was granted. The Count asked newcomers to introduce themselves; Sir "Big" Dick McGee complied, followed by Sir Ashe and his squire Else Ruth. As everyone looked on at the familiar troll claiming to be a stranger, Moog asked, "Do you have family around here?" "Not anymore," Ashe replied, earning him a hurt and angry look from his niece Eloise not far away, who fell to muttering with her companions.

At last the Count called Sorana and Sir Daniel up, and surprised them both by announcing that he was leaving for the Far Dreaming immediately, and that the two of them would preside over the selection of a proper duke (Dumas made it clear that he did not necessarily recommend either of them for that position). Then he vanished.

After a stunned silence, Lady Sorana called for candidates, with Sir Daniel explaining that the coronet was lost to them, having been stolen the night Duke Brendan died, but that once a candidate had proven him- or herself worthy before the Dreaming and the residents of Novanglia, it was certain to reappear. Unfortunately knowledge of the exact criteria by which worthiness was to be judged had been lost, but the process certainly involved forming a coalition among kithain of all types. Those who came forward were Baron Sean of the Cross, Baron Nicholas ap Balor, Baroness Jacqueline de la Noir, and Lady Sorana of House Fiona. Moog the satyr nominated the absent Countess Ava, friend to satyrs everywhere.  Court was adjourned.

People fell to talking among themselves, politicking, and bitter recriminations. Sir Ashe attempted a brief cantrip to gain insight into the whereabouts of the ducal coronet, and was rewarded with a chimerical vision of Will the Sluagh, once Shayne Charge's friend, grabbing the coronet in the confusion of the Night of the Dragon. The image was visible to all present. Upon seeing it, Shayne exclaimed he would hunt the sluagh down to the ends of the earth to regain the coronet, but the chamberlain reminded him that the coronet would return of its own volition to the rightful Duke, whoever it might turn out to be.