Soft Horizon: Glass Paradise May 31 2012

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Brad Murray (ref)
Byron Kerr (Pyrol)

The leadership of the Arcane College is in chaos and the private member's bill in parliament to open the College's vault to the public has passed. The government of Ennit is facing a vote of non-confidence that it is likely they will lose, but they have already shown that they are not above violence to keep the status quo. Is there a connection between government and the College, or at least the previous leader, Jirac? How will they respond to being undermined by the Scotsman? Pyrol already has a price on his head offered by the College, but that will surely change...but perhaps Jirac or the government will honor them. What about Pyrol's father?

As this situation develops, we also must wonder what Pyrol will do now that Bogg's Dice are accessible again — his previous intention was to head to Skrym, but Chal is powerful there and has been clear that there will be blood if Pyrol tries to meddle. Perhaps there are allies out there?

And what of Hothouse, where Pyrol now owns an estate? Can it possibly be the simple paradise he's expecting?

transcription from audio

Byron: Pyrol doesn't want to leave Jongg and see civiliaztion there dip there, and things are unstable there, so doesn't want to horizonwalk right now.
Brad: and you've been up all night battling and...
Byron: battling and he wants to get a good rest and see how things play out in Ennit and how the other two nations react to these events
Brad: okay so a couple of the other Arcane College acolytes emerge from the room where all the shout is going on and you catch a sort of a glimpse of a wild-eyed Jirac who is being restrained and maybe some minor fight has broken out, it's hard to say. He looks quite off his rocker at this point. the acolytes come out and say "it might be best if you left — he's quite agitated at the moment and we're trying to calm him down-- but we'll let you know how things progress later in the week"
Byron: alright, Pyrol gives a formal bow as they do and makes to leave, whatever the formality at the Arcane College is ...
Brad: a quick game of rock paper scissors maybe
Byron: hah right, (Big Bang Theory digression, Pyrol plays Spock and so do all the acolytes)
Byron: Pyrol leaves by a circuitous route, I'm pretty sure he knows his way around the Arcane College from his victories
Brad: Oh I'm sure the whole city, Tir-Ennit?, the capitol of Ennit, is well known to you
Byron: and he'd like to leave with Bogg's Dice in his pocket because they're supposed to be public domain now
Brad: I think not quite yet, I don't think yet, the vault still has to be opened and they need to figure out where Jirac hid the keys, stuff like that
Byron: Alright, ah I think he'll retire to the bar where Hai Mong serves
Brad: What did we call that place, The Dog's Bollocks?
Byron: The Dogs Bollocks, right, slipping into his shadowy table and getting a drink from Hai Mong and looking to find out if there's any change in the contracts that have been tendered on his head
Brad: Hai Mong arrives with a bone-handled telephone with a cloth-covered cord that drapes back into the kitchen and he sets your drink down and says, "Call for you sir" (digression on serving actual drinks, the Irish that Byron brought over)
Byron: Pyrol answers the phone with an "ahoy ahoy" as, what Bell intended?
Brad: Edison I think
Byron: Hello, this is Pyrol. How have you managed to track me down at the Dog's Bollocks?
Brad: Pyrol, it's the Scotsman. I'd have come in person but you ordered the wrong drinks.
Byron: Aye, well, trying to broaden the horizons
Brad: how long since you left the college, Pyrol?
Byron: Within the hour, I've barely had time to sample my celebratory drink
Brad: Within the hour?
Byron: Things were still heated amongst the college and they suggested I depart:
brad: things are moving fast over there — can you do me a favour?
Byron: Of course!
Brad: this vote of non-confidence is still on the table and will be for another couple of days. I'm certain we're going to win it. The stability of the college is an issue though we can't be seen as having destabilized the college altogether. As you know the college is central to the culture of Tir-Ennit?.
Byron: Indeed, it's near and dear to my heart
Brad: So I got a frantic call from them only moments ago, and I wonder if you could return there
Byron: sighs, for the city and the college, of course I'll return and see what I can do. Is there anything in particular I should know before I make my way back?
Brad: I just know things have gotten crazier than they were.
Byron: that is disturbing as things were anything but stable when I left
Brad: If you need anything let me know, I can get you people, whatever you need
Byron: I don't know what I'm getting into so I'll have to play it by ear, barely have time to finish this drink
Brad: Take a revolver if you have one
Byron: I'm sure Hai Mong can supply me with something suitable
Brad: Hm, yes (Hai Mong nods)
Byron: Yes I know he's listening as he knows everything that goes on in this city
Brad: Good report back to me when you've figured out what's going on there. I can't thank you enough.
Byron: You're welcome, I look forward to...
Brad: He's already hung up.
Byron: Hah, Hai Mong!
Brad: He comes and takes the telephone.
Byron: I barely have time to gulp my drink.
Brad: He puts a enormous derringer on the table, filigreed steel and gold, an ivory handle. "Scotsman said you'd need this."
Byron: It compliments my walking stick. Thank you.
Brad: Careful with it, it was my father's
Byron: Your father had excellent taste.
Brad: He was a lousy shot in a duel, though — it's not a weapon with a good histroy.
Byron: Hopefully I won't need it. I tuck the derringer in, get back in the hansom and head back to the college
Brad: You're still disheveled, still exhausted, sweaty and burned from the late evening's activities, it's morning now, you're a little bleary and haven't slept in a while. You reach the college and the main doors are flung wide open, there are half a dozen acolytes dragging bodies out of the college. Twisted and mangled, maybe a dozen acolytes dead. Drag marks of blood down the steps to the front of the building.
Byron: Using my Emperor duty, I point at the nearest and say "Acolyte, attend me now!"
Brad: He drops the head of the guy he's carrying out, the guy carrying the feet stumbles forward. He runs over to you. Salutes you in time honoured fashion.
Byron: When I left you were having a heated scholastic debate!
Brad: Yes, well, the debate got somewhat out of hand.
Byron: Well that much I figured out. Explain what' happened at this hallowed institution!
Brad: Jirac is gone. He went berserk. He killed a dozen of us.
Byron: What do you mean he's gone? Where's he gone?
Brad: I don't know where he's gone. He fled.
Byron: He fled the college or he disappeared?
Brad: We didn't see him disappear, we saw him running down the street, laughing, covered in blood.
Byron: Continue with your grisly duties. Where can I find someone who's in charge, the head (euch) of the college? Who's in control now?
Brad: Well in fact you look around and count the gold braid on the shoulders of the various acolytes and there is no one around here who is anywhere close to a leadership rank. And the corpses are all of fairly high ranking individuals.
Byron: Hrm, who is the highest ranking acolyte left here?
Brad: The guy carrying the feet drops the feet. Comes over and salutes. "I beg your pardon, sir Pyrol, it's not even a matter of rank so much as seniority at this point. No one left is higher than a novice.
Byron: So Jirac has decimated the professors, the keepers of the arcane lore?!
Brad: Decimated? He's wiped them out. Will you lead us until we can sort this out?
Byron: Yes, I'll take up the temporary mantle...
Brad: We realize it's unorthodox and no games have been played but...we're desperate for leadership. It will take a while to organize any kind of election or games.
Byron: Yes it will have to be done via the games.
Brad: If it's not then there will be more blood.
Byron: Yes, I will stand in the stead of ... as acting head of the arcane college until the games can be established and a new leader can be selected from the trials of the games.
Brad: Well please then come in and take over Jirac;s study and figure out what happens next. We don't even know the correct protocols for selecting a new leader.
Byron: Continue with the cleanup of this massacre and I'll retire to his study. When you've washed the marble assemble the remaining acolytes and I will have news. We will find a way forward.
(leads Pyrol to Jirac's study)

(to be continued — 13:20)

''You know what? At this rate it will take me 9 hours to transcribe this. Fuck that. Here's the raw audio — you do it! Raw audio from May 31 2012 playtest