You can get closer, but remember that you're a traveling globe of light.

The Heartwood
Dawnview Vale
Snowgate Keep Main Hall
Hasday, the Twelfth Day of Tiger

Bekkah, Cesare, Daxia, Lyric, Eleni, Kisa, Nadya, Slink, and Tomomi

Of course, back at the Keep's main hall, the person holding that big book straight up refused to let it down upon the presentation of the last gift. Not that the hidden one's identity was unpredictable, but as Daxia well knew, Kisa was indeed using the book as a shield. It was a shield to prevent everyone else from seeing a very noble blush...

...because the something that had been set beside her book was a pair of mittens matching Daxia's.

As the collection of returning travelers settled down to eat, the evening's repast of venison was set before them. Anatoli proved as capable of being unobtrusive to them as he was to his liege. His liege, however, crossed her arms, looked up at her mentor, and proceeded to share her thoughts without taking a single breath.

"Ja, ja, ja. I know how to add my numbers and subtract them, and multiply them out for the months ahead and — when my head isn't spinning and drowning under this number and that number — balance it against the costs of keeping the Keep running, of making sure that TeeCee gets her stipend so she can pay Slink for sleeping, the cooks can buy food — we have new kitchen kittens to feed — Anatoli can buy a cloak for himself because he keeps loaning his to me, keep the militia strong, pay tithes to the Temple — say when was the last time the Temple ever do anything good for us — pay for rice and seeds, and buy grain and oats from the Kories. But you never tell me how much it costs a farmer to work his field and feed his family, pay his share of the village horse, and still have enough to get something nice for the folks they care for come Midwinters and Midsummers. How can I know if I'm a good Noble or a wise Noble if I don't know that and, and, and what did you just say?"

Suddenly the younger Khorall's attention had swung to Daxia.

"Oh my! You mean like when she went away last night?

"Oh me!

"Oh my.

"Kisa, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Slowly peeked her head over the big book, her head tilted. And slowly she nodded.

"The Marrenens may have just lost their monopoly on their information trade."

It was a practical and pragmatic reading of a straightforward pattern, to which Eleni's eyes went wide, her two fists slammed down on the table, before she reached for a basket, took out a warm dinner roll and threw it with all her might at her sister.

"NIN!

"It means Mice must be PROTECTED!"

Kisa didn't even flinch. Eleni's aim was horrible. Bekkah would have to think very fast to not get hit in the head by an errant dinner roll. That didn't, however, stop Kisa from nodding.

"You are correct."

It was a simple acknowledgment and perfect example of the two Allaine sisters working together. One so quickly discerned the over-arching impact of an important event, how it would affect the Keeps, the Churches, and the powers that shaped their world. The other saw straight through to how people would see it.

"Mice are people. We can't let them become tools."

It was Tomomi's turn for her eyes to go wide. That this would be a real person's first thought meant that maybe, just maybe, she was indeed a real person too.

"Miss Tomomi Mouse."

Eleni turned her attention to her young guest.

"I would beg a favor. And the first important thing you need to know about favors is that you can say no. The second most important thing you need to know is that if you do a favor for House Allaine, House Allaine will now owe you a favor. Fair is fair. I will not command a guest in our lands.

"If you would, might you deliver a message to the Corliss Manor House?"

Caught for a moment off balance, Tomomi was silent for a handful of heartbeats. Then she reached up and drew up her cloak's patchwork hood. She became a Mouse ready for traveling.

"For you, Miss Eleni, doing so would give me great worth."

Tearing a page from her book, Eleni scrawled several lines of text, folded the paper and reached to the side. Anatoli handed her a candle, and she dropped several large dollops of wax on it, holding the makeshift missive closed as she imprinted her ring into the seal. Then she handed it to Tomomi.

The Mouse took a few steps backward and was gone.

"That was a good thought, Dazi. I hope I never abuse it."

Well if you would quit kissing Exeter ... <chuckle>

He just posted that he 'had it too' ... so there was no way I could ignore an opportunity like that <g>

Feel better soon ... and quit kissing Ex <gd&r>

SLACKER!!!

<chuckle> You are not the only one. Hmmmmm ... I am not sure if you gave it to Muddy ... or he gave it to you <snicker>

Folks as with FS - apologies for my recent absence, I and most of my family have been struck down with a particularly virulent flu strain and I’ve been fighting that a chest infection and now a bad back to boot.

I will try to do smaller posts one at a time rather than the big blocks I normally try but my I can’t guarantee they will be outstanding.

Yeah- loving Dragon Prince. Fish and I binged season 1- season 2 going a little slower- just a couple episodes a day right now because free time has not been in sufficient quantity where both of us can sit down and watch together.

Rolled the dice one to many times for me, I never even heard of this movie. At first glance I thought it was Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, now that I have seen. Luckily I looked at it twice before playing Gary Oldman.

Maybe someone else knows it.

Lurkers?

KenSeg - Turn 2

Roll 1 - 2,3,3,4,5 (3)
Roll 2 - 1

1,2,3,4,5

Large Straight

Now it is!

I have never played Banestorm as a setting, played a bunch of Gurps, though 3rd edition or earlier. Heck played in your Highlander game though you helped me build the character.

Interest order, though up for anything.
Spire - made me go look at it, and buy the PDF. I am intrigued.
OTE - Got the latest edition as part of the Kickstarter, and have 2nd edition as well. Though as you pointed out, the characters are the key piece. The system is so nice and light though...
Banestorm
AD & D - oh yeah! How can one go wrong with a classic dungeon crawl?

Well I got points

Well done Argus

Given the letters below, can you come up with words made from these letters. Letters may not be used more than once unless they appear more than once in the list. Words must have at least 3 letters, no proper names, abbreviations or foreign words allowed but plurals are! And to reach your target your answer must contain at least one word using all the letters provided.

A G H N T U Y

Target number of words:
Good = 17 - 22
Very good = 23 - 27
Excellent = 28 - 32
Perfect = 33

PM or email your answers to me and I will provide the definitive answer on Friday.

Thanks.