Session 97

General Summary

• Dazki sent Barry to the post office to mail him a mundane item from his toolbox roughly the same size and shape as the Rotor of Return.
• The party then brought the quartz head of the automaton to Annu in the House of Crystal.
• Annu quickly had an unseen servant dispose of the head and then asked the party for a report of how they got it.
• Dazki gave the details, omitting the specific names of the people and organizations involved, and electing not to name the Orrery of the Wanderer, though Annu had already known that it was somehow involved, from an earlier report.
• Annu isn't convinced by any of the party's favorite theories about what happened with Kerro and the automaton; transposition magic is the theory that he disagreed with the least, but he isn't satisfied that that's the whole story.
• Annu directed the party away from specific relevant areas of the library so that they wouldn't do any restricted research in there, and they headed off to "not" go do that.
• On their way not to go research anything restricted, they snuck a peek at what Annu and Biz were working on: a bunch of documents related to some "persons of research significance", trying to find any uncharacteristic changes in their behavior.
• During the party's "non"-research about the Orrery of the Wanderer,
• Marvin skipped, electing instead to go on his date with "Eighty".
• Dwardazik began reading The Book of the Mirage that Dazki has already finished.
• The party "didn't" learn some general information about the seven pieces that the Orrery was broken into, "nor" did they learn the specific functions of the Rotor of Return (Editor's note: see the Orrery's own page for what they know about it so far).
• They also "didn't" discover a little more about the history of the construction of the Invictus Una, specifically the gnomish inventor Pendel Codagio who was involved in it.
• On Marvin's date, he learned that "Eighty"'s real name is "Yacht" (pronounced "Yatch").
• She's interested in him because he can control people's minds; her idea was that he could go party on his own, and then he could just modify her memory to think she had a great time too. Marvin needed some more time to recharge, though, so they just did normal date stuff.
• One of Yacht's old boyfriends, an intoxicated dwarf named Séamus, angrily confronted the pair. Marvin put him to sleep and they ditched the venue (after participating in a little brawl that Marvin had set off by putting Séamus to sleep).
• Back home, they were greeted at the door by an angry minotaur.
• It charged Dazki immediately, and the party fought, Dwardazik ultimately knocking him unconscious.
• Rosalin rushed in to try to defuse the situation: his name is Jersey, and she has a history with him, even though he technically works for Bright Futures, Inc.. She re-hired him to guard the house.
• Marvin came home with Yacht, and they all took a long rest.

Full Recap

Grogery: So, do we think that what's affecting Annu has to do with this "Metronome Man" guy, or just his brain being put under lock-and-key from whatever magic was used to make him obedient?   Dazki: Probably the magic. I don't see why it would be directly related to that.   Dwardazik: He was probably under control, then. The "Metronome Man" must be one of those Turmoil wizards.   Dazki: Hey, Barry, could you do something for me?   Barry: Uh, that would depend on what it is. There's some things I can't do.   Dazki: This one is pretty easy! (He gives Barry a tool from his toolbox, roughly the same shape and weight as the Rotor of Return, and one post token) Can you mail this to my post box?   Barry: Wait, what?   Dazki: Yeah. I want you to mail this to me.   Barry: But you already have it.   Dazki: Yes. But I want somebody to think it's something different than what it is. So I want you to, you know, cover it up, go to the post office, and mail it to me.   Dwardazik: ...why would you need to mail something to yourself?   Grogery: If somebody is watching us and thinks we have it, then by him mailing it to himself, they're going to try to steal it out of his post box. So he knows that if it gets tampered with, then someone knows we have it besides us.   Dazki: And we have to negotiate with The Queen of Hearts. So we want her to think that we don't have the artifact with us, so that we have a stronger negotiating position.   Kesmet: ...how does that give us a stronger negotiating position?   Dazki: She knows we have it, but she'll need to get the location from us. We'll have something that she needs, and so she can't just order her people to kill us or torture us right there.   Dwardazik: Torture? Kill? Ahh, shit, I forgot we're working for the mafia, aren't we...   Dazki: Yeah. These people are still a mafia.   Dwardazik: Look, if Queen of Hearts tries to do something, I'll make sure she can't hurt you, Dazki.   Dazki: No. No, you won't. Because we're going to where she is, in her stronghold. We're not going to be able to fight the entire mafia.   Dwardazik: I don't want to fight the mafia! I'm just saying, if she tries to fuck with ya, if she tries to stab you in the back, I've got your back.   Dwardazik: Even though I don't think you've got mine...   Grogery: Here's the thing, they have people besides where we'll be going. If we take out the Queen of Hearts, someone's going to come after us in revenge, and —   Marvin: Wait, who ever said we're going to take out the Queen of Hearts?!   Dwardazik: I never said that!   Dazki: No, we're doing this to have a stronger negotiating position. That's all.   Marvin: Right. So, OK, it's going to be in a location that we will have, but something that she's not going to be able to reach.   Dazki: Something like that, yeah.   Marvin: Unless... she has... people... inside of the post... office...   Dwardazik: Barry, don't repeat any of this to anyone else. Except to us.   Marvin: Yeah, this is a nice present!   Dwardazik: This is super-secret.   Marvin: A super-secret present. That you're sending to Dazki, for his birthday. You're getting him a great gift, you're such a good friend!   Barry: None of that is... wait...   Dazki: Just do me a favor and mail that to me, so that —   Barry: Is this wrench magical?   Dazki: No. It's not. But we want people to think it is, so that's why we're going to trick 'em. By doing this whole elaborate mailing scheme. Because we do have a magical wrench that we don't want people to steal.   Dwardazik: It's like a decoy.   Barry: Well, I'm confused, but it doesn't seem to be hard to do. So...   Marvin: OK! Send a decoy in the post. That's good, I like it. Where are we putting the actual one?   Dazki: Yes.   Marvin: Right. Plausible deniability. That's a good point.   Dwardazik: Right. I know none of us had it, right?   Grogery: Better than giving it to a dragon for a few weeks, I guess.   Marvin: Wait, what's wrong with that?   Grogery: We did that before. It made the situation far more complicated than it needed to be.   Marvin: Oh. Interesting. So, Dazki's the most likely to not spill the beans if we get tortured, so, yeah. Plausible deniability for the rest of us.   Barry: Wait, am I supposed to be sneaky, or am I supposed to be obvious?   Dazki: Just go like you would normally go to the post office. You can be obvious.   Barry: There's no "normal" way to go to the post office!   Dazki: Then go and be obvious at the post office.   Barry: But they're expecting somebody to be sneaky!   Grogery: Therefore, if you act obvious, you'll actually be super sneaky because they won't think that you'll be acting obvious, so they'll be like, "Wait, is he planning something, by making this obvious?", and then they'll wonder if you're actually trying to be sneaky...   Marvin: Barry. I think you're overthinking this. You're just putting something in the mail.   Dazki: Yeah.   Kesmet: You're forgetting, you're naturally sneaky! So you just have to go like you're going on a walk. Just stop by the post office and drop it off! There ya go.   Barry: ...ohhhhh. Yeah, everybody goes for a walk at night! I like this plan!   Dazki: Great!   Dwardazik: Can we rest for a bit?   Dazki: I don't think we have the time for that, what with the Turmoil quartz. I think we should head directly to the House of Crystal.   Dwardazik: All right, but we have to get there without any noise, remember.   Dazki: Yes, we're going to be very quiet as we walk. We're not even going to take a cart. We're just gonna walk.   Dwardazik: Guys, listen. You know that some things have been... going on with me, right?   Dazki: ...yeah.   Dwardazik: It's pretty obvious, right?   Marvin: Yeah, you had a flaming fist.   Dazki: Wait, a flaming fist?!   Marvin: Oh that's right, you missed that!   Grogery: Yeah, you missed it... the Turmoil stuff kinda went off again during the duel. I think everybody thought it was just regular magic.   Dwardazik: It assisted me in defeating our enemies.   Kesmet: For a moment, I was worried that I had lit you on fire.   Dwardazik: I would like to make a suggestion, and I'm going to let you guys decide. If, for some reason, the crystal were to shatter, I would rather it affect me — 'cause I'm already dealing with it — than have it affect any of you guys. Should I be the one to carry it?   Dazki: Nope.   Grogery: I think it would make more sense to try to spread this burden around among us. So, probably Dazki, Kesmet, or ... I don't think you're affected, Marvin?   Marvin: I don't think I am?   Dazki: If we really want to be super careful, Kesmet is a Genasi. They do have some inherent resistance to Turmoil. So, if we're that worried about the crystal breaking, then I think it would be best to have Kesmet carry it.   Dwardazik: I'll agree with that. Seems like the best choice.   Marvin: If he wants to.   Grogery: Turmoil takes advantage of weakness and imperfection, so it's best to try to give it to somebody who hasn't been affected by it before.   Dwardazik: I suppose.   Kesmet: I will reluctantly take it.   (Marvin mocks like he's about to throw the head, but then hands it to Kesmet gently.)   Dwardazik: Can we maybe put some straps on it so that there's, like, a harness?   Grogery: It might be safer to just have somebody carry it.   Dwardazik: No, he's carrying it, but I want to make sure that there's some kind of harness.   Dazki: It'll be fine.   Dwardazik: All right, all right. I'm just paranoid, OK? Is it wrong to be paranoid?   Grogery: You're right to be paranoid about this.   Dwardazik: Let's just get this ticking time bomb over to the House of Crystal and deal with it, OK?   Kesmet: Wait, I thought the body was the bomb?   Grogery: It was, but this head has Turmoil in it. If it breaks, bad stuff can happen. Less of a time bomb and more of a splash weapon.

They change into their usual clothes + armor. While changing armor, Grogery suggests to Marvin that they should probably have a chat about making sure that they prepare synergistic spells, before they go to sleep. Since Kesmet is already in his usual clothes, he makes a remark about waiting in the living room and meditating on the choices that led him to this point, "carrying a ball of death after just having thought that I killed a man, but not really", to which Dazki responds:

Dazki: Realistically, it was probably a simulacrum with a robot inside of it.   Dwardazik: Wait, what even is that?   Dazki: That is what Baxton and Vicra used to create their servants.   Dwardazik: Simulacra, with a robotic body?   Dazki: With a Turmoil mechanical thing inside. The other two used simulacra, it makes sense that this one would too.   Kesmet: The things that explode with necrotic energy? That's what this was?   Grogery: It could be. The ragmen were also kind-of simulacra. Hey, Dwardazik, just based on what you've seen of this quartz, is it "pure elemental quartz", or just regular rock?   Dwardazik: It's just regular rock. It should be fine.   Dazki: Also, Baxton says that yes, it's definitely a simulacrum.   Grogery: Oh. OK. So then, the question is... three things could have happened when the box fell apart. Either:

1. reality changed so that he is a robot and has always been a robot,
2. he got transplaced with a robot, or
3. he was always a robot and the magic dissipating is what caused his transmutated elf body to transmute back into a robot.

Grogery: All three are pretty wild.   Dazki: Why can't there be one of him — that isn't a robot — out there still?   Grogery: Could be!   Dazki: There's nothing to say that the other one had to stop existing for the simulacrum to exist. But we don't know right now. We can stand here guessing, or we can bring the crystal to Annu.   Marvin: Yeah, let's bring this golem head to its rightful destroyer.   Marvin: You guys keep using this word "robot", I don't know what that means. Looks like a "golem" to me.   Dwardazik: Let's put this body, tied up, into the cloak room or something before we deal with this? I want it to be secure... it's a really valuable item — I appraised it at 1,000 gold worth of parts and its tinkering — so maybe something better than just having it sit around?   Dazki: Tell you what, why not put it in one of the sitting rooms? Not the cloak room, we don't want to startle Rosalin when she comes in, by having this automaton in the cloak room.   Dwardazik: ...yeah... ... I forgot that for a moment... good point. OK, let's do it.

He ties it up with some rope and drags it to a room. Pretty much every time he touches it, random parts seem to drop off of it, which he gathers up as he moves it along.

Dazki: And then tomorrow, I will see if I can call upon my gnomish friend to see if there's anything he can figure out about this, or if there's any signatures or things like that that he might be able to recognize.   Dwardazik: Sounds like a plan. All right, so if everybody's ready, let's make our way over to the House of Crystal.   Dwardazik: Ugh, I could really use a stiff drink...

They start off towards the House of Crystal, on foot. Along the way, Marvin strikes up conversation:

Marvin: Man, I can't wait to hear more of Annu's jokes. Those were fuckin' lit!   Kesmet, complete deadpan: Yeah. He's pretty funny.   Marvin: He's gotta go to one of those clubs sometime. He'd be popular.   Dwardazik: The last time he was with a group of people, he really set the whole crowd on fire.   Dazki, with a chuckle: Very accurate.   Marvin: Oh. OK. I get what you're putting down. Hmm. OK, well, maybe if he played for a crowd of undead?   Dwardazik: As much as I was able to tolerate the undead, of a certain place that shall not be named, I really don't like the undead.   Kesmet: Wait, when did we deal with undead?   Grogery: During your missing memory time.   Kesmet: Right. You guys are just gonna keep using that as an excuse. "More and more stuff happened during that missing time".   Grogery: We've filled you in on all the details.   Marvin: Yeah, I think you're just having a regular bad memory, at this point. Like, outside of the weird shenanigans that happened.   Dwardazik: Kesmet. You don't want to remember the gory bullshit that we saw painting the walls of those dark tunnels. I try to forget. In fact... (He drinks some more from his flask.)   Kesmet: You did fill me in, it just feels like someone told me a weird fantastical story of "yeah, we fought zombies, and then something threw up, and then there was this dark tunnel or what not, and I apparently took down the big bad somehow". Right.   Grogery: That's how it feels for Morn'Tharur.   Marvin: So, guys, what should I expect from Annu's digs? Is it kinda like a prison, or is it more like just his place of work?   Grogery: Oh, there's a big, very helpful, crystal assistant.

People Who Work In Crystal Houses

The front is much like a standard government building for this area: wide-open and lavish. There are large amethyst crystals, purely cylindrical, placed in strategic areas. One central round reception table has one of these pillars right in the middle of it, but nobody is manning this reception table at this time.

Marvin: I've walked by this place several times, it just seems gaudier and gaudier every time I see it.   Dazki: I can see that.   Dwardazik: The knowledge here is pretty encompassing. Eh, let's just get through this. Hopefully, no one makes any noise on the way here. Let's offload the goods. Come on.

Thankfully, it's a lot less chaotic here than the last time you were here. There aren't a bunch of Fireguard around, not a bunch of clerics and wizards frantically searching for what they can do.   Dazki approaches the front desk, and a lovely holographic lady appears in the amethyst pillar.

GIST: Greetings, and welcome to the House of Crystal!!! Oh, it's you guys again! What can I do for you today?   Marvin: Aw, she's adorable!   Dazki: Ah! We have something that is sensitive to sound, so if you could, please it down just a little bit. We need to see Annu Adabra, as soon as possible.   Dwardazik: Not "as soon as possible", we need to see him now.   GIST, more quietly: Annu Adabra is currently super busy! However, I believe he might be expecting you. How exciting!   Marvin: She's so cute!   Dazki: Where is he?   (A series of purple lights appear as a line on the floor, as GIST has been known to do in order to guide people.)   Dazki: Perfect, thank you.   GIST, still quietly: Please enjoy your stay, here in the House of Crystal. You know where to find me!   Dwardazik: All right, let's go. Thanks, magic... person-crystal.

They follow the line, Dwardazik watching out for any ambushers (Perception 10) and seeing none.   The line leads to a larger studying room, "not necessarily Annu's personal space, but definitely one deeper within the building". The door opens as they approach, revealing that Annu and Biz Abrak are working at various research tables. It looks like they are prepared to go for a while. There is also a human courier in this room who seems to be waiting for something. Annu is talking with Biz about something.

Annu: Regardless of the importance of work here, relative to the unimportance of the meeting you previously agreed upon with Lady Lily, you will stop work and attend the meeting. As a high-ranking member of government, it is your responsibility to maintain a high degree of reliability and sociality. I will perform your tasks while you are away.   Dazki, turning to the rest of the party, quietly comments: ...is he really giving a lecture on being sociable?!   (Dwardazik shrugs.)   Kesmet: He never claimed to be, himself. He's just saying this other dude needs to also be.

Biz seems thrown off by this. He throws the papers he was holding down onto the desk, the papers floating down to the floor — as papers do when you throw them without crumpling them up first. Biz leaves with the courier, leaving the party alone in the room with Annu, the door magically shutting behind him as he does.

Marvin: Yeah, Dazki, I wouldn't try to challenge him on that.   Dazki: I've already challenged him on that before.   Dazki: Annu, we have a Turmoil-related emergency. Kesmet, would you present the object?   (Kesmet presents the object, as Annu turns and floats over to the party and takes it.)   Dwardazik: Annu. It reacts to sound. Keep your voice down.

Annu holds the crystal head up to his, looking into the crystal as if the two nonliving heads — the one that Kesmet presented, and the fully masked face of Annu — are going to have a face-to-face meeting.

Kesmet: Earth to Annu. Are you OK?

Annu summons an unseen servant as before to carry it away.

Annu: You are unnaturally good at identifying sources of corruption. I would be more cautious, had I not already dealt with you previously.   Dazki: We appreciate the compliment.   Kesmet: Right back at ya.   Annu: Others would deem your ease of acquisition... acceptable.   Dazki: I'm not sure we would call it "ease", but... uncomfortable ability.   Kesmet: And uncomfortable frequency.   Dwardazik: I would call it straight-up bad luck, but sure.   Annu: Others would call it suspicious.   Dazki: Touché.   Annu: You will tell me how you came about this new corrupted object.   Marvin: It kind-of found us...   Dazki: Sure. So, we were helping a friend look for an object that was lost in the casino. Kesmet saw a person he believed he recognized, from his past.   Kesmet: It was totally him! Until it wasn't.   Dazki: They had a fight, an honor duel. After the duel, this person turned into an automaton with the head of crystal that we gave you. We immediately returned the automaton to our house where we had the tools to remove the head, disabled the automaton, and brought the head to you.   Marvin: That's a pretty good summary.   Annu: It is unclear what you mean by "turned into an automaton".   Marvin: His skin kind-of just disappeared, and this is what was underneath.   Dazki: It was a simulacrum with a Turmoil-powered automaton underneath it.   Dwardazik: Crazy-ass magic bullshit, honestly. Back in my day, people would just wear fancy clothing and pretend with a bad accent. Now we've got people turning into magical creatures.   Kesmet: He appeared to be flesh and blood, but then afterwards, turned into the... that.   Grogery: It was a blink-and-you-miss-it sort of thing.   Annu: He was illusioned, to appear humanoid?   Dazki: No, he was not.   Grogery: We had physical contact with him, I doubt it was an illusion. Maybe transmutation or something, but that seems like pretty advanced transmutation.   Marvin: Or just real skin over the golem automaton thing.   Annu: Automatons are typically immutable.   Dazki: Yes, but you did see what was inside of it, right? Turmoil tends to break all of our known rules.   Annu: It seemed contained, for the time being.   Dazki: Yes...   Kesmet: Perhaps the person who was working with it, you know, maybe they also did some Turmoil to alter the automaton or whatever. And they just put a little inside the head, for whatever reason. Because of course they did, because why wouldn't they?   Dazki: Regardless, as for the living being, the body melted away, revealing an automaton underneath.   Kesmet: Kind of like he was wearing a suit. A flesh suit, over his automaton body, made of flesh.   Marvin: Or there's just someone really tiny in that crystal skull thing, piloting a mech with flesh armor.   Annu: That seems improbable.   Marvin: But not impossible!   Kesmet: But then we're still on the whole thing where it's just, "flesh over some sort of mechanical thing". Whether it's an automaton or a piloted thing is kind-of irrelevant at this point.   Annu: I think for something with a head of that size to also have been disguised, it would have been more obvious. I don't believe it to be transmutation magic. I don't believe it to be illusory magic.   Dazki: Then what do you think it is?   Kesmet: Turmoil bullshit?   Marvin: Yeah, probably.   Annu: You have given me little information to work off of. I have not come to any conclusions as of yet.   Dazki: OK, uh, what information would you need? What questions do you have to ask that we might be able to answer?   Annu: There is a distinct line between a living being and a nonliving, autonomous being — regardless of if it be some sort of brainless elemental, constructed automaton, or simply something animated by magic. None of these, to the trained eye, would appear to be a flesh-and-blood humanoid.   Dwardazik: Then I guess we were just tricked? Really fancy magic, then. I don't know, Annu! It's Turmoil, things are weird! We can only tell you what we know, and maybe later on we'll get another lead and we can fill you in and get another piece of this puzzle.   Annu: Yes, I would like a report on this information.   Dwardazik: You just got it!   Dazki: I assume you mean a written report?   Dwardazik: Ugh, I ain't fillin' out no paperwork.   Kesmet: Why did I get a chill down my spine when Dwardazik said "paperwork"?   Marvin: We'll tell you later.   Dazki: All right. Do you have the proper forms that I can fill out?   Dwardazik: Are you serious?!   Annu: I simply require a written account. Something I can check against other pieces of data.   Dazki: Very well.

Dazki begins writing down his account of what had happened, substituting in "a person entirely unrelated to this event, looking for an object they lost unrelated to the events that transpired" in place of mentioning the Orrery of the Wanderer or the Queen of Hearts.

Grogery: Annu, I have a question. If it makes you uncomfortable, you're allowed to not answer it, but... you said that there's a distinct line between a living being and a construct, and that a trained mind could easily identify which side something lies on. You seem to be a very trained mind in this respect. Which side of the line do you think you reside on?   Annu: I believe that the fact I can make that determination means that I am on the side of something that shows sentience.   Dwardazik: Isn't that kind-of a weird question? I'm just sayin', Annu has literally been talking to us for, like... weeks. Don't you send messages to him all the time? Well, it seems a lot to me...   Annu: I did not say I was alive. We all know —   Dwardazik: Yeah-yeah, we know. You're un-alive.   Marvin: He's "mortally challenged", OK?   Grogery: There seems to be almost a spectrum when it comes to the undead, though. You can have undead that are obviously mindless but still have instincts and tendencies. You can have ones that have more fine control over what they want or what they do. And then on the other side, you have someone like Annu.   Marvin: He's right here, Grogery.   Grogery: I know.   Dwardazik: Annu. Will this report be everything that you need?   Annu: It will not.   Dwardazik: What else will you need?   Grogery: Any recommendations for things that we can investigate?   Annu: I do not have any leads.   Marvin: Have you seen something like this before? An automaton of this description? Maybe not necessarily acting this way, but at least in appearance?   Annu: I can only work with the rough description you have given me and the head piece.   Marvin: That seems like the important bit? The head?   Annu: It seems — though your minds are too inept to fully understand its mechanics — that it is still complex. Probably of gnomish origin.   Marvin: Oh... interesting...   Dazki: I'm going to be honest, it looked like the mechanics were made in such a way that it should not be able to function properly. It was that level of complexity.   Annu: Definitely gnomish, then. Do you have an idea of the metallic composition? The source material for the ores?   Dazki: No, but I know a person who could help us investigate, and we plan on contacting him tomorrow.   Marvin: Well, we know the head was quartz.   Dwardazik: Correct, but I didn't double-check to see what material the body was made out of. I'm not sure I could really tell, it's not my specialty.   Annu: I don't believe it a matter of coincidence that you keep finding these objects of interest.   Dazki: I don't believe it's a coincidence either, especially given... (He explains how they have different memories than what Kerro was claiming)   Marvin: What's weird is that it seemed to correlate with other people, yet you guys all remembered something different. Like everyone in the immediate area.   Dwardazik: When we spoke to this person, he had a lot of conflicting information. The only reason we got into a fight with him to begin with was because Kesmet knew about him. We think there really is something about this discrepancy between Kesmet and Kerro's memories and the events of interest that have taken place. Something there must be important. It seems too weird. What could change memories like that, and why is it significant? I don't know, that's a scary idea that the world could be changed around you without you knowing...   Annu: Changing memories is easy.   (Marvin looks nervous)   Dwardazik: To be fair, Grogery, didn't we check that?   Grogery: Yeah, Greater Restoration doesn't undo it.   Dwardazik: It seems that events are actually changing, Annu. Kinda spooky.   Annu: There is a difference between a perception or a memory of something changing, and something actually being different. You are not clearly making that distinction. Are you unsure?   Dazki: Yes, we are unsure. People's memories... uh... what people know to be true has changed. We don't know if what they know to be true now, or what we know to be true, is correct. But magical restoration does not seem to return memories on one or the other to a state that will make them the same.   Annu: You will tell me which events there are discrepancies on. We can cross-reference the data to figure out which of the two is true. But you must tell me which ones are different.   (Dazki makes sure to mention in his report that "an acquaintance who deals in information" had the discrepancy regarding Dennis's location.   Annu: It's becoming ever more unlikely that this Kerro individual was indeed a nonliving automaton. Its behavior seems erratic, in an unpredictable way, which some might try to tie to the Turmoil within it — but at the same time, its madness is calculatable. Its insanity makes sense.   Marvin: Isn't that an oxymoron?   Dwardazik: Wait, what happens when you take something that is chaotic and use a machine to make it organized? Orderly?   Annu: This is an impossibility.   Grogery: A machine can act chaotic.   Dwardazik: That's what he's trying to do...   Marvin: Isn't it possible that he just, like, swapped places with this thing? Is that also possible?   Kesmet: The swap looked pretty grotesque.   Dwardazik: To apply order to chaos, using a machine? For what goal?   Annu: Transpositioning is much more in the realm of possibility. Why are you not mentioning to me something you had mentioned to me before? Are you ignoring the piece of information for a reason?   Marvin: What piece of information? If you know something we don't, that would be great!   Kesmet: The reason is, we forgot it.   Grogery: No, the reason is because we're trying not to get gruesomely killed.   Dazki: Yeah, that's a pretty good reason.   Marvin: The best reason there could ever be...   Annu: Are you worried you are being watched?   Marvin: Not worried. We know.   Dazki: We're being blackmailed.   Annu: Blackmail is an illegal offense. Shall I contact the House of Steel?   Dazki: That would make it worse.   Marvin: Much worse.   Dazki: So, we have been ignoring the one thing. The Rotor of Return, a portion of the Orrery that we asked you about earlier. That was the object we were seeking.   Dwardazik: Well... I hope to gosh we don't end up getting assassinated now...   Marvin: Cat's out of the bag. Or... thing out of the box.   Annu: I am incapable of assassination.   Dazki: Dennis Donahue is apparently looking to get all of these parts, and the person we were trying to get this back for had threatened us to get it back for them, or else they would cause very much trouble (and likely death) upon us and those we care for.   Kesmet: Less blackmail, more straight-up threats.   Annu: It is prohibited to reassemble the Orrery of the Wanderer.   Dazki: Well, the good thing is, at least one of the parts is here, and other parts — in our investigation, we discovered — are way across the country near the wall.   Annu: You will give me the piece.   Marvin: That's not really possible.   Dazki: It's not in our possession.   Annu: You said it was "here". You will give me the piece of the Orrery.   Kesmet: Not in this immediate vicinity!   Dazki: It is not currently in our possession.   Marvin: What's so prohibited about reassembling this, anyway?   Grogery: It's, like, super powerful.   Marvin: So, like, a superweapon?   Grogery: Yes.   Marvin: Like a city destroyer or...?   Grogery: It was created during The Serpent War.   Dazki: Yes, and it was deemed too powerful to be used, and thus it was broken up.   Marvin: So, city-ending? World-ending?   Grogery: Well, it murdered a giant city-raising serpent?   Annu: It did not.   Grogery: I'm a little rusty on my history, so...   Dwardazik: Wait, do you know what it did?   Annu: It did a great many things that I am... prohibited from divulging to you.   Marvin: Aw, man! That's lame!   Dwardazik: Instead of specifics, could you tell us what... would it be considered world-ending?   Annu: The problem with the Orrery of the Wanderer, as deemed by its creator, was that it instilled too much control over the plane of existence. I can only speak of rumors rather than giving out official data, but it was said to do things like alter time, space, dimension, ... ... other vague things that I am apparently also not allowed to mention.   Marvin: This sounds like something of Turmoil?   Annu: Indeed, it is quite the opposite.   Marvin: Oh?   Dazki: If it was made during the Serpent War, then it was made specifically to combat Turmoil.   Annu: Its creator designed many a device to help end the wars, eventually succeeding in finishing the construction of the wall. This device, even to him, was deemed too... consequential. It could do... too much, it would be too powerful, that even if the world were safe from Turmoil, it wouldn't be safe from the Orrery.   Dwardazik: Seems like a dangerous item to me. Good thing we don't got it.   Annu: Which is why it is prohibited, information on it is restricted, and — though you do have access to the library — I cannot direct you to section 43B through 47A, as those locations are the most likely to contain the restricted data. So you will not go there.   Marvin: We will not go there. Gotcha.   Grogery: Of course not.   Dazki: And we certainly were not instructed by you to go to the library. Speaking of the library, I do have a library-related inquiry? You know how the library at the University was destroyed recently?   Annu: I do know this.   Dazki: Many researchers from the university would like to have access to research materials. Would there be a way to set up a request system or something for the university researchers to be able to access materials in your library?   Annu: We do have a subsystem set up for such a thing. However, many are unsatisfied with the requirements necessary to access certain parts of the library. Many of the researchers have been deemed unfit.   Dazki: Why?   Annu: Their... newfound mental state and corruption has left them as unstable beings.   Dazki: Ahh. They've been... got it.   Annu: It's a thing that, if I could personally determine the results of this, I would allow them access. Having more information is always better than having less.   Dazki: If I could at least give you the names of two individuals, would you be able to assess those two?   Annu: I'm sure I could convince Biz to put some work into it.   Dazki: Thank you, I appreciate it. Their names are Nova and Cohen. I met them at the casino, and they gave me information about the Orrery of the Wanderer as well.   Marvin: That knowledge is restricted? How would they know that shit?   Annu: It makes sense that those interested in transmutation would know something of the Orrery of the Wanderer. I will inform him.   Dazki: Thank you.   Annu: I am not officially allowed to make any promises on the matter.   Dazki: Of course. I did not promise success either, just that I would do my best to request it.   Annu: I wish to hear some feedback on our comradery.   Marvin: Yes!   Dwardazik: Annu, honestly, I think you're doing a great job. Talking with you now felt like I was talking with a person, and less a machine.   Kesmet: I have not recently thrown a fork at you.   Dazki: What specific "feedback" would you like to hear?   Annu: I have been trying out some new methods of communication, to... make it seem more natural to communicate with me. New ways of... delivering information.   Dwardazik: I think it's better.   Dazki: Yes, you have.   Annu: Did you fully understand the joke I told you?   Marvin: Oh yeah! It was so good I fuckin' had to repeat it myself I loved it so much!   Dazki: We believe so. We have not had time to fully process that information, however. We are interested in learning more of your sense of humor.   Annu: It is rather important to me that this line of communication remains solid.   Marvin: Aww, we care about you too!   Dwardazik: Hey, Annu, want to tell us another joke?   Annu: No.   Dazki: We still need to ruminate on the one he has already told us.   Dwardazik: All right, well, if you need to find us, you won't be able to find us in the library, in any specific sections.   Annu: I believe it would be wise for you to do more research. If you are to be a metaphorical magnet for these sorts of problems, I think it better that you know what you are getting into.   Dazki: I agree.   Annu: Unfortunately, most of the information you seek is unauthorized to you. It is unauthorized to me, too. It doesn't make much sense as to why.   Dazki: Well, since when have we let authorization stop us?   Annu: You should let authorization stop you, when you are not authorized.   Marvin: Very wise words, Annu Adabra.   Dazki: "Should" and "will" are two entirely different words.   Dwardazik: Thank you for letting us know that authorization, if we don't have it, should stop us. You wouldn't have bothered to tell us that if you really meant it.   Annu: I mean everything I say. What would be the point of delivering incorrect information?   Dwardazik: There would be no point.   Annu: People would draw the wrong conclusions. The wrong things would happen.   Dwardazik: We wouldn't want that.   Dazki: Anyway, we have research we should go do.   Dwardazik: "No" we "don't".

Before leaving, the party takes a look at what Annu and Biz were researching. (Perception 30) Annu and Biz were cross-referencing what the documents are calling "persons of research significance". The two are linking these people with their socioeconomic timelines to determine if there have been any sudden shifts in their research quality, their ambitions, social outlooks, or any decisions that would seem out-of-character. In other words, looking at people who are smart and powerful, and figuring out how they're doing, on a psychological level. They are not all people within the city. Dazki copies down their names, circumstances, and locations — anything he can quickly write down, into a list.   They finally take their leave, and Dwardazik approaches another crystal.

Dwardazik: Excuse me, GIST, can you please inform us of the location of the library and give us a path? Thank you.   GIST: Oh, you betcha, little buddy! Right this way!   (A line appears on the ground.)

As the rest of the party goes to do some research on this, Marvin takes his leave to meet up with Eighty from the casino for his date.

Dwardazik: Hey, Dazki, do you have that book regarding Turmoil on you?   Dazki: Yeah.   Dwardazik: Could I read it while you're looking for that stuff?   Dazki: Yeah, sure. (He hands Dwardazik the translated copy.)   Dwardazik: All right. Because I'm trying to understand how Turmoil and this Orrery and all these things relate to each other.

---

Dwardazik spends the full time that they are there reading Dazki's translated book.

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(Arcana 16) Dazki's research into the Orrery reveals more about the seven pieces. Editor's note: the Orrery's page has been updated to reflect this.

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(History 11) From Grogery's research, there were lots of things happening during the construction of the Invictus Una, a wall so massive (not to mention magically and technically complex) that it was almost deemed impossible, if not for a super team of artificers and smart minds. "Think about the Manhattan Project in real life, where there's these super smart guys, and they're building a nuclear bomb, except this time it's a wall."   One name associated the most with the Orrery is Pendel Codagio, apparently a gnomish soldier and inventor. He later lived to regret a lot of the things he had built, and he has seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth. Many believe that he may have committed suicide from guilt of all the terrible things that had happened to the natives and people who had lived around there.   As for the properties of the Orrery, it's said that trying to use any of the pieces alone, separately, will often cause them to malfunction. There's a balance that needs to be met by putting them all together. They do indeed have the ability to do things like alter time. The Rotor of Return, in particular, is...

Marvin's Date

Eighty — whose real name, Marvin learns, is actually "Yacht" (pronounced "Yatch") — wants to go to "this sick-ass dance club. It's got fuckin' magical lasers and shit and fuckin' pumpin' music."   (Insight 16) Eighty is very physically controlling, Marvin will have to go along with her flow. She eventually attempts to lead him into a side chamber, and he follows. Turns out, Eighty is really interested in your mind-controlling, mind-altering powers. Nobody can physically control her, but Marvin mentally can. Her idea is that Marvin can do whatever he wants this night, and then just make her think that she had a different, better day. They can both get exactly what they want out of this date.

Marvin: Yeah... ... ... I kinda ran out of that juice when I made a mockery of your coworker.   Yacht: You used that all on him? You don't have anything for me?   Marvin: I mean, if you consent, I can, like... paralyze you?   Yacht: Well, the consent kinda takes the mystery out of it.   Marvin: Sure, but, like, we can do something else? Put a raincheck on the whole "modify memory" thing? I promise I can do that after —   Yacht: What else can you do? What else can you do?   Marvin: Uh... I can issue commands that you would have to resist?   Yacht: OK, let's do that, and then we can make out.

Marvin successfully casts a Command spell: "Submit". Then they do stuff for a bit, and emerge from the side chamber. One person seems to have noticed Yacht: a dwarf with flaming red hair into the side of his head, into a large mustache (not much of a beard). He has a glass jug of something probably highly alcoholic.

Séamus: HEY YACHT! What are you doin' here?   Marvin: You know this guy?   Yacht: Yeah don't... let's just... not.   Marvin: Has he given you trouble, like, before?   Yacht: It's a whole thing.   Marvin: Yeah, we don't need to talk about it —   Séamus: What are you talkin' to that little fella for? Hey little fella!   Marvin: Who, me?!   Yacht: Séamus, get out of here! We're done!   Séamus: What, you got a thing for little folks, now? Is that it?   Marvin: We're about the same size!

Séamus is looking to start something. He grabs a stool and smashes it against the side of the bar so that he's left just holding a leg.

Séamus: You touchin' my lady?!   Marvin: I think you've had a little too much to drink.

Marvin proceeds to cast a Sleep spell, putting Séamus to sleep... and getting the rest of the bar all riled up.

Marvin: Oh man, that's a tough crowd! You all have had too much to drink!   Random person: Wait are we starting a fight?! (He also grabs a stool and smashes it against a table.)   Marvin: ...another stool?!   Marvin, to Yacht: Are we gonna fight these guys? I just wanna get out of here.

Yacht signals that she wants to fight for a bit, so he offers support. This must happen a lot at this bar, because the music guy seems to have just amped up the music while this is happening.   When the brawl dies down, Marvin offers Yacht a place to crash at the house, and (Persuasion 25) fuck yeah! She found this random drug underneath the bar, and she decided to eat it during the fight, so she's just kinda into anything right now. The more colors, the better!

Unbelieva-bull!

After the rest of the party spends two hours researching, they pack up to return home. Dwardazik returns Dazki his Book of the Mirage.

Dwardazik: It's pretty interesting. I'd like to keep studying it, but do you want it back?   Dazki: We'll put it in the library back at the house, how's that? That way, anyone who wants it can have access to it, in case they need to reference something later.   Dwardazik: Are you sure? Is this the only copy?   Dazki: No.   Dwardazik, with a sigh of relief: Ah! I felt like I was holding a treasure, here, and I was actually nervous. I'm sitting here reading, and every couple minutes, I'm looking left and right thinkin', "am I gonna have to punch someone? is someone gonna try to steal the book?"   Dazki: I do have an untranslated copy as well, but I do have the key to it.   Dwardazik: Well, that'll work, then. I gotta tell ya, this is pretty complicated. I've seen tax documents in Amber Falls simpler than this.   Dazki: You have nooooo idea.

They begin walking back home, and Kesmet opens up to Dazki.

Kesmet: Hey, Dazki.   Dazki: Yeah, what's up?   Kesmet: I'm really sorry about today, with the whole, murdering the Korro thing. I knew we were gonna let him go, and I didn't mean to k— well, I meant to kill him, yeah, but — I didn't, like, mean-mean to kill him, you know?   Dazki: Don't worry about it. Out of everyone's reactions, yours was the most understandable. I'm certainly not angry at you. Don't worry, you have a history with him. In your position, I probably would've done the same thing.   Kesmet: That's the thing, though, I don't know what came over me. It's like, we were gonna let him go. Sure, he freaked out, but Dwardazik already pummeled him into a pulp, he wasn't going anywhere. But something in the back of my head said "quick, he's gonna get away", and just overrode me thinking clearly. And I'm also sorry for starting the whole fight thing, I know we're supposed to be stealthy and looking for something, I just couldn't be assed at the moment. I just saw red.   Dazki: No, dude, that's totally OK. The fight ended up — everything ended up working out. No apologies necessary.   Kesmet: There's... there's also something else. It's, like, this is the guy who killed my family and everything — well, the one who pulled the trigger, at least — and it didn't feel good killing him. It just kinda like felt... like, "yeah, whatever". Which was doubly worse, because it was like "oh crap, now we're in trouble", and it didn't feel like nothing! And... why? I thought that a little bit of revenge, even if we were gonna let him go, was gonna feel good, or at least not completely empty. But it didn't work, it didn't do anything!   Dazki: Yeah, no, revenge sucks.   Kesmet: What if we find out that Dennis is also a robot or something, or somehow his memory was changed and "oh, he had nothing to do with killing my family" or whatever?   Dazki: I think it's probably not because of the memory thing. I think it's because revenge doesn't bring anyone back. Revenge only takes people away.   Kesmet: That was supposed to be the whole point! And I still didn't get quite what I wanted.   Dazki: Even if and when you kill Dennis, you're not gonna get what you want. I still feel shitty about killing Baxton.   Kesmet: Here's the thing. I sort-of knew that it wouldn't feel good, per se, and I thought I had made peace with that. I was just so blinded by revenge — and I still am, I can't remember a single time when I've ever let that feeling of rage wane — but I wasn't expecting it to not feel like anything. It just felt like "oh no, another body, now we have to hide from guards".   Dazki: Well, keep that feeling. Hold onto it, and remember it when we confront Dennis. And, maybe, grant him the mercy that you didn't receive?   Kesmet: No, I think I'll still kill him. Don't misunderstand me. I'm definitely gonna kill him, if given the opportunity. It's just, I'm sorry that I nearly buggered up the mission for something that didn't really get me what I wanted. I regret having done this, in this particular situation. Had I met this guy on the street, I would not have been feeling as bad, because even if I didn't feel any better after at least getting part of my revenge, it at least wouldn't have been this massive risk that we ended up taking. I'm sorry for being less in control of my actions.   Dazki: All right. I accept your apology. I know you'll work at it and do better in the future, so I'm not worried.   Kesmet: Thank you. And when we kill Dennis, I'll make sure that it is a deliberate choice and not a panic situation where "oh no, he's gonna get away". I will know that I'm killing him. Thank you very much.   Dazki: Yeah, of course. And if you ever, you know, need help with that... I'm not the best at it, but being an elf, I've lost some friends that are shorter-lived and everything, so we can talk things out if you need.

Upon arriving home, the door is, thankfully, locked this time. Kesmet is suspicious that they can't simply walk into their own house; he and attempts to break open the door, kicking it; (Strength 1) not only does he miss the lock and doorknob, but he almost misses the door completely, falling on his back. Dazki offers him a hand and helps him up.

Kesmet: Sorry. Don't know what I was thinking there. I, for some reason, thought that it was suspicious that the door was locked.   Dazki: Well, given our habit of not locking this door, you're not wrong.   Kesmet: We did lock it, though? This time?   Dazki: Yes. We did.   Dwardazik: Uh, you know we can just... open the door, right?

As you enter, there's a terrible beast in the foyer: a large minotaur. Lovely red fur, luscious black long hair. Its horns seem to have been sort-of cut off and are in the middle of regrowing. It looks angry.

Combat Summary

• The minotaur seemed particularly focused on Dazki, charging at him right at the start.
• Grogery was skeptical and started with a Dispel Magic, which didn't seem to do anything. It's a real, honest-to-goodness minotaur, in their real, honest-to-goodness house.
• Kesmet made himself and Dazki greaterly invisible, since he noticed that the minotaur was so focused on the elf.
• Dazki dealt a massive blow to the minotaur, causing him to keel over a little, which Dwardazik followed up by smashing him with his warhammer a few times in the head, knocking him out.

Rosalin, running down the stairs: No-no-no-no, wait-wait-wait-wait! (She facepalms.)   Dazki: ...ohhhhh. He's the guard you hired, isn't he?   Grogery: I can bring him back up if you want?   Rosalin: ...so... there's been a bit of a misunderstanding!   (Grogery heals him up completely, and Rosalin helps him up. His name is Jersey.)   Kesmet: (Deception 27) Uh, ... congratulations! You performed... average on your... uh —   Grogery: ...surprise inspection?   (Jersey looks around confused for a bit, but he sees that Rosalin is fine and safe, and further than an arm's reach away from Dazki, and so he listens intently to Kesmet's lies.)   Kesmet: ...surprise home inspection. You know, we just wanted to make sure that everything was OK in here. (He knocks on one of the walls.) Yup, seems good. Pretty sturdy. Great workmanship.   Dwardazik: Kesmet, you live here.   Kesmet: Definitely flammable. Probably.   Dazki: Uh... sorry about that. You all right there, ... Jersey, was it?   Jersey: ...who are you?   Dwardazik: We're the owners.   Dazki: Yeah. I'm Dazki.   Dwardazik: The name's Dwardazik Stoneturner Boulderhearth. Pleasure to meet ya. Next time, when we wrastle, let's make sure we just do it with our fists, though.   (Jersey's struggling to think right now. His head is clearly still ringing from the blows that he took from Dwardazik.)   Dwardazik: Yeah, sorry about that, I didn't want to... — Dazki would chew me out if I did... — uh, good thing!   (Jersey kneels to the party to apologize.)   Dazki: Oh, no, don't, don't, you don't need to apologize. You were just doing what you were hired to do. And we appreciate that.   Dwardazik: Yeah, next time though, could you maybe ask "who goes there?" so we don't maybe kill any guests who might be coming to meet us?   Jersey: I'm just so used to keeping Miss Violett safe... got distracted... you looked familiar... I'm so sorry.   Dazki, grabbing his cloak: Yeah, that makes complete sense, I understand. It's my fault.   Rosalin: OK, he's, listen... heh... lot of explaining. So, me and Jersey have a bit of a history. And I was pretty sure that you would be fine with him — I know you didn't necessarily want to deal with a Bright Futures guy, but, I have a personal relationship with Jersey here, and I haven't been able to see him a while. Since the whole Baxton thing, he's not real into working for, you know, anybody... so I thought I'd re-hire him!   Dwardazik: Oh, for Pete's sake... Jersey, stand up. (He does.) Hit me with your strongest attack, right now. Hit me, and mean it, damnit!   Grogery: Don't worry, I can heal him back.   (Jersey acquiesces, taking out his greataxe and bringing it down on Dwardazik's shoulder.)   Dwardazik: Hmm.   Jersey: Shit, no! I'm so... I'm so sorry, once again!   Dwardazik, turning to Dazki: It was pretty good. He passes.   Dazki: Rosalin. We trust you. Don't worry, you don't need to apologize. You don't need to explain. We trust you, we trust your decisions.   Rosalin: Well, I mean, I trust him. I don't really trust the company that owns him, but I trust him!   Dazki: That's good enough for me.   Grogery: I don't trust the company either, but that's no reason to not help people.   Dwardazik: Eh. He'll be fine. He's strong, good eye for combat. Works for me.   ((Insight 10) Kesmet looks at Jersey suspiciously.)   Kesmet: So, uh, what's your favorite food? You're a minotaur, so you're, like, vegetarian or something, right? You ever get the craving for, like, steak or something?   Jersey: I am vegetarian. I'm trying to learn how to be a cook.   Dwardazik: What?!   Kesmet: Really! What sort of things do you want to cook?   Jersey: ... ... ... ... ... plants.   Kesmet: Mm-hmm... fleshy plants, like tomatoes, right?   Jersey: ... ... ... ... ... OK.

(Charisma 23) Kesmet is trying to make him uncomfortable, to throw him off-balance in case it makes him slip up and reveal something that Kesmet can't quite discern for himself. Jersey seems very uncomfortable around Kesmet, frequently glancing away and tapping his feet anxiously.

Kesmet: So, Jersey, I've got this magic spice box, and you can use whatever —   Jersey, calling out in response to nothing: I'll be right there!

Jersey leaves, running off, slamming into one of the crates on his way.

Kesmet: Guys. He's acting a little bit suspicious.   Dwardazik: You think?! I feel awkward just listening to you talk to him! If it wasn't for the fact that I've got this tankard of ale and I'm laughing my ass off...   Kesmet: How do we know, for sure, that he's not a werewolf?   Dwardazik: Have you ever seen a werewolf minotaur?   Kesmet: ...no...   Dazki: Well, I am going to go meditate.   Kesmet: Not to be racist, but he looks kinda —   Rosalin: Wait, can we talk first, maybe?   Dazki: Oh, yeah, sorry.   Rosalin: No, it's fine, it's just... I mean, it really is your bedroom up there. And you really shouldn't be staying in a guest bedroom, because you're not really the guest here. And I know I'm bringing it up again, but I just... it just feels weird!   Dwardazik: Oh my gosh! Why don't you guys just sleep there together, and you can each share half of it!   Dazki, narrowing his eyes at Dwardazik: No. I'm fine sleeping down here, really.   Grogery: He's closer to the door, in case he needs to chase someone down!   Dwardazik, with a shrug: Whatever. I'm outta here. Oh, and I'm gonna bring the book with me.   Dazki: Did you see the note that we left, as well?   Rosalin: Yeah, I saw the note, but, like, we gonna talk about the weird pile of sprogs in the drawing room, or...   Dazki: Yeah, I'm going to have someone come to take care of that tomorrow.   Rosalin: OK, so that's not anything I need to deal with?   Dazki: No, no, I have a friend I'm going to get in contact with. He's gonna take a look at it, and — we might not be able to get rid of it tomorrow, but we might be able to figure out some more stuff with regards to it tomorrow.   Rosalin: OK, well, it's super late. And, once again, I'm very sorry, it's just, he's very protective, and you kinda remind him of somebody.   Dazki: You know, that's entirely fair, especially considering that I was wearing a certain somebody's cloak. Only doing it because it has really powerful magical protections.   Rosalin: No, that's fine, I totally get it, it's your decision, I just... it just caused some confusion.   Dazki: Yep. I apologize. It's completely on me.   Rosalin: OK, well, I'm going to bed. Good night.   Dazki: All right. Good night.

Marvin and Yacht arrive at the house.

Marvin: OK, shh, I don't know if anyone's going to be asleep. I got roommates and stuff, so... we're gonna be quiet, but I don't know how long we're gonna be quiet.   (They enter in, seeing that pretty much everybody is buzzing around.)   Marvin: Oh, OK. People are still awake.   Dazki: Marvin, quick note.   Marvin: Yeah?   Dazki: Rosalin hired a guard. If you see a minotaur, it's OK. He's guarding the house. We'll let him know that you and your lady friend are here as well.   Marvin: Sweet! That's awesome.   Kesmet: And there is a slight, very slight, sneaking suspicion chance that he might be a werewolf. But I'm not sure if he's working for Dennis.   (Dazki very clearly mouths "No, he isn't.")

Marvin shows Yacht around the house, eventually pulling Dazki aside discreetly.

Marvin: Hey, is there, like, a bunch of cushions around somewhere? Bedroll's kinda shitty... you know...   Dazki: Uh... let's see... (He directs Marvin to a box with some bedding in it.) It's not the highest-quality stuff, but it's probably better than a bedroll.

Marvin, satisfied, turns to Yacht.

Marvin: Yeah, I just moved in with these guys, still trying to get stuff sorted out. Apologies if the accommodations aren't great.   Yacht: Nah, like a housemate situation. Yeah, I got a housemate situation too. 'cept all my housemates suck.   Marvin: Yeah, these guys are pretty cool. We even got a minotaur guard now, that's new! Diggin' it!

Editor's Notes: Stated Plans for Tomorrow

This is mostly out-of-game stuff, but I'm writing it down because it was said before the end of the session, and it's nicely packaged up.   Dazki's plans:

• Listen to something that Baxton has to say (which we take care of now, so that the player can digest it all before the next session).
• Talk to Queen of Hearts. Negotiate to get her the piece of the Orrery.
• Talk to Mot Noside to have him take a look at the automaton.

Grogery isn't done researching Annu's past, and also wants to see how the spiral-eye issue healing has been going.