Editing A Maharani Calls (section)

==A Maharani Calls==
Court is Now!  The Maharani is returned.  We are allowed to attend, but not yet summoned.  The Court is in open session, whereby guards are deployed but people are allowed in.  There is an audience around the edges.  People are being called forth.  The Maharani sits on a throne, with bodyguards around her, but there is no chancellor calling names or anything.  Diomarche thinks that’s slightly unusual.

The Merchant presentations are made, more or less back-to-back; they’re not working as a group.  The two feuding noble houses make claims on a particular piece of land, the Maharani says she will discuss with them tomorrow. Princess Alastra gives a report on the state of the Wall; the Saurien is blamed, we are not mentioned.  There is murmuring in the crowd, but presumably anyone who cares knows about the explosions.

Managaratha asks someone if the Maharani usually does her own scheduling.  The position of First Servant has been empty for some time now, and the Second Servant went to Middlesea.

There are fewer illusions than expected; there are some well-established protective miracles around.

The Maharani announces the end of Court, and people started leaving.  When we try to leave, one of the Guards tells us to wait.  Kidnapped!  A few people give us looks wondering who we are and why we have been allowed to stay.

Lisatera comes in from a side door.  The Maharani calls us up, and says “You are those of the Middlesea Free Rangers who are currently available?”  “Yes.”  “Tell me how your preparations for releasing my Nephew are going?”  “Well we haven’t figured out a way to deal with the Breaker’s Avatar,” says Nesh.  “Well, what have you tried.”

“I understand there is an orc army; the Avatar of the Breaker leading the army; some Slith assassins; an odd Blue effect; a Green memory charm of some sort; an Oasis miracle of Isolation.  What am I missing?”

Scout notes the Unreality field; Diomarche remembers some people bleeding out.

Diomarche wonders if the Nephew’s defenses include Unreality; Lisatera says that the Unreal area of the Keep is Lady Hirana’s.  

“So you will not be prepared to take down the time-stop and release people any time soon?”

“No, but we’re arranging alliances to act.”

“And what have you done so far?”

(Scout thinks the Maharani is WAY too on this for our level of preparation.)

“Are there forces under your control that could be assigned?”


She can provide yellow+Goddess to take down Purple + Twins. 
How can her nephew be extracted by himself? 

We don’t have a good answer.  We speculate about our connections and assets, the Spirit of Middlesea, etc.

The Maharani mentions that she has considered consulting with a Priest of Jord as to how he could be Stolen out of there.  None of the faces of the Goddess are particularly suited to the task– maybe Lore– but she does not want to involve any of the Ladies.

We recall the merchant Jabril who was a Priest of Jord; maybe we could chat with him.

“Do you have a feel for whether the Red forces arrayed at Middlesea are large enough to deal with the orc army?”

“No, we are gaining more information as we go back and forth,” says Managaratha.

“Let me translate that to Military speak,” says Diomarche.  He discusses how the orcs are an army unit but no other force that big is nearby, but they’re being prevented from going into army combat.  Probably by one of the Blue spells?

“Lisatera is tasked with recovering the Prince.  I know you have spoken on this task some.  I expect you will discuss it with a more Direct and Intentional purpose as to how to effect this, and I look forward to a report Soon.”  Upon which we are Dismissed.  Gulp.

(“We’ve been on a boat for over a month!”)