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Mandor has been making polite conversation while waiting for everyone to arrive. Hillbilly Dworkin has just stalked out of the room.
Mandor starts going over the roll call...
[Random is here]
The door slams open and Clarissa walks in. She says that she's here representing several houses that no longer exist, and asks as to where she should sit. "Heck - I used to be Queen in Amber, I'll stand behind the ambassador from Amber." Mandor groans. "Any objections?" Clarissa moves over behind Random.
Mandor continues. "... seeing how everyone seems to be here and represented... "
The door slams open, and a young girl walks in. She goes over and sits down in Ferethyn's chair.
A similarity is noted between the girl sitting in Ferethyn's chair and the Warlord's apprentice.
"Do you have a name, young lady?" "I'm to hand you this." She slides a sheet of paper across the table, and it stops in front of Mandor. Mandor opens it, gives it a brief read-through, gets a surprised look on his face, reads it carefully, then tucks it away carefully.
Mandor asks if we should wait for Shiryu's representative, and seeing no advice to that question, he continues the meeting.
"... found by private ballot that the current leaders of House Helgram are currently unacceptable..." Mandor continues that since it was a private ballot, if anyone has any questions or objections, they should speak up now.
Mandor states that conditionally to the matter being re-opened when the missing houses go un-missing, ...
"...in a ritual to be conducted by Ferethyn after the council. Or maybe..."
"There are several other matters before us. It seems that the Poisoners Guild does not wish to associate with our council, and until such time as they come to me and beg leave to rejoin us, I declare them to be a minor Guild..." Mandor looks at Princess Chandra, who gives him a very dirty look. "...under the care of the Torturers' Guild."
Mandor continues that the next matter of business before the council is the election of a new king.
Mandor asks for suggestions for people to determine the state of the old king. Chanicut stands up. "Savior of Chaos!" Mandor looks over at the Ilk in Cara's chair. Ilk fails to decline the offer. Mandor asks if there are any objections, then appoints Ilk to the task.
Pharaban stands. Mandor looks to him. "House Pharaban offers their aid to the search."
Chanicut stands up and also offers their assistance, mentioning that one of their legends has returned and can help.
Several other households stand and declare their offers to assist, as does most of the gallery. Mandor states his appreciation for this degree of support for their search for their king's killer.
Mandor continues. "Nominations for king?"
Chanicut stands and nominates the Savior of Chaos.
The Head of the Mages Guild stands and nominates the Second of the Psionicists Guild.
Ilk stands, thanks Chanicut for his support, and declines the nomination.
Jean asks REN for nominations. He asks for Suhuy's new apprentice. "Ilk already declined." "But that's a different Ilk."
Swayville stands and nominates Suhuy's new apprentice. Suhuy stands and declines for him, stating that being king would prove too much of a distraction from his studies.
REN suggests the guild second of the Bards' Guild to Jean. Swayville stands again and suggests the second of the Bards Guild, to have a peacemaker and a historian after a war.
Corwin has an unfocused look in his eyes. He stands and asks if he can suggest things, being a member of a Guild instead of a House.
Mandor - "Suggest, yes, but a member of a house must confirm it for you. "
Corwin speaks "There is a power vacuum in certain areas and perhaps to settle things out perhaps the apprentice to the magelord ... realmsmage should indeed be made king." Corwin sits back down.
The girl leans over, and the Warlord whispers in her ear. The little girl stands and calls out, "I am willing to accept the nomination," and sits back down. Ilk tries to determine if she has Pattern - his perceptions stopped dead two feet in front of her.
Mandor stands up and is about to say something about nominations being closed when the door opens quietly. In walks Shiryu, who nods and looks around. "I am sorry to interrupt, but I believe that some of the activities going on here need my attention" Shiryu sits down in his seat. As he sits down, there is an intensity about the chamber, as if the room has just welcomed its master home.
Mandor prepares to close the nomination again.
Snarsht stands up, looks around, and sits down again. Mandor says, "We accept the nomination for Silver Lyra."
Andron stands up and says, "I nominate the second of the Warriors' Guild." Cassandra glares at Andron. He raises an eyebrow back. Cassandra stares at her father. She hears Andron in her head. "It just might save him from Benedict."
Princess Chandra looks at Cassandra. "Is there anything you should tell me?" "They just nominated my father." "And?" "He hasn't noticed yet."
Princess Chandra leans forward. Corwin says, "Ouch!" A few people notice a tiny dart sticking out of his shoulder, close enough to missing as to not draw blood. The Warriors' Guild member leans over and whispers in his ear. Corwin starts to stand.
And Mandor, with a grin, says, "And I close the nominations."
Random stands up and says, to Corwin, in Thari, "I wish you the best of luck, brother." Corwin grimaces, pulls the dart out, and throws it at Random. Random looks surprised, pulls a playing card and drops the card on the table, with the dart sticking out of one of the hearts of the king of hearts.
Mandor looks around and says that people may mill around and discuss their votes. He also says that this vote will be held anonymously for everyone but him. He chooses to keep the reasons for this to himself, "but eventually the reasons for this will become obvious."
Cassandra asks her guildmaster if she can mingle, and is told to keep Cailin with her. She heads towards her father.
Neville suggests to Tercarn that they should abstain in this particular session because they are new here and don't know the politics. They discuss the candidates.
Clarissa goes over to Jean/Swayville and asks if he could get a message to his mother that she will probably be having some major problems and that they should evacuate all non-essential personnel.
Jean tells Flora, "Clarissa says that you're about to be invaded, so get all of the breakable people out of the castle." Flora starts writing notes and handing them off to Jeans to deliver to various people. All of her servants that arrive are sent off to someone, then return and exit through the Tardis.
Random is heading on an intercept path towards Cassandra. She bows appropriately to Random. "Get up! Is this yours?" "No. Should it be?" They chat. Random checks to make sure that he hasn't offended the Assassins' Guild.
Tercarn and Neville decide that Andron should be their candidate, and Tercarn goes off to inform Mandor of that fact.
Jean goes over to Silver Lyra and asks her if she wants the job. "REN's just glad that it's not him." "Y'know, that's a great idea. Could you tell him that in Rainbow's absence, he, as Rainbow's latest apprentice, is my administrative apprentice?" REN is told and annoyed. REN orders Jean and Jean to stay put and exits at high speed.
The door opens and REN walks in, looks around, breaths a sigh of relief, and sits down behind Silver Lyra.
Cassandra goes over to Corwin. "Congratulations." "Thanks, I think. How do I duck this?" "Pay attention. Who were you talking to?" "Darkstar." They discuss Darkstar. "So, what are you going to do if they make you king?" "Duck a lot." Cassandra tells her father that guilds can't vote, just houses.
Cassandra warns Cailin that he should stay nearby, or Princess Chandra will hurt her, and then she'll have to hurt him. "What's she going to do to you?" "Shit rolls downhill, son." "I'll stay in sight." Cailin wanders off. Cassandra tells Corwin quietly that Andron thought that it might keep him safe from Benedict.
Tercarn comes back and says that he voted. Mandor wouldn't accept their abstention.
Swayville approaches Mandor. "Swayville, so good to see you! So, how are you doing, Jean?" Mandor and Jean speculates that possibly all of him have to be called Swayville. "I know Corwin really well, so I'm going to vote for Silver Lyra"
Cassandra notices that Princess Chandra is not in her seat. Princess Chandra taps Cailin on his shoulder. "I should warn you before I do this... I'm going to go make your grandfather very nervous." Cailin smiles. Princess Chandra walks up to Random and starts talking with him. Random practically jumps out of his skin.
Cara approaches Jenoir and asks her if Andron is interested in being king. She says that it is probably in his best interest to be king. Ilk asks if he can speak with her in private; he steps outside her sphere of quiet, and she talks to her mages. The mages step aside; Ilk relays Suhuy's message to Jenoir.
Norton wanders over to Snarsht. Snarsht greets Norton by licking him. Snarsht seems to be very pleased with himself, but seems to be paying attention to something else. Norton goes over to say hello to Ferethyn's apprentice. She pets Norton, who jumps up into her lap and purrs. Norton thinks at her. She doesn't notice. Norton pipes up. "Hello. My name is Norton." "You talk."
Her master told her two things before sending her. Deliver the letter, and don't piss off the big cat.
She asks why everyone is avoiding her. Norton says that her master tends to bring caution. She says that "Ferethyn's apprentice" is better than a name. She thinks that she has been around for a while too, because she has been around for years and years and years.
Mandor looks at Ilk, waiting for his vote. Ilk wanders over towards Cailin, Cassandra, and Corwin.
Norton volunteers to introduce Ferethyn's apprentice around. They approach Jean. "Jean!" Ilk in Norton yells at him. "Swayville!" They start trying to figure out bows.
Ilk approaches and joins Cailin, Cassandra, and Corwin's conversation. Corwin goes off to try to withdraw his nomination. Ilk congratulates Cassandra on her recent acquisition.
Cailin was complaining about his missing blade. Shiryu walks over, touches Norton [Cailin?] on his shoulder, and says, "Not to worry."
The door opens a crack, and there is a little black cat's nose in the corner of the door. Snarsht walks over to the door, noses it open, picks up Atalanta, and walks back to his spot.
Cassandra reaches out to Atalanta. "He said I could come in if I sit still." Atalanta is delighted to be with the big kitty, who even knows Trialla.
Norton goes over to Mandor and expresses his interest in Silver Lyra.
Corwin goes over to Mandor and asks if it is too late to remove his nomination. "Too late. How's your shoulder?"
Mandor reaches out and shakes Norton's hand.
Norton bows appropriately to Cassandra and Ilk as the head of a minor house, smirking. Jean waves at people. Norton introduces [Ferethyn's apprentice?]
Ilk sends a tendril over to Suhuy. Suhuy wanders over. They discuss the apprentice. Suhuy can't get a tendril to her, either.
Cassandra and Cailin wander back to Princess Chandra's chair. Corwin goes with them.
Ilk wanders over to Jesby, and chats with her. She doesn't recognize the apprentice, either. Ilk states his pleasure at seeing Jesby in her appropriate surroundings.
Ilk wanders over to Corwin and asks about Ferethyn's apprentice. He says that he has it on good authority that someone thinks that she might make a good king.
Shiryu stands up, looks around, thanks everyone for allowing him to disturb them, and walks out. Neville thanks Shiryu for his disturbance.
Ilk approaches Mandor, votes for Andron. "And are you voting for Jesby as well?" "If she hasn't cast her vote, yes."
Mandor approaches the head of the table, scans the table, collecting any remaining votes, says that he will announce the results of the election after consulting with two people that are currently not present. Mandor closes the meeting with a twenty or thirty minute long meeting.
The first thing that happens is the kitten stands up and darts out the door.
[Enough of Vlad has now been collected to reassemble him.]
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