NWO - This may mean nothing to you... ah, Venice...
My personal thanks…
To all of the writing, reffing and reading team (past and present), long-suffering brothers and sisters
To Helen for the masks, the pictures and for Orlando
To Gemma and all the other last minutes
To Cicatris for swimming all the way from Glasgow alone
To the players who, despite our best efforts, always make us look good
Some things I regret:
- Missing Calleva’s Ghost, for reasons personal, selfish and entirely in-game
- Not seeing the arrival of the Pope’s message
- Not seeing Prospero’s best hat to match the freewheeling grin beneath
- Missing the walk of Edgar and Carlotta to where the swallows fly
- And missing the puffin spell
- Tewfik and the end of things for Odegra, an old and valued friend
- The fact that Caravaggio did not bring with him a furry bee the size of hamster
- Not saying goodbye properly to Ligeia as I had rehearsed, and as she deserved. It is all very well for those who love us to say farewell and mean it. For those who dislike us to admit so and equally offer their respect and friendship was one I failed to get across
- The fact that both Konstantin and Katherine believe that nothing but pure rude falls out of my mouth
- Divis not getting me any laudanum for an entire weekend… and I thought he had contacts…
- Not having the time to give Carlotta that dance I had promised her
- The utter fix that was the Coliseum, that giant cat was drugged beforehand no question…
The best things for me, in no order:
- Divis Mal, enough said
- Every conversation with Katherine the Veiled, a true Prima of her House
- The flower that Edgar brought Cicero from Flat Top Mountain, from where the swallows fly
- Mercutio’s Crow giving me The Eye, and unsettling me to laughter when I least desired it
- Praeco! with Marcus and Hector, and their praise of two games well played
- That with his last words Gawain defined himself in one sentence far better than we could over pages
- Hassan’s face at That Moment, so commonly recalled as to be the face of the Tribunal?
- That Malygris was a joy to play against, with, across, over and under (how Cicero looks forward to Thursdays)
- Mondragone all weekend, an in-character touchstone and one I rarely walk away from believing I have won the conversation
- Baudelaire and Rimbaud, neither of whom were meant and both of whom for me lived their character
- Flavia, her tears and accusations first, her bravery and sacrifice later
- Marcus hearing her Archmage challenge (won) and calling Cicero a callous, vicious bastard
- Flavia whispering after the Tribunal sitting that Jarane might benefit from a good birching
- Hearing of Xavier punching Blaine, better play than I could ever muster
- All of the Quaesitori, those I lucked out to play with most closely
- To be entertained at Tribunal sitting by Bufo, Wolfram, Thierry, Isengaart, Nodjmet and Jarane
- That the Praeco was in character, posh and as swift as he could be
- That the Presiding Quaesitor was in character, precious, seemingly confused and above all fair
- To see Colombine beautiful, mysterious and nervous off-stage, then beautiful and mysterious on-stage
- To know that Augustine stepped in at the last second… and that nobody else there could tell
- Gratiano, enough said
- Pierre Menard talking with Cicero about the Code
- Noticing only on Sunday that Inola had painted her fingernails lightning-burned black, and suddenly absolutely secure in the knowledge that she WAS Inola and that there was nothing to worry about…
- Philip the Black and Tamar - neither there, but both worth their weight in gold to me
To all of the writing, reffing and reading team (past and present), long-suffering brothers and sisters
To Helen for the masks, the pictures and for Orlando
To Gemma and all the other last minutes
To Cicatris for swimming all the way from Glasgow alone
To the players who, despite our best efforts, always make us look good
Some things I regret:
- Missing Calleva’s Ghost, for reasons personal, selfish and entirely in-game
- Not seeing the arrival of the Pope’s message
- Not seeing Prospero’s best hat to match the freewheeling grin beneath
- Missing the walk of Edgar and Carlotta to where the swallows fly
- And missing the puffin spell
- Tewfik and the end of things for Odegra, an old and valued friend
- The fact that Caravaggio did not bring with him a furry bee the size of hamster
- Not saying goodbye properly to Ligeia as I had rehearsed, and as she deserved. It is all very well for those who love us to say farewell and mean it. For those who dislike us to admit so and equally offer their respect and friendship was one I failed to get across
- The fact that both Konstantin and Katherine believe that nothing but pure rude falls out of my mouth
- Divis not getting me any laudanum for an entire weekend… and I thought he had contacts…
- Not having the time to give Carlotta that dance I had promised her
- The utter fix that was the Coliseum, that giant cat was drugged beforehand no question…
The best things for me, in no order:
- Divis Mal, enough said
- Every conversation with Katherine the Veiled, a true Prima of her House
- The flower that Edgar brought Cicero from Flat Top Mountain, from where the swallows fly
- Mercutio’s Crow giving me The Eye, and unsettling me to laughter when I least desired it
- Praeco! with Marcus and Hector, and their praise of two games well played
- That with his last words Gawain defined himself in one sentence far better than we could over pages
- Hassan’s face at That Moment, so commonly recalled as to be the face of the Tribunal?
- That Malygris was a joy to play against, with, across, over and under (how Cicero looks forward to Thursdays)
- Mondragone all weekend, an in-character touchstone and one I rarely walk away from believing I have won the conversation
- Baudelaire and Rimbaud, neither of whom were meant and both of whom for me lived their character
- Flavia, her tears and accusations first, her bravery and sacrifice later
- Marcus hearing her Archmage challenge (won) and calling Cicero a callous, vicious bastard
- Flavia whispering after the Tribunal sitting that Jarane might benefit from a good birching
- Hearing of Xavier punching Blaine, better play than I could ever muster
- All of the Quaesitori, those I lucked out to play with most closely
- To be entertained at Tribunal sitting by Bufo, Wolfram, Thierry, Isengaart, Nodjmet and Jarane
- That the Praeco was in character, posh and as swift as he could be
- That the Presiding Quaesitor was in character, precious, seemingly confused and above all fair
- To see Colombine beautiful, mysterious and nervous off-stage, then beautiful and mysterious on-stage
- To know that Augustine stepped in at the last second… and that nobody else there could tell
- Gratiano, enough said
- Pierre Menard talking with Cicero about the Code
- Noticing only on Sunday that Inola had painted her fingernails lightning-burned black, and suddenly absolutely secure in the knowledge that she WAS Inola and that there was nothing to worry about…
- Philip the Black and Tamar - neither there, but both worth their weight in gold to me