Mizugami/SessionEight

1st Day of Resplendent Fire, RY 768

Wow, this is going to be fantastic. Kira’s invited us to her parents’ estate for the Tournament of Scarlet Grace. I think it’s the most excited I’ve seen J’hana. I imagine she hopes to scout things out in preparation for our senior year. From what I know, though, all the scouting in Creation will still leave the deck stacked against us. To be honest, winning the Tournament would be incredible, but I’m not sure if it would be smart, even if it ends up within our grasp. We would certainly score some points in Cherak, but it could cost us a LOT of goodwill in the Realm. Thankfully, I’ve got another two years to think about it.

3rd Day of Resplendent Fire, RY 768

There are worse ways to spend your birthday than on a ship traveling to the Imperial City. Just two more years now and I’ll be an adult. The fun and games will be over and the real work will begin.

Kelana gave me a gift before I left Cherak and I promised I wouldn’t open it until today. It’s a beautiful little earring of gold and black jade. The way things have gone between us makes me happy. We have fun, we enjoy each other’s company, and we have no illusions about our relationship.

9th Day of Resplendent Fire, RY 768

The Imperial City is more amazing than I’d imagined. Up until now, Lord’s Crossing was the most amazing place I had ever seen, but the first glimpse of this city took my breath away. No one could look upon it and doubt that this was the center of all Creation. We’re staying with Kira’s parents, just minutes from the Imperial Manse. My parents’ place in Lord’s Crossing is beautiful but I have to admit it’s clear that Houses Tepet and Mnemon occupy entirely different social strata these days.

Tomorrow marks the start of the Tournament and the social scene surrounding it. Thanks to Kira, I’ll be attending as many functions as I can fit in.

10th Day of Resplendent Fire, RY 768

I don’t think this will be the College’s year. Jade and Chead are the only competitors from our school. I think they’ll both make the final, but I doubt a team of two will stand much of a chance. Tonight I attended a dinner with Kira at the official residence of Mnemon herself. She wasn’t in attendance, of course, but a lot of the House was. Afterward was a party that my cousin Darik invited me to. It was hosted by a member of his sworn brotherhood, V’neef Aliset. You can tell they’re a young house, but I don’t think they’re going to stay small for long. They’re a mercantile powerhouse and there were deals being cut all night. My cousin owns a shipping business with his brothers and if things go to plan, I should be in business with them by the end of the summer.

= 11th Day of Resplendent Fire, RY 768

Today is still more of the written and oral exams, so Kira and I took everyone shopping. I’m glad we were there or I don’t know how much money Kazuki would’ve been cheated out of. I bought some new clothes, nothing I couldn’t have gotten from my tailor in Cherak, but since I’m here, why not? Tonight we’re attending parties hosted by House Ledaal and later House Cathak. Kira got us into the Ledaal function and another of my cousin’s brothers, Cathak Laten, invited us to their party.

12th Day of Resplendent Fire, RY 768

This has been an enlightening trip for J’hana, I think. She approached me this morning to ask if I knew anyone in House Cathak and if I would help her present herself to the House. I find it funny that after spending nearly a year with very little ambition, she now aspires to join one of the preeminent Houses of the Realm. I’m certainly willing to help her, as I’m glad to see her general malaise lifting, but it won’t be an easy task. Cathak lacks substantial holdings in the North and J’hana’s mean streak makes socializing with them a dicey proposition at best.

13th Day of Resplendent Fire, RY 768

I wonder if my parents are trying to line up a marriage for me yet. I’ve seen a lot of that this week, probably because there are so many secondary school students in one place. It makes it easier for Houses to assess prospects. Hopefully my House won’t commit me to anything until I’m closer to graduation. I expect to be significantly more useful with another 2 years of work behind me and don’t want them to settle for too little.

Perhaps Aunt Elana knows something. When she gets back from where ever she is, I’ll have to ask. I hope she’s there when we return to Cherak.

14th Day of Resplendent Fire, RY 768

I introduced J’hana to Cathak Laten today. It’s a small start, but I’ve advised her it’s a gradual process if the House hasn’t shown any interest in you. She handled the introduction gracefully and loose plans to socialize whenever Laten and the rest of his brotherhood are in Cherak were made.

15th Day of Resplendent Fire, RY 768

I’m developing a whole new respect for the power brokers and policy makers of the Realm. Keeping up with a social schedule like this isn’t easy. The idea of doing this for decades, or more, is a little intimidating, especially when the stakes are this high. I wouldn’t admit it to Kira, but there is definitely more room for mistakes in the Threshold. I’m enjoying myself here but it’s hard work and the potential pitfalls are numerous. I could make connections here now that will last me a lifetime; or I could make enemies that will last the same.

16th Day of Resplendent Fire, RY 768

Well, my prediction was wrong. Jade was eliminated during the single combat test. There was a lot of politicking going on to arrange the final teams (I’m sure future favors were traded, as well) but he simply got beat. Chead made it through easily, however. I imagine the second tier schools are always prime targets in the final, but he’s likely to be even more of one alone.

17th Day of Resplendent Fire, RY 768

As expected, Chead was taken out early. The Heptagram team hit him early, on their way to overall victory. It was an impressive display of coordinated sorcery. I imagine that in years when the House of Bells is weak in combat sorcerers, the Heptagram has to be the favorite. I don’t envy J’hana trying to think up a counter to their tactics.

27th Day of Resplendent Fire, RY 768

I wouldn’t have imagined it, but I’m glad to be back in Cherak. I’m not ready to play the Blessed Isle’s game full time. Maybe if I’d grown up there, fully immersed in it from the beginning, I’d feel differently. But I need more time to hone my skills here.

After considering it for some time, I’ve decided to invite my entire class on my trip to the Haslanti League. Originally, I was going to invite Kira and Reflections but I realized if I made it clear that everyone was traveling with me, but not WITH me, then there was little chance of blowback from their actions. Given that we’ve only got about a month until Calibration, I’ve chartered an air boat for the trip.

3rd Day of Descending Fire, RY 768

Ranka declined to go, but the rest of my class is along. These airships are amazing pieces of engineering. Nothing at all like First Age technology or even Realm technology, but amazingly complex and intricate all the same. They’re very fragile, though. Maybe if things go well with the League, I can eventually own one. Having one available would solve a lot of logistical problems.

8th Day of Descending Fire, RY 768

Icehome is so small! It’s the largest city of the League but it would barely qualify as a Prefecture on the Blessed Isle. There’s a much different feel here, too, and it’s got nothing to do with the people, really. The League is so far north that it hardly feels like part of the Threshold, so that undercurrent of turmoil you get almost everywhere else is absent. By and large the place feels excited and positive, as if their best days are still ahead of them.

I don’t know whether to be jealous of this or to pity them. They have very few Dragon-Bloods, are suffering serious cultural pressure between their town-dwellers and their nomads, and are developing a serious expansionist bent due to a lack of arable land. For some reason they also don’t think the Bull of the North will turn his eye towards them. They’ve gotten rich off the bounty of the White Sea and its environs but they don’t think the Bull is interested in those same resources?

9th Day of Descending Fire, RY 768

We spent the day today meeting Reflections’ family. They’ve only recently settled down into semi-permanent encampment outside Icehome. I was looking forward to seeing a long house (the more settled tribes are supposed to build truly amazing ones) and I wasn’t disappointed. Her people are hunters, mostly reindeer but mammoths, too. They’re above subsistence level, but since they haven’t moved into the city yet, their needs or desires for things they can’t produce themselves are rather low. Tomorrow they’ve invited us on a mammoth hunt and if things go well, I think I’m going to approach them about a business relationship.

10th Day of Descending Fire, RY 768

That was incredible! We were out before first light with the hunting party. Kira assisted their trackers and put us onto a herd. It took a few hours to close up on them and set the ambush. I can’t say I know much about mammoth hunting but Reflections’ kin certainly seemed to know what they were doing. When the trap was sprung, Kazuki, Reflections, and I each killed one, while the rest of the group brought down two more.

Late in the day, back at the long house, I spoke with the tribe patriarch about my business idea. Even given transportation costs, I can offer him a better price on meat, hides, antlers, and ivory than he can get locally. He wouldn’t commit to anything yet, but I think the prospects are good.

17th Day of Descending Fire, RY 768

I made contact with the Profitable Men today. Well, with an ally of Jurgen Einersson, anyway. Tomorrow I’m going to get a detailed breakdown of Kurgan Helfdane’s mining company in preparation for investing. I did my research before contacting him, so I don’t expect any surprises, but it’s important to be thorough. This faction should be my best means of influencing things for a number of reasons. If things go according to plan, by the time I graduate I should be able to count them as valuable allies against destabilizing influences in the North instead of them BEING one of those destabilizing influences.

18th Day of Descending Fire, RY 768

And I now own a stake in Kurgan Helfdane’s mining operation. It’s mostly traditional ores, but they do have a handful of shafts producing feathersteel and true ice. I don’t know if I’ll manage it on this trip, but I need to find someone to represent me here in the League. I trust Helfdane to be honest with me in business dealings, but having someone loyal to be my eyes and ears here will eventually be critical.

20th Day of Descending Fire, RY 768

It took a few days, but I’ve found a mate to take care of the Dragon. With their air boats and ice ships, the Haslanti are known for the quality of their sailors. Having one working for me in Cherak will help project a worldly image. It also gives me an outsider who’s less susceptible to the local politics and influence. As active as I’m becoming in Cherak, it seems prudent to keep someone looking after the Dragon all the time.

My only outstanding issue is whether or not Reflections’ family will start selling to me. I hope they’ll have an answer before we leave.

28th Day of Descending Fire, RY 768

We leave for Sexton in the morning. For Calibration, we’re going to investigate Fort Outweld and hopefully clean it up. I invited Moro, Reflections, and Elin along and they’re going to come with us. I’ll write again when we return.

1st Day of Ascending Air, RY 769

I’ve never been so disheartened by success. We ended the haunting of Fort Outweld and found a valuable First Age artifact but I alienated most of my friends and in turn am incredibly disappointed in them. I suppose I can’t really blame Ranka and Judas, but did no one else receive a proper education in the Immaculate Faith?

Ghosts represent a failing of the natural order; they’re an affront to the Faith! I won’t compromise my faith. But my actions broke faith with my friends. I acted unilaterally— the same thing I’ve gotten upset with Judas for doing. I don’t think my motive was wrong; Baron Koeld deserved to move on and be punished for his sins. My methods, however, may have been unsound. My zeal got the better of me and I acted without reasonable knowledge of the situation. At least no one was seriously hurt.

I’ve apologized to everyone but I don’t know if that’s going to be enough.

28th Day of Ascending Air, RY 769

I haven’t felt like writing for awhile but I thought I’d better. New student arrival is tomorrow and I’ve been helping organize things. There are 5 new Dragon-Bloods this year.

Since Calibration I’ve been working with V’neef Tegraat and working on the theater. I’m learning a lot and the theater’s been very successful so far. It narrowed the list of donors some when I explained that supporting this place would be an anonymous act. I mean it to be a gift to the mortals of the city from the Terrestrials, not a convenient way to gain some good publicity.

Crow and Virtuous Cloud and Elana are back. So is Lucretia. None of them will say where they went but Elana told me a ‘great evil’ had been slain in a Shadowland and Virtuous Cloud allowed, when I asked, that Lucretia was no longer being ridden.

Rector Danic talked to me about my curriculum today. I convinced her to let me drop a few classes in exchange for more practical studies. I’m going to study with her directly and with Tegraat and any other Dragon-Bloods in Cherak who will let me.

1st Day of Resplendent Air, RY 769

Something tells me Rector Norrin may regret immediately taking another class of students. His new class is remarkably eclectic.

The Icewalker Kuk, if he’s from Gethamane I’ll eat my daiklave, troubles me. Who’s paying for him to be here? What makes him acceptable to Crow?

Rector Norrin’s adopted daughter reminds me of Kazuki for some reason. He asked our class, as a favor, to make friends with her. From what I’ve seen so far, that will be easy enough; she’s a friendly sort.

Ragara Fallows troubles me, too, but in an entirely different way than Kuk. It’s clear that he doesn’t want to be here and in fact expected to be at one of the premier secondary schools. That means his parents screwed up or, more likely, the House wanted him here in Cherak. They want control of the satrapy so the more Terrestrials they get here, the better their chances. Aside from this, he’s just an off-putting sort. I don’t think he’s a very nice person.