"We have to go there." – Augustinius
"Why?" – Miach
"Because... the rain is falling. It's life. ... We have to leave now." – Augustinius
– when you let the plant mage set the priorities

"When it comes to actually understanding the language, I'm the best speaker. The irony is boundless." – Eric G
– so when he accidentally insults someone in Arabic, the native speakers will know what he's saying

"This is a Flambeau expedition!" – Augustinius
"They do seem rather martial..." – Minerva
"Why didn't anyone warn us about this?" – Augustinius
"Well, we did talk to that Flambeau..." – Miach
– what, the one that pissed everyone off? oh yeah, that Flambeau

"I would wish you luck, but I'm not so sure that would be a good idea. Politics, you know." – Mantia Alba
"In the end, it all comes down to politics." – Minerva
– ... says the Jerbiton to the Tremere

"You should be careful... you are guarding something very precious." – Mantia Alba
– look, another cryptic old woman

"Come closer..." – dying pagan woman
"I lean closer." – Nick
"She whispers, 'I hate you.'" – GM
– she's not Christian, she doesn't have to turn the other cheek

"I'd love to see one of these airy spirits of the desert." – Enyo
"Oh, I'm sure you'll get your chance to see one. Maybe sooner than you think." – Minerva
– yoo hoo, Mister Demon, over here

"As you carry her body out through the gates, you see a short wizard in red robes with red hair... you've seen him before." – GM
"Fuck." – Nick
– some people are just plain unpopular

"Good work." – Fragor
"I didn't kill her!" – Augustinius
"Oh, never mind then. Forget I said anything." – Fragor
– and some people are unpopular for a reason

"I'd just like to make sure that your covenant knows of this..." – Augustinius, returning the vis
"Don't worry, I'll take care of everything." – Enyo
– and who could possibly be more trustworthy than a Tytalus?

"There's all this talk in here about certámen... are we going to have to *do* that?" – Augustinius
– and the political realities of the situation start to set in

"I think Kandace should go talk to the djinn." – Jon
"And then there were four..." – GM
– Criamon: the perfect snack food

"She's going to talk to the nice djinn." – Jeanne
– they're so cute and cuddly

"I think they took the city by force. There were three or four Flambeau with them. One or two of them died." – Minerva
"The people?" – Kandace
"The Flambeau. They died retaking the city." – Minerva
"Retaking? It was never theirs." – Kandace
– and it all comes down to real estate

"It was Flambeau that killed my family." – Kandace
– bitter much?

"They seemed amenable. We were guests; they invited us to stay." – Minerva
"But they killed the people that were there!" – Kandace
– principles of Hermetic gentrification

"I want nothing to do with them!" – Kandace
"I'm not sure we have a choice about dealing with them." – Augustinius
"You often do as you choose." – Kandace
– and Kandace turns petulant

"She also said that we were guarding something precious." – Minerva
"That would suggest that we have found what Orbona has sent us looking for, even if we don't recognize what it is." – Academus
– perhaps it was a very *small* city

"With two covenants in such close proximity, I don't see any way for us to avoid conflict." – Academus
"They delight in conflict." – Kandace
– actually, it's Tytalus that delights in conflict... Flambeau delights in blowing things up

"They barely trusted us, and they were afraid that our coming meant that more would come... and they were right." – Kandace
– Criamon, blame thyself

"Well, I've debated bombastic idiots before. These Flambeau shouldn't be any different." – Academus
"They do not debate. They simply kill." – Kandace
– or maybe she's just been hanging around with the wrong Flambeau

"[Molitor] is not Flambeau, but Flambeau are not the only killers. Do you think that he does not approve of what happens in the city?" – Kandace
– bad Tremere, no biscuit

"Well, it sounds like you had a very eventful trip..." – Academus
– understatement

"You act as if this is a surprise to them! They have been planning this. They have been planning this since we left!" – Kandace
– paranoia?

"And we don't have an identity. If we disappeared tomorrow, who would know?" – Kandace
"That's why I sent out sixty letters." – Academus
– oblique preparations

"Is there a way of scribing in stone, other than a hammer and chisel?" – Academus
"Yes." – Miach
– it may be bulky, but it's cheaper than parchment

"The problem is, Kandace takes all of her notes in Hebrew." – Jeanne
"She's incomprehensible anyway." – Eric G.
– touché

"Oh good! The two of us who have no purpose can work together to cast a big spell!" – Jon, to Helene
– on the value of Wizard's Communion

"I try and project a sense of compassion..." – Jon
"How about fear?" – GM
– discussing the proper reaction to encountering a 500 foot tall giant

"So this is mine! No wonder it's on my spell list!" – Jon
– refamiliarizing oneself with one's character sheet

"I tried dealing with it, and it blew me off." – Jon
– literalism in action

"I walk into the east." – Jeanne
"Are you sure?" – GM
– Taking stock, part I: warnings from the GM

"Plina says in Hebrew, 'Are you sure this is a good idea?'" – Jeanne
– Taking stock, part II: warnings from one's familiar

"So... sorcerors come." – The djinn
"Yes." – Kandace
"Return to your tower. The Courts will remember." – The djinn
– ratting out one's sodales

"It went rather well, all things considered." – Helene
– considering that Kandace got back alive, yes

"If Augustinius had been paying attention, he would know better than to listen to me. But he hasn't!" – Jon
– the all-Augustinius gripe session, part I

"I think [Augustinius] is spending too much time contemplating the dirt in his navel." – Jon
– the all-Augustinius gripe session, part II

"Maybe it's not 'pride,' but there's a serious lack of humility. He's arrogant! Yeah, maybe it's because of insecurity, and being stuck out here in the desert... but wake up, puppy!" – Jon
– the all-Augustinius gripe session, part III

"It's a Redcap." – Kandace
"Academus visibly relaxes." – Jon
– keeping watch

"She didn't give her lineage, so you don't have to worry about it." – GM
"I try not to talk about my parens anyway." – Jon
– something to do with constant Code violations

"I would have served you anyway, but now that I have looked upon your beauty, I shall protect you unto death." – Jean de la Roche
"Kandace's eyes get this big." – Kandace
"You don't have to know Provençal to know what's going on." – Jon
– Minerva gains an admirer

"You send us out here with, of all things, a fruit and flower mage?" – Kandace, in a letter to Orbona
– the all-Augustinius gripe session, part IV

"You politely broach the subject of what kickbacks she likes..." – GM
– the Redcap receives the covenant's fullest hospitality

"Thank you, you've been very hospitable." – Aetheria
"You have no idea how happy we are to have you." – Jon
– it's like finding a cell phone on your desert island

"Do you understand what this place is, and where you are?" – Minerva, to Jean de la Roche
"Do you understand that we're wizards?" – Jeanne
– clarifications

"She could turn you into a frog!" – Jeanne
"Not a frog, they're not very useful." – Helene
– amphibians make poor bodyguards

"I just wanted to make sure you understood." – Minerva
"I will keep my soul safe." – Jean de la Roche
– that's the spirit!

"Now we have two heretics in the tower." – Jeanne
"Two... two... two Albigensians!" – Jon
– arithmetic

"You must stay with the grogs..." – Minerva
"Oh no! I must stay outside your door!" – Jean de la Roche
– dedication

"I am here to guard and protect the Lady Ysabell..." – Jean de la Roche
"...Minerva..." – Minerva
– let's not confuse the grogs, eh?

"Are you actually doing the ritual for Parma Magica at the table?" – GM, to Jeanne
– as Kandace reacts poorly to Aetheria's covenant affiliation

"She does mutter something in Hebrew?" – GM
"Yes." – Jeanne
"I kick her!" – Jon
– maintaining appearances, part I

"Academus has suddenly become Martha Stewart... this must be the perfect dinner." – Jon
– maintaining appearances, part II

"It's rather a good thing Kandace gave her the honey before the meal." – Jeanne
– as Kandace reveals her vindictive side

"Thank you." – Academus
"I didn't do anything." – Kandace
"No, your restraint was admirable." – Academus
– keeping the peace

"We could turn Augustinius into a frog..." – Jeanne
– and send him back to the swamp?

"She's a quaesitor. Be nice!" – Jon to Jeanne
– more visitors, more acrimony

"Kandace carefully examines the other Flambeau." – Jeanne
"He's fit, he's handsome..." – GM
"He's Flambeau." – Jeanne
– assessing the newcomers

"We have the room we set aside for Aetheria." – Kandace
"But that's just one room." – Academus
"Tough!" – Kandace
– building a reputation for hospitality

"I already don't like them." – Jon
"It took you this long to not like them?" – Helene
– love thy neighbor?

"...and I suppose we can disregard the mundane issue..." – Veratra
– digging for Code violations

"Do you want to have your familiar killed?" – Jon
– don't tease the quaesitori

"And we've not offended anyone, right?" – Augustinius
"Not too badly..." – Academus
– no magi were brought up on charges, which is good enough for most purposes

"I didn't do anything... unsociable, did I?" – Augustinius
"You didn't do anything at all." – Academus
"Ah." – Augustinius
– there's no action like inaction

"So basically they sent the old guy up and down the stairs to do their business. Nice." – Helene
"Basically, they're buttheads." – Jon
– just another meeting of the Redcap Liberation Front

"...there's a new Pope..." – Academus
"A new Pope?!" – Augustinius
"Yes." – Academus
"When did that happen?" – Augustinius
– how time flies when you're stuck in the middle of a trackless desert waste

"I think we should invite them to visit." – Miach
"No, we should not." – Augustinius
"Why not?" – Miach
"Because they're Flambeau, and Kandace will kill them." – Augustinius
– politics 1, hospitality 0

"Miach needs to remain, to work on the oasis." – Augustinius
"And I'm probably the best able to defend if we are attacked." – Miach
– being that he's the only magus with an offensive spell, this is probably true

"The garden is not what [Augustinius] loves, the garden is what keeps him sane." – Nick
– sanity being relative and all

"Why are we so broke?" – Jon
"Necause we don't produce anything!" – Nick
– covenant economics 101

"Doesn't anyone want to buy sand?" – Jon
– looking forward to a career in marketing

"I understand your position with respect to Minerva -" – Miach
"She is my sacred charge." – Jean de la Roche
– solemn vows, or simple flattery?

"I listen only to the Lady Minerva's instructions." – Jean de la Roche
"I see. ... oh, Minerva!" – Miach
– following the chain of command

"It seems to me that there are mystical significances to our journey that indicate that our mission is more than the ravings of a madwoman." – Augustinius
– anything to maintain the illusion of purpose

"If there are going to be ambassadors from the Order to these people, I should hope that we are the better choice." – Academus
– as some people find the massacre of their fellows to be a bit off-putting

"I always thought of the covenant I would join as a place of knowledge, as a library, and I would be in that library. I never really considered where that would be. Perhaps I should have put more thought into it." – Academus
– perhaps

"One of these scholars is in communication with Kandace." – Academus
[blank look] – Augustinius
– Kandace... communicates?

"The Church is interested in truth." – Augustinius
"God's truth." – Academus
"Augustinius, that poor naive child." – Jeanne
– innocence, or simply naïveté?

"Whether they be demon or faerie or other creature, they exist. They have always existed." – Academus
– and they won't stop existing on your say-so

"When next you play host to demons and creatures of the night, I'll not stand in the way." – Jean de la Roche
– after all, who cares if demons eat everyone else, as long as Minerva is safe?

"She is Academus' mother -" – Kandace
[eyes wide] "He is half demon?!" – Little Ali
– resurfacing trauma

"You're a good boy -" – Kandace
"I'm not a boy!" – Little Ali
– he's 13, and he's all grown up now

"She is going to Alexandria." – Kandace
"Maybe she will get lost." – Little Ali
– wishful thinking

"Augustinius, you remember how irate you were when you heard about my dream-journeying? You have done the same." – Academus
– dear pot, this is your kettle speaking...

"You were there as well?" – Augustinius
"Yes." – Academus
"So you heard everything?" – Augustinius
"Yes. ... I was not finished." – Academus
"Oh! Sorry." – Augustinius
– translation: "don't be stupid"

"Think of them as archangels to cherubim -" – Academus
"Do not make that comparison. That's blasphemy." – Augustinius
"Okay... Baphomet to imp." – Academus
– Academus: master of the apt metaphor

"They are evil -" – Augustinius
"It doesn't matter. They are here." – Academus
– maybe if Augustinius doesn't look at them, they'll go away?

"How can you fight your enemy if you do not know them, know their strengths and weaknesses?" – Academus
"Yes. You were right. That was stupid." – Augustinius
– getting the message

"I wonder what Academus' mother wants with him?" – Kandace
– words to strike fear into any man's heart

"I was wondering if you'd managed to get us outlawed and condemned to death." – Eric G
"Well, not outlawed, since we're not under their jurisdiction, but..." – Nick
– ... but condemned to death, that they can manage

"You really don't want to wake Sekhmet at 8 am." – Eric G
– she has awful morning breath

"You have potential." – Enyo Corinthiensis
"You should take that in the sense it was meant. She only meant you didn't tell her what she wanted to know." – Kandace, to Minerva
– what other sense would you expect from a Tytalus?

"Enyo has riled the Iron Court. They are marching on us." – Kandace
"Now?" – Minerva
– no, they're waiting for an engraved invitation

"One life. For all the rest." – The voice
"I do not deal in lives." – Miach
– oh really? there's a dead snake that says otherwise

"What are we trying to tell them?" – Miach
"That the djinn are coming." – Kandace
"Are you sure we want to do that?" – Miach
– we never liked them anyway

"Will you help us?" – Kandace
"Let me take lunch, and then I'll give you an answer." – Miach
"I don't think we have time for that." – Kandace
– but that's the point!

"Beware. Angry djinn come." – Miach
– brevity

"They need to be warned." – Academus
"I'll see to it. Now go away. Everything will be taken care of." – Musa
– poor Academus, always unappreciated

"I've heard through the House of certain... less than official ceremonies..." – Augustinius
"Well, such less-than-official ceremonies can be found anywhere. But that wouldn't be a proper wedding, would it?" – Marcus Caeruleus
– not the orgiastic type

"If Kandace has made a deal with demons, I'll sell her to the Order myself." – Augustinius
– covenant loyalty

"Don't you care about what happens to the city?" – Academus
"I am terrified for them. But their bodies do not determine their eternal state." – Augustinius
– let the djinn kill 'em all, and God will sort them out

"Is there anything else?" – Augustinius
"I can babble to you about my troubles." – Academus
[sits down] – Augustinius
"It's not germane." – Academus
– sharing feelings would be... illogical

"Let's get bread and wine, and be frustrated." – Augustinius
"Wine would be good." – Academus
– nothing like alcohol to facilitate male bonding