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Tarot Campaign

Interlude          Here Be Monsters

Paris & Calais.
Calais noted Paris remark about how some of the monsters from Torat stay in Torat. Calais considered a moment and realized that he couldn't think of any humans that he would consider "monsters". So during their travels back to the Duke's city, Calais asked Paris what led her to make such a remark.

Paris frowned slightly. "Brother, I repeat what my Prince told me. And one of my other -- friends -- told me: that not all orcs wear pig faces. The court is a very dangerous place, they told me and I must believe. It was because of that danger that the Prince sent me away. I needed to leave to help Genelle, but he did not know that. He ordered me away, out of town, preferring me to risk the orcs rather than to stay at court. This despite the fact that I had friends like Lorraine and her parents -- and others who one might think could protect me, if necessary. And the fact that he knows my skills, knows that I seem to have as much physical prowess as some of his knights."

"What he said and what I saw makes me fear for the prince's safety as well." Something in Paris' tone betrayed that she cared about this problem a great deal. "But, manifestly, he feared for my safety. There are monsters in the court. But it is only by their actions that we will know them. Genelle warned us that there were human monsters in our land. I pray they are only in the duke's court where we may help route them out, and not in the king's court as well."

"Some are not monsters, I hope. Some are just misguided." Paris shifted her shoulder uncomfortably at some memory or other. "But, when we left, many were still unconvinced that the orcs pose any serious threat to this kingdom. Some of those seemed to be actively working against the prince's marshalling of support. I wonder if they will also disbelieve our tale of the WarLord? These are some of the things troubling the duke and the prince -- and you know as well as I, Brother, that forewarned is forearmed. If the disbelievers prevail, this kingdom will fall."

Paris walked along in silence after the foregoing speech. Calais was almost tempted to break into her moodiness when she again spoke softly, almost reluctantly. "It is hard to tell who is a monster and who is a fool -- or a pawn -- in the court and town. I -- would not be unjust to anyone. And I think the first hand lifted against me at court was misguided." She bit her lip. "'Else he would be a most practiced villain, I fear. No. He -- feared -- because he did not know the truth. It is the one I am sure he learned his fear and hatred from that worries me. For her noble husband's sake, I hope she too is just misguided." Paris shook her head slightly. "But -- to be willing to cause pain, no matter who she hurt or how -- repellant the tool she uses...." Paris' voice faded and she was rather white about the mouth. "It is hard not to think: 'here be monsters'."

Calais knew that Paris tries very hard to think well of almost everyone. These admissions were obviously a strain for her.


[GM: A side note, not to intrude, but I think Lady Marian was pretty monstrous.]
[S: Paris agrees with you .. and she fears the lady is why the son was misguided. She hopes, for Sir Marion's sake, that the lady is merely misguided too -- and all of that flashed through her head as she felt the sandbag hit her again in memory. But there is no way she could say that to Calais. After all, he never even asked about the bruise. And Paris isn't going to volunteer info on who she suspects -- without more proof than she has.]
[GM: Yeah, that's kind of a problem. How to let people know that they ought to ask some questions to get some of the color.... Steve & I were talking a bit. His feeling is that they probably asked Paris "How are you?" and she just said, "Tired. Going to bed." "Do you want any turnips?" "No. Already ate." :) I don't know that that's true, but it was funny. [My mom always complained that she'd ask me how my day went. My reply was always "Fine." :) Still is. :) ]
[S: I can't imagine that Paris wouldn't have been willing to share in some of the knowledge -- history particularly -- skills she was picking up in class, if someone had asked. She was undoubtedly enthusiastic about her lessons. Though you are right that "how are you?" is not a question to use to Paris if one wants any real info. "Fine" is a hard habit to break; I know.
My feeling was that as this is a pre-whaling society, most people go to bed shortly after dark, so to be up with the light and working. The palace could afford to burn enough light to stay up well into the night. So Paris was coming home after many of the others were already to bed. And she'd be getting up a dawn -- as they were too -- but she'd have to hurry through breakfast to make it to the Palace in time. As a farmer, she probably felt that she was running rather short on sleep that whole week. Luckily she's young. But notice: most of her flubs were made after dinner and well into the evening.
There's a difficulty in that I don't conceptualize Paris as someone who spills out all her thoughts -- at least not to someone she does not trust implicitly. I suspect that her trust goes to those she's sworn to. Of course she should trust Calais. She really ought to trust him. And -- if he ends up using his thiefly skills and betraying her, well, that could make good story, I suppose.....]

"Monsters" copyright 1999 D.Woods & S.Knowles. The contents of this site are copyright 2004 Sheryl A. Knowles unless otherwise specified. All rights reserved.


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