Prepare the Tower with Golondrina's help

"Because I trust you," Golondrina says. "I know that more than ever, now. I know what's in your mind. In Fay's."

You and Lolo are doing another pass through Amethystine's Tower with salt, water, fire, and incense to prepare for a more systematic banishing under Euryale's direction. As a tower, it's hardly imposing, but it's a free-standing, thick-walled stone building in a courtyard where House Minerval proper touches Boarbristle's common spaces with three levels and a solarium above ground, and two levels below.

You nod. "Yes," you say. "But you decided before you knew."

Golondrina nods. Up here in the solarium, with the windows wide open, her fiery red hair ripples in the breeze. It's sunny today, and warm for winter. "I had to trust someone," she says. "And other than Firetail, I'm not close to anyone else."

Golondrina looks out at the distant horizon. You wonder if she's thinking about soaring on dragon wings through the mountains of her far-off home.

The noon bell chimes. "Class," she says, and runs down the stairs, leaving you atop the lonely tower. In her haste, the chalice of salt water tips over and spills across the floor. You right the chalice and sop up the spill.

You wonder why Minerval hasn't reclaimed it in the two years since Iris Amethystine's departure. Euryale didn't volunteer anything, and you expected that Housemaster and Tutor would have brushed off any questions as impertinence. Maybe one of the former Headmistress' associates outside House Minerval might have a clue.

When you TRY TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL, roll +DILIGENCE(+1) (+0 Diligence, -1 Easy Goal, +2 FAVOR)

⚀⚁ + 1 = 4, Miss

On a Miss, choose one:

• Give up. Cross off the GOAL. Roll to GET OUT OF TROUBLE.
• Pass it along to someone else. Cross off the GOAL. Expend a FAVOR or owe your helper a favor (a new GOAL).
• Keep trying. Keep the GOAL. If this is an assigned task or a FAVOR owed to someone, roll to ENCOUNTER them at -1. For an ENCOUNTER with Euryale, Roll +CUNNING(+1) (+2 Cunning [Minerval House Wardress], -1 Forward).

⚀⚁ + 1 = 4, Miss again.

"With care, Morgan," Euryale says.

You're standing in the courtyard outside Amethystine's Tower with Minerval's Wardress, hooded and veiled as always. The last rays of sunset glint from the glass of the solarium.

"Once you have made a good start, I shall leave you to complete the operation," the Wardress says. The sunset light vanishes from the tower-top. "Now."

Euryale raises her wand. You follow with yours. She begins the chant of banishment and continues until you are carrying it strongly and in rhythm. She nods her hooded head, lowers her wand, and lets you carry on. You march round the tower, widdershins, against the direction of the sun and stars, chanting and banishing.

Each time you circle, passing a point to the north of east, you feel a twinge in your head. You continue round and round, chanting and banishing loudly for nine times nine circles, until your head is throbbing, your limbs are aching, and you're struggling to keep your balance.

You seal the operation with a final dismissal and stand unsteadily, looking at the tower, your gut full of seasick butterflies and your head thumping with pain.

"You will need to repeat the banishing," Euryale says.

Has the Wardress been standing there in the shadows all along, or did she return when you didn't notice?

"I-I don't think..." you stutter out.

"At sunset, again," Euryale says. "After you discover what is breaking the circle in the quarter of Imbolc. See." Euryale casts a Revealing. Or perhaps it's a Seeming. There's a gap in the tower's aura, just where you were getting those twinges.

"C-can you help..." you start.

Euryale answers you with a dismissive gesture. "Rest. Correct. Repeat," she says. "I am on duty." She gives you a long look from behind your veil. "Care for yourself."

The Wardress turns about and vanishes into House Minerval.

When you drag yourself into the Infirmary, Miss Wormwood glances at your unsteady posture, sweeps you up in her steel-cord arms, and bundles you into a bed. She puts one hand on your forehead and fixes her gaze on yours.

"SOMNUS," she intones.

You wake to hear Miss Wormwood bustling about in the next room. Your headache is gone, and you feel much better, if perhaps in need of a bath sooner rather than later.

Miss Wormwood's voice comes from the next room.

"You seem fit to join the student body, Mister Burlwood," Miss Wormwood says in her steady, dust-dry voice. "We are almost finished. Face the table, lift your robe, and bend forward. You will feel some stings."

Miss Wormwood was administering the usual prophylactic doses to a new student. Boarbristle was diligent about controlling magical contagions. After meeting a few contagion survivors when visiting the village of Turnbuckle, you're glad for Boarbristle's discipline. You've spent a good deal of time in the Infirmary helping Miss Wormwood prepare doses against contagion, and you've witnessed many a student receive injections via the fangs of Miss Wormwood's head full of snakes.

"Mm!" comes a sound from the student. After a few seconds, another "Mm!"

A bite to each bare buttock was Miss Wormwood's usual method of giving immunizations.

"One more bite, and then we're done," Miss Wormwood says. "Ah, my fingers a little cold? I'll be quick, then. Deep breath, Mister Burlwood. There. Now."

You hear a stifled groan.

"Very good, Mister Burlwood, an excellent reaction," Miss Wormwood says. "Now the bottle."

There's a louder, longer groan, a popping of joints, and a distinct spat! spat! spat! of a thick liquid striking a glassy surface.

"Excellent, Mister Burlwood. A strong emission and a generous specimen," Miss Wormwood says.

"Ah, ah, hh hh hh," you hear in a young man's voice.

"You may return to your House when you feel ready," Miss Wormwood says.

Some ingredients for Miss Wormwood's potions needed to be collected fresh. First-year men were one ready supply, and the men of Boarbristle's Broom Polo teams, often coming in with bumps and scrapes, were another.

You tiptoe out of the Infirmary, past young Mister Burlwood, resting his weight upon the examination table, his new House robes raised to expose his buttocks, three fresh snakebites, and an erect member with a pearly drop on the tip.

Try, try, again.

You have an EASY GOAL (-1) vs. DILIGENCE with Wardress Euryale to prepare Iris Amethystine's Tower for you, Fay, and Golondrina to share.

You have a FAVOR from Pipistrelle Clawson, Minerval Prefect.
Your roommate Fay in House Minerval and your soon-to-be roommate Golondrina are each your FRIEND.
Barbara Torch, Warden of Leontes, dramatic and impulsive duelist, is your ENEMY.

You have 3 XP, Ambition +2, Bravery -1, Cunning +2, Diligence +0.
You know the spell TRANSFORM and the Forbidden Spell SHAMEGASM.

Possible next moves:

• Go to Fay or Golondrina and ASK FOR A FAVOR to help with your task. Roll +AMBITION(+2) to ASK FOR A FAVOR, then TRY TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL.
• Find out more about Iris Amethystine from Miss Caldwell, the Librarian, or from Elbegast, the Master of Devices. Roll +CUNNING(+2) to ENCOUNTER one of them. On a 10+, they give you helpful information and +1 Forward. On a 7-9 you learn something, and you can try to ASK FOR A FAVOR. Then TRY TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL.
• Investigate by yourself what the flaw in the Tower is that was giving you such trouble. Roll +CUNNING(+2). On a success, take +1 Forward; on a 10+, take +2 Forward, then TRY TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL.