ENCOUNTER Sandevin. On a 7-9 he tells you about the Warden.

⚄⚁ + 2 = 9.

When you ENCOUNTER Sandevin, on a 7-9, he tells you more about Jeremy Burl, but you have to convince him that you might be worth helping.

Sandevin's a prefect, but he seems to be more available than some of the other prefects who cultivate the art of looking busy and important, so it doesn't take long to get some time with him after the evening meal.

"Yes, Eric, the Tutor said she'd be assigning the Warden to test you," Sandevin says. He scratches his short sandy whiskers. "After your last few tries, well, Hemstitch figured you needed someone better warded than Sterling. Or Nadia and myself, for that matter."

"I've barely seen him," you say. Your recollection of the Warden, from a few glances, is a gruff, muscular figure with hairless, wrinkled skin grey-brown like weathered wood, bearing a staff rather than a wand. "Is there anything I should know? Anything I should or shouldn't do?"

Sandevin takes a deep breath and shrugs his shoulders. "Eh, don't worry about him jumping on you," he says. "Burl's all business. You haven't seen much of him since he's sort of a loony about checking all the House wards for Beavertail every day. Lot of that's down in the cellars." Sandevin puts on a low, quavering voice to mimic the Warden. "Ehhh, ah-heh, no news is good news, as I always says." Sandevin spreads his hands, palm up. "Like that. And sometimes he works with a couple of gnomes. Stonemasons and hardware smiths. Checking the foundations, fixing hinges and locks, that sort of thing. So, I suppose, just don't waste his time and you'll be alright."

"I'm really worried about being able to pass the test, Sandevin," you say. "I mean, Miss Hemstitch, she, ah..." You trace a knot in the air and then let your hand hang loose from the wrist.

Sandevin laughs. "She's going to take the spring out of your willy?" he says. "Well, that is a further step than I'd expected. Makes magic rather more difficult if your own wand is always droopy. But she might be worried that you and your wild magic will spawn some more Boarbristle Brats. Really, the Enchantments Mistress. I'm quite impressed. And Hemstitch is probably appalled."

Your cheeks flush hot. In fact, you've promised Dorothy the Porter that you'll make a Boarbristle Brat with her as a favor.

Sandevin doesn't seem to notice. "Appalled, but I expect Hemstitch thinks Sterling deserves it, after having a special pet student every term." He sighs. "I was one of her pets. Fucking the Enchantments mistress didn't seem to do me any harm, anyway, and I learned some spells I wouldn't have picked up in classes."

You raise your eyebrows at Sandevin's admission. "Oh."

"You've gotten in rather deeper," he says. "And I bet from the side effects she's catching from your Wild Magic, that she's still fucking you?"

"Um, yes," you admit.

"I'm glad you're getting something good out of all this, at least," he says. He claps you on the shoulder. "Good on you."

"Will you help me practice?" you ask. "I really don't want to mess up again, I mean, the Tutor..."

Sandevin laughs. "That would be discouraging to lose all the starch out of your noodle," he says. He shrugs. "Well, then..."

Roll +AMBITION(-1) to ASK FOR A FAVOR.

⚂⚁ - 1 = 4, Miss.

"...I wouldn't mind helping," he says. "But Hemstitch has me on extra duty. A bit embarrassing to have you blow my robe to shreds along with Nadia's. So she has me practicing warding, banishing, and deflecting when I'm not in class or on Prefect duty."

"Oh," you say.

"What I deserve," Sandevin says. "Maybe better than I deserve. She hasn't pulled my pin." He taps the Prefect pin at his shoulder.

You have Ambition -1, Bravery 0, Cunning +2, Diligence +2.

You have 7 XP and can apply ADVANCEMENT at an apt point in the story.

You are in PATERNITY, with Boarbristle's Enchantments professor Aurelia Sterling carrying your seed. Treat her as a HANGER-ON.

Aurelia Sterling is also your FRIEND and assigned tutor in mastering your Wild Talent.

You owe a -2 GOAL vs. Cunning to Jeremy Burl, Warden of House Beavertail, to demonstrate your mastery of your Wild Magic.

You owe Dorothy, Boarbristle's red-haired half-giant Porter, a GOAL : Make her pregnant. Special roll: Succeed in HAVE SEX using +DILIGENCE(+2), then roll +CUNNING(+2) to ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL and direct your magic toward the fertile union of your seed with Dorothy's.

Possible next Moves:

• Spend 5 XP to make Sandevin a FRIEND who owes you a FAVOR. Describe the circumstances, and use his FAVOR to take a +2 to ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL showing control over your Wild Magic to Jeremy Burl.
• Spend 5 XP to make Nadia a FRIEND who owes you a FAVOR. Describe how you get her sympathy or her gratitude for helping her in some way. Use her FAVOR to take a +2 to ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL showing control over your Wild Magic to Jeremy Burl.
• Encounter Aurelia Sterling and get her help exercising control over your Wild Magic before Jeremy Burl tests you. Roll +DILIGENCE(+3) (+2 Friend, -1 HANGER-ON, +2 Diligence) to ENCOUNTER Ms. Sterling and ASK FOR A FAVOR (+AMBITION). If she grants it, use the FAVOR for a +2 to ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL.
• Try try again. Roll +CUNNING(0) (+2 Cunning, -2 Moderate Task) to try and ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL.
• Spend 5 XP to make the Nurse, Miss Wormwood a FRIEND who owes you a FAVOR, perhaps by flattery or promises. Use her FAVOR to take a +2 to ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL to get Dorothy pregnant.
• Something else?