Grand Entrance of the FoS Manoir de Pénombre

[Tobias Blackburn]

"Professor Erik van Rijn," van Rijn replies, offering Hartly his hand. "I am afraid it is Life that I am sick with, and I am not sure I would care to be cured of it."

The giant man nodded in sympathy.

"I understand, Professor. Thank you for making... the effort to come to this conference."

[Rotipher of the FoS]

"Professor Erik van Rijn," van Rijn replies, offering Hartly his hand. "I am afraid it is Life that I am sick with, and I am not sure I would care to be cured of it."

"Indeed, who does?" murmurs Crow, and his gray eyes look distant for a heartbeat. Then he blinks away the moment's passing fugue, executes a bow to the ailing guest-speaker, and rises with his notebook and pen in hand.

"Might you do me the courtesy, Professor, of indulging a minor pecadillo of mine? I collect the signatures of experts whose knowledge has added to my own meager supply. 'Autographs', they're called in certain circles. It aids the memory of the speech, in my experience, to have such a memento of the speaker ... and I'm sure your discourse will be well worth the recollection.
"When you're well enough to take the time, of course."

[Erik Van Rijn]

"It is my very great pleasure to be here, Master Hartly," van Rijn replies. "Nothing would have prevented me from coming."

Catching his breath, van Rijn coughs heavily, then continues to cough, his frame wracked with spasms. Finally catching his breath, he mutters, "A long journey...I believe I need a rest. Hazan, might you help me upstairs? A few minutes lying down somewhere besides a Mist-damned coach would do me good, I think."

[Erik Van Rijn]

"Professor Erik van Rijn," van Rijn replies, offering Hartly his hand. "I am afraid it is Life that I am sick with, and I am not sure I would care to be cured of it."

"Indeed, who does?" murmurs Crow, and his gray eyes look distant for a heartbeat. Then he blinks away the moment's passing fugue, executes a bow to the ailing guest-speaker, and rises with his notebook and pen in hand.

"Might you do me the courtesy, Professor, of indulging a minor pecadillo of mine? I collect the signatures of experts whose knowledge has added to my own meager supply. 'Autographs', they're called in certain circles. It aids the memory of the speech, in my experience, to have such a memento of the speaker ... and I'm sure your discourse will be well worth the recollection."

Van Rijn, distracted, takes the offered pen and scrawls a lazy series of lines on the sheet. The result resembles nothing so much as Akiri hieroglyphics written by a sage about to fall asleep.

"With your permission," he mutters, turning his steps toward the stairs. "I'll return shortly." Climbing the stairs slowly with Hazan's aid, he disappears into the shadows of the second story.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Crow jots briefly in his notebook, beneath the Professor's scrawl, then nods with satisfaction and returns his pen and notebook to the voluminous depths of his coat pocket.

"So," he queries brightly to the room at large. "Who else is ready for a drink?"

[Scipion_Emilien]

Vili take the occasion to broke the silence: "I am, it will pass the time before the conference" And add for himself in a low tone: "in the hope that we will have one this night""

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Crow joins Vili in accepting the servants' offerings of libations; he also takes an extra glass of wine, anticipating Hazan will need one more than anyone when he rejoins the gathering.

[Moral Machivelli]

Raephael Buchvold returnes to the gathering.

He accepts the servents offer of whiskey

"Who has just arrived? I saw another carridge draw up from the grounds,

[Viktor Hazan]

Back from upstairs, Viktor is pensive.

He gladly accept the glass of wine Crow is handling him.

"Good evening, Sir", I don't believe we have met. "I'm Viktor Hazan."

Viktor glances at the newcomer's hand to see if he wears a tell tale sigil ring of the Fraternity.

[Tobias Blackburn]

Hartly follows the others into the room, walking slowly behind them. He reaches over Vili's head to pick up a drink.

"Professor Hazan, you seemed quite surprised by Professor Van Rijn's state. Has he changed so much?"

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Crow notes Hazan's glance at his hand, raises his (ringless) hand to wave at Viktor, while shifting his guitar-case from his shoulder to his free hand.

"It's a bother, but I just can't play as well with such heavy jewelry on. I fear I'm so out of the habit of wearing that clumsy thing, I quite forgot to bring the society's signet. But my invitation is with the doorman, if you feel you must check up on me; no offense taken." Crow winks.

[Viktor Hazan]

Hartly follows the others into the room, walking slowly behind them. He reaches over Vili's head to pick up a drink.

"Professor Hazan, you seemed quite surprised by Professor Van Rijn's state. Has he changed so much?"

Hearing this as he joins back the crowd, Viktor say "yes, I was shocked to see him. He leaves for a trip for about two years an energic man for his late fifties, and then he comes back with one foot in the grave"

"Our corporeal envelopes are feeble things..."

[Scipion_Emilien]

In response to Hartly in low tone: "I must agree with you, from what you have seem of his state, do you think we will have a conference tonight?"

[Moral Machivelli]

"So, Van Rijen has arrived." But what is this about his form." When I last saw him he Looked ,I admit, far from healthy but he was not that bad."
The dark haired Borcan appears puzzeled.

"Possibly I missread him."

[Viktor Hazan]

Crow notes Hazan's glance at his hand, raises his (ringless) hand to wave at Viktor, while shifting his guitar-case from his shoulder to his free hand.

"It's a bother, but I just can't play as well with such heavy jewelry on. I fear I'm so out of the habit of wearing that clumsy thing, I quite forgot to bring the society's signet. But my invitation is with the doorman, if you feel you must check up on me; no offense taken." Crow winks.

"Please do not take my inquisitive glances as gaze attacks!", says Viktor, returning the wink, "but there are so many members around the Core, I can't know them all. Where are you from?"