So, before heading out, Merlin actually nips back into the Institute to get some bits—specifically, parts to make a fake clockwork heart, another scrying amulet, and also he gets a second gun for Nora accidentally when he asks Emva about a tool for ‘convincing someone’—at first Ursa and Nora want to go too, but can’t risk being spied on by Benzene’s sense-hijacking.
Merlin gives Emva a hug from Ursa as well. She gives him a Nystul’s Magic Aura cake in a mug (it’s sadly deflated and eggy), to add to the fake-heart-gambit. He also goes to Penelope and releases Morris from the labyrinth, who accepts the offer of freedom in return for never returning to the institute, but adds ‘unlike some people, I don’t actually have to keep my promises’. It’ll be fine.
They head out but are stopped by Caesura who says she was found by Benzene’s senses, but he offered a chance to make up for her ‘mistake’ by going after Merlin. He’s even offered her cut back, and the safety of her loved ones. Her story might be true, or might not.
They try to convince her that together they could take out Benzene, and she agrees after a ‘test of strength’, which amounts to 1v1ing Nora. When Merlin agrees to abide by the 1v1 rules, though, he vomits up hundreds of little glass marbles.
It’s a mess. They’re spraying out everywhere, rolling down the street and into the drains. His face turns purple.
A Reality Marble, conjured by Merlin’s new proximity to the alignment of Order, can be crushed while setting the terms of a contest, to enforce those terms magically. It’s potent stuff; the kind of stuff you don’t want to just spray into the middle of a road.
Caesura joins them in pigeon form, settling down in the back of the car.
Phency gets them next, using a marble to challenge them to a road race, his beat up old Ford Fiesta vs Alkahest’s stolen monstermobile. Merlin’s Mum is NOT happy at the casual discussion of Merlin killing all those guys the last time they had a road race.
They win after Ursa puts Phency to sleep, Merlin turns off his chase music, and Nora shoots out his tires. His car explodes, but Phency just jumps out of it in horse mode and leaves. Because he’s a Nightmare, which is sort of a horse.
Merlin explains his deal with Order, and why that maybe made him chuck up a million marbles. It’s probably fine.
Arriving at the convention centre a few worlds down, they’re confronted by Carinae, who tries to neg them into giving up the briefcase. Nora wants to know where he found it but he just calls her a lesser creature a bunch. Ursa’s like ‘what do you even want from Merensky’ and he’s like ‘what do you even know of that, you lesser being?’
And she’s like ‘I was Merensky back then, idiot!’
He loses his temper and chomps her, and Nora Eldritch Blasts his mouth open again. They say they’ll make a deal with him as compensation if he lays off, and he’s like ‘I fail to see how you could help me gain power in Draconic society’, but Nora gets Mr. Pyrite on the phone and they work something out.
Alkahest and Faeyore are staying in the car for quick getaway, with Caesura as extra muscle just in case. They’ve parked behind a van presumably belonging to the venue itself, for stealth.
They head into the convention centre.
Roll History 