127. Rolling Stone

Sophia and Patches meet a recluse; Braum discovers Kyoko's current project.

### Play of the Game:

Scott as Braum, for witnessing the rapture of his wife, and then becoming enraptured!

***"One of the best parts of legacy games is when they drop the floor out from under you."***

Breathing a huge sigh of relief, Duke Granville again thanks Daan for sending Sophia to take over the County of Cross' Shadow. Sophia, along with Braum and Patches, are confused: why is the Duke so happy to be "getting rid of" the County? The Duke produces wine from a drawer as he waves away the concerns, stating that he'll of course be elevating Xaeron's title to match hers when she is invested as Countess. Pressing the Duke further, he states cryptically that he doesn't want to have to worry about the County any longer, as there "are oaths in place"… Duke Granville asks the rest of the motley to leave so that he can tell her privately about the challenges she may face.

As Sophia and the Duke speak secretly, the rest of the motley alert Faux that the Duke was asking for more wine. The piskie rolls his eyes: he was *trying* to learn how to anticipate Granville's needs, as arriving before being summoned is just so much more dramatic! Xaeron takes him to find wine (not in a cellar but at the store) as the others return to the Duke's chambers.

Returning to The Spark, Xaeron and Sophia decide that the investiture of power will take place on their wedding day, and decide that they will be living at Heart's Light! Sophia takes Patches aside to ask her to be the maid-of-honour, to which Patches agrees, but only after giving Sophia a chance to change her mind. Braum, meanwhile, talks with Xaeron, asking if he feels that his new titles are burdens. Xaeron tells him that he is lucky to be surrounded by friends who will help him shoulder his responsibilities, including his new titles.

Two weeks later, Braum is awoken in the middle of the night to discover that Kyoko is not beside him. Stepping down the hall to their kitchen, he sees his wife leaning against the open fridge, laptop in front of her, coding… but asleep. Braum can't really make head nor tails of what she is trying to do, but, worried about her, stays with her. Abruptly, she gets up and heads back to bed, leaving the laptop open. Knowing a little about coding, Braum runs the program to see what it is: nothing happens. Confused, he closes the fridge, brings the laptop back to their room, and goes to sleep again next to her.

The following morning, Braum speaks with Kyoko about the previous night while Sophia wishes Xaeron well as he steps out for a run. Her phone rings: one Daniel Weiss asks to set up a meeting between her and his employer, "someone important". Sensing possible trouble, Sophia makes sure Patches will be free to come along. Before they set out, Patches hears from Zistor that someone attempted to access the plans and patent for the Rocket from the Grand Bes Din, but she can only learn that the request was made anonymously.

Sophia and Patches set off to Place Jacques-Cartier, a public square in Montreal's Old Port neighbourhood where Sophia last busked. Patches takes point, trying to keep an eye on any Kithain in the area, while Sophia sits down at a restaurant table with an incredibly beautiful, striking man dressed in a crisp white suit, black tie, coiffed hair, a pocket watch, and dark sunglasses. He is very eager to meet the Baroness Sophia, and congratulates her on her soon-to-occur promotion to Countess of Cross' Shadow! Sophia is taken aback: how could he possibly know that? She tries to learn more about the man. Baron Velan has been Chrysalized for about 8 years, although spent the majority of his life kept indoors by his parents. He tells Sophia how after his Chrysalis he was chased back to his home, and how he does his best to "keep a low profile". He offers his hand in friendship to Sophia "while they are still equals", and she gladly accepts, hoping to learn more about him.

Patches notices several people moving towards Baron Velan and Sophia at the same time, and starts to head towards them too. At that moment, the server returns to their table, but Sophia notices that it's someone else wearing the same clothes! She and Patches step into the restaurant to regroup and plan their next move, only to hear the sound of someone falling…. They realize that perhaps *they* are not the targets after all!

Meanwhile, Braum asks Kyoko about the program she's coding, but she doesn't really know much about it. She must have left the laptop out in the kitchen the day before, she reasons; Braum doesn't have the heart to tell her about her sleepwalking. As Kyoko hops into the shower, Braum notices that a large hunk of metal that Kyoko's left in the corner, and it's starting to become cold to the touch. Dangerously cold….

Rushing back outside, Patches and Sophia see the "waiter" passing an unconscious Velan to two other people who start to drag him away. The waiter touches Patches on the collar, knocking her onto the ground, as another woman pounces on top of her, growling at her to stay down. Realizing that these may not be ordinary people, Sophia tries to slow the two carrying Velan, imbuing him with the essence of water, causing him to slip out of their grasp. Patches draws a portal passage underneath herself, dropping her into a cellar and out of the woman's grip. Sophia, having used Velan's sunglasses as a bunk, tosses them back to him, but upon opening his eyes, a horrible blinding fire erupts from them. Three of the assailants surround her as Patches races back up the steps, hoping to use her Flicker Flash to get them to safety… but first, Sophia will have to stare down three Garou in Crinos!