In the days after the Marquis of Carabas' party at the Castle of the Sea, the Gitany gathered around the castle dwindle in number, as though blown away like leaves. After their departure, life at the Castle of the Sea settles down, and the days march methodically forward.

In the Royal Court, events progress without any great change. As always, the noble houses surrounding the Crown Prince lobby for his favor, and many beautiful ladies of the court find reasons to be presented to His Royal Highness Alessandro. If any catch his eye, though, the court does not hear about it. As the year turns, the kingdom's ruler remains unmarried and without an heir.

As if mirroring the Crown Prince's indifference, the Royal Army continues its slow collapse. Desertions increase, despite a series of inspections Alessandro leads after tiring of the court. By spring, nearly every peasant and noble has an acquaintance who has been robbed or accosted by armed ruffians, if they have avoided such unpleasantness themselves.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the kingdom, a new kind of party has become all the rage. Inspired by the Marquis of Carabas' escapades at the Castle of the Sea, many young nobles have begun holding "transformation" parties. At these soirees, the guests all come dressed as altered versions of themselves, and play at freedom from social convention and normality. In particular, many young Sone are quite taken with this new form of entertainment, and rumors spread of Sone nobles kidnapping peasant youths to serve as the victims of some of the more sordid transformation parties.

As the second anniversary of Verity Touraine's death draws nigh, a series of events occur to stir up the Komaran court. News comes that both the Minamet and Yuasa have fought pitched battles. The Yuasa are mum on their activities, but the Minamet tersely inform the Royal Court and Council of a victory against a tribe of barbarian raiders from the desert, and warn of future threats. On the heels of the Minamet announcement, the Church of Inner Light announces a second threat. Having learned of the arcane library in the possession of Duchess Gloriana Touraine, the Church has decided to send a team of Church Illuminators to Gloriana's home. In the politest possible terms, the Church then informed the Duchess of Touraine that failure to comply with the inspection would trigger an armed response by the Church. Other interested nobles were, of course, invited to see that the inspection was handled fairly and properly.

Thus, in the year 207, seekers of truth came to the castle of the sea, there to reveal the burden of the light.

--

The third episode of _From Light to Darkness_ will take place at the Mountain View Public Library on Saturday, April 10, starting at 1:30 pm until 6:00 pm. Directions forthcoming. Please feel free to recruit any and all addition people you know to this game.