Game in the Brain

• Discussion about Dan’s character and the possibility of the PCs killing him. So he made up a back up character. The next one would explore trying to export and import opium. 
• Olek’s Research, about 6 weeks or 6cp in Surgery. >>1cp in Philosophy (Empiricism) 
• 1cp surgery for the Great Night Out
• Dominic’s Unravelling and Petty Intrigues.
• Imperial Negotations. The party now has met and been introduced to many of the Masters of the court, and can make deals with them, while these “Masters” have the PCs in their radar. 
• Cato’s Nightmares, and working to a point of exhaustion.
• Rumors of Theodor Garbas, Bishop Theophylact, and Micheal Taronites. 
• Cato’s Friendship with Constantine Doukas, and discussion to meet his mother Empress Maria of Alania.
• The Party’s Dinner Adventure (lots of things happened) – Intrigues with the former Empress, and the unusual alliance offer, and the unconventional acceptance. 
• Dinner with Empress Maria and the Arrangements. Shock and Awe of the Empress coveted 3 Emperors. 
• Enjoying themselves have consequences – strangely positive and no assassins jumping out to kill the PCs. 
• Cato, uses his Psychology and discovers the vulnerability of Constantine Doukas. He brings the young Constantine as his apprentice. 
• Offers and Negotiations. A reminder of the place of women, even those as beautiful or skilled as Empress Maria, in the Era.  
• The drunk Pyromancer suggests a viral idea in the Empress. Later on the session, Xenophon, the Privateer, offers companionship to a woman who’s served at the pleasure of Emperors.  (my signal was breaking up when I said this and the guys can’t hear)
• Cato’s relationship with Adonai developes. 
• Berthold’s Tracking – Tancredi’s secrets – meeting Nikephorous Milesenos and Bellanca Arenall. Nikephorous is meeting with two sets of agents. Berthold improves in Psychology, Area Knowledge, Intelligence Analysis (Espionage), Interrogation, and Acting by 1cp. 
• His encounter with Peter Aranal, “thief” instincts cant find words whats wrong. 
• Spending time researching Nikephorous Milisenos. 
• Vito’s Dealings with the Dalasenos. He gives up the “Empress” and lies to the Dalasenos that Bohemmond has dealing with Irene Doukas. (a lot of whispers being typed in the dead air).  
• Xenophon, courting the Empress. Xenophon gains 1 charisma while he is with her. A lot of her rubs off him, and he learns more about the court. He gains Politics 1cp, Savoir Faire 1cp, Area Knowledge: Constantinople 1cp, History: Dynasties 1cp, 
• Cato, and the Compromised Household.  
• Infiltrators in the Vorenus Household. (a lot of whispers) 
• After taking Constantine Doukas as an apprentice, and the Empress Maria leaves 
• Poison attempt on the household of Vorenus. 
• Konrads defends the household from Espionage. 
• Olek’s uncovers the lead poisoning Constantine and the food of the Party. He 
• Xeno and Peter, and the 20 men. 
• News of the Greek islands are asking for support. 
• The Fleet has been assembled with John Doukas and Constantine Dalasenos “the Old Admiral”. 
• Xeno wants to kill Peter, and prepared an Ambush. He holds off killing Peter when he sees how pathetic he is. He takes Peter on as a armsman when Peter shows him how good he is with the sword. 
• Cato confronts Dominic, with Olek. (3hr 30mins)
• Examines the Poisoned Palace 
• Dominic Vulnerable and Insecure 
• They get Dominic really drunk, and in a spring of Inspiration – Ship him to fight with John Doukas and Constantine Dalasenos. Olek becoming the administrator of his estate while he is gone. Xenos helps the team, get Dominic in the Ship through 
• Olek,begins his business in Opium.  
• Xeno’s and Rjogot
• Vito helps him find a Fine and Balanced hatchets, and Fine and Balanced Axes, and Fine and Balanced Spear.
• Rjogots’ Wife, investigations with Berthold and Vito.
• Vito manages to find the wife, Berthold investigates. They have their own intel, that the woman, a slave, seems to have a child with a Middle Class bureaucrat administrator in the city. She appears happy. 
• The two talk to Rjugot and Rjugot wants to see for himself. He stakes out the house and finds the intimacy of the husband with his wife uncomfortable, and notices she takes care of his ailing wife. When they break in, Rjugot leaves a tuff of a his hair and the symbol of his ship in hopes she would seek him out. The child wakes up to see him go, bright red hair common only to his people and not these. 
•  The Negotiation with Alexius Concludes. 
• Vito plays a card, that seems to pull the rug under the team. Despite the significant gains of the Party, the Emperor learns of the secrets and alliances of Bohemon and quickly does a lot to undue them. 
• Negotiations grid to a Halt, the emperor is trying to Starve out Bohemmond and despite the monumental efforts (Tied at a margin of 11 contested roll), bohemmon may need to agree to the lesser terms. Tancred plays his card, Nikepherous using his influence at the expense of the Emperor AND Bohemmond to resume talks and get them to agree. Bohemmon will say his Vows with a set back, Nikephorous entering the field and betraying him and the Emperor, leading the war at the front and probably STEALING all the victories from Bohemmond as well as the Titles and Lands these victories will convey. 
• To salvage the situation, Cato points out the agreement’s one flaw – IF the Emperor gets to ATTACK FIRST. This means if Bohemmond can take a Seljuk Occupied city, they can renegotiation terms from a position of Strength (among other advantages). With this new opportunity the Party assembles their sneak attack like crazy. 

Next Session is called “Back Stabbing” because thats what the party is doing to the Emperor by giving his Rival Bohemmond this opportunity to Win (and give them selves titles).