Silver Insanity

Willoughby finds a likely-looking table and, paying no attention to the students, begins to set out heavily-laden silver trays, drawing them out of the air matter-of-factly, as if unloading some purely ethereal cart. Soon the table is occupied largely by grapes, dates, several different types of biscuits*, little triangular sandwiches with the crusts trimmed off of them, cheeses, and, underlying these, a dense and clannish population of doilies. The preparations completed, he pulls a rather spartan chair from nowhere and sits on it. For the second time in Ametrine's memory, Willoughby smiles broadly, addressing the entire room.

"Hello and good day," he says, to nobody in particular. "I have, as I believe it is said, 'brought snacks.' "


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*Cookies. They're called "biscuits" here, and it seemed more appropriate somehow.

Ametrine excuses himself to acquire some snacks. After all, it would be rude not to.

Ametrine: The game is apparently called "Scorm", and that's all you're able to find out about it before it dissolves in favor of free food.

Mr. Willoughby: By the time you're done setting up, you have the attention of almost everyone in the room. Your pronouncement earns a ragged cheer, and the students descend on the table like starving vultures.

Well - most of them, anyway. One silver-haired elven sorceress pauses by your chair and asks, "And to whom do we owe the honor of this fine repast?"

"My name is Mr. Willoughby, madam. My purpose here is a formal one, but I prepared some refreshments regardless; I have a certain fondness for this place. How shall I address you?"

"I am Sylvia Starshadow." She matches her words with a formal curtsey,

"I am most pleased to make your acquaintance, Ms. Starshadow. Would you like me to pull up a chair?"

"And I'm Ametrine! Do you know how to play Scorm?"

"While that is a most generous offer," she waves a hand and a nearby chair floats over to her, "It is not necessary."

To Ametrine: "I will admit to some passing familiarity with the game; do you play?"

"I'm trying to learn, but nobody's taught me."

Ametrine looks over at the people consuming the food, then back to Starshadow. "Are you sure the food isn't necessary? They all look pretty hungry to me."

"'Not necessary' was in reference to Mr. Willoughby's offer to pull up a chair. The food is, of course, appreciated; I will certainly partake of it once the crowd thins out a bit."

"If you have a few hours free, I could teach you the basics. Assuming you are, in fact, a spellcaster; playing Scorm without at least some magical ability is... tricky."