Session 0-5: Charlie's Prologue

No. Overall	No. in Book	Title	Original Recording Date
6	0-5	Session 0-5: Charlie's Prologue	Sept 14, 2025
Charlie is given an ultimatum: get married or watch his mother and her valet suffer for him. Terror grips him as he does his best to find a partner fast.

Characters Featured

• Byron Vanderbee, duke of Roseview
• Josiah, Ruth's valet
• Ruth Vanderbee, Charlie's mother and the Duchess of Roseview
• The Honorable Sasha Allard, heir to the Marvaud Barony, Laird Allard
• Izar Laporte, wealthy silk merchant from Toutoule

Items Acquired

None.

Detailed Summary

Charlie awakes in the midmorning, 9 AM, taking a hot bath to prepare for the day. He skips breakfast and finds himself going to meet Dean first thing in the morning.

As he walks outside, he hears whispers on the wind, and even the dogs as if they are speaking. The earth grounds him, makes him feel better, and he dismisses the whispers and voices as him simply being mentally ill.

Dean is playing ball with the dogs, and greets Charlie with enthusiasm. The dogs jump on Charlie as the two men chat about the upcoming ball. Apparently the dogs are being readied to go hunting in the morning for anyone who stays overnight, so they're getting their off-duty time now. Charlie explains that he is depressed about the ball, as per usual, and the pair talk about him leaving. It's a distant "maybe" at best. Charlie offers to help at the kennel and the pair get cleaning, shoveling dog shit and putting down hay.

Afterwards, Charlie goes to visit his mother and Josiah. And then she smells him. They insist he cleans up a bit and he does, changing out his shoes and his gloves for fresh ones. Once again Charlie contemplates dying and he is chastised by his mother.

Ruth is examining some papers— and telling Charlie very sternly that it isn't something she wishes to discuss. "This time is different. Things are changing. I promise."

"What are you up to?"

"It's nothing you need to worry about."

Josiah serves pound cake and tea, and as they eat and chat... a Pin knocks on the door. She informs them that Charles Vanderbee is to be at the Duke's office at 6PM. Panicked, Charlie gets ready beforehand, gets fresh, puts on new clothes and attends his appointment.

At this time, Charlie has on his person:

• Peony seeds
• a Walking Copy of The Doctor's Travelogues XII
• A Vial of Mint Oil
• His silver pocket watch
• Josiah's bone knife

The appointment with Byron is intimidating. A low fire is crackling. Byron is smoking his pipe and then turns, demanding that Charlie sit. He obliges. A heavy silence hangs over them until Byron empties his pipe and leans on his cane, beginning to deliver an unfortunate speech.

"I know your mother's conspiring." He goes on the say that he knows that she is planning something, that she betrayed him, and if Charlie does not oblige, Byron will reveal that she is planning treason. Not only that, how he knows about her affair with Josiah. "She's betrayed me. I will need to make a spectacle to keep my dignity. Tonight after dessert, I will reveal her scheme."

He threatens to have Josiah caned to death in public and Ruth imprisoned... unless Charlie is engaged by dessert with someone who can bear an heir. A biological heir.

Charlie is dismissed, panicked, and he attends the ball with the weight of his mother and Josiah's fate on his shoulders. He is so panicked that it does not occur to him what his mother's affair may mean.

Sasha approaches first, displaying her assets, but Charlie can't quite get her name and is disgusted by how she shows off her young body. Still, she invites him outside to go stargazing— everyone seems to know about his affinity for it— and then they are intercepted by Izar.

Izar separates Charlie from the party and gives the elevator pitch: He is a silk merchant from Tourtoule, he'll take Charlie away alongside Ruth and Josiah, and Charlie will live comfortably and be allowed to practice medicine. Charlie, more attracted to men, enchanted by the old Istrian name Izar (Star), and very much taking the deal at face value in his desperation, agrees to marry Izar and will make the announcement during dessert.

They part and Sasha rejoins Charlie. She explains that she wants to marry high so that her sisters can be free of the obligation she has to marry rich and higher rank... but Charlie explains that marrying a young fifteen year old girl would not only be bad for him, but it would mean that Byron would have sexual access to several young girls. "I only need one child," Charlie says. "But you will end up having many."

She doesn't get it, so as Charlie denies her again, he says, "My father would fuck you until you're an inside out hole!"

Dinner occurs. It's a large, lavish dinner. Byron is at the head. Like most, Charlie avoids eating, and as soon as dessert is served, he jumps up and taps his silverware on his glass. He begins to announce his engagement, and then a light brightens in the middle of the table, forming into a four-pointed star that resolves into a woman: Thandi.

Thandi approaches him as she stands on the table, and she says what everyone is thinking. "You have cat ears."

"I... I have cat ears. I... This is not even the weirdest thing about the entire day." Charlie turns and still says, "Well, I'm getting married!"

Thandi realizes her error... and then she apologizes as she takes him.

World Notes

• East Istrian parties are filled with fucking and drug laced foods/drinks.
• East Istrian nobles consider 15 marrying age, which is when children enter Society for the first time.
• Charlie is taller than the Duke, who is 5'8" to Charlie's 6'5". As a result, Charlie is required to sit in his presence.
• Pins are Roseview's "elite" servants, who are on the Duke's payroll and serve him directly.

etc