Tag Archives: Cheever McFarland

The Gate That Locks the Tree – Act 9, Scene 1

In the Hall of the Mountain King

In which Vertu Dysan greets the new day.

With Toragin’s solution, the authors are doing a thing they’ve done a few times before: establishing the outline of the solution, but leaving the details to be filled in later in case a later story should suggest a particular detail.
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The Gate That Locks the Tree – Act 8, Scene 2

In the Hall of the Mountain King
Enter Joey

In which the guests are settled for the night.

Joey, despite being in the stage directions, is not listed in the dramatis personae. But then again, neither are any of the other cats, except Chelada.

Vertu started out the story thinking of the unregulated cab drivers as something that might need to be addressed at some point. Now, having seen how much trouble an untrained driver can get himself and his passengers into, it’s become pressing business for Boss Gotta. Or, no, not quite for Boss Gotta, if we take Boss Gotta as being the person who’s gotta do it because they happen to be present when there’s nobody around whose job it is; as Vertu says to Jemie, in this situation they are the people whose job it is.

The Gate That Locks the Tree – Act 6, Scene 2

In the shadow of the Tree

In which the number of Vertu’s passengers increases again.

“Salmo’s Fire” is St. Elmo’s Fire, a weather phenomenon related to lightning; Yulie’s description of what it is and how it happens covers the basics. He doesn’t mention, since it’s outside his experience, but on Earth it’s particularly associated with the masts of ships, which is why it’s named after the patron saint of sailors.
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The Gate That Locks the Tree – Act 5, Scene 1

In the Hall of the Mountain King

In which Korval prepares to receive guests.

We have not previously encountered Finifter’s Shave, the ship that brought Toragin and Chelada to Surebleak, but the planet Finifter has been mentioned a couple of times. It’s one of the stops on Tan Sim’s trade route in Trade Secret, and one of the planets discussed in Culture Club in Saltation.
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The Gate That Locks the Tree – Act 1, Scene 2

In Vertu’s taxicab
Enter Yulie, Mary, Anna, Rascal

In which everyone is going to the same place.

Apparently the hill at the end of the Port Road is now named Undertree Hill — or perhaps that’s just what the Bedel call it and Yulie has picked it up from them.
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The Gate That Locks the Tree – Act 1, Scene 1

In the house of the taxi driver
Enter Vertu and Cheever

In which Vertu Dysan greets the new day.

The story is subtitled “A Minor Melant’i Play for Snow Season”, which offers a hint at what it’s likely to be about. Melant’i plays involve dramatic consquences revolving around points of correct behaviour; the examples we’ve had described seem to generally end with dead bodies, and sometimes with buildings burning to the ground.
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Accepting the Lance – Chapter 93

Mercantile Building

In which the Boss Vote is concluded.

And that, more or less, is that. There’s still the outcome of the TerraTrade survey to be announced, but that’s looking more predictable now than it did a few chapters ago. And Lady yo’Lanna’s housewarming party. And, maybe, a progress report on Memit’s rabbit hunt.

Accepting the Lance – Chapter 90

Surebleak Port

In which Boss Surebleak’s plan is revealed.

So, no shocking twist regarding Boss Surebleak’s identity. Different shocking twist instead.
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Accepting the Lance – Chapter 85

Jelaza Kazone

In which we cannot know whether Cheever would like to be Road Boss until we ask.

All these chapters where the delm and the Road Boss are getting ready to start the day provide some structure and sense of time passing, but it makes it hard to keep coming up with new chapter descriptions.

I was still a bit worried about the scene in Flourpower, because it felt a bit more significant than the scene itself warranted — I don’t know if that makes sense — as if in addition to the actual events it was also setting up for something. But if what it was setting up for was a Turtle visiting Flourpower and meeting the Hooper, I’m less worried.

Accepting the Lance – Chapter 73

FlourPower Bakery

In which the snow removal team has more than snow on their minds.

We haven’t had a scene set in FlourPower since back when it featured in “Skyblaze”.
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