Session 1

Catherine's cousin, Susanna, was getting married to a rich man in Canyonville, Leopold Jones, so he paid the way for the entire family to come to the wedding. He also engaged the circus Lee is with to perform, and Francis lives in Canyonville.

The fiance kept micromanaging, and Susanna wasn't happy about that. So, Catherine, Spirit of Democracy, interfered, saying that he should let her make some decisions or something like that, and took a Consequence of having annoyed Mr. Jones.

Lee did a tightrope act, but discovered that the rope had been cut! The bold circus performer tried to slide down the rope, and, despite discovering that it was being greased, succeeded with style, making it look like it was All Part of the Act.

Francis talked enthusiastically to Lee about the wonderful tightrope act. Why, the only thing better, he said, would be if Lee jumped onto a horse at the end! Lee, a city kid, was dubious.

Undaunted, Francis went to the stables, where he helped a Mr. Enoch Ashwood carry in a trunk or two, and Mr. Ashwood cheerfully helped Francis saddle the best horse in the stable, which just happened to be Mr. Jones's favorite horse.

And riding a horse was great -- why, the only thing better would be riding an elephant!

Somewhere in there, folks became aware that about half a dozen monkeys had somehow gotten loose from the circus and were running over the house and grounds. Lee and Francis swung into action, winding up with a success with style and two free tags on We Found the Monkeys. Naturally, this involved an elephant somehow getting out of its cage, which meant Francis was forced, forced, I tell you, to ride that elephant, yep, yesiree.

Catherine may or may not have helped. Lee certainly climbed a tree after one monkey while Francis chased another along the back of an elephant, with an Aspect or Consequence that went from Whole Lot of Elephant! to All Out of Elephant! Catherine's mother got the veiled bride out of the path of all of the animals.

Meanwhile, Catherine went to the stables for reasons I forgot, and got into a conversation with Enoch Ashwood, as Lee hid and listened in. Enoch learned that Catherine was born on January 1, 1900 -- a surprise to Lee, who'd been born on the same day. Catherine decided that Enoch was A Swell Guy, which meant that when Lee was discovered, Catherine didn't believe Lee's claims that obviously, Enoch had released horses, monkeys, and elephants, and had tried to kill Lee, cutting and greasing the young acrobat's rope!

Catherine manhandled -- womanhandled? kidhandled? -- Lee out of the stables to where the veiled bride was waiting for the wedding. Then, someone found Susanna in the stables, a little confused. But, if Susanna was in the stables, who was under the veil?

Why, a monkey, of course!

Francis's Player: Don't tell me there's someone underneath the monkey!

GM: Of course there is!

It was Giovanni Reyanard, son of Serafina, the head of the circus. Giovanni was an animal tamer, and unknown to all, even himself, was the Shadow of Discovery.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ashwood was gone, with his two trunks, a coach, and Mr. Jones's favorite horse. Lee, Catherine, and Francis realized they all had the same birthday. Maybe they could all be in a January 1st club together, solving mysteries, like the one about Mr. Ashwood. He seemed a swell guy to Catherine and Francis, but Francis trusted Lee. Still, surely, Mr. Ashwood had some explanation.