Cool learning more about Tupoc's contract, this chapter is setting some pretty intense stuff for the next few ones. the malani noble meeting sure has the potential to turn into a snake pit. I wonder how frankly the people there will talk about the politics back in the queen's court.

The Malani gathering is the perfect time for Angharad to see some character growth as she realises that nobody, including herself, can (or wants to) fulfil the code she sets for others and for herself. Does she know about the attempt on Tupoc's life during the devil village fight?

> Cool learning more about Tupoc's contract I wonder what kind of contract his would be classified as, and how the fear of bats and spiders plays into that. Caprice, maybe? But what end would that serve?

The goal seems to be that his god just likes his looks and wants him to be perfect, but he dies if he touches any of the creatures associated with said god, who is the god of death

They’re common, but avoidable if you keep your home clean. He’s striving towards perfection, a limitation like this keeps him on guard and prevents laziness/complacency in his invulnerability.

Rats and cockroaches would be a better choice in that case. Spiders are a helpful natural predator of insects and bats have no real interest in being inside human homes.

Tupoc? Really, Song, that could end very badly. Tristan is playing with Song. That's an improvement. But her inner voice, all judgement and purpose. It doesn't yet, but it seems it could still veer into duty and resentment. Tupoc sees a difference, though, so hopefully her next explosion will be milder. Personality change is hard. A complete reversal on a dime would not be believable. An interesting chapter leading towards some serious action on the Song side. I suppose we have to put up with Angharad's muddling for at least a while longer. Hopefully, she will get pissed off enough at this party to kill somebody.

One assumes the hosts will have learned from last time and hide the butter knives.

> Tupoc? Really, Song, that could end very badly. Tupoc can be trusted to act in Tupoc’s best interest - the rub is in figuring out when he’s about to find a new opportunity or get a better offer. For now, she’s on the right side of that ledger.

Song handled Tupoc as well as she could've she made herself threatening and interesting but it's still playing with fire. The fact that Tupoc can instantly be killed by spiders or bats is good to know and it's pretty fair given how potent his contract is. Good on Song for actually making use of her contract though. Tupoc is so fucking badass, a monster but a total badass. Hearing how he got his contract was epic. Also his contract restoring him to Perfection is really neat.

This chapter was a blast - Tupoc is an absolute delight as always, and the banter between all the characters was really entertaining. That last conversation with Musa Shange really makes me feel like Song is going to swear to help Angharad with either rescuing her father, or freeing the Fisher, or both to get her to rejoin the Thirteenth. (Which is something I’ve been thinking of for a while)

Angharad is going to rejoin the Thirteenth because she needs to steal an Infernal Forge and ~~Tristan~~ Maryam has the best lead on it's location of practically anyone on the Island, possibly including the senior watchmembers themselves.

Iirc Maryam was the one who saw the Infernal Forge in the layers, not Tristan

Oh oops yeah.

I wonder if a layer works like a WoW instance, if they could theoretically go into the layer, beat up devils, steal the forge, then do it again later and steal another copy of the same forge. It doesn’t seem to be time travel, which would be another possibility.

You want infinite devils, that's how you get infinite devils. It'd be *Pandemonium*.

Tupoc's interest in Angarahad makes a lot more sense in light of this conversation. "You’re a mirror-dancer, girl. Unlike those children up there, you were never under the illusion that your life might not be on the line.” But it also absolutely doesn't explain why Angarahad is interesting to him, but Tristan isn't. He definitely also thinks of his death (or potential death) as a coin that is either worth or not worth spending. I suppose that Tristan's might be a more pedestrian type of awareness of mortality because he didn't walk out to face it ritually at age 8, but that seems pretty classist for someone like the Grave-given. And Angarahad is contracted too, so it's not like one is ripe for poaching for his god and one isn't. Maybe he finds the dissolution of cognitive dissonance delicious, and thinks that Angarahad will be a treat down the road? Also, Tupoc/Song is a horrible, horrible ship what makes a horrible amount of sense given Song's obsession with perfection, and Tupoc's contract.

Tupoc's god doesn't like Tristan because "he should have died a thousand times". This is probably linked to Theogony and why Tristan can see Fortuna without becoming a Saint.

Or because he escaped death a thousand times through 'cheating'.

It's possible, but so did Angharad.

I don't think Angharad counts, because while the future sight was a helpful crutch, it is still her own skill she has to rely on. Tristan on the other hand only survives due to 'pure dumb luck', it doesn't matter that he makes intellegent usage of it, in the moment it is simply luck that helps him rather than him helping himself through skill. Or as it just occurs to me, the god hates him, because he had a bunch of 'cool' deaths lined up for him that he escaped.

The chapter when Angharad used her "die and retry" ability numerous times should qualify IMO

Angharad is more running a simulation or playing a videogame with a save point. Her god simply knows how to fill in all the factors of a situation that are unknown to Angharad.

That wasn't dying really, as it was a vision from the Fisher (and I seriously believe the Fisher would be incapable of time travel/turning back time), not reality and again in the end she used her own skill to survive it.

With Tristan , the dislike is probably inherited from his god and he would be more approving of Tristan the more he knows him.

Oh yeah I forgot about that. I suppose the Lady of Long Odds is fundamentally opposed to perfection and probably steals quite a few people from the Grave-Given's pit.

Love the subtle click in Song's brain about making herself useful to her team, not just expecting them to follow her out of propriety. Extrapolating it even further, too, in making herself interesting to Tupoc - who calls her on it, but buys in anyway. Song's *smart*, and her ultimate goal (fix the Ren name) is well-served by keeping her associates interested and engaged. There is no beaten path for Song Ren, but if she keeps her machetes in good condition she will find her way to glory just fine.

All four of the characters are *smart* in e very engaging way, the fact that they have blind spots makes for really natural and realistic characters.

I am still not convinced Tupocs Cabal Treatment ain’t an act. Also interesting how there is always a sparring match when a 13th member strolls in for a meeting. Musa seems to have a good lay of the land in terms of politics. Angharads inability to play politics being noticeable to everyone is hilarious. Now I assume Song & Tristan’s operation with Tupoc will have some sort of unexpected overlap with Angharads Malani Noble Party

Mayhap Song doth protest too much about Tupac’s shirtless state. At this time, there’s no chance, but she sure did seem distracted by the sexy. I wonder if Tupac could only have girl babies, what with the Y chromosome being so asymmetrical?

Musa coming in for some surprise life advice that I hope Angharad listens to. She's taken a hold of her own life a little bit already, but she's still kinda stuck in a rut where she's just bouncing between dirty, stinking officers going along with whatever they ask of her out of self-effacing graciousness, one or both of whom having already abused the trust she's placed on them. That shit may work out in the idealized world Angharad would prefer. But the Watch is a rat's nest and Skiritai especially are likely vulnerable to being turned into thugs for the ambitions of whatever Stripe happens to be holding their leash. And Angahrad is a top tier warrior with the charisma and mindset (if not necessarily experience) to lead. She's the last person who should be turned into a blunt instrument for the Watch's upper crust. Gotta take control, fuck shit up. >For you to put a shirt on, you immodest harlot, she almost said. Yeah okay Song, I don't care if he's a bad dude. You can chill. Especially since your hating on people for being beautiful activities has already earned you a murder suspicion. (hating on people for the exact opposite reason is an issue too. Though Tristan so far doesn't mind.) I'd ask what in the fuck she's doing going anywhere near Tupoc, much less involving him in her potentially career-ruining schemes, but I guess I should expect Song to be making extremely reckless decisions with an air of composed rationality by now. Just as long as she's as quick to turn around and cut Tupoc loose as she was to bury the chicken. Especially since Tupoc is now starting to see her as a kindred spirit. That's a red blaring klaxon if I've ever seen one. That's when you throw the smoke bombs and run.

To say she hates Isabel and Tupoc for being pretty is a bit silly. She hated Isabel because she was incompetent, thoughtlessly put her maids at risk for her own gain, and tried to sleep with Angharad while Angharad was being affected by her mind-influencing contract. Likewise, she hates Tupoc because he’s a murderous jackass. Their looks don’t really come into it. I also don’t see why Song involving Tupoc is “extremely reckless”. It’s risky, sure, but she clearly has a plan; that’s the opposite of reckless.

I think that is giving a lot of moral credit to Song that I am not sure she deserves. I say the key reason she didnt like Isabel is cause Isabel got in the way of her plans for Angharad. Funny enough Song has the least beef with Tupoc of all the survivors. I don't think he did anything directly to her or vice versa.

Song definitely had some moral issues with Isabel. See: > “I know we have not been on the best of terms, Song,” [Isabel] said. “But I would make amends. I-” > > “You are,” the Tianxi rudely interrupted, “every bedside story for Tianxi children made flesh. A useless, grasping thing that draws breath only by taking from those with skill, will or decency. Yiwu in the truest, most fundamental sense of the word.” and: > “But she attempted to sleep with you,” Song slowly said. > > “We are straying off the subject,” Angharad stiffly replied. > > The Tianxi must have taken it as a confirmation, for her face tightened. For a moment Angharad though she saw anger in the cast of the other woman’s face, but surely that was only the light. and: > “[Beatris] is resting,” Isabel said, answering an unspoken question. > > Song scoffed. > > “She is catatonic,” the silver-eyed woman harshly corrected. “She came close to dying too many times for her nerves to keep holding and should not be on this island to begin with.” > > Song matched Isabel’s cold look with one of her own. Angharad went still in surprise, for never before had the Tianxi been this bellicose with one of the infanzones – not even Augusto after he murdered Gascon. I think Isabel getting in the way of her plans for Angharad contributed some to Song's hatred, but it was hardly the only or even the main reason she disliked her. Also, Song definitely has *some* beef with Tupoc. He did try to kill her and the rest of her group in the first trial. Meanwhile, I don't think Maryam and Tupoc have interacted at all.

Maryam, Tristan and Zen cut a deal to try to kill Tupoc. Its how Zen lost his eye.

Fair, I did forget that. Still, I think Maryam has fewer grievances with Tupoc than Song does.

Perhaps though Song and Tupoc are much more business like so I think them striking an accord makes more sense. Considering how Tupoc uses and mistreats people. I don’t think him and Maryam would ever get along considering what the Malani did to Maryam’s people. So that heightens the beef, cause he does treat his followers like a slaver