presents...
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The etiquette of coming and going is rendered more complex in Theah by the ability of Montaigne's high nobility to travel through sorcerous rips in reality.
ArrivalsCrowned heads get nervous at the thought of parties unknown suddenly appearing in their dining rooms and halls. Even though Portal sickness renders most people incapable of action immediately after Walking, the fear of some iron-willed assassin striding through remains.When someone is carrying a travel token (a blooded object to which a Portier could Walk), it is good manners to introduce the travel token to your host, along with yourself and the rest of your party. The Portier who blooded the token, along with any guests he or she is expected to bring, should be named. Most hosts will thoughtfully provide a secure room in which to store it, where the Portier can arrive (and recover from Portal sickness) out of sight of the hoi polloi. If you don't trust your host with the travel token, you'd better not introduce it. Portiers Walking to such a token should, in general, not bring unexpected guests with them. They should arrive, have themselves announced as if they had just shown up at the front door, and then ask about uninvited guests. If their token was not introduced, they should possibly see about discretely exiting the palace or castle and re-entering via the main doors.
DeparturesUnless the sensibilities of one's host are well-known, it is never good etiquette to tear open a Portal and Walk away. The sight and sound of a Portal disturbs many people, even in Montaigne. The polite thing to do is to take one's leave of one's host and then, rather than exiting to one's carriage, retreating to the token room where one arrived. Once there, one can Walk home in private.
Master PortiersMaster Portiers can take others with them through a Portal. This is a considerable favor to ask. If nothing else, it places the Portier in the role of a ferryman - not something a high noble cares to be! It is far better to hint broadly that one needs to get somewhere quickly, and then let the Portier make the offer to Walk one there. (The Portier, of course, must have a travel token or other blooded object at the desired endpoint.)
And there is a physical danger. If the tagalong does something stupid like open his eyes, the Portier will also pay the price. If a Master Portier offers one a Walk, he or she is entirely entitled to insist on safety precautions like blindfolds or hoods. A few go as far as to insist on tying hands together at the wrist, to ensure that someone unaccustomed to the Walkway and the whispers of the succubi doesn't let go of the Portier's hand and become lost.
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