Part 34: Iliana’s Crash Course in Zoology

Nivelos 1-7





Vrenelle finally managed to talk you into a pickup game of rimbal today, and now you find yourself tired, sore, and covered in mud. The first two you can withstand, but the latter you find completely unacceptable. And you with no clean robes at the moment.

One of the things people always neglect to describe to someone about to become a student living on her own is the absolute joy of doing your own laundry. Then again, you are in a school for mages. Maybe it’s time you applied some magic to the problem?



A bit risky given Iliana’s incomplete understanding of Enchanting, but a risk worth taking if I may say so.

You decide to try to enchant your clothing to be self-cleaning. You start scribing the phemes in the air, all the while feeling very pleased with your own cleverness.

Just as you had hoped, all the muck and grime accumulated from a day’s worth of scheming and exploits begin to disappear. Soon, your clothes are as good as new! You’ll have to get to the rest of your wardrobe next.



Once again you are up past midnight in the Aranaz common room. This time there are no bedsheets to be found; having gotten onto the student council, you’ve convinced Emilia that disguises are no longer necessary (much to Basia’s delight).

…And I don’t want the whole college tainted with this plot in case we get caught. That’s why I only picked the three of you to help me.
Well, isn’t it all over anyway? We’ve got our Aranaz student on the council.
Oh no, it’s only just begun. Ana, how would you say the council meetings have been?
Boring. I didn’t think the professors would give us any real power, but it’s even worse than I thought. We spend the whole time arguing about trivial things so we can make “recommendations” to the staff.
Exactly. That’s why we need to create a secret society. This group will threaten to overthrow the council. Then you’ll stop them and be a hero. You’ll point out that the student council needs more power to deal with insurrections. Then you’ll create the Committee of un-Academagian Activities, make yourself the board leader, and then you can investigate any student for conspiracy.

You take a moment to smile inwardly. It sounds even more dastardly when Emilia says it.

Um, everyone? I think we’re being spied on.

Suddenly, Lambert Cobo pops up from behind some chairs. With a sardonic grin, he says:

Why, I am shocked! A conspiracy to create a conspiracy? That’s very naughty, especially for some upstanding Aranaz students. However will the student council cope with such bad behavior from its own members?

Quick, how can you convince Lambert not to tattle?



First, some character background.

You try and remember all you know about Lambert. You recall hearing someone describe him as not a very good spy (though obviously he was good enough to get into Aranaz after hours). Much like the rest of Durand, Lambert has a strong grudge against your college, so he won’t be easy to dissuade. You’ll have to keep your wits about you to combat him.

Kind of more helpful as a character summary than for changing the odds. Lambert’s a reasonable guy, though, isn’t he?

Emilia is shocked into silence, Basia is simply glaring, and Carmine looks worried. Seems like it’s up to you to salvage the situation.

Fortunately, Lambert is missing a crucial piece of information: he still thinks your position on the council is completely legitimate. Although he spends a lot of time sneaking around (and getting into other colleges’ common rooms at night), he’s not so great at putting two and two together.

Very well. Go ahead, Lambert. Tell everyone what you heard here tonight.

Lambert raises his eyebrows, clearly not expecting you to say that.

Of course, no one will believe you.
Ha! No one ever believes me at first! But lucky for me, I’m patient, I’m great at repeating myself, and I was dropped on my head as a kid so often I don’t know when I’m beat. What else you got?
Oh, please. You’re just thinking personally. But a Durand student telling everyone about an Aranaz conspiracy? Especially since Durand obviously has a vendetta on Aranaz for getting one of theirs off the council for wrongdoing? Maybe, just maybe the other Durand students will believe you, but no one who matters will think that Aranaz is fueling a fake secret society.

Lambert looks more unsure now. You’ve clearly deflated his bravado.

Well played. Your scumminess has clearly defeated my own.

You give Lambert a rather sarcastic farewell, and he walks out of the room scratching his head. Once you’re sure he’s gone, Emilia breathes a sigh of relief.

See, this is exactly why I wanted disguises! Well, I’ll have to adjust my plans a bit to keep Lambert off the trail, but I think we can still make this work. I’ll send out some instructions soon. Ana? I could use your help brainstorming.





At last, you’ve got it!

It took some research, a few well-chosen bribes, and a healthy dose of numerology study, but you’ve finally come up with a sure calculation that will tell you whether your afternoon classes will teach you anything useful on a given day. Now you’ll be able to skip classes completely guilt free while still learning enough for exams! You only wish you had been able to come up with this sooner.

Or, in other words, I’m checking the skill stats after every day and adding a different action if nothing goes up from afternoon classes. I won’t be doing this continuously (ha ha, that's a lie), but when Iliana has to learn something like Zoology 5 in a hurry, this’ll be a good way to speed things along.



As if eager to prove its worth, the calculation proves that today will be dull and pointless, so instead you head down to the hidden Library of Manetele to look up some books on cats. It took you entirely too long on Sunday to teach Captain Felix a bit about Persuasion, and you’re determined to find out how to make things go faster.

Then again, you think to yourself a few hours later, whom do I already know who can teach a ton of skills all at once?



It is good to see you once again, Iliana. I understand I have two congratulations in order: congratulations first for crafting a treaty the pirates would sign, and congratulations second for making it onto the student council well after the voting ended.
Thanks, but the treaty was really all you. Kaidlette even told me that their favorite part was the council you suggested.
Nonsense. All thinking creatures must learn from their elders, and the mark of intelligence is simply to understand what is worth using, and what must be created new. A poor student would have discarded my idea, or made it unacceptable to the pirates. You are worthy of whatever praise the treaty gives you. But what brings you to me today?
Oh, it’s my cat. See, I’ve decided that he should do something useful for once, but it’s taking forever to train him! I can use numerology to Bond quickly, but it takes so long just to teach him one thing! That’s when I remembered how you can teach me four different things in the same amount of time. Can you help me?
I see, yes. First, you should know that teaching a young girl and teaching an animal are two different things. While your cat is a Familiar and much smarter than its kin, it is still also a cat. Tell me, do they teach you much Zoology?
I suppose, but I’m not in that class.
I see. While your familiar is a cat, I should add that your cat is also a familiar, and you will need a wider grounding than simply studying Mammals. Perhaps Amphibians today?
If you say so. Oh, by the way, do future plans count as information for your price?
Hmm. Future information is inherently worth less than past, as the future has the unfortunate habit of changing when you least expect it. Still, if you have something substantial, concrete, and detailed, I would be willing to accept it as your price. I suppose I will have to wait for later to hear the rest of your adventure on the floating isle.

Feeling a little bit crazy for expecting the Sphinx to care about the student council, you explain the plan that you and Emilia sketched out last night, as well as a few ideas regarding what you intend to do with your expanded powers. Much to your surprise, the Sphinx seems genuinely interested.

I see. You realize that, in reaching for more power, you are setting a very interesting precedent for those who come after you? Still, however it is used, I have always felt that giving youth a taste of power can be positive, and the Academagian student council has only the form of power, rather than the substance.
You have indeed paid your fee for today, so let us begin. We shall begin with Amphibians, as I proposed, and then perhaps move into more physical training. There is much of Acrobatics and Escape Artistry to be learned from frogs and newts, after all. Lastly, how goes your relations with the opposite gender?
Um…complicated?
I see. More knowledge of Dating, then. But first, come over to this window; it has an excellent view of a swamp here…





You are walking back to school after visiting the Imperial Palace. While intellectually you understand that the Sphinx must have other things to do beyond teach one young student, it still felt frustrating to be turned away at the gate like that. As it is, you’ll have to double-time it back to the Library of Manetele to get any useful studying done today.

Funny, the forest looks different at this time of day. You cock your neck to watch the small amount of sunlight that manages to maneuver its way through the canopy. Then your eyes catch a bird flying to her nest. But before you can follow the bird make it home, you run into something.

You appear to have reached a dead end. Several fallen trees are blocking your trail, rendering it impossible to go forward. You plop your backpack onto the ground as you consider your next move.

That’s when a monkey suddenly swings by, snatches your backpack and quickly scampers over the other side of the deadfall and down the path.



Revision is the most sure option, but is it the best option? Let’s see if Observation will get us something useful.

These fallen trees seem to be stacked pretty high. It clearly won’t be easy making it over. But you might just be able to make it if you move a few.

You’re feeling fairly strong and energized at the moment. Besides, you need to find that monkey quick to get your backpack!



Then again, maybe it’ll reveal a Brute Strength option. Iliana doesn’t really “do” Brute Strength, so Revision it is.

You cast a spell on a branch near the monkey, making it shine like a torch. The monkey is entranced by the light and drops the backpack, slowly making its way towards the branch instead. Meanwhile, you quietly climb over the broken trees and grab your bag.

When the spell wears off, the monkey realizes you tricked it. It shoots you an ugly glare before disappearing into the trees. You smile victoriously to yourself and continue on.





You’re walking past Professor Pachait’s office when you hear a strange noise. The instructor of zoology and the head of the Black Boar Club, Professor Pachait is something of a strange guy, so you aren’t too surprised, but when the noise gets louder and louder by the minute, you start getting kind of worried. Will you check out the noise or continue on your way?



Perception may have the worst odds, but it looks the most like an investigation, so let’s pick that.

You carefully scan the doorway and the hall just outside the professor’s office, looking for clues as to what’s going on inside. You find a brilliant white plume, hear a squawk inside the room, and immediately realize what’s happening. A pillow fight! Wait, that’s not it.



Despite the joke at the end there, Perception must have succeeded since that Confidence choice is new. May as well use it.

Feather in hand, you rush into Professor Pachait’s office. An enormous white gull is sitting on his desk looking rather put out. The bird squawks once more and glares at you when it sees you enter. You remain calm and wonder what could have this magnificent creature so perturbed. Once the gull settles enough to get a good look at you, it sees the feather in your hand and starts to cry loudly. Realizing it must belong to the bird, you hand over the feather with a gracious smile. The gull immediately snatches the feather out of your hand and flies out the window, but not before giving you what you think was a nod of acknowledgement.

Professor Pachait smiles at you and shakes your hand.

Wonderful, simply wonderful, girl! That there was a rare breed of gull which doesn’t grow any new feathers once it reaches adulthood. He was visiting me when it lost one of its precious pinions and he was absolutely frantic until you brought it back. Good job!

And a good job for me, too. This random event gave Iliana a free point in Birds, which is a generally more useful skill than Worms, which was the only other Zoology subskill she knew until now. Good thing I was waiting to boost Worms. It’s also a good thing I picked Observation, since this was another adventure where the contents of Pachait’s office are different in each ending. For the most part the occupant is a satyr, but this exit is the only way to get that point in Birds.



My dear, I apologize for being unavailable yesterday, and for not warning you beforehand. Occasionally an opportunity will arise for a limited period, and I do not have time to alert those who should know about my absence. Shall we continue our Amphibian studies today? Very good. Then if you have no more conspiracies in motion, I should like to hear more of your story on the tropical island. When I stopped you before, the gate was about to open and a chimera step through.

You don’t recall telling the Sphinx about the chimera, but you continue your story regardless. You explain how Vrenelle saved the day by tipping over the bowl of burning oil, allowing you and the pirates to flee to safety. You’re about to continue into your encounter with the Captain of Mineta, but the Sphinx stops you.

You have spoken enough for today, my dear. Leave your encounter with the Captain to another day. I must say, I am a bit disappointed your party got no further than I did. I, too, fought the chimera to a standstill, and I, too, was unable to discover what it was guarding. Oh, well. It shall remain a prize for greater adventurers than we.
Hang on, you mean you fought the chimera, too?
Of course. You recall last time how I mentioned choosing a different means of opening the gate? And do you remember some months ago when my leg was injured and my fur charred? Trophies of my experience, sad to say. I was rather hoping your larger party was at least partly more successful than I, but of course this is not something I demand of you, and it is certainly enough to pay your fee. In addition to Amphibians, I shall test your knowledge of the Everard Equation—I understand you have made some important strides in numerology. But your continued troubles with boys worries me; you must take control of your passions lest they take control of you. Perfumes may help, as will Dispassion. Did you know that one of your professors, de Canapiedra, keeps a “trophy room” where she collects all the rejection and discouragement letters she received over the years?
I remember hearing something about that, yeah, but the rhetoric professor is really hard to read.
And that is one reason she got as far as she has. You should read the notes sometime, if you can convince your professor to let you in. It would be very instructional in both Passion and Dispassion. But for now, we last left off on the lifecycle of frogs…





You are sitting at a table near the bar inside a new restaurant, called the Lamb Legs Tavern. As you wait for your friends to arrive, you look around the place. It’s a normal enough tavern. Tables are placed strategically around the large main room, a small stage is off to one side where performers can entertain the patrons, and a sturdy bar takes up almost an entire wall with a doorway leading into the kitchen at the farthest end from you.

You’re drawn out of your little examination by the sound of a metal stein being slammed against the bar. Your attention turns to the plump man holding the mug who is gesticulating wildly with his free hand.

You feel the urge to giggle at the spectacle, but you know it would be most inappropriate. Suddenly, you see the man’s hand flail just a bit too hard and knock over an elaborate vase on a pedestal near the end of the bar.

Quick! Will you try and save the vase?



Athletics is basically out, but look at that Planning option!

Of course your wand is at hand. Anybody with better wits than a beer stein knows to keep something as helpful and powerful as a wand always at the ready.



And now the magic options have appeared. Time to Revise a solution.

Pulling out your wand, you point it toward the vase and draw up the phemes even as it arcs through the air. Moments before it crashes on the floor, the vase turns into a rock, which hits the ground with a simple “thunk.”

When you dispel the Revision, the vase returns to its original shape without a hint of damage. What a brilliant use of your wits and wand!

The tavern owner, a wiry woman with large eyes and poofy hair, rushes over to you and gingerly picks up the vase. She lavishes her thanks upon you, explaining that the vase has been passed down in her family for generations. Since you saved it, she promises you all the free desserts you could possibly want whenever you return. Not a bad deal at all! Your friends will be so jealous.



Unfortunately, when you describe what happened to the Sphinx, although she is amused, she declares the vase-rock recovery insufficient for her price.

Just tell me what happened after you fled the temple on the tropical isle. I have heard a version of what occurred from my agents in the city guard, but I’m certain you have new insights.

And so you explain how you came across the Captain of Mineta, who had managed to surprise the pirates and almost tracked down the away team. Thankfully, you managed to overcome his resistance and put him to sleep, allowing the pirates to ransom him back to his men in exchange for freedom and safe passage. Feeling a bit of heat creeping up your neck, you finish by explaining how the Captain probably only agreed to the ransom because he thought you and your friends’ safety was also part of the deal, and Kaidlette had to explain how you were on their side the whole time.

That does explain some things, yes. I suppose you must be thankful your treaty succeeded; now you might claim you only sought the pirates’ trust in order to broker the deal and bring peace.
I think a lot of people already believe that. I guess it’s hard to understand why an Academagia student would hang out with pirates.
All the better, then. In addition to Birds, today I shall continue your training in Worldliness by showing you some items from across the old empire. This may take some time, so we will not study additional subjects, although you should learn something of Magical Appraisal in the process. Not to mention a few of the more common languages. Follow me.





As you page through a book on analyzing potions, distracted from your study of birds, your mind wanders back to what the Sphinx once told you about a meeting place for your Clique. While you’re sure Emilia and Rui da Casga are the only other member who knows about the Library of Longshade, Emilia only comes here occasionally, Rui never comes unless he’s brought, and you yourself have been coming here less and less since you found the Sphinx.

Still, it’s just about the perfect place for your Clique to meet in secret. Hardly anyone comes here (barring the occasional tattletale), the library is mostly clean and rat-free, and best of all, there’s plenty of space for all sorts of misadventures.

Yes, this really is the best place to meet together. You’ll have to let everyone know tomorrow.



No new developments? Then we shall fall back upon the traditional methods.

This instrument can make any sound and be heard by all, but touched and seen by none.

Never touched or seen…but if not…inside of…oh! A voice!
Correct.
Now it’s my turn. I got a whole bunch of riddles saved up!

To one with few options, I am all the world,
But much has happened for lack of me.

Ah, a play on aphorisms. Today we shall finish your studies of Mammals, and perhaps some Architecture will give you a better…perspective. But the voice is a very subtle instrument; for instance, you would never know how much Innuendo is hidden in Famous Speeches unless you knew what to look for. Let us begin with King Durand’s famous declaration to King Aranaz…





Thanks for coming, everyone. I just wanted to take a moment to officially declare the Library of Longshade to be the meeting spot for the Five-Handed Tree. It’s just about the perfect spot in my opinion. Any objections?
Blah blah blah.
Blah BLAH!
Blah blah blah blah?
Blah blah blah.
Rats.

Your ears prick up for a moment and you look around, but it must have been a false alarm. The blasted human was just cursing again.

It’s another perfect day to be a cat. There’s no Familiar work to be done, the sun is streaming in from the window onto your perfect resting spot, and all you need to do is bask in its glory. You’ve made yourself perfectly comfortable and are just relaxing back into a glorious stupor when you hear it. What is that noise?

Your ears are standing straight up now, twitching every few seconds as you locate the exact source of that noise. Scratching. The most annoying scratching. A peculiar, annoying scratching that’s coming from the far side of the nearest wall. At first you try to ignore it, but it’s no use; you can’t doze with that sound going on.

There’s no way you can meditate on the meaning of life with such noisy irritants! Who or whatever dares disturb your basking will have to be dealt with. Of course, your human rarely lets you leave her sight. You’ll have to get her to let you leave, first.



Sadly, the Observation check only leads to a harder Manipulation check. Plus this is why I chose Persuasion back when, after all.

Well, might as well go for the obvious. You leap down from your perch on the bookshelf and head to the break in the shelves closest to the infernal scratching. Your human doesn’t seem to have even noticed that you’ve moved. But then you know a sure-fire way to get her attention.

In the most obnoxious pitch you can muster, you start meowing for attention. You continue to yowl again and again, using your basic understanding of human speech rhythms to time your complaints for the most annoying interruptions. Eventually the other humans start complaining to yours, and she demands you to hush up, but you still need to get out, so you continue to meow as loudly as you can, despite all threats.

Finally, you have stretched your human’s patience as far as it will go. She picks you up and hucks you over the nearest bookshelf, which happily takes you in the direction you wanted to go. You’re a bit perturbed and ruffled by the manhandling, but at least you can go exploring now.

Did you really just throw your cat over the shelves?
He was being annoying! And he’ll be fine, I’ve seen him jump that far on his own.
And that’s why I said we shouldn’t bring him to meetings. A cat is nothing but trouble.
Hey, now, just because your Familiar is a cow doesn’t mean the rest of us—
I named my Familiar “Cow.” As a joke, you know? He’s actually just a spider.
You know, mine’s a spider too…
Oh, neat! Mine’s a firetail rabbit. How about you, Tacito?
Sentry owl. A pretty good fit for me, really.
Hey, you mind if we get back to business here? So I was thinking, now that I’m on the student council…



There is much to teach you today, so let us get straight to business:

Two in a whole and four in a pair,
And six in a trio you see.
Eight in a quartet shows what you must get,
For the name that fits just one of me.

If it’s always double the number…then half?
I’ll admit, that was an easy one. How will you respond?


In my absence, men fight and die,
But in my presence, they sit and speak.
I am light as any feather,
Yet I weigh more than any sword.

Still thinking about that?
Well, of course.
Of course. When I have taught you about Birds today, I believe you shall know enough to learn how to properly handle your Familiar. In addition, I shall teach you more tips on Driving a Carriage, and we shall also continue your lessons on the Captivity of Man. Now, where we left off, I was explaining how the Dragons used human kings to enact their will. Your patron Aranaz was once among their number, though late into the period…

Gains of the Week

First Principles increased by 1.
--Irrational pheme learned.
Debate increased by 1.
--Learned about Debate Club Meeting.
Successful adventure!
--Reason increased by 1 step.
----Ampliphy pheme learned.
Successful event!
--Theory of Enchantment increased by 1 step.
----Lubrication pheme learned.
Vrenelle used Compete; Aranaz merit now at 268.

Studied at Manetele.
--Mammals increased by 1 step.
--Revision Phemes increased by 1 step.
--Armorer increased by 1 step.
----Study Armor action learned.
Matched Wits with the Emperor’s Sphinx.
--Dating increased by 1 step.
----Compatible pheme learned.
--Amphibians increased by 1 step.
----Learned about Ardica River’s Edge.
----Zoology increased by 1.
------Animal pheme learned.
--Escape Artist increased by 1 step.
----Finesse pheme learned.
--Acrobatics increased by 1 step.
----Sleight-of-Hand increased by 1.

Ink Compounds increased by 1.
--Ink Devotee ability learned.
Character increased by 1.
--Character skill maxed!
--Unshakable Resolve spell learned.
The Calamities increased by 1.
--Gained Emergency Preparedness Ring.
--Learned about the above.
The Middle Empire increased by 1.
--Maxtentius, Catalog available.
--History increased to 9.
----Parental Approval increased by 25.
Studied at Manetele.
--Mammals increased by 1 step.
----Mammal pheme learned.
--Theory of Revision increased by 1 step.
--Jeweler increased by 1 step.
----Guild Glit, Merchant available.

Studied at Manetele.
--Amphibians increased by 1 step.
--Revision Spells increased by 1 step.
----School Conquest spell learned.
--Courage increased by 1 step.
Matched Wits with the Emperor’s Sphinx.
--Dispassion increased by 1 step.
----Learned about Violante de Canapiedra’s Trophy Room.
--Amphibians increased by 1 step.
--Perfumes increased by 1 step.
--The Everard Equation increased by 1 step.
Successful event!
--Birds increased by 1 step.
--Relationship with Regnault Pachait increased to 1.
Vernin college wins again.

Revision Phemes increased by 1.
--Progress pheme learned.
--Revision increased by 1.
Studied at Manetele.
--Amphibians increased by 1 step.
----Trap Amphibian action learned.
--Theory of Revision increased by 1 step.
--Armorer increased by 1 step.
Matched Wits with the Emperor’s Sphinx.
--Worldliness increased by 1 step.
----Learned about Vilocian (Language).
----Learned about Oncestrian (Language).
----Heraldry increased by 1 step.
------Parental Approval increased by 10.
--Birds increased by 1 step.
----Johan’s Avian Delivery Service, Catalog available.
----Zoology increased by 1 step.
------Analogue pheme learned.
--Magical Appraisal increased by 1 step.
Successful event!
--Revision Phemes increased by 1 step.

Studied at Longshade.
--Birds increased by 1 step.
----Air pheme learned.
----Zoology increased by 1.
------Agriculture pheme learned.
------Learned about Academagia: Stables.
--Analyze increased by 1 step.
----Willy’s Analytical Assisters, Catalog available.
Studied at Manetele.
--Birds increased by 1 step.
----Bird Call action learned.
----Zoology increased by 1.
------Harm pheme learned.
--Theory of Revision increased by 1 step.
--Jeweler increased by 1 step.
Matched Wits with the Emperor’s Sphinx.
--Architecture increased by 1 step.
--Mammals increased by 1 step.
----Loyalty pheme learned.
--Innuendo increased by 1 step.
----Tight pheme learned.
--Famous Speeches increased by 1 step.
----Borrowed Glory spell learned.
----Rhetoric increased by 1.

Successful adventure!
--Familiar Kinship increased by 1 step.
----Entertain action learned.
--Cpt. Felix’s Persuasion increased by 1 step.
Studied at Manetele.
--Amphibians increased by 1 step.
--Revision Phemes increased by 1 step.
----Revision Phemes skill maxed!
----Autonomy pheme learned.
--Courage increased by 1 step.
Matched Wits with the Emperor’s Sphinx.
--The Captivity of Man increased by 1 step.
----Insight pheme learned.
--Birds increased by 1 step.
----Float pheme learned.
----Zoology increased by 1.
------Improved Familiar Handling ability learned.
--Drive Carriage increased by 1 step.
----Hydration pheme learned.

New Abilities

Constructive Contention (Debate Club): +1 step in Debate and 1 random skill.
Study Armor: +1 step in Observation and random Forge skill, Strength/Research v9; +1 step to Familiar’s Perception and random Enchant skill.
Frog Hunting (Ardica River’s Edge): Luck/Observation v9; gain poisonous frog.
Ink Devotee (Permanent): +1 Chemistry and Calligraphy.
Unshakable Resolve (Spell): Insight/Willpower v6 and 10; +3 Stress Maximum, +2 Vitality Maximum, and +2 Vitality, higher roll grants +2 Confidence and Leadership, all for 5 days.
School Conquest (Spell): No roll; +6 to School Survival, +4 to Schoolyard Education, Social Skills, Study Habits, and Curiosity for 3 days.
Visit the Trophy Room (Violante de Canapiedra’s): Charm/Dispassion v10; +3 steps in Passion and Dispassion.
Trap Amphibian: Insight/Amphibians v7; gain one random amphibian.
Help around the Stables: +10 pims, -2 Stress, and +1 step in Mammals.
Bird Call: Charm/Birds v6 or 9; +2 or +4 to Incantation for 1 day.
Borrowed Glory (Spell): Insight/Rhetoric v11; +2 to Glory, Charm, and Oratory, and -1 to Playfulness for 3 days.
Entertain: Charm/Society v6; +1 Relationship with 1 choice and 1 random student, and Insight/Familiar Kinship v6; +1 step in random Bond skill.
Improved Familiar Handling: Insight/Familiar Kinship v8; +1 step to 4 Familiar skills (or even the same one 4 times).

Note that Iliana got a free ring just for being in History class. Unfortunately, while the Emergency Preparedness ring provides a +4 Danger Sense and +2 Awareness, which is nice, it simply isn’t worth the cost of -1 Fitness. Not only is the latter an attribute and thus dictates how fast certain skills go up, but Fitness also controls how high Stress and Vitality can go. As it stands, the ring is at least worth a good 300 pims, so we’ll be getting some use out of it eventually.

Iliana also has her big prize now: Improved Familiar Handling, which as shown above will boost 4 skills at once, even including the Bond skills themselves. The only limitation is that Iliana has to be aware of a skill to teach it to Captain Felix; she can potentially boost up a skill she has no ranks in herself.