The Amulet of Samarkand, Chapters 7-10 with James Lark

James Lark is back and we're talking music teaching, conducting, the trials of poor Nathaniel, and the struggles of being a budding wizard with a cowardly master.   Please join our Discord server and get to know the fam!  https://discord.gg/vtJnpkhd   Jeff's podcasts   Shattered Worlds RPG Everything is Awesome with Jeff and ? Omniversal Escapades (Jeff's livestreaming RPG show) James's podcast Neurotic Literature Music   James Lark (composer, podcaster) wrote the theme song for the show Licensed for show use, copyright 2024 Here's James website for all his activities:  jameslark.co.uk   Possible show titles   An Untidy Sheaf Spread That Wadge Everyone Can Be an Alexander   Recommendations Wolf Hall Coda: The Final Conflict (Big Finish Audio) Social Media   Jeff Richardson   @eljefetacoma on Facebook, Twitter, Bluesky, Instagram, and Mastadon   James Lark   @James Lark on Twitter, @worksoflark on Instagram Links The Huglife Podcast Alexander the Great Frederick the Great Monica Nevi brown eyes vs blue eyes blind waiters in dark restaurant Rachmaninoff's 2nd Symphony Stenhammer's 2nd Piano Concerto Rimsky-Korsakov Whiplash Princess Mononoke music before the age of mechanical reproduction Ted Kennedy George W Bush No Child Left Behind David Copperfield Trafalgar Square US Republican Party London weather Schindler's List Doctor Who The Temptation of Jesus Howl's Moving Castle Ponyo Hayao Miyazaki The Golden Compass  Milton's Fallen is Milton speculative fiction? 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Homosexuality decriminalized in Isle of Man in 1992 The Docklands Crystal Palace Alexandra Palace Man in the High Castle Azerbaijan Aaron Sorkin Jerry Lee Lewis The Isle of Wight Westminster Abbey Charles Dickens George Frideric Handel Isaac Newton Stephen Hawking The Dresden Files Roald Dahl James and the Giant Peach Thomas Cromwell Just War (A Bernice Summerfield book) Hitler and art school The Thing Ennio Morricone Hogfather The Colour of Magic The Weird Sisters Extended Notes Chapter 7   9 B leaves the square looking for a good alley.  he really wants to toss the amulet but he cant without putting himself more in Ns power 10 2 footnote - because a master forcing his djinn to attack another resulted in a massive explosion in Baghdad, now magicians choose not to pit djinn directly against each other "Cities get me down, almost as if I am underground. London is particularly bad—cold, gray, heavy with odors and rain. It makes me long for the south, for the deserts and the blank blue sky." he finds a dry alcove and takes a seat 11 he ponders the situation "At dawn I would hand over the Amulet and escape this sorry mess for good. Except for my business with the boy. He'd pay for it, big time. You didn't reduce Bartimaeus of Uruk to dossing in a West End back alley and expect to get away with it. First I'd find out his name, then—" booted feet show up at the end of the alley. who is it? he wonders if the police sniffed him out or the orbs found him 12 the kids from t square five boys, one commanding girl black leather jacket and flared pants 13 one of the boys senses B girl orders them to subdue him three big boys go to town on him B tries a mini-detonation but it doesnt hurt anyone he tries another and it sets off a bunch of car alarms "I repeated the effect with greater emphasis. Car alarms in the next street started ringing. This time, I confess, I expected to be left in the charcoally grip of three charred corpses." boys keep holding on, unharmed 14 girl says she wants the amulet B guesses she's thirteen, with a strong authoritative voice she calls him a cretin and he doesnt clap back "You don't really know who I am, do you?" I made it sound damn casual, with a side helping of menace. "You're not a magician." "Too right I'm not."  He starts to flex his mighty voice 15 "Would a magician do so well against your wickedness?" She had a point there." magicians would stay away, and if they didnt theyd need imps and djinn to defeat him he's too tired to do a full demo he offers to assist her (Jesus tempted by the devil) 16 "To my disappointment, the girl clamped her hands over her ears. "Don't give me your weasel words, demon!" she said. "I won't be tempted." he explains that he could bring the night police down on them "Don't be naïve," I said. "Think about it. You're trying to rob me of a very powerful object. It belongs to a terrible magician. If you so much as touch it, he'll find you and nail your skin to his door."" he was getting to her, making her reconsider 17 she reaches for the chain he turns into a Nile crocodile and scares off the boys, then wacks the boys with his tail 18 right as a boy throws a silver object, B turns into a fox and slips away. the sphere buries itself into the wall B runs and jumps into a bin, narrowly avoiding the police 19 some commotion happens and the fox waits, listening Chapter 8   1 We learn about Ns master Arthur Underwood and his wife tall Georgian house in Highgate Underwood didnt want an apprentice but apparently its mandatory one day the ministry of employment assigns him one 2 this place has a real Brazil feel to it Arthur comes to the clerks desk, finds out he'll be signing forns and meeting the boy boy is 5, very bright "a wodge of paper"? 3 turns out his parents bolted, barely said anything his birth records will  destroyed our first glimpse of Nathaniel "He passed down a series of silent corridors and through a heavy, paneled door to a brightly painted room that had been filled with toys for the entertainment of unhappy children. There, between a grimacing rocking horse and a plastic wizard doll wearing a comedy conical hat, he found a small pale-faced boy. It had been crying in the recent past, but had now fortunately desisted." 4 Underwood tells him who he is then takes him to his car he tried to talk to N but no dice we meet Mrs Martha Underwood. shes amazing, so sweet and kind 5 Martha puts her arm around N and convinces him to share the secret of his birth name 6 Martha expresses her concern for Nathaniel and disapproval of the system of apprenticeship "think it's disgraceful, ripping a child from his home so young." "That's how it's always been done, Martha. Apprentices have to come from somewhere." Underwood is very frank about the reasons for the rules "His birth name must be forgotten, or else future enemies will use it to harm him. How can it be forgotten if his family keeps in contact? Besides, no one has forced his parents to part with their brat." if apprentices make it they get to work for the government 7 Martha wishes they could have a child something happened in Italy when they let magicians have kids N's bedroom is in the attic he can see London out the window he can see the crystal palace radio mast on a good day is the crystal palace radio mast a real thing? 8 M puts fresh flowers on his desk every week she often uses Ns birth name, despite Arthurs disapproval she refuses to be moved, despite the risk "Who's going to notice?" she protested. "No one. It gives the poor lad comfort."" other people call him Underwood and Arthur calls him boy. Nathaniel is devoted to her she gave him a painting of boats the woman is extraordinary 9 "You're to be a magician, Nathaniel," she said, "and that is the greatest privilege that any boy or girl could have. Your parents have made the ultimate sacrifice by giving you up for this noble destiny. No, don't cry, dear. So in turn you must be strong, strive as hard as you can, and learn everything your tutors ask of you. By doing that you will honor both your parents and yourself." 10 most magicians work at Whitehall and she expects he will too. he determines to make her proud and make it to the government he eventually stopped thinking of his parents and accepted life with the Underwoods 11 the "mouth not toes" story he keeps himself looking neat and tidy pale face Martha helps him with his homework 12 hes learning geography she explains why its important she tells him about the djinn 13 Walter Purcell, Ns non magical teacher horrible ties twitchy, honest, snippy 14 Purcell explains why we need a government protection in a time of war tho it sounds like theyre whipping czechs butt if magicians werent in charge it would be commoners "All that stands between us and anarchy is our leaders. This is what you should aspire to, boy. To be a part of the Government and rule honorably. Remember that."" 15 "Honor is the most important quality for a magician," Mr. Purcell went on. "He or she has great power, and must use it with discretion. In the past, rogue magicians have attempted to overthrow the State: they have always been defeated. Why? Because true magicians fight with virtue and justice on their side." 16 he learns to swim  at eight hes avoided and left alone he has a music teacher, Mr Sindra Sindra gets super angry apparently music is used in summoning 17 N is hopeless at music his drawing teacher mrs lutyens is great tho she asks for his name and he gives it 18 he wishes he could draw fun stuff instead of symbols and diagrams she explains that he needs to do this extremely well to be amagician 19 hes made mistakes she explains that in magic he cant afford to make a single mistake Nathaniel goes out to the garden 20 theres a cool statue of a guy in the garden he asks Martha who it is "Ask your master," she said. "He knows everything." But Nathaniel had not dared ask." N comes here to compose himself Chapter 9   1 nathaniel would be summoned to the master office he sits on a cushion 2 Underwood would quiz him on all he was learning sometimes he would talk about magic he explains that magicians can be bad or good, but what they must not be is incompetent. Loss of control is unacceptable. "Providing the magician remains in control of the forces he has set to work, he remains—what does he remain?" 3 Safe, secret, strong the great secret - that demons (or spirits) are very wicked and will hurt you if they can he explains that you cant mispronounce anything demons will exploit any failure hes almost nine 4 magic lessons begin twice a week he loved being telling about his day with Martha, then dreaming about going to the government 5 master takes N to his office he shows him a case of books he must learn before his 12th birthday he asks if then he'll be a magician 6 Master points at bookcase with hundreds of books he wont be allowed to look at those till 13 next they go to a creepy workroom 6 M has him put on the spectacles Master show him his contact lenses 7 when hes 12 he'll get a new name 8 M explains the need for secrecy demons and also bed magicians can use him name to pull shenanigans N gets to wear spectacles but not outside the workroom explains that there are different layers to reality 9  Master pulls down a dead rat tells N to look at it closely puts on specs sees an imp a "Scarlet Vexation" 10 its a spreader of pestilence he shows N a box full of tiny lil demon guys simplest minded demons orange stings beneath their tails 11 these mites will mess up your enemies ""We have dangerous tools that we must control. We shall now begin learning how to protect ourselves."" he learned all the skills necessary to do magic 12 not once does Underwood summon anything he does as much extra work as he can he wants those spectacles damnit he tells Lutyens "'Patience," she told him. "Patience is the prime virtue. If you hurry, you will fail. And failure is painful. You must always relax and concentrate on the task in hand.'" Underwood summons a creature but wont let N see it 13 the master and he stand in circles and the demon should be appearing in the other one a wind knocks over candles, starting a fire N goes to extinguish him but Master shouts him down Master says seven words of dismissal burning papers vanish, candles are back upright 14 Master admonishes him for falling for the demons trick some demons adopt cute animal guises some make nasty smells one made a shower of apple blossom some had nice perfume some were scary sounds 15 he kept it together a year later he was able to wear the specs and see the demons he was kicking ass at all his studies just before age 11, something terrible happens   Chapter 10   1 Bartimaeus complains about his terrible ordeal, camped out on the roof of Westminster Abbey waiting for the summons amulet flashes in the sunlight 2 the spheres didnt find him because of the artifacts in the graves the boy still hasnt woken up he restates his belief that N is being exploited by a more powerful magician 3 clearly several magicians took part in the search, suggesting the amulet was necessary to some larger plan Simon Lovelace is powerful "The fact that he was able to employ (and restrain) both Faquarl and Jabor proved as much. I did not relish the urchin's chances when the magician caught up with him." its been several centuries since B has run into humans that are immune to magic the kids dont seem to grasp the implications B cant figure how the girl is related the summons feels super painful 4 B is annoyed by N "I order you, Bartimaeus, to reveal whether you have diligently and wholly carried out your charge—" "Of course I have—what do you think this is, costume jewelry?"" "The Amulet of Samarkand. It was Simon Lovelace's. Now it is yours. Soon it will be Simon Lovelace's again." the kid has drawn Adelbrand's Pentacle kids shouldnt be able to smirk 5 As P is trouble B pretends that N has done the circle wrong trying to spook him "The kid's face went an interesting mix of white and red; his lower lip wobbled; his eyes bulged from their sockets. He looked very much like he wanted to run for it, but he didn't, so my plan was foiled." N calls him Recreant demon B admits he lied N says put the amulet in the bowl 6 instead N uses a stick N has a smart way to transfer the amulet from one circle to another this isnt like the dresden files where crossing the boundary of a circle breaks the spell N doesnt like how it smells B explains what he had to do to avoid capture "You were pursued?" He sounded almost eager. Wrong emotion, kid—try fear. "By half the demonic hordes of London."" B warns N that they are coming for him He tries to trick N into releasing him again N doesnt bite "Do you take me for a fool?" "The amulet in your hands answers that." 7 Nathan tries to banish B but B resists "You cannot depart! I have other work for thee." More than the renewed captivity, it was these occasional archaisms that annoyed me so much. Thee, recreant demon—I ask you! No one used language like that anymore, and hadn't for two hundred years. Anyone would think he had learned his trade entirely out of some old book." haha! dramatic irony As P lets you hold on to a demon and continue their service "It was a complex magical formula that required adult stamina and concentration, and this gave me ammunition for my next attack." 8 B asks where Ns master is N seems stung by this B says its a sort of prank N laughs, then puts amulet back in the bowl 9 He sends amulet back to B B says he'll give amulet to Simon Lovelace the boys coat is three sizes too large "It had evidently once belonged to a very careless magician, since, although heavily patched, it still displayed the unmistakable ravages of fire, blood, and talon. I wished the boy similar fortune." the kid has a scrying glass he starts to cast a spell 10 the boy uses the glass B looks around the room he wants a clue as to the boys official name (which is funny because N doesnt have one yet) a cracked glass vase with fresh flowers somebody liked him Kid orders B to hide the amulet in Underwoods office "Very well. Where does this unfortunate magician reside?" The boy smiled thinly. "Downstairs.""