BaseCampSB: Swan/Espérance: Base CampIt is as food is being prepared at the Camp that the base camp gets a visitor. Hugo notices the arrival of someone coming down the mountain first. He gives off a bark, not an aggressive one but one designed to alert Espérance to the approaching visitor. Espérance looks quickly around to see what Hugo has detected. Hugo is looking up the mountain path expectantly. Following Hugo and Espérance 's lead, Huttner and Cazaril turn to see who has descended off of the misty mountain and at base camp. Only Kolfa, still working on dinner, does not turn her full attention, although she gives a fleeting glance in the direction of the mountain. Out of the fog, no worse the wear for her experiences...emerges Swan. Even though she knows that everyone who tackled the mountain took a different path, Espérance almost expects to see Alex accompanying Swan. When Alex doesn't appear, she stands up and waves to the other woman. "Holla, Swan!" Swan saunters down the steep slope like prowling mountain lioness, all menace and poise. She lifts a gasper to her lips; blood painting her hand like a scarlet glove. “How’s it hangin’, Ezzy? I see you’re no worse for wear.”” "Hello Swan" Huttner says. "Congratulations." Kolfa gives a nod and resumes cooking. Hugo gives an appreciative thump of his tail. "I wonder where my charge is." Cazaril says, looking at Swan. "No sign of her on the mountain, Swan?" “Mountain?” Swan says, wandering over to investigate the meal. “I was city-slicking for the last few days. And nada on the Lex. Just me and a million naked stories.” "It is nearly ready." Kolfa has been roasting joints of meat, perhaps some sort of poultry. "There will be enough for you." she promises. She glances back the way she came, "Should I worry?" "The amount of time it takes anyone to complete this is a question that would be best handed to Orcini." Cazaril says. "And you will notice that he has not emerged from the mountain, either, even if he has the most experience with this path." "Alex is as much my responsibility as yours." he adds to Swan. "More so, even. Espérance, Huttner and I agreed that we would wait here for a time before I went back up the mountain to investigate." Swan slumps down into a lotus position, “Never a dull moment.” She’s about to ask something when she’s distracted by the new arrival. Another bark from Hugo heralds another arrival out of the fog. The figure moves slowly in the fog as though not trusting the ground beneath his feet. A moment later Orcini emerges from the mist. His gaze sweeps over them without a flicker a recognition until his gaze falls on Huttner. He stares at him for a moment then murmurs, "Brother. Yes, brother." He said more firmly. Orcini shakes his head to clear it. "How long have you been waiting?" Huttner stands up and takes a step toward Orcini, an uncertain look on his face. Within moments of Orcini's arrival, a faint glow can be seen moving through the fog. At first, it could be mistaken for a glowbug, seeming to flit one way, then another. But soon the red flame increases in size, getting closer to the waiting group. Then the shape resolves itself into that of a young woman, the glow radiating outward from beneath her skin. Alex has arrived. Her eyes light on Swan and the smile that crosses her lips dims the radiance from her skin with it's own brilliance. She reaches her lover's side within a heartbeat, pulling Swan to her feet so she can kiss the other woman thoroughly. "You're here," she whispers before pressing her lips - and her warming body - to Swan's. Swan slides into Alex’s embrace, tasting her lips hungrily. “Hey Firefly,” she purrs, nipping the woman’s earlobe. “Felt like I was sent over for a nickel-stretch without you. And here you are, hitting on all eight. Bet you have a story or two, huh?” She traces Alex’s jawline, then trails down her neck; savoring the feel of skin beneath her fingertips. "One or two," she admits with a smile. A slight shiver of pleasure rushes through her body at Swan's soft touch. "But never doubt, love. I'll always come back. Somehow." Her own time spent on the walk strengthened her resolve to keep this woman by her side for as long as she would have her. Swan kisses her lips once more, electric and warm like a summer storm. “You sauntered onto a Broken Pattern for me, angel. I’d never doubt you’ll come back to me.” She chuckles, “Now, we’d better have a seat before we start a show.” She jerks a nod toward the fire, “Chow is almost ready, so why not take a load off. We were just gabbing about you.” Alex groans, turning her face skyward. "I'm afraid to know what the gabbing contained," she admits. "About finding you if you did not appear." Cazaril says to Alex. "I am pleased this proved unnecessary." "I always seem to find my way to where I need to be, though," Alex remarks with a chuckle. But I'm glad you didn't have to come looking for me." Cazaril nods. "So am I." "It's good to see you here, Alex, and in one piece," Espérance greets her comrade. "And the same to you, Espérance," Alex returns, moving toward the fire with her arm still firmly around Swan's waist. "I'm glad to see us all back and in one piece." "It looks like we have all survived the mountain." Cazaril says. "The first pieces are ready" Kolfa says. "The Lady should have first right." she looks at Espérance. Espérance accepts a skewer of meat almost without looking at it, her attention now fixed on the reunion of the two brothers. Ignoring all of this, Huttner continues his slow pace toward Orcini. "Orcini" Huttner speaks, carefully, as he stops in front of him. "What happened? You have a strange way about you now, brother." "I made a choice, brother." Orcini answers. "I suspect it was not a wise one but I made it none the less. My life is probably forfeit yet I feel better than I have in a long time." Orcini smiles wider than Huttner ever remembers Orcini doing so. "I have been excommunicated from the Church and my knightly order but that matters little when the Serpent itself has heard my oath and accepted it." Orcini claps Huttner on the shoulder. "I don't think I've had a crazier day Huttner, and that is saying something." "You've been excommunicated." Huttner looks stunned, and steps back. Shock is on his face. "But...the Church has been your entire life. How..." he shakes his head in disbelief. "You spoke to the Serpent during your trial?" "He spoke to me." Orcini replies. "I screamed to the cosmos that I would serve him truly and he answered." Kolfa, formerly busy with the preparation of the joints of meat, looks at Orcini with wonder and surprise in her eyes. "It seems to me" Cazaril says, looking at Orcini. "That rather than you merely leading your brother and the rest of us to Chaos, you're going to come with us into Sawall. If you did speak to the Serpent directly, there is someone in Sawall you should speak to, Orcini." "Suhuy" Huttner nods, looking at Orcini with new eyes. "Cazaril is right. The Keeper of the Logrus will want to speak with you, brother. And might be the only one, save the Emperor, who can protect you." "The Serpent bade me present myself to him where he dwells." Orcini nods. "Cleaving to Sawall is now my only logical course. I do apologize for any further difficulties this may put in our path. The Inquisitors and my former principal will no doubt have scouts seeking me out even now. However, since the plan was a swift and stealthy journey anyway, this just adds a little more spice into the mix." Orcini grins. "And spice is what makes the world go round," Alex quips. "Or so it said in a book I read a long time ago." She leans forward slightly, elbows on her knees, eyes glittering as she looks to Orcini. "And as for anyone coming after you.... I've got some long range items that might help keep them off our tail." "And if they get past Alex's devices, they'll still have the rest of us to deal with," Espérance notes coolly. Not up on her Chaosian politics and religious mumbo-jumbo, Swan simply listens without comment. It sounds serious and saying something out of turn would be rude. She might be bawdy, even direct, but she wasn’t rude. "We are sitting at the base of a mountain sacred to the Church." Cazaril says in a sepulchral tone as he looks back up the mountain path. "Do we now have both the Church and my former House hunting us?" Kolfa asks. "Yes. The Church takes excommunication very seriously." Cazaril said. "Chaos fractured and went to war over excommunicated Houses, remember." "The Lessiman Secession." Huttner says in an aside to Espérance. Cazaril claps his hands and looks at everyone with a rotation of his face. "Eat quickly. We cannot stay here. We must get to Sawall." Espérance has mostly finished already; she tosses the last bit to Hugo. "I'm ready," she says. Kolfa starts breaking camp, Huttner helping her do so, and grabbing a piece of meat in the bargain. Accustomed to eating on the run, Orcini swiftly devours a few hunks of meat. "I am ready to lead on unless you would counsel a change of path as well as speed." Orcini says. "Having ritzed it the last few days, I'll looking for a soft place to sleep," Swan says. "So, let's beat feet." She helps Alex up and stays close as they break camp. "Ritzed" Cazaril says, shaking his head. "Some of us had more difficult trials on that accursed Mountain than others." he says to Swan, giving a glance at Orcini as he does so. "To answer your question, Kn...Orcini. Serpent, its going to be odd not to refer you as a knight." Cazaril shakes his head. "Yes, I think that its wiser we do NOT follow the route you would have taken. The Church will likely hunt you, and us along that path first. Or the route you took here, which obviates the chance that we can use the river." Huttner looks a little crestfallen at that point. Caz's eyes then swivel to Swan. "Tell true. Have you ever been to the Courts of Chaos, Swan Cainesdottir?" Orcini holds his words at this unexpected question from Cazaril. He would see where this line of questioning is going before speaking. Swan shakes her head, “Never had cause to come to this side of the tracks. Truth told, my bindlepunk days were spent mostly around the Arden and the Beast. Frankly, I only visited Amber when Dad came to show me off. I walked the Pattern and beat feet after that. Didn't learn much about your sort.” She rubs the back of her neck. “Why you ask?” Alex also looks curiously at Caz, the reason for his questioning unfathomable to her neophyte ears. See Swan's hand move toward her neck, she steps behind her and gently moves Swans' hands away, kneading the muscles beneath her nimble fingers. "I was hoping you had, Swan, and were just reluctant to tell us until now" Cazaril says, a disappointed tone in his voice as looks at Swan and Alex. "The Amber method of travel through the veils is very different than a Black Road or the Logrus. We could have had you lead us to Chaos in a manner and a series of veils that neither the Church nor House Jesby could reasonably predict." "So what do we do?" Huttner says. "Unfortunately, we lost our trumps..." He looks at Kolfa. "I have an emergency trump of House Jesby." Kolfa says. "I am not certain we want to fight our way out of there." "No" Caz agrees. "So, two choices I'll put it forward to you all." Caz says. "Option 1: We move as quickly as we can on the shortest path I know. Not likely to be the same one that Orcini would know, but it would be one that is likely to be covered by the Jesbys and one The Church will send agents down. A race to the Bridge and to the gates of Sawall." "Option 2: We take the longest possible way that neither the Jesbys nor the Church will follow us down." He pauses a beat. "We take a route that skirts the realms of the Lessimans and brave the chance of tangling with them instead." Kolfa visibly shudders. "I am not sure that Option 2 is any better than Option 1" "My impulse would be to make the trip as short as we can," Espérance puts in, "and just deal with the fact that we'll have to tangle with *somebody.*" "Despite my recent apostasy, Lessima is not a road I would choose when there is an alternative." Orcini concurs. "The short route. When we spoke of travel last, that would mean the Fire Margins, yes?" [Cazaril] nods. "Alex will be most comfortable with that route, now, and Huttner the least, but yes, a trip through the Fire Margins is the shortest route from this spot to the Gate and the Bridge. Around the base of Mount Fantoom, and take the Great Road to the City of Brass. We can arrange some better transportation across the Plain and to the Gate." "It's the plain where I would rank our chances of being ambushed as the most likely." [Cazaril] continues. "Wide open fields of lava, and no cover to be had except for some small formations here and there. The good thing is, we'll see them coming, too, either from behind us or ahead of us." "Or from either side, or over our heads," puts in Espérance. "Elementals or Wyvern riders." Huttner agrees. Alex nods at Cazaril's suggest that the shorter route would be one she'd prefer. "And what we see coming, we can work against." Almost like a caress, she strokes her backpack. "I'm full of my goodies again, so that should help a few things." "All right. Let's move." Cazaril says. "I will be on point, shifting us. I am flexible enough as a warleader to allow the rest of you to arrange yourselves as you see fit." Within a half hour, letting everywhere eat or obtain food to eat, and prepare for the long journey, Cazaril starts leading the group around the base of the mountain. Kolfa and Hugo flank Espérance. Huttner takes a rear guard position, continually scouting the area behind them for signs of pursuit. The next couple of days is, perhaps fortunately, rather dull. The path around the mountain intersects a great causeway that the group actually has to clamber up a steep cliff to reach. Cazaril explains there are a limited number of places where one can easily get on and off the causeway. It's not a Black Road, he further explains during the endless miles journey along it. "It's actually older than the Courts, if you believe some of the sages that have studied this path. It's a path that resonates with those who are aligned with the elements of Fire and Earth." He gives Alex a significant look. At the end of the second day of walking along this causeway, a shimmering city appears on the horizon, a vision in metallic brass, sitting on a hill made of the same shining metal. Cazaril looks relieved. "There it is. The City of Brass" Cazaril says. "One of the oldest places in all the universe, including the Courts and Castle Amber. Certainly the Charcoal Palace is untold millennia in age." Swan gives an impressed whistle, drinking in the amazing vista. “I gotta say, that’s something alright.” She glances over her shoulder at Caz. “I reckon we have friends here?” "The Sultan is well disposed to Chaos. And even better, The City of Brass has an Embassy from the Courts." Cazaril says. "We'll head there." Espérance studies the city with a critical eye as they approach it. Brass buildings might prove difficult to climb... but she knows cities. The city is hard to judge given the shimmering air between here and there, but if the scale is right, its a large city, built on that dome-shaped hill of metal. Lots of tall buildings, taller than any than Espérance has seen before. A sprawling city, this, an icon of the idea of cities fused with that brass cyclopean, massive architecture. Cazaril continues to lead the group toward the city, and as they reach the base of the brass hill, the true nature of it is made clear.The brass hill that the city sits on is actually partially submerged in a lake of lava. A bridge runs from the end of the causeway, over a small gap over the lava, to the brass hill, and thus to a gate that leads into the city itself. There are buildings, many buildings visible now that are not brass, but brass is the predominant building element, and the walls of the city are that gleaming metal. Swan glances about, eyeing the various aspects of this bizarre landscape. “Got the right touch of Barad-dûr. Just in case we didn’t have enough of the there-and-back-again theme goin’ in our lives.” "I am not familiar with that shadow, Swan." Cazaril says. Huttner looks puzzled as well. “Mental note,” Swan says, “Find Caz some pop reference books along with a sense of humor.” She smirks softly. "I will speak with the gate guards." Cazaril adds to the group at large. "Follow me, but slowly. It would not do to anger the Efreet." Cazaril moves ahead of the rest of the group as the bridge is reached and walks across it and starts speaking with the guards. Said guards are well over human sized, standing 10 feet tall with brick red or soot-black skin. Occasionally, Cazaril points backwards at the group. "I suspect" Huttner says to Alex as he takes point to lead the rest of the group across the causeway. "you might be the only one of us who could survive a fall into that." Alex glances down at the flowing lava speculatively. "Well, if things go bad, it means at least one of us has a way out. Not that I'd want to leave any of you behind." And, it so happens, there are no railings or barriers of any kind to such a fall. The lake of lava languidly flows below. In the distance, around the sides of the city, there appear to be vessels plying the lake as if it were a lake of water. "I certainly would not count us out so easily, brother." Orcini comments. "I suspect the threat of death by incineration would be an amazing motivator to further develop our shifting ability in new ways." Orcini gives a simple chuckle. "But remember, brother, I favor our Marid ancestry." Huttner says. "Although I believe you found us by coming by boat, as is right and proper." [Orcini] "On a more political note, I cannot help but wonder if the Embassy here will be a respite from the heat or moving from this frying pan into the fire." Swan quips, “Yeah, but it’s the dry heat.” "The question is who is the current Ambassador." Huttner says. Cazaril waves the group forward at this point, and upon approach, the group can see that he holds several red metal cuffs in his hand, gleaming in the light. "These are our passes into the City of Brass. It marks us as being allowed into the city as recognized visitors, rather than prey for harassment or even outright enslavement. We'll put these on, go into the city and make our way to the Embassy. Although, I'm open to alternatives once we're within the walls." "Half a manacle to denote freedom?" Orcini chuckles lowly. "The local customs of beings never cease to amuse me." "The symbolism is rather blatant, isn't it?" Cazaril replies. Orcini accepts a cuff and shifts his arm as necessary to slip it on and make it tight. "Tell me, Cazaril, is appointment to the Embassy here a desired position? Are we likely to find a disgruntled exile or a delighted partisan in the Ambassador?" Swan gives the manacle a dubious look, “Seriously? Not much for fashion these boys are they?” Grudgingly, she follows Caz’s instructions and slips on the bar-wristband from Hell. Alex slips her own slim wrist through the opening of the wrist band. She briefly considers trying to heat the portion of her arm near the band, making it more malleable and less likely to slip from her wrist when she doesn't notice, but doesn't trust her control that much. Instead, she slips her hand into Swan's, feeling the bracelet slip to cover their entangled fingers. Much better, she thinks with a smile and a squeeze for her lover's hand. With her free hand, she hitches the strap of her backpack a little more comfortably on her shoulder once more, half listening to Caz's reply regarding the ambassador while wondering about ways she could use the lava for some of her surprises. Swan laces her fingers with Alex’s, lifting them to her warm lips and gracing her knuckles with a gentle kiss. A tired sigh shivers through her muscular frame, but her smile is feline-wicked and all for Alex. “When all this hinky business is nixed, you and me are hitting the rails. I’ll show you how to Walk. Maybe find a piece of Paradise all our own. Somewhere warm. With soft beaches, oiled people, and drinks with little umbrellas. Maybe a dictatorship to oust, just to keep it exciting.” There is a siren song to the lava, that almost invites Alex to swan dive into it and repose, like a fiery version of a mud bath. Espérance slips the cuff onto the opposite wrist from the black and silver bracer that is the current form of Draconis Argentum. There appears to be nothing special or unusual about the cuffs as Cazaril hands them out and the group inspects them and puts them on. They sit on their wearers' arms, gleaming with that red metal aesthetic. "As long as you keep Hugo with you." Cazaril says to Esperance, "you should have no difficulty in keeping him safe from predation." Espérance favors Cazaril with a slight smile. Anyone trying to make off with Hugo will have more to worry about than a diplomatic incident. "To answer your question, Orcini." Cazaril says. "As a matter of act, this is a relatively valued posting for the diplomatic corps. The City of Brass is a trading partner with good relations with the Courts. The climate is certainly not the best, but this is a commercial hub for a goodly region of trans-Black Circle shadows." "So my guess, to put it in the terms you asked," he continues, "is delighted partisan." "The question is," Kolfa adds wryly, "is partisan for whom." "Well, according to what I've been told, my half-brother is the Emperor. That may or may not count for anything," Espérance notes dryly. "If this city is a trading hub, are there any of the Great Houses that specialize in trade?" "Why, yes." Cazaril says. He starts walking into the city, expecting everyone to follow in turn. He gives a look to Alex. "It would be unfair for me to see if you have learned the lessons I taught you on our first train trip to recite the Thirteen Great Houses and the Mid-major Minors." Cazaril returns his gaze to Espérance. "Of the Thirteen, who are the most likely to have the Ambassadorship here, anyway, House Minobee is the House of Traders. "And they always have people at the Souk buying and selling things. Aricline does some trading, but, then, they do a little bit of everything. Your brother the Emperor said they were the "Swiss Army knife of Chaos". I do not know what that precisely means, but I think it was a compliment. Swan whistles, impressed. “Emperor? Bet that’s worth a few pounds of cabbage and pull. Think it’s worth name dropping? Or are we still incognito?” "I think that will depend on whether Jesby holds the Ambassadorship here." Kolfa opines to Swan. She looks at Cazaril and Huttner. "Do you know if that's the case?" Kolfa asks. "Did you pass through here on the way out?" "No," Huttner says. "Our expedition to find Espérance and Alex was disrupted before we reached this far. The City of Brass was to be one of our way stations." The soi disant City of Brass, which the group has now passed into, is as impressive inside as it was on the outside. The buildings are at the very least often have facades of brass, or brass elements. There are other building materials--granite, basalt (a lot of it, and in many colors) and, as accent the gleaming black of obsidian glass. Buildings are tall, massive, and clearly designed to impress visitors. There are plenty of routes that a city climber like Espérance can see, however, if it should come to that. And it is hot, but its not a constant heat. There are microclimates in the City of Brass, different kinds of heat. In one section, its the oppressive heat of a jungle, a humidity that weighs on everyone, even Alex, although this is the climate that Huttner seems the best suited for. It's the drier, blast-furnace areas that he sorely dislikes and that, in turn, Alex seems to thrive in. The streets are full of beings. Efreet, of course, are the main population, but walking down the boulevard reveals everything from what look like angels to bestial pig-like humanoids, to ordinary humans to a couple of djinn flying by. Its a polyglot city. It might be with relief, then, when Cazaril brings the group to a relatively large open plot of land. The architecture of the pair of buildings sitting on the sandy plot is similar to the rest of the city, although the buildings are much shorter and much broader than the cyclopean architecture. Neither building is more than 3 or four stories tall, and are connected by what looks like an obsidian glass passage that runs between them. On the sands before the entrances to the two buildings, as decoration, is a large statue of a one-eyed serpent, done in brass. Said serpent has a unicorn, done in white marble, entangled in its coils and the head of the serpent is poised, ready to devour its prey. "The Embassy of the Courts of Chaos." Cazaril says. Espérance studies the building critically. "Should we all announce ourselves at once, or send a delegation?" she inquires. "I would suggest entering all at once. Within the walls, the traditions of Chaos hold sway." Orcini comments. "It may not be safer but for many of us it will at least be more familiar." "Orcini makes a good argument." Cazaril says. "And perhaps we will escape some of this heat." He looks over to Huttner, clearly uncomfortable. Swan pouts, ”Awww. You could have just volunteered me to vouch for us. I’m a people-person after all.” She returns to enjoy the vista, trying to ignore the fact she hasn’t had a smoke in the last hour. Her fingers twitch and jump at her side like anxious birds. "If I thought you knew the Ambassador" Cazaril says, "I would consider that option, Swan." he says. Inside of the double doors, an Efreet wearing a fur coat, and standing behind a desk welcomes the group and directs them up a flight of stairs to the Ambassador's office. Everyone will notice that its much cooler inside of the building than outside. Huttner gives off a gasp of relief. The second floor corridor that the stairway opens onto is lined with paintings, each of them with a name and a set of dates. With few interrengums, the dates run in a continuous fashion. All of the names have names of Houses attached as well. Most of these Houses are indeed Minobee, but others are labeled as being from Jesby, Hendrake, Helgram and others. The last painting before the corridor ends in a pair of double doors is labeled "Paloma of House Baccarran" and depicts a blond haired woman. Beyond those doors is a hexagonal shaped room, behind which is a young pale-skinned woman with jet black hair and a severe looking outfit in gold and purple sitting behind a comma shaped desk. She has what looks like a small demon in a clamp and seems to be drawing blood from the demon to ink the pen she is writing with. Behind her is a formal portrait of a young dark haired man, seated on a throne. "Your brother." Cazaril says quietly to Espérance. Swan, too, recognizes it as Merlin. Alex recognizes the image from Cazaril's lessons, and of course Orcini does too. Espérance studies the portrait with attention, wondering if there will be an obvious resemblance. The resemblance is subtle, at best. Its there when she looks for it, but its the subtle features that are more in line with the resemblance than closer ones. "Greetings" the woman says, looking up from her task and smiles. "The Ambassador has been expecting you. Please..." she gestures to another door in the room. Beyond this door is a long oval room with dark glass windows at the end. A table with many chairs the same shape as the room dominates the room. Standing at the far end of the room, hand on the table is a dark haired man. He turns around as the door opens. "Good morning. My name is Ingrey of House Wererathe." the dark haired man says, studying everyone in the group and scrutinzing them with strongly colored blue eyes. (casting call: Clive Owen) As he looks over the group, Swan remembers his face. Maybe not his name, but his face. This man, under a use-name, was at Lorius' little establishment more than once during Swan's visits. They may never have spoken, but h to Swan directly, but he was right as rain there at the gambling tables.. There is no mistake. Swan gives him a soft, knowing smile. Considering Lorius’ proclivities, she wonders if this Chaosian and her have shared some of the same ~experiences~. The smile becomes more familiar. “Swan of Amber,” she says. “But you probably already glommed that. We exchanged a few hands at the Crimson House, didn’t we?” "You have a good memory, Swan Cainesdottir." Ingrey says. "It is perhaps as surprising for you to be here, as I was to be found there, in Prince Lorius' secret vice den. Welcome to the City of Brass." As far as Orcini, he recognizes Ingrey, too, although in a more direct way. During one of Orcini's missions to a Black Zone shadow, dealing with an outbreak of cultists worshipping the Amberite Benedict openly, Ingrey was there, as one of the junior ambassadors from Chaos. In point of fact, Orcini managed to persuade him to give up a contact or two that led Orcini to find and deal with the cultists, on the grounds that they were a clear and present danger to the church. Ingrey came across to Orcini as self-interested, clever, and running several threads at once. As a successful man in a House far better known for the webs of deceit and intrigue spun by its matriarchs, its a useful survival skill. Swan shrugs, “I never forget a pretty face. Or someone with cabbage to pluck.” She gives a warm smile and settles in to let the others talk shop. The secretary comes in with a tray full of tall glasses of a dark liquid, studded with ice cubes. She sets the tray down. "Thank you, Ren. That'll do for now." Ingrey says to her. Ren nods and departs the room, closing the door. "Please, take a glass and be seated. You'll want some of the iced dragon tea considering that climate." Ingrey says . "Now, what brings scions and friends of House Sawall to my corner of Empire civilization?" Ingrey asks. Swan jerks a thumb at Cazaril, “Me? Caz said you didn’t water down the hooch out here, so I rode the rails with this bunch to make sure he wasn’t just whistling outta his butt.” "That is one way to characterize your accompaniment in this expedition." Cazaril says, carefully. Espérance studies the Ambassador curiously, while waiting for the more knowledgeable members of the party to take the lead in answering Ingrey's question (not to mention trying the iced drink). "Obligation, shifting alliances, and a desire to get out of the heat literally and figuratively." Orcini smiles at the diplomat, takes a glass of tea, and takes the least comfortable looking seat. "Fair turning to you Ingrey. It pleases me to see your elevation since we last met." "Greetings and thanks to you, Orcini." Ingrey replies. He waits until everyone has sat down and continues, sitting at the table. "If you wished to remove yourself from the heat, literally, you do realize that you have come to the city of the Efreet, good knight?" Ingrey says. "Please do have some of the tea. You will find it a tonic for the heat. I do keep the temperature inside the Embassy as chilled as the local population will allow me to." "I spoke of why we came to the Embassy, not the City." Orcini clarifies. He sips his tea. "I am starting to acquire a taste for this tea. I should really slow my pace more often if it means more little discoveries like this." Huttner breaks ranks at this point, taking and draining half of a glass of the liquid within moments, gulping loudly. Cazaril shakes his head, taking a glass and sitting down. Following the example of Orcini and Huttner, Espérance takes a glass of the tea and sits where she will have a good view of the room -- and be able to comfortably accommodate the blade that hangs at her side. Ingrey then looks at Espérance "Your demonic familiar looks like she might want to refresh herself, too." Espérance's first instinct is to glance at Kolfa and gesture her toward the tray of glasses, since although she's begun to get used to thinking of Hugo as more than a dog, as far as she knows, Hugo is a he. Then she looks at Hugo, and Ingrey, in puzzlement. He speaks loudly. "Ren. We're going to need a bowl, with some chilled water." He pauses a beat. "For the swordswoman's familiar." "Thank you," says Espérance. "The Chaosian laws of Guest Hosting demand no less." Ingrey replies. "And you are a person to cultivate a good relationship with. You already have won a Jesby to your personal banner, I see." He glances at Kolfa. "Now, you spoke of figurative heat, Orcini. There's a story here." Ingrey says, rising and taking a glass for himself. "Especially since, speaking of that House, the remnants of a party from House Jesby came through here two days ago, claiming they had been ambushed by scions of House Sawall." The secretary comes in at this point, carrying a large metal bowl filled with water. She sets this down next to where Espérance, Kolfa, and Hugo are, the last taking full advantage of the offered water. "I do not need to tell you, Ingrey, that Jesbys say many things," Orcini chuckles, "and that there are three sides to every story. For my part, I can unequivocally state that there has been no ambushing of Jesbys since I joined this group." "Not since you joined us, no," Espérance acknowledges with a slight grin. The tea itself is strong, with a flavor that is novel to Espérance, Alex and Swan. Orcini can't quite put a finger on it, much like someone trying Earl Grey tea for the first time cannot quite identify the unusual flavors of the brew, only that they are familiar. Ingrey takes another sip and speaks. "I begin to see. Careful words.I had no idea you were so carefully political, Knight Orcini." Ingrey says. He looks at Cazaril. "Your influence?" "I will neither confirm nor deny that." Cazaril says. "I see how you have prospered in your own rank and role." Ingrey replies. He then steeples his fingers and for a moment or two, the only sound is Hugo's slobbering slurps from his (her?) bowl. The ambassador looks over the group and speaks. "It emerges, though, the Jesbys have left something in a trust for me should I not deign to aid the party from Sawall, should the Sawall come here. Not even an active signaling to them or anything that would compromise my position. Simply...not lift a finger to help, and let their plans come to completion as they will." "A technique the Princess of Amber is undoubtedly familiar with." Ingrey says, looking at Swan. "However, I have a better idea on how your presence here might benefit all of us." he adds brightly. He looks at Espérance and Alex. "If my intelligence is correct, the two of you are members of the House Royal, or soon enough will be. Aren't you?" "So we've been told," Espérance acknowledges. Alex inclines her head in agreement, a small smile fluttering on her lips. Swan remains quiet, but her devilish smile is unmistakable. This sounds as if she's going to be in the thick of it. Just how she likes it. "Then my intelligence is accurate. Good." Ingrey takes a sip of tea. "I enjoy the perks of this position, but the City of Brass is not a place I would stay forever. I wish to advance my career, and the scions of Sawall can aid me as I aid them." "You want to advance into the bureaucracy in Thelbane?" Cazaril says. "Serpent's missing eye, no!" Ingrey laughs. "I enjoy my independence from my sometimes overbearing House out here. Plus, I am a bit of a renegade in their eyes. No, I had a different sort of promotion in mind." "*I* think that it is long overdue that the Courts of Chaos establish a full and complete embassy in the Kingdom of Amber. I think that relatives of the Emperor would have opportunity to tell him of this long overdue plan." He nods to Alex and Espérance. And with a member of the Amber Royal Family in tow to lend credence to this idea." He grins at Swan. "And I think I knew precisely the diplomat that should be the charter ambassador in such a post. I'm sure you will agree." Ingrey smiles. "That you know whom you would recommend for the post? Naturally," Espérance acknowledges, smiling back. "In other words, our party has a better chance of getting you what you really want than the Jesbys do. That seems like a logical reason for favoring us. "Oh, and if it comes to ambushes, all I can say is that they started it," she adds, thinking of her first, unwitting encounter with members of the House -- and, indeed, her second. Swan laughs, "That's true enough. Although we finished it. I doubt I'll get invites to tea with them anytime soon. "And sure. I'll help with the embassy grift. If only to stick it to my dad." "Some of the hidden truths start to emerge." Ingrey says. "Ambushes, conflicts, and hostile encounters. I am unsurprised by most of that, especially with a trained assassin in your party." He looks at Swan. "There is even a tiny cult of Amberite worship devoted to you, did you know that? 'Our lady of the bloody hands.' As illegal as the other cults, of course." Swan blinks. Then frowns. Then smirks. “Me? I have a fan club?! Well, pinch my nips and call me Shirley.” She nudges Alex’s shoulder. “You hear that, doll? I have a fan club. Hah. Maybe this goddess should go make an appearance. I bet my priesthood is a clutch of smokin’ hot tomatoes. I wouldn’t have it any other way. A goddess has to have standards, after all.” *She* surprises me, though." Ingrey looks in Kolfa's direction. "It shows you, Espérance, have already started to understand matters." He looks at Cazaril and Huttner. "Your influence, I take it?" "Huttner more than I." Cazaril says. At this point, Ren comes in. She bows. "Ambassador." she says. "Your contact in the guards informs me that there appears to be a small war party of Grammaton Clerics at a postern Gate, seeking covert entry into the City." Ingrey chuckles. "Thank you, Ren. Keep me informed. Oh, and we'll have to send Guard Commander Khosrow a bonus. Don't forget to remind me." Ren nods and departs. Ingrey turns back to the group. "I am going to take a guess that you are not expecting backup, Knight Orcini." Ingrey says wryly. "Especially if they are trying to enter the city in secret." "Only a small war party?" Orcini sniffs. "I think I am insulted." He grins. "Well should we meet them, it will be interesting to put our faiths to the test and see who prevails." He grin grows wider. "By the way, Ingrey, Knight is no longer the title the Church has for me. Knowing them the way I do, the cardinals will be debating whether I am more an apostate or a heretic so that they may properly condemn me." Orcini chuckles. "I would not bring the Grammatons down on your Embassy if only to preserve the furniture. I think the swiftest and most secure way for us to leave would be the thing about now." Swan coughs, “Hey, we just got here. And I have a fan club. You heard that right?” "The cult is not likely to be active here, Swan, daughter of Caine." Ingrey says patiently to Swan. "There are not many citizens of the Empire of the Courts of Chaos within the City of Brass, although there is a quarter where they do live." "As far as your excommunication, Orcini, personally, I could care little. A Chaos where I do not need a tonsure to become a diplomat is a good thing. The Grammatons would see that differently." "Give me your oath that we have a bargain in regards to my desire for an Amberian Embassy and I will allow you all to use the Teleporation Circle that leads to Thelbane. It is only meant to be used in extremis, but I think the prospect of a religious war on the embassy grounds would qualify." He smiles wryly. "If that will not suit, then there is a tunnel I use that connects to the basement of an establishment of a...friend of mine. That should give you more than an adequate head start." Espérance just looks over at Cazaril to see what he will suggest. Like Espérance, Alex looks to Caz for guidance. She still is unsure about politics in her father's home, and the last thing she wants to do is promise something that could cause them more trouble than it could save. Orcini may swear himself, but he, at least, knows what he's getting into. However, if Caz gives her the go-ahead, she will make the promise to speak for Ingrey. Swan reserves comment, waiting on Cazaril’s judgment first. "The friendship or alliance of a potential future ambassador to Amber is worth the costs involved in the entangling of such a relationship." Cazaril says after a long moment. "And House Sawall has no vendetta or grievance against Wererathe or its scions. Lest any of my companions object strongly, Ambassador, your first proposal is acceptable." "I so swear, on the honor of House Sawall, and my name and rank as the Athas, that I will present your petition to the Emperor my uncle and entreat him to find favor with it, Ambassador Ingrey." "In other words, yes" Huttner says sotto voce to Espérance, Alex and Swan. "You two should speak up." he says to Espérance and Alex." "It remains to be seen what influence I will have, but that which I have will be used on your behalf to have the Embassy created and you appointed Ambassador." Orcini replies. "I swear this by the Serpent." Orcini snakes his hand across and down his chest in the sign of the coils. Ingrey replicates the gesture piously, as do Huttner, Kolfa, and Cazaril. "Good" Ingrey rubs his hands together. "Having you all emerge from a pleasure palace could have been embarrassing." "I will prepare the circle. It will be done in twenty minutes. Ren will bring you to the circle when the time is right. "I'll have her bring more tea, and some candied culicidae. The transport can be taxing on the body." “Tea, my boney ass,” Swan chimes in a polite tone. “I’ll need some gaspers. Starting to get the shakes.” Ingrey leaves the room. Swan’s smile fades, “We going to trust him? he likes to hold his cards close to the chest. No telling which ones are up his sleeve.” "Trust him?" Cazaril says. What makes you think Orcini or I trust him? We'll work with him, since he has agreed to, and we have something he wants. He has something we want. "If he wanted to hand us over to the clerics, he would have kept us cooped up in here until they came in." Huttner says. "It's possible he doesn't want our blood on the carpet." Kolfa says dryly. “Or his,” Swan smiles. “That’s the problem with inviting predators into your house. We usually chew the furniture.” Two minutes later, Ren sweeps in, with another tray. Precariously perched on the tray are another set of glasses of dragon tea, a large bowl of iridescent spherical objects, and a thin black cigarette case. She sets the tray down in front of swan, the case facing her. Swan opens the case and examines the contents. She doesn’t recognize the cigarettes within, and glanced up at Ren, raising a brow. "This is Qataghan tobacco." Ren says to Swan. "The Ambassador tells me that you find favor with it." Swan lifts a gasper to her nose and takes a cautious whiff. A low purr rumbles in her bosom. “Oh yeah. That’s the stuff. Tell the ambassador he’s my new best friend.” While the others talk, she lights up and savors the exotic smoke like an old lover. She looks at the group " He has instructed me to take you to the Circle when you have eaten and drank and not before. He would find it unfortunate if you were to be debilitated by the transport." “You’re a doll,” Swan says in thanks. Orcini has gotten used to eating just about anything from his years of travel and trusts Ingrey enough to not poison those he has made a deal with. So Orcini takes a handful of the spheres and pops them in his mouth and washes it down with the dragon tea. Until Orcini actually eats some, Espérance isn't entirely sure the iridescent things in the bowl are supposed to be food. However, with his example in front of her, she takes one (along with a glass of tea) and nibbles at it experimentally. From previous experience she knows her stomach can handle just about anything. "Wererathe cuisine is generally not to my taste." Cazaril says. "And this might be the Ambassador's sense of humor at play to give us these to eat. But we should eat some anyway. It won't kill any of us..." he looks at Swan. "not even you." Swan snorts, “Well, that’s a bonus. I tend to avoid deadly cuisine.” She takes a bite, trying to get some calories back from their endless exertions. "Should we tell them what they are now?" Huttner says to Cazaril. He takes exactly three of the spheres and starts crunching one. "No" Cazaril says. Kolfa seems less reluctant than the two Sawall's, taking a fistful and eating them if not with gusto, then with stoic determination. The spheres are crunchy and just a bit sweet, and there are additional flavors and texture that is unfamiliar. Finding the morsel not unpleasant, Espérance goes ahead and takes a handful. Hugo looks up plaintively at her. "There" Cazaril says once everyone is done eating and drinking. "Let's go." "Lead us" adds says to Ren. "Very well" Ren says. Cazaril nods to Orcini and moves to take the lead. "Candied insects." Huttner whispers so that Espérance and Alex can hear. Swan stops half way through her next bite, blinking. Daintily, she rolls the chewed massed in her mouth off her tongue and onto the floor. “I’ll kill him.” Ahead, Cazaril just shakes his head. Since one of her favorite Riverside taverns, the Harp and Carp, habitually keeps a jar of chocolate-covered ants on the bar, Espérance just shrugs. The procession led by Ren finally leads to a cylindrical shaped room, dimly lit in a red light. In the center of the room, about the same size as the conference room, is a circle with characters in an unfamiliar alphabet glowing white. Standing on the far side of the circle at the edge, is Ingrey. He looks up. "Thank you, Ren. Do prepare a welcome for the clerics and give them the usual excuses until I can appear." He looks at the group. "Helgram designed teleportation circle, arcanely hard-linked to one in the Thelbane. No chance of winding up, say, in the depths of the Lessiman Edifice or at the bottom of the Laurentian Ice Sea." Espérance regards the design on the floor. "It looks like something you conjure demons with," she notes. "I am told the base principles are not dissimilar." Orcini comments. "A matter of attuning the circle to known being's energy instead of a known place's energy. But we are no mere demons to be summoned forth by arcane energy. Our bindings are of duty and circumstance. Not as absolute perhaps but more refined." Swan shrugs, “I’m sure that made sense to someone, so I’ll just smile.” “The former knight is correct,” Ingrey says with a smile. “Although I am not a sorcerer of a level enough to construct a circle like this, I have the ability to employ it. The group of you are going to be summoned to the circle at Thelbane based on who you are, not your nature. Since I spent enough time in the room with the group of you, I have enough of a feel to send you to another circle. All you need to do is to speak your true name as you enter the circle, to make the circle recognize you.” He looks at Espérance. “You will want to speak for Hugo, since he *is* a demon.” We don’t want to ruin that binding.” “Once you are all inside, I’ll activate the transport. Questions?” Ingrey says. Espérance, in turn, looks over at Huttner. "You're the one who knew that whole long name. I only ever thought of him as 'Hugo'." "Hugononpolianus" Huttner says with a nod. "You will remain bound to the Lady Espérance." Huttner bends down and regards him. "Right?" Hugo barks. He looks up at Espérance. "Speak it when you step across with him and that'll do the trick. He's amazingly loyal to you. Imprinted. But best not to disturb the currents of that bond." Swan waits for the others to jump into the Chaostech-thingie-mabob. Once she’s satisfied she won’t be turned inside out or into something of the reptilian persuasion, she follows. At times like these, Orcini is glad to have the language of streams and waves from his homeland. He makes a soft sound reminiscent of a babbling brook and steps forward into the circle. Espérance follows him in stepping into the circle. "Espérance St. Vier and Hugononpolianus," she pronounces, clearly and almost defiantly claiming her paternal ancestry--and identity--once more. As an afterthought she adds, "And Draconis Argentum." Ingrey shoots Espérance a look of surprise. Huttner waits for everyone else, Alex and Espérance included, before stepping across. Ingrey says. "Ave Atque Vale. Until we talk again." The runes that are glowing start to change colors, cycling from their standard white, to red, and down the color spectrum to colors beyond violet that the Chaosians can only see with effort. The cycle begins again in the infrared and repeats, faster and faster each time. A low sound, like a drum machine, is heard, and felt in everyone's bones. After two minutes of this aural and visual onslaught, there is a tingling sensation from head to toe. And the room disappears... Backlinks |
