PriyaDagnyTheComingOfAFleetIndex Priya Dagny the Coming of a Fleet "A flotilla of ships." Gerard purses his lips. "I know of no impending arrivals of a group of ship from anywhere. Especially armed ones." The last three words come out in something of a growl. "Walk with me, Dagny." Gerard says, turning direction on a dime. "Tell me more." "I don't know much more," I say as I fall into step with Gerard. "I was on the roof with Sorceress Priya from the Court of Rebma when we saw the ships. The people on the ship seemed human. I didn't recognize the colors or insignia, which isn't surprising." I describe them to him in as much detail as I can. "None of that sounds familiar." Gerard says "And I would know. So therefore, trans-Golden Circle. That makes things more complicated, and even more a potential for trouble." "Priya said she had no knowledge of such a fleet heading to Amber. She is going to join me shortly, so maybe she was able to find out more." "The Rebman emissary that was sent to replace the less...deft one." Gerard rumbles. "My son likes her." He stops and turns around. Behind Dagny, Priya and Ostegos are approaching them. "Good as your word." Gerard says approvingly. "Very little I am afraid." Priya moved with long strides, catching up briskly, with Ostegos right behind her. "The ships cannon are arcane in nature, both the shells and the launching devices. I cannot tell their range, but if they are worth their salt, I wouldn't expect the castle to be out of range." "Well, then" Gerard says. "It looks like then the course of action is clear. We meet them before they gain the harbor and find out who they are." He looks at Dagny even as he is digging out a deck of trumps. "Are you prone to seasickness, Dagny?" "That means that they know gunpowder won't burn here," Dagny says in response to Priya's intelligence. "If they know that about us, but we don't recognize who they are, that is not good. At all. "Seasickness? Hasn't happened to me yet," she replies to Gerard. "Good." Gerard says. He concentrates on a trump for a few moments and then looks to Dagny and Priya. "I want the three of you with me. We're going to the harbor, and from there we will meet this fleet on the open seas." The card glows in its rainbow light and he offers his hand to Dagny, Priya and Ostegos. Priya glanced at Dagny, willing to let the other woman travel first, but equally prepared to make the first step. Dagny nods at Priya, grasps Gerard's hand to step through the Trump, and holds her own out for the Sorceress... With a single swift trump transport, Dagny, Priya, and Ostegos (who without asking takes Priya's other hand), everyone finds themselves on the dock at the harbor. In point of fact, they are in front of a tall ship. For Dagny, its like the South Street Seaport come to life, with a tall ship that would easily fit alongside The Peking. "Those two cousins of yours borrowed two of my best ships" Gerard says to Dagny. "But even if I don't have the Peryton and the Narcissus, I still have the Peluda here." The Peluda, unlike tall ships Dagny has seen, appears well armed with ballistae and catapults. "We'll cast off within the quarter hour. Make any preparations you deem necessary." Gerard heads up the gangplank, barking orders. Dagny does a quick mental inventory, and is glad she hasn't had the opportunity to rest and disarm. "I think I've got everything I need," she says to Priya. "After you?" she motions toward the gangplank. "Thank you." Priya replied, smiling wryly. "I suppose it is a good thing I travel light." She seemed amused by the rapid development. On board, she walked to the railing, looking out at the sea a moment before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath of briny air. When that urge was satisfied she stepped back and looked around, addressing Ostegos, and Dagny if she was near. "I do need a moment to settle myself and prepare for what may come. If they use sorcery in their warfare, I would prefer to have my defenses at ready, and I would like to contemplate ways to handle cannon fire if it comes to that." One of the officers of the ship approaches Priya, Dagny and Ostegos. Her hair, the color of metallic silver, is cut short, and her eyes are yellowish with pupil slits. "Greetings." she says. "My name is Nayomi. I am second officer aboard the Peluda. I could not help but overhear." she looks at Priya. "Would you prefer to use the bow of the ship, if you are a Hydromancer, or my cabin if you need privacy?" "If I will not be in the way, I would prefer the bow. Thank you Nayomi." She bobs her head and smiles slightly. "I thought you might be a water witch. Until we cast off, you would be unmolested there." she says [Dagny] "Thank you, Nayomi. Priya, if you'd prefer a little quiet time, I can wander around here and acquaint myself with the ship." "That might be best. For the next little while I will be busy in here and social." [Priya's] hand curled to gesture inward. "I will stand overwatch for you." Ostegos says. "As long as you don't interfere with operations, Princess Dagny, I would hardly think the Admiral would permit me or anyone else to impede a Princess of Amber if she so wishes to do so." Nayomi says. Her smile reveals that her tongue is much more slender than expected. "If you have any questions, I will be easy to find." "Thank you, Nayomi. I'm sure the current situation is a little too dire for a proper tour, but perhaps another time. Priya, Ostegos, I'll see you in a bit." With that, Dagny strolls off to examine the ship and its crew. What's going on? Anything or anybody pique her interest? Does she have a better view of the incoming fleet? The fleet is impossible to see from here in the harbor. Indeed, the docks and the area outside of the ship do not seem aware or nervous about the approach of the fleet, as they properly should be. No, all of the action is on board of the ship. Sailors of both genders and (mostly) all human are a beehive of activity around her, rigging sails, checking ropes, loading things on board. Dagny often finds herself the single still center of quiet around which the ship hums with life. Just how much *they* know about the unseen fleet is not clear. All of the chatter and side conversations are about getting things moving, but not exploring the reasons or motivations. Priya nodded to Dagny and headed for the bow of the ship, finding a relatively comfortable spot to sit in a coil of ropes. Secure, she let Varuna rest in her lap, closed her eyes and concentrated on the artifacts and the defenses she thought might be useful if a conflict broke out with the incoming fleet. The meditation, for lack of a better word, together with the staff, has some obvious ideas come to mind. If there is going to be a fight, and conflict, fire and fire based weapons are the real danger, and the obvious thing for this enemy fleet to use on the ship. Defenses for that might range from spatially redirecting incoming fire in other directions using Correspondence based magic to create wormholes, to absorbing such missiles with walls of water raised from the sea to meet and block projectiles. If this is a fight, its likely going to be one where brute force elementalism is going to be the name of the game, rather than anything less subtle. "She is praying?" Gerard asks Dagny, coming up to her as Dagny continues her examination of the ship and Priya remains in her withdrawn state. "Or the sorcerous equivalent, I would imagine," Dagny replies, looking over at Priya. "If she's preparing anything along the same lines of what I saw her do to the Omphalos is Rebma, it ought to be quite a show." She briefly describes the battle to Gerard, then changes tack. "This is a nice ship, Uncle, and your crew seems very efficient, if oddly calm. Are they aware of the incoming ships, and the potential threat?" "I had heard my son mention a Rebman sorceress." Gerard says. "It may have been Priya, from the way you describe her battle sorcery, he is quite taken with her." Gerard says. He scratches his chin for the moment. "The city and docks in general are mostly unaware of the situation. The Captain of the ship is disseminating that information to the crew through her officers, as appropriate. The Peluda and her crew have faced many threats over the years, and are the most experienced in any of the fleet. Their professionalism is a credit to the Amber Navy." The pleased tone in Gerard's voice is obvious. He turns his head in Priya's direction, still meditating. "Ah, she is working hydromancy now, or working it out in her mind. I can smell the slightly different and new notes of salt in the air." [Priya will remain as is until she is done. Carry on.] Dagny takes a sniff. Does she detect what Gerard does? Dagny can make the supposition that Gerard is detecting Priya's magic workings. by the scent of the salt in the air. "Best not to worry the general population, of course. I've not spent a lot of time on board ships like this, but their professionalism and expertise is obvious, even to a landlubber like me. Have you narrowed down who these invaders might possibly be?" "No" Gerard says, a grimace crossing his lips. "I have narrowed as to who they are not, but with an infinite supply of shadows, that is cold comfort. They are not any of the Golden Circle Shadows, nor any of the close and medium range nations. They are not Rebman. They are not any Chaosian House of worth or note, and a weak Chaosian House would not send an expedition like this." "I have my sons in the Castle Library now. All three of them, looking for answers. I fear that they will not find the answer until we discover it for ourselves." He looks at Priya. "We cast off imminently." he calls to her, booming his voice. Priya's eyes half opened in response and then closed again. She did not seem concerned. "Whoever they are, they sure have--er, some nerve--" Dagny was clearly substituting words here, "to sail into Amber, armed and unannounced." She readies herself for the casting off, and the possibility of conflict. "And that is why we are going to meet them." Gerard says. "Back before the War, my brother Julian hunted many strange beasts that wandered into Arden, heralds of what would be the Black Road and the Chaosian forces." "The Chaosians aren't very good watermen for the most part." he continues. "Caine and I had it much easier, 'til Bleys and Corwin started their fool venture. Now it seems that trouble comes to the seas, first." As Gerard promises, in short order, the Peluda casts off and starts maneuvering its way out of the harbor. In her state, Priya can sense the small charm that is giving the ship a favorable wind, a breeze to speed it out of the harbor and into the open water more rapidly than she would otherwise. From Dagny's perspective, she gets a view of the city and the coastline as the Peluda sails away in the afternoon light, working its way down the coastline, heading inexorably in the direction that Dagny, Ostegos and Priya had seen the fleet. No one has to wait long before a call from the crow's nest comes down to Gerard, the rest of the crew, Dagny and Priya. The fleet has been sighted and will soon be visible from the deck. And contact will soon occur after that. Dagny takes a moment to admire the view from the ship before turning her attention to the impending confrontation, but has nothing to add for the moment. At the warning cry Priya roused herself, stood slowly, taking time to look around before joining Dagny and Gerard and facing the oncoming fleet. The fleet and the Peluda slowly close toward each other. As minutes pass, the fleet starts to stratify. One of the largest warships takes the lead on the fleet, the rest of the ships forming a wedge behind it. A figure from the crow's nest of the ship waves a flag as the ship comes to a stop, as do, at a distance, the remainder of the fleet. One of the officers hands Gerard a spyglass and he looks through it at the flag signaller. Priya's eyes can make out the blue and yellow flag that the young woman waves. The remainder of the fleet slows down to a stop, letting the flag waving warship to slowly close the distance between herself and Peluda by herself. "I believe they are seeking embassy on board their vessel." Gerard says. "I'd like at least one of you to come with me, if not all three of you. One of you might remain here and watch for any malfeasance and take appropriate action if necessary. Make a decision." "Of course, I'll join you. Odd, though," Dagny continues, "that they should arrive outfitted for war but then immediately request a parley. I wonder what game they're playing?" "Mmm..." Priya regarded the ship thoughtfully. "They may have felt the show of force was necessary to gain diplomatic leverage." She shook her head, not certain, but entertaining many possibilities. "One possibility." Gerard says, agreeing. "I will go." She replied to Gerard, then turning to look at Ostegos. "Help the crew here. If we need to leave by magic, I can use you as an anchor to bring us back." She glanced at the sword thoughfully, but said nothing else, turning instead to watch the other ship approach. "As you desire, Priya." Ostegos says. He, too, looks at his sword. Gerard makes a signal to send a flag signal in response to the other ship. The approaching ship does slow down, turn and come to a stop at a distance from the Peluda. By this point, the crew have prepared a longboat for the eventuality. One of the midshipmen volunteers to row the party to the other ship. The passage across is relatively slow, the unknown ship looming larger and larger with every stroke of the oars from Midshipman Landon. "Being able to remove us to the Peluda by magic is desirable." Gerard says to Priya as the passage is made. He looks at Dagny. "You should be prepared to trump back to the Castle if there is treachery." As the longboat nears the other ship, a sturdy looking rope ladder is lowered from the deck of the ship to the water's edge. The curious faces of human sailors peer down from the deck as the longboat nears and reaches the rope ladder. "The rules of precedence mandate boarding in order of increasing rank. That suggests the Sorceress, the Princess, and then I." Gerard says to Dagny and Priya. He looks at Landon. "You remain here, lad." Priya glanced down at her dress and then gave the rope ladder a distainful frown. "I think I will answer their show of force with a little one of my own." Gerard remains tight lipped, and watches. She stood up, stepped out of the boat and onto the surface of the water. A small, curling column of water lifted her to the level with the hosting ship. She stepped daintly onto the ship's railing, allowing the column to spash against the side of the ship before running back down to the sea that birthed it. She did not wait for or expect assistance, and stepped down just as gracefully, the large step baring her legs Onboard, she moved forward and looked around like a cat that has deigned to come out among the humans so they might appreciate her beauty. And if she was the lowest ranking, they could just sit and ponder what the others might be able to do. Dagny, in step behind Gerard, lets out a low, appreciative whistle at Priya's display. She makes sure to follow directions and shuffle out her Castle Amber Trump from her deck, and is now ready for just about anything. The men and women on board of the ship stare openly at Priya as she makes her grand entrance. They stare openly at her during and after her display. The ship is entirely crewed by humans, with skin colors ranging from a a light brown to a sooty black. At an unspoken command, all of them give her several feet of space, backing up and getting out of the way and she moves around. Priya took that as her due, standing so that there was a comfortable space for Dagny and Gerard to step into when they arrived. The ship does look as much as it did as they have espied it previously. The ballistae are not loaded and are conspicuously not pointed toward the Peluda. However, its clear to her that state of affairs could be easily rectified. The sailors (and marines, if she is any judge) are well dressed and given their reactions to her, well disciplined. There is as yet no sign of senior officers or the captain. Priya surveyed the crew closely, scanning lightly for a fellow mage and any magic that may not have been detectable from a distance. None of the ordinary looking crew around her registers as such, but besides the ballista themselves, there is a knot of magic, perhaps an active mage, in the forecastle of the ship. Several knots, the longer Priya looks at the area. "Our turn." Gerard says to Dagny. "You go ahead of me. A pity I was never a good student of my sister's tutoring." he says. "Having the wind smash us against the side of the ship would be to ill effect." "Indeed. Wish I'd picked up more than parlor tricks, myself," Dagny says. She squares her shoulders, lifts her chin in her most aristocratic fashion, and marches onto the ship as if she owns the thing outright. She moves to stand next to Priya, ignores the lower-ranking enemy officers, and awaits Gerard's embarkation. Priya likewise waited, still watching the crew, studying them. She looked for signs of rank.. knots, bars, stripes, anything that might indicate who stood where in the heirarchy or what their function might be. There are two kinds of people, two kinds of uniforms anyway, that Dagny notices. Obvious sailor types, with semicircles as some designation of rank, and more heavily armed marine-types, that use a branching line designation. None of the sailors or marines appear to be of any great rank at all. Gerard is focusing on the weapons, studying them with narrowed eyes. After a few minutes of this lack of engagement, a group of people emerge from the forecastle and start moving toward the middle of the ship where Gerard, Dagny and Priya are. Two of the people, wearing robes at odds with the uniforms, come across as mages to Priya's sight. Several more are Marines, with far more complicated branching lines as insignia. Two have the insignia of sailors of some high rank. The figure in the lead wears a uniform that has sailors rank on one sleeve of the black tunic and the marines on the other. (Casting call: Idris Elba) "Good day to you." he says. "You are the representatives of Amber?" The accent is unfamiliar to Priya. Further proof they are not Golden Circle or a realm she is familiar with. To Dagny, it sounds like if the movie Fargo was dubbed into Thari. "Not all of us." Gerard says. "I am Royal Prince Gerard of Amber." He stops and gives a head nod to Priya and Dagny to introduce themselves. Dagny says, somewhat haughtily to cover up her internal dissonance over the words, "And I am Princess Dagny of Amber and Kashfa." She holds off her next comment until Priya has a chance to introduce herself. "I am Priya, of Rebma." she replied simply, adding no titles. "We have heard of these realms besides Amber, as if in story." The man replies. The accent in that sentence is somewhat moderated from his initial words, and as he continues to speak, the dissonant accent does not vanish, but at the very least ameliorates. "My people have journeyed far to these lands and come to you know, Royal Prince Gerard, Princess Dagny and Priya of Rebma. My name is Aldris, Lord High Admiral and Major General of the military part of the People." "On behalf of the People, we seek by right of strength of arms, and of blood sanctuary and space in Amber." "What blood?" Gerard asks. His body language has turned tense since Aldris' last sentence. "I am the grandson of the absent lord of the shadow throne." Aldris replies. "You called him Osric, I believe." "Hmm... I was not aware that Osric still concerned himself with this realm, I thought as Shadowthrone he looked elsewhere, but my information has its limits." Priya shrugged, shifted her weight to one side and settled into her hip. "I can, however, tell you that strength of arms will earn you only trouble and a different tone would serve you better." "Indeed," Dagny says, raising an eyebrow at the visitors. "I hadn't heard Shadowthorne had a grandson. I'm not sure if I should be impressed by your hubris or insulted at the implication that your show of arms here would be enough to carve yourself out a corner of Amber, let alone space for the people who follow you." She looks to Gerard, waiting for him to speak. "My companions know of Osric, or Shadowthorne." Gerard says. "Their questions should be answered, Aldris. As well as the matter of coming so armed to our shores." "Osric has been absent from the fallen Empire for an age." he replies. "I only invoke his name as one that we have in common. We lived in the shadow of his departure, as any who live in the aftermath of a living God." "Now that the Porphyrous Tower has fallen, our realm destroyed, we seek a place here, as Osric came from here and I claim his birthright as the senior of his descendants who still live." Aldris says. "And the stories he told were that the Lord of Amber expects and respects strength, not weakness. Better to come as the fighter, not as the beggar." "Be that as it may." Gerard says. "Armed ships are not tolerated in the waters of Amber. I would not expect them to be tolerated in the waters of Rebma, either." he adds, with an inclination in Priya's direction. Priya shook her head slowly, the arched expression adding a warning note to the gesture. Aldris gives Priya a second, scrutinizing glance. He looks at Priya and Dagny. "What know you of Osric's whereabouts?" Priya glanced at Dagny, and then replied. "He currently resides in a realm outside of this." She curled a hand through the air, indicating everything. "It is not unreachable, but it is not a safe journey and I cannot say how he feels about guests." Gerard gives a nod. "Thank you. Your sources are better than mine." he says. He turns to look at Dagny. "I've heard much the same," Dagny agrees, nodding at Priya, "That he exists as an entity neither living nor dead somewhere between Amber and Undershadow. This is all secondhand information, of course. But if we're really going to get into details, Uncle, including the implication that there are more of him where he comes from," she nods at Aldris, "I might suggest we consider a change of venue. I can also think of at least two people that would be interested in meeting our...guest." "There are other unresolved questions here, too." Gerard adds. He looks at Aldris. "You appear to be remarkably well informed about my grandfather." he says. "And of other things. Perhaps there are, as the Princess Dagny says, better venues to conduct our conversation than the deck of the Pride of Qart-Hadast." "Yes." Gerard says. "The captain's cabin on my ship. You may bring one other with you as an adjutant. Come across in one hour. Agreed?" "Agreed" Aldris says. "One hour." Gerard makes a motion for Dagny and Priya to follow him back to the longboat. He waits until both are loaded and the officer is rowing them back across before speaking. "Impressions? Observations? We've one hour to prepare a welcome for him. One way or another." "I knew little of this Osric Shadowthrone business." Gerard admits. "This sounds like lore from the more redheaded members of the Family." Priya settled onto the bench, sitting primly, with a distant, thoughtful expression. "I do not know how Osric came to be Shadowthrone, but he is connected now to old magic that is part of the reawakening in this age. Father or Princess Fiona may have insight, and it may be of some value to speak with Shadowthorne, though as I said, the journey may not be safe and I would not wish to take any beside myself. "For Aldris, whatever kin he still has, and the men with him. They are desperate. They may have more refugees left behind somewhere, but this may be all the force they have. A brave show to bully their way to an audience. Or, it is all a ruse so they can get in closer. I expect the former, but I am not yet inclined to place odds." She let one hand rest on the edge of the boat, fingers reaching out over the water, subtly adjusting the current of water around the boat to make rowing easier and the ride smoother. "My information comes from Aunt Fiona," Dagny says. "She said she found herself in Shadowthorne's domain and executed a 'strategic departure,' as Kieran put it. If Aunt Fiona did not find herself equal to whatever was there, I can only imagine how it would be for more ordinary folk. I'm also wondering if Aldris knows who is king in Amber these days. I would hardly characterize Random as one who respects strength above all else. I agree with Priya that Aldris and his followers seem desperate. They must have needed to move quickly and quietly in order to request/demand sanctuary, or really, sending an emissary would surely have been a more appropriate overture than a blustering show of force. I'm also curious as to what entity was able to invade and destroy a kingdom populated with descendants of an Amberite prince." She is silent for a moment. "Either he is not who he says he is...or we should be really, really worried." "Yes." Priya agreed. "I am very interested in hearing their story, of what befell their realm. I have been to Osric's domain.... I was allowed to leave unmolested, but I am neither rival, nor sibling." She shrugged slightly. "If there is need, I would risk another venture in the Shadow." Gerard turns his head to regard Aldris' ship. "We're missing key pieces of information. Mainly their motivation for this fleet exodus, as well as their ties to Amber through Osric, or Shadowthorne." He pauses and corrects himself. "Shadowthrone" "You say you would go alone to this domain, Priya." Gerard says to Priya. "I would rather you go with one of the Amber Royal Family. And carefully." He looks at Dagny. "Despite my sister's colorful description of retreat, would you be willing to accompany Priya to this domain, if it is required?" "It is not a matter of what you would rather." Priya replied quietly, gaze steady on the Prince. Her expression was concerned, sincere in her desire to make him understand, but also determined. "I am the one who has to pull open the door, get to our target, have a conversation that hopefully wins us some answers, and then pull open another door to get back out. That is no simple task. Now, you wish to tax the effort further by adding Royalty. My protest is that your family has a well-documented, deep-seated competitiveness that has been watched from the side lines for centuries. Your rivalries and open hostilities against each other echo across Shadow, and while I can see no reason for him to take Princess Dagny's presence poorly, I cannot dictate that he be reasonable and I am not about to risk my well being, or Dagny's, by ignoring the possibility that he finds some offense in her, or another member of his father's extended family, arriving uninvited. Because if things go poorly, I may not be able to execute a 'strategic departure' that allows two of us to escape." Gerard frowns at Priya's argument. "I think we're getting ahead of ourselves," Dagny interjects. "Why don't wait to see what Aldris has to say, before we start planning infiltration of Shadowthrone's domain, or anyone else's? We have no proof he even is who he says he is. In the meantime, maybe I should see if I can get ahold of Aunt Fiona. I have a feeling she'll have some questions for this supposed descendent of Osric's." She pulls out her Trump deck and shuffles out Fiona's card, poised to contact upon assent. "I think speaking with Fiona before Aldris arrives is an excellent idea." Priya nodded in agreement. "My sister's opinion of me is not overabundant with sisterly love and respect" Gerard says. The strain in his voice is obvious and his eyes flash. "However, it would appear that the both of you have a better relationship with her. I suspect its your greater abilities in common interests." The longboat at this moment has reached Gerard's ship. He looks up at the ship with relief in his eyes, and then looks back at Dagny and Priya. "Abide a moment and let us get on deck, and then you can fill her in on what's going on." Gerard mounts the ladder last, letting Priya and Dagny get up onto the Peluda before he does so. "I will speak to the crew in the meantime while you speak to Fiona." Gerard says, veering away from Dagny and Priya. As Gerard veers away, Ostegos comes over. Dagny raises her eyebrows in astonishment as Gerard beats a "strategic departure" of his own. "The Admiral of Amber appears perturbed. Trouble?" Ostegos asks. "Apparently," she says in reply to Ostegos's question. "But this time of my doing." She sighs. "I'm too new and too much of an outsider to know or even be privy to the long list of rivalries, alliances, and machinations that are the Amber national pastime. Baseball? Pffft! Who needs it, when you've got backstabbing and millennia of butthurt! "Basically, I suggested we consult my Aunt Fiona, and Gerard is allowing it, but it seems as if he refuses to be present when we do so, and made some backhanded comment about Priya's and my 'greater abilities' and 'common interests' on his way out. Whatever, I'm going to contact her now." Dagny concentrates on Fiona's Trump and attempts to make contact. "Aunt Fiona?" she asks aloud, for the benefit of Priya and Ostegos. "If you have a minute, there's an interesting development on the Shadowthrone front." "I made an offer prematurely and the rest of the conversation did not go to his liking, partly because we have far more questions than answers.". Priya did not shrug, but her tone implied one. She turned to see how Dagny's effort went with the trump. "There is a rivalry or disagreement there, clearly." Ostegos says. "This is not unlike Lemuria. Perhaps every Court is prone to this."Ostegos says. In the meantime, Fiona answers Dagny, quickly. "You certainly know how to draw my interest, great-niece." Fiona says to Dagny. "Ah, I see you have forged common cause with Priya. How very astute of you." There is a distinctly pleased tone to her mental voice. "So tell me of this development. I suspect you do not wish to leave my brother's ship. And he has suddenly gone to clean out the bilge or something, hasn't he?" Priya looked quietly out over the water, toward the other ships. Ostegos stands beside her, observing, watching. With Priya's sight, she can see there is a small storm of activity on Aldris' ship. The activity seems to be revolving around preparing and spiffying up a longboat of their own. As far as the other ships, they have started to draw in a little closer to their flagship, tightening up their formation. And more poignantly, they are watching the Peluda just as carefully as she is watching them, with things that look like spyglasses. "Or something," Dagny agrees, without going into detail. "Anyway, a man named Aldris has arrived in Amber with an armed fleet, declaring that he is Osric's grandson and demanding sanctuary for himself and his followers. Priya and I thought we should consult with you, since you have some knowledge of Shadowthrone and his kingdom. Since Aldris will be arriving on Gerard's ship presently, no, we don't want to leave...but since he's not here I can't ask Gerard's permission for you to board. Could I bring Priya in on the call, so we can all discuss this together?" "I have no objections to including her in this conversation." Fiona says. "Please allow her to join us if she is willing. As a practitioner of the arcane arts and not a member of the family, she may have reservations. I have no desire not to press her unduly, but would prefer to speak to the two of you without you acting as secretary and intermediary, or you repeating everything we discuss." "Priya," Dagny says to that lady, "Would you be willing to join me on this Trump call? My aunt says she would understand if you had some reservations, but it would be easier this way." "It is not something done lightly." Priya nodded, closed her eyes, took a single slow breath in and out, and then reached out her hand to Dagny. And so Priya steps into the call. The outward look of the mind of Priya to Dagny is much the same as Fiona's--the cool and collected mind of a sorceress. What Dagny can sense, and thus certainly Fiona can as well, is that Priya is not a...single concern. Beyond the outward face of the connection to Dagny and Fiona, Dagny can sense that Priya's mind is strongly connected to two other entities, and the two of them to each other. The connection is robust and strong, like a high-capacity data line. "Well, then." Fiona says. "This will go more swiftly and with more dispatch. Dagny was telling me some of the basics of the situation. According to her, my dear older brother Osric apparently has a grandson, and said grandson is the leader of this ragtag fugitive fleet?" "They are to my eye, well armed, possibly with munitions that will work here. The ship we saw was in good form, but I can say nothing of the others." "I see" Fiona says to Priya. "And if I did not miss the implication from Dagny." Fiona adds sweetly. "You also seem to know something of Warren magic, Priya?" "I was introduced to their existence when I answered Castor's request to help his brother. Being curious, I quickly caught glimpses of two more. Sadly, I did not see you before I took a risk, yanked one open and stepped through. Osric allowed me to leave, and that is where my information on them ends." her tone suggested that it was a matter of small frustration. "Time will correct that." Dagny's mental voice sounds a little surprised. "I haven't heard of this Warren magic, Aunt. Is this something that relates to Shadowthrone's realm? What does it entail?" Priya's gaze slid sideways from Dagny to Fiona, one brow arching slightly as she waited for the other sorceress to answer. Fiona's mental mood seems pleased by Dagny's inquisitiveness. "Indeed. I would be more surprised if you had." Fiona says."Warren Magic is a very old magic, older than both the Pattern and the Logrus, and very much out of favor in this day and age. Until recently, Warrens and Holds were weak and ineffectual. This has changed." "Briefly." Fiona smirks. "Warren magic revolves around using certain supra-shadow realms called Warrens to power specialized forms of magic . These Warrens exist in the space between our reality and realms such as the Dreamlands. I know you are familiar with *those*, Dagny. These Warrens as well as being sources of magical energy are themselves places you might dare to visit, if prepared properly. Or leave quickly, as Priya did." "Osric in his new role as Shadowthrone has a realm there in one of the Warrens. The Warren of Shadow, to be precisely.It is clear that Aldris and his fleet did not come from there." Fiona says. "It is not one of the Warrens that a civilization might live in." "So the Warrens are like batteries, powering magic," Dagny muses. "I can understand why a person might want to control them. But Aunt, why bother establishing a 'realm' if nobody can live there? Does he just sit there, ruling nothing, basking in raw power? Seems kind of like a waste a time, which is not something I associate with members of our family." She thinks for a moment, and then continues. "If Aldris didn't come from the Warren of Shadow, that seems to indicate that Shadowthrone--or his descendents--holds sway over somewhere else in the universe, where his line continues. Do you know from where Aldris and his followers might have originated?" "The Warrens are something more than batteries." Fiona says. "They are origin sources for various kinds of their elder magic. And there are Warrens that one might live in, and whole peoples have lived in and perhaps still do. Meanas, the Warren of Shadow that Shadowthrone rules, is not hospitable to a human civilization, true, but that does not mean it is uninhabited. Far from it. Mind, the Warren of Shadow is also a realm of twisted perceptions and illusions, and the true flora and fauna of the Warren hidden to those who are unconnected to the throne. She looks at Priya. "Did you hear the baying of the Hounds when you were there?" Priya nodded, the expression on her face slightly pinched. "They are formidable beasts." "They are denizens of the realm that Shadowthrone has bound to his service." Fiona replies. Fiona continues, focusing her eyes through the call on Dagny. "As far as where Aldris and his followers came from, as a matter of fact, I do know of a region of shadow that my elder brother favored, once upon a time. A small corner of real shadow, centered on the Mountain Imperial, a pole of reality not even as powerful as the Fount of Power." "I do happen to have a trump of it." she adds with a smile. "Of course you do," Dagny says with a smile. "I don't suppose you'd let me borrow it? If nothing else, it might give Aldris the idea we know more about his situation than we're letting on, leading him to share more than he might otherwise. I am not inclined to head there right now, however." "I wonder if that is the Tower they refer to as falling..." Priya wondered aloud. "I do not know of a falling tower there." Fiona says. "Although they do have a tower that functions as their center of political gravity, and spiritual as well." In the view of the trump call, Priya and Dagny can watch Fiona head to a bookcase in the room she is in and open it. It's a binder that reminds Dagny of plastic sleeves for collectable trading cards like baseball cards. However, the sleeves are larger, with fewer to a page, because there are trumps in these sleeves. Fiona flips through the binder with a dizzying speed, giving only the faintest and briefest of opportunities to see the places and people on the cards. Finally, she stops at a page, and withdraws a card from the upper right pouch. It depicts a large Fuji-like mountain, with a green-walled city in the foreground. In the center of this city is a thin minaret-like tower, the tallest building in the city, and purple in color. Fiona offers Dagny the trump through the connection. "I trust you will return it in good time." she says. "And do keep our erstwhile relation off balance as well as you are able. I am sure you will tell me all about it in due course. I don't expect my brother would be terribly interested in doing so." "Thank you, Aunt," Dagny says as she accepts the Trump. "I will take good care of it. And I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on whatever our guest has to say for himself, afterwards." She waits to see if Priya or Fiona have anything else to add. Priya watched the exchange attentively, paying attntion to the Trump especially, but made no comment. "Very well." Fiona says. "The best of luck with your efforts. I will be in touch." She pauses a beat and smiles. "With both of you." Priya nodded politely, a tone of agreement clear in the connection. "Thank you, Aunt," Dagny replies. And with that, Fiona ends the trump call. "Shall I go and tell Admiral Gerard that your conversation is complete?" Ostegos asks, stepping closer once its clear the trump call is over. "The preparations of the enemy fleet to send over their emissary appear to be continuing apace." "Please." Priya replied with a short nod, glancing toward the other ships. Ostegos heads in the direction of the Captain's cabin at a good pace. Dagny studies the Trump Fiona handed her, careful not to activate it. "It's too bad one can't just stick one's head through just to take a look at what's the other side. I wonder though...if this tower is the one that's fallen, this Trump no longer accurately depicts the scene it was meant to represent. Does that affect the Trump magic?" Priya regarded the card from Dagny's shoulder and shook her head. "I am afraid I have no skill at Trump and cannot guess at an answer, but Prince Gerard may have suggestions on who we should speak with on that matter. If we are fortunate, they will be available." She stepped back turning to face the other ships. "But we now have a little information, and we shall see what they have to say, and if they wish sanctuary, we shall see if Random and the Family are interested in granting it." In short order, Ostegos returns, with Gerard and a midshipman in tow, trailing behind the Admiral uncertainly. "Your man Ostegos tells me that the conversation with my sister is complete, and was fruitful?" Gerard says. He gives a glance over the water, where their own longboat is being lowered into the water. There is no sign of Aldris boarding it quite yet, however. Given the deadline, that must be soon. "What do I need to know from what you spoke to her or what do you need to ask of me?" Gerard says. "His Majesty has given us authority to treat fully with our distant relation here as befits my judgement." He pauses a beat. "By which I mean ours." Priya acknowledged Gerard's concession with a regal bow of her head. "Thank you, Uncle, for including our opinions in your final judgement," Dagny says. "I'm sure there are some relatives of ours who would not be so open-minded. Aunt Fiona believes that Shadowthrone controls a small corner of Shadow, of which she of course happened to have a Trump." She shows Gerard the picture on the card. "I don't suppose you recognize it?" Gerard studies the card for a moment, and then a moment longer. His eyebrows furrow. "I feel that I should, but I do not."
"So if I understand it thusly." Gerard rumbles. "My elder brother once ruled the realm on the card that Fiona gave you. Aldris is from this realm, but Osric has moved onto this realm of Meanas, leaving his family behind." Gerard's distaste comes through in his tone of voices. "And it may be the Omphalos who drove Aldris and his family to flight, as this realm is a possible target of theirs." "Then we have bargaining chips." Gerard says. "Did you wish to try this trump before Aldris arrives?" he asks Dagny. "My boy could certainly manipulate it in short order, and be proof against a trap or against the need to return quickly." "That's more or less how I understand it," Dagny agrees, "And if Aldris is the real deal he might be able to fill in any blanks." Priya nodded quietly in agreement. I would love to see what's on the other side of this Trump before we meet him, actually, so if your son is willing, I'll take you up on your offer." Next to Ostegos, Priya continued to listen attentively, and waited. "Done" Gerard says. He pulls out his trump deck, and picks out the fourth card from the top. He stares at it. "I've need of you Hadrian." "I was not aware of that. Cannot Carl watch over her for the moment? We've need of your trump skills, here and now. I've Dagny and the Rebman Ambassador with me." Gerard then speaks rapidly, too rapidly for Dagny to make out. Priya with a little work can hear it is basically a summary of everything that has happened. This lasts about thirty seconds. Ten seconds after that, the dark haired Hadrian steps through the trump, with his miniature Wyvern on his shoulder. "Greetings again, Dagny" he says with a smile. "And you must be Ambassador Priya and Ostegos" he says, nodding to Priya and Ostegos. Priya inclined her head politely, her gaze taking in the wyvern as well as the man. The Wyvern studies Priya with frank curiosity. "Oh, and this is Dora" he strokes the head of the Wyvern. "But we're probably wasting time. Dad told me that time is of the essence." "I did" Gerard says. Hadrian looks at Dagny. "I believe you needed a trump expert?" he says. "Hello again, Hadrian, Dora." Dagny greets her cousin and his Wyvern. "We do." She hands Hadrian Fiona's Trump. "This is on loan from Aunt Fiona, and she says it is a Trump of the Shadow Aldris would be from if he's genuine. It'd be terrific if we could take a peek in there before we meet him, and see what's going on." Hadrian takes the trump from Dagny, holds it a foot or so from his eyes and studies it for a moment. He then narrows his eyes as he studies the trump. Although she is not looking at the trump directly, Dora's eyes turn a slightly milky blue color. The rainbow nimbus of a trump connection shines around him. Hadrian speaks, focusing on the contact. "The city is in ruins." Hadrian says. "If I had to guess, it looks like its due to a volcanic eruption from that mountain. There's still smoke coming from the remnants of the peak." "Did you want to go through to learn more? I can get us back easily enough." Hadrian offers. "I would be interested in going." Priya commented, looking to Dagny and Gerard for their thoughts. "As would I," Dagny agrees. "The destruction is in keeping with Aldris's story, so I wonder what else we're going to find." "Trump me the moment you need to return." Gerard says to Hadrian. "Err on the side of caution, son. Pull out at the first sign of trouble or danger. Your companions are competent and clever, but you are headed into a dangerous situation. Have a care." Hadrian keeps his face neutral. "Yes, father. We will not tarry." He reaches out a hand toward Dagny. "Let us..." Ostegos looks to Priya and interrupts Hadrian. "I should accompany you, unless you strongly advise against it, Priya. You may need protection." Dagny raises her eyebrows at Ostegos's interruption and looks to Priya for a response. Priya cocked her head, regarding Ostegos thoughtfully, and then she turned to Hadrian. "If there is some thing on the other side that would interfere with Trump, and your ability to use that craft to return to here, would you be able to tell from this side?" "If it was a current effect of the shadow or the region that we are trumping into." Hadrian says. "Then, why, yes. There would be a detectable wavering of the trump contact, given that we are trumping into the area of potential interference right now. The ripples across the trump call would be noticeable and the nimbus..." "Perhaps you should be less technical Hadrian." Dora suggests sibilantly. Hadrian nods, stops and starts again. "If someone there actively did something to the shadow after we transport over there, Priya, I wouldn't be able to predict that from here." Hadrian amends "But otherwise, I'd know it right now. And I see nothing like that to indicate any difficulties in leaving now." Dagny shrugs. "If it happens, we'll deal with it then. I'm ready when you are." "As you wish." Priya replied to Ostegos, and then nodded to Dagny. "I am ready. I also followed Hadrian's initial explanation." She commented, gazing mildly at Dora. "I think I was boring Dagny, and certainly my father." Hadrian says. He then offers his hand to Dagny first, Priya second, and Ostegos third, allowing all three to step through before he (and Dora) step behind them. As Hadrian had described, the scene in front of the five of them is indeed of the city of the trump Fiona lent Dagny, but one that has suffered catastrophe. The mountain in the background no longer has a snowy cap, instead a plume of smoke rises from the peak. The peak itself looks rough hewn, clearly having suffered the effects of a massive eruption, probably mudslides, avalanches and worse. It no longer looks like the paragon of earth and power it once did. The city before them is in worse shape. The jade walls are cracked and broken in many places. The purple tower is broken at about half its height as Dagny saw in the trump, now rising above a ruined city like a mangled finger. The air is full of volcanic dust, dry, choking and unpleasant, most especially to Priya. There are no signs of intelligent life, only a scavenger or two in dark corners and recesses. Dagny lets out a low whistle. "Damn. I don't think we can pin this one on the Omphalos. Unless they've figured out a way to make volcanoes erupt. Do you want to look around a bit before we head back?" she asks the others. "A bit..." Pryia agreed, one hand covering her nose as she examined the area through squinting eyes. She only took a few steps, and then concentrated silently, looking for any afterglow of magic that might have been used to influence the area. Seeing Priya's distress, Dagny says, "Oh!" and concentrates a moment, hoping to conjure up enough sturdy dust masks for the group. Priya blinked at the item, but once she saw what it was for, put it on without hesitation. "Thank you." "Much appreciated" Hadrian says, slipping on the dust mask. At the same time, Dora disappears from Hadrian's shoulder, and at the same time, a sword and scabbard appear on his belt. Ostegos gives Dagny a nod as he slips his on as well. "You're welcome," she nods, slipping on her own mask. For Priya, too, the dust mask is a help, getting rid of almost all of the dry dust threatening to dry her lungs. Looking for magic turns out to give two hot spots to Priya's eyes. The volcano itself, is glowing with a potent afterglow of a combination of fire and earth based sorcery. The conclusion is obvious--the volcano's eruption was sparked, caused or enhanced by magical means. There is also a concentration of afterglow of magic on the broken purple tower as well, as if it was separately struck and attacked. "There are a few volcanoes on the Crie-DuMarque border" Hadrian says. "When they go off, they cause lots of problems for miles around. But why would you build such a large and beautiful city in the shadow of one this big and threatening?" Dagny surveys the scene. Does she notice anything unusual? Aside from a devastated, ruined cityscape, nothing particularly stands out to Dagny. "Lots of reasons, I wold imagine. Fertile lands, good grazing, availability of water, convenient placement along trade routes...anything, really, especially if the volcano is a quiet one. Are you familiar with Pompeii? Hadrian shakes his head. " Where I came from, it was an ancient city that was built in the shadow of an enormous volcano, and it also was very beautiful, until the volcano erupted and covered the entire city in ash, more or less mummifying people where they stood. I believe they now have a few of the bodies on display, looks of terror forever frozen on their faces. Gruesome, really." Hadrian shudders. "A testament to the power of a volcano. But a disquieting one. Like this city." "This was not caused by poor placement." Priya shook her head sadly. "Earth and fire magics were used to activate the volcano, or at the very least caused its eruption to be so devastating. The tower was struck separately, but near to the same time. With the element of surprise, there would be no time to mount a defense. Imagine pulling the magics from Rebma, and as the sea crushes in, attacking the Palace. Father, Princess Llewella and I are very good at what we do, but we could not counter that with ease....." She froze looking mildly alarmed. "Are we quite certain that Kolvir is not a sleeping volcano?" "What?" Hadrian says in surprise. Dagny's jaw drops, and she stares at Priya, wide-eyed and horrified. "Magic did this? Are you serious? How....is that even possible? Who could do such a thing? No, who WOULD do such a thing? I mean if you're trying to wipe out an entire population it's certainly effective, but why would that even be necessary, and what a horrible, cowardly way to go about it..." she stops and shakes her head for a moment like a dog shaking off water. "I'm babbling. Ignore me. I'm just trying to process what you said. If whoever has this power decides to follow Aldris and his people to Amber and finish the job...we might be seriously screwed." "No, we know now what they will consider. We can take precautions." Priya's voice is low, grim, and the eyes that peer over the mask are glittering dangerously. "Be it the Omphalos or anyone else, such an attack would be dangerous." Hadrian agrees. "And the attackers highly dangerous. I think we need to find out more about who they are and what they want." She heads over to the nearest dwelling-type structure and cautiously pokes around to see what, if anything, is inside. What Dagny finds, mainly, are bodies. Not quite mummified into volcanic rock as in Pompeii, the eruption is far too recent. But dead, suffocated and a layer of ash on each and every person? Yes. A check of other houses and buildings show the same thing. People were suffocated, and choked to death on the ash. Dagny's medical training and an inspection of the bodies suggests death by suffocation due to hot noxious gases. Priya does not follow Dagny into the building, instead she scrutinizes the Tower and the volcano from where she is, contemplating the magics involved and intent on knowing them when she meets their casters. After a moment she turns to Prince Gerard's son. "Hadrian, I would like to travel to the Tower. I will cut the travel time, and we will likely want to leave shortly after. Could you please see if Dagny would like to join me? Hadrian nods, and walks toward where Dagny is investigating one of the buildings. As he does so, the ground briefly shakes in a mild tremor. A plate perched on the edge of a table Dagny is next to vibrates over the side and breaks on the tile floor below just as Hadrian finds her. "Mild earthquake from that volcano" Hadrian says. "Oh, and Priya wants us back--she wants to travel to the tower. I think she has some sort of spell in mind to cut down the time, since its probably a kilometer or more to it." Only momentarily alarmed by the seismic activity, Dagny dusts off her hands. "Of course," she says, and follows Hadrian back to Priya. "There were mild earthquakes in Thera." Ostegos says, unperturbed, to Priya as she studies the Volcano and the Tower. "Nearly once a season." Priya nodded to Ostegos, not surprised, but she kept her attention on her next task, ready to cast when the others returned. "Found her" Hadrian says as he and Dagny emerge from a building. "We've seen only corpses. Hopefully we'll have more clues at the tower." Varuna and Ykanga's spell is one of translocation. One moment, Dagny, Priya, Ostegos and Hadrian are standing in front of the house Dagny investigated. And the next moment, they are standing in front of the fallen, broken tower. It is indeed purple, as Aldris suggested. It's broken off halfway, the fallen piece facing perpendicular to what would be the force of the blast of the volcano. Its a substantially tall and wide building now that they up close to it. It reminds Dagny of the Woolworth building in scale. There is an entrance, a pair of silver doors twisted and broken, but a gap between them leads within. There is rubble and ruin from the fallen and broken tower all around this area, and the area positively radiates with the afterglow of heavy use of kinetic-force magic. Someone decided to break this tower. Hard. Priya approached the remains of the tower, stepping carefully around debris, until she could rest her hand on what remained of the struture. She stood silently, eyes closed, all of her attention on the magic that was used. With Priya engrossed in her sorcerous exploration of the Tower, Dagny opts for the Muggle route, carefully picking her way through the rubble and keeping her eyes open for whatever she can find. Dagny's pick through the rubble, looking around, has her find bits and pieces of things that suggest it was a well-used and very populated structure .She finds a bent iron cookpot, a broken headboard from a bed, a busted chair, She also does find a body, head bashed in, and covered by the ash of the eruption. This is clearly someone thrown from the tower, and then buried in ash afterwards. What is clear in Dagny's explorations and investigations is this about the Tower: It was a living space. A royal palace, church or temple of some kind. By the time Dagny is done, Priya has finished a preliminary arcane analysis. Not her speciality, but the amount of Kinetic energy used and the direction of it suggests that the kinetic energy was focused and launched at the tower in the form of a relatively large missile launched at velocity. It wasn't a perfect shot, that much is clear, it would have been better to strike the base of the tower, that would have toppled the entire structure and caused even more collateral damage. The arcane signature is gross and obvious, as if the perpetrator was proud of this, and left it as a calling card to any who would come calling and but look. Priya would have no difficulty in spotting this signature again. Hadrian, for his part, has sat on a piece of broken stone, pulled out a sketchpad, and is rapidly making a drawing, scrutinizing the tower as he does so. Looking around, Priya choose a shard of the Tower that fit comfortably in her hand, and placed it on a large block, using the larger stone as an altar as she worked to put a clear imprint of the sorceror's signature into the smaller stone. If Dagny sees anything that looks like it might be identifying--something with a crest or mark--she'll pick it up and pocket it. After a little further searching, Dagny does find a telling sign. Its a crest, all right, a piece of metal, painted steel from the look of it. It's the same silver basilisk on a red background that is the same as on the flags of the fleet led by Aldris. It looks like it might have once been a badge or emblem of a guard or servant. After her reconnaissance, she will head back to Priya and Hadrian. "Find anything?" Hadrian shakes his head. "I thought it would be more valuable to get a trump sketch of the tower down for now. This way we need not rely on Aunt Fiona's trump, and we have easier access to this spot. I have a feeling we might need to return here again. Did you find anything?" By this point, Priya's sympathetic magic is completed and she now has an identifiable signature on the smooth small piece of stone, transferred from the large block. "Good idea," she says to Hadrian. "I'd rather return the Trump to Aunt Fiona sooner rather than later as well." She pulls out the emblem and shows it to him. "I found this, among the rubble. From what I've seen it looks like this was a dwelling of some kind. Priya, did you learn anything else?" "Only that our enemy mage is quite proud of his work." Priya frowned distainfully, holding a shard of the tower in her hand. "I have the imprint of his magic that others may know him when they see his work." "Arrogant, powerful and destructive." Ostegos says. "Are we certain this is not the work of the Omphalos? They seem to be all three." "No sign of Doors." Hadrian says. "Dagny's finding shows that Aldris was telling at least part of the truth. Maybe this was their Castle Azure, their Castle Amber. He said something about a Porphry Tower having fallen. It would make sense for it to be separately targeted, too, then. He looks at Priya. "Can you find and trace back more of that magic with that shard if..." Hadrian stops speaking as the ground starts to shake, again, and more strongly this time. The amount of smoke being emitted by the mountain has increased, too.
Priya balanced uneasily, eyeing the volcano. "The Doors would not be here at the center of the target. If anything of them remain, they would be that way." She pointed, indicating the direction she believed the Tower had been attacked from. "But I would prefer to speculate from elsewhere." "That may be our cue," Dagny agrees. "Hadrian, can you take us back to the ship?" Priya nodded, one hand raised as if she were ready to spirit them away herself if given the slightest motivation. "Let us be away from this volcano." Hadrian says. He pulls out Gerard's trump and looks questioningly at Priya, Ostegos and Dagny. Priya does beat Hadrian to the punch, though and suddenly, with the aid of her twin artifacts, jumps the group of them away from the menacing volcano and the ruined city. Priya lands the group with her teleport on an elongated hill. It's a pretty spot with a number of these hills, covered in prairie all around them. This is the tallest of the set. The prairie stretches up and away to the west and north (judging from the sun). A tree line runs to the south and away to the east. To the southeast there is a line of mountains on the horizon The last mountain in the chain is smoking and looks awfully familiar, even from this angle. Oh, and the other thing in his bucolic scene, on the center of the drumlin they are standing on. It's closed, clearly inactive, but its unmistakable all the same. It's a Door. "I thought so." Priya nodded grimly. "My apologies." She turned to Hadrian. "I wished to be certain and we were too close to danger to debate. Theory confirmed, I am quite ready to depart." Hadrian nods thoughtfully, looking around. Although he does not have a sketchpad out his intense study of the landscape and the door around it is unmistakable. Her hands were down, quiet, cupping the stone she had gathered and seeming to have no more magic in store. Dagny's face drains of color and a horrified expression distorts her features. "CrapcrapcrapcrapCRAPcrapcrapCRAP! How?! How did they do this?!" Her face turns from white to red, and she sprints towards the door and starts wailing on it with fists and feet, yelling what must be invective in a variety of languages, directed toward the Omphalos. The Door implacably takes even the enhanced strength of Dagny's blows without any mark or blemish. With a last slam at the door, Dagny turns to the others, breathing hard, but looking calmer. "How are we supposed to fight against this? I've never even SEEN magical destruction on this scale. How can we possibly stop this from happening in Amber?" "We learn what there is to learn. We pick apart their tactics. We defend, and we strike back." Priya replied calmly, with a note of sympathy for Dagny's perspective. "I have not see magic used in quite this fashion before, but I understand how it was done. What I can understand, I can mimic. Motivate me, and I can be equally destructive in my own fashion." She paused, looking at Dagny with a direct, serious, but reassuring expression. "I am currently quite motivated." "I have first-hand knowledge of the destruction you can cause when motivated," Dagny replies with the beginning of a smile. "That you understand how this was managed is a relief, and I hope we will be able to put your new knowledge to use soon--but do you think you would be able to stop this if it happened in Amber, or Rebma, or somewhere else?" "Not immediately. But we are working on that, and we will consult with Father, Princess Fiona and Llewella and we will come up with a means of dealing with it." Priya sounded certain, gaze scanning the ruined city on the horizon as if memorizing it. "It would be well to keep the Omphalos from having the opportunity to unleash this form of destruction on any place we hold dear." Hadrian says. "I know not if there are undersea volcanoes in Rebma..." he looks at Priya questioningly "and I do not know if Kolvir or one of the mountains in its chain is volcanic. However, if we can stop the Omphalos before they can set up operations to affect either seems key." "They seem set on destruction, not conquest." Hadrian observes. "And now we know why Aldris has fled toward Amber." Priya nodded, looking around one last time. "We will find out about our own volcanoes. We need an earth made, possibly a fire mage. So, back we should go so that we can get to work." "I agree. We need help, and the sooner we can get started, the better." Hadrian nods, pulling out his trump deck. In short order, he trumps his father, and after about 30 seconds, offers Priya, Dagny and Ostegos passage across back to his ship. The scene of the hill and its Door closes behind them once they are safely back on board the Peluda. "Hadrian explained to me some of the basics" Gerard says, once everyone is back on board. "Aldris' city appears to have been destroyed by strong magic, including a volcano erupting above their city, leveling the place. You also found a Door, confirming Omphalos involvement." "What details do you want to add?" he asks Priya, Dagny and Ostegos Dagny shows Gerard the crest. "I found this in the ruins of the city. Do you recognize it?" Priya took a moment to tend to her clothes, dusting ash off and removing the mask Dagny had given her. She made no attempt to add to the conversation, though she glanced at the crest Dagny was showing Gerard. Dora appears on Hadrian's shoulder again, swiftly and smoothly morphing from a sword as Gerard takes the crest from Dagny and peers at it. He demasks as well. "I am no historian, mind." Gerard says, looking at the crest. "However, it is likely no coincidence that an elder brother of mine favored the colors silver and red in his dress, and the basilisk was his choice of a personal heraldic symbol." "Osric" Gerard says "as if you could not guess already" At this point, Hadrian digs through his trump deck, and pulls out a trump, holding it up for the view of Dagny, Priya, Ostegos and his father. Indeed, the man on it is dressed in red with accents of silver, and his belt buckle is carved in the shape of the same basilisk that is on the crest Dagny found. "A match" Ostegos says. "That helps confirm Aldris is telling the truth of his realm's origins." "The story in Amber is that Osric died. However, as Priya already confirmed with her story of Shadowthrone." he nods to her. "his fate and story appear to be far more complicated than any thought." "I agree. I'm more disposed to believe Aldris's story now. How long were we gone? Is he supposed to be here soon?" "He's about to make the crossing" Gerard says. He gestures across the water. With the aid of Dagny's and Priya's abilities, they can definitely see that Aldris is getting into the previously prepared longboat. He has two of his sailors as an honor guard, and a rower. "Time must flow differently in that shadow" Hadrian comments. "We were gone for more than an hour all told. But I am glad we are here in time." "Indeed" Gerard says. "I'll await his arrival in the captain's quarters. Greet him, answer his questions within reason, and bring him there for our negotiations." He turns on his heel to leave. "Thank you, Uncle." With that, Dagny settles down to wait. Priya gave a slight bow in acknowledgement and waited silently for the longboat to begin its crossing before adding her assistance to shorten their wait. In short order, the longboat does get moving, rowing across the water. The single rower on tap does make it a painstaking process, before and without any intervention from Priya. Ostegos watches the boat tensely, carefully noting its progress. Hadrian for his part is talking quietly with Dora, pointing at the boat every so often. When the boat reaches the side of the ship, sailors lower a rope ladder with the polish of a well oiled machine, Second officer Nayomi directing them.The two guards with Aldris make their way up the rope ladder, the deck clearing as they board. And then Aldris himself climbs the ladder, stepping onto the deck, and looks around. "Lord High Admiral and Major General Aldris, of the Line of Osric the Founder!" the older looking of the two guards shouts. His eyes immediately go to Priya, Dagny and Hadrian expectantly. Dagny glances at Priya and Hadrian, then steps forward. "Hello again, Aldris. Welcome aboard. Uncle Gerard is waiting for us in his quarters, if you're ready." Priya stepped up with Dagny, silently flanking the Princess. She studied the two gards with Aldris, and gave the visiting General a small, polite bow. Hadrian, on the opposite side of Dagny from Priya, bows in turn. Ostegos remains at attention near to Priya. "It is a pleasure to see the three of you again." he replies. He looks at Priya "Your aid in smoothing the waters for our passage was noted and appreciated." "You're welcome." Priya replied in a mild, business-like manner. Aldris' eyes drift to Ostegos, standing behind Priya. After a moment, he focuses his attentions fully and completely on Dagny. "And I thank you for the welcome aboard your craft, Princess Dagny. Unless we have business that does not concern him, I would be pleased to meet with Prince Gerard your Uncle now. I see no reason on my part to delay our meeting." Priya stepped to the side, drawing Ostegos with her, to make room for Dagny to turn and lead the way. She did not introduce Ostegos or acknowledge the attention Aldris had paid the man at arms beside her, and seemed as intent as Aldris in getting to the matters at hand. "Our uncle, I believe, if your story is true," Dagny replies, emphasizing the first word. "And it is his ship, not mine. I am as much of a guest as you are." She looks to Hadrian to take the lead of their party, as surely he is familiar with the layout of his father's ship. Hadrian looks slightly surprised, but nods at Dagny's body language. "Ja" he says, his nervousness putting an accent in his voice that Priya recognizes as DuMarquean, and Dagny's mind interprets as something like Norwegian. "If you will follow me, my father awaits." he says, his accent still coming through loud and clear. "Thank you, Prince Hadrian." Aldris says fluidly. He nods to Dagny and Priya. "Thank you all." "I should make a correction to you, Princess Dagny" Aldris says. "Given that I am not Osric's son, would that not make me some sort of cousin or other relation to Prince Gerard, rather than his nephew as you are his niece?" Turning to walk in step with the group, Dagny replies offhandedly, "That's a matter for the heralds to work out, I suppose. I'm hardly an expert in genealogy. I call Prince Gerard 'uncle' though he isn't my father's brother, simply for the sake of brevity." "I see." he says. "Would you then call us cousins, out of that same sake of brevity?" Aldris asks her. Hadrian leads Dagny, Priya, Ostegos, Aldris and his guards to the Captain's quarters. Anticipating his need, or perhaps respecting his rank and status, one of the junior officers ostentatiously opens the door for him, and Hadrian steps inside. Hadrian waits for everyone to get in before he speaks. Gerard is seated at one end of a table. At a sideboard, one of the midshipmen stands at attention. A pot of coffee, and a pile of what look like bear claws are set out on a tray. "Father" Gerard says. "I present to you our relation, Aldris of the line of Osric." Gerard nods. "Please, all of you be seated. Foyle will see to any refreshments you might like." He gestures to Dagny, Priya and Hadrian. "Why don't we begin by having the four of you discuss what you found at the ruins of his kingdom and what we've concluded." "You have traveled to my homeland?" Aldris "We have," Dagny says simply, holding out the crest for Aldris to see. "The destruction there was more devastating than anything I could have imagined. But it was Priya who discovered what had been done, and who was responsible." Aldris takes a seat, leaning forward to look at the crest Dagny has. The skepticism or disbelief on his face fades as he looks at the crest, replaced with something much more akin to sadness and regret. "Hmmm" Gerard says. Dagny and Priya note Gerard's close attention to Aldris' reactions. Dagny looks to the Rebman sorceress to continue the narrative, if she chooses. Priya took half a step forward. "The Omphalos are a new threat, creating some havoc in several corners of existance, and they are the ones responsible for the fall of your Tower and the destruction of your city. I cannot tell you if they had local agents assisting them, but the eruption of the volcano, and the force with which it blew, were magically assisted." She held the shard of the Tower she had taken with her. "This bears the imprint of the mage responsible. I get the impression he was quite pleased with himself, and I intend to make certain that all mages local to Amber and Rebma learn to identify his magics so that we may watch for his return." "Such skills are beyond my ken." Aldris says. "However, we do have mages, wizards, and witches among my people." he says. "I do not know if we have such imprints, or know how they are made or how they might be used. If you might share such knowledge with us, it would be appreciated." He swallows. "Wherever we might settle, we do not wish these umfalose?" he looks to Priya "to repeat what they did to my homeland. Especially if we wind up being neighbors." "Even if you were not family," her head inclined toward the Amberites, "the enemy of my enemy is often my friend," Priya's voice was kind as she continued, "Whatever you might have expected, the House of Osric no longer stands alone, and I will share what I know with your mages." Gerard looks pleased. "Well spoken," Dagny says, nodding in agreement. "Now, Aldris, could you describe what happened, and how you came to be here?" "I am uncertain where to be "Perhaps with the Omphalos' actions?" Hadrian suggests. Aldris nods gratefully. He takes a sip of a provided cup of coffee. "We...were a prosperous city state in the terrene that you visited." Aldris begins. "I am of the line of Osric, though he has been long absent from our land. But I am extending my story unnecessarily." he stops. "Forgive me, long epic histories, told in words are a common form of entertainment amongst us." "It came without warning. The mountain, quiescent since before the arrival of my ancestor, or so it is said, began to smoke and rumble. The sages of our city said that it would be weeks, or months before it would erupt fully. We made plans to study the eruption and to contain it." "But we only had several days before the mountain began its full eruption. In the midst of this, a cadre of enemy mages struck the city as well, focusing on the PorphryTower. With their attack, and the volcanic eruption, we were completely unprepared to respond. Our military strength is in our naval forces, and what population could escape to the ships, did." His voice cracks. "Many, however, were lost." "We put out to sea, but the attackers concentrated their work on the city, and especially on the Tower, and ignored us. We tried to mount a counterattack from the water, but were forced to withdraw after some of our fleet was sunk in response. We had lost too many, and we could not risk extirpation or extermination." "I...I have the Sigil. I, and my cousin Cybal both. We're the only survivors I know of that have it. We decided, with our fugitive fleet, to seek friends, or least no more enemies, far away. We fled our home. We decided to sail for the homeland of our ancestor. We decided to sail for Amber." "With an armed fleet." Gerard comments. "Yes" Aldris says. "As we said when we met, we thought to come as beggars would be foolish. And as I said, our military strength is in the water." "And that is how we came to be here." he says. Priya listened attentively, dutifully noting the timeline, and then commented on the detail that had tweaked her sense of curiousity. "Sigil?" She looked at Aldris quizzically. "Yes, what sigil?" Dagny echoes. "And is your cousin Cybal also of Osric's line?" "Cybal is similarly related to you, Princess Dagny, and you Prince Hadrian and Prince Gerard" Aldris says with a nod. "He is a cousin within the House of Osric, the son of my Aunt." "The Sigil is the place of power that is, was in the center of the Porphry Tower." Aldris says. "Only those of the House of Osric, or those possessed of immense will and strength, could hope to cross the black chasms and walk the folded, twisting lines of the Sigil, and reach its center, alive." "But to do so allows one to travel between terrenes, to seek what one may in the many worlds. Is there not such a Sigil here? It is said the Sigil is a child of the design here, as Osric is a child of Amber." "That explains why the Omphalos came to visit." Gerard comments. Dagny frowns. "Indeed. Same thing that happened in Versailles. But, I wonder why the Omphalos didn't stick around? I mean, why destroy the place entirely?" "Because occupying a place is expensive. You have to dedicate money, soldiers and officers to securing the city and keeping the populace in submission. If you have a long campaign, and the city is not your prize, it will slow you down and drain your resources and jeopardize your ability to reach your goal." Priya's tone was business like, but cautionary instead of indifferent. "As it stands, they are weaker," she tilted her head toward Aldris, "the sigil is destroyed, and the Omphalos are free to pick up and move to their next target with all of their resources." "That's a good point. You're right, Priya," Dagny says. "Now I wonder what made Versailles so special that they decided to set up camp there." "They didn't destroy the Pattern there, but found it to be a useful base." Hadrian says. "Where is this?" Aldris asks "Deep in shadow, the Omphalos have a base, a shadow they've set up a fish smoker in. Dagny has been there." "But, Bhangbadea thought their goal was to destroy places of power and obtain slaves." Hadrian adds. "Versailles aside, Conquest doesn't seem to be their goal. They also seem to love to destroy. Their use of fire in Arden, for example." "Reavers" Ostegos comments. "Not rulers." "They do come toward Amber, then?" Aldris says. He looks at his cup of coffee. He takes a sip, looks thoughtful, and then takes a longer one before speaking. "It may be a dangerous question to ask, given that my people seek shelter here--but do the Omphalos follow us here, or would they come regardless of our arrival?" "There's no way to tell for sure," Dagny replies, "But based on what we've seen so far my money would be on the Omphalos coming anyway. If you think about it...they are infiltrating and destroying places of power, which would make Amber, Rebma and Tir the crown jewels of their conquest. It could be that they're sucking up power from the Broken Patterns out there and are using it to fuel more attacks. Though...considering how soundly beaten they were in Rebma," she nods her head at Priya, "they may have tipped their hand there too soon." "The Courts of Chaos too." Gerard comments. "Although they may prefer to go for us and then turn their attentions to the other pole." "I spoke to Benedict while you were visiting Aldris' realm." Gerard continues. "The younger brother to Lord Osric?"Aldris asks. "He is a name in our mythology, as Amber is." "Yes" Gerard says. "As you might imagine, given your blood relation, he is quite interested in the continuation of your well being and that of your people. And as Dagny and Priya have said here, we have common enemies to be dealt with." "Please continue" he says to Dagny and Priya. "i would be interested in your mythology of Amber when time allows." Priya commented. "in the meantime, I think we have a great deal of work to do and an unknown amount of time. Unless someone can think of a specific need for me to stay, I would like to contact princess Fiona and my father so the mages can begin constructing defenses. Ostegos can stay and relay to me what I need shortly." Ostegos gives a nod of the head to Priya. Gerard gives a nod to Priya. "If the business now turns toward the politics of asylum and settlement, then you are not needed for the nonce, Priya. I thank you for your aid in this matter. You may go with my blessing." Aldris stands up and formally bows to Priya. "Sorceress." he says. His two silent guards rise but do not bow or remain seated. Backlinks |
