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Post by Brian on Mar 17, 2022 7:48:07 GMT
"Calvera? He was at Flora's gala?" " With all his naval cronies. "
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Post by Dionisia on Mar 17, 2022 9:08:53 GMT
Dio:Most of the guests are a sedate sort, just sitting around their tables and eating, drinking, speaking in whispers. The women from the Stagette are rowdier but Dio can see that the staff of the place is subtly keeping them in check. Even the band is in on the act, playing Bert Kaempfert tunes rather than Rage Against the Machine. Dio looks at the Stagette party.... observing them for a bit she chuckles soft reminding herself of some of the other girls in the convent who were always so wild and on their worst behaviour. Until of course mother superior had them tamed... She then turns back to Lorelei and Dalt. "Lady Lorelei, i have conveyed my message about Lady Katerina. Will it be alright if i move over there for a bit? I am curious about something."
She smiles her familiar calm smile.
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Post by Hammett on Mar 17, 2022 15:10:48 GMT
Hammett nods, "Yeah, that seems about right. Big heroes welcome and all that, I'd guess. Was Bleys there? And Fiona?"
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Post by Brian on Mar 17, 2022 15:52:27 GMT
Hammett nods, "Yeah, that seems about right. Big heroes welcome and all that, I'd guess. Was Bleys there? And Fiona?"
" Maybe that's why he was being less aloof and more asshole. The king of Kasfa thought Flora might give me a job." I shake my head. " They were both there... Bleys was with a lady in blue, I didnt cut in on him to talk to him. Fiona actually was...nicer then I expected her to be: based on experience and reputation. She dodged a question but was nice enough I didnt press." I turn to my wife then back to Hammett " We have our own interest and our own goals. But I think ours line up enough I'm being generous....but we need to be above board with each other where our interests align. The senior partners in the family firm dont deal that way. But if you choose to do so and hold back then this wont play out well for either of us."
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Post by Hammett on Mar 18, 2022 2:01:34 GMT
Hammett sighs and sits back, lighting a cigarette.
"See things were going so well there for a little while. We were talking, exchanging information. It was all good, then you go and start making vague threats. My only king died in an explosion a couple of months ago. So I no longer take orders or suffer demands from anyone."
"And to be honest, I have no idea what your interests or goals are. I know you were only helping Shelley because you made a vow and were hoping it would win you favor with the castle, but that vow is over now. And you hate her, and I understand why, she's a real handful. It sounds like your mission succeeded though if Flora has accepted you and might give you a position there with the military. Luke protects Arden, Calvera the oceans. Maybe you will be head of the castle guard or the city watch? Is that a position a king would take? From what I've seen, I would say no. I doubt your wife would allow the King of Aleyos to be the head of another castle's guard or city's watch, especially if you would be taking orders from a temporary regent, and not even the rightful king of that land."
"For all I know you want the throne of Amber for yourself, like so many of our other cousins. You seemed very driven to kill Lady Vada yourself, even if it was poor tactics, was that for the glory and to win your way into Amber's welcome embrace? You were also very headstrong about gaining the contents of that chest, even to the point where it would have cost you your life if some small bit of Dorian's mind hadn't remained to make that strike from behind not kill you. I don't know Dorian well, but I know his skills well enough that if he wanted to kill someone from behind his aim would be true and fatal. Leonil might have wanted you dead, and he used Dorian to stab you, but Dorian also was the one who spared your life. Anyway, I am getting off point, the point is, you are new to Amber and I have no idea what your plans or goals are, and if they even closely line up with mine."
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Post by Brian on Mar 18, 2022 2:14:17 GMT
Hammett sighs and sits back, lighting a cigarette. "See things were going so well there for a little while. We were talking, exchanging information. It was all good, then you go and get all high and mighty, and start making vague threats. You realize you are only king of one small shadow world amongst an infinite number of them, right? And my only king died in an explosion a couple of months ago. So I no longer take orders or suffer demands from anyone."
"And to be honest, I have no idea what your interests or goals are. I know you were only helping Shelley because you made a vow and were hoping it would win you favor with the castle, but that vow is over now. And you hate her, and I understand why, she's a real handful. It sounds like your mission succeeded though if Flora has accepted you and might give you a position there with the military. Luke protects Arden, Calvera the oceans. Maybe you will be head of the castle guard or the city watch? Is that a position a king would take? From what I've seen, I would say no. I doubt your wife would allow the King of Aleyos to be the head of another castle's guard or city's watch, especially if you would be taking orders from a temporary regent, and not even the rightful king of that land."
"For all I know you want the throne of Amber for yourself, like so many of our other cousins. You seemed very driven to kill Lady Vada yourself, even if it was poor tactics, was that for the glory and to win your way into Amber's welcome embrace? You were also very headstrong about gaining the contents of that chest, even to the point where it would have cost you your life if some small bit of Dorian's mind hadn't remained to make that strike from behind not kill you. I don't know Dorian well, but I know his skills well enough that if he wanted to kill someone from behind his aim would be true and fatal. Leonil might have wanted you dead, and he used Dorian to stab you, but Dorian also was the one who spared your life. Anyway, I am getting off point, the point is, you are new to Amber and I have no idea what your plans or goals are, and if they even closely line up with mine."
I give off a hearty laugh. "I became King of Ayalos to save a girl. I was the only one who could save her. The Magic of Ayalos needed some one to undo a great evil and I answered the call to save a single person. Only thing that would interest me in the Throne of Amber is something like that. If I needed the throne of Amber to see to it the right thing was done and people didn't suffer injustice. I've a simple man."
"You are right I have no interest in serving the crown of Amber as a servant. But its clear there are troubles afoot. Troubles that seemed to impact your customer's and your staff. Staff of which I've seen you do give a shit about. I never met Gerard but he needs justice and not just me severing the head of the lackey who saw to his death. Dorian is enslaved....no one deserves to be enslaved. I aim to put that right. Better to fight the problem now. Keep it from getting bigger and keep it from spreading."
I point at Hammett " So you cut the crap to. Neither of us are out to play a game to try to get atop the pile in Amber. We both want to see to it the people we serve as leader live in a right and proper world and don't get fucked with. I don't have anyone else in the bloodline I can trust to keep their eye on the big picture that matters. I don't know who to trust and if I come off as touchy about that situation well.....Its been a long time since I have had to fight from this position. I don't like it."
"And the chest well....if you would destroy a world to get it. I wanted to make sure the chest was with the only person I trusted to not use it for ill. Me."
I light a Cigar "I came here. I came here to parley with you. And I parleyed honestly. Benedict delt with me in bad faith. Flora only delt with me in good faith when I was useful to her. I have no idea why Fiona was actually above board with me. Luke lost a bet with some one else to save my life.....You might be understanding with my desire to not be fucked around with when things that matter are on the line."
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Post by Hammett on Mar 18, 2022 3:03:45 GMT
Hammett chuckles and toasts Brian with his glass, "I feel we are on the same page. My opinion is that Amber is weak right now. Without a true King on the throne, with Benedict and Julian missing, things will only get worse. That weakness is now known out in shadows and I'm sure all the way to the Courts. Anyone with a grudge or ambitions will see this as the time to act. Not only or just against Amber, but against anyone or anyplace that they seek to control. There is little I can do about who sits on the throne, so I am focusing my attentions on matters I might be able to influence. Those are finding out what Lady Vada's plans were and what was in that chest, finding Leonil and trying to talk some sense into him, but freeing Dorian by whatever means necessary, finding Coral and trying to help her and maybe put an end to these shadow storms, stopping this "Purple Man" from whatever he is up to, I don't know what it is, but it's got to be bad. Somehow it got Edmund killed. Now I'm also worried about that Shadow Explosion you described. And, damn, I bet there is more that I'm not even remembering right now. So that's what's on my plate. What messes are you trying to deal with right now? Oh, and funny you should mention serving up Vada's head on a plate. Apparently after we all left someone came back to took Lady Vada's head, body, and whatever other parts of her were laying around. And no, I don't know why. My hope it was just to bury them, and not something worse."
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Post by Brian on Mar 18, 2022 3:11:44 GMT
Hammett chuckles and toasts Brian with his glass, "I feel we are on the same page. My opinion is that Amber is weak right now. Without a true King on the throne, with Benedict and Julian missing, things will only get worse. That weakness is now known out in shadows and I'm sure all the way to the Courts. Anyone with a grudge or ambitions will see this as the time to act. Not only or just against Amber, but against anyone or anyplace that they seek to control. There is little I can do about who sits on the throne, so I am focusing my attentions on matters I might be able to influence. Those are finding out what Lady Vada's plans were and what was in that chest, finding Leonil and trying to talk some sense into him, but freeing Dorian by whatever means necessary, finding Coral and trying to help her and maybe put an end to these shadow storms, stopping this "Purple Man" from whatever he is up to, I don't know what it is, but it's got to be bad. Somehow it got Edmund killed. Now I'm also worried about that Shadow Explosion you described. And, damn, I bet there is more that I'm not even remembering right now. So that's what's on my plate. What messes are you trying to deal with right now? Oh, and funny you should mention serving up Vada's head on a plate. Apparently after we all left someone came back to took Lady Vada's head, body, and whatever other parts of her were laying around. And no, I don't know why. My hope it was just to bury them, and not something worse."'We have a saying on Ayalos. 'A throne is meant to be filled not sat in."I don't want to get into the nuances of that old truism.
"Who is Coral and what does she have to do with the Storms? And I have the same sets of messes in my clock. Minus the Coral one. I also have the whole thing with Coy...."
I lean back in my chair and look at him. "It is the way of empires. Decadence comes and their enemies both without and within act up. I see that in Amber. But if that happens Amber will not be the only one who pays for it. "
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Post by Hammett on Mar 18, 2022 3:31:26 GMT
"Carol is Luke's wife, and Nayda's sister. She was injured in an explosion at the castle, the first explosion not the one Leonil caused, and lost an eye, just I did. Except Dworkin happened by and he replaced her eye with the Jewel of Judgment. The Jewel of Judgement is the main artifact that the true King or Queen of Amber should have. Dworkin is rumored to have used it to originally create Amber and the Pattern. Out of nothing. Out of Chaos. Basically we all exist because of it. Corwin used it to create a whole new Pattern, which was probably the original cause of all these storms in my opinion. The Unicorn laid the Jewel at Random's feet and that is how everyone knew he was to be the next true King. Then Dworkin went and put it in Coral's eye and she apparently flipped out. Apparently no one knows where she is, but I was asked by her parents to find her and return her home. Oh, the Jewel of Judgment, apart from having the power to alter reality and create, and I assume, destroy Patterns, also can control the weather through all of shadow. It could very well be the most powerful artifact in existence and its stuck in some poor girl's eye who may not have the faintest idea of how to control it."
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Post by Brian on Mar 18, 2022 3:37:52 GMT
I rub the bridge of my nose and look to my wife " And you sent me into this mess....I see why."
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Post by Lorelei on Mar 18, 2022 9:32:05 GMT
Dio:Most of the guests are a sedate sort, just sitting around their tables and eating, drinking, speaking in whispers. The women from the Stagette are rowdier but Dio can see that the staff of the place is subtly keeping them in check. Even the band is in on the act, playing Bert Kaempfert tunes rather than Rage Against the Machine. Dio looks at the Stagette party.... observing them for a bit she chuckles soft reminding herself of some of the other girls in the convent who were always so wild and on their worst behaviour. Until of course mother superior had them tamed... She then turns back to Lorelei and Dalt. "Lady Lorelei, i have conveyed my message about Lady Katerina. Will it be alright if i move over there for a bit? I am curious about something."
She smiles her familiar calm smile. Looking to Dalt, Lorelei says, " I will pass along your words. Time will tell if she is willing and able to pay in a fashion you would find acceptable." Looking back to Dio, she adds, " We are finished here." Pausing a moment, she continues with, " We should present ourselves to our host before we do anything else. After that we can try to satisfy your curiosity." .
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Post by Dionisia on Mar 18, 2022 11:45:59 GMT
Looking to Dalt, Lorelei says, " I will pass along your words. Time will tell if she is willing and able to pay in a fashion you would find acceptable." Looking back to Dio, she adds, " We are finished here." Pausing a moment, she continues with, " We should present ourselves to our host before we do anything else. After that we can try to satisfy your curiosity." Dio smiles to Lorelei and inclines her head. "If that is proper behavior then lets do that first yes. And it would be good to see Sir Hammett again as well. "She steps aside to give Lorelei the space to step before Dio, and then Dio will follow Lorelei to find Hammett in the VIP section.
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Post by Admin on Mar 18, 2022 18:01:52 GMT
Brian:
"Now have you seen enough to satisfy your curiosity? Witness to the mess that is not of your cause, concern, or responsibility? Then let us return to Ayalos where your true destiny resides, where you gave your word to rule and protect," Annie says.
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Post by Brian on Mar 18, 2022 18:41:22 GMT
Brian:"Now have you seen enough to satisfy your curiosity? Witness to the mess that is not of your cause, concern, or responsibility? Then let us return to Ayalos where your true destiny resides, where you gave your word to rule and protect," Annie says. " My dear lady wife, twice this night you have shown yourself acting outside your nature. A thief comes to steal the cow of the Tuath of Kolvir. As King that is not my concern. But as king I know if he steals the cow of the Tuath of Kolvir....he will come to mine to steal mine. Best to put a blade to the cow thief who troubles my neighbor's cows before he steals mine. And troubles outside our land will pierce our misty shore. Best deal with the mess before it comes for our Tuath? Or is my judgement in that unsound?"
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Post by Admin on Mar 18, 2022 19:22:38 GMT
"If the cow starves from neglect, then why risk a confrontation with the thief? If the barn collapses, if the fields are overrun with weeds then why call yourself a farmer?"
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