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Post by XuLiang on Apr 6, 2023 9:45:15 GMT
When Lord Rexin speaks to him, inwardly Xu Liang sighs. Lord Han Xu Liang. Is it really so difficult to remember? Outwardly he smiles and says, “Of course.”
When Kai enters the castle he hesitates and sniffs the air. As they are walking to see the Regent he says softly in mandarin, “There are demons here in the castle. Or maybe they were here recently because the scent of Chaos lingers about the place. We should be careful.” Xu Liang nods but says nothing.
Kai halts before the door and sits next to it in his resting stance.
Xu Liang is a bit shocked at how quickly he is ushered into Flora’s presence. He sets his saddle bags down by the door as soon as he enters and then he bows with his head and eyes down to 45 degrees and remains there until she speaks to him.
Then he straightens up and says, “Your Royal Highness, your welcome is much appreciated. I am also grateful to have returned. Though the news I bring is not the best.” He hesitates here, unsure how to she would wish to proceed and waiting for her cues or requests.
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Post by Admin on Apr 10, 2023 1:35:45 GMT
"Then it is best to not delay in the telling," Flora says.
Servants enter. Some bring trays of food for Xu, others papers for the Regent. She signs two, nods affirmative to the woman holding a third and shakes her head at the last.
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Post by Admin on Apr 10, 2023 6:14:57 GMT
OOC: Captain Lu Meng has met with Edward.
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Post by XuLiang on Apr 10, 2023 8:06:37 GMT
Not seeming to be in a courtly mood, he decided to be as direct as a surgeon removing an infected limb. “Eshanta has been lost to the forces of Chaos. When I arrived with a small force of cavalry. Lady Eivor directed us to join with Lord Ryland’s cavalry and assist the army led by Lord Edward and Lord Mortius.
When I joined them, the demons had taken the city and were besieging the keep at the center. They were using powerful magics to batter the defences. Lord Mortius advised fortifying the army’s position and waiting for the fires in the city to abate. Lord Ryland led a cavalry mission to harass the enemy and draw them to Lord Mortius’ defences. Lady Eivor rejoined us as we rode out. The demons had been waiting for us to take action before counter attacking with surprising speed.
Lord Ryland disappeared into the fog of war and Lady Eivor’s mount fell. I rallied my troops around her and we fought our way back to the main army. Lady Eivor got a Trump contact that sent the King of Eshanta to her. She then Trumped away to take a king to safety without being very specific about what I should do until she contacted me again. We assumed that it was the King of Eshanta and that the keep had fallen. The colours had been struck from the top of the keep at that point to corroborate this theory.
After consulting with Lord Mordius it was decided that we should march the army back to Amber as there seemed no point in continuing hostilities. On the way back we used Shadow to supply and pay the army. We also collected a share for the Crown to help with other expenses. When the army was safely encamped at the edge of Arden, Lord Edward expressed a wish to wait before pressing onwards. Brining you the news seemed to be important so I came ahead.”
“I should point out that just because we did not get what was being sought, the forces of the Chaos army may not have been successful in their search. There were at least two or three other groups in play. One was a man named Tug and his son, Vance, who were obviously not from Eshanta. Attempting to discern what they were after I learned he leaned towards Amber in sentiment and that what he was looking for was in the castle. He also termed it a recovery instead of an acquisition if that makes any sense. I do not know what happened to him or Vance in the battle. Whether he slipped away or fell. If I was to place a wager, they likely slipped away and attempted to enter the castle in the confusion.”
“Lady Eivor said she saw Hammet, Edmund and Dorian heading towards the city on foot. Later I also spotted three men, but could not positively identify them because of the distance and haze from the fires. It could have been them. Hammet and Dorian were lost in the confusion of the battle and retreat. We did run into Edmund later after the battle. He ranted about someone called ‘The Warden’ and warned us not to get caught in his ‘death net’. He then ran off away from the army and the city.”
“Lady Eivor also said that Julia and Jurt Sawall had attuned themselves to ‘a local Power’. The Mirror Maze, I believe? She also said that she had done serious damage to the Mirror Maze so if that was the object they were attempting to acquire they may have to repair it before continuing their plan. Unless the plan was to destroy it? Without context it is hard to discern if this is good or bad.”
“Somebody passed the King to Lady Eivor. If it was the King from inside the castle, somebody was there and might have had time to search before the demons found whatever everyone was fighting to acquire.”
He steeples his fingers unconsciously while a far away look comes into his eyes, “The more thought I give to the matter leads me to believe the theory that whomever passed the King to Lady Eivor likely traded that passage to safety for something valuable. If it had been Lady Katarina or Lord Brian they would have come through also but no one else came through. Why? They must have had what they wanted, or knew where to get it, and had their own way to safety.”
He notices his hands quickly puts them at his sides and waits for the questions.
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Post by Admin on Apr 12, 2023 4:54:47 GMT
Flora listens attentively to the tale.
"How many of the family did you see escape the battle? Jurt is a brother to King Merlin and there is no love lost between the two of them. If the invasion was a Merlin project then he may have been trying to help Kat's people. That Julia is probably Merlin's old flame. That Merle really brings out the best in his friends.
"Describe, as best you can, those Tug and Vance people."
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Post by XuLiang on Apr 12, 2023 9:22:52 GMT
“Lord Edward and I escaped with the Army. Later Lord Ryland appeared when we were on the edges of the Arden. We were a bit suspicious at first but he proved to be the real man and appeared to be in control of himself. Later he set off into the Arden saying he was following the trail of Edmund. Assuming this is true then Edmund also escaped and is somewhere in Arden.
Lady Eivor Trumped away with the King so she most likely went somewhere safe.
Lady Eivor said that Lady Katarina and Lord Brian entered the keep via Trump but I never saw them personally and did not see any evidence of them leaving, being captured, killed or remaining behind.
That leaves Dorian, Hammet, Tug and Vance as unknowns.”
“Tug was a heavy set middle aged man with wild longer dark hair and a beard shot through with grey. He has likely had the beard for some time as it was part of his mannerisms. He had intense dark eyes and a somewhat darker complexion though it might have been just from being in the sun. He wore a dangling earing in his left ear that appeared to be made of some sort of feathers.”
“He also wore strange clothes. Cotton tunic and pants of light colours and a style I have not seen before. He also wore an unbuttoned outer shirt that matched flowers of many different bright colours onto a multi-coloured background. Everything was wrinkled and stained as if he had slept in the clothes for several days of hard travel, but he seemed unbothered by it.”
“He was riding a horse that was likely stolen or recently picked up in Shadow. The saddle also carried a large sword, whether that was his or the horse’s original owner’s sword is hard to say. He slipped away in the confusion of forming up for the sortie so I never saw him in the battle. He also had some Trumps which he said he attempted to use to recruit others to what he was doing, but no one came. He was likely just reporting on us and our progress. As I had professed ignorance to and disinterest in local politics and was just looking for Lady Eivor he had very little to report that could harm us and if he slipped up we might have gained valuable information. Unfortunately, he was too careful so other than the name Brittany nothing was overheard.”
“What was most intriguing about him was what he knew. He said he wouldn’t know who Lady Eivor was that she was only a name to him, but I am a bit suspicious about that as he knew the lords Ryland, Edward and Mortius on sight. Interestingly he said that he had heard that Lady Katerina was trying to destroy Eshanta instead of save Eshanta.”
“Unfortunately we never saw Vance, if he was there at all. Tug may not have wanted to appear to be by himself in front of my troop. If Vance was there, he was very good as the scouts never saw him.”
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Post by Admin on Apr 14, 2023 5:29:44 GMT
"Brian managed to find his way back to Amber and caused a ruckus when he arrived. You saw most everyone else. Just Kat is still missing. Not a great defeat since we lost no one of importance.
"J&J must have had other plans if you didn't see them in the battle. From what I've heard, Jurt is unable to strike from the shadows; he needs more spectacle in his encounters.
"Tug is interesting. Your description almost reminds me of someone. There's a new person in the castle. Just like you, he saw visions or dreams of Amber and began to work his way here. Rumoured to be a fantastic painter. Find him and describe Tug again. A painting might jog my memory more than a description."
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Post by XuLiang on Apr 14, 2023 8:25:40 GMT
”That should be no problem. Should he be painted in the clothes I saw him in? Or in Amber style? I doubt he would have worn what I saw if he was here in Amber, but he might have worn similar colours.”
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Post by Admin on Apr 17, 2023 5:31:03 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/j5FLskF/Florimel~jpg "The less you alter your description of him the more accurate the drawing will be."
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Post by XuLiang on Apr 17, 2023 7:37:14 GMT
“As you wish. I do have something else for you.” He goes over to his bag and pulls something out as he talks. “Most of the things we found in resupplying and paying the army were quite pedestrian but there was one piece of note that I thought you might perhaps appreciate.” He pulls out a package and unwraps it revealing a 10 cm platinum sculpture of a woman balanced on one toe of a leg bent until the thigh is parallel to the ground. The other leg points outwards at ninety degrees to the support leg but also parallel to the ground. Her head is back looking to the right hand which is above her palm upwards and her hair hangs down her back. Her left hand stretches out behind her balancing the outstretched leg. (A slightly altered female version of Rodin’s Dance movement C) “It is perfectly balanced.” He demonstrates by balancing it on his fingernail. “And reminded me of the larger piece out in the waiting area.” He smiles a bit nervously as he is unsure how his gift will be received.
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Post by Admin on Apr 19, 2023 4:48:24 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/j5FLskF/Florimel~jpg "It's beautiful," she says taking it from him and balancing it on her fingernail. A nail chipped and not immaculately coloured, Xu notices. "Some say that an infinite amount of anything can be found in Shadow. They are incorrect. Pieces like this are very rare and possible unique. Is this gifted to Amber?" she asks while admiring the sculpture.
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Post by XuLiang on Apr 20, 2023 2:29:59 GMT
“This is a gift for you. In appreciation of all that you have done.”
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Post by Admin on Apr 21, 2023 3:21:32 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/j5FLskF/Florimel~jpg "Wisely chosen words. There is a very good chance that the one to take the throne will be too much of an oaf to appreciate this artistry."
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Post by XuLiang on Apr 21, 2023 4:19:01 GMT
Xu Liang looks a bit surprised and then confused. “Forgive my ignorance, but what is the current situation in that issue?” Then he has a flash of insight, ‘She does not wish to have the throne because it is dangerous and would prefer to be the power behind the throne!’ He then smiles the tiny smile of a student who thinks he might have figured out the question the headmaster has asked. He says, “It would not look good if voicing my wholehearted support for you becoming Queen were not in your current plans.”
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Post by Admin on Apr 23, 2023 5:34:35 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/j5FLskF/Florimel~jpg "I'm not one for false modesty, and I know that I've done a great job as Regent. But were I to step those last few inches to the throne...well, I don't need to tell you that all hell would break loose.
"Benedict placed me in this position, and all the others agreed. Certain family members have been growing restless the longer he has been away. Most of the trouble makers have been immobilized or neutralized, allowing peace to reign in Amber."
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