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Post by Maeve on Dec 21, 2023 10:30:17 GMT
"I hope time will make him see the advantages of a political marriage. It is daring on first prospect. And seeing that none of his Uncles and Aunt on Amber side were married might gave him the idea that those things are not necessary. But compared to the Courts Amber is young and there were are not many suitable candidates. Maybe now with so many cousins."
"Maybe someone has to tell him that there are options like time-limited marriage or divorce after an appropriate period of time."
"That sound like a good opportunity for a political marriage to bring them on board. Or..." She smiles shortly. "... for the rumor that one of those undecided Houses consider it and see if they turn against each other."
Maeve follows Mandor to the prepared table.
"I do not know about a brother or sister, which can mean anything. My father prefers things quite orderly, like my grandfather. So if father knew about any other child, he would have collected it meanwhile. My cousin, not better or worth then anybody else. As long grandfather and father are alive there will be peace. Grandfather does not allow nor tolerates any infighting. He suggests that if someone seeks power he should follow Dara's example and marry, following Helgram traditions 'Bella gerant alii, tu felix Helgram nube'. "
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Post by Admin on Dec 30, 2023 6:17:56 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/pb5Tjcn/mandor~png "The potential for conflict is what's keeping the Houses quiet on offering brides to Merlin. Hendrake would be a useful ally and Merlin and Gilva have been close in the past, yet their House has lost so many recently with the Black Road nonsense and now in this war with Corwin. For a great martial power they have suffered significant losses in members and prestige. Much more of this and they'll be nothing more than a minor house. "It would be wise for you to find a husband, my Lady of the Courts. If you'll permit me, I shall find someone worthy of your respect and improves Helgram's status."
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Post by Maeve on Dec 30, 2023 9:42:53 GMT
Maeve thinks a moment, hoping Mandor does not know, that once a long time ago, when she came to the Courts for the first time and met other younger Chaosians, she had a crush on his brother Despil. There was nothing and it is long past and would be awkward.
"It is an option that I am not averse to. My House has to agree and to take part in the negotiations of marriage contract. Do you have someone already on your mind." Maeve replies.
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Post by Admin on Jan 2, 2024 2:06:05 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/pb5Tjcn/mandor~png "Alas, I do not have someone at this time. I had truly thought you had forsaken the Courts and would spend the rest of your time with your mother in her two realms."
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Post by Maeve on Jan 2, 2024 15:14:39 GMT
"How could I forsaken the Courts and its beauty. How can anybody who has taken the Logrus resist to visit the Courts even if it might be years before doing so. I was out in shadow. It make things sometime easier to stay away from both poles of reality."
Maeve makes a pause. "Queen Moire sees the child that was the result of a Lord of Chaos seducing a Princess of Rebma, for a second way into Amber. I'm family but also a reminder of my mother's misstep. And in Amber I'm one of many spares that pop up everywhere. I guess when I would return to Amber now , some more new cousins have turned up.
"The situation in Amber is not exactly bright. With Random and Gerard dead."
"You have heard about the storms that plague Amber? Are there equivalence of similar weather effecting the Courts?"
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Post by Admin on Jan 7, 2024 4:41:21 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/pb5Tjcn/mandor~png "There will always be a home for you here in the Courts, no matter how bad things are for you on the other side. But we live in an age where decisions and allegiances must be made; The great game has been upset with this new Pattern of Corwin's distorting all of Shadow."
"I have heard of the storms. Word has got out, as it always does. Your aunt Fiona believes it is due to interference from Corwin's creation. From the tale Merlin told me of the war, I am reminded of Dworkin's belief that the Pattern could not be repaired.
"Nothing similar or analogous to those storms in the Courts or Black Zone. Some claim that something stirs in the Abyss, but only a fool would investigate its depths."
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Post by Maeve on Jan 7, 2024 7:39:26 GMT
Maeve smiles, she can not deny that she missed the courts, the endless beauty in the everchanging.
"It is good to hear that there is nothing like this storms here."
She thinks a moment. "I walked the Pattern in the basement in the days after the war. I looked all fine and good. But it always had been looked fine and good, hasn't it. If the pattern in the basement had been damaged, shouldn't it had been noticed the day it had been done. Still Corwin claims for himself that he found out. And if it was not the pattern in the basement that was damaged ... secrets in secrets in secrets and lies in lies in lies."
"If the there is still a damaged pattern than Random kept it a well hidden secret and I'm sure he checked."
"And if Corwin's pattern disturbs the balance of things, than it has to go. To much order will destroy the Multiverse, all frozen in place as in the most iciest winter night. There had been hope that things would balance out even with Corwin's Pattern."
"Something possibly stirring in the Abyss, is Cody from DaggerWays still looking for Deirdre in the Abyss. Maybe he saw something, or he or any of the other divers can be asked to take a look."
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Post by Admin on Jan 11, 2024 4:24:33 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/pb5Tjcn/mandor~png "Pit divers!" Mandor scoffs. "They are like children walking along the seashore picking up whatever flotsam washes up at their feet — the powerful hunt the seas like a shark, as you say in Rebma. "I was under the impression that Corwin was a great hero to your otherside family. Why not destroy the Pattern in Amber and let Corwin's be?"
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Post by Maeve on Jan 11, 2024 8:25:58 GMT
"The choice between Amber's pattern and Corwin's pattern is a the question of power. Will those not of Corwin's line still be able to walk the shadows when Amber's pattern is destroyed. Are those not of Corwin's line able to walk his pattern to retain the power of pattern if this is the case. Will those not born yet be able to walk Corwin's pattern to gain the power over shadow."
"Then there is the fact that Corwin is a Pattern-maker like Dworkin, to be the grandchild or great-grandchild of a Pattern-maker is something else then to be the sibling , nephew or niece. Allegedly Corwin turned down the crown of Amber because he was not longer interested, but what if at that point of time he already planned to get his own pattern like Brand. At that point of time Corwin knew that the Jewel had been used to create the Pattern of Amber."
"If it is Corwin's pattern everybody in the family is turned into suppliants at Corwin's door. I do not see that would sit well with my uncles and aunts, my cousins or me."
"For me there is also the question if Rebma would survive the destruction of Amber's pattern."
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Post by Admin on Jan 18, 2024 0:48:27 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/pb5Tjcn/mandor~png "I see your reasoning, but you didn't mention the third option: destroy both and then inscribe one anew. It has been done at least twice; why not once more? "You mention power, yet you are split between three realms; your influence is split into thirds. Merlin made his choice; when will you make yours?"
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Post by Maeve on Jan 18, 2024 8:12:04 GMT
"Destroying both and creating a new one. Dworkin himself proposed to destroy the pattern of Amber and create a new one. If the pattern of Amber is still damaged and Oberon failed, that might be necessary. I do not see that where Oberon failed someone else might succeed. Maybe Brand would know, if he is alive and not at the bottom of the Abyss. It would elevate one of Oberon's get to pattern-maker and render the rest powerless since they might be not longer able to traverse the new pattern."
"A plan like this has high obstacles. The one method mentioned to destroy a pattern is to use the blood of the pattern-maker or the blood of his get. I can not imagine Corwin will agree to be used as pattern eraser and he is reported to be a bit tough to hold down. We hardly can use Merlin, unless he is going to do a supply of blood bags over an extended period of time. I can not imagine my cousin Lorelei would agree to help to destroy her father's pattern."
"For Amber's pattern the amount of people who can be used is a bit larger. So hardly any of them will agree in helping."
"But maybe the idea of blood bags is not so out of scope. It would not require to kill someone. Some of my cousins can be tricked somewhere in shadow in donating blood for a good cause. And so a supply can be build up. When enough blood has been gathered a kind of blood bomb has to be crated and 'detonated' over the pattern in question."
"But, and here come the biggest obstacle, to create a new pattern the Jewel of Judgement is needed. Coral has it and nobody knows where she is and getting the Jewel from her might be the biggest problem."
"And there is the question who would do the new pattern." There is a pause. "And if the Courts would permit the creation of a new pattern if the two existing has been erased."
Maeve ponders and concludes. "But all I said is just an intellectual game."
She pause and thinks about her choices. "A choice. It is no about power, I do no want to go against any of my relatives, that makes the choice so hard."
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Post by Admin on Jan 22, 2024 5:52:52 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/pb5Tjcn/mandor~png "As time marches on and the two Patterns make things worse, a decision on which to destroy will have to be made. It would be best if one of your own from that side gave the command. If not, as you yourself know, there was much intermingling before, during and after that last war. The Courts probably have enough denizens with Amber blood to destroy one ourselves."
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Post by Maeve on Jan 22, 2024 6:49:33 GMT
"There is an option not mentioned. When the Amber's pattern came into existence was the distance between the Courts and Amber already that far. It is said that Amber cast shadows. These existed not before, that took some time. Corwin's pattern is young it could be a matter of time till it has caused enough shadow to get a good distance between itself and the Courts but eventually this will happen. That would also mean that the Courts would then have more or less the double amount of shadow under its control. So Chaos does no have to worry only have to wait."
"The effect on shadow between the tow pattern would be unpleasantly orderly."
Maeve considers a moment. "A choice which pattern has to go if that what I just mentioned is false. For me it would be Corwin's pattern. "
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Post by Admin on Jan 24, 2024 5:02:54 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/pb5Tjcn/mandor~png "You and Merlin seem to agree. He has enlisted a few of the houses, and they march against Corwin's city of Paris. There have been great losses on both sides. Corwin has developed a great weapon that turns Hendrake's armies to dust."
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Post by Maeve on Jan 24, 2024 10:43:31 GMT
"I did not heard that this is something the pattern grant, but Corwin is no mere Pattern-User anymore he is a Pattern-Maker, nobody aside Dwokrin knows what power that gives you." Maeve replies.
"Is Coral with Corwin. Maybe she is doing that with the Jewel?"
"Or Corwin found or created a construct that is helping him."
"There is a point in a war where you have to withdraw to regroup and re-plan when the original plan is not working. An ongoing direct attack while Corwin has access to this weapon makes no sense. It is time to find or create some constructs and use their Power to counteract Corwin's weapon." Maeve suggests.
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