|
Post by Hammett on Feb 11, 2024 3:46:21 GMT
Hammett shakes his head, "No, I don't believe so. Although many guests have come and gone through Wormwood's over the years, and not all were forth coming with their real names. But let's assume I haven't. What do you have in mind for her?"
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Feb 13, 2024 3:16:39 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/fx2fYZC/Lorcas4~png "To prevent her from marrying the King. To prevent an alliance between Sawall and Hendrake by any means necessary."
|
|
|
Post by Hammett on Feb 13, 2024 4:27:52 GMT
Hammett can't help but chuckle lightly, "It is interesting how similar the Courts are to Amber. Who will marry who, and all the politics and in-fighting involved, make up a large part of Amber, and the Golden Circle's, time and gossip as well. Has King Merlin shown any interest in this Gilva, beyond normal that is? Word in Amber is that Merlin has many ladies he... spends time with. But politics may decide for him, is what I am assuming you worry about. A Sawall and Hendrake alliance would boost Hendrake's power immensely even with all of their recent losses. Is the worry that a deal has already been struck in secret? King Merlin promising to marry Gilva if House Hendrake is successful in destroying or capturing Corwin's Pattern?"
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Feb 13, 2024 4:54:23 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/fx2fYZC/Lorcas4~png "The two have a history together and she hasn't been shy in her visiting Thelbane. One must assume she is in the running and leads by a few lengths for the position. We must ensure she doesn't win the race. Again, by any means possible."
|
|
|
Post by Hammett on Feb 14, 2024 4:57:04 GMT
Hammett nods, "I understand." He adjusts his tie and smooths out his clothes, "You want me to find her and seduce her. Make her fall in love with me and woo her away from Merlin. I can do that. But if her real goal is political power, and she doesn't even care much about Merlin romantically, then that's where we might have a problem. Her just being in love with me might not be enough for her to give up being Queen. I know, I have a hard time believing that myself, but it's true. Maybe we should first try find a dark horse in the marriage race? So another woman that can be inserted into the equation that can offer more to Merlin's goals and interest, then this Gilva can offer, especially if House Hendrake keeps suffering more losses."
He takes drink and considers things, "I'm afraid I don't know many prospects for that role. Maybe this girl I've met a few times, Dionisia. Goes by Dio, informally. Quite powerful, good in a fight, Logrus trained. She plays the nice, innocent and demure card very well. Do you know of her? Apparently she is quite important around the Courts. Raised in a strict convent and when she escaped they sent a lot of people and demons to recapture her, but they failed. So she has to have some political value. And definitely more interesting a queen, and person, then some generic House Hendrake woman. Might be exactly Merlin's type."
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Feb 19, 2024 22:07:11 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/fx2fYZC/Lorcas4~png "I haven't heard of Dionisia. I would know of her if she had rank in any of the families. Merlin's handlers won't let an unknown like that through the door.
"You trying to woo Gilva is...an idea. Your position is the same as Dionisia's, so Hendrake will not approve. The easiest solution is to lure her out into the shadows, pursuing some battle or another. It's too risky to send her against Corwin for if she does win the war then Hendrake will be ascendant. We need something less important but still attractive to her. If it helps Merlin while also keeping her away long enough for a wedding to take place would be the best result of all."
|
|
|
Post by Hammett on Feb 20, 2024 0:40:23 GMT
"Huh. That is interesting about Dionisia." Hammett made a living dealing in information and secrets, and it was annoying when one he thought had value turned out be less then expected. Still he pushed it a bit further, revealing more then he wanted, so he hoped it was worth it, "Is it possible she is a lost or secret family member? She was trained in Logrus in secret personally by Suhuy, which I am given to understand is no small thing. It would be like one of the Amberite children being trained personally in wielding the Pattern by Dworkin." But he leaves it there for now.
"That is a good plan to get Gilva out of the way for a stretch. But if not the war over Corwin's pattern, then what? Taking over what remains of Lady Vada's forces and trying to complete her goals? That might bring her into conflict with Leonil, which would be okay with me. There was also some battle the Courts were fighting in this shadow called Eshanta. I was betrayed by a friend and stabbed through the chest on the outskirts of that battle, so I did not see how it turned out. Maybe she could be influenced to go and help in that war?"
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Feb 22, 2024 6:24:57 GMT
"I don't doubt that she is a woman of great power, but without knowing who her family is, she will not be wed to the great lords of Chaos.
"I believe the war in Eshanta is over, with total losses on our side. Gilva might be persuaded to attack for revenge, but if Malficious couldn't succeed, then Gilva might be too wary of taking the job on."
|
|
|
Post by Hammett on Feb 23, 2024 5:17:11 GMT
Hammett nods and ponders, "Hmmm... Then I am at a loss for the moment. I haven't been able to keep abreast of the goin ons in Shadow like I used to since Wormwood's had to be closed. Once I get it back up and running I'll be in a much better position to gather such information, but that will take some time. We will only be reopening in a few days. It will take longer to get the word out and get the old crowds and clientele back." He finishes off his drink, "I guess you could try and start a war somewhere. Something designed in particular to draw her and her family's interest, but not being familiar with the Courts, or House Hendrake, I have no idea what that might be."
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Feb 26, 2024 4:33:09 GMT
OOC: Want to make something up? Maybe tie in the Keep of the Four Worlds if Hammett knows of it or its history. It is probably not too much of a stretch since Jasra was the Queen of Kashfa while invading and messing around with the place. Or something else.
|
|
|
Post by Hammett on Feb 26, 2024 6:16:00 GMT
OOC: Not that I can think of. I don't think Hammett would know of the Keep of the Four Worlds unless Martin knew the story of it and told him over drinks sometime in the past. Plus, Hammett wouldn't volunteer information to start a war against, as far as he knew, innocent people. If Lorcus already had something in mind then he might go along with it, but he couldn't instigate such a conflict and have a clear conscious. If he wandered shadow and found some evil bastards he would happily let Lorcus instigate a war with them, but randome people he knows nothing of he wouldn't do that. But how about...
Hammett thinks a bit longer, "Do you know of the "purple"? I believe it is a new power, or maybe a very old one, that has recently come into play." He describes the man with the black hair and purple flames coming out of his mouth, and then recants the tales of people being jumped by groups of strangers out in shadow who burn up in purple flames when killed (not mentioning Tug's name). And then also describes witnessing such an even himself, and how someone under theinfluence of the Purple he appeared as a skeleton cloaked in purple flames when travelling via trump (again, also not mentioning Edmund by name), and also rumors of a shadow slowly being destroyed in a slow moving purple explosion. He does not mention the power's apparent ability to bring the dead back to life, like with Edmund. Somethings he needs to keep secret from everyone else for as long as possible.
"Perhaps Gilva could be influenced to set out with a force of troops on an expedition to discover the source of this "purple flame" and confront those who have gained access to its abilities. The trick would be to make sure she doesn't succeed and can not claim that power for herself or House Hendrake. So it would be a risky option to choose, but one that will have to be undertaken at some point if the Purple Man keeps growing in power and followers. He might represent an even great threat then Corwin and his new Pattern because we have no idea what his end goal is."
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Feb 28, 2024 2:04:52 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/fx2fYZC/Lorcas4~png "That has potential. How can someone defeat a colour. To get her interested, this Purple must manifest in the Courts; otherwise, she will let it remain as a shadow problem. Can you bring it here? It would be best if Gilva were to see it in action instead of a second-hand description. Find a way to bring it here while you are with her. Tell her what you told me, and she will be hooked."
|
|
|
Post by Hammett on Mar 3, 2024 1:33:50 GMT
[[OCC: Did my original post get lost? I am sure I responded to this back right after it was posted, but now maybe not? Did I read it before going to bed and just dream that I replied?]]
Hammett shakes his head, "I have no idea how I would lure one of those followers here. Like I said, they burn up when killed and travel in gangs. It's not like I could get one to pose for me for a day or two while I painted a trump of them, so that I could, in turn, trump them into the Courts when Gilva was near by. Maybe if I found something they wanted I could get them to come after me across shadow, and if I happened to be here in the Courts when they found me, and Gilva was close by, then it could work. But that is a lot of hypotheticals, and if's, and maybe's, to be considered an actual plan."
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Mar 5, 2024 4:57:32 GMT
OOC: I guess the post got lost somewhere.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Mar 5, 2024 5:01:51 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/fx2fYZC/Lorcas4~png "You mentioned its appearance in the cards. Could you contact the person again and bring them through or show them to Gilva? Is the person connected to the Courts? It would be easier if they were known here."
|
|