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Post by Hammett on Nov 25, 2020 5:47:33 GMT
Hammett smiles, Dalton always got the job done, and then some.
With the carriage waiting on the street, Hammett and Pinky enter the warehouse and make their way to the back and to Dalton's office.
Hammett then thanks him for a job well done on getting the place set up and running so quickly, then asks him for on update on everything he has managed to learn since getting here, specifically about A) who Begma is preparing to go to war with, B) news on the Prime Minister's Daughters, C) any sightings of Prince Martin and D) anything else unusual that Hammett might be interested in.
After getting the news Hammett will quickly change into cleaner clothes, then, leaving Pinky behind with Dalton, return to the carriage and carry on to his visit to the Prime Minister. [[OCC: Unless there is actionable news about Martin, in which case he will change his plans]]
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Post by Admin on Nov 27, 2020 1:48:34 GMT
A) There doesn't seem to be a particular target for war but the loss of Random and Gerrard has all of Shadow on edge and expecting some sort of aggression. There have also been rumours of armies of unknown origin marching through Shadow.
B) Nayda was last seen in Kashfa with King Rinaldo and there is no reason to suspect she has left Jidrash. Coral is still missing, last reported in Castle Amber after the first blast but no reports of her location or actions since then.
C) Martin did come to town with the ambassador but left the next day without saying where he was headed.
D) Nothing else other than the storms which are interfering with shipping leading some to suspect a land invasion in imminent.
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Post by Hammett on Nov 27, 2020 16:19:04 GMT
Hammett thanks Dalton again, and then fills him and Pinky in on the plans for the new Wormwood's and what would be needed from his team in the days and weeks to come. Then he changes his clothes and returns to the waiting carriage and tells the driver to continue on to the Prime Minister.
Then he pulls out Llewella's trump card, and attempts to make contact. Probably time to give her an update before her or the Queen started to worry.
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Post by Admin on Nov 30, 2020 3:56:37 GMT
Contact is made with Llewella. He sees her under the sea, her hair unbound and wafting about her head like a green halo.
"Hammett, I trust that you have found Martin?"
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Post by Hammett on Nov 30, 2020 4:37:24 GMT
"Princess Llewella, unfortunately not yet. But I tracked him here to Begma. He was here just a few days ago. Apparently he saved the Begman's ambassador to Kasaba during the attack on the city and brought him safely back here. Prince Dalt may be involved in some way or another, but I don't know if as a protagonist or antagonist in the events. Prince Martin stayed the night and then departed the following morning. I'm trying to find any leads on where he might have been heading."
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Post by Admin on Dec 6, 2020 10:38:30 GMT
"He will be tricky and difficult to pin down as he moves. Once he goes to ground it will be worse for he will chose a well defended spot. Good luck."
Llewella breaks the trump connection.
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Post by Hammett on Dec 6, 2020 16:26:51 GMT
Hammett slid her card away, and thinks actually dear aunt, the more he moves the closer that brings him to me. And as for a place to defend, well hopefully the new Wormwood's will serve him well in that regard.
He then settles back in the seat and relaxes until he arrives at the PM's location and is brought to the man.
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Post by Admin on Dec 7, 2020 9:04:41 GMT
The carriage heads from dockside through the city's hills until it reaches the Prime Minister's residence. From there, Hammett is ushered into a conference room where a few minor functionaries are waiting for him. Eventually, the PM and his wife come into the room.
"Ah, Lord Hammett, thank you for paying us a visit." Orkuz says, "Rumour tells us that you possess some felicity with those trump cards that are so common in Amber; we would like to commission your painting a few for Begma's use."
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Post by Hammett on Dec 7, 2020 12:26:14 GMT
Hammett stands and greats the couple, "Mr. and Mrs. Prime Minister, thank you for the invitation. In this instance the rumors are correct, and I would be happy to undertake the commission if I am able. As I told the ambassador, there are certain limitations to how a trump can be created, so perhaps we should sit and discuss what you would require and I will tell you if such a thing is possible."
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Post by Admin on Dec 11, 2020 8:32:39 GMT
The PM's wife speaks first.
"It's about our daughters and those dreadful princes from Amber. Nayda is said to be keeping company with that King Rinaldo of Kashfa -"
"And Coral has vanished completely since that incident in Castle Amber." her husband continues. "Were you to paint those cards for us, you would be helping out a grieving mother and father and also be rewarded with the gratitude of Begma."
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Post by Hammett on Dec 11, 2020 13:52:04 GMT
Hammett nods in sympathy, "I had heard rumors of such things, and I was worried that this would be the request and I can only imagine the worry and stress you must both be under." He pulls out his trump deck and shows them a few of the cards, "The reason so many trump cards are of a person posing for them, is that that is the easiest way to make them. There is a person to person connection at the time of creation and that psychic energy can be infused into the card turning it into a trump. With someone posing a card can be created in a day, or maybe two."
He searches through his cards and pulls out one he did from memory, probably Ugrate's, "On the other hand, a trump can also be made from memory, but only if you know the subject very well, and even then it can take many days or weeks to complete." He puts the cards all back in the deck and returns it to his pocket, "Unfortunately what can't be done is creating a trump of someone you have never met. Without a psychic connection a trump can not be created, it would just be a regular painting. And, I am sad to say, I have never had the pleasure of meeting either of your daughters. So I am sorry but it is beyond my skill or ability to create the trumps that you desire." He almost suggests asking another member of the royal family, someone who has met both ladies, to make the cards, but he could tell that The P.M. and his wife were not fans of the royal family and if that was an option they would probably reached out to them before attempting to hire me. Maybe a different track could be suggested...
He leans back in his chair, "But if you are trying to locate them, and maybe bring them safely home to you, I might make another suggestion. I traveled here under the care of a Captain Brennon on his ship the Celessia. He is a good man, and honorable in his ways, despite whatever reputation you may hear about him. And, before his untimely death, Prince Gerard even went so far as to enlist Captain Brennon in locating certain people and documents so that must also speak highly of the Captain and his abilities. Perhaps you might seek to hire him to conduct the search? He is still in port, and I believe from our last words, that he would be staying for a few more days. I, myself, would volunteer to assist you in the search, but unfortunately I have already been pressed into service on another matter by the Amber Court and must focus my attention on that for the time being. Although I would still endeavor to assist Captain Brennon in any way possible in the matter, if he was willing and you chose to engage him."
With the amount of money (and gratitude) the P.M. was hinting at, it might be smart of Brennon to take the assignment, especially if other lines of work were scarce due to the wars and storms breaking, but for now Hammett relaxed waiting for their reply.
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Post by Admin on Dec 21, 2020 17:09:38 GMT
The PM and wife look downcast.
"I feared that your answer would be something of that sort." the PM says.
"Yes, it's all so difficult and with the rumours..." the wife's voice trails off.
[OOC: Let's give them names so it is easier to write. I assumed Orkuz was the last name, so how about Samir and Janella?]
Samir continues.
"I understand that you have other duties, but Kashfa is very close; if you were to stop by Jidrash on your way out you may find Nayda there and be able to complete half of your commission. And, who knows, she may be able to tell you where Coral has gone to."
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Post by Hammett on Dec 21, 2020 18:54:10 GMT
Hammett thinks about it a moment. It probably would be good for Amber and Begma relations if he did what he could to help, so he nods, "I can do that. It is probably good that I see what Kashfa is up to, anyway. I have never been there before, or met this King Rinaldo, so it should be interesting."
With that he rises and bows slightly to the couple, "I will do what I can for you, not only in my visit to Kashfa, but also as I go about my other duties. If I should locate either of your daughters I will inform them of your wishes, and send word to you right away."
With that he leaves and returns to the business Dalton has set up. Time to start putting things into motion, and there had been too many delays and distractions already.
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Post by Hammett on Dec 22, 2020 18:10:49 GMT
Arriving at the warehouse, Hammett informed Dalton and Pinky that it was time to put the Wormwood’s plans in motion. Dalton, since he was settling in and doing so well here, would stay in Begma and oversee this region, Pinky would aid him for the time being, then return to her job at Wormwood’s when the time was right.
After that Hammett retired to his office and trumped Conrad in Ceridin and gave him the go to start putting the Wormwood’s plan into action and sending out the others to their designated shadows.
With that done, Hammett pulled out his the trump card for his home in Carcosa and stepped through.
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Post by Hammett on Dec 22, 2020 18:12:05 GMT
It was good to be home again. He had been away longer, many times in fact, but with his plans finally coming to fruition each delay seemed to last forever. He reached out with his intent and sped the relative time of the shadow up substantially. Now he could work in peace and hopefully avoid anymore distractions from Amber and its intrigues, at least for a little while.
He made a quick check of the house, ensuring all the wards were still intact and working, plus greeting and feeding the various Things in their various containers to make sure they were still content.
He knew he should rest, but he was too excited to do that right now, so he went to work in his study, going over the plans for both projects, checking to make sure nothing had been forgotten or left for chance. He then sent out a few spectral missives to his various Naguals to inform them to be ready for the final stages of the plans.
Finally he sorted through his equipment and supplies. The first collection of items, his Wormwood’s gear, he transported to Wormwood’s via a simple teleportation spell so it would be ready and waiting when he arrived. The second collection he gathered and checked and rechecked, going so far to even re-test the purity of the gold bar one last time, before packing everything into a couple of travel packs and setting beside the door, to be ready to go in the morning.
Finally he wrote a few letters, if things went wrong tomorrow he best leave a record of everything that had been going on and all the players involved, plus his will and bequeathments. These he sealed in envelopes and also set aside. If things went wrong a special Nagual would make sure they were delivered to the correct parties.
With that done, and nothing else he could conceive of to procrastinate further, he finally went to bed and got a few hours of sleep. Tomorrow was going to be interesting...
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