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Post by Admin on Apr 16, 2021 5:45:28 GMT
"I look forward to it, my friend.
"Now what shall we do with Shelly here? She will need much more time recover and I don't imagine you are willing to wait about, no matter the quality of my hospitality. Your plan? Give the the word and I will make it happen to the best of my ability."
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Post by Brian on Apr 16, 2021 9:53:07 GMT
"I look forward to it, my friend.
"Now what shall we do with Shelly here? She will need much more time recover and I don't imagine you are willing to wait about, no matter the quality of my hospitality. Your plan? Give the the word and I will make it happen to the best of my ability." " Well...time for ones such as we is a problem only some of the time. I was planning to take her some place where time could be exploited." He looks at Mandor seriously for a moment " What do you have in mind with the benefit of your experience? I am of a mind to not abandon my companions for long in Diega."
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Post by Admin on Apr 18, 2021 5:03:59 GMT
"I believe your companions to be quite competent enough to take care of themselves. And if they are not then they do not deserve to wear those lofty mantles of 'Princess' and 'Lady'. It is a busy and dangerous time in Shadow, King, and everyone must take care of themselves.
"I don't believe I can help you with any meddling in timing differences. You would wish to quickly heal Shelly, I am guessing. But, how would you know when to leave such a place and still arrive in - Kasaba, was it? - early enough to do what you have to do? How easy it would be to take a nap or get caught up in difficulties endemic to the place you are in and lose moths or years or even centuries before returning to the time your companions travel in? And what is the time flow like in Kasaba? Quicker or slower than Amber? No, the risks of hiding away from time are too great."
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Post by Brian on Apr 18, 2021 5:12:42 GMT
"I believe your companions to be quite competent enough to take care of themselves. And if they are not then they do not deserve to wear those lofty mantles of 'Princess' and 'Lady'. It is a busy and dangerous time in Shadow, King, and everyone must take care of themselves.
"I don't believe I can help you with any meddling in timing differences. You would wish to quickly heal Shelly, I am guessing. But, how would you know when to leave such a place and still arrive in - Kasaba, was it? - early enough to do what you have to do? How easy it would be to take a nap or get caught up in difficulties endemic to the place you are in and lose moths or years or even centuries before returning to the time your companions travel in? And what is the time flow like in Kasaba? Quicker or slower than Amber? No, the risks of hiding away from time are too great." I smoke the cigar looking at him seriously. " Big enough problems work best with a team but I agree with your meaning. But it seems like I have a problem and I am on your doorstep and you are in a position of offering a solution. And odds are decent it might even be a bargain I would take as well. Earn favor with a king of a shadow.....save one maybe more princes of Amber if a stable Amber or at least a stable system in orbit around Amber is our mutual goal."
I sigh a bit.
"Brian, time is a mater of grave concern to mortals. To an immortal its a trivial matter except when its important." I nod a bit "Thats what my lady wife would tell me. So do you come offering me a solution to my problem?"
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Post by Admin on Apr 18, 2021 6:43:39 GMT
"'Do I come'? King, once again I must remind you that you were the one who came to me here.
"Sorry, but I do not make it a habit to tell my friends what to do; in the rare instances my advice has proven ineffective I find it strains the amity that we once had. So, no, I have learned my lesson the hard way and can long longer advise my friends.
"But I will give you a few thoughts of my own which you may wish to consider yourself before you make your decision.
First, is your concern for your companions in Deiga: are they on the same quest as you? Will they follow you to Kasba and help you in what you need to do? If not, then returning there might be a hindrance to you right at the time where you may wish greater speed in reaching your goal.
Second, is about Lord Dorian: you say Shelly wishes to be reunited with him and that he is going to Kasba. Is he there yet? From what I her that place is quite dangerous now and to arrive days or weeks earlier than your target is asking for danger. Could he still be in transit to the place? Could he also have come across a Deiga of his own and found himself waylaid by circumstance? I can envision a scenario where you turn your attention from the place and look for the man instead.
Third, is the simplest and most elegant idea of all: Certain spells can be placed on the woman which would have her sleep for years and years thereby freeing you from this irksome task and allowing you to follow your own wishes. This wouldn't be dereliction of your duty as long as you keep the promise in your heart to reunite her with her husband at some future date."
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Post by Brian on Apr 18, 2021 12:15:02 GMT
"'Do I come'? King, once again I must remind you that you were the one who came to me here.
"Sorry, but I do not make it a habit to tell my friends what to do; in the rare instances my advice has proven ineffective I find it strains the amity that we once had. So, no, I have learned my lesson the hard way and can long longer advise my friends.
"But I will give you a few thoughts of my own which you may wish to consider yourself before you make your decision.
First, is your concern for your companions in Deiga: are they on the same quest as you? Will they follow you to Kasba and help you in what you need to do? If not, then returning there might be a hindrance to you right at the time where you may wish greater speed in reaching your goal.
Second, is about Lord Dorian: you say Shelly wishes to be reunited with him and that he is going to Kasba. Is he there yet? From what I her that place is quite dangerous now and to arrive days or weeks earlier than your target is asking for danger. Could he still be in transit to the place? Could he also have come across a Deiga of his own and found himself waylaid by circumstance? I can envision a scenario where you turn your attention from the place and look for the man instead.
Third, is the simplest and most elegant idea of all: Certain spells can be placed on the woman which would have her sleep for years and years thereby freeing you from this irksome task and allowing you to follow your own wishes. This wouldn't be dereliction of your duty as long as you keep the promise in your heart to reunite her with her husband at some future date." I take a long moment to pause athim calling us Friends. "To be honest Dorian vanished during some of the business with Coy at castle Amber.So its possible He is ahead of us afew days already....maybe a few weeks. "
He shakes his head a bit at the last offer. "Thats a bit to Ao Si for my liking. I suppose I should take the lady here shortly back to Diega. And being appreciative for whatever you've done to aid her in her healing then?"
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Post by Admin on Apr 19, 2021 4:32:20 GMT
"Certainly, if that is your wish," Mandor says.
The three balls that had been circling above Shelly fly to the far end of the table, setting up a chaotic orbit. The metal antennae begin to spark with greater frequency bathing the room in strobing blue light. A white door materializes into view within the spheres' bounded paths.
"Whenever you are ready, King,"
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Post by Brian on Apr 19, 2021 9:04:46 GMT
I pick up shelly checking her vitals before walking out with her. Hoping I can find Kat and Lor easy enough...possibly eivor.
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Post by Admin on Apr 20, 2021 6:28:09 GMT
It seems that Mandor has played a trick on Brian. Passing through the door he finds himself on a city street filled with rushing, ankle-deep water. There is only a few feet of distance between him and a large glacier. Within the ice has can see a hammerhead shark frozen near a man. A closer look at the man reveals that he is wearing the usual garb of the Deigans. Even the cobblestone road looks familiar and the building behind him doesn't look dissimilar to the ones he had seen earlier that day, or was it days ago? The glacier is incongruous, so he may be in the shadow Deiga but in a completely different city or continent in the place.
Shelly shivers in the biting cold.
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Post by Brian on Apr 20, 2021 7:03:36 GMT
It seems that Mandor has played a trick on Brian. Passing through the door he finds himself on a city street filled with rushing, ankle-deep water. There is only a few feet of distance between him and a large glacier. Within the ice has can see a hammerhead shark frozen near a man. A closer look at the man reveals that he is wearing the usual garb of the Deigans. Even the cobblestone road looks familiar and the building behind him doesn't look dissimilar to the ones he had seen earlier that day, or was it days ago? The glacier is incongruous, so he may be in the shadow Deiga but in a completely different city or continent in the place. Shelly shivers in the biting cold. Brian shakes his head. He doesn't think that Mandor tricked him persay....he just didnt put him where he wanted to be He makes an attempt to find something passing for a landmark If Brian can't make a reasonable determination of how to find his way back to where Kat and Lor are....hes going to go to a non ruined shadow if Deiga, get on a boat ( with a nice Cabin for Shelly to rest in) and make way to a shadow near kasfa...but he may stop in Ayalos first to load up some spare resources as he is less of a mind to chase things down subtly. Having some troops to shake trees with might be of use in diplomacy.
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Post by Admin on Apr 20, 2021 18:26:10 GMT
There is enough of a gap between the glacier wall and building wall to work out onto the open street. Going is slow due to the uneven width of the gap and calving chunks of ice falling from the sides of the ice.
Free from the ice, he sees a street awash in the melt, once frozen people and sea creatures thawing on the cobblestones, many locals looting the dead bodies or butchering the edible creatures if too large to carry off. An enterprising group of people have brought carts and are chopping a whale into smaller portions for transport. The whale's blood mixes with the stream of water flowing down the street.
The people are not violent like the night before. It looks like whatever animated them in the night has faded away. In a square, Brian gets a good look at the city and sees that the palace has been burnt, the docks are filled with wrecked, half sunk ships, buildings around the glacier have been destroyed, and in the rest of the city, there are burnt building, some still smoulder or flame.
He hears occasional faint errputions of cheering from somewhere in the city.
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Post by Brian on Apr 20, 2021 18:41:02 GMT
I cock a eye brow for a moment carrying Shelley close. I approach some one in the town.
" excuse me. I am looking for Lady Eivor of Amber, or some of her companions."
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Post by Admin on Apr 21, 2021 3:44:31 GMT
"Eh, what? A lady!? Why'd you think I'd know any of their likes? You think I'm lookin' like a right poncy lord? 'Sides you already seem to have a lady so why'd you want a second?
"Wait, did you say Eivor? The one who caused all this mess? Your best luck would be going down that a'way a'couple of streets. Follow the sounds of cheering."
The man stalks off looking for something to salvage from the glacier.
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Post by Brian on Apr 21, 2021 8:54:17 GMT
"Eh, what? A lady!? Why'd you think I'd know any of their likes? You think I'm lookin' like a right poncy lord? 'Sides you already seem to have a lady so why'd you want a second?
"Wait, did you say Eivor? The one who caused all this mess? Your best luck would be going down that a'way a'couple of streets. Follow the sounds of cheering."The man stalks off looking for something to salvage from the glacier. I give a long audible sigh and I follow the path the man pointed me towards.
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Post by Admin on Apr 21, 2021 19:49:07 GMT
From rampaging mobs the night before to listless scavengers today, the people of Deiga are an odd bunch. In the square is a large mob of people surrounding a platform on which a man speaks to the crowd. Beside him is a guillotine splashed with fresh blood.
"Friends! Do I need to tell you again of our heroic act a generation ago when we finished off the vile King and Queen? No! And I say now, as then, we didn't go far enough!"
The crowd cheers.
"Now, who here likes coffee?"
The crowd cheers.
"And does anyone like paying the high prices for a cup of coffee in our cafes?"
The crowd boos.
"Well, now we do have a treat for you! Here is Lord Trader Maxwell and his wife, the Lady Maxwell, owners of seven coffee plantations! Did you know that they sell their beans to Amber very cheaply to gain favour with the rulers and nobles of that city and then make us pay more here?
"Now, what do you say we do with people like that?"
"Off with their heads!" the crowd roars.
Brian sees a group of youths playing soccer with a previously severed head. Every minute or so someone throws a head above the crowd and someone else catches it then tosses it about like a beachball at a Phish concert.
The frightened couple is brought to the guillotine. The Lord's trousers now as brown as his beans. Chop! Chop! Two more heads are added to the basket as the crowd roars in approval.
"Don't be leavin' yet, my friends! We have plenty more lords and ladies lined up for your amusement today! Sorcerors and ice-witches too" the man calls out.
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