|
 Post by SisyphusX on 05/08/2004 at 21:05:18
Anlon and Grendel are awake. Anlon seems to be humming something softly to himself - perhaps he is practicing, or perhaps he is simply in a good mood. Grendel is somewhat tense, and he paces rapidly around, perhaps a little careless in his patrols, but he is clearly in an unpleasant mood. Eavan and Lark are sleeping - Lark is somewhat strained by the long journey, and Eavan is gathering her strength for another night of song, as she is leading this journey's travels. (Ordinarily you would lead the travels of the pack, but Grendel became insistent, and you grow weary of fighting him on every issue.) Another half-dozen or so warriors accompany you - two are awake and on watch, four still asleep. It is expected that you will reach the Oran tonight, after a few hours more of travel. It is then, that you feel what you have not felt in some long time. A warm and buzzing sensation behind your ears - a Trump contact is being attempted. Post by Garvey on 05/09/2004 at 00:54:21
"Straighten up Grendel, something might be afoot. I'll return shortly." he orders before he quickly heads through the trees to a place with more privacy. When Grendel objects or argues, as he surely will, Caliban fixes him with a stern glance and continues out. He motions to Anlon for him to stay and gives him a slight comforting smile. Once he believes himself to be out of earshot and out of sight of the rest of the pack, Caliban draws his sword and slowly opens his mind to the contact. "Who calls for me?" Caliban says into the contact, readying his mind for conflict. Post by SisyphusX on 05/09/2004 at 02:09:56
Your perception slightly shakes, and you feel a slight tang of dullness in your mind as you receive the contact. You've had one or two similar types of contacts in the past, and so you do not fear it. However, it bodes ill for the sender. Gerard looks at you - or at least as directly at you as the several smashed bottles of wine on the floor will allow. He has worked his way through a case of Bayle's Best, and is starting on a fresh one. The room is covered with glass shards, the shattered remnants of a table and a chair, and an entire deck of Trump opened and scattered in disarray. Gerard is sitting on a bed, slumped against the wall. You don't recognize the room at all, but it could be a tavern guest room in Amber or in any of a million Shadows. Gerard's face brightens visibly when he sees you. "Caliban! Oh, sheesh, it's been a looooooong time! How ya doing?!" He shifts a little, and takes a swig from the bottle. "Thought I might shay hello before the end comes. Feel so goddamned helplessh..." He closes his eyes briefly. "But you gotta know - you might be nexsht-t-t. Most of your older family is gone - no freaking clue where they are. Benedict, Random, Fiona, Jululian . . . Shomething'sh trying to take ush all out. No clue what, though - wisshh I had more of a head for all this crap. Feel like a goddamned grunt!" With that, he hurls the bottle against the far wall, smashing the bottle into fragments and yet still putting a sizeable crater in the plaster. He recovers briefly, but you can see tears in his eyes and feel his naked despair and anguish in your mind. You've tried to interrupt him twice, but he hasn't listened. "Well, I think I'm gonna go now. I gotta be the good shon for the townshfolk out there there. But I think you should come back to Amber, at leasht for a while, and FASSHT. It's the mosht real placshe there ish, so it'sh harder to do thingsh to you here. Look me up when you get here - if I'm shtill around, that ish." He starts to slump over, but the contact breaks before he completes his drop into a drunken stupor. When your senses return to the now, Lark has awakened and moved over to you, but is keeping a distance respectful of both your communication and your drawn blade. "What has happened? Is there a problem?" Post by Garvey on 05/09/2004 at 09:49:21
"Sir, I..." Caliban tries to interrupt at one point, though Gerard apparently doesn't seem to notice. "Uncle, who has..." he tries again in a softer, gentler voice, again to no avail. When the contact fades Caliban quietly sheathes his sword but does not look up at Lark immediately, but instead raises his eyes skyward to the fading light. He is quiet for a few moments before he responds. "I am not sure", Caliban says in a low soft voice. "Trouble rises in the Golden City, and I cannot say whether it is opportunity or the start of a new storm. After this business with the Oran is concluded I may consider returning. My uncle fears for my safety, though that city still stinks of death to me." Caliban pauses and cheers up a bit, "There is probably nothing to worry about. Sounds like we've lost more enemies than allies." he adds half jokingly as they walk back to the others. Caliban returns to the camp with Lark and readies himself for the journey, saying nothing more of his communications. If asked of what happened, he only off-handedly answers, "Unrest in the lands of man." Despite his attempt to act calm and unaffected it is likely clear to the others that a new anxiety has come over him. Caliban quickly readies the pack for travel, seemingly unwilling to sit still any longer. He also assumes his traveling form in preparation for the journey. Presumably Eavan then leads them to the Oran, to discuss the current situation. As they travel he remains fairly quiet as if lot in his thoughts. As night draws down about them and they dance through the trees, Caliban keeps going over Gerard's words. He opens his mind further to the world around him and tries sense any disruptions in shadow around him. He does not focus strongly enough to keep himself from running however, but rather he simply wishes to ensure that there is nothing unusual going on. When they start to approach the territory of the Oran, Caliban takes the lead position in the pack, but sends several warriors out slightly farther to act as scouts. He then raises his head to the sky and lets out a call to the Oran, alerting them to his packs arrival. He also warns his pack to remain vigilant as this land is at war and there is nothing to distinguish them from the Oran in the enemies' eyes. Post by SisyphusX on 05/09/2004 at 13:03:31
"Unrest in the lands of man," you reply curtly. "Ah, so you do bring good news." He smiles briefly and chuckles before turning to the horizon. The sun is already past, but the last rays are even now filtering through, sharing their last embrace with the heady tendrils of the night. The pack waits patiently for another ten minutes, breaking camp, and then as the last rays of the sun die to nothing, the change comes over the pack in unison. Eavan sings a song of welcome to the night as you feel the coolly energizing radiance of the moon come into its own. It is not a snarling or a tearing or a rustling that accompanies the change, but merely a nearly-silent...motion. Then, the pack forms up, Eavan leading, you at her right and Grendel at her left, Lark behind you and Anlon behind Grendel. The other packmates form up behind the leaders, and Eavan begins to sing the song of the travel to the lands of the Oran. As you travel through Shadows along the Songline, you contemplate the feel of the Shadows around you, and you sense a disturbing and disruptive presence, but it feels faint and lingering. You recognize the tang of the ripple, however - a wielder of the Logrus has passed by this way, and not altogether too distantly in the past. It fades away as you keep moving, however, and soon it is gone. But you are the more nervous for it, and you have to marshal your concentration to keep focus on the journey and the immediate environs. You arrive in the territory of the Oran shortly before midnight. Eavan defers the lead position to you again, and you send some of your packmates out to reconnoiter the area before advancing. But it seems all is quiet on your approach - the night is warm and invitingly peaceful. You finally arrive at the borders of the Oran village. Your scouts have not entered, but they await your presence. The mood inside the village is apparently festive and joyous. There is a bright song of triumph being sung, and many of the younger Oran are dancing gaily around a bonfire. There are few warriors in the village, though, and all the weapons are gone. You recognize Aodhan, an elder of the Oran, sitting by the fire and watching the dancing and the singing. He seems in good cheer, which is somewhat startling to you, as the word to help the Oran was passed from him through the Oran's singer, Sorcha, to Eavan and then to you, and the message was somewhat urgent in its tone. But he bears none of that burden now, apparently. He notices your form and waves you forward. "Caliban! It's good to see you, albeit better late than never. Come! We have some fine food and a story to tell! Bring your pack in and rest in safety." He gestures to the young Oran warriors guarding the village entrance, and they stand aside. Your packmates await your response. Post by Garvey on 05/09/2004 at 13:31:36
Caliban then shifts to his human form and rises to his feet. "Aodhan, I am glad to see you as well, but what is this?" Caliban yells back, though he does not immediatly move forward. "We came ready for negotiations or battle, but we were not expecting such a celebration." he says as he sweeps one arm towards the festivities. He then advances slowly, trying to keep a bit of distance between himself and his pack, all the while keeping his mind focused, looking for signs of an ambush. If Caliban sense nothing suspcious, he continues past the guards and into the campground. "You must have a great tale to tell Aodhan." He then waves the rest of his pack forward. Caliban will settle down to hear Aodhan's story, all the while keeping an eye out for some kind of ambush. Post by SisyphusX on 05/09/2004 at 15:34:35
"Ah, Caliban, sometimes things do not happen as they are expected. Sometimes they are much better." Aodhan offers you a piece of cooked meat as you sit beside him. Your own pack moves into the village, but stays at a respectful distance. Grendel and Lark stop together and start some sort of discussion in low tones. Your own pack is still tense, but the Oran here are relaxed and happy, as if they have not had an opportunity to do so in months. Caliban sits by the fire with Aodhan, takes the meat and, after a moment, takes a small bite. It is pork, and has an unusual spice native to the area. It's quite tasty, actually. Caliban tries not to look overly tense, but still remains at the ready, in case anything surprising should occur. The relaxed mood of the Oran quickly overtakes Caliban, however, and he lowers his guard somewhat. Aodhan continues. "Well, we've been fighting with the Begmans for some few months now. They suddenly wanted more land, and we're not entirely sure why. But in the space of a week, many raiding parties from the nearest Begman fort began combing the area for us. They all had silver weapons, and we lost more than a few warriors. We tried to fight back, but their defenses are quite strong. We've learned to divide their parties as they enter the forest, and we've captured and slain some of their more careless warriors who strayed too far from their fellows. But it was a losing game - all we were really doing was making the remaining soldiers more wary of our tactics." He rips a piece of meat from the bone and chews slowly. As Aodhan tells of their losing battles against the Begman forces, Caliban nods understandingly. "Well, we sent word to Ballinacor that we needed assistance, and heard that you were coming. We didn't know if your diplomacy and influence with Amber would be all that helpful, but we were growing desperate. But that changed earlier today, with the unexpected arrival of a diplomatic mission from House Helgram." When he mentions House Helgram, Caliban stops eating and almost drops his meat, the hairs upon his neck rising. Fearing corruption at the hands of the Lords of Chaos, Caliban brings the Pattern to mind and peers deep within Aodhan's being, searching for any signs of tampering. He focuses on the very nature of the elder's being, not holding back at all in his search for the taint of Chaos. Aodhan reacts with a small amount of surprise, but then opens himself up to Caliban's intense search. "Go ahead, lad - you'll not find any surprises in there, I'd say. Satisfy yourself, and then I'll go on." In particular, he focuses his attentions on Aodhan's mind. His attentions reveal little in the way of alterations, though it is quite clear that he has been in the presence of Logrus sorcery. His mind is his own, though - there is no taint or trace to be found in his will. Aodhan decides to continue his story, even as Caliban intensifies his search for the taint of the Logrus. "I know, we've not had truck with these beings before, but we were in great danger of losing our land and even more of our brethren. And they were civil and friendly and just wanted to speak with us. So, we invited one of their number, their chief diplomat, to speak with us here in our camp. He came alone, and unarmed. Tynnean, his name was. Rather nice, I thought, if a little snivelly at times. Anyway, that's neither here nor there. He came to us with an offer of help. He was on his way to the Golden City, to discuss peacetime trade possibilities with the Amberites, when he noticed that a large party of Begman warriors, armed with silver swords and silver javelins, was heading directly for our settlement. He understood some of the Weir history - he knew that this was quite possibly a massacre in the making. And so, he came to us with an offer of help. He knew of a ensorcellment that would protect us from the effects of silver, if only for a brief time. It would not be of any practical value long-term, as it wears off quickly, but it would be of critical value if we were to mount a counterattack against the Begmans who were preparing to slaughter us. Our warriors were skeptical, so I agreed to a test." He holds up his right forearm to the light for you to see it. There is a light pink area, no bigger than half an inch across. "That," he says with force, "is the result of a silver dagger having been driven all the way through the arm. It stung a little, but in any other circumstances, my whole arm might have been burned away." He looks at your stunned expression. "We were desperate, but not foolish. I am old, and I won't be hunting any time soon. I needed to know that his offer was genuine." He rubs the mark briefly, then returns to his meal. When Caliban is shown the red mark on the Oran's arm, he shifts his attention to that area, trying to access the nature of the change, how much Chaos magic still remains and whether the healing will persist when the magic is gone. He finds that there is a pronounced effect in the tissues of the arm. Biochemical production has been increased, virtually across the board. Adrenaline, endorphins, and other fuels are increased, and the ordinary buildup of muscle toxins is much diminished. The effects seem to have only accelerated his metabolism - at least as far as Caliban can determine. Once he has concluded his examination, he focuses the Pattern into a flame in his mind and burns away any remaining taint of Chaos in Aodhan's body. "So, with no standing for ceremony, we accepted his offer of help and he pronounced the invocation on all of our warriors. They then charged out to meet the oncoming Begmans. Tynnean left after that - he is expected in Amber and did not want to arouse suspicion by his delay. This was about an hour ago, and we have already heard the song of our warriors' success. They should be returning in ten minutes or so. They speak of total victory, and we are relieved and thankful. We celebrate their victory, and we are glad to have you with us for it!" He rubs your shoulder. Caliban stands up, shocked by what he has heard. "What have you done? The taint of chaos is all about you; their magics are not to be trusted! You have brought a curse upon all of your people." Caliban fails to conceal the anger in his voice, but after a moment he seems to calm and his voice turns to sadness. "You are victims though, and perhaps it is not too late to rectify the situation. All power comes at a price and I wonder what this may have cost." But then, both of you stop, and turn to face the wind. A scent comes up suddenly, and is overpowering to your sensitivity. Blood. Human blood. As strong as you've ever smelled it, and you've been up close and personal with many a dying human. The smell of Weir fur and sweat mixed in, but nothing can hide the stench of carnage and death that is approaching. The celebration stops suddenly, and the Oran and your own packmates suddenly tense. The Oran present, which is to say none of the warriors, all move back nervously - some ducking into their dwellings. Your pack takes up defensive positions in the village, but then look to you, for it is your decision how to prepare for whatever is coming. Post by Garvey on 05/09/2004 at 15:43:23
Caliban bows slightly to the approaching Weir. "Greetings, Warriors of the Oran. I am Caliban of the Shantallow, and my warriors and I have journeyed far to assist you." Caliban keeps a safe distance and does not become too friendly. He waits for Aodhan to greet the warriors and introduce Caliban and his pack. "You smell of too much death," Caliban addresses the leader of the returning party. "What has happened?" As they talk, Caliban will open his mind to the Pattern and try to sense any signs of the Logrus. He does this casually, though, as he wishes to focus the majority of his attention on the Weirs' story. Post by SisyphusX on 05/09/2004 at 15:50:47
"The battle...the battle was a success - at first. We met the enemy in a pincer maneuver, but sent a small number to the rear to disrupt any rallying or retreating by the Begmans." You recognize Cathal, the warrior-leader of the Oran. He has a disciplined and strategic mind, and has skirmished many times with the Begmans before. But his eyes are not as they were - they are open and vulnerable and glazed with shock. He appears to be relying on habit, giving a battle report as he might in any other skirmish. As he continues, you begin focusing your attention on his essence and his condition. "They raised their weapons with brash confidence. But as the first blows fell, and to little effect, a cry went up amongst the Begman warriors, and they became disarrayed. We easily subdued and overcame what resistance they offered, and soon we had penetrated the ranks and held their leader captive. The warriors surrendered, and dropped their weapons." You start focusing in on Cathal's being, and it still has a remaining suffusion of Chaos. You see some of the same effects as on Aodhan - intensification of the metabolism, resistance to injury - but there is also some other effect interwoven with this magical energy. As Cathal continues, you focus on this new element. "We had defeated them - and we sung the songs to let you know that the battle had been won, and won well. We were gathering their weapons, and Padraic began speaking with the leader to negotiate the warriors' release under terms. It was all going so well..." His voice trails off, and he looks up at the moon, full and bright. His face falls, slightly. "It's back. After we had won, the moon suddenly changed - becoming a fiery red that blazed almost like the sun. We became angry - I'm not sure why. It was an insult that the Begmans would come here for the purpose of wiping us out, and it was intolerable in its' arrogance. We shifted into Weir, almost as one, and...we attacked them. They were disarmed, shocked, and helpless. Some of them tried to appeal to us, some of them formed small fighting circles, and others ran. It mattered not. We slaughtered them all, in single and in masses. They cried out, 'We surrendered! We surrendered!'. But we still killed them, savaged them, tore them to pieces." He falls to his knees, sobs bursting from his throat. "And I don't know why! They were all warriors, doing what they were ordered to do, and they surrendered - they did not deserve this!" He holds up his hands, still covered in the blood of his victims. As Cathal breaks down, you are still focused enough to concentrate on the Chaos energy within him. It is important to do so, as it is breaking down rapidly. You have studied the energies enough to determine that there is a second energy signature, woven into the first. You see a different type of energy, that suggests that a second spell was cast. But it was specially crafted to interact with the first. You never saw any trace of this newer energy in Aodhan's body. This second spell is so closely interwoven, that it would have to have been cast simultaneously with the first. It has a slightly weaker strength to it, suggesting that it was cast at a greater distance than the primary strengthening effect. It's hard to tell, as it doesn't last long under the scrutiny of the Pattern, but it appears to have hyper-accelerated the effects of the first spell of metabolic increase. There are probably other effects, but they are more subtle. Aodhan approaches you, and speaks softly into your ear. "I see your words now - my folly and fear has been betrayed us. I tried to save my people, but it has come at a terrible price. The Begmans will not stand for this, nor will they listen to reason from us. They will mass their armies and come here, burning and pillaging and slaying all they find. We Oran will retreat - there are caves deep in the woods that we have lain in before in secret." He sighs. "But this must be explained to the Begmans - they must be told what has happened, and why. They will not suffer a Weir to speak to them - not even you - it is too late for that now. But they are strong allies of Amber, and perhaps one other of your family can be trusted enough to speak with them. I thought at first that you were late, and that you could not help us. But I know now how you can. You must go to Amber, and tell them what has happened. The Lord of Amber must speak with the Begman King and convince him to speak with us - to let us explain what has happened this grim night." Post by Garvey on 05/09/2004 at 15:51:46
Caliban listens in stunned silence to Cathal's story. As the story is told, Caliban's expression changes from defiance to disbelief and finally to a combination of sympathy and sadness. He tries to find the words to comfort him, but his lips fail him. Instead, he reaches and clasps Cathal on the shoulder with his right hand, staining it with the blood of the humans. When Aodhan approaches, Caliban turns to face him slightly while still keeping one eye on Cathal. Once Aodhan is done speaking, Caliban replies in a whisper as well. "I fear you are right. I doubt the court of Begma or King Trevain will believe our story even if I go there to implore their forgiveness. They already hold our kind in ill will. Do not hope to Amber, for what I have heard their is much unrest in their own court and I think all of their attention will be focused inward for a time. I will not abandon your people though. I will do what I can to win the support of the court and bring a peace with the Begmans." Caliban motions for Lark and Eavan to join them in discussion. "Their forces will be likely be sent out during the day tomorrow to seek you out. We should set out as soon as possible. My pack and I will journey with you to the caverns, but I fear that your people will be in grave danger even then. I understand that you cannot abandon these lands, but if you wish I will give refuge to your children and all those who cannot fight in New Fanelia. Your people may always seek haven in those lands. We can either take them now or you may send them later if things go badly. The blood of the humans is on all of us now." Caliban raises up his blood coated hand. After listening to any advice or comments the others have, Caliban will have Eavan mobilize the rest of the pack to help the Oran strike the village. He will then then go through and cleanse the Logrus magics from all of the Oran's warriors and anyone else in the village that was enchanted. He will also do a quick evaluation of their belongings to see if any of them have also been tainted. Once this is done, Caliban goes over to Aodhan. "I have decided that I wish to survey the... damage done in the battle myself, so that I have better prepared to deal with its consequences. I don't wish to risk any of my pack in such a venture, so I will go alone. Eavan can take the rest of the Shantallow to your hiding spot, where I will meet up with you. I will directions to the battleground and then to a spot where I can rendevous with one of your pack who can lead me to the caves you speak of. You can wait here for me, but if I am too long, you must go ahead without me. I can take care of myself. I know magics which can slip me away from trouble if the Begmans intervene." Assuming Aodhan does not refuse assistance and tells Caliban the path, Caliban will then tell Lark and Eavan his plans and head to the battlesite himself. Once there he will survey the massacre and see if the Begmans have yet discovered what has happened. He will also use the Pattern to look for any residual traces of the Logrus or other magics. Before leaving he will say a prayer for the spirits of the departed humans who suffered so greatly, and will then return to either the village or to the rendevous point. In either case Caliban is very careful to cover his tracks as best he can, and of course he travels in wolven form. If Caliban returns before the Oran have departed, then he and his pack will ride out with the Oran towards the caves, careful to cover their tracks and take a indirect route (which I'm sure the Oran know well). If Caliban thinks there is a chance that the humans could track them he will later have his pack go out and disturb the tracks and lay false ones. If the Oran have already departed then he will meet one of them at the rendevous point and then move onto the caves. Once at the caves, Caliban will sit with Aodhan and the other elders of the Oran, including Cathal and discuss the current political situation in Begma. In all likelihood Lark, Grendel and Eavan will join him. "What happened to cause these aggressions by the Begmans? Was there desire for more land prompted by anything? Has anything else unusual been going on before these attacks? Did your tribe do anything unusual?" Caliban doubts that the Oran know why the attacks occurred but any hints might be useful. He also questions Aodhan and the others about the current political situation in Begma. "Is Trevain the third still in power? How has he led these past two years. Do you know who his main advisers are and who leads his armies? Are there any sympathizers in his court that you know about?" "I'll head to Amber soon to see what support I can muster there. If I can persuade the Golden City to intervene then perhaps we can avoid more bloodshed. My fear is that if we do nothing then the Begmans might convince their allies in Amber to aid them in a war against our people. That could be disastrous for all of the tribes and would undo any progress we made during the war." Post by SisyphusX on 05/09/2004 at 15:56:14
As you call Lark and Eavan to join with you, you notice that Grendel and Lark suddenly cut off the conversation they were having. Grendel smiles at you, then starts directing some of your own packmates to maintain a perimeter around the village. Lark and Eavan quickly come to you, their expressions a mixture of pain and confusion. They have heard Cathal's story, and most of your conversation with Aodhan, but they don't know what to make of it. Aodhan agrees with your assessment of the situation. "You are right - I will give the warriors some time to collect themselves, but we must be gone soon. I appreciate your offer to safeguard the children, and we may take that offer at some point. But I think we will try to deal with this situation ourselves for the moment." You feel a hint of pained pride in his voice. "We must do as much as we can, so that you are free to do what needs to be done." He takes your hand, allowing the blood to flow over his. "This is as much my fault as anyone else's - the blood is on my hands, too." His head droops briefly, then recovers. "I thank you for your help, and for your strength. I sense the Oran will need that strength - for a time, anyways. Now, help the rest of the Oran strike the village - I will attempt to recover the wits of my warriors." As you step away, Aodhan begins talking quietly to Cathal in a low and steady tone. You quickly pack what minor possessions the Oran need for the journey, and roughly disguise the clearing so that it will seem as if it has always been empty. If the Begmans believe they are still looking for the village, it will be time for the Oran to reach the safety of the caves. After you are satisfied that all that can be done has been done, you carefully focus on each Oran warrior in turn, cleansing them of the sorcerous energies that remain. It takes hardly any time at all - the energies had largely dissipated as it was. You find minor traces of sorcerous energy at the side of the fire, where Aodhan tells you that Tynnean was standing when he enchanted Aodhan's arm. You find a strong residue from the far side of the fire pit, where Tynnean stood as he enchanted the warriors. And off in the distance, under the concealement of a large and well-leafed tree, you find another minor pool of residue. You also see some footprints, as if someone had stood here for some time. Unfortunately, the tracks quickly disappear as they move to and from the tree. But it is quite possible that someone had stood here, with a somewhat occluded view of the village, and had cast spells. You estimate that the track is not more than four hours old, which is consistent with when Tynnean was speaking with the Oran. You find no other traces of either Logrus energy or sorcerous energy in the area. Grendel raises an eyebrow when you tell him you wish to be alone at the site of the massacre. "If you feel it is right, so be it. But I would still think there might be danger there - certainly enough that you might risk a bodyguard or two as you work your powers in secret." Those last two words are more snarled than said, as Grendel moves off and organizes your packmates to escort the Oran. The warriors are somewhat recuperated - Cathal and Aodhan have recalled their sanity, or at least what little they could muster. They have not yet washed the blood off their bodies, as there is no way to dispose of the grisly residue at the moment. [The remainder of the turn, including the trip to the massacre site and the journey to the caves, will be posted after you've had a chance to react to this section. Consider it a mini-turn.] Post by Garvey on 05/09/2004 at 16:06:54
After Grendel approaches Caliban before he leaves for the site of the massacre, Caliban is silent for a moment before grinning widely. "You think it too dangerous old friend? You may be right... I did not wish to endanger any others of our pack, and I do not wish to travel in numbers. I have never doubted *your* bravery however", Caliban says, lingering on the 'your' for a moment. "Very well, you may join me in this venture." He smiles and clasps Grendel on the back. "It'll be like old times. Your sister can handle everything here." He yells out to Eavan, giving Grendel no time to reply, "Eavan, your brother has volunteered to join me. We will be back shortly." Turning back to Grendel, "Shift, and we will be off. Remember, that we are *avoiding* the Begman forces tonight." With that Caliban will drag Grendel off towards the battlesite with him. Post by SisyphusX on 05/15/2004 at 18:59:54
You turn to Aodhan, still organizing the departure. "No, none of Tynnean's followers were allowed in the village. His entourage was about six to eight people. Three were guardsmen, two were secretaries, and I believe there was one courtesan. There might have been one or two other people in the wagon they were using - but I never saw it directly. They were not making any attempt to conceal their presence, so they were easily intercepted by one of our patrols. They were moving along the main path." He points down the same way you came towards the village. "They were watched by a Singer, who would have alerted us to any movements. They remained still the entire time, and then left with Tynnean." Grendel, already in mid-stride back to the main group, stops dead still and turns when you let him know that he will be joining you. His eyebrow raises, and you see a moment of real surprise cross his face. Then, he shrugs, and as he drops his shoulders, he slides into Weir form. "As you wish. We shall go together to see what has been done." You and Grendel move quickly and quietly down towards the site. To find it is no problem at all - the blood trail grows stronger and more pronounced with every step you take. As you slip into the area, you make an overall inspection of the remains. The site is stark, simple, and stomach-turning. Every conceivable injury has been inflicted on these warriors - bite marks and claw marks demarcate the rough edges of wounds and litter the sides of the chunks of flesh torn free. The armor the warriors were wearing did them no good - you even see tearing at the edges of light plate. The weapons appear to have been piled to the side - and even from a distance, that much silver in one place makes you edgy and nervous. But you spend what time you can investigating the area. There is no trace whatsoever of survivors - there are even a few dragmarks where someone who had briefly gotten away from the killing had been dragged back towards the slaughter - and judging by the amount of blood on that trail, dragged by the throat. As you continue to search, Grendel comes over to you. "There's nothing to find here. But if it wasn't so close to a forest, I'd recommend burning it. I doubt any Begman has seen this sight - if they do, I wouldn't think there's any way you could talk them back down. You can tell that some of the wounds were inflicted after death. Madness took the Weir that did this. I worry for Aodhan and the other Oran younglings - who knows what the warriors who did this are capable of?" Post by Garvey on 05/22/2004 at 17:52:14
Caliban nods as Grendel speaks. “This is a grave tragedy. Even our human foes do not deserve such as this; these were dishonorable deaths. You're right, we can't burn the bodies, though I wish we had a way to help their spirits move on. Lets move them together and organize them in a dignified manner. Then we can say a prayer and lead their spirits away.” Caliban shifts into human form, and begins moving the bodies. As he and Grendel work he asks “Did the Oran look like they could have done this? When they came back to camp, they looked dead, dead of spirit. At least part of what did this was the magic of Chaos, though I suspect that the magic just drew out some dark portion of their souls.” Once all of the bodies are gathered and arranged, Caliban, with Grendel's help if he feels like assisting, begins to chant out an ancient Weir funeral song that is sung for one's fallen foes. The chant is supposed to help guide their spirits out of their bodies and into the wild where they can run free. The song is in the old tongue of the Weir, not frequently spoken in these days except by the shamans. Caliban has studied the language, has have most tribal leaders, but has not spoken it in over a year. Because of this, he makes a few minor mistakes, but not ones he judges the spirits will spurn him for. Once done, he turn back to Grendel. “We should return. The Oran need to be gone soon. I fear you may be right about their warriors and the danger they pose. We will stay on with them for a few days to judge them. If they show any signs of danger,” Caliban pauses for a moment. “then we will act. Keep a close eye on them old friend, I will need to see where I cannot.” They shift back into human form and run back to the camp. Caliban does not speak once he returns, but his expression and the darkness in his eyes carry the burden of what he has seen. If the Oran have already departed, he will head off to the rendezvous point, otherwise he will oversee their rapid departure. In either case he pays careful attention to the tracks laid and makes sure that they are well covered, which by human standards would make them virtually untraceable. [OOC: This is lifted from a previous post] Once at the caves, Caliban will sit with Aodhan and the other elders of the Oran, including Cathal and discuss the current political situation in Begma. In all likelihood Lark, Grendel and Eavan will join him. "What happened to cause these aggressions by the Begmans? Was there desire for more land prompted by anything? Has anything else unusual been going on before these attacks? Did your tribe do anything unusual?" Caliban doubts that the Oran know why the attacks occurred but any hints might be useful. He also questions Aodhan and the others about the current political situation in Begma. "Is Trevain the third still in power? How has he led these past two years. Do you know who his main advisers are and who leads his armies? Are there any sympathizers in his court that you know about?" "I'll head to Amber soon to see what support I can muster there. If I can persuade the Golden City to intervene then perhaps we can avoid more bloodshed. My fear is that if we do nothing then the Begmans might convince their allies in Amber to aid them in a war against our people. That could be disastrous for all of the tribes and would undo any progress we made during the war." [OOC: End insert from previous post] Caliban will also tell the Oran of his plans for his pack. "I have decided that we should stay on with you, at least for a few days, so that we may better judge the situation. It is possible that the forces from Chaos will return or that the Begmans will attack. The few days will be crucial." Caliban will also send Eavan out to send word by the songlines back to New Fanelia, so that they know that the pack will be away several more days. Post by SisyphusX on 05/27/2004 at 13:37:18
Grendel nods grimly and assists you with the rather gruesome task at hand. He looks up, though, as you speak about the Oran. "Indeed - I truly believe that this act is more the handiwork of Tynnean and his ilk than of the Oran. However . . . put it this way - you can break a stone with the power of magic. But after the magic is gone - is not the stone still broken? Whatever was done to the warriors of the Oran may linger long after whatever magic was used has long departed." He sighs and drags a Begman warrior over - the upper half, anyway. Grendel immediately picks up the harmony (but not the words) of the funeral chant as you begin - and on the voices of the wind, you hear Eavan from far-off join the song and add a higher descant to it. You even suspect you might hear Aodhan's voice as well - but it seems to break off in the middle, and does not return. After the song, Grendel listens to your planning, and his expression hardens. "You know, while you are a vaunted child of Amber, and thus powerful beyond measure," and with that Grendel opens his eyes wide in mocking awe, "the rest of us are still fierce warriors of the Shantallow. I believe we can protect the Oran from themselves. You have an errand to perform - will you not serve where you are most needed? You should come with us to the Oran caves, but after that journey, you should leave for Amber. It's really for the best." It would seem difficult to be sagacious and viciously sarcastic at the same time, but Grendel has done it. The journey to the caves deeper in the forest is tense, but still uneventful. The settlement was stricken quickly and quietly - you are confident that no trace exists that could lead pursuers towards the retreat. The caves are dark and humid - but safe. The Oran maintain this place as a refuge - there are underground gardens growing that receive some minimal light during the day, and there are pens for a small amount of livestock. This will allow the Oran to remain here, undetected, for many months - and longer still if they occasionally send night missions out for provisions. You speak with Aodhan and some of the warriors who have recovered a little - including Cathal. You speak at great length about this new Begman effort to acquire land. The Oran have little contact with the Begman society - rather deliberately - and so they have no idea why the Begmans should suddenly want more land. They do know that some of the newly-acquired land is already being plowed and sown. The Begmans are cultivating rather basic crops - wheat, oats and barley. But there was no burst in Begman population that would account for this. The Oran have been staying away from this new expansionist effort, but it was getting more difficult to do so as the Begmans started clear-cutting some of the outskirts of the forest to make the land arable. The Oran had certainly not been provoking the Begmans - if anything, they had been avoiding the Begmans at first as they encroached - only fighting when attacked or when provoked. As the conflict continued, however, it escalated by slow gradient - but there was no event or change that reasonably might have justified the Begman's attack with an intent to wipe out the Oran. Trevain the Third has, to the Oran's rather distant perspective, been a reasonable and even-handed ruler. Indeed, there was the briefest showing of an effort to peaceably contact the Oran - but that failed in a heartbeat upon the outcry from the long-serving Begman Minister of Defense, Talietti. Talietti is a veteran of many years of the reign of Trevain the Second, and has grown reactionary and presumptious, now that he is the oldest and most experienced person in the throne room, the King included. The Oran know that three ministers dominate the court of Trevain of late - Talietti, Minister of Defense; Lysle, Minister of State (who handles internal affairs of the Begman society); and Wyndleman, Minister of the Treasury. They know little of the interplay between these three, or of their perception of the Weir. But the other ministers, and even the generals of the Begman armies, are all dominated by the wills of these three Ministers and the King. They suspect that Lysle's heart was not terribly committed to the peace process with the Oran that Trevain the Third initiated, but his brief introductory letter was civil and diplomatic. They know nothing of Wyndleman's beliefs. Post by Garvey on 05/28/2004 at 02:52:11
Caliban's smile disappears as he continues talking. “I fear you are right, and I may have deluded myself into thinking that these... acts” he says, gesturing towards the corpses, “would not scar Cathal and his warriors. The memories of what they have done will haunt them even into the next life. We will have to see whether the fury that was unleashed still dwells in their souls.” He looks grim and stares hard at Grendel. “And if the fury does exist, what would you do. I know that you and the others are among the mightiest warriors of the all the Weir, but even so, the Oran are not weak, and they outnumber our war pack by almost three times as many warriors. These are also their lands, and they are the ones who know the secret ways here. We are already at the disadvantage if we must face them. Us Shantallow fight with compassion in our hearts. If the beasts within the Oran comes forth, they will have no such limitations and their fury will be unbridled. If it comes to a battle, we would not fare well and I fear that many among us would fall. You are right that my presence would be best served seeking aid from those who can sway the court of Begma; I doubt I could turn the tide of battle against the Oran if it comes to that. You must ensure that it does not.” Caliban takes a deep breath and looks up at the moon, hanging low in the sky. “I will not see Shantallow blood spilled in battle against our brethren. If the fury is still in the Oran, then nothing we can do will save them. If you see signs, I want you to take their young and all those can be saved, and retreat back to New Fanelia. Let our enemies battle each other; we will need all of our strength for the coming storm.” “They say that the servants of Chaos are in Amber now.” Caliban smiles. “I will find them, and remind them why they feared the moon in battle.” After reaching the caves, Caliban makes sure he has all of his questions answered about the Begmans answered before bringing up his next topic. “Aodhan, I know you and your pack are hidden within these walls, but what what of the other packs. Surely there are others of your tribe who still wander in distant woods. They will be unsuspecting targets of the Begmans and will not be hidden. It will take the Begmans some time to find them, but they will. We must contact them and warn them. Tell me all that you can of them.” Once they are done telling Caliban about the other Oran packs, Caliban will have Eavan and the Oran singers send out warnings to the other packs. They should communicate that the packs must fade into the woods, and that enemies are seeking them. Most of the other packs are likely weaker than Aodhan's and thus would stand an even worse chance against any Begman forces. Caliban also makes sure that Eavan, along with Anlon, pay attention to the songlines used so that they can track down the other packs if need be. Caliban tells them that he will leave to go to Amber now, but that his war pack will remain. Before leaving he stops by to speak with Anlon, who he finds wandering around the caves with a few of the younger Oran. Caliban pulls him aside. “I'm going now, but I'll be back soon. I'd ask you to stay out of trouble, but I know you're just as bad as your mother and I were at your age. If anything happens, stay close to Gren; he'll look out for you.” He rubs Anlon's fur with one hand, thinking how much he looks like his mother. I wonder if I did the right thing bringing him here. He must learn from adversity; it is the only way he'll become strong. Caliban stifled his urges to be more affectionate; it wouldn't do for the boy to be coddled, especially in front of his peers. He tells Eavan, in secret, what he and Grendel discussed, and that if nothing has happened in a week, and if it is safe, that he wants them to return to New Fanelia, as he does not want to leave the homeland with weak defenses for too long in these chaotic times. He leaves his trump card with her, in case she needs him. “May our ancestors watch over you cousin. I know this is not the battle you planned for, but I know you thrive in challenge. Take my card, and keep me appraised of your situation.” He gives her a tight hug and whispers in her ear. “Take care of yourself little monkey.” Her tan face grew a little red at the sound of her old nickname. He gives a nod of approval to Grendel before he leaves, and then he departs for Amber. He travels, in Weir form, back through the woods, careful to cover his tracks, looking for any remaining scent of Chaos. Assuming he can find something he will attempt to follow it through Shadow towards Amber, striding through Shadow as quickly as possible. Post by SisyphusX on 06/10/2004 at 16:59:19
And as you go over the situation of the Oran warriors with him, his eyes harden, but he says nothing - waiting for you to finish. "Very well, sir - I shall do as you say. I will go over evacuation routes and quietly organize a review to prepare our warriors should a retreat prove necessary." With that, he returns to the grisly work at hand, moving bodies and untangling limbs. * * * * After confirming that Aodhan and the others know little more of the Begmans than what has already been said, you go over the positions of nearby Oran settlements and camps. There are not so many as you remember in the past - one or two of the camps closer to Begman soil were apparently overrun and dispersed. But there are six or seven packs in the forest that need to be contacted - they are some distance away, but not so far that they are out of danger should the forest be searched extensively. You are familiar with the names that Aodhan offers of their leaders, as the Oran affairs and conflicts have been discussed frequently of late, and you give them to Eavan so that she and the Oran singer can begin their work. But the presence of Aodhan's pack so close to the edge of the forest indicates quite clearly that his is the most aggressive pack, the one that would fight first - or rather, of the packs that are left. Eavan agrees to keep track of the songlines to the other packs in case they are needed. (OOC - I might edit this later to put in specific names if needed.) You then tell Aodhan and Cathal of your plans to leave the war pack with them. Aodhan shakes your hand with the grim camaraderie of a fellow warrior. "I understand. Though I would wish you could be escorted safely to Amber, as it is with you that our fates rest now. Take care, for if the agents of Chaos are on one side, and Amber becomes involved on the other, this forest paradise we dwell in could become a thin carpet of ashes and death." He claps you on the back and wishes you well as you leave the somewhat well-lit cavern that is serving as his chambers. As you say your goodbye to Anlon, he looks up at you, with a somewhat unreadable mixture of emotions in his eyes. He draws in his knees close to his face as he sits on a smooth-surfaced rock. "Okay. But be back soon if you can." He seems a little curt, but you don't know if it is because of the other young Oran in the area, or something else. He waves at you - but it seems a painfully wistful gesture. But as you consider how to respond, he springs up from the rock seat and moves off to a different area of the caverns. Eavan is still going over the songlines for the other Oran packs when you encounter her, near to the entrance to the caves. "You're going off to save the world, huh? Or at least our corner of it." She winks. "You know, one of these days you might not come out of one of these escapades on top. Best to hedge your bets a little when you can." But then, her face grows more serious and a little concerned. "Have you noticed that Grendel and Lark seem to be spending a little more time together recently? I trust Lark, of course - but he's not been himself over these last few years since the Shadow storm caught him. I don't know..." She trails off as she shakes her head. "I'll Trump to you tomorrow night." She stares at the cool card, flipping it over in her hands. "These are such...bizarre things. I'm still not all that comfortable using them." As you leave the Oran caverns, you notice that the sun is starting to filter over the horizon. You get within earshot of the encampment only to hear the cry of many human voices and the crash of wood and metal. You are certainly reticent to approach further, alone and unaided. Post by Garvey on 06/18/2004 at 03:13:05
Caliban speaks quietly. "I've noticed that as well, but I too trust Lark. I cannot believe he would follow Grendel's path, but.." Caliban's voice trails off. Eavan smiles again, breaking Caliban's line of thought. "I'll Trump to you tomorrow night." She stares at the cool card, flipping it over in her hands. "These are such...bizarre things. I'm still not all that comfortable using them." Caliban smiles back. "I'll await your call." As Caliban leaves the Oran caverns, he notices that the sun is starting to filter over the horizon. He gets within earshot of the encampment, only to hear the cry of many human voices and the crash of wood and metal. He remembers Eavan's words and approaches cautiously. He circles around the encampment, sneaking slowly through the shadows to avoid to detection. He smells the area and looks for tracks. The scent of the intruders will probably be littering the area. Caliban also strains his ears to hear any snippets of conversation from within the encampment. 'The Begmans have moved fast; either that, or it's the Chaos Lords returning,' Caliban thinks as he searches through the area, looking for clues to the strangers' identities and their numbers. Getting near the encampment is very difficult, as the area has been overrun by what are easilly seen as Begman warriors - at least a hundred. From what Caliban can hear, there are a few Begman officers in charge, directing the other soldiers. After hearing a few snippets, it becomes clearer that their mission is very simple: salvage anything of worth from the encampment, and especially any clues to the whereabouts of the previous inhabitants, and then pile everything in the center of the encampment and burn it. The tone of the warriors is grim and determined, and they say very little that is not directly connected to the work at hand. Their weapons have the glint of silver in the morning sun - and a few of the shining reflections are tinged with the blood of the fallen. By the smell, Caliban suspects that these soldiers have picked up the silver weapons of the warriors who were massacred. Caliban backs away from the area, not wanting to risk detection. Still carefully concealing his tracks, he moves around the encampment. He creates a set of tracks designed to lure the Begmans away from the encampment, but not towards the Oran's caves. He does not create the tracks in the opposite direction of the cave, but just in a direction away from Begma, so that there can be no calculation of the correct direction from the fake tracks. In addition, he attempts to avoid leading the Begmans towards any of the other Oran packs in the area. Caliban creates the tracks so that they will likely be found by any humans who are searching carefully, but will not be visible to the casual eye. The goal is to make it appear that the Weir attempted to conceal the tracks. Creating the tracks takes a little while, and is a little nerve-wracking in the presence of all this silver weaponry, but once done, Caliban feels he has created a red herring trail leading off to nowhere in particular. Not towards the Oran, not towards Aodhan's caves - just off into the forest. He feels confident that the tracks will be found as soon as the Begmans start fanning out and searching the forest. After Caliban finishes creating the false trails, which takes a long time, he finds an area from which it would be hard to follow tracks through, and he starts to shift Shadow using the Pattern. He quickly moves through several shadows, attempting to go back along the path that his war pack travelled the previous evening, where he sensed the taint of the Logrus. He searches for a while, but to no real avail - the feeling of the Logrus wasn't all that strong when he felt it the first time, and has undoubtedly been weakened over time to the point where it's no longer as palpable. At least, that's what he hopes. Caliban curses quietly and then resolves to continue heading to Amber. Perhaps the Chaos Lord will actually be in attendance there. A grin crosses Caliban's face as he considers how he would like to deal with the chaos fiend when he is found. 'Its not like the old days; there will probably be diplomatic pressures to not kill him outright,' he thinks. Caliban continues to shift shadow towards Amber, slipping between worlds until he is deep within the forest of Arden and the shadows begin to stiffen. 'No need to tire myself out. The moon is rising and I can make almost as good of time running as I can shifting. Maybe the run will even help me order my thoughts.' Caliban is a little brash as he bounds through the woods, until the odor of man flows over the wind, barely noticable. 'Must be Arden's rangers. Anyone else and the smell would impossible to ignore.' Caliban looks about, considering his escape options; an encounter with the Rangers was rarely an enjoyable thing. Post by SisyphusX on 07/01/2004 at 13:07:29
"Lord Caliban. I am Dennison, Lieutenant of the East Face of Arden. You are expected, and your presence is requested at the Castle for a meeting to be held tomorrow morning. We will escort you there, if you desire, or we can return to our patrols at your will." He cannot entirely hide a note of disdain in his voice, however. His fellow Rangers treat you entirely with respect and the honor due a Prince of Amber - it doesn't appear that Dennison has shared his memory of you with them. Post by Garvey on 07/03/2004 at 12:43:37
Caliban gives a slight bow to Dennison to show the proper respect. "Greetings Dennison, I am glad to see that the Rangers of Arden still hold the forest like a fortress. Your men fought with great valour in the war, and I still remember the fearlessness shown in the last battle when the King fell. These appear to be ill times though, and I have heard of the recent losses in Amber, and am especially grieved by your commander's disappearance. Of all the Princes of Amber, Julian was one of the most noble and true. He will be hard to replace. Has regency of the one forest fallen to another, or has the crown left its reign in the hands of its trusted guardians?" After Caliban has learned what he can of the current political situation in Arden, he bows again to Dennison. "I trust these woods are still safe under your watchful eyes, and that I will never truely be alone until I reach open sky. I will leave you to your patrols and see my own way to the castle." Post by SisyphusX on 07/03/2004 at 13:43:48
Post by Garvey on 07/05/2004 at 12:51:37
Caliban bows again to Dennison as he rides off, and then leaves on foot towards Amber. He remains in human form the entire time, and briskly jogs through the forest. The power of the moon fills him and he rapidly moves through the forest picking up speed as he goes, his feet easilly moving along the rough terrain. The thoughts of Orion and of Corwin come flooding back to him as he runs. His anger propelling him like a wind at his back as he runs. 'How the bloody hell did Corwin get his damned son the forest. If I tell the Dreen now, they'll surely rise up and attack. Orion had best watch his back in the woods if word gets out of his parentage. To think Corwin may be in full power in Amber... Maybe the boy is not like his father. A man should be neither praised nor punished for his father's deeds. I'll have to examine this Orion for myself.' Once out of the forest, Caliban cuts through the poorer sections of town, taking a more indirect route. The dirt on his clothes and face are less likely to stand out here. Finally Caliban comes out of a dark street and stares up at the ancient castle, basking in the moonlight. His gaze lingers for several minutes, remembering his years of service there. 'All lost...' When Caliban reaches the front entrance to the ancient fortress, he stands proud in front of the castle guard, and pulls back the hood of his travelling cloak. "Caliban of the line of Oberon has returned, and seeks admitance." Post by SisyphusX on 07/05/2004 at 13:32:55
You quickly move through the city and arrive at the steps up Mount Kolvir. As you ascend, you recall the great battle fought on these steps. It was really only a few years ago, but it feels much longer than that. You shake off the memories of the past, as the present now commands your attention as you quickly ascend the stairs and move to the front gate, revealing yourself only then. The guards looked at you with some suspicion as you approached, but after you draw back your hood, you see a few reactions wash through their eyes - relief, apprehension, and then the solid wall of duty crashes in. "You are most welcome, Prince Caliban. You are expected, and it is good that you have come. A guest room has been prepared for you." He waves at the two guards directly inside the door, and they emerge to relieve him while he escorts you inside. He guides you quickly to one of the guest room sections. "I believe you're in the third room along," and he opens the door for you. "Can I summon a servant for you, if you require a meal or," and he looks at your rather ragged and deliberately dirty travel clothes, "more formal attire for tomorrow?" Post by Garvey on 07/05/2004 at 16:41:58
The guard takes momentary pause at the question. Its pretty rare that one of the royal family cares to learn the names of the guard. "Al , I mean, Aleister, Aleister Wright, lord." Caliban smiled, "A pleasure, Aleister. A meal does sound tempting and I do need fresh clothes." Caliban gestures down to his garments. "I've been on the road for quite a while. When I was last here, I had a number of dress uniforms or other attire. Perhaps it is still in storage somewhere. Also, I've noticed a number of your fellow guards patrolling the streets of Amber. Has martial law been decreed? And if so, why hasn't the army been sent down to the city?" "This meeting tomorrow, do you know when and where it is supposed to be? How many other members of the family are expected? I'm not the last I hope." "Do you know Samuel, he was one of the aides in the castle when I last here, and he might know where they stashed my old belongings." Assuming Samuel can found, Caliban will have him told to meet him in the southwest sitting room. After the talking with Aleister, Caliban finds his own way down to the kitchen and seaches through the leftover food from that evening, seeing if there is anything that the servants and guards haven't eaten that still looks good. Caliban grabs a plate of food that smells of some sort of rabbit curry and a half drunk bottle of red wine and find his way to a sitting room. If there was one thing he missed about the castle, it was the food. Apparently Random had kept with the tradition of hiring the best chefs from the Circle. Even the leftovers tasted amazing; the subtle hints of flavor were probably lost on many of the other diners, but they were plain enough for Caliban. "I'll give the King one thing, his kitchen staff is magnificent." Post by SisyphusX on 07/05/2004 at 17:58:16
"The meeting tomorrow is a luncheon, as far as I know. It's pretty much the Royal Family only. The older ones, Prince Gerard and Princess Flora. The younger ones, Prince Orion, Prince Shiro, Princess Killashandra, Prince Talen and Princess Tanda. I only know the last two by name and a brief sketch Bleys showed me so I could recognize them. And I'm sorry to inform you that you are the last to arrive - though Princess Tanda is sleeping in the infirmary tonight. Some nasty business out in Arden." He shrugs. "Samuel? Yes, I know him. He's now the personal assistant to Prince Caine...but now he's been assigned to help prepare the Castle for tomorrow's visit by the Chaos delegation. Unfortunately, his shift starts at the dawn, so he's sound asleep by now. I'll leave him a note, though, so that he knows to help you prepare for tomorrow's meeting." After you finish your discussions with Aleister and your stop for leftovers in the kitchen, you find a little tiredness creeping behind your eyes. You've been inside for a while, and the invigorating influence of the moon has been kept from you. Post by Garvey on 07/05/2004 at 19:15:24
After hearing about Samuel, Caliban smirks a little. "Thanks for the update. Just leave him a note tellling him I'm back, and that I'd appreciate it if he could find my old belongings from storage, especially the uniforms." 'Caine's aide now, huh? I wonder if he was in his employ the entire time. I'd best be careful around him.' Before he leaves, Caliban clasps Aleister on the shoulder. "Thanks for the good work. We need you and your fellows more now than ever, in case others use our temporary weakness as an oppurtunity to attack, I'm going to head down to the kitchen now and get myself a bite to eat. Hopefully the staff left a little something for night-time snacks. I can find my own way." After eating his food, Caliban has somebody show him to the guest room. He opens the window and lets the fresh air in. The moonlight might keep me strong, but it must be a few days now that I've gone with rest. I'll need my wits and patience about me if I'm to sit through this family meeting. Before retiring for the night, Caliban carefully searches the entire room, looking for anything out of the ordinary and smelling for any strange scents. He also makes a quick pass over the hallway outside the room. He hangs his cloak and pulls off his boots, placing them at the foot of the bed. He locks the door, but leaves the small window open. His sword he leaves to the side of the bed, while his father's knife he keeps in his hand under the pillow. His trumps are still in a small case in his pocket. 'Best to be carefull. I never should have left the wild. This place is too vulnerable.' With those thoughts Caliban tries to drift off to sleep. Post by SisyphusX on 07/06/2004 at 11:02:05
Aleister nods affirmatively to your instructions to contact Samuel. "Yes, sir." He smiles warmly as you prepare to leave for the kitchen. "I can tell you, sir - it's a relief to have someone as confident as you here; it's been a rather dour place of late. Good evening to you, then." He ambles off back to his post - taking care to be quiet at this hour. As you settle into your quarters and let in the air, you notice that the moon is high overhead, nearly full, and shines brightly. You look at the scope of the view from the window, and a quiet realization creeps over you that you'll probably be able to see the moon for most of the night, given your facing and height. You muse for a moment over whether this is a coincidence, but then you shake off your doubts. This is Amber, after all - who would ever believe in coincidence? Your brief but thorough search of the guest quarters reveals a spider, but he skitters into a crack in the wall before you can react. Other from that unwelcome guest, you are alone in your quarters, with nothing suspicious of note. You decompress the day's tensions in your head, hoping against hope that sleep will come sooner, rather than later. Your mind rings with echoes of Eavan's words as you toss and turn, seeking for (and eventually finding) the solace of slumber. You know, one of these days you might not come out of one of these escapades on top. Best to hedge your bets a little when you can. This Prologue is concluded. It will remain up until two weeks after the campaign starts, at which point it will be archived into a PDF and posted online. Thank you for your attention, gentle reader. |
