Run or be run over
Michael James Watson
After the trump closes Duncan says, "Fire.....You know I never liked him. I rarely dealt with him but when i did it was always trouble. Julian never liked him. All his brothers occasionally came to Hunt in Arden and he indulged them but it always seemed like hunting was a ruse for him. Yet, Brand could be charming...All of the elders had their supporters, people who liked them for one reason or another. Brand had a number of Rangers who got along with him quite well. I wasn't one of them of course. Now, Do we confront their queen or go skulking on our own?"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex smiles at Duncan as he speaks "Hmm yes i know all to well that most don't like Brand." Pushing a strand of white curls behind her ear she grins "One of the reasons that my appearance got altered an my parentage was kept secret. To give me a fair chance. without the weight who my father is on my actions. And yes he can be quite charming, i hope i did inherit that from him, though mom can be quite charming as well. " Alex cleansup her drawing supplies and hides away the drawing of the place well enough. Not wanting to have to answer questions about that. "Hmmm, well like you said, the problem with asking. I doubt we'll get a straight answer. Or an answer at all. And we will be watched after that because we have asked certain questions. Now sneaking about at least with the two of us we cna defend it that we are just looking for a private spot. But if we do this perhaps we first need to send the troops back. in case of a daring escape. A daring escape for a few is easier then a daring escape for about a 100 folks."
Michael James Watson
He agrees, "Considering the forces here your command would be chewed to pieces. I think we shoud open a trump to Amber and send our troops home. What about Xandra and Jaxs? Bring with or convince to send her troops home? One thing we can't do is bring either of them, or their people, to our Amber.
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex stands up and looks over the cliff to the Twisted Way of monsters moving towards shadow. With a nod she looks at Duncan. "Lets send our troops to Amber and the troops of Dalt to the Jeweled Road i promised him that, from there they can find their own way he told me. As for Xandra and Jax. Lets ask them along i think they can get behind stopping the stream of monsters as their Warden decided it was a danger as well. But i think it is smart of they send their troops home as well. " Putting her bag around her shoulder she smiles. "As for Karieeena and Hannah we could ask them to stay, i know Karieeena probably insists to stay as she is my assigned elite. SO lets get our troops home. and then talk to Xandra and Jax, they are probably at the barracks anyway."
Michael James Watson
Upon reaching the barracks the units are uncertain what to believe or do. There is some sense of tension between the groups. Calsall takes the news well about returning to Amber. He suggests transporting them to Diago Raks. Its on the Jeweled Road and is close to Arden. Duncan says he would have chosen the Jeweled Road card seeing that is Diaga but Diago Raks makes sense. Karieeena does insist on staying and Hannah would like to as well. The journey has been very hard on Hannah, not having spent a lot of time camping or traveling hard but she says she has to start somewhere. Xandra and Jaks are no where to be found but their troops are quiet, as if poised for action.
Amber Bronkhorst
That Xandra and Jax are nowhere to be found has Alex a bit worried as last she heard Xandra was here But that has been a few ago. She agrees with Diago Raks from there the groups can safely travel to their own destinations. She smiles at Karieeena not having expected a different answer from her. But she always offers options also to her protective elite. To Hannah she nods and slaps a friendly slap on her shoulder. "You're doing great. Good that you stay. " When the troops are ready Alex will help them through to Diago Raks. But she keeps a very keen eye out to Xandra and Jax. She will also inform Duncan that they might have hid among their troops. It is clear Alex still doesn't trust them.
Before Callsal goes through she asks him if something had happened in the group. Seeing the tension which was present when Duncan and Alex entered the barracks.
Michael James Watson
Casall lets the troops go through and is last. Xandra is in their baracks area sending her troops home. Casall looks their way, then turns and speaks in a soft voice. "Its a soldier's thing, Sirs. Warden Julian taught us many things, among them loyalty to Amber. I can't fault those people's loyalty to Arden since in their world Amber is just the port province of the kingdom in the same way Arden is the Forest Province in our home. But..." He looks away angrily. "We have been on the road with them for months. We got to know them pretty well. I will say i have friends among them now. But... ah... They cheat at Tonk. They take pride in their card cheating skills. Jax says cheating at cards is a family tradition. He says he is the best at it and damn if it doesn't seem like real magic, but he says all his siblings are at least good at it. He said Benedict was great at it but refused to do it because it was too easy and made for lazy soldiers. What does proficiency with cheating at cards say about a people? Anyway, we eventually had to agree either no cheating or no card playing. It got pretty iffy there at the end..."
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex nods hearing the explanation from Callsal. She then gestures for him to go through as well. "thank you make sure everyone gets where they need to go. We probably won't be long either. " Seeing Xandra sending her troops home as well she looks at Duncan. "Still up for plan A? we can go the straight forward route but somewhere i doubt we'll get a straight forward answer. " Turning to Karieeena and Hannah a slight smile. "WE wnat to figure out what it is that creates this river of monsters. we have some pointers but they are very few to go on so it will be less straight forward and more investigative. " Alex waits for the rest of the people of Xandra to leave towards where they ned to go to talk to them see if they feel up for joining the plan .
Michael James Watson
Jaxs walks over as the Amber troops are finished passing through, seeing Casall finish his talk and step through. Jaxs says, "So...Your troops gone, our troops gone. I gather we have decided not to conquer the realm and instead just find out where the handle on the monster faucet is? Xandra wanted to call in a dozen of my brother to raid the place but i told her that would just escalate things. As it is we can probably wander anywhere we want and if confronted can just tell them we were sight seeing. My suggestion till push comes to shove is to KO and transport people we run across rather then killing them. Knocking them out makes us bad guests. Killing them makes us invaders. Sound about right?"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex nods "That was sort of the idea yes. Invading sounds bad and if this river of monsters has a faucet then yes lets turn it off. Because replacing the spikes where they belong is a neverending story. " Stretching a bit she looks at their group. "So two on two? Wander around? Like you said Jax they probably won't mind us so far to go sight seeing. And an oops didn't know we could go here can go a long way. " She looks at Karieeena and Hannah. "So what say you will you to play nice together or do you want to be split up? " Looking up at Duncan "Or do we split up? You take Hannah i take Karieeena?"
Michael James Watson
Jax says,"Well if we are splitting up I would be happy to take your blond Hannah! Oh...You mean exploring?... ya... If we are all in twos and threes we are almost certianly going to walk in on the monster faucet and find it a right proper horrorshow no three of us can turn off. Argue it as much as you like but between You, your Duncan, your Hannah and your Karinna, my Xandra, Hannah, and Keriiina, I am the muscle. As much as that would make my brothers laugh I am still a Prince of Arden. To a degree I also outrank all of you but rank doesn't mean much to Xandra. So, muscle. There is no combo of me and any two of you that could face a torrent of those beasts if someone directs it at us. However, unless i miss my guess, you all are accomplished adventurers, so we can sneak fairly effeciently and get a peek at this faucet before committing ourselves to violence. What is your view of the situation?"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex rolls her eyes with a groan "Keep it in your pants Jax. And of course i mean first find it. Reconvene and from there we make a plan of action. Because you are absolutely right no combination of us in twos or threes can take that shitshow of the monster river. Especially in its start. " She looks at Duncan "Agreed? First sneak about and sight see and then we think of a proper plan to approach things. And honestly if we create a plan now it will not be useful anyway as we have no clue what we are up against at this point. " She turns to the rest "So sneak about, and report back in a couple hours here?"
Michael James Watson
Duncan says, "ah.... Sneak about? So you suggest splitting up and sneaking then coming back here?"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex shrugs "Yeah basically, you don't want to split up? Sneaking about in a group is harder. "
Michael James Watson
The castle is normally busy for a heavily inhabited castle. Eventually it seems no further doorways lead downward ex Cept on that opens to a narrow, tight, circular staircase. The staircase opens into a gigantic chamber unadorned with artwork. On one side are dozens of tunnels, each half-circles openings about 50' wide that angle 30 degrees upward. The other side is one gigantic half circle 500' wide and tall. It leads at a 30 degree angle downward.
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex looks at the tunnel entrances. She turns to the rest. "Wonder what way the flow is. I guess from down there to up those smaller tunnels. " She turns to the bigger tunnel and steps a few paces towards it. "So first check this bigger tunnel and from there make a plan? " Due to the big room they are in she does hush her tone a bit so the echo won't carry it to far.
Michael James Watson
Agreeing the group starts walking into the large tunnel. It starts turning and descending. Occasionally there are 45 degree twists but the pair off to return to a descending left turning tunnel. Karieena says, "We have made a full revolution....this tunnel corkscrews downward in wide rings. It seems like 3 revolutions have occurred. Hannah says, "There are no side corridors since that great hall. And no doors except on the ceiling? After another rotation a lighted window in the roof, 500' up apparently has bars across is. Someone looking down yells, "WHAT THE GALLOPING FUCK ARE YOU DOING DOWN THERE!!!!!!!????????!!!!!!! RUNNN!!!!!!!!! A low rumble coming from below quickly becomes loud. and a series of lights fill the corridor. Duncan says, "THAT'S A STAMPEDE!!!! RUN!!!!!" From the guy up high comes, "GET HIGH! FLY !!!! THERE'S A RUN RAMP ON BOTH SIDES ABOUT 500 YARDS BACK YOU LUNATICS!!! "
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex can't help but let out a nervous chuckle "Well yeah that seems to add up. CAN ANY OF YOU FLY!?" She then turns making sure noone stays behind mostly Hannah she is worried about knowing she hasn't done the endless grueling run in the bad place. Alex tries to rack her brain what they could do other then run. Knowing her brand isn't that strong it could do something here nor can she shoot fast enough.
Michael James Watson
From above a yell comes, "RUN UP! LOOK FOR THE RED RUN RAMP!! ITS NARROW BUT OUT OF THE PATH!!! HAS HAND HOLDS! NO FIRE BREATHERS COMING!!!!!!! HURRY!!!!!!" Running up they see a narrow ramp on the side lit up and what looks like a narrow balcony,. Several people are coming from a hidden door to the balcony as if its an observation ledge over a river.
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex runs keeping the rest in her sights ushering where some motivation is needed. Till she then sees the red narrow ramp there Alex yells for people to get on staying herself close enough to not be trampled but she will move on last. That way she knows if she has to leap she can leap to people she trusts.
Michael James Watson
Barely making it up the ramp, people at the top grab and pull the last hard angle steps practically pulling them up. Duncan leaps and has no trouble while Hannah stumbles and falls. Looking down the hall comes a 500' wide stampeede of some muscular beasts with great silver antlers. Above a cry goes up, "SILVER TIPS! MAN THE HALL!" Seeing Hannah fall she moves to grab her, dangling her just above the stampede. Beside her she sees Thin Gerard float down and wrap his arms around herm nodding to Alex. He floats up with her. Reaching the balcony and looking over the edge the torrent of great beast with their angular silver antlers continues. HE comes up to Alex, "You are very lucky you were in the Great Gallery rather then the feeder tunnels. There are no escapes in the feeder tunnels. If there were some of these damn things would find it. You must wonder why I don't ask why you were down there? Its because shade to shade, we seem to often breed a flair for the clandestine. About 3 in 10 of the Amber, Arden,Yal, Ober, Rebma, Acadia, Tyalece, Tazilwere, Ambir,Ambro, Ardeeen, Jalyal royals who come here actually just ask us what the fuck is going on? Most of the rest of us sneak around. You should know that only those attuned to the Second Sigil, such as myself, can use magic in these halls. There rest of you rely on agility..anyway.. They will be over in the Silver Tip feed tunnel harvesting them beasts."
Amber Bronkhorst
When seeing Hannah stumble and fall Alex indeed doesn't hesitate and holds on to her. But a show of relief can be seen on her face when thin Gerard has her. Alex doesn't seem to bothered by the things Thin Gerard says because he is right after all it is in the nature of the beast, or in this case the family. A light chuckle escapes her at a point realizing something "So even if i only recently learned of my family ties. I still act very much upon their ways. " Looking to where the stampede is going she sighs. "We made a choice or just ask but good chance of no straight answer, because lets face it we both know very well what type of family we derive from. And we could not move on our own accord then as our motives would be clear of snooping around. And this was the other choice sneaking about and very well have the possibility to be trampled to death by some beast or another. " She looks straight into Thin Gerard his eyes with a dead serious look. "But with the spikes being dropped in other places because the shades they belong to decided they don't want to play this game anymore, means something has to change. We are not going to clean up the mess of other shades and i am not keen on the idea of having to babysit the spikes at their places that they keep them there. " With her eyes still fixed upon Thin Gerard, not jn a threatening way or challenging just that Alex is dead serious what she says and he can read it clear in her expression. "Just because some Oberons decided that this was a good plan doesn't mean it still is. And he is also not in charge anymore. My loyalty lays in Amber and i will fight for her safety as will you for this place i am sure and Xandra for her shade."
Michael James Watson
Thin Gerard nods, "A speech I have heard many times. So...You want a straight answer.. And you are Second Warden. "Looking to Duncan, "And you are her Warden. I'll give you a straight answer. But leave your elite and the Flying Hanna behind. " Without pause he starts walking.. After a few turns he comes to a Balcony. A dozen archers shoot down stampeding beasts below. He says, "Those are Silver Tips. A type of horn/antlered killer buffaloes.. nasty.. But, they have silver horns. We shoot down a thousand or so from here. A drop in the bucket. But that gives us a couple thousand silver horns that hold about 2 liters of liquid. Useful. They shoot them and the stampede mushes them till the horns are loose. Ladies, stay here or feel free to go upstairs. " Ignoring questions he continues. Going downward for an hour down paths and walkways till it hits a circular staircase down. Duncan says, "Damn....." As he does down the place looks familiar. The path to the dungeons of Amber. Reaching a level with seven doors he opens it. Inside is the pattern room. On one side is a massive opening over 2000' wide. On the other is where the pattern is. on 3 walls near the p[attern are bright glowing sigils a meter across. Out of the pattern manifests an endless stream of Silver Tip beasts, drawn by the sigil into the great maw of a tunnel. As Duncan and Alex stare, Thin Gerard says, "I don't know how much of a expert on the pattern you both are, but you probably know a pattern has flavors; Calm, Mild, Shaken, Fiery, Wild, Sleepy? Well here you have a shadow of the primal pattern that is Enraged. It has been generating monsters in anger for thousands of years. If we didn't send them out into shadow to be killed by misfortune, hunted for food, culled for horns and hides, and taken for herds then this and any realm along the way might be overrun. We spread them out so no one shadow gets that torrent."
Amber Bronkhorst
Following Thin Gerard, Alex now and then looks at Duncan but quietly she does follow. NOw very curious to what this source really is. An odd worry comes over her when she sees the staircase down. A quick glance over to Duncan again, but in silence she moves down the stairs. Gazing upon the pattern then and its sigils she looks shocked, amazed... worried even more. As this faucet is clearly not as easily turned off. Almost in a whisper of a voice she speaks "For the pattern experti might need to call my father again.... but heard of the different flavors... How come it is enraged? is this what the Oberons in their time has made to create the stream of animals?" She looks down and frowns deep in thought. "Wait.. there was a time, when our Oberon and a few of his sons and one of his grandsons came here. The grandson in question Zach, said he was here to tame a certain beast which the sons wanted to have killed... and he spoke of a construct. but he wanted to say nothing more of it. " Alex points to the pattern. "What beast was it? Do you recall?"
Michael James Watson
Thin Gerad nods, "In ancient days several Oberons colaborated to create the 3 sigils and the method of tunnels streaming out the cliff. You ask why its enraged? Because that is what this shadow of the pattern does. Some part of the Primal Pattern's being is enraged so here is the shdow of it that enacts its enragement. " He walks over to the pool in the corner. Several seats and a table await. To get there he must open a tunnel through the beasts and walking through it is like walking through the body of the beasts. Waiting at the table are seriously worried looking Xandra and Jax. They look beaten up but Alex figures it more likely that they were drug under the stampede. Thin Gerard pours tea as he waves Duncan and Alex to seats. "As for your Zachary...That was your actual shade? Excelent. I have often wondered how he manages? As you have seen, the pattern disgorges SIlver Tips, Drakes, Manticores, Aligots, dragons, and occasionally Pegasus. Once it produced a beast of no shape, and it ignored the sigils that guided the beasts into the maze above. The maze lets us have time to see what is being produced and to direct them off into shadow. This beast ravaged the tower, and we could find no way to harm it. It nearly ruined the system. I fought it. Deirdre fought it. Several Benedicts fought it. Then an Oberon had an idea. He brought his grandson who is able to calm beasts. Love them. And the beast loved him. It took the form of a great white tiger joined his circus. Should the Primal Tiger ever die, the tiger of Zachary is the heir apparent. "
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex walks calmly over a bit uneasy with going through the stream of beasts but she follows Thin Gerard, Seeing Xandra and Jax she nods to them and looks a bit concerned at their beaten up state. Alex then nods to Thin Gerard "Yeah he was not very open about it but... you say... White tiger.. What the flying fuck now?" Alex wrecks her brain if she had seen a white tiger with him or when shecontacted him. She seriously wants to speak to him now again. And see this tiger. Yes also out of curiousity. When taking place she looks at the little group of Jax Duncan and Xandra. "So, to get this straight, this is a part of the primal pattern, okey i get that, the primal pattern is of basically all flavors as i undertand it. As it is the primal original construct. This pattern is enraged. As that is the inherited part it hsa. But.... can't the flavors of patterns be changed? Has anyone tried to walk this pattern to calm it? Or at least hope to give it a better mood?"
Michael James Watson
Thin Gerard nods and laughs sadly.."IS this your thought? Its a pity..I like this version of you." He looks at Xandra and frowns slightly. He sighs, "Yes...Many times....But..." Jax says, "They died on it.. Because this pattern is of a higher order of shade then they were.. An Amberite can easily walk a shade of the pattern lower then their own shade. But...walking a shade of the pattern above their level calls the lightning down upon them. So everyone who walked it was of a lower level of shade to it and called the lightning down on themselves. Am I right?" Thin Gerard nods, "Indeed, you are correct, Brother. The Oberons walked it before they created the sigils but since then none. It takes repeated walking to becalm a pattern. The Oberons decided to just let this one rage."
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex frowns and then looks at Duncan "Is this true? about the walking hierarchy of the pattern and the primal pattern?" Looking between Jax and Thin Gerard. "So, an Oberon of a higher order so to say, has made this, and the rest of the Oberons figured, eh lets not mess with it, as they basically couldn't anyway. They needed the original to change things anyway. " Placing her fingers on her temples she slowly starts to rub the side sof her head "Owwwkey this is never going to be my favorite subject. But repeated walkings? does the amount differ for example how capable or powerful of an original Amberite they are? Is it even a viable option to try and walk some good behaviorin this pattern?" She looks between the group each of them . "We are all still agreeing to at least thinking of a way to stop this stream of beasts right? Because we can't have this place overrun but we can't have our Ambers overrun either because people are pissy and dropping their spikes on to others to clean up."
Michael James Watson
Duncan stands and walks over to look at the pattern.. Glancing back at Alex he shrugs. He sets his foot on the pattern. and SCENE!
