Talking about abyssals and arts
Michael James Watson
Finding Brands apartment door open she finds a table in front of it . Small, with a sign in book. A stack of mithril shot glasses next to a sign saying "Sign in, Please. List Name, and time. Feel free to take a shotglass and come in. "
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex looks slightly confused at the book and the shotglasses, she first looks in the book if others had signed their names and what time they had done so.
Michael James Watson
There are several names signed in, including Random having visited earlier in the day.
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex shrugs then signs in her name as requested and the time as well. She doesn't take a shotglass and steps into her fathers apartment
Michael James Watson
He is sitting in a chair on the balcony. With him is an Elite Alex is familar with vaguely. A long time Protetive guy. He gets up and nods to Alex as he leaves. Without turnuing he says, "DRADRA!!! So good to see you! Too good to drink with me now that you are a full fledged pattern holding Amberite? Taking the old family grudges?"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex inclines her head politely to the protective elite as he leaves. Taking a step towards Brand she then freezes and cringes at the name Brand calls her. she sniffs loudly. "No not to good to drink with you, i just do not know what i will be doing the resst of the day and i prefere to stay alert and sober, suppose. " Starting to walk towards her father she smiles and her tone a lot more calm and friendly then the defensive it might have sounded earlier. "Of course i do not taking on the old family grudges. I think so far i have been unknownlingly advocating for you in a possitive sense. And you, are you enjoying your freedom? Having caught up with your brothers and sisters?"
Michael James Watson
"Get one of the shot glasses. Come sit over here at the table." He walks over to the table picking up a sketch pad on the way. ONce Alex sits he sets one of the shot glasses out. "I just created these. They are visitor gifts. Sign the book, get a glass. Now..." He knocks the glass on the table. It fills. "These glasses will fill from any container in the room. So the bottles of there..I think which i want, knock it, the glass fills. Nice, huh?" He writes a word in capital letters. "Yeasawk" He spins the tablet around. "Now, look at that word before saying it. Look at it hard. Think how to pronounce it. Think about each letter and how you would pronounce. That is a Power Word. They take knowledge of the word and a power source to push them. You have a pattern imprint, and a fucking whalloping good one. When you speak that word with a will, it will sober you instantly. If you put your hand on someone and speak it it will try to sober them up and if they allow it it will work. If they do not allow it, or fight against it it will be a matter of whose psychic ability is higher. Yours is not bad if you are using the word of someone not related to you."
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex looks at her father and smiles then with a nods she turns and walks back to where the book is and the shotglasses, taking one of them, she had already signed the book of course. Sitting back at the table she puts down her shotglass. she turns it around on the table looking at it curiously. Looking up with a smile she nods "very nice, and very thoughtful of you to give out visitor gifts. " Then looking at the word she frowns but studies it as Brand instructs. He would know better of course. "there are more of those type of words yes? Can i write it down myself in my sketchbook? So i can study it further myself?"
Michael James Watson
"Are there more? Talk to Arloxedra. The fink knows where hundreds of them are. Useful things. You don't need to know sorcery to use them. Once you study the word enough to make the power work, there is a sence of achievement(points spent) and afterwards you can use it. Pick about 5 at a time to work with. They have a price though. They are sloppy. There is no finece. You say the word the full power hits. Its not like using the lightnight sorcery spell and either blasting a bolt down a corridor or send a spark to jump a car battery. ITs all or nothing. Here see." He reaches a hand and grabs hers. "VOILE!" She feels intense pain in her hand. "Distracting huh? But thats all it does. Pain. Not pain in the hand, or arm.. or balls. Just pain. Not elegant. "EBRESIO!" She feel a sudden pleasure, of a powerful unpesified nature. "See" The pain is gone and you feel strong pleasure.. Some people get adicted to this one but its not specific. Its not plusure in the hand or personal orasgm. Its juts pleasure. " "However, Power Words can be useful even being so limited. Pain-VOILE!- will make a person blink if they are doing something. Pouring a drink, shooting a bow, just long enough to forget for a moment what they were doing. and Pleasure-EBRESIO!" will cause a person with a limb torn off to suddenly not mind for a couple minutes. " "So.... Hows your week been?"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex takes out her sketchbook as Brand explains the none finesse of the powerwords. She tries to flip over to an empty page while listening. The pages are filled with sketches of people. Most recently sketches of Donovan one of Skadi and ofthe pup she jad with, Jurt and one of the pangolin though Jurts is clearly less neatly done. The tomb of Brand. A few of Brand himself and of the others that were at the tomb. So also Rinaldo. Zachary the ferrets, Flora in motion as she hugs Zachary. Then a bunch of Donovan.and in the margins and sides of the pages are always a bunch of jasmine flowers drawn just a few different most of the times. She lets go of her little book as he grabs her hand and at first she looks slightly shocked at the painful sensation, a frown, but nothing more. The other word she keeps a frown but a slight smile creeps through. "Interesting, thank you. I'll study these. How my week has been. Well enough. Talked to mom, studied a few things in the library. Talked to Dame Margot. She always knows how to make me feel better. " A warm smile as she recalls the times sitting there in the kitchen helping. "I've met Zachary, son of Flora. He invited me to come with him to his circus. " She thinks about things but decides to not mention her rendezvous with Donovan. "So feeling a bit lost but trying to find a heading."
Michael James Watson
"Lost? You are the heading. You are the archetype."
Amber Bronkhorst
"Hm yes you had said that, but..imagine. i have not been born in this life. How much mom had prepared me, i have grown up in service for the royal family, as a soldier, then a guard, then an elite. Has it given me great experiences amd lessons. Absolutely and i would not want to have that changed i love my life how it is and was. But for example seeing my former colleagues sitting in Margot her kitchen talking laughing helping with the pickling of veggies, i realised if i would join them their attitude towards me would be different. Hell i would be feeling different. As i basically am different, knowing who my father is." She takes up a pencil and starts mindlessly scribbling in an empty page as she talks. "So i just need to get my head with the new situation, nothing bad, just getting used to. And i do realize that the things that had been arranged for me growing up were to prepare me for this, the excursions in shadow with armies, with Julian, the Nasty Place. I am truly happy i didn't become a 'citygirl' so to say and got some experiences under my belt." A smile as she looks at Brand. "Alot won't change. I've just spend quite some time in the library again reading, i always seem to be drawing, i love playing music and my personallity does not change either. I am still who i am." Alex takes her shotglass looks at a bottle focusses and taps it as Brand had done see if it works. She then looks at Brand again. "How are you? How are the others treating you?" Hesitantly Alex adds "I do have a few questions though if you are up for it."
Michael James Watson
"Of course. You signed the book. Even if I wasn't willing I would answer anything i could just to let that rat fink think I am behaving. " He stands and gets an easel and sets it up facing her. Taking a brush and looking at it, setting it aside, he starts sorting paints, fills a painter's palate with dabs of paint. Looking at Alexandra, using his thumb to gauge size and depth. "Ok, your questions...How am I? I am not currently being torn apart by Vlextrins on a level of the abyss where one heals faster they can eat. Not that they eat though. They only eat soft boiled gold nuggets in a light mustard oil sauce. They just like the chewing. So that's in my favor." "Margot, who has always had a soft spot for me, has kept the plates of production working in my favor so even when they pull something weird out of shadow its mostly edible. She even got me my one of her good wine barrels rather then the kitchen wine we all used to filch as a child. That's good." "I am no longer in a locked cell that forces me to listen when Benedict comes down and reads romance novels at me. You know he says its to make my toremnt greater but he did the same thing to Bleys, Caine, and Fiona. I think he is hiding his love for vapid soft-core porn literature." "And of course i am not being allowed to roam Regor as a raving delusional madman, creating a Regorian Cult of Brand that only attracts the crazed just because my mother thinks it fair punishment for not being a dutiful son and delivering Amber to her. All and all I would rather be in the dungeons of Amber then the Court of Regor. I like that." "Lastly I am 1 living daughter up and one slaughtered daughter down, so thats a fair balance. Does that answer your first question? Your second was how are the others treating me?" He dashes at the canvas throughout, checking colors and scale. "By the way, do you shapechange to get that hair color on purpose or is it natural?"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex looks at her father gathering his painting things she smiles. She had her artistic side clearly from heritage. A soft smile on her lips as she listens to him talk and watching him paint. A bit surprised at the question she shakes her head. "It is my natural haircolor, i can't shapechange." She starts doodling in her own sketchbook. "But yes. The others how are they treating you? With your new found freedom. And that like you so delicately put it. Lost a daughter and gained one. Altho some already knew of me. But in all respect, i did learn that the people here especially the family have an opinion and usually wear it on their sleeve."
Michael James Watson
"Wear their opinion on their sleeve? Thats an improvement over the state of affairs under Oberon where they wore their opinions on the point of a dagger. Me most of all." He paints for a few moments. Absently he goes on, "You can't shapechange? Even a little? Thats foolish. Sorcery, conjuration, glowing fire dogs, horses that fly, bad manners, of all things Amber can teach you how to do, make, or have, why the hell can't you shapechange now that everyone can at least do it a little. Its insanely useful. I was a little good at it when i got shafted down into the abyss. I learned fast when shapechanging meant surviving." "As for the others and their opinion of my change of address? Fuck them. Fiona and Bleys act like they are devoted arch patriots but i watched both of them suckle chaosian cock in order to gain power west of the great scar. . Anything short of blind supplication and weeping admissions of guilt are delusional. They each should get a third of the blame for the Black Road War yet neither spent an hour in prison or a day in the abyss to pay for their crimes. Is that justice? I paid for my sins in blood, pain, turmoil, and madness." "But don't get me wrong, I credit Random for wisdom in granting amnesty. I doubt any of the other great turds could have dredged up the mercy. Benedict, Caine, Julian and both Deirdres just wanted my head on a spike and to be done with me. I'd have given Random a thousand years of good advice even if i never left Al Capone's cell downstairs"
Amber Bronkhorst
She should not find it funny but Alex does let out a soft laugh as Brand speaks about opinion on daggerpoints. Listening to his rant about the others she nods. "Random is a fair King, i am happy that he decidedas he did. As for Fiona and Bleys. Perhaps, and this is just my thought process, theyare just as damaged by a certain Regorian heritage. Now i've learned a bit more and still am learning more about it. It sounds... Fantastically difficult growing up with such demands of a parent." She then frowns and looks up. Her voice calm as she explains. "Remember, i did not know untill after Tazilwere, that i could even be able to do such things. I have seen people shapechange. While i was Chris his elite i saw it often enough as he used it for covert operations. I did not know i could so... I never tried or thought about it." She points to the powerword. "Didn't know that either. " She smiles a bit more proud. "But i did study fighting, mostly archery. I like to say i am an decent artist so i practiced and learned that."
Michael James Watson
"Don't get me wrong. There is a new smell in the air. With Random on the throne rather then Oberon. Its a whole new ballgame. As for Regorian heritage...I was conceived in this castle. Bleys and Fiona came to Amber as children, nearly newborns, as Oberon brought the crazy bitch my mother to inflict on Amber. Regor could be the land of puppies and warm brandy and they would still be damamged. Regor hasn't made the Aldoalin line crazy. They grew crazy on their own and subjected Regor to it. The Sigil isn't strong willed and as mad as Clarissa is she isn't the most mad ruler Regor has had. Miheal, founder of the Regorian royal line killed 6 siblings and a hunded assorted relatives before they called him Tzar just to get him to put the sword down. His son Alexi was one of 4 siblings and the only one who managed to walk the sigil the right way. Alexi's son Ivan was one of at least 13 siblings and all were ass deep in the Regor / Borna wars. Regor is damn lucky the Borna line lost control of the sigil in favor of the Zhenyas. But the Zhenyas managed to produce Clarissa, Peter the third, and Alexanders First, Second and Third, not to mention the brood of horrors Nicholas and my mother created and I call cousins"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex lays her drawing things down and looks to her father behind the easel, painting. A slight frown as she tries to comprehend all he says. Nodding now and then. "It does not always fully matter if you are born at such a place, taking a strong force of it to another still brings the infliction along and the heritage. " With an awkward smile she says "How violent this family has been under Oberon his reign, it seems to have gotten better. Where as in Regor Clarissa, your mother, my grandmother is still in full power. You know i am studying Regor now as subject right? Also a reason for the warning you gave about Clarissa. I do not like to be surprised so i like to prepare where i can. " She shrugs "You don't storm half assed into a battlefield either intelligence saves lives."
Michael James Watson
He sits, picking up his dink fo a bit. "You ask, I answer. Remember though that atrocities and rages among the lines of Bariman, Andoalin, Zhenya, Verna, Vincent and a hundred other immortal lines among the Golden Circle and the Red Zone are spread out over centuries. There are lots of good years spread among them. Times when food was plentiful, laughter common, and there was camaraderie among kin. There are centuries spent painting, farming, singing, dancing, loving. The Andoalin line seems more fecund then the line of Bariman. We spend a lot of time in between treacheries in lovemaking."
Amber Bronkhorst
As Brand sits Alex stands up she points to the easel. "Can i take a look?" As she waits for answer Alex drinks and puts her glass down. placing her pencil between the pages where she was drawing she closes her book. "It is somehow sad to hear that such good years exist but they are tainted by the bad. And i know this is probably over a for me unfathomable amount of time. But still... " She waits for a moment concidering some thoughts she then looks straight at Brand. "Can i ask you some practical questions? Regarding the abyssal mark?"
Michael James Watson
"By all means, take a look." Turning the picture for her. He waves his hand over the picture. "The trick to good trumps is having them only usable with your permission."
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex smiles and then pulls a serious face seeing the thumb. "Nice details and use of colorblending." She smiles at her father then seeing him wave his hand over ot and the picture changing her jaw drops. "How? Is that me?.... Wait trump?" Alex looks confused now. "I thought trumps were always in the card form? Like the ones i have. " She gestures to the bag where she keeps her things. With wide eyes she looks at Brand. "You can make your own? Trumps i mean? Could i?"
Michael James Watson
"Only in card shape? No...Dworkin drew two by matchlight, with a sharpened spoon on the stone wall of a cell that enabled Corwin to escape. Bleys drew a door sized one in his apartment. Arloxedra drew a mural on the side of a wall at his apartment in Nenton,Antheris with a dozen trumps in the picture. Its about power focus, not size. Look....." He pulls up a napkin, scribbles on it and passes it over. "That is a Trump of you. A one likely to fall apart, but a full power one." "You are a fine artist. You would make a fine trump artist if you can learn to focus the power. Trump needs a supporting power like pattern. You have amber pattern and an abysmal mark that can do it. And you are eligible for Regor too,at least.
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex picks up the napkin and looks at it with a slight frown. She then laughs. "Okey, i see. Well as long as you know it's me i suppose. " Hearing the compliment of her skills as an artist Alex beams. "Thank you! So you have seen my work? " She places the napkin on the table again and sits down. "I can use the abyssal mark for supporting power... Wouldn't that be dangerous? I was very thoroughly warned to be very careful with it and i shouldn't take it lightly. That it could really harm me and destroy me... " Remembering the harsh lesson from Vance she shudders. With a slight worried look she looks at Brand. "About the mark. It seems to now and then react. When does it react? And could i accidentally hurt others... Like... Like when going in battle alot of emotional and physical actions are happening could i accidentally harm others with the mark?"
Michael James Watson
He laughs and refills his mug, drinking half. "Would using the fire mark to make trumps be dangerous? Hell yes. I would use it to make attack cards not conversational ones. The mark responds irregularly? Might you harm someone accidentally? Hell yes to both, by the shit ton if you don't know how to control it. But harming people is sort of what its for."
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex her face changes from shock, to worry, to sadness and dissapointment. She does a short nod "Got it so be very careful and don't do anything different. " Her voice sounds a bit softer less cheerful. "How can i learn control over it so i do not accidentally harm others? That i can use it to intentionally harm others i kind of figured, and that its a danger for my wardrobe. " She then mutters "i need fireproof clothing" As she speaks her voice becomes more as it was and curoius in tone. "So i need to study it, to learn control? Are there books in the library?"
Michael James Watson
he sighs deeply. He concentrates and severalinutes pass with him being unresponsive. He raises his hands making a small Portal that his hands and arms pass through.
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex looks curiously at what Brand is doing. Raising an eyebrow as both his hands disappear in a small portal. "uhm Sir? is everything okey?"
Michael James Watson
"I have something to do but can't do it here. I suspect someone sorceryish to be here in a moment. The fire mark aches painfully for a moment. He withdraws a small tile 3" per each of the 5 sides. The top looks like flat fire..
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex frowns looking at the tiles, feeling the pain she automatically reaches for the spot and rubs it, as if you would when harming oneself. NOt that it helps. Mesmerized by the flat fire she does quietly ask. "Please don't get into trouble because of me father. If this is not allowed."
Michael James Watson
"The line of what is justifiable is flimsy this far east. Take this. Get a nice metal case for it. As you get attuned to it you will see the mark. It's a tiny one by abysal standards. Others could not assay it. You shouldn't try till you ready. But this should help you know it better. Knowing it means less trouble with it.....maybe. one day you will have to spend time dealing with it Such minor things like this allow safety in certain places in the Abyss. Be careful eith this
Amber Bronkhorst
Looking at it she nods slowly "Thank you. well i wouldn't want to know what a bigger one is in Abyssal standards. I'll keep it with me. " She then looks up with her usual smile "and unless you do not want to see me anymore i am certain we will see each other regular enough. So you could also keep an eye on it right?" Alex takes the tile and studies it more closely curious with the flat fire on its surface. "Oh i've been invited to travel a bit with the circus of Zachary, i said yes, figured it would be a nice way to get some more traveling done. What do you think about it?"
Michael James Watson
"Unless I don't want to see you? That's quite a passive-aggressive little jab. I'm delighted to see you, but bear in mind, it wasn't me who hid your heritage. Blender that on Random, Arlo, and Fres."
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex looks up shocked. "OH no no no i do not mean it like that, I just don't want to force my existence upon your life. Do not get me wrong i love to get to know you better as my father. I just meant, i can imagine having someone so clueless with the family possibilities of powers and such, and having so many questions can become tiresome and annoying." She smiles a warm smile to her father "I can understand they hid my heritage and i do not mind it. I missed not much in my youth and growing up, i was properly schooled and trained. Mom supported me when i showed interest in archery and i became really good at it. and i now know that more people knew that you were my father, or at least that i was one of the family. I was given certain chances which wouldn't happen else. Now looking back i realise this. " Alex laughs soft about the memories. And the clear signs which are only now clear. She then turns with a more serious look and voice. "Did mom hide it for you long? or did you know from the start she carried your child?"
