Talking to Brand

Michael James Watson

Looking up, the artist at work smiles into the trump contact. "Ah. Bliss. So nice to be remembered.......What lowly service can I provide that clearly books can not?

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex smiles she guesses it would be a good thing if her father was painting or at least creating art. "Hello father. Hope i am not disturbing you at an inconvenient time. I am in a place and situation i need information on, and a little puzzle.to be solved. And as far as i know you. You can connect the dots in situations like no other. So do you have time to hear the situation? " She takes a little sip from her tankard. Giving Brand time to answer.

Michael James Watson

He smiles, "Certainly. I am all attention. Do you want to come through?"

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex shakes her head "No thank you, it is best i remain here for now, it did take some doing to reach this place. Ah before i begin with my tale. Can you perhaps sense the time ratio between the two places? " She then scrapes her throath sits a bit more comfy. "Alright. There is a place called Beasthold it is a shade of Amber where the kingdom didn't do so well. No children after Gerard. The hold stands on this enormous cliff where monsters pour from. Manticores, snakes etc. To not have this shadow overrun with monsters there is a twisted way which guides monsters to its rightful place in shadow. They are lured by these spikes. Now there are some spikes removed in their shadows and placed in Arden per example. Which causes more monsters to come our way then suppose to. We have some of these spikes and they need to be returned to their rightful spot How does one find out tonwhere to bring these? Also there has been talk of a great construct and dangerous beasts here. One Oberon wanted tamed, bur Benedict Eric Caine and Julian wanted killed. Any idea how to watch out for those or have you heard something?"

Michael James Watson

He stands and walks to his bar. “Want to see a trick? Its an expansion of the Trump gate.” The area around her, including Duncan, turns into a mixture of Beasthold and his apartments in Amber. “The great thing is the Duncan here could walk over to that room, use the restroom, and come back, and not even leave the world he is in. So, let me pour.. I'm on a Merlot kick. Margot got me a fine barrel. “ He pours glasses and passes them around, going to sit in his chair, motioning for them to sit. “Really. You are still in Beasthold just using the things in my apartment as an expansion of the powers of the pattern through trump. It will be all the rage. Funny. Beasthold... never heard of it... But it makes sense. Julian has been fighting Manticores for ages and never seems to find where they are breeding. Julian always just said they were coming out of shadow....Benedict and Corwin, Eric, all just said it was good to have a beat to hunt worth of princes of Amber. And come on, Manticore is good eating. Great leather. “ “As for a construct... That makes sense too. Strange place usually have strange reasons. Look for something very obvious or obviously hidden. Something in a straight path. You say beasts come from the cliff. The cliff edge to the construct must have an arrangement. Lastly, the ruler of the place might just show it to you or tell you its off limits.

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex smiles, stands up and offers Duncan a hand to stand up as well. She then takes place in a chair. Taking the glass she tilts her head a bit. "Well apparently Julian knew where they cam from just like Eric Caine and Benedict and Oberon. But yeah. I have a feeling that this great beast Zach had to wrangle for Oberon has something to do with the construct. Perhaps it feeds it or something, i don't know, no experience in that field. " Taking a sip she nods not a fan of merlot but she can enjoy it just as well. "The problem is for now i do not know hoe genuine the Queen is, she feels kind and forthcoming but thay could just as well be a ruse. " Alex takes the spike from her belt and hold it in front of her father. "This is one of the spikes we traced it back to here as its origin point. Problem is it should have gone to its destination which was apparently not our Arden. But another shade of Amber. If we drop this construct and beast thing and just want to replace these back to where they should be how can we find oht where they need to go?"

Michael James Watson

"Drop the construct?!?! Thats probably a really bad idea.....As for finding where the spikes go, there is a good chance the people who put themt there are here. ASk them"

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex sighs "Not drop it like, physically drop it. I mean drop the matter. I am just playing with ideas. Do we even want these spikes still active. If not i suppose this construct and or big beast are that what keeps them active and we need to go atter that. If we want to keep regular manticores in Arden and also have to clean up these spikes now and then we just return the spikes. And that is what the people here want as well. To return the spikes. Else Beasthold will be overrun with beasts. But if we could stop said stream of beasts..." She looks between Duncan and Brand. "I mean what is the most logical and best solution for Amber? I mean our Amber?"

Michael James Watson

Brand ponders, refilling his drink.. "Well, I'm pondering ...These spikes summon beasts....The Beasthold needs to beasts to go out into shadow or be overrun with them. Extra spikes ended up in our shadow causing more then normal number of beasts to come and different and more fierce ones at that. If the spikes were created here, and distributed from here....Julian always said the Manticores that come in to Amber were managable for the Rangers, gave them fine hunting, fine leathers and fine food. I've hunted them in Arden in my day. Hard fights but worthy. " He leans back, "ANd you say Oberon, Eric, Benedict, Caine, and Julian knew of Beasthold, presumably its trickle of beasts, and accepted it? So why did extra spikes wind up in our realm? " Duncan says, "I've always considered them a danger to Amber and the increase in beasts is proof of that. " Brand shakes his head, "Duncan, we are the last in the line, and all the shades below us have their own trickles, yes?" Duncan nods, "Yes..." Brand goes on, "And you met shades of yourselves, breaking the general boundaries of shade...So the Twisted Way crosses boundaries. Many may have Duncans who feel like you do. Tell me, Alex, if you knew there were upstream Ambers, presumably with tougher versions of yourself, and you wanted to relieve the burden of these beasts from your own shadow, wouldn't it be reasonable to take these summoning spikes upstream, where the tougher versions of yourself could handle the increase in monsters?"

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex drinks slowly as she listens to her father and nods agreeing "Well yes, and that is why if we place these spikes back where they belong, they will eventually still be send back down the stream again one way or the other. Because as you said plenty of other Wardens and Duncans would indeed find it a way to rid themselves of something that threatens their Arden. " She leans back a bit and continues "Now i am all for training and i am all for a challenge BUT we are not the garbage bin of those who do not want to play along anymore with this construct of them. That is why i am considering as i do not wish to spend the rest of my days having to wrist slap some shade version and hand them their spikes back, perhaps stop the trickle of beasts or alter it in some way. Lessen it. And that is why i wondered what this construct or dangerous beast might be involved in this whole ordeal. But as you know father, those who know are not the talkative types... some due to good reasons.. dead and all, and some because that is the way things seem to work. " Alex looks at Duncan and asks "So we basically have a first decision to make, do we want to stop this stream all together, without knowing yet how and where, or returning the spikes and probably be doing that for the rest of time that those shades exist. " Looking at her father she raises her familiar spock like eyebrow. "Now remember before explaining things i only know as much as you taught me and Arlo showed me in shadow walking, that is about it with the powers and things. In case someone suggests to feel things out... "

Michael James Watson

Duncan says "Arden is my place. I am the Warden of Arden. As long as the king wants me in that role Its my job to see to it. Unless one of these people want to tell me otherwise i want the river ended.. So lets go see what this construct looks like and see if the local know how to fix it." Brand smiles, "Duncansburg, the Great Forest of Amber....Ambition is a bitch. It took Bleys 60 years of rampant alcoholism to wash away his ambition. Your duty is admirable, nephew but you were Julians scutmonkey for 2,000 years. Hidden like a Dreanan Blue hair. If Julian didn't bother with this construct and Oberon approved of his policy, there must be a reason. Find out the reason before you stomp too hard on the cause. " From outside on the balcony of Castle Amber, comes a shot woman with floor length blue hair. Deep blue skin covered in tattooes, some of shich glow like power tattooes. She weas a slinky lace chemise that covers almost nothing. He hair is beaded with small beads but they shimmer magically. Around her neck is a rearden necklas with 5 mandalay stones ung in chainmail pouches. She looks like she recently engaged in several hours of vigerous sweaty sex. She wander to the bar, pours a drink and grabs a gnosh. "Oh Brando, are you so tired you need to bring in replacement playmates? I thought the Princes of Amber more hardy, my cousin. " Duncan frowns, almost a scowl. Brand chuckles, "No, no.....I'm almost done.. Drix, do you know your cousins, once removed? No... Ah, Duncan, son of Julian, Alexandra, daughter of mine, this is Drixtra, daughter of Hagalta and Dwynwen. " She walks over and reaches to run a hand in Alex's hair, speaking if allowed or not. "Such lovely hair....I had not met them..." Walking over to Duncan,m who stands and backs away. " Oh...this one is so angry....Have you sir been made wroth by the Loki of Amber?

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex looks between Duncan and Brand she clicks her tongue. "Several Oberons made this and i guess with the order to leave it be. And with all due respect to your father Duncan. But he did like to follow orders from Oberon as i understood. As long as he could rule Arden. " Seeing the short woman she slightly smiles. "Well enjoying your time dad. " With a laugh she shakes her head until Drix walks up to her and touches Alex's hair. Her face changes a bit as if it is something bothering her. "So you advice caution then, got it. But is it something we can find? Or is it something we have to ask about? I doubt we'll get straight answers. " Alex then looks seriously at Brand. "Another question, unrelated to this. If my appearance would alter a bit. Would trumps still work? Or need to be changed? " She asks while twisting a curl around her finger. "Oh speaking of trumps i'll attempt to make one of this place. Good practice right?"

Michael James Watson

Brand goes to recline on the sofa and Drixtra curls into him like a cat. "Your appearance is irrelevant to the Trumps. If you want to change your appearance, talk to Fres about it. Now... as you noted.. I have company"

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex nods "Got it, have fun, don't wake the neighbors." With that she waves her hand over the contact with a roll of her eyes. She looks at Duncan... "Well i guess i now know how awkward that can be. Clearly i am more open with my mother... but then again he has been my father for a short time now." She says with a slight chuckle. "So you want to go look for the Construct? We can ask around, look around sneak around... whatever you prefer. We can also return later if i make a location trump. " Alex takes her drawing things out of her bag better to begin a sketch of it now when there is still time.

Michael James Watson

"Make the location trump for certes. Then... Lets sneak. Im not certain what these people would chose to tell us on purpose. We have pattern lens and even if niether of us is expert in using them it can't be hard to find something this powerful using them. Do you want to bring your other Alex and her Random with us?"

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex nods while she draws. She uses her pattern imprint for it to have it powered. And she does take her time to draw it or at least get the first good setup done. She smiles "We can sneak around for sure, to be honest i have an iffy feeling about this location and the people here. Though Deirdre did remind me of things my mom does. " A soft sigh. Alex is a mommy girl and she does miss her mother when long times from home. "We can bring them along Xandra and Jax. But them i do not fully trust either. Her ways are.... different and she seems bot to pleased with me being in higher order than her and that i know who my father is." Looking at Duncan she pauses a moment and then speaks soft "Lets sneak together. And that way when we are found out we can always claim to be sneaking away for privacy " Alex ends the sentence with a wink. After a short thought she quickly adds. " oh the troops are here in the baracks. Together with Karieeena, Hannah, Calsall and Bronze and also Dalt his troops. Do we want to send them back first? Because if we need to make a daring escape guiding troops forst makes it less quick. Though i would like to keep Karieeena and Hannah here with us."

Michael James Watson

Alex feels a trump contact and answers it without thinking. She see Brand, shirtless on the balcony of his apartment. "Your call surprised me so I forgot I had something to ask you. Did you know you are in the Bursain Deck?"

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex is highly surprised at the sudden contact. But seeing her father she immediately relaxes. " yeah sorry i had disturbed you during.... well yeah. But Bursain deck? I do not know it. You taught me one can make different trump decks with different power sources, like yhe abyssal mark. But no i do not know the Bursain deck. is it significant that i am in there?" She barely looks up from drawing as she is focussed on getting the essence of this place on paper.

Michael James Watson

He laughs. "Look around your person. Pouches, packs, baggy pockets. You are looking for a thin wood box."

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex frowns lays down her pencils and starts checking her pockets and bag. Searching for a thin wood box she didn't have before.

Michael James Watson

In her writing supplies she finds it. A thin wood box with a stack of non magical cards representing people. Brand say " You replaced Vance. Someone named Raphael replaced Relmopator. "

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex opens the box and looks at the trumps. Then seeing Raphael she frowns and flips through her sketchbook.. holding the two images next to eachother to compare. "Well I'll be damned.... heh... such coincidence."

Michael James Watson

Brand says, "Coincidence? How? Are you familiar with Bursain? Its not really public information"

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex holds up Raphael his image and then her sketchbook drawing of him... "Ran into him... well no not really we haven't met. But when Arlo was showing me how to shadowwalk we saw this guy on the other side of a market place. Arlo ushered me away fast but i saw him long enough to sketch him... so just coincidence that he and i are in the same deck and we had seen eachother in a random place. " She lays down her drawing and the trump she keeps in her hand and taps it on her fingers thinking. "No i do not know of Bursain or the reason i am in this deck. As it is not public knowledge i haven't found it in the library."

Michael James Watson

Brand says,"I suspect Arlo will tell you since he is in the deck too. "

Amber Bronkhorst

A short nod. " alright i'll ask him when we are done here. Duncan and i have decided we are going after the construct. No clue to the how and what, but if we find it i'm sure we'll think of a way to stop it.... and if all else fails. Fire.." She winks with a slight smile