Editing Volume One: The Vampire of the Dungeons (section)

====<big>Paragon Reborn</big>====


The sky is a blinding blue clarity of a land that has never known clouds. The land is green with lightly forested rolling low hills. The ground between the hills has the inscription lead among the depressions. Following the inscription comes to an open plain filled with trees of unusual colors. Broad trunks and vining plants mingle up into the blue and red leaves. Other trees are huge, dwarfing sequoias, with bright purple wood and florescent flowers in multicolored leaves. Low bushes with large flat leaves and multicolored berries spot among the thick green grass. Upon examination the grasses looks like it has a type of grain in it. There are birds with three wings flying among the trees. Insects like bumble bees fly among the flowers. The land is warm but not hot, thick but not humid. the scent of flowers is everywhere. The inscription walks among the hills till it comes to a down-slope to a land where the trees come up to a massive building. The architecture is minoan in style, grand and massive with bright colors and intricate design. Gardens are everywhere and orchards of olive and pepper trees fill vast areas around the main building. Evidence of people going about their business, tending the orchards and fields. Coming down the inscription it pases up to the main courtyard of the massive building. People stop their activities to watch you walk along the inscription. Some start following as realmer reaches the main courtyard. The inscription comes to a series of intertwined vines. At no point does his foot go astray. As he walks he sees Jurt approach the point where the inscription ends. Realmer feels ancient magics and vast ages of peoples long gone. He sees sudden war rage around him as chaosian demons and warriors come raid among the peaceful people who die without defenses. Jurt stands at the end of the inscription uneffected by the war raging. Parts of the sky diappear, leaving black stuff of chaos peeking through. The land crumbles and all is the stuff of chaos.. Jurt standing at the end of the inscription.. Stepping off Realmer finds himself in the vast building empty of people save for Jurt. And looking to his left he sees himself standing beside himself. Jurt nods. "Welcome.. Did I tell you to expect me? Did I tell you he would be created when you finished the inscription?" 
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
"Wait... what? No, you did not tell me to expect you or HIM... ME... HIM. What in Creation has happened here? And what next?"
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Realmer-"Don't ask me. I just got here too... No, you didn't mention it, Jurt. You looked distracted and cloudy Just stood there... Then i came up and just started walking..."
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
"No, I came up and started walking..."
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
"...I am Relmopator Barimen and you are a copy."
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Realmer agrees with himself.
jurt-"Yes, well, that happened. i got here and i was twins too. Once the other jurt left the place you are standing he disappeared. I assume back to Amber. And of course im a copy.. Or rather a construct like a pattern ghost"
*'''Michael James Watson'''
i have a post above that..
*'''Michael James Watson'''
jurt-"I have been here an hour or so.. Once i left this area the people came back.. Everyone who ever walked this inscription is here. There are many rooms.. Tell Despil to load up on tomes before he walks.. Then once here there will be copies here on his ghost. "
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
 deleted and reposted for proper place in timeline.
"Well, that actually makes sense. Though I never expected to meet my own Ghost, let alone at the end of the Inscription. How fascinating. If only I had time to tarry. Well, I must be going as well. I will tell Despil what you said. And oh, I have a few tomes of my own within the pockets of my Robes, but he knows that" Realmer points to his twin. "TaTa."
Realmer uses the New Power to transport back to the room where he started, back in the lower levels of Castle Amber where his Familiar Bob is waiting.
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Arriving back at the cavern Despil and Jurt are stacking tomes and chests on the ground, going through them for items that would be dangerous to take through an inscription. Items that might need attuning or react badly to that,
Despil, "Realmer.. Good. strange thing.. Can you check your Mandalay stones? See if you have attuned them. I suspect you have but the ones jurt has were already attuned. I've sent one of my servants to empty my library in the embassy. I am tempted make a quick trip into shadow to a place of mine and transfer some things here.. Jurt said he had magical items on him, including his bag of holding. I came through unscathed. If the ghost has it too then its worth finding out if the items duplicate. Of course, i doubt duplicated items could leave Paragon. The legend is that those who assayed Paragon could transport back there.You and Jurt should try that as i walk. "
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
Realmer does check his Mandalay Stones to see if they are attuned; he was hoping that they would be when he entered the Inscription. He really didn't want to walk the Pattern again and risk losing the Spiral Imprint and thus be forced to walk it again too. The Stones are still clutched in his left hand; he opens it and touches each Stone individually with his Psyche.
"I also bore heavily magicked items with me as well, most made by me here in Amber in the Pattern Chamber... including this Robe which is basically a bunch of bags of holding all interconnected... and the pockets are filled with a variety of goodies. The Robe is also mostly sentient; ask the other me if that sentience is still intact as well as the contents of the robe's pockets... and the Hung Spells too."
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Checking the stone realmer gets a sense of the stones he had not had before. Not greater powers but probably quicker access to them. The other items seem unaffected. The Ambir stone is blazingly hot but otherwise undamaged.
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Despil is packed and sets out to walk, Jurt disappears, carrying the items that could not be taken through the inscription
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
Before Despil sets foot upon the Inscription, Realmer says, "Despil, my Mandalay Stones are attuned and my other items seem unaffected. Good luck."
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
Realmer now takes a moment to focus his attention on the Ambir JoJ.
*'''Michael James Watson'''
The Ambir stone is cooling, though it didn't do that when you assayed the adag... inscripption
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
"Despil, you might want to leave the Big Blue Stone here... I have a Shade of the Jewel of Judgment and it fared ok, but it was hot and it didn't do that when I walked another Squiggle. Just a warning, best to be cautious."
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Despil-"I've already transferred to stone to Chaos. I met dara at Zilla."
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
"How long was I in there? Never mind. All good. Again, good luck."
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
Realmer looks to Bob, floating somewhere nearby, certainly.
"Bob, how long WAS I in there... it didn't seem very long at all."
*'''Michael James Watson'''
You took about 20 minutes to walk, then stood at the end for another 40. Just like Jurt did. It even rained during that time..During that time Despil trumped away and then returned on Jurt's trump"
*'''Michael James Watson'''
bob-"He also took several chests. They argued briefly about the swords but in the end Jurt kept them"
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
"How interesting, about a 10 to 1 ratio by my personal time reckoning. The walk seemed like about 2 minutes and the talk at the end about 4 minutes. And thanks for the update on the goings-on here while I was gone. I am wondering how you would have fared had I taken you with me..." Realmer watches Despil as he makes his journey within and has Bob remain on guard duty.
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Arriving at the courtyard it is well peopled as people go about their business. Jurt waves and walks over with Jurt2
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Jurt-"Despil is on the inscription at the low hills. If you focus in that direction you can see the whole length of the inscription as if it was floating.. I'm also starting to get a sense of shadows here. It will take some figuring out. Im not sure how the cosmology of Paragon work.. There was understandably little information about it in the libraries of Chaos. Mostly gloriou battle and dexerved death of the hated foe kind of stuff. Nothing useful..."
*'''Michael James Watson'''
j2-"ANd all these people are ghosts as well. They will fade away in a few moments as Despill gets closer. Not sure what that means.. Otherwise they seems to just go about their business. I was wondering something though.. I was here while you both were not.. But when you trumped in here I knew it. Realmer2 i over speaking with one of the senators here. They are finding us quarters which i assume means the inscription isn't going to fade us away."
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
"More and more interesting. And it appears I can communicate outside of Paragon with my Familiar via... Trump Power it would seem. Bob, can you still here me?"
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Realmer gets a sense of Bob trying to communicate but it does not quite come across
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Jurt-"Trump is a powerful method to channel pattern in your case. If Bob is imbued that way its not surprising. Trump can manage a lot. of course there are limitations. Pattern Trumps can communicate over the abyss but not transport. Logrus ones can."
*'''Michael James Watson'''
moments pass and Despil comes closer into view.
*'''Michael James Watson'''
the crowds fade away about the time the battle scenes occurred on your initial walk
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
"It seems the Trump Power is not all that powerful... I can sense Bob and that he is trying to communicate... but it's not quite getting through. I hope our time here is not running out. Perhaps at least one of us should return to the Cavern to pull the others out, if needed."
*'''Michael James Watson'''
jurt-"Well, i need Despil to come through to see about the stuff. and find a plce to lodge them around here.
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
"No worries, Jurt, I was volunteering myself anyway. I'll see you both back in Amber." Realmer returns to the Cavern and Bob.
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Arriving you see bob floating, frozen in place immobile. On the Inscription is someone walking near the end and someone walking near the begining. They both are hazy enough to be unidentifiable.
*'''Michael James Watson'''
bob i mumbling, making 'oooiiilllcannn' like noises
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
Realmer uses a Power Gesture (power word): Magic Negate to dispel the Spell holding Bob. He is simultaneously reaching for his Trump Deck to sort out either Jurt or Despil, whichever he finds first... most likely Jurt since Realmer has never really met Despil before today.
"What happened Bob? Who are they?" Realmer asks while sorting cards deftly (thank you Tesa Resa).
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Bob-"That's Brand. He froze me."
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
As Realmer is sorting the Deck, if he comes upon Brand's first he will stop.
[*'''Michael James Watson''', which card does he find first? Jurt, Despil or Brand?]
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Brand, being an elder, is higher in the deck. His card comes up first.
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
Realmer is PISSED! First Bleys sneaks in on the Sawall Logrus, now Brand sneaking in on the Inscription of Paragon... AND messing with HIS Familiar! Realmer grips the Mandalay Stones tightly, focusing on them to Amplify his Psyche as he stares at the Trump image of his Cousin; Brand to make contact.
Realmer intends to lock Brand in a Psychic Battle and hopefully interfere with his completion of the Inscription and deny him his little sneaky slice of power.
Realmer is also prepared for a Sorcerers Duel or other battle with Brand should he be ejected into the Cavern with Realmer.
*'''Michael James Watson'''
One difference though. Bleys already had the Logrus Imprint, as do Brand and Fiona.
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
[good point. but still...]
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Brand turns and looks at you across the vision of the inscription. Being a living trump he sees who is calling and does not respond raising his image of the font out of reflex rather then control. The trump seems hot to the touch and there is a sense of pain coming across it. .
Despil's figure seems to stand in the fog at the end. Brand slows but keeps moving. The inscription itself also seems to be partly protecting him as he enters the fog at the end merging his form with Despil's.
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Jurt steps into view, turning to the inscription quickly repeating the charm. The inscription closes. The room fades to black and the rock is a rock.
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Jurt.. "Fuck... Two Brands are in there with a Jurt , a Realmer , and two despils...."
*'''Michael James Watson'''
"What did you do to him on this side?"
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
"This could be really really bad. Should we tell someone? Or more accurately, who should we tell?" Realmer asks Jurt as he opens his palm and gently lights the room by the glow of his Mandalay Stones.
"I tried to lock Brand in a Psychic Battle via his Trump, hoping to interrupt his Imprint and possibly force him out. Guess that failed miserably. Should have remembered that Living Trump thing before I made a snap decision."
*'''Michael James Watson'''
"Well there are two pissed off Brands bleeding from the nose. And they seem to think the Realmer in there did it to him. Despil told me to close the stone. Not sure what that does in there but it stands to reason that no matter what Brand does he can only really hurt One Despil. But he will have to fight 4 people.. I came to drop the stone till you and I could decide what to do about them in there."
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
"Very smart thinking. Too bad Despil got stuck in there too. It would have been easy to leave just Brand in there, but Despil really needs saving, and perhaps soon."
Realmer looks Jurt in the eyes and raises his eye brows and makes a hmmm noise.
'Well, this turned to Troll Shit about as fast as I expected... but not how or who I expected. Ah, that's the life of an Adventurer... or should I now say, an Amberite." He chuckles out loud, but mostly to himself. "So, what now? The Chaos' Ambassador to Amber will be missed sooner or later..." Realmer pauses for thought, then continues. "Perhaps longer than we both might expect... Despil is quiet and low key and his absence might go unnoticed for a little while."
Realmer goes quiet for a bit, drifting into thought...
"Still, who best to consult when we do?" he asks of Jurt and the Gods and the Powers and the Multiverse in general.
*'''Michael James Watson'''
jurt-"ah.....Bleys? "
*'''Michael James Watson'''
j-"Arlo? "
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
"Not Bleys or Fiona. The red heads of Amber are more power mad than I am."
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
"Arloxedra is a really good choice. I was going to suggest him as well."
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
"How good of terms are you on with Arlo, Jurt? You know he and I don't get along all that well."
*'''Michael James Watson'''
ju-"Trumps seem to work from inside.. We can trump him in and not reveal the location"
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Jurt-"He has been by the club occasionally but over the years he hs spent as much time in the Library as you did in the Dungeons.. Ill open the Stone and follow you in. We check the scene then one of us trump Arlo with an emergency come through?
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
Realmer pulls out the Defender Blade and slips it under the belt of his Robe. A Bone Wand appears in his right hand then becomes a Bone Staff. His left hand still holds the Mandalay Stones which he grips tightly.
"Do I need to draw the Defender Blade to activate its Defending Power, or what? And perhaps you should contact Arlo while I battle Brand... and Brand, if needed. Get Arlo's Trump ready now..." Realmer pulls out his Deck again and pulls out Benedict's Trump and slips it up his right sleeve then puts the Trump of Sea View Gardens in his right outer pocket, then puts the Deck away. "Bob, you're coming with this time, I will need your help. Ready when you are, Jurt."
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Jurt sings the charm, hearing it Realmer remembers it, and the land appears.
Immediately Brad and Despil arrive.
Brand points a finger at you. Looks at Jurt.
Brand says, "I want to make one thing perfectly clear with you two, alright?"
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
"Speak your piece."
Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr
If Bob made it through with Realmer, he is on alert and watching for ambush attacks, and not just with his eyes.
*'''Michael James Watson'''
"This thing is IN the Castle. I did NOT leave the ground. I did NOT break my parole... I had no idea i would be transported anywhere. And I AM in the castle now...so.. I didn't break my parole and no one s going to collect a duchy on my head. Now, I assume this was one of the things Jurt stole...Nice.. I didn't have much chance to check but from context i can guess its either Paragon or Calmir, Both are broken artifacts of order.. Which is it?"
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
Realmer gives Brand a hard look then tries to speak calmly.
"I care not for your parole or any bounty for you breaking it, Brand. What I am upset about is you taking advantage of somebody else's power grab. First Bleys, with his leap into the Logrus of the Sawall Gemstone, now you doing this. By all the Primal Beasts! Can't a few guys grab a little power in peace? And secret? I have nothing against you personally, Brand. In fact I was thinking of seeking you out to discuss matters Arcane... a part of me still wants to... but the other part of me is angry as a summoned Elemental for you crashing our little party."
Realmer sighs now that he has vented a bit. "Paragon."
*'''Michael James Watson'''
'Paragon....A shard of Paragon...in the dungeons of Amber...interesting..First off, I DO care about my parole. Its more important to me then pretty much anything. Its the difference between eating a meal on a tin plate and eating from a buffet at Sea View Gardens. And until you have crawled out of the abyss, Cousin, that may not seem like a lot but i have done so and its a lot to me."
He conjures a brandy bottle.
"Secondly, I told Random something powerful was occurring below the Pattern Room. It was hidden so well that neither Bleys or Arlo or that psychotic Doria could sense it but since the Pattern has been tutoring me in the Arcane I've become familiar with its power frequency and this thing wasn't it. Random told me to check it out. Once i was here, well, sue me, i did it. Frankly i was half convinced it would kill me."
"As for your little party, i think i can find a nice party favor to give to the founder of the feast but we would all be more comfortable about it if we got Random's permission. I know what side of my bread is buttered. I happen to know that one of the treasures that is in the vaults of this castle is a stone of paragon the size of a greyhound bus. The thing is too big to use as an inscribing tool, too awkwardly shaped to forge on , and friggin nothing chips off even grains of it. But if we brought it here i bet it would weld itself to this piece. I also know that Aries Colbresi has three shards but they are so small they can't be assayed but they make hellacious inscribing tools. And I also know that Regor owns a 2% shard. So hook or crook...."
"As for discussing the Arcane, my door is always closed but its got bars on it so we can speak at your leisure. Shall we go tell Random about this now?"
*'''Daniel Eric Van Campen Sr.'''
Realmer looks to Jurt and Despil and shrugs.
"Technically, this is your party, brothers Sawall, I just got a last minute invite and am grateful for the party favors. If you want to oust the gatecrasher or change the music to his tune, I will go along. The decision is yours.... but Brand is shrewd, so I've heard, and he may be able to cut us all a sweet deal. I'll follow your lead."
*'''Michael James Watson'''
Jurt-"Its not like Random doesn't know we had a need for the biggest frigging room we could find in this labyrinth. i doubt he thinks we are decorating it and making a bed and breakfast spot. 'Creepy Motif Inn-free vampire with every room' Hey, if Random knew something was going on why just send you?"
brand-"I figure he didn't think the three of you could get in too much trouble. Turns out you managed it. Look, Im going to tell Random one way or another and there really isn't much that can stop me. So, im going to pop up to my cell, run a few cleaning spells, put some tea and sausages on the fire to cook, then give Random a call. So I'll give you about 20 minutes to get this thing out of Amber before Random comes down here to stick a flag in it. Or you can come up to the cell room and talk to him yourselves and we can see what kind of deal you can make. And Jurt, you are still on his shitlist for your burglary. Giving him access to this thing might go a long way to smoothing things over. Later.."
Brand disappears.
*'''Michael James Watson'''
and SCENE