Dikost Augeries

The Dikost Augeries cover a large number of methods and instances of prophesy created in the city of Dikost in the Empire of Regor

Auguries of the Red Sword

First Conversation with Alexei-

Suddenly a man sat down at the vacant seat at the three woman's table. Setting a pitcher of coffee and a large plate of food before him.

“I hope you don't mind my sitting here. Its been a long shadow-walk finding you and I'm really hungry. I'm not sure who you two are,” pointing with a fork full of eggs at Nala and Alec. Taking a bite.

Pointing the fork of hash-browns at Carissa he says, “But you I know.. I've seen you in the auguries in the dungeons of Dikost. We have an acquaintance in common and I hope we can do business. I'm prepared to make it worth your while. You are an Amberite of some kind, of the blood, and that should be good enough.”

He speaks with a vaguely Russian or Ukrainian accent familiar from earth. He continues though he also continues to eat and drink.

“My name is Alexei Zhenya. My father is part of the royal family of Regor. I'm sort of Brand's keeper and I seem to have lost him. Someone named Xander or Vander found him in Gorod Bogov and spirited him away to Amber without even an attempt to properly extradite him.”

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“You asked about Auguries? Well, they did bring me here. Luckily they were not of the goat-entrails kind.“ He reaches down to his belt and removes what looks like a police badge from his belt. Sliding it over. “Before you touch this know what it is. This is a Badge of Dikost. Its worn by “Seekers of Dikost.” Dikost is a place in Regor where the various religions have their churches. The Cult of the Tiger is there. Our wizards and mystics have their caves and towers there. It has hermits, nuns, monks, lunatics, and other people dancing to the drum beats of madness. The Czars of Regor have put a lot of stock in what they learn there. So do I. Among them are mystics who tend the whirlwind. In it they can seek images of the past and images of the future. They can call upon the forces of creation to give visions of the future. In the whirlwind was a vision of the future where you and Brand were riding motorcycles at great speeds being chased by Borlak on Tiger, under a torrential storm, lighting and hail falling upon you.. The storm's tumult around you failed to keep you from breaching the crest into the realm of Regor ahead of death. Czarina Clarissa believes you will be the salvation of her son. Sadly the augury told us no more because it was not us in the vision. You might see more.” He twirls the badge, a purple marble in the center, mounted in gold. Tigers growling on either side. He takes another vodka, leaving a full shot for you. “So she sent me. The badge caries the vision. It knows the location of anyone in the vision vouchsafed to it. It allowed me to seek in shadow and find any of three people. Brand, who I knew was in the Dungeons of Amber. Borlak, who I have no interest in finding. And you. I didn't know your name at first, but I knew you were of the Blood of Amber. I walked a great deal in shadow, down many paths, eventually to find you here. Once here I found you in the race registry and that gave me your name, if little more. Luckily for me, you were in a restaurant. I was famished” He takes a bite of the sandwich. “Now.. the badge. It has a purple Mandalay stone mounted in the center. The gold is finely wrought and a Masoja Dufirosim of Vision is willingly bound within it. Given to one without the power to shadow-walk it will allow them to do so as long as it seeks a person or a place in the vision. It tires one using it. Use it a little, you will be a little hungry. Use it a lot...well … famished.” He awaits your response, with the occasional glance at Alec who is trying to decide if she should gut him or date him.