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Ian · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 521 Location: South Carolina

"Okay Rocky. Spill it. I know that you are probably from here, and are alarmed and or upset about what happened here. So my questions are: 1. Are you from here? 2. Why the hell don't you wear any clothes? 3. When we aren't calling you Rocky, what would you like us to call you?

By the way, excellent job with dinner."

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 6:10 am Post subject:

Rocky gives Ian a funny look and starts removing his clothes. "Thanks, I think. You can call me Rocky. That's fine. But if you need another name, Feather works too."

He puts his vest on a nearby chair and starts taking off his pants as he continues, "I don't like the clothes because they make natural adaptation more difficult... The body is a cultivated tool that in theory and practice adapts to its environment." Realizing what he said, he clarifies, "Not like the bird things. It's different and inconsequential."

With his pants off he bunches his clothes on the chair and sits on the floor, cross-legged. "And although I don't originate from this place, I have spent a great deal of time here, well, back and forth really, but mostly here..."
Flora is arranging her things out of her bag, undisturbed by Rocky's current state of undress.
He continues, "What's been happening here is both unsurprising but bothersome. It is rather convenient that you both fit the bill to the Ashelt's needs currently... You two aren't who you said you were, are you?"
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Ian · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 521 Location: South Carolina

"You didn't answer one of my questions. Are you indigenous to here or not? Why aren't you surprised and why is what happened here bothersome and no, my name is not really Vlad."

He looks over at Flora, inwardly sighs and for a brief moment feels ashamed that his first thought was to kill his hosts during dinner and letting things sort themselves out.

He wonders what is stranger. That his first thought was simply to kill his potential foes, who now appear to be pawns or unsuspecting targets, at best, or that he feels bad about almost considering killing them, regardless of their guilt or innocence.

Ian feels a dark mood coming on.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:49 pm Post subject:

Rocky's eyebrow furrows, "No, I am not indigenous to this place. I was brought to Windborne by my master... Using the Great Seal of Seasons, since you're gonna ask."

He scratches his head through his heavy, long hair, "Sounds like it's story time for non-Vlad, since your curiosity won't be satisfied until I do so," he says with a smile and darkness in his eyes.

Flora sits at the edge of the bed, settling down to better listen to the tale. "And non-Marilyn," he adds with a nod.

Rocky raises his index and, looking in Ian's direction, says, "You must promise telling your tale when I am done with mine..."

"I am from a world called Orlass. It is a world of vast oceans and small islands and the people there are influenced by the weather and winds more than you can imagine. Great sea and land monsters reside there as well, keeping island-folks from one another. I was one of the few to willingly brave the seas to help the people. I liked it, life was dangerous and good and unpredictable."

"One day, we reached an uncharted island. It was small and mountainous with dark rock like the ones one could find here. That's where I came upon my master. He was old, like me now, and was looking for an apprentice. We took him on our ship, thinking we were rescuing a senile, crazy, monster of a man. And we sort of were. But in the end, he revealed to me that I was that apprentice and that this patchwork of islands and seas was too limiting for me. He promised exploration, limitless possibilities and constant thrills. I was swayed enough, by curiosity mostly, but he took me to a world where islands stuck together and oceans could be avoided and he eventually shattered my expectations of what could be possible. He brought me to impossible worlds, and eventually here."

"Cedric Windborne owned the lands here and we were always sneaking past him and his men to get to the Great Seal of Seasons, in the black mountains. That thing is a mystical thing and grants us the power to travel through change. My master and I traveled for years, always coming back here and hoping the state of things in Windborne would not influence the area too much, and for a time it didn't. The Lord had been killed and Windborne taken over, then changed hands again when young Daniel took what was rightfully his, as you described, milady."

"Here's the interesting bit, now: my master falls to the winter solace and travels with me no more. I come back here to check on the seal. Daniel Windborne has left his lands to be attended by a man who is untrustworthy and allows this thing, this Hendrake guy, to come in and take every servant and guard away. Overnight, quite literally. That's when I started keeping an eye on things and decided to stick around for a while, because that man was unusual. Powerful. I was afraid he knew about the seal and wanted to keep it for himself. My master and I weren't the only ones making use of the seal and the legacy of seasons needed to continue on. Anyway, not much happened and the man never visited the seal. A year later, this new family arrives and it seems to me as if they don't know it's there either."
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Ian · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 521 Location: South Carolina

Flora can see Ian growing paler and paler as the enormity of Feather's tale hits him like a ton of bricks. "If...how many people...they wouldn't need the Black Road. This is bad, on a biblical disaster scale."

He reflects for a moment. "Now I know why the United States was so upset when the Russians got the bomb."

He shakes his head to clear it. "Whatever damage is done is done. We need to secure the seal and ensure that no other enemy uses it. This is a danger to Amber that can't be ignored. I can't believe I'm going to say this. We should notify Eric. He needs to know that if people could use it the way we use the Pattern that anyone could show up on his doorstep with an army."

He grins at Flora. "You sure know how to pick your missions, don't you?"

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:19 pm Post subject:

Feather looks at Ian, trying to read him and understand his meaning.

Flora looks worried, "We can warn Eric, but what good will it do right now? Amber is already under attack. This escapade is not commissioned by the King, Ian... He's been busy closing the way through Shadows with Caine and Julian, probably because he already knows!" She turns to Feather and asks, alarmed, "How many can use the seal? How many that you know of?!"

"Maybe, twenty or thirty... I'm not sure. We tend to seclude ourselves when we're not exploring new lands, and many get lost one way or another." Feather turns to Ian, "Why are you worried one of us leads an army to your land - or what I assume is your land - this Amber? We are mystics, you know, not warmongers. We try to understand the seal, not use it for selfish purposes... Only the worthy survive."
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Ian · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 521 Location: South Carolina

He turns to Flora first. "My thought was that if the Black Road is not the only way for enemies to cross into Amber, then Eric should know that. No doubt, he has the Road guarded and watched. We don't want someone to show up on the back side of Kolvir with an army. But of course, if what Feather says is true..." He turns to Feather. "..and for the record, I believe you, then the 'Seal' is not a further danger to Amber...for now. If that is the case then there is certainly no need to clutter up Eric's dance card with another problem. Eric will be fine."

"Feather, do any of your people ever take up warlike pursuits? Or are all of you relatively pacifistic mystics?"

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:36 pm Post subject:

Flora bites her lip and her brows scrunch up together. She looks worried and vulnerable and dares not speak of the subject further, at least for now.

Feather makes a concerned face and says, "Not even when provoked... It's easier to run away from things than to deal with the aggressiveness of some. From an outside perspective, I'd call our lot nothing more than a bunch of gifted explorers. I mean, the Black Road thing is something we have to avoid all the time for the same reason... Even though we could fight, it's easier to avoid those worlds. We're not pacifistic in nature and everyone I've met can handle themselves... but conflict is often unnecessary."

He looks at Ian and Flora, "Is there something happening that others should be warned about? I ask because... well, there are means to get in touch with the others."
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Ian · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 521 Location: South Carolina

"Let's not contact everyone just yet. For now, let's keep our eyes and ears open and just gather information. Feather, if any of your compatriots contact you, you will let us know, right?"

And if everything is settled, Ian sends Feather off to his room and then closes the door to the bedroom with Flora.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 12:28 am Post subject:

"You bet," he answers.

With that, he goes to his room, looking a bit worried, leaving the clothes on the chair.

When they are alone, Flora says, "This is way over our head, Ian... I don't know what the best course of action is. This seal, it's... I don't know." She frowns and begins biting her left thumb nail, her eyes pleading him, it seems.
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Ian · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 521 Location: South Carolina

He takes her hand in his and sits next to her. "Your nails look better when you don't bite them." He kisses her forehead. "The way I see it, we have three options. One, surgical decapitation strike."

He pulls her close and whispers in her ear, just in case someone is listening. "But I kind of like our hosts, and would hate to have to kill them and Elishuhur or whatever his name is. Two, we Trump back to Amber. Seems kind of a waste. Three, we stay and at least check out the "Seal" as they call it, and find out exactly what is going on, then we can improvise from there. However, I think we should make sure that the Trumps actually still work, since it would be a disaster if we had to leave in a hurry and couldn't."

He pulls back and looks into her eyes. "Are you okay?"

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 2:16 am Post subject:

Flora gives Ian a look that says 'like I need that right now', then listens to his ideas.

Finally, she answers, whispering in his ear, "I'm fine. I just... This whole thing just makes me think of my son, you know? And... Well, look. Why don't I try to contact him via his trump to see how things are on his side of things. He's probably still on that mission for Eric, whatever it involves... We should still plan on visiting the Pattern tomorrow and confirm it is the same thing Feather is talking about, although there's no doubt in my mind."

"If we warn anyone, we should warn Gerard and let him tell Eric on his own. I know I can at least trust Gerard to pass the information onto him without so much as investigating it. From there, I imagine it will be a matter of time until Eric contacts me and gives me orders as to what to do with the seal... Now, should I tell anyone that you're here? I know you and Eric don't see eye to eye... What do you think?"
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Ian · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 521 Location: South Carolina

"I think that's an excellent idea. Talk to Daniel. I also agree that the Seal and the Pattern you mentioned are one and the same."

He thinks carefully, after listening to what she said about Gerard and Eric.

"I leave it completely up to you whether you want to notify Eric via Gerard or directly. It was your secret to begin with. You should ask Daniel, if you aren't sure. I'll support any decision you make regarding that."

He looks up at the ceiling for a moment, as if asking for intervention from the gods.

"Eric. The prick. Still. He's the King now, isn't he. I haven't taken a knee to him but I still follow his orders. I leave that up to you. If he orders me away from you, and leaves you in harm's way, I'll tell him to take a flying...well, you know."

Uncharacteristically, he checks his sword belt for a moment, then looks back up at her. "I told you I was yours in this matter. Until you release me, I'm here. Eric be damned. Tell him what you want." He touches her cheek gently. "You seem to forget, the good guys always win, right?"

He gets up and walks over to the window, to brood and consider what he's going to do if the Trumps do not work.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 3:02 pm Post subject:

"In that case, I'll avoid mentioning you at all, unless he asks. Does he have a trump for you?" She goes to get her trump case among her things. It is a lovely box made of leathery looking leaves.
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Ian · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 521 Location: South Carolina

"Shouldn't he? I mean, he's. Hmm. I never really thought of it."