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Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 9:36 pm Post subject:

Feather looks at her with a sort of suspicion and says, "I hope you are incorrect. I've traveled along the road outside of Windborne and I have seen the strange corruption it brings along. I'm going to assume you're not really suggesting I'm from the road myself, though I admit I was not born here or in the surrounding regions... The Ashelts are strangers, but they say they did not come here by the means of the Black Road. The bird people I am not so sure of their means of travel through the changing worlds, though I saw them fly to the manor with purpose. They flew from over the forest to reach Windborne... I have heard of your land, Amber, though I've not traveled that far. Few of us have, I suppose."

He pauses, "What do you suggest? A witch-hunt of sorts? Or will you be biding your time until a faction reveals itself."
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TonyLB · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 494

"No, nothing like that," April says lightly. "No need for us to jump at shadows. If they're among us then what we're doing right now is exactly what will force their hand. Getting people together, building trust, fostering understanding, building common strength."

She chuckles. "The reason that kind of thing has gotten a reputation as hippy-dippy, feel-good claptrap is that people see it as the be-all and end-all. Like when you've got people talking, you're done. Hah! Getting people together is the first step: Helping them to fight together for what they need and what they believe in ... that's the real trick."

She shrugs. "I just don't think the Black Road is the kind of force that wants a straight-up fight like that. I think those are the fights they lose. So if they're here, and they see what we're doing, they'll act sooner rather than later ... so we take basic 'Well, duh!' precautions, and wait for the other shoe to drop."

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 7:36 pm Post subject:

"Yeah, and if the forces of the Black Road pose a threat the folks here have in common, the whole working together thing will work out fine... I suppose now we hope for a straightforward fight and prepare for the hidden approach, gotcha."

He keeps on walking, "You don't mind if I keep watching over the Seal, do you? Or if I get in touch with the others? I've mostly been watching but since you and Ian and the bird folk know about it now... I wouldn't mind some help keeping people away from it. The last thing we need is for people to start trying it and dying left and right. The Seal kills, probably as much as your unbroken version does..."
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TonyLB · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 494

April smiles. "Well, I'd like to get some folks on guard. But letting someone I barely know stand sole watch over it ... avoiding that'd be one of those 'Well, DUH!' precautions. Why don't we drop by the camp, gather up a few folks, some food and some light, and we can settle in for a night's duty guarding together. Plenty of time to talk then, and hopefully in the morning there'll be plenty of reinforcements, courtesy of Ian's diplomacy."

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 5:48 am Post subject:

"I like how you think, April..." he says satisfied.

The trump contact she felt earlier starts up again. Feather continues walking towards the camp. He already knows where to go.
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TonyLB · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 494

"Trump contact," April says. "I'll seem to be talking to myself. Not crazy."

She opens to the contact.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 8:03 pm Post subject:

Feather takes the time to look at her as if she were crazy, then continues to walk.

The contact opens to Eric, sitting atop Krugalt, strolling in some quiet looking plain. Far behind him, a hundred horses graze peacefully. Here and there, large humanoid-looking hunks of metal lay, broken.

Eric smiles, he seems well. "Hello, April. Do you have time to talk?"
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TonyLB · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 494

April's face lights with a broad smile of happiness and relief. "Eric," she sighs. "I didn't even know if you had a trump for me, I mean, I thought you might, even though I wasn't completely sure how you'd get one, so I guess it's more like I hoped you might, or else why even bother answering if it's only going to be ..."

She runs down to a contented quiet.

"You're all right," she says finally.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:46 am Post subject:

He chuckles and taps the frame he looks at her through and says, "It cost me an arm and a leg, but it was well worth it. And yeah, I made it ok." He winks. "How have you been?"
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TonyLB · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 494

"I'm good," April replies. "After the last call, I figured I'd hang tight and strengthen the area until I heard something. As of tonight we've got the major factions in the area well on the road to working together, and all happy to have Amber as a presence and ally."

Her smile has a touch of impish pride. "I can manage the situation here for as long as is needed," she says with calm assurance.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:06 am Post subject:

Eric blinks several times in quick succession, his smile fading. "Alright, business first. I have a lot of questions about the situation in Windborne, as you can imagine, but tell me about the Pattern first. What... is it?"
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TonyLB · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 494

"It's like ours, but with areas black and broken. Some people can gain power over shadows through it, somehow, but it takes a nasty long-term toll on them"

"I've gained the allegiance of almost a dozen of those walkers," she says. "I thought, maybe ... "

April looks at his unsmiling face. "Have I done something wrong here?" she asks, furrowing her brow.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:21 am Post subject:

Eric quickly gives her a sort of embarrassed smile and says, "Oh, no, April. I'm just... surprised at how quickly things progressed in Windborne. I guess I didn't expect much more than a reconnaissance mission and you're already... Nevermind. I just don't know what the situation is there and from the sounds of it the locals have already made use of the thing... What else?"
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TonyLB · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 494

"Well, I ..." April flushes slightly. "Look, it's just ... we had that Trump contact and I wanted to run off and try to, I don't know, rescue you or help you or ..." she flushes with chagrin, "I don't even know. It was stupid. I just knew that I wasn't going to sit in a cave, waiting for you to come rescue me, if you were in that kind of situation yourself."

She shrugs. "I said at the start: You deserve someone who's solving your problems, rather than expecting you to solve theirs. You were off in danger, who knows where, and I couldn't help you there, but I could help you here. So I did. Maybe I overdid it, a bit, but ... I did it for you."

[ .... ]

"Well, as for the situation here," she says, "We've got several factions in play. Some Lord named Ashelt, from somewhere with the pithy name of 'Chaos', has moved in and taken over the estates. He's got trouble with a bunch of bird-men who are ex-military from some other guy named Horlass. Ian is crafting a three-way alliance between those two and us as representatives of Amber ... they seem pretty keen to have the help and the unity, rather than keep sniping at each other. I think they're both in a pretty unsettled position with their home court."

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:43 pm Post subject: