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Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 1:17 am Post subject:

"No Sir, he has not returned yet... As far as I know he was supposed to have returned by now," Roger the guard adds.
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Ian · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 521 Location: South Carolina

"Apart from Admiral Caine, which member of the Royal Family was I allegedly conspiring to kill?"

Either Caine overheard his conversation with Deirdre regarding his imminent rescue of Corwin or...no, Mom would never sell him out.

Did Flora get these charges Trumped up? Did she arrange this entire thing? But why? For Eric? A sinking feeling in his stomach is barely offset by the point that Ian just isn't that important in the grand scheme of things, unless they had an idea he was going to release Corwin, in which case, it makes perfect sense.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 5:24 am Post subject:

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

Feeling a little better in body, and worse in mind, its time to look at the ring.

Ian brings the Pattern to mind and looks the ring over in detail, trying to figure out how he got it, what it does and what he do with it.

While staring at the ring, he pictures the grove he saw Oberon in, places the ring on his finger and commands the ring to teleport him there.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 4:23 am Post subject:

Studying the ring with the Pattern yields potentially more questions than answers.

For one, after minute studying of the ring and Ian's current surroundings, he is able to confirm that the ring is not real. It is Shadow-based but it does contain the essence of the Pattern. It is a construct... A mere replica of Oberon's own signet ring. Further studying does not explain how the ghost of his grandfather could have made it real, lest it be real itself.

Ian has heard of the power to conjure things out of Shadow, and it should be easy enough, but not here on the One True Realm...

Could this be another trick of the elders?

...

Alas, when he commands the ring to do his bidding, it does not transport him.

Letting his mind wander inside the ring for a time gives him the slight impression of returning to Windborne. A daydream perhaps?

Is it that he needs more light to observe it? Ian knows that Shadow walking in the dark is a bad idea and has been repeatedly warned of it. Could it be that the ring, as much of the Pattern as it bears, cannot function properly without light?

Alas, the ring seems to yield no power and no answer... It doesn't even seem to hold any arcane potential of its own.
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Ian · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 521 Location: South Carolina

Ian knows that walking in the Shadows without light is very dangerous, and of course here, its a moot point. One cannot play with the Shadows in Amber. Or can they...

Ian lies on the floor and brings the Pattern up, hoping that the light shining under the door and the Pattern will combine to allow him to see something else on the ring.

If that doesn't work, Ian examines the door carefully, and begins to wonder if he could find Hollowshade under the bed and use it to chop his way out of the cell.

Either way, it would have to be fast, or no sense in bringing it.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 7:58 pm Post subject:

The ring reveals nothing more.

Hollowshade, on the other hand, seems attainable. The Sign of the Pattern burning in Ian's mind, his head begins to throb as the object of his desire is influenced. He has pulled this trick before, but never in Amber... Several minutes of intense concentration pass.

By the time he feels that he could faint from the exertion, he hears the cling of metal on stone. Hollowshade was apparently leaning against a rock inside the cell...

...

Somewhere outside the cell, three sets of footsteps echo, making their way towards Ian's cell.
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Ian · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 521 Location: South Carolina

Leaving his hand against the wall with his blade in it, he wants to see who it is first before he decides whether or not to cut his way out of the cell.

He feels bad for the guards who are probably about to die now.

But he would feel worse if Ian died, so there it is.

He wonders if his leg will hold up, since the only way out of here is probably via the Pattern.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 7:47 am Post subject:

Ian's leg can still support him, but whether it can withstand walking the tracery of the Pattern is hard to say. There is always the chance of peril when in the condition he is in.

As for the guards, it becomes quite clear who arrives. Roger March, the dungeon guard, Will Throdden, the Captain of the Royal Guard and another guard of the Castle.

Very quickly and without ceremony, the Captain asks, "Lord Ian, what can be done for you at this time?"
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Ian · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 521 Location: South Carolina

"Who was the raving idiot who ordered me put in here? Was it the same person who allowed a vampire to feed off of me while I slept? The same vampire I had to kill in self-defense? The same vampire who probably killed some of the servants?"

Ian pauses for a moment, counting to three. His anger exploding right now is not going to be of any help.

"I demand to be brought before Prince Julian. Immediately. His honesty is legendary, since Caine is apparently trumping up charges against King Eric's loyal supporters."

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 10:48 am Post subject:

"Lord Julian is unavailable, Sir Ian..." he answers back as politely as he can manage. "The bottom line is that I don't have the authority to go above that of the Lord Regent and neither does your uncle Julian. I am afraid this situation is very much out of my hands. As a loyal supporter of King Eric myself, I understand your frustration in the current turn of events," he continues somewhat apologetically. "There is just nothing I can do now but to wait for the charges to be dropped when the King returns and sees things through. I will alert his majesty of your position immediately upon his return, this I promise you.""
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Ian · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 521 Location: South Carolina

"Well, certainly nobody could fault you for doing your job. It sounds you could at least notify Lord Julian of my incarceration, then, since I cannot be brought to him. One final question and I'll be a silent prisoner once more. How does the Lady Florimel fare?"

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 6:54 am Post subject:

"She does not fare as well as you, I'm afraid," he says with restrained emotion, beginning to walk away. "May she rest in peace... And I will send a missive to Arden tonight, I promise!"
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Ian · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 521 Location: South Carolina

"Rest in...Flora? Dead?"

Ian feels like he's been punched in the stomach. He staggers back and sits down, almost like he's in a dream.

He sits in silence for what seems a very long time. Maybe it is.

He takes the ring and puts it on, then concentrates on the Pattern, bringing it to mind while unshed tears sting his eyes. Once he can visualize the Pattern, he mentally walks the Pattern in his mind, while keeping part of his awareness on the Ring of Oberon.

Maybe...just maybe...concentrate Ian!

He finishes the mindwalk and visualizes the grove where he saw Oberon, channeling the image through the ring.

Silently, and with Hollowshade in hand, he commands the Pattern to teleport him to that grove.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 7:39 pm Post subject:

Walking the Pattern in his mind, he feels a moment of pure clarity and understands that the curse put upon him by the Chaos Creature is in effect and affecting him. It is gone for a while, but walking the Pattern in his mind is not quite enough to fully overcome the Curse.

When he reaches the center, Ian feels the hot and cold of a fever. He feels the origin of the ring, the ghostly spectre of his grandfather, imbue him with some of its power. He sees his hands begin to fade, turn ghostly and blue, a misty cloud lit by the light of the moon. Soon enough, Ian feels himself be transported, much in the same fashion as the Amber Pattern does.

He finds himself in the same copse of trees Oberon showed him. Ian appears there as a ghost. There is a clamor in the distant, forested hills, men and creatures pretending to fight, as if they were re-enacting a great battle...
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