07.07x: Refuge of Dreams (Part II)

The goings on of courts
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ShadowOfPreservation
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Re: 07.08?: Refuge of Dreams (Part II)

Post by ShadowOfPreservation »

Lyra nods while continuing to lose gracefully. "I wouldn't say I overestimate what you can do since I really don't know all that much about you. I've only been aware of Pattern for a month now and know nothing of Logrus. And most of what I know about you is legend. Right now we're really not sure how imminent an attack on Amber might be so we're all concerned about defense. Or maybe everyone's overreacting and we can protect the place through negotiation. Lyra eventually loses the game and resets the board. "You're really good at this but I guess you've had the time to practice. Have you been just playing this by yourself all these years?"
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Joshua
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Re: 07.08?: Refuge of Dreams (Part II)

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"My ex-high priest was fairly good at it, and one of the few who was willing to play to win. You'd be surprised how many demons are afraid to beat their boss at chess." He shrugs. "The big issue is that Logrus is... indestructible unless you face it with a higher power. Although, you can cause the user to burnout, but that's generally not all that possible. My shapeshifting could get in a quick preemtive strike, but that's about it."

He takes a breath and thinks... before explaining a little bit about logrus and logrus tendrils. He doesn't have much first-hand knowledge, but can describe a little of how they chase through shadow, and how difficult it is to melee with someone using dozens of them to fight with.
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Re: 07.08?: Refuge of Dreams (Part II)

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Lyra seems a bit disturbed hearing about Logrus and it's power but doesn't interrupt. She continues moving pieces about the board as Nate continues the explanation, his moves now somewhat familiar, allowing her to counter and mount an offense. "Maybe you'll be able to walk the pattern once we get back to Amber so you'll have the power to combat it."
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Joshua
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Re: 07.08?: Refuge of Dreams (Part II)

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"Higher powers choose their followers. We can see however." He shrugs. "I know what the Logrus does to those who attempt to cross it without permission."

He seems unbeatable in the game, however, you are able to force a draw this time. (As I have said to others... at the level you are playing at, chess is no different from tic-tac-toe.)
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Re: 07.08?: Refuge of Dreams (Part II)

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Lyra gets an incoming trump call. Unsurprisingly, it's from Rasanam*; he appears to be somewhere in Akra.

Hope I'm not interrupting anything, but I had a couple of thoughts I wanted to share. Started with, well, we need to do something about Scion - so I was going to challenge him for leadership of the Ruby Guild** - get the challenge set up now, since I'm sure he'll want some time to prepare. But... I don't actually want to run the Ruby Guild, and it occurred to me that I don't need to; at least in theory, I should be able to use Pattern and go find someone that would actually want that job, would run the guild at least more or less the way we'd want it run, can take Scion head-on... maybe even find someone who could give Kothu or Ulhar a chance at redemption? Not sure how far I can push that sort of thing.

Anyway, I think it's worth trying - but I don't know how long it's likely to take, and we've got maybe a day to spare for getting Nathrezell out. So, if you could call me if I'm not back in, oh, twenty hours or so? ...Or if you'd like to come along, leave copies of our cards with Nathrezell, have him contact us if the search is taking too long?


_____
* As per general rule of thumb, I ran this past the GM before posting; trump calls are useful, but you can't tell who's calling until you pick up - which in turn means that any time you make a trump call is a chance for the GM to mess with people by having someone else trump call the same person just before you tried to...
** The Ruby Guild is one of seven mage guilds in Akra; it is focused on "progress" - in a more mechanically inclined setting, this is the guild that would be building early industrialization style factories and ignoring any costs to the workers or the environment. As it is, its current leader, Scion, is focused on biomancy and grafting techniques - "improving" individuals with no thought to the mental or social costs... or any sympathy for the donors of the parts he uses. Oh, and he also had a daughter specifically to have someone to sacrifice in a complex ritual to try to take over the world - fortunately, she's safely in Amber now.
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Re: 07.08?: Refuge of Dreams (Part II)

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I'll speak to Nate quickly but I don't think he's have any issues with my leaving for a bit to join you. Give me a moment to explain things to him and hand over the cards then you can invite me along.

Lyra refocuses on Nate and says "Sorry to cut our game short. Rasanam thinks he has a solution to the guild issues. I'd like to go and join him for a bit but we should be gone for no more than 20 hours. I can leave both of our cards with you If you think you can use them to bring us back here should we be gone for longer than that. We can resume this then unless he needs my help getting you out of here." Lyra quickly cuts to both cards in her deck and hands them to Nate.
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Re: 07.08?: Refuge of Dreams (Part II)

Post by Joshua »

Nate will accept them. "Good luck." He will say, and start to examine the cards a bit as you leave.
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Re: 07.08?: Refuge of Dreams (Part II)

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Having surrendered Rasanam's card to Nate, Lyra contacts her husband through the wedding band letting him know she's ready to leave.
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Re: 07.08?: Refuge of Dreams (Part II)

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Rasanam pulls Lyra through into Acra; she vanishes from the Dream in a shower of multicolored sparks.
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Re: 07.08?: Refuge of Dreams (Part II)

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A few hours later, Rasanam trumps in. "Hi! Just wanted to let you know that we're back. ...Though," he glances at the broken game board that dominates the scene, "I guess you probably knew that already. Oh, and Lyra wanted to apologize for leaving your chess game hanging even longer; she's taking the time to help Ruby get settled in an Acra that's some five hundred years later than the one she remembers. ...Plus whatever differences come from travel through 'shadow', though we were looking for a place where such would be minimal..."
Last edited by Rasanam on Wed Oct 08, 2014 1:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
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