07.09r: Elder Signage

[Wyvern]

OOC: As mentioned here, it turns out that Lyra is present as well.

[Joshua]

Osmund will look at Cameron then back to Alys. "It is probably not needed... But later is fine. I just offered for... your knowledge." He will scratch his head.

Rogbar will think a bit. "Seems serious, but you said that they have a hard time getting here. It seems Dworkin may have done that intentionally. I'll try to work up a regimen for the Striders..."

[Wyvern]

Alys tilts her head and looks at Osmund, "Specifically, I think it wiser to test such after whatever challenges we may bring against Harrune."

To Rogbar, she comments, "Indeed; I would not expect us to have serious troubles with such... but then again, I did not expect to see the like of Odin here within a decade. Speaking of training and the Striders, though, I will mention that I wish to hire the Striders to assist with my plans to provide improved training to the city's guards - and while much of that training will be of little relevance to experienced combatants, I will include advanced topics that you or others may wish to take advantage of."

[Wyvern]

"I am also," Alys turns to Hrido, "Interested in what your Wyld Hunt might be willing to offer that particular project. And it is no coincidence that those from Ht'gon I am talking to about this are those who are uninvolved in the conflict symbolized by today's opening and closing games..."

"And, while we are on the topic of specific training needs, there is a second - potentially more immediate - threat that the elite guard groups need to be aware of; a thing that Aibne and Asai and I encountered out in shadow today..." And Alys gives a brief description of Hivers, ending with, "Of course, the largest concerns there are that it may already have agents in Amber, and that it may have allied itself with... probably not Odin, but potentially other shapeshifters he brought with him. There is some evidence for both possibilities, though as yet no proof of either."

[ShadowOfPreservation]

"Then it sounds like we need an effective way to combat these Hivers. Do we know if the entity is actually just a mental consciousness that exists spread out over all those it controls or if there is a single puppet mastering person or creature that controls all of the "drones"? Where I'm from there are creatures with mental powers that can manipulate others though not anything like what you've described. But perhaps there are those here with similar powers that could help determine if a person if free or under compulsion. Or maybe help out even more than that. And there's always the option to go looking for the right person or persons in the Shadow. Or find magic that can help protect against this. Maybe my husband or some other Sorcerers can work out some spells to combat it."

[Joshua]

Hrido, who still looks like a human child, will observe, "I heard it referred to itself in the singular. Don't collectives usually use the plural? That would imply a single entity that can be found. Unless there are others. The exact phrasing might be helpful, as would a second encounter."

[khadjair]

Cameron thinks for a moment. "A single being that can dominate multiple minds... I dont' recall this from the story* but... was its effect confined to a single Shadow? Has there been evidence that it, or its influence, can cross them?" **

--
* If it was, Cameron missed it (i.e. OOC I may have missed somethign important in the writeup)
** The fact that he's managed to dig out his deck and has been fidgeting with it should make it obvious what's on his mind.

[Wyvern]

"For exact words, I suggest speaking with Aibne. For magical countermeasures, Asai. The last question I can answer myself: it was clearly projecting the power it used from outside the shadow we were in."

"Though," Alys adds, "that does not rule out the town having been prepared beforehand as a trap; it knew enough of Amber to identify Aibne and to know that this is a place of Power; if it had an agent at the ball last night, it could have guessed where we were going. Still, I would think it wisest if both myself and Aibne stay in Amber until we wish to see if Hivers can be lured into a trap of our own; the timing of when it appeared leads me to think it more likely to have tracked us than to have been already present on our arrival."

[ShadowOfPreservation]

Lyra nods in agreement. "It sounded like it sought out Aibne specifically. That does support the idea that there was a spy at the party, someone who could have overheard his plan to go there." Looking troubled, she adds, "Granted I'm new to this but I haven't yet heard of any way to directly influence events in another Shadow. If it can do that though, anyone here could potentially be its unwitting spy. Or maybe it can use something like a Clairvoyance spell to spy for itself across Shadows. The other possibility I can think of as to why it seemed to be there for Aibne is that perhaps he poses the greatest threat to it for some reason. Regardless, we should be cautious and increase internal security measures. I have some ideas for magic that might help. I'll have to speak with Rasanam about it."

[misfit]

Cheknou quietly speaks, "Poses the greatest threat or is in some way the most vulnerable? Or perhaps both?"