07.10i Amber's Pattern

[misfit]

As people may (or may not) recall, Harrune had scheduled to walk Amber's Pattern the night of the Ht'gon festival. Since nothing has happened to prevent that, he is going ahead. I am assuming that invites went out to all the Amberites, Ashara, and perhaps a few of the notables in the City. Since Harrune sees this as largely a formality (granted a difficult and dangerous formality), he won't be offended by any one who chooses not to attend.

The Pattern is set in a cavern beneath the dungeons of the Castle. The seventh tunnel leads to a great, dark, metal-bound door. The door is usually locked, but tonight it stands up with guards beside the door. In the center of the room is a shining, shimmering mass of curved red lines inscribed into the floor. The glow of the Pattern is bring enough that lamps are not needed inside the Chamber.

In the chamber, Harrune stands with Alaror (armed and in full armor) and Fillane. They stand quietly as Harrune mentally prepares himself for the ordeal ahead...

[Wyvern]

Given an actual explicit invitation, Alys will show up - though she'll stay quietly off to the side, near the door, content to examine the Pattern from as much of a safe distance as the room allows.

[Spellbinder]

Spellbinder will quietly enter the room. He stares at the Pattern for a moment or two. "So, this is what all the fuss is about?"

[Wyvern]

Alys nods. "Rather subtle for what it is, isn't it?"

[Spellbinder]

"In my experience, the greater the power the less need it feels to be flashy. I do get a feeling of hidden depths from this thing, but for some reason I think I'm barely scratching the surface."

During this talk, Spellbinder tries to keep eye contact with Alys, but his eyes keep drifting back to the Pattern.

[Wyvern]

Alys, by contrast, isn't even pretending to pay more than tertiary attention to Spellbinder. "Well, there's a difference between not going out of your way to be flashy, and going out of your way to be subtle. Logrus does the former, but is still a very direct sort of power. Pattern, from what I've seen... much more the latter."

[Joshua]

Quin and Oberon are there. Dworkin is not. Oberon isn't really in the mood to make a big speech, but if pressed will say something about "Permission granted in the name of good relationships between our courts."

[misfit]

Harrune bows to Oberon. "Thank you Lord Oberon. If this is to be done, then it should be begun." With that Harrune steps onto the Pattern and begins to purposefully stride towards the center. Almost immediately the familiar resistance starts to slow his steps. Undeterred he continues forward.

As he turns the first curve, merchant's stalls appear along the sides of the path. Cosahr* will step out of one of the stalls and approach Harrune. “Greetings my Lord. You must be seeking something special to visit us today. What can we help you find?”

Harrune continues to walk, with Cosahr falling into step beside him. “I'm looking for a way to help the people of Amber. A way to build bridges between the courts. I want to, at least in a sense, turn four families into one clan.”

"Tsk tsk tsk, that's not the right answer at all. It is a lofty goal, but it is not what you really seek, now is it?”

The red pattern-line turns into a cul-de-sac formed of booths full of merchandise fading into the veil itself. Harrune looks quizzically at the lack of path ahead. Surely there must be a path forward?

He tries again. “Unity, strength and security for my home, my family, my court and all of Amber. That is what I seek.”

“Such pretty words, but not the real answer. You couldn't find that here anyway.” Cosahr ponders and thinks. “You say what you seek for others, but what do you seek for yourself”

“But I've already told you. Why are you delaying me? It just serves to drain my strength... my strength... ah, I see what you're getting at. Not quite strength, but power. The Pattern has already given me power, but not enough to do what I wish to do. I am walking this Pattern to gain social power at least. The credibility it will give me let me influence Amber...wield Power over it. Power to help my people. Power to keep us safe. I even plan to use the Power of the Pattern to spy on a likely enemy.” Harrune sighs deeply. “Very well, much I loathe to say it, I seek power. Can you help me find that?”

“Right this way my Lord.” Cosahr walks up to a counter, swings it up and leads Harrune through the stall and out the back side. Once clear of it, Harrune stands alone on the Pattern and continues forward in the face of greater resistance.
__________
*: The head of Harrune’s family in Amber.

[Spellbinder]

Spellbinder watches for a moment. "So, I understand he's facing something in there that we can't see, and unless he tells us we'll never know. And it's different for everyone, right?"

[Wyvern]

"That you can't see, perhaps." After a moment, Alys adds, "Of course, what I See probably correlates poorly with what he is experiencing; mental illusions are difficult like that." Another pause, then, "Not that 'illusion' is quite the right word, here."