Raevyn's Prelude - Neptune House - gone public

[Wired*Nun]

A stiff seabreeze ruffled Raevyn's hair as she leaned her hips against the railing overlooking the rocky cove. She would like to have set up the easel here, but the wind was a bit too much for good painting, so she remounted and guided Spindrift down toward the beach where the high rock walls sheltered. The mare knew the way, and so had little trouble with the steep trail.

Partway down she paused. Something coming round the southern headland caught her eye. It looked like a yacht, perhaps a sloop, about forty feet, lateen rigged. She paused. Perhaps she should retain the height, and her line of retreat. Father was always telling her how she should be wary, especially when alone. No one had ever proved him right...but she wasn't stupid. Father didn't get his scars from industrial accidents.

She dismounted, fished in her saddlebags, and sat down against the hillside. A spyglass would have been in keeping with her lifestyle. 8x50 Zeiss binoculars were more useful.

As the yacht came up from the south she could see a tall, athletic woman at the wheel. She looked familiar. She wasn't any more familiar as the boat turned in to the cove docked at the small pier. Raevyn could see two men on the boat, crewmen apparently, for they stayed aboard and began to make secure while the woman jumped off onto the dock and made her way up the path.

Well, she didn't look hostile, but Raevyn pulled out a trump of Dad anyway, and held it low and out of sight. Now she wished she had taken along the derringer that Dad insisted she learn how to use. It was nice to be a member of the royal family sometimes. Benedict had clamped an impenetrable cordon onto whatever shadows could produce the propellant that worked in Amber. It was a state secret, but Gerard had arranged for her to obtain a couple of dozen rounds. Not much good when she left it home. She resolved to carry it more often.

The woman climbed on up the trail, finally approaching with a smile and open hands. She was armed only with a dagger on her hip, still strapped into the sheath. She was also breathing deeply from the climb. Not of the blood, then. And still familiar...

"Vinta Bayle! How nice to see you again." It had taken this long to remember, but then, she hadn't seen Vinta in over a year, and before that, not more than a handful of times. She slid the trump into her pocket and extended her arms for a hug. It felt good. Raevyn didn't have many close friends. Well, Vinta wasn't that either but, anyway... She was a woman, and they shared a tragedy. Suddenly the thought of some girl talk was attractive.

"Mount up. Spin can carry us both." Vinta waited until Raevyn mounted, then swung up behind her. "Normally I wouldn't mind walking, but these boots aren't really broken in yet."

"So what brings you here?" Raevyn looked back over her shoulder at Vinta. "Let's wait till we get to your house, shall we? It's hard to talk to the back of your head." "Okay." They rode in companionable silence for the few minutes it took to reach their goal.

The stableboys took Spindrift, a bit surprised at her quick return. Raevyn grabbed the easel and art supplies, and headed in the back door. The staff called warm greetings as they headed inside and upstairs. "Tea on the veranda please, Colleen," Raevyn said to a woamn washing her hands in the kitchen sink.

They enjoyed the view until the tea arrived, along with an assortment of home-baked butter cookies. Raevyn was glad Father had made her learn hand-to-hand forms and practice every day, if only to keep the weight off.

Vinta shut the doors to the house and came back to sit down across from Raevyn. "Is this a social call, or is there something more?"

"You know, that's what I like about you, Rae, you haven't yet acquired your family's penchant for infuriating banter yet. I loved Caine in spite of that quality, not because of it. So, I'll get to the point." She leaned forward and put down her teacup. "I got a call today." Vinta looked steadily at Raevyn.

"You mean...a Trump call? You're not family, no offense. And who has a Trump for you? I mean, I never made one..."

"Well, Caine did. And I don't know whatever happened to his Trumps. They weren't on him when he was killed. Caine was the only one who ever called me before...but from my understanding, this seemed an unusual call." She paused again, looking worried.

"Okay, I'll bite. In what way?"

"Well, I don't know who - or what - called me. I felt the call, and soon I saw some kind of...glowing thing. I can't really describe it. It was made of squiggles and lines, so maybe it has something to do with that Pattern you royals are so fond of. On the other hand, Caine never told me about anything that looked like this. It was smoking, and spinning, and crackling like a pitch-fire." Vinta bit her lower lip, ran her fingertip around the rim of her teacup. "It gave me a message for you." Vinta looked up from under lowered brows. "It said your brother needs you."

(all yours)

[LynMars]

Raevyn frowned, tilting her head and studying Vinta carefully. "What do you mean? I have no brother--that I know of. Are you sure about this, Vinta? The whole thing seems rather odd." Raevyn flicked her eyes downward as she picked up a cookie, searching her memory for any reference of something like what Vinta had described. Not having gotten out much or being very experienced in many things beyond her arts, nothing was coming immediately to mind.

[Wired*Nun]

"I don't know either. That's all it really said. Well. What it said exactly was, let me see if I can quote it properly...'the son of Gerard the Amberite has need of his daughter,' I think. Something like that. Formal speech patterns, ghostly. I couldn't figure out why it called me, except perhaps that it had my Trump and knew that I knew you...you are the only daughter of Gerard I know of. And I didn't think you'd want anyone to know about this before you did yourself." She frowned to match Raevyn.

Raevyn had no memory or hint that Gerard ever had a son. Still, this is not conclusive.
Rae's impression is that Vinta is being honest and forthright in her story...but Father's words still echo through her better judgment: "Trust no one you do not have to."

"If you did have a brother, and he did need you, what do you think you would do?"

[LynMars]

"Well, I'd...I'd see if I could help him. I mean, I don't see why my family has such a double-dealing reputation; I know I haven't met many of them, but no one can be so bad, all the time. I just...I have no idea really how to start. If I have a brother, why wouldn't Father have told me about him? Do you think I should ask him about this? He's bound to know more about this sort of thing than either you or I.""

[Wired*Nun]

"No doubt that would be the best thing to do. Is he around? Can you Trump him? Maybe he has good reason not to tell you. Maybe he doesn't know himself. Your family has been surprised before by this type of thing."

[LynMars]

Raevyn thought for a moment, then went to the door. She quickly found a servant. "Excuse me, have you seen my father? Is he on the grounds?" The Trump was at the top of her deck, but she didn't want to resort to that yet if he was somewhere nearby.

[Wired*Nun]

The servant replies, "No milady, he took Colossus and went riding into the interior early this morning. He said he would be back by nightfall." The servant waits expectantly for more instructions.

[LynMars]

Raevyn nods. "Thank you." She returns to the veranda and Vinta. "He'll be back this evening, likely in time for dinner...Do you think it urgent enough that I try to Trump him, or should we wait? I really don't know what to do about this. He may not be very happy about it."

[Wired*Nun]

Suddenly Raevyn feels some kind of paranormal disturbance behind Vinta. There is a glowing of some sort, not Trump, beginning to form behind Vinta's left shoulder, near the veranda railing.

[LynMars]

Raevyn's obviously startled by the sudden odd sensation. "Vinta, behind you! Is that it?" She moves off to Vinta's left side, trying to get a better "look" at whatever the disturbance, both visually and with any of her other senses, including psychically. Just to be safe, since she doesn't imediately recognize the paranormal signature of whatever this is, she'll start working up the Pattern for defense; better safe than sorry, as Mother used to say.

[Wired*Nun]

"Crap!" Vinta jumps up from her chair and backs toward Raevyn. The disturbance grows to become a glowing ball of sparking, spitting energy. There seems something pattern-like about it, though she have never seen its like before. "That's the thing I saw...looks like it followed me." Vinta has her dagger out now, and reaches behind her to open the glass doors to the house.

Raevyn's other senses don't reveal much more than her eyes; the tile deck is not burning, there is no smell, and nothing looks different psychically.

Then something resolves itself inside the glow: a picture of a man. Large, he resembles your father a great deal. He is wearing something vaguely nautical, and seems to be struggling mightily, in slow-motion, with a smaller man with white hair. The white-haired man has a dagger aimed at the larger man's eye, and it looks as if he will be able to plunge it into him within a few seconds.

Though not a Trump contact, she feels this is an accurate representation of some reality, a real picture of some sort.

[LynMars]

Her curiosity getting the better of her, Raevyn steps a bit closer, biting her lip as she concentrates on the distressing image. She doesn't recognize either man, but it seems so real, so near."What are you?" She murmurs, only half-expecting any sort of response.

[Wired*Nun]

The big man turns and looks at Raevyn, making eye contact. "Help" he mouths.

This seems a damned obviously clumsy ploy, unless it's true. That's the problem with truth, you never know where you'll find it, even sometimes among the obvious.

Vinta grabs Raevyn's arm. "I'm really sorry I led it to you. Can we get out of here somehow? Get some distance, trump out to someone who knows about such things? Do you have a Trump of Merlin? I met him once, he is a sorcerer, isn't he?"

The thing is drifting closer. A long few seconds and it might enter her personal space. The door is open behind the pair.

[LynMars]

Raevyn's eyes widen as the man responds to her. When Vinta grabs her arm, it shakes her from her surprise. "Vinta, get out of here!" She backs away herself, hands fumbling for her Trumps. Instincts are conflicting; escape seems prudent, but what if it is real? If someone needed her help, could she just leave them like that? In any event, the doubt slows down her reaction time, but she does have her Trump of her Father out--the question being will she have the chance to use it?

[Wired*Nun]

It seems likely that she will not be able to do more than contact him before the thing contacts her, so to speak. She could probably escape or pull him throught, if nothing else delays the action. However, she could buy some time by moving backwards into the house. You do seem to remember that Father said something about the house having basic wards in place, renewed by Fiona every few months.

Vinta has backed into the house, and seems to be yelling something at the servants.

[LynMars]

Raevyn steps backwards into the house, still facing the glowing scene. She glances down at the card in her hands, trying to form contact with Gerard. She holds the card up, keeping the glowing pattern in her peripheral vision. Concentrating on the card means not being overly aware of whatever else is going on around her, however.

[Wired*Nun]

The thing bumps up against the doorway, and the outline of the door begins to glow. Raevyn feels heat, as something resists the passage of the construct. It seems to ramp up in energy, and the doorframe starts to smoke with physical heat. Good thing the walls are of stone. Vinta is yelling for water buckets from the servants.

Contact with Gerard comes clear. He is sitting, eating, shirtless, the background a forest scene. As the contact forms, he seems to sense Raevyn's distress, and grabs something outside of her view.

[LynMars]

"Father! Something followed Vinta here; it's trying to get in--we think it's after me! I don't know what to do!" The words tumble out, Raevyn trying to get as much information as possible in as little time as what she had. The scene the glow shows still distresses her, but so does the fact that this thing is so persistent, and she still has no idea what it is or why it's coming after them...

[Wired*Nun]

"Come through, girl, and bring your friend." He reaches for Raevyn's hand. "And tell the servants to clear out! Get to Arden or Amber, and let someone know!"

[LynMars]

"Vinta, grab on! Everyone else, get out of here! Get my uncles!" Raevyn calls out, reaching out for her father. She hopes Vinta complies before Gerard pulls her through--knowing Dad, he'd probably yank her out the instant he had physical contact.

[Wired*Nun]

Indeed, Vinta is too far, or too slow, for Raevyn is pulled irresistably through the Trump, and set lightly on her feet behind the living wall of her father's flesh. Hopefully she would get them all out and either down to her boat, or off to safety overland.

Gerard has a large wood-axe in his hand, and you notice a partially-built log cabin off to your left. Colossus is cropping grass peaceably a ways away, and fresh-cut logs and tools are stacked nearby. A partially-eaten picnic lunch is spread on a blanket.

The Trump contact fades somewhat slowly, as Raevyn feels the energies contesting in the doorway bleed over into the Trump contact. Gerard seems to have felt it too, for he says, "And what in the Unicorn's name was THAT?" He puts the axe down gently, and with a touch of embarrassment, pulls on his shirt.

[LynMars]

Raevyn rubs her forehead, brow furrowed. "I'm still not sure. It wasn't a Trump, but...it was something real. Vinta Bayle came to the house--you remember her, don't you? Uncle Caine's lady friend? She said...that that thing had shown up before, and gave her a message for me. She said...Dad, do I have a brother?"

Raevyn quickly spills the entire story, including the image she saw in the glow, finishing up with a deep breath. "...And that's about it. I think. Um, may I have some water, please?"

[Wired*Nun]

Gerard hands her a skin of water, then holds up a half-filled bottle of wine inquiringly. If she wants some, he will hand it to her after drawing the cork carefully, with his nails. If not, he sets it back down, and himself next to it, on a fresh-cut log, patting the spot next to him.

"I don't know...I thought I had been careful. I am not one to have abandoned a child...but it is possible. We have all been foolish when we were young. I can say for sure that I have not fathered anyone except you in the last...oh, hundred-ish years." He falters a bit, and reaches out tenderly to cup Raevyn's jaw in one huge paw. "I told you about Cora, so long ago, who died along with our girl in childbirth. So long ago. I didn't want to risk any more children for a long time. Still, I had a few companions, here and there. With shadows...who knows." He looks off into the middle distance for a time, lost in reverie.

He snaps out of it suddenly, asking, "Do you have a trump of Neptune House?" [OOC - Presumably the answer is yes] "I think we should look in on what is happening there. Can you observe without too much risk?"

[GM- please put a list of all your trumps in your character concept forum. Anything odd, please justify.]

[LynMars]

Raevyn drinks the water, and takes a sip of wine, as she sits next to her father. She doesn't disturb him in his reverie; memories like that often came unbidden to one who had done as much as he had, and it was best just to let him think. When he asks about the house, she pulls out her Trumps again, biting her lip as she looks at her careful painting of their home. "I think I can just take a look, without attracting too much attention. Give me a moment..." She concentrates on the image now, trusting her father to protect her from anything that might happen.

[Wired*Nun]

The view of the main hall comes quickly. Unfortunately, she has not the skill to see anything else than this one view. She can see nothing amiss, but nothing is happening either.

[LynMars]

After a time of trying unsuccessfully to sense anything wrong, Raevyn breaks the connection and shakes her head. "I can't tell if there's anything going on; I just see the front hall. It may have left when I Trumped away. I hope so, anyway. I wouldn't want Vinta and the servants to be hurt."

[Wired*Nun]

Gerard looks around at his unfinished work, and sighs. "I really wanted this cabin finished by the end of the week. Why do I get the feeling it won't be? I guess we'd better report in. Whatever this is, we need some advice." He reaches for his saddlebags thrown over his log seat, and pulls out a mother-of-pearl inlaid card case. He shuffles through the cards, which look tiny in his hands. "I sure wish Caine were here. I hate involving Fi, she always has too many balls in the air, and I'm no juggler. Random trusts her, but I can't keep track." He looks at her card a moment, then shuffles it away. He draws out another, that of the great hall at the Palace Amber. He makes to send Raevyn through first after observing briefly, saying, "I want to set things in order here, and you can get a groom with a broom and pan. Probably best to get Colossus out of there and into the stables as soon as possible."

[LynMars]

Raevyn eyes her father's horse; he earns the name Colossus; she can't even see over his back. She nods, and prepares to step through. She's only been to Amber a few times, and never alone. But Dad would be coming through right behind her, and she should be fairly safe in the castle itself.

[Wired*Nun]

[Sorry, somehow missed your post till now - feel free to prompt me with a PM]

Stepping through to the Main Hall, Raevyn sees Flora, apparently engaged in giving a private tour for a couple of formally clad dignitaries. Not sure from what shadow or country they might be. They glance her way, trying not to stare as the rainbow effect fades. Flora pauses in mid-sentence and cocks an eyebrow in Raevyn's direction, noting with her usual near-telepathic sense for emotional states that she seems a bit out of sorts. Flora murmurs something to the couple and leaves them admiring Dworkin's famous "Unicorn Rising" above the Great Mantel. She takes Raevyn's hands in her own, drawing her smoothly aside and seats them both on a divan. Hands still holding, she says softly, "Tell me all about it. Is it some man?"

[Let's move this out to "Great Halls of Amber," give the others somethine else to read in their spare time.]

[LynMars]

Raevyn sighs; Flora always asked her that. One would think she'd know better by now; Rae loved her father, and didn't usually mind him being protective...but sometimes, he could be a little too overprotective. "No, Aunt Flora, it's not a man. It's...actually, is Fiona about? Father and I will need to speak with her. And we'll have to get the stables ready; he's bringing his horse through with him. And I suppose the rooms will have to be prepared...Tell me, has anyone heard anything from Vinta Bayle yet--oh, wait, she'd still be up near the house..." Raevyn sighs. "I'm sorry. It's been a long, strange afternoon."

[Wired*Nun]

(((Not sure if I ever put this out public, here it is perhaps again, You will note I had not yet got the use of present tense consistent, but I hope it's not too distracting.)))