07.12g Aftermath of Arrival

[Joshua]

Quin blinks, then grumbles, "Dammit, old man. You were right."

He will take a slow breath and force whatever jitters he may have away. "Aibne, at least you can walk the Pattern. I... Do you really not know my purpose here or are you being willfully blind, like Dworkin?"

He will look at Jiga, then back to Aibne. "You are both welcome to guess. But it doesn't matter right now."

He will trace along one of the welts on Aibne. "This would have killed most people. Here, I want you to think of the Pattern, like you were going to walk it. Or, were walking it."

[Draylen]

"You're the resident Wise Fool," he says, frowning a little. He closes his eyes, grimacing in distaste a little as he remembers the rich gold of the Pattern he walked, breathing out slowly. "Dworkin's left hand, who helps to guide and shape Those who Walk, questioning and causing deeper thought to unwise courses of action, until better ones reveal themselves. Aren't you?"

His hand, meanwhile, is twitching as he remembers the first veil he crossed, the coarse judgments he couldn't run from, the stones he couldn't deflect, the cuts and scrapes from faceless jeering masses tormenting him, until he fought back, and they were gone.

[Joshua]

Quin shakes his head then pauses. "Perhaps I am more used by Dworkin than I wish to admit. He is difficult to understand at times, and as much more than he appears as you think you see below the surface."

He watches Aibne.. the trump connection breaking shortly after the imaged walk begins. "That's the start, yes."

He will turn to Jiga eventually. "This mat take a moment... I hope you are doing well. I saw your concern for rogbar. He is... difficult to get close to."

[ShadowOfPreservation]

For the most part, she's been watching Aibne with an expression of frustration, wanting to speak but not wanting to interrupt whatever lesson Quin seems to be attempting to impart. She keeps her distance and watches with interest, nodding in response to Quin's comment. "I was hoping for some suggestions on how to approach him. Perhaps you might have some valuable wisdom on that front as well."

[Joshua]

Quin looks confused, then realizes you're serious. "He is a strange one to pursue. To be honest, it hasn't come up before. I would think that is the hardest part, overcoming his disbelief and desire for spectacle."

He will continue to guide Aibne through the mental pattern walk.

[Draylen]

The bear comes up to the second veil, pausing a little in front of it, before the memory of Dworkin spurs him on. He steps through it - and barring his path are his Masters, present and former. The man he studied story telling under, the chief of his first village, the dwarf who found him, the woman who bought him, and the cat who saved him bar his path, weapons drawn and ready.

"Cowards cannot keep what is theirs."

"Prove you have the strength to press on."

"Unless you're nothing but a mewling babe."

"Without honor, courage, or passion."

"Unfit to live."

The body of the bear whimpers, his hands clenching a little as he watches this. He almost backs up, but something tells him he can't, especially as his masters charge. Reluctantly, he bats away their weapons, just deflecting at first, but as he gets pressed closer and closer to the edge, he starts fighting back in earnest, slowly beating the shadows back to the abyss from which they came.

[ShadowOfPreservation]

Quin's comment causes Jiga to take her eyes off of Aibne and instead focus on the Jester. "Pursue? I'm not sure I'd say I'm pursuing him so much as I'm concerned about him after everything that just happened and thought trying to talk to him might help...but I barely know him so I wasn't sure how he'd take my bringing up the subject so soon after and prying into his business. I just don't want to make matters worse....but what did you mean by 'overcoming his disbelief'?"

Anyone with a half decent psyche can tell the comment caught her off guard and her words have a faint undertone of embarrassment though she hides it well for someone without any higher level traits.

[Joshua]

Quin will smile at Jiga. "Perhaps I misread. I''m not sure Rogbar believes in his desirability as much as he projects. Probably why he tries so hard."

He will continue to encourage Aibne... "Let me know when you are done. I can sort of see what's happening, but the ability you are using makes it hard to sense."

[ShadowOfPreservation]

Jiga seems to consider Quin's advice and insight thoroughly. She nods to Quin but remains quiet, observing to see what will happen. She's had little exposure to the real Power of Amber and is quite curious about it and eager to understand it better.

[Draylen]

The bear panted slightly as he kept his footing, striding forward from amongst the shades the Pattern thrust in his way. He moved, each step getting slower and slower, though he struggled to maintain an even pace, before he came to a complete stop. In front of him, though the path seemed clear, was some kind of great wall, harder than diamond and clear as glass. On the other side, just off of center, Dworkin stood, juggling the bear's pay from hand to hand.

"Oh? You want this? That's a shame," the old man taunted, as Aibne beat at the diamond wall fruitlessly. "Well, I guess you'll never live up to your potential." He thumbed his nose at the bear, and then turned, beginning to step into the center.

With a frantic roar, Aibne drew his sword and charged. The stone blade pierced the curtain of the third veil, and his feet guided him on the last steps of the pattern, just too late. The last thing he saw, as he stepped into the center, was his pay, hovering briefly in the air, seven large coins hovering in the air briefly.

---

The bear's eyes snapped open, his hand clenching and poised to strike, before he forced himself to relax. "It won't always be that painful, will it?" he asked Quinn as he leaned back a little, giving a soft whimper.