07.12b: A Light Walk Back

[Joshua]

(Sorry to be posting this here...)

Osmund will go with Cameron to trump back to the city and find supplies. If asked, he will point out that Alys is doing a better job than he could have.

[Wyvern]

"Exactly; that which is more real casts shadows, which are less real. Those can be places, or people, or... other things; I am not familiar with any of the locations you describe, but they are most likely parts of a single shadow - or perhaps a cluster of closely related shadows; the difference between the two can be subtle and largely academic."

Alys glances up at the sword she's carrying, then back at Ch'talo. "We have moved far enough already; the magic that was in this blade is gone. If you try one of your 'charms' here, it should not function."

[Chtalo]

Ch'talo regards Alys oddly, and peers at the sword. "The souls of the dead are forged to make that metal. I doubt it would lose its potency quite that quickly." Though as he says that, he extends his claws and begins to focus, trying to get draw the silvery metal out across them. They seem to shift a little, smooth out, but the metal he was used to coming there no longer appears.

"Well, this is troubling. I can feel the power still there, but it does not want to come forth. Perhaps I just need to adapt..." He frowns looking at his paw for a moment, then turns to the path.

"I can feel as we walk something changing around us, similar to some of the hellstorm paths I take to different hunting grounds, though nowhere near so harsh. Is this part of this shadowy thing you were taking about? We're getting closer to the thing that's casting... shadow realms?"

[Draylen]

"Don't stop walking," the bear grunts with some difficulty, keeping the marching pace going. "I don't know where we are, and I don't know if I can get back here if I drop you. I'd rather not find out. There's a lot more people here, and it's very taxing," he said, making his way forward step by step, changing the worlds to Amber one thing at a time.

[Wyvern]

Alys nods at Ch'talo. "Amber. The center of this side of... everything. As for powers... yes, it is possible to adapt, crafting spells that can be adjusted to fit the local shadow's rules. And you have the form of shapeshifting that is itself a lesser power - though you may find that not all of the abilities you are used to will function in other shadows; it is very easy to augment shapeshifting with local magic, and much harder to accomplish some of the same tasks when that support is not available."

In deference to Aibne, Alys does, in fact, continue walking - though she shows much less concern than the bear does; even if he's not sure if he can find people again, Alys is confident that he (or, if it comes to that, Tinder) can.

[Chtalo]

Ch'talo nods again, considering. "I can feel something different about myself as we walk. Fortunately I can still change shapes, but I will need to experiment before I have the full mastery I am used to. It's a strange feeling, to be hunting with only the strange shape's powers to assist. It will make the hunt more challenging for certain."

After a few moments of contemplation he looks up. "So.. I have never heard of this 'Amber' of the long shadows. What is it? What is it like? Who rules there?"

[Wyvern]

"It is... I am not sure 'shadow' is quite the right term anymore. But 'Amber' can refer to the local reality, or the city, or the castle, or one of its four courts. Its time flow is more real than other places, as well; Dworkin created the Pattern - and thus Amber - seven years ago; many of the shadows it casts came with millenia of history - and some spin time fast enough to have created millenia more during those seven years. But Amber itself is still young, a chaotic collection of people from thousands of different shadows."

"Dworkin is... in charge, in theory, but he does not really rule. Many of the place's problems stem from that; he has directly recognized only a single rank below him: that of 'Amberite', generally considered to represent those who have, or will, or could survive walking the Pattern."

"Unless over-ruled by Dworkin, or successfully challenged by another Amberite, their word is considered law and their power absolute. ...And note that I say Dworkin recognized this rank, not created it; if he were not present to declare such as law, the Amberites would still rule, by personal force of will or arms if nothing else."

"He has, however, split both Amberites and others into four courts. Amber, Rebma, Tir'na Nog'th, and Ht'gon An-rit. Three of those are distinguished as broad categories of people - those partially or wholly aquatic, or even just sailors, align with Rebma. Tir'na claims most 'fae', creatures of air or mind, and so on. Ht'gon is often seen as the court of 'monsters', though it also claims people of the earth - dwarves, for example - as well as some 'darker' or more primal 'fae'. And then Amber is reserved for 'humans', though I am not certain where the limits of that are; certain sorts of shapeshifters are considered a part of that court as well."

Alys then takes out her trump deck and goes through the current list of Amberites, stopping when there are two cards left in the deck and the Chariot is showing.

[Chtalo]

Ch'talo listens as we walk, though it's obvious he's also looking over all his erstwhile new companions travelling along.

"What are these? I understand with a new court it may be useful to have votive cards to know all the players, but these look far too detailed, more like fine portraits in such a small size. It would seem a waste of effort unless you can capture images through some sorcery."

[Wyvern]

"Not sorcery; Trump is... something else. Another invention of Dworkin's. And yes, there is a purpose to the cards; they allow travel, and communication, and potentially mental attacks, even across shadow, and with only a minimal degree of mental exertion from the one using the card. You will most likely get a deck of your own... whenever Dworkin gets to it."

[Chtalo]

"It's a very interesting political situation, it sounds. As long as it doesn't get in the way of the hunt I will be happy. It already sounds like it would be good for me to at least learn what can be learned about this... Power I am allied with."

He contemplates the cards for a bit. "I saw a couple pictures of locations - does it work the same way?"