07.09g: Chance Meeting

[misfit]

Even with the festival running, there still have to be functionaries doing their jobs rather playing. Harrune should have some clue of who to talk to make arrangements so he'll start leading the way in that direction.

"It is always hard to say why Dworkin does the things he does. His mind seems to operate on a different level than mine...or most people's for that matter. Perhaps it was merely a question of waiting until Aibne was ready to walk the Pattern. You have pointed out that you are not ready, so perhaps that is why Dworkin has not chosen you. It is a question of not just being physically strong enough, but mentally as well. Perhaps he was just not in a proper frame of mind at first to give him a reasonable chance of success. There are few enough of us with the potential that I don't think Dworkin would take unnecessary risks, especially when patience can improve the odds."

[Joshua]

Osmund nods. "I think I'd collapse about halfway. I... Where I'm from I have great endurance, but, here..." He looks at Harrune. "I mean, how long can you fight without rest? My record was about an hour and a quarter. I haven't been able to test that recently though. I might have gotten better."

[misfit]

"Yes, the standards here are very different. I am definitely more than when I left the Tree...but then I was not yet an adult then either. Still, I do exceed the norms for my people considerably. How long can I fight without rest? Hmmm...that is an interesting question. I generally prefer to avoid fighting, and have done little since I arrived here. In fact I don't recall ever drawing a blade here in Amber other than a little sparring practice at home with my family. I know I can go without rest much longer since I walked the Pattern, but I haven't been in a situation that truly tested my limits since then. Personally I'm considering that to be a very good thing."

[Joshua]

Osmund will nod. "I've fought to exhaustion a few times recently. Mostly when traveling shadows." He will sigh.

There are organizers still around. The dwarves are able to accommodate him with basic quarters nearby the workshops. Actually getting a workshop space will take a lot more, but Cameron can work on that with him. This will take a bit... Osmund travels light, and has most of his possessions in his backpack, with him.

"I was a bit of a hero back home. but... I guess the gyrocopter I usually used helped a bit too much."

[misfit]

"Forgive me for saying so, but you seem a bit timid to be the hero type. Then again, maybe the stories get it wrong. I can't say that I know for sure. A hero is something I have never been. A celebrity yes, but never a hero." Harrune cocks his head. "The...gyrocopter?...helped too much? I'm not sure I follow that."

[Joshua]

Osmund will produce his backpack, with fold out rotary-blades and clockwork engine. "I can't seem to get it to run longer than a few minutes in Amber, and that's with near constant maintenance. At home... I ... relied perhaps too heavily on it and guns; I didn't get that much of a workout saving the world. It was strange putting the world back together, probably only worked because it wasn't a real place."

[misfit]

"Impressive...especially since you can make it function at all here. Sadly only working for a few minutes could have some unfortunate consequences. I would like to see that in action some time, when we can find a safe place to do so. As for relying on it and guns too much, I'm not sure of that. They were the tools you had and it sounds like you got the results you wanted. Can you fault a smith for using a hammer too much?"

"Hmmm...a thought just occurred to me. You said you were in trouble for trying to get into the Castle, correct? Were you trying to get in for any reason other than getting a look at the Pattern? I want the truth on that...word of honor."

[Joshua]

Osnumd will wince, but will answer. "I wish to be real. Only the pattern can grant that. I thought it one more obstacle."

[misfit]

"Well now that you've seen a Pattern and think that you can't survive it, I don't think we need to worry about that again for a while. We should talk to Cameron about getting you a pardon in the city. You mentioned wanting to teach him to be strong. The strength of the law is his to wield as well. Perhaps we need to remind him of that. People only seem to talk about that in terms of the extremes that we can take it to. That sometimes makes us forget the smaller, more subtle uses. I had that problem for a while myself. I still hesitate to use it to any great extend. There is always the risk that getting too comfortable with it could turn one into a tyrant. We need to make sure he doesn't go to that extreme either."

"And as for you, if he is to be your patron then you will need to remember that your actions will reflect on him. If you need to see a Pattern again, ask him...or me."

[Joshua]

The room you are in is about 10 by 15, not a suite, more of a simple guest room. Osmund is sitting on his bed, more of a slab with a few rolls of fabric on it to dull the hardness. He's facing the door, with a small workbench to his left, your right. Most of his possessions are either on the workbench, or hastily shoved into a trunk on the other side of the room.

Which puts Harrune in the right place to see the secret panel behind him open, and a blowgun dart almost hit Osmund. (although, you are quick enough to knock him out of the way, you can tell he is capable of dodging it on his own, even facing the wrong way.) The dart headed for you is trivial to deflect with anything handy.

Said panel is only open about an inch, although it's clear it can slide into about a two by two foot opening.