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Session 4.17 Index Session 4.19
Notes Taken by Samantha and Alastair Beadle.
In Rebma, we are having a discussion of the current situation and what we do about it.
Jihx proposes an organised non-violent opposition to Amber that refuses to co-operate with them - unless Amber is itself threatened - until they return to the negotiating table and agree to an Amber ruler supported by the majority of Amberites.
Whippoorwill points out that many of us would have accepted Random's kingship if Gerard had not opposed it initially.
Gerard shrugs.
Caitlin suggests finding the Unicorn of Amber to resolve the situation by asking it if Random is its choice for the throne of Amber. If it is, there is little we can do to change who is on the throne; if not, well, we shall see...
Gerard points out that, according to legend, the Amber Unicorn is our great grandmother, she and Dworkin having mated to produce Oberon.
Whippoorwill supports Caitlin's idea, but suggests we continue to pursue reform of the Amber system. He says we should still try to persuade Random to begin the path of reform.
At this point, much to Jihx's surprise, Moire suggests that it may be time for the Republic of Rebma. She says that this may put pressure on Amber to follow suit, as events are generally mirrored between the two realms, though not exactly.
Whippoorwill alternatively suggests removing some of Random's supporters, either by distraction or kidnap.
In the end we agree on a strategy in which Whippoorwill will talk to Random's supporters to see who of them are dedicated followers and who may be swayed to the cause of the Republic.
As an aside, Whippoorwill suggests an expedition into shadow to find a mode of transport for Jim. He sketches the creature he wishes to find in shadow - a four metre tall headless humanoid with a hollow in its chest cavity for an egg-like blob, which forms the intelligence of the symbiotic pair.
Some further discussion of Jim then ensues. Caitlin suggests making a Trump of Jim and using it to contact him.
This sounds like a plan, so Godofos agrees to attempt this.
Jihx's plan for an 'Opposition' or 'Council of Exiles' gains support from both Gerard and Moire. Moire suggests that it will also gain support from her and Jihx's children, Lillian, and Finndo Junior.
With this support Jihx agrees to draw up a statement for the group, dictating it to a secretary. This will outline our intentions of peaceful withdrawal of support to Amber, except if the security of the Amber shadow is directly and immediately threatened, until such time as Random returns to the negotiating table and supports a ruling system supported by a majority of eligible Amberites.
It is also suggested that the Hyper-Trump device is withdrawn and moved into our area of control.
And with this agreed, we all go our various ways...
Thinking that Corwin's Pattern might be the best place to start looking for him, Caitlin Trumps to the tree of Ygg and then from there to by Corwin's Pattern.
However, when she appears, she instantly sees that things have changed there. Instead of Corwin's Pattern and the tree of Drasil in the middle of a wide grassy plain, she has now appeared ten feet from the wall of a huge black fortress, whose surface appears to be a swirling black liquid, and which rises high above the ground in seemingly-random spires and buttresses, giving a spiky and intimidating effect.
Caitlin senses some magic and a couple of Trumps moving inside, as if on people.
She moves around the outside of the fortress, seeking a way in. After a bit she finds what appears to be a large closed orifice in the surface of the fortress, presumably leading inside.
"I would like to speak to Corwin!" she shouts up at the fortress.
After a moment a voice booms down at her, seeming to come from the fortress as a whole, rather than any specific point. It tells her that neither Corwin nor Merlin are in the fortress.
Caitlin accepts this, and makes to leave.
Before she goes, however, she summons down a dove of her desire. She writes a note, attaches it to the dove, and sends it off to Corwin asking for some of his time to discuss 'Patterns'.
With this done, she goes off to look for The Unicorn of Amber on this side of the tree of Ygg (the Unicorn having last been seen by the Abyss, giving the Jewel of Judgement to Random). As she moves away from Corwin's Pattern, she sees the dove curving back towards the fortress...
In Rebma, Godofos, Jihx and Whippoorwill Trump to The Hospital to see Jim. The medics there leap into action as we arrive, then relax as they see we are not in need of medical assistance.
We ask them about Jim, and are told that at latest report Jim still growing at the same rate, but is otherwise unchanged. We are then led to Jim's room in the Xenological Intensive Care Unit (XICU).
When we arrive, Godofos draws a Trump sketch of Jim in his 'Techno-Flowerpot', and once it is complete, hands it to Jihx to attempt the link.
Jihx concentrates on the card, with assistance from Godofos's. As they do this, Godofos senses that the mind is unconscious, which might hinder the Trump call a great deal.
Then suddenly we feel a mental twitch, and Godofos thinks that Jim is waking up!
Whippoorwill starts to stimulate Jim physically, prodding him gently and saying "Hello!" in a loud voice.
Jihx and Godofos continue to sense that the mind is waking up. As it wakes further, they sense that it is a rather small mind.
"Hello? Can you hear us?" sends Jihx.
"?" responds Jim.
Jihx projects an image of Corwin.
"?" responds Jim again.
Jihx projects an image of Jim.
"?" responds Jim a third time.
Jihx projects an image of Jim's food, and the Pattern.
"?" responds Jim again.
Jihx then tries projecting happiness.
"Mmmmm," goes Jim, in a 'this is nice' kind of fashion.
Jim gives similar responses to Parental Love and Excitement. He withdraws from mild pain.
Jihx then goes up to the egg and touches it, at the same time projecting an image of himself touching Jim.
"Oooh!" goes Jim in a surprised fashion.
A little more of this leads us to the conclusion that this is clearly going to take some time. That being so, Whippoorwill leaves Jihx and Godofos to it and returns to his forces in shadow. He collects a squad of bodyguards, his original Grenadiers, which he decides to refer to as retainers for now, for diplomatic reasons, and Trumps back to the Amber courtyard.
Upon arrival he goes to find Fiona.
In the shadows around Corwin's Pattern, Caitlin is finding Unicorns, but not the Unicorn. She does feel that she is making progress however, but it is taking time.
As she goes she checks the 'psychic fuzziness' she has been developing since she went to Tir-Na Nog'th in dreams. It is still with her, and still increasing in intensity, but other than the occasional strange look from some of the Elder Amberites (such as Fiona) and the constant dreams of Tir-Na Nog'th, it does not seem to be affecting her. Concentrating on the fuzziness fails to assert any control or other influence over it at all. Damn.
In The Hospital, Jihx leaves Godofos to Jim and goes to rally support for his 'Amber Council of Opposition'. He Trumps to Rebma and obtains a copy of the new declaration. This includes a list of all those of Amber blood eligible to be on the 'Constitutional Review Board', which contains everyone known to be of Amberite blood, but excludes Moire as she is not an Amberite, despite now being of Amberite blood. It also has space for people to sign up to the agreement.
Having been checked by Jihx, the Declaration is then signed by Jihx, Moire, Gerard, Connor and Nemain, all of whom are in Rebma.
Following this, he Trumps his children, and Greta, to convince them to sign it. Nuala, Eamon, Cassandra, Royce and Greta seem to be together in a cafe out in shadow somewhere, so Jihx goes through and joins them. He chats with them about what they have been doing since they walked the Pattern, and explains recent events, and the Declaration, to them. They all sign it.
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He then Trumps Godofos and goes through. He explains the situation and Godofos signs the Declaration.
After this he Trumps Lillian and, when she takes the call, goes through to her on the command deck of one of her airships. She too signs the Declaration. She Trumps Finndo Junior through from another of her airships, and he also signs it. Jihx then returns to Rebma.
Although he tries, he cannot get through to Caitlin, Skyrie, Arun and Gilgamesh. He does not attempt to get through to either Corwin or Merlin.
With all of that done, Jihx goes to the Hyper-Trump device, intent on travelling to the Courts of Chaos and getting Timandra, and the Courts generally, to sign up to the Declaration.
In Amber, a servant leads Whippoorwill to Fiona's suite of rooms. He knocks on the door, which is opened by a servant girl. He tells her why he is here, and asks to see Princess Fiona. The servant girl nods and goes back inside, closing the door.
Whippoorwill waits outside the door. After a little while it opens, and the servant girl invites him inside to meet Fiona. He leaves his 'retainers' outside, and enters.
Inside, Fiona sits in an armchair by the fireplace. Her rooms are a little bare, as what with Etienne's invasion, these are not her original rooms. She invites him to sit down, which he does. Whippoorwill then declares that he bears her no ill-will over his imprisonment, and offers his apology for trying to push the case for reform after "Gerard's regrettable welcome for the returning King."
He suggests that the subject of The Republic cannot be raised for "a few decades yet," although he restates his support for it.
Whippoorwill then asks Fiona why they have such faith in The Unicorn that gave Random the Jewel of Judgement.
"Because dad said in a vision in the clouds that the next King of Amber would be on the horn of The Unicorn, and it is at that point that The Unicorn appeared," Fiona says.
Whippoorwill this discusses further with her. Could The Unicorn perhaps have chosen Random to bring about reform of the Amber Court?
Fiona listens to this politely, but is un-swerved in her support for Random.
Whippoorwill then discusses her support for the attack on Amber by the Courts of Chaos.
She denies all knowledge of this act, and states that it is malicious slander against her and her brothers as they are not liked by the other Amberites for their scholarly ways.
With the discussion largely over, Whippoorwill cordially concludes his audience with Fiona and is escorted to the door by another servant.
He then goes off in search of Benedict.
Off in shadow, Caitlin continues her search for the Unicorn of Amber. After a couple of days she is still making progress, although in a zigzagging path, as if whatever she is following is moving in shadow.
Some days later she finds herself in an attractive woodland clearing. To one side the ground rises up in a small cliff with a waterfall tumbling over it into a pool. The grass is dotted with flowers. And standing on the other side of the stream is a small unicorn - a very Real small unicorn which Caitlin can sense has a Pattern imprint. A Primal Pattern imprint.
Caitlin approaches slowly. "Unicorn of Amber, I wish to speak to you," she says.
It cocks its head on one side but otherwise does not respond.
Caitlin gets to the far side of the stream from it, about ten metres away.
"I am Princess Caitlin of Amber," she says.
The Unicorn nods gently in response.
Caitlin tells the story of the recent crowning of King Random in its name, and asks it if this complies with its wishes.
The Unicorn appears curious and stares intently at Caitlin for a short while. Then it shakes its head.
"Was it the Unicorn - you - that came out of the Abyss?" Caitlin repeats.
A shake of the head, No, is the Unicorn's response.
"Do you know why they impersonated you?" asks Caitlin.
Another shake of the head.
"Did you know this had happened?"
Another shake of the head is the answer to this question.
Caitlin thanks the Unicorn, and then Trump back to the tree of Ygg. Upon arrival, she Trumps Jihx.
Jihx Trumps to the Hyper-Trump fortress and is admitted by the guards there. He enters the Hyper-Trump chamber, uses the device, and with quite a lot of effort opens a link to the Amber Embassy in the Courts Of Chaos. He steps through. He exits the Embassy Castle and the Embassy Way and heads for Thelbane, where the Senate is based. As he goes he notices that the streets have been tidied since he was last here.
As he approaches Thelbane across the Plaza at the End of the World he Trumps Timandra.
Quite quickly she takes the call, and when the link opens up, Jihx sees that she is out in shadow somewhere.
He compliments her of the effects of the Senate's rule over the Courts, but tells her things are not going so well in Amber.
She offers to bring him through, and he accepts, stepping through the link to discuss matters further.
Jihx tells her what has happened in Amber since we left, and about the Declaration.
When Jihx asks whether she will sign it, Timandra apologetically declines to do so, on the grounds that it is "meddling in the affairs of Amber." And also the fact that she is not the Spaceshifter's Senator. However, she does say that she will discuss the matter with the Senate, and perhaps they will send some emissaries to Amber as a result.
Satisfied with this, Jihx accompanies Timandra back to the Courts, and then separates from her to return to the Amber embassy while she heads for the Senate.
In Amber, Whippoorwill finds Benedict drilling some Amber troops in one of Castle Amber's many courtyards. He seems to be mainly assessing their levels of skill rather than actually teaching them anything, so they are largely fighting one another.
Whippoorwill approaches, but is given a curt command to "Wait" as Benedict continues drilling. Whippoorwill does this. He stands motionless for over an hour until Benedict finally dismisses the troops and turns back to him.
Whippoorwill repeats his apology for his part in the coup and tells Benedict that he does not hold any grudge for his resulting imprisonment. He reiterates his loyalty to Amber and King Random.
When questioned as Fiona was, Benedict also proclaims his firm belief in the Unicorn vision and its meaning, speaking in as few words as possible, and monosyllables where he can.
Whippoorwill presses Benedict on his support to Random. Again Benedict listens intently but sticks to his guns.
Elsewhere, from by the tree of Ygg, Caitlin gets through to Jihx at the Amber Embassy in Chaos. Caitlin tells him about the Unicorn, that she is certain this is the real one and that it is not the one that appointed Random King.
He goes through to discuss the Declaration with her.
After some discussion she also signs it.
Caitlin considers who could have created a fake Unicorn and who would be convinced by such a deception. After some consideration she concludes that Fiona and Bleys ought to be able to see through any deception, given their apparent skills with Magic and the Pattern, and would also be capable of creating one that would convince the other Elders. Hmmm...
Jihx asks Caitlin if she will present her findings to Amber.
She tells him that she thinks this will not work as Fiona has already branded her as insane.
Jihx then suggests that she returns to the Unicorn and asks it to come to Amber to represent its case. She agrees to this, and goes off to find it again.
Jihx Trumps back to Chaos see what the Senate will say to his proposal.
In Amber, Whippoorwill meets with Prince Bleys. He repeats his placating speeches but does not push him on his support for Random or repeat his questioning regarding the Unicorn.
They do discuss the Courts of Chaos, their defeat and the closer ties with them which we are trying to create. Bleys proclaims support for the whole idea of closer ties with the Courts of Chaos.
When Whippoorwill gives him half a chance, Bleys describes the battles with the Courts with enthusiasm and at great length, sweeping everything of a table to use as a model battlefield, and using various ornaments and so on to represent troop movements. As he talks he mentions his last-minute back-from-the-dead intervention, at Benedict's behest, and also the intervention of 'The Green Knight', who turned out to be Caine come back from the dead.
After the two of them talk about the battle for quite some time, Whippoorwill thanks Bleys, and leaves.
He then goes and meets with Florimel, and talks politely to her over a cup of tea.
Whippoorwill feigns interest in her stories and flatters her with compliments. She falls for this line and continues at length about her planned improvements to the Castle. Whippoorwill basically repeats to her what he has previously told Fiona, Benedict and Bleys.
Whippoorwill suggests that it may be time to review the uniform of the Castle Guards, for the new age of Amber.
Florimel leaps upon this idea with enthusiasm, leaving Whippoorwill with visions of the Castle guards being re-uniform in the style of the Vatican City Swiss Guards! [See this site for more on the Swiss Guards.]
Following his visit to Florimel, Whippoorwill attempts to meet with Prince Julian. Julian's servants tell him the Julian is busy, and ask him to wait.
After being made to wait for over three hours Whippoorwill is told, rather apologetically, that Prince Julian has left.
Whippoorwill leaves a message asking for an opportunity to meet with Julian at some time in the future.
The next day, Whippoorwill visits Caine, and again repeats his spiel. He Caine chat for a while, and Whippoorwill cannot help that although he talks in the same rather wordy style as Bleys, he very skilfully says nothing, not unlike Benedict.
One area where Caine does not simply dissemble is when he asks after his son, Skyrie.
Whippoorwill tells him what he knows.
With that done, Whippoorwill contacts Random's son, Martin.
Again, he talks to him of the same matters. Martin is obviously pleased that his father is now the King of Amber, and also seems to hope that the deal with the Courts of Chaos goes well.
After some discussion over whether Whippoorwill is grovelling to Martin or not, Whippoorwill expresses agreement with everything Martin says.
After this, Whippoorwill most notably does not attempt to contact Llewella.
From his various discussions, Whippoorwill concludes, not unreasonably, that the prime movers in the coup are Benedict, Bleys and Fiona.
In the Courts Of Chaos, Jihx receives a Trump call, which he identifies as being from Timandra.
He accepts the call, and she invites him to come through.
Jihx does so, and joins her in the Senate Chamber.
She tells him that the conclusion of the Senate's discussions is that signing the Declaration is not in best interests of the Courts of Chaos, given the current rather precarious state of affairs here. However, they have appointed two Ambassadors to go back to Amber to form the basis of the Chaos Embassy.
Timandra introduces Jihx to the Ambassadors, who are waiting outside the Senate Chamber. They are Mnemosyne Diplomat, and Telemachus Diviner. Mnemosyne is a tall, handsome (rather than beautiful) and impressive woman with light brown skin, bronze-coloured hair and blue-green eyes. She wears golden robes, and has a charming manner. Telemachus is of average height with a thin build, pale skin, cropped royal blue hair and sky-blue eyes. He wears white robes, and seems rather quiet.
They are both ready to leave right away, so Jihx thanks Timandra and bids her good day.
Timandra asks him to tell Whippoorwill that Alcina misses him.
Jihx agrees to pass this message on.
Jihx then leads Mnemosyne and Telemachus to the Amber Embassy, then uses the Hyper-Trump device and passes them through into the Amber Arrival Courtyard, coming through himself to establish their bona fides before the guard fill them full of crossbow bolts.
Whippoorwill decides to go and look in on Jim, and so Trumps to The Hospital. Upon arrival at the XICU, he finds Jim alone apart from staff and monitoring equipment. A nurse tells him that Godofos has gone off to attend to some business of his own elsewhere.
However, the Jim Trump is still here, so Whippoorwill tries it.
He gets through, and gets a slightly puzzled response from Jim, as if he were expecting someone else. He placates Jim by transmitting happy thoughts.
Whippoorwill notices that the texture of Jim's surface is subtly different in a few places. The medical displays also show some internal changes. The Xenologists tell him that Jim appears to be growing more brain, but have no explanation as to why this should be happening. They do tell him that Jim can apparently still not see, hear, taste or smell, only touch.
Whippoorwill asks the medical staff to research Jim's senses, to see if he is starting to respond to anything other than touch.
They agrees to find out what they can.
Whippoorwill then leaves them to it and goes off to find the headless egg-carrying humanoids he was searching for previously.
From by Ygg, Caitlin shifts through shadow for the Unicorn's pasture, where she found it before. This is rather faster than her last attempt, as now she knows where she is going.
Unfortunately, upon arrival, there is no sign of it there, or in nearby shadows, and it seems to have left no trail which Caitlin can detect.
Caitlin heads off through shadow to find it again from scratch, and finds herself heading back towards the tree of Ygg.
She Trumps ahead to the tree of Ygg and starts again from here. From here she finds that the path still heads towards Amber. Hmmm...
At this point, Caitlin Trumps Jihx.
Jihx and the Chaos Ambassadors have just been allowed out of the Arrival Courtyard into the Main Courtyard when Jihx senses a Trump call coming on. He identifies the caller as Caitlin, and accepts it.
She tells him about the Unicorn's apparent movement towards Amber.
Jihx wonders if it has decided to make an appearance itself.
Hmmm. They drop the link.
Caitlin goes to see Jim, Trumping off to The Hospital and heading for the XICU.
Upon arrival she speaks to Jim though the Trump Sketch Godofos made. She gets much the same responses from him as the others did. She spends some time with Jim, and after a while gets a wavering Jim-shaped image back from him.
After a long, long while a tentacle emerges from Jim and pokes Caitlin's hand.
Caitlin strokes the tentacle but it starts to engulf her hand.
She berates him gently and he stops.
Later she convinces him to turn the tentacle into a hand.
He does this, then gains a normal looking arm.
Pleased, Caitlin continues with this training.
Out in shadow, Whippoorwill finds his symbiotic entities quite quickly. He finds a recently 'egg bereaved' symbiont and tells it that he can replace its egg.
The symbiont allows itself to be lead off to The Hospital, where they find Caitlin and Jim with his new arm.
Whippoorwill is impressed by Jim's new arm. He introduces Caitlin to 'Susan', the four-metre-tall egg symbiont.
They attempt to explain what they are doing to Jim as they lift him onto Susan's shoulders.
Jim sits in Susan for a while and Caitlin tries to explain to him what is going on...
Session 4.17 Index Session 4.19
The "Now These Her Princes Are Come Home Again" Top Page.
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