Natalie thanked Cathal for the invite, but politely declined. "Desperately need to decide what to wear to these two upcoming balls," she sighed. "My idea of formal attire involves beads, buckskin, feathers, and face-paint." Pausing to give Winter a peck on the cheek, Natalie headed for the door. "Could use some guidance that's flesh and blood. God, I wish Alex were here. They always knew exactly what looked best on me. But we were worlds apart before I came here. Maybe there's a Shadow where they're still alive, where they never took their own life."

Winter had spent most of the breakfast sitting quietly and listening, but grinned at Natalie as she mentioned asking for advice. "Definitely wear a tux for one of them," she suggested as she got up to head back to her own room. She thought she had the room mostly mapped out by now, though.

"An electric, no...but I can drive a car."  His part of Ireland was still several decades from giving up petrol, he mused, but hoped to see the day come eventually.  Cathal took the keys and slipped the whole set into his pocket.  Assuming the man didn't offer any additional advice, Cathal headed for the elevators with a quick, "I appreciate it."

He pressed the button for the first level of the basements, eager to be out of the Mansion for a time.

"Not the same to drive as a conventional gearbox, take it easy on the accelerator when pulling away.
Do you know where you're going..?"

"Will do," the young man stopped to answer the Steward.  "And I was hoping that Zou Yan would point me the right way; I know it is about 2 miles away, just not which direction...  I'd like to visit this newer, modern city.  If you don't mind to put me on the right path?" he continued. "Any shops or attractions I should visit while there?"

"Zou-Yan mostly manages the mansion.
Getting to the Modern town is easy. Turn left out of the gate, not that you have much choice, and follow the road down to the bottom of the escarpment. The switch backs are all traffic light controlled and prioritize traffic coming up the escarpment. You won't be able to jump the lights.
At the roundabout turn right and just follow the road, it'll take you straight into the centre of town. I suggest you park in the Mizzurian car park. The car is chipped so the gate will let you in automatically.
Most of the shops in town are small, and most cater to the locals directly. About a third are also online in the mall."

Cathal nodded along at each stage of directions, "I think I have it.  Thank you again."

It did sound interesting; how big of a town could Cordelia had built from scratch?  She did have quite considerable resources, he supposed.  And what was her end goal here in this particular shadow, he wondered?

On towards the elevator he went, then down to the basement to see what kind of car a Fulgent was.  He put more serious questions out of his head for now, he would have plenty of time for that later.

There are 3 Fulgents in the garage. They have the following number plates,  "Mizz 155",  "Mizz 118",  "Mizz 105"
The Fulgent is a medium sized hatchback, about the same size as a Ford Focus. They are Black with the Mizzurian Logo.

So a few notes on the car..
The dashboard instrument panel is completely digital. All buttons and readouts appear/change according to the mode the panel is currently in.
The steering wheel is a bit more like a gamers or formula 1 steering wheel with a number of switches/buttons on the right and left hand side.
The "unlock" button on the fob just does that .. it unlocks the doors and disarms the alarm.
Pressing lock once locks the car. Pressing lock a second time, secure locks the doors and engages the alarm.
Pressing the car button does indeed open the trunk.. but doesn't unlock the doors.

To Start the engine, the fob must be inserted into the slot on the dash, and the driver must have the brake pedal fully depressed.
To disengage the parking break, if engaged - only required on a slope of more than 5deg, the engine must be running, the vehicle must be in "Park", and the brake pedal fully depressed.
To engage the parking break, the vehicle must be in "Park", and the break pedal not depressed (if your foot is on it it won't engage)
The left hand flick switch on the steering wheel changes the mode Park->Reverse->Neutral->Drive->Neutral->Reverse->Park
The mode can only be changed with the brake pedal fully depressed
The traction control mode and gear ratio (hi/low) can only be changed when in Neutral.
The parking break is not normally used when the vehicles are parked in the garage as the surface is level.

Cathal set his backpack in the floor board of the back seat and squeezed into the loaned Fulgent.  His height caused problems in certain cars but Cathal was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the vehicle felt.  It took him several minutes to get the key in place and figure out how to start the vehicle, but he soon heard the soft hum of an electric motor.  Cathal edged up to the garage door expecting it would open itself, but prepared to find the remote if necessary, and continued a few feet down the driveway.



The young man then waited to see if any of the other guests would be joining him for his jaunt into the city.


This message was last edited by the GM at 00:58, Sun 11 Sept 2022.

The next morning, Rhiannon awoke to another day of hypersensitivity and headaches. However, she actually felt like it wasn't as bad as the previous day. Maybe it was because she was building some of that resistance, or perhaps it was that she was getting used to it. More than likely it was a little of both. But since it was bearable, she decided not to go straight for the medicine. Instead, she crawled out of bed focused on standing upright and getting through her morning bathroom routine while doing her best to shut out as much as possible. It was masochistic, but she was tired of just wishing it would go away and wanted to put more effort into actively resisting it.

After a shower and a little makeup, Rhiannon put on one of her new swim suits. She chose one of the two-piece numbers. It was a classic string bikini with two triangles up top and one triangle for the bottoms. Only covering the essentials, it would show a lot of skin. But if she was going to relax under an alien sun, then why not feel as much of it as possible. Hopefully there weren't many prudes among her kin. Actually, she didn't really care.

Scooping up her sun glasses, the pills, and a towel, she made her way to the pool. When she passed the areas with a stronger trump source, she slowed to subject herself to it longer, then enjoying the diminished effect as she went on past.

Up on the roof, Rhiannon dropped her towel on a chair, then waded into the large pool. The water was soothing, and just the buoyancy took some pressure off. Allowing herself to float  with just her toes scraping the bottom, she relaxed and let stress melt away under the alien sun. She had no idea how long she was floating there, but it felt so much better to be in the water under the warm sun.

At some point she was done with being in the water. It was just time to get out and enjoy the heat of the day. Still dripping she spread her towel out on a lounger and laid out. So far she still didn't absolutely need the pills. In fact, the effect was quite muted where she was. So much so she felt like it was at a perfect level to practice shutting it out entirely. She was delighted with her luck. She could enjoy the sun and get relief from the Trump effect at the same time. She was going to be really tan when it came time for the big banquet.

OOC: Edited according to GM's comment
This message was last edited by the player at 17:49, Sun 11 Sept 2022.

Having finished shopping Cassandra got ready to go paint outside. As she was pulling out the materials she would need, she asked:

"Zou Yan, is there any way I can get a picnic lunch to take with me? Or anyway you can assist me in asking for it due to the language barrier?"

"I can relay your request for a meal suitable to be consumed out in the gardens, but I'm not aware that the kitchens are equipped to specifically deal with that sort of request. All the estate staff eat in the staff restaurant even if they work on the estate.

I would also remind you that the scanner should be arriving after lunch to enable a scan of your tattoos to be taken and added to your avatar. The latest eta I have is between 13:30 and 14:00."

With his breakfast and morning questions complete, or at least as complete as they can be at this point, Cormac makes his way out of the house. Walking to the gardens to the rear of the estate he wanders for a bit till he finds a spot near some running water. With that as his back drop he settles on a small, shaded area and begins to read the book he had received. How it might relate to his current experiences he wasn't sure but apparently it was the story of one prince's exploits in Amber. If nothing else it would be a good way to spend an afternoon.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:35, Thu 22 Sept 2022.

"Ah thank you Zou Yan for the reminder, if you could send that request to the kitchen for me. The food does not need to be fancy just something easy to eat by hand."

Before she headed out the door and downstairs, she made sure to set an alarm for 1 pm, Cassandra would head back around then for the delivery.

You head down to the kitchens where a dozen catering staff are in full swing, obviously preparing lunch.
Off to one side one of the cooks appears to be adding bits to some sort of cloth wrapping/package..
A chicken leg and wing, some pulled duck, two small chunks of cheese (one a cheddar type, the other some for of white crumbly cheese- made from either goat or ewe's milk), an apple, a pear, a small chunk of bread (still warm), sort sort of spiced dumpling, a tomato, and a couple of gherkins.
The inner wrapper looks to be some sort of waxed cloth, which she then wraps in a larger piece of linen cloth before handing it to you.
There is a door on the opposite side of the kitchen which obviously leads to the gardens..

With no one waiting, Cathal eased the car down the driveway, still trying to learn the temperament of the vehicle.  He slowed to a near stop and waved as he passed Alana and Natsuki, "Fine morning for a walk," he offered in greeting.  Assuming that the ladies did not need a ride, Cathal continued on his way quickly, eager to be on beyond the gates.  Cordelia's mansion felt like a gilded cage at times and Cathal was more excited to be free of the estate for a short time than he was about seeing the town.

Cathal did his best to follow the directions he was given; he was no daredevil and he took the  switchbacks carefully as he worked his way down towards the newly established town.  Cathal reached towards the main control display and tried to turn on the local radio, curious what kind of stations Cordelia would have allowed.

This message was last edited by the GM at 13:23, Fri 16 Sept 2022.

Cassandra smiled and nodded her thanks to the worker, for while she could not express her thanks in words it does not mean she should forgo politeness. Noting the door to the gardens she walks through the kitchen as quickly as possible hoping to cause minimal disruption.

Now outside food in hand and a bag with art supplies by her side, she set out to explore.

After a couple hours of sunning and brief dips in the pool, Rhiannon decided to explore a bit. The situation she found herself in was so surreal that she had just been reacting to the events. It wasn't like her. Usually she was more in control of herself and curious about the events unfolding around her. But she did concede to herself that being whisked away to another dimension by a reality warping demigod was excuse enough to feel a but overwhelmed. But that was fading with the realization that said demigod was her cousin, or possibly even a sister. The only conclusion Rhiannon could draw from that was that she was also a demigod who hadn't yet realized her power.

Feeling better about her circumstances and after,  long reprieve from the Trump sources gave Rhiannon the energy to go see things without being shown. The Trump sources all seemed to be in the mansion, so checking out the grounds seemed the better option. Steeling herself, she tossed her towel over her shoulder, slipped on her sandals, and toughed through the pain to go through the mansion until she found the back door.

Behind the mansion were the gardens, and they were breathtaking. Cordelia might have a bland personality, but her staff had a fantastic sense of style when it came to aesthetic. Rhiannon made her way slowly through, smelling flowers and enjoying the fresh air away. The further she got from the mansion, the better she felt, so she found herself moving away more and more until she found a small creek. Sitting in the shade, reading a book, was Cormac. She hadn't been yet directly introduced, so she approached, hoping he didn't mind her choice of swimwear.

"Hello, Cormac." Her Irish accent coming through strong. It had been a bit Americanized since she started at Harvard, but being around Cathal had brought it back to native. "I'm Rhiannon. I don't think we've formally met. It's nice to meet you."

In a few hours he had gotten a good ways into the book he had borrowed. It seemed to be the story about a Prince from Amber who had all the powers he was now being led to believe that would become his as well once he walked the Pattern. Somehow the story of the amnesiac Corwin resonated with Cormac. He felt so much empathy for him as he too found himself in a world he didn't understand and facing powers he couldn't yet comprehend. If nothing else it did give him some frame of reference for what he was going through now.

Hearing the voice and Rhihannon's approach he set the book aside and stood to greet her. She was one of his new batch of cousins that Cormac was trying to sort through and a smile came to his face. Her accent reminded him of home before the tidal wave destroyed everything and he was obliged to move to America. Her choice in swimwear was also eye catching and didn't hurt the initial impression at all.

"A pleasure, he said, offering his hand. "Please join me. It's very nice here in the shade. And a chance for some time to think...after all we've been through lately...well, lets just say it's a welcome relief."

Now that she was here he was wondering at her impressions of all of this. By now the things he had seen and heard had proven to him that Cordelia was on the level, at least for the most part. But another perspective would be welcome. There was just too much going on to really sort it all out just yet.

Smiling at the invitation, Rhiannon spread out her towel next to Cormac in the shade.  After a twirl, she collapsed into a reclining position propped up on her elbows.

"Thank you, Cormac." She reached across and shook his hand. "Getting out here is a relief for me too. Not only for the thinking, but also because I stumbled onto my trump powers a few years ago and now I'm sensitive those sources. For teh last couple days I've been absolutely miserable. Out here I don't feel it so much. So what are you reading today?"

After breakfast, Alana feels a very strong need, in fact more of a compulsion, to get out of the house and go hiking or climbing.  It is not like she lives in a barn or something but she definitely does not live in a mansion with servants, or personal assistants for that matter.  She is pretty sure that the PAs come from Cordelia's 'club' the Purple Dragon and that whole area of Cordelia's life is more than a little shady.  The PAs come across as, well, not quite escorts, more like geisha.  For all that they seem to be volunteers, Alana is not completely sure.

So she grabs some of her trail rations and gear and heads out the front of the building, down to the gate and finds the path just to the right-hand side, which leads toward the escarpment.  Finding her way to the edge, she peers over and smiles.  It is about 1000' down, which is a good long distance, but the face of the cliff is full of features.  While climbing up is difficult, climbing down, especially blind, is much harder because you can't really see so well below you.

Being a rescue climber, Alana feels at home on a sheer surface.  After donning her harness and shoes, and checking the rest of her gear (including pitons, carabiners, and climbing rope), she begins her descent, taking her time, stopping occasionally to enjoy the view.  As she descends, she reviews what she has heard since arriving.  Most of it was known to her but all of the these potential cousins is new and certainly some of the other revelation by Cordelia were interesting.  The thought of walking the Pattern is also exciting, especially for what it will open up to her and maybe she will be able to help Kasamir.

At length, sweating from the effort, Alana reaches the bottom of the escarpment.  After eating a bit of her rations, she wanders along the river until she finds a little effluence that creates a small pool away from the current.  Removing her harness and shoes, before stripping off her clothing and leaving it all in a neat pile, she jumps into the refreshing water and just floats there, contemplating the Universe.

EDIT:  Added more details on climbing equipment.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:32, Sat 24 Sept 2022.

His eyebrow arched up a bit at the mention of her trump powers. So perhaps his own sorcery was not such a novel thing after all. Maybe they all had manifested some sort of power. A precursor so to speak of their full power they could have after walking the pattern and learning the intricacies of it's use.

"I hope our new cousin can help you to control the power then," he said in a thoughtful tone. "It would seem we all have some sort of gifts that we need to learn to master."

For a second he was silent and then chuckled a bit at her question.

"It seems to be a story about one of our uncles and how he found his own powers again after having been lost and injured in shadow. I'm not certain how real any of it is but it uses a lot of the same buzzwords that Cordelia throws around. Maybe there is something to it but I haven't figured it out yet.

While we are on the subject though do you your skills give you any deeper insight to any of this? I'm still trying to decide if Cordelia is on the level or if she is playing a long con on us of some sort. Whatever the case it seems we need her to learn how to use any of the powers that would appear to be our birthright."

"Cousin Cordelia has been of limited help, to be honest. She plucked us all from Shadow with minimal explanation as to who we were to her and what our purpose would be. And by minimal I mean she was straight to the point and gave limited context. And then she made herself available for questions without ever really considering that some of us don't know what to ask. We spent so much time getting it all wrong. It would have been so much easier if she sat us all down in a lecture an explained it. I think she's being honest, it's just that she's such a shit mentor. It's almost as if she doesn't care."

Rhiannon rubber her leg with her foot. "But if we make a statement that's the slightest bit off the mark, she's quite quick to tell us how wrong we are. Those Zelazny books for example, she loves to point out how inaccurate they are. And I've seen a couple arguments explode because one of our number dared to care about where they came from. I suppose being an immortal princess of an eternal kingdom makes it easy to forget that the lives of mere mortals matter to those around them."

"As for my skills? I haven't been able to use them since I've arrived other than to make me susceptible to headaches and dizzyness. It's getting better though, so I suppose I'm learning something. I'm looking forward to walking this pattern. I just can't stand the waiting."

He couldn't argue with what she said about Cordelia. His own take on it was that their elder cousin...or whatever it was she was to them, had limited patience for a bunch of ignorant kin folk. Someone needed them all to be sure since they went to all the effort to get them here and make the pattern available to them. Something just felt off. But it could just be the whole immortal princess thing as Rhiannon said.

"I haven't been able to use mine either. Something about knowing the proper triggers to make things work outside my native shadow. Supposedly that will all become easier to understand once we walk the pattern."

He was silent for a moment, trying to order his jumbled thoughts. There was just too much that didn't make any sense yet though. He didn't look forward to the years it would likely take in order to become proficient with all the powers that had been described to him. It would have been much easier he supposed to grow up around other Amberites so they would have the right background information and experiences to make sense of it all.

"At least we seem to be immortal after a fashion. I'm guessing we are in for many years of catch up training. I don't enjoy the waiting either but looks like we are stuck with it."

Rhiannon nodded in agreement with Cormac's last statement. Waiting sucked, but of they truly were immortal, or at least would live for hundreds of years, then waiting a couple days seemed like a small frustration to bear.

"I gather that there is so much we just cannot fathom until we walk this Pattern and traverse shadow. Until then, we just have to be patient and accept that there is just so much we don't know."

Rhiannon spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and chatting with Cormac for as long as he wanted to stay. She was enjoying the reduced Trump effect. When it got towards dinner, she walked back slowly to push her will against the growing impact of nearing the Trump sources.