Breakfast as usual will be served between 8am and 9am. Cordelia will appear just after 8:25.

When you wake you'll notice several things..
You have an immense urge to use the toilet..
You're thirsty..
You're hungry..
You're naked and in your bed..
You probably smell more than a little and could probably do with a shower..
If you check the clock you'll find you've been out-cold for between 39 and 60 hours..(see below)
Everything seems a little more real.. at little clearer to your vision, sounds a little sharper, smells a little more vibrant.
And if you concentrate on "what the current time is" you'll know exactly what time it is in Carnelian.


08 Jux 00:40 Blake wakes up
08 Jux 01:29 Alana wakes up
08 Jux 03:10 Winter wakes up
08 Jux 03:23 Edward wakes up
08 Jux 03:40 Cathal wakes up
08 Jux 03:42 Rhiannon wakes up
08 Jux 04:04 Cassandra wakes up
08 Jux 04:58 Kenneth wakes up
08 Jux 05:20 Natsuki wakes up
08 Jux 05:47 Cormac wakes up
08 Jux 06:30 Natalie wakes up

As you've all been unconscious/asleep for a significant period of time none of you will require any more rest.. Amberites can get away with 2 hours sleep a night for your average "normal" day, 4 if they've been pushing themselves. Most sleep for about 5 because that's more normal in the human population.

Sunrise is 05:27 for those that are interested..twilight starts at 05:11 and ends at 05:37. Daylight starts at 05:38

Once thing I have just remembered in relation to Rhiannon, Natalie, and Cassandra.
When you first wake you'll get a 'reminder' that you haven't completely mastered the art of blocking Trump sources, at least in the few minute transitory phase of being asleep and being fully awake and conscious. Rhiannon will get the sharpest reminder since she's closest to the strongest source. You can all now mostly cope, once awake, with being in close proximity to everything except either Cordelia's sword on it's own, or the aggregate of Cordelia+Trump Deck+Sword.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:06, Tue 08 Nov 2022.

Kenneth will get up from bed and get ready for the day. What's the weather like?

What date is it? Has it really skipped a day?

Blake wakes up with an electric feeling he's never experienced before.  The world is full of new feelings, strangely heightened versions of familiar sensations: the sheets softer against his skin than he's ever felt, the sense of wakefulness in his mind sharper, the shape of the room and its furniture strangely clear, even in the dark.  He can smell himself, and feel his hunger, the unpleasant sensations heightened too.

Never one to dally in bed, he is up and moving as soon as the thought occurs to him, wrapping himself in a robe and grabbing a pair of trunks as he heads for the bathroom down the hall.  He wonders what time it is, and somehow the information is immediately there, in his mind, precisely 43 minutes past midnight.  Hot needles of water scour him, but a quick rinse is all he has patience for, his sudden boundless energy and his intense hunger call him to other places than the shower.

He heads downstairs, padding quietly on bare feet wearing only swim trunks, and he wanders the house until he finds the kitchen.  Surprised to see that it's staffed (as he's never been here this late), he automatically greets the night cook, apologizing for his lack of clothing, explaining that he needs a snack before his run.  He stops himself, remembering that he doesn't share a language with the natives, but he's shocked when the cook returns his greeting, and asks him what he wants to eat.  He asks for a simple sandwich, and as he waits, he thinks about the change - somehow, now he can understand a whole new language... a fascinating development.

He avoids the front door, heading out the side door from the kitchen to the gardens, and he is off and running - barefoot, almost naked, the cool night air invigorating on his skin.  The circuit around the estate is a bit too long for the 4k's he does in competition, and too short for proper orienteering, but it will have to do.  He pushes himself - he's always had trouble finding the boundaries of his endurance, and he feels more energized than he ever has.  He thinks about what's changed, and the conclusion seems obvious - the Pattern has changed him, enlivened him.  Recalling what they were told, he thinks it must be that it made them more of what they already were.  He pushes himself, harder and harder, extending his sprints as long as he can between periods of loping recovery.  For the first lap, his mind wanders, thinking of random tidbits of memory from the past few days, recalling moments from his childhood, and things he read in his books, that all contain nuggets of the truth of being that he's now experiencing.

But as he gets warmed up, his mind quiets, and he finds the calm place he was looking for - existence in the moment, without thought or feeling, perfectly attuned with the world around him, submerged in the rhythms of heartbeat, pounding feet, puffing breath.  He suppresses the satisfaction from having achieved this state so quickly, and just exists in each moment, alone in a universe of his own awareness.

He runs three laps that way, before thoughts intrude on him again, and becoming aware that it has just passed 4 o'clock,  heads into the house.  Not wanting to make a fuss at the front door, he heads back in the side door where he left, wiping his feet on the grass so he doesn't track mud into the house, and heading up to the mens' wing.  He still doesn't feel tired, though no longer feels like he's ready to burst with energy, and he takes a longer shower this time, shaving, and soaking in the hot steamy rain.

He spends the rest of the early morning hours reading, but heads down to breakfast at the earliest opportunity, a few minutes before 8, now dressed properly in jeans and a loose-fitting white shirt, making a conscious effort to be polite by not bringing a book to the table, for once.  He helps himself to a very large portion of scrambled eggs, bacon, and hash browns, orange juice next to his plate, sitting opposite the door so he can see and greet the others when they enter.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:45, Thu 10 Nov 2022.

Alana wakes up with a myriad of thoughts vying for her attention.  Chief among them are those regarding bodily functions and she throws off the covers and makes a bee-line for the bathroom to take care of the first and most urgent of those.  She does not bother putting on any clothing but she does grab the bottle of water she keeps on her bedside table at night and chugs it as she walks.

Sitting on the toilet, she contemplates a few of the other thoughts.  She wonders how long she has been asleep and therefore what time it is and realizes that with a little bit of concentration she can tell that it is now 01:31.  Interesting.  She has always had a very good sense of direction but time sense was never exactly her forte.

Next, 'why is she naked?' and 'how did she get that way and into bed?'  She recalls thinking about Kasamir after walking the Pattern but things are a bit fuzzy after that.  'Fuzzy' like falling into a vat of cotton candy.  And where is Kasamir?  She would like to get his perspective on things and he would probably know what happened to her after she walked the Pattern.  She hopes it isn't anything creepy.

Her business done, she takes a long, hot shower.  Taking her time, her mind wanders and she tests out what she has noticed to be her slightly heightened senses.  She spends several minutes listening to the sounds of the water splashing, marveling at the beauty of it.

By around 02:00, hunger and thirst are vying for lead bio-issues in her brain and she decides to get dressed and head to the kitchen to see if anyone is about to procure some food and beverages.  Finding the Night Cook, she smiles pleasantly, introduces herself, and asks if it would be possible to get some fish and chips or a few sandwiches otherwise.  She can't remember being this hungry.  Some water and coffee maybe too.  Yeah, lots of both.

She thanks the Night Cook for whatever she is able to obtain and digs in with gusto.  She spent a bit of time in food service and it was about the worst job she ever had.  So being polite to the staff is a priority.  Anyone willing to feed her is automatically a friend.  She is pleased to find that she can understand the Night Cook,  another side benefit to walking the Pattern, apparently.

When she is done, she decides to sit outside on the porch and wait for the sun to rise.  That is always one of her favorite parts of the day.  She tests out her sense and any other changes the Pattern has wrought as she awaits dawn's rosy fingers creeping above the eastern horizon.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:33, Thu 10 Nov 2022.

"Good Morning Alana. Good to see you’re awake again. As to where I am currently, I'm perched on the crenulations on the edge of the roof of the Keep.

In answer to your other question, after you re-appeared on the balcony of your room, which is where I was at the time, it was just about all you could do to stagger to your bed where you collapsed. A little after 1pm Grace and Jasmin came and put you to bed properly."

In reply to Kasamir (msg # 6):

Alana is a little surprised and rather proud of herself for having made it all the way from the balcony to the bed in the condition she was in.  She invites Kasamir down to sit with her if he'd like but is fine if he is happy where he is.  She is not sure if he wants to know anything from new-Alana or has any wisdom to impart that would not have been useful prior to walking the Pattern.

This message was last edited by the GM at 09:45, Fri 11 Nov 2022.

Winter awoke. Was this like what a hangover was like? (She didn't know. She'd never had enough alcohol to get her drunk.) She was back in her bed somehow, facing the wall with the sword. The clothes she'd worn hadn't come with her, but she had other needs right then than thinking about it. Toilet, then shower. After cleaning herself off a bit, she set the showerhead on massage and spent the next half hour just letting the hot water pound her brains back into her head. That Pattern thing packed some punch.

She wondered what time it was...precisely 3:47 local time. Huh, how'd she know that? She shrugged, slipping back into her calm acceptance of the dream logic of this whole situation. Once she got out of the shower, she threw on a yukata from the wardrobe and spoke. "Zou Yan, can you check to see if Jasmin is awake? IF she is, can you have her raid the pantry - or whatever is set up for a midnight snack - and bring me some cold cuts or other easy food? Thank you."

"All of your assistants are currently asleep but I have relayed your request to the kitchen, and the Night Cook will be with you as soon as she can."

This message was last edited by the player at 11:50, Sun 13 Nov 2022.

Even before she opened her eyes, Rhiannon knew that she was in her bed in Cordelia's mansion, and that it was 3:42 AM. She had no idea how she got there, nor did she know what the hell she did to wind up naked and smelling like she just went two days without a bath after a day full of raves on spring break in Mexico City. She was also glad that there was no naked guy in the bed with her.

When she did open her eyes, the first thing that she noticed was how crisp everything looked. She always had good clear vision, but still it looked like she had been seeing the world trough foggy glasses until this point. She could also feel the super soft weave of the sheets pm her skin, smell the soft air freshener hanging in the air despite her body odor, and hear what could only be described as the white noise of silence. Her bursting bladder was also screaming for her attention, prompting her to jump up and run for the bathroom.

After peeing for a solid minute, Rhiannon collected her thoughts. She could feel that she had changed, and it was more than the sharpening of her senses. How much more she would have to see. The only thing she wanted to for the moment was a shower.

Actually, Rhiannon skipped the shower, opting instead for a bubble bath that she lounged in for almost two hours. The fragrance of the lavender soap never smelled so refreshing and the bubbles were so much more soothing. If all the pattern gave her was a greater appreciation of luxury, it was worth the ordeal. Which made her think about how much better food would taste and that reminded her that she was hungry enough to eat a whole cow. After the bath, breakfast was still hours away, so she would have to wait to find out unless she wanted to wander down to the kitchen for a snack.

She still had questions. Maybe Zou Yan had some answers "Zou Yan, how long have I been sleeping? And who brought me here and how was I naked?"

Instead of running down to eat, Rhiannon found herself wandering around her room exploring. She had became distracted while drying off by the texture and smell of the towel, and then again taking the time to feel the enhanced pleasure of the brush through her hair. Her sense had put a five dimensional shine on the entire world and she wanted to re-explore it. The carpet, the feel and rich scents of the wood furniture, every single personal item, it was like everything was new again. After she had gone through everything in her room, she put on a robe - a soft cushy luxurious robe - and wandered about the mansion doing the same.

By the time she was done, it was about time for breakfast. Barefoot and still in her robe, she went straight there. It was only a little after 8:00 - she knew that without checking - and she as the second one there. Coffee, a big bowl of fruit and a heaping helping of the whatever was in the hotpan, and she took a seat next to her cousin, Blake.

"Hi Blake. Have we met? I don't think we've talked directly. I'm cousin Rhiannon, which is a shame because you're really super cute. Please tell me I wasn't the only one asleep for almost forty hours."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:43, Mon 14 Nov 2022.

"After you returned to your room, you collapsed on your bed. A little aftem 1pm Coral and Jade put you to bed. You've been asleep for approximately thirtynine and three quater hours."

Blake nods a greeting, mouth full, as Rhiannon sits down, and when he finishes chewing he says, "Thanks.  And same to you.  I woke up a bit after midnight.  So yeah, a bit under 40.  It was so amazing after I woke up... I feel... more real?  But I didn't know I wasn't fully real before.  Did you experience that?

I've been around, I just have a habit of staying in the background and listening.  Usually other people asked the things I wanted to know, so I didn't need to."

Edward wakes up... or more accurately rolls over and falls out of bed, waking himself up.

What the Hell....

"What the hell happened.." He asks the air before rephrasing his question. He remembers walking the Pattern, willing it to transport him back to his room, but nothing after that.

"Zou Yan.. how long have I been asleep and what day is it?" He asks out loud to electronic assistant, before realising he suddenly has a feeling what time is it.

He picks up his watch and checks the time, confirming his guess on the time was correct.

That's weird....

"Today is the 8th Jux. You have been asleep for approximately thirty eight and three quarter hours."

Cassandra woke slowly, sensations slowly filtering in. Her head ached slightly but it wasn't a pressing problem, other needs were, however. She cracked her eyes open to check the time but there is no need her brain tells her that it was 04:04. Her eyes widened and she sat up "Zou Yan how long have I been asleep?" she rasps.

As the sheets fell off her body she acknowledges her lack of clothes. The absence of clothes wasn't completely unusual, what was she didn't remember removing them. She frowned ' I swear, if I've lost those clothes completely I'm going to be a little miffed, shopping for sportswear that I like is a pain'.

Rising from the bed she noted that everything felt different, almost like she had been underwater for a long time, and having risen everything was registering differently. She shook her head slightly, first things first something to drink and then the bathroom.

This message was last edited by the GM at 15:27, Sat 19 Nov 2022.

"You have been asleep for just under 40 hours."

After breakfast Kenneth will return to his room and dress more appropriately for the day ahead. The hunger due to the long sleep abated he will return in a more friendly mood and fill his cup from the coffee pot for his second of the day.

Listening and looking around the room he will pay particular attention to the conversation about what people experienced walking the pattern.

at about quarter past 4 there will be a knock on Winter's door, with a prompt from Zou Yan that "your food has arrived".
Assuming Winter either opens the door or says "enter" then the Nightcook will enter with a tray bearing a bowl of food "Chow Mein with bacon and vegetable omelette".
If there is nothing else then she will depart returning to the kitchens.

In reply to Blake Hemsworth (msg # 13):

Rhiannon had to think about Blake's question. Did she feel more real."I... don't know? I mean, all my senses are sharper. hey were really sharp before, but now... wow. I suppose I have more of a sense of - I don't know - invincibility, I guess. You know how when you were a teenager and you thought you could do anything and nothing bad could happen to you? It's kinda like that. I know I'm far from invincible, but you get what I'm saying." She wolfed down some food.

"And I'm super hungry, and all kinds of excited. Do you know what we're supposed to do next? I hope we don't have to wait five days for the next installment."

Winter met the cook at the door and smiled. "Thank you," she said as she took the food. She might be a little unhappy with Cordelia, perhaps, but she would always treat the staff with respect. They were the ones who made her food.

Anybody who goes to the roof after about 5:10 will find Cathal swimming lengths in the pool. He's there until approx 7:30 when he returns to his room.
He will arrive for breakfast at about 8:10, along with Natsuki, and greet anyone who's there already.

Should anyone venture outside to the 20m x 20m open lawn area at the end of the path that starts at the SW corner of the front of the house and heads more or less west through a set of pergolas that interlink and separate a couple of Japanese gardens and one of the gravel gardens, post 6:30 they will find Cordelia teaching Natsuki the basics of Tai Chi, at least until 7:30.

She paused "I see thank you..."

"No wonder I feel great and like crap at the same time"

She sighed usually, she would have a glass of water in her room somewhere but she wasn't at her bunker. 'Change of plans, shower, and then I raid the kitchen' She moved swiftly to the bathroom. After all, it was only just gone 4 in the morning no point in waking anyone up, she could get food herself she wasn't a child.

----------------

Exiting the bathroom in a cloud of steam she looked at her clothes. 'Something soft and comfortable I think would be best' she pulled out an old band t-shirt, it was oversized and the image on the front was almost completely faded, following her t-shirt was a pair of leggings. Dressing she gave her hair one last rub through to get rid of the moisture and then left her room for the kitchens. It was 04:35 and she needed food.

You make your way down to the kitchens undisturbed.
As you enter the Nightcook looks up from the sink on the far side of the room where she is washing up from earlier.
You're a little surprised when you find you can understand what she says...
"Be with you in a minute. Just need to finish up here. I assume you want something to eat as well?"