New Patterns

Random came back and announed that he had made a new Pattern. At the same time a number of new cousins showed up in Amber and Shadow. War is brewing in Arden. And the cousins are spread all over the universe.

That is *not a horse*
"Great-Grandmare?," Brita asks


Those redheads are always so secretive
Kris: nZSZuYnNwO2JhY2smbmJz [etc.]

Karen: Darn! They're trumping over an encrypted channel!


That was not chicken soup
After tasting Clarissas brew: Conner just stops for a moment and then goes into a frenzy of writing equations all across the backboard in front of him. He is the middle of a particularly difficult multi variable derivation which models the affect of magical travel on the fabric of reality when it occurs to him that the room didn't have a backboard in it. In fact looking closely it still doesn't. Yet the piece of chalk in his hand appears real enough. "I think I should go lie down." He concludes.


On collections
Gerard on Julian (Steve, not GM): "Flora collects hats, I collect quart beer mugs - Julian collects grandchildren."


From IM
Jsladyliz: Conner, don't go, it's a trap!
Verrain: Well quite possibly, but sometimes the only way to escape traps is to fall into them.
Jsladyliz: (puts head in hands.)
Verrain: <chuckle> What kind of adventurer would I be if I ignored on obvious trap? Come on now.
Jsladyliz: Take a big guy who likes to kill people with you.
Verrain: Jerod is in Rebma. I'll just have to make do.


One could always hope that the mix would self destroy
John to Robin: I'd sell Chantico at a bargain price, but seriously, Brennan's sister and your brother are NOT EVER to be in the same Shadow at the same time, supervised or not.

Preferably, not even on the same side of the Tree.

Leslie: I totally agree. <laugh> But... uh, which brother? ;)

John: The one with horns.


Knowing in the biblical sense.
Brennan:"And now you know Paige, of course," he says just a bit tartly.

"Not as well as our father, methinks," Ambrose says


What's wrong with Garrett?
Garrett scrunches up his nose. The prospect of permanent leisure doesn't appeal to him.

Leslie: Oh, yeah. Permanent leisure is *exactly* what the life of a Royal is about. <snort>


A lot of work for a bad joke.
Thalia:"The Dey has been my host while I took care of my business in The Land of Peace."

Conner: "Then the Dey has my appreciation."
Mark, as Thalia: "And he was kind enough to bring several ice-cold kegs of his personal stock of beer - not only does it taste wonderful, but it's cooling the divan," she smiles enigmatically.

"Yes, Conner dear," she answers his questioning look. "I'm just sittin' on the bocks of the Dey."


She's huge. And she's hungry.
Brita's stance relaxes in response to the shock and fear. She waves and calls back "Hail, Survivors!" and she will wait patiently atop the hill for the two to approach.

Blake: And we'd like to welcome our newest contestant Brita to the latest episode of "Asgard Survivor"...

Monica: Survivor, Asgard! Stranded in a place you think is Asgard, but none of the expected landmarks are there - water is plentiful, but with winter fast approaching, there is no food. No, wait! Here comes the food now.... (remember, Brita is part Giant. Fe! Fi! Fo! Fum!)


What's so attractive about volcanos?
Ossian: "That's where the volcano comes in."

Karen:Why do I have a sudden urge to fix Ossian up with my sister?

"Funny," Brennan says, in his best Professor Snape impersonation, "That's just what I was thinking."


You are right about that one, Brenda
Brenda: Something about the opening line "While Garrett is engaged with the mare" just *doesn't* look right out of context.


Like he could do anything about it
Folly: "Do you *want* to be royalty, Garrett?"


You have no idea
Hannah: "Is the family large?"


I believe it's called rationalizing
James (on Vere/Robin) :Clearly and concisely laid out, so that anyone with any common sense at all will completely understand it, and the only ones who will suffer are those lacking self control or a proper sense of respect for her. Is it any wonder Vere loves her?

Leslie: Coooo. :) Isn't he sweet? A man who values a clear and concise psychopath. Gotta love him.


So young, so clueless
Random drums his fingers on his leg and doesn't notice that he's doing so. "I just hope this will be the last big surprise this family has for a while..."


Science is harder in Amber
Hannah: "I could really use an ancestral study. Do you keep things like that?"

Conner: Of course we do. Its written on this Moebius Strip. Just keep turning; it all comes together again somewhere.


Maybe works for Adonis too
Steve: It's like he wants little demonstrations of love and affection but nothing too intense or tacky.

Michael: Mental pattern matching failure. GMM read "little defenestrations of love and affection." Still parses correctly for some cats.


Trust is overrated
Lilly: My father tends to be... shall we say cryptic? He gives exactly the amount of information he feels is needed at any one given time, nothing more and nothing less. Most people, myself included, tend to disagree with what he believes is the right amount but I have learned it is best not to push matters.


A sufficient condition
GMs: When Kris left, he told us to get posts out, so we did.

Chuck: He should leave more often.


But not dragons in the bed
Julian says, "I mislike this."

Adonis:"You mislike many things, Pater.


What does he mean by *was*?
Hannah: "What did you want to be before you were the King?"

"Irresponsible. I'm told I was very good at it."


Her taste is declared
Hannah, to Random: "Are you musical or do you just beat on things?"


Productive perspectives
Arref: Celina is registering every Amber male she meets as possible partner in her bones.

Liz: And here Hannah is, registering them all as possible patients.


Not not cynical
"Tell her the truth," Martin suggests. "It would be a novelty in our family."


A Michaelism
GM (Michael): It's an unremarkable note. Further investigation shows that it is remarkably unremarkable.


Bleys loves his brothers
Marvelous. Now we get to live in reality as imagined by a brooding black-clad poet and a teenage punk with an aeronautical obsession.


A nasty surprise
Brennan: Among Brand's effects, Lucas, was a Trump of the dashing Lucasian form


It was him!
Brennan: "She's dead."

"I didn't do it," Marius says quickly.


Why Dara doesn't know all our secrets
Claire: On the plus side for Amber, not even Corwin is likely to store critical secrets about Amber in his balls.


Brennan has, as always, a positivistic view of things
Right now, it's filed under Spooky Shadow Coincidences, of which there are a great many.


Biology, according to Steve
You can't catch pregnancy just by talking to someone...not even to Adonis.


Vere demands much from his warband
(after instructing all his officers to dance with Lady Vesper)
They are heading to war," Vere replies, deadpan. "I want to be certain they have the courage to face the horrors that lie ahead of them."


Ce'e needs some social training
[GMs say play though, CloudEater doesn't talk much in situations like these. Or situations unlike these, either, really...]


Good Cop, bad cop and...John
"Oooh! Ooh! Can I be worse cop? I wanna be worse cop!"


Brennan talks about his brother
"Yes, he's been to Amber. Once. No, he definitely didn't come through the stables."


On virtues
Lucas can resist everything except temptation.


It's always fruitful to ask the authority
Solange: "Speaking of Patterns, can we see the new one?"

Random: "Oh, yes. It's completely visible at all times."


Hannah calls the spirits to help Lilly
"We call upon Mother Earth and Father Sky
We call upon the spirits of the earth, wind, fire, and waters.
We call upon the ancestors of Lily.

Come to her in her time of need
Bring her blessings of strength and protection
Lead her on her path in darkness
Shed light by knowledge to show the way"


Paige summarizes
...and my relationship with Worth became Worth-less


Everyone has a place in Xanadu
And... um... <Folly looks around> ...where has Caine gotten off to?

James: Hey, it's a brand new reality. *Someone* has to be out there committing the first murder.


A reverse evil idea
(Michael concerning Folly, Garrett and Hannah, drumming during Lilly's patternwalk):
Every third Thirdsday at Sext, The Sidekick Lounge hosts The Greater Xanadhavian Drum Circle. Beginners Welcome. This Thirdsday, come help us send "good vibrations" to Lilly, who is graduating from the Sidekick Lounge. BYOD!


Reid shows he knows more than painting and torture
"Did ya see dat, m'lord?" cries Reid from within the wagon, rubbing his head. "Some ruffian accosted me in me own parlour! Banged me up good. But you show'd em, didn't ya? Heard your voice an he just plain vanished, he did." Reid struggles to untangle himself from their cargo for a moment. He holds up a wooden camera tripod leg. "And what for? Fish, I tell ya. Cod. The bugger wanted me fish. But you showed 'im, sir, yes ye did. Bet he's a running now, sir. But if you're the constablatory, maybe you should track 'im down, just to be on the safe side. No point 'in letting a fish thief roam free under your watch now, is there, sir


I would love to see the look on Jerod's face...
Brennan: "What would you do, pin a letter of introduction to his mitten for Jerod? 'Dear Jerod, this is Brennan's little brother, Ambrose, who you may remember from the Incident at the Coronation. He's a Sorceror. He's here to help.'"


Karen refuses to take any blame
...I've just gotta say: "See? It's not our fault! It's your Pattern! It *wants* us to breed!"


Folly and the men
Kris: It's not bad enough she stole one cousin's man, but now Garrett too?

What''s with her and the men of Paulette's line? Heck, I suppose Paulette might've even been fair game if she was still around...
 
Karen: Top three responses I've been considering but haven't had time to post 'til now:

1. "Does it still count as 'stealing' if it's already been thrown in the trash?"

2. "I don't 'steal', I 'liberate'! Now watch me 'liberate' our king from that pesky forced marriage...."

3. "Ooooh, is this one of those 'blood feuds' the GMs keep talking about?"


Lilly is hungry. Very hungry.
"The sight of food and drink causes Lilly to become very aware of the fact she is hungry. Very hungry. Sitting up, she pours a glass of water and drinks it down. It is quickly followed by a large hunk of the bed."


The career advisor
Cambina returns Brennan's grin with a devilish look of her own. "There are worse jobs you could end up with. Agony aunt to our family, for one--it's a job I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. 'Dear Aunt Brennan, I have two children by my cousin the naked forest demigod. How can I teach them that clothing is not optional at Aunt Flora's dinner parties?' 'Dear Aunt Brennan, how do I approach the father of the girl I'm googly-eyed about for permission to date her without ending up short a head?' 'Dear Aunt Brennan, how does a boy combine accusations of murder and a blood feud with a burgeoning diplomatic career?' 'Dear Aunt Brennan, how do I keep my cousin from ogling my mother?' Not to mention 'Dear Aunt Brennan, how do I keep my mother from ogling my cousin?'"


Maybe drawing a Pattern twists you just a little
Random, to Hannah: "You can start when you're ready--wait! Veils! I knew I forgot something. The places where it gets really hard are called veils. Don't stop there, either. Once you're past them, you're past them. OK, now you can start when you're ready."
 
Arref: So is anyone else hearing more Dworkin...less Random is these little bits?


Hannah prays that Random does not follow his instincts
Hannah smiles at him. "Alright, alright," she laughs at herself. She slips off her moccasins. "You'll take care of these for me? They are a gift."

 Hannah unconsciously presses the pouch hanging under her shirt against her chest. She closes her eyes and whispers a brief prayer in her native tongue.

Leslie:
"Please, spirits of the Walking Ways and skin-giving bisons, don't let him steal my shoes." ;)


Random is envious that the cool colours are taken
"Corwin always wore black and silver, indicating that he was dark and rich or something."


More on dresscode, from the king
(to Garrett): "If you show up in a T-Shirt that reads "Fiona's kid totally killed that Rebman both times", it may not be possible to prevent you from being turned into a frog."


That sounds like Queen Elisabeth II
Actually," says Lucas, "I'm interested in two pieces of business. One is the purchase - or possibly the loan - of a ship. It needs to be a steady vessel, capable of speed, but not too light in the water. Its crew should be experienced and stalwart, preferably honest and hopefully a fair proportion of them aesthetically pleasing. Its appointments should be ... luxurious. Its cargo will be precious indeed.


Adonis knows his name
"All you need do is find his name..." he smiles at some private joke, "...something beginning with 'J' might be deemed appropriate."

 "The embodiment of masculinity?" Paige says with a wry smile.

...

 "As another approach, you could mull over some names and consider what they suggest to you. Julian and Jovian are, of course, taken, but other  names include James, John, Jethro, Jericho, Jasper, Justinian..."

Karen: Is it just me, or doesn't "Johnson" seem the obvious choice?


A strong piece from Brita at Adonis death
Brita sighs. She places both hands on the ashes below her and bows her head. She breaths deeply and says softly "Flowing with Passion; Swift Passage through Life's Waters; Adonis - Daeon." She sighs again and brings forth her Power as Goddess of Pure Waters. "Passing under the Bridge you have Burned, may you wash free of Regrets, cleanse the Torment from your soul, wend your way to Peace,..." she glances at Paige hudled around her children and ends the Blessing softly," and leave no Stain on the shores you have touched from your untimely ebb." Brita lifts her hands and blows gently, freeing the ashes from her hands to dance on the wind.


Priorities, schmiorities (Lucas)
If things seem relatively calm and he is not grabbed immediately by half a dozen people seeking advice*, information**, or reassurance***, he will be heading straight for his own suite. But he will seize any guard who looks as if he might know what's happening on the way (lightly wounded for preference), and snap out, "What's been happening? How many injured? What of my children?"

* Those shoes =definitely= don't go with that hose
** Green =won't= be the new black this season
*** No, your btm does =not= look big in your guard uniform


Don't give Michael the opportunity!
Garrett snorts in amusement as he realizes she (Folly) was about to trump the King in her underwear. The humor of it brightens his mood.

Michael: How the King got in her underwear, I'll never... Oh, wait. :)


Youth is even better than it's cracked up to be
Yeah - imagine the arguments Lucas and Solace are going to have with Hope.

"But Auntie Paige lets =Brooke= have a tongue ring and she's =younger= than me!"


Fishy misreadings
Jvstin: Celina a pawn?

Claire: I keep reading that as prawn...


Are the sheep safe?
"Bloody pit," Caine swears disgustedly. "Am I the only man in this family who can keep his trousers buttoned? What makes you and Ossian think she's one of us?"

Novak: "For two thousand years? Yes. Now we know where your sour disposition comes from, sailor-man. Next question?"


This page was updated 14 sep 2005.