I hope the Eater is something Osric became rather than summoned. He will hopefully hesitate before doing it again. And with enough time, I'll come up with some sort of defense. Preferably, some sort of viral spores that only work on It, and can be spread... everywhere. Inoculating all the worlds we can.
Anax is cooperating just as I had hoped. We seem to connect somehow, instinctively. He does look a bit Eldarin in what seems to be his real form. Brand is his father. Who is his mother?
Damned good thing that magick is so plentiful and easy to use in the Tir. We couldn't have managed a light lens remotely as large in Amber.
Hell, my schedule's practically clear.
Today:
Ander is recruiting some really strange shipmasters. I thought I was user to the strange, the ugly, the weird. Some people get really nasty body mods in Aretia. But Wagner is Ugly Distilled. Possibly an illusion trick.
I'm set to do a briefing. Hm, if Lysander is coming should I tell him I want to teach the local magickers warding spells against Twilight. Also detection spells, dehydration spells, some way to summon gas. On the other hand, maybe I should go direct to his wife the Empress. Sander and I do not get along.
Never gossiping about Fiona has backfired this time. If Miriel had known... Fi and Theseus had to meet sometime. Better now than at the briefing.
Fiona blushed.
Damned good thing that Kirkeleon is cute. ? Is that my reaction or one Dworkin arranged? What the hell, I'm not about to look him up and say, "Bite me Gramps, raise him yourself!" I hope he housetrains easy.
The look on Gerard's face..
QUINN'S JOURNAL -- SESSION 54
The family meeting went well, though far more people were there than I had initially
anticipated. The keys seem to be brevity and food. Bleys was remarkably quiet.
Nobody knew anything about the Eater. Perhaps Finndo will have some information.
Megan left something out. She is changed, something Patternish, but not. I didn't Lens
her, it seemed rude. Besides, I'll just ask Fi.
Bleys might have looked a little apprehensive at the notion of Gerard with feet. I would
like to see that reckoning but, on the other hand, Bleys could be very useful. I believe
he has a choice of being useful or leaving. Permanently.
Theseus was doing something beyond mooning over Fi, which is good. Hopefully he'll share.
Sander was pleasantly receptive to my offer of assistance. Hm, need to run him through the
Twilight attack VR program while he's here.
I don't know where I'll be best employed, the naval or the ground side. Bleys WON'T be
with Julian, that's sure. Don't know how good he is with the Pattern and the Art anyway. I
suppose I should be where Fi isn't. She'll most likely be our reserve... I'll probably be
with Dad and Sander. Study up on Ys and the Baron's forces.
And I don't know what the hell to do about the Eater samples. It could be Osric in there!
Not that he can shapeshift here. Still. Vaporize them?
The apres-meeting was fairly successful too.
Sander and Megan used the simulator. I surfed through the recordings -- slow speed. The Mori may be in for surprises.
Had a great idea (I hope) for some cheap Aramyst Castle defenses. Diamond caltrop-chain chandelier nets. And they don't have to worry about clean-up because the servants won't let any diamonds lie around cutting people's feet.
So Flora is helping Sand spy on us. Why? How seriously can I take the vision in the Hall of Mirrors? I did actually get shot in that vision but if one could access the Hall might one be able to maintain an illusion? Why not? Still. Spent a few minutes building a visual and aural description of Auntie Sand and gave it to the AI. Ran the files of the five near matches, all long time residents. The system will keep track of them and watch for other matches.
What else to do? I want to lay on a few spells and ask Flora where to find Sand. I owe Sand a bullet, and I owe her accomplice two or three.
Hm. I talked to her for a couple of minutes, perhaps I can Seek Sand via Lens.
At least Dee knows.
Still have no idea what the hell to do about the Eater (Osric?) residue.
Back to TopQuinn's Journal, Session 56
Sent a train to Arden with 50 ea 600 pound anvils and alum 'bombs'. Should be reasonably effective. Teleported to Aramyst Palace with Sander, walked up the steps...SCRIBBLINGS, 56 and 57 Quinn
Woke up in one of the maids' beds, as usual. She was already awake and looking at me expectantly. I smiled and kissed her while I tried to remember her name. Black hair, smallish tits, agile tongue. Linden? No: Lydia. They hate it when you forget but there are so many of them and I've bedded most of them any number of times. I'm only superhuman. Evidently she had the morning off and wanted a nice romp. Gods only know where she got the energy, I was a little bushed. Still, I had a reputation to maintain.
The rest of the day stank straight to Hell. Another mission with me up front with some punishment unit, Her Royal Highness trying to get me killed without alienating Julian. Ships this time, so I could use the special items I'd stockpiled. Alum and anvils for artillery. I knew I was getting desperate when I turned to ancient cartoons for inspiration. Thought I'd get a few off before the Baron's pet icemages figured out how to stop it.
Crappy ships and dejected crews.
Ran into thirty of the Baron's zombie ships and dropped alum bombs on twenty. Vaughn Trumped in at about number twelve. Then Coz Ander Trumped in with most of his pet fleet and Vaughn Trumped out with his pets, leaving me to rot. Still no sign of spellmongers. Acid Vortex. No wizards. Wind-Hammer. None. Ander Trumped onto my deck via a quisling crewman and almost died in a Trump trap Theseus had made. I'd wondered why he wanted three rooms made air-tight and all the air teleported out. Blew Ander and part of the stern away -- I thought -- and flew up (having put all my Defensive Shields, Flight, and Amphibian on when the action started) by the crow's nest to start using the anvils. The alum bags I'd teleported up half a mile; the anvils went up fifty. Aim by probability control, three missiles at a time. Launched the first three and Ander cut the mast down. Flew up and the patient sorcerer hit me with a lightning bolt. One shield down. Ander took another off with his spear/sword and I zapped off to the horizon. I could still launch the anvils though, so they left. The icemage could probably have joined me at the horizon, but no chickenshit zombiebanger is going to go one on one with Quinn, even with half my spells shot off.
Decided my oath of fealty had been broken from the other side. The subject serves and the ruler protects. I'd done my part, the Virgin Queenlet hadn't done hers. To Hell with them all, except maybe Fiona, one of the universe's truly great lays.
I considered my options and decided to check out employment opportunities with Brigid, mistress of the Mori, Warrior Queen of all Creation and a fine looking woman. Hellrode off and found her. Hard to judge just how close you are to a target and I stopped real close. Her scouts KO'd me and I came to in her tent. She was polite, referring to me as Lord Quinn, so maybe she wasn't going to sell me to my relatives and get a Blood Curse on her lovely ass. Noted that she's about four or five months knocked up (assuming the Mori go nine and not twelve or twenty or six) and envied the lucky knocker. Asked her if she was in the market for a good (ha, good, I've only met one better for sure) combat sorcerer.
Back to TopQuinn's Journal, Session 58
Quinn's Scribblings:
For a moment, when I was considering joining up with Brigid, I asked myself one of the Forbidden Questions. To wit, 'how bad could it be?'
I should have run screaming in the opposite direction.
So I'm working for a bunch of racist bastards, with Uncle Atrocity, against my relatives, who, assholes though they be are my relatives. And I seem to be in fatuously in love with one of the racists, a food taster with the life span of a gerbil.
Somebody's going to pay, and it will probably be me.
Back to TopCompulsions are interesting. I've avoided them up until now, but this one is amazing. I know I've been enchanted but I know that what the Bright Lady told me was true.
Actually the logic that tells me the first thing is a feeble thing beside the surety of the second.
Interesting.
Back to TopOK, Somebody, or a number of Somebodies, broke the Baron's working.
I'll have to try to work out what elements of the Other Quinn are really me. Most of OQs problems seemed to be rooted in a lack of attachment to people. That, at least, has never been one of my faults.
I even got some profit from the experience. Some erotic techniques. Insight on the Mori. A strong feeling that the alum bombs will be a real success. I'll have to make them invisible, which will cut their number.... some fakes might be a good idea.
And Naomi. Do you remember? Is this Quinn to your taste? Are you to mine? And how do I shake her free of her suicidal job?
How long will Fiona, Bleys, Vaughn, etc. stay comatose? Will the mortals recover? Would Aretian medical care help? Is Fi more vulnerable in Castle Amber than in Aretia? The faster relative time flow should help. That would be a lot of patients, if I send the mortal victims... and family members...
Hm, now I know something about the valkauri and more about the zombies; time to program that into the AI. Nerve disruptor cannon should take out even old valkauri. Rail guns. XRay lasers. Particle beams. All on hand.
And OH SHIT I'm Head Wizard again. No Fi for backup. Hell, no LORA for backup. And the Baron to fry. Damndamndamn.
Speaking of Damn, I have very little idea how to work out the Trump cross-connections. Maybe Theseus was able to sense something. Nice having a sort of Little Brand on our side. He, Edward and Breann --and Sander, the Other Theseus said something about having been clued in by Sander-- seem to be the heroes of the day. Favors owed.
Back to Top