Welcome to Phantasy Island (Aiden)

"Ah, splended", says Aiden. He reaches into his wallet and pulls out some local currency - what would amount to a $50 bill. Handing it to the shop owner, " I'd consider it a favor if you'd hold the Rogue Heart for me for a bit. I'll pick it up and pay the balance when I return. Might be a few days. And now, is there a place close by where I might hire or rent a conveyance to take me to this address?

The local equivalent of taxis are easy enough to find. En route, Aiden feels a sensation he identifies easily enough, even without having experienced it quite that much. Some one is trying to contact him via Trump.

Well it HAS been awhile since I've seen any of my kinsmen. Wonder what's up?
Aiden opens himself to the contact......

Aiden can sense his Cousin Mint through the contact. Her regard for him shines like a beacon. Although Mint remains entirely unaggressive Aiden can sense that she has a powerful will. (Amber Psyche or better)

"Greetings Cousin. I hope that I'm not interrupting anything important or at least that if I am interrupting then I'm interrupting something interesting."

Aiden can easily tell that Mint is in her room in Castle Amber or a reasonable facsimile thereof. She has her hair braided in a complex updo, but wears a simple gown for lounging about the Castle rather than her party frock.

Seeing that Aiden is in a carriage alone and might welcome a diversion she barrels ahead. "You haven't made it back to Amber in the last few days have you? We have three new cousins... twins and a spare... the most eccentric ones yet."

Mints eyes twinkle with enthusiasm.

"Their welcome party tonight should prove fascinating. If Aunt Fi insults anyone she may do it out of habit rather than boredom."

The thought brings a tiny smile to Mint's face.

"I know that you're not much of a one for parties, but I thought it a shame not to give you a chance to attend this one. Shall I bring you through?"

Aiden grins in response. " Hello, love. Such a pleasant face is never an interruption. I've been meaning to get in touch but I've been a little busy as of late. Three more cousins, you say, and a party? Sounds like it will be quite the festive event. Wish I could make it but I'm sort of in the middle of something right now. To make a long story short, I was hired to find a small object for a new client and it turned out to contain something quite mysterious that might be of significant import. I'm following up a minor lead at the moment. I was supposed to meet the client here on the Isle of Gont later today for the exchange, but I think I may have to cancel the contract...something I've never had to do before, as you know. Speaking of which, do you happen to know if anyone in the family has ever come across any unusual trumps in their travels, specifically any with a red unicorn on a black field on the back? I just so happen to have one. The portrait on the front is of a blond woman that I have never seen before."

Mint pouts momentarily when told that Aiden will not make the party in a not entirely serious, but still disappointed way.

"Oh, the Crimson Unicorn Trumps."

Mint reaches forward out of sight and in a moment her hand returns holding one up so Aiden can see the design on the back.

"As near as I can tell they seem like full Trumps created by someone of the Blood. Uncle Bleys found one in an area otherwise devastated by Shadow Storms. The Trump itself remained untouched of course. The twins have the only Crimson Unicorn Trump of a person I have seen. It features a scarlet haired woman."

Mint concentrates for a moment and visualizes the image of the woman from the twins Trump in order to share it with Aiden.

"Fiona tried that Trump without success. No one has recognized her so far."

Mints curiosity becomes an almost palpable force through the contact.

"Have you tried the Trump that you found? Might I see the image of this blonde?"

"Seems like everyone's heard of these things but me, and here I thought I was special." Aiden wrinkles his brow as he catches the image Mint is holding. "A blond and a redhead. My amazing psychic powers predict one of us will find a card bearing a brunette in the near future", Aiden laughs. "Yep, I tried to use the trump earlier this morning. Almost knocked me on my ass when I did....quite an intense experience. It felt like I was inside of a dream...or a kaleidoscope of old memories. There were flashes of Oberon, so it must have been imagery from some time ago. Also I saw something like the Pattern but in a strange courtyard. The one set of images that kept returning were those of a beautiful city of towering domes...gave the feeling of someplace huge and important, almost Amber-like in that sense. Here, half a sec...."
Aiden reaches into his shirt pocket and pulls out the trump holding it where Mint can see it. He continues, " You say the new twins have a set? Don't suppose they vouchsafed the provenance of the new deck, did they? "

"No such luck. And they only have one Crimson Unicorn card. The rest feature a variant on our Unicorn. Although one of those also features the redhead."

Mint frowns for a moment.

"Do you have a Trump of me?"

" Unfortunately, no I don't. Nor of Bleys either or I would contact him to find out what his take on all this is. My personal trump deck is far from complete and I don't yet have the necessary skills to create a working trump yet. I suppose I should take care of that the next time I'm back in Amber. "
Noticing that he appears to be getting close to his destination, Aiden continues. " About the Crimson Unicorn. Just before you called me I was in shop along the waterside here checking out a very nicely crafted model of a pirate ship called the Rogue Heart, said to belong to a Captain Medraut. It was flying a Jolly Roger ensign along with a red unicorn - same as the one on the backs of the cards. Pass that along would ya...see if it means anything to anybody back home. I'm headed to the home of the builder to see what I can turn up. Should be there in just a few minutes."

"Well I won't keep you then, but we should stay in touch."

Mint reaches for something out of sight behind the Trump and her hand comes back holding another Trump.

"I will loan you a copy of my Trump so you can reach me just in case."

Mint offers a Trump of herself through the contact. It has the traditional Unicorn backing, but the artist seems different from that of the decks most family members carry.

"Best wishes and good travels to you cousin."

The taxi doesn't take long to reach Guillaume's address. Aiden sees the area is very close to a ship-wright's area. Several vessels look to be under construction or repair at the moment. Guillaume's address turns out to be one of several cottages that that share a large yard with a bigger house.

"Thanks, love," Aiden says, " Hope to see you soon. I'll be interested to hear what transpired at the party." Curious style thinks Aiden, looking over the trump he's just received. There seem to be a number of Trump artists around these days
He pulls some currency from his pocket and hands it to the driver. "Thanks, mate." Stepping from the coach, Aiden surveys the area. Lives near the shipyard. I bet the detailing of the model is so precise because he's actually seen the ship up close. Was the pirate ship built here or does Captain Medraut make this one of his ports of call for hull cleaning and refitting? But what would a pirate ship be doing HERE on this island and who does Medraut see if and when he is in port?
Aiden walks up the flagstone path leading to the yard (or to the main house if that is the only entrance to the cottages beyond ).

The cottage where Guillaume is said to live is a simple one, easily approachable from the street (Gont has an extremely low crime rate).

Actually, the front of the cottage is open, not unlike an open porch. A tall, thin, dark-haired young man in his twenties sits over a work table. Around him are various carpentry tools, but clearly designed for things fairly small scale. Before him are the ribs of a ship model held in a clamp while he applies a strip of wood, making part of the outer hull of a large ship.

Other ships models in various degrees of completion rest on shelves behind him.

Tacked to the wall is a pastel sketch of a beautiful brown-haired young woman with (of all things) gold eyes. It takes him a moment to realize here is the model for the figurehead on the Rogue Heart.

Aiden walks up to the front of the cottage and knocks on the threshold. "Master Guillaume I presume. I hope I'm not disturbing you....."

The young man (it is indeed Guillaume) looks up from his work. "Oh not at all." He finishes applying the strip of wood carefully but smoothly. No beginner he!

Then he stands and reaches out his hand to the visitor. "How can I help you?"

"A pleasure to meet you. My name is Aiden." he says as he clasps Master Guillaume's hand in greeting. "I'm a collector and purveyor of arts and antiquities. In fact, I was just in a fine little shop down along the waterfront where I saw one of your works, a marvelously crafted pirate ship flying an ensign with a strange device on it...a crimson unicorn. I was wondering if I could ask you a some questions about the ship...if you have the time."

"Ah, the Rogue Heart! I know it well. Come in, come in." Guillaume pulls up a chair for Aiden.

"I saw that ship refitted myself. Last year, Captain Medraut came and hired local shipwrights to make some repairs. That was when he had the new figurehead installed! Are you familiar with Captain Medraut?"

"Ah, I thought as much. The detailing of the model was so precise. And no, I have not met the captain yet, although I should like to. I only found out the name of the vessel and her captain this morning. What actually intrigues me the most, and the reason I'm here, is the provenance of the ship's colors. Of course, everyone knows of the white unicorn of Amber, but I've never heard of a crimson unicorn before. Is that the symbol of a particular nation-state near this part of Shadow? Is it just his personal sigil? I ask because this symbol has been turning up in a quite improbabale fashion recently and I'm very curious as to what it represents."

"Oh, the flag. Alright. Well, he's been using that flag for almost five years now. Before that, he just used to divide the background, half black and half white. Pretty much a minor variation on the classic pirate flag really. Then--well, this is rumor you understand? But maybe not, not anymore. You see, Captain Medraut has the reputation of a fairly honorable pirate. Fact is, he's more a professional privateer than anything else--works for a variety of governments plus a few independence movements, that kind of thing. Story is, a few years back he did a job for a princess in exile. And he fell for her. Hard. Real hard. So much so he changed his flag for her and even changed the figurehead of his ship."

At this point Guillaume points to the pastel drawing. "There she is. She came and posed for the carver, old Jacko. Last figurehead he ever did before passing away."

"Ah, yes. I was about to ask about the young woman in the portrait. Then are there any rumors of what realm she is a princess of or why she is in exile, if she is still in exile that is?"

"All kinds of rumors," admitted Guillaume. "One thing they all agree on is her name--Josette. And sometime like five years ago she seems to have hired or run across Captain Medraut. Least that's when he changed his flag. Maybe they knew each other awhile before then. Dunno. What I do know is that he don't usually work for individuals. Governments mostly, including sides in a Civil War. Ever hear of the War of the Flowers? Two branches of the same royal family fighting it out for control of a place called Outremer. One side hired Medraut, and after that the other branch of the family practically couldn't get any help from their foreign allies. So everybody assumes this Josette is a some kind of royal in exile. God knows she looks like one. Carries herself like one, too, if Jacko was telling the truth and I figure he was."

"But princess of where? That, your guess is as good as mine. But probably has something to do with that red unicorn. I mean, it makes sense, right?"

"And I can tell you this--never seen anybody with gold eyes before. Nor since. When they fixed up the Rogue Heart, Captain Medraut came to get her back. And she was with him. Josette, I mean. Saw her I did. That drawing doesn't do her justice. Captain Medraut must agree. He could hardly keep his eyes off her."

"Yes, that all makes sense."
War of the Flowers, indeed.....the red and the white. A rose by any other name, and the name of THIS rose is Josette. I've a feeling a storm is coming, a storm likely to change all of Shadow ...
And to Master Guillaume, " One final question if I may. If a person wanted to get in touch with the good captain, would there be a preferred way of doing so? Does he regularly visit anyone here in Gont?"

Guillaume thinks for a moment.

"Captain Medraut" he says after a few moments, "visits Gont every year or so. Sometimes sooner. He usually has his ship fixed up by the shipyards," he gestures next door, "and he often likes to stay at the Sundial Inn near the docks."

Aiden knows of the Sundial Inn. It was built around a courtyard where various theatre companies often performed popular works while the Inn itself served delicious seafood stews and a wide variety of coffees. He'd been told of it and passed the place on the way to Guillaume's home.

"The Sundial. I know the place. Thanks, I appeciate your help", Aiden says. "Oh and I do think that your craftsmanship is quite extraordinary. If you're interested in selling your work abroad, I could arrange for my agent in Amber to get in contact and work out the details. We do have a fairly wide distribution, and not just around the Circle."

"Most interested, thank you!" He goes on to say the shopkeeper back where Aiden first saw his work is the ideal agent with which to deal (his mother's half-brother it turns out).