One Never Knows (Mint)

Mint takes a couple of colored pencils from her pack and adds a bit of detail to her sketch.

"That makes sense. It also explains why the Shadow Storms largely bypassed Iv." ...except for the strange girl whose house fell from the sky.

Mint passes her sketch to Bleys. She watches carefully for any hint of recognition while she speaks.

"My guess, this woman either drew the Crimson Unicorn Trumps or knows who drew them."

Mint smiles conspiratorially.

"I have a more outlandish theory, speculation really, if you want to hear it."

Bleys looks at the drawing with a nod. "Oh please, I can hardly wait!"

"Father showed me once a number of Shadow Trump, pitiable weak things made by those not of the Blood. He warned me not to risk my life on such imitations. Such Trumps would not have the protections these have demonstrated nor the strength I can feel from such cards."

"If real Trump exist, backed by a Crimson Unicorn, then perhaps a second Unicorn exists as well. Heresy I know, and yet Father taught me that when searching for truth to exclude only the impossible and accept what remains however improbable. A second Unicorn could associate with the Pattern which Corwin drew. I mislike the timing. It might also suggest the existence of a second Amber, call it Ruby if you will. I mislike that as well because that suggests the additional heresy that Amber exists not as the one true world, but as the first and greatest Shadow of some greater truth. And yet the timing works."

Mint sips the wine.

"If Ruby exists, we might never have encountered it. Our Pattern leads to our Shadows and Ruby's to her and never the twain would meet, until the Shadowstorm. A single traveller in the heart of the Storm transiting at just the wrong time might cross over. The storm might have scattered her deck while leaving the cards and her largely unharmed save of course for secondary effects. This suggests a number of avenues of exploration. Determine if any reality exists beyond Amber and proceed away from Amber from there. Transit to the courts and search out an Order separate from Amber. Find the woman and learn her story. Find one of these Crimson Unicorn Trumps of a place rather than a person and transit the continuums that way."

"Quite an elaborate house of cards, eh? A simpler explanation no doubt exists, but damned if I can see it."

"An impressive house of cards indeed! Of course, I can think of at least one other possibility, as it happens. What if the mysterious copper-tressed beauty," he gestures to her drawing, "is merely close to the maker of these Trumps, whose design is more of a personal sigil than any specific meaning beyond that? While in some ways simpler, this leaves the puzzling question still--who made these Trumps?"

"Then again, the two are hardly mutually exclusive--and I can tell you frankly that the relationship between Amber and Pattern is not as straightforward as even those in the know generally believe."

"Has anyone tried to contact the young lady via her Trump?"

"To the best of my knowledge only Aunt Fiona without success. The twins claim to have never tried either card depicting the woman."

If the back is a sigil, then it should have some sense of the creator. After all it too partakes of the magic of the Trump albeit indirectly. I wonder what would happen if...

Mint takes the Crimson Unicorn Trump and begins to examine the back closely, not entirely opening her mind quite so much as if to contact this strange Unicorn, but seeking any sort of psychic impression or sense of who might have made this card.

It feels...different somehow. Mint lacks the experience in comparing the feel of differently created Trumps (well, doesn't pretty much everyone lack that?) so she can't really pin much down. For what it is worth, the card doesn't feel particularly 'new.'

Of course, the colors are those of the late, lamented Prince Eric.

Mint frowns.

"Definitely a mystery, and not one we will solve today I wager. Still we both have preparations for the party and I should not keep you overlong this day.

Mint turns to leave then turns back,

"Do you know of anyone in the family other than Fiona or Yourself who knows the location of Iv? Father kept the place rather well secluded and I know the flowers are a message. It seems almost certain that Fi sent them, but in the unlikely event that she did not I may have to consider them a threat."

Mint bites her lip.

"Your father knew, and in truth who knows who might have heard it from him? I myself have told no one and if Fiona says the same my bets are on her telling the truth. In this, anyway. Yet another mystery for us to solve then!"

"I will let you know if Aunt Fi did not send the flowers. Thank you, Uncle."

Mint excuses herself and finds her way to Fiona's room. There she knocks and calls "Aunt Fi."

If she gets no response then Mint will return to her room, pull out her Trump deck and call Aiden, Reena, and Triton in that order.

OOC:Out of Fiona, Aiden, Reena, and Triton hopefully someone will answer. I'm just giving you the list so we can skip over the ones who don't answer to the first who does. Thanks.

David wrote:[OOC - just waiting to see what Aiden is up to before sending your Trump Call.]

OOC- Cool. That's why I gave you the list. Now I might as well add a bit of detail.

Finding no answer at Fiona's door, Mint returns to her quarters.

I will no doubt see her at the party, and the mystery of the flowers seems likely to wait until then.

Mint sits at the table in her quarters and pulls out her Trump deck and sorts out a handful of cards. She has her field pack with quiver, crossbow, sword belt and sword close by her side for the unlikely event that one of her cousins needs her aid.

I have a bit of time before the party and I have not heard from some of the more far flung cousins. Perhaps one of them knows something of these Crimson Unicorn trumps. And each needs to know of their new cousins.

OOC:In addition to Aiden, Reena, and Triton, Mint has sorted out any other Trumps of known cousins who have not seen Amber recently ie Players who join the game later. We can skip over whether or not they answer and assume they have nothing relevant to tell Mint if they answer.

Mint comes to Aiden's Trump.

Dear Aiden, you are perhaps my favorite among my generation. Your explorations take you to many strange Shadows. Perhaps the Crimson Unicorn has crossed your much traveled path.

Mint concentrates on his Trump, feeling the coolness in her hand and willing the connection to form.

That went well.

Mint returns her copy of Aiden's Trump to her deck and then turns her attention to the Trump of his sister Reena.

Reena. Free spirit, where have you flown? And did you alight in a place where you will choose to answer?

She focuses her concentration for several minutes.

(OOC: if Reena won't or can't answer Mint will call Triton next)

Contacting Reena proves...oddly difficult. It is as if she is extremely close to something that interferes with Trump somehow. Mint senses no panic or danger, but it is as if Reena is much further away than seems possible. Most likely some odd eddy or peculiarity of the Shadow where she happens to be at the moment.

Next up....Triton

Ah, Reena's travels have taken her somewhere strange and interesting. Time enough to catch up with her after they party. She will miss the strangeness, but that is her loss.

Mint changes to Triton's card and concentrates carefully.

It seems likely he will answer. He enjoys a relaxing voyage or perhaps suns himself on a beach somewhere. Wake and answer, Triton, cousin of mine.