06m Scene 4

Characters: Giselle, Aurora and Vincenzo

[ Common Room of the Crown and Rose(#656RAJ) ]--[ Amber City ]——

This common room is a comfortable enough place, as such things go; it
is clean, relatively quiet, and most of the time, no one snores too
loudly. When the windows are open, exotic scents from the market are
carried in by the breeze.

A door leads out into the hallway, at the end of which is a staircase
down. Off the hallway are some additional doors, to the inn's private
rooms.

Giselle is here.

------------[ Exits: D ]

The contact with Aurora comes like an icy wind.

The image of Aurora is currently walking along the street towards the palace, seemingly alone.

The image of Aurora says, "Hello?"

To the image of Aurora, Giselle looks to be in the upstairs common room of the Crown and Rose, seated by a window. She has a glass of what's probably rum in her hand. She smiles at Aurora. "Hello."

The image of Aurora looks disappointed for once but rebounds with a smile, "Cousin!" A pause, "I don't suppose you've crossed paths with Lord Dashton today, have you?"

To the image of Aurora, Giselle's eyebrow rise at the disappointment, then she smirks. "Hey, cousin. No, I haven't, why?" she asks.

The image of Aurora frowns then, "We made dinner plans a few nights ago, he ran to the lower city to tend to an errand and I've not seen him since. Usually he sends word even if he is only a bit late, nevermind does not come home at all. He who shall not be named is checking Feldane." She waves a hand, "Nevermind that, how is my favorite cousin?"

To the image of Aurora, Giselle ohhhhs. "Huh. I'm sure he'll turn up." she says. "Probably just got distracted. Need a distraction, then?"

The image of Aurora looks to Giselle hopefully, "Yes." She hasn't been threatened with physical harm in days, thus the thought of distraction is seized and clung to with hopeful mismatched eyes, "Why do I feel like I forgot to do something?"

To the image of Aurora, Giselle can only shrug, then offers her hand. "If it's important, it'll come to you eventually?" she offers with a grin.

Aurora appears suddenly, grasping Giselle's hand.

Aurora steps through and looks around, "OH, I was on my way here." She smiles to Giselle, "IT seems like it's been ages!"

Giselle chuckles. "Worked out well, then." she says, then drinks from her glass of rum. "And yeah. I've been a little busy with the things." she adds with a shrug.

Aurora lifts her eyebrows, "The blood thing! That's what I forgot!"

Giselle tilts her head. "Which blood thing?" she asks.

Aurora looks confused, "Didn't I promise you a blood sample?"

Giselle thinks about that. "No? I don't need blood, for this. I need ideas. Of Oberon. I need that part of him each of us inherited."

Aurora looks confused, "You mean besides the properties of our blood that make us long lived, strong, able to essay the pattern?"

Giselle nods to her. "Yeah. I mean, that's not really the important part. We all have that. I'm trying to coelesce everything that he was besides the powers. If I'm going to make it so that a Pattern think the person fixing it is Oberon, then I need to collect as much of him as a person as possible. And use it to infuse the fixer."

Aurora's eyebrow knits, "Maybe look for clues in anything he left behind? Letters? Personal effects? The pattern can 'recognize' people by getting familiar with who they are-that's how trumps work-right?"

Giselle says, making a bit of a face, "Eventually, I have to go in there. And try to get something off some of his things. Like a psychometrist does. But the biggest part of him is in all of us. So, I want to get as large a sampling from the family as possible. Did Fiona and Corwin already."

Aurora looks confused, "I'm still confused…if I have anything of value to you, it's yours." The way her brow knits suggests she's still not sure how she can help.

Giselle smiles. "I appreciate that. Did you actually know him? At all? I know there are a bunch of didn't. So, I made something to help. A potion that accentuates traits inherited by bloodlines."

Aurora shakes her head, "No. I never met our Grandfather. From what little I've come across that gives me insight I am thinking perhaps that might be a blessing."

Giselle nods to her. "It is." She says, making another face. "He was awful. But, this was the only thing I could think of, for how to fool a Pattern into thinking someone's him."

Aurora nods slowly, "So…I suppose there's not any way I can help if I didn't know him…I can gather what things I can find in the palace and bring them to you if that helps?"

Giselle thinks about that. "Hm. If you can get some of his things, sure. I might have to do some of the big things too, though. Like the throne. Think you can get me his crown?" Ha. Right. "You could also try the potion, and see what personality traits it brings out when we focus on that bloodline?"

Aurora ahhs, "I don't know that I've seen it since Benedict….I am certain once I find Lord Dashton he and I…" she purses her lips and changes her mind, "I will see what I can do. I'd prefer to not see Lord Dashton be cast in the dungeon." She oooh's, "OF course. You know I will take anything you hand my, cousin. No questions asked. Just…if something happens let's not tell anyone it was you."

Giselle looks pretty dubious that Aurora can manage to make off with the crown. She says "I don't think you need that much trouble, cousin. But if you can get a few little things, awesome." Then, she grins. "Yay! And I'm not afraid of telling people what I do." She takes a vial from a pouch. "So, you'll take this and then we'll try to focus on the family." She hms, looking around them. "Here, or maybe the place on the beach? Somewhere harder to break?"

Aurora smiles, "Harder to break might be good-and I know you have no shame but I'd get upset if anyone were to suggest it's not a good idea to spend time with you."

Giselle smirks again. "You'd let someone decide who you get to hang out with?" she asks, then finishes her drink before setting down her glass. "Come on. Let's take a trip."

Aurora sighs, "I have a Custos, a live in lover, and am known to be occasionally insane. Sometimes getting my way…isn't easy."

Aurora says, "I am indulged generally unless someone fears for my safety. Thus. No matter what happens…nothing to do with you."

Giselle ohhhhs, then shrugs. "Whatever you want." she says with a smile, then takes her cousin's arm for a field trip.

----[ Lonely Beach ]-------[ Amber Countryside ]

In the shadow of Amber lies this lovely, lonely and empty beach. Waves
lap or crash against the shore, depending on the ocean's mood.
Driftwood and seashells and scuttling crabs hold sway here, intruded
upon only very rarely by those from the city.

Despite the sense of isolation here, it is not a long walk to Amber's
harbor, to the northeast. If one follows the curve of the shore in a
southeasterly direction, some twenty miles further lies the
Faiella-Bionin stair to Rebma. A broad spread of countryside lies to
the northwest, but there are no roads here - the open bluffs of
Crown's Point to the west are empty of any signs of development.

Giselle is here.

[ setting ]--------[ Exits: W NE NW SE ]
Setting by Giselle at Fri Apr 8 22:15:29 2016: There is a little stone bungalow on the Lonely Beach, far enough up from the water and path not to be in anyone's way. From the outside, it looks about 15'x15' and is pretty simple. There is no door, just an archway and some small windows, and there is a chimney in the roof to let out smoke. Inside, however, it is far, far larger. The 150 square foot building has a large central area with a recessed seating area around a fire pit, and several rooms around it also separated by archways though there are holes above them on which blankets could be hung for some privacy. All the walls are stone and pretty solid. The only furnishings seem to be made of stone as well, including the seats. Each of the side rooms has enough space for several to sleep. (+token Giselle's EVS)

It's a fairly long walk to the beach, but not an unpleasant one. And it's not like either of them tires easily. They head to the part of the beach where Giselle has her house, then into it. "So… should I seal us in in case you get too weird and try to wander off? I mean, there will be windows. But they're a little too small."

Aurora hesitates and looks a bit worried, "What if I try to hurt you? Would you tolerate he who shall not be named to keep me contained?"

Giselle shrugs. "He doesn't matter to me. Where he is doesn't matter to me." she says.

Aurora nods slowly, "Well. If there's trouble he'll find us so…let's proceed."

Giselle smiles. "Right." She starts by lifting from the floor by the door a large, flat stone that becomes a cover for the door.

Aurora watches this and smiles, "This is the point most people freak out, isn't it?" not that she looks worried now, assured that if Vincenzo manifests it won't upset her besty.

Giselle giggles. "It's really just to keep you from wandering off." she says, then turns back and takes the vial from her pouch. "Down the hatch!" she says.

Aurora grins and ahhhhs, "I'm going to infer that means you care." She winks and takes the vial, studying it curiously and as promised she takes the cork out and takes it all. Here's hoping that was meant to be the dosage.

Giselle laughs. "Of course I care." she says, then watches her drink it down. "So, we're going to focus on the family. The things we've heard about Oberon that you feel in yourself. The things you've seen in a lot of the other family that you've felt in yourself, too."

RPG: Aurora declares she is consuming token fdn:
-------------[ fdn ]
Author: Giselle Held By: Aurora
Date: Tue Jun 20 10:15:06 2017 Focus: 3
Title: A Look Within


Created via Alchemist (ALC-AL): power-token token-3 type-magic
Gift description:
This character can brew potions for a variety of effects. A potion may be given to anyone, and used by anyone. Each individual potion is represented by a 3-Focus token; the token must be consumed when the potion is used.
Specifically, a potion affects the drinker for up to the duration of a scene. It can generate a single effect, similar to a 5-point chargen-available RPG gift that affects the body. Examples of such effects include temporary immunity to fire, the ability to breathe underwater, and the ability to move exceptionally quickly. It cannot grant mystical abilities that do not manifest themselves in a direct physical manner (for instance, it can grant the ability to breathe fire, but it cannot grant the ability to create a glamour, speak with the dead, or sense the presence of magic). It is not mind-influencing in any way (with the exceptions of sleep, uncontrolled hallucinations, and the like, which are treated as strictly physical effects). If this is used for shapeshifting, only mundane animals that grant no combat advantage and have no special abilities are permitted, and the animal must be determined at the time the potion is created.


Secondary gift used: Natural Philosophy (ALC-NP): token-0 type-magic
Gift description:
The character is capable of distilling the essence of things - not merely the physical properties, but the symbolic and ephemeral qualities of them as well. He may capture ideas as physical things, and imbue them with the smokey flavor of bacon if he so desires. This cannot be done on any large scale, but this allows the creation of some very unique tokens.


Token Description
This potion is designed to enhance a person's bloodlines for at least one day but up to two days (player preference). It is *not* about enhancing blood gifts, so much as enhancing the personality and metaphysical (though not powers) traits of those bloodlines. This is meant as an aide in identifying what makes a person who they are, in terms of their ancestry. How much it affects the character is up to the player, of course, but the hope is to make this an interesting and enjoyable RP opportunity for a study into the character's deeper nature as granted by blood. Examples might be a Mandrake becoming more dragony or a royal becoming more… uh… of a dick. :)


Aurora moves to settle in the sand, wiggling a bit, "How long until I turn into a dick waggling narcissistic asshole?"

Giselle hmmms… "Might not be long, really. I mean, it'd be hard for you to actually wag your dick, of course." she jokes. "Do you do that sometimes? Turn into that kind of person?"

Aurora rolls her eyes, "With the men it's not the dick it's the swagger. Sons of Oberon, blah-blah-…" She tilts her head, "What kind of person?"

Giselle chuckles. "A dick waggling narcissistic asshole. Are you one sometimes? I mean, without the dick?"

Aurora considers, "It's not about the dick. It's about control. You are either the master of your domain, or you are a serf. The mistress of your destiny, or victim of fate." Her mismatched eyes study Giselle, "You see the palace and remember a prison-you should see the palace and see dominion. It could yours. It could be mine. Our uncles don't see it either. Playing in the bushes, rolling the open seas-grandfather would be so disappointed."

Giselle listens, intrigued as Aurora speaks. She nods, then says "Oberon was all about control, that's for sure." she says, studying her cousin. "Corwin talked about that desire for the throne they all feel. Think they've let that get too thin? I mean, they had a *vote* for Regent."

Aurora sniffs, "That is why he won't ever hold it for long. He is like a toddler with a toy. How many kingdoms has he claimed-yet Amber barely recalls his reign as king-if we forget does it even count?"

Giselle thinks, "It probably doesn't." she says. "He settled for his own kingdom, right? How can he really want Amber, if he settled for somewhere else? Do you ever think about it? Taking that control? I mean, they don't seem to let you have much of it, really."

Aurora purses her lips, "I assumed he was king of Amber and grew bored and so found a kingdom that would always be in edge of crisis. " She frowns and notes, "I saw a curse that could consume us. The truth behind Benedict's abdication."

Giselle continues to study Aurora - her face and her body language and just whatever she can draw off and absorb from her cousin. She looks very curious then, and says "Curse? I don't know much about Benedict."

Aurora had agreed to go to the crown and rose to check there for word of Dashton while Vincenzo checks Feldane though when Vincenzo turns to meet Aurora there he'd realize she'd wandered clear out of the city and to a quiet, remote stretch of beach. And since being there, something has changed. He likely can't put his finger on it through the bond but Aurora's end of the bond is…bordering on unfamiliar. As if he were bound to a stranger almost, "Had Benedict remained king, something very old would have consumed him in fire-and with him-all of Amber would have burned…" She leans back, "It frightened me at first. Then I thought it looked beautiful."

They've gone to Giselle's 'little' stone house on the beach, though another slab of stone has covered the door. There are little windows, not large enough for an exit. "Huh." she says. "Beautiful why?" she prompts.

Aurora frowns, "I don't know. Something behind it…a very long plan come to frui-Nonono! Vindication!" she snaps her fingers and notes, "With Uncle Caine distracted there are plans to lay. Say, is it possible you could make a potion who's primary function is to leave one craving more?"

Giselle looks fascinated. She thinks then says "More what? Just… more? Aren't we all kind of already born with various kinds of that?"

As often it does, feeling strangeness within the bond has a tendency to earn Vincenzo's attention. He spends a long moment simply in studying what he feels coming through the bond, and then he starts to head towards the source of it. Ultimately, this brings him to the beach, and even though he's dressed all in black, he stalks easily towards the little hut. Once there, he knocks on the door, and then simply waits.

Aurora tilts her head, "More of the potion. It would be an easy and cheap method for subverting uncle Caine's henchmen." She reaches out and threads her fingers in the sand, shaping it as she thinks. She pauses and looks up. She makes a face, "That is likely my keeper.

Giselle smirks. "It likely is." she agrees. "So, you want to get his people hooked on something only you can provide? You want control of them." She has a very casual pace towards the window nearest the door. "Yes?" she asks through it.

The redheaded man easily folds his arms before him, the gestures a familiar one rather than one that speaks of aggression. He remains standing beyond the doorway, perhaps having tested the door and found it barricaded, and perhaps not. He rolls one of his shoulders slightly, turning his gaze towards the window where Giselle's voice comes from. "You know why I am here. Let her out, and there will be no issues betwixt us," Vincenzo states, his voice oddly emotionless.

Aurora nods and smiles, "See? You get it!" She leans back and makes her harmless junkie doe eyes at Giselle, "You make the best potions, after all." She calls out, "I am Staying. You may join if you cede this domain as Giselle's and promise to behave yourself!" She looks to Giselle, "He's got that tone."

Giselle's smirk stays in place as she looks back at Aurora. "Oh, you know I don't care about his tone." she says, not trying to be too quiet for him to hear. Said more obviously to him then, "She's not my prisoner, stupid. This is to protect her while we do a thing, in case she decides to try to wander off and take over Amber. I'll let you in so you don't distract her by damaging my house." With that, she pulls the stone slab blocking the door so he can come in if he chooses.

Remaining outside the house, Vincenzo grunts softly at the answer Aurora provides. Unimpressed. "I will cede nothing," he states in that same tone. After all, Giselle verbally attacked him on property that was in his care and so essentially his, so why should he cede anything at all? He's not in the mood. "Whatever she has done to you, Aurora, has significantly altered you," he adds, keeping his arms folded in front of his chest. "The only way I will be coming in is if it is followed by leaving once more, with Aurora. And I am well aware that all you care about, Giselle, is creating your damned drugs to peddle all over wherever you choose. You give zero shits about me and those I care about, you've made that abundantly clear," he adds. "Not to mention that, if you are preventing her from leaving, then yes — she is, essentially, your prisoner."

Aurora lifts a hand to Giselle as if to forestall Giselle's retort and rises, moving towards the door, "Do I look altered?" She stretches out her arms, turns, and then frowns gently in a coy pout as she leans against the door frame, "You've never complained when I sampled Giselle's other fare. Come. Make peace. It will be ok." She blinks and gets an idea and her gaze sliiiides over to Giselle, "Would you feel better if you were given the same potion, Vincenzo?

Privately, to Giselle, Aurora is clearly trying to angle Gis another data point believing Vin would drink a strange alchemical potion to prove it doesn't affect him.

Giselle rolls her eyes. "Oh, you know my poor potions wouldn't affect *him*, Aurora. He's beyond them." She looks again at Vincenzo, and says "Sweet talk won't get you anywhere. Anyway, what I'm doing has Fiona's blessing. She seems to think it's okay to try to fix the broken Patterns so any of us can use them. If you object, talk to her." Then, she looks back to Aurora. "No wonder the desire for control is what you're focused on. You're not allowed to decide where to go and what to do. He gets to decide those things for you."

"Her other fare, as you put it, simply made you high and provided you with some relief from the visions. This, whatever it is, has done otherwise, and it has entirely changed the feel of you. I attempted to make peace previously and was granted viciousness for it, and so I will not do so again. So if you wish to preach to anyone that peace ought be wrought, then speak to her," Vincenzo states with a nod to Giselle at the last words, his hazel eyes narrowing slightly. His gaze slants to Giselle, then back to Aurora, and he shakes his head. "I will consume none of her witchcraft," he replies. "I would feel better if you were yourself and had done as you said you would," he adds, inclining his head slightly towards her. "I don't give a tinker's damn what it is that you're trying to do, or whose blessing you have to do it. What I care about, is that you're messing with the well being of my Ward. So. With all due disrespect — fuck off, Giselle, and find a new damned lab rat. Or the next time I come here will not be with peaceful intent. Whatever you're doing to her is making her not give a damn about the people she cares about, including Lord Dashton."

Aurora sighs and rolls her eyes. She steps up Vincenzo and gently reaches for his hands and gives a squeeze and then presses a kiss to his palm, looking up at him with those mismatched eyes "I agreed to this, dearest. Without coercion or ignorance. Giselle has done nothing wrong. YOU are just going to have to trust ME. Also, As long as you have sulked and moped over things with your sister this is ENTIRELY counter productive. For MY being the one on the potion YOU are the one being a royal prick. If you can't be civil-which if I recall is nothing less than your foresworn DUTY, I will have no choice but to file a complaint with the academy of Brass. So. Come in, shut up, do your damned job like a grown custos-or leave and find another line of work. No ifs, ands, and buts-the rules apply to you even when you don't like it. Make your choice so Giselle and I can get back to doing something constructive. Oh-and if you plan on staying an APOLOGY will proceed your entrance."

Giselle idly crosses her arms and leans against that stone slab serving as a door to her small-looking stone house. Vincenzo's words seem to be rolling right off her. She is, apparently, entirely in control of herself right now. There's no sign of her usual… well, crazy and unstable. When Aurora moves to handle it, she lets her.

There is a brief moment of resistance to allowing Aurora to take his hand, but Vincenzo does ultimately let it be done. And when she kisses his palm, he grunts softly. "You, I have trust in. Giselle, I do not — and likely will never — trust. Unless things significantly change at some point, which is highly unlikely based on things she has said on previous occasions," he says, studying her. "I have neither sulked nor moped. And it matters not either way, for Giselle has given all indications that she will never forgive me, so why should I continue to let the matter disturb me? My duty has nothing to do with civility and everything to do with keeping you safe and protected. You know very well that I can be civil and that, the extreme majority of the time, I am exactly that. File a complaint if you feel you must, for it is your prerogative as a 'client'. I am certain discipline will be meted out as they see fit. And, since you are under unknown influences from whatever witchcraft Giselle has shoved down your throat, I will choose to overlook the fact that your words give a distinct impression that you tire of having me as your Custos. I will give you the benefit of waiting until this toxicity has worn its course so that you can consider the ramifications this might have. As I have no intention of apologizing yet again to Giselle for something of her own making, I will leave. Do as you wish and as you see fit, Lady Aurora. I will continue to hunt for any sign of Lord Dashton, as you seem to have no care over the matter at all," he says, inclining his head towards her. "Good day, Reverend Philosophos," he says softly. Disengaging his hand from hers, he steps back slightly before bowing, and then he straightens before turning and making his way back down the beach and thus away from the hut.

Aurora stiffens and lifts a hand, "Don't you talk to me what I care about! I ASKED After Lord Dashton before I came here with Giselle's help! For someone who claims to trust me you surely do not hesitate to assume the absolute worst of me. I am more keen to find Lord Dashton than ever!" she eyes him and mutters, "Don't think I won't get my apology from you." but apparently it won't be now. She looks to Giselle and huffs, "So. About this potion we were discussing?"

As Vincenzo talks at length, Giselle just leans there against the 'door', watching him. When he turns to leave, she looks again at Aurora. There remains a calm self-control about her. She echoes quietly, thoughtfully, "Playing in the bushes, rolling the open seas-grandfather would be so disappointed." She adds then "There is no one in control. It's all an illusion we feed ourselves, to not face that truth. Is it fear, do you think? Fear of what true control might require of us?"

Aurora eyes Giselle, "philosophy? Really? You didn't Answer my question about the potion. Hey, let's go for a walk…"

Giselle smiles at Aurora. "Sorry. It's in my head now. That's the whole point, remember? And I could make a potion like that, sure. But that's not real, either. Control through addiction goes both ways because the only way to keep them obligates you to keep providing it.

Aurora lifts an eyebrow, "Real? It creates an economy only you and I can supply. How much more REAL do you want it to be?"

Giselle mmms. "That's true, but what if I wandered off? What if something kept me from making enough for your continued needs? It forces you to rely on me, which puts me in control." She purses her lips, apparently liking the thought of that.

Aurora peers, "You don't like the work you like the freedom to do what you want when you want to do it. I do the work, you get the freedom, nothing wrong with a partnership so long as one doesn't think one can do without the other. IF something happened to you I suppose I'd have to think on my feet but that'd be easier to do if Caine's men already had betrayed him-then I would simply reveal their treachery and let nature follow it's course. While Uncle Caine is salivating over their fear and pain, I will find a means to deal with Caine himself."

Giselle looks just fascinated as Aurora speaks. "That's true. I do like my freedom. The work's fun sometimes, though. And I've never really thought about control, before I started this. it's an interesting taste. A different taste. It has its appeal. I see why you like it."

Aurora smiles, "The trick is not to get greedy and prideful. Look at our uncles, our brothers, our cousins, as cautionary tales. All about their childish need, foolish pride. Together you and I could could build something mighty-a legacy-and THAT is the treasure worth having. "

Giselle mmms. "Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." she says, of their relatives.

Aurora giggles, "You make them sound like a bout of flatulence when you put it that way." She moves to slink back onto the ground, smoothing her skirt and straitening her veil with more fastidiousness than she typically shows.

Giselle grins, then moves to take a cross-legged seat next to her cousin. "I'm not wrong. So busy making a big noise that everything's slipping away from them, and all they do is get louder to try to cover it. Or maybe they really think that control comes from being the loudest and most flamboyant?"

Aurora considers, "Trying to convince themselves or others. You know what's strange? Benedict is GONE and Amber still functions by the honor system. They really do believe Oberon is going to come back some day."

Aurora lowers her lashes, "And when he does-he will call the terms." she winks to Giselle.

Giselle chuckles quietly. "Do they really? Is it so hard to believe he's finally gone? And if he does come back do you think he'll reward them for being no more than sheep wandering the field while the shepherd's away? Do you think he'd care what happens to them, when they're all so busy pretending they're not letting Amber fall apart in his absence?"

Aurora pauses and peers at Giselle, "He is surely gone the closest Amber will ever have is whatever you're crafting, beautiful."

Giselle smiles, then mmmmm… "Once it's done, and strong enough to completely infuse a person with all that he is, or was, I wonder what someone could accomplish before it wore off…"

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License